@fromsoftserve This area, plus the blue smelter and the gank boss of Shulva, are all meant to be co-op areas specifically. The gravestones outside connect summon signs from the area you first teleport to in the DLC. These were meant as a sort of 'demo' for people that didn't own the DLC.
This is how fromsoft wanted you to play horsefuck valley in ds2. I still don't like this area, but once I realized it was meant for co-op, it's honestly pretty fun with the NPC summons. and I like the weather changing concept. almost feels like an mmo group since I basically have a hunter and a healer/caster. they really take the stress off you. and so I still died right near the fogwall, but it was so less frustrating than doing it solo lol