Which boss duo guards the Lordvessel in Dark Souls?

Ornstein and Smough guard the Lordvessel in Dark Souls.

Dragon Slayer Ornstein and Executioner Smough appear together as a major boss encounter in Anor Londo. The player must defeat both during the same battle. When one falls, the surviving boss absorbs some of the defeated partner’s power and changes, making the order of defeat an important strategic choice.

After the encounter, the player meets Gwynevere, Princess of Sunlight, and receives the Lordvessel. The Lordvessel allows fast travel between selected bonfires and opens progression toward the areas containing the four major Lord Souls.

The pair is sometimes described as guarding Anor Londo itself, but their specific narrative importance is tied to the chamber beyond the city’s central route and to the Lordvessel’s handover. Their fight is also distinct from the Bell Gargoyles, a separate pair encountered earlier at the Undead Parish.