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Lore
The Byrgenwerth Scholars are members of the healing church that originated in Byrgenwerth. Martyr Logarius, the leader of the scholars, led a holy crusade of sorts to Cainhurst Castle to cleanse the Vile bloods that resided there. Other members went to the Fishing Hamlet in search of a Great One's power or knowledge but were cursed by Kos, a Great One who was sympathetic in nature and pitied the fishing villagers due to the brutality inflicted upon them by the scholars and thus beginning the hunters curse.
Theories
An attempt at chronologically ordering and explaining the events that transpired at Byrgenwerth.
1. Byrgenwerth existed as an institute of learning, a college or university. The Provost (“the head of certain university colleges”) of the institute was a man named Willem, who the students referred to as master. The university studied archaeology and history with the goal of expanding the knowledge and intellect of mankind. It was once a place of reflection ("serious thought or consideration"), though this description may also be a pun because it is situated next to a lakeside where the moon's light reflects. Willem's focus was primarily on enhancing the human capacity for knowledge, thought and understanding. He despised unfounded claims of knowledge, and loved true understanding. The college also carefully studied astrology, as shown by the orrery and the telescope at the top of Byrgenwerth. The lunarium ("a device for illustrating the motion and phases of the moon") porch seems designed for observation of the sky, as well as the position of the institute far from any large settlement made it more like an observatory.
2. The study of archaeology and history revealed the legacy of the Great Ones, a race of superior beings that walked the planet long ago, prior to the existence of mankind as they are known today. The Great Ones were able to manipulate their realities, holding immense power. Their brains and bodies were capable of a lot more than is humanly possible. The gravestones surrounding the institute in the forbidden woods belonged to the Great Ones (as shown by the concept art).
3. Knowing about these Great Ones, Willem and the students attempted to find out more about them, so that they could become like them, ascending in both body and mind. Willem was especially frustrated at the limits of human intellect, and sought to become more. This would seem to be his primary motivation in attempting to ascend to the mental and physical status of a Great One.
4. In their time (long before Byrgenwerth existed) the Great Ones were able to ascend, that is, to exist in another (literally higher) plane. Many of the Great Ones, perhaps those that were greater than others, traveled to the Cosmos, a plane of existence that to humanity appears to be in the sky, but in reality is all around, permeating the world, only it is imperceptible to humanity with the eyes and minds they were born with (except in Isz, which is a plane of existence lying in close proximity to the Cosmos).
Other Great Ones slumbered, and the planes their consciousnesses traveled to were called Nightmares. Nightmares ("a frightening or unpleasant dream") are the dreams of the Great Ones(Hunter's Nightmare = dream of Kos or Orphan of Kos, Hunter's Dream = dream of Moon Presence, Nightmare of Mensis + Nightmare Frontier = dream of Mergo, Byrgenwerth Lecture Theater = ?? - seems to be connected to the Nightmare of Mensis), realities which they can shape and mold, subject to their will. The appearance of nightmares appears to be based on the memories or scenes in which they were created, and seems to be subject to the whims of the occupants (the cathedrals in the Nightmare of Mensis, the workshop in the Hunter's Dream). The Great One coldblood description seems to imply that the Nightmares and the Cosmos are one and the same (“nightmarishly cosmic blood”), though this is certainly unclear.
5. Seeking to understand more, the scholars broke into the tombs of the gods otherwise known as the Chalice dungeons situated below what would become the city of Yharnam. These tombs are the catacombs carved out by a bipedal superhuman race of beings known as the Pthumerians, in order to house the slumbering (though as far as humans can perceive; dead – hence calling them tombs) bodies of the Great Ones.
Importantly: in order to enter the tombs scholars must satiate a chalice by conducting a ritual. The tombs are filled with relics of the Great Ones, watched over by their servants the Pthumerians. The Pthumerians were servants of the Great Ones in their time, but after the Great Ones ascended, the Pthumerians established their own society with a capital city (known as Ihyll) and a monarchy led by a queen.
6. Within the tombs the scholars discover a number of key things:
1. Phantasms: invertebrates that live on and in Great Ones. These creatures appear to be parasitic in nature, feeding on the eyes (shown by Brainsuckers) and blood (shown by their ability to access the arcane?) of their host Great Ones. The phantasms are considered augurs ("foresee or predict") to the presence of the Great Ones, likely because they live on the Great Ones, so if a phantasm is found, a Great One is probably nearby… But also because they can summon Great Ones (shown by Augur of Ebrietas). The living phantasms left behind in the tombs seem to have belonged to left-behind Great Ones, those who had not ascended to the nightmare/cosmos. The most important phantasms that Byrgenwerth discovered were those of left-behind Ebrietas. These phantasms appear to have been discovered in a tomb not part of the Isz dungeon, as the chalice required to access those dungeons was not acquired until the time of the Choir.
