id: "present-characters-dm" slug: "present-characters-dm" order: 7 title: "Present Characters — The D&M Team and Their Roles" description: "Complete guide to all present-day characters in The Incident at Galley House. Reya, Moors, Patterson, Dunn, and the D&M team." keywords: ["present characters, D&M team, Reya, Moors, Patterson, Dunn"] category: "characters" date: "2026-07-15" lastModified: "2026-07-16" image: "/images/video-y2hWRFTY7PI.webp" video: "y2hWRFTY7PI"
Present Characters — The D&M Team and Their Roles
While the past characters at Galley House drive the mystery of what happened in 1936, the present-day characters at D&M provide the framework through which you investigate. As Reya, a junior engineer, you interact with seven colleagues who each contribute to the investigation in different ways. Understanding the D&M team — their roles, their knowledge, and their relationships — is essential for the meta-plot deduction, which requires information from both timelines. This guide profiles every present-day character and explains how they contribute to the story.
Why the Present Characters Matter
Many players focus exclusively on the 1936 past characters, assuming the present-day D&M team is merely a framing device. This is a mistake. The present-day characters are essential for:
- Meta-plot context — The D&M team knows things about the memory machine that reframe the entire investigation
- Power restoration — Sam Moors and Mason Gibbs provide technical support when the machine fails
- Narrative parallels — The D&M team's dynamics mirror the 1936 gathering's dynamics in ways that illuminate both timelines
- Post-credits revelations — The present-day characters are central to the content that appears after the main story ends
Complete D&M Team Profiles
Reya — The Player Character
Role: Junior Engineer, memory machine operator
Reya is the player's avatar in the present timeline. As a junior engineer at D&M, she has been assigned to operate the memory machine — a task that no one fully explains to her when she starts. Her position as a newcomer means she discovers information about D&M and the machine at the same pace the player does, creating a natural learning curve.
Investigation significance: Reya's questions to her colleagues often mirror the questions the player has. When she asks Sam about the machine's power system, or when she questions Dunn about D&M's history, the answers provide essential context. Pay attention to what Reya is told — and what she is not told.
Meta-plot role: Reya's position as the machine operator places her at the center of the meta-plot. Her experiences operating the machine and the things she witnesses during memory scenes gradually reveal the true nature of D&M and the memory machine.
Sam Moors — The Technical Partner
Role: Colleague, technical support
Sam Moors is Reya's primary collaborator at D&M. When the machine loses power or encounters technical issues, Sam is the person Reya turns to for help. His technical knowledge complements Reya's investigative instincts, and their working partnership is one of the most functional relationships in the present timeline.
Investigation significance: Sam provides practical assistance during power restoration events. His knowledge of the machine's systems helps explain why the power failures occur and what they mean for the investigation. Scenes where Sam and Reya work together to restore power are some of the most mechanically important in Part 2.
What Sam knows: Sam appears to have more knowledge about D&M and the machine than he initially shares. As the story progresses, he reveals information that suggests he understood more about the investigation's true purpose from the beginning. Pay attention to the moments when Sam provides information proactively — these moments often coincide with significant meta-plot revelations.
Meg Patterson — The Researcher
Role: Research support
Meg Patterson provides research support to the D&M team. Her role involves gathering background information about Galley House, the Galley family, and the 1936 incident. Meg's research contributions appear in scenes where the team discusses their findings and plans next steps.
Investigation significance: Meg's research provides historical context that the memory scenes alone cannot offer. When she shares information about the Galley family's history, the house's previous incidents, or the social context of 1936, she is giving you essential deduction material. The information Meg provides should be cross-referenced with what you learn from memory scenes.
Connection to the meta-plot: Meg's research may go deeper than she initially reveals. Her access to historical records and company files means she may have discovered information about D&M itself that connects to the meta-plot. Watch for scenes where Meg hesitates before sharing information — these moments suggest she is weighing what she knows against what she is willing to reveal.
