Vendrick

"I subdued the Giants, and claimed their strength. So that I might step closer to fire... Drangleic will fall, the fire will fade, and the souls of old will reemerge. With Dark unshackled, a curse will be upon us... And men will take their true shape..."

- Vendrick

Vendrick is a major antagonist and optional boss in Dark Souls II. He was the king of Drangleic until its downfall.

He was voiced by William Houston, who later voiced Oceiros in Dark Souls III.

Biography
Vendrick, alongside his brother Aldia, created the kingdom of Drangleic out of the ruins of the kingdoms beforehand. Vendrick crowned himself as the king and sought to bring peace to the land. When Nashandra appeared, she warned Vendrick of the giants beyond the sea, convincing him to ridden them before they cause a "looming threat" to his kingdom. Vendrick and his soldiers traveled to the land of the Giants and pillaged everything in their path. In the land, Vendrick found an artifact of great power, which he experimented on by turning the captive giants into golems, who in turn built the Drangleic Castle. Crowning Nashandra as his queen, Vendrick prolonged his kingdom's peace.

Then the last of the giants lead by the Giant Lord attacked Drangleic out of vengeance for the violence and experiments Vendrick caused, as well as retrieve their stolen artifact. The war lasted generations, until the giants were finally driven back. When the worse was thought to past, the kingdom was then afflicted by the undead curse. Vendrick sacrificed a great soul to allure the curse while sending the cursed undead to a far land. Discovering of the fading First Flame, Vendrick refused to relight it or let it die and bring darkness to man, instead sought to find a third option. All of his plans would ultimately fail.

Vendrick soon came aware of Nashandra's true nature as a Child of Dark and placed a series of safeguards to prevent her from reaching the Throne of Want, and took refuge in the Undead Crypt. He had his most loyal guards, along with Veldstat his right arm, to protect him. However, the undead curse came back and infected Vendrick. Under Nashandra's advice, the player is given the option to enter the Undead Crypt and slay the undead Vendrick and end his misery.

Strategy
Vendrick at first will not attack the player, and instead walks about until he is attacked first. While he walks very slow, both Vendrick's physical and defensive stats are extremely high, but if up to five Giant Souls are collected beforehand, his powers are weakened.

Trivia

 * The player can meet an unhollowed Vendrick if they use the Ashen Mist Heart given by the Ancient Dragon on Vendrick's discarded clothing.
 * The scream Vendrick lets out upon death is recycled from the Four Kings.