Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-29855659-20181113132824/@comment-2600:8807:8488:920:EC1B:9765:C59C:165B-20190406040426

According to an interview with Namco Bandai's Daisuke Uchiyama, Artorias of the Abyss takes place 200-300 years before Dark Souls, so this is at least seven centuries AFTER Gwyn linked the first flame. As for the lack of hollows, that's because the First flame wasn't fading yet. The undead curse and hollows only appear when the First flame fades.