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Mission #8
THE GRAND PALACE

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RAVINA BOULEVARD

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  • Go up and left to the smugglers' boat. Pickpocket them. You can't open the boat right now. Continue down the alley, cross the street, and go right.

  • Blink up to the sculptor's apartment and get a bone charm (1/7). Go out the other side onto Ravina Blvd.

    • FAS. Cross to the other side via the portico. Climb up the stairs. When the nearby guard walks away, stand on the flat display sign to the right of the sculptor's balcony, and then run-jump up to the balcony.

  • Get loot by the dice players on the right. The back alley gate is locked for now. Sneak around the store windows and into Winslow's. Get the Gate Combination from a note in the back. After the guard leaves, open the cash register and get the Shopkeeper Apartment Key, taking care not to linger long enough for him to become alerted.

  • Open the gate in the back alley with the combination. Pickpocket the woman trying to get into the black market shop to get the Boat Key. Nothing else you can now: if you return to the ​boat, it has already been seized.

  • Climb up behind the black market shop. Break the boards that bar the entrance to the cave on the right and get two runes (1-2/6) from the Outsider Shrine (1/1).

  • In this rear courtyard are five Howlers preparing a heist on the black market shop: two on the balcony, one across the yard under the portico, one in the second-floor apartment above the portico, and one inside the shop itself.

  • As Emily, connect the one in the apartment and the three outside with Domino and sleep-dart any one of them; then follow step #4 below for the last one. As Corvo, use Bend Time and take them out one by one.

  • FAS. Taking out the Howlers requires more patience but it's still pretty easy:

  1. Jump behind the two Howlers on the balcony behind the mattresses. Choke or sleep-dart them in turn.

  2. Sleep-dart the woman under the portico through the railing. Alternatively, sneak across the yard and dart her from up close by leaning from behind cover. Get Petronilla's Apartment Key from her body.

  3. Snipe the one in the apartment in the same way. You can also climb up on the balcony above the portico and lean out from behind cover to sleep-dart him through the open door.

  4. The Howler inside the shop is harder. If you just stun him, the shopkeeper will see the body. Grab a bottle of Howler Dust from the balcony above, stand in the left-hand shop window, lean over, and toss the dust inside. The shopkeeper will (temporarily) close the shades and you can run inside and choke or sleep-dart the Howler. Hide his body before the shopkeeper reopens the shades: you weren't detected, nor was the Howler's body seen.

  • ZRP. There is no surefire way to do this. You can distract the Howlers by shooting a bolt somewhere in the yard, and when they're sufficiently scattered you can sneak into the shop; and/or you can use a stinging bolt on the one under the portico and the one inside the shop. However, since shop purchases are made in real time, eventually the Howlers you've stung or distracted will return, so you get a few seconds at best.

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  • Jump into the building near the balcony with the mattresses through the open window. On the left is Petronilla's apartment. Open it with the key or shoot the door. Grab loot inside and return to the rear courtyard.

  • Loot the apartment where the Howler was. Leave from the other window. Go right, avoiding the tripwires below.

  • Break the boards on the left and enter the second floor of this apartment building. Across from you is the office where the guards have hidden the evidence confiscated from the boat.

  • Draw out the guard with noise. Stun him or sneak around him. Play the audiograph for the black market shop password. (You can also drop down to this room's balcony from the bloodfly-infested apartment above).

  • On the third floor, break the boards behind the stacked crates. Peek into the bloodfly-infested apartment. Sleep-dart the nestkeeper and shoot the bloodfly nests with incendiary darts, taking care not to set the nestkeeper on fire.

  • Go in and ​finish off the remaining bloodflies. Get a rune (3/6) and a painting (1/3) of Daud from the bedroom.​

  • Return to the black market shop. Enter from the back using the password. Ignore the shopkeeper and start robbing the shop, including a rune (4/6) if you're playing with powers. Be quick, because he ran to call the guards. If you hadn't already purchased the Disabling Carriage Rails option, it's on the floor near the shades now.

