What's up with the white knight in the forest of the lost giants?

Relatively early in the forest of the lost giants you climb up a ladder and there sits a white knight beneath a tree. He looks like an NPC, he does not attack or react in any way, but there is also no talk-prompt for me to use. What's up with this guy?

Solution 1:

He is a Heide knight. There are several of them in the game and he won't attack you until you attack him. He's not a regular NPC and doesn't talk, but he is much stronger than the other enemies and if you kill him, you get a good weapon. As far as I know, they are just normal enemies and offer no other possibility of interaction but killing them.

Solution 2:

There are 3 in the game. All of them are non-hostile, unless provoked. Especially the one in Forest of Fallen Giants can prove a huge challenge to new players, because of its wide range and immense damage.

'They' are called Heide Knights. The first one you encounter will most likely be in the Forest of Fallen Giants, 2 more are found in The Lost Bastille and Shrine of Winter.

In normal mode, they drop the weapons Heide Knight Sword, Heide Spear and Heide Lance.

If you play on NG+ or use a Bonfire Ascetic, you will receive parts of the Heide Knight Armour Set.