Dead by Daylight's doomed course leads two tortured souls into the mist

Go ahead Dead by daylightis the new chapter Damn course, which introduces a new killer – The Houndmaster, and a new survivor – Taurie Cain. Beyond the arrival of these characters, Doomed Course delves deeper into the dark and mysterious history of Dead by Daylight, expanding the connection between our world and the Being's realms.

We'll give you a deep dive into each character's backstory, detailing how one of the most brutal and merciless killers and one of the most morally murky survivors ended up in The Fog.

Merciless like the sea

Before she became a dog master, Portia Maye had the chance at a normal life. Warmed by her father's love and driven by the prospect of adventure, she spent most of her early years at sea. Unfortunately, her life changed forever when the twisted pirate Mad Molak attacked her father's ship Nightsdream, slaughtering almost everyone on board.

Kept alive as a celestial navigator, Portia descended into the darkness, lured by the song of the Siren of Cold Vengeance. There she changed the course of her life, piloted her father's ship into the dreaded Dragon's Teeth and plunged her tormentors into the depths. By chance – or perhaps the opposite – she emerged as the only survivor. Until she came across her loyal puppy, Snug.

It's interesting to consider that at one point, Portia was the epitome of survivor. Not only did she survive the harrowing carnage of the Nightsdream Massacre, but she also survived the years she was stranded on the Dragon's Tooth. Unfortunately, every waking thought revolved around revenge, and her bloodlust burned hotter with each passing year.

It didn't help that, unbeknownst to Portia, the Dragon's Tooth was a Bleed – an otherworldly intersection between realms. Think of bleeds like the merging of colors on a palette, with elements from two dimensions converging into one.

“That’s the one thing about entering a bleed,” explains lead narrative director Jessi Thind. “If it doesn’t kill you, it drives you crazy.”

Her descent into madness paralleled her mastery of violence, culminating in a killer whose merciless nature surpassed Molak himself. By the time she tracked him down and took revenge, her role in the creature's realm was long established.

Soon the only remaining remnant of her humanity was bound to Snug, her lone companion and implacable protector; Their bond is expressed in the power of the Houndmaster, which utilizes Snug's ability to track down and seize survivors.

For The Black Talon

Taurie Cain grew up as a member of the Black Talon organization – a branch of the nefarious Black Vale – and spent her life uncovering the creature's secrets. While discovering a bleedingTaurie's parents ventured in to further their research. Unfortunately, tragedy struck, the worst of which was averted when Taurie entered the bleed behind them.

From that moment on, Taurie pledged her devotion to the evil cause and quickly rose through the ranks of the Black Talon. While some survivors such as Haddie Kaur and Elodie Rakoto crossed paths with the Black Valley's disciples, Taurie seemed to seek out the darkness and believed that the entity was the key to overcoming mortal existence.

“Having grown up as a member of the Black Talon, Taurie truly believes that her actions are for the betterment of humanity,” Thind explains. “But as she rose through the ranks, things got darker and darker. “Eventually Taurie reached a point of no return and had to make a life-changing decision.”

Their journey led them to a pivotal moment. Tasked with the ritual killing of a man named Jordan Rois – stepbrother of survivor Haddie Kaur and a constant thorn in the Talon's side – Taurie raised her knife for a low blow. And yet she faltered. A crucial decision and one of the last made before her arrival in the fog.

There she would discover that everything she believed in was true. Her joy quickly turned to horror as she realized that all her years of devotion had led to a never-ending cycle of pain and suffering. Although such a revelation could shatter a lesser will, Taurie remained steadfast in her belief that her true purpose has yet to be defined.

“Her devotion to the Valley may actually come in handy in The Mist, as she continues to believe it's all part of the plan,” Thind continues. “Taurie is determined to continue on the path until the entity finally recognizes her as a student – ​​a murderer.”

It raises an interesting question: Why did the creature bring Taurie to its realm as a survivor in the first place?

“For reasons that remain unclear, The Entity feeds on emotions,” explains Thind. “We can interpret that the entity took Taurie for a reason, and perhaps it felt it was an advantage to have a person who simply doesn't get along with many of its fellow survivors. Taurie doesn't understand why she's around people who never believed, and that naturally leads to resentment. There is conflict – anger, confusion and distrust – and the entity would feed on that.”

Despite all the conflict, Taurie will do what she has to do to succeed in her new environment. Their advantages include being able to quickly break away from their teammates and attract the killer's attention, gritting their teeth and using this to their advantage.

It is curious that Portia and Taurie both spent time in the Bleeds, with the latter proving largely unaffected. Under different circumstances, their roles in the creature's realm might have been reversed. But once the course is set, a detour is not an option – especially when the destination is shrouded in fog…

Go ahead Dead by Daylight's Doomed Coursestarring The Houndmaster and Taurie Cain, available today on the Xbox Store.