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“There's a time and a place for this conversation,” you reply, “and this isn't it.”

“When's the right time then, chief? Where's the right place?” Shuhrak doesn't take your response very well. If anything, your reluctance seems to embolden him. “We ain't askin' anythin' tricky. What's stoppin' you from givin' us a straight answer?”

“When we are back home and not in the middle of an unfamiliar settlement, you will hear the truth from me. Right now, I'm more worried about the health of your tribesmen than whether or not I practise slavery. All I ask is that you put your faith in me and follow my lead for as long as we're here. Once we've cured the Voss of the Sepsis, you'll be free to question me as much as you want. Until then, all of you should remember that we're here for a reason – to cleanse your tribe of this disease. That comes before everything else.”

“Chief's right,” Jurvaz pipes up, looking a little sheepish. “Much as I want answers, this ain't a good time for it. I shouldn't of brought it up at all an' I'm sorry that I did. Lead an' I'll follow.”

Some of the tribesmen look less convinced. Some of them might even want this power struggle – after all, you're an outsider who came out of nowhere and dominated their chieftain with a magical voice. Now that you don't have any thralls to back you up or the thunder-stick that they fear so much, some of them feel brave enough to challenge you.

Yet in the end, all of them relent, including Shuhrak. None of them can challenge your words without making it look like they're more interested in seizing power than helping their tribe. One by one, they all mumble their acquiescence and follow your lead. You resume your journey through Mulhouse.

You see the Sanatorium long before you arrive at it – Karlee told you what to look for. Colossal shards of reinforced concrete jut out of the earth at awkward angles, several stories in height. Perhaps once upon a time, they were parts of a greater structure. Now, they serve as the border that separates Spitalian territory from the rest of Mulhouse. Every entrance along the perimeter is guarded by spear-wielding soldiers clad in gas masks and monochrome uniforms. As soon as you approach one of these access points, one of these guards raises a hand.

“Halt,” she barks. Though the thick plastic membrane that she wears makes her femininity apparent, her voice is so muffled that it sounds no different from a man's. Her head is just as bald as those of her male comrades as well. You obey and stagger to a standstill. Two of the other guards step forward and lift the butts of their spears towards you, which are decorated with glass canisters. The chunks of meat that float inside of these cylinders just bob around aimlessly.

“Clean,” one of the Spitalians grunts. “Clean,” the other repeats a few moments later. They step away and fall back in line, while the woman who stopped you lowers her hand and speaks once more.

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“State your intentions.”

“Some o' my tribe are sick,” you begin, falling back into the persona of the tribal chieftain. “I'm here to fetch the means to heal 'em. I've got drafts, I can pay.”

“Entry permitted,” she blandly replies and nods to her colleagues. The soldiers who barred the way step aside, granting your merry band entry to the Sanatorium. “Do you know how to read?” Hesitantly, you nod. “Good. Proceed to the pavilion with the designation B1 and take a seat. Any attempt to access other facilities without an escort will not be tolerated.”

One by one, you awkwardly file past the guards.

The name made you expect a single structure. Instead, the Sanatorium is an orderly tent city. The shelters here are clean, white, uniform and airtight, unlike the primitive structures found elsewhere in the town. As for your destination, it's not hard to find. The open-air pavilion towers above the other structures and is much broader as well. It appears to be split into two sections, rows of chairs where patients are expected to wait and a line of desks, behind which Spitalians wait – the first ones you have ever seen without masks.

There's enough chairs that your whole entourage are able to seat themselves without causing a fuss. There are roughly a dozen others who were there before you arrived. Some cough profusely while others nurse paw at the dirty gauze that dresses their wounds. One by one, the doctors see to them and discuss their troubles in excruciating detail – all except for an elderly woman dressed in red robes. She remains seated and observes every patient with varying degrees of interest, though you seem to draw her gaze far more than other. Eerie. By the time that your wait comes to an end, over half an hour has passed.

A rather pudgy physician peers at you over the rims of his spectacles before he waves you over. The black and white membrane doesn't compliment his ageing physique. As you walk over to take a seat in front of the Spitalian's desk, he looks rather pensive and sceptical.

“Good morning,” he begins with a polite enough tone. Though he speaks Frankan, he has a strong Borcan accent – he's likely from the Protectorate, like Herrmann and Karlee. “Or afternoon, perhaps. Tomas Oberheim, at your service. I cannot help but note that you appear to be in perfect health. Do you seek medical aid on the behalf of another?”

>Give him the truth. Your tribesmen are infected with Sepsis and you wish to find a cure.
>Remain vague. Your tribesmen are sick and need healing. He doesn't need more detail than that.
>Get to the point. You have drafts, the Spitalians have medication. You're here to trade.
>URGE: He will escort you to wherever they keep their medicine for treating Sepsis.

>>5386860
>Give him the truth. Your tribesmen are infected with Sepsis and you wish to find a cure.

No need to bust out the memes just yet, though we may have to escalate to that if he wants to know our location in order to bring a bunch of Spitalians to burn out our tribe instead of help us.

>>5386860
>Give him the truth. Your tribesmen are infected with Sepsis and you wish to find a cure.
>A traveller told us the name, that it has stages and you have the cure. We were just putting the ones sick as far away as we could before.

>Give him the truth. Your tribesmen are infected with Sepsis and you wish to find a cure
>A traveller told us the name, that it has stages and you have the cure. We were just putting the ones sick as far away as we could before..>>5386860

jurvaz is really starting to grow on me desu

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“My tribe was attacked by a plague o' insects,” you begin, doing your best to dumb yourself down. After all, you're playing the part of a tribal savage. “Many o' us were covered in bites an' stings. Those who had it worst have started to cough up white hair, one even has a strange rash.” None of the Voss have the rash yet, but this adds to the urgency of your story. “A traveller told us that it was called Sepsis, said that the masked ones could cure it before it got out o' control. Is it true? Can you rid us o' this sickness?”

Oberheim wears a contemplative expression while he sits back and listens to your tale. By this time that you have finished, the look on his face has become quite grim.

“My condolences. The advice that I have to offer depends on the stage of the infection. Those who only expel small amounts of fungal discharge – the white hair that you speak of – can be treated with antimycotics. Those who possess a mandala bloom – the rash – should undergo complete desporification at our facilities, so that we may determine whether the infection has become irremediable.”

You try to look as confused as humanly possible – a savage shouldn't understand all of those big words, after all. With a sigh, Oberheim tries again.

“I can offer you a remedy for the white hair. To cure the rash, you will need to bring the ones with the rash to us. There is a chance that we will not be able to heal them because the sickness has become too strong. If that is the case, the only solution is euthanasia – to kill them before the infection spreads.” The Spitalian tries his best to look apologetic.

“I ain't about to kill any o' my people if I can to help it,” you protest with a frown. “I was told that you demand payment for your healin'. Is that so?”

“I am afraid so, yes. Though the Spital wishes it could cure the world of Sepsis without asking for a single draft, its resources are finite. A course of antimycotics costs two hundred drafts, while each desporification procedure costs nine hundred drafts. If you cannot afford this treatment, then I am afraid that you should euthanise those suffering from Sepsis as soon as they develop the rash. There is one other option, however.”

“What's that?”

“The Spital can supply independent tribes and clans with doctors, you see – one of these would be able to ensure the well-being of your tribe and tend to its maladies. They would even be able to request medication from the Spital, if it is necessary. You will not even need to pay for a doctor's services with drafts. Instead, they will arrange a tithing system after their arrival – your tribe will regularly supply the Spital with whatever resources it produces in exchange for the doctor's services.”

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On one hand, having a physician to tend to any sickness or wounds that the Voss might suffer would be very useful. On the other, you are not sure about the wisdom of making outsiders aware of your bunker's existence.

