The Secret Religion of Old Yharnam | Bloodborne Archaeology Ep. 1

[@DanielGarcia-rx3kt]

Something I absolutely love about this channel is how we get to learn about history in the context of how they are masterfully iterated by Miyazaki and his FromSoft mythos creators in these games. Thank you for all the takes you bring to the table for these games!

[@niall_sanderson]

That’s gotta be the main reason TA has done pretty well in this niche. Learning about the historical inspirations makes his videos significantly more interesting than a lot of other lore channels (not that the other lore channels are bad mind, just that I find them not quite as interesting as this one)

[@Gil_Vale]

@@niall_sanderson That's exactly what I think.

[@WeWillAlwaysHaveVALIS]

I don't disagree with your point, though a lot of the time (as I am a try hard history nerd) it's a confirmation of something that I thought "might be". But man when I do get a fresh angle/reference to a culture or historical event that I am not familiar with, talk about a dopamine release 😅

[@Amknownas_743great_explainer]

What everyone's comment above me said, 💯💯

[@rhapsody5645]

Agreed. We deserve games with quality stories.

[@Fronzel41]

I'm not surprised at a connection between Cainhurst and any part of Yharnam as I always thought that "Cainhurst" was the name of the castle, not another country, and the inhabitants of the castle used to rule Yharnam (castles nearby cities usually housing the feudal lord, right?) until the Healing Church launched a revolution to get rid of them.

[@Dangerman-zg3ui]

I remember watching a stream by Redgrave and I pointed out the Cainhurts symbols in Yarnham (forgot how Redgrave reacted, think even he was suprised?). I hope TA goes way in depth with this.

[@McGeeMcGeeMcGee-g7w]

i agree. they probably ruled untill the healing church gained enough power to do something like murder them all. probably through manufacture a plague via poisons the water supply and then using their credit of healing everyone to either convince the masses to murder them or, or maybe even slowly shrinking their power while growing their own untill they could basically just enact it through civil means. the lore is so good lol

[@10hawell]

Yeah in my eyes Yharnam is a microstate like Lichtenstein, Luxembourg or Free city of Danzig - in order from smallest to biggest. City state doesn't need to mean only city but also areas feeding the city and satellite cities. And i too always believed cainhurst is just castle in the suburbs where former feudal lords are in house arrest/under siege.

[@Greaseball01]

It's worth noting Gascoigne does also reference the player characters smell during his fight "what's that smell?" And although Djura doesn't mention your scent he seems to recognise you're a hunter of the dream, so it might not just be a female thing.

[@theoverlord3937]

I’m pretty sure Gascoigne’s line is more about the general smell of the blood from the battle, considering he’s blood-drunk and on the verge of turning. And Djura probably recognizes you as a Dream Hunter because you keep coming back from the dead.

[@Greaseball01]

@@theoverlord3937 sure but then you've also got the chapel dweller in Oedon Chapel who says "the incense must have masked your scent" so clearly hunters have a particular smell. Also Gascoigne's quote is "what's that smell? Oh the sweet blood, it calls to me." Not definitive obv I just think too many people reference distinct dents of beasts and hunters for it to be a thing only specific characters can perceive. Eileen's mask description also references it - "the beak contains incense to mask scents of blood and beast"

[@theoverlord3937]

⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠@@Greaseball01Hunters all smell like blood because they’re constantly covered in it from going on Hunts. The incense masks the scent of blood, which is why it keeps beasts away. If they can’t smell any potential prey, they aren’t going to bother going near the place. So, when we show up, the Chapel Dweller assumes it was the incense keeping him from smelling the blood we’re covered in. The Crow Hunters put incense in their masks to keep themselves from smelling the blood of their prey, since that addictive smell of blood accelerates the descent into beasthood. This is seen with Gascoigne’s fight: he doesn’t say anything about the smell until after we’ve significantly damaged him, suggesting that it’s the scent of his own blood, not ours, that’s messing with his head. Arianna specifically notes that we *don’t* smell like blood, which I think is significant. Whatever the “moon-scent” is, it’s not the same as the usual bloody scent a Hunter carries with them.

[@blackferdinand2260]

@@Greaseball01Gascoigne’s youngest daughter recognizes that you’re a hunter like her father because of your smell. The chapel dweller who’s blind doesn’t realise you’re there till you speak. Gascogne, steeped in blood, recognizes your smell. Perhaps there’s a difference between the smell of moon and the smell of guts. Why doesn’t arianna smell the beast on you as strong as the moon?

[@DanielGarcia-rx3kt]

​@@blackferdinand2260maybe women smell the moon and men smell the beast? Kinda seems like the thing FromSoft might do symbolically.

[@elijahkeay3906]

Bloodborne lore may the most deep, disturbing, and fascinating of all to me. Seeing this channel start to cover that is extremely exciting

[@GasDude1011]

Other lore KZbinrs: *takes notes furiously*

[@MrChadLedford]

Absolutely

[@Shezmen88]

Yup

[@ahmadabusamra9785]

Smoughtown (he is my favourite Lore youtuber btw)

[@LizardOnAMushroom2358]

Bruh they don't even credit TA half the time.

[@WeWillAlwaysHaveVALIS]

And what's worse is they end up repeating it wrongly and making assertions that TA didn't.

[@manfaceddog9288]

TA always hits. Some of the freshest lore takes around. Easily in my top tier of FromTubers

[@dannywest8843]

the rigor of the epistemology is unparalleled. TA is a master of the grand archives.

[@tarnishedarchaeologist]

Well that explains the wax all over our heads.

[@NumberD2000]

​@@tarnishedarchaeologist so thats what the corpsewax was for

[@ricardocastillo9328]

​@@dannywest8843pollo l lol

[@TheEbonyWarrior]

I just like that he can speak without a coma inducing tone or excessively pregnant pauses.

