![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.mountbakergames.com\/manifold\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Talpat-Public-House-1024x759.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u201cHello there!\u201d the barkeeper greeted him. The man was silver haired and sported a disheveled beard, but he moved with a spryness that brought his age into question. \u201cYou\u2019re just a bit early for dinner,\u201d he continued, “but if you want to take a seat, we\u2019ll have portions out in forty minutes\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dinner wasn\u2019t Vikus\u2019 plan, but after smelling the wafts of meat and fat on the air, he figured he could make time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat sounds lovely,\u201d Vikus responded, \u201cbut I was hoping I could ask you a few questions. I haven\u2019t been in town long.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOf course!\u201d responded the barkeeper, \u201cYou speak excellent MTL, by the way, I\u2019m impressed. The name\u2019s Eldry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cVikus,\u201d he responded as he pulled a stool up to the bar. It was nice to hear he wasn\u2019t standing out too much. \u201cI\u2019m writing the Federation Frontiersmen handbook on Docide. I\u2019m actually responsible for teaching MTL to cadets, so I\u2019m glad I\u2019m not too bad at it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eldry smiled invitingly. \u201cA whole handbook on this sleepy town? Surely there\u2019s no need for all that.\u201d He trailed off, then picked up again \u201cSo are you drinking good, or drinking cheap?\u201d Eldry asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vikus hadn\u2019t intended to drink, but endearing Eldry to him was probably his best path to some honest information. \u201cWhat currencies do you use in Docide?\u201d Vikus inquired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOzzies,\u201d Eldry responded, \u201csame as the mainland. But a man like you,\u201d Eldry nodded at Vikus\u2019s Federation uniform, \u201cI\u2019m sure has something to pay with.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWill you accept Denaro?\u201d Vikus asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNot on credit, you understand, but do you have physical money?\u201d Eldry inquired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vikus nodded. \u201cI\u2019ve got some. What would a meal cost?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eldry chortled. \u201cCan I see it? I\u2019ve never seen a blueback. But with that foundry going up in the hills, I have a feeling I\u2019ll be seeing plenty of them soon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSure,\u201d Vikus responded as he pulled a couple bills out of his wallet and set them on the counter. \u201cOn the satellite a meal is 40 Denaro for a non-comissioned, but what I\u2019m smelling from the back is considerably better, so I\u2019m thinking\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026 Seventy.\u201d Vikus finished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026 A hundred.\u201d Eldry finished simultaneously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRight, one hundred,\u201d Vikus continued, \u201cbut it\u2019s so kind of you to bring it down to eighty a plate since I\u2019m also feeding my three men, who are out mooring the ship.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eldry looked up from the bills on the counter, \u201cYou should tell them I\u2019ve got two spots in the back. On the south side, away from the garage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur comms don\u2019t work this close to the domes,\u201d Vikus responded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh! Funny.\u201d Eldry responded dryly. \u201cThey\u2019re not all blue.\u201d He noted, referring again to the bills on the counter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo, just the one hundred,\u201d Vikus said, \u201cand the ten.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo how much are these?\u201d Eldry inquired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s a twenty, and a fifty,\u201d Vikus informed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh, so the number of strokes is the denomination,\u201d Eldry realized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYes, except\u2026\u201d Vikus started, as he pulled another bill out of his wallet, \u201cthat\u2019s only in Protean. Above one hundred, they\u2019re in formal Ceasarian script, where every number can be represented by two pen strokes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhich makes that bill worth\u2026?\u201d Eldry inquired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFive hundred Denaro.\u201d Vikus stated with aplomb. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo you\u2019re drinking good,\u201d Eldry responded as he reached for a decanter of golden-brown fluid behind the counter, and grabbed a glass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGreat.\u201d Vikus said, as he received the glass from Eldry. \u201cWhile I\u2019m here, I was hoping you could tell me some things about the town. I\u2019m especially interested in the person called Starlet, and the folks in the oasis.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat are all those medals for?\u201d Eldry asked, nodding at the adornments on Vikus\u2019s suit. \u201cDo they always make you wear those things, or\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vikus snorted and set down his drink. He was being too coy, this man seemed helpful enough \u201cIt\u2019s formal, I was supposed to be having a diplomatic meeting with Starlet,\u201d his tone betrayed his frustration. \u201cBut I was unable to locate her. Do you know how I might find her?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eldry pulled the decanter back out, and refilled Vikus\u2019s glass. Vikus heard the jingle of the door opening as his contingent entered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThese folks yours?\u201d Eldry asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIndeed,\u201d Vikus responded, \u201cThis is Henri, Cable, and Yotts. They\u2019re eating on my dime, and they are drinking cheap.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFabulous!