(Lore Discussion Thread!) This video was fixed and reuploaded :)

I've realized there's an out of place audio clip at 1:42. I can't believe I let that in. I'm very sorry about that, and I hope it's not enough to tarnish the video for you.
Thank you for watching!
If you have any questions regarding Dark Souls' lore, please feel free to share them in the comment section. I will be reading and answering them.

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

At 5:40 some irl undead rang a Bell of Awakening during my recording. Lol *I've realized there's an out of place audio clip at 1:42. I can't believe I let that in. I'm very sorry about that, and I hope it's not enough to tarnish the video for you.

[@ennayanne]

it sounds like a sonic screwdriver??

[@DonutSwordsman]

Place before shaded woods in ds2 has a statue of fillianore, same hugging position as the favor and protection armor of filia, embracing set

[@DonutSwordsman]

Also she is holding flowers similar to the chloranthy ring, associated with her. She's holding the flower like the egg, symbolic for keeping the time stagnant

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

@@DonutSwordsman I'll probably make a video analyzing every statue in the Dark Souls games in the future :D Thanks for commenting!

[@DonutSwordsman]

​@@thefirelinkconspiracy that is so hype I can't wait

[@spicedoliveoil7928]

💯🗿​​⁠@@DonutSwordsman We hyped for the statues!! 🗿💯

[@brainafkstube5393]

Is there a lore reason why the dirty colossus was reborn in my working places' urinal? Did someone manifest him to be there

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

LOL

[@minespatch]

Dataminer KingBore keeps bring up the great swamp being izalith, so yes.

[@sherkecringemonger9872]

"Hey, are you that dragon fella Sith? No, no. Im definitely not him. Im.. eeeeh.. Sen.Absolutley different dragon fella.Yeah."

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

xD

[@Billyboy597]

Wow, Gwendolyn as the rebis and then we get Queen Marika! And Marika is known to utilize deception. The reversal ring in DS2 caused me to gasp 😂 The Great Swamp, as Izalith, is really satisfying. And i remember one KZbinr talking about how time is "distorted" in DS. Compared time to a stream of water that is blocked, and all the timelines get jumbled into a "stagnate" pond. This idea of souls housing memories beautiful mirrors the blood echos in Bloodborne housng a person's will to life or will to live

[@mcjester321]

I’ve spent 12 years looking at dark souls theory content from small channels like yours. Deep lore info that, for a lack of a better term, “mainstream” lore theorists overlook. For the first time, I believe your theory ( I accept it as facts) is the closest to the truth about the plot of the trilogy. What’s amazing is that you’ve pointed out stuff that’s obvious and important like paladin leroy. Thank you for having the motivation to do this. Thank you for sharing your knowledge for such a small group of lore fanatics.

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

This is such a great compliment, thank you so much!! I feel deeply honored. I had originally intended to keep my views for myself, but comments like yours make me glad I did not.

[@cinderbones]

yes, definitely good lore here. Small channels often have interesting points, but fail miserabily in others, and such as our host conspiracy describes in the video, they rely too much on external sources, interviews, concept art, and such, to understand the overarching themes, often missing the point, even if they get some details right. This guy understands the world of this game profoundly and is just sharing it

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

@@cinderbones Thank you!

[@cinderbones]

This is currently one of the most interesting and solid theories on the "silent" details, the referenced, but not explicitly described. While i believe item descriptions carry actual important info and not just hearsay, they always point out to something, and not questioning it seems foolish - A heretical practice to whom? How can we actually kill "gods", as an undead, a literal nobody? You're the first to give an actually thoughtful answer to this without going into mumbo jumbo territory. One of the best DS lore channels right now, i now have your ideas of the Firelink Conspiracy as my headcannon. It may change but your arguments are solid enough to believe it more than other ideas about what's the Curse, who's who, how did the "gods" and powerful characters aligned and fight... No wonder Miyazaki was always inspired a by a bit of GRRM. If you stop reading the divinity as factual, but rather a propagandistic elaboration/tergiversation of powerful kings and rich families, the plot becomes Game-of-thronesey, for sure, lol

[@DonutSwordsman]

Channel Yoshimitsu has a convincing video about allfather lloyd likely being a grey giant in fillianores church. Makes you wonder connections between some of gwyns children being part giant

[@DooDoo-f4v]

That's the intent. Gwyn and his ilk were corrupted by the Serpents. Say didn't Ireland have the snakes driven out? There's your clue. Now go down the rabbit hole.

