Invent ~ 8!

Joe and Cleave stood next to each other, staring up at the rickety sign with ‘temp agency’ scrawled across it. The human looked at the Dwarf askance, “Are you sure about this place? As far as I can see, people don’t come here because they’re… skilled.”

“Take my advice as you’d like, Sir.” Cleave pointed at the window, where a few shifting forms were moving around. “This is where people go when they aren’t yet able to get their own business, an apprenticeship, or just don't want to join the Legion. They don’t have a reputation, but they might be skilled.”

Taking a deep breath, Joe stepped forward and grasped the door handle. He pulled it open and stepped inside with a smile on his face. “Good evening…good morning, that is, seeing as it’s well after midnight.”

His cheery tone was a massive mismatch for the room, and he received more than his fair share of glares for bursting in as he had. A thickly bearded Dwarf waved them over to a desk with very little enthusiasm. His voice was exhausted and monotonous, further sinking Joe’s hopes for this place. “Good morning, I’m Stan. Welcome to the Stan-dard Workhorse. Our people may not be the best, but they never stop plodding along until they die. How can I help you today?”

“I’m…” Joe’s thoughts refused to come out after that congruous introduction, and he turned to look longingly at the door.

Major Cleave kicked him in the shin, and took over with a precise military professionalism. “We’re looking for an administrator with a skillset of logistics and city-building. We are looking into a long-term contract, with low pay but high opportunity for advancement, both in terms of payment and class leveling.”

“What is the reputation rate that you’ll be providing?” Stan quizzed Joe directly as he reached for a quill.

Before Joe could open his mouth, Cleave spoke firmly. “Room and board of at least Uncommon quality, with reputation based on effort and success. We are building a town, with permission from the Oligarchy. This is not only a chance to gain long term success, but to increase the skills of whoever gets this position to the Master rank or beyond. They will start at the ground floor, and eventually become the number two in charge of the administration of a Tier five city. This is a fully unique offer.”

Stan sighed and set down his quill. He looked around the room of interested Dwarves that were starting to crowd forward, and glared around the room. “Everyone get out. We’re closed for the morning.”

When no one moved, his chest began to rumble and energy started to collect in the air. In the next moment, every waiting Dwarf was lifted and tossed from the building at the same time. Stan’s eyes came back to them and he started shaking his head. “A minor question, pardon the inconvenience. Are you attempting to get me killed by coming to a place like this and offering a path to pseudo-nobility?”

“We aren’t. I’m not. She might be, but I don’t know her motivations. Look, do you have someone that fits the need?” Joe wondered aloud at the depression-inducing Dwarf.

“…I do.” The Dwarf looked at his paper, and his quill flew across the page in contrast to his slow-paced speaking. “Your offer isn’t enough. There needs to be reputation involved. How do you feel about a five percent monthly dividend based on tax revenue generated?”

“One percent quarterly. You trying to rob us blind, bro?” Cleave half-stood, her hand on the haft of her war axe. “We’ll leave right now.”

“No, no, one percent is fair when looking at the other perks.” Stan looked over the sheet, then tapped the housing allotment. “In that case, set housing at least at the average rank of the buildings in town as it upgrades?”

“When possible. The administrator will understand the finances and such that are involved, yes?” Cleave slowly sat down when Stan didn’t even glance up at her outburst.

“Agreed.” The paper glowed, and he turned the job offer around to allow the two to read over it. “If I can provide the person, you’ll give them a six-month minimum trial.”

“This looks good.” Joe read over all the details in a flash, his Ritualist as well as Occultist abilities giving him no cause for alarm. He signed the document after Cleave finished reading and nodded her agreement as well.

Stan reached over and shook their hands. “I only have a single person who has this skillset you need as well as being someone that I know wants the job. So… I look forward to working with you. Please give me one full day to sell this building and get over to you.”

Joe snorted, then burst into laughter. After a few moments, he took the offered hand and shook it. “Well played, Stan. You’ll be working for me directly, so I’m glad to know that we can get along without a problem.”

Stan cracked a smile for the first time this morning, as a glint of light and hope appeared in his eyes. “Looking forward to it, boss man.”

As Cleave and Joe walked out onto the street, Joe outlined his next day for the Dwarf. “Tomorrow, I’ll be going to scan buildings with a representative of the construction company, so tonight… wanna go to a hotel? I feel like we could both use a good night's sleep.”

“If you’re buying, as well as getting us separate rooms.” Cleave shrugged and motioned for him to lead the way. A short while later, they were settled in, and both managed to get a few solid hours of rest.

Thanks to Mate, they both started the day right, and moved to meet the rep with a pep in their step. The sun slowly crawled above the walls of the city, and the assigned time approached. Joe heard the clicking of heels on stone, at a measured pace that he considered a normal human speed, and looked over to see a head of frazzled brown hair surrounding a familiar face. Joe squinted, unsure if his mind was playing tricks on him, until she looked up from a clipboard she was carrying. “Daniella?”

