Okay, so I'm up to my neck in debt...but so what? I'm sure I'll win the lottery soon. It's just a matter of time.
My God, I'm going to crash and burn soon. I just know it. I'm going to crash and burn...
Have you heard about this 'Project Alchera' that WATIcorp's coming out with this spring? Do you know what it is?
I collect Watillas. I have eighteen of them. I'm so excited about Project Alchera! I think it's going to be amazing...and I'm buying at least five!
WATIcorp is the best corporation in the world. I'm planning on applying for a job there, and moving to Wati City in Japan.
I've always enjoyed coming to the Journeyman for a drink and a chat with my friends or with Benrime.
Benrime makes the best mulled wine and roast gipa in town.
It's too bad that fewer and fewer people come here now that the traffic's being heavily regulated, and moved to the west and to the north.
The Journeyman used to be popular with non-humans, but now that they've been moved to the ghetto, you don't see a lot of them around.
I like to eat my dinners here, whenever I can. It beats going home to my parents and grandparents to eat soup and bread.
The best thing about the Journeyman is that there are no Azadi here, ever.
Benrime Salmin is a...tough woman. You don't want to get on her bad side. I'm actually afraid of coming here.
I haven't seen you here before. Are you new to the city?
This is definitely a good place to come if you don't like crowds.
I hope you decide to come back here. This really is the nicest and friendliest tavern in Marcuria.
I used to frequent the Puss and the Cock, but after the Azadi moved traffic away from the South Gate, they had to close the tavern down.
I need to find a new tavern, preferably somewhere north of the tower. I prefer that side of town.
I know I'm not supposed to say it, but...I hate this tower. It doesn't belong in our city. It's an abomination. There. That's all I have to say.
The Azadi levelled this entire neighbourhood to the ground to build their tower. They blame the Tyren, but I know they set some of those fires themselves.
I don't like the Azadi much, and I'm not afraid to say so. That's not a crime, is it?
What do you want? I'm busy. I have important Azadi customers to report to!
To Zoë/April
Nice weather we're having, isn't it? Cold and crisp, like the winters of old.
My business is doing great, and now we're opening up for export to Sadir as well. A bigger market is better for everyone.
I'm a busy man, and I can't waste my time on idle conversation!
Pardon me.
Sorry, sir.
Execuse me, sir.
Marcuria looks so beautiful in wintertime. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, even though it's freezing cold.
I like walking around town on days like these. It's so nice to just look at the buildings and all the people.
The South Gate was where all the business from the harbour came through. Nowadays, that's over by the new harbour, by the West Gate.
I'm here to pick up some necessities. I know there are much better markets in town, but I live up Crab Bend, and this is convenient.
I miss the old market. It was always so lively, and you could buy pretty much anything you needed here.
The best thing about the South Gate Market was the performers. I liked the jugglers and the fortune tellers...and also those half-naked Southlander dancers...
Not a lot of people live in Crab Bend anymore, but rent's cheap, and it's safe. It may not be pretty, but it's safe.
Granted, Friar's Keep looks a bit scary, and Crab Bend doesn't have the best reputation, but it's really not a bad place to live.
Why did they have to close down both The Cock and the Puss and The Salty Seaman? Those were my two favourite bars in Marcuria!
Most of my shipmates are over on the west side of town, but I like it here. I liked it more before, but if you know where to go, South Gate still has its benefits.
I'm in from Ge'en. My ship's only staying a few days, so I'm trying to get the most out of my visit. There are a few ladies I'd like to visit tonight...
My father and I are visiting Marcuria for the day. We live up north, in the farmlands west of the forest. It's not often that I get to see the city.
There are so many soldiers here! They're very impressive...and handsome. Up north, people are skeptical to the Azadi, but they seem so nice and friendly.
We're going back to the farm tomorrow morning. There's a lot of snow up there, so it'll take us the whole day to get home.
Don't think it ends with this.
I must go to the prayer room.
Interact
Olivia imports mobiles from manufacturers and distributors in other African markets, and resells them here in Casablanca at a heavy mark-up.
My preferred mode of transportation.
These subterranean streets connect all the buildings in downtown Casablanca, and the freeway is just underneath us.
