Sorcerer Rogier

Oh hello there, good to see you safe.

Stopping by to learn a battle art or two?

Oh? Keen to learn another battle art, are we?

The battle art you've learned is of the glintstone family.

They were conceived at the great Academy of Raya Lucaria, to the north of this castle.

In the past, they obeyed laws which contravened the Golden Order, or so I'm told.

Fascinating, isn't it?

That the Golden Order was pliable enough to absorb practices that contradicted itself in the past.

With the Order broken, twisted, and in need of repair,

such adaptability is more important now than ever.

Ah, you defeated Godrick and claimed yourself a Great Rune.

Mm, looks like we both got we wanted out of Stormveil, didn't we.

Well done, friend.

Something to mark the occasion. Go on, take it.

Ah, you defeated Godrick and claimed yourself a Great Rune.

Well done, friend.

Something to mark the occasion. Go on, take it.

As you might've guessed, I still can't move. My fighting days are behind me.

No need to be polite, I've no use for it anymore.

The misshapen corpse under Stormveil?

That is a sacred relic. Of the black knives plot. As that famed night of assassination is known.

It happened during the Golden Age of the Erdtree, long before the shattering of the Elden Ring.

Someone stole a fragment of the Rune of Death from Maliketh, the Black Blade.

And on a bitter night, murdered Godwyn the Golden.

That was the first recorded Death of a demigod in all history.

And it became the catalyst. Soon, the Elden Ring was smashed, and thus sprang forth the war known as the Shattering.

I once wished to become a scholar, you see. I've spent many an hour scouring the archives for knowledge of that fateful plot.

The world has grown crooked, and if you intend to put it to rights,

You'd better understand what happened to make it this way, mm?

And...that thing is to blame for the shape I'm in now...

I urge the utmost caution. Don't disturb the corpse more than necessary...

This...is a black knifeprint!

I can scarcely believe you managed to get your hands on this!

You recall our conversation about the Night of the Black Knives, yes?

They say the assassins who carried out the deed were scions of the Eternal City.

A group entirely of women, arrayed in armour of silver under cloaks which fooled the eye.

The knives they wielded though, were imparted with the power of the Rune of Death through sinister rite.

Please, I beg of you, lend me the knifeprint for a time.

I'd love nothing more than to tease out its secrets.

Though only a fragment, a very specific ritual had to be performed to impart the power of the Rune of Death.

Traces of the one who performed the rite are sure to remain in the imprint...

Half my body has been suffused with Death. I'm certain it will help me see.

I have some idea of Ranni's potential whereabouts.

There's a manor to the north of the Academy of Raya Lucaria.

It is the familial home of the Carian royals from whom Ranni descends.

There's been talk of the old royals' vassals gathering there in recent years

Ranni's whereabouts since the Shattering are a well-kept secret. She hasn't been seen even once.

But I suspect she might have returned to the manor in which she was born...

If Lunar Princess Ranni truly is the one who plotted that fateful night,

then she should bear the cursemark of Destined Death somewhere upon her flesh.

Would you be willing to procure it for me?

She may have returned to the manor that is her home.

The Royal Carian residence to the north of the Academy of Raya Lucaria.

I see...

When Ranni shed her flesh, she shed the cursemark, too.

You know, not everyone would trust such a tale...

But, if she in her current form is nothing more than the living doll you profess...

Then perhaps it's true after all.

Hmm.

Forgive the bluntness of the notion, but...

How would you like to become one of Ranni's vassals?

Ah, only in order to get what we want, of course.

The location of the body which bore the cursemark, which right now I haven't the faintest.

And the best way to find out is for you to enter her service and take a poke around on the sly.

I know you've got what it takes.

Not only are you a superb fighter, but people want to trust you. I've seen it.

Can you become Ranni's vassal to advance our agenda?

While in her service, you'll be able to take a poke around on the sly.

And determine the location of her original body that bears the cursemark.

