I bought some clamps just for this, they made it so Bandit could keep a hand free, granted this was much safer than how we did it before. I had so much money that it was even starting to be annoying.
So Isiah had an Idea, we'd head to the Kaines Bolt and splurge a little. Typically it was him doing the buying and me doing the admiring but today I could afford something.
"yo, you ready?"
"Mhmm."
It was pretty hard to hear him through the gas mask, but then again since when did he make much sense In the first place? Kaines was our neighbor, if by neighbor you mean a good few hours on foot.
Their dungeon had about 6 available chests, in overall resources Kaines had some more than us, more chests mean they even have a bit of an abundance of higher-tier items as well.
As such unlike here you could buy some if you're willing to sell a lung and a kidney. Sure I'd be flat-out broke if I buy even 1 Rare, but I'd make it back in no time. They also had an extra Awakened compared to the average, whilst we're underperforming a bit. As a result, the people are far nicer, better than here at least.
As the mists parted around us we started heading inward to the city, Isiah Sprayed me down. Most of the creatures in the mist were towards the center where all the noise was, and few lurked near the outskirts.
It was a Rare item called a "Spencer's Passage", Isiah bought it maybe a year ago? It masked your scent pretty much granting you the ability to just walk through the mists as you please for around 8 hours. It was a small 1-ounce bottle with one of those squeeze tops, made of what looked to be some sort of black glass, containing a hazy liquid within. It refilled itself every month
I remember when he bought it, it cost nearly 3 years of profit. granted he pretty much did nothing with his money anyway so he was still stupid rich. It was probably the 1 thing he's never been and probably never will be okay with me touching, which is fair, I wouldn't trust me with it either.
We walked along listening to his shoes grind against the cracked pavement.
Typically if you wanted to go to another settlement the Ferries would take you about; an association of Awakened who could take you pretty much anywhere you wanted to go. They did cycles around all the settlements in Detroit and were considered vital to the health of everyone, not even the more unruly people played with a Ferry.
your best bet otherwise was to mask your scent put on a gas mask and just pray your local demon doesn't find you and disembowel your mortal self. If you had a stupid amount of money you could buy a mist core instead, but the prices in that case were practically impossible to pay for the average man.
They're pretty much an apocalyptic caravan company, trading goods and bringing people from place to place. You could either pay them a hefty sum to stay inside one of their carriages and have a comfortable ride, or go for free but have to be the one dragging the carriages. You'd think that means they'd trade better items than common but the Ferries specifically catered entirely to the non-Awakened as you'd imagine.
They Preferred the extra room for goods the common folk would buy, when they did bring higher tier goods if people knew they'd tend to ignore the unofficial peace they have with everyone for a large payday.
No one would travel with a Ferry with those types of goods because they were unsafe, which hurt profit far more than a few rare items tend to make up for.
We walked through the cold desolate street at an even pace, While we couldn't be seen nor smelled by any Mist Born, that didn't mean we were safe from humanity. The chance of us running into any raiders out here was slim but never 0.
--------------------
An old sign above the diner read, "Jagged Jaws Family Grill." We were a little deeper now, and we were almost there. The Suburban neighborhood was overtaken by trees, growing from every which way, cracking the pavement and shattering the surviving structures. Places like this always unsettled me, a twisted reflection of a time long gone.
Either way, we were close, which was wonderful news since I stopped feeling my legs an hour ago. Just past the diner was a gas station, and just past that was the border the cores made.
The feeling in my chest began alleviating as soon as we stepped through into the "fresh air," I'd gone without a gas mask to raise my Tolerance. As the twinge in my chest settled I gazed about this place, it was a combination of all sorts of structures, and what was once cheap housing. I've thought Mudtooth gave off a sort of prison-like vibe being made up nearly entirely of apartments for as long as I can remember, places like this just felt more natural to me, and they were far more alive as well.
The sort who inhabited Mudtooth were either people looking for a peaceful life or those who didn't like taking chances, the quiet loner types. We were well known enough around here, we came once every 2 months mostly just to have something to do and browse the shops. Days got boring and you can only drink away the boredom for so long, and I didn't much feel like delving into any dungeons right now.
Later on, I wouldn't have a choice since I'd be a part of the core resource gatherers. Only for a while though, I think I'd like to get out of that town someday. This means I'd need to find a replacement or they probably won't let me go.
I could just disappear but Isiah has stuff to do so I guess I'll have to stick around.
"Where you wanna go first?"
"Argus."
"Now I can respect that."
Argus was an absolute rat, and he'll scam the shit out of you if you let him, but he also has an almost absurd level of rare items because of his aforementioned scams.
As we walked down the street, kids ran about, and people sat on their porches, reading, generally chilling. If Mudtooth wasn't just a little safer I definitely wouldn't stay there. Maybe not here specifically but somewhere like this.
Just past this bend was what people lovingly referred to as, "Argus's Hole." He'd hired people to surround about 4 homes in wooden walls, and then had said homes hollowed out to hold his comically large hoard of junk. After he had his walls built he got thin metal sheets and polished them until they were squeaky smooth with his Everlasting Polish, As such it's kind of impossible to infiltrate.
He hired people and gave them a copy of his key and they dealt with his normal stuff on the streets, random junk, tools, components, etc. Whilst he alone did the dealing for any Uncommon and Rares,
There was no store, and if you wanted in you'd have to get him to let you in. That entailed trying to find him, and that was typically at a bar. They didn't as heavily regulate drugs and drink around here since these fellows are much less likely to drink themselves to death.
