The Plain Doll (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
joylesslove) wrote2015-06-04 03:34 am
joylesslove) wrote2015-06-04 03:34 am
Entry tags:
Ryslig App
OOC INFORMATION
Name: McGwiggles
Contact:![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
McGwiggles, my AIM username is also mcgwiggles, or you can just DM this account.
Other Characters: Vengarl of Forossa, Rin Tezuka
CHARACTER INFORMATION
Character Name: The Plain Doll
Age: Unknown. Probably somewhere between 20-40 years old, depending on when the Hunter's Dream started. Fromsoft is bad about giving exact dates.
Canon: Bloodborne
Canon Point: Shortly after the Hunter defeats Rom the Vacuous Spider.
Character Information: The Doll's Wiki Page
If you need some background on Bloodborne's story (although not about The Doll specifically) this video is an excellent resource.
The wiki page is pretty sparse, though, so allow me to give you some background:
The Doll is something of an enigma. Before she existed in the Hunter's Dream – before she was an entity capable of thought and feelings – she existed in the old abandonned workshop, as an inanimate, non-sentient doll. When the Hunter's Dream was created, it was made into a replica of that old abandoned workshop, and a replica of that same doll was created along with it.
Although the Plain Doll is not actually the same exact doll that might find in the abandoned workshop – and thus has no direct recollection of its existence – it's undeniable that she has a strong bond to the inanimate, “real” version of herself. She knows, almost instinctively, that she was created by humans, for example. When the player character brings her the small, ornate comb from the old abandoned workshop, she says that she can't remember anything about it, but it still fills her heart with joy – a feeling she has never felt before.
The Doll's role in the Hunter's dream was a simple one: To watch over, and care for the Hunters she encounters. There is another agenda at play in that place, a far more sinister, manipulative one. Gehrman (the only other permanent resident of the dream) is not bound to the Hunter's Dream by choice. Rather, he has been bound and imprisoned by the Moon Presence – a Great One of immense power, using him (and the concept of the Hunt) for its own personal gain.
The Doll does not know what the Moon Presence has planned, nor does she seem to care. Such things are completely out of her control, and she already knows what her purpose in things is. And so, when Hunters come into the Dream, she does not trouble them with talk of such things. She allows them to go on believing that the Hunt is all about killing the beasts that stalk Yharnam, and she uses the blood echoes of their foes to strengthen them when they ask her to.
Her life falls into a pattern - a Hunter arrives within the dream, she shows them kindness and strengthens them the only way she knows how, until they eventually go mad from the scourge (as was the case with Father Gascoigne and Henryk) or they find a way to break away from the dream by choice (as was the case with Eileen and Djura). Regardless of how their stories end, though, the Doll cares for them in her own way until they cease dreaming.
The latest Hunter in this cycle is a special one, although the Doll does not yet know it. She has helped them as they traverse Yharnam for the first time, strengthening them and encouraging them as the fought a great many powerful beasts and search for answers that no one seems to hold.
At the point the Doll is brought into Ryslig, the Hunter has slain their first Great One: Rom, the Vacuous Spider – the first of many great accomplishments.
Personality:
The Doll's personality, first and foremost, revolves around a deep-seated love and devotion for humans. Specifically, a love for the humans in which she has been able to come in contact with – namely, the Hunters. The very first thing she says in the game, is as follows:
“Hello, good hunter. I am a doll, here in this dream to look after you. Honorable hunter, pursue the echoes of blood, and I will channel them into your strength. You will hunt beasts... and I will be here for you, to embolden your sickly spirit."
In this statement, she explicitly claims that her purpose in the Hunter's Dream is to look after the player character. This role, while important, doesn't appear to be exclusive to the player character, however, as she later says: “Over time, countless hunters have visited this dream.” And because she saw and interacted with them, it can be easily extrapolated that she served a similar role to the hunters she has met in the past.
Her entire existence seems to be to look after the hunters, and embolden them through the use of blood echoes. Even Gehrman seems to view her as a tool for hunters to use when he says, “We don't have as many tools as we once did, but... You're welcome to use whatever you find,” before adding in a whisper: “...Even the doll, should it please you."
