Dark Souls 2

Friendly reminder, Dark Souls 2 launches today! I know most of you will be playing Titanfall but I thought a few people might be interested.  Gotta dust off the 360 for this one.  See you guys online if your around.

Ugh, I need to watch a summary of the first one. Any good video summaries out there?

I'd be all over it if it were next gen.

@ Atrum - There is tons of stuff out there to be watched.  There is an incredibly deep lore involved but almost all of it is deciphered by the active community on forums/wiki and such.  Actually game story is pretty light and leaves it up to the player to dig deep to find the underlying story/cannon.  Fortunately DS2 takes place like 500+ years after the first game.  It's for this reason that a video summery is not really needed to play DS2.  If you are interested in the world and story you have several hours of reading/watching to do. Otherwise, just pick up DS2 and prepare to die.

@ Coolhand - I'm with you there.  If DS2 was not so high on my 'must play' list I would probably pass too.  I hate having to go back to last gen but DS2 is OP so...

If you want a big understanding of the world and story Interseptor hit i right on the button. I would also add that the items themselves tell most of the story. If you are looking for a really fast walk through of the game then watch a speed run. It is close to one of the most popular games to speed run. I have it on PC but connecting between two people is still an annoying experience, good thing Steam servers will fix DS2.

Only got to play for a few hours last night but this game is awesome so far.  Very much a "Souls" game.  Great stuff so far and a little more accessible on the first part of the game.  The tutorial section eases you into the game a little more than previous games.  Those on the fence should really think about getting this one.

Sucks that they are not making titles like this for the next gen consoles... This and GTA V are ones I would love to see that I still don't understand why they didn't do it... I would also not mind seeing Diablo 3 one the new consoles either. It was such a let down on the last gen consoles because they couldnt handle what the game really had to offer and I think that the one/ps4 would be a good comback for the game

D3 will get ported soon, but I doubt I get it.

Yeah, i really wish it would have come to next gen too.  Playing the 360 after playing the PS4 for so long is almost painful.  The system is so slow comparatively and the UI is crippling at times.  That said, once you actually start playing it's all good.  Played for a bit last night too.  I actually started over, made a new character and learned from my mistakes.  Doing much better this time around and enjoying the game even more.  It's definitely easier and more accessible from the start.  It eases you into the game much better than previous titles while at the same time still providing the difficulty level fans have come to look for in the series.  It's a nice balance and the game has a bit more of a polished feel to it.  You guys really should check it out if you get a chance.  So far it's a really great game.

Ya. But I just can't bring myself to go back to the old consoles. I wish they made it where you can play last gen games. But oh well. I will just have to wait lol.

UPDATE:  This game is still awesome.

On a related note, My 2nd character is doing well.  Progressing through the game nicely and at a good pace for a 'Souls' game.  I am currently rocking the Halberd +5 and Heide Knight Sword +4 as my primary weapons.  Mostly two-handed but I occasional use a shield (not much) and I have also been known to duel wield swords fro time to time.

I have beaten quite a few bosses at this point but my first Great Soul is still eluding me. I just haven't found one yet.  I am hoping that will change by the end of the weekend. Wish me luck.

Progress report:  Things continue to progress nicely with each night of play.  I have probably not put in as much time as I should but I enjoy each sit down more and more.  So far I have collect 2 of the Lord Souls I have to collect.  Tonight I will be heading for my third.  I don't actually expect to obtain my 3 Souls tonight but I should get close. 

So far the Lost Sinner and Old Iron King have fallen to my Halberd, as well as countless other lesser demons.  Next I will travel down the long dark pit to see what moves in the darker places of Drangleic.

Progress report:  Well, that went better than expected.  I charged down into the pit and emerged victorious.  After initially getting everything stocked up and ready to go for a long intense run I jumped head first into the Pit of Majula.  Actually, I climbed a ladder but the intent was the same.  I had actually been down here once before and found a bonfire before abandoning the area for easier paths earlier in the game.  Now I have 2 Lord Souls under my belt and a bunch of upgraded equipment.  Time for Round 2.

Since it had been a while I decided to start fresh and do some exploring.  After a while looking around/looting/dieing I found my way back to the bonfire I had once lit.  Interestingly enough the bonfire is directly before a Fog door that leads to a Boss fight.  So I rest for a moment then charge head first into the battle with the Royal Rat Vanguard.  This one is not very hard but a little confusing.  Not to spoil anything but eventually I figured out what to do and get the job done rather easily.  

