Galaer on 27/3/2022 at 20:07

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TRAIL OF BLOOD 2

At the very beginning of the mission I score Body Discovery: 1. I have no idea who's body was discovered, but it has nothing to do with me.. Crystal near spiders is the hardest loot in this mission. When green spider look towards me I slowly move between him and small spider to crystal. Drill machines has entrance hatches made out of metal. When you exit them you will probably fall loudly on metal hatches, so I mossed them. At frog lake you must go along right side to left side of giant tree at the north, then shoot 2 vine arrows into green wall: one lower and one much higher above it to jump on higher ledge. To return down just jump on higher vine, take it and look downwards. You will fall on lower vine and grab it.

On path to Giant Tree is cave with pools and spider. There is really no shadow, so you must go behind spider and dodge it from right. In Giant Tree on the south ride left elevator to top floor to use Jacknall Paw on shaman. This makes every Pagan and monster in this and nearby areas neutral to us, so you can safely loot this place. Here I also complete bonus objective with feeding squirrel. North Pagan Village is more tricky. To get to shaman you must first move crates to different room to get to trapdoor. Then you need to go downstairs and slowly go around Pagans and use Jacknall's Paw on shaman. Now Pagans and monsters from mushroom forest will be neutral. In that place to get down from tops of giant trees, you need to drop on giant mushrooms first and then on ground. In Maw you must activate portal. This spawns apes that start the fight Mechanists. Since portal activation is one of objectives, fight is direct result of this objective and so I excuse it for ghost run. I quickly leave this area before I will get involved into fights and return to starting point.

STATS:

Time: 0:57:01; Loot: 1985/2055
Pockets Picked: 3/3; Locks Picked: 0
Back Stabs: 0; Knock Outs: 0
Damage Dealt: 0; Damage Taken: 0; Healing Taken: 0
Innocents killed: 0; Others killed: 0
Iron Beasts Destroyed: 0; Disabled: 0
Bodies Discovered by Enemies: 1
Secrets: 1/1

GHOST: SUCCESS
PERFECT GHOST: POSSIBLE

Galaer on 3/4/2022 at 12:36

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WICKED RELICS

Mansion mission with lamps that can be turned off by frobbing and turning guards who can stand in one position for couple of minutes. I'm skipping 2 loot pieces (worth 65) from behind banner in basement as you can't frob anything through banners. I also decided to skip purse (worth 100) from not working properly elevator. In order to grab it you must stop elevator and to do that you must shoot water arrow into broken generator. This will cause explosion and elevator will fall down. No idea if breaking already broken generator can be described as damage property, but I decided to skip this loot. I also completed bonus objective of returning Clarissa's jewelry. I decided to skip optional objective of teaching Lord Dasherville a lesson as I had no idea if Pagan standing in front of grave will spot his body thrown by me and thanks to that I have cleaner stats. I also skipped 1 secret in Wine Cellar as it requires bashing 3 doors with sword and explode other 3 doors, which is damage property. Luckily there is no loot there, only ShadowJack (blackjack that gives complete invisibility).

The hardest place to ghost is Ball Room. I enter it via north door and go right. Sneak under pillar for 1st purse. Now you need to time 2 nobles, so bronze noble will look east and green noble will look south. If that happens you need to strafe run along right wall. Green noble will only 1st alert to you as he's also slightly turned east when he's looking south. Sneak under another pillar for 2nd purse. You can't continue as Lord Barkley will spot you every time. Return to north door and go left to SE corner of Ball Room. I decided to moss floor to counter and ran under pillar near counter. After barkeeper will turn right, run to counter, crouch and turn off lamp. Now you can go behind counter and take all loot. Then leave through east door.

STATS:

Time: 1:26:49; Loot: 12586/13156
Pockets Picked: 24/31; Locks Picked: 6
Back Stabs: 0; Knock Outs: 0
Damage Dealt: 0; Damage Taken: 0; Healing Taken: 0
Innocents killed: 0; Others killed: 0
Iron Beasts Destroyed: 0; Disabled: 0
Secrets: 7/8

GHOST: SUCCESS
PERFECT GHOST: IMPOSSIBLE. Must skip 65 loot behind banner in basement as you can't grab it through banner. Also skipped elevator purse (100 loot) as it requires breaking completely already broken generator.

Galaer on 3/4/2022 at 12:38

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LAST CARESS

Ghost run truly starts after you go through church to ruined house. There is floor that will fall on it's own. To avoid triggering it when I'm walking on it, I jumped forward and it broke on it's own. Next you must quickly climb to top while scoring 1st alerts from ceiling spiders (first 1st alert will make them descend on walls to floor). Mantle on metal railing and jump to window.

