The Hunt: Dark Souls 1 - Sen's Fortress

Last time, the Chosen Undead rang the Bells of Awakening and met with Kingseeker Frampt, who revealed that the Chosen Undead is to succeed Lord Gwyn by acquiring the Lordvessel in the City of the Gods, Anor Londo. To get to Anor Londo, the Chosen Undead must brave the notorious Sen's Fortress.

via darksouls.wikia.com

Synopsis - Sen's Fortress

The Berenike Knights. The Balder Knights. Big Hat Logan. Undead Prince Ricard. From Astora to Vinheim spread tales of the renowned warriors. The Undead curse spread, and these afflicted soldiers traveled to Lordran. Some sought to fulfill the prophecy of the Chosen Undead, some sought knowledge, and some just wanted to be a hero. Despite their differences, they all shared one thing:  It was Sen's Fortress that defeated them.

Sen's Fortress is the sole path to the City of the Gods, Anor Londo, where the Chosen Undead seeks to attain the Lordvessel. As if ringing the two Bells of Awakening were not enough, the Chosen Undead must prove themselves by making their way through a violent fortress of horrors. 

Sen means "one thousand" in Japanese, a number that could appropriately describe the number of traps the fortress employs. Whether or not this fortress existed previously as a barrier to Anor Londo, it became a testing ground for Chosen Undead to prove themselves worthy to succeed Gwyn.

Sen's Fortress is inhabited by serpent men, who are agents of Seath the Scaleless. While their presence here is not fully understood, it makes sense that Seath would would want to keep the Chosen Undead from acquiring the Lorrdvessel (which will be covered more in a future post). Another reason that Seath may have a presence here is that Sen's Fortress is a great place to capture people, which is something of a pastime of Seath's.

The Chosen Undead's Journey

The Chosen Undead entered Sen's Fortress, surviving a slew of rigged arrow traps, swinging axes, and serpent men. They aided Siegmeyer of Catarina in his quest to make it through Sen's Fortress by helping him to overcome a weakness that I personally share with the onion knight: an ability to outrun boulders rolling at me . CU helped Sir Onion, avoiding the rolling stones and redirecting their path. Then Chosen Undead learned that they could never trust a chest again when they encountered a Mimic, a creature that looks like a chest but acts like a venus Undead trap. Then they found a hat locked in a cage. They freed the hat, and attached to it was the renowned sorcerer Big Hat Logan. Climbing the fortress further, the Chosen Undead fenced with the Undead Prince Ricard, winning the bout. Nearing the top, the Chosen Undead meets the Crestfallen Merchant, who assures CU that they will not make it Anor Londo and they should turn back immediately.

Comforting. 

The final challenge for the Chosen Undead was to topple the mighty Iron Golem, and with the help of Black Iron Tarkus, they were successful. Now nothing stood between the Chosen Undead and Anor Londo! Well, almost nothing. There stood a 50 foot wall between the Chosen Undead and the city. How will they overcome this challenge? Find out next time!

Siegmeyer

via darksouls.wikidot.com

"Quite honestly, I have run flat up against a wall…Or, a ball, to be precise.I'm afraid I'm a bit too plump to be outrunning those things, so here I sit in quite a pickle. Weighing my options, so to speak! Hah hah hah hah!"

The Chosen Undead once again crosses paths with Siegmeyer of Catarina, where he is quite literally between a rock and a hard place. This particular rock rolls, and unlike Indiana Jones, Siegmeyer is unable to outpace it in his bulky armor. The Chosen Undead goes ahead of him and redirects the path of the boulder, allowing the old knight to continue on his quest.

Videos 
Dark Souls Lore mini - Siegmeyer of Catarina by EpicNameBro
This video explores Siegmeyer's character and story. (Spoilers)

Dark Souls Lore - Siegmeyer by Silver Mont
This video explores Siegmeyer's character and story. (Spoilers)

Dark Souls Story ► Siegmeyer of Catarina  by VaatiVidya
This video explores Siegmeyer's character and story. (Spoilers)

Mimics

via darksouls.wikidot.com

Mimics don't play a role in the narrative or have significance to the lore of Dark Souls (although the theory below is very cool), but they're being highlighted because of their experiential value to the series. Dark Souls weaponizes comfort and familiarity. The game does this because much of the challenge and reward of experiencing the game is paying attention, making discoveries, and being punished when you fail to see the trail of breadcrumbs.

Mimics take the achievement of opening a chest and turn it into a test. This first mimic in Sen's Fortress sits askew in the room, its chain uncoiled, and faintly heaves up and down as it breathes. It will reward the astute player, and punish the inattentive one. More than that, it now makes every future chest a possible threat, expanding the possibilities of what could happen in every situation moving forward.

The mimic's design is the perfect combination of goofy and terrifying. Mimics have gangly arms and legs that shoot out of the chest to grab the Chosen Undead and sprout from underneath to raise the chest above the CU's head, respectively. It gnaws on the CU with teeth composed of fingers that one can imagine work to thrust the mimic's victim into the belly of the chest. It does all of this while it's tongue waggles out of the mouth of the chest, flailing in the most ridiculous and upsetting way.

The mimic can be triggered without grabbing the Chosen undead by hitting the chest before opening it, or it can be pacified with Lloyd's Talisman. Slaying it or pacifying it will produce the item the mimic was holding as reward.

