(tense ominous music) (prompt beeps) (gentle start-up music) (mouse clicking)
(tense foreboding music) (static hissing) - Mortis, keeper of the sacred key. - To find the Grail, you
must look to the stars. (gentle upbeat music) (tense foreboding music)
(steam hissing) - [Narrator] "Drowned God".
(suspenseful music) A 1996 point-and-click video game created by a man named Richard Horne, also known as Harry Horse. Stemming from the idea that the scientific origins
of humanity are a lie, the game plays like an eerie looking glass into a disturbed mind. The game is, for all intents and purposes, a product of its time, and
it was received mostly well. Containing an esoteric
mishmash of historical beliefs, the game effectively bombards you with questions about your origins, connecting them to prominent
conspiracy theories and secret societies, like the Illuminati. In turn, the end result is
nothing short of perplexing, but something tells me that
this was done on purpose. At the outset of "Drowned God," you're greeted with a mysterious chamber and a strange voice explaining
your place in its world. Allegedly, the reality that
you're experiencing is a gift, and who it's from is presently one of the game's many mysteries. The voice explains that
you've returned here from a previous life, and your
current task, while obscure, is to unearth a secret
that will enlighten you with answers about life itself. "Trust too deeply", the voice warns, "and you'll know the
wickedness in men's hearts. As above, so below. As above, so below. This is the secret of the "Drowned God." (tense suspenseful music) Something about 1990's PC games
have this charm about them. And it's eerily pleasant. (gentle suspenseful music) The atmosphere of "Drowned
God" sucks you in, enveloping you within it's
bemusing lore from the outset. The gameplay is rudimentary, at least compared to modern standards, but back then that was mostly expected. The point-and-click game was nothing new, and "Drowned God" was, of
course, one of many like it. "Sanitarium," "Garage,"
"Myst," "Putt-Putt," they were everywhere. What made it special, though, was the fact that it was so outlandish. It had layers, genuine lore, and a wild mishmash of conspiracies all baked into an eerie
little two-hour package. To enjoy "Drowned God" meant
that you had to believe in it, engross yourself in it, and suspend whatever counter-belief that was baked within your conscience. (gentle ominous music)
(machinery whirring) (gentle music) After the introductory monologue, you're left in a chamber
called the Bequest Globe. Before you is a terminal,
and after entering your name, it assigns you a number, a code name, and then presents you with a
synopsis of your past lives. After observing this, a door opens up leading
to two otherworldly beings named Kether and Malachut, that explain that you need to collect
four ancient relics for the secret of the Drowned God. Obtaining these involves
utilizing a time-machine mechanic known as the Cryptowheel,
that teleports you to the regions in which they're kept. The first world is one named Binah, containing aspects of Arthurian legend, and including references to Stonehenge. It takes you through a deserted wasteland before eventually dropping
you off at a museum that I can only describe as uncanny. Like the Museum of Anything Goes, (man sighs) but that's a story for another time. (gentle upbeat music) The second, Chesed, showcases a submarine
interior and Aztec ruins all wrapped up within an
eerily liminal desert. Something I particularly enjoyed here were the numerous references
to the Philadelphia Experiment, a time-traveling invisible
military ship conspiracy theory that's admittedly pretty damn creepy. An obvious hoax, but still pretty creepy. I'm sure you can see why it fit perfectly into
"Drowned God" though. The third, named Din,
brings you to a carnival, a maze, and an underground subway system. The characters you encounter
during this section don Plague Doctor masks and walk in the most
unnatural manner possible. The carnival section,
however, was a welcome change because it was throwing
me "Silent Hill 3" vibes, and that sure as hell ain't a bad thing. And the final world, Chokmah, takes you to a structure
outside of Area 51. Everything's super quiet. Super abandoned. Super ominous. (gentle upbeat music continues) Once the game finally draws to a close, and you collect three of
the four artifacts needed to unearth the big secret, you'll find that you're unable to, and are left to choose
three separate paths leading to three different endings. Choosing the first path banishes you to a technological police state with men in black suits surveilling you. The second is much of the
same, however you're forced into genetic manipulation
against your will. And the final path? Well, that's my favorite one, because it welcomes you
with a scene of aliens, that cheerfully claim- - [Alien] "We are coming,
for we are legion." - [Narrator] A bit forward, I'll admit, but that's "Drowned God" for you. Aliens helped create humanity. Because of course they did. (gentle upbeat music) Now, "Drowned God" within
itself is undoubtedly creepy, and absolutely warrants an
entire review video of it's own. It's got all the cornerstones of a dissectable piece of
media, with hidden secrets, a convoluted story, disturbing characters, and a creepy atmosphere. While that alone personally
piques my interest, what you'd be surprised to know is that discussion about the game itself isn't actually why we're here today. The game's creator, Harry
Horse, is a peculiar person, and the backstory of his life behind the veil of "Drowned God" is nothing short of unsettling. But why?
