Chapter 4C: Those whom the gods wish to destroy are first driven insane

Chapter 4C "Those who the gods wish to kill they first make mad" is one of the three possible final chapters the game can end with. It can only be unlocked if the player avoids shooting Pandora at the end of Chapter 1, meaning no Emily Route exists for it. In order to unlock it the player must also accept the offer of Lee Graves at the end of Chapter 3.

Since Dry Drowning features a choice based system that influences both how the plot evolves and specific dialogues that take place within it, some parts of this page have been *\*\*\*labeled with asterisks and set to Italic, implying a different version of a given dialogue also exists\*\*\**. The Alternative Dialogues sections below provides a full list of the possible alternatives.

## C Ending (spoilers):

Two months have passed since the arrest of Pandora and Mordred is about to hold a press conference related to the serial killer's capture together with Hera and Leon. A private conversation between Mordred and Hera taking place right before they enter the conference room reveals however Hera's true feelings on the matter: disgusted by Mordred's actions she has no intention of forgiving him and can barely tolerate being forced to play along the farce, lest cause suspicions that could lead the media to uncover Mordred's scam.

Being the two of them the only ones aware of it (together with Lee Graves) they unsurprisingly change topic very quickly when Leon finally joins them. Their friend and colleague correctly understands the two were in the middle of a quarrel but can't quite guess what caused it, inviting them to enjoy their fame and asking Hera whether she feels uncomfortable because she's afraid of what the Black Bands could be up to next.

*\*\*\*Mordred claims she has nothing to fear anymore since Baker is rotting in prison while both of them are now well respected symbols of justice, implying the Black Bands would gain nothing from picking on them. He even goes as far as suggesting they could ask for an armed escort should things get too much out of hand. Hera however lashes out, claiming the situation is already out of control: rogue groups are carrying out homicides and assaulting immigrants like her, all while the only thing Mordred seems to care about is his own fame. Leon steps in and interrupts the quarrel, claiming now it's not the time.\*\*\* (LEON BLACK BANDS Dialogue, triggered if the player refused to exonerate Baker in Chapter 1, thus spawning a JailedBaker Route)*

*\*\*\*Their friend then brings up the topic of Hephaestus Tech, explaining the police has completely lost track of Thalia, implying by now she likely reached some foreign country. The source of this information is none other than Freya herself, who seems to have forgiven Mordred given he was able to finally capture Pandora. Hera ironically points out it seems almost too good to be true, prompting Mordred to harshly ask her to knock it off. Leon can't help but voice his frustration after yet another argument between the two.\*\*\* (LEON HEPHAESTUS Dialogue, triggered if the player ended Chapter 2 with a WayOut)*

With no more than a few minutes left before the press conference begins, Leon then asks them to focus so they can define a proper script for their imminent speech. Hera however surprises him by calling herself off entirely, leaving just the two of them to attend and asking them to justify her absence by claiming she felt sick. Leon asks her why and invites her to think twice about it given all she had to go through in order to get there, but she just replies he wouldn't understand and leaves. Leon scolds Mordred since he assumes the detective must have done something wrong to upset her this much, but also suggests she would eventually get over it, inviting his friend to relax. Mordred concurs and concludes she would eventually come back once she starts seeing the results of their efforts. During the conference Mordred gives it his best but Leon (along with everyone else) is easily able to see how fabricated his enthusiasm actually is. Later, the detective is bluntly confronted by his friend about it but reacts with his usual stubborness. Leon correctly deduces Mordred is acting weirdly because of his problems with Hera and advices him to make peace with her as soon as possible, or else his unability to cope could easily ruin their success and destroy their newfound fame. Mordred angrily insists he's fine and just needs some time to tie up some loose ends. He then receives a call from what he calls his own "guardian angel" and proceeds to leave, asking Leon to call him back in case he hears from Hera.

