Amnesia: The Dark Descent (2010 Video Game)

Richard Topping: Daniel

Quotes 

• Daniel : [Opening scene]  Don't forget... some things mustn't be forgotten. The shadow hunting me... I must hurry. My name is Daniel, I live in London... at... at Mayfair. What have I done? This is crazy. Don't forget, don't forget, I must stop him, focus! My name is... is... I am... Daniel.

• Daniel : [Revenge ending]  It was my greatest triumph, and I never looked back. You think I was afraid, fleeing Brennenburg? Quite the contrary. I knew it was my purgatory, hellfire made to wash away my sins. There's no denying the things I've done, but I have paid my tribute, I gave them that awful man. I did the right thing.

• Daniel : [journal entry]  19th of August, 1839. I wish I could ask you how much you remember. I don't know if there will be anything left after I consume this drink. Don't be afraid, Daniel. I can't tell you why, but know this. I choose to forget. Try to find comfort and strength in that fact. There is a purpose. You are my final effort to put things right. God willing, the name Alexander of Brennenburg still invokes bitter anger in you, if not, this will sound horrible. Go to the inner sanctum, find Alexander and kill him. His body is old and weak, and yours, young and strong. He will be no match for you. One last thing. A shadow is following you. It's a living nightmare, breaking down reality. I have tried everything and there is no way to fight back. You need to escape it as long as you can. Redeem us both, Daniel. Descend into the darkness where Alexander waits and murder him. Your former self, Daniel.

• Daniel : [Flashback]  It sure is dark in here.

  Alexander : Yes, and there is a good reason for it. But you can light the lamp now, if you wish.

  Daniel : What's the reason? For the darkness, that is.

  Alexander : Stay close - be careful not to stray.

  Daniel : What's the reason? Why is it so dark?

  Alexander : Pay attention, Daniel. It's important that you keep going straight and make sure not to stray.

• Innocent Man : [Flashback]  Let me go, you brute!

  Daniel : The cradle is ready.

  Alexander : Good.

  Innocent Man : You, you're a man. How can you partake in this?

  Daniel : Is he alright?

  Alexander : He is one of the wicked, don't pay his lies any attention.

  Innocent Man : I'm not a bad man, it was an accident.

  Alexander : He set a man on fire.

  Innocent Man : It wasn't my fault! Why won't anyone listen?

  Daniel : That's horrible.

  Alexander : Of course, we are dealing with monsters here.

• Daniel : [Journal entry]  16th of May, 1839. The unflinching African sun has continued to plague our expedition, making it impossible to dig until dusk. How Professor Herbert managed to find the location in these vast plains of nothingness remains a mystery to me. When I asked him about the tomb again, he told me the legend of Tin Hanan, "the mother of us all". An interesting story in its own right, but I can't help feeling there's more. Later that evening, we uncovered a passage beneath the dunes leading to a sand covered stone structure. The professor was confident it was the tomb we sought and ordered the others to clear the way, late into the dark cold night. Tomorrow, I shall lead the men into the ancient structure, hoping to reach the burial chamber. No matter what the professor is keeping from me, the dig should yield something interesting to take back to London and the British Museum.

• Daniel : [Journal entry]  17th of May, 1839. My hands tremble as I write. I feel a need to document my tribulation for I fear that my memory will fail me if I linger. Today I took some men and ventured into the dark ancient passage we uncovered. Our torches burned faintly in the murky air as we slowly made our way underground. The men were superstitious and fearful. They argued loudly and I felt their strange language getting to me. I mustered my strength and yelled at them to continue down the slopes and broken steps. The crudely carved passage confused me. It looked much older than the 4th century structure we had expected. The twisting path emerged into a great ante-chamber. The walls were lined with statues unlike any I'd ever seen. Despite their unearthly quality I felt a strange familiarity about them, which haunts me still. At the far end of the chamber, a great slab of stone sealed off whatever lay ahead. I gave the order to raise it, and as I pushed through the narrow space, the heavy stone suddenly dropped, sealing me inside. I was trapped.

