>>6065973
>Herder (skilled in Animals and Survival, knowledgeable in Tanning)

I just want to herd my hecking goats.

>>6065975
>Herder (skilled in Animals and Survival, knowledgeable in Tanning)

>>6065973
>Trader (skilled in Scouting, Communication, and Crafting)

>>6065973
>Craftsman (skilled in Crafting; knowledgeable in Building and Tailoring)

>>6065973
>Craftsman (skilled in Crafting; knowledgeable in Building and Tailoring)

>>6065973
>Hunter (skilled* in Athletics, Marksmanship, knowledgeable** in Trapping)

File: herder.jpg (120 KB, 564x949)

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Day 1 - Midsummer, Morning [n], Clear, Forest

You recall your grazing herd, the few sheep you used to tend, with great fondness. You had abandoned them, as others of your clan had abandoned other things, to migrate into a new land. The only thing which remains with you now is your herding dog, Dozer, who licks your fingers as you ponder what to do next.

From your present vantage it is difficult to make out where you are. It would help to get to some high ground. Although you're not hungry or thirsty right now, you will be soon. On the bright side, if the weather remains as it is, you should be able to camp out in the elements without suffering any ill effects.

Action for this Quarter*:
>Forage for food and a source of water [Survival]
>Hike to some high ground for a better vantage point
>Explore your immediate surroundings
>Write-in

*Time in this quest moves in Quarters (morning, day, evening, night)
For those who picked other choices: don't worry, they only affect your starting skills. You can improve and acquire skills/knowledge through the course of the quest.

>>6066016
>Hike to some high ground for a better vantage point

>>6066016
>Hike to some high ground for a better vantage point
We can spot the scalebastards and maybe spot some food

>>6066016
>Forage for food and a source of water [Survival]

>>6066016
>Hike to some high ground for a better vantage point

>>6066016
>>Write-in
>>Bond with Dozer
Awwwwww yeeeeeaaaaahhhh

>>6066016
>Hike to some high ground for a better vantage point

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Day 1 - Midsummer, Day [o], Clear, Forest

Following the lay of the land, you try and move towards higher ground. Eventually you find a steep hill which is bare of trees at the peak. It should give you a decent overview of your surroundings.
The climb takes hours, mostly because you must stop frequently to catch your breath. Dozer sits sedately at the base of the hill, awaiting your return. Without the cover of the trees, the sun falls harshly on your bare back but you are able to see a great distance away. First, to the north, the forest recedes into a clear grassland. You can see some large animals grazing there, bison, or possibly aurochs. The forest sprawls out in every other direction and it is difficult to see beyond their thickets.

Having now oriented yourself somewhat, you begin the descent back to Dozer. In the summertime, the light lasts long into the evening, so you may continue hiking for a while yet. You could continue further through the forest, seeking out another high point in another place to acquire more information about the area. Alternatively, you could just head north, out of the forest and into the plain. Foraging is more likely to be successful in the forest, however, with its abundance of foilage.

Action for this Quarter:
>Forage for food and a source of water [Survival]
>Hike to some new high ground in the forest
>Hike north into the plains
>Write-in

>>6066090
>Hike to some new high ground in the forest

>>6066090
>Forage for food and a source of water [Survival]

>>6066090
Dang. No sign of our herd. Luckily: so sign of scalies, either. Better get refreshments...
>Forage for food and a source of water [Survival]
Then, maybe plan an assault on a plains beast to get hide for bags and such? Organs for a waterskin, maybe?

>>6066090
>Forage for food and a source of water [Survival]

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Day 1 - Midsummer, Evening [-], Clear, Forest

You decide look for some food while there's still light. You unfortunately did not spot any rivers while you were up on the hill so you search for any pools or ponds or even a small stream to drink from. As you search, you collect various berries that you find growing on the bushes, as well as mushrooms flourishing on the base and trunks of trees. As it is midsummer, many of the berries are not yet ripe and have a very tart flavor. The mushrooms, however, are delectable. You'd prefer to eat them cooked or boiled in some water with other vegetables, which would have lasted you much longer, but for now you eat them raw as you find them, passing a few to Dozer to munch on as you go. You feel quite sated for now, but have eaten whatever you found.

Eventually you do find a small, murky pond. There are no fish in the pond, but you encounter a watersnake with black and orange scales, which nearly bites you as you reach down to drink. As such snakes are usually poisonous, the encounter leaves you a little rattled. The snake slips back into the water before you can do anything and you decide to give the pond a wide berth, if only for Dozer's sake.

