Part 20: Day 5 Part 1: A Terrible Mistake

We're almost there- only one more update after this one!

I've mentioned before that there's more to this game's story than the main treasure-hunting plotline. I'm sure you've noticed a lot of discrepancies, mistakes, anachronisms, or out of place details. I believe that a certain amount of those are actually intentional, even some of the goofiest ones that I probably snarked about. These last two updates will have some useful clues towards what might be going on, so I do hope that you are keeping those kinds of things in mind. I've been careful to include some of the stuff which I think might be useful clues/etc. for someone trying to come up with their own theory. Sometimes those blend in with the gameplay, sometimes it's in my commentary.

With this LP I'd like to make sure that viewers are aware of some of of this, even if they haven't really noticed or thought about it much while they're going through the updates. On the other hand, I don't want to ruin anything or just tell everything I think. So what I plan to do is have these last two updates, and a couple days after have a 'theories' kind of update where I can draw some of the curious stuff out and perhaps explain some of the more sensible ideas I've seen. Hopefully some of you will have talked about your own theories by then and we can have a nice chit-chat over tea and sneak George some biscuits.

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Nigel has found the crown, hidden it in Harbour Cottage, and claimed his first-prize Saxton Snapper ribbon. Rather than invite the admiring Rhys to his accommodations, Nigel had Lucy over... where they found that the place had been tossed and the crown stolen. Consulting Rhys-Morgan-Lucy's trusty crystal ball, they see images of a familiar tweed-clad fellow fleeing across a rocky beach, apparently pursued by an assailant with a sinister hand-scythe.



The last thing Nigel remembers is everything being white and being alone.... he's had a number of these incidents lately, and some of them are associated with visions of Ganwulf, loss of time, and even ending up someplace he wasn't before. So where is Nigel now?



Nigel is still standing there... but it's the next morning and Lucy is gone. It can't have been a dream, right? Her crystal ball is still here. And another newspaper and letter...



I'll let you read that and draw your own conclusions.



Another note! I feel like Nigel should have been more concerned about these, and it seems the note's author was getting a little fed up too because he's kind of signed this one: EG. I think we might know an EG!

Time for the last to-do list.



It seems Nigel has developed a moral compass at last! Yes, Nigel, you've ruined everything. You are the evil wizard. (From the Legend of Grindle and Ganwulf - pg 2 - pg 3 - pg 4 - pg 5)

First though, let's check on our stuff!



This has changed. Has someone been here?


It's all been put away... or was it never moved about? Let's just check on them to be safe.



What has happened to these?




Rather than our ghostly recordings, all the tapes are full of... modem noises?

Well shit. These things were all over the place last night, but they weren't harmed. What about the ones we brought with us?



They're still okay. They make whispers and modem noises when we look closely at them, but they've always done that. Is it just me, or do those photos remind you a little of Ganwulf's tomb?

Maybe we can re-take some of those photos and recordings? A number of them were done right here inside the cottage. However, none of the previous hotspots are active. I can look at them, but there's no way to interact, not even any EMF meter noises or whispers. Is it weird that kind of makes me feel lonely in here?

Nothing more to do in the Cottage, so we send Nigel outside in his fifth-day-clothes. As Nigel steps out of the Cottage, we hear an old-fashioned police siren in the distance, like it's driving away down a nearby road.



As the newspaper promised, it's raining. We know the nice weather never lasts for long in England, but yesterday was so beautiful.... there's two more things to notice here.

1- The missing cats posters are still up. Sure, people are lazy- but we never did actually find out who was stealing and killing the cats. We only found the nightmare room.

2- The seagull or cat which usually sits on that crate by the fish is gone. In fact, all of the incidental animals that populate the town screens are gone. No cats. No seagulls. No pigeons or ducks. They were gone by the time Nigel was walking back from the Woods last night- I didn't see any of them then, either.

Nigel's main priority here is to find the barking dog. As it turns out, the dog is down by The Pinnacles...



Well, I hate to say it but we did kind of expect something not to be quite right down here, didn't we?



