Cyneric Arnoldi

Thale is a small and mystical town in the Harz mountains of Germany. A place full of fairy tales and witches, legends and myths that date back to the tenth century. But the Arnoldi family would tell you that it’s all a load of rubbish.

The Arnoldis were a prestigious family that boasted wealth for generations. For as long as anyone could remember, an Arnoldi was elected mayor of the town. They were known throughout Thale for their wealth, their power, and most importantly, their obnoxious denouncement of any and all things related to witchcraft. “It’s just a marketing ploy to bring tourists in,” Henry Arnoldi would say, “Without the witch gimmick, this town would be just like any other.”

Henry and his wife, Amaya, were the proud parents of four children. The birth of their daughter was known throughout the town, and so was the birth of their twins. Talented prodigies, just like their father and his father before him and so forth. Yet, when their fourth child was born, the family went unusually silent. Unlike his siblings, Cyneric Arnoldi was kept out of the spotlight. No celebration, no rejoicing. From then on, the doors and windows of the household were kept closed. What was once a loud and prominent family suddenly went quiet, just like that.

When the family was brought back into the public eye, it wasn’t the doing of Henry, or of Amaya, or of their first three children. No, it was their mysterious fourth child.

The boy claimed he could speak to the dead.

From a young age, Cyneric gained fame for his mysterious gift. This wasn’t some scam from a bogus spirit medium, no, this was the real deal. Cyneric’s services began in Thale and expanded across the world as his name quickly spread. Most often, he assisted in letting grieving families communicate with their lost loved ones. Other times, he was summoned to assist in difficult and infamous cases of murder by establishing a connection with the deceased. Hope’s Peak recognized his talent as the Ultimate Medium when he was 16, meaning he is now an alumnus of the prestigious school.

Not much is known about Cyneric’s personal life, for that he often chose to remain silent about it, especially when asked about the family he grew distant from. And yet.. The very last sighting of Cyneric was in his own hometown, five years ago. He was 22 years old. Witnesses report that he was most likely there for a private family reunion. No one knows exactly what ensued at this event to lead to a catastrophe, all we know is that a horrific fire soon burned the Arnoldi estate down.

Five bodies were found and identified at the scene.
Henry, Amaya, Dorothy, Waylen, Lorelei, and–
Where the hell was Cyneric?

Five years have passed since the incident. Authorities still cannot say for certain whether Cyneric caused the tragedy, was taken away from the scene by the perpetrator(s), or if he was even there at all. Some skeptics believe that the boy had snapped and made a run for it, while the more superstitious residents of the town believe that the witches of Thale had finally taken their vengeance upon the family.

Where is Cyneric to provide us with answers?