Mechanics Common to all Covenants

Multiplayer Items

There are nine covenants in the game, each with different goals and different means of achieving those goals, all through multiplayer interaction. While most of the covenants have at least one exclusive multiplayer item for use to this end, there are certain multiplayer items that can be used regardless of covenant:

• White Sign Soapstone;
  
• Small White Sign Soapstone;
  
• Cracked Red Eye Orb; (edit: must be in human form to use)
  
• Cracked Blue Eye Orb. (edit: can only be used if you are a blue sentinel, needs confirmation)

In this way, any player regardless of covenant can be summoned by another player or invade them, or even if they are in no covenant at all.

Ranks

Most of the covenants allow progression within the covenant in the form of ranks, starting at base (referred to as +0), and maxing at +???

• Base/+0: 0 offerings
  
• Covenant rank +1: ??
  
• Covenant rank +2: ???
  
• Covenant rank +3: ???

Breaking/Abandoning a Covenant

You may abandon your current covenant by seeking out Sweet Shaliquour, a cat NPC in a small building by the large hole in Majula. You may also abandon your covenant by attempting to join a new one.

These are the covenants which seek to lend assistance to other players through the use of the white sign soapstone, or through special abilities that assist their allies in cooperative player-versus-environment play. Note that while these covenants may be co-op flavored, there are still ways for members of these covenants to invade and kill other players, and even something as seemingly innocuous as a group healing spell can be a dangerous weapon in the hands of a savvy invader.

Heirs of the Sun

Similar to the Warriors of Sunlight Covenant for Dark Souls. These players will focus on co-operative play and assistance, and strike a special pose while being summoned. Additionally, their golden signs are expected to be more noticeable and thus be able to assist others more often. Sunlight warriors also gain sunlight medals upon helping a host in their world which they can use to rank up in the covenant in the first game.

• Initial Reward: Sun Seal.
  
• Rank 1 (Offer 10 Sunlight Medals): Sunlight Parma.
  
• Rank 2 (Offer 20 Sunlight Medals): Sun Sword.
  
• Rank 3 (Offer 30 Sunlight Medals): Sunlight Spear.

Way of the Blue

While travelling the kingdom of Drangleic, dark spirits may invade your world. If you're a member of the Way of Blue, you'll receive assistance from the Blue Sentinels. Sentinels are automatically summoned to the world of another player who has been invaded to defend the host.

• Initial Reward: Blue Seal.
  
• Rank 1 (Defeat 1 invading phantom): Bloodbite Ring.
  
• Rank 2 (Defeat 5 invading phantoms): Hush.
  
• Rank 3 (Defeat 10 invading phantoms): Blue Tearstone Ring.

These are the covenants whose goal is to defeat other players online in combat, typically through the use of their unique multiplayer items. A hostile player in these covenants will have a variety of tools to assist them in this task, though they are by no means required to use them. That said, players in these covenants are not prohibited from helping other players (such as through the white sign soapstone), and indeed may prove particularly dangerous to more hostile invaders by turning their own tools against them.


Brotherhood of Blood

Similar to the Dark Wraiths in Dark Souls, this covenant demands that its followers spill the blood of other undead players in combat for the god of war and blood Nahr Alma. However this time the Blood covenant players will have a harder time achieving their objectives due to the Blue Sentinels and the possibility that the host has another summon as well. Yet The Brotherhood see these extra opponents as a challenge and opportunity. For the more they kill in battle the higher they are elevated within the Brotherhood and the closer they come to getting their crimson lord's favor.

• Initial Reward: Crest of Blood.
  
• Rank 1 (50 deaths of Host or Blue Phantom during invasion, or victories in deathmatches): Curved Twinblade.
  
• Rank 2 (150 deaths of Host or Blue Phantom during invasion, or victories in deathmatches): Crescent Sickle.
  
• Rank 3 (500 deaths of Host or Blue Phantom during invasion, or victories in deathmatches): Great Chaos Fireball.
  
• NOTE: It seems that for every death in arena, or death during invasion counts as -1 kill towards the next rank. So, if you have 500 kills and have died 500 times, you are still at rank 0. With 1000 kills and 500 deaths you are just barely in rank 3.

Covenant Items

Crest of Blood: Ring given to members of a bloodthirsty covenant. "No notable effect."
Tokens of Spite: Token recognizing that the owner has traveled worlds to defeat others. When used it sends the player to invade another member of the Brotherhood to engage in Nahr Alma's highest and most favored ritual, Battle.



Bell Keepers

Likely related to the bells in Dark Souls, this covenant allows for its players to invade as grey phantoms. Players are automatically summoned to protect the bell tower and prevent trespassers from ringing the bell. This bell is said to represent the unconsummated affair between two lovers. Perhaps there is a hidden meaning to ringing them?

• Initial Reward: Bell Keeper's Seal.
  
• Rank 1 (Defeat 10 Hosts when invading as a Grey Phantom or 10 Black Phantoms that invade the Belfries): Titanite Slab x1.
  
• Rank 2 (Defeat 30 Hosts when invading as a Grey Phantom or 10 Black Phantoms that invade the Belfries): Hidden Weapon.
  
