Cyrus Pinkney III was the grandson of visionary architect Cyrus Pinkney as well as the inheritor of his fortune upon the former’s death.
History[]
Cyrus Pinkney III was born in 1882. Sometime when he grew up, He travelled to the Swiss Alps, where he would hear a legend of what he would later describe as “a heretical order devoted to punishment and vengeance”, which he was skeptical of. While working on renovating Gotham Cathedral under contract for Solomon Wayne, he would discover a mysterious rune etched within the cathedral’s foundation, foretelling the deliverance of divine justice. During the renovation, Judge Wayne would teach Pinkney III that anything which cultivates malevolence must also be used to drive it out.
In 1910, a 28 year old Cyrus Pinkney III travelled to Blackgate Island to study its structures, alongside his assistant, Ezekiel, planning to propose a large-scale renovation to Solomon Wayne. Ezekiel would aid him in scouting a campsite. That day, he had found a rune in a cornerstone from a razed building, written in an archaic form of Latin which warned of dark days coming, much to his skepticism.
The next day, he had been awakened by the sounds of Ezekiel’s typewriter, which Pinkney III had found insufferably irritating. He would find a rune in Blackgate Chapel which warned that “the truth will be revealed”, though it was not clear what truth it was. He would then recall hearing that the Miagani tribe spoke of an ancient necropolis below the island surface, as well as schoolboys telling stories of the pirate Jon Valor, who he would liken to Robert Culliford.
On their third day, Ezekiel’s typewriter would break, much to Pinkney III’s relief. He later found a partially indiscernible rune warning of an unknown disaster which would cause Gotham’s destruction. It is also around this time that he suspected that the runes he was finding were forged; the runes resemble 13th Century manuscripts, and yet the etchings betrayed the use of 17th Century tools, even including perversions of imagery synonymous with the Knights Templar.
On their fourth day, Pinkney and Ezekiel would arrive at the mouth of a massively catacomb, with an inscription at the entrance, which warned that with each passing moment, Gotham “falls further into the abyss”. During their foray, their electric torches allowed them to discover extensive stonework passages and rusted iron gibbets. Believing that there was more to be found in the catacombs, Pinkney III and Ezekiel would move their campsite to the cave mouth, after which, they would discover flowers growing on vines which surrounded the campsite, with a fragrant odor. Pinkney III harvested a specimen for later analysis by the Gotham University Botany Department.
On their fifth day, they returned inside the cave, where they would find a gibbet with a functioning winch. Ezekiel managed to repair the counterweights, allowing them to traverse to the depths of the catacombs below. They would discover an ancient templary with branching pathways, and a reliquary with a rune stone and a small book, which augured a prophesy: that a forthcoming figure of great consequence and dubious moral standing would arise. Descriptions, however, were contradictory, ranging from a warrior, a mediator, “a slink from the crypt”, a hawk, and a sage whose peace is violence, leading Pinkney III to wonder where this mysterious figure stood on justice. He also discovered another inscription warning that the wicked would prosper condemning the innocent.
Pinkney III and Ezekiel would spend their sixth day on Blackgate Island studying the statues of the island itself. To this effect, after descending in the previously mentioned gibbet, they would discover a massively chamber containing an equally massive statue, depicting what Pinkney III would describe as “a caped, cowled man, with a sword”, with an inscription reading “As above, so below”, which Pinkney III would surmise was the figure mentioned in the texts that he and Ezekiel found. He would later recall seeing a statue of Lady Justice on the island surface around the same position that the statue below would be, with a placard referring to Lady Justice and her “hawk of vengeance”. Remembering these placards, he found himself worried by the insinuation presented by these placards. He had also discovered another runestone accompanied by another inscription, which augured a guardian who would be relentless in protecting Gotham city. Leading Cyrus to wonder whether the guardian was Lady Justice or the mysterious cowled swordsman.
On their seventh day, Pinkney III and Ezekiel plunged deeper into the caves to better make sense of their discoveries. Pinkney III was fearful that he may not return to the surface, and still he plunged. They later found a symbolic map of Blackgate Island in the shape of a tree, the roots representing the catacombs, the trunk representing a vertical blade, which was indicative of the massive chamber with the statue, and a single flower representing the chapel. He would also discover, within the original prison on Blackgate Island, demonic statues surrounding a tree, with long-dead prisoners hanging from its branches. He discovered several repeating runes which he had already found, but also a new one which foretold that the “protector of faith” would know what must be done.
On their eighth day, Pinkney III and Ezekiel discovered friezes depicting another vestige of the prophesied protector, battling villains. He would also find a somewhat broken version of the rune he previously discovered at Gotham Cathedral, and an English translation above the rune. Pondering the signs of the prophesied protector in Gotham Cathedral and in the caves of Blackgate Island, he imagined the alleged protector heeding the call of justice, but contemplating the possibility of him hearing cries for mercy.
