Fan Mission: Chronicles of Skulduggery 0: To Catch a Thief (2021/11/20)

[Bienie]

 

Story:

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This evening I got a message from a courier, one of the orphan boys who runs with the Bloodied Bulldogs in East Brooksdale. The note said the gang are in a tight spot and they need someone discrete to fix the situation for them. It's been a few months since I had any solid work, so the coffers are looking a bit bare.

The Bloodied Bulldogs gang has a special -arrangement- with the local Tanner's Guild. The guild protects the gang from being targeted by the City Watch or the Builders, and throws some scratch to the gang leaders. The gang in return keeps workers from striking, and deals with anyone that irks the Guild, outside of the yoke of law.

Recently, an unknown new player in this part of town seems intent on disrupting that dynamic. In what is probably an attempt at making the Bulldogs look bad, a job was announced for the abduction of Amanda, the Guildmaster's daughter. Sources say that an independent from a couple boroughs over has taken on the job. The Bulldogs don't want a word of this to leak to the guild, naturally.

My mission is to stop the abduction from taking place, make sure the Guildmaster and his household are none the wiser, and bring the would be kidnapper back to the gang's hideout for... questioning. Something tells me Longsword Logan and Clive the Cleaver ask their questions pretty hard. An unenviable position to be in to say the least.

I would like to keep on the right side of their temper, lest I end up in that same chair. So I don't feel like I have much of a choice but to come to their aid.\n\nI normally try to steer clear of the gangs and stay independent, but it can be a lucrative opportunity from time to time. As they say, sometimes you need to set a thief to catch a thief...

 

Thanks:

Thanks to my beta testers datiswous, Cambridge Spy, Aluminum Haste, Acolyte Six, madtaffer, wesp5, SuaveSteve and prjames.

Additional thanks to Dragofer and Bikerdude who helped with scripting and assets.

Download:

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Available in the in-game downloader (soon), or at the below locations.

Dropbox

taaaki.za.net (soon)

fidcal.com (soon)

southquarter.com (soon)

 

Gallery:

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Thank you for playing! What did you think of the mission? I look forward to your honest feedback!

Hints, Tips, Walkthroughs, Spoilers(!):

- This mission will greatly reward those taffers who like to explore a mission thoroughly. It is possible to go directly for your objectives, but you will be missing a lot of content.
- Many windows are openable, leading to new areas or private residences.
- If an area seems hard to navigate due to patrols, chances are you can circumvent it.
- Those who like a challenge and some extra replay value owe it to themselves to visit the apartment high above the tunnel entrance at Cobb St. (above the last pic in the gallery)

 

FAQ:

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Main Objectives:

I'm having trouble getting in to the manor, the door is lit up and I have to pick it with the archer overhead!

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There are two other ways to enter the manor, one through the garden south of the main entrance on the square and all the way from the other side of the map if you take the thieves' highway at the south east end of Cobb St.

I'm in the manor, but I can't find the thief I'm supposed to knock out.

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He's on the top floor, in the south east corner in a deep shadow. He's trying to open the door to Amanda's room.

I've got the thief, but am having trouble finding where to go or how to get there with him.

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You need to bring him down to the basement of the Bloodied Bulldogs. This is near the south west corner of the map on Cobb St. You'll see a staircase leading down to a door, bring him to the room on the right that has a bunch of torture equipment and drop him there.
As for how to get there with a body on your back. The back way to Cobb St. is out of the question since you can't climb to the balcony. That only leaves Fulke St. or the sewers from the Leaky Keg bathroom. The latter is considerably safer if you have not knocked out the street guards.

I'm having trouble meeting my loot objective!

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If you are playing on Normal or Hard, at the time you start struggling to find loot it might be enough to visit Odbert's Cellar once you find his key to the security cage (in his house just south of the manor). His house also contains a fair amount of loot.
If you are playing on Expert, you will need to find a large percentage of the loot. You will definitely need to hit Odbert's house and shop, and probably figure out Willard's secret stashes (Earle St. 2nd floor). If you are still coming short you'll want to hit the various apartments along Fulke and Cobb streets. They are; above the Fulke/Earle st tunnel, directly to your right when you first enter the streets, above the locksmith's, above the door that the city guard pounds on intermittently and the attic directly across from Odbert's rooftop terrace.
Additionally you could try to find your way in to the cult hideout in the sewers (see the Detective Challenge), and find all secrets (see just below)

Secrets:

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Can I have some hints for where to find the secrets?

