Talk:Ornstein's Set/@comment-24528286-20140225010455/@comment-85.138.248.47-20140902220612

Lion motifs are very common in African and European cultures as well. For example, the Royal Arms of England, the National Emblem of France, and the Coat of Arms of Jerusalem all have lions.

Also, pretty much all armor has a high slash defence (hence why the game states that slash damage is less useful against armoured opponents).

I'd be more inclined to see Smough as an eastern reference, since he looks like a cross between a Budai and a Sumo wrestler. But the "East" in the world of Dark Souls doesn't necessarily correspond to the East in our world, anyway.