Summary: Imagination is limitless. Dreams and Nightmares are all up to your own interpretation after all- just like how Bloodborne is in general. Also, welcome to Yharnam. You may enter whenever you wish. Leaving however, is another matter.
A/N: Thank you to all who have favourited, followed and/or reviewed the story. Please note that Griffith is selectively mute and potentially unstable so if that's not your thing, turn back now. Summary for the story has also been edited slightly to fit in these themes.
Disclaimer: Bloodborne and The Gamer belongs to its respective creators. All information belongs to their various sources and I lay no claim to them. I do not own anything, apart from my OMC.
He could have sworn he heard a gentle voice-
When he finally came to, the dregs of the nightmare were forgotten, his mind prioritising the current situation on hand first instead of some bad dream. (His name -a choice of your own-)Griffith was greeted with an all too familiar sight that was most definitely not his bedroom when he sat up.
Ping!
New Location discovered: Iosefka's Clinic
I must be hearing things…Apparently, his nightmare was more vivid than he thought, seeing as he had just woken up in a strange location wearing a set of old-fashioned clothes. Looking around, Griffith eyed the grimy surroundings, taking note of the torn floorboards and scattered books. It seems that my consciousness has seen fit to dump me into a rather impressive recreation of Bloodborne. What a messy and filthy place to be in, but then again, it's a new experience…
Dusting himself off, the male turned and stepped down from the surgical table, feeling unusually energised- as though he had woken up from a long nap. Feeling motivated in a 'dream' is an odd thing… Anyways, what happens in the beginning of Bloodborne again? Though Griffith can recall some bits of his life, attempting to recall what led him to this state or his true name draws a blank. He is not surprised, seeing as he had the tendency to forget things easily, apparent amnesia (as that happened to the Player Character in Bloodborne) or not.
Griffith frowns, massaging his temples a faint memory comes to mind; of a hastily signed contract and blood ministration- involving the transfusion of unknown blood. Oh shit. I hope that I won't get HIV due to the shared and rusty equipment. A tiny voice in the back of his head sniggers. Nah, you get infected with a blood-borne disease that turns you into a beast instead.
He facepalmed. How could I forget?
Further exploration doesn't reveal anything of use, as the medical equipment was rusted and the various bottles in the wooden cabinets were of little use. Just like the game, Griffith finds a note resting on a battered chair by the nearby apothecary table. A handwritten scrawl, tasking the male to 'Seek Paleblood to transcend the hunt'- the only guidance he was given in this (un)familiar place.
He spots a full-body mirror nearby, its surface murky and cracked- but it is good enough for his purpose. Griffith decides to take a better look at himself. Running his free hand through his long hair and fringe, he has a feeling that it is a product of this odd dream. The male can barely make out some features, but it was enough to satisfy his curiosity. Long, silvery white hair, mercury silver eyes and a lean, muscular physique was a pleasant surprise for the male. Amusing. My imagination seems to have seen fit to give me the form of my created character in Bloodborne- but now's not the time to be distracted by such things.
Re-reading the note, Griffith huffed quietly. Really, this is the best my imagination can come up with? By following the exact same wording as in game? Ignoring the note, he moves back to the bookshelves, the dim lighting from the lamp in the room making him squint as he leafed through the many books.
Ping!
Hm? Hearing the mechanical sound again, the male halted his attempts to decipher the book in his hands.
A skill has been created through a special act.
Through continuous observation, a skill to find a target's information, 'Observe', has been created.
Griffith nearly dropped the book he was holding in shock. D-did I- Cue some rapid headshaking as the male composed himself. Did I just gain The Gamer ability in this dream? Hmm…can't hurt to test it out… He stared at the book in hand, focusing his thoughts onto it.
[Observe].
In an instant, a blue window appeared in front of him, with a short description of the item in hand.
Ruined Book
A battered old thing, worthless and only fit for fuel.
…Being low-levelled sucks, but at least I managed to confirm my new ability, Griffith reassured himself as he closed the window and tossed the musty book aside, frowning at the accumulated grime on his hands. Urgh. I might be in a dream but still- He flicked the grime from his hands in annoyance. Done. No time like the present to test out my ability. Who knows how long this dream will last? Now then, how I activated my skill was to simply concentrate on the action at hand, so if I apply this theory to this, it should work…
Status.
Right before the male's eyes, a 'character panel'- for the lack of a better phrase- appeared, displaying his current stats.
