Ending discussion [Spoilers obviously]

[Mowup]

i've just beat the game, managed to uncover all the identities and the fate of everyone, but still, i thought there was going to be a timelapse or something that would tell the whole story but thats fine.

What i wanted to discuss is what are those shells? Just some cursed artifact brought in by the formosa royalty? Did it cause all of those unfortunate deaths? Because there were a lot of accidents, misuderstandings, some sort of plague, betrayals etc.

Also, maybe it was something that the sea wanted back and that's why there was a bunch of sirens and a kraken? Did it made some of the crew mad like something out of a lovecraftian story or they just thought it was valuable so that's why some tried to steal it?

Another thing, were the shells stored on that chest? Or was that just something different, something that seemed to give whoever put his hand inside a power capable of killing the creatures or banishing the kraken, perhaps that's what Filipe Dahl did and not the captain?

I am still trying to figure these things out, but that was an awesome game, thanks for this masterpiece Lucas Pope, i knew this would be this good back in 2014 or 2015 when i played the demo.

[Pckables]

引用自 Derek：

Your comments have all been great everybody! Just a fun thing that was hard for me: there is a mug in the bargain that moves between the first scene and the rest, and I tried so hard to figure out why. The captain's steward is chained up (right by the chest conveniently), but it didn't make any sense for the captain to come in, move the mug, then start dealing with the sirens.

The ship is likely rocking violently during the Kraken attack. The mug might have slid.

[TinyPrints]

引用自 alexbattledust：

Honestly I don't think the shell cursed the ship.Before the shell gets involved there are only 6 deaths. An accident, two illnesses which I believe were picked up when they made a pit stop in Portugal, and the second mates mutiny causing 3 deaths. I'd say 3 incidents is an acceptable number consideting how far they traveled, especially compared to what happens once the mermaids come.

3 deaths between England and Portugal. Not very far, and very early in the voyage, considering it was headed to East Asia. (4 deaths, if you count the stowaway.)

Also, I find it interesting that such a sudden "cold" was not contagious whatsoever.

[TinyPrints]

引用自 DJ Wafflesnatcha McOwnage：

引用自 Miss_Brightside :*：

I haven't read all the comments, so maybe you said this already...

- I don't think the doctor had the watch, he just knew that the technology existed. That's why he killed the monkey and sent the hand to the future inspector of the ship. As you said in the comments this was after all the deaths that happened inside of the lazarette. Maybe the doctor was in a hurry, they didn't find the key and wanted to leave the ship immediately.
- He knew that they would inspect the ship because Martin asked the mermaid to take the ship to the coast in return of saving her life. Maybe to avoid that the sea forces and the storm didn't sink the ship, so all that happened on board wouldn't be forgotten. This was the bargain.
- I loved the final chapter, I assumed that the light in the sea is from the mermaid's shell and is watching you all the time... And when you leave the ship, the mermaid decides to sink it.

I believe you can see that the Doctor has the watch in a scene tucked under his bed.
Did it say that the boat sunk after leaving it? But yes, I assume the shine in the sea was the Mermaid that helped guide the Obra Dinn back to Falmouth as per the Bargain.

You can also see a very similar case on the rowboat the good Doctor makes his escape in.

[UnluckyNinja]

Anyone noticed the same looking book that has already been on the bookcase? Does it mean there is another case solved before the story (and may be made into another game)?

[Aquillion]

Or it was solved between the end of the main game and the final chapter, which happened a year later. Presumably the main character has been using the watch as part of their job in the intervening period, given how useful it is to an insurance adjudicator.

[Ancalagon]

"Good work solving the murder mystery of 80 souls at Betty's Brothel on Bottle Boulevard in Bristol, despite there being no witnesses who could have survived."

[Celox]

Here's what I still don't get

How are you not in an asylum after reporting your findings to your boss? Surely you had to write some kind of report on how you came to the conclusions shown in the adjustment claim? Is "I found out that the ship got attacked by a tentacle monster because a magic pocketwatch showed me" not something that would raise an eyebrow even in the 1800s?

[Aquillion]

引用自 Celox：

Here's what I still don't get

How are you not in an asylum after reporting your findings to your boss? Surely you had to write some kind of report on how you came to the conclusions shown in the adjustment claim? Is "I found out that the ship got attacked by a tentacle monster because a magic pocketwatch showed me" not something that would raise an eyebrow even in the 1800s?

Remember, we know nothing about the setting. It's entirely possible that this is a setting where magical objects and supernatural creature are at least somewhat known.

