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>>39851477
As for the rest of your hands, Tatiana has been focusing on caring for the survivor from the ransacked town, having had a scare a couple days ago regarding an infection in one of the burns. Thankfully it was caught early and treated. Tai on the other hand, has continued on in his own little way, cooking and caring for the rest of the livestock with McCain, if he's unhappy, he's not said anything. All in all, you're

>Introduce Veles to Liama, you've not done that yet.
>Go check on the centaur, he should be recovered enough to talk by now.
>Get McCain's read on the situation, he's had enough time to do so by now.
>Other
(I know it's been far too long, and if anyone wants a quick rundown on what you were doing prior to the ~2 month break not covered in the story thus far, I'll whip something together.)

>>39851499
>>Get McCain's read on the situation, he's had enough time to do so by now.

>>39851477
Good to see you back, Chemlab!

>>39851499
>Get McCain's read on the situation, he's had enough time to do so by now.
I'd apreciate a recap.

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>>39851558
Its good to be back, even if I'm still just as clueless about this business as ever.

I consider it a bit of a mixed blessing this quest has run under the radar.

>>39851617
Ok, first off you had gone to the lands of the Casimiran Centaur's to figure out why it appeared that they were now in the midsts of a civil war. Heading to a sacked town you found a sole survivor, after fending off the degenerated trolls, Veles found it odd that their south court advisor was missing. He didn't explain much about them, but said that they were largely eternal, so it being missing is a big cause for alarm. Dragging the burned survivor back to your side of the mountain, you discovered that at least one element of the Phoenix Empire had made a push into the southern continent, turning the cold war between the UFK and the Phoenix hot.

In return, your silent beneficiary, the orc Serrak, has hired one Liama Patrick, daughter of the Paladin Ssen Patrick, to guard your, and by extension his, assets. In her company were a group of Marie's old colleagues, surprising her. According to her the organization they were a part of was 'wronged' by the Patrick's in the past, something to do with inaction on her part. Also, the man that was using McCain's infamy for his own sake is missing, presumed dead, after a UFK airship out of snake's landing went missing.

There are a slew of other opportunities laying about as well. Learning magic from veles, looking into other revenue streams, checking the pulse of the towns, trying to get money together to develop the hot springs on your property, are just some of the things that have been mentioned as things folks might be interested. All you've got to do is pursue it.

Not to mention the stuff that hasn't come up yet.

>>39851974
Thanks!

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>Get McCain's read on the situation, he's had enough time to do so by now.

You figure your best course of action is to confer with your foreman. You imagine he's got at least something for you in regards to what's the best course of action. Slithering out of your house, you track the elf down, finding him on the far side off the main barn, watching over the herd and following Marie's lazy circle around the cattle.

"Something the matter Miss?" He asks, turning to look to you as you approach.

"Nothing really, just trying to get a good handle on what to do now." You respond.

"About what?"

"In general I mean, we've got war on this side of the mountain, war on the other. This isn't something I'm familiar with at all."

He shrugs, "Doesn't seem like a war. What with the regiments and the nitor on high alert, seems more like an rebellion, only the insurgents have neither the support of the locals, nor the lay of the land. You need both to be successful."

"It seems brazen though, and I don't fancy us holding off their army if'n they head this way."

"Its a big if, but if they do, it won't be a big push. They'll try and take what they can, get dug in, then go to ground, agitate later and send the UFK chasing shadows. Conquest ain't their goal."

"What makes you say that?" You ask, puzzled.

"Logistics. Getting a cadre of trained Arma Nitor deployed is a challenge in of itself. I can't imagine the Phoenix getting any reinforcements, not with the UFK pulling warships out of their berth. "

You frown, "That's all well and good for us I suppose, but what should I do in the meantime?"

"Just continue on. We don't know what they are after yet, but we're more than defensible. Nitor's got us as some sort of golden goose, and your orc friends probably paying out the nose for Miss Patrick. Best bet would be to keep going they way we were. Try to figure out why the horsefolk are burning each other. Either that or keeping our house in order."
>What do?

>>39852865
Introduce Liama to Veles and tahnk McCain. Also ask him to think on how we can expand this place.