Later, during the night, Pinkney III discovered another rune by a fading torchlight, though this time, he was having difficulty translating it. He surmised that it either foretold of an instrument of God or a tool of man, emerging from mist, clad in steel. After seeing a specific rune depicting the prophesied protector, he had a vision, which foretold of Gotham being at war, an abandoned tower, a broken sword, and a slain knight.
On their final day on the island, Pinkney III woke up during the morning, at the cave mouth, where he found that another rune had been planted in his pocket by an unknown individual, warning that regardless of his beliefs, “the message has been delivered”. It was then that he surmised that Blackgate was a device by which to summon the prophesied protector, with aesthetics that beckon and bind. He then resolved to bring his discoveries to Judge Wayne, believing that his discoveries may save Gotham City. To safeguard the source of the research conducted by Pinkney III and Ezekiel, he sealed access to the lowest depths, leaving only the open chamber and the statue of the prophesied protector. Pinkney III and Ezekiel presumably returned to Gotham after that to present their findings to Judge Wayne.
11 years later, Pinkney III was impressed by Amadeus Arkham’s medical genius and passion for psychiatric care when founding Arkham Asylum was conceived, to such a point that he designed the facility and drafted the schematics for the Asylum’s design.
Arkham Shadow Incident[]
Alfred Pennyworth noted that Pinkney III, whom he had believed to be Cyrus Pinkney, had documented several ancient runes hidden below Blackgate Island at the turn of the century. Pinkney's notes were later lost in a fire, and as a result, Pennyworth had believed the runes to be a figment of Pinkney's imagination... until Batman's rediscovery of the runes and logs. Pennyworth planned to donate the newly-discovered logs to Gotham University courtesy of the Wayne Foundation.
After the logs were donated, the staff there had discovered information that contradicted the information already available on Cyrus Pinkney. Upon further research, it was later surmised that the one who discovered the ancient runes on Blackgate Island, was in fact, Cyrus Pinkney III, who often omitted the numeric suffix in his birth name, when referring to himself.
Ancient Runes: Pinkney's Logs[]
ANCIENT RUNE (CAVES)[]
CYRUS: 1910 Anno Domini. Log of Cyrus Pinkney, architect, unemployed—but only momentarily.
I've landed on Blackgate Island to study its structures: The chapel, the statue of Lady Justice, the sundry Gothic structures dotting the landscape around the prison. Once my research is complete, I shall propose a large-scale renovation of Gotham City to Judge Solomon Wayne. An ideal benefactor far less recreant than Henry Cobblepot.
I've arrived with my assistant, Ezekiel, amidst the cheers of mergansers and migrating geese. "Kiel", as he curiously prefers to be called, helped me scout a campsite. To my pleasant surprise, even such cursory efforts bore fruit: a rune, etched into what appears to be a loose cornerstone from a razed building.
The inscription, written in an archaic form of Latin, reads: "Dark days abound." *laugh* I very much doubt it. Given the artifact's age, those "dark days" have surely come and gone. And yet, these hills still hold many secrets. I can feel it.
ANCIENT RUNE (CAVES)[]
CYRUS: Blackgate, day two. I awoke to the staccato clacks of Kiel cataloguing yesterday's notes on his "typing writer". A practical machine, yet so brutal! If the sound doesn't kill you, its weight will.
Found another rune near Blackgate Chapel this morning. It reads: "The truth will soon be revealed." Ironic, given this island's legendary secrets.
Tales of witchcraft abound. The Miagani whispered about an underground necropolis. Schoolboys trade stories about the Pirate Jon Valor, Gotham's own two-bit Culliford, using the island as base from which to harry those passing through. A sit of bloodletting... A cursed rock. Rubbish!
I have no use for fevers. I need money. May tomorrow yield something that appeals to Judge Wayne's good graces.
ANCIENT RUNE (CAVES)[]
CYRUS: Blackgate, day three. Quiet morning. Kiel's word machine is broken. Praise be the spirits of Blackgate!
Even more strange... No usual wagtails, sparrows, or orioles...only calls of a bird I'd not heard since travelling the Swiss Alps. A dream, surely.
A new rune today. "From the ashes of"...unintelligible..."the fires will rage and Gotham will burn."
I suspect forgery. The corrupted Latin reads like a thirteenth Century manuscript, while the etchings betray the use of seventeenth Century tools. It even includes perversions of Templar imagery.
I recall a legend I heard during that transalpine tour of a heretical order devoted to punishment and vengeance. I remain as always, a skeptic. Still, Blackgate Island casts a dark shadow.
ANCIENT RUNE (CAVES)[]
CYRUS: Blackgate, day four. Kiel and I stood at the mouth of a great catacomb; an inscription outlined the entrance: "Every moment you waste, Gotham falls further into the abyss."