Classy. Real classy.
Science periodicals. I used to be into that, but...not anymore.
Goodbye.
I don't plan on staying long.
One of those creatures, uh, sang to the door...and it opened up. Magic. You gotta love it.
After Grubber
Maybe those creatures only live down here in the caves.
If it is a door, I have no idea how to open it.
Use before Grubber
That creature didn't touch the door. It just opened as if by...magic. So, magic then. Always with the magic.
Use after Grubber
Nothing.
I don't think I'll be able to guess the pattern. I need more to go on.
These creatures must live down here all by themselves.
I can't just guess. I need more to go on. I need to see one of those creatures using the pad.
You're trespassing.
Is there anything you want to tell us?
Then why―
When we last met, mistress... Your words awoke something inside of me...
I have never questioned my mission, or my faith. To do so would be to question my entire existence.
If that is so, it's my duty to help undo the damage.
It may, quite simply, have been...misplaced.
But the fact is, you're an enemy assassin, you're in our city, and you didn't come here to talk to me.
And still, now that we meet again, I'm reminded of the parting words of an old friend - words dismissed too quickly - and I find myself...torn.
It's not a question of agreeing or disagreeing. It's a question of facts. You invaded our lands. You imposed yourselves on us.
We delivered you from a brutal and deadly enemy. We liberated your city. We fed your hungry and housed your homeless. We made your lands safe again.
Without us, you would not be here. Without us, your people would be scattered, broken, dead. Your cities would be in ruins, and your temples burned to the ground.
Tell me, mistress, how have we wronged you? How have we imposed on you with our charity and good will?
We have only done what we know to be right. We wish only for you to walk in the light of our Goddess, to hear Her Word, and to know Her love.
Your...honesty is refreshing, mistress, though I do not agree with your views.
It won't work. In the end, people won't stand for it.
If you hadn't come to our lands, we might still be homeless, hunted, hungry...but we'd be free.
It's a machine of some sort.
It's enormous.
From afar
Each of those signs or runes play a musical note.
After touching
I knew I could jump it.
Examine from other side
I need to...I need to wake up. Or get out of here. I need to do something. Anything.
I definitely wouldn't want to piss it off.
Those monsters must be guarding something important.
Come to think of it, that can't be just a coincidence.
It rises up into the darkness.
Glowing crystals. So that's where all the light's coming from.
They give out both light and heat. That's probably what makes these caverns so warm.
It's daylight outside. Wherever that may be. I'm not even sure I want to find out.
'A Bestiary of the Southlands'.
'Why Magic Makes Malice'.
I think I'll stop looking. Those books are just gonna freak me out even more.
Na'ane.
If I would trust anyone with my life, it would be Chawan. He's never let me down. And he's never going to abandon the fight.
Brynn.
Chawan.
I don't know any of the people who come here anymore.
I think that's probably Blind Bob.
Examine beggar again
That looks like the guy the spice merchant described, the one with the spices.
Examine on mission
That's probably the rudest and most unpleasant man I've ever met.
The steam machinery looks brand new. But what's it for? It doesn't look to be doing anything except make a lot of noise.
The traffic appears to be backed up. No one's getting through.
There are soldiers posted everywhere, but most of them are just kids.
The Azadi have brought their steam technology to Marcuria, and now everyone's installing these noisy machines.
Balance knows what these things actually do...
They're enforcing the curfew in Oldtown.
One day, Marcuria will be free of the Azadi.
I can't believe they destroyed the Sentinel temple to build that abomination. That alone should have caused an uproar...
But maybe people were getting fed up with the Sentinel.
The tower is nearly finished. We need to keep the Azadi from completing it.
My escort.
It's an imposing edifice. But why was it built? What do the Six intend with it? It is not our custom to build such...extravagant structures.
The tower is impressive, but it seems uncharacteristically big for an Azadi structure.
I hope they all won't have to serve their six years in foreign and unfriendly lands.
He would not be allowed to wear such clothes in Sadir.
The camp is only temporary, until the new barracks beside the tower are completed.
If I'm not completely mistaken, this is the Emissary's office. I've just hit the jackpot.
It's the Emissary's office.
The door is slightly ajar.