Name: Griffith
Gender: Male
Level: 10
Blood Echoes: 360
Insight: 0
Vitality: 9 HP: 552/552
Endurance: 14 Stamina: 98/98
Strength: 9
Skill: 13
Bloodtinge: 6
Arcane: 9
This looks like the Troubled Childhood origin. One of the harder classes to use due to the low VIT but having the second highest SKILL stat. The high endurance will give me better stamina for dodging and attacking, so it's more of a risk-and-reward play. Information is still somewhat lacking on my profile, probably due to the low level on my [Observe] skill.
Ping!
Through continuous observation, [Observe] has levelled up by 1!
Interesting. It seems that my ability is more or less the same as the original's. Closing the message window with a quick tap, he hummed contemplatively. Next, Inventory.
In a flash, another screen popped up, showing off his current armour and a slew of empty slots for him to store his items. Out of curiosity, Griffith decided to observe his clothing set for more information.
[Foreign Set]
Worn upon awakening to the nightmare of blood and beasts.
Perhaps its wearer had to stay out of sight, and travel by cover of darkness.
Without memory, who will ever know?
That's nice. But I'm not a total amnesiac you know. Obviously, there was no reply, so Griffith continued checking out his clothing. Sadly, further observation yielded nothing of interest, but Griffith was sure that he did gain more experience for his [Observe] skill. Well, I already do know that this set has the weakest protection out of all the others, so no surprise there. If I keep levelling up [Observe], I'll be able to gain more info, which'll be invaluable for the future.
Ah yes, another thing… The male snapped his fingers as a thought came to mind.
Skills.
Another screen appeared, revealing his current skills.
-[ACTIVE SKILLS]—
[Blood Bullet(Active) LVL MAX]
Allows a hunter to extract quicksilver from their blood to be formed into bullets. This move sacrifices 30% of the user's health to create 5 Quicksilver Bullets.
If your health is below 30%, this move cannot be used.
[Observe(Active) LVL 2 EXP: 29.2%]
Allows the user to obtain information on the selected target. The higher the level, the more information is learned.
-PASSIVE SKILLS—
A Gamer's Mind(Passive): LVL MAX
Allows the user to think things through in a calm and logical manner- thus ensuring a peaceful mind-set.
A Gamer's Body(Passive): LVL MAX
Grants a body that allows one to live through the real world like a game.
Enhanced Body(Passive): LVL MAX
The blood transfusion gives the user superhuman traits- a necessary trait for all Hunters, amongst other things.
Parkour(Passive): LVL 1 EXP: 0.0%
The user is able to navigate fluidly through various environments, making use of their surroundings to get to hard to reach places. Higher levels allow for more dangerous stunts.
+10% SPD
Rally(Passive): LVL 1 EXP: 0.0%
When an enemy's attack hits, you have a chance to regain that health back. Attack the enemy within the time limit to restore a given amount of HP.
I knew it. As expected, having a [Gamer's Mind] is probably why I feel so calm even in my current state and condition, and why I simply feel 'intrigued' and not 'panicked' about waking up in such a creepy place. Even if I am wounded, the pain should be reduced due to a [Gamer's Body]... Also, this dream doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon, so I guess I can just enjoy myself- no matter how fucked up this world is.
He winces at the [Blood Bullet] ability. That… is one skill I'll try using as little as possible.
Griffith continues examining his abilities, turning his attention to his other passive skill, [Enhanced Body]. This explains why the inhabitants of Bloodborne are far tougher than the average person. It seems to be a product of the blood transfusion, requiring sufficient willpower to resist the blood lest the deterioration into beasthood. That's probably why not everyone is suitable to become a hunter in the first place.
But then again it's a little odd that I seem to only have this passive ability from the ministration. I had expected something… more I suppose. Maybe some skills are 'hidden' until certain conditions are fulfilled? I suspect the visceral attacks that are frequently used in Bloodborne may be one. Also, it's good to see that some skills from my life did get passed over into this dream. It would be depressing if I needed to relearn the [Parkour] skill, though all progress did get reset back to LVL 1.
Lastly, I have the [Rally] skill. Everything has been turned into skills or traits as expected- but this one's an interesting case. I had expected it to be at max level already. Does it mean that I can upgrade this skill once it has been maxed out? Hmm, questions, questions… Well, it's about time to get a move on anyways. I need to get some weapons and level up my discovery stat to get more drops. Hopefully my ability will work just like the manga's, otherwise I'm screwed. Dusting his hands off, Griffith then rummaged around in his trouser pockets in search of a hair tie. His long hair would be a detriment to his safety- that, Griffith knew from experience. (If you want to keep long hair, you have to be dedicated to it. Seriously.) He managed to find a single hair band, which was used to tie his hair back in a ponytail.
