Part 30: - Untended Graves
(Yes, there are weapon demos this time)
Champion Gundyr
Iudex Gundyr may be the hardest tutorial boss of any Souls game, but he wasn't really on the top of his game when we fought him. Champion Gundyr, on the other hand, is very much ready for his encounter with us. He has a variety of slashes and thrusts often puncuated by a kick or a shor shoulder charge. Both of those come out really quickly and can be chained at the end of a lot of his combos. This can catch one off guard easily. He also has a grab he rarely does, he'll stab and fling you with his halberd.
In phase two he gains some more combos and adding hits to some existing ones. He'll usually start the second phase by charging at you to follow with a slash. This deals crazy amounts of damage. Champion Gundyr is probably one of the hardest bosses of the game and I find him more difficult than the other hardest boss of the game (which we haven't seen yet, and that's before the DLC, that added what's probably the hardest fight of the series, but we're getting ahead of ourselves here.). Champ Gundyr is one of those bosses that reminded me of how it was like to face a tough boss for the first time in Dark Souls. You just get closer and closer to victory with each attempt.
The two Firelink Shrines
The Untended Graves raise some questions. The most obvious first one may be a simple "What?".
So if we have two firelink shrines that are exactly the same, which one is real? Are both real but in a different age? What's even happening?
Personally, I believe both of them have to be real. I'm basing this mainly off of the fact that if you don't talk to the shrine handmaid at all until you reach the Untended Firelink Shrine and talk to her there and THEN go back to the lit firelink shrine she will react as though she knows you. It's not much, it's just a single line "Oh thou'rt... Oh, no, 'tisn't anything Ashen One."
This would imply that we are coming from the future to link the fire in the past.
Many people we meet on our travels can travel to and from the live shrine. Returning from the dark shrine with the Firekeeper's Eyes he says the following "The eyes show a world destitute of fire, a barren plane of endless darkness. A place born of betrayal. So I will'd myself Lord, to link the fire, to paint a new vision. What is thine intent?". This kind of implies that maybe Ludleth had something to do with the creation of this "future" shrine. It might not necessarily be the actual future but more of a pocket dimension type deal but now we're getting weird. The entire shrine vs. shrine thing is something fun to think about but it's hard to reach concrete answers but I hope that osme of you have some interesting theories.
Soul of Champion Gundyr
Soul of champion Gundyr. One of the twisted souls, steeped in strength.
Use to acquire many souls, or transpose to extract its true strength.
Once, a champion came late to the festivities, and was greeted by a shrine without fire, and a bell that would not toll.
Gundy'rs Halbers
Halberd of Gundyr the Champion, received when he was charged with his duty.
This old cast-iron halberd has the power to break poise, and is said to never crumble, seeming to suggest that Gundyr was fated to eternal service from the beginning.
Skill: Champion's Charge - Hold spear at waist and charge at foe, and use momentum to transition into sweeping strong attack.
Prisoner's Chain
Portion of a steel chain used to restrain Gundyr. Gain vigor, endurance, and vitality, but take extra damage.
A prisoner is one who has staked everything on a belief, a proclivity most apparent in the greatest of champions.
Black Knight Glaive
Dark Souls III:
Glaive of the black knights who wander the lands. Used to face chaos demons.
The unique attack of this glaive greatly reduces enemy poise, reflecting the tremendous size of the enemies that the knights have fearlessly faced.
Skill: Spin Sweep - Sweep foes in a large spinning motion, and utilize momentum to transition into an overhanded strong attack.
Dark Souls II:
Halberd wielded by knights who served the lord of light in a long-forgotten age.
Even after their flesh was charred by flame, they remained as strong as ever, and stood watch, challenging visitors to their land.
Dark Souls:
Halberd of the black knights who wander Lordran. Used to face chaos demons.
The large motion that puts the weight of the body into the attack reflects the great size of their adversaries long ago.
Chaos Blade
Dark Souls III:
A cursed sword of unknown origin bearing uncanny streaks on its blade.
Attacks also damage its wielder.
The sword is not unlike a thing misshappen, granted life, but never welcome in this world. In other words, chaos itself.
Skill: Hold - Assume a holding stance to rapidly execute a lunging slash with normal attack, or a deflecting parry with strong attack.
Dark Souls II:
A Katana of unknown origin. Damage to foes also damages its owner.
The peculiar pattern upon the blade suggests the sinister nature of this cursed blade. It is an alluring vortex and a lonely soul.
Dark Souls:
A curved sword born from the soul of Quelaag, daughter of the Witch of Izalith, who was transformed into a chaos demon.
This blade inherits only the chaotic nature of Quelaag, and has a unique speckled design.
Blade wielder erodes along with opponents.
Wolf Knight Set
Dark Souls III:
Armor of a knight tainted by the dark of the Abyss. The twilight blue tassel is damp, and will ever remain so.
A vanquished knight left behind only wolf's blood, and legacy of duty. The Undead Legion of Farron was formed to bear his torch, and the armor of these Abyss Watchers suggests their own eventual end.
Dark Souls:
Armor of Artorias the Abysswalker, one of Gwyn's four knights.
The death of the armor's owner can be surmised from the corrosive Dark of the Abyss, and the tattered azure-blue cape, once a symbol of pride and glory.
Hornet Ring
Dark Souls III:
Ring associated with the Lord's Blade Ciaran, one of the Four Knights of Gwyn, the First Lord.
Boosts critical attacks.
The masked Ciaran was the only woman to serve in Gwyn's Four Knights, and her curved sword granted a swift death to any and all enemies of the throne.
Dark Souls:
One of the special rings granted to the four knights of Gwyn. The Hornet Ring belonged to the Lord's Blade Ciaran.
By boosting critical attacks, its wearer can annihilate foes, as Ciaran's dagger laid waste to Lord Gwyn's enemies.
Ashen Estus Ring
Gray crystalline ring crafted from shards. Increases FP restored by Ashen Estus Flask.
Once a treasure brought before Lothric's Queen, she had it enshrined in the Cemetery of Untended Graves, so that one day an Unkindled might profit from its use.
Hidden Blessing
Holy water blessed by the Queen of Lothric.
Fully restores FP.
There is a grave in Lothric that sees no visitors, a dark place where rootless warriors rest. The Queen of Lothric alone cared to wish the poor souls good fortune.
Hollow's Ashes
Umbral ash of a Hollow who faithfully served a woman, only to become separated from her. With this, the shrine handmaid will prepare new items.
It takes but a brief glance at this thing to easily envision Londor, the foreboding land of Hollows.
Coiled Sword Fragment
Fragment of the coiled sword of a bonfire which served its purpose long ago.
Returns caster to last bonfire used for resting, or to the bonfire in Firelink Shrine. Can be used repeatedly.
Bonfires are linked to one another irreversibly, retaining their affinity long after their purpose is exhausted.
Eyes of a Fire Keeper
A pair of dark eyes.
Said to be the eyes of the first Fire Keeper, and the light that was lost by all Fire Keepers to come.
It reveals to the sightless Fire Keepers things that they should never see.
Jetrauben posted:
I've heard that originally they planned to have Ocelotte as a visible baby...which either you or Oceiros himself kill in the battle, which is why he basically goes completely feral in the second phase. They decided it was too bleak. Hearsay, but...