Calling Rufus

Choice adventure number: 1497

Calling Rufus

You find a nickel in the gutter nearby and drop it in the slot. The phone rings for a long time. You're about to give up, then somebody answers.

"Rufus here," says a voice on the other end.

"Okay... uh... nice to meet you, Rufus. I'm <player>."

"There are some things I need," says Rufus. "Three of them."

"First thing. There's a big shadow entity. In the place those rifts connect to. <shadow entity description>." He pauses.

"I've also detected an artifact I need somebody to recover for me. A <shadow artifact>," he continues.

After a moment Rufus speaks again. "I can also always use samples of more mundane items from the rifts. Right now, 3 <shadow item> would be valuable."

---

I'll fight the entity

You tell Rufus you'll defeat the shadow entity for him.

"Thanks. Call me when it's done."

He abruptly hangs up.

---

I'll find the artifact

You tell Rufus you'll retrieve the artifact for him.

"Thanks. Call me when it's done."

He abruptly hangs up.

---

I'll collect the goods

You tell Rufus you'll bring him the items he wants.

"Okay, thanks. Be careful."

He abruptly hangs up.

---

Hang up

You hang up on Rufus. He probably won't mind.

---

Occurs after using a closed-circuit pay phone.

Notes

• The entity to fight will be one of:
  • shadow cauldron ("It's a cauldron. Big. Shaped like an iron one, but not made of iron.")
  • shadow matrix ("It's a... matrix. A manifold. It's kind of a... grid? You'll know it when you see it.")
  • shadow orrery ("It's an orrery. It probably looks like a model of a solar system, only gigantic.")
  • shadow scythe ("It's something like a scythe. Maybe just... a scythe. But a big one.")
  • shadow spire ("It's a big spire. Kinda like a radio tower.")
  • shadow tongue ("It's a tongue. Just... a big tongue, as far as I can tell.")

It will appear instead of the next A Labyrinth of Shadows.

• Choosing to find an artifact will produce the artifact from the choice specific to that artifact in A Labyrinth of Shadows instead of the usual choice result.
• If you hang up and call again, the offered quests will remain the same.
• All quests give a Rufus's shadow lodestone (in other words, access to a single Like a Loded Stone choice) as a reward.
• Accepting the first quest every day will give 11 turns of Shadow Affinity:

An ear-splitting whine blasts out of the phone receiver. You wince in pain.

You acquire an effect: Shadow Affinity (duration: 11 Adventures)

• There is no limit for quests accepted or fulfilled in a single day.