Shadows of London: 1-14 The Baroness

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The enthusiasm of the club members makes Caroline feel rather uneasy, but she continues with the pretense, hoping to find more clues. She takes part in the ceremony, following Priscilla's instructions.

Info

Style: No dress-up component Rewards: 3,000 , 600 , 1 , 1 , 1

Dialogue Choices

Note: Changing choices when replaying will cost 5

(Isn't it dangerous to drink something without knowing what it is?)

• Refuse to drink
  • Obtain Ending: Doomed Judgment
• Drink
  • Story continues

I instantly think of--

• Mr. Savile
  • Unlocks 1-15 Entrapment
• Doctor Grey
  • Unlocks 1-16 Persuasion

Transcript

Expand for script.

• Priscilla takes me down a long and dark corridor, and we arrive at a tightly shut door.
• After taking a deep breath, she knocks on the door respectfully--

• The room is fairly cramp, and unlike what I imagined. All the windows are covered with dark red curtains.
• The dim candlelight shines upon a single figurine in the center of the room.
• A few youths are holding bones and red petals in their hands, kneeling around the figurine in prayer.
• ???: Priscilla, is this the girl you've been guiding?

• A cold voice sounds from the corner, and I notice a thin woman sitting in the dark.
• Priscilla Barnet: This is the Baroness. You must lower your head.

• Priscilla tiptoes to whisper in my ear.
• Mysterious Baroness: Where is she from?

• Priscilla Barnet: Madam, this is my friend Caroline Rayes. She arrive din London from Hampshire not long ago.

• Priscilla Barnet: She is rather innocent in nature, and very loyal. I'm afraid this evil city would swallow her whole, and so I've come to seek the protection of the High God.

• Priscilla Barnet: Please allow her to join the Scarlet Rose Club.

• Mysterious Baroness: Caroline Rayes...

• Mysterious Baroness: Lift your head and let me have a good look at you.

• Nervously, I lift my gaze to meet hers.
• Mysterious Baroness: Heh heh, what a beautiful girl.

• The Baroness stands up and slowly walks towards us. Still nervous, I unconsciously lower my head again.
• Mysterious Baroness: Hmm? What's this?

• The Baroness grabs my hand suddenly, and lifts it to her nose.
• You: What?!

• Mysterious Baroness: Your hand is bleeding, reckless girl.

• I follow her gaze and notice my fingertip. A single drop of blood is oozing from where the rose thorn pricked me.
• You: Ah! That was just carelessness, I'll--

• I was about to wipe away the blood, but the Baroness holds tightly onto my hand, prevent me from pulling it away.
• Mysterious Baroness: Your blood has a strange aura to it...

• The Baroness wipes off the drop of blood, and drags it across my palm, leaving a thin, red streak.
• You: I, I can clean it off myself!

• I pull my hand back in a panic, and this time, the Baroness does not stop me.
• Mysterious Baroness: Caroline, have you come across anything strange lately?

• You: Strange?

• Startled, I subconsciously put my left hand behind me.
• You: (She can't possibly know about the assault on the street...)

• You: (Is the "strange aura" some kind of disease symptom?!)

• Mysterious Baroness: Answer me, Caroline.

• You: After arriving in London, the strangest thing I know is the mysterious epidemic.

• You: The panic has spread to the Western District, and I've been feeling very uneasy. I'm afraid that my family and I will be affected...

• Mysterious Baroness: Heh heh, this city is full of sin, and the epidemic you speak of is merely something humans have brought upon themselves.

• Mysterious Baroness: This age is filled with greedy, frivolous mortals, and they are about to pay a high price for their vices.

• Cold amusement flashes across the Baroness' eyes.
• Mysterious Baroness: But Caroline, I do believe you are an innocent child, just like the others in here.

• Mysterious Baroness: Destruction may cause fear, but it leads to rebirth. Look--

• The Baroness circles round to my back, and places her deathly pale, thin hands on my shoulders, nudging me to look at the figurine.
• It is a plaster statue of a person wearing a long cloak. The features are unclear, and I can't tell if it's a man or a woman.
• The statue is holding a staff shaped like a branch. A finger is pointing to mid-air, and there is a pile of bones at his feet.
• You: Is that...the High God?

• Mysterious Baroness: Yes. When mortals faced disaster in the early days after the creation, the High God was born to a foreign clan, and possessed great compassion.

• Mysterious Baroness: He used ancient magic to save everyone, but the ungrateful humans repaid him with cruelty, and forced him out into the wilderness.

• Mysterious Baroness: Without the protection of god, the humans confused good and evil, disasters took place, and the mortal world became a hellish, decaying realm.

