Dark Souls 3 Lore: Is Farron Keep Actually Oolacile?

[@CapcomSwagg]

The fact that the Abyss Watchers are literally just Artorias fanboys is the sickest

[@bongkolaswashere.huehuehue9232]

Artorias and his squad

[@giatsu4229]

+Bong Kolas Was Here. Hue Hue Hue i'd love a gif or a parody with him screaming ,,SQUAD, ASSEMBLE" and they appear xd that'd be dope

[@picklefathernurgle2719]

you think they fight over who's more like artorias? Or who gets to hold the blood chalice? The image of all of em standing in a huddle furiously arguing with each other makes me chuckle.

[@picklefathernurgle2719]

then one guy pulled out a sword and we walked in at the end 0_0

[@KingFancy]

I laughed way too hard at this

[@iedawahato]

"So guess who this wolf might be?" Velka?

[@River_StGrey]

I love this.

[@K.Gthealmighty]

No it’s nito

[@doot3050]

Velka is a crow I think

[@sodathejunker]

:laughs in Oswald:

[@iedawahato]

@@doot3050 My comment was sarcasm lol, since Velka is one of his most common lore obsessions.

[@boingo762]

Take this shield, puppy sif. It'll protect you... From urban violence.

[@65gdoubleO]

The Blacksmith he's putting his abyss in my catacombs!

[@diegoicke1766]

Gaster! Sans NEW LONDO WATER PARK OPENS TODAY!!one!one!!

[@gaetaboss_mattj3047]

Sucks At Bass Hey!! That is racist!!

[@aidanmiranda7990]

Sucks At Bass Oh god oh no he's putting his abyss in my catacombs

[@cameronferguson880]

Do what needest be done... thowest!

[@gbishop1774]

Am I the only one that think we got lucky? think about it the Abyss Watchers were said to bury a city at the first sign of abyss corruption and they just so happened to be at the entrance of the catacombs where Wolnir is, and Wolnir is obviously tainted by the abyss so maybe they were on their way to kill Wolnir when they fell to the corruption themselves, but also note we only fought a few, and most of us just tried to focus on the main Abyss Watcher to end the fight, the other Abyss Watchers were also much weaker, and were trying to kill everything in sight including themselves, so we didn't fight them anywhere near their full power, if we fought them before they were corrupted, they would've worked together, and there would've been a shit ton more, same with Lorian and Lothric they are both cursed and therefore weakend and crippled

[@KingFancy]

I'm wondering if that was only part of the watchers like only the ones we fight are tainted and there are others who weren't and are wandering lothric

[@Butcher_Of_The_Sands]

For example hawkwood?

[@Ian.420]

I think the Abyss Watchers already battled Wolnir, toppled his kingdom, shoved him in a cup then got corrupted by the abyss. Who knows how long they sat in that boss room fighting eachother? They are undead soldiers after all. They were probably killing eachother for years and years to try and keep the abyss from spreading.

[@shitberk]

It's kinda funny how we get lucky in this game. We get lucky because twinprinces are crippled, Abyss Watchers are corrupted, we arrive just in time to see Oceiros going crazy, kills his baby and become a fully beast that non-stoply charges you...

[@rhynlock11]

Well you could say the same about how Gwyn was just a hollow shell of his former self at the end of DS1 and it is stated by the Great Lord Greatsword description that he lost most of his power before linking the fire

[@bakedsims5478]

I remember my first time in the Boreal Valley. I said to myself “this seems familiar.” Then the bow knights. “I’ve done this before.” Then the narrow support beam parkour. “Wait a minute.......” Then I ride a giant spiral staircase. “No........” Anor Londo appears on screen. “Fromsoft you glorious bastards”

[@lablunt6190]

I though it was pretty obvious. The same style bridges were there where you fight the Moonlight Butterfly

[@katamariroller2837]

The towers that are sinking into the mud are also very similar (they end in arches supporting a "striped" dome).

[@deralmighty8011]

Elizabeth was the first part that jumped out at me, followed by the basic shape of the area being kind of similar as well.

[@plat_attack3064]

DerAlmighty you can see the eyes on her

[@chrisjanzen7748]

Holy fuck. Never thought about it...

[@greenghost7907]

Plus you find dead mushroom people when checking the parameters of Farron Keep out

[@iamthereddemon20]

An interesting geographical note is sens fortress is directly above oolacile and farrons keep could be the remaining ruins of it, with the amount of time that seems to have passed,a lot of it could have crumbled down and been used for rebuilding, there's the bridge with the stray demon, it's positioning is very similar to the bridge into sens, the tar could have leaked out, mixed with the river that flows through darkroot and poisoned the area, just an idea

[@insertedgynamehere___969]

I always thought Darkroot Garden and Blighttown got scrunched together. The intro says: "the lands are converging on Lothric" which seems literal given the state of the kiln of the first flame. Izalith isn't too far away either but Izalith looks scrunched with ash lake

[@yikes6969]

The bridge with the demon on it is the bridge where the hellkite drake first attacks in ds3. The dead dragon on is there to symbolize that, plus it's way too big to be the skinny bridge into Sen's

[@platinumrage6687]

"thanks obama" LOL

[@TheAshenHollow]

Universal Healthcare is what killed Artorias! Dang it Obama!!!

