Helen Bierce (Dark Deception)

Helen Bierce, also known as just Bierce, is the deuteragonist of Dark Deception. She is the person who appoints Doug Houser to collect the pieces of the Riddle of Heaven and has had a history with Malak.
== Appearance ==
Bierce is a tall woman of English descent with a slightly tanned skin tone. She has white hair that appears to 'float' to the right side of her head, teal eyes framed by dark eyeshadow and black lipstick. She wears a long-sleeved form-fitting black dress that exposes her torso and abdomen, though part of this exposure is divided by a single round gem holding parts of the dress together. A necklace with three of these violet gems also connects the side of her dress just below the neck. She wears two of these jewels as earrings as well. She has red nails and dark eyeliner.
== Personality ==
While coming off as snarky and impatient throughout her dialogue, Bierce's true persona is explored through her diaries.
Throughout her diaries, Bierce is shown to be extremely arrogant and cold-hearted towards others, including her husband, who she married only for his wealth. As time went on, this developed into psychopathic narcissism, and Bierce began resorting to murder for her own personal gain.
== Behavior ==
Throughout the game, Bierce will aid Doug in their quest to collect the Soul Shards to rebuild the Riddle of Heaven, which she ensures Doug she will use to bring him back to life. This aid comes in the form of advice, unlocking powers for Doug, and radar to show him where the Soul Shards are. Bierce claims that she knows what Doug has done in his life and the intentions of these actions.
Bierce is rather confident in her abilities and her knowledge, shown in her cocky attitude and her disregard for Doug's failure. She has a rather negative relationship with Malak, shown in their numerous arguments. Malak even toys with her guilt by mentioning previous 'guests' before Doug that have died. He also claims that she is evil and is merely using the Protagonist for her own gain, though this may be false.
== Abilities ==
Bierce seems to have a form of psychic abilities, or at the very least, clairvoyance and telepathy. She has shown this by reading Doug's thoughts and memories, talking to Doug when in the Nightmares, and seeing through Doug's eyes. It has also been hinted that she may have magical capabilities of some kind.
== The Original History of Bierce ==
Source: The 2014 Kickstarter page
Helen Bierce - the She-Devil of the Silver Screen, as she was known in the 1930s – was a woman with a mysterious past who came to Los Angeles from parts unknown to make it big in Hollywood. Beautiful, clever and manipulative, Bierce married a crooked producer and was, for a time, one of the most popular actresses in Hollywood. Known for her vicious temper and on-set tantrums as well as her debauched parties up in the Hollywood Hills. Among other things, Bierce was rumored to be a Satanist, along with a number of high-profile Hollywood studio execs, all of who had ties to Bierce’s social circle. The press noticed that she was particularly fond of an odd-looking old ring, which she wore at all times. Her husband was committed to an asylum in 1937 for an unexplained “nervous condition” and died under mysterious circumstances while institutionalized. Much to her surprise, after the death of her husband and subsequent exposure of his corrupt practices, Bierce’s career plummeted. Bitter and defeated, she withdrew to her mansion and lived alone, though rumors persisted of mysterious↵people coming and going from the house at all hours, and strange ceremonies taking place there in the dead of night. In 1939 a rash of disappearances in the area led police to Bierce's house in an attempt to question the reclusive actress, only to find the mansion deserted. Strange, horrific symbols were found painted in blood on the interior walls of the house’s many rooms, and a huge, occult symbol was daubed on the floor of the mansion’s ballroom. Despite an intensive manhunt, Bierce was never found, and the case eventually went cold.
After her disappearance, a Hollywood legend grew up around Bierce and her ring. She’d gotten her glamour from black magic, bargaining with a demon to become the Queen of Hollywood. The legend goes that if you find her ring and solve the puzzle it presents, Bierce will appear and give you your heart’s desire – for a price.
== Trivia ==
* In the 2014 build of the game, Bierce's voice was heard, but she was never seen in the game itself.
** Her voice was also a little different, though still voiced by the same actor.
* A portal of Bierce was found at the end of an old 2015 video. When the developers were asked about it, they said that there will not be a portal for her and that it was just some old art.
* At the beginning of Monkey Business, Bierce mentions a female "guest" that arrived before Doug. This, along with the number of soul shards in the nightmares, suggests there were multiple guests here before the events of Dark Deception, leading to some speculation that the realm Doug is in is a variant of Purgatory.
* Agatha, the primary antagonist from the Elementary Evil level, seems to have a distaste for Bierce, hinting that they have some history with each other. This may be a hint towards one of Bierce's recordings in which she states that she sacrificed her maid's daughter.
** Alternatively, this might be hinting toward Bierce being Agatha's mother, referencing Agatha's voice line "Bierce! Stay out of my room!" This line is a common trope within familial storylines.
* Despite being an apparent ally of Doug, Bierce seems to have little to no regard for their survival, as she will taunt and mock Doug upon their death.
** Bierce's indifference towards Doug is also evident in Deadly Decadence, as she ponders whether to be impressed or disappointed that they are still alive.
** Also, if Doug dies in any of the nightmares, Bierce will just laugh at him after saying 'You Are Dead.'
* It is speculated that Bierce may be the last enemy of the game, due to the portal depicting her image and the existence of a second Bierce beneath the staircase, with a suggestive purpose.
* The name 'Bierce' comes from an American short-story author and Civil War veteran: Ambrose Bierce who had a daughter named 'Helen'.
* Malak mentions that Bierce relies on Doug's vision to witness what happens at each level, explaining how she can observe, react to, and comment on each of the chases.
* Her voice line from Stranger Sewers upon dying from Doom Ducky or the Dread Duckies, "Yes, your corpse will float too." may be a reference to 2019 film IT.
* Vince Livings said in the fourth Q&A video that Bierce was initially designed to look like an old woman.
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