The Hunt: Dark Souls 1 - Blighttown & Quelaag's Domain

Previously, the Chosen Undead slogged their way through the Depths, a network of sewers and caves and home of the butchers and the Gaping Dragon. Now that they're out of there, it has to get better, right? It can't get much more disgusting than sewers. Or it can. Welcome to the cesspit known as Blighttown, where the sewers drain.

via YucheeEL

Synopsis - Blighttown & Quelaag's Domain

 
Blighttown is a vile and poisonous place where the sewers of Lordran empty. The residents of this cesspit live in decrepit shanties and bear the mark of living in such a place, infected with a sickness that produces a lovely substance known as blight puss. This is likely the most repulsive place to dwell in Lordran, and by far the worst smelling.

Although she's infected by the desctructive forces of Chaos, it is a wonder that daughter of the Witch of Izalith, Quelaag, would choose to dwell so close to this damnable placed. Perhaps she guards Izalith just beyond, or the second Bell of Awakening. Or perhaps she has more personal reasons...

The Chosen Undead tested the idea of undeath as they walked, hopped, and dropped their way through upper Blighttown. They dodged toxic darts, swatted away mosquitoes the size of a large dog, and literally had shit thrown at them. Finally they reached the comfort of the poisonous swamp at the bottom of Blighttown, where Maneater Mildred tried to eat them up. Having survived (relatively speaking) Blighttown, they squashed the arachnoid Chaos Witch Quelaag, chatted with Eingyi, spoke witch with  The Fair Lady, popped a squat with Quelaana of Izalith, and range the second Bell of Awakening, opening the gate to Sen's Fortress. Then they stopped back in Firelink Shrine, where they gave Laurentius of the Great Swamp some hot tips, found Anastacia of Astora even less talkative than normal, and learned the fate of the Undead from the primordial serpent Kingseeker Frampt.

Maneater Mildred

Oh here she comes, watch out boy/girl she'll chew you up! Mildred Maneater! Maneater Mildred is associated with the butchers of the Depths. Like the other butchers, Mildred has a taste for human flesh, making her title quite literal. The Chosen Undead first meets her as an invading phantom, where she presumably has come to acquire a meal. The Chosen Undead bests her in this fight, and her tune changes quite dramatically. She offers assistance to the Chosen Undead in their fight against Quelaag. I guess she is just living by the old motto, "If you can't eat 'em, join 'em".

Chaos Witch Quelaag

Quelaag is one of the daughters of the Witch of Izalith. After the creation of the Chaos Flame, Quelaag was transformed into a spider below her torso. She left Izalith with her sister, only known as the Fair Lady, and made their home here on the outskirts of Blighttown. Her motives for standing between the Chosen Undead and the second Bell of Awakening are not yet clear, but that won't stop CU from clearing out the obstacles that stand in their path.
 

Eingyi

"Oh dear… What have we here? Are you a new servant?"

Eingyi is a pyromancer from the Great Swamp. He was banished from the Great Swamp for creating poisonous pyromancies. While Blighttown would never be a great place, one can't help but wonder if Eingyi didn't foolishly use his despicable spells in Blighttown as well, permanently tainting the ecology. Whether by his own doing or as a natural consequence of living in Blighttown, Eingyi became infected with blight pus. Showing him great kindness, the Fair Lady sucked the blight pus from his body. He pledged himself to her, becoming a carrier of her vile maggot eggs, parasitic creatures that grow in large eggs buried beneath the host's skin. 

 

Quelaag's Sister (The Fair Lady)

"I'll be fine. I have you, dear sister. But promise me… that you will take care of yourself." 

Quelaag's sister, referred to as the Fair Lady by Eingyi,  is another daughter of the Witch of Izalith. Like her sister Quelaag, she was transformed into a spider below her waist. She is blind, and sucking the blight pus from the residents of Blighttown has nearly killed her. In order to keep her alive, she was made the Firekeeper of Quelaag's Domain. 

The Chosen Undead uses the Old Witche's ring to be able to communicate with her. Delusional and blind, she mistakes the Chosen Undead for Quelaag. She laments her poor health, but is comforted that Quelaag is there to be with her. Quelaag is also her major source of Humanity, the only thing that keeps her from dying. So, as it turns out, Quelaag was fighting the Chosen Undead for their humanity to feed her ailing sister. You monster.

There is also another source by which she receives humanity. She is the leader of the Chaos Servants covenant, which the Chosen Undead can join. A member of the Chaos Servants brings her humanity, and doing so will improve her health. The Chosen Undead has already killed her sister, perhaps they can stop the bloodshed and just try and avoid any Servants of Chaos.

Quelaana of Izalith

Quelaana is the third daughter of the Witch of Izalith that the Chosen Undead meets in Blighttown. Having fled Izalith before Chaos could transform her, she journeyed to the Great Swamp where she became the Mother of Pyromancy. She taught her magic to Salaman, the greatest pyromancer in the world 200 years prior.Seeing potential in the Chosen Undead, she agrees to teach them as she once taught Salaman.

