This page details the characters introduced in Dark Arisen, the Expansion Pack of Dragon's Dogma.
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Daimon
"I have raged, and wrought destruction. Naught shall remain."
The lord of Bitterblack Isle, who dwells deep within its deepest sanctum.
He was once a boy named Ashe, raised and trained by an Arisen named Grette who would later on become a dragon after being defeated by the Seneschal. After becoming Arisen himself, he was forced to pick between fighting Grette as a dragon, or sacrifice his beloved Pawn, Olra. Choosing instead to damn the cycle and promise to rend it asunder, the dragon accepted his terms, sacrificing Olra and granting Ashe the power to do just that, transforming him into Daimon. He now awaits for a soul strong enough to finally put an end to him.
- The Ageless: Has been long gone as the Daimon for a hundred worlds that passed.
- Always Someone Better: All his spells reflect the rings you are currently gaining from the dungeon, minus the portal spell towards the Void.
- Ambiguous Situation: Nobody is quite sure what exactly Awakened Daimon is, as Ashe's soul was freed when the player slays Daimon for the first time, and Olra even expresses surprise that the creature was somehow still alive. When he dies, he leaves behind an unidentified humanoid corpse that promptly fades away, making it impossible to tell if it was Ashe's body or something else entirely.
- And I Must Scream: When he refused the Dragon's bargain, it transformed him into the hideous creature you see on Bitterblack Isle. During the battle, Olra asks that if freedom is beyond his reach, to grant him a peaceful death.
- Antagonist Title: He is the titular Dark Arisen the expansion is named from.
- Bare-Fisted Monk: He uses punches and drop kicks. They hurt.
- Battle Theme Music: He gets two.
- During this starting phase, he gets Coils of Light, a Sad Battle Music.
- In his Awakened form, he gets In the Crucible where Droplets Gather, I Wait, an awesome Battle Theme Music.
- Big Bad: Of Dark Arisen.
- Big Red Devil: Purple, though he fits the rest of the description to a T.
- Death Seeker: At the point the player encounters him, Daimon wants nothing more than to face someone able to put him down. As you wear him down, he begins to welcome his demise and seems at peace that someone is actually managing to best him.
- Elemental Powers: He brings the entire collection.
- Expy: He looks a lot like Zodd the Immortal from Berserk. Given the game's other Shout Outs to Berserk, it isn't that far of a stretch.
- Evil Sounds Deep: His large body is likely to compensate for the very dark omen.
- Final Boss: Of Dark Arisen. Most specifically, his second form is this, only fought the second time the player faces Daimon.
- Flying Brick: A brick who is more than content to crush you under his fist using downward blows from the air.
- Good Wings, Evil Wings: Sports a pair of large, leathery wings which grant him rather agile flight.
- Humanoid Abomination: Once a young boy, now twisted into the megalomaniac dragon demon he is now.
- I Die Free: Upon his death, Ashe's soul is finally freed. He makes it very vocal that this is what he wants.In hate's demise... freedom...
- Kung-Fu Wizard: A powerful spellcaster and a very durable kick master, there's no doubt that Mystic Knight was his class.
- Lightning Bruiser: Don't be fooled by his large size. Daimon is one of the most agile bosses in the game, unleashing fast and powerful physical and magical blows while giving the player very little room to fight back.
- One-Hit Kill: Daimon can summon a vortex in the middle of the arena once he reaches low health. Should your pawns get sucked into the center, they're permanently gone for the rest of the battle, while you're dead period unless you have a wakestone. He also gets a super beefed-up attack as Awakened Daimon, where it now has a much larger range. Luckily, both forms can be stunned out of the attack.
- One-Winged Angel: Upon defeating him for a second time, the face on his stomach grows more prominent and his entire combat style changes, with fully restored and enormously buffed health. This "awakened form" poses a challenge even to those who have struck the level limit, as he has a penchant for
spamming magic attacks and setting you on fire when you try to scale him. - Our Demons Are Different: Daimon is the closest thing to a demon in Dragon's Dogma. He was turned into this form after suffering from an extreme case of Jackass Genie from Grette's part, who transformed him into a creature able to destroy the cycle of Arisen.
- Power of the Void: Is the only living Arisen who has enough power to create a portal that sucks anyone into the Void.
- Rage Against the Heavens: He did this when confronted by his Sadistic Choice, desiring to destroy the gods for making him go through such a thing. The Dragon gave him a form able to do exactly that.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: One of the first things the game will emphasize upon entering his sanctum are his shining red eyes.
- Sadistic Choice: Daimon was on the receiving end of one. As Ashe, he was forced to choose between sacrificing Olra (his Beloved), or killing the Dragon (his transformed adoptive mother). He chose to curse the gods, which led him to be turned into what he is today.
