CRAKE ROUTE · ENDING GATE
Who Pulls the Strings Walkthrough: Aurelius Tower Route
Who Pulls the Strings is the Crake-route quest that recovers Silas's Book from Aurelius's Tower so the Manumits can fight the gargoyles. This guide covers the tower's two blockers, the book's exact spot, the Life Lock unlock and the point where the quest hands off into the Knyazmaker ending route.
After you take Silas's Book, do not climb the extra floor and open the door at the top of the tower unless you intend to begin Home Sweet Home — the dream sequence that leads to the Together Forever early ending and its missable trophy. The book quest is already complete at that point; the door is a separate route.
How to start Who Pulls the Strings
The quest starts automatically after What Moves the Dead: Marat (Crake's real name) sends Coen to recover Silas's notes from the mage Aurelius, whose tower stands in the southwestern part of The Silts. If you explored Aurelius's Tower earlier and already took the book, the quest skips straight to the hand-in step.
Budget 5–7 time segments for the whole quest, spread across travel and the tower floors. Rewards are 1,000 XP and the Life Lock Witchcraft ability.
| Quest fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Starts after | What Moves the Dead; Marat (Crake's real name) sends Coen to Aurelius's Tower in the southwestern part of The Silts |
| Tower blockers | the flying gargoyle at the base and Svetlana, the Dark Prodigy on the third floor |
| Objective item | Silas's Book, on the wooden pedestal behind Svetlana |
| Unlock | the Life Lock Witchcraft ability, granted when you take the book |
| Time budget | 5–7 time segments |
| Hand-off | Rise at Dawn starts immediately after the hand-in |
| Wait before Crake | at least 32 time segments (two in-game days) |
Aurelius's Tower: entry and the flying Gargoyle
The tower is guarded by a flying gargoyle — the Unblinking Guardian — that attacks from the air. Its airborne charge is slow and telegraphed — read it and perfect-block to build the opening. On the ground its swings come faster but stay readable. Defeat it, then enter the tower through the door at the top of the first set of stairs at the base.
Inside, work floor by floor: loot the chests in the entrance hall, clear the enemies on the next floors and keep climbing.
| Stage | What is there | What you leave with |
|---|---|---|
| Base and first stairs | the flying gargoyle attacking from the air | the entry door at the top of the first set of stairs |
| Entrance hall | chests to loot | supplies from the hall chests |
| Middle floors | enemies to clear on the way up | a clear climb to the third floor |
| Third floor | Svetlana, the Dark Prodigy — a roughly five-second opening while she calls for help | Silas's Book and the Life Lock ability |
| Floor above | the door that triggers Home Sweet Home | nothing, unless you want the dream quest |
Svetlana, the Dark Prodigy (third floor)
The third floor holds the tower's second boss, Svetlana, the Dark Prodigy. She opens the fight with a roughly five-second window while she calls for help — deal as much damage as you can in that window. When she starts fighting back she teleports whenever Coen rushes her, so stay aggressive to pin her down rather than resetting the approach.
After she falls, inspect the book on the wooden pedestal behind her to take Silas's Book. Taking it also unlocks the Life Lock Witchcraft ability.
Take the book and stop
Once Silas's Book is in hand the quest objective is done. The floor above contains the door that triggers Home Sweet Home — go through it only if you are ready to start that separate dream quest. If you are not, head back down and return to the Manumit hideout in Svartrau.
Show Marat the book and start Rise at Dawn
Show the book to Marat at the hideout. The quest completes and Rise at Dawn starts immediately — Crake's ending route is now active. The actual ending conversation does not open right away: wait at least two in-game days (32 time segments) before returning to Crake. See the Knyazmaker section of the endings guide for the full ending plan and the consequences that follow.
| If this happens | What to do |
|---|---|
| The tower is already empty or the quest is mid-progress | you took the book earlier; the quest skips straight to the hand-in step |
| No book on the third floor | fight Svetlana first — the book sits on the wooden pedestal behind her |
| You triggered a dream sequence by mistake | the door on the floor above starts Home Sweet Home, not this quest |
| The hand-in will not fire | show the book to Marat at the Manumit hideout in Svartrau |
| Crake will not talk yet | wait at least 32 time segments (two in-game days) before returning |
This page covers the tower and the book hand-in only: the dream sequence behind the top-floor door belongs to the Home Sweet Home page, and the ending consequences are in the Knyazmaker section.