Griffith thanked the fact that his hair was still at chest length. I doubt I can actually find a proper barber here if my hair gets out of hand… The male tucked his hair back, sweeping his long bangs aside to frame his face before pulling up his hood to obscure his features. It wouldn't do for anyone to recognise him, considering that platinum silver hair would easily draw unwanted attention to him.
Pushing open the closed doors, he winces at the loud creak they produced. The weak flame in the antique light fixture by the doors flickers, sending a pang of nervousness through Griffith. His footsteps are silent as he makes his way down the staircase. He takes every opportunity to observe his surroundings, using the chance to level up his skill more. Of course, he keeps an eye on his stamina bar, making sure that he wouldn't tire himself out at an inopportune moment. One never knew when they might be in a tight spot after all. Not to mention that if everything follows canon, I have to deal with a beast soon.
Soon enough, he reaches the end of the stairs, skipping over the torn floors and rubble that littered the next room. Ignoring the room in general, he moves to the next room and the foreboding sense of unease deepens. Griffith slowed his pace to a crawl, not wanting to alert whatever that was setting off warning bells in his mind.
Ping!
A skill has been created through a special action.
Through the need to mask your presence from others, the skill 'Stealth' has been created.
Griffith hummed in acknowledgment at his new skill, eyes dancing with glee. Another light 'ping' was heard as a blue screen popped up, displaying a new set of words.
Mastery of the skill 'Stealth' increases.
Stealth(Passive): LVL 1 EXP:13.24%
The art of moving unseen and unheard. Being able to move silently is an invaluable skill in hunting. You're 10% harder to detect when sneaking around.
Good enough for me. Lifting a finger, he closed the window and tiptoed quietly on the dirty flooring, taking every chance to level up his new skill for effective usage. Griffith takes in his surroundings, somewhat disgusted by the sorry state of the clinic. Cobwebs and grime cling to medicinal cabinets, while various operating tables and antique I.V stands filled with murky fluid lay in plain sight while junk littered the area. Griffith shudders at the thought of being experimented or touched by such crude tools. Ugh, the medical care in these times really suck. No one seems to understand hygiene these days.
The area began to brighten around the corner, a sign that proved he was reaching the end of the room. I doubt it'll be that easy to leave… True to his suspicion, the silver haired male was faced with a much bigger and furrier problem. Conveniently blocking the entrance was a large wolf-like beast that was busy gorging itself on the remains of some poor sod. Was that the blood minister? Blood pooled around the corpse, staining the ground and the beast's fur a dark red.
A health bar was visible above its head, proof of the Gamer ability at work.
Scourge Beast HP: 146/364
Low growling could be heard from the beast as it ate, unaware of Griffith's presence. Though the stench of blood was heavy in the air, the male felt nothing but a serene calm at the scene before him. My [Gamer's Mind] doing its job then. Taking the chance to assess the other, Griffith observed the beast for more information.
Scourge Beast HP: 146/364
Weaknesses: Fire, Serrated Weaponry
Strength: Poison
Taken and transformed by the plague at a very early stage, these beasts are extremely fast and powerful, capable of closing in on hunters in the blink of an eye.
This enemy is able to easily take me down despite having low health from what I recall, so I'll have to get my first weapons in order to take it down. Killing it now won't provide any better drops anyways. A light wave of his hand dismissed the information and he inched behind to the Scourge Beast, intent on avoiding it.
Hopefully Luck favours me. Approaching from the beast's blind spot, Griffith takes a running head start before leaping over the lycanthrope, landing with a loud thump on the other side. Ah. The Scourge Beast looks up at the disturbance, growling lowly at the silver-haired male. Whoops. It lashes out with a sharp claw before the male could move, sending him crashing into the floor.
-276HP
The sheer shock renders him speechless. What- A fiery, searing agony lances through Griffith's back as he fell, the pain and sensation of warm blood soaking his garb stunning him. This is real. Have I finally lost-No, don't get distracted. The pain is a wakeup call that this was no dream, but -Calm down- he kept his focus on the larger problem at hand.
Ah, I can hear the sound of my HP draining… A groan of pain escapes from his lips, but Griffith clamps a pale hand over his mouth, muffling the sound. No point attracting more attention after all.
The Scourge Beast bares its teeth threateningly, sharp claws drawing bloody lines against the floorboards as Griffith stands shakily and backs away. The pain lessens to a dull throb, though his movements are somewhat uncoordinated from the residual shock. So this is how it feels like to be staggered. Thanking his ability for the quick save internally, he takes a quick peek at his health bar.
