|
HEIST SOCIETY The
second and final mission by AsyluM. A solidly designed Victorian mansion robbery,
with an entertaining story and an easy-to-follow plot. This is a classic
Thief 2 mission, and in many players’ best-missions-of-all-time list.
Although I won’t put it among my personal all-time favorites, it is still a
highly recommended mission and probably one most players would greatly enjoy,
especially if you prefer The Metal Age. First
I had to find proof that Lord Gellard was spying on key members of the upper
class. I also had to steal his gem collection, five of his precious vases,
and 2,400 worth of valuables. Finally, I needed to leave through a secret
underground exit, information on which could be found somewhere in the
captain’s quarters. House Master Key I
wanted to get my hands on the master key as quickly as possible, as it freed up
so many ways around the mansion that otherwise tied me down. In order to get
that, however, I needed the security key to turn off the camera outside
Gellard’s chambers, as well as the bronze key from Horath’s bedroom. There
were two security key copies, one was on a guard at the foot of the stairs
leading to Gellard’s door. The other one was on a desk in a priest’s bedroom
to the south, an equally viable option, as long as you entered via the window
using a housekeep key. I chose the former. The security key on the guard’s
belt was anything but easy to obtain, however. I couldn’t for the life of me
sneak into the room without a first alert; he was stationed just a tad too
far back. I tried all sorts of angles and starting locations, but to no
avail. I then tried a rope arrow into the archway ceiling (left image below).
Sometimes he saw it and first alerted, sometimes not. If he didn’t, I could
climb up and stay out of his view. If I then quickly turned, the engine
didn’t register this as movement, and it was enough to get past his field of
view. Nice! I grabbed the loot and his key and went back out. Leaving I could
just make a quick dart the last couple of feet, no rope arrow needed. I’d
have to return to put back the key later, but now at least I knew the method.
From
here I used the dumbwaiter and cleaned the basement. Since I had the security
key, I could turn off the gallery alarm system while being down here. My
first Supreme bust. Disabling alarms and cameras are, in my humble opinion,
probably among the smallest busts for that mode, especially if they can be
turned back on. I lock-blocked the gate to the alarm room, just in case I
would return the security key before coming down to switch it back on. Better
safe than sorry. I also picked up the housekeep key from a wandering servant.
It was also needed to turn off the cameras later on. I
then headed back out the window and circumnavigated the courtyard
counterclockwise. The west garden was the most difficult, but if I timed the
patrolling guard well, I found my way south undetected. Entered the ground
floor in the southeast. Headed up to Horath’s bedroom via the pool window
(right image above). I couldn’t loot the rest of the barracks from this side
without turning off the watcher, so I headed back downstairs. Climbed up the
chapel railing to the first floor and looted my way west. Nothing to report
there. I had to turn off the watcher outside Gellard’s bedroom from the
security office in the far southwest. This also turned off the west hallway
watcher and the one on the patio above the courtyard. The two latter ones
weren’t necessary to turn off except to get some more loot. Once I had
Gellard’s master key, I rode the dumbwaiter back down and got his gem
collection. Barracks Cleaned
the rest of this floor except the barracks. Then ascended to the unlocked
window of the game room. During the conversation between Benny and the
barmaid, I could sneak over to the counter and grab two pieces of loot that
otherwise would’ve busted Supreme (left image below). Both climbing over the
bar counter or using the southeast door would’ve spawned a first alert from
the woman. Using conversations like this is acceptable for Supreme.
