A Study In Crimson

[Lilliana Adames]

[The Crimson King] Let him go? It is an honor to be my herald, [Player]. Sadly it is my curse that I can only speak directly when one is at their weakest. I do not sense that to be you to be weak right now, would you agree? Now, to business.

[The Crimson King] This place. This shrine to Kaul, the Genius Loci. Cazol, the Masked of Calder seeking the Yellow Wool. I know of all these things. What I do not know is why you were here. But this place, it is important. This is where we met. This is your history. Perhaps too it plays a role in mine.

[The Crimson King] Because of what I tasted when we spoke first. You touched the Veil, and I arrived, as I always do, seeking a way home. Your memories were the first I had touched in a long time that I felt real answers in. But then you woke. You did not sign the deal, [Player]. So I come to you seeking another way. I need you to explore the memories I should have collected, to attempt to rediscover your own. I fear they are lost forever. Help me [Player]. Help me go home.

[The Crimson King] Have I not made that clear? I apologize to you. I need to reenter the Crimson Wool. My prison. My home. You will see my arrival in this Valley, if you visit the memories I offer. Your questions will be answered.

[The Crimson King] To the west, closest to the Vault is the effigy of the being who claimed me and destroyed my prison. They entered the Ephemeral Corridors with their armies. You will be them. See what they saw. Do what they did. I leave you to speak to it.

[The Crimson King] This is wrong. But onward. You next took the Wool from this place, to a hideout... Now, You had a plan, you see. You wanted to channel the power of the Wool into a vessel. Yourself, at first, but it would never work. But the woman with the crimson hair... She would.

[The Crimson King] Callum Herring. Minverva. Maxwell. Their story echoes across memory. They found You, hiding away, preparing a ritual that would eradicate the city of Farr. The Professor battled You and in a final desperate act, You destroyed the catalyst You worked so hard to claim, the Crimson Wool.

[The Crimson King] Of course not. You began to channel the power of the Crimson Wool. Something... snapped. You fled as the Wool is destroyed, killing the Professor and wounding the others. It was here I made my first deal in millenia as I emerged from my prison into this new world. Farr would be forever damaged as the memory of the event echoed on into eternity.

[The Crimson King] These are unusual circumstances, I agree. Your time is coming. Let me help you. You can live on. Your great cause will continue in your absence and I will allow you to see it. All you must do is come with me.

[The Crimson King] I don't. I merely wish to return home. We've discussed this. Now, on to more pressing matters. I want you to next enter the memories of the first person I dealt with upon awakening in this Valley. The man C'Telsket killed. His name is Callum Herring. He was once a powerful member of the Mage Council and mentor to that young boy with a role to play. Go. Seek what I need. His pedestal rests next to C'Telsket's.

[Magic is very particular, Max. You can't just brute force it to be what you want. You must convince it. Weave the strands together like a beautiful tapestry and let the magics cross and form together.]

[Max] Professor! I've tracked Minerva here, but I can't tell where that Shaman has taken her next. Something is really wrong though. Everyone's hiding. There's Beastmen swarming the streets! We have to help them!

[The Crimson King] I was reborn. The Wool that contained me was shattered by that foolish Shaman. I took Callum Herring as he died as my first new memory. That boy went on to shake worlds. That girl... Something clouds my sight again. This is disturbing, [Player].

[The Crimson King] Yes and no. Increasingly I am fearing that memory cannot be trusted, even the ones I have claimed. I knew returning home would be a challenge, but I did not foresee this. We must seek the truth in the fallible memories of the dead.

[The Crimson King] Next, I ask you to approach the third effigy. You will be very familiar with this one. Once revered among his people, then cast into exile for his crimes, I ask that you investigate the memories of C'Zanil to find the next steps.

[The Crimson King] I made a deal with that former Shaman. He lasted a long time in his so-called crypt. During my wanderings through Tlaxan territory I felt his power and took him due to his knowledge of other Wools. Actually getting that knowledge has been a struggle however. I leave that to you.

[The Crimson King] Do you think I take their freedom? They are still themselves, just a memory of the lives they lived. I am not that cruel. Now go. Speak with him. He is the face to the east, closest to this room.

