This is a non-commercial fanfic based on the universes of The Witcher and Disco Elysium. All rights to the original works, characters, names, and elements of their respective worlds belong to their respective copyright holders. The author of this fanfic does not claim ownership of any of them. Age rating: rated R (18+). The text contains profanity, alcohol, fictional drugs, violence, and other themes intended for an adult audience.
“The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.”
— Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray
NARRATOR – You approach the house by Fountain Square where the beautiful courtesan stood on the balcony yesterday. Something cloyingly floral drifts from a half-open window. From the second floor comes a burst of female laughter, almost immediately followed by a muffled male cough. Your knock is answered by a large, pockmarked woman in a greasy apron, her sleeves rolled up to the elbows. She gives you a suspicious once-over.
WOMAN IN THE APRON – Got an appointment? Clients?
VICE [Easy: Failure] – Of course!
VERNON ROCHE – As part of our investigation into the recent murder, we need to speak with the young pani who rents a room on the second floor. Her name is Karmen.
WOMAN IN THE APRON – And what do you want with her? Who are you, anyway?
NARRATOR – With a hint of irritation, Roche pulls out the royal writ and silently hands it to the woman. She merely shakes her head.
WOMAN IN THE APRON – I can’t read. What am I supposed to do, stare at your little scribbles?
NARRATOR – Your companion sighs and closes his eyes. It seems even his boundless patience has begun to wear thin after several days of intense detective work.
WHISPER [Easy: Success] – To be fair, detective work isn’t the only reason. Over the past few days, you’ve done quite a bit yourself to reduce Roche’s patience from boundless to barely fit for further use.
VERNON ROCHE – Very well. In that case, allow me to read it out to you. This writ, signed by His Majesty Foltest, authorizes us to question witnesses and anyone who may possess information concerning the hanging behind the tavern. It lists several other powers as well, but they are not relevant at present.
NARRATOR – The woman lets out a gasp.
WOMAN IN THE APRON – Good heavens! Are you saying Karmen had something to do with this whole mess?! I’ll never believe a sweet girl like that killed anyone. You must have got it wrong, pan officer!
VERNON ROCHE – Please, don’t worry. We only want to ask her a few questions. Karmen may have seen or heard something. At present, there is no question of arresting her.
REFLEX [Easy: Success] – At present. He isn’t ruling out the possibility later.
VERNON ROCHE – Tell me, where is her room?
WOMAN IN THE APRON – Oh, well, if that’s all… Second floor, first door on the right. That’s where Karmen lives. Just please, be gentle with her. The poor girl has been through a lot.
VERNON ROCHE – Thank you. We’ll try not to trouble her any more than necessary.
NARRATOR – The landlady reluctantly steps aside and lets you in. You climb a narrow, creaking staircase and find the door she indicated.
KEEN EYE [Easy: Success] – Look, there’s a small bouquet of white chrysanthemums lying to the left. The flowers have already begun to wilt. Brought by one of her admirers? Or perhaps by someone who never worked up the courage to knock?
NARRATOR – Vernon speaks to you quietly.
VERNON ROCHE – Before we go in, let’s quickly go over this once more. We have no evidence against pani Karmen, but we do know that Bastien Lavelle was a regular client of hers. Apparently, he was here on the day of the murder as well and… enjoying her hospitality. That should be our starting point.
YOU – But yesterday she claimed she’d been busy with someone until morning…
VERNON ROCHE – If she meant Lavelle, that’s virtually impossible. He was killed sometime after seven in the evening and, I believe, before sunrise. No one saw the body being hung, which means it most likely happened late at night, when all respectable people are asleep.
YOU – Makes sense. Otherwise someone might have seen them…
VERNON ROCHE – Exactly. Grave wouldn’t have dragged the body out to the vacant lot early in the morning, since plenty of people around here are up before dawn.
YOU – Maybe Lavelle wasn’t the one who spent the night with her?
VERNON ROCHE – That’s possible. We’ll ask a few questions and see if we can catch her out, like we did with Grave. But again — don’t show all our cards at once.
NARRATOR – He is about to knock, but after a moment’s thought, lowers his hand.
VERNON ROCHE – One more thing.
NARRATOR – Vernon gives you a suspicious look.
STEADINESS [Medium: Failure] – Ugh. That accusing look again.
VERNON ROCHE – Is there anything else I should know about your conversation with her yesterday? Assuming, of course, that it really was Karmen. Forgive me for being blunt, but you didn’t happen to do anything foolish again, did you?
DOMINANCE [Challenging: Failure] – How dare he suggest such a thing?!
DIALECTIC [Easy: Success] – To be fair, he has good reason to.
YOU – Well… Karmen offered to spend the night with me for two hundred orens… But I turned her down. Then some dwarf passing by said that was the discounted rate. Meaning Karmen usually charges more.
VERNON ROCHE – Is that so? Interesting. Why did she single you out and make such a generous offer?
BRAWN [Challenging: Failure] – Because she could tell you’re an ALPHA.
VERNON ROCHE – I’m afraid that wasn’t a coincidence. Frankly, this woman seems more suspicious by the minute. Stay alert, and think before you open your mouth.
