Murky

Pathologic 2=

Murky is a fragile, sickly-looking girl. She is one of the town's orphans.

Description
"An orphan with an autistic spectrum disorder, she grumbles, mutters, avoids eye contact and struggles to express her thoughts. Poke her even a little and she shuts off. Her parents died during the First Outbreak. Murky bears living witness to “Isidor’s crime” (he essentially killed them). She develops a spontaneous and morbid attachment to the Haruspex, who she follows everywhere. Conscience itself, walking on dirty feet. For the player, her story has to be the emotional equivalent of a hoof kick to the chest."

- From the game's design documents

Murky is a grumpy and broody young girl. She often gets hunches and some describe her as a "feral child, improperly raised". The Earth seems to be able to speak to Murky in a way that is not dissimilar to the ability of the Haruspex or some of the Mistresses. She often spends time with the Soul-and-a-Halves. She lives in an abandoned train car by the Train Station. She often dreams that one day the Train will unlock from the tracks and take her away to the sea as she sleeps. She believes that people are like safety pins; open or closed they always have a pointing end.

Murky is one of the children on Isidor Burakh's list.

Background
During the First Outbreak 5 years prior to the events of Pathologic 2, Murky's parents died of Sand Plague alongside the rest of those Isidor Burakh locked in the Crude Sprawl. Murky became an orphan at a very young age and now lives alone. She dislikes Isidor Burakh for what he did. It is likely that, like the other Termites, Murky spent some time in the Polyhedron.

Haruspex Route
"And my path was called "Feed The Doll". I also wanted to be with mom and dad..."

As Murky lives near the Train Station, she was one of the few people who witnessed the Haruspex get attacked and consequently kill three people on the night of his arrival. She is wary, but curious about the Haruspex. She watches him assist Notkin with his trouble with Lika but says very little to him.

Murky clashes with Grace often as she believes that Grace's method of talking to the dead is inefficient and dangerous. She believes her way is far superior - and far safer. On the day of Isidor Burakh's funeral, Murky convinces the Haruspex to use her method to speak to the spirit of his dead father. Murky's method involves collecting a bundle of herbs - three blades of twyre (blood, black, and brown), and one blade of swevery - and imagining the spirit of the person speaking to you. The Haruspex fails at her method and grows frustrated with Murky. She grumbles that there is nothing about the Haruspex to love before he leaves her in the Steppe.

Following the Haruspex settling into the Haruspex's Lair, Murky often visits him inside, following his movements. She makes friends with Sticky and comes to think of him as brother. The Haruspex can attempt to convince Murky to stay in the Lair permanently. Though she is resistant to the idea she concedes that she'll stay if he provides food.

As the epidemic consumes the Town, Murky makes a mysterious friend, one that the Haruspex suspects is incredibly dangerous. Murky's friend dislikes the Haruspex because he is a doctor, and they are distrustful of doctors. It isn't until later at the Crowstone that the Haruspex discovers that Murky's friend was a manifestation of the Sand Plague. Either the Haruspex takes the Plague's (who appears as the Changeling) deal and he becomes infected or he refuses and the Plague kills Murky. If the Haruspex becomes infected, Murky runs back to her train car, scared but alive. She worries that the Haruspex might be angry with her for leaving. If Murky dies, she appears in the Haruspex's dream, begging him to pay more attention to the people he cares about.

Murky is among the children who retreat to the Polyhedron following the arrival of the Inquisitor and the Commander.

On the tenth day, Murky becomes infected alongside the other children on Isidor Burakh's list. She then reveals to the Haruspex that she has always loved him, no matter what she might have said.

In the Diurnal Ending, Murky moves in to Isidor Burakh's House alongside her adoptive brother Sticky and her adoptive father the Haruspex. In the Nocturnal Ending, Murky is one of the few people who are not part of the Kin who doesn't leave the Town, along with Sticky and Grace.

Pathologic: The Marble Nest
Murky is not present in The Marble Nest, and does not appear at all on the Bachelor's People screen or the map.

