#Fire Knight Wego

[thysia]

For the sake of our Lord, we will burn it all down! - akiaji81

[maranigai]

I woke up this morning with a dire urge to sketch my hcs for the fire knights' lieutenants appearance (Kood + Wego and Hilde +Salza); now my work here is done and I can go back to sleep, blessed be the holydays.

P.s. No, they are not exclusively redhead, because I have thoughts on the matter.

[sahashbelvanie]

The Fire Knights of the Impaler

I just wanted to talk about a few of the lesser-known Fire Knights we encounter throughout the DLC—aside from Queelign—because even though they're obscure, each has their own minor story that I find compelling for how they humanize both the members of Messmer’s army and Messmer himself.

So, what exactly is a Fire Knight? Fire Knights are warriors born of Erdtree nobility who wield Messmer’s flame through incantations, as they were unable to embody the flame inherently when it was bestowed upon them. Because of their involvement in the so-called “holy war,” they were scorned by Erdtree society and ultimately cast out from their homes. Despite this, they chose to remain loyal to Messmer, bound to him by oath.

Within the military, Fire Knights hold the highest rank, subordinate to no one but their lord, Messmer. They know him intimately, and not only accepted but understood his true form as a fiery serpent. They recognized that such an existence caused their lord immense suffering—both physical and mental.

Traditionally, Fire Knights wore pointed helms and armor draped in red cloaks, adorned with a twin-serpent gold motif at the neck. Their enchanted weapons—ranging from daggers to greatswords—resembled flowing flames. They also carried sacred seals modeled after Messmer’s emblem: a gold ring encircling a flame, which enhanced the power of their fire incantations.

Some Fire Knights even authored crafting manuals used by Messmer’s foot soldiers—guides for creating fiery tools like fire grease or ember-based fire coils from materials found on the battlefield.

Something I forgot to mention is that the standard helm worn by the Fire Knights actually provides slight boosts to health, stamina, and equip load, while their armor enhances the potency of Messmer’s flame incantations.

Now, onto the known members of the Fire Knight order (excluding Queelign, because I just don’t feel like it haha):

The "leader" or most prominent among the Fire Knights is a man named Kood. The English script gives him the rank of Captain, but from what I can tell, he simply stands above the others in either skill or authority. His helm is shaped in the likeness of Messmer’s winged serpents—creatures said to be wise and noble companions who help suppress the wicked serpent gnawing at Messmer from within. Given this symbolism, and Kood’s position as the lead Fire Knight, it makes me wonder if he served as a kind of advisor or confidant to Messmer, much like the winged serpents themselves.

Kood’s helm enhances the battle arts used by Fire Knights, and he even wields his own unique technique: Flame Spear. With it, he adopts a poised, thrusting stance before unleashing a fiery spear straight ahead. He stands guard before the entrance to Messmer’s dark chambers.

Wego is the “elder” of the Fire Knights. In this context, the term elder refers to an old man, wise with age and experience. Wego is a man utterly consumed by loneliness—it corrodes his heart. This is likely because he has lost those dear to him, as suggested by the two loosened death masks he wears, vertically stacked atop one another. He is also knowledgeable in the arts of resurrection.

This somewhat reminds me of the necromancer Garris, who, after losing his family, dedicated himself to ancient death hexes. He wielded a flail with copper heads, each attached to the handle by chains and crafted in the likeness of his departed loved ones.

Wego may have lost his family—or perhaps comrades. The spiritual nature of Messmer’s flame drew his attention, and he sought to incorporate it into his resurrection arts. However, when Messmer’s flame took root in the corpses he tried to revive, it did not restore their souls. Instead, it produced shambling husks that brought Wego no comfort.

Wego is one of only two Fire Knights known to have spoken dialogue, hoarsely commanding: “Fire, take seed in death and rise again.” The stacked death masks he wears reduce the focus required to summon spirits—fittingly so. He is found alongside his soulless companions within the sunken church district of Messmer’s castle.

