The garden was shrouded in a dense fog, barely illuminated by the last lights of the banquet.
Lior advanced with a firm step, ignoring the soft breeze rising from the east, until he reached the crypt stairs. The sound of his boots echoed in the stillness of the night, as his thoughts focused on what he was about to discover.
He approached the stairs. They had been ancient, now deteriorated by the years. The stone, worn and broken, crunched beneath his feet with each step he took. The air in the crypt was heavy, as if the entire place were sealed with forgotten secrets. The entrance was hidden in the undergrowth, barely visible, but Lior already knew it well.
At the entrance, the wolf emblem, the symbol of his family, something in that engraving had begun to burn within him. That symbol... there was something still hidden beneath his own house. With each step he descended, the air grew colder and the darkness thickened.
He approached the emblem, studying it for a moment.
The system's voice echoed in his mind, like a presence stalking him, waiting for him to make his move. "The Emblem of the Wolf still remembers you"
Something about it told him it wasn't simply decorating the entrance, but that there was more to it than a simple engraving. With a slow gesture, he reached out toward the symbol, feeling the cool surface of the stone.
It was then that the vibration arrived, a small pressure that ran through his palm, almost imperceptible. A faint glow began to shimmer beneath his fingers. For a second, everything stopped. The walls seemed to whisper, the air vibrated with a new energy. Suddenly, the emblem lit up brightly, and the stones around it began to move.
The sound of a mechanism echoed in the crypt as the wall to his right began to give way, slowly opening to reveal a hidden passage. He didn't hesitate for a second. He crossed the threshold and entered the new chamber, his breathing calm but expectant.
Various system windows appeared in front of him but he decided to erase them from his sight and give importance to what was in front of him.
The chamber had four walls carved with beautiful images, words long since erased. Swords and armor hung from various statues, one in each corner. On the ceiling, a large mural that must have once been beautiful, now corroded by time and neglect.
The room almos empty, if not for a table in the middle of it. It didn't look like much, but the same wolf emblem was engraved on it. Upon opening it, he found what appeared to be a medallion, an object that somehow seemed familiar.
It took his mind a moment to understand why, but he finally remembered, he had seen that same medallion in old portraits of his family, portraits that spoke of a time of greatness.
[Failure Shop – Beta Access]
Finally, he could now see what the system will provide him with
A echo ring in his head
[Master, I must remind you that this is an initial version of the store; as the level of failure increases, the store will continue to improve. Fail as much as you can to get more and better options.]
"Yes, yes I know you have already told me that" Lior responded tired. Even though the system did not talk much, for some reason Lior sensed it saw itself as better than his supposed master.
The air shimmered. The system's interface unfolded in front of him like a phantom scroll, projecting pale golden light into the shadows.
No longer a flicker. This felt tangible. Real. A tool, not a gimmick.
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Balance: 18 FP
Categories:
Historical Insight
Unlock long-buried truths.
5 FP - Forgotten Vardas Map (You will get to see important locations, most of the time, on the Vardas territory already forgotten)
10 FP - Secret History(small): The Wolf-Sun Pact (I mean, i don't need to explain what this is right? It is a pact nothing more nothing less)
---
Territory Upgrades
Improve domains... unintentionally.
8 FP - Stabilize Crypt Foundation (It may bring even more secrets to the light... or at least it will be prettier)
12 FP - Fertility Surge in Eastern Fields (Nature resistant(minor)
---
Social Tools
Lies, scandal, charm.
3 FP - Noble Dagger Refinement Kit (+Minor Prestige)
6 FP - Scandal Ledger (Blackmail potential targets)
---
Mystic Curiosities
Whispers beyond logic. Maybe they are just crazy people right?
15 FP - Fragment: Dying Oracle's Eye (You will get to see what a Oracle saw just before dying, maybe a great hero coming to save a country, or maybe a bird eating a mushroom who knows.)
25 FP - Echoes of the First Vardas Oath [Locked]
Stock refreshes with significant failures.
[Master you must remember that almost every aspect of the shop will be obtained by you doing some... let's say bad deeds]
"Yes, of course... Now let master think."
Lior skimmed the menu, his gaze lingering on certain items. A failure-based currency was poetic in its cruelty.
Finally, something caught his attention, the Stabilize Crypt Foundation (8 Failure Points).
The description was brief but intriguing. "It may bring even more secrets to light… or at least it will be prettier." His family crypt, the place where it all began, was shrouded in mystery. It wasn't just a matter of repairing the crypt's foundations, but also opening up the possibility of uncovering even more secrets hidden within its depths.
The idea of uncovering more secrets about his lineage was tempting, and the relatively low price made it an attractive option. Lior hesitated for a moment, mentally reviewing his options.
The "Fertility Surge in Eastern Fields" might be useful, but not as immediate as this small project. The crypt was a key location, the origin of House Vardas, and any secrets that could emerge from it would be invaluable. Besides, the phrase "or at least it will be prettier" brought a wry smile to his face.
It didn't matter if the crypt was only aesthetically improved; in his mind, it just meant he'd have an even more impressive site to gaze upon while he hatched his plans.
With a slight nod, he made his choice.
[Stabilize Crypt Foundation - 8 Failure Points]
New Balance: 10 FP
[Master, you must leave in order to carry out the action in the crypt. After 12 hours the project will be done.]
Lior nodded and proceeded to exit the same way he entered. Althouhg the system said it will inmediate he thought of reading what the system had tried to tell him after entering the secret chamber.
[Optional Objective: Visit the Crypt and find what is forgotten.]
Reward: Store opening and a lost artifact of the Vardas family.
[Bonus prize for speed of completion]
Passive Tracking: You will now be notified of Passive Effects triggered by current Traits or Failures.
Passive Effect Activated:
-Public Misconduct – Appearances at noble events reduce reputation. However, they increase notoriety.
"You really are a macabre system, aren't you? You just want everyone to hate me. Admit it, you damn bastard. Tsk."
[Master, please, I am neither good nor evil. I am absolute neutrality. What is more neutral than chaos, Master? It appears and disappears according to its own laws. It must not follow anyone's rules, only its own. Exactly as you, Master.]
"Sure sure, of course how was it possible that I doubted you, the most benevolent of all" Said Lior with and obvious sarcastic remark.