Galaer on 4/6/2022 at 20:37
Quote Posted by klatremus
and then its Heartcliff Islands...:p I'm 3 hours into it and I can see why you abandoned it. I haven't needed any spoilers or walkthrough yet, but I doubt I will be able to finish it without direct help. Report and video for that won't be out until August though. Perhaps we will have other mission releases during the summer.
No idea if you know, but there is less laggy version of this mission. I don't remember if it's in zip file or in 1st post as I learned about it after abandoning this mission. Good luck.
klatremus on 4/6/2022 at 21:37
It's a part of the mission zip yes. I have a new desktop, so I can handle the full version. On the rooftops it lags a bit, but nothing I can't deal with.
klatremus on 6/6/2022 at 16:18
Game:
Thief 2FM:
The Cinder Notes [1 Million Units Contest]Ghost -
SuccessPerfect Thief -
SuccessSupreme Ghost -
SuccessPerfect Supreme -
SuccessTime - 1:08:52
Loot - 3383/3383
Pockets Picked - 13/13
Secrets - None
Locks Picked - 20
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/1MIL/1MIL_CinderNotes.htm) here!
Loot list (
https://www.klatremus.org/1MIL/1MIL_CinderNotes_L.htm) here.
YouTube let's play (
https://youtu.be/RmVSXTNuV9o) here!
Comments:This is DrK’s spiritual successor of Sliptip’s Ashen Age, which he released anonymously for the 1 Million Units Contest. Plenty of players thought Sliptip himself had returned from a decade long hiatus, but were just as shocked to find out the real author. It’s a beautiful, well-designed daytime mission, with venetian streets and a hammerite seminary. The ending lacks a bit to make it stellar, but definitely a solid experience.
I had to retrieve information from Carlin at the inn regarding The Cinder Notes. Next I was to obtain a painting from the art dealer, as well as 1,200 in loot. I had to end back at the warehouse.
Inline Image:
https://www.klatremus.org/1MIL/1MIL_CinderNotes_files/image001.jpgThe map was split in two, east and west of the main gate. Most areas required standard sneaking, but nothing extraordinary. Carlin’s room was a bit tricky, but I could hide by the bench on the lower level and monitor his patrol (image above). I quickly mantled up and grabbed the items. Would have to return his key later. Skipped the streets for now. Instead used the canal to move east towards the gate. Could go underneath it and emerge on the east side. The best way into the seminary was via the basement, accessible via a ladder just south of the guard station (image below). The stationary watchman faced west and south. In the former position I could creep-strafe on by and descend.
Inline Image:
https://www.klatremus.org/1MIL/1MIL_CinderNotes_files/image002.jpgI couldn’t blow the basement generator. That was property damage and it removed light sources around the compound, plus it spawned extra enemies. The only good it did anyway was provide an alternate route into the catacombs, which wasn’t necessary at all. In fact, the entire seminary and catacombs were without any ghosting issues. Nothing to report at all. Simply dodging the patrolling guards.
When returning from the seminary, I had to deal with the central part of the map, which was by far the most difficult area in town. To get into the guard station and get the piece of loot from the top floor, I had to enter via the top floor window. There was a door on the lower level, but opening it triggered a first alert from the stationary guard. I used a rope arrow into the northern end of the windowsill instead (image below). Climbing it without alerts took a lot of waiting. There were three patrollers in the area, all with a very good view of the rope. They all had to be gone at the same time. Also, the stationary guard inside had to be facing south when I passed the lower window. At the top of the rope I was dark and safe. To get back down I slid south off the lamp, landing directly into the canal. Nobody heard the splash which surprised me.
Inline Image:
https://www.klatremus.org/1MIL/1MIL_CinderNotes_files/image003.jpgFratelli’s was next. I could enter via the top floor window here also, but this was in bright sunlight and extremely difficult to pull off unseen. I ended up picking the lock on his front door instead. This just seemed like the stealthier option. His bedroom was still very difficult. I experimented for a while, realizing he didn’t alert to the door opening. This was tough to gauge as he didn’t give verbal remarks when stopped, only when patrolling. When by the window, I could creep-strafe over to the chest and hop into the corner by the north wall (image below). This was the only place in the room where I was completely safe. I had to make rounds from here to get the various items one at a time. His key was needed for the nugget in the attic. Luckily he patrolled partly on top of the carpet, so I could return the key silently.
Inline Image:
https://www.klatremus.org/1MIL/1MIL_CinderNotes_files/image004.jpgThe coins in the fountains were next. The most difficult was the fountain southwest of the main gate. The coins weren’t difficult to take once there, but getting to this location without first alerts was a pain. In retrospect, I should’ve taken a different route, as I needed to cross the lower courtyard too many times. I ended up mantling up the railing from the ledge above the canal, but I think dropping from the top floor window after cleaning the guard tower would’ve been better. I’ll do that when I record my let’s play. I could stand in the western end of the water trough and observe patrollers (image below). This was a good method to reach the art dealer’s.
