Part 84: Blackwell Epiphany - Update 12 (Part 2)

Michael Cooper



Um. Okay, that's pretty strange. Rosa and Joey enter to find Michael Cooper standing in the foyer surrounded by some kind of glowing, flashy supernatural magic. I guess it's a safe bet that whatever spiritual protection Lia was employing, she learned it from Michael. Who the hell is he, that he knows how to do this kind of shit?

Fortunately, he's so busy focusing on what he's doing that he doesn't even notice Rosa. Instead he just recites a prayer. I guess he is a priest, after all.

The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. And though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all of the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
I think he's reciting the Psalm of David? From the books I've read, it's supposed to guard against evil.

Figuring they are going to have to interrupt him sooner or later, Rosa just calls out Michael's name.

Michael?
...
Michael Cooper?

Michael spins around to face her.



Stay back, Bestower. I've got a gun!
Just a second-

Wait, wait! Not again!!



Christ almighty. Why is nobody ever happy to see us? Rosa quickly thinks on her feet and comes up with several options to try to talk her way out of this. She can say she's not here to hurt Michael:

Whoa. Calm down. I'm not here to hurt you.
Oh yeah? Tell that to Lia and George! And the others!

She can say that she needs to talk to him:

I need to talk to you.
Talk? Did talking help Lia or George? Or any of the others?

Or she can simply say she's here to help:

Please. I'm here to help.
Help. I wish that was true. How much "help" did you give George? Or Lia? Or the others?

It sounds like Michael blames us for what happened to Lia and George. Come to think of it, considering Lia only died last night, how does he even know what happened to her?

We're far from finished with multiple choices here, this is another sequence with quite a few of them. Whichever way Rosa tried above, Michael finishes off by mentioning "others". Rosa can choose to ask after them:

Others? How many of you are there?
... You don't even know that? You don't know a thing, do you? This wasn't the plan.

She can try apologising for failing to help:

They both died before I could do anything. I'm sorry.
Death is nothing. We all expect to be dead at the end of this. That is the whole point.
What about their souls?
...
I knew it. This wasn't supposed to happen. This wasn't the plan.

Or she can offer to try again with Michael:

I couldn't save them, but I want to try and save you. If I can.
"Try" and save me? You were supposed to be the expert! That was the whole plan!

It sounds like Michael had a "plan", but it obviously didn't go so well.

Plan?
Yes. Our... "brilliant" plan.
We get the Bestower to escort our souls to the next world. Protect us from this... force that is after us.



That's very unfair, but I guess he's under a hell of a lot of pressure right now. Rosa can try to express that she did her best:

I tried. Honestly, I tried.
Tried. I'm sure that was a comfort to George and Lia while their very souls were being TORN APART.

She can state that she's going to put a stop to it:

I'm going to stop it. You can trust me on this.
Trust. We trusted you would save us, and now look where we are.

Or she can appeal to Michael for understanding at dealing with this unusual situation:

I'm sorry. Whatever is going on... it's new. I've never seen anything like it before.
... I see.

Michael then says something quite unexpected.



Huh?

He's looking straight at Joey.

Your friend. The man behind you. He hasn't said a word since you walked in here.
Er... me? Do you mean me?
Yes, you. Don't look so surprised. How else could I have known who you were?

That's right, we did suspect earlier when we read his emails that he might be a Bestower, didn't we? But then where is his spirit guide?



Before Rosa can think too hard about it, Michael whips out his pistol again and demands that she leave. Rosa can ask for him not to shoot:

Don't shoot. I'm leaving.

Gutsily, she can dare him to shoot her:

Fine. Shoot. Kill the one person who can help you.

She can appeal to his better nature:

You really don't want to do this.

Or, awesomely, she can throw a tiny tantrum about all the guns she's had to see so far this case

I am SO sick of guns.
Yeah. Well, I'm sick of all of this!



From behind the wall, a very familiar voice rings out.

That voice... It CAN'T be.

It is, Joey.