It is indeed George barking. Nanny Noah is here too. She's always had Nigel's back, so perhaps she can help him now.

Nanny Noah... something terrible has happened!
Please go away young man. I do not know you.
What? It's me, Nigel! What's wrong?
Go away, or I shall call the police.




I found the crown.
Leave, please!
What can I do, to put things right?
Go away, boy. Or I'll set George on you.
I'll go.
Good, and don't come back.


You done messed up, Nigel! They told you not to go looking for it, but you did anyway. It's hard to feel sorry for him.

Well, Nanny Noah wants nothing to do with us but perhaps we can learn more from the policeman.



What's going on?
Investigation, sir.
Into what?
It's a police matter, sir, you better ask Detective Reubans.
"Detective" Reubans? That's some secret.




Alex Spitmoor? Or, is it Reubans now?
Ah, Nigel Danvers. Just the man.




Regardless of which I choose:
Where were you last night, around midnight?
It was an easy guess, by the way...
Just answer the question, Danvers.
Spitmoor, it's an anagram. Imposter.
Very bright, Danvers. Now where were you at midnight?
The pub. I believe Rhys will confirm that. As well as Morgan Mankle, Bob Tawny, oh... and of course... your sister was there too. (Funny, I don't remember seeing some of them.)
You see, that's the thing. She doesn't remember.
Well, we had a few drinks, but...
But what??!! (The game's punctuation, haha) Be careful what you say next....
What do you want from me?
Murder, Mr. Danvers... Cold. Bloodied. Murder.
Who? Not... Lucy? Alex, is it Lucy?
Oh, you're very cool, Mr. Dangers.
For heaven's sake man, is it Lucy?
You'd better take a look for yourself...




H.... Hardacre...

It's your friend, Professor Hardacre. Care to say anything?




Regardless of response:
His skull is smashed in. Several blows to the head; maybe a rock, or blunt blade.
A blade... like a scythe?
Could well be, why do you say that?
Just a hunch. A good guess.
You're not helping yourself.
Yes, I know. Look, Detective, I didn't do this.
I'm inclined to believe you.
Why, what have I said?
Thank my sister. She's fond of you. As a friend.
I'd better go and see her. Tell her the news.
Watch yourself, today. There's someone out there.
You think the killer is still in town?
Forensics will be here soon. Make yourself scarce.



Nigel does not understand that being a jerk to people isn't going to get you very far, even if you do think you're pretty clever for not figuring out their false name's anagram until after their sister tells you. That's all we can do here. It's a crime scene. It seems even Nigel understands he can't go tromping around all over it. The only thing to do is head back to Saxton and... I don't know, maybe someone else will help us? Lucy? We still have to find the crown.

On our way back through the Fenland Eye, we can peek in on those two trapped ghosts- the ones it didn't seem Nigel could help. But.... they're gone. They were still there yesterday. There's no supernatural activity here any more, at all.



I decide to backtrack and see if I can visit anything beyond the fens (the reserve, train tracks, Karswells, whatever), but there's a policeman stationed in the way who tells me that there's an investigation and to move along. Looks like Nigel won't be leaving town in that direction today.

Since we're stuck in town, let's make the visiting rounds. Station Master first, I think.



Gruel's is closed. A hard day's Punch and Judy must have tired him out. But we know he's been up and about today....



Please, Station Master, tell me what's wrong...
Leave me alone, boy.




Is it something I've done?
She's gone. Never to return.
There must be something I can do?
You've done enough.
What's wrong with Saxton?
A shadow has fallen across this town.
What do you mean? A curse of some kind?
More than that. The heart of our world has been taken.
You mean... you know about the crown?
Leave us be.
I am leaving now.
It's best you go.




The haunted photos aren't haunted any more, either. (The clock still displays whatever time it feels like, though.)

Well... let's continue around town.



"Barrow Hill" mushroom is a little easter egg to another Darkling Room game, Barrow Hill. Pretty spooky! It's like if Stonehenge was evil and wanted to kill you.



No breakfast or lunch for Nigel. Next down the road is the Saxton Museum.



