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Did you talk with Randal about your intentions to lead? Whenever I got the option to declare my rebellion, I without fail had that chat with Randal before that. Since he also is the one to come to your rescue, I assume getting him on your side is vital. (And it definitely works as an Iscari, though I didn't tried it with picking Heath as my mentor at the same time.)

But that it just the thing: You DO change things for the three mentors, just not for the better. And while that makes sense in Markus' case (he wants to show his "apprentice" the truth, which kicks off the attack against him), we are offered no such reason for Heath and Randal. If you don't pick them as your mentor, they are not shown to take an unavoidable turn for the worse. Of course one might argue that we are simply not shown, but on the other hand you can end the game by Randal's side, even if he wasn't your mentor, and it is never mentioned that he becomes withdrawn and disheveled - something that definitely should draw attention if you are his second in command or vice versa. I admit that I dislike stories where you can "fix" people with deepseated issues just with the power of love, but I'm not fond of this forced nosedive as well.

I do agree that a further debate would be pointless, we have differnt opinions on the matter and there is nothing wrong with that. I only want to say one final thing, namely it would indeed be invasive to analyse a person in this matter, but that is just the point: Markus is not a real person, he is a fictional character in a story. A story I enjoyed and that made me think, and I enjoy sharing my thoughts an that matter and reading the interpretations of others. (Including yours, even if I'm not fond of your condescending tone.) I do not think that analysing a story is comparable to playing psychoanalyst to the persons around me. That's like comparing enjoying murder mysteries to breaking into a real crime scene.

Thank you, getting cosy with Lazarus worked! A downward spiral, indeed...

I am aware of all these facts. (Matter of factly, I am demi-sexual myself, which is sometimes considered as part of the asexuality spectrum, so I dare say I am not entirely uneducated on such matters.) As you say, all this traits can occur in asexuals and as such do not necessarily hint at a wish for sexual intimacy. But in my posting I didn't look at each of them individually, but rather as parts of a bigger picture. Taken in context of both the narrative and of Markus' personality, my takeaway was "conflicted/afraid" rather than "disinterested".  There is a broad spectrum between asexuality and more typical sexual interest, after all. I should know.

Of course my interpretation of Markus might be wrong, only the creators can clarify, and they probably don't want to. Nevertheless, I would appreciate it if my opinion weren't treated as the result of ignorance and lack of education. (Though my rather hazardous grasp of the English language might admittedly suggest otherwise. It is not my native tongue, please bear with me.)

I remember that in the demo version it was possible to see how well you got along with various characters. I admit I missed that feature in the full game, any chance that it might make a comeback in future patches?

That aside, I wasn't even aware that it was possible to piss off Andrei enough that the Golgotha don't help you. Maybe Zhang counts too?

Sadly I don't, but I just wanted to say that I'm super curious too! Maybe it's the YouTube channel of our dear sire? Or... the driver. (Even though I suspect they might be one and the same.)

You are right, he DOES look hot without the beard. Actually, I've thought "I wonder how he looks without the beard" for most part of the game. It's just that when you finally see it, well.... let's just say by that time I wanted my bearded teddybear in casual clothes back. *whimper*

Tell me about it. Randal's beardless face will haunt my bad dreams forever!

I would love to help you, but I'm not sure where you went "wrong" either. If you used the options to talk about it beforehand and have sufficient reputation with the factions, then I'm stumped as to what could be missing. But the deal with Andrei shouldn't be the issue, since I took that too. As for the personality traits, I'm not sure how they factor in, but since I played my Iscari as somebody who can take care of herself and isn't easily daunted, my character turned out indeed pretty determined, though the stat wasn't maxed. (Here are my exact stats at the moment of the proclamation oy my rebellion, in case anyone wants to take a closer look: https://imgur.com/zWpqiir) I wish I could be more of a help, but maybe someone else knows more?

That aside, are you trying to get Randal's second ending? Just asking, because I tried the very same thing, only to find out that it isn't linked to that at all. There seems to be only one ending for the rebellion, whether you side with Randal or go on to unite LA, and it even plays out mostly the same, with only minor differences in the epilogue. Spoilers ahead, for those who want to know: For the second ending, you have to side instead with Andrei, while also making a deal with Lazarus. At the end, you will notice Lazarus sneaking up on Andrei, just let him do his stuff.

You actually can go independent and sort of unite the houses, but it's pretty iffy. You not only need a high reputation with all factions, but you also have to bring up the topic with the Iscari and Randal before you declare your alliance. If done right, you can pick "My rebellion!" and Randal and his group will save you, though there will still be a fight because Saorise and Andrei will not give up that easily. So it basically plays out like siding with the Mavvar, only that at the end you are in charge with Randal as your right hand instead of the other way around, and the remaining vampires in the city are more diverse instead of consisting mostly of Mavvar. So, yes, you can bring the three houses together, but not peacefully. There will always be a final clash and Saorise and Andrei will never accept you.

