DLC Speculation: Wild Speculation on The Old Hunters, Rom, Gehrman, the Mysterious Hunter, and the Clocktower's true purpose

I am guilty of forgetting to post a really fun piece of DLC speculation written by dmcredgrave on /r/bloodborne in this post. Everything written below, as well the post image, are from him, with changes only being made to reflect the difference in format.

Even though I neglected to post it when it was released, It is the perfect time to post because the Old Hunters releases one week from today!
This post offers some speculation about the Old Hunters and the significance of some images from the trailer and the identity of the hunter shown in the Astral Clocktower.

via original post

DLC Speculation: Identity of the Clocktower Hunter

The following content was originally created in this thread and in this thread on Reddit in /r/bloodborne. All credit for the content of this post goes to /u/xIkki and /u/brvtus, with only minor changes being made to reflect the difference in format. 

This post speculates about the identity of the Clocktower Hunter featured on the cover of the Old Hunters DLC.

Image from inquisitr.com

Pre-Release: The Wild Beast Within: Folklore, Metamorphosis, and Motivation in From Software’s Bloodborne

This in-depth article looks at the history of transformation in folklore and what it might mean in Bloodborne.

Pre-Release: Dreams of the Deceased

This post examines the idea that the game worlds are dreams or memories of deceased people and the entire game takes place in the past.

Pre-Release: On Covered Eyes

This post explores what the significance of covered eyes might mean.

Story Trailer Analysis Part 3: Finding the Story

What is the story of Bloodborne? This article will explore the dialogue of the trailer to see what hints it might give.

The following is part 3 of a 3 part analysis of the Bloodborne Story Trailer released by IGN. If you have not watched it yet, I highly recommend doing so before reading this. Also, if you are otherwise unfamiliar with what is known about the lore and story of Bloodborne so far, I recommend reading this overview before continuing.

Story Trailer Analysis Part 2: Analysis Highlights

The story trailer did reveal some interesting new information with the new footage that was included. This article will take a look at these discoveries.


The following is part 2 of a 3 part analysis of the Bloodborne Story Trailer released by IGN. If you have not watched it yet, I highly recommend doing so before reading this. Also, if you are otherwise unfamiliar with what is known about the lore and story of Bloodborne so far, I recommend reading this overview before continuing.

Story Trailer Analysis Part 1: Trailer Transcript

The story trailer is filled with a ton of images that flash before your eyes before you can even comprehend what you're seeing. This article transcribes and the scenes of the trailer and explores what they might be revealing.

The following is part 1 of a 3 part analysis of the Bloodborne Story Trailer released by IGN. If you have not watched it yet, I highly recommend doing so before reading this. Also, if you are otherwise unfamiliar with what is known about the lore and story of Bloodborne so far, I recommend reading this overview before continuing.

Does the Protagonist Have the Scourge Before Arriving in Yharnam?

Nightmares, The Scourge, and Night

The Major Themes

With the information released so far, some recurring themes have come forth: Nightmares/Dreams, Disease/Transformation, and Day/Night.

These themes will inform and direct the story, and figuring out how they play into the world and how they connect to each other is the key to understanding the game as a whole.

Now this is ultimately idle speculation, as I'm sure the game will outright answer and lot of this, but as someone who is invested in solving the lore of this game I think there is value in thinking about it now. That way, when the game is released I have an idea of what I'm looking for.

The big question is: How do these themes connect? On their own I can get a relatively clear picture, but I am coming up short when I try and imagine how they form a cohesive story.

Night meshes well with both Nightmares and Transformation; Nightmares happen at night typically and Transformation in Gothic horror is certainly linked to night. But how do Dreams/Nightmares and Disease/Transformation connect?

Disease can be linked to hallucinations and disconnecting from reality, but I do think the Nightmare World/Dream Refuge are connected to dreaming, and not just a symbol for psychoses or horrors of the mind (you can find out why in this article). This basically becomes a question of how are the Nightmare World and the Scourge of the Beast related?

Without understanding what the Nightmare World is, my pursuit to answer how the major themes connect ends, and speculation begins.

