The Witch of Izalith or simply Izalith (イザリス)[1] is a mentioned character in Dark Souls. She is also mentioned in Dark Souls II, although by that time her name is lost to history and only her nickname of "mother of pyromancy" remains.
A legendary fire sorcerer who found one of the four Lord Souls, she helped bring an end to the Age of Ancients and the rule of the dragons to establish the Age of Fire, and established an underground civilization named after her. She had many daughters, nicknamed the "Daughters of Chaos", which included Quelaag, Quelana and "The Fair Lady", as well as a son. By the time of the game's events, her magical experiments backfired, fusing her soul and two of her daughters' into a new horrible being, the Bed of Chaos. Although the Bed was eventually slain by the Chosen Undead and its soul fed to the Lordvessel, fragments of the Witch's soul survived.
Description[]
Izalith appears as a towering humanoid, visibly taller than both her children and their catalysts. She has blue lips, ashen skin and hands burnt from extracting her soul from the First Flame. She wears a much more refined version of the gold-hemmed black robes her children wear.
Lore[]
Dark Souls[]
Izalith and her daughters studying flame sorcery.
Izalith is one of the primordial humanoid creatures that appeared underground after the First Flame appeared, bringing "disparity"—heat and cold, life and death, light and dark.[2] She was one of those who found the four Lord Souls, sources of immense power, together with Gwyn, Lord of Sunlight, Gravelord Nito and the Furtive Pygmy.[2][3]
Thanks to the power of her soul, Izalith established an underground civilization[4] and, at some point, she also had at least seven children,[5][6] who wore gold-hemmed black robes to protect themselves from the dangerous fires, poisons and perils of their surroundings. Studying the power of souls and the First Flame, Izalith and her daughters became "fire sorcerers" capable of manipulating fire.[7] The power of their staffs was adjusted by faith; in fact, these fire sorcerers were also shamans, implying that the primordial society of Izalith was highly reverent of nature and fire.[8]
Izalith and her daughters fighting the Dragons.
Izalith and her daughters took part in the war against the Dragons with the intention of exterminating them and conquering the world with the other bearers of the Lord Souls: Gwyn, Lord of Sunlight and Nito, First of the Dead. Izalith contributed to the conflict by manipulating the flames directly with the power of her Lord Soul,[3] while her daughters employed sorcery staff as mediums.[6] Together they weaved great firestorms that scorched the very earth,[9] destroying the archtrees and burning the dragons.[5] With the combined might of the Lords, Izalith and her allies soon emerged victorious, exterminating most of the archdragons and conquering the surface world.[2] After the war's end, Izalith and her children left the surface to Gwyn, his clan and the humans they had subjugated,[2] preferring to create their own civilization underground. They founded their capital, named after Izalith, around the remains of an archtree, within an immense cave of molten rock[10] above a lava stream.[11][12]
Izalith and her daughters became the Bed of Chaos and mother of the demons.
Izalith and her daughters continued to experiment with the power of fire and souls. At one point, driven by ambition and arrogance, the Witch tried to create a "First Flame" of her own, using her own Lord Soul as a basis to create a power similar to the primordial force that had brought life into the world. The experiment, however, was disastrous, resulting in the creation of the Flame of Chaos, an unstable power that the witch was unable to control. Izalith herself was consumed by it and became a beast of chaos fire along with two of her daughters, transforming themselves into a seedbed of Chaos.[3] This creature, powered by the Flame of Chaos, became a seedbed for a new life form: Demons.[13][14]
The first demons became the fire priests of Izalith.
