The Ancient One

*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***
***.***

## The Ancient One

* Balathu
* Kurum

## Biographical Information

### Full Name

Balathu
Kurum

### Nationality

Akkadian (Balathu)
Gutian (Kurum)

## Physical Information

### Species

Vampire
Human (Formerly)

### Hair Color

Black (Balathu)
Bald (Kurum)

## Game Information

### Debut

Bloodbath (Cameo)
The Horror (Actual debut)

### Death

The Vault
Daylight

### Cause of Death

Impaled
Burned

## Technical Information

### Model

Winston Thomas (Balathu)
Michael Addo (Kurum)

**The Ancient One** is the main antagonist of *The Dark Pictures Anthology*'s third installment, *House of Ashes*. This is a common name for Balathu and Kurum, one of whom becomes a vampire after the prologue.

## Appearance

The Ancient One takes the form of a vampiric Balathu/Kurum. It possesses appearances that can be seen on any other vampire humans. However, having lived longer than the others seen in the game, The Ancient One grows spines protruding out of their shoulder blades. Since The Ancient One is an infected form of Balathu/Kurum, they both share the same clothing and accessories.

## Personality

The Ancient One seems to be more composed and collected than the other vampires, almost like a tactician, waiting for its prey to make the wrong move and to finally strike. The Ancient One can also be trusted by its fellow vampires and can show leadership, as shown when it gives vampiric Rachel a signal before the latter can move. While aggressive in nature, The Ancient One can show some comfort to others, as shown when it silences a dying Rachel before infecting her.

## Biography

The Ancient One was the result of an ancient soldier who was infected by extraterrestrial parasites millennia ago that inhabited cosmic nomads. It has since then lived underground beneath the Zagros Mountains where it grew stronger than most of its kind, making it more resilient to its weaknesses, although it never found an escape to its prison, or its unending hunger. That was, until May 31, 2003, when it found new prey to hunt.

## *House of Ashes*

### Main Story

#### Act 2

When Rachel and Clarice try to climb up higher the chasm from the pit, a rock rolls down the cliff. The rock then stops at the point where the feet of The Ancient One steps on.

The Ancient One first makes a full appearance when the protagonists fight off the vampires in the sacrificial chamber of the temple. It attacks Nick as he was following Jason, being dragged away by one of the vampires. Nick is rescued by Eric, who blinded the Ancient One with a UV lamp, but he gets caught instead. However, Eric can also manage to escape - either on his own or with Rachel's help. The Ancient One can kill her by throwing a spear, and then infect her with a parasite.

After a while, The Ancient One again arrives in the sacrificial chamber, this time chasing Nick, Eric and Rachel (Eric can die and an infected Rachel can join The Ancient One before this chapter). It begins to chase the protagonists and leaves without finding them, or fights with them, but falls into a hole.

#### Act 3

If Nick decides to destroy the main motherlode and succeeds to plant the mines, The Ancient One will block his way to the exit and Nick will detonate the bombs. When the rest of the protagonists, having learned that he survived, run to save him or Eric abandons him, The Ancient One will grab him and start to throttle him. He always dies by being impaled by Salim or Nick, but before that he can break Nick's neck. If Nick fails to plant the mines, a vampire will rip his insides out. After the explosion, The Ancient One will be burned which is caused by the explosion.

If Nick backs down, The Ancient One will appear as Jason and Salim run to the elevator. It will throw a spear at Jason, but he can survive thanks to Salim.

If The Ancient One wasn't killed in the cocoon vault, he will make it to the surface during the eclipse and make one last attempt to kill the survivors. It begins to fight any two protagonists, knocking out the rest, and can kill them while the others are finished off by the vampires. Otherwise, the protagonists will finally defeat The Ancient One and kill it by putting a flare in its mouth or impaling it in the back with a spear.

## Possible Deaths

Possible Deaths
 Nick
 Burned
 Daylight | Any protagonist
 Impaled by spear
 Salim

## Trivia

### *Pictures*

* The Ancient One appears in 2 pictures: Arisen and Thirst.
	+ In these cases, Kurum takes the role of The Ancient One.

### *Deaths*

* The Ancient One is one of many characters in the anthology who can die from:
	+ Being burned. In The Ancient One's case, it can be burned by a fire caused by mines explosion or a flare.
	+ Impalement. In The Ancient One's case, it can be impaled by a stake or a spear.
* The Ancient One is one of many characters in the anthology who can kill the protagonists. In The Ancient One's case, it can kill every protagonists.
* The Ancient One is one of many supporting characters in the anthology who has a determinant fate.

### *Other*

* The Ancient One is one of many characters in the anthology to have chapters named after them.
* The Ancient One makes an appearance in *Dark Deception* multiplayer spin-off, *Monsters & Mortals* as one of the two monsters.
* The Ancient One appears in *Switchback VR* as the boss of the final *House of Ashes*-themed level Into the Abyss.
	+ In both of these cases, Balathu takes the role of The Ancient One.

### *Trophies*

* The Ancient One has 2 trophies associated with it:
	+ It shares with Nick the trophy "*Heart to Heart*".
	+ Its personal trophy is "*Old Dog*".