Song Of The Caverns (Mission 10)
My best time on Expert: 22 minutes, 15 seconds
Maximum Possible Treasure: 2920
Introduction
"Blindness is the manfools theys gathers up treasures and greeders themselves on gold rocks and fetters
The Woodsie One wreaks thems with lilacs and nettles and gathers theys bones for His porridge and feathers."
— Text Unattributed, Sumac on ParchmentThe Keepers stashed the Talisman of Water in a series of hidden caverns located deep below the city. According to their map I'll find it in a shrine located in the lowest cavern. I don't expect to run into anything too threatening other than a few venomous spiders, however the map does contain this note: "Stand not against us, lest you feel the sting of ignorance's barbs." Heh...sounds like Keeper talk for "We've rigged the place".
An informant of mine, Giry, made a home for himself in these caverns after he lost his job tending the ticket counter of a nearby opera house. He should know these caverns better than anyone, so I'll pay him a visit, to see if he has any useful information for me....
Objectives: Normal & Hard
- Locate your informant Giry. He may have valuable information about the caverns for you.
- Use the Keeper's map to find the Talisman of Water. Remember they've probably rigged the place, so be careful.
- Escape from the caverns after you've taken the Talisman, it may not be as easy as you think.
- Loot may be scarce down in the caverns, but an expert thief such as yourself should be able to find at least 200 worth.
Objectives: Expert
- Locate your informant Giry. He may have valuable information about the caverns for you.
- Use the Keeper's map to find the Talisman of Water. Remember they've probably rigged the place, so be careful.
- Escape from the caverns after you've taken the Talisman, it may not be as easy as you think.
- Loot may be scarce down in the caverns, but an expert thief such as yourself should be able to find at least 200 worth.
- Humans will be as scarce in the caverns as loot, so if you find your informant Giry, or any people, don't kill them.
Simplified Objectives
- Locate Giry and see if he has information for you.
- Find and steal the Talisman of Water.
- Find your way out of the caverns.
- Grab 200 worth of loot.
- Don't kill anyone you find in the caverns.
Before The Mission
What You'll Encounter: Craymen, Spiders, Humans (Archers, Swordsmen).
Starting Funds: Whatever you managed to plunder from the Lost City. (Maximum: 3205.)
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Starting Gear:
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Items for Sale:
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If you went through the Lost City and found all possible treasure (and you purchased the commission), then you are quite well set up for making purchases here.
A short distance into the mission, you will be getting new mission objectives and be going to an area other than the caverns, so it is best for you to prepare for that as well as your spelunking expedition.
Once you enter the new area (the Opera House), you will get the all-too-familiar mission objective "Don't Kill Anyone"(tm). You really don't have much to handle before you get to the Opera House, so your purchases of lethal items should be limited. Ignore the Fire Arrow and the Explosive Mine...you won't get your money's worth. In fact, down in the Caverns, you can pretty much rely simply on Broadheads and your Sword. There's even a point early on where you find MORE Broadheads, so I would suggest not buying any of them either.
Don't buy any Healing Potions, unless you anticipate a hard time in the Caverns. Once you arrive at the Opera House, there are several scattered about the place. You have enough Rope Arrows to get you through the mission, so you can skip purchasing them as well. If you find you can use them effectively, a Noisemaker or two might be nice to have. As always, Water Arrows are a must, although I generally finish the mission with quite a few left over. You will also find a few places where you will want Moss Arrows. The Flash Bombs will come in very handy, and those Gas Arrows are just plain NICE! :)
Recommended Purchases: 10 Water Arrows, 4 Moss Arrows, 2 Gas Arrows, 2 Flash Bombs. Total Cost: 2400
Mission Notes
Another large, thoroughly enjoyable mission. Although movement inside the Opera House can sometimes be even more of a nightmare than it was on the first level on Constantine's in "The Sword"!
This mission does introduce you to one new element: you get your first Gas Mine in this mission. (It's not available for purchase, you have to find it first.) Although not as good as a Gas Arrow (in my opinion), it's still another long-distance knock-out device, and you can never have too many of these!
Aside from the Gas Mine, there are no new features (like puzzles, traps, etc.) or monsters introduced in this mission, so you can mentally lean back and simply enjoy yourself. And there is a LOT to enjoy here. The designers went all out on this one...the little incidental extras (such as conversations you eavesdrop on, background items, etc.) are quite simply extraordinary. A wonderful job all around!
There are a lot of hard surfaces you will have to walk on in this mission, and also a lot of non-extinguishable lights to brighten things for you. On top of that, there are a few places you can move into view of a person who is in a different room (via "windows", basically holes in the walls). Bottom line here: Be careful!
There are also a few secret areas (hidden passages, secret panels, etc.) to look out for.
Just a note...since I do a lot of saving and loading while doing these walkthroughs, I've noticed that, sometimes after loading the game, the first door you open will "disappear", making it so you cannot close it again. While it does not affect the game all that much, you should be aware of it. (I've also noticed that sometimes there are doorways where there were once doors, for no reason whatsoever.)
As I said in the beginning, this is a rather large mission, and with so many multiple paths and accesses, there is bound to be more than one "right" way to do a walkthrough. The way I've chosen is the one that I have found to be the most expedient and safest. As always, I'm eager to hear from others about their opinions on this, and how they do things differently.
Walkthrough
| The City | Beneath the City | The Opera House, Basement | The Opera House, Ground Floor | The Opera House, 2nd Floor | The Opera House, 3rd Floor | Escaping |
The City
You start in a small section of the city. If you turn left and look up, you'll be able to see a window with a guard silhouetted within. While completely unnecessary for the mission, if you would like some extra arrows for your arsenal you will find 6 on the floor in the room with the guard, and a single Moss Arrow on the rooftop just outside the window. The guard also has a key to pickpocket, so if you are going for the "honourable mention" of picking all pockets, you'll need to pick his.
Note that your objectives state not to kill anyone you find IN THE CAVERNS. This guard is killable, and you can do it from here with a single Broadhead Arrow. (Ah, but then you don't get to pick his pocket....)
