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Sept 4, 1999
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Author: Anthony Huso
Contact info: Ahuso@sisna.com
Date of release: Sept 4, 1999 (or something like that)

PLOT DESCRIPTION:
It's been three weeks since you sold Constantine's Sword with the understanding
that you could always steal it back. The idea was to pay off all your debts with the
cash from the sale-which you've already accomplished. The pursuant intent, of course,
was to get your weapon back plus interest from whoever was rich enough to buy it in
the first place. That was then.
Two months ago your pigeon (a wealthy foreigner) inherited the dilapidated
Rothchest Mansion, an imposing structure crammed between sullen buildings on the remote
south side of town. The Rothchest Mansion has a long history of abandonment. A crouched
and lurking horror, the building rises from narrow exit-less back alleys shared by
several taverns. For decades, the estate sat crumbling into a pile of archaic rubble
until this new lord (Kevil Rothchest) showed up to claim it. Apparently Kevil had been
settled in a distant country until the inheritence finally drew him here. Fresh to his
surroundings and very interested in old weapons, Kevil seemed the perfect dupe. You
disguised yourself as a low profile fence and sold him Constantine's Sword with faint
misgivings over the heated fervor with which he made the purchase.
Unfortunately, since then, certain developments have come to light that make you
question the risk/profit ratio of your whole scheme. Several servants (newly hired by
Kevil Rothchest) have now been missing for two weeks. Strange chants rise from the
mansion grounds on late moon-less nights. On top of this, rumors persist that the mansion
is nothing but a refurbished hammerite Cathedral upon whose grounds some unspeakable
sacrilege occured over two centuries ago. After the desecration, the reclusive Rothchest
Family bought it, turned the cemetery into a private lot and modified all aspects of the
house and grounds to their liking.
Rothchest seems in no hurry to fix the place up. Using a spyglass and taking
advantage of a distant tower, you've noticed that the roof is in bad repair and you imagine
the whole place could use a good dusting. Unfortunately, you've been unable to secure a
map of the place, which increases your unease about attempting the heist. To make matters
worse, Lord Rothchest is said to be an uncanny opponent with a blade and you really don't want
to go toe-to-toe with him in his lair.

YOUR PLAN:
Despite the new moon and a vague sense of apprehension, you've decided to make your
move tonight. You've dropped into the tavern alleys with the understanding that they are
considered part of Rothchest's property, that he has the place HEAVILY guarded with a motley
crew of fanatical henchmen, and that if you are found you'll probably disappear like the
servants.
There'll be no mistaking Rothchest-if you run into him. He's a lethally quiet, black-
cloaked gentleman with a vicious blade and a whispered-over habit of pacing his bedchamber
all night long (so the servants said before they vanished). You came armed, but on your way
over the alley wall, your sword belt got hooked on a razor sharp bit of steel; the belt was
sliced clean through and the blade fell down a crack between the wall and one of the taverns-
all the more reason you don't want to confront anyone face to face...at least not until you
can steal Constantine's Sword back.

YOUR OBJECTIVES:
1. Get Constantine's Sword back ASAP so you have a weapon.
2. A jeweled crowned skull was supposedly interred in the burial grounds before
the desecration. It would make a nice prize and you've determined
that, if it exists, you will make it yours.
3. Lord Rothchest is a freak, and for that he must pay. You're going
to rob this sap of EVERY valuable item in his bedchamber and keep any
personal writings he has as souveniers-whether he's in there pacing or not.
4. Get out alive. You've heard there are some deep tunnels under the
estate that SHOULD EVENTUALLY lead to the city sewers...from there
you'll be home free.

IT'S TIME TO BEGIN.

Briefing: no
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* Play Information *

Game: Thief: The Dark Project
Mission Title: THE SHADOW OF LORD ROTHCHEST
File name: miss16.mis
Difficulty Settings: NO (this mission is pretty damn tough. I have a hard
time completing certain objectives and I built the
level...so I consider it a challenge)
Equipment store: NO (limited scattered resources add to the challenge)
Map / automap: NO (i WAS SO PISSED THAT DromED kept CRASHING on me
that I had no patience to do any extra work. I lost
everything 3 times and had to start over. Hence this
is my first and fourth level build using DromED. Gak!)
New graphics: NO
New sounds: NO
Multi language support: NO

Briefing : NOPE

Difficulty levels: You be the judge of the only one available.

* Construction *

Base: from scratch
Build Time: 200+ hrs...a butt-ass long time (my wife will attest to this)

HAPPY THIEF TIP: ***TRY POPPING THE LENSE OUT OF SOME CHEAP DARK SUNGLASSES. USE
SOME POSTER GUM TO AFFIX THE LENSE OVER YOUR LIGHT GEM ON THE SCREEN.
IT PROVIDES FOR FAR LESS DISTRACTION IN EXTRA DARK AREAS.
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* Loading information *

Copy the .zip file into "mission" folder and then run the level with Thiefloader.

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Copyright 1999 Anthony Huso

PLAY AND DISTRIBUTE AT WILL.

This level was not made and is not supported by Looking Glass Studios or Eidos Interactive.