Eileen the Crow is basically the coolest person in Yharnam. She’s got that heavy crow-feather cape, a mask that looks like a plague doctor's fever dream, and a pair of daggers that can turn a monster into ribbons in about three seconds. But honestly? Her quest is a total nightmare to finish if you don’t know the exact, fussy triggers that FromSoftware tucked away.
One wrong move—or just forgetting to talk to her in a specific alleyway—and you’ve locked yourself out of some of the best gear in Bloodborne. Or worse, she decides you’re "blood-drunk" and tries to carve you like a Thanksgiving turkey.
If you want the Hunter Rune (which is a godsend for stamina recovery) and those sweet Blades of Mercy, you need to follow her trail perfectly. Here is exactly how to navigate the Eileen the Crow quest without ruining everything.
Getting Started: The Sewers and the Secret Rafters
Most people miss the first encounter because it's hidden behind a bunch of literal trash.
You’ll find her in Central Yharnam. Near the rafters above the sewers, there’s a room filled with barrels. Break them. There’s a hidden doorway that leads to a balcony overlooking the city. Eileen is just standing there, looking moody.
Important: Talk to her until she repeats herself. She’ll give you some Bold Hunter’s Marks and the "Shake Off Cape" gesture. If you skip this, it isn't always a dealbreaker, but why risk it? Just say hi.
The Cathedral Ward Gate Problem
This is where the quest gets finicky. After you beat Father Gascoigne, you need to find her again. She’ll show up right outside the Oedon Chapel (Cathedral Ward lamp). Go straight out the front door and immediately look left. She’s leaning against the railing.
But she won't appear if you haven't opened the gates.
You need to open the main gates of Cathedral Ward first. You can do this by buying the Hunter Chief Emblem for 10,000 echoes or by taking the long way around through the Healing Church Workshop. Personally, I just buy the key. It’s faster. Once those gates are open, she’ll tell you about a "mark" she’s hunting at the Tomb of Oedon—the place where you fought Gascoigne.
The Henryk Fight (Don't Hit the Crow!)
She tells you to stay away. Don't listen to her.
Head back to the Tomb of Oedon. You’ll notice the lamp is broken and you can’t warp there. Walk there from Cathedral Ward instead. When you arrive, a yellow-clad hunter named Henryk will jump you.
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Wait about ten seconds. Eileen will come flying in to help.
This fight is a mess. Henryk hits like a truck, and it is incredibly easy to accidentally hit Eileen while you’re trying to help. Do not hit her more than twice. If you do, she turns hostile, and the quest is over. Also, if she dies here? The quest is over.
- Pro Tip: Use your gun to parry Henryk or throw Poison Knives. Let Eileen do the heavy lifting while you provide "support" (aka, distraction).
- Reward: You get the "Approve" gesture and the Heir rune from Henryk’s corpse.
The Blood Moon and the Grand Cathedral
Once you kill Rom, the Vacuous Spider, everything goes to hell. The moon turns red, the sky gets weird, and Eileen’s quest hits its peak.
Go to the Grand Cathedral lamp (where you fought Vicar Amelia). Again, the lamp will be broken. You’ll find Eileen lying on the stairs outside, bleeding out. She’s been beaten by a guy known as the Bloody Crow of Cainhurst.
Talk to her. She’s tired. She’ll give you the "Wait" gesture and tell you not to go inside.
Go inside anyway.
How to Kill the Bloody Crow of Cainhurst
I'm going to be real with you: this guy is harder than most of the bosses in the game. He has infinite bullets, a Repeating Pistol that can one-shot you, and a Chikage that deals massive blood damage. He also uses the Old Hunter Bone to teleport around like a ninja.
There are two ways to handle this.
The Honest Way
Stay aggressive but patient. He only heals once. When he transforms his Chikage into the two-handed blood mode, let him. It drains his health. This is your window. Keep your distance, bait out his attacks, and pray your parry timing is on point.
The "I Just Want to Finish the Quest" Way
Bait him to the bottom of the stairs. For some reason, his AI gets confused near the doors. He’ll start backing away slowly. Throw Poison Knives at him. Hit him with a long-reaching weapon (like the Threaded Cane or Ludwig’s Holy Blade) and then back out the door. He’ll reset, his health will drain from the poison, and you can slowly chip him away. It’s cheap. It’s boring. But it works.
The Aftermath
Once the Bloody Crow is dead, go back outside and talk to Eileen one last time. She’s done hunting. She’ll give you the Crow Hunter Badge and the Hunter Rune.
The badge lets you buy the Crowfeather set and the Blades of Mercy from the shop in the Hunter's Dream. The Hunter Rune is arguably the best "Memory" rune in the game because it significantly boosts your stamina recovery speed.
What Happens if You Mess Up?
If you ignore her the entire game, or if you don't help her with Henryk, she’ll be waiting inside the Grand Cathedral after the Blood Moon. But she won't be friendly. She’ll accuse you of being blood-drunk and try to kill you.
If you kill her there, you still get the badge, but you lose out on the Hunter Rune and the gestures. Honestly, fighting her is easier than fighting the Bloody Crow, but you lose the best rewards.
Next Steps:
Check your inventory for the Hunter Chief Emblem. If you don't have it yet, farm the 10,000 echoes needed to buy it from the Messengers so you can trigger her appearance at Cathedral Ward before you progress too far into the Forbidden Woods.