Быть Гладу и Хладу / There will be Hunger and Cold: 3. Иди сюда, засранец, я тебе покажу, кто тут босс пустошей, а кто вошел не в ту дверь!

3. Come here, you little shit, I'll show you who's boss of the wasteland and who walked through the wrong door!

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 07:06

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Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 06:40

With a quiet and very penetrating squeak, the blade of a sharp boot knife carved a pattern directly onto the shinbone of some unlucky person. The bone was fresh, recently boiled to remove any remaining flesh and cartilage, so the material was in excellent condition. Ilya could only guess why the bald man he had killed needed boiled bones, as there were too many possibilities, and it was no longer possible to ask. But where one perished, the other could use what was left behind. For example, if one wanted to practise one of the skills obtained for a drop of talent, which happened to involve working with bones. And it creaks, quietly, even eerily, the tip of the knife on the surface of the bone, decorating it with a simple and eye-catching pattern. The most ordinary, for now, but at the same time very, very beautiful, and also full of mystery, a kind of ancient sorcery, useless in its pure form, but capable of becoming part of something greater.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 07:07

At the first level of his carving skill, Ilya can barely create amulets and artefacts, at most talismans of dubious effectiveness. It's more suitable for use as decorations. For his carving to truly function as full-fledged magic, he needs to create a lot of it, and he also needs to correctly position it across an area, as if outlining hunting grounds. In general, for a ‘here and now’ choice, the skill is not the most practical, to be honest, and it is also divided into four parts, which automatically makes it quite ‘heavy’ in terms of its influence on the Twin. But Ilya did not choose this skill for immediate benefit, no, rather to cover one of the most important areas for a lone diver, which many earthlings neglect, wasting their talent, and then bitterly regret their greed.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 07:09

For Ilya, his bone carving skill was not a combat or auxiliary skill; it would only become so in his further development, but it was no less important. On old Earth, among divers from the Eurasian, Amero-Canadian, and Latin American segments, this approach was called the ‘Odessa violin’ in honour of Odi Sitt, who invented this method. Initially, however, this method was called something slightly different, because old Odi named it the ‘Jewish violin,’ referring to the cultural code of his small homeland. Odi was considered the first of the Earthlings to officially reach the third stage of Twin development, at least the first to report it to the Forum. Now, at the fourth stage, a high-ranking official of the Citadel, Odi was known not so much for his military and combat exploits as for his wisdom and willingness to share it.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 07:11

Starting as a simple Scriptor and rising to the rank of Mentor to the Mysterious, this individual wrote and cataloged many guides, methodologies, reference books, and comparative tables. First and foremost, those suitable not for Pwn masters from mother's basemen, but for newbies looking for useful information in the mountains of contradictory builds of varying degrees of stubbornness. His guides were distinguished by their simplicity, good combinability, high adaptability, and excellent mental stability. In general, if poor Odi had seen Ilya's set of talents, without knowing about his gift of Charisma, he would have beaten the idiot with a pointer until the Twin was completely disembodied, so that he wouldn't be tempted, and so that he wouldn't have to chase a madman possessed by demons all over the surrounding area.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 07:14

So, the Odessa violin is one of those pieces of advice that even the most prepared individuals consider wise to follow. There is an idiom from an old Odessa fable that, after World War II and before it, young Jewish boys were often taught to play the violin for a very specific purpose. Not only to improve their culture but also as insurance for the worst-case scenario. If everything goes to shit, if your parents disappear or another Austrian artist decides to repeat the Holocaust, if you find yourself penniless and your degree in your main speciality is only good for a wipe an ass, then you, naive Jewish boy, need a violin. That violin, with which you will stand in an underpass or on the street, put the case at your feet and play a beautiful melody on it, so that kind people will put a coin or two in it. Well, or, given modern realities, so that there is a QR code glued to the bottom of the case, which will transfer a coin or two to your account, or even send you some kind of food coupon.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 07:15