Stress*: [o----]
Action for this Quarter:
>Continue foraging for food and water [Survival]
>Hike to some new high ground in the forest
>Explore the forest for a cave to spend the night
>Write-in

*Stress is reduced by resting, eating a cooked meal, drinking, and other activities. You can take on stress for bonuses to actions, but stress automatically increases on failed rolls/partial successses. Going over stress limit causes a (mental/physical) breakdown with permanent effects.

>>6066137
>Explore the forest for a cave to spend the night

Nothing bad ever happens in caves in lowish fantasy settings

>>6066137
>There are no fish in the pond, but you encounter a watersnake with black and orange scales, which nearly bites you as you reach down to drink. As such snakes are usually poisonous, the encounter leaves you a little rattled.
venomous*
>Explore the forest for a cave to spend the night

>>6066147
Venom - n. - a poisonous substance secreted by animals
<:^)
>>6066137
>Write-in
>Trap a watersnake for its meat, and adorn our loincloth or fashion clothing with its aposematic colors for a safety bonus from predators [Animals]
Protecting the herd from snakes was one of our most dangerous and despised chores, if we can kill a snake now, it could give us a boost to our mood.

>>6066202
+1
If we can't kill little snakes, how will we avenge ourselves against the big, humanoid ones?

>>6066137

>>6066202
+1
It's worth a try.
>>6066137

>>6066137
>Explore the forest for a cave to spend the night

>>6066202
>>6066222
>>6066336

I like the idea. However, in order to do this you will need to make a snare, which requires a Quarter's time and half a unit of Cloth or Leather to prepare. I'll let you use reeds and/or tree bark as a substitute. You can get anywhere from 0-6 units of this (you just need 1 unit for this purpose) by foraging for a Quarter.

If you want to proceed with this, then I'll assume you'll spend this Quarter gathering the necessary materials, then another Quarter preparing the trap. Having gone to all that trouble, you won't need to roll for capturing the snake. You skills with Animals is by itself sufficient for this task.

Alternatively, you can try to dispense with trapping and fight the snake directly with your knife. Your skill with animals will only carry you so far in that case (counts as half the current skill level for this action) and there's a chance you might be bitten and envenomed (both of which will increase your base stress until they are relieved).

>Forage for materials for the snare
>Fight the snake directly with your knife
>Abandon this idea and do something (see >>6066137)
>Write-in

>>6066430
>Forage for materials for the snare

>>6066430
>Forage for materials for the snare

>>6066430
>Forage for materials for the snare

>>6066430
>Forage for materials for the snare

Day 1 - Midsummer, Night [)], Clear, Forest

Reminded again of the scalemen's ambush by the sight of the snake, you decide to satisfy yourself with a distant kind of revenge. You'll trap, kill, and skin the snake, and then you'll make a belt out of its hide. You'll wear it not only as a reminder of the scalemen's treachery, but as a warning to any other creatures that might think to attack you.

To do this, first, you need to gather some materials to make a snare. This is easy as there are many suitable reeds and cattails growing near the pond that you can use. You keep Dozer away, just in case you encounter the snake again, and by the time night falls you've manage to gathered much more material (+4 units of Reeds) than you actually need. Perhaps you can use the excess for other things.

Having hiked about all day, you are feeling a bit tired. You could just keep going into the night, working on the snare a safe distance away from the pond. But the moon is obscured by clouds, and you can't see very well. You don't have any skill in making such crafts either, and trying to do so in the dark or by the light of a small fire, could prove quite difficult. Maybe you're better off turning in till tomorrow?

Stress: [o----]
Action for this Quarter:
>Rest for the night
>Work on the snare
>Search for a cave
>Write-in

>>6066493
>Search for a cave

>>6066493
>Rest for the night

>>6066493
>Work on the snare

>>6066493
>Rest for the night

Day 2 - Midsummer [n], Clear, Forest

You decide to turn in for the night, finding a comfortable spot beneath the shade of a tree on which to rest. Dozer curls up with you and you drift off, the sounds of the forest and gentle movement of Dozer's stomach, lulling you into a peaceful slumber. As it is summer, the effects of exposure are limited. Not much more than a few buzzing insects that flee from the smoke of your fire.

You wake up to the sound of birds chirping and the sun shining through the leaves above. The forest is alive with activity, and you feel refreshed from your rest. Dozer is already up, sniffing around the area, his tail wagging in excitement. In the brief space of time before you are fully awake, but not quite asleep, you are able to forget the loss of everything you ever held dear. Your family, your herd, and your home. Then the memory of the attack comes crashing back, renewing your resolve.

