The Unkindled or Unkindled Ash (Japanese: 火の無い灰, Hepburn: Hi no Nai Hai) are "nameless, accursed Undead"[1] who tried to link the First Flame and become Lords of Cinder, being mighty enough to reach the Kiln of the First Flame but ultimately perishing there, their quest ending in failure.[2]
Background[]
To "link the First Flame" is to reach it, be powerful enough to withstand its power, and rekindle the flame anew. The Unkindled were strong enough to overcome the challenges of reaching the Kiln of the First Flame, but lacked the strength needed to withstand the power of the Flame: the primordial Fire burned them to ash, not fueled enough to properly spark anew. These failed champions' remains were entombed in the Cemetery of Ash.[3]
The Unkindled are cursed with undeath, branded with the Darksign. Like their cursed undead predecessors, who obtained energy from fragments of the Dark Soul—Humanities in Dark Souls and Human Effigies in Dark Souls II—the Unkindled can benefit from the usage of Embers: scorched, consumed Humanities that are all that is left of the pure, original darkness at this late stage of the world. Finally, unlike previous Dark Souls protagonists, the Unkindled do not have to fear hollowing, as they can only achieve it willingly with the aid of Dark Sigils.
Plot[]
By the times of Dark Souls III, Prince Lothric, the destined Lord of Cinder of his generation, has refused to link the First Flame. This led to the resurrection of four Lords of Cinder of the past, whose conjoined, withered embers could kindle the First Flame in Lothric's stead. Aldrich, Saint of the Deep; Yhorm the Giant, the Abyss Watchers, and Ludleth of Courland were expected to sacrifice themselves as kindling once again. When all Lords except Ludleth rejected this duty, the Unkindled too were resurrected as a last resort, who were fated to seek out the Lords (including Prince Lothric)[1] and bring them back to their thrones at Firelink Shrine.[4] Once the cinders of the Lords were restored to their thrones, an Unkindled champion would be bestowed the embers of the First Flame that remained within their cinders,[5] and finally sent to the Kiln of the First Flame to complete their journey.
Unkindled resurrected to track down the Lords include the Ashen One, Anri of Astora,[6] Horace the Hushed,[7] Hawkwood the Deserter,[8] and Siegward of Catarina.[9] Some of these Unkindled are related to several of the respective Lords: Anri and Horace were children who survived Aldrich's gluttony,[10] Siegward was an old friend of Yhorm's,[11] and Hawkwood is a former member of the Abyss Watchers. Sister Friede is also Unkindled,[12] although how and when she was brought back to life is unclear.
The Sable Church of Londor revere the Unkindled, as it is prophesied[citation needed] that an Unkindled will become the Lord of Hollows and bring about the Age of Dark. Elfriede, the eldest of the three sisters of the Sable Church, eventually departed Londor and attempted to link the Flame. The circumstances surrounding her departure are unclear; whether she intended to usurp the Flame or wholly abandoned Londor is uncertain. Regardless, she was unable to link the Flame, burned to Unkindled Ash.[13] After her resurrection, she was eventually drawn into the Painted World of Ariandel, a safe haven for the forlorn and the misshapen.[14][15]
Known Unkindled[]
Unkindled resurrected to supplant Prince Lothric[]
- The Ashen One, who eventually decides the fate of the First Flame.
- Anri of Astora,[6] who was one of only two children to have escaped the clutches of Aldrich, their cannibalistic father.[7] Aldrich, as a Lord of Cinder, had been resurrected in the hopes of replacing Lothric; Anri in their second life aims to slay him, to fulfill their duty as a Lordseeker as well as to avenge their devoured siblings.[16]
- Hawkwood the Deserter,[8] a former member of the Undead Legion of Farron who deserted during his first life. Hawkwood's connection to the Abyss Watchers, along with the time and details of his departure, are unclear; he does however demonstrate knowledge on the Undead Legion's induction rituals.[17] He is noted for his crestfallen attitude, outwardly incredulous as to his duty as an Unkindled, and elects to remain at Firelink Shrine instead of pursuing his fate.
- Horace the Hushed, who was the other child to have successfully escaped Aldrich,[7] and travels alongside his sibling Anri. Although it is not stated outright that Horace is Unkindled, him still being naturally alive in Dark Souls III despite having first been born during Aldrich's era is unlikely, and the fact that he takes part in Anri's quest and appears in Firelink Shrine further point towards Horace being Unkindled like his sibling.
- Siegward of Catarina,[9] who in his first life was a trusted friend of Yhorm the Giant. In his second life, Siegward is seemingly uninterested in linking the First Flame, but aims nonetheless to slay Yhorm, beholden to a promise between the two.[11]
Other known Unkindled[]
- Sister Friede, formerly known as Elfriede.[13] It is unclear when she was resurrected and whether or not it happened in relation to Lothric. In her first life, she was the leader of the Sable Church of Londor,[18] which aims to end the Age of Fire and bring about the Age of Dark; as such, she might have aimed to seize the First Flame rather than to link it.[19] In her second life, Elfriede, now renamed Friede, renounced her past, instead making a home in the Painted World of Ariandel.[20][21]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Opening (Dark Souls III) § Narration
- ↑ Adwyth_Londor (June 24, 2017). "[Lore] So I got a second translation of Miyazaki's Unkindled Interview QnA.". Reddit. Retrieved May 4, 2025. "Dark Souls 1's protagnist is Undead, its story is about linking the fire. But Dark Souls 3 depicts the Undeads who didn't succeed in linking the fire and become cinder, but failed and burned to nothing. Unkindled is born out of their remaining ashes. Unkindled exist to inherit the past and put an end to this cumulative tale."
- ↑ Ashen One, the player character of Dark Souls III and an Unkindled, rises from their grave at this cemetery.
- ↑ Cinders of a Lord description: "If the lords will not return to their thrones themselves, let them return as cinders."
- ↑ Dark Souls III, kneeling before the bonfire cutscene
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Anri of Astora dialogue: "I am Anri of Astora. Unkindled, like you."
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Executioner Set (Dark Souls III) description (original Japanese).
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Hawkwood the Deserter dialogue: "Ahhh, another one, roused from the sleep of death? Well, you're not alone. We Unkindled are worthless. Can't even die right. Gives me Conniptions. And they'd have us seek the Lords of Cinder, and return them to their moulding thrones."
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Siegward of Catarina dialogue: "That was quite the performance. But you mustn't get in over your head. We Unkindled must put our duties first."
- ↑ Executioner Set descriptions.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Siegward of Catarina dialogue: "Yhorm, old friend. I, Siegward of the Knights of Catarina, have come to uphold my promise! ..."
- ↑ Soul of Sister Friede description: "Friede was the first Ash to enter the painting, but together with the good Father, they chose rot over fire."
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Yuria of Londor dialogue: [referring to the Soul of Sister Friede] " 'Twas the soul of my sister. Elfriede... a poor wench turned to ash, who would abandon Londor. If thou wouldst, let it nourish thy Lordship, and in return, do her a small kindness... Remember those who stayed by her to the end, in the shadows cast by fire..."
- ↑ Painted World of Ariandel#Enemies
- ↑ Storyteller's Staff description.
- ↑ Anri of Astora dialogue: "...my duty must be done, even alone. As an unkindled Lordseeker. For the children I knew, bless their souls. We all have our reasons, don't we?"
- ↑ Hawkwood the Deserter dialogue.
- ↑ Onyx Blade description.
- ↑ Black Set (Dark Souls III) descriptions.
- ↑ Chillbite Ring description.
- ↑ Ordained Set description.