\u201d Eldry clapped, \u201cYou can take a seat either in the corner, or over there by the heat. Dinner\u2019s still a bit off, but can I get you started with wine or beer?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Henri pulled off his helmet and looked inquisitively at Vikus, who returned a knowing nod. \u201cI\u2019ll take a beer.\u201d said Henri, and murmurs of \u201cBeer sounds good,\u201d came from the duo behind him as they detached their vest and took to their seats. Henri approached Vikus as Eldry disappeared into the back room. \u201cThanks Vik. How\u2019s this going?\u201d Henri asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPlodding,\u201d Vikus responded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eldry returned with three bottles, and attended to the contingent as they settled into the corner. Then he returned to the counter. \u201cSo, where were we?\u201d Eldry asked. Vikus was ready to launch into his questions, but Eldry struck first. \u201cRight, you were expecting a meeting with Starlet, so you put on all the gussy to show her you\u2019re more important than her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vikus rolled his eyes. Eldry was trying to get a rise out of him. \u201cWe consider it a sign of respect. I can make no claims about my rank compared to hers. What I can do, however, is demonstrate to her that the Federation considers her important, and therefore sent a man of some renown to be the one to engage with her. We don\u2019t mean to waste her time, as I\u2019m sure you don\u2019t mean to waste mine. Now, do you know anything about her position that might help me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAre you?\u201d Eldry asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAm\u2026 am I what?\u201d Vikus stammered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAre you a man of renown?\u201d Eldry finished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI am an officer of the Federation Frontiersmen. I am writing the handbook on Docide, and I am charged with communicating with Starlet about setting up domiciles in the oases. I think I have a little bit of sway.\u201d Vikus responded, trying to keep the insult out of his voice, \u201cFor example, if I write \u2018the purveyor of the Talpat Public House was very helpful. Sit at the bar and buy the 100 denaro plate to hear the local gossip\u2019 then you\u2019ll have officers here paying you a small fortune whenever there is something we need knowing.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Eldry thought for a second. \u201cAlright, I hear you. Here is some advice for your handbook. Every person in Docide is going to disrupt you, and slow you down, every step of the way. Don\u2019t take it personally. We do it to the IP knucks as well. If you want anyone to talk to you, you\u2019ll be in street clothes, and don\u2019t act like an officer,\u201d he offered quietly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vikus nodded, \u201cThank you for the advice. Do you know how I might get an audience with Starlet?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eldry refilled Vikus\u2019s glass, \u201cYou\u2019re unlikely to. Let’s make one thing clear; you will not find her. You might find one of her druids, and convince them to bring you to her, but you won\u2019t find her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOk,\u201d Vikus nodded, \u201cI spoke to a man named Bullo, and he deemed me unworthy. It took me a week to find him. Do you know how I\u2019ll find him again? And do you know how I can convince him?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes,\u201d Eldry stated, \u201cI suspect you\u2019ve spent some time out in the wastes.\u201d Vikus nodded, so Eldry continued, \u201cThen you\u2019ve likely seen the defilers. Those spirits are attracted to the rituals that the druids do, so they trend in the correct direction. Now, you don\u2019t really want to encounter a defiler. Luckily, they leave trails in the loam, so you can follow that. That will show you which oasis they are in at the moment. When you approach, you will be greeted.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cExcellent. Thank you,\u201d Vikus responded. \u201cHow do I get them to bring me to her?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAre any of you wizards?\u201d Eldry inquired. Vikus shook his head. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGet one.\u201d Eldry continued. \u201cWhat you\u2019re going to do is go to Hannegan\u2019s shop, it\u2019s about three blocks from here. South, toward the mountain, but on this road. She\u2019s going to offer you some asinine trinket. When you meet with Bullo, have your wizard make the trinket dance. They eat that up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vikus looked at him quizzically, \u201cAre you mocking me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eldry held up both open palms, \u201cLook buddy, you want to talk about which barrels to age which wine in, I\u2019m your guy. If you want to find a hermit and make them listen to reason, you have a better chance of flying through the eye of a needle. I\u2019m telling you everything I know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOk,\u201d Vikus surrendered, \u201cThree blocks south?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eldry nodded, \u201cAnd you can\u2019t count on her taking cash, so you\u2019ll need to trade with her. I bet she\u2019ll like those medals though. Federation regalia is gold on the black market.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRight, yes,\u201d Vikus muttered as he returned the bills on the counter to his wallet, and replaced them with two others. \u201cThis is four hundred, that should cover us,\u201d Vikus said to Eldry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Then he unhooked his medals from his jacket, and pocketed them. He moved toward his contingent and draped his jacket over a chair. Henri rose to attention, but Vikus dismissed him, \u201cAt ease. Save me a plate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes sir,\u201d Henri responded, and Vikus headed to the door. As Vikus opened the door, he turned to Eldry. As Vikus walked south, he considered his outfit. He had removed his jacket, but still wore a nice button up and slacks. He had shined his boots this morning, but you wouldn\u2019t be able to tell after all the dust he\u2019d walked through. It would have to do. At least there were no insignias to clock him as Federation, although his accent was likely to betray him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Finding the store was easy. It displayed a garish neon sign that simply read \u201cHannegan\u2019s\u201d. No \u2018Garage\u2019 or \u2018General Store\u2019 nor any descriptor that might help Vikus set his expectations. He entered the front door to find what looked like a living room, filled floor to ceiling with garbage. The sofa was covered with crates, and shelves not only lined the walls, but ran through the center of the room. Two art fixtures stood in opposite corners of the room; clay statues with topaz gemstones wantonly sticking out of them. He could hear some voices from down the hallway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCome in!