Lady Boyle's Last Party

Lady Boyle's Last Party is the fifth mission in Dishonored, in which Corvo Attano must infiltrate a masquerade ball at the Boyle Mansion, eliminate the correct Boyle sister, and escape.

Pre-mission, Interrogation
''The Royal Physician Anton Sokolov is now in the custody of the Loyalists. Through Sokolov it will be possible to strike directly at those closest to the Lord Regent. How cooperative will the most brilliant man in the Empire be? He must be swayed or coerced into telling what he knows.''

Mission
''You've learned that the Lord Regent's strongest supporter is Lady Boyle. However, three women in the Boyle Family are referred to as Lady Boyle: The wife of the late Lord Boyle and her sisters. Sokolov painted "Lady Boyle" from behind under unusual circumstances and does not know which is actually the Lord Regent's ally. You're being sent to the posh Boyle Estate on the night of a costume party in order to determine which Lady Boyle you must eliminate.''

Pre-Mission
Corvo is awoken by Emily Kaldwin, who says that Callista Curnow allowed her to wait in his room while she took her bath. If Corvo allows her to stay, she sits on the ground, reading a book.

Upon leaving the pub, Corvo can find Wallace Higgins cleaning up around Piero's workshop, which is closed. On the door is a note to Corvo from Piero Joplin about his absence.

Sokolov's Interrogation
Treavor Pendleton wanders around outside the building where Sokolov's cage is located. If Corvo decides to talk to him, he will tell Corvo his thoughts on Sokolov. Inside the building, Corvo can meet Farley Havelock who stands next to a large crate filled with rats. He first speaks to Sokolov, asking him about the identity of the Lord Regent's mistress, who funds Burrows, allowing him to buy technology and to bribe the City Watch. Sokolov, being stubborn, will not tell him. Corvo can then decide if he wants to threaten or bribe Sokolov. If Corvo chooses to scare Sokolov, Havelock will release a swarm of rats from the crate. Sokolov will give them the information a short time afterward. If Corvo chooses to bribe him, he must find Piero, who has a bottle of King Street Brandy – Sokolov's favorite.

Finding Piero
Corvo can find Piero on the second floor in the servants' quarters looking through a keyhole to spy on Callista while she bathes. Upon seeing Corvo, he will rise, trying to make up an excuse, but he eventually admits to Corvo that he was watching Callista and asks Corvo to not tell anyone. Corvo can choose to be disapproving or to assure Piero that he will not tell. After the matter is settled, Corvo can buy a bottle of Kings Street Brandy from Piero, who informs him that every bottle supposedly contains a drop of whale oil.

After speaking with Piero, who returns to his workshop, Corvo has the option of walking in on Callista as she bathes. He can then choose to be apologetic or bold. If he chooses to be suggestive, Callista will turn him down lightly, saying that maybe she'd be interested if they weren't in such strange times. If he is apologetic and then stays after Callista asks him to leave, she will show disgust. He can also inform Callista that Piero was spying on her.



The Target
Corvo can then go back to Sokolov and bribe him with the brandy. Sokolov tells Havelock and Corvo that Burrows's mistress is Lady Boyle, but he does not know which one, because he painted her from behind, and he informs Corvo of a party at the Boyle Mansion that he planned on attending at which he would be introduced to her. Havelock decides to send Corvo to the party to eliminate the Lord Regent's mistress.

Upon leaving the room, Corvo will run into Lord Pendleton, who gives him a note for Lord Montgomery Shaw, describing the aristocrat as a "rather brusque man in a wolf's mask". The note is sealed and cannot be read, and Corvo will take it with him to the Boyle Mansion to give to Shaw, who is attending the party.

Havelock and Emily Have a Chat
If Corvo continues through the yard - after giving Havelock enough time to get there himself - he will come across the admiral and Emily having a conversation. Emily will ask Havelock about sea battles and pirates, expressing her interest in his stories and explaining that as an empress, she "will have to sink lots of enemy ships [her]self". Havelock answers her questions rather tersely, as though he does not know how to speak to her, but he then tells Emily that his stories are "not for young girls to hear about". Emily will then ask him if there are witches aboard the ships. Havelock obliges her, confirming that there are indeed witches on ships that can control whales and cause storms; however, growing uncomfortable with the conversation topic, he suggests they stop talking.

