[ You have betrayed the Tusken Raiders (Abu'Arem Tribe). Your relationship with the Abu'Arem Tribe has fallen to Nemesis. Your relationship with Tusken Raiders has fallen to Hostile. ]
Well. It seemed Rumor didn't have the goodwill of the Tusken Raiders anymore. And not just the Abu'Arem Tribe either, but all Tusken Raiders in Tatooine.
He didn't consider that to be a big loss. He wasn't planning on staying in Tatooine for long anyway.
[ Your reputation with Tusken Raiders (Abu'Arem Tribe) has grown to Reputable (0/10.000). ]
[ Achievement completed: Tusken Raider. ]
[ Your reputation with Tusken Raiders has grown to Unknown (700/1.000). ]
Rumor blinked. That was an unexpected bonus. Although The Mind had said reputation could only be raised, he hadn't expected his act of betrayal to push it over to the next tier. Plus, he had unlocked the reputation meter for all the Tusken Raiders, for what little it was worth.
Really, it seemed infamy was a much quicker way to fame than doing good deeds.
[ Your reputation with the Hutt Cartel (Mos Espa) has grown to Familiar (2.900/3.000). ]
[ Your reputation with the Hutt Cartel has grown to Familiar (160/3.000). ]
[ Your reputation in Tatooine has grown to Unknown (51/1.000). ]
[ Due to your actions against the Tusken Raiders, the Hutt Cartel (Mos Espa) shows goodwill towards you. ]
[ Due to your actions against the Tusken Raiders, the Hutt Cartel shows goodwill towards you. ]
Tumor hadn't been expecting that. It seemed the Tusken Raiders were so hated by everyone that just killing one of them was enough to earn goodwill world-wide. Not to mention, he had earned 6 points of reputation in Tatooine for the Tusken Raiders he killed, and 10 more for betraying them.
[ Banner of Freedom (2/50) - Temporary ]
Right, and some progression towards another achievement. If the system was counting it as he having freed Shala and Alena, then it must meant the Tusken Raiders had given up on their pursuit. Although, it only counted as temporary because the achievement said they had to be alive when he left the incursion.
And finally...
[ Battle summary: You have slain 6 Tusken Raiders and 1 Massiff. ]
[ You acquired: 2.100 wupiupis, Sturdy Staff, Tusken Raider Nose Ring (x6), Massiff Fur. ]
Err... What? The staff, sure. It was a 1-Star weapon, nothing impressive overall. And the fur was just that, an item he could sell or use to craft something. But nose rings?
[ Tusken Raider Nose Rings ]
[ Rarity: -- ]
[ Effect: None ]
[ Description: The Hutt Cartel has put a bounty on every Tusken Raider in Tatooine. Turn in this item at any Hutt Cartel outpost as proof of having killed a Tusken Raider. ]
Now that Rumor read the description, it wasn't that surprising. In the movies, the Tusken Raiders were shown as attacking anyone and everyone without concern for their identity. That included the Hutt Cartel.
"T-Thabk... Huff! Thank you!"
Looking over to the backseat, where Shala was holding a sleeping Alena, Rumor saw the mother had tears streaming down her face.
His expression softened, but, thinking that they were just characters created by The Mind, he schooled it again.
"I just dislike slavery, and never planned on staying with the tribe anyway. If it jeopardized my well-being in any way, I would have left you behind."
"Even so, thank you. When those monsters killed me husband and captured me, I had already resigned myself to dying there. But I didn't know I was pregnant with Alena at the time. She hasn't known freedom since she was born. What you did today... There aren't words to express how grateful I am."
Rumor kept his gaze focused straight ahead. He didn't want to crash the hovercraft. At least that was what he told himself.
Discreetly, he wiped the corner of his eyes.
"Get some sleep. We are going to Mos Espa. It will take a few hours still."
Behind Rumor's back, Shala smiled before resting her head on the seat and closing her eyes.
Rumor, meanwhile, had already busied himself with his menu again. He had two achievements to claim, and considering the rewards from [ Xenophobic ], however questionable they were, he was looking forward to this.
