>> ITEM ACQUIRED: Red Ledger

  Item Type: Legendary Class-Bound Relic (Penny Pincher Exclusive)

  Rarity: Gold

  +| Primary Function: Wealth Conversion (Passive)

  +| Secondary Function: Class Resource Generation (“Thrift”)

  A battered ledger of unknown origin features the name of its owner printed in blood-red letters on its cover upon being bound to a new contestant. Bound in flayed goblin hide and clasped with a lock shaped like a biting coin, every page is stained with faint ink marks, blood stains, and various scribbles and jots that have faded over time, leaving an empty slate for each new owner while the ghosts of past transactions linger.

  The book whispers faint goblin curses whenever loot is collected, as though it resents even the smallest hint of waste. From time to time, numbers recorded in this ledger are also said to shift unexpectedly as the book’s own history exercises a certain influence over the present.

  When carried by a Penny Pincher, the Ledger automatically records every coin, trinket, or scrap of loot lost to handling fees, market inflation, “the house’s cut” in gambling dens and mini-games, and the Penny Pincher's Self-Inflicted Tax class feature. Rather than vanishing into nothingness, these losses are instead tallied in crimson script as THRIFT — a unique Penny Pincher resource used to power higher-level class abilities.

  

  >> KEY MECHANICS

  >> Every Belch Buck of value lost from loot pickups, trades, or System taxes is converted into +1 unit of Thrift and recorded in the Red Ledger.

  >> Thrift can be stockpiled and later spent to empower higher-level Penny Pincher skills. Thrift is not subject to further taxes and cannot be transferred to other players, even if they possess the Penny Pincher class.

  >> While not sentient, the ledger is a living entity and, as such, it requires constant feeding. If well-fed, the Red Ledger will periodically unlock bonus passives like “Every Coin Counts” (increased stealth damage) or “Bleeding Purse” (adds bleed damage when striking wealthy enemies). It will also occasionally increase the amounts of Thrift available to the Penny Pincher. If not well-fed, the Red Ledger may periodically reduce the amount of Thrift in its pages out of spite.

  >> SPECIAL ABILITY: SETTLE THE BOOKS

  Spend Thrift to restore vitality.

  Once per twenty-four hours, the Red Ledger may be opened mid-combat to “settle the books.” When triggered, this ability will restore 5% Max HP per 100 Thrift spent, and the healed individual will gain +15% Lifesteal for 10s, gaining healing for any damage they deliver. Settle the Books can also be used to heal an ally.

  “Damn!” Pete said, re-reading some of the details relating to the object. “I mean…DAMN!”

  Sam frowned, staring at the Ledger, which was hovering in the air above her hand where the loot box had been moments earlier. “Shit. Doesn’t even seem like something I can use.”

  [Nero] Curious. This object seems tailor-made for your class, Pete.

  “Yeah,” he said, eyes narrowed. “And that’s a little suspicious, right?”

  [Nero] It does seem as though the Mammon System wants you to possess this item. Perhaps in recognition of your victory over Griznack, the System has decided to reward you specifically.

  Pete nodded, but the truth was he was feeling dubious about the nature of the situation. The System had either planted this loot here, guessing that Pete would be able to figure out a way to defeat Griznack, or it had swapped out the existing loot at the last minute specifically to present the Red Ledger.

  Another possibility was that the goblin Burrowers had always intended to give up. Perhaps the damage his charged shot had done to the construct wasn’t as powerful as he’d first thought, and all of this had been staged simply to arrange circumstances so that the Red Ledger could be delivered to him?

  “You gonna take it?” Sam asked.

  He nodded but didn’t take a step toward the Ledger. “Just kind of feels like I’m walking into something here, you know.”

  She nodded. “We could just try to sell it. That way you won’t have to worry about it.”

  [Nero] I would counsel against such an action. Clearly, the System desires for you to have this Ledger. It would be very unwise to antagonize the System by refusing this gift.

  “I don’t get it though,” Pete said. “If this is really a game, then there have to be rules. There have to be certain things that are random. If the System itself is manipulating things to give specific players certain items, how is that fair? That’s not really a game anymore; that’s just some twisted reality.”

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  Coop snorted, drawing his attention to where she stood, shaking her little head.

  “Open your eyes, Petey boy. This whole thing is rigged. It’s like casino rules. The house always wins. It might seem like it’s a game, just some fun form of entertainment, but this thing is all about money… And whoever is pulling the strings will do whatever they need to get that money. Fair doesn’t come into it at all.”

  Pete frowned, considering her words. She was right. Thinking about this contest like being in a casino was probably a lot more accurate than thinking of it as a legitimate game. The house would always tilt odds heavily in their own favor and manipulate circumstances so that they won at the end of the day. The minor victories of gamblers now and then were just to provide a little hope and keep people streaming in through the doors, but, in reality, the house always wins, like Coop said.