• Daniel : [Journal entry]  17th of May, 1839. After pounding the unforgiving stone wall for what seemed like an eternity, I realized it was hopeless. I was trapped. I fell to the ground gasping for air, trying to focus. That's when I saw a faint blue shimmer. My weakened body was heavy to carry but I managed to push myself toward the enchanting light. It was waiting for me. Enclosed in dark nothingness, I felt myself drawn to the mystic light. I reached out, closing it in my hands. The faint glow escaped my fingers and began to spark brightly and spirit me away. Unlocking alien memories of spiraling towers, endless deserts, and impossible geometry. The next thing I can remember is the grating sound of stone being lifted. The voices of the Arabs pulling me to safety. And grasped firmly in my hands was the broken pieces of a most peculiar relic.

• Alexander : [Flashback]  Much of the castle is old and hasn't been tended to for centuries. When the Shadow arrives, it won't take long before things start falling apart.

  Daniel : We're just buying time anyway. Let's do what we can.

  Alexander : There isn't much to be done about the wards. We should reinforce weak structures. The ground will tremble and there's a risk that everything will cave in us, especially downstairs. Here... here... and there. Let's get the servants working on it.

• Daniel : [Journal entry]  22nd of June, 1839. It's been more than a month since my last entry. After the event inside the underground chamber in Algeria, professor Herbert insisted I return to England. He said he didn't want to risk forfeiting the expedition lest I took a turn for the worse. An excessive decision in retrospect, but I'm glad it turned out that way. I found my journal this morning in the haphazard collection of things bought home from Africa. Next to it lay the broken stone orb wrapped in cloth, I tried to assemble it, but couldn't. The pieces wouldn't fit together, as if they weren't from the same object. Could I have imagine it all? Was there ever a complete orb?

• Daniel : [Journal entry]  25th of June, 1839. I feel the need to continue this journal, even though it was intended for my journey to Africa. This must be something very important, I just know it. I've taken it upon myself to piece the orb back together, but it's been more difficult than one might think. The pieces are behaving strangely. They seem to change color, shape and texture, but ever so slightly. Yesterday I took careful measurements and notated any significant markings. Today, I confirmed my suspicions. They *were* changing. I was terrified and rushed off to see the finest geologist in London, Sir William Smith. I approached the subject with care, and we discussed how rocks change form. He told me about the nature of glass, how it eventually collapses on itself, like ice slowly melting over the course of centuries. Smith eased my mind a bit, but I can't escape the feeling that these shards have otherworldly properties.

• Daniel : [Journal entry]  3rd of July, 1839. Today I picked up Herbert's things at the customs house. I dug through the trove of documents he had carried and found a log detailing the expedition. The nature of this text ranged from quick notes to colorful accounts of transpired events. I skimmed the pages, trying to figure out what might have happened. May 17th, the day I was trapped inside the orb chamber, Herbert dryly states: "Recovered Daniel after one hour entrapment." This confused me greatly. I was suffocating within minutes. How could I have lasted an hour? I continued reading the peculiar text. Herbert states his facts without judgement or passion, but suddenly I could read frustration into his text. He pushed his men to investigate the underground tomb, an effort which seems to have strained the minds of his men. Madness spread through the ranks and Herbert had to take some extreme measures to continue. He finally visits the chamber himself where he retrieves the orb to the surface. His account confuses me greatly. If he has the orb, what are those pieces in my drawing room?

• Daniel : [Journal entry]  4th of July, 1839. It's done! The orb is assembled. I was awakened by an exhausting nightmare. Shaking and sweating, I retired to the drawing room with a cup of tea. The relic pieces lay spread across the table as I'd left them. But somehow, I knew how it was suppose to be. I fetched the tar, which I had prepared to fix the pieces together, and without fault I joined them, producing the orb I remembered so clearly. The tar proved unnecessary. It was pushed out from the joining pieces as they merged on their own with no adhesive. The ancient stone relic now rests on my table. Its immaculate surface and perfect shape could have been molded by a factory. This is all too strange.

