Dawnwalker Prologue Walkthrough: Combat & Shadowstep

Guide at a glance

What this prologue guide covers

This walkthrough covers the opening of The Blood of Dawnwalker and the first playable quest steps: the Vale Sangora background card, difficulty selection, Coen's hillside conversation, finding Lunka in the forest, the first combat lessons, Shadowstep and the return to the church.

LocationVale Sangora

Playable characterCoen

Difficulty choicesStory, Fair, Challenging and Duelist

Early questAll Good Things

For the larger setting behind this opening, see the Vale Sangora world guide. The story guide explains the spoiler-light premise around Coen and the hundred-day crisis.

The controls below reproduce the mouse-and-keyboard prompts shown during the release-version prologue. Controller prompts may use different button icons.

Before the opening scene

Choose one of four difficulty settings

Story

Story lowers enemy health, enemy damage and the player’s combat stamina costs, giving you more room to learn the controls.

Fair

Fair is the balanced selection. Coen's and enemy attributes remain at their default levels.

Challenging and Duelist

Both increase the RPG damage and combat stamina-cost settings above Fair. Duelist also changes the combat experience through its Action difficulty settings.

Health, damage and stamina multipliers

These are the four RPG preset values, with Fair as the 1.00× baseline. Duelist combines a lower enemy health multiplier with higher damage and player combat stamina costs.

Dawnwalker RPG difficulty multipliers relative to Fair
RPG preset	Enemy health	Enemy damage	Player combat stamina cost
Story	0.50×	0.40×	0.50×
Fair	1.00×	1.00×	1.00×
Challenging	1.00×	1.30×	1.50×
Duelist	0.90×	1.60×	1.75×

Action difficulty controls combat timing and enemy behaviour separately. Custom settings can combine a different Action and RPG preset, so check both when comparing fights. These multipliers do not predict a particular Boss’s final health or the damage of a hit.

RPG preset values for Steam build 25129649. Original difficulty preset reference.

Opening sequence

Four key moments before the first playable route

Illustrated castle and mountain pass in Vale Sangora — Vale Sangora

Vale Sangora background card

Brencis has cut Vale Sangora off from the outside world after taking control of it. The vrakhiri takeover remains unknown beyond the valley, leaving the region without outside aid.

Difficulty selection screen with Fair highlighted — Difficulty selection Click to enlarge

Fair difficulty is the balanced choice

The selection screen displays Story, Fair, Challenging and Duelist. Fair keeps Coen's and the enemies' attributes at their default levels.

Coen speaking with Lunka beneath a large tree — Coen and Lunka Click to enlarge

Coen joins the first conversation

Coen arrives in a sunlit grassland. Lunka, Pieter and Eme join a domestic conversation about bread, flowers and the day's work, grounding the scene in familiar routine.

Lunka walking away through a field of flowers as Coen calls after her — Lunka leaves the hillside Click to enlarge

Lunka leaves the hillside

Lunka moves away from the group. Coen calls after her and warns her not to go over there, ending this quiet opening exchange on a note of unease.

All Good Things walkthrough

Find Lunka in the forest and bring her back

After Lunka leaves the hillside, follow the objective marker into the forest. The route introduces movement, sprinting and crouching before the trail reaches a red-lit clearing and the first combat tutorial.

Follow the marker into the forest

Keep the yellow objective marker ahead while the distance counter falls. The path narrows through roots and rock before opening into the blood-stained clearing.

Complete the two tutorial fights

The first group teaches directional attacks and blocks. The next phase adds Activation Charges, dodging, Perfect Dodge and Target Lock.

Follow Lunka through the cave

After combat, stay with Lunka and use Shadowstep at the broken route. Once outside, the objective changes to Go inside the church; follow the uphill marker to continue.

Coen following Lunka uphill toward the red-lit church while the Go inside the church objective is visible — Return to the church Click to enlarge

Mouse and keyboard

PC combat controls taught during the prologue

The combat tutorial pauses at each new mechanic. Use the enlarged images to match the displayed input; the short clips show the mechanics where timing or target movement matters.

