Art competition finalists will be aired later this week as well, depending on the Elden Ring news we do/don't receive in a couple of days at The Game Awards! Man, we received some INCREDIBLE entries. Gonna be paying 10 artists $2k so I hope you don't mind that Audible shoutout to help with that hole in my wallet. It's a good deal too!
Thank you for your kind mention of my work with Master Willem! Always so much love for your dedication to this community. edit: Oh I kept working any you also mentioned my Yharnam Stone work haha. I commented too soon!
Yea seriously how the fuck were we supposed to guess it was Ceaseless Discharge, when The Consumed King was an answer up there and the baby sounded so damn similar to little Ocelotte. How were we supposed to know that Ceaseless Discharges Sounds was a baby slowed down and In a lower pitch. I was like "Bitch what the fuck, WHAT THE FUCK!"
To touch upon the music thing, Gwyn's theme is in the key of A minor, which only uses the white piano keys. Writing in the key of A minor isn't any different from writing in any other minor key in terms of theory, and furthermore writing a song that only uses the notes in the key isn't necessarily hard. What is impressive, though, is how the composer managed to make the piece so emotional and powerful despite only using the notes within the key. Generally, songs (especially pop songs) tend to be written to only use notes that are in the key of the song in order to be easier to listen to, which can risk the song sounding bland and generic. Likewise, songs that are written to be more evocative will sometimes try to accomplish this by using the notes that are outside of the key (these notes are called "accidentals") in order to add color and surprise the listener or even make them uncomfortable because these notes don't "belong" in the key. So this composition is impressive, in part, because of how much it accomplishes with how little it uses (the same goes for the melody, which is developed entirely from only two really simple motifs; the youtube channel 8-Bit Music Theory has a whole video going into the composition of this piece, I'd highly recommend checking it out). Hope that was understandable.
Every time I start to think myself "Hey I should finally get around to understanding music theory" I stumble upon a comment like this and get discouraged. Very insightful stuff though.
The way William gets slammed in his chair during his boss fight makes me think, that perhaps in his boss fight a Amygdala is holding him during the fight.
"Griggs may not be who he says he is" Ah, of course: Griggs, Son of Gwyn and the God of War. We've finally figured it out folks. It was never Solaire, it was never the Nam- "Griggs was part of a secret sect of Vinheim sorcerers." Ah, that makes sense I guess.
Based on what I can remember from a music theory course I took four years ago, Gwyn's theme is played in A minor, the relative minor of C major (meaning they use the same base notes). Because it only uses the notes from the A natural minor scale, when played on the piano it uses only the white keys. I like to believe that this is completely intentional and a stroke of genius on Motoi Sakuraba's part. I love how it feels like even Gwyn's theme music itself attempts to resist the Dark, as though the Kiln of the First Flame is the one place where Gwyn's fading light remains untouched.
I doubt they went that deep with the music, but I’m sure the style of Gwyn’s song over some bombastic piece like Soul of Cinder’s first part was intentional
a piano piece in aeolian A is one of the most common choices ever, but ... in a game full of dramatic, frantic, ominous themes with a LARGE use of chromatic notes, is it? gwyn's theme is the only one in the whole game that only plays notes within a certain key
@@TheSnowmanKilleth He's a nod to that one English samurai, more likely. Japan was famously isolated around that time, so foreigners being this far into the country was an extremely rare commodity, hence the fame that one guy had.
@@TheSnowmanKilleth i have not played Sekiro, however during the viking times scale mail and chain mail were two prominent armors, also are there any side characters that may use an unusual weapon for eastern standards within the game?
In my head canon Armored warrior is either Portuguese or Dutch. Because those two European nations are heavily referenced when it comes to foreign nations having relations with Japan
"I feel like I've never seen anyone discuss, since Bloodborne's release, how different Lovecraft stories inspired different sections, like The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath..." This stuff has been discussed at great length by many other lore peps for YEARS now. Namely JSF, Redgrave, Aegon and Sinclair Lore.
Yahya ya but isn’t elden Ring like 2021 release date? I mean..that’s a long ways away still lol...this video really shows the bottom of the barrel was scraped to out this video together. Souls is done, sekiro has so little content and things to do there isn’t a lore to tell us. Wouldn’t be surprised if channels like this have massive sub losses over the next while. They don’t have games to produce anything with lol
Honestly, THIS is how you do a sponsorship well- displaying the product in a way that furthers the point of the video and shows its functionality in a way thats interesting and relevant for the viewer. Nice! Loved this video- didn't think these games could still surprise me, but there really is no end to the depths :)
@@bizzzzzzle I agree. Let me break this down for you brian phillip: Vaati was paid to put it in his video, if the info was meaningful, it would have been included without the ad, which muddies whether the point is valid or how much it is shoved in. This is an ad being forced down your throat, and you just said that you liked it. I will down vote any video that has a sponsorship in it. Yes they absolutely can include it, they obviously own their space, but I own my opinion, and if companies cannot use the ad space provided by youtube, I will attempt to dissuade people from circumventing that system to try and shove it down my throat. Vaati used to be better.
@@switters8679 well hes got to make a living lol besides he did it better than other youtubers he displayed it in a way thats interesting and relevant as brian phillip said, AND left it at the end of the video, you did not even have to skip anything its not in the way of anything meaningful its at the end of the video, atleast he doesnt have unskippable ad that are shoved down your throat
When Gwyn's theme play during halfway through the soul of cinder fight I always get chills, such a nice addition to it to make that fight seem like way more than just a final boss.
The leaving of the Astral Clocktower and the Abandoned Workshop both remind me of the short story "The Outsider" by Lovecraft. Especially with the ground/surface being sky height to the previous perspective.
What if in elden ring, we happen upon some forest, an old, dead forest, with a giant tree in the middle. Through some lore, we find out it was once called "The Millwood forest".
The first time I played Dark Souls 1 to completion, I heard about how hard Gwyn was to parry, and to this day I regret defeating him on my first try entirely through parrying him perfectly three times. I never got to experience the sheer melancholy of this sad character through the music.
@@gamefreak974 an infant or even a toddler would make sense. It would explain its obsession with its older sister, its clunky attacks and movement, and the lack of balance and foresight that leads to the alternate kill.
Ive been REALLY craving Bloodborne again lately and going back to it just makes me really want a sequel or spiritual sequel. Just something to try to recapture that beautiful gothic victorian aesthetic and the heaps of mysteries around every corner and a story told as much by the environment as it is in pieces by the people.