On Earth, where most welfare recipients do not die of hunger and the healthcare system works reasonably well for everyone, this practice has gradually died out. But in the Broken world, it has taken root, flourished, and thrived. Roughly speaking, Odi recommends that those who do not have a ‘ticket’ to a clearly defined community spend one of their talents on a skill that will allow them to have a profession in the Broken world. A profession that will allow them to earn a living without attracting the attention of the medics. That is, the local authorities, who will expect a diver to try to find work as a mercenary, guard, court magician, or even a bouncer in a tavern, those who can use their high attributes and combat skills. But they won't immediately think to look for a diver among basket weavers, weavers, bricklayers, street musicians, or circus performers.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 07:17

Because you still have to think it through, yes.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 07:17

For someone who wants to keep a low profile and lie low, especially someone with class, which the locals really don't approve of, this kind of disguise is a great help. And the Earth's population isn't in a rush to develop the kind of pride that would stop them from doing ‘plebeian work,’ and most of them don't see this kind of concealment as humiliating. In general, Ilya chose carving strictly according to Odi's precepts, making himself a 'spare violin' in case he had to infiltrate society under the guise of a simple carver.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 07:18

It is not necessary to use bone. The skill will also allow you to work with wood or stone, although the result will be slightly inferior to that achieved with the original material. And since Ilya has not one or two divisions in this talent, but four at once, when fully developed, carving will become a full-fledged ritual sub-type skill, quite suitable for the main class, complementing it with a number of useful abilities and revealing a bunch of auxiliary tactics.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 07:19

Holding up the decorated bone, now a small work of art, Ilya blew on the surface of the material, blowing away dust and small crumbs. A primitive but very high-quality pattern is carved on the surface of the bone, merging into a comic-style narrative. If you look closely, you can see a crowd of evil figures attacking a caravan, torturing and tormenting the caravaners, and then throwing the survivors into a ravine. One of the figures, now larger and sinister, climbed out of the ravine and killed the attackers. It turned out quite well, and Ilya allowed himself a faint smile, which was accompanied by the stifled and terrified squeal of the person watching the carving process and that smile.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 07:20

The Diver closed his eyes, feeling his actions resonate with him, the image of this picture, very appropriate, reflecting the events of the birth of the Twin and the process of paying for that birth. These actions merged with the essence of Lot, with the very nature of Wendigo, their resonance was active enough to, in conjunction with his incredibly, unfairly, impossibly unbalanced blessing, once again summon the image of the cold tundra and lake, rocks and bowls, to once again see a drop of scarlet gold falling to the bottom of the bowl, flowing down the bones of the skull. If you looked closely, you could see that a tiny puddle of this strange and alluring drop had already gathered at the bottom of the bowl.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 07:21

Tap.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 07:20

Satisfied, Ilya nodded, realising that during his first day, he had chosen the standard for a beginner of one and a half to two cycles of continuous active pumping under the supervision of the group. He put the results of his efforts aside, stood up, and stretched his slightly stiff joints with a crunch. The deathly frightened whimpering became especially loud, and the smell of a new batch of urine that had leaked into someone's trousers became noticeable. Given his heightened senses in general and his sense of touch in particular, this smell was even too distinct for the earthling. With some disapproval and even condemnation, he shifted his gaze to the bandit tied up according to all the rules of a field interrogation, and looked at the Wendigo, who did not hide his true nature, with genuine horror mixed with sincere panic. In some ways, he even understood him, but couldn't bring himself to sympathize, both because of the Twin's memory and because he had managed to superficially examine the abandoned outpost.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 07:25

I found the bone.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 07:25

If only it were just her, yes.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 07:26

"Well, dear Razz, if I remember your name correctly, it seems we need to talk." This time, Ilya's words do not carry any particular horror, and his voice is almost normal, only slightly hoarse, while the aura of wrongness around him gradually disappears, and his appearance emerges from the sinister valley, for he has just activated the disguise of the Lurking Evil. "I remembered correctly, your name is Razz, right?"