The first demon who manifested himself was the youngest son of Izalith. He was a younger brother of the other witches who gifted him a magic ring to protect him from the lava that tortured him.[11] However, the still unstabilized Flame of Chaos led him to transform into a monstrous demon and drop his ring, leaving the flames of chaos to burn him constantly as he couldn't control them.[15] Following the first distorted creature created by the Flame of Chaos, Izalith and her daughters managed to stabilize the new power they had created and began to generate the first real demons,[10] life forms with stable bodies and capable of controlling the flame of chaos within themselves. These new creatures were not absolutely beastly; rather, they integrated into the society of Izalith, becoming "demon priests" of the Flame of Chaos—they went so far as to learn the primordial flame sorceries from the Lord and her daughters.[7][10] The city of Izalith expanded to accommodate its new citizens, building structures for the demons on its borders.[16]
A pyromancy tome from Izalith.
Over time, Izalith and her daughters, captivated by the new power and longing to hold it in their hands, began to experiment with their Flame of Chaos, creating pyromancies.[17][18][19] This art of fire, of the primal life born from the Flame of Chaos similar to the First Flame, is the power of igniting and controlling it, but also being aware that control is impossible.[20][21] Maintaining a keen awareness of fire's uncontrollable nature was presumably central to the culture of Izalith, which necessitated rituals and norms differing from "civilized" society.[22] Izalith therefore developed as a shamanic[8] culture, one that remained in touch with the primal nature of fire;[23] pyromancers' reverence of nature was demonstrated by their mastery of manipulating lava, which were the first forms of pyromancy.[17] The Flame of Chaos itself was gradually refined and employed in the form of Chaos Flame Embers by blacksmiths to imbue weapons with the power of the chaos flame.[24]
As the First Flame began to fade, Gwyn planned to sacrifice himself to sustain it and prolong the Age of Fire; recognizing that his sacrifice would be insufficient on its own, he also created the myth of the Chosen Undead that would succeed him.[25] Izalith apparently cooperated in his plan, building one of the two Bells of Awakening in her city, as the first part of the challenges the undead would have to overcome to be accepted as worthy contenders to succeed Gwyn as Lords of Cinder.[26]
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Quelana is the only daughter of Izalith to survive the Flames of Chaos.
At one point Izalith, aiming to gain greater control over the Flame of Chaos, lost control of the power again. This time however she failed to bring it under control: Chaos engulfed the Lord and her daughters before scorching their city with them.[14][21][27] Izalith and her two daughters directly involved in the experiment were left permanently scarred, reduced to a monstrous lignified creature anchored in the throne room at the center of the city.[3][28] Of the daughters of Izalith, few managed to escape. Quelaag and her sister's lower bodies were molded into deformed demonic spiders as the flames of chaos engulfed them, but they managed to escape the city and survive on its borders, carving out a domain for themselves.[29] The only other survivor, who managed to avoid the corruption of chaos and retain a normal body, was Quelana, who remained in self-imposed exile around the ruins of her country for centuries.[30]
Izalith is reduced to ruins infested by the demons.
The collapse of the society of Izalith, left without their Lord and devoured by the out-of-control Flame of Chaos, pushed Gwyn to wage war against the chaos demons,[31] developing weapons and fighting techniques strong enough to face their sizable new enemies.[32] And so the Silver Knights were deployed to Izalith, fighting in a war where their armor and weapons were charred black.[31][33] Despite their might, Gwyn's knights failed to defeat the demons or destroy the Bed of Chaos;[34] they only managed to banish the demons underground and retreated afterwards, while also enslaving some lesser demons who would become servants of the gods.[35] At some point after Gwyn linked the First Flame and Gwyn's firstborn son was dethroned and exiled,[36] nearly all of the other deities abandoned Anor Londo.[37] In the meantime the Bed of Chaos continued to generate new demons and, with no leadership present in Anor Londo and the Silver Knights remaining relegated to protecting the city of the gods, some lesser Capra and Taurus demons[38] began to rise to the surface, making their way through the ruins of the Undead Burg.[39]
Izalith reduced to a Chaos Bug.