Gentle hints:

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1. The guy who's running off to Fiddler's hill has stashed away a necklace in his apartment.
2. There's a purse just above your head when you're walking to Earle St. from Fulke St.
3. Ever the gentleman, Willard has left a little something for the thieving crows as well.
4. It seems someone on the staff of the Leaky Keg are stashing some of the profit for themselves.
5. Somebody has carelessly left a ring on their windowsill high up above Cobb St.
6. A certain child has found a way to a land of fantastical magic.
7. One of the Bloodied Bulldogs have dropped a ring in the basement.
8. The attic across from Odbert's rooftop terrace has some "buried treasure".
9. Odbert has misplaced a small brooch somewhere in his apartment.
10. One of the unlucky sods who were abducted in Lower Brooksdale swallowed their ring before the end.

Just tell me!:

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1. In the apartment that is on the second floor to the right from the starting area, on top of a bookcase.
2. Go to the north end of the Fulke St. tunnel, here is a rope you can climb up to an apartment. Instead jump to the beam opposite the window and on the south end is a purse.
3. As you emerge on Earle street from the tunnel go to the grassy area on the left, and climb the vines on the wall. Under the table on the balcony is a ring.
4. In the Leaky Keg, go into the kitchen and climb the table. In a kettle in the corner on the shelf is a purse.
5. As you emerge on Cobb street from the tunnel go to the right where there is a movable crate in an alcove. Bring this out slightly so you can mantle the bay window on the left. From here jump to the awning on the other side of the street and finally grab onto the edge of the roof back above the bay window, walk along this roof and there is a ring on a window sill to your right.
6. Enter Lucy's apartment by mantling the Locksmith sign and going through the window. In the storage room there is an openable wardrobe. Crouch and go through the tunnel to Narnia, here is a golden lion in the middle.
7. As you enter the Bulldogs' hideout, ahead and to the right is a pile of crates and junk. At the bottom is a wooden bucket that has a ring in it.
8. Mantle the straw roof and jump across the alley to the edge of the roof, and go through the window. On the left is a big pile of movable junk. Move the globe, bucket and crate and crawl all the way in, on your left is an openable book in a crate.
9. In Odbert's apartment on the bookshelf facing his desk on the bottom shelf behind the movable scrolls is a brooch.
10. Go to Bernard's place (see secret #2) and flick the switch on the left side of the fireplace. This opens his stash behind the painting which contains the key to the hideout. In the south east corner of the sewers is the door. Go to the cells, the open one with the skeleton has a ring in the pelvic area.

 

Discoverable Objectives:

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I'm trying to find all the objectives, but I don't know how to discover them!

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There are 3 side missions you can take on in this mission. Two of them you will find on the poster board on the north end of Earle street, in the little grassy alley. The last one is found in the apartment that is to your right as you first enter the streets. Read the note on the desk.

Specific mission walkthrough:

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I'm supposed to find a wedding ring, but I have no clue where it is!

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The ring was stolen by your neighbor Guy Badby. In his little crate stash next to the fireplace. Take it to the north end of the Fulke street tunnel and plop it into the vase on the windowsill. This is basically in the north west corner of the map.

I'm supposed to find a pet rat that ran away, where is he?

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He's where rats normally like to congregate, the sewers! Enter the pipe either from the Cobb St. substation or the Leaky Keg bathroom, when you get to a 4-way cross look to the east and you'll be able to pick him up. Leave him on the doorstep that is close to the Locksmith on Cobb St.

I have a birthday present, but I'm not sure where to place it.

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Go to the Locksmith sign on Cobb St. and jump on top of it, go through the window to the west and leave it on the dining room table.

 

 

Challenges:

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The Ghost Challenge failed as soon as I took it!

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Sorry, you will have to restart the mission and make sure you do not alert anyone before reading the scroll, after this you will notice the objective fail only if you alert somebody, allowing you to reload.