"Abyss" is no understatement. How far the cave descends I cannot say, but our initial foray with electric torches revealed extensive stonework passages and even some rusted iron gibbets.
Whatever is buried here is buried deep. The ancient complex I beheld tested my skepticism. In a way I do not quite comprehend, it reaches out toward Gotham.
We moved camp to the cave's maw. Strange vines decorate its passageways, their flowers flanking our campsite. Such a sweet smell. Gotham University's botany department may be pleased with a specimen.
ANCIENT RUNE (MAX SECURITY)[]
CYRUS: Blackgate, day five. Traveling the worn stairs is tiresome. Kiel found a gibbet with a functioning winch. He repaired the counterweights, so the cage can easily transport us to and from the depths below.
We discovered more branching pathways within this ancient templary and a reliquary with a rune-stone and small book. It divulged a prophecy: That a forthcoming figure of great consequence and dubious moral standing would arise. Descriptions are contradictory. "A warrior; a mediator. A slink from the crypt, a hawk. A sage whose peace is violence."
Given such incongruity, I must wonder to which side of justice will this man stand? The inscription read, "The wicked will prosper, condemning the innocent."
ANCIENT RUNE (MAX SECURITY)[]
CYRUS: Blackgate, day six. We've returned to studying the statues of Blackgate Island. Kiel and I descended in the gibbet to discover a large open chamber containing a magnificent statue: a caped, cowled man, with a sword. Surely, it is the figure all-but-named in the prophetic texts.
The masked statue is positioned directly below Lady Justice on the island's surface. Her placard reads: "Lady Justice and Her Hawk of Vengeance." The underground image's inscription reads: "As above, so below." The insinuation is worrisome.
Another runestone, and another inscription: "A guardian wilfully relentless in their quest to protect the city." Is this "guardian" the Lady Justice above...or the bladed saint below?
ANCIENT RUNE (MAX SECURITY)[]
CYRUS: Blackgate, day seven. I cannot bring our findings back to Gotham without first making sense of them, so, deeper we plunged.
After squeezing through crevices fearful I might not return, a found a chamber containing a symbolic map of Blackgate Island itself in the shape of a tree.
The catacombs formed the roots. A vertical blade rose from them as a trunk, sprouting branches, and a single flower representing Blackgate's chapel. Its demonic statues are what originally sparked my curiosity. And the tree's grotesque fruit...men who were hanged from the Gallows Tree in Blackgate Prison's yard.
Many repeated runes today but also a new discoverY; "The protector of faith will know what must be done." But according to whom?
ANCIENT RUNE (MAX SECURITY)[]
CYRUS: Blackgate, day eight. I'm starved for fresh air, but there's no turning back. We discovered friezes that depicted another vestige of the prophesied protector. A caped knight...saintly and heroic, bearing down upon a horde of villains.
Today's runestone is not entirely new to me. I saw it etched at the foundation of Gotham Cathedral while under contract for Judge Wayne. The inscription reads; "Divine justice will be delivered to us all." Down here, it is etched in broken Latin, but it was carved in English up above.
A terrifying man. His church. His caves. I have no doubt that he will hear the call of justice, but I wonder...is he equally hearing cries for mercy?
ANCIENT RUNE (DEATH ROW)[]
CYRUS: Blackgate, day, day, uh... No, night. Only night.
I struggled to translate the latest rune by fading torchlight. Either "the instrument of God" or "the tool of man." And from the mist he stepped forth into flesh, clad in steel.
One hand outstretched, the other holding a sword. I saw my reflection in the blade hollowing my mind to make way for...oh, such images! Gotham at war. An abandoned tower. A broken sword! A slain knight!
The he was gone. My hand, grasping at thin air... And then the horde he;d held back came to life. The teeth of statues... A forbidden mathematic... Divide, subtract. A stone worn down by high tide, raccoons absconding with memory, the cursed clacking of that damned word machine... SHUT UP, KIEL!
I near terminus. The withered reality.
ANCIENT RUNE (CAVES)[]
CYRUS: Blackgate, last day. I awoke at the cave mouth to the calls of geese and mergansers. A final rune in my pocket, somehow.
"Believe what you will. The message has been delivered."
I believe what we discovered was not buried by happenstance. Blackgate is neither a facility, nor a temple. It is a mechanism for calling that man forth. The aesthetics here aren't merely decorative. They beckon...and bind.
"Anything that cultivates malevolence must also be used to drive it out." Wise words Judge Wayne imparted during our renovation of Gotham Cathedral. I will bring this to him. When configured to work in harmony, these stones may very well save Gotham.
We must protect our source. I have sealed access to the lowest depths. Only that open chamber and its imposing overseer remain.
His Honor will understand. The Wayne family has always loved Gotham. More than it deserves.