Lords of Cinder: Farron’s Undead Legion, the Abyss Watchers
This warrior culture of Abyss-hunting badasses is unique in that there is no singular Lord of Cinder among them. All those who aspire to join the ranks of the Legion must undergo a ceremony, as explained by Hawkwood. “The Undead Legion of Farron is a caravan of Undead. Sworn by the wolf’s blood to contain the Abyss, the Legion will bury a kingdom at the first sign of exposure. Joyous bunch, really. Gaining admission to the Legion is a matter of some ceremony. Inside their keep, snuffing out the flames of three altars opens the door to the wolf blood. Even accursed Undead want to believe they’re special, it seems. I pity the sorry souls.” (Hawkwood’s Dialogue). Before I get too far into all of it, I’ll go ahead and pose the three questions.
2. Why did they abandon their thrones?
3. Why did they link the fire?
To fully understand the story of the Legion, one must hearken back the Legend of Artorias. Certain facts in this tale shed much light upon the Legion’s origins and purpose.
Long ago, in a town shadowed by the great walls of Anor Londo, a great darkness began to spread. The Primordial Serpent Kaathe taught the town’s Four Kings the art of Lifedrain, a dark magic that allowed Humanity to be leeched from the residents. The Four King’s became corrupt. A lust for Humanity grew within them until the they were shrouded in utter and complete dark. The Abyss.
They were not alone in their quest for Humanity. A cult of fierce warriors learned the art of Lifedrain from the Four Kings an were unleashed upon the town. These warriors became known as Darkwraiths.
Recognizing the dire situation, Lord Gwyn sent an emissary to the town of New Londo. A strong-willed knight by the name of Artorias. It was here that Artorias entered a covenant with the creatures of the Abyss in order to traverse it relatively unhindered. Artorias used this ability to drive the Four Kings as well as the Darkwraiths into the depths of New Londo, earning him the title of Abysswalker.
In a desperate measure to halt the spread of the Abyss, New Londo’s floodgates were opened by the three Sealers. The town, the Abyss, the Four Kings, and the Darkwraiths were buried under the torrent of water. Along with the entire population of New Londo. Artorias’s mission had been a success. But one with great cost.
After the Fall of New Londo, Lord Gwyn acknowledged the prowess of Artorias made him one of his four most-trusted knights. After some time, Artorias gained a new companion, a great grey wolf named Sif.
Sif was only a pup when Artorias was given a new mission. In a nearby land named Oolacile, the Abyss had begun to take root. Princess Dusk had been kidnapped and taken deep into the growing dark. Once word of the ordeal reached Gwyn’s ears, he sent Artorias to rescue the princess and do what he could to stop the new expansion.
Artorias would never return. He battled the Abyss so fiercely that his greatsword had become cursed by it. In an attempt to save Sif, Artorias’s shield was shattered along with his entire left arm. Artorias eventually did defeat the twisted creature lurking in the heart of the Abyss and rescue the princess… So the legends go.
In truth, Artorias became consumed by the Abyss and tainted by its power. He mindlessly wandered the land of Oolacile until he was laid to rest at the hands of the Chosen Undead. It was this Chosen Undead that went on to defeat the shadow of primeval man and save Princess Dusk. The Chosen Undead would be forgotten to the annals of time, but the Legend of Artorias, the Abysswalker, lives on.
Ages have passed, but the world still remembers the tale of one knight that stood against the sightless chasm of the Abyss and overcame the horror within. From the ashes of this fallen icon rose the warriors of the land of Farron, warriors who would take up the mantle of Artorias and stop at nothing to battle the spreading darkness.
There is no evidence to suggest the land ever had a ruler, the Legion simply united under one banner by way of similar ideals. On that same token, there does seem to be a rank system within the Legion.
At the top are the Abyss Watchers, the actual warriors that fight using their unique greatsword-and-dagger style. Their swords are replicas of the Greatsword of Artorias, though less ornate. There is one interesting note about their armor, namely the gauntlets. “Black-dyed leather tied around the arms, with only the left fitted with a gauntlet.”(Undead Legion Gauntlets). Whether or not the singular gauntlet on the left arm is a reverent symbol of Artorias’s shattered left arm or just a byproduct of their fighting style is purely speculative. I like to think it’s the prior, though. What makes the Abyss Watchers the top of the chain is their shared Blood of the Wolf. “The Watchers of the Abyss swore upon their shared wolf’s blood, which also served as their mandates as lords.” (Soul of the Blood of the Wolf). “The blood was spread among the Abyss Watchers, and their souls are one with the soul of the wolf blood master.” (Cinders of a Lord). One can thereby surmise that it is the soul of Artorias that has given the Legion their ruthless drive to purge the Abyss from the lands.
