New equipment!

After a while of dawdling in the restaurant in the hunting lodge, I felt mostly free from the shackles of the hangover. I decided to invest my attribute points I received last night all into dexterity.

Dexterity: 25 -> 30

Feeling the refreshing sensation of an increased attribute, I flexed and moved my body around and felt the increased control over my body. This also allowed me to use my fingers and hands for even finer movements, and I felt that it was time for me to begin to utilise cars throwing.

"Hey, Mark. Do you know where I could get some new equipment?"

"Yeah. There are quite a few smiths around here. Do you need something repaired?" Mark asked out of curiosity.

"Er, no. I was planning on getting some playing cards outlined in metal. I have a skill that lets me throw them to deal damage." I replied.

"Oh. Well, I don't know many who would take a job like that, but... I do know one who will. I'll take you to him in the afternoon. It's just that, his style is... unique shall we say."

"Unique? How so?" I asked.

"The weapons he creates aren't... orthodox. They tend to be rather strange and one of a kind. If you ask for a sword it would not be a standard sword. I think he would love to make throwing cards though." Mark replied.

'Could fit quite nicely with my system.' I thought to myself, before accepting Mark's offer. We sat around and chatted for a while, ate some lunch before Mark and I set off to meet the unique blacksmith.

We weaved in and out of various alleys and passed a few smiths along the way. Eventually we reached a small hut that did not look particularly safe. The sounds of clanging steel and the smell of coal radiated through the area. Mark rapped on the door a few times before a rough and low voice resounded from the other side.

"Come in."

The inside of the hut was relatively barren, with a forge in the Center, away from anything flammable, an anvil and various weaponry lining the walls. The Smith was hammering and shaping two swords with hooked ends, blade hand guards and daggered ends on the hilts.

The Smith was quite short, but built like a bear. He was completely bald with a big and scruffy beard.

"Ah, Mark! Lovely to see ye. 'Ows hunting life been treating ye? 'Aven't seen ye 'round 'ere since years ago! Haha, and 'ose this ye got with ye?"

"This is Henry. He needs some metal throwing cards to go hunting with."

"Oh! Nice to meet ye, Henry. The names Barney. Ye need throwin' cards, eh? Now that is an interestin' request. I'd love to!" He said with enthusiasm.

"Now, let's talk details, eh? Got any special features ye need on 'em?"

"Well, my system is one that supposedly fights with deceit and dexterity. So, something to do with that? Also, it tends to be very circus and performance themed." I replied, quite unsure how he would take my requests.

"Well, I'd say £50 'll do for some throwing cards. Won't take too long. Come back tomorrow and they'll be done. Maybe."

"Really? So soon?" I asked out of surprise.

"Yes! With the system I was given, such a simple task is as easy as talkin' about it!" He said with a joyous laugh. "Alright. Be on yer way. I've got work to do." He said, shooing us out of the hut.

The rest of the day rolled by slowly, with the few monster sightings being snatched up by the other hunting parties. Soon enough, it was time for me to redeem the cards that I had requested.

"Oh, hello Henry! I got yer cards right 'ere." He said with a smile as I entered the hut.

There was a full deck of 52 cards sat on the table, with each suit having a unique design. The hearts cards were a slick steel colour and very sharp. The diamond cards were light blue and slightly crystalline in design and had serrated edges. The clubs cards were black with white writing and blunt edges. The spades were white with black writing but with no other defining feature.

"It was a right tough'n that request, but I think I've got what ye need. The hearts cards are pretty standard, sharp enough to cut through a monster just fine. The diamond cards are, as ye can see, serrated. It'll be quite nasty to be on the receiving end, heh heh. Clubs are rather interesting. They are blunt, see? Heavier too. But they get even heavier just before impact. Real proud o' these. But it's with clubs that it gets interestin'. When thrown, they look like they get split into multiple cards! It can be seen through, of course, but it'll do the trick just fine! A real masterpiece, they are." He explained in detail with exuberant pride, showing a wide, gleaming smile.

"Uh... wow." I said in shock. "How did you get those effects, though? Did you hit it really hard?."

"I thought ye'd ask." He said with a grin. "Ye've probably guessed, but I have a unique variant system! Curio Smith, it's called. I make weird weapons and strange effects!"

"Well that certainly makes sense..." I thought aloud.

"Alright! Get yer arses out. I've got work to do." Barney said with a smile, ushering is out of the hut.

Holding the cards in a specialised holster, Mark and I were shooed out into the streets.

"Well, that went better than I thought it would." Mark said with a laugh.

"Yeah. When you said his works were strange, I think I get it now. I pity the fellow who gets those hooked swords." I said jokingly as we began to walk back to the lodge.

"Heeeenryyyyyy! Maaaaaaaark!" Christopher yelled as we entered the lodge.

"Quiet! Don't disturb the regular people." I said with a joke.

"Hehe, sorry. We got another hunt!!" He said with a beaming smile.

"Oh really? What is it?" Mark asked.

"It's a terra terror. Caused a lot of problems for the farmers around here."

'Terra terror? Damn it, I was hoping I'd get something easy..' I sighed inwardly. Terra terrors were big worms around 3-5 meters in length and had string and slimy flesh. They looked quite similar to earthworms, except for their size, brownish colour and huge toothy maw that looks like the gate to hell. They could eat almost anything, and lived mostly off of rocks deep below the earth's surface. They had sensitive skin and could feel vibrations in the earth. They often caused trouble for farmers when the come close to the surface as they love to eat fertile soil and often ate livestock on occasion. Basically, a pain in the ass to deal with.

"Alright, lets get all of our stuff together and head out into the fields for our second hunt!" Mark said, walking over to the restaurant area. Inside, Lewis and Sharron were chatting away casually.

"Oh, er, Hello." Sharron greeted us as we walked over.

"Hello..." Lewis said tiredly.

"Alright team! We are going against a terra terror, so the expedition might take a while. Let's run over the hunting method before we pack up. We'll move as a team, as splitting up will be too dangerous. We must stay concentrated for any vibrations in the ground. If we catch them too late, the terror will catch us before we can dodge. It's method of attack is to rise from beneath us, and break apart the ground to create small ravines to trap us. We can throw off the creature by stomping on the ground whilst it tries to position itself beneath us. Other than that, we have to stay vigilant. Let's pack up, team." Mark said with a hint of seriousness and concern.

As per usual, I got the lightest backpack as, through some divine intervention or what have you, Sharron is stronger than I am. This was also followed by giggles and grins from Sharron and Christopher.

'I swear to god I am going to the gym more often after this...' I lampooned inwardly.

We spent a little while packing our bags, and decided to head off in the morning.

We took some time to eat dinner and chatted casually over what had happened that day and what was to happen tomorrow.

"Quite exciting, huh?" Christopher said, sitting down beside me.

"Yeah I suppose. Given how our last one went, maybe I will lose my legs and be granted leave." I lampooned, still unhappy over the fact that we won't have an easy hunt to complete.

"Hehe, yeah. I don't know if my arrows will do much to it, but that just adds to the excitement, I think. And if you lose your legs, I'm sure Sharron will sew them back on." He added jokingly.

Soon after we had some dinner, we retired to our bed chambers, for in the morning we would do battle against the terrifying terra terror. What's the worst that could happen?