The New Merchant District Sneak Peek: The Clockwork Boutique

[Actinate]

Hey all! With the release of the new Merchant District will come some new lore that will be accessible on the website and in the game. This way, if you want to browse the lore on the site you can do that. If you want to read the lore, but don't want to leave the game to do so, you can do that too!

What does this have to do with today's sneak peek? Well, some of the lore coming out will involve Vilainburgh, an important part of the Empire. The people of Vilainburgh uphold a transhumanist philosophy; they seek to make themselves better, stronger, and more successful through the use of steam and gas-powered technology. It is the ever blurring line between man and machine.

Why is this important? We are importing their goods!!! Let's take a look at the Clockwork Boutique!

>look
Tralisia - The Merchant District - The Clockwork Boutique [70600]
The shop is illuminated by a flameless metropolitan chandelier suspended from the
store's rafters. In the back of the room, behind a brass counter, is an iron stove engine
roaring with a heavy flame. A complex network of piping extends from the engine. The pipes
run along the floor, ceiling, and walls. Occasionally, plumes of steam belch from the vents
of contraptions connected to the network.

Industrial workbenches, displaying the store's imports, are bolted to the walls. Wooden
mannequins, wearing an assortment of widgets and odd clothing, twirl on automated pedestals
powered by steam.

[Exits: none]
(Closed) A wooden door, with polished brass trim, is here.
(Prototype) A steam-powered piston engine, with a pneumatic demolition hammer, is here, secured behind unbreakable glass.

^^^We wanted to give each continent and each city on those continents their own unique feel. I envision Vilainburgh with Victorian clothing, Gothic architecture, and steampunk technology. We hope to take you there some day. In fact, we hope to take you to all the major cities. As of writing this, Vilainburgh, Vanyelar, and Orethyst are all under construction, but there is still more work to be done in Tralisia before those other locations can be finished.

Fun fact: the pneumatic demolition hammer is actually a preview of future content. I guess you'll have to look at it to see what it's hinting at.

First off, we have over 130 items, as of now, for sale in this new store. most are clothing, but some are weapons and character enhancements. Unlike the grueling torture that is making greaves and arm guards, I had a lot of fun writing these items. They create a deeper sense of the world, and they add characteristics we've yet to experience. With new design space comes new ideas. New ideas bring options. And options are always good for gamers!

Let's just see a few of the items that you'll be able to purchase:

a side-laced, leather stovepipe top hat adorned with tiny, overlapping brass gears
a miniature, blue lace top hat, garnished with black-and-yellow feathers
a black Technomage monocle, with red trim and a gold lens, designed to measure essence output
a pair of dark striped trousers with black suspenders
a brown leather utility belt with vial slides, bullet loops, and a holster
(Crackling) a metallic apparatus powered by a voltaic Essence stone
a pair of chic fingerless black gloves made from black cross straps

^^^Let's talk about these last two items, specifically. The apparatus is a new type of shard that Mages can use instead of regular shards. The fingerless gloves... well, those are pretty interesting as well.

The apparatus increases lightning spell effectiveness. Not enough? Crank it to full power!

>activate apparatus
You are violently electrocuted while cranking up the energy level of a metal apparatus, powered by a voltaic Essence stone!
Your hair stands on end as a metallic apparatus, powered by a voltaic Essence stone, shakes you violently while discharging bursts of electricity!

^^^Now that it's powered (special thanks to Droth for testing), it's output is dramatically increased at the cost of additional Essence. Is it too hard to maintain? Power it down!

>activate app
You scream out in pain as you are violently electrocuted while cranking the power level of a metal apparatus, infused with a voltaic Essence stone, down to a lower level output.
Your muscles relax as the painful electric discharge dissipates.

^^^Now you're back to normal output! What about the gloves though? What's so special about them?

>wear gloves
You slip your hands into a pair of chic fingerless black gloves made from black cross straps.

^^^Nice gloves! Give me all your money!

>activate gloves
You quickly snap your wrists!
A pair of titanium switchblades extend from a concealed spring-loaded device strapped to the posterior of the chic fingerless gloves!

^^^On second though... don't give me your money.

I hope you all really enjoyed this sneak peek at the Clockwork Boutique. There is a lot going on with this store that will, hopefully, excite everyone and provide more interesting and unique customization options.

In our next update, we'll be addressing something more GENERAL! See you in Tralisia!