• Daniel : [Journal entry]  2nd of July, 1839. I received a letter today from the Algerian governor's office disclosing the fate of Herbert's expedition. About a week after my departure, Abdullah, one of the men travelling with us, returned from the desert. He was badly injured, as if maimed by a lion. The man rambled deliriously about the expedition being attacked by something horrible. The French quickly dispatched a search party to look for the expedition. After searching for days, they found the camp abandoned without any trace of Herbert or his men. Tomorrow I'll retrieve the things they recovered from Herbert's tent at the customs house. I don't know what to make of it, but I'm worried for him.

• Daniel : [Journal entry]  17th of July, 1839. How has this escaped me? They're all dead. Limbs scattered, heads split down the middle, their skin flayed as if boiled. I feel like I'm falling into myself. What's happening? Sir William Smith, Professor Taylor, and now Doctor Tate. Is it following me? How can it not be? It's the damned thing I brought from Africa. Something is after me. I have no choice but to trust the baron. He better know what he claims. If he is wrong, I suspect he'll regret it as well.

• Daniel : [Journal entry]  14th of July, 1839. I've read every book I can find on the subject. While rich in legend in hearsay, my knowledge is lack for the insight I crave. I've sent letters to many in Herbert's address book, and received answers of varying importance. Today I got one which differed greatly from the others, from a baron in Prussia. He said nothing about the quaint story of priests in underground temples. He didn't even mention them. He simply wrote: "I know. I can protect you. Come to Brennenburg castle." Signed Alexander. What am I to make of this? Protect me from what? Is someone after me? I looked up Brennenburg and traced it to the Prussian woods near the Baltic Sea. While being the least informative letter I've received, it causes me greatest distress and interest. As I write my thoughts are drawn to my nightmares in which a most disturbing sound calls to me. A sound defying description. A voice from the void. The last few weeks have been awful with so many sleepless nights dreading a repeat of those horrid dreams. Tomorrow I shall visit my physician, Doctor Tate, in hope that he can provide sedatives to help me sleep.

• Daniel : [Journal entry]  5th of July, 1839. Today I went to the university looking for answers. I was able to sneak into Herbert's office and pick an address book along with some relevant text books. Professor Taylor at the faculty of history was very helpful and I managed to approach the subject of the orbs. The most interesting aspect was the prevalent trace they had left in our culture. The mythic orbs may have inspired the Globus Cruciger which so many royal regalia holds to this day. In ancient times the orbs were held by priests as a symbol of the sun and its power. As I was leaving, I overheard a disturbing conversation. Sir William Smith, the geologist, was killed last night. Less than a fortnight had passed since I'd asked for his expertise. I know it's silly, but I can't help feeling responsible somehow.

• Daniel : [Journal entry]  2nd of August, 1839. I have arrived at the village of Altstadt. It's a haven in the midst of a vast forest and the last stop before my final destination, Castle Brennenburg. It's late in the evening and the outrider, who has been with coach since Bremen, advised me to wait until morning before I venture further. I have arranged for a bed at Der Muhle, the village's only inn, and am now waiting for the sun to rise. I try to sleep, but as I close my eyes I see the men who fell victim in London. My fear and shame forces me to witness the same scenes over and over. They are dead because of me.

• Daniel : [Journal entry]  3rd of August, 1839. I feel like I have fled the world and all its worries. Brennenburg is a majestic creation perched upon a forest-clad hill with towers reaching well above even the highest pine trees. Following the winding road leading to the gates gives the impression of discovering something forgotten, as if journeying with Marco Polo to the hidden Xanadu. Alexander, the baron, is a peculiar but gracious man. He seems well versed in worldly matters and is not at all as eccentric as I assumed. My room is exquisite and I am confident no hotel for miles could even hope to match it. As the sun sets on Brennenburg its fairy-tale varnish turns to an eerie gloom. Alexander's strange servants are never far away. They are a quiet lot and their behavior could only be described as skulking. Alexander seems pleased by my presence. As he puts it, it seems like I got here just in time.

