"It suits ye," you tell her. "Now that ye've got it, keep hold of it. Tha's one thing no one can ever take from ye." You stretch your arms and tentatively get to your feet, ensuring that your legs are steady before committing your weight to them. They're still sore, but it's more of a "yesterday was leg day" kind of sore than the "I'm regretting that experimental femur removal treatment" kind from when you first awoke.
She gives you a determined nod. "I will, Hunter Anderson."
"Is Gehrman around? Found a little trinket I think he'd be interested in."
"He is in the garden, behind the Workshop."
"Thank ye, Hope."
She giggles at your usage of her new name and you wave to her as you ascend towards the Dream's sole structure. After exiting through the farther of the two doors, you traverse a narrow path that eventually opens up into a clearing ringed by lovely white flowers. Gehrman is sitting beside a sizable stump, inside which a group of Messengers appear to be having the time of their lives.
"They love hats. Damnedest thing," he says as you approach. "Well, they like clothes in general, but give them something they can put on their heads and they'll be beside themselves." He points to one of the little buggers that's happily bobbing up and down while wearing an upturned vase.
Hats are pretty awesome, you have to admit. Given the Pope's attire, you're pretty sure that's the Catholic Church's official stance on the subject.
Gehrman turns to face you, interlacing his fingers and resting them on his lap. "So, what can I do for you, Father?"
"I was told ye might know what this is," you say as you pull out the strange tool you found below Oedon Chapel. His face lights up at the sight of it and he eagerly gestures for you to hand it over.
"Oh, I thought I'd lost this forever. This, my good man, is a blood gem tool. Do you still have that blade?"
"I kinda lost it, actually. Had a bit of a scuffle and-"
You're interrupted by a tugging on your pants. When you look down, the offending group of Messengers offers you the blade, unmarred and clean as can be. You pick it up, thank them, and stick out a fist towards them as they re-enter the earth. A small fist rises to meet yours before disappearing.
"Helpful little shits, aren't they?" you say.
"You don't know the half of it. May I?"
You hand over the blade and he turns it over in his hand, popping out the smaller sword. He holds it out towards you and points out a set of indentations just above the crossguard. Two are shaped like stars, the third like a crescent moon.
"Weapons like these have imprints for 'blood gems,' arcane, well, gems that add certain properties. Certain gems can empower a blade with fire, or others can turn any cut into a toxic mess. Very useful when dealing with more...obstinate opposition."
That sounds more than a little paganish, but he seems so enthusiastic about his craft that you don't have the heart to point it out. You do have the heart to bring up another thing that's been bugging you, though.
"So ye've got blood gems, blood stones, blood echoes, and blood ministration. I'm sensin' a pattern here."
"It is a bit morbid, isn't it?"
He begins wheeling himself towards the workshop and waves for you to follow. You bid the frolicking Messengers goodbye and follow him in. He wastes no time in installing the thing above a workbench and admiring his handiwork.
"It's good to have it back. A Hunter wanted to borrow it to see if he could replicate the design in the waking world. Never heard from him again."
"Speakin' o' the wakin' world," you say, "I just killed a giant spider thing the size of a buildin' that prattled on about bein' a god. Any idea what that could've been?"
"Sounds like a Great One," he replies after a moment's thought. "Nasty things. Intelligent, powerful, and vicious. I have no knowledge of where they come from, only that they are a threat. They're not to be trusted; just their presence is enough to drive men mad. Should you find others, dispose of them as you did this one."
"Oh, trust me," you say, remembering Lumnia's sermon, "I'll dispose of 'em, alright. Buncha haughty vermin haven't got a prayer against the might o' the LORD."
Unfortunately, the pun appears lost on him.
"As I said, I know little of them. You'll find what answers there are in Byrgenwerth, I expect."
Now you have TWO submissions to the Byrgenwerth Complaints Department. Hopefully their customer service is up to snuff; you'd hate to have to make a scene.
"Would you happen ta have anythin' else that could help with pest control? All that stuff about blood gems and blood echoes sounds a wee bit heathenish for my tastes."
"I'm afraid most Hunters don't have the luxury of being picky, Father Anderson. If you need something bigger, there was a man here once who said he'd built some marvelous guns. He even said he was working on making a handheld cannon."
That rings a bell.
"Was his name Djura, perchance?"
"It was, indeed. How did you know?"
"Hunter by the name o' Eileen told me about him. Told me ta ask ye about the blood gem tool, too."
"Eileen? Bit of a bird motif, good with knives?"
"Aye, that's the one."
"She used to be a regular here, if I recall correctly. A Hunter of Hunters, putting down those who had lost themselves. Not a job for the faint of heart. Have you allied with her?"
"We've got somethin' of a partnership, yes."
"You're in good hands, then. There aren't many who could reach her age in this profession."
He turns his chair back towards the workbench, making minor adjustments to the new addition.
"Is there anything else I can help you with?"
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