Murder Foretold

Murder Foretold was a virtual representation of one of Arno Dorian's genetic memories, relived by a Helix initiate through the Helix Navigator.

Clues

Monastery

• Body - A dead monk, Friar Jean, strangled with a strand of rosary beads. He appears to have fallen from his chair while writing at his desk.
• Body of Friar Benoit - An older monk lying dead in his bed. His features are sallow and his face is ashen gray.
• Body of Friar Bernard - An older monk lying dead in his bed. His features are sallow and his face is ashen gray.
• Body of Friar Stanislaus - An older monk lying dead in his bed. His features are sallow and his face is ashen gray.
• Crumpled paper - Clenched in the monk's dead fist is a crumpled bit of paper, apparently torn from a diary. It reads: "--guilty! I have poisoned them. He claimed it was God's will that I do so because of the prediction, but I cannot escape my guilt. I am a murderer! I must confess everything right this minute, before --" The note is unfinished.
• Partially burnt diary - " -- poisoned the cask of wine, but I served it! If he knew that I am about to confess, he would not hesitate to murder me himself! Oh, curse the day the predictions of Nostradamus ever came into Honoré's possession. He is quite mad! And he has driven me to madness! But I am --"
• Property of: Friar Honoré - Personal effects. Of note is an enormous book filled with intriguing quatrains: The Prophecies by Nostradamus.
• Property of: Friar Jean - Personal effects. Also, at the bottom of the chest: a single page, torn from a book.

"The seven branches will be reduced to three,

The elder ones surprised by death,

The two seduced to fratricide,

The conspirators will die as they sleep.

--Nostradamus"

• Statement of Friar Benedict - Friar Benedict: Noted that the three monks dead in their beds were the elders of the order. They became ill after Friar Jean served them wine and went to sleep. When they could not be woken, Benedict went for a doctor. Upon his return, he found Friar Jean strangled at his desk.
• Statement of Friar Honoré - Friar Honoré: Believes Nostradamus is a prophet.
• Statement of Friar Joseph - Friar Joseph: Claims Friar Honoré and Friar Jean were friends. Expresses concern that the murders have affected Honoré's sanity.
• Statement of the Abbot - Abbot: Noted that Friars Benoit, Stanislas, Bernard and Jean were now dead. Three other remain alive. Refused to believe one of those could have killed the others.
• Statement of the Vineyard Worker - Vineyard Worker: Saw a monk starting a fire in the vineyard. Yelled at him and he ran off. Unable to identify monk.

Dialogue

Monastery

• Abbot: Dear Lord, Friars Stanislas, Bernard and even the respected Friar Benoit! And then Friar Jean... All dead. It passeth all understanding. Three monks survive, praise God. But... I dare not think... is it possible that the murderer is one of them? Bah, ridiculous! Which of them would be capable of such an atrocity?
• Friar Benedict: So much happened! First, the death of the elder monks! Friar Jean served them wine, and they immediately became very tired. They went to bed and couldn't be roused! I ran to the doctor. When I came back, what did I find? They were all dead! And there's Friar Jean, strangled at his desk!
• Vineyard Worker: Saw a monk right over there, startin' a fire, he was! A fire here in the vineyard! Well, I yelled at him to get on out of there and he ran off.
• Friar Joseph: I am very worried about Friar Honoré, he and Friar Jean were quite close - I fear Jean's murder has affected Honoré's sanity.
• Friar Honoré: God's will cannot be understood by mortal man. We search and pray and do the best we can. Small hints can be discerned, say, in the writings of prophets. I believe Nostradamus is one.

Conclusion

Spoiler

The murderer was Friar Honoré, a monk obsessed with the French prophet Nostradamus. Case Summary Nostradamus' predictions come true: Honoré poisoned a cask of wine and Jean served it to the elder monks (the eldest of the "branches"). In a fit of remorse, Friar Jean decided to confess and was in the act of writing of this decision in his diary when he was surprised by Friar Honoré, who then strangled Jean with his own rosary beads. Honoré then attempted to burn a page from Jean's diary, but was seen by the vineyard worker and ran off in a fright.

Reference

• Assassin's Creed: Unity