3. The Dwarves Story walkthrough

Tutorial

The game opens up in a tutorial battle that also serves as exposition for the main story of The Dwarves. You will control high-level characters for this battle. You will be given step-by-step instructions on general game controls and how to use skills. The battle itself is pretty easy. For completing the tutorial you'll unlock:

Victory and Defeat

You have won the battle, but lost the war

The Famulus' Rucksack

The game will now transition into the story proper. You'll start in control of your main character. You'll be given more exposition and explained how to explore indoor areas. Specifically, you can use to highlight objects of interest that you can interact with. Explore the whole area, talk to everyone (triggering a few cut-scenes in the process) and interact with everything. You'll be given a key story item that this whole chapter will revolve around, i.e. the Famulus' Rucksack. Once you're ready, head out the front door and onto the world map.

Generally speaking, you can make a new save after each of the sections in this guide to just be safe. I'll also point out a point where you should absolutely make a save before a series of major fights.

World Map

The world map itself is just a grid of connected nodes. You can only move to nodes that are adjacent to the ones you're currently on (this sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is).

Each time you move you will spend a "day" of in-game time. You will also consume a number of supplies equal to the number of characters in your party. When supplies are consumed in this way, each of your characters will "heal" an injury if they have one. Injuries are sustained during any battle where your character finishes without full HP (which will be most of them). If you run out of supplies you won't heal injuries but otherwise there are no penalties for walking around without supplies.

Each chapter of the game has it's own world map, so you're currently in the first world map for the game. You'll notice that some nodes have buildings or forts on them, and that some others have golden question marks. Generally speaking, you always want to explore all of these. Some of these will trigger events, other have areas to explore, and some will be battles. All of these add to the story and give you XP. Some of them are attached to achievements. There are also some "timed" events that occur when you're exploring empty nodes. So sometimes a character will join you or a story element will happen even when you're not arriving at any "special location".

The Woodcutters

Head to the golden question mark closest to your starting position. This should be about 5 spaces away. You'll trigger an encounter with the woodcutters. This interaction will take place purely through giving you dialogue choices on the world map. Other choices might work here as well, but the following will guarantee that you do not trigger a fight:

1. Approach the Fire Audibly so you do not frighten anyone.
2. Approach the men and talk to them.
3. "I'm a traveler and would have nothing against a warm fire & some company".
4. "Alright Ill go if I'm not welcome here".
5. Leave the men without a word and go back down the path.

If you don't trigger a fight you'll unlock the following missable achievement:

Hairy Situation

You got away from your encounter with the woodcutters without a scratch

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Goodwater

Before heading to the town of Goodwater you can and should explore the farmstead close to your location. There is no achievement associated with it but it will give you some experience. Once done with the farmstead head on over to the town of Goodwater.

You will want to enter the town of Goodwater which will trigger an area to explore. Fully inspect your surroundings, particularly the palisades, before talking to the guards. This will open additional dialogue options for you which are tied to a missable achievement.

Finally, talk to the guards. You will at some point be allowed to make comment regarding the gate, make sure you choose the following:
"Your gate doesn't make a very stable impression. I could take a look at it. I know about these things"
You'll be questioned about why, make sure you follow up with:
"Of Course! I am responsible for the defense of the High Pass in the Blue Range"

This will grant you entry into the town and the following achievement:

A warm bed

Your silvertongue has procured a cozy bed in Goodwater for you

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Once inside the town you'll be able to reinforce the gate and buy supplies. You should do both. Reinforcing the gate will be useful in an upcoming fight.

Making Friends

Upon leaving the town you should trigger a special "event" on your next step to an empty space. You'll have some choices, a few custscenes, lots of waiting through loading times, and eventually a fight will start. You'll be joined by two dwarves. Both of these guys will make good choices for main characters for a large portion of the game.

After the fight is over you'll unlock this story-related achievement:

Making Friends

Boïndil and Boëndal have joined you

This is also the point where you should absolutely make a new save.

