“The Healing Church traces its roots to Byrgenwerth, and is therefore aware of the
[Chalice Dungeons] true importance.
They contain much more than mere hunter trinkets, indeed, they hid the very secrets of the old
Great Ones, sought after by those with the insight to imagine greatness.”
(Flash to a beast roaring, or Vicar Amelia at the “insight to imagine greatness.”
--
What’s up guys, I’m Dave Klein, and welcome to my lore video on the Healing Church.
In this video, we’re going to delve into the foundation of the Healing Church, and
what it would eventually become.
--
Chapter 1: The Foundation
It all began in the college of Byrgenwerth, and the tombs of the Gods, also known as Chalice
Dungeons, which lay below the town of Yharnam.
(Alfred Dialogue): “Byrgenwerth is an old place of learning.
And the tomb of 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.”
The academics found a myriad of strange ritual remains within the dungeons – such as Red
Jelly, ‘stillborn infants born of a creature of unknown origins, of the type found in some
corners of the old labyrinth”, tomb mold, coldblood flowerbuds, and in particular…
a Pearl Slug.
“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.”
It was the Pearl Slugs, that I believe, led the scholars to investigate where they’d
come from and what they meant.
It led them to the discovery of the chalices, and that if they performed a ritual with these
strange items, they could unlock deeper tombs.
“Let the chalice reveal the tomb of the gods; let the blood be the hunter’s nourishment.
…And let ye partake in communion…”
It was here evidence of the Pthumerians, “superhuman beings that are said to have unlocked the
wisdom of the eldritch Truth”, were discovered.
And with that the query as to how humankind could itself evolve, once again, to a higher
plane of existence.
Amongst those who discovered the tombs and the importance of what lay within were Provost
Willem and Laurence – who was either a pupil or colleague of Willem.
Master Willem led the research into the meaning of the eldritch items they were finding, and
started to experiment with ways to unlock the eldritch Truth, declaring “Evolution
without courage will be the ruin of our race.”
Together, both Laurence and Willem began to discover the power of the Great Ones, and
the importance of the ritual items needed to satiate a chalice.
“One of the basic ingredients used to satiate a Holy Chalice is the incoagulable [ritual]
blood”.
They discovered that, as blood was important to beckoning the tomb of the Great Ones with
a chalice ritual, it also drew them one step closer to achieving their goals of furthering
the human race.
“The discovery of blood made their dream of evolution a reality.
Metamorphosis and the excesses and deviation that followed were only the beginning.”
While experimenting in blood, Master Willem realized a danger in it.
According to the Beast Caryll Rune, “the discovery of blood entailed the discovery
of undesirable beasts.”
I believe beasts were actually discovered early-on in attempts at evolution, with “the
“Beast” [being] a horrific and unwelcome instinct deep within the hearts of men.”
Master Willem decided to search for an alternate means to connecting with the great ones, and
“At Byrgenwerth, Master Willem had an epiphany: “We are thinking on the basest of planes.
What we need, are more eyes”.
He decided to search within in order to connect with the Great Ones, going as far as to blindfold
himself and encourage the lack of outward vision.
It was around this time Laurence and Master Willem had a disagreement over how to handle
their knowledge of the powers of blood, and what to do about it.
Laurence seemed to strongly believe blood was a positive thing, that could heal the
ailments of those with deadly diseases.
Master Willem, on the other hand, didn’t think the risks were worth it, and wanted
to further explore alternatives.
(Master Willem and Laurence cutscene)
Laurence left Master Willem, and the school of Byrgenwerth, in order to found the Healing
Church – and spread the message of blood healing.
-- Chapter 2
The Formless Oedon
“The Great One Oedon, lacking form, exists only in voice.”
In discovering the chalice dungeons, and the tomb of the Gods, I believe Laurence and Willem
discovered multiple Gods.
The formless Oedon was the God associated with Blood, and “Human or no, the oozing
blood is a medium of the highest grade, and the essence of the formless Great Oedon.
Both Oedon, and his inadvertent worshippers, surreptitiously seek the precious blood.”
I think its likely Oedon spoke to them, and could have been what allowed them the discovery
of blood healing.
In founding the Healing Church, Laurence named his cathedral after the God of Blood, “The
Oedon Cathedral”, and built it in proximity to the Tomb of Oedon itself.
He took Master Willem’s teachings with him, and paid homage to Willem as the clothing
they would wear “borrows heavily from [Byrgenwerth]’s uniform design.”
He also took along with him Master Willem’s teachings of outward sightlessness, as we
find every character associated with the healing church to be without sight.
Father Gascoigne, a former member of the healing church, chooses to blindfold himself.
The creature in the Cathedral Ward indicates that it’s without sight.
