Pontiff Sulyvahn

Pontiff Sulyvahn
Location	Irithyll of the Boreal Valley
Drops	Soul of Pontiff Sulyvahn
Health
NG	5,106
NG+	7,777
Souls
NG	28,000
NG+	63,000
Weaknesses, resistances, immunities
	W
	-
	W
	W
	W
	R
	R
	R

Pontiff Sulyvahn (Orig.: 法王サリヴァーン, Hepburn: Hōō Sarivān) is a character and a mandatory boss in Dark Souls III.

In-Game Description

Long ago, when Sulyvahn was yet a young sorcerer, he discovered the Profaned Capital and an unfading flame below a distant tundra of Irithyll, and a burning ambition took root within him.

Location

Sulyvahn is located in the large cathedral at the end of Irithyll of the Boreal Valley.

Description

Sulyvahn is a tall humanoid clothed in torn ceremonial robes, with nothing on his feet. He wears a crown and is adorned with a necklace of his eye rings. His skin is pale and seems to be decayed and covered in large cracks. His face is covered in dark roots; when he is brought to half of his life, masses of similar roots and branches emerge from his back, akin to wings.

Sulyvahn wields two greatswords: the Profaned Ultra Greatsword in his right hand and the Greatsword of Judgment in his left. When the Ashen One enters the church, Sulyvahn is standing still with his two swords; when approached, his swords start to glow and he advances towards the player before quickly charging with an overhead slash.

During the fight, Sulyvahn can be heard grunting and growling in a deep, distorted voice.

Lore

Sulyvahn developed new frost sorceries while still a young man.

Sulyvahn was a humanoid creature born and raised in the Painted World of Ariandel. Despite his isolation from the outside world, he demonstrated incredible intelligence and talent for sorcery as a young man; he created new frost-based sorceries, using the cold climate of his home to strengthen weapons or form clouds of freezing mist. At some point Sulyvahn became dissatisfied with living inside the Painted World, as he had not experienced the loss or despair of those who ended up there to seek refuge after having lost everything else, and decided to abandon it, leaving behind the sorceries he developed to seek knowledge and experiences in the outside world.

The young sorcerer ended up in the city of Irithyll of the Boreal Valley, inhabited by descendants of the old gods, and was welcomed among them despite not having divine blood. He earned the favor of Chief Deity Dark Sun Gwyndolin thanks to a crude replica of his magical catalyst, presenting it to his Darkmoon Knights as a ritual spear, demonstrating his talent, creativity and ambition even if he lacked resources.

Sulyvahn finds an everlasting dark flame.

One day, when Sulyvahn was still young, he unearthed the Profaned Capital underneath the outskirts of Irithyll; he also discovered in the ruins of the city the Profaned Flame. It was a "cold" flame, found preserved in icy remains; it was an unfading, everlasting flame, and one that held within it the Dark of humanity. Having obtained the sinful flame, an unquenchable ambition took root in Sulyvahn's heart, as the young man understood its potential as an element of immense political and religious power: The First Flame would eventually fade, while his Profaned Flame was everlasting.

With great foresight and manipulation, Sulyvahn began his rise to power within Irithyll: the sorcerer used the Profaned Flame to enthrall the city's holy knights, corrupting their hearts with the unquenchable version of the Fire they venerated. His influence expanded also to the troops they commanded who became Sulyvahn's personal knights, reporting directly to him, acting as his watchful eyes first and as his designated killers second, effectively becoming his private militia and secret police. Those who were once holy knights became "fire witches" who carried the Profaned Flame of Sulyvahn on Immolation Tinders, also catalysts for the sorcery once so abhorred by the clergy, while the swords of the soldiers they led were imbued with the frost magic of their leader.

