“What a Terrible Accident” Let's Play Dishonored: Part 16: The Finale

The journey must have only taken an hour or two at the most. It's still clearly midday by the time we arrive, but it feels like ages. Hell, these passed few days must have shaved years off my life with all the stresses they've put me through. But at long last, our trials have nearly come to a close. All I need to do now is to save Emily from what remains of the so-called “Loyalist” conspiracy. Havelock, Martin, and Pendleton will likely need to be dealt with in some capacity if I want to succeed, but that's no reason to suddenly start to get sloppy. I've mostly kept it clean so far, and it's best to keep that tradition going.

As Samuel explains to me, there's a very good reason Havelock chose this place to be his stronghold in the event of emergencies. There are only two ways to get into the courtyard leading to the lighthouse proper. Each of these entrances is guarded not only by city watchmen on patrol, but also by their own Walls of Light. Once I get passed that, there's only one route to the lighthouse, meaning that I'll be funneled into taking a single path, likely crawling with guards. Though the place takes the guise of a lighthouse, it would be more accurate to call it a fortress. A normal man would probably never get in. Unfortunately for Havelock, I am not a normal man even without the magic given to me by the Outsider. As long as I'm careful, I can do this. Before I hop on to the docks, Samuel wishes me the best of luck, saying that it was a pleasure to work with me. Hopefully, once this is all over, we can sit down for a drink and just talk like friends. Unfortunately, he needs to speed off and go into hiding so that I have an escape route.

With that said, I start getting to work right away. There are some old supply crates right next to the drop-off point containing some plague elixirs, so I snatch a few up in case I need them later. Then, I notice a vantage point atop a set of stairs that I can use plan my strategy for infiltrating the citadel. I see a guard tower just before me. Lucky for me, I'm just out of its range so I don't have to worry about being caught. I can just barely get good look at the two entrances from here. That's when I get an idea of how to improve my view. With a running start I leap into the air and teleport to the very top of the watch tower. Once I remove the whale oil tank powering it, I have a much better sight of the exterior. There a certainly enough guards to be a decent fight, but I honestly expected quite a few more on each entrance. It's almost like they don't expect heavy resistance, which is odd since the conspirators must know I'm coming for them. Maybe they're just certain that I won't be able to bypass the Walls of Light.

There's where the real challenge will come from. I see them both pretty clearly and I won't be able to just walk passed them... not in my own body. There's an idea. Jumping once again, I use my powers to Blink behind a barrier. The guards must not have seen anything, because their demeanor hasn't changed in the slightest. From there, I sneak around using the supply crates littered about as cover, moving passed a large storm drain, using my powers of Possession to invade the mind one of the rats skulking about. Once I've assumed direct control of its form, I use this vessel to crawl through the small vents and right around the Wall of Light. Exiting the rat and returning control of its facilities, I see another barrier in my path, this time one of metal. Unlike the Wall of Light preceding it, this one can be simply climbed over. I'm up the wall and into the fortress proper well before any of the guards have time to spot me.

That's when I see another patrolman about to turn around and face me, so I Blink behind a large pillar before he has the chance. Now I see where all the patrols went. The courtyard has guards in abundance. If I got into a scrap, I could be here for hours and still not dispatch all of them. My only chance is to sneak into the lighthouse unseen. That's when I see the guard who almost spotted me going to relieve himself behind another stack of crates. From my position, I can also clearly view the Wall of Light guarding the only entrance to the lighthouse, itself protected by an Overseer with one of those power-jamming music boxes, so I come up with an idea on the spot. With a wave of my hand, I break through the pissing watchman's mental defense and jump into his mind. Properly asserting my dominance, I walk in his form towards the Wall of Light. The Musical Overseer on patrol must have noticed that something was off, because he seems concerned the his friend looked a little sick. He doesn't press the issue though, and I am able to stroll on through without a saying a word. Heading up the stairs and out of sight, I leave this body and continue my advance upwards, consuming one of Piero's potions to sooth my aching head.

In front of me, I see a guard at a desk. The next set of stairs crosses his line of sight, so I would normally be barred from making further advances without taking care of him. However, I'm much stronger now than I was at the start of this whole ordeal. Focusing my mind, I use my powers over the continuum to freeze space-time. Rather than use it to only get passed a single guard, I make a split second decision to make a mad dash to the top. I just barely make, and time resumes just as I return to a prone position, drinking another one of Piero's elixirs to quell my pounding head again. These powers are incredibly useful, but perhaps there are consequences to abusing them the way I am.

In this next area, I see that there is a set of rafters housing a few guards and an Arc Pylon. The direct route would be suicide due to the pylon, let alone the patrols. That's when I see that there's a little wiggle room under the rafters. They must have that crawlspace under there for maintenance. Well, no one's fixing anything today, so I might as well use it for my own purposes. After all, it's only a Blink away. When I reach the other side, I see that there's nothing more than a ramp separating me from the elevator to the top of the lighthouse. I'd never make it without alerting the guards, so I stop time and begin another race against the clock. I reach the elevator door, but when I try to open it I find that it's locked. Shit! I need to think quickly. Okay, there has to be a guard around here with the key. Searching behind the elevator, I see a guard with a key in his pocket. I snatch it up, open the door, and close it just as time resumes. Pulling the lever, I activate the elevator and breath a sigh of relief. Even if they did notice me, there's nothing they can do now.

I arrive near the top of the lighthouse, only a stone's throw away from the grand finale. I deftly tiptoe around the guards on my way to the top, feeling my moves becoming bolder and bolder. Just as I was about to be seen, I take possession of a guard and use him to bypass the remaining patrols. The top of the lighthouse can be more accurately described as a penthouse suite. This place is very lavishly decorated, with a winding staircase surrounding the golden statue of our former Lord Regent. As I scale the staircase, I hear, to my surprise, only a single voice. Havelock appears to be ranting on and on to himself. I didn't see hide nor hair of Martin or Pendleton during my ascension, so I expected that they'd be here with him as well. When I reach the top, just outside of the room, rather than go through the main entrance to what looks like a dining hall, I opt to scale a bookcase to observe the situation from the rafters.

That's when the grizzly sight unfolds before my very eyes. It appears that I did not ingest all of the poison Havelock had up his sleeve. I see Martin and Pendleton dead in their respective seats, each of them clutching a glass in their hands. From the looks of it, they've been dead for a while. Rigor Mortis has started to set in. I suppose in a way, that's a fitting end for a group of chronic backstabbers. Havelock continues to rant out loud, apparently to himself. I don't know what's going on in his head, but he's clearly gone off the deep end. All he keeps saying is that it's Martin's fault, then Pendleton's, then mine. Then, he goes on about how all the moves he's made have made sense. The paranoia inherent to someone who's spent most of their time conspiring has clearly done what years at war with other nations could not, broken him down a sniveling child. I almost feel sympathy for the poor fool... almost. Unlike Daud, this man is only sorry that his little house of cards has come crashing down. He must know that I'm at the very least on the island. And he must also know that his days are numbered. If I don't kill take Havelock's life, then the people of Dunwall sure as hell will.

Once I've seen enough. I decide to end it myself. I'd rather let him live to face proper judgment, but ultimately he's going to get in the way of my rescue efforts, so he has to die. I'm not an idiot though. I know that if I go down to fight him, that he may very well defeat me at the last possible second. Instead of chancing a direct confrontation, I summon two swarms of rats to devour his flesh. It's for the best. Farewell, Admiral Havelock. May you enjoy your stay in hell. Taking the key off his desk, I hear another voice, that of my little girl. It's actually kinda cute listening to her trying to intimidate Havelock into releasing her. She'll make a fine Empress. Once she calms down, I open the door and rescue her. Together, we make our way back to the docks where Samuel is waiting to come out of hiding. Since the future Empress is with me, the guards know better than to impede our progress, and the return trip is a smooth as can be.

And so ends my contribution to the myths and legends of Dunwall. In the years since, I've faded into the background, returning to my duties as Royal Protector. With Sokolov and Piero working together, a cure to the plague ravaging the city is developed faster than any of us thought possible. A new era of prosperity is ushered in with the rise of the next Empress, Emily Kaldwin “the Wise”, as she would come to be known. I cling to life for a long while, keeping my daughter as safe as I can. The task is easier than one might think since so few would even attempt to cross me. I live out the rest of my days in relative peace and happiness. However, like all other mortals, my life will one day fade. When that happens, I think I'll go out with a smile.

“What a Terrible Accident” Let's Play Dishonored: Part 15: The Loyalists

As I advance through the Old Port District, I realize that the fastest route to the Hound Pits is to go through the Old Dunwall Sewer. I'm getting close. I can feel it. It's only a matter of time before Emily is safe from those backstabbers. On my way to the sewers, I see a Bone Charm in a nearby building and nab it before returning to the main path. Weaving around a few weepers I encounter on the way, I find myself at the closest sewage disposal shaft. The valve was a little rusted, but with a bit of elbow grease I managed to work out the kinks and open the shaft, sneaking in before the trap door closed above me. When I enter the sewer, I scavenge a few bullets for the Overseer pistol in my possession from what looks to have been a guard post of some sort. Passed it is an old, unlocked gate, so I open it and head through to my objective.

