The streets were unclean, dirty, and unsanitary. Compared to Fallen Crest, it was manageable and easier to survive in. Buildings leaned slightly, their wood sun-bleached and warped in various ways.
Some had the sign "CLOSED" on their windows. Some looked like they had been hit by a hurricane while others looked tattered and barely maintained.
But life flourished regardless of the situation humans found themselves in.
As he moved, he noticed various people busy with actions relating to their jobs. A blacksmith hammered away at an anvil, sweat dripping down his face as he worked, his muscles sore and wet. Each drop of the hammer, droplets of sweat sprinkled around him, and a loud, stressed moan from the man followed suit.
He looked tired but persisted with his work. It was astonishing and rare to see.
'Haven't seen a human work this much before. He's being harsh on himself. Haven't seen a human be this harsh on themselves before.'
'He looks overworked… he should take a day's rest and a warm massage to ease the strain on those muscles' he stared at his arms.
Beside his shop was a woman selling wilted vegetables from a cart. Children chased a scrawny dog through an alley, laughing despite everything around them.
Lucius didn't know what to say or think, he turned away and activated 'Streetwise' out of habit.
[Streetwise (Passive) - Triggered]
[Environmental Analysis:]
• Threat Level: Low (civilian area, guards present)
• Notable observations:
- Guard presence minimal (undermanned)
- Several buildings show signs of recent break-ins (bandit activity perhaps?)
- Residents avoid eye contact with strangers (distrust of outsiders)
- Black market activity detected: Alley behind the general store (illicit trade)]
He read through the information slowly, grabbing key points that felt interesting and necessary to him. 'Undermanned guards, bandit problems, black market'
He sighed softly, placing a palm over his face. 'Typical struggling border town. Perfect place to stay low and gather intel though .'
He raised his head and glanced at his surroundings before making his way toward the center of town. Where a weathered sign hung above a two-story building, reading: THE RUSTY NAIL TAVERN.
The place he was asked to visit for information by the guard he interacted with at the gate. The windows glowed with warm candlelight from the frames. Voices and the clinking of mugs drifted out through the open window.
Lucius stood outside for a while, then pushed open the door without any sort of permission.
—----------
He stood by the door and glanced through the place. The interior smelled of stale beer, roasted meat, and hours of sweat with no ventilation.
A dozen patrons sat scattered around the room: farmers, laborers, a few rough-looking type of men, smoking cigarettes, who might've been guards or might've been thugs.
He ignored the sight and pushed forward to the counter. Behind the bar stood a heavyset woman with graying hair tied back in a bun. She looked up as Lucius entered, her eyes sharp and assessing him already.
"New face?, haven't seen you around here before," she said flatly.
"You drinking or causing trouble?"
He shot back a calm smile to her question, "I have no reason for that. I'm here to drink and look for information."
She grunted at his response, a brief annoyed sigh escaping her lips. "Information costs extra and ale's three copper per round."
There was a brief silence after her answer, then she spoke. "The answers depend on the question."
Lucius searched through the pocket of his clothes and dropped five copper coins on the bar. "Here, for the ale and anything you know about work in the area."
The woman swept up the coins and poured a mug of amber liquid and slid it across the bar to his position.
He swiftly caught it before it could slip pass his fingers.
"Work? There's plenty of it around here but none of it pays well." She jerked her thumb toward a board on the wall covered in scraps of parchment.
"The bounty boards over there. Guard captain's offering coin for bandit heads, farmer Greaves needs help clearing beasts from his fields. And if you're that desperate, well… the mines are always hiring, though most don't usually come back"
Lucius took a sip of the ale and it tasted as bad as the place looked. He had already paid for it, so he forced it down his throat in one gulp.
"Heard there's someone in town who can find things… for a price." He whispered, his eyes glaring at her above the cup's lips.
The woman's expression didn't change, but her eyes narrowed slightly.
"You asking about Cophey?"
"Depends… Is Cophey the name of someone who can locate….hard to find items?"
She wiped down the bar with a rag, her voice dropping.
"Cophey is a broker. Information, relics, people.. if it exists and you've got the coin, then he can find it." She leaned in slightly to finish up her sentence.
"But he doesn't deal with just anyone. You want an introduction?, you'll need a reference or proof you're worth his time."
'Just the information I need..'
"Where do I find him?"
"You don't. He finds you, if he's interested." She straightened to pack the mugs on the table.
"But if you're serious about meeting him, ask around for Jaron. A scrawny thug who hangs around the east docks. He's one of Cophey's runners. Just mention you've got business and he'll pass the word along."
Lucius nodded slowly, finally setting the mug down for cleaning. 'East docks, Jaron. Got it'
The woman studied him for a moment, a soft expression appearing on her face for a moment. "Word of advice, stranger. Cophey's not the trusting type, he deals in secrets so be careful. If you're hiding something big, he'll know and he'll use it."
Lucius met her gaze evenly, "I'll keep that in mind."
He slid the terrible ale mug to the end of the table, left another copper as a tip and headed for the door.
—--------------------------
The docks weren't much, a few rotting piers jutting out into a dried-up canal that used to connect to the river. Crates were stacked haphazardly. The smell of old fish and stagnant water hung in the air.
Lucius searched around, walking down the docks until he spotted a lone man. He stared at him slowly, pulling up his appraisal skill. 'I wonder if it works on humans too..?'
[Appraisal activated!]
[Target: Human Male - Living]
[Name: Jaron]
[Estimated Age: Early 20s]
[Appearance: Wiry, malnourished but agile]
[Threat Level: Low-Medium]
[Status: Alert, assessing you]
[Notable traits: Carries concealed weapons, experienced with blades]
[Affiliation: Unknown criminal network]
[Streetwise Insight: This type talks big but folds under real pressure. Likely working for someone more dangerous.]
'Well this stuff just keeps surprising me every now and then.' He stared at the appraisal notification, reading through each line thoroughly.
Just as the system described, he seemed like a young man, maybe early twenties at least. He was casually carving patterns into wood, ignoring Lucius's presence.
He was thin, and wiry, with a patchy beard and a cocky smirk on his face. Somehow that annoyed Lucius, but he overlooked it.
'Guys like these are usually annoying..' he sighed.
Lucius approached casually, his hands visible in the air, showing no threats. "You Jaron?"
The young man looked up, eyes flickering over Lucius with practiced assessment. He saw his hunter's gear, weapons and a confident posture to top it all off.
He shifted his weight, placing his arm on his knees. "Depends on who's asking."
"Someone looking to do business with Cophey."