Chapter 4: [DARK] C004 – To Covet in Covert.

Calling up my biometric status while hiding the less important things I take a moment to reflect on the future.

Improved but not the best. I should spend another few days here gathering information before moving on. As long as I keep my head down, possibly stay in my room then it would be hard for people to find fault with me unless their culture is more focused on outgoing activities and personalities. From the people downstairs last night however, there seemed to be a scholar reading away and the rooms seem to have small shelves meant to hold books near the desk.

As a bonus to my condition improving, my chip has managed to process a lot more of the common language. I expect by now I can understand simple conversation but I might fail at more complicated dialogue. Best to keep questions to yes or no answers to minimise the chance of lying or misinformation due to the barrier.

Making my way down the wooden steps leading out from the rooms, my ears pick up a few noises from each room which is only moderately soundproofed. One sounds like they are doing some kind of lifting or training, while some others are silent; possibly sleeping or reading based on the time being closer to early morning.

A simple meal it seems; a warm sort of grain porridge with some kind of dried fruit added. I start making a mental checklist of tasks.

My first task is that I need to find more information about my surroundings. This will possibly require joining some organization or group in order to get it. I need to make sure I can trust them to not understand my intentions in case I need to leave or remove witnesses. I'll need to learn more about this world, this might prove difficult depending on whether I am dealing with an organisation that is involved in politics or something that isn't.

My second task will be upkeep, some kind of money. As there seems to be both trained military and less professional groups it might be worth selling my services as a hired gun. Minus the guns apparently. I don't have enough context or information to do any major trading for now and I wouldn't be able to convince someone with power to donate to my cause without a valid reason, so some form of prestige is my best option to gaining each of these.

My third task that I don't think I'll get answered by any of these new-worlders would be about the war and the fall. I know based on my bionics atomic clock for how long it has been but information from that period is likely lost. It might be worth researching into native understanding of ruins and then trying to locate a few to pass off as an expert in my own time period's history and archaeology, which would help me in all aspects above and would likely allow me to get further funding from various organisations.

Walking through the streets of this unknown town is rather peaceful; there doesn't appear to be any organised patrols of any kind other than the ones guarding the entrance and exit points from town. The main road seems busy though but not chaotic as the shops don't seem particularly crowded despite being open early in the morning.

The main road itself is paved with cobbled stones that aren't too worn, giving a slightly slippery feel underfoot. There are several buildings that line either side of the main road that lead towards the centre of the city but none of them really stand out as noteworthy from what I can tell walking past them. They range in design from simple stone and wood to more elaborate looking structures covered in intricate designs of carvings and decorations.

Most of the buildings are made of wood with some having a stone foundation near the road, likely to deal with potential water and mud. Drainage of the land near the lake here is likely a major concern for some of the taller buildings. The road leading up to the gate at the top of the hill is wider than most, likely used as a thoroughfare for merchants and carts carrying goods between the cities. It seems the town was built as an in-between for transporting cargo, meaning I'm likely close to the center of the nation if they can afford cities only a days walk from each other.

I stop by a building that looks like it might sell weapons, seeing what kinds of wares they had available and asking a few questions about prices and quality. Apparently they sell mostly swords but not in very large numbers, which seems to suggest they aren't a common stop for equipment and gear. A few comments about the dwarves up north give me clues to search for later. It seems there is a really high opinion of dwarven crafting. I wonder if there is some cultural thing regarding the dwarves that developed while I was on ice.

One of the larger buildings near the gate is a library, it must have been built recently judging by how it has been painted white and gold with red accents on the edges, making it look somewhat like a temple in its design. Some kind of crest is detailed above the door which might mean it is related to some noble house or important family. There doesn't seem to be any guards around the front entrance of the building or even a sign to warn people away, making me curious about the location.

With an absence of guards in the location and what looks like minimal security, it might be worth exploring the building again later at night once I understand the layout of the city further. There could be any number of magical traps set up to detect or attack trespassers.

Spending the rest of the day scouting out the town, a few shops of note, along with a variety of different houses and locating the fish market from its smell. I note down a few small guilds that are active in the city, I might be able to register here for some sort of ID to make travelling north easier. Knowing of a skilled crafter might help in devising improvements to my bionics.

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