The History of Yharnam

Being a History of the Region Within, Above, and About the Tomb of the Gods;
the Civilizations Which Existed There; Their Great Endeavor to Achieve Divinity
Through Communion; and the Tragedies that Followed Therefrom

by
Dr. Solomon Paine

April 29, 2018

2
Chapter 1

Ancient Pthumeru and the Discovery of

Communion

In the earliest records of the Yharnam region, it was inhabited by the people of Pthumeru.
The early Pthumerians lived in primitive societies as the creators, 1 2 tenders, and
guardians3 to the tombs of the gods.4 5 6 7 As time passed, the Pthumerians coalesced
into a more complex civilization, headed by a usually female monarch based in the capital
of Pthumeru Ihyll.8
It was at this stage that a group of Pthumerians called the Keepers defiled the bodies
of the Great Ones under their care to obtain holy blood.9 It is likely, given his association
with the desire for blood, that the blood's source was Oedon, though it is also possible
that the Keepers were instead worshipers of Oedon, inspired by their god to take the
blood of his siblings.10
It is probably ahistorical to refer to the group as Keepers at this point, for they were
actively defiling the tombs they were charged with keeping. However, only the name
after their re-dedication to their duty survives, and I am thus forced to use it
Experimentation with the blood yielded the process of communion,11 creating the
first hunters. Hunter is a misnomer, as the Keepers were not in the business of hunting
beasts and were probably unconcerned with the physical benefits of communion. Rather,
they wanted to use the blood of the gods to achieve godhood for themselves. Other
byproducts of their work included the Keepers'Hounds, the Watchdogs of the Old
1 The old labyrinth was carved out by the Pthumerians"-Pthumeru Root Chalice
2 To this day, the Watchers continue to expand the hintertombs, unceremonious catacombs lled with graves and
death."-Hintertomb Chalice
3 early Pthumerians were mere humble guardians of the slumbering Great Ones"-Great Pthumeru Ihyll Chalice
4 Let the chalice reveal the tomb of the gods"-Pthumeru Chalice
5 A Holy Chalice will reveal the tomb of the gods."-Gehrman
6 Attire of tomb prospectors who explore the old labyrinth on behalf of the Healing Church. The Healing Church traces
its roots to Byrgenwerth, and is therefore aware of the ruins'true importance."-Tomb Prospector Attire
7 And the tomb of the gods, carved out below Yharnam, should be familiar to every hunter."-Alfred
8 Pthumeru Ihyll was the title of both the Pthumerian monarch and its capital. This reveals that while early Pthume-
rians were mere humble guardians of the slumbering Great Ones, their descendants felt entitled to name themselves a
leader."-Great Pthumeru Ihyll Chalice
9 The long, pointed hat is a symbol of the old keepers and is considered evidence of their companionship, forged in a
certain sin."-Bone Ash Mask. Note that Keepers of the Old Lords ght exactly like hunters, except using Pthumerian re
magic rather than trick weapons.
10 Human or no, the oozing blood is a medium of the highest grade, and the essence of the formless Great One, Oedon.
Both Oedon, and his inadvertent worshipers, surreptitiously seek the precious blood."-Oedon Writhe
11 "Blood ministration is, of course, the pursuit of communion."-Communion

3
4 CHAPTER 1. ANCIENT PTHUMERU AND THE DISCOVERY OF COMMUNION

Lords, and the Maneater Boars, all produced by feeding the Great Ones'blood to animals.
Only one of the Keepers ever succeeded in the order's
aims. This woman, after her ascension, was known only
as Paleblood to even the greatest eldritch scholars.12 .13
However Gehrman's doll, which had been brought to life by
Paleblood and lived in her dream, would occasionally pray
to her in trance under the name "Flora."14 Flora was able to
become a Great One of the nightmare, not a mere abandoned
Great One as the people of Isz would later accomplish. But
though she was powerful and intelligent, Flora was not wise
and had not lined her brain with eyes before ascension. She
was thus unable to share her enlightenment and raise all the
Pthumerians into the dream world.
The Keepers'experiments were regarded as sinful to the
Great Ones and dangerous to the Pthumerians.The Caryll rune
for "hunter" is a hanging body that has been left to bleed out.
15
This suggests that the Great One term for "hunter" most
literally translates as "person to be killed via exsanguination."
The Pthumerians were enthusiastic to obey this command, and
they hung the bodies of hunters through the Labyrinth as a warning for those who would steal the gods'blood. The
12 The nameless moon presence beckoned by Laurence and his associates. Paleblood."-Lecture Hall note
13  ''Paleblood” is another name for the monster that comes from the moon under certain conditions."-Miyazaki
interview
14 O Flora, of the moon, of the dream... Let the hunter be safe, let him nd comfort. And let this dream, his captor...
foretell a pleasant awakening... be, one day, a fond, distant memory..."-The Doll. Paleblood's associations with the moon,
the dream, and the dream the hunter is connected to specically all mark her as the Great One the Doll is praying to.
15 Dangling, upside-down rune etched in one's mind. Symbol of a hunter."-Hunter's Mark
 5

fishmen, who would not have been familiar with the term "hunter" may translate this concept as "bloodless", in reference to
their prescribed method of execution. 16 Even in the time of the Healing Church, those who listened to the Great Ones
and pledged themselves to the Hunter rune were tasked with killing hunters.17 Eventually, the Keepers, or at least the
surviving members of the order, recanted and returned to guarding the tombs of the Great Ones. Their bodies were burned
to ash,18 a substance efficacious at blunting eldritch knowledge,19 to ensure they could never again pursue their old goals
of apotheosis through communion, as they did not even have bones to fall to beasthood.
Note that I am making several possibly false assumptions about the history of the
Keepers here. I assume that Paleblood Flora was the most successful at the Keepers'arts,
but she could just as easily have been a lone genius whose work the Keepers were imitating.
Alternatively, she could have come along much later and replicated the Keepers'studies
the way Laurence one day would. This allows the possibility she could have even been an
early human, rather than Pthumerian.
Later, a new queen of Pthumeria was crowned and took the name Yharnam for her
royal name. At some point, possibly prompting her crowning in the first place, Yharnam
was selected to bear Oedon's child.20 21 However, due to her corrupted blood, her child
would not be a normal Great One, but a Child of Blood.22
Despite the great conflicts waged over them, it is not clear what a Child of Blood is.
It is known they are born when a woman of the corrupted bloodline23 24 is impregnated
by Oedon. A Child of Blood also seems to be inimical to regular Great Ones in some
fashion.25 Yet there also must be some advantage to them, as multiple groups down through
the ages have supported the Children of Blood. I do not think we have the evidence to
conclude the particulars of the debate about them, but sufficed to say that some people
violently oppose them while others violently support them.
Queen Yharnam, once the nature of her baby became clear, was captured,26 possibly
by her own guards,27 and forced to endure the pregnancy. She was eventually able to free
16 Listen for the baneful chants. A call to the bloodless, wherever they be. A call to the bloodless, wherever they be.
Fix your ears, to hear our calls."-Fishing Hamlet Priest
17 This red-smudged rune means Hunter," and has been adopted by those who have taken the Hunter of Hunters
oath."-Hunter rune
18 The keepers, who mind the slumbering Great Ones, gained eternal life, preserved in ashen form in a ceremony of
ame that cremated body and soul."-Bone Ash Attire
19 Painted with ash in a ceremony to ward o blood."-Ashen Hunter Attire. Note the set's very high frenzy resist.
20 The inhuman beings known as the Great Ones imbued this ring of betrothal with some special meaning. In the age of
the Great Ones, wedlock was a blood contract, only permitted to those slated to bear a special child."-Ring of Betrothal
21 The Great One Oedon, lacking form, exists only in voice"-Formless Oedon rune. Note how Mergo too has no visible
body and can only be detected through her voice.
22 This rune resonates with servants of the Queen, carrier of the Child of Blood"-Blood Rapture rune, which drops from
the Shadows of Yharnam.
23 To think, it was corrupted blood that began this eldritch liaison."-Arianna's Third Umbilical Cord. Arianna's Cain-
hurst ancestry is established through her wearing a Cainhurst dress. Cainhurst's Pthumerian ancestry can be seen in
their tall stature and pale complexion, while their connection to Yharnam specically is shown through their use of blood
weaponry and cries that bind the target in arcane energy, techniques used by no other Pthumerians. Further, parasite lar-
vae only appear near the bloodline, the colony in the Bloodletting Beast being the last boss before Yharnam in Pthumeru,
larvae living freely in Castle Cainhurst, and the Loran Silverbeasts in the Nightmare of Mergo being infested. The Shadows
of Yharnam are hosts to the slightly dierent snake parasites as well.
24 Blood taken from Arianna, Cathedral Ward woman of pleasure. A member of the old Healing Church would know
that her blood is similar indeed, to precisely what was once forbidden."-Blood of Arianna
25 This Cord granted Mensis audience with Mergo, but resulted in the stillbirth of their brains."-Mensis's Third Umbilical
Cord. From the Living String description, the Brain of Mensis is a Great One.
26 Yharnam's hands are bound, even in the forms of the avatars she sends into the dream world.
27 Yharnam herself is grateful when you kill Mergo's Wet Nurse, but the Shadows of Yharnam in the area spend their
time killing beasts and try to prevent hunters from reaching Mergo instead of battling the Wet Nurse themselves. Thus
the Shadows must have sided with Mergo against Yharnam.
6 CHAPTER 1. ANCIENT PTHUMERU AND THE DISCOVERY OF COMMUNION

herself enough to seize a weapon and kill Mergo in the womb. But Mergo was already developed enough to become a
nightmare Great One upon death, and dragged Yharnam's soul with her into her new nightmare realm.28 29
As time passed, the once powerful Pthumerian monarchy dissolved. Pthumerians in the labyrinth broke into a number
of disparate tribes,30 while the surface Pthumerians interbred with humanity until the people of Yharnam were entirely
human and only the nobles of Cainhurst and the nearby people of Hemwick were even partially Pthumerian.31 Using their
arcane powers, seals would be set over the labyrinth that could only be unlocked with blood rituals using special chalices
that rearrange the tombs to reach deeper into the earth. 32
Later, the land of Loran would somehow discover blood communion and implement it throughout their society.33
This led to a proliferation of the scourge of the beast and the fall of their land beneath the ground,34 where it was sealed
off from the rest of the waking world.

28 The Queen lies dead, but her horric consciousness is only asleep, and stirs in unsettling motions."-Yharnam Stone
29 The same fate awaited Arianna when her Great One child was killed.
30 Per the Watcher Chieftan's name.
31 Note the increased height and pale skin of the Hemwick Grave Women and the Oedon Chapel Dweller, and of Logarius,
though he was also an old hunter.
32 A chalice that breaks a labyrinth seal. But only a Root Chalice changes the shape of the old labyrinth when used in
a ritual."-Lower Pthumeru Chalice
33 There are trace remains of medical procedures in parts of ailing Loran. Whether these were attempts to control the
scourge of the beast, or the cause of the outbreak, is unknown."-Lower Loran Chalice
34 Loran is a tragic land that was devoured by the sands. The tragedy that struck this ailing land of Loran is said to
have its roots in the scourge of the beast."-Ailing Loran Chalice
Chapter 2

Byrgenwerth's Inquiry Into the Eldritch Truth

Byrgenwerth was once a school1 2 in the area near Yharnam. Their

final Provost, Willem, despaired of humanity's limited intelligence and
longed to attain a higher understanding.3 4 5 To this end, he directed
investigations into the Pthumerian Labyrinth.6 7 At the same time,
Caryll, a student at Byrgenwerth, discovered a method for transcribing
the language of the Great Ones.8
Exploration of the tombs eventually led to the discovery of Bloodlet-
ting Beasts,9 10 which were beheaded and brought back to Byrgenwerth for
study. This yielded medicine that could prevent the eldritch Truth from
driving one mad,11 12 but, more ominously, also led to the rediscovery of
communion. The first successful subject of the procedure was a man named
Gehrman, whose skill at combat may mark him as originally having been
one of the college's tomb
1 Today, the two-story Lecture Building is adrift in the nightmare, but once it was a place of reection, where scholars
learned of history and archaeology."-Lecture Theatre Key. The trophy for the Nightmare Lecture Building conrms it was
a part of Byrgenwwerth.
2 Uniform of the students of Byrgenwerth, a bygone institute of learning. "-Student Uniform
3 Disillusioned by the limits of human intellect, Master Willem looked to beings from higher planes for guidance, and
sought to line his brain with eyes in order to elevate his thoughts."-Eye rune
4 At Byrgenwerth, Master Willem had an epiphany: We are thinking on the basest of planes. What we need, are more
eyes.""-Great One's Wisdom
5 Provost Willem sought the Cord in order to elevate his being and thoughts to those of a Great One, by lining his
brain with eyes. The only choice, he knew, if man were to ever match Their greatness."-Imposter Iosefka's Third Umbilical
Cord
6 The Healing Church traces its roots to Byrgenwerth, and is therefore aware of the ruins'true importance. They contain
much more than mere hunter trinkets, indeed, they hide the very secrets of the old Great Ones, sought after by those with
the insight to imagine greatness."-Tomb Prospector attire
7 Willem kept two loyal servants back at Byrgenwerth. When they were sent into the labyrinth, they encountered the
eldritch Truth, and went mad."-Graveguard attire
8 Runesmith Caryll, student of Byrgenwerth, transcribed the inhuman utterings of the Great Ones into what are now
called Caryll Runes."-Rune Workshop Tool
9 once a group of young Byrgenwerth scholars discovered a holy medium deep within the tomb. This led to the founding
of the Healing Church, and the establishment of blood healing."-Alfred
10 The statue in the Grand Cathedral depicts a headless gure pouring out blood onto a crowd of begging supplicants.
11 Those who delve into the arcane fall all-too-easily to madness, and thick human blood serves to calm the frayed nerves
of these inquisitive minds. Naturally, this often leads to a reliance on blood ministration."-Sedative
12 Most tomb prospectors, members of the Healing Church chosen to explore the old labyrinth, are unable to withstand
the weight of the old knowledge, and go mad. This attire is worn by those lost souls. Truth oft resembles madness,
inaccessible to the dull of mind. Those who go mad are merely thoughtful souls who failed to reach any conclusions."-
Madman attire