Speculation

My personal thought is that perhaps the Nightmare World is the manifestation of people's fears. Similar to the Fade in Dragon Age, there is a connection to the Nightmare World when humans sleep.

Following that line of thinking, The Scourge of the Beast then could be a disease that literally transforms people into the monsters of their nightmares. Could this mean the plague came from the Nightmare World? Maybe someone tries to access the Nightmare World through a ritual involving blood, and thus the plague began.

This isn't a great answer, but it's a theory. Unfortunately it creates more questions, and there is enough unknown already, I don't need to try and answers created by my own speculation.

Questions

• How do the themes of Dreams/Nightmares, Disease/Transformation, and Day/Night connect to one another?
• How are the Nightmare World and The Scourge of the Beast related?
• What is the Nightmare World?
• What do you guys think? Am I over thinking things? What are your thoughts on these questions?

To see the full list of questions, visit this page.

Nightmare and Dream References

Dream imagery in Bloodborne is about as prevalent as blood imagery, making it a major theme. But what is the significance of all of this? First, let’s look at the current references.

References

The first reference is The Nightmare World. Yharnam is a real, physical place set in the world that the PC exists in prior to the beginning of the game. Not much is known beyond its name, but The Nightmare world is a separate world that the messengers come from using portals that link the two. These creatures of the Nightmare World can only be seen by Hunters.

Next we have the Dream Refuge, also referred to as the hunter’s dream. I would like to clarify that “hunter’s dream”, as it is written on the menu when the first lamp is lit is not capitalized, signifying that it is not a name for the place, which we know to be the Dream Refuge, but a description of the place. Update: This has been effectively disproved by the Masaaki Yamagiwa Developer walkthrough video that was posted, in which the tranlation text refers to it as the "Hunter's Dream".

Next, we have a quote from Iosefka just before giving the PC the “Yharnam blood” transfusion:

Oh, don’t you worry. Whatever happens, you may think it all a mere bad dream.

The last reference is not to dreams, but sleeping. In the description of the Protector Ritual Masters, it says:

Whether in a graveyard or in the bedroom, there will always be humans that are sleeping. Among the the hunters survives the knowledge of individuals who pray for those resting, a unique ritualist.

I would like to highlight the fact that humans in a graveyard are referred to as sleeping. Resting or sleeping is sometimes used as a euphemism for death, but given how prevalent dream imagery is it is worth noting.

Speculation

So, what is there to take from all of this? I don’t think there are any real conclusions to draw, so instead I will just follow a line of reasoning and see what questions are generated from that.

To start, is the Dream Refuge part of the Nightmare World?

Based upon the presence of messengers, and the fact that it is reached by the lamppost portal, I would tentatively say that it is. In this context, could the Dream Refuge be a place of good inside a world of bad dreams? Even if it is, it might not be able withstand the terrors that await…

What is the nature of the Nightmare World/Dream Refuge?

I don’t there is enough evidence to create any real theories. I do think, however, that the Nightmare World does have something to do with dreams/dreaming versus being a creative term to describe an unpleasant place. There isn’t any strong evidence to support this, it just seems more likely because of the prevalence of dream imagery

Is this all a dream?

No. Once again, there is no evidence to suggest this, and I’m sure it will be a recurring theme throughout the game, but everything being a dream is lazy storytelling. Miyazaki thrives on uncertainty, so I think it is more likely that parts of the story will be questionable in their validity and reality, but not the events of the game wholesale. The idea that we might have an unreliable narrator in our PC is very interesting though, and it will be interesting to see how that unfolds.

How do the Ritual Masters fit into the Hunters/Nightmare World?

The biggest connections they have are that they pray for those resting (people who might be dreaming) and the fact that it is the Hunters who have knowledge of these individuals. Otherwise, I don’t believe that they have a huge part to play with the Hunters and the Nightmare World, but there isn’t much evidence either way.

Summary

There are plenty of references to dreams and nightmares already, and while how it all comes together is unknown, I am willing to make these informed guesses:

• The Dream Refuge is in the NIghtmare World 
• The NIghtmare World has something to do with dreaming
• The story of Bloodborne will not be just a dream.

