Underworld

*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***
***.***

## Chapter Guide

**Underworld** is the third chapter of Act 1 in *House of Ashes* and the fourth overall.

The player controls Nick (Theatrical Cut) and Jason (Curator's Cut) as the two men find themselves underground with something lurking in the darkness.

## *Sand Caverns, 1902 HRS, 52 FT.*

* Theatrical Cut
* Curator's Cut

After the earthquake, Nick falls into the sand caverns. He tries to use the radio but gets no signal, so he starts calling out for Merwin and Jason. Nick lights a flare and throws it into the dark tunnel, before walking through. On the way, he hears Jason's voice in the other side and responds. As Nick continues to walk through the caverns, a dark figure jumps out from a crevice, shocking him. He continues to walk through again until he sees the same figure, standing in position while clicking noises can be heard. Before Nick can see it clearly, the figure crawls away. Reaching the end of the tunnel, Nick finds a structure and jumps down.

After the earthquake, Jason falls into the sand caverns. He tries to call the rest of the squad, but gets no signal. Jason lights a flare and throws it into the dark tunnel before walking through. On the way, he hears Nick's voice in the other side and responds, and also clicking sounds, to which he responds how it doesn't sound promising. After reaching the end of the tunnel, Jason jumps down and reaches a structure.

Nick and Jason reunite and examine the area. Jason says they should go upstairs and find the others and notes that the place doesn't look like a weapons silo but Iraqi soldiers should be nearby. Nick does not respond, and Jason can ask if he's okay or tell him to pull himself together. Either way, Nick can choose to say if he's fine or he saw something.

* If Nick says he's fine, he will say that he's all good, adding that he doesn't expect to suddenly fall into the earth.
* If Nick says he saw something in the tunnel, Jason will ask what he means. Nick then says that they should have never got off the helo in anger. Jason can berate him or be dismissive, and Nick can insist that they need to get out of here or say something is wrong.

As the duo explores the area, they can find a picture and a secret.

* In Shared Story, the first protagonist to reach the room can explore the area until the other protagonist catches up.

Upon interacting with a huge stone door, both Jason and Nick will try to open it. As they open the door, they'll hear Merwin's screams. The two enter into an open cave, where they see a bloody Merwin, entangled in barbed wires, and Clarice, who is trying to free him. Nick tells Jason to cut the wires, and he must complete a QTE to do so.

* If he fails the QTE, Clarice will take the knife and cut the wires herself.

After examining Merwin, Nick tells Jason to get the morphine out of his pack. As he looks for it, Nick tells Clarice to keep a lookout. However, as Clarice takes a step towards them, something drags her into the darkness. When Jason tries to approach the darkness, he hears monstrous screams. As the screams intensify, Jason and Nick pick up Merwin and drag him into the tunnel while he screams in pain.

The group stops as Merwin is bleeding heavily and tries to recover him while they also have to silent him, since his screams attract the monsters.

There are three QTEs for Jason to be completed.

* The first QTE to grab the morphine has no consequences.
* If Jason fails the second QTE to hold Merwin's leg still or the third QTE to inject the morphine, Merwin will die of blood loss.

There are four QTEs for Nick to be completed.

* The first QTE to suppress the bleeding has no consequences.
* If Nick completes the next two QTEs to hold a hand over Merwin's mouth, Jason warns him that he is killing Merwin.
* If Nick completes the final QTE, Merwin will suffocate. Jason fails to find a pulse and Nick explains that he didn't mean to kill him.

Everyone hears the creatures approaching.

* If Nick failed one QTE to hold a hand over Merwin's mouth, the creature will pass by, after which the survivors will flee to the tunnel.
* If Nick failed two or all of the QTEs, a creature is seen approaching the soldiers from its point of view. Nick then fires at the creatures as they flee to the tunnel.
* If Merwin was killed, Merwin's body is left behind and dragged away by a creature.

## Collectibles

### Secrets

* Punctured Skull - Can be found under the giant hand statue.

### Pictures

* Squeeze - Can be found at the top of the stairs in the room with the giant hand statue.

## Deaths

### Determinant

Merwin

* If Nick completes all QTEs to hold Merwin's mouth, he will suffocate. (Theatrical Cut)
* If Jason fails the QTE to keep Merwin's leg still or to inject morphine, he will die of blood loss. (Curator's Cut)