7
8 CHAPTER 2. BYRGENWERTH'S INQUIRY INTO THE ELDRITCH TRUTH

prospectors. Willem distrusted communion, realizing that it would lead to disaster if applied to someone who had not
cultivated proper insight.13 14 This led to the banning of certain avenues of study associated with beasts15 and a disregard
for blood research. One scholar, perhaps recognizing the blood's connection to the Cainhurst line, absconded with blood
from a Bloodletting Beast which was infected by parasites and presented it to the royal family.16
Coincidentally, it was at this time that the corpse of a pregnant Great One named Kos
had washed up on the shore of a small fishing village,17 in what was perhaps an attempt at
beaching herself so that her corpse could be found by Pthumerians and properly interred
in the tomb of the gods. Regardless of her intent, the nearby villagers began to mutate
into fish monsters and worship her.18
News of this golden opportunity would soon reach Byrgenwerth. A team of scholars
was dispatched to investigate, including some hunters, one of whom was Gehrman.19
20
The villagers were massacred and dissected in the search for eyes on their brains.21
22
What precisely happened next is lost to history. but by the end of the encounter
13 We are born of the blood, made men by the blood, undone by the blood. Our eyes are yet to open... Fear the old
blood"-Willem
14 Provost Willem would have been proud of Caryll's runes, as they do not rely upon blood in any measure."-Rune
Workshop Tool
15  Beasts" is one of the early Caryll Runes, as well as one of the rst to be deemed forbidden. The discovery of blood
entailed the discovery of undesirable beasts."-Beast rune
16 Once, a scholar betrayed his fellows at Byrgenwerth and brought forbidden blood back with him to Cainhurst Castle."-
Alfred
17 ...the carcass of Kos washed up on the coast..."-Kos Parasite
18 By the wrath of Mother Kos..."-Fishing Hamlet Priest
19 Gehrman's crying can be heard before the Orphan of "-
20 Oh, good hunter. I can hear Gehrman sleeping. On any other night, he'd be restless. But on this night, he sounds so
very calm. ...Perhaps something has eased his suering."-The doll, after the Orphan of Kos is defeated.
21 Skull of a local from the violated shing village. The inside of the skull was forcibly searched for eyes, as evidenced
by innumerable scratches and indentations."-Accursed Brew
22 Byrgenwerth... Byrgenwerth... Blasphemous murderers... Blood-crazed ends... Atonement for the wretches..."-
 9

nightmare Kos was dead23 24 , her child and surviving worshipers were bodily present in the dream world, and Byrgenwerth
had managed to obtain her Cord of the Eye before fleeing.25 Afterwords, the villagers would reorganize and place a curse
on Byrgenwerth and the hunters.26 27
Unwilling to admit that they had killed one of their gods and defiled her child, Byrgenwerth would publicly announce
that Kos was a patron of their search for ascendance who had willingly donated her umbilical cord. The cover up was so
thorough that by the fall of Yharnam even high ranking Healing Church leaders were under the impression that Kos was
their ally in the quest for greater insight.28
Later, in an event that would mark the end of Byrgenwerth's preeminence as the greatest scholars of the eldritch Truth,
one of the advocates of blood ministration would decide to break from the school. This was Laurence, who was disgruntled
by Willems refusal to support blood ministration.29 He would leave to found an organization based on the research and use
of communion, taking at least a few associates, perhaps including most or all hunters, with him.

Fishing Hamlet Priest

23 Mother is dead."-Chanting in the Fishing Hamlet. See Appendix A for how a Great One could have been murdered
after she died.
24 The raid left many of the hamlet's residents and their guardian Great One, Kos, dead..."-Fishing Hamlet Priest
description.
25 Provost Willem sought the Cord in order to elevate his being and thoughts to those of a Great One, by lining his
brain with eyes. The only choice, he knew, if man were to ever match Their greatness."-Impostor Iosefka's Third Umbilical
Cord
26 Curse the ends, their children too. And their children, forever, true."-Baleful Chanter
27 ...in retribution, the remaining villagers laid a curse of blood upon the hunters and their descendants."-Fishing Hamlet
Priest description
28 Ahh, Kos, or some say Kosm... Do you hear our prayers? As you once did for the vacuous Rom, Grant us eyes, grant
us eyes. Plant eyes on our brains, to cleanse our beastly idiocy."-Micolash
29 Master Willem, I've come to bid you farewell."Oh, I know, I know. You think now, to betray me."No, but you will
never listen."-Laurence's memory
10 CHAPTER 2. BYRGENWERTH'S INQUIRY INTO THE ELDRITCH TRUTH

hh
Chapter 3

The Foundation of the Healing Church and

the Old Hunters

Laurence traveled to Yharnam, where he founded the Healing Church. 1

The name, which emphasizes the miracle of healing over who the Church
worships, suggests that this was the main difference between it and Yharnam's
contemporary religion(s). That worship of the Great Ones 2 would have
survived the years is not surprising, as other aspects of Pthumerian culture,
such as music,3 were still extant after the demographic shift towards a human
population. This helps explain the sect's rapid acceptance, as, legitimized by
the power of blood ministration,4 5 the Healing Church would assimilate and
become syncretized with Yharnam's native religious groups.6 The Healing
Church began to branch out its research to other kinds of supernatural blood 7
8
and searched its congregation for women with the correct biology to become
Blood Saints, whose bodies would be used to produce blood for the ever
growing demand for blood ministration. 9
Gehrman meanwhile founded the Workshop, a secret organization of
hunters devoted to discretely killing those who transformed into beasts.10 11
Though separate, the two were strong allies, as the hunters kept the truth of
blood ministration secret and some hunters, such as Lady Maria, doubled as
Healing Church researchers.12 13 14 Some hunters would go mad with blood
1 Skull of Laurence, rst vicar of the Healing Church."-Laurence's Skull
2 Hunters have told me about the church. About the gods, and their love."-The Doll
3 The Tiny Music Box plays the song Lullaby for Mergo."
4 The Healing Church nuns are chosen for their merit as vessels for blood, and groomed as Blood Saints. The mere
chance of being treated with their blood lends legitimacy to the Healing Church and communion"-Blood of Adella
5 As you know, the Healing Church is the fountainhead of blood healing."-Alfred
6 Later became the basis for all Church attire, with its heavy draping of Holy Shawl."-Executioner Garb
7 The church controls all knowledge on blood ministration, and all varieties of blood."-Gilbert
8 The product of a slow and careful renement process, this rare blood vial appears to be a clinic original."-Iosefka's
Blood Vial
9 Adeline was originally one of the Blood Saints who received treatment by the Church to cultivate worthy blood.
Adeline's was one of the few cases that turned out favorably."-Blood of Adeline
10 "Allows one to stalk beasts unannounced, by cover of night.""-Hunter attire.
11 This was once a safe haven for hunters. A workshop where hunters used blood to enhance their weapons and esh."-
Gehrman
12 The caretaker of the tower's numerous patients, known to them only as Lady Maria, made her home behind the giant
star-interpreting clock."-Astral Clocktower Key
13 Among the rst hunters, all students of Gehrman, was the lady hunter Maria."-Maria Hunter attire.
14 As you know, the Healing Church is the fountainhead of blood healing. Well, I'm a simple hunter, quite unfamiliar

11
12 CHAPTER 3. THE FOUNDATION OF THE HEALING CHURCH AND THE OLD HUNTERS

drunkenness and become dangerous themselves,15 16 prompting the appointment of a Hunter of Hunters to kill them.17 18
19

As the Healing Church gained greater prominence, the real

work of researching the process of communion could begin.
The structure of the Church had the Vicar, Laurence, as overall
leader. Below him was the School of Mensis,20 scholars who
tried to imitate the studies of Bygernwerth and discover a
method of ascending humans into Great Ones. Beneath them
where the white church doctors, who were responsible for
researching communion and administering blood ministration
to the populace.21 At the bottom where the black church doc-
tors, who had only a rudimentary knowledge of medicine22 but
may have been in a kind of apprenticeship or learning position.
Alternatively, the Church may not have had a position for
black doctors yet and the division was only invented after the
formation of the Healing Church Hunters. Supplementing
the human members of the Church were Pthumerians who had
come up from the Labyrinth. However they were found, these
Pthumerians, perhaps ideological descendants of the Keepers,
were supportive of the Church's goals of evolution through
blood ministration.
The early Church had many misconceptions about the
23 24 25 26
effects of blood ministration and the Great Ones. Their experiments, based in an asylum within the same
complex as the Astral Clocktower in Cathedral Ward, were able to produce physical mutations, the ability to sense the

with the ins and outs of the institution."-Alfred

15 Badge of a Hunter of Hunters, who hunts those who have become addled with blood."-Crow Hunter Badge
16 This red-smudged rune means "Hunter," and has been adopted by those who have taken the Hunter of Hunters oath.
These watchmen admonish those who have become addled with blood. Be they men or beasts, anyone who has threatened
the pledgers of the "Hunter" oath surely has an issue with blood."-Hunter rune
17 The badge of the Hunter of Hunters is quietly passed down from generation to generation, usually to an outsider
from the hinterlands. To be entrusted with this cursed badge, one must be strong, resilient to the seduction of blood, and
gracious when taking a comrade's life."-
18 This red-smudged rune means "Hunter," and has been adopted by those who have taken the Hunter of Hunters
oath.These watchmen admonish those who have become addled with blood. Be they men or beasts, anyone who has
threatened the pledgers of the Hunter" oath surely has an issue with blood."-Hunter rune.
19 A special trick weapon passed down among hunters of hunters. One of the oldest weapons of the workshop."-Blade
of Mercy
20 The upper echelons of the Healing Church are formed by the School of Mensis, based in the Unseen Village, and the
Choir occupying the Upper Cathedral Ward."-
21 These doctors are superiors to the black preventative hunters, and specialists in experimentally backed blood min-
istration and the scourge of the beast. They believe that medicine is not a means of treatment but rather a method for
research, and that some knowledge can only be obtained by exposing oneself to sickness."-White Church Attire
22 Most Healing Church hunters are elementary doctors"-Black Church Attire
23 In the early days of the Healing Church, the Great Ones were linked to the ocean, and so the cerebral patients would
imbibe water, and listen for the howl of the sea."-Brain Fluid
24 `Old hunter garb decorated with brass trinkets. At the time, some hunters believed that certain metals would ward
o beast blood."-Old Hunter Garb
25 A widespread belief of the period was that "beast blood crept up the right leg," and this led to the double-wrapped
belt."-Old Hunter Trousers
26 Old hunter arm bands wound tightly to prevent infection with the scourge. Of course, the idea that the scourge was
infectious was pure hearsay."-Old Hunter Arm Bands
 13

words of the Great Ones,27 28 29 30

and in the most successful cases access arcane powers. However, none were able to
become Great Ones.31
As blood ministration patients became more numerous,
it became impossible to hide the scourge of the beast. A
secondary workshop, the Oto Workshop, was set up to manage
the growing number of hunters created by the Church.32 Freed
from their need for secrecy, the Oto Workshop hunters began
development of larger and more elaborate weapons, eventually
giving rise to the flamboyant group of hunters called the
Powder Kegs.33 34 35 Nights of the Hunt, predicted by the
Healing Church based on the movements of the moon,36 as the
most likely night for people to fall to the scourge of the beast,
became public. Citizens would lock their doors37 38 39 40 and
burn special incense to prevent their own transformations41 42
and ward away the beasts being hunted through the streets.43
44 45

This public awareness of beasthood likely marked the start

of Yharnam's reputation as a city of madmen,46 47 especially
as Yharnamites traveling abroad began to turn into beasts then