[@demilung]

What's that smell? It's blood of the wolf! That wolf probably isn't "The Sif", she's dead, but hey, strong souls kinda respawn in this world. Beside the fact that Ornstein kinda manadged to die in Anor Londo and go to Archdragon Peak. Black Wolf: Dark Souls can change you man... Ashen One: How is that? Black Wolf: I use to be grey.

[@demilung]

***** That was one good illusion, having a soul.

[@demilung]

***** You type a lot of lol.

[@Dylanw857]

Except he drops his ring, which is a one of a kind ring only orns would have, and an illusion wouldn't have. Beyond that, illusions are just that. Illusions. Gwynevere is an illusion. Shoot a single arrow at her and she disappears, because that's how an illusion works. They aren't physical beings. Plus you get his bloody soul (I know you mentioned earlier about splitting souls. The only known case of that is gwyn, who had literally the most powerful soul in existence from the first flame. It's not really safe to assume everyone can do it, plus again, going back to gwynevere, illusions don't have souls when you kill them) It's just poor writing where they've retconned half of DS1

[@Dylanw857]

Still doesn't explain getting his soul, and again, the ring. DS2s orns encounter didn't make any sense either. It was fanservice that basically ignored lore. Plus, are we supposed to believe that DS1 and 2 orns are illusions? What the hell reason would orns in 2 be an illusion for? In DS1, the description of the leo ring is "One of the special rings granted to the four knights of Gwyn. The Leo Ring belonged to Ornstein the Dragonslayer. His lugged spear is said to have sliced a boulder in two". So it's a special ring of a set of four. Not something commonplace and handed out to anyone. There is literally one ring according to this description. Why would an illusion have this rather than the real ornstein? And again, you can bloody get ornsteins soul

[@Dylanw857]

***** Because gwyn literally had the most powerful soul in existence. He also raised his own race/army, basically ruled the world and had a bunch of powers nobody else did. Besides that, he gave his soul to others to make them more powerful. Even if it were possible (and nothing points to it being possible), it would have made far more sense for orns to give the rest of his soul to smough. And that still wouldn't explain why this so called illusion has ornsteins unique one of a kind ring. The theory has some blatant holes in it. You can try to patch it up, but people do that a lot in the DS community when they don't want to be proven wrong. Heck, like in this video, or in ashens freya/yorshka video. In this one, the wolf can't be sif, he's tiny compared to him, we kill sif in DS1, he's a different colour, and that's just the basic stuff. Same with freya/yorshka, different sizes, different eyes etc. People think they're so smart with their theories and they ignore the most basic holes in them, trying to run their way around them somehow. According to occams razor, the more assumptions you have to make, the less likely something is. Now lets look at this. Neither of us can be 100% proven right with what we're saying regarding orns. But you're assuming so much on it. -He's an illusion. He split his soul. That's possible for more than gwyn. Smough laugh when you kill orns first because he's an illusion, not because he's a fucking psychopath who literally eats people to become more powerful. That's a lot of assumptions that the game really gives no indication of any of these points whatsoever though. In a case like this, it seems far more likely it's just a poorly written retconn because they wanted more fanservice in the game

[@die3zocker526]

Shared Wolfblood. ...... ........ We are born of the blood, made men by the blood, undone by the blood. Our eyes are yet to open. Fear the old blood.

[@TheAshenHollow]

Yes?

[@twiinsanitygaming9987]

BY THE GODS, FEAR IT

[@Laurence-TheFirstVicar]

I will not forget our adage.. *forgets adage*

[@applepopapplerancher3211]

...Abyss Watchers are the Hunters. I KNEW IT! This is... *The Deepest Lore.*

[@MegaBearsFan]

While I don't disagree with the interpretation that Farron is Oolacile, I don't think it's necessarily true that the Old Wolf being there means that it must be Oolacile (because the wolf is committed to guarding Oolacile). If I remember correctly, Sif guarded Artorias' grave in order to protect the Abysswalker's Ring. He did this in order to prevent others from trying to traverse the abyss and become corrupted and spread the abyss. So Sif wasn't protecting Artorias' grave per se, he was attempting to prevent the spread of the Abyss. In Dark Souls III, one of the access points of the Abyss is the chalice of Wolnir, which happens to be located in the Catacombs that Farron Keep guards. It is therefore possible that the Old Wolf and his watchdogs may guard Farron in order to prevent anyone from using the chalice to traverse the Abyss. They'd be there regardless of whether Farron and Oolacile are the same place. I think it's more likely that Farron is Oolacile because both are connected to the Abyss. So whatever access point to the Abyss might have existed in Oolacile probably also exists in Farron, and the chalice acts as a key to it.

[@JAMES-vy4dc]

*She

[@Xandros999]

So how does Carthus connect to Oolacile?

[@CaptainSkylocke]

I made this connection straight away. There's no doubt in my mind.

[@MICRO.p]

Is u jesus

[@zackheinze3860]

Id also like to add that Hawkwood the deserter also is occasionally seen by a grave that has a sword that looks like Knights Artorias'

[@joot9184]

ALSO hawkwoods voice actor did artorias' infamous death scream 😏

[@theisjepsen22]

It is the farron greatsword. He used to be an abyss watcher, but desserted. My question is only if that sword and grave is his, for the things he says is like mourning for someone else.

