Precious Cargo

Mission 11: Precious Cargo

[This report has recently been verified with TFix/NewDark 1.27. Although the original text for OldDark has been preserved, any situations affected by these patches are discussed in green. Keep in mind that there is a difference between playing the game in NewDark with or without TFix. TFix updates the core mission files, as well as applies .dml files that tweak the environment in numerous ways. These changes aren’t supposed to have a significant impact on gameplay, but when ghosting, slight changes could occur. If wanting as close to the “vanilla” experience as possible, install just NewDark, without any further patches. I have ghosted the game 1) in OldDark, 2) in plain NewDark, and 3) in NewDark with TFix.]

A surprisingly good mission! It fits in with the mechanist theme, which after all should dominate the story. I just don’t know if I like them as a faction. They just seem like a modern version of the hammerites to me. And Thief really isn’t about being modern…but I digress. A few challenging points along the way, but other than that this was quite a nice ride.

Overall score: 8.2/10

Well, my trip to Angelwatch wasn’t entirely in vain. I was to pick up our only lead, Cavador, from Markham Isle. To help me out, I was to get intel from our informant Lotus first. My side quests were to locate another Master Builder scripture, steal the lighthouse keeper’s antique navigation globe, and find Dark William Markham’s long lost treasure. I started with 3 vine arrows and 1 scouting orb; those could always come in handy for a Ghoster.

Caves & Surface

The only tough spot reaching the surface was at the top of Long Tom’s Wall (cool name by the way). I opened the workshop gate first, to get the loot in there. I could’ve utilized the surface well for that, but I decided to get it out of the way early. The guard for the control mechanism had his back turned and the watcher was easy to dodge. Most of the vines were dark also. Went down to flip the lever again afterwards. Snuck out by waiting in the dark corner for the moving arbalist (left image below). The other guard was stationary with two angles. If pivoting south, I could creep along the wall and exit through the open gate. The patroller came to a halt at the top of a long metal slope. I inched up the first portion and hid in the gravelly shadows to the west (right image below).

Entered the house via the base of the lighthouse. Found a few hard-to-see coin pairs on the first floor (left image below). Several patrollers alerted to broken windows and sometimes started hunting completely out of my control. Reloading usually fixed the problem. One of the guards involved in the conversation upstairs had a purse. I could enter during their chat and grab the purse, but although this doesn’t spawn a first alert, it does trigger a settling remark from both guards a few minutes later, indicated that they did in fact alert. The other guard eventually left and kept patrolling the halls and the patio. There were two entry doors, but both spawned comments. It was also possible to fling a vine arrow into the outside wall and grab the purse through the window (right image below). This technically is considered an engine exploit, so I skipped it for Supreme. It was only 30 loot, and I knew that mode was not possible regardless. Regular Ghosters can sneak into the room through the southern door, but it does require dousing the torch first. Found the navigation globe in the hidden wallspace on this floor also.

Couldn’t return the cold storage key to the lighthouse for Supreme. The priest alerted and there were no soft surfaces within reasonable distance. I returned the key to the floor on the other side of the room undetected, but I didn’t feel this was close enough not to treat it as a Supreme bust. I guess it is at least better than not returning it.

Underground Base, South

Got new objectives to board the Cetus Amicus and read the captain’s log. Raised the elevator and closed the entrance gate before ducking under.

Went for Markham’s treasure right away. Didn’t use either of the pressure doors. Just mantled up the cave ledge when the stationary mechanist faced the wall. Could just make the entire swim without surfacing for breath. With T2Fix, a boulder trap triggers as soon as you get close to Markham’s ship (left image below). This is a fix to a mechanism that supposedly didn’t work properly in the original release. The boulder was always there, but it had already fallen upon Garrett’s arrival in the grotto. Triggering it is a Supreme bust. The situation with the pirate haunt was well-known. He spawned upon taking the treasure and faced the doorway. Impossible to fool him in conventional fashion. I was prepared to repeat Sneak, Old Man and Peter Smith’s method of blocking his view with rubble pieces, but Tarvis79 reported and recorded an alternate (and much easier) method. A single rubble piece in the correct location turned him 90˚ to his right upon spawning (right image below). It had to be placed at the outer edge of the top step, slightly to the south. This made the exit a piece of cake. I blocked the right door open first, so I could emerge from the water on the left side unseen. Then all I had to do was creep-crouch-walk out the doors and to the right. Not even a gasp indicating a first alert. Closing the door also went unnoticed. Had to inch my way down the stairs carrying the rubble back to avoid attention, but I didn’t get any remarks. This was naturally an engine exploit, and busted Supreme again. It was inevitable and followed a mandatory objective.

The boulder trick works in NewDark as well, but it plays out a little bit differently. Although the ghost does shift angle upon spawning, he doesn’t always do so, despite the boulder being placed correctly. I would say on average 4 out of 5 times he doesn’t turn. When he does, instead of facing west, he faces northeast (left image below). This means he will first alert when you start moving back up the stairs from the flooded cargo hold, unless at least one of the doors are shut. You have to take a first alert leaving, and you have to use the left door in order to rush out on the south side. Despite being fast, you could easily trigger him to hunt mode, but it’s not too difficult to avoid this. Speed is the key. The best thing to do is open the door as you run out, so that the door itself will block you for part of the way. Happy to find out this whole situation still is ghostable, since it is a mandatory objective.

