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A famous magician who is over seven hundred years old. He has appeared in all the games of the Shadow Hearts series; the only character to do so. Even though in each game his importance varies, his is always involved in the plot, albeit sometimes in a minor role.

Library Entry[]

A legendary alchemist who became immortal. He leaves traces of himself wherever he goes, but has not been seen. If he is indeed alive, then he is more than 400 years old.

Strange Creature living in Wales. Although hard to imagine from his skeletal visage, he is a legendary and powerful magician.

A strange piece of work discovered at Roswell. He crashed his seaplane on its maiden flight, and was mistaken for an alien. He is a great 700 year-old magician.

Biography[]

Pre-Koudelka[]

Born in 1214, in England to a well-off family, much of his early life is unknown.

In 1247 he enrolled in Oxford and was under the tutelage of esteemed polymath Robert Grosseteste (whom he believed lacked wisdom, but had a good heart).

After graduating, he toured the universities of Europe as a lectuer and a scholar, and began penning numerous books of natural science, culminating in his Opus Majus a treatise on natural science, grammar, optics, logic, mathematics, physics and philosophy.

In 1257, he became a monk in the Franciscan Order, and continued his work.

41-045 37

Roger, during his days as a teacher.

It was during this time he was ordered by the Pope to transcribe the legendary cursed, but deteriorating, Émigré Manuscript. Considering it his greatest work, the process took him five whole years to complete. Using one of the rituals from the dark text, he managed to gain immortality (though not agelessness) so he could pass his knowledge on to future generations. Following the ritual, he erased it from the manuscript so it could not be abused by others.

Upon his completion of the transcription, he was sentenced to death by the Vatican to keep knowledge of the document secret. Roger managed to escape from the Vatican and began to take on apprentices to share his knowledge with. At some point travelling to the holy land, mentioned in the Émigré Manuscript.

Arriving at Nemeton Monastery, he began a renovation of the site, updating the architecture in the Gothic style, and creating a suitable space for a laboratory.

Still under pursuit from Papel forces, he fled the monastery - his abandoned notes would later be found by alchemists John Dee, and Edward Kelley who were searching for the Émigré Manuscript. They reworked the ciphered texts into a document that would later become known as the Voynich Manuscript.

Two-hundred years later, eventually he came across a man called Albert Simon, and, believing him to be the best of all his students he decided to teach him everything he knew. An excellent pupil, Albert had worked his way from a lowly birth and was embittered at the contradictions he saw of the world he lived in; the rigid class structure, the subjugated masses. He saw a world where everyone was treated as equals, and began to preach against the status quo.

Despite sharing similar views, Roger tried to moderate his pupil to be less vocal on his beliefs to protect him from the wrath of the church. Furious, Albert brought charges of witchcraft on Roger before the Court of the Vatican. However, the Vatican instead condemned Albert as a heretic, and imprisoned him.

After his imprisonment, Albert changed; he was colder, more ruthless, driven. Alarmed, Roger attempted, again, to dissuade his former pupil, but to no avail.

For the next two-hundred-and-fifty years, Roger travelled the globe, growing ever wearier and disillusioned with mankinds unchanging cruelty. Eventually, he made his way, again to Wales, and to the Nemeton Monastery. Hiding himself away in a coffin, inside a hidden room, he entered into a deep sleep lasting a whole century, until the the events of Hallowe'en night, 1898...

Koudelka[]

Koudelkabaconfmvmodel

FMV Model

Having gained entry to his secret room, Koudelka Iasant, Edward Plunkett, and Father James O' Flaherty discovered his coffin and apprehensively opened it, revealing the dormant Roger. Thinking he was just a mummified corpse, Koudelka, Edward, and James slumped against the bier, relieved that there wasn't anything dangerous inside. Springing to life, Roger startled them, and yelled cryptically of the Formors, and the Émigré Manuscript, before, just as suddenly, collapsing back into his coffin.

After leaving him alone, Roger awoke again, and began to explore the monastery grounds, eventually coming across isolated Koudelka, praying infront of the grave of Saint Daniel - the founder of the monastery. Somewhat bewildered by the strange man, nonetheless a rapport builds between the two, leading Roger to help her gain entry back into the main building, with the pretext of getting her to tell James and Edward to keep the ruckus down.

The group later found him in a secret library, digging through research books, where he tells them of his past, and his work on the Émigré Manuscript, before hurrying them out. Presenting him Patrick Heyworth's research notes, Roger was surprised to find the ritual had been attempted, and agreed to help destroy the monster that had been created as a result. He informed them that a holy relic, the mummified arm of Saint Daniel could be used to help purify the area with fire.

