rolled 2, 3, 4 = 9

Last post from previous thread:

You look over the diagrams the elders have made, and move some things around, explaining why you're doing so. You are by no means a technician or a farmer, but modern knowledge extends into all areas of life. After a few revisions, you come up with a plan for a system of ditches that will give the villagers control over which fields get water and how much they get. It's the best bit of engineering you've ever done, you're sure of that.

After that, you find the hunter who fancies himself a blacksmith (Raik), and inform him that the plates would be better off waiting for proper tools. That way, whatever they need to be, they'll be shaped with something more professional than sticks. He agrees that that is best, and says he'll stack them inside the Hall's back room for now.

With that settled, you return to hunting with Jon, throwing yourself at the rich fauna of the forest and tearing their veins out. Life here's not bad, you think. Not bad at all.

>Action?

>>7757297

Have all the fields been fertilized yet? If so, I suggest we hunt for more of the big, plated creatures we sat on before.

>>7757297
Timeskip to when we have enough pelts to trade/sell and get smithing tools.

rolled 6, 2, 6 = 14

>>7757359
Not even close. The fertilizer will be stretched thin as it is, but you've only made one trip to the swamp so far. Half of the first field has been fertilized, and you have one more field left to plow.

rolled 4, 5, 3 = 12

>>7757382
What are your orders for the meantime?

>>7757398

I second the timeskip and say that we should collect more fertilizer, both from the swamp and from animal bones and assist in implimenting the system of ditches while also practicing our magic at night, trying to gain independance from the runestone.

>>7757398
Oh. Um, I guess we should make a couple more trips to the marsh/swamp/bog to get more fertilizer, and take the opportunity to kill any more of those plated animals if we come across them. We should also start digging the irrigation ditches.

rolled 6, 2, 1 = 9

>>7757431
>>7757437
Alright then.

>Timeskipping...

A frost giantess should look the part: we should keep some of the bear pelts, have them tanned and then wear them.

Besides, pelts offer better protection than canvas.

rolled 1 = 1

Oh man, I'm here right at the start this time :D Awesum!

rolled 5, 5, 4 = 14

It's been three days. You've made several round trips to the swamp, bringing back enough fertilizer to cover two and a half fields' worth of ground. On your multiple excursions, you have seen two averrons, as well as a fair amount of smaller, but meaty animals. The bone pile has grown considerably, the mill is turning day and night, and you've added 44 more chitin plates to the storehouse, bringing the total up to 65. In addition, you've spent a few hours digging irrigation channels, which is easy work for you. You estimate that if you worked on nothing else, you'd have the entire system done in another next three days.

The nightly magic study continues to increase your skill, and each time you can feel yourself pulling away from the tablet's energy, becoming more able to sustain magic on your own. Nevertheless, you still need to at least look at the thing before attempting any spellcasting. It's annoying, but not unbearable.

You can throw ice balls around like missiles, guiding them to a specific target with your mind alone. Your attacks are still weak, one-shot affairs, but would be very difficult to avoid if used against a person or an animal.

There are now enough furs to trade for a common-quality set of smithing tools, as well as a basket of seeds, a small book, or something suitably inexpensive. The third elder, Bem, is heading out this morning with a few farmers and the cart to get the tools. If there's anything else you'd like to request, now would be the time.

>Action?

Get rope, it always helps

Collect more fertilizer and peat from the swamp in the morning, hunting any more large animals we come across. After lunch, assist with digging up the ditches some more. If there's any time left after this, go hunting with one of hunters and at night study magic further.

rolled 1 = 1

>>7757635
Wait. They don't already have seeds?
Well... shit. Survival needs first, then advancement options. I vote seeds then tools. :s

rolled 4, 3, 5 = 12

>>7757663
Rope is one thing this town has in vast quantity. It should be sufficient for any task you can come up with, short of building a zeppeling or the like.

>>7757711
They have plenty of seeds, but they only grow wheat. If you want to start growing other plants, you'll need that type of seeds.

Does the village keep a good supply of farm animals? After we have sufficely fixed up the farm land, we should focus on expanding our meat supplies to better feed the villagers. More meat in their diet would do them a lot of good, make them a heartier folk capable of more physical deeds.

>>7757635
We have the smithing tools, but if I'm not mistaken we don't have a smith.

We could use a book on smithing.

Besides, are furs really that inexpensive? Damn.

Our heroine should wear the next kills, and the village should consider trading part of our "miraculous" produce's surplus, hopefully it'll be more valuable.

rolled 2, 3, 1 = 6

>>7757737
There have been no work animals here for over a year, after they were requisitioned by the Lord. All the meat in the peasants' diet is gathered by hunting.

rolled 1 = 1

>>7757722
Can I get him to pick up a pack of smokes?

>>7757767

How are we at handing animals ourselves, then?

rolled 1, 5, 5 = 11

>>7757762
The town doesn't currently have any smithing tools, and all of the towns in this area are near the deep forest. Furs aren't hard to come by.

rolled 1 = 1

>>7757762
We should try and secure something that can be a cash crop, like a spice, or something that can be refined into a premium product like the uh... plant types from yesterday... (Rapeseed, Mustard...? I forget). Merchants have all the money, we should try creating things they want in order to get the things we want.

rolled 2, 3, 4 = 9

>>7757768
A variant of tobacco exists, but is incredibly expensive. Only the well-off can afford to chew or smoke it.

>>7757785
You have no experience with them, besides hunting and your ill-fated attempt at riding an averron.

rolled 1 = 1

>>7757809
The we should get some of it to cultivate and sell in trade :D

>>7757809

What large animals have we come across that would be apt for plowing the farmland and perhaps other animals for fulfilling our need for meat? Oxen, cows etc.

>>7757786
Let's tell Bem to get a book on smithing, if he can afford it.