Inline Image:
https://www.klatremus.org/1MIL/1MIL_CinderNotes_files/image005.jpgThe final challenge was returning Carlin’s key. It had to be dropped onto his desk, and the only place to do so silently was a microscopic spot in the middle of the paper (image below). If I didn’t hit this spot exactly, it made a wood sound and alerted him. It would’ve been so frustrating to bust this late, but luckily I got it.
Inline Image:
https://www.klatremus.org/1MIL/1MIL_CinderNotes_files/image006.jpgTwo extra archers had spawned close to the warehouse when going for the exit. It made my return a bit more tense than expected. I challenge everyone to get both of these archer’s pickpockets without any Supreme busts.
marbleman on 8/6/2022 at 09:23
Game:
The Dark ModFM:
Noble AffairsGhost -
SuccessPerfect Thief -
SuccessSupreme Ghost -
Success Perfect Supreme -
FailedTime - 37:37
Times saved - 42
Damage dealt - 0, Damage received - 0
Health restored - 0
Pockets picked - 0
Loot - 4298/4298 (Supreme: 3923)
Secrets - 10/10
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
Noble Affairs is the most heavily-customized mission I've played for the Dark Mod. Most notably, it features a new female protagonist, complete with a new voice set and footstep sounds. However, custom resources don't make a mission, good design does, and in that regard, Noble Affairs delivers as well. The main goal for this mission is stealing a recording from Lady Volta's manor and getting back to the docks where we started. However, there's plenty more to do here.
In the docks, there is a jewelry store that has to be skipped for Supreme for a rather ironic reason. The door to it is pickable, but there is a key inside, so it can be-relocked. In Thief, it would be a no-brainer, but there is no lock-blocking in TDM, so we have to either leave the door unlocked or fail to return the key. Thus, 375 loot has to be skipped for Supreme, 125 in the store itself and 250 you get for accomplishing a contract of delivering the jeweler's business deeds to Lord Sigmond.
Ah yes, the contracts. The mission has three of them, and you get them in the black market shop. Apart from the one I mentioned, there is a contract to help a merchant get past a city watch checkpoint and one that involves dealing with a squatter in a factory. I take both of these, but I will only accomplish the former. The contacts don't get tracked in the objectives, so it is legal to take them and leave them unfinished. I will also have to drop the contracts back here before ending the mission, but I will hold on to them for now.
Inline Image:
https://i.imgur.com/C6iaH2R.jpg Inline Image:
https://i.imgur.com/SQBYt8p.jpgThe merchant promises us an invisibility potion for opening a gate from a city watch post for him. I don't actually care for the reward, but the merchant does give us the watch station key. All the doors can be picked, but since they can be re-locked, we have to do it, and that's really why I take the contract in the first place. Once I'm done with the watch station, I close the gate and drop the key back. The invisibility potion I don't even take in the end since it's an unnecessary pickup.
Inline Image:
https://i.imgur.com/4RSZHCn.jpgNow, why take the squatter contract if I don't actually accomplish it? Well, otherwise, the door to the factory is unfrobbable. On that note, the merchant only appears in the mission only once his contract is taken. Anyway, there is quite a bit of loot in the factory as well as the black market shop key, which allows you to rob it. Before we get to the squatter's hideout, however, we must go through the haunted part of the factory filled with invisible enemies, which is easily the toughest and the most intense part of the mission. To drop down into the haunted part without making noise, I use one of my contracts to cushion the fall. This method also comes in handy for dropping into water or onto other noisy surfaces. A much bigger problem is mantling out of the water, which 9 times out of 10 makes a loud splash and alerts enemies. Sometimes, it doesn't, and there is no way around a little save-scumming here.
Inline Image:
https://i.imgur.com/2Sp5s5f.jpg Inline Image:
https://i.imgur.com/LcgoYTw.jpgThe intended way to leave the squatter's hideout is to remove the boards from a door here, which loops you back to the rooftops across from the Volta manor. Now, if I had to return the black market shop key, I would be inclined to unbar the door since otherwise, I'd need to traverse the haunted part back and forth twice. However, this key can't be dropped, so it's not too much of a headache to backtrack through the factory and get out the way you come in. Plus, it feels a bit more Supreme-like to leave this door as is even though removing the boards wouldn't be a bust.
Inline Image:
https://i.imgur.com/RXBUKAK.jpgThe only thing I need from the black market shop is a rope arrow, and to my knowledge, this is the only place to get it "for free." You can buy one from the shop, but I don't want to spend any money. You also get one, among other things, from the stash that becomes available after dealing with the squatter. Stealing one from the black market shop is therefore the best option. The only reason I need a rope is to get one of the secrets back at the docks. The rest of the mission can actually be accomplished without one, though it is certainly handy.