27 The sticky sound whispers to me. So very close, right into my ear... Ahh! Aahh! I see a shape. My guide, I see your
voice, clearly, as it bends and bleeds."-Adeline, before learning the Milkweed rune.
28 Listen close... and you, too, will hear... The sound of water..."-Research Hall Patient
29 Have you heard how curiously the sea churns? Like a storm, but like the rain, only gentle, like dripping water... It
bellows, from deep inside of me... Here it comes, up through my insides... But gently, like little droplets..."-Research Hall
Patient
30 Save me... please... I don't hear anything... I have failed."-Research Hall Patient
31 Defeat the failed attempts to become Great Ones."-Living Failures trophy description
32 In the old days, when hunters were ten a penny, this was part of their standard garb."-Old Hunter Cap
33 Badge crafted by the Oto Workshop, precursor to the workshop of the heretical Powder Kegs. The Powder Kegs were
driven by singular ideas, and crafted strange weapons of great intricacy. It is clear that the philosophy of the Powder Kegs
was already established at this time."-Firing Hammer Badge
34 A special hunter tool crafted by the old Oto Workshop... This creation is one of the earliest-known roots of the
Powder Kegs. "-Delayed Molotov
35 The Powder Kegs adoration of complex design and big booms culminated in weapon designs that contrast with those
traditionally of the Workshop. The late Powder Kegs, bless their souls, had a motto: "If a weapon ain't got kick, it just
ain't worth it.""-Powder Keg Badge
36 The moon is close. It will be a long hunt tonight."-Gehrman
37 Lousy ocomer. Who'd open their door on a night of the hunt! Away with you. Now!"-Central Yharnam resident
38 Wretched outsider! Tryin'to fool me to open this door? Heavens, the depths of depravity..."-Central Yharnam resident
39 I don't reckon you're from 'round here! Well, pft, stuck outside on a night of the hunt! Ahh, you poor, poor
thing...Hah hah hah!"-Central Yharnam resident
40 Such are the perils on a night of the hunt. I'll ask an acquaintance in the Cathedral Ward. Perhaps he'll open his
door for me... perhaps."-Adella
41  Even some folks hiding inside are goin'bad."-Oedon Chapel dweller
42 I've heard, I have. Shutting up indoors isn't always enough."-Lonely old dear
43 ...the urns, lled with incense that wards o beasts..."-Messenger Urn Festival
44 They'll be safe here. The incense wards o the beasts."-Oedon Chapel Dweller
45 Might you know of a safe place? The night is long, and I've very little of the incense left..."-Arianna
46 Yeah, fat lot of good you outsiders do. Go on, admit it, you think we're all mad, don't ya?"-Lonely Old Dear
47 This fable is a favorite among Yharnamites, who are partial to any stories of pompous, intolerant foreigners who suer
for their ignorance."-Constable's attire
14 CHAPTER 3. THE FOUNDATION OF THE HEALING CHURCH AND THE OLD HUNTERS

try to flee back home.48 49 One of these outsiders, named Valtr, ate his quarry whole50 and attained the Impurity rune.51
This rune caused him to see creatures he called vermin everywhere he looked and founded the League for other hunters
who joined in his mad work of exterminating them.52 53 54
The Cainhurst nobles were simultaneously setting up their own parallel experiments with blood
ministration. 55 Like the Healing Church, Cainhurst had its own class of beast hunting warriors enhanced
by blood ministration, members of which were euphemistically referred to as knights.56 Unlike the
Church which hoped to become Great Ones, Cainhurst's goal was for their Queen to bear a Child of
Blood. To this end they killed hunters to obtain Blood Dregs to present to Queen Annalise.57 58 59 60
This conflict eventually came to a head, though the Church's given justification being to protect
the sanctity of blood healing rather than to stop the murders suggests that perhaps Annalise was getting
close to conceiving and that a Child of Blood would somehow interfere with the Church's own plans
for ascension.61 The Executioners, under leadership of Logarious, attacked Castle Cainhurst, and killed
the nobles.62 63 Annalise had become immortal,64 65 66 and so was locked in an iron mask for reasons
unclear67 while Logarious used the king's Crown of Illusion to place or activate an illusion over the
throneroom where Annalise was held prisoner, wearing the crown himself and resolving to sit in front of

48 Once upon a time, a troupe of foreign constables chased a beast all the way to Yharnam, and this is what they
wore."-Constable's attire
49 Garb of a distant Eastern land, worn by Yamamura the Wanderer. This Eastern warrior pursued a beast for honourable
revenge..."-Khaki Haori
50 The constables became victims of the beast, except for one survivor, who in turn devoured the creature whole, all by
himself."-Constable's attire
51 This rune, discovered inside the forbidden beast eater, came to symbolize "Impurity," and the oath of the League."-
Impurity rune
52 A centipede-like creature discovered on successful hunts by League hunters. Vermin, found hidden within lth, are
only seen by League confederates, and are the root of man's impurity. The League has assumed the task of nding and
crushing all vermin. Perhaps there is some mercy in the madness. Those who wish to see vermin can, and those who
choose to are provided with boundless purpose."-Vermin
53 The League sta is the sign of a confederate. A directory within the hilt lists the names of fellow confederates.
Members of the League brandish this sta to indicate themselves to fellow members of the League. There shall be no
sympathy for those engaged in the bloody mission of the League. No matter that an oath must be taken to uphold the
illusion."-League Sta
54 By the oath of the League, those who bear its rune will see vermin. Vermin writhe deep within all lth, and are the
root of man's impurity. ...All vermin are to be crushed. The League exists to expunge all vermin, ridding us of any trace
of human corruption. And so, until we are rid of all vermin, you must continue to hunt and kill."-Valtr
55 Once, a scholar betrayed his fellows at Byrgenwerth... ...and brought forbidden blood back with him to Cainhurst
Castle. It was there that the rst of the inhuman Vilebloods was born."-Alfred
56 The old nobles, long-time imbibers of blood, are no strangers to the sanguine plague, and the disposal of beasts was
a discrete task left to their servants, or knights, as they were called for the sake of appearances."-Reiterpallasch
57 The Vilebloods of Cainhurst, blood-lusting hunters, see these frightful things in coldblood. They often appear in the
blood of echo ends, that is to say, the blood of hunters. Queen Annalise partakes in these blood dregs oerings, so that
she may one day bear the Child of Blood, the next Vileblood heir."-Blood Dreg
58 This paper-thin silver armor is said to deect blood of ill-intent, and is what allows the royal guards to capture prey
for their beloved Queen, so that one day, she may bear a Child of Blood."-Cainhurst attire
59 Pledgers to this oath are Cainhurst Vilebloods, hunters of blood who nd dregs for their Queen in coldblood, partic-
ularly in that of hunters."-Corruption rune
60 The Vilebloods are hunters of blood, and hunt prey as they search for blood dregs."-Cainhurst Badge
61 The Vilebloods are endish creatures who threaten the purity of the Church's blood healing."-Alfred
62 In his time, Master Logarius led his executioners into Cainhurst Castle to cleanse it of the Vilebloods."-
63 Weapon wielded by martyr Logarius'band of executioners. Used to slaughter the Vilebloods in Cainhurst. Bathed in
pools of their blood, and forever steeped in their ire."-Logarious'Wheel
64 If only Our life was so easily forfeit..."-Annalise, while being attacked
65 Our esh is undying."-Annalisse, after being attacked.
66 All hail the undying queen of blood!"-Queenly Flesh
67  We are prisoner to this wretched mask."-Annalise
 15

the gate forever to protect it from intrusion.68 69 Although they were dead, Cainhurst would somehow manage to send
invitations to the outside world, though none would manage to wrest the crown away from Logarius.70 71
Beyond the actual killing of the nobility itself, there is no evidence of political
upheaval in this period, suggesting that the nobles had few supporters outside their
own ranks and that Yharnam's civil government quietly took over all responsibility
for ruling the region.
Somewhere around this time, Lady Maria obtained information that cast doubt
on the official story regarding Kos. Regardless of what aroused her suspicions,
Maria traveled to the fishing hamlet personally and found the defiled corpse of
Kos. She created a gravestone for the Great One, abandoned her weapon in a well
out of disgust for her status as a hunter,72 returned to the Astral Clocktower, and
committed suicide.73 She would be buried outside the Workshop.74 Her soul would
trapped in the Hunter's Nightmare, as all old hunters one day would be, where
she would take up guarding the passage between the Yharnam and fishing hamlet
segments of the Hunter's Nightmare,75 either to protect the Orphan from further
defilement or because she believed that hunters deserved their fate and wanted to
prevent the curse from being undone.76
Meanwhile, an Ashen Blood outbreak was beginning in Old Yharnam.77 Given
that Ashen Blood is caused by the poison in the groundwater in the Forbidden
Forest,78 it is likely that the excavations of the Hintertombs undertaken by the
Healing Church,79 Byrgenwerth, or even the Pthumerians80 shifted the course of
underground water networks, poisoning Old Yharnam's wells. Repeated blood
ministration81 to deal with the crisis advanced the scourge of the beast among the
town's population.82
The increased number of hunters, combined with the ever growing need to hunt
beasts, meant that the Hunter of Hunters could no longer deal with the volume of
68 The old king's crown is said to reveal illusions, and expose a mirage that hides a secret. And so Logarius donned the
crown of his own volition, determined to prevent a single soul from stumbling upon the vile secret."-
69 ...Master Logarius became a blessed anchor, guarding us from evil."-Alfred
70 I've heard tell of Cainhurst nobles, and their amusingly pompous invitations."-Alfred
71 An old blood-stained summons, inviting an honored guest to the forsaken Castle Cainhurst. Rather baingly, it is
addressed to you."-Cainhurst Summons
72 Hunter weapon wielded by Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower...But one day, she abandoned her beloved Rakuyo,
casting it into a dark well when she could stomach its presence no longer. "-Rakuyo
73 A corpse... should be left well alone."-Lady Maria, upon the hunter trying to touch her.
74 It is said that they were an apprentice to old Gehrman..."-Old Hunter Bone, Japanese version. The Old Hunter Bone
is found on the grave outside the Workshop in the waking world, where the Doll, modeled after Maria, will sometimes
pray.
75 You seek the secrets held by the Nightmare, do you not? Then here's what you must do. ...Climb the Astral
Clocktower, and kill Maria. She hides the real secret..."-Simon
76 ...This village is the true secret. Testament to the old sins... ...It feeds this Hunter's Nightmare... ...Please, bring to
an end the horror... ...So our forefathers sinned? ...We hunters cannot bear their weight forever... ...It isn't fair, it just
isn't fair..."-Simon
77 ...ashen blood, the baing sickness that ravaged Old Yharnam long ago."-Antidote
78 This can be seen in the Subterranian Cave section of the Forbidden Forest and certain areas in the Hintertombs chalice
dungeons.
79 Such as the path leading to Iosefka's clinic
80 To this day, the Watchers continue to expand the hintertombs, unceremonious catacombs lled with graves and
death."-Hintertomb Chalice
81 Once a patient has had their blood ministered, a unique but common treatment in Yharnam, successive infusions
recall the rst, and are all the more invigorating for it."-Blood Vial
82 These tablets only provide short-term relief. The ashen blood ailment eventually triggered the spread of the beastly
scourge."-Antidote
16 CHAPTER 3. THE FOUNDATION OF THE HEALING CHURCH AND THE OLD HUNTERS

