Bloodbath

*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***
***.***

## Both Cuts

### Playable Character(s)

Jason
Rachel

### Time(s)

2200 HRS
2212 HRS

### Location(s)

Temple
The Pit

### Depth(s)

144 FT.
394 FT.

## Chapter Guide

**Bloodbath** is the fourth chapter of Act 2 in *House of Ashes* and the eleventh overall.

The player controls Jason and Rachel as the former sets up defenses with Nick while the latter regains consciousness in a bloody pit.

## *Temple, 2200 HRS, 144 FT.*

The chapter starts with a view in a tent. If Eric is alive, he can be seen in the tent.

* If Salim wasn't captured and the creature wasn't killed, Eric will inspect Caelus' scans.
* If Salim wasn't caught and the creature was killed, Eric turns on the recorder, after which, introducing himself, begins an autopsy of the creature.
* If Salim was caught and the creature wasn't killed, Eric will interrogate him about the Iraqi soldiers and where they hide their weapons. Salim asks if Eric doesn't believe in demons and tells how he faced them.
	+ If Salim knows about the creatures' weakness to sunlight, he will mention it by pointing to the UV lamp.
	+ This scene will occur even if Eric saw the creature himself by saving Nick from it in The Truce. This is a continuity error.
* If Salim was caught and the creature was killed, Eric will interrogate him, asking about the creatures, after which he will begin an autopsy.
* If Salim was caught, but Eric is already dead, he'll be tied to a chair near a pillar instead.

In the meantime, Nick and Jason set up cameras and blow up passages so that in case of the creatures infiltrating through, they will be slowed down and were able to be spotted on cameras.

* If they avoided the tripwire in After the Fall, they will reset it, in parallel saying that they already got into bad situations before, but not as bad as this. Nick will then say that he doesn't need anyone else on his side.
* If they activated the tripwire in After the Fall, Jason/Nick will thank the other for saving their life during the explosion.

Either way, Jason can be foreboding or supportive. If Jason is foreboding, Nick will say what will he do without Jason, to which Jason can be playful or serious.

In the main hall, Nick says to Jason that they've bombed the place without a second thought, to which Jason replies that the relics are better destroyed. Nick tells Jason that the Iraqis are not their enemies. Jason can either be curious or resentful.

* If Jason is curious, he'll ask Nick why is he defending the enemy, to which he replies that they're not the enemies. Jason asks Nick if it's about the checkpoint incident, to which they discuss about it. Afterwards, Jason can ask Nick to get himself together or tell him that the girl's death is getting under his skin.
* If Jason is resentful, he'll tell Nick they didn't show respect when they attacked New York City. Nick asks Jason if all brown people now have to suffer, to which Jason replies that's not what he meant and that Nick knew him better than that. Jason then says that Iraq has a fair share of monsters, to which Nick asks if it does now. Jason then says when they get home, they'll laugh about it, to which Nick added Jason can tell what he feels about black people.

Eric contacts Jason and when he reports the cameras and holes, he tells them to check the eastern corridor.

* If Salim wasn't captured and the creature wasn't killed, Eric will inform Jason that Caelus has scanned a larger structure under the temple and asks the boys to be careful.
* If Salim wasn't captured and the creature was killed, Eric proceeds with the autopsy, revealing the creature's physical parameters.
* If Salim was caught and the creature wasn't killed, Eric will continue to interrogate Salim, asking how many soldiers fell underground and how many were with him when they attacked them earlier. Salim will deny the accusation, to which Eric will say in anger that his people attacked him and his wife on a cliff and she fell. Hearing about his wife, Salim apologizes, to which Eric replies that he will be, after which he contacted Jason and informs about a huge structure under the temple.
* If Salim was caught and the creature was killed, Eric will continue the autopsy.
* If Salim was caught, but Eric is dead, Jason and Nick approach Salim, to which Salim asks them to untie him as the creatures could feast on him. Jason can either be hostile to Salim or reassure him.

Approaching the huge dilapidated doors, the guys assume that whoever owned the weapon, they fought back and say if the creatures find a way here earlier, they will find it again. Entering the corridor and going down the stairs, the guys get into the catacombs, where they can find:

* The well with bone fragments. Jason will spit into the well.
* Bloodless Corpse.
* Staked Woman. If the camera is moved around, they will make a brief comment about the corpse and pick up the stake. Jason can keep it for himself or give it to Nick.
* The fourth part of Randolph Hodgson's journal.
* A picture.

Having passed into the corridor with the pillars, Jason can find a secret and decides to mine the passage, as the creatures can pass here. Jason proposes to mine the center for maximum coverage, while Nick proposes to mine the sides, as the bombs will be more hidden. Jason can decide to mine the center or the sides. Afterwards, Jason notices Nick is overwhelmed, and Nick mentions the checkpoint again. He says that shooting the girl has been messing with his head and asks Jason if he is experiencing the same. Jason can admit that they messed up or tell Nick to forget and move on.