Orcslayer

Your interactions on the world map will now be "timed". Three (or more) orc armies will appear on the map and start heading towards villages. The hordes only move if you move so there's no rush in making decisions but you will need to use the most direct paths to save the villages (i.e., don't explore). Once the hordes get to their target village, the village will show its HP and if that HP goes to zero the village will be destroyed. You will get an achievement for saving any one of the villages, but you need to save all 3 villages in order to get another achievement. Feel free to make new saves after each fight.

Axledale

Start by heading upwards to Axledale. Every village will give you a choice to fight or just walk by. Obviously you always choose to fight. In this fight you will have several horn-blower orcs. These are essentially summoners. Target them first because otherwise the enemies will just spawn infinitely. Once the horn-blowers are down mop up the rest of the enemies. Upon finishing this fight you'll obtain the following missable achievement:

Lifesaver

You have saved a village from an orc army

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Goodwater

You'll have some dialogue options, including the option to take a boat across the lake. Since this actually gets you closer to the next town (Goodwater) do take up the villagers on their offer. Once at Goodwater a huge fight will start. This is actually probably the toughest fight in the base game. Your characters will be incredibly low level, injured from the earlier fight, and there will be lots of ranged enemies plucking away at your HP from a safe distance. You need to kill 25 enemies in order for the villagers to join you in the fight. At this point you'll need to kill 80 more enemies.

You will want to wait in a corner so as to not get surrounded by enemies. You will also want to religiously pause the game and trigger your skills to take out enemies as efficiently as possible. Whenever there's an opportunity to take out an archer you should do so as they tend to do a disproportionately large amount of damage to your characters. Once the villagers join you, you still will want to use them as meat shields so they take the brunt of the damage while you focus on taking out the enemies at their sides.

The only good news is that this fight doesn't require all of your characters to stay alive. In fact, you only need one dwarf to remain standing. Even with that stipulation, I still actually failed the fight the first time I played it. It was the only fight I failed in the entire base game. This means you'll have to reload an older save and suffer through the super long load times again. The second time 2 of my dwarves bit the dust but the third was able to mop up the remaining enemies with the villagers.

Scalebrook

Once done with the fight at Goodwater congratulate yourself (make a new save too) and beeline for the final town to save: Scalebrook. Since the town is several steps away your characters will actually have time to heal their injuries. The fight is also significantly easier than then last one. The fight takes place across two phases. In the first one you'll be asked to save 15 villagers. They will be actively fighting orcs. Simply run up with your dwarves and unload into the orcs, but do watch out for friendly fire. You can hurt the villagers with your moves and you definitely don't want to. Once you defend the villagers the second phase will start. Here you will charge the remaining orcs. It's really a matter of just mopping up the remaining enemies who are not really much of a threat.

Assuming you have saved all three villages you will unlock the following missable achievement:

Orcslayer

You have managed the impossible and saved three villages from the orcs

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Blacksaddle

After the fight you'll be really close to the next story-related marker, i.e., Blacksaddle. Normally we'd want to explore all the other areas before progressing through the story, but since this one doesn't take you out of the area you can safely go to it. There will be several areas to explore, some revelations, as well as a new destination (Greenglade) on the world map to head to.

There might also be a wondering merchant around this area. If you run into him do buy supplies.

You will also unlock the following story-related achievement:

Light into Darkness

You have discovered the secret fortress of the Thirdlings in Blacksaddle

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Fallowston

You will now want to clean up the rest of the locations on the map while heading to your next story-related destination. Start by heading toward Fallowston which will show up as golden question mark on your map. As both Steepleton and a tavern are on the way visit them both. They don't have any achievements but will give some experience, etc.