I'm having trouble finding all the loot for the Greed Challenge, is there a loot list I can use to check what I am missing?

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Certainly, you will find it on the Dark Mod wiki page for this mission (once it's created).

I'm having trouble finishing the Completionist Challenge. What am I missing?

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Look through the Discoverable Objectives section and you should be able to tell what you have not done yet.
It requires you to: Find and return the fool's gold wedding ring, Find and return Marshal the rat, Deliver the birthday present and find all secrets. Aside from your main objectives, that is.

Where do I find the evidence I need to finish the Detective Challenge?

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This is a step by step walkthrough:
Step 1

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Go to Bernard's apartment (see secret #2), in his desk is a readable that is a clue

Step 2

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Open Bernard's secret stash which is controlled by a switch on the left side of the fireplace. Grab the key to the hideout.

Step 3

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Go to the large part of the sewers and use the key to open the door in the south east end.

Step 4

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Grab the key off the patrolling cultist and open the chest in the barracks. Read the readable.

Step 5

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Go to Odbert's apartment (just south of the manor) and hit the little switch on the clock by the fireplace, grab the key from the stash.

Step 6

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Back to the hideout, in the ritual room use the high priest key to open the door to the study. The book on the desk is part 1 of the evidence.

Step 7
 

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Move the large crate in the corner to reveal a passageway into Odbert's basement. On the bookshelf by the stairs is a rolled up scroll that is evidence #2. Leave these on the desk in the challenge room to complete it!

 

 

 

 

Disclaimers, Player Information.
 

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This mission is free of spiders and undead but some horror elements can be found behind a locked door in the sewer. Sensitive players can safely avoid this area, as the readable next to the key will hint at what's to come.

There is no mention of prostitution, nudity or coarse descriptive language.

There is no mention of drug use, but some depictions and readables describing alcohol/alcoholism.

 

Edited April 10, 2022 by Bienie

[Amadeus]

congrats on the release! very much looking forward to playing this

[Bienie]

There is currently an oversight in the mission that gives the player the master key at start which opens all doors. This is not intended and I will be uploading a hotfix tomorrow which fixes this and a couple other small things.

In the meantime, either be a sport and drop the key in your room at the start or await the hotfix version tomorrow!

[Bienie]

A hotfix version has been released. The hotfix contains several fixes and visual improvements as well, so it is well worth redownloading!

The dropbox link has been updated in the original post, and the in-game downloader version is up to date too!

Edited November 23, 2021 by Bienie

[tapewolf]

Okay, I've completed the main and bonus objectives, but I'm stuck with

Spoiler

Finding the secret missions.  By coincidence I did a playthrough of all the other CoS missions the other week, so I know to expect a bunch of documents to enable each one.

At one point while tearing around the level in desperation, I found that the study in the Manor had the top two drawers openable and the bottom drawer contained the secret mission documents.  Then the guy saw me and that was that.  When I went back to the Manor, the top two drawers were unfrobbable again and the bottom drawer has nothing usable inside it.

What am I missing to get at those documents?  (This is the fixed version without the Master Key, by the way)

 

Edited November 21, 2021 by tapewolf
typo

[Bienie]

1 hour ago, tapewolf said:

Okay, I've completed the main and bonus objectives, but I'm stuck with

  Hide contents

Finding the secret missions.  By coincidence I did a playthrough of all the other CoS missions the other week, so I know to expect a bunch of documents to enable each one.

At one point while tearing around the level in desperation, I found that the study in the Manor had the top two drawers openable and the bottom drawer contained the secret mission documents.  Then the guy saw me and that was that.  When I went back to the Manor, the top two drawers were unfrobbable again and the bottom drawer has nothing usable inside it.

What am I missing to get at those documents?  (This is the fixed version without the Master Key, by the way)

 

Spoiler

I think you are getting two desks mixed up. The desk in the manor doesn't have any secret documents. They are all in the small room you can access by scaling the wall on the south end of the Cobb St. tunnel. These are the same type of desk so I guess that can be confusing. You wouldn't be caught by any AI where the challenge documents are though, as it's a singe room way up off the ground.

Glad to hear you were playing through the other CoS missions recently. Does this one measure up to the previous ones?

