Chapter 12

Carl returns to base after exploring the basement, receives new benefactor boxes and upgrades, and learns about the town's defensive preparations against an incoming attack. The chapter culminates with preparation to test a modified missile against Ruckus, a giant mechanical buzz-ard that roosts nearby each night.

Carl returns to base and hands Mordecai a batch of Mairmei Mushrooms found in the basement for study. He opens two benefactor boxes: a bronze Valtay box containing a Neural Enhancer pill that grants elevation and airspeed UI upgrades, and a silver box with a Toraline Root Vegetable (an alchemy material described as rare but useless). After installing the neural upgrade and configuring the interface, Carl discovers the settlement sits approximately 9 kilometers above the water quadrant—roughly the height of Mount Everest—indicating the Necropolis of Anser is enormous. The tone shifts as the storm ends and the town transforms into a defensive position. Guards man the gates, camels install anti-air defenses, and civilians are interrogated about gnome and grulke toad sightings. Carl has four hours until the gnomes confirm their collateral is dead, then five hours until bombs fall. With Mordecai's help and a level-four sapper's table, Carl has created modified missiles designed to reach sufficient altitude. Donut returns from the Desperado Club with another bronze benefactor box from Princess D'Nadia and mentions a prototype coming later after the bombing. Katia reports that the tomb raiders (spider-boy's team) are stressed and struggling with traps, losing team members to deadly mechanisms. She suggests they need minions or trap-detection abilities. Katia reveals the tomb raiders want to wait for Carl's team before assaulting their castle, hoping for assistance. Carl insists they must be pushed to move faster. As night falls, Ruckus, a giant half-biological, half-mechanical buzz-ard and borough boss, approaches the city as scheduled. Carl mentions testing his modified missile against the creature from approximately a mile away.