klatremus on 5/12/2021 at 04:31

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Game: The Dark Mod
FM: Thief's Den 2: The Chalice of Kings

Ghost - Success
Perfect Thief - Success
Supreme Ghost - Success
Perfect Supreme - Success
Time - 50:35
Times saved - 99
Damage Dealt: 0 Damage Received: 0
Health Restored - 0
Pockets Picked - 3
Loot Acquired - 3081/3081
Killed by the Player - 0
KOed by the Player - 0
Bodies found by AI - 0
Alerts - 0 Suspicious, 0 Searches, 0 Sightings
Stealth Score - 0
Consumables - None

See the entire report with screenshots (https://www.klatremus.org/TDM_ThiefsDen2.htm) here!
Loot list (https://www.klatremus.org/TDM_ThiefsDen2_L.htm) here!
YouTube let's play (https://youtu.be/uecJDLWxxjA) here!

Comments:
Another solid Dark Mod mission, though still not as epic as some of the recent Thief missions I’ve played. I have a feeling the next two in this campaign might be in that category though. This one seemed very difficult to ghost when I did my blackjack run, but once I got going, it was mostly standard sneaking. The beautiful atmosphere and lighting is probably enough to keep me invested in this mod for a while still, but I need something with a bit more oomph in order to elevate this mod from a ‘very good’ to ‘great’ status.

My job was to break into Mudgeon’s residence and steal King Aldreth’s Crown and Death Mask, in addition to the Chalice of Kings. There was an optional part to the crown objective to leave a worthless duplicate in place of it, primarily to avoid alerts. I had to pick up 2,000 worth of valuables, before leaving to the starting courtyard.

I mantled over the first gate. It was operated by a switch, but that meant moving a board and having to replace it later; it just seemed too messy. The initial door was pickable and led to a tricky situation. A stationary guard in the distance gave a level 1 alert if sneaking around the left corner (image below). Guards’ peripheral vision is just brutal in this mod, especially on the hardcore vision setting. The only way to get in unseen was to wait for him to look to his left. Part of guards’ idle movement is them looking around. This isn’t just a visual display; their cone of vision actually shifts left or right. The only thing to do here was get the yard key. I then had to leave and lock the door I previously picked, then reenter by way of the other courtyard door into the kitchen.

https://www.klatremus.org/TDM_ThiefsDen2_files/image001.jpg

The next problem was in the dining hall and getting to the death mask on the western wall above the fireplace. A hooded guy roamed around here. He stood by the fire for a bit, then left to either doorway and waited there for a while, facing away. That’s when I mantled the table, then the above rafter (image below). I could reach the mask from here. Getting back down was tougher. I eventually found the best method was to hop and mantle onto the mantelpiece, then drop onto the ash heap just north of the fireplace.

https://www.klatremus.org/TDM_ThiefsDen2_files/image002.jpg

I had to access the parlor via the fireplace secret. If I instead had picked open the north door, I had to take the parlor key inside to relock the door. Since the key couldn’t be replaced, this was an unnecessary pickup and thus a bust to Supreme.

The only way to reach the second floor was by way of the elevator. The foyer was well-guarded and could only be approached from the west. Nothing to report from upstairs. Plenty of shadows and corners to hide in. Mudgeon’s chamber was the only place with a little tension, but not what I would call difficult. Descended again by way of the staircase in the northwest.

Now I could approach King Aldreth’s Crown from the west. There was a patch of shadow that stretched close enough for me to stand up undetected and still be within reach (image below). Leaning forward got me caught instantly. The two stationary guards didn’t react to the crown missing, but the patrollers did. As long as I replaced the fake crown before either of them came by, I was good. I read reports about other players still upsetting the guards after using the replacement crown, but I never had any issues. If that was due to a bug, it might’ve been fixed in recent updates.

https://www.klatremus.org/TDM_ThiefsDen2_files/image003.jpg

I now had to backtrack all the way to the library via the upper floor. A secret compartment in the desk there hid a key for the top floor safe, which I needed to get all the loot (image below). The room moreover was bereft of enemies. I then returned to the northwest tower and ascended the staircase. The intended way of getting the chalice was to use the armory key to obtain rope arrows, then climb the rafters and raise the dome that protected the chalice. Instead I found you can jump onto the pedestal and hop to click the button without ever needing to use a rope. That way I could leave the armory key untouched in the safe. Since I couldn’t return it, it would’ve been an unnecessary pickup at that. Lowered the glass dome the same way afterwards. Left via the kitchen and ended the mission safely thereafter.

https://www.klatremus.org/TDM_ThiefsDen2_files/image004.jpg

Galaer on 5/12/2021 at 19:11

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THE CURSE OF THE SKULL GOBLET

Mission is split into 2 parts: ship, which you are forced to ghost and island. There is bonus objective if you manage to ghost the whole mission. There is also Enemies Alerted stat in ending stats, which is equivalent of stealth score from TDM. It counts how many people went into search mode, so it's possible to check it for confirmation if anyone has alerted.

