Now for the reader's weekly reminder that this look at Vampire the Masquerade - Bloodlines is still a thing: It is still a thing, thank you. When we last left Mark Flavian, he was standing in front of a boat ready to infiltrate the Elizabeth Dane and investigate what happened there. He has three objectives to fulfil there and must complete them without killing anyone or causing a disturbance. Sounds simple enough...
Hoping onto the aforesaid boat takes Mark to the Elizabeth Dane. A conveniently located ladder lies next to the boat Mark used to get here.
Climbing the ladder, Mark notices a police officer keeping a lookout. Mark could sneak past him but something seems odd about the fellow who is just standing there. Plus the player actually knows what this is all about.
The police officer can be engaged in conversation! Looks like he has mistaken the madman in the peculiar (but more appropriate) outfit for an intrepid reporter he was supposed to allow aboard the live crime scene. Since Mark is unable to say a word without sounding insane, there is only one option to take here.
Madness tends to be beneficial when you least expect it. Or rather when you can control how it works.
That takes care of one objective! Following this solution thread is the best way to adhere to LaCroix's conditions and since Mark is role-playing a sycophant, he wants to be the very best, like no one ever was.
From this bit, we can assume that this man's name is Heinz and that he has provided a distraction for us.
While this is important advise, it is not as useful to a vampire with Obfuscate.
Here is the password and at this point, the player who is paying attention to the dialogue is getting their reward with a direct guide to going through the level.
We will be sure to tell Jacobson that! ...If we even knew a Jacobson that is...
Good old baleen whales! Serving as great distractions since 2001.
With the temptation of seeing a baleen whale in the wild, Anderson makes his way to Heinz while Mark makes his way past the two.
A door to the right provides a path into the ship.
Said path leads to this corridor of doors. Note that the door to the left is locked.
Opening that door reveals a door to the records room. It too is locked but there is a more expedient way to unlocking it.
Past the aforesaid door is this flight of stairs. As per Heinz's instructions, those stairs ought to lead up to the security room.
Heinz was right. The terminal looks like a promising place to start for Mark.
Using the password (or hacking), Mark gains access to the ship's functions. The first two are not beneficial to Mark but the last two appear to be, the last one being the more beneficial of the two.
Activating the deck cams will reactivate this monitor that receives images from said cameras. One of those cameras is facing the Sarcophagus and by looking at the Ankaran Sarcophagus from the cameras, Mark fulfils another of LaCroix's objectives.
Unlocking those doors also unlocked the door to the Records room. Inside said room is the Ship Manifest and Mark's final objective. Collecting this will allow Mark to complete all of his objectives on the Dane.
As Mark stares at that boat, he wonders if that baleen whale will ever return again. Perhaps it - wait! The whale is just fiction but the ladder leading away is real..
Hoping back onto the boat and into a cab leads Mark back to Downtown. Now there is something new here. I will let the regular reader figure it out on their own.
Time to talk to Jack again. One aspect of the game I like is that new conversations are added as the events in the game progress along, indicating a passage of time that the actual game is unable to depict in real time (though having real time in this game could be a chore though).
Looks like the Sarcophagus is well-known among most vampires here.
Even more batshit than a batshit Malkavian? What could be making them so scared?
An Antedeluvian? That is most certainly foreboding for any modern Kindred.
Hungry for takeaway or hungry enough to takeaway?
Here we have another mention of Gehenna and one interpretation of it; ancients going to town after those in their clans.
Looks like the Ankaran Sarcophagus is causing something to be built up, the end of vampire society from the looks of it. Jack provides some foreshadowing to Mark, telling Mark that something will eventually happen.
After some more biased opinions and statements from Jack, Jack reminds Mark to continue on with gathering information and shaping an opinion on all of this.
Visiting Nines prompts another discussion. The choices I will be making here are done to obtain a free skill increase. From here, Mark asks about the Angels' city.
With this, a little more of Nines' backstory is revealed. Looks like he had to live through the Great Depression and even got to see the Camarilla being kicked out from LA. From here, Mark asks Nines why they should keep fighting and not go into hiding.
Spoken like a Brujah with a cause. Mark now asks about any notions Nines has thought up.
Turns out, Nines has some notions that he thought up. Notions about combat with a bladed weapon.
I usually forget about this little stat raising bit so part of me is relieved that I remembered to go through it this time.
With new skills at hand, it is time to approach LaCroix but first... Mark is approached by a familiar looking girl.
The player currently controlling Mark would be confused and suspicious if someone were to suddenly approach him and state that they owe him their life. Mark however is not since he is aware of what he may have done. Since Mark is a kindhearted madman, Mark will remark that the girl, Heather Poe, looks a lot better now.
A reminder that even if one becomes undead, that does not erase their capacity to do some form of good. Though consequences are abound.
