Abyss Watchers

Lore

Based in Farron Keep, the Abyss Watchers are a group of Undead warriors who acted in the dark, seeking out any sign of the Abyss, fighting a constant war with its abominations. They "vowed to partake of wolf blood". Slightly ironic, or possibly intentional, as Artorias the Abysswalker's companion was Sif, the Great Grey Wolf.

Being of Farron, they were lonesome warriors proficient with the sword, and relied only on more pragmatic spells. It is unknown whether one or all of the Abyss Watchers linked the fire. Perhaps they worked as a team to push back the darkness. But, they were betrayed by the Fire. The wolf blood that bound them to one another dried up, and Farron "was consumed by a festering wood".

The very power the Abyss Watchers drew from to combat the Abyss evaporated in the fire. Their home grew acrid, and the allies they left behind were warped into inhuman creatures. Worse yet, the Abyss was left unchecked, and now Darkwraiths roam freely in Farron, an affront to everything the Abyss Watchers stood for. When the Abyss Watchers awoke and saw what had become of their home, they were overcome with anger so intense it was maddening, or perhaps the encroaching darkness took control of them. Now the watchers sit on the doorstep of the darkness they once sought to extinguish in the Catacombs of Carthus.

Theories

Why the Watchers Attack Each Other

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Like Artorias, they was probably taken by the Abyss. Maybe they were all corrupted and killed each other until only one stood. Perhaps they locked themselves away to prevent the spread of the corruption, thinking that it would die there, with them.

The Watchers may have been caught in an endless cycle of killing each other because they were tainted by the abyss. Since they are undead, they never truly die, so there was always another tainted one rising to be killed again. They all shared one soul, so when one died, it's soul would be absorbed back into the group, resurrect him. When you kill the last Watcher, you instead absorb the soul, breaking the cycle.

One possibility for why the Watchers fell to the Abyss was that they were overtaken by High Lord Wolnir, who fell into the Abyss and took them by surprise, corrupting some of them and turning them on each other. The legion would snuff out a kingdom on the first sign of Exposure. So, they became locked in an endless battle with each other while Farron was consumed by Abyss.

So, they fight each other to rid themselves of the curse. The Wolf Knight Set description suggests the Watchers knew they would eventually be tainted by the Abyss they sought to eradicate.

The Watchers and High Lord Wolnir

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The Catacombs of Carthus come right after the area where you encounter the Abyss Watchers. Carthus was a desert kingdom though, and the Watchers were in a swamp, which doesn't make sense geographically. However, the lands of the Lords of Cinder are colliding, so as the world "folds" geography gets a bit wonky. Furthermore, you don't go through the deserts in Carthus to get to their catacombs, instead you go through the Abyss Watchers' fortress and then into the catacombs beneath Carthus.

The Abyss Watchers were a force of destruction, but with a specific target: they waged ruthless crusades against kingdoms where the Watchers caught the faintest whiff of the Abyss. High Lord Wolnir fell to the Abyss, and as a consequence, Carthus certainly would have been on the Watchers' radar. Wolnir conquered his neighboring lords and gathered their crowns, becoming the unquestioned High Lord of Carthus. No way the Abyss Watchers would tolerate a kingdom ruled by a being tainted by the Abyss, even if he struggled against it. So, the Abyss Watchers likely set out to destroy Carthus, laying waste to his kingdom. When they reached Wolnir, they did what they could to contain the massively powerful conqueror and sealed him away in the goblet of bone, locked in the catacombs.

Sources

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Hawkwood Dialogue
"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."

Sage Ring
A ring given to Farron's Undead Legion by one of the preacher twins, known more commonly as the Crystal Sages.
Shortens spell casting time.
The sorcerers of Farron's Abyss Watchers were known to be lonesome warriors who would only rely upon more pragmatic spells.

Undead Legion Helm
Attire of the Abyss Watchers, the Undead Legion of Farron.
These undead warriors vowed to partake of wolf blood.
They acted in the dark, seeking out any sign of the Abyss, fighting a constant war with its abominations.
This pointed steel helm was a distinct symbol of the Legion, shirked as a sinister omen by the masses.

Undead Legion Leggings
Attire of the Abyss Watchers, the Undead Legion of Farron.
The iron kneecaps originated from their sword techniques.
These undead warriors vowed to partake of wolf blood.
They acted in the dark, seeking out any sign of the Abyss,
fighting a constant war with its abominations.

Soul of the Blood of the Wolf
Soul of the Blood of the Wolf. One of the twisted souls, steeped in strength.
Use to acquire numerous souls, or transpose to extract its true strength.
The blood was spread amongst the Abyss Watchers, and their souls are one with the soul of the wolf blood master.

Farron Greatsword
Greatsword of the Abyss Watchers which is atypically paired with an unusual dagger.
The dagger is utilized as a wedge in the left hand while the greatsword is held in the right, a unique technique that was synonymous with the Undead Legion.
Confounds foes in the manner of wolves hunting prey.

Wolf Knight's Greatsword
Greatsword of a knight tainted by the dark of the Abyss, and master of the wolf's blood of Farron.
The wolf knight was the first Abyss Watcher, and his sword is more punishing against creations of the abyss.

Wolf Knight's Greatshield
Greatshield of a knight tainted by the dark of the Abyss, and master of the Wolf’s blood of Farron. Boosts consistent defense and divine protection against various status effects.

Wolf Knight's Helm
Helm 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.

Exile Mask
Iron mask of the watchdogs of Farron's Keep.
After the Legion's Watchers became Lords of Cinder, the wolf blood dried up, and Farron was consumed by a festering wood.
Within the wood, an emaciated old wolf commands watchdogs to defend the sanctity of sleeping warriors.
Both the exiles were surely watchdogs themselves, for Farron has always been a land of itinerants.

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NEXT: Aldrich, Devourer of Gods

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Comments

Another Theory.

GWG_iKnowledge 11 May 2016 05:01

Going with the Watchers Being Taken or corrupted by the Abyss. I think that when they started after Artorias they did the same as him. Made a covenant with the abyss to stop them from spreading into the world. Which as Artorias was tricked into this the Abyss watchers that made this covenant with the creatures of the abyss were tricked into becoming a part of the Abyss itself. As that is why the Red Eyed ones fight against the Normal ones. With the Linking of the fire worsened this effect. As when you link the fire you sacrifice yourself to do so. And since they all shared the wolf blood as Artorias did they all Linked the fire and Died. But since now when Lords of Cinder are reborn when the Flames fade Most of them lost their mind like Gwyn did. And the Red Eyed Watchers have lost their mind while having succumbed to the Lure of the Abyss while also being Undead they could never die so they rise to fight each other and thats it. And when the Main Watcher you kill that resurrects i think he was the one that either Linked the Fire or Made the Covenant with they Lords of the Abyss. As when he is resurrected he gains the Red Eyes and the rest of the Watchers never come back to life. Meaning those Watchers with Red Eyes must've gone Hollow or the Wolf Blood ends up going to One Master like Artorias. And since this specific Watcher was the last remain alive he became the New Wolf Blood Master. Again this may all be wrong but i got bored so i was thinking about it.

There might be a typo in the sources.

lomhow1234 22 Feb 2017 02:22

Sources Section.
Exile Mask.
Second to last line.
"Within the wood, an emaciated old wolf commands watchdogs to defent the sanctity of sleeping warriors."
I assume the word "defent" was supposed to be "defend" but somehow there was an accident.
Hope I helped in some way.

Re: There might be a typo in the sources.

Souls Lore 26 Feb 2017 21:36

Yes, thank you!