Once at Fallowston visit the smith. Here you can get two missable achievements by bargaining for more money. Make sure you choose the following dialogue options when prompted:

1. "I'll help you, but only for better pay"
2. "I want double"
3. "Then I'll leave. Goodbye"

This will make the smith double his offer and give you both of the following missable achievements:

Skilled Bargain

You have bargained skilfully and receive more money from the smith

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Bargain like a Boss

Thanks to your skill the smith has doubled his offer

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You will also run into some shady characters with whom you'll be interacting very shortly. Choose to listen in silence for the next missable achievement.

Dwarf Merchant

Once you exit Fallowston head one tile up to the dwarf merchant. You'll be at a crime scene. Fully investigate everything. Once finished, head towards Klinntal which is 4 tiles north-west. Unlike most locations this one doesn't have a building on it, only a collection of tiny houses like so many others on the map but it does show Klintall when you hover over the node. Save before you enter the town.

You'll find the killers but they've convinced the rest of the villagers that you're the murderers. There are some dialogue choices but I'm pretty sure the fight is inevitable. Focus on killing the soldiers and not the villagers. Once the fight is over you'll find a letter on one of the bodies that will prove that the killers were just bounty hunters. Show it to the villagers to prove your innocence to unlock the following missable achievement:

Justice

You have avenged the trader Mort

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Greenglade

There are now no remaining missable achievements on this world map. You should still explore the remaining two towns in the area, Porista and Sungird, before heading to Greenglade. Once at Greenglade you will have to explore and interact with everything before a boss fight will start. Focus on taking out the boss and then cleanup the rest of the enemies.

Once finished you'll be tasked with heading back to where you started the game: The Vaults.

This will also conclude the Famulus's Rucksack chapter and start a very brief chapter.

Nod'onn, the Doublefold

Your next destination will be The Vaults (Lot-Ionian) where you started the game at. The vaults will be ominously quiet and empty. Explore everything and you'll eventually trigger a fight. Once you kill a certain number of enemies you'll be forced to escape. This in turn will lead to a cut-scene and another fight. Once you kill the boss you will need to escape again.

For completing this series of fights you will earn the following story-related achievement:

Ambush

You have survived Nôd'onns ambush at the vaults

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You will also start another brief chapter.

Not Beyond Fear

Your goal is now to escape the enemies that are pursuing you and to reach Ogre's Death. You will notice that the world map has changed a bit. Most of the areas that you've explored are now not available and there is a somewhat direct path toward Ogre's Death.

A mage, Andokai, and her golem friend will join you shortly. Andokai is by far the most overpowered character you can use so it's really to your benefit to always have her in your party when she's available. Her skills have long range, wide areas-of-effect, and do enough damage to instantly kill most enemies. She also eventually gets a spell that can heal your whole party.

After these characters join you, you will trigger a fight after several steps. It will be in a desert pass sort of environment and it'll be the first fight during which you can kill all the enemies and the fight doesn't end until you reach the destination point. This fight presents a perfect opportunity for the following missable achievement:

Not a scratch

You have won a battle without one of your heroes being hurt

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The description of the achievement is a bit misleading. What it actually requires is that you end the fight with all of your characters at full HP. Simply kill all the enemies on the map, then wait patiently while they heal to full health, and finally walk to the designated area to pop the achievement.

A bit further on your way you'll pass through the town of Pasgnarr which will trigger another fight with a boss. With Andokai in your party this should be no challenge at all.

What might be a challenge is moving the last step to Ogre's Death. There's a bug with the game's map and it seems to have a re-focusing issue so it'll make it very difficult for you to actually select the node. You'll have to try to click it while the map is re-focusing and it'll probably take a few tries and be rather frustrating.

A Game of Thrones

Upon arriving at Ogre's death you'll start another short chapter that occurs entirely within Ogre's Death. There are no fight and it's purely exploration and dialogue. You'll start by getting the following story-related achievement just for arriving:

Ogre's Death fortress

You have reached Ogre's Death fortress

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There will be a bunch of interactions and cut-cenes and interactions and you will eventually wind up in your bedroom with some new armor on. Save the game before heading out as there's a missable achievement that depends on the choices you make when speaking to the council. You will get a choice to call up individual members.