[@ilikesdonut]

A common misconception i see regarding the unity of the abyss watchers is saying that the soul they share is from the wolf. But in Artorias' item descriptions, it tells us the only thing he left behind was his wolfsblood. Not to mention it CLEARLY is said by the soul of the Wolfsblood that the Watchers are ONE with the soul of Artorias. So really, in that second phase of their boss fight, they are fighting you as the avatar of Artorias.

[@Automatomatic]

Great video... Though, I laughed at the first minute when you essentially pointed out that one mushroom looks like another mushroom.

[@bigtimehardline03]

(3 years late I know) Elizabeth and that mushroom are the only mushrooms we see in ds that have a long, serpentine body, so it's not unreasonable

[@Reliken]

Super video! I came in skeptical but you won me over. One more thing in favor of Farron being Oolacile: the Elder Ghuru sometimes drop the moss-covered Stone Greatshield that the Darkroot Stone Knights used.

[@mrbrisky1268]

Nice theory! I agree with most of the points made, except for the old wolf being Sif. We know for a fact Sif is killed by the chosen undead in ds1. This is canon for the events that happend in ds1. Also the shield given to Sif was weak and brittle due to the fact Artorias used it to sway of the dark from Sif. Finally the size and overall look of the old wolf do not resemble Sif at all. It's safer to assume the gear is just passed down from generation to generation, eventually ending up with the watchdogs. Keep up the vids :)

[@saxogatley1166]

Do we though? It’s been forever but isn’t Sif an optional boss? That means his death isn’t guaranteed. Gwendolyn was also an optional boss and he survived until shortly before the events of Dark Souls 3.

[@Fatalaodragao]

@@saxogatley1166 nope, you can't progress in the game If you don't kill Sif to pick Artorias ring so that you could face the Four Kings in the Abyss.

[@johnsmith-tf8xb]

But didn't we kill Sif? I assume that would be canon since we needed the ring he kept to fight the Four Kings.

[@nightslash9963]

brah, the old wolf farron is dead still ever guarding, assuming farron is sif, he is indeed dead but has followers

[@GreatKingIso]

+Night Slash no he's emaciated

[@canadian_finch2803]

The idea of timelines factors heavily into Dark Souls storytelling, and could definitely explain a lot of the stuff wrong. For instance, he had a theory detailing how Orenstein is, in fact, the mount of the Nameless King. He obviously enough appears in DS1, as well as making an appearance as the "Old Dragonrider" in DS2. So it wouldn't be far-fetched to say that each of these games run of slightly different timelines. Like one where Orenstien didn't follow Gwynivere to Hyde's Tower of Flame, or one in which Sif, the Great Grey Wolf, was allowed to limp away after he had been clearly defeated.

[@AsteroidKidMusic]

+Phoenix Soilder But when you think about it, Ornstein's armor description says that he left Anor Londor in search of the Nameless King. It's possible that nobody knew the whereabouts of the Nameless King at this time. So, Ornstein searched for years and years, never dying, and at one point in time was at Heide's Tower Of Flame. Well, there he is an optional boss, so there is nothing saying that we actually killed him in storyline in Dark Souls 2. If we did, maybe he respawned at the bonfire. You can never say that anyone ever died forever in any Dark Souls game, because all of us undead respawn at the bonfire.

[@canadian_finch2803]

+Jay Hart But the point still stands, timelines come heavily into play when concerns with DS lore.

[@lubesoggytoes7352]

I didn't expect the "thanks Obama" pop up in the serious video

[@Nikolai508]

Artorias would normally use a shield, but he broke his arm protecting Sif who was keeping his shield. However, it seems that the Abyss Watchers thought that Artorias never used a shield and learned his single-handed sword combat techniques, going so far as to disallow shields.

[@SunnyII3ridges]

would kill for a remastered ds1

[@zacharyvowles6513]

same, with higher end graphics and etc.

[@SunnyII3ridges]

Zachary Vowles and maybe some ds3 elements in it, since most players are used to ds3

[@Slender_Man_186]

I wouldn't mind if weapon arts were in a remastered Dark Souls 1 and 2. It would give weapons like Ornstien's spear a proper RT/R2.

[@ronanvankessel6329]

General K1MB0 like where they make the game actually good?

[@flochwasright5376]

A demon's souls remaster should come first.

[@chicodepuertorico1450]

I can sit and watch your Souls content all flippin day!!!

[@TheAshenHollow]

Thanks, buddy! That means a lot! =D

[@noneofyourbusiness331]

Where you fight Sif is just far in the future of where you fight Artorias. They're both are in round circular arenas and when you give Lord's blade Ciaran the soul of Artorias she makes a grave for Artorias in the same place you fight Artorias. So obviously the grave has stayed in the same place because Sif is guarding it. So I wonder, where in Farron's keep/swamp is the grave of Artorias?

[@royalhero4608]

Nope the place where you fight Sif is where Elizabeth is in the DLC. The bridge leading to Sif's arena is the same one leading to the Royal Woods

[@xPvtStashx]

There is a huge gravestone behind the old wolf farron

[@joot9184]

@@xPvtStashx that's all the way up in a pillar though

[@mr.plaguedoc9284]

​@@joot9184 Lothric Castle was said to be moved on-top of a mountain by magic, it's maybe the same reason why Anor Londo has changed places with no Sen's Fortress near it. That may be the case of the gravestone up the pillar, or it's just bad writing and I am overthinking it.

