Domhnall The Trickster | Dark Souls Lore 

Elden ring reference?!?!

Interesting detail i found about the gauntlets of his set, "their gold bracelets symbolize a vanquisher" I heard the item name somewhere else and they are the ones of the Nameless King, of all the things, afterall he is a vanguisher, a God of War, and Dormhall knows a lot about Ancient dragons and the people that seek to become one About Dragons the travelling merchant from DS2 is incredibly has all kinds of tiny similarities with Dormhall, and he is interested about one seemingly useless but very rare treasure, a petrified egg, then you can join the way of the dragon covenant that lets you become a dragon

You are my favourite lore channel. Much love and keep on keeping on. X

Definitely a mind = blown moment for me

Oh yeah that’s a goodie! 🤣

I always thought Mimics were items exposed to white stones that harm the gods or the dark. Given the Occult club being in a mimic- ether the club turned it mimic or it was a way to get rid of people. Seath’s place, and a few others- and the DLC felt that they were naturally made. Think the forest with living trees but if the wood remained alive- like the Dragon scales and moved or possessed the chest

dont we know that mimics are cursed remnants of a forgotten race that was cursed because they were too greedy? they might have "invented"/discovered the bottomless box and because they all started filling them due to their greed the box started consuming them, turning them into mimics?

It's very similar to one of the creation myths of "lindormen" (the Linden Snake/linnorm). If one covets wealth, you can kill an adder and place its body in a bowl of fresh milk, and bury it under the roots of the ward-tree of your farmstead (often a linden tree). This spell will bring great wealth to you, but at a price. Since your gold has come to you through unnatural means, it is paramount that the wealth is shared (important even with rightly gotten gains), for every coin that you hoard makes the snake grow larger. Should you forget your debt, and keep it all for yourself, the snake will grow monstrous; one day it will burst out of the ground to lay waste to your farm, eat you, and steal your treasure back. This is one of the reasons a dragon might be guarding a treasure, since the dragons of Norse myth are just monstrous snakes.

So… just like any game collector Or never ends But ir gives us legacy and a fun hobby even if it’s very expensive

I do love how Andre has no conflict in his story, simple “I like smithing so I’m gonna do it.”

What an excellent observation. As it goes, a collector ... Never stops collecting.

The biggest proof of that is Patches. He will never go hollow because the purpose he chose is to troll people, and fools will never go extinct, that let him live through whole series up until the literal end of the world in ds3

​@@scratch472No surprise, since he might be inspired by Goddo from Berserk. They are much alike

Damn...

I got it bro! i really did! ;)

his greed is virtuous compared to the motivations of most of the other characters in darksouls.

@@auto1nfanticid3 I wouldn't say "virtuous," necessarily, "pure" is probably a better word.

@@mr.kittysavestheworld695 well patches is pure, but in a shitty way. whatever Domnhall is doing in the background he is at least aiding the player character.

On my first playthrough I got poisoned and ran out of heals in the Depths. When I found Domhnall, I panic bought stuff before I died.

​@@theblancmange1265Domnhall knows we can at least die twice judging from his Dialogue I think he's trying to figure just how many times your willing to deal with after the third death.

Super dope idea

Lol not giving a crap let's you live longer look at Patches lol

That is by definition, cold.

@@johnsmith-xw7hv ahh Patches, you are truly unbreakable.

altruism *is* a thing, you know

Edgy.

Same but it couldn’t be as they can both be spotted at firelink

Patches would have hated him with every drop of his blood

"Proof, that your ancestors stood upright." - Where Birds Go To Sleep

Yeah and the sewers were such an anxiety inducing nightmare the first times I played this game. He made it something surreal and hopeful.

@@loganross1861you people either never go outside or love hyperbole.

Domnall rolls need whenever the best loot drops.

The helmet alone suggests a plundered museum or royal heirloom of a king.

Same actually

He sells the armor of bosses we defeat, wouldn't really be surprised

Same

Yeah this guy always threw my through a loop. He's too mysterious. It always seemed odd that he's just sitting there, selling things. He must clearly have ties with Seeth.

BACK AGAIN FROM THE DEAD I SEE?!

