quote:
THE SACRIFICE
Artemiy Burakh returned to his hometown after ten years of absence. He was in a family that had the privilege of cutting open dead bodies, granted to them by the customs of the steppe people. Since birth he had been preparing for this future. Isidor Burakh - Artemiy's father - a philosopher and healer greatly respected among his people, admitted the limitations of patriarchic knowledge and so sent his son to study modern medicine in the city.
Artemiy travels from town to town for several years, studying theoretical and practical surgery. He suddenly receives a letter from his father, in which his parent speaks of his forthcoming death, and asks his son to return to receive his heritage.
Not willing to wait for the arrival of a regular train, Artemiy sets off on foot, walking next to the railroad in the steppe. At some point a small, maneuverable locomotive picks him up and the young Haruspicus arrives at his hometown.
ARTEMIY'S INTRO (VIDEO)
What happened here? This is not the welcome I expected. Maybe these two strange figures would have answers to give.
"You have been mistaken for another. They are looking for a killer. One influential man was killed here last night and the people loved him. Not every child loves his father as the people loved the deceased. Don't judge them too harshly for this zeal."
VERSUS
Haruspicus: I have to live with them, however...
Executor: They are naive. In towns like these reputation is everything, they will meet and say farewell, according to it... Nobody will investigate the truth... Some worthless rumor or slander is enough for them to see you as an enemy. Your reputation equals zero. You will have to face the unpleasant consequences.
Haruspicus: What do I do?
Executor: You must restore your reputation. Do that now, and at any other time it might fall. The people are stupid and weak. They will worship today someone who they hunted and laughed at yesterday. What of tomorrow... Enough said.... Anyway, any wrongdoing can be expiated, and they will love you just as zealously as they hated you before.
Haruspicus: How do I restore my reputation?
Executor: Do good deeds. The town is small and glory spreads instantly, distorting a hundredfold on its way. If you take into account that here it is mostly spread by children, then... Your reputation will be restored. Don't waste it without need in the future, it is a fragile commodity.
Haruspicus: How does it fall?
Executor: Firstly, it falls because of the quantity of living beings killed by your hand. It also depends on how you influence people whose fate is closely connected with yours. You will meet such people here... Special people. Sometimes they call them "Adherents". A stupid custom, but you will need them.
Haruspicus: What are these people?
Executor: There are about thirty of them. All of them hate each other, all of them lie... All of them deserve to live. Nevertheless, some of them are incompatible, so for one of them to live, the other has to die. Draw conclusions.
Haruspicus: How will I recognize these people?
Executor: That isn't hard. All of them are vivid characters, quite famous around here, but not all of them are aristocrats. There are beggars, marginals, even tiny children. Adherents... Of something closer to perfection than the rest of the crowd of simpletons.
Haruspicus: I don't like you. I don't like arrogant characters.
Executor: In fact, all of them are disgusting... You should not put too much effort in them, just think about yourself.
Haruspicus: Get out of the way.
Let's see if the other man is more helpful. I limped in his direction.
"You have been hit on the head several times, and the fists of the local men are hard. Maybe you haven't noticed yet, but you have four knife cuts, one of which is quite serious. You have lost a lot of blood, and the local climate doesn't help overcoming exertions. By the way, do you have any previous heart condition?"
VERSUS
Haruspicus: Good joke, funny.
Executor: Your health is near zero. I won't be mistaken to say that you haven't eaten for a while and haven't slept last night. It's not hard to tell by your face. So, your hunger and exhaustion are also critical. Interesting, which of them will kill you earlier?
So, what are you going to do?
Haruspicus: What would you recommend?
Executor: To restore your health you will need a bandage package. All sorts of bandages and tourniquets can stop the bleeding. Painkillers will help you survive.
Haruspicus: Where do I get them?
Executor: You could rob people or you could trade with them. Children will be glad to trade simple things for those of value. Moreover, our drunkards usually have bandages in case of a fight. When they have a hangover they could sell their own sister for a bottle of water. Water is scarce here.
Haruspicus: Is that enough to survive to the evening?
Executor: You are hungry, as far as I'm concerned, right?
Haruspicus: Very.
Executor: You don't need to rob people to get rid of hunger. There are foodstuffs at shops... However, taking into account your reputation, that advice is worthless at the moment. Nevertheless, they almost emptied one of the warehouses last night, when meat was being put there.
Haruspicus: How do I find it?
Executor: It is not locked, nor guarded - it stands out from the others... There they are, the warehouses, two steps away. By the way, there are people there that have problems with the law, just like you. You are always a good guest for them. Can you manage it over to the warehouses?
Haruspicus: To be honest, I'm dreadfully tired...
Executor: You can sleep in the houses of honorable citizens whose trust you have gained. Remember at the moment you are an outlaw. The only man that believes you right now is Vlad Olgimskiy. I'll show you where he lives. You could sleep at his place. Don't forget to apply some bandages if you don't want to die in your sleep.
Haruspicus: I am an outlaw?
Executor: Be careful. Hide from the citizens. They are frightened and will attack you easily at the moment. Don't trust anyone. Speak to my honored brother, he has something to say to you, just on the topic.
