Lord Gwyn's Firstborn, also known as the Old God of War, is a mentioned character in Dark Souls.
Lore
Lord Gwyn's firstborn, the God of War, inherited the sunlight from his father, Gwyn, the Lord of Sunlight.[1] He once wore an ancient ring capable of boosting the strength of miracles.[2] He was said to have had respect only for arms and nothing else,[1] and wielded the Sunlight Blade and Great Lightning Spear miracles.[3][1]
His foolishness led to the stripping of his deific status[4] and the expunging of his existence from history,[5] with his name being forgotten.[4] Sunlight Blade, which had the power to boost a weapon with rays of the sun in the form of lightning, was left on Gwyn's coffin, perhaps as a final farewell.[3]
Identity
In Dark Souls III, item descriptions and in-game text paint a more definitive picture, strongly implying that the identity of Lord Gwyn's Firstborn is the Nameless King:
- Long ago, the Nameless King was a god of war and heir to lightning.[6][7] The firstborn was a god of war,[2] and inherited sunlight,[1] which manifests as lightning.[3]
- The Nameless King wielded the Dragonslayer Swordspear, a weapon from the Age of Gods.[7] The firstborn similarly wielded a great spear.[8]
- The firstborn eventually committed a grave error in the eyes of Anor Londo, which led to the rescinding of his deific status and his removal from the annals of history, his name forgotten.[2] The Nameless King sacrificed everything to ally with the ancient dragons, whom he once fought.[6]
- The Nameless King wore a crown and bracelets that greatly resemble those once worn by Gwyn, the First Lord.[9]
- Dragon Slayer Ornstein, once the faithful first knight of the Sun's firstborn,[10][11] left Anor Londo in the dragonless age in search of the Nameless King.[12] His weapon, a cross spear, is extremely similar to that wielded by the Nameless King.[7]
- The battle theme of the Nameless King's second phase contains motifs similar to that of Gwyn, Lord of Cinder.
- As described below, the Warrior of Sunlight covenant is closely related to Gwyn's firstborn. In Archdragon Peak the symbol of this covenant is printed on metal plates laying all around.
Given how the firstborn only had respect for arms,[1] it's possible that he chose to ally with the dragons, hence why the Gods would expunge him from history. It is known that the firstborn left the Sunlight Blade Miracle on Gwyn's honorary tomb in Anor Londo as a final farewell,[3] which could only mean that Gwyn had already departed for the Kiln of the First Flame.
Warriors of Sunlight
Gwyn's firstborn shares his symbol with the Warrior of Sunlight covenant, the Sunlight Medal.[5] The covenant itself is closely related to the firstborn, the members being referred to as his warriors, and the god is said to watch over the covenant closely.[5] Assuming the player meets the correct requisites, it is possible to join by praying at the Sunlight Altar, located in the Undead Parish, or by talking to Solaire of Astora, a fanatical member.
The covenant and symbol both survived into the times of Drangleic[13] and Lothric. In Lothric, the symbol on the sunlight medals was considered holy.[14]
Statues
A statue of a mother holding a sword-wielding child, thought to represent the God of War, is located in front the Sunlight Altar bonfire. This statue also appears in several places, such as above the Firelink Altar and behind the coffin holding the Darkmoon Seance Ring. The sword the child is wielding shares a distinct resemblance to the Sunlight Straight Sword.
At the back of the room where Dragon Slayer Ornstein and Executioner Smough are fought, there are alcoves for three statues, with two of them depicting Gwyn, Lord of Sunlight and Gwynevere, Princess of Sunlight, with the third one being empty. It is possible that this third alcove once held a statue depicting Gwyn's Firstborn, and was removed when he was expunged from the annals.
Destroyed statues in Altars of Sunlight always show same person
Statues at Altars of Sunlight, no matter if in Lordran, Drangleic or Lothric, are destroyed but were one showing the same person, who could have once been Gwyn's Firstborn. The statue has been restored. The young man shown here is holding a Dragonslayer Spear. His armor appears similar to the Great Lord Set, especially bracelets with characteristic cut-off triangle, broad waist belt and anklets.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Great Lightning Spear description.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ring of the Sun's Firstborn description.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Sunlight Blade description.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ring of the Sun's First Born description.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Sunlight Medal description.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Soul of the Nameless King description.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Dragonslayer Swordspear description.
- ↑ Great Lightning Spear description in Dark Souls III.
- ↑ Golden Crown and Golden Bracelets description.
- ↑ Sacred Oath item description.
- ↑ Leo Ring description.
- ↑ Dragonslayer Set description.
- ↑ Sun Seal item description.
- ↑ Sunlight Medal (Dark Souls III) item description.