Infiltration
Corvo arrives to the Estate District with Samuel Beechworth, who parks his boat in the canal. Corvo will be able to see tallboys shooting at weepers on a nearby bridge. Upon leaving the boat, he can explore the area or go straight to the Boyle Mansion. There are multiple methods of entering the party. These methods include:

"Hopping" the Fence
Corvo can "hop" the fence by blinking into the courtyard or garden from nearby buildings.

If Corvo possesses Blink Tier II, he can also blink to a rooftop across the canal from the mansion, blink twice more to two different street lamps, and then blink across the barricade into the neutral zone.

Once in the courtyard, Corvo can enter the mansion through the front, back, or second floor balcony doors.



Invitation
A more legitimate way of accessing the estate is to use an invitation:
 * From Samuel's boat, blink to the riverbank where the mansion is, near a large gate.
 * On the right side of the river, there is a low fence that Corvo can climb to drop into a shallow walkway. Corvo will have to sneak past a patrolling Officer and a tallboy (two tallboys in high chaos). At the end of the walkway is a wooden barricade that Corvo must destroy, which might draw attention to him.
 * Upon exiting the grate, Corvo will enter neutral territory. He will come across a trio of partygoers waiting for a friend, and a woman named Mattie will drop her invitation, which gets blown a short distance away by the wind. Corvo can pick it up and use it to enter the party.
 * Alternatively, if Corvo looted Bunting's safe during House of Pleasure, he can use the art dealer's invitation to gain access to the party.

Once in the courtyard, Corvo will not be seen as hostile, unless he acts in an aggressive manner. He can walk around with the Heart and other weapons drawn as long as he does not use them, and he can use his powers as long as he does not harm anyone.

Guard Quarters
Though a group of weepers is encountered along this path, the guard quarters offer a simple entrance to the mansion, along with a bone charm.
 * From Samuel's boat, Corvo can blink to the top of the wall to the right. Avoiding the patrolling tallboys, Corvo can then follow an Officer down a side alley and incapacitate him.
 * There is an open walkway to the right. At the end of a short hallway and under a stairwell is a group of weepers - Corvo must sneak past or neutralize them to access the stairs.
 * Climb the stairs to the upper floor. A bone charm is lying on a table in one of the rooms, and a wooden door leads to a small balcony outside. This balcony faces an open window to the guard quarters, which Corvo can blink through.
 * The key to the building hangs beside the desk. Corvo can then exit the quarters and enter the estate without being detected.
 * Another possible path to the guard quarters - once Corvo climbs on top of the spotlight between the two buildings, he can blink up to the balcony using the ledges and ductwork outside the building. Be aware that rats may appear once Corvo approaches the spotlight. Blink toward and climb the spotlight quickly to avoid them.

Sewers
Corvo can also enter the mansion via the sewers underneath it.
 * Possess a fish near to a sewer outlet, swim through the sewers until Corvo is underneath the mansion, and then end the possession.
 * Find a small key in the water near the sewer door to access this area. This leads Corvo to the wine cellar beneath the mansion. From there, he can walk up the stairs to join the party, although he should be mindful of guards patrolling the area.

At the Party
Corvo will not be seen as a hostile unless he acts in an inappropriate or aggressive manner. Guests and guards will perceive him to be a partygoer dressed as the infamous Masked Felon, the name the authorities have given to Corvo's assassin persona.

Once inside the party, Corvo must find and eliminate his target, Lady Boyle. However, there are three Lady Boyles in attendance at the party all wearing the same costume in different colors. The target herself is randomized every time the level is played; Corvo can either investigate and attempt to find out which one is the "real" Lady Boyle, or kill any or all of them.

Investigation
Corvo can discover the identity of Lady Boyle in a number of ways:



Guests

 * Corvo can bribe Miss White with a drink, and she will tell him two of the sisters' identities and the colors of their costumes, indirectly revealing all of them through process of elimination. Her hints will not reveal which Lady Boyle is the target, however.
 * Corvo can also wait for the arrival of Lord Brisby, who will tell Corvo the name of his target and reveal the non-lethal elimination option for Lady Boyle.

