Through the Grapevine

“

Father Saturnois wears a troubled frown...

— In-game description

Steps

According to Father Saturnois, the scholasticate is awash with rumors that Archombadin was complicit in Ulaa's disappearance. Reasoning that the youth would never involve himself in anything which might endanger his reputation, nor less bring dishonor to House Dzemael as a whole, he is convinced that an outsider must be responsible, and implores you to look into the matter. Wasting no time, he ushers you in the direction of Lebrassoir, who has been frantically searching for clues as to the identity of the true culprit.

Unsurprisingly, Lebrassoir is adamant that Archombadin had nothing to do with Ulaa's disappearance, and he duly bombards you with evidence of his friend's innocence. However, he soon catches himself and abruptly changes tack, and after making you swear to tell none but Briardien what he is about to divulge, he produces volume eleven of the Articles of Halonic Polity, which he confesses to having found in Archombadin's room. Insisting that Ulaa must somehow be responsible for both the recent rumors, and the sudden appearance of the book in the prefect's dormitory, he hands over the tome, and beseeches you to find Ulaa so that Archombadin's name might be cleared. Now would seem a good time to apprise Briardien of all that has occurred.

Briardien is both impressed and slightly flabbergasted to learn that you have found the missing volume. Though he is somewhat skeptical of the seminarians' grand conspiracy theories, he acknowledges that speculation will avail you naught, and that further investigation is in order. While he seeks to learn what he can from the tome, he bids you make your way to the Brume and see if any there know of Ulaa─or failing that, know of any unusual happenings, for one can never be too well-informed.

Some of the residents of the Brume are more forthcoming than others, and while none of their information seems to pertain directly to Ulaa, two accounts in particular give you pause─one of a poor man come into a small fortune, and another of a rich man offering far too much for a simple errand. Though it seems unlikely that these incidents have any connection to Ulaa's disapperance, perhaps Inspector Briardien will think otherwise.

Briardien informs you that Ulaa was the last person to have removed the book from the library─a fact which could lend credence to Lebrassoir's claims. Still, it is a far cry from conclusive evidence. Seeing as how the power of the Echo will avail you naught under these circumstances, you have no choice but to rely upon the traditional methods of continuing to search for clues and question persons of interest...

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