[NOTE: Someone has informed me that killing this guard is a BIG mistake. Later in the mission your objectives will change, and you'll get one that says "Don't kill anyone". If you've already killed this guard, then apparently the mission ends almost immediately in failure at that point. Therefore, DON'T KILL THIS GUARD!]
Here's how you get up there. (Be careful, he's got good ears!) From your starting position, turn so the guard is on your left. Move forward and mantle up onto the wall in front of you. Then turn left, and you'll be facing a sort of rounded piece of wall (it's actually an archway). You may need to step back a bit for this to work. Run up and jump, mantling up onto the arch. Then move forward so you're on the flat part of the arch (i.e., no slope), and turn right. You'll have to jump across to the ledge ahead, but I've never been able to jump and mantle up, so be sure you land on the ledge itself. Once you're there, move forward into the shadows, and wait for the guard to calm down. Then turn left. Move forward, and when you reach the small gap jump across.
You should now be on a rooftop just outside the guardroom. Immediately to your right, in one corner of the depressed area, you'll find the Moss Arrow. Now move forward to the window and turn left so you are looking in. (Note: Instead, you may want to turn left and face the WALL, then lean right to look in first.)
If you're picking the guard's pocket, lean forward and do so. If you want the extra Broadheads, you'll have to enter the room to do so. You can do this one of two ways. It is possible to jump in and blackjack him. Or, if you'd rather take the less risky method, the key you took from him opens the door on the street that leads into this building...if you prefer, you can climb up here that way to blackjack him as well. (The key serves no other purpose in the game that I've been able to determine.) However you get in, the arrows are lying on the floor in the corner with a chunk of cheese. (Note: Sometimes this Archer will shoot arrows at you down on the street, but instead they stick in the wall. While very odd, it nonetheless can provide you with even more Broadheads should you decide you want them. I was able to get an extra four out of the wall!)
Once you've got what you came for, work your way back down to street level by whatever means takes your fancy. Remember that small wall you first mantled up onto at the start? Well, make sure that you are on the opposite side of the wall from the one you started this mission on. Find the double doors, and open them, then stand in front of them and face them. (Skip the next paragraph...it is for those who want to jump right into the caverns. Pick up the walkthrough at the paragraph following.)
Now, for those of you who DON'T want anything to do with that guard...from your starting position, move forward and mantle up onto the wall. Then move forward, allowing yourself to fall off the wall. Turn left, and open the double doors you see in the wall to your right. Move towards them, then turn to face them.
Move forward into the room ahead...there's metal grating for the floor, but you don't have to worry about attracting attention just now. Directly in front of you is a large round metal door (like the ones from the sewer areas in the Downwind Thieves' Guild). Open it, and move forward, down the ramp to the bottom. (Note: There is another large metal door in the same room with the other, but you cannot open it.)
At the bottom, turn right. More metal grating, but still not a problem. Move forward and jump into the well ahead. You may catch yourself on the ladder descending into the well...if so, just climb down. If not...you won't take any damage.
Beneath the City
At the bottom of the well, turn around until you find a glowing mushroom growing in the rocky floor. Move towards it, and you'll shortly spot a tunnel leading away. Follow the tunnel to the end...it curves ahead towards the right, and opens into another tunnel with a burning torch on the wall opposite this tunnel. Stop before you exit this tunnel into this new one.
SAVE YOUR GAME! There are two small Spiders nearby. Instead of entering the new tunnel, turn to the right, and sidestep left until you can lean out and peer down the new tunnel. You should see two Spiders cavorting at the end, near the waterline. From here you can shoot them easily with your Broadhead Arrows. (Alternatively, when the time comes, you can simply run right past them if you choose.)
When the Spiders are dealt with, move into the new tunnel. If you turn left, you'll see what's left of your friend Giry. (Crouch down to get a good look at his face...nice touch!) If you want a Healing Potion now, there is one among poor Giry's personal affects.
When you've finished with Giry, turn so your back is to him, and move forward down the slope. (NOTE: If you ignore Giry completely and just move down the tunnel, make sure you hear Garrett make a comment about him. Otherwise, you've missed your Mission Objective to locate Giry!) When you reach the water, move into it, turn right, and move forward into the deep end. (If you reach the wall without falling into the water, turn left and move forward a bit.)
If you didn't need to turn left to get into the deep end, do so now. Swim forward, following the waterway. (Although it can be a little confusing, the way is pretty obvious.) When you reach a point where you can continue forward or turn left, you have a choice. If you turn left, partway through swim to the bottom and you'll find a Water Arrow. Be careful though...there's some loose masonry above that will try to land on your head! If you go for the arrow, turn around and return to the junction, turning left.
[Note: The turn to the left can be difficult to spot. Just watch the water on your left, and when it looks like it's not blocked by a wall anymore, that's the turn.]
Whether you get the arrow or not, swim forward now, once again following the tunnel. Eventually, you will spot a lit opening in the tunnel ahead, underneath the water. Take this tunnel and follow it until it opens up into another cavern. (Note: Along this new tunnel, there is another Water Arrow on the floor.)
When you emerge, continue forward, moving so the stone obstacle (just what DO you call a merged stalactite/stalagmite anyways?) passes by on your left. Keep going forward until you reach the far wall. By that time, you should be able to see the way out of this room. Move forward and climb out of the water.
SAVE YOUR GAME! You are about to enter the Craymen area. There are four of them in this area. The first one can be dealt with quite easily.
Move forward until you spot a tunnel opening ahead on your left. Move up to it, but stay on this side of it. Then turn left, and lean over so you can look through. That Crayman you see is unaware of you. A single Broadhead Arrow should take him down nicely. Unfortunately, doing so seems to alert the other three that you're here.
There are no real strategies to use here against the other three, aside from the obvious (hide in shadows, backstab, blackjack, etc.). Don't be afraid to use your Broadhead Arrows to hit them from a distance. While there is one more place where you can use them, it is easy to bypass the need to. Deal with the remaining three Craymen as you see fit. Once you've done so, you're ready to move on.