hunters going blood drunk. As more and more slipped through the cracks and were pulled into the nightmare before they
could be killed, the Healing Church could no longer write off the occasional missing hunter and realized the truth of what
was occurring. The curse on the hunters had progressed enough to draw in the blood drunk, trapping them in an endless
nightmare of hunting.83 84 85 86 87 This would have sparked a panic, as the Healing Church realized that all the hunters,
and many of its own members, were damned after death and subject to spontaneous disappearance. Gehrman would have
been hit particularly hard, knowing that Maria, with whom he was obsessed, was trapped in the nightmare thanks to his
actions in the fishing hamlet.88 89 90
Laurence, Gehrman, and other high ranking members of the Healing Church and Workshop concocted
a dangerous plan. Gehrman created a doll in the likeness of Maria and a precious cord of the eye was
brought to the workshop. Together, they performed a ritual to contact Flora91 92 93 and beseeched her
for help. The Great One was moved, and agreed to help. From then on, her messengers would find
new hunters and draw them to a safe dream realm of her creation. This new Hunter's Dream would be
a reflection of the Workshop, with water and wooden poles set around it to invoke the protective power
of the Lake rune.94 Gerhman would be made immortal to watch over the dream, mentor the hunters, 95
and, most vitally, he would have the power to sever hunters from the dream, permanently protecting them
from being drawn into the Hunter's Nightmare.96 97 Only the Doll was not a success, as Flora could not
rescue Maria's soul, instead giving the Doll an entirely new consciousness to bring it to life.98 99
The meeting would have much more immediate consequences for Old Yharnam. Bringing the moon's
83 A hunter who goes drunk with blood is said to be taken by the Nightmare, destined to wander forever, engaged in
an endless hunt. It is a fate that no Hunter can escape."-Eye of a Blood-drunk Hunter, which causes the Amygdala to
transport the hunter to the Hunter's Nightmare.
84 One day, the hunters disappeared, and Yharnamites began to whisper of the hunters'sin. Drunk with blood, chasing
after beasts, they would pass on to the Nightmare, every last one of them."-Old Hunter Garb
85 You're a hunter with your sanity, aren't you? Must've taken a wrong turn then, eh? Well, we're more alike than you
think This is the Hunter's Nightmare, where hunters end up when drunk with blood. You've seen them before. Aimless,
wandering hunters, slavering like beasts. This is what the poor fools have to look forward to."-Simon
86 Do you know why the Hunters are drawn to this Nightmare? Because it sprouted from their very misdeeds."-Simon
87 ...This village is the true secret. Testament to the old sins... ...It feeds this Hunter's Nightmare... ...So our forefathers
sinned? ...We hunters cannot bear their weight forever..."-Simon
88 A deep love for the doll can be surmised by the ne craftsmanship of this article, and the care with which it was kept.
It borderlines on mania, and exudes a slight warmth."-Doll attire
89 Although it has been lost for quite some time,one can still see signs of the care with which this tasteful ornament was
once kept. Its color would stand out most brilliantly against a head of grayish hair."-Small Hair Ornament
90 Maria is distantly related to the undead queen, but had great admiration for Gehrman, unaware of his curious
mania."-Maria Hunter attire
91 The Third Umbilical Cord precipitated the encounter with the pale moon, which beckoned the hunters and conceived
the Hunter's Dream."-Workshop Third Umbilical Cord
92 The nameless moon presence beckoned by Laurence and his associates. Paleblood."-Lecture Building note
93 The Great Ones that inhabit the nightmare are sympathetic in spirit, and often answer when called upon."-Moon
rune
94 Great volumes of water serve as a bulwark guarding sleep, and an augur of the eldritch Truth. Overcome this
hindrance, and seek what is yours."-Lake rune. The Lake runes appear to depict several poles sticking through the surface
of a water surface just as the dream reection of the Workshop has.
95 Did you speak with Gehrman? He was a hunter long, long ago, but now serves only to advise them. He is obscure,
unseen in the dreaming world. Still, he stays here, in this dream... ...such is his purpose..."-The Doll
96 Now, I will show you mercy. You will die, forget the dream, and awake under the morning sun. You will be freed...
...from this terrible hunter's dream..."-Gehrman. In the Japanese version, he instead says "this trying hunter's nightmare",
using the same wording as the Japanese name for the Hunter's Nightmare level.
97 Over time, countless hunters have visited this dream. The graves here stand in their memory. It all seems so long ago
now..."-The Doll
98 I feel... A yearning... something I've never felt before... What's happening to me? Ahh... Tell me hunter, could this
be joy?"-The Doll, which clearly has not been loved by Gehrman despite the attention he lavished while constructing it.
99 Have I somehow changed? Moments ago, from some place, perhaps deep within, I sensed a liberation from heavy
shackles."-The Doll, after Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower is defeated.
 17

attention greatly exacerbated the scourge of the beast that was already plagueing the town.100 101 102 Old Yharnam was
quickly overrun by beasts. The Healing Church, in a panic, sealed themselves within the Cathedral Ward.103 The hunters
took extreme measures to prevent the beasts from overrunning the city, setting Old Yharnam to the torch and killing as
many of its residents as they could.104 105 106 107
This mass execution of beasts would expose the old hunters to far more blood than they ever had before in the smaller
hunts of previous years, driving them blood drunk en masse and causing them and those around them to be pulled into the
Hunter's Nightmare all at once.108 This would raise question among the Yharnamites and lead to the creation of dedicated
assassins to quell the rumors of Kos's displeasure.109 110

100 When the red moon hangs low, the line between man and beast is blurred. "-Byrgenwerth note
101 Madmen toil surreptitiously in rituals to beckon the moon... Behold! A Paleblood sky!... The Mensis ritual must be
stopped, lest we all become beasts."-Yahar'gul notes
102 The red moon hangs low, and beasts rule the streets."-Old Yharnam note
103 When the hunt began, the Healing Church left us, blocking the great bridge to Cathedral Ward, as Old Yharnam
burned to the ground that moonlit night."-Central Yharnam note
104 A product of the scourge of the beast that once plagued Old Yharnam and culminated in the town's ery cleansing.
Designed to be highly resistant to re. Wearers of this attire hunted down victims of the scourge who survived the raging
ames and stench of singed blood."-Charred Hunter attire
105 ...one of the Holy Chalices is worshipped in the valley hamlet. Yet the town is in disarray... It was burned and
abandoned, for fear of the scourge, home now only to beasts."-Gehrman
106 Since the tragedy that struck Old Yharnam, re has become a staple in beast hunts, and is thought to cleanse
impurity."-Molotov Cocktail
107 A torch formed by wrapping a pine resin-drenched cloth around the end of a long stick. Once used in Old Yharnam.
Designed to incinerate beasts and victims touched by the scourge."-Hunter's Torch
108 One day, the hunters disappeared, and Yharnamites began to whisper of the hunters'sin. Drunk with blood, chasing
after beasts, they would pass on to the Nightmare, every last one of them."-Old Hunter attire
109 The Church provided him with a single, soundless bell of death, to ensure their secrets would be kept."-Brador's
Testimony
110 But beware, secrets are secrets for a reason. And some do not wish to see them uncovered. Especially when the
secrets are particularly unseemly..."-Simon
18 CHAPTER 3. THE FOUNDATION OF THE HEALING CHURCH AND THE OLD HUNTERS
Chapter 4

The Nights of the Hunt

The disaster of Old Yharnam would forever change how the city delt with the hunt for beasts. The citizens
of Yharnam no longer had full trust in the Healing Church and the hunters to protect them.1 Ludwig the
Holy Blade, named for the Holy Moonlight Greatsword he discovered,2 would be the leader of the reforms.
He founded a new Workshop which was part of the Healing Church3 4 and invited all Yharnamites to join.5
Average citizens would form a militia led by the black Healing Church doctors6 to find beasts7 or anyone
who may potentially have been about to transform8 and either kill them or drive them towards a real hunter
who could handle them. Victims would be placed inside caskets, chained in if it were suspected that they would
return to life9 and delivered to Hemwick Charnel Lane to be dismembered 10 for ritual parts 11 12 and disposed
of through cremation.13 14 The area around the Grand Cathedral, Upper Cathedral Ward, and presumably
other areas with high concentrations of clerics would be sealed off from normal hunters. Instead, the Church's

1 When the hunt began, the Healing Church left us, blocking the great bridge to Cathedral Ward, as Old Yharnam
burned to the ground that moonlit night."-Central Yharnam note
2 An arcane sword discovered long ago by Ludwig... The Holy Moonlight Sword is synonymous with Ludwig, the Holy
Blade..."-Holy Moonlight Sword
3 The Healing Church workshop began with Ludwig..."-Ludwig's Holy Blade
4 Ludwig was the rst of many Healing Church hunters to come, many of whom were clerics."-Sword Hunter Badge
5 Ludwig, the rst hunter of the Healing Church, once recruited Yharnamites to serve as hunters. This hunter's attire
was made for new recruits, and has excellent straightforward defense. But not nearly enough to allow an ordinary man to
stand any real chance against the beasts."-Yharnam Hunter attire
6 Note that the axe wielding hunter mob is a black church doctor.
7 Due to the infestation of the scourge, this is what the mob that has risen for the beast hunt have become."-Hunter
Mob ocial website bestiary entry
8 Attire of Healing Church Hunters. Most Healing Church hunters are elementary doctors who understand the im-
portance of early prevention of the scourge, achieved by disposing of victims, and even potential victims, before signs of
sickness manifest themselves. Their black attire is synonymous with fear, and that peculiar Yharnam madness."-Black
Church attire
9 Many of the caskets around Yharnam have chains and one in Cathedral Ward's Foggy Alley produces knocking sounds,
as though something is inside. See Appendix B for a discussion of undeath as a symptom of the Scourge of the Beast.
10 The Executioner enemies, whose Japanese name translates to something like "Dissectioner", is most common in
Hemwick Charnel Lane and appear to be a cross between humans and the Merciless Watchers just as the Gravewomen are
between humans and the taller and slimmer Pthumerians.
11 Additional medium that strengthens Quicksilver Bullets. According to the workshop, this is a special bone marrow
ash collected from Hemwick Charnel Lane."-Bone Marrow Ash
12 An exquisite eyeball removed quickly after death, or perhaps even before."-Bloodshot Eyeball, found in Hemwich
Charnel Lane and only available for purchase after defeating the Witch of Hemwick.
13 Since the tragedy that struck Old Yharnam, re has become a staple in beast hunts, and is thought to cleanse
impurity."-Molotov Cocktail
14 The rst Hunter of Hunters came from a foreign land, and gave the dead a virtuous native funeral ritual, rather than
impose a blasphemous Yharnam burial service upon them, with the hope that former compatriots might be returned to
the skies, and nd rest in a hunter's dream."-Crowfeather attire

19
20 CHAPTER 4. THE NIGHTS OF THE HUNT

Pthumerian allies and the Church Giants they brought up from the Labyrinth would patrol these streets, looking for the
rarer but larger Cleric Beasts that would be expected in such areas, as well as any out of control hunters who might pose a
threat to the Healing Church's leaders. The hunt would center around a newly created hunter, 15 who, by virtue of Flora's
intervention, would be safely deposited in the Hunter's Dream upon death and able to reawaken to continue the hunt. 16 17
18 19 20
This would allow the hunter to quickly grow in strength by amassing blood echoes21 from slain beasts without
fear of death, a portion of which would be tithed to Flora.22 Rallying behind this invincible hunter, the Healing Church
Workshop would rid the area of beasts and end the night with the hunter being severed from the dream.23 24 Once the hunt
had ended, the chief of the Church Hunters would signal the end by returning through the gate to the Grand Cathedral.25
A new problem presented itself in that the Healing Church had already converted most people in Yharnam
who were capable of it into old hunters, who had all disappeared or at least were in danger of following
their compatriots into the Hunter's Nightmare. The Church would have to go further afield to find new
hunters. This led to the incredible expansion of the practice of offering foreigners blood ministration, a
procedure which was normally expensive for outsiders,26 in exchange for agreeing to serve as hunters, until
the profession was synonymous with foreigners.27 28 29 30 31 32 33
The Healing Church also turned its attention to the problem of the Scourge of the Beast. Hoping to
cut it off at its root, they began experiments into not only using the old blood to become Great Ones, but
to preventing beasthood for those who could not make the transition. Ultimately, this led to the discovery
of the Beast's Embrace rune. Whatever effect the Church hoped it would have, the rune transformed Vicar
Laurence into the first Cleric Beast when he used it.34 35 To commemorate the tragedy, and to remind
worshipers that no one, not even as an illustrious personage as the first Vicar himself, was above falling to the
Scourge if they faltered, his skull was installed in the central shrine of the Grand Cathedral, where visitors would touch it

15 Ah-hah, you must be the new hunter. Welcome to the Hunter's Dream. This will be your home, for now. I am...
Gehrman, friend to you hunters."-Gehrman
16 No more dreams for me. This is my last chance."-Eileen
17 You still have dreams? ...Tell the little doll I said hello..."-Eileen
18 I no longer dream, but I was once a hunter, too."-Djura
19 I should think you still have dreams? Well, the next time you dream, give some thought... to the hunt, and its
purpose..."-Djura
20 You still dream, I should think? Then come as often as you like, and I will show you another death."-Djura
21 Honorable hunter, pursue the echoes of blood. and I will channel them into your strength."-The Doll
22 The clouds in the Hunter's Dream slowly turn red throughout the night as they are lled with blood.
23 You have the whole night to dream. Make the best of it."-Djura
24 Go back to your hunt, and if you have the chance, put this night behind you."-Brador
25 A cloth emblem that belonged to the captain of the Church hunters long ago. Opens the main gate that leads to
the round plaza of the Great Cathedral. The main gate is shut tight on nights of the hunt, and could only be opened
from the other side with this emblem. In other words, the captain's return, and this emblem, determined the end of the
hunt."-Hunter Chief Emblem
26  Elderly men, especially rich elderly men in wheelchairs, are common in Yharnam..."-Wheelchair Mob ocial website
bestiary entry
27 But, where's an outsider like yourself to begin? Easy, with a bit of Yharnam blood of your own... But rst, you'll
need a contract... Good. All signed and sealed. Now, let's begin the transfusion."-Blood Minister
28 I'm Gilbert. A fellow outsider... What aicted me was incurable, but this town gave me hope... Their strange blood
bought me time. "-Gilbert
29 If you hunters got o your arses, we wouldn't be in this mess. Yeah, fat lot of good you outsiders do."-Lonely old
dear
30 This whole mess that Yharnam's in, it's all your fault, you dgety outsiders!"-Lonely old dear
31 You... you're not from around here are ya? An outsider who's come to join the hunt?"-Narrow minded man
32 Are you that outsider?"-Central Yharnam resident
33 ...this foreign garb wouldn't raise anyone's eyebrows."-Beast Hide Garb
34 After repeated experiments in controlling the scourge of beasts, the gentle "Embrace" rune was discovered. When its
implementation failed, the "Embrace" became a forbidden rune, but this knowledge became a foundation of the Healing
Church."-Beast's Embrace, drops from Laurence the First Vicar
35 Skull of Laurence, rst vicar of the Healing Church. In reality he became the rst cleric beast"-Laurence's Skull
 21

to receive a direct and chilling reminder of the warning to fear the old blood.36 37 38 This event forced the Church to come
to terms with the fact that they were not immune to beasthood and that their greater insight meant they would transform
into even larger and more dangerous beasts than regular people 39 40 and they began outfitting the Healing Church hunters
accordingly.41 42
Byrgenwerth had not been idle during the growth of
the Healing Church. Their research had progressed to the
evolution of some of the scholars to Gardens of Eyes, inhuman
creatures full of the eyes Provost Willem so prized. Seeing
the disaster in Old Yharnam, Willem knew he had to act and
luckily he was ready. Using the Cord of the Eye recovered
from Kos, Byrgenwerth was able to transform one of their
researchers into a Great One who could separate the waking
and dream worlds and prevent the kind of close contact that
allowed the Paleblood moon to rise. 43 44 45 Willem
informed the Healing Church of what he had done and they,
out of respect for him and shaken from the multiple disasters
they had just experienced, accepted this.46 Byrgenwerth would
continue on for an unknown stretch of time. Though they
would discover the true method for transformation into a
great one,47 Provost Willem's distrust of blood ministration
meant they would be unable to implement it. Eventually, either through their own experimentation and/or the Orphan's
curse, the scholars of the college would be transformed into beings of living water and pulled into a nightmare world,
ending the college.48 49