Tools are useless without the knowledge to utilize them.

rolled 4, 5, 4 = 13

>>7757797
The oil plant, Flashweed, has inexpensive, widely available seeds, but requires extra work to ensure that it does not spread too quickly and destroy other crops. Enough to cover the last field can be procured with the rest of the furs.

rolled 1 = 1

>>7757830
The thing we're killing for plates is apparently about the size where we could ride one if they weren't so wimpy. Yesterday I voted to re-attempt domesticating them, just using an enticement method to drive them rather than trying to break them as a mount.

rolled 3, 6, 1 = 10

>>7757830
You have come across normal forest-dwelling animals, such as bears, dear, elk, boars, etc. as well as the averron, a large, armored, herbivorous animal that doesn't exist on Earth. You haven't seen any cows or oxen yet.

>>7757840
>>7757839

Buy a black smithing tome, if possible. Buy Flashweed aswell, ensure that one of the fields, preferrably at the edge of the lot, are seperated from the others by shadows which will prevent very outer layer of plant from developing too quickly while leaving a good amount of inner crop to harvest.

rolled 1 = 1

>>7757840
Ah, that sounds good. Diligence we can do. Probably, the irrigation ditches will go a ways toward that. If it's an issue of airborne seeds, we can set up windbreaks. We should probably set up windbreaks anyways to limit erosion. Best practices and what not.

>>7757890

Windbreaks as in well maintained hedges? This offers shadow at the edges of the fields too, which causes the crop at the edge of the field to under develop which is also excellent for the seed we will be cultivating. Do this and bonus points if we can harvest berries from the bushes.

>>7757868
Domesticating averrons? Do we even have the means to contain such huge animals?

rolled 5, 2, 5 = 12

>>7757875
Are you prioritizing Flashweed or the tome? There might not be enough to get both.

>>7757908
Not at present.

>>7757908

We shouldn't try to domesticate them as there is a chance they will escape and eat away our crop. They are big animals and thus must eat a lot, and I reckon they're capable of great strength to break out of whatever we can use to capture them.

>>7757924

Flashweed. We can get the tome at a later date and experimentation will be good for our would-be blacksmith. We can also aid him with whatever knowledge we have of metals.

rolled 1 = 1

>>7757926
Good call on the crop-eating. We may also want the windbreaks as a means of keeping the averrons from eating our cash crops, like a fence.

Berry bushes as windbreaks!

rolled 5, 4, 5 = 14

>>7757945
>>7757953
You tell Bem to try for Flashweed seeds, as well as a blacksmithing manual or equivalent if there's enough to trade. He says he'll do his best, and goes on his way.

Next, you speak to the head farmer about setting up a windbreak with a row of hedges. After you explain what a hedge is, he says he's never heard of such a thing. He presumes that the bushes that grow in the forest, short though they are, could be used for such a purpose.

>How do you spend the rest of your day?

Seeds of some kind of legume would also be good to rotate with their cereal crop of choice (wheat). Barley, flax, beans, sunflowers, beets, and similar crops make for good rotation with wheat, and many produce multiple useful products.

I grew up on a wheat farm...

>>7757994

Searching for bushes and metal ore / minerals we can use. Meanwhile hunting for animals, specifically big boned ones and the averrons.

rolled 1 = 1

>>7757994
I say ask the hunters where the berry bushes are, or ask the women if they do any gathering. Jams and jellies should sell well in this era. Berry-bearing bushes should be a priority, I think.

rolled 3, 3, 1 = 7

>>7758016
There is a tiny amount of red beets growing in a garden by the Hall. They can be pressed for ink, but are generally just eaten.

>>7757994
Irrigation digging.

Wasn't it said our homely cave system leads down towards the mantle? If so, it'll be full of precious minerals we can obtain and give to our trainee blacksmith. I suggest we look down there, but with the utmost care. Balance the above out with irrigation digging.

>>7758098
It's also home to evil hungry creatures that are likely much bigger than us, given the size of the tunnels.

>>7758045

Here's the second leg of our crop rotation, then, along with rapeseed and beans. It's also one of our new cash crops, or more accurately MAKES our new cash crop: sugar.

Refining sugar from (sweet) beets is essentially just a lot of boiling and some distillation, and sugar has historically been highly valued around the world.

rolled 6, 3, 5 = 14

>>7758017
>>7758041
Do you want to ask some of the farmers/women to plant bushes, or do it yourself? (you could concievably transplant them)

>>7758188
Did someone say transplant? But seriously, we should probably keep to our ditch digging. If the farmers or the women can plant the bushes then they should.

>>7758188
If they aren't busy with anything else, I'd think that's fine. I was figuring on transplanting them ourself. Having them grow from seed would leave the crops unprotected for the first few seasons while they grew in.

Ideally a ground-covering crop such as squash should be grown near the hedgerows. It adds to the erosion protection by fixing the soil, makes pest-plant infestation (or breakouts) more difficult by back-stopping the shade from the windbreak with ground-level shade, and they generally tolerate moderate shade very well. They can be water intensive, but we have irrigation plans.

>>7758233
>>7758220
>>7758230

All of the above.

rolled 1 = 1

>>7758233
How many farmers/live in a rural area anons are in this thread? I have a feeling there's at least two or three of us.

>>7758269

I live in a rural area and have studied Geography quite a bit.

rolled 4, 1, 6 = 11

>>7758220
>>7758230
You ask the head farmer to start planting a hedge row to separate the fields and act as a windbreak, or simply dig up the bushes in the forest and move them if he thinks it'd be more practical. He nods, and heads off to gather his crew.

After that, you return to channel-digging, spending until midday on that. Bem should be back tomorrow with the tools and seeds, but the irrigation system won't be complete for at least two more days.

>Consensus orders?

Chickens would complete this picture very nicely: they eat pest insects, produce a manure that is high in value for wheat crops, and of course you get eggs and eggshells out of the deal. Properly managed, they should increase net productivity despite some loss of plants to hungry birds.

rolled 1 = 1

>>7758307
I live in a town with two John Deere dealerships and suburbs that are bisected by potato fields :)

>>7758359
Once we have the harvest in we should have some leftovers to sell or trade, and then we can get chickens.