You stretch your limbs and take a deep breath, feeling the cool morning air fill your lungs. You'll need to forage for food again today, if you don't want to pass the night hungry. You could also just focus on what you started yesterday with the snare. Once the snake is skinned, you can then cook the meat over a fire and eat it. If you ration conservatively, you should be able to make it last a few days. Alternatively, you could just explore a bit while the sun is still low and it is cool.

Stress: [-----]
Action for this Quarter:
>Work on the snare
>Forage for food [Survival]
>Hike to a new location
>Write-in

>>6066628
>Work on the snare

>>6066628
>>Work on the snare

>>6066628
>work on the snare

Snare, need meat

Day 2 - Midsummer [)], Clear, Forest

You set down the reads you collected yesterday and work on fashioning the snare. It turns out to be a much more difficult task than you anticipated, on account of your lack of skill in the craft. You end up spending both morning and afternoon in hopeless frustration, as well as your entire stock of reeds, just to make a single snare. Once it's set however, it's trivial to lure the snake into it. First, you clear out a path, blocking out any alternate routes the snake might take with stones and brambles. Then you begin disturbing the pond by hitting it with a broad branch filled with leaves. The snake shoots out and you're able to easily chase it into the trap.

The noose slips around its body and tightens, and though the snake thrashes and hisses, it's unable to escape. You take a moment to admire your handiwork, before jamming your knife into the snake's head, killing it instantly. Skinning it proves to be no more difficult than shearing or skinning one of your sheep. Using the wound you've already made, you extend it downward, a shallow cut that's just enough to separate the skin from the flesh. You then poke your fingers through the cut and carefully peel the skin back, like you would open a pod of peas. Where the skin resists separation, you use the knife to cut away the connective tissue.

Once you've gotten it off, you clean the meat liberally with water from the pond, and then cut it into strips. From the head, you extract the brain and mash into a paste for use in tanning. The entrails you discard. You then begin stoking the fire you made last night to cook the remaining pieces. Once again, your lack of skill results in burning or otherwise spoiling some of the meat. Still, there's enough left over that you're able to eat your fill and wrap some in leaves for later. Your food problems appear to be solved for the moment.

As for the skin, you clean it as best you can, and then stretch it out on a tree branch to dry. You'll need to tan it before it can be used for anything, but it's too dark to do that now. You'll have to wait until tomorrow. With the snake gone, you can safely use the pond for a reliable source of water.

Stress: [o----]
Inventory: +Food (diminished)*
Action for this Quarter:
>Explore the area around the pond
>Turn in for the night
>Gather some materials for a basic lean-to [Survival]
>Write-in

*Consumables range from three qualities: plentiful, diminished, and meager. When you consume a resource, there's an increasing chance it proceeds to the next quality, until it is completely depleted.

>>6066719
>Gather some materials for a basic lean-to [Survival]

>>6066719
>Turn in for the night
Let us rest for tonight, but tomorrow we should find a proper to rest. A cave or something, we cant be in the open too much.

>>6066730
rest now
avenge tribe later
snakeskins days are numbers
let it be known

>>6066733
We will reap our bloody vengeance and skin their hides.

>>6066719
>Gather some materials for a basic lean-to [Survival]

>>6066719
>Turn in for the night
It is too dark to build a shelter. It will have to wait until tomorrow. I will go to bed with Dozer and my thoughts of revenge to keep me warm.

>>6066719
>Gather some materials for a basic lean-to [Survival]
PEDAL TO THE METAL!!!

You decide to turn in at the same spot as the night before. Morning comes without any disturbances, and you feel well-rested.

It is a new day. The sky is overcast with heavy clouds, and the air is laden with moisture. If it rains, it will ruin the snakeskin you've left to dry, not to mention leave you exposed to the cold. It might be a good idea to seek out some shelter, either by building one (though you've little skill in the art and no knowledge of how to make the huts in which you used to live) or by seeking out a cave. Caves would be more common in mountainous areas, but you might be able to find one in this forest.

Constructing a simple lean-to is going to require some materials. You'll need some branches to serve as the frame, and some leaves or grass to serve as the roof (3 Wood). You'll also need some cordage to tie it all together--cloth or leather would be ideal, but reeds should work just as well, so long as you use more of it (8 Reeds). You should be able to cut the branches with your knife, though, ideally, you'd use an ax to do this kind of work. Making one from raw materials (1 Stone, 1 Wood), could take up to a whole day however.