If I do that, I'm sure to be noticed.
That must the Azadi Emissary. Sahya. I've never seen her up close before. Who's she talking to?
That's the Azadi Emissary.
Who's that? The Emissary seems to be obeisant...almost afraid. But how can that be? The Azadi women consider men to be inferior, don't they?
He must be very powerful if the Azadi Emissary defers to him.
That was...strange. I should try and follow him, find out who this mysterious person is.
I can't hear what they're talking about. I need to get closer.
Unsuccessful
It's a cage.
That poor creature must have been terrified to be locked up like that.
Examine after releasing pet
The poor guy must be scared. I should get him out of there right away.
He looks very familiar.
A merchant.
This Azadi technology is spreading like a weed. Soon, there will be machines attached to every building in Marcuria.
People are so easily seduced by new inventions, they don't stop to ask if they really need it.
I think the Azadi have brought their technology here so that people will come to depend on it...and thus depend on the Azadi.
He's the only guard on duty.
That gate is firmly locked at night. No one gets in...and absolutely no one gets out.
Examine/use
There's no one getting in or out of the ghetto.
Examine/use again
The taverns and bars down here by the South Gate had to close when traffic moved west of Oldtown.
All the taverns down here lost most of their business when the Azadi moved the harbour west.
Even at night, those things keep going. Seems people can't live without technology. I swear, Arcadia's turning into Stark.
I don't know what these machines do - heat houses, flush toilets, generate power - but they're becoming ubiquitous.
I know I recognise that guy from somewhere.
Roper Klacks.
Examine again after talking
He's a Zhid.
She's Dolmari.
She's Zhid.
I wonder what happened to the Banda I knew. They've probably been killed by the Azadi...
He's Dolmari. Why he even wants to stay here in Marcuria, I don't understand. If I were him, I'd just leave, and never look back.
They raid the market from time to time, but people are getting good at hiding their merchandise.
Oldtown's still the best place to go shopping. They have absolutely everything here, and the prices are very reasonable.
A Samare. They're so beautiful and graceful.
He's got feline features.
Aside from that whole blue thing, she looks human. I can deal with that.
I don't know what she is, but I don't care. She's beautiful. I don't understand why they need to keep these people in a ghetto.
It's really warm and cozy. This must be great for the people working here in such cold weather.
The word 'wicked wizard' keeps popping into my head. But I'm sure he's just an honest merchant.
Um. That was probably a really horrible thing to say about a person.
What kind of creature is that? He's cu― I mean, he's very handsome.
It's a blue man. I feel right at home now.
It's Crow, the coolest talking bird I've ever met.
I'm not even going to guess what all of this stuff is, but it sure smells great.
Crow. And he's with a man. That must be Brian Westhouse.
That's probably April's friend, Brian Westhouse.
She's so beautiful. I've never seen anyone like her before.
I've never seen these creatures up close before. They do not look as...strange as I have been told.
The Goddess made humans. The magicals were born of the earth and the sea, and they are unclean and unworthy of Her light.
I don't quite see how these creatures can be dangerous to us...but I must put my trust in what I have been taught.
Blue flames. That is surely magic, and so it must only be practised by women trained in the black arts.
I am always told of these filthy and dangerous magicals, and yet... No, I must not doubt what I have been taught. I am not a scholar.
No! She is merely a magical, nothing more.
She may possess beauty, but she is not human. She is an animal, and she does not walk in the light of the Goddess.
I'm not here to search for contraband merchandise, nor to make any purchases.
As an animal, she is beautiful. As a person, she is an abomination in the eyes of the Goddess...or so I have been told.
She's really exotic looking. I wish I could walk around Casablanca looking like that.
I don't think I would mind being with a non-human.
I saw him outside the Journeyman the other day.
I like her clothes, too. She looks like a cool lady, magical or not.
She's so graceful. I wish we had creatures like her back home.
I don't know what drives the Zhid to stay here, with the Azadi persecuting them.
I had a brief relationship with a Dolmari man. He was a...fierce lover.
He doesn't look like he belongs here.
If I was Dolmari, I'd fight back, tooth and nail. I'd never let anyone stick me in a ghetto.
A Shadowship.
One of the Dark People. He's a Shadowguide.