>>7758345
Keep digging.

rolled 1 = 1

>>7758345
Dig, Ice Practice, Timeskip.

We've fought wild boar before in this land, how aggressive are they when compared to our own?

rolled 6, 4, 5 = 15

I'm going to need a summary of all the farm-related projects you want to undertake, as well as everything you want to plant. I'm not a farm person, so keep your explanations simple, if you can.

rolled 6, 6, 3 = 15

>>7758406
They're demons. If you invade their space, or look at them, or happen to exist at all, they will attack you, even if you're 14 feet tall.

Their agressiveness doesn't translate into awesome destructive power, though. They seem to rely on fear more than actual combat.

Irrigation system
Berry bushes as wind breakers
Crop rotation
Taming any wild animals that would fit the role of our own world's farm animals, e.g. cow, oxen.
Flashweed, not sure on the other crops we have selected.

rolled 1 = 1

>>7758420
Oh god... consensus on planting?

Finish the field infrastructure as best we can (irrigate, then windbreak) Uh... a mix of food crops to an amount as decided by the town's farmers. Wait to see how much is left over... We would want to use the most isolated/downwind field for the flashweed... Do we have the squash?

>>7758420
Right, well, as you said, we'll only be able to get enough Flaxweed for one field, so the rest will probably be devoted to wheat, unless we can get some beet seeds (they might have some since they do have beets) in which case plant a field of them, or a portion of a field if there aren't enough for a whole field to themselves.

As this goes on, we will continue digging the irrigation ditches in the afternoon, hunt in the morning, and practice magic every evening.

>>7758465
Also, throw in the mix red beets for sugar and rotation purposes.

rolled 4, 4, 4 = 12

>>7758468
No squash. You have a small assortment of old seeds, plenty of wheat, the beet garden, and whatever berries can be gathered.

>>7758500
Flashweed, not Flaxweed. Sorry.

>>7758468
>>7758500

These two, pretty much.

Earlier, when we first showed up, the villagers put on a play of the nations history, and it involved a lengthy speech in a language we didn't understand.
Can we ask what all that was about?

rolled 1 = 1

>>7758517
Man... that sucks if all they have is wheat and beets... We need to get these guys some beans or something... Hopefully the windbreaks will accumulate into the equivalent of a field of berries.

I kinda think 1 field flashweed, 1 field beets, and the rest wheat?

To the group: Should we try creating additional fields? (logging and stumping?)

Distracting from farm building, but
Can we start to get to know these people better- we are apparently going to be here a while, so I think it's a good idea if we start to find out more about our hosts.

>>7758592
Seconding- find out more about the world we now inhabit

rolled 2, 3, 5 = 10

>>7758638
>>7758592
You can do this in the morning.

>Timeskip nearly done...

>>7758638

Additionally this, I believe we have already proven our worth.

>>7758628
I'm not sure the village has enough people to plant and tend to anymore fields; we would be able to help clear and till the land, but planting, caring, and harvesting require smaller hands and greater dexterity than we are capable of, I think.

rolled 1 = 1

>>7758648
There'll be plenty of time for that in the...

Do they have winter? Where in the seasons are we?

Can elks be domesticated?

>>7758672
You see, background information comes in handy!
Maybe we should find out exactly how long winter lasts around here

rolled 6, 6, 2 = 14

You eat with the villagers, sharing some of your more ambitious plans with them. From the amount of meat they all get to eat, it's obvious that you've made a large impact in the short time you've been here. They're expecting great things from you now, and you don't intend to disappoint. You're going to turn this tiny medieval backwater into an industrial powerhouse. Hopefully.

The remainder of the sunlit day is spent in intensive digging, excavating long channels that will feed the fields with life-giving water in a few short days. With a little bit of axe-work, you've shaped a number of stop-gates, and showed the peasants with carpenting skills how to fashion more. No sense having a flood if you can avoid it.

At the end of the day, you take your nightly anti-nightmare medication, and settle down in your cavern for some magic. This time, you resolve to make do without the tablet. You feel ready to rely on your own reserves (however small they are) rather than the power of the runestone. It'll be a good idea to wean yourself off the thing, in any case, since you'd rather not be helpless without it.

You set the stone against a rock, watching it glow aimlessly as the voice locked inside whispers for release. You turn away, and ignore it. You pour everything you've got into the ring on your right hand, focusing the feeling of power through its symbol, twisting it into a line. You focus on the wall, choosing a point, a miniscule crack. You fire.

A bright white beam lances from your hand, curving and waving about as your mind strains to guide it, finally impacting a little to the right of the spot you were aiming at, freezing a small area of wall. It seems you've got a bit more practicing to do. Feeling drained, you settle against the largest rock, while the tablet glows in the background.

>>7758686
http://www.elkusa.com/Elk_Farming.htm

OH SHI-

rolled 1, 5, 5 = 11

>>7758672
>>7758692
According to the first elder, this world's year lasts 14 months, each of them 28 days long. You are in the 3rd month, moving from spring gradually into summer.

rolled 1 = 1

>>7758692
Shit. Warehousing. I don't know what grain storage is like, but if it's like potato storage I just realized a need for those chitin pipes...

And if we're making beets we're going to need jars for the preserves... we may need to makie chitin jars if they don't have glass ones... We may need those smithing tools.

How goes our fertilizer supplies? If we have to gather more, incorporate our ice magic (or attempt to) during our day of hunting to further stockpile the bonemeal and marsh soil.

>>7758671
Plus, won't this all attract the wrong sort of attention?
Bandits and bullying lords will come start snooping around if the village goes from starving hamlet to steampunk utopia in a year, and all this mucking about with the woods is sure to attract unwelcome attention from something-ogres or trolls, other giants....

rolled 3, 6, 6 = 15

>>7758812
You've got two and a half fields' worth. If you spend all your time going back and forth to the swamp, it'll take a day and a half to gather the rest.