Next down on the list are the acolytes. The acolytes were the Legion’s sorcerers who were trained by one of the Crystal Sage twins. As a measure of assistance, the acolytes would make the Black Bug Pellets that defend against dark damage for the Abyss Watchers. The daughter of the leader of the acolytes was named Heysel and she is an extremely perplexing character all her own. She is stated to be a Xanthous Scholar as well as a Finger of Rosaria for reasons that I have not fully explored yet. The Ghru, the horned creatures that wander Farron Keep, are the descendants of the acolytes. Why Ghrus can also be found in Smouldering Lake is a topic of speculation. Fire is, after all, effective against creations of the Abyss, so perhaps the Legion’s acolytes sought after powerful pyromancies. What better place to find them than the home of pyromancies. Lost Izalith. When the acolytes burrowed into the remnants of Izalith they found only embers of the once-great Chaos Flame. The pyromancies discovered therein, however, had lost none of their potency. It was perhaps the Chaos Flame that mutated the human acolytes into their twisted, lesser-demon form. Smouldering Lake is a large topic and while I’d like to go ahead and dig into it, it’s meaning to the Undead Legion is mere speculation.
The Watchdogs of Farron. These guys seem to have formed after the Abyss Watchers became Lords of Cinder. While not necessarily outranked by the acolytes, they acolytes precede them on a timeline basis. The Watchdogs are a territorial covenant that ensure the Abyss Watcher are undisturbed. Their covenant master is the Old Wolf of Farron and while the Old Wolf may not be Sif, the two are clearly related as the Old Wolf sleeps in the same position Sif is found in in the Chasm of the Abyss from the Dark Souls DLC. There are two Exiles that defend the entrance to Farron Keep. The description of their armor suggests that they were Watchdogs themselves at some point.
Another key point on the story of the Abyss Watchers is the land Farron Keep resides on. At first glance, the area is nothing more than another annoying poisonous swamp like Blighttown from Dark Souls. Upon further inspection, however, a few details fall into place. For one, there is a white birch tree here. Sure there’s one in the Undead Settlement as well as the Cathedral of the Deep, but this one is special in that the Crown of Dusk can be found here. If that isn’t enough, a nearby cave contains a chest with the Antiquated Set within which was the clothing Dusk wore. A body in the cave can be looted for the Golden Scroll which can be given to Orbeck of Vinheim to learn the xanthous sorceries of Oolacile. The last clue found in this cave is a large Mushroom Person rooted into the ground with no arms. Elizabeth, Dusk’s godmother, was a Mushroom Person found in Oolacile Sanctuary and, you guessed it, was rooted into the ground and had no arms. There’s more than enough evidence here to say that Farron Keep was built on the old lands of Oolacile and Darkroot Garden (thereby giving the name “Darkroot” a little more meaning).
One last thing to consider about the Legion is their strength as warriors. Exactly how fearsome of an enemy was the Legion? To answer this, it may be wiser to ask how fearsome of an enemy was Carthus. Farron Keep is situated on top of a sprawling dungeon known as the Catacombs of Carthus. Bones of fallen warriors are everywhere here. The dungeon is practically filled to the brim with them. Skeleton warriors, skeleton grave wardens, skeleton wheelmen, entire collections of skeletons that form annoying rolling balls, bones on the floor, bones on the walls, masses of bones stuffed into jars, even the boss of the catacombs is a skeleton himself. This place is more than just a mass grave, it is the dumping site of a pure holocaust. So what exactly is known of Carthus?
“The most obscure pyromancy developed in Carthus of the Sands. Carthus’s aggression has been likened to an uncontrollable fire, and since ancient times its beacon has been used as a signal for war.” (Carthus Beacon). “Ring worn by warriors of the sand kingdom, Carthus. They live for their High Lord Wolnir, conqueror of most kingdoms known to their people.” (Carthus Rings). It would seem that Cathus was more than a formidable foe in battle. Their ruler, Wolnir, was a conqueror on the real-world scale of Alexander the Great and Napolean Bonaparte. “Crown of Wolnir, the Carthus Conqueror. Once upon a time, such things were bequeathed judiciously to each of the rightful lords, until Wolnir brought them to their knees, and ground their crowns into dust. Then the crowns became one, and Wolnir, the one High Lord.” (Wolnir’s Crown). So it has been well-asserted that Wolnir and the armies of Carthus were pretty much the equivalent to Xerxes and the Masked Immortals, but why would that concern Farron’s Legion? “A holy sword eroded by the Abyss. When Wolnir fell to the Abyss, he was gripped by a fear of true darkness, and pleaded to the gods for the first time. This holy sword, together with three armlets stripped from the corpses of clerics, gave him some semblance of comfort.” (Wolnir’s Holy Sword). It has been made very plain that Wolnir had been touched by the Abyss, even the battle with him takes place in the Abyss. It was all the Legion needed to know before sundering an entire empire in an undoubtedly bloody and ferocious war.