The purification succeeded, but at the cost of James' life, and the ruination of the monastery. Walking around in the daylight air, Roger came across Koudelka and Edward, who had luckily managed to escape death. Picking up a slightly charred book, he stood with Koudelka, as they watched Edward go on his way.

Koudelka Manga[]

Main article: Roger Bacon/Manga

Shadow Hearts[]

09Roger

Roger Bacon has made himself a home near the Monastery's ruins, working on new and brillant inventions unaware what his former pupil is up to.

Not straying far from the ruin that housed his slumbering form for over a century, and wanting to guard the site, due to its mystical and dangerous nature, he constructed a futuristic house of unusal architecture, and dedicated himself to science - creating and researching many new and groundbreaking technologies and devices. Among them a vending machine; Continental Zero.

It was during this time, as a hobby he instigated the Lottery organisation, serving as its chairman, aka "Lottery Member #00".

He had began work on a instantaneous matter teleportation device powered by treadmill, based on technology by an alien race called the Gamilans - apparently as a means to for speedy pizza delivery - but had yet to finish it before he first met Yuri Hyuga, Alice Elliot and their other allies, whom had been sent by Koudelka to seek out Roger, to help them in their struggle against his former pupil, Albert Simon.

He told them of Albert's past, and of the tragic events that led to the destruction of the monastary, before leading them into the to a door, the Door of Judgement, that sealed the deep caverns beneath Nemeton, and allowing them passage.

Despite a valiant effort by Yuri and Koudelka, Albert was successful in his plans, and raised the Neam Float - a giant structure to serve as a beacon to "God", for him to come and cleanse the world.

Recognising the structure, he informed Yuri and his party of the history of the devices, and where the nature of "God", and where he would be coming from. Ultimately troubled by this, Roger agreed, again, to help them, and set about calibrating his teleporter.

In an amusing aside, though it was last in the hands of the warlock, Dehuai (whom had previously been defeated by Yuri in Shanghai), Roger had mysteriously acquired the Pulse Tract. He traded it to Yuri for his Erotic Book, noting with disgust that some of the pages were stuck together.

As a further test for the calibration of his teleporter, he inadvertantly teleported himself, (apparently) to the Moon, though was unscathed and none the worse for the fall back to Earth, nor the lack of oxygen, and presented the skeptical Yuri with a weapon as proof.

Finally completing work on the teleporter, he set the coordinates for the Float, and bid Yuri and friends good luck.

Pre Covenant[]

Successful, Yuri, the "God-slayer" returned to Earth and had saved the world.

In a bid to ensure that the Three Ancient Tomes, that had caused so much misery and death, would no longer be abused by malign hands, Roger and Yuri discussed what to do with them. Yuri was in favour of burning them, to be done with it entirely, though Roger persuaded that it would be better to split and hide them seperately.

They hid the Émigré Manuscript in the newly formed Great Nemeton Fissure - a deep crack caused from when the Float emerged, revealing yet more ruins beneath the monastary depths - upon an altar, deep at the heart of the complex, protected by monsters and other defences. Though the monsters avoided the pair on their trip. As further protection, Roger summoned a sentry with attendants to watch over the book - although he dropped his copy of Shanghai Heaven while down there.

Using the teleporter, he also hid a weapon on the Moon for Yuri, fearing its power should it fall into the wrong hands. The two parted ways, and Roger settled down into continuing his research.

Shadow Hearts: Covenant[]

Rogerkidnapped

Kidnapped!

Seeking Roger, he was kidnapped by Lenny Curtis and his Clawed Soldiers, members of the secret society, Sapientes Gladio, who wished to use his knowledge of the Émigré Manuscript and the use of his technology for their own purposes.

He was taken to their Italian HQ, and tortured for the location of the manuscript, though he remained silent on its whereabouts.

Meanwhile, they also sought to remove any potential interference from Yuri, so Nicholas Conrad, another member of the society, attacked him with a holy relic, the Holy Mistletoe, to rob him of his fusions. Yuri began to search for Roger, and tricked Lenny into revealing his location.

Imprisonedroger

The Magician in the Iron Mask

Nicolai learnt of this however, and moved Roger to the prison island of St. Marguerite Island, covering him in an iron mask. He was eventually saved by Yuri, though to his dismay found that he had the Émigré Manuscript taken by Nicolai. The manuscript had been handed to Japanese Special Agent, Masaji Kato, who used its rituals to create a clone, Ouka, of his deceased love, Yuri's former ally, Yoshiko Kawashima.