[@sweetpotatodato6068]

Our boi really cooking now!

[@josecorleto4212]

The Great Swamp is not in Lordran. Izalith came about first. Much, much later in the future, after the fall of Izalith, Pyromancy became a taboo. Those that practiced it were banished from Lordran and eventually settled in what is now known as the Great Swamp where they could practice their ways in relative peace and isolation. Perhaps where you are confusing it is in the fact that earlier in development Lost Izalith was meant to be a poison swamp but the idea was later scrapped. The Witch of Izalith and all the tree branches look more like they belong in a swampy type of area.

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

Hey, thanks for commenting! The Great Swamp is Izalith from the past. Pyromancy became a taboo due to Gwyn's influence, as Izalith opposed him. Both civilizations engaged in war, it makes a lot of sense that pyromancy would be prohibited by Gwyn. The Great Swamp was altered due to the birth of the Bed of Chaos. All that lava did not arise out of nowhere; it is swamp water that got corrupted by the chaos of the ritual. That's also why there are so many dragon butts in Izalith. The swamp was full of dead remains of dragons who got reanimated by the chaotic flame.

[@balaclavakid3905]

​@@thefirelinkconspiracy Doesn't Laurentius say that he left the Great Swamp to go to Lordran after he became undead? Crestfallen mentions that he left for Blighttown after passing through Firelink Shrine, presumably heading to Lost Izalith. How would this work if Izalith is the Great Swamp? I don't get the impression that Laurentius is losing his memory to hollowing, as he seems to pretty confidently recall when he became undead.

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

​@@balaclavakid3905 Laurentius could have done so in the past. As in, before the birth of the Bed of Chaos. We don't know when he was captured and for how long he was imprisoned. Considering he was the only undead we find alive in those barrels, and that there are a few cannibal butchers inhabiting the sewers (including one guarding the "meat storage" where Laurentius is kept, it's safe to conclude that he was most likely abducted during his journey up the depths.

[@balaclavakid3905]

@@thefirelinkconspiracy I could buy Laurentius not remembering how long he's been undead and possibly being very old, like Logan, who manages to stay sane despite being undead for so long. But this doesn't explain how crestfallen knows about Laurentius. After you encounter the Capra Demon, he will say: "How did that raggedy old chum end up? You know, the one who idolized some godmother of pyromancy. He left for Blighttown, but never came back." I think this pretty clearly shows that Laurentius passed through Firelink and then headed into the Depths to try and reach Izalith, not the other way around.

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

​@@balaclavakid3905 Your explanation is quite sensible too. What I believe happened is that Laurentius comes from the past, as in, he traveled through time, much like we, the player. He tells us that "In this land, pyromancers earn a certain respect. The Witch of Izalith, one of the legendary Lords, is the godmother of pyromancy." However that is somewhat contradicted by what the game tells us in other instances, as pyromancy is reffered to as being "heretical" and the Great Swamp being a place of heretics. "[...] Eingyi, considered a heretic even at the Great Swamp." Heresy mostly being a propagandistic therm to describe that which stands in opposition to Gwyn. Which could imply that Laurentius precedes the war against the demons - the event that ruined the (superficially) amicable relation between Gwyn & the witches. The Great Swamp being described as a place "full of nature" is most definitely related to the fact that it was essentially a cemetery of remains of dragons, archtrees and men who fought in the war against the dragons. Nature thrived there due to the abundance of organic remains. Poisonous pyromancy being considered particularly heretical is due to the fact that they employ vapourized blood of 'men', which is implied to possess poisonous qualities, and to be makes the water of Blighttown so poisonous. There are other connections between the Great Swamp and Izalith, such as Cuculus and Cornyx from DS3. I could go on but I plan to cover this in detail on a later video. I hope this is enough for now. Thank you for commenting!

[@bongofgreed4302]

Love your videos!

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

Thank you!!

[@maturegambino9476]

you're An Amazing channel. I love Your stuff

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

Thank you so much!

[@pedromacedo6135]

The eclipse foreshadowing is my favorite one, but all of these are incredible!!! Thanks for researching and sharing

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

Thank you, I'm glad you've enjoyed the video!

