What is Alexander?

[Yuhaney]

Could someone, who's read the book, write the explanation in a nutshell that would explain what/who(?) Alexander is?

[Dr Laudanum]

@Tanshaydar:
I should definitely re-read it. I've got it in an anthology.
As a matter of fact I did not read any of those interviews. Any links would be greatly appreciated.
---

But I played the story of the game. And I still claim that the basic "codes" of occidental esoterism are here.
It's no big deal. I mean I'm not like "whoa I fond a super secret signification in the game". It's just that the story is deeply rooted in well attested historical truth about the beliefs of alchemists/occultists/wizzard/wathever.
I just mean that the story has a solid background, which in my point of view adds a lot to it.

Of course it's just a background, and I'm not saying it explains everything. There was not vitae collecting in mithraism, nor water lurkers Weyer was basically a demonologist, and Agrippa turned his back to occultism in the end of his life.

But the reference to Mithra is here. Agrippa says that Weyer found his orb in a temple of Mithra. You can find his statue in the right room of the chancel. Remember that you have nothing to do in this room, just to watch the statue, altars and esoteric shit on the wall and pillars. This room his here just for the sake on ambiance and story, and unlock nothing. (In the editor, the statue is called "arabian statue")

I will re-read the novel. And if some of you mind you can read short articles about mithraism on the web site of David Ulansey (for example).

[Kein]

I don't think it it makes some sense to read the book. barely doubt devs took some things directly from the novel.

[Tanshaydar]

I don't think it it makes some sense to read the book.

Nevertheless, it does. Very much indeed.

[Xanatos]

I like to think of him as a vampire, since he's centuries old from sustaining himself by harvesting blood (the liquid of life) and towards the end of the game he bears a certain resemblance to Incognito from the Hellsing anime.

[Dr Laudanum]

I don't think it it makes some sense to read the book. barely doubt devs took some things directly from the novel.

I did not have the time to re-read it. But the more I try to remember, the more I can see how the kind of necromancy, and ambiance in the novel looks very much like the game.
I never doubted there's some kind of inspiration (damn! how could I ? it's written everywhere on game sites), but how to say that... Amnesia is not to The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, what lets say Dark Corner of the Earth is to The Shadow Over Insmouth. I can not see the link with the general story. The necromancer in the book and in the game (Alexander) have very different goals : the first wants to live again in out world, the later to escape it for another one...


I found that page which could be interesting : http://cthulhufiles.com/necro/necromancy.htm
It's investigating the occult sources of Lovecraft in the novel. This is the kind of necromancy that obviously we find in Amnesia.

I'm starting to think that my first post what impertinent. I should have answer "he's a necromancian", and create a new thread for the references about Mithra. Apologies...

[Kein]

I don't think it it makes some sense to read the book.

Nevertheless, it does. Very much indeed.

Well, yes, nice trolled. Reading the book itself indeed does make sense, but reading it to find some answer about in-game aspects is... kinda like meh.

[Renegade_]

Mithraism ...

I think I like this explanation best. It's clear Alexander was human made super-human through his knowledge of the occult, along with Agrippa and Weyer, looking to return to the world they knew through the orb.

As for his lost love, I believe Alexander knew the 'world' he sought was eternal and a superset of the one humans lived in and so would probably allow him to visit the 'soul' or entity of his wife that had died centuries earlier.

[Tanshaydar]

Well, yes, nice trolled. Reading the book itself indeed does make sense, but reading it to find some answer about in-game aspects is... kinda like meh.

It's your decision to see an explanation for the game or not; but it would be nice of you to stop calling troll those who are not agree with you.

[hollowleviathan]

Dr Laudanum's explanation is a more knowledgeable about Mithraism version of my opinion on the matter. It was a pleasure to read it so well articulated.