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 07:34

A short, wiry old man with a dandyish thin moustache, an unkempt beard, cloudy grey eyes, and a tightly gagged mouth mooed and nodded, as if to say, yes, that's right. The gag, like the method of tying, suitable even against some gifted individuals, tying each finger and the whole body separately, making it extremely immobile so that it does not move, was taken by the diver from another guide for beginners. There, a man on the forum posted links to virtual simulators that taught, among other things, the art of shibari, as funny as it may sound. Because, unlike field interrogation manuals, they could be found for free and did not require filling out a registration form to own a semi-military virtual simulator.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 07:41

To be fair, Ilya also obtained and studied a pirated version of the simulated field interrogation, but, to be honest, learning on female models, naked or dressed in all sorts of outfits, was much more interesting than on faceless mannequins from a hacked military base. And it cannot be said that the field interrogation was that much more informative than that example of Japanese culture, at least in terms of methods of restraining a dangerous target. Ilya suspected, or rather, was absolutely certain that someone had deliberately marked that simulation as a ‘porn module’ in order to slip a technique suitable for divers under the radar so that it would not require registration and filling out forms. The state had no right to prohibit preparation for diving — within reasonable limits, of course — but at the same time, the Treaty did not prevent the collection of information about prospective divers and those preparing for diving.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 08:05

"Wait, mate, I'll take out the gag now." Speaking in a friendly and even welcoming manner, slightly apologetic, as if he was embarrassed by his actions, was difficult, as he wanted to gouge out the monster's eyes and cut off several protruding parts, but he managed. "Come on, carefully, I'll give you some water to drink. So, shall we talk?"

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 08:06

"I will, I will, I will do everything, kind sir, I will tell you everything, just don't, I will give you everything, I will tell you everything, I will talk, I will tell you, don't..." Well, either he's a genius at pretending, or he's ‘softened up’ enough that no further unpleasant actions are necessary, especially considering those couple of drops of potion found in the bald freak's belt bag, which, fortunately, was labelled with the laconic designation ‘TRUTHFUL’. "I'll tell you everything, everything I know, everyone I know, I'll tell you everything!!!"

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 08:07

It took some time to calm him down and slightly reduce the intensity of his hysteria, as his natural dislike of communication in general and his persistent hostility towards the object of communication had an impact, but he managed it. And once he had managed that, he began to do what was highly recommended to any novice diver when encountering the local natives of the Broken World: to lie loudly, powerfully, and completely shamelessly, to pull the wool over their eyes, to drive out demons, and to openly spout nonsense.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 08:08

"...that's how it turned out, my friend. It was completely stupid. I was ready to talk, but your comrades immediately attacked me." Yeah, they would have attacked me if they had managed to do it first, and Ilya hadn't attacked from ambush. "Unlike that old man you cut up, I don't give a damn about you, I'm a stranger here and have nothing to share with you. So answer my questions and we'll see what happens next. After all, I could use someone who knows the local, um, let's say, concepts. Well, to know who to talk to, who to communicate with, and who to ask, you understand?"

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 08:09

It's bullshit, of course, but not a complete lie, as it might seem at first glance. Of course, Ilya had no intention of keeping this freak with him or even letting him live. Some other diver with a loose tongue or the right talents might have tried. He would have tried, choosing the class of Snowwalker, to turn this scum into a doggedly loyal servant, but a simple obsessed one, who has no means of ensuring obedience and control, this shit will give him up as soon as he reaches the nearest town. First, of course, bring Ilya there and sell him to the south. Of course, being a good psychologist and a non-disgusting individual, one could really bond with this individual, go and bow down to Pahom the Executioner, and the leader of the whole gang.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 08:15

Replace the slain Warlock who specialized in necromancy. He will most likely be welcomed with open arms. They could also hand him over or sell him, or even try to kill him, but that's not a certainty, as it depends very much on the cards that are played. Because the fool, who is desperately hoping to survive and has calmed down noticeably, believes him. After all, Ilya says things that not only want to be believed, but can be believed! Indeed, why would a stranger-cannibal get involved with the city dwellers, the aristocracy, the Crown's troops, or the Special Office, when there are those very bandits? Who cares about cannibalism in principle, if they won't eat their own, if they are already outside the law and therefore won't look askance at the ‘forbidden’ class, if they really need fighting power and a good scout, especially now, after the death of Bald?