A world filled with death and misery brought on by an obsession with a fire and you hyperfocus on a typical shopkeeper? So what if you only cares about what you can give to him? At least he's being honest. Domhnall lives in a world where it's either kill or be killed. be useful or be used. be a trickster or get tricked. In a world where you're only as good as the weapons and armor you have you might find it very useful to deceive the ones around you just so you can live a few seconds longer. He's not a pyromaniac who gives you a piece of his own soul just because you talk to him or a magician who tells you you're too stupid to learn any sort of spells. He's a businessman.

"Henry VIII had a similar one". I didn't know that so looked it up... and it's absolutely true.. it even has spectacles on it! And, as we all know, Henry VIII was a Tudor, which was a Welsh family dynasty. So, all this is obviously not coincidental. Fantastic. 👍

Could it be that Laurentius is actual best boi?

@@tevenbenn3175 was that ever even a question?

@@stingerjohnny9951 Only to those blinded by a sun.

do you still play dota?

i miss your Only Way to Play guides. those were the days when dota was actually fun

Ooh that's good. I like that idea.

Ooh that's good. I like that idea.

Ooh that's good. I like that idea.

Ooh that's good. I like that idea.

Ooh that’s good. I like that idea.

This is an amazing theory, I think you're really on to something here! It definitely fits with his kleptomaniacal/hoarding tendencies that he would be in dangerous or secluded places. Maybe his directing you to dangerous locations is so that he might collect your treasures once you're killed

Is the Avelyn in DS1?

@@AdelizaNera You didn't watch the video huh

@@greenhowie didn't get to the part where he mentioned it

@@AdelizaNera weak

@@AdelizaNera don’t worry about them, it’s fine to gloss over a detail

Give them a ring and they will tell you THE ds lore, madmans

@@MatthewTheUntitled is it the only way? Also is he really an undead?

Aye, ye. DS1 also constantly makes it clear that we're not automatically the center of the universe and that these characters have their own lives that would continue without us. Domhall barely knows us and therefore doesn't really owe us anything. Also the pyromancies and sorceries we learn from Laurentius and Logan still cost souls. Their knowledge isn't strictly free either.

Yeah, he's treating us as a customer, which we are, and nothing else. Perfectly charming, polite, but he doesn't owe us anything, seeing as we didn't save him from anything, or provide anything but souls, how else should he treat us.

*NPC doesn't kiss the floor the player walks on*. "IS THIS NPC ACTUALLY A HORRIBLE PERSON? THEORY!" Classic Soulsborne players lmao

Yeah, I still think he has something weird going on, but his attitude is perfectly fine

​@@platoscatboy9772The other classic soulsborne player: one that doesnt understand even the slightest bit of subtext. The theory doesn't have to be true, but you're ignoring that Miyazaki was deliberately cagey about details on him in interviews.. come on now

I actually planned for my elden ring character to be a merchant from zena!

@@leahcarson1822 that's cool

i always thaught Domnhall is not from Zena and he stole his identity to keep his secret

@@kintaro6037 Excellent point. People have impersonated Havel, so why not others?

If he were truly from Xena then he would use a chakram as a weapon.

I like to think his obsession has grown so great that even the armor of legends like Artorias and Gwyn are not enough; he recognises their value, and perhaps keeps them for a while, but eventually loses all interest in them in the hopes of finding something greater. Like a spoilt child who gets much of what they want, Domnhall plunders loot and it keeps him content for a while, before tiring over it's rarity and looking for the next relic for his collection. Domnhall may be so deluded at this point that his fixation is now more on the duration between his next prize and less about the prize itself. Domnhall may even get to a point where discovering something like the entire Dark Soul would be a fleeting euphoria, given enough time

@@knieen So what you’re saying is he’s not addicted to his collection, but rather he’s addicted to the action of collecting?

@@stingerjohnny9951 Yeah something like that. His collection was what he coveted most, but that constant coveting drew him towards simply wanting more for his collection, getting rarer and rarer prizes. Each new thing he added was disregarded when another new thing was added to his collection

Hey, an undead has got to make a living. And I bet Domnell knows all too well his treasures will make their way back to him eventually. Because to stay sane as an undead takes an obsession. Something that lights a fire in your heart so you can weather the affects of the curse and the ravages of time. So why not lend out his treasures for a price since all too likely you will not be able to go for the long haul.

