Chapter 11: High Overseer Campbell
The rain was thick as Corvo walked into Holgen Square. Using his mask's spyglass, he saw an Overseer in the stocks being harassed by another. He snuck behind the second Overseer and knocked him out. He opened the stocks and let loose the first.
"Teague Martin at your service." the newly freed Overseer announced.
Corvo was silent.
"I know who you are, Mister Attano." Martin whispered.
Corvo nodded.
"I'm on your side." Martin whispered.
Corvo pointed toward the exit.
"Go find Samuel the boatman. He'll take you to the Hound Pits." Corvo whispered.
And with that, Teague Martin vanished into the rainy Dunwall night. Corvo hid behind a bench to avoid the gaze of a pair of Overseers.
"Did you hear about the Heretic's Brand?" one asked.
"I saw a man who had it." the other answered.
"They say if you bear that mark, it's a crime to care for you." the first said.
"Just follow the 7 Strictures and you'll be fine." the second replied.
Corvo had heard every word of the conversation. His mind raced at the implications.
Campbell, when I'm through with you, you'll have wished I'd killed you. Corvo thought, grinning behind his mask.
Blinking up and across the rooftops, Corvo entered the Office of the High Overseer. Anyone who had seen him would probably dismiss it as a bad batch of ale. Up ahead was an alarm system. It was child's play to rewire it. Sneaking through the halls, Corvo encountered a lone Overseer. After knocking him out and taking his money, Corvo stripped the unconscious Overseer of his uniform and threw him into a broom closet.
The disguised Corvo entered the library and read up on the Heretic's Brand. Behind the mask of the Overseer, he grinned broadly. Sneaking back to the broom closet, he put on his regular outfit and put the Overseer's uniform back on its original owner. Leaving the mask lying around, he then put an empty whiskey bottle in the Overseer's hand.
Finally, he entered the High Overseer's office. Two glasses of wine were lying on the table. Two rats ran nearby. Corvo gave each one a drop from each glass. The rat that had sampled the wine from the second glass died.
So that's how Campbell plans to do it. Poison. Very clever. Corvo thought.
Snorting behind his mask, Corvo knocked the glasses off the table and spilled the wine. Just then, he heard Campbell at the door. Blinking away to a nearby chandelier, Corvo watched as his target and Curnow entered the room. After noticing the spilled wine, Campbell led Curnow out of the room. Unseen by either of them, Corvo stalked the two from above. After some time, Corvo had followed them into what appeared to be Campbell's secret lair.
"And now, Captain Curnow, you will die!" Campbell announced, brandishing a knife.
THUD! Campbell hit the floor like a sack of potatoes. Curnow looked around the room. Just then, a man with a face resembling a skull dropped from above.
"Who are you?" Curnow demanded.
"Tell your friends about me. Tell them that the Masked Man saved your life." Corvo murmured.
"I'll…be sure…to do that." Curnow stammered.
"Good. Now run for your life." Corvo ordered.
Once Curnow was gone, Corvo cut the painting of Campbell out of its frame and lugged the High Overseer to the interrogation room. Strapping Campbell into the chair, Corvo picked up the branding iron that bore the Heretic's Mark. After heating it, Corvo raised it and branded the High Overseer, wincing as the brand made contact with Campbell's skin. The unconscious Campbell was then tossed out of the chair, and Corvo made his escape through the backyard.
At the nearest dock, Samuel and Teague Martin waited for Corvo to emerge. The rain had died down some, and was now a mist. Out of the shadows, Samuel heard a voice.
"Shades of the whales in the painted deep. Maimed and impaled in their pain they sleep. The faded and frail in the laneways weep. Broken souls in mourning." the voice sang, its Serkonan accent wafting.
And then from the mist emerged Corvo Attano. If Samuel and Martin didn't know better, they'd have thought it was a spectre from the Void.
"Broken souls in morning." Corvo repeated.
"Thank goodness it's just you, Corvo." Martin announced with relief.
"What'd you do with Campbell?" Samuel asked.
"I gave him the Heretic's Brand. Tell Callista her uncle's safe and sound." Corvo answered.
"You want to go?" Samuel asked.
Martin nodded.
"Shove off, Martin. Let's go home." Corvo ordered.
And with that, the boat left the dock and went back into the dark Dunwall night. Corvo had begun to exact vengeance on his betrayers. Campbell was just the first of many more to be judged.