The Story So Far: The Chalice Dungeon

This article covers the information released so far about the Forbidden Forest. For an overview about the story so far, see this article.

The Chalice Dungeon

Deep underneath Yharnam exists ruins thought to be an ancient resting place for something other than humans. It is rumored that these ruins change their shape depending upon the hunter. Guarding these ruins are ancient guard dogs, beings with stone-like skin and covered in flames.

Also protecting these ruins are hunters. They are born and bred in the ruins, existing on the flesh and blood of the dead. Their skin is pale, and their eyes are black, searching for those who trespass.

The last known inhabitants of these ruins are the ritual masters. Hunters believe that they pray for the resting through a unique ritual. Their appearance and demeanor are horrifying to those that do not know them, unfounded or not. Regardless, they are known to perform a dark and ancient ceremony that few live to talk about.

Questions

• Who built/was laid to rest in these ruins?
• Why do the Protectors/Ritual Masters protect the ruins, and under whose direction?
• What does the Chalice Ritual do, and why do the ruins change shape?
• Do the Ritual Masters, with their prayer for the resting, have any connection to the messengers or the Nightmare World?

The Story So Far: The Forbidden Forest

This article covers the information released so far about the Forbidden Forest. For an overview about the story so far, see this article.

The Forbidden Forest

Located on the outskirts of Yharnam is a forest where entry is forbidden by the church. This forest is home to a village of people who were chased from Yharnam, as well as the nesting grounds of a gigantic venomous snake.

Questions

• At this time, the questions about this area far outweigh the available information.
• Who are these people who were chased out of Yharnam? Who chased them out of the city, and why?
• What is the background of this gigantic venomous snake?
• Why is entry into the forest forbidden by the church and what is their motive? Are they trying to protect the citizens of Yharnam or keep their secrets hidden?

The Story So Far: Oldtown

This article covers the information released so far about Oldtown. For an overview about the story so far, see this article.

Oldtown

In the valley of Yharnam, the disease of the beast was particularly prevalent. To combat this, the area was abandoned and burned down. Now referred to as Oldtown, this district remains largely quiet, with an occasional starving howl reminding those who hear it of that sin. There is another whisper in Oldtown; a rumour that the veteran hunter Gyula, unseen since entering Oldtown, still resides within the district.

Questions

• What is Gyula doing in Oldtown?
• Is that a gatling gun Gyula is wielding??

The Story So Far: Hemwick Graveyard & The Old Witch

This article covers the information released so far about Hemwick Graveyard. For an overview about the story so far, see this article.

Hemwick Graveyard 

On the outskirts of Yharnam is the large Hemwick Graveyard, populated by tombstones both small and large. These are not the only residents, however. Terrifying creatures, the graveyard hags, call this place their home. Chief among them is the Hemwick Witch, who dwells in the depths of Hemwick in an old manor. Here, the Old Witch performs strange and mysterious rituals using the eyes of the living, which adorn her robes in a grotesque display.

Questions

• What are these rituals The Old Witch performs with human eyes? 
• Did the Old Witch appear before or after the beast plague began in Yharnam?

The Story So Far: Cainhurst Castle

This article covers the information released so far about Cainhurst Castle. For an overview about the story so far, see this article.

Cainhurst Castle

Outside of Yharnam stands the deserted Cainhurst Castle. The castle was once home to a family of nobles, “bound by their bloodlines and by-the-book when it comes to their traditions”. They disappeared suddenly and without a trace, with only this frozen over castle standing as proof of their existence.

Questions

• What happened to the nobles that resided at Cainhurst Castle?
• When did the noble family disappear? Was it before or after the beast plague came to Yharnam?
• If this translation is accurate, is there significance in the wording of the Famitsu article describing the castle when it says, “bound by their bloodlines and by-the-book when it comes to their traditions”?
• Is the frozen nature of the castle a natural condition, or is it something more?

The Story So Far: The Cathedral District & The Church

This article covers the information released so far about the Cathedral District and the Church. For an overview about the story so far, see this article.