[@youtubecommenter2527]

Moonlit Melody is legitimately one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard in a video game. It makes me cry every time. The doll was always singing it. But it took killing Rom for you to be able to hear it.

[@tarnishedarchaeologist]

What a wonderful interpretation.

[@CerealNumb]

Interestingly though, if your insight score is high enough (60 iirc), Hunter's Dream changes slightly, and regardless of the stage of the game, Moonlit Melody will play in the background. Even before you kill Rom. "Rom hid all manner of rituals", and by accumulating enough understanding (insight), you will get glimpses of the truth.

[@gerald216]

​@@CerealNumbInsight is one of my favorite mechanics in a game. My first time through the game I didn't realize it had an effect besides being another resource with a bit of flavor. But when I finally noticed the giant god damn spider monstrosity that is the Amygdala was revealed through Insight and not just progressing the game I lost my shit. So many awesome little things in this game that go unnoticed unless you really look for it

[@PaszerDye]

It's not the Plain Doll singing Moonlit Melody, it's the Moon Presence. It only takes 1 insight for her to come to life and allow interaction, so you should be hearing her singing it from the get-go. Yet you only hear the song after killing Rom or gaining 40 insight. Either way, both milestones signify progression or the accumulation of power, and the Moon Presence knows this. It sings to us to keep us under its thrall, and then, at the beginning of its fight, ups the ante with a more agressive version of Moonlit Melody in a desperate bid to hold sway over us. Only when it realizes too late that the hunter is an actual threat does the Moon Presence drop the song altogether and go mask off with a bestial theme befitting of a beast-like great one.

[@NightwalkerRepublic]

@@PaszerDye Interesting. It's pure malice from the Moon Prescence to lull you into a dream, and when the lullaby no longer works it decides it's had enough of you because you threaten the fabric of it's creation.

[@thebranchise]

When I first played Bloodborne and watched all the lore videos, it spun me into a psychosis. I was so broken by this perfectly written story that had so many puzzle pieces that fit together in such an impressive way. I couldn't stop studying it, thinking about it and playing it. It was a wild time in which I was already getting clean from longterm serious addiction. I wish I could play Bloodborne for the first time again. It was such a great discovery that I then shared with so many other people introducing them and finishing it with them to see their amazement to it. Art that impacted my soul, that I had to spread to everyone I could.

[@StephenLeong-e7k]

Congrats on the sobriety. From soft is seriously food for the soul

[@behelitholder]

congrats mane

[@fromrawn9303]

Please do Ailing Loran! I have been obsessed with the dark sandy dungeon. Electricity flows through the air as well as gale winds. Dark beasts also produces these aspects in the game. Everything about it is so interesting.

[@alyseleem2692]

Seconded!

[@Hayden-qj1lo]

Thirded!

[@patrickn.4113]

Also as a cat owner I can´t help notice the Dark Beast´s cat like movements. Almost all other beasts are canine. But this one is cat - ish. It is the only one like that as far as I know.

[@bigbaddragon8308]

Thank god he’s covering this game. Hands-down the best lore in From Soft’s catalogue

[@living_paladin_esterias2048]

Im quite excited to see how you explore the Pthumerians and their relationship to their surviving descendants in the Vilebloods of Cainhurst, the wandering Pthumerian populace in close proximity to the foundations of the Healing Church throughout catherdral ward, and their interactions with the "humans" as we know them of Yharnam. The fact that 2 of the 3 women that describe being able to pick up your "scent" are of blood relation to the Pthumerians, and the last one a scientist studying how to incubate a child great one is quite interesting to me. I wonder what it suggests about humanity at large in Yharnam, or at the very least the close in connection you are to a great one, the more conscious of the scent of the others you become. Also quite curious that sp many Pthumerians are depicted chained or bound in one way or another. Yharnam is bound, Queen Annalise is sealed away, all the giants in Cathedral ward are chained... Even the snatchers are bound in rope. Perhaps relics of an ancient culture adopted to their new religion wasn't the only thing exumed from the chalices?

[@KosOrSomeSayKosmo]

Those giant nose statues in the Church of the Good Chalice have always stuck in my mind. Another brilliant video, can't wait for more of this series!

[@monsieurdorgat6864]

I know - it was something nobody to my knowledge really gave much thought to or fleshed out!

[@Walamonga1313]

I legit never noticed them

[@PartyGoy]

Jewish statues?

[@nathanbarrett4402]

Another interesting thing about those statues it they were probably once linked to this cut enemy as their large upturned noses are very similar. 1.bp.blogspot.com/-6w8qvPyCMMI/WiLP4uDLp-I/AAAAAAAAUTA/WXl9x2_PbSkCgWwa175eMc_jAgCUpFbWQCLcBGAs/s1600/Unused%2BEnemy2-01.gif

[@dvdivine1962]

​@@PartyGoybrainrot

[@deepseaminingsyndicate]

Damn you had my on the edge of my seat on this one… and I’ve played this game 20 times and seen practically every lore video. Truly a masterpiece in archeology.

[@diegozimermann6114]

Me and some friends are drunk, just arived home. Ordered some burgers, they just arived. I open up youtube, and this video’s here. Thank you for providing us with not only 30 mins of enterteinment, but hours of afterchat, you are one of a kind

[@tarnishedarchaeologist]

Hope the burgers were good!

[@nateg4031]

drunk, eating burgers, talking Bloodborne - can’t imagine a better night to spend with friends 🤙🏼

[@dreamaloud23]

I loved the Elden Ring content and I'm super glad you decided to tackle other From titles, thank you SO much for lending your considerable intellect to interpret and share history with us - fabricated for a video game or not. You are consistently methodical, insightful and, most importantly, believable. This is always the new content on KZbin that I get most excited for, please never stop!

[@maureenbouterse]

I'm stoked that you're doing Bloodborne lore. If this is what can be gleaned from a few statues above ground, then the Chalice Dungeons are going to be of truly epic scope if you cover them. Either way, I love how you can glean so much context by linking these statues to Queen Yharnam and the countless civilizations that rose and fell where the modern city now stands.

