SugarShack 03 Mission Reviews The Sculptress: Grace from Stone
The Sculptress, Center Park.
Last month in Sister Margaret’s missions, we found constant mention of another Exile named The Sculptress. This week, we get to know her better. Stylishly dressed, with red cap and shades (all she needs is the lazy cigarette), the Sculptress stands on a street corner in Center Park waiting for you (curious, since all our earlier missions for her via Sister Margaret were done in the Mara Center area). Now, you will find that her missions are fairly standard in nature, with very witty moments at the end of each; some of the Operator comments are fun too. You will also find that the missions were much tougher than those for Mr. Black. Going alone or going without a hacker build are a recipe for frustration.
Mish 01: Tools of the Trade
The Collector sent someone to steal her tools, which are very personal. She wants you to get them back. (Ironically, the street gang encountered during this and the other mishes is the Chisels, a very cute touch.) German-speaking Exiles have them under guard. I was trashed totally on my first attempts. Wonderful example of artspeak from a bluepill in the entourage of Heron (another artist), who receives the recovered tools from you. The best line is at the end, an affronted blue pill sniffs and informs you, “of course it looks like any other room, that’s what makes it art!” LOL!
Mish 02: Errant Goods
A package has been misappropriated by a courier. As The Sculptress delicately puts it, we are to get it back and kill him and his allies. This turns out to be an exceptionally difficult mission, and much more action is needed than I expected at first. For instance, one single room contained 4-5 level 51 blood drunks and nobles in a roving pack (meaning they could not be defeated piecemeal). I used Sneak from a coat to get in, get the package and flee immediately. If you are alone and without tricks, I have no idea how you would easily handle this. As before, we deliver the recovered package to an artist. However, in this case, the artist at the end is wearing a cook’s hat! He must be a performance artist or a Dadaist! The accompanying bluepill gives me an utterly useless key, along with more deep artspeak.
Mish 03: The Price of Fame
Hypatia, whose warehouses you might recall raiding last week, is now to be mollified with, of all things, a charming bust of Melvil Dewey (originator of the Dewey Decimal System)! The ideal gift for the Exile who has everything! Who can explain the inscrutable ways of artists? Besides the absurd nature of the task, the other unusual thing here is the distance to Hypatia: 1100 meters, and you arrive just in time to get jumped by five or six bounty-hunters. No witty artspeak in this one, just bruises and sore feet!
Note to devs: why not give us a district, so we can just hardline there? Or are you marathon runners on weekends, looking for company?
Mish 04: The Lease
Like the paperwork mish for Mr. Black, here you need to help The Sculptress get a lease. It’s a break-in, shoot-up-the-hired-help kind of mission. Nothing wrong with that! At the completion, when you hand off the papers, one of the accompanying exiles looks at you and asks how you feel about your previous life. I love unexpected personal stuff like this. Totally out of the blue!
Mish 05: The Model
One of the most entertaining mishes yet!! Remember the hawt Scarlett from the tutorial? She’s back! And you have to rescue her before her honor is compromised!
Standard rescue, but the texture is delightful! As you escort her back, Scarlett talks incessantly about her beauty and how she must share it (males RSIs out there should not get their hopes up). Then the Artist fusses over her like a mother hen at the end, absently dismissing her rescuers (i.e., you). Delightful interplay! And as we left the building, a wonderful gift appeared out of nowhere in a pretty box on the ground at my feet! And it was not a bust of Melvile Dewey! Bingo!
Overall, these missions included extremely tough enemies, and some very witty dialog. Plus there’s the usual XP and info payoffs, and a gift at the end. Who could ask for more? Fun and worth doing.