 

[tapewolf]

11 minutes ago, Bienie said:

  Reveal hidden contents

I think you are getting two desks mixed up. The desk in the manor doesn't have any secret documents. They are all in the small room you can access by scaling the wall on the south end of the Cobb St. tunnel. These are the same type of desk so I guess that can be confusing. You wouldn't be caught by any AI where the challenge documents are though, as it's a singe room way up off the ground.

Glad to hear you were playing through the other CoS missions recently. Does this one measure up to the previous ones?

 

Ah, thanks!  Yes, I spent enough time trying to figure that out that I clearly got extremely confused.

Anyway, this has been very enjoyable and is a great addition to the series.  That wardrobe was a particularly awesome touch. 

[Heuli]

congrats on the release! nice mission i like the style.
I'm still playing. thanks

[datiswous]

I guess it's time for me to start cos1. Nice to be able to play them in chronological order.

[Marbrien]

Enjoying this very much so far, I've done the main objective with the abductor and now (on hard) just trying to find more loot and secrets. One small problem I had was the

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chest in Abbath's room.

i picked it but could only get the contents by frobbing through the closed lid, with the lid open I could not reach them. 

(Can we expect an Abbath reunion any time soon?)

[Zerg Rush]

I quite like this mission. Great detail of the libraries with the Grayman missions.

It was not very difficult to find the secret hidden place there as well.

[Bienie]

49 minutes ago, Marbrien said:

Enjoying this very much so far, I've done the main objective with the abductor and now (on hard) just trying to find more loot and secrets. One small problem I had was the

  Hide contents

chest in Abbath's room.

i picked it but could only get the contents by frobbing through the closed lid, with the lid open I could not reach them. 

(Can we expect an Abbath reunion any time soon?)

Glad you are enjoying the mission. Are you running 2.10 beta? There seems to be something off there as many have had trouble with that specific chest. It seems to work normally on 2.09 from what I can tell. Not sure what you mean with the reunion, but if you're asking if I think there will be any more Immortal albums I wouldn't get my hopes up. ^^

27 minutes ago, Zerg Rush said:

I quite like this mission. Great detail of the libraries with the Grayman missions.

It was not very difficult to find the secret hidden place there as well.

Good to hear! The library started as an homage to Grayman, but I liked the idea so much that I added a lot of other authors' works so it became an homage to all of TDM. Did you find all three secret stashes?

[Marbrien]

I'm using 2.09/64, and the chest was a problem with the patched and the unpatched versions of the mission.

[Zerg Rush]

11 hours ago, Bienie said:

Glad you are enjoying the mission. Are you running 2.10 beta? There seems to be something off there as many have had trouble with that specific chest. It seems to work normally on 2.09 from what I can tell. Not sure what you mean with the reunion, but if you're asking if I think there will be any more Immortal albums I wouldn't get my hopes up. ^^

Good to hear! The library started as an homage to Grayman, but I liked the idea so much that I added a lot of other authors' works so it became an homage to all of TDM. Did you find all three secret stashes?

No, I played only half an hour yesterday and found this Room and this first secret only in the last 10 min.

[datiswous]

On 11/23/2021 at 12:25 AM, Bienie said:

Glad you are enjoying the mission. Are you running 2.10 beta? There seems to be something off there as many have had trouble with that specific chest.

I also played with 2.10 , but I had no issue with any chest.

[NeonsStyle]

Awesome. A new mission. Congrats on the release and a big Thank you

[hanmin]

Congrats and many many thanks.

I have trouble to climb to the

Spoiler

challenges room. There is a rim on roof of the opposite building, that can be reached from the window of the birthday dining room window. But I can't find a way to climb on that window.

Also, there is a bug/hick up, of some sort, if it is not intentional. If you

Spoiler

knock out Clive the Cleaver it seems you can't fulfill the main objective any more, but you realize this a lot later in the game.

 

[Bienie]

2 hours ago, hanmin said:

Congrats and many many thanks.

I have trouble to climb to the

  Hide contents

challenges room. There is a rim on roof of the opposite building, that can be reached from the window of the birthday dining room window. But I can't find a way to climb on that window.

