Part 9: Update IX - Elementary, my dear Grandy...

Update IX - Elementary, my dear Grandy...



So, the last time, we did some stuff and then got caught up in a murder case. Laz is dead, Alex is MIA, and we're in jail.

You have to believe us, chief! We've got nothing to do with this - it has to be some kind of conspiracy!
That may be, but Darion is a respectable citizen of this town, whereas you are strangers.

Yeah, apart from the whole "exiled ruler of the town" part, we're total strangers. Yup. I guess it's not reasonable to expect somebody would conspire against the exiled ruler who has come back to take what is his. I have two explanations as to why trusting Thar with our party's most prized secret doesn't actually impact this questline:

1) He's just acting like he doesn't know as to not raise suspicion. He's not actually going to do anything that he wasn't pretty much required to do and will help us if he can.
2) The creator didn't assume that the player would be getting the recommendation before triggering this questline, since you've got no real reason to leave town until you're sure you did all the exploring you can do.

Talk with Roncarlo ti Paroli! He was with us the entire night!
He can't be found right now. Also, all of you testified that you spent the night sleeping. Your companion, Miss Libra, could have easily snuck out without being noticed by Roncarlo to commit her crime! And she wouldn't have been noticed by you either, Grandy!
That's just complete nonsense! Libra would never...
Wait a second... We're not all under suspicion! Only Libra was seen at the crime scene...
Grandy... what are you getting at? You're not planning on letting me rot down here, are you?
No need to get excited, Miss Libra. I think I know what Grandy's idea here is.
You're right there... but it stands to reason that you're all in on it... and for the safety of the population...
We're being held here because of an unfounded suspicion for the safety of the population?
Chief Tharand! Please let me and my old companion go. This is the only chance we have to prove our innocence!
I don't have a good feeling about this... but I really don't have anything that would justify holding you here, Grandy... You two can go for now! However, you can not leave the city! And please keep me in the loop as far as your research goes.
We can't leave here without a permission to travel, anyway...



Well, now that we're free, we've got shit to do. First and foremost, we still need to bring back that ring we found in the sewers.



Ah, gentlemen, it's good to see you again. What's the matter?
Magda, I have to tell you that my friends and I were down in the sewers, and we found this ring on a corpse. Your name is on it - surely it must be your wedding ring. Joini will never be able to return to you.
I always thought that was the case, but I needed some kind of confirmation! Thanks, good sirs, for bringing me the ring. Now I can finally say farewell to my Joini...

And we get some XP as our reward. That done, it's time to take care of this murder business and ask around a bit. While we're at it, I've got some shit to pawn off for some cash, so let's head to the store.



Have you heard that Lazalantin got murdered?
My son Rank has told me about it. He's hysterical because of it.
We've been put in charge of solving this case... can you help us in some way?
Sorry, I know nothing about it. Can I help you in some other way?

Yeah, we have stuff and need money. We get about 5000 bucks out of assorted crap that we got from our sidequests and the like. Now, let's go back to the crime scene and search for clues.



Wait, what?

The body is gone... but this trail of blood wasn't here before.

Well, it's a damn shame that that grate is shut tight, or we could save ourselves a lot of running around. Oh well, moving on, let's ask the bartender about his witness account.



Wait a second, those two guys weren't here before. Hmm... suspicious! Let's see what their deal is.



Who are those two guys? I've never seen them here before.
Let's get out of here, Dante! This town seems fishy and we're probably not going to find any artifacts here.
Calm down, mate! These people here are totally depressed and just sitting on their piles of riches. Ideal conditions to make some good money!

Let's talk to them and see what they've got for sale, since they seem to be in the business of selling crap:

Hello there! You two are the first ones we've seen here out on the street. A whole town full of couch potatoes, eh?
The constant darkness is depressing the people, I guess...
We're merchants from the north. I'm Thorn, and this is my companion Dante.

An interesting tidbit regarding those guys, courtesy of sheep-dodger:


You wouldn't be interested in some selected treasures from faraway countries, or?
Depends on what you've got...
Oh, we've got a lot of things, but you don't seem like you'd be interested in the tea set of a Sarabian princess...