(tense ominous music) (computer pings) (keyboard clacking) (gentle mysterious music) Reports had come out nearly a decade after the game's release that Harry Horse had passed away in a Romeo and Juliet-esque
suicide pact with his wife, Amanda Williamson. The couple allegedly
overdosed on painkillers and died in each other's arms, with some outlets describing
the scene as "deeply moving," and "the final expression
of the great love story that was their life together." While this may initially seem grievous, subsequent discoveries would later reveal that the reality of the
situation wasn't quite so simple. Like I said, Harry Horse
was an enigma, an outlier. A mind full of complexity,
like a mad scientist. For the last decade of his life, everything around him was
spiraling further and further into complication and misfortune. His wife was stricken by an aggressive form of multiple
sclerosis and as a result, Harry would regularly express
his growing discontent for how his life was falling into place. The division and method of discovery between this alleged
love story suicide pact and the media accounts surrounding it are another curious find as well, as the real details of
what happened that night weren't released until months later. The story everyone was made to believe, this romantic tragedy,
actually was a complete lie. In reality, things were much, much darker. Let me take you to the beginning. (gentle start-up music) (gentle ominous music) It's the 9th of May, 1960. A boy is born to a Jo and Derek Horne of Warwickshire, England. They name him Richard, and he would be the
first of four children. For most of his childhood,
things are pretty good. The family reportedly lived
in an upscale farmhouse without much conflict,
and from an early age, Richard was known to
have a fondness for art, frequently drawing the
animals that he'd see on his daily walks with his family. All around, by those that
knew him, he was regarded as a considerably friendly,
and stand-up child, with a winning smile. By his teenage years, Richard would become increasingly aware that
his life aspirations were at odds with those of his family. For instance, his parents were delighted when he eventually landed a job as a solicitors clerk at a law firm, however this occupation opened his eyes to where his passion truly was. Not in law, but in art. After quitting a short while later, and around the time he turned 18, he'd leave his home for
Edinburgh, Scotland, in hopes of sneaking
into college art classes. He changed his name from
Richard Horne to Harry Horse around this time as well,
which his family believes was his method of burying
his past life entirely, a rift that we'll soon find noteworthy. "If you look like a student,
and you act like a student, then you basically are one," Harry claimed was his philosophy
at Edinburgh University, and it seemed to have ultimately paid off, as just five years later, he'd release his debut children's book to remarkable success. His method of pulling this off, however, involved a significant amount
of lying and persuasion. Allegedly, he had contacted
the would-be publisher, Canongate, posing as an agent, and claiming that they should
check Harry's work out. Needless to say, he ultimately
landed that interview, and the rest is history. (lively upbeat music) By utilizing this new found
knack for role-playing, Harry would launch a band
called "Swamptrash" in 1987. It was during this phase of his life that he would meet the woman he'd marry, named Amanda Williamson.
(gentle ominous music) She was a self-proclaimed number one fan, and from the beginning,
they reportedly hit it off. According to a friend, "Harry
was besotted with Amanda," and, "She was a center
of sublime stillness." Something Harry reputedly needed since according to those close to him, he was prone to sudden outbursts of rage. From coworkers to bandmates,
what most were unaware of was the fact that Harry would lash out for seemingly no reason, leaving them frequently
taken aback by his polarity. "I hate fucking dealers, they're the parasites of the art world, profit-margin-obsessed, greedy individuals with no true understanding of art," he once unloaded onto
a Scotland art dealer. It was because of this notion that his peers would see
him as a nice guy, no doubt, however he had his demons, and was undoubtedly unpredictable. (gentle start-up music) (machinery whirring)
(gentle upbeat music) - The game is about an
alternative interpretation of the history of mankind. The whole mystery of "Drowned
God" is based on Atlantis and the position of
these star constellations that form the same constellation
as the Giza Pyramids, the ground layout. It's a puzzle game,
basically, the whole thing is unlocking a gigantic secret. And the game is thought
about as a long crescendo from near ignorance into initiation and a new knowledge, which is genuine. You leave the game significantly
with more between your ears and in you heart maybe, than
you had when you started. It's about-
(tense foreboding music) - [Narrator] Having taken up an interest in conspiracy theories, Harry utilized his forgery
and role-playing skills to craft a false manuscript, dated 1846, that outlined an alternative
history of the dawn of mankind. He impersonated an 18th century poet named Richard Henry
Horne to pull this off. Not to be confused with
Harry Horse's birth name. According to Harry, "Henry
Horne took great interest in the legend of the Sons of God, and it was exactly the
subject of my forgery." A wild coincidence according to him, but it was one that
largely duped everyone, ultimately serving as the basis for the "Drowned God" storyline. By Halloween night of
1996, the game was released and was generally well received, selling over 34,000
copies in just two weeks. Described by some as "the
strangest, creepiest, most psychedelic adventure
game I've yet to come across," it was safe to say that Harry
had crafted something special. So special that he had
planned a sequel named "CULT" to eventually tie the
"Drowned God" story together, however due to events
that would soon transpire, that sequel would never
see the light of day. (metal clacking)
(gentle foreboding music) Contrary to his success
in his professional life, Harry's personal life was crumbling. Amanda was officially diagnosed with an aggressive form
of multiple sclerosis, leaving her health to rapidly deteriorate, and by the early 2000s, she