Mordred's "guardian angel" is actually none other than Freya, who asked him an urgent meeting at Treasury Park. As soon as the detective arrives she gets straight to the point, claiming she knows everything. Freya's statement immediatly causes Mordred to panic: he tries to defend himself, refusing to acknowledge a connection with what happened at the Island. A confused Freya clarifies she was merely speaking of Mordred and Hera's argument, although Mordred's last claim makes her suspect there might be more going on. Realizing his big misstep the detective starts to panic even more, causing a mask to appear on his own face. Freya presses on, pointing out how strange it is for Mordred and Hera to start arguing right when their problems finally seem to have come to an end. The player is allowed to choose Mordred's reply, but Freya won't be satisfied unless the detective chooses to ask her information regarding what Hera told her. She thus explains Hera came to her in tears asking for help, claiming the detective had changed in the last few months and betrayed her trust (but not mentioning any other detail). Despite fearing for her life because of the Black Bands the only reason Hera asked for Freya's help was in the hope she could convince Mordred to take a step back and return to his former self. Mordred refuses to acknowledge the truth, claiming he wasn't the one who had changed and blaming their current situation on Hera's inability to withstand the pressure: as for him, he doesn't care as Hera is free to do as she pleases. His mask however starts to dissolve since Freya doesn't buy the explanation: she doesn't believe Mordred would ever let Hera go that easily, expecially since despite everything the two are still working together. The player can choose Mordred's next reply once again, but Freya will keep pressing him unless he chooses to have Mordred bring up Freya's own wrongdoings as well as the fact she owes him her life. At this point Freya loses her temper and explains her life debt was exactly what kept her from furtherly investigating Mordred in the first place, though she's definitely having second thoughts now that Mordred is acting so acidly. As Mordred's mask continues dissolving the detective asks in panic what her last statement is supposed to mean. Without beating around the bush Freya makes it clear she finds Pandora's arrest way too strange due to how easily it went and how eager Pandora was to confess. Nevertheless, she's willing to let Mordred go without digging too deep as long as he promises to make peace with Hera. She also gives him one final warning: his own self destruction is just a matter of time as the construction of his fame and success came at the price of making too many enemies. She then leaves, inviting him to enjoy his fame while it lasts since afterwards he will find himself completely alone. Freya's words hit Mordred quite hard but the detective concludes he can still come out on top as long as he makes sure to properly cover his tracks and bet on the right allies. He thus leaves to pay a visit to some of his old acquaintances.

The first place Mordred decides to head back to is Hephaestus Tech. Once there he is pleasantly surprised to find John Deckard ready to speak with him right away and eager to do business due to his newfound fame.

*\*\*\*Mordred starts off by bragging a bit, claiming saving AquaOS at the last minute and arresting Eugene must have helped Hephaestus Tech's reputation. Deckard however corrects him, explaining many people still preferred to point their fingers at the security breach, though in the end it doesn't matter since Hephaestus is too powerful to bring down regardless. He even goes as far as claiming he could ruin anyone's life or reputation at will due to how much information the company possesses about everyone.\*\*\* (JOHN HEPHAESTUS INCIDENT Dialogue, triggered if the player ended Chapter 2 with a WayOut)*