This singular purpose is no doubt the reasoning behind her devotion to the player character throughout the game. She was made (or, at the very least, brought to life) with a purpose in mind, and she is simply fulfilling that purpose. But the way she treats the player character goes beyond just devotion. After the player character slays Vicar Amelia, the Doll says this:
“Hunters have told me about the church. About the gods, and their love. But... do the gods love their creations? I am a doll, created by you humans. Would you ever think to love me? Of course... I do love you. Isn't that how you've made me?"
This quote is extremely important, and it brings up three important points: The first, and most obvious, is that she outright expresses her love for humans – because the player character wasn't actually the Doll's creator, it can be assumed that 'you' is referring to humans, although the player character is certainly included in that group.
This is a bit of an oddity, because throughout the game, the Doll shows no sadness or remorse for the citizens of Yharnam – neither for the average people who are becoming horrible beasts, nor for the still-human members of the Healing Church who are cut down by the hunters. No, she only shows concern for Hunters, which are the only humans she has ever met. This shows that the Doll's love is not all-encompassing and does not operate on a grand scale. Instead, she bonds and connects emotionally to the humans she meets. (This aspect of her personality will be important later.)
The second point that the quote brings up is that the Doll is aware of the possibility that her love is unrequited. In fact, she seems to doubt that the Hunter she is speaking to would ever even think of loving her back. This does not deter her affection at all, however, as she soon follows it up with, “Of course... I do love you.”
In this, the depth of her devotion to the hunters shines through; she doesn't ask or even seem to want anything in exchange for her love. Another example of this is that if the player character chooses to attack the Doll, she will not fight back. Instead, upon leaving the dream and coming back, the Doll will be alive once more. When talked to, she bears no ill-will upon the player character for their actions against her, and offers the same services and kind words as she had before the assault.
The third point that is brought up is in the quotes, “Isn't that how you've made me.” The Doll seems to be aware of the possibility that her feelings in this matter are artificial. She does not love humans because of the kindness they have shown her, but rather she loves them because she was made to love them.
Her tone is not harsh, and the Doll doesn't seem to resent or be upset by this fact, however. It just seems to be a fact about herself that she is aware of, and I find that sort of interesting.
Also, there's a certain... passive amorality about the Doll that is immensely important to her character. Her priorities are clear: She ants to look after her beloved Hunter as best as she can, and seems to be very concerned about their well-being. It's rare, but sometimes the Doll can be heard praying for them when she believes no one is around to hear her:
"O Flora, of the moon, of the dream. O little ones, O fleeting will of the ancients... Let the hunter be safe, let him/her find comfort. And let this dream, his/her captor... foretell a pleasant awakening... be, one day, a fond, distant memory..." The sentiment in this prayer is clear: She wants the player character to be safe and comfortable and for the danger of the hunt to be over for them.
There's something extremely important to note here, though, and it's that the game has absolutely no other references to any sort of entity known as “Flora of the moon.” There is, however, a being within the Hunter's Dream known only as the Moon Presence, which seems to have a great amount of control over the dream itself and is the one who has shackled Gehrman to the unending dream that she calls home (a fact that the Doll may be well aware of, if only for the fact that she has spent many years in the dream with Gehrman, and he talks in his sleep about the things that bother him).
Operating under the assumption that she is praying to the Moon Presence (which seems to be the case) it implies a level of awareness of some of the things going on behind the scenes.
Which is where that 'passive amorality' I mentioned comes in: The Doll never actually gives the player character any clues or information regarding the Great Ones, or about the Moon Presence itself. At the same time, though, she doesn't seem to be involved or invested in whatever the Moon Presence has planned at all. She makes no active moves to aid it in any way, and she doesn't seem to particularly care whether the Moon Presence inevitably enslaves or is slain by the Hunter – she seems content to continue to watch over the Hunter whether they become a slave to the dream or an infant Great One.
