Theory regarding The Deep

[Jolly Devil]

Hey guys. So over the past few days, I've had this theory regarding the deep and what it actually is. I don't think its too far-fetched to say that the deep is probably the biggest mystery in Dark Souls 3, and we only got a few tidbits about it here and there. But from the info we do get, I've come up with a kind of out there theory. This theory is based heavily on the alternate ending in Scholar of the First Sin, b/c I see it as the definitive version of the game.

So at the end of the SotFS, Aldia gives the protagonist a 3rd option to find an alternative to the Age of Fire and Dark. So what if the character chooses this 3rd option as the canon ending and he and Aldia go in search for something new. But in that search, they find The Deep. From the bits of lore in DS3, we know that the deep is NOT connected to the abyss. The Deep from what I can put together, is another world, dimension, universe; whatever you want to call it. A lot of lore people think that the deep might be connected to water. The Deep could be a sunless dimension that is covered in water and darkness. But I think that deep is not water, but instead earth. I think it means that the deep is somewhere far inside the earth; a place that has no sun, no life, just darkness. So when Aldia and the protagonist find the deep, what they see horrifies them to the point where they flee and the protagonist re-kindles the flame in order to stop the deep from happening. But by opening the door (metaphorically speaking), they've let the dark in.

Fast forward many cycles later. The deep has been gradually infecting itself in the world, so as we know, the cathedral of the deep was built on top of it to contain it. But Aldrich became fascinated with the deep and traveled to it, where he eventually became the grotesque monster we know him to be. What we know about Aldrich is that he ate humans alive and eventually burst into sludge b/c of it. But what he turns into is the darkness. Sadly I don't remember what the item was, but in the game, a description says that Aldrich would send Dregs into the Deep.

Ok. Here is where the theory really comes in. What if the deep is not some evil darkness, but more of a reset for the cycles. In the opening cutscene of Dark Souls 1, we know that husks, or dregs, lived deep in the earth and eventually found the first flame and became lords. That we all know. SO, using the info we know about Aldrich sending dregs into the deep, what if the deep is the same place (or a new version) that the husk versions of Gwyn and the others live at prior to the first flame. Before Gywn, the world was covered in darkness, with everlasting dragons and trees. Sound familiar? What if Aldrich is sending those dregs into the earth, that way one day, whether it be 1000 or a million years in the future, the cycle is reborn and those dregs will find a new flame.

We know that at some point the age of dark must have happened (I'd wager more than once), because of the Untended Graves, which essentially points to a world devoid of the sun, but where humanity is still there. But as we see towards the end of the game, time is no longer fluid and everything is converging into the players timeline. There have been so many ages of fire and dark, that the dimension is now collapsing upon itself. But what if this is the deep? If the deep is a reset button so to speak, then the deep is pulling all of time into one point in order to devour it. So when that time comes, the only thing left is darkness. And that's where the dregs comes in. If the dregs are living, or being contained, deep underground, then the dimension is resetting itself. There is no longer an age of fire or dark, there is only nothing. Eventually creatures will form in the world above, much like the everlasting dragons did before Gwyn. Everything is a vicious circle. The dregs will one day find a new flame and become lords and take back the surface, creating a new age of fire. But one day, it'll all collapse upon itself again and again and again.

Ok. Sorry this was super long, but this theory has been floating around my head for a few days now and I had to get it out. I may be 100% wrong about all of this, and I'm sure there are a few holes in this theory, but from what I've seen in the game, everything to me just points to this being the inevitable outcome. Whether it happens during Dark Souls 3, or in a future age, I just feel like the deep is a reset to the age of fire and dark. Cheers guys!

[Nutella]

Hey OP, I'm currently reading some item descriptions about the Deep, I found this one :

"The deep was originally a peaceful and sacred place, but became the final rest for many abhorrent things. This tale of the Deep offers protection for those who worship amidst those horrors."

Description of the miracle Deep Protection.

Also :

"Archdeacon McDonnell, a sorcerer himself, delighted in the cathedral's stagnating souls. For him, they represented the glorious bedrock of this world."

Description of the spell Great Deep Soul. That could mean that the Deep existed before anything else, a bit like the Garden of Eden for christians.

[jay jay the dank planezinho]

u saying that the deep is kinda like god in the bible drowned everyone? to reset things? weird comparison, i know...

btw, aldrich had visions of the deep sea, but it's pretty vague. doesn't say anything else other than it can be a very difficult age to live in. also, it was just a vision. who knows what could it mean? he didn't foreseen him dying to a lame unkindled with tattered clothes did he? lel

[Hunubul]

What you say is deep=abyss. Even if you say that it isn't. The only sunless thing is the abyss, nothing else.


I had an other theory, so you might be interested in this one: The deep is the place of Nito. The Nito bossfight is in a dark place too, the gravelord covenant is in a very dark place too. So it's really fitting that the deep and Aldrich is connected to Nito Lord of Death.

As with fire came disparity, there became: light, dark, life and death. We all know that the pyromancer witches represent "life", and that the profaned flame is something similar. So Yhorm represents "life". The twin princes represent "light". Then who is dark, and who is death? Well, as in the abysswatchers are infested by the abyss, they became the hoarder of the dark soul. And that leaves "death" and Aldrich.