[@kasch3288]

Have you ever watched Hawkshaws lore videos? I was reminded of his Lautrec video when you started talking about Fina briefly. If you haven’t I would check them out for inspiration he’s a visionary like yourself. But basically he proposes that Lautrec is a complex but ultimately moral character who opposes the Gods. You get a proof of concord from fulfilling your duty to kill him for Gwyndolyn . His ally is a sealer who has abandoned their mask, a symbol of their loyalty. Xanthous Crown becomes a ring of favor and protection when traded at the birds nest suggesting Fina has heretical motives. Thinking Lautrec is evil is peak propaganda. Who does he kill some poor pawn of the way of white and the most important bonfire for pilgrims linking the fire. Lautrec is a rebel against the Gods working for Fina who became fickle against her kind because they are jerks and not beautiful. Ironically siding with the ugly demon kingdom. Situational irony. Some theorize he tried to kill gwynevere in his world but discovers it’s an illusion and is now stuck there fighting off the blades of the darkmoon, or he’s there to stop undead from carrying out Gwyneveres bidding. “I thought you wiser, tis a pity. Like a moth flittering towards a flame” In any case I think “named character is actually other named character” is a lazy trap you can fall into just like others you mentioned like cut content or real life inspirations. Not saying there’s nothing to it at all but perhaps an over application. I don’t know where you even begin to think he’s working for the illusion of Gwynevere doesn’t line up at all honestly.

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

Thanks for commenting! Fina is most definitely Gwyndolin's illusion and not a real god at Anor Londo. Firstly, we're told that the gods left Anor Londo (which is further explained by Dark Souls 3; the royal family migrated to Lothric, a younger kingdom.) Lautrec's role is to punish Firekeepers, tools of the old Way of White who were tasked with spreading the curse of undead by Gwyn. In this sense, yes, Lautrec is definitely part of a conspiracy "against the gods", much like Gwyndolin and Velka (which is why Velka earned the title of rogue goddess; Gwyndolin hasn't because he pretended to be Gwyn's heir, although his legitimacy was doubted by the adepts of the re-reformed Way of White of DS3; the Evangelists reffer to him as a bastard.) Lautrec gathers Proof of a Concord Kept to gift Gwyndolin, much like the Darkmoon Knights. He's found in his world right at the front of fake Gwynevere's chamber - a beautiful goddess that's an illusion of Gwyndolin and lies to us about her nature. His allies were all recruited by (Gwyndolin) Fina to serve Gwyndolin's and Velka's conspiracy. :)

[@kasch3288]

@@thefirelinkconspiracy you get the souvenir of reprisal for killing him because you invade as a spirit of vengeance tho it’s not an item he’s holding it’s your reward for a job well done for destroying an enemy of Gwyndolins

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

@@kasch3288 This could be true, but either way, it's heavily implied that much like the Darkmoon Knightess, he works for Gwyndolin. Both wield Carim equipment, and both are located in Anor Londo, where only Gwyndolin resides, and acts as Velka, Gwynevere and Fina through the use of the Reversal Ring and his illusions.

[@scarvello]

I’m one of few who loved ds2 I even like how they threw in the line about not knowing why you stand at the gate. It’s true most players don’t e en know what’s going on in these but they will play tf out of them 😂

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

Thanks for commenting! I love DS2 just as much as the other games, and believe that for credible lore research one must treat it with just as much care and respect as the other titles.

[@mcsquared5005]

I have a question about DS3. Its been nagging at me for months since playing DS3. Why does Friede look like the 'Dark Sign' (the black sun in the sky) during her phase 2 cutscene? To be specific she forms a circular pool of blood around her that narrows and travels to Father Ariendel's Basin. It looks exactly like the dark sign sun connecting to the kiln of the first flame. What is the lore significance of her looking so much like that object?

[@allihavearepasta-basedthou2890]

Less lore reason, more just 'repeating cycles' symbolism.

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

It's probably symbolism for the cycle and fire-linking - the major thematic point of the DLCs.

[@Mozgus7]

Just caught the previous two vids last night, great timing 👌

[@kidoumaru4942]

1:19 in the DLC Ringed City we see that the responsible for the time travel, the fractured time, was the power of Filianore, she uses her power to prevent the world to running in a direct line, wen we wakeup her, the spell is broken, like Gwyndolin but even stronger at point of chage the whole world, so we came to the true world of dark souls, all things in the real time are destructed

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

Thanks for commenting! I understand where your point of view comes from, but I think it is a bit misguided. Our interaction with her egg is not too different from our interaction with the Lordvessel or the kiln ritual of the base game. We are traveling through time, yes, but time did not resume its course, as we can still travel back to other areas and everything remains the same. The place we travel to is not exactly "the true world" of Dark Souls, but it is in the future.

