ohgod it's *that* kind of game? Memories of WoW returning. :| *** mages.
Yea :\
Look at it this way. What do you think of when you think Dark Souls? Then think about what type of people would be attracted to the game, then think about the PvP even though you've never experienced it.
It's the recipe for twinking, and there are a lot of people who build characters to do it.
PvP before a recommended level is just you getting murdered, but at reasonable levels they become more of a duel. The invader will bow at you and you bow back, you both use a buff item then fight. It's very fun, there are places though that are designed to be invasions though like the forest. A single player, or two, or three, will team up on you and come after you and it's a PvP hotspot because people enjoy it. It might sound bad, but it's good to have a designated area for that type of PvP and then have other hotspots be duels that people can have matches.
Just don't go online and turn human until you've become use to the game, you know the controls, you know how to fight and to defend, but more importantly to evade. PvP is much different than PvE though, and you basically need to learn how to fight all over again when you start to PvP. That is why Twinkers have such a huge advantage over a new player because they have maxed out weapons and armor and you don't stand a chance with what you have available to you when you start the game.
So yea, enjoy the game offline until you're ready for it.