Sensing a greater plot, Roger revealed to the party a brief history of Sapientes Gladio - and what they wanted from his; his life, the Émigré Manuscript, and his newly developed airship, the Bacon Jet.

Having apparently developed a nuclear reactor, a single bucket of water could make it run for over 3000 miles and perform vertical take offs and landings. Roger piloted it to Russia to help Yuri and the party seek the head of the elusive organisation, advisor to the Russian throne; Grigori Rasputin.

Baconjetflying

Flying the Bacon Jet

While they sought Rasputin, Roger returned to London to rendezvous with a contact, Thomas Edward Lawrence, who was searching for the former head of Sapientes Gladio, Bishop Jovis Abraham. It was discovered that he was last seen in Turkey, with intel suggesting that he had moved to Goreme Valley and set up a hermitage.

Roger returned to Russia, picking up Yuri and his party, who had fled an encounter with Rasputin - as he was protected by the awesome power of a Soul Pact with the demon Asmodeus. Yuri sought a way to break that power. Informing them of what he had learnt, Roger piloted the jet to Goreme valley, and had an audience with Bishop Jovis.

Learning that the soul of Amon lay dormant within his soul, Yuri underwent a journey into his own psyche, and managed to awaken the demon once more. With the power of Amon, Rasputin was soundly defeated, but this wasn't the end of their troubles.

Nicolai Conrad too, had formed a pact with a demon, Astaroth, and plotted to unleash a vault of malice into the world. Despite a struggle, the malice was unleashed into the world, and Nicolai escaped with the aide of Special Agent Kato, fleeing to Japan.

Three months later, enroute to the Japanese Imperial Capital, Princess Anastasia Romanov crash-landed the jet on a mountain after wanting to get a closer look at a bear and her cub. Roger was left stuck in the bear-filled forests of Hokkaido attempting to repair the damage, while the party made their way to the mainland.

Roger later reunited with them, comically furious at having been left abandoned by them, to the partys' apathy.

Yuri, allied with Kato managed to finally defeat Nicolai, but at the cost of Ouka's life. Kato, in despair, gifted Yuri with the Émigré Manuscript - while plotting to summon Yoriwara, vessel of Yamato, and turn back time a century, to erase the present and remake the world for the better.

Rogerillbringbackalice

"...I'm going to bring Alice back to you."

Yuri, unsure of what to do, sat in contemplation, and was joined by Roger. The ancient magician tried to encourage him not to regret - even with his long life, he had spent it with many regrets - and suggested that they attempt the impossible; , the resurrection of Yuri's dead love, Alice Elliot.

He admitted he had long been tempted to perform the ritual, but resisted due to the potential dangers and risks. But was prepared to attempt it, for both Yuri's sake, and his own scientific curiosity. Not wishing to utilise human sacrifice, as had been used in previous attempts, he discovered instead that the magic needed for the ritual could be amplified with the use of a rare Moon Crystal, negating the need for sacrifice.

Rogeremigrebegins

The Émigré Ritual

In preperation for the ritual, Yuri and Roger promised that, should there be a failure, should they create a monster, or end up becoming one, that the other would destroy them. Unwavering, they began the ritual, creating a new body for Alice's spirit to inhabit.

Despite an optimistic start, the crystal shattered, and the ritual faltered. A dark essence spread from Alice's tank, but was driven away by Yuri's fury. However, for the first time in history, the correct soul had been returned to life, although Alice's incomplete body disintigrated, terminating the resurrection process.

Rogerexperimentfail

Failed Ritual

Despite the failure, Roger suddenly realised the goal of Kato's plans, and hurried the party to back to Japan.

With a time limit one-hundred-and-eight tolls of the bell of Yoriwara, Yuri and his allies began their preperations. Roger managed to repair his teleporter, and with Yuri's aid, retrieved for him the weapon he hid on the Moon.

Rogerthefatherfigure

"Well, let's go home now. It's cold out."

Roger reappears during the game's bad ending. Yuri, having lost all his memories and personality after the effects of the Holy Mistletoe, appeared one night, standing on the Nemeton cliffs overlooking the Irish Sea. Finding him, Roger approached, and realised Yuri was mindless. He began to sob and hugged Yuri, who gently pushed him away. Wiping away his tears, Roger introduced himself as Yuri's father, and gently led him away, to return to his home.