• Daniel : [Journal entry]  4th of August, 1839. The nightmares woke me up early in the morning and for a moment I forgot where I was. Shortly after there was a knock on my door. Alexander had heard my screams and asked me to join him in the parlor. As we drank our tea, Alexander began to tell me what he knew. It seems like the Orb I found casts a long and dark shadow. It is not only a powerful item, but a dangerous one. Simply by touching it you invoke the powers within and if you are to weak to control it, it will devour you. The shadow is a sluggish thing lagging behind the wielder, killing anyone or anything in its path to reclaim the Orb. I said I didn't care about its powers and that I should throw it away. Alexander advised against this as I would still be a part of the path to the Orb and would eventually suffer death. Having the Orb, I would at least have the chance to fight back when the time came. I asked Alexander what he meant when he said he could protect me and he answered that things can be done - but at a price.

• Daniel : [Flashback]  Alexander, is it inside the castle?

  Alexander : In a manner of speaking. Come, bring the lamp. You've been to the refinery, have you not?

  Daniel : I don't believe I have. Is it connected to the... what did you call it?

  Alexander : The inner sanctum, my most precious chamber, Daniel. And it lies well beyond the refinery. In fact... it lies beneath the very stone of Brennenburg.

• Herbert : [Flashback]  Don't forget your bag, Daniel.

  Daniel : I won't, Herbert.

  Herbert : There is no shame in using a parasol in the desert. As it happens, it's imperative to your survival.

  Daniel : But it looks ridiculous.

  Herbert : The shame will hurt much less than dying, I assure you.

• Daniel : [Flashback]  Herbert, how did we find this place?

  Herbert : An old friend back in Algiers gave me a map.

  Daniel : Why isn't he with us? Didn't he want to come?

  Herbert : He wanted to, Daniel. But thing don't always turn out the way we plan.

• Daniel : [Journal entry]  7th of August, 1839. There's no denying that Alexander puts a lot of faith into what I can only describe as magic. I'm not surprised, even while traveling across Europe I assumed I would have to embrace the supernatural to save my mind and life. As a novice I do everything in my power to stay focused and not dwell too much on my own doubts. Alexander woke me up early and told me it was time we got started on our work. He was obviously excited to get going and we headed downstairs to the old dungeon where preferred to attempt his rituals. It turns out that Alexander is a true Renaissance man, paralleled only by Da Vinci, I'm sure. He showed me several rooms fitted specific research such as anatomy studies, alchemy, and botany. The crown of Brennenburg must be the Inner Sanctum, a most hallowed ground, where we shall permanently attempt to banish the Orb's Shadow.

• Daniel : [Journal entry]  8th of August, 1839. I could never be certain until today that I was on the right path. Using my Orb, Alexander managed to channel its power unto us. The Inner Sanctum flared with blue fiery light and I could feel the same things I felt in the dark chamber in Algeria. It was like standing in a mad whirlpool of impressions. It was terrifying, but Alexander kept calm and wielded strange tools of science in order to tame the storm. Suddenly the blue was stained by strains of red and the walls burst with pulsating tissue resonating with the scene. Alexander quickly covered the Orb in some cloth and the unspeakable thing vanished. Apparently, the Orb's Shadow is closer than Alexander thought. He said I should prepare for a warding ritual tomorrow. I'm not sure what he expects, but I have a bad feeling about this.

• Daniel : [Journal entry]  9th of August, 1839. It is still early and Alexander is busy preparing for the ritual later today. Seeing him this worked makes me question, why? What does he stand to gain? I realize he is curious about it all, but surely there must be more. Is he so foolish he will attempt to tame the power of Orb? I must admit that yesterday when Alexander flooded the Inner Sanctum with blue light, I realized we had but grazed the Orb's true potential. This might turn out to be more than escaping a creeping shadow. It might be the beginning of something truly extraordinary.

• Daniel : [Journal entry]  9th of August, 1839. I can't stop sweating and shaking. The warding ritual was not something of a sane mind. I did not even realize the dungeon was still in use. Alexander had his servants bring one of the prisoners, a murderer he told me. Alexander made all the arrangements, but he said I had to perform the ritual in order to have the right effect. The shadow could be lead astray by the blood of another. Killing the man would provide us precious time. What else could I do? Alexander said it had to be done. He is saving my life, I don't have the luxury of argument.