Well, well, well. The whole sword deal may have been just a test, but at least you got to keep the sword. And it has lead to a very worthy mission indeed. Constantine wants you to sneak into a Hammer cathedral in the deserted outskirts of the town, and steal a precious little trinket known as the Eye. The area was deserted after a terrible catastrophe so things may be a little haphazard, and there are rumours that the undead walk the streets. Still, at least there won't be any Hammers to get in your way...

Objectives:

• Find the Cathedral.
• Get inside and steal the Eye.
• Steal (Normal) 750, (Hard) 1750, or (Expert) 2000 loot.
• (Hard/Expert) Find the Serpentyle Torc.
• (Expert) Leave some coins on the Watchman's Grave.
• Leave.

...Not any living ones, at least. I hope you were paying attention to the cutscenes, as this is where Thief really starts. You've been through the "training" missions of mansion-casing and crypt-defiling, and you should now be a more than adept thief. Skillwise, this mission will be like a tougher version of the Bonehoard, full of zombies and leaving your blackjack lacking. Remember to pack lots of holy water and arrows to match, or you may find yourself in trouble. You will NEED some fire arrows near the end, and you may need some more for the burricks. One or two moss arrows will help you through a particularly hairy area, too. As for your map, it is surprisingly helpful once you have worked out how to decode it. The arrangement of the streets is accurate, and shop signs and street names can help you pinpoint your location. The loot objective is very tricky on Expert, so take time to explore areas that this guide doesn't cover, like Rubin Street.

Tip: A better tactic against the undead is to lure them toward another living target, then escaping when the melee ensues.

Throughout this mission you will come across machines that light up the streets. As far as I can tell, there is no benefit to doing this. Keep the lights off and the shadows deep. You are safe to begin with, but a zombie patrol will approach if you hang around too long. Before breaking into the weapon shop, climb up on the wooden overhang for 50 gold and a potion. Inside the shop there's only an arrow remaining, but on the upper floor some flash bombs and mines wait in chests. A zombie will (eventually) patrol outside the window, so don't go that way. Leave via the way you came and break in to the next building. This one is pitch black and unguarded, so you're safe. 15 gold is hidden in the rafters at the far end, too. Drop down through the hole in the floor to enter a basement area. This is patrolled by a crabman, a humanoid creature with large pincers for hands. Don't get on its bad side. Fortunately, it is knockoutable. In its lair, you can find various arrows and a small golden hammer with 75 loot.

On your way out you can pick up even more gold, and there's a handy key in the middle of the large cavernous area. You may be forgiven for thinking that these tunnels look like the work of burricks, and you'd be right. There are plenty of little sideholes which offer perfect protection, so take cover if you hear one coming. After passing through some sewers, you'll reach a mechanical room. As quickly as possible, climb the ladder and hide up there. Using a moss arrow, you can get across to the gate without alerting the burricks. The street beyond is patrolled by zombies and Hammerite ghosts, so timing is essential. Run over and hide beneath the partially collapsed building. From here, you can use a rope arrow and reach the nearby balcony without stepping into the light.

Head through the derelict house, watching out for the loot in the rafters. Climb down the ladder when you find it, and leave quickly. You can make it to the next building to the west without getting spotted. Go south a little and keep going west, hiding in the alcove as soon as possible. There's a burrick to the north, and that's your destination. You're now at the northern cog on the map. If you want some bonus items (but no loot), head south and west a bit more to the magic area. It's a dead-end, but there's enough shadow to make life bearable. The burrick is a matter of timing and engine exploitation: as it walks away, skirt around the lamppost and stick to the wall. Crouched, you can remain hidden there. When it passes you on the way back, run to the safety of the holes. No problem. For extra goods, climb onto the little ledge and pull the lever to open a secret door. When you're ready, dive into the river.

Swim through, taking the underwater tunnel when you get to it. You'll need to use up at least one breath potion, and watch out for the loot by the skeleton. You'll eventually come out in a room guarded by a crabman. Climb onto the little island and duck to stay out of the light. A rope arrow into the beam directly above can get you into the rafters without alerting it to your presence. You're now at the tavern, and the bad news is that Market Street is swarming with zombies. If you need the Serpentyle Torc, cross the bridge and make your way to a drawbridge. Clibm on top of it via the small wall, and break in through the door you find up there. There's a mansion in the street beyond, and the key is conveniently hidden under the mat. Inside, two skeletal guards patrol, but they shouldn't pose a problem. 400 loot lies therein, and part of that is the Serpentyle Torc. That collected, return to the tavern.

Time it right, and head through the small door on the right. There's loot in the chest, and a concealed crawlspace. Enter and take the stairs on the left to reach a window overlooking the street. Fire a moss arrow onto the top of the sign, then run and leap onto it. Head through the next area to find the Watchman's Grave. Enormous spiders are around, but the area is pitch black and there's no reason to make a noise. On the way back, fire a rope arrow into the roof outside the window you jumped from. From it, you can reach the other (red brick) balcony and claim some extra loot. Return and head through the rest of the dark bit.

You'll come out near a metal grating, so clear it. This area isn't patrolled, so you can reach the boarded-up door no sweat. Break through it to enter a spider's lair, and take its treasure. Then go back the way you came - it's easier. To the south is a T-junction, patrolled by two burricks. Wait until it's safe, then nip right. The locked door on the far right protects only a breath potion, so it's really not worth it. The bridge to the left is nasty, as it's in full view of the burricks and is itself guarded by a massive spider. Save yourself bother, and just rush straight into the water when the burricks aren't around. From there you can climb into the little mechanical room and arrow the spider to death. Continue on through when you're done.

The collapsed building hides a chest of loot, and there's a loose gem in the next one. Here I find a little AI bug always seems to crop up, and there are often burricks stuck in a lamppost. Fortunately, that makes it easier to kill them. You have to squeeze through this small area, and there doesn't seem to be an alternative to slaying the burricks. Sorry. Anyway, you'll find the Cathderal now. The entrance is patrolled by a ghostie, and (spookily) one torch remains burning. Put it out and sneak past.

The Cathedral is an imposing structure, surrounded by eerie light and scores of skeletons. The good news is that you won't have to go in. The bad news is that you'll be back here in just a few missions' time. Head around the back and peer through a hole in the wall. The Eye is hovering there... and talking to you. Listen to its words; you have to "rescue" it. So, head all the way back to the evil bridge. Note that in the walkway over the bridge there's 200 loot. It's worth the risk if you're on Expert. Enter the other area, the one with the statue and the keyhole motif. Standing on the keyhole, use a fire arrow to light the two torches. Note that the noise will alert the burricks and spiders, if they're still alive. The wall will open, so head through it to find a Keeper-built area. Why is it guarded this well? The omens just keep coming...

Place some statue parts on one pedestal, and stand on the other to open both doors. Rush through before they close. You should spot the obvious floor traps in the next room, so head straight down the middle. Stick to the wall as you approach the next door, because there's a floor plate in front of it. Treading on it will cause the rear wall to advance, threatening to crush you unless you can pick the door in time. Continue through to reach the end of the mission - as well as the revelation that you're involved in something Very Very Bad here...