Work Hook
The Work Hook raises your Dexterity by five points, but at the cost of losing three points of Adaptability. Equipping the Work Hook and Cale's Helm would allow you to properly wield the Rapier, even one-handed. Having the Work Hook equipped on your left hand can be a handicap during the fight against Freja because you would not be able to hold a torch. To hold a torch and one-hand the Rapier, you must collect the Dexterity Ring.
Majula
Purchase all Alluring Skulls from Sweet Shalquoir. These will be used during an upcoming boss fight.
Lost Bastille
Find Lucatiel near the Tower Apart bonfire. Advance Lucatiel's quest line by interacting with her for the second time at this location. Your first interaction with Lucatiel should be at No-man's Wharf. There is no need to summon Lucatiel for any boss fight. Merely exhausting her dialogue here is enough for her to relocate to Harvest Valley.
Huntsman's Copse
Large Titanite Shard x 3 at Huntsman's Copse
Sublime Bone Dust at Huntsman's Copse
Start from the Undead Refuge bonfire. At the bottom of a nearby pit is a giant Basilisk that drops Large Titanite Shard x 3. Far ahead of the Bridge Approach bonfire is a mound, inside which is a Royal Guard who protects an iron chest. The mound can only be accessed by dropping down from above. Defeat the Royal Guard and open the chest to collect a Sublime Bone Dust.
Estus Flask Shard and Titanite Chunk at Huntsman's Copse
Proceed to the Undead Lockaway bonfire, which can only be accessed after you have obtained the Undead Lockaway Key. Merciless Roenna would invade you as you approach the key. Pick up an Estus Flask Shard in a cave outside the arena of the Skeleton Lords. A Crystal Lizard is found near where you collect the Estus Flask Shard. Kill the lizard for a Titanite Chunk. This should be your first Titanite Chunk.
Farm Alluring Skulls at Huntsman's Copse
Skeleton Lords
Use your Mace+6 and buff it with Aromatic Ooze. The skeleton minions are easily distracted by an Alluring Skull. You should have purchased Alluring Skull x 10 from Sweet Shalquoir. Use the skeletons in the nearby cave to farm for more Alluring Skulls, but you should first dispatch of the Necromancer x 2. Inside the boss arena are three large skeletons, presumably the skeleton lords themselves. Run straight for the large skeleton in the middle and get rid of it as quickly as possible. Wait a few seconds for two bone-wheel skeletons to spawn and dispatch of them as quickly as possible as well. Now defeat one of the two remaining large skeletons and wait a while for some skeleton minions to spawn. Throw an Alluring Skull and kill one or two skeleton minions. Rinse and repeat until all skeleton minions are gone. Defeat the remaining large skeleton, wait for some skeleton minions to spawn, and use the above Alluring Skull strategy.
Harvest Valley
Titanite Chunk x 2 and Fragrant Branch of Yore at Harvest Valley
Titanite Shard x 5 and Large Titanite Shard x 3 near The Mines bonfire
Start from the Poison Pool bonfire. Exhaust the dialogue of Chloanne, rest at the bonfire, and she would relocate to Majula. You can't purchase Titanite Chunks from her yet, but you can purchase Titanite Shard x 10 from her. There are Titanite Chunk x 2 in the first large poison area. Either make a suicide run to get the two Chunks or snipe all enemies first before you run to get the items. In total, you should now have Titanite Chunk x 3. Beware that a few skeletons would spawn while you explore the poison area, which also has Titanite Shard x 6. Collect as many Titanite Shards as you can as preparation for upgrading the Rapier or one of your elemental infused weapons.
Titanite Slab at Harvest Valley
Titanite Shard x 3 and Ring of Steel Protection+1
Gavlan is in a cave near where you pick up the first Titanite Chunk. On a corpse near him is a Fragrant Branch of Yore. A Titanite Slab can be collected in an area filled with poison gas, after The Mines bonfire. This is your third slab. If you have been following Lucatiel's quest line, you can find her near the boss arena. Exhaust her dialogue for the third time and she would gift you the Ring of Steel Protection+1.
Covetous Demon
This boss is almost trivial even at SL1. Apply Charcoal Pine Resin to your weapon if possible, otherwise apply Gold Pine Resin or Dark Pine Resin. Using an elemental infused weapon is also effective. Sometimes you might be lucky and the boss would hit one of the large pots hanging from the ceiling. The pot would break and an Undead Laborer would drop down, whereupon the Covetous Demon would be distracted by the Undead Laborer, focusing its attention on devouring this NPC. While the boss is distracted, get in as many hits as you can.
Earthen Peak
The Work Hook is contained inside a Mimic chest. Hit the Mimic and let the Mimic poison itself from smashing the various poison pots. Wait a while for the Mimic's HP to dwindle and slowly die. Find and exhaust the dialogue of Gilligan. Purchase as many Aromatic Ooze from him as you can. Exhaust his dialogue again, rest at a bonfire, and he should relocate to Majula. Grab the Spell Quartz Ring+1. The ring raises your magic defense, which is especially useful when you're invaded by Armorer Dennis at Iron Keep and near the Soldier's Rest bonfire at the Forest of Fallen Giants.
Mytha, the Baneful Queen
Mytha at SL1 is no different from a normal playthrough. Be sure to burn the windmill near the Central Earthen Peak bonfire prior to entering the boss arena. Buff your weapon with Charcoal Pine Resin if you have the consumable, otherwise use Dark Pine Resin. You might also want to consider using a weapon that has been infused with the Firedrake Stone or the Darknight Stone. At this point in the game, you should have a Mace+6 that has been infused with a Firedrake Stone.