First, how much antimycotic medication are you going to ask for?
>None. After everything that you've just heard, you don't want to deal with the Spitalians.
>Four courses. That's enough to cover everyone back at the bunker who is sick with Sepsis.
>Six courses. You will spend almost all of your drafts but it will be good to have a couple spare.
>Haggle. Oberheim might not react well to bartering, but maybe if you try to earn his sympathy...
>URGE: The Spitalian will feel sorry for you. He will sell the medication at half price.
>URGE: Oberheim will give you as much as he can, free of charge. The memes demand it.

Second, how do you feel about this offer of a village doctor?
>Accept it. The services of a Spitalian are too useful for you to turn down the offer. It might come with a few issues, but you'll handle them later.
>Refuse it. It isn't worth the risk. Despite how useful a doctor might be, you don't want to deal with the hassle of yet another outsider in your bunker.

>>5387417
>Four courses. That's enough to cover everyone back at the bunker who is sick with Sepsis.
>Accept it. The services of a Spitalian are too useful for you to turn down the offer. It might come with a few issues, but you'll handle them later.
My gut instinct is to get extra and deny, but I doubt we can keep hidden forever.
The kid ran away, and there were rumours before already. Better to get some protection from people that are atleast a little bit benevolent while we can instead of getting conquered by assholes.

>>5387417
Support >>5387443
We can always URGE the Doc to secrecy over the bunker.

>>5387417
We could just brainwash the spitalian, but that sort of goes against our justifications for our methodology regarding memes. Or at least the ones we discussed but haven't yet expressed in-character.

There is also the issue of the tithe. Assuming the Voss resume their normal productivity, they might not be satisfied with our leadership that resulted in them being tithed, it may not be worth it to them, though we may not care depending on whether we secretly view them as slaves in the making or if we value their individuality. Their technology is meagre, so the loss in productivity is both tolerable yet also damaging. We don't lose out on anything super important since the Voss don't produce anything worth shit that we know of, but they also probably don't have huge surpluses to afford to give away, whether in manpower or tools and supplies. May be worth discussing with the tribe and changing our mind later.

Furthermore, assuming the wider world or just the Spitalians eventually discover us, our nature, and our bunker, and yet don't immediately try and purge us with fire (not likely but maybe possible) then they'd have legitimate reason to demand a more worthwhile tithe like our guns and electronics and stuff we actually care about, depending what they consider tithe-able or whether their own rules allow them to take something we technically possess but don't produce. Or at least that may be one of the worries I'd have in character.

Also, we could just do something like this again if we need a doctor, the Voss have at least survived this long on their own, so it may not be worth the risk of bringing a permanent doctor into our settlement.

>Four courses. That's enough to cover everyone back at the bunker who is sick with Sepsis.
>Refuse it. It isn't worth the risk. Despite how useful a doctor might be, you don't want to deal with the hassle of yet another outsider in your bunker.

I feel bad for refusing (yet another) plot hook and taking what I perceive to be a less risky path, but I think this will backfire on us and that we don't need a Spitalian, if someone gets sick we can redo this, not infinitely since we don't have infinite tech to sell but it'll do for now.

Though we should probably figure out what our greater goals are and do something though, lest QM be left without anything for us to do that is interesting.

>>5387417
>>5387741
Agree and support.

I dont think we can urge the doctor since it will cause problems with the voss, since we didnt urge them and more or less stated we wouldnt. They are already freaked out by us.

The ungreatful primitive fuckers

>Four courses. That's enough to cover everyone back at the bunker who is sick with Sepsis.
>Refuse it. It isn't worth the risk. Despite how useful a doctor might be, you don't want to deal with the hassle of yet another outsider in your bunker.

il go with this for now but im vary tempted to accept the doc honestly

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“Four of my people are coughin' up white hair. All I need is enough to heal 'em. The one with the rash, I'll handle myself. As for this doctor you want to send our way... There ain't a need for that. We've always looked after ourselves an' that's the way it's gonna stay.”

“I hear that more often than you think,” Oberheim replies, having pursed his lips into a thin line. “Independence is important and I understand that you wish to preserve it. Yet in this day and age, cooperation is vital to the prosperity of humanity, if not its very survival. I do not wish for your tribe to have its soul stolen by Homo Degenesis.”

When you remain unmoved by his words, he lets out a quiet sigh and waves over one of the Spitalians standing guard. For a moment, the tension grows as you expect that the doctor might try to coerce you into accepting his deal. Instead, he makes a simple request of his comrade.

“Could you bring me four MDI canisters of EG-1 EX-Aerosol and four MDI actuators, please?” With a nod, the masked soldier turns around and strides off. The doctor looks back in your direction. “That will be eight hundred drafts. There is one more thing that I would like to discuss, however.”

“What would that be?” You fish out the fistful of drafts and count out the strips. This will leave you with 450 drafts – hopefully enough to purchase something useful elsewhere.

“The Spital is a humanitarian organisation,” he begins, “yet when the greatest threats to humanity are hostile and invasive lifeforms, it is not enough to offer medical support and hope for the best.” Big words. You do your best to appear nonplussed. Again, Oberheim sighs. “We are not just healers, we are fighters. As Homo Degenesis seeks to spread Sepsis and replace humanity – if not wipe it out entirely – we fight it in every way we can.”

“That's brave o' you. What's this got to do with my tribe?”

“You see, Sepsis infects everything. Not just men and beasts, but the very land itself. In places where concentrations of it are allowed to fester, it transforms the area into a spore field. These serve as ideal habitats for Homo Degenesis and their plagues. You mentioned that your tribe's outbreak of Sepsis was caused by an insect attack – it is likely that this plague was produced by a nearby spore field. For that reason, I would like to know the location of your village and the direction that this swarm came from. This will help the Spital identify the spread of Sepsis and take action against it.”

>Tell the truth. Let him know the location of the Voss village and the strange craters south of it.
>Lie. You don't want to risk anyone stumbling across your bunker in the mountains near the village.
>Refuse to answer him. You don't want to risk discovery, nor do you want to mislead the Spitalians.
>WIPE: Erase Oberheim's memory of this conversation as soon as you're given the medicine.

>>5388635
>Tell the truth. Let him know the location of the Voss village and the strange craters south of it.
>The village will be empty, we have fled to the mountains after the attack.

>>5388635
>>Tell the truth. Let him know the location of the Voss village and the strange craters south of it.
Between the Spitalians torching the spore field and our own security measures, the area will become quite safe. We'll have to downplay the bunker though, just another pillaged ruin bought out by the Africans.

>>5388635
>Tell the truth. Let him know the location of the Voss village and the strange craters south of it.
There is the previous village there...... we've just holed up near a cave. We can pile rocks or cave in the entrance to hide it and set up some tents.

>>5388635
>Tell the truth. Let him know the location of the Voss village and the strange craters south of it.

Risky, but this is for the greater good. It'll make us safer too in one way at least, even if it brings trouble later.

>Tell the truth. Let him know the location of the Voss village and the strange craters south of it.
>The village will be empty, we have fled to the mountains after the attack.

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You tell Oberheim everything you can, so long as that information does not compromise the bunker. You describe the location of the Voss village, the nature of the attack as Blayz described it, the nearby craters that you saw from the mountaintop and more. You even let him know that you surrendered the village to the Leperos drones after the attack, though you refuse to share the current location of your tribe.

“I am grateful for your cooperation,” Oberheim says while he looks over the notes that he has taken, “even if the information you have shared is cause for alarm. I don't believe that the enemy has ever come this close to the Passage South before. I will have to write a full report on this subject, though I will need to name my source if it is to be taken seriously.”

You share the name that you stole – Phanuhl. The doctors jots down a few more notes, just in time for the guard to return with the medicine. He carries a plastic bag containing four tiny metal canisters and four inhalers, the sort used to treat respiratory conditions. Oberheim teaches you how they should be used and according to him, four daily doses over the course of two weeks should be enough to combat a minor Sepsis infection. You hand over the drafts, he hands over the medicine and just like that, the transaction is complete.

“You have my condolences and best wishes, Phanuhl. I do hope that your tribe is able to recover from this setback.” The doctor gives you a thin-lipped smile as you stand. He's not a particularly warm individual, but his concern seems genuine enough.