That's when I find, to my surprise, a small settlement of what appear to be either plague victims or refugees from Dunwall's poorer areas. My heart goes out to these folks. Even in these tough times, they're doing the best they can. I notice a few River Krusts acting up on my way over to them, so I dispatch a few using the pistol rounds I gathered earlier. While exploring the “village” of sorts, I found a Rune among a number of crates filled with various supplies, including food, water, and medicine. In their hands, it's bound to elicit feelings of paranoia and shatter the group dynamic, so I secret it away while no one is looking. With no other place to go, and no reason to stay, I head to the other side of this shantytown and continue towards the Hound Pits.

That's when I see another batch of River Krusts. The moment I get close, they begin to pellet me with their spray. Rather the fight them head on, since I no longer have any ammo to do so, I teleport onto a pipe overhead to avoid their fire. While a few pellets did end up hitting me here, it isn't so bad that a drink of Sokolov's plague elixir couldn't dull the pain and heal my injuries. I notice a Rune Charm in the corner of my eye, hidden behind the grotesque forms of plant life, but they would surely do me in before I got to it. It's much safer to proceed as normal than to take the undue risk. Once I'm in the clear, I see a literal light at the end of the tunnel. Emerging from the sewers, the back door to Cecelia's secret apartment is right there in plain view, completely unlocked. That's the closest thing I'll get to a written invitation these days, so I enter and find myself in the backyard of the bar I've been staying at for what seems like months, despite only being a few days.

Inside, I find Cecelia pulling a metal barricade down. When she sees me, she jumps. After observing my mask, she calms down and begins to explain what went on in my brief absence. When Samuel shipped me off, he left to avoid what was about to happen next. It was then that Havelock, Martin, and Pendleton told all of the employees that they would be given a bonus. Instead, Wallace and Lydia were shot in the back of the head. Cecelia would've been out there herself if Wallace didn't tell her that she wasn't getting anything and that her presence would be a waste of time. I wonder if that was Wallace being a dick, or doing his best to warn Cecelia before she found herself caught in the crossfire. Callista was also somehow spared. Apparently, Havelock was muttering something about owing a debt to Geoff. They went to go kill Sokolov before Cecelia made a break for this little apartment.

I know at least two of our compatriots are dead, maybe more. This is complete madness. I need to finish this quickly. The only way to do that will be to pick up the trail. Somewhere around here, there has to a clue as to where they've taken Emily. If I can get to her, everything will finally be done. The Hound Pits Pub is a small building, so there won't be too many places to look. Taking a few of Cecelia's spare elixirs, I open the door and begin to assess the area. That's when I realize that this job will be a lot more complicated than I thought. Havelock must have known I would come back here, because the place is swarming with guards. I'll need to find some way to get passed them if I want to search with impunity. If Piero's alive, maybe he'll have some ideas. If he's not, maybe there'll be something among his possessions I can use to solve this problem. Either way, I hedge my bets and decide that visiting Piero's workshop is the best course of action.

I'd ordinarily be too worried about giving myself away to try this, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Once I'm certain the path is clear, I use my newest ability, the power to freeze time, and make a series of teleportations, across the street to the awning and then to the ventilation shaft surrounding the workshop, to get to it before the tallboys see me. It was tight, but I managed to get close enough to it that I could sneak in undetected. Using my powers so extensively in such a short period of time was mentally taxing, but a few swigs of Piero's elixir helped sooth my mind, restoring my mental stamina. Speaking of Piero, when I enter the shop I'm pleased to hear his voice. But his was not the only voice I was listening to. Indeed, Sokolov was also alive, and the two seemed to be hitting it off. I guess even a disgusting creep like Sokolov can't be all bad. Considering our current predicament, the two of them working together might be exactly what I need right now. While they converse about their plague elixir formulas, I find and take a Rune off Piero's desk. Once it's clear the discussion is meeting it's end, I head down to make my presence known to them.

Once they realize it's me and not some watchman, they come out of their hiding places and immediately get to the point. Since they can't fight as well as I can, they decided to try to get themselves out of this situation by building an super-Arc Pylon capable of either incapacitating all watchman in the area or reducing them to ash. Thanks to their clever engineering, the pylon will not target any friendlies in the area, only guards. Sadly, the design still needs one last final touch. A blueprint which Havelock was inspecting contains all the information Piero needs. I knew coming here was a good idea. If they can knock out everyone in a single burst, then it will be easy to find the clues I need.

Tiptoeing out via the balcony on the second floor of the workshop, I head for the window outside my room to quickly break into the pub itself. Considering the number of times I've gone through his things, I should have no difficulty getting to Havelock's room. Once I get there a see a few guards just outside the doorway. I watch as one of them skulks into the servant's quarters while the other enters Havelock's room himself. With the area clear, I halt the flow of time once more, snatching the blueprint and hauling ass to the upper floors before time resumes. Heading back the way I came in, I make my way back to the two inventor-philosophers. Handing Piero his blueprint, he asks whether I want the guards knocked out or incinerated. Considering these fools are probably just doing what they think is right, I tell Piero to put them all to sleep.

Only one thing remains before the Pylon can be activated. The device needs one more tank of whale oil to power it. Just like when I first met Piero, I use his devices to fill an oil tank. This time, I head for the workshop's roof and affix the container to the only one of three sockets that isn't already filled. The Pylon sparks to life with a flash so bright that I'm nearly blinded. Once the flash subsides, all the guards in the area get knocked on their asses and into a deep slumber. When we're all sure that the place is secure, we part ways. I head into my room, where I'm greeted by a picture, no doubt drawn by Emily, of me. I look a little worn and scruffy, but mostly intact. When this is all said and done, I think the first thing I'm doing to do is shower and shave. A Royal Protector needs to look the part, and I appear to have let myself go during my six month incarceration. Next to the picture, on my desk, I see a letter in Emily's handwriting. It appears to have been written while I was out committing Regicide. She says that while she hopes that I see this picture, everyone's been acting strange. Callista and Samuel were talking about a flare launcher in the lighthouse and Havelock mentioned Kingsparrow Island. I know that place. Before I was jailed, the former Lord Regent spoke of building a fortress there. If he finished, it would the ideal place to set up camp.

At least now I have my goal. I need to travel to Kingsparrow Island to defeat the conspiracy and restore Emily to the throne. Thanks to Emily's intel, I also know how I'll get there. Samuel and Callista probably meant to use the launcher to send a signal flare for when the coast was clear. It will be sure to attract the boatman's attention. When I tell him my destination, I'm sure he'll give me a ride. There's no point in wasting any more time here. I need to get this done quickly before something bad happens to Emily. I don't think they'll physically injure her, but who knows what those three will do to get her to do their bidding. With great haste, I run to the lighthouse to launch the flare. I try the door but it's locked and I can't get in. That's when I realize there would be only one reason to lock this door, and I shout for Callista on the other side, telling her that's it's only me.

When she opens up, I can tell that she's worried sick. Frantically, she goes over the details of what happened. None of it is new to me at this point, but I think she just needs to get it off her chest, so I sit down on Emily's bed and let her talk for a bit. I'm glad they gave her the task of being Emily's caretaker here. She genuinely cares about the girl for more reason than just that she's the heir to the throne. I hope that she considers continuing to keep Emily on the straight and narrow even after this is all said and done. The world needs more people like her. After she finishes, she explains that Samuel set up the flare gun to signal my return. He promised her that he would come quickly once the flare went off. Her sendoff seems to be more confident than the rest of her speech. Since I've taken care of the guards, Callista will get out of here just fine. However, even she knows that she can no longer help Emily right now. It's up to me to finish this once and for all. All she can do is give me her blessing. Now that all is said and done, I send out the signal and teleport to the beach area out front. Samuel pulls up only a few seconds after me, and he appears relieved. We both know there's no point in talking, so I give him Emily's location and we embark on one final boat ride. Security on Kingsparrow is bound to be tight, and I miss my equipment more than I thought I would. This will be a true test of skill, greater than any I've has thus far...

“What a Terrible Accident” Let's Play Dishonored: Part 14: The Assassins

In the remains of what used to be the train station, I scavenge a few bullets and a schematic for explosive rounds. If Piero is still around, he might want to take a look at this when I return to the Hound Pits. To my left, I see an makeshift bridge that leads out of the building, through a massive hole in the wall. Following it, I arrive just outside of another complex with a statue of a former Empress, from before Jessamine's time, outside of it: The Chamber of Commerce. I've arrived at what is most likely Daud's headquarters. Were there any other choice, I would go around and avoid confrontation. As it stands, if I want to stop the Loyalists from using Emily, I'll need to go right through the very same men who killed Jessamine those six months ago. No use dwelling on it, I suppose. It's best to get to the task at hand.

