Amongst the splintered frames of vessels in a shallow canal in Yharnam, a pack of rats huddle around the remains of a Church Hunter. Among these remains, The Good Hunter finds a Madman’s Skull, filled with The Eldritch Truth. This is likely the first mention the hunter encounters of the Great Ones. Being an outsider, the hunter thinks little of the reference, dismissing the beings as local superstition. The Hunt continues, the hunter unaware of the forces manipulating fate behind the veil.
The relevance of the Great Ones becomes more apparent after The Good Hunter finds the Lake rune in Hemwich Charnel Lane. When branded on the hunter’s mind using the Rune Workshop Tool, the Lake Rune grants the hunter with reduced damage from physical attacks. From this rune the hunter begins to learn the nature of the enigmatic Great Ones. They are “inhuman” beings, and these runes are a transcription of their language. Yet it is not until coming face-to-face with a Great One that The Good Hunter learns the truth about this inhuman nature. Teratological amalgamations of eldritch and human anatomy, the Great Ones are a horror to behold.
Oedon is unique among these beings in that he is the only mentioned Great One that the hunter is not explicitly introduced to in-game. This is attributed to the fact that he is “lacking form” and “exists only in voice,” and therefor cannot be interacted with. In truth, Oedon is the Great One with which The Good Hunter interacts with the most. Oedon is the true beginning of the lore of Bloodborne. He is the most influential being in the cosmos and the progenitor of the Great Ones. His essence has been sought after by Great One, Pthumerian, beast, and hunter since the days of Isz. He has ascended to a higher realm than all the other Great Ones and is sought after by those who seek to follow.
And yet, Oedon’s debut in Bloodborne is incongruent with his high status. The first time the Good Hunter hears Oedon’s name is at an unlikely location for a being of such power and influence. He is first mentioned at Oedon’s Tomb.
This essay examines the Formless Oedon and Oedon Writhe runes against the backdrop of The Eldritch Truth and the world of Bloodborne. It examines the meaning of Oedon “existing only in voice”. The relationship between Oedon and the effects of his runes on the hunter are explored. The power of Oedon’s essence in blood is examined. Finally, his inadvertent worshippers are identified. These analyses culminate to prove that Oedon is present in the game, and is a primary factor driving the unknowing hunter’s motives.
Resonance
The Great One Oedon, lacking form, exists only in voice, and is symbolized by this rune. Those who memorize it enjoy a larger supply of Quicksilver Bullets. Formless Oedon Rune
To be formless is to be without form. More specifically, it means to be without shape, or figure. Oedon’s physical form is beyond ambiguous, but we should not assume this means it is non-existent. It is amorphous, and does not fit into typical physical paradigms.
Both runes describe him as existing as only a voice. What is voice but a sound used for communication? Sound is simply a vibration that transmits waves through a medium to a receiver. In the three-dimensional realm, a voice is the vibration of vocal cords in a speaker’s throat. These vibrations compress air particles passing through the speaker’s mouth, forming sound waves. These waves propagate through the air until the particles collide with the hearer’s ear. The eardrum then resonates with these vibrations which the brain translates into meaning.
On a fundamental level, the Great Ones speak in the same way, although their medium is different. This is best illustrated by the scarcity of those who have heard – much less understood – the words of the Great Ones. The fact that few can do so suggests that the process involves more than just sound waves. Only a few words are identified, and those by only a few individuals.
The most notable of those who have translated the Great One’s voices is Caryll. Caryll’s process is not explicitly explained in Bloodborne, and cannot be analyzed directly. Fortunately, there is one rune for which The Good Hunter was able to observe and help the transcription of.
Above the Grand Cathedral, lies the Research Hall where the Healing Church once experimented on human patients. The purpose of these experiments was to commune with the Great Ones. At the time, the Church believed that “great bulwarks of water” protected the sleep of the Great Ones from intrusion. To penetrate this barrier, Research Hall patients imbibed unhealthy amounts of water and as a result their heads swelled into large pulsating masses. Upon reaching this stage, the patients began to hear the sound of dripping water. This precursor to revelation threatened the patient’s sanity unless they consumed Brain Fluid. This same fluid progressed the effects of the patient’s transformation. The patient’s head became a self-sustaining entity that would abandon – or possibly absorb – the patient’s body.
