Hey, it's Kobold Sorceror Quest!

Anyway, I take it that we brought everyone's attention to the fact that the incidence of 'accidents' is a little too convenient, a little too sudden, to be just coincidence?
"Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, thrice is enemy action, and over 20 incidents in under a month when we haven't had any for the past 10 years is a Golgremet Empire military intelligence unit."

(Previous Thread: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/16380131/)

"Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, thrice is enemy action, and over 20 incidents in under a month when we haven't had any for the past 10 years is a Golgremet Empire military intelligence unit." You say, looking around the senate at each senator in turn.

"But, that can't be!" Ghaon, head of the military says, pointing down at you with one clawed finger. "We've both been over the patrol reports. No trogs were found lurking in the area for 50 miles, and operating something that delicate outside of that range is impossible!"

"An operation involving such sabotage would have had to begin some time ago, possibly before the Golgremet had the manpower." Jaran, the head of the treasury, muses. "Our reports for the need of prosthetics have gone up quite a bit in the last few years. I think with further investigation-"

"The nearby tribe of trogs!" Zhao-mal, the head of the mining guild says, with a snap of his fingers. "The saboteurs could be hiding with them, right under our noses!"

>>16459864
"Quite possible. And also exactly the kind of in-fighting and paranoia that the Golgremet Empire uses in its vanguard, ahead of a full military assault. We must be careful not to jump to convenient conclusions.
"We will need to increase internal security. After all, polymorphing magic isn't exactly an unknown. Who knows what lengths Imperial intelligence is willing to go to."

I'm all ears OP, but I have friends over, so my posting will probably be slow and sparse. Still, I'm all ears!

>>16459864
"Gentle-bolds, please, calm yourselves!"

Straighten up.

"As you can tell by my report, the Golgremet have indeed been accumulating their forces under a single banner at an alarming rate. Even the most exterior of our agents have confirmed they plan to take malicious action against our dear confederacy. Even their recently acquired agents, under torture extraction techniques, verified this. For this, I decided to go forth and seek allies. The old Trog tribe of [insert name here; I forgot his name, but he was pretty cool], as well as some nearby Kobold tribes, such as the H'runten, may be willing to join our cause, but only if we are compelled to action! How can they rally under a banner when it constantly sways?"

Listen around for counter-points and questions.

"Quite possible. And also exactly the kind of in-fighting and paranoia that the Golgremet Empire uses in its vanguard, ahead of a full military assault. We must be careful not to jump to convenient conclusions." You say over to Zhao-Mal. He seems to stow his temper for the moment.

You look over to Yuune, your brother and head of the magic and technology guild. "We will need to increase internal security. After all, polymorphing magic isn't exactly an unknown. Who knows what lengths Imperial intelligence is willing to go to."

"This kind of slow progression is inefficient, though." Unuk, the head of the merchants says. "I mean, the goal is to injure as many of our men as is possible. Why not this level of commitment from the start?"

"The chance of discovery would be greater." Mohuk glowers, the head of farming and agriculture far from his cheerful self. "A slow introduction like this means that something like this happens, and they're discovered after their objective has been completed."

"How would you know?" Unuk spits back at Mohuk.

The normally jovial kobold glares across the council hall. "Because I have not always been a farmer." He reaches down to the right sleeve of his brownish-gold robe, and pulls up his arm. A crimson dragon's eye, its color faded with time, lays halfway up his forearm.

The council takes in a collective breath. The mark is that of the Overwatch's Eye, a group shrouded in rumor and mystery. It is said they are dedicated to preserving all kobold life, through whatever means necessary, including assassination, infiltration, and even genocide. Their symbol is that of the red dragon Axsylanus, who was the first victim of the order for his irresponsible rule. In many of the texts surrounding the Crystal Caverns, they were mentioned, but never completely explained.

"It's a method I had used in the past, when a certain drow clan got a bit too powerful." Mohuk rolls his sleeve back down. "I'm sure you all remember the Demon's Fire clan. Fifteen years ago, they were 1500 strong."

"There... Aren't any Demon's Fire left today, are there?" Ghaon chokes out, seemingly in shock.

Mohuk stares at him, silently.

>>16460479
>A crimson dragon's eye, its color faded with time, lays halfway up his forearm.
VKO, could you explain the implications of this?

>>16460539
"Then Mohuk, would you say that their objective has been completed? Or is there still time to find them, root them out, and keep the rot from spreading?"

>>16460479
>>16460539
"We are at the brink of war, gentle-bolds. Right now, I am doing everything in my power to create enough advantages outside these walls so that we do not perish. What I need each of you to ask is this: are my efforts alone enough to stem the tide of a possible Trog invasion? Can our more /discreet/ attempts at diplomacy and political removal truly prevent an all-out biochemical war? The answer here is quite clear...we must prepare ourselves, and any possible allies, for the inevitable battle."

Turn to each of them.

"Our tests of metal and magic might not be enough to stop them. We will need more than insight into ourselves, but insight into their lives. Even a dragon's weakness is reflected in the gold of its hoard."

Wait for some, of course, protests of what we are proposing.

"Members of the senate, I promise...a special infiltration squad. Our [I forgot the acronym] is well trained, but lacks the tools to combat this...virulent enemy. It requires a shake-up in both leadership, tactics, and objectives."

I'm thinking of proposing our newest /ally/ (even though he's kind of a double-edges sword at this point) for drops behind enemy lines. However, the other anon might not agree with me on this, so we may suggest another candidate.

>>16460083

"Gentle-bolds, please, calm yourselves!" You hold up your hands, looking around the room.

"As you can tell by my report, the Golgremet have indeed been accumulating their forces under a single banner at an alarming rate. Even the most exterior of our agents have confirmed they plan to take malicious action against our dear confederacy. Even their recently acquired agents, under torture extraction techniques, verified this. For this, I decided to go forth and seek allies. The old Trog tribe of Stone-Faced Klisszag, as well as some nearby Kobold tribes, such as the H'runten, may be willing to join our cause, but only if we are compelled to action! How can they rally under a banner when it constantly sways?" You ask them.

The council remains silent. None seem capable of putting up an argument against action.

Save one kobold, who slams a hand on his stand.

"Without evidence, you're ready to go to war?" Jaran hisses, looking around the hall. "If this is our own fault, then the accidents will do nothing but get worse in wartime! We'll collapse from within and be unable to defend even a pebble of the Crystal Caverns from the Golgremet!"

>>16460739
"Jaran, you think I propose we attack them in full-force?"

Then, tie in >>16460695 in whatever way you see fit.

Basically, it costs money to go to war. So, take out the leadership, or, if we can't do that, make it so the tribe will be severely weakened if they try to attack us.

>>16460695
>>16460757
No, that's just stupid.

We'd have to use a Regeneration spell in order to make it even possible for him to be able to pass as he once was, and the fact that there was no extraction team means that he was meant to be burnt. If he comes back the Empire, they'll just fill him full of false intel, send him on another suicide mission, and possibly both.

>>16460739
"Preparing for war, Jaran. It's undeniable that the Empire is slowly coming our way. Even if they don't go to war with us, which is laughably unlikely, their supply lines and foraging units would wreak havoc upon the local economy and threaten our stability, even with firing a shot.
"Also, I do not propose that we ignore these incidents inside our borders. The very fact that such things are happening is enough cause for concern, and we must find the root cause. If in doing so we uncover a Golgremet sabotage team, then all the more important that we cut them out before they can do more damage.
"We MUST make sure that our production capacity, that our homes are free of rot, before we can put up a credible defense."

>>16460757
>>16460695

"Jaran, you think I propose we attack them in full-force?" You ask him, looking down your nose at him despite his elevated position.

"No, but how long until total war follows?" He says back to you. "Fewer and fewer tribes will join us once we begin fighting, as well. Many may want no part."

"We are at the brink of war, gentle-bolds. Right now, I am doing everything in my power to create enough advantages outside these walls so that we do not perish." You continue, looking up at Jaran. "What I need each of you to ask is this: are my efforts alone enough to stem the tide of a possible Trog invasion? Can our more /discreet/ attempts at diplomacy and political removal truly prevent an all-out biochemical war? The answer here is quite clear... We must prepare ourselves, and any possible allies, for the inevitable battle."

As silence hangs in the air, you slowly turn to each of them.

"Our tests of metal and magic might not be enough to stop them. We will need more than insight into ourselves, but insight into their lives. Even a dragon's weakness is reflected in the gold of its hoard."

"What do you mean? This is no time to be... Eloquent, Mynthar!" Ghaon struggles with a response, shouting at you from his podium.

"Members of the senate, I propose... a special infiltration squad. Our GRU is well trained, but lacks the tools to combat this... virulent enemy. It requires a shake-up in both leadership, tactics, and objectives." You turn back to Jaran.

>>16460858

You point directly at his chest. "We must prepare for war, Jaran. It's undeniable that the Empire is slowly coming our way. Even if they don't go to war with us, which is laughably unlikely, their supply lines and foraging units would wreak havoc upon the local economy and threaten our stability, even with firing a shot.

"Also, I do not propose that we ignore these incidents inside our borders." You note an expression of relief, however small, cross the skinny kobold's face. "The very fact that such things are happening is enough cause for concern, and we must find the root cause. If in doing so we uncover a Golgremet sabotage team, then all the more important that we cut them out before they can do more damage.

"We MUST make sure that our production capacity, that our homes are free of rot, before we can put up a credible defense." You plant your fist in an open palm, punctuating your point.

No one objects.

"Well, then what do you propose we investigate first, magistrate?" Jaran asks, tempering his usual snide tone with as close to genuine compassion as the kobold gets.

>>16460880
Goddammit. No such shakeup is needed; the GRU are doing exactly what they're doing.
If we need infiltration specialists, then simple kobolds will not be enough for this; we would need troglodytes or to entice turncoats from within the Empire.

Even if we ask for any members of the Overwatch's Eye to help, do they have any experience living amongst troglodytes? And we still need to flush out and eliminate the saboteur teams here in the Caverns.

