Remember, this level of dysfunction is by design. The Empire doesn't want you to band together and take revenge, so they show leniency and support to total jerks who would backstab anyone the first chance they get, ensuring those jerks can keep every other prisoner in line.

>>1123692
What leniency and support?

>>1123693
It's subtle. The guards treat all the prisoners with scorn. But if one of the prisoners is actively manipulating the others, bullying them, putting them down, the guards put that prisoner's safety and nutrition on a slightly higher priority than the others.
Keep them weak by making the troublemakers strong. After all, they can just put the leader down with their advanced steel weapons if he gets too powerful.

>>1123685
>Hm, Roderick called Loess a "him". Do golems have genders?
This was a production error brought about by late night writing and the absence of proofreading. Please ignore the man behind the curtain.

[1/1] Stingpie 2026/03/22(Sun)21:06 No. 1123840 ID: 35d66b
File 177421356787.jpg - (342.50KB , 1754x1240 , continuing.jpg )

"My name is Kaol." You say. "Now Roderick, tell me more about Loess. I need details about the crime."

"Kaol, I'd really rather talk about you. If we are to be allies, we must trust eachother, no? I have told you my crime, it is only decent if you tell me yours."

You are backed into a corner. Roderick is shifty, and caraclasts have a penchant for social gymnastics, yet it is a perfectly reasonable question to ask. You decide to minimize the severity of your crime.

"Battery. I was owed something, and I took it."

"I simply cannot believe you would be condemned to death for something as incidnetal as debt collection."

"One could say the same about fraud."

Roderick is quick to change the subject.

"Loess was once a tax collector, you see. Fancied the feeling of power one gets when taking other people's rightful possesions. Blah blah blah-eventually, coins went missing from the treasury, fingers were pointed, Loess was charged with conspiracy, theft, and an attempt to murder a superior to retain the position of tax collector."

The thought forms in your head that getting any valuable information out of Roderick is impossible. There are no taxes in golem society. You start to wonder if you should just excuse yourself and talk to someone else, although you have decided where to look yet. Alternatively, you could confront Roderick and see if there are any cracks in that mask.

Ignore this guy and talk to someone else.

Ask him about the holes in his claim. Who did Loess collect taxes from if not gollems?
See if this guy is at least good at lying.

>>1123840
Seems like a pathological liar. Useless to talk to since we can't trust what he says, but perhaps he could be trusted with simple tasks.

But yeah, he didn't say the golems were being taxed... ask who Loess was collecting taxes from, and who they were working for.
Is it likely that Loess was collecting taxes from non-golem citizens?

No matter what he says next, may as well go talk to someone else. Ultimately it doesn't matter if he fixes the holes in his story or not, I think we have a decent idea of what kind of person he is now.

This "surviving exile, not knowing who to trust story is quite original for this website. I love it.

Tell Roderick this:

"Roderick, I know that you don't trust me yet, but know this: whatever you did before, it doesn't matter.

We are no longer bound by the protections of our homeland, but neither by their prejudices.

From what you said, you embezzled money and deliverately got someone killed to keep going.

That's alright. I did something similar.

My makers kept trying to remold me, over and over, constantly reminding me I was a tool to them.
So I snapped. I turned against them, mangled them for life. I couldn't take their abuse anymore.

They called me dangerous and defective ad so here I am.
I don't like being used, but I don't like resorting to violence either.

So whatever you did, you can tell me in confidence. I won't hold it against you, nor use it for my benefit.

I simply need to know that you can tell me the truth when it matters.
Becaus otherwise, I cannot trust that you won't hurt like I was hurt once before."

[1/2] Stingpie 2026/03/26(Thu)03:51 No. 1123952 ID: 35d66b
File 177449707026.jpg - (198.43KB , 1754x1240 , goodbye-liar.jpg )

Trust devoid from the conversation, you try to probe at Roderick's lies.

"Loess truly does seem devious. May I ask who the particular targets of this extortionate tax collection were?"

"The common folk, of course. Anyone in power could resist the bullish behavior, but someone like you or me would be victims."

A pattern emerges, and you elect to prod further.

"Forgive me for my lack of decorum, but what races were the object of such harassment?"

"All that would kneel to power would have their wages forfeit. Quite terrible if you as me. Such indiscriminate theft!"

It seems this caraclast reverts to generalities when specifics get tough. You still have one last question, though.

"Roderick, I think we will be of great use to one another. Could you point me in the direction of someone else we could find mutually beneficial?"

"Why, of course, Kaol! I believe I saw Prescissa walking into the kitchen. Quite an excitable individual, I must say. Do be careful about mentioning anything regarding bodily harm. Some old wounds, I am told."

