Re: Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers - A SHP Playthrough

[AndreaDraco]

Tonight (sorry about the delay, but yesterday I was very busy) I will post some interesting facts about this chapter and then we'll proceed!

[AndreaDraco]

Here some interesting things to try in Chapter 5 and 6 before proceeding to the next segment!

Since Day 5 features a major scene in the Voodoo Museum, here's a list of some fun things to do while there (not necessarily on that day, since it's already quite "busy"):

- Use the fan switch, even before Day 5
- Rub the wishing stump, multiple times
- Try to steal the donations on the counter
- Show Dr. John the message from Marie Laveau's tomb and the crime photo Mosely gave you

Oh, poor Hartridge! Well, let's see what we can do in his office:

- Talk to the fish
- Search his garbage can
- Try to open the cabinet
- (If you feel like reloading an earlier save) Show the professor the markings you copied from the cemetery

Finally, I'd like to post some thoughts on the Journal of Gunter Ritter, expanding what is seen in the game with the info contained in Jane's novelization.

In the novel, after finding the dismembered chicken, Gabriel tells Grace that he'll leave town soon for his own sake and then retires in the back of St. George's to read the diary in anticipation of the evening. As you will recall, he was in half a mind to infiltrate a Voodoo celebration on St. John's Eve, but it is the realization that he has to find the long-lost Ritter Talisman that eventually convince him for good that he must sneak into the secret celebration. Before this point, Gabriel was investigating the Voodoo Murders for his novel and for his own curiosity, but it is by reading Gunter's journal that Gabriel realizes that investigating these crimes is his responsibility.

"Gabriel was the only one who had the big picture now. Perhaps it was a second chance, or perhaps it was only the final crushing blow. He didn't know how many Ritters there had been when Gunter killed himself, but he knew he himself was close to the last one now. Just him and one very old man. The buck stops here. Yes. [...] Rooster or no rooster, there was no way he ould back off now. They'd never let him. He had to beat it, die, or carry it with him forever. If the journal said anything, it said that much."*

When Wolfgang filled him in on his role as a Schattenjager over the telephone, Gabriel's reaction was disbelief. Moreover, he isn't really that interested in ancient history: in a manner very similar to The Beast Within's dynamic, where the historical research is Grace's domain, it is the case at hand that always grabs his attention. After the conversation with his uncle in the novel, Gabriel thought:

"[The discovery of his heritage] simply left an empty space in his mind, a space waiting for some reaction, some emotion to fill it up, but the reaction didn't come."**

It's only after readinf Gunter's diary that the reaction finally comes: responsibility. It is the first time in the novel (which, in this particular regard, I find better paced than the game, which feels in Day 6 a little abrupt) and in the adventure, that Gabriel stands up from his rocking chair and stops looking at the life passing by. Now, he consciously decides that he must act. And quick.

* Jane Jensen, Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers, ROC 1997, pp. 250-251
** ivi, p. 185

[AndreaDraco]

And now, the next segment. Since these two chapters are rather short, we should be able to complete them by Sunday, even if it's already Tuesday.

[Datadog]

Contains Spoilers! And I've hidden the parts that relate to Day 10 spoilers.

DAY 7
-Grace seems to be more up-to-date than I am. I like to think she's off having her own adventures whenever I'm not in the shop. And if GK2 and GK3 are any indication, she probably is.
-Tetelo's remains in New Orleans? Ah - that's a clever way to coax me towards the graveyard...
-I like the horoscope for today.
-Aw, Malia isn't home. I wanted to ask her about voodoo.
-Aw, Gabriel didn't ask the graveyard keeper if anything crazy happened last night.
-HOW DID I GO SEVEN DAYS WITHOUT FINDING THE FLASHLIGHT?
-So Mosely waited in the crypt for me to go back home and get a flashlight?
-And he hears my voice and even sees me unconscious in the light's beam and still doesn't think twice?
-I should tell the police about Mosely... oh, wow! Frick just shot me down before I could even ask him about voodoo!
-I can't even tell Grace? What's the point of Mosely being dead if I can't tell everyone?
-I hope we don't have airport problems when they find out my photo ID doesn't match Mosely's. Unless I wear some cat hair to get through customs.
-Indi-ana Jones-mu-siiiic playing as-IIIII fly to Ger-Ma-Ny!
-"You may use Wolfgang's bedroom. Just let me move my stuff out of there."
-I LIKE being in Germany. This feels like such a drastic change of game environment.
-So Shadow Hunters are men only? It's like the reverse of Vampire Slayers. DUDE. I'm going to look it up and see anyone's written a Gabriel Knight/Buffy cross-fiction yet.
-Nope! As far as Google can tell me, there's no "Gabriel Knight meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer" fan-fiction yet. Soup's on, everybody!
-Fun fact: there IS a Buffy novel called "Sins of the Father." Ya-haaa!
-Gerde, I just meant your PROFESSIONAL relationship. Don't get all defensive on me.
-AUGH. THE SNOW. Here I've been looking for a bathroom for the last ten minutes.
-Found a bug. Gabe's voice is delayed in his bedroom.
-I forgot how awesome this dragon scene is.
-Three women have loved Gabriel? Hmmm... Grace, Malia and... Grandma?
-The scene where Gabe watches the Dragon transform into himself reminds me of Rapp Scallion from "Monkey Island 2." It even has a key!

