Asheville
Danger Level: 2
Paths
<--Appalachian Rigs
Stonefang Fortress-->
Asheville was once a popular city, nestled into the wilderness of the mountains. Rich in artistic culture, it was a beautiful place--but time has not been kind. Headed south from the Appalachian Rigs, you will eventually stumble upon this verdant gem. It has been overtaken by the forests that once surrounded it, and the buildings have mostly crumbled down to dust, through erosion or the roots of plants growing through the bricks and mortar that held them together. The technology that the city thrived on is still very present here--many buildings still active on the power grid, even though their electrical sockets and lights are long rotted away, for the most part. However, this active power grid draws the A.I. toward the city, knowing that they have many places to recharge and hide within the electronics. The city, though very beautiful, is home to a vicious band of thieves that have survived hunting and stealing from those stupid enough to travel unprotected through their territory. The 'Ripjaw' gang is a savage group of killers known for consuming their victims and utilizing their bones for weaponry, armor, and in some cases, even to reinforce makeshift barriers around the city.
The leader of the Ripjaw gang is said to be a man who consumed an A.I. that he battled, and who has taken on its form. This claim is widely ignored as rumour, as it is known that when a human submits to an A.I., letting it inside their body, the A.I. takes control and destroys them without the code core to house them in. No reports have ever surfaced stating that a human being could suppress and control an A.I. without a code core. This man, however, has never been sighted with a living witness. If the witness is not killed, then, they become a part of his legion. A sought after bounty by many, though his location is more than difficult to find, as the inhabitants of the city know the passages between buildings, and have created many themselves, allowing them to disappear like phantoms within the labyrinthine streets.
