Artifact Walkthrough

Learn Your Powers

So, you’ve found a ancient artifact and have been imbued with mysterious powers that you’re not very familiar with and aren’t quite sure how to control. To fix this, you must study up on those powers! Or don’t, and blindly wreak havoc through the game, which is also a very viable option. That’s probably not why you’re here, though. So, what better placed to do some studying than Miskatonic University’s own library?

You were warned, however, that you will need a library pass from Dr. Howard in order to access the books you will need. You may be able to gain the necessary knowledge without the pass by forcing your way in, but is it worth the risk? Every misstep you take from here on out will be noticed, so it’s important not to draw too much attention to yourself.

There are a couple of ways to obtain a library pass. The first, and most direct way, is to visit Dr. Howard during office hours (which, at the time of writing this Artifact walkthrough, is any point before the evening) and request a pass.

The second way to obtain a pass is to coax one out of a moderately-aroused librarian (level 3 or higher). You can arouse the librarian by flirting with her, gifting her items, or groping her.

Head to the Weylan-Hyde library in the Lower Campus and enter the restricted section. If you have not obtained the pass prior to this, you will notice that your Suspicion level has increased a significant amount. If you have obtained a pass, you will notice that your suspicion increases but only a very small amount. Even with a pass, the fact that you are in this area means that the information you seek is cause for concern among some.

In the restricted section you will easily find two books that you need. After reading through them, you will also be presented with an option to scan the books to reference later without another hit to your suspicion level.

Uncover Upgrades

Now, you will want to head to your bedroom and click on the new “Upgrades” option that presents itself. Purchase the Bimbofy upgrade, and most of the other upgrades will immediately become available for purchase as well. Your powers are extensive and detailed in the books and the upgrades, so I won’t repeat them here.

To gain more XP, you will need to complete side quests (very few quests available at the time of writing this Artifact walkthrough) or “frenzy” NPC’s. Frenzying an NPC means driving their Arousal up to 10, making them so insatiably horny they seek out gratuitous sex. To increase an NPC’s arousal, you can flirt with them, gift them items (purchasable from the campus bookstore), or grope them. Traits aside, Arousal only decreases during the night, minimally, if you have not visited the aroused NPC that same day.

Frenzy the Campus

At the time of writing this Artifact walkthrough, 10 frenzies are required to win the game, and frenzying can be done all throughout the schoolyear alongside quests and etc. More information on this is available further down in the Artifact walkthrough.

Flirting with an NPC has a moderate success rate of raising arousal. After gifting an NPC items that they really like, flirting has a great effect and a greater chance to succeed. To discover an NPC’s preferred items, you can view their social media (SHiMMER) from your bedroom laptop for clues. Some NPC’s you have already friended before the game begins, but others you will need to request friendship in order to view their profile. These NPC’s will be more likely to accept your friend request after completing their respective side-quest, or after raising their arousal even a little.

Many locations in the game present changes based on time of day, suspicion level, and many other variables. 

Interactable NPC’s

• Mikah (her bedroom, your house)
• Tom (his house)
• Dr. Howard (Archaeology classroom, Upper Campus)
• Maya (Archaeology lab, Upper Campus)
• Dr. Lydia Sterling (Her art building office, Upper Campus)
• Dr. Jackson (His business building office, Upper Campus)
• Detective Lawson (Campus PD, Upper Campus)
• Dr. Ella Fairfax (Her math building office, Lower Campus)
• Ms. Lane (Weylan-Hyde Library, Lower Campus)
• Ying (Essex Red in the Student Center, Lower Campus)
• Madison (Occult Club in the Student Center, Lower Campus)
• Harriett (Cafeteria in the Student Center, Lower Campus)
• Huong (Gym in the Recreation Center, Lower Campus)
• Priya (Pool in the Recreation Center, Lower Campus)
• Melissa (Arboretum Overlook, Art Building) – After cameras have appeared, or after the first 30 days.

Interactions with an NPC can change based on their Arousal (and dialogue based on both Arousal and IQ).

Arousal Action Table

All Arousal Levels: Gift Items | Infest

• Arousal 0: | Flirt | Grope | Lure
• Arousal 0.5 – 3.5: | Flirt | Grope | Lure
• Arousal 4 – 5.5: | Grope | Sex | Lure
• Arousal 6 – 7.5: | Grope | Sex | Do Bidding | Lure
• Arousal 8 – 9.5: | NPC can’t help but force themselves on you, no other interactions available
• Arousal 10+: | NPC is frenzied, interactions no longer possible

At Arousal levels 8 through 9.5, there is little you can do but pray and hope you can push the NPC to 10 through the sex acts. If the sex acts end up satisfying them a bit too much, they may drop back below 8. 

At Arousal Level 10, the NPC leaves their current location and you can find them in a new location with an unquenchable sex drive. 