Day 3 - Midsummer [n], Cloudy, Forest
Stress: [-----]
Action for this Quarter:
>Explore the area for a cave
>Gather materials for a lean-to [Survival]
>Start working on an ax
>Write-in

>>6067182
>Gather materials for a lean-to [Survival]

>>6067182
Explore the area for a cave. While I would like to build a shelter, I don't know how. I should seek the strength and certainty of stone and practice my survival skills when less is at stake. As a shepherd, exploring is more my speed than gathering and crafting anyway.

>>6067182
>Explore the area for a cave

>>6067182
>Write In
Work on the snare

>>6067182
>Explore the area for a cave

>>6067182
>Gather materials for a lean-to [Survival]

>it's cave time

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You decide to take some preemptive action and seek out a cave to shelter in. After several hours of searching you find what appears to be a small cave in the side of a mossy cliff. It is about a tree's height up from the base and requires you to climb up the side in order to reach it. Although you're able to go up without much difficulty, and verify that the space is empty and suitable, upon coming down you place your foot at a bad angle and manage to twist it. It doesn't seem broken, luckily, but it hurts to walk. Having to climb up and down like this is also inconvenient. Ideally, you could fashion a rope or even a rope ladder (x4 Cloth or x12 Reeds), which would not only mark the spot but also make it easy to climb in and out.

As it is you can't even bring Dozer up there, so you'll have to leave him down below. You could also just keep looking for another place, although hiking right now does not seem like a particularly pleasant activity. It might also be worth getting onto some high ground again, to see if you can't find a more mountainous area, where the caves are likely to be numerous. You might even find signs of other people.

Day 3 - Midsummer [o], Cloudy, Forest
Stress: [W----]
Status: Wounded
Action for this Quarter:
>Continue exploring the area for a cave
>Hike to high ground
>Start gathering materials for a rope
>Write-in

>>6067519
>Start gathering materials for a rope

>>6067519
>Write-in
>Start making an ax
With an ax I will be able to make a ladder sturdy enough to carry Dozer up at night, and I'm going to need one eventually anyway for firewood and daily material needs.
It seems I will be laid up for a couple of days anyway while my ankle heals, so now is the perfect time to spend crafting an inevitable need.

>>6067519
>Start gathering materials for a rope

is mental health an issue in this game? like if we get really upset then is there a risk that we hang ourselves with our rope or throw ourselves off a cliff?

>>6067519
>>6067644
+1

>>6067644
+1

>>6067519
Ropes. We need to build a bigger snare to catch some filthy scaleskins.

>>6067644
>>6067786
>>6067798

*It's time now to introduce the fast-foward mechanic of this quest. Whenever you attempt an action which will take more than a single quarter to complete and you have access to adequate food, water and shelter, you will fast-forward until either the action is completed or the following interrupts you:

>A random encounter
>A status change
>Running out of food/water/shelter

For the axe, you'll need to gather wood and stone (1 quarter), knap the axehead (1 quarter), and carve the handle and put it together (1 Quarter). You are assumed to rest 1 Quarter per day when fast-forwarding, so you'll be finished with the axe by noon tomorrow.

>>6067780

*Ending the quest because you killed yourself from suicidal depression isn't particularly interesting to me. However, the stress meter also encompasses your mental state. You can potentially have a "mental break" that leaves permanent damage (memory loss, panic attacks, hallucinations, etc.). There are some status effects related to mental health (e.g Bored--which you'll get if you puruse a single action or stay cooped up in one place for too long, and Terrified--which you'll get if you encounter something scary).

>>6067644
+1
now we can dual wield an axe and a knife, hell yeah

File: axe.jpg (34 KB, 474x1002)

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You decide to dedicate some time to fashioning yourself an axe. You've seen others in the village work on such crafts before, though never actually attempted it yourself. First, you gather the necessary materials. Wood for the handle is easy enough to find, but finding a good sized stone to knap into the head takes a bit of roaming. All this walking around does nothing to alleviate the pain of your wound, but by noontime you've collected more than you need (+2 Stone, +2 Wood).

You then give your leg a bit of rest and set to knapping the head into shape. Sitting by the pond, you strike a large stone with a smaller one until it cracks into, leaving behind a sharp piece that tapers to a rough edge. The remainder of the time is spent grinding the head down, pouring water over it, and grinding it some more until the edge is smooth and sharp. You return to the foot of the cave to eat and to feed Dozer, dismayed at how quickly your provisions have depleted (there's hardly any meat left now). Rather than risking the climb on your injured leg, you decide to sleep out at the base of the cliff. You manage to get lucky: it does not rain after all and the clouds are gone by morning.