Inline Image:
https://i.imgur.com/4fZE0RQ.jpgNow for the Volta manor. While it's clearly the centerpiece of the mission, I don't have much to say about it. Pretty standard sneaking inside. We have to get an item from the Lady's bedroom and use said item elsewhere to gain access to the room where the recording is kept. It's very nice that the manor's attic loops you back to the docks so that you don't have to backtrack.
Notes:- For Supreme, 375 loot has to be skipped because there is no way to re-lock the jewelry store's door and return the key at the same time.
marbleman on 10/6/2022 at 11:44
Game:
The Dark ModFM:
Written in StoneGhost -
SuccessPerfect Thief -
SuccessSupreme Ghost -
FailedPerfect Supreme -
FailedTime - 1:00:14
Times saved - 60
Damage dealt - 0, Damage received - 0
Health restored - 0
Pockets picked - 5
Loot - 6175/6175 (Supreme: 6059)
Secrets - 10/10 (Supreme: 9)
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
Written in Stone is easily my favorite of TDM 2.10 missions. It features a new mechanic - magical glasses with which you can see through certain walls and either take items or actually walk through them. It does a great job at spicing up the experience but isn't used so much that it becomes a gimmick mission. Classic gameplay is still front and center here.
Our goals are to break into a mage's tower to find said glasses and, with them, to access Thistlewood Library and obtain the elixir formula inside. We also need to gather 3000 loot and leave the mission through the sewers on the other end of the city.
The LibraryI knew I had to come back to where I start the mission once I have the glasses as one of the secrets here can only be accessed this way. With that in mind, I headed for the mage's tower right away. Once I picked up the glasses though, there was no reason not to head straight to the library. It is accessible from the sewers, and there is an open hatch near the tower. Skipped the gate key in the tower since I didn't need it.
My first goal in the library was the archmage's chambers. The door to it can be picked, but the archmage carries a key that also works on it, so I had to re-lock it. Luckily, his patrol route extends beyond this room, so I could easily drop the key right in front of the door once I was done with his chambers. Inside, there are a few interesting things. First is the Inquisitor's Skull, which I need to access the room where the formula is found. Taking the skull douses a flame, thus removing a light source. That's our first unavoidable Supreme bust. Across from the skull is a chest with a gold mask worth 50. As soon as you open the chest, a blade comes out of it. This is obviously meant to be a trap, so I have to skip this piece of loot for Supreme. Finally, there is an Arcane Rod, which can be used to deactivate gargoyles (which act just like mechanist watchers). I don't need to do that, so I skip the rod.
Inline Image:
https://i.imgur.com/b02XcGi.jpgOn my way to the room with the formula, picked up some etching tools. These are needed to copy the formula since it's written in stone, hence the mission's title. Once it's done, a statue in the middle of the room moves out of the way, revealing a passage. There is some loot down there, and it is meant as a way back to the city. However, getting back this way requires picking up a key that's not possible to return, so after grabbing the loot, I head back and exit the library the way I came in.
Inline Image:
https://i.imgur.com/5FIRz0H.jpgA few more things of note. There are two floating pieces of loot in the library, which have colored orbs attached to them. Taking these changes the color of the orbs, but it doesn't seem to do anything else, so I figured these pieces are fine to take for Supreme. The hardest piece of loot to get here is a secret in the central library, but the main difficulty is not dodging the enemies but rather platforming and getting down without making noise. Still, it didn't take me too long to figure it out.
Inline Image:
https://i.imgur.com/3QuQ1sa.jpg Inline Image:
https://i.imgur.com/GZsg2U0.jpgThe CityPart of this section will be out of chronological order since I've already went through some of these areas on my way to the mage's tower. However, I think it makes the report easier to follow. Back in the starting area, got the piece of loot only accessible with the glasses. To gain access to the apothecary without picking the front door, climbed to the balcony and entered it from the top floor. Had to skip a secret in an apartment west of the church. Picking up the gold spyglass worth 30 removed a light source. I also had to skip five pieces of loot worth 36 in total in the guard outpost between the starting area and the market square. For Ghost, it's easy to douse the candle with a water arrow, but for Supreme, I can't get anywhere close to the table. It might be possible to take at least some of those loot pieces for Supreme. I'll admit I didn't try for very long.
Inline Image:
https://i.imgur.com/btJgrRU.jpg Inline Image:
https://i.imgur.com/SLnv6dq.jpgNext was the warehouse. There are several ways in - a few pickable doors that can also be re-locked with a key found inside but also a sewer entrance and a window which are open from the get-go. I chose the window in the smith yard, which also allowed me to enter and loot the weapons shop. In the warehouse, there is a secret purse on the rafters. The intended way to get it is to move a chain to where the purse is and climb it. However, this chain has no collision for me. Because the purse is just slightly out of reach, I used a nearby bale to stand on. Also of note is that the servant in the warehouse sometimes gave remarks such as "what?" and "hmmm..." while standing next to the control panel that moves the chain. He did that when I was nowhere in his view, and this wasn't reflected in the stealth tool, so these comments must be scripted.