The Gamer
Griffith
HP: 276/552
Luckily, the beast was more interested in its meal than Griffith and turned its attention away from him once that the Hunter was a safe distance away. Both knew that Griffith was harmless in his current state, so the Scourge Beast was content to ignore him for its current meal.
Without wasting any time, Griffith dashed up the stairway, ignoring the sounds behind him. Well, it seems that I'm actually in Bloodborne…which sucks for my OCD. With a little luck, things would get better once he got out of- of Isofeka's Clinic. Shoving the doors open with what little strength he had, the silver-haired male fled out into the courtyard.
In his haste, Griffith nearly runs headfirst into a gravestone, swerving at the last moment to avoid a collision. The male halted, causing a fresh jolt of pain to lance through his back, reminding him of the injury caused by the beast not too long ago. Groaning in pain, Griffith reaches back to examine his injury, feeling the neat tears across the fabric. He flinches when he accidentally prodded the torn skin, staining his fingers red.
Ah. While he is no stranger to blood, the thought of getting dirty unnecessarily irritates him. My neurosis demands me to find a nice clean area to get all this shit off me. God damn you for actually dumping me into this place, whatever-being-watching-up-there. May you step on a Lego brick barefooted. There was still the matter of cleaning and repairing his attire though. Can I actually access the Hunter's Dream? If not- He tries to distract himself with something else-like the scenery around him!
Not that it was much better in any way.
Multiple gravestones and battered metal fences were erected around the area- substituting as decoration of sorts. Skeletons of large trees, dead and hollowed of all life stand tall, their twisting branches casting odd shadows while gravestones of various sizes were erected around them. Veiled statues huddled together in small groups, as though praying to some unseen being- bringing the creepy factor of the area up in Griffith's mind.
What kind of clinic has a courtyard with gravestones in it? A little voice sniggers in his mind. One that supports the unethical experiments of others obviously.
He stifles a chuckle at his own morbid joke and plods on to a large gravestone that had a dead body curled against it. A white wisp floated above the corpse, giving it a slight glow- which signified an item drop in Griffith's mind. Shiny equals loot. That's easy enough. Crouching down, the silver-haired male began searching the corpse, unbothered by the fact that he was desecrating the dead. (There was no point holding onto useless moral sensibilities, considering that doing so would only get him killed.)
Obtained Quicksilver Bullets{x10)
Griffith ends up with some quicksilver bullets which he stuffs into his pockets. A pity, I know that this is one of the first drops of the game, but my presence here didn't really change much. It still hurts though. The fact that he had been unwillingly inducted into the Hunt and somehow flung into the world of Bloodborne worsened his mood. Honestly, it made Griffith feel rather stabby. Well, if I can enter the Hunter's Dream, get my weapons, hack up some nutjobs and find more shinies... I'll be a happy man.
The tall gates blocking his way are forced open with a loud creak, causing Griffith to pause and look around warily. Experiencing the sound effects in person makes you wonder how the whole of Yharnam hasn't found me yet with that racket. Seeing that nothing had been attracted to the sound, he proceeds on with his task. He gives a quick onceover behind and spots another smaller set of gates at the other end of the courtyard. No point wasting time with those. I'll be able to get to it later anyways.
As Griffith exited the courtyard into the streets, a notification screen popped up.
Ping!
New Location discovered: Central Yharnam
A new location has been discovered. [Maps] are now accessible in the Inventory.
Silver eyes widen in interest. Maps? That could be useful. He focuses his thoughts once more.
Inventory.
With that, a window pops up, showing off his empty inventory-which becomes not-so-empty once he added in his quicksilver bullets. After that, Griffith selects the [Maps] tab followed by the only available location- [Central Yharnam].
Location: Central Yharnam
An upper-class district located in the centre of the city.
No maps of this area have been discovered yet.
Griffith sighs in disappointment. Tapping the 'x' to close the windows, he takes a moment to assess his surroundings. Gothic-esque, Victorian buildings fill the area, the atmospheric lighting making Griffith take a moment to praise and curse the creator. (Sunset is falling; the burnt orange sky leaden with overcast clouds that threatened to blot out the radiant Sun. Wouldn't that be a-)
The first thing that catches his eye is the large bridge in the distance, where he knows the Cleric Beast resides. An optional Boss, but one that I plan on slaughtering for prac- er, destressing. Trotting down the flight of steps to a dead end, Griffith found another corpse fallen by the rusted fence, clothing worn and useless. Moving closer, the Hunter searched through the man's pockets for anything of value.