[@NotsoHero5101]

Talking about the forgetting of Artorias’ name, it makes me think of Aldia’s quote from DS2 “a lie will remain a lie” people learned of artorias and his failures, thus his name has lost importance. Now all that’s left is the symbol he fought for.

[@warxtimez]

you just broke my heart. To know that Old Wolf of Farron may be Sif is the saddest thing ever.

[@hiob8566]

Great thing that you bring this up! Really good explanation and very many things that fits so well. Great video! Thanks.

[@Hobo13]

Did anyone else see some weird shit at 2:25 or is my phone having a stroke

[@Vi7ViViDante]

i think its Your phone

[@Timebomb_19]

hobo 13 no it's not your phone

[@paeaafu7947]

hobo 13 I seen it like static

[@Slender_Man_186]

I noticed that too.

[@AmorphisBob]

I think that was the camera clipping behind the wall

[@tuftedmocha7994]

I love your amazing theories! Keep them coming!

[@TheAshenHollow]

Thanks so much friend! I'll do my best! =)

[@MistressChara]

I agree with everything except for the Old Wolf of Farron being Sif, The biggest piece of evidence is that Sif is an animal, and therefore cannot be undead, or at least there is little to no indication of animals being able to become undead. And combined with the fact that he is a required boss unlike gwyndolin, is that we would have had to kill him, otherwise Dark Souls 1 is forfeit.

[@RRed-bb2wj]

and that the old wolf is a lot smaller than sif

[@jonathancapps1103]

There are undead dogs all over Lothric and the Undead Burg. why not undead wolves? That being said, I don't think the wolf is Sif, either, because as you say, the Chosen Undead kills Sif. I find it much more likely that the wolf is a descendant of Sif.

[@MistressChara]

Jonathan Capps Thats why I said little to no. It never mentions anything outside of those npc's of any example of animals being undead that I know of. They might just be generic reanimated corpses like the skeletons.

[@Fwex]

I know we don't like to reference dark souls 2, but in it, we see some familiar faces in the form of the rotten, a remnant of the bed of chaos/the lost sinner, and possibly the old dragonslayer (also in the fact that the old paledrake soul drops but idk why a spider was holding it). These bosses and the text on great souls, "This once magnificent soul continues to exert influence over the land, even after the eons have reduced it to these remnants", to me that suggests that even though they all were certainly killed, a powerful soul can rebuild itself, and in short, live again in some form. I'm not saying it certainly is him or influencing him, but it's certainly possible. The dlc wait is real mane

[@jonathancapps1103]

+Jermaine Odom I can get behind this, or something like it. Sufficiently powerful souls exude a force of some kind. It acts on the world, and is reflected back, like an echo. The original Lord Souls were consumed in the Lord vessel, but their soul echos have returned and reformed into somewhat weaker souls, each imprinted with characteristic of its respective Lord. And possibly of others who had held earlier, stronger echos in previous cycles. We see this with the Soul of Cinder. So the Old Wolf of Farron could very well have held the (by now relatively faint echo of the)Soul of Sif. And that soul would certainly have influence it's owner, effectively imprinting characteristics of Sif, and likely weaker imprints of later owners, onto the Old Wolf. But that doesn't mean the Old Wolf *is* Sif in any real sense. He remains himself.

[@arisniro3167]

Wow, this is so amazingly thorough. Brilliant work~

[@TheAshenHollow]

Thanks so much buddy! =)

[@leopardoffear2243]

+The Ashen Hollow thanks Obama,that was funny as fuck

[@leopardoffear2243]

+The Ashen Hollow But hey answer me this,why do you buy Artorias's armor in untended graves when Sif is attending Artorias's grave?

[@dillonsvlog]

Awesome job! More videos please!

[@TheAshenHollow]

Why thank you kind sir! =D

[@scripted_valor]

am i the only one hearing him say "Forest Cuntters?"

[@TheAshenHollow]

Whaatttt?! I would never say that! ;)

[@abyssalthunder4687]

That's what I heard too.

[@xila762]

These theories are really good, binging through These vids xD

[@TheAshenHollow]

Thanks a ton friend! =)

[@crescenttheumbreon6916]

+The Ashen Hollow what wep are u useing

[@boricgrain1942]

Does anyone else notice that the pose the Abyss Watchers take at the end of the second cutscene is basically the exact same as Artorias?

[@CaptainSkylocke]

I've been saying that Londor must be New Londo too.

[@jonathanmagzal9858]

Great video and an amazing theory man it all falls in place !!!

[@starkaiserpt350]

man i dont get how you dont already have twice the subs you got atm !!! your videos rock :D

[@TheAshenHollow]

Thank you so much, that means a lot! =)

[@starsnstrife]

miyazaki keeps changing things like a artist who's never satisfied.

[@14LORDDONTOMARU51]

Dang this is the way I'll choose to remember sif

[@UchihaMadara-pi4kr]

Thine work so amazing it is.Thanks to thee for telling to us the beautiful yet strange lore of the Farron Keep.Thou had don a great job!!!