When you call up Bilispur, you want to answer "I didn't know that you speak for everyone here, interesting."
When you call up the Secondling, you want to answer "It is our duty to protect Girdlegard - Including the Elves."
When you call up the Fourthling, you want to answer "The fact is, our problems won't solve themselves. The Dwarves must ACT!"

Choosing these three choices will give you the following missable achievement:

Silvertongue

You have answered all three questions after your speech perfectly

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A new goal will be given to you and you will head out. After you watch the cut-scenes on your way out you will be given the final story-related achievement for this chapter:

Wayfarer

You've survived the underground railroad and reached Weyurn

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The Journey to the Firstlings

You will be on another new world map for this chapter. It's not as big as the first one but it is the second biggest area to explore in the game. There's only one more after this and it's a big smaller and simpler. You will notice that the kingdom of the Firstlings seems to be disconnected from the are where you are at. Specifically the closest nodes will be an Orc Camp and Wackenstein. Both of these are the only ways to "connect" to the rest of the map. Both of these also have missable achievements associated with them and you can do both at the same time. The game will warn you if you attempt to step into the Firstling area that you won't be able to go back. Therefore, we will explore everything in the map before making that jump.

Mifurdania

You will be forced to pass through the town of Mifurdania to get out of the starting area. You will explore the town, meet some new characters and trigger a fight. After the fight 3 new human characters will join you. I didn't use them in any of the fights as I liked the dwarves better. The dwarves also have significantly more HP than the humans.

Giralda

After Mifurdania you'll be free to explore the rest of the map. There will be an orc horde wondering the map which you can take out. If you do you will be awarded an Ox Skull which is needed for a later missable achievement.

I suggest going to Seaton as it will trigger a quest that will have you running to the other edge of the map and back. After taking several steps, but before reaching Seaton, you should trigger a special fight with a lone dwarf named Giralda. She will possess half your party and so in theory it would be an evenly matched fight. However, the goal is to just to take out the lone dwarf. Simply focus on her and the fight will end.

You will be given an option as to what to do with the dwarf. You absolutely want to forgive her and have her join your party as it will give you the following missable achievement:

Sympathetic

Giralda has joined your group

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There are two more achievements tied to her but they are not available until the next world map. However, you do need to have Giralda in your party for them to occur.

Torbrook/Orc Camp

Before heading into Seaton you can take a detour to Torbrook and defeat the orc camp as it is a fairly self-contained set of quests and achievements.

Once at Torbrook you'll be given several obvious dialogue choices. Choose to help out, choose to repair things correctly and choose to sabotage the enemy orcs nearby. All of these will make the upcoming fight easier.

Once you're done at Torbrook head over to the Orc Camp. Arguably this is the second hardest fight in the game. It is a large map, there are still lots of enemies even if you make all the "correct" dialogue choices at Torbrook, and there are a lot of archers. Andokai is also not in your party for this chapter. Work your way through the map slowly. Aggro a few orcs at a time and have them come to you and kite them to where you're not getting surrounded and are not getting pelted by archers. This slow attrition method will eventually pay off in having you win the fight and get the following missabble achievement:

The greatest Battle

You have vanquished the biggest enemy camp

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This will open one of the ways to the Firstling kingdom. If you attempt to take it you will be warned that you cannot go back. Therefore, turn around and head to Seaton as we still have a lot of unfinished business on this map.

Seaton

Upon entry you will have a lot of dialogue options to work through. There will be an angry mob trying to hurt a woman (Tavias). Make the following dialogue choices:

1. Force your way between the mob & young woman.
2. "What proof do you have that the woman committed a crime?"
3. "That isn't proof."
4. "Tell us what happened."
5. "We can investigate the matter if you like."

