New in Town

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CURRENT DATE: D-1, Y-37 11:13 a.m. It has been two weeks of lengthy travel. You have now arrived in the city. <img src="images/bluke arrives.png" alt="You look out the window to see a grass covered hillside with a horizon of large, dark blue skyscrapers standing tall just beyond the hills." /> You will be staying in the city for a considerable portion of time. You likely will not even be able to easily communicate with the local residents, as you lack their language. You should acquire your knowledge of the area as you settle. You step off the tram and walk outside, into the [[transport station.]] <<set $knowledge to 0>> <<set $map to false>> <<set $interestinalleys to true>>

The transportation station is Bustling. It is crowded. It is dense. It is a lot to navigate. There are signs. They tell of places where you may explore. What do they say? <img src="images/The town signs.png" alt="Looking up, you see a metal pole with a number of orange arrows, pointing in various different directions. Each arrow lists a name of a different location, from a farmer's market to an apartment complex." /> There are so many places to choose. Where one should go is a question of great consideration. Where should one go? [[APARTMENT COMPLEX]] [[MARKET OF FARMERS]] [[DANCE CLUB]] [[UNLICENSED PIZZA TAVERN]] [[LEGAL DEPARTMENT]] [[MAP STATION]] [[UNKEPT SUBURB]]

<img src="images/The pizza tavern.png" alt="A largely square, dark red building stands before you, with a beige wooden sign on the front that reads 'PIZZA'." /> A brick building makes its presence known to you thanks to its mere stature. The pizza tavern is a crude yet smooth obelisk of rough rock, cracked cement, and fresh yeast. <<if $interestinalleys is false>>There aren't many places where you could go. You could either [[walk inside the tavern]] or just go back to the [[transport station.]] <<else>>There are a few places you may go. You could [[walk inside the tavern]] through its doors. You could also [[walk around the side of the tavern]], though there does not appear to be much to look at. <</if>>

<img src="images/The apartment complex.png" alt="You look up to see a giant obelisk cast in a feint green color, dotted with windows. Its height reaches further than you can see, and its shape is unlike any building you have ever seen." /> This complex is large, overwhelming, and complicated. It appears to be one of the more well developed residential buildings in town. Many people must reside in the apartments. They must be some of the most reliable residence options in terms of residential potential. There are a couple places that you could go. You could [[walk into the apartment lobby]] to investigate your housing options. <<if $interestinalleys is false>>The other option is to go back to the [[transport station.]] <<else>>You could walk [[down the apartment alleyway]] and see what lies there. If nothing else, you could just go back to the [[transport station.]] <</if>> <<set $residenceunderstanding to "nice apartments">> <<set $knowledge to $knowledge + 1>>

<img src="images/The unkept suburb.png" alt="Everywhere you look, you see feint red buildings of various heights with dull sheets hanging off their sides and boarded up windows. The buildings are grimy, rugged, and worn." /> The suburbs of the area are far from pristine. The buildings are run down, dirty, and unkept. There is little to gaze upon that pleases the eyes. The housing within this city must be horrendous. Here is hoping that you can get a good place to live in this kind of environment. There are a couple directions where one could go. The houses in this area could be investigated further. There is also a [[law enforcement area that you could visit to your left|LEGAL DEPARTMENT]]. <<if $map is true>>This area is quite dense, it seems. It may be worthwhile to [[read your map]] to be certain of your location. <</if>> <<set $residenceunderstanding to "total dumps">> <<set $lastlocation to "suburbs">>

<img src="images/The dance club.png" alt="A dark blue, moderately sized building stands with bright lights on the front that display the word 'DANCE' along some light decoration." /> You have approached a humble yet noisy building that bears a bright sign. The sign seems to promise good times and good vibes. <<if $interestinalleys is true>>There appear to be some strange fellows in the alley to the side of the building. You could [[go see what they are up to]]. <<else>> <</if>> The entrance to the club is wide open. You could easily [[enter the club]] to see what is up.