Obtained Blood Vial(x4)
He is rewarded with some Blood Vials, which he also keeps in his inventory. I'll get full health once I enter the Hunter's Dream anyways so there's no point using up my Blood Vials till I know better. Not to mention that I have no intention on stabbing myself unnecessarily with sharp, pointy objects. Griffith takes a step back from the corpse, eying the attire and the fabric mask covering the corpse's face. Seems like a dead Yharnamite hunter. No matter. Coiling vines on the rusted fences rustle in the breeze, as if agreeing with him.
Griffith follows the only route available- back up the stairs with a turn to the left, avoiding the rotting carcass of a horse lying by an abandoned carriage. Further down is another carriage that lies forgotten, its metal plating reflecting light from the nearby streetlamp as the street curves to the left yet again. His sharpened senses alert him to the soft scrape of leather shoes against cobblestone, warning the silver-haired male of impending danger.
Slowing his footsteps, Griffith sneaked around the corner, glimpsing a torch and axe wielding Huntsman patrolling the area. His enhanced hearing could pick up the mad ramblings of the infected Yharnamite, further proving to the Hunter that it was lost to the beastly scourge.
Huntsman HP:150/150
Unfortunately, Griffith's [Stealth] was not up to par as the Huntsman was alerted to his presence when he tried to creep by. The crazed Huntsman was an ugly sight to behold; an elongated face with sharpened canine teeth, greasy fur growing on the exposed bits of its body and limbs that were lengthening in a slow degradation into a beast. A lycanthrope, in most cases- as the lore stated.
Inhuman snarls were heard as the savage charged him, swinging the axe in its hand in a downward motion at the long-haired male. Hurriedly, Griffith rolled out of the way, thanking his quick reflexes as he dodged the blow. Stop getting distracted moron! The 'klunk' of the axe embedding into the pavement by the sheer force made Griffith wince reflexively.
He is back on his feet in no time, forgoing stealth for a quick takedown as the Huntsman pauses to catch its breath. Can't run. Should I try a visceral? Oh, fuck it. Darting forward, the Hunter attempts to perform a visceral attack and aimed for the vulnerable back of the Huntsman to stagger it. Obviously, as this is his first attempt at fighting, he misses and merely nicks the other.
-6HP
Huntsman HP:144/150
They circle each other for a moment when a light 'ping' followed by a notification screen appearing nearly makes Griffith lose his concentration.
A skill has been created through a special action.
A skill that uses excessive brutality, 'Interruption' has been created.
The Hell is that?!
[Interruption(Active) LVL 1 EXP: 0.0%]
This skill can be used whenever an enemy is staggered or unaware of the user's presence. Performs a visceral attack with bare hands to deal massive damage to the enemy. Higher levels increase accuracy, among other things. Experience is gained only when a successful attack is performed.
The Hunter's mouth twitched up, the only sign of his joy as the knowledge flowed into his mind. That's more like it. Exhilaration rushes through him as he ducks under the arc of the axe, positioning himself right behind the Huntsman in a fluid movement.
First, charge up a 'heavy' attack to stagger your target.
A harsh blow promptly staggered his foe, causing the Huntsman to stumble back.
Good. Now, get into a good position and backstab the bastard!
With a swift thrust, Griffith plunges his hand into his prey's back- digging deep into the infected flesh gouging to rip and tear through the Huntsman's innards. Or not. The Hunter then twists and yanks his arm out of the other, spraying a fresh coat of blood over his clothes- less bloody than FROM's graphics. I knew that it was impossible to contain ten gallons of that red stuff in one's body!
-275HP
Huntsman HP: 0/150
He watches dispassionately as the Huntsman collapses into a heap, the torch in its clawed hand extinguished and sent clattering across the street, just like the rusted axe. Strange. Is this how learning a new skill feels like? There is some unexplainable knowledge or instinct in my mind that allows me to use this move without any trouble, considering my circumstances. Staring at his right hand, he could have sworn his hand had distorted into claws before returning back to its normal state. (They say that your hand turns beast-like whenever a successful visceral is performed. Shall we prove them right?)
Beasts indeed… Blood coats his front, pooling around his feet, but Griffith feels nothing other than mild disgust at the mess he made. (Dirty. Unclean.) It was like his emotions had been muted- leaving only logic and practicality. For his troubles, the Gamer is rewarded with some Blood Echoes and an item he scavenged off the body.
+58 Blood Echoes
Obtained Blood Vial(x1)
He stores the vial into his inventory as he came to a conclusion. A gamer is never troubled by the mobs they kill, so it's no surprise that this isn't any different. With that, Griffith continued down the street the Huntsman had been patrolling previously before its untimely death. Shortcut ahead. He pulls down a nearby lever with blood-slicked hands and a battered ladder drops down with a loud clang.
