- "I may be but small, but I will die a colossus."
- — Ludleth
Ludleth of Courland is a character and special merchant in Dark Souls III. He is voiced by Roger Ringrose.
One of the four resurrected Lords of Cinder and the only one not to have abandoned his throne, he is therefore an ally of the Ashen One rather than a enemy. Upon being gifted the Transposing Kiln, Ludleth will offer to transpose the souls of bosses into Boss Soul Items.
Location[]
Found in Firelink Shrine, sitting on the second throne from left to right.
Lore[]
Ludleth comes from Courland, a land known for its "transposition arts", the process of extracting and coalescing the essence of a soul and in doing so transferring its true power to the user. This art was able to grant powers once thought unattainable, but one that also left a foul stain upon Courland's honor.[1] Ludleth himself mastered the art of transposition and offered his services away from home, given the right tools.[2]
At a certain point the First Flame began to fade again and the first Fire Keeper of Lothric had a vision of the end of the Age of Fire and the beginning of an Age of Dark.[3][4] To repel the dark vision of the Fire Keeper, Ludleth "willed himself" to become a Lord of Cinder.[5] Defying his frail appearance, Ludleth somehow mustered the strength necessary to become a Champion.
- "この小人が、王の栄誉に浴したのさ
"Even this Pygmy here, was honored to become a Lord." - — Ludleth (Japanese)
Sometime before or after linking the Flame, Ludleth was exiled from his country.[6] He then collaborated with Lothric, where he ensured that all Fire Keepers to come would be deprived of their eyes, to prevent them from observing a future without the First Flame.[3] The original eyes were hidden in a version of the Firelink Shrine on the verge of sinking into darkness, where the First Flame was all but extinguished.[7]
Ludleth eventually linked the First Flame, taking pride in sacrificing himself of his own volition and convinced that, if in life he had been only a pygmy, in death he would have been celebrated as a true Lord.[8] However, he also seems to express remorse for his actions, asking to be forgiven.[9]
When the link of fire was threatened, the Lords of Cinder would be exhumed from their graves to once again serve as kindling for the First Flame.[10] Ludleth was among those resurrected; though unlike the other three Lords, he accepted the call, and took up his throne at Firelink Shrine to await his fate.
Services[]
Once the player reaches the Undead Settlement, Ludleth will inform them that he is capable of performing soul transposition, but requires a Transposing Kiln to do so. The Transposing Kiln can be obtained by defeating the Curse-rotted Greatwood within the Undead Settlement. Once he is given the Transposing Kiln, Ludleth acts as a merchant to the player, allowing them to transpose the souls of bosses they have acquired for boss soul items.
| Item | Cost | Soul required |
|---|---|---|
 Havel's Ring |
5,000 souls |  Soul of a Stray Demon |
 Prisoner's Chain |
- |  Soul of Champion Gundyr |
 Pontiff's Left Eye |
- |  Soul of Boreal Valley Vordt |
Drops[]
| Item |  Skull Ring |
| Drop Rate | Guaranteed |
Dialogue[]
| Click to see dialogue | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Notes[]
- Similar to the Fire Keeper, Ludleth will revive after reloading the area if he is killed by the player.
- It is not necessary for the player to carry their acquired boss souls in their inventory in order to begin transposition. As long as the player has defeated a boss and obtained its soul, its available transpositions will appear in Ludleth's menu, even if they have been placed in the storage box.
- As revealed in the original text - see above - Ludleth is a Pygmy King; the Japanese term Shojin (小人) has been consistently used for "Pygmy", or more literally, "small-person" since Dark Souls 1. This is concurrent with the Furtive Pygmy, as their Japanese title (誰も知らぬ小人) literally means "the small person whom nobody knows".
- Once the player places the last Cinder of a Lord on its respective throne in Firelink Shrine and kneels before the bonfire, Ludleth will burn to cinders. Transposition of boss souls will be available by interacting with his throne.
- However, if the player has not given Ludleth the Transposing Kiln prior to performing the ceremony, transposition of boss souls will be unavailable for that playthrough. The only way to unlock transposition is to proceed to the next playthrough.
- If Anri of Astora's questline is completed, Ludleth will give the player Anri's Straight Sword when talked to.
- As with soul transposition, if the final ceremony is performed, it will become unavailable.
- If the player brings Ludleth one each of Lorian's Greatsword and Lothric's Holy Sword, both without having upgrades applied, a new entry will appear when talked to, consuming both swords to forge the Twin Princes' Greatsword.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Ludleth of Courland dialogue: "Listen, this might pique thine interest. Before I was a Lord of Cinder, I was a student of transposition. The process of extracting, and coalescing the essence of a soul. A forbidden art, that once left a foul stain upon Courland's honor. Tis an art that grants powers once thought unattainable. Most transposing kilns were lost with Courland, but this place is a crossing for all manner of cursed objects. If thou happen'st 'pon a transposing kiln, bring it to me, quick."
- ↑ Ludleth of Courland dialogue: "Oh, belike it is… a transposing kiln in thy possession. Seen better days, but, methinks it shall suffice. Now bring me a twisted soul. Transposition is the art of extracting, and coalescing the essence of a soul. In transposing a twisted soul, its true power transferreth to thee. Thy purpose is to seek Lords, and slay them. What's to fear in a little transpositon, now?"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Eyes of a Fire Keeper description.
- ↑ Ludleth of Courland dialogue: "Ahh. Found her, did we? And the black eyes that shimmer within, I see? Tis as if it were but yesterday. We did all we could to spare her from them. Much has happened since. Mayhap I should apprise thee... Of what the thin light of these eyes might reveal to the eyeless Firekeeper. Scenes of betrayal, things never intended for her ken, visions of... this age's end..."
- ↑ Ludleth of Courland dialogue: "The eyes shew a world destitute of fire, a barren plane of endless darkness. A place born of betrayal. So I will'd myself Lord, to link the fire, to paint a new vision. What is thine intent?"
- ↑ The carving on Ludleth's throne in Firelink Shrine reads: "Ludleth the exiled", implying he was forced to abandon Courland.
- ↑ Eyes of a Fire Keeper#Availability
- ↑ Ludleth of Courland dialogue: "I took the mantle of Lord of Cinder of mine own volition. I speak these words with pride. Choose thy fate alone. Seize it with thine own hands. All the more, should thy fate entail such foul betrayal."
- ↑ Ludleth of Courland dialogue: "See ye not? I am a lord... A wee flame, belike, but I shoulder the world... Forgive me. Oh please... I am not to blame. I'm not..."
- ↑ Opening (Dark Souls III) narration.