To put it simply: The greater plots of Bloodborne seem to be largely irrelevant to the Plain Doll. She has a purpose to fulfill: Watching over and caring for the hunters who come through the Hunter's Dream. She does, genuinely, seem to care about those people. But the fate of Yharnam, and the goings-on of greater entities? Those don't seem to be the sorts of things she concerns herself with.
As important as her goal of “looking after the hunters” is to her, however, it's important to note that this prioritizing of love and devotion isn't the entirety of her character. When the player character chooses to give her the Small Hair Ornament, for example, the Doll looks at the decorative comb and says this:
"What... what is this? I-I can't remember, not a thing, only... I feel... A yearning... something I've never felt before... What's happening to me? Ahh... Tell me hunter, could this be joy? Ahh..."
With that, she sheds a single, crystal tear. Her connection to her inanimate form in the waking world is an important part of her character. This is probably because (although she can't seem to remember such a time) the person that built her seems to have treated her lifelesss body with a great deal of care. The description to her clothing set says, for example, "A deep love for the Doll can be surmised by the fine craftsmanship of this article, and the care with which it was kept.” The residual feeling of being loved is so strong that this keepsake from such a time in her non-life actually makes her happy enough to shed a tear of joy.
Additionally: Although the Doll was made to love humans, it doesn't appear that they are the only species she is capable of having affection for: She is the only character to speak about the Messengers at all, for example, and she calls them sweet for the way they seek to help and worship the Hunters. The Doll calls them 'little ones,' and speaks about them as if they are children, feeling a bond with them over their shared devotion to these visitors to the dream.
Citation:
All of the Doll's quotes can be found on this wiki page.
(This isn't the same wiki page I linked earlier because this one has a bit of speculation about her in it that isn't really supported by very much (or at all, in some cases) in-game and I don't really believe. The “Dialogue” section is all direct quotes from the game, though.)
Gerhman's quote can be found here.
Quotes found regarding the Doll's clothing set can be found here.
5-10 Key Character Traits:
Devoted
Kind
Subservient
Amoral
Nurturing
Forgiving
Thoughtful
Would you prefer a monster that FITS your character’s personality, CONFLICTS with it, or EITHER? EITHER.
Opt-Outs: Demon, Minotaur, Werebear, Gargoyle, Nymph
Roleplay Sample:
Test Drive Link!
Name: McGwiggles
Contact:
Other Characters: Vengarl of Forossa, Rin Tezuka
CHARACTER INFORMATION
Character Name: The Plain Doll
Age: Unknown. Probably somewhere between 20-40 years old, depending on when the Hunter's Dream started. Fromsoft is bad about giving exact dates.
Canon: Bloodborne
Canon Point: Shortly after the Hunter defeats Rom the Vacuous Spider.
Character Information: The Doll's Wiki Page
If you need some background on Bloodborne's story (although not about The Doll specifically) this video is an excellent resource.
The wiki page is pretty sparse, though, so allow me to give you some background:
The Doll is something of an enigma. Before she existed in the Hunter's Dream – before she was an entity capable of thought and feelings – she existed in the old abandonned workshop, as an inanimate, non-sentient doll. When the Hunter's Dream was created, it was made into a replica of that old abandoned workshop, and a replica of that same doll was created along with it.
Although the Plain Doll is not actually the same exact doll that might find in the abandoned workshop – and thus has no direct recollection of its existence – it's undeniable that she has a strong bond to the inanimate, “real” version of herself. She knows, almost instinctively, that she was created by humans, for example. When the player character brings her the small, ornate comb from the old abandoned workshop, she says that she can't remember anything about it, but it still fills her heart with joy – a feeling she has never felt before.
The Doll's role in the Hunter's dream was a simple one: To watch over, and care for the Hunters she encounters. There is another agenda at play in that place, a far more sinister, manipulative one. Gehrman (the only other permanent resident of the dream) is not bound to the Hunter's Dream by choice. Rather, he has been bound and imprisoned by the Moon Presence – a Great One of immense power, using him (and the concept of the Hunt) for its own personal gain.