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 08:21

Yes, everyone really called him Baldie.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 08:21

Eralius the Bald, this name and nickname were indicated even in his Warlock patent issued by the High Athenatum, Faculty of Bone Paths. Well, if the patent is not a fake, but he was too much like his patent, and not just a random Blessed One, then at least some training was evident. And there was also a great resentment towards life, because of which he did not settle down in a warm place with everything ready, but wandered through the rocky wasteland in the company of thugs. However, they were elite thugs, performing some very delicate tasks for someone important. The prisoner himself knew nothing about this ‘important person,’ but intuitively guessed, because they all clearly had very reliable cover, the leaders knew when the road workers would raid, when the necessary caravan would pass, and when it was safe to stay in their lair.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 08:36

And yes, they did not destroy all caravans, sometimes attacking groups of migrants who were completely useless in terms of loot, and sometimes passing up very lucrative targets. And the composition of their group was also diverse and unusual. It wasn't just the three gifted ones — all of them were experienced, skilled fighters who knew discipline and weren't talkative, and they weren't locals, except for the guides. And they were smart. Razz, for example, knew perfectly well who the divers were, because he was educated, attended liturgies in churches where divers were mentioned, and could read and write, even knowing one of the dead languages in which the texts of the Passat Bringer's Bibles were written. It was to this Dead One the robber himself prayed very fervently, regularly, and every evening at sunset.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 08:39

The interrogation continued, and the bastard relaxed more and more, gradually beginning to believe that he would actually survive. Ilya may have been interrogating a future corpse for the first time, but he knew the theory inside out, passing his exams at London University on his first attempt, even under Bronislav Valediktovich Yanin. This individual, despite being a guest specialist and not a Brit, knew his stuff well, hammering the science into young and not-so-young minds, and he pressed so hard that sometimes it seemed better if he had actually hit them. However, as with such an epic teacher and his exams, the whole point of interrogation is how exactly to conduct it and what to ask, what to press on, and what to be interested in.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 08:40

Ilya asked about the division of spoils, how exactly their gang hid from the crown's searchers, who to negotiate with, and what to offer to become one of them. It is quite possible that the fool lied to him about this, deliberately telling him the sweetest fairy tale about brotherhood in arms, because the picture he painted was too smooth. Ilya pretended to believe him, but asked about what really interested the novice diver in passing, often even deliberately interrupting and turning the conversation to details that were more ‘interesting’ to him. The result was a picture in which the captive answered Ilya's questions without any ulterior motives or attempts to lie, without even understanding what exactly interested the diver.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 08:44

The conversation lasted about three hours. The earthling gave his interlocutor something to drink and even untied his fingers, but not his whole hand, out of caution, for the time being, as you should understand. Razz was practically not afraid anymore, or rather, he was afraid, but in a controlled way, and the truth serum he had taken in an alchemical manner had stopped working. Again, the concussion he had received from Ilya's blow was also subsiding, because he had to pour half a bottle of potion labelled ‘Zinger’ into the patient. However, he suspected that this mixture did not heal, but acted as a stimulant, because thug was imperceptibly getting worse, his lips were turning pale, his face was turning green — all signs of intoxication that the body had already noticed, but the consciousness had not yet.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 08:49

"So, okay, I understand about the trophies, but now I have a couple more questions about my personal responsibilities..." Formally, such questions should be addressed not to a captive bull, but to one of the commanders, but Razz was in no hurry to dissuade Ilya, and Ilya pretended not to realise his real role, which did not include making such promises on behalf of the commanders, because it was not his gang and the other fighters did not obey him. "Good night, asshole."

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 08:50

The earthling finished his sentence after driving another femur bone straight into the temple of the bastard who hadn't even seen the blow coming, granting him a completely undeserved quick and painless death. Part of him wanted to kill the bastard slowly and painfully, in memory of the Twin, of those who had been close to him, of all those whose bones lay in the depths of the rooms carved into the rock. This part wanted to torment, tear apart, slowly and piece by piece eat him alive, enjoying the torment and pleas, and what was most unpleasant was that this desire did not belong entirely to Wendigo alone, it partly concerned Ilya himself. And yet he denied himself such entertainment — death equalizes everyone, erases and liberates everyone, sending them into oblivion.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 17:24