You spend the rest of the morning carving the handle of the axe with your knife. First stripping away the layers of rough bark, then using water and the smaller stone to polish it into a smooth pole, about the length of your extended arm. You then carefully puncture a hole at the top using your knife and a bit of heat from the fire and hammer the back of your axehead through until it is firmly fixed. Giving it a few test swings, you find the weapon to be a bit imbalanced--possibly something having to do with the head, you don't have enough knowledge of knapping to know what--but more thann sufficient for cutting down wood--or scalemen, should appear before you.

In any case, the lesser level of activity and a full night's rest did wonder's for your leg. It appears now to be fully healed.

Day 4 - Midsummer [o], Clear, Forest
Stress: [-----]
Inventory: -Food (meager), +1 Stone, +1 Wood, +1 Stone Axe
Action for this Quarter:
>Chop down a tree for lumber
>Hike to high ground
>Start gathering materials for a rope
>Write-in

>>6068090
>Start gathering materials for a rope

>>6068090
>>Chop down a tree for lumber

>>6068090
I for one say that we need to focus on finding more food. Lets snare up more slithering scalies!

>>6068090
I feel like we should gather food before we run dry, or somehow rely on our skills to get an edge.
>Write-in
>Partner with Dozer to explore and forage/hunt for nearby wildlife in the vicinity [Animals and/or Survival]
Mushrooms, beehives, dung, footprints, egg clutches, running water... There's bound to be some kind of meal nearby.

>>6068198
+1
>>6068090

>>6068090
>>6068198
+1

>>6068090
>Chop down a tree for lumber
>Notch the tree for footholds and lean it up against the cliff wall for easy access to the cave
The whole point of doing all this was to secure shelter for ourselves if the sky opens up and starts to rain. We need food, but we need to get our ladder done before we wander off to some other task. We can go hungry for a quarter or two so that we have reliable every-day shelter and a place to store the food we do gather.

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You decide to stock up on food before attempting anything else. You could continue forage for nuts, berries and other fruits and vegetables, but the taste of meat has left you wanting more. Why not attempt to hunt something in the forest? You have a suitable weapon now, to fight off larger critters. You have Dozer, who is a pretty good tracker. And you have some experience in hunting, sometimes going after the wolves or other predators that would prey on your sheep. Other times just tracking and locating sheep that had gotten lost.

You follow Dozer as he sniffs the ground and it isn't long before he finds hoof prints and spoor of must be a deer or fawn. You follow the tracks late into the evening, but at last come upon a singular doe, feeding on some grass in the middle of a clearing. At this distance, only a bow or a sling would be able to find purchase, so you creep closer, staying hidden in the trees, careful not to make a sound. At one point, your loincloth gets caught in some brambles and tears open, but you ignore it. Dozer is waiting in the background to give chase as soon as blood is drawn.

Now you are close enough to throw your axe. You'll only get one shot, for once the doe takes off, you won't be able to give chase--the sun is already setting, and you're sure to lose it in the forest. You take one more step, holding your breath, and throw the axe in a quick jerking movement, releasing it from bottom of the handle. It spins through the air in an elongated arc and lands squarely on the hindquarters of the doe. The doe takes off at once, dislodging the axe, but the blade must have chipped bone, for it runs with an awkward gait, favoring its other legs. Dozer takes off after it upon smelling blood, and you follow behind him at a leisurely pace. The doe is soon exhausted by the bloodloss and is lies shivering at the base of a tree. You quickly slit its throat with your knife, then, hoisting the carcass on your shoulders, you carry it back to the foot of your cave.

Now, you have a bit of a predicament. Night has fallen. To leave the carcass out in the open till morning is to invite predators. On the other hand, attempting to butcher the animal by the light of the campfire risks spoiling the meat--not to mention you're exhausted from the day's work. You could try and carry it up to the cave, but the weight of it will make it even more challenging than it already is.

Day 4 - Midsummer [)], Clear, Forest
Stress: [E----]
Status: Exhausted
Inventory: +Doe Carcass, -Loincloth
Action for this Quarter:
>Butcher and dress the carcass while its fresh
>Turn in for night, leaving the carcass out
>Attempt to climb up and place the carcass in the cave
>Write-in

>>6068594
>>Butcher and dress the carcass while its fresh
Prepare and guard the carcass through the night, and sleep in the day
(Open to being persuaded to changing my vote)

>>6068610
+1

>>6068594

>>6068594
>Butcher and dress the carcass while its fresh

>>6068594
>>Butcher and dress the carcass while its fresh
Very nice hunt. We are eating good tonight.