I'm sure the sequel is being worked on just wait !! Victorian era aesthetic ,lovecraftain horrors ,satisfying combat and majestic and pure eargasm soundtrack and lovely deep atmosphere . Hopefully they boost the fps and resolution on ps5 to 60fps and release bloodborne 2 ASAP
Much like Chester, don’t forget “Leonhard, the Ringfinger” from Dark Souls 3. He’s specifically referred to as a “hunter” (hunting enemies of Rosaria, but still) and wears gear much like that from Bloodborne, especially the tricorn hat.
People forget the fat officials from Demon Souls and IIRC, Chester's design was already developed to some degree before Dark Souls was released, same goes for the Sanctuary Guardian.
Heysel is a reference to DeS (Old Monk), Kirk is from DS1, Creighton is from DS2, Leonhard is a reference to BB (hunter fashion with a moonlight weapon), and our character is from DS3. So each Finger represents a different game in the Soulsborne series. As for hints towards future games, Chester and Manus are similar to Hunters (both in fashion and combat style, using a crossbow instead of a gun and bleeding throwing knives [he also uses Senpou Kicks lol]) and the Cleric Beast, while Oolacile shows a city where the townsfolk are corrupted and turned into mindless beasts (also represented by Artorias). BB's Old Hunters DLC and the League Covenant shows some hints at Sekiro, though more with similar themes rather than direct references. Centipedes being found within corrupted men, and a town of people who worship a creature of the ocean (Kos in BB, the Great Carp in Sekiro) which transforms the townsfolk into sea-like creatures themselves. The phantasms and precious bait look the same as well. DS3 also predicted Sekiro with katana parries (I'm joking but that actually is a bit valid). If we take Artorias of the Abyss to be hinting at Bloodborne, and The Old Hunters to be hinting at Sekiro, then it would make sense to expect a Sekiro DLC to hint at Elden Ring, but unfortunately it doesn't look like we're getting that. I do think, however, that Sekiro will greatly effect the gameplay of ER. It's supposed to be the most open-world of all their Soulslike games, including horseback riding. Sekiro is the only game with a boss riding on horseback (as far as I'm aware, maybe DS2 had one but I haven't seen anyone mention it), which could be them working out combat on horseback. There are more ways to move around and explore in Sekiro as well, with actual jumping, swimming, and a grappling hook. We may or may not get grappling hook but swimming and jumping I think are likely to be in ER. They're also clearly evolving weapon/combat arts, from DS1 and BB having certain weapons with special heavy attacks, DS3 having dedicated weapon arts for weapons, and Sekiro having combat arts that you could equip, as well as building on trick weapons with Sekiro's prosthetics. Since we already know the game will involve a lot of arms being cut off, and the red-headed k***ht in the trailer had a prosthetic arm, it's possible we'll see a return of prosthetics. I'm hoping the weapons will be more similar to BB's trick weapons than Sekiro's prosthetics, but either way I'm excited to see how the combat will evolve.
I know it's several years later and this is relatively minor, possibly something others or you may have already noticed, but Willem's chair slam (2:50 - 3:05) seems to have been used for the Erdtree Burial Watchdogs in Elden ring, down to the same unnatural feeling and everything. Been watching many of your videos recently and loving the feeling of occasionally being able to see things like this or imagine other connections. Thanks for all the effort and care you put into your work and the community surrounding it :)
You're a damn legend bro, still finding secrets in these games, keeping them alive with mystery and giving attention to tiny details to shine light on the hard work of the devs. Plus that was one of the most appropriate uses of a sponsorship I've ever seen in a UA-cam video.
Someone who actually enjoyed the Dungeons? What time to be alive... (To be honest, I like them too, but FRC Dungeons with Eye Collectors are just stupid)
I saw a t-shirt on the internet the other day. "Bloodborne 2 confirmed!" And right below it was written "Please, I beg you Miyazaki!" I'm that t-shirt right now
I live the game more than anything but I feel that the game is done. I got everything I wanted from it. If it was a game in the same setting, city or touching on the churches I would be happy I think but a bloodborne 2 would just feel like milking it IMO
I disagree. Bloodborne is AMAZING, maybe my favorite game ever, but the story is complete- a sequel could never expand the lore in a logical way or be anything other than a disappointing cash grab that will leave fans with a bad taste I their mouths. Bloodborne is perfect as a standalone game.
I’ve actually been reading a physical copy of the complete H.P. Lovecraft fiction for a few weeks now and I’d encourage anyone who likes Bloodborne to read it. It’s amazing. Especially the Call of Cthulu.
I have also read a lot of Lovecraft and would recommend you still read it, but take it in doses. A couple stories here and there is amazing, too many and you start to realize how similar the Cthulu Mythos stories are.
13:16 the fact that you landed that shot is f*cking insane i dont believe there is a more beloved and dedicated fanbase than the ones of the soulsborne games. truly FromSoftware is a development studio are on a whole other level than the rest.
Probably not a random jump. They use editors or something to fly the camera freely around the environment and when something suspicious is seen they try to get to it. Either that, or one of the millions of people playing actually fell there in that exact manner and reported it.
*I know not many people will appreciate this but here goes an interesting tidbit about Bloodborne (spoilers btw):* In the Bloodborne's book, the *Old Hunters' Collection Guide*, there is a picture of what is considered the "Holy Grail" of Tomb Prospecting: *the 3rd level Guidance rune* For those who don't know, this is the rune associated with Ludwig, the Holy Blade, and it is mentioned that, in a way, it is what drove him to madness. This rune also enhances the strategy of fighting with reckless abandon, as it boosts "Rally" values (the mechanic in Bloodborne which allows you to recover hp shortly after losing, by attacking enemies). Both Rally, and the Guidance rune are also associated with the Holy Moonlight Sword, because it was from it, that he uncovered the rune. The 3rd level of this rune was never found out, and since all possible Chalice Dungeons have been officially exhausted, this means only one thing... Fucking Miyazaki granted the entire Bloodborne community the most amazingly convoluted way of experiencing an irony of the likes have never been seen. This is miles beyond the "Pendant" debacle of DS1! By releasing an image inside a book that only the utmost enthusiasts of Bloodborne would ever acquire, especially Tomb Prospectors, he gave us a false hope that would never be realized. That fucking picture, in that fucking book is cursed beyond dimensions. It is a dream. It is a vision. It will never exist. It is meant to inspire the same thing that consumed Ludwig, and drove it into the beast we found him as. Miyazaki produced the single most elaborate rick-roll I've ever witnessed.