Sulyvahn continued to climb the ranks of the Way of White's clergy and increase his influence until, at one point, Gwyndolin was "stricken by illness" and was forced into retiring from the government of the city, leaving command of the Blades of the Darkmoon to his younger sister Yorshka. The sorcerer took advantage of the situation and proclaimed himself "Pontiff", the legitimate representative of the god, who would act as the ad interim ruler over the realm of Irithyll and as head of the Church. The Silver Knights, still faithful to Gwyndolin, and the Blades of the Darkmoon serving Yorshka could have acted against his wrongful proclamation; therefore Sulyvahn preemptively imprisoned the god in the old cathedral of Anor Londo and his sister on the tower of her church, creating a stalemate in which neither the Silver Knights nor the Blades of the Darkmoon could act, afraid of seeing their captive leaders executed.

Sulyvahn's twisted experiments.

Having gained power in Irithyll, Sulyvahn set about cleansing the city of potential enemies, exiling or killing the Blades of the Darkmoon until there were no more knights in the order, eliminating the Painting Guardians, and even turning the Giants who worked in the city into slaves. The Pontiff would also build an immense dungeon underground near the Profaned Capital, employing its survivors as cruel jailers in his service, and building prisons for humans around the oldest cell of a giant. In addition, Sulyvahn erected a magic barrier around Irithyll to prevent anyone from entering or leaving without his permission, giving special dolls to his most valued subjects to move through it freely, an artifact which reminded them ceaselessly that their "home" would always be the Boreal Valley. Despite his coup and the partial schism that saw the Church of Carim establish itself as the alternative political and religious center of the Way of White, Sulyvahn continued to remain an ally of Lothric, donating the Gargoyles he found in the Profaned Capital to the kingdom and allowing their knights and scholars into Irithyll. This powerful alliance allowed the Pontiff to retain international legitimacy and political leverage to strengthen his position and keep other human realms and high members of the clergy faithful to his faction.

Sulyvahn's dark eye rings.

Sulyvahn consolidated his rule of the church and the city, wielding in his right hand the ceremonial Profaned Greatsword infused with the power of the dark Profaned Flame that had fueled his ambitions and in his left hand the ceremonial Greatsword of Judgment, a symbol of his authority as Gwyndolin's judge, but actually infused with moon magic very close to dark sorcery. The two swords together was not only a representation of the violent rule of Sulyvahn but also an avowal of the Pontiff's dark roots. In fact, the Pontiff spread the practice of sorcery even among the highest ranks of his clergy and his knights and began to carry out various experiments on darkness. The humans who worked on the city were enslaved and reduced to conditions of extreme misery; their Dark Soul would manifest outside their ghostly bodies as monstrous beasts with human faces, wandering the streets. Meanwhile, in the prisons, Sulyvahn tried to transform people into pale dragons, but only managed to produce unrealized Wretches, victims of stunted development that manifested a faded strength of the ancient creatures and feeble tailbones. He would also imprison several sorcerers, probably to force them to share their knowledge, like a dark sorceress, a yellow scholar seeking sorceries from fallen Oolacile, an old Vinheim sorcerer, and a sorcerer-swordsman.

Sulyvahn's feral knights for foreign campaigns.

Sulyvahn would also craft dark eye rings for his Boreal Outrider Knights, an order of knights who were sent away to serve in foreign campaigns as exiles. The Pontiff exploited the Outriders through these rings that would boost their attacks or recover their health as long as their fighting persisted; the process would lead to the Outrider Knights turning into raving, mindless warriors and guards. The end result ensured the unquestioning, unwavering obedience of the ferocious Outrider Knights to the Pontiff. The knights who peered inside the black orbs would be lured into visions of endless deadly battles and go insane, transformed into frenzied beasts. However, the effect of the rings, whose black eyes constantly hound the knights, continues over time, first fusing their armor with their own hide and then devolving them into beasts under the complete control of the Pontiff. At a certain point, Sulyvahn even forced a direct daughter of Gwynevere, Princess of Sunlight to serve him as a "dancer", bestowing upon her a set of paired enchanted swords, as a token of her subjugation to the tyrant; these were enchanted with dark magic in the right-hand and fire in the left, mirroring those of the Pontiff.