Laurence Dunn — The Supervisor
Role: Team supervisor, oversees the investigation
Laurence Dunn is the authority figure at D&M who oversees Reya's investigation. His role parallels Edmund Galley's position as host of the 1936 gathering — both are authority figures who control information flow and whose knowledge exceeds what they initially share.
Investigation significance: Dunn's supervision creates a power dynamic that affects how information moves through the D&M team. When Dunn gives Reya instructions or sets boundaries on the investigation, these constraints may reveal what D&M knows — and what it is trying to hide. Pay attention to scenes where Dunn redirects the investigation or discourages certain lines of inquiry.
What Dunn knows: Dunn likely knows more about the memory machine and D&M's true purpose than any other present-day character except possibly Sam. His behavior in later Part 2 scenes suggests awareness of the meta-plot that he has not shared with the team. The progressive revelation of Dunn's knowledge is one of the key narrative arcs in the present timeline.
Parallel to Edmund Galley: The Dunn-Edmund parallel is not coincidental. Both are authority figures who host/control an investigation, both withhold information from their subordinates/guests, and both are connected to the supernatural elements at the heart of the mystery. Understanding one helps you understand the other.
Ervin — The Team Member
Role: Colleague, team member
Ervin is another member of the D&M team whose exact role is less defined than the other characters. He appears in group scenes and provides occasional support, but his contributions are more subtle than those of Sam or Meg.
Investigation significance: Ervin's scenes provide additional context about how the D&M team operates. His presence in group discussions reveals the team's dynamics and decision-making processes. While he may not provide direct deduction clues, understanding the team's structure helps with the meta-plot.
Mason Gibbs — The Technician
Role: Technical support
Mason Gibbs provides technical support for the memory machine and the D&M facility. His role overlaps with Sam Moors, but Gibbs tends to focus more on the physical hardware while Sam handles the operational aspects.
Investigation significance: Gibbs is particularly relevant during power restoration events. His understanding of the machine's electrical systems and the D&M facility's infrastructure provides the technical foundation that allows Reya and Sam to restore power. Scenes where Gibbs explains technical concepts are important for understanding why the machine behaves the way it does.
Connection to the supernatural: Gibbs's technical perspective may provide a rational explanation for phenomena that other characters interpret as supernatural. This rational-vs-supernatural tension is central to the game's themes, and Gibbs's scenes contribute to the ambiguity that makes the meta-plot so compelling.
Pippa Smith — The Administrator
Role: Administrative and research support
Pippa Smith handles administrative tasks and provides research support to the team. Her role involves managing the logistics of the investigation — scheduling, documentation, and coordination between team members.
Investigation significance: Pippa's administrative access means she handles documents, records, and communications that other team members may not see. In scenes where Pippa shares information she has found in D&M's records, pay close attention — administrative records often contain information that operational staff does not encounter.
What Pippa knows: Pippa's position gives her access to the paper trail behind D&M's operations. This access may reveal information about D&M's history, funding, and true purpose that the technical team members do not have. Watch for scenes where Pippa references company records or internal communications.
Jacqueline — Legal Counsel
Role: Legal counsel
Jacqueline handles the legal aspects of the D&M investigation. Her role involves ensuring that the investigation complies with applicable laws and regulations, and she may be responsible for the company's interactions with external parties.
Investigation significance: Jacqueline's legal role means she is aware of D&M's obligations, liabilities, and external relationships. When she raises legal concerns about the investigation, these concerns may reveal what D&M is worried about concealing. Legal constraints often indicate that there is something worth concealing.
Connection to the meta-plot: Jacqueline's awareness of D&M's legal position may provide crucial context for understanding the company's true purpose. A company that needs legal counsel for its investigation into past events is a company with something at stake — and understanding what that stake is contributes to the meta-plot deduction.