With the Royal Rat Vanguard distroyed I am able to head further into the Pit.  Eventually headed down the Gutter and into the Black Gulch where I find the prize I am looking for.  Beneath the Pit, down the Gutter and into the place where all the foul things eventually settle I find the main boss of the area and one of the 4 Lord Souls I am tasked with obtaining, The Rotten.

My first few attempts were not successful but I learned more with each attempt and it's not long before I am ready to take him on for real.  I turn human, summon Kenny and a random bro to help and charge in for my take down of this ancient beast.  I die.  sh1t!  But a few tries later and I find success.  I have officially found and captured my 3 Lord Soul.  Now my attention turns to the 4th and final Lord Soul I need to continue my quest. 

Stay tuned as I continue my quest to defeat Dark Souls 2.  Up next is the tale of the Shaded Woods and The Duke's Dear Freja.

Progress Report:  Another 2 days down and I finally have my prize.  It all started with a trip to the Shaded Woods on my quest to collect the last Lord Soul required to gain entrance to the Shrine of Winter.  I have come a long way in this game and really starting to get a good feel for it.  I have become the master of clearing areas and taking down bosses. That said, this is Dark Souls and nothing is ever that easy.  As I enter the area, three paths are available to take.  Two of the paths are currently off limits.  One leads to the Shrine of Winter (unlocks after you have 4 Lord Souls) and the other leads to the Door of the King (which required the King ring to open, <- end game stuff here).  The final path leads me where I need to go, the Shaded Woods.  Good name too as it turns out. 

The opening of this area drops you into a heavily fogged wooded area filled with completely invisible ghosts that are apparently pissed that you have entered.  As the area is almost impossible to navigate by sight and the monsters are invisible, I did what anyone would do, I ran like hell!  Got Lucky too.  I happened to run right where I needed to go.  The Fog lifted and I found myself in the Shaded Ruins.  Here I spent a good amount of time.  It's a confusing little area with twists and turns, hidden door and alternate paths everywhere.The shaded Woods themselves did not pose too much of a problem.  Reminded me of DS1 in terms of level design, which is a good thing.  Great little area, but very dangerous.  Cursed pots, cursed weapons, petrification, costic pools and 2 mini bosses and all packed into one smallish area.  After some time exploring and looting I slowly cleared the area and beat the bosses with a little help from some of my Sun Bros.  I even braved the fog woods once again to collect all the goodies hidden within (and almost die several times in the process).  Satisfied I had uncovered all the hidden goodies/NPC's etc... I continued on, past the Shaded Ruins and into the Door of Pharros.

The Door of Pharros is one of the main home bases for the Rat Bros.  The Rat Bros (as I like to call them) is a PvP covenant that protect certain areas of the game.  Basically they get to hang out in an area and attack other people trying to clear said area.  It's a special area that actually grabs you out of your game world and forces you into their game world.  Once there you have to deal with their enemies and of course the Rat Bro player too.  It's not much fun to get beat down but because you are summoned to another world, you don't lose your souls if you die while in their world.  So I pushed on and tried to ignore the unpleasant interruptions (only happened twice actually). 

One other interesting side effect of this area is that you can not summon co-op help.  You must complete the area on your own.  The level itself is not too bad but the Boss of the area was no joke.  Here we find the Royal Rat Authority.  You may remember the Royal Rat Vanguard earlier?  That was the other Rat Bro location in the game.  This is the older, nastier, bigger and uglier cousin.  And without being able to summon help for the Boss Fight, it was even harder.  So, in true Dark Souls fashion, I threw myself in over and over till I got a feel for the fight.  After several dozen attempts and changing up my strategy, I finally beat him.  His soul was mine and I could finally leave this accursed place. 

Following the path from the Boss fight I finally make my way the Brightstone Cove Tseldora.  This is the place I needed to reach.  Somewhere within it's depths was my prize.  The last Lord Soul required, the Duke's Dear Freja...

Stay tuned for part 2 coming up later today as I face off against a giant 2-headed spider and find my way to Drangelic Castle.