[The Crimson King] C'Zanil was one of my earliest claims. He lingered longer than any man exiled to die ever should. I could sense his power through the mountains of earth above him and entered the darkness below to find him, barely alive. His Generals had perished many moons ago, each with traces of magic still dancing in the darkness. I touched their memories and learned much of what had happened in the Valley.

[The Crimson King] Sadly, nothing of value for what we seek. Zanil offered me his memories but made me promise to leave his people be. Since I have taken C'Zanil, I have not touched another Tlaxan. I have kept my word.

[The Crimson King] I don't think you understand. He's never let me in. I have him in my hold, but I cannot see what he sees. This is why I have sent you here. I want you to convince him that the time to share is at hand. Are you ready?

[Zanil] I know where the Slumbering Knight lies. The King will need him to return home. I do not trust his motivations, however. If he finds the Slumbering Knight, he could kill him and be one step closer to being free forever. Spirits lie, [Player].

[Zanil] There is so much more to it than that. Let me show you something I have not shown the King. They whisper, you know. The Wool. I can feel their stain on your hands. Ixume chose its bearer when it was done with its previous one. I'm sure it chose you too.

[Zanil] You see. It spoke. It never stopped speaking. How C'Shura kept it suppressed I did not understand. Together with Quetzalcoatl, we did great things... Great and hideous things... But these spirits cannot be trusted. Now, I bid you leave. If you insist on helping him, find another way. I will not share.

[The Crimson King] A wise statement. Those powerful enough to be placed within a Wool tend to not be trustworthy. Still, I am different. I know what I have done to those around me. I seek to fix it and remain within my home - my prison - and atone for my sins.

[The Crimson King] He does?! Then he knows what I need, truly. The Knight can fix what is broken. Their hammers can mend the Wool. We must find a way to make him trust you, [Player]. Surely there is a way.

When I curl up on a couch at Smith next to my best friend on a Wednesday night, or bunker down with a project partner at Cabot, the social pressure to look studious, the moody vibes, and the white noise of computers clicking keeps me going. But when I settle into a busy coffee shop with a cozy ambiance and a new shot of energy, all study plans quickly degrade into endless tea sessions and complaints about burdensome course loads.

"We are taking action to make OU more affordable to Oklahomans and want students in the state to think of OU as their future college home. We are dedicated to keeping Oklahoma talent in our state, and Crimson Commitment helps us serve strong students who are in most need of financial assistance."

A student who is enrolled in OU's Crimson Commitment will not have to pay tuition and, combining outside and OU resources, average student fees for four years. Please check the OU Bursar website for exact course fees. The program is an upgrade and a replacement to the previous Sooner Promise program.

The program also offers academic and personal support, which comes in the form of peer mentoring and ongoing programming focusing on the transition to college, success on campus, and the college-career pathway.

During their first year on campus, Crimson Commitment students will also attend monthly symposiums, where students will have the opportunity meet other participants and learn more about resources at the University of Oklahoma.

Create, complete, and submit your application. If you're eligible for Oklahoma's Promise, our OU application will automatically waive your fee when you click "submit." This means you can submit your application without paying the application fee.

An average student taking 15 credit hours in the Dodge Family College of Arts & Sciences typically has $4,680 in fees a semester. Here's a look at fees per credit hour associated with each college. For a complete list of all additional fees, visit ou.edu/bursar/tuition_fees. No matter which classes a student takes, combining outside and OU resources, a student enrolled in Crimson Commitment will have up to $9,360 per year to cover fees. Scholarships and grant money a student receives reduce this sum. Crimson Commitment only applies to OU specific courses.

OU offers flat-rate tuition, allowing students to pay for 15 hours of tuition each semester or 30 hours per year. Students can take up to 21 hours each semester and still receive flat-rate tuition. Crimson Commitment guarantees Oklahoma Promise students $9,360 each year to cover average fees. A student's fees may exceed average fees depending on the student's course of study and the number of hours taken. Refer to the list of college specific fees for more information.

Crimson Commitment also offers academic and personal support, which comes in the form of peer mentoring, graduation coaching, and ongoing programming focusing on the transition to college, success on campus, and the college-career pathway.

If a student studies abroad through OU courses that are billed to the university, Crimson Commitment could be used to pay for OU tuition and fee charges, but it would not apply to travel or study abroad program fees.

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