The Kingdom of Beggars was a virtual representation of one of Arno Dorian's genetic memories, relived by a Helix initiate through the Helix Navigator.
Description[]
With Sivert dead, Arno set out to locate his accomplice, the Roi des Thunes.
Dialogue[]
Arno and Bellec returned to the Assassin Council.
- Mirabeau: Parishioners found a body in Notre-Dame today. The wags are already calling him the Penitent. I take it justice has been done?
- Arno: Not entirely. Sivert had an accomplice the night of (Mister) de la Serre's murder. He struck the killing blow.
- Mirabeau: This raises troubling questions—what have you learned?
- Arno: He was working with a man called le Roi des Thunes.
- Beylier: The King of Beggars? Are you sure?
- Arno: You know him?
- Beylier: Of him. The beggars pay him tribute, the man himself is a ghost. We've sent three Assassins after him. The first two found no trace. The third never returned.
- Arno: I can find him. Sivert met with one of his lieutenants. I owe it to the memory of (Mister) de la Serre to uncover the truth.
- Mirabeau: Perhaps you can at that. You've proved yourself a true Assassin today—and a true Assassin must have the proper tools.
Pierre Bellec attached a Phantom Blade to Arno's Hidden Blade.
- Arno: So the concealed blade and the smoke bombs were just, what you had on hand, then?
- Mirabeau: The phantom blade. A modest little update from the traditional Assassin's blade. Where you're going, you may not wish to get too close to your enemies. Now then. Assassin, this Council charges you to go to la Cour des Miracles. Find there the Templar agent le Roi des Thunes. Learn his secrets, and bring him peace.
Arno accepted the assignment and left for the Cour des Miracles.
The Cour des Miracles
- Guard 1: This your first time in the Cour des Miracles?
- Guard 2: (Yes).
- Guard 1: Cheer up—it's not the worst posting. I was in the Colonies a few years ago—now that was ugly. Just keep one hand on your purse and you'll be fine.
- Beggar: Please, no! I've done all I can, it's the times! No one wants to—
- La Touche: His Grace doesn't care about excuses. He cares about results. If you can't make your quotas, he makes... adjustments. Doctor, cut his foot off.
- Beggar: No! No, please, God no!
Arno investigated the commotion.
- Arno: There you are. Le Roi des Thunes' lieutenant. La Touche.
Unable to stand the cruelty the beggar was experiencing, Arno pushed through the crowd.
- De Sade: Oh, I wouldn't do that. Look. Lovely, no? The good folk of Paris give more money to crippled beggars than whole ones. Le Roi des Thunes sees in that bit of trivia an opportunity to motivate his less-successful employees.
- Arno: That man—
- De Sade: Has lost a foot. Now, you can charge in there, cause a great disturbance, and send all the rats scurrying back to their holes. Or you can disappear into the swarm, and follow the rats back to their king. Either way, that man has lost a foot.
- Doctor: It's done.
- La Touche: Take him to the clinic for a proper cauterization, then send him back to the street.
- Guard 3: Come on, up you get.
- Arno: I appreciate the advice.
- De Sade: Not yet.
- Arno: Who are you precisely? And why help me?
De Sade introducing himself
- De Sade: Oh, I've had my eye on you for some time now, Arno. I feel it my sovereign duty to aid all those who suffered in cruelest bondage with me at the Bastille. And I have a vested interest in seeing the King of Rats caught in a trap. As to my name, I have the pleasure of being Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade. Do pay me a visit when you have tired of chasing vermin. Oh, he's left a lovely trail. Good luck.
Arno followed the blood trail left behind by the beggar and tailed la Touche.
- Beggar 1: Nights are getting cold again.
- Beggar 2: Mmm.
- Beggar 1: You don't seem worried.
- Beggar 2: I know where the chimneys are.
- Beggar 1: What chimneys?
- Beggar 2: The ones His Grace had put in when he took over down below. Sleep on one of those and you'll be as warm as a babe in arms.
- La Touche: Double-time, lads. His Grace isn't fond of tardiness.
Who are you?
No closer!
Don't touch me!
Get back! - De Sade: (Mister) La Touche. Still bringing medical care to the disenfranchised?
- La Touche: Your day will come, libertine.
- De Sade: Rather sooner than you think, I'm sure.
- Guard 4: Fancy a drink later?
- La Touche: Do I know you?
- Guard 5: Is it true what he did to Thierry?
- La Touche: I remember the man's screams and how long they lasted. And that was for an accounting error.
- Guard 5: You're joking. I thought he'd skimmed off the take or some such.
- La Touche: No. He misplaced a 1 in a ledger.
- Guard 5: Right. Double-time it is.
Arno followed la Touche to the clinic.
La Touche arriving at the clinic
- La Touche: Get him inside, quickly. Something doesn't feel right.
- Guard 3: Uh... he's dead, sir.
- La Touche: Then toss him in the gutter and get yourselves inside.
The guards tossed the body and close the gates.
- Guard 6: Quotas are up again. I don't know who His Grace's new friends are, but they're squeezing us drier than stones.
- Guard 7: Hope I've got enough....
- Guard 6: Wonder what they'll take this week?
- Guard 7: More "tribute" for His Grace.
- Guard 6: Better this than the king's "modifications".
Arno entered the clinic.
- Guard 8: Hold him steady.
- Beggar 3: No! No! Please! Please!
- Guard 9: What's the order for unfortunate in bed 6?
- La Touche: "Horribly burned in a fire that killed his family and drove him mad."
- Guard 9: A burn job? Do you know how hard those are to get right without burning half the district to ash?
- La Touche: Use a few drops of the strong acid. Laymen can't tell the difference.
Arno confronted la Touche, handcuffing him to the wall.
Arno interrogating la Touche
- La Touche: No! No, please!
- Arno: Give me le Roi des Thunes, and I'll spare you your life.
- La Touche: The catacombs! He's in the catacombs beneath the old church!
- Arno: La Touche, I expected a stronger spine than yours! What will your Master say?
- La Touche: Oh God... God help me!
Outcome[]
Interrogating la Touche, Arno discovered the hiding place of the Roi des Thunes.
Gallery[]
Arno returning to the Council
Beylier telling Arno of the Roi des Thunes
Arno testing the Phantom Blade
Mirabeau sending Arno to assassinate the Roi des Thunes
Arno meeting de Sade
La Touche attacking Arno