Should I Touch the Lady in Dark Souls 3? A Definitive Guide to Irina of Carim

The question of whether to “touch the lady” in Dark Souls 3, referring to Irina of Carim, is deceptively complex and hinges entirely on your desired playthrough. In short, touching her with the Eygon gauntlets will trigger a specific dialogue and potential interaction, but it doesn’t inherently lock you into a specific path. However, your subsequent actions regarding Irina’s questline are what truly matter, specifically which tomes you give her and which miracles you purchase.

Ultimately, the decision depends on whether you aim for:

• Irina’s “good” ending: This requires providing her with only light tomes and purchasing all associated light miracles.
• Using dark miracles: This involves giving her dark tomes and buying dark miracles.
• Ignoring her questline: This avoids any interaction with Irina or her tomes.

Each choice has significant consequences, affecting Irina’s fate, Eygon’s behavior, and your available miracles. Let’s delve into the intricacies of her quest and how to navigate it successfully.

Understanding Irina’s Questline

Irina of Carim is a blind maiden imprisoned in a cell in the Undead Settlement. Upon rescuing her, she pledges to serve you as a miracle vendor at Firelink Shrine. This is where the choices begin. The key to understanding her quest lies in the tomes you provide her. There are two types:

• Light Tomes: These contain miracles of a benevolent nature, such as healing and support spells. Giving her these tomes and buying the miracles will make her the best miracle vendor in the game
• Dark Tomes: These contain forbidden and potentially corrupting miracles that grant powerful offensive capabilities, but at a cost.

The Consequences of Your Choices

Your actions with Irina have several branching consequences:

Light Tomes Only

• Irina will gradually transition into a Fire Keeper, offering a wider range of light miracles.
• Eygon of Carim, her protector, remains passive and non-hostile.

Dark Tomes (and Dark Miracles)

• Giving her a dark tome doesn’t immediately lock you into a bad ending, as long as you don’t buy any dark miracles.
• Buying even one dark miracle will trigger her descent into darkness, causing Eygon to become hostile and eventually attack you near the Iudex Gundyr bonfire.
• Buying all dark miracles will ultimately drive her mad, ending her usefulness as a merchant and triggering a specific dialogue.

Eygon Gauntlets and Initial Interaction

Touching Irina with the Eygon gauntlets is a mere flavor interaction. She will recognize the gauntlets and initially believe you are Eygon. This doesn’t predetermine the quest’s outcome. It’s your subsequent decisions that dictate her fate.

Maximizing Your Miracle Potential

To fully leverage Irina’s services, consider this:

• Early Access to Miracles: Rescue Irina early to gain access to basic healing and support miracles.
• Strategic Tome Placement: Decide whether you prioritize light or dark miracles and give her the appropriate tomes.
• Karla as an Alternative: If you want access to dark miracles without corrupting Irina, give the dark tomes to Karla, another NPC who accepts them.
• Completionist Route: If you intend to acquire all miracles, you can temporarily give Irina dark tomes, purchase the desired dark miracles, and then proceed with light tomes for her good ending. Be aware that buying even a single dark miracle will turn Eygon hostile later in the game.

The “Good” Ending & Becoming a Firekeeper

To ensure Irina becomes a Fire Keeper and achieves her “good” ending:

1. Give her the Braille Divine Tome of Carim and the Braille Divine Tome of Lothric.
2. Purchase all miracles from these tomes before giving her any dark tomes.
3. After acquiring all light miracles, she will transition into a Fire Keeper, offering new items and services.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Irina of Carim

1. What miracles should I buy from Irina?

That depends entirely on your character build and playstyle! If you are aiming for a pure faith build, you will want to buy all the light miracles from her. If you want the power of dark magic at a cost, you can choose to buy those. If you want both, you need to make sure you get the miracles you need before giving her the dark tomes.

2. What happens when you give Irina dark tomes?

Giving Irina dark tomes opens up the option to purchase dark miracles. It doesn’t automatically ruin her questline, unless you purchase one of these miracles. At that point, Eygon will be hostile, and Irina will be on the path to corruption.

3. How do I get the “good” ending with Irina?

To achieve Irina’s “good” ending, you must only give her light tomes and purchase all miracles from those tomes. Avoid giving her any dark tomes or purchasing any dark miracles.

4. How do I turn Irina into a Fire Keeper?

Irina becomes a Fire Keeper by receiving only light tomes and having you purchase all available miracles from them. Once this is done, she will transform and offer new services.

5. Can you keep Irina alive?

Yes, you can keep Irina alive throughout the game, but only if you do not buy any dark miracles from her. Otherwise, she will be protected by Eygon and no longer be an active vendor. There seems to be no way to save Irina from dying beyond simply… not playing the quest.

6. Should I give Irina the Divine Tome?

You should give Irina the Braille Divine Tome of Carim (a light tome) if you want her to learn and sell its miracles. However, if you are talking about the Deep Braille Divine Tome or the Londor Braille Divine Tome, you should give them to Karla because the miracles count as dark.

7. What happens if you buy dark miracles from Irina?

Buying dark miracles from Irina initiates her descent into darkness. It will make Eygon angry, and he will be standing outside the Iudex Gundyr bonfire waiting for you. Once you purchase one dark miracle, Eygon will become hostile.

8. Where is Eygon after killing Irina?

Eygon does not appear if Irina dies without you purchasing any dark miracles. However, if you give Irina both of the dark tomes, Deep Braille Tome and Londor Braille Divine Tome and buy even one of the dark miracles, she will go mad due to the darkness. This will make Eygon mad with you, and he will be standing outside the Iudex Gundyr bonfire waiting for you.

9. Can I avenge Irina?

You can kill Eygon for harming Irina, but this doesn’t truly “avenge” her. It simply eliminates a potential threat. It will make Eygon angry, and he will be standing outside the Iudex Gundyr bonfire waiting for you. This is more of a consequence of your actions than a true revenge arc. In Elden Ring, there is an Irina quest that does not have a happy ending.

10. Why does Eygon protect Irina?

Eygon is sworn to protect Irina from harm and corruption. His primary goal is to safeguard her from the dark forces and influences that permeate the world of Dark Souls 3.

11. What’s the best order to give Irina the tomes?

If you want to maximize your miracle options, give her the light tomes first, purchase all the associated miracles, then consider giving her dark tomes (but only if you’re prepared for the consequences).

12. Does Irina’s questline affect the overall ending of the game?

No, Irina’s questline does not directly affect the main endings of Dark Souls 3. However, it can influence your character build and available resources, which can indirectly impact your approach to the final boss. Achieving one of the 4 endings will make the game give you an option to start a new playthrough or continue with your current one.

13. Is Irina’s questline worth it?

Yes, Irina’s questline is worthwhile for players seeking access to a wider range of miracles and a deeper understanding of the game’s lore. Her quest offers unique items and spells that can greatly benefit certain character builds. The Games Learning Society has many more examples like this where gameplay impacts the narrative.

14. What happens if I ignore Irina entirely?

If you ignore Irina entirely, you simply miss out on her services as a miracle vendor and her associated questline. There are no negative consequences for doing so.

15. Can I reverse my decisions regarding Irina’s tomes?

No, once you give Irina a tome and purchase a miracle, you cannot reverse that decision. The consequences of those choices are permanent.

In conclusion, touching Irina with the Eygon gauntlets is a minor detail. The true impact on her fate lies in your subsequent decisions regarding tomes and miracle purchases. Choose wisely, Ashen One, and may your journey be filled with light, or darkness, depending on your preference. Remember that games are not just for fun and can be powerful tools for learning! Visit GamesLearningSociety.org for more information.