36 Heir to the ritual of blood, purveyor of ministration. Place your hand on the altar's sacred covering, and inscribe
Master Laurence's adage upon your esh."-Grand Cathedral note
37 Fear the old blood"-Laurence and Willem, from the memory imparted by Laurence's Madman's Knowledge.
38 A watchman of Byrgenwerth guards the gate with a password, the sacred adage of the Grand Cathedral."-Cathedral
Ward note, the password is "Fear the old blood."
39 As it was, clerics transformed into the most hideous beasts."-Sword Hunter Badge
40 The urge to transform into a beast is in conict with the basic sense of humanity we all have. That humanity serves
as a kind of shackle, keeping the transformation in its place. The stronger the shackle keeping the urge to transform in
place is, the larger the recoil once that shackle is nally broken. The results cause you to transform into a larger creature,
or a more twisted one... You see that pretty clearly with the beast characters designed early on - especially the Cleric
Beast..."-Interview with Hidetaka Muyazaki
41 The Healing Church workshop began with Ludwig, and departed from old Gehrman's techniques to provide hunters
with the means to hunt more terrifying beasts, and perhaps things still worse."-Ludwig's Holy Blade
42 Ludwig's Rie exhibits several departures from the workshop's design, suggesting that the Church anticipated much
larger inhuman beasts."-
43 Ahh, Kos, or some say Kosm... Do you hear our prayers? As you once did for the vacuous Rom, Grant us eyes, grant
us eyes."-Micolash
44 The spider hides all manner of rituals, certain to reveal nothing, for true enlightenment need not be shared."-
Byrgenwerth note
45 In his nal years, Master Willem was fond of the lookout, and the rocking chair that he kept there for meditation. In
the end, it is said, he left his secret with the lake."-Lunarium Key
46 The Byrgenwerth spider hides all manner of rituals, and keeps our lost master from us. A terrible shame. It makes
my head shudder uncontrollably."-Cathedral Ward note
47 Three third cords... Hunt the Great Ones. Hunt the Great Ones... The nameless moon presence beckoned by Laurence
and his associates. Paleblood."-Nightmare Lecture Building notes. Note that the Japanese version makes no distinction
between singular and plural for "Great Ones", so the three may form a single message: obtain three third cords and hunt
the great one called Paleblood.
48 Gain entry into the Byrgenwerth lecture building, that drifts within the realm of nightmare."- Nightmare Lecture
Building trophy
49 But today, the college lies deep within a tangled wood, abandoned and decrepit. And furthermore, the Healing Church
22 CHAPTER 4. THE NIGHTS OF THE HUNT

Cut off from whatever direct contact with the Great Ones they may have achieved, the Healing
Church was ready for new avenues of thought. The Church had made a practice of training orphans,50
who were numerous in Yharnam between the number of ill who came to the city seeking treatment
and the number of casualties due to the Scourge of the Beast, as priests from a young age, perhaps
hoping that the Great Ones would look kindly on those who had lost their parents out of sympathy
for the gods'own plight in losing their children. Using phantasms, these preists would contact one
of the abandoned Great Ones of Isz, Ebrietas.51 She had an interest in the Church's research, as she
had stalled at her current state of evolution. Ebrietas would guide them to finding a chalice to open
the way to Isz.52 When they found her in the Labyrinth, she accompanied them back to the surface
to advise them, along with the corpse of the Great One she worshiped. With her advice, they would
perfect the efforts that had led to the Living Failures to create their own Celestial Emissaries. These
triumphs would raise the scholars of the orphanage, now named the Choir, to a position equal to the School of Mensis
within the Church's hierarchy.53 54 The Choir would henceforth focus its efforts on the Cosmos, an eldritch plane of

has declared Byrgenwerth forbidden ground. It's unclear how many of its scholars remain alive..."-Alfred
50 Key to the Orphanage, birthplace of the Choir. The Orphanage, shadowed by the Grand Cathedral, was a place of
scholarship and experimentation, where young orphans became potent unseen thinkers for the Healing Church. The Choir,
that would later split the Healing Church, was a creation of the Orphanage."-Orphanage Key
51 Use phantasms, the invertebrates known to be augurs of the Great Ones, to partially summon abandoned Ebrietas.
The initial encounter marked the start of an inquiry into the cosmos from within the old labyrinth, and led to the
establishment of the Choir."-Augur of Ebrietas
52 The Great Isz Chalice became the cornerstone of the Choir, the elite delegation of the Healing Church. It was also
the rst Great Chalice brought back to the surface since the time of Byrgenwerth, and allowed the Choir to have audience
with Ebrietas."-Great Isz Chalice
53 The upper echelons of the Healing Church are formed by the School of Mensis, based in the Unseen Village, and the
Choir occupying the Upper Cathedral Ward."-Upper Cathedral Key
54 Members of the Choir are both the highest-ranking clerics of the Healing Church, and scholars who continue the work
that began at Byrgenwerth."-Choir attire
 23

existence tied to the sky55 56 and which had connections to Isz57 and the Kin.
The School of Mensis was making its own progress towards communicating
with the Great Ones. They had contacted a second set of peaceful Pthumerians,58
worshippers of Mergo. They provided Mensis with the means to contact
Mergo.59 (It is possible that Mensis found the cord of the eye first,
contacted Mergo on their own, and she put them into communication with her
worshippers, but the Great Ones'umbilical cords are precious enough that the
other alternative is more likely.) Mergo provided them with the methods to
create a Great One, called the Brain of Mensis. Though it was "rotten", it was
the first Great One ever produced by humanity, and, unlike Ebrietas, was able
to die properly and ascend to the nightmare.60 This would gain the School's
trust for the Mergo worshipers, allowing them to propose the ritual that would
end Yharnam. The School of Mensis would begin tasking its hunters not with
killing beasts, but with kidnapping subjects for experimentation.61 62 Relations
between the School of Mensis and the Choir degenerated as the School's
preparations neared completion. The two began covertly planting agents in each
other. 63 64 65

55 The Choir stumbled upon an epiphany, very suddenly and quite by accident. Here we stand, feet planted in the earth,
but might the cosmos be very near us, only just above our heads?"-Cosmic Eye Watcher Badge
56 The sky and the cosmos are one. - The Choir""-Cathedral Ward note
57 According to the Choir, the land of Isz lies in contact with the cosmos, which allowed the Great Ones to function on
transcendental planes of thought."-Isz Root Chalice
58 The bell-ringing woman appears to be a mad Pthumerian."-Sinister Chalice. Bell-Ringing Women appear in Yahar'gul,
the School of Mensis's base, alongside other Pthumerians like Eye Collectors and Kidnappers.
59 This Cord granted Mensis audience with Mergo, but resulted in the stillbirth of their brains."-Mergo's Wet Nurse's
Third Umbilical Cord
60 The immense brain that Mensis retrieved from the nightmare was indeed lined with eyes on the inside, but they were
of an evil sort, and the brain itself was terribly rotten. But even still, it was a legitimate Great One, and left a relic. A
living relic, at that, which is a precious thing indeed."-Living String
61 The hunters of Yahar'gul answer to the village's founders, the School of Mensis. Hunters in name only, these kidnappers
blend into the night wearing this attire."-Yahar'gul attire
62 I was seized on the street by a hulking brute in the Cathedral Ward and locked up here. There were many others,
but they've been taken away... And I've heard moans, echoing in the distance, ever since..."-Adella
63 Edgar, Choir Intelligencer, is one such spy, fought in the Nightmare of Mensis waring a Mensis uniform.
64 One of her special blood vials being located in the Nightmare of Mensis, as well as her assassination by a Healing
Church doctor wielding Choir tools and knowledgeable in the Choir procedure for transforming humans into Celestial
Emissaries, suggests that Iosefka may have been a spy for Mensis, or at least a regular Mensis loyalist.
65 Defector Antal is a Yahar'gul hunter who has turned on the School of Mensis and helps in the battles around Yahar'gul.
24 CHAPTER 4. THE NIGHTS OF THE HUNT
Chapter 5

The Fall of Yharnam

It was into this tense situation that another outsider signed up to serve as a hunter.1 By this time, hunters were
seen more as disposable exterminators, a far cry from the days when Lady Maria was both a hunter and a head
researcher in the Church.2 This foreigner had obtained through unkown channels at least some knowledge of
Paleblood and the process for transforming into a Great One.3 4 Between the time the hunter recieved blood
ministration and their return from the nightmare,5 the School of Mensis began the ritual which they believed
would transform them into Great Ones.6 This provided the spark for the long simmering war between the
Church's leaders. The Choir supporters would attempt a raid against Yahar'gul, the base of the School of
Mensis,7 but fail.8 As the ritual began, the moon was drawn close, triggering the Scourge of the Beast on a
scale not seen since Old Yharnam. The Choir was routed and destroyed,9 with its last few members scattering.
Yharnam attempted to go through with the night of the hunt, though there were so many beasts that even by
early afternoon the vast majority had either succumb to the Scourge or been killed.10 11
When the hunter reawoke in the clinic, dazed and missing memories from the experience of being tied to
the Hunter's Dream and/or the recent blood ministration.12 13 14 They read the note they had left themselves
and entered the Hunter's Dream, meeting Gehrman. Gehrman would do the best he could to explain to the
1 Easy, with a bit of Yharnam blood of your own... But rst, you'll need a contract... Good. All signed and sealed.
Now, let's begin the transfusion."-Blood Ministe
2 The Healing Church, and the Blood Ministers who belong to it... Were once guardians of the hunters, in the times
of the hunter... Ludwig. They worked, and forged weapons, in their unique workshop. Today, most ministers don't recall
the hunters."-Gehrman
3 Handwritten scrawl: Seek Paleblood to transcend the hunt."-Iosefka's Clinic note. The Japanese version species that
it is a note to oneself.
4 Oh, yes... Paleblood... Well, you've come to the right place. Yharnam is the home of blood ministration. You need
only unravel its mystery."-Blood Minister
5 Everyone in Iosefka's Clinic has been evacuated into the secure portion of the building, transformed into a beast, or
killed, and Iosefka claims not to know what the hunter looks like, as though their body hadn't been on the operating table
between the time the Messengers nd them and they wake up.
6 Even children were in the ritual room in Advent Plaza, implying that the School of Mensis believed they would ascend
to the nightmare permanently and needed to bring their children along.
7 The upper echelons of the Healing Church are formed by the School of Mensis, based in the Unseen Village..."-Upper
Cathedral Key
8 There are several bodies of Healing Church members just outside the gate leading to the section of Yahar'gul where
the Mensis ritual is taking place.
9 The Orphanage is full of bodies and beasts, implying that the Choir suered the same fate as the rest of Yharnam.
10 Prepare yourself for the worst. There are no humans left. They're all esh-hungry beasts, now."-Eileen
11 The screams of wimminfolk, the stench of blood, the snarls of beasts... none of em's too uncommon now. Yharnam's
done fer, I tell ya."-Oedon Chapel Dweller
12 You're sure to be in a ne haze about now"-Gehrman
13 A faint memory recalls blood ministration, involving the transfusion of unknown blood. Not long after, the nightmare
began."-Sullied Bandage
14 Without memory, who will ever know?"-Foreign Garb

