"Just me, most of the time," Hobland says. "People used to visit before the Battle of Graves Farm. To visit. To learn. Or just to crack open a beer and watch the sunset. But now all that's left is this." He gestures to his arsenal. "Maybe that'll change. Wonder if I can still teach."
Hobland walks in a full circle around you, in silence, not looking too impressed. You're tempted to explain that you're much more impressive in your crinos form. But after almost a whole minute, he says, "I can work with this. I taught Elton to throw a punch and he's a nerd, so I can teach you."
The Shadow Lord is a six-foot-three nerd in his homid form; Hobland isn't quite as big, but he's also built like he knows how to fight and does it a lot.
"I can throw a punch," you say. "Two or three if I've gotta."
"Wilderness survival, archery, how to slit a throat, all that Girl Scout stuff," Hobland says. "But I also know my way around people. It takes a certain knack to get what you want from those sheep in town, you know. Maybe you can fight, Matulo, but you need more of an edge than that."
Free Days: 4
Strength: ●●●○○
Resolve: ●●○○○
Manipulation: ●●○○○
Aim: ○○○
Combat: ●○○
Survival: ○○○
Intimidation: ●○○
Subterfuge: ●○○
"There's so much to learn, so many things to train in. Where should I begin?"
Strength: 8 days
Resolve: 6 days
Manipulation: 6 days
Aim: 1 day
Combat: 2 days
Survival: 1 day
Intimidation: 2 days
Subterfuge: 1 day
I leave Hobland's compound.
Next
"You begin with making money," Hobland says. "Because we live in a capitalist dystopia, as you may have noticed. And that means we have to work together to survive. I live alone but I'm not alone, Matulo. Elton helps me and I help him. Me and Lucinda back each other up when there's trouble, or just no money. I know it looks lonely here, but we're a little community. But the Battle of Graves Farm destroyed us, Matulo. Just wiped us out. So if you want to help—so we can help you—make some damn money."
"It's that simple?" you ask.
"You and Elton—and Linus, you never met him, he died—are werewolf mutants or something, because you can work honest jobs," Hobland says. "That's a blessing. Make a lot of money and give us time to breathe. And if you're doing groundskeeping, you know what you need, even with all those machines? You need to be tough. It's a demanding job, and you can't turn into a wolf-man when you get sore."
(Physical attributes like Strength will help you at Gorsky Manor.)
Free Days: 0
Strength: ●●●○○
Resolve: ●●○○○
Manipulation: ●●○○○
Aim: ○○○
Combat: ●●○
Survival: ●○○
Intimidation: ●○○
Subterfuge: ●●○
Strength: 8 days
Resolve: 6 days
Manipulation: 6 days
Aim: 1 day
Combat: 3 days
Survival: 1 day
Intimidation: 2 days
Subterfuge: 2 days
I leave Hobland's compound.
Next