• The Baroness laughs coldly.
• Mysterious Baroness: Even so, whenever an apocalypse approaches, the High God returns with his wisdom and compassion.

• Mysterious Baroness: This time, he will punish all who have betrayed him, and save those with pure and innocent souls.

• You: So I'll survive with the High God's protection?

• Priscilla Barnet: Put away your foolish doubts, Caroline.

• Priscilla Barnet: You only have one chance.

• Mysterious Baroness: Heh heh, Priscilla, you know the "guiding ceremony" very well indeed.

• Mysterious Baroness: Why don't you tell your friend to drink the "prayer water"?

• Priscilla Barnet: As the High God wishes.

• Priscilla Barnet: Dear Caroline, this is a gift from the High God.

• Priscilla is holding a small fine glass vial, and her pretty face is full of devotion.
• A colorful, mysterious liquid is moving within the vial.
• Priscilla Barnet: Drink the "prayer water" and you shall officially become a member of the Scarlet Rose Club, and bask in the protection of the High God.

• You: Prayer Water? Is it some kind of special medicine?

• Mysterious Baroness: The ways of the High God are mysterious indeed. Drink up, my child.

• Mysterious Baroness: Once you are one of the High God's children, sickness, sorrow, and pain shall leave you.

• You: (Isn't it dangerous to drink something without knowing what it is?)

Refuse to drink

• You: If you don't tell me what this "prayer water" is, I won't drink it.

• Priscilla Barnet: Caroline, are you kidding me?!

• Priscilla Barnet: This is an important part of the "guiding ceremony", and you dare cast suspicion upon the High God's compassion!

• You: No, I... I just want to think about it. Can you let me go first?

• Priscilla Barnet: I don't believe it! How dare you try to run away!

• Priscilla Barnet: I almost fell for that chunk of lies you spewed! You're not at all here because of your devotion to the High God!

• You: Priscilla, I--

• Mysterious Baroness: Unfortunately, the High God has no need for cowardly followers.

• The Baroness interrupts me.
• Mysterious Baroness: Since you are unable to demonstrate your devotion to the High God, I can only treat you as an intruder with questionable intentions.

• You: I swear, I won't reveal anything about the club to anyone! Please let me go!

• Mysterious Baroness: Go? Heh heh, what a foolish child.

• Mysterious Baroness: Do you think the High God would give a scheming traitor a second chance?

• A cruel, savage look appears on her face.
• Mysterious Baroness: Drag her into the dungeon! She shall be punished by the High God on the night of the full moon!

• The kneeling devotees stand up in unison like puppets, and surround me.
• I throw Priscilla an imploring look, but she turns her face away like a cold-hearted stranger.

When you infiltrate a secret organization, you should comply with their rules. An outsider who does not demonstrate loyalty will be subject to suspicion.
Drink the "prayer water" and earn the Baroness' trust in order to get a chance to attend the ritual.
Ending [Doomed Judgment]

Drink

• You: (In order to gain their trust, and for the sake of getting more clues, I guess I'll just have to drink it.)

• I pull myself together, and empty the vial of "prayer water" in one gulp.
• Priscilla nods her head with satisfaction. Then she turns towards the statue, and makes some strange gestures while chanting.
• I hurriedly turn to the statue as well, and repeat after her--
• You: Scarlet splatter, roses wither. Devotion, blood...

• Priscilla Barnet: Congratulations, Caroline. The ceremony is complete.

• Priscilla Barnet: You've done well, and I believe the High God has seen your determination.

• Priscilla Barnet: From now on, you are an official member of the Scarlet Rose Club.

• You: We can't let anyone know about the club, right?

• Priscilla Barnet: That goes without saying!

• Priscilla Barnet: Anyone who leaks information, or misses a ceremony, will be subjected to severe punishment from the High God!

• You: Rest assured, my lips are sealed, and I will follow the rules.

• Priscilla Barnet: On the night of the next full moon, we will be conducting an important ritual, directed by the Baroness.

• Priscilla Barnet: You will be blessed with the chance to gaze upon the High God, and listen to his teachings.

• You: Really?! You mean, the High God will descend upon the mortal realm?!

• Mysterious Baroness: Heh heh, my child, do not try to understand the ways of the High God. You need only wait patiently.

• Mysterious Baroness: Now that you've drunk the "prayer water", you are connected to the High God's blood.

• Mysterious Baroness: No matter where you are, the High God will be able to sense your existence, so do not even think about running away.

• The Baroness smiles strangely.

• Now that I've passed the Baroness' test, I heave a sigh of relief.
• You: (That was so scary! Thank goodness I survived intact.)