* If Jason says they've messed up, he will say they will face their demons or they deserve to die.
* If Jason tells Nick to forget and move on, he will notice that Jason lied by saying that he is fine twice.

* If Nick did not tell Jason about Rachel in The Raid, he confesses to Jason that he's been seeing Rachel for three weeks now, which surprises him.
* If Nick did tell Jason about it, he can choose whether to ask if Eric knows yet if Eric is alive, or tell him they can keep going.

The guys then open the doors to the deeper catacombs and report this to Eric. He answers to go back and guard the perimeter, after which Jason tells Nick to put the camera and they leave.

* If Merwin is alive, he will lie in the hallway raving due to morphine. A figure will loom over him and whistle, but then turn and leave.
	+ If Salim was captured and Eric is dead, Salim will be shown hiding from the figure behind a pillar.

The scene then goes back to Eric still inside the camp if he's still alive and with Salim if he's captured.

* If the creature was killed, Eric will try to use the UV wand to inspect his fluid. While shining it onto the body, the creature's corpse ignites. He then tries to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher.
	+ If Salim is there and knows the creatures' weakness, he will advise Eric about using the UV wand, and says that if he was him, he would use it carefully.
* If the creature wasn't killed and Salim is captured, Eric and Salim will have a small talk about their loved ones. Salim tells Eric about his son while Eric tells Salim about his wife.

He then notices a shadowy figure passing by behind him and exits the tent. As he tries to find the figure, the figure can be seen exiting the main hall of the temple.

* If Salim is caught while Eric is distracted, he will escape with his weapon.

As Eric walks to the main exit, the camera focuses on the leaking generator. Jason and Nick walk up to the crane and suggest trying to contact the surface. While they are talking, someone runs up to them from behind and attacks Jason, who turns out to be a transformed Joey. Jason and Joey then have a fight above the crane.

* If Jason is armed with a stake, he will stab Joey multiple times. He then must complete a QTE to impale Joey with it.
* If Jason doesn't have a stake, he must complete a QTE to push Joey away from him.
	+ If Jason completes the QTE, Jason will get Joey away from him and tries to walk away from the crane.
	+ If Jason fails the QTE, Joey will beat him until Nick shoots him.

After Jason walks away from the crane, Joey gets up and tries to charge at the guys.

* If Eric is alive and knows about the creatures' weakness, he will come running to the guys and burn Joey with the UV wand.
* If Eric is dead or doesn't know about the creatures' weakness, everyone will shoot Joey.

After Joey falls into the chasm, a horde of creatures roars from the bottom.

## *The Pit, 2212 HRS, 394 FT.*

Rachel, who has survived the fall into the chasm, wakes up in a pit with a huge pool of blood. She calls for Eric and finds what remains of the rope, with its end either cut or frayed.

* If Eric cut the rope, Rachel will sarcastically praise him for his loyalty, calling him a puppy dog.

She then calls Nick and Jason. Rachel takes out her lighter and uses it. As Rachel pulls out a lighter, she hears clicking sounds and gurgling behind her. While walking in a pool of blood, Rachel can find:

* Plastic ID Card.
* Ancient Helmet.
* The fifth part of Randolph Hodgson's journal.
* Rachel can also follow the movement under the pool. After entering a dark area in the pit, Rachel's lighter will flicker. When she tries to open the lighter, a creature jumps out from the pool and flies up, scaring her.

Reaching a narrow tunnel where Rachel will be startled by a swarm of bats, Rachel makes a torch out of a thigh bone and her sleeve and goes inside. While walking through the tunnel, a creature stalks her. Exploring through the tunnel, Rachel will stumble upon a wide area with a giant wheel and near it, green light can be seen emitted. Rachel can find a secret here and also see bubbles behind her.

* If Rachel approaches the bubbles, a creature will come out of the puddle and start chasing her.
* If Rachel does not approach the bubble, she hears clicking sounds behind her and notices an approaching creature, and it begins chasing her.

The creature leaps at her and Rachel can complete QTE to dodge it, though failing it has no consequences. Rachel's torch will fall onto a pile of bones, setting the surroundings ablaze. Rachel then rises up from the pool and continues to run. While escaping, a stone will be seen blocking her way. Rachel must complete a QTE to get over it.

* If Rachel completes the QTE, she will climb over and continue swimming. Backing away from the creature, Rachel accidentally bumps into someone behind her, who appears to be Clarice. Clarice then asks Rachel to escape and stands in front of the creature. She then blocks the passage between the girls and the creature, allowing them to escape.
* If Rachel fails the QTE, the creature will push her against the pile of bones and loom over her. Clarice appears with a flare and scares the creature away before asking Rachel to escape. She then blocks the passage between the girls and the creature, allowing them to escape.