The item in question is a ring. By feeding Heather his own blood, Mark has turned the girl into a ghoul which explains her need to be with Mark. While Mark is a kindhearted madman, he has to decide which option is more kinder: acquiescing to her request to stay with him or letting her go free despite her pleas against it.
In the end, Mark takes her in. Heather does have some interesting interactions with the player character at times so I will be inviting her along to showcase those interactions.
Well, this is creepy (and may have possibly disturbing implications) but Mark will respond in a positive and kind manner.
In real life, finding out where someone lives before even meeting them may be a cause for alarm. Since Heather is a vampire's ghoul, this is not as bad (at least in the CWoD).
Now to check in with Chunk who is watching someone making off with something beloved.
Nice to see Mark is getting some respect around here.
Good thing he did not finish that train of thought. Perhaps this is one other reason why LaCroix hired him?
Mark arrives at the aftermath of a meeting between LaCroix and some other vampires. Leaders presumably based on Strauss's presence.
Bullet points it is jester - I mean, prince LaCroix.
The camera must have been a damn good one to capture such details.
Why no, sir! I barely noticed those other vampires walking out of the room!
A fellow Malkavian! Who is in a position of power! Looks like it is time for...
A new mission! Find Grout and re-establish contact, sounds simple enough.
At this moment, Mark feels proud that his sycophant ways are paying off.
Looks like his insanity got even worse than Mark's, at least Mark is still willing to leave the Haven.
Now for some questions!
A statement on the primogen. Note that while the primogen are elders, they are not Antedeluvians.
Now for the final reward of my sychopant ways, a key to a new Haven.
This is why I like Chunk. His ramblings are good comedic foils to some of the darker aspects of the game.
Since I have not shown a map of Downtown so far, here is that map in display.
Now to check out the one apartment that Mark could not enter before.
And here's Heather, displaying signs of mild madness. It must have been the blood.
Once again, since Mark is a kindhearted madman, he decides to tell Heather the truth.
If only it were that simply, Heather...
Heather's response to Mark's confession differs from her response to player characters who are not Malkavian. Presumably, the inherited madness from drinking Malkavian blood has opened her eyes more than drinking from other clans. This does explain why Vandal is insane since he is Therese's ghoul and all.
Good to see she is open-minded about this all. It is refreshing to see open acceptance of new perspectives.
Heather is fortunate that Mark is such a kindhearted madman and that his player intends for Mark to remain such a person for the entire look at the game.
The options are limited but some are unique in that they only appear once.
This part differs if the player character is from a different vampire clan. Since Heather inherited some of Mark's madness, it shows.
At this point, Mark does not need blood nor does he need Heather's money or cosplay skills.
In this Haven, this artefact is simply lying on a kitchen counter. It is a useful item to have which is why I had Mark become a sycophant.
Inside this container is some ammunition. If the player has too much ammo but tries to take some out of a container, the rest will spawn out as a gun, like so.
There is also a computer present as well. Nice to see an upgrade from laptop to desktop.
In the refrigerator is some blood packs for later use.
Both Havens possess televisions. A unique addition for Malkavians watching TV is that the newsreader may address the player character. Madness, at least Mark's strain, could make Mark believe that the man in the TV can talk to him.
Onwards to Grout's mansion!
Here Mark spots a familiar looking person emerging from the mansion.
The vampire with a number for a name! How peculiar!
One thing that these screencaps are not capturing is the odd mannerisms of Nines here. The way he speaks and addresses Mark here differs from his usual ways.
Pardon? Okay, something is off here...
Or maybe not. Maybe this mansion will be a pleasant stroll where Mark could get into conversation with a fellow Malkavian and learn more about his own clan.
Or the area is a combat zone... Due to my own experience in this level, I am having Mark initiate hostilities first since all the enemies become hostile upon being aware of the player character's presence. In game, I could argue that Mark's Malkavian insight kicked in or he decided to become hostile on a whim.
Why waste ammunition when a Shin Guto is available?
One can start to tell that Grout's mansion is not a normal place. This is what happens if a lucid Malkavian gets to be an architect.
Scattered throughout the mansion are these tape recorders with playback available. I will not depict all of their contents but I will comment that this method (random documents and audio logs) is a commonly used method of presenting characters when they are not present. Here it works in presenting the type of person Grout is; methodical, somewhat arrogant due to status and fairly lucid for a Malkavian.
Breaking necks here is easier with Obfuscate.
The only way to go deeper into the mansion is through this ineffectual barricade.
Upon entering the room past the barricade, a small cutscene plays that depicts the above screencap. Obviously, the armchair is important.
This one technically is important but only due to the tape recorder next to it.
Alright, it is the candle that is important. Take note of the symbol.
In this room is this artefact. An increase to Defense is always useful.
Remember that symbol? The symbols and what is written here are used to open up the way forward. One could also just pull random candles as well to progress onward.
Pulling the right candles opens this door.
That leads to this room.