To me, the details of the Catacombs of Carthus and all the item descriptions to church up the military might of the desert nation were truly included in Dark Souls III to gauge how violent and ruthless of an enemy Farron’s Undead Legion truly were once the dogs of war were unleashed on the Abyss. Wolf pun intended.
Now, with their background decently covered, the second two questions should fall right into place. Why exactly did Farron’s Undead Legion abandon their thrones? Judging how passionately the Legion battled against the Abyss, it can be assumed that their dereliction wasn’t by choice. While there are a number of possibilities, here is a personal favorite.
Farron’s Undead Legion simply forgot about their duty for the same reason they were so feared in battle. They’re undead. Being undead suggests they could hollow. As one hollows they slowly forget that which drove them. Their motivations in life. Take Siegmeyer of Catarina from Dark Souls. He journeyed from a far-off land to be an adventurer, as adventuring was what motivated him and kept him from hollowing. Siegmeyer eventually became aware of his ineptitude by being constantly rescued by the Chosen Undead. He was also reminded of his failure as a father when Sieglinde caught up with him. Feeling this loss of purpose, Siegmeyer turned into a complete mindless hollow. Much the same may be able to be said of the Legion.
After they linked the Flame and the Age of Fire was extended, perhaps their purpose had been lost as darkness had been driven from the land. With no new frontiers upon which to take on the Abyss, each sought to grow in their own power. Because the Blood of the Wolf was spread among them, it’s power was likely diminished. Each fragment part of a greater whole. The return to this whole would mean far greater power. A battle broke out among members of the Abyss Watchers. Highlander-style. This is a potential reason why Farron’s Legion abandoned their throne, they had hollowed and no longer cared for anything other than rejoining the Blood of the Wolf into their own singular vessel. No longer do they battle the Unkindled to test the strength of their soul, now they fight because it is all they know.
Also of note are the red-eyed Abyss Watchers during the first phase of the fight. This could be evidence that the Legion had also been tainted by the Abyss.
With all the facts woven with a little speculation, a rough timeline can be established in the same manner as my Aldrich analysis.
At some point in time after the events of Dark Souls, someone stumbled across a cave in a shaded wood. Therein they found Elizabeth. Keeping true to her promise to the Chosen Undead, she recounted the legend of Artorias the Abysswalker to this traveler. Ignited by the tale of the brave knight and the coming shadows of the Abyss, the forest was dubbed Farron Keep and played host to a growing and fearsome army of undead who rallied behind the cause.
Elite among this new Legion were the Abyss Watchers. They vowed to cleanse the lands, keeping the spread of the Abyss from growing for as long as they could, an oath made complete with the Wolf’s Blood. Wars were waged. Kingdoms fell and were buried beneath Farron Keep. The Catacombs of Carthus became merely a testament to the might of the Legion.
Eventually a day came where the growth of the Abyss proved even too rapid for the fearsome warriors. Desperate times now called for desperate measures. The one sure-fire way to fight back the coming dark was to link the First Flame, renewing the Age of Fire. The Abyss Watchers took their Blood of the Wolf to be their mandate as Lords of Cinder. One among them was surely not enough kindling for the Flame, but what if every one of them went into the Kiln? Surely it would satiate the fires for another millenium.
Once they had fulfilled their quest the corpses of the forever-feared Abyss Watchers were relocated to a great masoleum on the grounds of Farron Keep. It was an honorable burial as it was also the final resting place of the mighty Artorias.
The Legion’s acolytes took to guarding Farron Keep along with a new covenant that held the utmost reverence to the deceased warriors, the Watchdogs of Farron. For a time, the soldiers slept peacefully in their graves. Until a call was heard. That of the Bell of Awakening.
Something had changed in their numbers as they rose. It would seem that in their many battles against the Abyss, its power to corrupt had finally caught up to some of them. Their action against this threat was decisive and immediate. Though they had fought many battles side by side, their mandate could not be broken. The Abyss Watchers turned on their own bretheren who had been tainted by the dark Abyss. It would seem as history does indeed repeat itself as this was also the fate of Artorias himself.
As the Abyss Watchers fell at the feet of the Unkindled One, the Wolf’s Blood began to coalesce, revealing the unbridled strength these Lords of Cinder were capable of. Once defeated, only the burnt remnants of their broken bodies remained. Still combustible, but only just. Even in death, the Abyss Watchers could serve their mandate and fulfill their duty.
So that took a little over a week to piece together between work and some other goings-on in my life. That being said, my next post about Yhorm the Giant is going to take a bit longer. I’m in the middle of moving right now and Yhorm is easily the Lord of Cinder I know the least about. I also don’t intend on rushing it. Quality over quantity and all that. Again, if my conclusions don’t seem too sound or if I have some facts messed up please let me know.
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