Things Betwixt

This is the starting/tutorial area for Dark Souls II.

Description
Either side of the water fall have bush covered paths. One direcition heads to a corpse, and the other up a path where a large angry hippo monster hippo is pretty tough and is guarding pine resin. Defeating the Hippo here nets the player a stone ring.

Within the tutorial area is a place with birds wanting silky and smooth.

There is also a sarcophogus near two big hippos, once it is hopped into the screen changes as though loading, but nothing has happened. Unsure of the purpose but it is undoubtedly something. Tough fight. Defeating the hippo closer to the firekeeper hut netted a nice ring, unsure if these hippos drop similarly nice gear.

The old Firekeepers and Milibeth are located here before the tutorial area.

The Old Firekeeper, upon returning to this area a second time allowed me to "start anew" and an option appeared to allow me to reallocated my stats. I have not chosen this option yet.

NPCs
The Old Firekeepers

Milibeth

Sooth Silky Birds - Can drop a petrified something (I got two twinkling titanite, one from each petrified something) a smooth silky stone for an infusion item, or a small sikly stone for a lesser item.

Items Found Here
Stone ring, obtained from the first "hippo" seen when you start the game

Pine resin, guarded by the first hippo.

Lore
Milibeth is some sort of guardian/caretaker of the old Firekeepers in the hut. Says it is in her lineage to look after them. They are three sisters, was a fourth. Milibeth indicates that long ago firekeepers were more commonplace, but are now lost and "scattered with the wind." Thus implying this is a sequel of sorts to Dark Souls 1.

Connects To
Majula