NARRATOR – Roche exhales quietly and gives the door a careful knock. A few seconds later, footsteps sound from inside.
KARMEN – Who is it? I wasn’t expecting anyone today.
VERNON ROCHE – Mistress Karmen, my partner and I are investigating a murder on His Majesty’s orders. We’d like to ask you a few questions. It won’t take long.
NARRATOR – For a moment, silence falls behind the door.
KARMEN – Very well, I’ll open the door. If you please, wait just a moment.
NARRATOR – Vernon gives you an encouraging nod. Half a minute later, the door swings open to reveal the same woman who promised you an unforgettable night of love the other day. The moment she recognizes you, she bursts out laughing.
KARMEN – Oh, I remember you! Is this some kind of joke? Changed your mind after all, handsome?
NARRATOR – Her gaze shifts to Roche and, with undisguised interest, travels from his turban down to his sword.
KARMEN – And who’s this brave warrior you’ve brought along? Just so you know, I charge more for two…
VERNON ROCHE – No, no, pani Karmen, believe me: this is no joke, and we’re not here as clients… This really is about an investigation.
KARMEN – What a pity.
NARRATOR – She turns gracefully and lets you inside. A delicate sweep of the hand, the curve of her back, the slightest sway of her hips — every movement seems to have been rehearsed in front of a mirror beforehand and is now presented to you as irrefutable evidence.
KARMEN – Well then, come in, panowie.
VICE [Easy: Success] – God, she’s beautiful. Just… Ak dievs, viņa ir tik skaista. Tik forša. Skaties, kā viņa kustas…
YOU – W-what?.. I’ve stopped understanding what’s going on again.
VICE – Es arī nē. Bet tas nav svarīgi.
RESOLVE [Trivial: Failure] – Don’t get distracted. What were you doing again?.. Right. You need to enter the room. Just enter it. How do people normally do that?
DEFTNESS [Trivial: Failure] – Probably, you have to cross the threshold first. That requires taking a step. In other words, moving one foot forward. But which one? Left or right? And then what? Take another step, or turn around first and close the door behind you?
VICE – Viņa ir tik skaista, ka kājas pašas atsakās strādāt.
DEFTNESS – All right, let’s try this. Drag a leg forward.
YOU – Which one?
DEFTNESS – Kurwa, either one!
NARRATOR – Vernon, already across the threshold, looks back in bewilderment as you struggle to get moving like some half-paralyzed old soldier.
VERNON ROCHE – Witcher, are you all right? Come on, let’s get inside.
DEFTNESS – I’m trying, damn you!
RESOLVE [Challenging: Success] – Whew. Looks like you made it. One giant step for you personally.
DEFTNESS – All right, now drag the other leg forward… This is called walking.
NARRATOR – With incredible effort, you finally stumble into Karmen’s room and clumsily slam the door shut behind you.
VERNON ROCHE – Please… there’s no need to slam it. We are, after all, guests in the home of a beautiful lady.
YOU – S-sorry…
NARRATOR – The room is small but well kept. A wide bed with a scarlet cover stands against one wall; by the window is a little table crowded with perfume bottles and assorted jars.
DISCERNMENT [Easy: Success] – It smells of sandalwood and orange oil in here.
VICE [Trivial: Success] – And yesterday, you fucking idiot, you could have been the one rubbing it into her skin.
NARRATOR – Karmen checks the bolt on the door and sits down on the edge of the bed. Crossing one leg over the other, she looks at you with a faint smile.
KARMEN – What is it you want to know? That handsome gray-haired fellow already asked me about the murder yesterday. Unfortunately, I don’t know anything. I was hard at work all night, without so much as… Well, let’s just say I didn’t have time to admire the view from the balcony.
WHISPER [Medium: Success] – You haven’t asked a single question yet, and she’s already giving you her alibi. Looks like Karmen has had plenty of time to prepare for this conversation.
NARRATOR – She shifts farther back on the bed, leans against the pillows, and slowly stretches out her legs. You suddenly begin to feel rather foolish: standing bolt upright in the middle of a boudoir, swords on your back, as though you’d come to fight some monster lurking among the lace and perfume bottles.
VERNON ROCHE – Still, allow me to start from the beginning. My name is Vernon Roche, and this… handsome fellow, as you were pleased to put it, is Geralt, my partner.
ARTISTRY [Trivial: Failure] – Yes, you are quite the handsome fellow! That’s obviously the first thing people notice about you, and certainly not the smell of stale booze.
VERNON ROCHE – And what is your real name? Karmen is something of a stage name, I take it?
KARMEN – Naturally. Girls like me need a name with a little fire and passion to it… Sadly, my real one is much more ordinary: Katarzyna Růžička.
NARRATOR – Roche produces his ever-present notebook, leisurely flips through several pages, and, finding a blank space, holds it out to the young woman.
VERNON ROCHE – A pleasure, pani Růžička. If you please, write your real name here, today’s date, and add your signature. It’s required for the official record.
