Welcome back to The High Life!

Grab a cup of coffee, because today's edition is all about our upcoming mobile game, Highstreet: Café. We want everyone to be able to participate in the Highstreet universe, and this is a major step toward bringing our community together.

Let's dive in! ⬇️

Highstreet: Café — Smart NPCs, Secret Quests, and Real Perks

Highstreet: Café is opening its doors soon, but this isn't your typical coffee shop. Hidden behind city alleys and tucked inside neon-lit speakeasies, the Café is your gateway to secret convos, shortcut quests, and surprise discounts. The greatest part? The NPCs you meet aren't just background characters anymore. Powered by AI, these personalities remember your choices, respond with wit, and might even reward you if you charm them just right. Whether you're unraveling lore or on the hunt for perks, every interaction counts, because you'll be leaving a mark in Highstreet: Calamity too.

Designed especially for mobile players, this new layer adds depth to Calamity and evolves the world of Highstreet City between major events. Highstreet: Café gives players a chance to explore, uncover, and add to the larger Calamity story.

Matt Conn, our Chief Gaming Officer, recently gave us a sneak peek of the experience—check out the video demo.

📳 Public testing is coming soon, so keep your detector charged and your best lines ready. The Café is always open for those who know where to look.

A Brush with a Scavenger — A Tale from ‘Highstreet: Café'

It's been a weary two weeks for the scavenger. He had traversed untouched corners of Solera, venturing into overgrown gardens, into caves where no human or Duck had ever entered, atop mountains inhabited by mythical beasts. The device he was given—by whom, he was unsure—showed him what to track: a spore barely visible to the naked eye, a loose bit of wire with copper strands straying out of its sleeve, a scale shed by one of the magnificent beasts that spread their winds to strafe the sky.

The scavenger hadn't known the comfort of a warm meal and hot bath for a fortnight. Under the light of a full moon, he read a sign: The Thirsty Hatchling. He could hear the subdued revelry within the tavern even before he pulled the door handle and stepped inside. A bit of live music, not loud enough that anyone inside had to shout when they spoke to each other. Servers toted steins from bar to table. The clanking of glasses while patrons yelled, “Cheers to the Council!”

A plate-armored human sat in one corner, her short swords in their scabbards leaning against her thigh. Her companion was twirling strands of violet glow with his fingers, nonchalantly toying with sorcery. The scavenger moved his gaze away from them. He didn't want their do-goodly attention. Soon enough, they would have to face the same creatures that he was trailing.

He ambled over to the bar. The Duck there asked, “Hi there. What'll it be?”

“A stout, if you have one that's chilled.”

The Duck acknowledged him with a hearty “aye” and brought over his drink. She wanted to strike up a conversation, and said her name was Cassidy. The scavenger was already tuning her out. His handler was someone else—another Duck named Etienne who ran a wine bar. The scavenger knew he looked scruffy and probably smelled a bit, so he appreciated that she didn't seem to mind. But he was told to keep to himself, and all he wanted to do was nurse his drink.

It was a dark, full-bodied ale with the flavor of rich roasted coffee, topped with creamy foam. One draw from the pint reminded him of home. San Francisco, on the edge of Chinatown, not far from the Ferry Building. Those stomping grounds were literally a world away; he couldn't recall when exactly he stepped into Highstreet City, seeking fortunes and a new life. Now, he prowls where no others go with a simple mission: use the energy detector, gather materials, then track monsters the likes he had never encountered before. It's part magic, part technology, like much else in Highstreet City. He didn't know what was supposed to happen next, and he didn't dare ask when the device was bestowed upon him.

The scavenger snapped out of his thoughts. Cassidy was still droning away, recalling her time in the human world, where she learned the craft of brewing. As she spoke, the scavenger felt a gaze weigh on him from behind—was the Adventurer scoping him out?

A couple drinks spilled on the other end of the hall. A Duck had walked by a table and, on account of the eight ales he had consumed, his steps weren't straight, and his wide body knocked over two glasses. They shattered on the floor. There was some more stumbling, a bit of yelling, and a couple more pints fell. Before tempers could flare, Cassidy offered everyone a round of drinks on the house. Her customers cheered as she reached up and rang a bell above the bar—DING DING DING DING DING!

Cassidy looked over to check on the scruffy man who she was talking with before the commotion, and found only an empty pint glass, a streak of foam bleeding down its side. The quiet customer had left a few $HIGH tokens on the bar—a generous tip on top of what he owed for the stout. As she picked up the empty glass and wiped the bar with a rag, Cassidy was already forgetting what he looked like. She had her own agenda, and knew in her gut that she had just encountered someone with their own secrets.

The bars in Highstreet City are not at all what they seem.

Highstreet Chronicles: Into the Chaos Gardens #11

Thank you!

That's all for this issue of The High Life.

Check out our previous editions by visiting www.highstreet.market/newsletter.

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