This is a process which The Good Hunter facilitates for Saint Adeline in the Research Hall. Upon abandoning her body, regenerating from death, and then consuming her own Brain Fluid, she experiences a revelation:
Ahh! Aahh! I see a shape. My guide, I see your voice, clearly, as it bends and bleeds. Saint Adeline
With words of gratitude towards the Good Hunter, she gives herself up to an “honest death.” The only thing she leaves behind is a transcription of her revelation, the Milkweed Rune. The result of this complete physical transformation ending in death was a single transcribed word from the Great Ones.
As Adeline narrates her revelation to the hunter she speaks of “seeing a voice” which “bends and bleeds.” These are not characteristic attributes of speech or sound; Compressed air particles are not seen, voices do not bend nor bleed. This description raises a key concept to understanding Oedon’s form. If any other human heard a Great One speak, would they even recognize its voice as a sound?
The Eldritch Truth essay explains the extra-dimensional realms of the Great Ones. It also discusses how terms like “higher planes,” “dreams,” or “the cosmos” are used to describe these realms. Much like the way humans do not have words for extra-dimensional spaces, so too do they not have words for extra-dimensional sensations. Oedon can be sensed by humans who are equipped with the right senses. However, the vocabulary of three-dimensional beings limits their ability to explain these encounters. Thus, patients like Saint Adeline must explain their experiences using words with the closest meaning, such as a voice.
Oedon’s essence is a medium for extra-dimensional communication. If Oedon “spoke” to a human unequipped with the senses to “hear” him, Oedon’s “voice” would not be recognized as a sound at all.
It is worth noting that there are examples of Caryll runes transcribed from actual sounds. One example of this is the Beast Rune which is “a transcription of the roar of a labyrinth beast.” However, it is likely not the actual sound from which this rune was transcribed. Rather, it is some other sensation propagated through an extra-dimensional medium within the beast’s blood.
Catalyst
“Writhe” sees a subtle mucous in the warmth of blood, and acknowledges visceral attacks as one of the darker hunter techniques. Visceral attacks restore Quicksilver Bullets. Oedon Writhe Rune
In addition to being the only two runes that reference the formless Great One, the Oedon runes are also the only two that affect Quicksilver Bullets. Quicksilver is another word for the liquid metal mercury. In fact, in the Japanese version of the game the bullets are simply called “Mercury Bullets.” This might lead some to assume that mercury has a special meaning in the world of Bloodborne. However, the item description for Quicksilver Bullets makes it clear from whence the bullet’s strength is derived:
Ordinary bullets have no effect on beasts, and so Quicksilver Bullets, fused with the wielder’s own blood, must be employed. The strength of Quicksilver Bullets depends greatly upon the wielder’s bloodtinge. Quicksilver Bullets
Note from the item description that it is not enough to use quicksilver alone. The quicksilver must be infused with the wielder’s blood to be effective. The hunter’s bloodtinge is what determines the effectiveness of the Quicksilver Bullets. The Rosemarinus and Flamesprayer weapons emphasize the importance of blood by stating that they use “blood-imbued Quicksilver Bullets as a special medium.” It is not the mercury that acts as a medium for these weapons, but rather the blood the mercury is imbued with.
This is further emphasized by Blood Bullets. When out of Quicksilver Bullets, blood can be drawn from The Good Hunter’s thigh. Thirty-percent of the hunter’s health is sacrificed for five Blood Bullets. These Blood Bullets – no longer diluted by quicksilver – do slightly more damage than Quicksilver Bullets do.
This establishes that Quicksilver is merely an additive for extending the use of blood. Likely, without the use of mercury, The Good Hunter’s loadout upon leaving the dream would be far less than twenty bullets.
Quicksilver Bullets are also used as a medium to employ Hunter Tools. All hunter tools that are not consumed upon use will instead consume Quicksilver Bullets. This is more than just a mechanic to prevent the overuse of Hunter Tools. With the exception of Madara’s Whistle, all Hunter Tools have a minimum arcane requirement for use. This demonstrates that the same blood used to damage beasts is also a medium for the arcane.
Oedon Writhe describes a subtle mucous – a barely perceptible substance – that clings to the blood. Both runes suggest that this mucus-like substance is what determines the grade of the blood as a medium. This is is not referring to the blood’s effectiveness for use in drawing symbols. A more direct translation of the original Japanese replaces the word “medium” with “catalyst.” So, within the blood there is a catalyst through which the supernatural abilities of bloodtinge and the arcane are triggered. Thus it is not the Quicksilver Bullets that connect the Oedon runes, but rather this catalyst within the blood they are imbued with. While there are other runes that reference blood, only these two runes acknowledge the blood’s use for bloodtinge or arcane damage.