Using my mask's spyglass to get a good look, I see an entrance into the Chamber on the upper levels. The problem here is two-fold. One, I am sitting down on the lower levels, meaning that I'll need to find a way up there. Two, the place is crawling with Daud's men. I don't think I'll be able to just sneak my way through them, so I'm going to need to find a way around in order to keep making progress. Looking around a bit, I spot an alley to my left. It leads away from the Chamber of Commerce, but it's my only real chance of avoiding open conflict. Quietly, I teleport into the alley hoping that it will lead me passed, or even above the assassins. That's when I realize that the alley is also flooded, and fall into the water. Jumping onto the roof of a small shack, I see a route from my current position to another rooftop significantly higher up than I am, so I climb. From this vantage point, I have a clearer look of the area. There may not be as many assassins as I had initially though, I count at least 5, but still enough that I'm weary of being seen. Behind me, I see an entrance to an apartment building. Since jumping from the roof would give Daud's men a direct line of sight, I opt to use this apartment to keep going around them.

From the other side of the apartment, I blink into another building, passed the gaze of a patrolling guard. I'm quite out of the woods yet, as I can see him walking around just outside the building. I can't make my move until his eyes are pointed away from the Chamber of Commerce, so there's not much I can do but sit here and wait. While I'm waiting, I overhear a few of the guards compliment my weaponry, noting that despite their quality, Daud will not use them himself. I wonder about this man. He's as much a mystery to me as I am to him, but I suppose that isn't terribly important at the moment. When I'm sure that they are no longer looking my way, I quickly teleport into the ruins of another building closer to the Chamber of Commerce and duck behind a wall. Getting from there to the Chamber Interior was just a matter of waiting for the right moment again, as the guards couldn't see me from up above.

Once inside, I tried to open the door to the path that will lead me directly on the path to the Hound Pits. To my disappointment, but not surprise, the door was locked. While I'm thinking about my next move, I hear people coming, so I head for cover and lean slightly outward to get a better look. Two of Daud's men are in the hallway. One of them mentions going on assignment, but says that the door to the tunnel is blocked, which I already knew. The other one says that the key is in Daud's possession. Of course it is. If anyone around here has a key to it, it had to be Daud. This means that my worst fears have come to pass. To accomplish my goal, I am going to need to face the man who murdered an Empress. He has powers like mine too, and a small army at his beck and call. If I slip up, I'm a dead man. Once they finish talking, one of them heads my way. I move passed him using the bookshelves in this room as cover.

The other guy is another issue. He appears to be unmoving, so I can't just sneak by him. That's when I glimpse the two chandeliers in the hallway. Teleporting to the top of one of them, I manage to stay out of sight while continuing my advance into the Chamber. Once again Blinking to the end of the hallway, I come across a new assassin acolyte in training. The instructor appears to be teaching him how to keep hidden in shadows. Considering the profession of these men, that's not exactly a bad idea. After watching them for a bit to see if I could learn anything, which I didn't, I tiptoe around them and into what looks to have been a garden area. I see two windows to my left and right that I can use to get closer to Daud. If the maps I once studied of this building are correct, the central office, where Daud is sure to be located, is just ahead. Taking the left side, I observe as one of Daud's men goes in to give him a report, eavesdropping on their conversation.

Seeing Daud like this gives me a new perspective on him. I hear him talk of the Lord Regent with a mix of pity and spite. He muses of all the various ways he would have killed Hiram Burrows had he received the chance, calling the Mole quite a few nasty names. That's when he begins to talk of the many people the Mole hired him to kill. In his words, “none of them like the last. I'd give back all the coin if I could. No one should have to kill an Empress.” I thought many times of what I might do if I had the opportunity to get close to the man who murdered my love, but all of those plans really don't seem to matter anymore. Now, this shell of a man fills me with nothing but sorrow and pity. Even if revenge still mattered at this point, I don't think I could bring myself to extract it from him. Nonetheless, there is still the problem that I need his key in order to protect my daughter.

That's when I think of a bold, daring plan. Instead of fighting him, I can try to steal the key and leave before he or any of his men notice me. Perhaps that's the best way to leave him my message, one of mercy. I notice a bookshelf close to the pitiful man, and teleport to the top of it to wait for my chance. Once he begins to read from his book, I teleport in, grab his key off the desk and a Bone Charm from his pocket, throw myself back onto the bookshelf and again out of the room. The whole ordeal took a matter of seconds, but in the end he's free to live his days as he sees fit, seeking death or redemption, and I can move on from here. I hope I'm making the right decision by sparring him. If not, I may have inadvertently killed quite a few people.

But there's no point in dwelling on the potential consequences of my actions. There is still much work that needs to be done. Returning to the locked door using very much the same route I arrived at Daud's office with, I close the door behind me and jump onto a chain leading downward. On the way down, I find a Rune and absorb it's energy. At the bottom of the Chamber of Commerce, I used the key stolen from Daud to open a tunnel, leading me one step closer to rescuing my daughter from her would-be puppeteers. On the other side of the tunnel, I emerge to find more flooded ruins. I start to lose hope that I'll ever make it back, when suddenly I notice a train dumping the bodies of plague victims to my left. Those things don't travel far from Dunwall as a way to save money on whale oil, so I must be close. That train also looks like a good way to hasten my travels. With that in mind, I make getting up to it a priority.

Spotting a bridge below the train within range, I ready my powers and throw my being up there. Analyzing my surroundings, I see a window into another old apartment building. Climbing into it, I find that it makes for a great way to advance upwards. As I ascend, I see a woman who is clearly distraught. She initially suspects that I'm a new kind of guard and raises her arms to defend herself. When I don't respond in kind, she gets the hint and withdraws. Though she continues to rant afterward, I lose my patience and continue onward and upward. When I make it to the roof, I see and grab another Rune. It's been a long time, and I've gained a lot of Rune energy. While I wait for the train to return, I take this time to increase my power. Just like before, a vision appears in my head. In it, I am accosted on all sides by city watchmen. When they go to strike, I raise my hand in a similar manner to my previous vision of slowing down time. Except now, rather than simply slow the flow of time, the world itself seems to be frozen in place. Since no one is moving, I take this as my moment to escape. Pouring my energy into this vision, I feel my powers over Space-Time growing stronger.

As the haze of my mental landscape fades, the train finally appears. After it finishes dumping the bodies, I do not hesitate to jump aboard. I see buildings, guards, and even Tallboys pass by before I notice the Wall of Light closing in. At the last possible second, I Blink onto the platform just outside the Wall, pulling the oil tanker fueling it out of it's socket. Then, I climb down a nearby training and move passed the Wall of Light. I'm now just outside the Old Port District, where the Hound Pits Pub is located. Soon Emily. I'll be there for you soon....

“What a Terrible Accident” Let's Play Dishonored: Part 13: The Betrayal

Feeling helpless as I lie on the ground without the strength to move, the only thing I can do is watch and listen to my would-be killers. I knew Havelock, Pendleton, and Martin would try to do me in, but the forth voice is one that surprised me: Samuel. He tells them that I've breathed my last and that the poison did its job. Either he's a fool or he's lying. Regardless, this means that I might just have a chance. Hearing them talk disgusts me. They want my body, hoping that giving the people the corpse of “the man who murdered the Empress” will secure their power and legitimacy to the claim of the title of Lord Regent. Everything I suspected about the top conspirators, all the fears I've had, turned out to be true. If and when I manage to escape, I will need to find Emily and protect her from their treachery. I don't know what they plan for her or Dunwall, but I know it can't be good. No one will use my daughter to further their own twisted agenda. No one!

As they leave me with Samuel, his demeanor changes drastically. The boatman kneels down next to my paralyzed form and apologizes, confessing that he only filled my glass with half of the poison since they were watching him, hoping I was strong enough to withstand it. If I was actually able to move my face, I'd be smiling right now. We've only known each other for a few short days, but Samuel and I are becoming fast friends despite, or maybe even because of, harsh circumstances. I'm glad that he's the one they asked to deliver the poison. Sadly, he can't wait for me to recover, as they'll quickly figure out that I'm not dead. With that in mind, Samuel intends to float my body on a raft while he escapes. It's a long shot, as I could arrive anywhere and will need to make my way back here, but it's the only option we have right now. It's far too risky and impractical for him to travel with my paralyzed body in tow. I only hope the others wise up and ship out too before the shit hits the fan. As Samuel notes, the others have also likely outlived their usefulness. Before Samuel ships me off, I lose my remaining willpower and pass out.

When I awaken, I find myself drifting into Dunwall's Flooded District, once known as the Rudshore Financial District, where plague victims go to die, segregated from the rest of the population. Still under the effects of the poison, I am accosted by two figures wearing familiar garbs. Like the ones who attacked my Jessamine and I on that fateful day, these two are wearing uniforms from old whaling ships, signifying that they work for Daud. As always, it's out of the frying pan and into the fryer for me. I really can't seem to catch a break. That's when they teleport onto my raft to analyze my body. Almost immediately they recognize who I am and that I've been poisoned, further complicating the matter. Ominously, when one of them proclaims that the attempt on my life was “amateur work” that I will live through, the other says that it will ultimately be up to Daud.