I realise that I'm asking you to put yourself in grave danger.

But I know you've got what it takes. Quite possibly the only one, in fact.

Ah, so you've met D.

D is an old friend.

We found ourselves journeying together for a time, bound by our exploration of Death.

But our paths have since diverged. Never again to cross.

Though that's hardly an uncommon fate for two friends.

D was telling me.

That he discovered the mark of the centipede.

The centipede is an ancient symbol of the cursemark.

As long as whoever finds and uses it is not nefarious by nature,

then we may be able to form an alliance.

If only I could speak to them in person.

And if they were like you, all the better.

I'm afraid there's something I must tell you.

Do you know of Those Who Live in Death?

The very notion of life in death defies the Golden Order.

By D's account, these defiled fiends must be expunged.

But truth be told, I seek the cursemark to save them.

You may find this peculiar,

but I discovered something in my examination of the Night of the Black Knives.

These souls have committed no offence. They have every right to life, only, they happened to touch upon a flaw in the Order.

Yes, indeed.

If D knew what drives me now,

he would surely boil over with rage.

Or perhaps, he would even feel some pity.

But no need to fret, none of that will come to pass.

I can tell a good lie when I need to.

Hmm. Maybe I should tell you.

Lately, I feel I'm on the precipice...

Of falling into a deep...fathomless slumber.

And I have an inkling it could spell trouble for you, somehow.

So I just wanted to get the apology out of the way, beforehand.

Since you're so scary and all.

Ah, nice to meet you.

The pleasure's mine. Rogier's the name. A sorcerer, as you might have guessed.

I'm looking for a little something, here in the castle.

When I'm not hotfooting it from the troops, that is.

But enough about me, what are you doing here in Stormveil CastleDungeon?

This place is bristling with Tarnished hunters, you know. They sacrifice our kind, for grafting.

Not exactly a place I'd stroll into without a purpose in mind...

Oh? Something bothering you?

Or are you just trying to pass the time?

I'm curious how you ended up inside this castle.

I see. Here to challenge Godrick, and lay your hands upon a Great Rune, are you?

You can see it then, I take it? The guidance of grace.

Well, enjoy it while you can.

I'm Tarnished, like you.

But unlike you, I've seen neither hide nor hair of this guidance for the longest time.

Still, I won't forget how it felt when I first came here, to the Lands Between.

I'm privy to a few magical battle arts.

Would you care to learn one?

As a fellow Tarnished, once guided by grace. I'd love to help you out, if it please.

Of course. I understand.

Why place trust in a perfect stranger?

Be safe, then, stranger.

Watch you don't get sacrificed, eh. I'll do the same.

Ahh, hello. I was hoping to see you.

My examination is complete. Here's the knifeprint back, with my thanks.

Always good to see you safe.

So. What do you need?

Oh, still need something?

Now, I have a fairly good idea who performed the rite upon the blade. The person who orchestrated the Night of the Black Knives.

Lunar Princess Ranni. One of the children born to King Consort Radagon and his first wife, Rennala.

Demigod and sister to General Radahn and Praetor Rykard.

Her's was the name I discovered in the imprint.

Truly, you have my thanks.

But, if I might be so bold, I would also like to ask something more of you.

If Ranni truly is the one who plotted that fateful night,

then she should bear the cursemark of Destined Death somewhere upon her flesh.

I would like you to procure it for me.

And then all will be laid bare. I will have the answers I have sought for so long.

Ah, we meet again after all.

I apologise for any offence given by my bearing, but I'm quite unable to move, you see.

So. What do you need?

Ah, I know.

I'm privy to a few magical battle arts.

Would you care to learn one?

Time can move rather slowly, stuck here, you know.

A little conversation goes a long way.

Pleased to meet you.

The name's Rogier. A sorcerer, by trade.

But now I'm in this sorry state.

I had a little mishap, and now I can't move.

As you might guess, it's far from ideal...

<sleeping>