<img src="images/Market of farmers.png" alt="You look toward the horizon and see endless rows of tents and stands in countless colors. Wooden, rectangular bases are shadowed by colorful fabric blankets resting above on posts." /> It just so happens that the local farmer's market is in town today. Countless patrons have gathered in the town square to purchase the latest in farm-fresh produce. With such a dense population of consumers, the locals must have a preference for fresh & organic produce. There is quite a bit that you could investigate, since there are so many stands and merchants to see. You could head [[straight down the center of the market]]. You could head [[to the left side]], where there seem to be fewer customers. You could also head [[through the right side]], which is busier. <<set $understandingofculinaryarts to "all hail farm produce">> <<if $map is true>>With the overall density of this area, it may be helpful to [[read your map]] so you do not get lost. <</if>> <<set $lastlocation to "market of farmers">>

<img src="images/The legal department.png" alt="A sizable, brown, wooden building stands before you, broken up into different connected sections that get taller and taller, as if you are gazing upon a giant flight of stairs." /> The legal department is a building with the typical cells, offices, and parking lots. <<if $residenceunderstanding is "total dumps">>The building is much nicer than the surrounding area. This seems like grounds for suspicion. To learn further, you could [[go into the department]] to investigate this further. <<elseif $residenceunderstanding is "nice apartments">>This building is similar in style to the apartment building you saw earlier, implying it to be designed by the same architect. Considering its distance, the architect must be a notable figure who has done plenty of work. <<set $architectimpressions to "that one guy did it all">> <<else>>This building is unassuming overall. It does not really grab attention. There is little here to investigate. It would be best to walk further down the road. <</if>> Further down the road, there appears to be a market that's has much more to see. You could [[go there|MARKET OF FARMERS]] and see what it has to offer.

There is a stand. It has maps available. Maps, yes. Maps are good. A map would be quite useful. It would guide you throughout the many passages. You grab a map. <<set $map to true>> <<if $map is true>>Now you have the ability to know the land. <<else>>After having retrieved the map, you do not have the map. <</if>> Now you can go back to the [[transport station.]] You may also [[read your map]] whenever a need arises. <<set $lastlocation to "map still new af">>

<<if $lastlocation is "map still fresh af">> Just looking at this map, you can tell that there is quite a bit to explore. You will be wandering through town for quite some time. It is a good thing that you retrieved this, or you would have gotten quite lost. Now that you have this, you should go back to [[deciding where to go|transport station.]]<<set $knowledge to $knowledge + 1>> <<elseif $lastlocation is "suburbs">>As you suspected, these suburbs are considerably dense. The amount of buildings and streets is almost overwhelming. It is hard to really learn much from what you have to work with. It would be better to just [[continue exploring|UNKEPT SUBURB]]. <<elseif $lastlocation is "market of farmers">>The market is not just busy, but it seems to hold great significance for the area. This lot seems custom made for it. Clearly, the populace strongly favors more local options. With that out of the way, it is time to continue [[exploring the market|MARKET OF FARMERS]]. <<set $knowledge to $knowledge + 1>> <<elseif $lastlocation is "past the apartment">>Even with the guidance of a map and the apartment acting as a marker, finding your way through this area feels almost undoable. Every right turn feels like a left turn, and every left turn feels like it turns you around. If nothing else, you have come to realize that you will need to take much more time to learn this side of town. Now would not be a bad time to [[start putting in the time|down the apartment alleyway]]. <<set $knowledge to $knowledge + 1>> <</if>>

This is quite the tavern. It is bustling and productive. People are everywhere. It seems that the pizza is a popular dish in this city. A pizza tavern like this one would be a good place to go when introducing yourself to the food options in the area. <<set $knowledge to $knowledge + 1>> It would not hurt to investigate the food here further. You could walk up to [[the front bar]] and inquire about the menu. <<if $knowledge gte 3>>All this wandering around has also made you rather hungry, so getting something to eat would be wise. <</if>> <<if $lastlocation isnot "past the apartment">>Alternatively, you could [[simply leave]]. <</if>> <<set $understandingofculinaryarts to "pizza is good">>

There is litter, a dumpster, and a door to the tavern kitchen. As was suspected, there is little of note to gaze upon. This likely means that there is little to be seen in this city's alleyways. Alleyways may not be worth exploring further in the future. The alley is virtually empty and meaningless. It would be productive to walke back to the front of the [[UNLICENSED PIZZA TAVERN]]. <<set $interestinalleys to false>> <<set $knowledge to $knowledge + 1>> <<if $knowledge gte 1>>Wow I feel so much smrter <<else>>I am not very intelligent and must accrue more knowledge <</if>>

Walking into the lobby, you see a desk and a few waiting couches. Approaching the front desk, you decide to investigate the housing options here. After a few moments, you are able to get an appointment to discuss what is available. You sit at a couch and wait. [[After a while, your name comes up, and you are headed to an office to discuss the potential to settle in here.]]