• The world spins all of a sudden. I stagger, and almost fall.
• You: Priscilla, I don't feel so well.

• You: Is it something to do with the "prayer water"?

• Priscilla Barnet: Don't make a storm in a teacup. And don't keep casting suspicion about. Caroline, you are now a devout follower of the High God.

• Priscilla Barnet: Everyone experiences some temporary symptoms the first time they drink "prayer water".

• Priscilla Barnet: It's a blessing from the High God after all, and mere mortals can't adapt to it right away. You'll be fine after a while.

• You: Really?

• Priscilla Barnet: London is polluted by evil, and the "prayer water" will allow us to remain free of corruption.

• Priscilla Barnet: None of the Scarlet Rose Club members have been infected, and this is the best proof of all!

• You: Alright...

• An angry frown is creeping into Priscilla's face, and I decide to keep quiet for a while.
• Priscilla Barnet: You can go now. The guard at the door won't give you any trouble.

• Priscilla Barnet: I have to see to the preparations for the full moon ritual.

• When I exit the club, the sky is already dark, and I'm feeling a little less dizzy.
• There are hushed voices coming from a corner of the street.
• Member A: Are we going to the full moon ritual after all?

• Member A: I have a very bad feeling about it...

• Member B: Shh, keep your voice down! I'm scared too, but we don't have a choice, do we?

• Member B: I heard that those who ran away have all vanished!

• Member A: Heavens! This is scarier than the epidemic! I only joined the club to get a cure for the disease!

• Member A: Each time I drank that prayer water, I'm exhausted, but if I don't drink it for a while, I get palpitations...

• Member B: *sigh* We were too naive, and now we can only take things one step at a time.

• The voices grow softer, and the silhouettes disappear into the distance.

• I return to Aunt Petit's residence, and tiptoe through the greenhouse to my room.
• You: Thank goodness I refused to let Jack wait by the roadside.

• You: Otherwise, he would surely have panicked, and told Aunt Petit where I've been.

• I'm still feeling dizzy, so I crawl into bed and fall asleep.

• In the middle of the night, I feel as though my heart has been surrounded by burning coal. I toss and turn , and my senses grow muddled.
• In my dreams, I seem to hear my father's voice--

• Cyril: Lavinia, where are you?

• Father is holding my hand, and we're walking through overgrown scrubland.
• There's a blurry figure behind a tree not far away.
• Cyril: Lavinia, is that you?

• Father's voice is trembling. He does not approach the figure, but stands on the spot, shielding me.
• The figure takes a few steps towards us. I can see my mother clearly now.
• Lavinia: Go... Don't come over.

• She staggers away. Her feet are bare, her hair is all messed up, and her clothes are tattered and bloody.
• Cyril: Lavinia, it's all over! Please calm down. Let's go home together.

• Lavinia: No, Cyril, I can't live with you two anymore.

• My mother sobs, and her figure seems to tremble in the wind.
• You: Mama, why are you standing so far away?

• She freezes upon hearing my voice. I shake off my father's hand and run towards her.
• Lavinia: Caroline! Don't come near me, go back to your father!

• Mother shakes her head in terror, and a heavy object falls from her hands to the ground.
• I stop in my tracks, and look at her in confusion. Her eyes are bloodred, and there's blood trickling out the corner of her mouth.
• There's a rabbit lying still at her feet, and a crimson liquid is squirting out of it...

• I awake with a scream. My eyes sting, and I feel as if my whole body is on fire.
• An inexplicable, horrifying thirst for blood is rising within me.
• You: Blood... Mommy...

• I suppress the urge with every shred of will I possess, and fumble my way to the mirror, trembling. The face in the mirror looks green and sickly, and there's cold sweat on my forehead.
• But both my eyes and my skin show no signs of the strange disease.

• I don't know when I fell asleep again, but when I wake up, I'm back to normal, as if the sensations during the night were just hallucinations.
• You: What's happening... Is this an effect of the "prayer water"?

• I recall the scary dream, and my mind is in a mess.
• You: This "prayer water" is too suspect! And that full moon ritual must be something very dangerous indeed!

• You: Panicking on my own won't do a thing. I need to find someone to discuss this with.

• I instantly think of--

Mr. Savile

• You: Mr. Savile frequents Eastern District, and he even talked about fake remedies at the ball.

• You: Oh yes! And he saw right through the street vendor too!

• You: Perhaps he can solve the mystery regarding this "prayer water".

Doctor Grey

• You: My body seems to have returned to normal, but I should consult Doctor Grey, just in case.

• You: And he might even be able to figure out what that "prayer water" is.

• You: If I pick my words carefully, I won't reveal anything about the club!