DIALECTIC [Challenging: Failure] – Strange. Vernon has never mentioned any official record before, nor asked anyone to sign anything… He probably just invented the procedure on the spot to make the questioning seem more authoritative.
KARMEN – As you wish. There… Here you are, pan Roche.
NARRATOR – Roche gives the signature a quick glance, then adjusts his grip on the notebook, ready to write. His expression remains perfectly composed.
VERNON ROCHE – Thank you. So, Katarzyna, what can you tell us about yourself?
KARMEN – I wouldn’t want to bore you with the details of my life, since there is nothing remarkable about it. I grew up in Dobrava — a small town in the Pontar Valley. I was drawn to the stage from childhood, and at fourteen I became a dancer… I think people enjoyed my performances. Life was simple and cheerful then. I hoped to save a little money and bring my family to the capital. But… the war had other plans.
NARRATOR – She sighs and presses a hand to her forehead. At the same time, her left leg bends at the knee, revealing an ankle beneath her skirt.
KARMEN – Those damned Redanians attacked without warning, sacked Dobrava, and I had to flee… I still don’t know what happened to my family.
NARRATOR – Her voice grows quieter on the last words.
DIALECTIC [Easy: Success] – No contradictions so far. Then again, almost everything she’s told you is impossible to verify right now.
KARMEN – I had only just turned twenty then. For three years I lived as a refugee, never staying anywhere for long. Eventually, fate brought me to Vizima. Here I had to become a courtesan — dancing alone, sadly, isn’t enough to make a living. And that, gentlemen, is more or less my whole story.
VERNON ROCHE – You have my condolences. I sincerely hope the war ends as soon as possible and that you’re able to find your family.
MASQUE [Trivial: Success] – What a tragedy! A young dancer, a cruel war, years of wandering… Maestro, before you stands an innocent victim of circumstances. Such a woman is quite obviously incapable of murder!
KARMEN – Thank you for the kind words. I still hope for the best.
NARRATOR – She gives both of you a sad smile.
VERNON ROCHE – Ahem… If you don’t mind, let’s move on to the next question. You said you had a visitor on Thursday, the night of the murder. When did he leave?
KARMEN – We parted early in the morning. The sun had only just begun to rise… I was completely exhausted.
VICE [Easy: Success] – Do you realize what you turned down?!
VERNON ROCHE – And his name?..
NARRATOR – At the question, the young woman suddenly jerks upright.
KARMEN – Pan Roche, how can you ask me that? I already explained to your friend that I have to keep my clients’ identities confidential! They pay me not only for a good time, but for discretion as well. If word gets around that Karmen can’t keep her mouth shut, my reputation will be ruined! I’ll end up on the street!
NARRATOR – She gives a sob and hurriedly straightens her blouse, accidentally exposing the lower part of her stomach.
MASQUE [Medium: Failure] – Maestro, you must demand that Roche stop pressing her! The poor thing is suffering!
VERNON ROCHE – Listen, we’re here on official business. This is a very serious matter. If you refuse to give a statement, I’ll have no choice but to arrest you until we can sort this out. Believe me, I’d rather not resort to measures like that.
NARRATOR – The courtesan looks up at him in horror. Her voice trembles.
KARMEN – But… but… I beg you… You have to understand what kind of position you’re putting me in… Gods, what am I supposed to do?.. Pan Roche, I’d never even seen that gentleman before!
NARRATOR – Karmen clasps her hands to her chest as though in prayer.
KARMEN – He must have given me a false name! He said his name was… Lucien. Yes, that’s right! Lucien Mareux, if I remember correctly. But I beg you, let this stay between us!
NARRATOR – Vernon walks thoughtfully over to the window and looks outside. The rain shows no sign of letting up. You remain rooted to the spot, unable to move, staring at Karmen — and, fortunately, there is plenty to stare at.
VERNON ROCHE – It certainly sounds like a made-up name from some cheap detective story.
ARTISTRY [Easy: Success] – It doesn’t even begin to compare with Sir Andrzej Ambroise de Beaupré! Now there’s nobility, mystery, and impeccable command of style.
NARRATOR – Roche runs a finger along the windowpane, as though only half interested in the conversation now.
VERNON ROCHE – But here’s what’s interesting. Our informants say the man who was with you that night was the victim himself — Chevalier Bastien Lavelle. A tall, dark-haired man of forty-three.
NARRATOR – Karmen continues to stare at your companion like a cornered animal.
KARMEN – I’ve never even heard that name before! Besides, my guest couldn’t have been more than twenty-five!
VERNON ROCHE – Is that so? Then how do you explain the fact that pan Lavelle was seen in this very house?
KARMEN – I… Ah… Your informant must have mixed up the rooms, pan Roche. Agnieszka lives next door, you see, and she also… entertains clients. Perhaps the chevalier spent that night with her!
NARRATOR – Karmen hurriedly adjusts her hair and almost immediately adds:
KARMEN – Or perhaps there’s been some terrible mistake, and Lucien simply happened to resemble the victim!
ARTISTRY [Medium: Success] – A plausible explanation.
VERNON ROCHE – I won’t argue that a mistake is possible. So, to be clear, you’re saying you’ve never heard the name “Bastien Lavelle”?