With them dragging me onto some sort of gondola and rowing to an unknown location, I start to feel the effects of the poison wear off, as I can finally move my head. Using my new-found head moving abilities, I see that we've arrived at an old refinery in the district. Outside, a few more of Daud's men are clear in view. Taking my limp body, they raise it using an old elevator. At the top, I face the assassin leader himself, holding what looks to be the case I hold my equipment in. There's a certain irony to having my life in the hands of the one who killed the woman I loved the most, but right now I'm too scared out of my mind to appreciate it. If he wanted to, considering my state, this man could take a sword and gut me right now. It's not like he has any sort of moral fiber preventing him from doing so. Still, considering what's happened, I've been extremely lucky so far. There's as much of a chance my luck will continue as there is that it will run out, which is equally disturbing and uplifting. All I can really do is wait and see.

With the lift taking me further into the refinery, Daud begins to speak to me. He knows who I am and that I've been given the Poncy's mark, revealing that he has it, as I suspected. Furthermore, he confirms that he is the man who “knows what's its like to shove a blade into [my] beloved Empress.” However, there's one thing he doesn't know. That is, who I fight for and why. Because of this, he is as fearful of me as I am of him. It is then that I watch as he tosses my equipment into the chasm of the storehouse, and knocks me out again immediately afterward. Coming to for the second time today, I find myself in the Void. As if this day couldn't get any worse, I am going to need to speak with Poncy, because the thing I need most right now is obviously cryptic mutterings and bullshit. Though he appears and speaks to me, I can't even be bothered to listen. Eventually he takes the hint and returns me to the real world.

In this case, the real world happens to be a small drain being used as a makeshift jail cell, where I wake up for the third time today. Instead of a grate, they opted to use wooden board to prevent my escape. Though I can move, I still feel the effects of the poison in my bloodstream, so I choose to spend a moment taking inventory to see exactly what's missing while I wait for a more complete recovery. As expected, my sword and most of my conventional equipment is gone, along with the gold I had in my possession. That being said, I am legitimately surprised at some of the things they left me. My mask is still in my pocket where I left it, so I put it on out of like I would for one of my assassinations. If I treat getting back to the Hound Pits like any other mission, I should be able to get it done no problem. Another surprising thing to note is that all of my Bone Charms are here as well. The ones I have equipped up until now are also still firmly attached to my belt. Lastly, and most strangely, the Heart wasn't taken either. It doesn't really make much sense. Since Daud knows the value of these mystical artifacts, why would he leave them with me? Even my mask was in part built by the Outsider. One would think that he'd keep these items for himself.

Finishing up my inspection, I can finally feel my body return to full strength. Finally, I'm back and I'm ready. I tighten the straps affixing my Death Mask to my face, and begin the second jail break of my life, except this time I won't have outside help. Looking down, I notice that there are a lot of bricks on the floor. Instinctively, I toss them at the wooden boards blocking my exit, and leap out of the hole created. On the desk outside my cell, I see a few plague elixirs and one of the knives that Daud's men use, so I pick them up in case I need to defend myself. Like it or not I'm still in Daud's territory, so it's best to be prepared. There also appear to be a few notes scattered about as well. Reading them, I finally see why they let me live. Apparently, the bounty out for me will dramatically increase in the event of a live capture. Since these guys are mercenaries in the end, it's to be expected that they would want to maximize their returns. Unfortunately, while they may be great assassins, they are terrible wardens, providing me with all the tools I need to make my escape. While I have considered going back to the refinery to retrieve my gear and truly screw with them, I ultimately decide against it because the items in question, despite being lovingly crafted by Piero, are things I simply don't use. Going after them would end up causing more trouble then necessary.

From my position in what appears to be an old brick-and-mortar building, I can't see anything. So instead, I begin to listen. I can hear the footsteps of Daud's men above me, so I opt to go downwards, where I stumble onto an alternate exit in the form of a body of water. Then, I slowly and quietly get into the water, swimming out of the building they trapped me in. It involved spending time with slaughterfish, but that's a lesser risk than engaging in open conflict. After escaping and climbing up out of the water, I find myself pretty chewed up from the sharp bites of the slaughterfish, so I drink the elixir I acquired in order to heal my wounds. Luckily, there are wooden planks and debris I can use avoid being fish bait any longer. As I recall, if I want escape, I'll need to head past the old Chamber of Commerce. Knowing what I've heard of Daud and what remains of this district, he has likely established his base there. To rescue Emily and get my life back, I'll need to go directly through him. Right now though, I need to get my bearings and figure out exactly where in Dunwall's former Rudshore Financial District I ended up, so it's time to make for the high ground. Looking around, I see a chain I can climb, so I use that to raise myself up.

That's when I come across I metal bridge connecting two buildings, decorated by the corpses of fallen Overseers. Rather than leave their equipment to die with them, I opt to scavenge a pistol and grenade off their bodies. After I finish looting, I climb the metal gate on the other side of the bridge and arrive at the entrance to the Central Rudshore Rail Line Station. I breath a sigh of relief, as that means I'm not far from the Chamber of Commerce. However, three of Daud's men are patrolling outside. To get through, I'm going to need to sneak passed them. Considering that they also have powers like my own, it may be more difficult to get through them than the City Watch.

Going around these guys, using the handrails as cover, I arrive at the door only to find that it's looked. Hopefully one of these guys has the key. Returning to my safe spot above the patrols, I look around to see if any of them have the key. The only one I can see clearly from here is one the roof across from me, and he's clean. To get a better view of the other two, I Blink to a nearby apartment building. From there, I see an assassin on a nearby awning. When he turns around to look behind him, I see the key on his belt. Observing him a little while longer, I make my next move. Almost effortlessly, and faster than the eye can perceive, I teleport directly behind him, snatch the key, and teleport to the door before he has a chance to even notice what happened. I'm close to the Chamber of Commerce, and likely Daud himself, now. I'm probably going to need to deal with him in order to proceed. The question is how. Hopefully by the time I get there, I'll have an answer....

“What a Terrible Accident” Let's Play Dishonored: Part 12: The Regent

Arriving at Dunwall Tower is a very bittersweet moment for me. Were it not for all the security, guards, and the Lord Mole I've been sent to kill, this would feel a lot like a homecoming. As it stands, it's sad to see how far this place has fallen. What was once a bright and cheerful place where Jessamine did her best to help as many as she could is now under the control of a bleak and petty dictator. I may not have a great vantage point from the bottom of the water lock, but even from here the change is obvious. The darkness merely accentuates what is already there.

Due to my current standing with the government of Dunwall, I'm unable to get clearance to use the water lock's mechanisms to raise our boat to the garden of the tower. This means that I need to climb my way up myself and go from there. After all of the many, many buildings I've climbed in a few short days, this isn't a big deal to me, especially since I have magic teleportation powers. After climbing a few pipes, I find myself using these powers to land inside a nearby vent. There are spinning wheels that divide this vent, but in those wheels are gaps which I can easily sneak through. At the end of the vent, I see an opening that I use to exit onto a steel beam. From there, I see what appears to be a Bone Charm on the other side of the water lock, in another vent. Confirming that it is indeed a Bone Charm with the Heart, I Blink over there and pick it off of a corpse. It's a good thing that I was the one who picked it up, because as soon as I put it in my bag, a swarm of rats appears out of nowhere. Reflexively, I throw myself back to the other side using Blink before I am devoured by rats. Looking at the Bone Charm, I see that it helps me restore my mental energy faster, so I equip it onto my belt.

Taking a quick breath to calm myself down, I overhear a few guards talking on the level above me. One of them moves towards the bannister. If he looks down, I will be spotted, ruining any shot of assassinating the Lord Mole. Luckily, his Dunwallian inability to look around gives me the break I needed to get to the balcony by the door to the maintenance room. Opening the door, I am immediately greeted by an Arc Pylon. The door is just outside of it's effective range, so I'm safe for now. However, if I want to get to the upper levels, I will need to disable it somehow. The panel must be around here somewhere. I see that there is a metal barrier I can use to hide from the Arc Pylon, so I throw myself behind it, not giving the pylon any time to charge up. From there, I see not only the control panel, but the oil tank fueling the device. Quietly dislodging the tank from the conduit, I move upstairs and continue my ascent.

Rather than take the slow, painful route of sneaking through the top level of the water lock, I find that it is smarter instead to teleport onto a nearby spire and again to the roof of the building, bypassing the patrolling guards entirely. Sneaking across the rooftop gives me a perfect view of the tower gardens, so I take this as an opportunity to sit down and plan my strategy for braking in. While the basic structure of the garden is very much like how I remember it, security has clearly been improved. There are stations and watch towers that were clearly erected recently, on top of the large number of guards out on patrol. I also see construction laid about for further potential “renovations”. According to the Heart, two Runes are also in the area. One is close by, and I can likely get to it on the way to the tower proper. The other is clearly on the top of the tower. Unless the Regent is there as well, the odds are I won't be grabbing it. It's too risky.