Upstairs
Corvo can search for clues upstairs, an area that is considered off-limits to partygoers. Under the majority of circumstances, if he is spotted, Corvo will be considered hostile and will be attacked.

There are several ways to reach the second floor without being detected:


 * Corvo may blink to the balcony from the guard house.
 * Corvo can go upstairs by deactivating a wall of light that blocks the main stairway. To find the device's panel or tanks of whale oil, Corvo can steal a key from a servant nearby or possess a rat to enter the holding closet.
 * Corvo can distract or neutralize a guard who is blocking a servant-access stairway off the banquet hall.
 * Corvo can blink up to a balcony from the mansion's garden, or from an apartment adjacent to the garden, as the guard posted on the balcony is not hostile.
 * Corvo can also possess a rat in the main hallway toward the entrance; there is a nearby vent for him to run through that splits into two different directions. Taking the path to the right leads into one of the bedrooms upstairs.
 * Corvo can also stop time (if Bend Time Tier II is upgraded) to get past the wall of light on the main staircase. When out of view of guests and guards, stop time, sheathe weapons for faster movement, and run past the wall of light and up the stairs.
 * Note: Sometimes a guard will stand at the top of the stairs. In this case, hide halfway up the stairs until he continues his patrol.

Each Boyle sister's room will have her diary open to the latest entry for Corvo to read. There will be a love letter from Hiram Burrows next to the diary of the "real" Lady Boyle, revealing her identity and what color costume she is wearing. A skeleton key to Dunwall Tower can also be found in the target's room. Esma and Waverly's rooms are connected by a secret passage through the attic (opened either manually or via a door pull in each of the two rooms) bypassing the guards that patrol the second floor. Lydia's room is on the other side of a second-story walkway, and Corvo must evade or eliminate the roaming guards to reach it.

The Heart
If the name of the target is identified, it is easy to determine which color she is wearing, as the Heart will identify each sister by name when used.

Dialogue
All three Lady Boyles will make comments as they roam the mansion. The dialogue differs, depending on the person.
 * Waverly will speak of current society, saying that it is not what it used to be.
 * Upon passing Corvo, Esma will tell him that she may find his mask attractive after a few more drinks.
 * Lydia wanders, wondering who she will choose for the night.

Elimination
Upon discovering his target's identity, Corvo can eliminate her by killing her at any time during the party, or by successfully conversing with and accompanying her to a more private location. If Corvo chooses to assassinate her in plain sight, the Overseers present will block any use of magic with their music boxes and hinder his movement considerably.

If opting for a more stealth-based approach, Corvo must first converse with the target. Offering to get her a drink will result in a rejection based on each sister's personality: Waverly will say it is unfashionable for a hostess to be seen drinking at her own party, Esma will say she's "already seeing two of [Corvo]", and Lydia will express disappointment at his lack of creativity. Correctly guessing which sister is which will be met with approval by that respective Boyle sister.

Reading the Boyle sisters' diaries familiarizes Corvo with his target's personality, which is put to use here:


 * If Waverly is the target, Corvo preys on her paranoia, saying that her life is in danger and he knows who is after her. Waverly says she will meet Corvo in the cellar where they can discuss the matter further. Caution is advised when dealing with Waverly, as Miss White frequently goes into the cellar, potentially providing an unwanted witness.  It is easier to choke Waverly out on the stairs leading from the kitchen to the cellar, use the lever to open the barred door, and carry her unconscious body further into the cellar.  If Corvo asks to have a private conversation with her, Waverly will brusquely turn Corvo down. Telling Waverly that Corvo is there to assassinate her causes her to call for the guards.


 * If Esma is the target, Corvo preys on her insatiable sexual appetites. After some small talk, Esma will lead Corvo to her room (the guard in the stairwell will not attempt to apprehend Corvo because he is with the hostess). Corvo can then eliminate her, although guards patrolling the second floor might hear a gunshot if Corvo decides to use the pistol. Alternatively, telling Esma that Corvo is there to kill her leads her to believe it's all a sexual role-playing game. She can then be convinced to take him upstairs or meet him in the cellar.