[@benlavis3006]

I always felt there was a pretty gaping hole in the knowledge base of yharnams history. So psyched you guys are looking into it, I'm sure we will get some amazing insights soon

[@jeffcarroll1990shock]

For the record: the moon smells like gunpowder. Dust from the lunar surface contains silicon, iron, magnesium and calcium. Thus, once exposed to our atmosphere will get off the exact same smell as gunpowder.

[@BonusDuckie]

Just now, thanks to your editing and narrative skills did I notice how the Hunter stares at the moon after slaying the Spider, likely because the Moon Presence was manifesting, but you didn't have enough insight to gaze upon it. But when the moon makes a new appearence in the Hunter's Dream, you can indeed see it. That is brilliant. I knew the moon was important but this video makes me rethink WHY it was so important. It's not just a celestial body that manifests a Great One. The moon IS the Great One. It's not just a rock, it's more than that?

[@MutantHeadcrab]

19:44 love me some medieval "tiny men as babies" art

[@Jay-qh6uv]

I’ve been saying forever that one of the deepest running themes in BB is gender/sex/relationships between the sexes/societal expectations and roles imposed upon sexes. The moon, “Mensis”, Queen Yarnham in her bloody bridal gown, the horrific “death” of Queen Annalise and her female nobles, the way only women comment on your “moon-scent”…and of course the heavy overt themes of childbirth. There’s also an incredible (for it’s time and genre) spectrum of female characters in this game who all play very different roles and take very different actions. I can’t help but also notice how *traditionally masculine* both the college and the Church feel in contrast to these feminine, supernatural themes. What the College did to Kos, a “female” great one? This mystical, moon-and-sea themed creature with child who was horribly wronged by men of science and “progress?” I kind of think these themes were going to form a more cohesive story in the beginning, but you know how game development is (especially at FromSoft) and so we’re just left with bits and pieces that are too much of a pattern to just ignore as coincidence but not enough to string together into something rock solid. But it’s there.

[@tarnishedarchaeologist]

Agreed!

[@ЕкатеринаСеренкова]

Tbh Mensis could as much refer to table. Also Mensa is school cafeteria in German.

[@elias.t]

@@ЕкатеринаСеренкова tbh, in a game full of moon-themed imagery, the word that is Latin for month actually being meant to be German for school cafeteria seems highly unlikely.

[@ЕкатеринаСеренкова]

@@elias.t as many as school/university themes. I mean Charred Thermos spent several hours explaining that it all is just a one large medical metaphor. And Table can be used both for medical research, there is a lot of autopsies in plot, and cafeteria as place to bunch of unhappy students to gather. And you know who are big fans of making monsters of human bodies and unhappy students. School of Table

[@etinarcadiaego7424]

Leave the Marxist feminism out of it.

[@Yuyuyu-d9o]

The veiled statues were one of the first questions I had! Thank you for covering BB 💉

[@Nemo12417]

I would strongly recommend the work of Last Protagonist. It challenged many assumptions about Bloodborne by looking at more direct translations of lore. For example, the line "evolution without courage will be the ruin of our race" more accurately translates as "this ruinous evolution". The latter has a much grimmer view of "evolving" humanity than the former.

[@mirayoquese8608]

Last Protagonist, Charred Thermos and this Channel have revolutionized Bloodborne's lore. Sophie from JSF and others prepared the grounds, but as time passes there's less room left for speculation and the investigations are so much precise. It's cool because it's a direct parallel to BB's theme of the process of exploration of the unknown, gaining insight and even becoming obsesed with it. Greatest lore of any game ever.

[@yurinoworry]

@@mirayoquese8608Charred Thermos did the Hidden Story of Bloodborne (can’t recall the exact name, oops) about Edinborough, right? If that’s what I’m thinking of, that series absolutely blew my mind.

[@mirayoquese8608]

@@yurinoworry yes.

[@corruptedmilk2481]

I imagine the reason Yharnham is pregnant in the chalices is because she's carrying the corpse of Mergo, which you obtain as a boss drop. This would further imply that the blood on her dress etc. is a result of suicide (and effectively miscarrying). The Yharnham you encounter in the dungeon seems to be both the physical bodies, with Mergo 's consciousness trapped in the nightmare and Yharnham projecting herself there.

[@JanuarySnowstorm]

I have always wondered about the damn hunched statues everywhere. No other lore hunters seemed to care about them.

[@caiobarbosa7680]

Hey TA great video as always!! However I wanted to point a few things that I think might have been misinterpreted: I think the idea that Queen Yarnham was pregnant during a single night is wrong for three main reasons: first when we encounter her in the boss room she is dressed as a bride, meaning that a signifcant time had passed between her first encounter with the moon and the conceiving of the child and our encounter with her in the boss room because preparations for the wedding had been clearly made; second, we can inform that her pregnancy lasted more than one night by comparing her pregnancy with that of Arianna, because in the boss fight she has a baby bump whereas Arianna does not have one during her pregnancy and we do know that it was HER pregnancy the one to last only one night - a few hours actually; and third, assuming that the Headless Bloodletting Beast is Laurence, then it means that Queen Yharnam only lost Mergo after Laurence had gone into the labyrinth, as we only enconter her after fighting him, implying a much recent occurance. Second idea that I think might be wrong is the idea that the man in the La Pieta statues is actually Mergo, given that Mergo died when he was still a baby and went on to the Nightmare of Mensis (which actually has Loran Style structures, not Yharnam's) so it would be strange for the religion that developed after Queen Yharnam depict her divine child as a grown man. I undertand that it could be explained as merely artistic freedom, but it would still be inconsistent. (Jesus was depicted in both baby and adult form in many iconographies, but every La Pieta depicts him in Adult form) And lastly although I agree with you that Mary was only seen as a Queen much later down the centuries, the idea that she was an unwilling bearer for baby Jesus is not found anywhere - as far as the Bible is goes. Actually when the angel showed up to her house, she actually fell down to her knee and said "Here is your slave girl" meaning that she was willing to obey the angel in whatever instruction he would go on to give her. Also her reaction to the angel is not different from other Bible characters, both male and female (see Gen. 18:1, 2 ---- Judg. 13: 8-11, 19, 20 ----- Act. 9: 3-5) Anyway, I'm looking foward for the next episodes, specially for your take on the role of the Wet Nurse and the significance of the statue found in the Abandoned Old Workshop that is also present in ALL LABYRINTHS not only the ones below Yharnam!! If you want to reach out I have some compelling theories that I'm willing to share. Great video!

