Lost at Sea

**Lost at Sea** is the second main case in *The Sinking City*, following Frosty Welcome and preceding Quid Pro Quo.

## Leaving Grimhaven Bay

When leaving the port, Charles Reed is struck by a vision and falls to the ground. During this hallucination, he sees himself walking in an empty, suddenly caught in a high wind that send him right into the mouth of some large toothed beast, resembling the one from the vision inside the Charon (see Frosty Welcome), during the very first cutscene.

He wakes up on his bed at the Devil's Reef Hotel. He finds a note from Johannes van der Berg :

> *"Mr. Reed,*
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> *It seems that you overexerted yourself while conducting the investigation for Mr. Throgmorton. Forgive me for the audacity, but I brought you to the Devil's Reef while you were unconscious. Please, take more care of yourself in the future - I won't be there for you every time.*
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> *- Johannes"*
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When coming down the stairs, the landlord Victor calls Reed, telling him to stop "making all that noise" to avoid being kicked out. He describes the sounds as "moans, chanting, all that kinda thing", which Charles cannot remember doing. He tells Reed that he's not the first crazy newcomer he's met, mentioning letters the previous clients have written. When picking up those letters, the side case Letters from Oakmont is launched.

## Expedition Headquarters

Charles then goes to the expedition headquarters, situated at the corner of Asher Rd and Hubert Ave, in western Coverside, close to the police station.

The evidence inside is as follows :

* the door has been kicked in
* Dangers of Diving book
* smashed phonograph
* damp papers on the ground
* "How to protect?" note written by Harriet Dough
* box with strange green shells
* "Fishermen reports" note
* green glittering shell-like sample
* "H. Dough, anthropologist" newspaper
* a partially erased map of Cape Cod

Then, Reed has to use his Mind's Eye on the wall in front of the stairs, uncovering a way to the basement. Inside, he is attacked by an Innsmouther who shoots at him. Once he is dead, two other clues are found :

* burnt paper at the foot of a barrel, called "Partially burned cargo manifest"
* cracked diving helmet

Once the clues have been gathered, Reed figures out the events.

1. Innsmouthers, in a hurry, kicked in the door and entered the expedition headquarters.
2. The building is trashed and the papers gathered.
3. The hidden wall is put in place, using the following chant "Ay fhtah, meyr phai rhagh, ia Dagon !" as they bring the papers to the basement.
4. The papers are burnt, an Innsmouther mentioning adverts.

> *"Several men broke into the expedition headquarters. What they didn't smash, they burned; the archives, even the newspapers."*
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Using the Mind Palace, the next clue is to search for recent advertisements about the freighter from Grimhaven Bay that the expedition used. The next stop is the Oakmont Chronicle. The search at the archive is (Period : after the flood > Section : advertisements > District : Grimhaven Bay). This will provide a Ship freight advertisement:

> *"The 30-ton ship, "Titania" is currently available for hire. You will find it fully equipped for transport, as well as the aiding of underwater ventures and exploration, for the price of 70 rifle bullets or the equivalent thereof per week. Those interested are urged to contact Captain Jeremiah Sanders for contracting details. He can be found at Pier 3, Oakmont Port, Grimhaven Bay."*
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## Oakmont port

When arriving at Pier 3, Charles is hollered at by a man hiding in a little cabin. He says that sea creatures have swarmed over the piers and that he is scared for his life. He begs Reed to help him, promising he will tell what he knows about Sanders in exchange.

After clearing the pier of several Stygians, Reed begins to investigate. The clues are :

* a dead sailor, shot dead point-blank
* the pistol that was emptied on the sailor
* another dead sailor, two axes sticking out of his chest
* a chewed-up body, eaten by wylebeasts
* in the cabin of the ship : a strange artifact and a the same map of Cape Cod that was found in the expedition headquarters and a Time-charter Contract located on the desk.
* bottles of alcohol on the deck of the ship

The events unfolded as such :

1. The men were drinking on the ship when the captain tells them to stop.
2. The sailors riot and began killing each other.
3. Sanders escapes, shooting a sailor, who throws an axe at him and hits in the shoulder.

> *"For whatever reason, the crew went berserk. Only one man got away."*
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When Charles tells the man in the cabin that the pier is cleared, he tells him that Sanders got back several hours ago. He had heard the shots and came out to see the massacre on the Titania unfolding. Then, the creatures came to feed. However, the man didn't see where Sanders had gone to.

The only lead to find Sanders is that he is badly wounded on the shoulder and thus probably went to Oakmont's hospital.

## Hospital of St. Mary

Charles asks Doctor Grant, who tells him to search the archive himself. On the "Wounded Sanders" clue, the combination is (Subjects : Patients > Period : After the flood > Department : Surgery). This provides a document entitled Grimhaven Bay, wounded, although Sanders is not listed on this document there is a patient with very similar injuries that should still be at the hospital.

Going to the second floor, Charles meet the man who calls himself Joseph Willow, recognizable by his shoulder bandage. Upon talking to him, he says that some psycho in a bar brawl clipped him in the shoulder. However, Reed is not fooled and confronts him with his lie. Sanders explains that his crew became mad from staying above the cracks in the sea bed that they were investigating. He says that the Titania's logbook is where the doctors put his belongings (surgery ward in the basement).