 * If Lydia is the target, Corvo preys on her fondness for music. Lydia will bring Corvo to the music room where she will ask him to impress her by playing something on the piano. As the music room is open to guests and servants, assassinating Lydia in this location is perhaps the most difficult and can lead to unwanted attention.
 * It is made much easier if Corvo has Shadow Kill, as this does not leave behind any evidence of a crime. However, if Corvo accompanies her to the music room and ignores her, there is a chance she will walk down into the cellar of her own accord afterwards, to fetch more brandy. Telling Lydia that Corvo is there to save her life causes her to distrust him, and she calls for the guards.
 * Bend Time II can give just enough time for Corvo to carry an unconscious or dead Lydia past the next room and to the stairs leading down to the kitchen and cellar if Corvo starts near the doorway. Assuming that those locations have been cleared beforehand, Corvo can then stash the body to prevent discovery.
 * Lydia can also be lured to the cellar if Corvo says there's someone who wants to meet her there.

Alternate Solution
If Corvo manages to kill all three Lady Boyles – stealthily or openly – he will succeed without having to find out which one is the right target, as it will be recognized as a "process of elimination."

Non-Lethal Solution
If Corvo talks to Lord Brisby, the partygoer wearing the rat mask in the smoking room, he will reveal his undying love for Lady Boyle. He will say that if Corvo can deliver Lady Boyle to him, Brisby will make sure that she is never seen again. As such, the mission can be completed by rendering Lady Boyle unconscious and delivering her to Lord Brisby in the cellar.

In order to accomplish this act without being seen, Corvo must take/follow Lady Boyle to a secluded location. Speaking with her as noted above is perhaps the easiest method; based on what Corvo says, she will go to different locations within the manor, sometimes even directly to the basement where Lord Brisby is waiting. Corvo can also possess Lady Boyle and make her walk into the basement, where he can then knock her unconscious.

Post-Mission
After arriving at the Hound Pits with Corvo, Samuel will mention that Lord Pendleton said he would be waiting for Corvo's return. He recommends looking for Pendleton in the wine cellar and afterward, heads to the pub for a drink.

Pendleton can be found gazing out at the river from the balcony on the second floor. He will congratulate Corvo, saying that another noble is dead and that he feels nothing for Lady Boyle, because she helped Burrows kill the Empress. If Corvo delivered the letter to Lord Shaw, Pendleton will give him a rune, explaining that it is a family heirloom. If Corvo does not deliver the letter to Shaw but kills him anyway, Pendleton will express regret over the bloodshed and pay him 100 coins instead. If Corvo does not duel or kill Lord Shaw, Pendleton will be irritated and will passive-aggressively note that he will not put "undue strain" on Corvo in the future. In this instance, Pendleton will reveal some of what the letter said, noting in particular that he made an untoward comment about Shaw's wife, saying that she has "the face of a plague rat."

After Pendleton is finished speaking, he will inform Corvo that Havelock and Teague Martin would like to see him.

Side Objectives

 * Corvo can deliver a letter from Treavor Pendleton to Lord Montgomery Shaw, the partygoer wearing a wolf mask. When Shaw opens the letter, it will reveal that Pendleton has offered Corvo as his substitute in a duel with Shaw. If Shaw is shot during the duel, he will be killed.
 * During the duel, Corvo will not be considered hostile for drawing his pistol nor for killing Shaw, as the whole ordeal is witnessed by seconds.
 * To complete this mission in a non-lethal playthrough, Corvo can switch to sleep darts during the countdown. Alternatively, it is possible to use Bend Time II at the conclusion of the countdown, blink behind Shaw, choke him, then blink back before the time freeze effect ends.
 * If Corvo uses the sleep dart on Shaw during the duel, the two guards standing as witnesses will still act as though he is dead. It is unknown if this is intentional or an oversight.
 * Using Bend Time may cause the game to read the count as incomplete, and the guards may turn hostile as a result.
 * If Corvo turns before the count is completed, the guards will tell him to turn around. If Corvo fires before the count is completed, all three will become hostile.
 * Participating in the duel does not count as being "detected".
 * Killing Lord Shaw without initiating the duel will still count as a success, but will result in different mission clues and reactions/rewards from Lord Pendleton.

