History TearJerker / DarkestDungeon

"I need... help. Please."

** The comic for the [[http://web.archive.org/web/20210731092751/https://www.darkestdungeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Leper-Hero-Backstory.jpg Leper]] reveals that he is no ordinary peasant, but a KingIncognito. Judging by the crowd that was waiting for him outside the room he was in, he was presumably TheGoodKing at that, having gained support and respect from his people. But due to having gotten leprosy, he chose to exile himself from his homeland, leaving what was supposed to be a celebration to making the people openly weep for him, as pictured above. [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments His people clearly loved him and want him to return home, even despite his disease.]]

* And in the final battle against [[spoiler:The Heart of Darkness, during the course of the final phase of the fight, you're forced to sacrifice two of your party members. Not only did you have to invest huge amounts of time and resources to get them to a level to even face the Heart, but the game sadistically forces YOU to choose which party member dies! Some heroes are willing to take one for the team, others... not so much.]]
** [[spoiler:Even worse, their sacrifice is ultimately in vain. As the Ancestor so eloquently states, this is only a temporary victory. The darkness is not destroyed, but merely sent back into slumber. It will return one day when humanity has forgotten and is unprepared, and when it does there will only be more death and devastation.]]
** [[spoiler:Faced with all of this, and unable to look at their fellow man without seeing visceral eldritch horrors, the Heir takes their own life at the end of the game and becomes a ghost haunting the grounds. Worse, depending on how you interpret the various quotes hinting at a ViciousCycle, they may be trapped there for ''all eternity'' with countless other shades of themselves.]]
** A minor note compared to all the above, but [[spoiler: as the camera pans across the Hamlet, its buildings can be seen falling back into the disrepair you found them in when you first arrived. Even your attempts at rebuilding the Hamlet were all for nothing.]]
* Some of the classes who die to [[spoiler:the Heart of Darkness]] still [[FaceDeathWithDignity hold fast even in the face of annihilation]]. ''This does not make their last words any less depressing or tragic.'' The worst of these is probably the Houndmaster:

--> '''Arbalest''': Please, no! I want to live!
--> '''Grave Robber''': A proper lady does not volunteer herself for slaughter!
--> '''Jester''': Hah! The joke's on me then...?
--> '''Plague Doctor''': No! Not me! I am a learned scholar!
--> '''Vestal''': [[OhCrap I-It's too horrible!]] Noooo!

--> ''Abomination'': Whatever awaits, it cannot be worse than what I've endured.

** For the [[http://web.archive.org/web/20190101012700/https://www.darkestdungeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Abom_final_logo.jpgAbomination Abomination]], we watch as he is subjected to ColdBloodedTorture by a group of priests, who stick a hot poker to his head and brand him with his MarkOfShame. [[BullyingADragon At the very least]], [[AssholeVictim it didn't end well for most of them]].

** For the [[http://web.archive.org/web/20190101012700/https://www.darkestdungeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Abom_final_logo.jpgAbomination]], we watch as he is subjected to ColdBloodedTorture by a group of priests, who stick a hot poker to his head and brand him with his MarkOfShame. [[BullyingADragon At the very least]], [[AssholeVictim it didn't end well for most of them]].
** The one for the [[http://web.archive.org/web/20210731092926/https://www.darkestdungeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Arbalest-Hero-Backstory.jpg]] is probably the most bleak of them all. Her father arrives home, with a fatal injury in his stomach as he is chased by an angry mob. [[EmpathyDollShot He takes the stuffed rabbit toy she was holding]], [[HadToBeSharp and gives her her now iconic crossbow]] before tearfully sending her out the back. The Arbalest, alone and crying with crossbow in hand, walks into the woods as her home burns behind her.
** The [[http://web.archive.org/web/20210731092910/https://www.darkestdungeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Cru_final_logo.jpg]] was a simple farm's hand who was enlisted into the Crusades, leaving behind his wife and son. While he was once a humble husband, the comics show him having TookALevelInBadass as he utterly destroys those he comes across and leads at the very least a small army. At some point he stops by his old home again and sees his family waving to the soldiers, considers for a moment, [[YouCantGoHomeAgain before hesitantly turning back]].