>>7758869
>other giants
Hmm, this can lead to two things- battle to the finish, or the beginnings of a confederacy of all sentient beings.
I hope for the second one, cause that could lead to some hot giantess on giantess action

>>7758871

Half and half of fertilizer gathering / hunting and irrigation implementation through timelapse.

>>7758905
>I hope for the second one, cause that could lead to some hot giantess on giantess action.

*facepalm*

>>7758905
>I hope for the second one, cause that could lead to some hot giantess on giantess action.

*facepalm*

>>7758954
>>7758919
What?

rolled 1 = 1

>>7758905
>I hope for the second one, cause that could lead to some hot giantess on giantess action.

*facepalm*

>>7758965
What part of FROST giantess do you not understand?

rolled 2, 8, 1 = 11

>>7758976
I'm actually not sure if I should play the role of the drummer here. Are you using puns? I think you're using puns.

>>7758976
What I-
Oh, wait, now I see it.
Jesus, I should just throw myself out of a window for accidently making that pun.

>>7758965
Don't you get it? Playing female characters seriously and not reducing them to sex objects is in right now. Get with the program!

>>7758965
THE ACTION WOULD BE COLD

SHE IS A FROST GIANTESS

NOT HOT

COLD

IDIOT

I think we should make sure to explain to the elders and anyone else who is interested why we're doing what we're doing, farming-wise. A lot of this is taken for granted by modern people:

-- plants use things from the soil to grow (tie in: conservation of mass). When you harvest the plant, that stuff they used to grow is now gone from the soil (and winds up in the waste pit via your stomach). That's why fertilizer helps, because it puts things into the soil for the plants to use.

-- A given plant takes some things and not others. That's why your fields aren't producing good wheat harvests - since the wheat always takes the same thing, eventually they take it all and there's none left.

-- Plants also put things back into the soil. Plants thus take things away and put some new things in. If the plants are very different, they probably take away and put in very different things.

-- Leaving a field fallow allows a mix of wild plants to grow, which will help balance the soil. It also encourages animals to burrow and otherwise live there, which helps break up the soil and adds fertilizer in the form of their waste.

-- Some plants take a lot away. If the plant has a large portion of food parts, and these food parts provide a lot of nourishment, then the plant probably takes away a lot. Wheat takes a lot away, following these guidelines. If the plant has a low portion of food parts, it probably puts more into the soil. Beans are especially good at this.

-- Thus, you maintain a balance by mixing up what you plant. Try to plant very different things; more variety is usually better. Try to keep good records of each year's harvest to understand what works best for your soil and climate.

>>7759020
Sorry ser, 'twas in jest

rolled 2, 5, 6 = 13

You climb the chasm wall slowly, still feeling a bit under the weather. Perhaps it'd be a good idea to keep using the tablet, at least until you've got enough energy to cast a simple spell without massive fatigue.

As the dawn sun begins to rise, you make your way to the Hall, where Lark and the first elder, Sahl are sitting, going over hedge-laying plans. You bid them good morning, and strike up a conversation about history, hoping to learn more about the world you currently occupy.

The speech at the end of the mock battle was in a language called Berezin, essentially an incredibly old, formal root of English (or what you understand as English). The Lord of Perin (the nation you currently occupy) spoke a great blessing several hundred years ago, when he had conquered the four adjacent nations in a long, bloody campaign. The hunter's version was paraphrased, but reciting it has been a town tradition has been a very long time.

This place, Ballassas, sits at the Northern edge of the Forest of Dreams, which itself stretches across most of the Northern border of Perin. There are further towns to the South, the largest of which is Fain, the nearest to your location and a minor metropolis, even incorporating walls to go along with the militia and the nearby garrison. If you travel even further South, you will gradually see the forest thin, until you reach a land of expansive plantations and incredible cities, which you've been told could rival your own NYC in size and traffic.

Right now, Perin is at war with the nearby country of Forus, an old rival more than twice its size, but with slightly less industrial capacity. This is the reason for the lack of young men in the village, as well as the absence of work animals. News from Fain implies that the war is going well, but this far from the front, propaganda is easy to disseminate.

>>7759045
Hold on a minute-We're from the world of the 21st century. While we have a lot of things going for us, I don't think we know enough about these subjects to be helpful.

rolled 1, 4, 2 = 7

MAYBE I SHOULD PUT FIRE GIANTS IN, GUYS

WOULD YOU LIKE THAT

Also, if you want any more general information, or would like to ask specific questions, now would be good.

>>7759063
Ask about local lords.
I think the one whose tower we messed up is the same one the peasants dislike.
Have there been any changes in the power balance lately?

>>7759056
It's okay. But man, that pun was just...

>>7759086
I s'pose now would be a good time for >>7759045

>>7759086
Ask about the local weather patterns. How long does winter last around here?

>>7759086
Are there any gods in the major religions?
If so, who, or what, does the village worship?

We're going to want to find a fast-growing tree like paulownia, something that can be harvested for timber within 1-2 years tops. That lets us reduce our impact on the forest trees enough that we won't run into deforestation problems.

>>7758686
Reindeer can be. And they're useful for a lot of things.

We may want to investigate whether our frost magic would somehow let us pull cold out of things. Yes, I know, thermodynamics is now crying somewhere in a corner, but that's pretty much what all magic does. And if we can heat water by pulling the cold out of it, we can try to figure out a way to scribe that into some runes and get our laundry/public bath going.

>>7759121
>>7759140

These two.

>>7759086
WELL YES, THEY WOULD PROBABLY BE OUR NATURAL ENEMY. BUT THEN YOU'D HAVE PEOPLE SAYING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE SEX WITH THEM.