Part 2 of the Shaded Woods and the Duke's Dear Freja:  As I emerge from the small path I find a camp of sorts with tents, fires, hollow farmers and a bonfire.  The enemies here are easy to clear and so I make myself at home.  I get everything cleared and take time to level up, upgrade and generally restock.  It's been a long journey and I need to recoup.  After a brief pause I enlist the help of Kenny to clear the rest of the level.  We take turns and join each other’s games and one by one work our way through this crazy string of events.  This area also has really good level design but is spread out over a much larger area.  Some bits were so confusing or hard to navigate I actually took time out to try and find all the paths.  And even through I am now done with the area, I don't think I found everything here.  I'll need to go back at some point and really search. 
 
Still, We cleared the area with relative ease.  Note: Co-op is where it's at if you want a little break from banging you head against the wall solo.  We typically do a bit of both.  A little solo, summon help, go co-op for a while, die, repeat.  It's always interesting to see where we are when we are not playing together.  Usually we are pretty much running the same area at the same pace so when we need to co-op, it's pretty easy and generally we are in the same areas.
 
So, after a few hours we find ourselves down in a deep pit filled with spiders and spider webs.  Giant webs so big you actually use them to walk around the cavernous room.  All the way at the bottom is the Fog Door leading to the Boss fight I have been search for.  Interestingly, by the time I get here I was completely out of supplies and Estus Flasks (health packs).  But I decide that fortune favors the bold and rush in!  Surprisingly I do very well.  Unsurprisingly, I still die.
 
The Duke's Dear Freja is a giant two-headed spider thing with a head on each end and legs all around, and fully armored.  He can attack from any direction, has a very small hit location and he is very hard to damage.  It takes extra patience to beat him and crucial timing.  After a few goes Kenny and I find a solid strategy and emerge victorious in each of our games.  Victory is ours!  The final Lord Soul is mine so I light the fourth primal bonfire to head back to Majula for a much needed rest, repair, resupply and level-up.
 
Upon my return to Majula, I talk to the Herald ( <- sort of fire keeper and person who levels you up) and find that I have all that is required to move forward.  I am finally ready to move past the Shrine of Winter and begin my search for King Vendrick and the thrilling finale that is to follow.  This is end game type stuff and the level of difficulty is about to kick it up a notch.  Fortunately I have a three bad ass weapons including fully upgraded Halberd +10 , nicely upgraded armor and good vitality stats.  I feel like I am ready to take on the hardest of what this game has to offer.  I am ready! 
 
Coming up next is the tale of Drangleic Castle, Dual Dragonriders and the Looking Glass Knight.  Don't miss it.  It's gonna be epic.

Search of the King Part 1:
 
A new day and a new adventure.  Having recently defeated the 4 Lord Souls of the land, I took some time to rest and stock up on supplies prior to setting off on my new quest, the search for King Vendrick.  For the first time in Dark Souls 2 I really don’t know what I am supposed to do.  At the start of the game I find out that I need to find and defeat the 4 Lord Souls of the land in order to be allowed to continue.  I have to prove myself worthy.  King Vendrick actually did the same thing many years ago and built this kingdom as a result.  But the thing is, now that I have the Souls, I am not sure what to do next.  “Seek the King” is all I’m told. 
 
So with a pack full of supplies I head off in search of adventure (and the King).  My quest leads through the Shrine of Winter and up to the steps of Drangleic Castle, home of the King.  Here I am greeted by the Herald who give me some last little bit of encouragement before charging the castle.   I stop for a minute and take in the atmosphere.  It’s dark and gloomy.  The castle itself it tall and imposing with a center tower reaching well into the sky and it’s started raining, at night.  Overall, the mood is dark with a feeling of hopelessness.  It’s somehow a very sad place.  Still, I must forge ahead.  Slowly I climb the stairs leading up to the castle.
 
The climb itself was uneventfully, until you get to the top.  Once up top, DS2 kicks it into overdrive.  There is an extreme difficulty spike and all of a sudden I feel out of my depth.  The master of clearing levels and killing bosses is stopped dead in his tracks and now I feel completely unprepared.  This is by far the most difficult place I had been to in the game.  I am first greeted by 2 giant elephant guards.  They stand 20 ft tall in heavy armor with giant weapons and shields.  They greet you right at the top of the stairs in a confined area making it difficult to move/dodge their attacks.  And if that wasn’t quite enough, there are also archers taking shots at you all the while too.  Welcome to Drangelic Castle!  After several attempts I finally defeat the guards and enter the castle. 
 
