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The last two episodes in Arkane Studios' 'Tales of Dunwall' — a series meant to set up the story of their forthcoming game Dishonored — have been released in quick succession so we have sought fit to place all three episodes in a single post for quick viewing. While the series' first episode (seen above), The Awakening, focused on the history of Dunwall, the whale oil-powered town in which Dishonored is set, these next two introduce elements more closely related to the game's main story.

Titled 'The Hand That Feeds,' the second episode introduces audiences to The Outsider, a mysterious figure that grants those who sees fit with the supernatural powers. In this particular case the individual is granted with the ability to summon a rat swarm, a power we know is included in the final game.

However, accepting a gift from The Outsider does not come without a price, a situation that may or may not come into play during Dishonored's 14-hour singleplayer campaign. We do know that the mark of the supernatural assassin, the insignia seen on the individual's hand, has been bestowed onto our hero Corvo, but whether he will make the same mistakes is unclear.

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Furthermore, this episode introduces the concept of the plague, a disease that permeates the town of Dunwall, and is perpetrated by its overabundance of rodents. Early trailers for Dishonored have shown the death and decay that the plague has left in its wake, which not only draws similarities to London in the 1600s but helps create a stark contrast with the decadent lifestyles of Dunwall's rich and powerful.

The third and final episode focuses on the character of Piero, who publisher Bethesda claims has a pivotal role to play in the Dishonored story. Obviously his creation of the mask Corvo wears is the most direct connection he has to gamers' experience, but he is also said to pop up several times throughout the campaign.

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Additionally, the final episode makes mention of the Empress' assassination, which leads us to believe Piero's story in 'In the Mind of Madness' is running concurrent to the beginning of Dishonored. We'll find out how it all comes together very soon, as Dishonored releases in just over a week.

What did you think of the Tales of Dunwall series? Would you like more games to provide some additional back-story on their world?

Dishonored releases October 9, 2012 for the PS3, PC, and Xbox 360.