Marie Lévesque
Marie Lévesque is a primary assassination target encountered during Memory 03: The Serpentine Belle, part of Sequence 08 of the main story campaign. This mission takes place within the opulent confines of the Hôtel de Beauvais, a grand mansion located in the Le Marais district of Paris. Lévesque is a ruthless financier and a key figure in the Templar conspiracy, making her elimination crucial to Arno Dorian's quest for justice. This guide will provide a comprehensive strategy for a silent, efficient, and high-scoring assassination.
Mission Briefing & Objectives
- Target: Marie Lévesque
- Location: Hôtel de Beauvais, Le Marais District
- Mission Type: Main Story Assassination (Memory 03: The Serpentine Belle, Sequence 08)
- Optional Objectives:
- Don't get into conflict.
- Don't get detected.
- Recommended Gear:
- Stealth-focused Outfit: Equip gear with high stealth stats to reduce detection radius.
- Phantom Blades: Essential for silently dispatching isolated guards or creating distractions.
- Smoke Bombs: Crucial for escapes, disorienting groups, or creating cover for assassinations.
- Berserk Blades: Useful for turning guards against each other, creating diversions.
- Lockpicking Skill: Highly recommended to access alternative routes and treasure chests.
Hôtel de Beauvais Layout & Enemy Placement
The Hôtel de Beauvais is a multi-story mansion teeming with guards. Lévesque herself is typically found on the upper floors, often in her private study or a grand salon. The building features numerous entry points, secret passages, and environmental opportunities for a stealthy approach.
- Ground Floor: Heavily patrolled by standard guards. Features multiple entrances, including a main front door (heavily guarded), side doors, and ground-level windows.
- First Floor (European Second Floor): Contains grand ballrooms, dining areas, and often a smaller number of patrolling guards. Access via staircases or climbing exterior walls.
- Second Floor (European Third Floor): Lévesque's primary location. Features her private study, bedrooms, and balconies. Guards here are often more elite (e.g., Brutes, Seekers).
- Rooftops: Provide excellent vantage points and often access to upper-floor windows or balconies. Patrolled by Snipers.
- Interior Layout: Expect narrow corridors, large open rooms, and numerous pieces of furniture for cover.
Assassination Opportunities & Strategies
The Hôtel de Beauvais offers several unique assassination opportunities for Marie Lévesque, encouraging a creative and stealthy approach.
1. Poisoning the Wine (Recommended Stealth Approach)
This is often the most elegant and least confrontational method, aligning perfectly with the "Don't get into conflict" and "Don't get detected" optional objectives.
- Infiltrate the Kitchen: From the exterior, climb the rear of the Hôtel de Beauvais. Look for an open window or a less-guarded entrance on the ground floor leading to the kitchen area. Alternatively, use the main entrance and carefully navigate through the ground floor, using cover and distractions.
- Locate the Chef: The chef, marked with a unique icon (often a green diamond), will be preparing food or attending to a wine rack. He is usually accompanied by one or two standard guards.
- Steal the Wine Cellar Key:
- Pickpocket: The most direct and silent method. Wait for the chef to be isolated or distracted, then pickpocket him.
- Distraction/Elimination: Use a Berserk Blade on a nearby guard to create a diversion, or use a Phantom Blade to silently take out the chef's immediate escort before pickpocketing.
- Access the Wine Cellar: The wine cellar is typically located in the basement or a secluded part of the ground floor, often near the kitchen. Use the key to unlock it.
- Poison the Wine Bottle: Inside the cellar, locate the specific wine bottle intended for Lévesque (it will be highlighted). Interact with it to apply poison.
- Wait for Lévesque: Once the wine is poisoned, Lévesque's routine will eventually lead her to consume the tainted drink. This may take a few minutes as she moves through her patrol path. You can observe from a safe vantage point or move to another area to prepare for extraction.
- Confirmation: Lévesque will collapse and die, fulfilling the assassination objective.
2. Balcony Assassination (Direct & Stealthy)
This method relies on verticality and precise timing.
- Ascend the Hôtel: Climb the exterior of the mansion, utilizing drainpipes, ledges, and decorative elements. Aim for the upper floors, specifically the balconies or windows near Lévesque's usual patrol route.
- Eliminate Rooftop Snipers: Before attempting to enter, silently dispatch any Snipers patrolling the rooftops or adjacent ledges that might spot you. Phantom Blades are ideal here.
- Observe Lévesque's Patrol: From a balcony or open window, observe Lévesque's movement. She often steps out onto a balcony or passes by a large window.
- Air Assassination/Ledge Assassination: When she is isolated and within range, perform an Air Assassination from above or a Ledge Assassination if she passes close to a ledge you are clinging to.
- Immediate Escape: After the kill, quickly escape the area, preferably by climbing back onto the rooftops and blending in.
3. Secret Passage (Alternative Infiltration)
The Hôtel de Beauvais features a hidden passage that can lead directly to Lévesque's private quarters, bypassing many guards.
- Locate the Entrance: The entrance to the secret passage is often disguised as a bookshelf, a fireplace, or a hidden door in a less-trafficked area of the ground or first floor. Look for environmental clues or interactable objects. Sometimes, a specific NPC (e.g., a servant) might hint at its location if you eavesdrop.
- Access the Passage: Interact with the hidden mechanism to open the passage. This may require a lockpicking skill if it's a locked door.
- Navigate the Passage: These passages are usually linear but may contain a few isolated guards or environmental hazards. Proceed cautiously.
- Emerge Near Lévesque: The passage will typically lead to a room adjacent to or directly within Lévesque's private study or bedroom.
- Execute Assassination: From this vantage point, you can often perform a stealth kill on Lévesque as she enters or exits the room, or when she is momentarily alone.
General Stealth Tips & Pitfalls
- Use Eagle Vision Frequently: Identify guard patrols, Lévesque's location, and interactive objects (like the chef, wine bottle, secret passage entrances).
- Blend with Crowds: The Hôtel de Beauvais often hosts social gatherings. Use crowds as moving cover to avoid detection.
- Cover System is Key: Utilize pillars, furniture, and walls to break line of sight from guards.
- Distractions: Cherry Bombs or throwing coins can lure guards away from critical paths. Berserk Blades can turn guards against each other, creating chaos and opportunities.
- Avoid Open Conflict: If detected, try to disengage and re-enter stealth. Fighting multiple guards will quickly lead to failure of optional objectives and potentially mission failure.
- Seeker Guards: Be especially wary of Seeker guards, who have a wider detection cone and will actively investigate disturbances. Prioritize eliminating them silently if they pose a threat.
- Alarm Bells: If an alarm bell is rung, reinforcements will arrive, making the mission significantly harder. Prioritize disabling or assassinating guards near bells.
Rewards & Post-Mission
Successfully assassinating Marie Lévesque and completing Memory 03: The Serpentine Belle will grant you:
- XP: Significant experience points, especially if optional objectives are met.
- Sync Points: Crucial for upgrading Arno's skills.
- Francs: Monetary reward for completing the mission.
- Unlocks: Progression to the next memory in Sequence 08.
By following these detailed strategies, You can ensure a smooth, stealthy, and satisfying elimination of Marie Lévesque, contributing to a perfect 100% synchronization for this memory.