You now need to talk through three areas:

1. Talk to Father Mallon and exhaust all dialogue options.
2. Enter the StoreHouse, talk to the person there and exhaust all options.
3. Enter the Guardhouse, and talk to the woman who has been arrested.

At some point during the conversation Rodolfo will step in and reveal that the woman has been lying to you. After prying the truth from the woman, you will be presented with various options. Make sure you choose:
"I don't think you should be locked up...I'm letting you go."
You will immediately be given another dialogue choice, choose the following:
"Namora... Follow them in secret. Find out where they go."
Move one space on the world map and Namora will rejoin your party telling you she has located the thieves. There will be a new golden question mark on the map now, labelled as Thieves' Hideout. We will take the very scenic route there by checking off all the locations on the way there and the rest on the way back. Start by heading into Wackenstein.

Wackenstein

Upon entry into Wackenstein a fight will trigger. If you've religiously explored every corner of the maps so far and did every single possible side-quest you will be very close to having 1000 kills. The fight in Wackenstein is special because it has infinitely spawning enemies. There are 5 caves you need to grenade in order to seal them. If you're worried about hitting the 1000 count you can farm your kills here. Personally, I was going to leave the last cave to farm kills on but the achievement popped while I was sealing the 3rd cave so yours should pop close to this as well:

Oink, oink

You have killed 1000 enemies in battle

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Upon finishing the fight you will free a captive who will tell you that he's there to start a special feast. The reason we're taking this detour is to trigger the requirements needed for this feast. You need 3 things:

1. special herbs (which you realize you already have on you/are at Wackenstein).
2. a bell (which will spawn a question mark on the town of Viransiensis).
3. an ox skull (which is being carried by a wondering orc horde this area - you might have run into them and gotten it already by this point).

Now we have two loose ends to clean up.

Viransiensis

Head to Viransiensis. You can visit the Tavern on the way. The two town-like objects on the map, Jetty and Polebrook, are really just two connecting points across the map. You can use them if you wish but they don't really serve any other purpose.

Save the game before entering the town of Viransiensis. Once at the town you have an option to ask for the bell needed for the feast.

You can purchase the bell for 500 Gold. I just spent the 500 gold since there's nothing for you to spend money on anyway. If you refuse the offer you will then have an option to have Rodario charm her. If you don't make the correct choice you will have to reload your save.

Once done head toward the Thieves' Hideout.

Thieves' Hideout

Arriving at the hideout you will be met by Gerald, Tavias' brother. Go through the first few dialogue options with him. Eventually you'll be force to tell him you are here for the grain and supplies. You are presented with 4 different options. In order to earn the missable achievement you must choose either:

"Keep the Grain and the supplies you need them"
or,
"If we at least bring the grain back to Seaton that might pacify the farmers", followed immediately by: "Give the grain back to the people of Seaton - The rotten Grain that is."

Either of these options will pop the following missable achievement:

Righteous

You have put mercy before justice

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You can head back down to Seaton to formally close out the quest. You will be awarded some experience.

Wackenstein

If you haven't defeated the orc horde wondering the map yet then now is the time so that you can get the third item needed for the festival: the ox skull. With the herbs, the bell and the ox skull head back to Wackenstein.

The person you set free will still be there and will give you very clear instructions as to how to start the festival:

1. Set Ox Skull on fire.
2. Ring The Bell
3. Set Herbs on fire

With this the festival will start and you will be awarded the final missable achievement for this area:

A Feast like no other

You have awoken the Blind Guardian and celebrated a feast in Wackenstein

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Firstling Fortress

With everything done in this area you can finally step into the Firstling area. The rest of map will close off and you will have some walking to do. There will be some interactions and a cut-scene but eventually you will arrive at the Firstling Fortress to close out the chapter.

New Friends

Immediately upon arriving you will unlock the following achievement:

East Ironhald

You have reached the fortress of the Firstlings

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Like Ogre's Death this is another really short, self-contained chapter in a single area. Short of a bunch of interactions there is nothing else to do here. You will get a new character to join your party. You'll also have Andokai back in your party (yay!).

