Darkstalker Kaathe

Lore

Darkstalker Kaathe is a Primordial Serpent, like Kingseeker Frampt.

Kaathe greets the protagonist and tells his side of the story: that the player is not to renew the [Age of Fire by rekindling the First Flame, but is in fact the descendant of the one who possessed the "Dark Soul", and shall be responsible in bringing about the Age of Dark. Kaathe will transport the player to the Kiln of the First Flame in order to place the Lordvessel, and then instructs the player to collect the other Lord Souls in order to confront Gwyn, Lord of Cinder.

Kaathe's intentions are very different from those of Frampt. He's the leader of the Darkwraiths and wants to see the Furtive Pygmy's plan come to fruition by recruiting Undead with the Darksign, so that they can become the new Dark Lord, heralding the Age of Dark. It's implied that he's the one who manipulated the people of Oolacile to awaken Manus, and offering the art of Lifedrain to the Kings of New Londo, indirectly responsible for the desctruction of Oolacile and New Londo.

If the Chosen Undead sides with Kingseeker Frampt by placing the Lordvessel for him, Kaathe won't appear after the Four Kings are defeated. If the Undead already met Kaathe, the next time Frampt is spoken to, he will scold the Undead and leave permanently.

Cut Content

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Cut Dialogue

There is an alternative "made hostile" dialogue:

Nonsense! Are you mad?! This is deplorable! You would rather be a slave?! Does the truth mean nothing to you?!
This is unacceptable! Impossible! Unthinkable!
Oh, enough of you. Farewell, pitiful, unknowing fool.
I shall return to the Abyss and await the true Lord of Man.

Additionally, there is also an alternative version to his dialogue after placing the Lordvessel:

Magnificent! You have followed my teachings faithfully.
You are the true Lord of Man, the Dark Lord.
Now go forth and rid us of that enfeebled Gwyn.
I, Kaathe shall await you here.

Here, he has two version of saying goodbye to the player:

When you return, I shall serve you in the imminent Age of Dark.

I shall serve you in the imminent Age of Dark

Theories

Usurping the Flame

https://www.reddit.com/r/darksouls3/comments/5ta9co/theory_kaathe_wanted_the_first_flame_usurped_all/

The Inspiration for the Primordial Serpents

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The Mayans believed in a two-headed serpent. The serpent was responsible for transporting the dead from the earth to the underworld.

One head would swallow you from the earth and the other would spit you out in the underworld.
The art depicting the serpent even has a beard that is reminiscent of the ones that the primordial serpents have in Dark Souls.
The serpents being imperfect dragons also seems to have its roots in western mythology as dragons and serpents were often used interchangeably.

The Mayans beliefs were also centred around the 'World Tree' which is basically a tree that stretches from the underworld and through to the heavens so one could draw similarities there with the arch trees.

Dialogue

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• Initial meeting:

Greetings Undead Warrior.
I am the Primordial Serpent Darkstalker Kaathe.
I can guide thee, and illuminate the truth.
Undead Warrior, conqueror of the Four Kings, is this not your wish?
To know the truth of men, and the Undead?

• Speaking to him at The Abyss after Firelink Altar:

Ahh… If you wish, I shall grant the art of Lifedrain,
the legendary power of the Dark Lord.
It can preserve your humanity while Undead,
and cast off the shackles placed upon your brethren.

• Speaking to him before putting the Lordvessel on the altar:

[…]The truth I shall share without sentiment.
After the advent of fire, the ancient lords found the three souls.
But your progenitor found a fourth, unique soul. The Dark Soul.
Your ancestor claimed the Dark Soul and waited for Fire to subside.
And soon, the flames did fade, and only Dark remained.
Thus began the age of men, the Age of Dark.
However… Lord Gwyn trembled at the Dark.
Clinging to his Age of Fire, and in dire fear of humans, and the
Dark Lord who would one day be born amongst them, Lord Gwyn resisted the course of nature.

By sacrificing himself to link the fire, and commanding his children
to shepherd the humans, Gwyn has blurred your past,
to prevent the birth of the Dark Lord.
I am the primordial serpent.
I seek to right the wrongs of the past to discover our true Lord.
But the other serpent, Frampt, lost his sense,
and befriended Lord Gwyn.

Undead warrior, we stand at the crossroad.
Only I know the truth about your fate.
You must destroy the fading Lord Gwyn,
who has coddled Fire and resisted nature,
and become the Fourth Lord,
so that you may usher in the Age of Dark!

• After being transported to Firelink Altar:

This is Gwyn's prison. Now, place the Lordvessel upon the altar.

• Speaking to him in Firelink Altar after putting the Lordvessel:

Very well. Once the vessel is filled with souls,
the gate to Gwyn shall open.
Seek Gravelord Nito, the Witch of Izalith,
and the traitor Seath the Scaleless.
Fill this vessel with their souls.
Then, the gate will open… so that you may kill Gwyn…

• Talking after placing the Lordvessel on the altar:

They failed me, every last one of them.
They were strong, but saw not the truth.
I am certain that you will prove different.

Sources

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Icon	Name	Description
	Covetous Gold Serpent Ring	The serpent is an imperfect dragon and symbol of the Undead. Its habit of devouring prey even larger than itself has led to an association with gluttony.

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Marvellous Chester dialogue

• After killing Artorias

Believe it or not… Oolacile has brought the Abyss upon itself.
Fooled by that toothy serpent, they upturned the grave of primeval man, and incited his ornery wrath.
What could they have been thinking?

Hawkeye Gough dialogue

• Talking

I suspect thou hast taken a gander at it, but the Dark of the Abyss, which swallowed poor Artorias, threatens to devour our entire land of Oolacile.
It seems that this dire fate is unavoidable.
But, seduced by a Dark serpent or no, they awoke that thing themselves, and drove it mad.
…One's demise is always one's own making.

Ingward dialogue

• Talking

Long ago, the Four Kings were powerful men. Only, their hearts were weak.
When an evil serpent dangled the art of Lifedrain before them, they were unable to resist, and became pawns of evil.
According to legend, the knight Artorias crossed the Abyss, and annihilated the atrocious Darkwraiths.
If you can find him, and learn from him, the Abyss may prove surmountable.

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NEXT: Crestfallen Warrior

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