** For the [[https://www.darkestdungeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Abom_final_logo.jpg Abomination]], we watch as he is subjected to ColdBloodedTorture by a group of priests, who stick a hot poker to his head and brand him with his MarkOfShame. [[BullyingADragon At the very least]], [[AssholeVictim it didn't end well for most of them]].
** The one for the [[https://www.darkestdungeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Arbalest-Hero-Backstory.jpg Arbalest]] is probably the most bleak of them all. Her father arrives home, with a fatal injury in his stomach as he is chased by an angry mob. [[EmpathyDollShot He takes the stuffed rabbit toy she was holding]], [[HadToBeSharp and gives her her now iconic crossbow]] before tearfully sending her out the back. The Arbalest, alone and crying with crossbow in hand, walks into the woods as her home burns behind her.
** The [[https://www.darkestdungeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Cru_final_logo.jpg Crusader]] was a simple farm's hand who was enlisted into the Crusades, leaving behind his wife and son. While he was once a humble husband, the comics show him having TookALevelInBadass as he utterly destroys those he comes across and leads at the very least a small army. At some point he stops by his old home again and sees his family waving to the soldiers, considers for a moment, [[YouCantGoHomeAgain before hesitantly turning back]].

** The reason why the [[https://www.darkestdungeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Grv_final_logo_sm.jpg Grave Robber]] is what she is was because she went into heavy debt after the loss of a family member (presumably her husband) and robbed his grave after realizing he had valuable jewelry on him. The last shot is her giving herself a SignificantWardrobeShift. [[PrincessInRags Her quotes make it very clear that she is not happy about her situation]].

** Given that he is on the heroes' side, it is easy to mistake the Highwayman as being a more GentlemanThief AntiHero. [[https://www.darkestdungeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Highwayman-Hero-Backstory.jpg His backstory]] reveals that he was a cold and ruthless murderer, possibly was affiliated with the brigands, taking down several people. He looks toward the direction of the carriage they were guiding (likely hearing a noise from inside) and shoots at it out of reflex. But when he peers into the shot through window... he finds that he murdered a mother and child, [[EvenEvilHasStandards which deeply disturbed him]] into becoming TheAtoner. This makes his claim that he WouldntHurtAChild a lot more bitter sounding.

** The comic for the [[https://www.darkestdungeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Leper-Hero-Backstory.jpg Leper]] reveals that he is no ordinary peasant, but a KingIncognito. Judging by the crowd that was waiting for him outside the room he was in, he was presumably TheGoodKing at that, having gained support and respect from his people. But due to having gotten leprosy, he chose to exile himself from his homeland, leaving what was supposed to be a celebration to making the people openly weep for him, as pictured above. [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments His people clearly loved him and want him to return home, even despite his disease.]]
** The [[https://www.darkestdungeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Maa_final_logo.jpg Man-at-Arms]] was shown to have a degree of ShellShockedVeteran before, but his backstory reveals that he was the SoleSurvivor of his platoon after a particularly nasty battle. The sequel makes it even ''worse'', because it's revealed he was their ''commanding officer''; due to office politics, [[ThePeterPrinciple he was promoted long before he was ready]], leaving him to [[MyGreatestFailure bemoan that the worst thing that happened to his men was letting him be in charge.]]
** The [[https://www.darkestdungeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/HND_final_logo.jpg Hound Master]]'s comic reveals what was suspected from his trinket: that the very police he worked for were corrupted. But worse yet: they weren't just dirty cops, they were part of the ''Flesh Cult!'' The [[HeroicBSOD horror on his face]] at the sight makes it pretty clear why he left and became the broken adventurer we see in-game. The only solace is that [[AWorldHalfFull the Bounty Hunter]] brought justice upon the corrupt in the end.
** The [[https://www.darkestdungeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/SB_final_logo.jpg Shieldbreaker's comic]] and attached journals show that she was MadeASlave [[SoBeautifulItsACurse because of her beauty and grace as a dancer]], only to break free and kill her captors... but the act of escaping crippled her, trapping her under a piece of wreckage and leaving her vulnerable when a viper bit her. To save her life, she sawed off her own arm, and now the experience leaves her with horrific nightmares made manifest.
** The [[https://www.darkestdungeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Jes_final_logo.jpg Jester's comic]] confirms that he comes from a DecadentCourt who mistreated and mocked him for so long, including spitting on him and throwing knives at him. One day he plays a song about his woes and was met with little approval, [[TheDogBitesBack so he grabbed a nearby knife and proceeded to murder everyone in the room before leaving]]. While this comic seemingly has a less bleak ending than most of the other comics, FridgeHorror kicks in when you see the doorway he leaves from has the [[ArcSymbol stress symbol]] pattern bearing over his head. [[DrivenToMadness Then wonder why the Jester is seemingly so unhinged]].
** [[https://www.darkestdungeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Hel_final_logo.jpg Hellion’s comic]] starts off with her and several members of her clan planning an ambush against a regiment of knights. As her clan enacts their ambush, the Hellion... [[DeerInTheHeadlights freezes]]. What ensues is a total CurbstompBattle as the knights decimate the Hellion’s clansmen. Even as her clansmen shout out her name, she couldn’t bring herself to fight. This resulted in her exile from her clan for her cowardice and likely [[FridgeHorror the reason why she’s an alcoholic, unstable mess of a]] BloodKnight.