The phantasms found by Byrgenwerth allowed them to partially summon Ebrietas, and make contact with some level of the cosmic arcane plane (see black sky eye description).
2. Blood: a 'holy medium': the blood of the Great Ones through communion (drinking blood from a chalice). The scholars and hunters with them drank the blood found within the tombs
…where hunters partake in communion…
- Gehrman, the First Hunter dialogue
The blood may have belonged to:
1. Queen Yharnam (Formless Oedon) and her people the Pthumerians.
Important assumption: the blood of Queen Yharnam and her people contained Formless Oedon (whose formless essence is quicksilver or mercury):
Human or no, the oozing blood is a medium of the highest grade, and the essence of the formless Great One, Oedon.
2. Ebrietas
The scholars at Byrgenwerth never contacted Ebrietas directly (this was left to the Choir later on), so it is unlikely that they had access to her blood, therefore it is likely that the blood the scholars found was that of the people of Loran and the Pthumerians (especially likely when considering the fact that a Pthumerian root chalice was worshipped in Old Yharnam, indicating it was brought to the town by the Healing Church, which was founded by Laurence who took the chalice from Byrgenwerth).The blood allowed the scholars to transform, having curative effects. As stated earlier; the scholars had been looking to become something more, so the blood seemed like a solution. However, Willem's knowledge of history perhaps warned him about the effects of blood and what happened to the people of Loran and Pthumeru. Those in Loran were overtaken by the Scourge of the Beast, a blood borne ailment caused by ingested Great One blood and the proximity of the blood moon. The people who took blood would become beasts.
Beasthood
Humans in Bloodborne are born with the capacity to become beasts – or more importantly, to metamorphose into something other than human. Beasts live by their impulse to seek the warmth of blood. Visceral attacks are one of the "darker hunter techniques" because they are an acceptance of the beast nature's desire to seek the warmth of blood, enacting temporary transformation. The beast roar item allows a human to roar like a labyrinth beast. 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? Runesmith Caryll describes the "Beast" as a horrific and unwelcome instinct deep within the hearts of men.
The discovery of blood entailed the discovery of undesirable beasts.
- Clockwise Metamorphosis Rune description
Those who drink blood find it invigorating. Like beasts, the blood awakens in a human the desire for more blood. Following this desire leads humans towards becoming beasts.
Based on the idea of a werewolf, it is likely that the blood in people causes them to transform when the blood moon draws near. Lycanthropy is a disease where transformation is triggered by the full moon. The presence of a Great One seems to transform any who have special blood in them into creatures that resemble the Great One who has drawn near.
Of course, at Byrgenwerth the use of blood was deemed forbidden by Willem, who feared (for good reason) what using it would lead to. Despite this, students found a use for blood that supported their studies. Thick human (not Great One) blood was drunk by the scholars. This blood had the effect of calming the scholars, acting as a barrier against the eldritch truths that would often otherwise lead to madness and death (through frenzy).
7. Also crucial to the scholar's research was Willem's epiphany ("a moment of sudden and great revelation or realization.") about eyes. It's unknown how Willem came to this realization. Perhaps he read about the Cord of the Eye in a book or tome from long ago. Though interestingly, the Eye rune is said to be spoken by left-behind Great Ones. Willem and Byrgenwerth made contact with Ebrietas through her phantasms. Perhaps this contact led to the transcription of Eye, perhaps it was Ebrieta's way of explaining how she had come to be, a word spoken by Ebrietas, heard by Caryll and transcribed, giving guidance to Willem. The eye rune is shaped like a star or pentagram, which is reminiscent of the cosmos – the eldritch truth Willem sought in his research. Willem sought to understand the cosmos and the Great Ones that reside there. But they exist on a higher plane, their nightmarish existence is beyond human intellectual understanding. Willem looked to and looked for the Great Ones from higher planes for guidance on how to become like them, on how to understand them. Willem believed that lining his brain with eyes (as in; physically lining his brain with eyes) would elevate his thoughts and being to that of a Great One. This was Willem's means of ascension, what he believed would allow him to match their greatness. In order to be reborn with eyes on the brain, Willem sought the umbilical cord of a Great One, a cord that through ritual, could be used to ascend a mere human into a great one, allowing them to be reborn.
8. Provost Willem sought the Cord.
"Hunt the Great Ones, Hunt the Great Ones."
