@ISayEssays

I am starting to think that I have everlasting dragons all wrong. I assumed that everlasting equates to unchanging... but what if dragons naturally mutate to fit their environment. For example, we have Midir and Kalameet who've taken on dark aspects, various undead dragons in ds1, and not to mention the gaping dragon who seemingly morphed solely due to his fixation on hunger. The dragon form is so mutable that you can become one yourself as shown in the path of the dragon.
 So, the question becomes why are the everlasting dragons all depicted the same way if they can change their forms, and why does a dragon like Seath exist? I believe the first flame and souls may hold the key. For an organism to alter its form it requires a tremendous amount of energy, and possessing this energy opens up the possibility that said organisms may change further. I submit that the dragons once utilizing this energy to achieve their everlasting form cast it aside to make the change permanent. This energy gathered in a forgotten corner of the world and coalesced into the first flame...the first soul. As for Seath, the infinite mutability of dragons leaves them opening to developing defects... to which Seath had so many he could not withstand the physical stresses necessary to change his form. 
However, Seath's adeptness at magic provides evidence he and other dragons share a link to the first flame. Aside from the circular argument of dragons breathe fire, fire is created by a mass of souls, and we've only seen dragons with souls breathe fire or use another form of elemental attacks. The fact that Seath schooled the original lords on to how best utilize their souls to kill the dragons, speaks to me that he was familiar with the power of souls long before the first flame ever came about. I believe a soul represents the power or alter oneself and the world around them, which is supported by both the leveling up mechanic and the boss soul transposition mechanic.
 I believe souls emerged after the dragons cast them aside to make themselves and the world everlasting, which them coalesced into the first flame, which was then used by the lords. With the propagation of souls, some managed to make it back into the hands of dragons, but this soul would be a mere fragment of what it had before, causing the dragon's inevitable change to downgrade it into weaker forms such as drakes. As for why the dragon of ash lake has not suffered mutation to the extent of his kin, I think there is a lack of stimuli to inspire a change, as ash lake is fairly similar to the habitat of the original everlasting dragons. But since he likely bears a soul, that energy which creates change gets let out through those who come into prolonged contact with him, i.e. path of the dragon members.
 And perhaps Primordial Serpents were the everlasting dragons quick enough to move underground when gods and men moved above, requiring a transitionary phase where they had some contact with humans, changing them into a form which could persuade/manipulate humans more effectively, I mean the simple fact that our pc does not immediately recognize Frampt or Kathe as a threat indicates some passive familiarity with them that has probably existed for 1000's of years.

@Syntherus

The biggest crime of Dark Souls 3 was not including the serpents physically.

@Blightblues7

I know they are a bunch of lying toothy serpents, but they just have such a trustworthy flesh mustache.

@danknightk6987

To think that these massive serpents have a body somewhere down the abyss is just terrifying

@Blightblues7

I've always loved the serpents, they seem to just be simple lore dumps when you first play but if you look into it you find out that they are manipulating you to suit their own motives. I really like the idea the create with the serpents of a large overreaching conspiracy that you have no way of escaping, link the fire or not you're doing what a serpent wants and to what end we will never know.

@BiggestKahuna

Artorias: The abyss is running rampant, wouldn’t know anything about that would y- 

Kaathe: NO! WHY?

@exogenesis9112

Dark souls remaster woke up my primordial serpent

@oshayc5098

I showed this to my snake, now he's a primordial serpent

@DarkBloodSouls

Apparently Kaathe was to make an appearance in DS3 but was cut out. Shame

@tonesdad0408

Some of the most fascinating characters in all Dark Souls! 

The fact that there are several that aren't even addressed peaks my curiosity to no end. What are they and what do they look like? How old are they? Are they all connected to a massive body???

Someone please answer these lingering questions, preferably From Software.