I found out that the stray demon boss back in the asylum area in dark souls remastered is pretty weak to the bandit dagger weapon, it was just strange how, most other weapons did low damage to it but the dagger has crit damage boost and that massive laceration damage which just crippled the boss and made the fight alot shorter...
Are we going to get any other Prepare to Cry videos for Bloodbourne? I just finished the game for the first time the other day, and I've been enjoying the ones you have up.
the composition is in a minor, and it's a key with only white where there are no sharps or flats, so you play only the white keys. It's not uncommon to take notes from other key signatures, say A major to add some spice on the composition, so it's kinda limiting to only use the notes in one key.
About Gwyn’s theme: If a song is written in the key signature of C major or A minor, it automatically does not use any black keys, so it most likely did not require any sort of restrain from the composer, but it may have been a conscious desicion.
@@ahmedboukhalfa288 I honestly think that lautrec was just minding his own business and we have no real reason to go all "vengeance" on him, expecially if we have saved him and have fought along, we're the real betrayers.
We need limit breakers grandson to come out of his hovel and give us the u s e l e s s d a t a on all this deeeeeepest lore. Failing that, more lore on random character's, such as crabs maybe,is also welcome.
6:06 Vaati: "I feel like I've never seen anyone discuss, since Bloodborne's release, how different Lovecraft stories inspired different sections, like The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath..." JSF/Richard Pilbeam/Sinclare Lore: "Are we a joke to you?"
Fun fact, there's a dead Vinheim sorcerer in brown robes stuffed into a barrel in the same room where you find Griggs. And, he's not actually trapped in there. Doors lock from the inside...
Shoulda mentioned this last time I commented, but the coolest thing about Griggs of Vinheim is that his VA went on to voice Navalaan in DS2, and then Hawkwood in DS3! And Aymeric in FFXIV...
First example I've seen of a sponsor actually directly helping the content of a UA-camr's video in a meaningful way, amazing video and loved the Mountain of Madness reading!~
Vaati, the thing you said the song of gwyn is not a coincidence! The white tiles represent gwyn, and the repeating compass represent his never-ending stagnant watch over the flame. While the black tiles represent the always-strengthening ascent of the player, always getting stronger. For more information go watch Jaime Altozano's video regarding dark souls, it has English subtitles and not only speaks of the gwyn song but also the firelink shrine
I hope they've been secretly writting up plans for a game for years now, and will only announce and produce it as the last game of the company or something after decades of development. It will be the single greatest thing mankind has made.
Gwyn the white & the white notes on the piano. Oh wow not only am I in awe of what would have taken to accomplish something like this but also for the community to actually recognize this and most of all for vaati vidhya to show this to the broader community . Makes me smile to think that I have at some point been a part of this amazing franchise. Forever greatful for the magic that is games 😊
When aggro’d, Chester sidesteps and moves like a hunter. He’s got the cloak and top hat. He’s absolutely a Bb reference. Although, now I wonder if Lucatiel is a reference to him because they lean on the wall the same and have similar masks
Recently, upon making this comment, I have played and beaten 'Demon's Souls' for the first time and I can honestly say that I love the Souls series even more than i did initionally. 'Dark Souls' is still my favorite as of yet; albiet, I have not played 'Sekiro: Shadows die twice' nor 'Bloodborne'. I find myself enraptured in the lore and gameplay of the souls series to the point of playing them ceaselessly, I take great enjoyment from your content and I truly do wish for more great content in the future. Fear not the dark, my friends, and let the feast begin
Me: "Its probably D. I remember your supposed to hear Ocelot at some point... But wait, you can hear something too in Mergo's too. I'm sticking with D, but understand if its A." (Turns out its Ceaseless Discharge... feels betrayed.)
I got the riposte animation for Gael with the Hollowslayer Great Sword. Discovered it by accident when I was helping a friend of mine take him out. It was pretty cool, but it's no Knight Captain Alonne's death animation when you take no hits during the fight. THAT was worth the two weeks of rage I went through before finally getting it.
About the white piano keys: Most of the music we have today is composed in just one key (key refering to the scale used). By just one key I mean that the song does not change from one key to another (which is common in older music like jazz and classical music). That means that every song that sticks to just one key is playable with only white keys(piano buttons) at the piano since the key(scale) of C includes all of the whites but no blacks.
Both the ionian mode (now C major) and the aeolian mode (now A minor) can be played using only the white keys of the piano. Considering that the one has a "brighter" and "happier" feeling and the other has a more "dark" and "sad" one, a composer can use both those contrasting elements to create great musical pieces. The real problem rises with the stagnation of only using a single mode or scale, as well as not being able to use A minor's leading note (G sharp), but it's not the first time someone composed a great piece by severely limiting themselves; it can be done and it was done beautifully.
Just watched one of the Ringed City secrets videos and realized the ash covered serpent bears a striking resemblance to the great white serpents in Sekiro. This video's mention of the possible connection between the Yamamura character in Bloodborne and the real life lead gameplay designer of Sekiro got me thinking that maybe that could've been an early design concept for a primordial serpent even way back in Dark Souls III.
From a musical point of view, Gwyn's theme has only white keys because it is on a minor but in Dorian mode (from the greeks modes of music). That means it doesnt have a sharp 7th tone like any natural mode tonality would have; and that's why the theme only has the white keys from the piano. Dorian mode is used a lot for soundtracks both in videogames and films, actually. But I cannot say if that also has something to do with the lore of the game, it would be guessing without real proof; but the idea you proposed is a really cool one ;) Love your videos Vaati!
*Ahhh, another one, roused from the sleep of death?* *Well, you're not alone. We Elden Ring fans are worthless. Can't even die right. Gives me conniptions.*
Art competition finalists will be aired later this week as well, depending on the Elden Ring news we do/don't receive in a couple of days at The Game Awards! Man, we received some INCREDIBLE entries. Gonna be paying 10 artists $2k so I hope you don't mind that Audible shoutout to help with that hole in my wallet. It's a good deal too!
WE LOVE YOU VAATI
Vaati which of the souls games is your favourite?
If you're looking for epic fantasy and something I feel thematically inspired the souls series, you should definitely check out "The Wheel of Time".
