Archdeacon McDonnell, or McDonnell of the Boreal Valley, is a character in Dark Souls III. Praying to his remains allows access to the Aldrich Faithful covenant.
In-Game Description
- Archdeacon McDonnell, a sorcerer himself, delighted in the cathedral's stagnating souls. For him, they represented the glorious bedrock of this world.[1]
Lore[]
McDonnel was born in Irithyll of the Boreal Valley[2] and became a high-ranking cleric of the Way of White[3], gaining the title of "Archdeacon". However he also became a sorcerer, as Pontiff Sulyvahn, who took control of Irithyll and its clergy, was a sorcerer himself and had allowed the study of sorcery among the highest ranks of the Church[4]. He later became part of the religious eminences of the Cathedral of the Deep, together with Archdeacon Royce and Archdeacon Klimt[5], controlling the structure and the rituals of purification from the stagnant Darkness that took place there[6][7]thanks to a peaceful and sacred body of water[8].
At one point, the cathedral welcomed Aldrich, a priest from Irithyll that was also greedy human eater who continued to absorb Humanity and grow in power[9], his perserse behaviour[10] appeased and seen as a necessary evil to grant him the strenght to achieve the Linking.
Even after Aldrich linked the First Flame and a cult formed around his figure[11], the deacons of the cathedral found themselves fighting the abominations that emerged from this Deep: what was once the peaceful and sacred structure in which ritual purifications took place began to become an accumulation of corruption, where the Darkness stagnated and accumulated until it became the final rest of many abhorrent creatures[12]. McDonnel found delight in the stagnation of darkness, realizing that it would become the foundation of the world[13]. The Archdeacon thus abandoned his faith in the First Flame and in the gods to place it in the rising Deep[14]. McDonnel spreaded his new belief among the other clerics of the cathedral along with his sorcery as created staffs who channeled faith in the Deep to produce dark sorceries and in time the cathedral's deacons became both clergymen and sorcerers[15], embracing the cult of the Deep[16].
When the First Flame began to fade and Prince Lothric refused to link it, Aldrich was awakened from his tomb to become fuel for it again but the previous Lord of Cinder refused[17]. Aldrich was in fact intent on returning to Irithyll to devour Dark Sun Gwyndolin and open the Age of the Deep[18], bringing to an end the Age of Fire and leaving in its place a realm of putrid and stagnant darkness in which the Saint would be at the top.[19] McDonnel, sharing Aldrich's ideals[20], cast off his white robes and replaced them with robes of deep blue[21][22]. The Archdeacon gathered an army of deacons and evangelists and thus abandoned the cathedral to follow the Saint of the Deep on his crusade toward Irithyll.[23] Once Aldritch defeated Sulyvahn[24]and took control of the city, McDonnel remained to watch over the place where the saint was busy digesting Gwyndolin, establishing the covenant of Aldrich Faithful, passing on his dark sorceries to followers who brought him evidence of success in their task.
At some point McDonnel was incapacitated and his body ended up in the lower levels of Irithyll, in a cistern guarded by two of Pontiff Sulyvahn's beasts[25], however he is still able to recognize others, manage Aldrich's covenant and teach sorceries[26].
Location[]
Archdeacon McDonnell's remains can be found in Irithyll of the Boreal Valley, at the Water Reserve.
From the Pontiff Sulyvahn bonfire, proceed onward until reaching the building at the end of the big courtyard with several dead Giant Slaves. Upon entering, hit the left wall to uncover an illusory wall. Descend the ladder and dispose of the two Sulyvahn's Beasts waiting at the bottom. Archdeacon McDonnell's remains are located at the far-left corner of the hall, near the Water Reserve bonfire, which will appear once both beasts have been defeated.
References[]
- ↑ Great Deep Soul description.
- ↑ Deep Soul description
- ↑ Archdeacon White Crown and Archdeacon Holy Garb descriptions
- ↑ Snap Freeze and Fire Witch Set description.
- ↑ Archdeacon White Crown and Archdeacon Holy Garb and Archdeacon Set descriptions
- ↑ Deep Ring and Notched Whip (Dark Souls III) description.
- ↑ https://darksouls.fandom.com/wiki/File:Cathedral_Deep_Pus_Statue.jpeg
- ↑ Deep Protection description.
- ↑ Anri of Astora dialogue.
- ↑ Aldrich's Sapphire description.
- ↑ Soul of the Deacons of the Deep description.
- ↑ Deep Protection and Deep Gem description.
- ↑ Great Deep Soul description.
- ↑ Archdeacon's Great Staff description.
- ↑ Cleric's Candlestick and Archdeacon's Great Staff description.
- ↑ Deep Braille Divine Tome and Deep Soul description.
- ↑ Opening (Dark Souls III) dialogue and Soul of Aldrich description.
- ↑ Soul of the Deacons of the Deep and Soul of Aldrich description and Anri of Astora dialogue
- ↑ Deep Gem and Great Deep Soul and Soul of Aldrich description.
- ↑ Great Deep Soul description.
- ↑ Archdeacon White Crowndescription
- ↑ https://darksouls.fandom.com/wiki/File:Archdeacon_MCDonnell.jpg
- ↑ Irithyll of the Boreal Valley#Enemies.
- ↑ Soul of Pontiff Sulyvahn description and Pontiff Sulyvahn appearance.
- ↑ Aldrich Faithful#Location
- ↑ Aldrich Faithful#Location and Aldrich Faithful#How to join