KARMEN – Yes, that’s what I’ve been telling you!
NARRATOR – Your stiff legs are beginning to ache, but you still seem incapable of taking a single step.
VERNON ROCHE – Forgive me, madam, but I find that extremely difficult to believe.
DIALECTIC [Medium: Success] – Wait. Of course! The note hidden in the snuffbox was signed “K”! Who else could have written it if not this woman?
VERNON ROCHE – The fact is, I have a letter that was found among the victim’s belongings. Take a look. It mentions Thursday evening and is signed “K.”
NARRATOR – Karmen takes the paper in trembling hands and quickly scans it.
KARMEN – This is nothing but a horrible, monstrous coincidence!
NARRATOR – She wrings her hands, trembling almost imperceptibly.
KARMEN – Please, listen to me! I never wrote any letters, and that “K” could stand for any name: Krystyna, Klementyna, Květa, Kassandra… There are countless women in the world whose names begin with “K”!
NARRATOR – Karmen hands the letter back as though the parchment were burning her fingers.
KARMEN – Why are you so determined to blame me for everything? Why are you being so merciless?
WHISPER [Easy: Success] – An expected answer. The signature “K” really could belong to anyone — in theory, even a man, since the writer’s gender is unclear.
VERNON ROCHE – Madam, I would gladly show you mercy… But the letter appears to be in your hand. Five minutes ago, you signed your name in my notebook yourself. I’m no expert, but there can be no doubt that the handwriting matches.
DIALECTIC [Trivial: Success] – Devilishly clever. So that’s why he invented that whole official-record procedure… Brilliantly played.
NARRATOR – Karmen’s lips move soundlessly, as though she is running through the last excuses still available to her. A moment later, she buries her face in her hands and answers through sobs.
KARMEN – You’ve won, pan Roche… You saw right through me. I did everything I could to keep my client’s identity secret, but how could I possibly outwit an experienced investigator? You serve the king, while I’m only a girl from a tiny town who now has to sell herself just to keep from starving…
NARRATOR – Roche lowers his head. For a moment, the only sound in the room is the rain drumming against the window. You feel unbearably filthy. You want to go back to the tavern and drink until you remember nothing.
VICE [Easy: Success] – Note that I wasn’t the one who suggested it!
KARMEN – Yes, Bastien really did come to see me. I loved his visits and looked forward to every one. He was always kind, courteous… and very generous.
NARRATOR – She says the last word almost guiltily.
KARMEN – He used to say this was the only place where he could forget his troubles and escape from his tiresome wife. Sometimes he brought wine, sometimes flowers. Once he spent the whole evening telling me all sorts of fascinating things about horses… though I don’t understand a thing about them…
NARRATOR – Karmen tries to smile, but her lips tremble and tears roll down her cheeks.
KARMEN – And now he’s gone. He’ll never knock on this door again. I feel so terribly alone.
NARRATOR – She collapses onto the bed and buries her face in the pillow. Quiet sobs follow. Roche respectfully turns away and spends a while pretending to be deeply fascinated by the pattern on the carpet hanging on the wall.
BRAWN [Trivial: Success] – We need to find the bastard who killed Lavelle, break his fingers one by one, and then slowly wring his neck. Look at what this woman is going through — all because of that piece of shit!
NARRATOR – Her crying gradually subsides. Karmen raises her head with some effort and sniffles. Roche turns back to her.
VERNON ROCHE – I’m sorry to make you relive these memories. But pan Lavelle’s killer is still at large. If we’re going to find him, we need to understand what happened that night.
KARMEN – Of course, pan Roche. I understand perfectly.
NARRATOR – She lowers her eyes and nervously smooths a crease in the bedspread.
KARMEN – I’m deeply ashamed… that I stooped so low as to deceive you… I only wanted to protect Bastien’s secret.
NARRATOR – Your companion gives a slow nod.
VERNON ROCHE – You say pan Lavelle was a very courteous man. I can readily believe that, but… Forgive me, I’m not quite sure how best to put this…
VICE [Challenging: Success] – Ah. He means all that drunken talk from Grave and his thugs yesterday…
YOU – We took statements from Grave and his closest associates. They claim that on Thursday, pan Lavelle supposedly tried to rape some woman… And I think they were talking about you.
NARRATOR – Karmen wipes her eyes with the edge of the sheet and takes several deep breaths, trying to compose herself.
KARMEN – Grave… Yes, I know him. To be honest, he came to see me several times too. That bandit… took an interest in me. Brought me gifts, promised protection. Asked me to give up the work and become his woman.
NARRATOR – Vernon looks puzzled.
KARMEN – Panowie, please, let this stay between us… I always tried to answer him carefully. Grave is not the sort of man it’s safe to give a firm “no.”
SENSIBILITY [Challenging: Success] – Grave really was furious, even though it later turned out that Lavelle had only gotten handsy. A rather strange reaction. It seems what bothered him wasn’t the incident itself, but who Karmen was spending her nights with.