The Cathedral District & The Church

At the center of Yharnam, separated from the rest of the city by a cliff, is the Cathedral District. Named after the ancient cathedral within the district, it is characterized by the bridges and large streets connecting the area. It is in this district that the “disease of the beast” is treated, under control of the church using the “curative blood”1.

However, what happens when the disease is not treated and a ‘beast’ must be hunted? It is at this time that the church sends out the Church Giant, a lanky creature with pallid skin and a vacant expression. The citizens of Yharnam hide as they hear the ringing of the bell that hangs from its neck, signifying its approach.

Despite the church’s suppression of the disease, a dark rumour exists. One of the largest beasts, it is known as the Cleric Beast, for it is believed that members of the clergy who fall to the plague become this creature.

1 It is said in the description that the cathedral district is “home of a medical association that oversees the use of the ‘curative blood’” and that “The church controls treatment of the disease…”, so I am assuming the association and church are connected.

Questions

• Does the Cleric Beast exist despite the church’s treatment of the disease, or was the Cleric Beast created under the church’s supervision? 
• What is the nature of the “curative blood” and does it truly cure the beast plague? 
• What is the Church Giant?

What questions do you have? Any information I missed? Let me know in the comments below.

The Story So Far: Overview

This is the first installment and overview of the “The Story So Far” series of articles that will cover what story and lore information has been revealed before the release of Bloodborne in March 2015. The format of these articles will be to summarize the existing information, followed by questions that this information raises.

The Story So Far: Overview

The ancient city of Yharnam, built upon the underground ruins of a crypt for something not human, is known as a center of medical knowledge. People make pilgrimages to this remote city in the mountains in hopes of finding a cure for their illnesses from the renowned medical association in the Cathedral District. However, the “plague of the beast” as it is known runs rampant in Yharnam, seemingly despite the “curative blood” that the church in Yharnam possesses. The disease has already claimed the the old part of the Yharnam, called Oldtown, and it was burned to the ground as the disease overran the area. The Hemwick Graveyard is filling fast, and there are rumors of an eyeball collecting witch residing within the graveyard’s depths.

The outskirts of Yharnam only provide more mystery. The Forbidden Forest, named for the church’s decree that the citizens of Yharnam may not journey there, exists a town of people who were run out of Yharnam for unknown reasons, as well as the nesting grounds of a giant venomous snake. Out past the hills beyond Yharnam is the Cainhurst Castle, a long abandoned place once home to a family of nobles that disappeared suddenly. What secrets do these places hold, and what is their connection to the plague that ravages Yharnam?

It is in these conditions that the protagonist enters the scene. We are an outsider who seeks Yharnam for a cure. Upon arriving we meet Iosefka, who offers them Yharnam Blood to cure their illness. The transfusion is done, but at what price? After a horrific nightmare, we wake to find that they are now bound to strange creatures called the messengers. Death will not break this bond, and only returns us to the Dream Refuge, a place outside of reality where the messengers come from. The protagonist is now a Hunter, someone who hunts those who have succumbed to the beast plague, for reasons unknown.

Big Questions

These questions will be about the overall story and lore of Bloodborne, while questions pertaining to specific areas will be covered in their respective article.

• Is there a cure for the “plague of the beast”?
• What is the deal with the church and their role in all of this? 

Extra Questions

These questions are not specific to the revealed lore, but questions that I have based upon trailers and past Fromsoft games.

• Who is the Lady with the chime seen in this trailer? There is a tiny blurb about her, but only that she is bad news when she rings that chime.
• Who is the old man in the wheelchair from this trailer? Is he significant or is he just one of the old men in wheelchairs we fought in the alpha?
• What are the messengers? What is the Nightmare World that the messengers are described as coming from?  What is the connection between the Hunters and messengers?
• What is the lore explanation for death in Bloodborne? It is a small detail and one that many games don't address, but Miyazaki is known for his attention to detail and having lore explanations for game mechanics.
• Could this symbol on the cover of the Bloodborne strategy guide be a reference to the Brand of Sacrifice from Berserk? If so, is this a mark the Hunters bear? Does this provide the connection to the messengers and the Nightmare World?