The Golem Census

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Some spend days down there without seeing sunlight, and you don't know how they manage it. You can take breaks for as long as you like, but you're only paid for the amount of gravestone you manage to personally mine out.

Maybe some take that as a reason to stay under, but not you. You need a few minutes with sky over your head.

>>68329
Go on...

You'd heard a rumor in the past week about some nobleman going around challenging the commoners.

Chiles told you just a couple days ago about a fat, rich man claiming he could get him out of this dump for good if only he solved a puzzle in time.

He'll go on to say he didn't give him the time of day, but you can figure well enough what really happened: he took the challenge, probably got frustrated, failed, and stormed off.

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You raise your head, and, though you've never met, know immediately who you're looking at.

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He introduces himself as Jeremiah Carver. He throws some oddly-shaped wooden pieces on the ground in front of one of your coworkers.

You're pretty sure that one goes by "Fred-or-Rick." You don't know why a man would have two names like that, but it's nonetheless what he answers to.

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Carver drops a small hourglass in the dirt, and stands it up with his foot.

Chiles accuses him of "toying with us," and heads off. He's not giving the man any satisfaction today.

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Fred-or-Rick has no idea what he's doing, but keeps at it.

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You see at least two solutions, and exactly how to make them.

The setting is down. I'll be periodically checking in for suggestions on where to take things and what to do. Will draw more if/when I'm available.

What's the goal?

>>68627
Try to solve the puzzle

>>68807
Could we see clearly all the puzzle pieces?

>>68627
Wait until Fred-o-Rick runs out of time.
You don't know the man will react if he notices you trying to tell Frederik how to do it.

>>69367
The rich man stopped paying attention almost immediately, and went to playing with a ball-and-cup. He's about as bad with that as Fred-or-Rick is with the puzzle.

>>69055
He tries to protest as you take his pieces, but quits soon enough. He either accepted defeat, or figured you'll cut him in on whatever the reward might be.

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>>69318
Would it feel good to peg this snob in the side of the head? It's enticing for a moment, and you know you could, but your anger is counterbalanced by your good graces and sheer curiosity.

Your sister would probably say you couldn't. She's dealt with rat-hunters who could sling a stone across town and still hit their target, though she refused to ever let you eat the meat, cheap as it was. "That's a level we won't sink to" she'd say.

Still, you have a strong arm for your frame, and could do some damage with something as heavy as...

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...a finished puzzle?

You must've solved it without realizing.

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Carver shoots to a stand, and says you're going to be coming with him, but it doesn't have to be right away. He'll be in a meeting at the MacNamera building for the next few hours. You know where it is.

He tells you if you need to pack anything or say goodbyes, do that first, as you'll be leaving town with him by tomorrow.

>Ask why
>Nod and join him at once
>Tell him you'll need to consult your family first
>Tell him to go pound sand
>Etc.

>>73019
>>Nod and join him at once
>Nod and join him at once

>>73019
Ask

ASK WHY

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You instinctively follow the rich man as he leaves the alley, but catch yourself and realize you're not even sure what you're getting into.

You ask him what this is all about, but he doesn't turn around. Still walking away, he only gives back "You're going to be my apprentice."

>>79139
Time to gather any belongings. This place sounds like garbage, and we gotta get out.

I'm guessing (hoping) that we've got maybe a couple sentimental things to gather - maybe even just one. Otherwise, I'd imagine most of what we own to be either probably useless outside the context of the town or so easy to get it's not worth bringing.

>ask Carver if there's anything in particular to bring, then fetch that and any sentimental items

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He holds out a satchel, with a faint familiar rattling inside. There are at least forty or fifty chicken skulls inside. You only make a few claws a day--even a good day. What he's holding could net about three weeks in the inn's finest room.

"You'll make about this a week--assuming you're good enough."
...
"What's what look for? Are you going to steal this out of my hand like a dumb rat? Or are you smart enough to see the mountains more waiting for you if you don't?"

>>79465
He tells you to bring waterskins, sharp tools, rolls of parchment, and any gravestone you have on hand--unshaped rocks, sculptures, anything--even dust will suffice.

You have the skins already, could borrow a knife or two, and a notebook couldn't be much. Gravestone? You sell that as soon as you mine any, so you don't have even a grain.

Carver points at you. "I'll pay triple for it." Is he calling you a liar?

After you refuse again, he laughs and says "Forgetting something? Or are you just that dumb?" then shoes you away.

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You arrive home to find your sister and her fiance, Dorn. He's a tanner who moves around a lot, trading in distant towns. If not for his generosity, the two of you would be living on the street eating rats; not inside, eating mice like civilized people.