Inline Image:
https://i.imgur.com/3pvB06c.jpg Inline Image:
https://i.imgur.com/HMUH4gW.jpgNow it was finally time to leave through the sewers accessible from Blueberry Tavern. In the tavern, there is a guy with a key in his stomach, aptly named “swallowed key.” You can get it using the glasses, but there's no way to make him swallow it again. Is it okay to return this key to the guy's feet? I say yes. The key unlocks a stash of loot in the thieves' hideout in the sewers with quite a bit of loot. Also in the hideout is the cistern key we need to leave the mission. Once again, because there is no lock-blocking, there is no way to return this key, so that's one more Supreme bust.
Inline Image:
https://i.imgur.com/FttbsaI.jpg Notes:- Taking the Inquisitor's Skull removes a light source. Supreme bust.
- Couldn't return the cistern key. Supreme bust.
- Skipped a gold spyglass worth 30 in an apartment west of the church for Supreme. Picking it up removes a light source.
- Skipped 36 worth of loot in the guard outpost between the starting area and the market square for Supreme. Can't get anywhere close to the table because of the candle on it.
- Skipped a gold mask worth 50 in the archmage's chest for Supreme. Opening it activates a trap.
klatremus on 12/6/2022 at 07:05
Excellent reports, marbleman! Good to see someone ghosting TDM again; it's been a while for me. Especially Written in Stone sounds very interesting with the new mechanic.
marbleman on 12/6/2022 at 10:06
Thanks, you should try it even if you won't be ghosting it yourself. These are the only two reports I wanted to make for now however. I plan to make one for the Painter's Wife, but not now. I know the authors have a list of bugs and will update it as some point, so that will be a good time to revisit (and re-learn) it. The next thing to do will be a regular ghost let's play for these two missions.
Galaer on 22/7/2022 at 19:30
THE GREAT TREE (T1/T2)
Giant tree climbing mission by Komag. It's love and hate. Love, because it's very unique concept - mission is based on strategic use of rope arrows and hate, because even if you figure out what to do, it's still very frustrating. There are 3 objectives: get 10000 loot out of 15000, get Resurrection Fruit and find another way out. Loot objective is about finding 20 out of 30 fruits (each is worth 500). That's really hard part, because fruits are small and we will fight with geometry of leaves and branches to climb to them. Resurrection Fruit is at the very top in 3rd treehouse and exit is in 1st treehouse blocked by wooden planks.
Mission was aborted very early by Vanguard due to climbing and some very sensitive enemies at the starting point. He mentioned that ghosting would be possible. This mission has 2 versions for Thief 1 and Thief 2 and they are both a bit different. Vanguard doesn't mention what version he played, but his report is from 2002 and Thief 2 version has been released in 2004. That means that his report is wrongly listed as Thief 2 FM in Reported FMs list.
THIEF 1 VERSION
Starting point has no fruits, they are all located on leaves. At the center near trunk are located vines to climb, but this place is well observed by stationary spider, so we must use other way - I used 2 ropes to climb in SW corner of this area. Also about starting point - you must get out from starting spot as quickly as possible. There is small spider patrolling this place and he's extremely sensitive. He can spot you even if you crouch in full shadow, so hide behind obstacles.
Next you need to explore this area to find fruits. Climbing is hard. You need to use rope arrows, but it's hard to see what kind of angle leaves have. So save often. There is a lot of slopes, so you will need to strafe run on top of them. You can also try to run towards slope and jump and try to go as high as possible to mantle on it's top. Enemies are small spiders, hopping frogs ( they usually get stuck somewhere) and bugbeast is walking on one branch together with small spider. NW fruit is located behind spider and you need to walk behind it. Return is slightly harder.
To climb to 1st treehouse I needed to rope up to it's wooden floor. 1st and 2nd floor is patrolled by haunts, 3rd floor is patrolled by zombie. On 1st floor is also exit. At NE is another fruit behind spider and luckily you are safe on small ledge, but climbing up slope is very difficult. I don't even know how I managed to jump up there. Also I had situation with haunt. He walked to corner of treehouse, stopped and bend down like he was in search mode, then he immediately continued his patrol. I'm guessing that it's scripted as he wasn't very far from place with spider, so I could hear his alert and he just bend down instead of continuing search.
To climb up there is option to use ladder, but I never could climb on it, so don't even try. Just use rope arrows. On big branch there is also walking red spider. East from him there is fruit behind smart spider. He turns around always in direction where you want to dodge him. So you need to start from one side, then quickly change to the other side to dodge him. To return there is small passage, which you can cross by crouch strafe running.
Climbing to 2nd treehouse is especially painful as you must climb on rope from slopey branch and finding spot to rope up to wooden floor is hard. Then I heard zombie and spiders. Zombie from 2nd treehouse alerts to spiders from roof. This means he gets more sensitive. I went to SE part and there is fruit on small "island" with frog looking in it's direction. Jumping and mantling from the front alerts frog, but I noticed that doing strafe jump and mantle to the further side of ledge actually not alert frog. Then I climbed to the top. Here I had small rope arrow glitch. To return up to treehouse I shot 2 rope arrows and from 1st rope I jumped to top of 2nd rope arrow and from top of it I couldn't slide down on slope of leaves and I could jump to passage.