Don't worry about the ads man, we know it's a big share of you creators' pay
try the series by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, particularly Angel's Game
So let me get this straight. Gwyn was trying to avoid the age of Dark coming *So hard* even his boss fight music refuses to touch any Dark keys?
lol
Hey... that’s racist...
@@obsolete18 Yawn.
Kein Name you really hurt my feelings with that one
obsolete18 i‘m sorry...
Thank you for your kind mention of my work with Master Willem! Always so much love for your dedication to this community.
edit: Oh I kept working any you also mentioned my Yharnam Stone work haha. I commented too soon!
You're welcome
Thanks for your work mate! :D
CEASE reading the comments and answer the question
As shit I've been found out
Ociros?
Nope....
Oh.
I guessed mergo ;-;
I wont lie to you, I was 100% confident that the crying was my dear little Ocelotte
YOU IGNORANT SLAVE
same, the gurgle sound of the baby similar to Ocelotte
Same
Yea seriously how the fuck were we supposed to guess it was Ceaseless Discharge, when The Consumed King was an answer up there and the baby sounded so damn similar to little Ocelotte. How were we supposed to know that Ceaseless Discharges Sounds was a baby slowed down and In a lower pitch. I was like "Bitch what the fuck, WHAT THE FUCK!"
Wouldve bet my hand on it tbh.
To touch upon the music thing, Gwyn's theme is in the key of A minor, which only uses the white piano keys. Writing in the key of A minor isn't any different from writing in any other minor key in terms of theory, and furthermore writing a song that only uses the notes in the key isn't necessarily hard. What is impressive, though, is how the composer managed to make the piece so emotional and powerful despite only using the notes within the key. Generally, songs (especially pop songs) tend to be written to only use notes that are in the key of the song in order to be easier to listen to, which can risk the song sounding bland and generic. Likewise, songs that are written to be more evocative will sometimes try to accomplish this by using the notes that are outside of the key (these notes are called "accidentals") in order to add color and surprise the listener or even make them uncomfortable because these notes don't "belong" in the key. So this composition is impressive, in part, because of how much it accomplishes with how little it uses (the same goes for the melody, which is developed entirely from only two really simple motifs; the youtube channel 8-Bit Music Theory has a whole video going into the composition of this piece, I'd highly recommend checking it out).
Hope that was understandable.
Was going to say some this.
Great comment. I'd also add that this song is also deceptively hard to play accurately, because of all the tiny tempo changes that happen throughout.
That's really cool! Thank you for the bit of music theory, kinda adds more to the whole piece itself
you must be fun at operas
Every time I start to think myself "Hey I should finally get around to understanding music theory" I stumble upon a comment like this and get discouraged.
Very insightful stuff though.
The way William gets slammed in his chair during his boss fight makes me think, that perhaps in his boss fight a Amygdala is holding him during the fight.
That would honestly make that whole encounter not only make sense, but would be pretty amazing.
INSIGHT
Honestly that makes so much sense oml
That's actually adorable.
Amygdala: Why action figure no work?! >:(
"This could just be a coincidence"
You're a Soulsborne player. You're not allowed to believe in coincidence.
Unless you're plague of gripes
Yea but I'm also a piano player... And music in c major with no flats is by no means uncommon or unusual.
@@ashcrimp It could even be any of the major modes just with a different tonic than C. Gwyn's soundtrack sounds very minor to me, so probably Am key.
It's never a coincidence. Except when it is.
Fun fact a lot of the hp lovecraft audio books are narrated by the man who did the darkest dungeon’s ancestor
Well now i'm really fucking interested
All hail the Wayne June !!
that's how the devs knew them
Bit pissed off that it's not available in my country on audible.
You're KIDDING?!?! Is that really true? I freaking love that narrator! Oh man, I gotta get me those audiobooks someday!
"Griggs may not be who he says he is"
Ah, of course: Griggs, Son of Gwyn and the God of War. We've finally figured it out folks. It was never Solaire, it was never the Nam-
"Griggs was part of a secret sect of Vinheim sorcerers."
Ah, that makes sense I guess.
it could never have been solaire -cause he was the carthus worm-
@@robonerd125 it could never have been Solaire because Solaire is a human
Solaire turns into a Sun in his world if you save him and then summon him to defeat Gwyn. This was actually said by Miyizaki.
Solaire becomes a bird along with Lucatiel
"...my greatest regret is the Bed of Chaos." -- *very understandable,* Miyazaki-san
Based on what I can remember from a music theory course I took four years ago, Gwyn's theme is played in A minor, the relative minor of C major (meaning they use the same base notes). Because it only uses the notes from the A natural minor scale, when played on the piano it uses only the white keys. I like to believe that this is completely intentional and a stroke of genius on Motoi Sakuraba's part. I love how it feels like even Gwyn's theme music itself attempts to resist the Dark, as though the Kiln of the First Flame is the one place where Gwyn's fading light remains untouched.
I doubt they went that deep with the music, but I’m sure the style of Gwyn’s song over some bombastic piece like Soul of Cinder’s first part was intentional
why would you doubt that, of all things? it isnt impossible to compose a song in a minor it is just rare because it isnt often meant to sound nice.
Writing in minor keys or aeolian mode is very very common. Hell writing in pretty much any mode is common enough in video game scores.
Maybe not too much locrian mode though tbh.
a piano piece in aeolian A is one of the most common choices ever, but ... in a game full of dramatic, frantic, ominous themes with a LARGE use of chromatic notes, is it? gwyn's theme is the only one in the whole game that only plays notes within a certain key
"Sekiro has something alluding to Elden Ring"
Did you forget about the man in full plate armor that you throw out a window?
Yeah, I thought about this too, he was a from another land as well.
@@TheSnowmanKilleth He's a nod to that one English samurai, more likely. Japan was famously isolated around that time, so foreigners being this far into the country was an extremely rare commodity, hence the fame that one guy had.
@@TheSnowmanKilleth i have not played Sekiro, however during the viking times scale mail and chain mail were two prominent armors, also are there any side characters that may use an unusual weapon for eastern standards within the game?
@@TheSnowmanKilleth Robert is a old german name so he might come from whatever the sekiro version of germany is
In my head canon Armored warrior is either Portuguese or Dutch. Because those two European nations are heavily referenced when it comes to foreign nations having relations with Japan
So this is like a farewell before elden ring
What do you mean?
oh elden ring
Shit I forgot about that until you mentioned it
OHHHHH ELDEN RING....
