Warning: Spoilers Ahead
As you play throughout Bloodborne, you will come across various side quests and NPCs that add layers of depth to the game’s mysterious storyline. One of these optional digressions from the mainline is making a visit to the Forsaken Castle Cainhurst. If you haven’t been able to reach this portion of the game yet, you might want to check out our guide on How to Gain Entry to Cainhurst.
Once a player gains access to Cainhurst, there is much to explore. Bloodborne’s map is often celebrated for its deep level of interconnection between areas through extensive shortcuts and portals. However, Forsaken Castle Cainhurst seems to be an entity unto itself, separated from the rest of the map by an eerie stagecoach ride from Hemwick Crossing. As such, it has its own unique and interesting history.
At first glance, it is apparent that Castle Cainhurst was once the residence of royal and wealthy noble families. This is confirmed by the Knight’s Garb description which reads, “Attire of the knights of Cainhurst. A regal piece graced by intricate goldwork. The Cainhurst way is a mix of nostalgia and bombast. They take great pride even in the blood-stained corpses of beasts that they leave behind. confident that they will stand as examples of decadent art.”
The mystery is in how Castle Cainhurst became Forsaken Castle Cainhurst. We receive our first clue from the NPC Alfred who mentions that:
“”Once, a scholar betrayed his fellows at Byrgenwerth and brought forbidden blood back with him to Cainhurst Castle. It was there that the first of the inhuman Vilebloods was born. The Vilebloods are fiendish creatures who threaten the purity of the Church’s blood healing. The Ruler of the Vilebloods is still alive today. And so, to honor my master’s wishes, I search. For the path to Cainhurst Castle.”
When Alfred tells the player about Cainhurst, he mentions that the root of the Vilebloods is “forbidden” blood. But why was the blood “forbidden?” From the creation of the Healing Church and the beastly scourge that followed, we know that most blood ministration did not turn people into Vilebloods. Perhaps what was different about the “forbidden” blood was that it was not the blood of the Great Ones, but rather the blood of Queen Yharnam herself.
After exploring Cainhurst, the player will find Martyr Logarius, who has decided it is his sworn mission to slay anyone who attempts to cross his path. Alfred wasn’t kidding. Logarius is still there as an anchor but for what purpose exactly? Only one way to find out. Not to be daunted, the hunter engages, Logarius in combat.
After being slain, Logarius drops the Crown of Illusions, the description of which reads, “”One of the precious secrets of Cainhurst. The old king’s crown is said to reveal illusions, and expose a mirage that hides a secret. And so Logarius donned the crown of his own volition, determined to prevent a single soul from stumbling upon the vile secret. What visions did he see, sitting serenely upon his new throne?”
If the player is brave enough to don the crown, the illusion disperses and the Vileblood Queen’s Chamber becomes apparent. Walking in to the chamber, the player finds that Queen Annalise sits upon her throne alive and well; this is the threat for which Logarius martyred himself to protect the world.
As for whether Queen Annalise’s story continues, it is entirely up to the player. If the player confronts the Queen, she is amused and decides to give you a choice. The player can either join the Queen and become a Vilblood, ignore her entirely, or complete the Alfred NPC Quest Line and have him slaughter her. There’s also the option to have Alfred slaughter her, have the player revive her, and then become a Vileblood. Her fate is in your hands. Though remember, even if you choose to slaughter her flesh, you can never truly kill an undead queen.
The ruler of the inhuman Vilebloods, Queen Annalise, shares an uncanny commonality with Queen Yharnam. They are both immortal. The Yharnam Stone describes, “A sacred heirloom left by Yharnam, Pthumerian Queen.”The Queen lies dead, but her horrific consciousness is only asleep, and it stirs in unsettling motions.”
At the end of the Alfred NPC Quest Line, Alfred tears Queen Annalise’s body to shreds, and yet she does not die. Instead, she drops Queenly Flesh which states, “What remains of Annalise, blood queen of Cainhurst. This pinkish lump of flesh remains warm, as if cursed. All hail the undying queen of blood!” Not only that, but if the player brings the Queenly Flesh to the Altar of Despair in the Upper Cathedral Ward, it will revive the Queen Annalise in her entirety.
This may be a clue to Queen Annalise’s immortality. While not every Vileblood became immortal, perhaps Queen Annalise was able to transcend death through not only using “forbidden” blood, but also through consuming blood dregs; the description of which reads, “They often appear in the blood of echo fiends, that is to say, the blood of hunters. Queen Annalise partakes in these blood dreg offerings, so that she may one day bear the Child of Blood, the next Vileblood heir.”
The Cainhurst Armor reveals that, “This paper-thin silver armor is said to deflect blood of ill-intent, and is what allows the royal guards to capture prey for their beloved Queen, so that one day, she may bear a Child of Blood.” From the description, it becomes apparent that it was Queen Annalise’s intention to bear a Child of Blood, or in other words, a child of the Great Ones. To do this, she created an army of Vilebloods that would hunt and capture the hunters for their empowered blood. By consuming the hunters’ blood dregs, she hoped to gain enough strength to survive birthing a Great One. As one could imagine, this made Queen Annalise a sworn enemy of the Healing Church and its hunters. Alfred tells us:
“In his time, Master Logarius led his executioners into Cainhurst Castle to cleanse it of the Vileblood. But all did not go well and Master Logarius became a blessed anchor, guarding us from evil. …Tragic, tragic time… … that Master Logarius should be abandoned in the accursed domain of the Vilebloods. I must free him, so that he may be properly honored in martyrdom.”
If you’re interested in finding out more about Bloodborne’s lore, check out our article Bloodborne’s Hidden Back Story Finally Explained and feel free to share your own interpretations of the lore in the comments.
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