>>16460943
"We first start reviewing all of the safety protocols that the farmers and miners have been using, and re-open investigations into all of the accidents.
"Even if production suffers for it, it will have to be an acceptable loss in order to get to the bottom of this mess.
"We need to see if equipment has been sabotaged or simply degraded, where all of this foot rot is coming from,
"Also, I request the Mage's assistance in checking for any polymorphing and mind control effects, in case the Empire has changed their troglodytes into kobolds.
"It's regrettable, but I believe it may be necessary to pull back some patrols, or activate military reserves, in order to set up guards around vital equipment. The Golgremet are masters of mental manipulation with their plants; they may have brainwashed some of their kobold slaves to come here and act as sleeper agents.
"This will all be an expensive and resource-intensive undertaking; I realize that, and it's likely what the Empire wants us to do. However, it is still necessary in determine if these accidents are merely coincidence, or enemy action."

"We first start reviewing all of the safety protocols that the farmers and miners have been using, and re-open investigations into all of the accidents." You say to him. "Even if production suffers for it, it will have to be an acceptable loss in order to get to the bottom of this mess.

You turn to Zhao-mal. "We need to see if equipment has been sabotaged or simply degraded," Then to Mohuk, "Where all of this foot rot is coming from," And finally to Yuune. "Also, I request the Mage's assistance in checking for any polymorphing and mind control effects, in case the Empire has changed their troglodytes into kobolds." Your brother nods.

"It's regrettable, but I believe it may be necessary to pull back some patrols, or activate military reserves, in order to set up guards around vital equipment. The Golgremet are masters of mental manipulation with their plants; they may have brainwashed some of their kobold slaves to come here and act as sleeper agents." You look over at Ghaon, who seems to understand perfectly.

"This will all be an expensive and resource-intensive undertaking; I realize that, and it's likely what the Empire wants us to do. However, it is still necessary in determine if these accidents are merely coincidence, or enemy action." You say to Jaran.

The council is silent, thinking over your proposition, for the better part of a minute.

"Well, standing around here isn't going to solve a thing." Mohuk says, his now much more grim voice ringing out across the halls. "I suggest we each go and issue orders as fast as is possible for our bolds to follow."

Each of the council members agrees in turn. They each move away, one by one, almost in complete silence.

Today marks a new, dark era in the shining jewel of the underworld.

So

What will you do now?

>>16461364
What will we do?
Why, go down to Dalek and his brother, and ask them if Felix's power armor is out of trials (and if it can be sealed against bio-toxins), and if they have any plans for troglodyte-sized prosthetics. Also, if they any prosthetic weapon prototypes they want to test out. There's a religious fanatic that has an unhealthy obsession with destruction that's willing to get weapon augments as long as he has an opportunity cause destruction, and is willing to be pointed at the Empire.

After that meeting, we have foreign affairs to see to; see if any diplomatic messages have arrived.

>>16461423

You soon stand outside of the prosthetics workshop, and see a few of the assistants sweeping out the shop. One of them balks at seeing you, and redoubles his efforts. You choke back a grin, heading inside to a much cleaner looking shop.

New drawers made from surface woods are in place, and Dalak is writing down on a scroll of parchment various labels for the drawers, which he sticks in place with a temporary glue.

"Mynthar! Good of you to come in!" Dalak says, sounding cheerful for once. "Finally, I have this place cleaned up for once!" He clasps his hands, looking over towards you. "So, what can I do for you?"

You explain to him all that happened at the alloyed brotherhood, and about the trog who you captured.

"If you have any weaponized prosthetics, or need to try out any trog-sized ones, he'd be the person." You say to him.

Dalak puts a clawed finger to his chin, before moving it off to point at you. "Four limbs, including the tail? Sounds like a very full project, but now that I'm organized I feel set to go all night. Perhaps after a pot of coffee or two."

You can hear quiet chatter from the back, which you recognize as the voice of Ghurken.

"Oh, and your 'friend', Felix'hia's made quite a deal of progress on his equipment." Dalak nods over to the back. "Now that the apprentices are doing well, we have a lot more time to focus on managing our own projects."

>>16461754
"Any progress on that suit of armor that Felix created? Can it be sealed against airborne poisons?"
We need to know if the power armor can be made in a small test batch.

"Any progress on that suit of armor that Felix created? Can it be sealed against airborne poisons?" You ask him.

Dalak heads back over to one of his filing cabinets, unlocking it with a small key, and goes through, pulling out a few small scrolls.

"Felix'hia's done quite a bit with it, but at present it has to be kept open so the pilot won't overheat or suffocate." He pauses, after pulling out a single scroll. "Now, this all depends on what you want to test out the most. There's a possibility that some of these could even be used to... Enhance a common kobold." Dalak says, sorting through a few new-looking scrolls. "Unfortunately, some we simply can't do on a subject possessing all of their limbs, so we haven't gotten to test them out." He lays a few on the table, turning them to face you.

"The first is a serpent-form method of movement." The display is a lengthy, serpentine body, which seems to have thousands of nerves throughout it. "This would be using the new polymer our tech department has developed, the flexible substance that is almost impossible to scratch, for the 'foot' of the body. Even duralumin would eventually wear out, but this material shows promise." The diagram shows a kobold using the prosthetic to climb up surfaces, even whip it as a weapon of sorts.

"Naturally, you're familiar with our arm prosthetics." Dalak nods over to you, seeming to examine your arm for a moment. "And I hate to be a nag, but you should schedule a check-up at some point soon. We should check that the muscles are growing properly."

"I'm sure it's fine." You say to Dalak. "I'll tell you if I feel anything strange."

Dalak shakes his head at you before continuing. "I'm sure. Well, this piece is really going to be something. The internal parts can shift slightly, allowing more room for upgrades." He shows you the arm diagram, which looks much more sleek than your armored model. "I'd ask you to do it for us, but considering how much work you've had lately, I figured I should just find someone else."

"Surgery's not exactly my most desired form of recreation." You roll your shoulder, the metal joint moving around your side.

>>16461966
"I'm afraid that soon you may find more people willing to try experimental prosthetics than before.
"Anyway, perhaps magical equipment could make the armor a closed system? The Golgremet Empire is fond of air-borne spores and toxins..."

"Here's the armor." Dalak says, pulling out a new piece of parchment. You can see a kobold silhouetted in the armor, the thick artifice covering each part of the body. "We've also developed some suits that can attach directly to a limb mount, hopefully to replace the clumsier lifting arms we have that require back reinforcement." He points to the joints. "Each of these areas is reinforced with chain armor, then breathable padding made by the technologists. Dalak's gotten to the point where he can move more agilely in his armor, though it does contain a lot of mithril."

You wince a bit at that. "How much, exactly?"

"A few of the heavier plates." Dalak says, indicating the chest armor on the diagram. "And some of the joints."

"Treasury won't like that." You grumble. "How many do we have?"

"Five prototypes, including Felix'hia's." Dalak says, placing a wrench on the scroll to hold it in place. "But, the patient wants weaponry, right? We have a few new solutions for that."

>>16462110

"I'm afraid that soon you may find more people willing to try experimental prosthetics than before." You say to him.

Dalak's brow furrows. "What do you mean, Mynthar?"

"Anyway, perhaps magical equipment could make the armor a closed system? The Golgremet Empire is fond of air-borne spores and toxins..." You continue your thought.

"I... I suppose so." Dalak says, seeming a bit shaken off of his train of thought.

>>16462227
"Also, about the new test subject. He has some dragonblood in him, if that'll affect the prosthetics. Also, if you could get skin, blood, and musk samples. Apparently, the Empire feeds their soldiers different ferns and herbs to alter their body's chemistry and have their musk provide different effects. His affects balance and coordination, and is odorless."

>>16462227
After we wrap up with laying out the darker details with >>16462469, let's say:

"Dalak, if I may check on our...guest."

Nudge towards the back and Ghurken.

Since it's late, I'll try bumping the thread in the morning and seeing if OP is awake again.

>>16462469
>>16462667

"Also, about the new test subject. He has some dragonblood in him, if that'll affect the prosthetics." You say to him, looking through the lists. "Also, if you could get skin, blood, and musk samples. Apparently, the Empire feeds their soldiers different ferns and herbs to alter their body's chemistry and have their musk provide different effects. His affects balance and coordination, and is odorless."

"Well, apparently it doesn't." Dalak says, looking over at you. "The dragon's blood, I mean. You... You did remember when I finished that test, right?"

You choose not to answer.

"At any rate, yes, I'll get the samples." He says.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, I'M ONLY THREE FOOT TWO?!" You hear a loud, raspy voice from the back.

"I'll be back." You say to Dalak.

You make your way to the curtained back room, where you can see a bit more clutter around a room padded with velvet on each side.

You see Felix'hia with a glower on his face, holding a red-colored kobold skeleton, whole save a head. His vision snaps over at you and then back to the kobold skull wearing an eyepatch, who is sitting on a velvet pillow atop a short pillar. Ghurken looks over at you. "Mynthar, how tall are you?"

"He's three foot four." Felix'hia says, looking over at you. "Two inches on you."

"I already lived for two hundred years a short man! Why do you insist on making my second life so miserable?" Ghurken half-whines, half-sneers.

Felix'hia sighs, rubbing the spaces between his eyes.

"How is..." You look around the padded room. "This... Progressing?"

"As well as it can." Felix'hia says, looking over at Ghurken.

"Hey, for someone with a pair of ears not damaged by dragons roaring in 'em, you sure have a hard time hearing, sonny!" Ghurken says to him.

"Lot better than he normally is." Felix'hia mutters. He walks over, picking up Ghurken unceremoniously.

"Hey! I'm not some inanimate hunk of bone, you snicker-snacker!" Ghurken sneers. You can see a reddish metal mount down at the base of his skull.

"Going to see if he can walk in the body. Hence the pillows." Felix'hia says. "If he falls, won't damage his head."