The bastard deserved to die, and Ilya gave him death, making sure that this piece of shit would not bring grief and pain to anyone else, unless, of course, he rose as a walking corpse or some other creature. All this torture, torment, and other retribution is, of course, very pleasant for the avenger himself, making him feel superior to others, feel like justice itself, the embodiment of retribution on earth. But they are needed precisely by the avenger, and not by anyone else, and therefore, Ilya refused this decision, did not torment or even frighten the murdered and deceived bastard before his death. Deceived, first of all, because the freak himself wanted to be deceived, wanted to believe in the best.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 17:25

"Let the earth be nails and concrete for you." He summed up his thoughts, standing up, dusting himself off, and finally discarding his torn pants, remaining in his birthday suit, since there were no witnesses left. "I'm not going to bury you anyway, it's too much honor."
T.N.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 17:53

There was water at the outpost, even if it had to be heated using an extinguished stove, which had to be lit manually, almost causing a fire in the process. A system of primitive amulets absorbed the smoke, preventing them from being exposed by a column of smoke, and the water was taken from a well hidden in the rock. The well was created by magic, most likely by classic stone shaping or rock alteration, but the water in it was clean and fresh. Fuel was also found, in the form of compressed briquettes made of shavings, dry grass, and, apparently, dung with some cheap alchemy. But it burned long and hot. Enough to fill a barrel with water and soak to his heart's content, and then wash the most suitable clothes from the set he had managed to gather from the corpses.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 17:57

The hair on his head was matted into a hopeless clump of dirt and filth, so he had to cut it all off without mercy, shredding the strands by hand, trusting his eye. The same eye helped him use a very old, almost antique, dangerous razor and a piece of primitive soap made from someone's fat. Ilya sincerely hoped that the fat was not human, but he would not have risked betting a large sum of money on it. The process of washing and shaving revealed not only the pale skin hidden under a layer of old dirt, but also the face of the Twin. This face looked frighteningly familiar, like Ilya's own, only very emaciated and tired, as if he had been starving for a long time and had not slept properly for even longer.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 18:00

"Life was trashing you, my friend, for sure." The mirror in the building was made of polished copper, and the image it reflected was not of the highest quality, but that was a good thing, because seeing such a face would spoil even a vendigo's appetite for longer than five minutes. You should stop working such long hours and take care of your health.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 18:01

The preparations were unhurried. Ilya had no intention of taking all the valuables he could carry, especially considering that thugs and the others had already taken everything of value. From Razz's interrogation, it was roughly clear where to go and what to expect from those around them, especially with regard to the lone diver. To be fair, Razz was so knowledgeable because he was deeply religious. Yes, he donated a quarter of his loot to the temple. That's why he knew about the phenomenon of evil, cursed souls that find a body and then commit all sorts of atrocities. And that was only because Ilya had personally introduced himself to him and explained who he was. An ordinary peasant would most likely not even know about divers, remembering seven prayers and nine invocations by heart. Although, okay, at most a literate peasant would know all seven or nine, and even that is not a fact.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 18:03

In any case, Ilya had no intention of revealing his true nature or standing out in any way, and he wasn't worried about it yet, as it was too early to worry. Right now, he was preoccupied with the most mundane of concerns — there was still plenty of food left at the outpost, enough for the entire group that remained there, and even enough for the journey to catch up with the main detachment. And so, chewing on biscuits and dried meat, washing it down with herbal tea and dipping crackers in some kind of berry jam, Ilya wonders whether he is an idiot or actually smart. Thinking about trying to catch up with the main group and arrange the Silence of the Lambs for them, to put it mildly, indicates a low intelligence quotient.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 18:13

He decided that even though he was an idiot, he was smart, and so he would postpone the silence of the lambs until a more suitable occasion, when he would be sure that he could at least escape from a battle with a couple of pumped-up gifted fighters and a crowd of skilled swordsmen.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 18:14

The food tasted good, and it wasn't even bland. Ilya could have enjoyed some decent jam. The other dishes weren't worth mentioning. But he didn't feel full. His body and soul craved human flesh, craved to devour the corpses he had personally arranged with his own hands. They could crave it, but who would give it to them, right? So the earthling simply dragged all the corpses and even pieces of Baldie into one storeroom, and also prepared a high-quality combustible mixture, which he found in that very storeroom. If he was going to leave, he would do so with fire, using fire to cleanse all traces of his presence here. The bodies would not burn; there was not enough fuel, but the flames would damage the traces, both physical and aural, if anyone tried to read them.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 18:15