>>7759086
How rare is magic?
Is there a society of wizards? Are magical practicioners hated, feared, loved?

>>7759086
What are some other sentient species-
Are there any trolls, goblinoids, elves, dwarves?

>>7759086
How often does the tax collector come?
What form of payment does the crown take?

rolled 4, 5, 3 = 12

>>7759119
According to Sahl, the Lord they dislike is none other than the ruler of the country itself. Control is highly centralized, which is unusual for a medieval land like this, and the local Governors follow higher orders closely. The economic policies the villagers hate so much come straight from the top.

The current Lord of Perin is middle-age, an uncompromising, difficult man, but not unnecessarily cruel. His son is a great warrior with impressive magical talent, leading one of the armies to great victories.

The power balance has been stable for decades, but the war is drawing increasing amounts of resources, putting a great weight on the numerous farm towns.

>>7759164
I dunno, not sex, but I bet we could form a platonic relationship if it isn't some dumb brute that wants to smash everything

>>7759190
Looks like payment in kind. If they take coin from villages like this, it's going to be more for the purpose of keeping it in line than with the idea that the village has any substantial amounts of coin to take.

Wheat, animals, labor for the army and infrastructure projects...

Next lesson: pest control and soil conservation.

-- Pest plants (weeds) need sunlight to grow. Thus, they can be controlled by planting ground-cover plants such as squash, and also by raising animals that prefer new grow shoots to mature plants.

-- Many pest plants spread only a short distance each generation. Thus, barriers such as hedges can be used to block them with shade and a physical wall.

-- Many insect pests specialize to attack a given sort of plant. By employing crop rotation, you can minimize the populations of such pests. You can also raise animals that prefer to eat insects, and allow them into the field.

-- Some insects help crops. Bees are of particular value, if you are able to cultivate them, since they produce many useful products.

-- Since you know about crop rotation, you know that good, well-balanced soil is valuable. You should try to preserve it.

-- Soil is lost primarily by wind and water. Plant trees and hedges to block the wind, and try to minimize how often the soil is bare and exposed to the wind. Use combinations of crops, plants that surround the fields, irrigation ditches, and other barriers to minimize the ability of water to carry away the soil. The slower that water moves, the better.

>>7759248
Coinage should be extremely rare if this setting is close to what I think it is
so yeah, physical stuff like food and labor sounds about right

>>7759204
Fire Giants are Always Chaotic Evil so don't bet on it.

rolled 6, 5, 4 = 15

>>7759121
You explain those basic concepts as best you can, and the elders seem to understand it well. Some they had already known, but their lack of crop rotation showcases their ignorance of the rest. Now that you've explained the basic principles, they feel even better about the changes you're making.

>>7759140
Here, winter lasts for 4-5 months, but temperatures don't climb much above 'comfortable' levels for most of the year, since the town is pretty far North.

>>7759157
There are plenty of religions, but there is no state religion, and most rural villages have their own pantheon. This one's is, understandably, focused around farming and hunting, though it's more of a traditional belief, since the gods don't seem to do much.

>>7759256
>hey guys i can ruin everything fun about this give me attention
ok but just once

rolled 1 = 1

>>7759202
Y'know... if we REALLY want to be safe and comfortable in this country... We should probably go all Valkryia Chronicles here and get War Hero status...

BUT. I feel we should work on Ball's Ass first since they gave us a chance whereas the guards didn't..

>>7759270
Oh, okay- what are the villiage dieties names?
Also, does worshipping them endow power, like clerics lasers, or is it a more, 'worship me or be destroyed' sort of deal?

>>7759296
disreagard second part, but answer first one please?

>>7759296
Don't bother asking about that! We're going to become the new deity!

We just need to keep up our work and eventually we will get followers!

rolled 4, 5, 2 = 11

>>7759171
Magic is rarer in the rural areas, where proper facilities and knowledge are scarce, but is institutionalized in the population centers, where there is enough money around to fund centers of magic study. The nearest thing to a 'wizard society' is a thing called the Conclave, which is basically Magical Parliament. It's a loosely-organized part of the central government, and has a fair amount of control over magic-related things.

Popular opinion of magic users naturally varies widely, but in places where a person with magical talent is in a position of power and respect, like here, opinion is usually neutral or favorable. There are towns and entire cities that have had bad experiences with magic in the past, and thus are none too accepting of mages. Across the entire country, the average is positive.

rolled 1, 2, 2 = 5

I'm answering questions in the order they were posed, so please be patient. I'll get to you.

rolled 1 = 1

>>7759323
So it sound like Magic is basically the equivalent of firearm possession in the US.

Getting in a decent flax variety would also be nice; while hemp is going to be better for rope and other industrial uses, flax-derived linen is much better than hemp-derived canvas as a material for clothing.

Wool would also be nice, but that would require us to get sheep first. And sheep are a pain in the ass.

rolled 1 = 1

>>7759359
Sheep are a good morale booster though.

>>7759359
Agreed. I think chickens would make a good first animal to buy, though I suppose this is one area where the villagers may be more knowledgeable than ourselves, seeing as how they have had farm animals in the past.

>>7759086
Ask about Lark and the other elders.
From the sounds of it, Lark was some sort of an adventure when he was younger

>>7759359
Isn't flax labor intensive?

rolled 6, 4, 5 = 15

>>7759177
In this nation, humans are the dominant species by an overwhelming margin. The elders haven't heard too much about others, but they know rumors of Frost Giant bands far North of here, and trolls/goblins/orcs/etc. infesting the forests where human settlements are not yet present. Aside from the ferals, there are two known races that interact with human society here.
The first, the Hagrek, are stout, beastly things that are covered in fur and look rather like wookies, though they're usually shorter than humans. They are poison-resistant, quite strong, and tend to enjoy physical work, which sees them employed in mines and factories. Despite their characteristics, they are as intelligent as humans, and have been known to craft staggeringly beautiful works of art.