The only problem on ship is crossing machinery room. Sailor is visiting it and his patrol route is a bit random. I hid from him by mantling on metal slope. I stay there by walking forward while looking down. After he went past me and vanish behind corner, I crouched and slowly descend on ground.

Island is mostly easy to ghost too. At the beginning are Pirgans patrolling area and they look like they are in search mode, but they aren't. Just swim along right wall to sneak past them. To get into cave without slow fall potion you must drop on pile of bones. In mine there is diamond near pair of Pirgans. If you approach them, they will spot you. So I'm forced to skip this diamond until I beat Pagan Temple. Then all Pirgans vanish and I can grab diamond.

In house entrance to mine I nudged stationary Pirgan right, so later in ruins I will be able to jump from metal chimney to bridge above ground for vase. To return from there simple drop and mantle on wall of ruined house. I could get this loot without nudging after Pirgans vanish, but then in ruins spawn fast treebeasts and I don't want to worry about them. Speaking about treebeasts, occasionally they stop and look around. It's not search mode, it's their normal behavior.

In Pagan Temple there are 4 crystals activating trap. To not alert patroller, he must be in prison area. Also here is my exit from temple - just vine up to door and mantle into tunnel above it. Also I get Body Discovery stat most likely because during ritual, couple of thieves die and Captain Rengald spawns and see their bodies.

STATS:

Time: 1:05:36; Loot: 3245/3630
Pockets Picked: 4/6; Locks Picked: 13
Back Stabs: 0; Knock Outs: 0
Damage Dealt: 0; Damage Taken: 0; Healing Taken: 0
Innocents killed: 0; Others killed: 0
Enemies Alerted: 0
Bodies Discovered by Enemies: 1
Secrets: 1/1

GHOST: SUCCESS
PERFECT GHOST: POSSIBLE

Galaer on 5/12/2021 at 19:13

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DOWN IN THE OLD VAULT

Quite easy to ghost city mission. The only problem may be with disabling silent alarm as you need to time archer patrolling near Head of Security room and you have only 1 minute to press all switches. Also be careful of floating skulls in Old Vault. If you are too close they will spot you. So follow them from distance and move by crouch running. I got bonus objective for using all deposit keys.

STATS:

Time: 1:16:37; Loot: 3650/3850
Pockets Picked: 1/1; Locks Picked: 10
Back Stabs: 0; Knock Outs: 0
Damage Dealt: 0; Damage Taken: 0; Healing Taken: 0
Innocents killed: 0; Others killed: 0

GHOST: SUCCESS
PERFECT GHOST: POSSIBLE

klatremus on 11/12/2021 at 00:46

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Game: Thief 2
FM: A Keeper of the Prophecies 2: Hallucinations

Ghost - Success
Perfect Thief - Success
Supreme Ghost - Success
Perfect Supreme - Success
Time - 56:12
Loot - 1223/1223
Pockets Picked - 0/3
Secrets - 2/4
Locks Picked - 4
Backstabs - 0, Knockouts - 0
Damage dealt - 0, Damage taken - 15, Healing taken: 9
Healing taken - 0, Other Kills - 0, Bodies Discovered - 0
Consumables - 1 water arrow & 1 magic healing apple

See the entire report with screenshots (https://www.klatremus.org/KOTP/KOTP2.htm) here!
Loot list (https://www.klatremus.org/KOTP/KOTP2_L.htm) here!
YouTube let's play (https://youtu.be/wk1hWtLt0wA) here!

Comments:
This is my favorite mission in this campaign by some distance. It is very bleak and depressing, but carries a lot of emotional baggage, due to the author's personal history. I love the combination of fog, howling wind and the occasional snowflake. Having a real timer is an interesting touch, but certainly not everyone's cup of tea. Due to the recent (https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50790&p=2479974&viewfull=1#post2479974) .dml by fortuni and glypher, this mission now works in NewDark without random crashes, which means Perfect Supreme Ghost is possible.

I was poisoned, and my primary objective was to find the one responsible. Furthermore, the keepers directed me to find a way into the hammerite cathedral before 10 o'clock. There was a real clock keeping time in the town square, giving me about 65 minutes to finish on time. On my way there, I also had to find Megatfree's pocket watch at the mortuary. I started with only 4 health points, and at random intervals I would lose more. The Supreme rules don't allow the use of healing potions, but it doesn't say anything about food or healing fruits. When losing health, nearby enemies could also hear Garrett's grunts, posing an added and somewhat unpredictable challenge. Reloading in order to avoid all loss of health seemed like an engine exploit to me, so I avoided that. Instead, I would try to maximize efficiency early on by moving quickly. Enemies (both guards and undead) would be released at timed intervals throughout the mission, giving me an added incentive to act fast.