Once inside I find the bonfire and rest up.  Here there are two ways to go.  One is currently blocked and the other leads to a room filled with statues and locked doors.  12 statues and 6 locked doors to be specific.  Upon entering the room… nothing.  There is a giant statue at the end of the room that I know to be a soul collector of sorts.  You have to kill an enemy within proximity to activate the contraption.  But currently, no enemies are around so I continue to explore.  As I get close, 2 of the soldier statues come to life and attack.  Cool!  Now I can kite them to the giant and fill the required soul container.  And that is exactly what I do.  Perfect!  Expect one thing… As I am fighting, I have to dodge.  As I fight/dodge/roll I move about the room and start to trigger more guards.  2 more wake up, then another two, then another 2 etc…  Now I have really stepped in it.  And that’s not all.  I fill the soul collector, but each door also has a soul collector type of lock.  So as I fight a few of the doors open.  What is inside you ask?  Oh just Sentry bosses.  Behind every single door but one.  So just to re-cap, this room features 12 guards and 5 Sentry bosses.  Welcome to Dark Souls 2!  Difficulty level? Expert. 
 
This is going to be fun!  Stay tuned as I continue my assault on the castle and search for the King and battle the Twin Dragonriders as well as the Looking Glass Knight.

Search of the King Part 2:
 
When we last left our hero he was facing a particularly difficult problem.  The only way forward was thru a near impossible fight that included 12 regular soldier and 5 mini bosses.  All in the same room, at the same time.  Now to give this a little more context let me explain something.  In DS2 EVERY enemy can kill you.  Even the little ones, no matter how awesome you think you are.  Now generally speaking the rule of DS2 is that any 1 enemy can be defeated, no matter how big or scary.  One on one, you can succeed.  Add another and things get dicey.  Add two more and you basically have to try and agro 1 at a time or you are going to die.  Also of note is that up to this point the game only throws about 4-5 bad guys max in any 1 small area.  Those areas are really hard if they all agro at the same time.  Now back to the castle…  Can you imagine how hard this room is now?  I dub thee:  Room of Death.
 
I honestly can’t tell you the number of times I died trying to clear that room.  It borders on the absurd and in fact was never fully cleared.  I actually had to resort to scouting missions where I would just run thru the (now open) doors and explore said rooms until I died from my pursuers, then repeat.  After dying a few more times exploring I finally find all the goodies and the way out.  So I summon up one more time and… RUN LIKE HELL!  Once safely past my welcoming party the rest of the level is not too bad.  I summon Kenny and vice versa as we work through the level in each game but we did manage to clear most of the level solo. 
 
In fact, I actually came to my first fog door while playing solo.  Not knowing what was on the other side I pushed thru to check it out and found myself in one of 2 boss fights in the castle: The Duel Dragonriders.  Frankly I was caught off guard and was not expecting a Boss fight.  Normally the first fog door you come across is just unlocking more of the area.  Not this time!  So alone and unprepared I faced the pair of deadly Dragonriders (interestingly, they do NOT ride dragons, at least not in the fight).  Anyone want to guess what happens next?  Victory or Death?....  WRONG!  Victory!!!!  I schooled the sh1t out of those dudes on the first try!  Honestly, after the Room of Death, this was a cake walk.  I was like, only two?  No problem.  And so fell my first boss after heading thru the Shrine of Winter and final stages of the game. 
 
The next bit was mostly co-op as Kenny caught up shortly after.  Also making quick solo work of the DDR’s.  We cleared the rest of the castle fairly easily, even got to meet the Queen.  Not hostile or even approachable, she seemed one of the few sane people left in the world and indicated that she would like to see the King “removed” from power citing that “we didn’t need two rulers”.  I think she is gunning for the thrown and wants him out of the way but it’s too early to tell since I have yet to meet the King.  So the search continued as we cleared each section.  From the highest tower to the lowest dungeon, we finally find ourselves facing off with the Looking Glass Knight.  This is one of the most common Bosses featured in demo’s of the game prior to release.  I was bracing for one of the hardest fights in the game… sadly, that was not the case.  Solo, I am pretty sure he is next to impossible to beat.  Crazy fast move set and near perfect hit percentage when he strikes make this guy real dangerous.  But co-op, you can split the agro and just beat the guy down.  Especially in my case as I summoned both Kenny and an NPC to help out.  The NPC agro’d most of the fight and we just destroyed.  First try once again, in both worlds.
 