Next challenge are crates. On top crates are bombs, so when top crates will fall or you will pick them, bombs will fall and destroy all crates. You can avoid that by picking 4 crates from the middle and go through hole. Under stairs is pressure tile, which will drop machinery. Just jump over tile. In vents are 3 mines that you must disarm. 3rd mine is the most tricky as you can activate it by dropping too much right from higher level. Next stairs are also trapped. You must jump over couple of steps at the middle to avoid dropping safe. Plus area at the bottom of stairs is visited by killer, so wait for him to enter door first. Wait for killer to steal his key and sneak to the end of corridor. Before vent is line that you want to jump over. It triggers arrows.

Next is corridor with 2 entrances to left room and right room at the end. 1st entrance has barely opened door, but if you look closely it also has bombs on top of it. Opening door will make bombs fall and explode. I want to avoid that, but alternative is corridor and it's trapped. There are 2 pressure tiles covering the whole corridor. Trap activates 2 very deadly scythes. Logic says to jump over it, but even that activates scythes and kills you. So I found that strafe running along left wall to 2nd entrance of left room will make you survive this trap. Then you go to right room and find girl and code. And at the end a lot of cops will show up. But they aren't hostile to you. Missions will end.

I also tried to finish this mission by returning to the starting point, which is difficult as it's impossible to mantle to window above broken floor. You need 3 crates for that. But mission doesn't end there, so trying that is pointless.

STATS:

Time: 0:24:52; Loot: 0/0
Pockets Picked: 1/1; Locks Picked: 4
Back Stabs: 0; Knock Outs: 0
Damage Dealt: 0; Damage Taken: 0; Healing Taken: 0
Innocents killed: 0; Others killed: 0
Iron Beasts Destroyed: 0; Disabled: 0
Secrets: 0/0

GHOST: SUCCESS

Galaer on 3/4/2022 at 12:41

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DOUBLE - CROSSED!

MISSION 1 - STRANGE MESSAGE

Introduction mission. For supreme ghost you need to quickly return candlestick on table and close door before mission will end.

STATS:

Time: 0:00:53; Loot: 0/0
Pockets Picked: 0/0; Locks Picked: 0
Back Stabs: 0; Knock Outs: 0
Damage Dealt: 0; Damage Taken: 0; Healing Taken: 0
Innocents killed: 0; Others killed: 0
Iron Beasts Destroyed: 0; Disabled: 0
Secrets: 0/0

SUPREME GHOST: SUCCESS

MISSION 2 - DOUBLE - CROSSED!

BANK

At the beginning is scripted conversation with cops. They will stay neutral for now. This is a time to loot this part of city, then go to City Watch and turn off lights. From roof you can get to window where 1st secret is located. Then go to Bank by shooting vine arrow into balcony. Here is code for vault and desk with loot. One more thing, you will need in this mission a lot of potions for stack (I bought extra 4 potions, but it's not necessary as you can substitute couple of potions with flare). Go to vault and open it. Alarm will sound and your objective will change. Front guards will walk to vault. One of them has purse. Some guards will sound like they are in search mode, but I think I excuse that as some of guards don't react to alarm and it's explained by objectives and the story. So just climb ladder, moss vent and enter it. Your objectives will change. Moss other part of vent and strafe run past hole. Drop on the side of toilet and exit through window. On 2nd floor of City Watch is now key. Go to armory and prison to get green purse, which is also a secret and read 2 readables. Vine up to Bank's balcony and go along metal ledge to roof.

CITY

First strafe jump and mantle to balcony. There are 6 masks to grab. Return to roof and go through window to Banker's House. On top of bookcase is book and 2nd green purse. On 2nd floor of this house is kitchen with woman trying to cook frogbeast. This will end with explosion, so quickly close door, so nobody will hear it. Loot the whole house.

2nd part of city has very sensitive cops and Mechanists. When you are walking through well lighten areas you can't have anyone look in your direction even if he's very far away. If he's walking away from you, he must be far away if you want cross well lighten area without alerting him. Also crouch run through city.

First I go west and rope up to Accountant's attic for book under table. To drop safely I fall on patroller. Read plaque in front of Mechanist Temple to get new objective. Then I'm going south while looking out for priestess and through abandoned shop I'm going to Laundry. Then I'm going east. Here is vent on floor that I decided to moss as it's easy to accidentally drop on it and make huge noise. Next is loot on table and another sensitive Mechanist with key. Climb up to Warehouse and then vine down to 2nd floor for loot. Drop down and douse all torches. During conversation enter 2 rooms to grab one piece of loot in each. Return upstairs and cine up to top of hanging wagon and when patroller is far away, jump into water and go for secret chest from pirate cave. Swim to ladder near drunkard and return to Banker's House.