For the record, when it comes to what I'll be calling "Sarabia", they're talking about what I assume is a desert country called "Sarabäa". Umlaute don't flow well in English, so I'll change the name.

A legitimate Sarabian tea set? That does sound quite interesting...
We don't have the money for things like that, Dankwart! If we're going to buy something, it'll only be something that will help our current task!
And what helps your current task?
1) Weapons! 2) Devices that help with travelling! 3) A travelling permit!

Yeah, we could actually just straight-up buy the permit and leave town (although I don't think we can leave without Libra), but we don't want that, as we'd be skipping over something rather important. Let's check out the device, first.

Ah, you're a practical guy, aren't you? Well, we do have an artifact that has many different applications! A pair of exceptionally rare springs. You can strap them under your feet and then jump over large chasms... or similar things...

We buy that for 4000 bucks, because it's definitely worth it, as we'll see later.

You won't regret that choice! Oil them frequently, they rust easily. Could you use something else?

Yeah, let's have a look at those weapons.

What a coincidence! We just happened to stea- ... acquire a very special piece of merchandise last month. A magic short sword! Excellent blacksmithing work! And that's not all! The sword is also magic!

I think you already mentioned that, but I guess that's just sale pitch tactics.

Really? What can it do?
It glows in the dark when orcs are near!
I haven't seen all too many orcs recently...
Well of course there aren't many here around the town, but in the north there's tons of those bastards!
If you say so... what'll this thing cost us?
The price is almost the most interesting thing about this once-in-a-lifetime offer - a measly 3000 bucks!

Eh, sure, why the hell not. We're basically wiping our ass with gold coins at this point, even if that doesn't work all that well.

You won't regret this! Take good care of it. And just like every other magic sword, it has a name: "Sting"!

...I see. Well, let's take this sword-shaped reference out for a spin.



Oddly enough, we're still permitted to travel around. I assume Thar believes we wouldn't get past the guard we bribed with a smut magazine.



Anyway, let's get into a fight with these orcs.



Dante and Thorn tricked us! This sword doesn't glow at all!

Bummer. We'll have to take that up with Customer Services at some point. For now, we've got something else to grab...



...and we find that something in the Icy Wastelands. I think this will be the last time we ever have to go here.



There's something down on that ledge, but I can't get there.
We could use the springs!

And one boing later...



We find the second of the two super-swords, the Vampire Blinder - but I call it the Vampire Blender because that's much more awesome.



Now, it might not seem much of an improvement over the bastard sword, but the magic properties are worth their weight in gold. Against evil stuff, these two swords are destruction in a neat package, and a ton of enemies from here on are evil.



But now it's time to go back and deal with this whole "wife is chief suspect in murder case" deal.



First off, we've got to see just what exactly the barkeep saw.



Darius, Chief Tharand Al'Rhun told me you reported Lazalantin's murder to him...

Note that the barkeep's name is Darion. I get the feeling some names were changed around in development and the text was never given a true once-over. See also: Gudrun.

What? No, you must be mistaken! I only heard about it half an hour ago.
What? But our companion Libra is behind bars because of your testimony!
Pardon me, but you don't seem to understand - I made no such testimony.



That's exceptionally strange...
Yes... I don't get it. Either Darion is lying... or the chief is!
Or somebody that looks like Darion went and reported us!

The plot thickens. Nobody else here has anything interesting to say, so let's head back and clear up that whole testimony shebang.



How can I help you?
1) Regarding the witness... 2) Regarding the body... 3) Regarding Libra...

Well, all three of those are interesting, so we'll go down the row as usual.

We were just talking with Darion, and he denies ever having reported the murder!
What? I can't believe that - I'll have that double-checked! But even if your story is right, by now a second witness has come forward!
Wait, what? A second witness? Please tell me who it is!
The owner of the inn right next to the crime scene. Her name is Lydia. You best talk to her yourself... Any other questions?

Could we take another look at the body?
Sorry, but that's not possible...
Chief, the life of our dear companion is on the line here, you can't be holding out on us with vital information!
Pardon me, it seems I wasn't clear enough. I can't show you the body because it's missing.
Missing? How could that happen?
Right after we brought you to the station I called for Lazalantin's body to be brought here as well, but it was already too late. Somebody stole his corpse...
Don't you think that's a little suspicious?
Of course... but on the other hand this isn't the first time that bodies went missing...
Not the first time? But what happens with those bodies, then?
We don't know. Maybe a carrion eater of some kind. I'm sorry, but we don't have the slightest clue... Any other questions?

