Anor Londo

Lore & Background

Anor Londo was founded by Gwyn, ruler of the Gods, to consolidate his power after ushering in the Age of Fire. Many centuries later, upon the fading of the First Flame, he was forced to leave the city along with half of his Silver Knight army to rekindle the flame. By the time of Dark Souls, the only remaining deity in Anor Londo is Gwyn's son (but whom he raised as his daughter) Gwyndolin, a powerful sorcerer with strong affinity with the Moon and who presides over the Darkmoon covenant. Gwyndolin created the illusion of sunlight, as well as Princess Gwynevere, to compel the Chosen Undead to defeat Gwyn and rekindle the First Flame yet again. If the player attacks Gwynevere, the illusion is shattered and the city reverts to its true appearance, shrouded in darkness. By the time of Dark Souls III, the city was repopulated and renamed Irithyll. It is taken over by a dark sorcerer named Sulyvahn, who enslaved the city's populace and turned them into monstrosities. Sulyvahn would later be allied with Aldrich, Devourer of Gods, a former human cleric who mutated into an amorphous blob due to his cannibalism, and one of the five Lords of Cinder resurrected to link the First Flame. The player finds Aldrich housed within the cathedral of Gwyn's ruined keep, in the process of slowly consuming the very body and soul of the still-living Gwyndolin.

In Their Own Story

The player character arrives in Anor Londo after completing Sen's Fortress, a location that opens after they have rung both 'Bells of Awakening'. After dispatching the boss of Sen's Fortress, the Iron Golem, the player is carried over the otherwise sealed-off wall of Anor Londo by a pack of winged demons. As one of the only non-ruined areas of Lordran, Anor Londo stands in contrast to the other levels of the game. Following their arrival, the player must then travel to Gwyn's Keep to obtain the Lordvessel, passing many obstacles. This includes a duo of Silver Knight archers that guard the buttress leading to a side balcony entrance of the Keep. After fighting their way through the Keep itself, the player must face the level's dual bosses, Dragonslayer Ornstein and Executioner Smough, to gain access to Gwynevere, Princess of Sunlight. She awards the player the Lordvessel, allowing the player to warp away from the level. When the player revisits Anor Londo in Dark Souls III, it is bathed in moonlight, frozen over, and has fallen to visible levels of decay. Pathways near the central elevator have crumbled, and force the player to explore a different side of the city. A new path exists where a former bonfire once stood. The terrain of Lordran has also clearly shifted heavily over time, with large chunks of Anor Londo and its surrounding walls having vanished, and a new palace being visible in the distance. As the player progresses into Lord Gwyn's keep, parts are blocked off by collapse, and the entire location is waterlogged, full of debris, but decorated with new features such as cloth curtains. In the same room where Ornstein and Smough were formerly fought, the player must face Aldrich, Devourer of Gods, in order to obtain his power and return it to Firelink Shrine.

Reader's Guide

Anor Londo is a requirement in Dark Souls; the protagonist must explore it to retrieve the Lordvessel. The player arrives after completing Sen's Fortress, which opens after ringing both 'Bells of Awakening'. After defeating the Iron Golem boss, the player is carried over the wall by winged demons. The player must travel to Gwyn's Keep, passing a duo of Silver Knight archers guarding a buttress leading to a side balcony entrance. After fighting through the Keep, the player must face the dual bosses Dragonslayer Ornstein and Executioner Smough. Both are fought in a long, rectangular and empty cathedral, with parallel sets of pillars on either side. The player can either attempt to block Smough with the pillars while attacking Ornstein, or attack Smough while dodging Ornstein. If Ornstein is defeated first, Smough crushes him with his hammer, and gains the power of lightning. If Smough is defeated first, Ornstein suddenly grows to immense size while retaining his former speed. When the second boss is defeated, the player can purchase the armor of that boss, and in Ornstein's case, obtains the Leo Ring. Defeating the bosses grants access to Gwynevere, Princess of Sunlight, who awards the Lordvessel, allowing the player to warp away from the level. In Dark Souls III, the player must go to Anor Londo to slay a 'Lord of Cinder', the boss Aldrich, Devourer of Gods.

Did You Know?

• Anor Londo was designed to feel like a reward after completing Sen's Fortress, but also presented no clear path to the player, forcing them to take a number of side paths, like walking up the flying buttresses.
• The city's design was inspired by that of Milan Cathedral, which was visited in person by Dark Souls designer Masanori Waragai.
• The game's director, Hidetaka Miyazaki, felt that the sense of excitement the player feels upon entry to Anor Londo does not last for the level's entirety.
• Edge called Anor Londo 'as beautiful as it is deadly' and 'where Dark Souls casts off restraint'.
• If the player attacks Gwynevere in Dark Souls, the illusion is shattered and the city reverts to its true appearance, shrouded in darkness.