When a Chosen Undead was able to ring the Bells of Awakening, overcome the challenges of Sen's Fortress and reach Anor Londo, being rewarded with the Lordvessel, they would be guided by Kingseeker Frampt to find immense souls to fill the receptacle and link the fading First Flame to succeed Gwyn in his sacrifice.[40] The Undead would thus have delved into the dangerous and pestilent Blighttown[41] until they reached the edges of the ancient domain of Izalith. Here their path would be blocked by the half-demon daughter of Izalith Chaos Witch Quelaag; after killing her, the Undead was able to gain access to the Demon Ruins. Making their way through the demons that infested the area, they reached the lost city of Izalith and the throne room where Izalith, turned into the distorted Bed of Chaos, rested, still fused with her two daughters and her original body reduced to that of a Chaos Bug beneath her roots.[42] The Chosen Undead challenged and killed her to obtain her powerful Lord Soul.[13] The destruction of the original Flame of Chaos ended Izalith's misery, but it also doomed the demons who, without the Bed of Chaos that had spawned them, became a dying race.[43]
Theories[]
- It is possible to theorize that Izalith, in her experiment to create a new First Flame with the power of her Lord Soul, used the Dark Soul as an added element.
- The power of weapons infused with the power of chaos scales with humanity like an Abyss-tainted weapon.[44] In addition Chaos Flame Embers are able to infuse weapons with the power of the flames of chaos but are also augmented by humanity.[24]
- Quelaag's Sister was able to become a Fire Keeper despite being corrupted by chaos, allowing her body to become the host of an immense mass of humanity.[45] Furthermore, she's able to regain her power and body, debilitated by a blight, by feeding herself with humanities.[46]
- The majority of demons encountered possess humanities, either because they gained them to absorb their power or because they already possessed them—either of which imply a compatibility between demons and humans.[47]
- Izalith could have been enticed to utilize humanity due to the unique properties of the Dark Soul, such as its capability for generating life[48] and its potential as an infinite fuel, since it seems not to diminish in strength as it is fragmented—unlike Gwyn's Lord Soul.[49]
Dark Souls II[]
The remnants of the Bed of Chaos below Eleum Loyce.
Despite the Bed of Chaos having been destroyed by a Chosen Undead, a fragment of the Flames of Chaos managed to survive and drifted to settle underground in the far north of Drangleic. Here it reformed as an expanse of fire, lava and roots and started to give birth to atrocities and monsters that cursed the region, leading people to flee in fear.[50][51] Eventually the Ivory King and his knights managed to eliminate the demons that arose from the Old Chaos and drive them back into the depths. The sovereign, thanks to the power of his soul, thus built the kingdom of Eleum Loyce over that land and erected an immense cathedral, a fortress city and a Garrison Wall above the Chaos, in an attempt to contain it and its horrors with all his efforts, even going so far as to use the power of his own soul to stem his raging flames.[52][53][54]
However the flames of Chaos would not be sated, and over time the Ivory Knight was drained of his vigour and, sensing the degradation of his power[52] he decided to plunge into Chaos' heart in an attempt to reduce its flames alone.[50] However he was devoured by the chaos, becoming an empty husk controlled by it.[53] After their King was consumed by Chaos, many of Eleum Loyce's faithful knights decided to follow him and put him out of his misery[50] but their souls too were corrupted by the flames,[55] leading them to lose all sense of purpose and being. They were then driven only by the urge of expunging any who might disturb the flames, even if they were former compatriots.[56] With their armor charred and burnt black by fire and still burning in agony, they remained as empty shells controlled by the Chaos alongside their once-proud king.[57]
As a last resort to stem the advance of the Chaos that couldn't be contained, the decision was made to "fling open" the ivory gates of the fortress of Eleum Loyce. Alsanna, as the heiress to her Lord's wishes and in reverence of the apocalypse, devoted herself and the power of her Dark Soul to a ritual in the hopes of appeasing the raging flame.[50][58] The entire land of Eleum Loyce grew cold and lifeless, turning into a frigid expanse, in an attempt to freeze Chaos along with the entire country.[59][60] The Knights of Eleum Loyce remained to watch over the Garrison Ward, faithful to the King's final order of containing the Chaos, and waited patiently for a new leader strong enough to guide them into its depths, while Alsanna remained in prayer inside the Cathedral over the depths to continue the ritual to keep the Chaos contained.[50]
The remnants of Izalith's soul possessed the Lost Sinner.