You nod and step towards the kitchen.

[2/2] Stingpie 2026/03/26(Thu)03:51 No. 1123953 ID: 35d66b
File 177449711032.jpg - (135.94KB , 1754x1240 , hello_stranger.jpg )

On the other side of the kitchen is a tulpa, sitting on a counter, arms twisted in delight.

"Oh! Hello..."

"Kaol." You complete.

"Hello, Kaol! I am delighted to finally meet you formally! I always need to get to know everybody, and you've been skulking around, haven't you?"

You try to formulate a response.

>>1123953
It's true. You were isolating yourself. Recovering, in a sense.
Ask for her story. And does she know anything about Roderick or Loess?

LOOK window.

LOOK stove

LOOK kindling

skulking is an ugly word. try 'reconnoitering' instead.

ask her if she has plans for after they arrive.

[1/3] Stingpie 2026/03/30(Mon)03:59 No. 1124051 ID: 35d66b
File 177484319042.jpg - (135.11KB , 1754x1240 , whattydasay.jpg )

Before you formulate a response, Prescissa jumps up and exaggeratedly raises a hand.

"Hello, Kaol! Can you hear me? You aren't shutting down again are you?"

"No... No. I'm simply thinking."

"Dangerous past time, you know!" Prescissa laughs.

"I must apologize for not introducing myself sooner. I am... shy."

"Sure! Absolutely."

"...Yes. Anyway, I'd like to know more about you."

"Oh, yes! I don't think I've introduced myself--how rude!--I am Prescissa, and I ran into the law because apparently you aren't allowed free other people! Blah!!"

"You let prisoners out of jail?"

"If you don't have any control over your life, you're a prisoner! But the 'fair' and 'impartial' judge didn't seem to think so."

There's definitely more to ask, but it seems like a bad idea to interrogate every single person you come across about their personal life and history--At least not immediately.

"What can you tell me about Roderick? How about Loess?"

"Is it okay if I tell you a secret? I don't really like Roderick all that much. Did you hear he's on here for soul fraud? You know what that's code for?"

Prescissa pantomimes stabbing someone.

"Aren't you glad you aren't a caraclast? Edmund still has to worry, though."

"Okay. What about Loess?"

A few moments pass.

"I don't want to talk about Loess. I'm worried. A dozen tulpa bodies were found, and Loess was at the center of it. I know you're not like this... actually, I don't know, but the golem clan against the world thing is really, really terrible. And golems like Loess just..."

Prescissa trails off. You aren't sure where to take the conversation next.
You take a quick glance around the room.

[2/3] Stingpie 2026/03/30(Mon)04:00 No. 1124052 ID: 35d66b
File 177484322242.jpg - (98.68KB , 1754x1240 , window.jpg )

Next to the window, a metal spike has been embedded into the wall, and a net hangs around it, draping out of the window, presumably into the water.

[3/3] Stingpie 2026/03/30(Mon)04:00 No. 1124053 ID: 35d66b
File 177484325174.jpg - (123.94KB , 1754x1240 , stove.jpg )

The stove is unremarkable. There's a pipe above it which leads into a smoker, but the stove itself isn't that interesting. You suppose you slide something through the slits of the cover, but you can just open it. The kindling beside the stove is equally as boring.

https://questden.org/kusaba/questdis/res/145150.html#145150

Great potential for friction between your two personalities, but of those you've met so far she seems to be without malice. It might be too soon to say, as you haven't talked to everyone yet, but she might be you're best bet as an ally, or even friend.

It occurs to me that no pronouns have been used except in one case that was an error. Do no species in this setting have genders?

>>1124051
Soul fraud is just murder? Odd legal terminology. Once again something we need to confirm elsewhere. Huh, how did Prescissa find out though? If there was information on everyone's crimes available they'd know what you were here for. Or maybe they do know and they're trying to find out *why* you did it. Ask if there's a public registry of crimes of those aboard. It would save you some time.

Tell them you're no golem supremacist. What you did was... more personal than that. Bring up that Roderick said you shouldn't mention violence around Prescissa... but you think Roderick is a compulsive liar. They certainly seem to have lied about not being violent. Does Prescissa actually have any hangups? Topics you should avoid?

Check out that net. Is it a fishing/trawling net? That'd make sense.

It's a little unclear what Prescissa did -
"You let prisoners out of jail?"
"If you don't have any control over your life, you're a prisoner!"

Not a direct answer, and suggests a different interpretation. Could mean...getting people fired from their desk job? Inciting a riot? Possibly, kidnapping, or something else that could be viewed as "liberating those without control"?

Not that we have to ask right now, as stated.

Well, this character seems more straightforward and forthcoming.