Finishing my survey of the area, I decide to use the construction nearby to sneak through the right side of the gardens, behind a guard tower. Since the Rune is in the tower, I use a small hole in the construction to enter. As I climb up, I hear footsteps above me, and wait for them to pass before I pull myself up and Blink passed the patrol before he turns around. The watchman is in plain view of the door leading to the Rune, so I wait before making my move. Entering the room containing the Rune, I see that it must be the bedroom for the guardsmen in the area, judging by the cots, lockers, and food littered about it. One of the notices on a circular table says that after the death of my beloved Empress, Lord Mole severely restricted access to Dunwall Tower. That doesn't surprise me, but I'm still angered at the way he spits on her legacy. Rather than listen to the words of the people, this fool would sit and watch the city crumble. My resolve is strengthened after this. I know now that regardless of my expendability to the conspiracy, this man needs to die.

When I look back at the way I came into this room, I see an awning on the side of the tower I can use to keep the high ground and advance further into the complex. I can't teleport to it normally, so with a running start, I jump and then use my powers to get up there. Turning back, a wry smile crosses my face as I see that the guard is still completely oblivious. He didn't even hear me thanks to my boots, outfitted by Piero to be as silent as possible. Fortune smiles at me again when I gaze to my right, finding a ventilation shaft that leads directly into the tower foyer. On top of the archway above the main entrance, I see the Lord Mole himself talking through one of the screens to his top general, standing atop the staircase leading onto the second floor.

What luck! Apparently all the stress is getting to the old fool. Rather than stay in his safe-room on the top floor, he heads to his bedroom. Considering that there is only one real “bedroom” in this tower, the rest being more accurately called barracks, I know exactly where he'll be. I can't help but be mad that this sick individual is sleeping in the room that rightfully belongs to the woman he contracted a hit on, but that's tempered by the relief that I won't have to struggle to get there. After all, the bedroom's balcony directly overlooks the foyer, and from my vantage point I can see that the door is wide open. As many people on patrol as this idiot has, there was absolutely no way he could have known that his pursuer has the power to throw himself onto the chandelier, and then to the balcony. The moment he decided to leave that room was the moment he sealed his fate. Lord Mole, Hiram Burrows, you are mine.

On the balcony to the bedroom, I take the time to pilfer a Rune from his chest in front of the bed before climbing up to the awning above. It's made of incredibly sturdy materials, so I have no doubt that it will support my weight. All I have to do now is sit, wait, and figure out how exactly I plan to get the job done without leaving evidence behind. He takes his time getting here, but eventually I hear him outside the door, chastising the watchmen. Part of me wonders exactly how much they like Lord Mole. If he wasn't paying them money, how many of them would stay out of loyalty? My guess is few. As the door opens, I summon a swarm of rats to attack him. Watching the guards panic and swing their swords wildly, trying to assist him, my heart jumps as I see one of them accidentally swing their blade directly into the Lord Regent, killing him on the spot in a similar scene to the the Pendleton twins.

Oh dear, what a terrible accident. Apparently the guards in this city have trouble defending their lords from the rats.

Though I probably should look around and scout for more Runes and Bone Charms, I opt to not take my chances with Dunwall Tower Security. I leave exactly the same way I came in, using the chandelier to keep out of sight of the patrols and sneaking back into the vent. My journey back to Samuel's boat goes a lot smoother than the one I made to get to my final target. After a few Blinks, I am back on the roof of the water lock and in a good position to dive into the water and swim to the boat. Explaining that the deed has been done, a weight appears to lift from the boatman's shoulders, and he takes us back to the Hound Pits.

As we travel, Samuel confesses a mix of unease and excitement for the new change, worrying that the small guys like him may end up getting steamrolled. I didn't tell him for fear of worsening his mood, but deep down I share the same apprehension. All the evidence I've gathered points to this being the perfect moment for the heads of this conspiracy to show their true colors, assuming my guess is correct. I hope I'm wrong, but considering I'm the foremost expert on being backstabbed, I trust my instincts. I can hear the party in the bar from here, so I decide to join the festivities. As Pendleton praises my final victory, he hands me a drink. Both him and Havelock seem excited for the changes to come, and in their fervor give a toast to me and Lady Emily.

In the excitement of the moment, I imbibe the fluid from the glass and immediately curse myself for it. I wait a few moments, and think that I might be okay as I listen to Callista argue her case to Martin that she should take the job of caring for Emily. It was then that my vision began to blur, and I knew that I had made a terrible mistake. It's getting worse and worse, and I don't think there's anything I can do about it. The only thought crossing my mind is the vain hope that if I get to my bed and rest, maybe they'll be too chicken shit to finish me off and I'll have time to recover. Frantically, I rush up the stairs and to my room, but as I reach my bed, I collapse onto the floor. I've been lucky so far, but it appears this is where my journey comes to a close....

“What a Terrible Accident” Let's Play Dishonored: Part 11: The Party

The mansion's interior is simply beautiful. I knew that the Boyles were one of the wealthiest, if not the wealthiest, families in Dunwall, but this is just insane. Despite having multiple objectives to carry out, I cannot help but to gawk at the sheer lavishness of the lobby. When I get done, I snack on an apple on the table. This may be a business trip, but I might as well enjoy my time here before the shit hits the fan. Security looks pretty tight, but as long as I have my mask and keep a low profile, I should be okay.

Now to get busy. I need to figure out which one of the three hosts is the Lady Boyle funding Lord Mole's military and take her out without arousing suspicion. Looking around, I see that the Ladies Boyle are all wearing recolors of the same costumes: one red, one black, and one white. What will make this tough is that I don't know any of them personally. While I've been to many noble parties during my many years as Lord Protector, and the Boyles were usually invited, the Empress was always my top priority in more ways than one. However, since this is one of their parties, and figuring out which one is which has become a game for the guests, I can try to talk to some of the guests here. Under the pretense of playing the game, they might be more willing to divulge information. Most nobles show up to these parties under a sense of obligation, but there have to be a few close friends to the Boyles in this place.

As I survey the grounds, I'm approached by a man wearing one of the ugliest makeshift masks I have ever seen in my entire life. My heart stops when he says that he knows why I am here. Shit! How would he know? Was I that obvious? Rather than rat me out, he simply requests that I speak with him in private. I thank the lucky stars, because this means I might have a way to salvage this situation. Before I can plan my next move, it would be wise to do as he says, so I follow him to a little corner where no one else will hear us. After making sure we are not being watched, the man in the ragged mask explains that he's done a few favors for us. Good, that means he's unlikely to expose me. Unfortunately, he gives me a rather troubling offer. Instead of killing her, I can kidnap Lady Boyle and take her to his boat in the cellar, after which he promises I will “never hear from her again.” Apparently, this guy has had a real crush on her for quite a while.

I'd love to avoid getting blood on my hands, but the way this guy makes his offer sound feels like a fate even worse than death. Killing her feels like a mercy if it means she doesn't end up in his hands, though this raises more trouble. If he truly feels this way towards the target, than when I do kill her he might retaliate. I can't risk this happening, so he has to die in order to keep my presence here secret. Still, he gives me the name of my target: Waverly Boyle. Having a name gives me more to work with, but I still need to figure out which of the three costumes she is wearing. I can't off this guy now, or else the guards might react much too strongly. This is going to be tough to execute. As I figure, it would be better to look around and plan a bit more before making a move.

When I ask about the Ladies Boyle, one of the noblewomen tells me to talk to a “Miss White,” also known as “Miss Moth.” She knows the Boyles and would likely have the information I need. As I approach the woman wearing a Moth-shaped mask, she asks for me to give her a drink after complimenting my “scandalous” mask and “poor sense of judgment.” Simple enough, I suppose. A quick trip to the fountain is all I need to satisfy her. Once the drink is in her hands, she becomes very loose lipped, divulging that Waverly is wearing the red costume while Lydia is in white. With this new piece of information, I have my target's name and costume. I tried to figure out a way to make Waverly's death look like an accident, which is when I had a devilish idea. My mask helped me convince Miss White to help me out, perhaps I can use it to charm the Lady Boyle. Waverly passes me by just as the idea pops into my head, so I go up and talk to her.

I use the pretense of the Boyles' game as a way to initiate conversation. After saying that I know which of the three sisters she is, I ask if she would like to have a private conversation. She calls my bluff, saying that she does not even know who I am. Thinking quickly to salvage the situation, I say that there is someone planning to kill her, and that I can save her life. I don't know how that worked, but it did, so I convinced her to some with me to the cellar. If that creeper from before is there like he said he'd be, I might be able to kill two birds with one stone. Since I don't know my way around, I follow her into the cellar, where she is summarily devoured by a swarm of rats that I summon.

That leaves the creeper. He's there in the boat, but taking care of him cleanly won't be easy. I try summoning a swarm of rats, but the boat resists my power somehow. I had to work around it by stabbing him with my blade and using the rats to, hopefully, cover it up after dumping his body onto the floor. Inspecting the cellars for a bit, I see an entrance to the sewer systems. That will give me the quickest and least patrolled route back, so that's what I use. Once in the sewers, I get over any fear I have of getting dirty and dive right in, using a nearby valve to open the grate to the river. Swimming back, I see that the patrols are getting more fierce, and Samuel had to retreat behind a closing floodgate in order to avoid being seen. Before the floodgate closes completely, I use a combination of Blink and my superior swimming skills in order to make it to the other side. Once I climb aboard, we both agree that it would best to leave as quickly as we can.