You have to let Libra free! This is a conspiracy! You should be able to tell by the way Darion changed his mind!
Sounds interesting... bring me some proof!

Well, he wants proof, so let's go down the next best trail we have - the new witness.



Chief Tharand told us that you witnessed Lazalantin's murder...
Indeed, I did. And I saw your companion as well... saw how she killed poor Lazalantin! She's a real succubus, that's for sure!

This game sure is keeping me on its toes with these old terms. Lydia calls Libra a "Dämonenbuhle" here, which would literally translate out to "demonic lover", but that sounds a bit stilted to me, so I went with "succubus" instead. And it's fitting that the literal translation sounds stilted, as the term "Buhle" itself is more poetic in nature and only has a home in current German in the verb "buhlen" (basically sucking up to somebody) and the term "Nebenbuhler" (that being a rival in love, a guy pining for the same girl you're pining for).

1) You definitely saw her? 2) Don't insult Libra like that!

Focus, Grandy, we're not here to get mad, we're here to get information.

I definitely did. I heard a noise, looked out the window, and there I saw her!
And what exactly did you see?
She was dragging young Lazalantin across the street. Everything was covered in blood! By the gods... and her hands!
What about her hands?
Long, scythe-like claws were growing out of her hands, at least one cubit long, and they were dripping with blood! And then... then she turned to the window that I was watching her from and grinned at me, her face filled with malice! I quickly pulled the curtains and locked the front door!
Why didn't you tell the guards immediately?
Didn't you listen? That demon spotted me! I feared she would be waiting to take me next!
Oh... right, of course. Thanks for your help.

Smooth, Grandy. Good thing you're good with hitting shit with swords, because you certainly can't think your way out of things worth a damn at times.



That part with the claws! That fits with the wounds that were inflicted on young Lazalantin.
Are you starting with this as well, Dankwart? You don't think that Libra...
No, my friend, I don't believe that Miss Libra is responsible for this act...
But I can't state with certainty that she didn't do it, either...
No... not Libra, I know it! If she was a demon... my memories, Dankwart...
I know what you mean. You two say you were a couple. But please think about these two things, Grandy...
Can you remember anything that would prove that Libra wasn't always a creature of the dark? And secondly: If Libra really isn't who she claims to be, then it could very well be possible she manipulated your memories.
Could it be that everything you remember is just a vision that Libra injected into you?
Dankwart, you can't honestly believe that could be the case?
As I said, I don't believe it, but we have to take any possibility into account...
Yes, Dankwart, I get what you're saying, but when I imagine that everything I can remember is actually a lie...
Calm down, Grandy! As long as there's no certainty you shouldn't be plaguing yourself with those thoughts!

Dankwart is probably my favorite character in the entire game, and it's because of scenes like this. That occult knowledge of his isn't just book science, he's definitely a very sharp character outside of the laboratory as well, and even years of sitting on his ass in the Eastern Marches haven't dulled his mind all that much. He and Grandy have great chemistry with each other, and it gets to shine a bit in this chapter (whereas usually it's Libra and Grandy who get the chemistry spotlight).



Next up, we've got to pay Rank a visit. I don't think he's going to be all that happy, what with the whole "suspected of murdering his friend" bit and all...



You dare to show up here again? You killed Lazalantin! You'll pay for that!
Calm down, Rank! Somebody's trying to pin this whole thing on us, we've got nothing to do with it!
Why should I believe you?
Lazalantin trusted us. And you know best of all how careful he always was... Also, we surely wouldn't just show up here if we had bad intentions.
Sounds reasonable... what do you want from me?
Did Lazalantin have any enemies in particular?
Well, the Duke and his minions, if it had become public knowledge that Lazalantin was planning an uprising. But Lazalantin actually wasn't ready for that uprising yet... His entire life he'd tell me of that "great hero" that would come to help us against the Duke...
Aha... and did he have any sort of details regarding that hero?
No... it was more some sort of obsession of his.
Do you know where Lazalantin lived?
He's got a bed in the house where those kids with their turtles live. It's right next to the northern gate.
Are there any other conspirators?
There were... one after the other they all disappeared. Seems like I'm on my own now...
Don't worry, we're on your side. You better stay in hiding until we have the culprit.

