Roen opened the door slowly, her free hand on the hilt of her sword.
The room beyond the heavy double steel doors was not what she had expected. Where the winter chill pervaded the dark long hallway, the hidden chamber within was considerably warmer. Roen glanced up at the high ceiling where a chandelier of Belah’dian glass hung overhead. The chandelier's light added to the Nymian-style lanterns that hung from the walls, well... none would suffer for the lack of illumination here. Tall eight-fulm shelves with accompanying ladders were stocked with bottles of reagents, books, and ceramic pots, and a heavy polished rosewood tables sat at the center of the room.
It was a sophisticated laboratory hidden underground, far beneath the affluent districts of the Pillars; Roen had not seen the likes of it since she set foot in the Alchemist Guild in Ul’dah. She had heard rumors of strange and fantastical experiments that were tied to the Alchemist Guild then, but none were ever as ambitious as to try and directly affect an entire city-state's populous. Was it even possible? To remove something within one’s blood, a trait that had been inherited through generations?
She shook her head. After all that she had seen, she knew not to doubt the possibilities. Nor to underestimate the reach and capabilities of the ambitious and the powerful.
Roen took note of the various items that were neatly assembled on the table, her eyes scanning the area for anything that could be useful. The laboratory was thankfully unoccupied for the moment, and she would take full advantage to gather what information she could from the place. She knew not if a relic such as the keystone would be kept in a place like this, but surely something of import must be here.
Rifling through drawers and shelves, and even tracing and inspecting the walls for hidden compartments yielded some documents. There were some historical records of Ishgard’s population: it systematically categorized many noble family names with details on how strong their lineage ties were to the Knights Twelve. Some individual names were highlighted, with notes made if they were bastard children. The illegitimate offspring were listed separately, and then many of them crossed off. Roen did not know what that meant.
She also came across piles of notes that mostly contained anatomical diagrams; there were detailed drawings of various organs and viscera of dragonkin. Alongside them, there were newer notes comparing it to that of the Au Ra and the Elezen. It was painstakingly detail-oriented and many times rather gruesome. When she then came across the rack with manacles in the corner surrounded by faint old blood stains, she shuddered to think how exactly those illustrations were obtained.
Roen paused when she found a hidden compartment on the underside of a desk, a small tablet tucked within. It drew her eye because it was of Garlean make. She had seen them before in her father’s labs. But just as she was about to activated it, she heard the sounds of another door opening followed by voices coming from the far side of the room. She winced that she had not spotted the second door on the other side of the laboratory. She ducked under the desk that she had been inspecting, crouching ever still so that her armor did not announce her presence.
“The final batch of specimens should be arriving soon,†a woman’s voice intoned. It was somewhat hushed. “We really shouldn’t.â€
“You worry over much. We have plenty of time. Everything is already in order for the final step.†The second was a breathy male voice. Roen did not recognize either of them. Their words ceased as the sound of glass bottles clinked together drowned them out, as if being shoved aside. “Once the delivery is made, we will have absolutely no time to ourselves.â€
Roen narrowed her eyes when she began to hear more shuffling and quickened breaths. She rubbed her eyebrows. Perhaps if she were to engage them while they were unclothed, they would be defenseless...
“Ah!†An alarmed cry ceased whatever activity the two were engaging in. It made Roen reach for her sword. “Whew… we nearly dropped that. That would have been disastrous.†A long sigh followed.
“This was a bad idea, Aurelieaux.â€
“Oh come now, Isene. Are you not excited by what is to come? With the keystone in hand, and all that we have learned from the remains of Kavir, we finally have a chance at success. Does that not make your blood tingle?â€
“Does Miss Reeves share your optimism?†Isene’s voice did not carry the same energy as the male's.
The male, Aurelieaux, snorted. “Does that woman ever show any emotion?†He chuckled then paused when it was not reciprocated. “I’ll admit that she is quite knowledgeable, but odd. Too chilly and distant. We rarely hold any conversation. She only gives me instructions.â€
“Hence the sparseness of your reports,†Isene chided.
Aurelieaux tsked at the rebuke. “I relay all that I see and learn to you. It still strikes me as strange that you have me spy on her work. As if you don’t trust her yourself.â€
“I don’t trust her,†Isene answered sharply. “None had heard of her until she appeared at our doorstep. If it wasn’t for Lord Jeaumis vouching for her unconventional methods, the Marquis would have never agreed to patron her.â€
“Do I sense a bit of jealousy?†Aurelieaux purred playfully, but then quickly changed his tone. “No, of course not. What would Isene Daumois ever find in a middle class Hyur to be envious of?â€
“Just make certain the preparations are complete.†The woman’s voice had become decidedly colder. Her footsteps echoed further away.
“Don’t be angry. I was merely--†Aurelieaux chased after the woman and the door closed behind him.
Roen exhaled a breath she had been holding and scurried out from under the table. She glanced to the other end of the laboratory, where the two had left. The other door was hidden from view behind a partition, but she heard nothing else after their exit. It made sense that there might be a portal leading out elsewhere than the Foundation, and from the sound of things, more were to arrive soon from that direction.
It was time to leave. As she tucked the tablet into a bag, she hoped that Khadai had better luck than she did.