"And then, we do the coating!" Ghurken says to him.

"Yes, once I figure it out." Felix'hia mutters.

And I'm out till morning.

>>16463087
Too funny.

"Ghurken, didn't we talk about this whole /height/ thing?"

Massage our forehead at the probable berating in the ways of "dragons and being above average" speech we're probably going to hear.

"Felix'hia, when you have a moment, I'd like to speak with you very shortly in private."

Also, is the grandson that Ghurken took with him still there?

>>16463087
"I do need to speak with you concerning your armor designs, Felix'hia."

Tell him about the need for a sealed suit, preferably combat armor, but even just an environmental hazard suit would be useful.

>>16465384
>>16466272

You take part in rubbing your head as well. His grandson is nowhere in sight, so chances of calming him are slim to none. "Ghurken, didn't we talk about this whole /height/ thing?" You ask him.

"Of course! But I changed my mind! I only get one chance at this, after all!" The skull's jaw clacks as it continues speaking. "Have YOU been without arms, legs, or a body for the better part of 100 years? NO! Then how could you know what it's like to be going back to the exact same thing?"

Your metal fingers dig into your forehead as you listen to this nonsense. "Felix'hia, when you have a moment, I'd like to speak with you very shortly in private about your armor designs."

Felix'hia, though you know he isn't on the best of terms with you, immediately takes the escape opportunity, setting Ghurken back down on the pillow. "Sure. Not busy now."

"What do you mean, 'Not busy now'? Don't you leave when I'm talking to you! I can shout through these walls!" Ghurken screeches.

"He'll be back soon, grandpa." You hear a lower, calm voice from another room, and Ghurken's grandson enters, shooing the two of you outside.

>>16467044
"Alright, now that we can think in peace:
"Felix'hia, our gas masks are good, but I think we might need something more comprehensive. The Golgremet Empire are masters of bio-toxins, fungal spores, and other airborne poisons. First, if you were to use a magical cooling charm and maybe an air charm, would you be able to make your suits of armor completely sealed? And second, perhaps a lighter, cheaper suit that merely provides protection against gases and fungal spores, something that can provide a defense against airborne poisons that only need skin contact."

>>16467115
Expanding off of what this anon said.

Ponder for a moment.

"...tell me, Felix'hia, what have your experiences been with polarity and pressure?"

Then, explain the magical element that we've probably learned of how its possible to create a positive and negative flow (just like healing vs necrotic energy). Since he's more down to earth, he may a possible material that, while we may not be able to build the entire suit out of, we can strap on at ligaments and the interiors to prevent leaking.

>>16467115

"Alright, now that we can think in peace:" You say quietly, motioning over towards a corner of the waiting room you've stepped into. "Felix'hia, our gas masks are good, but I think we might need something more comprehensive. The Golgremet Empire are masters of bio-toxins, fungal spores, and other airborne poisons. First, if you were to use a magical cooling charm and maybe an air charm, would you be able to make your suits of armor completely sealed? And second, perhaps a lighter, cheaper suit that merely provides protection against gases and fungal spores, something that can provide a defense against airborne poisons that only need skin contact." You add in one more thing. "...And tell me, Felix'hia, what have your experiences been with polarity and pressure?"

Felix'hia breathes out a sigh, one that you might think was resultant from frustration with you, had you not just exited the room with Ghurken inside. "Yes, I suppose so. May need water circulation as well. Something like external veins carrying cool water for the suit." He wrings his hands a bit. "Completely sealing, just need to seal person inside. Not seal whole suit. Was thinking of polymers that technologists had developed, maybe use those for a sealed suit. Would need circulation anyway. Not hard to make for kobolds and troglodytes." He begins counting off on each joint of his fingers. "Pressure very important in manufacture of prosthetics. Allows muscle to move and move plating with it. Not pure pressure of course, unreliable. Polarity, know a bit about that from reading experiments." He looks over at you. "Would... Like to..." He turns back away. "Nevermind. Doesn't have to do with work."

>>16467335
"Felix'hia, don't feel so stifled about being at work. What is it?"

>>16467335
"So? If it's an experiment of some kind, then of course it's work-related. You're part of our research and development efforts, after all."

>>16467411

"Felix'hia, don't feel so stifled about being at work. What is it?" You ask him.

He sniffs, and then looks around the room, still seeming to struggle with the first few words out of his mouth. "Well... It's... Everything seems strange, after cleaning. Had trouble finding things for first time in six years." He looks over at you, seeming angry, though for once not at you. "Assistants annoying, not learning. Had one nearly injure a patient in surgery. Dalak cleaned place up, didn't ask me." He pauses. "I... I'm not good with people. But, Dalak is happy, now. Don't want to tell him."

>>16467760
"Maybe...I can get you a larger workshop? Say, I want you working on bigger machines, like your armor and improvements to military NAJA, and you need the space. The apprentices can stay here, without you Dalek will need the help. You'll still be in the city, so it's not like you'll be too far from Dalek."

>>16467837

"Maybe... I can get you a larger workshop? Say, I want you working on bigger machines, like your armor and improvements to military NAJA, and you need the space. The apprentices can stay here, without you Dalak will need the help. You'll still be in the city, so it's not like you'll be too far from Dalak." You suggest to him. He immediately shakes his head.

"Don't want to go away from Dalak. Just..." He lets out an aggravated grunt, digging his fingers into his head. "Don't want all this change." He pauses for a bit. "If workshop is close, I suppose, might try it." He sighs, lowering his hand in a defeated gesture. "Not... Not mad at you. Don't know what I'm mad at."

"Can get suits planned out soon." Felix'hia says. "Need to finish planning with Ghurken on body. Possibly adding muscle, skin to the body. Black Ioun muscles reacted to undead signals. Not sure if spiritual muscle on subject has survived, or avoided atrophy." He lists off a few notes.

"On suits, what about puncture wounds? Was thinking on artificial organ to distribute anti-toxin as needed, maybe simple intravenous tube. Need to keep costs low for use." He taps repeatedly on one of his pinky knuckles, looking off to one corner of the room.

>>16468266
"An organ to distribute an anti-toxin would be useful, but the toxins that the Golgremet use are so exotic, I don't know if we have anything that's not magical which could work. From what intel has been gathered, most of the plants that they use are from the Deeps, and not seen in our level of the Underdark. But work on it, it might be useful, and perhaps become another profitable augment we can market.
"For the environmental suits, perhaps treated spider silk? We can see if our Drow neighbors have any to sell. I'll have the military keep track of what the Golgremet use. So far it's been inhaled poisons and skin-contact fungus toxins, so it's not as big a priority as putting in a respirator on your armor suits.
"As for the workshop, what if we have it attached here? Since you'd be working on military NAJA and other military projects, I think I can get it paid for by the military budget."

>>16468564

"An organ to distribute an anti-toxin would be useful, but the toxins that the Golgremet use are so exotic, I don't know if we have anything that's not magical which could work. From what intel has been gathered, most of the plants that they use are from the Deeps, and not seen in our level of the Underdark. But work on it, it might be useful, and perhaps become another profitable augment we can market." You say to him.

"Augment?" Felix'hia asks, pausing for a moment.

"For the environmental suits, perhaps treated spider silk? We can see if our Drow neighbors have any to sell. I'll have the military keep track of what the Golgremet use. So far it's been inhaled poisons and skin-contact fungus toxins, so it's not as big a priority as putting in a respirator on your armor suits."

"Spider silk same as normal clothing. Has tiny holes." Felix'hia says, shaking his head. "Polymer is best possibility at present. Might also use polymer for skin replacement."

"As for the workshop, what if we have it attached here? Since you'd be working on military NAJA and other military projects, I think I can get it paid for by the military budget." You propose to him.

He thinks for a bit. "Yes, may need to mine out a bit of back wall. Needing room to test armor, important part of development." He nods. "Need sign, telling assistants to keep out. Can be allowed to be messy. Not like this place." He looks around the room with a grave expression, shivering slightly. "Like hospital. Feels like dead person's house."

>>16469203
"Yes, augment. I was thinking that, if the artificial organ could be made small enough, it could be implanted inside of a person, providing heightened resistance to poisons. But that's just a far-away development for the future.
"I'll talk with Ghaon, and try to swing some funds over to have the workshop built. You already have the armor prototype to show off, so I don't think it'll be a problem. As long as you make a weapon every once in a while, and that can be put into production, I don't think anyone will complain.
"I might need to come by later with Ghaon, have you demonstrate the armor. Will that be a problem?"

Okay, I guess we just made ourselves a task to talk with Ghaon and have him distribute some funds for this.

>>16469203
Laugh lightly.

"Yes, I'm a little off-put by hospital environments...too clean; almost like something's wrong." Look around as well. We'll have to get him something nice to spruce up his place, like a flower.

>>16469310

"Yes, augment. I was thinking that, if the artificial organ could be made small enough, it could be implanted inside of a person, providing heightened resistance to poisons. But that's just a far-away development for the future." You say to him.

"Concentrated liquid would be needed. Refill and distribution would be things to address." Felix'hia thinks to himself for a while, blinking a few times in an odd rhythm. "Augmentation. Not bad word. Seems... Smooth."

You nod, continuing. "I'll talk with Ghaon, and try to swing some funds over to have the workshop built. You already have the armor prototype to show off, so I don't think it'll be a problem. As long as you make a weapon every once in a while, and that can be put into production, I don't think anyone will complain."

"I am not weapons maker." He says, looking over at you. "Armor closest to weaponized thing I have made, aside from modular weapon-hand. That was intended to be a tool." He pauses, looking over at your arm. "Lightning discharge redirection was Dalak's idea. But, armor, I can make."

"I might need to come by later with Ghaon, have you demonstrate the armor. Will that be a problem?" You ask him.

He shakes his head. "No, much more graceful now. If hand articulation was further developed, feedback added, could perform surgery in armor, feasibly." He looks over at you. "I can make things, you and Dalak can figure out how to make into weapons."

