Verak on 12/5/2004 at 01:39
I've made it all the way to Rowena, and now I can't defeat her. I only have 5 broadheads left, one frog beast egg and one mine. I also have only one healing potion left.
I keep getting killed by her. I'm going to try a few more times (as I've spent at least half an hour already on this challenge) and then I'm going to quit.
Nice touch on the bloodroom. :eww:
Great mission.
jiansonz on 13/5/2004 at 06:29
Quote:
I've made it all the way to Rowena, and now I can't defeat her. I only have 5 broadheads left, one frog beast egg and one mine. I also have only one healing potion left.
[SPOILER]I usually open the large door (using the lever) and fight her (and her mirror images) in the dark hallway (around the corner it´s dark, at least) outside the altar chamber. I find it quite easy to run diagonally to avoid her skull projectiles, then I just charge her with an overhead whack with the sword and follow up with rapid side swings until that version of her "gives up".
When she gets "zombified" she changes tactics and opens the doors to the demons and then goes for Lady Isabella. I run in, knock out Lady Isabella and bring her somewhere safe. Then I usually get the demons to chase me back to where they came from and I trap them there (pull lever (on the inside) by the two doors that are close to each other and immediately rush out of one of those doors before it closes). Then it´s just a matter of whacking the zombie Rowena some more.
[/SPOILER]
TheNightTerror on 13/5/2004 at 06:45
:wot::weird: . . . Rowena releases the demons? I have version 2 and I've never once seen the demons released. They're always dead behind those gates when I kill Rowena . . . weird. We're talking about the demons in the room where all the Rowenas appear, right? Maybe I just need to redownload it, more demons means more fun. :ebil:
theBlackman on 13/5/2004 at 06:49
On the other hand, I always sneak into the hallways and kill all the beasties behind the bars before I attack her. :D
You can crouch, creep over the edge of the shelf from the tunnel. Drop onto the top edge of the door frame at the right of the shelf. Drop to the floor. Then, using the shadows move around to the far left from there. Put out the torches to make it easier, if you want to.
Watch her and sneak up to the hole in the floor by the altar. Drop down. Finish off the two zombies down there. Walk up the ramp. Sneak up behind each "demon" in turn and give them one good BACKSTAB and down they go.
Then you can play with her at your liesure.
jiansonz on 13/5/2004 at 06:56
I have just had one of the best Thief experiences ever. I had played Rowena´s Curse 3-4 times before so I knew most of the layout, etc.
This time I wanted to do something different. I set these goals:
- Get all loot, pickpockets and secrets.
- Deal no direct damage (other than what you must (Duncan´s ghost, Cedric and Rowena)). Gassing is OK (but was not available in this mission), using the terrain to kill or trap enemies is OK. Frogbeasts are OK.
So it wasn´t Ghosting in any way but it played out like that in many areas because it was the most convenient way to do it. I also got chased many times so it was good to have a couple of "safe havens" ready.
There were many really tricky parts:
* The very beginning. Oh my! I finally solved it by nudging the first stationary guard into the room with the toilets.
* The spider room in the barracks. Getting the loot in the chest was really tough.
* Getting out of the barracks with both Willy and the guard by the double doors looking (I wanted to conserve a water arrow here).
* The kitchen. I nudged the stationary guard so that the door blocked his vision. This blocked my passage through there for later use. Fortunately, there is a secret passage that solves this.
* The basement. This was a very frustrating area at first. The layout is complicated, the guards have nasty patrol routes and there are very few dark spots. Later, I got a lot better at that place and that was good, because there are many useful secret paths through there. I also learned that it is possible to sneak by a guard that always makes 180 degrees turns, when he turns. Poor Silas, he never had a clue...
* On the whole, the entire corridor around the inner courtyard was a tough place. Marble floors and lots of guards, including 2 or 3 that have a patrol route through the kitchen and the basement.
* Getting into the chapel/torture chamber area. I used an unothodox way to get in there. Twice.
* The torture chamber. Remember, no guard is allowed to be killed by the explosion...
* The frogbeast inside the alcove with a lever in the "earth key room". I was almost stumped by this one but finally found a way.
* Getting the pickpockets of the two archers (one patrolling, one stationary) outside the main entrance.
