Chapter 1 collectibles: Rusty Sword (Blade 1, automatic) and the Handled Cross (Artefact 1, Relic of the Present), neither is missable.
Watch: Chapter 1 100% walkthrough
Chapter 1 overview
Chapter 1, Blood Ties, is the tutorial. It opens with a flashback: Sophia as a child in the Covenant, where children were used in experiments before her father Alec rescued her. The chapter ends after the training arena fight, setting up Chapter 2, Felons.
Story context
The prologue establishes Sophia's past in a few short scenes: she was sent to the convent at six by her mother's family; the nuns experimented on the children; and she carries guilt that she "survived, most didn't." Her father Alec's departure, "Fight like a proper warrior first, Sophia. Then you'll be one of us", is the promise that shapes her. When Alec dies on the expedition, Faro keeps the promise to raise her, and the chapter skips ahead to a grown Sophia who has trained every day since.
"My mother's family sent me there when I was six. But what the nuns were doing to us, it was all kept hidden."
What Chapter 1 teaches you
Blood Ties is a complete combat boot camp. By the end you'll have used:
- Attack, basic sword strikes (training with Ezra).
- Block, holding guard (training with Faro).
- Parry, timing parries to destabilise enemies and open them up.
- Kick, a stun tool that will later double as a ledge-kill button.
- Dagger & critical strikes, Irene's lesson, essential for the whole game.
Full walkthrough, 10 objectives
| Objective | How to complete |
|---|---|
| 1. Meet with Dad on the docks | Six months after the prologue, at the Plunderers' Den. Follow the linear path, squeeze between locals, then train with Ezra before continuing. |
| 2. Train with Ezra | Brief attack tutorial, Ezra defends with a wooden spoon. After a few hits he challenges you to a race. |
| 3. Beat Ezra to the Pit | Sprint, vault two windows, crawl under a gap. At the Pit, Faro announces that Sophia's father Alec did not survive the expedition. |
| 4. Look around Faro's cabin | Interact with the chest of drawers (left), the sketchbook on the back desk, the figurine on the right desk, and the table Faro leans over. Then return to bed. |
| 5. Train with Faro | Block tutorial. Time passes, Sophia is now an adult, still training with Faro and Ezra. |
| 6. Show what you've learned | Parry tutorial: consistently parrying destabilises the enemy, opening a safe window to attack. Fight until Irene appears. |
| 7. Loot the bodies | Search the first two bodies (nothing), then follow Yvan up the ladder. |
| 8. Survive the ambush | First real combat. Parry to destabilise, attack, and kick to stun. Sophia has a flashback before Irene helps her up. |
| 9. Train with Irene | Dagger tutorial, you now have a dagger alongside your sword and learn critical strikes. |
| 10. Beat the Mercenary, and survive the attack | Arena fight against a mouthy mercenary, then his friends join in. Use everything you've learned. |
Collectibles in Chapter 1
| Type | Name | How to get it | Missable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blade 1 | Rusty Sword | Unlocks automatically during early training. | No |
| Artefact 1 (Relic of the Present) | Handled Cross | In the courtyard during Loot the Bodies / The Search for the Key, under a white tree branch. | No, chapter select |
Combat tutorials in Chapter 1
- Attack (Ezra): basic sword strikes.
- Block (Faro): hold to block incoming attacks.
- Parry: time parries to destabilise enemies and open them to attack.
- Kick: temporarily stuns enemies, also great for pushing foes off ledges later.
- Dagger & critical strikes (Irene): use the dagger on stunned enemies for big damage.
Trophy
Completing Chapter 1 unlocks the Blood Ties trophy/achievement.
Chapter 1 questions
How do I complete Chapter 1?
Follow the 10 objectives below. It acts as a tutorial for attack, block, parry, kick and dagger critical strikes.
Where is the Handled Cross artefact?
In the courtyard during 'Loot the Bodies' / 'The Search for the Key', under a white tree branch.
Are any Chapter 1 collectibles missable?
No, the Rusty Sword unlocks automatically and the Handled Cross can be recollected via chapter select.
How long is Chapter 1?
It's a short tutorial chapter; the race and training segments take roughly 30-45 minutes depending on playstyle.
Sources: Eurogamer, Ch.1 walkthrough, camzillasmom, Ch.1 walkthrough, allthings.how, Ch.1 collectibles, OpenQuestline, Ch.1 100% (transcript). Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy content and assets remain the property of Asobo Studio and Focus Entertainment.