The Doll does not know what the Moon Presence has planned, nor does she seem to care. Such things are completely out of her control, and she already knows what her purpose in things is. And so, when Hunters come into the Dream, she does not trouble them with talk of such things. She allows them to go on believing that the Hunt is all about killing the beasts that stalk Yharnam, and she uses the blood echoes of their foes to strengthen them when they ask her to.
Her life falls into a pattern - a Hunter arrives within the dream, she shows them kindness and strengthens them the only way she knows how, until they eventually go mad from the scourge (as was the case with Father Gascoigne and Henryk) or they find a way to break away from the dream by choice (as was the case with Eileen and Djura). Regardless of how their stories end, though, the Doll cares for them in her own way until they cease dreaming.
The latest Hunter in this cycle is a special one, although the Doll does not yet know it. She has helped them as they traverse Yharnam for the first time, strengthening them and encouraging them as the fought a great many powerful beasts and search for answers that no one seems to hold.
At the point the Doll is brought into Ryslig, the Hunter has slain their first Great One: Rom, the Vacuous Spider – the first of many great accomplishments.
Personality:
The Doll's personality, first and foremost, revolves around a deep-seated love and devotion for humans. Specifically, a love for the humans in which she has been able to come in contact with – namely, the Hunters. The very first thing she says in the game, is as follows:
“Hello, good hunter. I am a doll, here in this dream to look after you. Honorable hunter, pursue the echoes of blood, and I will channel them into your strength. You will hunt beasts... and I will be here for you, to embolden your sickly spirit."
In this statement, she explicitly claims that her purpose in the Hunter's Dream is to look after the player character. This role, while important, doesn't appear to be exclusive to the player character, however, as she later says: “Over time, countless hunters have visited this dream.” And because she saw and interacted with them, it can be easily extrapolated that she served a similar role to the hunters she has met in the past.
Her entire existence seems to be to look after the hunters, and embolden them through the use of blood echoes. Even Gehrman seems to view her as a tool for hunters to use when he says, “We don't have as many tools as we once did, but... You're welcome to use whatever you find,” before adding in a whisper: “...Even the doll, should it please you."
This singular purpose is no doubt the reasoning behind her devotion to the player character throughout the game. She was made (or, at the very least, brought to life) with a purpose in mind, and she is simply fulfilling that purpose. But the way she treats the player character goes beyond just devotion. After the player character slays Vicar Amelia, the Doll says this:
“Hunters have told me about the church. About the gods, and their love. But... do the gods love their creations? I am a doll, created by you humans. Would you ever think to love me? Of course... I do love you. Isn't that how you've made me?"
This quote is extremely important, and it brings up three important points: The first, and most obvious, is that she outright expresses her love for humans – because the player character wasn't actually the Doll's creator, it can be assumed that 'you' is referring to humans, although the player character is certainly included in that group.
This is a bit of an oddity, because throughout the game, the Doll shows no sadness or remorse for the citizens of Yharnam – neither for the average people who are becoming horrible beasts, nor for the still-human members of the Healing Church who are cut down by the hunters. No, she only shows concern for Hunters, which are the only humans she has ever met. This shows that the Doll's love is not all-encompassing and does not operate on a grand scale. Instead, she bonds and connects emotionally to the humans she meets. (This aspect of her personality will be important later.)
The second point that the quote brings up is that the Doll is aware of the possibility that her love is unrequited. In fact, she seems to doubt that the Hunter she is speaking to would ever even think of loving her back. This does not deter her affection at all, however, as she soon follows it up with, “Of course... I do love you.”
In this, the depth of her devotion to the hunters shines through; she doesn't ask or even seem to want anything in exchange for her love. Another example of this is that if the player character chooses to attack the Doll, she will not fight back. Instead, upon leaving the dream and coming back, the Doll will be alive once more. When talked to, she bears no ill-will upon the player character for their actions against her, and offers the same services and kind words as she had before the assault.
The third point that is brought up is in the quotes, “Isn't that how you've made me.” The Doll seems to be aware of the possibility that her feelings in this matter are artificial. She does not love humans because of the kindness they have shown her, but rather she loves them because she was made to love them.
Her tone is not harsh, and the Doll doesn't seem to resent or be upset by this fact, however. It just seems to be a fact about herself that she is aware of, and I find that sort of interesting.