I couldn't return to treehouse, zombie was too sensitive. I needed to drop under house and rope up to the other side near door, then rope up to dark roof with spiders. You are safe in corners. You must do running jump and mantle and quickly get forward to rope to 3rd treehouse without getting spotted by roof spiders and frog.
3rd treehouse is patrolled by ratman and he's sensitive from hearing zombie alerting to spiders. Since you are here, then zombie will stop alerting and ratman will calm down. Still stay away from windows as ratman can spot you. Inside if Resurrection Fruit, but you can't reach it by leaning through windows. Instead you must enter behind ratman, dodge him from left and quickly grab fruit and return to windows before ratman will turn around again.
Now you just need to return to 1st treehouse while grabbing fruits you missed and don't kill yourself. That's hard. Exit is blocked by wooden planks. Luckily you can go behind it and climb branch to go to other side of wooden planks. This way you will ghost this mission.
STATS:
Time: 1:13:17; Loot: 11500/15000
Locks Picked: 0
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
THIEF 2 VERSION
This version gives 8 rope arrows instead of 4. Also instead of bugbeasts are treebeasts. And what's the most painful - small HUD. This means that figuring where is dark enough will be harder to spot based on looking at light gem. In some places you can easily get stuck on slope, so save often. Also starting point is harder. You start behind 2 frogs that will hop forward. There is still this extremely sensitive small spider patrolling around. And in one of corners is very sensitive stationary frog that you want to avoid.
There is more patrolling animals than before and since in Thief 2 ropes are shorter this time I need to use 3 ropes to climb up into hole in SW corner. In Thief 2 I have also weaker jump, so to climb slopes of leaves I'm forced to strafe run and jump on them. Climb to 1st treehouse has patrolling treebeast in place of bugbeast and couple of stationary treebeasts and frogs. This makes it harder. It's easier to get out from area with fruit behind spider near treehouse than in Thief 1 version. Above 1st treehouse in place where red spider should be, in this version is stationary treebeast. To pass him you must go under him and rope up on the other side.
In 2nd treehouse zombie doesn't alert anymore to roof spiders. You can't climb to 3rd treehouse via spider roof, because spiders will immediately spot you. To climb up I was forced to climb to top of leaves north from treehouse and shoot 2 rope arrows to get to NE part with green spider. In place of ratman is ape this time, but it's the same way to get Resurrection Fruit. I had problems finding "island" of leaves. This time frog got stuck more to the back, so it was easy to jump to fruit. I got it during my return. Exit was the same as in Thief 1 version.
STATS:
Time: 1:02:14; Loot: 12000/15000
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
GHOST: SUCCESS
PERFECT GHOST: POSSIBLE
Galaer on 22/7/2022 at 19:33
THE BRACELET OF MELODY
BLIND IRONMAN GHOST RUN
New Thief 1 mission by Cardia. I'm guessing that it will be city mission with forced climbing to high windows and balconies. The problem is that it's often is hard to descend and loot objective is probably very tight as always and there is switch hunt, so this mission will be very hard to blind ironman ghost it.
Let's start by unbinding quicksave and quickload. So I got freed by princess Melanie to do something and I need to meet someone in tavern. Objectives are to get my weapons back, get Bracelet of Melody, steal from Lord Bafford, find wine bottle, get 17000 loot and escape. Also there are 2 optional objectives: get 12 bottles of beer and find painting. Optional objectives are grey for some reason.
Like I thought it's a city mission and people are talking in different language. That's standard in Cardia's missions. I became greedy and went for bottle and goblet on bench on marble floor with patroller and I got spotted by him (ghost bust #1). Luckily he only went for short search mode. Tavern has metal spots in doorways, which can potentially alert someone. Good to know for later. I met my contact in tavern and he mentioned forced ghosting objective in castle. I'm a bit scared that mission will end quickly, but there is no new objective mentioning it. There is no map, so I have no idea where is police station and my equipment. There is lots of water arrows, but no torches to douse.
I went behind patroller and when I was entering park he saw me (ghost bust #2). I should wait for him to return, but I was impatient. I hid in pool and patroller doesn't return. He ended walking into lamppost. I ran into left street, but he spotted me (ghost bust #3) and started running into lamppost. I went closer to him, so he will get into search mode (ghost bust #4) and got unstuck. It worked and he returned to his patrol.
I found 1st bottle of beer, it was really well hidden. I don't think I will manage to complete this objective. I'm 50 min in and checked every area and didn't find police station. I have no idea where to go and I'm thinking about giving up. Because of that I was a bit careless and got spotted by patroller (ghost bust #5). 10 min later I found Sewer key in tavern room. I missed it, because it looks like door handle, so I thought it's a junk item. I know where to go and I end inside castle.