After the fight I look out at the sad and soggy vista.  There is a point over looking it all with a friendly note lying on the ground left by another player.  The note reads: “This is where Dark Souls 2 really begins”. Nice!  And as I have searched the entire castle the King is still not found, deeper into the world I must go.  What happened?  Where did he go?  And Why?  Stay tuned as we find out.  Coming up next is the tale of the Shrine of Amana and haunting melody of the Milfanito.
 
*Side note: Kenny being more bad ass than me, he did manage to clear the Room of Death early before moving on.

Search of the King Part 3:
 
After defeating the Looking Glass Knight we find our hero with more questions than answers.  Well, ok, this is a Souls game so there are always more questions than answers but you know what I mean.  We completely cleared Drangleic Castle and there is no King to be found.  Where did he go and what state will I find him in?  Has he gone completely mad?  Gone Hollow?  I don’t know but something tells me it’s not going to be a social affair like we had with the Queen.  Regardless, I must forge ahead.  Just beyond the boss fight I find an elevator contraption that leads deep down into the unknown.  I think it’s time to find out what he was guarding. 
 
I step on the plate and the elevator rushes me down into the pit.  When it finally stops I find myself deep underground in a series of tunnels burrowed into the ground.  As I slowly progress I begin to hear something that I had never heard before.  Music?  Singing?  A haunting melody is softly echoing through the tunnels.  I can barely hear it.  As I progress further, the singing get louder and more clear.  There is definitely someone or something singing up ahead, and it’s beautiful and sad at the same time.  Closer and closer I get until the tunnel opens up into a giant underground cave.  Easily as big as any other section of the map.  I come out near the top of the cave and the whole place is laid before me to see.  Lit with iridescent plants and torches you see the ruins of building and the whole thing is sitting on a giant underground lake.  I take in the view from up top as the singing plays an eerily beautiful soundtrack.  It’s really quite something to behold.  You see, it’s not always the difficulty of the game that hooks you.  The peaceful moments can be just as enjoyable.  Especially after being beat down so much along the way.  So I take a minute and drink in the moment.  Before me is the Shrine of Amana.  Fantastic.
 
Sadly, I still have a quest to get to so I gather my courage and head down to the lake to see what really lies ahead.  Not that you can tell from up top but this beautiful location is filled with bad guys trying to kill you.  Most of them are lizard like creatures hiding in the water with a few mage type character throwing spells at you.  The singing is louder.  I battle in the shallow waters, burning torch in hand to help me see the edge of the shallows.  It’s harder to fight down here.  The water can slow your movement and normally I fight two-handed.  But by equipping a torch, I can see, but I also take a hit to the damage I can do with my Halberd.  It’s a cleaver trade off the game forces you to choose.  Wielding one-handed yields less damage.  To further complicate things I can’t roll in the water without putting out my torch and killing the much needed light.  The whole thing forces me to do things differently but I make progress.  The singing gets even louder.  As I battle I see a little hut (I could see it from up top too) and the path is taking me straight there.  As I approach the house, the singing stops.  The area is silent.  Immediate enemies are dead and the whole place seems as quite as a grave.  I open the door…
 
Inside the hut I find a mostly blind little old lady.  One of the Milfanito.  Strange old soothsayer type of ladies you meet in the very beginning of the game.  One of three sisters.   She says she “sings for the undead”.  It’s nice and soothing plus she is not hostile so I talk to her and exit the hut via a side door that leads to more of the Shrine.  Honestly, I thought it might be a siren or something along those lines but it was nice to find one of the sisters simply singing to sooth the undead.  It certainly worked for me and made the whole level stand out from the rest of the game so far.  Sadly there is no rest for the cursed and I must continue on.  If I stay in one place too long, I might just give up and go hollow like so many before me.  No, I must forge ahead!
 
Stay tuned as our adventure continues with the Demon of Song and the Undead Crypt.

I'm back! After a brief hiatus I am back in action and closing in on the end of the game.  My story is continued below...

Search of the King Part 4:
 
As we last left our hero we found ourselves deep in the Shrine of Amana. Having met my first Milfinito I was headed into the unknown searching for the King. Past the hut with the Milfinito is more of the same. It’s a large underground cave/lake littered with hidden enemies and hard to see edges that drop you into the depths of the lake and instant death. Lizardmen fight close melee while wizards fire Soul Arrows at you from a distance and all the while the water restricts you movement. Aside from the hard to explain beauty of the place, overall, this is not a pleasant place to be. Still, I push on through the lake taking refuge where I can. Shortly after the hut with the first Milfinito I find a much needed Bonfire. Going on from here is slow progress and I die more times than I’d like to admit. It was not overly difficult but after a break for about a week I was off my game.
 