>>6068610
+1
>>6068594

>I'm very sorry for flaking like a faggot
looks like OP is a double faggot now

I’m gonna take over this quest in 2 or 3 days if OP doesn’t respond by then. Something like “I caught a ban on home wifi, give me time” is enough for a response.

>>6070373
>>6070552
Ugh.

>>6071347
Please do!

OP here. Still alive. Just got a bit busy with irl stuff. Will continue this weekend.

#6071440
>Ugh.
back to red dit, nigger

>>6071476
...did you manually type out that post id?

>>6071347
+1

Current tally:
Votes for OP to continue: 0
Votes for new poster to take over: 3

Will OP respect the voters wishes? Or go rogue?

If OP is continuing the anon should just make a new thread for his quest to be honest.

#6071476
No.

>>6071509
This makes the most sense, though if OP's really coming back there's not necessarily any need.

>>6071472
Looking forward to it.

>>6071472
Okay, cool. Look forward to it

You decide to stay up and butcher the meat as best you can by the firelight. You take your time, first sharpening your stone knife on a nearby rock, then carefully cutting the meat from the bones. You're not an expert, but you've done this before when you've had to put down one of your sheep, and there were many times that you observed others do it. The low light multiplies the difficulty however, and you accidentally rupture part of the bowels ruining some of the good meat.

Still, there's quite a bit of meat left over, possibly enough to last you till the next moon with proper rationing and preservation. You also manage to salvage the pelt, working your knife above the bones. You carefully fold it up and set aside. You're not sure what you'll do with it yet, but there's quite a bit of it and at the very least you can repair your torn loincloth. It will have to be tanned first, of course.

All in all, as the sun begins to rise from the east, you're utterly exhausted but thoroughly satisfied with your work. You could use some shut-eye. It looks like it will be another sunny day, so you can continue your tanning efforts, both of the snakeskin and the new deer pelt. Your cave shelter is still mostly inaccessible because of the climb, perhaps you can do something about that instead.

Day 5 - Midsummer [n], Clear, Forest
Stress: [Eo---]
Status: Exhausted
Inventory: +3 Meat, +3 Pelt
Action for this Quarter:
>Get some rest after putting the meat away
>Continue tanning the pelt
>Chop down a tree to build a ladder
>Write-in

>>6072394
>Get some rest after putting the meat away
Dozer can guard us while we have a little rest.

>>6072394
>>Get some rest after putting the meat away
give a bone to Dozer before we rest

>>6072401
^ support.

>>6072394
>Get some rest after putting the meat away

>>6072394
>>Chop down a tree to build a ladder

>>6072401
+1

>>6072394

You decide to lie down and close your eyes for a bit after wrapping the meat in some leaves and putting it in the crook of a tree. Dozer stands guard, ready to alert you if anything comes near, even as he chews on some deer bones. You must have been more exhausted than you thought, for you fall into a deep sleep the moment you close your eyes. When you wake it is from the heat of the summer son at its high point. While you do feel a little refreshed by the nap, it will likely require a good night's sleep to settle the ache from the last few day's travail.

Nonetheless, you get up and stretch and consider the work left before you.

Day 5 - Midsummer [n], Clear, Forest
Stress: [E----]
Status: Exhausted
Action for this Quarter:
>Smoke/cook the meat over the fire to preserve it
>Continue tanning the pelt and snakeskin
>Chop down a tree to build a ladder
>Write-in

>>6072920
>Smoke/cook the meat over the fire to preserve it

>>6072920
>>Smoke the meat over the fire to preserve it

>>6072920
>>Smoke/cook the meat over the fire to preserve it

>>6072920
>>Smoke/cook the meat over the fire to preserve it
Hopefully we have enough time for the skins too

>>6072920
>Smoke/cook the meat over the fire to preserve it

You first gather some more fuel for the fire. This is easy in the dry summer months, when the ground is litered with fallen branches. In fact, the real difficulty is finding wet leaves to generate the smoke. You end up having to return to the pond to wet them by hannd.

Once you have a good stack of wood, you start the fire again and let all the wood burn down into a bed of glowing coals. Then you build a simple wooden frame by taking four long sticks, reaching up about to your chest, and planting them on the corners of an imaginary square. These will serve as the vertical supports. You use a heavy stone to drive them firmly into the ground around the fire. Next, you tie some shorter sticks to the supports to form a crossbar, and finally you put a simple grid of small branches on top to hold the meat.