Spoken Dialogue

 * → See Murky/Spoken Dialogue

Description
"Appearance: Never smiles. Cute but feral. Penetrating glance, dilated pupils. Dark long hair falling down her shoulders, sometimes combed into two massive braids. Murky looks like she is trying to conceal a shock. Pose: Standing still at the threshold of the door. Personality: Murky is gloomy, withdrawn and silent. Speaks indistinctly as if it comes from the ground. When answering a question she talks in riddles or replies in a single word. Both adults and kids feel disturbed by Murky’s presence. She is disliked and is the subject of many scary stories. Murky loves to play and dig in the ground. She goes on walks at night: you can often spot her in some pretty frightening places going about her own business with a preoccupied expression. She has few friends most of whom are younger than her. They are weird, moody and secretive children just like her; it’s hard to befriend them. Their games in one way or another are about building a little hut where they play house, hide from danger and fight for survival while pretending to be made-up animals. The kids speak very little."

- From original Pathologic character concepts 

Murky is an unsociable and gloomy child. She often speaks taciturnly and most of her answers are short or monosyllabic, which gives her the impression of a Steppe creature.

Because she wanders at night and loves to play in the dirt, she leaves an eerie impression on both adults and children. She detests "scary stories."

Background
Her parents died five years before the events of the game. Grace states that their spirits "do nothing but cry."

Murky owns a doll that her parents gave to her while they were still alive, which she cares for deeply. According to her, the doll eats the grass that grows near the bull burial. The doll "listens to the Earth" and then passes the information to Murky.

In the first outbreak, Murky gave Grace three powders to heal her and her father. The other children see her as imaginative and fond of sinister places.

Portrait Quotes
"We're friends with Murky, even though she's just a little tot. I'll have you know that she's actually very independent. One thing Murky is seriously fond of is digging and playing in the mud. You can also sometimes see her push along somewhere looking all preoccupied—and the places she chooses are usually, like, sinister... I respect that."

- Sticky's take on her

"Little Murky is an orphan. Her mom and dad lie by the eastern wall here. They died five years ago. I don't know why—they won't tell me, they're always weeping. As for her eating dirt, that's untrue. I've never seen it."

- Grace's take on her

Bachelor Route
The Bachelor only meets Murky on Day 5 when he must examine the blood of several of the Town's women in order to determine if any of them caused the Cathedral to become infected. One of the people the Bachelor must examine is the Changeling. In order to take her blood, the Bachelor talks to Grace, who then tells him to find Murky. Murky teaches him how to tell the difference between the real Changeling and her sister, after which the Bachelor can find the Changeling again to take her blood.

If the Bachelor wishes for the Haruspex to attend the Cathedral meeting on Day 12, he may need to visit her home to make sure Murky is healthy.

Haruspex Route
Murky is one of the Haruspex's Bound and can be at risk of becoming sick if he does not complete his daily quests. He can meet Murky on his first day in the Town if he chooses to investigate his father's murder. Murky was one of the children his father taught, and visited him the night he was murdered. After she returned to her van, she witnessed the Haruspex's arrival. She then went to sleep. Murky also mentions that she often doesn't sleep at night.

Later, Murky helps the Haruspex acquire two vials of Abattoir Blood in return for finding her doll. She also offers her opinion on the aurochs found in the Bone Stake Lot. She wishes for the bull to remain, and says her doll told her about it.

If the Haruspex wishes to attend the Cathedral meeting on Day 12, he must make sure Murky is not infected with the Plague.

Following the "Termite Ending", Capella states that Murky will become one of the rulers of the town, controlling street beautification, sanitation, and the water supply. She can listen to the Earth truthfully, without influences from creatures such as the Rat Prophet. She'll become known as the Lilac Mistress.

Changeling Route
The Changeling does not meet Murky unless she wishes for the Haruspex to attend the Cathedral meeting on Day 12, in which case she may need to visit her home to make sure she is healthy.

Spoken Dialogue

 * → See Murky/Spoken Dialogue