The directions I'm about to give to get to the next area start in the cavern where you pulled yourself out of the water, facing so your back is to the water. From that point, move forward, then take the first left. Move into the chamber ahead, then turn right. Move forward, continuing until you enter another chamber with a pool ahead and to your left. Move past the pool, and turn left down the rocky tunnel. Continue until you come to the remains of someone (probably one of the four Keepers mentioned on the map). Near to these remains you'll find 4 Moss Arrows. To the left of these remains (straight ahead as you come out of the tunnel) you'll find a hole, at the bottom of which is a pool of water. Dive into this hole.
[NOTE: If you are concerned about either getting a good time or about conserving your weapons, it is entirely possible to just run past all of the Craymen in this area, and dive in the hole. It may be difficult, but it can be done...I've gotten from the point of emerging from the water, to diving into the hole, and to exiting the water, in about 30 seconds! {And I even picked up the Moss Arrows along the way!)]
Once you are in the water, turn so you are facing the only accessible exit for you. Dive underwater and swim through the exit. Ahead will be three tunnels you can take.
If you want to find everything, then take the left tunnel. It will open into a room with the remains of another Keeper. There's journal nearby, as well as a Breath Potion, which you don't really need. The right tunnel dead-ends, but if you need more air you can surface there to get some. The tunnel ahead is the one you want. (If you go for the Breath Potion area, when you're done return here, and turn to face down the centre tunnel.)
Move forward through the tunnel ahead. It shortly branches, one path leading leftwards, the other towards the right. Keep moving forward, down the right branch. This tunnel will eventually turn left, and ahead you will see what looks like a smaller tunnel (the same tunnel you're in now, with sort of a "lip" over it, making it smaller). Partway towards it, if you look up, you'll find another passage leading up. It's a dead-end, but again, you can replenish your air supply if you need to.
At this point, there are two ways you can go. Ahead where the tunnel has the "lip" mentioned above, it branches...but not left and right. It's a sort of "vertical branch", where you can take the upper or lower. Both lead to the same place, however.
If you take the lower branch, follow the tunnel and it will eventually lead to a chamber where you can surface. You'll hear the sound of a Crayman nearby, and he will have spotted you. Look around to find him. Once you have, turn right around and swim towards a ledge. Mantle up onto it. The Crayman cannot reach you here, and you can merrily make a pincushion out of him.
If you take the upper branch, however, it quickly brings you to the surface. (Once you surface, you may want to save your game.) Move quietly in this area...move forwards out of the water and towards the chamber ahead. It is the same chamber where the Crayman is, but this time you are on the same side as it. Lean out and you should be able to bring him down with a single Broadhead. Then when he's dealt with, turn so you are looking across the pool in here, and jump across it to the ledge. (You will probably fall into the water...if so, just mantle up onto the ledge.)
[NOTE: An alternative method to dealing with the Crayman is to trick him into the room above, where there is a trap that can kill him. This is explained more below.]
No matter which method you choose, you should now be on that ledge. (By now, you should be able to hear some singing.) Look around on the floor until you find a silver nugget (50, Treasure Count: 50). Then face the pool, jump in again, swim across, and pull yourself out.
On either side of the room is a staircase leading up. Both lead to the same room, so turn either left or right, and take the staircase of your choice.
The room above is the one in which the Keeper's enshrined the Talisman of Water. To get to the chest, you'll have to move across the room, and the floor is one big trap. Moving across it will cause arrows to shoot out of the walls, and even crouched they will sometimes strike you. The body in the centre of the room has two Broadhead Arrows protruding from its body, which you can retrieve (but I wouldn't bother, you won't need them). Also on the floor near the body is a message from a Lady Valeria, regarding the Talisman of Water. (Note: It is not only moving across the floor that triggers the trap. If you are in the right spot, simply leaning will also cause the arrows to shoot out.)
All of that being said...don't bother with this room. The Talisman is no longer here. Instead, directly across the room from the chest the Talisman used to be in is another exit. Move through it. Follow this tunnel and you'll eventually find another pool of water to dive into. Do so, and follow the tunnel until you surface. When you do, you'll have to mantle up out of the water. It's kind of tricky here...turn either left or right to do it.
When you're out of the water, turn so you are facing the cavern. Move into it, and move through it, down the slope to the hut below, and the singing Hermit.
The Hermit is named Raoul. He will give you a rather long and semi-musical story, explaining about Lady Valerius, the Opera House, and the Talisman. At some point, he will offer you a map of the Opera House, and a key. (He will put these on the ground for you to pick up.) Once he steps back, look upwards, and you'll see a rope dangling from above. (For some reason, this rope disappears when you're not looking upwards. I don't know why...it reappears when you do look upwards however.)
NOTE: You can speed this part up slightly. Once Raoul puts the map and key on the ground, you really have no more use for him. Blackjack him, then grab the items. (Unfortunately, if you want to move on quickly, you WILL have to blackjack him...you can't jump onto the rope while he's chatting with you, as he is standing too close to it.)
Grab the items, then jump onto the rope and climb upwards. Near the top, your mission objectives will change to the following:
- Find and steal the Talisman of Water.
- The strange Hermit's ravings are your best clue that the Talisman has been moved to the Opera House above the caverns. Find the Opera House and break in.
- The Opera House is filled with precious adornments and attracts the city's wealthiest patrons, so don't leave without at least 2000 worth of loot.
- When he was alive, your informant Giry often bragged about the cash take in just a single evening at the opera house. Find out if he was telling the truth — get to the ticket office and steal the contents of the cash box.
- You read last week that the music director at the Opera House was just presented with a silver flute. An item like that could fetch a pretty penny on the market. Find it.
- Littering the opera house with blood and corpses is not worthy of a master thief such as yourself. So pickpocket, rob, steal, hide, and even run if you have to, but don't kill anyone.
- After you get what you came for, get to the city streets outside the Opera House.
Near the top, turn around until you find a tunnel leading away, then jump off the rope into it. Follow this tunnel to the end, where it drops off into water below, with a rope dangling into it. Take the rope down, then turn until you find the other exit from this point. Take it, and follow this tunnel (now obviously man-made) until you emerge into a larger area. Move forward until you strike the "wall" ahead of you, and mantle up. Then turn left. Move forward and take the right turn ahead. Move down this tunnel, and at the end drop down into the next room. Turn left, facing a small hole in the wall ahead.