** Given that he is on the hero's side, it is easy to mistake the Highwayman as being a more GentlemanThief AntiHero. [[https://www.darkestdungeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Highwayman-Hero-Backstory.jpg His backstory]] reveals that he was a cold and ruthless murderer, possibly was affiliated with the brigands, taking down several people. He looks toward the direction of the carriage they were guiding (likely hearing a noise from inside) and shoots at it out of reflex. But when he peers into the shot through window... he finds that he murdered a mother and child, [[EvenEvilHasStandards which deeply disturbed him]] into becoming TheAtoner. This makes his claim that he WouldntHurtAChild a lot more bitter sounding.

* Imagine you're a decent few weeks into the game. You've lost a fair amount of your early heroes, but you're starting to get the hang of things now with a fresh batch of explorers. One of them successfully scouts ahead in a dungeon, and not only that, reveals a hidden room with a locked chest! And imagine the shock and despair one might feel upon finding within the chest, stuffed in a bag nestled between a couple of valuable stones, [[spoiler:Dismas's head]].
** Though it can be [[CrossesTheLineTwice darkly hilarious]] if said adventurer who discovers it is [[spoiler:Dismas himself]]. Or maybe even more unsettling. Even more so if you decide to have him ''equip'' it (it's not a bad idea to do so either given the bonuses).

* The trinkets added to the characters without an official backstory comment are less than pleasant, too. The Plague Doctor was kicked out of the university for experimenting on a test subject (who the comic reveals was her teacher), the Houndmaster was shunned out of the law by corruption from within, the Jester is confirmed to have come from a DecadentCourt and the flavor text of having the last laugh on a tyrant may imply he was abused within it, the Hellion mentioning she was an outcast to her tribe, and even TheStoic Bounty Hunter was on some personal RoaringRampageOfRevenge quest.

--> '''Masochistic Leper''': The dead long for torture — to FEEL once more!

''Slumped shoulders, wild eyes, and a stumbling gait — this one is no more good to us.''

** ''Made even worse'' by the fact that your party can meet a similarly crystallized and time-lost woman named Mildred at the Farmstead, who gives them a trinket, "Mildred's Locket", which increases the holder's power against the Miller and reduces the damage they take from him. [[TragicKeepsake The locket has a picture of the Miller in it]] . Furthermore, if you have this locket equipped when you battle the Miller, he uses a move called "Immortal Beloved" in which he simply [[TheScream cries out in anguish]], foregoing an attack and gaining a debuff. [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration He even has a locket of his own around his neck that has a picture of Mildred in it.]]

** The [[https://www.darkestdungeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/SB_final_logo.jpg Shieldbreaker's comic]] and attached journals show that she was MadeASlave [[SoBeautifulItsACurse because of her beauty and grace as a dancer]], only to break free and kill her captors... but the act of escaping crippled her, trapping her under a piece of wreckage and leaving her vulnerable when a viper bit her. To save her life, she sawed off her own arm, and now the experience leaves her with [[BadDreams horrific nightmares made manifest]].

** The [[https://www.darkestdungeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Maa_final_logo.jpg Man-at-Arms]] was shown to have a degree of ShellShockedVeteran before, but his backstory reveals that he was the SoleSurvivor of his platoon after a particularly nasty battle.

In a heavy CosmicHorrorStory with FinalDeath, a cast full of [[TheWoobie Woobies]], and crossing the DespairEventHorizon being a ''gameplay mechanic'', [[TearJerker stress is bound to build up outside the game as well]].

* Heroes who've been to the Darkest Dungeon and lived to tell about it will be forever traumatized by the experience, their barks in the relative safety of the Hamlet changing to reflect this regardless of how much stress they have. These poor souls, even in victory, have been irreparably damaged as a result of your lamentable crusade.

--> '''Crusader''': I will forget them. Regret is a sin.

** A minor note compared to all the above, but [[spoiler: as the camera pans across the Hamlet, the buildings can be seen falling back into the disrepair you found them in when you first arrived. Even your attempts at rebuilding the Hamlet were all for nothing.]]