Elias scrolled through online listings on his new phone. Cheap guesthouses, lodges, anything that didn't look like an immediate Eldritch hotbed. He knew the major plot points of "ECU," the grand quests, the big boss fights. But the countless minor side quests, the intricate street layouts, the precise spawn points for mundane resources—those details were frustratingly hazy. He'd poured thousands of hours into the game, but his memory was like a corrupted save file, retaining only the epic narrative, not the day-to-day grind. This made finding even a simple, temporary dwelling a challenge.
He spotted a small, unadorned lodge on the outskirts of Barden Yana, a bit further from the dense market area. The price seemed low enough to potentially afford for a night or two, if his Lumens stretched. Critically, checking its approximate location on the map, it appeared to be in an area with lower general pollution readings, at least according to his senses. No obvious pockets of despair or anger radiating from its digital pinpoint.
Walking towards it, Elias kept his enhanced senses alert. The city's hum felt a little less oppressive here, the emotional currents slightly calmer. Still, vigilance was paramount. He was a Level 1 hunter in a world teeming with invisible threats. Any sense of complacency could be fatal. He needed a base, however temporary, from which to operate, to plan, and to process this new, brutal reality.
The lodge itself was unassuming – a two-story building with peeling paint and a faded sign. It looked tired, but not sinister. It emanated a faint, neutral emotional signature, a welcome relief from the city's undercurrents. He approached the reception, ready to engage in another mundane transaction, a necessary step before he could delve into the history and secrets of this world. His new life depended on both quiet survival and aggressive pursuit of power.