KARMEN – I kept refusing because I was afraid. Suppose I gave everything up and went to live with him. What then? What happens when he gets tired of me? He’ll throw me out, and I’ll have to start all over again — find another room, new clients, any way at all to make a living…
VERNON ROCHE – Forgive me, but what are you getting at?
KARMEN – I think he told you all that out of jealousy. It infuriated him that I’d much rather spend my time with a noble chevalier than with a thief-in-law, however rich he may be.
YOU – So there was no attempted rape?
NARRATOR – Suddenly, she smiles through her tears.
KARMEN – Of course not. Bastien and I liked things… How shall I put it… a little rough. I think you understand what I mean.
VICE [Medium: Success] – Oh yes. So that’s what the whip was about.
VERNON ROCHE – I see. Thank you for telling us. So, to sum up… Bastien Lavelle spent the night with you and left around dawn. You saw nothing suspicious and have no idea who killed him or when. Is that correct?
KARMEN – Yes. I went to bed as soon as he left and didn’t hear anything. You may not have heard yet, but rumors started going around today that Grave’s men confessed to the murder. And if that’s true… they could easily have waited for him outside in the morning, beaten him, and hanged him.
REFLEX [Easy: Success] – She doesn’t know the most important part.
VERNON ROCHE – The problem, pani Růžička, is that Bastien didn’t die from strangulation at all. In fact, he was shot. Did you hear a gunshot?
KARMEN – Then… those bastards shot him… Of course they were too afraid to face him in a fair fight…
WHISPER [Medium: Success] – Notice: she didn’t ask how you knew he’d been shot. No surprise, no attempt to learn the details. Instead, she immediately decided who was guilty.
KARMEN – But no, I was asleep, so I didn’t hear any gunshots. Perhaps you should question Agnieszka as well, and the landlady who lives downstairs…
DOMINANCE [Easy: Success] – Yes. They should be asked a few questions too.
VERNON ROCHE – Perhaps. But right now, we’re speaking with you — and there’s a serious contradiction in your account. You claim pan Lavelle left around dawn. Grave, on the other hand, insists that the body was hung in the middle of the night. Of course, we can’t simply take him at his word, but that version still sounds considerably more plausible — his men would hardly have wanted to draw unnecessary attention to themselves. Which leaves us with the same question: when exactly did Bastien leave this room, and under what circumstances did he die?
KARMEN – Pan Roche, please, stop tormenting me! I’m only a weak woman… After everything I’ve been through, I could have forgotten something or gotten the details mixed up. Perhaps he left before dawn. Maybe I dozed off and lost track of time… I don’t even know anymore!
NARRATOR – She presses her palms to her temples.
KARMEN – I’ve told you everything I knew!
CODEX [Medium: Success] – Severe stress really can distort memories and muddle the sequence of events. No need to look far for an example: just find a mirror.
SENSIBILITY [Challenging: Success] – It really does seem that Karmen doesn’t know anything else.
MASQUE [Easy: Success] – Maestro, enough tormenting this beautiful lady! She is obviously innocent!
NARRATOR – Roche folds his arms across his chest and furrows his brow. Karmen keeps sniffling, looking at the two of you with pleading eyes. You turn away awkwardly and think hard.
RESOLVE [Impossible: Success] – You know, I’ve got some really fucking bad news. Ready?
YOU – No.
RESOLVE – I didn’t think so. Anyway, we fucked this up completely.
MASQUE – What a shameless accusation! Lies! This poor woman is genuinely suffering!
RESOLVE – You, specifically, fucked up first. Though everyone else did too. You can’t trust them right now.
YOU – What do you mean, “right now”? You mean my faculties let me down?
RESOLVE – Exactly. They’re malfunctioning.
YOU – Which ones, specifically?
RESOLVE – Hard to say. Working theory: all of them at once. Sorry it took me this long to notice. You can’t rely on them when you’re talking to this woman.
NARRATOR – You look at Karmen again. Trembling lips. Wet lashes. Hands clasped tightly to her chest.
SENSIBILITY – But… she sounds so sincere. She really does care about Bastien.
RESOLVE – Maybe she does. That doesn’t rule out the possibility that she’s putting on a very convincing performance for us right now. Ask yourself this: why do men keep coming to her when she charges considerably more than the other courtesans in the district?
YOU – Why?
RESOLVE – Because Karmen is exceptionally good at seduction and at playing on her clients’ emotions. And now she’s played on yours. Like a virtuoso at the harpsichord.
YOU – But her story sounds so convincing…
RESOLVE – That’s exactly the problem. Most of what she said is probably true. Real grief. A real relationship with Lavelle. Real fear of Grave. But somewhere among all those truths is a little lie. Or one carefully chosen omission. And now it’s going to be damn hard to separate fact from fiction.
YOU – So what do I do?
RESOLVE – Stop asking yourself whether you believe her. Rely on facts and nothing else. Don’t try to read Karmen’s true feelings — it’s pointless. But remember: the prospect of being arrested genuinely frightened her. I think that’s where you should press. Push her again.
NARRATOR – You steel yourself and look Karmen in the eyes. She meets your gaze with the same pitiful look of a cornered doe.