He lived in the house with the turtle kids? Well, I guess if he just had a bed there, it would have been kind of hard to spot it without directly knowing about it. Let's search there next.



A book! That's got to be an important clue, because it wasn't here before!



What's that? A book... it's a diary! Lazalantin's diary!
Let's take a look at the last few pages...



I really like these pictures they made for the books. We're going to see a few more of these down the line, with one being particularly neat - the one in Rabenstein. Wooo, building that place up even more!

Every time I see the new guys, I have to think of my dream of the savior that will come to save us all. But can that be? This Grandy doesn't exactly seem all that bright. But my heart tells me that he and his friends are the ones who have the fate of us all in their hands... Alas! Rank will be making fun of me for that again. But it doesn't matter! I'm planning to meet them in the weapon store tomorrow. The young woman at Grandy's side, however, I will meet tonight first. She wanted to talk with me in private about something. Apparently she doesn't trust the old guy that always hangs in the back. Time will tell if my gut feelings were right...



Riddles in the darkness! Why did Libra mistrust me? Or did she only tell Lazalantin that to lure him to the meeting?
"DOESN'T SEEM ALL THAT BRIGHT"?
Oh Grandy, you're great at loosening up even the most dramatic situation with your own brand of humor...
What are you implying with that? Are you starting with this too?
Not at all, Grandy. But didn't you say yourself that you were a man of the sword, not a man of intellect...
...

He's got you there, man. Anyway, that might have given us some more information, but at the same time, it doesn't bring us that much further. I suppose the next best step would be to head back to Libra and see if anything rings a bell with her. Maybe she'll slip up?



You're finally back! Did you manage to solve the case?
We're making progress, but there are still many mysteries... Libra, there's another witness that claims to have seen you.
What? But I didn't do it! You should know, Grandy! I'd never do something like that! Why should I?
Well, Libra... we don't quite get it ourselves. Honestly, we're not all that sure when it comes to you...

Smooth. I'd say something about letting Dankwart do the talking, but seeing Grandy wander through conversational minefields and stepping right onto several mines is quite entertaining in its own way.

What are you talking about? NOT ALL THAT SURE? You don't believe I had something to do with this, do you?
I want to be honest with you: We're not sure if you are who you claim you are.
WHAT? YOU THINK I'M PLAYING OUT SOME KIND OF ACT?
No... umm... we just don't want to reject any possibility...

Nah, you fucked up. You're not talking your way out of that one.

ENOUGH! Come back when you're sure again, otherwise leave me alone!



She's quite agitated. Either she's acting well, or...
Or what, Dankwart?
Grandy, have you ever heard of demonic possession?
You should know that I can't remember anything.
Pardon, I forgot... I was just wondering if some powerful creature could have taken possession of Libra's body...
This creature could have then committed the murder while looking like Libra, without her ever knowing...
Yes, that would be a possible explanation. Do you have any sort of method of testing that?
No, my friend, that's too much for my meager capabilities. We'd need a priest for that.

But where could we find one of those?



Oh, right.

We're investigating Lazalantin's murder. Have you heard of it already?
The whole town isn't speaking of anything else!
Father Medarius, you surely remember you threw us out recently. Could you explain why?
It was strange... there was this unholy presence, an unspeakable evil emanating from you.
But this feeling is now gone. I feel that you have no ill intentions.
Could it be that we were accompanied by some evil force that is no longer with us now?
Yes, that would be an explanation, although I can't be sure.
The gods don't explain the premonitions they send to me.

Father Medarius, you are a wise man, blessed by the gods with special powers.
Could they help us in some way? Do you know, or rather, do you feel something that could bring us closer to the solution?
I'm not sure, but I have a vague feeling that your presence in Düsterburg is the reason for the crime. Somebody's trying to exterminate you. The murder was the first step, more will follow...
More I can not say...