Entered subaquatic post 1 through the diving hatch. Cleaned everything unbothered. Found a well-hidden purse in the flooded base (right image above). The nugget on the rafter in the outside cave took one well-struck vine arrow from the northwest doorway. The patrolling guards were too far away to comment, plus there was more shade up top. To get back down I leapt onto the metal outcropping and grabbed my arrow. From here I could drop into the water in the far northwest. The only guy to worry about was the patroller in the metal hall underneath. He sometimes alerted in another room, outside my audio range, then he would suddenly come into range in full hunt mode. I waited several minutes and swam around a bit before I saved, to make sure I was completely clean. I even swam down to observe him through the window.

The biggest challenge in the entire southern area was getting into the old living quarters unalerted. Karras’ scripture was in there, which was a mandatory objective. I tried with a rope arrow into the same rafter as the nugget, just further south, but there was always a guard commenting. Those stationary arbalists pivoted, but they could see me from both angles. Then you had the two patrollers also. I realized I had to approach the situation differently. I found the best way to ready myself was from the southwest corner of the pirate base. From the top of a vine arrow I could time the patrols and watch to make sure the sentries were facing away (left image below). I tried doing something similar from the inner staircase, but the distance to the cave was too great. When everything seemed suitable, I mantled and moved for the cave opening. Creep-crouch-strafe has become my new favorite way of movement. I have mentioned it in several reports and here it is again. It is the fastest way to move without altering the light gem. The only drawback being you can’t see in the direction you’re moving. That was an acceptable disadvantage. Both guards had to face north until I was halfway across the bridge. After that, they didn’t comment at said speed irrespective of facing angle. I timed the patroller below nicely also, as he was walking away at this point. The upper patroller was on his way back but I reached the darkness of the cave just in time. Going back I used a similar method, but I met the returning patroller too soon and needed to get off the bridge somehow. I found I could mantle the railing without alerts and from here I slid down silently. Notice how my light gem is bright red in the picture below. This last move was tough, but highly rewarding to get out of Supreme-clean.

Underground Base, North

Entered through the tunnel to the Cetus Amicus. Utilized the water underneath the walkways for easy travel. I could steal the equipment in subaquatic post 2 by taking advantage of the gap in the guard’s vision. The windows provided enough hard cover to fool him. It wasn’t too hard. Had to skip the two potions behind the nearby window though. Breaking the glass was the only option. The keys for cargo holds 1-4 was protected by a stationary arbalist in the same room (left image below). He gave a comment when the door opened, so the keys (and thus the equipment inside the holds) weren’t accessible within Supreme rules.

The main cargo hold had an objective (undisclosed as of yet) protected by another stationary mechanist. I could mantle up the northeast corner from the water (right image below). Unlocking the door didn’t cause any commotion, but closing it spawned a first alert. I also couldn’t return the key for obvious reasons. I contemplated dropping it at the bottom of the water under the walkway. That would’ve been a logical explanation for a lost key in such surroundings, but I held on to it. I had to climb the shack and plunge into the water in the back to avoid further alerts.

Not much to report from the submarine. A well-hidden piece of loot behind some crates in the middle floor closet. Received new objectives to get a sample of rust gas and find the cargo locker 5 key, both of which I had in my possession. Luckily, the objective didn’t remain checked if I dropped the key, so no need to return it to subaquatic post 1.

Statistics:

Time: 1:09:29

Loot: 1627 out of 1627 [Supreme: 1597]

Pickpockets: 4 out of 4

Locks Picked: 2

Secrets: 1 out of 1

Damage Dealt: 0 Damage Taken: 0

Consumables: None

Ghost: Success!

Perfect Thief: Success!

Supreme Thief: Failed!

Perfect Supreme Thief: Failed!

(Norwegian Thief: Failed!)

Notes:

- Skipped a purse worth 30 on a mechanist on the second floor of the old house. Coming through the door triggered a first alert, and taking it through the locked window is an engine exploit.

- Couldn’t return the cold storage key to the lighthouse for Supreme without alerting the priest. Supreme bust.

- In NewDark with T2Fix, the falling boulder trap in the cave with Markham’s ship now works, and triggering it is unavoidable. Another Supreme bust.

- Had to utilize an engine glitch to fool Captain Markham’s ghost. Busts Supreme but allowed for plain Ghost as a last resort.

- The keys for cargo lockers 1-4, and consequently all the equipment inside, couldn’t be taken within Supreme rules. Opening the door in the shanty spawned a comment from the stationary guard.

- Had to skip the two potions in the glass cabinet in subaquatic post 2. Property damage is against all modes.

- Closing the main cargo hold door spawned a comment from the outside guard. Also had to skip replacing the key, as this brought him to hunt mode. Supreme busts.