[ Desert Predator (complete): Tatooine's wildlife is as hostile as the planet itself. Hunt 5 different creatures in Tatooine. Species killed for achievement completion: Blood Ant, Anooba, Dragonet, Faybo, Massiff. ]
[ Completion reward: +1 Dexterity. ]
[ Desert Predator can be further upgraded into Apex of the Dunes. ]
[ Apex of the Dunes: Hunt one of Tatooine's 3 Apex Predators - Elder Krayt Dragon, Greater Scyk, Sarlac. ]
[ Tusken Raider (complete): Achive a reputation of Reputable with any Tusken Raider tribe. Tribe for achievement completion: Abu'Arem Tribe. ]
[ Completion reward: 1-Star Engraving (Tusken Raider). ]
[ Tusken Raider can be further upgraded into: Ally of the Dune People or Scourge of the Wastes. ]
[ Ally of the Dune People: Achive a relationship of Respected with the Tusken Raiders or a reputation of Venerable with 3 Tusken Raider Tribes. ]
[ Scourge of the Wastes: Achive a relationship of Nemesis with the Tusken Raiders by eradicating 3 or more Tusken Raiders Tribes. ]
1 point to dexterity, raising it to 8, wasn't too bad, but it did feel a little lackluster compared to the [ Red Blood ] skill reward from [ Xenophobic ]. Then again, that was a hidden achievement.
As for the reward from [ Tusken Raider ], which was a significantly harder achievement to complete then [ Desert Predator ]--
[ 1-Star Engraving (Tusken Raider) ]
[ Rarity: 1-Star ]
[ Effect: Fuse this engraving with your body to randomly gain on trait from the Tusken Raider people. ]
[ Restrictions: Bound. It can't be traded or given away. ]
[ Description: A mysterious symbol containing a portion of the power of a Tusken Raider. Fuse it with you body to randomly gain a trait. ]
[ Observation: This item is bound to the achievement-holder. It can not be traded or given away. ]
[ Warning: At your current prestige, you can only fuse with 1, 2, and 3-Stars engravings. Attempting to fuse with higher level engravings will have harsh consequences. ]
[ Warning: At your current prestige, you can only fuse with 3 engravings at a time. Attempting to fuse a fourth engraving will require that another be discarded. ]
That was something new. A trait from the Tusken Raiders people? What was that? And it had plenty of warnings to boot.
As always when he had doubts, Rumor turned to The Mind. It had said it would only answer his questions so openly during the first incursion, so he was going to abuse that privilege.
[ Traits are a feature of the system. They can be obtained through fusing with engravings. Engravings can be found through many methods, please explore on your own. ]
[ By fusing with an engraving, you will acquire a trait from the character the engraving belongs to. Traits are passive abilities that can't be seen through Observe or other methods. They can be your trumpcard as well as your enemy's. Please be careful, tester. ]
Passive abilities, hum? So he wasn't going to suddenly turn into a Tusken Raider or something like that.
[ You have used 1-Star Engraving (Tusken Raider). ]
[ You received the trait: Desert Whisperer ]
[ Desert Whisperer ]
[ Rarity: 1-Star ]
[ Effect: Increase movement speed by 10% in desert environments. ]
[ Description: Tusken Raiders have roamed the deserts of Tatooine as nomadic tribes for eons. Over time, they have acquired certain skills to allow them to traverse their hostile home more easily. ]
That was... Surprisingly useful. Rumor had been expecting something less since it was just a 1-Star.
While it was just in desert environments, a 10% bonus was nothing to scoff at. Together with his 2-Star skill [ Grav-Leap Boost ], Rumor could instantly get a 22% speed boost anytime he wanted in Tatooine.
As for the follow-up achievements from [ Desert Predator ] and [ Tusken Raider ], Rumor just gave them a cursory glance before closing the screen. Both were far too dangerous and time consuming for him now. And it was unlikely he would ever set foot in Tatooine again once this incursion was over.
Opening his character sheet, Rumor showed a satisfied grin. It had changed tremendously in the few days he had been here.