Haruspicus: I can do without his advice.
This man had been much kinder to me, but this did not improve my attitude towards his brother or accomplice or whatever the other figure was.
This is a map of the town that my father sent with his letter. It had grown much since I had last been here. The Executor was helpful enough to indicate the Olgimskiy residence. If the citizenry was hunting for me I would have to be careful on my way.
Oh, this? It's just a doodle I made while waiting on the locomotive. I woke up from a dream and had a vivid image of these things.
quote:
Game Statistics
Allow me to explain what these statistics mean for those just joining us. This is what the Executors were talking about.
Ideally we want the Reputation, Health and Immunity bars full (the later defaults to 50%, so it's alright for now), while the Hunger, Exhaustion and Infection metters are better empty.
This is Pathologic's subtle way of telling us "you should really play the Bachelor first", as it is downright brutal to learn the mechanics while under these circumstances; we begin the game with the Haruspicus badly wounded, hungry, tired and with the entire town out for our blood. We don't have food, and any money we have is useless as people refuse to do business with us. But hey, at least we are not sick! Yet.
Yes, it will get much worse.
I decided to search the bodies of the men who attacked me for anything of use. If the entire town was against me I might as well use everything I could.
I retrieved some money and the knife used to attack me. It still had some of my blood on it. I considered cleaning it on my clothes, but they were bloodied enough already. The other man also had a tourniquet, which I applied to my leg.
You probably noticed a few new things we can retrieve from bodies. I will address this gameplay element later, as there's still no in-character reason to be tearing organs off people. Trust me, we'll have plenty of good reasons to do that in the future.
I moved in the direction of the warehouses and noticed a gathering of men. I would have to be quick not to draw their attention.
No such luck. I wondered how much blood would have to be spilled today. I gathered what energy I had and ran, I was in no shape to fight now.
I tried the first door I saw and was fortunate enough it opened, maybe I could hide here and gather my strength.
Instead I found myself surrounded by children. The room smelled faintly of twyrine, they were startled from my appearance, but calmed down quickly as if they were relieved I wasn't someone else. I was directed to their leader, a boy that had the complexion of an adult and leaned heavily on one of his legs.
A new face in our small society! Fighter?
VERSUS
[still don't have notkin]
Haruspicus: Doctor.
Notkin: Doctor? We have a doctor already. We didn't expect it, but...
Harupiscus: You haven't had one like me.
Notkin: I hope you are not one of Gryph's men.
Haruspicus: Who is this Gryph?
Notkin: Gryph is the head of the criminal world. He is stationed in the north area of the Warehouses. He trades weapons, twyrine and other stuff. All killers and criminals have something to do with him, that's why I'm asking if you were going to see him.
Haruspicus: I'm no criminal.
Notkin: Really? Some men ran by the warehouses. They said that some terrible killer is here and it seems that the whole town is out to catch him. They said he tried to escape on a train, got ambushed, killed them all and now he is headed here. So I thought it might be you.
Haruspicus: It was self-defense. They thought I was someone else.
Notkin: I believe you. You've sustained a lot of damage, it seems... We'd help you, but we've been robbed and it is medicine that they've taken. That bastard Lickah! Traitor, thief, killer and bastard!
Haruspicus: Who are you talking about?
Notkin: Lyckah, the bastard, whose deeds describe his name! A true asslicker! I can't tell who he sold his soul to, the thieves or the dogheaded ones. Stole the most important thing from us, his friends... The rat! And that's just before the coming of war!
Haruspicus: What war?
Notkin: The war with the dogheaded ones. That vile, sordid bastard, a rat without a soul or a heart! Stole the most precious thing we had from us and killed a friend... And he deserted to the enemy! We thought he was one of us! Did he fake it right from the start? Kill him, kill him...
Haruspicus: You are at war?
Notkin: The same kind of gang like us... The dogheaded. The difference is that we have fifty men, they have five hundred. They are trying to exterminate us. We ain't letting them. That's the kind of war. We've had no deaths up until now, but it's all serious, no games here.
Haruspicus: So it is them that this guy of yours went to?
Notkin: He is probably with his friends - the thieves. He used to hide in the steppes and then disappeared. He probably went 'round us. We lost him by the barrow, then ran off because the thieves appeared there suddenly... If you find him, cut him to pieces!
Haruspicus: Do you suggest I kill him?
It was an understatement, but I was an incredulous from the child's anger.
Notkin: Yes! The bastard must die! I'll give you my revolver for that. Only... If he is with a dog, don't kill, don't kill dogs.
Haruspicus: Ok. I'll speak to him if I find him.
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I have arrived back to my hometown and am now being hunted, I must reach out to this Vlad Olgimskiy and see if he can get me in touch with my father. Isidor was influential enough that he should be capable of stopping this manhunt.
This situation with the children concerns me. The leader of their gang spoke with so much fury that I have no doubt about the seriousness of their war. I must make a choice between letting this Lickah escape or make of him an example. I can certainly use the revolver Notkin promised me, but I fear the child might regret his death sentence once he calms down. On the other hand, this man has killed one of the children and I'm not sure I can let it go.
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