Hopewell Valley Student Podcasting Network

Show Name: Vacation in the Dungeon

Episode Title: The Unkindled Desert

You are listening to vacation in the dungeon the podcast with your host(s) Muhammad Tahir and Charlton Smit.

In this episode of Vacation in the Dungeon the Podcast we discuss: Travel and gaming.

Segment 1:Dubai

"If you stand at the base of the Burj Khalifa at the first light of dawn, watching its jagged, metallic spire pierce through a heavy shroud of desert fog, you aren’t just a visitor in the United Arab Emirates. In that moment of silence, you are the Unkindled standing before the High Wall of Lothric. You’re looking up at a structure so massive it feels like it wasn't built by modern engineering. Dubai functions as a modern mirror to the Dark Souls universe through its sheer architectural magnificence. It serves as a monument to human will, constructed in a harsh, sun-scorched environment where—by all laws of nature—nothing was originally meant to flourish. It feels like the defiant cathedrals of Lothric that cling to the very edges of reality, fighting against a world that threatens to fade into the dust of history.

Ur traveling into the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve just as the sun begins to bleed over the crimson dunes, turning the sand into a sea of fire. When you look back at the distant, shimmering skyline through the haze of the rising heat, the city appears like the ancient, hidden heights of Archdragon Peak. It sits there, silent and expectant, like a legendary confrontation waiting for you to ring the bell. The desert itself becomes the 'Great Swamp'—a vast, unforgiving expanse that makes the sight of the city feel like a hard-won sanctuary. In the game, we call those sanctuaries bonfires. In Dubai, that bonfire might be a hidden rooftop garden or a quiet lounge on the 100th floor, but the feeling of total relief when you step back into that 'safe zone' is exactly the same.

But wait until the sun sets and the 'First Flame' of the day flickers out. When night falls, the metropolitan center transforms into a labyrinth of cool blue LEDs, silver glass, and deep, obsidian shadows. It captures that haunting majesty of Irithyll of the Boreal Valley. It’s a place that feels like a beautiful illusion sustained by sheer power—a moonlit dreamscape where every corner holds a secret. Walking through the Downtown district at 2:00 AM, with the fountains dancing in silence and the lights reflecting off the steel, you get that same sense of lonely wonder. You’re a small character in a world built for giants, navigating a landscape that feels like it was designed by a creator with a flair for the dramatic and the impossible.

So one time I was playing Dark Souls three, I had fought through the muddy, decaying swamp surrounding Farron Keep and made my way next through the Catacombs of Carthus, an area plagued by rot, smoldering demons, and decaying skeleton warriors. I touched a goblet, which released abyssal gas, flooding the room with darkness. In front of me was the mother (or should I say, father) of all skeletons, the giant High Lord Wolnir. All in all, a pretty easy boss, but a somewhat depressing one. After I defeated him and sent him crawling back into the Abyss, I opened the doors to reveal the hauntingly beautiful and mystifying view of the Irythillian skyline, like a darker, twisted version of Disney World.

Dubai is a city defined by its high walls, its converging cultures, and its 'bonfire' sanctuaries of luxury tucked within a formidable, ancient landscape. It is the definitive real-world map for anyone looking to experience the staggering scale and solitary atmosphere of a Dark Souls journey. It reminds us that even in the face of a vast, empty desert, humanity will always find a way to build a throne., Next time you travel, don't just look for a vacation. Look for a quest. Prepare to explore, praise the sun, and engage in jolly cooperation!

Segment 2: Crossover

Muhammad: You ever have that moment where you’re staring at the character creator screen in Dark Souls 3, and just dont know what to pick by the choice? You’re looking at the Knight, the Mercenary, the Deprived... and you know that one click is going to dictate how you suffer for the next eighty hours.

Charlton: Oh, every time. It’s that internal debate—do I want to be the guy with the massive Fume Ultra Greatsword who just trades hits and lives on Vigor, or do I want to be the Glass Cannon Sorcerer who can one-shot a boss but dies if a hollow sneezes on them?

