"That Meradorm stuff is amazing! Even though I only got about four hours of sleep, I feel like a new man! None of my bruises hurts anymore. I should make sure to keep a few bottles ready, if I ever get myself into any more fights. But as with all medicine I should make sure not to over use it. It might have some bad side effects, although the label doesn't mention any."
The only side effect sedatives really have is that it increases your exhaustion meter slightly when you use them. But you can chug a bottle or two before sleeping and it will heal any health you have lost. This makes sleeping very valuable, and you should make sure to get a good stretch of 4-5 hours of sleep after you've been in a fight. If you do not sleep after using sedatives, they have pretty much no effect.
"Eve brought me some letters that had arrived around midnight. Before I started reading them, I noticed I felt really hungry. I had forgotten to eat dinner the day before! I was so involved with this whole murder investigation that I just didn't have time for it. I made up for it now by eating some of the food I bought during my walks this evening. Especially the meat tasted very good."
[missing image]
Hunger also goes up automatically at a steady rate, from 0 to full in about 24 hours. It goes up while you are sleeping as well. You can eat food at any time to lower the hunger meter. Beef or fish works best, but it's worth picking up some of the other food items if the shops are running low on meat. You can see the bottles of water on the far left. You can drink them, and they will lower your hunger a slight bit at the cost of increasing exhaustion, so you can't just live on water. It's better to trade them for bandages, really. You might want to use them if you are very low on cash and your exhaustion meter is already full, but you have to drain about 10+ bottles to see any noticeable effect on your hunger meter.
I found the letters on the bedside table and started reading them. A few were from the capital! This must be important indeed.
A letter from a colleague in Tanathica posted:
Daniel, I am writing to you in great haste.
The intrigue here in the capital is progressing. We are being persecuted and exiled. You shouldn't have left! Your destination will become your scaffold. Some deadly brew is being cooked there. Rumor has it that some epidemic is abound, perhaps even a plague.
I am sure the Authorities tricked you into taking the trip. The rat Telman wants to stop this epidemic and get rid of you as well. They will say that there are no real doctors in that wasteland and force all the responsibility for everything that happens on to you. If these rumors are true, don't get yourself involved. It's better to wait for a team of specialists from the capital.
Take care of yourself, friend! If they order you to fight this epidemic on your own, forget your principles and tell them to go to hell. Our cause is dead without you...
Yours, A.
The body is isolated posted:
Bachelor, as far as I know, the body of Simon Kain has been isolated. Rubin has been seeing to that. Nevertheless, since you made this discovery, I am asking you to visit me tomorrow after dawn. We need to discuss a matter of great importance.
Alexander Saburov.
The Authorities' Orders posted:
We have received some disturbing news.
It is probable that there is an outbreak of a dangerous disease in the settlement where you are staying. However, some believe that this is all just rumors spread to conceal a murder.
Use your outstanding intellect to find the truth regarding this. If there is a risk of an epidemic, this threat must be neutralized at any cost.
We presume you need to collect as much information as possible, evaluate the situation, and make a decision that will comply with your professional and human conscience. An Inquisitor with unrestricted powers has been sent to help you realize your decision. If you do not succeed in stopping the epidemic on your own before his arrival, he will take control of the situation.
Post Scriptum. You have recently petitioned the Authorities to allow you to continue your extraordinary research. Our decision will be based on your work in this settlement. We consider it a question of your personal competence and honor.
"This is news indeed! It was good of Eve to wake me up when these letters arrived. It seems like the Authorities has spies all over this town, if they could find out about the Sand Plague this quickly! If the word has also been allowed to reach my colleagues, it means that the politicians in the capital are taking this seriously, at least. But I do not need yet more pressure from them when I have enough trouble just dealing with the local rulers. I need to think about this. Maybe a walk will clear my head a bit and give me time to think about it. Before I left, Eve told me the Theater in the center of town have put up some sort of drama about the recent events. I decided to head that way and see for myself."
[missing image]
"I wasn't sure of the way to the Theater and it was dark and rainy outside, so I approached a man to ask for directions. As soon as he heard me coming he turned around and attacked me with a knife! I think it was one of the people who burned that young woman earlier. Maybe they were on the lookout for me, but it seems like this robber could be a harm to anyone who dared to venture outside at this hour. I did not have time to load my gun but I had my scalpel to defend myself with."