You lay the meat on the grid, throw wet leaves on the fire to generate smoke, and then cover the whole thing with more leaves to keep the smoke in. You have to keep a close eye on the fire to make sure it doesn't go out, and you have to keep adding wet leaves to keep the smoke going, and rotating the meat to ensure even cooking. It take several hours, but by the end, all the meat is nicely-smoked. With more elaborate preparations you might be able to smoke for a longer time, thereby preserving the meat almost indefinitely.

For now, you take the meat off, eating some of it while it's still warm. The rest you wrap again in leaves, tying the packages with some of the sinew you recovered from the deer. Food won't be a problem for a while.

Day 5 - Midsummer [-], Clear, Forest
Stress: [E----]
Status: Exhausted
Inventory: +3 Food (plentiful), -3 Meat
Action for this Quarter:
>Go out exploring with Dozer
>Chop down a tree to build a ladder
>Gather materials to make a tanning rack
>Write-in

>>6073286
>Chop down a tree to build a ladder

>>6073286
>>Chop down a tree to build a ladder
we need shelter

>>6073286
>>Gather materials to make a tanning rack
The hides might rot soon. Just a bit more and the shelter can be worked on

>>6073286
>Gather materials to make a tanning rack
Leather is good for all purposes. Clothing, bedding, shelter, trade...

>>6073286
>Gather materials to make a tanning rack

>>6073355
>>Gather materials to make a tanning rack

OP here, it looks like the curse has struck me. I need to deal with some irl stuff that has come up and need to go offline for a while. I know some other anon expressed interested in picking up the quest. You have my blessing. Feel free to continue in this thread or make a new one.

Sorry I couldn't continue.

Thanks for running! I’ll put out an update on Tuesday once I figure out what to do with this quest

>>6073564
Thank you for letting us know.

>>6073793
Thanks for keeping it going!

>>6074320
+1

>>6073793
Good luck, looking forward with what you come up with.

You set out to find materials to build a tanning rack. You find four long sticks, suitable for the purpose of making a simple square frame, and several additional sticks which can be used as supports. You will also need to obtain rope for when you actually use the tanning rack, but for now, you decide to return and build the rack.
You plan to drive supporting sticks into the ground so that the rack will have something to rest on, then assemble the rack by arranging the long sticks into a square shape and tying them. As you work, however, you are interrupted by dozer barking, and turn to find another man approaching you. He is an older man who you do not recognize. He has a few possessions, but not much more than you. You note that he does not seem aggressive, and ultimately decide to trust him and invite him to come to you.
He gives you some mushrooms and herbs, and in exchange, you feel obligated to offer him some meat. Though he is unfamilar to you, you are able to communicate with him, so you take the opportunity to talk while you eat with him. Naturally, you will try to get information and advice out of him, but what else will you discuss?
>Tell him about how the scalemen attacked your people
>Ask him if he has interesting stories
>Write in

>>6075730
>Tell him about how the scalemen attacked your people

>>6075730
>Tell him about how the scalemen attacked your people

>>6075730
>>Tell him about how the scalemen attacked your people

>>6075730
>>Tell him about how the scalemen attacked your people

>>6075730
>Tell him about how the scalemen attacked your people

You tell the man about how the scalemen wiped out your people, slaughtering them and enslaving the survivors. You lament that you will likely never see any of them ever again, as even those who survived were taken to a faraway place. You curse your cowardice, thinking that perhaps you could have saved others or even your whole tribe if only you had made different decisions. Recalling what happened makes you bitter and sorrow, but also seems to take a sort of weight off of your shoulders.
The man nods, and tells you that you had at least saved one member of your tribe, namely yourself, while anything else you had done may have saved nobody at all. He tells you of his story, how years ago in a faraway place, his people were attacked by wolf-men. He returned from a hunt to find that the beasts had captured his clan and were butchering them, one at a time, in an especially cruel and horrific manner. The man tells you that he quietly withdrew, knowing that absolutely nothing could be done to save his people, and encourages you to make the most of the chance you have, even going as far as to offer you his aid.
You asked him why the wolf-men would bother with torturing humans before eating them. Though you killed and ate sheep, you never brought unnecessary suffering to your flock. Shaking his head, he responds that the wolfmen tortured and sacrificed humans mainly to gain favor with their evil gods, who gave them strength and other gifts in return, with the human flesh being a secondary concern. He is clearly disturbed by the practice, and you are too, and yet... a voice in the back of your head tells you that perhaps such gifts could be worth it if they helped you get your people back.
>Accept the man's aid and resolve to find your people again
>Inquire about the evil gods, how the wolf-men made sacrifices to them and what gifts they gained in return
>Write in

>>6076453
>>Accept the man's aid and resolve to find your people again
Ask his name too

>>6076453
>Inquire about the evil gods, how the wolf-men made sacrifices to them and what gifts they gained in return

>>6076453
>>Inquire about the evil gods, how the wolf-men made sacrifices to them and what gifts they gained in return

>>6076453
>Accept the man's aid and resolve to find your people again

We are tied right now, so the next vote I get will be used as a tiebreaker. I’ll roll 1d2 several hours from now if no new votes are cast.