- Lore note found at Bygenwerth Lecture Theater
We can place the events at the Fishing Hamlet after Willem's epiphany because the scholars were looking for eyes in the fishing hamlet villager's heads, and Willem sought the cord because he thought eyes were the key to ascending. The Fishing Hamlet also happened after the tombs had been broken into because the scholars are described as “ blood crazed fiends” and blood is what they found in the tombs.
When the carcass of Kos washed up on the coast, its insides were teeming with tiny parasites, unlike any found in humans. A kos parasite is said to stimulate phantasms inhabiting a lumenwood. The scholars had already come across phantasms in the tombs, and it seems that the parasites of Kos allowed these phantasms to be stimulated, perhaps allowing greater contact with the higher planes. But:
"A corpse should be left well alone.
Oh I know very well, how the secrets beckon so sweetly.
- Lady Maria dialogue
The scholars and hunters of Byrgenwerth went to the village and treated all the once-human creatures there like subjects for experimentation. The scholars are called “blasphemous murderers” which relates to the murder of sacred things, things related to god or gods. In the Bloodborne universe:
“Great Ones, [are] beings that might be described as gods.”
- Great Ones Wisdom description
A pitiful tale of petty arrogance – the hunters believed themselves and their research more important than the lives of the villagers, Kos and Kos' unborn orphan.
The hunters; Gehrman and Maria committed the original sin against a 'god' – being Kos and Kos' unborn orphan – taking the umbilical cord from the corpse of Kos, murdering the wizened orphan in the process. For this and their violent atrocities at the village, they were cursed, along with their descendants.
But one day, she [Maria] abandoned her beloved Rakuyo, casting it
into a dark well when she could stomach its presence no longer.
- Rakuyo description
The descendants of Gehrman and Maria were not physically birthed by the couple, but they share the same blood (and through this blood the curse continues), they are the hunters who came after them (interesting that hunters are described as children considering the Moon Presence's desire for a surrogate child). The fishing villagers incited the wrath of Kos, whose consciousness evidently continues to exist on some plane of existence (the sun/eye in the Hunter's Nightmare).
The scholars believed that Great Ones could be found beneath the ocean because of Kos. They believed that great volumes of water were keeping those Great Ones hidden, that the Great Ones were slumbering below the seas. Water to them became an augur of the eldritch Truth, each large body of water was protecting the secrets that lay beneath it. The scholars simply had to overcome this hindrance.
9. Willem had what he wanted: the umbilical cord of a Great One. At this point in the history of Byrgenwerth Rom was ascended, using the umbilical cord of Kos and her orphan:
"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, Host of the Nightmare dialogue
But Willem hated blood and the use of blood. The scholars were obviously happy to partake of it, shown by the sedatives item description, but Willem's belief was that what humans needed were more eyes and that blood would lead mankind to ruin. Willem cultivated eyes, physically inserting them into the heads of patients (Perhaps students? Perhaps villagers from the Forbidden Woods?), 'planting' them in a Garden of Eyes. He also explored the use of phantasms, even inserting one into the head of a patient as shown by the Brainsucker enemy at Byrgenwerth.
Willem and the students also knew about the blood moon. How it had been beckoned long ago in the time of the Pthumerians. We can see through the events surrounding The One Reborn that the moon's proximity allows rebirth, for humans to be reborn as Great Ones.
The Great One's Wisdom found near the lake of Byrgenwerth indicates that the scholar there bore witness to a legitimate Great One. While the Great One may be Rom, it is far more likely, considering the position of the body, that they saw the Moon Presence or blood moon when it descended. The description for the Workshop third umbilical cord ("The Third Umbilical cord precipitated the encounter with the pale moon") indicates that the Moon Presence is interested in a surrogate. That it was precipitated ("an event, or situation, typically one that happens suddenly, unexpectedly or prematurely") indicates that the cords hold a strong allure to the Moon Presence, as it appears to have come to Gehrman without being specifically beckoned. Perhaps it is the holder of the cord and their potential as a surrogate that is so attractive to the Moon Presence? Gehrman was made a surrogate, perhaps Rom was too.
Byrgenwerth had an interest in Nightmares and the secrets they hold. They were clearly aware of their existence as Simon will tell us:
“You sense a secret within the Nightmare, and cannot bear to leave it be. As if the spirit of Byrgenwerth lives on within you!”
Simon, the Harrowed dialogue
Their fascination was so strong, that it appears the students were able to conduct some sort of ritual which caused their lecture building to become lost between worlds, in a Nightmare.
Dare not to delve into the world beyond humanity, the
eldritch Truth touched upon long ago at Byrgenwerth.
