Survival often hinges on split-second decisions. Encountering a threat – be it a slavering beast, a drunken thug, or an overly enthusiastic tax collector – requires rapid assessment. Misjudge the situation, and you might end up as a cautionary statistic in the next edition of this Guide.
The Triage Flowchart (Simplified):
- Identify Threat: What is it? How big/fast/pointy is it? Does it look like it actively wants to cause you grievous bodily harm? (Hint: Most things do).
- Assess Your Capabilities: Honestly evaluate your stats, skills, gear, and current HP/Stamina. Are you a Level 1 Flailer facing a Grumpy Orc Berserker? Or a Level 50 Archmage annoyed by a slime? (If the latter, please refer to Section 288: Overkill - Appropriate Applications).
- Environmental Scan: Are there escape routes? Places to hide? Potential improvised weapons (loose bricks, particularly hard fruit)? Are there witnesses or guards nearby (and would they help or just watch)?
- Decision Point:
- RUN! (Category: Overwhelming Threat/Low Confidence): If the threat significantly outclasses you, or you're low on resources, disengage immediately. A tactical retreat is always preferable to a messy demise. Use obstacles, break line of sight, activate [Sprint] skill if available. (See Module 17: Advanced Running Away Techniques).
- HIDE! (Category: Avoidable Threat/Stealth Advantage): If you can avoid detection, do so. Duck into alleys, shadows, or conveniently placed barrels. Requires decent Stealth/Awareness or just blind luck. Wait for the threat to pass. Useful against patrols or threats you really don't want to fight.
- WHACK IT! (Category: Manageable Threat/No Other Option/Quest Mandate): If you judge the threat manageable (e.g., rats you desperately need tails from), if escape/hiding isn't feasible, or if the Plot demands it, prepare for combat. Utilize skills, gear, and terrain. Aim for weak points. Try not to die. (Refer back to Module 4: Combat Fundamentals & Section 92: Targeting Vital Points - Groin Not Always Optimal).
Important Considerations:
- Multiple Threats: Adjust tactics accordingly. Fighting one goblin is different from fighting ten. Usually requires more running.
- Unknowns: If you can't identify the threat or its capabilities, err on the side of caution (Run/Hide). Sticking around to 'analyze' a shimmering void beast is generally ill-advised.
- LUK Stat: A low LUK stat may cause your chosen tactic to fail spectacularly (e.g., tripping while running, hiding place collapsing, stick breaking on first whack). Factor this into your risk assessment.
Mastering threat triage is essential. It keeps you alive long enough to hopefully level up to the point where 'Whack It With a Stick' becomes a genuinely viable option more often.
(Inkstained Prophet's Pro Tip: If you hear boss music starting to play, the correct answer is almost always RUN, unless you've recently had a major power-up or flashback sequence.)
[Kevin's Story: Part 12 - A Brush with the Past?]
Several days settled into a rhythm for Kevin. Wake, work for Martha (mostly cleaning, some basic prep), odd jobs around the market (minor repairs, carrying messages for a few coppers), sometimes returning to Warehouse Four for another grim rat hunt if funds were low or Martha needed pest control in her own cellar (earning him bonus points with her, at least). He was slowly accumulating coin – he had nearly thirty coppers saved now, a staggering sum compared to his arrival.
He'd even spent five coppers on a pair of slightly-less-worn boots from a secondhand stall, replacing the disintegrating rags on his feet. It felt like a major upgrade.
Ding!
[Equipment Changed: [Worn Leather Boots (Poor Quality)] Acquired!]
[Defense: 1]
[Movement: Slight improvement over bare feet/rags.]
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
[Status Effect Removed: [Risk of Foot Injury]]
He was becoming 'Finn the Fixer' or 'Finn the Rat-Catcher' around the lower market district – not respected, but acknowledged. People knew who he was, which was both good (easier to get small jobs) and potentially bad (more visible if someone was looking for him).