    • ​Special Action: Black Market Heist

  • To cross to the other side of Ravina Blvd, return to the bloodfly-infested apartment. Jump from the balcony to the watchtower. Pull the whale oil tank to disable it. Run-jump to the now-disabled carriage rails.​

  • Jump down on the left. Avoid the patrols and enter the building with the elite guard standing outside. Go up to Lucia Pastor's apartment, which has good loot and a bone charm (2/7).

  • Return to the carriage rails. Blink or drop down to the front door of the next building over. (There is minor loot in the guard posts throughout the plaza, but it's tricky to get).​

  • Go all the way upstairs to the shopkeeper's apartment. Get a bone charm (3/7) from under the pillow on the bed. Zoom in on the painting in the study to get the combination. Get some loot and a blueprint (1/3) from the safe.

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  • Use the back door in this apartment to go to the Grand Palace, which allows you to avoid the main gate.

  • NB. The black market shop heist can be postponed until the very end of this section, if you want to make any more purchases before leaving.

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THE GRAND PALACE

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The Grand Palace is massive and there are many ways to get things done. Rather than suggest an ideal route, I will describe the loot and actions for each main location, along with some shortcuts to get there quietly.

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Entering the Palace

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  • Ignore the guards below. Follow the carriage rails. Get on the carriage station roof via the bridge pylon cables.

  • There are two ways in that allow you to remain stealthy:​​ (1) via the roof; (2) via the abandoned storage basement.

  • To enter via the roof, simply blink via the lamps on the right of the front yard, as shown below.​

    • Elevator access (purple circle). This is a hole in the roof of the elevator shaft. Blink or climb up and down the shaft to access every floor of the palace quietly (using the elevator makes noise).

    • Roof access (orange circle). There's an open solarium window that drops you right outside of Duke Abele's chambers on the fourth floor. From here, you can get to the rest of the palace via the elevator, the stairwell, or the terraces in the back.

    • FAS. Follow these steps, as per the four-picture composite below. (Pic #1) Drop down to the rocks below and on the left. (Pic #2) Walk until you reach a small elevated veranda. (Pic #3) Jump on the tree at right, climb up to the ledge, and go right to the end of the triangular parapet. (Pic #4) Climb up on the roof and keep going until you reach either the elevator access (blue circle) or the roof access (orange circle). Take care to avoid the maid sweeping the floor (red circle). This is tricky, so without powers it may be best to use the basement

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  • To enter via the basement, drop down to the rocks by the sea on the left. Run, climb, and/or blink across until you come come to a small courtyard with a boarded-up entrance hidden behind a tree.

    • Break the boards. Swim down and collect a rune (5/6) along the way. Break another set of boards and pick up a bone charm (4/7) from the Delilah shrine.

      • Special Action: Sunken Storage

    • Ignore the vault for now. In the vault antechamber, get some loot and a blueprint (2/3) from the table.

    • Exit the antechamber via the door. Pull a lever to reveal a secret passage into the pantry. Hide near the shrine while a guard comes to investigate the noise. Sneak around him and enter the palace through the pantry.​

  • From the pantry, you have access to the rear stairwell and the rest of the palace.

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The Duke and His Double

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  • The Duke or his body double may be in one of five possible locations:

    • The Duke's chambers on the fifth floor, guarded by an elite guard.

    • The Duke's office on the fourth floor, with a guard, a maid, and a clockwork soldier.

    • Delilah's chambers on the third floor, with two elite guards.

    • The throne room on the second floor, with two elite guards (plus more outside) and an arc pylon.

    • The private garden overlooking the sea on the first floor, with two elite guards and a wolfhound.

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  • To identify the Duke vs. his double:

    • ​The Duke's double smokes, unlike the Duke, and his dialogue clearly reveals that he doesn't like his job.
    • The Duke carries the Vault Key, while the Double carries the Chest Key. The chest is in his bedroom on the fifth floor and has minor loot.

    • Both will start a conversation with you if they spot you. The Duke will eventually call the guards whatever you say, while the double will listen and agree to your scheme.

    • Do not stun the Duke and bring his body to the double before you spoke to him: he will call the guards before you have time to explain. For the nonlethal option to work, you must speak to the double first.

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  • Duke's chambers, fifth floor

    • Best way in: via the stairwell or the elevator.

    • Loot: lots of coin.