It's Madeline. Somehow, she had become Michael's spirit guide. Note that her behind-the-wall comment depends on what Rosa says beforehand. If she asks for Michael not to shoot, Madeline says:

Please, give them some time, my host.

If Rosa dares him to shoot, Madeline says:

There is no need for any more killing, my host.

And if she says he doesn't really want to do this, Madeline agrees:

I believe she is right, my host.

Michael seems very upset to see her, but she responds in her usual calm and dispassionate manner.

Yes, my host. I know. But I had to intervene. These two know me. If I may...?
Fine. FINE! Just make it quick. I'm losing concentration.

I guess perhaps Michael learned how to do this kind of supernatural shit from Madeline? After all, she clearly knows a lot more about ghostly powers than we do, as evidenced at the end of Deception when she helped Joey (and herself) to escape from the void.

Mallone. Blackwell. What a pleasant surprise to see you both again.
Yeah. Surprise is the word. What the hell are you doing here?
Is it not obvious? You freed me, Mallone. Brought me back into this world. And as befits all of our kind, I had a host waiting for me. And so I have returned to my former duties.

Huh. I guess the universal matchmaking system pairing up Bestowers and guides is pretty efficient.

Look. As much as I am touched by this reunion, I need to focus!
Perhaps we should all converse outside?
Fine. Outside. Just... leave me in peace.
Thank you, my host.

Doesn't sound like she's getting on any better with Michael than she was with Jocelyn.



Looks like the years in the void have blunted Madeline's formal nature a bit, as she phases straight through the wall rather than heading through the door like in 1931. Fair enough, I suppose. She didn't have buildings to think about for 80 years in the void, unless you want to count metaphorical diners.

Rosa stares in wonder as Madeline leaves, before turning back to Michael.

You're a Bestower too?
What gave it away? The spirit guide who won't leave me alone?
That was Madeline.
You know her? That saves time, I guess. Look, maintaining this circle leaves me a bit... cranky. Sorry. If you can help, great. If not... well, I've made my peace with it. Just go talk to her. She's outside. I need to concentrate.

Michael Cooper



The music continues as we exit the foyer. I guess we may as well catch up with Madeline. Hopefully she will know something about what's going on!

Madeline. She's been a spirit guide for, well, ever. I'm sure she's got a lot to teach us. Once this is all over, anyway.
Madeline. The last time we met, she helped me out of the void. I suppose I owe her one.

Let's get to talking!

Blackwell. Mallone. It's been a... long time since we've been able to converse.
You should really call me Rosangela.
Forgive me. When you are as old as I am, all the names blur together.
So I tend to address those I speak to by their family name. It is just... easier that way. And less painful. I'm afraid it is a habit that is difficult to break.

Not sure why Madeline looks so pissed there. I'm guessing it's more of a "scolding herself" thing. It's nice to see that Rosa still holds Madeline in high enough regard to ask for her to use her full name

So how d'you like being on the outside, as it were? I imagine it's better than being trapped wherever you were?
I had thought... I had hoped... that I would pass on. That being brought back to the mortal world would force me to obey mortal laws. Instead, I...



I have returned to my former duties. Therefore, I must have further work to do. But yes. It is nicer than being trapped in the void. Did I ever thank you, Mallone?
Not as such, no.
Well, I must rectify that. Thank you.
Yeah. Sure. Anytime.

Much like in Deception, Madeline is a bit of a strange character. She's very proper and very polite, but almost impossible to read. Nothing seems to bring her any real joy or sadness. She seems very numb. I guess she's been doing this a very long time.

It's been almost six months since Joey freed you. How come we're only seeing you now?
... I admit, the transition hasn't been pleasant. I have had three hosts since returning to this world. The first was an old man, on the edge of death. He lingered for six weeks before finally succumbing to the inevitable.

Oh. That sucks.

When the old man passed, I became bound to his niece for a time. She ran every time she saw me. I tried to keep my distance. Give her time to adjust. But in the end, she fell down the stairs in an attempt to flee. The poor woman died, and I was passed to her brother. The man inside.

Geez, that's pretty damn rough. You know, I know I've said it before, but this whole Bestower/guide thing seems really badly planned out sometimes.



