GATHERING AT THE BAR

 

LOOT LIST

 

 

After finishing my Supreme Ghost run of Thief 2, I wanted to get back into fan missions. Many of the classics were still waiting for me. Often I hear them whistling gentle, seductive tunes. The Circle of Stone and Shadow (CoSaS) missions had always tempted me, and the upcoming release of their next installment, ‘The Nine Year Sleep’, was just the excuse I needed. And what better way to start than to head back its roots. Trimfect’s ‘Gathering at the Bar’ was the first fan mission ever made, and the mission that ultimately convinced Looking Glass Studios to release Dromed publicly. It essentially made today’s fan based community possible. Though simplistic and small by modern standards, GatB offers fun gameplay and an entertaining storyline. This mission also ended up becoming the inspiration for CoSaS’ first official release, ‘Gathering at the Inn’.

 

There are both a Thief 1 and a Thief 2 version of this mission available. To my knowledge, only slight differences exist due to the updated engine, making the mission more stable and prettier. I did my test run through the original and the Supreme Ghost run using the updated version.

 

 

Interestingly, as per the briefing, I didn’t play as Garrett in this mission, although I don’t know who the protagonist originally was supposed to be. I was to steal Bafford’s scepter from the Grieving Burrick Inn and then meet my contact by the fountain. Along the way I was to pick up two other scepters (to throw off the owners) and 1,300 worth of loot. No blackjack was present at the highest difficulty (impossible).

 

Headed for the chimney first. Its connecting passageways were highly useful for Supreme. Eliminating first alerts in a building this heavily patrolled took planning, hence the initial route. Iolaus was stationed in the restaurant and I needed his key. It unlocked the bar safe with loot. Stealing it from the bar side was near impossible. Coming through the fireplace from the chimney was a lot easier (left image below). I could monitor his pivots and the other guards’ patrols from here.

 

            

 

The opposite end of the same passage took me to the mage’s bedroom, a very tough area to Ghost if coming through the door. From the fireplace however, I could stay hidden and time my steals. He paused at the desk in the far corner long enough for me to grab all his valuables. Found a tiny coin on his nightstand also (right image above).

 

Entered the kitchen through the window. Snuck into the bar and stole the valuables there. Noticed the lighting to be a touch different compared to the Thief 1 version. I could actually lean under the counter and avoid being spotted by the patroller coming through. Left the grey key in the safe for now. I was hoping it wouldn’t be necessary. Iolaus’ key couldn’t be returned to the floor where he was stationed. He alerted from the sound of it dropping. Remember, Supreme rules force all keys to be returned to their original location or to the enemy’s patrol route. Well, Iolaus made patrols to the cellar if the power generator was shut down. I couldn’t actually do this as it turned off the lights and is therefore not allowed for Supreme, but that path was still part of his scripted route. I could therefore drop his key anywhere along that route and avoid busting Supreme.

 

The second floor had an oddly behaved pair of guards. One would be stationed near the meeting room door at the top of the stairs while the other patrolled around the inn. Once he finished his route and returned upstairs, they would switch, and the originally stationed guard would patrol instead. Confoundedly strange indeed. They were easy to tell apart as one wore gold-plated armor while the other was purpler (if that’s even a word). They both pivoted once stationary, but the purple guard had angles more suitable for sneaking (left image below). He faced the door some and even the back wall; I never saw the gold-colored guard do that.

 

            

 

Since I hadn’t picked up the grey key from the safe, I couldn’t enter the ‘authorized personnel’ door from the gallery. So I snuck in behind the guard’s back instead and entered the meeting room after having pilfered his key. It was one of the two existing white keys. Although they looked the same they worked different locks. The stationed guard kept silent when unlocking the door, but gave a first alert when I closed it. Strange. The workaround involved exploiting the guard in Bafford’s bedroom. He appeared once entering the meeting room. I had time to get to the shadows to the right before he came by, given that he turned around and carefully locked the door before sprinting onwards. If I timed the closing of the door exactly right, it would swing shut just as he was about to sprint through. Since guards open doors by proximity, he ended up preventing it from shutting entirely whilst coming to a short halt (right image above). At this time I stole his key and then he suddenly took off again closing the door behind him. The guard outside didn’t give a comment from this, as (to him) other guards aren’t considered hostile. I hope all that made sense. It’s a trick you can use any time a stationary guard alerts to doors, as long as someone is patrolling through it at one time or another. If you have trouble making this move, the grey key from the safe would be your other option. Although I don’t know if it can be replaced without alerting Iolaus. You’ll have to check that one out yourself.

 

I left the meeting room through the secret study. Lock-blocked the exit and dropped the second white key back onto the meeting room carpet. The gallery was easy once I figured out the guard’s route. It was completely predictable; no randomness at all. Snagged all the loot and left through the side window. I guess the toilet would’ve been the less dignified method. Yuck!

 

Reentered through the north bedroom window (with the sleeping dude) and dropped the first white key onto the stairs. Nobody seemed to care. Met Sheam by the fountain and ended the mission.

 

 

Statistics:

Time: 18:15

Loot: 1487 out of 1487

Pickpockets: 3 out of 4

Secrets: None

Locks Picked: None

Damage Dealt: 0 Damage Taken: 0

Consumables: None

Ghost: Success!

Perfect Thief: Success!

Supreme Ghost: Success!

Perfect Supreme Ghost: Success!

 

 

Notes:

-          The door in the bedroom with the sleeping noble disappeared. I didn’t notice it until after having saved. No bust, but worth mentioning.

 

 

LOOT LIST