The elder Wego had an apprentice named Salza, who would become the wisest among the Fire Knights. Salza was a man who despised barbarity and needless violence, yet he became most notorious for setting numerous Hornsent villages and townships ablaze during the crusade.

However, Salza risked his life when he counseled his superior—either Captain Kood or their lord, Messmer—to spare the old ruins of Rauh, believing that burning such a place would be a grave mistake. Alongside his dear friend, the Fire Knight Hilde, and others, Salza also advocated for the preservation of various Hornsent specimens within the Shadowkeep’s storehouse.

I presume Hilde is a woman, given the feminine connotation of the name. She would perish during the crusade, and her remains were enshrined as a guardian spirit within the storehouse. It’s rather fitting that she would be laid to rest among the very specimens whose preservation she once championed.

Salza is credited with the incantation Rain of Fire, in which he calls upon a burning cloud. With arms outstretched, he yells, “Rain of Fire,” as fiery rain pours down from the sky while he guards the entrance to Rauh. His pointed helm is wrapped in excess cloth, giving the impression of an enlarged head. Fittingly, the helm boosts one’s intelligence.

Seeing the Fire Knight portraits from @arnaerr made me want to write this, lol.

[evs-eme]

INKTOBER 13 - Fire Knight, Elden Ring

The Fire Knights serve directly under the command of Messmer the Impaler. Each knight has a different combat style and attire, such as Hilde, Salza, Wego, Kood and Queelign, Queen Marika's religious fanatic who invades you on more than one occasion (he looks like Petrus of Thorolund from DS, both with the same ugly hairstyle). Eme

LINK: Instagram - Twitter or X

[luminaryofblood]

A scroll made of white tree bark. Few can decipher the scroll, which describes the secret rite of the divine gateway said to be found at the tower enshrouded by shadow. "A lord will usher in a god's return, and the lord's soul will require a vessel."

Helm of Wego, elder among the Fire Knights. Two warped death masks stacked one atop the other. Reduces FP used to summon spirits. Gnawed at by loneliness, the old man turned his attention to the spirituality of Messmer's flame, using it in a rite of resurrection. Yet the soulless bodies he brought to life were no comfort to poor Wego.

Like maybe the whole "Using Mohg's Body as a vessel for Radahn's Soul" wasn't necessarily part of the secret rite and was just sort of its own thing?

Because Fire Knight Wego's got some similar stuff going on in resurrection, though the bodies were soulless.

[crumblingfaggotazula]

The Fire Knights

[katyspersonal]

nobody:

Kood: Oh, so, you "like" Messmer? Say the exact amount of strength applied which it took him to impale every single Dancing Lion that he hunted. Name the day he finished reforging his spear for it to become throwable and how many times did he have to throw it. Say the exact timing, down to tens of second, which it took him to cu-

Queelign: I am literally lurking in the cemetery waiting for those graceless Hornsents to visit the graves of their killed ones to ambush and kill them too, Queen Marika would be so proud of me! :D

Wego: Man I wish I had friends, too bad I literally have no one, I am so lonely I'll have to resort to resurrecting dead people :( *spoken literally nearby fellow Knights, including his literal pupil*

Salza: Hey just because I take #1 place amongst everyone else in the Crusade in terms of how many villages and houses I've obliterated doesn't mean I am no longer an intellectual elite. I am the most civilised, cultured and intelligent person here.

