Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

“Line ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍up properly, recite the name of the Candlelight, and you shall receive your meal!”

Frey ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍watched the Church’s stall and the people queuing there with a cold gaze. He tugged at his hood, letting his expression sink into the shadows.

He ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had already been in Rhine City for several days.

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍identity arranged for him by the Ash Alliance had been cleverly handled. Within Rhine City, the status of the Mechanical Sanctum was neither high nor low. In theory, the Mechanical Sanctum and the Candlelight Society were allies; the two sides jointly governed Rhine City. Yet in truth, it was little more than a title in name only.

But ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍with that title, he could move freely through the city. Whenever questioned, he could openly present his credentials.

Moreover, ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the Mechanical Sanctum was not subordinate to the Candlelight Society. He would not be constrained by them.

As for true believers of the Mechanical Sanctum… Frey had not encountered a single one during his days in Rhine City.

But that was only within Lower Rhine.

Frey had never been to Upper Rhine. At times, he even doubted whether Upper Rhine truly existed.

Skirting along a narrow path where sewage flowed, Frey moved deftly through the alleys. On either side, houses made from rotting wooden planks and crumbling bricks leaned precariously, slicing the sky into strips of fractured light and shadow.

Frey lifted his head to look at the dome above. That was the foundation of Upper Rhine—and the sky of Lower Rhine. Countless dim candlelights hung from it, bringing cheap illumination to the lower district.

It was said that Rhine City was divided into Upper Rhine, Lower Rhine, and an even deeper underlayer.

Upper Rhine was the residence of the great figures of the Church. There, the sun never set. The air was fresh. Acid rain never fell from the sky. Flowers and grass could even be cultivated.

Lower Rhine, however, remained forever shrouded in dull candlelight. The air was murky, piled high with garbage and filth.

The believers of Lower Rhine would occasionally kneel in prayer, facing the candlelights upon the dome.

Sometimes Frey wondered—were they praying to the candlelight, or to Upper Rhine?

After all, the candlelight might not protect them. But the great figures of Upper Rhine truly held dominion over the life and death of those below.

Those Grand Corridors built high in the air were like dense chains, binding the lower levels tightly in place.

And the debris that occasionally fell from Upper Rhine seemed like alms granted in response to their prayers.

Frey twisted and turned through the alleys and, without quite knowing how, slipped through a trapdoor.

“Brother Frey, you’re back!”

“How’s it outside?”

“I heard the Church has set up more meal distribution points recently. Is that true?”

A crowd surged forward, gathering before Frey. Their eyes were filled with urgency, yet they all stopped uniformly at a distance of four or five paces from him.

Frey did not answer immediately. Instead, he raised his head and looked around at the people.

Most of them were grimy and filthy, dressed in rags—no, it went beyond rags. They scarcely had proper clothes at all.

Those slightly more particular had braided coarse strips of burlap with hemp rope to barely cover themselves. Many more had simply tied broken wooden boards, roof tiles, or shattered pottery with string and hung them in front as makeshift coverings.

Some wore nothing at all. Their bodies were caked in mud, their original skin tones nearly impossible to discern. Whether they wore clothing or not made little difference.

If one looked carefully, their features were somewhat peculiar. Their eyes were larger than those of ordinary people. Their nails were sharper. Those who stood did so hunched over; some moved on all fours, while others simply crouched on the ground.

Their behavior was equally strange. Though their faces were filled with eagerness and longing, they resolutely refused to take a single step closer, as if they feared something.

Encircled by them, Frey showed no change in expression. He appeared entirely accustomed to it.

He knew they were not afraid of him.

They were afraid of themselves.

They dared not touch Frey, nor even approach too closely.

These people were residents of the underlayer. The inhabitants of Lower Rhine generally referred to them as—

The Untouchables.

Frey did not know precisely how they had come to bear that name. It was said that contact with them brought a curse.

He had once assumed it was some kind of infectious disease. But later he realized that this “curse” seemed entirely different from what he had imagined. It was even—

“Brother Frey? Brother Frey?”

“Mm? Oh, what is it, Little Bu?” Frey returned to his senses and looked at the girl calling him.

The girl wore an oversized brown paper sack. She had cut several holes into it for her arms and legs, then pulled it down over her head and worn it as clothing.

Among the Untouchables, she could be considered quite well dressed.

Her name was Little Bu.

“Brother Frey, I’ve finished scouting all the passages you asked me to investigate. What about the thing you promised me?”

“Ah, about that… I asked around several settlements in the lower district and only managed to find this much.” Frey said with some regret as he took out a bag and handed it forward. A crisp clattering sound came from within.

Little Bu blinked her large eyes but did not reach out to take it.

“There’s no need to fear any curse, Little Bu—and the rest of you as well. You may come closer to me. There won’t be any problem.”

“But… that would mean you could never again receive the protection of the Candlelight!” Little Bu swallowed and hesitated, stretching out her hand before drawing it back. “Without the protection of the Candlelight, you’d have to live in this dark underground forever.”

“Is the underground darker? I don’t think so. In fact, I dislike the candlelight of the lower district even more.” Frey shook his head. “And have you forgotten my identity? I belong to the Mechanical Sanctum. I don’t need the protection of the Candlelight.”

The surrounding Untouchables exchanged confused glances and shook their heads.

They did not know what the Mechanical Sanctum was.

Many of them did not even know what the Empire was. They had been born underground and would never leave in their entire lives. Of course they did not know of the Silent Sanctum. Let alone Upper Rhine—many of them could only gaze at the lower district from afar.

Frey looked into Little Bu’s pitch-black eyes and let out a sigh, placing the bag on the ground before stepping back several paces.

Because of their prolonged life underground, the Untouchables’ bodies had undergone certain changes. Their eyes had grown larger, their pupils wider, with scarcely any white visible—allowing them to see better in the dark.

The first time Frey had seen them, he had been startled, thinking them monsters. After all, those large eyes were indeed unlike those of ordinary people.

But after spending some time with them, Frey instead felt that these Untouchables were the ones most like humans.

In this Rhine City, he had seen far too many demons and monsters.

Humans, however, were all too few.

Little Bu’s gaze followed Frey as he stepped back. Once he had retreated far enough, she gave a joyful cry and rushed to the bag.

It was a cloth sack. She carefully took the items from inside and held them in her arms, then placed the sack back on the ground.

Cloth was a precious thing.

She could only afford paper.