This catalyst is the very “essence of the formless Great One.” It is the only physical manifestation of Oedon. It is the same substance found in blood which is revered by the Healing Church.
Communion
Human or no, the oozing blood is a medium of the highest grade, and the essence of the formless Great One, Oedon. Formless Oedon and Oedon Writhe Runes
The English translators of Bloodborne should be applauded for their use of the word “medium” throughout the translation of the original text. “Medium” has a wide variety of meanings which correctly capture the various attributes of Oedon’s essence. Frequently there is a more direct translation from the original Japanese that could be used (i.e. “catalyst”),but “medium” correctly captures all of the original meanings. Additionally, it makes it clear that these references are all in regard to the same substance. In this way, the English and the Japanese translations work together to create a comprehensive understanding of the lore.
For example, when Alfred speaks of a “holy medium” he uses a different word than the word “catalyst” that is found in the Oedon runes. However, the English translators still chose – correctly – to translate this word into “medium.” The original Japanese would be more closely translated into “Euchist” or “communion.”
This is the first of many examples of Bloodborne drawing heavily upon Christian mythology. The Euchist – sometimes called The Holy Communion, or The Sacrament – is a Christian ceremony in which bread and wine are blessed and consumed. These tokens are symbols of the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ. Some Christian sects which believe in transubstantiation take this symbolism quite literally. Transubstantiation is the belief that the blessed bread and wine turn into the literal flesh and blood of Jesus Christ in the body. Therefor, the use of the word “Euchist” by Alfred suggests that the Healing Church participates in a religious ceremony in which blood is consumed for the purpose of communicating – or communing – with the gods.
Further Christian beliefs around communion may explain the formless nature of Oedon and the shape of this communion. In Christianity, communion is believed to be facilitated by The Holy Spirit. Many Abrahamic religions believe The Holy Spirit to be either a representative or representation of God. This entity specializes in communicating with God’s followers. Language in The Holy Bible speaks of The Spirit as communicating with humans by “speaking” to them. While Abrahamic religions do not discount God’s ability to speak through a literal voice, many believe that The Holy Spirit does not speak physically. Rather it is believed that this entity communicates through emotional impressions; A feeling of goodwill when something is right or a sense of dread to warn against danger. Despite the emotional medium through which it is believed these impressions are received, it is not uncommon for the The Holy Spirit’s communications to be described as a “still small voice.”
Whether Oedon’s nature was inspired by The Holy Spirit or not, the comparison still illustrates this essay’s thesis on Oedon’s form. It illustrates why a voice would be chosen as a metaphor for Oedon’s form.
This holy medium found within the old labyrinth gains its strength from the same substance as is found on the Oedon runes. The essence of Oedon does not only act as a catalyst for blood weapons or the arcane, it also allows for communion with the Great Ones. This explains why Laurance would be willing to risk beasthood in himself and others by imbibing the blood. This also explains why he felt his methods were in line with Willem’s, even though Willem felt betrayed. Laurence, and later the Healing Church, recognized that the essence of Oedon within the blood was a means of interaction with the Great Ones. As is common in the cycles of human history, what was once a sincere attempt at human advancement, was reduced to ritualistic ceremony. Performed without thought or intent, ceremony begins to fall away from the original purpose for which it was intended.
Worship
Both Oedon, and his inadvertent worshippers, surreptitiously seek the precious blood. Formless Oedon and Oedon Writhe Runes
The fact that the Oedon Runes are written in blood must be purely ceremonial, as it is known that runes “do not rely upon blood in any measure.” Most Oedon runes are found near Oedon Chapel or in the possession Church followers. This would suggest that the use of blood in transcribing this rune was done as a form of worship.
Worship is a concept that is easy to get wrong, even among those that practice it. The term is frequently associated with participation in religious ceremony, but this is not entirely accurate. Merriam Webster defines worship as “to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion.”
While religious rites or rituals may be an outcome of worship, they are not worship in and of themselves. Religious ceremony is no more worship than acts of intimacy are love, or donating money is charity. True acts of worship, love, or charity are determined by the motive that drives them. Thus, worship is not the participation in religious rites, but rather the emotion with which they are evoked.
For an example of true worship, consider The Messengers who “find hunters… worship, and serve them.” One can see the adoration of The Messengers in the way they diligently serve The Good Hunter. According to the desires of The Good Hunter, Messengers cross realities to deliver messages. The hunters’ responses to their efforts leave them elated or visibly distraught. They rever the hunter with gifts such as the Messenger’s Gift, and weapons when the hunter has none. They bow their heads solemnly at the lamps which bring The Good Hunter safely back to the Dream. When the Hunter places a chalice at an altar, they gather around it in awe. The Messengers of the Stump will adorn themselves with simple gifts from the hunter. Items which the hunter considers junk – such as bloody bandages, hats, and urns – the Messengers graciously accept. They revel in their adornment, and will only remove them at the hunter’s request.