[@asaterry9892]

The only thing I would disagree with you on is the wolf being Sif. The quest of the first undead from darksouls 1 is cannon, and I don't remember there being any way to not kill Sif in that game (like Gwyndolin was an optional boss) I would say this wolf is related to Sif but isn't Sif because we had to kill him in DS1... which if you played the DLC is one of the most depressing fights**Edit - Awesome Video please keep going with lore of the DS-verse**

[@whale3715]

You also kill Ornstein who shows up in DS2 and DS3. You kill Smough who is said to be the last defender of the old cathedral. You kill Gwyndolyn who eventually founds Irythill. "Kill," is a loose term in this series. Hell, you can even kill Patches and he returns in DS3. It's an oddly convoluted series with souls returning even after you slay them. Sif can very logically be the wolf in Farron's Keep, with the way that things work. Hell, even the second half of the Abyss Watchers is Arotrias, and you kill him in DS1.

[@TheAshenHollow]

I completely agree with what you all are saying, and see where you each are coming from. In hindsight perhaps I should have elaborated more on why I think the wolf is actually SIf. We do certainly have to kill him in DS1, that is cannon. But I don't think that has to mean he stays dead. But we do know the Abyss Watchers are all united and living through their shared wolf's blood. I believe that that wolf's blood has to be considered Sif's blood, with everything he went through with Artorias and the abyss itself. If we believe that we believe that blood can only flow through the living, especially as we see it bringing Abyss Watchers back to life over and over. So I think Sif has to be alive in one way or another in order for this to happen. Not that we didn't kill him in DS1. I don't know, maybe in the way his blood raises Abyss Watchers he was able to raise himself again, or before dying his blood found a new host? I suppose we will never know for a 100% certainty, but this is where the fun is at! I love everything you guys are saying though! =D

[@asaterry9892]

You are right. I definitely agree that in some way it is Sif. There is too much going on in Farron to say that it isn't. However if I had to venture a guess I would say that it is Sifs Soul in the wolf. Kinda like how in DS2 the Lord Souls continued exerting influence(old Iron King etc). A side note though, I just found Ornstein's Armor and it says he left the Cathedral so maybe there isn't any cannon to be taken from DS1.

[@TheAshenHollow]

Yeah haha, they're all tricky sneaky bastards at From Soft! =P But it is hard to pinpoint exactly what is going on with the wolf and/or Sif. It very well could be a different wolf, just that Sif's soul and blood is residing in it, as a vessel of sorts. Which I mean would kind of just make it practically Sif then, lol. Why you do this to us Dark Souls!!!! xD Well I think the cannon from DS1 with Ornstein is that he was just another illusion made from Gwyndolin.

[@TheAshenHollow]

One thing I would also like to point out Herr Nandor is that it is also cannon in DS1 that we kill Gwyn and take what is left of his soul, after we kill everything else he has given pieces of his soul to and take those as well. But in DS3 is soul is still very much a part of the Soul of Cinder. So maybe receiving souls from bosses is just a gameplay mechanic for weapon upgrades and isn't cannon. Well with the exception of the Lord Souls to sate the Lordvessel. But maybe if we aren't actually taking these souls just because we kill the body, doesn't mean the soul can't live on. In the case of Sif, he could have simply found his soul another body. I don't know this is all speculation of course! =D

[@DainnGreywall]

I actually came to this thought today as well... after realising the corpses near the Sage's scroll and the fact that there is Oolacile clothes and a scroll in there as well.... not to mention going onto the bridge looking around, it could kinda look like the forest in ds1

[@Furionic696]

Great video had forgotten how similar Oolaciles enemies are to the Ghru from Dark Souls 3 the only point I would disagree on is sif being the farron wolf for two main reasons the first being that it is canon that sif dies but even forgoing that my second point would be that any characters from previous games retained their initial designs such as Andre etc it just seems out of place for them to change the look of sif but not the others even the dead irithyll giant is eerily close to the design of the Giantsmith in 1 which made me quite sad :(

[@TheAshenHollow]

Thank you! I see where you're coming from. If you read the comments between Asa Terry and I, I go into more detail as to how and why Farron could be SIf, if you want to just check that out! And I definitely see what you mean that previous characters are retaining their appearance, the only thing I would say is that with Sif offering his blood and soul to all the Abyss Watchers he has become shriveled and frail. Making him look like a dried up raisin of sorts! =P Thanks for your input, I love talking Souls! =]

[@MMisterRitchh]

subscribed. loved your take on the nameless. this one is just as awesome

[@hagerio]

Sif was killed by the chosen undead in the first Dark Souls. So how could he be in Dark Souls 3?

[@TheAshenHollow]

We killed Gwyn and acquired his soul as well. Yet it is still a very large part of the Soul of Cinder.

[@hagerio]

True. But it's more like Gwyn's soul was reincarnated in something else along with the other lords. But how could Sif still be alive and grow old if we took his/her soul in DS1? I too think that there are too many concording details not to think the old wolf is Sif or at least strongly tied to Artorias. But if the old wolf actually is Sif then how did he survive? Was he resurrected somehow? I doubt he could have been one of Gwyndolin's illusions.

[@TheAshenHollow]

Well the wolf in Farron Keep isn't alive.

[@uriel7395]

+hagerio So was Ornstein, but in Dark Souls 3 he left Anor Londo and went to find the Nameless King.

[@TorvusVae]

Could be a descendant of Sif's. It would also explain why the wolf in DS3 is a fraction of Sif's size.

