The House in Fata Morgana

"Our lives shall be forfeit to the witchs curse. Nevertheless, we must lay bare those with sin upon their souls, for the redemption of those whom are pure."

"Barnier: You were born into your madness, Ceren, but I was molded into mine. Ceren: Huh... Thats neat. But Lord Barnier, wouldnt that make me a bad match for you? Im not scared of you at all. Barnier: Heh heh... Man is a curious beast, you see. Once everyone feared me, I then came to seek those who did not. Ceren: You sure are hard to please! Barnier: Hah. You make it sound like Im merely a picky child, though I suppose theres little difference in your eyes."

"Michel: If the tale you showed me was the whole truth... then I would have said you could revile those heartless men as much as you pleased. But I refuse to believe thats the whole story. The men I saw beyond the first three doors had genuine concerns and worries. They felt things—real, human emotions—even if those things ultimately led them down a path of destruction. Wanting to do something nice for the one you care about, being disgusted at things youve done, hiding your urges from those around you. You certainly couldnt call them good men, but they were real people with real conflicts. The Witch, Morgana: So youre saying Im lying? Well, I cant say I blame you. Who would believe the word of a witch? Michel: I dont think you falsified your account, Morgana... The tragedy—no, the grisly reality you described—I dont doubt any of that happened. You wouldnt be here otherwise. The Witch, Morgana: ... Michel: But Ive learned something in my years... "reality" exists from more than one perspective. The Witch, Morgana: That doesnt change what happened. That two-faced young man deceived me, the beast severed my arm, and the greedy, power-hungry lord used me for his own personal gain. Michel: Events by themselves do not tell the whole story. Only when you take into account their circumstances, what they thought and felt, their perspectives—only then can you say youve reached the truth."

"You were able to bear them because they werent your tragedies."

"Barnier: In this world, only those who can win others favor make it anywhere. Only those who can make themselves look good and their peers like fools. Those who can claim others achievements as their own, who can appear to have more power than they actually do."

"Odilon: Your diligence has been invaluable in earning the counts favor, Lord Barnier. They think quite fondly of you. Jacopo: Is that so? Cause thats certainly not the impression Im getting. They put on a façade of friendliness, but beneath the surface, theyre all laughing, trying to figure out how to best use me— or just outright scoffing. Not a one of them sincerely trusts me. I am just a pawn to them. Odilon: We are all pieces on anothers boards. Jacopo: Whats that supposed to mean? Odilon: Twould be most prudent to consider that unqualified friendship simply does not exist in high society. All interpersonal relationships are built upon a foundation of mutual benefit, save for exceedingly rare short-lived exceptions. Nonetheless, you should not consider being used as a bad thing. We all climb atop each others boards, offering ourselves up as a powerful piece. And so do they offer themselves to us. Should you wish to survive in high society, you must always ensure your peers see you as a piece worth playing."