Walking past the building, a considerable length of different paths are available. Off in one direction, there lies the legal department that you read about earlier. You could [[head over there|LEGAL DEPARTMENT]] and see what they have to offer. <<if $understandingofculinaryarts isnot "pizza is good">>Over in the distance, you can see a red building that appears to be a restaurant of some sort. Maybe you could [[go that way|UNLICENSED PIZZA TAVERN]] and find out more about the culinary options here. <<else>>You also see the pizza tavern from earlier way off in the distance. Since you have already investigated that area, it wouldn't be sensible to go that way again. <</if>> <<if $map is true>>There is not very much to help you find your way. Now may be an apt time to [[read your map]]. <</if>> <<set $lastlocation to "past the apartment">>

There are so many vendors vending their goods; it is hard to know where to start. Many are selling food, naturally. Some of them are selling candles, while others sell knitted items. Others are peddling soaps & hygiene items, while yet others offer decorative goods. <<if $residenceunderstanding is "total dumps">>The quality of these items is impressive considering the housing conditions. There may be viable means of acquiring the skills to create these items. You could [[ask around about the presence of an artisan's guild]] in the area. <<set $knowledge to $knowledge + 1>> <<else>>The items here are respectable. You would take some time to look closer, but you are focused more on exploring the overall area. There is not much to be seen outside of shopping options, so you could just head either [[left|to the left side]] or [[right|through the right side]] from here. <</if>>

This side of the market is noticably quiet compared to the rest of it. <<if $knowledge gte 3>> It is even rather quiet when compared to the other places that you have visited. <</if>> Vendors and stands are less up here. Each customer seems to spend much more time at each place they visit. Everyone seems calm and contemplative. With so much room to stop and think, you have considerably more ability to appreciate the items on offer. It becomes clear that this may not be a bad area to look for future essentials and furnishings. <<set $knowledge to $knowledge + 1>> Off to the side, a large building covered in bright lights beckons, with a subtle, bass-driven ambience eminating from it. It seems like that is where more of the action on this side comes from. It might not hurt to [[check it out|DANCE CLUB]].

This side of the market is overwhelmingly crowded. There is barely any space to manuever, with vendors, customers, and items to purchase in every empty space. You have to swim through a sea of people in order to find your way, often moving with the tide of where each person's eyes are drawn. Eventually, you wash up on the other side of the market. You did not learn very much from this experience, but you did learn that people seem to really like this market. You want to find out more, so you wander over [[to the left side]] to see what is on offer there.

Upon approaching the strange fellows, you see them sitting around a small bonfire. They appear to be drinking strange fluids out of small glass bottles. As you get closer, they notice and acknowledge your presence. "'Ay. Interit fellot. Entito nen famero..." "Di, yeh, yeh. Ment temporalis?" "Nu, tant finisk. Perment, certant." "Yeh, miy mest threeds." They continue to make these various sounds. <<if $knowledge gte 4>>From your previous experiences, you can discern a small portion of what they are saying. They appear to be questioning whether they know you; they seem confused by your clothing. <<else>>You have not a clue what these noises mean. <</if>> After a few moments, one of them starts to gesture you with one of the bottles. It appears to be unopened and full of the strange fluid. They nod their head and make a few more of their sounds. <<if $knowledge gte 4>>They seem to be offering you a drink. While the offer seems well-meaning, you cannot know how safe the material is. You respectfully [[turn the offer down]]. <<elseif $residenceunderstanding is "total dumps">>With the state of the town, these fluids cannot possibly be safe or of respectable quality. You may want to just [[walk away]]. <<else>>They do not appear to be intending any malicious acts. With no other apparent response to make, you gently take the bottle and [[take a sip]]. <</if>>

This club is quite busy tonight. Countless club goers can be seen dancing, conversing, and doing other casual activities. It seems that party life is a major facet of the area's local culture. <<set $culturesense to "we like to party">> Seeing the significance of this club, it would not hurt to look around for more info. There is [[a bar]] to the side that you could look at, while [[the speakers]] should enlighten you to the popular music of the town. <<set $knowledge to $knowledge + 1>>

Walking around, you start to try and glean more info on how these skilled artisans learned their craft, walking from stand to stand. <<if $knowledge gte 4>>You have picked up a few pieces of the local dialect from overhearing conversations as you have wandered from place to place and read the signs. You piece together a few sentences at each stand, but the responses bear little fruit. Many vendors simply appear confused by your questions. IMAGE OF PARTICULAR VENDOR Eventually, however, one vendor does appear to have an answer. They decide to gesture you to [[the back of their stand]]. <<else>>You make countless gestures and hand signs in an attempt to communicate your point. You point to the various items, trying to make out the actions of putting them together, but nobody seems to get your message. With little info gleaned, you decide that you must simply move on. Having parsed the center of the market for all its worth, you could head [[to the left side]] or go [[through the right side]] of the market. <</if>>