If the Azadi are here in Oldtown, that's bad news for everyone.
They're still loading the supplies.
A Samare.
The Captain.
I hope the Captain can get the papers in order so that the ship can leave. I'm getting a bit nervous...and he looks as relaxed as ever.
Examine later
I don't understand how he can look so relaxed. They should've been on their way by now.
Examine later again
He's just a pathetic, whimpering magical.
She is strangely attractive...despite being nothing but an animal.
I don't know what he is, nor do I intend to find out. I do not work in magical affairs.
If I had time, I would pull that man in for questioning. He should not be here.
I don't know what her species is called, nor does it matter. She isn't human. That makes her unimportant.
It is certainly a peculiar beast.
I must go to this prison immediately, to question the witch they captured.
No life is taken idly, but I am only doing what the Goddess has asked me to do.
Uh-uh. I don't think so.
That place looks like bad news.
'Knot' very inviting. Get it? Yeah, uh, that cheered me up no end.
Not the friendliest of neighbourhoods, is it?
It looks a bit rickety, like it's going to fall to pieces at any moment.
It doesn't look like anyone lives here anymore.
That's really sweet. I feel all warm and tingly inside.
Examine with pet
That tower just feels bad. I'm not kidding, it's like it radiates pain and darkness. It actually hurts to look at it.
I don't like looking at that thing. It hurts my eyes.
The dreaded doors to Friar's Keep.
Solid stuff. They're magical, too. Completely unbreakable.
It's a speaking tube.
I've got noose for you, my friend. God. I don't know what it is about death that makes me crack bad jokes.
Sobering stuff.
They keep them running even here in Crab Bend, where no one lives anymore. But for what purpose?
All the shops and houses are locked and boarded up. There are no magicals left outside of Oldtown.
Friar's Keep. It used to be every criminal's worst nightmare. Now the Azadi use it to hold suspected dissidents and 'terrorists' before shipping them off to Sadir to stand trial.
Friar's Keep, Marcuria's most secure prison. It's run by the Azadi now.
Strong and secure.
How brutal and uncivilised, compared with the swift justice of the blade.
A man deserves to have his neck cut, not his throat strangled, no matter what crimes he may have committed.
Azadi technology is the future...or so I am told.
This place is deserted.
What a dark and forbidding place. There is magic here, I can sense it. It burns inside my head.
That dark thing reeks of magic, like a rotten fruit reeks of decay.
It appears that someone lives here. How tragic, for a so-called civilised society to allow its citizens to be without permanent shelter.
Crazy Clara's stuff. She must be out and about.
Someone lives here. No doubt driven out of their home by the Azadi.
You would never find anyone living under such horrible conditions back home.
She could be anywhere. The first thing I need to do is find out which cell she's in.
Zoë looks fine. I guess her brief stay at Friar's Keep didn't do any permanent damage.
The warden.
Those doors lead outside.
He is here to assist the city watch with the prisoners.
The warden appears to keep perfect records.
The door's locked and bolted from the outside.
There's someone in there.
Examine occupied
It's empty. Looks like most of them are.
Examine empty again
He's sleeping really heavily. I doubt he'll wake up even if I make a lot of noise.
Examine sleeping heavy
I'll need to find a way to get past that guard.
The hatch only opens from the outside.
The jailer left the hatch open.
Examine open hatch
We'll be able to get up to the window now.
Examine far crate
Kitchen stuff.
It doesn't look very heavy.
We can get up to the window now.
Examine after pushed
Even if I could climb that high, it's too narrow to squeeze through, and there's probably a deadly drop on the other side.
There's no way out through there.
There's a long drop down. If I tried to jump, I'd probably break something...or everything.
Examine near no rope
The rope reaches all the way down to the ground.
Examine near rope
The Azadi are keeping tight reins here as well.
Zoë seems all right.
Mr Westhouse seems to be a good pilot. Not that I would know. Maybe we're way off course.
Mr Westhouse. Brian.
Crow's airsick. Go figure.
Crow looks a bit worse for wear.
Sky and ocean as far as the eye can see. It's really beautiful.
Looks very complicated.
The hold is back there. And the bed.
There's a bed back there.