@@Un1234l How could you forget?
"I feel like I've never seen anyone discuss, since Bloodborne's release, how different Lovecraft stories inspired different sections, like The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath..."
This stuff has been discussed at great length by many other lore peps for YEARS now. Namely JSF, Redgrave, Aegon and Sinclair Lore.
Seems nobody cares
Player: **Kills Hawkwood**
Hawkwood: *Not bad kid*
You're... pretty good... ✋ ✋
One last 'hoorah' before Elden Ring takes over your life for 2 years, eh?
FAXXXX
Yeah kinda but also I have a sinking feeling they won't announce at TGA D:
Yahya ya but isn’t elden Ring like 2021 release date? I mean..that’s a long ways away still lol...this video really shows the bottom of the barrel was scraped to out this video together. Souls is done, sekiro has so little content and things to do there isn’t a lore to tell us. Wouldn’t be surprised if channels like this have massive sub losses over the next while. They don’t have games to produce anything with lol
Oh shit, completely forgot about elder ring
@@VaatiVidya maybe another 60 second teaser just to keep us hooked for another year or so...
Honestly, THIS is how you do a sponsorship well- displaying the product in a way that furthers the point of the video and shows its functionality in a way thats interesting and relevant for the viewer. Nice! Loved this video- didn't think these games could still surprise me, but there really is no end to the depths :)
brian phillip I’d rather not have it interjected into meaningful info
@@bizzzzzzle I agree. Let me break this down for you brian phillip: Vaati was paid to put it in his video, if the info was meaningful, it would have been included without the ad, which muddies whether the point is valid or how much it is shoved in. This is an ad being forced down your throat, and you just said that you liked it. I will down vote any video that has a sponsorship in it. Yes they absolutely can include it, they obviously own their space, but I own my opinion, and if companies cannot use the ad space provided by youtube, I will attempt to dissuade people from circumventing that system to try and shove it down my throat. Vaati used to be better.
@@switters8679 well hes got to make a living lol besides he did it better than other youtubers he displayed it in a way thats interesting and relevant as brian phillip said, AND left it at the end of the video, you did not even have to skip anything its not in the way of anything meaningful its at the end of the video, atleast he doesnt have unskippable ad that are shoved down your throat
@@switters8679 you sound like an entitled brat tbh.
*Answers A and D confidently*
Vaati: Now let me tell you why you're wrong...
I thought Oceiros at first, then last minute I thought "It's gonna be all of them, isn't it?"
I was still wrong.
@@thaddeushamlet I thought Oceiros at first too, but then I remembered I never fought him.
For me very simple question, I've never heard that sound. I killed all of the bosses countless times except for Ceaseless Discharge
@@hakon_dlc I've killed them too doesn't mean I can't be wrong...
Vaati: Well yes but actually no
When Gwyn's theme play during halfway through the soul of cinder fight I always get chills, such a nice addition to it to make that fight seem like way more than just a final boss.
The leaving of the Astral Clocktower and the Abandoned Workshop both remind me of the short story "The Outsider" by Lovecraft. Especially with the ground/surface being sky height to the previous perspective.
“Jeremia is, or at least was... a bullfrog”
He was a good friend of mine
darkstar66125 yesssss I’m so happy I wasn’t the only one to say that 👌
Never understood a single word he said.
@@asaacisimov8621 But i helped him drink his wine.
Sekiro’s allusion to Elden Ring is the secret boss fight of Glaive Master Hodir
Not Ornstein I doubt you could even imagine it....
Not Ornstein Anyone remember a certain knight guarding a bridge?
@@gaintrobotsrulez *ROBEEEERRRT*
@@Blue-qu1nf Gods, I was strong then
What if in elden ring, we happen upon some forest, an old, dead forest, with a giant tree in the middle. Through some lore, we find out it was once called "The Millwood forest".
Maaan Bloodborne is my favorite game. I hope there are still a lot of people playing it. I’m still playing it regularly 💯
Bret Hamel Bloodborne II for the PS5 shall happen. 🙌
Same bro even tho I just started dark souls 1 and is amazing game, I still like bloodborne a lot more
Still playing it, at least once a year i start fresh with a new save
The first time I played Dark Souls 1 to completion, I heard about how hard Gwyn was to parry, and to this day I regret defeating him on my first try entirely through parrying him perfectly three times. I never got to experience the sheer melancholy of this sad character through the music.
No wonder I couldn’t guess the sound effect it wasn’t the sound effect in the first place
trickd u
@@VaatiVidya _claps and points down_
The fact was made up too. Sure, they may have gotten the sound effect from a baby cry but that doesn’t mean that huge demon monster is an infant..
Is it actually an infant?
@@gamefreak974 an infant or even a toddler would make sense. It would explain its obsession with its older sister, its clunky attacks and movement, and the lack of balance and foresight that leads to the alternate kill.
Ive been REALLY craving Bloodborne again lately and going back to it just makes me really want a sequel or spiritual sequel. Just something to try to recapture that beautiful gothic victorian aesthetic and the heaps of mysteries around every corner and a story told as much by the environment as it is in pieces by the people.
Ryan H I’m wanting to get a PS again just got blood borne but that means I’d have to get all the dark souls games downloaded again
I watched a vid a couple days back saying the head of Sony visited Fromsoft recently. THE DREAM IS STILL ALIVE
ps5 is just around the corner, lets hope sony pushes for a sequel
I'm sure the sequel is being worked on just wait !! Victorian era aesthetic ,lovecraftain horrors ,satisfying combat and majestic and pure eargasm soundtrack and lovely deep atmosphere . Hopefully they boost the fps and resolution on ps5 to 60fps and release bloodborne 2 ASAP
Much like Chester, don’t forget “Leonhard, the Ringfinger” from Dark Souls 3. He’s specifically referred to as a “hunter” (hunting enemies of Rosaria, but still) and wears gear much like that from Bloodborne, especially the tricorn hat.
Not really an allusion to an upcoming game like Chester was cause bloodborne was already out before ds3
@@ChewbaccaOnDrugs1130 He is just a reference. Not a hint.
Are you talking about Chester from don't starve ?
People forget the fat officials from Demon Souls and IIRC, Chester's design was already developed to some degree before Dark Souls was released, same goes for the Sanctuary Guardian.