@@jacobfreeman5444 The only problem is Domnhall’s obsession resulted in the deaths of however many were involved in the plot against the Gods. That being said, he isn’t an evil character, he’s more or less a selfish and uncaring undead. He doesn’t give a rats who you are or what you’re doing, if you’ve got souls you’re a friend to make a trade with. He is chaotic neutral in all matters: a trickster

Yeah but that also puts a hole in his last piece of circumstantial evidence, which is that the drop is a clue as to how to get Avelyn, and thus a clue to his true nature. It's a fun video, well put together and definitely makes him a more interesting character, but it's in no way a definitive answer.

@@LoDart210 It's still a risky drop to make lol. I don't see how it pokes a hole in the theory at all. Though of course things in this game are rarely definitive.

Yeesssss

Deep dives into any dark souls character then. ha ha.

You have to learn about Everything to understand Anything.

Quick reminder: they prob have solved ds1 lore BASED ON A GODDAMN (pun intended hihi) RING

@@MatthewTheUntitled What do you mean by this?

If I recall correctly, the conclusion you seek is already a part of the game: If you talk to him while you have Pyromancies from the last daughter of chaos untransformed, who themselves is in the blighttown swamp, Laurentius asks you where you got it. If you tell him, he goes to seek it out, and by whatever means, he ends up completely hollow in that same blighttown swamp. Notably, you cannot find her, unless you have a grown pyromancy flame of at least +10 and up to its max of +15, and she offers the ability to Ascend it, much like Andre does for smithing. No one else offers this ability to ascend pyromancy flames past the +15 level cap, so it's safe to say that it is likely related to her status as a daughter of chaos, and possibly one of the last Flame Sorcerers, a practice which was either forgotten, or warped, when chaos consumed them. I presume that much like Laurentius himself tells us, and can be observed in game with how there is a different item description from the flame you can start with as a pyromancer, and the description of the one that he himself can give you: A pyromancers flame is a part of them, and it grows with them. Therefore, it could be a reflection of their own personal growth. We've already not only witnessed, but saved Laurentius from his own failure. If Laurentius hasn't achieved a high enough level of growth for himself and his flame, to reach +10 or higher, it may be impossible to see Quelana, or she may just choose not to reveal herself to those lacking "the fundamental framework", as I believe Logan says right? Thus, he goes hollow searching endlessly for her, trusting completely in what you tell him, that she is there, in one of the most treacherous and dangerous locations in Lordran, day after day. After all, he trusts us enough because we saved him to have given us a piece of himself, of his own flame. Someone less trusting likely would have refused to even attempt to go to such a dangerous place, let alone search it for such a mysteriously located...well, celebrity I suppose you could call her. The last human daughter of chaos, or perhaps at the very least the last sane one, since there is one just outside the Bed of Chaos. Why would anyone else but him take our word for it that such a famous and powerful force that shaped their very world, would be in the squalid disgusting depths of blightown? We could have gotten her pyromancies anywhere else. He could have left, and searched elsewhere. Instead, he eventually goes hollow there. Or worse...perhaps he DID find her, only for her to turn him away, because he was unworthy or incapable. Perhaps that was the final blow, that shook his will enough to make him hollow.

@@Zetro_Hermit That was my conclusion, He was going to Quelana and got Hollowed after she refused to teach him due to his lack of skill

@@Zetro_Hermit Yes, I know the end of his quest line. I'm only wondering about his original objective, which he never mentioned but clearly had.

My theory is that you're supposed to free him, and that the person who captured him, and which tracks you in Blighttown, is Maneater Mildred. Not gonna mention how he mentions "she" trapping him, if I remember well.

@@VERGILGASM That's an interesting thought, but Laurentius doesn't say anything about being trapped. I believe the quote you're thinkning about is "I would've been her supper without you!" And here, "her" probably refers to the giant rat, as the butchers are dropping meat down the pit that leads to it/her. Still, it's an interesting connection to havve a butcher so close to Laurentius, even in Blighttown.

And they’re usually interconnected

I'm kinda with you. Seath is a conniving villainous dragon but even those are often no match for a character that fulfills the archetype of the Trickster - those that have manipulated even gods and physical manifestations of elements and other wild things.

​@@justpassingbyyWell maybe Seath the Scaleless offered his tail that houses the Moonlight Greatsword to him after he fulfilled his deal.

​@@justpassingbyyWell maybe Seath the Scaleless offered his tail that houses the Moonlight Greatsword to him after he fulfilled his deal.