I've spent paragraphs describing the mimic because I think the mimic embodies the ethos of Dark Souls. It does not present itself obviously. It provides subtle clues for the observant, and punishes the unobservant. It is aesthetically evocative and meticulously designed. It rewards those who overcome the challenge. These tenants of design can be seen in how Dark Souls plays as a game, how it builds the world, and how it tells its story. This first encounter displays all of these qualities, and presents a wonderful moment that is a microcosm of the game as a whole.

Check out the video below to see the mimic in action (note that this is not the same encounter).



Article
New theory on what or who the mimics are. by Phantom_Renegade23
This article presents a theory on the origin of the mimics. (spoilers)

Big Hat Logan

via darksouls.wikidot.com

"Mm, you seem quite lucid! A rare thing in these times. 

I am Logan. I'm a bit cooped up, as you can see.

I have a bright idea. Suppose you set me free?

I'm old and empty-handed, but i could repay you with my knowledge, and sorcery. 

This place is melting my mind. The inactivity is repressive!"

Big Hat Logan is a legendary sorcerer from the Dragon School of Vinheim who has traveled to Lordran in pursuit of the knowledge contained within the Regal Archives in Anor Londo. He does not believe in gods or transcendence, only truth, and he will go to any lengths to discover it. The Chosen Undead finds Big Hat Logan barred from pursuing the Regal Archives, locked in a cage in Sen's Fortress. He says he is going mad from the inactivity, and offers to teach the Chosen Undead spells in exchange for releasing him. Upon releasing him, Logan returns to Firelink Shrine to take notes, promising to impart his knowledge to the Chosen Undead when they are next at Firelink Shrine. Next time, the Chosen Undead should consider asking for compensation up front.

Video
Dark Souls Story ► Big Hat Logan by VaatiVidya
This video presents the story of Big Hat Logan. (spoilers)

Undead Prince Ricard

via darksouls.wikidot.com

Ricard, a prince of Astora, traveled the land with the hope of completing the archetypal hero's journey. Instead, his ill-conceived journey cost him his life and he turned Undead. Undead Prince Ricard left Astora and journeyed north to Lordran. Perhaps he thought that he could become a hero in undeath as the Chosen Undead, and braved Sen's Fortress to reach Anor Londo. Whatever he hoped to accomplish was not meant to be, as the Chosen Undead finds him Hollow.

Article
Undead Prince Ricard Speculation by _happiecat
This article presents an interpretation of the life, death, and undeath of Ricard.

Black Iron Tarkus

via darksouls.wikidot.com

Unlike the Undead Prince, Black Iron Tarkus is a true hero. The Knights of Berenike are known for their heavy armour and martial prowess, and Tarkus was the most legendary of these knights. Wearing black iron armor, Tarkus and other Berenike Knights made their way to Anor Londo as the Darksign spread. Their goal was to discover the fate of the Undead and find a way to halt the curse. Many Berenike Knights did not make it through Sen's Fortress or passed the Iron Golem to Anor Londo, but Tarkus did. He made his way through Anor Londo, until he was forced to traverse narrow rafters to continue. His heavy armour was not made for such agile work, and he tragically fell to his death.

However, time is convoluted in Lordran. Though Tarkus may have perished, his spirit fights on. He placed his summon sign in Sen's Fortress to help others defeat the Iron Golem and continue onto Anor Londo and succeed where he failed. Black Iron Tarkus is so mighty that when summoned to aid the Chosen Undead in fighting the Iron Golem, the Chosen Undead only needed to stand back and survive the encounter. Black Iron Tarkus dealt with the Iron Golem handily, clearing the path to Anor Londo.

Video

Dark Souls Story ► Black Iron Tarkus by VaatiVidya 
This video presents the feats and accomplishments of Black Iron Tarkus.

Iron Golem

via darksouls.wikidot.com

The Iron Golem is, unsurprisingly, a giant automaton made of iron. The Iron Golem serves as the last challenge of Sen's Fortress, and has stopped many heroes dead in their tracks. The core of the Iron Golem, the device that powers this behomoth, is made from the bone of an everlasting dragon. Once defeated, the Chosen Undead has conquered Sen's Fortress!

Community Content

Article
The misadventures of Berenike knights: Why are they there? by TotallyNotACasul
This article examines the Berenike Knights, their goals, and their fate. (spoilers)

Podcast
Episode 6: Sen's Fortress by Bonfireside Chat
In this episode, Gary, Kole, and their guest discuss the experience, design, and lore of Sen's Fortress.

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.
Dark Calls 21 - Knock Knock by Dark Calls This week, James visits David and takes his save file with him. 

Additional Thoughts

Sen's Fortress is perhaps the most lore bereft area in the game, yet I have written more words in this post than any other so far. It is because it is such an effective microcosm of Dark Souls. It feels insurmountable when you're first playing through it. If its not the traps that get you, its the enemies. You die time and time again. But with each death you learn something. You learn a bit about Sen's Fortress, and you make it a bit farther next time. Then it just clicks, and you've beaten it. 

This blog focuses on the lore because the lore is great. It is something that was designed by From to be ambiguous. Something that people would make theories about and talk about with their friends and compare notes. But Sen's is about the experience, and that is really hard to write about. I can write about the legendary warriors who braved Sen's Fortress. That stuff is really cool, and it adds a lot of flavor to the world. But, the real success of Sen's Fortress is that it makes you feel like a legendary warrior conquering a fortress of death. That is why, despite the light lore content of this area, I am saying that it is:

Thanks for reading! Give me some feedback on this post, or tell me about your own experiences with Sen's Fortress. The next post will cover Anor Londo, the city of the gods.