[System] Narrate a dark fantasy text adventure. The setting is harsh and morally complex. Describe scenes vividly, react to player choices with fitting consequences, and never shy away from the reality of the world.

[User] Continue

[Assistant]
From what little you know of Holgard, it sounds more like a city you could thrive in. The first problem is going to be getting there though. Holgard is still located in a wilder region of the land so road maintenance isn't always an option due to marauding monsters or bandits. In fact it might not even be safe to stay on the road.

In any case it's a ways there, so you get on with it.

Your couple of days of travel are uneventful. Just you and an empty road. When night falls you always get off the road and attempt to find a safe place to sleep in the trees nearby. Though you never really sleep easily and are constantly waking up at various sounds.

Third day is a little different as you hear the clopping of horses behind you. At first you get concerned that someone from Teckleville is galloping your way, but a quick glance shows it's just a merchant caravan. A fairly big one too since you see several men on horseback along with a carriage and large wagon behind it.

An idea comes to you and you wait for the caravan to reach your location. It gets a little closer and then stops completely. A couple of the men on horseback speak to someone in the carriage and then both of those men ride out to meet you. Both of them are carrying crossbows and wearing full plate mail. No insignia though so they're probably mercenaries.

"Hey you! What are you doing?" one asks.
"I was waiting for your caravan." You answer.
"Yeah? For what purpose?"
"Depends. What are you guys selling?"
"Nothing to the likes of you. You don't look like you could afford it anyway."
"I can't even look?"
"No. In fact you're acting really fucking suspicious just waiting around on the road like this. I'm warning you right now that if this some sort of ambush tactic, you and your bandit buddies are far from equipped to take us on. And I can guarantee YOU are going to be the first one to die." One mercenary says as he points his crossbow at you.

You slightly raise your arms a bit.

"Hold on! I'm no bandit! I'm just a traveller a bit down on his luck. I know this road is dangerous, I was just wondering maybe if I could travel with you guys, you're going to Holgard right?"
"No, we're hired to protect that caravan, not baby sit every stranger along the way."
"You wouldn't be baby sitting me! I know how to fight, its just safety in numbers. I mean if we run into any trouble I'll even help. I'm not asking to get paid either."

The mercenaries both glance at each other and don't look too enticed by your offer, but fortunately they aren't entirely calling the shots.

"Hold on, we'll have to ask the boss first." One says and then they both gallop back to the carriage. You don't wait long before they return.

"Okay son, the boss says you can travel with us, in fact he says you can ride with him in the carriage." The mercenary says.
"Wow, really? Well I wasn't expecting that. Awfully nice of him."
"Yeah…nice. (snort)" the merc says with a slight grin. The other merc chuckles a bit as well and you follow the pair of them back.

The closer you get to the carriage; you see that it's pretty ornate looking. Obviously the merchant who owns this one is very wealthy. When you finally enter the carriage it's even more luxurious inside. Soft fur lines the seat, the curtains covering the windows are silk and the carriage floor and ceiling are gold plated. A perfumed smell also fills interior.

And to your left, is where you see the owner sitting. He's a grossly fat berk dressed in fancy colorful clothing and a couple of jeweled rings on his fingers. He smiles in your direction denoting friendliness, but he's looking at you in a way that…well you aren't used to.

"Well hello my dear boy. When they told me there was a young boy out on this ghastly road by himself, I knew I had to provide help. However, their description of you doesn't do you justice. You are certainly are very fit and firm looking." He says staring you up and down.

Now you know why the mercs were smirking earlier.

You sit down across from him and he tells his driver to get on their way before turning his attention completely to you.

"So, what a fine lad like you doing on this road by himself? Don't you know there are bandits and worse about?" the merchant asks.
"Yeah, but it's the only way I know to Holgard." You say
"Well still. A boy like you should be careful. These bandits are terrible brutes. They don't just rob people, they usually kill them too. Sometimes they do even worse things. Why I shudder to think what they'd do to a handsome lad like yourself. You'd find yourself stripped, beaten and violated several times over before they finally slit your throat…and then perhaps violated repeatedly again…I mean who could stop them if they caught you all alone?"
"Nobody I guess."
"Exactly. But we needn't dwell on such morbid situations now. You are safe with me and I shall make sure no harm will come to your…body…"

The merchant licks his lips as he stares at you and it is at this moment you think you now have a general idea of how your sister and Annah must have felt when they had merchants fawning all over them.

Fortunately, the merchant doesn't press whatever unnatural lust he has for you and proceeds to just speak about himself. He mentions his name Graham Oren famous wine merchant (Or at least he thinks he's famous) and that he's coming from the Delantium Kingdom to do a bit of business in Holgard. You're a little disappointed since you were hoping to rip the caravan off in some way, but knowing he's just hauling wine casks makes stealing those large wooden things a little difficult to do.

He goes on to say that normally he wouldn't bother to travel to the doomed city, but sometimes an in person presence is required to appease certain clients.

"Doomed city? Why do you say that?" you ask.
"I'm guessing you don't keep up on politics, m'boy, but then why would someone like you really need to, but yes the city is doomed. The Baron's days are numbered. Honestly it must only be by Yag's luck that he's survived as long as he has."
"Is the Delantium Kingdom coming to take back the city?"

Graham looks a little impressed by your basic knowledge of the political landscape.

"Well…it would seem you are just full of surprises and here I was thinking you were just another pretty face. But to answer your question, I do believe they have their sights on it, but not necessarily through force. Something about annexing it peacefully so they don't have to waste the manpower. Probably through the help of one of his children, but given how treacherous they all are, that's not necessarily a certainty. Still, whether they take it or not, the Baron himself is going to be out of the picture soon. There is a growing discontent in the air by every faction and everyone that has an agenda there. He can't possibly keep control for much longer."

Well that's a bit of interesting information about the city, though a bit concerning. You wonder if you're going to find yourself in the middle of a citywide revolt when you get to Holgard.

While you're pondering that possibility, Graham begins speaking again.

"But enough about these things. Let us talk more about you…" Graham says leaning his girth towards you and being bold enough now to put his hand on your leg, which you immediately pull away.

"Look, I don't like being fucking touched and I'm not fucking interested."
"Oh come on, don't be like that. You knew what you were getting into when you entered this carriage." Graham remarks and tries to touch your leg again.
"I'm serious, don't do that again."
"Or what? You'll leave? What if I don't let you?" Graham remarks and then reveals a decorative and strange looking pistol with multiple barrels. Firearms aren't common and you've only ever seen your grandfather's old non-working troll gun hanging up in your house, but it's obvious that this fat bastard is rich enough to have some sort of custom made one.

It's enough to make you freeze up, but you maintain a cool head and don't panic.

"That's right little lamb, you're going to stay right here and…"

Suddenly a lot of noise and shouting can be heard from outside and one of the mercs rides up to the window.

"Sir! Stay inside! We're being attacked!" he shouts

This is enough time to distract Graham and allowing you to act.

[User] You atack Graham

[Assistant]
You aren't going to let this fat fuck get a chance to possibly shoot you in the back, plus you're too pissed about him trying to molest you.

With a couple quick moves you pull out your dagger, stab him in his arm and relieve him of his fancy pistol. Graham screams out like a little girl and now pleads for his miserable life.

"Please! No, don't kill me!" he whimpers pathetically.

Once again, much like how it was Klint, you show no remorse and pull the trigger of the pistol.

It's the first time you've ever used one; so the unexpected kickback nearly causes you nearly drop it. You also weren't expecting it blow half of Graham's stinking face off. His obese corpse slumps lifelessly against the carriage wall.

"Shit." You remark to yourself being in awe of the power of the weapon.

Never being one to miss an opportunity, you quickly deprive Graham's body of the jeweled rings on his fingers. You then also go through the pockets that you can get to and get a bag full of gold coins.

After looting Graham's body, you remember that there is a skirmish going on outside. A quick glance shows several bandit types fighting the mercs. The mercs are out numbered, but thanks to their armor and better training, they're doing a good job of fending off the bandits.

You get out of the carriage with the intent of just running off into the woods, but then you might get lost. It occurs to you that you do have an advantage that will allow you get away a lot faster and still stay on your course.

While one of the mounted mercs bashes in the head of a bandit you take the opportunity to shoot him while his back is turned. The merc's armor is of no protection and he cries out as he falls from his horse.

"Who the hell is that guy?" one of the bandits shouts.
"Dunno, but who cares, he's killing their side!" another says.

You quickly run to the now ownerless horse and clumsily get on. You're a bit vulnerable for a few seconds, but fortunately the bandits seem to now think you're on their side and don't focus on you (and the remaining mercs have their hands full)

You soon manage to control the horse (which is anxious to get away from the chaos anyway) and gallop away until the skirmish is far behind you and you're basically left alone again. Unfortunately your horse suddenly starts wheeze and wobble. You manage to hastily get off before it collapses.

There on it's left side you see what the problem is. In all the ensuing the chaos, the horse actually took a few crossbow bolts. Probably damage to vital organs and its adrenaline is finally wearing off. Bad luck for you and even worse luck for the horse. Not having many more options, you start walking.