Also, there's a certain... passive amorality about the Doll that is immensely important to her character. Her priorities are clear: She ants to look after her beloved Hunter as best as she can, and seems to be very concerned about their well-being. It's rare, but sometimes the Doll can be heard praying for them when she believes no one is around to hear her:
"O Flora, of the moon, of the dream. O little ones, O fleeting will of the ancients... Let the hunter be safe, let him/her find comfort. And let this dream, his/her captor... foretell a pleasant awakening... be, one day, a fond, distant memory..." The sentiment in this prayer is clear: She wants the player character to be safe and comfortable and for the danger of the hunt to be over for them.
There's something extremely important to note here, though, and it's that the game has absolutely no other references to any sort of entity known as “Flora of the moon.” There is, however, a being within the Hunter's Dream known only as the Moon Presence, which seems to have a great amount of control over the dream itself and is the one who has shackled Gehrman to the unending dream that she calls home (a fact that the Doll may be well aware of, if only for the fact that she has spent many years in the dream with Gehrman, and he talks in his sleep about the things that bother him).
Operating under the assumption that she is praying to the Moon Presence (which seems to be the case) it implies a level of awareness of some of the things going on behind the scenes.
Which is where that 'passive amorality' I mentioned comes in: The Doll never actually gives the player character any clues or information regarding the Great Ones, or about the Moon Presence itself. At the same time, though, she doesn't seem to be involved or invested in whatever the Moon Presence has planned at all. She makes no active moves to aid it in any way, and she doesn't seem to particularly care whether the Moon Presence inevitably enslaves or is slain by the Hunter – she seems content to continue to watch over the Hunter whether they become a slave to the dream or an infant Great One.
To put it simply: The greater plots of Bloodborne seem to be largely irrelevant to the Plain Doll. She has a purpose to fulfill: Watching over and caring for the hunters who come through the Hunter's Dream. She does, genuinely, seem to care about those people. But the fate of Yharnam, and the goings-on of greater entities? Those don't seem to be the sorts of things she concerns herself with.
As important as her goal of “looking after the hunters” is to her, however, it's important to note that this prioritizing of love and devotion isn't the entirety of her character. When the player character chooses to give her the Small Hair Ornament, for example, the Doll looks at the decorative comb and says this:
"What... what is this? I-I can't remember, not a thing, only... I feel... A yearning... something I've never felt before... What's happening to me? Ahh... Tell me hunter, could this be joy? Ahh..."
With that, she sheds a single, crystal tear. Her connection to her inanimate form in the waking world is an important part of her character. This is probably because (although she can't seem to remember such a time) the person that built her seems to have treated her lifelesss body with a great deal of care. The description to her clothing set says, for example, "A deep love for the Doll can be surmised by the fine craftsmanship of this article, and the care with which it was kept.” The residual feeling of being loved is so strong that this keepsake from such a time in her non-life actually makes her happy enough to shed a tear of joy.
Additionally: Although the Doll was made to love humans, it doesn't appear that they are the only species she is capable of having affection for: She is the only character to speak about the Messengers at all, for example, and she calls them sweet for the way they seek to help and worship the Hunters. The Doll calls them 'little ones,' and speaks about them as if they are children, feeling a bond with them over their shared devotion to these visitors to the dream.
Citation:
All of the Doll's quotes can be found on this wiki page.
(This isn't the same wiki page I linked earlier because this one has a bit of speculation about her in it that isn't really supported by very much (or at all, in some cases) in-game and I don't really believe. The “Dialogue” section is all direct quotes from the game, though.)
Gerhman's quote can be found here.
Quotes found regarding the Doll's clothing set can be found here.
5-10 Key Character Traits:
Devoted
Kind
Subservient
Amoral
Nurturing
Forgiving
Thoughtful
Would you prefer a monster that FITS your character’s personality, CONFLICTS with it, or EITHER? EITHER.
Opt-Outs: Demon, Minotaur, Werebear, Gargoyle, Nymph
Roleplay Sample:
Test Drive Link!