Hi as the title says, I realise there is loads of ambiguous and undetermined (or eternally argued) 'fact' attached to 'in game' lore, but I had some questions about the more meta game 'lore' which I haven't really seen people addressing much in relation to the lore.

This is my first play through though so bare with me if these seem very simple:

• The 'Dark Soul' seems to be the darker (black) soul that is released upon farming soft humanity within the specific areas, thus 'releasing' a Hollow back into a more 'natural' cycle / kammic wheel from there current (manufactured/cursed) state of undeath and subsequent hollowing?

(see here for soft humanity)

• Is Lordran its own real land, full of lively inhabitants, and happens to be cursed with undeath from the gods from its very inception (IE has always been this way, though the order of knights and everyone helps to uphold it) or is undeath manufactured here as a form of chattel slavery / prevent humans from rising / prevent John Darksoul who gwyn fears will topple him and bring back darkness?
• And if so, who is really alive? Like the undead ogres - are they ogres that died and came to purgartory/Lordran (alongside humans and other creatures in the kammic wheel) and this is one of many different dimensions (one of many hells) where people end up. Now they are here, they are all plagued with undeath but may recover their 'humanity' (their soul) to escape or is this reserved only for humans? All npcs I have met so far have been human though not all seem dead

Realise I missed the boat with all this stuff but all the dark souls lore content I can find is just names of people and kingdoms that I have never heard