5. The Forgotten City Story Walkthrough: Time Loop 1, Part 1

Time Loop 1, Part 1

Updated Main Goal:

Point of Origin

Figure out how to return to your original time

Make sure you create a save here! Walk up to Galerius. These were my choices:

• "Wait, are you speaking English?"
• "Shrine of Proserpina?"
• "'... I got lost.' (Lie)" (1/10)
• "Your laws?"
• "No thanks, I'll make my own way."
• "Don't worry about me. I know what I'm doing."

NOTE: Taking the tour reveals some of the story, but you don't get an achievement. However, if you decided not to take the tour and you're playing legit, you'll unlock:

• Maverick

  Skip the city tour

  
  1 guide

You'll be getting to know Galerius quite a bit as you progress throughout the story, since he stops you at the beginning of every loop.

New Main Goal:

The Golden Rule

Learn about the Golden Rule
Visit Magistrate Sentius in the Villa

Go left, down the stairs through the cave (On the first left is the Slums. On the second is a tunnel that leads to a door that's blocked by a statue. Behind the door is a chest with 4,000 denarii. (Because we can't get to the chest at the moment, we'll go to both places in a bit). After taking the right fork at the campfire, look left to find writing on the wall and translate it (Graffiti 1/11). Next, go straight and take the next right path at the fork to cross the bridge to the Villa. You may stumble upon a woman in a white robe on the bridge. If not, she is either upstairs or in her building on the other side of the square we're about to enter. This is Equitia. Here's what I chose:

• "What's your story?"
• "Sorry, what should I have done?"
• "What's a Vestal Priestess?"
• "Remind me?"
• "What do you do here?"
• "Why?"
• "How did you end up here?"
• "A young woman named Karen dragged me out of a river, unconscious, and sent me in here."
• "It's an older name, but not uncommon where I'm from."
• "What were you going to say?"
• "Alright, I'll do that."
• "What happened to Livia?"
• "I'll be careful."
• "I'll see what I can do."
• "Do you know a way out of here?"
• "What do you think about The Golden Rule?"
• "Why not? I have time."
• "I agree."
• "I'll be going now."

New Main Goal:

The Common Thread

Ask residents about their stories to identify at least three common threads

Continue through the square until Horatius stops you. Here's what I chose:

• "What's this about?"
• "I don't think so."
• "I'll pass. But I do have some questions for you."
• "What's your story?"
• "How did you end up here?"
• "I'm sorry to hear that."
• "What can you tell me about the Magistrate?"
• "Do you know a way out of here?"
• "Can I see the citizen register?"

Press to take the Citizen Register.

• "Thanks." (NOTE: If you ask for it after you've looped, you'll comment that you'll give it back tomorrow.)
• "What do you think about The Golden Rule?"
• "Are you saying you're in favor of it?"
• "Where I'm from, that would be considered "collective punishment, which is a war crime."
• "Our worlds are very different."
• "Let's talk about something else..."
• "Who are you going to vote for?"
• "Can I help?"
• "I'll be going now."

New Lead:

Democracy In Action

Figure out how to make Malleolus drop out of the election
Meet Malleolus

Head up the staircase and head inside. Go right upstairs to the top.

Talk to Magistrate Sentius. I used these dialogue choices:

• "I'm..."
• "It's beautiful."
• "Can't say I have."
• "What counts as sin here?"
• "I'm not sure if that's a good idea. What is legal isn't always moral, and many of your laws and customs are considered barbaric where I'm from."
• "Don't your laws allow slave ownership?"
• "Don't your people watch bloodsports for entertainment?"
• "Don't women have fewer rights than men?"
• "Don't you persecute Christians?"
• "Don't you practice collective punishment?"
• "Where I'm from, we consider these things to be abhorrent."
• "What did you mean when you said Proserpina sent me?"
• "'Uh, yes I do.' (Lie)" (2/10)
• "'I didn't see anything.' (Lie)" (3/10)
• "How does the ritual work?"
• "I did see human remains in the temple."
• "I'll do my best."
• "Why can't you investigate?"
• "Fair enough."
• "Do you have any suspects?"
• "Come on. Tell me what you really think."
• "Why can we understand each other? I don't speak Latin."
• "Awesome."
• "If I do this, will you help me get back to my own time?"
• "I think so."
• "That's all the questions I had."
• "Alright, I'm in."
• "Alright, I'll get started."
• "I'll get started."
• "I'll get right on it."

Updated Main Goals:

Point of Origin

Create a time Paradox

The Golden Rule

Figure out who is most likely to break The Golden Rule and inform Sentius

New lead:

Dying Gasp

Find out what's distressing Lucretia

NOTE: This is for people who are playing legit. If you already did this, skip to the text below the red box.

Talk to Sentius again.

• "What's your story?"
  • "What's a Decurion?"
    • "Why are you still wearing it?"
  • "How did you end up here?"
  • "How did you come to be Magistrate?"
  • "Let's talk about something else."
• "Do you know a way out of here?"
• "What do you think of The Golden Rule?"
• "I'd better get back to it."

Head back down the stairs, and talk to the woman wearing black (Sentia).