Hilde: These idiots do not understand that even the Erdtree itself stand on cultural appropriation! How can we fight in the name of Marika and uh... I think that guy literally named Whore at some point, with that big lion...? if we ignore how much was stolen from the Storm Lord and Godskin Apostles? I swear I am the only one who truly gets it smh. Can't wait to get rid of all Hornsent already so we can use their knowledge to build our OWN Divine Spiral, it will be sick af 👀

Messmer: Hahah no one loves my mother as much as I do, I understand what is better for her Order more than she does herself *mood swing* I hate that bitch, why she never loved me?! *crashes a head off a statue of her* *mood swing* Oh god I am the worst being I am more of a curse upon her than any of these graceless barbarians were ever, disowning me was not enough, she should have killed me... *mood swing* I should have burnt her and her Erdtree instead while I had the chance to do so, only in death we could stand equal *mood swing* I love her so much I can at least find comfort in destroying everyone who doesn't fit her world, it is the least I can do to atone for being born graceless myself *mood swing*

Rellana: Pledge to the Golden Order was a weird era but now we are so back, Stars/Moon and Fire have always been together, since the times of Fire Giants and Astrologers! But to think of it, does the 'Fire' that swears to exterminate everything spurned of the grace of the Erdtree count, if it was Erdtree's enemy? Strange, how the very thing that existed as its enemy got tamed to serve it instead? Dammit, my flawless brilliant logic got a crack in it all because of Messmer's mommy issues!!! (still love him and will die for him tho 🥺💙)

Andreas: I can excuse fascism and genocide, but I draw the line at being a SNAKE!

Huw: <prev so real, had I known my bestie was a snake I'd definitely not go and have sooooo much fun hunting Divine Beasts. I am so deceived.

Edredd: To think of it, more soldiers got executed here for no longer wanting to do genocide than fell from the blades of Hornsents, but idk a job is a job 🤷‍♂️

Garrew: *has the most fucking questionable Crucible aspect ever seen except no one wants to actually question it*

[arnaerr]

Omg shadow keep workplace sitcom when

I have nothing sensible to show yet but have this doodle of Messmer and Wego

[nuadha-airgeadlamh]

concerning the specimen storehouse

Since the DLC released, I've seen some thoughts floating around about the Specimen Storehouse, Messmer, and how the Crusade contingent viewed the Hornsent. Specifically, I think it's quite a common idea to think of the Storehouse as a good thing, a sign from Messmer that he harbored a modicum of sympathy for the Hornsent and wanted to preserve their culture. I want to explain why I think this idea is very flawed, and why, on the contrary, I view the Storehouse as another testament to the horrors delivered upon the Hornsent by Messmer and his Crusade.

The ashes of Fire Knight Hilde give a glimpse into the construction of the Specimen Storehouse:

Hilde was a dear friend to Salza the sage, and joined those who urged that the specimens be preserved. Hilde's ashes were enshrined as a charm to protect the storehouse.

Hilde and Salza were part of a faction of Fire Knights who wanted the specimens to be preserved. This faction had to "urge" for this to occur; therefore, this must not have been a universal opinion among the Fire Knights, and a convincing case had to be brought forward in order for the Specimen Storehouse to go ahead. As this same item description points out, the Fire Knights answer directly to Messmer, so he would most likely have the final say. However, this makes it clear that the Specimen Storehouse was not his idea. If it was, there would have been no urging needed— he is the ruler of this keep and he makes the decisions.

The information on Salza further characterizes this faction within the Fire Knights. The item description for Salza's Hood sketches out his stand against violence:

"A disciple of the elder Wego, he refused to burn down an old ruin, at the risk of his own life."

Given Salza's positioning and its relative lack of damage, I would hazard that the "old ruin" in question here is Rauh. The description states that Salza protects this ruin "at the risk of his own life", and his placement puts him directly in opposition to Shadow Keep. He attacks at the end of the bridge and faces towards the keep; he targets us, and we are coming out of the keep. I think all of these facts point to the conclusion that Salza's instincts towards preservation estranged him from the rest of the Fire Knights, and that he is literally standing in defense of Rauh at the moment you encounter him. Why else would he be standing directly in front of Rauh, facing Shadow Keep, if he was not defending Rauh from Shadow Keep?

The description for Salza's incantation "Rain of Fire" reiterates his less violent outlook, but also importantly points out his hypocrisy.