[@tarnishedarchaeologist]

Interesting comments. One small note: we did not mean to suggest that Mergo is the JC figure in the Hemwick Pieta. It's not actually Queen Yharnam, but one of many such figures throughout this world's history.

[@shira_yone]

TA is not saying that the statue figure is actually Queen Yharnam, TA is saying Yharnam was just one queen from a long generation of queens who rejected the cycle that started with the statue figure lady. We can then proceed to assume that because it's a long tradition to expect the wedding (and thus, birth of a new great one), everyone has made preparation long before the night of wedlock itself; hence there's nothing to disprove that the time to conceive to childbirth may indeed only take one night. I think Yharnam might even be the first to ever attempt to break the cycle, the event was so impactful that the whole city is still named after her. Arianna is our *only* confirmable and verifiable source for this process, while it's good to be cautious and not assume every other great one birth is the same, it's also wise not to haphazardly disregard it entirely. And there's not many evidence against it, with some minor supporting evidence such as Fake Iosefka conceiving and having a cord just as quickly.

[@computerpwner]

Great to see modern Bloodborne analysis that brings new life to the lore. Personally I really enjoyed the new perspective on the lore that came from Charred Thermos' series on Bloodborne as a metaphor for Victorian era medical practice and research. Very excited to see what insights you might bring from that lens as well as other real world analogs/inspirations.

[@Avenray19]

The Charred Thermos videos were an absolute treat.

[@ferland2501]

I enjoyed the Elden Ring episodes, but now you're on my favorite FromSoft game (maybe favorite at all) i will enjoy this Thx so much for the great work you put in

[@ghostoflazlo]

I'm here with you! Beyond excited for some fresh bb lore

[@GEONEgaming]

I feel as though the funeral scene takes place after the pieta scene and is depicting the moon presence appearing to the mother after the passing of her child. It just makes sense chronologically that a funeral occurs after a death, not before a birth. Why else would there be such a large gathering at the funeral if not for the death of a miraculous child.

[@ThoughtCemetery]

I love the FromSoft community. This game is 8 years old and still people contemplate the symbolism of aspects in the game. I just discovered your channel, fantastic work. I'll make sure to watch your videos on Elden Ring, I can't wait for part 2!

[@cfriesen222]

As a Christian, I appreciate your coverage of Bloodborne's lore from a religio-historical/art-historical lens! You've made a subscriber out of me! I love it when any story or medium takes my religion seriously (I consider criticism to take religion seriously as well). I look forward to more content and am interested in what ways you make more connections. However, I think I can offer some pushback on your interpretation of Mary's frame of mind during the Annunciation, and how her status in the church has been received. 1. You suggest that Mary, as a young teenage girl, was scared, and implied that she was very likely the unwitting "volunteer" of divine conception. At the least, you seem to frame the Annunciation as a moment of vulnerability for Mary where God seemingly took advantage of a poor, scared girl who would be way in over her head to assent to the birth of a divine child. And while this is a valid interpretation (and indeed, Luke's account of the Annunciation in 1:26-38 does say that she was concerned at the nature of the message from Gabriel), there is a strong interpretive tradition that places Mary as having consented to this announcement bravely. As it says in v. 38, "Then Mary said, 'Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.' And the angel departed from her." This opens the possibility that Mary could have said, no. And if that is the case, then this only strengthens her commitment, faith, and courage. She knew the risks that being pregnant out of wedlock would have meant for her as a Jewish girl in 1st century Judea. 2. The tradition of Mary as the Queen of Heaven is more complex than simply a posthumous title ascribed by a later church. Mary's exalted status is quite old in the church and dates to some of the earliest Christian writings (even if her veneration isn't explicitly outlined in the NT). However, the Magnificat in Luke 1:46-55 is understood by many Christians as Mary's self declaration of God's exultation for her. In other words, she knew that something was different about her, and she boldly identified with the blessing God had bestowed upon her and how it would impact the whole world. Finally, aside from specific Catholic/Anglican/Eastern Orthodox doctrine on Mary's status, there is a basis from the Hebrew Bible, in that the King's of Israel often had a woman in their court who sat at their right hand. This was often the King's mother, and this, she was considered to be the "Queen Mother." While people might disagree with who Christ is, Christians certainly proclaim him to be the descendant of David, and the King of Kings. This would naturally make Mary the Queen Mother. There are most likely rebuttals to these, but I wanted to point out that there is a bit more interpretive complexity around Mariology, and reasons for those beliefs that are internally consistent.

[@jannafrancis7452]

Thank you, that was very informative!

[@cfriesen222]

@@jannafrancis7452 you're welcome!

[@N8_MODEL_0001]

As much as I like TA he hasn't corrected similar anti-Christian misinformation before (specifically the idea that Jesus never claimed he was God in life, and the claim of divinity only came from his followers) so I doubt he ever will

[@theoverlord3937]

To be fair, it’s not like Bloodborne is 1:1 with Christianity either. As a Catholic myself, I don’t see the harm in him highlighting how certain elements of Bloodborne’s lore may have parallels with less charitable interpretations of Mary’s story.