After quickly running through the situation to them, you realize how fake it sounds. She says it's a scam to have you sold. People farther west keep slaves. The only reason this Carver guy didn't throw you over his shoulder, she says, is because it's so much easier to kidnap the willing.

Dorn nods, and you begin to doubt your own judgment. You have something stable here, low as it is... but it would still be waiting when you came back after however-long, wouldn't it? That is, assuming you can come back after this gamble is over.

You run to your shelf and begin searching through your belongings, mind still not fully made up, weighing the decision.

>>80524
Think about the puzzle, about how he wouldn't take those who didn't solve it and about how he let that little bag of riches hang before you before letting you go.

Why all those complications?
Why risk so much for a possible willing slave?

Nah. This is the real deal.
Go with it.

>>80524
well you called me here, but I get that anybody can chime in with a write-in, and that the intention is to maximize player control.

But I don't feel any control at all.

It's either go with the intended "flow", or dillydally with information and questions that will 80% of the time not affect the ultimate decision. Why waste valuable drawfag time?

Like in this case, I would ask what's in the character's belongings, but if you haven't already pointed out anything interesting about it, we should just get on and go.

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>>79465
>I'm guessing (hoping) that we've got maybe a couple sentimental things to gather - maybe even just one.
>>80862


You dig out a long red ribbon that belonged to your father. You know it as a significant religious symbol, since you had attended service with him once or twice. Though you don't remember its meaning, you've seen others wearing it around town commonly, so it couldn't hurt to bring along.

You don't feel bad about taking it--your sister's not the type who would find value in these sorts of things--but you do feel bad about leaving against her wishes.

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The MacNamara building is much cleaner than ones you're used to seeing. Even the outside is free of graffiti. At the entrance, you get waved into the lobby without issue, dirty as you are. The attendant says he was told to expect you, and to tell you to wait outside Room Ʌµʓ.

As soon as you find it, you hear at least two muffled voices coming from the other side.

[S] Sorry for not leaving much to go on. Got adv important call and had to run.[/s]

You know it would be rude to listen in, but... maybe this would make you even. He was rude to you, after all, and it's not like they're keeping their voices down. You put your ear to the seam of the door and close your eyes.

"The Kelk line still isn't moving?"
"Eh, maybe. The well's probably going south, just slowly. Not enough to matter."
"The Oasis line's..."
"Yeah, that spring will be here by the end of the month, then it'll start moving here here. I predict an overlap with Tosen soon, if you can think of a way to take advantage of that."
"What's the word on Charlie's end?"
"Haven't heard back yet. Parma's off-line again, and that's where he's been staying. It'll be another few days."
"Damn. I'll be gone by then."

You open your eyes to see a man in a tattered black cloak, standing at the end of the hall, facing your way. He begins walking toward you.

>>85088
Ask him if this is a scam for selling schmuks as slaves.

Yes, I can guess that it isn't from the conversation.

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He stops moving when you begin to speak.

"So, you're uh, here too? About the guy? Crazy, huh? . . . Sounds a little shifty, right? Is he on the up-and-up?"

He resumes walking until he finds a place next to you, then stands there. It is very awkward.

>>91096
....are we supposed to do something?

>>91096
Artstyle looks vaguely familiar. Have you done drawquests before? Maybe something about roses?

Try to get a better look under his hood.

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>>91709
I don't wait for responses. I'm just drawing/writing when I have the time. If people left suggestions while I was gone, I take them into account.
>>91974
Never ran a quest before. If you can find that other one I'd be interested to check it out.

He doesn't respond to you angling in front to sneak a better view. He's wearing a full-face helmet, and possibly more armor underneath the cloak. The only people you've seen this decked-out were knights passing through town, though you don't recognize his armor as matching any of their styles.

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The double-doors open with their smooth latches, and Mr. Carver steps out. The first thing you notice inside is an enormous map. Rolls of parchment line the walls that put the small notebook you bought to shame. There are opulent chairs and pillows, a fine rug, and a man looking out a window with curtains made of some kind of shiny fabric.

"What's the story, morning glory? Got everything?"

You nod.

He sees you eyeing the cloaked man. "I see you've already met my associate? Let's get a move on."

You follow him, and the armored 'associate' begins following the two of you.

Auto-sage. I'll back this thread up on a blog somewhere and continue within a day or two.

>>96944
I was thinking of this:

http://mspfanventures.com/?s=64

It doesn't actually look much like your art style. I guess I just misremembered it after several years. My bad.

>bump?