Simon the Harrowed

Simon the Harrowed

Information
Appears In	Bloodborne
Gender	Male
Race	Human
Affiliation	The Healing Church
Health
Level
Drops
Status	Alive Deceased (Lighthouse Hut)
Location	Hunter's Nightmare, Research Hall, Lighthouse Hut
English Voice	Grant Gillespie
Japanese Voice
Brazilian Voice

"Secrets are secrets for a reason."

— Simon the Harrowed

Simon the Harrowed is a character in Bloodborne's The Old Hunters DLC.

Description

Simon is a grizzled Healing Church Hunter, apparently been taken into the Hunter's Nightmare, and can be found across multiple locations, explaining many things to the players as they reach him.

He appears to be quite an old veteran and one who seeks to end the nightmare he resides, not for his sake only, but for all of those who have been taken.

His eyes are always blindfolded, and has his hand positioned in a way that makes it seem like Simon is trying to cover his sight further, perhaps a testament that he has seen far too many horrors in this purgatory land.

He wears the Harrowed Set, uses a Hand Lantern and his iconic Simon's Bowblade.

Lore

Simon is found in the Hunter's Nightmare and serves a purpose of giving insight to the player as to what it is and what happens within it.

He explains the player how the Nightmare is much like a place of damnation, where Blood-drunk Hunters get carried into and quickly tells players to go back whence they came, unless the Hunter shows interest in Nightmares.

Upon showing interest in the Nightmare, Simon displays some contention with the player, but warning them that though secrets lie in wait, they are kept secret by those who do wish them to be unearthed, this serves as an illusion for when players finally contact Brador.

Upon defeating Ludwig, Simon will express his respect for him, by his severed head, how his tragic outcome was not beffiting of one with such dedication and courage, truly showing how much Ludwig meant to him, and likely his peers. If the Hunter did not slay his head, Simon will shoot his eye with an arrow from his weapon and gift the player's "Ludwig's guiding moonlight", the Holy Moonlight Sword. He then explains that the Nightmare "sprouted from the Hunters' misdeeds" and reveals that he is tired of all the secrecy that surrounds it, wanting to expose it once and for all.

Later on, once players find and activate the lever at the center top of the Research Hall that lowers many of the staircases, Simon will appear near the Lamp. Here he merely comments on how terrible the true face of the Healing Church really is with their experiments of humans. He tells the player that the real secret is hidden away behind Maria, atop the Astral Clocktower.

Upon Maria’s defeat, players can find Simon one final time, lying on the floor, inside the Lighthouse Hut. He will explain how he hears the bell and will reveal he was wounded by the Beast Hide Assassin who has been pursuing him relentlessly. He says that the Fishing Hamlet is the true secret, Testament to the old sins which feeds Hunter's Nightmare. Simon's final request to the player is to put a stop to the Nightmare.

He dies with his last words of contempt of his unfair fate, how it is terrible that we must bear their forefathers' sin. Leaving behind the Underground Cell Inner Chamber Key, the means to unlock Brador's Cell.

Questline

Simon's questline is very straightforward and its only possible means of failure is if players decide to attack him at any given point. Players will not lose anything should they decide to kill Simon, except for some insight on the lore of Hunter's Nightmare and the NPC's that inhabit it. Conversely, the only advantage to killing Simon is to acquire Simon's Bowblade early on.

To complete his questline merely speak to him and answer his questions at two locations, near the shortcut within Hunter's Nightmare that leads back to the Lamp, and at the Research Hall Lamp.

Finally, find him on the Lighthouse Hut to complete the quest and acquire Simon's Bowblade and the Underground Cell Inner Chamber Key.

Strategy

If players choose to kill Simon for his weapon, then they should take care as he can be a formidable opponent, taking into consideration the player is likely at a lower level.

The best strategy to deal with him is quickly close in and use a fast weapon to stunlock him with two to three fast attacks then shoot him when he switches to sword mode for a visceral attack. Use the pillars in the area to block his arrows when they need to recover health. Since he's a quick opponent, it's best to use Hunter Blunderbuss or Ludwig's Rifle on him.

