Challenge #02635-G078: Added Value is Free
The most sought-after beings in the Galactic Alliance are those describes as “creators” Creators of all sorts are in High demand all over. From those that create worlds with only the written word, “private and amateur” educators, that use the video sharing and promoting to spread their knowledge, to the engineers and scientists that look at a problem and imagine new and different solutions to solve them (gravity drive anyone?!?)
With Zillions of Citizens, there is always demand for content, and therefore, creators! – Adam in Darwin
Communication makes it easier for there to be something for everyone. This is both a blessing and a curse. Once thought has been applied, that much is obvious. The CRC offices have a full time job ensuring that minors and those of Diminished Responsibility status are not exploited.
Therefore, every new ELF[1] species merely expands the offices, if not the regulatory force. Every new colony or planet stretches their resources further. Gaining a seal of approval from the CRC is therefore vital for any content creator out there. Every purveyor of imagination and the fruits thereof has something they can sell. Selling it with the CRC seal of approval is even more profitable.
Imagination makes Time. The ability to take three bullshit ideas and turn them into a congruent whole is treasured. Writers, artists, tinkerers and fabricators of all flavours are an important part of the economy, because there is nothing the citizens of the Alliance love more than watching things become.
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Challenge #02634-G077: Putting it Together
(Based on experience with Harm-OCD)
The new human on board came highly recommended. They left every area they worked in cleaner and safer than it was when they started, seemed to always find and fix issues before they ever had a chance to become a problem, were quick to talk down anyone that started to become angry or frightened, and even seemed to never have issues with Silly-Seasons. The only issue was that they refused to work with Havenworlders…
Anytime they were around Havenworlders they would become quiet and place their hands behind their back. While never directly rude they would take any excuse they could to leave and often would never directly look at any Havenworlder near them. This gave them a unpleasant reputation despite being highly regarded for their skills.
This continues until a Havenworlder tries to bond with the “quiet human” by silently sitting next to them while they are reading. The human upon noticing the Havenworlder jumps away hard enough to knock the Havenworlder over. The Havenworlder is unharmed but the human is now obviously panicking whispering, “I’m sorry,” to themselves repeatedly. – Anon Guest
Humans can be very strange. Galactics know this. Pack-bonding with some is easier than with others. Conversely, bonding with some is harder than with others. Human Vae was one of the Humans who was difficult to bond with. They were hard-working, safety oriented, and tidy to a fault. They didn’t participate in Silly Season. They didn’t participate in anything.
When invited into social activities, they rarely responded at all. If they did respond, they were lucky to get a “No, thanks,” when the default was, “maybe later.” This was always delivered in an anxious mumble, and followed by their retreat to a different space in which to work. Usually something more confined, and increasingly difficult to access.
Companion Firrith consulted the latest update of the Human Manual, and logically deduced that Human Vae was one of the quiet ones, who could companionably share space and consider that a bonding activity. Firrith selected a space of Human Vae’s downtime and occupied a roost inside Human Vae’s personal space and joined them in the activity of reading through some form of media.
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Challenge #02633-G076: For Best Results
you were hired by the local baron to hunt a beast in the forest of veils. you armed yourself with the proper tools and weapons, gather information from the locals about the beast, that when you came across new information from a witch that guard the forest. when you learn the witch location you bolted there. the witch wasn’t hostile, friendly even. the witch didn’t tell you much, most of it you already know. although there are things that not even the local could tell you. The beast was sealed there by the baron himself, slowly gone mad with thoughts of revenge. Soon it became the cursed veils that cover the forest, and only now the baron sent you to remove the beast. Armed with this knowledge, thinking that the baron might had done something worse what will you do? slay the beast, and let the baron roam free? Or abandon the quest, knowing the baron will send his men after your neck? The witch give you another option: free the beast, but neither you or the witch know what it will do. – Anon Guest
Marvin hadn’t expected his first solo mission to be a moral dilemma. He wished, not for the first time, that Lady Anthe or Wraithvine or even Rumtum Taigr were with him to tell him what to do. Or at minimum debate all the pros and cons with him so a proper standing on the issues at play.
This is your test, sweet boy, Lady Anthe had said. Your coming of age. Just go forward in all your beliefs and thereby prove I am not mistaken in mine. Wraithvine was even less helpful, saying, Your quest, your decisions. Rumtum had been as helpful as he always was, in that he was fast asleep somewhere warm.
The forest of veils had a witch guarding it, keeping people safe if they wished to travel through it. The forest itself was haven and prison alike to the Beast of Veils. Something that hadn’t been seen since the Baron had trapped it there. According to the witch, the Beast kept the Baron contained in his lands, and therefore prevented him from warring on the neighbouring city-states.
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Challenge #02632-G075: An Interesting Truce
A rumor is heard of a palace where monsters were holding hundreds of kobolds as slaves. A large castle filled with treasure, all the kobolds that were seen going in and out wearing a silver, blue, and gold woven neckbands. Almost all the doors to the various servant areas were sized for the kobolds as well. Along the road outside the castle, the graves of failed raiders where, instead of gravestones, their skulls still sat upon the spikes where the heads once had been.
Yet, it was not what it seemed. For the adventurer that found their way inside, these beings did NOT want to leave the palace. There were beautiful gardens, and lovely fountains. For all they were required to wear the neck bands, they were clean, looked well-fed, and those that had injuries, those injuries were neatly bandaged and tended to. But the surprise was in the throne room. Two humans, two kobolds, sitting side by side talking as they sat on small thrones. – Anon Guest
Kobolds get a lot less cute once they learn Fireball – Adventurer’s Guidebook.
They had been getting funny looks ever since they entered the city-state. Lady Anthe was used to a lot of stares, being a Kobold and an Adventurer, but usually such stares were shared equally between herself and the team. This was one of the few times when the people were universally staring at her.
The fifth shopkeep that boggled at her giving orders was the one that made Marvin snap. “What’s the matter with all of you? You’ve definitely seen a Kobold before. What’s the fuss about?”
“She’s not Protected,” said the shopkeep, as if that explained everything. Further investigation and the mandatory we’re-not-from-around-here conversation revealed an alliance with area Kobolds that sounded… more than a little icky at first glance.
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Challenge #02631-G074: Desperate Measures
You’re not wrong but I don’t want you to be right – Anon Guest
Phryx stared at her Human companion. “Did you mean that to be confusing as it sounds, or are you having one of your verbal shortcuts again?” Verbal shortcuts were always a problem with Humans, especially on the Edge. They had ways of expressing themselves that were difficult to translate at best and needed a seminar to understand at worst.
“Oh. Right. Whoops. Okay. Brief version: Yes, we are going to die. You’re not wrong there. Except, I want us both to die of a very old age and a long, long time after this entire clusterflakk is over.” Humans could also be capable of some very economic means of communication, in this case, Human Qir encapsulated the entire, complicated battle for Science Base Netaan, featuring intermittent skirmishes, mad dashes for safety or improvised weapons, and surprise encounters with invaders who were lost in the labyrinthine halls as, This entire clusterflakk. “So yeah,” ze said. “You’re not wrong, but I don’t want you to be immediately right. Got it?”
“Mostly,” Phryx allowed. She checked what she could of the securicam feeds. Very many of them were down whilst Human Qir was messing around with wires, a keyboard, and a cable fed into hir livesuit helmet’s HUD display. “Dare I ask what you’re doing?”
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