Also, there is a bug/hick up, of some sort, if it is not intentional. If you

  Hide contents

knock out Clive the Cleaver it seems you can't fulfill the main objective any more, but you realize this a lot later in the game.

 

Thank you!

As far as climbing to the

Spoiler

challenge room, the intended route is using the movable crate in the little nook with the front door to the building where Clive is. Moving it slightly will allow you to mantle the eastern bay window, and from here jump to the awning right below the window to the challenge room, from where you can mantle into the room.

I'm not sure what to make of that bug. Doubtful many will run into it, but I could have sworn I set the objectives to fail the mission if the player did that. Maybe only killing does so? I would have to look again. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

[datiswous]

Hi, I added your mission to the mission database wiki page:

https://wiki.thedarkmod.com/index.php?title=Fan_Missions_for_The_Dark_Mod

And the Fan Mission Series wiki page:

https://wiki.thedarkmod.com/index.php?title=Fan_Mission_Series#Chronicles_of_Skulduggery_series

If you don't want it listed, I can remove it off course

Edited November 25, 2021 by datiswous

[cvlw]

I am a blackjack first, ask questions later kind of player.  I found the same bug as Hanmin:

Spoiler

I thumped Clive the Cleaver fairly early on and cannot complete the objective of dropping the abductor's body in the room.  I have flung him all around the room and just can't seem to trigger the completion.

Thanks for the mission series. These, and many more, are good-looking environments that I hope to draw from when I create my own missions.

 

[Hooded Lantern]

Thank you Bienie. I like your FMs, alot. Can you tell me why the FM isn't available in the Mission Downloader ingame?

Edit: I have found it.

Edited November 25, 2021 by Hooded Lantern

[nbohr1more]

15 minutes ago, Hooded Lantern said:

Thank you Bienie. I like your FMs, alot. Can you tell me why the FM isn't available in the Mission Downloader ingame?

It should be. It's available on the missions page:

https://www.thedarkmod.com/missiondetails/?internalName=cos0_thief

Did you see "COS0: To Catch a Thief" in the download list?

[Bienie]

11 hours ago, cvlw said:

I am a blackjack first, ask questions later kind of player.  I found the same bug as Hanmin:

  Hide contents

I thumped Clive the Cleaver fairly early on and cannot complete the objective of dropping the abductor's body in the room.  I have flung him all around the room and just can't seem to trigger the completion.

Thanks for the mission series. These, and many more, are good-looking environments that I hope to draw from when I create my own missions.

 

So odd. I looked at the map in DR now and it looks like it should fail the mission. Maybe it needs to be set to ongoing, or there is some in-game interference between the two components. Anyway, I will put it on my list for a potential update.

I'm glad you like the whole mission series!

[Bienie]

20 hours ago, datiswous said:

Hi, I added your mission to the mission database wiki page:

https://wiki.thedarkmod.com/index.php?title=Fan_Missions_for_The_Dark_Mod

And the Fan Mission Series wiki page:

https://wiki.thedarkmod.com/index.php?title=Fan_Mission_Series#Chronicles_of_Skulduggery_series

If you don't want it listed, I can remove it off course

Thanks for adding them. I've made the main entry for the mission: https://wiki.thedarkmod.com/index.php?title=Chronicles_of_Skulduggery_0:_To_Catch_a_Thief_(FM)

Now I just have to get to work making the lootlist for the mission

edit: done!

Edited November 25, 2021 by Bienie

[Mezla]

First and foremost: congratulations on another great mission release, Bienie! 

 I found it to have its own grey-dark atmosphere with lovely accents of humour and a particularly moving element.

Spoiler

The slightly masochist thief-fan The masochist thief-fan. A priest-gambler and the punishment awaiting him. Oh and a rat with a cute scarf! Touching: the Grayman's and others' missions references as titles of books.

Side missions and especially Detective challenge* were well-seasoned parts of an adventure you invited the player to. 

And creme de la creme: secrets.

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Narnia!

Luv it.

Summing up: neatly tailored prologue to the CoS series and an interesting mission made by a pro. Bravo.



____________
*I found it almost by accident and as a few before me...

Spoiler

...I can frob neither the loot nor the readable from the chest next to the sleeping cultist. I play 2.09 version of Dark Mod.