Bertrand?s Forgotten Tomb

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2017Sept15
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Title : Bertrand?s Forgotten Tomb
Directory Name : BertrandsForgottenTomb.zip
Mission Name : miss23.mis
Author : trefoilknot (Matthew Bloomfield)
Contact Info : trefoilknot.taffer@gmail.com
Date of Release : September 15th, 2017
Version : 1.0
Description : A puzzle-based mission (Tomb Raider style)
Additional Info : This mission is for the Lost Places Contest

Difficulty Levels : Yes
Normal : More hints/equipment, fewer enemies/lights, lower loot requirement
Hard : Some hints, moderate starting equipment, moderate loot requirement
Expert : No [free] hints, very little equipment, higher loot requirement

Briefing : No
Automap : No
Notes Page : Yes


TECHNICAL DETAILS:

-Requires Thief 2 v1.24 or higher
-Requires NewDark mantling to be turned on
-Meant to be played with HDMOD enabled, but it's not required.

This mission takes place after the events of Thief: The Dark Project,
but before the events of Thief II: The Metal Age.


STORY:

In the years following the collapse of the Precursors, a young lad named
Bertrand, of unsurpassed wit, quickly ascended the ranks of the newly founded
Hammerite Order. In his youth, Bertrand used his keen intellect to create great
inventions, propelling a new age of scientific enlightenment. It was Bertrand
who discovered the means of creating hammers out of metal, rather than stone.
And it was Bertrand?s innovations in architecture and design that allowed the
Hammerites to build towering cathedrals, the likes of which the world had never
seen. It wasn?t long before Bertrand amassed a great deal of power and wealth.

But Bertrand became bored. As with most great minds, he yearned for stimulation.
For inspiration. For challenge. Over the years, he withdrew from his practical
endeavors, stopped inventing, and began to pursue increasingly abstract ideas.
He became obsessed with the concept of self-reference. Quite by accident, his
study of self-reference led him to a startling discovery: the inconsistency of
logic itself.

Of all the qualities Hammerites hold dear, logic, order and consistency top the
list. But Bertrand, scoundrel as he was, decided to thumb his nose at Hammerite
sensibilities and publish his work. His findings provoked immediate ire from the
Hammerite Order, who took Bertrand?s demonstration of logical inconsistency as
heresy of the highest degree.

Sensing his fate, Bertrand fled with all his most prized possessions, and
sequestered himself inside a nearby tomb. To ensure his safety, he barricaded
himself inside the High Priest?s mausoleum, using a cleverly devised system of
locked gates to prevent access to any but the most keen of mind. It is said that
that he designed the gates to open only to those who truly understood-- and
appreciated-- his life?s work. Despite numerous attempts, no one has ever made
it past even a single gate. As he neared the end of his life, the story goes,
Bertrand transferred his very essence into a large codex, where he awaits a
worthy adventurer with whom to share his wisdom.

Generations passed, and the tomb was lost to time. As The City developed, the
Tomb was buried deep underground and forgotten, hidden under centuries of
urbanization. It has been over 500 years since anyone has had any contact with
the tomb at all---that is, until a pair of careless workmen blew a hole in the
sewers, exposing-- and flooding-- the tomb?s lowest level. Taffers! If this is
indeed Bertrand?s legendary tomb, it?s bound to be full of some valuable
trinkets. Bertrand?s fabled Ouroboros of Self-Reference would be sure to fetch a
hefty price tag. And I wouldn?t mind taking a peek inside that Codex, myself...
The entrance to the tomb has been cordoned off by City officials, but that won?t
be a problem for someone with my... skills... I better get in there and claim what?s
mine, before my competition catches wind...


RECURRING THEMES:

-Self-reference/general "meta-ness"
-"Seussian" rhyme and cadence
-Juxtaposition of Hammerite and pagan symbolism (Bertrand?s apostasy)

NOTES:

-The mission is primarily puzzle based, with a bit of sneaking and some optional acrobatics.

-Higher difficulty levels have a greater loot requirement, more enemies, more
light sources, less starting gear and, importantly: FEWER HINTS. Play on expert
if you don?t want any extra help, and don?t mind a bit more challenge! If you
get frustrated playing on expert, trying a lower difficulty level may help.

-The puzzles in this mission are somewhat different from standard Thief puzzles.
You?ll need to think outside the box. If you can?t figure out some of the
puzzles, in-game assistance is available---but it doesn?t come free ;)
YOU DO NOT NEED TO USE THE HINTS TO BEAT THIS LEVEL, but they can help.


KNOWN ISSUES:

-It is possible to render the mission unbeatable, but it would take some doing.
Unless you have (a) exhausted all of your rope arrows; or (b) closed a gate and
slipped through while it was closing (c?mon, really?), you should be fine.


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* Special Thanks *

First I want to thank all my wonderful beta testers, who caught several bugs and
whose advice vastly improved the over quality of my mission:

Gloria Creep
john9818a
Cardia
marbleman
nightshifter

I?d also like to thank the entire TTLG community (especially Yandros, LarryG and
nightshifter) whose technical advice saved my mission on a number of occasions. Also
Brethren for motivating me to finally make my mission by hosting the Lost Places
Contest (and generously giving me an extension!) and Tannar for helping me get set up
on Shalebridge Cradle. Lastly, I want to thank my wonderful fianc?e, Erica, who
supported me despite all of my obsessive late nights and DromEd talk, even though she
doesn?t even play video games! Without all of these people, this mission would
not have been possible.

== Scripts ==

NVScript
tnhScript


== Textures ==

One orange tile floor, courtesy of nightshifter---Thanks!!


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* Copyright Information *

This Fan Mission is ? by trefoilknot (Matthew Bloomfield) 2017

Distribution of this level is allowed as long as it is free and the package is
kept intact. You may not include this level in any map pack without my
permission.

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