[@tra2118]

Man you brought back the feels nice video buddy

[@ZombieOfTheWest]

Do we know if Manus was actually killed? Because it seems like most powerful beings that we "kill" in DS1, such as Nito and Manus would be unable to actually be killed by the Chosen Undead. While obviously, the demons and dragons, and such could die, but is it confirmed that the Chosen Undead killed Manus or Nito. It seems like they could have easily survived their encounters with the Chosen Undead.

[@Rakvalde]

Well in dark souls 2, The Rotten is basically nitos soul reborn. So Manus being reborn does not seem that unlikely. Dark Souls is a world of constant rebirth and death.

[@ZombieOfTheWest]

Fair enough. Which could explain how it is possible for the chosen undead to kill Gwendolyn in ds1 and for him to still be around to be eaten by Aldrich in ds3

[@dumbythiccdoor]

well that's all about what is actually canon. typically optional boss fights aren't but that's up to From Software to decide really. Gwyndolin would be one of those cases where you could kill her and whatnot but it isn't canon just as you could kill Gwynavere if you wanted to but if we go by what we have pieced together then she went on to have children with Oceiros the king of Lothric. honestly it's things like that that end up muddying up the lore a bit but i suppose that's what the Dark Souls series is all about. certain moments in history being forgotten over time and then trying to piece it all together with what little we find in the world as we go through with our quest. honestly kinda like with the real world how we only know what was written in books or what we find in old buildings/structures. i think despite the gameplay sometimes being lacking From definitely made an amazing series that i almost wish didn't end with DS3

[@QuestionableObject]

Manus' essence split up into different parts and dispersed, forming into the Queens of Dark Souls 2 and in Dark Souls 3 I'm pretty sure that Karla is the latest incarnation of Manus' essence, clinging to a monarch as they tend to, (that monarch being the Ashen One). Her Ashes basically confirm this: "The spurned child of the Abyss never dies, but phases in and out of its fringes. Only, there is no one to search for her any longer."

[@lashed1980]

Manus was destroyed, but his soul was broken down a split between his children in Dark souls 2. the queen nashandra and the other 3 "queens" from the dlc. In dark souls 3 the popular theory is that the profaned flame has been created from the soul of Manus. Abyss creatures are found in the profaned capital and it also has links to High Lord Wolnier.

[@ableponce8599]

Amazing work!

[@tweehoren3641]

I really want to believe it but something is not right. If you give the oolacike spells to the socrerer dude he says something like its from the far land oolacile + there also were mushrooms in ds1 in the secret wall in swamp...

[@tweehoren3641]

gud english btw

[@stammesbruder]

is it known how far the firelink shrine is away from the farron woods? i mean, you "teleport" from firelink shrine to londor, fly down to the undead settlement and then go even further to reach the farron woods. could be considered a "far away land".

[@Heavy.O]

isnt Firelink Shrine at the base of Lothric Castle? you start from the cemetery of ash which i assumed was under Lothric. kill Iudex and the shrine is right there. So i believe you can kinda visually see how far it is seeing that we literally walk EVERYWHERE. id just used Lothric as a starting point for Firelink

[@Mhyrddin]

I figured because of its age people just assumed it was distant even though it turned out to be maybe a kilometre or two away; just like people keep for some reason assuming Firelink is supposed to be the historical Firelink Shrine from DS1 even though Lothric Castle is visible immediately overtop the graveyard you start out in, and the old Firelink should be somewhere about a kilometre underneath Irithyll... Which, if I'm counting right, puts New Londo right on top of Farron.

[@kalega311]

I've watched a few of your vids, but this was the first w/ the warning at the beginning. It actually made me worry that you would fill the video w/ a bunch of "opinions as facts" type of statements, but you didn't! I really did appreciate the constant reaffirming of "I believe" or "we can conclude", etc. Very well done and very interesting video!

[@AutumnIsNigh]

Doesn't Gough say Toothy Serpent, not Dark Serpent?

[@sethm3998]

chester is the one who says toothy serpent.

[@JD-jl4yy]

I think Sif got so large by absorbing Artorias' blood. In DS 3 Sif has bestowed this blood upon the abyss watchers, making him emancipated.

[@samazam4221]

Sif is Hachiko.

[@fun-salts1678]

This video made me love Sif and Artorias a whole lot more

[@kkstudios7877]

Some extra evidence is that heysel, a xanthous scholar, is the daughter of Farron the founder of the abyss watchers. This is stated by the great farron dart sorcery, the description is, "Sorcery which improves upon Farron Dart. Fires a more powerful soul dart. Entrusted to the leader of the legion's acolytes, and was apparently a sorcery of his daughter, Heysel, that was refined by a Crystal Sage." See my point!

[@matthewmonroe1135]

Amazing video, the other thing you don't mention (might not be relevant) but if you beat the Artorias DLC and THEN fight Sif, you get a different reaction from him that shows he is pained that he has to fight the person who helped put his Master's soul to rest and helped fight off Manus.

[@mariod4494]

One question, WHERE THE HELL IS ALVINA ?

[@thelegendfatherofgiants3471]

Turned into a ring?

[@sirlantzolot]

This honest intro is why you have my subscription.