Mordred grins back at John, confirming his original assumptions: the detactive has come to Hephaestus to negotiate an alliance that would benefit them both. He then proceeds to ask John what happened within the company following the death of Huber. John surprises him by bluntly inviting him to ask about the androids instead, since that's what he actually wants to know about. He thus reveals most high profile figures within Hephaestus were well aware of Huber's secret project all along. He follows up explaining the company deemed neither Dean nor Eugene worthy enough of becoming the professor's successor, so they were purposefully allowed just enough freedom in their wrongdoings to cause their own self destruction. As for the professor, the original plan was to have him arrested at the border together with his foreign accomplice: using the threat of blackmail Hephaestus could then proceed to seize his androids and turn them into soldiers. Unfortunately things didn't quite go as planned, meaning Hephaestus would take some time before being able to recreate androids similar to the professor's: Deckard however remains confident the company would eventually succeed. At last John decides to tackle the most important topic: while Huber's death had been properly covered up the same can't be said about the incident involving Thalia and the Smith brothers. Since both Hephaestus and Mordred could be damaged by someone discovering the truth their best bet is to cooperate in the cover up, which implies Mordred is from now on expected to tell whatever truth Hephaestus finds more convenient. As a sign of good will John also offers Mordred a bribe (with many more to follow in the future). Mordred gladly accepts but reminds John his cooperation is only of use within Nova Polemos itself, whereas the consequences of a foreign ambassador's death could possibly stretch even beyond the city's borders. Deckard however reassures the detective and invites him to leave foreign matters in the influential hands of Hephaestus. A satisfied Mordred thus leaves for his next destination.

The detective decides to visit the Island next. Once there he can't help but feel pity for the elders since Pandora's arrest overshadowed the abuse they were subject to and permanently ended any chance of improving their condition. Moreover, a few moments after arriving he witnesses an even more horrible scene: the residents are now under the direct surveillance of the police, who just happens to be lining them up to escort them inside after yard time. Maximilian Oath arrives right after and immediatly asks Mordred the reason of his visit. The detective tries pretending he's just generically interested in how things have been going at the Island following Pandora's arrest, but Maximilian doesn't buy it and asks Mordred to get straight to the point. The detective thus asks why residents are now being treated like prisoners. Maximilian confirms Mordred's initial suspicions: after Pandora's arrest completely killed any chance the media would notice their suffering, they became infuriated to the point they attempted an uprising. The police was fortunately able to regain control of the situation: after that the director had no choice but to harshen the rules due to the residents' irresponsible behaviour. Mordred ironically points out the whole situation must have been more than convenient for Maximilian since he had hoped to tighten his grip on the residents for quite a while, causing the Island's founder to lash out and claim he wouldn't accept moral lessons from Mordred. The detective then brings up the real reason behind his visit: although the situation is currently calm he expects someone from the press to eventually start investigating at the Island in the hope of discovering unknown information regarding Pandora's arrest. Should that happen Mordred expects Maximilian to keep quiet, refraining to give out any detail and most importantly denying the involvment of the detective in anything that might be deemed unusual. The Island's founder laughs at him, claiming it would be impossible for him to make up a realistic story given Mordred's involvment in two of Pandora's murders. Moreover, he accuses Mordred of only caring about his own well being, suspecting there might be something fishy behind Pandora's arrest. He thus tries to turn the tables on the detective, asking him money in exchange for his silence. Mordred loses his temper and violently grabs Maximilian by the neck, claiming the director's cooperative attitude is the only thing that kept him alive so far: should that change, the detective is ready to ruin his reputation by telling the press Maximilian always knew Pandora's true identity but lacked the courage to act. Maximilian tries to defend himself claiming he was truly unaware of it, but Mordred reminds him the press would never believe his word. Terrified, Maximilian understands he has no choice but to obey and promises Mordred he would keep quiet, leaving shortly after. Although he regrets having to resort to such drastic measures Mordred concludes it's for the best. He then suddendly receives a strange message from David Casey who asks him to meet at his office. The detective decides to run there as fast as possible, wondering if the lawyer has somehow spoken with Hera.

Once there, Mordred begins the conversation with an acid attitude, claiming he has become a very important and busy person and thus has no time to waste with David. The lawyer replies that's exactly why he was invited to his office, explaining he has a very important present to deliver him. He also specifies there's a couple of loose ends he wants to tie now that Pandora's case is closed, which are also directly connected to the death of Abigail. Mordred mocks David for pretending he cares for anything at all aside from his personal gain, but David replies Mordred is no different given what happened with Hera, thus confirming the detective's initial suspicions about the lawyer knowing something he is not supposed to.