NPC Frenzy Locations

• Mikah – Starby’s (Student Center, Lower Campus)
• Tom – Mail Room (Student Center, Lower Campus)
• Dr. Howard – Archaeology bathroom (Archaeology Building, Upper Campus)
• Maya – Student Center bathroom (Lower Campus)
• Dr. Lydia Sterling – Art building bathroom (Upper Campus)
• Dr. Jackson – Business building bathroom (Upper Campus)
• Detective Lawson – Holding cell (Campus PD, Upper Campus)
• Dr. Ella Fairfax – Math building bathroom (Lower Campus)
• Ms. Lane – Library bathroom (Lower Campus)
• Ying – Tennis courts (Lower Campus)
• Madison – Football field (Lower Campus)
• Harriett – Cafeteria kitchen (Student Center, Lower Campus)
• Huong – Showers (Recreation Center, Lower Campus)
• Priya – Steam room (Recreation Center, Lower Campus)

Other Resources

• Occasionally a speed dealer will appear outside of the student center. If you find yourself burning a lot of daylight and not getting very far, speed will give you more time in the same day to get things accomplished. Be careful, though, too much speed can get you addicted. Being addicted gives you the shakes, and having the shakes draws more attention to you.
• Penis enlargement pills can be ordered from your laptop. Having a noticeably large penis can draw unwanted attention, but the paper trail from ordering the enlargement pills helps you blend back in to the general population. I.E. If you need to increase your penis size, but don’t want the suspicion caused by edging, order pills.
• Addicted? Stave off the shakes by visiting the Medical Clinic (Lower Campus).
• Need more money? Gamble at the Tennis Courts (Lower Campus) with an $80 bet, get double or nothing.
• Need an easier way to raise arousal levels? Infest people with parasites!
• Each NPC has (or will have) a unique benefit they can provide to do your bidding or further your goals. This usually results in things like a reduction in your suspicion, or a raise in others’ arousal.

Academia

Your Academia meter measures your standing at the school. You can maintain a perfect academic standing by attending class every day, or good standing by attending the majority of the time. After the first 60 days, if your Academia meter is below roughly 20%, you will be expelled and lose the game. Academia also influences how well you do on tests, and maintaining the meter at over 70% will allow you to automatically pass any tests that you take, such as the Midterms. Likewise, passing tests will boost your Academia meter, and failing tests will negatively affect it. 

Broodmothers

Broodmothers birth parasites, which you can use to infest NPC’s. You can create Broodmothers using the second artifact that was uncovered at the dig. Maya is likely the default Broodmother for most players (depending on actions taken during the introduction, or lack of action). If you want to assign additional Broodmothers, you can use the Lure option to escort an NPC with you to the archaeology lab where they will take root and birth parasites for you.

Main Quest

Check

After you have frenzied your first NPC, a former professor by the name of Dr. Hartmann will arrive on campus and shout zany warnings about the Anointed One to other students. While many do not take him seriously, his presence will quickly rack up your suspicion if left alone for too long. There are three ways you can deal with him:

• Stalk and ambush him when he leaves campus
• Seduce another NPC, bring their arousal greater than 5.5 but less than 10, and tell them to deal with him. You will be greeted with a special cutscene when you next return to your house.
• Tail him into D&W when he arrives in the morning, where you will find him purchasing a bagel with cream cheese. This will give you the option to return to D&W after closing and attempt to “spike” the cream cheese.

Once you have dealt with the professor, the next time you return to campus, a scene will play out. After this scene, your character will express a desire to check the police station for possible reports.

The Blanking Effect

Arriving to the police station, a scene will play out with a scenario you have the option of resolving immediately or not at all.

Surveillance

The next time you return to campus, a scene will play out regarding cameras on the campus. Speaking to the employees of the Student Center will give various clues:

• Harriet mentions the cameras are only up for the next 2 weeks.
• Ying mentions there is a renowned hacker attending the university who could take them down.
• Tom mentions his friend, Melissa, can trace the cameras.

Regardless of clues found, Melissa will appear in the Arboretum Overlook at this point and can be asked to hack the cameras. If the cameras are simply ignored, Melissa will still appear here by day 30 going forward, and the quest will automatically complete itself after the cameras have been up for 10 days. 

Mess with the Best…

Like Surveillance, this quest is completely optional. Melissa will ask to meet you on the 3rd floor of the Business Building at a certain time to hack the cameras. Meeting her will trigger another scene to unfold wherein afterward you have the option of fleeing with or without Melissa. Fleeing with her opens up a path to up-to 2 potential sex scenes.

After the scene resolves, the main quest continues upon the next time you attend class, and for the moment this scene is also where it ends.

Create Husks and Dig

After you have frenzied your first 3 NPC’s, you will enter a dream sequence the next time you sleep. In this sequence you will outline your ideal body and set the goal of finding someone with that body, being granted the power to possess random students to create Husks out of them. Husks have several uses, including helping you dig a massive hole below the student center to uncover an altar, creating more husks, and basically serving as an index of traits you can assume as needed.

Once you create a husk, you have the option to send the husk to the boiler room to dig, or to reserve it for Vhl’attar. You may also reserve any husk for Vhl’attar by clicking on them in the boiler room. At the moment of writing this Artifact walkthrough, nothing yet happens to the husk after reserving it.

Raise a God

After 10 NPC’s have been frenzied, you kind of just automatically win the game, for the moment. I am still adding more story between the intro and endgame, so don’t fret if you feel lost after a few frenzies. I hope this Artifact walkthrough clears up any confusion while the game is developed and refined.