Shadows of London: 1-8 Uncertainty

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Caroline has been feeling out of sorts ever since she laid eyes on the painting from the opera house. Fragmented memories are triggered in a dream. Her aunt divulges nothing even when Caroline is desperate for answers.

Info

Style: Event Logs: Wuthering Heights Required: Vincent Goodwill Lv. 2 Recommended: Erudite Travels, Private Quarters, Sunset Hours, Evening Study Perfect Score: ~7,190 Rewards: 3,000 , 600 , 3 , 1 , 1 , Blueprint: Intuitive Gloves

Intuitive Gloves

Dialogue Choices

Note: Changing choices when replaying will cost 5

You: (I need to find a suitable topic to stop her from leaving in a huff.)

• Wuthering Heights
  • Priscilla's Goodwill will rise
• Voodoo Doll

You: Which building should I investigate?

• The church
  • Unlocks 1-9 Undying Creature
• The workhouse
  • Unlocks 1-10 Lilacs

Transcript

Expand for script.

• To avoid raising Aunt Petit's suspicions, I hide the painting inside the clothing chest I brought from Hampshire.
• Perhaps Desdemona jerked my memory, because I dream of the past again in my sleep...

• A familiar and narrow bedroom, with withered red roses in a vase.
• It's drizzling outside the window and Mother, dressed in a thin dress, is leaning against the windowsill, quietly reciting lines from <Othello>.
• Lavinia: My only sin was loving you too much...

• Her voice is low and hoarse, and she coughs occasionally.
• Cyril: Lavinia, you're not well. Please rest.

• Father gently drapes a thin, yellowing blanket around her shoulders. He looks as though he's protecting a precious heirloom.
• Lavinia: It's raining again. These are dreary days when there's not even a trace of green on the trees.

• Lavinia: Cyril, you haven't seen much of the sun ever since you married me, have you?

• Cyril: This is just what the weather in London is like. I'm in bliss as long as I'm with you.

• Lavinia: But London has its share of sunny days too.

• Lavinia: If my health weren't so bad, we'd be able to go strolling by the riverside with Caroline.

• Lavinia: Cyril, I've been a burden for you and Caroline...

• Cyril: Lavinia, don't say that. You are a wonderful wife and mother.

• Cyril: When you're feeling better, we can go walk about.

• Cyril: And I've noticed that Caroline prefers strolling under the moon.

• Mother shakes her head, and grasps Father's hand, eyes filled with sorrow.
• Lavinia: I can't hold on any longer. The thought keeps circling in my head.

• Lavinia: Cyril, if what we fear does happen, you must not hesitate.

• Lavinia: *koff koff*... Just as we've discussed.

• Father does not answer. He closes the shutters and the room turns dark.

• I'm deeply troubled when I awaken.
• My parents' words, their tenderness, and exhaustion seem to be hiding a frightening and ominous truth.
• Madam Petit: Caroline, are you awake?

• The knocking disrupts my thoughts. I crawl out of bed in a hurry and open the door.
• Madam Petit: Oh, my poor child, what's wrong? You look so pale.

• Aunt Petit takes out a fine handkerchief and gently wipes the cold sweat from my forehead.
• Madam Petit: We waited for you at breakfast, and I guessed you must have caught a cold last night.

• Madam Petit: Was I right...

• You: I'm alright, Aunt Petit. I dreamed of my parents, that's all.

• Madam Petit: They are long gone, Caroline. Become an elegant lady, and you will do your parents proud.

• Aunt Petit sounds and looks the same as ever, but the hand holding the handkerchief trembled when I mentioned my parents.
• You: Aunt Petit, did my parents really die of tuberculosis?

• Madam Petit: Have you been listening to some unpleasant rumors, Caroline?

• Madam Petit: Both your grandfather and your uncle have explained to you how your parents died.

• Madam Petit: Are you going to believe those shady gossipers over your own family?

• You: But I heard that there was a similar epidemic in the area where I lived as a child, more than ten years ago...

• You: Perhaps, my parents were...

• Madam Petit: Enough, Caroline. These unfounded conjectures are disrespectful to your parents.

• Madam Petit: Your father was an educated gentleman who was forced to lead a life of poverty...

• Madam Petit: He would never stoop to immoral acts, or be associated with any of those filthy things!

• You: Diseases are objective, and infect people regardless of their morals.

• You: If the epidemic back then is the same as the one in the Eastern District now, then...

• Madam Petit: This isn't something a lady should be concerned with.

• Aunt Petit interrupts me sharply.
• Madam Petit: I didn't want to put too many restrictions on you, but now I must remind you to choose your friends wisely.