• "What's your story?"
  • "I'm not from around here."
• "Do you know of a way out of here?"
  • "Can I help?"
  • "When did you last see her?"
  • "She was seeing someone?"
    • "Why is that?"
  • "Your father didn't mention any of this when I spoke to him. Any idea why?"
  • "Is it possible her lover was involved?"
  • "Sentius? Sentia? Sentilla? Why are your names so similar?"
  • "You look surprisingly relaxed about your sister's disappearance."
    • "Just an observation."
  • "That's all the questions I had."
    • "All right, I'll do it."
    • "I'll see what I can do."
• "What do you think about The Golden Rule?"
  • "Maybe it's best if you don't go insulting the gods, just in case."
  • "Well, at least we know blasphemy doesn't break The Golden Rule."
  • "I suppose we'll find out sooner or later."
• "I'll be going now."

Updated Main Goal:

The Golden Rule

(Optional) Tell Sentius you suspect Sentia

New Lead:

Vanishing Act

Figure out what happened to Sentilla

(Optional) Search Sentilla's room

Sentilla's room is the left door closest to the entrance. Read the Note From Sentilla on her bed.

Updated Lead:

Vanishing Act

(Optional) Talk to Sentia about Sentilla's escape plan

Return to Sentia.

• "I found a letter in her room which mentioned her plan to escape."

Vanishing Act

(Optional) Talk to Iulia about Sentilla's escape plan

Leave the Villa. You'll find a Graffiti (2/11) on the staircase just passed Dometus, whom we talk to later. Run up the left stairs and go straight across the road. This is the marketplace or the "Forum." Make a left and enter the first building. Talk to Lucretia. These were my choices:

• "What happened?"
• "Is there something I can do to help?"
• "I'll see what I can do."
• "What's your story?"
• "How did you end up here?"
• "I'm sorry to hear that."
• "Why are you working out of a shrine?"
• "Tell me more about Naevia."
• "Go on."
• "I'll see what I can do."
• "Do you know a way out of here?"
• "What do you think about The Golden Rule?"
• "Can we talk about Iulia?"
• "Did you hear her say anything about escaping?"
• "Do you think she was poisoned, or was it self-inflicted?"
• "Do you know what poisoned her?"
• "Is there any reason why she might've wanted to die?"
• "Let's talk about something else."
• "I'll be going now."

Updated Main Goals:

The Golden Rule

(Optional) Tell Sentius you suspect Lucretia

The Common Thread

Tell Equitia some people mentioned a river

Updated Lead:

Dying Gasp

Try to persuade Desius to hand over the silphium resin

New Leads:

Behind Closed Doors

Find a way into the palace

A Thorn In The Paw

Figure out a treatment for rheumatism

(Optional) Find Naevia in the palace

Leave and talk to Rufius, another guard. You can find him standing at the Forum, or further up the stairs to the right of where you entered the Forum. Here were my choices:

• "What's your story?"
• "How did you end up here?"
• "Why are you still wearing your Legendary armor?"
• "Why do you have a weapon?"
• "Not much of a talker, are you?"
• "Are you suffering from rheumatism?"
• I figured it out on my own.

Talk to him again.

• "What do you think about The Golden Rule?"
• "I know the feeling. I've lived through a pandemic."
• "What do you think is coming?"
• "I think you're right."
• "Who are you going to vote for?"
• "Can I do anything to change that?"
• "I'll be going now."

Follow the objective marker to talk to Desius. Before talking to him, however, he may argue with Vergil about wanting a bow.

New Lead:

Straight As An Arrow

Obtain a bow

Select the following options:

• "I need some silphium resin."
• "How would I come up with a thousand denarii?"
• "You're price gouging over life-saving medicine? What is wrong with you?"
• "Did you hear that?"
• "The whisper."
• "What happened to Naevia?"
• "How about I just take it instead?"
• "'Is that what YOU want? Hand it over. Now.' (Bluff)"
• "I don't have that kind of money."

Now, you can either steal it from him or steal money and buy it during your next loop. For now though, continue with the conversation.

• "What's your story?"
• "Let's hear it."
• "You chose the girl, right?"
• "So you took her with you after all?"
• "Commiserations."
• "Do you know of a way out of here?"
• "Thanks, I'll keep an eye out for them."
• "What do you think about The Golden Rule?"
• "I'll see what I can do." (NOTE: If you don't walk in on the conversation, this can also start Straight As An Arrow.)
• "Who are you going to vote for?"
• "Let's talk about something else."
• "I'll be going now."

Updated Main Goal:

The Golden Rule

(Optional) Tell Sentius you suspect Desius

Updated Lead:

Dying Gasp

Steal the silphium resin from Desius' stall

Leave the stalls and speak to Vergil.

• "What's your story?"
• "Tell me about the city's history."
• "Isn't it common for Romans to copy Greek architecture?"
• "Tell me about the city's architecture."
• "If they bring water into the city, could we use them to escape?"
• "Tell me about the temple up on the bluff."
• "Let's talk about something else."
• "Do you know a way out of here?"
• "What do you mean?"
• "What do you think about The Golden Rule?"
• "I think so, yes."
• "How do you remove a god from power?"
• "I noticed the graffiti. What does it mean?"
• "Why does someone think that?"
• "I see."
• "I'm sorry to hear that."
• "Do you know who's writing the graffiti?"
• "Cultists?"
• "Let me look into it for you."
• "I'll see what I can do."
• "Who are you going to vote for?"
• "Anything I can do to change that?"
• "I'll be going now."

Updated Main Goal:

The Golden Rule

(Optional) Tell Sentius you suspect Vergil

New Leads:

Water Under the Bridge

Figure out how to get into the upper cistern

The Sinner

Figure out how to stop Vergil's harassment

Figure out who is threatening Vergil

(Optional) Ask the merchants in the Forum for clues about Vergil's "secret admirer."

Up next is Time Loop 1, Part 2.