[ Name: Rumor ]
[ Titles: None ]
[ Prestige: Unknown ]
[ Health (HP): 100 ]
[ Mental Points (MP): 70 ]
[ Strength: 5 ]
[ Dexterity: 8 ]
[ Vitality: 5 ]
[ Temperance: 7 ]
[ Spirit: 5 ]
[ Appeal: 6 ]
[ Attack: Physical - 25 (Strength X 5), Mental - 25 (Spirit X 5) ]
[ Defense: 10 (Vitality X 2) ]
[ Free attribute points: 0 ]
[ Traits: Desert Whisperer ]
[ Skills: Observe, Hunter Sense lvl 1, Red Blood lvl 1, Firearm Mastery lvl 1, Grav-Leap Boost lvl 1 ]
[ Equipment: Standard Ottegan Army Blade, Rusted Brass Knuckles, High-Powered Slugthrower, Sturdy Staff, 1-Star Summoning Contract (Massiff) ]
[ Miscellaneous: 28.510 wupiupis, Delicious Unknown Fruit (x4), Decent Quality Military Bandages (x7), Slugthrower Magazine (x2), Anooba Pelt, Massiff Fur, Tusken Raider Nose Ring (x6) ]
[ Unlocked achievements: Desert Predator, Tusken Raider, Xenophobic ]
[ Active missions: 1 ]
[ Incursions: 1 ]
Not bad for 2 and a half days. But Rumor knew things would only get more serious from here on out. The Krayt Dragon Gang would be after him, the Tusken Raiders would gladly take his head if he stepped out of Mos Espa, and by now the plot of the first movie would have started, with the arrival of the Naboo ship.
Rumor kept a mental tally of coming events in his mind. Qui-Gon Jinn and the others would be meeting Anakin shortly, if they hadn't already. That's when the Jedi would first take notice of the Chosen One, which would eventually lead to Qui-Gon Jinn betting on Anakin's freedom with Watto on the pod-race - how that would work out with Rumor having stolen the hyperdrive, he wasn't sure.
After the race, the Sith Darth Maul would arrive, chasing the Naboo ship and Queen Amidala. Likely, that would be the most dangerous moment in Rumor's plan - if he was able to set it in motion.
His plan relied on a not-so-coincidental meeting with Qui-Gon Jinn. But Rumor wasn't sure how the interaction with a key storyline character like him would go.
[ Hidden achievement completed: Pop Goes The Bounty. ]
And as if the universe - or The Mind - thought he already didn't have enough on his shoulders, here was something else.
"What's this now?"
[ Your actions have shown the Krayt Dragon Gang you are not an enemy to be taken lightly. As such, they have placed an official bounty on you. ]
[ Pop Goes The Bounty (completed): Have a bounty worth the equivalent of 5.000 dollars or more placed on your head. Bounty for achievement completion: 60.000 wupiupis/10.000 Republic credits/6.000 dollars. ]
[ Completion reward: +1 Spirit, Bounty Tracker ]
[ Hidden achievement Pop Goes The Bounty can be further upgraded into: Through the Roof. ]
[ Through the Roof: Have a bounty worth the equivalent of 50.000 dollars or more placed on your head. ]
That moment, Rumor was stuck between cursing and cheering. Having a bounty placed on him definitely wasn't good. But on the other hand, it was a free attribute point. Plus whatever this tracker was.
[ Bounty Tracker ]
[ Rarity: 1-Star ]
[ Effect: Allows you to track bounties in the region you are currently in. ]
[ Restrictions: None ]
[ Cooldown: None ]
[ Description: An advanced tracker that warns you when outlaws with bounties on their heads enter the same region as you. It also allows you to track your own bounty. ]
[ Observation: Can be brought out of this world. ]
It was both useful and not. If Rumor wanted to become a bounty hunter, it would come in handy. But for his current situation, it didn't really help.
At the moment, he didn't have any option but to go back to Mos Espa. Everything hinged on that town.
Plus, he had just remembered another fact to add to his mental time-line: a sandstorm would be whipping through this hemisphere of Tatooine tonight. And he didn't want to be caught out in the open by it.