Ash Lake Giant Skull

Did you write that before or after the DLC came out?

Before; February 26

https://soulswiki.forumotion.com/t54p165-the-search-for-lore-acidic-cook#28557

I was going to say. If he's the four kings, how would you account for being able to kill him in the past and still have them show up in the present. Although I guess you could argue that it's some kind of soul remnant given form.

What's your take on Alvina Acidic? I've been thinking about that a lot lately actually. I never really gave her much thought as far as motivation to do what she's doing, until they had her appear again in the abyss. Both times she's arguably protecting Sif. Or at the very least, she's certainly closely associated with him.

Have you ever noticed, how the Four Kings looks similar to the Ghosts?

Solid Form? Yes. However, you can also walk to a plain that is of nothing too, if taking the Ring of the Dead Knight. The Magic of Four Kings and Artorias are of similar colour and form. Both are able to do an AoE attack, which is the same (Both kneel to the *ground* with their bodies, and burst with energy of purple force).

So... yes, this was from February. DLC came out... Summer? No, August/September. That was a long while before it actually showed anything.

EDIT: I just saw your edit.

What's your take on Alvina Acidic? I've been thinking about that a lot lately actually. I never really gave her much thought as far as motivation to do what she's doing, until they had her appear again in the abyss. Both times she's arguably protecting Sif. Or at the very least, she's certainly closely associated with him.

Protecting? Yes and No. Serving, though?

Ever wondered why the Feline has a similar coat as the Wolf? I can say, that the Feline is perhaps associated not with only the wolf, but with Artorias as well. In fact, the three are related.

I see the cat as... a friend of Artorias, much like Sif. However, as Sif is that of a Fighter, the cat seems to show otherwise. In fact, her ability to teleport is seen, and when you hit her... she actually laughs at you, and warps away... no Souls given.

I see her having the ability to warp and manipulate, which is probably the reason as to how she can summon you by a ring. Really, she seems to be able to draw you and take you away, and her powers may be of that... manipulation. That sounds similar to the take of Oolacile. But, I digress.

The Wolf and Cat are both tied towards Artorias. Both Guard his Grave, Both are seen in the Chasms of the Abyss. I find it funny, how three hard cats serve to protect a pathway towards Sif, VIA A bridge that is not of the Cats... I find it funny, though. I look at the Royal Forest, and I look at the Darkroot one. The Royal Fortress does not have a bridge connecting the two structures (The Elvator Buildings), yet Darkroot does. It seems the structure layer of the ground is similar, but the elevators/bridge as well as the Secon Island of the Royal Fortress (and other factors) have changed.



I find the cat to be working to protect the grave of Artorias, in honor of him. Or, perhaps they are meant to defend it by some form of duty laid upon them. Seeing the carcass of the Lord's Blade behind the Grave, perhaps the three helped lay something... hard to say, since there is no tell tale of it, really.

Still, the cat I see is a friend of Artorias, similar to Sif. She serves him, but perhaps not of Sif. She seems to dismiss the Wolf when dead, and does not see it...

I find it funny to note that, even when you rescue Sif and you have the cutscene with the Canine... it still fights you. Perhaps this duty was laid upon them, not in honor of Artorias, but the task of someone, or something, else.



I find it odd, how easy Ingward is in giving the key, as soon as you ask for the key. He expects you to arrive at some point, and without question or debate gives you the key... to a seal that had killed over countless amount, one that the sages realized and saw with grief of loss, as an item describes... I think the Key. Anyways... he seems to easily allow access to the world below, even though he sacrificed so much in order to protect his country... and does not question your failure at all.



Hm.

Yeah, you said a lot of things that make sense. I personally find it more believable that they just are who the game presents them as, being the tainted kings of NL, and that Arty just remained Arty, and eventually, if not killed by the chosen undead, the abyss just wore him away to nothing. But you do make some good points.

I just edited the post, Plastic. Look above.

Anyways... I try to make as much good points as possible. Otherwise, there is no point of making a theory or speculation, other than to fantasize... which I can do with my literature and imagination, not archaeology. Thank you.

Hey, I read the debate and I'll just jump into the conversation if that's alright.

First of all about the huge horned skull, since that's what the topic is about. I see how you debated about it being reminiscent of a Dragon or a Giant, (even though you leaned towards it being the skull of a Chaos Demon towards the end) what if it is a little bit of both? We know that the Stone Dragon, who is a descendant of the Everlasting Dragons has the power to bestow dragon-like qualities to Humans. Which means it's ancestors probably had similar powers, and even stronger ones at that. What if they bestowed dragonoid qualities to a Giant, effectively making him look like that?

Second, I read your theory about Artorias being the Four King, Acidic. And by the Sun, that might be the best theory I have ever read. For that theory to be true though, Ornstein we fight in Anor Londo doesn't necessarily have to be an illusion. We know New Londo was flooded to contain the Darkwraiths. If Artorias was one of these servants of the Abyss, he probably would not flood his own forces.

What if it was Ornstein who made the decision to flood New Londo? He might be real when we fight him in Anor Londo. The captain of the four knights, clinging to an illusion of a Goddess, doing whatever he can to make sure the Age of Fire continues. Just like his God did.

Last of all, if I might add a little speculation myself on top of your theory?

The Chosen Undead kills Artorias's 'flesh' in Oolacile. Then the Chosen Undead proceeds to give his soul to Ciaran, as an act of honor to the fallen hero of whom he also creates a false legend, so Artorias is remembered as a hero. Then with the soul of Artorias, Ciaran proceeds to somehow revive her beloved. Artorias, who was corrupted by the Abyss even before his death while trying to save Sif, is now in a covenant with the creatures of Abyss, to come back to life. These 'creatures of the Abyss' is probably the Primordial Serpents, namely Kaathe, as you suggested.

Realising what she has turned her beloved into, Ciaran mourns until she dies by the false grave. This theory also explains why Artorias's grave in our current time is not at the spot where he died, and explains why Ciaran is near that false grave even though she knew exactly where Artorias died.