Chapter 24 – Detection
Name | Myth’s Moonsilver Monocle |
| Origin | Crafted |
| Age | New |
| Grade | Unique (Low) |
| Dimensions | 40mm Monocle Diameter | 16 inches Chain |
| Materials | Moonsilver | Scarlet Screen | Refined Mythcraft Essence |
| Attributes | Calm: Wearer enters a calm flow-state when activated. Insight: Wearer can analyze patterns and predict outcomes. Deduction: Wearer can rapidly process real-time information. Perception: Wearer is hyper-aware of their environment and can assess threats. |
| Abilities | Calm | Insight | Deduction | Perception |
| Power Source | External Essence |
| Evolution | No |
Quality | Perfect |
| Condition | 100% |
| Value | Est. $95,000.00 – $140,000.00 |
When the Appraisal finished, Sal exhaled slowly and couldn’t help but be amazed at how well it had worked out. For something he had thrown together, it had truly become incredible. The key differences from when he had worked on Hannah’s gauntlets were the access to a reserve of essence, his new gloves and equipment, and the premium materials.
A part of him knew deep down that there was a higher chance of success, and it really hammered home how incredible the Mythcrafter ability was. In the back of his head, he knew that Upgrade would kill him for not following proper process and blueprinting the design before starting, but he didn’t care. He had created an entirely new piece of equipment from a random thought that had popped into his head. It was a tiny amount of materials and it had resulted in something well beyond his expectations.
When he turned to Chatfield, Sal was surprised to see that he was wearing a replica of the monocle. Chatfield’s obvious disbelief gave Sal a surge of pride that made his smile grow wider. He couldn’t resist his next words.
Sal gave a melodramatic sigh as he gestured across the table to where the blueprint sat untouched. “Sorry, I’ll get back to the tracker now. I just wanted to make something quick to see how the materials worked together.”
Chatfield pointed at the monocle on his right eye and laughed. “Bullshit. The Insight ability on this is telling me you’re lying. Apparently, you’re just as surprised as I am.”
Sal couldn’t help but join him in laughing. “It was worth a shot. I saw that it had Insight, but the descriptor isn’t that useful. It’s a lie detector?”
Sal reached for the monocle on the table and noticed that the lens had maintained its blood-red hue. The moonsilver around it was still emitting a small mist-like effect that made it sparkle ever so slightly.
No matter what way Sal looked at it, it was a premium piece of equipment. The appraisal value was also a little terrifying, considering that he had made it as a test. He couldn’t help but wonder whether he should abandon the tracker concept and just mass-produce the monocle design to sell them all off. Sal stared at the materials and tried to calculate how many of the monocles he’d be able to make if he spent the full weekend producing them.
“Whatever train of thought you’re on, I’d suggest you stop,” Chatfield chided as he gestured again at the monocle as though it were explanation enough. He was smiling throughout.
“It’s not just a lie detector. I’ve seen various pieces of kit designed for Heroes, and this is very much in line with what we’d source for Controllers. It would be useful in the battlefield, but its true strength would be in negotiation. Insight allows you to read the behaviors of people, their body language, their speech pattern, and even predict their next move. Perception essentially allows you to read the room and sense any threats that might be lurking. When you add Deduction, you’re processing all the information from the other abilities at an insanely fast speed, all while maintaining composure. Which you’ve got with the Calm ability. It’s perfect for high-stakes negotiation! Since you said that you just made it as an experiment, sell it to me.”
Chatfield’s face was deadly serious, and Sal was a little conflicted about how he wanted to proceed. He wanted to maintain a good relationship with Chatfield, but he didn’t want to part with the monocle. If it was as good as he said, it would be invaluable to Sal as a Crafter who was constantly thrown into negotiations. On the other hand, it had taken a short amount of time to make and with minimal materials. Maybe it wasn’t the worst idea for him to sell it to Chatfield.
After a few moments of deliberation, Sal moved back toward the blueprint on the table and aired his thoughts. “How much do you think it’s worth?” Sal grinned as he lifted the monocle and placed it over his right eye.