Go north and douse all torches in front of Furniture Shop. Go to wall near Banker's Garden. Climb to roof and while avoiding gaze from patrolling below Mechanist go to secret bottle on window. Drop on Park's wall and douse brazier. Patrolling cop has key and there is coin on tray near flowers. Climb up to window and moss cabinet inside. Take upstairs key and metal box from 1st floor. Go through door and go right and left. You are near Mechanist Temple. Go right and through hole to house. Here is trapdoor leading upstairs. Go outside and climb vine to Mechanist Temple.

MECHANIST TEMPLE

Mechanist Temple is patrolled by 3 robots. They are very easy to avoid. On 3rd floor are Mall key in wardrobe and golden gear under bed, which gives you bonus objective. On 2nd floor read book in conference room. Go to factory, press switch, then lever and go check wax. Mechanist objective will complete. In hatch are neutral prisoners. One of them has loot gear. Behind generators is vent, which lead to Hammerite Monastery.

HAMMERITE MONASTERY

Monastery is mostly empty. There are 3 secrets here. One of them is Monastery key in one of tombstones at inner cemetery. Other 2 secrets must be skipped. First is in kitchen and requires cutting banner. On it's other side is crate with 4 statuettes, but you must break crate to spawn them. They are worth 85 loot and since it's created by spawning, it means that it increase max loot from 3915 to 4000. Second secret to avoid is in temple. With fire arrow you need to destroy wall to room with poison water and 10 pieces of loot (worth 285 loot together). Another thing you must avoid is putting candle in front of Santa Chiquita's statue at inner cemetery. This will spawn Santa Chiquita who will destroy undead in gravedigger's area and is equivalent of initializing fight. Undead are easy to avoid, so it's unnecessary to spawn AI to fight them. These 2 secrets have statuettes of Saint Chiquita in them. This means that it's impossible to complete bonus objective of getting the whole collection. It's possible to get bonus objective by taking chalice from roof of temple. It spawns enemies and to exit I just strafe jump and mantle from top of tower to below wall.

THIEVES AREA + MALL

After looting Monastery return to Mechanist Temple and exit through front door, then go to abandoned shop and through it to Thieves Area. To enter Thieves Warehouse you need to shoot water arrow into switch at the bottom of roof above portcullis. Here there are 2 wooden stairs that are very noisy, but have loot on upper floor. Go to lower floor, time thief and mantle on table to avoid being seen by stationary thief. Go to post and turn off light in casino, then loot it. Go right, read book and loot this place, then ride table to Fantomas. He has Warehouse key, which you don't need. Also near bed is paper, which will complete objective of finding mastermind. Use hook to get secret gem and go outside. Exit through portcullis when fast turning thief looks away.

Go to Mall through vent. Behind shooting target is secret purse. Turn off light and loot this place. Loot other floors. In bookshop is secret purple box on top of bookcase. You may also see basement guard running to mens toilet on 2nd floor. Also there is alchemist shop with a lot of potions. Open front door, vine up to metal balcony and return to Banker's Garden.

LAST GREEN PURSE + EXIT

Last green purse (necessary for objective) is in Warehouse, but room is full of explosives and they will explode when you will try climb up. This is damage property and explosion will alert nearby patrollers. Luckily green purse is on window and this window is located above Banker's Garden. There is patrolling guard here, but also a lot of shadow. So all you need to do is to make stack from 14 potions and jump to grab this purse. You can substitute potions with flare at the end, but it will not allow you to climb more potions and jump. So leave flare for very end when potions will end. In the end return to City Watch and vine down into latrine to finish this mission.

STATS:

Time: 1:34:56; Loot: 3545/4000
Pockets Picked: 8/9; Locks Picked: 16
Back Stabs: 0; Knock Outs: 0
Damage Dealt: 0; Damage Taken: 0; Healing Taken: 0
Innocents killed: 0; Others killed: 0
Iron Beasts Destroyed: 0; Disabled: 0
Secrets: 8/10

GHOST: SUCCESS
PERFECT GHOST: IMPOSSIBLE. I must skip secret 4 statuettes (worth 85 loot) from kitchen, because it requires cutting banner and breaking crate. I also must skip secret 10 pieces of loot (worth 285 loot) from under Hammerite Temple, because it requires exploding wall.

klatremus on 6/4/2022 at 23:57

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Game: Thief 1
FM: Whispers Below the Cobblestone

Ghost - Success
Perfect Thief - Success
Supreme Ghost - Success
Perfect Supreme - Failed
Time - 2:11:36
Loot - 4400/4400 (Supreme: 4360)
Pockets Picked - 4/4
Locks Picked - 14
Backstabs - 0, Knockouts - 0
Damage dealt - 0, Damage taken - 0
Healing taken - 0, Other Kills - 0, Bodies Discovered - 0
Consumables - None

See the entire report with screenshots (https://www.klatremus.org/WhispersBelowCobblestone.htm) here!
Loot list (https://www.klatremus.org/WhispersBelowCobblestone_L.htm) here.
YouTube let's play (https://youtu.be/cVB1buaWY98) here!