The Opera House, Basement
SAVE YOUR GAME! You're about to enter the Opera House (as Garrett's comment should hint at). You'll need to crouch here. Do so, and move forward through the hole ahead of you, then straighten up. There's a large opening in the wall on your right. Move through it.
[Note: The walkthrough is about to tell you to turn right. Instead of simply turning right however, you may want to turn left. If you see a guard moving away from you, you can quickly go and take him out now, if you prefer. Then return to this position and continue with the walkthrough.]
In this hallway, turn right. Ahead you'll see where the hallway "bends", then continues on the same direction. Move forward, around that bend, and continue ahead to the end. Before reaching the end, use a Water Arrow on the torch up ahead.
[NOTE: On the way, you'll pass a door. It is locked, so you'll need to pick it open. While completely unnecessary, there are some items in there you may want. 2 Fire Arrows, 3 Flash Bombs, and a Gas Mine. Gather up what you want, and then continue with the walkthrough.]
There are actually two ways to do this next part. Since your game saved nearby, you can decide which is the most expedient for you. [Note: There's a room which is shared by two guards' patrol routes. Be quiet when you take any guards out in that room...there's another nearby guard, but you should be safe from him.]
- Instead of moving to the end of the corridor right now, wait for a patrolling guard to come by ahead. When he does, wait until he leaves this hallway, then walk up behind him and knock him out. There is also a nearby servant who may be disturbed by your activities. Find him and knock him out as well. Then return to the hallway where you doused the torch, turn left, and wait for another guard to come around. He'll enter the hallway, quickly do an about-face, and leave. When he does, move in behind him and knock him out.
- Move down to the end of the hallway, keeping to the right. At the end, hide yourself in the dark corner on your right, then turn left and watch the guards. You may only see one right now...that's okay, the other is nearby. When you one comes near enough, knock him out and hide his body here in the darkness with you. Then you can either run up and knock the other one out, or wait for him to come by and then knock him out.
[Note: The area where the servant patrols, mentioned in the first method above, has a large furnace in it, with a fire burning in it. If you extinguish the fire (it may take a couple of Water Arrows to do so), there's a ladder which you can use to climb up to the next level.]
No matter which method you use, move so that you are just inside the room where you could watch the two guards moving around. It should be long, with pillars, and made of gray stonework. There should also be a staircase leading up on your right, although you may not see it just yet.
Move forward across this room. At the far end, you should notice a dark area across the exit. Move into this dark area, and hide in the shadows.
SAVE YOUR GAME! You are currently looking into three hallways which cross your view. In the second one, you will soon see a servant come into view on the left, cross your view, and disappear to the right. When he does this, move up behind him and take him out.
[Note: There is also another servant, who sometimes wanders through the first hallway. I am not sure where he comes from. (I originally thought it was the kitchen areas, but I was apparently wrong.) I believe he may also comes by this way, although perhaps not far enough to see you if you move across his view.]
Once he's dealt with, continue forward, climbing up the ahead slope. At the top, turn left, and move up the ramp ahead. At the top, turn left again. Move down this hall, and about halfway down you'll find an alcove. Turn into the alcove. Inside you'll find a crate, and on one side of the crate you'll find a bottle of wine (50, Treasure Count: 100).
Leave the alcove. Turn left, and move to the end of the hall. Turn left again, and move down the ramp ahead. At the bottom, turn left, and move down this ramp as well. Keep moving forward until you have a choice of directions, then turn left. Move ahead, through the next hall, and continue into the area with the decorated stonework. At the end of the hall, turn left, and move forward until you are at a dead-end. Look at the ground, and you'll find another wine bottle (50, Treasure Count: 150).
Turn right around, move forward, and take the first right. Move forward, through an archway and into the next hall. Turn right, move forward, and then turn left. Move into the room ahead of you.
This is a wine room. The centre niche of the bottom row holds another bottle of valuable wine (50, Treasure Count: 200). The rest are either empty or contain worthless cheap wine.
Once you've taken the wine, turn around and leave the room. Turn left, and move down this hallway. Take the LAST left turn you come to, and enter another wine room.
This time, it's the centre niche of the top row that holds the wine bottle you want. Move forward, looking up at that niche. You should be able to see it highlight from here. If you have trouble, there's a crate in this room which you can move over here, hop onto, and then jump up again to look into this niche. However you manage it, grab the wine bottle (50, Treasure Count: 250). Then turn right around and leave the room. Turn right, and move forward. When you reach an opening in the left wall, turn left.
SAVE YOUR GAME! There is still another servant you may need to contend with, as well as a guard. Move forward, through the first hallway and into the second. Then turn right. Move down this hall until it turns...this is another "bend". Turn right. Move forward, then turn left.
You'll want to be careful here, as there is a nearby servant in the kitchens who can sometimes hear you, and there is also a point ahead where you may meet a guard. (Note: In the centre kitchen, if you douse the fire in the fireplace, you can find another secret entrance up to the next level.) Move forward. Count the openings on the left that you find. The one you want is the fourth. (Note: When you start down this hall to count the exits, there is one very close to your starting point...don't forget to count it!)
If you see the guard ahead on your way to this turning, wait for him to turn down it before proceeding, then move behind him and knock him out. If you don't see him, then he's either on his way, or passed by already.
Your best bet to get this guard is to move over to the archway ahead, and wait for the guard to come through, then knock him out. (Note: He comes out of a room ahead on the left. If you move over to that exit and look in, you'll see some performers practicing their singing. There are two chests by each exit in this room. The only one that contains anything worthwhile is at this exit, on the left (as you face in)...it contains a Healing Potion.)
Once he's taken care of, return to the exit mentioned above (the fourth on the left...now the first on your right). Turn down this hall, and follow it all the way to the end. Then turn right.
SAVE YOUR GAME! You want to go to the room at the far end. Unfortunately, there is a guard in there who is very difficult to sneak up on. And there is a nearby room with several people in it, so trying to draw him out or using a Flash Bomb will alert the others. From here, try shooting one of your Gas Arrows into that room. Aim just above and just to the left of the red barrel in that room. It should knock the guard it. (If it doesn't...well, that's why you saved the game.)
Move forward into that room. Turn left, and you'll see a panel on the wall to your left. It operates a mechanical lift directly ahead. Step onto the lift, and turn to face the panel.
