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 a loss of the annals of history, and in punishment he was stripped of his deific status, expunged from history,[4] and his name has since been forgotten.[2] 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.[5][6] 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.[6] The firstborn similarly wielded a great spear.[7]
- The firstborn eventually committed a grave error in the eyes of Anor Londo and his father, 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.[5]
- The Nameless King wore a crown and bracelets that greatly resemble those once worn by Gwyn, the First Lord.[8]
- Dragon Slayer Ornstein, once the faithful first knight of the Sun's firstborn,[9][10] left Anor Londo in the dragonless age in search of the Nameless King.[11] His weapon, a cross spear, is extremely similar to that wielded by the Nameless King.[6]
Given how the firstborn only had respect for arms,[1] it's possible that he chose to ally with the dragons, hence why Gwyn 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.
Warrior of Sunlight
Gwyn's firstborn shares an iconic symbol with the Warrior of Sunlight covenant, the Sunlight Medal.[4] 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.[4] 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.
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.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Great Lightning Spear description.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Ring of the Sun's Firstborn description.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Sunlight Blade description.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Sunlight Medal description.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Soul of the Nameless King description.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Dragonslayer Swordspear description.
- ↑ Great Lightning Spear description in Dark Souls III.
- ↑ Golden Crown and Golden Bracelets description.
- ↑ Sacred Oath description.
- ↑ Leo Ring description.
- ↑ Dragonslayer Set description.