As I slowly make my way I find another hut with a some much needed assistance. Inside is the summoning sign for an NPC, Felicia the Brave. At first I thought it was odd to find her here in the middle of a level. Usually NPC’s are found directly before a Boss fight.  Still, I summon her and head out into the darkness once more. Things are much easier now. Felicia is a freakin tank! As she draws the agro, I clean up. One by one we take out the bad guys and clear the level. Progress comes quicker and I find another Bonfire. From here it got a little harry again, even with Felicia. The next area is sort of like an arena filled with about 6-7 Lizardmen, 3 wizards and an instanced invasion by a Dark Spirit warrior/mage. Somehow we manage to clear the area and finally make our way to the Fog Gate leading the Boss area.  Greeting us there is the second Milfinito. She is not very talkative and simply vanishes after engaging her in conversation. Strange but I have no time to figure it out as just down the stairs is the Demon of Song.
 
Littered on the floor in front of the Fog Gate were several summoning signs. I pick one (fellow Sun Bro) and head in for the fight. Upon entering I find a giant frog with a human looking face. His skin is made out of an incredibly strong material that deflects all attacks. Fortunately he does have a weakness and I learn how to exploit it. Felicia and Sun Bro fight well and after a short time the Demon falls leaving me his Soul and a Key. It takes me a while but I finally remember where to use said key.  Back up in Drangelic Castle, in the highest tower was a locked cage containing the last Milfinito.  I head there after a brief detour to level up and re-equip. After freeing the last Milfinito I head back to the Shrine of Amana and finish up exploring the area and collect my reward.
 
In my exploring I find all sorts of good stuff. Mostly high level magic stuff I don’t use and the area is surprisingly full of hidden treasure (and a few more deaths lol).  But among the little treats of the area is the Shrine to the Milfinito nestled in the back corner of the map past the Boss area.  Now back in the Shrine, the sisters thank me for my help and give me some rewards for my trouble plus a lot of treasure to loot. Now with the area cleared and the rewards gathered there is only one place left to go.  The final path leads to a large imposing door. A door that leads to the Crypt of the Undead.
 
Stay tuned as we finally track down King Vendrick in the final chapter of Search for the King. Coming up is the Undead Crypt and the Lost King…

Search of the King Part 5:
 
The large door creeks open and a hallway leading deeper into the cave sits in front of me.  This is the path to the Undead Crypt.  As I walk I start to hear a voice warning me to put out any light prior to entering.  The undead have been trapped here for thousands of years and take offence to the light.  I have been warned.  Fortunately, it’s not too dark down here so I heed the advice and put out my torch.  Soon I come to a small alcove with 3 undead soldiers and the Grave Warden Agdayne (the man who warned me about the light).  After a brief chat I find that the King is indeed deep within the Undead Crypt being protected by his loyal guards and Velstadt, The Royal Aegis.  Many have come before me.  Servants and warriors alike.  All have failed.  “Perhaps the King want to be left alone” he tells me.  Regardless, “Seek the King” is what I have been told and that is exactly what I must do.
 
Here is where it gets a little tricky.  The Undead Crypt is full of never ending undead zombies.  Unlike the rest of the places I have visited, these guys constantly respawn all the time.  Once you enter a grave site, they start spawning and they don’t stop till you are gone.  Fortunately, they are not too difficult to beat but the never ending nature makes it difficult to explore the dark corners of this area.  Time and patience are required here.  After a short while I find myself staring at a pit I have to drop into in order to proceed.  I do so but only at my peril.  It’s not the fall that gets me.  It’s the room I drop into.  It’s dark and there are 4 paths leading out.  Only one leads to salvation and if I linger too long the undead sound an alarm which summons several specters and almost assured destruction.  I spend many attempts trying to find my way.  Unfortunately once you drop down it’s very disorientating and the pressure starts to get to you.  Eventually, by dumb luck I find my way out to relative safety, for a moment.  For it’s here that I find a very large and ornate crypt worthy of a king.  And at the far end?  A Fog Gate.  This is the place.  Now I just have to get there.
 