He left slowly, searching all the rooms several times and even finding a couple of hiding places, one of which was empty, while the other contained a single hidden boot. A woman's boot. With a high heel. There was clearly some old and interesting story behind it, but there was no one to ask, even if he hadn't killed everyone. The boot was so worn out that it was falling apart and had obviously been lying in that hiding place since the day the outpost was built. He collected silver and copper from the simple, ungifted people. There wasn't much of it, but that depended on whose standards you used. The copper leaves of various denominations alone would be enough to buy a decent house in the village, if the Twin's memory served him right, and there were also worn and filed-down, but still genuine silver petals, which the commoners no longer used for payment. Again, many types of goods cannot be sold even for a mountain of copper, let alone a handful of it.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 18:19

The bald magician turned out to be more useful, leaving behind a purse stuffed with silver, as well as a few gold coins, flowers, according to local tradition. Flowers, precisely because they are of a smaller denomination, as opposed to larger and heavier blossoms. Showering someone with flowers or petals here symbolizes the earthly equivalent of “gilding,” yes. Or pouring molten precious metal down their throat. It was one of the punishments for nobles, which formally did not spill their noble blood, but applied to individuals who had distinguished themselves before the crown. However, looking at these brand-new and clean coins, which most likely constituted, if not the cash reserves of this part of the detachment, then an untouchable reserve for a rainy day, Ilya realized that it would be difficult to spend or otherwise legalize this little treasure.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 18:20

The rest of the trophies from Baldhead were, to put it mildly, annoying. He had enough of the prepared-for-payment but powerless human parts, bones, ashes, and tendons to withstand a small siege, no less. There were also several sinister-looking sheets of parchment, covered with neat handwriting and reeking of Death, which made Wendigo's sensitive nose twitch and made him want to sneeze. A useful little thing, analogous to the magic scrolls from earthly virtual games. Imbue it with magic and cast the ritual depicted on it until the text burns out along with the parchment.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 18:23

The problem is that these scrolls will only work for the person who made them, or someone else who is more skilled in necromancy, not necessarily even a warlock. After roughly assessing the text written in one of the theurgical languages of the Broken, addressing the Ever-Coming in the aspect of the Young Bride, Ilya was glad that the enemy had not managed to grab these scrolls for the battle.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 18:24

It's not because we forgot, it's just that these scrolls aren't ready yet. They need to soak a bit longer in water soaked with death, which you can't call dead water, so as not to cause a fuss among all the alchemists within a thousand kilometers. It's ersatz, yes, but it was enough for this kind of craft. It's not that Ilya is so savvy, although he is savvy, it was indicated in Bald's diaries, notes, and recipes. In principle, these items and preparations could have been sold to someone knowledgeable, but Ilya didn't know anyone like that, and by the time he managed to find such individuals and agree on a price with them, the material would have long since disappeared. Several amulets were also tied to blood and class, except for the one that granted night vision. His earthling took it with him, along with a small belt plate that allowed him to somehow detect poisonous impurities in food. Someone didn't trust his subordinates and colleagues very much. As well as a knife.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 18:29

Oh yes, the damn fire knife.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 18:37

He didn't dare use it yet, even though the artifact seemed typical and detailed instructions on how to use it had been posted on the Forum back in the old days. It just seemed a bit reckless to activate the dagger indoors, risking burning even the stuff he wanted to take with him. The blade glinted dully with the reddish blood copper it was made of. The handle, made from someone's bone, insulated the copper well, preventing the metal from burning his palm. It was a very useful thing, especially considering the predominantly ice magic in his arsenal and the fact that no one would expect Wendigo to use a fire artifact. However, this contraption must consume a lot of magic, and using all the functions of the “dagger of fire lines,” as Bald called this trophy toy in his diary, was only possible if one knew how to handle amulets and artifacts.

Camrad_RIP 19.06.25 в 18:38