\u201d shouted a friendly voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vikus followed the sounds, and found himself in the kitchen, or what used to be a kitchen. The shelves this time were full of plants and what looked like mummified animal parts. Dirty dishes in the sink were the only thing that betrayed that someone actually lived here. There were two people chatting, a skinny brunette woman in denim and fleece and a slightly older dark-haired man in green arcane robes that looked expensive. Vikus stayed quiet as they chatted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The woman gave him a welcoming nod as she continued her conversation. \u201cYeah, like I said, I\u2019ll buy them all, but if supply is going up, price is coming down.\u201d \u201cI don\u2019t know how many bird skulls you think I need,\u201d the woman responded, \u201c but I\u2019ll pay full freight for the book and scrolls.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd the firebrand?\u201d the man inquired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh baby, I\u2019m excited about that one,\u201d the woman responded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOk,\u201d the man surrendered, \u201cI still want all three of the eidolons. If you don\u2019t want the relics, what do I owe you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou can owe me a favor?\u201d the woman responded with a smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNot a chance,\u201d the man rebuffed., \u201cDoes two and a half ozzies sound fair?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTwo ozzies, and the skulls,\u201d she bartered. The man accepted, reached into his purse, and pulled out two stones. The woman took them and turned to Vikus,\u201cI\u2019ll be with you in just a second.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She turned to put the stones on a scale. \u201cPerfect!\u201d she exclaimed, then she went to a shelf by the window, and pulled off a blanket, uncovering three small wooden logs. \u201cThey\u2019re a bit heavy for me,\u201d she said to the man, \u201cbut you can help yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The man nodded, grabbed one log, and departed the room out the hallway that Vikus had walked in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDid you get a good haul?\u201d Vikus inquired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The woman gestured to the weapons and armor that adorned her table, \u201cThe bounty of the Spiritbinders,\u201d she responded with a flair, like it was an inside joke Vikus should have understood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vikus nodded, pretending to understand. \u201cSo, you must be\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHannegan Falto,\u201d she finished, extending a hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vikus shook her hand, \u201cand I\u2019m Kyle Clover. I have some loot I\u2019m trying to fence, and I heard you might be interested.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI have some loot I\u2019m trying to fence!\u201d Hannegan echoed in mockery. Vikus stammered in discomfort, then Hannegan continued, \u201cWell, come on, show me what you have!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vikus reached into his pocket, and pulled out his marksmanship ribbon, setting it on the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat is some milk!\u201d Hannegan exclaimed. \u201cI heard a couple other things jingling in that pocket of yours, how much are we dealing with?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat depends on what it will take for me\u2014\u201d Vikus cut short as the dark haired man walked back into the room. <\/p>\n\n\n\n He moved to the shelf and grabbed a second log, before stopping to acknowledge the ribbon on the table, \u201cThat\u2019s cool. Is that yours?\u201d he asked Vikus. Vikus nodded silently, then stood still. \u201cOk, fine,\u201d the man said, taking a hint and taking his log back out down the hallway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat depends on what it will take for me to get what I want,\u201d Vikus finished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s not how people typically go about \u2018fencing loot\u2019, but sure. What are you looking for?\u201d Hannegan responded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vikus realized that he didn\u2019t really know the answer to that question. \u2018Some trinket\u2019 was not terribly descriptive. He would need to betray his intention and ask for help. \u201cI\u2019m trying to get an audience with Starlet,\u201d he offered. \u201cI was told you may have something which would help me impress them with my magical prowess.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hannegan put both hands on the table and leaned in close. She responded barely above a whisper, \u201cDo you have impressive magical prowess?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m confident that I can complete the ritual, though I may need some gemstones,\u201d Vikus bluffed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOk, great.\u201d Hannegan said with a nod, and departed down the hallway. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Vikus waited in the kitchen, but it was the dark haired man that returned, not Hannegan. \u201cYou need to follow her,\u201d the man offered as he walked to grab the third log.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, thank you,\u201d Vikus responded. He grabbed his ribbon, and returned to the front room. Hannegan was digging around in a crate on the couch. She emerged with a plain looking white stone. It looked just like every other boulder scattered across the wastes. \u201cWhat is that?