The streets of the Barrel are supposed to be your domain, a web of alleys and twisting paths that bend to your will. But tonight, something’s off. The lead you’ve been following—an informant with loose lips and an even looser sense of loyalty—has vanished into the night, leaving you and Jesper to chase shadows.

You take a turn down a narrow alley, the slick cobblestones gleaming under the faint light of lanterns, only to find yourself face-to-face with a dead end.

"Well, well," Jesper drawls behind you, his voice dripping with amusement. "Kaz Brekker, the infamous Bastard of the Barrel, led astray by his own city. Never thought I’d see the day."

You glance over your shoulder, fixing him with a glare sharp enough to silence most people. Jesper, of course, is not most people.

"Relax, boss," he continues, spinning one of his revolvers idly. "This is what they call a detour. Adds a bit of drama to the story, don’t you think?"

You ignore him, scanning the walls for another way out. The smell of damp wood and stale liquor clings to the air. Somewhere in the distance, the muffled sound of laughter echoes, a reminder that the Barrel is alive, always moving, always shifting.

"Picture it," Jesper says, gesturing dramatically as he follows your lead. "Two dashing rogues, lost in the heart of Ketterdam’s underworld. One, a sharpshooter with charm and style. The other, a dark, brooding mastermind with—"