Thread:Aftenshnoshnikr/@comment-6003396-20131106080732/@comment-6003396-20131111061006

His response:

Sorry for the quick response- just about to hit the sack.

Basically, it is a bit ambiguous as you said. Intentionally so, I think. I can't say that Havel didn't wear it, but it does explicitly state that his soldiers wore it (and doesn't explicitly state that he did). I always took it as a mark of their loyalty- a gift from him.

In times like this, when the Japanese is ambiguous, I often look to other translations to see if I can find another hint as to the design intent (in this case the English version). It might seem odd to consider the English translation when we have access to the Japanese but the translation team had access to materials that we don't, including the world "bible" and older game versions.

As an example, I believe I heard that the Italian translation of the Wolf Ring claims to increase greatsword damage. Why would it be so specifically related to Arty but incorrect? Because some of the translations seem to have been done before the final build of the game was complete! Sometimes they can give a hint as to the original intent... but of course sometimes they give you clues to something that From decided to scrap, so it doesn't matter.

So when I formulate my lore opinions (and that's all they are, really, just my opinions), I often weigh the various sources- JP text, foreign language translations, interviews, etc.

At the end of the day, if you said that Havel might have worn the ring too, I wouldn't disagree. It's entirely possible. It's something I probably would have revised long ago to address that possibility more thoroughly, but, sadly that's the issue with videos.

I hope that clears up my thinking a bit, and good luck with your own investigations!

-Marcus

He sounds like a nice guy. I think what is important to take away from this is to always err on the side of caution and double check any claims that are made in youtube videos, or anywhere, before adding them to articles as substantiated fact. While youtubers that have many subscribers can seem compelling when they put together an argument in video form, they are still just regular fans like you or me and they are really just expressing their opinions.

Through this I feel that I have a better grasp on Havel's lore, and I've finally found a site that has the Japanese item descriptions. So thanks.