>>39852865
We need money to develop the hot springs so we can at least earn revenue from that with trading out of the question for now. Let's go into town and fish around for anyone willing to excavate on our property for the iron in exchange for a cut. I mean we can't get at it anyways.

>>39851477
Hey, Chemlab, drawfag of yer OP image here. What're yer main lady's colors and has her appearance changed radically from the OP since I drew that for you?

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>>39853074
Oh geeze. I kinda left it up to the players, its in the archives somewhere.

Off the top of my head, dark brown or black hair, green/brown scale pattern. Steel Gray/Blue eyes.

Thanks a million for the art by the way, both you and the guy who requested it.

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>>39853074
And no, outside of the players picking up some silk cheongsams for special occasions, she's not changed much.

>>39852865
The sooner we get the income from the hotspring's the better I think.

So I'll second this:
>>39853002

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>>39853791
>>39853803
Welp

>>39853002
Let's go with this one for now to get things moving

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"The sooner we get income out of the springs, the better. I suppose we had ought to check out around town to see if anyone interested in trying to mine out that iron. Would be really expensive if we tried to get it on our own." You say, after some deliberation.

"Could be a plan though I don't reckon many mining barons would be about nowadays, what with the Phoenix about and all."

"Still worth a look yeah? Would leave us options if Serrak's trading idea doesn't work out."

"I suppose, but it won't be just a driver and you this time. What with the Phoenix boys about. Would need at least one riding shotgun as well."

"Would be a good idea, yeah."

"That and you'd have to figure out where you want to look. Riverport is under regimental cordon, and Snake's Landing is more of a resort town."

"What about South Fork." You venture.

"Town's too small for that business I'd imagine, but you can check all the same."

>Worth a look just the same. (Specify who you want to take and which town you want to make towards.)
>Scrap the idea for now. Got something else I ought to look into. (Specify)

>>39854206
I dunno, maybe it was a dumb idea. Let's learn magic for now.

>>39854206
>>Scrap the idea for now. Got something else I ought to look into. (Specify)
Introduce Veles to liama and learn magic.

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"Perhaps its better we put this on hold." You suggest, "Like you said, keeping our house in order is probably best, and I've yet to introduce Liama to Veles."

"Whatever you thinks best miss." McCain says turning back to the herd.

Leaving him to his own devices, you head over to where Liama is stationed near workers.

"Something the matter Miss Masterson?" The other lamia asks as you approach.

"Not that I know of." You respond, "There's just someone you had ought to meet."

"Oh?"

"Veles, he's one of the residents here and pops in from time to time. Wouldn't want a repeat of what happened with McCain if you caught site of a strange male lamia loitering around the ranch as he does on occasion."

"Male Lamia?" She asks slowly, falling into 'step' as you both slither towards the gateway.

"Yeah, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, maybe, but I've not run into any of our kind that weren't... well you know." She says, gesturing to her chest.

You suppress a chuckle, "Well, I don't know the story, but the Schola Nitor talked with him for a bit. I would've thought they'd have made a big announcement if it was something important."

"First I heard about it. Where is he?" She asks as you approach the gateway.

"Through here." You say, focusing on the image of the runes, and opening the gateway.

This causes Liama to pause. "Let... let me tell Eli where I'm off to, he'll be the only one on shift if I disappear for a while."

"Way ahead of you." The tired looking man says from behind you, causing both you and Miss Patrick to flinch.

"I told you to stop doing that." Liama shouts.

"Old habits. I'll let that foreman fellow know what's happening. Jack, Caff and Liz are all in bunk right now."

Leaving the shadow to disappear back from wherever he came, you focus on holding the gateway as Liama heads through first. Following closely behind, you find yourself once more in the ancient gateway room.

>Leave Liama here, go find Veles
>Take Liama with you.

>>39856140
>Leave Liama here, go find Veles
He wouldn't appreciate us showing everyone where he lives.

>>39856140
>Leave Liama here, go find Veles

Going to bed, Chemlab. See you around and thanks for running again.

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"Hold here for now, we're near the summit of the mountain. Take in the view or something."

"Where are you off to?" She asks, slithering toward the ramp leading up to the open window.

"Just gonna go collect Veles, figure he might not appreciate me dragging someone through his house before telling him."

Leaving her in there, you sidle through the rookery, reflexively extending an arm for Daisy to latch on to. Hawk in tow, you proceed through the winding tunnel before exiting into the atrium.