[@kidoumaru4942]

@@thefirelinkconspiracy i understand, but i think that we can came back again to our firelink or explore the other maps just as a mechanich, to not lock us in route for the ending, the Power of filianore is not something simple, if so, why people are so inclinate to not ler her wake up? Gwynevere is the goddess of fertility, Gwyn the god of light, Nameless king(Gwyn sons) God of War, Gwyndolin the god of Illusion, and filianore can be the most power of them, the god of time, i think they dont want you to wake up her, they warning the player, Shira try to kill you If you do that, so my theory is that is not the Egg, the Egg is just an aesthetic thing, she sleep with the in her hand, and the egg hatch, baby Midir get out to fight the Abysa by the command of Shira, and Filianore sleeps, making the world beeing in a stasis, now i see Filianore more like Miquella, she look like the most powerfull of them sons of Gwyn, we came, touch the Egg as curiosity, the Egg cracks out, and Filianore wake up and her eyes shine, like she os breaking some sort of powe, but this is just my theory, and thanks to read It

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

@@kidoumaru4942 While I definitely disagree I thank you for commenting. It's always nice to talk about Dark Souls. I hope you've enjoyed the video too!

[@DooDoo-f4v]

Seath - Seth. Kind of explains his nature 🎉

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

If we were to draw a parallel for Seath's character, it'd have to be the character of Faust from Goethe's magnum opus, as their character arcs are very similar. Not to mention they're both alchemists and scholars. However I don't tend to bring out-of-universe inspirations as evidence for my videos.

[@ogpizgar917]

exquisite video

[@grafzeppelin4069]

Nito being Allfather Lloyd, Undeath as a creation of the Way of White, and the Way of White as a conspiracy with Gwyn to spread it, is not true, and all come down to your misreading of the word "produced" at 9:25. It does not mean that the Way of White literally created the first Undead, Paladin Leeroy, but rather, that Paladin Leeroy was the first person from the Way of White to become Undead. The verb "to produce", when referring to people from a group (particularly a nation), is often used in the context of those individuals gaining that status. For example: "In 1967, Jamaica produced its first Olympic Gold Medalist." This sentence does not mean that Jamaica's first Olympic Gold Medalist was literally consciously created or manufactured in 1967, but rather, the first time a person from Jamaica happened to win an Olympic gold medal was in 1967. We already know that the Way of White is extremely opposed to the Curse spreading, particularly among their own ranks. In other words, when Paladin Leeroy *by coincidence* became afflicted with the Darksign, the Way of White cobbled together an excuse to send him away on a fake (or, at the very least, impossible) "mission" - similar to what is done to Rhea during the events of the game. Another ESL moment at 12:44: Velka did not "sacrifice herself", thus creating the Ring of Sacrifice. First of all, there are multiples, so how did she sacrifice herself multiple times? (Or, do you believe her doing so spawned many rings?). But more importantly, the phrase, "sacrificial rite of Velka" does not mean she was sacrificed in the rite, but that the rite was performed by her followers. But, more importantly, it does not imply that the performer sacrificed themself, rather, just that some thing is sacrificed in the rite (possibly a person, or just Souls or Humanity).

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

Thanks for sharing your opinions. Your first paragraph is honestly not a strong point. Nito being Allfather Lloyd is one of the more speculative points, however there's plenty of narrative and thematical connections that lead us to believe that, as I explain in this and other videos. However, it's clear the the undead were *fabricated* (produced) by the Way of White; the curse was definitely fabricated by Gwyn (that was his mechanism for shackling/banishing the dark, as Aldia puts it.) The Way of White is a sham, and its stated goal is a lie. They engage in "holy" crusades to murder undead as a means to spread the curse, not to "fight against the dark". Leeroy's situation is most definitely not analogous to Rhea's, as he was "produced" and not by accident. We can see a maiden of the Way of White producing an undead in the opening cinematic - she inserts a spark of flame into the eye socket of a corpse. Velka did sacrifice herself, and it is implied that the rings of sacrifice were created through that sacrificial ritual. I never claimed that she "sacrificed herself multiple times"; her soul could have been used to create multiple rings, it's quite simple.

[@Janziepoo]

@grafzeppelin4069 I also recommend the KZbin channel Hawkshaw's videoon The Way of White and the Undead Curse!

