I still remember the closed network test days when the Duchess stood proudly in Roundtable Hold from the very beginning. That elegant figure adjusting her hair felt like an old friend when I first stepped into Nightreign's world. But when the retail version launched last month, imagine my shock when she vanished! FromSoftware pulled that classic bait-and-switch, just like they did with Dancer in Dark Souls 3. That initial disappointment fueled my determination - I needed that Bloodborne-esque hunter back in my roster. Little did I know the Priestess I'd been casually ignoring held the key to everything...

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The breakthrough came after three grueling nights battling through the Tricephalos Expedition. I'd tried every Nightfarer combination imaginable:

  • Iron Menial for defense

  • Shadowcaster for elemental bursts

  • Even that tricky Void Walker

But perseverance paid off when Gladius finally fell. That victory chime wasn't just satisfying - it gifted me the mysterious old pocketwatch that materialized in my inventory. No fanfare, just this antique timepiece whispering secrets.

Back at Roundtable Hold, I approached the unassuming Priestess near the Lost Table of Grace. Her usual serenity cracked when I offered the watch. Suddenly, reality shimmered - her humble robes dissolved into regal attire right before my eyes! That jaw-dropping moment we'd glimpsed in trailers played out in full: the Priestess transformed into the Duchess. The quiet guardian revealed her true identity as a reformed thief turned monarch. Later, reading her journal entries, I uncovered fragments of her pact with the Iron Menial - how she traded larceny for leadership.

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What followed felt like discovering a new limb. Her combat style flowed like liquid mercury - quicksteps reminiscent of Yharnam's best hunters. But unlocking her opened doors I never anticipated:

Benefit Why It Matters
🔓 Revenant Unlock Duchess becomes key to final Nightfarer
🏆 "Royal Revelation" Achievement That sweet 100% completion dopamine
💀 Unique Remembrance Boss weapons with elegant lethality

That Lady Maria vibe wasn't coincidental either - the developers hid subtle tributes in her animations. I spent hours just admiring how moonlight caught her blade during idle poses.

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Funny how the greatest treasures often hide in plain sight. All those hours grinding Remembrance quests when the solution was simply talking to the right NPC. Now I wonder what other masquerades linger in Roundtable Hold's shadows. That Revenant character calls to me with gothic allure... but unlocking it requires mysteries I've yet to unravel. Perhaps the Duchess herself holds more secrets? Her journal pages still whisper about "crimson debts" and "moonlit bargains" - phrases that itch at the back of my mind during night expeditions.

The beauty of Nightreign lies in these layered revelations. That humble Priestess I'd dismissed a hundred times became my favorite combatant through five minutes of conversation. Makes you question every NPC's potential, doesn't it? Maybe the blacksmith moonlights as a demigod. Perhaps the firekeeper's eyes hold constellations. For now though, I'll savor the Duchess' lethal grace... and wonder what truths her pocketwatch still conceals.