The story in most FromSoftware games is notoriously difficult for fans to get their heads around. While an intro and ending cutscene completes every FromSoftware action RPG, that's about all the straight forward story is present. To learn anything substantial about the game's characters, world, or overall narrative, players must dig through item descriptions, dialogue, and environmental details to piece together a FromSoftware story. This is especially true for Dark souls trilogy.
while Elden Ring and Transmitted through blood are standalone adventures, the Dark souls the trilogy has an extra layer of obtuseness, with all its entries technically connected. It took fans years to try to find concrete connections between Dark Souls 1, 2and 3his stories. That said, some connections are a little more obvious than others, such as Dark Souls 3its self-referential locations.
Anor Londo is a direct recreation of Dark Souls 3
By far the most obvious reference to the first game in the trilogy is Dark Souls 3it's Anor Londo. Unlike some of the other locations in the Dark Souls 3 which seem to pay homage to the first entry in the series, Anor Londo is almost an exact replica of its original version and even bears the same name. While the approach to the castle is slightly different in Dark Souls 3the castle itself is almost identical, with its long staircase and intimidating face looming over the player. Rather than the beloved boss duo Smough and Ornstein, Dark Souls 3The halls of his castle are the home of Aldrich, the Devourer of Gods, who apparently consumed Dark Souls 1of Dark Sun Gwyndolin.
Other Dark Souls 3 locations that seem to reference DS1
Firelink Shrine
while Dark Souls 3 has its own version of Firelink Shrine, the first iteration of the game can be found in DS3Ringed City's DLC. After falling down the hole to face the Demon Prince, players will be able to spot a familiar stone structure behind them next to the fire. This door and stone wall are meant to mimic the passage leading to Frampt in the first version of the Firelink Shrine game. After defeating the Demon Prince, players will be able to notice several similarities, such as a circular center piece, some surrounding stone walls, and a fountain.
The painted world of Ariandel
Another clear reference to the first Dark souls can be found in Dark Souls 3Ashes of Ariandel's DLC. In this DLC, players head to the Painted World of Ariandel, which is a fairly overt reference to DS1The Painted World of Ariamis, an optional area that can be found in Anor Londo. Although the layouts of the Painted Worlds are quite different, both have a similar long wooden bridge, and Crossbreed boss Priscilla's arena can be found in DS3The painted world of Ariandel.
Smoldering Lake
I am entering a little more into the territory of speculation, Dark Souls 3His Smoldering Lake is believed to be a reference to Dark Souls 1Izalith is lost. Some of the clearest references appear in the Demon Ruins area of Lake Smoudlering, where petrified Goat and Taurus Demons can be found in the ground. A petrified spider can also be found next to Quelana's pyromantic tome, suggesting that this deceased spider is her.
Furnace of the First Flame
Final location in Dark Souls 3 it bears the same name as the final location in the first entry of the trilogy. Although the locations look quite different from each other, their in-game purpose and the lore behind them is the same, with players having to defeat a powerful boss to either keep the Age of Fire alive or let it die.