She also requests a favor from the Chosen Undead. She explains that it was 1000 years ago that her mother attempted to re-create the First Flame, but instead created the Chaos Flame that consumed her mother and sisters. She asks the Chosen Undead to kill them, so that they might know peace. 

Video
The Outsider - Dark Souls Lore: Quelana by DaveControl
This video tells the story of Quelaana, daughter of the Witch of Izalith. (Spoilers)

Back in Firelink Shrine...

Laurentius of the Great Swamp

"Ah, hello, there.
You've been a stranger these days.
Why, what spectacular pyromancy.
Tell me about it. I have never seen anything like it."

The pyromancer the Chosen Undead rescued from the Depths has quickly become a valuable resource for their pyromancy needs. Upon seeing Quelaana's unique pyromancy in the Chosen Undead's possession, Laurentius cannot help but inquire where they discovered it. The Chosen Undead tells them, and they set off to find Quelaana in Blighttown. This will be the last time the Chosen Undead speaks with Laurentius, for the next time they meet is at the bottom of Blighttown, where Laurentius has gone Hollow. RIP Laurentius.

Anastacia of Astora & Lautrec of Carim

 

There is no easy way to say this; Anastacia has been murdered and her soul taken by Lautrec of Carim. Without a Firekeeper, the bonfire at Firelink Shrine, easily the most central bonfire, has gone out. Lautrec will pay for what he has done, but not today. 

Kingseeker Frampt

 "Ahh, hello. Was it you who rang the Bell of Awakening?
I am the Primordial Serpent, Kingseeker Frampt, close friend of the Great Lord Gwyn.
Chosen Undead, who has rung the Bell of Awakening.
I wish to elucidate your fate.
Do you seek such enlightenment?" 

Kingseeker Frampt is found in the pool at Firelink Shrine upon ringing the second Bell of Awakening. Kingseeker Frampt is a primordial serpent, a mysterious an ancient creature. Franpt tells the Chosen Undead that their fate is to succeed Lord Gwyn by linking the flame and casting away the Dark. To do this, Frampt instructs the Chosen Undead to pass through Sen's Fortress and make their way to Anor Londo, the city of the gods, where they will procure the Lordvessel that will take them to the Kiln of the First Flame. 

And with that, the Chosen Undead begins their journey to Sen's Fortress.

Community Content

Videos
Dark Souls Story ► The Sisters of Chaos by VaatiVidya 
This video looks at the fate of the daughters of the Witch of Izalith. (Spoilers)
Dark Souls Story ► The Heroes of Firelink Shrine by VaatiVidya This video examines the importance of Firelink Shrine and its meaning for those who pass through it. (Spoilers)

Article
Blighttown Theory by SomeGirlToldMeISound
Provides a possible explanation of what Blighttown once was.

Podcast
Episode 5: Blighttown by Bonfireside Chat
In this episode, Gary, Kole, and their guest discuss the experience, design, and lore of Blighttown.


Other Content 
Episode 6 - Vanilla Souls by Twin Humanities
This time, Paddy and CJ chat about travels in Blighttown and Sens Fortress, two HORRIBLE PLACES. (Spoilers)
Dark Calls 15 - Blighttown and Dark Calls 16 - Quelaag by Dark Calls
James makes his way into Blighttown. Finally. James goes up against Quelaag and gets a little eggy.
 

Additional Thoughts

I am actually surprised by how much important narrative and lore content is in this post. For one thing, it is worth noting that the Souls games have a tradition of having a horrible poison area, and Blighttown is that location in Dark Souls. It is safe to bet that there will be a similarly themed area in Dark Souls 3. 

Another narrative archetype in the series is the loss of an important character. In Demon's Souls, a character named Yurt would murder the NPCs in the Nexus. Lautrec is the equivalent in Dark Souls, murdering Anastacia and extinguishing one of the most important bonfires in the entire game. This really ratchets up the tension in the game. It makes the player wonder what other conveniences or seemingly safe elements of the game could come apart at any moment. I think this sense of panic and wonder at what has occurred is what makes the murder of Anastacia such a memorable moment, versus an annoyance. 

Then there are the Daughters of Chaos. While they individually are unlikely to have a huge impact in Dark Souls 3, the concept of the Chaos Flame is something that still seems ripe to explore. It could just be a large plot point in Dark Souls 1, but I'm hoping that Dark Souls 3 explores it further. There is just something very compelling about this twisted form of life that sprung from an attempt to upset the status quo. 

Some of this is wishful thinking, or maybe I just didn't want to label the information of yet another post as unimportant, but I think that information in this post is:

 

Thanks for reading this post! The next post will cover Sen's Fortress.