Ages after her Lord Soul was used to link the First Flame, Izalith's very name was lost.[61] In the region of Drangleic, only few remained who remembered her—only that she was the mother of pyromancy, and that she was devoured by her chaos flame.[62] However, some remnants of her soul[63][64] manifested again in Drangleic, continuing to exert their influence on the region.[63]
At some point, a pyromancer[65][66] was imprisoned inside the furthest cell of the Sinners' Rise, an isolated tower apart from the The Lost Bastille.[67] While the Bastille was used to contain the Undead that plagued the region,[68][69] this pyromancer was imprisoned and contained in an extreme manner, with Penal Handcuffs to restrain their powers[70] and a Penal Mask with spikes pointing inward to bind and torture them,[71] to be punished for their sins.[72] One day the prisoner came into contact with the soul of Izalith[69][73] deep inside the Lost Bastille, and a Chaos Bug similar to one Izalith had been reduced came to inhabit their body.[74][42] The remnants of Izalith's will influenced the prisoner, leaving them eternally to punish themselves for the sins of her past,[72] for trying to light a First Flame in her arrogance.[69] Their sword became cursed with a power similar to that of the ancient Chaos Blade, symbolizing the burden of Izalith's misdeeds.[75]
Dark Souls III[]
In the times and region of Lothric, both the bed and the flame have gone out, and the demons are now a dying species, as no new members of their race are being generated. Some remain in a secret city of demons, found amidst Izalith's decrepit structures, most of its citizens being demons and corrupted Izalith citizens. The Old Demon King sits alone amidst fallen combatants, with his flames dying out, the last of the original citizens of Izalith to have remembered the birth of Chaos, and the Witch of Izalith.
Known Children[]
- Daughter of Chaos
- Quelana of Izalith
- Chaos Witch Quelaag
- Quelaag's Sister
- Ceaseless Discharge
- The left root of the Bed of Chaos.
- The right root of the Bed of Chaos.
- The body holding the Gold-Hemmed Black Set where Ceaseless Discharge resides.
Trivia[]
- The name of the Witch is literally Izalith, as stated by Quelana in the Japanese version, where she calls the Witch "my mother Izalith".[1]
- During her dialogue, Quelana mentions that most humans are unable to perceive her, and implies that they absolutely cannot, so long as she actively does not want them to.[76]
- Despite herself being consumed by the Chaos Flame, Izalith was partially successful in replicating the First Flame. Not only does Chaos generate life, it also has its own fire-linking quality, wherein a demon Champion is destined to rekindle it, becoming the Demon Prince.[77][78] This system parallels the prophecy of the Chosen Undead and their becoming a Lord of Cinder.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Quelana of Izalith refers to her as "私の母イザリスは", literally "my mother Izalith"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Opening (Dark Souls) narration.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Quelana of Izalith dialogue: "… My mother, the Witch of Izalith, was one of the primeval Lords… Her power came from the soul that she found near the First Flame… She focused this power to light a flame of her own, but she failed to control it. The Flame of Chaos engulfed Mother and my sisters, and molded them into deformed creatures."
- ↑ Gold-Hemmed Black Set description.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Opening (Dark Souls) cinematic.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 File:Izalith's_Powers.jpg
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Izalith Catalyst (Dark Souls) description: "Before the birth of pyromancy, their wands were mediums for sorcery, but knowledge of this flame sorcery has long since vanished."
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Izalith Staff (Dark Souls III) description: "With the birth of the Chaos Flame, the flame witches were at once both sorcerers and shamans. Faith adjusts the power of sorceries cast using this catalyst, and the staff also seems to boost the power of dark sorceries."