Coen facing tutorial enemies while a prompt says to hold D and click the left mouse button to attack right — Directional attack Click to enlarge

Attack in the prompted direction

The first PC example asks you to hold D and press the left mouse button to attack to the right. Read the directional prompt before committing to the swing.

Directional Block tutorial explaining blocks from the left right top and bottom — Directional Block Click to enlarge

Match one of four block directions

Incoming attacks can be blocked from the left, right, top or bottom. On Story, Fair and Challenging, the marker around the shield shows the required direction. A successful directional block does not consume stamina.

Perfect Block tutorial explaining the timing window immediately before an incoming hit — Perfect Block Click to enlarge

Block just before the hit

Choose the correct block direction immediately before impact to perform a Perfect Block. It leaves the enemy open to attacks; on Story, Fair and Challenging, the shield marker changes color at the timing window.

Activation Charges tutorial explaining that successful blocks and attacks speed up recharge — Activation Charges Click to enlarge

Recharge Active Abilities

Active Abilities require Activation Charges. Charges recover over time, while successful blocks and attacks speed up the recharge.

Dodge tutorial showing the Space key and W A S D direction controls — Dodge controls Click to enlarge

Press Space and choose a direction

Press Space with W, A, S or D. Dodge sideways or backward to evade the strike; the tutorial warns that dodging toward the enemy still gets Coen hit.

Perfect Dodge tutorial explaining a sideways dodge immediately before impact — Perfect Dodge Click to enlarge

Dodge left or right just before impact

Dodge into an attack from the left or right immediately before getting hit. A Perfect Dodge costs no stamina and creates a window for your next attack.

Coen attacking an enemy marked by Target Lock while the middle mouse button prompt is visible — Target Lock Click to enlarge

Toggle Target Lock with the middle mouse button

Press the middle mouse button to toggle Target Lock. The selected enemy carries the red target marker, helping the camera stay oriented during the group fight.

Directional combatAttack prompt, parry feedback and overblocking · 29 seconds

Dodge and Target LockDirectional dodge, Perfect Dodge and target selection · 27 seconds

Traversal ability

Use Shadowstep to cross the broken cave route

Shadowstep tutorial explaining the E key and mouse aiming controls — Shadowstep controls Click to enlarge

Aim with E, steer with the mouse

Hold E to aim Shadowstep.
Move the camera with the mouse to select the destination.
Release E to travel to the selected point.

A quick tap of E sends Coen forward without aiming. In this route, use the ability to reach the next ledge and continue following Lunka.

Shadowstep in the caveAim, release and cross the gap · 17 seconds

For the broader relationship between combat, abilities and Coen's forms, continue to the gameplay systems guide and skills and progression.

Opening cast

Characters introduced in the first conversation

Coen

The playable protagonist, seen joining the hillside conversation at the start of the opening sequence.

Lunka

A young girl at the center of the scene, whose decision to leave shifts the conversation's tone.

Pieter

One of the people present in the household conversation with Coen, Lunka and Eme.

Eme

Another member of the opening group, appearing during the exchange about the day's routine.

FAQ

Dawnwalker prologue walkthrough questions

How many difficulty settings are available at the start?

The opening screen offers Story, Fair, Challenging and Duelist.

Which difficulty is balanced?

Fair is the balanced option, with Coen's and enemy attributes set to their default levels.

Where does the Dawnwalker prologue begin?

The opening begins in Vale Sangora, the isolated valley that anchors the game's main setting.

Who appears in Coen's first conversation?

Coen's first hillside conversation includes Lunka, Pieter and Eme.

How do directional blocks work in the Dawnwalker prologue?

Match the incoming attack direction: left, right, top or bottom. On Story, Fair and Challenging, the shield indicator shows the direction. A successful directional block does not consume stamina.

How do you dodge on PC in the Dawnwalker prologue?

Press Space and choose a direction with W, A, S or D. Dodge sideways or backward; the tutorial warns that dodging toward the enemy still gets Coen hit.

How do you use Shadowstep on PC?

Hold E to aim, move the camera with the mouse and release E to Shadowstep. A quick tap of E sends Coen forward without aiming.