Kin Coldblood description
The moon, or Moon Presence, inhabits a Nightmare. The Moon rune tells us that the Great Ones that inhabit the nightmare are sympathetic in spirit, and often answer when called upon.
“The nameless moon presence beckoned by Laurence and his associates. Paleblood.”
Byrgenwerth Lecture Theater Lore Note
The moon presence beckoned by Laurence and his associates is a strange way of phrasing it. Why Laurence? If it happened at Byrgenwerth then surely Willem would be the beckoner, not Laurence. But this note is written in Byrgenwerth, so perhaps it indicates that Laurence was the scholar, along with his associates, who performed the ritual to beckon the Moon Presence. This may make sense, considering how enfeebled Willem is – he may have been physically incapable of performing the act. But to what end was the moon beckoned? Moonlight channels the abyssal cosmos and when the Great Ones descend, a womb will be blessed with child. The moon channels space (the cosmos). Just like the moon reflects that sun's light in reality, the moon in Bloodborne reflects the cosmos and it would appear that whatever power or opportunity this brings, can somehow be harnessed in a ritual. The One Reborn drops out of the moon like a baby being born, maybe the womb that is blessed with child when the Great One's descend is not one of earth, but rather the Moon Presence's. The umbilical cords allow humans to be reborn as Great One's, we can see this in the third ending – so when the Moon Presence descends under the right conditions, it can give birth to a legitimate Great One surrogate. It is certainly interesting that the bright sphere that appears within the Kin Coldblood looks like a sun or star – or perhaps; a blood moon?
The scholars beckoned the moon using Kos' cord, and using the cord, they allowed Rom to be reborn as the Byrgenwerth spider. There are some clues as to why Rom turned out the way she did.
1. Rom is a spider. The patients at Byrgenwerth (Garden of Eyes) are insect like in appearance, and hold stones with spider engravings on them. Perhaps this stone somehow influences the transformation which the patients undergo, tailoring it towards a specified form. The appearance of Rom's head strongly resembles that of the Garden of Eyes, indicating that Rom was a patient under Willem's care. It is possible that Rom was undergoing a very similar transformation to Iosefka before Rom ascended:
God I'm nauseous… Have you ever felt this? It's progressing. I can see things… I knew it, I'm different. I'm no beast… I… Oh… God, it feels awful… but, it proves that I'm chosen. Don't you see? How they writhe, writhe inside my head… It's… rather… rapturous…'
2. Rom is vacuous. It would appear that those who undergo eye implantation without the aid of blood lose their minds; they become vacant. Are Willem and Rom both vacuous because they didn't use blood? Just planting eyes on the brain does not leave one with the fortitude to withstand the incredible physical transformation? Though conceivably, Willem and Rom will eventually regain their sentience, and their current state is just a product of a kind of cocoon or chrysalis stage.
While drinking blood was alluring, and came easily to mankind – planting eyes on a person's brain was an incredibly invasive and painful procedure. Iosefka puts it nicely:
I… Oh… God, it feels awful
But the result is evolution:
It's progressing. I can see things…
"Master Willem was right. Evolution without courage will be the ruin of our race."
- Lore note found at Byrgenwerth Lecture Theater
This is what Willem meant. The use of eyes was crucial, but it was not easy. The use of blood, was easy and led to evolution but the eventual result was ruinous.
Willem is mindless, and evidently undergoing a transformation as we can see from the growths sprouting from the base of his neck. We know that Willem hated blood and its use, so it can be conjectured that Willem's transformation does not involve blood and has caused him to become vacant or vacuous. Rom's transformation into a vacuous spider appears to be an unintentional side-effect. “The Byrgenwerth spider hides all manner of rituals, and keeps our lost master from us. A terrible shame.” The scholars considered it a shame.
3. Rom is in a lake. Body's of water are significant in Bloodborne, and the reflections they provide, especially of the moon, perhaps serve to amplify the moon's light. If Rom was birthed in a similar way to The One Reborn as the moon descended over the Moonside Lake, then logically Rom fell into the lake upon falling out of the 'moon womb', just like the One Reborn's fall. Perhaps this is why Micolash says "The grand lake of mud, hidden now, from sight." - the lake hid Rom from sight, the lake is hiding things, and the lake in which Rom resides is certainly hidden from sight. That's why it's a secret and Willem knew about it – which is why he was fond of the rocking chair in the lunarium and was said to have “left his secret with the lake”.