When we return to the Hound Pits, Samuel notes that Pendleton was supposed to meet us at the pier. Considering my suspicions, that worries me. The old boatman must have sensed my apprehension, and told me that he's probably just in the wine cellar, still lamenting the loss of his kin only a day ago. I decide to snoop around before meeting him for my debriefing. In the nobleman's room, I find a audiograph, this time it's not one of his boring memories. Clearly it was supposed to be, as he yells at his servant Wallace that he was trying to write them. However, he appears to have worked himself into a drunken rage. It was highly amusing.

Havelock's room greets me with the admiral himself working with Martin, though neither one of them are speaking. I discreetly peer into Havelock's journal. To my surprise, Martin has ascended to the rank of High Overseer, taking Baldy's place as top dog. For the conspiracy, this is good news. Considering I have the Mark of the Outsider, I'm not so sure it is for me. That's when I read the last potion of the last entry. As I have already surmised, the only person left for me to take out is the Lord Regent himself. That doesn't bother me. In fact, part of me is looking forward to it. What draws my attention is the sentence following that, “But what happens after that?” It seems to echo in the back of my head. What happens after this? I fear that the answer to that question is not one I am going to like.

Heading back into the bar, Callista calls me and asks if I can find Emily for her. Apparently they were playing hide-and-seek shortly before I arrived, and Callista was unable to find her (probably due to her Dunwallian dullness of senses). It's time for Emily's lessons, so she'd like her to be back soon. Since she is my daughter and I have been neglecting my duties as a father, the very least I can do is take her to school while I can. I already have an idea of where she went, so I go to my room to confirm my suspicions. Surprisingly enough, she wasn't there like I thought she'd be, so the next most reasonable place to look would be her room in the lighthouse. I don't find her, but I do find an audiograph Callista recorded, talking about her. Earlier before recording that thing, the two of them must have been talking about what will change when Emily becomes Empress. I can feel a mix of exhaustion, joy, and sympathy coming from Callista's voice as she talks about the many questions Emily asks of her. She ends noting that she can often hear my poor girl crying in her sleep. That alone just breaks my heart, but it's worse knowing there's nothing I can really do to about it. Instead of walking back down to continue my search, I decide to take the fun way by falling and then Blinking to the ground. Looking in the back alleys, I eventually stumble onto Emily. She hands me a Rune after we reminisce and I tell her to go do her lessons. She thought it would be a good luck charm, but it just gave her bad dreams. It's better that I take it, since I'm one of the few that can control those powers.

Since I've dodged him long enough, I go talk to Pendleton in the wine cellar. He seems peeved that I didn't give Lord Shaw his note, but I gather that's more his problem than mine. The man already plans to kill me, so I see no problem with giving him one more reason. Pendleton says the other two are looking for me, but I'll see to that later. Right now I want to see what Piero's up to. The mechanist seems pleased when I hand him the plans I stole for the Boyle manse. Apparently they can be used to build sticky grenades, but I don't have a use for them. Instead, I use my money to get him to build other supplies I might need, like plague elixirs. Now that I'm restocked, I go talk to Martin and Havelock over in the admiral's room. As we all knew, this is it. They tell me that this is the final mission. I'm to go as soon as I am able to Dunwall Tower and assassinate the Lord Mole. I expected this, but it feels weird to have it all coming to an end. I'm still concerned. Once this mission is over, they no longer have a reason to keep me alive. Despite my apprehension, I have to see this through to the end. Too much is at stake. I've done all I can here, so the only thing that remains is to talk with Samuel and embark on this last boat-ride....

“What a Terrible Accident” Let's Play Dishonored: Part 10: The Interrogation

I hear a voice, stirring me from my sleep. She tells me it's time to wake up. That voice can only be the voice of my daughter, Emily. Sure enough, when I open my eyes and wake up, she's right there. As I rise from the bed, I'm told that I make funny faces when I sleep. Emily says that Callista is in the bath, so she decided to come up here to be with me. With a worried expression, my little angel says that she was ordered to come to my room if there was any trouble. Smiling, I reassure her that she's always welcome to stay up here with me. I can feel the tension escape her when she tells me to get going, since Callista will pick her up when her bath is finished.

Speaking of Callista, I check out her room to find an audiograph that she plans to send to her uncle, Geoff. In it, she reassured him that while she may not be present for the next few days, she'll be safe and fed better than most of the people in Dunwall, which is as specific as she can get under these circumstances. Heading downstairs, my continued surveillance of Havelock and Pendleton yields nothing new, so I'm a little disappointed. That's when I open the door to the staff dormitories, where I find Piero looking through the lock into the bathroom. Considering that Emily just said Callista is bathing in there, that freaks me out more than a little bit. Since I still have some vestige of my old honor left, I confront the dirty pervert. He immediately thinks of a lie regarding making a new lock and quickly realizes I'm not buying it, which leads to him coming clean. It's then that I warn him that I don't take too kindly to this type of behavior. He begs for me to not tell Callista, but that's just not the kind of guy I am.

There's no way I could live with myself if I didn't tell her that we have a peeping Piero in our mitts, so I step into the room to do so. When she gasps and goes to cover herself, I realize just how stupid it was not to wait until after she finished her bath to do this. Before she reprimands me, I apologize. While she seemed understanding, she asked politely for me to leave. To the average person, this would be the best idea. However, since I've navigated this situation so far with the grace of a bull, I decide that the best way to save face is to do what I came in here to do. Telling her about Piero has a very noticeable impact on her. I believe the words she spoke were, “I feel dirtier than when I started”. Rather than make the situation any worse through my blundering, I leave as quickly as I possible can, closing the door behind me. I've faced hundreds of opponents, killed several well known people, and faced torture by one of the most cruel men in Dunwall, but nothing has ever been more frightening then the glare Callista gave me as I walked out of that bathroom.

I decide that the best way to get my mind off the death stare is to see what's happened with Sokolov while I slept. From what I recall, Havelock said that he was transforming the pits used for the dog fights around here into a makeshift cell, so I head over to see how the interrogation is progressing. Hopefully Sokolov reveals the name of Lord Mole's financial backer. Without the support of Parliament, this mysterious mistress is the only thing that gives him a steady stream of money to fund his operation. Judging from what I hear when I walk in, the interrogation is not going very well. They trade turns throwing insults at each other, acting like petty school children. Havelock insults Sokolov's need of the Mole, while Sokolov insults his need for me. After awhile, the admiral comes out with the demand for the name of our Lord Regent's mistress, which is summarily refused by the royal physician. That's when I take the reins of the interrogation, and suggest that we might be able to bribe the disgusting pig.

As much as I dislike Sokolov, he's a smart man and when this whole thing inevitably turns south, he and Piero could make for valuable allies. When I announce my tactics, Havelock seems surprised, as if the thought never crossed his mind. No wonder he couldn't get any information. He used the stick without even bothering to think of the carrot. There's only one man here who would know what could interest Sokolov, his dearest rival Piero. I go to our resident craftsman/philosopher. When I arrive, the very first thing he tells me is that he understands my decision to rat him out to Callista. After asking him to give me something with which to bribe Sokolov, he tells me of a rare brandy that is sure to work for our purposes. The mechanist just so happens to have the brandy in stock, but he wants me to buy it off him. Fair enough, Piero. I understand. Whatever helps you to get your petty revenge for me telling Callista about your peeping ass. I hand him the money and take the foul-smelling brew back to the other natural philosopher in this glorious hole we call a bar.

When I return with the booze, Sokolov is ranting about how badly he needs a drink. He's lucky that I am a generous man, as I hand him the drink he's so desperate for. Once the bottle trades hands, my new found ally seems to suddenly become extremely generous with details. He tells us that while he painted the mistress, “Lady Boyle”, he never learned her face or first name as she was painted from the rear. Apparently, he was invited to a masquerade party at the Boyle estate tonight. This will be the perfect opportunity to strike, especially since no one knows what my mask looks like outside of the group here. I can blend in with the crowd to try to get close to my target.

The only real problem I can foresee is in finding the target. While the party is at the Boyle estate the key issue is that there are three women in Dunwall who can refer to themselves as “Lady Boyle”. The Ladies Boyle will all likely attend their own party, so I will need to find the correct one and take them out in a way the makes it look like an accident. This is much easier said than done. As I make my way out, Lord Pendleton tells me that while I am at the party, he would like me to deliver a note to a man named Lord Shaw, who will be wearing a wolf mask. Knowing Pendleton, there's more to this than meets the eye, so I think I will take a moment to meet Lord Shaw before considering his favor. I smile as I head to Samuel, because I pass by Emily asking Havelock to share stories of the open sea. What a girl. She's so very much like her parents. Anyway, since the Boyle estate is quite long ways off by boat, I ask Samuel to shove off as soon as possible.