Special Actions

 * Discovered Lady Boyle's Identity
 * Delivered Lady Boyle To Her Admirer, Lord Brisby
 * Defeated Lord Shaw In A Duel
 * Signed Lady Boyle's Guest Ledger

General Mission Notes

 * If Corvo is discovered and the alarm is raised, either one or all of the Ladies Boyle will hide in Waverly's room, where they can be killed.
 * If the alarm is raised, various Overseers will activate their music boxes, preventing the use of supernatural powers and potentially making escape difficult for Corvo.
 * Under most circumstances, Corvo will be attacked if detected while on the second floor. However, if he is invited upstairs by Esma, the guards will not consider him hostile, allowing him to follow her to her room.
 * Should Corvo linger too long at the party, a guard may approach him and ask for his identity. This can be avoided by saving frequently, or by holding the "Boyle Party Invitation" which can be stolen from Bunting's safe.
 * Additionally, should Corvo bother Miss White's friend Jack Ramsey – the man in the whale mask – too much, he will alert the guards to Corvo's presence. A guard will then ask Corvo his name. Corvo can lie and claim to be Treavor Pendleton; the guard will then ask Corvo to leave or force him to attack. Alternatively, Corvo can pretend to be drunk, and the guard will let him go on his way.
 * Curiously, even if Corvo obtained Bunting's invitation, he cannot claim to be the art dealer when approached by the guard.
 * It is possible for Corvo to sign the guestbook near the door of the mansion's foyer. On interacting with the book and signing his name, it will display "Corvo Attano" at the bottom. This has no effect on actual gameplay; however, one of two notes (depending on whether Lady Boyle was neutralized lethally or non-lethally) will be found in the next mission bringing the matter to Hiram Burrows' attention.
 * In order to unlock the "Well Mannered" achievement, Corvo must blend into the party and not arouse any suspicion. This can be achieved as long as Corvo does not harm any guests in front of others (and keeps unconscious or dead bodies out of sight), does not use offensive magic such as Devouring Swarm, and is not caught trespassing. Corvo will be able to use Blink, Dark Vision, and other non-offensive magic, and can also carry his weapons openly without arousing suspicion (though the guards will politely ask him to put them away). Corvo can use either the lethal or the non-lethal solution when dealing with Lady Boyle, but it must be done in a secluded area where no one will see.
 * The real Lady Boyle is chosen randomly upon first entering the Boyle Mansion. By quicksaving beforehand, it is possible to play the mission with a specific target in mind. Corvo may speak to Lord Brisby to quickly identify the target's name.
 * Much of this mission's available coin is only obtainable by pickpocketing the party's guests. Partygoers will comment, telling Corvo to stop, or sometimes encouraging him (a guest in the smoking room claims that "everyone does it" and says that a servant of his "sewed [him] an extra pocket, just for the occasion"). Being seen pickpocketing twice by the same guard within a space of about twenty seconds causes Corvo to become detected, so he must be careful not to pickpocket too often in the same area.
 * Once Corvo enters the Boyle property from the guards' quarters, all tallboys on the street disappear (guards still exist) until he deals with Lady Boyle and returns to Samuel's boat.
 * If at least one of the Boyle sisters is spared, a letter and a rune will appear in Corvo's room, sent out of gratitude for his mercy.
 * Miss White may sometimes take the servants' staircase to the rooms upstairs. She will most likely set off an alarm or two, causing the guards to go on high alert and to kill her for trespassing.