SAVE YOUR GAME! This lift will take you to the next level. However, it is entirely possible that it will bring you into the next room when there are guards in it or nearby. You may want to have a Water Arrow ready to douse a nearby torch or two, just in case. Press the upper button on the panel to bring you to the next level, and turn left, so you're facing the direction you need to when the lift stops.
The Opera House, Ground Floor
Douse the torch in front of you, then move forward slightly, and turn right. Douse the next torch. This should create sufficient darkness for you to hide in while in this part of this hallway. If you have the opportunity to take down any patrolling guards while you're in here, do so. (I've only found one guard who actually comes into this hallway, and he has a key to pickpocket.)
Once you're secure in this area, turn so you're facing down the corridor, towards a closed door. Move forward, and move through the second door on your right. Inside, turn left, and in the cubbyholes you'll find two gilded vases (100, 100, Treasure Count: 350, 450). Leave the way you came in. On the wall in front of you there should be another torch. Douse it, and turn right. Move over to the door in front of you.
SAVE YOUR GAME! You're going to try to take out another guard, which may be right behind this door! Unlock the door with the key you took from the previous guard. If the coast is clear beyond, shoot a Moss Arrow at the floor ahead, so you can move from this area to the carpet without being heard. Now wait for the guard to come by. When he does, wait for him to turn around, then move in behind him, lift the key from his belt, and knock him out. (Note: You may have a long wait for this guard, as his patrol is somewhat large.)
Once he's taken care of, move forward down the hall. Ignore the door on your right (it's just an old storage room), and turn right at the corner. Ahead you will see another door.
SAVE YOUR GAME! This next part can be difficult to do, but it nets you two more Gas Arrows. The room beyond the door ahead contains two guards. You need to open the door, and throw in a Flash Bomb to blind both guards, then knock them both out before they recover. Once that is accomplished, move around the room, gathering the goodies from the tables. All told, there are 2 Gas Arrows, 6 Broadhead Arrows, a Healing Potion, and a Speed Potion. Take what you like, then leave the room the way you came in.
[Note: The above can be very frustrating, as many times when I tried it, my Flash Bomb only blinded one of the guards.]
In the hallway, turn right. Move forward, and go through the first door on your left. Inside this room turn left. You'll see three golden plates lining the wall on a shelf here. Pick them up (50, 50, 50, Treasure Count: 500, 550, 600). Then move to the shelf directly across from the door, and grab the vase (50, Treasure Count: 650). Then turn right around and leave the room through the door ahead.
Back in the hallway, turn left, and move forward to the door you can see down the hall. Stop before you open it.
SAVE YOUR GAME! This next area can be highly dangerous, as there are several nearby personages who may hear you on the tile floor. Open the door, and tread carefully. Inside there are a series of alcoves (actually, ticket booths). Turn left into the first one, sneak up on that servant, and blackjack him. Then turn around, and move out of the alcove. Turn left, and move forward slightly. On the right, the lower part of the wall has a depression in it. It's a safe. Open the safe, and then open the box within to get the Opera House receipts (25, Treasure Count: 675). (Note: There are actually two safes in here, but one is empty. You want the one closest to the door you came in through.) Then turn right and go back into the hallway. Turn right, and move forward. Turn right again, facing the door.
SAVE YOUR GAME! Once again, you could be caught here. Open the door, and move carefully (tile flooring again) into the next room. Ahead is a turning to the left. Before taking it, lean out and see if the guard is anywhere near, or approaching. When the coast is clear, take the turn, and move into the next room.
There is a large circle of light in this room. Stick to the shadows. Move to the other side of the room, staying in the shadows. (Note that this room has a carpet trim all along the edges, which is not as loud to walk on. Unfortunately, your path along the carpet is blocked in some places.) Hide in the shadows near the door. The guard will make his patrol back into this room. Either as he enters or as he leaves, lean forward and put him to sleep.
SAVE YOUR GAME! Now that this guard is taken care of, you're going to take care of a couple more. Leave through the exit this guard came through. Note the fountain in the centre of the room...if you want to pick up a few more Water Arrows, there are two within. Turn left, and go through the exit you see there. (Note that this room has the same carpet trim along the edges that the last one did.) Keep moving into the darker area ahead. If you hear a guard's footsteps, you may want to wait, or perhaps use a Moss Arrow or two in this section. If you wait, a guard will walk past your view, going left to right. You'll want to take him out. The floor in here makes sneaking up on him difficult, so use either Moss Arrows, or move across to the opposite side from the doorway you came through, hiding in the shadows, and wait. When he comes by again, lean out and knock him out.
You may be a bit turned around now...locate the doorway you entered this area through. Turn left, and move up the ramp. Ahead and to the left is a doorway you will want to go through. Be careful though, there's a guard patrolling through the room, as well as two singers.
Move up to the doorway on the left, and lean over to look in. Listen for the guard's footsteps. If you can hear them coming closer, then wait for his patrol to take him close to you, then blackjack him. (You may need to lean forward to do this.) (Note: He has a Speed Potion for you to pickpocket.)
Move into the doorway once he's taken care of. Now, the two singers at the far end CAN be taken down with the Blackjack, but it is time-consuming, and dangerous, considering you have to move into the light to do it. I suggest you use one of your Gas Arrows to take them down. (Note: The woman has an item on her belt for you to pickpocket...using your Gas Arrow will keep you from getting all the pickpockets at the end.)
Once they're down, move in, and get the opera glasses from the woman's belt (50, Treasure Count: 725). Now, there are two exits from this room. Find the one you haven't used yet, and move through it.
This next room is a little strange. See that sunburst pattern on the wall to your right? Move over to it, and "operate" the centre of the sunburst. Then turn right around, and you'll see a secret door has opened. Move through the secret door and into the room ahead with the desk. Grab the two gold candlesticks off the desk (50, 50, Treasure Count: 775, 825). On the floor on the far side of the room, beside the desk, is a rolled up tapestry (150, Treasure Count: 975).
[Note: There is a tapestry hanging on the wall across from the entrance you used to get in here. If you cut it down with your Sword, you will find a secret tunnel which leads back down to the basement. It empties through the large furnace mentioned previously.]