“As do I,” you grunt as you push yourself to your feet. “Look after yourself, Oberheim. There ain't many good men left in the world these days.” With that farewell, you turn away and return to your cohort.

Your tribesmen look awfully out of place, perching on metal chairs and anxiously staring at all of the masked Spitalians marching past the pavilion and going about their business. Jurvaz looks more curious than uncomfortable, but even he is out of place in this peculiar environment. All of them are relieved when you finally return, especially when you tell that you have what they came for. With your business concluded, you prepare to set out...

… Only to be intercepted by the elderly woman in red that you saw earlier. You have to stumble to a halt in order to avoid bumping into the crone. Her scarlet robes are far more colourful than anything that the Spitalians wear and she is flanked by a pair of warriors, with scarlet capes draped over their armour and hunting rifles slung over their shoulders.

“You are not like the rest of your men.” That is how she greets you. Her wrinkled face is split by a crooked yet wry smile and there's something sharp about her steely grey eyes.

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“Oh yeah? How's that?” You try your best to appear unperturbed by her assertion, though you glance at the nearby Spitalians. None of them seem to pay the old woman or her warriors any attention – it seems as though their presence is tolerated here.

“I have an eye for these details.” She waves a hand towards the furtive tribesmen huddled behind you. “Each of them suffers from some degree of stunted growth and inbreeding. Their skin is pockmarked from childhood and their posture is awful.” Thankfully, none of the Voss seem to understand her criticism enough to be offended. “You lack all of these defects. From the width of your shoulders to the shape of your skull, you...” She wets her lips while she hunts for the right word. “You are exemplary.”

“I ain't sure if I should be grateful for your kind words or angry about you insultin' my men,” you retort. “Why are you tellin' me this anyway?”

“I am Therese Engarran, an envoy of the Sanglier. You may think of us as a clan much like your own, except we seek to do more than just survive. It is our duty to breed, to see to it that each generation is stronger than the last. Now, it is clear to me that you are of remarkable stock and that if your blood mingled with –”

“I ain't abandonin' my people just to have a bunch o' children with yours,” you cut her off. You're not sure what to think about her practices, but you're not about to abandon your bunker just yet – or the Voss.

“Of course, I understand that your tribe is important to you, I would never suggest that you should leave it behind.” She simpers apologetically and bows her head in deference. “All I wanted to say is that I heard some of your conversation with the good doctor and it seems to me that you are unfamiliar with not just Mulhouse, but the wider world. I am willing to share my knowledge with you and serve as a guide of sorts. I can even give you drafts, should you need them.”

“You ain't offerin' me these things out o' the kindness o' your heart. What do you want in return?”

“I would like to understand what separates you from the rest of your tribe,” she croons. “All I ask for is your blood – just a sample, nothing more. Certainly not enough to weaken you.”

This is a bizarre turn that you did not expect. On one hand, the guidance and financial support of this peculiar eugenicist could prove useful. On the other hand, she is already sabotaging your cover and depending on how deep she digs, she could uncover your true nature as a Sleeper.

>It's a deal. She seems as educated as she is strange and she's offering a lot in exchange for very little.
>URGE: Therese does not need your blood. Helping a specimen as exquisite as you is its own reward.
>Refuse her. This hag could ruin everything if she realises the truth about you, you have to turn her down.
>WIPE: Purge the crone's memory of you. If you don't, Therese could be a very dangerous loose end.

>>5389752
>Refuse her. This hag could ruin everything if she realises the truth about you, you have to turn her down.
I don't look forward to being kidnapped or have our genes stolen

>>5389754
Supporting

Nothing she has offered is worth this risk

>>5389752
The only other place we have to be before we leave is the market. I think it is worth it to go the extra mile and either wipe her memory or to use urge on her. Personally I'm leaning towards wiping her memory, information is something we could get from Karlee, or by using Urge on literally any person on the streets of Mulhouse. Even the money isn't that tempting since we are sitting on a bunker full of valuables worth a lot of money and could just Urge practically anyone to give us money, or just sell our services as a mercenary or leader of men.

I feel bad for rejecting all the QM's plot hooks, but really the secrecy of our identity stands out as important to me. I think it'll be up to us to drive the story and take an active path, with the way most anons - myself included - seem to think having plot or entanglements come to us isn't in our interest so far.

>WIPE: Purge the crone's memory of you. If you don't, Therese could be a very dangerous loose end.

>>5389752
>WIPE: Purge the crone's memory of you. If you don't, Therese could be a very dangerous loose end.
DELETE, DELETE!
CRTL+ALT+DELETE!

>>5389752
>Refuse her. This hag could ruin everything if she realises the truth about you, you have to turn her down.
Back off, witch. We're not cattle to be bred.
>>5390068
>>5390104
Using a meme in this populated place sounds like a surefire way to get noticed. Hell, the near feral Voss noticed the change of voice, and these people here aren't frightened out of their mind and more educated to boot. If she tries anything later we can still escalate.

I'll lock the voting there so I can start writing a response.
>>5390068
>I feel bad for rejecting all the QM's plot hooks
Don't worry about feeling that way. Rejection can have consequences too.

>>5390651
Also, wouldn't other people notice that she forgot about us?

>>5389752
>>WIPE: Purge the crone's memory of you. If you don't, Therese could be a very dangerous loose end.

>>5390681
I believe so. Best not to do it right now.

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“Listen, I ain't about to give you my blood so you can do some sort o' dark magic with it.” You double down on the tribal persona. “There ain't anythin' you can give me that would make me agree to this. If that's all, we've got places to be.”

“You do not understand,” she whimpers. Her expression grows darker by the moment. “Bygone blood flows through your veins, pure and unsullied – the blood of kings! You have no idea how precious you are, how irresponsible it is for you to mistreat your body by living like a wild beast. All I ask for is –”

“You ain't getting' anythin' from me.” You move to step around Therese, only for one of her warriors to stand in your way. As you reach for the handle of your knife, you are surprised as Jurvaz of all people steps forward to stand by your side, his yellowing teeth bared in an attempt at intimidation. Unwilling to outdone by the runt of the tribe, the other Voss join him and crowd around you in a show of support. The crone's other warrior reaches for the rifle that's slung over his shoulder.

“Disperse!”

The growing tension hasn't gone unnoticed. Spitalian soldiers have rushed over from their posts and ready their weapons, in case they have to use force to break up a potential conflict. One of them thrusts the tip of his spear between you and the Sanglier.

“Disperse,” the plastic-clad guard repeats, his voice muffled by his gas mask. You can't help but notice that his comrades are pointing their weapons at you and your men, rather than at Therese and hers. The command is directed at you. You are a band of tribesmen who they do not know, while she seems to be an honoured guest of the Spital. Why else would they allow her to linger around the Sanatorium?

“We were leavin' anyway,” you grunt. Navigating your way past the Sanglier, you stride out of the pavilion with your tribesmen trailing after you. With no reason to linger any longer in Spitalian territory, you return from whence you came and leave behind the orderly encampment. In comparison to the immaculate white tents and the disciplined soldiers of the Spital, the rest of Mulhouse seems messy and decrepit.

“Mad witch,” one of the tribesmen grumbles. “Ain't there any outsiders who are just normal people?”

“I don't trust anyone who hides behind a mask,” Shuhrak adds. “So far, that's most o' the people we've met. I always knew we were better off livin' in the valley, far away from all o' these outsiders an' their strange ways.” A few of the other Voss murmur their agreement.

“It ain't like we can just go back there though. Our village has been taken from us an' most o' the tribe's dead, so we've got to learn a new way o' livin'.” Though Jurvaz speaks the truth, no one concurs with him. After a moment of awkward silence, he glances towards you. “So uh, where are we headin' next, chief?”

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To be honest, you've already gotten what you came to Mulhouse for. You have a stronger understanding of Sepsis and enough medicine to treat it. You suppose that you should spent the drafts that you have left, as they will be of little use to you in the wilderness, far away from civilisation.