Comments:
This is the last unreported mission for Thief 1 as of writing. Quite the milestone! An excellent hidden gem by Korthak. This is my first mission of his and I was very pleasantly surprised. It reminds me a lot of Skacky or Melan's cities, perhaps mostly reminiscent of The Sound of a Burrick In a Room. It's a bit rough around the edges when it comes to lighting or readables, but still plenty good enough to come highly recommended.

I was tasked to find three items: a panting from Guldenberg's, an ancient relic from some underground ruins, and Lord Ravenhurst's tanzanite gemstone. The latter was not in his possession, so I'd have to search for it somewhere else. I also had to acquire 3,000 worth of valuables, plus end the mission towards Auldale in the northwest. I was confined to the southern part of the city at first, then the northern half would open up once I emerged from underground.

Southern Streets
The streets were bright and heavily patrolled. I quickly ascended to the balconies and rooftops just southwest of Ravenhurst's. I could traverse between most buildings in the city's southern part without hindrance. No loot was found in the streets except for one item; a goblet on a sill west of Guldenberg's (see image below). The safest way to approach it was with a rope arrow from the roof just west of here. The corner by the window was dark, so I just had to time the guards climbing the rope.

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

The rest of this part of town was easy. The way to progress was along a ledge in the southeast, leading to Leveilleur's estate (see image below). I could pick the lock on the front door, but it couldn't be relocked, so I went in through the balcony entrance instead. Lock-blocked the basement key and returned it to the top floor immediately. The rest of the building was easy.

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

Underground
To get into the undercity, I dropped from the janitor's balcony and mantled up the street lamp below (see image below). I had to time the patrolling archer and another thief on a plateau across the canal. The top of the lamp was dark, so it was a safe method. Entering this way made me able to skip one of the two pickable doors going through the intended room further west.

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

The biggest problem in the undercity was getting past a stationary thief on a wooden plateau close to the hideout's basement entrance. Everything else was standard sneaking. The thief faced west and south, pivoting randomly. I tried first coming from the stairs to the south. This was possible to do without a first alert, but it required perfect timing of the other patrolling guard, plus a fair bit of luck with the thief facing west for a long time. In the end this was a tedious and undesirable method. A better tactic was roping down from the above walkway (see image below). I found I could retrieve the arrow and drop silently onto the chair without alerts. From here, with a bit of luck I could sneak into the building to the west undetected.

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

The thieves' establishment was a bit tense at times, but there were so many perfect shadows it was just a matter of waiting for the patrols to line up. The bartender and the patrolling lady with the club was a bit tricky, but nothing too hard. Grimar's chambers was also much easier than anticipated. Grabbed the tanzanite and the needed vault key from his secret compartment.

In the basement I realized the vault door was sliding and could not be lock-blocked. I didn't have any scrolls or potions to block it with, so I kept going and would look for something else. I had to use something from this side of the door, as it would have to be returned for Supreme. Finally, in the ruins I found a skull right below the Shaman Hand that worked. I brought it back and locked the door by blocking it with the skull (see image below). Then I returned the vault key. When I grabbed the skull again, the door locked shut behind me. Perfect! The burrick caves were easy as pie. I returned the skull and the ruins key and headed up to the hammerite temple.

https://www.klatremus.org/WhispersBelowCobblestone_files/image005.jpg

Northern Streets
Most of this part of the city was very straight forward. Just like in the south, the biggest problem was finding an efficient way around. The toughest area was Guldenberg palace, especially getting into the treasury. The foyer had no shade, and 2-3 guards plus the sir himself patrolled close by. It was just a matter of waiting for the right time.

West of the palace I had to skip a loot item for Supreme. It was in a building with a patrolling tenant carrying a club. A small, pickable footlocker in the western room held a purse (see image below). I tried picking the lock when he was farthest away, and although he didn't always alert, it was only because he stopped at the end of his route for a little while. In those scenarios, they don't verbally first alert while being stopped, although they might still give a settling remark later. I waited out of sight for a few minutes, and sure enough, he eventually uttered a “Guess it was nothing”. Perfect Supreme busted, but oh well.

https://www.klatremus.org/WhispersBelowCobblestone_files/image006.jpg

The other buildings were easy, and I ended towards Auldale in the northwest. This was truly a gem of a mission! I will be sure to check out more of Korthak's releases in the future.

Notes:
- Skipped a purse worth 40 in a building west of Guldenberg's. The tenant heard the lockpicks and gave a first alert.