Dark Souls’ lore is incredibly extensive, mysterious and in-depth. There’s a lot on the surface for casual enjoyment, from the conflicting narratives of the serpents Kaathe and Frampt to the deceptive lies of Thorolund and Patches.
Yet, at the heart of the Souls series lies Lord Gwyn, the first to link the flame and the head of the Gods. He is the creator of the curse, the man who started it all, he is the reason that the cycle continued until a point in which the undead rose as ashen ones, more fit for the painted world than the one they inhabited. Gwyn’s importance in the world of Dark Souls cannot be understated and there is a lot more than meets the eye when it comes to his very being. As such, we’ve compiled a list of 8 things that you may not have known about Lord Gwyn.
8 Gwyn Was Already A King Before He Found The Flame
From the opening cinematic and the events of the first game, you may be led to believe that it took Gwyn finding the flame and to so much more, but this isn’t the case. Gwyn was, before he ever found that burning light, a king with an army at his behest.
As pictured above, he was crowned king with a platoon of Silver Knights by his side. When he found the flame, he elevated into Godhood, but he was powerful long before then. His knights, who had been with him for so long, were charred black when he eventually linked the flame to continue the cycle.
7 Gwyn Branded The Undead
The Ringed City DLC of Dark Souls 3 reveals that the Gods and, by extension, Gwyn himself, branded the undead with the Dark Sign. This was something that fans had been lead to believe with the trickle of lore in Dark Souls and its sequel, Dark Souls 2.
However, Dark Souls 3 all but confirms it, as the Ringed Knights armor set reads, “The armor of early man was forged in the abyss, and betrays a smidgen of life. For this reason, the Gods cast a seal of fire upon such armor, and those who possessed them.”
6 In Welsh, Gwyn Means White
Welsh is a language that appears a few times in Dark Souls, from the merchant who says, “Aye, Siwmae and good day to you!” to Gwyn’s very namesake. What it translates to is ‘white’ which makes sense given his status and his cult following, the Way of White.
It also connotes purity and light, which are in-line with Gwyn’s beliefs, as he champions himself as a warrior against the dark and the abyss, giving his own life, becoming a martyr, just so that he can prolong the Age of Dark.
5 Allfather Lloyd Is Gwyn’s Uncle
Much like how many presume that Gwyn gained his power from the flame, many also presume that he is the first of his bloodline, but this may not be the case, as his uncle is the famous Allfather Lloyd.
Lloyd’s name is also derived from Welsh, meaning grey. A Youtuber by the name of KazzArmA believes that ‘grey’ references the era of which Lloyd hails from, which is that of the Age of Dragons, the generation prior to Gwyn. However, like the rings in Dark Souls 3 suggest, Lloyd may very well be a fraud and not actually Gwyn’s uncle at all, meaning that Gwyn very well could be the first of the Gods.
4 The Way Of White Worship Gwyn
The Way of White worship the Gods and, in particular, Gwyn. His name, as mentioned prior, is Welsh for ‘white’ and it is something that is part of even his children’s names, whether it be Gwyndolin or Gwyenevere.
At first, they appear to simply be a God-worshipping co-operative covenant but it would appear as though they work in close conjunction with the Gods as they conspire with Gwyn’s own uncle, Lloyd (unless he is a fraud. In which case, they are being manipulated for ulterior motives).
3 There Was A Plot To Overthrow The Gods
Havel was soured by Gwyn as Seath the Scaleless was granted Dukedom. In Anor Londo, Havel’s armor can be found hidden behind an illusionary wall along with occult weapons, which are used to fight back against the Gods and those who worship them.
It seems strange that Havel’s weaponry and armor would be found in conjunction with such items and Havel himself is even found locked away in a tower. In Dark Souls 3, he is with Gwyn’s firstborn. All of this hints to him turning on the Gods.
2 Gwyn Gave His Youngest Daughter To The Pygmy’s
Gwyn gifted shards of his soul to many and he rewarded those who helped him slay the dragons. He gave Seath the Duke’s Archives but he gave the pygmies the Ringed City, an entire place to call home.
However, this was not all that he gave the pygmies. As well as the Dark Sign, a curse more than a gift, he granted them his youngest daughter, claiming that he would one day return for her.
1 Gwyn Banished His Firstborn, The Nameless King
There’s been a lot of talk of Gwyn’s firstborn, the Nameless King. For a long time, fans speculated that Solaire was Gwyn’s very first child, but he was described as becoming as powerful as he did through vigorous training, and so that theory was always fickle.
The Nameless King is Gwyn’s firstborn, who betrayed him by allying with the dragons. He was removed from the annals and exiled. There are even theories that the Ornstein we face in Dark Souls was but an illusion and the real Ornstein left with the Nameless King, as Smough is described as the last standing knight at Anor Londo whilst Ornstein’s gear can be found by the Nameless King’s arena.
NEXT: 15 Awesome Side Quests In Dark Souls 3 You Didn’t Know About