> *"...rgan accident place. Crew complaining of noises and no sleep. Fish behaving strangely.*
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> *Mar 22. Reached the... Crew reporting hallucinations.*
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> *Mar 23. Distributed rum, hopefully it will distract them. Found an air pocket in the caverns near the Devil's Teeth, close to the city. Scientists discovered walls, ancient walls. Asked for crates with tools.*
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> *Mar 24. Sent Tate and Myers down to investigate after surfacing deadline passed. Tate and Myers returned with only Albert Throgmorton who is now completely unhinged. His madness - disturbing, unsettling. The crew dragged Albert to a life boat. Tried to stop them, resulted in mutiny !"*
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Charles asked Sanders where he could find a diving suit. The captain gave him the following address : Grimhaven Bay, on C. Smith Ave between Levi Coffin Ave and Deepshore Rd.

## Diving

After defeating the few wylebeasts present inside the factory, Charles explores the place and finds :

* a broken down suit on the ground floor
* a rusty suit on the top floor
* a proper diving suit on the top floor at the back

Then, he is headed to the Boat to Devil's Teeth. A bit before the Titania, a small staircase goes down to a boat similar to those present in the streets of Oakmont. Using this boat leads him to the Devil's Teeth. He arrives at a diving spot. Interacting with the hook launches the first diving sequence of the game.

To reach the cavern, Charles follows the white chemical lamps and several flares. On the way, he finds an unnatural stone resembling a statue, and a gun. Using the Mind's Eye on the latter, he sees a sequence where a man (called Hugh) is attacked by a tentacle creature. This is confirmed by the corpse laying on the side. Several steps further and the monster also attacks Reed, so he should have his harpoon gun ready.

## Inside the cavern

Charles now investigates the underwater cavern. The clues are :

* the scientists' tools at the entrance
* a madman jumping in a circle, saying *"Gods lean over us ! Gods crawl in us ! Gods who have marked me as their aphid !"*
* cut up diving suits on the floor
* a dead Innsmouther with a ritual knife, wearing a necklace with a pendant depicting a sort of eye. Charles must take a photo of it.
* a man sitting on the ground, saying "*Sancta mair, be our eyes ! Eyes to see the distant stars !"*
* further into the cavern, Reed can take a trophy picture of a prehistoric statue
* a standing man, who triggers a dialogue when Charles approches

> *"Hark ! He comes ! The Sacred, Full-Bellied Bearer of Splendor ! Take me ! Make me ! I beg you !* [Charles : what happened ?] *Our eyes ! First, second, third, opened by the aura ! You see much, yet do not see the splendid shell of the white virgin here sleeping. [...] Nonsense ? Ha ! Haha ! But it is meaning that is meaningless ! Open yourself : walk, listen, pray ! Wake, you holy worm ! Take his skin and skull for your home. Take my worship and grant your kindness ! I pray you !"*
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Once the man has finished talking, Reed can use his Mind's Eye on the strange object standing by the man. He sees Harriet Dough holding a round artifact.

The event unravelled as such :

1. Innsmouthers wait for the scientist to pick up the "key-seal" and cut up their diving suits.
2. Professor Dough picks up the seal and gets ambushed by the Innsmouthers.
3. The Innsmouthers drag Harriet and the seal away, leaving the other scientists behind.

> *"The expedition found an artifact that drove them mad. Then the Innsmouthers stole it, and the Professor, in one go."*
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Clues can be combined in the Mind Palace. Reed must decide if the survivors should be saved or left to die, risking spreading their madness or not.

Once Charles has finished searching the cave, he leaves. During his surfacing, he suffers from diving sickness and is struck by a vision. He sees himself in his soldier uniform, standing by tall rocks covered in glyphs and runes. Upon touching it, a tentacle appears on his hand and he goes mad.

## Throgmorton Manor

It is now time to report to Robert Throgmorton, who is in his manor in southern Oldgrove.

### Option 1 - "Your expedition needs help !"

Charles decides it's not the survivors' fault and that Throgmorton should set up a saving team, risking the madness spreading further. Should Reed choose this option a document entitled *Insanity spreading!* will appear on the bulletin board in his room in the Devil's Reef hotel.

### Option 2 - "Your expedition members died."

Reed lies by telling Robert that the crew is dead to prevent the madness from spreading, after seeing what happened with Albert. Should Reed choose this option a document entitled *In memoriam* will appear on the bulletin board in his room in the Devil's Reef hotel.

In both cases, Charles then inform Robert of the kidnapping of Prof. Dough and the artifact. When Throgmorton asks how they were taken off guard by the Innsmouthers, Reed mentions the mental breakdown they suffered after taking the Seal from its place, and that the kidnappers must have known about this effect, and waited.

Robert says he's only hesitating to wipe their "fish-faced kin" from Oakmont at this very moment only because Harriet might still be alive. He tells Charles to find their leaders and to infiltrate their ranks if needed, anything to find the professor.

## Trivia

* The statue in the cavern that Reed can take a trophy picture of resembles Cthulhu.
* When your standing close the statue and near the cliff, look towards the tall stone tower and down. You can see a second statue there.