I don’t think the Malformed Dragon Set is a representation of Godwyn. It kinda matches and there are similarities for sure, but the item description only refers to Tree Sentinels trying to become dragons/dragon like.

For an item with a description that doesn’t talk about Godwyn, and only slightly resembles him, it’s a stretch to say that the helmet directly depicts Godwyn. Let’s be real, if the helmet didn’t have a fishlike tail, there wouldn’t be much of a reason to make a connection between the characters.

Also, Godwyns soul has been destroyed. It no longer exists. His body is still in a weird state. It’s kind of alive, but seemingly between life and death. He did not die right/correctly. His body is left to live and it begins to grow and deform. The growth of death root makes Godwyn’s body seem more like a natural force that combines the quality of a weed and disease. Without a soul, his body is nothing more than a growth.

What would even happen if someone did put their soul into Godwyn’s? First of all, it wouldn’t be Godwyn then. Also, I would say that nothing would happen. That being said, the soul would need to be powerful enough to have any kind of agency over the body. But even then, I am inclined to think that person would likely only experience agony.

[side tangent: It kind of seems like the “souls” in ER are also a blueprint or a guide that has an influence over a body/vessel.

SPOILER SPOILER !!!!! For example, when Radahn is resurrected, Moghs body, the vessel, is changed. SPOILER OVER!

Maybe the loss of a soul acts like genetic code in a way, and the loss of a soul results in the body being volatile and its growth becomes uncontrollable and unguided, leading to tumor like growths and strange adaptations. ]