The first thing you notice is the smell, a metallic copper mixing with the earthly scent of rotting wood that permeates throughout what feels like the entirety of the High Wall.
Hawkwood pauses, sniffing. "Blood." He says with a scowl. The smell only grows stronger as you continue on, the sickly scent smell only growing stronger.
As you get closer, you begin to hear the sound of moans of pain, along with the frenzied panic of people running around unsure of what to do beyond 'something' and hoping that it will be enough. You ignore the side passages at this point, more curious as to what exactly is going on around here than you are tempted to loot.
After descending a staircase, you pass through a doorway to find what could be described as a charnel house. Blood splatters cover much of the floor of the room, accompanied with the corpses they pooled out from, whether they be human or dog. All together, you'd say there are 3 dead humans, and 2 dogs. Further back, you notice a few hollows peeking their heads out from their hiding spot of a downwards staircase, none of who appear injured. The hollows quickly duck back down as soon as they spot you.
Four other Hollows lay scattered throughout the room amongst the corpses, with most being helped by others who clearly have no medical experience, judging by the sheer frantic energy that fills the room. Most sport deep stab wounds, with several having various cuts all over their body. One unfortunate hollow lies on the floor, his throat slashed open as he continues to choke on his own blood, as a small group of hollows panickedly try and keep him alive. They have him pressed up against a wall next to a passageway through which is a balcony that overlooks the fountain you saw earlier.
"Not bloody more of you! We already gave ya what ya wanted, didn' we?" The hollow nearest the door cries out upon noticing your entrance. He wears better armor than the others, with some actual metal rather than the hard leather the others wear. Despite this, he nurses a stab wound to the side of his chest that has yet to stop leaking blood.
"Wait, you're not with em' Knights, are ya?" the hollow asks, narrowing his gaze.
"Not exactly." You say, eyes wide at the carnage. "What happened here?" Was this a fight or a massacre?
"Wha' happened? I can tell ya wha' happened, we 'ad something the Knights" the hollow spits to the side as he speaks, "wanted, an' they came and took it!"
So that Knight was here for a reason then, but why would they do something like this?
"How did one man manage to do all of this?" Hawkwood asks. While he is probably more used to scenes like this than you are, his face still pales noticeably at the sight.
The hollow lets out a dark chuckle. "No man did this, I can tell ya tha' much. They sent the Gods-damned Bloody Spear." The way he says the name you assume implies that it means something, but you're not sure what. "The bitch demanded we give 'er the key that we were ordered to guard by the Prince 'imself, and when we told 'er to sod off she went ballistic. Didn' even realize it was her until three of us 'ad holes in us, and Charles was missing his throat." He gestures over towards the hollow who is still struggling to breath, despite the best attempts of those around him to stabilize him. "By the time we gave 'er what she came for, well, you can see that for yourself." The hollow spits out a mouthful of blood that quickly darkens as it starts to dry.
You look over the ragged group of hollows. While most of them are uninjured, the ones who are are in pretty bad shape, especially the one that was called Charles, who would likely be dead if he didn't have someone trying to hold his throat shut.
For the three injured hollows you...
[] Offer to heal them. (Will generate 150 Corruption)
[] Do nothing. You don't know these people, so you have no reason to help them.
[] Write in
For the critically injured hollow, you...
[] Put him out of his misery. He'll just come back perfectly fine, right?
[] Give him the last charge of Estus you have on you.
[] Heal him. It's the right thing to do. (Will generate 150 Corruption)
[] Do nothing. You don't know these people, so you have no reason to help them.
[] Write in
In order to head to the Cathedral, you...
[] Take the shortcut off the balcony.
[] Head back to the ladder and take the long way around.
[] Write in (If you want to do something else instead, vote for that here)