• Rank 3 (Defeat 100 Hosts when invading as a Grey Phantom or 10 Black Phantoms that invade the Belfries):Bell Keeper Helmet, Bell Keeper Bellyband, Bell Keeper Cuffs, Bell Keeper Trouser
  
• NOTE: Defeating 10 Black Phantoms as a Rank 2 Bell Keeper seems not to increase your rank to 3. (Confirmed)

Blue Sentinels

The Blue Sentinels are the protectors of the Way of the Blue members. When a Way of the Blue member gets invaded, a Blue Sentinel is sent to the invaded player's world to kill the invader. In addition, Sentinels also invade players who have committed sins as vengeful spirits. Blue Sentinels can also duel other members of their covenant by praying to the statue at the Cathedral of Blue bonfire (you must have a Token of Fidelity to do this and it will be consumed win or lose). Winning a duel will count towards rank in this covenant.
Note: Blue Sentinels cannot damage monsters in the player's world. Blue Sentinels cannot attract the monsters' attention either.

• Initial Reward: Guardian's Seal.
  
• Rank 1 (50 deaths of invading Black Phantoms during co-op/host when invading as Revenge Phantom, or victories in training matches): Spirit Tree Shield.
  
• Rank 2 (150 deaths of invading Black Phantoms during co-op/host when invading as Revenge Phantom, or victories in training matches): Wrath of the Gods.
  
• Rank 3 (500 deaths of invading Black Phantoms during co-op/host when invading as Revenge Phantom, or victories in training matches): Bountiful Sunlight.

Dragon Remnants

Obtain the Petrified Dragon Egg from the Dragon Shrine, located at the top of the castle on a throne. Travel to the Iron Keep, and give the Petrified Dragon Egg to Magerold of Lanafir.
Not much is known about this covenant, other then they are nearly identical to their Dark Souls counterpart. Members must place down a dragon sign and wait to be summoned, they do not invade other worlds and act as a direct contradiction to the Dragon Eye's description of how this covenant works.

• Initial Reward: Dragon Eye, Ancient Dragon Seal.
  
• Rank 1 (Offer 10 Dragon Scales): Dragon Head Stone.
  
• Rank 2 (Offer 20 Dragon Scales): Dragon Torso Stone.
  
• Rank 3 (Offer 30 Dragon Scales): Black Dragon Greatsword.

Rat King Covenant

The Rat King (literally a rat, much like Alvina the Cat) gives access to this covenant. Being in this covenant in the covenant areas means the NPCs will not attack you, and you can summon players to your world to be killed, although players do not go hollow or lose souls upon death but if you get killed by a summoned player you will hollow.

• Initial Reward: Crest of the Rat.
  
• Rank 1 (Offer 10 Rat Tails): Small Smooth & Silky Stone x10.
  
• Rank 2 (Offer 20 Rat Tails): Smooth & Silky Stone x10.
  
• Rank 3 (Offer 35 Rat Tails): Slumbering Dragoncrest Ring.

Company of Champions

Makes the game harder by increasing the damage dealt by enemies along with the health they have; essentially giving players a New Game + feel, without the need to play through the entire game to do so.

• Initial Reward: Champion's Tablet.
  
• Rank 1 (Offer 10 Awestones): Great Magic Weapon.
  
• Rank 2 (Offer 25 Awestones): First Dragon Ring.
  
• Rank 3 (Offer 50 Awestones): Vanquisher's Seal.

Pilgrims of Dark

This covenant is accessed by speaking with Darkdiver Grandahl.
In the Shaded Woods near the Shaded Ruins bonfire, go to the area with the large basilisk. Hang a right, so that you are looking back towards the direction you came from, and you should see two tower-like structures to the left, and a ruined building on the left. Straight down the center, at the end, there is a grassy patch with a boarded up hole. Walk onto the boards to fall in the hole and talk to him in his chair.

In Drangleic Castle, there is a large room with six doors, three on each side, and 2 large statues at the furthest side. Lining the walls are a multitude of stone soldiers. Killing a stone soldier near one of these doors will open it, as is required to progress in the game (you must open the closest door on the right to proceed.), but to find Darkdiver Grandahl, you must open the door on the farthest left and defeat the Ruin Sentinel inside. Jump down the hole in the center marked by the damaged floor, to the Under Drangleic Castle bonfire, and you can find Darkdiver Grandahl nearby.

In Black Gulch, there is a hidden ledge near the pools with burrowing worms and hand monsters. Dropping down two levels has a large arch door that is locked. The next ledge down has a tunnel leading to a large room with two faceless giants. Killing both giants yields a Forgotten Key and Soul of a Giant. This key can be used on the previously found door to access a small chamber containing Darkdiver Grandahl, who invites you to join the covenant.
Offering a Human Effigy to the covenant allows access to a portal, taking you to the Dark Chasm of Old. In this chasm the player faces many NPCs from Lordran and elsewhere, including familiar faces such as Havel the Rock, Pharis, and Ricard.

The boss of the Dark Chasm of Old is Darklurker.

• Initial Reward: Abyss Seal.
  
• Rank 1 (Successfully clear one area of the Dark Chasm): Resonant Soul.
  
• Rank 2 (Light all three Braziers in the Dark Chasm): Great Resonant Soul.
  
• Rank 3 (Defeat the Boss of the Dark Chasm): Climax, Xanthous Crown, Xanthous Overcoat, Xanthous Gloves, Xanthous Waistcloth.