At first it seems pretty straight forward but there is a bit of a catch.  First off there is a zombie hiding under the stairs and rings an alarm if you don’t catch him in time.  This makes the whole thing a little more difficult by summoning more guards to help out.  Still, one by one I make my way to the Fog Gate.  It’s not easy but not too difficult either.  The second hiccup I find once I reach the Fog Gate and enter the mist.  For on the other side was NOT King Vendrick but Velstadt, The Royal Aegis and a proper Boss fight.  He is a big and imposing guy in full dress armor wielding a giant hammer and some arcane magic too.  Several of his attacks are able to one shot kill you so you need to be on you game here.  Especially his magic attacks.  So I summon some bros and we get to work.  After several attempts and some help from my bros I am able to take down the Velstadt, the Kings final guardian.  Just beyond I finally find King Vendrick.
 
Unfortunately, King Vendrick is no long himself.  Locked away for so long he is just a shell of his former self.  Wandering around in a circular crypt and dragging a great sword in his wake.  He is not hostile but don’t not speak either.  Just a husk of a man lost many years ago and locked away, muttering incomprehensibly.  But he was not always so.  After all, he built this kingdom upon the souls of the Four Great Ones and ruled for many, probably hundreds of years.  He was no fool.  He saw what was coming.  He saw the undead curse sweep across the land and he took precautions, even tried to stop it but ultimately failed and when hollow himself.  Still, there in the room, lying on the ground is the King’s Ring.  The symbol of the King, lost and forgotten.  With this item I can now progress through three locked doors sealed by the King long ago.  His plan is still in action even long after he was lost.  He sealed these places so that no one but he could pass.  It’s time to find out what is behind door #1…
 
Stay tuned as we bring this adventure to a close and expose the real power dwelling in Drangleic. Coming up next is the tale of Aldia’s Keep and the Royal Socerer Navlaan…

** P.S. Not much left here.  Probably just 2 or 3 more entries left.  I have completed the game at this point and just have to write it all up.  Hope you enjoy.  It's been an amazing game to play.

The Endless Cycle Part 1:
 
After meeting the King I am left even more confused.  I expected to either have to fight him as the final boss or have him tell me some great revelation.  I got neither.  All I got for my troubles was the Kings Ring.  Fortunately, as with most things in Dark Souls 2, the smallest thread will eventually unravel a greater mystery.  So… time to start pulling.
 
I stock up, level up and head out.  First stop?  Back to the Shaded Woods and the first Kings Door.  If you recall, there were three paths leading from the Shaded Woods.  I explored the other two in earlier adventures but the third was locked tight.  Now is the time to proceed.  As I approach the door I am given the message to “Produce the symbol of the King” so I switch out one of my rings for the King’s Ring and the door automatically begins to open.  Behind the door lies Aldia Keep.  Aldia was the brother of King Venderick and it becomes clear as I progress that he was obsessed with the creatures of this land and perhaps even responsible for some of their creation.
 
As I enter the Keep I am greeted by a long hall that enters into a grand foyer where an ancient dragon once stood guard.  All that remains are the bone of the great creature, frozen in time.  It’s impressive and a bit scary.  Especially as the whole thing starts to shake and this massive fossil lunges at you with one last attempt to protect the Keep.  Fortunately in its condition the lunge is its final act.  As it crashes into the wall behind me the force of the impact shatters the frail bones and the dragon turns to dust.  With the dragon out of the way I can explore the rest of the area with relative ease.  The first thing I come to is a lever with about 20 messages strewn across the hall.  All of them say “Pull back” or “Don’t you dare”.  Well, if someone tells you to NOT pull a lever, what are you gonna do? 
 
That’s right, you guessed it.  I pulled that lever and across the hall a barrier is released setting free Navlaan, the Royal Sorcerer.  Nice guy it seems.  I go talk to him and he gives me some information and even offers to sell me some wares.  Probably grateful to me for setting him free.  Job well done then.  Moving on. 
 
Further within the inner walls of the Keep we find all manner of creatures caged up for study and extermination.  We find tools and books of study and bones of long dead creatures strewn across tables and little worker type bad guys toiling away on various experiments.  Eventually, I reach what I liked to call “the Gauntlet”, a long corridor filled with caged creatures and chained up locked doors.  The reason I call it “the Gauntlet” is because once you make it to the end of the hall, a Troll busts through one of the locked doors and proceeds to chase you back down the corridor.  These guys have a lot of HP, strong attack and take up the whole hallway.  Very dangerous in a tight space.  Running seems like a good idea but it’s not.  As you run, he follows bashing all the cages along the way.  Each one setting free another creature intent on killing you. 
 