“Karlee mentioned some sort of market called the Grid. We might as well see if they sell anything useful there.”

It doesn't take you very long to reach your destination. You can see where the market got its name from – the town's inhabitants have cleared away the rubble where a great structure must have once stood, leaving behind nothing but a flat plane of concrete. Though none of the walls remain, the lines that divides the floor into sections clearly show where they once stood. Each section is occupied by a trader and their wares, which they eagerly attempt to peddle to anyone who passes by.

Some of these people sell their goods out of wagons or hastily erected tents, while the wealthier ones work out of slapdash kiosks. The merchandise is as diverse as the merchants – some of them supply food while others offer clothes. Insect nets and clay pots full of pesticides seem to be a popular product, as are oily face masks intended to serve as makeshift respirators, though there's even a few of those up for sale. There's animals for sale too, all of the livestock that you're familiar with and a few horses too.

While you're busy looking for more practical things to purchase, the tribesmen are enraptured by the smell of roasting meat, fragrant spices and... Is that coffee? One stall stands apart from all of the others. It's a vast food stand that straddles multiple sections of the Grid and that has been painted all sorts of vibrant colours. All of the Voss are salivating and clamouring for a taste of this exotic fare – after all, none of them have ever experienced 'real' food before.

In the end, you're the one with the drafts. You have 450 – how do you wish to spend it?

>Sacks full of grains and tubers are plentiful and cheap. They could play a part in your agricultural project. (50 drafts)
>Wool and leather clothes, a whole lot more comfortable and protective than your tribal garments. (250 drafts)
>Insect nets, traps and pesticides. In case of another insect attack, you want to be ready. (150 drafts)
>Face masks. They're little more than oily scarves, but you can buy a load of them for decent value. (100 drafts.)
>A gas mask. It could provide excellent protection from Sepsis and pheromones alike. (200 drafts)
>Chickens. A bunch of hens and a cock could come in very useful for your tribe. (200 drafts.)
>A draft horse. It's pricey but it could double as a beast of burden and personal mount. (400 drafts)
>Treat yourself and your men to this exotic cuisine to raise morale – even if the prices are extortionate. (150 drafts)

>>5390910
>Sacks full of grains and tubers are plentiful and cheap. They could play a part in your agricultural project. (50 drafts)
>Chickens. A bunch of hens and a cock could come in very useful for your tribe. (200 drafts.)
200 drafts leftover in case we need to bribe or trade with someone.

>>5390910
>Sacks full of grains and tubers are plentiful and cheap. They could play a part in your agricultural project. (50 drafts)
>Insect nets, traps and pesticides. In case of another insect attack, you want to be ready. (150 drafts)
>Chickens. A bunch of hens and a cock could come in very useful for your tribe. (200 drafts.)

All pretty useful stuff. We could hang the nets up at the bunker entrance and that'd make a world of difference, while the chickens and grain can all be cultivated and pay off well in the long run.

>>5390910
Supporting >>5390934

A lot of the other stuff does seem useful but we don't have enough drafts right now to be picky.

>>5390934
Support

>>5390910
Support for >>5390934

>>5390910
Addendum to >>5391235 >>5390934
>Haggle for a cheap cart or wheelbarrows to haul our stuff

>>5390934
>>5391251
Supporting

No need for money where we’re going

>>5390934
+1

>>5390934
>>5391251
+1

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No matter how insistent the Voss are, you're not going to waste any of your drafts on overpriced food. After some convincing, you manage to lead them away from the the grinning Africans behind the counter and the alluring smell of their cooking. Despite how alien these dark-skinned strangers must seem to the people of Mulhouse, they still crowd around the stall and offer fistfuls of drafts in order to fill their rumbling bellies. You, on the other hand, refuse to succumb to such urges.

Your interests are far more pragmatic. You purchase grains and tubers, to be planted in any arable soil that can be found on the mountainside. That environment is unsuitable for farming on an industrial scale but it should hopefully sustain a small community. You buy chickens, as a source of protein that will make the tribe less dependent on hunting. Finally you acquire clay pots full of repellent and pesticide, as well as plenty of netting and crude traps. Hopefully, they should help ward off the threat of the wasps.

There's just one problem – a lot of what you've bought is either heavy or bulky. The woman who sold you the chickens was kind enough to part with the wicker cage that she kept them in, but even that's cumbersome. Between the eight of you, you would be able to take everything back to the bunker but it would be an unpleasant and uncomfortable journey. Thankfully there are wooden sleds for sale, each of which is large enough to carry some of the goods and lighten the burden of your merry band. There are larger carts that you could purchase, but they're out of your price range.

There's also a question that you have to ask yourself: Are you finished in Mulhouse? On one hand, this is an opportunity for you to learn more about the world you now find yourself in. On the other, you have everything that you came here for and the longer you linger in this town, the more likely it is that you might draw unwanted attention.

First, where do you wish to go next?
>Return home. You have the medicine that you came here for, as well as plenty of supplies. There's nothing left for you here.
>The Palace, the Hellvetic barracks. This faction seems to have a lot of military hardware. You're interested in acquiring it.
>The Garage, a popular bar that Herrmann used to frequent. According to him, it was a great source of information and connections alike.
>The Gardens, a condemned part of town. Despite the fact that it was abandoned long ago, Karlee apparently has 'friends' hiding there.

Second, how do you want to go about transporting everything you've bought? You have 50 drafts left to spend.
>The Voss can carry everything back to the bunker. No need to waste money.
>A single sled to carry the bulkiest goods should be good enough. (20 drafts)
>Two sleds should make hauling all of this stuff around a lot easier. (40 drafts)

>>5391798
>Return home
We caught enough attention already, no need to run into Wiesel and possibly confirm whatever he's probably been spouting.
>Two sleds
They'll have use back home too, and they'll make the trip back much easier and safer.

>>5391798
>Return home. You have the medicine that you came here for, as well as plenty of supplies. There's nothing left for you here.
>Two sleds should make hauling all of this stuff around a lot easier. (40 drafts)
We're out of cash and the longer we stick around, the more likely we are to get into more trouble and draw more attention. We're definitely going to encounter our friend-with-a-test-tube again at some point, by the way.

>>5391814
Supporting

We can always come back in a week or two if we need to

>>5391798
>Return home. You have the medicine that you came here for, as well as plenty of supplies. There's nothing left for you here.
>>Two sleds should make hauling all of this stuff around a lot easier. (40 drafts)

>>5391798
>Return home. You have the medicine that you came here for, as well as plenty of supplies. There's nothing left for you here.
>Two sleds should make hauling all of this stuff around a lot easier. (40 drafts)
Remember to keep watch, I have a feeling someone might try to tail us.

>>5391798
>
>Return home. You have the medicine that you came here for, as well as plenty of supplies. There's nothing left for you here.
>>Two sleds should make hauling all of this stuff around a lot easier. (40 drafts)

our settlement is in a veeery precarious situation, we've gotta get ourselves much more stable.

>>5391798
Hmm, we have a unused usage of our meme today, but someone made a good point that using it in front of people makes it rather obvious what we are doing given that it only affects one person at a time. Forcing the Hellvetics to hand over enough military hardware to supply our entire tribe is out of the question, but perhaps in the bar or in the condemned part of town we could isolate someone enough to meme some info or service out of them. Probably not worth it though, we can return whenever.

>Return home. You have the medicine that you came here for, as well as plenty of supplies. There's nothing left for you here.

>Two sleds should make hauling all of this stuff around a lot easier. (40 drafts)

They'll have their uses beyond this one trip anyhow.

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It's time for you to return to the bunker.

Sackfuls of grain and potatoes are stacked on the sleds that you purchase, along with the bundles of netting, pots of pesticide and cage full of chickens. This will leave most of the tribesmen unencumbered during the journey home – except for the ones pulling the sleds. The Voss will have to take turns dragging the cargo along in an effort to share that burden.