Walking into the center lobby of the department, you can see a few desks and some workers at those desks. You can't find any details on the creation of the actual building within the district, so you have to ask further. In all your questioning, the employees only respond with confusion and bewilderment. They seem to struggle to understand what it is that you are asking about. Eventually, one of them loses patience and calls down security. As you continue to voice your suspicions and concerns, [[you are taken away from the lobby]] and into the deeper offices.

After you turn down the offer, the fellow shrugs and simply sets the bottle down. The two continue to drink and converse as they did before. While you take no interest in the drinks, these fellows seems approachable enough. You decide to stay with them for a little longer and converse with them. Sure enough, you three make some good conversation. They get to learn about your reasons for coming to the area and the plans that you have made while there, and they enlighten you about the culture and history of the city. <<set $knowledge to $knowledge + 2>> [[You end up learning quite a bit.]]

You turn around and head the other direction. The two strangers make a few more loud noises at first, but they then quiet down. It doesn't seem like there is much to be seen that's particularly welcoming in this town. Run down locales and questionable residents have made a poor first impression. [[You will have to look much further]].

You take the bottle, take off the cap, and pour it down. You pour it down. Pour it down. It down. Down. Own. Wn. N. . Down it go... inside... wurm driunk... flaveritis streng... sensato del spik... Down del alkowalla gu... gluug... [[down]]...

Walking back behind the vendor's setup, you see a humble van full of tools and raw materials. <<if $architectimpressions is "that one guy did it all">>Some of the designs on display look quite familiar to the other buildings that you have seen. There are designs here that look noticably similar to the apartment complex and the legal department. <</if>> Snapping their fingers, the vendor calls upon another person from the front of the truck. After a few exchanged words, this other person guides you over to a desk to the side. The vendor leaves, and this guide introduces themselves. After some more light discussion, they sit you down. From there, [[the first lesson begins.]]

You walk up to a warm wooden bar area, complete with an open view of the ovens and a myriad of hard-working cooks. It is not long before a waiter approaches you and hands you a menu. You look through the menu for a bit... and then for a bit longer... and then even longer. The variety on the menu is impressive. <<if $knowledge gte 3>>You start to forget about your appetite and get more curious about how expansive the options here really get. <<else>>Your curiosity is piqued, and you start to flip through the menu even more. <</if>> After quite a bit of reading, you ask to see one of the officials who works in this establishment. You get to speak with a manager and [[proceed to inquire about how the establishment developed such a varied catalogue.]]

Leaving the previous area and walkingdown the street, there appear to be a few different places to go. A large [[apartment building|APARTMENT COMPLEX]] can be seen off in the distance, while more of the [[residential area|UNKEPT SUBURB]] is available just down the road.

The bar appears to be fairly standard fare. A lit-up line of shelves full of bottles and a myriad of stools decorate the area. Strangely, the bartender is missing. No drinks are being served. The only drinks that are really available are a few in small glass bottles that are already laying on the bar itself. <<if $knowledge gte 4>>Since you did not order any of these, it would be unwise to drink one. It simply would be better to [[exit the club]]. <<else>>It would be an informative experience to see what lies in store when it comes to the local breweries. You take one of the bottles and [[take a sip]]. <</if>>

The speakers play some fairly unique music that you are unfamiliar with. It uses instruments that you do not recognize and is arranged with strange tempos. You are not quite sure what to make of it. That being said, maybe it will grow on you. <<set $knowledge to $knowledge + 1>> With little else to look at, there are only two other choices. You could [[exit the club]], or you could wander [[to that bar|a bar]] off to the side.

In the end... you become an apprentice to a well practiced group of local craftsmen, and you will be learning their many skills and methods during your time here. They have a lot to teach you; it should be an enlightening experience overall. <<if $knowledge gte 5>>It is amazing how much you are learning during so little time. You have almost explored this entire city from front to back, learning more and more about every little thing you've seen, and now you shall be learning even more from trained professionals. You should settle into this town quite nicely. <<elseif $knowledge is 4>>You have learned quite a bit during your short time here. While you naturally have not seen everything, you still have seen a fair amount of it. With the set up you currently have, things bode well in the future. <<else>>You have seen enough of the city to get a decent idea of what to expect going forward. Especially with the partnership you now have with these craftsmen, you should settle in well enough. There could still be more to see, though. However, that will have to come later. For now, you have craftwork to do. <</if>>

In the end... You get to converse with these people about quite a bit, and you get to learn plentiful details about the city. You get to learn about its history, its culture, and even what exactly was in those bottles. You also feel your grasp on the local language improve considerably during this time. While you haven't gotten a place to live yet, you have gotten quite comfortable with your new surroundings. You feel ready to truly and fully settle in for the long haul. If nothing else, you do have some good friends to settle in with, now. END.