I guess I should get some sleep before we get there.
Sleep
Go to sleep
I'm not that tired. I'll stay up a bit longer.
Stay up
I'll stay up a bit longer
That's a heavy duty security door.
The bartender.
That room's occupied.
I've never seen so much junk gathered in one place...and all of it for sale.
It's one thing for adults to be homeless, but for children... I can't imagine how horrible that must be.
Looks like he's been living on the streets his whole life.
That clock has ticked its last...tock.
I know it is. I was the one who bought it.
It's a security system that controls the building's cameras.
Something's cooking over there.
Examine far don't know it's pizza
Pizza. It's not done yet.
If I reprogram the timer, I can make the alarm go off almost immediately.
Manipulate timer
It should go off any second now.
Examine manipulated timer
The cooker has stopped.
Examine timer expired
Front door. It's securely locked.
I need to look inside the closet.
I think that's Charlie on that 'graph.
It's unbreakable.
Examine locked again
That's the backyard door.
It's locked.
It's missing a window handle.
Examine without handle
It's a filthy towel.
It's a very dirty sheet.
It's an ancient radiator.
I think that's room 201.
I think someone lives in room 201.
I won't be leaving that way.
He looks completely out of it, but I should stilll stay out of his way, just in case.
Examine walking
He's watching the screen.
Examine sitting not spoken
What is that thing? They must be testing it on these people. That's probably what this place is for. It's not a hotel. It's a laboratory.
I wonder what that thing does?
No, I need to focus on finding Reza.
Looks like she's sleeping.
Sleeping again
He looks like he's on drugs.
Examine walking again
He's sleeping. Heavily, by the sound of it.
Examine sleeping
He noticed me!
Examine alert
He hasn't noticed me. Yet.
Examine walking not spoken
I fooled him good.
Examine spoken
I'd better hurry. He could wake up again at any moment. I don't think I hurt him. Badly.
He's checking out his pizza.
Examine checking out pizza
It's a digital padlock. It looks pretty new.
A padlock.
The gate's locked with a chain and a padlock.
That window leads into the hotel.
There's blood on the door.
It's just a container.
It's positioned right underneath that window. Convenient.
Examine under window
I think I can push it even further.
Examine pushed
There's a metal bar on the side. It looks like it's connected to the wheel.
There's a metal bar on the side.
The front entrance to the Victory Hotel.
These people look like they've given up all hope.
I don't think he even notices that I'm standing right next to him.
She's soaked through, poor girl.
Strange to see something like that in the midst of all this garbage and decay.
Isn't there a place where these people can sleep and eat?
Life isn't fair. No one should have to live like this.
He can't possibly be much older than twelve.
I wish there was something I could do for these people.
A vending machine filled with...chewing gum.
Cable car. That's pretty original.
It's the ticket reader for the cable car.
People here look a lot happier than in Newport.
There are lots of professionals in this city.
It's a staff-only entrance. It probably leads into the main building...which is exactly where I need to be.
It's a biometric scanner.
It's a staff entrance into the other part of the building.
The only way I'm getting past that is if Olivia gives me a hand...not literally, of course. That would be so, so wrong.
She doesn't know that I'm standing right behind her.
He's in so much trouble right now. I feel a bit guilty...but it was for a good cause.
Examine after robot
He's very shy. Maybe there's a way I can make friends with him?
Cleaning bot.
I feel terrible...but it's not like I had a choice. She'll be fine. I hope.
Examine knocked out
She's not carrying anything useful.
Use knocked out
It's a ventilation duct used by the bots to connect between different parts of the building.
It won't budge. I'll need to wait until that bot comes back.
Use closed
This is my chance! I'll have to hurry.
It must be a taxing job, guarding these, um, precious exhibits from the prying hands of tourists.
He's not very happy right now.
How can anyone be so fascinated by these exhibits? They're basically just ads for WATIcorp.
I wouldn't want to get on her bad side.
Examine angry
That's so scary. No wonder they had to discontinue that model.
That's probably Damien Cavanaugh.
Security bird.
That's the Dreamcore.
It's huge.
It looks like a living, breathing creature...and in a way, it is.
It's like being close to an alien creature.