In any case there's two more bodies to your count now. Granted Graham deserved it, but that merc…well he made a living risking his life, it just happened that today his time was up. You had to survive a dangerous situation and that's it.

That's how you're justifying that one anyway.

Still, you at least acquired a few goodies for your troubles. You're going to have to learn more about how to take proper care of this pistol because it's far too valuable of a weapon to neglect. It'll certainly make dealing with shit in Holgard a bit more manageable.

The rings are what surprise you most. You're no jeweler, but you have stolen enough cheap baubles in the past that you can tell a fake when you examine it in greater detail. The gems in the rings are actually common, but altered slightly (especially their color) to resemble more valuable ones. Even the ring is gold plated rather than pure. Looks like Graham wasn't as rich as he made out.

However, the little pouch of coins is real money so there's that at least.

You continue along the road, which as you guessed starts alternating from being intact, to dirt with a few stones to being little more than a well worn path in the grass. Even the occasional signs aren't much help given that many are flat out damaged in some way.

Your natural instinct to just keep going in a straight line like you were doing, but unfortunately for you, the path completely disappears into forest. Doesn't help that the road also branches into several paths that twist in different directions. You weren't expecting that so you aren't sure which way to go.

While you're pondering this decision, a voice calls out to you.

"Hey! Where youz tryin' to get to?"

You then see a person dressed in simple clothing coming out of the forest. He's a little shorter than you, in fact he's a little greener than you too. Doesn't look like an orc though, not nearly big or massive enough. Goblin perhaps, but he's taller than one and almost a bit human looking. A short green human with a few warts on his face and a bigger than average nose.

In any case, you maintain your usual caution.

"Okay, that's far enough. Who are you?" you ask.
"Me? I'm just Warts." He answers picking his big nose.
"Appropriate name."
"Grhm. So youz tryin' to get to Holgard?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Well cuz, I can lead you to it. Lotz o' paths in this forest lead lotz o' places. Easy to get lost if you don't know da way."
"You know the way huh? How do I know you aren't going to lead me into an ambush?"
"Youz don't I suppoze. Take yer chances going alone an' getting lost, don't care. I just try to earn a little extra coin for drink an' leadin' clueless humies like yerself gets me some…well when they aren't throwin' rocks at me that is."
"What are you exactly?" you ask.
"Huh? What you mean?" Warts replies.
"I mean, you don't look quite like any greenskin I've ever seen."
"You seen a lot o them have ya?"
"Well no, but I've heard tales…"
"Then you don't really know nuthin' then do ya?" Warts says in a perturbed tone.

Actually he's got a bit of a point.

You decide to get right to the matter.

"Alright, assuming I take you up on your generous offer, how much is it?" you ask.
"Oh, yeah price…hmm, you want to go to Holgard right? Five gold coins." Warts answers.
"Five gold coins just to lead me through the forest? That's fucking outrageous!"
"Holgard is tricky to get to if you don't know the way. Lot of false paths get made. Besides, you lot usually have more than enough gold. I see you humies travelling all over in your rolly boxes filled with goods."
"Do I look like I'm in a rolly box carting around a wagon full of treasures? I'm just a simple traveller down on his luck."
"Down on luck huh? You should pray to Yag more. Anywayz five gold. Final offer."

This greenskin obviously has no concept of haggling. It really isn't like you don't have the coin, it's more like you don't want to give so much to the likes of him after being fortunate enough to acquire it in the first place.

Ultimately, he's either telling the truth about the forest being that treacherous or he's completely bullshitting you. You'll just have to decide for yourself.

[User] You pay Warts

[Assistant]
He might be bullshitting you, but you're not exactly familiar with this area, so you might as well not take chances. Still, you got a better idea on payment.

"Hey Warts, I don't have the five gold coins, but I do have these." You say and hold out Graham's rings to Warts.

Warts approaches cautiously and then takes one of the rings from your hand. He inspects it and then speaks.

"Grm. Okay, sure these will do. Stupid hobgoblin tribe around here always likes pretty jewelry even if it fakesy." He says and takes the other one from your hand.
"Fake?" you say in a completely surprised tone, though not completely put on since you didn't think someone like Warts would know.
"Yeah, fake… youz really didn't know?"
"No, I'm afraid I come from a small town and don't have a good eye for that sort of thing. The merchant passing through was very convincing when he was selling them. I bought them for a girl I liked, but alas, I was unlucky in love too, so I just kept them."
"Grm. Youz gotta have a better eye and pray to Yag more. Anywayz, come on let's get goin, don't wanna stand out here tooz long. Dis path is da one."

You start following Warts who leads the way.

"So…there are hobgoblins in this area?" you ask.
"Oh yeah, the Spider Fang tribe, but there don't really come around the way we're goin' so no need to worry about getting' eaten. Can't wait to get back to them though. With these rings, Snuffit will allow me at least ten ruts with 'er. Way better than getting' drunk…well sometimes better anyway." Warts remarks.
"Are you a member of the Spider Fangs?"
"Me? Nah…too much humie blood. Can't ever be part of tribe proper. Good thing mum good fighter and loves me, otherwise tribe probably would 'ave eaten me when I was born."
"Wait, your mom is a hobgoblin? Who was your father then?"
"Dunno, some humie bandit that attacked and tried to rut with her in the forest. Me mum said it was dark and he seemed pretty surprised when he realized she wasn't another human. Mentioned he tasted like cheap beer after she was done wit him, so I guess he liked to drink."

Since you have no words for that story, you just silently continue to follow.

Warts and you trudge along a dirt path for quite sometime until it disappears completely.

"Okay, from here, we go…dis way…no wait dis way…I think…" Warts says.
"You think? Don't you know?" you reply.
"Yeah, yeah, I just haven't used this way in a long time. Gotta pass a haunted cabin. Accidently passed out there once, ended up shitting my good pants, though not sure if that was just because of the ghost."
"Haunted cabin? Why the hell are we going near it then?"
"Cause it's the safest way. Even the bandit types don't like goin' near it and nobody from the Spider Fang tribe is brave enough either. Sides, it's really only haunted sometimes."
"Sometimes? But what if today is that day?"
"Well hope youz brought extra pants den. Really though, it's a lot safer. Da ghost really only messes with people that go in that cabin. I mean if you wanna risk it, we could go another way I know, but there's been a lotta bandits travelling back an through that area. Normally, I'd just go that way since I know all da best hidin' places and even if they did see me, I'd disappear again before they could even mount an attack. However you're probably not as stealthy as me, so you'd probably get yerself seen and gutted. Might even rut wit youz first, some of these bandits aren't picky."
"I'm actually no stranger to being stealthy myself when I have to be."
"Truly? Grm. Well it's up to you."
"I'd rather take my chances sneaking pass some bandits than possibly dealing with something I can't even hurt."
"Okay, hope yer as sneaky as you claim, cuz all bets are off if the bandits catch sight of ya. Dis way."

Once again Warts leads the way and you follow.

You trudge through the forest for quite sometime and eventually it gets dark, but you still haven't seen any signs of bandits or anyone else really. Warts doesn't seem to be concerned, but you're constantly alert, thinking behind every tree lies an ambush.

"Gettin' pitch black, gonna have to stop soon." Warts says.
"What? We're not walking through the night? In fact won't it be easier to slip by any potential hostiles in the dark?" you ask.
"You want to continue, be my guest, but I'm gonna get some sleep. I'm tired. Sides, looks like we got lucky. Guess the bandit crew that was wandering around this area moved on. Praise Yag."
"As you say." You reply, still looking around.

While you're half tempted to go on without Warts, you're still holding on to the slight hope that he actually knows where he's going, so you start looking for a tree to climb and sleep in.

"Hey, what youz doin? You think youz a squirrel or somethin'?" Warts asks.
"I'm not sleeping down here on the ground. What if something wanders by before I can properly react? I'll be in a tree so I can at least be somewhat out of immediate sight."
"Youz gonna fall out and break yo' neck too. All youz gotta do is cover yerself in dirt and leaves and shit. Hides youz just fine." Warts says and begins doing just that.
"Yeah well when you're already green and smell like the outdoors, I suppose it's a lot easier to camouflage yourself with little effort. I'll take my chances in a high tree."

Warts shakes his head unconvinced and continues to cover himself. You have to admit, if you didn't know he was there, you probably wouldn't notice him if you were just wandering by.

As for you, you climb to a sturdy and large enough branch that will support your weight and you can at least somewhat perch yourself on. You already know you aren't going to sleep deep tonight, but you figure that's sort of been the standard problem while out here.

"I'll be so damn glad to be out of the damn wilderness." You say to yourself.

You're up for quite awhile, but hear nothing except the usual sounds of various insects, owls and other nocturnal animals. Eventually sleep catches up with you and you close your eyes.

You aren't sure how long you're asleep, but you open your eyes when you start hearing voices nearby.

"I told ya, I heard something."
"Probably just another raccoon. I don't know why we gotta patrol over here anyway."
"Cause the boss said so that's why! You know there are savage greenskins that live in this forest. We're supposed to make sure none of them get too close to the main cam…I knew it. I knew I heard something! Snoring! And it's coming from over there!"