Rachel and Clarice climb out of the pool and take a break in the cave. Rachel asks Clarice how she got here, to which she replies that one of the creatures grabbed her and left her here to die. Rachel says that she was lucky to get out, but Clarice says that for her as a scientist, there is no such thing as luck and that she saved Rachel, for which she can thank her or say that she could handle it herself. Rachel begins to scour Clarice's pack, to her indignation, looking for batteries for her flashlight. As she does so, Clarice notices the wound on Rachel's arm and bandages it.

The couple notices the symbol on the wall. Rachel notes that she saw the same symbols in the shepherds' huts and Clarice suggests that they have lived in the mountains for a long time, after which she begins to cough violently. She says the only way out is to climb to the top, but the wall is barely climbable. Rachel says she went to climbing lessons where she also met Eric and the girls start climbing up. One of the pebbles breaks off and falls to the ground, which then stops near the foot of an unknown figure.

When the girls climb up to a small area, they are a little ahead there. Rachel notices Clarice's terrible condition and points it out, to which Clarice, in turn, sarcastically thanks her. Rachel asks if Clarice is okay, to which Clarice tells her that it is the dumbest question to have ever been asked. When Rachel becomes quiet, Clarice makes fun of Rachel for giving her the silent treatment. Rachel can be commanding or amused.

* If Rachel is commanding, Clarice says it's no wonder why she is called the "Queen Bitch" since she built a mountain between herself and the others and let no one to be inside. Rachel can ignore it, telling them to move on or joking that it is not easy to be the "Queen Bitch".
* If Rachel is amused, she will reply that anything to distract them from this place. Rachel can say that the creature chasing them doesn't look like an animal, or ask how Clarice became a scientist.

Clarice then mocks how Rachel goes through her career easily, much to her annoyance. While talking, Clarice suddenly becomes very sick and Rachel notices a movement in her neck. Clarice pleads with Rachel not to leave her, to which she can reassure her or be frightened. Clarice asks Rachel if she can promise to stay with her, to which Rachel can continue to reassure her or say that she can't keep promises. She says that there are medicines in the temple and they need to return to the temple as soon as possible.

The girls climb to the top of the chasm, but find themselves on the other side. Rachel hooks a grappling hook to the ceiling and tells them they need to swing over. Clarice becomes sick again and asks Rachel if the medications will really help her, which she may doubt or say that it's their only hope. Rachel takes the rope and has to complete a QTE.

* If Rachel completes the QTE, she successfully swings over the chasm. As Clarice is on the other side coughing, Rachel can decide to abandon Clarice or help her.
	+ If Rachel decides to abandon Clarice, she will let go of the rope, leaving it hanging between the girls on the chasm. Both sides then separate, as Rachel heads to the temple while Clarice eventually succumbs to her infection.
	+ If Rachel decides to help Clarice, she will throw Clarice the rope.
		- If Rachel convinced that Clarice could be saved, Clarice will swing over. Both of the girls then head into the temple.
		- If Rachel convinced that Clarice couldn't be saved, she will refuse to swing over, saying that she could be dangerous for the others. Rachel can either be somber or encourage her, but either way, Clarice then lets go of the rope and both sides separate.
* If Rachel fails the QTE, she swing over the chasm, but the grappling hook will become loose. All scenarios will play out the same, except for the following:
	+ If Rachel convinced Clarice that she could be saved and decides to throw the rope back to her, Clarice will swing over, but the hook will come loose and she will fall into the chasm. Rachel screams out to her, but to no avail.

## Collectibles

### Secrets

* Staked Woman - In the big tomb on the floor. The camera must be moved around to unlock this secret.
* Bloodless Corpse - In the big tomb on the floor. The camera must be moved around to unlock this secret.
* Randolph's Journal - Part 4 - In the big tomb on the floor.
* Cylinder Seal - In the hallway after the big tomb on a crate.
* Plastic ID Card - In the pit to the left.
* Ancient Helmet - In the pit to the right.
* Randolph's Journal - Part 5 - In the pit near the center.
* Science Notes - In the pit near the water wheel where green light is cast.

### Pictures

* Tripwire - In the catacombs on the floor.

## Deaths

### Determinant

Clarice

* If Rachel fails the QTE while swinging across the chasm and Clarice tries to swing across, the grappling hook will come loose and she will fall into the chasm.
* If Clarice refuses to swing across the chasm or Rachel refuses to help her, she will die from her infection off-screen.

## Trivia

* This is the first chapter in which the protagonists encounter human vampires.

## Gallery

Autopsy scene concept artTent fire scene concept artCrane fight scene concept artChasm scene concept art