The Fifthling Fortress

Once you leave the Firstling Fortress you'll start the next and final chapter. You'll also be on a new and final world map. You'll notice that there are really not that many areas to interact with. There are only 3 missable achievements left and all of them are tied to the same quest line.

You will be awarded some XP for leaving the fortress which was the point for me that triggered one of my characters hitting level 10. This will give you the following missable achievement:

As good as it gets

You have upleveled a character to level 10

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If it doesn't pop at this point, then don't worry. There are still several big fights left.

Start by heading to Pennyfield.

Pennyfield

Visit the tavern to learn about a dwarf that's gone missing. Investigate his room to learn a bit about him. Then head out towards the two golden questions marks on the map.

Liberator/Giralda

On the way to the question marks you'll hit a few interactions with Giralda and she'll be going through withdrawal symptoms. This will worry Andokai and others in your party. The question marks will trigger a fight against orcs and undead. One of these fights will be preceded by a conversation with an imprisoned dwarf. After defeating the enemies that were imprisoning him, you will set him free to get the following missable achievement:

Liberator

You have saved a dwarf from the experiments of the Älfar

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There will also be an alchemy table with ingredients to make more of the potion that Giralda needs. Make sure you save the game as you will need to reload the save to get both achievements.

Andokai will suggest to poison Giralda. She will hand you both the real potion and the poison whether you agree or not. However, if you agree she tell you which potion is which. If you don't agree she will lie to you about which is which. Either way, you will have to give a potion to Giralda.

If you choose the poison you will unlock:

What needs to be done

You have killed Giralda and maybe averted great disaster

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If you choose the regular potion you will unlock:

A single Life

You let Giralda escape and maybe saved the world that way

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Either way Giralda will permanently leave your party. Choose one, reload your save, and then choose the other to get both achievements.

Fifthling's Stronghold

You can explore the other town markers on the map but there is nothing of interest in them. Head towards the last quest marker. The game will warn you that you won't be able to go back. From this point forward you will be in back-to-back fights and there will be no more map exploration from this point forward. If you haven't hit 200 days of travel yet then walk back and forth between two tiles before heading into the stronghold. This will give you the following missable achievement:

Footsore

You have spent 200 days on your great journey

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(Note that I actually clocked in at 178 days total while getting all achievements so you can be comfortably well under 200. I had to reload an earlier save to get this one).

Upon entering the stronghold you will be awarded the following story-related achievement:

Legendary Halls

You have entered king Giselbeards legendary halls in the Gray Range

After a couple of fights you'll make it to the forge (which you'll have to defend in one of the fights). This will be where you get a moment to explore the area and interact with all the character in your party. Save your game because you'll be doing a bunch of back-to-back fights shortly. Eventually, you'll forge a weapon for another story-related achievement:

Keenfire

You have forged Keenfire and given hope to the world

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Once forged you'll be in 3 more fights. The first will be against Sinthoras. The second will be against Bislipur. For completing these two fights you will be given the following story-related achievement:

Old Enemies

You have defeated Sinthoras and Bislipur

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The final fight has two parts. You need to get one of your characters to a door. Simply clear out all the enemies and push your way to the door. Once you get them to the door the final fight will start. Simply hit the boss once to auto-kill him and earn the following story-related achievement:

Demon

You have killed the demon that possessed Nôd'onn with Keenfire

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At this point you will be given some cutscenes and epilogue. At some point the credits will begin to roll. The credits are very long. They list all the backers that helped fund the game on kickstarter. There is a final "story-related" achievement for "watching" all of the credits. Simply let the game run while doing something else. Once the credits finish, you'll get the final achievement in the base game:

Faithful to the end

You watched the loooong credits from start to finish. Thanks!

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Congratulations on the 1000GS! Now onto the challenges in the title update.