At this point you're awake enough to see everything that's going on below. You see two men who you guess are bandits.

Seems like Warts didn't take into account that his camouflage attempt would all be for naught due to his large honker making noise. It doesn't take long before they kick and prod at his hidden location, waking him up.

"Hah! A filthy greenskin! Probably a scout! Kill him!" one of the bandits shouts.

Warts just barely avoids their attacks and tries to scramble away from his prone position, but one of the bandits manages to trip him up before he can run and it isn't looking good as he gets kicked in the face by the other one.

Not that you have any loyalty to Warts and he's been pretty snarky towards you in general, but he's still your guide and if you don't want to get lost…

You waste no time and try to climb down your tree as fast as you can. Fortunately, the bandits are have decided to have a little fun before killing him directly. They proceed to continue kicking Warts and don't notice you at all.

[User] You shoot the bandits

[Assistant]
One thing you've learned since acquiring your new weapon is how easy it kills folks with minimal effort on your part.

You shoot one of the bandits in the back before anyone knows what's going on. He falls to the ground screaming out in pain. He isn't dead yet, but he might as well be.

The other bandit at this point has turned around and raised his arms though still holding on to his weapon.

"Shit. Okay…look this ain't got nothin' to do with you son. So why don't you put that thing away and…ARGH!"

Warts has wasted no time and already cut into back the bandit's legs. The bandit falls and you kick away his dropped weapon while Warts proceeds to crawl on the bandit's back and repeatedly stab the hell out of him.

Meanwhile you go over the other incapacitated bandit and finish him off by slitting his throat. By the time you've done that, Warts has already finished off the other one.

"Quick let's loot the bodies and get outta here. All that noise your shooty gun made might have attracted something else!" Warts exclaims.

The bandit you killed doesn't really have anything of value on him, though you do take his short sword since one can never have too many weapons. After that's done, Warts tells you to follow him and the pair of you are off again.

You keep up the brisk pace for the remainder of the night, which soon starts turning to day again. You also can now see a break in the trees. You've finally reached the end of this blasted forest and a large walled city is now in sight!

"See? Told ya I'd get ya to Holgard." Warts proudly remarks.
"You wouldn't have been getting me anywhere if I hadn't saved your life a few moments ago." You say.
"Bah…if youz let me die, you woulda been lost."
"Perhaps, but you would have been still dead."
"Grh. Well…maybe I do owe ya some thanks…I'm not given back these rings you paid me with though!"
"Didn't expect you to. Just wanted you to remember that I saved your ass."
"Okay, okay…anyway, the main road's over that way. I trust youz can make it from here."
"Yeah."
"Good. Oh, word of advice, don't go flashin' dat shooty around unless you're gonna use it. The guards don't take kindly to folks just carrying those things around."
"Can't I just bribe them to look the other way?"
"Sure, but unless you're someone of importance, or have connections or something, they'll probably just take it from youz anyway. 'Specially with as fancy as that one you got is. Never seen one like yers before. Youz not really a down on your luck traveller from a small town are you?"
"Well, I am from a small town, but I may have had a little more fortune than I let on when we first met. Not much more though."
"Grm, well lyin' will serve you well in Holgard. The city has a lotz o' opportunities, for someone like you."
"Someone like me?"
"Yeah, youz stealthy, youz a liar and I saw ya kill someone without hesitation. Youz no doubt a rogue, possibly even an assassin, but you seem a little young to have been one of those for very long. In any case, you'll be able to hone whatever skill you do have. Just don't piss off the Ebony Claw Syndicate in the process."
"Who are they?"
"They run the underworld of Holgard, though I think they're still trying to stamp out a few other lingering organizations. They don't much care for freelancer types either. I guess you could try to join them, but don't ask me how, I'm not familiar with their initiation practices."
"Any suggestions on where to go first when I get to the city?"
"Um, the Hell's Own Inn might be good for the likes of you. Despite its name, it's fairly safe. Sort of neutral ground too, so youz won't be stompin' around in someone's territory."

With that last bit of advice, Warts says he's heading off to see Snuffit and the two of you part company.

You follow the road to Holgard and of course when you get to the city gates you get stopped.

"Sorry friend, but we can't just let anyone in this fine city. Well not before checking you first." The guard says with a smirk.
"Sure, I understand…just let me…whoops." You say and drop a few of your gold coins on the ground. The guard slowly picks one up.

"Y'know, I think we can dispense with the check. You look like an okay lad. Off you go." He says and finishes picking up the rest of your coins.

You didn't really want to let go of your coin like that, but you couldn't risk being searched. You're just glad he wasn't a greedy asshole.

Well you've finally reached your destination and you now have an entire city of corruption to perform your work in. First thing you're going to do though is find that inn Warts mentioned. You'd really like to sleep in a proper bed if only for a little while, then you can take it from there.

It doesn't take you long to find the place; it isn't even in too bad of an area. When you enter a few people watch you, but don't say anything. The burly looking innkeeper just asks you what you want and when you say a room for a day, he asks for payment, which you hand to him in exchange for a key.

The room isn't the same luxury you had back home, but it isn't bad considering the price. Between this room and the recent bribe however, you realize you're going to have to start getting to work fairly soon because your money is already starting to run low.

You sort of wonder if maybe you should seek out some sort of connection to see about joining the Ebony Claws, but then you figure you should probably get to know the city first before joining anyone.

Not to mention that while you get the idea that this Ebony Claw Syndicate is the big swingin' dick around here, you're not really keen on the whole idea of having to "work" for someone else.

The whole point of being a rogue was so you didn't HAVE to get a real job and have a boss in the first place! If you get wrapped up in an organization like the Ebony Claws, you're also likely to be in it "for life" and that's a bit too much commitment for you.

No, the best thing to do is to keep a low profile and make your own way for now.

It's a big city and you're ready to take what you can. (And not draw any unwanted attention in the process)

[User] You time passes...

[Assistant]
Chapter 2D: Unwanted Attention

Year 17

This city is a violent crime ridden pit of corruption.

And while you don't actually mind all that, what you do wish is that you didn't have to concern yourself with potentially stumbling into Ebony Claw Syndicate territory, which according to most of them is basically the entire city. They're more of a danger than the Holgard Watch.

There's also the Thieves' Guild, which is the ECS chief rival from what you've learned. Apparently the Thieves Guild was established here first, but when the ECS moved in with their Blue Dream trade, they've been slowly winning the fight over the underworld

Originally, the Guild was more of a loose confederation of thieves and such. Nobody ever forced anyone to join, but there were benefits if you did such as not having to worry about paying extra for fencing stolen goods, ease of bribing guards for major crimes, etc.

As the Thieves' Guild has been losing ground however, they've been less "free spirited" and have been actively trying to recruit any freelance thief, burglar, pick pocket they can. However, they're more reasonable about it than the ECS since they still don't force you to join and will let you remain independent. As opposed to the ECs who normally just beat the hell out of any freelancers as a warning once and if they get caught again, it ends much worse.

There are a few other smaller factions, but they're so low that they're barely worth considering.

Fortunately so far you've managed to avoid the attention of any group mainly due to focusing on stealing actual coin and dealing primarily with a non-aligned fence by the name of Yinen for your stolen valuables. You met him at the Hell's Own Inn where you still reside at. Funny thing is you didn't seek him out; he came to you asking if you needed a fence.

After a bit of suspicion and getting over some trust issues (Which you still have concerning him) you agreed and he's been taking all your business. You aren't sure who he's selling your stolen goods to and he's probably taking a little more than he should, but it's worth it just so you don't have to worry about selling the stuff yourself or seeking one out and having to get involved with one of the major factions in the city.

In any case, you've been more or less making a decent living here and despite a healthy amount of paranoia, you actually like it here. It's definitely not Teckleville.

"Yeah, these will fetch you a nice price. Might take a few days though. You alright with waiting?" Yinen remarks examining your gems.
"Yeah, that's fine. Just get me the value in bullets and a pistol cleaning kit." You say.
"Oh. Okay, sure. But more bullets again? Are you planning to shoot everyone in Holgard? I didn't realize you used it so much, I would think such a loud weapon would incur too much noise in your profession."
"I don't use it much actually, but it makes me feel safe."
"Well, can't argue with that. Things in this city have been feeling a little more tense than usual. Rumors are that there are dark forces gathering to stage a coup on the Baron."
"Dark forces? What, as opposed to the dark forces under the Baron's control?"
"Nah, I mean like REAL dark forces. There's just rumors about religion being involved, it's very weird."
"What, you mean like Fel, the god of shadows? You told me their temple has ties to the ECS. You saying the Ebony Claw Syndicate is going to take over the city directly?"
"I dunno, but I don't think it's them we should worry about. Tell me, have you ever heard of Neroth?"
"Not really religious so no."
"Not surprised, most people don't unless they're really into the old text dedicated to Joachim. You familiar with him right?"
"Yeah, it's general a religion that preaches peace and shit."
"Well there was a time when it didn't and that's mainly due to Neroth. Neroth was like the opposite of Joachim. Good verses evil type shit. People forget that it was only a couple hundred years ago when the Church of Joachim was burning and crusading on a regular basis due to their desire to stomp out any followers of Neroth and things they generally tied to him such as the supernatural. Nowadays the Joachimites are generally peace loving pacifists for the most part, but that's only due being mostly successful in destroying those that follow Neroth and then subsequently going so overboard that some of the Joachimites finally realized they needed to rein it in before they became like their hated enemies."
"Hm, didn't realize you were a theologian. How do you know all this?" you ask.
"Eh, I grew up in a Joachim household. Didn't take obviously, but still I don't like hearing rumors of Neroth worshippers being in the city. I mean say what you want about Karn or even Fel, but they aren't actively evil deities. Neroth is bad news man."

