The Mermaid Mask — Full Walkthrough

Case Brief

You are Grimmoir, a private investigator, assisted by your partner Sally. A case file left at the Stone Top Inn reports that Captain Magnus Mortuga was found dead beside the great cauldron in the Illusion Theater of his own submarine, the Mortuga. Your job is to board the stranded vessel and learn who — or what — killed him.

There is no combat and no timer. The game rewards patience: inspect every object, re-read every note, and talk to Sally whenever a new clue lands.

Stone Top Inn

Start at the inn's front desk and read the case file. Two details matter later:

• A framed photograph of the captain with a figure wearing a pale mask.
• A torn note mentioning a "Mermaid" that nobody on staff will explain.

Open the inn safe (code found by inspecting the fireplace mantel) to claim the brass submarine key.

Town Square and the Four Statues

Before the dock, walk the town square. Four statues flank the fountain. Inspect them in the order north → east → south → west; a hidden compartment then opens and grants the Silver Snake Sleuth achievement. This early puzzle teaches the game's "look at everything twice" rhythm.

Boarding the Mortuga

Return to the dock and take the launch. At the hull airlock, present the brass key to cycle the hatch open.

Cabin-by-Cabin Route

Explore in this order to avoid locked-door dead ends:

Questioning the Suspects

Three names surface again and again:

• Symmetry — the cabin boy; unnervingly calm, tied to the Children's Room.
• Cynthia — the first mate; a letter under her mattress names the Mermaid.
• Dr. Zephr — the ship's doctor; guards the Dream Chamber and its bottles.

Interview each with the dialogue options that compare their story to the manifest.

The Mermaid Revealed

Cross-check the bedroom letter, the cauldron note, and Dr. Zephr's log. The "Mermaid" was a person, not a creature — and the cauldron held the proof of who climbed inside it. Confront the culprit in the Illusion Theater for the finale.