[@TheSunnyOne]

I only recently managed to actually complete Bloodborne, despite starting it 7 years back. So this couldn't have come at a better time. Your interpretations are fascinating, and I'm super intrigued to see what else you find. Also looking forward to seeing whether you discuss any of the ties with the menstrual cycle and what impact that had on the various beliefs within this world.

[@amandamills5307]

Dude, you have no idea how happy I am you’re covering this game. It was my first souls game ever, and Elden Ring still has a place in my heart, it sits atop the foundation lain solidly by Bloodborne. 🥰 For those who read this comment of mine, one tyvm, also if you love TA right here, then go and also check out Charred Thermos. He’s got a whole series covering the irl inspirations for this game - short preview: it’s not just ole H.P. Lovecraft that’s behind it all.

[@AlexzanderVL2]

That was really good, I can't believe you have fresh ideas on BB's lore afer all these years. Are there any plans to dig up around Lordran?

[@imdefinitelynotjesus]

I 100% agree and concur with this. I also think it’s not the only way to birth as the secret ending in bloodborne also shows. Not to mention the work done to create the Celestial Minions as well although they are more then likely not great old ones.

[@erikarcher1869]

This "game" is easily in my top 3 of all time, and having channels like this shed new light on underlying themes, and the overall narrative of it is just fantastic! Great video! Can't wait for Pt. 2!

[@misterG2006]

On the surface Bloodborne is an action RPG and it can be played without much thought of the story or the lore. But dig just a little bit deeper and there's so much there. The history and lore are so deep, but it's never spoon fed to the player. For example, you enter the Altair of Despair and there's a boss. What's it doing there? What's it waiting for? Most games would never provide any sort of explanation it was added for the sake of it, but Bloodborne does give clues if you're willing to search for them. Great video! I'll be watching the whole series. Thanks :)

[@passionevera679]

Bloodborne is a game that keeps on giving and our TA did it again ❤

[@beansnrice321]

Gah, this channel makes me so happy! The only thing I woudl caution about is that Miyazaki makes countless references to the Berserk manga and Im almost certain that the people in the walls of Yahar' Gul, are a reference to the blood flow of the dead from Berserk. These were pools of fresh blood posessed by the spirits that hunted the main character, Guts.

[@satyasyasatyasya5746]

I'm pretty taken by the series about the Scottish Medicine that inspired Bloodborne, and I think the game is largely about knowledge, frontiers of understanding, fear of acquiring and being aware of that knowledge, the paradoxical and very evident brutality/beastliness inherent to the methods used in the pursuit of cold reason (in medicine). It also speaks to a lot of feminine themes, childbirth, mensturation, child loss, sterility, bloodlines and notions of purity, love in twisted forms. How these are married is quite fascinating, and I think its not an accident since women have a special and unique insight into certain bodily realities and the horrors of those biological miracles. As for the religion and aliens in the game, I think they're more tools to tell the story and speak to the aforementioned themes. Indeed, we have dogma and mistreatment of people by religious institutions but the game doesn't seem too invested in making such a critique. The aliens... probably represent "known unknows" in a secular, scientific sense and being overwhelmed somewhat by how much we know we don't know.

[@rainbowkrampus]

It's a good series but I hate his conclusions. The things he talks about are the inspirations, not the game itself. He really undervalues the idea of taking the art at face value and ends up treating it like it's a puzzle to be solved. It's a very myopic approach to art criticism. Contrast that with TA's approach which recognizes the real world inspirations but doesn't try to impose those inspirations on the game. He still lets the game present itself as itself. The real world inspirations are a tool for understanding that world, not replacing it.

[@satyasyasatyasya5746]

@@rainbowkrampus hmm, I don't know. Its a little of both. What is used as inspiration is used rather tautalogically, because it represents or enforces the intended meaning and thus the product itself is - if you'll pardon the pun - pregnant with that meaning. It would be like having say, a statue in a game "inspired" by the statue of liberty but the games themes and narrative and such are actually about lettuce or blinking or something. It would just be odd to have even bothered, ya know? And they'd know what the player would lilkely think and feel and assume the game is getting at by the statue being there in the first place. To fully understand BB, I think we need to discover what inspired it, how its used, then what the game itself does and how, with reference to the aforementioned source material but also the final transformative product with its own unique additions.

[@rainbowkrampus]

@@satyasyasatyasya5746 I mean, not for nothing but this is exactly what I was saying that guy wasn't doing. I completely agree with your last paragraph. My problem with his approach was that he was so focused on "solving the puzzle" that he runs right over all of the things that don't actually fit his narrative. He wants to shove everything into this "history of medicine" framework and fails to let the thing speak for itself.

[@satyasyasatyasya5746]

@@rainbowkrampus I don't recall him saying the medicine thing is the ONLY 'meaning' of BB but yeh, any meaning would be kinda, multilayered and a couple things at once, right? He was however, the only one I've seen to mention and explore the medicine angle and I did learn loads. The same with some videos I watched about ER alchemy/color theory. Theres always lots to unpack lol

[@alyseleem2692]

The problem with such a conclusion is that multiple things do not manage to fit. Great Ones. Isz. Fire magic. Fire beasts. The Keepers. The Watchdogs. The Suspicious Beggar. The Pthumerians. Cainhurst. The Witches Of Hemwick. The ghosts. I could go on. The medical metaphor works as far as a good percentage of the game's aesthetics, but that's just it. Using it to explain everything does not explain most of the actual lore, and gives only tenous metaphors instead of answers ( do you genuinely think experiments with corpses and electricity are enough to explain Darkbeasts? Even though they're skeletons with not muscles or organs? Even though they apparently belong in an ancient civilisation and are named Loran Darkbeasts? What about the Beggar? He's an Abhorrent Beast, but can turn human. Give me a medical explanation. )

[@siddhantshrivastav]

What a chad. Comes years after everyone is done making Bloodborne lore videos and in his very first take exceeds every other lore-tuber. You're just on another level.

