Messengers

Lore

Messengers are special NPCs in Bloodborne that appear throughout the world to carry items and information back and forth.

These small creatures have crept out of a nightmare, and while they may not look too friendly, they accompany hunters, follow their orders, and take care of messages left for others.

Some creatures you encounter have messengers embedded in them, for example: Mother Brain, the Winter Lanterns and the Crawlers.

Theories

The Messengers Choose the Hunters

+ Expand Theory

The Messengers appear to play an important role in recruiting hunters. They may be the echoes of the will of the blood, the fleeting will of the ancients.

The Plain Doll will tell you: "Ahh, the little ones, inhabitants of the dream… They find hunters like yourself, worship, and serve them. Speak words, they do not, but still, aren't they sweet?" - and what is important here is that they find hunters.

In the opening cutscene we see that after taking the blood, the player will see a beast approaching, as if to imply beasthood is a path to be taken. Once the beast touches the player it will be set alight, indicating that some innate immunity of the player's protected them from the Scourge of the Beast. The Messengers then approach and swarm the player. Afterwards we hear the voice of the Plain Doll saying "Ahh… You found yourself a hunter". It may be that she is talking to Gehrman, but it seems much more likely that the Messengers chose you.

But what are they finding? Arguably they are finding humans with "Pale blood", a natural resistance or immunity to the Scourge of the Beast or Beasthood.

Sources

+ Expand Sources

Saw Hunter Badge
Badge crafted long ago at the Workshop. Attests to one's prowess as a hunter of beasts.
The Workshop is gone, and no group recognizes this meaningless badge,
except for the messengers in the bath, who understand its profundity.
Certain things can only be entrusted with a hunter in possession of this badge,
or so they believe.

Notebook
Messengers are inhabitants of the dream who revere the
brave hunters. Use them to send messages to other worlds.
Leave notes with messengers, read the notes left to
messengers in other worlds, and rate notes to reach out to
hunters across planes of existence.
Note: Online-use only. Cannot use this item offline.

Old Hunter Bell
One of the resonating bells that cross the gaps of worlds.
This bell is cracked and stained with the blood of beasts.
A human must expend Insight to ring this uncanny bell.
The old hunters, who have long passed from the dream
but cannot forget the feeling of the hunt,
rely upon messengers to relay their thoughts.
Ring the bell at their side, and they are certain to give a listen.
For the night of the hunt is long, and unchanging

Messenger's Gift
A strange gift from the messengers, inhabitants of the dream
who revere the brave hunters.
Use to envelop oneself in a black nightmarish mist, then
transform into a messenger. The illusion is a parlour trick,
and any large movement will break the spell.
To preserve the guise, proceed very slowly.

Red Messenger Ribbon
Red ribbon that messengers are oddly fond of.
The thick, pungent red was drawn from the organs of some unfortunate Victim.
A strange choice indeed. But perhaps for the messengers
wearing this accessory constitutes a form of mourning.

White Messenger Ribbon
White ribbon that messengers are oddly fond of.
A ribbon made of fine lace that shines remarkably,
more suited to pretty young girls than silly old messengers.

Messenger Urn Festival
Accessory adorned by naïve messengers. The messengers wear the urns,
filled with incense that wards off beasts, on their heads upside-down,
suggesting a predilection to the dark.
The inhabitants of the stump appear to have an interest in adornment.
Why not let them be happy and revel as babes?

Black Messenger Hat
Hat that messengers are oddly fond of.
Symbol of the preventative hunters of the Healing Church.
The inhabitants of the stump appear to have an interest in adornment.
Why not let them be happy and revel as babes?

Messenger Top Hat
Hat that messengers are oddly fond of.
A nice top hat rounds out any Yharnam gentleman.
The inhabitants of the stump appear to have an interest in adornment.
Why not let them be happy, and revel as babes?

Worn Top Hat
A worn, rumpled top hat that messengers are oddly fond of.
The inhabitants of the stump appear to have an interest in adornment.
Why not let them be happy, and revel as babes?

Yharnam Messenger Hat
Hat that messengers are oddly fond of.
Commonly called a Yharnam Hat."
The inhabitants of the stump appear to have an interest in adornment.
Why not let them be happy, and revel as babes?

Messenger Head Bandage
Accessory adored by naive messengers imitating the bandages of scourge victims,
unaware of their meaning.
The inhabitants of the stump appear to have an interest in adornment.
Why not let them be happy, and revel as babes?

Bloody Messenger Head Bandage
Accessory adored by naive messengers imitating the bandages of scourge victims,
unaware of their meaning. The spatters of blood give it a particularly nice touch.
The inhabitants of the stump appear to have an interest in adornment.
Why not let them be happy, and revel as babes?

Opening Cutscene dialogue:
Blood Minister dialogue:
“Oh yes… Paleblood. Heh. Well you've come to the right place.
Yharnam is the home of blood ministration, you need only unravel its mystery. But where's an outsider like yourself to begin? Easy, with a bit of Yharnam blood of your own.
But first… you need a contract.
Good, all signed and sealed. Now let's begin the transfusion. Oh don't you worry, whatever happens you may think it all a mere bad dream.”
[Laughs]
Plain Doll:
“Ahh… You found yourself a hunter.”

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PREV: Hunters

NEXT: Oto Workshop

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