Chapter One - Philip The Pillars of the Earth Guide

Last update: 14 August 2017

In this chapter you will find full walkthrough of Chapter One – Philip (Kingsbridge, New Year’s Eve):

• Find Prior James
• Talk to Francis and find out about the missing knight
• Prevent James's documents from burning
• Find the letter

Find Prior James

Playing as Philip, after getting through the bridge choose any option of interaction (pet the pony or call Brother Paul). After talking to a novice monk (choose options as you prefer), follow the road to Kingsbridge (direction icon to the right of the toll hut), and enter through the gate (to the left of the monastery, in the wall).

Since the main gates of the cathedral are closed, go to the cloister (on the right hand side). Keep walking rightwards and enter the cathedral with a back door.

When inside, turn left towards the altar. After the prayers, talk to the group of monks.

Talk to Francis and find out about the missing knight

Use the clue about Francis on the young monks standing in the cloister – this way you learn that he has gone to the cathedral. Using the doors to the right enter the cathedral - you will find Francis in front of the altar. Talk to him – after this, a new item will be added to the ‘Documents’ tab – a document called Francis’ notes: ‘Rivalry for the throne’ (part 1)). It will turn out that Francis is looking for a knight, more specifically, for the confidential document he was carrying.

Leave the cathedral using the exit leading to the cloister (behind a column in the back, in front of which there hangs a heavy metal chandelier). Use the clue about the knight on the same young monks you did the last time - you will learn that brother Paul, who resides in the toll hut, might know something about that. Take the door on the left to get in front of the cathedral (at this point you should get the access to the Map of Kingsbridge Priory). Before going to Brother Paul, go to the kitchen (door to the right of the cloister entrance).

Talk to Milius and Cuthbert - during the dialogue with the keyholder you will learn about the missing keys and novice monks stealing food. Philip will give Cuthbert some cheese (provided he did not give it to the young monks standing next to the bridge) and will be left only with the fabric, in which the cheese was wrapped.

Investigate the hearth and take a hot stone from it - in order not to burn your hands use the fabric the cheese was wrapped with. Before you leave, look at the painted pot standing on the table to the left of Milius - you will learn that the monk is gathering seeds to start a garden.

Leave the kitchen and go outside. Follow the path to the bottom of the screen and continue south. Talk to frozen Brother Paul sitting in front of his cabin (on the left) - during the conversation give him the hot stone from the kitchen’s hearth. In return, you will receive an advice on how to proceed with Remigius.

Next, take the path between the trees that goes to the left of the toll hut and go to the clearing, where you have to pick up beechnuts lying in the snow (in the middle of the screen; necessary to get an achievement). Return to the bridge taking the path on the right, then return to Kingsbridge.

Prevent James's documents from burning

After going through the gate take the path that surrounds the cathedral (to the left of the building) and leads to cemetery.

You can talk to brother Arnaldus who is working there, however you will not learn much; nonetheless, listen to the conversation the two fishing novice monks are having - you will learn where are Cuthbert's keys.

Finally, enter prior's house (on the right). Talk to Remigius. You will learn that the verger has to cancel the chapter's meeting in order to save the documents (if you want to get the Tattletale achievement, tell brother Remigius who stole Cuthbert's keys). Leave the chamber.

Take the path surrounding the cathedral (at the top of the screen) to return before the church's main gates. Enter it and go left.

Investigate the crevice in the cathedral's wall (behind the altar) and you will find Cuthbert's keys. Leave the cathedral taking the door that lead to the cloister and upon reaching it, turn right - towards chapterhouse. Talk to verger Andrew. Eventually he will agree for the chapter’s assembly. First however, there has to be a choir rehearsal and all the monks need to be notified. It would be good to get favor with them.

Leave the chapterhouse and talk to the young monks, who obviously are facing a dilemma. After solving their dilemmas enter the cathedral and talk to the group of choristers standing behind the precentor (at the bottom of the screen). You will learn there are certain difficulties with organizing the rehearsal - the monks are troubled by some noises coming from the St. Adolphus’s crypt. Go there (clamber to the left of the altar). Open the iron grid with the key you have found in the crevice and look around the crypt.

Check the dark area next to the wall between the entrance and the arcade and the other one between two arcades to the left. Take a look at the sarcophagus ahead as well as the two dark spots next to the wall on the right. In the one opposite the entrance you will see a shape - check what it is, and then do it again after the creature flies to the left. You will find out it is an owl. Leave the crypt and calm the choristers. (In order to get the Let there be darkness achievement, put down four candles burning next to the columns in the cathedral).

Leave the cathedral with the main entrance (on the right) and then leave the monastery (towards the bottom of the screen). Take the path to the right to go to the mill. Open the door with Cuthbert's keys (achievement Yet another secret). When inside the mill, move the fabric hanging from the wooden truss supporting the roof. Take a look at the cuts on the woods and read the carved message (the ‘Documents’ tab will now include another finding – Words carved into wood in the old mill). Exit the mill and go left, towards Kingsbridge.

Enter the kitchen and give Milius beechnuts (or put them to the painted pot) from the clearing behind the toll hut - Garden of Eden achievement. Inform Cuthbert about finding his keys (the thread regarding key theft). Leave the kitchen and enter the cloister, and then the chapterhouse (to the right). Tell verger he can call the assembly.

If you want to get the Full house achievement first - before you tell Andrew that you are ready - notify all the monks apart from the novice monks and Remigius. In order to do this, you have to use the clue regarding the gathering on Arnaldus (cemetery), Milius and Cuthbert (kitchen), Paul (toll hut), Francis, precentor with the choir in the cathedral, and the young monks at the cloister.

During the assembly, choose any dialogue options - eventually Philip will become the candidate for a new prior (If you use friar Paul’s advice and answer none of Remigius’ questions during the assembly in order to irritate him, you will acquire the Silentium est aureum achievement).

Find the letter

Upon entering the prior’s chamber you will talk to Francis and receive another document that will end up in the ‘Documents’ Tab – Francis’ notes: ‘Rivalry for the throne’ (part 2). It's time to search for the letter desired by Francis.

You can check the documents lying on the pulpit (behind the monks), books on the rack, a small board on the table and in the window, parchments from the barrel and a bed, but the letter can be found in the volume left on the table (on the left). Investigate it (another document in the tab ‘Documents’). When talking to the monk, you can agree to his plan (Achievement Man of politics) or refuse (this will affect the story).