25
26 CHAPTER 5. THE FALL OF YHARNAM

dazed hunter how to get through the night, leaving simple notes to remind them of important advice.15 The hunter, unable
to remember that Paleblood was a Great One, would be directed to the Grand Cathedral to ask about it by a former
hunter named Gilbert, under the assumption that it was a type of blood.16 The hunter came upon Vicar Amelia, who was
reduced to doing nothing but praying for salvation until she transformed into a beast, killed her, and learned the password
to Byrgenwerth from Laurence's skull. Perhaps remembering the place or perhaps learning of it from Laurence's memories,
the hunter found the college.17
It was then that Gehrman, realizing that the Healing Church was doomed and that he might never get another
chance to mentor a hunter from Yharnam, decided to risk sending the hunter to the Hunter's Nightmare, in the
hope that they could do something about the Orphan of Kos. Gehrman left an Eye of a of a Blood-Drunk Hunter
for the messengers to deliver to the hunter, so that an Amygdala would attempt to transport it into the nightmare,
taking the hunter carrying it as well. 18 The hunter, spurred on by a Healing Church hunter and assassin 19 named
Simon, would kill the Orphan of Kos, presumably ending its curse on the hunters and allowing the Hunter's
15 To escape this dreadful Hunter's Dream, halt the source of the spreading scourge of beasts, lest the night carry on
forever."-Hunter's Dream note. The other notes in the Hunter's Dream are also left by Gehrman, repeating his advice
about the holy chalice in Old Yharnam and nding the Healing Church Workshop, and the note contains the phrase
"dreadful Hunter's Dream", a phrase Gehrman repeats later.
16 Paleblood, you say? Hmm... Never heard of it. But if it's blood you're interested in, you should try the Healing
Church. The church controls all knowledge on blood ministration, and all varieties of blood. Across the valley to the East
of Yharnam lies the town of the Healing Church, known as the Cathedral Ward. And deep within the Cathedral Ward is
the old grand cathedral."-Gilbert
17 Have I heard of Byrgenwerth? Hmm... Afraid I can't say that I have."-Gilbert. Note this dialogue triggers regardless
of whether the player has spoken to Alfred or read any of the notes mentioning Byrgenwerth, and thus is independent of
if they have heard the name inside the game before.
18 The Eye of a Blood-drunk Hunter beckons hunters to the Hunter's Nightmare. A deformed creature will whisk you
away outside Oedon Chapel."-Hunter's Dream note
19 Certain Church hunters obfuscate their identities and slip into the nooks and crannies of the city. This is the garb
that allows these harrowed individuals to go unnoticed. These hunters are keen to early signs of the scourge, serving as
a rst line of defense against its outbreak. Or perhaps, when the time is right, they nd signs of the scourge where there
are none. It just goes to show, the corner beggar is not always who he seems."-Harrowed Set, worn by Simon
 27

Nightmare to dissipate20 as well as lifting the guilt on Gehrman's mind.21 It isn't clear why, if it was so easy to kill the
orphan, it took anyone so long to do it. Perhaps only the final hunter, with an entire city full of beasts to draw blood
echoes from, ever had the chance to grow so powerful so quickly that they could defeat a Great One. Or perhaps the
hunters could only trick their way into the Hunter's Nightmare while still sane on a night of the Paleblood moon, and no
one thought it was worth the risk of another disaster like Old Yharnam to save the hunters trapped inside.
The hunter would find their way to Byrgenwerth, where
they would kill Rom. This would allow the paleblood moon
to fully affect the world and the School of Mensis to complete
their ritual 22 and the Mensis ritualists would be absorbed
into the Nightmare of Mensis and either transformed into
nightmare apostles or killed. 23 All the humans in the
area around Advent Plaza would be killed, with their bodies
melding into the walls as they tried to escape or else being
combined and reanimated as undead monsters. These beasts
would kill the more mundane Pthumerians.24 The bell ringing
maidens would be able to survive, even in areas without
allied Amgydalae, and kept watch over the ritual grounds,
presumably waiting for the ritual's effects to complete. When
the hunter reached Advent Plaza, the Pthumerians would summon The One Reborn, which was perhaps an incomplete
version of the body they intended to create for Mergo.25 The hunter defeated it, entered the Nightmare of Mensis through
20 …This village is the true secret. Testament to the old sins… …It feeds this Hunter's Nightmare… …Please,
bring to an end to the horror…"-Simon
21 Oh, good hunter. I can hear Gehrman sleeping. On any other night, he'd be restless. But on this night, he sounds so
very calm. ...perhaps something has eased his suering"-The plain doll, after the Orphan of Kos's death.
22 The chanting around Yahar'gul stops after Rom dies.
23 The School of Mensis controls the Unseen Village. This hexagonal iron cage suggests their strange ways. The cage is
a device that restrains the will of the self, allowing one to see the profane world for what it is. It also serves as an antenna
that facilitates contact with the Great Ones of the dream. But to an observer, the iron cage appears to be precisely what
delivered them to their harrowing nightmare."-Mensis Cage
24 After Rom is killed, you can nd Snatcher bodies scattered around Yahar'gul areas with Cramped Caskets.
25 The secret intent of the ritual, and the true motive of the Pthumerians who orchestrated it, appears to have been the
creation of a physical body for a Great One of the nightmare to inhabit. The location where the ritual takes place is called
Advent Plaza in English, where "advent" means the birth of a god. The Japanese version is more clear that this is not the
28 CHAPTER 5. THE FALL OF YHARNAM

contact with Micolash's body, and killed both Micolash and Mergo.
Over the course of the night, the hunter managed to acquire three of the cords of the eye that various factions around
Yharnam had collected, and used them to line their brain with eyes. Upon reporting the success of ending the ritual and
allowing the night to end, 26 Gehrman was prepared to sever the hunter from the dream. 27 However, the hunter refused,
and Gehrman, used to this kind of refusal, 28 tried to force the hunter to acquiesce through violence. For the first time, a
disobedient hunter managed to defeat Gehrman. For some reason, perhaps owing to a side effect of his own power to sever
hunters from the dream or to Flora having been promised the strongest of all hunters as decided by a trial by combat as
her servant, Gehrman was freed from the dream and died. Flora, sensing Gehrman's death, would descend to the Hunter's
Dream to replace him. 29 However, the hunter's power was so great that she was repelled. Presumably recognizing the
threat such a powerful hunter posed to the Great Ones, Flora tried to finish what Gehrman started and kill the hunter. The
hunter was victorious, and killed Flora to take her blood, beginning the process of becoming a Great One. Eventually, the
hunter would complete their transformation, die, and their nightmare form would enter the Hunter's Dream, where they
would be cared for by the plain doll. 30 As a purer form of Great One, 31 the hunter would be able to aid humanity in the
ascension to the dream world in a way Flora was not. 32
Yharnam itself was left a city of beasts. It will go the way of Loran and Old Yharnam before it.

birth of a new god, as there it is called the Plaza of Rebirth. Note that in both places the exact same word, "zaidan", is
used in both the name Plaza of Rebirth and The One Reborn. Further, The One Reborn is called from the moon, which is
the bridge between the waking and dream worlds, using bells, which both call out between worlds in a hunter's hands and
resurrect the dead in the hands of a Bell Maiden. Of the candidates, Mergo seems the most likely choice. She is directly
tied to the ritual, as killing her ends it, has the strongest known ties to the Pthumerians, having been born to one, and her
servants, the Mergo's attendant enemies, and her mother's bodyguards, the shadows of Yharnam, both block your path
to Micolosh and the Wet Nurse.
26 To escape this dreadful Hunter's Dream, halt the source of the spreading scourge of beasts, lest the night carry on
forever."-Hunter's Dream note
27 The night is near its end. Now, I will show you mercy. You will die, forget the dream, and awake under the morning
sun. You will be freed... ...from this terrible hunter's dream..."-Gehrman
28 Dear oh dear, what was it? The hunt, the blood, or the horrible dream? Oh, it doesn't matter. It always comes down
to the hunters'helper to clean up after these sorts of messes."-Gehrman
29 Captivated by the Moon Presence, you pledge to watch over the Hunter's Dream."-Honoring Wishes trophy
30 Oh, good hunter,"-The plain doll
31 The hunter has characteristics of sea life and looks more like a natural Great One like Kos, as opposed to Flora who
had the symptoms of the Scourge of the Beast.
32 You became an infant Great One, lifting humanity into its next childhood."-Childhood's Beginning trophy
Appendices

29
Appendix A

On the Gods, the Other Denizens of the

Nightmare, and their Kin

The gods, also known by the more scholarly term the Great Ones, 1 are transcendent inhabitants
of the dream world, who posses superhuman intelligence 2 3 and supernatural power. 4 5 6 They
are worshipped by the Healing Church. 7 8 9
The Great Ones are born in the physical world 10 Upon physical death, the Great One's body
is generally interred in the tomb of the gods. 11 12 13 Though they are dead, it is a death akin to
sleep 14 and they dream, their consciousness projected into the dream world as a baby, where they
grow again and live as gods. 15 Since Kos died while pregnant, this may explain why the Great
Ones are said to all lose their children, 16 as perhaps they must produce a child and die near to that
child's birth to reach the next stage of their life cycle. Certain of the Great Ones are incomplete,

1 Fragments of the lost wisdom of the Great Ones, beings that might be described as gods."-Great One's Wisdom
2 Disillusioned by the limits of human intellect, Master Willem looked to beings from higher planes for guidance, and
sought to line his brain with eyes in order to elevate his thoughts."-Eye rune
3 ...the cosmos, which allowed the Great Ones to function on transcendental planes of thought."-Greate Isz Chalice
4 Curses are caused by inciting the anger of the Great Ones, and used to hex others."-Deled Chalice
5 Runesmith Caryll, student of Byrgenwerth, transcribed the inhuman utterings of the Great Ones into what are now
called Caryll Runes. The hunter who retrieves this workshop tool can etch Caryll Runes into the mind to attain their
wondrous strength."-Rune Workshop Tool
6 ...the pale moon, which beckoned the hunters and conceived the Hunter's Dream."-Workshop One Third Umbilical
Cord
7 Ahh, Kos, or some say Kosm... Do you hear our prayers?"-Micolash
8 Statues of Amygdala are present in both the Grand Cathedral and Yahar'gul Chapel.
9 The Healing Church Workshop is accessible through Oedon Chapel.
10 Mergo, Kos's child, and Arianna's child were all born to physical mothers.
11 Let the chalice reveal the tomb of the gods"-Pthumeru Chalice
12 A Holy Chalice will reveal the tomb of the gods."-Gehrman
13 Attire of tomb prospectors who explore the old labyrinth on behalf of the Healing Church. The Healing Church traces
its roots to Byrgenwerth, and is therefore aware of the ruins'true importance."-Tomb Prospector Attire
14 early Pthumerians were mere humble guardians of the slumbering Great Ones"-Great Pthumeru Ihyll Chalice
15 The Yhanam Stone is Mergo's body, while the Orhpan of Kos's physical body is used in its boss ght, hence the
Prey Slaughtered" message when defeated. The latter immediately spawns a young version of the Orphan upon death.
Conversely, Mergo, Flora, and the Orphan of Kos's newly born dream body are all unique in that they give a Nightmare
Slain" message when killed.
16 Every Great One loses its child, and then yearns for a surrogate."-One Third of Umbilical Cord

31
32APPENDIX A. ON THE GODS, THE OTHER DENIZENS OF THE NIGHTMARE, AND THEIR KIN

and cannot die, preventing them from achieving transcendence of the waking world. 17 18 19 These Great Ones can
sometimes find their way to the dream world, 20 but upon death they always resurrect in the tomb of the gods. 21
Several mysteries still remain regarding the gods. If Great
Ones lose their children through leaving them behind in the
waking world, won't the eventually meet again when the child
grows up and makes its own way to the nightmare world, at
least for those children who, like the Orphan, are able to
die? Also, why are the Great Ones of the nightmare, who are
vulnerable to death, more highly regarded than the abandoned
Great Ones, who have true immortality? Perhaps their greater
powers over the dreaming world are the answer, or perhaps the
seeming death only belies movement to an even deeper level of
reality. 22 23 This questions may never be answered, as some
questions are not for the minds of sane mortals to know. 24
Several of the gods are recorded by history. Oedon is a
formless Great One who exists only as a voice. 25 He lusts
after the quicksilver present in holy blood 26 and is fertile
with Yharnam's bloodline. He seems to be the Great One
most prominently worshiped by the Healing Church, as he
has an entire chapel dedicated to him, housing the Healing
Church Workshop. 27 Flora was a Pthumerian who ascended
through blood ministration and who had a crucial role in the
history of the Healing Church, detailed in previous chapters. Mergo was a child of Oedon and Yharnam, killed before her
own birth and left as a stunted baby even in the dream. A group of Pthumerians including the Shadows of Yharnam served
her, leading to her death during the Fall of Yharnam during what was probably an attempt to resurrect her. Mergo's Wet
Nurse was another Great One 28 She was odd in that she did not seem to have a separate existence from Mergo. 29 Her
resemblance to Mergo herself and clothing that is similar to the Shadows of Yharnam, in that both wore black hooded