Rosa starts looking for answers to questions we've had for a long time.

We needed a Bestower. A PROPER Bestower. My host and I were not up to the task.
Eh?
It might be due to my time in the void. It might be because my host's soul has been marked by... whatever is out there. But in any case... our abilities are limied. We cannot even help lost souls move on, as you do. We can see them, and talk to them, but that is all. Hence why we needed you.
Lucky us.

I see. So Madeline has some understanding of what is happening (though still not a thorough understanding, judging by the "whatever is out there" comment) but is not capable of acting. So she instructed Michael to speak with George and Lia about us. I guess Lia was able to find out about us via Durkin. In fact, she probably told Durkin to send his "secret informant" to the Karth House in the hopes of arranging a meeting. At least a few holes in our understanding are finally getting plugged here.

Do you know anything about this Grace Group?
I know that it meant a great deal to my host, as well as his friends. Whatever happened at those meetings, it greatly improved their lives. But obviously it came at a cost.
So you don't know anything else about the Grace Group?
I am afraid not. You know as much as I.

Unfortunately she's not so knowledgeable about the Grace Group. All we know so far is that all the members "knew what they were meant to be", but now they're all apparently set to have their souls split in twain once they die. I suppose that means Michael was "meant to be" a priest?



Rosa then asks the most important question of all.

... I do not know. I wish I did. Like you, we saw it happen. We saw a soul being torn apart, and could do nothing. I'm afraid my host became a little... unreasonable... after that.

I can see why that would be the case

So what can we do? We don't even know what's going on.
*sigh* Our theory was that you could help move these poor souls into the next world before they were destroyed... but it appears that it did not achieve the desired result.
You could say that, yeah.
You must investigate. My host and I are restricted, but you two are not.
If anyone can help uncover why these poor spirits are being attacked, and stop it, it is you.

Looks like we're going to form a bit of a partnership here! We'll do the investigating, and hopefully Madeline can use some of her wacky ghost powers to help out as necessary.



Cooper is my host. We have not had the time to get to know each other better.
Is he always this... ornery?
Do have some pity for him. He has lost his uncle, his sister, and several of his friends. He has been forced to accept the spirit world, and the possible loss of his own soul, all within the span of a few weeks. If anyone deserves some understanding, it is he.

Ouch. He has had a rough time, hasn't he?

Is there anything else you can tell us about Michael?
Sadly, no. We have not had the time to get to know each other better.



In an off-the-cuff moment, Rosa mentions the roof ghost to Madeline.

I see. Well. You know your duty. Go and save it.

Fair enough, I guess. Not like Madeline would know anything about it. Joey returns to talking about Michael.

Why do you let Father Michael push you around like that?
It is what my host wishes.
So?
Simply that. I must do what my host commands.
Heh. Right. Seriously. What's the story?
No story, Mallone. If my host wishes me to leave him alone, I leave him alone.

Hahaha, oh man. Rosa looks in awe at Joey.



Of course. It is my duty to do so.
So. Joey, could-
No.
*sigh*
Of course, some of us take our duties more seriously than others.

Hahahaha Doesn't look like there's that much more to say for now.

Well. I suppose we'll talk to you soon.
Of course.



Joey can also talk with Madeline, who he refers to as Maddy, much to her barely-withheld frustration

*sigh* Yes, Mallone?

However, he has all the same dialogue options as Rosa, and we've exhausted them already. I think the next step is to catch up with Michael and see what he can tell us about the Grace Group.



Yeah?

He's a little more happy to talk with us now, but not much.

I can't believe there's another medium in New York.
Medium?
Sorry. I mean Bestower. I've been calling myself "medium" for so long I sometimes forget.
Uh huh.
I mean, it's not like I have anyone to talk to about this stuff.
Nobody living, anyway.

Very quickly, Michael starts to get frustrated with the conversation.

Hey. Look. I'd love to swap ghost stories with you, but it takes all my concentration to maintain this circle.
Right. Sorry. Maybe we'll have coffee later?