4. Rom has a connection to Ebrietas, and the figure on the Altar of Despair. The reason Rom looks like a caterpillar version of Ebrietas is perhaps because Ebrietas' phantasms were used in the ritual. Byrgenwerth certainly had access to these phantasms, and were planting them in the heads of patients as seen in the Brainsucker enemy. It may actually be that the ritual used to create Ebrietas was the same one used to create Rom. If the moon presence birthed Rom then would that make Rom a child of the Cosmos too? The Kin coldblood Rom drops certainly implies it. We also know that Rom is able to call forth meteors similar to those summoned by the Black Sky Eye and the Living Failures, and we can also theorize that the shape within the kin coldblood icon is the blood moon.
5. Rom is concealing the Blood Moon, she is concealing the ritual that is being used by Mensis to beckon the moon. Why is this? Could it be because the same ritual was used to make her? Is that the connection? This part of the lore is very unclear. I personally believe Rom's concealment of the Mensis ritual to be an unintentional consequence of how she was created, and her vacuous state. But there is very little evidence to give us a clear understanding.
10. To us, Rom's rebirth may look like success. But to the scholars it seems to have been deemed a failure. Rom, though ascended, would not share any of what she had learned with the scholars, and in fact could not share what she had learned because she had become vacuous and intellectually vacant.
The spider hides all manner of rituals, certain to reveal nothing.
- Byrgenwerth Lore Note
Despite being reborn, Rom could not lead mankind into their next stage of evolution. It is likely that around this time, scholars like Laurence (who were already users of blood), began to believe that the Rom experiment would have gone better if they had used the blood of the Great Ones. The efforts using the umbilical cord of a Great One seem to have lead to nothing, and so they were back to square one. If Rom was considered a failure (as she likely was) then the scholar's passionate disappointment very likely turned upon Willem who led the institute. Willem denied the scholars the use of blood in experiments, but it may very well be the blood that would have allowed Rom to ascend successfully. This tension created a schism within Byrgenwerth. The scholars, led by Laurence, departed the institute leaving Willem virtually alone save for two loyal servants. Laurence would go on to found the Healing Church; an institution dedicated to blood research and one that would continue the study began at Byrgenwerth through the Choir.
Though almost helpless, Willem continued his research, sending his two remaining servants into deeper reaches of the labyrinth (Chalice dungeons) in attempts to gain further understanding. Unfortunately both servants went mad, as those who encounter the eldritch Truth tend to do, and became otherwise useless to Willem in his studies. Being feeble and elderly, Willem was left with few options. It would appear that he decided to attempt ascendance in a similar vein to Rom, though less dramatically. His fondness of the lunarium likely comes down to his understanding of the moon's light being able to channel the abyssal cosmos, and perhaps it was his position by the lake, near Rom, that brought him some comfort in his later years. It is said that he used the rocking chair for meditation, a fitting activity considering his attempts to elevate his thoughts to a higher plane.
Sources
Spark Hunter Badge
Badge crafted in secret by Archibald, the infamous eccentric
of the Healing Church, for his friends.
Archibald was fascinated by the blue sparks that emanate
from the hides of the darkbeasts, and dedicated his life to its
artificial reproduction, in a style of inquiry that, incidentally,
closely followed the methodology of Byrgenwerth.
Clockwise Metamorphosis Rune
A secret symbol left by Caryll, runesmith of Byrgenwerth.
The twisted cross means "metamorphosis."
Rotated clockwise, this rune boosts HP.
The discovery of blood made their dream of evolution
a reality. Metamorphosis, and the excesses and deviation
that followed, were only the beginning.
Eye Rune
A secret symbol left by Caryll, runesmith of Byrgenwerth,
A transcription of "Eye," as spoken by left-behind Great
Ones. Allows one to make additional discoveries.
Eye symbolizes the truth Master Willem sought in his
research. 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.
Beast Rune
A secret symbol left by Caryll, runesmith of Byrgenwerth.
A transcription of the roar of a labyrinth beast, the bearer of
the "Beast" rune has accentuated temporary transformation
effects.
"Beast" is one of the early Caryll Runes, as well as one of the
first deemed forbidden. The discovery of blood entailed
the discovery of undesirable beasts.
Based on the description, it seems like the Hunter Rune was not created at Byrgenwerth whereas the Radiance and Corruption Runes appear to have been.
Great Isz Chalice
A chalice that breaks a labyrinth seal.
Great chalices unlock deeper reaches of the labyrinth.
The Great Isz Chalice became the cornerstone of the Choir,
the elite delegation of the Healing Church
It was also the first Great Chalice brought back to the surface
since the time of Byrgenwerth, and allowed the Choir to have audience with Ebrietas.
Sedative
Liquid medicine concoted at Byrgenwerth.
Calms the nerves.
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.
Kin Coldblood
Coldblood of inhuman kin of the cosmos,
brethren of the Great Ones.
