Math Wizard.
The Final Task
Built for the Infamous Steve Contest on Eurobricks.
Here's the story:
Becoming a pirate is hard. Very hard. Becoming a part of the famed Redbeard's crew? -- so hard some might call it impossible. Yet Steve was desperate.
Just several years ago he was a prosperous merchant, but oh how the tables had turned. And now, here he was, the cave mouth looming before him and the dangerous steps carved into the mountain behind him. Even he could barely believe the turn of events.
It all began with a storm. Several years prior Steve decided to take up exploring. He had heard rumors that in the far east there was a land that contained double sided plates, inverted cheese slopes, and pure gold Bionicle masks. He couldn’t resist. Steve spent all he had to finance a ship and fill it with the most valuable things he could find, hoping to trade it for the immeasurable riches that this land held. Then the storm struck.
Steve’s ship was battered tossed by the wind and waves, eventually smashing its hull open from the pressure. The ship began to sink, but Steve managed to escape in a lifeboat, riding out the storm like a cork in the ocean, bobbing up and down.
The storm finally passed, and Steve could see nothing of his ship, his crew, or the goods his ship once contained. Certain that hope was lost, he laid back on the lifeboat, consigned to his fate. But fate is a strange thing, and while Steve lay there, awaiting death, a ship appeared in the distance. As it drew close, Steve felt hope swell up in his chest. He frantically waved, trying to get the ship’s attention. Then he noticed it- The skull and crossbones flying over the ship. This wasn’t any ship- it was a pirate ship! He thought fast, for he knew pirates rarely let captives live.
He decided that if they saved him, he would claim to be a pirate himself, and with his navigation skills, perhaps he could join them. He knew enough about pirates from the stories and tales that were told. He could fake it- right?
Luckily for Steve, Redbeard was in a good mood that day, and decided to pull him up, if only to have a bit of murderous fun with him. When Steve’s legs hit the deck of a ship once more he collapsed, exhausted. Redbeard laughed menacingly. “What do we have here?” he asked.
Steve’s story quickly spilled out- how his ship (though he said it was a pirate ship) wrecked in a storm and he was the only one to survive. He regaled Redbeard with the tale of how actually he and his three companions survived, but how he murdered them to save provisions for himself, as that seemed a very pirate thing to do.
Unfortunately, Redbeard didn’t fully believe him. “Well, if ye be a pirate, why don’t ye prove it?” he asked. “I’ve got a map here. It’s an island that all pirates know well. We’ll drop ye off there and return in a weeks time. I’ve three tasks for ye, quite simple if ye know how, and when I return I expect to find them done. If so, ye can join my crew for a time, but if not, it’ll be the plank for ye!”
And so they had left Steve on this island, now five days ago. He had managed to find the leg-o fruit in the rainforest that covered the island, stolen a Billundain parrot from the islander village, and now pursued the legendary Kirk. Unfortunately, Steve knew not what this Kirk looked like, or what it even was. He hid the parrot and fruit at the base of the mountain, for it was the only part of the island he had left unexplored.
As he began to climb he noticed a precarious set of steps winding up the sea-facing side of the mountain. Perhaps he was on the right track! He began to climb, still unsure what he was looking for. At various places he saw what appeared to be sprung traps- skeletons impaled by swords, and a treasure chest filled with a venomous snake; definitely not treasure. So here he was- at the top of the mountain, a cave looming in front of him.
Would he succeed? Would he become Steve the pirate? Or would he fail his task and die a gruesome death. Steve’s fate depended on what he did these next few hours…
The Final Task
Built for the Infamous Steve Contest on Eurobricks.
Here's the story:
Becoming a pirate is hard. Very hard. Becoming a part of the famed Redbeard's crew? -- so hard some might call it impossible. Yet Steve was desperate.
Just several years ago he was a prosperous merchant, but oh how the tables had turned. And now, here he was, the cave mouth looming before him and the dangerous steps carved into the mountain behind him. Even he could barely believe the turn of events.
It all began with a storm. Several years prior Steve decided to take up exploring. He had heard rumors that in the far east there was a land that contained double sided plates, inverted cheese slopes, and pure gold Bionicle masks. He couldn’t resist. Steve spent all he had to finance a ship and fill it with the most valuable things he could find, hoping to trade it for the immeasurable riches that this land held. Then the storm struck.
Steve’s ship was battered tossed by the wind and waves, eventually smashing its hull open from the pressure. The ship began to sink, but Steve managed to escape in a lifeboat, riding out the storm like a cork in the ocean, bobbing up and down.
The storm finally passed, and Steve could see nothing of his ship, his crew, or the goods his ship once contained. Certain that hope was lost, he laid back on the lifeboat, consigned to his fate. But fate is a strange thing, and while Steve lay there, awaiting death, a ship appeared in the distance. As it drew close, Steve felt hope swell up in his chest. He frantically waved, trying to get the ship’s attention. Then he noticed it- The skull and crossbones flying over the ship. This wasn’t any ship- it was a pirate ship! He thought fast, for he knew pirates rarely let captives live.
He decided that if they saved him, he would claim to be a pirate himself, and with his navigation skills, perhaps he could join them. He knew enough about pirates from the stories and tales that were told. He could fake it- right?
Luckily for Steve, Redbeard was in a good mood that day, and decided to pull him up, if only to have a bit of murderous fun with him. When Steve’s legs hit the deck of a ship once more he collapsed, exhausted. Redbeard laughed menacingly. “What do we have here?” he asked.
Steve’s story quickly spilled out- how his ship (though he said it was a pirate ship) wrecked in a storm and he was the only one to survive. He regaled Redbeard with the tale of how actually he and his three companions survived, but how he murdered them to save provisions for himself, as that seemed a very pirate thing to do.
Unfortunately, Redbeard didn’t fully believe him. “Well, if ye be a pirate, why don’t ye prove it?” he asked. “I’ve got a map here. It’s an island that all pirates know well. We’ll drop ye off there and return in a weeks time. I’ve three tasks for ye, quite simple if ye know how, and when I return I expect to find them done. If so, ye can join my crew for a time, but if not, it’ll be the plank for ye!”
And so they had left Steve on this island, now five days ago. He had managed to find the leg-o fruit in the rainforest that covered the island, stolen a Billundain parrot from the islander village, and now pursued the legendary Kirk. Unfortunately, Steve knew not what this Kirk looked like, or what it even was. He hid the parrot and fruit at the base of the mountain, for it was the only part of the island he had left unexplored.
As he began to climb he noticed a precarious set of steps winding up the sea-facing side of the mountain. Perhaps he was on the right track! He began to climb, still unsure what he was looking for. At various places he saw what appeared to be sprung traps- skeletons impaled by swords, and a treasure chest filled with a venomous snake; definitely not treasure. So here he was- at the top of the mountain, a cave looming in front of him.
Would he succeed? Would he become Steve the pirate? Or would he fail his task and die a gruesome death. Steve’s fate depended on what he did these next few hours…