Into the Depths

**Into the Depths** is the ninth and final main case in *The Sinking City*, following Fleeing Phoenix.

At the end of the last case, Charles Reed learns he will need to obtain three Kayfingers, but first, he will need to rest and prepare at the Devil's Reef Hotel.

## Devil's Reef Hotel

Upon entering the hotel Reed will see a vision, the contents of the vision depend on who he chose to support during the last case. Then Reed will awake in his own bed. Upon awakening he can read *The Prophecy, with my notes* found on the desk in his room.

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> "Since dark aeons before the age of man, Cthygonnaar lies beneath the ground. in that eldritch prison rests the Dreamer's Hidden Daughter bound to never leave.
>  But there are those who would free the Daughter, if the Dreamer's Seed would only pass to Her. Each turn of the Cycle those carrying the Seed are drawn to Cthygonnaar, driven b hideous visions.
>  The Seal of Cthygonnaar will open the way.
>  Many will try and perish.
>  When the stars are right and the Dreamer stirs in his house, one will succeed.
>  The Daughter shall be freed, and from her swollen womb the Dreamer shall spawn once more."
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> Is this my fate? Will the one who succeeds die?
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He can also read *Putting everything together* on the same desk

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> The source of the spreading madness is the Dreamer's Hidden Daughter, locked in Cthygonnaar, an eldritch prison beneath Oakmont. Only the seed can enter Cthygonnaar, and may open it or close it for one more Cycle.
>  The entrance to Cthygonnaar is the Monolith in central Advent. To open it, I must complete the Seal by finding three stone "Kayfingers" growing on three Monoliths around the city.
>  The first is on the central Monolith to find the other two, I'll need to seek out the fire worshipers.
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From completing Historical Heritage or perhaps other knowledge Reed knows the fire worshipers can be found at St. Michaels Church of The Burning Bush.

## St Michael's Church

upon arriving at the church grounds, Reed will find that there is much alight outside of the church, and Reed can examine a cart full of gasoline cannisters.
Upon entering the church itself Reed will find several charred skeletons. On a table near the entrance Reed can read a paper entitled *Cleanse yourselves!*

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> The tie has come, brothers and sisters!
>  We must cleanse ourselves before we face the new world. We will leave behind all our sorrows and passions, and meet our new lives pure.
>  Join the Cleansing at St. Michael;s Church of the Burning Bush.
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Reed can also examine the following things on the ground floor: Gasoline can on the floor, Brazier at the front of the chapel (mind's eye).
Upstairs reed can speak to a woman named Meryl. From the conversation with here reed learns that what he is looking for on this monolith is in the basement. He also learns that Father Nicholas left his notes on where the remaining monoliths are located.
He can also get A key, located on a pedestal overlooking the pyre below, and read a *Shopping list*

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>  - Cans of gasoline (at least 5)
>  - Kindling (make sure it's dry)
>  - Large box of matches (one should be enough)
>  Try to get everything to the church before dawn!
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And *The Book of Holy Flame* located on the same pedestal as the key

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> The Lord has established His throne in Heaven, among the tongues of flame and fiery pits. Those who are pure shall rest by his feet, and their sould will rejoice, and will sing forever among the aingeals.
>  The sinners, contrairwise, shalt go to Hell, the heim of Devil sunken below, with its cold streets of silver cobblestones, where they'll rest in eternal suffering until the end of time.
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On his way downstairs, Reed can find a *Warning note* by the door.

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> Brothers and sisters, please be careful!
> The end of the Cycle is nigh, and wylebeasts have begun to inadvertently emerge in some of our premises. If you are visiting the Zetetic Room, please exercise extreme caution, and be sure to bear arms.
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In the bedroom there, Reed can inspect a book on dreaming on the desk. The brick wall with a picture on it is an illusory wall. After dispelling the illusion several wylebeasts will appear. In the no longer hidden room, Reed can examine the bottle of Laudanum on the metal cart, a *Dream diary* on a table near the bed

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> The human blood is to find treasures of the ones who are not human anymore.
>  The first stone will drop the shadow on his dwelling.
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>  Three lives take their start among the iron horses in the shadow of the second stone. The waters will wash away the first blood they spill.
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And the *Priest's records*

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> At last, the dreams of my brothers and sisters have started to become clear. The cycle has come to its end. Time to perform the Cleansing so our souls can retain their memory their purpose.
>  I put together all the signs from our dreams and hid them so only the Seed can find them. They'll help him find what he seeks.
>  Seed, if you are reading this. I hope you'll restart the Cycle so that we may meet in the next one.
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Using his minds eye on the protruding section in the rock Reed can find the first Kayfinger. From there Reed can follow the omens to reveal *Father Nicolas' Instruction* from beneath an illusory goblet.