was confined to a wheelchair. This downward spiral would carry on for the better part of the next decade, and those close to them could observe Harry's
mental state mirroring this. After a myriad of smaller moves and life changes during
the next few years, the pair would adopt a
cat and a dog named Roo, and in 2004, they'd set
up camp one final time near Amanda's immediate
family in Shetland, Scotland. It was there where Harry
was out of his element. As time would pass, his
workload for caring for Amanda would increase, yet at the same time, his mind had a nagging desire
to work back in Edinburgh. To Harry, the months began to feel longer, he was becoming increasingly
uninspired, and by May of 2006, it was observed by his peers that his demeanor had reached
somewhat of a breaking point. (gentle foreboding music continues) Catalyzed by the sudden
passing of their dog, Roo, he became indifferent, incalculable, and it resulted in a
multitude of incidents. According to "The Sunday Times," "He berated a Shetland art gallery for it's pretentious paintings. He punched a hole in a wall at home during a bout with a social worker who was disputing Amanda's
disability benefits. His family's relations were
reaching a terminal phase, and he eventually cut
contact with each of them." "I'm in a living hell,"
Harry once claimed. And this island that was supposed to be their home of tranquility,
was beginning to feel more and more like a prison cell. (gentle start-up music) (gentle ominous music) On the 9th of January, 2007, two friends visiting from New Zealand would make a quick stop
to check in on the couple. During their stay, Harry
purportedly wasn't himself, and was firing off claims such as, "It's a wonderful night for a killing." According to them, Amanda didn't want them to
leave after their visit either. However, against her
wishes, they left anyway. (tense ominous music) 9:40 am, January 10th. On their way to the airport, the two friends return to the house to retrieve a jacket
that they left behind. The front door's open,
and they head inside. Instead of being greeted
by the couple, however, they encounter something
a bit more grotesque. Their new dog and their
cat are stabbed to death. Amanda is seen with over 30 stab wounds and a broken blade stuck within her. Harry's discovered with over 47 wounds on his arms and torso,
and mutilated genitals. The pair are lying close
together on her bed. There's blood on the floor,
the windows, the walls, and the scene is unlike
anything they've ever witnessed. (tense ominous music continues) According to the media, it's
believed that that evening Harry snapped after consuming
an alleged cocktail of drugs, stabbing his wife over and over until the first knife
broke off inside her. He grabbed another, and
continued stabbing her before shifting his
attention to their two pets, and after killing them, he
would turn the knife on himself, stabbing his own torso and genitals until both Amanda and he bled to death. "The doctor who attended
hasn't returned to work," an officer claimed, "it's the
worst thing he's ever seen." (gentle suspenseful music) To police, the scene was dark. They went on record to claim
that a murder like this hadn't happened in the Shetland
Islands in over 15 years prior to the incident. The area was closed off and the investigation began privately, though, on the outside, word
of mouth began to spread. Because Scotland's investigators
operate close to the chest, withholding details and
official accounts even today, everyone had caught wind
that the pair were dead, however nobody knew exactly why or how. It was because of this notion that the rumors would
sprout about the pair potentially overdosing
on Amanda's painkillers, since Harry couldn't have
murdered his own wife, pets, and then himself. Could he? And so, during the weeks
immediately following the incident, media outlets ran with it,
dressing up the murder-suicide as an act of love. There were even plans
to bury the two together since the families believed that it's what they would've wanted, however, they were
oblivious to the full story. It wasn't until days
later that the families would catch wind of the actual
details from the crime scene, and it's a bitter feeling that
they still hold to this day. With that being said, because the case was closed so suddenly and the investigation reports
are still confidential, the quote, unquote, official ruling, the murder by the hand of Richard Horne, has also been the subject of scrutiny. Evidence of this can
be found on Wikipedia, through numerous articles, and even various blogs that
the Horne family had set up. The root of the issue stems
from the fact that in Scotland, a so-called Fatal Accident
Inquiry was never released. Having determined that it would be in the public's best interest to not know what officially
happened that night, since the deaths didn't
happen at the workplace or in police custody, it's left the public largely in the dark. I've been in contact with
the nephew of Harry Horse, and while they're well aware of the initial flowery
misinterpretation in the media, they're left with the belief
that vital details are missing. According to them,
throughout this investigation they've been "excluded,
misled, drip-fed information, and to date, everything
that's been released has led to closed doors." Allegedly, Amanda's
family were the only ones that acquired the full disclosure
from that night's events, leaving the sole public
source of information to come from them. One of the few official answers that the Hornes were able to obtain was Richard's autopsy report, and the results are highly intriguing. As it turns out, the widely-reported cocktail of drugs that he
ingested the night of the killing actually wasn't so, since
the presence of amphetamines, barbiturates, benzos,
cannabinoids, cocaine, methadone, opiates, and paracetamol
had all come back negative. And the same goes for his blood alcohol and urine alcohol levels
which were also at zero. Aside from elevated levels of the antidepressant amitriptyline, he was otherwise entirely
sober during this, leading the family to further question how he'd be able to pull off
47 self-inflicted stab wounds on top of self-mutilation. "Were they murdered?", a
document they curated claims. "To date, a high court judge
and forensic psychologist, amongst others believe so. Someone got away with
murder, but can we prove it? Only time will tell."