Your departure from Mulhouse is uneventful. You are stopped at the checkpoint on the way out, but that is to be expected. The Spitalians wave their glass cylinders at you before declaring that you're clean, while the Hellvetic officer asks a few rote questions. Once that's out of the way, you're allowed to depart from the city and begin your journey along the ancient asphalt that leads northward.

Though you were able to do everything that you wanted within the space of a day, you still spent several hours hours in Mulhouse and arrived there late in the morning. You're not able to travel far before night falls. Not far from the road, you find the hollow shell of a Bygone structure and stop there for the evening. Though there's nothing left of it other than the walls, it should still provide some shelter from the elements and from prying eyes. The more rest that your followers get tonight, the better. Tomorrow will mark the beginning of an uphill march that will take the best part of two days.

Once your party has eaten, you choose a couple of Voss to keep watch throughout the night. Though you didn't attract much attention during your stay in Mulhouse, there's always a chance that someone might try and follow you. Just to feel a little more secure, you also reassemble your submachine gun and keep it loaded. You no longer have to play the part of a tribal chieftain and it'll help keep the Voss in line too.

Speaking of the Voss, while they are settling down to sleep for the night, you find yourself thinking about your earlier confrontation with them. Some of them believe that you are a slaver, while others still view you as an outsider and wish to challenge you. The only one who seems to truly respect you is Jurvaz and even he isn't above questioning you. The rest of them only seem to follow you out of fear and uncertainty.

Quiet moments like this serve as the perfect opportunity to indoctrinate them, one by one. The watchmen will be isolated from the others, no one will know if you whisper a few memes in their ears and plant suggestions in their brains. The question is – are you willing to do this?

>No. Keep your memes to yourself. You only use these protocols when you must, in difficult situations where you have no other choice.
>URGE: Yes, but you will spare Jurvaz, perhaps out of affection or because he is more useful to you with his free will intact.
>URGE: Yes, even Jurvaz. He was the one who questioned you in the first place. You cannot allow any form of dissension.

>>5392296
>No. Keep your memes to yourself. You only use these protocols when you must, in difficult situations where you have no other choice.
If we become a tyrant, than we are no different then the ones that have been terrorizing the Voss.
Our memes shall be a tool of justice.

>>5392296
>>No. Keep your memes to yourself. You only use these protocols when you must, in difficult situations where you have no other choice.

That spear looks like a Jaffa Staff weapon

>>5392296
Moral questions aside, the memes have their limits, and the most significant limit is the number of people we can rewire each day. Our tribe will only grow (or die to something, but let's not get carried away) and we need a foundation of real trust. Rewiring Blayz deleted the ambition that nearly got the Voss extinct, that one woman in the salvage party was about to be stupid, and the scrappers would've killed the tribe without remorse for the loot from the bunker. Those are points to use on the Voss and convince them of our benevolence.

>>5392296
>No. Keep your memes to yourself. You only use these protocols when you must, in difficult situations where you have no other choice.

They can question us if they want, I'm not even closed to the idea that we've been inconsistent, but if they wanna keep staying in our bunker or using the goods and food we bought with money earned from selling our electronics they better listen to what we say or else...

>>5392296
>URGE: Yes, but you will spare Jurvaz, perhaps out of affection or because he is more useful to you with his free will intact.

At a minimum do the guy who openly challenged us - he surely is looking for a fight and we can prevent it right now

I will say that I'd have no problem preemptively meming everyone to at least not be violent towards us or try to usurp us or steal from us, but I don't want to give everyone the Blayz treatment. But, it is probably more moral and easier to keep from tempting ourselves to slip down a slope if we keep to a hard 'no memes unless necessary' rule. Plus there would be costs if we got caught trying to meme isolated Voss.

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No. There are a million different reasons to leave the Voss with their free will intact. Some of these reasons are moral, while others are practical. In the end, you decide against messing with their heads and rest for the night instead.

The night passes uneventfully. As soon as everyone has eaten and readied themselves, your party sets off once more. You diverge from the road and head west instead, towards the mountains that you call home. The first few hours of wading through the long grass are pleasant enough, but you arrive the foothills around midday. That's when the journey gets harder.

The sleds might have been useful on flat terrain, but they're less effective when you're struggling uphill. Whenever you encounter a steep slope, multiple tribesmen have to push them while others pull them up. You knew that your ascent was going to be a slow and tedious affair, but you never thought that it was going to be this difficult. By the time that the sun sets, you feel like you've been struggling up the mountainside for an eternity. Despite this, you feel no closer to your destination. There's a lot more walking left to do tomorrow.

There's no ruins to use for shelter up here, just endless trees. You decide to camp at a spot where the ground is level and the canopy is thickest, just in case it happens to rain overnight. Watchmen are picked for the night, you eat and drink your fill and lay down to sleep. Most of the Voss need it – they're exhausted after the uphill climb and struggling with the sleds all day.

Unfortunately, this night isn't so uneventful.

Not long after you close your eyes, you hear the first howls. Gendos. You're not too concerned. So far, these predators have kept the distance due to how numerous you are. They know better than to attack a large group – or so you thought.

More than once, you're stirred from your slumber by the sound of the chickens clucking nervously or the watchman shouting at a gendo that strays too close. It becomes too much to bear when the night is disturbed by a sudden crash and the sound of the livestock squawking wildly. When you've pulled yourself out of your bedding, you're greeting by the sight of a large canine retreating into the night while the watchman shouts curses at it. As for the source of the crash, it looks like the cage full of chickens has fallen off of its sled. It's thankfully undamaged.

“They're tryin' to get at the birds,” the watchman explains. “They've been at it all night. That one was sneaky enough to try and drag the cage off while I wasn't looking.”

>He needs to do better. Tell him to keep an eye on the chickens from now on and not let it happen again.
>Assign more Voss to watch duty. They'll be exhausted when the morning comes but it's the only way.
>Teach these gendos to leave you alone. You're willing to expend a few bullets to scare them off.
>Sacrifice a chicken to sate their hunger. They're just wild dogs, they'll leave you alone once they're fed.

>>5392912
They're opportunists, so give them no opportunity. Camp out in a circle, chickens in the center

>>5392912
Can we chop a few trees or branches down to make a simple barricade?
Just some spikes on the ground and some torches should be enough to scare them off if we sleep like this anon said
>>5392918
Unless post-apocalypse wolves are way braver, or we attract attention from other things, of course.

>>5392912
>Teach these gendos to leave you alone. You're willing to expend a few bullets to scare them off.

It's just a few bullets to reduce a threat to us and our settlement. Better to be proactive about this rather than rolling the dice and having a gendo catching a tired guard off guard or bypassing our watchmen.

>>5392912
>>Teach these gendos to leave you alone. You're willing to expend a few bullets to scare them off.
Kill one. Skin it infront of the others, they will fuck off then

>>5392966
Seconding. We have some bullets to spare after all

>>5392912
>Teach these gendos to leave you alone. You're willing to expend a few bullets to scare them off.
Circle around and cover the chickens with blankets. Mark the area as yours with piss. Fashion a few simple spears. Spear or shoot any Gendo too stupid to get the message.

GM, you said memes shape the human soul, but dogs and wolves are some of the best understood creatures to man. Can we at least try to pacify/tame one?

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You decide to give the watchman a hand. Using ammunition on wild animals seems like a bit of a waste, but you have plenty of it back at the dispenser and it's worth it if it keeps your group and your livestock safe. You cover the cage with a blanket and stand watch with the tribesman.

There's five or six of the beasts, loping through the shadows cast by the trees and the firelight. They're crafty too – while you're distracted watching a couple of them prowl around twenty yards away, one of them tries to approach the chickens from another angle. That's the first one that you teach a lesson.