If a person was possessed by a demon of some kind, would you be able to feel that?
I would be able to feel the presence of evil, yes...
We're suspecting that our companion Libra was the victim of a demon that used her body to kill Lazalantin.
If the demon has only recently left her body, I should be able to feel its presence.
Would you maybe come with us to the jail to... um...
...test your friend? Of course! Let's hurry!



No, I don't feel anything evil in this woman...
Chief Al'Rhun: I am absolutely sure that she isn't under the control of evil forces.
Furthermore I don't believe that somebody with an aura as pure as hers was capable of committing murder...
Well, from experience I can say that she doesn't exactly use velvet gloves when it comes to rotting dragons...
Grandy, this isn't the time to be making stupid jokes!
I respect your beliefs and your premonitions, Father Medarius, but first and foremost I must deal with the facts!



Grandy, I hope that I could at least help you a little bit.
Thanks, Father Medarius... at least now we know that there's no evil demon sleeping in Libra...
If you should need me again, you know where to find me. May the gods protect you.



I'll be back to work then. Don't look so down, Grandy... Even if it didn't sound like it just then, I don't believe your companion is guilty anymore either. If you need me, you'll find me in my office.



That didn't really help us that much either, Dankwart.
Don't be glum, my friend... we're in the process of eliminating one possibility after the other.
If in the end there is only one possibility remaining, then that must be the solution.
IT WOULD BE NICE IF YOU COULD HURRY UP WITH THAT. IT'S DAMP AND DRAFTY DOWN HERE, AND THE FOOD...
Please, Libra, we're doing everything we can.

Well, as much as Dankwart is optimistic, we really did run out of leads. Nothing much left to do but bumble around town for a while...



Wait, what?

Grandy! Dankwart! Wait a moment!
Roncarlo! You're finally back! Was your hunt successful?
Hey, Grandy, who do you think I am? I chased after that guy and monitored him, and now I have proof of our innocence!
Really? Tell me, who was it?
Two strangers, hired killers for the Duke. Maybe you've noticed them too... a young snot named Dante and his addlebrained companion: A wolfman!
Yeah, the two were hanging around the pub. They didn't seem all that kosher to me to begin with...
Regardless, I didn't have any proof, so I tailed them! They stayed the night at the inn... as they were sleeping, I snuck into their room and searched their backpacks... and found the proof!
What kind of proof was it?
Lazalantin's head! The two bastards chopped it off to prove their act to the Duke!
That's disgusting!
But that will cost them their own head now! I deposited the piece of evidence with my father...
I'll head over and get it right quick. I don't want to get caught in front of the guards with you and without the proof.



Wait for Roncarlo? 1) Yes 2) No

Yeah, that story totally wasn't bullshit at all. Not at all.

The whole story sounds kind of off to me. What do you think, Dankwart?
The story has about as many holes as a Königsberger cheese! Let's follow him to see where he's going!



At least he's going in the right direction...



He fled into the sewers! After him!



Ooh, dark, spooky, and with a blood trail. This obviously isn't some sort of setup.



Scribbles on the wall...
Welcome, Grandy!
Holy smokes, we're being expected!

TOTALLY NOT A SETUP. You can't actually go to Thar about this, all you get from that is a "Alex is totally suspicious!" "That's great, but it was still Libra who was seen doing the killing, now please GTFO and get some evidence". Anyway, nothing ventured...



Save point! Dead bodies! Altar covered in blood! I smell boss.



Lazalantin! So this is where his body ended up. But who dragged it down here?

Now, we could go fight the boss right now, but there's something else we can do.



Remember the time we got ourselves landed in prison and then hacked our way through the wall?



Well, this comes back to help us now.



I could hack my way through here to free Libra, but there's no turning back after that!

Now that we weakened the wall somewhat, we can bust Libra out of prison so she can help us!



Libra! Come over here, we're getting out of here!



And now that we're at full strength again, it's time to trigger the boss... I mean, take a look at that other body.

Dankwart! Do you see this? It's...


Oh fuck, he's seen better days.

Roncarlo Ti Paroli! And, roughly estimated, already dead for at least two days now!



And then a second Alex suddenly drops from the ceiling!