(gentle ominous music) (VHS machine whirring) All right, Nexpo from the future here. The video's done and I'm
jumping back in here real fast with a quick addendum. (gentle upbeat music) If I'm being completely honest with you, this video has been difficult to write. The amount of information,
personal takes, details, and running theories are so abundant that formulating a definitive opinion on what happened that
night has been laborious. Harry was unpredictable. His peers and family don't deny that. And the painfully frustrating reality is that Amanda did not deserve to die, and especially not the way she did. I think, now in hindsight, the reason why this has
been such a difficult topic is due to a myriad of things. The media, the claims by the Williamsons, the counterclaims by the Hornes, and the lack of an official police report. I'll admit, there's so much that's been left out of this video because if I went through everything, the runtime would be two hours long. With that being said, after
you finish this video, I highly encourage you to read further into this bizarre story. It's got peculiarity after peculiarity. For instance, did you
know that Amanda's father did not officially declare
that Harry murdered his wife until over a year later? For that entire length
of time, everything, every claim, theory, retelling,
was based on hearsay. Now, while this notion's suspect, and just firing off the top here, let's say that Harry did
not commit this murder, a counterpoint to this would be that claim by the authorities,
that a murder like this hadn't happened in the Shetland
Islands in over 15 years. But the media got Harry's sobriety wrong, and he reportedly downed a
cocktail of drugs to numb himself before committing this crime, right? Well, no. The toxicology
report countered that. So once again, if we're assuming
that Harry did not do this, then who would? The island that the couple passed away on has a population of,
as of 2016, 907 people. 907, so it's safe to assume that someone on the island would've known or heard or seen something had an external party committed this. Sensationalism, frustration, confliction. That is the Achilles' heel of
everything about this tragedy. (gentle music) The story of Amanda
Williamson and Harry Horse is a metaphorical amalgamation of tension, devolvement, and madness. After leading a life of lies, Harry Horse had found great success
in his professional life, however the reflection of
himself in his personal, ultimately created a character that he grew further and
further from recognizing. The events that played out
that night are the summit, the breaking point, of a
relationship that could've been, should've been so much better, yet the circumstances that surrounded them ultimately crumbled into calamity. It's been regarded by many as the perfect catastrophe
rooted in lunacy. Killing the ones you love before turning the knife upon yourself is a testament to the burning resentment that was buried within him all along. Well, at least, that's how it
was portrayed in the media. And that's the main issue
with this entire predicament, it's one that's wrapped
up in he-said, she-said, media sensationalism, and
journalistic misinformation. (gentle ominous music) Ultimately, cruel distortion
or not, this entire affair has taught us to never take
anything at face value. Whether the events that
played out on January 10th were a gruesome murder-suicide by an unpredictable
husband that lost his mind, or were the work of an
external group of individuals that got away with homicide, what's undeniable is the notion that the legal system in
Scotland is frustrating, ultimately leaving us
with limited information on not only Harry Horse
himself, but Amanda Williamson, their families, and everyone
else that surrounded them. Thanks so much for
watching. I'll see you soon. I love you all, and good night. (gentle pensive music) (gentle pensive music continues)
Wake up babe new nexpo video
Nexpo explains the contents and history of the obscure mystery game, “Drowned God”. The creator of the game Richard Horne (also known as Harry Horse) was an eccentric and disturbed man, who notoriously murdered himself, his wife, and his pets in 2007. Horne’s morbid past is also explained within.
Nexpo is Dope
Does anybody know how/where to actually obtain this game?
Ugh this guy sucks
Wow. I read the original dive into Harry Horse almost a year ago & this is just still bizarre to me