DAY 8
-Hurray! Day 8 begins!
-Hurr...ay? Day 8's over!
-Man, Gerde sure eats a lot of potatoes.

[BBP]

Finished Day 7 and 8, with the mild handicap that my headphones broke and I had to use cheepo ones with wire breakage ("...wait, if I put my left toe behind my right ear, I can hear the music in the left channel..." meh you know how it goes).

Day 7 didn't have the desired effect since I'd played gk3 first. Also by this time I tend to get tired of interrogating people, even though Mary Kay Bergman did a great job. But I love the initiation ritual, it's a great puzzle, and the dragon's awesome.
Day 8: I keep getting shocked over the Malleus Maleficarum.

[Maiandra]

-HOW DID I GO SEVEN DAYS WITHOUT FINDING THE FLASHLIGHT?
-So Mosely waited in the crypt for me to go back home and get a flashlight?

The funny thing is, I remembered the flashlight as part of the game and I was convinced I'd picked it up already, so I thought something was messed up when it wasn't in my inventory. Then I realised I hadn't picked it up either. That's the problem with the older graphics. It's hard to tell what anything is!

I too thought it was kind of funny that you can illegally enter the crypt and then just go off to find a light source and come back later.

-Three women have loved Gabriel? Hmmm... Grace, Malia and... Grandma?

You know, that's what I always thought, but tonight I thought, "What about Gabriel's Mother?". Mothers are normally known for loving their children very much. So it could have been her, Gran, and Malia. I'm not sure Grace really LOVES Gabe at this point.

Speaking of Grace and Gabe, I thought it was hilarious when Gabe says "A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do" (or something like that) and Grace responds "I wouldn't like the sound of that even if you were a man."
I love their banter.

Maybe I just expect Gabe to more of an asshole than he really is, but again I was suprised by one of his responses. When Gerde gets angry at his question about her relationship with Wolfgang, Gabe actually (genuinely) apologised for asking! Maybe the world isn't doomed after all.

Day 8: I keep getting shocked over the Malleus Maleficarum.

I was pretty surprised to see that in the library as well, now that I actually know what it is. I haven't played the game for some time and the last time(s) I played it, I didn't know what that was.

[dotkel50]

Speaking of Grace and Gabe, I thought it was hilarious when Gabe says "A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do" (or something like that) and Grace responds "I wouldn't like the sound of that even if you were a man."
I love their banter.

Maybe I just expect Gabe to more of an asshole than he really is, but again I was suprised by one of his responses. When Gerde gets angry at his question about her relationship with Wolfgang, Gabe actually (genuinely) apologised for asking! Maybe the world isn't doomed after all.

Both of those things struck me as well.

And gee, doesn't that wheel within a wheel look familiar?

[AndreaDraco]

Are we all ready?

In a couple of hours I should be able to post the next segment!

[AndreaDraco]

As some of you may know, The Beast Within is my favorite chapter of the Gabriel Knight trilogy and it was also the first GK game I've ever played. As such, when I got around to play Sins of the Fathers, I was really excited to revisit Schloss Ritter! So, this time, I'm going to devote all the space of my usual notes to the German castle!

Schloss Ritter Main Hall:

- Be sure to ask Gerde everything about Wolfgang, since this provides a nice chunck of backstory. And, on Day 8, ask her about the key
- Show Gerde the letter you got from Wolfgang, Gunter's journal and the photo of your grandfather
- Use the Eye Icon on the ceiling and the walls
- Look at the dragon's head and talk to it
- Look at the banner hanging from the ceiling
- Look at the dagger on the wall

Schloss Ritter Chapter:

- Talk to the stained-glass window
- Look at the altar, the pews and the walls

Schloss Ritter Bedroom:

- On Day 7, look in the mirror before and after cutting your hair. Then, do it again on Day 8
- Look at the fire on Day 7 and on Day 8
- Try to use the scissors on Gabriel before you know about the Initiation. Then cut Gabriel's hair and try to pick up the scissors again