Castle has torches, but I'm not immediately douse them. I try to conserve for later, though it may be a mistake. Here I find Princess Melanie's diary, which explains how to get Bracelet of Melody - I need to perform 4 rituals in city in specific order. Just now I realize that this mission may be a bit too much for blind ironman ghost run. Also right afterwards Garrett gets surprised by princess and takes her diary from right in front of her eyes. That's a bit rude. She promises 5000 GP (gold points?), which is a bit immersion break. She also has a key for chest with our equipment. But wait, couldn't she describe what to do and give us equipment when she freed us from prison.
So now I need to find locked chest and open it, but I totally forgot where it was. So I got caught by patrolling archer and lost 4 HP (ghost bust #6). Luckily there is no ghosting objective, so after escape I can continue this mission. And I finally found chest, no far from Melanie. So I finally completed 1st objective of getting my equipment. I decided to explore castle as I need to find king's staff for one of rituals and I got caught by 2 patrollers and lost 2 HP (ghost bust #7-8). I healed myself with food.
Places where you use items don't highlight and you just don't use normally these items, you throw them. This is potential way to throw item into place from where you will not manage to collect it. I found 2nd beer. I lost 2 rope arrows on wood that isn't wood. I lost 2 HP due to fall damage. There is small bridge above street near tavern with archer. You need to rope up and mantle twice on it. I tried to enter inside and dodge archer, but he spotted me and almost killed me (ghost bust #9). Because loot objective is extremely tight in Cardia's missions I decided to return up there, use flashbomb and KO archer (ghost bust #10). There I found 3rd beer. 3rd ritual is about shooting holy arrows into 3 statues. Luckily people don't alert to us.
At this moment I play for 2 hours without rest and I'm really tired. I decided to take rest when I reach 3 hours mark and save game. 4th ritual is about throwing staff on statue, but location of the statue isn't mentioned. Other rituals happened in north, west and east part of city, so I think statue must be in south part of city. After collecting my equipment I didn't explore it yet.
Above street leading there is high balcony. Looking at it I knew I'm going to fall from it and die, but loot objective is very tight in Cardia's missions and I was very tired, so I climbed up. When I tried to drop on wooden beam I slipped and fall on street. This killed me. I knew this will happen and it happened. In this run I collected my equipment, preformed 3 rituals out of 4 and collected 3 beers. As for damage being slightly higher than number of knockouts, I attacked bridge guard with blackjack before using flashbomb and KO-ing him properly.
STATS:
Time: 2:07:02; Loot: 11162/24018
Locks Picked: 6
Back Stabs: 0; Knock Outs: 1
Damage Dealt: 2; Damage Taken: 31; Healing Taken: 16
Innocents killed: 0; Others killed: 0
STATUS: DEAD, ONE OBJECTIVE COMPLETED
FINAL NOTES
Notes for future to be very patient in these runs and use your tools as often as possible. And the most important - wait with the most dangerous places until the very end of mission.
REGULAR GHOST RUN
When replaying this mission I noticed couple of things that escaped me in previous run. Intro shows how Bafford Manor looks like, so I realized that it's the place where my 1st ghost bust occurred, but actual rooms are higher. Intro also explains that princess Melanie has our equipment, so my search for police station was pointless. Valuable wine is actually valuable beer. A lot of information is in conversation, so you need to hear carefully. For example objective of helping princess Melanie isn't only about finding Bracelet of Melody, but also about finding evidence for who killed her husband and you need to complete these quests to 2 different NPCs. Intruder Painting is located in a bit random spot and I also had problems finding bracelet after performing last ritual as it's covered by smoke from brazier. Also statue I was looking for isn't in south part of city, but near Bafford Manor. Also spot to use staff on it is very precise. I had luck in my test run to use it immediately, because in my ghost run I had problems. This spot is between brazier and statue. It's a bit weird.
Mission is about climbing high places and then finding safe way down. Sometimes you are forced to jump to canal, some other times you need to descend on rope and gradually shoot rope arrows into lower part of wooden beams to retrieve it like to get down from last terrace in south part of city. There is also another way down there - you can drop on ledge above gate, then drop and mantle on lamp and drop on street. Nearby high terrace requires you to drop and mantle on lower sign. Where my death occurred I just needed to drop on wooden beam and strafe run forward to drop on metal railing without getting hurt. There are also 3 spots where I use 3 moss arrows under rope arrows to retrieve it without alerting nearby enemies: balcony with archer with purse (from rope I need to mantle on middle of metal railing instead on it's edge to not make noise), under giant banner outside Bafford Manor (giant banner is ropable, so I shoot rope arrow into it's lowest part and drop on rope) and lastly tower opposite to Bafford Manor (shoot rope arrow only in wooden square and not a beam, then mantle, take goblet and quickly cancel mantle to drop back on rope). To return from wooden beams in Church you must drop on chandelier, then on torch and on pew.