I really need to get this off. Preferably soon. Ascending the ladder, Griffith hears a piercing shriek midway that sends an instinctive shiver down his spine at the sheer wrongness of it. I know that's scripted, but it's still gives me goose bumps. Silver eyes glance at the area it came from- none other than the large bridge he spotted earlier. Damned Cleric Beast. Probably jerkin' off on its lonesome all night. Why else would it be screeching? Griffith huffed as his injured back throbbed in pain. …I'd better stop that train of thoughts.
Reaching the top, the Hunter hauls himself up with some difficulty. Looking down from his vantage point, Griffith is able to spot a few more items that he missed, but he decides to pick them up at a later date. To his knowledge, 'set' item drops did not disappear. He jogs past the unlit lantern and over to the locked gate, which he inspects.
Does not open from this side.
If Griffith was in any other game, he would have probably attempted to climb over the gate to unlock it, but alas, that was not how the game was meant to be played. The cloying scent of incense-thick and pungent, crosses his nose and Griffith retraces his steps to the source- a house he just passed by earlier. Annnd our first NPC of the game. Impulsively, he knocked on the window grille and promptly regrets his decision. I don't even like talking. What came over me? Itchy Fingers Syndrome. That sounds 'bout right. A voice answered him, sounding hoarse and tired.
"Oh, you must be a Hunter, and… not one from around here either. I'm Gilbert, a fellow outsider. You must have had a fine time of it. Yharnam has a special way of treating guests."
Griffith snorts silently at that. Talk about the warm reception. At least I didn't get hacked up by the axe maniac- that'd be a downer.
"Well, I don't think I can stand if I wanted to, but I'm willing to help, if there's anything that can be done-" Harsh coughing punctuates his speech, a hint to Gilbert's critically ill situation. "This town is cursed. Whatever your reasons might be you should plan a swift exit. Whatever can be gained from this place, it will do more harm than good..."
After that long speech, Gilbert's voice devolved into winding coughs that stirred up feelings of pity and concern in Griffith. The poor guy, dying of consumption and all alone. Will things be different this time?
Ping!
A new character has been discovered!
NPC: Gilbert
You can now check out your relationship levels in the [Social] tab in your Menu!
Dafuq? Griffith raised an eyebrow in disbelief. I… don't remember this function in Bloodborne. It sounds rather interesting though. Menu. A blue screen appeared- with some new tabs that never existed in-game.
MENU
Social (NEW!)
Settings
Drying blood flaked off his hand as the Hunter began adjusting his settings to his liking. He had no interest in being a fool like others who ignored it and ended up through more hassle. Once in the Settings, he tapped the Updates button.
You have some updates that have yet to be installed along with some DLC.
Would you like to update automatically in the future?
YES NO
Isn't that an obvious choice? A finger prodded the [YES] option and the screen was replaced by another.
Updating will take a moment but gameplay will not be interrupted.
Current Progress: 0%
Returning back to the menu screen, the silver-haired male selects the Social settings. The screen is rather simplistic, only displaying the names of the NPCs and a relationship bar to calculate their friendship. This is rather similar to Stardew Valley's relationship friendship something… Yeah. There are 'points' that symbolise one's friendship level with them. If my memory serves me right, the points will increase or decrease depending on the actions I take. Cultivating many points with an NPC should make said NPC more agreeable and probably has a better chance of providing more information and deals, so I'll strive to do that.
With a new goal in mind, Griffith decides to check out Gilbert's profile.
Name: Gilbert
Nicknames: Poor English Dear, Critically Ill Man
Gender: Male
Type: Human
Relationship Level: 0/100
Notes: An ill man that is an outsider of Yharnam. He seems rather friendly and helpful despite his situation.
Griffith raised an eyebrow upon seeing Gilbert's nicknames. Seriously? It's like the game wants me to take pity on him. Honestly, things don't look too great for 'im… Had anyone else been watching Griffith, they would have seen the foreign male gesturing to thin air like a madman.
But then again, considering that this was Yharnam, such things probably wouldn't seem out of place.
Ping!
Through continuous observation, [Observe] has levelled up by 1!
That was easy. Hm, on the topic of skills-what were the specifics for my new ability again? Eh, let's just take another look then. Skills.
[Interruption(Active) LVL 1 EXP: 16.20%]
This skill can be used whenever an enemy is staggered or unaware of the user's presence. Performs a visceral attack with bare hands to deal massive damage to the enemy. Higher levels increase accuracy, among other things. Experience is gained only when a successful attack is performed.