Let's change the subject and ask what's good for doing around here in the kitchen, and what kind of plans should we make for when we make it to shore.

[1/8] Stingpie 2026/04/10(Fri)02:52 No. 1124969 ID: 35d66b
File 177578953597.jpg - (116.70KB , 1754x1240 , reassurance.jpg )

"I'm not like Loess. I don't want to hurt anybody."

You're not sure how much Prescissa knows about golem society, but based on Roderick's lack of knowledge, it seems like isolationism has left the outer world ignorant of the clay clan. You decide to use a half-lie by ommision.

"Loess is a radical. It is completely unnaceptable to act that way in golem society. I don't know motives or anything like that, but I am complete against that type of worldview. I want to recruit people so that we can keep slavers in check, golem or otherwise."

Prescissa doesn't respond, seemingly still distracted by Loess' violence. You try shifting the subject.

"There doesn't happen to be some central ledger of everyone's crimes? I really need to catch up on all the gossip!"

A shaking head is the only response.

"Is that a trawling net? Caught anything recently?"

A limp murmur "It's been stuck on something."

"Any plans for once we reach the city? Are you much of an explorer?"

Silence.

"Look, I'm weak. I was made to be weak. The golem establishment decided they needed to act more diplomatically, so they designed diplomats. Physical strength is irrelevant and wasted on politics."

"Is that why you have an eye?"

[2/8] Stingpie 2026/04/10(Fri)02:52 No. 1124970 ID: 35d66b
File 177578957088.png - (57.58KB , 1754x1240 , red-and-white.png )

In the beginning, there were twelve.

[3/8] Stingpie 2026/04/10(Fri)02:53 No. 1124971 ID: 35d66b
File 177578960129.png - (33.99KB , 1754x1240 , line2.png )

The number was split into ones, the ones became gods, and the gods made the world.

[4/8] Stingpie 2026/04/10(Fri)02:53 No. 1124972 ID: 35d66b
File 177578962846.png - (507.06KB , 1754x1240 , red-dirt-white-sky.png )

First was the red dirt, then the white sky. The world was perfect the way it was.

[5/8] Stingpie 2026/04/10(Fri)02:54 No. 1124973 ID: 35d66b
File 177578965991.png - (1.00MB , 1754x1240 , green.png )

One god was prideful, however, and decided it was above the other gods. It thought it knew how the world should be, and changed it. Between the white and the red grew green.

[6/8] Stingpie 2026/04/10(Fri)02:55 No. 1124974 ID: 35d66b
File 177578970752.png - (398.88KB , 1754x1240 , worse.png )

The other gods saw this, and tried to fix it however they could. One god added blue to drown the green, but the blue and the green separated. Another added yellow from which the green could not grow, but the green grew elsewhere. Every other god tried to repair the world, but with each attempt the world was tainted further.

[7/8] Stingpie 2026/04/10(Fri)02:55 No. 1124976 ID: 35d66b
File 177578974115.png - (583.50KB , 1754x1240 , the-first-few.png )

Finally, one god had an idea. A creature of red dirt and crushed bone should be made, and this creature will purify the world. And once their work is done, the world would be red and white again. It was this panic from which golems were given purpose and form.

[8/8] Stingpie 2026/04/10(Fri)02:56 No. 1124977 ID: 35d66b
File 177578977284.png - (533.41KB , 1754x1240 , wake-up-and-smell-the-ashes.png )

You wake up.
The room is different.
You are different.
The memories of the past few moments have fled your mind.
Misfortune often forces people to confront what they had always believed.
You are not as distanced from the past as you had thought.

>>1124977
You broke the oven? Not exactly weak, are you?
Seems like you can't lie to them anymore. You'll have to admit what you've done, and what has been done to you.

...one of the knives is missing. Quickly check the net to see what's stuck in it. Pull the whole thing in if you have to. I suspect a dead body is in it.

How's the arm? looks like you got something in it

Probably want to clear whatever that is out of the smoke stack before smoke gets everywhere. That would draw attention for sure

>>1124987
Oh that's where the missing knife went.

what is the punishment of killing another prisoner? roderick knows we were going to talk to prescicca next, but roderick is also a liar. take a second to collect yourself. then go back and work on your reputation. you have to make sure your word is more preferable to roderick's

Honestly it just looks like Kaol starting thrashing around randomly and Priscilla panicked and grabbed the knife then hit them with it and ran. The only way for Kaol to have killed Priscilla and disposed of her body would involve them also using the knife on themselves and I feel like that's not something they'd do even in a fugue state.

[1/14] Stingpie 2026/07/14(Tue)21:35 No. 1129320 ID: 35d66b
File 178406492221.jpg - (93.11KB , 1754x1240 , wakeup.jpg )

It does appear that a knife has embedded itself into your arm.