>>16469381

You laugh, uncomfortably. "Yes, I'm a little off-put by hospital environments... Too clean; almost like something's wrong."

"Yes." Felix'hia affirms simply. "Reminds me of when I came to Crystal Caverns. Made to drink bitter herbs, not told what they did. Quiet. Nothing in the rooms. Seemed like a trap." He pauses, looking down at the ground. "I didn't talk back then."

>>16469495
"I'd prefer a cane to a sword, any day. But weapons are what the people need."

>>16469536
"Well, I'll try and let you get back to business. My apologies if this took out of any personal time."

Nudge back towards the main workshop.

"Hopefully, Ghurken has calmed down for a few questions..."

>>16469561

"I'd prefer a cane to a sword, any day. But weapons are what the people need." You say to him.

"I... I don't like thinking about weapons." Felix'hia says. "But, kobolds are ingenuitive. I'm sure you can find a place to bolt on weapons no matter what is made."

"Well, I'll try and let you get back to business. My apologies if this took out of any personal time." You say to him.

"Not at all. I feel less... Angry now." Felix'hia blinks a few times as he tries to think of the right words.

You incline your head back towards the main workshop. "Hopefully, Ghurken has calmed down for a few questions..."

Felix'hia blinks, then cracks a grin. "I don't think he is ever 'calm'."

So, did you want to talk to Ghurken, or get Ghaon to watch a demonstration?

>>16470111
Get Ghaon to watch a demonstration of the power armor.
Bill it as a heavy assault support NAJA, to provide NAJA levels of armor and heavy weaponry in a form small enough to fit through most tunnels. Due to expense, numbers will be limited, and are meant to be the spearpoint of an assault, backed up by regular infantry.

>>16470162

You send a messenger to Ghaon with the notice. You should have an answer within the day unless Ghaon's wildly busy.

Did you want more input into the trog's prosthetics work, or...?

>>16470267
Yeah. What weapons are available for the arms? And any high endurance muscles for the legs? Tell Dalek about the tales about our prosthetics, and that we don't want to dissapoint.

>>16470442

I will be back in a bit here, slow updates etc.

Suffice to say, one of them is a weapon hand as in a weapon that can morph into a hand and back again. Doing so is pure mechanics, and not magical.

Dalak adds these to the table:

Blade-hand: A duralumin or other material blade that can turn and transform itself into a functional hand. While the hand version lacks some feeling, it can be compensated for via a few modular attachments. The weapon cannot be disarmed. The arm still has room for other enhancements.

Vibrocannon: A cannon capable of absorbing electrical energy and converting it into power for an internal generator. The arm itself looks like the beginnings of a forearm that instead ends in a narrow-nozzled cannon. The cannon fires a magically sustained blast of heat and kinetic energy that can cut into rock. Excessive firing may tire the wielder. The downside is that the entire arm must be detached to allow for a hand replacement.

Piston-Puncher: Using pressurized gas, a thick rod of adamantine can be extended from the elbow when the arm is armed. When the user punches a target, the rod crashes into their arm, smashing their opposition. A hypothetical variant involving smaller spiraling pistons is also possible, and would allow for more precise control.

>>16470732
"Let's go with the vibrocannon and the piston-puncher. Were these adapted from mining tools, Dalek? And could larger versions be constructed, for use on NAJA and on Felix'hia's armor, respectively?"

Should we install some kind of remote kill-switch? CAN we install one?
We don't trust this guy 100%, and we're outfitting him with what are essentially a Megaman arm cannon and a Big O-mecha puncher.

>>16470800
>>16470846

"But wait! There's more:" Dalak says, putting a few more diagrams on the table.

Chain Arm: Instead of a normal arm, this variant has a number of controllable chains extending from the mount. Using molding polymers, the arm can contort itself into a variety of shapes. While somewhat less armored than a normal arm, it should evade damage due to its flexible nature. Benefits include enhanced reach, flexibility, and additional damage with some kinds of weaponry. Can become very modular, but requires specialized equipment.

“Bare Bones”: What started out as a lower cost project became a possible breakthrough. The arm is thinner in structure and very lightweight, and can be capable of quicker movement than the standard arm. Modular musculature means that it can be upgraded to equal the user's normal strength. Downside is fragility.

Lifting Suit: The arm (and legs) could also be replaced through a StalArmen suit, but the downside is that the user would need more training time. The benefits include vastly enhanced strength and durability, a basically unusable suit in case the user is captured, and being able to use a larger weapon. The downside is reduced dexterity and speed.

"We can put a kill-switch in the limbs." Dalak says, simply. "Though as far as being discrete about it, that could take some time." He looks back over towards the other room. "And Felix'hia might have some problems with it ethically.

"I have more suggestions for the legs when you're ready." Dalak adds.

>>16470800

"Let's go with the vibrocannon and the piston-puncher. Were these adapted from mining tools, Dalek? And could larger versions be constructed, for use on NAJA and on Felix'hia's armor, respectively?" You ask him.

"Wait..." Dalak says, holding up his hands. "So, the vibrocannon and the piston puncher as modular attachments, and then the StalArmen also outfitted with BOTH?" He takes in a deep breath. "Not that I'm saying we can't. We'll just have a very busy patient."

Leaping Legs: An upgrade to the hydraulic legs, these legs would be able to provide more lift more consistently, but would also save the user from falls. Using data from one of Valkraz's “experiences” (unfortunately, the prosthetics did not survive the “experience”) the fluid can be ejected if the user lands correctly, eliminating some of the force from the fall. Complete negation is not possible, but most damage should go to the feet, which have shock-absorbing materials already used in them.

Extra Hands: An enhancement for the feet, much like what Tarthis has. These are new test versions using shock absorbing material instead of the usual metals.

Inertia Disperser: This leg appears more widely built than the normal ones. When used to run it makes a low hum and the wearer can feel something rotating in the leg around the bone. It increases damage on a charge. It can be combined with other legs.

Fast Movement: This leg can be more digitigrade than a normal leg, usually with a larger calf. It enhances movement speed.

>>16471333
"No, no. The larger vibro-cannon as a refit package for existing military NAJA, and a Piston Puncher package for the suits.
"For our test subject, just a vibro-cannon in his left arm, and a Piston Puncher in the right.
"As for the legs, let's go with the Fast Movement version, with the Inertial Disperser upgrade. They seem like ones that will be easiest to find military applications for.
"And as for the kill-switch; I think it necessary since we don't trust the test subject completely. As well, since these are prototypes, wouldn't it be prudent to have a way to remotely turn them off?"

>>16471654

"No, no. The larger vibro-cannon as a refit package for existing military NAJA, and a Piston Puncher package for the suits." You say to him.

"Ah, alright then." He says, then shakes his head. "The vibro cannon would need a complete new version, as would the piston, unless the pilot was already missing a limb. There's too much going on in internals."

"For our test subject, just a vibro-cannon in his left arm, and a Piston Puncher in the right." You say to him.

Dalak pauses for a moment. "I... I thought you said the subject still had a left arm."

"As for the legs, let's go with the Fast Movement version, with the Inertial Disperser upgrade. They seem like ones that will be easiest to find military applications for."

"I have a few other options, including some you might like better." Dalak says, grinning. "And they can add on to those."

"And as for the kill-switch; I think it necessary since we don't trust the test subject completely. As well, since these are prototypes, wouldn't it be prudent to have a way to remotely turn them off?" You ask him.

"We haven't had any problems before." Dalak explains as he sorts through the scrolls. "To call them prototypes is disingenuous. The true 'prototypes' never get worn."

>>16471929
"Well, yes, he has still has his left arm...hmm...I WAS about to suggest having it replaced, since he likes destruction so much...but...
"Anyway, just the vibro-cannon will do for now. Depending on how it performs, the military may want a larger crew-serviced version, and one for military NAJA."

Actually, I forgot that we left him the use of his left arm.

Here's the last few:

Steam-taloned: This foot possesses a digitigrade structure and a curved, backset claw. On the wielder's command, the claw springs forward with enough force to pierce plate armor. This is being tested as an internal modification before becoming an external weapon.

Clinging: These legs can cling to walls, and with slight spinal reinforcement, allow the user to stand horizontally or even vertically on various surfaces.

Sprinting: Requiring modification to the hips, and to all the joints, these legs can provide powerful bursts of speed. The coolant required is expelled through vents on either side of the legs.

"And if you don't want the serpentform, we can move on to the tail." Dalak explains. "Surprisingly, a lot of room for modification."

>>16472088
"What do we have for the tail?"

>>16472078

"Well, yes, he has still has his left arm... Hmm... I WAS about to suggest having it replaced, since he likes destruction so much... But..." You say, noticing Dalak wince a bit. "Anyway, just the vibro-cannon will do for now. Depending on how it performs, the military may want a larger crew-serviced version, and one for military NAJA."

"I'm not saying we only have to do one, mind you." Dalak explains. "We could certainly have a piston-puncher remain his secondary arm, or anything else." He points to a small lock-like diagram on the cannon's blueprint. "This is the modular lock, works much like the surgical one, save it's mounted after a point on the limb. Custom work, but nothing theoretical."

>>16472132
"Alright, we can try both the vibro-cannon and the piston puncher with a modular lock.
"Now, what do we have available in terms of prosthetic tails?"

>>16472132
"Good, good. How long would such installments take, in full?"

>>16472363
>>16472341

"Alright, we can try both the vibro-cannon and the piston puncher with a modular lock." You say to him. "Now, what do we have available in terms of prosthetic tails?"

Prehensile Tail: The normal kobold (or troglodyte) has a tail capable of rough movements that cannot normally be used for manipulation of objects beyond slapping. This tail is more flexible, and can even pick up and use objects. In theory, it can wield a weapon. It does tend to be a bit more fragile than the normal tail.

Tail-mounted weaponry: Anything from a club to a gun can be included on the end of this tail. It can be armored for enhanced protection. One variation with a scorpion stinger is possible.