@THEO00900

In my opinion the 2 serpents are inspired by Demigorgon. A twoheaded primordial demon of chaos. One head works to cause destruction and death while the other lies and betrayal. Each head hates the other and seeks to destroy it in secret. If our two toothy snakes are inspired by this then wouldnt it be reasonable if they try to create a war between light and dark to cause chaos but also each one hate you if you join the other's side?.
Lastly, imagine if Frampt was the one who scared Gwyn into creating the cycle of pain due to rekindling the Flame.

@nastrael

"The first Man, being called *Man*us"

That would be fine, if "manus" didn't already have a meaning. That being "hand" in Latin. Which is a pretty obvious reference to his gigantic tumor-covered hand that he uses to yoink the PC on two occasions and constantly smash you into the ground during the fight.

Unless you're saying that's also a subversion.

@zerothehero123

A lot of elements of dark souls lore are deliberately 'odd', or somewhat phenomenological to resemble and mimic the mystical elements of mythology. Like a scholar researching greek mythology, the world of dark souls is supposed to offer you a mythological point of view into a world, not a literal one. A view that at the surface seems fantastical, as if the 'myths are true kind of vibe'. Pe the fact that the primordial serpents seem to come from nothing or their weird anatomy. It's supposed to edge on surreality because that's what's so gripping, so mysterious, about mythology. You as the player are the archaeologist of the world and mythology of dark souls. You can study the roman empire, explore it's myths, examine it's architecture, but you'll never experience what it's like to actually be a roman. And so in dark souls you see the aftermath of a world come and gone. A post apocalyptic age of melancholy remains, with only hints of lore to give you some sense of what transpired in lordran so long ago. It's truly brilliant.

@Monu73796

More accurate translation of their name in the Japanese script is "World Serpents"

@enderbalrog

It just occurred to me that at the end of time, Slave Knight Gael consumes what's left of the Dark Soul, taking on what's left of it. We can all agree that this is the closest thing to the Dark Soul made whole once again, albeit somewhat weakened. Now I wonder if Gael was all along the Dark Lord Kaathe searched for?

@ThePhysicsGun

One of my favorite Souls elements that never gets talked about. Let's goooooo.

@cadarn1274

Perhaps Primordial Serpents are to Everlasting Dragons what Humans/ Undead are to the Gods. As suggested by the ring description, there are many similarities. Both Serpents and humans are weaker and less beatiful (both have similar wrinkly skin) than Dragons and Gods, but seem more able to survive changes in the cycle. On this latter point note that almost all the Dragons and Gods died when their ages came to an end, but the Serpent and Humans seem to be able to survive in any age. Evidence for this is that "primordial" implies the Serpents were around in the age of Dragons and there are also many of them in the dark ending of DS1, yet humans are also around during the age of dragons in the form of the pygmies we see in the opening cinematic. Gods are generally assumed to be just humans/ Pygmies who gained lord souls and became something greater. It could be that Dragons are just Serpents who managed to gain dragon scales (like Dragon Path covenant members). By members of lesser race (like humans) trying to become a higher being of the other race (dragons), or vice versa with Serpents and Gods, you end up producing many of the in game abominations.

@Mrkabrat

I remenber reading somewhere that one of the original optional endings was going to an area full of primordial serpents and slaying them. For this you'd have to find Gwyns ghost/spirit in Irythil and he would give you a token, by which you could chose not to fight the Lord of Cinder and go to that Primordial serpent world.
As of now, I think it's the serpents just toying with everyone to further their goals, maybe by creating new ages they could become perfect, dragons finally.

@Syntherus

If we're talking about one of the serpents appearing as an angel, Gertrude was visited by an angel, causing her to found the Winged Knights and their religion.

@UnholyWrath3277

Just a note about ur archives. Look from the anor Londo bonfire going up to the cathedral u see lothric castle built around the archives. Play the remaster and look at the same exact spot and lothric castle is built entirely around the Duke's archives. It's the same archives they just did some work and turned it into a kingdom