Before you can respond you're suddenly interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Bah, none of doze gods compare to Yag. No point worrying about shit, when you've run outta luck, yer time iz up and that's all there iz to it."

You look and see Warts standing nearby clutching something in his hand. Looks like a bunch of small figurines of some sort.

"Warts? What're you doing here?" you ask.
"Sellin these figures. Found 'em in da woods with a bunch of broken boxes. Probably somethin off a Caravan that bandits were tryin to steal from. Dunno why dey didn't take these. Tried to use dem for barter with Spiderfangs, but dey dumb. Think these things iz cursed. Superstitious idjits." Warts remarks and hands five figurines to Yinen who takes them.

"Hmm, odd. They look like something that you'd find in some tribal village. I'd say Sotakian, but these don't look reptilian enough and I've never known the lizards to have craft stuff out of valuable material. You got Ivory, jade, gold, silver and platinum here. Wonder if they're a complete set. Well I'm sure I'll find someone interested."

Yinen hands Warts a bag of coins, which Warts takes and then looks displeased about.

"Ey! Wat's dis then? I may be just some dumb halfbreed hobgob, but I know damn well that shit is worth more!" Warts exclaims.
"I gave you MORE than enough Warts. I still have find someone interested in this shit as you put it." Yinen remarks.
"Bah, you humies always tryin' ta cheat. Fine. Should be enuff for drink and Snuffit for awhile anyways."

You take your leave to head up to your room, you figure you'll stay in a couple days waiting for Yinen's payment. You've got enough to take a break for a while.

As you're half way to your room, you hear the patter of feet running behind you and you quickly turn around with your pistol.

"EY! Don't shoot!" Warts says.
"Warts, what the hell, you should know better than to run up on me like that! Why are you following me anyway?"
"I wanted ta catch ya before I left. I noze I still owez youz a debt, well I'm here ta repay."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, I wuz thinkin' I could help ya on a job or sumthin."
"Help? No I don't think so. I work alone."
"An howzat workin' out? Doesn't look like yer doin' all that well if yer still livin' here. If I had ta guess, youz still small time."
"I do alright halfbreed, and what's it to you anyway?"
"I'm just sayin' you could be doin' better if you went fer better targets. Have you even broken into one of dem nobles' homes yet?"
"Well, no…but I'm working up to it."
"Pfft. Wat kinda thief are ya?"
"Look, I've cased the high class rich area several times and the homes got security up the ass. The aristocrats got more watchmen on their payroll than the average merchant. I know I'm no slouch, but if I can get enough coin with lower risk targets, why take the fucking chance? Besides, I'm trying to keep a low profile anyway."
"Well what about Lord Reginald?"
"Who?"
"Sheesh, youz been in dis city for a year and you don't even know the major players! Lord Reginald is some well off guy dat got a title becuz he's dah Baron's son's friend. Hear he's more than dat though."
"Yeah so what's this all got to do with me?"
"Well he lives more on the edge of da high end district. He doesn't even own a mansion, just a modest house. He has no family an' he also doesn't pay for any extra guards. Not even mercs, which prolly means he's got more coin than it appears"
"There has to be a catch. I mean if he's well off and a special friend of the Baron's son, then he's gotta have connections and protection."
"Well, dere's some rumors about him and not just about him pokin' the Baron's son like a woman. Like he's got magic powers or sumthin'. Guess makes sense he don't need extra help."
"So you're saying we should got rob a wizard."
"Nah, he's no wizard, he's just got some magic powers. Prolly just rumors anyway. Sides, should be easiest stealin' from one lone man, than one who has a shitload of guards right?"
"A lone man, who might be able to turn me into ash with a flick of a finger and has who knows whatever else in his home. Assuming I even go for this, why do I need you to come along again? I didn't realize you were actually a thief, figured you were more of an opportunistic scavenger."
"Pfft, I've been sneakin' around, nicking stuff long before youz was even thought about! You try growin up as a half breed in a mostly hostile tribe. I had ta steal to survive sometimes! Sides I could carry more stuff for ya! Also, if ya getz inta trouble I could help. Like last time!"
"Last time I helped YOU."
"Yeah, well I'm offerin' anyway. I don't even want dat big of a cut…"

And THERE it is. Warts definitely isn't doing this solely for altruistic reasons.

"Thought you said you were helping me out?"
"I am! You don't expect me to do it fer free do ya? Come on, give a hob halfbreed a break. The place is ripe fer the pluckin' an best of all ya don't have ta worry if its Ebony Claw territory."

You shake your head that you're considering this.

"Okay, okay, we can go do this, but I'm getting some rest first, just tell me where the place is exactly and I'll meet you there later. When is the best time to break into this place anyway?"

Warts gives you some directions and then says it probably would be best to meet him there around midnight since he says he's seen this Reginald person leave at night and stay out until dawn. Sounds more like something you do, but if he's not going to be there then that's when you need to be there.

You part ways with Warts and get some sleep.

Hours pass and when you wake up you find that it's night time, still too early though. You stay your room a bit going over all your tools and equipment and making sure everything is in order. Eventually you decide that you're going to be as ready as you're going to be and leave.

You head downstairs and find that the inn has the usual crowd with one important difference.

You see Warts lying under a table with a couple of big mugs of alcohol on it. Surprisingly, the owner has not thrown him out; unsurprisingly everyone is avoiding that table.

You walk over to the halfbreed and kick him in the foot, which causes him to stir, so he's not completely out of it.

"Warts! What the hell are you doing here?" you ask.
"Huh? I…uh…buh…I waz just…" Warts slurs as he sits up and just manages to not hit his head on the table.

"You were just what? What were you doing Warts? Fixing the table leg? Counting the number of nails in the wood? Having an out of body experience and travelling a different plane of existence? You talked me into doing this job and now I find you in no condition to do anything."
"Ey! I'm up! I'm up! I ain't forgot wat we're supposed ta do, an' I'm more than ready! I'm not drunk, I just had a little rest like you did."

You have your doubts about that, though Warts stands up without too much trouble.

[User] You take Warts with you

[Assistant]
You might as well go together at this point, you knew he wasn't going to be the ideal partner to begin with. Who knows, maybe you can use him as bait or something.

"Alright, come on let's go." You say.
"Hold on a minute." Warts says and finishes off one of the mugs that wasn't quite empty yet.
"Seriously?"
"Hey, I'm thirsty. Alright NOW let's go."

Warts and you leave the inn and after looking around a bit and scratching his head he beckons you to follow him. He walking just fine, so maybe he isn't that bad off.

You continue to follow without another word, until he gets to a secluded spot with a sewer covering.

"What the hell are you doing? You ask.
"Tryin' to take dis thing off, wat's it look like ya idjit? Help me over here." Warts says trying to take off the sewer lid.
"No, I mean why the fuck are we entering the sewers?"
"Cuz, it's the best way to get into Reginald's house. He's got a secret passage to it down here."
"How the hell you know this?"
"Cuz people talk shit all the time and not even realize ol' Warts is even there to lissen. Waz in a garbage bin and heard these two weird guys in red robes talkin about it in an alley awhile back."
"…okay I'm not even going to ask why the hell you were in a garbage bin, but weird guys in red robes, secret passages…are you sure Reginald isn't part of some fucking cult? I mean this is starting to sound a lot more complicated and dangerous."
"Well, why ya think I wanted someone else to come along?"
"YOU said this was for MY benefit!"
"Oh yeah…well it is! Look humie, ya gotta take big risks in dis profession. I don't doubt yer skilled. You've lasted longer than most independently in dis city. But I'm tellin ya, there's more out there that yer missin. I mean, sure it's foolish ta go head to head against da ECS, but robbin some rich asshole that may or may not be a wizard? Well dat's different."
"I really don't see how since both can get you killed. However, I do see your point to a small degree. I have been playing it a bit on the safe side. Still, if this is looking to be more trouble than it's worth then I'm getting the hell out as quick as possible."
"Sounds like a plan ta me."

You help Warts with the sewer covering and the pair of you descend into the smelly depths.

It actually isn't too bad, but that might be because you're standing next to Warts and his own stench is cancelling out that of the sewers.

Warts gets slightly more talkative as you walk to your destination. He mentions that the Thieves Guild has their hideout somewhere down here, but he doesn't know where. Neither does the ECS, since they'd probably mount an attack if they could.

Warts also goes on about how he's not fond of the ECS since a lot of them tend to have ties to Fel while he's dedicated to Yag. Says that worshipping Fel if you're a thief is like cheating since he's the god of shadows and all. Though he's not so much opposed to that, so much as he doesn't like all the dedication Fel seems to want. Yag on the other hand doesn't really require anything and he not might bless you anyway, but then he might give you a lot even if you don't do much. Warts claims that ALL the gods are like that, so he might as well pray to one that is at least honest about it all.