By the time we arrive, it's already nighttime. As befitting the Lord Mole's mistress, the Estate District is on high patrol to avoid interlopers at the party. It's here that I get my first glimpse at the fabled tallboy, and that is clearly and enemy I do not want to fight. Those stilts look like they'd take me out in one blow, and the armor looks extremely tough to penetrate. All of this on top of the explosive crossbow bolts they wield mean that directly confronting them is a no-go. When I touch down, the Heart begins to beat with a force, revealing the presence of 2 Runes and 2 Bone Charms. 1 of these Runes is on the other side of the river, so swimming to it and jumping back to shore isn't exactly difficult. Climbing up a set of stairs close by, I use Blink to make a series of maneuvers ending with a landing on a nearby rooftop and out of sight of the patrols.

According to the Heart, I inadvertently got closer to the other Rune. When I jump onto a roof of higher elevation, I see the Rune perched atop... an Outsider shrine. There's a weeper nearby as well, but the question is if the Rune is worth listening to Poncy's rants. *sigh* I do need more power, so I sneak behind the weeper to stab it and look around for any other of its ilk. During my search, I find 1 of the Bone Charms that the Heart sensed earlier, so I snag it even though the effects are useless to me. Afterward, I eat shit and pick up the Rune, summoning Poncy to rant at me again. Nothing he says is even remotely useful. The only mildly noteworthy things he mentions is that either I kill Lady Boyle tonight, or she lives out her days without ever throwing another wild party. This could not possibly interest me any less, so I am more than happy to Blink out the room once he's finished and begin scouting the party grounds, looking for a way in. I notice that the patrols outside only consist of one guard and a tallboy. For once, I take the near direct approach. Instead of taking the streets, I use Blink to navigate the top of the bridge support beams and once again to teleport passed the gate separating the Boyle estate from the streets.

Now that I'm on the estate grounds, I put away my gear in order to avoid arousing suspicion. As I approach that doorman, one of guests loosens their grip on their invitation, letting the wind take over from there. Since it lands in a nice, out of the way place, I snag the invitation in order to gain entry to the Boyle manse. Before I show my invitation to the guards, I swipe the wallets off a few nobles outside the gate, adding to the pool of funds I can use to buy things from Piero. Once I do give him “my” invitation, the guard opens the door for me and invites me to enjoy the party. That's when I get the idea to steal the key to the guard house and use it to take blueprints for Spiked Grenades. I don't think it'll get much mileage out of it, but Piero will appreciate the gesture nonetheless.

Proceeding into the manse, I hear two nobles talking about how all the Ladies Boyle are dressed in similar, yet differently colored costumes. It's part of a game where the guests are supposed to figure out the identity of each of them. Great. This will make my job that much more of a pain in the ass. Just as I approach the door to the mansion's interior, I notice a man wearing a wolf mask. This Lord Shaw seems to be talking about Lord Pendleton in a disparaging tone, so I decide not to give him the note in order to keep attention off of me. I am now ready to enter the mansion. It's a tough task ahead of me. Not only do I need to figure out which of them is the mistress of the Lord Mole, but I also need to figure out which costume the correct one is wearing. This might be a decent challenge for other people, but I've overcome tougher ones before, so I think I can pull this off if I'm extremely careful not to look suspicious.

“What a Terrible Accident” Let's Play Dishonored: Part 9: The Abduction

As I enter the apartment, I immediately hear the whispers of a Rune on a nearby table, wasting no time snatching it up. I can already begin to see the visions of new powers forming, but I feel that if I hold off a little while longer, even stronger abilities will be have the potential to be awakened. Blinking onto the roof of the guard station, I see that aside from the patrols, my only obstacle is a Wall of Light. The tank supplying the fuel is guarded by a spinning wheel, so a normal man would be unable to get to it. I am not a normal man, and as a result I can just Blink over it. When the guards look away, I take my chance to quickly remove the tank and climb up a nearby vent to stay out of sight. Once I'm sure the guards are still looking away, I rush to the door beyond the Wall of Light and finally make it to the other side of Kaldwin's bridge, where Sokolov's apartment lies.

Once I begin to get my bearings here, the Heart once more begins to beat, indicating a Bone Charm and a Rune. The Rune is located in the direction of Sokolov's apartment if my memories of Kaldwin's Bridge are accurate. Knowing him, it is highly likely that the Rune is with him at this moment. Since the Bone Charm is close by, I decide to take a quick detour in order to claim it for myself. Climbing into the window of the apartment complex I see that my path to the charm is blocked by a makeshift barricade. All this means is that I need to find a back way in, so I climb onto the roof and look to the side to find a very well-placed balcony. I am once again disappointed to find that the charm's effect is useless to me, so I place it in my pack to keep others safe from it. That means that only one Rune remains, and I'm convinced Sokolov has it. This suspicion is confirmed when I scale the rooftops and acquire a direct line of sight to the apartment, which seems more like a small fortress when I finally gaze upon it.

The front door is too well-guarded to use, so I inspect the building's roof to find a single guard on patrol. I can do this, but I will have to dispatch him in order to ensure my safety. The only way onto to the roof is the chain hanging from it. I wait for a bit, because my best chance will be the moment when the guard turns his back to the chain. Once I'm onto the roof and behind cover, I take a look inside and notice that the room on Sokolov's roof appears to be some sort of greenhouse. He provides the plague elixirs for the guards, so this comes as no surprise to me.

Before I can take a closer look, I need to dispatch that watchman. Scaling the greenhouse, I wait for the guard to get closer, and then use my rats to silence him forever. I see a poor woman who appears to be a subject in one of his experiments. While I feel sorry for her, I can't free her or she'd see me, possibly compromising my mission. Plus, with her locked up, I can pass this off as Sokolov going out for awhile, especially if I nab his notebook and recipe for his elixir on the way. Piero will be most pleased to have the access to Sokolov's notes. The Rune was also located here, as I suspected. Now that everything I need is in my hands, I pick up Sokolov's sleeping form and make my way out. Since the guard patrolling the roof is now dead, my escape is completely unhindered. Predicting the most likely place for Samuel to make camp over here, I head to a waterway under the bridge. Sure enough, he was right there and ready to make the trip back. With the floodlights still out of commission, we made it back to the Hound Pits Pub safely.

When we arrive, it's nighttime with Martin and Havelock receiving us at the pier. The admiral praises my efforts and invites me to go to bed. I am almost certainly tired, but I have a few things to do before hitting the hey. Fortunately, Piero is right outside, and he's just the man I'm looking for. I hand him the blueprints for both my new boots and Sokolov's elixirs, and gave him the money to start working on my boots. After finishing the upgrades, he says that working on them gave him new ideas for how to further muffle my footsteps, so I consent to give him the scratch to continue development. As I left him to his work, I found an audiograph where Piero rants that he's smarter than Sokolov and that the only reason Sokolov is in a better position is that he's better funded by the nobles. Given how quickly Piero finishes his work, I'm tempted to believe it. Pondering this a bit, Piero informs me that he's finished. I thank him and leave, making note of the fact that I can barely hear my own footsteps.

It is then that the Heart sparks to life and once more begins to beat. It tells me of a Bone Charm located in a nearby building. Sadly, the only access point is a locked door. Cecelia is one of the few people here who knows this area well, so talking to her could give me some help. When I approach her, she tells me the apartment is a secret hideout that she plans to use in the event that the guards beat on our door and we need to scatter. She mentions that she has a spare key under her bed that she's willing to give me. I'm touched by her offer, and thank her graciously. Taking the key, I decide to continue my surveillance of Havelock and Pendleton by inspecting their rooms. Havelock was in his room at the time, and didn't seem to mind me snooping through his things. Looks like my assassinations earlier today have already begun to bear fruit, as the Lord Mole lost the vote on increasing the city's defense budget.

As for his journal, he appears to be getting more power-hungry, talking about the kind of force he could wield if both Piero and Sokolov were under his command. This is after noting my ability to perform extractions along with assassinations. What concerns me more is the audiograph. In the recording, Havelock is clearly growing more paranoid, worried that he hasn't covered his tracks enough in keeping this bar, and our operation, above water. There are also traces of an ambition about him, saying that he'd almost prefer taking the title of Lord Regent for himself than commanding the navy in Emily's name. I've seem this combination of paranoia and ambition before with the current Lord Regent, and that resulted in six months of my life gone. I have no plans on making the same mistake a second time. You've earned my attention Havelock, be warned. As for Pendleton, he is away on business, his room containing another memoir. The content is meaningless, but he seems to be growing more and more belligerent. I imagine the deaths of his brothers are still affecting him, so who knows what he is capable of at this point.

As I head to the Cecelia's hiding place to snatch the Bone Charm, I think of Martin and wonder about what he might be thinking. He's an overseer and enemy of the Outsider. Surely by now he's seen the Mark on my left hand. For now, he seems to be willingly ignoring it, but if pressed by Havelock and Pendleton, I wonder how long that will last. The bottom line is that all three of the top conspirators have a motive to end my life as soon as this whole thing is over, and that worries me. I'm necessary for now, which means I'm safe, but the future is uncertain. Almost reflecting my current state of mind, the charm I pick up is once again worthless to me. At this point I seem to only be picking these things up to keep their power in check.