Aldrich is kind of the Lord of Death by killing/eating everyone, even gods. And death is kind of dark itself, kinda similar to the Abyss. Nito had some "dark" miracles, and so does the Deep. Dark pyromancy is mostly Abyss, but dark miracles are "death", like the gnaw spells. They aren't darky, they are death-y.



This is what makes the most sence. Mostly because the Lord Souls from DS1 might as well exist in all circles (even after the end of fire ending, the firekeeper say that the Lord Souls are still dancing in the distance) (and even in DS2) so why would this cicle be any different?

[Nutella]

Messaggio originale di tomas:

u saying that the deep is kinda like god in the bible drowned everyone? to reset things? weird comparison, i know...

btw, aldrich had visions of the deep sea, but it's pretty vague. doesn't say anything else other than it can be a very difficult age to live in. also, it was just a vision. who knows what could it mean? he didn't foreseen him dying to a lame unkindled with tattered clothes did he? lel

yeah that's what it makes me think of, a kind of heaven

[Skiptro]

"oh, yet to give in, eh?
Good. The Fire Keeper must be twitching with delight.
But what do you really know about these Lords of Cinder, these supposed legends?
Let's take Aldrich, for one.
A right and proper cleric, only, he developed a habit of devouring men.
He ate so many that he bloated like a drowned pig, then softened into sludge,
so they stuck him in the Cathedral of the Deep.
And they made him a Lord of Cinder. Not for virtue, but for might"

"At the foot of Lothric Castle, an old path still runs below the tower in the Undead Settlement.
It was used to transport sacrifices to the Cathedral of the Deep. You should see where it leads.
...If you've the stones for it."

"The holy symbol of the Cathedral of the Deep, and crest of those who see beyond fire to the age of deep waters. Equip to pledge onself to the Aldrich Faithful covenant.

The faithful ensure that Aldrich, Devourer of Gods, remains undisturbed, by taking the form of loyal spirits and hunting down those who would trespass the ruined cathedral"

"Proof of a duty fulfilled by the Aldrich Faithful, who patiently await the Devourer of Gods' return.

Dregs are the heaviest things within the human body, and will sink to the lowest depths imaginable "

"Sorcery of Archdeacon Royce and his deacons, said to have been imparted to them by McDonnell of the Boreal Valley.

Fires dark soul dregs.

Souls which swell from the deep pursue their target, drawn towards life"

"The deep was originally a peaceful and sacred place, but became the final rest for many abhorrent things. This tale of the Deep offers protection for those who worship amidst those horrors."

"Aldrich dreamt as he slowly devoured the God of the Darkmoon. In this dream, he perceived the form of a young, pale girl in hiding."

"Intended to teach divine protection to the deacons of the deep, but later, dark tales were added to its pages, such that it is now considered a thing profane."

"Archdeacon McDonnell, a sorcerer himself, delighted in the cathedral's stagnating souls. For him, they represented the glorious bedrock of this world."

"A gem of infused titanite. Found in the dregs of the Cathedral of the deep.

Used in infusion to deep weapons.

Deep weapons inflict dark damage, but lose scaling effects.

There is a darkness that lies beyond ken."

Now this is quite a bit of information and it is easy to speculate a lot on it, but as always it is important to only infer things that can be proven within the context of the game. For instance to infuse with a deep gem we need the Sage's Coal, this coal was given to the Abyss Watchers by one of the Crystal Sages, and it allows you to also do crystal and blessed infusions, so with that one item we can tie aldritch and the deep to Seath, Big Hat Logan, Miracles, Dark and Artorius. But that would be insane, the fact is that the game has coals that allows infusions, and they had to allow coals to do multiple infusions so they split these infusions almost arbritarily. They also had to balance the game so the difference between dark and deep is that deep does dark damage without intellegence scaling. Now they needed a lore reason for Deep.

So above is almost all the information we have on the deep. But theories need to be explained and contained inside that information and other information we have in the game and we must be careful not to mix mechanical descisions (the seperation of dark and deep) with actual lore (things contained in item descriptions).

So yes the deep is not the same as the abyss, but what exactly the deep is, we do not know yet. It does not have a clear origin story like chaos or the abyss. The abyss was only explained in an expansion in dark souls 1, so maybe we'll get some more information later.

[Valky]

Always thought that the deep was connected to the ocean, seeing how on japanese mythology, thats where Yokai come from (>o.o)> Hollows. . . and whatnot

[evil_apai]

I always think the Deep in DS3 is actually Occult DS1. They are still Faith based. But both are opposing each other.

[Valky]

Messaggio originale di evil_apai:

I always think the Deep in DS3 is actually Occult DS1. They are still Faith based. But both are opposing each other.

Technically they're pyromancers, most Deacons use fireballs.
The only ones who use actual miracles are the grub men in the cathedral of the deep.

[Rinera]

Even with all the hints we have, there are more questions than answers regarding The Deep. Is it a place or is it an idea? Is it something like a dream world or can you go there in the same way you go to the Abyss?

