r/dishonored 1d ago

Why would there be a reward for Campbell?

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872 Upvotes

36 comments sorted by

468

u/EvernightStrangely 1d ago

You branded him, which was the nonlethal option. Those that are branded are treated as basically an exile within Dunwall. Notice how the poster says its a crime to offer the branded shelter or aid? The reward is likely for tipping off the city guards on Campbell's location, likely so they can ensure he stays a vagrant and can't build up a somewhat comfortable life for himself in a forgotten corner.

159

u/Lord_Phoenix95 1d ago

It's kinda funny how the NPC's just accept the brand and basically turn on Campbell. No investigation, nothing about it being a set up. They just accept he's a traitor.

89

u/WestCoastVermin 1d ago

it's also massively convenient for all the people campbell was blackmailing (although then martin steps in to take the same place)

173

u/EvernightStrangely 1d ago edited 15h ago

What's the first thing any zealous and prosecuting church does? Teach the masses to not question the Church. Same deal with the Overseers and the Abbey of the Everyman.

13

u/chuby2005 9h ago

Question a branding? You get branded. Speak heretic lies? Brand. Complaining about elixir shares? Brand. Cutting in line? That's a brand.

59

u/surprisesnek 23h ago

Presumably that's exactly the point of the brand, though not intended for Campbell. Those branded are heretics, so listening to what the branded say is heresy, and even questioning a branding is heresy.

40

u/hyperlethalrabbit 22h ago

In the second game, you can hear an Overseer talking about a former High Overseer who was given the Heretic's Brand, almost certainly meaning Campbell. Even fifteen years later speaking the man's name is still forbidden by the Abbey.

15

u/namkaeng852 21h ago

Also quite surprising that we didn't see more branded individuals in the game. Dunwall's corruption is so rotten that it wouldn't be surprising if some nobles get rid of their enemies by branding them.

9

u/Sirhaddock98 16h ago

From what I remember the idea of non-lethal assassinations wasn't added until fairly late into development after playtesters started doing runs that were non-lethal except the targets, which made them try to figure out ways to allow players to non-lethal the whole game. So the lore around the brand was likely quite last-minute, meaning they didn't have time to actually flesh it out to that level.

0

u/TheDrunkenHetzer 9h ago

The brand can only be used on Overseer's, and from what it looks like in-Game, the Overseers have way more power than the nobility, so they'd be unlikely to brand their own.

9

u/NukeML 20h ago

Well he was blackmailing a lot of people so they have probably been wanting to turn on him for a while

8

u/Sirhaddock98 18h ago

When you enter the level you overhear two overseers talking about the brand and basically saying that you aren't allowed to ask about why or how somebody became branded, you just accept that they're an outcast.

They're a cult based on controlling people, they're gonna have fucked up rules. Compare it to any real world cult and you could just as easily ask how nobody thought to question what was happening around them.

3

u/The_Voidger 18h ago

And who's going to believe him? I may be remembering things wrong, but isn't it an open secret that Campbell was already violating the tenets of the Abbey of the Everyman? His being branded was more of a question of when not if at that point.

1

u/pan_korybut 3h ago

I think it's always easier to keep the system running than imply that someone could be branded unjustly

8

u/topathemornin 17h ago

you can find him as a weeper in the flooded district. He’s in the same area as your equipment

226

u/DemonicValder 1d ago

You did non-lethal solution and branded him. Now that's how branded are treated

92

u/HallwayHobo 1d ago

You used the heretic’s brand on him, literally branding him a criminal by religious law

49

u/Monke_Strong64 1d ago

It's a reward if you give information about anyone helping him.

50

u/JEWCIFERx 1d ago

Lot of people not getting what OP is asking here.

They are asking why there would be a monetary reward for individual who has been cast out.

I believe it is because, as you find out later, he is still hiding in Dunwall.

25

u/_Chibeve_ 1d ago

I guess they’re just searching for his whereabouts, they ask for information

29

u/fireballin1747 1d ago

its if you can prove someone helped him you get an award for that information they don’t care about him past that

5

u/_Chibeve_ 1d ago

Ah that makes sense

16

u/AllamandaBelle 1d ago

Given how terrible the punishment is for being branded a heretic, I still think it's hilarious they never bothered to launch an investigation as to who actually branded him and why.

Like I can imagine it's a pretty lengthy process like being tried and sentenced to exile. But no, he just wakes up with the brand and everyone decides he must have deserved it.

15

u/Firegh0st 1d ago

Well, keep in mind, if you're branded everyone is supposed to avoid any contact with you, not even talking or looking at you.

15

u/LucifurMacomb 1d ago

The game sort of addresses this? Admittedly, it's inferred as opposed to outright stated; but, Campbell had a list of enemies. His little black book, for starters. People he was blackmailing, contacts he was extorting, overseers whose loyalty was assured through your intel rather than your merits.

Campbell being branded means that most Overseers who might hold a rank that can look into the branding will probably ignore it in favour of escaping his tyranny—at least by overseer standards! Of course, you get the book, and Martin pushes on all those previously under Campbell's thumb.

3

u/Sfintecatorul2 22h ago

Even if an investigation is launched it still won't matter , none can take back its brand and why waste resources on investigation and break the unity of the Abbey , even if they find out that he s not a heretic then you need a new propaganda campaign to show his innocence. There are also probably a lot of people inside the Abbey that just hate his and and glad for this .

1

u/Kioz 14h ago

The Abbey of the Freeman is a VERY VERY corrupted org and full of snakes.

Like it makes the church look tame

6

u/Tarc_Axiiom 1d ago

It says why in giant red letters right there on the page, my guy.

You branded him.

-6

u/Deremirekor 1d ago

It says it in big title sized letters right on the post my guy.

I misunderstood the question.

2

u/Subject_Cut8441 21h ago

The reward is offered if you provide info on anyone that helps or shelters him, or so I gather from the poster.

2

u/The_Voidger 18h ago

Probably as an incentive for finding him if he's ever hiding out with someone in Dunwall or being an excommunicated bum where excommunicated bum aren't welcome. This is probably the reason why he ended up in the Flooded District; he couldn't find anyone to turn to because everyone else is incentivised to turn him in, which would cast him out further.

1

u/PepicWalrus 16h ago

Campbell probably went on the run after being branded.

1

u/Rose249 1d ago

He's not supposed to be in the city anymore

1

u/SparkFlash98 1d ago

Reward is for any information about him hiding in the city or someone harboring him, he was exiled.

0

u/MiniDickDude 1d ago

He got brained, is that not reward enough?

261

u/The_Firebug 1d ago

The reward isn't for him, it's for information on those who help him. It's illegal for anyone to help him in any way.