The only errand I have left to run before turning in for the night is to check in with Callista and Emily. Entering the lighthouse, I thank the stars that I purchased silent boots, as Emily was just put to sleep. She seems restless, tossing and turning as if the weight of the world is on her shoulders. Hell, it just might be. Callista says that Emily appears to be visibly happier when I'm here for her, but she doesn't press the issue because we both know that I have work to do. In Callista's audiograph, she recounts her day with Emily. I almost feel bad for poor Callista, because she's both dealing with limited resources and dealing with my daughter. I know that Emily can be a handful, mostly because I know she gets it from both myself and her mother. There was one interesting point that I'm probably putting too much stock in, but she mentioned that when she asked for slightly more fancy ware to have “tea parties” with Emily, Havelock and the others seems distant. I should expect that because of the nature of this conspiracy, but given what I suspect of them, that concerns me even more. I give Emily a quick kiss good night, and then head to my own room.

Right as I am about to head to bed, a thought occurs to me. I have the energy of 5 Runes stored within me, so maybe now is a good time to strengthen my magic. The visions in my head once again make themselves clear. In this one, I see a watchman sitting next to a Wall of Light. I know that I need to get passed this wall to proceed to whatever objective I happen to be on. It is then that I use my powers of possession, but not on a lowly rat. Instead, I appear to be jumping into the body of the guard himself, using him as a vessel to pass through the Wall of Light. Intrigued, I pour my energy into this vision and acquire this enhanced possession for myself. Now that I am thoroughly exhausted, I lay down in my bed and rest.

“What a Terrible Accident” Let's Play Dishonored: Part 8: The Floodlights

When Samuel and I arrive at Kaldwin's Bridge, he warns me that he won't be able to get us very close to Sokolov's apartment thanks to all of the floodlights the City Watch set up. If we try to get too close, they'll spot us for sure. Luckily, the old boatman says that if I find a way to shut off the floodlights, he can pick me up on the other side of the bridge, so I won't have to walk all the way back. Kidnapping is new territory for me. Then again, so is assassination. The tricky part will be performing the abduction in a way the makes it seem like no outside party was involved. Well, there's no time like the present, which means I'd better get started.

When I exit the boat, the Heart begins to beat, sensing the presence of 1 Rune and 1 Bone Charm. As I climb the steps onto the bridge proper, I see three guards on patrol. Rather than move to their elevation, I decide to teleport to the rafters on the other side of the archway supporting the bridge, and then advance onto the ventilation shafts above. So far, the rooftops have proven to be a time-tested tactic that always gives results, so I see absolutely no reason to stop using them. Unfortunately for me, the main tunnel leading onto the next section of the bridge is sealed for maintenance, and the only other entrance I can see comes in the form of a door passed all the guards. When they've all turned their backs to the door, I seize the initiative and Blink to it, closing it behind me as to remain unseen. Inside the building, I swipe a bit of ore I can have Piero sell, a key labeled “Warehouse” and a schematic that can be used to make my boots quieter.

The only other object that catches my interest is a mine cart. Studying the short railway before me, it seems like I may be able to use the cart to sneak passed all of guards. All it needs is a tank of whale oil, which I take from the top floor and install in the panel next to the cart. With everything ready, I hop into the cart, flip the switch, and duck so that I'm not seen. Touching down, I hop out of the cart and hide behind the boxes in front on me. Rather than advance into the next area, I decide to take the time to get the Rune in this area, abandoning the Bone Charm. Keeping that in mind, I opt to teleport into the abandoned apartment on the other side of the street. I no longer need the Heart to know that the Rune is here, as I can hear it's whispers. I can feel it on the other side of the door in this building, but it's blocked from the other side. Cursing under my breath, I look for another way around. I look out the window and see an alley leading to the other side of the building, conveniently out of sight of the guards. Bingo! There's a chain here I can use to climb onto a balcony leading into the room with the Rune, snatching it up as I arrive.

Unblocking the door, I head onto an awning overlooking the streets, and teleport to a door leading to the drawbridge portion of Kaldwin's Bridge. As I sneak onto an awning, I overhear a noble named Pratchett and a guardsman talking. The noble talks about this plague as a way to make money off of it. That bothers me, so I decide that before I go on with my mission to abduct Sokolov, I'll stop by his home to get him to unknowingly share his riches with me. Teleporting to his second floor balcony, I sneak in. The Heart in my pocket beats like crazy, pointing to a Rune in the safe that I just so happen to want to rob. According to a nearby, and pointlessly cryptic note, the “way to the truth” (read: safe combination) “starts in the crowded streets”, continues to “an anchored whaling ship”, and ends at “the slaughterhouse”. It's when I finish reading the note that I see this guy's impressive art collection, including the painting of a whaling ship in a harbor. The ship has a “7” emblazoned on it's side. Putting everything together in my head, it's immediately obvious that the note refers to specific paintings in the collection. Since the ship was mentioned second, 7 must be the middle number of the combination.

To get the rest of the combination, I head downstairs to find more of his artwork. Luckily, he has his back turned. One of the pieces depicts a slaughterhouse, and in the corner is displayed the number 3, which means that the combination is X-7-3, where X could be a number from 0 to 9. Since I know enough of the combination to brute force it, I decide to retreat back to the safe upstairs. I place the second and third numbers in place, then begin to rotate the first. Once the dial hits 4, I hear a click and the safe opens. I liberate the Rune and 2 gold bars from the safe and close it back up, resetting the dial to 0-0-0. When this plague profiteer next opens this safe, he'll be in for a surprise. Sneaking back out, the Heart beats once more, signifying that another Rune is in the area. Leaning out to scout the area ahead, I see an apartment that is glowing with an eerie light. Combined with the quickening of the Heart's beat, I get the distinct impression that a Rune is in that room.

Rather the risk going into directly, I opt to teleport onto the ventilation shaft on the side of the building. It's then that I see a man walk out and back in, completely unaware of me. Hearing him rant and looking around at the writings on the wall make it obvious that the Rune has twisted his mind, so I summon a swarm of rats to put him out of his misery. It's only when I enter that I small it: the scent of decaying corpse. The notes scattered about indicate that many of his friends and family were murdered out of paranoia that they would steal his Rune. The irony of the situation is not lost on me as I take the Rune from the makeshift Outsider shrine, inadvertently summoning Poncy. Against my deepest wishes, he speaks. “Offering” a brief history lesson, his rantings indicate that prior civilization existed well before ours, and fell when his influence grew too high. Making a sudden, and rather abrupt transition to something more relevant, Poncy starts talking about Sokolov. Confirming rumors that have been spreading around the royal court for years, Poncy depicts the many ways that the royal physician has tried to conjure the Outsider. As obsessed with power as he is, this comes as no surprise. Since Sokolov lacks the Mark that I have, there's really nothing he can do. Ending our little “conservation”, Poncy says that the least Sokolov could do to summon him is to be more interesting. Ugh, why do I have to interesting? If the poor fools wants to talk to Prince Ponce, by all means let him. Hopefully it'll distract them both from me.

Okay, enough detours. It's time the I moved onto my real mission. Rather than use the streets to travel, I move through this building and onto a rooftop that's very high off the ground. From here, I have a great vantage point of the area in front of me. It's from here that I see it... the Arc Pylon. I've been briefed on these. According to the reports, they are similar to Walls of Lights in that when someone who's not a guard gets close enough to them, they will be administered a lethal shock. Luckily, I also spot a route on the right side that is far enough away from the pylon and out of sight of the watchmen, yet keeps me on the the right path. To use this path, I make my way down using the awnings and shafts to the side. It is then that I spot Slackjaw's men. Rather than rush in, it would be smarter to watch and wait to see what happens next.

As I sit on the awning, I overhear the two thugs talk about busting their friend out of jail. It's then that the guards spot them and begin shouting. Though the encounter is decidedly in favor of the watch, Slackjaw's men rush in and are immediately disintegrated by the Arc Pylon. They never stood a chance. I won't make that same mistake. Since charging the post is a very stupid thing to do for multiple reasons, I sneak around using the cover to stay out of sight. Planning this out as I go, I teleport onto the support beams of the bridge and then onto the roof of the guard station, ducking out of sight before the Arc Pylon on the drawbridge has a chance to power up. I'll never be able to proceed as long as that pylon is in working order, so I decide to sneak around to pull the oil tank fueling it out of its socket. Sneaking up a staircase leading to the upper levels, I keep out of sight of the guard patrolling around. If memory serves, the fuel for the lighting system is either up here or on the other side of the drawbridge. If I remove the tanks, than the floodlights will be shut off and Samuel will be able to make the crossing. Rather the risk further patrols, I use a chain to climb up and out of sight.

A quick inspection shows that the tanks aren't on this side, so they need to be on the other. Crossing to the other side of the bridge is only dangerous because I have to expose myself for a short time. I only have a single stack of boxes to use for cover, so timing is crucial. As the guard on patrol turns away, I make my move, silently climbing to the structure above, advancing towards the fuel tanks for the floodlights. Extracting them from the panel does the trick, so I breath a sigh of relief and use the support beams on this side on the bridge as a way to maintain the high ground. Luckily, there are some beams on the buildings in front of me that I can teleport to before the guards look my way. The area beyond is devoid of any life besides the rats, so I proceed onwards....