Shadow Hearts: From the New World[]

Roger is first seen in Roswell, held captive alongside Hildegard Valentine. The researchers there think that the duo are aliens, since they crashed Roger's airship into the roof of a local hotel. After Johnny and company free him from Roswell he dosn't appear till the near end explaining Johnny's past, Graham, Marlow, and the Ceremony of Émigré, he then rebuilds his ship so that our heroes can get to The Gate.

Abilities[]

Roger is a powerful magician and alchemist, as well as a respected scholar, philosopher and eternal lovechild. Having utilised a ritual from the Émigré manuscript, he is biologically immortal, though he claims he is not invulnerable, nor immune to the effects of aging, and has infact continued to age, which has contributed towards his strange appearance.

Rogerbeginshisspell

Speaking an incantation

Despite his eccentricities, he has a genius-level intellect, creating incredible technologies and discoveries and being able to recall vast quantaties of information on nearly any topic. He has a vast knowledge of the occult, magics, optics, linguistics, astronomy, aerodynamics, nuclear fisson, and is shown to be aware of the existance of aliens, their technology, and the existance of DNA. He is also able to speak (and read) both Greek and Latin.

Rogerresaerchnotes

Roger with Patrick's Research Notes

While he claims he is not invulnerable, he is shown to be preternaturally hardy and has survived falls from space to Earth, torture, and hibernated inside a locked in a coffin inside a sealed room for over a century with no ill-effects. In the Koudelka manga, he is shown to survive decapitation (and continues to talk, no less!) and simply reattaches to his body.

Known primarily for his scientifc prowess, his magic abilities, while seldom shown, are quite extensive. He is able to detect spirits, and people and areas with significant spiritual auras. He can also summon creatures from another dimension (which he uses to guard the Émigré manuscript). He may also create an illusion, showing events as they happened in the past - though only for a limited time. The manga shows that he is able to manipulate nature to an extent - calling forth armies of bugs to aid him.

Personality[]

An eccentric genius. Even though he is over 600 years old he is still a brilliant magician and scientist, it seems he has a comical and lecherous side, but yet knows when to retain his seriousness.

Real Life[]

Roger Bacon was a excellent philosopher and Franciscan friar. Most of his past life is canonical to Shadow Hearts. He studied at Oxford at aged 31, later studying in Paris, then becoming a Francisan Friar. He disliked his position due to not having a teaching post and that his activities were restricted by the Francisan Order as they would not publish pamphlets and books without specific approval.

Roger-bacon-statue

It was then he became friends with a patron, Cardinal Guy "le Gros" Foucois who soon became the new Pope, Clement IV. Bacon sent the Pope his Opus Majus, which presented views of how the philosophy of Aristotle and science could be incorporated into a new theology. Other works Bacon wrote during his time works were Opus Minus, De Multiplication Specierum, and had other works attributed to him on the topics of alchemy and astrology - though he was likely not the author.

After the Clement IV died in 1268, Roger Bacon was placed under house arrest by Jerome of Ascoli, the minister general of the Francisan Order (later becoming Pope Nicholas IV) in 1277 or 1279, possible to the Condemnations of 1277, which banned the teaching of certain philosophy doctrines, including deterministic astrology. Sometime after he returned to the Franciscan House at Oxford, where he continued his studies.

He is presumed to spent the remainder of his life at Oxford, his year of death estimated as c.1292 - following the completion of his last writings, Compendium Studii Theologiae - and was buried in Oxford.

Rogerbaconoptics

Illustration of Roger Bacon, Doctor Mirabilis

Years after his death, he emerged as a faust-like figure in popular culture, creating many wonders, having tricked the devil, made a talking bronze head, and knowing forbidden knowledge. Popular thought placed him as a visonary pioneer, the first true scientist - years ahead of a myopic society, although contempory research has tempered that view somewhat.

Among the various works attributed to him, among the most famous (and most unlikely to have been his work) is the Voynich Manuscript - a manuscript written in an unknown text and illustrated with peculiar images and plants, the identity and meaning of which, is not currently understood.

Trivia[]

  • It has become a running gag in the series that the player has the opportunity to rename Roger whenever the party first meets him (even if his name has already been established). This was first introduced in the original Shadow Hearts, when all six members of the playable party could be renamed. This continued on into Covenant and From the New World, where a similar naming screen appears, despite the fact that characters could not be renamed in either of those games. In all cases, Roger will immediately dismiss whatever the player has named him.
  • Due to his lecherous side, Roger likes teasing girls (like Karin with Dating Outfit), constantly own of underwear of girls, and has hobby of collecting perverted magazines (Erotic Book, Shanghai Heaven, and N.Y. Heaven).
  • Roger is the only character to appear in every game in the series, including Koudelka.
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