The secret room in Anor Londo is where you find Havel's gear. The mimic holds the occult club, a weapon which is used against the gods, so it is believed that this implies that Havel was secretly plotting against the deities, and was using the mimic as a way to safeguard his secret. I believe you also find a spell associated with Havel down in Ash Lake which further hints he was working with the Dragons. There is probably other evidence out there hinting at Havel's plot, but I am not sure.

Watch the Ash lake episode

A bit late, but the Grasp of Avarice always drops from the final Mimic in the playthrough cycle that you've found and killed. Whether or not this is anything that goes beyond gameplay functionality, I have no ideas on the item itself.

Vanquish, not vanish.

The plug monster you are refering, do you mean that guy with chains holding his body against a sharp-tipped piece of a column? As if he was a battle ram? I believe I saw a video with information on the guy. I think it was from the channel Zullie the Witch? I don't remember clearly though.

​@@hellxapo5740Yes he means that guy just before a bonfire.

the unmatched passion of the fromsoft community is their best and worst quality

@@panamajerky usually worst

you really need to stage a play through of dark souls, yet add all your lore theories as the story which unfolds, like a anime but done in the game, if that makes sense? it would be amazing if you could find a way to do this.

I would like to help, but I work a lot, hope you can find someone

I happen to have alot of time, a ps5, a capture card, and a preorder for elden ring. I love your lore videos for how in depth and detailed they are. They have shaped my way of thinking about this game. If i can help i would be more than happy.

I know you talked about King Jeremiah, so here's hoping Kirk is next.

I plan on streaming it when I play it maybe I could make clips

Honestly, only DS 1 is so much intangled in itself. The other games of the Series are just crude Gameplay in comparison

@@skknireeker9073 Agreed. DS3 is a great game but DS1 is just in a league of its own.

I agree Dark Souls should've been a standalone! Miyazaki shouldn't compromise and instead should focus on solidifying this brand loyalty where every new IP will get the hype that a DS sequel would. I hope they stop working with sequels if Elden Ring is a success.

It is time

African myth is less popular/well known, but yeah good catch! Most people think characters like Loki, but there are definitely more out there.

Yes, same! The Trickster archetype can fulfill both hero and villain roles for the reason they do things may be known only to themselves

Anansi, Hermes, Loki, Prometheus (by technicality), Pan (by nature), Son Wukong, Maui- the old tales were far more nuanced than the more modern perception...at least in portrayal.

There is also the Trickster raven in native American mythology, who is depicted qs greedy, but still have their heart in the right spot.

U could b rite

This dudes word ain't no better than yours just cause he does RU-vid videos bro actually what you said makes alot of sense. This dude just talks about anything he wasn't part of fromsoftwares development on any of these games. He makes his own lore up sometimes and yall believe him over your own thoughts smh. He knows no more than you

@@ramrodbldm9876 ofc I might be. But I'm a lazy fuck and didn't read Reddit for hours. I got nothing to back it up. I just wanted to share my take because it puts a smile on my face and I was pretty sure it would do the same to some of you fellow dark souls enthusiasts.

Holy shit, I can't believe I read lore theory involving an item duping bug and didn't immediately think "what in the world is this guy on about". Only in Dark Souls.

@Ramrod bLDM yeah he is always stretching and milking the tits out of the (un)dead cow that is Dark Souls lore. I get that it's a mysterious game, but it's not like a Homeric epic is hiding in every NPCs three lines of dialogue as this youtuber makes it. It's the typical Soulsbourne obsessive fan in this channel that gets me, too many loonies going hollow over every fecking item description, it's stupid, I like depth but I can see the bullshit in here.

Wao

That may explain the horns on his helmet

The place with the gondolas is New Londo pre-disaster.

@@KanonMulticraft Update: Turns out there's no lava in the pic, but the captions mention Greece/Rome (Classical civilisation, like "Classic Zena") and Angkor Wat (Izalith's architectural influence). I feel like it would have shown humans alongside Demons - the only hints of this idea in game are the blighttown inhabitants (i.e. cragspiders and egg-burdened).

What page is that in?

@@srmelancia3523 1st page of unused materials, toward the back of the book

Was incredible, I love this character, the video was amazing

Same

What about Brock from pokemon?

Those characters are often called "Fox-faced" btw. The visual characterization implies cunning and deceptiveness.

Yeah I never liked Brock, Misty all the way

Ah true I remember at the end of pokemon, Brock murdered every one of his friends and stole all their pokemon and became lord of all pokemos.