Shepherds

*Long is the way and hard, that out of Hell leads up to light...**This article is about The Dark Pictures Anthology's third installment,* ***House of Ashes***
***.***

## Game Information

### Status

Several dead (Determinant)
Unknown

The **shepherds** are a group of supporting characters in *The Dark Pictures Anthology*'s third installment, *House of Ashes*. They live in a farm at the target LZ and are eventually revealed to be a group of drug-smuggling cultists that regularly sacrifice travelers to the vampires so that they do not come to the surface and harm them.

## Appearances

The shepherds appear to be middle-aged dark men. Their entire facial feature is almost unknown other than the fact they have dark brown eyes.

All the shepherds appear to wear the same clothing, which consists of a sweater, trousers, and sandals that are suitable for rural deserted areas. Most of them wear beanie and scarf mask. However, one notable shepherd doesn't wear a mask, revealing their face.

## Personalities

The shepherds are farmers that also smuggle drugs and vow a cult to the vampires. Some of them are armed, but they are smart enough to not fight against the Americans if they hold fire during the invasion of the farm. Some of them show deference but others can show violence, especially after their custom are being disrespected.

Dar sees them as not valuable despite being his fellow countrymen, even implying to Salim he'll eliminate them after dealing with the Americans. However in the American side, Rachel values their lives enough to ensure a smoothly interrogation as to scold Jason for killing one of them. Merwin sees the shepherds as unintelligent, telling Rachel "don't ask them any tough physics questions."

## Biography

The shepherds were a group of cultists living in the Zagros Mountains who were devoted to sacrificing local travelers to the vampires living underground. They worshipped them for generations and kept feeding them to the point the vampires didn't bring harm upon them. Up until the present time, the shepherds would continue their business until when they were interrupted by forces of two countries on May 30, 2003.

## *House of Ashes*

### Main Story

As the shepherds witness the US helicopters landing outside, they retreat back into the buildings. Later, the shepherds are held hostage by the Americans, with one of them possibly getting killed in the process. When the war happens, the shepherds attempt to escape the warzone. However, one of them will be caught by Jason, in which he can be spared or killed.

They are brought up by Clarice in the pit, exclaiming how the shepherds have lived in the mountains for a long time. It can later be assumed that the shepherds flee their huts to safety before the protagonists rise onto the surface.

## Possible Deaths

Possible Deaths
 Rachel
 Jason

## Trivia

### *Secrets*

* The shepherds are associated with some secrets:
	+ They created the pagan effigies hanging around the huts.
	+ They own several gas masks.
	+ They may possess a statue of Pazuzu.

### *Deaths*

* The shepherds are ones of many characters in the anthology who can die from being shot. In the shepherds' case, they can be shot by Jason or Rachel.
* The shepherds are ones of many supporting characters in the anthology who have a determinant fate.

### *Other*

* Dar shows contempt for them in The Raid, implying that he does not consider them "their people." It is unclear why he says this, though he could hold dislike Kurds or suspect that they are smuggling drugs.
* Some of the shepherds' sweaters have a pattern of the compass symbols on their back. This is a reference to the fourth installment of the anthology, *The Devil in Me*.
* Despite being farmers, no livestock or crops can be seen on their land. However, it can be assumed that their productions are located somewhere else away from the farm.

## Quotes

* Spoken by the shepherds
* Spoken about the shepherds