[@samueltitone5683]

Always wondered who the gods that Master Willem mentioned were when he tells Laurence “By the gods! Fear it!” The Great Ones? Something else?

[@HannibroLecter]

Just a little further evidence for your "females in the game smell the moon presence on the hunter's" theory: Gascoigne's daughter also smells it on you when you first meet her. She says "Who… are you? I don’t know your voice, but I know that smell… Are you a hunter?" This video is fascinating! Thanks for all your hard work!

[@erdngtn9942]

The impact of this game…wow. It still has new videos, undiscovered secrets, and entire channels still being created to praise and investigate it. Just…wow. So good. Played first time yesterday…for 16 hours. Ending with headache, late for work, and SO MANY QUESTIONS

[@1337Figaro]

You are one of the most amazing Fromsoftware content creators on KZbin and I've followed you for quite some time and you've doubled in subs since I started following you. I was so happy when I saw Zullie the Witch mentioning you in one of her videos. Zullie and Vaati are some of the giants of this community and having one of them referencing you must feel like such an achievement! I hope Vaati will give you a shoutout eventually because you really deserve it. Just keep doing what you're doing, you've already managed to grow a strong and loving following who are just flabbergasted by the amazing work you are putting out for the lore community! The work you and other content creators puts out have increased my appreciation and love for these games so, so much more than just playing them did. You also don't just show us in-game lore but also real world history! The ball is set in motion so just keep up the amazing work man, you should be very proud

[@drowzyelves]

These are absurdly small details that are next to never equivocally utilized in other settings. I can’t wrap my head around how intricately carved out this world is. This is genuinely art.

[@georgedornescreams]

I am so happy that you are covering Bloodborne now too! Thank ye Kindly Tarnished Warrior Spurned by the Grace of All that is Golden...

[@mylesc2902]

Bro deserves so many more subs . Fine work as always

[@juusokallio-sz9bw]

This is the best FromSoft lore channel out there in my opinion. Your work just shows how much there still is to uncover from these games, even after so many years. It's baffling to see that the lore community has only scrathed the surface about the lore. Watching your videos is very educational as well as being entertaining. It's like coming to history class. Haha😄 Bloodborne and Elden Ring are my favorite FromSoft games, and I'm so glad that you are covering the both! Elden Ring is still my favorite however (if just by little) and I really hope that you will continue creating content from Elden Ring as well. I feel that there is still a lot to uncover there, and with the expansion coming out, there will be even more. Keep up the good work!💪

[@RedMeansRecording]

Vaati real quiet since this channel came out

[@nickperri6571]

I was not expecting a clip from Young Frankenstein to ever show up in one of your videos but it just fit to perfectly despite the tone differences 😆

[@lewisleslie2821]

This channel is quickly becoming my favourite for deep dives into FromSoft games, specifically because you focus on easily overlooked details, such as architecture and iconography, to look into the in-game historical significance of certain characters and events. Bloodborne is also my favourite game of theirs, as it has a more modern feel than the medieval-style Dark Souls series, as well as the cosmic horror aspect. Excellent analysis as always, I await the next instalment with bated breath. Fear the Old Blood!

[@lewisleslie2821]

Another note about Bloodborne that only recently occurred to me, despite being obvious in hindsight: the many inspirations taken from the Black Plague. Of course there is the Beak Mask of Eileen, clearly modelled after Plague Doctors, and the evident plague of beasts upon Yharnam. But more so, the use of incense to ward off beasts, as in the Black Plague it was believed to be spread by “miasma” or foul odours (hence the beak masks filled with herbs and incense), as well as many characters sporting boils and buboes, for example the Witches of Hemwick and the villager Trolls. Furthermore, during the Plague there were so many corpses that the cemeteries literally overflowed (see Hemwick, Cathedral Ward, Forbidden Woods, etc) and the city sewers (of London especially, clearly a source of inspiration for Yharnam) were infested with “plague-ridden rats” (villager quote) as well as wild boars that consumed the ubiquitous unburied dead bodies. I would love to see this expanded upon in future episodes, as I think it offers some insight into the rampant suspicion of outsiders and hopeless worldviews encountered on the Hunt.

[@internetlawl]

These videos are getting astoundingly good. They remind me of the History Channel I grew up with. I’m so thankful to have unfettered access to this kind of content - thank you so much for making it.

[@kameltoh9817]

From Soft: yeah, just paste that shit wherever. This Channel: THE LORE!! THE DEPTH!! THE HISTORY!!

[@sethlowen2303]

I loved your videos on Elden Ring. I’m so glad you’re doing some on Bloodborne. The lore of this game is my favorite.

[@kanjiklubskywalker4951]

Bro your videos are so unappreciated. People don't realise how great it is to have somone with actual knowledge of history and the proccess of archeology take a look at these games

[@MissMisnomer_]

Other lore videos may have translations and dev notes abound, but only Tarnished comes in with that fresh archaeology perspective that never fails to use history and art to reveal details I've never even considered. So excited to watch the rest of this series!

[@Sylentmana]

Anyone else think it’s kind of funny the Ariana carried that heavy ass solid wood chair with her down that ladder into the sewer when she went to bear the alien baby.

[@gipro1]

I’ve watched several lore videos on Bloodborne over the years and I am continually astonished at just how many subtle details have been thoughtfully loaded into this game in every way except for explicit explanations in cutscenes. Has any other game dev ever made a product that can literally be dissected and excavated to this extent? Yet From Software insanely does this with all of their games. Sometimes I wish I could follow the stories a bit more while playing, but the grandeur of their method is truly awe inspiring.

[@rominamagdalenojulius7818]

Oh goodness, I literally checked your channel this morning to see if the Bloodborne series had started! I was off by a few hours, but I couldn't be more excited!

[@vampireguy24]

Years and multiple new games plussed later and I never once truly picked up on all this. You have been truly gifted with eyes on the inside.

[@Widashy]

The wait was absolutely worth it!! Please continue doing the awesome work.