"Salza's disdain for barbarism never waned, even as he burned more villages and scorched more land than any other."

Salza didn't want to engage in such violence, and he protected Rauh at the risk of his own life. But that doesn't erase the reality that he leaves behind a disgusting legacy of destruction and death. It begs the question: why do these specimens need preserving in the first place?

If the Crusade had never been waged, then the Specimen Storehouse would never have needed to exist. It sounds all nice and sweet on paper that there are Fire Knights out there "preserving Hornsent culture", but they are the very reason why this culture needs protecting. The Specimen Storehouse is a monument to their own atrocities: its very existence depends on an annihilation they orchestrated. Hilde, Salza, and the rest of them can be disgusted by their own actions as much as they want, but they are ultimately responsible.

It's also important to point out that neither Hilde's ashes nor Salza's Hood mentions any sympathy for the Hornsent themselves. They wanted the specimens to be preserved and protected a ruin from destruction; nowhere do these descriptions mention Salza and Hilde's great sympathy for the Hornsent's plight. Salza's big stand against Shadow Keep is protecting a ruin— not a city full of people, a ruin. He has a "disdain for barbarism", not a bleeding heart for those who are dying. In the Salza's Hood description, Salza is described as the "sage of the Fire Knights", and the term "sage" describes a person of great wisdom. The Specimen Storehouse is a giant library, a great depository of stolen Hornsent scholarship. I would hazard to say that Salza and Hilde's moves towards preservation stem more from a thirst for knowledge than a humanitarian urge to save Hornsent culture.

I've also seen it claimed that the shadow-men who attack with Messmer-fire in the Specimen Storehouse are Hornsent, and use this information to extrapolate about the Storehouse at large. However, this isn't true:

Here are images of Hornsent shadow-men in Belurat and Gravesite Plain. Their horns are clear, defined, and opaque, even with the shadow filter over their models.

This is an image of the spirit in front of Scorched Ruins without the shadow filter. You can see that the style of the horns remains consistent across designs.

Compare this with images of the shadow-men in the Specimen Storehouse:

Their head designs are markedly different from those of the Hornsent in Belurat. Their supposed "horns" are wispy and vague.

You can best see it in this photo where I'm clipping into his head that these "horns" are actually a layer of unruly hair. The little tufts of hair poking out from their heads can easily be mistaken as horns, but they do not match the other shadow-men in Belurat. Furthermore, their clothing also differs. While the Hornsent shadow-men wear tunics, the men in the Storehouse wear garments similar to togas. I think it's far more likely that these are Crusade scholars who are under the same shadow effect that happens to the other spirits in the Shadowlands. There is no Hornsent presence in the Storehouse.

Finally I would like to come to what Messmer thinks about the Specimen Storehouse, and for that, there's little that's actually textual. We know from Salza and Hilde that there was backlash to the construction of the Storehouse and the preservation of Hornsent knowledge from the wider Crusade contingent, and we know he must have consented to the Storehouse's construction, but there's no hard evidence as to what he truly thought of it. What we can do, however, is take a look at Messmer's characterization in-game and speculate from there what his opinions might have been, and what we can see about Messmer is that he clearly despises the Hornsent.

We know from our vengeance-seeking Hornsent that he thought of them as "savages"; the furnace golems are tailor-made to prey upon the Hornsents' fears through their references to the fire giants; the existence of the jar clinic and the protections around the shaman village imply he has knowledge of what happened to Marika and her people, which would only intensify his hatred. And we can't forget that he has taken it upon himself willingly to literally annihilate them from the face of the earth. Now, that's not to say that Messmer isn't a person capable of empathy and kindness; we know that through his relationships with Gaius, his Fire Knights, and his common soldiers. However, just because he can have sympathy for these people does not mean that that translates to the Hornsent. If I went into all the details of this I would double the length of this post (in fact I will probably make a whole separate post expanding on this), but I think Messmer as a character is allowed to contain contradictions— he can be capable of great cruelty and great kindness. I think it's clear from everything I've explained above that there are many pieces of evidence to indicate that Messmer did not harbor secret sympathy for the Hornsent.

