The Bearer of the Curse is the player character and main protagonist of Dark Souls II and its expansions The Lost Crowns. In the intro of the game, there is a woman and child shown. The significance of these people is not made known in-game, as the player does not remember them by the time the game has started. It can be speculated that they are the player's mother holding them. An alternative is that they are not important at all, and are merely a representation of memories long forgotten through hollowing. The Bearer of the Curse went to Drangleic by a compulsion to find a way to break the curse of the undead and avoid at any cost becoming a hollow.
Appearance
In the trailers, art work, promotional artwork for Dark Souls II the Bearer of the Curse is depicted wearing the Faraam Set as well as using the Longsword along with the Golden Wing Shield as their main weapons. In the intro video of Dark Souls II, the Bearer of the Curse is seen wearing the Imported Set.
In-game, like the Chosen Undead from Dark Souls, the Bearer of the Curse's appearance and attributes are determined by the player, including their face/body; sex; origin; starting class and equipment.
Also like the Chosen Undead, the character's personality is portrayed as an archetypal "silent character'' who doesn't have any sort of spoken dialogue during the game (aside from making some grunts or cries whenever they are hurt or killed).
Plot
Prologue
The Bearer of the Curse became undead at some point, hollowing until they had no recollection of their former life. Desperate to find a cure, they were drawn to the walled off kingdom of Drangleic, where a cure to the undead curse was rumoured to exist. Journeying through a portal and guided by a Fire Keeper, the Bearer of the Cure found themselves in the Things Betwixt. Finding there a hut with the remaining Fire Keepers, the Bearer of the Curse is made to remember more of his past and is cured of his hollowing through a Human Effigy. He is then guided towards Majula to seek the Emerald Herald.
The Herald in turn tells the Bearer of the Curse to seek the king, Vendrick to find their answers and claim the throne, but warns that the Bearer will never find the king with a soul so pallid, instructing them to seek out the four Great Ones and to take claim their power.
Four Great Ones
The Bearer of the Curse sets out to find the Four Great Ones.
Through the rotunda in Majula, the Bearer of the Curse makes their way to the old domain of the Old Iron King, who's hubris led to his death beneath the molten lava, where he was possessed by the soul of one whose name must not be repeated. Making their way through the king's old hunting grounds and the now poison filled valley surrounding the castle, the Bearer of the Curse finds and slays the Old Iron King, claiming his soul for their own.
By way of ship or on the wings of an eagle, the Bearer of the Curse makes their way to the Lost Bastille , a forgotten prison where the Lost Sinner is held. The Lost Sinner was imprisoned for the sin of attempting to relight the First flame. The Bearer of the Curse fights their way down into the very bottom of the prison, where they face the Sinner and take her soul for their own.
At the bottom of the gaping hole in Majula lurks things long forgotten. Here, The Rotten, a hideous amalgamation of corpses awaits. After making their way through The Gutter, a place where unwanted things have been discarded, the Bearer of the Curse faces down the Rotten itself in its lair, slaying it and claiming its soul for their own.
After freeing Rosabeth of Melfia from her petrification, the path is now open from Majula to Brightstone Cove Tseldora. The Brightstone Cove Tseldora was once a prosperous town, grown rich after its founder, the Duke Tseldora discovered its massive crystal deposits. The duke was always a peculiar figure however, obsessed with spiders, and one day, a massive spider known as The Duke's Dear Freja and her countless children overran the town, and the Duke was never seen again. Fighting their way to the spider's lair, the Bearer of the Curse slays the beast and finds the final Great Soul hidden in her lair.
Drangleic Castle
Now with the strength of the four Great Ones, the Bearer of the Curse may pass through the Shrine of Winter to Drangleic Castle, the stronghold of Vendrick himself. The Emerald Herald awaits outside, directing the Bearer of the Curse to enter the castle. There is no trace of the king inside the castle however, instead the Bearer of the Curse finds his queen Nashandra. Nashandra tells the Bearer of the Curse that Vendrick was less of a king than one might imagine, and that he never took the true throne. She will direct the Bearer of the Curse to the Undead Crypt, to put an end to Vendrick.
Undead Crypt
After traveling through the Shrine of Amana, the Bearer of the Curse will come upon the Undead Crypt, a place that has stood since the dawn of time, and where men and gods have been interred. Here, Vendrick came along with his leal knights and his right hand Velstadt, the Royal Aegis. Many servants of Vendrick have come to find the king, only to meet their end at the hands of the Royal Aegis and the king's knights.
The Bearer of the Curse fights their way through the knights and defeats Velstadt, finding the king at last. The king however has been reduced to a hollow, wandering the grounds aimlessly. Here, the Bearer of the Curse finds the King's Ring, and the Emerald Herald, who tells him that the ring will open the way to the far east, where the Bearer of the Curse must journey next.
Should the Bearer of the Curse seek her council, Nashandra too will direct the Bearer of the Curse to follow the symbol of the king.
Dragon Aerie
Following the symbol of the king will lead the Bearer of the Curse to Aldia's Keep. Aldia was the king's brother, who sought to create dragons and has long since disappeared. Journeying through the keep will eventually bring the Bearer of the Curse to the Dragon Aerie, where they will find the Emerald Herald. She directs the Bearer of the Curse to the very top of the Aerie, to seek the Ancient Dragon. The dragon has been watching over the world for aeons she claims, and awaits the Bearer of the Curse.
The dragon will give the Bearer of the Curse the Ashen Mist Heart, which allows one to peer into the memories of things long withered. Should the Bearer of the Curse again seek out Nashandra's council, she will claim that the dragon is a false deity and is in fact no more than a prop. Still, she will direct the Bearer of the Curse to go to the forest of Fallen Giants, to use the Ashen Mist Heart to peer into the Giant's memories.
Giant Memories
Using the Ashen Mist Heart on the corpse of the giant Jeigh will allow the Bearer of the Curse to enter his memories and fight the Giant Lord during the final days of the war between Drangleic and the Giants. Upon defeating the Giant Lord, they will gain access to the Giant's Kinship which will allow them to claim the Throne of Want.
Throne of Want
Below Drangleic Castle, the Throne of Want awaits. Here the Emerald Herald will meet the Bearer of the Curse one final time, declaring her journey completed. She warns that if the Bearer of the Curse proceeds, Nashandra, knowing the Bearer of the Curse will link the fire, and coveting the power of the First Flame and the Great Soul, will come for them. She urges the Bearer of the Curse to put an end to Nashandra.
After defeating the Throne Watcher and Defender, the Bearer of the Curse will be greeted by Nashandra, now in her true form, as a child of Manus, Father of the Abyss. The Bearer of the Curse defeats Nashandra, and ascends the throne.
Gallery
Origin
The origin or homeland of the Bearer of the Curse can be selected, depending of which class the player chooses.