Dark Souls Part 4: Praising the Sun, Shady Allies, and the first bell

A man of conviction

"Ah, hello! You don't look Hollow, far from it!
I am Solaire of Astora, an adherent of the Lord of Sunlight. Now that I am Undead, I have come to this great land, the birthplace of Lord Gwyn, to seek my very own sun!
… Do you find that strange? Well, you should!
No need to hide your reaction. I get that look all the time! Hah hah hah!"




Knight Solaire, upon first impression, is a psychotic man. He apparently -became- undead so that he could come to Lordran in search of his own sun. Whether or not he understands the properties of a celestial body such as a sun, he seems fully convinced that he will find one here. He is also a member of the Warriors of Sunlight - guardians of all that is good, and servants of Gwyn. Regardless of his rather strange mission, he offers you his partnership on your quest. He cannot travel with you, though. He explains that the flow of time in Lordran is distorted, and that your time together is limited - he will soon phase back to his own time and world.

I know that's pretty confusing and doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but it is essentially an explanation of Dark Souls's online system. When you see or summon the phantoms of other players, they are supposed to be heroes of the past and future.

Moving on before we reach an inevitable paradox situation, Solaire asks you to summon him when you need his aid and can find his summon sign. For now, he will stand here and gaze into the sun... Yeah. After crossing the bridge and fighting your way through several more hollowed warriors and knights, you finally reach the church. Atop it awaits a bell tower, housing the first bell you must ring to complete your quest.

However, while exploring the church, you meet another rather interesting individual, whom appears to be imprisoned inside a holding cell.

A man of deception

"Oh, still human are you? Then I am in luck. Could you help me? As you can see I am stuck, without recourse. Please, I have duties to fulfill, and I will reward you handsomely. Well? I am certain you stand to benefit."

Whether you choose to free Lautrec or not is your choice. He will assist you in your quest, but this assistance should be taken with a grain of salt, given the circumstances of how you found him.

Now, after fighting your way through the hordes of this Undead Burg, it is now time for you to ring that bell. You ascend to the rooftop that you must cross in order to reach the bell tower. While crossing it, however, the building begins to shake. Looking for the source of this quake, your eyes rise to the gargoyle statues that surround the bell tower...

You fight this fearsome, fire breathing gargoyle, and it is soon joined by the arrival of a second. However, Knight Solaire fights by your side, along with Knight Lautrec (if you freed him), and the odds are kept in your favor. You defeat your final obstacle, and ascend the tower to find the bell.

You ring it, and as the note of the bell resonates throughout the land, you feel unfamiliar sensations... Hope, elation, and the rewards of perseverance. For now, you need ring only one other bell before you shall allegedly learn your destiny. That bell, however, resides far within the depths of the earth, in the plagued ruins of Blighttown...