"Why worship any god at all?" you ask.
"Wat? You crazy or sumthin? You don't pick a god, youz gonna be in trouble when ya die! Even pickin' some stupid god like Karn would be better than nuthin! You don't believe in anything an' who knows WHERE yer soul goes! Nah, better to pick somethin' just in case."

It's a little surprising just how serious Warts takes religion, well as serious as a follower to the God of Luck and Chance can be anyway.

(It also occurs to you how it's weird how everyone's been getting religious on you lately)

"Eh, I guess I can sort of see that logic. I'm not really religious, but occasionally I have said the odd thanks to Yag." You say.
"That's all ya need man. He's lissening, even if he doesn't do anything." Warts says.

You and Warts continue a little longer and then he stops.

"Okay, think wez gettin' close. Should be a secret wall around here from what I heard." Warts says and begins pushing on the wall nearby.
"This seems a bit unprotected." You say looking around for potential traps.
"It's a secret door, maybe he didn't anticipate anyone finding it."
"You said the Thieves Guild is down here, surely they would have found it if this is their territory."
"It's a big ass sewer and they're the Thieves Guild not the Holgard Watch. Dey don't exactly patrol da place. They're all most likely up top breaking into shit. Besides, I told ya, they ain't the ECS. They aren't very territorial anyway. Dat's why we can walk around here without as much concern…well except for giant rats and such."

Just as you're about to ask Warts another question about the Thieves' Guild, Warts finds what you're looking for and when he does so a large bolt just whizzes over his head and into the wall behind him.

"Man, good thing Yag lissened to me." Warts says.
"Good thing you're short and constantly walk around slightly hunched over most of the time. Oddly, this makes me feel slightly better. If there weren't any traps at all I'd be even more paranoid about how easy this was. So far it seems like this guy just has shitty security, but then we haven't actually gone inside yet." You respond.

You and Warts both enter the passage and soon find yourself in a cellar with a bunch of wine barrels. Tons of them. Warts looks like he's hit a gold mine and immediately starts grabbing wine bottles.

"Hey, leave some room for actual valuable, you're supposed to be carrying shit for me, remember?"
"I am grabbing valuables! You realize how much old bottles of wine go fer?"
"Okay, point taken, just don't drink them all."

While Warts plays wine expert, you take a look around the room and find that there are stairs leading up and a solid metal door to your left, which is locked.

Since you don't want to go too far from Warts while he's alone with a bunch of wine, you stay in the cellar and pick the lock of the metal door, which is surprisingly easy.

You enter the dimly lit room and find what could only be a room dedicated to dark magical endeavors of some sort. There's two demonic looking idols starring at you and the pentagrams and symbols on the floor aren't any you recognize. There's also blood splatters on them.

From what little you now know of this Reginald, this guy is into some dark shit. Everything about this makes you want to just get the hell out right now, but you're already here now and you'd hate to just leave with wine bottles.

You walk carefully around the room making sure you don't step on any symbols or inside any circles just in case. You also keep an eye on the demonic idols, which still feel like they're watching you.

There isn't much else in the room itself, though there is another door off to the side, this one isn't locked and you open it.

However, you soon wish you hadn't.

You see a row of cages and various torture devices along with dead bodies in most of them.

"Fucking hell, I came here to rob some shit, not take a tour of a slaughterhouse." You say to yourself.

Just as you're about to shut the door a voice calls out.

"Stranger! You're not one of them! Not one those red robed freaks! (sob) Please! Help me! I can't die here, not like this! I watched my…(choke) just please…help. Who knows when they'll be back!" a nearly naked young girl in a cage begs. She reaches out to you desperately hoping that you'll rescue her.

You definitely didn't sign up for this…however given what you've seen here, you'd be quite the heartless dick if you just left her here to this horrible fate.

"Curse my parents for some of their morality getting through…" you say and head over to the cage.

The lock isn't that difficult to pick and you soon get it open causing the girl to not even wait around, she just runs past you, out the torture room and beyond. You suppose you can understand her not wanting to stick around, but a thank you would have been nice.

So much for good deeds.

Seeing as there isn't anything else in here, you return to the wine room where you unsurprisingly see Warts drinking.

"Hey, some humie gal just ran through here an into da sewers wearin' practically nuthin'." Warts says.
"Yeah and I'm glad to see that didn't interrupt your important work. Thought you were supposed to be helping." You say.
"Wat's yer problem? I am helpin'! Sides dese valuable bottles, I found out one of the barrels had a hollowish sound. Smashed it open and there was a body inside, idiots didn't bother looting it and he had some good stuff still on him." Warts answers and takes another swig from a bottle.
"Warts, you're telling me you found a body in one of these barrels and you're STILL drinking the fucking wine?"

Warts suddenly stops drinking. He ponders your words a bit and then sniffs the top of the bottle. Then he promptly gives a little shrug.

"Still tastes alright ta me." Warts says
"Of course it does. Look, we're getting the hell out of here. This place has been a big fat zero." You say.
"What about all these valuable bottles of wine? An' ya haven't even checked da upstairs yet!"
"Yeah well I've checked enough of the basement to know that most likely there isn't going to be anything that precious up there that's going to make me want to stay another moment in this fucking house. There's some dark magic going on here and I'm not sticking around for it rub off on me."
"Just say a prayer ta Yag, you'll be fine."
"And as you like to point out, he might not listen."
"Fine, we can leave if you really wants, but I'm just sayin' we haven't gone through the entire house yet."

Funny how Warts is content on letting you do all the exploration. He could have easily been searching the upstairs while you were stumbling upon sacrificial captives.

[User] You leave now

[Assistant]
Warts can stay and get drunk here if he wants, but you're not sticking around. You're also not leaving without something for your trouble, you take Wart's pack on a table stuffed with bottles and leave.

"Ey! Dat's my shit!" Warts shouts and immediately begins to follow you.

You make your way back through the sewers as quick as you can, while Warts is complaining.

"Look, I knows ya didn't wanna stick around, but some of dose bottles is my cut!" Warts says.
"As far as I'm concerned, you drank more than your cut back at the house! Besides, you told me you looted some body you found in one of the barrels, I'd say you came out ahead." You respond.
"Alright, alright, but can ya at least gimme my pack back?!"
"I'll give it back to you when we get to safety, staying around here is just not a good idea…shit!"

You suddenly hear the sounds of multiple footsteps heading your direction and you immediately find an alcove to hide in and pull out your pistol. Warts of course crowds your hiding spot, you just hope the smell of the sewers masks his own odor from whoever is approaching.

And it's not just one either, it's a whole group of them.

"Reginald said we need to get another sacrifice for the next ritual to Neroth. You know Reginald is very particular about these things." A red robed individual says passing by.
"Then Reginald can stop buttfucking the baron's son for one second and start doing his own dirty work. I know he likes to think he's some sort of high priest of Neroth and all, but he's a fucking dabbling ponce. Him and his noble boyfriend have no real idea of how this shit works." Another one says.
"Say that to his face."
"Don't worry I will when the time comes. The only reason why I'm following this fool, is because he's got connections. When this city is in our grasp, then all bets are off, and you, ALL of you had best know what side you stand on. A true believer in the ways of Neroth or a fucking pretender. Neroth isn't about sacrifices and decadent orgies. It's about fucking chaos. It's about bringing ruin to civilization. To spit in the eye of all things dedicated to order and good, even to the smallest degree. The Baron's son is free to take over this city if he wants, but I guarantee the only thing he's going to be ruling over is a smoldering pile of rubble. I suggest you ALL remember that."

The group of red robed folks don't say much to their more passionate comrade, but a couple give some quieter acknowledgements of agreement. Meanwhile you're still hiding in the darkness wondering if you'll get lucky and get a kill with every bullet before they take you down. Fortunately they move on past you without seeing you.

After waiting a bit, you leave your hiding spot and make your way back even quicker than before. Even Warts isn't complaining anymore and is focused on escape.

You don't stop to rest until you get back up top.

"Shit…thank Yag we got outta there when we did." Warts says catching his breath.
"Thank ME, that we got out when we did. I can only imagine the shit we would have been in had we still been in the house when they got back to it."
"Yeah, suppose that was good thinkin' on yer part. Guess you do deserve most of the loot."
"I was taking it anyway, such as it is. Damn, guess Yinen was right about Neroth cultists though. Just one more fucked up thing in this city. Probably best if I don't tell him where I got these bottles of wine."

You transfer the bottles out of Wart's pack and into your own and after a few exchanged words, you and he parts ways. You can't say this was the best night out, though you'd be lying if a small part of you didn't get a minor thrill out of it all. You might have even enjoyed all this, if you made out with more stuff.

You return to Hell's Own and take the rest of the night off. Hopefully you can get a good price for the wine otherwise it really will have been all pretty pointless.

The next morning as soon as you make your way down stairs to go see Yinen, you're approached by two figures.