As true worshippers, the Messengers’ devoted service is reliable, and thus can be described as ritualistic after a fashion. However, they appear to be far from practicing, or even forming, an organized religion. Their worship is a true expression of their adoration for The Good Hunter. They don’t need formal rules of worship. They don’t need a building to gather in, or a leader to tell them how to best serve their hunter. They are an example of a form of worship that does not necessitate religious ceremony or practice.
However these are not the type of worshippers the Oedon Runes refer to. “Inadvertent worshippers” would suggest a group that is unaware of their reverence towards a deity. The Messengers are not inadvertent worshippers, as the target of their worship is clear. Neither are the Chapel Dweller or Adella the Nun inadvertent worshippers of Oedon. They purposefully carry his runes and serve in his chapel. An inadvertent worshipper must be someone with strong feelings towards a god without knowing it. How could this be so, unless the worshipper is not aware that the target of their reverence is in fact divine?
There inadvertent worshippers of Oedon are those who revere his essence in blood. Thus, these worshippers can only be identified by identifying the his essence.
The fleeting will of the ancients
This essay makes the following claims about Oedon:
- Oedon does not have a physical form and exists only as an inhuman medium. A form that we might not even recognize as a sound.
- His essence exists in blood. It is a catalyst for many super-natural capabilities.
- His essence was found in the Chalice Dungeons. It is the holy medium revered by the Healing Church.
- His power is such that he is worshipped by those who do not even know who he is.
Is there anything in the world of Bloodborne that satisfies these criteria? Consider the following item description:
Droplets of coldblood containing Blood Echoes. …Hunters sustained by the dream gain strength from Blood Echoes. They imbibe the blood with thoughts of reverence, indeed gratitude, for their victims. Coldblood Dew
Found within the blood of hunters, beasts, and kin alike, Blood Echoes are the source of all strength in Bloodborne. They can be channeled into the Good Hunter’s body to strengthen the hunter’s natural attributes, such as strenght, vitality and even bloodtinge and arcane. Their hardened form found in coldblood can be embedded in weapons to strengthen them. They can be traded – or perhaps transmuted – into items by the Messengers in the bath.
Who then are the inadvertent worshippers of Oedon? It is those who the Vilebloods refer to as “echo fiends.” Those whome the residents of the Fishing Hamlet called “blood-crazed.” Their graves line the walls of the old labyrinth throughout the civilizations of Ihyll, Loran, and Isz. Upon these graves are engraved the title of these worshippers; different dialects of the same symbol which identifies them. “Hunter.”
Blood Echoes are precious to The Good Hunter. When in the possession of a large number of Blood Echoes, the Good Hunter becomes more cautious; Not for fear of death, but for fear of losing the precious Echoes. If the Echoes are lost, the hunter painstakingly returns to the location of demise to retrieve them. At times, this may result in the pains of multiple deaths until the Echoes are retrieved.
Blood Echoes are pervasive throughout the locations and civilizations of Bloodborne. They are found in the streets of Yharnam, the lanes of Hemwick, and the remains of Cainhurst. Their existence in the Chalice Dungeons establishes that they have existed in blood for generations.
The greatest collections of these Echoes can be found in the veins of the Great Ones. Through this communion with Oedon’s essence they have ascended and seek to ascend further.
When an enemy comes across a pool of The Good Hunter’s blood, the Echoes manifest as a burst of strength. The enemy’s eyes glow with the purple light of the arcane.
Blood Echoes are the “dying wills of blood.” They are the voices of blood crying out from the ground. They are not a literal sound – nor echo – but instead carry the wills and emotions of those they once belonged to.
But they have a source. The will of an ancient Great One who died long ago. But his will is fleeting, diluted by the generations of power seekers who have consumed his essence from the blood of others. His essence can be channeled into strength. Its ability to carry the wills of the dead makes it a medium for communion between humanity and the Great Ones.
Blood Echoes are the essence of Oedon. They are the holy medium found in blood in the old labyrinth. They are the source of vitality in the Healing Church’s special blood. Future essays will explore how this medium has both blessed and cursed the civilizations of Bloodborne.
“Praise the Good Blood!”