She screeched to a stop, and looked at him in shock that slowly turned to recognition. “Joe? Joe! You aren’t in prison! So good to see you again! Are you… oh, this is going to be exactly like what happened in Ardania, isn’t it?”

“Um… yes.” Joe chuckled and rubbed at his bald head. “I’m planning to build a city, and I need to get a few scans of more Common buildings.”

“Yeah, that certainly sounds nothing like what you did back… oh, I’m so rude. Major, I’m Daniella, your representative for the day.”

“Major Cleavage.” The Dwarf rumbled with a nod. Daniella looked down at herself in concern, but the Dwarf powered on unabashed, “Still strange to say, since I was only a Captain for forty years. Got promoted way ahead of schedule.”

“Oh, it’s your name… ahem.” Daniella lifted the clipboard like a shield and started walking. “Shall we get started? It looks to be a long day ahead of us.”

The three of them started moving through the city, with Joe intermittently activating Architect’s Fury and pulling in a blueprint. As the quest got closer to completion, he became more animated in his conversation with Daniella. Soon they were discussing what he was actually planning to do with all of this, and it came out that Joe was already working on an entirely new settlement, not just ‘planning’ to make one.

Daniella went quiet while Joe scanned the final building he needed, and the quest updated.

Class quest complete: Novice Rituarchitect. You have scanned ten Common rank buildings, and are prepared to use them!

Buildings scanned:

Barracks (150 units), Apartment building (50 units), Administrative Office (25 stations), Warehouse (10,000 feet of storage), Smithy (3 forge stations), Shop (General Goods), Tannery (3 positions), Warehouse (Perishable goods, 6,000 feet of storage), Bathhouse (10 wash stations), Butchery (5 stations).

Reward: Blueprint for Ziggurat, a ritual-based area buff landmark. Record breaker reward: Ziggurat blueprint upgraded to Rare rank!

The bathhouse had been the most fun to scan, as it had been in use and the attendant had determined that there was no need to warn the patrons. Water had been sloshed everywhere, and shouting and laughter had soon followed.

Class quest gained: Novice Rituarchitect II. Using a ritual, create each of the buildings you have scanned at least once. Reward: 500 class experience per building.

Even though the reward was only experience, it made Joe wildly excited. He couldn remember exactly the last time he had gained class experience for his specialization—since he had only built a single building the entire time he had been on the zone—and he was yearning for new abilities and increased power.

The truth was, Joe was underleveled and underpowered for this entire plane. He could defeat monsters one by one with trickery, but the Elven foes were able to smack him around like a pinata. Even when Francine had been saved and the fortress destroyed, his contribution to the war effort had been blocking an illusion—and he was able to see his weakness written in the Dwarven blood price that he had needed to pay. Now that a path forward was presenting itself, he didn’t want to walk it… he needed to sprint.

“I had a question for you.” Daniella squared her shoulders and looked Joe in the eye. “I saw the company start a new project this morning… was that you?”

“Yes, I requested a custom building.” Joe admitted to her slowly, unsure where this conversation was heading. “What’s on your mind?”

She nodded a few times, then offered him a parchment that had a set of skills written out on it. “I came here when the Bifrost opened, but the only work I was able to find was Assistant to an Apprentice. Climbing the company ladder is a matter of decades here without great feats of valor or other major accomplishments. Can I come work for your city?”

Joe looked at the paper, fully ignoring the wide eyes that seemed to draw him in even at a distance. The more he read, the more interested he became. “How in the world do you have all of these skills at Journeyman?”

“I had plenty of schooling as well as practical experience before my entrance to Eternium.” Her voice was pitched to be as professional as possible, and he could tell that she was treating this as a job interview. “I honed my skills on Midgard, as well, before being transferred here with a few specific advancement quests.”

Swallowing dryly, Joe hesitated and waffled on how he should respond. Completely unsure if he wanted to say yes so that he could see her more often, or if it was because of her excellent resume, he decided on the safe course of action. “Major, I know what I want to say, what do you think?”

Major Cleave took the list, scanned it over, then nodded at Joe. “Her skills close at hand would make our life much easier.”

“When can you start?” Joe held out his hand to shake Daniella’s.

Seemingly ever practical, she looked at her papers and thought for a moment before reaching out. “What if I deliver the blueprints for your new building, then just… stay there?”

“Done.” The last thing Joe wanted to have to do was make another trip to the city in the next few days. The fact that he was finding it hard to breathe had nothing to do with why he turned on his heel and started marching in the general direction of the Shoe with a smirking Major beside him. “See you soon!”