Propulsion Tail: This tail has a number of small holes in the sides. It can produce a blast of energy, propelling the user forwards like a missile. Fuel for this prosthetic is costly if it is continuously used. With gliding wings, low-ground flight is possible. This is a version of an item already made by R&D.

Smashing Tail: This tail is heavier than others, to the point of dragging on the ground. It is capable of powerful, but potentially unbalancing swipes. It is difficult to knock over a creature using this tail.

Autotomizing Tail: This tail's purpose is to drop off. While a very limited design, it is cheap to produce and can be implanted with explosives, making it into a deadly weapon.

Modifications: Spikes/spines will enhance the deadliness of a weaponized tail. Extra Armor will increase a tail's durability and weight. An internal stabilizer is expensive, but will enhance balance.

"Good, good. How long would such installments take, in full?"

You say, while looking through the scrolls.

"Not too long, with this many assistants we might need 2 days to finish production." Dalak says. "Anything requiring surgery we can do tomorrow, and get the patient started with some training limbs.

"The disabling of the limbs, by the way, I might be able to do it with extraneous muscles at the joints." Dalak says. "Or some small explosives, if you want to render the limbs unusable."

So we have:

Vibrocannon (default) Right arm
Modular swapout: Piston-puncher (spiraling)
Legs: (right/left)
Tail:

In addition, for the legs:

Force Shoe: This foot or leg has brilliant quartz engraving along select plates in abjurative runes or symbols, like circles, shields, walls and towers. Three times per day, the wearer can conjure a wall of force, as the spell but no larger than 5 feet by 5 feet, a half inch to two inches below the sole of the foot as a standard action.

Kicking: The leg is specially weighted and reinforced to encourage its use as a weapon. A stomping variant exists that can include a spur in the limb capable of piercing rock, expunged directly downwards through the foot. The stomping variant can increase the downward force of a kick dramatically, but is slower for a normal kicking motion.

Internal Gun: Usually placed in the thigh, the weapon can be used by pointing the knee at a target and firing it either through muscle contraction or through use of a regular trigger.

Side-Stepper: The legs have small vents where gases can be expelled. The user becomes very maneuverable through quickened turning, fast short steps, and other short-distance movement.

bamp?

>>16473168
Sorry about the lack of posts, OP. I've been chilling with friends.

Anyway, I vote for the Smashing Tail and Side-Stepper legs. The tail is self-explanatory, and quenching his destructive nature might be a good call with this. Two Side-Stepper legs will help him be agile and get in for some massive damage. I don't think that giving him spells is a good idea...

>>16473503

No problem. I was working.

The legs can have multiple things in them, by the way.

>>16473168
Sorry, VKO. Sort of fell asleep.

Anyway, Legs: Fast Movement and Intertial Dispenser, with an Internal Gun.
Tail: Prehensile Tail with a gun mount.

We will bring the test subject tomorrow.
We will need to negotiate his release from the H'Runten. They want to execute him, but we should be able to convince them that he's more useful to us as a test subject.

>>16473523
I'll be chilling with my friends for a while longer, so I probably won't respond right away.

If we have multiple builds, I'll go with what >>16473556.

(I'll mesh the two, but keep in mind they can be replaced if you change your mind)

You decide on some very much pimped out legs, Side-Steppers with Fast Movement and Inertial Dispenser, with an Internal Gun in the right calf, as the inertial disperser needs all the room it can grab.

You also vye for a prehensile tail with a gun at the end.

"There, we have that all the prosthetics we'll be incorporating." Dalak says, making the last of his notes. "Any more thoughts on the destruction methods before you go?"

>>16473686
"No, I believe that's all for now. It provides us with a chance to actually test many of these weapon systems in the field, and by withholding other, even more destructive weapons, we can bribe the test subject to cooperate."

I think that's it, and that we can move forward.
Do we need to play out the meeting with Ghaon, or should we gloss over it so that we can finish up with the Alloyed Brotherhood. It may soon become time to take a less personal hand in things.

>>16473909

"No, I believe that's all for now. It provides us with a chance to actually test many of these weapon systems in the field, and by withholding other, even more destructive weapons, we can bribe the test subject to cooperate." You say to him.

"That's not what I..." Dalak pauses. "Well, nevermind. I'll just use the nondestructive versions then."

(You don't have to play out the meeting with Ghaon, who's going to come to his own decision anyway)

>>16473686

You head out, teleporting to the Alloyed Brotherhood a short time after leaving the workshop. At the Dragon's Belly, you find a message indicating the desire that you meet with the chieftain to discuss the treaty, and treatment of prisoners.

You arrive in a large, cavernous building, the like of which most kobolds never build. The bulding is quite spacious, though somewhat dark, and lit with hanging brass lamps. The windows in the building are about 30 feet up and made from frosted glass. Atop a small wooden throne is Zal Tromar, with his sons, the shadow knight Raik and the calm Refel, on either side of him.

"We have a great many matters to discuss, Magistrate of the Crystal Caverns." Tromar says, gesturing towards you.

You find out:

The H'runten are more willing to make an alliance.
They have found connections to the church and the trog conspirators (partially from Torvash, who volunteered the tip).
They will need to have an embassy in the Crystal Caverns with some privileges.
They will need weaponry as was already discussed.
The shadow knights will be able to help with matters should you choose to ally.

New player here, just read through every archived thread (finding them was kind of hard, maybe I'll make a list of threads and put them up on 1d4chan's wiki or something along with a character list and plot tl;dr later, if you want.)

Open negotiations by offering what assistance you can comfortably cover out of pocket or with your current political capital in the Crystal Caverns for those of them that are currently ill or wounded. You have surgeons and can carry eight people per teleport, it's not like you're useless.

>>16473968
>They will need to have an embassy in the Crystal Caverns with some privileges.

We need an enumeration of these privileges, and some idea of their willingness to extend the same offer to us - if they get an embassy in our territory, we get representation in theirs.


>The shadow knights will be able to help with matters should you choose to ally.

To what extent will they be willing to exchange knowledge of their techniques for ours? This is an exploratory point, if they're going to get proprietary it's not a dealbreaker.

Our requests should include the following:

>Discussion of their adamantium stock (mentioned a few threads back, I BELIEVE it was them) as a potential trade good.
>Discussion of setting up gardens not unlike their own in the Crystal Caverns, though obviously not with anything like the volume of plant life - a few samples to start you off will be fine. If necessary, this point may be more easily sold by saying that were the worst to happen and one of your stockpiles to be wiped out, the other would have a chance to persist and replenish the first.

Can post some dialogue momentarily.

>>16473968
Tentatively accept, requiring confirmation from the Council.

"The Crystal Caverns are willing to accept all of these terms, upon confirmation from the Council."

Other things would be the creation of a CCCP Embassy in the Alloyed Brotherhood, much like their's in our homeland.
Also, is there any plan on what to do with the Church, and any leftovers of the Cave Fangs?

>>16474025
The Church and Cave Fangs likely have enough good people in their midst that an organizational takeover or transformation might be able to secure over the Brotherhood's territories despite the upcoming war, and frankly they were already being set up for a fall by the Trogs. We could potentially reshape them soon enough.

>>16474053
>secure over
Extra word, should be 'secure the Brotherhood's territories.'

>>16473968

"Honored Zal of the H'runten, I greet you in hope of binding together this alliance today. Let us put settled terms to record and sort out the details of aught left before us that cannot be set aside for those with less pressing concerns. I am ready to sit in council with you and work to both our people's benefit."

>>16474012

>>Offers to make a 1d4chan article

Sure, I'd appreciate it if you've got the time.

Then maybe part 3 would finally get fixed.

>>16474082

You gesture up at the Zal as his compatriots bring you a chair. "Honored Zal of the H'runten, I greet you in hope of binding together this alliance today. Let us put settled terms to record and sort out the details of aught left before us that cannot be set aside for those with less pressing concerns. I am ready to sit in council with you and work to both our people's benefit."

>>Embassy Privileges:

The requirements include a safe legal haven (though upon review of their laws you can't find any outlying discrepancies between theirs and your own), being stocked with food, and a continual communications line to the H'runten.

>>shadow knights sharing secrets.

"It's up to the individual." Raik says, his usual pipe smoking dim gray curls into the air. "With one deep tribe already in the confederacy, we'll have a lot to talk about." He nods over at you, grinning. "You scratch our backs and... Well, you get the idea."

>>adamantine trade goods

"Our stock is far from the largest." The Zal says. "But we have a substantial amount. I would certainly not be opposed to its trade for a reasonable exchange."

>>discussion of setting up gardens

"No problem there." The Zal waves over to one of his vine-covered clansmen. "I will send an herbalist to evaluate the area. Though most of our special herbs may be too fragile to survive transport."

Oh god, it finally posted!

"The Crystal Caverns are willing to accept all of these terms, upon confirmation from the Council." You say to Zal Tromar. The older kobold seems to have expected this.

"Good. It will be something we can count on in the future." The deep kobold glances over to where his sons stand. "You tell them we stand with the caverns now."

"By the way, what shall we do with the church, and the remnants of the cave fangs?" You ask the Zal.

He looks at you suddenly, and then laughs. "Oh, the 'remnants'? We together have not killed even an eighth, no, a sixteenth the cave fang's number." He grins over towards you. "However, I would rather those bastards had a knife to my back than the church. I think the Fangs might drop it."

The Zal muses for a moment before answering. "The church is either being manipulated willingly or unwillingly. Only uncovering evidence will tell one way or the other." He gestures over at you plaintively. "While we do that, I ask that you take some of our wounded to your Cavern for... Replacements."

It is getting late for me. If 4chan craps out again, I will just be hitting the hay till next week.

Or, rather, seeing you lot next week.

>>16474302
Well, just in case you're feeling up to updating now; otherwise, this can go in the first post next week.

"Honestly? I have not seen much from the Cave Fangs that seems to be threatening beyond their number, and that easily negated by proper trap placement and surprise.
"I shall make the necessary arrangements at the Caverns for your people."