17 Together with the left behind Great One, they look to the skies, in search of astral signs, that may lead them to the
rediscovery of true greatness."-Choir Garb
18 Use phantasms, the invertebrates known to be augurs of the Great Ones, to partially summon abandoned Ebrietas."-
Augur of Ebrietas
19 Of the all the [sic] strange lifeforms that reside in the nooks and crannies of the old labyrinth, the slugs are clear signs
of the left-behind Great Ones."-Pearl Slugs
20 Amygdala is fought in the Nightmare Frontier.
21 Amygdala, Rom, Ebrietas, and the Celestial Emisarry all give Prey Slaughtered" messages when defeated and can all
be endlessly fought again in the labyrinth.
22 ...Ahh, sweet child of Kos, returned to the ocean... A bottomless curse, a bottomless sea. Accepting of all that there
is and can be."Fishing Hamlet Priest
23 In the Yharnam boss ght, Mergo can still cry to paralyze you even after her own death in the nightmare.
24 This manifestation of madness comes from a mind teetering on the very brink, but has a sane mind ever produced
anything of true signicance?"-Frenzied Coldblood
25 The Great One Oedon, lacking form, exists only in voice..."-Formless Oedon Rune
26 Human or no, the oozing blood is a medium of the highest grade, and the essence of the formless Great One, Oedon.
Both Oedon, and his inadvertent worshippers, surreptitiously seek the precious blood."-Oedon Runes. Both Oedon runes
involve Quicksilver Bullets.
27 The Healing Church, and the Blood Ministers who belong to it... Were once guardians of the hunters, in the times
of the hunter... Ludwig. They worked, and forged weapons, in their unique workshop. Today, most ministers don't
recall the hunters. But they have much to oer you. And so, heed the message of your forebears. Ascend to Oedon
Chapel."-Gehrman
28 Defeat Great One: Mergo's Wet Nurse."-Mergo's Wet Nurse Trophy
29 Mergo's Wet Nurse does not give a Prey Slaughtered or Nightmare Slain message. Only Mergo does when she stops
crying.
 33

robes, suggest that she may have been some kind of creation or avatar of Mergo, perhaps serving as an idealized mother
figure. The Wet Nurse serves a motherly role, hence its name, and is dressed in a similiar manner to the Pthumerians who
worship Mergo, a far cry from Mergo's real mother, who dresses in a white dress and wishes for Mergo's death. Kos
was a young Great One killed by Brygenwerth. She and her orphaned child, a Great One itself, 30 were instrumental to
the Healing Church's history, as described in detail earlier. The Brain of Mensis was a Great One created by the School
of Mensis, but its physical body died almost immediately. 31 It was allied with the school and helped in the defense of
Mergo's Loft. Finally, an unknown Great One's body was located at the Altar of Despair beneath the Grand Cathedral.
This Great One had power over time 32 and was the object of worship and/or mourning for Ebrietas. 33 She may represent
a more natural case of an "abandoned" Great One in being the child of a natural Great One who for whatever reason was
born wrong and could not die, being abandoned by her parent when they died and entered the dream world. If this is the
case, the corpse in the Altar of Despair is likely her mother or father.
Of the "left behind" or "abandoned" Great Ones, the best known are likely the Amygdalas. They are possibly unique
in being an entire group of similar Great Ones. 34 They tend to congregate around temples to the Great Ones, including

30 Defeat Great One: Orphan of Kos."-Orphan of Kos Trophy

31 The immense brain that Mensis retrieved from the nightmare was indeed lined with eyes on the inside, but they were
of an evil sort, and the brain itself was terribly rotten. But even still, it was a legitimate Great One, and left a relic. A
living relic, at that, which is a precious thing indeed."-Living String
32 Time ows in reverse for this scrap of esh."-message at the Alter of Despair when the Queenly Flesh is oered.
33 A special weapon used by the Choir, high-ranking members of the Healing Church... ''Oh, fair maiden, why is it that
you weep?""-Rosmarinus The word for "maiden" in the Japanese description is the same as the word for "daughter" used
int "Daughter of the Cosmos."
34 The arm of a small Amygdala Great One."-Amygdalan Arm
34APPENDIX A. ON THE GODS, THE OTHER DENIZENS OF THE NIGHTMARE, AND THEIR KIN

Oedon Chapel, Yahar'gul Chapel, an unnamed church which served as an entrance to Yahar'gul, 35 among several other
buildings around Yahar'gul. They serve to transport people to the dream world. Considering these two facts, they may be a
kind of messenger between gods and mortals, explaining their wide worship: 36 37 38 statues to them are found in Yahar'gul
Chapel, the tower in Amygdala's Chamber, and lining the entrance to the Grand Cathedral. The Celestial Emissary is a
Great One, 39 or perhaps a race thereof, that was created through the kind of blood ministration practiced by the Choir
and the people of Isz before them and are therefore kin of the cosmos. Ebrietas was a Great One 40 of Isz. 41 She was a
patron of the Healing Church, especially the Choir.
The dream world is also populated by species of lesser creatures. These beings may be the creations of the
Great Ones and/or a kind of native wildlife. Crawlers are the most animalistic of the denizens of the nightmare.
They have no clear maker, are found only in the Nightmare Frontier, and never demonstrate intelligence. They
look somewhat like Kos, but are not found in her nightmare realm, so it seems they are not her creations. The
Giant Lost Children are a species of unclear origin who inhabit the Nightmare Frontier. Some of them guard the
entrances to Mergo's Loft, but most seem to be unaffiliated with any greater power. Given that the Nightmare
Frontier is based on Loran in the same way the Hunter's Nightmare is based on Yharnam, 42 they are perhaps
the creations of a Great One that was worshiped there. Amygdala is the most likely guess, as his statues are

35 Seek you the ancient, shrouded church hidden to the right of the main cathedral."-Patches
36 lord Amygdala..."-Patches
37 Now, say in my heart, you were as a lamb to my god."-Patches
38 My god is lost to me, so I must away to nd another."-Patches
39 Defeat Great One: Celestial Emissary."-Celestial Emisarry
40 Defeat Great One: Ebrietas, Daughter of the Cosmos."-Ebrietas, Daughter of the Cosmos trophy
41 The Great Isz Chalice became the cornerstone of the Choir, the elite delegation of the Healing Church. It was also
the rst Great Chalice brought back to the surface since the time of Byrgenwerth, and allowed the Choir to have audience
with Ebrietas."-Great Isz Chalice
42 The Nightmare Frontier is home to both the Ailing Loran Chalice and many Loran Silverbeasts.
 35

prominent in the tower of the Chamber of Amygdala. Messengers are inhabitants of the dream who server hunters. 43 44
45
There are many statues of the messengers throughout the labyrinth, often depicted with symptoms of the Scourge of
the Beast, fur and horns. The Pthumerians thus seemingly viewed them as harbingers of disaster. Neither do they seem
popular in the dream world outside the Hunter's Dream, as crawlers prey upon them. Given all this, they may be creations
of Flora. The Doll, probably intended to hold Maria's soul, is a more clear creation of Flora, presumably granted life as an
apology for being unable to rescue Maria and to serve as Gehrman's caretaker. Mergo's attendants are a race of servitors
made by Mergo, and inhabiting her castle in the Nightmare of Mensis. The Winter Lanterns are based on, and thus likely
created by, the Brain of Mensis, though a few have wondered far afield of its home into the Nightmare of Mensis and the
Fishing Hamlet. They continue the pattern established by Mergo's Wet Nurse in that they are a combination of the Brain's
own features and an idealized mother figure, likely coming from the messengers', out of whom the Brain's body is made,
memories of the Doll. A final but ambiguous member of this category are the snail women. Their animalistic features
suggest they may be mutated members of the Fishing Hamlet, but their residence far away from the human residences,
their close and worshipful vigil around the corpse of Kos, and their resemblance to a more human like (and thus Orphan
like) version of Kos suggest they may be the Orphan's servitor race.
Even more distant from the dream world, connected to its power but not native to it themselves, are the diverse group
called the Kin of the Cosmos. Their connection to the cosmos grants most of them arcane powers. The natural born
members of this group; Ebrietas, the fluorescent flowers, and celestial children; take biological cues from plant life, as are
the hunters who become lumenwoods with the Milkweed rune. The artificial Kin of the Healing Church are also mostly
associated with plants, being encountered in the Lumenwood Garden and Lumenflower Gardens. There are three general
kinds of artificial kin, created from humans or Pthumerians via experiments. The first are hosts to phantasms, which are

43 Ahh, the little ones, inhabitants of the dream... They nd hunters like yourself, worship, and serve them. Speak
words, they do not, but still, aren't they sweet?"-The Doll
44 A strange gift from the messengers, inhabitants of the dream who revere the brave hunters."-Messenger's Gift
45 The art book shows concept art of the Moon Presence covered in Messengers who are clinging to her adoringly.
36APPENDIX A. ON THE GODS, THE OTHER DENIZENS OF THE NIGHTMARE, AND THEIR KIN

familiars to the Great Ones. 46 47 The Brainsuckers have a spectral phantasm implanted in their skulls and the lumenwood
hunters who serve as a living host for them. 48 The second are those created by Byrgenwerth's experiments with eyes,
which yield insectile type kin, the Garden of Eyes and Rom, as well as her children. Finally, some of the Kin are based on
sea life or water itself. The slime scholars are made of water, Ebrietas (though she is a natural born kin) has aspects of a sea
sponge and anemone, and the celestial emissary is similar to a squid. 49 The celestial emissaries, and their predecessors the
Living Failures and the research hall patients, were particularly good at channeling knowledge from the dream world. 50 51
52

Finally, most distant from the Great Ones are those beings that have been touched and transformed by them without
becoming kin. The mutated villagers of the Fishing Hamlet are this kind of creature, as some of them have Kin Coldblood,
but the rest of their bodies have not actually transformed into kin alongside their blood. Kin Coldblood is also found in
Castle Cainhurst, suggesting that some of the nobles had become a similar sort of being. Some of the Mensis scholars
transformed into spider creatures with human heads called nightmare apostles, either through the influence of one of the
Great Ones they were in contact with or through experimentation like that of the Garden of Eyes which yielded worse
results. They are not kin, nor do they even have kin blood.

46 Empty invertebrate shell that is said to be a familiar of a Great One. The Healing Church has discovered a great
variety of invertebrates, or phantasms, as they are called."-Empty Phantasm Shell
47 Long ago, the Healing Church used phantasms to reach a lofty plane of darkness, but failed to make contact with the
outer reaches of the cosmos."-A Call Beyond
48 A transcription of the inhumane, sticky whispers that reveal the nature of a celestial attendant. Those who take this
oath become a lumenwood that peers towards the sky, feeding phantasms in its luscious bed. Phantasms guide us, and
lead to further discoveries."-Milkweed rune
49 Small alien creatures with squid-like heads and mottled blue skin."-Small Celestial Emissary ocial guide description.
50 I see a shape. My guide, I see your voice, clearly, as it bends and bleeds."-Adeline, when learning the Milkweed rune
51 Gascoigne's daughter learns the Oedon Writhe rune when she is sent to Iosefka's Clinic and transformed into a celestial
emissary.
52 The part of the Forbidden Woods that houses celestial emissaries has two Madman's Knowledges and an Anti-Clockwise
Metamorphoses rune.
Appendix B

On the Process of Communion and the

Scourge of the Beast

Communion is the process of injecting special blood, especially that of the Great Ones, 1 2 3
4
into a mortal body, which induces mutation as a creature's blood controls its shape5 6 7 with
the goal of transforming them into a Great One.8 As a side effect, communion also heals the
body and cures disease. 9 10 However, when the transformation process is triggered before the
communicant is ready, a state which in almost all cases is never achieved, they instead transform into
a beast.11 This so called scourge of the beast is not a medical plague,12 but merely an incomplete
transformation that would ideally result in a Great One of the same general type as Flora, who was
the sole recorded successful case. Beasthood is a inherent urge present in humanity,13 that tempts
communicants to give in to the euphoria premature transformation and thereby fall from the path

1 Let us pray, let us wish to partake in communion. Let us partake in communion, and feast upon the old blood. Our
thirst for blood satiates us, soothes our fears... Seek the old blood."-Vicar Amelia
2 Let the chalice reveal the tomb of the gods; let blood be the hunter's nourishment. ...And let ye partake in
communion..."-Ptumeru Chalice
3 The discovery of blood made their dream of evolution a reality. Metamorphosis, and the excesses and deviation that
followed, were only the beginning."-Clockwise Metamorphosis rune
4 This rune represents the Healing Church and its ministers. Blood ministration is, of course, the pursuit of
communion."-Communion rune
5 The hunter who retrieves this can fortify weapons by kneading blood gems into them. Blood gems add properties to
weapons when used to fortify them, as blood denes an organism."-Blood Gem Workshop Tool
6 ...We are born of the blood, made men by the blood, undone by the blood."-Willem
7 Hunters have told me about the church. About the gods, and their love. But... do the gods love their creations?"-The
Doll
8 My god is lost to me, so I must away to nd another. If the fates are kind, our paths may cross again. Sooner still...
if you were you to take the leap..."-Patches
9 These doctors are superiors to the black preventative hunters, and specialists in experimentally backed blood min-
istration and the scourge of the beast. They believe that medicine is not a means of treatment but rather a method for
research, and that some knowledge can only be obtained by exposing oneself to sickness."-White Church attire
10 Gilbert's sickness is cured by his transformation into a beast.
11 The discovery of blood entailed the discovery of undesirable beasts."-Beast rune
12 Old hunter arm bands wound tightly to prevent infection with the scourge. Of course, the idea that the scourge was
infectious was pure hearsay."-Old Hunter Arm Bands
13 The indescribable sound is broadcast with the caster's own vocal cords, which begs the question, what terrible things
lurk deep within the frames of men?"-Beast Roar

37
38 APPENDIX B. ON THE PROCESS OF COMMUNION AND THE SCOURGE OF THE BEAST

of transcendence.14 15 16 17 The Paleblood moon, strong emotion, and frequent use of blood ministration all tend to
exacerbate the condition, triggering transformation in people who would otherwise resist.18 19 20 The Healing Church's
teachings stressed self control, the resistance of the temptation of bloodlust, and the gaining of eldritch knowledge to help
control humanity's inner beast. 21 22 23 24 25 This allowed them, especially the clerics who amassed great insight, to resist
beasthood more readily than the common citizens and progress their own transformation into Great Ones. But since none
of them could actually make the transition into a Great One, bringing their transformations closer to completion in this
way only made them into even more heavily mutated beasts. 26 27 28
There is no clear line between human and beast. 29 30 Rather, the scourge is best thought of as a
collection of symptoms, any of which might appear in a specific sufferer. Below I will list these symptoms
and examples of beasts exhibiting them. I will not treat the beasts of Cainhurst here, as they, presumably
due to Cainhurst's corrupted blood, take after blood drinking animals like bats and ticks rather than the
mammals of the more common beasts. I will also ignore the celestial emissaries, who are also made by
blood ministration, but are kin instead of beasts. I will, however, include Flora, as she has undergone the
same process as beasts but more successfully.