When Prince Lothric refused to link the First Flame and his kingdom fell into ruin due to various internal problems, Emma, the High Priestess of Lothric, would send out messengers bearing the banner of Lothric to ask allied countries for aid in resolving their internal situation. Sulyvahn would respond to his ally's call, ordering his Dancer to serve as a Boreal Outrider Knight in Lothric alongside a division of Boreal Outrider Knights, under the watchful eye of Vordt of the Boreal Valley. Here she positioned herself to guard the Cathedral and High Priestess Emma while Vordt guarded the main gate of the city and the Outrider Knights infiltrated inside and around the city of Lothric.

Sulyvahn remains in the cathedral, still in his war-torn clothes.

As the First Flame continued to fade and Prince Lothric refused to link it, the Lords of Cinder of the past were exhumed from their graves to once again be used as fuel. Among them was Aldrich who, like the other exhumed Lords, had no intention of sacrificing himself again, as his reflections on the state of the world had led him to understand that an Age of the Deep would soon arrive, motivating him to devour the gods themselves, in order to erode their hold on the Flame and accelerate the coming of his vision. Gathering an army of deacons from the Cathedral of the Deep led by Archdeacon McDonnell, Aldrich would march on Irithyll, intent on capturing Anor Londo to devour the king of the gods himself. However, he would find his way blocked by Sulyvahn and his knights, as the Pontiff had no intention of relinquishing the source of his control over the city and the Way of White so easily. From the ensuing battle Aldrich emerged victorious, slaughtering Sulyvahn's troops and defeating the Pontiff, who was forced to clear the way for the ruined cathedral of Anor Londo, leaving the old god Gwyndolin to be devoured by Aldrich.

Despite having lost the source of his religious and political power, Sulyvahn, still wearing his torn robes from the battle, remained in the city's cathedral. The Pontiff set about bringing his knights back to life through necromancy, and had them patrol lower Irithyll as frigid spirits. In addition, his beasts regained control over access to the city and cornered Archdeacon McDonnell, who was leading Aldrich's legion, into the Water Reserve, implying his resolve to bring the city back under his control while Aldrich was still busy digesting Gwyndolin.

Theories

• It is possible to theorize that the manor at the outskirts of Irithyll of the Boreal Valley was the house that was granted to Sulyvahn when he was accepted into the society of the nobles. The original description of the bonfire is "Abandoned House on the Outskirts of the City” (街はずれの廃屋)", implying that the Manor was built on the edge of the city as its inhabitant was not equal to the other nobles of divine origins, and that it had become abandoned by the time that Sulyvahn would have ascended to Pontiff. Furthermore, the "Distant Manor" bonfire is en route to the Irithyll Dungeon and consequently the Profaned Capital, where Sulyvahn would find the Profaned Flame below Irithyll, making the access under his house a logical point along his discovery. Curiously, the manor is also the place where the city's sewage system dumped its waste.
• It is possible to theorize that the transformation of Oceiros into a deformed pale dragon was a project carried out with the collaboration of Sulyvahn. In fact, although the partial transformation into a dragon is a technique already mastered by the cult of the Path of the Dragon, it is a long process that requires particular practices, but which does not offer the certainty of transforming into the particular dragon that Oceiros aspired to, namely Seath. In the dungeons of Irithyll it is possible to find abominations with a very similar appearance to the draconic form of Oceiros, the result of failed experiments to transform human beings into ancient dragons, but with no scales and a pale complexion. The Pale Pine Resin made from their bodies possesses magical power and can also be found within Lothric Castle.

Artifacts

• Snap Freeze
• Frozen Weapon
• Golden Ritual Spear
• Profaned Greatsword
• Greatsword of Judgment
• Small Doll
• Pontiff's Right Eye
• Pontiff's Left Eye
• Soul of Pontiff Sulyvahn

Strategy

Once you enter through the fog gate, be cautious as you approach Pontiff as he will likely leap at you with his sword from a distance. With good timing, this attack can be parried, immediately giving you the upper hand.

As most of his combos are mid or mid-long range, two-handed shield-less builds should roll behind him because the only attacks that hit behind his back are turning pirouette attacks (or jump and plunge attacks in the second phase) that are easier to dodge than his multi-hit combos. Pontiff also overcommits to some attacks and can be combo-locked, giving a player the chance to deal free damage from behind. He will turn around but his turn is slow enough that a player can reposition behind his back. If Pontiff moves to mid-range, close the distance from the side and reposition behind his back.

