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Aglaophotis
Aglaophotis1
Heather's pendant
Description
"Dad gave me this pendant on my birthday. It's one of my treasured belongings."
Purpose
Plot use
Location
Alchemilla Hospital (SH1)
Starting item (SH3)
Port District (Downpour)
Variants
Unknown Liquid (SH1)
Pendant (SH3)
Aglaophotis Locket (SH:BOM)
Appearances
Silent Hill
Play Novel: Silent Hill
Silent Hill 3
Silent Hill: Downpour
Silent Hill: Book of Memories

Aglaophotis is a red liquid which is obtained from the refinement of an herb of the same name. It has the ability to dispel demonic forces and grant supernatural protection against such forces to those who use the item.

First seen in Silent Hill, it also plays a role in Silent Hill 3. Aglaophotis plays an important role in both games, as its use in the first game heavily affects what ending the player will receive.

Description[]

A memo in Silent Hill 3 gives a brief description of Aglaophotis.

Aglaophotis
Red liquid or crystals resembling
blood. According to the Kabbalah,
the name is taken from an herb with
the power to dispel evil spirits. It is
said to grow in Arabian deserts.
It may be vaporized or applied as
a poultice to guard against demons.
It is powerful, but as it is rare, it is
extremely difficult to obtain.

A book in Play Novel: Silent Hill suggests Aglaophotis is also made using White Claudia.[1]

[...........tis]
..de from from the above-mentioned White Claudia,......dr...has..........
u....to perform exor...... It is a viscous liquid, red....color, and is.....
adminis..........remedy.....illnesses for which the cause is not kn....

The novelization says it is completely odorless and thinner than blood.

Silent Hill[]

UnknownLiquid

The then-"unknown" liquid.

Dr. Michael Kaufmann, director of Alchemilla Hospital, came into possession of at least two vials of the red liquid through unknown means, though it seems likely, from a subsequent conversation with Dahlia Gillespie, that Kaufmann was holding onto the substance in the event that Dahlia's plans went in a direction he didn't like.

As Harry Mason explores the town of Silent Hill looking for clues as to the whereabouts of his daughter Cheryl, he comes across Alchemilla Hospital. While searching the hospital, Harry finds a broken bottle of Aglaophotis (then unknown) on the floor in Kaufmann's office. Harry can take the empty plastic bottle from the nearby kitchen and collect a sample and use it to save Cybil Bennett when she is found possessed by a parasite in the merry-go-round at the Lakeside Amusement Park.

SH1Aglaophotis

The vial of Aglaophotis Kaufmann kept hidden.

Harry can continue investigating Kaufmann's involvement and the Aglaophotis in the Resort Area of Silent Hill. Before reaching the boathouse to meet Cybil, Harry can enter Annie's Bar and save Dr. Kaufmann from an attacking monster. Further investigation of Kaufmann's tracks leads to the discovery of a vial of Aglaophotis hidden in Kaufmann's motorcycle.

If Harry saves Kaufmann, he will appear during Harry's final confrontation with Dahlia in a place known as Nowhere. After Alessa Gillespie is brought to her true form, Kaufmann will appear to intercept Dahlia's plans. He proceeds to shoot Dahlia, then takes the vial of Aglaophotis previously hidden in the motorcycle and hurls it at the combined form of Alessa and Cheryl Mason. The vial breaks and coats the entity in the fluid. Through the Aglaophotis's exorcising power, the "god" imbued within Alessa is forced out as the Incubus, a creature created from Dahlia's vision of God.

Silent Hill 3[]

Necklace

Harry giving Heather the pendant containing Aglaophotis

Heather Mason, the reborn identity of Alessa Gillespie and Cheryl Mason, was given a necklace by her father Harry as a child. Containing a red jewel, it is revealed that the crystal is in fact a small capsule of Aglaophotis.

How he procured the sample is also unknown. In the Book of Lost Memories, it is stated that "It would seem that after the first game, Harry once again procured some of the liquid for the sake of his daughter", which suggests that the sample in the necklace is not what Harry found in Silent Hill.[2]

When confronted by the machinations of the Order priestess Claudia Wolf and the prospect of giving birth to the cult's patron deity (as had been intended for Heather Mason's previous self, Alessa Gillespie), Heather instead ingests the capsule of Aglaophotis and proceeds to expel the unborn fetus. Claudia, in desperation, consumes the fetus and births an incomplete form of God instead.

Silent Hill: Downpour[]

Collectibles 05

Aglaophotis artifact

Aglaophotis is an artifact found during the "Digging Up the Past" sidequest in Port District. Murphy Pendleton remarks that it smells bad; however, this would contradict the novelization, as there it is described as odorless.

Silent Hill: Book of Memories[]

AgLocket

The Aglaophotis Locket.