I mean... even in the real-world 18th century, plenty of people believed in sea monsters. And it's pretty unambiguous that something weird happened to the Obra Dinn given its mysterious reappearance. Also, your report seems to have been very terse - just a list of people and what happened to them, without details on how or why or how you know this. It's possible your superiors took it at face value and were willing to accept the existence of beasts at sea, and that was that.

Keep in mind that some members of the crew (the Bosun, the Third Mate, the Captain's Steward) had at least a vague idea of what was going on. They weren't 100% correct, but they were familiar enough with the basic idea for eg. the Bosun to have opinions on how magical curses worked.

[Uhumsk]

For all we know, being attacked by sea monsters is a regular occurrence in the setting of the game. Clearly they truly exist within the setting, and so do magical artifacts like the chest and the pocket watch. It would be strange indeed if the Obra Dinn was the only vessel ever attacked by actual sea monsters, or that nobody have documented the existence of mermaids, giant crabs and massive octopuses before.

[Dividi]

The Bargain chapter felt a bit like a victory lap to me, in a good way. Just an easy breaze through a cople of scenes after the main course of figuring out the 48 fates. If you don't mind me mixing my metaphores.

[TinyPrints]

引用自 Aquillion：

引用自 Celox：

Here's what I still don't get

How are you not in an asylum after reporting your findings to your boss? Surely you had to write some kind of report on how you came to the conclusions shown in the adjustment claim? Is "I found out that the ship got attacked by a tentacle monster because a magic pocketwatch showed me" not something that would raise an eyebrow even in the 1800s?

Remember, we know nothing about the setting. It's entirely possible that this is a setting where magical objects and supernatural creature are at least somewhat known.

I mean... even in the real-world 18th century, plenty of people believed in sea monsters. And it's pretty unambiguous that something weird happened to the Obra Dinn given its mysterious reappearance. Also, your report seems to have been very terse - just a list of people and what happened to them, without details on how or why or how you know this. It's possible your superiors took it at face value and were willing to accept the existence of beasts at sea, and that was that.

Keep in mind that some members of the crew (the Bosun, the Third Mate, the Captain's Steward) had at least a vague idea of what was going on. They weren't 100% correct, but they were familiar enough with the basic idea for eg. the Bosun to have opinions on how magical curses worked.

Beast could also mean "whale" or "shark"....

[DiegoKevin]

引用自 Al'Eksandar：

I think the bargain was "we set you free and throw the shells into the sea, so you leave us alone", though I don't know why they thought they had to do that, as the kraken was already pleased enough to leave.

well first they got invaded by crab-riding soldiers and then a kraken, by that point people would be thinking that with amount of crew left they probably could not withstand the next attack and the attacks had only grown in size, so.......

plus if they just dropped the shell into the sea maybe the mermaids could have wanted to leave no witnesses, so making shure they promised to make shure you got back

[flamin_shotgun]

There are two main things that still bug me.
1. Why did the small remaining crew mutiny after the kraken was gone? It seemed they were quite close to home by that point, if they wanted to get home surely they could have just waited. Were they driven mad by the events and everyone dying? I have the same question for Evans, Jane Bird, and their fellow escapees, why did they escape?
2. Would the boat have been attacked regardless because the Formosan's already had a shell in their possession? Why were the formosan's booking passage? What were they running from? How did they get the shell in the first place? It doesn't seem to do much else other than curse them.

I love the game, Lucas Pope you are a mastermind.

[Aquillion]

引用自 flamin_shotgun：

There are two main things that still bug me.
1. Why did the small remaining crew mutiny after the kraken was gone? It seemed they were quite close to home by that point, if they wanted to get home surely they could have just waited. Were they driven mad by the events and everyone dying? I have the same question for Evans, Jane Bird, and their fellow escapees, why did they escape?

They didn't know that the attacks were over. As far as they were aware, this was just a calm before another one.

2. Would the boat have been attacked regardless because the Formosan's already had a shell in their possession? Why were the formosan's booking passage? What were they running from? How did they get the shell in the first place? It doesn't seem to do much else other than curse them.

This isn't 100% certain, but given that there were no attacks until the botched kidnapping, it seems likely that it would have been safe as long as the box was kept safely onboard where nobody in the water could see it.

The purpose of the shells - at least from the perspective of the Formosans - seems to be that, in combination with the liquid in the chest, they can be used to drive off or defeat the sea monsters to an extent (we see this happen once, with the Ark of the Covenant-style blasts to them.) Unfortunately, everyone who knew how to operate it died in the kidnapping attempt.

[flamin_shotgun]

I still do wonder where the Formosans were trying to take the shell, and how they obtained it in the first place. But that would be better covered in a short story rather than in game. I'd just be interested to know.