To start with, you don't shoot to kill. You flick off the safety and fire a single shot into the air with the gentlest squeeze of the trigger. The sudden crack of gunfire and the flare of the muzzle flash causes the beast to yelp and scamper off into the undergrowth. The pack keeps its distance for a while. They're shocked but not deterred and eventually, they decide to try their luck again. This time, you take aim and fire a small burst of three rounds. At least one of them finds its mark because the gendo crashes to the earth with a pained wail, while the others scatter.

You wait for the canine to bleed out and stop moving before you send out the watchman to get its carcass and skin it. Before long, your encampment is left stinking of blood as the gendo's hide is cut from its body. You're not sure if the beasts are smart enough to know that you killed one of their pack or if the stench of death is enough to dissuade them, but they don't approach your camp again. They just linger in the distance, watchful and wary.

When morning arrives at last, the chickens are safe and the Voss managed to get a few hours of sleep, after all of the shouting and gunfire. Even you managed to catch a little shut-eye after you were certain that you wouldn't be bothered again by the predators. The carcass is left behind to rot when you set out on the last leg of your journey, but you keep the gendo hide as a trophy. If nothing else, it serves as evidence that you do more for the tribe than just boss them around.

What follows is another full day of traversing the mountainside, of hauling the sleds uphill and finding slopes that aren't so steep that the cargo will topple off of them. When the sun begins to sink towards the horizon yet again, you're worried that you won't reach the bunker before nightfall. Your fears are assuaged when you finally start to see familiar landmarks and sure enough, shortly before sun has set, you arrive home.

In the four days that you have been gone for, the rest of the tribe have been hard at work. The trees near the bunker's entrance have been cleared and a perimeter has been established, marked by a crude wall of stakes driven into the earth. The palisade hasn't been finished yet, but it's certainly a start.

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Unfortunately, not all of the news is good. Some of the Voss have run into Leperos while they were hunting or foraging. While they haven't been seen near the bunker yet, these infected slaves of the Psychonauts have been trying to follow the tribesmen back home. So far the huntsmen and gatherers have managed to throw the drones off of their trail, but they will eventually find the dispenser.

The next piece of news is more annoying than concerning. After the medicine has been distributed and the infected tribesmen have been taught how to use the inhalers, the tribe gathers for an evening meal. Blayz chooses this moment to approach you with a complaint. According to him, Herrmann has been disrespectful and disobedient while you were away, refusing to do anything that the once-chieftain told him to do. During one heated confrontation, the giant even threatened to kill him.

Herrmann doesn't even deny the accusation.

“He pissed me off,” the big Borcan grunts. “I'm here to pay off my debt, not listen to that cunt. He's got no power over me. Thought a threat would shut him up.” You knows that Herrman wouldn't go through with it. In fact, he can't – the memes flowing through his brain strictly prohibit the harming of the Voss.

“You're here to repay my tribe for killin' one of ours. That means doin' what we tell you to do!” Blayz seems emboldened by your presence. “This bunker is the home o' the Voss, by the grace o' Three Hundred. You ain't got any say around here. Until you've paid off your debts, you better learn your place an' do as you're told.”

Though the rest of Voss are busy eating and drinking their fill, they're also listening to the argument – and you have no doubt whose side they would take.

First, how do you want to resolve the power struggle between Herrmann and Blayz?
>You are the authority here. Beneath you, everyone is equal. The Voss might not approve, but you don't want to give them too much power.
>Make Blayz your second-in-command. Considering that he's your puppet, he hopefully shouldn't do anything unpredictable with this position.
>Make Jurvaz your second-in-command. You have not planted any memes in his brain but you trust his judgment more than his brother's.
>Establish a hierarchy. Any outsiders in this community rank beneath the Voss and must serve them. This should keep them happy.

Second, how do you want to handle the Leperos problem?
>Keep calm and carry on. They will discover the bunker eventually, all you can do is gather resources optimally until then.
>Anyone wandering far from the bunker must go in groups. There's safety in numbers, just case the drones try to do anything.
>The Voss must arm themselves. Any Leperos that they encounter in the wilderness should be killed, for the safety of the tribe.
>Patrol the mountainside yourself. Your SMG should make quick work of any drones, but this will distract you from other projects.

>>5393175
I'll keep that suggestion in mind and make a prompt out of it when we get to an appropriate point in the future.

>>5393347
>Make Jurvaz your second-in-command. You have not planted any memes in his brain but you trust his judgment more than his brother's.
I still think he is an idiot but he is not stupidm
>Patrol the mountainside yourself. Your SMG should make quick work of any drones, but this will distract you from other projects.

>>5393347
>Make Jurvaz your second-in-command. You have not planted any memes in his brain but you trust his judgment more than his brother's.
Jurvaz is a good guy, and he has been surprisingly smart and fair so far.
Also Blayz is a cunt, so I don't blame Herrmann for threatening him.
>Anyone wandering far from the bunker must go in groups. There's safety in numbers, just case the drones try to do anything.
>The Voss must arm themselves. Any Leperos that they encounter in the wilderness should be killed, for the safety of the tribe.
They should only kill in self defense or if the leperos are too close.

>>5393430
Support

>>5393347
Supporting >>5393430
"Blayz, cool it with your brand of charme. It doesn't work. Jurvaz, you're Number Two now. Don't let it make you a cunt. Herrmann, do as Jurvaz says. Tell him when he's being a cunt."

>>5393347
>Make Jurvaz your second-in-command. You have not planted any memes in his brain but you trust his judgment more than his brother's.

Though I'm honestly fine with making a hierarchy too. This bunker specifically is our home but the land in general mostly belongs to the Voss. Any outsiders, especially those we've indentured due to them threatening us shouldn't expect to be on equal footing with them. I can understand the idea of having those memed more loyal to us being given higher position to solidify our position by having those we can actually trust in power, but it seems unnecessary. Having a Voss as a second in command or establishing a cultural hierarchy causes less social problems and we'd still have the loyalty of the memed subjects anyways for if the Voss turn on us. This way at least the Voss feel relatively represented by having a non-memed voice by our ear.

>Anyone wandering far from the bunker must go in groups. There's safety in numbers, just case the drones try to do anything.
>The Voss must arm themselves. Any Leperos that they encounter in the wilderness should be killed, for the safety of the tribe.
>Patrol the mountainside yourself. Your SMG should make quick work of any drones, but this will distract you from other projects.

All of these, safety in numbers at the cost of efficiency, go armed, invest in the security of our tribe over personal projects.

>>5393430
Supporting this

>>5393389
>Make Jurvaz your second-in-command. You have not planted any memes in his brain but you trust his judgment more than his brother's.
>Patrol the mountainside yourself. Your SMG should make quick work of any drones, but this will distract you from other projects.
Patrolling will lead to events and encounters. I am looking forward to it. I am also a little guilty that we are avoiding every plothook QM throws at us

>>5393852
>I am also a little guilty that we are avoiding every plothook QM throws at us
We're not avoiding them, we just choose to not swallow every hook. Doesn't mean that it won't nail us in the tailfin though.

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In due time, you will instruct the Voss to arm themselves with spears and travel in groups. Should they encounter any Leperos, they must kill them and burn the bodies. You consider patrolling the woodlands as well, but you decide against it. You still have to to master the UAVs and use them to break into the armoury, after all.

But right now, you need to sort out this squabble.

“You're right about one thing, Blayz. This is the land of the Voss and your people deserve a say. That's why your brother is going to help me lead.” The once-chieftain looks stunned, as does the runt Jurvaz. “I expect all of you to do as he asks, just like how you listen to me. That even applies to outsiders, like Herrmann and Karlee – they will obey him.”

The Voss don't seem to know how to react. Some of them look each and murmur thoughtfully, while others look irate. Until he woke you up, Jurvaz was seen as the village idiot. Suddenly, he's the closest thing to a chieftain that they have. It will take time for them to get used to the idea and there might be a few teething problems. Blayz looks crestfallen, but he wouldn't dream of refusing you, not after all of the memes that you've planted in his skull. Herrmann is annoyed with the prospect of having to obey a tribesman but likewise, he can't say no.