Leave this room the way you came in, and turn left. Move into the next room, and turn left. Move over to the exit you can see, but stop before actually moving into the next area.
SAVE YOUR GAME! This next part is very dangerous! Ahead, you will see a ramp leading down to your left, ahead of which is another way off to the left and a way to the right across from that. Ahead of these two is another path to the left. That last one is the one you want. However, crossing at this point will put you in view of at least two guards.
Look at the floor near the centre left passage. You should note that it seems to be a difference material. It is wooden, and makes less noise. The trick here is to move over to that wooden flooring, then cross directly over to the next point of wooden flooring. This minimizes your risk of being seen or heard.
So, move across to the wooden flooring, then move across to the next section of wooden flooring. Once you've done that, turn around the corner here to your left, trying to stay on the wood.
At this point, you will see a statue in the area ahead, above the ramp. There's a treasure near the statue's base. Shoot a Rope Arrow into the wood, then climb up and retrieve the gold nugget (100, Treasure Count: 1075). Climb back down to the floor (don't jump or fall...there may be nearby servants who can hear you!) Turn so you are facing the wall from which you moved to this spot, and move back against the wall, onto the wood.
SAVE YOUR GAME! After doing that, you still need to get back around to the other side. Turn left, so you are facing down the ramp you're on. Move forward all the way to the top of the next ramp, and turn left. Move forward across the tile floor to the next point where the floor becomes wood. Then move forward and turn left. Move down this ramp, and at the bottom you'll find a doorway on the right side of the hall. Move through that doorway. You should be back in the room with the fountain.
Across the room from the door you just used is a statue. Move over to it and look up at the statue's head. She's wearing a tiara (125, Treasure Count: 1200). Now turn left and move to the exit in that direction.
SAVE YOUR GAME! The danger here is being spotted by the servant across the hall in the next room. You will want to move through the exit across from the one you just used. Directly opposite that exit however is a servant, and she is looking right in your direction. There are insufficient shadows for you to hide from her by the door, so your best bet to dealing with her is, instead of stealth, rush up to her and club her. You can jump across the ledge she is standing behind, or go open the door to the right of the window (as you face it), or wait for her to come running out in a panic.
However you choose to deal with her, once she is down, if you have not already moved into her area via one of the methods described above, do so now. Inside there is another door, which she was standing in front of. Open it, and move into the next room.
Ah, more cubbyholes. Only one interests you this time. The lower one on the far right (as you face them) contains a purse (100, Treasure Count: 1300). Once you've got it, leave the way you came.
(Note: There is another exit from this room. If you take it, crouch, and look to the left, you'll find a secret panel which leads to a series of ladders. These will take you to a tunnel, which ends at a tapestry. Cut it down, and you'll find yourself on the topmost floor of the Opera House.)
Back in the room where you clubbed the girl, move back into the hallway (either through the door or through the window, your choice). Once there, turn right. Move down the hall to where it turns to the right, but don't cross into that area yet.
SAVE YOUR GAME! There is a guard who's patrol enters this next hallway. From here, you can lean out and look down the hall. There is a carpet that runs down the hall. The hall turns to the left (as you look down it.) What you want to do is to shoot a Moss Arrow down the hall onto the floor, past the carpet, but so the moss itself will also fall on the floor past your view down the next hall. This should give you sufficient coverage so that you can walk on the moss all the way (or very nearly all the way) up to the carpet in the hall beyond.
That being done, watch and wait for the guard. When he comes through, wait for him to turn and move back into the next hall. Now comes the tricky part. You want to jump from the carpet you are standing on to land on the one in the next hall. Once that is accomplished, move down this hall, and when you reach your moss, turn, sneak up on the guard, and knock him out. Don't forget to lift the key from his belt also. (Note: If your moss did not quite make it to the next carpet, you'll have to jump from the moss to the carpet.)
With this guard safely out of the way, move forward down the hall to the first doorway on your right (ignore the one on your left). Through this doorway is a food preparation room, with a servant making someone's dinner. Move into the room and knock him out. Then, turn left. The table in front of you has two golden goblets (25, 25, Treasure Count: 1325, 1350) and two golden plates (50, 50, Treasure Count: 1400, 1450). Turn left now, and leave the room the way you came in.
Move down this hallway, turning right. Down this hall you will find a door on your right, a doorway on your left, and a door in front of you at the hallway's end. You want the door at the end. (Note: The door to the right leads to a room with a fireplace, which has a secret area behind it...you can use it to either bypass the door at the end of the hall (not really necessary at all), or to go back down to the basement into the kitchen area.)
Move down to the hallway's end. Unlock the door with one of the ornate keys you've managed to acquire so far.
SAVE YOUR GAME! This next part can be tricky. What you are going to want to do is this: Move through this door (now doorway) ahead, and in the hallway beyond go into the first doorway on your right. Inside on the table is a treasure and a Healing Potion. Unfortunately, there are also two singers having a conversation. They are easy to knock out if you are fast enough. However, you may prefer to sneak inside to get the items. Across from the doorway which leads into that room is a torch. If you take it out with a Water Arrow, your chances of sneaking are MUCH better.
Decide on your course of action. Then move ahead, taking out the torch if you choose to, and go through the first doorway on your right. Either knock the singers out or sneak into the room. On the table to the left of the doorway is a Healing Potion and another tiara (125, Treasure Count: 1575). (Note: At the back of this room is a secret door, which opens into a secret area. This is the same area that the previous fireplace I mentioned leads to, and you can take the ladder in this room down to the kitchen in the basement.)
SAVE YOUR GAME! You are about to embark upon another dangerous part of this mission. Leave this room the way you came in, and turn right. Move all the way down to the end of the hall, stopping just before the ramp leading up to the left.
In the next room, unless you took care of them both when you first arrived on this level, there are a couple of patrolling guards. You should have taken care of at least one when you first arrived on this level, so there is only one more patrolling on the lower level of this room. Your best hope of taking care of him is this: position yourself so you can see into the room. Inside the room, on the wall to the left, is a torch. Take it out, then move into the room, turn left, and move into the shadows (you should be near a ramp which leads to the back end of the stage). Turn so you can see when a guard is approaching, and knock him out when he does. (Note: There is also a guard patrolling on a metal walkway above, and another stationary guard up there.)