[missing images]
Fighting with the scalpel is a bit tricky, but in general close combat relies on you stepping backward when the enemy tries to attack you, then stepping forward for a quick slash and then dodging backwards again. I'm so used to fighting with a knife that I got hit several times when trying to deal with the shorter reach of the scalpel. Even without guns involved, things can get tricky, but our scalpel deals a lot of damage if you can hit the head or neck with it. Just be very careful if you are already hurt.
"Even though I managed to hit him in the face with the scalpel, the man did not back off. He must be really desperate to do something like this! But there are no guards around and no one to help me out. If I turn to run he will just stab me in the back. I had no choice but to kill him. It may sound very morbid, but my practice with the scalpel during surgery gave me an edge over this brute who just slashed wildly. I went through his pockets and found some sort of knuckles with razors attached. I carefully picked it up, because it looks like it could provide some sort of identification later on. Maybe it was something one a local criminal gang used? It seemed to be more for show than as a real weapon to me."
From now on, we will encounter criminals during the night. They will attack us as soon as they see us, and they will not stop chasing us until we hide in the house of an Adherent. We can find special items on their corpses. They work as proof that we've killed a specific type of enemy. These can be traded with guards later on for ammo and food, and are used in some tasks. I will most likely have to do some off-screen killing if I ever run too short on money, but the Bachelor doesn't rely too much on this.
"This town is getting more and more crazy by the hour. It's a good thing I saved this revolver. I better make sure I keep it loaded and ready if I ever have to venture outside at night again. I rushed toward the Theater."
Once we enter, we see the first part of the Pantomime. More will be revealed each night, just after midnight, if we visit the theater.
VERSUS
Bachelor: Is this a theater? It's so small...
Mark Immortal: True. This is a chamber theater. And since I am the producer, director and the impresario around here, I can also tell us that our shows are not for everyone's eyes.
Bachelor: When is the next performance?
Mark Immortal: That's for you to decide. You are the one that will take part in the theater programme. The scenario of the play is not complete. Everything depends on what you do. You won't have to wait long.
Bachelor: When will the scenario be finished?
Mark Immortal: Your fate isn't bound yet. We need time, effort, and definitely your personal participation. Come see us every night. We'll gradually show you what is to be.
Bachelor: I will definitely come around.
Mark Immortal: Three heads of a dragon are facing in three different directions. Three powerful families, three clans that struggles to stay upright in the strong wind. The wind got in through the hole made by Simon's death. How will they cope? Will they be able to come to an agreement and work together? The masks don't know the answer to that question.
Bachelor: Who knows?
Mark Immortal: There are two masks, but three families. I presume we don't need one of them. One of them will have to sacrifice his power, before that is done by his brothers.
Bachelor: Who of the three?
Mark Immortal: You can answer that question yourself. They are so different... Who do you like the most? You came to this town and because of that, there is one more piece on the board. You are not a queen, of course, but a rook at least. You decide their fate.
"So this strange person is also an Adherent? At least it seems like he is taking an interest in what I'm doing, but I'm not sure just how he'll be able to help me. The play was interesting, however, and if I have time I will return to see how it plays out."
"I thanked him and headed back to Eve, looking out for people on the way back, but I didn't see anyone. I suffered some light cuts during the fight with the robber earlier, so I downed another painkiller before I went to bed. I will have to sort out all this tomorrow."
Summary: The capital will be sending someone called an Inquisitor, if we can not contain this Sand Plague on our own. News about everything that's been going on has spread, not just in town, but in the rest of the nation as well. I will make sure that nothing bad happens, because I do not want any more panic in this town. Some of the less civilized townspeople seem to have taken these rumors as a reason to sneak around town at night and rob people, and the town is no longer safe at night. With the dawn, I should talk to Alexander Saburov and see what he wants. Maybe he can arrange for some guards to patrol the streets at night.
Resource checklist:
Health: 70%
Exhaustion: 0%
Hunger: 25%
Revolver, 100% durability
11 Revolver bullets
Scalpel, 12% durability
Lock pick
1 Immunity boosting pill
6 Bandages and Tourniquets
1 Box of Powder
14 Bottles of water
11 Rations of meat and fish
1 Walnut (for trading)
13 Assorted items for trading
3 Pieces of jewelry
3367 Money
Overall status: Day one went really well. Our vitals are okay. Item wise, we have loads of stuff in all categories except painkillers. Our large amount of money should be able to buy us anything we want during the next few days, so we'll just pick up some of those tomorrow.
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