It doesn’t take long to die and realize the error of my ways.  So lesson learned.  My next attempt at the Gauntlet is more clever.  This time I use the side rooms and sneak around to get behind the Troll.  Success! ...until another Troll busts in from another door.  And now I have two Trolls in a tight space… and… wait for it… Navlaan, the Royal Sorcerer invades my world as a Dark Spirit!  WTF???  That Dark Souls gratitude for ya.  Guess I should have listened to all those messages telling me to “pull back” after all.  What a dick!  Eventually I make it through like all things in Dark Souls.  Time, patience and some jolly cooperation get me through “the Gauntlet” and onto the Fog Gate they were guarding…
 
Stay tuned for Dragons, Dragons and more Dragons!!!!!  MOTHER FREAKIN DRAGONS!!!  Sh!t’s about to get real as I attempt to clear the hardest level of the game…

Lol not only did you run into trolls but you were trolled by a wizard.

S7 OC wrote:Lol not only did you run into trolls but you were trolled by a wizard.

Dark Souls has an odd sense of cruel, cruel humor.  And it's not the last we hear from Navlaan either.  Very cool character in general.  In Kenny's game he is still safely locked up and is giving him assassination missions of NPC characters.

Almost there!...



The Endless Cycle Part 2:
 
I step through the mist and find myself face to face with a big ass fire breathing dragon locked in what is basically a giant bird cage.  Unlike the last dragon, this one is very much alive and not to happy to see me.  Truthfully, while scary, the dragon is not very difficult to beat.  Kenny and I make short work of him and move on.  Behind his cage is an elevator leading up to a location called Dragon Aerie.  As the elevator moves up I am treated to quite a sight.  Here high above the rest of Drangleic lies an amazing network of bridges and tunnels that is home to the dragons of the land.  The skies are literally filled with dragons flying all around.  Some of them buzzing just over your head.  It’s quite an amazing sight, if not a little unnerving. 
 
We are greeted by our friend the Emerald Herald who claims “the dragons welcome me” and that it was she who drew my to this land in hopes that I could set her free and the rest of the people of the land.  Well, the dragons may welcome me but they have a funny way of showing it.  As I clear the area I have to defeat no less than 3 dragons and I have to do it solo (later I find out that there is no official boss here so I cannot summon help as normal).  Fortunately, I have had a little practice and make short work of the giant beasts.  Also fortunately, they do not respawn once killed so I only have to kill each one once.  But you know who doesn’t follow the normal rules of the game?  Mother freakin Navlaan!  He invades again!  This time on a narrow rickety bridge.  WTF???  I already banished him once.  Why is he back for more?  Bastard gets me too!  But I make it back and this time I am ready and dispose of him once again.
 
Moving through the tunnels and bridges lead me to a large and imposing looking castle called the Dragon Shrine.  This is where the real my real struggle began.  If I thought “the Gauntlet” was hard I had no idea what I was getting into.  This place is filled with some of the hardest enemies in the game and once again I have to go solo.  I’m not sure how long it took, but several hours later and probably 100’s of deaths I finally clear a path and make my way to see the Ancient Dragon.  It was one of the hardest things I had to complete in the game and almost caused me to throw my controller several times.  Fortunately, he is friendly and offers me a very valuable item.  The Ashen Mist Heart, a mysterious item that allows you to enter the memory of a giant.  Something I must obtain to continue further. 
 
** (I didn’t know it at the time but the Boss here is optional and you cannot summon help until you agro him. He is at the end of the area so solo is required until you make it all the way through once.  You can attack him but I don’t recommend it.  He is actually a nice dragon, and about 10 times larger than the other dragons I killed on the way.)
 
So with my prize in hand I head back to Majula for some much need rest and resupply.  Up next is the final chapter of my adventure.  Stay tuned for the thrilling conclusion as we pull back the curtain on the real puppeteer…

Awesome reads intersepter. I got one character to searching for the King right when you have enough souls. I started a dark mage and love the ability to have 96 magic bolts. My main is a cleric with lighting at about level ~110. Sorry I can't play with you guys hopefully in time ill get some $.