When the coast is clear, turn so your back is to the stage area. Ahead you should see a ladder. Move forward past it, and there will be another ladder ahead. Turn to face the ladder (so you are between the ladder and the wall nearby), and jump onto it. Climb the ladder upwards, stopping before your head clears the walkway above, then turn right around. Jump off the ladder and onto the landing. (Note: There is a sandbag near the edge that may inhibit your jump.) Once you're on the landing, you should see an exit to your right. Move through the exit.
SAVE YOUR GAME! Now that you're safely out of the guard's view, you won't want to repeat all of that.
The Opera House, 2nd Floor
Down this hall are several doors. Move down the hall, and go through the second door you find (you'll have to pick the lock). Move to the end of the room, and turn right. Move forward and jump into the alcove ahead. Move forward, and at the other side look down. There is another rolled up tapestry here (150, Treasure Count: 1725). Now turn right around, and move back into the room you just left, falling to the floor. Directly across from you are some candlesticks on the mantle. Two of them are golden (50, 50, Treasure Count: 1775, 1825). Now turn right, and move through the door ahead, back into the hallway.
Turn right, and move to the end of the hall. There is a door at the end, in the wall on your left. Stop before getting to close to it. There is another guard inside.
SAVE YOUR GAME! Open the door...make sure you do so that when it opens you cannot be seen by the guard within. Ready your Water Arrows, then lean over and douse the torch behind the guard. Once that is done, crouch and move into the room. When you are behind the guard, pick his pocket, and knock him out.
[Note: It may be easier for you to sneak into this room if you take out the torch nearby in the hallway before you enter this room.]
Once he's out, turn and find the other door in this room. Unlock it with one of your ornate keys.
SAVE YOUR GAME! The area you are about to enter in is treacherous...lots of tile floor for you to announce yourself on. Fortunately, there are carpets laid out on the floor, most of which are spaced close enough to make a running jump from one to the other possible.
Move forward down this hallway. As soon as you reach the first lighted area, turn left, and you will see a doorway through which is a small room. Move into the room. BE QUIET! There are nearby guards who can hear you!
Directly ahead is a table upon which sits three goblets for you to take (15, 15, 15, Treasure Count: 1840, 1855, 1870). Now turn left and move around the room. At the opposite end you'll find another table, this time sporting three golden plates (50, 50, 50, Treasure Count: 1920, 1970, 2020). Now continue around the room in the same direction, but stop about halfway around.
Turn to face the central column in this room, and crouch. A secret panel should highlight. Open it, and move into "the secret passage". Climb the stairs ahead all the way to the top, where another secret panel will highlight. To open this one, turn to the left (as you face the panel), and you'll find the keyhole. The key that Raoul gave you down in the caverns opens this panel.
[Note: There are small holes in the walls from here, where you can shoot Gas Arrows at the two guards guarding the room, if you like. However, it is quite easy to simply blackjack them, and I recommend saving your Gas Arrows for the top floor guards.]
Once the panel is open, move through it. Directly ahead is a bookcase. The bottom left niche has a box. Open it and you'll get a blue key. Now turn left, and move carefully through the doorway there.
The desk in front of you has a gold key on it, as well as a box. Open the box to get a ring (100, Treasure Count: 2120), then get the key. If you didn't use a Gas Arrow on the guard, knock him out now. Then continue forward.
Go past the set of double doors. In the next section of this room is another guard. Knock him out if you haven't done so already. Use the blue key you just recently found on the chest in front of you to unlock it, then open it to get the Talisman of Water.
Continue around the room until you are back to the section with the secret panel. Crouch and move through the panel, then follow the stairs to the bottom again (stay crouched!). Exit this secret passage, then stand up, turn right, and move around the room until you come to the exit again. Move through the exit into the hall beyond.
Back in the hallway, turn left. Ahead, the corridor turns right. Follow the turn. Ahead, you can turn either left or right. While you ultimately want to go right, for now, turn left. (Note: Be careful...there is a guard who's patrol takes him briefly into this corridor, and he might see you. This guard is to the right instead of the left.)
After you turn left, ahead you'll see a section of the corridor is illuminated from the right. There is a doorway there, and through it are two guards who can see down here, so be careful. (I have never been seen by them at this point, but I am assuming they can do so.)
Move forward past that opening on the right, and continue forward. You'll shortly come to a door on your left. Move through it.
[Note: This door is one of the ones I've noticed is sometimes just a doorway.]
Inside this room, turn right and move through the doorway ahead into the next room. At the far end of this room is a table on the right, which holds two more golden goblets (25, 25, Treasure Count: 2145, 2170). For a change, the fireplace in this room is just a fireplace.
Once you've got the treasures, turn around and leave this room the way you came in. In the next room, go through the door on the wall to your left, and you'll find yourself back in the hall. Turn right. You'll have to move through the light ahead again (the guards in the area to the left are still there!). Move down this hall as far as you can, staying on the carpet. When you reach the end, make sure you're still hidden in the shadows.
SAVE YOUR GAME! That patrolling guard is still somewhere around here, and you don't want him seeing you! Position yourself so that you can look down the hallway ahead and to your left. If the guard is coming, then return to the shadows, wait for him to come by and turn around again, then leap from your carpet to the carpet in the next hall, and take him out.
Continue forward until you come to a hallway leading off to your right. Turn down this hall and move to the end. There's an opera box here with someone inside. Lean into the box, and lift the opera glasses from her belt (50, Treasure Count: 2220). Then turn around and make your way back to the main hall (the one fully carpeted in red). Once there, turn right, and move forward again until you find another area off to your right. Move into this area, and into the opera box, where there are two occupants, having a discussion. (If you stick around and listen, the discussion is rather interesting.) Lean forward to lift the purse from the man's belt (100, Treasure Count: 2320). Turn around and leave, making your way back to the main hallway again. Turn right once again, and move forward. Go past the next opening on your right (it just leads back to the two having the conversation again), and then turn down the next hallway leading off to your right. Move forward to the end. In this opera box, lean forward to pickpocket the opera glasses from this woman as well (50, Treasure Count: 2370). Turn around, and move back into the main hallway. Turn right.