YOU – Pani Růžička, I’m afraid your answers don’t add up to a coherent picture. You lied about knowing Lavelle, and you still can’t give us a clear account of what happened in this room that night.
NARRATOR – Roche’s head snaps up.
RESOLVE – That’s it. Keep going.
YOU – I’ll be frank: we can’t rule out the possibility that you killed Bastien yourself. It would explain quite a lot, in fact. So from this moment on, you’re a suspect. We’ll have to place you under arrest until the investigation is concluded.
NARRATOR – Karmen springs off the bed and rushes toward you. Roche reflexively reaches for the hilt of his sword, but the woman merely drops to her knees and wraps her arms around your legs.
KARMEN – Pan Geralt, how can you say that? I… I answered every question honestly! Please… Don’t arrest me. You’ll be signing my death warrant.
VERNON ROCHE – Calm down, pani Růžička. For now, we’re only talking about a brief detention and another round of questioning. If you’re innocent, what are you so afraid of?
NARRATOR – Karmen looks up at him. A new fear appears in her eyes — not the pretty, theatrical terror she’d used to win your sympathy before.
KARMEN – Ah, you don’t understand! I’m not afraid of being locked up. I’m afraid the interrogators will start digging into my past… Gentlemen…
NARRATOR – She tries to get up, but her knees give way. Karmen has to brace herself against the edge of the bed before sitting down again.
KARMEN – I’ll have to confess everything. There’s no other way… I really haven’t been entirely honest with you.
NARRATOR – Karmen wipes her face and sits motionless for several seconds, her fingers clasped in her lap. When she speaks again, almost all of the plaintive note has gone from her voice.
KARMEN – I really did flee Dobrava after Redanian soldiers sacked it, and then spent several years wandering. But later, in Novigrad, I was… recruited by powerful, wealthy people.
VERNON ROCHE – How exactly did that happen?
KARMEN – I was working as a courtesan there too, and a nobleman who called himself Emil used to visit me quite often. At the time, of course, I knew neither his real name nor what he did for a living…
NARRATOR – A sharp, unsteady breath.
KARMEN – But one day, two men came to see me — envoys of a powerful figure whom I’ll simply call M. They explained that the gentleman who had been visiting me was M.’s rival and personal enemy. They demanded that I act as a spy… and work my way into Emil’s confidence.
VERNON ROCHE – So you were supposed to coax his secrets out of him? Feed information back to M.?
KARMEN – Yes… At some point, Emil and I became very close. I accompanied him to dinners and receptions, posing as his lover… Though in a way, that was true. He fell in love with me.
WHISPER [Easy: Success] – He did. She probably didn’t.
NARRATOR – For a moment, the young woman closes her eyes.
KARMEN – I moved in with him, which gave me the chance to overhear his business conversations with his associates. Anyway… I don’t think I need to continue. I’d rather not stir up those memories. Yes, M.’s people paid well, but I lived in constant, unbearable fear. Besides, I felt sorry for Emil. He treated me very well.
SENSIBILITY [Challenging: Success] – She didn’t trust Emil any more than she trusted Grave when he asked her to quit working. Karmen has learned to rely on no one but herself, without being taken in by men’s pretty words or tempting promises.
KARMEN – And it all ended… exactly the way I was afraid it would. One of Emil’s associates saw me with those bastards and immediately realized what I was doing. I fled the city that very evening and hid here in the Temple Quarter. Changed my name, dyed my hair, even used special ointments to darken my complexion… Fortunately, the local alchemist — Kalkstein — is quite the expert when it comes to cosmetic concoctions.
VICE [Easy: Success] – And wine, cheese, and heart-to-heart conversations!
KARMEN – Then the rumors reached me: Emil was ruined, and his former associates swore they’d find me and kill me… I’ve been even more afraid ever since.
VERNON ROCHE – But why would an ordinary arrest lead them to you after all these months?
KARMEN – Because I’m wanted in Novigrad, pan Roche. And if the prison interrogators uncover my past, if everything comes to light, then… the moment I’m released, I’ll fall straight into the hands of the people hunting me.
NARRATOR – She wraps her arms around herself as though the room has suddenly turned cold.
KARMEN – So… please. I can only place myself at your mercy.
NARRATOR – Vernon paces the room with his head lowered, speaking slowly and thoughtfully.
VERNON ROCHE – You’re putting us in a difficult position, madam. How am I supposed to leave you at liberty, especially when you’ve already managed to evade pursuit and disappear once before? I repeat: you are still on our list of suspects.
KARMEN – I swear by everything I still hold dear: I did not kill Bastien! Pan Roche… I understand, of course, that you don’t believe me. But I’m only asking for a little time. Don’t arrest me now, and I promise to remain in the city until you uncover the truth.
VERNON ROCHE – A promise from a woman who has been living under a false name is hardly the most reliable guarantee.
NARRATOR – The courtesan answers in a faltering voice.
KARMEN – If necessary, I’ll report to the guardhouse every day!.. I’ll hand my papers over to Captain Meis as security today.
NARRATOR – Roche merely shakes his head.
