Vendrick, King of Drangleic

Lore

King Vendrick Defeated the Four Great Ones

He built the kingdom that is now Drangleic upon their souls and has watched over the land since ages long, long ago.

Vendrick Condemned his own Elder Brother to Aldia's Keep

Vendrick and Aldia both sought the truth, but through different means, and their fervor meant the eventual withering of their familial ties. Weaponsmith Ornifex tells us, "Vendrick came close to unlocking the essence of the soul." And, Chancellor Wellager says, "My Lord made magnificent findings on souls… An accomplishment for the ages." We do not know he methods that Vendrick used, but Aldia studied and experimented on giants and dragons before his disappearance.

The Queen, Nashandra, used Vendrick

According to Chancellor Wellager: Vendrick's queen, Nashandra, warned him "of the looming threat across the seas… of the Giants. The King crossed the ocean… And defeated the Giants, with the Queen at his side." As thanks, Vendrick built Drangleic Castle for Nashandra on top of what is supposed to be the First Flame, which she coveted. Wellager explains, "The King commandeered [the Giants'] power… And created the Golems. With the Golems, the king created the castle. To celebrate victory… And to show his love, his gratitude to his Queen…" Vendrick brought a "prize" back with him from the invasion, which prompted the Giants to invade Drangleic in turn to retrieve it, leading to the downfall of the kingdom.

Vendrick went Hollow

By the time the player finds him, Vendrick has gone completely hollow. He still wears the King's Crown, though, and carries the Ruler's Sword. The item description for the sword reads, "The great king shut himself away, and was soon reduced to a mere shell. Just what was it that he yearned to protect?"

Theories

How Vendrick Came to Power

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Vendrick was said to have fought with the Dragonriders to gain the Kingdom of Drangleic, building it upon the former inhabitant's graves. It is plausible that with the help of his brother Aldia, Vendrick bred dragons on their estate and that Aldia's Keep has always been the home of Vendrick, Aldia and their family. To have a following like the Dragonriders, Vendrick may have been a lord or a person of import within the previous kingdom.

How Vendrick Ended up Hollowed in the Undead Crypt

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After learning of Nashandra's deception, Vendrick fled to the Shrine of Amana, but his purpose is in dispute. His reason may simply have been to hide his soul there to keep Nashandra from possessing it. Another possibility is that he sought refuge at the Shrine but was later forced to move because of the arrival of the Archdrake sect of Lindeldt. Either way, his soul was left at the Shrine. Whatever events truly led him there, Vendrick ends up deep in the Undead Crypt in what is supposedly his tomb. He is protected there by Velstadt, The Royal Aegis, who waits in the antechamber to the tomb to guard his king. Then, because Vendrick was without his soul, he went hollow within the Crypt.

Vendrick Stole the Giants Themselves

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We're told that the war is kicked off when King Vendrick travelled across the sea and stole something from the giants; and the nature of what that something is, has long been speculated on.

Initially, many thought Vendrick may have travelled to Dark Souls 1's Lordran, returning with the Kiln or the Lordvessel. However, a more convincing theory is that Vendrick didn't capture an artefact at all, but a bunch of giants themselves, returning with them to Aldia's Keep for experimentation.

This is made even more convincing by the fact we're specifically told it was after this event that golems began showing up, which are visually very similar to Giants, but appear to be artificial creations. Plus, Vendrick actually uses golems to defend his castle, and they can be found both inside and guarding the main door. It makes much more sense for a war to kick off over the capture and torture of prisoners rather than the theft of an heirloom.

Dialogue

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I am king of this wretched, unraveled kingdom.
I subdued the giants, and claimed their strength.
So that I might step closer to fire…
Drangleic will fall, The fire will fade, and the souls of old will reemerge.
With Dark unshackled, a curse will be upon us…
And men will take their true shape…

When spoken to in Memory of the King
Seeker of fire, coveter of the throne.
I am Vendrick, ruler of Drangleic.
Seeker of fire, deliverer of crowns.
What do you see in the flames?
Find the crowns, and your own answers.
The crowns hold the strength of lords from time long past.
Seek adversity.
As befits you, seeker of fire, coveter of the throne.
I am no king. I am more fit to be a jester…
I was unaware of my own blindness.
We are feeble vessels, with feebler souls.
We would cast aside the prop of life, only to face greater hardship.
Are you another such fool, or something more?
I fail to see your design, young moth.
But I see very little, these days…

