PREVIOUS MISSION                                                                              THIEF 2X                                                                                     NEXT MISSION

Mission 9: Into the Fray

 

LOOT LIST

VIDEO REPORT (Narrated Run)

VIDEO REPORT (Segmented Run)

 

[This report has been updated for TFix/NewDark 1.27. Situations affected by these patches and differences between them and OldDark have been inserted in green. All screenshots have been updated, and new ones have been added.]

 

One of the weakest missions in the campaign for me this. Not only are we revisiting a previous map, but the gameplay is very unorthodox, with scripted fights going on at every corner. As a ghoster, the unpredictability makes unwinnable scenarios likely, and getting through tough spots relies more on luck than stealth. Sure, observing the brawls can be entertaining enough, but it gets old quite fast. Not one I normally look forward to this. The upcoming missions are miles ahead in my book.

 

 

First, I had to make sure both Neeson and Grissam were dead. I assume this meant the hammerites would need to kill them. If they didn’t, would the Ghost rules allow me to? I guess so. Next I had to loot the smugglers’ treasure cache, as well as find some important information.

 

Outside

This mission was slightly different, as I had to dodge guards already involved in fights. This meant most AIs jumped directly to alert level 2, which is search mode. Fight scenarios could turn out differently every time, so my report might not fit other mission endeavors. The first problem occurred at the waterfall. The hammer here had fire arrows and always ended up killing the smuggler. After a heavy battle like this, I usually waited it out a couple of minutes, to let the ones involved get back to 1st alert mode and resume their patrols/stations. I crossed the river downstream and cleared the bank at the other side. The purse beside the floating corpse was possible to reach moving slow and sticking to the shadows. As the archer patrolled with his back turned, I snuck under the gush and across to the opposing mountainside; the single piece of loot on the deck was now within reach. The roof was ascended to grab the gas arrow on the slanting rock. A well-camouflaged healing potion also lay on the wooden patio. Headed back the same way. As I crossed on the other side, the archer just stopped (left image below). He never moved after this, although he had been patrolling uninterrupted up until this point. I’m not sure if this was intended or a glitch.

 

 

 

Inside

Went inside the hideout from the stone walkway above the dock entrance. The hammers that blew up the gate fell dead to the 3 smugglers inside. The two doors in the north lead to another fight between a hammer and a smuggler. Strangely, when opening the closest entry, the hammer always won and started patrolling up and down the hallway, making it very tough to clean the area. Entering through the east door however, normally made the smuggler flee down to the others, and occasionally forcing the hammer to fight them all. This massive brawl can have various results, but one time the hammer won and resumed his patrols downstairs, totally out of my concern. Now I could even drop down and take the fire arrow behind the statue. The secret treasure room was located out the broken window close to Neeson’s office (right image above). I could mantle back up without any trouble.

 

Another fight in the dining room further south. To loot the room I needed both individuals to leave. Played the fight over until one of them fled the room and the other followed. A huge brawl took place in the hallway afterwards involving two more participants. One hammer guard survived and started patrolling the flooded corridors. Moving slowly I robbed the kitchen and lurked upstairs. A cozy apple lay in the kitchen corner. Had problems spotting the bottle in the window also (left image below). I triggered another huge clash in the main lobby, attracting the hammer mentioned earlier. It didn’t really matter who won.

 

 

 

Emptied the barracks and entered the hallway again through the side door for the last fight. This spawned a smuggler and a hammerite right by the building’s last piece of loot, a crystal in a floor crack. It was very hard to get one of them to flee, as the hammerite usually won and the smuggler had very low hit points. Two strikes downed him. The winner eventually resumed a short patrol around the pillars in this hallway, making it near impossible to get the crystal without getting spotted. Interestingly, if I left the barracks via the western door and triggered this fight coming from the north, they would instead spawn in the small alcove to the east (right image above). This was much better, as I could hide in the shadows to the west and observe the unfolding events. If whoever won was facing east, then I could rush over and grab the piece of loot while he did his post-victory search maneuver. I simply replayed the fight until that happened, which only took 2-3 attempts.

 

Snuck back through the whole compound afterwards. One surviving smuggler had positioned himself just west of the well at the bottom of the staircase. I think it was the archer from the dining hall earlier. Luckily, he was facing east and I could safely sneak up the stairs to his left.

 

Leaving

Entered the docks through the hole above the locked portcullis. Didn’t even need the key. Neeson Feredoc was fighting a hammer at the pier, and my objective ticket off as he died. I jumped in the water to the left and cleaned the large ship from the port side ladder. Swam along the bottom to arrive at the small mining boat. As the hammer looked away I could mantle up and grab the nugget. Used a rope arrow on the starboard of my own ship to end the mission.

 

 

STATISTICS:

 

Time: 36:17

Loot: 2250 out of 2250

Pickpockets: None

Secrets Found:  None

Locks Picked: 2

Damage Dealt: 0  Damage Taken: 0

Bodies Discovered by Enemies: 2

Consumables: None

Ghost: Success!

Perfect Thief: Success!

Supreme Thief: Success!

Perfect Supreme Thief: Success!

Norwegian Thief: Success!

 

Notes:

-          The bodies discovered obviously result from the fights between the smugglers and the hammerites.