- Sequel Hook: The Awakened Daimon's introduction has vibes of this, especially when he says he awaits you in the "crucible of souls", which is never explained.
- Soundtrack Dissonance: Subverted. In his first form, which is when you're actually fighting Daimon the Arisen. The music that plays is Coils of Light
, which it is mostly a rather quiet, sorrowful song about regret, loss, and things that might have been, yet it's strangely fitting. The first few runs may not hold the meaning, considering the difficulty spike of the fight, but reading the lyrics and listening to the song tells you that it was more of a Mercy Kill for a man who lived for thousands of years, than an actual raid as you finished the first run. - Trauma Conga Line: For someone who is particularly powerful, it's almost certain that he's been through a lot. Lost his mother over a Sadistic Choice tied with his own life, struggled over the course of his tormented life to save his beloved pawn and was forced into a Deal with the Dragon to fight him or turn him into the Daimon he is now.
- Theme Music Power-Up: In his second form. His music becomes a powerful, almost divine-sounding orchestra.
- Underground City: The village he used to live in was buried for over hundreds of world cycles, leading to its dark ominous look as the Bitterblack Isle.
- Walking Spoiler: Not that being shown in every trailer has anything to do with it.
- You Are Not Ready: His awakened form is essentially saying so with the words "Hone your spirit, refine it", especially when your pawn replaces you in your trials as the Arisen of a broken order.
Olra
"For now, my course is unchanged. I shall help as I am able, and pray that brings further clarity."
A mysterious young woman who guides the Arisen to Bitterblack Isle. She serves as a purifier of cursed items found through the island.
- The Ageless: Comes with being an Arisen; notably, only Arisens can even see the Bitterblack Isle up close.
- And the Adventure Continues: After being relieved as a host of another Olra, this Olra carries on with the dungeon hunting. Curious to find about more of her possessions, explicitly telling you to repeat the dungeon as you please.
- Laser-Guided Amnesia: She can't remember anything before arriving on Bitterblack Isle. She slowly regains her memories as you traverse the labyrinth. It's because she was possessed by the spirit of a Pawn without knowing she is a different person.
- Inexplicably Identical Individuals: This Olra is different to the Olra you met within the dungeons in the Isle.
- Invisible to Normals: By the way she expresses surprise over you being able to see her at the Cassandis pier, it strongly suggests this to be the case.
- Leitmotif: A Request.
- Mysterious Waif: Even more so as a pawn incarnate.
- Reincarnation: Twice. Her first incarnation is the mother of the Daimon you ultimately fight against, dying by the choice of her son's life over hers. Her second incarnation, the one who is currently possessing her, is the Pawn who serves Ashe, the same person who ended up as the Daimon.
- Sharing a Body: The pawn of the same name is currently possessing Olra for the sake of relieving her master from being the Daimon forever.
- Stripperiffic: As Olra, the pawn.
- Talking Is a Free Action: As Olra, she encourages you to push on during the fight against the Daimon, her beloved master.
Barroch
""One look around and it’s clear we’re rats in a trap here, friend. But then, I’m a strange sort. This sort of welcome puts me more at ease than any hospitality.""
A former Arisen encountered on Bitterblack Isle. He serves as a merchant of items and weapons.
- The Ageless: Comes with being an Arisen. He seems unperturbed by his immortality, relishing in it.
- Conspiracy Theorist: Some of his theories on the nature of Bitterblack Isle are a bit... out-there.
- He is also arguably right about most of them. Particularly, he notes the isle's impossible architecture and assumes that it's the creation of some otherworldly power used as a prison or a trap. It turns out to be a little of both.
- Empowered Badass Normal: Being an Arisen, this is a given.
- Intrepid Merchant: He shows up in several locations throughout Bitterblack Isle.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He blatantly believes that you won't last long on Bitterblack Isle. However, the further you traverse Bitterblack Isle, the more he warms up to you, eventually advising you (in a stiff manner) to stay alive, and mentioning he'd like a "drinking partner" for once.
- Leitmotif: Life Cycle.
- Living Forever Is Awesome: He seems to be the only Arisen who embraced his immortality to the point that he deliberately avoided fighting the Dragon.
- Normally, I Would Be Dead Now: His constant travels in the Bitterblack dungeons gives off this vibe, especially when he loses hundreds of his pawns the deeper he goes on. It's also apparent after the death of the Dragon; he is still alive and well along with Olra.
- Screw Destiny: Rather than choosing to fight the dragon, he's content with the life of an immortal adventurer.
- Treasure Hunter: His previous kink was being an alchemist, mixing valuable potions to earn his living. After being selected as an Arisen, he took the advantage of his immortal life adventuring, particularly, in the Bitterblack Isle.
- Try Not to Die: He always sends the Arisen off with "No dying now".