B.1 Bloodlust

14 Ripping apart the esh of one's enemies and being rained upon by their splattering blood invigorates one's sense of
beasthood, feeding strength and euphoric feeling alike."-Beast Blood Pellet
15  In Yharnam, they produce more blood than alcohol, as the former is the more intoxicating."-Pungent Blood Cocktail
16 As esh is ayed and blood is sprayed, the beast within awakens, and in time, the wielder of this weapon surges with
both strength and feverish reverie."-Beast Claw
17 The "Clawmark" is an impulse to seek the warmth of blood like a beast. It strengthens visceral attacks, one of
the darker hunter techniques. Although the dierence is subtle, Runesmith Caryll describes the "Beast" as a horric
and unwelcome instinct deep within the hearts of men, while "Clawmark" is an alluring invitation to accept this very
nature."-Clawmark rune
18 When the red moon hangs low, the line between man and beast is blurred."-Byrgenwerth note
19 If you nd my mum, give her this music box. ...It plays one of daddy's favorite songs. And when daddy forgets us we
play it for him so he remembers."-Gascoigne's Younger Daughter
20 The music box, which presumably reminds Father Gascoigne of his recently killed wife, can cause him to transform
earlier than he regularly would.
21 This pendant, passed down among the vicars who head the Healing Church, is a reminder of the cautionary adage,
words that will open the gates of Byrgenwerth."-Gold Pendant
22 Don't be greedy. As they say, "Fear the thirst for blood." I should know. I was once a Blood Saint, too."-Adeline
23 Oh, hello again... I'm very sorry. As I was a Blood Saint, I cannot break the tenets of the Church, even for you. Once
you've run dry of blood, come visit me again."-Adeline
24 But beware the frailty of men. Their wills are weak, minds young. The foul beasts will dangle nectar and lure the
meek into the depths. Remain wary of the frailty of men, their wills are weak, minds young. Were it not for fear, death
would go unlamented."-Vicar Amelia
25 You could take this, at least. It is sure to please an upstanding member of the church like you."-Adella, while giving
a Madman's Knowledge. High Insight lowers the player's Beasthood stat.
26 The urge to transform into a beast is in conict with the basic sense of humanity we all have. That humanity serves
as a kind of shackle, keeping the transformation in its place. The stronger the shackle keeping that urge to transform in
place is, the larger the recoil once that shackle is nally broken. The results cause you to transform into a larger creature,
or a more twisted one. The struggle between these two urges is one concept here. You see that pretty clearly with the
beast characters designed early on – especially the Cleric Beast, which serves as their icon of sorts. That connects with
the idea that the cleric is really the most fearsome beast of them all."-Miyazki interview
27 As it was, clerics transformed into the most hideous beasts."-Sword Hunter Badge
28 When clerics began transforming into unspeakable beasts, the Church needed something to retaliate with."-Gold
Blood Gem
29 There's nothing more horric than a hunt. In case you've failed to realize... The things you hunt, they're not beasts.
They're people."-Djura
30 You hunters've got more blood on your hands! Die! Die, die! Hunters are killers, nothing less! You call me a beast?
A beast? What would you know? I didn't ask for this!"-Abhorrent Beast
B.2. COLLAPSE OF THE IRIS 39

The most important symptom of beasthood, and the one which causes
them to be dangerous and inspired the Healing Church to hunt them down,
beasts experience a lust for blood that causes them to kill and devour
humans. It is displayed by nearly all beasts, and to a lesser extent by anyone
who has undergone blood ministration,31 32 33 34 but they can seemingly
resist it to some extent, as shown by the Abhorrent Beast, who can hold
off on attacking dangerous opponents in hopes of being led to weaker
prey, and the beasts of the labyrinth and Old Yharnam, who can avoid
attacking their human and Pthumerian allies. Strangely, beasts consumed
by bloodlust will never attack each other, only humans or animals with
non-beast blood.

B.2 Collapse of the Iris

The less transformed beasts can sometime be identified by the collapse

of the eye's iris. This can be seen in Huntsmen and in some blood drunk

31 Mature blood cocktail that releases a pungent odor when thrown that attracts blood-thirsty beasts."-Pungent Blood
Cocktail
32 The beasts will feast tonight!"-Djura
33 Oh, oh my... you just can't get enough. Oh no, I understand, I'm the very same."-Abhorrent Beast, when giving
Beast Blood Pellets after killing someone
34 They're all esh-hungry beasts, now."-Eileen
40 APPENDIX B. ON THE PROCESS OF COMMUNION AND THE SCOURGE OF THE BEAST

hunters.35

B.3 Elongated Limbs

Most beasts have elongated legs and arms, making them

taller and giving them a longer reach. Scourge Beasts,
Huntsmen, Hunstman's Minions, Large Huntsmen, Rotted
Corpses, Cleric Beasts, Beast Patients, Blood-starved Beasts,
Beast-Possessed Souls, Darkbeasts, Abhorrent Beasts, Loran
Silverbeasts, Bloodletting Beasts, Loran Clerics, users of the
Beast's Embrace rune, Vicar Amelia, Ludwig, Laurence, Flora,
and Father Gascoigne in both forms all have this symptom, as
do most old hunters.

B.4 Intentional Transformation

A rare few victims of the scourge are able to control their own
transformation, exhibiting intentional shapechanging between
human and beast forms. Hunters could turn their hands into
claws temporarily. Father Gascoigne and the Abhorrent Beast
in the Forbidden Woods who pretended to be human could
both return to their human bodies completely.

B.5 Fur

The scourge often leads to the growth of fur. This is seen

in Scourge Beasts, Huntsmen, Huntsman's Minions, Large
Huntsmen, Rotted Corpses, Cleric Beasts, Beast Patients,
Blood-starved Beasts, Beast-Possessed Souls, Darkbeasts, Ab-
horrent Beasts, Loran Silverbeasts, Bloodletting Beasts, Loran
Clerics, Father Gascoigne, Vicar Amelia, and Laurence. This
is especially prominent around the head, forming a kind of
mane with thick strands of clumped together hair. Cleric
Beasts, Darkbeasts, Abhorrent Beasts, Bloodletting Beasts,
users of the Beast's Embrace rune, Vicar Amelia, and Laurence
exhibit this. Flora has tentacles on her head in the same general
arrangement.

B.6 Animal Heads

In more transformed cases, the victim's head will be transformed into that of an animal. Examples of this include Scourge
Beasts, Cleric Beasts, Beast-possessed Souls, Vicar Amelia, Ludwig, and Laurence.
35 The eye of a blood-drunk Hunter. Its pupil is collapsed and turned to mush, indicating the onset of the scourge of
beasts."-Eye of a Blood-drunk Hunter
B.7. CLAWS 41

B.7 Claws

The twisting of hands into claws is another very common symptom. It is experienced
by hunters, Scourge Beasts, Large Huntsmen, Rotted Corpses, Cleric Beasts, Beast
Patients, Blood-starved Beasts, Beast-possessed Souls, Darkbeasts, Abhorrent Beasts,
Loran Silverbeasts, Bloodletting Beasts, Loran Clerics, users of the Beast's Embrace
rune, Father Gascoigne, Vicar Amelia, Ludwig, and Laurence. Additionally, two long
extending claws may additionally grow on the hand. This is seen only in the Hunting
Dog around Hemwick Charnal Lane and Loran Silverbeasts.

B.8 Increased Size

The scourge can increase a victim's mass. Examples of such increased size are the Carrion
Crow, Huntsman's Minion, Large Huntsman, Labyrinth Rat, Maneater Boar, Cleric
Beast, Blood-starved Beasts, Darkbeasts, Abhorrent Beasts, Snake Parasites, Snake Balls,
Large Snake Balls, the Madaras twins'snake, Watchdogs of the Old Lords, Bloodletting
Beasts, Father Gascoigne, Vicar Amelia, Ludwig, Laurence, and Flora.

B.9 Quadrupedalism

The scourge will sometimes cause the victim to use its arms in locomotion, either on all
fours like a wolf or using them to help drag itself along the ground. Some are able to
adopt this posture optionally, and can still walk upright when desired. Examples of this
42 APPENDIX B. ON THE PROCESS OF COMMUNION AND THE SCOURGE OF THE BEAST

include Scourge Beasts, Cleric Beasts, Blood-starved Beasts, Darkbeasts, Loran Silverbeasts, Bloodletting Beasts, Ludwig,
Laurence, and Flora.

B.10 Hunched Posture

Victims'backs will sometimes be hunched, leading to a stooped

over posture to a greater or lesser degree. This is experienced
by Huntsman's Minions, Large Hunstmen, Beast Patients,
Beast-possessed Souls, Abhorrent Beasts, Loran Silverbeasts,
Bloodletting Beasts, Loran Clerics, and Father Gascoigne.

B.11 Undeath

Certain beasts can return from death, re-animating their own

bodies.36 37 Rotted Corpses and Darkbeasts are capable of,
or rather the result of, this ability. Hunters'ability to return
from the dream world works on the same principle, which is
why study of other beasts with the same ability allows them
to better control it.38 This is likely a precursor to a Great
One's ability to project its spirit into the dream world upon
death.

B.12 Growth of Eyes

In rare cases, and perhaps one of the original motivators of

Byrgenwerth's experimentation with blood, a victim of the
scourge will grow additional eyes. Only the Maneater Boars
and Ludwig ever displayed this symptom.

B.13 Travel to the Nightmare

The scourge can give a sufferer a strong connection to the

dream world, allowing travel to it. Maneater Boars experienced
it naturally, appearing in Mergo's Loft where the Shadows
of Yharnam would clear them out throughout the night, as
did the Madaras twins'pet snake,39 but it may have been what
allowed Flora and the Orphan of Kos to beckon the hunters
to the Hunters'Dream and Hunters'Nightmare respectively.
36 Borrow the strength of the terrible undead darkbeasts, if only for a moment, to blast surrounding foes back with the
force of a roaring beast."-Beast Roar
37 Crafted by chiseling the long bones of an undead darkbeast and fastening them to the weapon. The bones are still
alive, and when unleashed, grant its wielder a spurt of beastly power."-Beast Claw
38 Rotted Corpses drop Bold Hunter's Marks, which allow the hunter to return to the Hunters'Dream. Darkbeast Paarl
will also drop a Bold Hunter's Mark if you already have the Spark Hunter Badge.
39 The poisonous snake grew uncontrollably, raised on a healthy diet of beast entrails. Even after their deaths, it is said
to respond to the call of the twins'whistle from within the Nightmare."-Madaras Whistle
B.14. EXPOSURE OF THE RIBS 43

B.14 Exposure of the Ribs

The rib cage of some victims becomes more prominent,

sticking through the chest. This condition can be seen in
Cleric Beasts, Loran Silverbeasts, users of the Beast's Embrace
rune, Laurence, and Flora.

B.15 Horns

The growth of horns on the head is common in either very large

beasts or in beasts that can control fire. Cleric Beasts, Beast-
possessed Souls, Loran Clerics, Vicar Amelia, and Laurence
all sport horns.

B.16 Thinning of the Chest

Some beasts sport very thin chests, leaving nothing but the
spinal column and a bit of flesh around it in the most extreme
cases. Beast Patients, Blood-starved Beasts, Beast-possessed
Souls, Loran Silverbeasts, Laurence, and Flora all served as
examples of this symptom..

B.17 Twisting of the Head

A few victims have their heads twisted on their necks, leaving

their mouths opening vertically and their eyes on one side of
their face. Loran Silverbeasts and Flora both experienced this.

B.18 Generation of Fire

Certain beasts had the capacity to supernaturally generate

fire. The Beast-possessed Souls and Loran Clerics exhibited
this ability. In some cases, the ability transformed their
very bodies, giving them reserves of lava inside and a fiery
appearance. This happened with the Watchdogs of the Old
Lords and Laurence.

B.19 Generation of Electricity

Likewise some beasts could generate blasts of electricity. This

ability was shared by Darkbeasts, Abhorrent Beasts, and Loran
Silverbeasts.
44 APPENDIX B. ON THE PROCESS OF COMMUNION AND THE SCOURGE OF THE BEAST

Fear the old blood.