Heart of the Outsider Theft

Lore & Background

During the events concurrent with Dishonored 2, the theft was not a heist of the physical 'Heart' artifact, but a ritual at the Conservatory in Karnaca that fully siphoned the Outsider's metaphysical power. Delilah Copperspoon and her cultists are the confirmed perpetrators, who sought to usurp his power for themselves and succeeded, with Delilah taking the Outsider's place as the new god of the Void until her defeat. The 'Heart' was never a physical artifact housed by the Abbey of the Everyman; it represents the Outsider's own power residing within him in the Void. The theft was a metaphysical rupture that completely severed the Outsider's connection and silenced his power—he was replaced by Delilah until her defeat, after which his power was restored. The theft occurred during Delilah's coup and the resulting chaos, not as its catalyst; it was a means to secure her power. This event did not predate the plague or the fall of Empress Jessamine; rather, it occurred much later, serving as a direct consequence of Delilah's rise to power and her ambition to become the new god of the Isles.

In Their Own Story

The silence in the Abbey was absolute, broken only by the rhythmic dripping of water from the stone ceiling. Shadows danced along the walls as a figure, cloaked in darkness that seemed to absorb the light itself, approached the pedestal. There sat the Heart, pulsing with a faint, otherworldly rhythm. With a hand that trembled not from fear but from anticipation, the thief reached out. The moment their fingers brushed the artifact, the air grew cold, and whispers filled the room—voices from the Void. In an instant, the Heart vanished, leaving behind only a trail of ash and the lingering scent of ozone.

Reader's Guide

The event begins with the mysterious disappearance of the Heart from the Abbey of the Everyman, an act that remains officially unexplained in public records. While the specific identity of the thief is never confirmed, it is implied that the Outsider played a role or at least permitted the theft to occur as part of a larger design. The immediate impact was the destabilization of the magical equilibrium, leading to an increase in supernatural phenomena and the emergence of individuals with powers granted by the Outsider. This shift allowed for the rise of factions like the Whalers and the Assassins, who utilized these new abilities to manipulate political landscapes across the Isles. Ultimately, the theft created the conditions necessary for the events of Dishonored, where the protagonist must navigate a world where magic is both a tool and a curse.

Did You Know?

• The theft occurred during Delilah's coup in Karnaca, contemporary to the events of Dishonored 2, not as an ancient event predating the plague.
• Delilah Copperspoon and her cultists are the confirmed perpetrators who fully stole the Outsider's power through a ritual at the Conservatory in Karnaca, not an unknown faction.
• The 'Heart' was never a physical artifact kept in a tower; it represented the Outsider's own power residing within him in the Void.
• The theft was a ritual at the Conservatory in Karnaca, not a heist from the Void sanctuary, and it fully stole the Outsider's power, not just his essence.
• The theft completely replaced the Outsider with Delilah as the new god of the Void until her defeat; he did not continue to exist or interact within the Void during that time.