The second, the Ull, resemble upright-walking lizards, complete with scales and tail. They prefer not to associate closely with humans, instead providing their services at a distance, often through proxies. The Ull are tall, fast, and difficult to kill, making them fine soldiers, messengers, and assassins. About ten percent of the army's bulk consists of self-contained Ull Regiments.

>>7759379
Well, on the one hand sheep are very, very useful. On the other hand, sheep are very, very stupid. And we might be just a little bit chilly for their liking.

I'm still going with reindeer. Aside from the "cool and different" factor, they're a better fit for the local climate and biome.

>>7759428
Well, chickens are fairly easy to manage. And would eat some of the insect pests. And bird guano is AMAZING as fertilizer.

Wow, this is one heck of an exposition dump
When they're finished, thank the elders (whose name we haven't larened yet) and Lark for putting up with our questioning.
Ask if they have any questions about our world that they might want to know about.

>>7759477
With Reindeer, we could show them the wonder of Santa Claus.

>>7759467
I'm not sure. If agriculture guy knows, that would help, but as best as I can tell I don't think it's much more difficult than the average fiber crop. Although maybe a bit more labor-intensive than hemp.

>>7759495
WAIT
One more question:
What do you guys do for fun around here?

rolled 3, 4, 1 = 8

>>7759190
There is no tax collector as such. Payments are brought to the nearest tax office at the end of the year, and if no taxes are seen from your town by the first month of the next year, an army contingent is dispatched to ascertain the nature of the problem. The local tax office is in Fain, and it serves at least a dozen towns. Resources are tight, and the Governors have been ordered not to waste their time inspecting every tiny village for compliance.

In this area, taxes can be paid with crops or ore as well as coin, and your town has been paying with wheat for a long time. Roughly a third of the harvest is marked for this.

>>7759469
>The second, the Ull, resemble upright-walking lizards
we need to kill these fuckers somehow

>>7759505
We need to start learning people's names.

>>7759510
>implying fun exists in the middle ages

General question for anon- how long have we been here?

>>7759519
Given that WE'RE a member of a race that stereotypical tends towards Chaotic Evil, maybe we should at least give the reptile people the benefit of the doubt for now?

Besides, evil sentient reptiles are so cliche it's not even funny.

>>7759537
>evil sentient reptiles are so cliche it's not even funny
even more reason not to trust these fuckers.

they have to die, every single one of them.

rolled 1 = 1

>>7759530
Like... less than a week?

>>7759528
Oh, the average peasent's life wasn't filled with CONSTANT pain and suffering
There were archery contests and wrestling on sundays, the lord would throw feasts once a season, and you could spend most of the winter telling stories and relaxing- that is, if you weren't starving. Or freezing. Or getting killed by bandits. Or being forced from your land to make way for sheep.

>>7759537
Hmm, are certain races ALWAYS chaotic evil in this world?

>>7759537
>namefag
>siding with furries
not big surprise

rolled 1, 4, 3 = 8

>>7759296
Emense, Sem, and Vike, the three brothers, are the gods of hunting, fighting, and being drunk.

Koll, their father, is the god of the harvest, prosperity, and general good will.

Silde, the little sister, is the goddess of patience, hard work, and charity.

>>7759586
shush

>>7759563
Also, since the water isn't safe, everybody is drinking alcohol. Pretty much all the time. The only exceptions are when you're young enough to be breast-feeding, or when you're still a kid and you're getting watered-down booze instead.

>>7759586
I only namefag in quest threads, because I prefer not to pull "anon is leejun" bullshit in the hopes of getting my choices picked.

Also, reptilians by their very definition can't be furries. If they had fur, they'd be mammalian.

>>7759563
Congratulations you just answered the question the guy before me was asking.

Enjoy being used.

>>7759600
SHIT!
We have to tell these people to boil their drinking water!

>>7759619
>THEYRE NOT FURRIES THEY HAVE SCALES!!!!!!!
definitely shouldn't listen to this guy

>>7759625
That's part of why the Search for Reliable Hot Water Supplies is something I've been on about for several threads now.

Boiling utensils also helps. And clean clothes, and baths, and soap, and so on and so forth.

>>7759640
No, they're not furries because this is a fantasy setting, where non-human races are only to be expected.

And because I found it more amusing to give you a literal answer for why they aren't furries rather than to dignify you with a response that I actually had to think about.

>>7759674
Just ignore him

>>7759590
>gods of hunting, fighting, and being drunk
Damn, I read that as hunting, fishing, and being drunk. Redneck pantheon, or something.

>>7759674
I guess that's your fursona too and then you cry yourself to sleep and tell you "its okay because its in a fantasy" setting.

Disgusting.

So, uh, how do we feel about being a female frost giant now?

We seem to be pretty positive about it, even the change in sex.

>>7759706
Well, what's not to like- we can do fucking MAGIC now!
Sure, we're blue and huge, but we can work around that, once we eventually find out what dragged us to this dimension.

>>7759600
I was under the impression that they got relatively clean water from the river?

>>7759704
failtroll detected.

I suggest we timelapse until we complete the water ditch system (forgot name) and find suffice fertilizer for all of the feels, working evenly on these two projects each day for three or four days.

>>7759735
It still teeming with all sorts of microbe though

>>7759706
We have muscle, magic and girl parts

what is not to like?

>>7759754
furry detected

>>7759725 Sure, we're blue and huge, but we can work around that,

But why would you want to?

>>7759704
But I find it enjoyable to simultaneously make fun of trolls and think up worthwhile posts. Stretches the mental muscles.

>>7759688
Nah. What's the point of pretending to be some sort of animal that's actually a human, except horribly mutated and deformed?

Now, admittedly, if it were possible to turn into animals or some shit, I wouldn't mind involuntary transformation into a marine iguana. But that's because I'm a lazy bastard, and the idea of alternating between sleeping on warm, flat rocks and swimming in the oceans appeals to me. Not as much as being human and therefore combining those activities with drinking and ogling girls in bikinis, but if some wizard just turned you into an iguana you have to take what you can get.