The room beyond the heavy double steel doors was not what she had expected. Where the winter chill pervaded the dark long hallway, the hidden chamber within was considerably warmer. Roen glanced up at the high ceiling where a chandelier of Belah’dian glass hung overhead. The chandelier's light added to the Nymian-style lanterns that hung from the walls, well... none would suffer for the lack of illumination here. Tall eight-fulm shelves with accompanying ladders were stocked with bottles of reagents, books, and ceramic pots, and a heavy polished rosewood tables sat at the center of the room.
It was a sophisticated laboratory hidden underground, far beneath the affluent districts of the Pillars; Roen had not seen the likes of it since she set foot in the Alchemist Guild in Ul’dah. She had heard rumors of strange and fantastical experiments that were tied to the Alchemist Guild then, but none were ever as ambitious as to try and directly affect an entire city-state's populous. Was it even possible? To remove something within one’s blood, a trait that had been inherited through generations?
She shook her head. After all that she had seen, she knew not to doubt the possibilities. Nor to underestimate the reach and capabilities of the ambitious and the powerful.
Roen took note of the various items that were neatly assembled on the table, her eyes scanning the area for anything that could be useful. The laboratory was thankfully unoccupied for the moment, and she would take full advantage to gather what information she could from the place. She knew not if a relic such as the keystone would be kept in a place like this, but surely something of import must be here.
Rifling through drawers and shelves, and even tracing and inspecting the walls for hidden compartments yielded some documents. There were some historical records of Ishgard’s population: it systematically categorized many noble family names with details on how strong their lineage ties were to the Knights Twelve. Some individual names were highlighted, with notes made if they were bastard children. The illegitimate offspring were listed separately, and then many of them crossed off. Roen did not know what that meant.
She also came across piles of notes that mostly contained anatomical diagrams; there were detailed drawings of various organs and viscera of dragonkin. Alongside them, there were newer notes comparing it to that of the Au Ra and the Elezen. It was painstakingly detail-oriented and many times rather gruesome. When she then came across the rack with manacles in the corner surrounded by faint old blood stains, she shuddered to think how exactly those illustrations were obtained.
Roen paused when she found a hidden compartment on the underside of a desk, a small tablet tucked within. It drew her eye because it was of Garlean make. She had seen them before in her father’s labs. But just as she was about to activated it, she heard the sounds of another door opening followed by voices coming from the far side of the room. She winced that she had not spotted the second door on the other side of the laboratory. She ducked under the desk that she had been inspecting, crouching ever still so that her armor did not announce her presence.
“The final batch of specimens should be arriving soon,†a woman’s voice intoned. It was somewhat hushed. “We really shouldn’t.â€
“You worry over much. We have plenty of time. Everything is already in order for the final step.†The second was a breathy male voice. Roen did not recognize either of them. Their words ceased as the sound of glass bottles clinked together drowned them out, as if being shoved aside. “Once the delivery is made, we will have absolutely no time to ourselves.â€
Roen narrowed her eyes when she began to hear more shuffling and quickened breaths. She rubbed her eyebrows. Perhaps if she were to engage them while they were unclothed, they would be defenseless...
“Ah!†An alarmed cry ceased whatever activity the two were engaging in. It made Roen reach for her sword. “Whew… we nearly dropped that. That would have been disastrous.†A long sigh followed.
“This was a bad idea, Aurelieaux.â€
“Oh come now, Isene. Are you not excited by what is to come? With the keystone in hand, and all that we have learned from the remains of Kavir, we finally have a chance at success. Does that not make your blood tingle?â€
“Does Miss Reeves share your optimism?†Isene’s voice did not carry the same energy as the male's.
The male, Aurelieaux, snorted. “Does that woman ever show any emotion?†He chuckled then paused when it was not reciprocated. “I’ll admit that she is quite knowledgeable, but odd. Too chilly and distant. We rarely hold any conversation. She only gives me instructions.â€
“Hence the sparseness of your reports,†Isene chided.
Aurelieaux tsked at the rebuke. “I relay all that I see and learn to you. It still strikes me as strange that you have me spy on her work. As if you don’t trust her yourself.â€
“I don’t trust her,†Isene answered sharply. “None had heard of her until she appeared at our doorstep. If it wasn’t for Lord Jeaumis vouching for her unconventional methods, the Marquis would have never agreed to patron her.â€
“Do I sense a bit of jealousy?†Aurelieaux purred playfully, but then quickly changed his tone. “No, of course not. What would Isene Daumois ever find in a middle class Hyur to be envious of?â€
“Just make certain the preparations are complete.†The woman’s voice had become decidedly colder. Her footsteps echoed further away.
“Don’t be angry. I was merely--†Aurelieaux chased after the woman and the door closed behind him.
Roen exhaled a breath she had been holding and scurried out from under the table. She glanced to the other end of the laboratory, where the two had left. The other door was hidden from view behind a partition, but she heard nothing else after their exit. It made sense that there might be a portal leading out elsewhere than the Foundation, and from the sound of things, more were to arrive soon from that direction.
It was time to leave. As she tucked the tablet into a bag, she hoped that Khadai had better luck than she did.