Muhammad: Exactly. And honestly, looking at a place like Dubai, it feels like the city itself is a maxed-out Strength build. It’s all raw power, massive physical presence, WIth every one driving around in aston martins and the Mclarens. But when you actually get on the ground there, you realize the "meta" for navigating it is totally different. You see people trying to play it like a Luck build—just wandering around, hoping to find a hidden treasure or a shortcut—but the environment is too punishing for that. The sun there is like the lava in Smouldering Lake; if you aren't prepared with the right "gear" or resistances, your just melt.

Charlton: It’s wild because everyone focuses on the shiny exterior of those buildings, but to me, they’re just environmental puzzles. It’s like the Grand Archives. You see the outside and it looks glorious, but once you’re inside, it’s a labyrinth. You’re looking for the elevator that links back to the bonfire because you’re out of Estus and the "enemies"—which in Dubai are usually just the crowds and the sheer distance between landmarks—are wearing you down.

Muhamad: Right? If you go to the Marina at night, it’s pure Irithyll of the Boreal Valley energy—that cool, moonlit blue vibe. If you’re a Sorcery main, that’s your spot. But if you’re a Pyromancer, you belong out in the dunes, where the "First Flame" feels like it’s actually touching the earth. The city isn't just one thing; it’s a map that rewards you for knowing your stats and picking your lane. Personally, I like the class that you get the sellswords twinblades. They can carry you through the game. Right now, I'm stuck on the Abys watchers. I just need to look at the second phase moves better first, as I have memorized them by now.

Charlton: I guess that’s the real takeaway. Whether you’re in Lothric or downtown Dubai, you can’t just "Vordt" your way through everything by swinging wildly. You have to respect the layout, manage your resources, and most importantly, make sure your wings actually work before you try to fly off the High Wall.

Segment 3: Dark Souls 3

Dark Souls 3 takes place in a collapsing world. The age of fire, which once brought light and life, is slowly dying out.

Visually, everything feels like it’s on the edge of ending: twisted castles, broken bridges, ash-covered landscapes, and a sun that looks like it’s burning out.

What makes this world interesting isn’t just that it’s dark; it’s that it feels like a memory of something greater. The ruins suggest that once, there was order and glory—but now you walk through the leftovers.

The atmosphere is a mix of loneliness and mystery. You see broken statues, empty thrones, abandoned cathedrals, and you keep asking:

What happened here?

The game never gives you a big explanation. You have to piece it together from item descriptions, short conversations, and the way each area looks. That’s one of the reasons the lore is so fun to talk about—it feels like you’re solving a huge puzzle. At the center of this fading world is you—the Ashen One.

Instead of being a glorious chosen hero, you are literally someone who has failed before. You’re an “Unkindled” being: not even a proper undead, but left over from people who tried and failed to link the fire in the past.

In other words, you start the story as a kind of reject. Not the first choice. Not the most powerful. Just… what’s left.

Your goal? To bring back powerful beings called the Lords of Cinder, who once linked the fire themselves. One of the main places connected to this is the kingdom of Lothric.

Lothric is a great example of how the world tells a story through design.

1. It’s full of grand architecture—tall towers, huge bridges, banners—but everything is cracked and decaying.
2. Dragons cling to the walls, almost fossilized in place.
3. Knights stand guard, but the kingdom they protect is basically dead.

The royal family of Lothric was supposed to continue the duty of linking the fire. But the prince, instead of sacrificing himself, refused.

This refusal is a huge deal. It’s like someone saying:

“Why should we keep feeding ourselves to the fire just to keep a dying age alive?”

So now the world is stuck in this weird loop: the fire won’t properly die, but it also won’t fully burn bright again. Everything is dragged together in one place, a mash-up of different times and places near the end of everything.

Music Credits:

1. Circuit Rush by The Mini Vandals

Connect with us on Social Media

1. @theHVSPN