He still slept in Martha's storeroom, the two coppers nightly fee a reasonable price for security. He hadn't had another note from the Concerned Veteran, and the rusty shank remained his primary weapon. He practiced with it sometimes in the storeroom, mimicking combat moves described abstractly in the Guide (Module 4 mostly, though he’d skimmed Module 35 after a close call with an aggressive stray dog). His [Basic Street Brawling] Lv. 3 felt marginally less pathetic.
One evening, after finishing his cleanup duties at the Sailor, he took a slightly different route back towards the market alleys where he sometimes picked up late messenger jobs. He used [Urban Navigation (Slums)], letting the faint overlay guide him through a maze of narrow passages he hadn't explored before.
As he rounded a corner into a particularly dark, refuse-choked alley, he heard voices ahead. Rough laughter, a sharp curse. Familiar somehow. He paused, pressing himself against the cold, damp brickwork. Hide. Module 35 whispered in his mind.
He peered cautiously around the edge. Two figures stood silhouetted against the faint light filtering from a distant streetlamp. Burly shapes. He recognized them instantly – the two thugs who had been shaking down the fishmonger the day he'd 'acquired' the meat pie.
"...told the boss Finn's spot is empty," one was saying, his voice slurring slightly. "Good riddance. Mouthy little runt."
"Yeah," the other slurred back. "Shame about the coin he owed, though. Grok wasn't happy 'bout that crack on the head interruptin' the collection."
Finn. Owed them coin. Grok? Was that their boss? And... they weren't the ones who killed Finn? They seemed annoyed his death interrupted their debt collection. Kevin's mind raced. So Finn was in debt, likely gambling or something similar. The random violence theory seemed less likely now. But who did kill him, then? And why?
Before he could process further, one of the thugs turned, peering into the darkness where Kevin hid. "Oi? Who's there?"
Panic seized Kevin. Run or Hide? His hiding spot was compromised. Running meant revealing himself. Whack it? Absolutely not. These guys were professionals, albeit drunk ones.
LUK 3, don't fail me now... or rather, don't actively sabotage me.
He stayed perfectly still, trying to melt into the shadows, controlling his breathing.
The thug squinted, then shrugged. "Probably just rats. Bigger 'n usual these days." He turned back to his companion. "C'mon, let's get outta this stink hole. Boss wants a report."
They stumbled off down the alley in the opposite direction. Kevin waited until their footsteps faded completely, his heart pounding against his ribs. That was close. Too close.
He learned something vital, though. Finn owed money to a 'Grok', enforced by these thugs. But someone else killed Finn before they could collect or administer their own beating. Was it related to the debt? Or something else entirely?
As he finally stepped out of the shadows, relieved but shaken, his foot brushed against something small on the ground near where the thugs had been standing. Not a waterskin this time. Just a single, folded piece of parchment, tucked discreetly beside a loose brick. Same neat handwriting.
Observation skills improving. Threat assessment... adequate (this time).
Grok runs the Wharf Rats gang. Low-level extortion, smuggling. Finn likely owed gambling debts.
Careful who you listen to in dark alleys. Not everyone dismisses shadows as 'just rats'.
P.S. Check the loose brick.
- A Concerned Veteran
Kevin's eyes darted to the brick mentioned. Heart hammering again, he knelt and carefully worked it loose. Behind it, nestled in the cavity, was not a weapon or tool, but a small, slightly tarnished silver coin.
Ding!
[Item Acquired: [Silver Piece] x1]
[Value: Approximately 100 Copper Pieces (Standard Exchange Rate)]
[Hidden Objective Discovered: Uncover Finn's Past!]
[Sub-Objective Complete: Identify Finn's Creditor (Grok/Wharf Rats)]
[Reward: +15 EXP] (143/200 EXP)
A silver piece! It felt heavy, significant. And more information. The Veteran was watching him, guiding him, testing him? Who was this person? And why help him?
He quickly replaced the brick, pocketed the coin and the note, and hurried away from the alley, glancing over his shoulder. The grind was giving him stability, but the echoes of Finn's life – and death – were starting to get louder. And potentially much more dangerous.