Why would a Cathedral be the best way to containe it? Why is Rosaria there and why is she such a blood thirsty tongue hunting ♥♥♥♥? Etc etc.

[evil_apai]

Messaggio originale di Miyumi:

Messaggio originale di evil_apai:

I always think the Deep in DS3 is actually Occult DS1. They are still Faith based. But both are opposing each other.

Technically they're pyromancers, most Deacons use fireballs.
The only ones who use actual miracles are the grub men in the cathedral of the deep.

Is it really Fireball Pyromancy...? the fireball cast from that dagger/candle-hold thing and fly on the straight line very2 far.. All the deacons are cleric, even Aldrich was a cleric too... Cleric use miracles.

[Jolly Devil]

Messaggio originale di SniperVakarian:

Hey OP, I'm currently reading some item descriptions about the Deep, I found this one :

"The deep was originally a peaceful and sacred place, but became the final rest for many abhorrent things. This tale of the Deep offers protection for those who worship amidst those horrors."

Description of the miracle Deep Protection.

Also :

"Archdeacon McDonnell, a sorcerer himself, delighted in the cathedral's stagnating souls. For him, they represented the glorious bedrock of this world."

Description of the spell Great Deep Soul. That could mean that the Deep existed before anything else, a bit like the Garden of Eden for christians.

That could play into the theory of it being like a blueprint. So if the deep resets the world, then everything would go back to how it was before the original age of fire. A garden of eden as you said, where everything was perfect and calm, before humanity began to corrput it.

That's an great peice of info. Thanks.

[Jolly Devil]

Messaggio originale di GungZA:

Now this is quite a bit of information and it is easy to speculate a lot on it, but as always it is important to only infer things that can be proven within the context of the game. For instance to infuse with a deep gem we need the Sage's Coal, this coal was given to the Abyss Watchers by one of the Crystal Sages, and it allows you to also do crystal and blessed infusions, so with that one item we can tie aldritch and the deep to Seath, Big Hat Logan, Miracles, Dark and Artorius. But that would be insane, the fact is that the game has coals that allows infusions, and they had to allow coals to do multiple infusions so they split these infusions almost arbritarily. They also had to balance the game so the difference between dark and deep is that deep does dark damage without intellegence scaling. Now they needed a lore reason for Deep.

So above is almost all the information we have on the deep. But theories need to be explained and contained inside that information and other information we have in the game and we must be careful not to mix mechanical descisions (the seperation of dark and deep) with actual lore (things contained in item descriptions).

So yes the deep is not the same as the abyss, but what exactly the deep is, we do not know yet. It does not have a clear origin story like chaos or the abyss. The abyss was only explained in an expansion in dark souls 1, so maybe we'll get some more information later.

Thank you so much for all the info. I'm sure that took a while to compile.

"Dregs are the heaviest things within the human body, and will sink to the lowest depths imaginable".

That line makes me think that the deep is not the ocean, but earth as I said in my original post. Dregs are dragged into the earth for whatever reason; whether it's an afterlife or a torment, and when the world is recreated, they are the ones who would become like Gwyn and other prior to the flame.

And as I said to SniperVakarian above, the deep could be a blueprint to how the world is. I don't know if any of you play WoW, but in lore there is a place called the Emerald Dream, which is a blueprint for how the world was before life was on it. And so, maybe the deep is in fact the same thing. And so when the world or time collapses upon istelf, much like it is currently doing in DS3, then it resets to how the world originally was.

But as you said, all of this is massive speculation, because we only have bit of lore. I really hope From doesn't just forget about this with the dlc. And once again, thanks for the list of item lore. ^^

[Mepho]

I was gonna read everything until you went with the assumption that "the deep" might be connected to earth. Yet a in game description (soul of Aldritch?) clearly states its connection with water.
Assuming everything else in your theory needs this to hold, I stopped.

[Jolly Devil]

Messaggio originale di Mepho:

I was gonna read everything until you went with the assumption that "the deep" might be connected to earth. Yet a in game description (soul of Aldritch?) clearly states its connection with water.
Assuming everything else in your theory needs this to hold, I stopped.

The souls of Aldrich says:

"When Aldrich ruminated on the fading of the fire, it inspired visions of a coming age of the deep sea.
He knew the path would be arduous, but he had no fear. He would devour the gods himself."

As I said in another comment, the word sea can be used to describe how vast something is. It doesn't necessarily have to mean water. And this is a game where double meanings happen often. And I may be completely wrong, which I even said was a 100% possibility. The Deep could in fact be water. Once again, this is just a theory.

[Stilgar]

With all of these descriptions referencing the Deep Sea as the 'bedrock' and a 'peaceful place', I feel like the main post has a lot going for it. Before the Age of Ancients, there was the Deep Sea. From the Deep Sea comes the dragons and archtrees and all of that fun stuff, and the peace is maintained through the Age of Ancients. Then the Fire is born and stuff actually starts happening, disrupting the peace, and building a world over Ash Lake (Ash Lake AKA remnant of Deep Sea and Age of Ancients)

I know this post is old, but it's one of the few places I actually have an account so yeah.