Dishonored: Death of the Outsider, a standalone adventure that doesn’t require Dishonored or Dishonored 2 in order to play, launches on Sept. 15. It features assassin Billie Lurk and her old mentor Daud on a quest to rid the world of the Outsider, an elusive god-like figure whom they blame for the chaotic state of the world. But what do you really need to know to appreciate this tale? Warning for spoilers below as we answer some of the biggest questions you’ll need answered to understand this game.

Who is Billie Lurk?

Billie Lurk first appeared in a Dishonored DLC called “The Knife of Dunwall.” It centered around legendary assassin Daud, and his remorse over the murder of Empress Jessamine Kaldwin. Lurk is his second-in-command and companion in that DLC, assists him in his missions, and has an integral role in the DLC’s ending. Billie reappears in Dishonored 2 as Meagan Foster, a ship captain and ally to Corvo and Emily throughout the game. At the end of Dishonored 2, she reveals her history as Billie Lurk and her participation in the assassination plot. Soon after, she seeks out her mentor, Daud, the closest thing to family she has. This is where Dishonored: Death Of The Outsider begins.

Who is Daud?

Daud was once the leader of a group of assassins known as the Whalers. They were hired to murder the Empress and kidnap her daughter Emily, kicking off the events of the first Dishonored game. Unlike Billie Lurk, Daud bears the Outsider’s mark, indicating the entity itself personally granted him magical powers. In “The Knife of Dunwall” DLC, the Outsider gives Daud a final clue that will affect the way his life ends: the name “Delilah.” In “The Brigmore Witches” follow-up DLC, Daud kills Delilah to protect Emily Kaldwin and fades from public life.

Who is the Outsider?

The Outsider is a supernatural being who gives his Mark to people he finds interesting and “pivotal to history,” according to Arkane Studios Creative Director Harvey Smith. The Mark grants recipients access to the magic of the Void. While the Outsider stays in the Void, a surreal external dimension, he watches the actions of those who bear his Mark closely, “expecting them, cynically, to abuse those powers.” He is obsessed with “the abuse of power and how the powerful treat the powerless.”

The Outsider responds with amusement and interest to merciful, non-murderous choices, while he is bored by homicidal choices. This boredom leads him to abandon a Mark bearer until they regain his interest (for example, Daud).

“You’re never sure what his motives are,” said Smith in a new trailer. “He stays aloof. He offers things, but doesn’t come to conclusions. He’s not an evil figure, but it’s hard to see him as a good figure. He’s not a trickster character, he’s very earnest actually. Sometimes he’s ironic. I think he’s suffered.”

Can the Outsider be killed?

The Outsider was created 4000 years ago in a ritual to become the newest divine representative of the Void. Each new divinity is unique and lasts until a catastrophic event ends it, according to a thread from Smith on Twitter. The twin-bladed knife used to sacrifice the boy who would merge with the Void and become the Outsider is imbued with Void powers and can also be used to kill him.

In short: yes. However…

“In the games, we never force you to kill anyone,” said Smith in Death of the Outsider’s latest trailer. “There’s always an alternate resolution in the Dishonored games.”

Does the Outsider deserve to die?

Both Daud and Lurk seem to think so. They are both gripped with “a great sense of remorse,” said Smith. Both have reached the conclusion that their actions have made the world a worse place, but Billie takes that conclusion one step further by asking what she can do about it and then takes that step.

Is the Outsider really the one responsible for all that chaos? Does his bestowal of uncanny powers and refusal to supervise the use of those powers make him responsible for the fallout from Daud and Billie’s bad decisions? Or are they just passing the buck for their bad choices? Presumably, how you answer this question affects how you’ll play Dishonored: Death of the Outsider.

Are you looking forward to Death of the Outsider? Feel free to chat about all things Dishonored in our comments section below.