Trivia

 * After Sokolov has been interrogated or bribed, he will mention that Corvo "already [has] a mask" to wear to the party.
 * The song playing at Lady Boyle's party is called "Welcome to My Party". It is the real world Baroque music piece Concerto Grosso in D major No. 6, Op. 3, HWV 317 by George Frideric Handel.
 * While at the party, Corvo can hear some crude dialogue between the guests:
 * Many will comment on how drab and boring the party is. The Boyle sisters have done guessing games at parties previously and the guests are unimpressed that the game is being repeated.
 * One of the guests may occasionally wish that Corvo actually were that mysterious masked assassin, so the party would turn out to be less boring.
 * In the smoking room are two male guests, one of whom is attempting to get the other - Byron Alderdice - to speak his mind about the Lord Regent and subsequently be arrested.
 * Mattie and the other aristocrats just outside the front gate may comment on how they plan to harass another guest named Emma.
 * There is, indeed, a female party guest inside the mansion who goes by the name of Emma - though, she introduces herself as "Ella".
 * The male aristocrat accompanying Mattie and her other female companion is named Harold.
 * Some female guests may comment on Corvo's mask, acknowledging it with either interest or disgust.
 * Much of the dialogue spoken displays the self-absorbed lifestyle of most of the aristocrats in Dunwall.
 * The mission is loosely modeled on the story The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe.
 * An Officer at the front door will first greet Corvo, then when activated offer a choice to go into the foyer. While doing this, he says "Allow me" or "I'll get that for you, sir", implying that he opens the door for Corvo
 * If Corvo obtained the party invitation from Bunting's safe, the guard at the gate will address him as "Mr. Bunting".
 * If Bunting was left alive at the end of the House of Pleasure mission, he will appear in front of the estate without a mask and infuriated. The reason will be revealed by the guard at the gate, stating that someone tried to join the party while claiming to be Bunting.
 * Even if Corvo correctly identifies each of the sisters, they will not offer him the Boyle cameo as promised. There appears to be no way to obtain the Boyle cameo other than stealing it from the chest in the attic.
 * Even if Corvo has not been identified in any previous mission, a female guest will still say that his mask "is just like the wanted posters".
 * It is possible to kill/knock out and hide every person inside the mansion without being detected and thus attain the "Well Mannered" achievement.
 * The guard on the balcony tells Corvo that he should not be there, but when spoken to again he says he does not care what the nobles do.
 * Upon Corvo drawing his weapons, the guards will tell him to put them away, but they will go no further than giving him a stern warning.
 * According to Dr. Galvani's Journal, Lady Boyle's party takes place on the 28th day of the 7th month, the last day of the Month of High Cold.
 * If Corvo uses an alternative route to gain entrance to the Boyle Mansion, such as via the guard quarters or the sewers, then Mattie and her companions will not make an appearance.
 * "Jello" molds can be destroyed just like any other breakable objects.
 * In high chaos, a few guests, including Miss White, will sneeze upon occasion, implying they have the rat plague.
 * If Corvo continues to bother a guest in a brown mask standing in the smoking room, the man will tell Corvo that he is leaving and that he cannot believe he attended a Boyle party.
 * The guest will walk to the front door and stand in front of it, but he will not actually leave the mansion.
 * Even if every person inside the mansion has been killed or knocked out, voices can still be heard laughing and talking in the background.
 * The balloons hovering outside near the grounds to the estate can be destroyed. They will explode and whole clusters can be destroyed via chain reaction with but a single shot. Afterwards the debris will fall onto the grounds. The guards do not care even if the debris lands on top of them.
 * The loudspeaker tucked under the bridge leading to the Boyle Mansion can be dislocated and knocked into the water. If shot with crossbow bolts it will survive the crash and can be found intact (though non-functioning) at the bottom of the riverbed.
 * Eating an apple in the room with the guard of the gate will have a nearby guard exclaim "My apple! Just who do you think you are?!", though no negative effects occur after said event.
 * If Corvo throws Lady Boyle's unconscious body while blinking towards Lord Brisby's boat, there is a glitch that makes Brisby transport the body with him anyway as if she were just unconscious, when she is, in fact, dead by the fall.
 * In Part Three of the novel Dishonored: The Corroded Man, the non-lethal abduction of Lady Boyle was established as canon, as well as her identity being Waverly Boyle, with Esma Boyle taking over the sisters' estate, and Lydia Boyle becoming a recluse in her own home.

Low Chaos Walkthrough
Lady Boyles letzte Feier La última fiesta de Lady Boyle Последний прием леди Бойл Ostatni bal Lady Boyle La dernière fête des Boyle L'Ultima Festa di Lady Boyle