Therefore, I would guess his approval of the Specimen Storehouse aligns with what I theorized for Salza and Hilde. The Storehouse is useful. It's a depository of an entire culture's knowledge; it would be foolish to throw that all away. As I've stated, the Storehouse's entire existence depends entirely on the genocide being enacting by Messmer and his Crusade. They are engaging in preservation only for their own benefit. The Hornsent gain nothing by having their own scholarly work snatched away from them and hoarded by the very ones who are murdering them.

[sillovain]

War without Grace or Honour

Part 3, some overlooked parts of the Erdtree Crusade. At present, the crusade has fragmented into several groups with conflicting aims. Yet even ignoring that, this is an army that was largely staffed by the Golden Order's undesirables. Are these people a problem to the very society they came from? Also why Crusade timeline is surprisingly solid. lore essay tag -> #treesandbeasts

1.1 Leadership

At the head of this army is a lord so accursed that an insurrection occurs when he reveals his true nature. At present, he hides in a dark tower with his loyal knights who are not found elsewhere.

I think it is wrong to solely blame the insurrection on Messmer being "cursed". Another cursed demigod - Malenia, lives her entire life in the public eye. She too has a following of loyal knights that embody her curse, but the Fire Knights are driven from their homes while Cleanrots become revered soldiers of The Shattering. Malenia enjoys a certain dignity that Messmer was never given.

Why? clearly not all curses are seen as equal. Or it could be something he did. Who knows.

see. Fort of Reprimand for the aftermath of the Huw/Andres incident

The crusade's second-in-command is the only politically significant member of an extremely persecuted people. Even as an army commander, he lives outside in a shack behind the castle with one other Albinauric. While we don't know if the status of Albinurics has changed with time, there are no (known) high standing Albinaurics in modern Erdtree society. The manor servant Pidia is (apparently) as good as it gets.

Accompanying the Erdtree forces is a large Carian contingent. The warrior princess that leads them "forsook her birthright", and had to swear loyalty to the Erdtree via. ritual combat. The Carian's senior sorcerer/high priest has in turn gone off to pursue arcane mysteries for personal reasons.

1.2 Common Crusaders

The common soldier of the Crusade is a member of the "Ignoble Penal Battalion" (ie. a prisoner conscript). As for their fighting style? don't ask why it resembles the old banished king, whose people were seen as barbarians.

The Hero starting class; "descendant of Badlands chieftain" has an iron chain around the waist. Which could mean anything.

The common knight of this army is a Crucible Incantation user. This type of magic that is rare in the present day, save for Crucible Knights who seem to have become wandering mercenaries. Meanwhile, most modern knights of the Erdtree follow the Ancient Dragon Cult.

Why is this older knightly religion also shared by the very people targeted by said crusade?

1.3 Schisms

The elite Fire Knights are the disowned children of Leyndell nobility, its explicit that Messmer's reputation predates the crusade (see. Fire Knight Helmet). Among these elite crusaders, each one seems to have gone off to pursue some personal agenda in the present day. Shadow Keep's western gate is blocked by the rogue Fire Knight Salza, who refused orders to the burn the ancient ruins beyond. His mentor Wego is trapped and playing with zombies in the cathedral basement.

Across Shadow Keep, every depiction of their god (save for one) has been defaced. The flooded section of the keep is specifically: The Cathedral District. Also, its stated that some of the crusaders have either forsaken incantations entirely (see. Scadutree spells only found in Shadow Keep) or have secretly adopted local beliefs (see. Spiraltree Seal).

Why is Hilde enshrined atop the storehouse? think about it.

All this is to say that; whatever the original mission the crusaders may have bought into, it no longer matters. At present they have wandered off to pursue personal agendas. Which is not unreasonable, as they have been abandoned by Erdtree society at large.