Use to gain unspeakable Blood Echoes.
Dare not to delve into the world beyond humanity, the
eldritch Truth touched upon long ago at Byrgenwerth.
Great Ones Wisdom
Fragments of the lost wisdom of the Great Ones, beings that
might be described as gods.
Use to gain Insight.
At Byrgenwerth, Master Willem had an epiphany:
"We are thinking on the basest of planes. What we need, are
more eyes.".
Lunarium Key
Key to the lunarium facing the lake on the second floor of
Byrgenwerth College.
In his final 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.
Rune Workshop Tool
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.
Provost Willem would have been proud of Caryll's runes, as
they do not rely upon blood in any measure.
Augur of Ebrietas
Remnant of the eldritch Truth encountered at Byrgenwerth.
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.
Pearl Slug
Material used in a Holy Chalice ritual.
Of all the strange lifeforms that reside in the nooks and
crannies of the old labyrinth, the slugs are clear signs of the
left-behind Great Ones.
Blacksky Eye
Soft eye blessed by a phantasm.
They were discovered through Byrgenwerth's contact with
the arcane, but in the end revealed nothing..
Deep within the eye lies a vast stretch of dark sky that
rumbles with an endless meteor storm.
The slightest rub of the tiny orb, and the rock will tumble
and soar.
Tomb Prospector Hood
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.
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.
Graveguard Mask
Mask of Dores, graveguard of the Forbidden Woods.
His pale countenance mimics the labyrinth Watchers.
Willem kept two loyal servants back at Byrgenwerth.
When they were sent into the labyrinth, they encountered
the eldritch Truth, and went mad. One became the
password gatekeeper, while Dores became a graveguard
of the forest.
Both remained loyal, even in madness.
Blindfold Cap
Attire of the Choir, high-ranking members of the Healing
Church.
Members of the Choir are both the highest-ranking clerics of
the Healing Church, and scholars who continue the work
that began at Byrgenwerth.
The eye covering indicates their debt to the teachings of
Master Willem, even though their paths diverged.
Choir Garb
Attire of the Choir, high-ranking members of the Healing
Church.
Members of the Choir are both the highest-ranking clerics of
the Healing Church, and scholars who continue the work
that began at Byrgenwerth.
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.
Student Uniform
Uniform of the students of Byrgenwerth, a bygone institute of
learning. This alternative lacks the thick cape.
This Healing Church has its roots in Byrgenwerth, and
naturally borrows heavily from its uniform design.
The focus not on knowledge, or thought, but on pure
pretension would surely bring Master Willem to despair, if
only he knew.
Student Uniform (cape)
Uniform of the students of Byrgenwerth, a bygone institute of
learning. Features a thick cape.
The Healing Church has its roots in Byrgenwerth, and
naturally borrows heavily from its uniform design.
The focus not on knowledge, or thought, but on pure
pretension would surely bring Master Willem to despair, if
only he knew.
Lecture Theatre Key
Key to the Lecture Theatre in the Lecture Building.
Today, the two-story Lecture Building is adrift in the
nightmare, but once it was a place of reflection, where
scholars learned of history and archaeology.
Perhaps it still is, as the students in the lecture theatre
appear to await the return of their professor.
Brain Fluid
Greyish amoeba-shaped brain fluid. Wobbles and bounces.
Extracted from a patient whose head expanded until that
was all that they were.
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 writhed inside the head, the initial makings of
internal eyes.
Kos Parasite
When the carcass of Kos washed up on the coast, its insides
were teeming with tiny parasites, unlike any found in humans.
This atypical weapon can only be clasped tight and swung,
but a Kos Parasite is said to stimulate phantasms inhabiting a lumenwood
Rakuyo
Hunter weapon wielded by Lady Maria of the Astral
Clocktower.
A trick sword originated in the same country as the
Cainhurst Chikage, only this sword feeds not off blood, but
instead demands great dexterity.
Lady Maria was fond of this aspect of the Rakuyo, as she
frowned upon blood blades, despite being a distant relative
of the queen.
But one day, she abandoned her beloved Rakuyo, casting it
into a dark well when she could stomach its presence no
longer.
One Third Umbilical Cords
1.00
One of the heirlooms used to contact the Great Ones,
originating in the child of the Vilebloods.
Long ago, in an encounter with the Great Ones,
a contract was established, establishing the hunters
and the Hunter's Dream.
1.01+
A great relic, also known as the Cord of the Eye. Every
infant Great One has this precursor to the umbilical cord.
