Nicolas Eymerich The Inquisitor Sparknotes

Nicolas Eymerich The Inquisitor is a point and click game depicting the problems of heresy and the struggles with parallel beliefs in 14th century Europe. In the game, Eymerich is sent by Father Abbot Vinet to uncover the mystery of a number of strange sightings in the village Calcares. While on his search, he decides that the true danger does not lie in the Devil’s apparitions, but rather the heretics which have infiltrated the church. This holds true in our class studies of parallel beliefs in France, and the ways in which the clergy handled such threats. By playing Nicolas Eymerich The Inquisitor, I have gained an additional perspective of the role of religion during this time period which can be compared to what I have already learned in

class and in discussion.
France in the Middle Ages was similar in many ways to the environment and plot of The Inquisitor.

For example, the religious hierarchy functions very similarly to how it is shown in the game. This is shown by the amount of power Father Vinet and Eymerich have over lower-class people such as the guard, the peasants, and the librarian. Constantly, Eymerich’s arrogance shows in his interactions. Even with Father Vinet, who is above him in rank, the Inquisitor is not afraid to shout at him; he is overly confident that his faith will protect him. In addition to the similarities in the class system, the game is also a good representation of how dealings of the Devil are handled. The unknown is taken very seriously, as shown by the Inquisitor’s notebook, and his punishment of the librarian. For doing something so simple as copying a forbidden text, the librarian is immediately accused of being a “Perfect” and is assaulted. During this time, there is little justice on the side of the defendant, since the church rules all, and escaping punishment once accused is nearly impossible, as displayed by this dramatic fight scene. The notebook of Eymerich is often referred to as a guide for his claims, and is used frequently throughout the game. However, this journal doesn’t seem like a legitimate source of evidence. In fact, the notes are nothing but a series of rough scribbles and sketches done by the Inquisitor himself. This shows that there are no concrete facts which can be used

against “Perfects” and other heretics, but they are penalized regardless.
The perception of parallel beliefs and the unknown during the Middle Ages was one surrounded by fear, anger, and power. Fear was felt by people of all classes, especially clergymen who felt that heresy could be hiding within the Catholic church. In the game, this can be seen by how Eymerich responds to his assigned task. His fear causes anger towards Father Vinet, for he feels as though he has put Eymerich in harm’s way by sending him after a dangerous demon. This anger is also seen in the dialog between other characters in the game, whenever any doubt of religion arises. This is another great representation of the Church’s need to control all of its people, and how unfair the justice system is in regard to it. While clergymen are constantly considering the faith and loyalty of Catholics, they rarely ever question the claims they make to begin with, such as seeing “a Demon in female form, hair of fire, driven by four wild beasts” and a woman made of clouds and light. As we have discussed in class, allegations like these made in modern day would be deemed absurd, but in this time, they went unquestioned. The concerns of the Church lay not in the sanity of its members, nor demons or the Devil himself. They are interested solely in purging heretics.
Finally, there are a number of parallels I drew between Nicolas Eymerich The Inquisitor and the discussions we’ve had in class on witchcraft in the Middle Ages.

To start, the personality of Eymerich in the game is incredibly similar to the monk in The Sorceress, as they are both incredibly arrogant and hold similar roles (exposing and destroying heresy). Another example is the reoccurring issue of the Pagan Goddess Diana. In these ways, I felt as though this game was a helpful way to extend my existing knowledge of parallel beliefs in Medieval Europe. Mary A. Suydam expressed her concerns about historical accuracy in media in her article “Under the Spell of The Sorceress: The Allure of the Medieval.” While The Inquisitor is undoubtedly made for entertainment purposes, as a historical fiction book would be, it is still a strong basis and educational guideline for a curious audience. Implementing elements such as world exploration and creative character interactions makes the game enjoyable to play, while the interactive point-and-click layout allows an easy to access database of knowledge for the

player.
Based on the parts of Nicolas Eymerich The Inquisitor I have played through so far, I have been able to gain an additional perspective on witchcraft in Medieval France. While the events in the game are not entirely accurate to real historical events, they give the player a good idea of what the time period might have been like. The parallels drawn between plot points in game and discussion topics in class have both bettered my understanding, and increased my interest parallel beliefs. In conclusion, I believe that The Inquisitor is an entertaining and useful resource for anyone looking to learn more about the hunt for heretics during the Middle Ages in Western Europe.