[@tarnishedarchaeologist]

Thanks! Will do!

[@madr0x]

I've been pretty much obsessed with this game since it came out. It's so sick seeing people still making lore videos with actual new ideas. What a fucking game man

[@robTCGZ]

This channel has easily become one of my favourite sources of Lore. First of all, it's a very original concept. Looking more deeply into the archeology and architecture is brilliant. Secondly, the correlations you make to real world history just makes it all better m I learn both about the game and about real world stuff. Finally, the concept behind this channel has only increased my appreciation for Fromsoft's level of care when it comes to designing their games. I can't imagine the amount of research that went into creating this worlds.

[@henrireno8209]

I’m so glad you’re touching on Bloodborne. There are so many parts of bloodborne that feel so much more mysterious and intriguing than other souls games, and I feel like a lot of these deeper details have never been touched upon by other content creators, besides maybe Redgrave. You tend to go farther than many others, and I’m excited to see what you dig up

[@telivan776]

"The moon has a distinct scent" Are you saying that perhaps, it could be made of cheese?

[@djbeema]

Really enjoyed this. It always bugged me that despite the plethora of BB lore analysis, pretty much nobody has touched on all the strange statues in any detail. Approaching it from the perspective of real life investigation of ancient historical items is really fun. Hoping at some point you touch on the statues in Upper Cathedral Ward, which unlike all other statues in the game, are covered with actual cloth cloaks and not just stone depictions of cloth. Always stood out to me as odd and perhaps meaningful

[@InsightfulWords]

It is fantastic to have such a fresh, new perspective of analysis for Bloodborne. Thank you very much for your work!

[@sobo089]

Your lore videos really make my mind explode every time. every video i learned something new despite watching A LOT of lore videos and channels. You really stand out!

[@SheolSormani]

So, so, so, so, so so sooo rare to have someone talking about bloodborne with that much cognition and with something that interesting to say. Chapeau, loved this video and can't wait for the next!

[@SheolSormani]

ps the nose of the statues around the "pietà"...doesn't look similar to the hunter rune?

[@Ryxbar]

WOOOOOO I was so excited for this series to start and now WE'RE HERE!!

[@Trippy_Space_Bunny]

Love every single video you put out, they’re fascinating. It makes me wish you did real world history videos in the exact same way. The music you choose is gorgeous.

[@ooccttoo]

That was awesome, fantastic video! The scene in the Church of the Good Chalice especially was such an intriguing scene. I am guilty of sometimes glazing over the archeology of Fromsoft games as just aesthetic, but this video has opened my eyes. One thing I will add is that it is possible that the three scenes you analysed in this video - the Anunciation, the Nativity, the Pietà - aren't neccesarily in order in the game. This might mean that they have a different order than in usual Christian symbolism, but to me I imagined that perhaps they are in a cycle. Since there is no depiction in Yharnam that shows the three scenes as a chronology, it is possible that these scenes are meant to be read in a circular fashion. The mourning widow sees a sign from the heavens and is blessed with child, she gives birth to a special child, then mourns the death of her child, and then while mourning recieves a sign from the heavens, and so on. The presence of a dead or dying man in both the Nativity scene and the Pietà makes me think that maybe they lead into each other as a cycle. Unlike in Christian mythology, the reproduction of Great Ones is not a singular event. Jesus was, obviously, the only son of God. In Yharnam, there are many Great Ones who yearn for a child to call their own. It then perhaps follows that the story of the Madonna is a cycle - such as how reproduction is also a cycle of birth, life, and death.

[@TheDiabloke]

I’ve checked your channel far too many times in anticipation of the next episode… please sir, your content is too good!

[@abigcupofwater]

Never been happier to see a channel switch games

[@tysaylor7079]

Thank you for everything, so glad you can take the time to look at BloodBourne! Thanks again TA

[@allseeingeye7095]

Bloodborne remains my favorite fromsoft game both lorewise and gamplay-wise. So thank you for covering this.

[@OGSadPenguin]

This was such a well narrated video. Great writing, appropriate pacing, interesting subject. I’m so thankful Bloodborne content is still being made to this day. Looking forward to the next episode!

[@brandondoane332]

I've been so excited for this series. I love your channel, and I love Bloodborne.

[@tarnishedarchaeologist]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@lmy2469]

Loving this series so far and can’t wait for you to get into DLC content like the Fishing Hamlet and the Research Hall. I’m also stoked to hear more of your thoughts on Cainhurst and their connections to Pthumerians

[@russiangoose7053]

Please cover more Bloodborne 🙏 I can't get enough of this series I've binged tons of lore vids and yours is the best

[@kearneysmith3614]

As usual, great TA content. But let’s also put some respect on this man’s name for going through the Defiled Chalice in order to get that Queen Yharnam footage. *That’s* dedication to your craft

[@tarnishedarchaeologist]

Tried to do it BL4, too. But no… just no.

[@MrJon1157]

Going through the Defiled Chalice just to get The Great Ihyl Chalice where Queen Yharnam is, took almost as long as my first time playing through the base game. Fuck that place

[@alyseleem2692]

I did it, too. On my first playthrough. It was hell, but when I came out, I was stronger than anything this game could throw at me. I actually regretted it. I was too strong to enjoy fighting Gherman.

[@olfactoryninja]

Bloodborne has been my favorite game since I first played it in 2016, and I'm so happy to see that the community is alive and well. A Hunter is never alone

[@TheErrormonsterify]

I yelped when i saw this stream, this made my evening🎉❤️

[@Chickenchokersupreme]

Same, I audibly gasped

[@ThisHandleIsDefinatelyTaken]

In retrospect after these videos, it seems the hypothesis that the Healing Church appropriated an earlier post-pthumerian religion is blatantly obvious. When playing Bloodborne before, I was confused by how the Church seemed both ancient but also having been founded relative recently only a few generations ago, but I chalked it as messy video game writing.

