It depends on what happened: a living NPC who is hostile may be calmed with absolution, but a dead NPC cannot be revived during the current playthrough. Oswald of Carim’s service is not resurrection. Dead NPCs return when you begin New Game Plus, which also resets most world progress.
First, check whether the NPC is hostile or dead
If the character is still present and attacking you, they are hostile, not dead. Avoid killing them while trying to fix the problem: that changes a hostility issue into a death that absolution cannot undo.
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If the NPC has been killed, Oswald cannot bring them back in the current game cycle. You will need to continue your playthrough or start New Game Plus to encounter killed NPCs again.
How to calm a living, hostile NPC
- Find Oswald of Carim. He is on the bottom floor of the bell tower at the top of the Undead Church in Undead Parish. He appears after you ring the Bell of Awakening.
- Speak to Oswald and choose “Request Absolution.” The Dark Souls Wiki lists the fee as 500 souls per character soul level, so the total depends on your level.
- Check the NPC afterward. Absolution can restore some interactions, but it is not a universal quest reset; results and consequences can vary by NPC. See Oswald of Carim’s service and location and the IGN guide.
Oswald’s line after absolution—“There is no misdoing I cannot undo!”—does not mean he can revive the dead. The service absolves sin and may address hostility; it does not restore a killed character.
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What happens if the NPC is dead?
There is no absolution option that resurrects a dead NPC during your current cycle. Killed NPCs return when you start New Game Plus, but this means beginning another game cycle: most world progress resets, so it is a broad reset rather than a targeted recovery. See the New Game Plus overview and the absolution explanation.
Before deciding whether to restart, consider what that particular NPC provided. A death may affect a shop, quest, summon, covenant, or the state of the world. The consequences are NPC-specific, so do not assume absolution or a reset will preserve every option.
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Why Gwynevere is a special case
Killing Gwynevere darkens Anor Londo, changes its enemies and invasion conditions, and counts as sin for that playthrough. The Gwynevere entry notes that requesting absolution can let you kneel at Gwyndolin’s fog gate again to access the Blade of the Darkmoon covenant. That restores a particular access option; it does not resurrect Gwynevere.
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Absolution and New Game Plus are different remedies
| NPC’s state | What you can do | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Alive and hostile | Request absolution from Oswald; the listed fee is 500 souls per character soul level. | May calm the NPC and restore some interactions; effects are NPC-specific. |
| Dead | Continue the current cycle, or start New Game Plus. | Absolution does not revive them now. Killed NPCs return in the new cycle, along with a reset of most world progress. |
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