(Cathedral Ward thing’s quote about not smelling you)
Additionally, Vicar Amelia, immediately associated with the Healing Church, chooses to blindfold
herself.
Interestingly, while Oedon is associated with blood, YouTuber TerraMantis found that Oedon
is also directly associated with sightlessness.
Auto-enucleation, or oedipism, is “a form of serious self-inflicted eye injury that
usually results form mentall illnesses involving acute psychosis.”
The word “Oedipsim” deriving from Oedipus, of Greek Mythology, who gouged out his own
eyes after having sex with his mother.
-- Chapter 3
Hunters and Blood
Laurence looked to spread his message of the healing blood of his church, and “The Healing
Church nuns [were] chosen for their merit as vessels for blood, and groomed as Blood
Saints.
The mere chance of being treated with their blood [lent] legitimacy to the Healing Church
and communion.”
These nuns who would receive the healing blood would then provide their now “good” blood
to the citizens of Yharnam afflicted with illness.
In doing so, the people began to believe in the Healing Church, and helped raise it to
power.
(Alfred Dialogue) “As you know, the Healing Church is the
foundation of blood healing.
Well, I’m a simple hunter, quite unfamiliar with the ins and outs of the institution.
But I have heard that the holy medium of blood healing is venerated in the main cathedral.”
(Gilbert Dialogue) “About how the town gave him hope”
There was a problem, however – one that the church tried to keep quiet.
“The discovery of blood entailed the discovery of undesirable beasts.”
It seemed blood and beasts went hand-in-hand.
I believe this lead to two things, in particular.
One being the church attempting to create variations on blood, and thereby try to create
a new, “Good Blood”.
I think Laurence had good intentions with his healing church, and actually did pay heed
to Master Willem’s warning to “Fear the Old Blood.”
But – his way of handling it was to create new variations of blood.
Meanwhile, the problem of beasts had to be handled, and Gehrman stepped up.
He became the first hunter, and “The hunter’s emphasis on engaging beasts with speed, and
therefore of selecting lightweight attire, no doubt traces back to Gehrman’s own combat
style.”
Laurence helped Gehrman to create a workshop within the Healing Church, which would then
be used to train future hunters.
Ludwig would become the first of the specific Healing Church Hunters, and I believe very
likely was Gehrman’s apprentice.
An Old Hunter Bone can be found at the Old Abandoned Workshop, and is “the bone of
an old hunter whose name is lost.
It is said that he was an apprentice to old Gehrman, and a practitioner of the art of
Quickening, a technique particular to the first hunters.”
Meanwhile, “Ludwig was the first of many Healing Church hunters to come, many of whom
were clerics.”
I find it highly likely – even if the Old Hunter Bone isn’t Ludwig’s, as the description
says the owner’s name “is lost” - Gehrman, the first hunter, with his workshop located
in the church, trained Ludwig himself.
With the beasts seeming to grow in strength, “Ludwig, the first hunter of the Healing
church, [set out to recruit] Yharnamites to serve as hunters.”
He also crafted larger and more powerful variants of the typical workshop weapons “suggesting
that the Church anticipated much larger inhuman beasts.”
Now bare in mind, all of this was long, long ago.
The Radiant Sword Hunter Badge was given to “Heirs to the will of Ludwig.
These hunters, also known as Holy Blades, are what remains of an ancient line of heroes
that date back to a very early age of honor and chivalry.”
Laurence eventually seemed to succumb to becoming a beast himself.
Within the Oedon Cathedral, placed upon an alter is a beast-shaped skull.
By touching this skull, the player will receive Laurence’s memories of leaving Master Willem
& Byrgenwerth to found the Healing Church, implying this skull belongs to Laurence.
Interestingly, within the Chalice Dungeons, there’s a Blood-letting beast with a similarly
shaped head.
What becomes particularly odd, is that yet another Blood-Letting beast exist within another
Chalice Dungeon, bearing no head.
Whether this means the missing head of the second blood-letting beast is Laurence’s
or it’s simply a coincidence, I can’t say, but it’s something worth pointing out.
Regardless of if Laurence became a beast and died, or became a beast and disappeared into
the Chalice Dungeons, overtime his influence over the Healing Church became warped, and
things began to change.
-- Chapter 4
Changes
With Laurence gone, and Gehrman eventually disappearing into his Hunter’s Dream, the
healing church passed down from one Vicar to the next.
“[The Gold Pendant], passed down among the vicars who head the Healing Church, is a reminder
of the cautionary adage.”
– “Fear the Old Blood.”
Overtime, I believe Laurence’s intention of spreading good became warped and distorted.
The church hunters eventually began to don black and white variants of clothing, and
these healing church hunters “understood the early prevention of the scourge [of beasts],
achieved by disposing of victims, and even potential victims, before signs of sickness
manifest themselves.”