[@sevanimal8675]

Your work is among the best video essays about art and architecture, unmistakably, thx

[@tarnishedarchaeologist]

Thanks!

[@WeWillAlwaysHaveVALIS]

The "souls" game that I am personally least interested in, however the fact that it's you and your work on the ER lore has been exemplary I am more than happy to soak this in. All the best to you dude, you are hands down the single best Elden Ring lore creator by a significant margin (some of the "theories" that I have been subjected to by other channels have legitimately made me angry. I swear that most of them literally pull an idea out of their arses and just run with it regardless of context and correlation) I couldn't express to you just how much I enjoy your content. Your methodology alone puts you lightyears ahead of the majority of other creators. Wishing you absolutely nothing but the best in life dude.

[@ReneAensland]

This is amazing, I'm barely catching up after weeks of being super busy with work. Thank you for this, thank you, thank you! This game will always have a special place in my heart, I never understood it in full detail but it was the Architectures that just pulled me to the game. Amazing video

[@Daydreamer4789]

Love the creepy ambient music you used... Makes your descriptions and revelations chilling indeed.

[@rainbowkrampus]

It's the BB soundtrack. Check it out, it's fantastic.

[@Watcher40K9]

Excellent video! Bloodbourne has such a density of sculptures and other artwork that it seems like fertile soil for your meticulous detailed analysis. I am truely excited to follow you along this journey! 😁

[@jackhumphries4692]

Twenty seconds in and I've liked the video on the intro already, incredible work as always

[@adrianstruta5565]

Wait, you evidenced something in the video that doesn't seem quite right. You said that the statues we see in the game reflect/borrow the life cycle of Jesus(as seen through the eyes of his mother, Mary). Then you enumerate them: 1. The statue from the church of the Good Chalice is the Annunciation 2. The relief on the Great Bridge is the Nativity 3. The statue from Hemwick is the Pietà, where Mary mourns the death of Jesus. But the first and third statues(church of the good chalice and hemwick) are the same one. There is no annunciation in bloodborne statues because the son character is already dead. Sure, the madonna character from the statue looks up at what could be the moon, but in front of her there is the dead body of the jesus figure. We can't compare that to the annunciation just because she looks up. I don't know, it just feels strained. Constrained to fit in the a theory. Can you maybe expand a bit on this part? More exactly, what is the actual difference between statues 1 and 3, if we're looking at the madonna character and the jesus one? Madonna is looking up in both cases, and jesus is dead(his corpse present) in both cases. They are both Pietas.

[@_DioBrando_]

He theorizes that the nose statues in the Church of the Good Chalice are a link to the moon (with the moon scent being evidence) and that the statue of the Madonna clearly looking up at something suggests that the Moon had revealed itself (perhaps similar to what the player witnesses after beating Rom). With that in mind, statue 3 is clearly a Pieta, I think we can all agree on that. So the distinguishing element of statue 1 is the Moon revealing itself to the Madonna (nose statues being the link that TA is proposing), this reveal of the Moon is the annunciation element that exists in statue 1 but not present in 2 or 3. A body being present in statue 1 doesn't necessarily make it a Pieta, especially since the pose is not evocative of a pieta at all when compared to statue 3. If From wanted to reference the Pieta in statue 1 they would have actually used a more obvious Pieta pose like how they deliberately do in statue 3.

[@rainbowkrampus]

Yeah, you're right... sorta. I wouldn't call it two pieta. The Hemwick statue is obviously close to a pieta where the figure oversees the recently slain figure. The Good Chalice depiction is much closer to the entombment scene where Jesus' body is supposed to have been ministered to by the women. It appears to be kind of conflation of the entombment and resurrection scenes. Perhaps indicating that the body is there but the spirit is not and this is what they're staring up at? I dunno. Good catch though.

[@ScorpionJC7]

I would often find myself enamored with the architecture, landmarks and vistas within Bloodborne. A profound sense of unknowable history filled me, but I lacked the insight to grasp what was truly being conveyed. Thank you for granting us eyes; to see beyond the outer visages of these stone motifs.

[@hyliadreamer]

The figure on the far left of Gilbert's lintel looks almost like it has its arms bound behind it, with what looks like a hooded being standing behind it; it gives me the impression of an unwilling victim being forced toward a sacrificial altar. I don't know whether or not that's something you've picked up on, but I find it interesting.

[@userb3nje909]

I'm always amazed at what lore hunters find, by gleaning objects in the world, that tell a story which is largely untold. I marvel at how clever they are. But then I realise that the developers, must be even smarter, to intentially leave all these clues to hidden stories, and give those interested, enough to work with to solve it.. Absolute incredible mate. You have earned yourself a subscriber.

[@Someguy-cg1wj]

Thank you algorithm for this bountiful video. I’m so hooked, keep up the amazing research!

[@sockrepairman]

Yeeeees!!! Loved your Elden Ring content but Bloodborne is the most mysterious Souls game and pondering its meaning still keeps me up at night, so it's ripe for some tarnished archaeology. I hope you will give us your analysis of the enigmatic Oedon at some point. Can't wait for the next part!

[@daniell1483]

Really interesting analysis. I never quite realized how much influence From has taken from Christian "mythos" for lack of a better term. The art, the themes, even some scenes from the Bible itself seem to be cast through this Japanese prism, and these games are the resulting refraction. For myself, it is like missing an element that has always been there, but I never realized it for what it was. Very thought provoking, indeed!

[@SinHurr]

Mythos is a perfectly good term. The only difference between "ancient myth" and "modern religion" is the number of living adherents.

[@daniell1483]

@@SinHurr I chose my choice of words to try and avoid being rude to any Christians. It costs nothing to be polite after all.

[@dogthedog1338]

Fantastic video! Truly, your approach to lore is on a whole another level. Thank you for your hard work

[@tarnishedarchaeologist]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@niiiicaxxxtba2735]

never a better time to find this series, happy 9th anniversary bloodborne!