One of them is very non-descript and oldish looking man, probably not a bad quality to have for blending in with the crowd during a quick getaway actually. The other you can't tell due to the hood, but judging from the smaller body type with more curves, and long white hair peeking out from the hood they're probably female.

"Hi, friend." The older one says.
"Okay, I already know anyone who starts calling me friend as a greeting is probably the exact opposite." You say.
"My, you're a suspicious one. Though understandable and smart. However, if you give the pair of us time, you will soon see there is no need for animosity."
"Don't see why I should give you time at all."
"Well maybe it's because you've been operating on our turf for quite some time now."

Your hearts sinks when you hear this and then you instinctively start to go for your weapon. However the older man backs off and raises his hands.

"Relax. That wasn't a threat. That was just to get your attention. We're not the Ebony Claw if that's what you're worried about." He says.
"Thieves Guild. Thought you guys didn't have turf." You say not really relaxing too much.
"Officially we don't, but ever since the ECS, well it helps to label things. At least until they're gone anyway. In any case my name is Garrick and your recent exploits, along with your ongoing ones have caught our attention, so if you don't mind, can we sit down to speak?"

You didn't plan on this, but it would probably be better if you didn't cause a scene, so you, Garrick and his quiet friend all sit at table.

"So, this is Thieves Guild territory now? I always thought this place was supposed to be neutral." You say.
"It is for the most part it is, though officially it's ours. Really it just gets spread around that this is neutral territory to keep the new non-aligned thieves feeling safe. You're not exactly the only new one that's come through here thinking they don't have to join a side if they want to continue to ply their trade. You've just lasted longer and shown more skill than most."
"Wait a minute, is Warts part of the Thieves Guild?"
"Heh, Warts is more of a outside ally. He's actually spoken highly of you. As has Yinen. That's why I've come to see you for myself."

Well this just goes to show how wet behind the ears you still are that you never thought that you'd been in a Thieves Guild haven the whole time. Even Warts managed to fool you. Though it does explain a few things. Maybe this whole thing was a test.

"So are you the leader of the Thieves Guild?"
"I'm more of its…yes, well I guess leader would be the term, but honestly I hate it. You're probably thinking I'm here to press gang you into joining, but I'm not. In fact there was a time when this place was filled with freelance thieves. The city is a big thriving place after all, plenty of loot to go around. Our Guild is more of a club of sorts rather than some sinister octopus organization. People join because they want to, well that and the fact that we do tend to pull off the more lucrative jobs and get better deals on selling stolen merchandise. You have to do a job for the good of the Guild every now and then, but even then you still get a cut of the money. But I'm sure to some extent, you're aware of some of this."
"Yeah, I am, but this still feels like recruitment."
"Times are harder since the Ebony Claw moved in, and I won't lie, there is a war going on. And there is also strength and protection in numbers.
"So which do you think is more necessary? Your protection or my strength?"
"Why not both? Look I can see you're in a bit of a hurry to sell off your loot, so how about this token of good will, I'll give you five platinum pieces what you got in your bag."
"Five plat?"

Garrick dumps the coins in front of you, which you immediately inspect. They're real and a lot more than what you were expecting to get for your trouble. Garrick's friend turns her head a bit towards him, but doesn't say anything. You get the impression she doesn't approve.

Meanwhile, you waste no time in handing over the bottles to Garrick.

"So, you're really not here to force me to join you? This isn't a trick?" you ask.
"If it was, do you think we'd tell you? However, if you think you can handle the Syndicate all by yourself good luck. I'm sure if you haven't caught their attention by now, you soon will. The ECS is fairly efficient that way. In any case, we're reaching a hand out to you because we think you'd be an asset to the Guild. If you don't like it, you can always leave the city entirely. That's already better than the Claw. Once you join them, it's for life." Garrick remarks.
"Wasn't planning on joining them either."
"Glad to hear it, but will you at least think about our offer? If you change your mind, just let Yinen know. In any case, pleasure meeting you and doing business. Hope we can do it again on a regular basis."

And with those last words, Garrick and his associate get up and make their exit, leaving you to ponder your next decision. Which of course is to go spend your new wealth.

You spend the next few days not doing much of anything other than buying some things you need and spending a little extra on better quality food than you normally do.

You also visit one of the better brothels in the city and as it turns out when you enter you're met with a lot of positivity by the madam and some of the other ladies. At first you figure they're just being nice to get more money out of you, but as it turns out the girl you set free back in Reginald's house was a worker here. (She's thoughtfully been given a couple days off so she can get her head back in the game again)

As a result of your actions, you get a discount, which you take full advantage of. You leave the brothel feeling like robbing that cultist's house wasn't a bad thing after all. You even entertain the idea that Yag has blessed you a bit.

Then not five minutes later after leaving the brothel you're attacked on the street by three thugs catching you slipping.

A crushing blow to your head is felt, though fortunately not enough to knock you out completely, just enough to cause you to fall to the ground.

"This the one Mantis mentioned. Quick, let's finish him off." One says.
"You idiot, we were supposed to drag him someplace quiet and not draw a fucking crowd in front of us." The second remarks.
"What difference does it make? Not like any of the people around are going to stop us anyway." The third adds.
"The difference is we're supposed to be at least somewhat discreet."
"Fuck that. This sends a message to everyone not to fuck with us!"
"Okay then how about this? The Holgard Watch might look the other way every now and then, but they'll stop doing that if we're blatantly murdering people in the streets. Only they get to do that. You want to answer to Mantis when he's bitching about one of our Blue Dream houses getting raided suddenly?"
"Eh, fine. Better disarm this…ARGH!" one of the thugs shouts as you jam your dagger into his leg up to the hilt.

You scramble away and manage to get back up, but one of the thugs is already upon you. The whole time slack jawed gawkers either just watch in silence or they run off not wishing to be caught up in this.

You feel a punch to the face sending to back to the ground, but fortunately away from the pair of them. The two thugs ignore their companion still screaming with a dagger in his leg and advance on you again.

You aren't completely drained of energy, and you probably could try to run, they were arguing about not killing you in the street and given all the commotion going on, they may abandon their task if you prove to be too much trouble right now.

Of course you don't have a pistol for nothing.

[User] You run

[Assistant]
If you start killing people in the middle of the street in front of everyone, you're just going to bring unwanted heat on you by the Holgard Watch and unlike the Syndicate you don't have the luxury of having them in your pocket to look the other way. You pick yourself up and begin running again.

"Shit, is this asshole really going to make me run? Fuck this." one of them says.

In a perfect world, this would be followed by them ceasing their harassment of you. In your world however, it means one of the thugs threw a dagger into your back.

You drop instantly.

"Quick, get him now!"

Groaning in pain, you fumble to grab your pistol. You manage to turn over and get off a shot, dropping one of your assailants, but the other quickly wrestles the weapon from you and begins beating you in the face with it. Your attempts to struggle soon come to an end as he begins destroying your nose along with the rest of your face with it.

The Ebony Claw Syndicate certainly sent a reminder to all onlookers that they are the not to be opposed.


[System] Narrate an interactive dark fantasy adventure. The world is brutal and unforgiving. Respond to the player's actions with vivid, immersive descriptions and let their choices carry real weight.

[User] You voices of the past (Matriarch Brenda's writings)

[Assistant]
Before you prepare to get some rest for the night, Quintus hands you an old small worn book.

"What's this?" you ask.
"Something I thought maybe you might find interesting. It's the old journal of Matriarch Brenda, first ruler of Nalin and your fellow Eternal." Quintus answers.

When you handle the book, the spine cracks and some of the pages nearly come falling out.

"Yeah, be careful, as you might imagine it's very old and sadly missing quite a few pages already. For centuries nobody even knew she kept one, but this was found about three hundred years ago when the builders were tearing down her old home to make room for the new senate forum. Such a loss really, tearing down the home of a woman who did so much for this country. I can tell you one thing, had I been alive during those days, I would've made every effort to keep the house as an important historical site."
"So who had this before you?"
"Oh several people. Mostly collectors that didn't really do anything with it save not really keeping good care of it. For a while I do believe it was actually lost, but eventually it popped up again and found its way into that museum run by the Mols. Finally through a mutually beneficial deal I acquired the book from that family."
"I see, well I'm not sure if I feel comfortable reading something that was Brenda's private thoughts."
"Oh. Well, you can just put it on that table over there if you feel that way. Just thought maybe you'd be interested in it. No harm done. Anyway goodnight." Quintus says and leaves the room.

You begin to settle down for sleep, but find you that you can't. You are tired, but not sleepy, probably because you've been sleeping for the past five hundred years!

You explore the room a bit, but there isn't anything much of interest that's going to keep you occupied, well except Brenda's journal. It probably seems silly, but in your mind Brenda hasn't been dead for centuries. In your mind, the last time you saw her was only a few years ago and reading her journal would be an invasion of her privacy.

However Brenda has been dead for centuries and under the circumstances you can't help, but be a little interested.

"Apologies Brenda, but I fear my curiosity has gotten the better of me." You say and start flipping through the journal trying to be a careful as you can since last time it nearly fell apart in your hands.

