Rougarou in South of Midnight: A Cautionary Tale About Suppressing Emotions

In “South of Midnight,” players step into the shoes of Hazel, a woman who discovers she possesses a unique set of supernatural skills. She learns she’s part of a long lineage of Weavers—magical beings who mend the world’s wounds by tracking down turbulent sources known as Stigma and eradicating them.

Hazel’s journey as a Weaver forces her to face some dark and tragic tales. The game delves into various mature themes, exploring subjects from animal abuse to fratricide, entwining them with the boss battles. Among these is the Rougarou, whose backstory serves as a stark reminder of the dangers that come with bottling up emotions.

Years before the game’s events unfold, a young boy named Laurent lived with his parents in a modest community near a mill. Laurent’s father, a mill worker, was paid in scrip—a currency usable only within their community. When Laurent was still a child, his mother fell ill. The mill foreman denied his father’s request for financial aid to help his wife, leading her condition to deteriorate. Despite efforts from the community to pool together scrips, no doctor would accept them for treatment.

Realizing the grim fate awaiting his mother, Laurent fled to the woods, releasing his pent-up anger and sorrow. Though his father rushed to join him, he urged Laurent to suppress his emotions. Eventually, Laurent’s mother passed away, and his father succumbed to depression. Without guidance, young Laurent took charge of their survival, burying his grief over losing his mother deep within.

As the years rolled by, Laurent’s repressed feelings of pain and anger simmered until they boiled over during a confrontation with the mill’s foreman, whom Laurent held responsible for his mother’s death. The foreman threatened Laurent, prompting his father to intervene. In a tragic turn, the foreman shot Laurent’s father, leaving young Laurent to black out. Upon regaining consciousness, Laurent found his hands bloodied and his father lifeless at his feet. Overcome with anguish and guilt, Laurent’s emotions erupted in a powerful scream that transformed him into a Rougarou—a mythical creature reminiscent of a giant owl with glowing eyes.

Over time, Laurent managed to revert to human form and, upon reaching adulthood, joined a gang of bootleggers during the Prohibition era. Attempting to lead a normal life meant suppressing his past and emotions—a tactic that rarely yields success. His temper was quick to flare, and even minor provocations could release the emotional flood he’d tried to contain. These outbursts would trigger his transformation back into the Rougarou. The weight of guilt Laurent carried kept him from getting close to anyone, including Hazel and her mother, Lacey.