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He fumbled around a bit before putting the key in a hatch, it was the only way into The Hole. He swung open the door and climbed down. This was where the people got the name from.
He was probably 5'10, slim and lean, wearing a white T-shirt with blue jeans. He gave off an odor of scotch and sweat, supposedly he was 28.
We headed down and he locked the hatch behind us before lighting a lantern he kept on his belt.
Our steps echoed down the dirt tunnel and after maybe 20 seconds we reached another hatch that he let us through, climbing up we found ourselves in what was once 4 individual yards all merged. People clamored from house to house placing items on tables strewn about, before eventually having a pile they were satisfied with and shoving it all into bags before scurrying off to one of 4 hatches that acted as the sole entrances and exits.
"You go find a table I'll go get the stuff." His tone was light, maybe even a little squeaky.
"We know."
"Just double checking!"
And he ran off. Argus had his own hole in the ground he lived in. I've never been in there but it was probably a mess.
So we just sat about and waited, and Isiah and I just started chatting.
--------------------
He shifted, leaning his arm against the table resting his head on his palm, and spoke.
"Do you think it would've been better if we all got along?"
"Maybe, but the raiders do a good job lowering the population."
"True, so long as the Awakened aren't dying it could be considered a good thing."
"I've always wondered why they strive for such a goal, it's not like having a comfortable life with 2 dungeons and all of that, is ever going to entertain them."
"Maybe, but is it better to live uncomfortable for the thrill? Those who are comfortable get to watch as each day plays out the same till the day they die."
"There's no answer to that and there never will be. What people choose to do with their empty lives is always up to them."
"Doesn't feel empty to me."
He gave me a disagreeing nod. "Me and you are busy so often, do we understand what it's like to be like them?"
"I used to, even if I'm busy the only exciting thing to happen to me in years is Awakening. The monotony wears you down."
"Maybe that's the real reason people kill, just to feel something new, even if it is revulsion."
"Seeking a negative experience seems counter-productive."
"Was it ever counter-productive for you?"
"Maybe you don't get it but, where I came from violence was the question and the answer. It can't be counter-whatever if it never bothered me much in the first place."
Isiah snorted. "I'll never really understand you, maybe we're never gonna, not that it'll ever matter."
I placed a finger on the table. "True."
With a thunk, Argus sat down a duffel bag and leaned over with a smirk.
"Here ya go."
He kept his hand on it so I couldn't use Inform on it.
"So what are you looking for today?"
"Trinkets." We both said
He reached his full arm into the duffel and pulled out a school bag before closing it.
"Feel free to buy anything that tickles you're fancy."
Rather than opening the bag, I used Inform and read aloud to Isiah its contents.
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Name: Winter's Embrace
Affinity: The Cycle
Condition: Worn
Description
A large Snowflake that is incredibly tough and refuses to melt.
Bound Effect:
Winter's Call: Lowers the temperature of any room it's placed into a comfortable chill. Doesn't function during wintertime.
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Name: Long Life Match Strip
Affinity: The Cycle
Condition: Worn
Description
A match striker that seems nearly uncomfortably hot the the touch
Bound Effect:
Fiery striker: Matches lit with this match strip burn for nearly a minute whilst being brighter and hotter.
----------
Name: Everflowing Flask
Affinity: The Weave
Condition: Near-Perfect
Description
A circular thin flask made of rosy-colored glass with a rosy glass cork. Smells somewhat sweet at all times.
Bound effect:
Peach River: This flask is filled with 1 liter of peach tea at midnight every day, and can contain as much as 5 liters before the effect is disabled. Currently at 5/5 liters
----------
Name: Astral Shard
Affinity: The Weave
Condition: Perfect
Description
A small black shard covered in lightly pulsing cyan cracks that's no bigger than a ring finger,
Bound Spell:
Astral Guide: If you desire something and it's within 200 feet, the Shard will float above your palm and point in the direction you need to go until you arrive. Has a day-long cooldown after a successful use and an hour-long cooldown on a failed use.
----------
Name: Azarov's Locket
Affinity: The Ancient
Condition: Rusty
Description
"As I felt my fingers tighten around her throat I couldn't help but feel elated as my freedom grew closer. Once she stopped struggling, I snapped her neck. He was next."
An old rusty locket half the size of your palm that smells heavily of blood. A hidden switch on the back will reveal a small blade concealed within that constantly leaks crimson when revealed.
Bound Effects:
Gore-drinker: The Blade within will attach itself to any target it's embedded in and suck the blood out of their body
Azarov's Malice: Those you dislike feel an increasing level of cold the more you despise them and the closer they are.
Affinity Spell:
Nowhere To Hide: Those you despise can't hide from you, upon activation become aware of the location of those you wish dead, and retrieve Azarov's Wrath from within the locket.
----------
"I'll take the flask." I piped up
"That'll be 300 full coins."
"How about 3 gold halves."
"I've never heard of such a scam in my life!"
"Rich coming from you capitalist pig."
"Fine 75 full coins."
"Deal."
Argus raised his eyebrow at Isiah. "Anything for you today."
"Sure I'll take the locket."
"800 full coins."
"Mhmm."
I watched in horror as Isiah handed over a comically large amount of gold for an item that he could only use half of.
Argus gave us a cheeky grin before scurrying off with his newly made stack of cash.
"Why."
"I didn't feel like 'negotiating' with him today, 's not like I don't have the money for it."
"That thing is totally useless. Last I checked you didn't Awaken yesterday and you can't activate its affinity skill."
Isiah shrugged. "So?"
I sighed. "God I hate rich people."