As for your question, you have to be in the same house as your mentor to get the special endings. Those are not necessarily the best endings, mind you. I found Randal's special ending horrifying and Heath's was a tragedy. Only Markus' special ending has an uplifting note. Mind you, you have to get the former two before you can unlock Markus' special ending (which I consider the "true" ending, btw).

Short answer: No, no happy endings, with the possible exception of Markus' special ending. But you stay alive in most endings.

Long answer: If you get shot, it means that you choose a faction that doesn't like/trust you enough to save you. If you made a deal with Lazarus, he will indeed aid you, but not at this point, but rather in the final battle. (He also will go after Andrei and might even succeed onscreen, depending on you choices.) If you have enough influence with the faction of your choice, you will be saved by that faction and you will make it through the story alive. As for the mentors, there are no ways to "fix" Heath or Randal or even just keeping them from getting worse, though there are endings where they stay with you. Markus' endings are not quite that gloomy, though I found them still pretty depressing, with the exception of his special ending, as already mentioned.

PS: I definitely didn't feel like the game endorses drugs, quite the opposite. That Heath tries to escape from reality and numbs himself is actually his fatal flaw. Mind you, you don't have to sleep with him, and you can also just pretend to take the drugs, if you don't mind deceiving him.

Though I have to admit that the endings bummed me out too (you actually can find my rant on this topic in the eponymous thread), out of fairness I should clarify that I DO NOT regret my purchase. I really enjoyed the game for the most part and the writing sucked me right in. Quite honestly, that's why the bleak outcome was such a bummer, I became really invested in the characters and as such was crestfallen when I was railroaded into disaster, especially when I felt it lacked a good explanation. But if this were a bad or even just average game, the endings wouldn't have left me with such a reaction. I would have just shrugged, quipped "well, that's that, I guess" and went my merry way.

TL;DR: Even though I have my gripes about the endings, I still think it's a great game and would recommend it despite its flaws.

You have to get some of the other endings first. If you click on "Extras" and then on "Endings", you will see whether an ending has been already been unlocked, otherwise the requirements for unlocking are listed. Markus' special ending (IV) is the final unlockable ending and as such the hardest to get.

Depends on what you consider a "good" ending, I guess. Markus will always leave, except in his special ending. (Though he will send a postcard, if you side with Saorise.) To get the special ending with him, you have to unlock it first, then play as a Golgotha and pick the red choices when possible.

Indeed; if you ask him, he clarifies that his love for you is of a romantic nature. Also, you can have a purely platonic friendship with him, which plays out slightly differently. So yes, it is different from what he feels for Aleusha. 

That being said, I'm not sure whether he really is asexual. With Saorise it's pretty clear that she is asexual as well as aromantic. Markus is clearly not aromantic, but I also think that him being asexual isn't quite as clear cut aqs it seems. First of all, he clearly mentions masturbation and he also explains that he runs a sex shop because he is fascinated by sexuality. He also has a noticeable amount of sexual experience, though he doesn't comment on how much he enjoyed it or not. Also, he is the one who brings up the possibility of sex and he gets annoyed if you answer his question by asking him whether he wants it. (Notice that he doesn't answer in the negative, he just insists that he is asking YOU.) Should you sleep with him, he will say that you feel exactly like he imagined it, which means he has been preoccupied with such thoughts. Should you decline, he will voice relief, but can also admit that he isn't exactly happy with how things are with him, merely content, and that he doesn't consider changing his mind an impossibility. All things considered it seems he is conflicted/inhibited about sex, rather than simply disinterested in it.

Coupled with his other statements (was more in love with his image of others then with the persons themselves, feels love most acutely when he watches you from a distance, also his fear that he can't live up to your picture of him and his interactions with Dream-Aleusha) make me wonder whether this is a part of a greater issue. It's like he is uncomfortable with the idea of getting too close to someone, and that might also show on a physical level. Sorry for my rambling, but I think Markus is a really fascinating character, so I love to dissect him.

Every mentor has one ending linked to one the factions plus one special unlockable ending that is only available if you are in the same house as your mentor. Apart from those, Randal also has one extra ending.

Randal I, III and IV: The faction endings. If I remember correctly, you get "Mark David" by siding with Saorise and "comorbid" by joining the rebellion. That would mean that you still need Andrei's ending.

Randal V: The special ending. First you have to unlock it by playing some of the other endings, then play as a Mavvar. Certain choices should now be marked red, simply pick those to get the ending.

Randal II: The ending that made me tear out my hair. I finally got it by siding with Andrei, while also making a deal with Lazarus. (I also visited him a second time in the sewers and heard his story, but I'm not sure whether this is necessary. I also made sure not to tell Andrei about him, but again, that might not be necessary.) After the final fight, you will get a scene in which you notice Lazarus sneaking up on Andrei. When you get the choice whether to interfere, let him murder Andrei.

Provided you play as an Iscari and unlocked the fourth ending, then the red choices should show up right after you picked Heath as your mentor and then visit him at the bar. To be specific, the first red choice I got was this:

Heath: Why did you came to Hollywood in the first place?

MC (underlined red): I dreamed of being a star... and I knew this was where I belong.