Who goes there?
Roncarlo! Or something that looks like Roncarlo! Which hell hole did you crawl out from, demon? Show us your true form!
You'll never get to see that, old man! You fell into my trap, and you'll never return to the surface!
You're an accursed changeling! First you killed Roncarlo, then snuck in with us! Then you met with Lazalantin in Libra's form and killed him. It was easy for you, after all - he didn't expect anything until you brought out your claws!
But why steal his body? You must know that that would arouse suspicion?
Well, my victims don't just die... they get back up after a few days... a bit moldy and a bit stupid, perhaps... Wouldn't be a great image: All those zombies, stumbling brainlessly through Düsterburg...
In the end, I achieved what I wanted! You're here, and you'll never leave this place!
And without your help, your friend will lose her pretty head quite soon!
We'll see about that, demon!



So now we get to take on the demon in his Alex-form. Suffice it to say, he's a fucking joke. Not only are we stronger by doing all the side quests, but we also have Grandy's two super swords.



So of course, the second thing that happens after some fire magic from Libra is that Grandy crits and murders him. Fuckin' A. I told you we'd be kicking ass with these things!



You actually managed to defeat me in this form! You're better than I thought!

And with that, he jumps on top of the altar and transforms.



Then face me in my true form!



Whoa! A hideous demon that stinks of sulfur!
So this, then, was the kernel of Roncarlo!

Didn't exactly expect a reference to Faust of all things here, but then again, "des Pudels Kern" has become somewhat of an idiom in German.

Please remember, Grandy, that only magic can harm him in this form!

Sorry, I couldn't hear you over these two swords humming with anti-demon magic! So, this guy's a bit tougher. He hits harder, and he's got two times as much HP as his Alex-form (350 vs. 700).



However, he doesn't exactly get much of a chance. Between Dankwart's powerful magic...



...and Grandy's magic swords, he goes down like a little bitch. All he ever got to do that did something was fire off one paralyzing spell that got Libra and Dankwart. Kind of pathetic, really.



And then he gets disintegrated.

Go to hell, motherfucker!

Personally, the only time I have encountered the term "Schweinebacke" is in the German version of John McClane's "yippie-ki-yay, motherfucker" catchphrase, so I'll translate it as such.

Anyway, now that we killed the demon and have proof of our innocence (I guess, kind of), we've got one more thing to do:



Bring Libra back, because it could get quite awkward if we showed up at Thar's office with her in tow.

Maybe I should bring Libra back...
What? You want to stick me back in that stinking cell?
I don't "want" this at all, but we might still need the assistance of Chief Tharand or somebody else from Düsterburg!
I guess - I think that this is once again a typical thing for you to do, Grandy, but I also recognize the necessity of it.



So now it's time to clear this whole thing up.

What is it now?
We solved the case, Chief! Libra is innocent!
I see... then please explain what really happened...
A shapeshifter was responsible for all this! He killed Roncarlo and then snuck in with us! Then he met with Lazalantin in Libra's form and killed him! We also suspect that he reported the murder, in the form of Darion, the barkeep.
Your story sounds pretty fantastic! Any proof?
Send a few of your men into the sewers. There's a chamber filled with corpses. You'll find your proof down there. Just watch out for the zombies shambling around... all victims of the shapeshifter.
I'll take care of that personally. Please wait here for me.



So the whole thing just gets taken care of off screen. Not complaining, mind. We certainly don't need to go through all the administrative stuff of getting her out of prison and all that guff.



So we took care of that, but we still can't leave the town.
Please excuse me if I might have been a bit rough to you while I was sitting in that cell, but I was so scared you would leave without me.
Dear Libra, you should know Grandy well enough to know that he'll never let his friends down.
However, something else is bothering me. We can assume that Wahnfried is behind this whole thing.
So he knows that we're here and also knows of our plans in some way. Düsterburg is no longer safe for us - we should leave it behind as soon as we can.
You're right, Dankwart - let's go to the mayor.

Not quite. That'll happen next time, but for now, we've got one more thing to do. As we know that the victims of the shapeshifter will rise up again as zombies...



...we can head down to the chamber and burn both Alex's corpse...



...and Lazalantin's corpse.



We get some XP for that, and that gives Grandy a new move! We might be seeing that next time, as we get ready to leave this town and engage in more SCIENCE!