The Signal

*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

**The Signal** is the fifth chapter of Act 2 in *House of Ashes* and the twelfth overall.

The player controls Nick (Theatrical Cut) and Jason (Curator's Cut) as they attempt to contact air support with the archaeologists' radio.

## *Chasm, 2353 HRS, 159 FT.*

Jason or Nick inspects the perimeter of the chasm while the other checks the cameras inside the temple. They claim that the creatures have more fun down there than the group on above. While on patrol, they can find:

* Finds Catalog.
* Battle Tablet.
* Vampire Speculations.
* Infection Symptoms.
* The sixth part of Randolph Hodgson's journal.
* Expedition Map.
* A picture.
* The archaeologists' broken radio.

The two meet up after a minute (in singleplayer/Movie Night) or when the other player finishes Bloodbath (in Shared Story). They discuss how they know nothing about the enemies, and since they are in their territory, their only hope is the radio.

* If Eric called air support, the two will be glad that he did something right.
* If Eric didn't call air support, the two will scold him, as the helicopters could have picked up their signal.

The two can explore again and must interact with the radio to progress the chapter. After examining the radio, Nick starts fixing it, while Eric (if alive) arrives and says it was apparently sabotaged. When the radio starts working, Nick pulls out a cigarette to smoke, to which Jason can be playful or impatient.

* If Jason is playful, he will tell to Nick that smoking will kill him. Nick replies as if smoking is the biggest threat to his life. Nick tries to find his lighter, but doesn't find it.
	+ If Eric is alive, he will realize that Nick is the one Rachel is having the affair with.
* If Jason is impatient, he will tell Nick that it's not the time for that since there are vampires here. Nick will then throw away his cigarette.
	+ If Eric is alive, he will not realize that Nick is the one Rachel is having the affair with.

Voices start coming out of the radio and Nick explains that these are just ghost signals, faint signals that are picked up by the radio even without the transmitter. Jason tells him to set up the transmitter so they can contact CENTCOM.

* If Merwin is dead, Nick will say that he is not a technician and if Merwin was here he would fix it, whom Jason tells him to "embrace the suck".
* If Merwin is alive, he will appear behind the group, fully recovered. The group tell him not to interfere and rest, to which Merwin replies that he is the only mechanic in the group and without him they cannot do anything.

The scene later then focuses on the Iraqis.

* If Salim was not captured or captured with Eric alive, he will be seen watching them from the main door when Dar appears behind him. Dar then views the Americans from the temple.
* If Salim was captured with Eric dead, Dar will see Salim tied to a pillar and frees him as they go to view the Americans from the temple.

Seeing the Americans with the radio, Dar says that they need to stop the Americans from calling more reinforcements, but Salim blocks his way. He tries to explain that the Americans can help them get out of here and that their real enemies are the vampires, but Dar doesn't listen to him, saying that Salim either goes with him or remains here to rot.

* If Salim has a positive or neutral relationship with Dar (based on his decisions in The Raid), Salim will go with him.
* If Salim has a negative relationship with Dar, Salim will stay in the temple.

The radio starts making a non-stop noise, drawing the attention of the vampires in the chasm, and Merwin/Nick tries to fix it while the others guard them. Jason tells Eric to go back to the temple and monitor the situation through the cameras. Eric, although at the beginning refuses, still agrees, but as he steps on the threshold, he is knocked by Dar.

* If Merwin is alive, he will successfully fix the radio and yells out a battle cry only to be shot in the head by Dar. Nick manages to contact air support and request help before Dar destroys the radio.
* If Merwin is dead, Nick will try to fix the radio, but he won't be able to, as Dar destroys it.

Jason and Nick then fire at Dar. The scene then focuses on Dar shooting the group.

* If Eric is alive but Salim stayed behind, Dar will threaten Eric to call off the soldiers.
* If Eric is alive and Salim joined Dar, Salim will aim his gun at Eric as he kneels in front of him.
* If Eric is dead and Salim joined Dar, Dar will ask Salim why he doesn't engage.

As Jason and Nick take cover, Dar yells at the Americans to surrender as he continuously fires at them.

* If Salim joined Dar, he will tell Dar to retreat as he hears the screeches of the vampires, but Dar ignores him and continues to shoot.
	+ If Eric is alive, Eric thinks of escaping, but Salim points his gun at him to keep him down.
* If Eric is alive and Salim stayed behind, Eric will attempt to escape but Dar will stop him and order him to call off Jason and Nick.

Jason then tells Nick to flank Dar. Jason asks Nick for cover, to which the latter must complete a QTE to fire at Dar.

* If Nick completes the QTE, Dar will be stunned, giving Jason time to move.
* If Nick fails the QTE, Dar will shoot Jason in the shoulder, injuring him and affecting the Blood bearing. Jason will scold Nick for not giving him cover.
	+ If Dar himself was shot in Slayer, he will not fire due to his injury.

Jason will command Nick to flank him, which the former must complete a QTE to shoot at Dar to cover for Nick (failing it in Curator's Cut will result in as if Nick failed the next QTEs). Nick then must complete two QTEs to rush to the other side for flanking position.

* If Nick fails the second QTE, he will accidentally drop his rifle.

Afterwards, Dar is continuously getting flanked, but Nick doesn't have a clear shot. Jason then focuses on the rubble above Dar.

* If Eric is alive and Salim joined Dar, Eric will attempt to escape only for Salim to stop him.
* If Eric is alive and Salim stayed behind, Eric will run away but Dar will notice this.

If Jason was not shot earlier in the firefight, he must then complete a QTE to shoot at the rubble above Dar.

* If Jason succeeds at shooting the rubble, Dar will be stunned and back away.
	+ If Eric is alive and Salim stayed behind, Eric will successfully escape and join Jason.
* If Jason fails to shoot the rubble and Nick still has his rifle, Nick must complete a QTE to shoot Dar.
	+ If Nick fails the QTE or doesn't have his rifle, Eric is alive, and Salim stayed behind, Dar will shoot Eric in the back and kill him.

* If all QTEs have been successfully completed at this point, Nick can shoot at Dar once more. If he succeeds, the lamp behind Dar will shatter and the glass will cut his face.

Dar and Salim (if he joined) retreat back to the temple. As Jason looks at them, he hears a vampire nearby.

* If Merwin and/or Eric was killed, their corpses are dragged into the chasm.

The Americans then retreat into the temple.

## Collectibles

### Secrets

* Finds Catalog - On a crate near the chasm.
* Battle Tablet - On a crate near the chasm.
* Vampire Speculations - On a crate near the chasm.
* Infection Symptoms - On a table near the chasm.
* Randolph's Journal - Part 6 - On a table near the temple, across from the radio.
* Expedition Map - On the table next to the radio.

### Pictures

* Thirst - Near the chasm behind Nick/Jason right after the chapter begins.

## Deaths

### Inevitable

Merwin

* If Merwin is still alive, he will be shot in the head by Dar.

### Determinant

Eric

* If Salim doesn't help Dar, Jason fails to shoot at the rubble above Dar, and Nick fails to cover for Eric, Dar will shoot Eric in the back.

## Trivia

* This is the third chapter in which Eric can die.