Professor, you must help me. I think something is terribly wrong.
Saxton Museum relies on donations from the public. Please give generously.
Hardacre is dead. What shall we do?


Nigel won't enter the museum and simply says:

It seems I am not welcome here anymore.


We don't actually have the spyglass in our inventory any more. I haven't pointed it out explicitly, but every morning the game clears most of the stuff out of our inventory that we won't use any more. So... the spyglass is a casualty of that mechanic?

Although we can't go into the museum or return the spyglass, we can still help the museum kind of... we can help solve the mystery of the Saxton Skeleton. To the phone box!



Thank you for calling the Crime Line. Your call is vitally important to us, so please speak loudly and clearly.
The identity of the Saxton Skeleton is...




Alistair Farleigh.
Thank you for calling the Crime Line. One of our officers will investigate your information.
Alistair's soul is free... a victim of the Ager's blade, in Carrion Wood.


There is another local crime too- the catnapping. We called this number before, but none of the names we could offer up seemed like people who would be catnappers. Let's call it again!

This time, our options on reporting the catnapper are...



... oh, that one's the same. Well, I guess we can't solve this one yet.

Let's go visit Bob and Rhys.



.... oh. Well, the path is blocked so I guess visiting Rhys is off the table (as well as leaving town in the other direction), but we can still see Bob.



Please, can you help me?
Leave me be.




I've made a terrible mistake.
That you have. Leave, boy.
Please, tell me what to do.
You were warned. Now go.
No-one recognises me.
And why should they? You are a stranger to us.
I'll go now. But I must speak again soon.
You can try.


This is getting depressing. Let's go home.



Oh, Lucy's hanging out next to the Cottage! What even happened last night? Where did she go?

Look, we need to talk...
There's nothing to say.




Hardacre is dead.
I blame ourselves.
How? We did nothing.
What happened last night?
Evil. Murder. That's what happened.
We can still put things right. I'm sure of it.
How? How can that possibly happen?
Please... will you stop that and talk to me?
There's nothing to say.
I'm sorry, Lucy. I shall go.


Well, so much for that. Also, I don't know why that screen is rusty in the corner.



What's going on?
Caught our man, sir. Red handed, literally.
What's happening? Is that Mr. Gruel?
Evil devil. Morgan Mankle caught him, this very day... He tried to nab Spivey, the pub cat.
Mr. Gruel is behind the catnappings?




Edmund Gruel, I am arresting you for the torture and murder of several domestic animals. You have the right to remain silent.
... Jemima...!
... and I wish you would.
... JEMIMA!
Take him away.




(sobbing and repeating "Jemima" as she blackens in the fire)




Well, I guess Nigel doesn't need to solve that mystery after all. Saxton doesn't need you any more, Nigel. The locals have this one covered.

Since Alex is here, let's talk to him again. Maybe he'll know more about Hardacre.



Do I sense a promotion, Detective Reubans?
No, not while we have a body on the slab.
Any leads?
Nothing. Nothing at all. We have no weapon. No motive. No suspects.
Could he have fallen from the Martello Tower?
It's a possibility. There is one strange thing...




Regardless of choice...
Footprints. Hardacre left a clear line of prints all the way to the scene. But...
What, what's wrong?
They were the only ones. No-one else entered those rocks.
No-one living, anyway.
What do you mean?
Just a theory.... there's something I must do.
Care to explain? By any chance?
Something I must find and return. Or, I'm afraid...
Afraid of what? Another murder?!
I've got to get to the rocks. Can I pass?
If you can stop this, Danvers... you'd better get going.



Well, it's pretty clear that things aren't right in Saxton. How much of that is Nigel's fault? I mean, I don't think we can blame the flooded-out corpses on him, or the cat murders... and he's not really at fault for Hardacre's fate... he did actually free a bunch of innocent spirits and trap or exorcise some evil ones... he fixed the museum elevator... helped find the catnapper's lair... OK, he's helped around town a lot really! But... everything bad still feels like all his fault.

We've got to find that crown.