[@FuryousD]

sif is white why would his fur turn black? i say farron is more likely one of sif's desendants

[@Darkmoon_Matt]

FuryousD I thought that too, but I noticed that the old wolf doesn't move, breathe or really interact with the player at all. I'm thinking it's possibly sifs preserved body and that its skin and fur blackened over time. it wouldn't be the first time a covenant leader has been an inanimate object.

[@FuryousD]

Matt Chilson what about his size? did he shrink over time too? im thinking now that instead of being a decendant of sif he may be a reincarnation of sif kind of like how the old dragon slayer in dark souls 2 is a reincarnation of ornstien

[@Darkmoon_Matt]

FuryousD good point

[@TylerDoorn]

FuryousD old dragonslayer is just a bad reskin

[@FuryousD]

Angery Dogger believe what u want, its never said that he isnt a reincarnation of ornstien which is what i believe

[@zomeraktiven]

The huge tree weilding crow creatures in farron also drops the stone guardians sheild from ds1. yey.

[@CrimsonPisces113]

I just went to fight the Abyss Watchers and did it at my first time (and I did get my distance and summoned the Black Hand brother but still got alot of his attention) and I struggled because of the choice from Artorias sword or The Abyss Watchers sword *and dagger*. And ended up going for Artorias so yeah can't wait for round two.

[@austyncainz3329]

dont forget the fact the old wolf of farron is literally sitting over a grave. great video!

[@CutACrow]

We know that the wolf is called the old wolf OF FARRON, NOT farron itself.

[@kaisergrimoire9008]

Regardless it's called the Old Wolf of Grey of that point and if you take the setting of Dark Souls, traits can be used with a "the" or "of" before it in titles. Alva the Wayfarer for example.

[@stephenromero7298]

+Sculy it's not sif though. Sif is dead, because we killed him, and that wolf is still alive.

[@stephenromero7298]

Sculy gwyndolin is optional and it's speculated that ornstein was an illusion. Either that or he's actually dead and someone else took his armor.

[@stephenromero7298]

Sculy no he's optional. I can kill Andre but he's still alive. I could kill laddermith Gilligan but id still find his corpse. Its optional, but one side is considered canon.

[@stephenromero7298]

Sculy sif is dead. Unless it's explained in dlc, that is another wolf.

[@saedt]

You know how in DS1 dlc you look at the area and you're like "OOOH THATS WHERE KITTY WAS SITTING" and "This is where best boye was", it kinda annoys that they didn't use that level of detail/geographical similarity in DS3.

[@danielbaier3717]

10:54 THANKS OBAMA ROFL!!

[@r.p.193]

First, very nice Lore videos. I really like the channel. Thank you. Second, sorry for any "gramar mistake", this is not my first language. I´m pretty agree with every point you´ve mencioned. I´m just want to point out that the origin of the Abyss, or the Dark, in DS1 is Manus at Oolacile, and then it moves to New Londo somehow, but we know that is not a "long trip" because Darkroot garden and Anor Londo are in fact pretty close. In DS3 in the other hand, the Abyss is represented by High Lord Wolnir in my opinion (and Londor obviously). When you defeat him he is aparently drown by the darknes around him. We know that he is from the East lands, so he must travel to Lothric looking for something. I think "that thing" he was looking for must be The Abyss, so he traveled to the origin of it, Oolacile. We have the Abyss Watchers guarding the Catacombs entrance too, protecting Lothric from the Abyss to spread out, and thous Dark Wraiths walking around the Boss arena killing the guardians. I though it may be another clue or evidence. An I´ve just realice writting this that High Lord Wolnir is drown by the Abyss when we break his bracelets. Is not a bracelet a big ring? like Covenant of artorias ring. Ring that you need to "walk through the Abyss" against the Four Kings, and if you take it off during the fight you get drown too by the Abyss, like Wolnir. And both are golden XD

[@ScapeVEVO]

The tale of Artorias, Sif, the people around him, Oolicle, is so FUCKING SAD (T_T) I cry

[@TheAshenHollow]

It is a true tragedy!

[@Hollow_McHollow]

Hey, so I recently recently discovered your channel, and it's awesome. I really like your content, keep it up. you've earned my sub

[@markrichardson2512]

great video, gameplay made me cringe though

[@morethandeepmtd]

The games and their lore are so beautiful it's actually sad

[@mundy8737]

What an amazing video! Full of details and useful observations.

[@TheAshenHollow]

[@selfabsorbedsponge7246]

Liked and subbed. A lot of good connections and support for speculation. Keep up the good work, bro.

[@TheAshenHollow]

Thank you kindly friend! =]

[@Thefreak451]

Amazing lore great video glad I found your channel you've got my subscription and you deserve plenty more

[@TheAshenHollow]

Thanks so much friend! Be sure to enter my giveaway for a Dark Souls 3 Deluxe Edition copy on PC! The video should be uploaded any minute now! =D

[@Elgallo1999]

Really enjoy these vids, man.

[@kosmasacco]

I really like your work I'm looking forward to your coverage on the DLC

[@TheAshenHollow]

Thank you! =)

[@EvilExcalibur]

Never had any doubts of the swamp being Oolacile. The presence of the shrooms, dusk and elizabeth was enough for me. The size of Old Wolf Farron convinced me that it was not Sif though. That said, your theory is fantastic and the translation of the word Farron is particularly compelling

[@THEAZUREWARRIOR]

Also another point to remember is the wolf is infront of what is either a replica or the actual grave itself of Artorias it is completley identical to the one seen in DS1 even bearing the same cracks and other damages.

