Darkmoon Knightess

Lore

Also known as the Lady of the Darkling, she is the Fire Keeper in Anor Londo. She wears the Brass Set armor to hide her hollowed form and help her hunt the guilty as a Darkmoon Blade. Her wielding a Parrying Dagger may suggest that she is originally from Carim.

After becoming Undead, she visited the Dark Sun Gwyndolin at the Mausoleum of the Spiral Depths, became a Blade of Darkmoon, and assumed the flame-keeping duty. She received brass armor, which hides her hideous form and helps her hunt the guilty.

She also acts as a guide for the city of Anor Londo, giving directions to the Chosen Undead.

If the Chosen Undead destroys the illusion of Princess Gwynevere, The Lady of the Darkling will turn hostile and wait to challenge the Undead at the cathedral side of the spinning bridge. Likewise, she will become hostile if Gwyndolin himself is killed.

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Design Works Interview

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Waragai: I'd like to ask about the Darkmoon Knightess.

Miyazaki: Her Brass Armour was actually one of the starting sets for a while. Unlike the other classes, I wanted to create something a little more unusual and this was designed as a pagan knight but it was too difficult to balance, so we gave it to the Knightess. However, that initial image remained.

The majority of the people in the Dark Souls world follow the Way of the White or Gwyn and the Sunlight Warriors covenant, but there is another, far more secretive group who follow Gwndolin and the Dark Moon. They have developed in almost complete isolation, so their customs and traditions are also completely different. The Darkmoon Knightess was designed around this idea.

These ideas, the moon and purity also carry with them something feminine, in fact, they obsess over the image of a maiden dancing in front of the moon and strive to capture this beauty. The Brass Armour's appearance and indeed, the appearance of Gwyndolin himself can be attributed to this.

Theories

How the Lady got her Humanity

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There are three known firekeepers in the game: Lady Darkling (the Darkmoon firekeeper in Anor Londo), Anastasia (the firekeeper at Firelink Shrine), and Quelaan (the firekeeper for the Chaos Servant covenant).

It's known for a fact that Quelaan needs Humanity to survive, which is why her servants bring it to her. I doubt we've been alone in thinking that this is simply due to her incredible weakness, thanks to her absorbing all of the plague that was consuming Blighttown into herself. But, what if this wasn't the case, and in actuality all firekeepers need a constant stream of Humanity to live?

Quelaan gets it from her servants. Anastasia gets it from the enormous amount of activity (i.e. Kindlings and De-Hollowings) that Firelink Shrine sees. But where would Lady Darkling get her humanity? No one goes to Anor Londo—Undead have to make it all the way through Sen's Fortress, a feat that very few have ever accomplished. So, that bonfire recieves next to no activity, especially considering that there are three other, more conveniently placed bonfires for Undead to use once they are in Anor Londo.

In the "We are the Souls" video, the Lady Darkling is seen crumpled against a wall, as if severely weakened. Then, she's standing, being cradled by Lautrec. So, Lautrec is where she gets her Humanity. He brings it to her in Anor Londo in order to keep his beloved Lady Darkling alive. This is why he kills Anastasia; Firekeeper souls have lots of Humanity. Anastasia's in particular would have quite a bit, even for a Firekeeper soul, because of the aforementioned heavy activity that Firelink Shrine recieves. He did not kill her out of spite, or a self-preserving instinct born out of a fear of turning Hollow himself, but in order to preserve the life of his mistress.

This would also explain why when you can first encounter Lautrec - imprisoned in a cell in the Undead Church. He is found right next to another Firekeeper soul. Who imprisoned him is another question entirely, but it seems clear that that was the reason for his visit.

Dialogue

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• Initial greeting:

Well, you are a rare visitor. Welcome to the lost city of Anor Londo, chosen Undead. If you seek Lord Gwyn's old keep, exit here and head straight yonder. If you are the chosen one, a revelation shall visit thee. … What follow thereafter, depends upon you…

• Talking:

Hm, what is it? What am I? Well… I am the Keeper of the bonfire. If not for me, what beacon would there be in this lost city? A gatekeeper, and a guide; that is my calling.
The bonfire attended by the Keepers are special. They are linked to one another, and their flames never die. Yet never shall the Keepers of these flames meet.
If you require rest, now is the time. That is, after all, what the bonfire is for.

• Talking to her after talking with Gwynevere:

Hmm. So, you have received a revelation? Very auspicious. I hope for the best. I pray that through you, Her wish will be granted.

• Talking after you place the Lordvessel at the Firelink Altar:

Have you heard of Seath the Scaleless? In legend, he turned against the ancient dragons. He became Lord Gwyn's confidant, was granted dukedom, and was allowed to pursue his research.
At the Regal Archives, he immersed himself in research on scales of immortality, the one thing that he did not have. … But his very research drove him mad…
The Archive became a dungeon, a place for sinister experiments. Now, nobody dare even approach the duke's forbidden Archives.
It looms over this land, high atop the mountain. But I should warn against even an approach…

• When killed:

… But, how… … This man/woman is a threat… … Master Gwyndolin…

Sources

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Icon	Name	Description
	Fire Keeper Soul	Soul of the Darkmoon Knightess, Fire Keeper of Anor Londo. A Fire Keeper's soul is a draw for humanity, and held within their bosoms, below just a thin layer of skin, are swarms of humanity that writhe and squirm. Her brass armor serves to disguise this ghastly form.
	Brass Set	Armor of the Darkmoon Knightess, Fire Keeper of Anor Londo. After becoming Undead, she visited the Dark Sun Gwyndolin at the Mausoleum of the Spiral Depths, became a Blade of Darkmoon, and assumed the flame-keeping duty. She received this armor, which hides her hideous form and helps her hunt the guilty.
	Parrying Dagger	This dagger is useful after parrying and is normally equipped in the left hand. A favorite of the knights of Carim, who are famous for fighting without a shield.

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Comments

the_nepodarok 28 Nov 2021 10:33

I'm sorry, are we talking about thePruld's "We are the Souls" video? You do realize it's just a fan video, as good and emotionally provocative as it is, nothing more, do you, so it can't be used as a source for theorizing game's lore to even a smallest extent