The Powers That Be

This entry includes information regarding both Pathologic (2005) and Pathologic 2 (2019).

Come now, you haven't given us any time to change the set!

This entry contains potential spoilers for Pathologic 2. Read at your own risk.

Name	The Powers That Be (Власти) Measly (Ячмень) Thrush (Грибок)
Location	The Capital The Polyhedron
Map ID	hidden_room (Pathologic)

The Powers That Be are a mysterious force in the Pathologic games.

Description

For the vast majority of Pathologic, The Powers That Be are not seen and are instead refereed to only as the sender in numerous letters sent to the three playable healers. The Bachelor and The Changeling receive the most contact from The Powers That Be. The Bachelor believes that they reside in the Capital and act as a government force that wishes to destroy his life's work, but the Changeling knows the truth.

Plot

Pathologic

Throughout the three playable routes of Pathologic, The Powers That Be will send the healers a number of letters detailing their demands. The Bachelor in particular receives nightly letters from The Powers That Be, guiding his progress. They insist that they are always watching and that they are the true creators of the Law. They will grow more and more frustrated with the Bachelor the longer the epidemic continues.

On the final Day 12, should the healer successfully heal both their Bound and the Bound of the other two healers, they will receive a letter from The Powers That Be - and they're not happy. They will insist that the healer is ruining their game by doing whatever they please. They will instruct the healer to come to the very bottom floor of the Polyhedron, count to five, and then open their eyes. When the healer does so they will see that they have been transported to a garden where two children - a boy and a girl named Measly and Thrush - are standing. The Powers That Be are those children. They're playing a morbid game to distract themselves from a recent funeral - and the healers are their dolls.

To the Bachelor and the Haruspex this is a shock. To the Changeling this is a normality. The Changeling already knew the true identity of The Powers That Be. The Powers That Be also like her best, calling her the "most interesting one to play with." The Changeling also meets The Powers That Be earlier than the other two healers - her first meeting with them is on Day 9, rather than Day 12.

The Powers That Be can be seen in the Utopian Ending destroying the town with their fists. They can also be seen in the Humble Ending placing food by their model of the Town. Despite their sandbox model of the Town featuring in the Termite Ending, The Powers That Be do not appear, though two children with their likeness are shown sitting with Notkin and Capella in the Town itself.

Pathologic 2

In Pathologic 2 The Powers That Be can be seen in the prologue, behind the player in a dream on Day 2, at the Train Station on Day 8, outside of the Polyhedron on Day 9, and outside of the Haruspex's Lair on Day 11.

Should Sticky die prior to the beginning of the Nocturnal Ending, Measly will take his place, berating the Haruspex for failing to protect him.

Gallery

• Pathologic 2
• Pathologic

• 

  The Powers That Be, behind a barricade leading up to the Cathedral in the prologue

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  The Powers That Be in the Haruspex's dream on day 2

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  Measly and Thrush appearing in the Haruspex's dream on day 5

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  Measly and Thrush at the train station on Day 6

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  The Powers That Be outside of the Haruspex's Lair on Day 11

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  Measly in the Nocturnal Ending

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  The Powers That Be in the hidden room in the Polyhedron

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  The hidden room in the Polyhedron

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  The hidden room in the Polyhedron

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  The hidden room in the Polyhedron

Notes

• In the original translation of Pathologic, The Powers That Be were instead called The Authorities.
• Following the meeting with The Powers That Be in Pathologic, there are a number of new conversations available with various characters. The Player may speak to the other two healers to inform them of the true identity of The Powers That Be and, in speaking to both the Changeling and Aglaya Lilich, discover that they already knew.
• Despite their names Measly and Thrush, in Pathologic, the children use the in-game models of the children that can be seen around town, named Teensy and Tot.
• In Pathologic 2, during the Door Dream on Day 2, turning around will reveal The Powers That Be, seated on a bench overlooking the children. Speaking to them will grant the achievement We're Only Looking.