I suppose that's it for our work in the Alloyed Brotherhood. The H'Runten are far better equipped to investigate the Church. We should perhaps concentrate on the nation-management aspects of preparing the CCCP for war with the Empire.

>>16475066

(5 hours later)

"Honestly? I have not seen much from the Cave Fangs that seems to be threatening beyond their number, and that easily negated by proper trap placement and surprise." You say to the Zal.

"We will ensure they have their share of problems, magistrate." The Zal says, nodding over towards the door. "Out there, they control the most territory between we three groups. That is their main advantage. They will simply take time to break up."

"I shall make the necessary arrangements at the Caverns for your people." You say to him.

The Zal clenches his jaw. "I hope the information we got from the prisoners was worth it. Word that you'll be taking the prisoner and re-limbing him has made a number of our people question..." He pauses for a moment. "...Well, question what it is you are planning."

>>16477379
"I am simply planning to make his death drawn out and useful.
"He wishes to sow destruction? Then we of the Caverns will use him as a test subject for our experimental weapons, to fight the Golgremet at every turn. If he survives, then our engineers acquire combat data for their war machines. If he dies...well, the weapons can always be recovered or remotely destroyed. What happens to the flesh is of no concern of mine."

>>16477379
Aww yeah, it's still going.

"He is an interesting fellow. Dangerous, but strangely devoted. With war on the horizon, we'll need to spare both our lives and the lives of our ally. And this Trog seems more than willing to spill his own blood."

>>16477515

"I am simply planning to make his death drawn out and useful." You say to him. "He wishes to sow destruction? Then we of the Caverns will use him as a test subject for our experimental weapons, to fight the Golgremet at every turn. If he survives, then our engineers acquire combat data for their war machines. If he dies... Well, the weapons can always be recovered or remotely destroyed. What happens to the flesh is no concern of mine."

"Quite the attitude to be taking with a test subject." The Zal waves his hand. "Well, he's simply smelling up the place and depleting our lime supplies. We'll give him to you and execute his fellows."

"He is an interesting fellow." You say to the Zal. "Dangerous, but strangely devoted. With war on the horizon, we'll need to spare both our own lives and the lives of our allies. And this Trog seems more than willing to spill his own blood."

The Zal keeps a stern expression. "I care not if you simply want to make his execution expensive. I simply hope your metal-toothed watch lizard doesn't turn and give you a nasty bite."

>>16477658
"We shall see how long he survives, then. I may not have his loyalty, but I understand his greed, and that will have to be enough."

Alright, let's get out of here before we embarrass ourselves further. Pick up the trog, and teleport back to teh Caverns.
Get the paperwork under way for the prosthetics, and bring the treaty before the Council for approval. Then we need to sift through the reports concerning our internal matters.

>>16477717

"We shall see how long he survives, then. I may not have his loyalty, but I understand his greed, and that will have to be enough." You say to the Zal, standing up from your chair and concluding the meeting.

You arrange for the remaining soldiers you have to transport the wounded and sick, or arrange them so that you can move them later. You are sure to remind them of the bandits, and to inform them that they will be hunted down if your transport is attacked.

You head over to the prison, where a few sour-faced kobolds begin to push out a troglodyte sitting in a leather-backed wheelchair, the trog in question having been given a blanket to put over his nearly nonexistant lower half. The chair is barely large enough for him, even in his depleted state, and his left arm curves back in onto the arm rest in what looks like an uncomfortable position. His gaze is still as clear as ever, despite a spot of powdered lime that looks to have been put almost directly into one eye.

"Sign here." The warden says, handing you a scroll that appears to be a transferral record with Torvash's name written on it.

Torvash

>>16477782
Sign it promptly. A quick flick of the wrist and no emotion.

"I'll be taking him, then."

Get ready for a teleport spell right there, assuming we don't have any other immediate business.

>>16477782
Sign the writ, thank the warden for this less than pleasant duty, and teleport the Trog home to put him in a holding facility - preferably one with locks on the doors, bars on the windows, and armed guards outside.

We need to send the kobold in charge of the mages a messenger asking him to spare a few teleport spells. We're a fucking magistrate, there's more of them than we can take at once, and waiting to move them isn't that useful.

>>16477782
>>16475066
>We should perhaps concentrate on the nation-management aspects of preparing the CCCP for war with the Empire.

I've begun drawing up a list of problems that need to be handled and potential projects to assist in helping the Crystal Caverns survive the war, or possibly win it. Posting it momentarily.

"I'll be taking him, then." You say to the warden, signing quickly without making eye contact with the prisoner. "Thank you for being so prompt."

"Keep safe." The warden says, and you walk over to put a hand on the trog's wrist. A moment's concentration later, you and he are in front of a large holding facility, surrounded by armed guards. You telekinetically wheel him through until you come to one of the more guarded cells, one with a reinforced door and a magical lock. The guards on duty have line rifles and are wearing gas masks.

"You took my threat seriously, did you?" Torvash says, looking in awe around the interior of the building. "Good."

You take out your message stone, sending a message to your brother, Yuune, explaining the situation back at the brotherhood.

Posting on 4chan is spotty at best right now for me and probably a lot of others. Can we have a chat on suptg IRC about the setting or something? It might help with the wiki page. I'll be in #KSquest in case you're up for it.

If installing an IRC client is a problem, the web client on the suptg site's up ATM.

Also, maybe we could temporarily move the quest to tgchan? They have no problems posting, no captcha, no time limit, and a ready playerbase since you can prod them on IRC when a quest goes up, and we could always link to the tgchan quest threads and summarize them later when 4chan stops being broken or gets over this DDoS or whatever the fuck

>>16478577
Anyway, while 4chan may work for ten seconds...

Potential bottlenecks:

-Divine caster access: As of chapter 1, it's been established that the philosophers that have access to divine magic from serving a philosophical ideal have been dwindling in number and that our supplies of divine magic and so forth are quite low. This needs to be addressed.
-Prosthetic and ioun device manufacturing (possibly weapons also): We have two unique craftsmen, each of which does fundamentally different things, and a couple of apprentices as the entirety of our manufacturing infrastructure. If any of them got kidnapped it could have catastrophic results at worst and give someone trying to reverse-engineer our technologies a leg up at best. We should explore potential pathways to increase the number of workers that know how to create these prosthetics, distributing the risk to our own program, and explore ways of reducing the chances of the technologies falling into enemy hands.
-State-funded care for soldiers and veterans: There are still situations under which military personnel would not be taken care of by the state should they be injured. If we want to maximize morale for the coming war, we should find ways of resolving this problem. Injury counts certainly aren't going to go down.

>>16478777

General problems:

-Divine casting capabilities, bottlenecks in manufacturing as before, low troop numbers compared to what we might need to beat off the enemy.
-No intelligence network to speak of save the GRU, which is small and likely numbers less than a hundred individuals total anyway.
-No structure in which preventative medicine can catch early signs of things like toe-rot and deal with them, unless we have forty cases crop up inside of a week's time all at once? This needs to be confirmed.
-Rumors that we aren't accepting any more kobolds into our numbers, despite the fact that we are and may need them for the war (and the fact that we have twice as much food production as necessary at this time).
-The potentially weak Drow stronghold near our territory, which might be conquered and used as a forward base by the Empire. We're likely going to be forced to protect them or exterminate them, and they're far more useful to us than other drow.
-Lack of a biological weapons and threat assessment program that is independent, institutionalized, or organized to any real degree.

>>16478785
Projects:

-Philosopher-priest buildup. Only an increase in the number of people that relate to divine concepts well will create an increase in our own numbers of divine casters.
-Market increase for divine healing and other such items. We will have to speak to the merchant representative here.
-Alterations in our prosthetics and ioun technologies production process, so as to greatly increase the overall capacity to produce any of these.
-Creation of a system under which experimental prosthetics were rigorously tested in and out of combat so as to quickly learn their capacities and reliability and allow for these to be advanced by application of gathered data.
-Secure capture of the facility from which we extracted Tayn, seizure and investigation of any technologies found within it, and incorporation of the facility and the technologies it bears into our defensive and civic systems.
-Creation of a comprehensive biological research institute and a botanical cultivation center for any and all useful or dangerous plants we would be capable of understanding better.
-Increases in our chemicals research division. We have still not integrated blackpowder weapons into our arsenal to any real extent.

>>16478795
cont'd

-Increases in our defensive measures. We need to consider how to best disarm a foe that uses spores and plant matter as a vector for infection and the application of disabling effects as a significant portion of his arsenal. Perhaps altering the water content of his weaponry and harnessing wind technologies would be useful (wind was a HUGE factor in the effectiveness of gas weapons used in WWI, incidentally - deploying with the wind against you often led to your own guys getting gassed).
-Provisions for the containment and debriefing, not to mention comfortable living, of any victims of experimentation you are able to rescue from various laboratories, and the integration of any groups uprooted by the Empire into your own populace.
-Provisions for the integration of assets (Tayn, the elementally charged kobolds, the trapsmith, the Lizardman chief's son, etc) into a structure that can best use them in the coming conflict.

Whew, been trying to post this shit for hours. A change of venue would be great, 4chan being down fucking sucks.

I had this written up at 22:10, but 4chan's been derping.

>>16478697
Weren't we supposed to report for pre-op on Torvash? If so, let's wheel him over to the hospital/medical area of this facility. If not, then let's check him in to his new home.

Also OP, Gargoyle Quest? :3c

>>16478854
The prosthetics aren't anywhere near done, and the prison may have an infirmary or even a surgical ward. Certainly it'd make sense to have a surgical ward kept under lock and key if you have to treat POWs or something.

In any case, he seems to think that it's awesome we're giving him respect by treating him like he's dangerous and shit, which could get more information out of him.

>>16478894
Indeed; it's better to know that he has a big ego (at least that's what I'm getting from him) as a lightbringer of destruction than dealing with him as a variable. He'll be easier to control now, including literally with the fail-safe buttons that'll be in his prostethics.