“I'm grateful, Three Hundred.” Jurvaz sheepishly pushes himself to his feet and the attention shifts towards him. “But the first thing I gotta do as your second is challenge you. There were things that you said back at Mulhouse that don't sit right with me an' it's 'bout time we spoke about that.”

“Let's hear it,” you reply. You know what's coming and you steel yourself.

“When we visited that alcove to sell all o' the Bygone devices, he offered to buy me. He thought I'd be a better Chronicler than Voss.” He's not much of a public speaker. Some of the other tribesmen look puzzled or can't hear him properly. The more he speaks, the clearer and louder his words become. “You said that you ain't a slaver, that you don't sell people – but what have you done to my brother and the outsiders, if you ain't enslaved them?”

“I serve out o' my own free will, you rat! Three Hundred gave you power an' you dare to question him?!” Blayz is furious with his brother. He even reaches for his knife but a stern look from you is all it takes to stop him in his tracks.

“I-I'm just holdin' him to his word,” Jurvaz stammers. “He said that he'd explain himself when we came back an' here we are.” His attention soon shifts back to you, as do the eyes of the other Voss.

>Focus on semantics. Blayz is right, it's not slavery if you don't have to force someone to obey.
>Create mythology. In Bygone times, humanity was naturally subservient to your ruling caste.
>The greater good. Everything you've done has been for the benefit of the tribe, from the start.
>Express remorse. You will no longer use your memes to make others serve, it is wrong.

>>5394131
>>Focus on semantics. Blayz is right, it's not slavery if you don't have to force someone to obey.

>>5394131
>The outsiders killed one of the tribe, just because they wanted to loot the ruin. Their work is their sentence to pay for what they did, once they have done enough, I'll let them go, as long as they do not speak of this place. Ever since the first man comitted a crime, there have been a need for justice. I believe that paying back thorugh labour is fairer than just taking their life in trade for the one they took. The order I gave was to make sure they would follow the agreement, to not try to escape or hurt more Voss.
>And stick to deals is the same reason I ordered Blayz. He brought his tribe under my roof, after kicking us both out when we offered help. So I made sure that the oath he swore would be followed.
>The only other time I used my voice was on the huntress during our expedition to the village, a single order out of pure nescessity, to avoid having an argument while trying to hide from the Leperos. Even then, I still feel some remorse, and still why I told the Spitalians about it being empty, so they may put the villagers to rest without spreading the sickness.
>I try to use my voice only out of desperation or fairness, to either make sure oaths are followed or that the Voss survive. And I help the Voss because you helped me, and a person should always pay back their neighbor, specially in hard times.
>Still, I thank you for confronting me about it Jurvaz. It is easy for someone in power to become a tyrant, and with my voice, I could become much worse than that. I hope you continue to remind me of my own promises to fairness. It's why I made you my second in command afterall.

>>5394158
I may have gone too far with the write-in.

>>5394131
>>Create mythology. In Bygone times, humanity was naturally subservient to your ruling caste.
I have a feeling sleepers do this all the time...

>>5394131
Jurvaz is a more clever guy than he's been given credit for. It's a shame he's been seen the way he has.

Without the memes the tribe would have fallen to the illness, and you wouldn't have gotten the useful information from the scrappers to heal them, who would have maimed the tribe otherwise. They're doing their time, simple as that. Blayz was a trickier matter, reckon we could spin it as his hubris going to be the tribe's downfall, and why should Jurvaz care anyway after how he was treated.

Man it doesn't feel like there's any good way to put all this without seeming high and mighty about the whole thing. It's obvious the anons' general consensus it to be kind of a nice guy, whether by pragmatic or moral reasoning, but our power isn't really suited to being the nice guy. The memes are more suited for ruthlessness.

>>5394131
Specifically >>5394158
It's a wall of a write-in, but absolutely on point and in character.

>>5394131
>Create mythology. In Bygone times, humanity was naturally subservient to your ruling caste.

It’s just easier.

However, we were philosopher kings who always wanted advice - not simply yes-men

We will rule this way:
>The greater good. Everything you've done has been for the benefit of the tribe, from the start.

>>5394131
Supporting >>5394158

This hits on all the points I wanted to bring up from last thread.

Otherwise I'd basically go for something like...

>The greater good. Everything you've done has been for the benefit of the tribe, from the start.

...since it basically fits with the write-in's broad theme. We use our power to fulfill an urgent need for security and the greater good. It secures our debts and makes sure others keep to word to us.

Locking the vote here and preparing a post. Going with >>5394158, though it will have to be abridged otherwise it would pad out the majority of my post.

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“Every time that I brought the voice to bear, I have done so out of necessity and to hold others to their word.”

If you didn't compel the outsiders to make amends for the harm that they had caused, they would have tried to escape justice and likely killed more Voss in the process.
If you didn't compel Blayz to follow your lead, he might have tried to wrest control of the vault from you and cast you out again like he did before.
If you didn't compel the huntress to obey while you were looting the ruins of the village, her words and actions might have drawn the attention of the Leperos.

On each of these occasions, you had no other choice. Sometimes you must make difficult decisions, sometimes survival and safety must be put before the freedom of others. In the end, you will do whatever it takes to help the Voss though because if it wasn't for their tribe – if it wasn't for Jurvaz specifically – then you would still be frozen in your chamber. Your fates are now intertwined.

Plenty of tribesmen seem puzzled by your logic. They aren't used to discussing philosophical issues like free will. Jurvaz seems to wrap his head around it though and by the end of your explanation, he's nodding along, seemingly satisfied.

“Well I ain't got a magical voice to hold you to yer word, but I'll do my best. So long as you only use it in times o' need or for the good o' the tribe, then I'll follow yer lead.”

“That's why I made you my second,” you reply. “You weren't afraid of confronting me when my words didn't align with my actions and for that, I thank you. It's easy for a man with power to become a tyrant and with my voice, I could become much worse than that.”

In the end, the tension in the room has dissipated. Though you still come across as a peculiar outsider to some of the Voss, at least they have one of their own leading the tribe alongside you, someone who has sworn to keep you in check. The rest of the night is uneventful and after everyone has eaten their fill, they retire for the night.

Time passes.

Though it takes some time for them to get used to the sensation of filling their lungs with an aerosol, Karlee and the infected tribesmen use the inhalers regularly. Hunters and gatherers now leave the bunker in packs of three or four, armed with wooden spears and bows. Whenever they come across any Leperos, they are under strict orders to kill them on sight and burn the bodies. While you do occasionally reinforce the memes that keep Blayz and the Scrappers in check, Jurvaz insists on watching every time, to make sure that you aren't taking any liberties. Otherwise, whenever you have a free moment, you are busy learning how to operate the UAV and mastering its myriad commands.

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Another week goes by and everything seems relatively stable.

No more do you need to worry about scrounging up wild seeds to plant in a feeble attempt at agriculture. Thanks to the supplies that you brought back from Mulhouse, the Voss have everything that they need to sow all of the arable land they can find with potatoes and grain. Within three or four months, your first harvest should be ready and any food issues that the tribe has should be sorted.

A primitive pen has been assembled for the chickens within the boundaries of the palisade and the tribesmen are overjoyed with the eggs that they produce. Unfortunately, the presence of livestock has drawn the attention of gendos. Guards posted by the entrance overnight have had to chase off the beasts more than once and there's evidence that they have tried to dig under the palisade too.

Every day, there's at least one report of a Leperos encounter. These slaves to Sepsis mindlessly follow any tribesmen they see, without realising the danger that they're in. They only fight back when the Voss set upon them and by that point, it's too late.

What's odd is that occasionally, some of these hunting parties hear distant thunder and come across the charred carcasses of drones that they did not kill. The smoke that rises from these corpses is almost always foul-smelling and whenever the Voss have been able to determine a cause of death, it has always been a bullet wound in the torso or the skull.

Someone else is lurking in the wilderness and taking out the Leperos.