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> The first Monolith, by its mere presense, shall transform a man from ordinary to renowned.
>  Once the water rises, he will divine inhuman treasures never-before-seen drawing crowds and acclaim to his humble abode. Many shall praise him, transcribe his words and share his face on paper. Seek the Monolith for it hides what the Seed desires under the azure cloak.
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> The second Monolith portentous and proud shall be delivered unto Oakmont with disciples three, each identical to the last.
>  They shall enter this world at an uncertain hour, as the first young citizens of Oakmont after the waters rise.
>  Seek the Monolith for it holds that which the Seed desires.
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From here Reed will need to use the Archives at the Oakmont Chronicle

## Oakmont Chronicle

Using the archives (first part of instructions, Period: After the flood, People: Celebrities, Section: Front Page) Reed can discover an article entitled: *Incredible discoveries*

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> A small strandline at the eastern end of Old Colony Street is now the talk of Oakmont. Jimmy Price, a fisherman living in the boondocks o the border of Coverside and Grimhaven Bay, has become famous overnight for his remarkable findings. Not a week passes without him emerging from the sea with another piece of gold, jewelry, or ancient treasure.
>  Antiquities expert Diane Miles is baffled. "These trinkets are unlike anything I've ever seen," said Ms. Miles. "The only thing I can tell you for certain is it's pretty darn old"
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This provides the next destination: the Costal Monolith located at the border of Coverside and Grimhaven bay, at the eastern end of Old Colony St

## Coastal Monolith

Upon arriving, reed can examine the spyglass on the small wooden structure, A diving suit near the monoligh, the underside of the monolith, and a paper on the ground near that entitled *The last message*

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> I've lost count of how many nights the Archie has been trapped in this storm.
>  We're going round in circles. Droch rocks don't let us leave this snub city, or turn back to come ashore.
>  No food left. My sister and her husband are clearly mad with hunger - they say we must jump into the sea and cross it by foot, underwater.
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>  They jumped. They all just... jumped into the water, my whole family, with a sickly smile on their faces...
>  Kay help me... I am taking the only diving suit and will try to reach the shore.
>  Pray for me.
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From here it is time to investigate the nearby House of Jimmy Price
The nearby building has its front door barricaded but reed can circumvent that by climbing the scaffolding and entering on the top floor. Once inside Reed can find a *Letter from a relative* on top of a dresser.

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> Jimmmy,
>  None of us is gonna leave our homes and join this dain adventure of yours. We're perfectly fine here in Oakmont and have no need to look for a better place.
>  Moreover, calling your skip Archie is a droch of a dain idea.
>  Aunt Lavinia
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And a *Newspaper Article*

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> Since the day Oakmont was stricken by the Flood, fishermen have complained that their prey seem to have vacated all the costal waters.
>  "I have no clue where the droch all the fisk went," said Mr. B. Morgan, a fisherman from Salvation Harbor. "We return empty-handed every single time, yet those toad-faced scum return with nets loaded up with fisk! This witchcraft of their underwater kin, I'm telling you!"
>  The port is ringing with dissatisfaction at the unprecedented advantage that Innsmouthers have in the fishing trade. To what can this success be attributed?
>  The Oakmont Chronicle will investigate.
>  One thing's for sure, though - something smells fisky.
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Downstairs, Reed can speak to Jimmy, Jimmy agrees to show Reed where to dive in return for reed placing some crosses on his dead relatives down there.
After the conversation the red door is now accessable. Within the room reed can find a *Fisherman's farewell note*

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> Whether the gold I found was cursed or not, I have enough to start building a skip of my own. I'm claling her Archie. We're leaving his wretched city that even Kay has turned his back on. If anyone finds this - please, pray for us.
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Then Reed can use the diving suit.