Heysel is a reference to DeS (Old Monk), Kirk is from DS1, Creighton is from DS2, Leonhard is a reference to BB (hunter fashion with a moonlight weapon), and our character is from DS3. So each Finger represents a different game in the Soulsborne series.
As for hints towards future games, Chester and Manus are similar to Hunters (both in fashion and combat style, using a crossbow instead of a gun and bleeding throwing knives [he also uses Senpou Kicks lol]) and the Cleric Beast, while Oolacile shows a city where the townsfolk are corrupted and turned into mindless beasts (also represented by Artorias). BB's Old Hunters DLC and the League Covenant shows some hints at Sekiro, though more with similar themes rather than direct references. Centipedes being found within corrupted men, and a town of people who worship a creature of the ocean (Kos in BB, the Great Carp in Sekiro) which transforms the townsfolk into sea-like creatures themselves. The phantasms and precious bait look the same as well. DS3 also predicted Sekiro with katana parries (I'm joking but that actually is a bit valid).
If we take Artorias of the Abyss to be hinting at Bloodborne, and The Old Hunters to be hinting at Sekiro, then it would make sense to expect a Sekiro DLC to hint at Elden Ring, but unfortunately it doesn't look like we're getting that. I do think, however, that Sekiro will greatly effect the gameplay of ER. It's supposed to be the most open-world of all their Soulslike games, including horseback riding. Sekiro is the only game with a boss riding on horseback (as far as I'm aware, maybe DS2 had one but I haven't seen anyone mention it), which could be them working out combat on horseback. There are more ways to move around and explore in Sekiro as well, with actual jumping, swimming, and a grappling hook. We may or may not get grappling hook but swimming and jumping I think are likely to be in ER. They're also clearly evolving weapon/combat arts, from DS1 and BB having certain weapons with special heavy attacks, DS3 having dedicated weapon arts for weapons, and Sekiro having combat arts that you could equip, as well as building on trick weapons with Sekiro's prosthetics. Since we already know the game will involve a lot of arms being cut off, and the red-headed k***ht in the trailer had a prosthetic arm, it's possible we'll see a return of prosthetics. I'm hoping the weapons will be more similar to BB's trick weapons than Sekiro's prosthetics, but either way I'm excited to see how the combat will evolve.
I know it's several years later and this is relatively minor, possibly something others or you may have already noticed, but Willem's chair slam (2:50 - 3:05) seems to have been used for the Erdtree Burial Watchdogs in Elden ring, down to the same unnatural feeling and everything.
Been watching many of your videos recently and loving the feeling of occasionally being able to see things like this or imagine other connections.
Thanks for all the effort and care you put into your work and the community surrounding it :)
You're a damn legend bro, still finding secrets in these games, keeping them alive with mystery and giving attention to tiny details to shine light on the hard work of the devs. Plus that was one of the most appropriate uses of a sponsorship I've ever seen in a UA-cam video.
If there was one game that could inspire such mania, it’s Bloodborne. I love everything about it, including the chalice dungeons.
Ikr
Someone who actually enjoyed the Dungeons? What time to be alive...
(To be honest, I like them too, but FRC Dungeons with Eye Collectors are just stupid)
I saw a t-shirt on the internet the other day. "Bloodborne 2 confirmed!" And right below it was written "Please, I beg you Miyazaki!"
I'm that t-shirt right now
You are not alone. I want a sequel so badly!
I live the game more than anything but I feel that the game is done.
I got everything I wanted from it.
If it was a game in the same setting, city or touching on the churches I would be happy I think but a bloodborne 2 would just feel like milking it IMO
BB is by far my favourite From Software game. I do hope we get a sequel.
I disagree. Bloodborne is AMAZING, maybe my favorite game ever, but the story is complete- a sequel could never expand the lore in a logical way or be anything other than a disappointing cash grab that will leave fans with a bad taste I their mouths. Bloodborne is perfect as a standalone game.
I’ve actually been reading a physical copy of the complete H.P. Lovecraft fiction for a few weeks now and I’d encourage anyone who likes Bloodborne to read it. It’s amazing. Especially the Call of Cthulu.
Picked up a copy last week! Excited to start once I finish what I am currently reading.
I have also read a lot of Lovecraft and would recommend you still read it, but take it in doses. A couple stories here and there is amazing, too many and you start to realize how similar the Cthulu Mythos stories are.
@@NatetheNerdy Aight, thanks for the heads up my dude
It's also available online for free. Same as Roadside Picnic.
They're fine if you like reading the word cyclopian 1,000 times.
13:16 the fact that you landed that shot is f*cking insane i dont believe there is a more beloved and dedicated fanbase than the ones of the soulsborne games. truly FromSoftware is a development studio are on a whole other level than the rest.
"The Yharnam Stone is the toughest item to find in Bloodborne"
*laughs in Abyssal Blood Gems
What about the ring you can get to marry Annalise? That thing was pain.
Oh, and all the runes.
@Ryoshikari True Uselessness!
*laughs harder in level 3 guidance rune
Ehm... Bloodtinge radial gems ..
@@matteodurando9934 Honestly... You win. I didn't even knew these were a thing. How do you get them?
Otzdarva is gonna be so pissed when he sees you took over "who wants to be a soullionaire"
Avery McDonald without being a contestant too
It's so disappointing that Vaati hasn't contested yet :(
So excited to play Bloodborne for the first time when I get my first ever playstation console for xmas. Still going in mostly blind.
I just got my first ps4 a week ago. Keep playing blind. It's a much more fulfilling experience to figure it out yourself
Blind, you say? 😏
*rings sinister Bell*
One of the greatest games ever made. I wish I can erase my memory and play it blind again
12:55 HOW DO PEOPLE FIND THIS STUFF?!?!
Probably not a random jump. They use editors or something to fly the camera freely around the environment and when something suspicious is seen they try to get to it. Either that, or one of the millions of people playing actually fell there in that exact manner and reported it.
"Maybe Sekiro has something alluding Elden Ring"
Uhmmm... My pick is... "ROBERTOOOOOOOOOO!"
The trend shows that it's more likely to be the more peculiar characters... So yes either Robato or his dad could be suspects...
Bloodborne and Demon Souls in 2019 ? What a time to be alive.
Bloodborne will never get old.