\u201d Vikus asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt’s an Archoria stone,\u201d Hannegan offered, \u201cfrom the Archoria glade.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd this will help me impress the druids?\u201d Vikus inquired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The dark haired man emerged from the hallway, carrying his log. \u201cSo did you kill Vikus?\u201d he asked with surprising candor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHow do you know that name?\u201d Vikus responded defensively. \u201cNo. No body. Not on this rock,\u201d Vikus dismissed him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShame,\u201d the man responded. \u201cWell, good luck,\u201d he said politely as he exited the front door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGood night, Kore,\u201d Hannegan bade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vikus turned back to Hannegan, surprised by how cavalier the discussion of murder was handled. \u201cHow will this help me impress the druids?\u201d he repeated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m confident you can complete the ritual,\u201d she admonished. \u201cYou just wololo on the rock, and the pixie will tell the druids that you\u2019re cool.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vikus felt a fury well up inside of him. Not a damn person in this town would give him the time of day. This was exactly the sort of asinine trinket that Eldry had warned him about, though. He took a few measured breaths before responding, \u201cAnd the ribbon covers it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hannegan clapped her hands together, and leaned in close again. \u201cDo you have any shinies?\u201d she asked in a whisper. \u201cI heard jingling in that pocket.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vikus nodded, and pulled out a medal titled \u2018Oasis Liaison – Vikus Martell\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOasis Surveyor,\u201d Hannegan read, as she inspected the medal, \u201csounds like you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDo we have a deal?\u201d Vikus demanded, setting the medal down on the table. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh boy, we have a deal,\u201d she responded. \u201cThe stone is all yours, close the door on your way out!\u201d she squealed as she grabbed the medal, and ran down the hallway. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Vikus picked up the Archoria stone. It was a little too big to fit into a pocket, and he had left his bags at the public house. Hopefully walking down the street with this in his hands wouldn\u2019t draw too much attention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, he had a lead and a plan. Tonight he would hail Master Eurus, both to request the help of a templar, and to report his encounter with the Spiritbinders. If he could pull this off, and if he could win the oases in the name of the Federation, then these frustrations would earn him many more medals. But first, it definitely earned him this dinner.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Dejected, Vikus brought the Rotohopper down at a watering hole. He stepped out of the hatch, dusted off his uniform, and turned back to his men. \u201cFind a place to park, then come join me. We\u2019ve all had a long day.\u201d Mutterings of \u2018yes sir\u2019 came from behind him as he approached the wooden door. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":287,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[43,39,41],"class_list":["post-286","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-bindoff-zero","tag-prequel","tag-riddle-of-the-winds"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mountbakergames.com\/manifold\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/286","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mountbakergames.com\/manifold\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mountbakergames.com\/manifold\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mountbakergames.com\/manifold\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mountbakergames.com\/manifold\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=286"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.mountbakergames.com\/manifold\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/286\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":291,"href":"https:\/\/www.mountbakergames.com\/manifold\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/286\/revisions\/291"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mountbakergames.com\/manifold\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/287"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mountbakergames.com\/manifold\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=286"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mountbakergames.com\/manifold\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=286"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mountbakergames.com\/manifold\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=286"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.mountbakergames.com\/manifold\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Federation-Contingent-1024x760.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThank you,\u201d Vikus said, then departed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.mountbakergames.com\/manifold\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Hannegan-Falto-Trinket-Collector-1024x759.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
The man retorted, \u201cIt\u2019s likely short lived. Karrsey said it\u2019s up to twenty a day, but this flurry of rituals will probably be over by the time I get back. You\u2019ll be getting two loads like this, tops. And the well of energy is tremendous, these will be unlike anything you\u2019ve had.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.mountbakergames.com\/manifold\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Bounty-of-the-Spiritbinders-1024x759.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt said it on the ribbon,\u201d the man responded. \u201cIf you know where the body is, I\u2019ll clean it up for ya,\u201d he offered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n