- Ultimate Blacksmith: He's the only character capable of improving equipment beyond the level of Dragonforged.
- What Measure Is a Non-Human?: He points you out on this one, after defeating Daimon twice in a row.
Death
""Tis only fitting that this island would host its own Reaper. It haunts Arisen as though enraged at the half-immortality granted by the wyrm, relentless and intractable as its namesake. Even now, I swear I can hear the whispers...""
Death itself haunts Bitterblack Isle. Wielding a massive scythe and a lantern made of bone, Death stalks any foolish enough to venture into the isle's labyrinth. What or who this being is remains a mystery, though the game does drop several hints to its identity for those paying attention.
- Battle Theme Music: Pitch-Black Pursuer.
- Berserk Button: It is suggested that the mere existence of the Arisen — a child of man who cheated death by having their heart taken by the Dragon — pisses it off something fierce.
- Bring It: The flavor text of the notice board quest directing you to kill Death heavily implies Death itself is offering the quest as challenge."Death frees the spirit for its cycle of rebirth, only to have it lost in a vast sea of other screaming souls. Why meekly submit to this fate? I have cast away the shackles of the Arisen. In form and function, I have embraced my calling… as death. Let me be your paragon of perfection! Let me be your beacon of hope!"
- Contractual Boss Immunity: Death is immune to all forms of debilitations. Uniquely, he is also the only enemy in the game who possesses explicit immunity to the Brine, as he hovers over water rather than falling into it... he does not, however, possess immunity to being knocked over an abyss (which will kill him if the player can manage that, granting EXP but not the other rewards).
- Damage-Sponge Boss: Death is arguably the hardest boss in the game outside the online Ur-Dragon to kill in terms of sheer durability. You can't climb on it, it has no weak points or elemental weaknesses, and it has staggering levels of health. Combined with the fact that it runs after it takes too much damage, and you have yourself a really annoying-to-kill opponent.
- Evil Mentor: The description of the "The Wages of Death" chain of sidequests directs you to slay increasingly tough enemies to become stronger so as to "guide you to (the) path" of the mysterious quest giver. As implied by the name of the quests and all but confirmed in the final quest, Death itself was issuing these quests, trying to guide you to become a Worthy Opponent.
- Fallen Hero: Possibly. The game heavily hints that Death is what became of Arthacos, an Arisen who preceded you to Bitterblack Isle and left memoirs behind.
- The Grim Reaper: More or less the classic portrayal with a slight twist: rather then a skeleton wearing a black cloak, Death is a black cloak. A rather terrifying one at that.
- Hell Is That Noise: When Death is in an area, but hasn't found you yet, a creepy, quiet piano piece plays and you hear constant whispering. Notably, this is one of the only times that music plays outside of battle in Bitterblack Isle.
- "Instant Death" Radius: Unlike most attacks in the game, Death's scythe doesn't need to hit you to kill you. Just being close when it swings will end with you kissing the floor, and it can't be dodged, blocked, or countered.note
- Mighty Glacier: In terms of other bosses. While Death moves rather quickly when giving chase, it attacks extremely slowly. However, any hit that lands will kill you and it possesses massive amounts of health and high resistances.
- Names to Run Away from Really Fast: Its name happens to be what most encounters with it end in.
- One-Hit Kill: Death's most notable feature. If it hits you, you die, end of story. The Arisen can use a Wakestone to come back, but any Pawns struck (or even just grazed) by its scythe are banished back to the Rift.
- Power Floats: Being the world's most terrifying Bedsheet Ghost, Death doesn't walk, it floats.
- Scare Chord: One plays when it spots you.
- Shadow Archetype: As a supposed fallen Arisen obsessed with killing as much as it can as fast as possible, seeking new challenges against ever more grotesque monsters, circling the same dungeon endlessly, it bears more than a passing resemblance to a certain type of player who does much the same.
- Sinister Scythe: What else would a Grim Reaper wield? And if it hits you, it's a One-Hit Kill.
- Status Effects: His Lantern will put anyone near him to sleep when it glows blue, making them easy prey for his next strike.
- Superboss: Defeating Death is not necessary to progress through Bitterblack Isle, but doing so grants a lot of experience, and like all enemies in the game, Death has his own loot which may be necessary to enhance the player's equipment.
- Unfriendly Fire: If it hits another boss with its scythe, that boss is just as dead as anything else. You don't get EXP or drops for this, though.
- Villain Teleportation: Is capable of it. Most often used to close with ranged characters or fleeing targets. Also tends to come out of it right behind the poor shmuck in question.
- Was Once a Man: If he is Arthacos, Death was actually once an Arisen, driven mad by the Bitterblack Isle by an unknown voice to kill one thousand human souls to satiate his Dragon to prevent the destruction of his country. Whatever he is now definitely shows that the process turned him into something...inhuman.