• Madam Petit: Miss Barnet may be from a decent family, but her behavior is unwise, and you should keep a distance from her.

• You: Aunt Petit, how is this related to Priscilla?

• Madam Petit: You don't need to cover up for her. I've noticed that the two of you are rather close during lessons.

• Madam Petit: Who else would fill your head with such alarming ideas?

• You: Priscilla's not like the other girls, but she has no ill intentions.

• Madam Petit: I can't believe you're still defending her. Do you know what the servants found in the greenhouse the other day?

• Madam Petit: A strange figurine that should never have been in my house! It's obvious who it belongs to.

• You: (So that's what Priscilla was looking for in the greenhouse...)

• Madam Petit: I know you have very strong opinions, Caroline.

• Madam Petit: But you need to understand that the wrong sorts of ideas could lead you down the path to ruin.

• Madam Petit: If I don't interfere, Miss Barnet will become the laughing stock of the ton, and I don't want that fate to befall you either.

• I remain silent, and Aunt Petit heaves a sigh.
• Madam Petit: You're so stubborn. Well, you inherited that from Cyril, no doubt.

• Madam Petit: It's getting late. Even if you're angry at me, you'll still have to take your breakfast on time, and you have etiquette lessons today.

• Aunt Petit leaves my room.
• You: (I guess the cause of my parents' deaths and the disease are both taboo topics when it comes to Aunt Petit.)

• You: (And what about Priscilla? Would she know anything about the epidemic more than a decade ago?)

• I rein in my sorrow, and decide to get changed and go downstairs.

• The ladies in the greenhouse are standing in twos and threes, whispering to one another, and giggling.
• Lady A: My goodness, Priscilla Barnet's reading some strange book again!

• Lady B: It's <Wuthering Heights>, isn't it? It's not the first time I've seen her reading it.

• Lady A: Isn't that the "appallingly ridiculous and meaningless" novel reported in the papers?

• Lady B: I heard it's filled with immoral ideas, and proper ladies should never touch it!

• Nearby, Priscilla seems deeply engrossed in a book with a black cover.
• I head towards her, but Aunt Petit steps between us.
• Madam Petit: What are you doing, Miss Barnet?

• Priscilla Barnet: Nothing.

• Priscilla Barnet: I was merely trying to study <A Lady's Code of Conduct> before the lesson.

• Priscilla hides the book behind her. She doesn't look nervous at all.
• Aunt Petit doesn't challenge her obvious lie. Instead, she flicks a glance at me.
• Madam Petit: You all are intelligent young women, and so I have never been willing to interfere with your hobbies.

• Madam Petit: But some of you seem to have unsavory interest that contradict the purpose of my lessons.

• Madam Petit: And hence I must point them out.

• Aunt Petit nods to Anna, and she comes forward with a tray.
• On the tray, there is a strange-looking rag doll.
• Lady A: Ah! A voodoo doll!

• The young ladies nearby scream, and the women further away are pale with fright.
• Priscilla's eyes light up, and there's a look of relieved delight on her face.
• Madam Petit: Miss Barnet, I guess I do not need to ask who this belongs to.

• Priscilla Barnet: It is indeed one of my personal belongings, Madam Petit. I thank you for returning it to me.

• Madam Petit: Young ladies should focus their efforts on achieving an elegant daily life, instead of pursuing meaningless excitement.

• Madam Petit: Black magic is dangerous, and leads one astray. Stay away from it.

• Priscilla Barnet: Black magic? Voodoo doll? How amusing!

• Priscilla Barnet: This is just a toy that I sewed during my free time.

• Priscilla Barnet: But you have given valuable advice indeed, Madam, and I shall treasure it.

• There's a humble smile plastered on Priscilla's face, but her eyes show no sign of repentance.
• Aunt Petit rubs her temples and then regains her usual dignity.
• Madam Petit: Alright, ladies, it's time for your lesson.

• Perhaps Priscilla's behavior has annoyed Aunt Petit greatly. She is far stricter than usual during the lesson.
• I'm given a hard time because I'm still unfamiliar with lady-like etiquette, and the other girls cast angry looks in Priscilla's direction.

• Finally, the lesson ends, and once Aunt Petit's attention is elsewhere, I rush up to Priscilla, who is just about to leave.
• Priscilla Barnet: What, have you come to rant at me about having to stand for an hour?

• You: No, no... I just want to ask you something.

• Priscilla Barnet: Oh? What would you ask a rebellious, scary delinquent who is headed towards ruin?