The Aglaophotis Locket is an equippable artifact that appears in Silent Hill: Book of Memories. The artifact is rewarded to the player by Valtiel after completing his mission in Zone 13. Its description is, "A small locket containing a peculiar red liquid, said to dispel evil forces."

Below are the stats which are affected when equipping this artifact:

Vit Agi Dex Str Int Mnd
-1 +2 +3

Historical use[]

Aglaophotis may have been a factual herb, sometimes connected in identity to the European peony. Though the authenticity of the text is often times called into question, Aglaophotis is named as an element needed to work spells in the Simon Necronomicon.

The Greek doctor Dioscorides named Aglaophotis as a member of the peony family, Paeoniaceae. The European peony itself was used as a medicinal herb and is named for physician Paeon, a disciple of Asclepius, the Greek god of healing.

Various preparations of peonies are used in traditional Chinese medicine as an antifungal, and also to treat wounds, pain, fever, and spasms (antispasmodic), and central nervous system incentives. The herb has been used to preventive measures against nightmares in the 19th century; it also was used for female infertility treatment that would stimulate uterus muscles. Ironically, it has a vast influence against Incubus.

In certain cultures, it is believed that uncontrollable movements of the body can be a sign of possession by a supernatural being. This could infer that the use of Aglaophotis, in the Silent Hill series, to dispel evil, is a clever wordplay on the actual medicinal properties of various species of peonies.

Aglaophotis can also be found in the Kabbalah. It was used as a medicinal herb that had the effect of expelling evil. Simultaneously, Aglaophotis has been known to be mentioned in works of occultism, the exact inverse of what would be said in a supposedly holy book.

Trivia[]

  • To evade the Puppet Cybil Bennett battle, the player can also use the Aglaophotis on a Larval Stalker anywhere in the park before entering the carousel through a glitch.[3]
  • The term appears to have been derived from Greek αγλαός aglaós ("shining") + φως phos ("light").

Gallery[]

Silent Hill[]

Silent Hill 3[]