* Getting Lady Isabella out. Your are handicapped when you carry her. The last part was especially tough. I had to make some preparations first. You can get out in the front entrance area without being spotted if you are quick (i.e. not carrying a body). I did that and leaned around a corner to unlock the front gate. Then I got back for Isabella. I coudn´t pass through the well-lit area by the door without having the guard by the lock spot me. I let go of Isabella, threw my last flash bomb, picked her up and just ran for it. Yeehaa! Mission completed.
Lady Rowena on 13/5/2004 at 16:38
Quote:
Originally posted by TheNightTerror :wot::weird: . . .
Rowena releases the demons? I have version 2 and I've never once seen the demons released. They're always dead behind those gates when I kill Rowena . . . weird. We're talking about the demons in the room where all the Rowenas appear, right? Maybe I just need to redownload it, more demons means more fun. :ebil: Yes,
[SPOILER]the zombie Rowena releases the demons if you don't kill her quickly. ;)
But theorically you can complete the mission without killing any demon by yourself, because they ALL are bound to die when you kill Rowena. :)
[/SPOILER]
Lady Rowena on 13/5/2004 at 16:40
jiansonz
Thank you for playing it so many times.....:D
TheNightTerror on 14/5/2004 at 01:57
Quote:
Originally posted by Lady Rowena Yes,
[SPOILER]the zombie Rowena releases the demons if you don't kill her quickly. ;)
But theorically you can complete the mission without killing any demon by yourself, because they ALL are bound to die when you kill Rowena. :)
[/SPOILER]
I must really be a killing machine. :ebil:
How long does it take before she releases the demons? I know a couple times I've taken a while to kill the final Rowena, mostly when I played on Expert. Last time was pretty funny, and I was pretty lucky I didn't get myself killed, I'll share just because. :)
When I went to go into the room with Rowena, I tried to throw a mine near her so she'd investigate it and turn her back, but she spotted me anyways, so I just went into kill mode. Once I was down to the final Rowena, and my final hitpoint, I got Garrett to run and hop around the room to stay ahead of her while I checked my inventory for my mine. I must have leaped right over the mine, because a couple seconds after I realized my mine was missing there was a huge bang from behind me, and the sound of zombie parts hitting the wall. :ebil: God I love this mission. :)
Fin on 20/5/2004 at 15:23
Thank you Lady Rowena. This was a most excellent story, enjoyed it thoroughly.
I loved that the reading materials advanced the plot and provided clues to puzzles. Even more, the reading was often the clue that there was a puzzle to solve. This is a much better way than requiring players to stumble into puzzles by frobbing everything in sight (and out of sight in some instances).
I also liked that secrets were, well, secret. No big red button in the middle of the wall, to open the "hidden passage".
[SPOILER]I did gloss over the clue in the journal about the well room, but it was very late/early! This left me hung up for a time but I was always suspicious about that alcove in the dungeon. I figured that the explosive was for the front gate and that I missed a switch for a secret door in the basement. At least I found the loot behind the tapestry in my exhaustive search of the dungeon!
Loved how Lady Rowena got progressively more dead (undead?) with each slaying. I didn't count, how many lives does she have (9 perhaps?) The change to the portrait in her room was a sweet touch right out of Dorian Gray.[/SPOILER]
I ended up with only 6 of the 8 secrets As I recall, the reward for being a romantic (what a sap I am) was not one of the secrets. Guess I'll have to go hunting sometime, or replay it.
Fin on 20/5/2004 at 15:47
Quote:
Originally posted by theBlackman Zombies tend to "explode" for any number of reasons, but whacking them with an ordinary sword, and broadheads is not the way to do it. In nearly all missions with Z's they will explode from Holy water arrows, Fire arrows, mines, flashbombs (sometimes) and a few other implements of mass destruction.
I have found that T2 zombies explode when struck with a holy weapon too (FMs only). Typically, I have to backstab and slash. Then try to make sure the last blow falls from a flanking or backstab position. If you kill a zombie face to face there's a good chance you will get damaged or killed in the resulting explosion.
It seemed like Lady Rowena's zombies were a little more spry. Did she speed them up a little? I found myself engaged in combat rather than mowing them down like usual. I had to hit and run. That is, if I have a holy weapon. If not, I usually just sneak or run past (or use the methods theBlackman describes, inventory permitting...)
One of them actually managed to get around on me causing my attack to hit him head on, the explosion killed me and sent me bacwards all the way down the long hallway before the zombie pit. LOL. It was too funny to be upset.