Heading
through the game room was the only way I found into the lower barracks for
Supreme. The living area north of the pool was guarded by a stationary
archer, and a similar situation presented itself in the hallway east of the
chapel. However, I couldn’t find a way to rob the upper floor in this part of
the mansion. I was able to ascend the staircase without getting caught by the
watcher outside Horvath’s bedroom, but I didn’t find a way to get back down
(right image above). The center pillar of the railing hid me enough to time
the watcher and rush upstairs, but I couldn’t hide behind anything going back
down. Coming from the southern bedroom seemed possible, but the camera didn’t
swing north far enough to have any gap in its view. There were multiple light
sources surrounding the staircase, so I don’t see a possible way to get back
down successfully. If anyone can prove me wrong, I’d be delighted to see it. Library The
most difficult location in the mission besides the barracks was Gellard’s
library in the northwest. I had previously lock-blocked the door so that I
could return all the keys for Supreme, as I knew I would end by leaving via
the secret bookcase exit. It was guarded by a very alert patrolling
swordsman, as well as a camera. I thought I would have to switch off this
camera too, as the switch for the bookcase was embedded in a painting high up
on the wall. However, to my surprise, I could reach the painting from a rope
on the pillar at the base of the staircase. The staircase railing was also
tall enough for me to crouch down without the camera spotting me.
Conveniently, the patroller also stopped for a while by the camera, equally
hidden by the pillar. As he patrolled back up the stairs, he was unable to
see me atop the rope (left image below). I left the rope there for now, as I
had to close up the bookcase later. Timing the camera, I could scoot into the
smaller living room with the stationary archer and hide safely behind the
central pillar. Here I was completely out of sight from both the patroller
and the camera. When the patroller headed upstairs on the next round, I
approached the camera from the south. Since there was no switch for the
bookcase from the other side, I had to leave the healing potion from my
starting inventory on the ground (right image above). This prevented it from
closing until I picked it up again. This was a bit of an ordeal to figure
out, but the entire library was ghosted Supreme-clean. Unfortunately, I
realized there was another door in the basement requiring the master key, so
I had to reload and lock-block this door also, then return all the keys
before exiting through the basement.
This
mission was very tough to ghost, primarily due to all the marbled floors and
glass doors and windows. I can’t guarantee that I didn’t get any undetected
first alerts, but I was as careful as I could be. Too bad it couldn’t be
Supremed, but I think I got as close as I could. Update April 13th, 2023:Not
long after my initial Ghost run, several new strats were found that
especially improves Supreme. Firstly, Gellard’s chambers can indeed be
entered without needing to turn off any security camera. You can easily
mantle up the railing either from the statue, from atop boxes, or from a rope
(left image below). It takes a bit of luck to get over the railing without
slamming your feet and alerting the downstairs guard, but I have completed
this move successfully several times. To get back down, the best way is to
hide behind the railing’s end post and drop onto a crate (right image below).
There are two crates conveniently found behind the drapes only a few feet
away. Leaving the security cameras on also means you have to loot the two
bedrooms south of here from the balconies, but that isn’t a problem, it just
makes the run a bit more tedious
Furthermore, it was discovered that
you can get down from the barracks without getting spotted by the camera
outside Horath’s. This move is a lot more random and takes many repeated attempts.
You have to go down on the left side as the camera is swinging the same
direction. This doesn’t seem like it should work, as the camera is
staring straight at you, but if you come at a halt so that the horizontal
part of the railing blocks its view, occasionally it doesn’t go yellow. This
move only works once every fifty moves or so, at least in my experience.
Although this strat makes you able to get the 27 worth of valuables in the
barracks, you have to now skip 90 worth of loot in the attic outside
Gellard’s chambers. With the watcher on, there is no way to get up there
unseen. But although you end up taking less loot, you avoid a huge bust for
Supreme, so it’s definitely worth it. Statistics: Time: 1:45:29 Loot: 3340 out of 3340 (Supreme: 3250) Pickpockets: 14 out of 14 Secrets: 6 out of 6 Locks Picked: 6 Damage Dealt: 0 Damage Taken: 0 Consumables: None Ghost: Success! Perfect Thief: Success! Supreme Thief: Failed! Perfect Supreme Thief: Failed! Notes: -
Had to turn off the alarm for the gem collection using
the basement control panel. This is a security system and a bust to Supreme. -
Had to skip two pieces of loot worth 90 in the hidden
attic outside Gellard’s chambers for Supreme. I couldn’t get up here as long
as the camera was on. |
|
|
