11

You approach a sort of messy arrangement of a few small sheds (probably to store tools), massive piles of rock, a couple of yet-to-be unloaded carts, and fuck all to mark where the property starts. You can’t actually see anyone from the street, but you can hear hammering and some manly grunting coming from somewhere inside.

After walking far enough to be sure you’re in the stone mason’s yard proper, you go round a bend past a huge pile of clinker and behold the most terrifying sight ever to hit your eyes.

It isn’t how big they are, although you’d call a couple borderline giants. It’s not the amount of muscle each one is carrying, as a couple are rather scrawny yet have the same effect on you. It isn’t even the fact some of them aren’t even apes like you, because you’ve gotten used to there being every species imaginable on two legs in town. Rather it’s the sheer raging fury that gets you. They look like monsters, every single one, with every move, every hit on the stones however delicate, every drop of a tool to grab another, every word spoken to a partner, and every team effort to displace especially large slabs is done with a kind of animalistic jerk, like an impulse from instinct. You can’t see them having working minds in their skulls, they look like soulless demons in every possible way that they move themselves and each other. And all of that is why it startles you when one of them speaks to you.

“You all right there, friend?” A human woman walks toward with a genuine-looking smile of welcome. It doesn’t fit with her expressions and movements seconds ago, nor does it fit her now. But you smile back just the same.

“I’m looking for an apprenticeship or any work really...?” you start and then fumble for words. By now every one of the others has stopped and is looking right at you. Some of them look frail and harmless, some are literally humanoid beasts. You don’t like any of them from pure looks.

“You’re not from here, are you?” a dwarf asks, stepping closer. He’s displaying all the signs of friendly curiosity, a big smile, twinkling eyes, and all that. But you feel like he’s scrutinizing you, sizing you up like prey.

“I’m from a village beyond the plateau. There’s nothing for me there, so I left home and I thought I’d see what I find here.”

The woman nods, “There’s lots of people like that in town, why at H’Rull’s the other day I met a dark elf from across the Circle Sea. He was after joining the city watch and working his way up to being the next sorcerer. He said he had magical blood. You look fine and fit; do you want to help us get to bed faster? I’m sure we could use some more limbs.” she turns to the rest of the group, “What do you say, boys, do we take an apprentice?”

“Aye!” they answer in unison, the dwarf adding “Everyone deserves a chance!”

There’s a void in your stomach, and you can feel your heart beating faster each second. Are you panicking out of nowhere? They seem genuinely willing to see if you can be one of theirs, yet you are convinced they’re all monsters after consuming you. What do you do?

• Bolt from the yard and never return? Turn to 204.

• Ignore your fear and stay on to at least see what the work entails? Turn to 73.