*\*\*\*David explains that since Mordred was smart enough to trust him during the Hephaestus case he now wants to return the favor and warn him of the imminent danger, in that the Black Bands are already planning their next move against the detective. Mordred claims they would never dare to attack the most famous man in the city but David disagrees, also admitting he feels compelled to protect Mordred after he helped him getting rid of his own biggest nightmare.\*\*\* (PROTECT MORDRED Dialogue, triggered if the player chose to trust David in Chapter 2)*

Mordred is baffled by the lawyer's last statement, so David finally reveals he too has been a victim of Pandora for the past seven years, in that the serial killer had kidnapped his sister in order to blackmail him, threatening to kill her in case he refused to cooperate. He eventually released her but made it clear he wouldn't have any problems finding her again if David ever forced his hand. David had done nothing but follow the serial killer's instructions ever since, meaning it was actually Pandora who had sent him to bail Mordred out during his own trial. The serial killer was also the mastermind behind the glove incident during the Treasury Park case, which was carefully staged so that Mordred would start chasing Pandora again. The detective is confused at first, as his involvement with Baker's case was decided by the Black Bands and not David. David's sister however suddendly steps in, allowing Mordred to understand: she is none other than Julie Ward, who Mordred already met as the secretary of Richard Baker.

Julie continues the conversation by explaining Lee didn't limit himself to link Mordred to the Black Bands, as this was part of a much wider scheme aimed at destroying the party's reputation, becoming a martyr and transforming Pandora into a myth. Mordred points out Julie and David almost sound as if they agree with his vision, prompting David to admit this is partly true since the legacy left by serial killer is extremely valuable: Pandora's myth has shattered Nova Polemos' facade of order and security and instilled fear in its population, finally awakening it from its slumber. Incidentally, this has also a direct connection with the plan David mentioned while Mordred was investigating at Hephaestus, which is ultimately also the reason Mordred has been kept oblivious up untill this point.

*\*\*\*Julie explains she supervised herself the operation through which the Black Bands bombed their own headquarters and confirms that even if jailed, Baker is still free to do as he pleases, ultimately implying the only reason Mordred and Hera are still alive is because she adviced Baker not to assassinate them right away but rather wait for the right opportunity. Julie and David have different plan though, as they actually want Mordred to become the harbinger of an uprising that shall destroy the Black Bands from within.\*\*\* (JULIE'S PLAN Dialogue, triggered if the player refused to exonerate Baker in Chapter 1, thus spawning a JailedBaker Route)*

David explains that since Mordred is now the most famous man in the city his voice alone matters more than anyone else's. Mordred however doesn't believe his influence to be enough to trigger an uprising, so Julie clarifies the two of them also gathered a lot of information regarding the corrpution that underlies not just the Black Bands but Nova Polemos' ruling class as a whole. If used correctly this information has enough potential to start a revolution: since Mordred is now considered a hero and was also directly involved with both Hephaestus, the Black Bands and Baker, using his influence to spread this information would ensure the public considers it truthful.

\*\*\**David also points out Mordred's influence is crucial in getting past the censorship exerted by the government through AquaOS: the lawyer is convinced that winning the support of even just a fraction of the people controlling the system would inevitably make it crumble and eventually collapse.\*\*\* (NEUTRALIZING AQUAOS Dialogue, triggered if the player ended Chapter 2 with a WayOut)*

Realizing how his newfound fame is becoming more and more crucial in cementing both his influence within the city and his negotiating power with David, Mordred rejoices in thinking about how careful he was in ensuring no one ever finds out the truth behind Pandora's arrest. Feeling even more confident, he presses David and asks him what profit he would gain from playing along with his plan. David and Julie ironically reply that the city's respect should be its own reward, but that since Mordred insists so much they would now finally introduce the gift for him. Before doing so however, they also terrorize the detective by revealing one crucial detail: they are both well aware of the hoax staged by Mordred and Lee as well as of what really happened at the Hephaestus labs. An enraged Mordred asks whether they expect him to believe Hera would ever come up with such preposterous allegations, but David immediatly corrects him by explaining the one who spilled the beans was actually his "gift", revealed to be none other than Freya.