Quite honestly, I can not see how anybody would be able to mistake this game for a "sweet, fluffy otome", not to mention "a lot of people". I certainly didn't, because it was obvious that the creators took inspiration from the Old World of Darkness, and there is a reason why it's called that and not World of Sunshine and Rainbows. I still didn't appreciate being stubbornly railroaded into disaster, especially considering that the game offers fifteen different endings. 

Clearly, we have different opinions here, and that's just fine. But assuming that the discontent stems mostly from the crushed hopes of people who for some unfathomable reason excepted some saccharine dating sim completely misses the point.

To be fair, the game is very clearly inspired by the Old World of Darkness, which is a very bleak and depressing setting. It clearly tries to show vampirism as a curse, your humanity fades, you feel numb, all pleasures fade away except for the hunger, your powers backfire, and sex is for good reason something that most vampires don't even bother with. I get that. I knew that this wouldn't be a Twilight-inspired romp and I was more than fine with that. After all, I enjoyed Vampires: The Masquerade a lot, which is the flagship game of the Old World of Darkness. But unlike the former, Red Embrace: Hollywood takes it too far. There is ONLY bleakness. Like Markus said: Every emotion needs an opposite to be truly felt. But in Red Embrace, we do not have such an opposite. We have choices, yes, but only choices between various bad endings. With the possible exception of the very last unlockable ending, everything ends in bitterness. It's not even that your arrival fails to have any positive impact, no, everything gets worse after you show up, no matter what you do. After getting some of the endings, I began to wonder why I even bothered. Everything is going down the drain anyway, so why go on?

Don't get me wrong, for the most parts I loved the game and didn't regret purchasing it. And I'm certainly not somebody who wishes for a Disney ending. But I need a reason to care. A moment of sweetness to go with the bitterness. The feeling that my character is more than just a disaster catalyst. To truly feel the sadness, you also need to experience some happiness. And here, I find the game lacking and it seriously takes away any replay value once you have unlocked the endings. Just my humble opinion. (And forgive me if I sound stilted, English isn't my first language.)

Edit: I just wanted to add that I understand that replay value was probably not one of the main goals anywhere. After all, all those bad endings lead to the "true" ending, which basically goes "this story is broken and beyond help, so let's start anew", so the whole point is to grow beyond all this, not to fix or even endure it. So I think I get what the team was aiming for, it just doesn't work for me.

Thank you for the information! I did not know you could get the special endings only when you are in the same house as your mentor, I must have gotten that right by accident and so I didn't notice. (Might explain why the red choices didn't work for another user.) Truth to be told, that's a little bit lame, especially since it means that the final "true" ending is exclusive to Golgotha vampires, and I already have the feeling that the game is tilted in favor of Markus/Golgotha. Don't get me wrong, they are my favorite house and character too, but it still feels... slightly unbalanced?

Edit: Finally managed to start my own rebellion on Randal's route, yet his second ending still eludes me. Might be a bug, or maybe there are some other conditions? Second edit: I finally got it by siding with Andrei, but then letting him get murdered by Lazarus. (Must have agreed to Lazarus' deal beforehand.)

Sadly, I didn't keep the save and don't remember other than it was pretty high with the Mavvar. Maybe the faction reputation isn't the (only) problem though. Depending on your personality, certain dialogue choices won't show up. For example, if you are constantly polite, certain rude responses aren't shown, so maybe this is the issue? If you try to get Randal's special ending, you might want to act like your typical Mavvar fanboy, believing in the revolution, putting him on a pedestal and everything.

Word of caution: No matter your route, if you are going for the special ending and you reach the point where you can get intimate with your mentor, then you missed your chance and are set for a "normal" ending. You can't have both hanky-panky and the special endings.

I have managed to unlock 12 of the 13 endings linked to the mentors, and while this is not a guide, maybe it might be of help to some people. Spoilers ahead: Basically speaking, every mentor has an ending linked to one of the factions. Those are usually pretty depressing, ending with the mentor broken, vanished or dead, except for Markus, who always does his vanishing act. Once who have reached some of the endings (the game will tell you exactly which endings you need), you will unlock the final ending for each mentor. Once you've done that, some of the choices will be marked red, pick those if you want to reach the special ending for each character. The very last ending you can unlock is Markus' final ending, which is probably the the closest to a "true" ending and the only one that counts as bittersweet instead of just bitter. It also makes clear that yes, our choices so far mattered, though I guess it might be too little, too late?

So we have nine mentor/faction combinations and their three special endings. Together with the two common endings (I got these without paying attention, but I think you get them when you mess up and get killed) that accounts für 14 of 15 possible endings. The only ending that eludes me is Randal's second ending, maybe that's for starting your own rebellion on his route? (I think for the other two it doesn't matter whether you go Mavvar rebellion or make your own rebellion.) Not quite sure what I did differently to get the option to start my own thing, so I can't check easily. If anybody managed to get this ending, feel free to enlighten me.

PS: Randal's special ending was SCARY. How scary, you ask? Scary enough to frighten Andrei, of all people.