This leads to another encounter with Shuhrak, the huntsman who challenged you in Mulhouse. He pleads for the Voss to be granted thunder-sticks like yours. According to him, the tribe has no hope of defending itself against outsiders with simple knives and spears. If they had guns, they would have a much better chance of defending themselves from foreign threats and wild animals.

First, do you want to give the Voss access to firearms?
>Absolutely not. Other than memes, firepower is your only means of keeping the tribe in line.
>Give Jurvaz that rusty hodgepodge of a gun that one of the dead Scrappers used. That will suffice.
>The best huntsmen of the tribe will be given submachine guns and taught how to use them.
>The more people who can defend themselves, the better. Arm as many of the Voss as you can.
>URGE: Those who wield guns must be loyal to you above all else. This might upset Jurvaz.

Second, how do you want to deal with this marksman lurking in the wilderness?
>Leave them be. So far they haven't hinder your tribe, so there's no need to worry too much.
>Send out a search party. They have to lead some sort of trail and the Voss know this land well.
>Lead the search personally. You don't want the tribesmen to screw up if they find them.
>Use one of the UAVs. You have enough control by now that you should be able to scout with one.

>>5395057
>>Absolutely not. Other than memes, firepower is your only means of keeping the tribe in line.
no?
That hunter must be an advance of the spitalians!! That's good news. I hope we can be in agreeable terms with them. I bet they already have scouted our location, that is unavoidable for someone trained and with equipment.
We better welcome them
>Lead the search personally. You don't want the tribesmen to screw up if they find them.

>>5395057
>Teach them all how to use the weaponry, but leave the guns on the Dispenser's armory. They should only be used as a last defense, lest you run out of ammo when you need it the most.
>Lead the search personally. You don't want the tribesmen to screw up if they find them.

>>5395057
>The best huntsmen of the tribe will be given submachine guns and taught how to use them.
>URGE: Those who wield guns must be loyal to you above all else. This might upset Jurvaz.

Explain to him that giving out strong weapons invites a power struggle. Our leadership is good for all and should not be challenged by those who merely wish self-advancement

>Lead the search personally. You don't want the tribesmen to screw up if they find them.

>>5395057
>Ask how the Voss dealt with outsiders wielding firearms. It seems the Voss would've already been subjugated with Mulhouse nearby and with Blayz's 'might makes right' attitude.

>Give Jurvaz that rusty hodgepodge of a gun that one of the dead Scrappers used. That will suffice.
>Teach them all how to use the weaponry, but leave the guns on the Dispenser's armory. They should only be used as a last defense, lest you run out of ammo when you need it the most.

The Voss can manufacture bows and arrows, but bullets are in limited supply. If whoever is out there means us harm, then whoever first encounters them will be dead anyways if it isn't us. They'd be better trained and more experienced with firearms compared to the as of yet completely untrained Voss. So delaying the defensive response and accepting that individual Voss will have insufficient means of self-defence is an acceptable evil given it wouldn't do them much good anyways unless used in an organized defence, nor can we have them spending bullets willy-nilly on gendos when arrows will suffice.

We should let them spend a tiny amount of ammo getting used to the sound and flash of a gun firing and to know how the recoil feels, but we don't have enough ammo to both train them properly and have enough left over for actual combat use.

>Lead the search personally. You don't want the tribesmen to screw up if they find them.

Better to be proactive and seen leading. We want control over how this plays out too.

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You will certainly teach the Voss how to wield firearms. Everyone who is physically able to use a gun will be taught how to shoot with one. However, you are not going to allow them to use these guns whenever they want. It will be a final resort, to make sure that whenever they use ammunition, it will be used on a worthwhile target and not just wild animals. You have a limited supply and at this point in time, no way of making more. Teaching these tribesmen to be frugal with bullets will be as important as showing them how to fire a gun.

To begin with, you will train the trackers and huntsmen. They will be the ones who will follow this mystery marksman's trail with you, so you want them to be prepared when they do. You spend a day educating them, most of which is done with the weapons unloaded. Only after hours of drilling the basic principles into them do you allow them to fire with live ammunition, and only three times each. One of them is so shocked by the flash, the bang and the recoil of the weapon that he keeps pressure on the trigger for far too long. Half of a magazine is wasted in a single burst and you end up having to reprimand him, to use him as an example of how firearms shouldn't be used.

In the end, you end up spending two magazines of ammunition on this training exercise. There's plenty left, but you're painfully aware of how finite your reserves are. You make sure to collect the casings from now on – you might not be able to manufacture bullets yet, but they will come in useful if you ever develop the means to do so. You select the three tribesmen who showed the most promise and prudence to help you hunt for the outsider – Shuhrak, Gall and Myree.

The search commences on the following day. The three of them lead you through the forest and before long, they find the trail that they're looking for. Human footprints left in the loam, that don't match the boots looted from the lockers that the Voss wear. Cautiously, your party follows the track uphill, further up the mountainside than the bunker. Up here, the trees grow thinner and the ground is a lot rockier. It doesn't take long before the footprints end, but that doesn't deter your trackers. They see patterns in the disturbed grit and traces of mud on the gravel.

You know that you're close to your quarry when you suddenly hear a gunshot, loud and clear. Dust explodes into the air a few yards in front of you, where the bullet impacts the scree. One of the huntsmen cries out and all of them clutch at their SMGs – but you chose these three because you knew that they wouldn't just fire blindly into the air. As for where the marksman is, there's plenty of rocky outcrops further up the slope – you can't say exactly where he's hiding.

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That could have been a warning shot, or perhaps it was a failed attempt to put a bullet in one of you. Either way, it doesn't seem like this outsider is very interested in talking.

>Fall back, take cover. There's some rocks further down the slope that will offer some protection.
>Retreat. The marksman clearly doesn't want to be bothered and you don't want to risk any lives.
>Hold your ground. Remain out in the open and try to make it known that you come in peace.
>Keep going. If this outsider wanted to put a bullet in you, they would have by now. Don't stop.

>>5396213
>Fall back, take cover. There's some rocks further down the slope that will offer some protection.

Caution is the better part of valour

>>5396213
>Hold your ground. Remain out in the open and try to make it known that you come in peace.
Do we have a white flag to wave around? Signs? Straight up put our arms up? We just wnat to talk.

>>5396213
>Retreat. The marksman clearly doesn't want to be bothered and you don't want to risk any lives
hurr hurr let's sent an armed party to hunt for an expert scout hurr

shakes my sm h

>>5396213
>>Fall back, take cover. There's some rocks further down the slope that will offer some protection.
Good enough to have a shouted conversation.

>>5396213
>>Fall back, take cover. There's some rocks further down the slope that will offer some protection.

>>5396213
>Fall back, take cover. There's some rocks further down the slope that will offer some protection.
>Shout out in a authoritative voice asking what the fuck he thinks he is doing on our land shooting at us. If he is here to deal with the Soulless then he'd be better off coordinating with us or at least telling us what he is doing.

>>5396345
I'd have to check the books again, but I don't think Judges are exactly known to be expert scouts, at least not by default. Good gunmen though.

>>5396582
Not every image I post is an accurate depiction of events.

In this instance, I just chose those pictures because they featured guns and this was a gun-centric update.

>>5396582
a what now...

>>5396582
+1

but no metagaming hombre!

>>5386853
Are you still around or did you go into stasis?

>>5406340
the nanites got to 'em

Not suprised qm ditched.
We wasted all the potential of the lore and setting to play as another generic city builder and management sim.

>>5415889
We became some retard tribals babysitters, if anything im impressed he endured this much

>>5416180
True.

I did want to leave to go east to the Protectorate and have adventures or whatever in the first thread, but I was outvoted 'cause people wanted to stay in the bunker.

yeah... in hindsight bothering with the tribals AT ALL is shitto

>>5417960
I voted to ditch them, shoot them, mind control them every time it comes up but the moral fags always had their way.

>>5417964
I agree. I did vote to hunker in the bunker but all that freedom shit was useless... also we avoided all the story hooks because we wanted to maintain secrecy oh bummer