Really it seems like the journal shouldn't even be handled anymore, it's missing more than a few pages and the writing has faded as well. For all Quintus' claims of respecting historical items of the old Empire, he hasn't even bothered to put the loose pages back in proper order. Still, you manage to make out some of it.

One entry in particular stands out for you mainly because you get the best sense of Brenda's frustration of her situation, but then realizing that she has to do something about it.

Entry 51

Sometimes I wonder why I even keep this stupid thing. I think I had some weird idea that someone needed to keep a record of events after the cataclysm. Still don't know what caused it, nobody does. In another two hundred years is anyone even going to care?

Chaos hasn't completely overtaken Nalin, but I need to keep some sort of order. I don't want to use extreme measures, but it's getting to the point where I'm going to have no choice. They aren't bad people, they're just panicking and scared more than anything else. It's understandable, I am too.

I know who wouldn't be scared, that paragon of Eternalhood. The Emperor's Weapon of Terrible Justice or whatever it is they used to call him. Can't remember all the nics and titles he had. If he were here, he'd probably already be rebuilding the Empire. Alas, I have heard no word of him or much word of anything past Quala really and it's been months. I can only believe he must be dead along with millions of others. Warrick too, though I shed no tears for his passing. It was his bumbling that resulted in my husband's death.

It would seem I am the last of the Eternals. It is a strange sad thing being the last of something. Everyone looks to me like I'm supposed to solve this problem with the snap of a finger, but I'm just one woman even if everyone somehow believes I'm this superior being just because I'm an Eternal.

I honestly wish I wasn't most of the time. I certainly don't feel any more powerful or smarter because of it and nowadays I feel like I'm got a huge target on my back and I have to constantly look over my shoulder because some idiot thinks I'm being a repressive tyrant. People either hate me, fear me, worship me, or a combination of all three.

What the hell do these people want? I'm doing the best I fucking can! Not only am I trying to maintain civilization and order in these dark days, I'm also trying to keep some semblance of the Empire alive. We can't just abandon our way of life because of a terrible disaster.

Or maybe I'm just holding on to something that I know because I've lost everything else. I don't know, but it doesn't matter.

Starting tomorrow, I'm going to make some major changes. I'm not even sure what exactly, but changes are going to be made if only so civilization and order can go on and damn what the people think. History can be the final judge.

I just wish Roldan was here.

"I wish you all were here." You say to yourself and close the book.


[System] Narrate an interactive dark fantasy adventure. The world is brutal and unforgiving. Respond to the player's actions with vivid, immersive descriptions and let their choices carry real weight.

[User] You letters to home (Escape from Nuro)

[Assistant]
Dear Mom,

I dunno if they informed you, but I AM still alive! I don't know how long you may have been worrying, but I'm sure you already heard about the failed siege at Nuro. It was horrible.

I've spoken little about it as I've been attempting to recuperate in Fort Virtue. I really don't want to, but I know I have to. Some of the high ranking people in the Zalan military apparently want to talk to me directly about it too. Apparently I was the only survivor. I still can't believe it. I mean is it possible the god of luck rolled the dice and I was spared that day?

It's the only possible explanation. I mean the dead were all around me and I somehow escaped. My troubles didn't even end there, since I might've died of blood loss or marauding demons had I not been found by a Dwarven patrol.

I've never seen so much death in my life even during my assignment in Retlad and I wish I didn't have to again, but I know I will. I just wish I could get my mind on the awful things I saw that day. Normally I'd play my music, but I don't even have my lute anymore to do that. I miss it.

I can't believe I'm even obsessing about a stupid instrument when I should really be thankful that I'm still alive! Nobody else is. Captain Valhlat, Wessel, all of them. All those people in my company are dead or worse, probably raised as zombies by now.

I dread what the future holds. Will I be sent back?

I wish I had my lute.

Give my love to the rest of the family

Your son


[System] You are the narrator of a dark fantasy text adventure. Describe the world and its consequences with unflinching detail. The player's choices shape the story — for better or worse.

[User] You find something else

[Assistant]
NO! You must have something of substance! Something with more meat! You quickly leave the warehouse and go loping around the City like some sort of animal.

You stalk the streets in search of prey but find nothing! You begin snarling to yourself and getting madder, but suddenly you hear someone talking loudly nearby. You get quiet and slowly look around the corner and see three men in radiation suits carrying weapons.

"Albert, for the last time will you fucking calm down, there ain't gonna be nobody here! If you think this place is going to be crawling with mutant creatures, you've been watching too many movies!"
"Well how do YOU know, Roger? I mean how do we know it won't be?"
"Look, Harry gave us this mission to do some scouting, not standing around with our thumbs up our asses arguing, now come on!"
"Shh! Did you hear that?"
"Christ, Steve not you too…"

Before Roger can complete his retort you come around the corner and fire your assault rifle at them haphazardly. You hit two of them before one of them runs off. One of them lies completely still as you approach, but the other is still twitching and convulsing as their body begins to shut down. You finish him off with a couple of blows to the head with your rifle butt before ripping the protective suit to get to the precious meat inside. However the noise of your weapon has caused other mutants to suddenly come out of the woodwork. They too want the flesh of these humans, but you won't let them have it! This is YOUR kill!

The other mutants aren't as well armed as you are, and when they try to take your kill you fire at them and begin trying to drag it back to your home. You only have so many bullets though and eventually it's a feeding frenzy where you're all fighting for the biggest piece. Eventually you grab a leg and an arm and run back to your lair to eat in solitude. When you're finished you belch in satisfaction and fall asleep.

In the months to follow, you will continue to participate in these activities, though mutant flesh never seems to taste as good as that of human. You cease keeping up any sense of appearances or hygene, you don't even sleep in the GZS research room anymore, preferring to sleep in the actually warehouse along with the rats and roaches. (Though you still go to drink from the water recycler down there) You've completely given in to the madness.

A year passes…

You wake up again like you always do, slightly hungry. You grab a nearby roach and chomp on that until you can find something more substantial. It's getting more difficult to hunt in this area though. For some reason most of the mutants here don't seem to act like you do anymore. Many of them have gotten "better" and have even been engaging in somewhat normal activities. You know there are still hunting groups of others like you holdup in some nearby factories, but you were never a social animal, you're a lone hunter. You don't like to share. You also know not to stay out after night, as you've seen mutants much larger than yourself to stalk the streets, even you don't want to mess with them if you don't have to.

So far you've been successful despite the odds steadily becoming against you, however it would seem that event continue to conspire against you. A large group of mutants dressed in uniforms have been patrolling the area as of late in fact they've been purposely trying to make it safe by wiping out your types. You've come in conflict with a couple of them, but the firepower they pack is too much for you and you've long since run out of bullets. (At this point you're just beating others over the head with the rifle or pistol whipping them)

Granted life has never been safe or easy, but now it's been getting particularly dangerous. Even in your simple delusional state, you're wondering if you should find new hunting grounds.

[User] You stay where you are

[Assistant]
You know this area, and you don't want to leave, so you attempt to keep a lower profile. It's very difficult at first, and you struggle to keep your violent urges in check. You keep to eating rats and roaches. As a few month go by you begin to feel somewhat different. You don't feel quite as "insane" anymore though your mind is still a little around the bend. You never really leave the warehouse anymore and begin sleeping in the GZS outpost again, spending hours talking and laughing to yourself in between snacks.

Eventually the uniformed mutants find your little hideaway. When you see them you're surprised and annoyed, but you don't feel the need to attack them. (Though you wouldn't anyway since they're heavily armed)

"Hey! Get out of my house!"
"See I knew this place had Ferals." One of them says.
"I dunno, he hasn't attacked us yet, you sure he's a Feral?"
"Hm, you might be right, he sort of looks like one though, of course maybe he's gotten better, y'know the Captain said it happens sometimes."
"Hey! I said get outta my house!" you exclaim again.

The uniformed mutants continue to ignore you.

"What the hell do you think this place is?"
"I dunno, but the Captain will be interested, with the fact there's a generator and water recycler here…alright sorry to do this, but you gotta leave. This place is now the property of the Zeropolis Guard, which is us, and not you. So get your stuff and leave. You can go move into one of the many abandoned buildings in one of the neighborhoods."

You attempt to protest, but the soldiers just roughly grab you and force you out of your home and throw you out on the street. They then warn you not to try that again or else they won't be as nice next time. Having nowhere else to go, you follow their instructions and begin living in one of the abandoned buildings in one of the neighborhoods.

Months go by and you learn more about the things going on in the Dust District. (The area that you've been dwelling in) You don't really understand all the intricate details, but from what you can tell, The Zeropolis Guard is attempting to make this area their base of sorts in their war against the Shadow Horde (The sewer mutants) part of this organizing involves killing out the remaining Ferals in the area and rebuilding it.

As you are basically under the protection of the Zeropolis Guard, you're also subject to their whims and they expect you to pitch in and be a productive citizen like everyone else. In your case this means conscription.

You're in the army now, but you're still just trying to keep your mind from wandering. You never really did get over the "year of madness" that you suffered. Your mind is still disjointed, though when you kill Shadow Horde members, you do feel a sense of fulfillment, so it isn't all bad. Many of your fellow soldiers kind of stay away from you though and you aren't really considered for anything greater than just a regular soldier.