In the end... You have not managed to truly find your place in this town. It seems like finding a proper slice of the city to call home will take more time than was anticipated. Nonetheless, you shall continue your search, at least for a little while. <<if $knowledge gte 5>>That being said, you have already seen quite a bit. You have combed through several areas of town and have seen what seems to be most of what it has to offer. How much more could there really be? Only time will tell, it seems. <<elseif $knowledge gte 3>>There is at least still more to explore, so you could still find your place. There were a number of places that you did not explore, and those areas may have somewhere where you belong. You will simply have to continue to investigate. <<else>>Although, how can you be certain that you looked far enough? You only saw so much during your travels. Maybe you just did not look in the right direction. You will have to look further... much further. <</if>> END

There was very little to see in the club overall. While the area was quite active, you learned barely anything that would aid you in your stay. Learning everything that you will want to know about this town will take a fair amount of time. [[You will have to look much further]] in order to find any info of value.

In the end... you were hauled away for excessive harassment of legal employees. You have now received extensive scolding for your behavior. <<if $knowledge gte 5>>Even still, you learned quite a bit about the city. You have a heightened understanding of the area and what it has to offer, which should come in handy to avoid encounters like this in the future. <<elseif $knowledge is 4>>You still have a fair bit to learn. However, you feel like you know this town well enough to settle in as soon as your disciplining comes to an end. <<elseif $knowledge is 3>>You have learned some things about this town overall, but you still have much to learn. A conversation with the legal officials likely will not bring you much further in this regard. <<else>>You have not learned very much about your new home. As soon as this lesson comes to an end, you will have to explore the town much further. Hopefully you are able to explore further than you did today. <</if>> END

In the end... You set up a contract and move into a solid suite. It has a decent view of the city as a whole, and you have all the furnishings that you will need for the future. <<if $knowledge gte 5>>Really, you are almost completely settled in to the area. You have seen almost everything, and you have a place to stay. There is not much else that you can really do. You have officially begun the bulk of your stay. <<elseif $knowledge gte 3>>You have a place to stay, and you have some general background of the area. You have settled in well, but there is still plenty for you to see. You will want to consider exploring the area further after having your room fully set up. <<else>>While you have found a place for you to stay, you still lack a proper understanding of your new surroundings. You only visited a few places, and you could have taken a further look at every place that you went to. You may have settled in, but there is much left to learn. <</if>> END

In the end... You learned a decent amount of information about how this establishment prepares and designs its food. The many techniques they have at their disposal intrigued you, leading you to further pursue a relationship with the business. You have settled in as a member of the faculty, hoping to learn more as you work with them. This may even be a permanent, prosperous career down the line. <<if $knowledge gte 5>>Even if it is not, everything else that you have seen in this area will make it easy to find other potential career paths. You've seen what there is to see at several places, including downtown and the local markets. You should have little trouble settling in. <<elseif $knowledge is 4>>You have learned a respectable amount about the area. While there is still more for you to see, you should have little issue getting used to your surroundings. <<elseif $knowledge is 3>>You have settled in well, but there is much yet to learn. You will want to learn it as well, since you are now part of a local business. <<else>>It is admittedly quite impressive that you even got a position here, considering how new to the area you are. You managed to get this position almost immediately after arriving in town, with little background required. You will want to learn as much as you can while on duty so that you can keep your position. <</if>> END

In the end... ... ... ... ... END.

CURRENT DATE: D-1, Y-37

11:13 a.m.

It has been two weeks of lengthy travel. You have now arrived in the city.

You look out the window to see a grass covered hillside with a horizon of large, dark blue skyscrapers standing tall just beyond the hills.

You look out the window to see a grass covered hillside with a horizon of large, dark blue skyscrapers standing tall just beyond the hills.

You will be staying in the city for a considerable portion of time. You likely will not even be able to easily communicate with the local residents, as you lack their language. You should acquire your knowledge of the area as you settle.

You step off the tram and walk outside, into the transport station.