Elevator. That's probably the only way out of here.
Examine use
Let's see... This controls the access to the decontamination chamber between the observation platform and the core itself.
This panel opens the door to the decontamination chamber.
It's locked for access. I'm guessing the security here is top notch. Even Liv's software won't stand a chance.
I can't access this. Even Liv's software wouldn't stand a chance against the security systems WATI employ.
The console's locked.
I'm guessing this console's as protected as they get. If I touch that, the shit will definitely hit the fan.
It's securely locked.
The plan was to head back up that way...but I think the plan's changed.
Examine alarm
This console is locked, and the protection is probably airtight. Without Liv around, I wouldn't risk trying to access it.
This console's locked tight.
Those might be the capsules I'm looking for.
It's a remote controlled robot arm.
This is the security office.
That looks like the security office.
That looks like the cybernetics office.
That looks like the laboratory.
That looks like the medlab.
There. That should allow him to shut off the power to the office doors.
There's something in that wall.
Examine far undiscovered
There's a sliding panel here, and it's marked...PS-A1. That's the one.
Examine close undiscovered
It's a panel marked PS-A1.
Examine close undiscovered again
It's open. I can access the closed circuit system now.
He seems pretty wrapped up in his work. Unless I get too close, I should be able to sneak by him.
She looks very preoccupied. If I keep quiet and out of sight, I should be able to get past her.
Commandoes... Not again.
That's a full body scanner.
Who would be stupid enough to leave a datakey...
...in a jacket pocket. Yes. Idiots.
It's a small biometric scanner. Put your specimen in a capsule, stick it in there, and it reads all the relevant biometric data.
It's a small biometric scanner.
That's a biometric scanner.
Several lights are red now. I guess that means Damien's done his job.
Examine hacked
Spider.
There are so many different trees in here. It's like a zoo for plants.
This garden is really well taken care of.
It's a...a man. He's submerged in a liquid and connected to machines. Who is he?
Examine again before talking
That man killed Reza. He will pay for it.
Examine after talking
Those wires and cables connect that man to those machines.
Everything is so colourful.
This is such a beautiful garden.
What kind of bird is that?
There are all kinds of birds in here.
The water is teeming with fish. I think that's carp.
There's so much life in here.
This must be a closed system. Those things probably regulate the air. It does feel a lot fresher and cleaner in here than it did outside.
Those things probably regulate the air in this place.
I don't have much time, I need to make up my mind.
It's a crazy idea, but...what if I used that bot to make an escape?
The twins are right behind me!
Examine unblocked
That should hold them off for a few moments, but I don't have much time.
Examine blocked
They're trying to break the door down!
Examine banging
They're here!
I see the city streets down there. It's not that far.
Damien's been so kind, letting me stay here in his apartment.
That's Damien's console.
Hey, there's a...a message for me. It must be from Damien.
Examine near message
He's got some girl's picture as his screensaver. I never asked him who that is...
Damien's console.
I'm not going to rummage through his private files.
Use no message
That thing's been on most of the day while I've been staying here. Hey, it's therapy.
I never thought I'd say it, but I think I'm getting sick of watching that thing.
That's the bathroom through there.
I don't need to go right now.
Dressed like this? I think not.
Open
I need to find something a bit warmer to wear.
Open again
Where would I go?
Open no message
I don't think this has been cleaned in a while. Damien definitely needs a house bot.
Damien orders in. He claims he's a great cook, but I'm just not seeing it.
It's grey out. Looks like it's cold still.
Cold and grey.
Damien?
Waking up
Uh, my head...
Damien? Are you here?
He promised me he'd stay.
That must be the Guardian.
The Guardian.
Examine close before talk
The White Dragon said the portal will take us back to Marcuria - but I need to speak with the Guardian first.
I wonder why the White Dragon told Crow that he's needed. Needed for what?
I know that bottomless abyss.
What a vibrant colour. It's...postcard pretty.
What are those things? They must have something to do with the Balance. Everything here does.
It's just too complicated with these hive mind things. One body, one person, that's what I say.
He's one of the Dark People.
What strange creatures. They look like some sort of spider.
You know, I never realised it before, but these shadowships are actually seed pods from their massive trees. That's incredible.