>>7759690
Hunting, fighting and being drunk is the Norseman's pantheon. So it's still good.

rolled 2, 2, 4 = 8

>>7759449
Lark is the only one in the village with any appreciable magical talent. He was born in the cavern you now call your home, about 70 years ago, while a roving mob burned the town into ash. From the ages of 17-32, he approximates, he was a wandering magician, traveling the country and learning all he could, performing small tricks and being 'Mr. Fix-It' to keep himself fed. He was drafted into the army at 34, and served two years as a minor scryer for a scouting detachment. Since coming home from war, he has spent most of his time in town, doing whatever needs doing. He never married and has no children, and his magical talents are fading quickly.

Bem, the third elder, is somewhat younger, born and raised here and drafted at age 15, some time after Lark left on his travels. He is perceptive, with a head for speech, and served 12 years, first as an officer's liason, and then as a proper officer. Since his discharge, he has served as the town's trader and diplomat, and is a master at haggling and information-gathering.

Sahl, the head elder, is the oldest of the three by one year. He was drafted at 16, and served a full 22 years as an infantryman, reaching the rank of Over-Lead, commanding eight five-man squads. He nearly lost an arm when his position was charged by cavalry, and was medically discharged. The arm has since fully healed, and he has spent the remainder of his time as the planner and overseer of the town.

>>7759706
We were a fa/tg/uy before the change.

We're probably thinking that this whole thing is proof that there is a God, and he's awesome.

>>7759760
The girl parts though, aren't we, you know, a little weirded out about it?
I mean, do we still like women, or men, or whatever our original sexual preference was?

>>7759725
Yeah. I wouldn't mind being Maya. Befriending a village, being productive and helpful, having good looks for a blue person...

>>7759789
These guys are COOL!
Do they have any war trophies?

>>7759800
First answer: Why should we be.
Second answer: BISEXUAAAAAAAALSSSS

>>7759812
But-
Girl parts

>>7759829
>doesnt like girl parts
get out

>>7759859
I like girl parts as much as the next man, but
Not ON ME

If we can learn how to extract cold from things, then we can also do a sideline to the laundry/public bath: food preservation. If we're pulling cold out of the water, we'll need somewhere to put it all.

Can we change the fa/tg/uy part of the backstory?
Can Mia be a ca/tg/irl instead?

>>7759820
This. Gotta love the old warhorse archetype.

>>7759800
I unno. We still have our mind intact, so I suppose whatever our sexual preference is unchanged.

>>7759879
get outx2

>>7759885
Yeah, our cave can become a meat locker!

rolled 5, 3, 1 = 9

>>7759510
For the peasants, fun is found in conversation with those you labor with, in storytelling at mealtimes, in games when there's free time, and in crafting, which some of them are quite good at.

>>7759585
Certain races tend toward a certain collective personality, but there is no absolute alignment.

>>7759600
The water from the stream that runs through the village is actually safe to drink. Lark believes it's got a charm on it that magically purifies it.

>>7759821

Um...who exactly is there for us to fuck anyway? I mean, why are we wondering this if it's never going to be of any relevance?

>>7759918
Hey, we can still admire the inherent beauty of the female form, even if we are huge, blue, and unnaturally cold.

>>7759829
Personally, I would jump for joy if I one day woke up as a woman.

Fucking gender dysphoria...

>>7759893
I dunno, changing backstory could lead to unfortunate implications.

>>7759970
I would jump for joy too, but that's just because I get bored with my norms pretty easily

rolled 3, 3, 3 = 9

>>7759820
Bem and Sahl both have medals, and Sahl has a human skull with glowing orange eyes sitting in a crate somewhere. He says it belonged to a Forusian mage.

>>7759893
I don't think I can change the main premise of the Quest, except by consensus.

>>7760017
Doesn't need changing.

>>7760017
>Bem and Sahl both have medals, and Sahl has a human skull with glowing orange eyes sitting in a crate somewhere. He says it belonged to a Forusian mage.

Fucking. Awesome. These guys are probably what we hoped someday to be; old, still kicking, and with mementos of just how much ass we kicked.

>>7760017
Alright, is it just me, or is anyone else uncomfortable as a man in a giant blue woman's body?

>>7760002
Hello fellow Slaaneshi.

>>7760059
its just you, get the fuck out

rolled 1 = 1

>>7760059
Yeah. Just you.

>>7760072
Sorry man, didn't mean to make you upset.

>>7760048
!!!!
Request access to skull.
See if it responds to the name 'Bob'.

>>7760059
What if the "man" was a woman in a man's body?

>>7760059
It really is just you. If it really bothers you so much that you can't enjoy the quest, then you don't have to participate. But I'd suggest that you try and just ignore or find some way to come to terms with it, because it really is a fun quest and having to leave just because of one thing would be unfortunate.

>>7760091
It obviously responds to Murray.

>>7760108
I'd still be kind of uncomfortable- if only from an RP perspective.
A change like that, regardless of original gender, would probably mean at least some mental upheavel.

rolled 3, 2, 1 = 6

>>7760091
Sahl says he'll find it for you after breakfast. It's probably buried underneath everything he owns.

So what are we doing today? Irrigation, loam-gathering, and some hunting?

>>7760119
No, no, the quest is still fun
I just think if we're going to be a man in a womans' body, it would require a certain amount of roleplaying.

>>7760017

Ask Sahl if we can see his skull and examine it for magical properties? Might contain additional magical energy we can tap into, it belonged to a mage after all.

>>7760156
Well, we aren't bothered by eating animals whole and raw either...

It must be magic.

>>7760138

Precisely these three tasks.

>>7760135
Again, we were a fa/tg/uy.

