Vincent the Innocent

"Before my freshly dead eyes, they broke open my head and fed my brains to a hungry Theo. Then they powdered my skull and bones and ground them into the rock of this place so that my spirit could never leave with my remains. Since then I have awaited the one person who will believe me and give me their blessing and the name of my true tormentor. The one that cast his own crime upon my head. Perhaps God will then let me sleep at last."

Vincent the Innocent was a Guardian in Aeternis, who followed Malik and paid the ultimate price.

Background
Vincent was a young, but excellent knight who was part of the twelve guardians of the Holy Grail. After Aeternis was sealed and the rift between knights developed, he joined Malik's faction. He was convinced by his fellow's words, that the Christian God was an illusion. Maal, on the other hand, and the grailstone were true, tangible divinity. Even as Malik slowly divided them, Vincent held fast to his belief in the man and his claims that Tobias was preparing a slow, torturous death for everyone in his faction. Vincent worked on an individual project during that time, using grailstone to grow plants, so that the armies Malik promised could be easily fed and maintained on the surface. He also ran spying missions for Malik and learned that Tobias had a private store of grailstone he used to leave the Temple from time to time.

Horror began when Malik fled Aeternis with the grailstone and Tobias' faction stormed the stronghold. Vincent was captured and tortured at length. Yet what came next was even more horrible: In exchange for his skin, Tallum lied to Tobias that Vincent was responsible for Claude Lancet's state. That instead of working on plants, he turned the knight into an abomination. When confronted, Claude rightfully stated that he was innocent. In return, he was tortured for weeks, while Tallum, the real culprit, was let go with what amounted to a slap on the wrist. Eventually, the executioners tired of their sport. They killed Vincent, then cracked his skull open and fed his brains to a theo. Then they powdered his bones and scattered them across Aeternis, to bind him to the very rock of this forsaken place. A fate worse than death. Vincent: "''The thieves. It has come to that time already then. But you will hear me? At last. (BREAK) Listen well, for I swear to you my innocence. (BREAK) Malik was the one, so convincing, insidious. He said that The Lord was an illusion, that his Maal was the only truth. That only the worship of grailstone was right. That it lifted the Byzantines to greatness, out of this hell. (BREAK) In the stronghold he prepared for us, he had many tablets from those that dwelt here before, deciphered, translated. Slowly, he divided us, sowing seeds of mistrust. Forcing us to work on isolated projects for him, telling us that Tobias had sworn slow deaths for us all and was constantly trying to invade the area. (BREAK) All I did was use his grailstone on plants, to make food for the armies he promised us he'd raise above ground. (Almost crying) But when he deserted us and Tobias captured us, one of the others sold me for their own survival. I didn't know. I tell you I didn't know. One of the experiments was on Claude. To turn him into...Horror. It was horror when I saw what was left of him. I told them it wasn't me. But they would have none of it. They tortured me for weeks, but I wouldn't confess. Even if I hadn't been innocent, they would have had nothing from me. (BREAK) Eventually, they tired and before my freshly dead eyes, they broke open my head and fed my brains to a hungry Theo. Then they powdered my skull and bones and ground them into the rock of this place so that my spirit could never leave with my remains. (By now he is openly weeping) Since then I have awaited the one person who will believe me and give me their blessing and the name of my true tormentor. The one that cast his own crime upon my head. Perhaps God will then let me sleep at last. (BREAK) Well, you have heard the truth. Do you believe me innocent''"

He haunts the halls of Aeternis since then, trying to learn the name of his accuser, betrayer, hoping for a quantum of solace. But none came.

Interactions

 * Vincent is encountered at the shield room and true to his name, he is innocent. You can bring him peace by grabbing Tallum's note at the court. It's enough evidence to reveal that it was Tallum who was responsible for his sorry state.

Behind the scenes
"These two knights were murdered in the uprising led by Mallik in 1753 and Mae were buried with honours in the Main chapel on Level Three, Being dead they have a clearer perspective of matters, but a poor grasp on reality which makes them difficult to converse with. They are both aware now of the terrible danger to humanity that Tobias has foreseen, but have differing views on their continued roles within this struggle. Vincent believes he should help any potential thief to get the Grail back above-ground where it belongs, whilst Ewatt's view is that they shouldn't interfere in Gods plans. The player will therefore find Vincent helpful with advice, but Ewatt will only appear to dissuade Vincent from saying too much."

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