Alternatively, as with other AI-controlled hunters, he can be dealt with very easily if the players had Augur of Ebrietas. Simply close in, knock him down with it and repeat.

Dialogue

Click to see dialogue

Introduction	"You’re a hunter with your sanity, aren’t you? Must’ve taken a wrong turn then, eh? Well, we’re more alike than you think. This is the Hunter’s Nightmare, where hunters end up when drunk with blood. You’ve seen them before. Aimless, wandering hunters, slavering like beasts. This is what the poor fools have to look forward to. So, don’t be brash, turn back before it’s too late. Unless, you’ve something of an interest in nightmares?"
Claim you have interest in Nightmares or not	"Ahh, yes, I see… You sense a secret within the Nightmare, And cannot bear to leave it be. As if the spirit of Byrgenwerth lives on within you! Such inquisitive hunters will relish the Nightmare. But beware, secrets are secrets for a reason. And some do not wish to see them uncovered. Especially when the secrets are particularly unseemly…"
Claim you have interest in Nightmares or not	"Yes, as it should be. Hunt your beasts, and think no more on the secrets of the night. That is the very best a hunter can do. Just don't let the blood intoxicate you."
Talk again after claiming no interest in Nightmares	"What now? Take my word, and turn back before it's too late. Unless, I suppose, you've taken an interest in nightmares?"
Talk again after claiming interest in Nightmares	"Beware, secrets are secrets for a reason. And some do not wish to be discovered. Especially when the secrets are particularly unseemly."
Speaking in Underground Corpse Pile after talking to Ludwig	"A tragic figure. But he will shame himself no longer. He died with his ideals untarnished. He was a true hero, and earnt that much, at least."
	"Oh, he's well and truly gone, now. A tragic figure. But he will shame himself no longer. He died with his ideals untarnished. He was a true hero, and earnt that much, at least. Here, this is Ludwig's guiding light. The blinding thread that led, and misled, that consummate hero. The poor brute."
Speaking again	"Do you know why the Hunters are drawn to this Nightmare? Because it sprouted from their very misdeeds. Things that some would rather keep secret. A pitiful take of petty arrogance, really. High time someone exposed the whole charade"
Speaking again	"Now, now, go on ahead. You seek nightmares, and the secrets within, do you not?"
Talking in the Research Hall	“Maria. She hides the real secret..."
Speaking again	"Go on, kill Maria atop the Astral Clocktower. She hides the real secret..."
Attacking Simon	"Tsk! Taken by the Nightmare, are you? Then I've no choice. Prepare yourself!"
Dying to Simon	"Terribly sorry, but I couldn't let you stop me"
Killing Simon	"Curses. What a rotten place to die..."
Speaking in the Lighthouse Hut	"...Oh, you, I'm afraid, I've made a botch of things... ...I can hear the bell, now... ...The beast-hide assassin, he's after me... ...Again and again... It never ends..."
Speaking again	"...Please, I need you to do something... ...This village is the true secret. Testament to the old sins... ...It feeds this Hunter's Nightmare... ...Please, bring to an end the horror... ...So our forefathers sinned? ...We hunters cannot bear their weight forever... ...It isn't fair, it just isn't fair..."

Notes

There is no reason to kill Simon, except to acquire Simon's Bowblade as early as possible, which can be useful for players that focus on Bloodtinge and Skill as an early, yet powerful weapon.
His attire, the Harrowed Set, can be found in the area of the first Lamp within the Fishing Hamlet. Near the shortcut ladder that leads back to the lamp, there is a hidden opening on the left side, into a hut. Inside will be the full set.

Trivia

Simon's Harrowed Hood is an interesting item. It is worn by the Afflicted Beggar, perhaps symbolizing that he too was once a Church Hunter.
His signature weapon, the Simon's Bowblade apparently earned him some scoff by his peers since the idea of hunting beasts with bows seemed ridiculous, however, due to the nature of his role as a church hunter, as per the description of any attire piece of his Harrowed Set, we know that being quiet was a most valuable quality.