Every Great One loses its child, and then yearns for a
surrogate. The Third Umbilical Cord precipitated the
encounter with the pale moon, which beckoned the hunters
and conceived the hunter's dream
Use to gain Insight and, so they say, eyes on the inside,
although no one remembers what that truly entails.
Description 2
A great relic, also known as the Cord of the Eye. Every
infant Great One has this precursor to the umbilical cord.
Every Great One loses its child, and then yearns for a
surrogate, and Oedon, the formless Great One, is no
different. To think, it was corrupted blood that began this
eldritch liaison.
Use to gain Insight and, so they say, eyes on the inside,
although no one remembers what that truly entails.
Old Hunter Badge
This hunter's badge, crafted in Gehrman's time, has no
practical purpose, except perhaps to assist in romanticising
about the past.
The badge was a special privilege for the hunters of the past,
and should not be dishonoured.
It should be left in peace, unless one is truly prepared to
assume the will of those gone before.
Pthumeru Chalice
Ritual chalice found in the Church of the Good Chalice. - Old Yharnam
Use in a ritual at the tomb altar in the Hunter's Dream
to break the seal of the old underground labyrinth.
Let the chalice reveal the tomb of the gods; let blood
be the hunter's nourishment.
…And let ye partake in communion…
Defiled Chalice
Chalice that breaks a labyrinth seal.
Only, this defiled chalice is cursed.
Curses are caused by inciting the anger of the Great Ones,
and used to hex others. Special materials are
required to complete the ritual.
To try one's hand at curses, first seek the Bastard of Loran.
Cursed and Defiled Root Chalice
Root chalice that breaks multiple labyrinth seals.
This cursed chalice makes a special ritual possible,
but must not be used lightly,
as the resulting transformation can be utterly drastic.
The old labyrinth was carved out by the Pthumerians,
superhuman beings that are said to have unlocked
the wisdom of the eldritch Truth.
Great Pthumeru Ihyll Chalice
A chalice that breaks a labyrinth seal.
Great chalices unlock deeper reaches of the labyrinth.
Pthumeru Ihyll was the title of both
the Pthumerian monarch and its capital.
This reveals that while early Pthumerians were mere
humble guardians of the slumbering Great Ones,
their descendants felt entitled to name themselves a leader.
Alfred, Hunter of Vilebloods dialogue:
Select "Talk about Byrgenwerth"
"Byrgenwerth is an old place of learning. The tomb of the gods, carved out below Yharnam, should be familiar to every hunter.
Well, 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.
In this sense, everything sacred in Yharnam can be traced back to Byrgenwerth.
But today, the college lies deep within a tangled wood, abandoned and decrepit.
And furthermore, the Healing Church has declared Byrgenwerth forbidden ground.
It's unclear how many of its scholars remain alive…
…but only they know the password that allows passage through the gate."
Talk about Corrupted Vilebloods first time:
"Ah-hah! There’s something I want to tell you. A bit of a wisdom from the eminent Master Logarius.
Once, a scholar betrayed his fellows at Byrgenwerth and brought forbidden blood back with him to Cainhurst Castle.
It was there that the first of the inhuman Vilebloods was born,
The Vilebloods are fiendish creatures who threaten the purity of the Church’s blood healing.
The rule of the Vilebloods is still alive today, and so to honor my Master’s wishes,
I search for the path to Cainhurst Castle."
Gilbert dialogue:
Talk to him again
"Ahh, don’t you worry about me… (coughing)
Have I heard of Byrgenwerth? Afraid I can’t say that I have.
The locals aren’t apt to share any local history.
I’m afraid I may not be of help for much longer…"
Simon, the Harrowed dialogue:
Respond “nightmares are fascinating”:
"Ahh, yes, I see…
You sense a secret within the Nightmare,
And cannot bear to leave it be.
As if the spirit of Byrgenwerth lives on within you!
Such inquisitive hunters will relish the Nightmare.
But beware, secrets are secrets for a reason.
And some do not wish to see them uncovered.
Especially when the secrets are particularly unseemly…"
"Do you know why the Hunters are drawn to this Nightmare?
Because it sprouted from their very misdeeds.
Things that some would rather keep secret.
A pitiful tale of petty arrogance, really.
High time someone exposed the whole charade.
Now, now, go on ahead.
You seek nightmares, and the secrets within, do you not?"
At the Research Hall lamp
Oh, hello. Not a pretty sight, is it?
The true face of the blood-worshipping, beast-purging Healing Church.
But that’s not all.
You seek the secrets field 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…
Befuddled Villager dialogue:
"Byrgenwerth, Byrgenwerth… Blasphemous murderers, blood crazed fiends.
Atonement for the wretches… by the wrath of mother Kos.