## Diving

During this diving sequence Reed will just need to follow the lights, along the way he can find the deceased family members strapped to rocks. Towards the end of the path a monster will appear, becoming aggressive on sight. At the end Reed can dispel an illusory protuberance on the monolith to reveal the second Kayfinger. After obtaining the Kayfinger, Reed returns to the surface.

Reed can then speak to Jimmy again, informing him that the crosses have been placed. Reed will receive a reward of a variety of ammunition for this.

From here Reed will need to head to St. Mary's Hospital to use the archives there.

## St. Mary's Hospital

Using the archives here (Second part of instructions, Subjects: Patients, Period: After the Flood, Department: Surgery) Reed can find a *Record of triplets*

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> Name: Laura, Claire and Alison Whiteley, triplets.
> Date of birth: record lost (at the start of the Flood)
> Place of birth: railway station on the intersection of Salvation Rd and Moorland Rd. in western Shells.
> Mother: Lethica Whiteley. Deceased in childbirth.
> Father: unknown.
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This provides the address of the next location, the Railway Station Monolith

## Railway Station Monolith

Upon arriving at the area (it is in an infested area) Reed finds several wylebeasts and several corpses on the ground, one of which has a necklace that appears to be a piece of the monolith, a dead Acheronian and a large chunk of rock (which can be examined from two angles) and a crack in the base of the monolith can be examined. After these examinations a retrocognition sequence begins.
1. People chipping away at the monolith.
2. People rolling the rock away
3. People fleeing from the Acheronian
The investigation can be continued in the station itself, there Reed can examine a dead wylebeast on the ground, a dead man under a cart with pieces of the monolith inside, the wheel of the cart, and a book next to the same cart. This provides Reed with a *Stained diary page*

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>  ...excited to be the secretary of our community! The history of our Ascension will be written with my own hand.
>  ...two days ago... found the blessed piece of the Stone! It's so close. The hour of our Ascension draws near!
>  ...new headquarters in western Shells, on Justice Street between Inner Shine Street and Warren Road. ...closer to the Stone, so It'll be easier to transport.
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This note provides Reed with the address for the next destination, the Stone Worshippers' Residence

## Stone Worshippers' Residence

Upon arriving, Reed can examine the following things on the main floor: broken rock on the table, 'statue' of a man walking, rock and broken teeth on a plate, 'statue' of a woman around the dining table. Upstairs Reed can look through the broken window. This will start a retrocognition sequence.
1. People bringing the rock inside
2. People trying to eat the rock
3. People carrying the rock to the stairs
From this sequence Reed learns that the key to upstairs is hidden in some books (bookshelf, next to a lantern on a chair). Using the key Reed can then head upstairs and to the rock. After dispelling the section of the rock he can get the Kayfinger. After obtaining it the statues appear to have moved up the stairs

With all the kayfingers and the seal Reed can now return to St. Michaels Church of The Burning Bush

## St. Michaels Church of The Burning Bush

Upon arriving and heading downstairs Reed encounters several wylebeasts that he will need to deal with it. From here Reed can place the seal on the pedestal downstairs opening a path underwater. In this underwater sequence Reed just needs to follow the green 'torches' avoiding creatures and geysers as he does.
After reaching the end Reed is transported somewhere else

## Somewhere Else

At first, Reed appears to be aboard the Charon once again. but upon exiting it is revealed he is still underwater. He can follow the omens off of the edge of the ship to reappear in what appears to be his room at the Devils Reef
As he is walking through he is confronted by several familiar faces, upon leaving he arrives in what appears to be an alleyway in Oakmont where he encounters visions of several factions within Oakmont committing atrocities against others. Until he arrives at the end of the alleyway where a vision of Johannes van der Berg speaks to him.
Reed then appears in an otherworldly place, There he encounters visions of those who he supported throughout.
Finally, Reed arrives at the gates of Cthygonnaar, where after a short vision of Ebernote Blackwood Reed must make a choice. There are three simple retrocognition sequences that provide mind palace clues to what the endings are. More information on the endings and what they mean are located on the Endings page. After Reed makes his choice, the game ends.