>>16478854
>>16478973
If you guys feel like having a chat or something, I'm still in #KSQuest on suptg IRC and pretty bored.

IRC webclient accessible at http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/chats.html if you feel like taking me up on this shit >.>

bumpan because the board is working for ten seconds

IRC chat is p. awesome

Bump for OP to return.

BTW Gargoyle Quest Bro, I unfortunately am going to have to say that we not go today, simply because of whatever the hell this is making posting unbearable. Only reason KSQ is still going at this point is due to angry force of will.

>>16479623
Well, the announcement says that things should maybe be resolved now. We'll see, I guess.

Aaah! Oh god, it's several hours later!

Well, I fall asleep and 4chan works. Makes sense.

The one thing is about moving it to /tg/chan is that the archives will then move from sup/tg/, and my OCD wants them to be all in one place.

But hey, if it works for now, that's fine. Time to get reading.

>>16479623
Justice will wait for another night...

>>16479667

So first off thanks for sticking with the quest through the service outage, OP. You're a major bro.

/tg/chan and its archive is easy to operate and so on, and it's not like the archives are easily accessible on suptg in terms of a keyword search or anything. Having just read the whole thing, I can honestly say that if I put together all the time I spent fucking around trying to find all the threads it'd be half an hour to an hour total with all the fruitless searches I did.

I'd say you might wanna just have a list of links to show people, and worry less about where those links direct them. Having such a list on a wiki page or whatnot would be pretty useful, so I'm putting one together. So either way, no big deal.

Keep the quest where you want, OP - I was just making a suggestion. If it doesn't make your life easier, no point dwelling on it.

And we're still in #KSquest in suptg IRC if you're taken by an urge to drop in and rage at us about the server or hang out.

GOD DAMN THAT PARTY HAT JUST GOT A NAT 20.

>>16479740

Yeah, I was kind of groggy when I responded to that. I guess I might do something on there in the future? It's more that I'm sort of bullheaded in my way of thinking I guess.

And GQ getting delayed is irritating me because it's in the middle of something really good.

But yes. Any more decisions?

>>16479880
No, I think we've droned on long enough about strategy and action. For now, let's just get Torvash into his neat holding cell or into whatever medical bay he needs to check into for his surgery.

>>16479880
If you mean for our magistrate-kobold, we can post moar but as it is,

-Lock up dangerous Trog. Alert medical staff in the securest infirmary you've got that they need to put some caps on his limbs and so on when he's ready to be transported, delegate the task as appropriate. Tell the doctors about his musk thing and how to keep him covered in lime-chalk. Give him something for the pain for now.

-Go see your brother about borrowing enough mages to teleport your prisoners and other charges out of the Alloyed Brotherhood in one go so they can get to hospital if there are any left. Tell him they'll be needed for a few hours at most.

-Bring Turen with you when you get back, he's going to be needed to take some letters and start some files for administrative tasks.

If you mean other stuff, we can wait.

>>16479925

You brief the guards, informing them that if Torvash scrubs enough lime off of himself that he'll be able to make them dizzy, even with the masks. You inform the surgeons that someone will need to come in and measure the trog up, putting mounts on his body for the limb replacements, probably one of Dalak's students.

"I can control the musk, by the way." Torvash interjects, looking to the guards. "You don't try to kick me around, and I won't make you confuse the floor with the ceiling." His confident grin is shattered as he hisses, grasping at his missing shoulder.

"And be sure to give him pain medicine in instances like this." You say, handing it over to him. "Though no more than one dose an hour."

"Some place to... Pass waste... Would be an improvement." Torvash says, hastily downing the satchel of herbs.

You wheel him into the cell, and re-enable the lock behind him.

>>16480252
Ask them to get him a bedpan or something and have a larger wheelchair commissioned, provided, or whatever else.

Go see Yuune or send him a message, something along the lines of the following:

"Brother, within the hour I should like to go to the Alloyed Brotherhood by way of spell to retrieve men wounded in the process of acquiring vital information, some of which are of the tribe of our new allies. It is far beyond my capacities to move them by myself in one go, and many of them are at some risk of death or morbidity from their wounds. It would be a great help if you could ask for volunteers to aid me in this, or send a group of mages - I would only need them for the time it would take to cast the spells to get there and back."

Inform the hospital by messenger to expect to receive the wounded, give them their general numbers and condition and so forth.

Include the number of wounded, if you can. Otherwise, teleport to the Brotherhood and get the number in question from your allies, then return with as many of the worst cases as you can carry and give the updated figure to Yuune.

Bring Turen back with you when done, we're going to need him to act as an adjutant for a little bit.

>>16480344

"Get him a bedpan." You say to the guards. "He's not going to be stinking up the place in one way, why let him do it in another?"

Torvash doesn't respond to the dig.

"And get him some of the other things he asks for, within reason." You say to them. "Maybe a book or something."

"It would be a nice change of pace from doing nothing." Torvash says. He looks over to the bed in the cell. "Or sleeping."

You walk out of the prison, and message at length to Yuune. "Brother, within the hour I should like to go to the Alloyed Brotherhood by way of spell to retrieve men wounded in the process of acquiring vital information, some of which are of the tribe of our new allies. It is far beyond my capacities to move them by myself in one go, and many of them are at some risk of death or morbidity from their wounds. It would be a great help if you could ask for volunteers to aid me in this, or send a group of mages - I would only need them for the time it would take to cast the spells to get there and back."

"Will do." The response comes ten minutes later.

"To the hospital director, expect 26 wounded for transferral. Deep kobolds, most missing limbs. About an hour ETA." You update the hospital. Normally you'd stop in and be nice, but you want to get things done quickly.

"Turen, meet in my apartment." You send to him using a spell.

"Right, I will be there in about fifteen minutes." Turen messages back.

You meet the young assistant outside of your quarters. "Alright sir, what's the plan?" He asks, seeming ready for anything.

>>16480344
Perhaps it would also be wise to return with someone from the H'runten with some of their plant and medicinal herbs. Whoever the H'runten decides to send will be a mini-envoy as well as fellow researcher for our science department.

Also, we should leave an envoy with the H'runten as well, preferably someone with weapon expertise or training.

It's the little things that ferment alliances.

>>16480522
"First thing's first: tending to the wounded. But before we can do that, we'll need some presents for our new allies." Turn to him, our arms behind our back, addressing him promptly. "Your major objective before the hour is through will be to find a respectable and willing weapons-expert or trainer from within our military rank." Stern eyes. "This is a little test to see how you're maturing, both in terms of judgment and working under pressure." Begin pacing. "If you don't feel up to the task, then I'll do it myself. It shouldn't be too hard to find someone..."

>>16480522
"It's time you got yourself some practical experience as an adjutant - I imagine that even if you fail your test to be granted a mage license in a year, you'll at the least be incredibly employable with 'Assistant to the Magistrate' on your record. Prepare to take notes, we're going to start a number of project files on efforts to increase our capacities to fight the war or to improve our colony here. We're starting with messages, though."

"Take a letter to the Council, a copy for each Councilor, as follows:"

"Respected Senators, this is to inform you that I am formulating a strategy to manage the weaknesses of our neighbors and a diplomatic posture to take with them in preventing their weaknesses from being exploited around us and making us weaker in turn. If our neighbors somehow fall to the Empire or another party with the ability to stage attacks from the domains they would gain near our own home, we would be hard pressed to beat them back."

"We have limited manpower, which must be carefully considered for the most obvious option: eliminating our neighbors and taking charge of their defenses personally, or assisting them in keeping their lands secure. In the case of each neighboring group, we will have to weigh the risks of a given option against its benefits."

"If such a thing was possible, it would be of use if someone could produce a report on how much of a force we would need to commit to either of these goals, and how depleted that force might be if it was tasked with elimination or with reinforcement - the various neighbors have different defensive capacities, and surely not all will be as hard to defend or drive off if necessary; call it a 'Force Depletion Report' if you will."

Continues in the next post with individual assessments of all the neighbors.

"First thing's first: tending to the wounded. But before we can do that, we'll need some presents for our new allies." You turn to him, your arms behind your back, addressing him promptly. Turen removes a small clay tablet and begins marking down on it. "Your major objective before the hour is through will be to find a respectable and willing weapons-expert or trainer from within our military rank." You give him a stern look. "This is a little test to see how you're maturing, both in terms of judgment and working under pressure." You begin pacing. "If you don't feel up to the task, then I'll do it myself. It shouldn't be too hard to find someone..."

"Is this to train the troglodyte, sir?" Turen asks you. "If so, i'll have to make sure the trainer's willing to accept such a student."

>>16480688
"No, this is a temporary envoy for our new friends in the H'runten. I'm looking for someone impressionable and is very willing to share his or her expertise." Raise an eye-brow. "Understood?"

Also, have him deliver the messages in between his search.

>>16480780

"No, this is a temporary envoy for our new friends in the H'runten. I'm looking for someone impressionable and is very willing to share his or her expertise." You raise an eye-brow at him. "Understood?"

"Ab-so-lutely." He says, making a few quick notes. "Anything else?"

(delaying for jimunga post's finish)

>>16480663

"Of the neighboring Troglodyte tribes that we may yet sway to our side or have an alliance with - we must ensure that there is a greatly reduced capacity for Imperial spies to find harbor among them, with the willing assistance of our neighbors or otherwise. We must decide to what extent we are further willing to arm them or reinforce them as well. Any weapon we tailor to them is quite likely to be investigated by spies and should perhaps be harder to replicate."

"It may also be possible to alter the degree of their defensive readiness by further managing their willingness to work together. This may in turn create a situation in which we are able to limit which tribes we train with certain weapons or tactics, perhaps creating a potential motivator for them to work together and put aside their disputes as it would give them a greater synergy to stand shoulder to shoulder on the battlefield. This could be done by simply saying that our limited time and resources have limited the number of specialist advisory teams we can deploy to train a given tribe, so we will train them in what we can, when we can. This may create loyalty between our neighboring tribes, motivating them to only go over to the Imperials if their neighbors do as well because of the loss of fighting capacity they would otherwise encounter."

