In Case 8 of indie mystery puzzler, The Case of the Golden Idol, the goings-on of the masked secret society is further explored. The society celebrates the coming of their prophesied hero, known as “The Gryphon Reborn.” Old characters return, while several new characters are introduced who will play a major role in the game’s final few chapters. This guide will help you collect every clue and solve every puzzle in “The Crowning Celebration by the Lighthouse,” the eighth case in The Case of the Golden Idol.
Clues
There are 31 clues to find in this chapter. They can be divided into four categories: names of people, elements of the crowning ceremony, verbs, and prepositions. The clues are:
Alistair Angus Herst James Keene Koch Lazarus MacBain Maker Nicolas Turner Walter (names) flying Gryphon head homunculus hypnosis idol lighthouse oar Reborn seal seance wound (ceremony elements) from with (prepositions) attacked cursed hypnotized jumped pushed (verbs)
Puzzle Solutions
First, identify the people present at the scene. Lazarus Herst looks almost exactly like he did in the last chapter, except now wearing an Initiate’s robe. The other man in the purple robes is a familiar face, but one who hasn’t been seen for several cases: Nicolas Maker, the attorney. The third returning face is Walter Keene, who is wearing his Steward’s robes – remember in the last chapter he was confirmed to be a Darkhand Steward. This is the first time Keene is seen without any kind of mask, so his robes help identify him.
This leaves the three white-robed Masters, who are new characters. A letter in Maker’s pocket reveals that their names are Lord Angus MacBain, Lord Alistair Koch, and Dr. James Turner. However, before identifying them, switch gears to the other puzzles and identify who was blackmailing whom, what miracle was performed, and who held the staff with the Idol inside.
Of the four miracles mentioned, flying is likely what Herst performed – it is the only one that would require a high location such as a lighthouse. The dead Master on the ground also makes sense, as his wounds are consistent with jumping and failing to fly. The history of the organization names Angus MacBain as the Lord who always tried to replicate the miracles, so the dead Watersnake Master is MacBain. A letter in Keene’s pocket revealed that he attempted to learn how the idol worked from Keene, but Keene gave him false information leading to his death. Thus, the statement about blackmail can be filled in as follows:
“Angus MacBain blackmailed Walter Keene to find out how Lazarus Herst would perform the miracle of flying.”
Thus, the order of the people who held the staff containing the idol can also be determined. Walter Keene is currently holding it, so he is third. Herst performed the miracle and then MacBain challenged him, so Lazarus Herst held the staff first and Angus MacBain held it second. This is supported by the footprints in the mud: the person who retrieved the staff from MacBain had high heels, which only Keene is wearing.
All that remains is to identify the final two Masters participating in the ceremony. A letter from each can be found in MacBain’s pockets. The general, Alistair Koch, writes very dramatically and the doctor, James Turner, writes very simply and straightforwardly. Compare this to the speaking patterns of the two remaining men, and it becomes clear that the bald man with the large eyes is Alistair Koch and the man with the moustache and some remaining hair is James Turner.
Once all this information has been filled out, you can complete the scroll to conclude the chapter. This chapter’s scroll reads:
“Lazarus Herst jumped from the lighthouse using the idol to demonstrate the miracle of flight and become Gryphon Reborn. Angus MacBain jumped from the lighthouse afterwards. This resulted in Angus MacBain’s death from a head wound.”
This concludes Case 8 of The Case of the Golden Idol. Now that the secret society has found its prophesied leader, their next goal is to help him seize power beyond the organization itself. Continue to Case 9 to learn about what Lazarus Herst does next after being crowned the Gryphon Reborn. Plus, check out GameLuster’s other The Case of the Golden Idol guides to help you solve every other case in this tricky but fun mystery game.
