Board Thread:Dark Souls II/@comment-5613590-20130119072920/@comment-6003396-20130413102819

according to this site, which contains an interview with the co-director, Shibuya Tomohiro: the game "will be a direct sequel to Dark Souls", not take place in Lordran and the "two places won’t necessarily interact directly with each other", and will "revolve around a character who is cursed and seeking to find the cure for his affliction".

and "The concept of time and the existence of time is something that will be key to Dark Souls II", and a return of covenants.

regarding vague story elements in Dark Souls and DSII: "there were a lot of hidden story elements [in Dark Souls] that some players may not have caught before, and I’m hoping to make some of that a little bit more clear or directly expressed to the player [in Dark Souls II] as well – not just in the story, but messaging. A lot of elements were very subtle in Dark Souls... But I personally am the sort of person who likes to be more direct instead of subtle, so I think that part of me will [result in] a difference [for] players when they pick up Dark Souls II. It will be more straightforward and more understandable.”

personal speculation: it sounds like it won't have anything to do with Gwyn's firstborn or any other major event that happens or is mentioned in Dark Souls.