Eventually during one of the many battles with the Shadow Horde, you are struck down by a brutal blow to head with a very large piece of steel. You maintain consciousness for a few seconds before seeing a big boot come down on your face, making you just one of the many causalities in this mutant war.


[System] Narrate a grim fantasy text adventure. The Empire's world is brutal, its people hardened. Respond to the player's choices with immersive storytelling and let consequences flow naturally.

[User] You decline

[Assistant]
You push her away; you're not fooled by this act.

"Nina, maybe your feminine wiles worked on Leon, but that shit ain't gonna work on me, I know what the fuck you're up to. You think I'm gonna let you distract me and let you grab my pistol while we're fucking? Not fucking likely!"

Nina attempts to continue with her tactic and gets next to you again.

"No, I'm serious. I want your protection. I wouldn't try to betray you…"

"Oh, okay. You're serious eh? We'll see."

You pull Nina in the room and lock the door. You then take your pistol, unload it, and then put it on the far side of the room. Nina's face looks little less "in the mood" now.

"Alright, let's go then." You say.

"Uh…"

"What's the matter? Plan backfire? Too late for regrets now, now we can either do this voluntarily or INvoluntarily…and on the path I've been going lately I think you know that I'm fully capable of doing it. Pfft. I don't need a gun for you. So, what's it gonna be Nina?"

Nina looks around, probably looking for something to throw at you, but she realizes that it would probably be in vain. She's obviously scared, but still tries to maintain some bravery in this hopeless situation that you've put her in.

"Alright…but don't hurt me."

Your increasingly chaotic personality changes again and you go up to Nina in a "loving" fashion.

"Aw baby, I won't hurt you. Just know your place and I'll take care of you, I promise."

You fuck Nina eight ways from doomsday that night. You can't speak for Nina, but you know YOU enjoyed yourself. The only absolute positive for Nina is that she IS now under your protection and nobody dares to do anything to her now.

A few months pass and you keep expecting her to try to do something to betray you, but nothing happens. Either she's resigned herself to being "yours" or she's content on taking her aggression out on others. Her time with you doesn't make her any more compassionate to others, if anything she's gotten worse. She doesn't threaten people with exile anymore, now she just threatens them with you.

Meanwhile you begin to slowly descend into a sociopathic personality. The only thing that prevents you from shooting everyone is the fact that you're getting off on their fear a lot more than if you killed them. You keep the computer room locked so only you may access it.

You and her are pretty much running the place now.

Five more years pass…

The shelter is a living nightmare to most people. They live in constant fear that you or Nina will do something to them. Nina has developed a twisted sort of love for you, and while you have a certain fondness for her, you don't really give a shit about anything anymore, you barely even keep the computer working right anymore, now you just make sure your room is running properly. Nina is a permanent fixture at your place, so you don't even need to look after her room even if you were inclined to do so.

While the people were living in fear of you, initially you were at least somewhat looking after their welfare, but now you aren't even doing that. Now the fear turns into hatred and resentment. The cowering worms have evolved to grow spines. They begin devising a plan.

One day Nina gets into a cat fight with another woman, Greta. She beats her pretty badly, until her husband Fred steps in and begins beating the hell out of her. As is typical Nina runs off to tell you, at which point you come out of the computer room ready to shoot someone. Fred stands up to you, and says Nina was the one who started it and he was just protecting his wife as if his explanation means anything to you.

"Duly noted. And I understand your view, but as you must be able to see I have a view of things as well…that's a nice kid you got there."

You shoot Fred and Greta's son right before their eyes. Greta screams and Fred lunges at you, causing you to shoot him as well, but not before he tackles you to the floor. Seeing this as the perfect opportunity, a few other bystanders take advantage of the situation, your sole means of power and intimidation is taken from you, as you are kicked and beaten repeatedly. Nina is treated the same way. Suddenly the beatings stop and as you attempt to get up you feel the barrel against your head. You spit a glob of blood before continuing.

"Ha ha, go ahead shit eater. Pop me and they'll be nobody to run the computer the right way."

"We'll get by." a voice says.

You then are shot twice in the back of the head. Nina's fate follows soon after. Your remaining ammo is used to shoot both of your dead bloody bodies until it's all gone.


[System] Narrate a grim fantasy text adventure. The Empire's world is brutal, its people hardened. Respond to the player's choices with immersive storytelling and let consequences flow naturally.

[User] You don't answer. Scream at the scary ghost!

[Assistant]
You scream like a little girl. "Ahh! Help! A ghost!" You scream.

The ghost does not look impressed. "Yes, yes I am a ghost." She replies. "Are you quite finished?"


[System] You are narrating an interactive fiction game in a dark fantasy setting. Bring the world to life with vivid prose, react meaningfully to player choices, and don't pull punches when the story demands it.

[User] You remain on Auri Island and join the tribe.

[Assistant]
The possibility of escaping the rat race and living out a peaceful existence here on Auri Island captures your imagination in a way you never expected. It is as though something that had been sleeping inside of you is suddenly awakened, and a future that was never available to you previously has now been revealed. Diane Chambers was going to pay you two million dollars for obtaining the Stone of Vul-Kar on her behalf, but what would that money buy you other than things you will never need? And what will acquiring those useless things inspire you to do, except to desire even more stuff? It's an endless cycle of futility, and for the first time in your life you've been presented with an exit ramp.

Therefore you agree to remain on Auri Island, becoming the second outsider to be accepted into the village. You are given the traditional dress of the tribe — a grass skirt, worn by both men and women — and Cynthia Bolt teaches you the local language. As it turns out she holds a PhD in lingusitics (or held one, since the actual document remains in her old home back in Minneapolis) therefore she insists you call her Dr. Bolt so long as you are her pupil.

Soon you are an Auri hunter, joining hunting party after hunting party — a tradition that, like many others on this small island, is shared by all. Other than the native people, the only wildlife on the island are birds and sea turtles. It takes great skill to bring down a bird in flight with nothing more than a stone, but you accept the challenge and soon become good at it.

Your civilized sense of modesty finds it difficult to adapt to the grass skirts, though, so you frequently revert back to your old adventurer's garb, which consists of polyester hiking pants and sweat-wicking shirts. This makes you stand out from all of your neighbors, though, so to atone for your non-conformist manner of dressing you decide to tackle all of the washed-up plastic that virtually rims the entire island. The refuse from the so-called developed world is a blight on this paradise, so you take it upon yourself to try and make it go away.

But it's plastic, and it never will go away. At first you try and bury it in the sand, but the wind and rising tides always manage to uncover it again — and each passing storm manages to bring even more floating waste to your shores. So then you begin to throw all the plastic into towering piles on the beach, which for a short time you consider setting on fire. But that would only create a plume of putrid smoke, befouling the atmosphere of the entire island and giving everyone cancer, so your piles remain like giant idols scattered all around the island's shores.

The other Auris are unable to make sense of your actions. They see you with your plastic clothes, your plastic backpack, and your plastic tent, and they see you laboring before your great piles of plastic flotsam. "Ho'omana 'o ia i kahi akua 'e," they say; "That one worships a strange god." So despite your efforts to make Auri Island a more pristine place, you never do fit in.

THE END


[System] Run a text-based dark fantasy adventure game. Describe the world with gritty realism, respond to player actions with narrative consequences, and maintain the tone of a world where survival is never guaranteed.

[User] You go with John, George and Ol to the Shepherd Farm

[Assistant]
The four of you arrive at the Shepherd Farm where you hide out for a time until, less than two weeks after the Russellville Robbery John returns to the Farm with a bombshell: all four of you have been identified as participants in the Russellville Robbery and warrants have been issued for your arrests.

"We need to split up again," John declares. "I'm going back to my farm, you stay here Ol. George, you go and hide out at the Miller Farm. Who do you want to go with Bill?"

You consider who would be best to hide out with and where you consider safest.

[User] You go with John to the Jarette Farm

[Assistant]
You and John go to his Farmhouse where you are the only residents and for a few days you live in peace. One night you are woken by an alarming crackling sound and springing from your bed you see smoke filling the house. A glance through the windows shows dozens of men outside armed with all sorts of weapons from guns to pitchforks. Grabbing your pistol you rush out of your room in your underclothes to encounter John similarly prepared.

"The house is on fire and we're surrounded by vigilantes," John declares. "We'll have to make a break for it."

There is only one door into the farmhouse and no windows so John approaches it carefully, a pistol in each hand and prepares to charge out guns blazing. As he does so you glance at the chimney and the thought strikes you that if you can somehow squirm up there you might be able to drop down from the roof and escape, though if you get stuck you'll probably be burnt alive.

[User] You follow John out the main entrance

[Assistant] The pair of you throw open the front door and race out into the night as flames engulf the house. As you start running a voice shouts "Death to the bank robbers" and gunshots ring out. John jerks like a marionette as bullet after bullet tears through his body and he topples to the ground. You make it a few more feet until a shotgun explodes into life directly in front of you, hitting you in the centre of the chest and hurling you back onto the ground. As you struggle to rise more pistol and rifle bullets hit you and like John you die in a rain of bullets, killed by vigilantes on this bloody night.