Which contains this candle.
That opens this trapdoor leading upstairs.
Here is a case of rag-doll physics gone right. This guy is merely 'sleeping'...
In this room is another tape recorder.
A few steps away (technically speaking) is another tape recorder! How many does a reclusive vampire elder need?
Moving on, Mark reaches this walkway.
Which has a decent view of CWoD's LA. Note the tall tower in the middle.
Obfuscate is such a useful skill...
Another tape recorder here... with extra guests in this dead end.
Two in fact. Killing the two however reveals something about this dead end.
A hidden switch...
That reveals an identical room on the other side. A nice trick here is that the two groups of hostile NPCs are standing in a way that an unaware player may assume that the mirrors in the room were actual mirrors rather than windows with mirror frames.
Eventually, Mark reaches the upper areas of the library he was in before.
With more candles.
Some more clues.
And a new tape recorder.
Using my talents in guesswork, I guide Mark to the solution to his puzzle, revealing this hidden doorway.
That leads to a lovely room of death.
At least it has this artefact.
Pulling a lever inside the lovely room of death unlocks this door.
An area transition? Now Mark is making progress.
The next area has a new tape recorder!
And the rest...
Oh and this key is here too.
The key opens the metal door here.
Inside are some extra blood packs and Elder Vitae. The latter is quite invaluable to any vampire in need of a lot of blood points.
Now to move on...
Into this hallway with holding cells. Looks like Grout is maintaining an asylum of sorts around here.
A nearby door can be picked.
Revealing a room with a chest containing ammunition.
And a note? This is new for me... The nearby door can be interacted with as well...
Okay, since I have not played a Malkavian before this, I have no idea about this part.
My guess is that this insane part had been added in by the Plus version of the Unofficial Patch. This Steam discussion seems to confirm my guess:
A lot of bizarre architecture is in this part of the level like upside down hallways, normal doors on the floor, furniture on the ceiling and the like.
Ah... a normal hallway.
With a snack nearby!
And we are back to the upside down hallways... Darn.
This room is the first place to go in order to proceed. I wonder what is that hole in the wall...
ARGH!!! THE SUN!!! Or a depiction of weak sunlight.
Here is the furniture on the ceiling I previously mentioned...
Incidentally, the lever that needs to be pulled to proceed lies in the path of the light.
Pulling that lever unlocks this door.
Inside are all these mannequins...
More mannequins who want an audience?
Who's coming...
Why did we answer the phone?
At least the danger is in our heads... for now.
Answering both phones eventually reveals this passage.
That leads to this hallway.
In one of the rooms is this newspaper.
Along with these scrawlings.
Eventually, Mark escapes that area. Was it a real location or was it another place in his head? Who knows...
Backtracking a little, one can see the handiwork of Mark and his Obfuscate Discipline.
In the asylum hallways, the player may also discover a secret door or two.
Both secret doors lead up to an observation level that allows sneaky players to bypass the hallway below.
One last recording. One thing I have not commented on until now is the growing insanity of Grout as his paranoia regarding an encroaching threat grows. Here is where his terror of said threat is most evident.
The only real item to interact with in this room is this gramophone.
That causes the preserved body of Grout's wife to turn towards Mark. Creepy...
It also unlocks the door to Grout's quarters.
That does not look promising.
Not promising indeed...
Odd how a vampire like Grout does not completely turn into ash... More importantly, something seems to be going on outside the room.
A new character!
This man must be one of those actual hunters that the other vampires were mentioning.
Now Mark is aware of Bach and aware that Bach had nothing to do with Grout's death.
Looks like this Bach despises LaCroix. He will have to join the queue in that case...
Here is where the Glock comes in handy. Many of the hostile NPCs here are on fire now which means that they have less health points but can inflict aggravated damage. How is it they are not burning to death is a question for another time (and a more suitable person to answer).
Here is that aggravated damage captured on this screencap.
The only correct direction to progress in this part will eventually take the player to this hallway blocked by a surmountable table.
Past the table is a room with this window.
Now to land with one hand on the ground. Mark and the other player characters of this 2001 game did the superhero landing before Iron Man ever did!
No one else is getting out of that mansion...
Informing Skelter of Nines' presence there results in this this response.
This is Jack's opinion on the presence of Nines at Grout's mansion.
It is possible for LaCroix to run a smear job on Nines with vampire powers in mind so Mark agrees with Jack's assessment.
Now it is time to check up on Heather.
Okay then...
Since Mark is a kind-hearted madman, he would attempt to return the money first.
Too bad there is no option to insist that she keeps the money here but can still stay around.
Despite Mark being a kind-hearted madman, he is a lonely one... It is the only reason I could come up with on him keeping Heather around.
Stopping in front of LaCroix tower, we end this look at Vampire the Masquerade - Bloodlines. The next part will be somewhat delayed but it will be up somewhere next week.
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