2.1 The "Long Crusade" Rant

I am just going to keep repeating that there is a canon timeline window to when the Crusade happens (its a Marika-Radagon Era event). Its also to say theories about how "the crusade put Marika on the throne" or "nobody knows about Messmer because he has born in the Land of Shadow and never left" are really baffling to me.

Messmer recognizes the player as Tarnished, he is aware of Godfrey's exile.

Ritual duels are seen as foreign to the crusaders (see. Thrusting Sheild), arenas have been closed topside. The Marika-Godfrey age is over

Shadow Keep has minor Erdtrees growing on its grounds, something that only came about after the Age of Plenty ended.

Messmer and his loyal knights were banished from Leyndell. The Fire Knights were specifically from well respected elite families, this obviously requires for there to be an Erdtree noble class with deep history.

Troops such as Perfumers and Tree Sentinels require the Erdtree religion to already exist.

At Fort of Reprimand, you can find Abductor Virgins, Rykard already has his job as inquisitor. There's also Omen Killers, hence the Omen curse cannot be a result of the crusade (the base game already states where said curse originates).

Then, you have the entire Carian contingent and specifically Commander Gaius, who was Radahn's sparring partner. Radahn is also said to have looked up to Messmer as a mentor figure. The Liurnia Wars are long over, Rennala and Radagon have adult children at this point.

Romina acquires the discarded "wings of the rot goddess", Malenia has been born and her rot has been suppressed.

Some have tried to argue for a "Long Crusade", claiming that this war has spanned the entirety of The Golden Order's history, hence the above evidence being invalid. A few reasons why I think this idea is bad. For one, there is nothing that points to the crusade being ancient history (so why argue for it be in first place?).

Next, the veil over the Land of Shadow already exists during the crusade, Enir-Ilim is protected from burning (you can see the fire's limit in the trailer, also in-game).

If Erdtree forces have been freely marching in and out of the Land of Shadow over the ages, why bother to cover it at all?

If The Land of Shadow was easy to access across the Erdtree age, why call it "a long-forgotten place where none would tread"? Why would Erdtree priests need to "quell the fears of their flock"?

There's a bigger discussion about how much anyone in the crusade knows anything about the past (that topic is too big for this essay).

The "Long Crusade" idea also creates this bizarre scenario where the city of Belurat is somehow tougher to conquer than all Fire Giants, Ancient Dragons and nations of The Lands Between. Note that Belurat does not even have a standing army, you are attacked by civilians and priests in the city, the only arms bearing members of this society are a few Sculpted Keepers. There's is no evidence that something like a Belurat common soldier even exists.

Think about why this society had to repurpose Divine Dancers and free Curseblades from jail to fight. This is not a particularly militarized society.

The kicker here is that there are "Shadow Ghosts" that preserve a record of people who died in the Land of Shadow. If there ever was an older generation of crusader or armies of Hornsent common soldiers, they have left zero evidence of their existence.

You could point to the commoner ghosts in Shadow Keep, but its unknown what they even represent.

Closing Thoughts

Messmer's Crusade is known as "war without grace or honour". It is not celebrated nor is it even remembered, all participants (both friend and foe) are abandoned and forgotten. Contrast this with the Giant's War, where Godfrey and co. are remembered as heroes for exterminating the Fire Giants, so I don't think genocide is the factor here.

I think it's important to note that the very society that started the crusade does not want to discuss it. This war is different. Why? I don't have a good answer. I just want more people to think about this part of the lore.

~ Thanks for reading

[sahashbelvanie]

Fire knight sketches

First one is sad old Wego, second is a few doodles, and the last is Hilde & Salza.

[marawhydontyoudraw]

Messmer's flame + headcanons

Various headcanons about the Messmer's flame and its interaction with the surrounding world (mostly the fire knights), developed while working on my SotE story, let's go.