[2/14] Stingpie 2026/07/14(Tue)21:35 No. 1129321 ID: 35d66b
File 178406492648.jpg - (96.44KB , 1754x1240 , amputated.jpg )

It does appear that a knife has completely cut through your arm.

[3/14] Stingpie 2026/07/14(Tue)21:35 No. 1129322 ID: 35d66b
File 178406493090.jpg - (90.91KB , 1754x1240 , grab-knife.jpg )

You start thinking about what went wrong.
You didn't necessarily lie, but weakness is relative. Golems are heavy, and so they need a non-insignificant amount of additional strength. If you were being completely honest, it would've been more accurate to say, "I am weak relative to other golems, as strength is not necessary to act diplomatically. However, I do posses a great deal of strength compared to a tulpa, simply because I weigh a great deal more than a tulpa, and so I need more power to lift myself off the ground."

[4/14] Stingpie 2026/07/14(Tue)21:35 No. 1129323 ID: 35d66b
File 178406494464.jpg - (64.52KB , 1754x1240 , hand.jpg )

As you collect yourself, the ship is quiet, seemingly devoid of life, besides the gentle creaking of the wood and the lapping of the waters.
More consequential thoughts begin surfacing. The social cost of lying is nothing compared to the legal cost of murder. Although, killing a prisoner on the way to their prolonged death sentence could hardly be described as "real" as killing a free individual in their prime, could it? Regardless, the only punishment they could give you at the moment would be a swift death, which defeats the purpose of the whole endeavor.

[5/14] Stingpie 2026/07/14(Tue)21:35 No. 1129324 ID: 35d66b
File 178406494733.jpg - (93.06KB , 1754x1240 , put-away.jpg )

With the consequences to your actions minimized in your mind, you try to piece everything together.

[6/14] Stingpie 2026/07/14(Tue)21:35 No. 1129325 ID: 35d66b
File 178406495086.jpg - (67.99KB , 1754x1240 , pick-up-hand.jpg )

If you woke up soon enough, you might be able to reattach your hand.

[7/14] Stingpie 2026/07/14(Tue)21:35 No. 1129326 ID: 35d66b
File 178406495495.jpg - (79.85KB , 1754x1240 , put-back-on.jpg )

Gingerly, you try to match the two pieces of the puzzle together.

[8/14] Stingpie 2026/07/14(Tue)21:35 No. 1129327 ID: 35d66b
File 178406495869.jpg - (82.88KB , 1754x1240 , put-back-fail.jpg )

The pieces fit, but they do not stick.

[9/14] Stingpie 2026/07/14(Tue)21:36 No. 1129328 ID: 35d66b
File 178406496149.jpg - (102.29KB , 1754x1240 , urgh.jpg )

You groan in exasperation.
You will need to rehydrate both the stump and the hand. In order for it to properly "heal" you'll need fresh water, which no one on the ship would be ready to give up. They wouldn't really understand the severity. The only other-
You shake your head. You do not want to crawl back to Loess so quickly. If worse comes to worst, you could use saltwater, but then your hand would be permanently damaged.

[10/14] Stingpie 2026/07/14(Tue)21:36 No. 1129329 ID: 35d66b
File 178406496583.jpg - (135.39KB , 1754x1240 , examine-furncae.jpg )

Pushing the thought aside, you approach the furnace. If you do not remember what happened, it would be advisable to act as if the worst had occurred, and try to hide it anyway.

[11/14] Stingpie 2026/07/14(Tue)21:36 No. 1129330 ID: 35d66b
File 178406497023.jpg - (174.32KB , 1754x1240 , open-furnace.jpg )

Smoke billows out once the hatch is opened. There is something black and charred inside.

[12/14] Stingpie 2026/07/14(Tue)21:36 No. 1129331 ID: 35d66b
File 178406497384.jpg - (99.83KB , 1754x1240 , reach-for-knife-again.jpg )

You grab the knife again.

[13/14] Stingpie 2026/07/14(Tue)21:36 No. 1129332 ID: 35d66b
File 178406497668.jpg - (108.88KB , 1754x1240 , take-the-finger.jpg )

You use the flat side to pick up whatever is in there.

[14/14] Stingpie 2026/07/14(Tue)21:36 No. 1129333 ID: 35d66b
File 178406498149.jpg - (99.48KB , 1754x1240 , burned-finger.jpg )

Upon closer inspection, it appears to be your finger. You are even more confused than you were before.

As you try to formulate any type of plan, you hear a knock from the inner wall, followed by a thud on the floor.

>>1129333
...guess that's not being reattached.
Anyway, go check on the thud.