We probably didn't have many social connections back home, and we've become a PC in a RPG setting. This is pretty much perfect for us.

rolled 4, 4, 5 = 13

>>7760156
You're a man from 4chan stuck in the body of a female Frost Giant in a realm of medieval hilarity and magic. Being a chick is only one item on a long list of 'things to adjust to'.

>>7760165
See:
>>7760138

>>7760138
Sounds good to me
Make sure to thank the elders for putting up with our questions first, though.
Try to strike converstaion with others if we encounter someone we know on a first name basis-ask about local gossip, silly traditions, etc.

>>7760156
Why would it require any more roleplaying than a normal man or woman? Do normal people not have feelings and emotions that are worth exploring? Yes, we've been magically transported here and are now a female frost giant. But two things.

1. We've got the 'girl' thing down, and with a bit more magic we can probably get the 'little' part as well. We're closer than ever to what every fa/tg/uy wants!

2. While we might not be roleplaying it, I'm sure we did have a fair bit confusion. However, it's been 3-4 weeks since we first got here and necessity is the mother of adaptation; if we sit around wondering just what happened to us and what this could mean, we probably wouldn't be able to survive as well as we have.

>>7760138
Yes.

Okay, okay, I'm sorry you guys

>>7760271
You better fucking be.

rolled 1 = 1

>>7760206
> Being a chick is only one item on a long list of 'things to adjust to'.

Hahaha
You're my favourite DM for so many reasons...

rolled 3, 1, 1 = 5

>>7760194
>>7760207
Alright.

You thank the elders for their help, and they offer to tell you stories anytime you ask. After that, you help the hunters bring in some breakfast food, and eat. You converse with the head farmer, Mal, on traditions and local news, and learn a bit more about the town.

It was founded over two centuries ago, and has been destroyed and rebuilt five times since then. It is traditional for each hunter to adopt one of the three brother gods as their patron, which is part of the reason for their differing styles. There are numerous holidays, some of which warrant a celebration, the largest of which occurs on Harvest End, just before the onset of winter.

>>7760278
Really, I'm sorry

>>7760124
In a series of books called 'The Dresden Files', there is a skull. It is bleached white bone, and has orange lights in the eyesockets. It is the 'home' of an air spirit of knowledge, and a repository of magical know-how.

It's also quite amusing and extremely fond of women/romance novels/strip clubs.

>>7760306
I didn't mean to stir up trouble

rolled 4, 2, 6 = 12

>>7760283
Thanks.

>>7760306
Eh, ignore him. He's either joking or that same idiot from before who was bitching about furries just because one of the races are lizard people. Despite the other race being completely covered in fur...

>>7760287
Winter celeberation sounds like fun!
>>7760335
>thank you, noted for future experience

rolled 1 = 1

>>7760287
Interesting about the Hunter Styles. Which God did the axe/knife hunter from yesterday follow? We're peobably somewhat aligned with that one. Maybe we should get a holy symbol or two and see what happens.

>>7760060
I always knew I'd be accepted eventually!

rolled 6, 3, 3 = 12

Just before the end of breakfast, Sahl excuses himself, and walks the short distance to his hut, while the rest of you continue your amusing conversations. You talk about whatever they want to know about, flipping through such topics as taxi cabs, prop planes, cargo ships, and indoor plumbing. More than a few of them ask you if they can hitch a ride back with you once you figure out how to return to modern Earth. You tell them you'd be glad to, not wanting to disappoint them.

In a little while, Sahl returns, as the inedible bits are gathered for disposal. He's carrying in his palm a round, white object, with a faint orange glow peeking through his fingers. The peasants all turn to look at him, evidently as curious as you are. Lark moves over to Sahl as the first elder tosses the stark-white skull in the air, catching it easily and pointing its face toward you.

It speaks.

“HEY- DON'T THROW ME UP IN THE SKY LIKE THAT, YOU BASTARD! I'LL GET SICK! AND YOU, GIANT. YES, YOU. GET ME A BEER. CHILL IT, I KNOW YOU CAN. WELL, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? I'M FRIGGIN' THIRSTY.”

The peasants' mouths are agape as Lark snaps his fingers, laughing hysterically.

Idiots.

>>7760476
If that thing wants a beer it can damn well go get one itself!

>>7760476
Make nice with the skull, be the first friendly person it's seen in a while

rolled 5, 2, 6 = 13

>>7760376
Vike is the berserker axe-man.

rolled 3, 3, 1 = 7

>>7760509
>>7760517
Whatever you decide to say to the puppet-skull will be the last post before I start a new thread. So, nice or nasty, gentlemen?

>>7760605
Eh, I guess we should be nice. Though a stern reprimand about what is and is not acceptable behavior is in order.

nice

rolled 1 = 1

>>7760605
Nice!

>>7760605

Neither. Just confusion.

As in. "DUDE wtf?? talking skull!"

F5!!!!!!!!!!1!

rolled 3, 6, 4 = 13

“I'm not your maid,” You tell the skull, “And I don't appreciate your language.”

Lark snaps his fingers again, covering his mouth with one hand while he tries not to laugh so hard.

“NOT MY MAID, HUH?” the skull replies, its jaw moving up in down in a parody of speech, “WELL, I SUPPOSE I CAN LIVE WITH THAT.”

You smile.

“OH, WAIT. NO I CAN'T.” The eyes flash, “CAUSE I'M ALREADY DEAD!”

Your forehead slips slowly into your palm as the skull laughs with a hollow, echoing voice. Lark can barely contain himself, while Sahl is just standing there, with a stoic expression on his face, palming the skull with one hand.

“Alright. Alright,” you say finally, “I'll get you a nice, frosty beer,” you give the bony thing a warm smile, “But if you can't drink it all, I'll use you for fertilizer.”

The skull is silent for a moment, and then replies with, “I THINK I'LL GO BACK IN MY BOX NOW.”

And so ends that little bit of silliness.

rolled 2, 3, 6 = 11

New thread: >>7760828