• Priscilla Barnet: Aren't you afraid that Madam Petit will punish you?

• You: (I guess she's in a bad mood because Aunt Petit lectured her in front of everyone.)

• You: (I need to find a suitable topic to stop her from leaving in a huff.)

<Wuthering Heights>

• You: You were reading <Wuthering Heights> just now, weren't you?

• Priscilla Barnet: You, you saw?!

• You: Don't panic. I like that book too.

• You: So I wanted to ask if you have anything similar to recommend.

• Priscilla stares at me, trying to determine if I'm telling the truth.
• Priscilla Barnet: You've read <Wuthering Heights>? It's not something Madam Petit approves of.

• You: I read it in Hampshire. Actually, I don't think it deserves such harsh criticism.

• You: It's not grotesque. It simply describes the most painful and cruel parts of human emotions.

• Priscilla Barnet: Your taste in literature's not bad at all, unlike these puppets strung up in strings.

• Priscilla seems to calm down a little.
• Priscilla Barnet: I just remembered that you have an interesting book of poetry. What was it called again?

• You: The <Wilderness>?

• Priscilla Barnet: Yes, that's it. That's a good book too.

• Priscilla Barnet: I merely flipped through a few pages, but the writing creates such a familiar mood.

• Priscilla Barnet: You should read more of such books. They show the truth about the world.

• Priscilla enthusiastically lists a few famous authors, and recommends several books to me.
• They sound pretty bizarre, and have mystic themes.
• Priscilla Barnet: After reading these books, you might understand just a tiny bit about ancient magic.

Voodoo doll

• You: That doll looked very special. It's not just an ordinary toy, is it?

• Priscilla stares at me warily.
• Priscilla Barnet: I said it's just a handmade doll. Nothing special about it.

• You: If that's the case, why would you risk sneaking into the greenhouse in the middle of the night to look for it?

• Priscilla Barnet: I...

• Priscilla is tongue-tied. But she quickly thinks of a retort.
• Priscilla Barnet: What's that got to do with you?

• Priscilla Barnet: Or did you betray me, and ratted on me to Madam Petit?

• You: I did not. Anyone can tell that doll is yours.

• You: Besides, the way you looked at it left no room for doubt.

• Priscilla snorts derisively.
• Priscilla Barnet: You wouldn't understand even if I told you.

• Priscilla Barnet: People who are interested in etiquette can't possibly understand the mysteries of ancient magic.

• You: Ancient magic? What is that?

• Priscilla gives me a mysterious smile.
• Priscilla Barnet: The apocalypse is coming, and all of this corrupted grandeur shall topple.

• You: You said something similar when I mentioned the Eastern District disease.

• You: Sin, punishment, the apocalypse... What do you mean by all that?

• Priscilla Barnet: The Eastern District disease didn't about by accident. It's been lurking for a long time, and it will spread over all of London.

• Priscilla Barnet: Anyone who's not careful will be destroyed.

• Priscilla Barnet: If you wish to avoid the disaster, the only way is to seek the protection of ancient magic.

• You: Lurking for a long time... You mean the disease has been in existence for ages--

• You: In fact, this happened more than a decade ago, am I right?

• Surprise flickers in Priscilla's eyes.
• Priscilla Barnet: Oh... So you're not ignorant after all.

• Priscilla Barnet: But I must follow the creed, and there are some things I cannot speak of to outsiders.

• Priscilla Barnet: Take care, Caroline.

• I keep tossing and turning, unable to sleep, thinking about what Priscilla said.
• You: The creed, outsiders, the apocalypse... What in the world was she talking about?

• I'm suddenly reminded of the street vendor in Eastern District.
• He was describing such horrific symptoms. Does that add weight to Priscilla's warning?
• You: In my dream, my parents' conversation seemed to hold some secret meaning. What was that all about?

• You: If they really died of the disease, and the disease has returned after 13 years...

• You: Did the disease vanish for 13 years?

• You: Or is Priscilla right, and it has always existed, and was simply in hiding?

• The fragmented clues frustrate me.
• After much thought, I decide to sneak into Eastern District again, and search for answers from 13 years ago.
• You: Mr. Johnson said that only two buildings remained the same.

• You: Which building should I investigate?

The church

• You: The church lights the way for people's souls, and has survived much hardship.

• You: Perhaps I'll find some clues about the old epidemic there.

The workhouse

• You: The workhouse must've been greatly affected by the epidemic. I might be able to find out more by asking around.

• You: About the current epidemic, as well as the one 13 years ago...

• Once I've decided, I finally relax and fall asleep.