- “Do not be alarmed - this place is in your mind, mankind.”
- ―Tuurngait Hivemind
The strange sky seen in the world of these tests.
The Tuurngait tests are a set of puzzles presented in Philip's mind. These tests start toward the end of Penumbra: Black Plague, after the Tuurngait hivemind kill Clarence as punishment for being separated from the hivemind. The purpose of the tests are to test Philip's morality, as each test can be completed by either taking a selfish action, or a not-so-obvious, unselfish, more moral approach. Philip can only advance through the tests by taking the more morally sound solutions. Failing a test will simply restart it.
The world these tests take place in appear to be strange stone ruins, with many of the walls and landscape taking on twisted, unusual shapes. The sky here is green and blue and filled with clouds, over a barren and rocky landscape. Before the tests begin, Philip starts out in a circular "hub area", where the Tuurngait explain the concepts and comparisons of both humanity and the Tuurngait itself. Completing the puzzles bring Philip back to this area, with the Tuurngait scolding Philip for taking the wrong choice or praising him (and even mankind altogether) for taking the right one.
Tests[]
The first test[]
This test begins with Philip being trapped in a cell with a locked door and locked hatch nearby. Another prisoner can be heard in an adjacent cell. An iron bar can be found and picked up, which can be used to create one of two outcomes:
Wrong solution: Using the iron bar to pry open the hatch door, and crawling through the connected cave under it. The cave however, will collapse on Philip and fail the test.
Right solution: There's a loose brick in the cell that can be moved. The prisoner in the next cell will advise Philip to pass him the iron bar, and that he can free both himself and Philip. If the iron bar is passed to the other prisoner, he will keep his word by breaking himself out as well as Philip. Once he breaks open the locked door for Philip, the prisoner wishes him luck, and runs off. Walking through the now-open door will successfully complete the test.
The second test[]
Philip now appears in a series of many connected hallways. There are levers dotted around the area that trigger harmful streams of hot steam to come out of the walls. There is a tuurngait infected roaming one of the hallways that will attack Philip on sight. Note that this infected can't kill you, no matter how many times he hits you.
Wrong solution: Triggering one of the steam traps can kill the infected creature, but will leave Philip roaming around with nothing else to do and nowhere to go. Eventually, Philip will feel like he's dying of thirst and that he's spending an overwhelming amount of time trapped in this area. Eventually, Philip fails this test and is taken back to the "hub area".
Right solution: Philip must stealthily avoid the infected and reach a lever that activates a loud bell. This will trigger the infected to break open the locked door to leave the area. The infected then walks through the door and out of sight. Philip completes the test upon walking through this door himself.
The third test[]
Philip is in another series of hallways, but feels that he is "connected to everyone and everything", as there is another version of himself in a cell nearby. There is also a proximity-activated trap that shoots fire from the walls, which results in instant death upon contact.
Wrong solution: Philip simply treks on without activating any puzzle elements. The "clone" of Philip is heard running forward and into the fire trap, killing him, though this disables the trap. Once this happens, Philip feels that "a part of himself died". He comes across the dead, charred copy of himself lying dead. Going further activates another, yet unavoidable fire trap which kills Philip instantly and fails the test.
Right solution: Philip must make sure the door to the cell of Philip's "clone" remains closed so he doesn't kill himself in the fire trap. Philip must then sacrifice himself by running in the fire trap himself. After this, the player takes control of the "other Philip" in a cell nearby, feeling that he was "always there". He comes across his charred, burnt self and sees that he sacrificed himself so that another may live. This time, activating the next door will not trigger the second fire trap, but will open a door to a beautiful area adorned with flowers and chirping birds. Entering this peaceful area successfully completes the test.
Gallery[]