Time for ghosting problems. There is one intended way on roof in Park (west) and there are 2 unintended paths on roof in area near Church (north) and Bar (south), so it would be possible to avoid ghost busts #2-4, but it would be very difficult. In guest area in Castle you need douse 2 fires to loot this place. Still in Castle in north part of 3rd floor there is corridor with patroller. Through windows you can get spotted by patrolling wall archer. At place where you get bracelet is hourglass and beer on high balcony. Sitting guard can see you, so you must rope up to it's left side. To return down without dying you must jump or bounce quietly out of rope attached to small wooden beam below. It's a tough jump, but doable. I completed both optional objectives.
STATS:
Time: 2:04:23; Loot: 23286/24018
Pockets Picked: 1/1; Locks Picked: 9
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
Galaer on 22/7/2022 at 19:36
THE MAGES AREA
Mission reported by Vanguard as failure. He mentioned a lot of ghost busts and his ghost run was abandoned after 3rd ghost bust. He also used healing potion in certain underwater part. This tells me it will be fun mission to ghost.
START
Vanguard mentioned in his report that he was forced to moss floor to not alert spider, but it was unnecessary for me. Simply just drop quietly on marble floor. Behind banner near spider is tiny ring. You can take it through banner (Vanguard slashed it in later part of his run), but you must move past middle of banner, but not too close to edge or else spider will spot you. Then look towards middle of banner and crouch and uncrouch to finally grab ring. Next you must quietly crouch walk behind haunt, press switch on table and return to room with banners for Door key. There is also sword on table, but it's unnecessary. If you want to take it it's good to disable auto equip. With key return to haunt and go behind him to door.
ZOMBIE ROOM
Next part is small pyramid room. You are entering from water passage in one of corners of room, at the middle is sarcophagus and behind it zombie looking in our direction. Behind him are 2 rope arrows. On the right side are lockpicks near book (I think Vanguard missed them in his run). Room is well lighten (yellow gem). Vanguard mentioned that this was his 1st ghost bust, but I noticed that it's possible to ghost it.
After getting out of water quickly crouch and don't move. Zombie will 1st alert and stay in that state. After couple of seconds move very slowly along right wall. Because it's a pyramid shaped room it's easy to get stuck on walls. Grab lockpicks and continue to zombie. When I was close to him, he calmed down. Weird. Take rope arrows from bones behind him. I also take skull with me and return to water passage.
WATER CEILING
Passage to it is located in Hall of Titans and lever opening it is inside SW pillar. First press lever in pillar to open passage on the left. This is where Merlin's Ring is located. I'm going to visit this place later. I also noticed that swimming near the bottom (surface) makes you swim faster. Haunts below don't really see you. There is chest in SE pillar with loot and breath potion, but problem is returning. I could drink breath potion, but it's possible to drop on stationary haunt below with only 1st alert from him.
LIVING QUARTERS
Near portcullis is another skull, which we will need later. There is invisible pressure tile in front of visible pressure tile. It shoots 5 broadhead arrows into target. Take them. Stepping on visible pressure tile will open wall, but also make explosions that is heard by haunts in Hall of Titans (ghost bust #1). Quickly shoot 3 skulls out of pedestal to open portcullis. Living quarters have 2 ghosts patrolling corridor. You are safe on opposite side from where they are walking in shadow. Other than loot and keys you need also to grab Magic Coins (they give you scroll, which you need) and 3 crates. Move them to Hall of Titans for later. 2nd floor is simply going behind haunts while in shadow to grab 3 scrolls, which spawns 4th scroll with solution and after reading it vanishes from inventory.
Now I returned to Hall of Titans and haunts calmed down after explosion, but then I see other haunts running and alerting other haunts. They shouldn't alert again, so I guess that when I entered Living Quarters and I was far away, some haunts froze and they unfroze and finally could 2nd alert after explosion when I returned to Hall of Titans. That's why this alert I'm not going to count as 2nd ghost bust.
MERLIN'S RING
Let me explain how this room works. This room works similar to zombie room. There is marble everywhere and statues and they shoot magic bolts whenever you enter this room. In front of each statue is pressure tile. At the middle is haunt (he doesn't alert to magic bolts) and behind him pedestal with force field protecting Merlin's Ring. In order to open it you must press all pressure tiles, but you have around 10 seconds to do it, so you can't sneak slowly. You also need to avoid magic bolts, which shoot lower, so you can't just crouch to avoid them. After you grab ring portcullis drops and locks you in the room. To exit you need to hit it with Excalibur. To get it you must kill haunt, which explodes and hurts you (-4 HP). Also room is fairly well lighten (yellow gem).
This room is ghosted in similar way like zombie room, but first you need couple of items: 2 crates, 2 skulls, scroll from Magic Coins objective, 2 breath potions and 1 healing potion. One of breath potions I already mentioned, other potion is in Hall of Titans under NE pillar. Healing potion is in south entrance to Hall of Titans - just frob banner to move it and it's near a chair.
