The Stranger's Gear
A woman you don't recognize sits on a low wall near the gate, a heavy pack beside her. She's not a trader - no signs, no displayed goods. But the pack is half-open and you can see quality equipment inside. Pre-war stuff, well-maintained.
She catches your eye and gestures you over. "Leaving town for good. Heading east. I can't carry all of this and I don't have time to set up shop. Make me an offer on any of it."
Escolhas
- 1
Buy something. Gear like that doesn't show up every day.
sem requisitoSucessoShe's not lying - the equipment is solid. You pick out a useful piece and pay a fair price. She nods, shoulders her pack, and heads for the gate without another word.
FalhaYou spend ten minutes negotiating before she suddenly changes her mind about selling. "Forget it. I might need all of it." She walks off, leaving you with nothing but wasted time.
- 2
Warn her about traveling east alone. The routes aren't safe.
sem requisitoSucessoShe listens, though her expression doesn't change much. "I know," she says quietly. After a moment, she pulls something from her pack and sets it on the wall between you. "For the concern." Then she leaves.
FalhaShe cuts you off mid-sentence. "I've been surviving longer than you've been walking." Fair enough. She shoulders her pack and goes.
- 3
Something about her story doesn't add up. Study her more carefully.
SucessoHer boots are wrong. They're local-made, recent - not the boots of someone who arrived from elsewhere with pre-war gear. And the pack's wear pattern suggests it was carried a short distance, not a long journey. This gear was stolen, probably from a cache. You confront her quietly and she bolts, leaving the pack behind.
FalhaYou stare at her a beat too long and she notices. "Problem?" she asks, standing up. You mention the boots, the wear pattern. She looks at you like you're insane. "I bought the boots here last week because mine fell apart. You want to inspect my blisters too?" She leaves. You stand there reassessing your detective career.
UUID