disturb the slumber of Princess Filanore, as her sleep protects the city from the dangers of the Dark. Also stationed in the city is the warrior Halflight, one of the Spears of the Church who protects Gwyn's last daughter, Filanore, in her slumber. Upon defeating Halflight and entering the Church of Filanore within the higher reaches of the Ringed City, the Ashen One finds Filanore herself, slumbering beside a mysterious egg. Upon touching the cracked egg held in her lap, in which is contained a Soul Forge similar to that used to transpose Great Souls, she is awakened, and the Ashen One is transported to a mysterious location similar to the one seen in the game's opening cinematic - an endless, lifeless desert that resembles the Ringed City, only long abandoned. At the thrones of the Pygmy Lords, the Ashen One encounters Slave Knight Gael, apparently slaughtering the Ringed City's rulers, the Pygmy Lords, and collecting their fractured, desiccated souls into The Dark Soul. Having gone mad due to the power of the Dark Soul, Gael challenges The Ashen One, prompting them to 'hand over' their soul. The player faces him, killing him and claiming the Dark Soul for their own. The Ashen One then returns to the painting of Ariandel and gives the Dark Soul to the Painting Woman to finish her vision of a new Painted World, offering to name it after the player. If they decline, she will instead name it 'Ash.' Setting and gameplay Dark Souls III: The Ringed City features two primary locations: the Dreg Heap and the eponymous Ringed City. The former is a burnt-out, ash-smothered sprawl of castle and cathedral wreckage comprising the smashed constructs of different ages. The Dreg Heap is a grey, charred confluence of ruined civilizations, slowly sliding, crumbling, and decaying. The area's design is uncommon for the Dark Souls series, focusing on vertical navigation and avoiding long-ranged enemy hazards that incentivize a restrained, cautious pace for the player. Some critics praised the employment of these angelic enemies that require exploration to defeat, while others judged the game unfit for such an inclusion. The Ringed City is the more expansive of the two locations, with three of the pack's four bosses dwelling within. Partially encircled by a ring-shaped wall of rock, the city is a bright area with shimmering domes, low gardens, massive buildings, and a vast purple swamp dotted