KARMEN – You came here on His Majesty’s orders. You have incomparably greater resources than Emil and his former associates ever did. You can send word about me to every city in Temeria, every checkpoint, every special agent and spy… Even if I tried to run, they’d be looking for me across the entire country… And they’d find me very quickly.
NARRATOR – Silence falls.
KARMEN – Show me some compassion… If you agree, I… I’ll give you the name of a possible killer.
WHISPER [Trivial: Success] – An ace she’d been holding back until the last possible moment. Karmen isn’t merely begging for mercy — she’s bargaining.
RESOLVE [Medium: Success] – Highly suspicious. Don’t forget what I told you: this woman is clever and cunning.
YOU – Come to think of it, we still don’t know a single thing about her for certain.
RESOLVE – Exactly. If Karmen has decided to give us a name, then either she has no other choice or she wants us to follow a trail she’s already laid out for us.
VERNON ROCHE – What?! You’ve known who killed Bastien this whole time and said nothing?
KARMEN – Please understand, pan Roche: it’s only a suspicion! But I’m certain you know nothing about… this person.
VERNON ROCHE – And you decided to trade their name for your freedom?
KARMEN – I decided to do whatever it takes to stay alive.
NARRATOR – Roche studies her face in silence for several seconds, then turns to you.
VERNON ROCHE – What do you think, Geralt? Frankly, this all sounds highly questionable, considering how many lies we’ve already heard from pani Karmen.
FOREBODING [Challenging: Success] – Hear her out. You still don’t have a single solid lead.
YOU – Vernon, I think we should give her a chance. I’m not suggesting we simply take her word for it — of course not. But we can hear her out, then verify what she tells us with people who may know more. Grave, in particular. We should speak to him again.
VERNON ROCHE – In other words, treat the information as a working theory rather than the truth?
YOU – Exactly. It could still prove valuable, and at the very least it’ll give us some idea where to look next.
NARRATOR – You spread your hands. After a brief pause, Vernon turns back to Karmen.
VERNON ROCHE – What you’ll get is not freedom or a pardon, but merely a reprieve, pani Růžička. Give us the name and tell us everything you know. If we judge the information useful, and if it checks out, we won’t detain you. But you will remain in Vizima and report for questioning whenever summoned. In addition, I want you to hand over your travel permit and any other papers. They will be kept securely at Temerian intelligence headquarters.
KARMEN – Thank you from the bottom of my heart… I agree.
NARRATOR – Karmen pulls open a small drawer in the bedside table and spends a few moments sorting through the things inside — ribbons, folded letters, little boxes. Then she takes out a neatly rolled document bearing a seal and hands it to Roche.
KARMEN – Here you are… I don’t have any other papers.
VERNON ROCHE – Excellent. Now, then, you have our full attention.
NARRATOR – The young woman walks over to the door and listens intently. The whole house is silent.
KARMEN – So… I think Bastien was killed by Elżbieta Nox.
DIALECTIC [Legendary: Failure] – Ah, of course! Now everything makes sense! Wait… Who?..
VERNON ROCHE – Who is Elżbieta Nox?
KARMEN – Just as I thought: the name means nothing to you. But she is Grave’s chief adviser.
YOU – But we saw Rosie with him — the red-haired gnome.
KARMEN – Yes, I know her very well. But Rosie has a completely different role. She helps with legal matters, handles certain documents… And in general, she’s something of a mascot — everyone likes her for her quick wit and irrepressible nature.
WHISPER [Easy: Success] – Yes, that certainly fits. She can even calm Grave down.
KARMEN – Elżbieta handles very different matters. Blackmail. Secret deals. And, according to rumor, getting rid of people who become dangerous or inconvenient to the organization. Some even say she’s the one who makes the most important decisions, while Grave merely announces them to his people.
WHISPER [Medium: Success] – So the bald, muscle-bound bandit is really just a kind of figurehead? Makes sense. A pack of desperate cutthroats would probably be much more willing to rally behind him than behind a woman, however powerful she may be.
VERNON ROCHE – And yet pan Grave saw fit to say nothing about someone so important to him when we spoke?
KARMEN – Oh yes. They do their best to keep Elżbieta’s identity secret. Many people in the organization don’t even know she exists.
ARTISTRY [Easy: Success] – Elżbieta Nox. It sounds dark and foreign.
YOU – That’s a strange name…
KARMEN – I suspect it’s an assumed name. Elżbieta is a self-taught sorceress. She was born with the gift, and someone helped her develop it. She was never enrolled in any official school. Mages like her aren’t registered and don’t answer to the Chapter, which is why they’re considered especially dangerous. Elżbieta claimed that if the authorities ever learned about her abilities, they’d arrest her and take her away… no one knows where. That’s why she joined Grave’s people.
VERNON ROCHE – And carried out special assignments for him?
KARMEN – Yes. For example, she placed concealment spells over the underground laboratories. But beyond that, she also took a direct part in planning. As far as I know, she was the one who helped establish contact with criminal organizations in other cities.
DIALECTIC [Medium: Success] – All very interesting, but if Mistress Nox’s very existence is supposed to be a secret, how does Karmen know about her? Not to mention who was responsible for establishing ties with other criminal groups.