The lawyer explains Hera confessed everything to her after a breakdown, prompting Freya to start investigating on Mordred's wrongdoings with the intent of later confronting the detective to convince him to stop following his path of power and corruption. Fortunately for him, Freya asked the wrong questions to the wrong people, allowing David to realize what she was doing and ultimately causing him to step him and abduct her before it was too late. Hera has been carefully kept oblivious and as a sign of good will David is even letting Mordred choose Freya's fate. Very pleased, the detective commends David's actions prompting Freya to lash out at him. She claims she was merely trying to save Mordred from himself, but the detective rejects the idea, instead suggesting she acted this way out of the envy triggered by his newfound fame.

    While David expected Mordred to ask him to get rid of Freya, much to his surprise the detective decides to let her go, claiming no one would believe her story anyway: being forced to live her life in mediocrity would be a more than fitting punishment. Freya replies by stating how at this point she doesn't even feel hatred anymore but just pity. Unmoved by Freya's remarks, Mordred leaves to prepare for the press conference that would set in motion David's plan.

        Before attending it however, Mordred meets one last time Leon at Talon Square. Leon shows once more his support towards his friend but also advices him to make peace with Hera. Mordred rejects the idea, claiming he expects Hera to willingly return to him after realizing the only place left for her is by his side (any action she now considers despicable being actually nothing but a sacrifice he had to do to ensure her future wellbeing).

The press conference finally begins but halfway through it Mordred is able to spot Hera, now sitting in the public, as she gets suddendly kidnapped by strangers. Prevented to run to her rescue by two guards who hold him in place and command him to finish his speech, he remains confident, believing she was merely kidnapped for a ransom as later suggested by the police as well. Unfortunately, Mordred himself later finds Hera's dead body lying in an alley. Left alone and realizing too late how much she actually meant for him, Mordred can do nothing but drown in his feelings of guilt and remorse.

## Alternative Dialogues:

* **LEON BLACK BANDS:** *\*\*\*Mordred claims she has nothing to fear anymore since both of them are now well respected symbols of justice, implying the Black Bands would gain nothing from picking on them. Nevertheless, Leon points out the party has done nothing but intensify its crackdown on immigrants, political dissidents and unemployed people, suggesting they could soon resort to mass deportations much like during Nova Polemos' darkest years. Hera can't help but blame herself since her efforts to clear Baker's name together with Mordred helped the Black Bands win. Leon tries to comfort her, blaming the party's victory on the citizens' choices alone and supporting Mordred's claim on Hera being safe regardless: unfortunately, his attempt is not very successful.\*\*\* (triggered if the player exonerated Baker in Chapter 1, thus spawning a DeadBaker Route)*
* **LEON HEPHAESTUS:** *\*\*\*Their friend then brings up the topic of Hephaestus Tech, pointing out it's pretty strange how long it's taking for AquaOS' data to be restored. He even goes as far as suggesting they may have delayed the process on purpose in order to conveniently alter the most problematic pieces of information: the incident completely deprived Hephaestus Tech of its agency and influence, leaving it no choice but to obey any shady request on the government's part. Ironically enough, this also plays to the advantage of anyone who is trying to hide pieces of his past history.\*\*\* (triggered if the player ended Chapter 2 with a BlackOut)*
* **JOHN HEPHAESTUS INCIDENT:** *\*\*\*Mordred begins by asking John about Hephaestus' strategy to save its reputation despite the AquaOS incident. Deckard explains that regardless of how serious the blow was his company doesn't have any competitor and both the government and the police rely on it for their own survival, leaving them no choice but to continue depending on Hephaestus. Interestingly enough the population seems to be addicted to it too due to how well it protects and regulates Nova Polemos' information space. John ultimately concludes the only difference made by the destruction of AquaOS was that minor criminals and corrupt politicians had an easier time covering up their own wrongdoings, ironically pointing the finger at Mordred himself.\*\*\** *(triggered if the player ended Chapter 2 with a BlackOut)*
* **PROTECT MORDRED:** *\*\*\*David can't help but point out Mordred did the wrong move by not trusting him during the Hephaestus case. Nevertheless, he still wants to warn him of the imminent danger, in that the Black Bands are already planning their next move against the detective. Mordred claims they would never dare to attack the most famous man in the city but David disagrees, also admitting he feels compelled to protect Mordred after he helped him getting rid of his own biggest nightmare.\*\*\* (triggered if the player chose not to trust David in Chapter 2)*
* **JULIE'S PLAN:** *\*\*\*Julie explains she staged Baker's death herself, in that she convinced the current leader of the Black Bands to assassinate him during his first speech. The logic behind this move lies in Baker being a lot harder to blackmail or take down through scandals compared to Loveless, who instead already did many false steps after becoming leader. David and Julie's plan has ultimately the potential of freeing Nova Polemos from the Black Bands once and for all, which is why they actually expect Mordred to become its harbinger.\*\*\** *(triggered if the player exonerated Baker in Chapter 1, thus spawning a DeadBaker Route)*
* **NEUTRALIZING AQUAOS:** *\*\*\*David also points out Mordred's influence has even more potential now that the government has lost AquaOS, its most important censorship tool.\*\*\* (triggered if the player ended Chapter 2 with a BlackOut)*