SAVE YOUR GAME! The next area has another patrolling guard in it, and his patrol can take him to a point where he can see you here. Move forward to the end of the carpeted hall you are in. To take out the guard in the next area, I suggest using a Moss Arrow on the tile floor ahead. Then move into the shadows to your left, lean out right, and wait. When the guard comes by, turns, and departs, then move out into the hall, and knock him out.
You should now be facing down the hall which the guard patrolled. Move all the way down this hall, carpet hopping as necessary, until you can go forward no further. Then turn right. (You should be aware that you will be passing an opening through which two guards can possibly see you.)
[Note: You will pass a hallway on your right, and then a doorway on the same side. This doorway leads to a room with a fireplace, which has a secret area beside it. It connects to the fireplace in the next room off the right of the hallway you're currently following.]
SAVE YOUR GAME! This next part can draw some serious attention to yourself if you're caught. Move forward, then turn left. Crouch, and move into this well-lit section. Turn right, and move forward until you can turn left, then do so. You should now be in a dark section. Sneak up on the man and woman ahead, and pickpocket the man. For some reason, he has a necklace on his belt (200, Treasure Count: 2570). (Note: Sometimes, it is necessary to knock these two out so that they don't see you leave. They are quite easily dealt with using your Blackjack.) Turn around, move forward, turn right, move forward, turn left again, and move back into the hallway when you get the chance. Turn right and move forward. Once you're back in the shadows, stand up again.
[Note: The section above has the added difficulty that there is at least one guard whose patrol sometimes brings him into this room. Keep this in mind when performing the above tasks.]
Turn left, and move down this hall again. Ignore the doorways again, and when you reach a turn to the left down another hall, take it. Move forward, and turn right when you can. Move forward, and when you reach the first wall-lamp (on your right), turn left.
This door will require you to pick the lock. Do so, and move into the room beyond. Inside, turn left and follow the room around until you find the staircase in the centre column leading upwards. Enter the stairwell, and climb the stairs to the top.
The Opera House, 3rd Floor
SAVE YOUR GAME! There are three patrolling guards on this level, two of which patrol nearby. One of them has a Healing Potion you can pickpocket. However, following this walkthrough will avoid that guard.
When you exit the stairwell, there will be a door directly in front of you. Pick the lock, and go through the door. One or two of the patrols may be nearby, so tread carefully.
[Note: Up here, the most expedient method of dealing with the guards is your Gas Arrows. If you think of the layout of the main areas of this level as a square, then you enter in the lower left corner, a guard patrols along the left edge, another along the top edge (he's the one with the Potion), and another around the entire square. Keep this in mind when using your Gas Arrows.]
Move forward onto the carpet, and turn right. Move forward, and take the first left. Continue forward, and take the first left again. Move down this hallway until there are some stairs on your right. (Note: The guard who patrols the left side of the square moves into this area, so be careful!)
Turn left, move forward, and grab the gilded vase (50, Treasure Count: 2620). Then turn right around, and move forward down the stairs to another opera box. Lean forward into the box, and steal the man's purse (100, Treasure Count: 2720). Turn around, and climb the stairs back to the top. Turn left, and move forward back into the main hallway.
Turn left, and move forward. Ahead is a large tiled area. Use a Moss Arrow or two (or three!) to soften your footsteps, and proceed forward. (Be wary...there are two guards down a side passage to your right that may see you!) Try to stay to the left side of the carpet, as there are some stationary guards up ahead who may see you moving down this hallway. (Also, the guard who patrols the top side of the square comes into this hall briefly).
When you find a turn to the left, take it. (I recommend jumping from one carpet to the other, to avoid detection.) Move forward, and turn left when you get the chance. Climb down these stairs to another opera box. There's no one it this one, but someone has left some opera glasses on the ledge. Move forward and grab them (50, Treasure Count: 2770). Then turn around, and climb the stairs to the top again.
SAVE YOUR GAME! You're almost finished now. Move forward, and re-enter the main hall. (Once again, try jumping.) Turn right, and move down this hallway all the way to the end. Once you reach the end, you should be able to see some stairs leading up ahead and to your right. Move over there and climb the stairs. Go through the door and in the next room, continue forward onto the stairwell, and take the stairs back down to the previous level.
Exit the stairwell, turn left, and move around the room. You will shortly find the door leading out into the hall. Go through the door, and turn left. Follow this corridor to the end, and turn right when it does. Move forward into the darker area, keeping to the left, and ahead of you a door will highlight. Open the door (use one of your jewelled keys).
Move through the open door, and turn left. Move forward until you come to a door in the wall to your left. Pick the lock on this door.
SAVE YOUR GAME! There are two performers in here, but you should be able to get through this without alerting them. Move into the room, and step onto the carpet ahead. Once on the carpet, turn left. There is a safe in the wall ahead. Use the gold key you picked up in the Talisman room to open the safe, then get the silver flute (150, Treasure Count: 2920). Then turn left, and leave through the open door ahead.
Escaping
SAVE YOUR GAME! It's time to leave the Opera House. Turn left, and move all the way down the hall. At the end is a doorway in front of you. Move through it, and when the wall to your right opens up, turn right.
Being careful of nearby patrolling guards, jump from your spot here to the ladder ahead of you, then climb down the ladder to the ground. Then turn right around, and move forward into the next room, down the ramp ahead. Turn left, and move forward all the way down the hall, and go through the door at the end.
Continue forward. When the corridor turns, follow it. Ignore all doors, until the hallway ends. Then turn right, and move forward through the door ahead of you.
In this room, move forward, and turn left. Move into the next room, and then turn right. Ahead of you you should see to large pillars. Move into the darkness between them, and a pair of double doors will highlight.
SAVE YOUR GAME! Through this doors there are guards on patrol! Open these doors, and move forward. Cross the room to the exit opposite the doors you just came through. Move down the stairs ahead of you. Once you hit the street, you may want to keep moving, just to avoid being caught or wounded. However, you can simply stand there if you prefer, because the mission is over. Congratulations! You've robbed the Opera House and acquired the Talisman of Water!