YOU – How do you even know all this?
NARRATOR – Karmen lowers her gaze.
KARMEN – You won’t believe this: she was a client of mine too. More than a client, actually. Elżbieta was the one who helped me when I first arrived in Vizima. She found me this room, introduced me to the right people, protected me from a few particularly persistent men. Over time, we became… very close.
VERNON ROCHE – You were lovers?
NARRATOR – Karmen doesn’t answer at once.
KARMEN – I think she had strong feelings for me. And when Bastien came along… she hated him. She demanded that I stop seeing him. Said I’d grown too attached, that he was only leading me on, and that sooner or later he’d go back to his wife.
VERNON ROCHE – So you suspect he was killed out of jealousy?
NARRATOR – She nods.
KARMEN – It happened during the night between Thursday and Friday. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, facing the balcony… His head was tilted back. I was kneeling in front of him, right here…
NARRATOR – She points to the floor beside the bed.
KARMEN – There were candles burning in the room, and the balcony door was open. Then suddenly… I don’t know how to explain it. For a moment, everything was lit by a bluish flash — as though lightning had struck somewhere very close. Only there was no storm that night. At that exact moment, Bastien made a strange choking sound and toppled backward onto the bed.
NARRATOR – Karmen presses her fingers to her lips.
KARMEN – Blood started coming from his mouth. I knew at once that he was dead. It was horrible…
REFLEX [Medium: Success] – Rune also mentioned some kind of streak in the sky that he saw after midnight. Could that really have been a coincidence?
VERNON ROCHE – So you were there when he died after all — and witnessed the shot itself?
KARMEN – I don’t know what it was, pan Roche. I didn’t hear any gunshot — there was only that strange flash. That’s why I think Elżbieta used some kind of magic to kill poor Bastien from a distance. In any case, there was no one on the balcony. I turned around at once, expecting to see the killer…
YOU – But what happened after that? How did the body end up hanging from the tree?
KARMEN – Forgive me, it’s all a blur… Bastien and I had taken quite a lot of fisstech, and then we drank wine… It was very difficult to pull myself together. I realized that if the guards came here and found the body, I’d be arrested immediately. And you already know what that would mean for me. So I ran to the Shaggy Bear. I think it was around one in the morning. Grave, Rock, and the others were drinking there.
CODEX [Medium: Success] – Severe shock, alcohol, and drugs. She may have remembered certain vivid images perfectly. But the timing and sequence of events? Those could easily have become confused.
KARMEN – I explained what had happened as best I could… They knew about my situation, so they decided to act immediately.
YOU – What about Elżbieta? Was she there with them?
KARMEN – Yes… Elżbieta was at the tavern too. As though… as though she’d been waiting for me. She was the one who suggested staging the hanging, to make it look as if the chevalier had been killed by vigilantes or perhaps even the Scoia’tael. It was as though she already knew exactly what had to be done.
WHISPER [Easy: Success] – A very convenient detail. But it comes from a woman trying to buy her own freedom.
KARMEN – Elżbieta cast an impenetrable fog around the vacant lot. Grave’s men dragged Bastien there and put the noose around his neck. Then she used magic to hoist the body up…
YOU – So you were there when it happened?
KARMEN – I watched from the street, through the fence. I couldn’t bring myself to go any closer, but even from there I nearly fainted. It was a horrible sight…
VERNON ROCHE – So that’s what happened…
DIALECTIC [Challenging: Success] – Elżbieta Nox was standing by the fence and raised the body that high. That’s the realization Vernon almost reached on the very first day of the investigation, when you mentioned the unknown woman… Hoisting a corpse three or four meters into the air is no easy task — unless you happen to have a skilled sorceress helping you.
VERNON ROCHE – And where is this Elżbieta now?
KARMEN – I don’t know, pan Roche. I swear. I haven’t seen her since Friday evening. It’s as though she vanished into thin air.
YOU – Suspicious…
VERNON ROCHE – But that alone proves nothing.
KARMEN – Now I’ve told you everything. Bastien really did die here, in this very room, and the hanging was staged only to protect me… What happens now? You’re not going to arrest me, are you?
YOU – Vernon, she lied to us and helped conceal the body. But what she’s told us may lead to the real killer. I think we can hold off on arresting her for now.
NARRATOR – Roche remains silent for a long time. Then he slowly walks over to the window and gazes absently out at the street.
VERNON ROCHE – Pani Růžička, make no mistake: you gave false testimony and took part in concealing evidence of a crime. One day, you will have to answer for all of that. I may well come to regret this decision, but… for now, you remain free. Stay in the Temple Quarter and do not even think of leaving until the investigation is over. Otherwise, I will issue the necessary orders at once, and we’ll have people looking for you in every town and village in Temeria. Believe me, we have ways of passing information quickly.
KARMEN – I don’t know how to thank you, panowie. You’ve shown me true nobility.
VERNON ROCHE – If possible, try not to leave the house at all. There may be unrest and pogroms. Be extremely careful. And now we should go. Come along, witcher. Unfortunately, our work is still far from finished.