Part 125: From the Depths of Hell

Music: Among Stately Peaks



We're near the end of Chapter 3! Just one character to go, so let's begin!





It's been awhile, hasn't it? We're here to look for information on this terrible book to put a stop to the people trying to use it for nefarious purposes.



A sprawling city if ever I saw one. Talk about searching for a needle in a haystack...



(Like as not, the translated copy of From the Far Reaches of Hell was produced by a bookmaker in this town. But where to begin my search?)



(Which means head straight for...)







...Very well. Let the investigation begin!



Cyrus will never cease having devoted admirers.

This is as good a time as any for some banter!



You know, I feel it now, too. The unmistakable sense of being watched.
For my part, the feeling was faint at first, and came and went. But it grows stronger with every step we take.
Undoubtedly, your instincts are sharper than mine. How did you acquire them, I wonder.
I cannot say. It is something I learned on the battlefield. By what means, I do not rightly know.
Oh. I was hoping there was some easy trick to it.
It is easy enough--if you are willing to fight as many battles as I have.



Fair enough.



Maybe it's just me, but these Cyrus/Olberic conversations are a bit odd, at least as far as the wording goes. Otherwise, it's Cyrus once again trying to learn all he can, even if there are limits to what even he can learn.



Here's a person who looks like he can give us some information!





Well, now. It would seem I owe this Dominic fellow a visit. I should be able to find him in the workshop just east of here.



Which is right here. Time to make our move!





If you could just spare a moment, kind sir, there's something I'd like to ask you--



(He seems like a stubborn one. I'll have to find another way.)



(It might behoove me to find out a bit more about our friend Dominic.)

With some more information, maybe we can find a way to talk to this Dominic.

But first, banter time!



Quite. I need a different approach.
...
You are looking most solemn. Is anything troubling you?



The suffering in his voice was that of a man who hath been made to forsaken everything.
You are suggesting there is a reason for his behavior.
Perhaps. I knowe not... But when I think about the life that he hath led...
Yes, quite. Something tragic may have befallen him... I need to find out more. Perhaps I can even find a way to help him.



H'aanit's not too shabby at deductions herself. She's thinking that something tragic happened to him in his past, which led to his shut-in behavior, which...is true, as we'll see in a bit.



Indeed. It would appear we have no one to rely upon but ourselves.
This Dominic fellow. Stubborn coot, wouldn't you say?
A type regrettably common in the world of philosophy and science.
So you're going to find out more about him?
Certainly. If I can do that, I might find a means by which to make him listen to me. I shall start by talking to his colleagues and other associates.
Good luck. Those bookish types are battier than the Carrion Caves.
Myself included?





I like how little Therion likes Cyrus, if only it leads to awkward banters such as these.



There's several people around to Scrutinize. Let's do so!







Dominic may be a recluse now simply due to his daughter's death, but perhaps there's more to the story...?







He also took a job he disliked for the sake of money. Perhaps the two may be related...?







And there's the thread connecting the two. With this information, let's see if we can get Dominic to finally talk.





Here we go.

SILENCE





Very basic answers for this one.





But I have heard that you lost your dear daughter to illness some fifteen years ago.



Music: Discord



In order to procure the elixirs that might save your daughter, you needed coin...quickly, and in large quantities. And so, you accepted an unusual task...





The book that you translated is now in my possession.



You took care to omit the most horrific passages, doubtless because you recognized the danger they posed. As an academic, I will not stand idly by as knowledge is used for the purpose of evil.





Thank you, friend.

-----

SILENCE



...



Strangely, I cannot recall his name. He was a scholar, and from his words one could tell his mind was as sharp as a blade.



(...Red eyes? Could it be? No, perish the thought...)
They say in recent years he accepted a prestigious position at the Royal Academy in Atlasdam...

Music: Creeping Dread



Ah, yes, it's all coming back to me now; Yvon was his name!



He came to me, a mighty and venerable tome in hand.



Knowing full well the danger posed by the forbidden knowledge within...?
Yes, I was not blind to the risk.



So you followed Yvon's instructions to the letter?
Yes, I translated that dreadful tome. All the while fearing for my life what horrors might come to pass if the knowledge fell into the wrong hands.



(Headmaster Yvon... Whatever was the man thinking...?)



SILENCE



The pain and guilt you bear is surely beyond my understanding, but I hope this will bring you even a small measure of solace. Rest your heart easy, friend...as best you can.
...



Dominic was a desperate man who did a desperate act. He's suffered enough, and yet besides, our true foe is closer to home than we first suspected.



And as we leave Dominic's abode...



Music: On a Knife’s Edge



I knew I was being followed, yes.





The figure removes their robe, revealing themselves to be none other than Yvon's assistant from Chapter 1.





A pleasure. And why have you followed me here, Miss Lucia?
Forgive me, Professor Albright. I meant no offense. I overheard that you were investigating the whereabouts of a certain tome. A tome by the name of From the Far Reaches of Hell. Is this correct?
...And what if it is?
What I am about to say, I ask that you keep in the utmost confidence.



So the thief who stole the book from the archives was...
...The headmaster himself. Of this, I am all but certain.



I will not stand to see my profession's good name sullied by one who would use knowledge in the name of evil. This is why--



Yes. My intuition as an academic tells me you are a man to be trusted.



Yes. I was planning to investigate that very matter after I was done here.
The house in which he was born still stands. Yet, there are...ominous rumors about the place. I have ascertained its location, but I am hesitant to investigate further on my own.



I see... Before I promise anything, I would see the house with my own eyes.
I understand completely. You will find it on the north side of town.
Very well. Let us pay it a visit straight away. As for whether or not I can cooperate, I will give you my answer there. Is this acceptable?



So we may have an ally to help us bring justice against the headmaster. Can we stop his evil plans together?

We'll find out after some more banter!

Music: Among Stately Peaks



By all means.
What kind of things did you teach back at the palace?
Interested in a spot of learning, are we? Then pull up a log and I'll give you a lesson.



History. Let's begin there. Specifically, with the founding of the mighty Kingdom of Hornburg...
W-wait! I never said--!
And there followed...and also... In short...
...



But the king--Edbart, if you recall--had his own worries. You see...
Professor, can I say something?
What is it, Tressa?



Hey, we could use some levity after everything we've dealt with so far.



Three banters left, and I'm taking them all with me. It works out well because I want to get Ophilia and Alfyn's divine skills and they're pretty close to getting them.



This large manor is finally unlocked. Let's meet with Lucia and start investigating.



According to the neighbors, it has lain abandoned for some twenty years now.



Let's. What could go wrong?





Oh, right. That.

Video: The Headmaster's Snare







I'd recognize that voice anywhere...

Music: Creeping Dread





And sure enough, you didn't disappoint me. Your mind is every bit as sharp as I thought it was.
You sent Lucia to keep an eye on me.
What a shame, my dear boy... A thirst for knowledge like yours would be such a terrible thing to waste...





I am, shall we say, philosophically opposed to your stance on knowledge. I believe that knowledge should be shared, not hoarded for one's personal gain.
I thought you'd say as much. Most unfortunate, Cyrus...most unfortunate.



A smart man like you knows what this means, yes?





So Yvon and Lucia (standing atop the Hot C) close the hatch, leaving Cyrus to die.



Climbing my way out doesn't seem to be an option. Now, how to get myself out of this predicament...



So Cyrus is trapped in a cell, in an abandoned house that no one ever enters, so as far as we know there's nobody that's going to come to rescue him. So what trick is Cyrus going to pull to get himself (and the party members that just also happen to be there I guess) out of this mess?

Find out next time!