The Even Engine
From a job
Cargo: A balanced flywheel (fragile)
“Packed in wool and sawdust with DO NOT SPIN stenciled on every side.”
5 scenes. Choices with a requirement only appear when you meet it.
The Engine-Wright
At the delivery port1 Deliver the balanced flywheel.
Bram Coppernose drops your precision flywheel into the test engine on his shop blocks. Once spinning, the drive runs so smoothly that a silver coin balanced on its edge atop the casing doesn't even wobble. "I need this patented before my rival across the street steals the design," Bram says. "Carry all three copies of my blueprints to the registry on a ship nobody connects to me."
- Agree to carry his patent blueprints to the registry.He wipes his hands and bolts the shop door. "Watch the engine run for an hour first—then you'll see why I don't trust my neighbor across the lane."
- [Drive 2] Have crewmate run a full-power stress test on the engine for him.Crew: Drive 2+crewmate runs the prototype at maximum output for an hour while Bram records the performance figures, then locks the shop door to brief you.+1 Drive skill XP
- Take your delivery pay and leave.He pays your fifteen-silver delivery fee while keeping one proud eye on the balanced coin.+15 silverThe questline ends here.
The Spy Across the Lane
Right away2For a full hour the engine purrs and the coin on its casing never tips. Across the narrow street, a gnome in a green apron is peering through his shop window with a spyglass and taking notes. "Master Dunt," Bram mutters. "He hasn't seen my internal blueprints yet, but he's copying everything else."
- Take the three blueprint cases and head for the patent registry.He hands you three flat leather cases bound in colored ribbon. "Blue for the registrar, red for the archive, and bring the green copy back to me."New job: Patent drawings, three sets
- Take the blueprints along with a sworn note of the hour your engineer ran the engine.Bram writes up a timestamped affidavit of your engineer's test run, has the neighboring tea-seller sign as witness, and gives you the twenty-five-silver witness fee along with the three blueprint cases.+25 silverNew job: Patent drawings, three sets
- Cross the street first and hear what Master Dunt has to say.Bram watches suspiciously from his window as you walk across the lane to his rival's workshop.
The Stolen Filing
At the delivery port3 Deliver Bram's patent blueprints to the registry.
The registry clerk unties Bram's blue ribbon and frowns. "Master Dunt filed this exact flywheel design yesterday afternoon." Looking closer at Dunt's fresh filing on the counter, you spot shreds of packing wool from your own flywheel crate still caught in the fold of his paper!
- File Bram's papers with a formal dispute and take 70 silver.The clerk logs the contested filing for next year's court docket, and Bram pays you seventy silver for your work.+70 silverThe questline ends here.
- Point out the packing wool from your crate caught in Dunt's drawings.The clerk inspects the wool under his lamp and immediately voids Dunt's fraudulent filing. Overjoyed, Bram has his mechanics install his spare balanced flywheel straight into your Drive.Upgrade: Drive+1 The Compact standingThe questline ends here.
- [Gnome] Have crewmate cross-check Dunt's postal timestamp against your delivery log.Crew: Gnomecrewmate proves Dunt's blueprints were mailed before your flywheel crate was even opened—proving he bribed a shipping clerk to copy the specs in transit. The registry voids Dunt's claim, pays you sixty silver from his fine, and Bram upgrades your Drive.Upgrade: Drive+60 silver+1 The Compact standingThe questline ends here.
- Testify that Dunt tried to bribe you across the street.Your sworn statement voids Dunt's fraudulent patent before noon. You collect forty silver as the informer's share of his fine, and Bram installs his spare flywheel into your Drive.Upgrade: Drive+40 silver+1 The Compact standingThe questline ends here.
- Quietly sell Bram's stamped receipt copy to Dunt for 110 silver.Dunt pays a hundred and ten silver for the only document proving Bram's claim, and you steer well clear of Bram's workshop on your way out of port.+110 silver−1 The Compact standingThe questline ends here.
Master Dunt's Offer
Right away4Dunt's workshop is an exact mirror of Bram's, except his test engine lacks a balanced flywheel. "Bram calls me a thief, when I'm simply the better engineer with a worse wheel," Dunt says smoothly. "Deliver my patent filing to the registry first and I'll pay you far better than he can. Or just sell me a verbal report of his test run for fifty silver and walk away."
- Sell Dunt a verbal report of the test run for 50 silver and wash your hands of both of them.You describe the balanced-coin test, collect fifty silver from Dunt, and leave the two rival engineers to their feud.+50 silver−1 The Compact standingThe questline ends here.
- Take Dunt's rival patent filing and 20 silver advance.He hands you his green-ribboned blueprint case and twenty silver up front as Bram's shop door slams shut across the street.+20 silverNew job: Master Dunt's filing
- Refuse Dunt and warn Bram about his rival's bribe offer.Furious, Bram pays you twenty silver for the warning and hands over his three blueprint cases. "Get these to the registry today before Dunt's courier beats you there!"+20 silverNew job: Patent drawings, three sets
Filing Dunt's Claim
At the delivery port5 Deliver Master Dunt's patent filing to the registry.
The registry clerk unties Dunt's green ribbon and checks the ledger. "No prior filing on record for this flywheel pattern." He peers over his spectacles at you. "As a formality, does the courier know of any competing claim to this invention?"
- Say nothing and collect Dunt's 110 silver payout.Dunt's patent is stamped by noon, earning you a hundred and ten silver—while poor Bram's blueprints arrive by mail boat a day too late.+110 silver−1 The Compact standingThe questline ends here.
- Tell the clerk the truth: the design was stolen from Bram Coppernose.The clerk halts the stamp and refers both claims to a tribunal, commending your honesty in the Compact register. Grateful, Bram sends his mechanics to install his second balanced flywheel in your ship's Drive.Upgrade: Drive+1 The Compact standingThe questline ends here.
Data from Magehold Fairwinds v1.9.26. Spotted something out of date? Discord