- ↑ Fire Tempest description.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Demon's Catalyst description: "The Demon Priests of the Fire were the first Demons and the last users of fire sorceries; these were magic from the time when the Witch of Izalith had not yet been devoured by Chaos and in which there were not yet the arts of pyromancy."
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Orange Charred Ring description: "Orange ring filled with the magic power of a witch. Reduces damage from lava. It is a special ring that the witches, who are his older sisters, gave for his inborn “sore” tortured by lava, but the fool dropped it before long. For a terrible centipede demon had been born."
- ↑ File:Demon_ruins.jpg
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Lord Soul description.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Chaos Storm description.
- ↑ As stated by Miyazaki in the DS1 Design Works interview: "All demons are born from the fire of chaos, but he [Ceaseless Discharge] was the first, born so long ago, when the fire wasn't yet stable. He possesses it, but he can't control it and it burns him constantly. Despite his size, he's actually the youngest of Izalith's children, he stands gazing up at the ruins where his sisters live. The only source of comfort in his pitiful, painful existence is the belief that they are watching over him."
- ↑ Demon Ruins#Location and Lost Izalith#Location
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Izalith Pyromancy Tome description.
- ↑ Laurentius of the Great Swamp dialogue: "This land has a special meaning to pyromancers. The “Witch of Izalith”, one of the first Lords in legend, is said to be the core founder of pyromancy. That’s why I was ecstatic when I became Undead. I’d been chosen, I’d touch the primal pyromancies… Well, it wasn’t such a sweet thing, now was it…"
- ↑ Laurentius of the Great Swamp dialogue: "My master is likely still in the Great Swamp, but master had a way of saying it. “Pyromancy is, after all is said and done, longing. We’re born into Dark and captivated by fire, but can’t even touch it. Only those with such strong longing can have part of fire’s power in their hand.” There was a strange stylishness to the withered old man’s quirks…"
- ↑ Fire Whip (Dark Souls III) description.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Quelana of Izalith dialogue: "Pyromancy is the art of fire, the art of lighting and controlling it. But, listen. Remember only this: Fear fire. Those who forget that fear are consumed by the fire, and lose everything. I don’t want to see something like that again…"
- ↑ Laurentius of the Great Swamp dialogue: "Pyromancy is said to have a certain kind of primitive aspect to it. At any rate, there are times when it is incompatible with civilization-like things. That’s why, usually, pyromancers are the hated. Well, I’m a misanthrope, so it works out just fine. Even becoming Undead didn’t change anything. Hahahaha."
- ↑ Laurentius of the Great Swamp dialogue: "What we call pyromancy is, in other words, the art of fire. The art of the primal life, which kindles and uses fire. That’s why a pyromancer tries to be in nature. The Great Swamp that I’m from was also such a place. You too will understand someday."
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Chaos Flame Ember description: "Ember required for weapon ascension. Chaos Flame Ember is an art of the lost city of Izalith. Handled only by blacksmiths knowledgeable in ancient methods. Chaos weapons are demon weapons augmented by humanity which inflict fire damage."
- ↑ Gwynevere, Princess of Sunlight and Kingseeker Frampt dialogue.
- ↑ Bells of Awakening locations.
- ↑ Cornyx of the Great Swamp dialogue: "Heed my words, Unkindled One. Fear the fire. The home of pyromancy, Izalith, was scorched by the very fire it created. Undoubtedly, it was a flame of chaos, tangled by a witch's hand. But who's to say that this Bonfire's flame is any different."
- ↑ File:Tree_Beast.png
- ↑ Soul of Quelaag and Chaos Blade and Quelaag's Furysword description.
- ↑ Quelana of Izalith dialogue: "The Witch of Izalith? Please do not speak of her. I abandoned my mother and sisters and fled to this land. Now I roam these parts, feigning ablution, and pretending to seek answers."
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 Black Knight Shield description.
- ↑ Black Knight Greatsword description.
- ↑ Silver Knight Shield description.
- ↑ Although Izalith is destroyed, the demons and the Bed of Chaos remain active during events of Dark Souls
- ↑ Demon's Spear description.