[@grafzeppelin4069]

@@thefirelinkconspiracy Do you have direct sources for any of this? Every single thing you say here is ultimately just "Trust me, bro."

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

@@grafzeppelin4069 Contextual clues, environmental storytelling, literary/narrative analysis, item descriptions, visual information, and an understanding of what I believe to be the base of Dark Souls' plot and themes. I'm sorry if my arguments were not convincing for you, I'll keep doing my best.

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

@@killerking2346 I'm not sure I understand your comment. You mean to say I was arrogant in pointing out that Velka sacrificed herself? I'm sorry if I offended anyone, that was definitely not my intention :´)

[@m33tballa]

What? No to almost all of this. Its suggested in ds1 that lloyd is like a pope figure and hes trying to subvert gwyn and divert faith unto himself. Hence why hes called allfather despite gwyn being the hwad of the pantheon. Its confirmed in ds3 theough lloyd talisman and items that he was denounced for being a fraud and his allfather title was self proclaimed which confirms this.

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

Thanks for sharing your opinion here. I disagree with your interpretation. Allfather Lloyd was never implied to be subverting Gwyn. The main thing that is contested by the item descriptions is his title of "Allfather", and that he was a fraud. Which does not contradict my point, but backs it up. Gwyn not being the Allfather does not mean he could not be the chief god at all.

[@Rudi4rius]

We rise

[@notasadvertised617]

highly doubt the Great Swamp is Izalith, mostly because it seems to be outside Lordran and the fact that the time line doesn't match up with Laurentius' existence considering he's not a demon and doesn't seem old enough to be chilling in Izalith before it became engulfed

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

Izalith's story is quite complicated indeed. I have answered a comment that said the same thing a few days ago, I highly recommend checking that thread out. I believe you can find it easily by scrolling down the comment section of this video. Thanks for commenting!

[@itaxevasixn8808]

Wait maybe im just stupid but… where is londor? Are you saying drangleic is londor? I genuinely dont understand this.

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

Londor is the ruined lands of the future. We can see Londor in the opening cinematic of Dark Souls 3; the Pilgrims are originally from there, and they journey to the past to find their lord. I used Drangleic to exemplift the phenomena of a place being associated with a respective time zone. Drangleic is a kingdom that resides in the past, and we travel in time when we get to it.

[@TenpennyTower]

I really thought you were saying Joe Biden dragon

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

xD To be fair, Seath was probably not demented or mad. All his actions were very sober and carefully planned.

[@TenpennyTower]

@@thefirelinkconspiracy lmao 🤣

[@madmorgo6233]

​​@@thefirelinkconspiracy I misread that, I'm still wrapped up in the old lore where Seeth is crazy 🤣🤭

[@glowindark64]

Good video my babooshka

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

Thanks!

[@DooDoo-f4v]

Occultism shall allow the common person to finally train their eyes and mind. Serious. Miyazaki has been waiting for you all to start doing this. Once you get bored of his work you'll begin to study our world. I recommend you all give it a try. Going through all our records. Examining all the different lives and beliefs that came and went.

[@scarvello]

This is essential

[@biovalve1410]

Occultism is g eigh and lame

[@biovalve1410]

Occultism is bad actually. The good news is already public, there is no point in the hidden, other than to lead astray.

[@nar1768]

are you roleplaying?

[@itaxevasixn8808]

Christ is king.

[@GrimmWitchands]

What happened?

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

I forgot to edit the last section of the video and had to rework it. Lol sorry

[@GrimmWitchands]

@@thefirelinkconspiracy can I ask you in which video you justify Nito being Lloyd? I want to know more

[@WH1SK3YJ4CK]

​@@GrimmWitchands His last two vids

[@GrimmWitchands]

@@WH1SK3YJ4CK thank you!

[@XenoDogg]

Just in time for bed

[@glowindark64]

Cook it up mama

[@mrwillard95]

Great video and all, but please get a better mic or a pop filter at least.....

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

Thanks, I'm glad you've enjoyed it! Hahah I know my microphone sucks. It's a 10+ year old Konami model that came bundled with a Wii rap game. But unfortunately I can't afford to buy a decent one at the moment.

[@mrwillard95]

@thefirelinkconspiracy3810 I understand, despite it your channel has potential and I hope it goes well.

[@thefirelinkconspiracy]

@@mrwillard95 I'll do my best. Thank you!