Part 8
SSNeoman posted:
WELPThis is a thing.
http://www.helenawhitford.net/2forum3.html
EDIT: Holy fucking shit this isas fuck:
Yeah, there's a lot of material out there to read on Whitford, and if you're into the backstory of the game it all it's interesting (and
) to page through. You can really get a picture for how she got targeted by The Phoenix (naive, heavily religious, a loner, feeling abandoned, etc.), and you can see how he got in her head.It really kind of makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck thinking of what he might do next.
Oh yeah, speaking of that..
Let's do another one of these!
In this chapter we follow up the surprising revelations from the previous chapter with.. well, at least one more!
There's also a jigsaw puzzle that takes entirely too long so you get to hear me ramble on over it! Wow!
Video:
Technical note: Once again the cutscene after Athoub failed to capture properly. It's been spliced in from Youtube user LPAdventurecompany. Sorry about that. Still trying to troubleshoot why some capture and some don't!
E-mails:
From: Fe256 <gery@fe256.com>
Subject: Autopsy report
quote:
A buddy of mine has just come across the police report on Helena Whitford's murder on the Internetn!
Here are a few etxracts:
"We transported the body to the mortuary in Oxford, where we were met by the coroner, Dr Matthews, to whom we explained the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the body and the initial set of elements in our possession.
The body was laid face-up in the autopsy room. A label attached to her ankle bore the following information: Miss Helena Whitford, - N° OX-04708 – 1.67 m – 52 kg. The doctor proceeded to perform the autopsy at 10:20 am and provided us with his conclusions as follows:
Cause of death: asphyxia by strangulation. Several lacerations to the base of the neck.
Traces of burning after death to the forehead in the form of a symbol marked with a branding iron.
Evidence of a struggle (contusions to the right shoulder and knees)
Evidence of self-defense (broken fingernails)
Blood, vitreous humor, urine, visceral, integument (nails and hair), anal, oral and vaginal samples were taken for examination purposes and kept in the mortuary for analysis."
One last point which might be of interest: the girl was a virgin (I'll spare you the details!).
There's an amazing piece in the other document:
"Traces of sea water were found on the victim's hands and vitreous humor".
Strange indeed...
I'll trust you to keep the contents of this message confidential…
CUL8R
G.
From: David Marcus <d.marcus@skl-network.com>
Subject: my latest analysis
quote:
Hello,
Since my last message, several new elements have been brought to my attention, allowing us to better understand who we are up against.
1. He is sending a message. Unlike a criminal who tries to cover all his tracks and disappear into the woodwork by keeping a low profile, the Phoenix has made it loud and clear that he bears a message. Decrypting and interpreting this key mystery appears to be the only way to defuse his fury. We need to grant the Phoenix the "understanding" he is seeking, at least from a tactical point of view.
2. A parallel can be drawn between the inscription "Sol invictus" discovered in Oxford and the contents of the ancient book (the cult of Helios) and the planetary symbols to which the Phoenix draws our attention on his CD-ROM. There is a logical sequence to his actions. Links and meanings are hidden behind the repetitions and resemblances. Figuring out these links is the only way of discovering what his motives are.
3. The white chasuble, the references to the sun and cruelty are elements that express strong a subconscious preoccupation with themes of guilt, punishment and redemption. We are not dealing with a serial killer who suddenly acts on sexual impulse. The Phoenix acts on recurring compulsions, which he broods over for long periods of time in the form of morbid speculations. The murders are committed according to his own set of rules and procedures, under pressure from a meticulous internal obligation, as if he were copying a predefined pattern (which one? "A star whose enemies have not triumphed?"). He is probably prone to intrusive thoughts, a nightmare that keeps coming back, the fantasy of a mission which alone could help him to overcome a profound feeling of guilt.
4. He kills in cold blood. The mental universe he forces us to explore, with all its esoteric and mythological connotations, seems devoid of any real humanity. People are cruelly eliminated without the slightest apparent emotion and probably without any remorse. He appears fascinated only by the ancient representations of symbols that speak to him. He writes with his victims' blood.
5. Who will emerge victorious? The Phoenix has chosen to blackmail us under threat of pain and suffering. Yet everything has been put on hold, inviting us to wander the twists and turns of his imagination according to the directions he gives us. The ball is in your court. The Phoenix probably takes delight in the obstacles you manage to overcome; the risk he is running may be huge, but has not been left to chance. Were the Phoenix to acknowledge his own suffering and undergo a course of psychotherapy, there might be a chance of curing him, but he has likely never consulted a specialist.
Be careful,
David Marcus
Esoteric count:
Where I keep track of the number of times someone says "esoteric"
1 (in video only)
4 (including emails)
Your Turn:
We're currently searching for the first name of the Phoenix's first "sacrificial victim". His last name is Maggioli. His father's company is at http://www.c-maccioni.com/.
Good luck!
As always, a friendly reminder: If you’re interested in playing along with the investigation, please make sure you include “-walkthrough” and/or "-solution" in your Google searches without the quote marks in order to exclude them from your search results.