  [Nero] An astute point; however, there are other factors to consider. Remember that everything is being watched and wagered against. Every hero and villain, every story and quest is being used to build fortunes and render the wealthy destitute. While your story is only just beginning, Pete, as we have already seen, it has started to gather momentum and garner interest from those who are watching. For whatever reason, the System feels that your story will be enhanced by possessing this Ledger.

  Pete shook his head. “It’s not just about my story though, is it? It’s about money, like you said. So the System is going to do whatever will make the most money. I guess, as long as our stories are entertaining and we keep people interested, we’re valuable to the System and the broader contest. But what happens when people start losing interest in us?”

  “We’re screwed,” Sam said, drawing a nod of agreement from Coop.

  Seeing no other viable option that wouldn’t cause more problems, Pete reached out and took hold of the Red Ledger. The moment his fingers made contact with the soft leather, he felt a prick of something biting into his flesh, and the title ‘Vault Breaker’ appeared in cursive script penned in blood-red letters on the ledger’s surface.

  He shifted the book to his other hand and checked his fingers but found no blood and no trace of whatever had pricked him when he picked up the ledger. He felt something shift around him, however, now that he actually held the object. It was difficult to quantify what was actually going on, but something had definitely shifted inside his mind.

  

  >> ACHIEVEMENT: Written in Blood!

  Congratulations! You’ve just bonded with a soulbound ledger that is specifically tailored to your class. You are now bound to the Red Ledger, and, like any good pet owner, there are certain responsibilities you’ve signed up for as a result of that relationship. First, feed your ledger! If you kill an enemy, LOOT THAT ENEMY! Any attempt to get other party members to loot enemies in an effort to avoid your Self-Inflicted Tax class debuff will make your ledger hangry, and that will prompt several negative effects.

  Any attempt to sell or dispose of this ledger will result in immediate disqualification and consequent termination.

  ACHIEVEMENT REWARD: 1 Attribute Point!

  >> HANGRY LEDGER DEBUFFS

  Depending on your existing relationship with your ledger and its current level of hangriness, one or more of the following debuffs will be applied until you are able to properly feed your ledger.

  >> Debt Collector’s Curse: Every attack costs 1–2% of your currently held funds until the ledger is satisfactorily fed.

  >> Bleeding Balance: Lose 2% of maximum HP every 10 seconds until your ledger is satisfactorily fed.

  >> Solvency Starvation: Lose access to one ability or spell until your ledger is properly fed.

  “What the fuck!” Pete blurted. “I’m screwed! The System has just screwed me!”

  Sam winced. “Shit. Sorry about that.”

  “It’s like someone just handed me a hundred-dollar bill and then kicked me in the nuts!”

  [Nero] Remember, Pete, there are significant benefits to possessing this ledger. The System has not simply saddled you with an object that only has negative effects.

  “As long as I keep the damned thing well-fed! And that means losing ninety percent of everything I loot! I’m basically gonna be throwing money out every time I kill an enemy, and I can’t even let Sam do all the looting.”

  [Nero] I believe that was precisely the exploit the System was attempting to remedy, Pete. It might be best to concentrate on the benefits of this transaction, however. As you correctly posited, this ledger is closer to a pet than an artifact or some similar object. It will develop with you and, potentially, offer greater bonuses as you progress through the game together. You should also note that I have not seen a ledger like this before in any previous season. It is uniquely tied to the Penny Pincher class and thus may provide unique benefits.

  Pete nodded. “I get that, but it still feels like I’ve been played.”

  “Like a fiddle,” Coop said. “But you didn’t really have a choice now, did you? Damned place dangled it right out in front of you like a piece of cheese on a mouse trap, and, sure enough, you reached out and got snapped.”

  Sam shrugged. “She’s got a point. Doesn’t look like you can undo it though, so we’ll have to just make the best of it. Even if that means losing a ton of value.”

  [Nero] I will remind you all that the value is not altogether lost; it is rather transmuted into Thrift.

  “Something that I can’t even use yet,” Pete confirmed, opening the Red Ledger and taking a look inside.

  Just as the System description had outlined, the interior of the book was lined with faint blue lines, but it was also littered with the ghostly marks and stains of its previous lives. Squinting, Pete could make out words and numbers here and there, most of them in a language that didn’t make any sense to him.

  Sam leaned in close, and Coop jumped up to Pete’s shoulder and scurried over, peering down from her place around his neck.

  “Damn, this thing is old,” Sam said. “I can make out at least three different kinds of writing here.”

  “Looks like someone has scrapped the pages,” Coop added. “Wiped away the previous markings.”

  “I thought this was a new item?” Pete said. “Didn’t you say you hadn’t seen this before, Nero?”

  [Nero] I did. But that fact does not reveal anything as to the provenance of this particular item. It may have had other lives before being drawn into the game. The Mammon System may have acquired the ledger and repurposed it specifically for this contest and specifically for you.

  “Scratchy scratch!” Pete and the others turned to see Glip standing nearby, peering over at them and pointing at the ledger.

  She looked up at them, smiling, and then, without explanation, bent down and started trying to pull a piece of molten Belch Buck coin out of the ground with a pair of pliers.