Crestfallen Warrior

The Crestfallen Warrior is an NPC found in the Firelink Shrine. Having lost his courage to face the monsters, he sits in the Firelink Shrine, brooding and awaiting his hollowing.

Location

 * Stays in Firelink Shrine by the bonfire until ringing the second bell.
 * Appears at the beginning of New Londo ruins as a hollow after ringing the second bell.

Plot
The Crestfallen Warrior is the second NPC encountered after Oscar. Although he has no tangible goods or services to offer the player, he does have interesting dialogue that fleshes out the backstory for Dark Souls, as well as hints on equipment, where to go next and other characters.

The Crestfallen Warrior leaves the Firelink Shrine after the arrival of Kingseeker Frampt, complaining of the "stench" (presumably given off by Frampt). He is then found hollowed in the beginning of the New Londo Ruins.

Strategy
Players should avoid attacking the Crestfallen Warrior in the early game; he is very tough for a new player to kill and can offer helpful hints and tips. The Crestfallen Warrior is nimble with his short sword and heater shield, but with some dodging and blocking he poses little threat by the time the player encounters him as a hollow.

Trivia

 * The Crestfallen Warrior is a reference to another character with the same name encountered in Dark Souls' spiritual predecessor, Demons' Souls. Both look similar and have similar personalities, and both leave the story before its end.
 * Before leaving, the Crestfallen Warrior mentions ominously that he should "do something about [that smell]...". He is then found in the New Londo ruins. It is unknown as to what he was doing down there; he had mentioned from earlier dialogues that he knew it was dangerous down there. Perhaps he was suicidal; there is also a chance that he was seeking Kaathe in an attempt to get Frampt to leave.
 * The Crestfallen Warrior is one of only three NPCs (along with Rhea's bodyguards) that offer no goods or services whatsoever to he player.
 * It's possible to keep him alive simply by not talking to him after the arrival of Frampt.