Things Betwixt | Dark Souls 2 Wiki

Full Things Betwixt Walkthrough

Prowler Gazebo

After the opening cinematic, you find yourself under a stone gazebo surrounded by grass as a deprived undead. As you walk forward, and between the two rocks, you come up to another grassland where there are Prowler Hounds running quickly around. They do not attack you and tend to flee as you come near. They will attempt to remain hidden in the tall grass and will not follow to areas in which they're exposed. They will retaliate if you attack however, and drop 30 souls when killed. Instead of going straight ahead, hug the right mountain wall to the right in this area to find an arch of stone. Walking through this leads to a cliff area where you can find a corpse holding the first item of your playthrough: a Rusted Coin.

Head back and continue straight towards the big doors at the end, hugging the left side of the mountain. You'll notice a break, covered in bush, right before the wooden bridge. Head into it and follow the footprints to a pathway where you will find an Ogre (drops Stone Ring) guarding a corpse, holding a Gold Pine Resin. Since you have just started and are defenseless at this point, you won't be able to claim the Ring. However, aggroing and luring the Ogre a far enough distance away, will allow you to pick up the loot on the body, which can come in very handy in the not-so-distant future. Continuing along this path leads to a smaller wooden bridge crossing a stream. Cross it, and drop down to find a set of doors ahead on the left, and a bridge on your right. For now, look for the bushes in between yourself and the bridge and pass through it to reveal a path under the waterfall with a Smooth & Silky Stone.

Self Recollection

Head back up, and into the house to trigger a cutscene with the three firekeepers. The cut-scene ends with you being asked your name, and upon entering a name for your character, another cut-scene occurs where you are given a Human Effigy. After her allusion to the effigy resembling you, you are then brought to the character creation screen and completing it earns the trophy/achievement Self Recollection. After character creation you start off in the main room of the house with your starting gear and gift equipped. There are four women present, three elderly and one younger, named Milibeth. Speaking with the younger one will shed some insight into the lore. Two of the fire keepers alternate between laughing and silence when spoken to. One of them seated at the table tells you to go on your journey and invites you back. Her implication of clean slate is in reference to the Soul Vessel which you will discover later. If you go up the stairs, you'll find a chest with a Human Effigy.

Walking out the door, you encounter a stone sign and a bonfire to the left. To the right of the door there is a cart hiding a corpse behind it. Break the cart to claim a Soul of a Lost Undead and a Torch. Lighting and sitting at the bonfire brings up the bonfire menu, where you can initiate travel, attune Spells, Burn items, and access the Item Box. Toggling at a bonfire will allow you to use a torch, which in turn can be used to light sconces later in the level.

Learning the Ropes

Go through the wooded tunnel straight ahead from the house and you come to a path with several mists on either side. The player can choose to enter the mists at this time which provides access to the game's tutorial. Each mist leads to a tunnel with several lessons inscribed in stone for the player to practice:

• 1st Mist Door - Teaches the attack function, target lock, dash, and critical hits from behind. The player winds through a short tunnel in the roots of the trees and out the other side. It is protected by several Undead Travelers (they drop nothing). Climbing the small hill here leads to a corpse with a dagger. The player returns inside the tree where they learn to roll in time for the first archer. Another stone will indicate how to switch weapons. A ramp is followed by a stone telling you how to back-step followed by two more Travelers, one of whom is an archer. A corpse carrying a Lifegem is found in this area and another stone with instructions on how to use an item. A mist door follows which leads out of the tree to a higher level. A stone shows you how to use your camera. Using the camera reveals a ledge you can fall to with a corpse carrying a Soul of a Nameless Soldier. Another stone tells you to "light sconces with a torch". Before jumping down, go left, which leads to Dyna & Tilo's nest where items can be traded. A ladder right next to the nest can be kicked down which brings you back to main path. Drop down though and get your souls and to light fire.
• 2nd Mist Door - On the right, illustrates how to two hand your weapon in the right hand, then another for the left hand weapon. The player again finds themselves in tunnels within a large tree. A stone tells you how to jump from a dash. Crossing a small gap in front of this stone leads to a corpse with 2x Amber Herb. Crossing the gap again to head back, you will see a ladder near the stone with the jumping instructions. Climbing this leads to a a ledge with three tutorial stones that instruct you to parry, execute a plunging attack and guard break. You can jump off the ledge opposite the ladder you came up and practice the plunging attack on a Traveler below. Another is waiting to ambush you. A stone in this spot instructs you on doing a jumping attack. A wooden door off this room leads to small dead end room with a corpse with a Cracked Red Eye Orb. A mist door exits the main room and brings you to a bridge that crosses the main path in the tutorial. It terminates in a balcony with a sconce which will allow you to bring light to the next tutorial area. However, you will need to return to the bridge to jump down to the main path. Jumping down will lead you to the third and final tutorial section.
• 3rd Mist Door - You will find yourself in a large chamber (that you were just overlooking). A chasm in the middle separates you from an archer who will try to harass you with arrows. A stone near the chasm and a suspicious looking tree advises you to "search your surroundings." Naturally, this is a prompt to examine the tree which allows you the option to knock it down, crossing the chasm and allowing revenge on the archer. A hole in the floor allows you to fall below where a hollow is waiting in a pit for you. There is another archer above so take care of the first one quickly. A small ladder allows you out of the pit to finish the archer and exit the tree via a mist door. Proceeding around the tree will lead you back to the main path via another tree shortcut. This is protected by one hollow. There is also the option to visit a small beach before leaving this area. It is protected by two Ogres guards. Both of these Ogres can be easily killed if you have a ranged attack (Soul Arrow/Bows). First you need to go to the beach in order to make the two Ogres follow you (they drop nothing), then go back to the shortcut you created thanks to the tree. Finally, at the middle of the tree, attack one Ogre to make it attack you. Knock him down as if he attempts to get up, he will fall to its death. Try to repeat this with the second. This grants you a large amount of souls for the beginning of the game, and access to the Handmaiden's Ladle from Milibeth.

The only thing of note on the beach is a coffin that is partially submerged. Examining this coffin prompts the character to enter inside. The game cuts to a loading screen and when it returns you exit the coffin. With one small difference. Your character has now changed gender.

Prior to 1.04 update, it didn't show any message telling your gender was changed, after update, it leaves a message "The nature of your being has changed".

Just Getting Started

Once back on the main path continue on and you will come to the oceanside hub town of Majula.

New Game+ Differences

• You pick up x5 Rusted Coins, instead of a single one.
• You pick up 3x Smooth & Silky Stone, instead of a single Smooth & Silky Stone.
• Enemies
  • NG+ x4 Hollow Falconers
  • NG+ x2 Black Phantom Hollows
  • NG+ x1 Black Phantom with Crossbow (Non-Respawning)