Hahaha, you dork, Rosa

Sure. Sounds great.

Rosa isn't done talking to Michael yet, though. She asks about the colourful circle.

What is this circle?
Oh, this. Madeline taught me how to do it. It prevents anything spiritual from getting to me. It takes some concentration to maintain, so I'm sorry if I seem a bit... inhospitable.

Yep. Seems like my theory was correct - Madeline taught him how to do it. Perhaps that's why Lia was so grumpy with us when we first knocked on her shelf, she was probably doing it too.

How did you learn what was happening?
You mean that our souls were being taken?
Yeah.
I...
It was a few weeks ago. I was at the bedside of a friend. Jeffrey, his name was. He went to the Grace Group meetings, back in the day. Like me. He had been in a car accident. Hit and run. He was dying, and he wanted me there.



Oh geez. I wonder if this was when Michael first realised he was a Bestower?

His spirit being torn apart. He screamed. I'll never forget that scream.
I know. I saw it too.
... Anyway. With Madeline's help, I began looking into other members of the group, and learned it was happening to all of us.
You know the rest.

Rosa then asks about his relationship with Madeline.

So you're working with Madeline.
Working? I guess you can call it that. I've been too busy being scared to give it any serious thought.
So why'd you send Madeline outside?
Her presence disturbs my concentration. So she's keeping as far away as she can until this is resolved.
What about us?
You're the ones who are going to save my hide. For you, I'll make the extra effort to focus.

How magnanimous of him.



Let's see if we can learn something new about the Grace Group.

It was some kind of self-help group?
*sigh* About twenty years ago, I was a very different person. I suppose you could call me an alcoholic, although I wouldn't have said so at the time.
Then I saw an ad in the newspaper. It promised to help folks like me find their way. It seemed to be some kind of hippy self-help group, but I went to a meeting anyway. I don't remember much about the meetings, but somehow... I discovered that going to seminary school was something I had to do. It all made sense.

Yep, he learned he was "meant" to be a priest at the Grace Group. That's a pretty big turnaround, by the sound of things.

Made sense?
Yeah. I just knew it was what I was meant to be doing. And I was right.
What happened at these meetings?
That's just it. I don't remember! Until recently, I never questioned it before. How messed up is that? I'd go, I'd sit down, and leave. I'd meet with the other members for coffee afterwards. What on earth did we talk about? We must have found something.

Okay, that's now two people who have told us they don't remember what happened at the meetings. That's extremely suspicious.



Unlike Lia, however, Michael is able to recall one detail for us. A name - Benjiro.

Benjiro?
Yeah. Japanese guy. I don't remember anything else about him.

Hmm. My Blackwell senses are telling me this guy is our big bad.

How many people went to these meetings?
There were six of us. You already know about Lia and George. And myself. The others are dead.

Six people, hey? So Michael is the only remaining member. We know of Jeffrey, Michael, Lia and George. Who are the other two?

Who were they?
Does it matter? They are dead. Their souls were taken.
Even still. Tell me.
*sigh*



Heather and Peter, hey? And Jeffrey, who we already heard about. It's probably not useful, but Rosa tries asking after each of them.

Could you tell me about Jeffrey?
God. Jeffrey Dutta. Talk about transfiguration. When he walked into that Grace Group meeting, I thought he was in the wrong place. I mean... the guy was a Wall Street broker, for crying out loud. He could have bought the church and everything in it. But he later confessed that he tried to kill himself. Twice.
So what happened to him?
He became a professional dogwalker. Can you believe it? He used to pocket millions a year, plus bonuses. Then he was picking up dog crap for $25 and hour and smiling about it.

That's pretty heartwarming The next part of the story is not, however.

... He was hit by a car crossing the street. A hit-and-run. I was at his bedside when he died. Madeline had been around for about a month at that point, so I saw his spirit rise from his body.
I thought I was supposed to help him, but instead I...