## Catastrophic Aftermath (WayOut):

If the player ended Chapter 2 with a WayOut, Neo Europe's news network will transmit a special edition to report the discovery of an android near the superpower's eastern border. This android is allegedly very different from the ones produced by the NeoEuropean government as it's self-conscious and refers to itself as Thalia. According to the news report, it apparently received instructions from a certain Eugene Smith, allegedly a very important figure within the Hephaestus Tech company, which incidentally controls the universal information system of Nova Polemos known as AquaOS: information protected by the AquaOS system is believed to include state secrets, classified documents and all private communications of the Nova Polemos government. The special edition will end with the wish of such an event not compromising the diplomatic relationship between Neo Europe and Nova Polemos. Unfortunately that won't be the case as the devastating effect of the information hidden in Thalia's memory will exceed even Eugene's predictions: many cases of espionage, manipulation and even targeted murders against Neo Europeans will finally emerge, together with consistent evidence that proves how closely Nova Polemos is actually tied to many of Neo Europe's enemies. The ultimate consequence will be a declaration of war on Neo Europe's part against Nova Polemos, which in turn will prompt the city-state's totalitarian allies in Asia to immediatly rally to its defense, planting the seeds of world war three.

## Catastrophic Aftermath (BlackOut):

If the player ended Chapter 2 with a BlackOut, Nova Polemos authorities will alert the population with an emergency communication issued through the news network, claiming unknown terrorists are trying to spread fake news aimed at discrediting the city's institutions. They will also specify that citizens are to listen exclusively to transmissions and messages broadcasted by known and trusted sources, ignoring any other information: those who do not comply shall incur severe ripercussions. The government's efforts will however turn out to be useless, as Mordred's speech will ultimately prove successful in having sowed the seeds of distrust among the population. Shortly after, each citizen will start to receive strange messages that will progressively become more and more disturbing: for the very first time since the city's foundation, people will find themselves exposed to information produced by unofficial channels, believing every word of it just as usual. Allegations related to chronic corruption and the government's attempts to control the city's population will prompt hundreds of thousands to flood the streets, eventually causing the uprising predicted by David. Nova Polemos will ultimately burn in a revolution that has no clear outcome aside from widespread violence.

## Trivia:

* Completing Chapter 4C will let the player unlock the "C Ending" Steam achievement.