    • Method: wait until he dismisses the guards, then stun the Duke (or speak to the double). Leave the Duke on the large circular bed, but only if you already spoke to the double elsewhere, or a guard will spot the body.

  • Duke's office, fourth floor

    • Best way in: via the stairwell or the elevator.

    • Loot: a blueprint (3/3) inside the cabinet, a painting (2/3) above the fireplace, and the First Captain's Safe Combination on the desk beside the main desk.

    • Method: wait until he dismisses the guards, then stun the Duke (or speak to the double). Carry the Duke up to the chambers via the elevator. Stunning the Duke does not activate the clockwork soldier.

  • Delilah's chambers, third floor

    • ​Best way in: via the stairwell or the elevator.

    • Loot: a bone charm (5/7) in the bedroom, a painting (3/3) in the music room, and some loot.

    • Method: wait until he dismisses the guards, then stun the Duke (or speak to the double). Carry the Duke up to the chambers via the elevator.

  • Throne room, second floor

    • ​Best way in: from above, jumping on the chandelier from the terrace where a maid is sweeping the floor.

    • Loot: a bone charm (6/7) on the throne. As Emily, just grab it with Pull from afar. As Corvo, use Bend Time.

    • Method: wait until he dismisses the guards, then stun the Duke (or speak to the double). Carry the Duke up to his chambers the way you came: via the terrace with the maid and via the roof.

    • FAS. Sleep-dart or use a stinging bolt on whoever is in this room before you do anything; if the Duke is here, wait until he's alone first. Jump down from the chandelier on the left. Stay near to the lion statues and simply walk to the whale oil tank, as in picture #1 in the gallery below: the pylon can't reach you here.

      • Alternatively, enter from the glass door behind the throne. It can be reached by jumping up from the rocks via the same method used for reaching the roof without powers. In this case, open the door and sprint​ behind the throne to the whale oil tank before the arc pylon has a chance to zap you.

  • Private garden, first floor

    • Best way in: via the terraces in the back of the palace, and then across the wooden slats.

    • Loot: nothing.

    • Method: wait until he dismisses the guards, then stun the Duke (or speak to the double). Carry the Duke up to the chambers via the roof and the elevator access at the top; see picture #2 in the gallery below. The wolfhound shouldn't be able to smell you, but if it does, stun it with a sleep-dart first and/or toss its body over the parapet.​​

  • Once you've identified for sure which one is the double, speak to him to concoct a plan. Go to the Duke, stun him, and transport his body to the Duke's chambers on the fifth floor. Guards will arrest the Duke.

    • ​Special Action: Friends in High Places

  • Use the microphone in the Duke's chambers to address Karnaca, but only when the guard on the balcony isn't looking and after you've locked away the Duke, or you'll be spotted.

    • ​Special Action: Addressing Karnaca

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Other Noticeable Loot

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  • Game rooms, first floor

    • Best way in: via the stairwell. Ignore the large dining hall and the guards playing poker nearby.

    • Loot: a bone charm (7/7) in the parlor with two ladies chatting. They'll see you whatever you do, but they'll let you be if you leave quickly enough.

  • Armory, second floor

    • ​Best way in: via a small window in the orchard, just outside of the throne room; see picture below.

    • Loot: a rune (6/6), lots of coin, and lots of weapons.

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Vault and Egress

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  • There are two ways to the Duke's vault:

  1. Go outside and to the entrance to the flooded storage basement. Follow the instructions above to enter.

  2. Follow the stairwell down to the pantry. Hide on the tall cabinets while the guards talk, then stun both in turn. Push the button inside the pantry to reveal a secret door. Go downstairs to the vault antechamber.

    • ​Special Action: Through the Pantry

  • Inside the vault, ignore the clockwork soldier and go straight for Delilah's effigy. This will destroy the soldier, too.

  • On the bottom floor, get the Display Case Collectible: Broken Gazelle Ornament and some loot. On the top floor, get the clockwork soldier plaque and some more loot.

    • Special Action: Haunted by the Past

  • Leave through the flooded basement. Drop down on the rocks, go left, and wait for Meagan's skiff.

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The screens below were taken after a No Powers run, when there is no rune in the black market shop.

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→ Mission #9: Death to the Empress

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