Shaded Woods #2

The mist covered path through the trees delivers on its ominous appearance as no sooner are you in than attacks are coming out of nowhere (arrows?). I elected to leg it and somehow stumbled on a path away from the mist. DS2 has a habit of delivering a bonfire just when your praying for one (and often when you're not) and it didn't let me down.

The area that follows is the creepiest and nastiest in the game thus far. Despite it being a bright, well-lit area the constant threat of curse status (and the associated warning noise) and the cackling in the background are enough to keep you unsettled. There are gourds everywhere which increase your curse level if you're near them and the dreadlocked man-beasts also inflict curse status with their attacks. There's also a giant basilisk lurking as if juxtaposed in the middle of the area just to alarm you. Falling through the false-floor trap sees his petrify inflicting babies swarm you and if that wasn't bad enough there's corrosive acid down there which breaks your equipment. Nightmare.

Probing about got me a Dark Scythe (bit weak) and a scorpion-bodied NPC (who says nothing). Fortunately once you find the boss fog you realise you've got an easy sprint from the bonfire straight there. The boss is also scorpion-bodied and is not dissimilar to Quelaag. Initially her Soul Spears, Homing Soulmass and pouncing tail attacks make her seem like a formidable opponent but after a couple of goes I realised I can get right up in her face relatively easily. I did summon a helper but really she's quite a doable boss without one. My new fireballs came in really handy also allowing me to mix it up between ranged and melee. Once defeated I moved through the tunnel she was protecting to the Doors of Pharros.