The Undead Curse
Dark Souls Lore
With the first flame came life.
With life came death.
With death came the undead.
The Curse
The undead curse is one of the most central and pervasive themes in the world of the Dark Souls series. This mysterious affliction is said to be caused by the fading of the First Flame, a powerful source of light and warmth that has sustained life in the series’ worlds for ages. As the Flame grows darker, the curse spreads faster, afflicting more and more people and turning them undead.
The curse is introduced as a punishment inflicted upon Humanity by the Gods. The Gods gave the gift of fire to Humanity, but when they became too powerful and began to challenge the Gods, they cursed humanity with the Darksign, the mark of the undead.
Those who bear this sign are fated to be constantly revived after death, unable to die permanently and compelled to fight again and again in an endless cycle of violence until their will breaks and their resolve dissolves.
The curse is closely linked to the concept of “hollowing,” which represents the physical and mental deterioration caused by the curse. Hollows are undead who have lost all sense of self, conveying that the curse can consume one’s being and turn them into a shell of their former selves. As the characters are hollow, they gradually lose their humanity and memories, becoming more beast-like and aggressive and wandering where the last of their memories and body left them.
In the first game of the series, players can collect Humanity, which can be used to reverse the effects of hollowing, giving temporary relief from the curse. However, it’s only a temporary solution, and the curse will eventually catch up with the player once again.
Throughout the series, many characters seek a cure for the curse, either by linking the flame or finding the “Lordvessel,” an ancient artefact said to have the power to break the curse.
The player chooses whether to prolong the age of Fire by linking the flame or to let it die out and bring forth the age of Dark.
An essential point in the lore is that the curse is not something that only happens to the player. It’s also present in the NPCs and the enemies that are also undead and suffering from the curse. Some even deliberately seek out this curse to attain their goals. Even others not yet cursed seek out those who suffer from it for their gains, for religious reasons, or to suck the humanity they harbour.
The game’s narrative uses the curse as a symbol of our mortality, our purpose, and our “humanity”.
The curse stands for our (mortal) fears and desires, and the power they can become that can consume us, making us hollow in our rights.
Furthermore, the Dark Souls series explores the idea of fate and choice and how these concepts are related to the curse. Characters undead or in the path of hollowing are said to be chosen by fate to set forth and find a cure to break the curse.
On the other hand, the curse can be broken in a few ways. If the “Chosen one” fulfils the prophecy, he can choose by linking the Flame and ultimately sacrificing himself to keep the age of Fire going or by letting the natural cycle progress and call in an age of Dark, the age of Man.
The Darksign signifies an accursed Undead.
Those branded with it are reborn after death.
They will one day lose their mind and go Hollow.
This is my speculation about the Dark Souls lore.
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