Schloss Ritter Library:

- This is my favorite room of the entire game. Just so you know
- Look at the reading table, the candles, the chairs, the shield, the tapestry and the windows
- Look at every section of the library: General History, History of the Ritter Family, Religion, Science, Occult, Geography, Sociology and Archaelogy
- Look at the books in the foreground

And now an atmospheric description of the castle from Jane's novel:

From the road the castle was impressive, even intimidating - gray rock forming a large square citadel, and towers with narrow windows that looked down protectively on the village below [...] The masonry of the castle was in deplorable condition: wide seams gaped between rocks in places, probably due to some catastrophic settling of the foundation that had never been repaired. The stones were mossy with age and worn with weathering so severe it hinged on ruinous. Perhaps it was this decay or perhaps it was something less tangible, but it was apparent that the family curse lie as heavily upon this place as the moss that coated the stones.*

And while we're talking about the novel, here's another snippet. While first visiting Schloss Ritter's chapel, Gabriel has a kind of mystical experience and he's visited by the shade of his late grandfather, who appears to him as if sitting in a car with him.

"Hello, boy."
"Hello, Granddad."
Gabriel felt tears well up in his eyes. A large drop slid down his cheek and he fought to keep from blubbering like a baby.
"No need for that, son. Not at all, not at all."
But the voice was reasurring, loving, and not without a trace of tears of its own.
"Sorry I left you, son. I feel real bad about that."
"It's all right, Granddad."
"And your papa, too. He would have come himself, but he didn't know much about what you need now. That's my fault as well."
There was genuine regret in the old man's voice and Gabriel felt badly for him.
"I don't blame you for wantin' out, Granddad."
"You should. I was wrong, Gabriel. I never did escape it, and I missed this place terribly the rest of my life [...] Do what I didn't do. Follow the path. I love you, Gabriel."**

And now, on to the last segment of our playthrough!

* Jane Jensen, Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers, ROC 1997, p. 305
** ivi, p. 317

[AndreaDraco]

Here's the last segment of the playthrough. Next Sunday I will be away on a short vacation and I won't be able to post my final thoughts until Tuesday. You're welcome to start posting your impressions of these two chapters but I would kindly ask you to wait until the next Wednesday or so to post your final comments on the whole adventure, so that we can discuss it freely when everyone has got a chance to complete it.

[BBP]

(wipes away tear from eye after reading the novel section)

Enjoy your vacacion Andrea!

[AndreaDraco]

Thanks BBP!

And I'm glad you liked that segment of the novelization. It's very heartfelt and moving.

[Datadog]

Sadly, a computer virus destroyed all my notes on these chapters, but to my recollection, here's what I experienced.

Day 9
-I forgot about this long tedious wheel-within-a-wheel puzzle.
-Walkin' around, pickin' up tiles...
-I can't believe I'm figuring this out without a walkthrough.
-AAAHHH!!! ZOMBIES!!!
-DAMMIT!
-DAMMIT!!
-STUPID ZOMBIE! GO AROUND!!!
-Wait - how was I ever supposed to figure out the vine puzzle?
-Hurray!
-Holy crap - I never actually "looked" at the altar before. There's a whole optional scene here that explains a bunch of plotholes I've been sitting on for years.
-WOLFGANG! NOOOOO!!! At least TRY the creature's heart first! Or the heart of the driver outside!
-I like this scene because it makes me pissed. It makes me want to WIN. Tetelo, you're GOING DOWN!

Day 10
-Let's split up! Great plan, Mose! That always works.
-Jackson Square, Church, check...
-Wandering aimlessly through the corridors.
-Ooh. 486's! The Gedde cartel DOES have state-of-the-art equipment!
-"Gabriel Knight! What are you doing in here?" "I had a few more questions about historical voodoo...."
-Man, Doc John keeps getting me in every direction.
-Ha ha. Passed him.
-Money! Okay, Gabe - game's over!
-Cranking up the game's cycles because this party's chugging big-time.
-I like how Mosely goes all "Cop from Die Hard" on Doc John.
-And the statue makes sense now.
-Lose!
-Restore....
-Win!
-Three days ago, a New Orleans writer was driven out of town for a bunch of minor crimes he did commit. He is now wanted today by the Gedde Cartel. If you have a supernatural problem, and no one else can solve it, maybe you can hire... Gabriel Knight.

[Tawmis]

-Let's split up! Great plan, Mose! That always works.

[BBP]

Well if we're all going to discuss it anyway:
Andrea: what book in the foreground should I look at? There's nothing I can find on it in my script.

-"Gabriel Knight! What are you doing in here?" "I had a few more questions about historical voodoo...."