[@royalhero4608]

I also find this specific lore quite sad and melancholic. The Royal Woods looked so beautiful and it all fell into darkness

[@nimalotus7316]

Look at the design of the great sword the abyss watcher use. It’s almost an exact copy of the great sword of Artorias

[@DarkBloodSouls]

Good connections made; awesome vid.

[@TheAshenHollow]

Thanks a ton! I appreciate it! =]

[@Mjaeff]

"What I really want to touch on, is the primordial serpent." Oh, you call yours that too? Exquisite.

[@Alex-tq8pc]

to add the to dusk lady stuff, the description of chamleon says something like "sorcery from oolacile" and then something about a young girl seeking solitude from the woods at dusk.

[@Emperorwolf999]

its prolly more accurate to say the old wolf is a pup of sif's

[@MrCMarley]

i've watched 3 video's now and alot of this stuff has crossed my mind too! trips me out alittle and shows how much detail is put into these games. awesome video's man! do you play on ps4?

[@mspionage1743]

I miss these Dark Souls lore videos. Wish there were more.

[@appaloosahill4499]

The river in darkroot garden where it looks like a valley would be is actually the place where you fight kalameet in oolacile is

[@somerandomdudeable]

Your voice is so relaxing

[@theblackhippy8084]

one reason that i believe it is , is the Stone Greatshield dropped by the hovering wolf shamans ( rare drop ) which is also an item found in DS1 in Oolacile

[@Dazai-kunlololol]

16:48 i think that's not sif cause it has a scar and in the alpha or the unused cutsene that wolf revives and revives the abyss watcher and you also fight the wolf with the abyss watcher but sadly, they didn't use it :(

[@pareidolia_phan]

When I first saw this video I was surprised it existed I thought it was obvious Farron Keep was Oolacile lol

[@darkorys8012]

One thing I think you got wrong but since it's been a while since I've reviewed the DSI lore I'm not gonna claim is that the "good friend" that locked Havel in the tower was none other than Gwyn himself since they once were pals in war. You also didn't point out that Siff was trying to protect us from going to the abyss by defending the ring of the Abbyss walker, since he can remember you from when you found him in the DLC. And how do you explain Siff is still alive after we kill him in the tomb of artorias?? I think it might be like a relative or a wolf that embraced the duty of Siff, cuz I don't know about you, but when I encountered siff he was kind of ginormous, and also that I salvaged his souls after slaying him for the juicy sword so I don't know'bout that, other than this, it is clear that Oolacile is Farron Keep and all that stuff

[@trenbolone007]

Man that was really good. Thank you.

[@TheAshenHollow]

Thanks a ton! You're welcome!

[@drtakedown5677]

Absolutely love this theory. In my own head-canon Artorius saved puppy-sif and fought Manus alone but was overwhelmed and at the moment of Artorius' corruption Sif intervened, grabbing Artorius' sword and cleaving Manus in two, then dragged Artorius corpse out to be burred by the other 3 knights. Then occasionally standing watch on the grave of his savior and roaming to find a new pack/mates. (and in DS3's DS1 canon ending, Sif was roaming and the Chosen un-dead found the ring at the grave of some unknown warrior unopposed).... "the passage of time is irregular and distorted with many timelines existing next to each other."

[@zzents9581]

Excellent video with very strong points. The only potential problem I can see is that Farron Keep appears to be built on top of the ruins of Carthus, thus why you access the catacombs from the Abyss Watchers' room. It is strongly implied that Carthus was a kingdom that fell to the abyss and was destroyed by the Abyss Watchers (eg. the boss of Carthus is High Lord Wolnir, a man that is being slowly consumed by the abyss; Farron Keep is directly above Carthus and the entrance is hidden and sealed in the Abyss Watchers' room). How a kingdom would have risen up underneath ancient Oolacile and then been destroyed by the Abyss Watchers is somewhat confusing and seems to contradict Farron Keep being Oolacile.

[@farhansaber9330]

Also I just noticed but the ghru with the yellow cloth around them that cast spells and poison and such - the yellow cloth they are wearing is very similar to the yellow cloth of the Xantheous Armor Set!!

[@Shadowdragon_TV]

Amazing video. Loved it!

[@ViceTunic]

+The Ashen Hollow subbed man, your content is not flawless, but well backed up. i also respect the fact that you are not afraid or defensive when it comes to claiming that this is your OWN opinion, keep up the great work man!

[@TheAshenHollow]

Thanks kindly friend! Yeah, I don't know why some people come at me like I'm claiming my content is canon, lol. But dealing with hecklers has become a small hobby of mine! Thanks again for watching! =)

[@ViceTunic]

no problem man, it was worth the watch. have a good day!

[@noahashton2103]

One other thing which may just be my eyes betraying me, if you look at the Farron Keep bonfire in the travel to other bonfires menu, we can see grass, and trees through the archway. I remember a little tip about 'no coincidences in the soul series.'

[@MrHotwaterburnbaby]

Those giant shaman things in Farron Keep also drop Stone Guardian Shields used by the ones in Darkroot Garden. It's a rare drop.

[@Dreamlander]

Awesome info! Plz keep em comin!