Rat Rot (Disease)
25% Infection
As if the giant sewer rats aren’t dangerous enough with their barbed spines and spiked tails, now you have to deal with this! Rat rot, also known as the vermin virus or bandicoot bubonic, is a degenerative disease spread through a combination of halitosis and open wounds filled with raw sewage. You really should have gotten all of your shots before wandering down there.
This disease causes decreases in Speed for as long as it is active. Until cured, infection spreads at a rate of 1% per day.
Currently you are in Stage 1 of the disease. (-5) Speed modifier applied.
...Okay, based on the description, it didn’t seem like I’d be joining a rat king collective any time soon. Whatever this was, it appeared much slower than the corruption that had destroyed Prometheus’s colony.
That said, it was definitely connected. Despite the description mentioning sewer rats, I must have gotten it while fighting the rat king. I recalled receiving several messages during the battle that I had dismissed, and the conditions screen certainly hadn’t been on my interface before that.
As I debated this new development, another message appeared.
Would you like to view a tutorial on Conditions?
Oh boy. What did the system have to say about my new circumstances? I could only hope it was something useful this time.
...
Huh. It appeared this was another of the less-useful ones. Though I did wonder what the strange annotations meant about not needing a tutorial? I certainly felt like I could have used one.
Seemed as if I’d have to figure this disease problem out on my own.
The first thing I attempted was using a core to try and get rid of it. Of course, that didn’t work. Why would it? The disease wasn’t an open wound. I wasn’t even sure it was a real disease.
So I did the next logical thing and set off looking for Prometheus. Wouldn’t the little rat be surprised to learn that his class skill had a use after all. Rats might be immune to diseases (which I doubted), but dogs clearly weren’t!
Unfortunately, finding the little rat proved easier said than done.
First, I tried to make my way back to the rat village. But, as I’d already suspected, Prometheus’s former home had been within the half of the building that collapsed after we set off the mines. So instead, I wandered the hallways of the sections still standing, wincing every time the floor groaned. This place was only a strong wind away from falling in on itself.
[Prometheus! Prometheus!] I called as loud as I could, though I honestly wasn’t sure if volume made a difference when speaking like this. I even barked occasionally, the sound reverberating off the walls.
Neither attracted the little rat’s attention. Wherever Prometheus had gone to grieve, it wasn’t here. I was alone in the ruined building.
After several hours of fruitless searching, I was forced to conclude I wouldn’t be finding the rat any time soon.
Which wasn’t exactly an immediate problem. It said the disease only progressed at 1% per day, which meant I had months until it reached one hundred percent. As to what exactly might happen when it did... well, hopefully I’d never have to find out.
So with nothing to show for my hours of searching, and a belly that was now extremely vocal about the fact I hadn’t eaten in over twenty-four hours, I returned to where I’d begun the morning, figuratively if not literally.
There’d been no sign or smell of edibles while searching for Prometheus, which meant I’d have to range further afield. I wasn’t willing to do that until I’d opened these boxes and made sure there were no tools I could make use of. Without further ado, I pulled up my inventory screen.
Between the fight with the rat king and the slaughter of the goblin horde, I’d come away with six white quality boxes, one yellow, and one red. Much as I wanted to open that last one right away, I started with the least valuable.
From these, I received a myriad of worn and worthless items, all ranging in levels between one and five. I looked them over, but none of them were in any way better than what I already had, so I merely converted them into a half-dozen cores and moved on to the yellow loot box.
Stolen story; please report.
This one was more interesting. Inside, it had five more common cores—bringing my total to seventy-six—and a beautiful nylon collar that was a deep red in color. I stared at it for a full minute before finally reading the description.
Show Dog Collar
Level 9
This is the kind of collar you’d see some snooty designer breed sporting as their owner parades them around downtown. Wearing this won’t make you a better fighter, but it’ll let all the other dogs know that you only eat the fancy kind of dog food—something that comes in a can and is imported from Germany. Also, sniffing your butt would be a serious faux pas.
Provides a +18 to Presence. Does not contain any tags.
Would you like to equip this now?
While it was a marked step up from what I was currently wearing (and with upgrades would remain so for a while), I didn’t see the point in switching. Besides losing access to my second chance tag, it also only raised my Presence, a stat which I had yet to actually see any use for.
Rather than convert it to another core, I stuck it back in my inventory. Who knew, maybe I would find a use for it later.