Eh? Gaining EXP for successful attacks only is rather disappointing, but it's to be expected for such a skill. Closing the screen, Griffith finds himself knocking on the window grille once more. (What are you going to say? You know that things won't change-) Speaking was never his strong suite, something that others often mocked him for. However, pretending that Gilbert was nothing more than a disembodied voice made the conversation more bearable. Licking his lips nervously, Griffith spoke, voice low and hesitant.
"Have you… ever heard of Paleblood?"
"Paleblood, you say?" A pause. "Hmm... Never heard of it."
The tolling of a church bell broke the eerie silence of the place. How coincidental…not. Fuck that atmosphere.
"But if it's blood you're interested in, you should try the Healing Church. The church controls all knowledge on blood ministration, and all varieties of blood. Across the valley to the East of Yharnam lies the town of the Healing Church, known as the Cathedral Ward. And deep within the Cathedral Ward is the old grand cathedral...the birthplace of the Healing Church's special blood, or so they say."
Gilbert's attempt at chuckling turns into a weak cough.
"Yharnamites don't share much with outsiders. Normally, they wouldn't let you near this place, but... The hunt is on tonight. This might be your chance..."
...To steal whatever I want? Sure. The silver-haired male snorted in amusement at the slew of mental images that came to mind at that proclamation. Yeah, I'm going to rob them blind-pun intended. That reminds me of other RPGs where I can loot the house for random stuff. Good days, good days. Griffith droops at that reminder. His only ally is currently hacking his lungs out and 'dying of consumption'- or something along those lines. Not to mention that he was somehow flung into this living dream(nightmare?).
At least I'm not in Dark Souls. Breaking the Cycle is far more troublesome than getting involved in some cosmic horror story. The Hunter is drawn back to the conversation when Gilbert starts speaking again.
"Across the valley to the East of Yharnam, you'll find the Cathedral Ward. Deep within lies the old main cathedral, said to be the source of blood. I haven't heard of Paleblood, but…That's your best bet if its anything to do with unique types of blood…"
With a newfound destination, the Good Hunter decides to stop troubling the poor man and leave him to his devices. The unsettling wheezing follows his departure, unforgettable- even as he was faced with his daunting reality. Griffith gazes out in the direction of the Cathedral Ward, easily visible with its tall spires that swept upwards with height and grandeur.
Though Griffith had a strong distaste towards religion of any sort, he could definitely appreciate the detailed architecture and skill that went into building the labyrinth-like city. It's a pity that I don't have a sketchbook with me, I could always do with some drawings. The Hunter stood by the balustrade, contemplating his next actions as the setting sun cast a red glow upon the world. (A whole 'nother plane of existence, just like-)
I'm not in my …'world' anymore am I? Or dimension, realm- whatever people call it these days. I got my wish then. This is my reality now. He finds himself accepting his fate with ease. There was nothing left for him back there, and no one would miss him so it worked out for the best. The drying blood on his body starts to irritate him after a while, so Griffith decides to enter the Hunter's Dream to get rid of them, mend his torn clothing and heal his wounds. Hopefully this'll work out just like the game. That would be great. Stepping closer to the lamp, he snapped his fingers.
Ping!
Light Lamp?
[YES] NO
Jabbing at the button, Griffith watched in interest as the lamp lit up in a burst of sparks. It was far more fascinating to watch it first-hand alright. Adds an air of mystery to it, like 'How does the lamp light up with-' arcane obviously.
This lamp now transports you back to the Hunter's Dream.
Upon Death, you'll awaken at this lamp.
Closing the screen, Griffith looked down at the base of the lamp to the sight of Messengers surrounding the lit lamp, their bony hands clasped in prayer. They murmured amongst themselves, the pallor of their humanoid forms bleached in the close proximity to the lamp's light. Out of curiosity, the Gamer used his [Observe] skill on them.
Messengers
These small creatures have crept out of a nightmare, and while they may not look too friendly, they accompany hunters, follow their orders, and take care of messages left for others.
They forgot to add that I'll be able to buy stuff from them later on, but no matter. How do I go about this anyway? Hmm…Mimicking the way his character would 'pray' at the lamp, Griffith is rewarded with a twinge of pain down his spine and another window screen appearing- allowing him to enter the Hunter's Dream.
Return to the Hunter's Dream?
YES NO
YES. A gentle, silvery glow surrounds Griffith and he shuts his eyes instinctively, muscles relaxing. (It envelops his body and like an ethereal wisp-) His form dissipates into thin air, leaving no trace of his existence.