- ↑ Soul of the Nameless King and Lightning Storm and Golden Crown and Ring of the Sun's Firstborn description.
- ↑ Ring of the Sun Princess and Darkmoon Seance Ring description.
- ↑ Demon's Greataxe description.
- ↑ Capra Demon and Taurus Demon location.
- ↑ Kingseeker Frampt dialogue.
- ↑ Blighttown Key description.
- ↑ 42.0 42.1 File:Chaos Bug.png
- ↑ Soul of a Demon description.
- ↑ Quelaag's Furysword and Abyss Greatsword descriptions.
- ↑ Fire Keeper Soul description.
- ↑ Chaos Servant mechanics and Eingyi dialogue.
- ↑ Humanity drops from Chaos Witch Quelaag, Stray Demon, Taurus Demon, Asylum Demon, Capra Demon and Ceaseless Discharge
- ↑ Ringed Knight Paired Greatswords description.
- ↑ Every descendant of the Furtive Pygmy holds within themselves at least one Humanity. Each Humanity is a fragment of the Dark Soul, like the Bequeathed Lord Soul Shards, with a key difference: when humans procreate, they conceive new Humanities which maintain the integrity of their progenitors. Theoretically, Humans could procreate for infinity, and yet their Humanity would not lose its strength, which by extension means that the Dark Soul would maintain its power.
- ↑ 50.0 50.1 50.2 50.3 50.4 Alsanna, Silent Oracle dialogue.
- ↑ Ivory Straight Sword description.
- ↑ 52.0 52.1 Crown of the Ivory King description.
- ↑ 53.0 53.1 Soul of the Ivory King description.
- ↑ Garrison Ward Key description.
- ↑ Loyce Soul description.
- ↑ Charred Loyce Greatsword description.
- ↑ Charred Loyce Set description.
- ↑ Soul of Alsanna, Silent Oracle description.
- ↑ Ivory Warrior Ring description.
- ↑ Rampart Golem Shield description.
- ↑ Sweet Shalquoir dialogue: "Are you going to see the Old Ones? Those four who have grown so incredibly ancient. They must have sprouted quite a thick coat of moss by now. For heaven's sake, no-one even knows their names anymore!"
- ↑ Great Chaos Fireball (Dark Souls II) description.
- ↑ 63.0 63.1 Old Witch Soul description.
- ↑ Flame Weapon#Availability and Chaos Blade (Dark Souls II)#Availability
- ↑ Penal Handcuffs description: "Hand restraints of the Lost Sinner. Increases the power of pyromancy. A device used to restrict use of the hands. By now no one knows who this was used to punish, or for what reason. Effect: Raises power of pyromancies" and Penal Handcuffs#Availability
- ↑ Pyromancers assist them in battle; and Fire Seed#Availability near their prison
- ↑ Lost Sinner#Location and Sinners' Rise#Description
- ↑ Bastille Key description.
- ↑ 69.0 69.1 69.2 Sweet Shalquoir dialogue: "Once, people tried to round up the Undead and hide them away from the world. They thought that imprisoning the Undead would solve the problem. They created a towering bastille to contain them, but in the end, it did no good. The Lost Sinner lives deep within the bastille. The fool. Trying to light the First Flame…"
- ↑ Penal Handcuffs description.
- ↑ Penal Mask description.
- ↑ 72.0 72.1 Soul of the Lost Sinner description.
- ↑ Old Witch Soul description and Old Witch Soul#Availability
- ↑ File:Lostsinnercloseup.jpg
- ↑ Lost Sinner's Sword and Chaos Blade (Dark Souls II) descriptions.
- ↑ Quelana of Izalith dialogue: "Hmm... A mere Undead, yet you can see me? Fascinating... I am Quelana of Izalith. I am not often revealed to walkers of flesh. You have a gift."
- ↑ Soul of the Demon Prince description.
- ↑ Lorian's Greatsword description.