D&M Team Relationship Map
| Relationship | Nature | Key Scenes | What It Reveals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reya & Sam | Collaborative partnership | Power restoration, machine operation | Sam knows more than he initially shares |
| Reya & Dunn | Subordinate-supervisor | Investigation direction, boundaries | Dunn controls information flow |
| Meg & Pippa | Research partnership | Historical records, company files | They have access to information others lack |
| Sam & Gibbs | Technical collaboration | Machine maintenance, power systems | Technical explanations for supernatural phenomena |
| Dunn & Jacqueline | Authority-legal | Investigation oversight, compliance | D&M has legal concerns about the investigation |
Parallels Between Past and Present Characters
The game deliberately creates parallels between the 1936 past characters and the D&M present characters. Recognizing these parallels helps with both identification and the meta-plot:
| Past Character | Present Parallel | Shared Trait |
|---|---|---|
| Edmund Galley (host) | Laurence Dunn (supervisor) | Authority figure who controls information |
| Hobbes (leader) | Reya (investigator) | Central figure driving the investigation |
| Annie (domestic knowledge) | Meg (research knowledge) | Provides contextual information |
| Victoria (hidden knowledge) | Sam (withheld knowledge) | Knows more than they reveal |
| The sisters (protective bond) | The D&M team (professional bond) | Relationships that affect decision-making |
These parallels are not coincidental — they are narrative echoes that the game uses to connect the two timelines. Understanding one side of the parallel illuminates the other.
How to Use Present-Day Scenes for Deductions
Present-day scenes contribute to your investigation in several specific ways:
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Power restoration guidance — When the machine loses power, present-day scenes show how Reya and the team respond. These responses contain technical information about the machine that may be relevant to the meta-plot.
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Historical context — Meg and Pippa's research provides background on Galley House and the Galley family that the memory scenes assume you already know.
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Information control analysis — Notice what Dunn and Jacqueline do not tell Reya. The gaps in their explanations are as informative as what they share.
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Supernatural interpretation — The D&M team's discussions about the memory machine's capabilities provide a framework for interpreting the supernatural elements in the past scenes.
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Meta-plot evidence — The most critical meta-plot information appears in present-day scenes that reveal the connection between D&M, the memory machine, and the events of 1936.
The D&M Company Itself
The D&M company is more than just a workplace — it is an institution whose purpose is central to the meta-plot. Key questions to consider as you play:
- Why does D&M exist? — A company that operates a memory-viewing machine is unusual. What is its true purpose?
- Who funds D&M? — The technology behind the machine must be expensive. Who pays for it?
- What happened before? — Has D&M investigated other incidents like Galley House?
- What does D&M know about the supernatural? — The machine's existence implies awareness of supernatural phenomena
These questions are addressed through the present-day scenes and are central to the meta-plot deduction. The deduction guide provides strategies for approaching the Level 2 deduction that requires this information.
For the complete character identity table for past characters, see the character identities guide. For help with the deduction system, visit the deduction guide. To understand the story connecting both timelines, explore story and lore.
FAQ
Are the present-day characters as important as the past characters?
For the individual fates (Level 1 deductions), the past characters are more important. For the meta-plot (Level 2 deduction), the present-day characters are equally essential. You need information from both timelines to complete the full game.
Can I skip the present-day scenes?
You should not skip them. The present-day scenes provide essential context for the meta-plot, and some contain information needed for power restoration and other game mechanics. Additionally, present-day scenes contribute to the Spectronoeticist achievement.
Which present-day character knows the most about the meta-plot?
Laurence Dunn likely has the most complete understanding of D&M's true purpose and the meta-plot, followed by Sam Moors. Both characters reveal information gradually, suggesting they know more than they initially share. Pay close attention to their scenes in the later stages of the investigation.
How do the present-day characters connect to the hidden past characters?
The connection between the present-day D&M team and the hidden past characters (Person 12, Person K, Rupert Galley) is revealed through the meta-plot. Discovering these connections requires viewing scenes from both timelines and synthesizing the information. The deduction guide provides strategies for this process.