End Notes: Griffith doesn't need to speak to use his active abilities. He simply needs to 'think'. After all, what kind of gamer announces their every move to their foes? Not to mention that it goes against his base personality.
Dialogue is taken from canon and most information are gathered 'round the web from the interpretations of others and my own. The Good Hunter's total stats are always shown down below for convenience and stuff. To keep in constant with Bloodborne mechanics, Griffith can only level up with Blood Echoes and not by EXP, though he can still gain free stat points. E.g, constant weight lifting may increase his strength by 1. Also, the higher his mastery for the [Observe] skill, the more information will be added to his character and observations of the world around him.
While Blood Echoes are supposedly the 'lingering memories/dying wishes' of prey he has killed, Griffith does not recall them as his Gamer's Mind blocks the memories out since they are considered a 'unwanted' side-effect of consuming echoes. After all, such things would only be detrimental to his continued survival, which is why the Gamer's Mind negates most of it. His forgetfulness also ensures that he can't remember much even if he wants to.
I do have my own headcanon for Griffith's looks- which is basically a male!Maria but with silver hair and eyes. Here's an example if you all are ever curious. Remove the spacing. ( post/140557114014/night-does-away-with-colors-it-lets-blaze-the) This picture does not belong to me and I lay no claim to it.
Fun Fact: For those that do not know- the PC hunter is supposed to die to the Scourge Beast near the mouth of the clinic in canon gameplay. This is why if you were to evade the beast and use Gilbert's lamp to enter the Hunter's Dream, the cutscene still plays out as though you're 'dead' and awaking…
PM me if I have missed anything out or if things don't tally.
Reviews and constructive criticism are appreciated! Flames will be used to ward off the beasts.
CHARACTER
Name: Griffith
Gender: Male
Level: 10
Blood Echoes: 418
Insight: 0
Vitality: 9 HP: 552/552
Endurance: 14 Stamina: 98/98
Strength: 9
Skill: 13
Bloodtinge: 6
Arcane: 9 Discovery: 103
:Origin:
Troubled Childhood
Suffered misfortune in youth. Highly resilient as a result.
:Speciality:
Gamer
Affiliations: Gilbert(Acquaintance)
Badges: None
Titles: None
-[ACTIVE SKILLS]—
[Blood Bullet(Active) LVL MAX]
Allows a hunter to extract quicksilver from their blood to be formed into bullets. This move sacrifices 30% of the user's health to create 5 Quicksilver Bullets.
If your health is below 30%, this move cannot be used.
[Interruption(Active) LVL 1 EXP: 16.20%]
This skill can be used whenever an enemy is staggered or unaware of the user's presence. Performs a visceral attack with bare hands to deal massive damage to the enemy. Higher levels increase accuracy, among other things. Experience is gained only when a successful attack is performed.
[Observe(Active) LVL 3 EXP: 0.06%]
Allows the user to obtain information on the selected target. The higher the level, the more information is learned.
-PASSIVE SKILLS—
A Gamer's Mind(Passive): LVL MAX
Allows the user to think things through in a calm and logical manner- thus ensuring a peaceful mind-set.
Effects: Your mind is peaceful at all times.
Effects: You are resistant against mind-altering effects
A Gamer's Body(Passive): LVL MAX
Grants a body that allows one to live through the real world like a game.
Enhanced Body(Passive): LVL MAX
The blood transfusion gives the user superhuman traits- a necessary trait for all Hunters, amongst other things.
Parkour(Passive): LVL 1 EXP: 5.01%
The user is able to navigate fluidly through various environments, making use of their surroundings to get to hard to reach places. Higher levels allow for more dangerous stunts.
+10% SPD
Rally(Passive): LVL 1 EXP: 0.0%
When an enemy's attack hits, you have a chance to regain that health back. Attack the enemy within the time limit to restore a given amount of HP.
Stealth(Passive): LVL 1 EXP:13.24%
The art of moving unseen and unheard. Being able to move silently is an invaluable skill in hunting. You're 10% harder to detect when sneaking around.
INVENTORY
CLOTHING
*Foreign Set (x1)
Worn upon awakening to the nightmare of blood and beasts. Perhaps its wearer had to stay out of sight, and travel by cover of darkness.
Without memory, who will ever know?
CONSUMABLES
Quicksilver Bullets(x10)
Special bullets used with hunter firearms. Ordinary bullets have no effect on beasts, and so Quicksilver Bullets, fused with the wielder's own blood, must be employed.
Blood Vial(x5)
Special blood used in ministration, Restores HP.