Observations On Eileen the Crow
Alright, I have had this post in the drafts for…a very long time and after the incessant and now prehistoric prodding of a very persistent mutual (you know who you are), I finally finished this points of interest note-pile on Eileen the Crow. This is just a series of observations on some of the in-game and datamined details on these characters.
I also consider the autumn solstice to be Eileen’s birthday, so happy birthday crow mama!
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Hunter of Hunters
Ok, first off, look at this design for Bloodborne’s beloved poster child and tell me it isn’t hearkening directly to a dashing “Jack the Ripper” vibe? Yeah, they couldn’t skimp out on one of the most popular Gothic Victorian horror references could they? That does make for a good starting point though. Let’s take a look at Eileen’s external design.
From Fextralife:
The plague doctor set is based on the outfit worn by plague doctors during the Black Death, a pandemic that killed millions of people in Europe and the Mediterranean in the 14th century. These doctors were "specialists" in treating the disease. Since it was believed that the disease spread through smells and odours from the corpses of the sick, the doctor's costume featured long beaks holding different substances and powders that gave off scents that protected them from catching the plague while caring for their patients.
The beak is said to be filled with incense, but could it be the bone dust of the lanterns? Or is it a classic herbal mix like the typical plague doctor mask? The answer is found in the original Japanese text of Bloodborne, which claims that it is herbs!
Eileen wears a dark, black-blue trenchcoat with a hood and somewhat of a military aesthetic. Her gloves are called “Manchettes” in English, which are normally worn by fencers.
Eileen wears buttoned up gaiters over her boots, which are usually used for hiking and trekking to prevent rain/mud/snow moisture from ruining the material. Perhaps this is extra defense against the moisture of blood?
The beak-mask is wood-carved, likely crafted by Eileen herself. Perhaps Eileen could whittle?
The plague doctor tribute suggests Eileen may have been a traveling doctor in her earlier days. Perhaps to treat patients inflicted with the beast plague.
Eileen wears a silver bell necklace. May be symbolic, may be a suggestion that crows used bells to signal each other. Bloody Crow has one as well.
Eileen’s hat somewhat resembles the cliche scarecrow cap.
Eileen’s mask has the highest frenzy resistance, but the rest of the garb is surpassed by Djura’s ashen hunter set, whereas Djura’s headpiece is surpassed by Eileen’s. Both Eileen and Djura are notably sane compared to other characters in Yharnam. This is further explained by the fact that they both once were dream hunters! Eileen even remembers the Doll.
Eileen’s set was called the “Set of Brandon” at one point in internal data. “Brandon” means “crow” or “raven” in Welsh.
Eileen’s beak is strapped to her head. She carries water bottles? Blood vials? Medicinal bottles? And a surgerical/first aid kit. Her gloves are bloody and loosely tied on with ropes, adding to the surgeon’s aesthetic.
Eileen’s internal data name for her unused bloody set was “Jack the Ripper,” which gives her a darker edge.
Alright, now let’s look at some interesting characteristics of this crow lady.
• Eileen’s name is Gaelic and can mean “little bird.” Her Gaelic name also implies she is not from Yharnam, where the majority of characters have Czech names. Eileen can also be a form of Helen, which means “light.” Either way, this name stands out.
• Eileen is not the only “Hunter-hunter,” as it is stated that the first of these hunters came before and carried out their work for “generations.”
• Eileen is likely a foreigner from the lands beyond Yharnam, as it states that the crow-hunters were from the “Hinterlands.” See the translations below for the Japanese text!
• Eileen is first found near the sewer entrance in Central Yharnam.
• Eileen dreamt at one point, which we know from her dialogue regarding the question about how we still dream, and the reference to the Doll in her more obscure dialogue.
• Eileen no longer uses blood vials in-game. Even when attacked, she cannot heal. Suggests that her statement about having taken blood in her mangled state may have been a lie to comfort us.
• She uses throwing knives, which were favorite weapons of Henryk. Ironically, she uses them in the battle against Henryk himself. Perhaps she stole some from him, or else they had been friends previously, thus sharing the affinity.
• Seems to know Henryk and Gascoigne well enough to have known that both were struggling even before they actually went mad. Also does not refer to Gascoigne by his formal title of “Father.”
• Gives the “shake of cape” and “approval” gestures to use, as well as the “shh” and “wait” gestures. Eileen seems very expressive.
• Refers to her opponents as her prey, including the Bloody Crow. He is referenced as such in the original Japanese text, rather than “that thing.” (See above).
• Eileen uses the Blades of Mercy, one of the oldest *workshop* weapons. Considering the blades are made from siderite, or a star, literally the metal of a fallen meteor, the blades themselves may be way older, but the transforming version is the workshop’s doing.
• Eileen sometimes uses the Hunter Pistol in combat.
• Eileen denies help from the hunter repeatedly throughout the game, but if we don’t help her, she will go mad.
• Eileen uses poison throwings knives in a manner similar to Henryk, which suggests she collected some from him, perhaps
• Eileen is curiously one of the npcs that can die via the Choir Bell.
• Eileen is draped in crow symbolism that extends beyond the plague doctor and carrion crow themes. She arrives and warns us of danger ahead when Henryk looms, which is a common trait of crow “heralds” in mythology and folklore.
• Eileen’s Mercy blades resemble the Pthumerian elder weapons, which suggests that the Pthumerians MAY have had crow-hunters of their own, carried out a similar ritual, or were the inspirations for the later crow-hunters
• Wet Nurse also has blades similar to the siderite weapons of both Eileen and Gehrman. Wet Nurse is connected to Pthumeru, which further suggests that the star weapons were part of ancient tradition. Could Wet Nurse even have been a type of “crow” hunter once?
Reference photo by @katyahina
• In Soulsborne, blood is often found in Souls, so when Eileen strings up the bodies of fallen hunters for crows to consume and carry away to heaven, it is like she is sending them to a better place. Eileen may have been the main hunter-hunter to embrace the crowfeather symbolism as well.
• And finally, that brings us to Sky Burial, which is what Eileen and the crow-hunters practice. This is a Tibetan practice of leaving corpses to be consumed by birds and thus offered to the sky. This may suggest that Eileen and her fellow hunters were from a place like Tibet or adjacent to it, hence the “foreigner status.” These hunters consider the “bury and burn” funeral methods of Yharnam to be blasphemous.
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And those are just some cool highlights for our favorite crow hunter!! 🖤
[Retranslation document screenshots by LastProtagonist]