Poor dude I can't help but notice that there doesn't seem to be any particular demographic at these meetings. Michael was a bum, Lia was a secretary, George was a loser, and Jeffrey was a millionaire. Then one became rich (George the arts dealer), Lia is presumably reasonably well off but middle class, Michael I assume took a vow of poverty, and Jeffrey gave up his millionaire lifestyle. I guess Benjiro didn't have a "type", so to speak.

Is there anything else you can tell us about Jeffrey Dutta?
No. There's nothing left to say. I saw his spirit being ripped apart. I just want to forget it.

Next up, Rosa asks about Peter Fielding.

Could you tell me about Peter?
Peter Fielding, yes. I never had much contact with him. He died several months ago. I'm afraid it's... too late for him.
You saw his soul being taken?
Well, no. He died before Madeline came into my life, so I can't say for SURE. But he went to the Grace Group meetings. And he's dead. What other conclusion can I reach?

Hmm. Perhaps his soul is still around? Seems a long shot, but if it is, we might be able to help him out, or at least ask him some questions.

How exactly did Peter Fielding die?
Why? Are you going to try and find his spirit? There IS no spirit! It's gone!

Michael is getting worked up here, but Rosa is insistent.

You said it yourself. You don't know for sure.
*sigh*
It was some kind of accident. I'm not sure of the details. I read about his death in the obituaries. Too late for his funeral, sadly, but I said a prayer for him.



Finally, Rosa asks about Heather.

Yes. She was one of us. I asked George if he knew where she was. He told me she was dead. I'm afraid it's too late for her.
Is this like Peter? Did you actually SEE her soul being taken?
No. I didn't. Thank heaven I didn't.
Seeing it happen once is more than I can take.

Like with Peter, Michael didn't personally witness Heather's soul being taken. I guess it's worth checking out, even if I don't hold out great hope.

How did Heather Goffstein die?
I'm afraid I don't know. George was the one who kept in touch with her. He told me she died, but he didn't me how or when.
I suppose it doesn't matter anymore.



Rosa then mentions the roof ghost, as she seems to have become accustomed to doing

Really?
Do you know anything about it?
Sadly no. I'm sorry.

Last of all, Rosa asks about Michael himself.

What about yourself? Is there anything we should know?
Look. You're not exactly catching me at my best, here. I can't DO anything. I'm not a true Bestower. Like you are. Madeline says she's been weakened. Or I've been weakened. Or something. She doesn't know. Believe me. If I could do what you can do... I'd be out there, trying to stop this.
But I can't. So all I can do is hide.
Anything else you can tell me about yourself?
No. I just... I just want this to be over. One way or the other.

I guess we know what we need to do.

All right, Michael. We're going to go.
Of course. Godspeed to the both of you.


Tomorrow, we'll see if we can track down Peter or Heather. If one of them is still around, we might be able to learn something - or at least prevent them from suffering such an awful fate as the others. I'm pretty excited about working with Madeline too. Hopefully she can teach our little self-educated operation some tricks of the trade! See you all tomorrow!





Much like the Word of God update a couple of days ago, you could consider the following to be a spoiler if not for the fact that the game never actually addresses is. Since it doesn't, I spoke to Gilbert about it.

Specifically, the question of how the Universe works. Where do Bestowers and spirit guides come from? Is there some kind of higher power, or did they somehow evolve naturally? Are there rules that are supposed to be followed? Gilbert explains his intentions:

The Universe operates with strict rules - but no oversight

Gilbert's vision is of a Universe which has a very particular set of rules about death and moving on, but whatever higher or natural powers set those rules up just isn't watching to make sure things progress as planned. Hence why situations like Madeline getting banished, or Jocelyn shifting the link, or Patricia and Lauren going insane end up happening. Nobody's watching to make sure that the gears are turning smoothly, and it seems extremely easy to fuck everything up quite badly.

Gilbert states: "I always thought of it as there being very strict rules in place, but with no oversight. So you get emotional human beings involved and naturally things turn to chaos." That all makes sense to me, because I would hope that if there was some kind of higher power watching that he'd put a stop to this split spirit shit going on right now

Unfortunately, it looks like Rosa and Joey are "on their own", so to speak.