Mercy for the poor wizened child, mercy. Oh please, atonement for the wretches.
Lay the curse of blood upon them, and their children,
and their children's children for evermore.
Each wretched birth will plunge each child into a lifetime of misery…
Mercy… For the poor wizened child…
Let the pungence of Kos, cling like a mother's devotion."
While using a Milkweed Rune
"Curse here, curse there, a curse for he, and she. Why care?
A bottomless curse, a bottomless sea, source of all greatness, all things that be.
Listen for the baneful chants. Weep with them as one entranced.
And weep with us, oh weep with us… [sobs]
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."
Laurence’s Memory, activated by touching his skull in Grand Cathedral
Laurence: “Master Willem, I've come to bid you farewell.”
Provost Willem: “Oh, I know, I know… You think now, to betray me.”
Laurence: “No, but you will never listen. I tell you, I will not forget our adage.”
Provost Willem: “We are born of the blood, made men by the blood, undone by the blood. Our eyes are yet to open…”
Provost Willem & Laurence (together): “Fear the old blood.”
Laurence: “I must take my leave.”
Provost Willem: “By the gods, fear it, Laurence.”
Fishing Hamlet Chanters dialogue:
"Mother is dead"
"Her baby…"
"A bottomless curse, a bottomless sea, source of all greatness, all things that be. I call to the bloodless wherever they be"
"Do you hear the sea?"
"Kos"
"Dear Kos"
"Curse the fiends, their children too"
"Pray to the blood, forever"
"The lair of beasts"
"Blood-mad"
"Mother is dead, her baby taken"
Cathedral Ward Lore Notes
Location: After beating Father Gascoigne and ascending a ladder into a study as you're entering Cathedral Ward , the note is around the first table:
"The Byrgenwerth spider hides all manner of rituals, and keeps our lost master from us. A terrible shame. It makes my head shudder uncontrollably."
Location: Found on top of the tower where you need to drop down to be able to open the second gate:
"A watchman of Byrgenwerth guards the gate with a password, the sacred adage of the Grand Cathedral."
Location: The note is on the right side near some candles before you ascend the steps inside the Grand Cathedral in Cathedral Ward:
"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 flesh."
Old Yharnam Lore Note:
Location: Up the stairs from the Bell Chime Maiden Spawn, near the Charred Hunter Set:
"The red moon hangs low, and beasts rule the streets. Are we left no other choice, than to burn it all to cinders?"
Byrgenwerth Lore Notes:
Location: On a Bookshelf on the same floor as the Lunarium Key door:
"When the red moon hangs low, the line between man and beast is blurred. And when the Great Ones descend, a womb will be blessed with child.
Location: On a couch on the opposite side of the same floor as the first note:
"The spider hides all manner of rituals, certain to reveal nothing, for true enlightenment need not be shared."
Lecture Building Lore Notes:
Location: Second floor of one of the two lecture halls lying on the ground in the corner:
"Master Willem was right. Evolution without courage will be the ruin of our race."
Location: After picking up Note 1, progress to the next room. The note is behind a cage on a table:
"Hunt the Great Ones, Hunt the Great Ones."
Location: In one the rooms at the end of the hallway on the second floor of the Lecture Building:
"The nameless moon presence beckoned by Laurence and his associates. Paleblood."
Location: Same room as the third note:
"Three third cords."
Yahar'gul, Unseen Village Lore Note:
Location: Right in front of Hypogean Gaol lamp on the floor:
"Nightmarish rituals crave a newborn. Find one, and silence its harrowing cry."
Items found in Byrgenwerth:
Arcane Lake Rune - To the left of the lamp by a tree, guarded by a brain sucker.
Pearl Slug - In a chest in building near first shortcut.
Great One's Wisdom - Behind pillar near the lake.
Student uniform and trousers - In chest on second floor of building.
Lunarium Key - Third floor of the building on a desk.
Empty Phantasm Shell - Fifth floor of the building in a chest.
Eye Rune - Dropped by Master Willem if killed. Boosts item discovery.
Items found in Lecture Building:
Communion Rune - in a chest down the hall, and across on the second floor above a lecture hall.
Anti-clockwise Metamorphosis Rune - from spider 1st floor
Lecture Theatre Key - from dead body - 1st floor
Student Uniform - from dead body. 1st floor
Augur of Ebrietas - chest, 1st floor.
Red Jelly - chest on 1st floor.
Great One's Wisdom - After exhausting dialogue with Patches the Spider it might happen he commits suicide and when you go back you get the item.
Blood Stone Chunk - On a dead end in 2nd Floor.
Sedative - Round room 2nd Floor
NEXT: Cainhurst Knights