2 crates are needed to block portcullis from falling. In room you can move close to walls and mantle on statues to progress. You also need to crouch walk slowly. Put 2 skulls, 3 potions and scroll on 3 pressure tiles that are in haunts's view, then shoot 3 moss arrows to moss floor between other 4 switches and quickly run on them, then sneak to ring. Portcullis will fall, but crates will stop it. Now retrieve items and exit room. Haunts in Hall of Titans are alerted. Why? Because they alert to magic bolts, but all alerts to traps triggered by proximity are excused. Just wait couple of minutes for haunts to calm down, then bring 2 crates back to Hall of Titans.
PATH OF ENLIGHTENMENT
First of all make backup save before you will attempt it. Use info learned from magic scroll and go to other side. Now you need to strafe jump over trapdoor and mantle on the other side. If trapdoor will not open, reload game. You have 3 routes here: forward, up and down. Upper path is return from down path, but this return path forces us to cut cobweb (which was reported by Vanguard as ghost bust) and there is also small tunnel with 3 small spiders impossible to ghost. But if you try going up you will avoid them. You need 3 crates to reach ladder.
First spider can't be nudged with crate, because crate falls through spider on ground and alert it. So you must douse torch. Next floor has 2 spiders walking together, so it's easy to dodge. Jump into water and here is this vertical column of water mentioned by Vanguard. To be honest it was easy for me - just swim up along wall and you will swim slightly faster. Problem is red spider in cave. If you move forward it will move couple of steps and stop. So I want to avoid 1st alerting it. Mantle left and slowly swim to spider. Here is note needed to read, 3 water arrows and hidden purse under red spider. Return to Path of Enlightenment. This time 2 spiders are desynched, but it's still easy to dodge them.
LIBRARY
If you go down now you will be forced to use secret passage to return to upper path and score ghost busts, so instead move forward. This unfortunately forces you to break statue to open barrier (ghost bust #2). Library is pretty easy to ghost. 2nd floor has turning haunt with High Library key. Vanguard couldn't ghost him, but for me it was easy. Just jump above marble to carpet to take it. 3rd floor has easy haunt to ghost and basement is free from challenge. Take Book of Teleportation and return to Path of Enlightenment.
UNDERGROUNDS
Drop down into water. There is switch, but I have no idea what it does. Wait for wall and wait for it to pass while underwater. Go to zombie maze. Zombies have good sight and can spot you entering maze, so wait until path is empty and go left to Mike. Because you got Book of Teleportation he will give you scroll with code. Go to opposite side of maze to Word Test. Rotating doors aren't solid, so you can jump through them to obtain speed potion. Do a backup save. Door will only open if you jump on correct letters without making vanish other tiles. If you vanish some tiles, then you are softlocked. Furthermore if you reload game while on later letter, door can open for shorter amount of time and immediately close. This means that you will not go through them and will be forced to reload game.
TEMPLE
Door will close behind you. Slowly progress and avoid falling rocks. There are 3 paths: left, right and forward. Left path is invisible until you step on it and has 2 water arrows and nugget. Right path has small ledges. You can get stuck on it's edges and it's hard to mantle up, but to avoid alerting spiders you will need to jump from one edge to another. There is green spider in front of lever impossible to ghost from this side and you need to go through small tunnel and alert small spider.
So I tried to use my exit and jump into small spider tunnel. I mossed ledge and tried to put crate, but spider hears it like there is no moss. I tried stacking potions, but only breath potion can stack, other potions aren't solid. I noticed small niche on the other side, so I strafe jumped and mantled on it and then I strafe jumped into spider tunnel. It only 1st alerted, but I couldn't pass it, so I decided to kill it (ghost bust #3). This way I don't risk alerting green spider and can take lever from behind him. Return and enter temple. Fire elementals are easy - just walk behind them, take Wizard's Scepter and use lever. This will open door. Return to Mike and he will teleport you outside and give Crypt key.
CRYPT
Now you need to need hidden passage to area with frog. Don't wait near passage while frog is going right, because it can spot you through trees. Go when it goes left and go behind it. Statue is shooting explosives whenever you are in front of it, so walk along wall with door and hide behind Crypt. Rope down into sarcophagus. Here are hidden pressure tiles near middle sarcophagus. Don't grab Crown while inside sarcophagus, because it alerts spawned zombies. Just stand on it. Dodge zombies. Here I decided to moss marble floor under rope to climb to surface. To get out I mantled on tree behind Crypt and on roof and from there I waited to go behind frog and back to starting point.
STATS:
Time: 1:41:57; Loot: 2852/2852
Pockets Picked: 2/2; Locks Picked: 10
Back Stabs: 0; Knock Outs: 0
Damage Dealt: 30; Damage Taken: 0; Healing Taken: 0
Innocents killed: 0; Others killed: 1
GHOST: IMPOSSIBLE