South
Got to my apartment without hindrance. Passed the hammerite-mechanist conversation quickly, before the fight started. Kevel didn't alert to me and I had to let him in to proceed. His key disappeared so the door was left unlocked. Looted Pinchenden's place next. I skipped reading the diary for Supreme, in order to avoid the lengthy interaction with Alisha. Approaching the town square, a conversation started between the surgeon and a nobleman. Upon completion, Grendius ran to the infirmary door. To avoid having to pick it open, I managed to block it before it closed (image below). There wasn't much in it, but it was repeatable. Looted this place with ease, again skipping Alisha's conversation.

https://www.klatremus.org/KOTP/KOTP2_files/image001.jpg

The only remaining thing to do in this part of town was to get the loot from the easter egg location, which involved shooting an arrow into the east side of the clocktower. A water arrow was my best and most silent option. Only one enemy here right now was a stationary hammerite by the cathedral gate. Plenty of other patrollers would spawn later, making cleaning the town square this early of utmost importance. I could shoot the arrow undetected from the gate in the far northeast corner (image below). The guard was too far away to see me or hear the shot. I grabbed the loot in the next room and one healing apple. It would fully restore my health if needed later. I spawned back on the west side of the clocktower.

https://www.klatremus.org/KOTP/KOTP2_files/image002.jpg

https://www.klatremus.org/KOTP/KOTP2_files/image003.jpg

North
The best way I found to get into the warehouse district was via the frozen river. It was difficult to navigate the ice quickly without making a lot of noise, so I had to slow down for parts of it. One narrow portion had breakable ice, but if moving along the left wall, it didn't crack (image above). The warehouse had two thieves on the east and west sides. They were outside, but could see part of the inside through a slot towards the bottom. I could easily climb the crates and get the only piece of loot in here without getting spotted. To leave this area I climbed the 3 crates on the north side, then used the icy ledge to reach the exit tunnel (image below). One of the aforementioned thieves stood below, but he couldn't see me if I took this route and moved slow. There was also a patrolling archer on the icy ledge itself, but his route was long and not a problem to dodge.

https://www.klatremus.org/KOTP/KOTP2_files/image004.jpg

Arriving at Megatfree's, no guards had spawned yet and no zombies were to be seen either. The front doors were pickable, but an unlocked window on the second floor accessed the master bathroom. Picked up Judy as the extra objective spawned. I didn't actually need to pick up the pocket watch though; it checked off as I got close. However, since the pocket watch replaced the compass if taken, my regular compass disappeared from my inventory even if I didn't take the watch. Not a big deal, just annoying. Skipped the balcony secret. It required another arrow use and only yielded useless explosive charges. At this time, two patrolling swordsmen had spawned outside the mortuary. I used their route to get into the bottom floor and access the rest of the upper floor without having to pick any locks. I could also get into Megatfree's office this way (image below). Very nice to be able to leave all these doors locked for Supreme. The office desk couldn't be relocked as the key disappeared; it couldn't even be reclosed.

https://www.klatremus.org/KOTP/KOTP2_files/image005.jpg

The attorney's office wasn't a big deal. As Franticious' conversation ended, I could either block the double doors as the guard appeared, or reenter through the now open door from the street, without having to pick any locks. The cathedral gate key was a necessary pickup, and it couldn't be dropped so I didn't have to return it. At this point, the time read 9:18pm, so I had 27 minutes left until getting the optional objective checked off. If I left before this, it would get crossed out, which is ok for regular Ghost but a bust to Supreme. There was nowhere to hide without first alerts over by the cathedral gate, so I waited just inside the northeast instead (image below). I could monitor most fights from here. My health was down to 1 hit point, so I ate my magic healing apple to replenish it. At 9:30, a significant wave of zombies and haunts were released, from which the outcome was highly variable.

https://www.klatremus.org/KOTP/KOTP2_files/image006.jpg

Most of the time, the zombie and haunts would kill the mechanists and guards close to the cathedral entrance in the first wave. Not long after settling down, the undead would wander off, leaving the cathedral gate empty. When the coast was clear I rushed over to the corner just south of the gate (image below). This was the only spot close to the gate that was safe. It had previously been blocked by the stationary mechanist. Here I sat tight until the clock turned 9:45 and the objective completed.

https://www.klatremus.org/KOTP/KOTP2_files/image007.jpg

klatremus on 11/12/2021 at 02:19

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Thank you for including the link, Fortuni. Just a quick correction, you can finish the mission without the dml, but you have to listen to Franticious' conversation shortly before ending the mission, as it crashes due to a faulty script. Since I had to wait until 9:45, I was never able to finish it without the dml. I think you deserve a fair bit of thanks as well Fortuni for helping me problem solve, although Glypher is the sole dml guru.