"Of the nearby lich, I can surmise only a few things - first, that his troops may be less vulnerable to the sort of biological attacks the Empire may be motivated to bring to bear, and second, that neither the black arts nor the motivations of liches are something we have any kind of a monopoly on. Were he destroyed by the enemy, they might salvage much of his striking power."

"In addition, we may soon have an ethical way to utilize his undead forces against the enemy, but this is hardly guaranteed. A later report will detail this developing capability."

>>16480880
"Of our neighboring Kobold communities, we will have a VERY strong inclination to integrate them if we can - the benefits of this are manifold and mainly speak for themselves, and first among them is that to slay others of one's own race is murder, and to drive them from their homes is war. Perhaps our primitive forebearers would have cause for such things under the rule of dragons, but we are not they - and yet there is one concern that must at least be asked after, distasteful as it is. It is this: they have been to our homes and seen our halls and worked our mines, and as such they may know too much of what we do and how we live. Therefore, I must ask if the information they possess is worth any kind of pre-emptive detention on our part, to prevent them from defecting to the enemy in case persuasive methods are used. These outside communities, after all, lack the loyalty of birthright or integrated citizens and so are more vulnerable to coercion of this sort."

"The obvious and preferable alternative is to protect and integrate them immediately. A large shipment of food from our surplus stocks and a show of force in the form of a group of guards to keep them safe for the duration of the trip should add to the persuasiveness of any offers to relocate, temporarily or otherwise. Further arrangements could be made for the care of anything of tribal importance or a return to home territory after the threat diminishes."

>>16480892

"Finally, there are the feudalist drow in their fortress. This group is only five to six hundred strong as a whole, and of their number perhaps a sixth can capably wield arms. They have only just begun to establish their food production and metalworking industries, and as such will be low not only on the most common of war materiel but also on provender. They are also bereft of the protection of their matriarch-led fellows and likely unused to scratching out a living on their own. Finally, were their fortress to be captured, it's proximity to our homes is such that we are at great risk if it falls to the enemy."

"Much as it tears at me to say this, we could protect them - if only for the sake of finding out their capacity to act against their former countrymen when they come to a greater strength. We could do so and gain such precise knowledge of their defenses that we would have a great deal of insurance against their ever becoming enemies; we could learn their strength inside and out, such that snuffing it out, should it become necessary, would be as simple a matter as extinguishing a candle. And we would gain their gratitude and benefit from their various crafts. Or, we could destroy them and then be faced with a partially restored fortress at arm's reach that we would then have to man personally to prevent the enemy taking it."

"Force Depletion Reports on all these would be of worth. Any additional thoughts or options would be valued." (these can just be a rating of a target as hard or soft or easy/hard to defend, and a percentage of troops lost or some shit.)

"Signed with respect and brotherhood, Mythar, Office of the Magistrate."

"As I said, Tauren, a copy to each council member and send a runner to me when the replies are in."

>>16480850
Seconded.
>>16480896
>>16480892
>>16480880
>>16480663
That was all me, sorry for the delay. Glad to alter it or scrap it if people think it's shit.

You point over at Turen. "It's time you got yourself some practical experience as an adjutant - I imagine that even if you fail your test to be granted a mage license in a year, you'll at the least be incredibly employable with 'Assistant to the Magistrate' on your record. Prepare to take notes, we're going to start a number of project files on efforts to increase our capacities to fight the war or to improve our colony here. We're starting with messages, though."

Turen makes an incantation, and you see a glowing array of sigils pour out in front of him, before becoming a simple translucent screen of light. He folds his hands behind his back. "Alright sir, proceed."

You raise an eyebrow at the unfamiliar spell. "Take a letter to the Council, a copy for each Councilor, as follows:"

As you speak, words in draconic script appear on the sheet of light.

"Respected Senators, this is to inform you that I am formulating a strategy to manage the weaknesses of our neighbors and a diplomatic posture to take with them in preventing their weaknesses from being exploited around us and making us weaker in turn. If our neighbors somehow fall to the Empire or another party with the ability to stage attacks from the domains they would gain near our own home, we would be hard pressed to beat them back.

"We have limited manpower, which must be carefully considered for the most obvious option: eliminating our neighbors and taking charge of their defenses personally, or assisting them in keeping their lands secure. In the case of each neighboring group, we will have to weigh the risks of a given option against its benefits."

"If such a thing was possible, it would be of use if someone could produce a report on how much of a force we would need to commit to either of these goals, and how depleted that force might be if it was tasked with elimination or with reinforcement - the various neighbors have different defensive capacities, and surely not all will be as hard to defend or drive off if necessary; call it a 'Force Depletion Report' if you will."

As you continue speaking, the sheets duplicate, flipping like rolls of animate parchment. You'd deride Turen for solving this problem with only magic, but he does at least appear to be concentrating and paying attention.

"Of the neighboring Troglodyte tribes that we may yet sway to our side or have an alliance with - we must ensure that there is a greatly reduced capacity for Imperial spies to find harbor among them, with the willing assistance of our neighbors or otherwise. We must decide to what extent we are further willing to arm them or reinforce them as well. Any weapon we tailor to them is quite likely to be investigated by spies and should perhaps be harder to replicate."

"It may also be possible to alter the degree of their defensive readiness by further managing their willingness to work together. This may in turn create a situation in which we are able to limit which tribes we train with certain weapons or tactics, perhaps creating a potential motivator for them to work together and put aside their disputes as it would give them a greater synergy to stand shoulder to shoulder on the battlefield. This could be done by simply saying that our limited time and resources have limited the number of specialist advisory teams we can deploy to train a given tribe, so we will train them in what we can, when we can. This may create loyalty between our neighboring tribes, motivating them to only go over to the Imperials if their neighbors do as well because of the loss of fighting capacity they would otherwise encounter."

>>16480880
>>16480892
>>16480896

You continue with the message for a while, thinking that Ghaon may have some trouble remembering this all.

"Force Depletion Reports on all these would be of worth. Any additional thoughts or options would be valued." You begin finishing up. "Signed with respect and brotherhood, Mynthar, Office of the Magistrate."

"As I said, Turen, a copy to each council member and send a runner to me when the replies are in." You say to him.

"Yessir, just give me a bit to get it copied to paper." Turen says, taking the image of the words and shrinking it down to a smaller size with a sort of pinching motion. "If my hypothesis is wrong- Well, I may have to ask for an extension on the time."

>>16481167
"You have one hour; you're dismissed." Usher him out of the room.

Now, we relax and wait for our dearest brother to arrive. When he does, we'll head over to the live demonstration for the mecha-suit.

>>16481167

If the service for it exists, say this to him:

"You're free to write out one copy for records and ask for an exacting duplication to be written by professional couriers cleared for this level of state service. I AM the Magistrate, and these ARE rather important."

If there's nobody to be entrusted with such secrets, we need to create such a group or staff up >.>

Ask him what he thinks the broader purpose of sending the Council such a message was, politically. Let's see if he can play our chess-game and learn from our experience - if he guesses that it is to establish a record in favor of defending and strengthening as many of our surrounding allies as possible, praise and reward him. If not, tell him he can guess again later.

>>16481194
We may be able/have to fit in the teleportation beforehand, but otherwise yeah, let's do that demonstration next/soon.

>>16481218
>>16481194

"You're free to write out one copy for records and ask for an exacting duplication to be written by professional couriers cleared for this level of state service. I AM the Magistrate, and these ARE rather important." You say to him.

"Understood, I'm just hoping this spell can do exactly that." Turen "folds" the image, placing it in his pocket.

"What do you think the message is?" You ask him.

He balks for a moment, responding quickly. "That, erm, that we have to bind with our fellow kobolds and seek out the saboteurs?"

You grin inwardly. "Close enough. You have one hour; you're dismissed."

He trots off, making his way to the government district, not far from your home.

>>16481342
Well, we have the demonstration of the suit and the arrival of the mages to wait for. Both involve Yuune.

We can maybe send for some of our technologists to bring to the demonstration if Felix'ha is comfortable with it, or wait.

We should also probably meditate, focus/rememorize our spells, and decide if we're going to put any more ancestral spells into any available ioun stones we have lying around.

>>16481342
Spend the time charging up the ioun stones we've discharged.

Also, begin drafting a request for a status report to the Merchant caste about how their efforts to bring in more healing items from the surface have been going, as well as the our attempts to expand our trade.
Draft a request for status reports concerning our surface farms.
From both, get projections of future traffic, to see if a teleportation circle to facilitate movement would be worth it.

>>16481395

You still have the two ioun stones lying around. However, you take the opportunity to rest for a bit. Your mind is spinning with the things you have to do, and meditation soon turns into a black, dreamless sleep, leaving a half-finished note on the requirement of a report on the traffic of healing items. With any luck, you groggily think as you drift off, someone will wake you when it's time for the armor demonstration.

>>16481416
Secondan. Adding these to the project list above, we'll see what the other posters want to pitch ideas in on.

>>16481477
Seems like a good stopping point for this multi-day thread, but in case we wake up on time,

-Get Yuune and anyone else who would be allowed to view the armor demo and useful to have see it. Technologists, machinists, etc. No military staff just yet if you can avoid it, their answers would largely be predictable and Felix'ha doesn't like talk of weapons.
-Go see the damn armor.

>>16481492
>No military staff just yet if you can avoid it
What? The demonstration of Felix'hia's armor was supposed to be done for Ghaon and other military staff in order to divert funds from the military budget to building Felix's new adjoining workshop for larger projects.
Not including military personnel goes against the initial purpose of the demonstration.

>>16481529
Thought it was for Yuune for some reason.

In that case, send for the general and his relevant aides.

>>16481594

Also possibly the accountants and the bean-counters.

The armor you have seen once before, by the way.

Though at this point it's all chat, I won't post anything more.