While the flame isn't sentient in the true sense of the word, it has a sort of quasi-awareness that allows it to distinguish friends from foes, track emenies, etc.

The main use of the flame among the crusaders was to burn something (or someone) with it, but this is not the only possible use: it can also be used for healing (or necromancy, if you're determined enough), dispelling illusions, or even protective enchantments.

All these properties can also be applied to Messmer coals, though to a lesser extend. For this reason, for example, adding said coals in food\water can unironically act as a disinfectant. And yes, it is extremely effective against the scarler rot.

Even if I consider exclusively redhaired fire knights models to be a game convention, I support the idea that the Messmer's flame causes mutations in its users. In particular: Kood has serpentine eyes with a vertical iris, Wego is cold-blooded like a reptile, Queelign on the contrary has an extremely high body temprature, Salza's hair actually turned red and that's why he shaves his head, Hilde has scales on her arms and shoulders, etc.

Every high-ranking fire knight should develop a unique incantation/skill based on Messmer's fire as some sort of test. This is their own tradition, never imposed by Messmer himself, though demonstrating those incants/skills to him for approval is a mandatory part of the ceremony.

The flame is contained within Messmer's own blood which can thus be used to permanently enchant weapons with fire, create medicine, or perform any other unethical blood magic experimentation of your choice. If you can convince Messmer to donate you some blood, of course.

[swallowtail-ageha]

Minor npc that i rotate in my head of the week fire knight salza like

A disciple of the elder Wego, he refused to burn down an old ruin, at the risk of his own life.

And

Salza's disdain for barbarism never waned, even as he burned more villages and scorched more land than any other.

Like yes! Embody the whole hypocrisy of the crusade!!! Cry about barbarism and civilization and the need to preserve ancient cultures while slaughtering mercilessly the members of said culture because you yourself deem them barbaric!

[recusantchicky]

gravekeeper/necromancy lore to back my ranting up

Grave Cricket:

Cricket that produces a raspy cry. Material used for crafting items. Mainly found near stone coffins. The sound of these crickets are often taken to be the rustling of the restless dead, or sometimes the sound of their calling voices.

used in

Polter Stone:

Contrivance of the grave keepers made from spiritgrave stone. Craftable item.

Creates noises imitative of human presence where it lands when thrown.

Said to have been used by the solitary grave keepers to distract themselves from their longing for company.

Gravekeeper's Cookbook

A record of crafting techniques of the grave keepers who watch over those who rest in the realm of shadow. Acquire the knowledge to craft the following: - Piquebone Arrow - Piquebone Arrow (Fletched) - Piquebone Bolt

those arrows use

Congealed Putrescence:

Bruise-colored putrescence that oozes from stone coffins, congealed into a large viscous lump. Material used for crafting items. Found underground in the land to where stone coffins drift. The putrescence is what remains of the impure lives kept within the stone coffins.

some more gravekeeper lore

Gravekeeper's Brainpan

Skull bone of an old grave keeper. Material used for crafting items. Mainly found in hidden grave of Charo. The old grave keepers are boatsmen, and continue to summon the dead even after withering away.

Deathmask Helm

Helm of Wego, elder among the Fire Knights. Two warped death masks stacked one atop the other.

Reduces FP used to summon spirits.

Gnawed at by loneliness, the old man turned his attention to the spirituality of Messmer's flame, using it in a rite of resurrection. Yet the soulless bodies he brought to life were no comfort to poor Wego.

[criticalglitch]

The fire knights were proving to be a challenge, one that Sandoval was having trouble overcoming, Messmer's forces were relentless, and left few openings to counter. Wego's knives raced like flashfire, and Sandoval's footing was unsure on the pond scum coating the stone floors of the Church District. He jumped backwards, dancing out of the way of a viciously timed swirling flame, and gripped the support beam above, vaulting into the rafters. These beams were damp, but a sight less slippery than the cobblestone.