*I know not many people will appreciate this but here goes an interesting tidbit about Bloodborne (spoilers btw):*
In the Bloodborne's book, the *Old Hunters' Collection Guide*, there is a picture of what is considered the "Holy Grail" of Tomb Prospecting: *the 3rd level Guidance rune*
For those who don't know, this is the rune associated with Ludwig, the Holy Blade, and it is mentioned that, in a way, it is what drove him to madness.
This rune also enhances the strategy of fighting with reckless abandon, as it boosts "Rally" values (the mechanic in Bloodborne which allows you to recover hp shortly after losing, by attacking enemies). Both Rally, and the Guidance rune are also associated with the Holy Moonlight Sword, because it was from it, that he uncovered the rune.
The 3rd level of this rune was never found out, and since all possible Chalice Dungeons have been officially exhausted, this means only one thing...
Fucking Miyazaki granted the entire Bloodborne community the most amazingly convoluted way of experiencing an irony of the likes have never been seen.
This is miles beyond the "Pendant" debacle of DS1!
By releasing an image inside a book that only the utmost enthusiasts of Bloodborne would ever acquire, especially Tomb Prospectors, he gave us a false hope that would never be realized. That fucking picture, in that fucking book is cursed beyond dimensions.
It is a dream. It is a vision. It will never exist.
It is meant to inspire the same thing that consumed Ludwig, and drove it into the beast we found him as.
Miyazaki produced the single most elaborate rick-roll I've ever witnessed.
MIYAZAKIIIIIIIII YOU FOOLED US ONCE AGAIN.
Ever single time I hear Gwen's theme my heart skips and sinks
It's pretty powerful.
plin plin plon
GlitteriPieru plin plin PLON plin plon
"Perhaps Sekiro has a little reference to Elden Ring in it too?"
*looks at the Armored Warrior with his western-ish armor*
Yeah, I wonder...
I've been saying this since day one!
I mean, the armored warrior is clearly a reference to giantdad tho
flacokra but he is killable...
ROBERTO!
@@wesleyscott1633 So is Giant Dad if you push him off a ledge :)
I found out that the stray demon boss back in the asylum area in dark souls remastered is pretty weak to the bandit dagger weapon, it was just strange how, most other weapons did low damage to it but the dagger has crit damage boost and that massive laceration damage which just crippled the boss and made the fight alot shorter...
More Bloodborne content! I can’t believe you dropped this game years ago. By far the best lore.
mexbrown hell yes
Ngl the idea of Wilhelm being a boss and demanding your eyes is terrifying
Vaati: 15 things...
Literally Everyone: YES
yeet
Title: *15 Amazing Secrets in Dark Souls, Bloodborne and Sekiro*
Demon Souls: Am I a joke to you?
DS2 crying in a corner.
@@bartoszbartosiewicz1123 ds 3 is a bb reskin
@@tryhardowl dont u dare
@@tryhardowl ds3 is a ds1 reskin*
Bloodborne is a DS2 reskin.
Are we going to get any other Prepare to Cry videos for Bloodbourne? I just finished the game for the first time the other day, and I've been enjoying the ones you have up.
the composition is in a minor, and it's a key with only white where there are no sharps or flats, so you play only the white keys. It's not uncommon to take notes from other key signatures, say A major to add some spice on the composition, so it's kinda limiting to only use the notes in one key.
9:20 A Gwyn-cidence
I'll let myself out
About Gwyn’s theme: If a song is written in the key signature of C major or A minor, it automatically does not use any black keys, so it most likely did not require any sort of restrain from the composer, but it may have been a conscious desicion.
Seven years of lore mastery, and you still have yet to uncover the pendant's true purpose.
I'm disappointed, Vaati. Fina is, too.
Heh.
Fuck your phoney diety you back stabbing prick, we all know the sun is the best diety \[T]/
@@ahmedboukhalfa288 Lol took me a sec to realize where the hate was coming from.
Aint no purpose to that dumb pendant, the legendary dung pie is worth more than that thing.
@@ahmedboukhalfa288 I honestly think that lautrec was just minding his own business and we have no real reason to go all "vengeance" on him, expecially if we have saved him and have fought along, we're the real betrayers.
Not "heh."
Kehhehehe!
We need limit breakers grandson to come out of his hovel and give us the u s e l e s s d a t a on all this deeeeeepest lore. Failing that, more lore on random character's, such as crabs maybe,is also welcome.
I guessed wrong in the quiz and was hit by a skeleton ball :(( how did you even do that
6:06 Vaati: "I feel like I've never seen anyone discuss, since Bloodborne's release, how different Lovecraft stories inspired different sections, like The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath..."
JSF/Richard Pilbeam/Sinclare Lore:
"Are we a joke to you?"
5:25 It's kind of nice that the hunters fulfilled their duty of being well acquainted with the Tomb of the gods after all, isn't it?
Woah woah woah! The tomb prospectors finished!!! I take my hat off to those legends amongst hunters! Great job
Fun fact, there's a dead Vinheim sorcerer in brown robes stuffed into a barrel in the same room where you find Griggs. And, he's not actually trapped in there. Doors lock from the inside...
Shoulda mentioned this last time I commented, but the coolest thing about Griggs of Vinheim is that his VA went on to voice Navalaan in DS2, and then Hawkwood in DS3! And Aymeric in FFXIV...
14:15
Maybe we'll meet Roberto in Elden Ring!
car keys that’d be a neat thing actually
but he dead
My first thought exactly. The armored knight is one of my favorite fights despite its cheesiness. Would be cool to see more of them.
If i'm not mistaken it is stated that he comes from a far land, right?
Maybe we poison Robert
Amazing how we still discover secrets. FromSoft's games truly are masterpieces. Umbasa.
First example I've seen of a sponsor actually directly helping the content of a UA-camr's video in a meaningful way, amazing video and loved the Mountain of Madness reading!~
>gives us an audio trivia question
>audio is edited so I get it wrong
me: sad infant noises
What I would give to see code;vein videos from you...
I even have a potential title: "In the face of certain death we cry"
Dark Souls is (for me) the most memorable and unique gaming experience of the decade.
Edit:
The Mario Galaxy games are also pretty awesome :D
agreed, besides bioshock 1, and dishonored. maybe monster hunter world
Ahh, lore... gives me conniptions...
Great video! Definitely learned a lot here!