Finally, I pulled out the red quality loot box... and it was gray. Again! What in the name of dog?
Shaking my head, I nosed it open. The thing practically exploded as a plethora of loot poured out at my paws.
First were another ten common cores. I zapped those into my inventory before they could roll too far away. Next were five miniscule spheres which at first I thought were more cores—wouldn’t that be a find if I got several uncommons out of a loot box?
However, once I read the description, I was even more pleased.
Safe Zone Generators — Minor
Activation of a generator will create a temporary safe haven, suitable for up to four occupants. The safe zone is impenetrable by CGI generated entities, and will contain adequate food, water, and other amenities. Lasts for 7 days.
If activated outside, a dome shield with a ten-foot radius will be employed, with the generator at its center. If used within an empty room of a dungeon, the entirety of the room will be converted, regardless of size. Amenities and duration remain unchanged.
Remaining uses: 5
At the mention of food, I almost activated one of the generators on the spot. At least until I saw what else was in the loot box.
More boxes. Not loot boxes, but thin cardboard ones, about eight inches tall and covered in fanciful pictures of a tall stack of flapjacks, complete with the little square of butter at the top.
Were these what I thought they were? A quick read of the item’s descriptions confirmed it.
Instant Pancakes
Feeling crushed by the oncoming day? Has life left you flat and worn out? Well, just activate a box of CGI Brand Instant Pancakes™ and watch all your worries get squashed away. Containing absolutely zero essential vitamins and minerals, and with 100% your daily recommended intake of sugar, these are everything you need to roll with the punches and not get dragged through the mud! Just activate the package and enjoy a plateful of yummy, flat-as-a-pancake goodness and start your day off right! No water or mixing required.
Warning: The previous statement has not been evaluated by the American Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Remaining uses: 8
...Was this a joke? Was the system making a joke about the battle with the rat king at my expense? If so... I approved. Especially if it came with yummy food.
Before I passed final judgement on the system’s comedy choices however, I pulled the boxes into my inventory and activated one. Immediately, a pile of soft, fluffy flapjacks appeared in front of me, including a small plate, fork, knife, and pat of butter. I nosed the silverware out of the way and dove upon the offered food with abandon. Within seconds there was nothing left but inedible ceramic and metal.
I was tempted to give the plate itself a nibble anyway, just in case, but it disappeared along with the cutlery the moment the food was gone. So much for licking them clean.
My hunger sated, I returned to the loot box. There was a single item remaining at its bottom: a gold chain, with a tiny yellow gem set in its center. A topaz, I think.
Static Field Generator
Level 10
Have you ever met a dog before that you just immediately knew was trouble? Where the very air around you seemed to tingle with potential danger? Probably it was just your overactive imagination, BUT, had the dog been wearing this bracelet, then consider yourself lucky that you escaped with your life.
Allows the user to place up to (5) electric fields within ten feet of themselves. Any CGI generated entity that comes into contact with one of these fields will suffer continuous damage and have their movement speed reduced by 25%. Damage scales based on your Power stat.
Note: May be worn on either fore or hind legs.
Pre-Requisite: 30 Power. (Warning: you do not currently meet minimum requirements)
That sounded like a rather powerful item, and one I wish I’d had back during the fight with the rat king. It was also the first I’d found that actually did physical damage, excepting a few swords and other weapons Prometheus had shown me.
Unfortunately, I was also a long way from being able to use it. So, into my inventory it went along with the flapjack mix and everything else.
Next came my large pile of cores. I needed to put a few more of them into my equipment, not to mention raising my class skill.
But now that my hunger was finally sated, my thirst reared its ugly head, reminding me I hadn’t drank anything since the shipyard yesterday. Every time I panted, it was like sandpaper rubbing the inside of my mouth.
You would think with as large of an apartment complex as this had been, there would be a few broken pipes about. If there were, though, they’d long since stopped pumping water. I either needed to retrace my steps to the waterfront, or forge ahead looking for a new source.
Actually, hadn’t I seen a sign about a pool at the hotel next door? I couldn’t remember, but it was worth investigating. Chlorinated water was still water, and I was in desperate straits.
I took a final look at the dilapidated apartment as I stood in the main entrance, barking one last time in the hopes of catching Prometheus’s attention. The building remained silent, seeming to sag in on itself now that it was empty of occupants.
Or maybe it was actually sagging. I made my exit quickly.
One day I’d find Prometheus again. Until that moment arrived, I had more urgent matters to attend to.