Continues here if player has one DLC crown and the King's Crown.
Seeker of fire, conqueror of Dark.
I, too, sought fire, once.
With fire, they say, a true king can harness the curse.
A lie. But I knew no better…
Seeker of fire, you know not the depths of Dark within you.
It grows deeper still, the more flame you covet.
Flame, oh, flame…
I am king of this wretched, unravelled kingdom.
I subdued the Giants, and claimed their strength.
So that I might step closer to fire…
Drangleic will fall, the fire will fade, and the souls of old will reemerge.
With Dark unshackled, a curse will be upon us…
And men will take their true shape…
(The last three lines are repeated when spoken to again.)

Continues here if player has two DLC crowns.
Seeker of fire, I see you've subdued another foul creature.
One of the Father of the Abyss' spawn, that confounded quintessence of humanity.
The Abyss once had form, but then dissipated.
And yet, traces of its existence endured.
Each fragment, thirsting for power, spread Dark, with no relent.
My dear Shandra… was one such fragment…
A feeble, tiny thing that thirsted for power more than any other…
Driven by insatiable lust for a worthy vessel.
Fire came to be, and with it, Disparity.
Heat and cold, life and death, Light and Dark.
Dark was seen as a curse.
Shadow is not cast, but born of fire.
And, the brighter the flame, the deeper the shadow.
Inherit fire, and harness the Dark.
Such is the calling of a true leader…
(Repeats from line three.)

Continues here if player has all three DLC crowns.
One day, fire will fade, and Dark will become a curse.
Men will be free from death, left to wander eternally.
Dark will again be ours, and in our true shape…
We can bury the false legends of yore… Only…
Is this our only choice?
Seeker of fire, coveter of the throne.
Seek strength.
The rest will follow…

If player attempts to attack Vendrick
Foolish…

Sources

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Soul of the King
Soul of Vendrick, King of Drangleic.
This great soul beckoned the Dark, overwhelming the King.
Perhaps this King, who once ruled the world of men,
was a lacking vessel for the true throne.
Use the soul of he who would link the flame to acquire numerous souls,
or to create something of great worth.

Ruler's Sword
Greatsword of Vendrick, King of Drangleic.
The strength of this sword is relative to
the number of souls possessed by its wielder.
One fragment of Dark, having taken human shape,
became obsessed with the King's soul.
Impelled by its own cravings, it sought souls,
and strove to make the strength of the Giants its own.

King's Ultra Greatsword
An ultra-greatsword forged from the soul of King Vendrick.
Inflicts heavy damage on enemy armor.
Only the King knows whether the depiction
of the Queen is a resentful mockery,
or an affectionate exaltation.

King's Shield
Shield of Vendrick, King of Drangleic.
One fragment of Dark, having taken human shape,
became obsessed with the King's soul.
Impelled by its own cravings, it sought souls,
and strove to make the strength of the Giants its own.

King's Crown
Crown of Vendrick, King of Drangleic.
What makes a king?
Some say that it is birthright,
while others call it destiny.
Perhaps it is not important, as long as
the king's name serves to unite his people.

King's Armour
Armour of Vendrick, King of Drangleic.
What makes a king?
Some say that it is birthright,
while others call it destiny.
Perhaps it is not important, as long as
the king's name serves to unite his people.

Nashandra Dialogue
The last king of this land, King Vendrick, as he was called…
He was less of a king than you might imagine.
He found the strength to rule his people, and when the Undead were born, cursed…
He found more strength, to face them.
But in the end, he never took the true throne.
…
Visit Vendrick.
We have no need for two rulers…

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PREV: Velstadt, the Royal Aegis

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Comments

Size in Dark Soul

Fosphor 23 Feb 2016 17:32

Some players (Like Vaati, Dark Souls lore youtuber) seem to agree that the sizes of especially bosses in Dark Souls is not realistic but more of a way to show the player the bosses strength. So Vendrick, Sir Alonne and other boss humans could just be presented as big bad bosses but actually is just regular human size - But that would not make very cool boss battles (<- Even though i disagree with this :p)

Last edited on 23 Feb 2016 17:36 by Fosphor Show more