Vaati, the thing you said the song of gwyn is not a coincidence! The white tiles represent gwyn, and the repeating compass represent his never-ending stagnant watch over the flame. While the black tiles represent the always-strengthening ascent of the player, always getting stronger. For more information go watch Jaime Altozano's video regarding dark souls, it has English subtitles and not only speaks of the gwyn song but also the firelink shrine
I'm still waiting for the Lady Maria Prepare To Cry. Awesome video as always! Keep it up
Dark Souls was a masterpiece, but it’s boggling to think that if the devs had more time it would have somehow been even better
I hope they've been secretly writting up plans for a game for years now, and will only announce and produce it as the last game of the company or something after decades of development. It will be the single greatest thing mankind has made.
@@NatetheNerdy I think the only problem with that is that they can't work on it for decades because it would have to keep changing file format
would be hilarious if the elder ring reference on sekiro was the armored knight dude that screams robertooooo
Missed opportunity to call his son Georgiooooo
Perhaps Sekiro's Bridge Knight is the Elden Ring hint.
Well I think he is the hint to another famous souls character. He is huge, wears heavy armor, wields a Zweihander, is a dad... THE LEGEND NEVER DIES!
@@Never_Ending_Dulf Yeah. That's true too
@@Never_Ending_Dulf giantdad? XD
ROBERTOOOOooo...
Could be Gyoubu. Miyazaki did say we will have combat on horseback.
I managed to stagger and riposte Gael using the dragonslayer greataxe once by doing the two handed heavy attack
Gwyn the white & the white notes on the piano. Oh wow not only am I in awe of what would have taken to accomplish something like this but also for the community to actually recognize this and most of all for vaati vidhya to show this to the broader community . Makes me smile to think that I have at some point been a part of this amazing franchise. Forever greatful for the magic that is games 😊
When aggro’d, Chester sidesteps and moves like a hunter. He’s got the cloak and top hat. He’s absolutely a Bb reference. Although, now I wonder if Lucatiel is a reference to him because they lean on the wall the same and have similar masks
Christian Kettlewell that could certainly be a connection...
And for these reasons Dark Souls is my Game Of The Decade, followed by Bloodborne and a close third in the face of Sekiro.
gtabro1337 dark souls came out before 2010 if I'm not mistaken
@@notmrcrowley9757 You are, it's September 22, 2011
Chris East must be thinking about demon souls then my bad
MrCrowley BuNz demon souls came out in 2010 I think
• Dragon_Flame • 2009
That yellow dude is based on "The King in Yellow" I think.
Which does tie him to Bloodborne.
came to see if anyone else was going to say it.
I've been learning to play Gwyn's theme for a while now, yet somehow never noticed that there's not a single black key.
Recently, upon making this comment, I have played and beaten 'Demon's Souls' for the first time and I can honestly say that I love the Souls series even more than i did initionally. 'Dark Souls' is still my favorite as of yet; albiet, I have not played 'Sekiro: Shadows die twice' nor 'Bloodborne'.
I find myself enraptured in the lore and gameplay of the souls series to the point of playing them ceaselessly, I take great enjoyment from your content and I truly do wish for more great content in the future.
Fear not the dark, my friends, and let the feast begin
Me: "Its probably D. I remember your supposed to hear Ocelot at some point... But wait, you can hear something too in Mergo's too. I'm sticking with D, but understand if its A." (Turns out its Ceaseless Discharge... feels betrayed.)
Sht man, the lost traveller in sekiro, he must be from elden ring
I dont know why, just got a feeling
Ah man my boy hawkwood wasn’t that bad at all :(
Gives me conniptions
I got the riposte animation for Gael with the Hollowslayer Great Sword. Discovered it by accident when I was helping a friend of mine take him out.
It was pretty cool, but it's no Knight Captain Alonne's death animation when you take no hits during the fight. THAT was worth the two weeks of rage I went through before finally getting it.
I love how there is now this huge body of From’s work to be discussed. All of these amazing masterpieces feel like one big happy family
So that means whoever inhabited the mansion in Majula pilfered Seath's collection, because I think the same book can be seen there.
I highly recommend
Deathwatch: Shadowbreaker and the Tower of Babel seires.
About the white piano keys:
Most of the music we have today is composed in just one key (key refering to the scale used). By just one key I mean that the song does not change from one key to another (which is common in older music like jazz and classical music). That means that every song that sticks to just one key is playable with only white keys(piano buttons) at the piano since the key(scale) of C includes all of the whites but no blacks.
Both the ionian mode (now C major) and the aeolian mode (now A minor) can be played using only the white keys of the piano. Considering that the one has a "brighter" and "happier" feeling and the other has a more "dark" and "sad" one, a composer can use both those contrasting elements to create great musical pieces. The real problem rises with the stagnation of only using a single mode or scale, as well as not being able to use A minor's leading note (G sharp), but it's not the first time someone composed a great piece by severely limiting themselves; it can be done and it was done beautifully.
Just watched one of the Ringed City secrets videos and realized the ash covered serpent bears a striking resemblance to the great white serpents in Sekiro. This video's mention of the possible connection between the Yamamura character in Bloodborne and the real life lead gameplay designer of Sekiro got me thinking that maybe that could've been an early design concept for a primordial serpent even way back in Dark Souls III.
Saw the intro and immediately thought of Otzdarva
Love that sweet boy
Lol onikiri and ubadachi was made main weapon in ds3 so i got the repost quite often
14:15 Ten bucks says Robert has something to do with Elden Ring
Robert didn't die. He was sent to Elden Ring.
And you play as him.
From a musical point of view, Gwyn's theme has only white keys because it is on a minor but in Dorian mode (from the greeks modes of music). That means it doesnt have a sharp 7th tone like any natural mode tonality would have; and that's why the theme only has the white keys from the piano. Dorian mode is used a lot for soundtracks both in videogames and films, actually. But I cannot say if that also has something to do with the lore of the game, it would be guessing without real proof; but the idea you proposed is a really cool one ;)
Love your videos Vaati!
I just got that same Complete Collection of HP Lovecraft on Audible back in October. Great narrator and 50 hours of content. Solid recommendation.
9:20 Did anyone else hear that as Gwyn-sidence?
Elden ring reference in Sekiro: "Robertoooooo!!!!!" lol
*Ahhh, another one, roused from the sleep of death?*
*Well, you're not alone. We Elden Ring fans are worthless. Can't even die right. Gives me conniptions.*
That was the first Audible plug on UA-cam that did not annoy me. You are best boy.
Vaati, I highly recommend the Hyperion and Endymion series. They're fantastic late 80s Sci Fi with a lot of odd connections to modern times.