Surprisingly, Veles isn't in one of his makeshift stations, but is instead near the thing you originally thought was a forge. Your suspicions turned out correct, and you see the big snake pouring a small crucible of some substance into a mold.

Not wanting to interrupt him, you wait for him to set the mold to one side before you cough, causing him to look up.

<Oh, Sasha. Good of you to come by, I was just working on something you might like.>

"Actually, I brought someone along this time, another one of our kind. She's waiting in the gateway room." You say, staying out of the snake tongue for the time being.

He cocks his head to one side. "Another? Most interesting."

Ordering Dahz, who was lazing near the steaming pool, into another chamber, he follows you through the winding tunnels.

Returning to Liama, you see here scanning the horizon, looking into the valley. She turns to look at you two, eyes widening as Veles makes his lengthy entrance into the room.

"Liama Patrick, Veles. Veles, Liama Patrick." You say, by means of introduction.

<Greetings young one.> Veles says in his tongue, possibly not catching your subtle hint that Liama might not know your tongue.

Liama recovers from her forty two foot long shock quickly, <Salutations to you ancient one.> She responds.

>Let them talk a while.
>Talk to Veles about magic.
>Ask what he was making.
>Other?

>>39857717
Have a good one.

>Ask what he was making.
Well, I'm curious.

After which point we can either learn magic, or we can watch awkward snake pickup lines.

>>39857960
>Ask what he was making.

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"So what were you making?" You ask, interrupting the two.

"Oh yes, that. Come come, I will show you." He responds, doubling back on himself.

"Where'd you learn snake tongue." You ask to Liama as the two of you follow in Veles wake.

"Mom. How about you?"

"Father insisted I learned as much about mother as possible." You respond.

"Ah and the bird?" She asks, gesturing to Daisy.

"Accidental imprint." You say, as if that explained everything.

Heading back into the main atrium, you keep a good watch at your companions reaction. You're not disappointed as her reaction mirrors the one she made when Veles first appeared. Veles in the meantime, is in the process of pulling a thin and delicate looking rod off of a rack on his workshop.

"Your friend McCain mentioned that you had some troubles with your rifle and the Fallen last time you went into the Casimiran lands." He says, removing the rod and moving back toward the forge.

You nod.

"I had an idea I wanted to try involving runes and catalysts, to see if the former could channel the latter. The Casimiran runes expire quickly, but can be recharged over time on their own. These are basically those runes." You see him produce a pair grooved of silver disks, looking almost like cover of a stopwatch.

"What's that have to do with my rifle?" You ask.

You lean back as a gout of flame jets out from the first disk he is holding in his left hand. "Alone," He says, "They coat what they touch in fire, or expend all of it as you saw, but if you use something to act as catalyst..." He places the second curved disk against the rod, slotting the grooves on the edge with the. You lean further back as this time the flame shoots straight out the end of the rod lasting a good thirty seconds before he pulls the plate off. "It is much more effective even for those not trained in magic."

>Speaking of magic...
>That looks like what you did with your blade.
>What does this have to do with my rifle?

>>39859853
>That looks like what you did with your blade.
>Speaking of magic...

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>>39859853
>Speaking of magic...

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"Speaking of magic..." You start.

"What about it?" Veles asks,carefully putting the rod and the disks down.

"Well what with everything going on with the Casimiran, the Phoenix Empire invading, and the troubles I've had so far I think its about time I actually took you up on your offer."

"Oh. Wonderful!" He says suddenly, clapping his hands together. "You'll need to make up a three day pack of supplies and meet me here tomorrow morning."

"What for?"

"It begins." He says, grinning.

He then hurries the two of you out of the caverns, saying that he needs to prepare. Bidding you goodbye, he opens the gateway as you and Liama duck through it. Safely on the other side, the other lamia dusts herself off saying, "This only raises more questions."

That it does.

(Calling the thread here. Getting a bit too late to try and pick out what type of food that google wants my captcha to identify. Next thread WILL be next week, not going to let myself fall out of the cycle as it was hard enough to get back on. As always, thanks for reading.)

I need to get back into reading this quest. I'm just so far behind.

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>>39862269
Shouldn't take to long. I net about 30-50 posts a thread with votes.