v · e · d
Characters
Major Characters
Harry Mason - Cheryl Mason - Alessa Gillespie - Dahlia Gillespie - Lisa Garland - Cybil Bennett - Michael Kaufmann
Other Characters
Jodie Mason - Heather Mason - K. Gordon - Greys - Norman Young
Monsters
Air Screamer - Bloodsucker - Creeper - Floatstinger - Grey Child - Groaner - Hanged Scratcher - Incubator - Incubus - Larval Stalker - Mumbler - Night Flutter - Parasite - Monster Cybil - Puppet Doctor - Puppet Nurse - Romper - Split Head - Stalker - Twinfeeler - Wormhead
Weapons
Chainsaw - Handgun - Hyper Blaster - Katana - Knife - Pipe - Rifle - Rock Drill - Shotgun - Hammer - Axe
Locations
Old Silent Hill (Balkan Church - Cafe 5to2 - Dog House - Hell Gas Station - Levin Street - Midwich Elementary School - Orridge Bridge Control Room - Queen Burger) - Central Silent Hill (Alchemilla Hospital - Gillespie House - Green Lion Antiques - Silent Hill Police Station - Silent Hill Town Center) - Sewers - Resort Area (Annie's Bar - Boat - Indian Runner - Lighthouse - Norman's Motel) - Lakeside Amusement Park - Nowhere - Toluca Lake
Terms
Flashlight - Fog World - God - Map - Metatron - Monster - Otherworld - Paradise - PTV - Radio - Real World - Siren - The Order - Manifestation - Seal of Metatron - UFO Ending
Archives
Items - Keys - Memos - Puzzles - Soundtrack - Secrets and Unlockables
v · e · d
Characters
Major Characters
Heather Mason - Douglas Cartland - Vincent Smith - Claudia Wolf
Other Characters
Harry Mason - Alessa Gillespie - Leonard Wolf - Stanley Coleman - Lisa Garland - Cheryl Mason - Jennifer Carroll - Joseph Schreiber - James Sunderland - Greys - Happy Birthday Caller - Danny - Confessor - Robbie the Rabbit - Sewer Fairy
Weapons
Beam Saber - Flamethrower - Handgun - Katana - Knife - Maul - Pipe - Shotgun - Stun Gun - Submachine Gun - Unlimited Submachine Gun
Monsters
Closer - Double Head - Glutton - God - Insane Cancer - Leonard Wolf - Memory of Alessa - Missionary - Numb Body - Nurse - Pendulum - Scraper - Sewer Monster - Slurper - Split Worm - Valtiel
Locations
Borley Haunted Mansion - Brookhaven Hospital - Carroll Street - Central Square Shopping Center - Chapel - Construction Site - Daisy Villa Apartments - Happy Burger - Happy Carousel - Hazel Street Station - Heaven's Night - Hilltop Center - Jacks Inn - KMN Auto Parts - Lakeside Amusement Park - Last Drop Cafe - Nathan Avenue - Underpass
Terms
Flashlight - Fog World - God - Map - Metatron - Monster - Otherworld - Paradise - PTV - Radio - Real World - The Order - Manifestation - Seal of Metatron - UFO Ending - Sexuality - Halo of the Sun - Red Square
Archives
Items - Keys - Memos - Puzzles - Soundtrack - Limited Edition Soundtrack - Secrets and Unlockables - Pachislot
v · e · d
Characters
Major Characters
Murphy Pendleton - Charlie Pendleton - Carol Pendleton - Anne Marie Cunningham - Howard Blackwood - John P. Sater - Patrick Napier - Frank Coleridge - George Sewell - Bobby Ricks - Nun
Other Characters
Sanchez - Homer - M. Koons - Bryan Handley - Ariadne Johnson - Melissa Matlan - Glen Milton - Ricky - Daniel Stephens - Chloe Zane - Mary Shepherd-Sunderland - James Sunderland - Laura - Heather Mason
Weapons
Baseball Bat - Bogeyman's Hammer - Bottle - Brick - Chair - Colt - Crowbar - Demon Statue - Double Headed Axe - Fire Axe - Fire Extinguisher - Fork - Frying Pan - Golden Gun - Golf Club - Hammer - Handle - Hand-to-Hand - Hatchet - Ladder Hook - Knife - Lamp - Meat Cleaver - Nailgun - Pickaxe - Pitchfork - Plank - Rake - Rifle - Rock - Shotgun - Shovel - Steel Pipe - Vase - Wrench - Tomahawk
Monsters
Bogeyman - Doll (Shadow) - Monocle Man - Nurse - Prisoner Juggernaut - Prisoner Minion - Pyramid Head - Screamer - Tormented Soul - Void - Wall Corpse - Weeping Bat - Wheelman- Bubble Head Nurse
Locations
Aerial Tram Station - Centennial Building - Chastain Heights - Chastain Heights Cinema - Devil's Pit - Devil's Pitstop - Interstate Gas Station - Hardware Store - Hillside - Logan's Park - Monroe Cemetery - Overlook Penitentiary - Pearl Creek - Pearl Creek Bank - Pleasant River - Port District - Ryall State Prison - St. Maria's Monastery - Underground Subway - Toluca Lake
Terms
Trinkets - Flashlight - Fog World - Map - Monster - Otherworld - Real World - Sidequest - Siren - Walkie-talkie - Manifestation - Seal of Metatron - Welcome Sign - Halo of the Sun
Archives
Items - Keys - Puzzles - Soundtrack - Secrets and Unlockables - Memos - Pachislot
v · e · d
Characters
Major Characters
Ashley Baker - Derek Copeland - Graham Reynolds - Howard Blackwood - Jack Merrick - Katie Collins - Matthew Collins - Protagonist - Lorelai Reynolds - Shannon - Trent Baker
Other Characters
Alex Shepherd - Cybil Bennett - Emma - Harry Mason - Heather Mason - James Sunderland - Jason - Joshua Shepherd - Lisa Garland - Mary Shepherd-Sunderland - Mira - Murphy Pendleton - Travis Grady - Walter Sullivan
Monsters
Air Screamer - Blood Baby - Blood Guardian - Blood Mama - Bogeyman - Bubble Head Nurse - Butcher - Double Head - Earth Guardian - Fire Guardian - Flesh Lip - Ghost - Grey Child - Insane Cancer - Light Guardian - Needler - Mother - Pyramid Head - Raw Shock - Tremer - Schism - Steel Guardian - Swarm - Valtiel - Water Guardian - Wood Guardian - Wood Sapling
Weapons
A. Y. Guitar - Assault Rifle - Baseball Bat - Bare Hands - Beam Saber - Bogeyman's Hammer - Chainsaw - Circular Saw - Crossbow - Crowbar - Dagger of Melchior - Earth Sword - Fire Axe - Fire Sword - Flamethrower - Great Cleaver - Great Knife - Great Spear - Grenade - Guitar - Handgun - Hyper Spray - Katana - Knife - Maul - Meat Cleaver - Laser Gun - Pickaxe - Pillow - Pipe - Princess Heart - Robbie Doll - Rock Drill - Shovel - Shotgun - Steel Sword - Stun Gun - Sword of Obedience - Submachine Gun - Television - Torch - TV Remote - Water Sword - Wine Bottle - Wood Sword - Wood Plank
Locations
Howard's Shop - Library - Forsaken Room - Otherworld
Terms
Monster - Flashlight - Accessories - Artifacts - Karma Meter - Book of Memories - Welcome Sign
Archives
Memos - Broadcasts - Michelle's Diary
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