During the fight, it is advised to not extend one's attacks for more than two swings as you would need your stamina to dodge or absorb Pontiff's aggressive retaliation. Sulyvahn's attacks can be difficult to avoid due to varying delays, rapidly chaining combos and the large distances that they can cover. Watch out for the downward strike and impaling slide attacks that he performs - they are telegraphed and have long recovery time, giving you time to strike back or heal up.

Once Pontiff loses half of his health, he enters the second phase. The transition animation deals area of effect damage over its duration. At this point Pontiff starts using new attacks, including area-of-effect ground slams, long-range lunges and magic projectiles. At some point, he will summon a phantom copy of himself that performs each of the Pontiff's moves moments before he executes them himself. While it is possible to slay the phantom, the damage it takes is not drained from the Pontiff's own health, and as the Pontiff is also capable of re-summoning the copy should it die, one should avoid exclusively attacking it unless it's at low health already.

Pontiff Sulyvahn is extremely susceptible to parrying, each riposte dealing upwards of 1000 damage. A couple of his moves can be easily exploited as the swings of his flaming sword are usually telegraphed and can be predicted. Utilizing parry and riposte throughout the battle can end the fight quickly, leaving him close to death just as he begins to summon the phantom.

An easier method that forgoes parries (and even rolling) is to simply circle around him clockwise while raising a shield that offers 100% physical absorption. Circling left (Sulyvahn's right) will avoid almost every attack and allow you time to land one or two hits after most of his attack patterns. When he begins to summon a phantom, start attacking immediately to kill the phantom as quick as possible and resume circling clockwise. Since this strategy allows you to steadily attack throughout the fight, it will typically end before he tries to summon another one.

Good fire and/or magic block, such as the Dragon Crest Shield, is recommended.

Summons

• Black Hand Gotthard: His summon sign can be found directly outside of the fog wall leading into the boss arena.
• Londor Pale Shade: Can be summoned if the player is following Yuria's questline. His summon sign is located on a balcony just left of Gotthard's sign.
• Anri of Astora: Anri's summon sign is located on a balcony opposite to the Londor Pale Shade (if they have not been killed yet).

Drops

Item	Soul of Pontiff Sulyvahn
Drop Rate	Guaranteed

Notes

• Sulyvahn can be parried and riposted in both stages of the fight.

Trivia

• "Sulyvahn" is phonetically similar to the Irish name "Súileabháin" (related to the more common, Anglicized name "Sullivan") which means "One-eyed" in English. It can also mean "little dark-eyed one" in Irish, which matches the black rings he gives to his knights to devolve them.
  • Both names are ironic, given that he lacks eyes.
• In Japanese, Sulyvahn's title is written like 法王. This word is used to denote Buddha, and also the Pope - the highest dignitary in Catholic Church. Although the word pontiff technically may be applied to any bishop, it was implied that Sulyvahn holds the highest possible position in the Church of Irithyll.
• There is a statue in the High Wall of Lothric that resembles Sulyvahn, in the square patrolled by the Winged Knight. It depicts a barefooted man in the Robe of Prayer wielding the Profaned Greatsword and wearing bracelets, both of which are on the right wrist, similar to Sulyvahn's own bracelets.
  • It is although more likely that the statue is an example of propaganda through symbolism, where the young Prince Lothric, embodiment of the hope of all realms, would carry on the legacy of the Linking of the Fire armed with the Pontiff's Sword, symbol of the support of the Church, strength of Faith and power of the Fire.
• The Pontiff seems to lack a face, and the front of his head is instead covered in what looks like roots. Removing his armor and the root-like formations shows a completely featureless face.

Gallery

Concept art

Pontiff Sulyvahn close-up

Japanese version

Videos

Pontiff Sulyvahn Boss Fight - Dark Souls 3

Music

Dark Souls III — Pontiff Sulyvahn by Yuka Kitamura