I find it likely the Healing Church actively tried to prevent the Yharnamites from realizing
it was their blood causing the spread of the beastly curse.
“The Church takes a heavy-handed, merciless stance towards the plague of beasts, an irony
not lost upon the wielders of the most symbolic [Kirkhammer].”
Ironic – because they had to kill the very same people they’d sought to protect.
Hunts became a regular occurrence, especially as the red moon hung low, and “The main
gate [of the Great Cathedral] 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.”
Meanwhile, they continued to search for cures and further means to evolve.
The White Church Hunters were “specialists in experimentally-backed blood ministration
and the scourge of the beast.
They believe that medicine is not a means of treatment, but rather a method of research,
and that some knowledge can only be obtained by exposing oneself to sickness.”
I believe it was, in part, this that led to the scourge of Old Yharnam.
Old Yharnam was afflicted by Ashen Blood, “a baffling sickness that ravaged Old Yharnam
long ago.
The ashen blood ailment eventually triggered the spread of the beastly scourge.”
Ashen Blood, also being a variation of poison, as antidote is used to treat it.
While this is just a theory, I think it’s possible ashen blood could have been caused
by the white church hunters using “experimentally-backed blood ministration”.
Especially considering they believed “some knowledge can only be obtained by exposing
oneself to sickness.”
Either way, this wasn’t the only hand at play.
We know from various lore notes scattered throughout Bloodborne that “when the red
moon hangs low, the line between man and beast is blurred.”
We also find a note in Old Yharnam stating “The red moon hangs low, and the beasts
rule the streets.
Are we left no other choice, than burn it all to cinders?”
I believe this led to the worst catastrophe the church had ever come up against.
Facing an entire town inflicted with Ashen Blood, triggering the spread of the beastly
sourge, they decided the best course of action was to, again, “take a heavy-handed, merciless
stance towards the plague of beasts.”
“When the hunt began, the Healing Church left [behind the Old Yharnamites], blocking
the great bridge to Cathedral Ward, as Old Yharnam burned to the ground that moonlit
night.”
And, while this is my opinion, I don’t think the Ashen Blood ailment was what caused the
beastly scourge.
Rather, I think this ailment was quickly spread, and possibly infectious.
Before this point, I believe beasts were an occurrence, but far less prevalent.
But, in the minds of the Church hunters, perhaps all was not lost, as “since the tragedy
that struck Old Yharnam, fire has become a staple in beast hunts, and is thought to cleanse
impurity.”
– They seemed to gain the knowledge that beasts are weak against fire.
-- Chapter 5
Factions
Sickened by the wide-spread cleansing of Old Yharnam,
Djura, and a former hunter, “felt defeated by the state of Old Yharnam and renounced
his hunter’s vows.
Djura is known through his contact with the powder kegs, the heretics of the workshop.”
It seems the Powder Kegs were formed by disenfranchises former hunters, who felt sympathy for the
beasts.
The Vilebloods were formed by the wealthy at Cainhurst who took forbidden church blood
of their own.
However, as this wasn’t Church sanctioned blood, the Church, with all of their power,
fought back.
“The corrupt are heretics in the eyes of the Church, thus subject to the wrath of the
Executioners.”
The Executioners, who essentially became the Healing Church’s army, struck the Vilebloods
down with a vengeance and their attire “later became the basis for all Church attire, with
its heavy draping of Holy Shawl.”
Meanwhile, with Laurence, Gehrman, and the other founders of the Healing Church gone,
the upper echelons of the Healing Church eventually became filled with other inquisitive minds
in their own right.
The Healing Church continued to send Tomb Prospectors into the Chalice Dungeons, who
“explore the labyrinth on behalf of the Healing Church.”
“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.”
Eventually, they did find another chalice…, the Great Isz Chalice.
“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.”
The choir itself, being one of the two groups who would become the highest in power of the
Church, with “The upper echelons of the Healing Church [being] formed by the School
of Mensis, based in the Unseen Village, and the Choir occupying the Upper Cathedral Ward.”
These two factions, took Master Willem’s teachings to heart, and seemed to look for
means other than blood in order to evolve and transcend humanity.
-- Alright guys, that wraps up this lore video
on the Healing Church.
I know I didn’t delve into the Choir, School of Mensis, or Executioners & Vilebloods, as
I didn’t want this video to run too long, and think those are topics deserving of their
own videos.
I also think it’s important to understand the Healing Church itself before delving into
these.
I hope you enjoyed, and if you did, make sure to check out my other lore videos, or for
something a little more fun and light hearted – check out my super shows.
And, I’ll see you next time.
Happy Hunting.