Testament to Sin

Raid Event: Scars of the Syndicate

Episode 1

Testament to Sin

Previous Quest

Pursuing the Shapeshifter

Next Quest

Hour of Retribution

Summary

Aldred mistook the prince and his friends for members of a criminal organization called the Syndicate. After clearing that up, a top member of the Syndicate known as the Doctor appears and hints at a wicked plan. Hoping to stop his ambitions, the prince and friends give chase.

Dialogue

Unnngh... Wh-where...am I...? And why won't my body...move? Heh... Looks like the dragon's power swallowed me whole. Guys, look! It's Mr. Dragon Guy, and he's back in human form! Aldred! Ah, Andromeda. I see you... brought our new friends... Very good... Now come at me... Let me...kill you for real...! I don't think you're in the shape to kill much of anything, much less a large party of armed fighters like us. Shut up! So long as I can move a single finger, I WILL have my revenge! Aldred, stop it! These people aren't with the Syndicate! But this guy can shapeshift! You saw it! If you'll just calm down and give me a second, I can explain... ...So you can shapeshift because you're part of the Alberian royal family?! Bingo. Now it's yer turn to make with the confession, rage boy. What's the deal? Please forgive us if you can; the blame for all of this begins with the Syndicate. What's the Syndicate? A shadowy organization that operates behind the scenes. They attack towns, kidnap the residents, and use them to perform terrible human experiments. They also conduct research into magic so deadly it has the potential to wipe entire cities off the map. How have I never heard of such a frightful organization?! 'Cause they're clever. Decent-society types like you wouldn't have a clue that the Syndicate even exists. Then how do the two of you know so much? They made me—or my current body, at least. What does THAT mean?! I'm part of a Syndicate experiment called the Synthetic Shapeshifting Project. They wanted to find a way for ordinary folk to gain the power of shapeshifting— not just Alberian royalty. And I was one of the guinea pigs in their little experiment. They fused my body with a dragon's, and the result is the warped nightmare that stands before you now. But shapeshifting is about making a pact with a dragon—it requires a solemn bond! The very idea of bypassing that goes against everything in nature! You and the Syndicate disagree there. Anyway, they eventually decided that I was a failure of an experiment, so I took the chance to make my escape. He saved me from them as well. So when I shapeshifted, you assumed I was associated with the Syndicate. Guess you weren't expecting to find an Alberian prince wandering around the wilderness like this, huh? Be that as it may, your actions caused harm, and we are owed recompense. Hmph. Aldred! Don't be a jerk about this! ...Look, I'm sorry. WE'RE sorry. We made a terrible mistake. Yeah, well, I s'pose we can let it slide. Ain't exactly the first time some crazy cat attacked us outta nowhere. I am glad we have one mystery solved, but we still are no closer to understanding why myriad fiends attacked the village. Ah. That would be my doing. Who are you?! A pleasure to meet you, my friends. You may call me the Doctor. YOU! You know this man? He's a leader of the Syndicate—AND the man who gave me this twisted body! What?! Greetings, seventh scion. I am honored that you accepted my invitation. Wait, what invitation? I speak of those fiends I manipulated. I knew you would come if I but had them gather in sufficient numbers. If this egghead don't start makin' sense soon, I'm gonna start breakin' stuff! Allow me to explain, my troglodyte friend! I seek nothing less than the creation of an Aeonian Record. A what?! A person's death is akin to the burning of a book. When they pass from this world, their accumulated knowledge passes also. Would it not be wonderful to have a body of such knowledge from which humanity could glean new things? A body that did not rot; that refused to decay and die? I can see the possibilities, but have my doubts as to the practicality of the plan. Ah, then let me enlighten you as to the existence of a certain fiend—a titan that travels about swallowing up all life in its path. You may be asking, what good is life if it has been consumed? Ah, but this fiend is special, for those it consumes live on inside it. Ageless. Undecaying. Immortal. Thus, this great fiend is filled with the knowledge of all life. If such a creature actually existed, we surely would know of it. Ah, but not if it exists in the space between worlds. That foul place of black mana and hideous fiends?! The very same! Although while most fiends find their movements somewhat limited there, this grand titan is able to travel about at will. This fiend is called Aspidochelone, and it is my design to summon it into our world! WOW. That sounds like a GREAT plan. ...If you can't tell, I'm being sarcastic! There would be sacrifice, of course. Villages, towns, and perhaps even entire kingdoms would be laid to waste. But I believe that Aspidochelone can serve as an Aeonian Record, which balances the scales of such sacrifice. Only a monster would be willing to lay low so many in service to their own selfish theories. You do not even know if this plan will work! Such thoughts do not concern me. If my actions prove to be unjust, let history judge me as it sees fit. Well? What say you, dear Prince? Will you assist with my experiment? Will you take this chance to change the course of history for the better? I will not. Even if this theory of yours might be correct, the cost of putting it into action is far too great. Aldred said you Syndicate types were evil, but I think he undersold it. Evil is a moniker I wear proudly, my tympanic friend! Ah, but what IS evil? Or what is good? Who among us even has the authority to attempt such definitions? The mere act of living forces humans to rob others of their lives; it forces them to impel sacrifice upon all things that happen across their path! To be human is to sin. And yet, we hold up those who fear that sin—or those who hold themselves in purposeful ignorance of it—as "virtuous." The Syndicate is different. We know there can be no life without sin, and we are the only ones with the resolve to make the necessary sacrifices for progress! THAT is why I say we are evil! DAMN YOU! You gave me this arm! This body! And I won't let you forget it! Ah, the failed experiment. I thought I disposed of you, yet here you are, back from the rubbish. Do you need something? I want to give you a taste of the power you people cursed me with! I've no interest in you—I long since finished assessing your abilities. SHUT THE HELL UP! *sigh* So much for civil discourse. Ah, well. We will meet again, Prince. C'mon, boss! Let's get that creep! No! He's mine! That man seeks to bring calamity to the world—it matters not who stops him! I don't care about the world. How can you say such a thing?! Our goals are the same, Aldred. We should work together. He's got a point there. Plus, your body is still something of a mess, so you might end up needing the help. Fine. If you think you can handle this arm of mine, you're welcome to tag along. You will be a welcome ally— you AND your arm. Tch! What a sweet-talker you are. Just stay outta my way, all right?!