"Coward," Wego sneered, launching another cursive fireball at him. Sandoval dropped, gripping the edge with one palm, straining to hold his grip.

"Clever," Sandoval winced, swinging his leg over the beam and aiming his crossbow. He pulled the trigger, lily-tipped darts firing in a spread towards the Fire Knight. "Did you learn that two-syllable word all by yourself?"

Wego swung backwards, all but one dart missing their mark. It glanced his forearm, and he gripped the wound. Sandoval dropped back to the ground, drawing his silver blade.

"You will bathe in the inferno-"

"Dark above, do you ever tire of listening to yourself?" He gritted his teeth, slicing open his hand. Black, half-congealed blood clung to the blade like sludge, almost bubbling upon contact with the air. He thrust forward, the tip of the blade puncturing Wego's thigh.

He spat in response, his daggers whirling out, leaving a light cut on Sandoval's cheek as he nearly avoided the advance.

Sandoval winced, and swung the sword across Wego's chest, rivulets of blood seeping through the gaps in his armor. He sputtered, stumbling backwards, gripping his chest.

"What... What have you done..." The blood vessels in his eyes snapped, red streams falling from his nose and lips. Sandoval gripped his oozing palm, holding it close to his chest. There wasn't time to apologize, to make amends. He moved past Wego as he fell to his knees, Sandoval's toxic ichor put to work.

He found his way to the chapel, putting his shoulder into the passage doors to force them open, and stepped on to the elevator, cleaning the blade off on his waistcloth. Callar was waiting for him - there wasn't a moment to lose.

The stone plinth descended rapidly, and quite a ways down. Shadow Keep was intimidatingly large, and he was having trouble getting his bearings. Every headless statue he encountered reminded him of the stone platform he'd abandoned - a crumbling, powerless god, decapitated at a timeless altar. He shivered, and made his way through the passage.

He could feel something ahead. St. Trina's guidance? His feet found the sap, the dredge of the Scadu Tree's lifeblood, oozing into a mire at its base. The sky had been eclipsed by its twining form, a haze rising from where it all pooled - and a lone, desiccated sunflower, solitary in the center. Trudging through the muck, he marched closer, squinting slightly.

The ground began to quake, and Sandoval found his footing, his hand on the hilt of his blade. The sap erupted, the Scadu Avatar swinging out of the earth, radiating malice and hatred. His eyes widened, as it dug its roots in, waves of deadly barbs rocketing across the pools towards him.

"Oh, for the love of-" He was launched into the air, the thorns tearing at his skin and his clothes. he landed on his back, the wind expelling violently from his lungs. Scrambling to his feet, Sandoval sprinted forward, and leapt, both hands on the hilt. He pivoted in the air, driving the blade into the great flower's face, using his weight and momentum to tear his sword downwards. It followed immediately downwards, pummeling him beneath it, the barbs from its roots once again piercing upwards into him.

It propelled itself violently into him, and he gathered the sum of his determination into withstanding its blows, countering when he could.

Finally, its great head collapsed in the sap, and Sandoval delivered a clean final blow, clutching his own ravaged torso with his golden arm. He let out a breath, and peered downward, wondering what it may have been guarding.

"Nothing...?" He breathed, his brow furrowing. That can't be right. Something was here. He could *feel* it.

And then the ground trembled once more. He leapt backwards in shock, as the fallen Sunflower arched its stem.

"No. No no no no-" It coiled, and shot itself forward, barreling towards him at a blinding speed, Sandoval flipping backwards out of its trajectory.

"You have *got* to be joking." Injured and struggling, be braced himself once more.

---

He gasped, crawling in the bog to the small, shining fragment in the sap. A shattered great rune, nearly crumbling in his hands. He used his sword to lean him to his feet, utterly exhausted and littered with cuts and punctures.

Kindly Miquella had discarded his shard here - an offering? An apology? He clutched it close to his chest, limping back the way he'd come.