>>6076453
>Accept the man's aid and resolve to find your people again

You find yourself weighing your disgust for the abhorrent rituals of the wolfmen against your curiosity about the evil gods and the thought that you could use their boons to free your people. You also consider that the man is clearly not fond of the topic. You decide that you won't look into the topic for now, but might bring it up later should the situation be right.
Still, you gratefully accept the man's aid. You ask him about his skills, and he explains that he is most skilled as a healer. He implores you to head out in pursuit of the slavers as soon as possible, but concedes that taking some time to better equip yourself is also sensible.
>Take what you can carry and head out in search of your people
>Take the day to better equip yourself
>Write in
You also ask for the man's name. He tells you that he is:
>Write in
He asks you for your name as well. You are:
>Write in

>>6077011
>Take the day to better equip yourself

His name:
>Iladj
From the Assyrian word for 'that which counteracts the effects of poison or distress'

Our name:
>Mlakli
From the Assyrian word for 'to sniff about like a dog'

>>6077017
+1.

>>6077017
+1

QM note: Thank you for coming up with the names!
You learn that the man is named Iladj, and introduce yourself as Mlakli. You insist on staying in place for a bit longer, knowing that having a bit more gear would make your journey easier. Iladj accepts your decision.
Tanning leather usually takes several days at the very least, but the snakeskin can be tanned in a day, so it will not delay you. Apart from making preparations to tan the snakeskin, what else do you and Iladj do before leaving?
>Forage for more food and herbs
>Attempt to make more weapons
>Write in

>>6077677
>Forage for more food and herbs
With only two men to carry and wield them, more weapons will do us little good and only slow us down.

>>6077677
>Forage for more food and herbs

>>6077677
>>Write in
DOG ARMOR FOR DOZER

>>6077678
+1

>>6077677
>>Forage for more food and herbs

Apologies for not updating yesterday. I will update tonight. Feel free to vote in the meantime

While the snakeskin tans, you decide to forage for food, noting that making extra equipment now will only slow you down at the moment. The thought of making clothing for Dozer to better protect him crosses your mind, but you are not certain that you want to do that yet. For now, you take the time to gather more berries and mushrooms, again feeding Dozer as you go. Iladj collects food as well, but also gathers a collection of herbs with useful properties. Most are used for healing in one way or another, but one is poisonous, and another can be consumed to enter a trance.
The night sets in by the time you are done. Tomorrow, the snakeskin will be dry, and you will pack your few belongings and head out. But now, you must rest.
>Climb into the cave and sleep there
>Sleep out in the open
What do you think about as you go to sleep?
>You think of your loved ones and how to recover them
>You think of your seething hatred towards the scalemen
>You ask Iladj for some tales from his people. They consume your thoughts as you drift off to sleep
>You speculate on the wolfmen who worship evil deities
>Write in

>>6079107
>Climb into the cave and sleep there
>You think of your loved ones and how to recover them

>>6079107
>Climb into the cave and sleep there
>You think of your loved ones and how to recover them

>>Sleep out in the open
>You ask Iladj for some tales from his people. They consume your thoughts as you drift off to sleep
Inquire about their traditions in herbalism

>>6079107
>Climb into the cave and sleep there
>You speculate on the wolfmen who worship evil deities

You decide to climb into the cave, deciding that the security it provides is worth the risk of injuring your foot again. You and Iladj climb into the cave, taking the smoked meat, the snakeskin and some sticks with you, and leave Dozer down below to guard. After moving a few loose rocks, you and Iladj have enough space to lie down and get some rest.
As you fall asleep, you think of how to go about recovering your people. It frustrates you greatly that you can't think of anything better than "head in the direction the scalemen came from and hope for the best", though you know that you still likely have time to figure out what to do.
You dream of your people's women and children being worked until they cannot work anymore. You dream of how you narrowly escaped the scaleme, with dozer by your side... but now Dozer is barking for some reason, and quite a lot.
You wake up, but you still hear Dozer. Carefully peeking down from the cave, you see why. A lone figure with vaguely shimmering skin, holding a wedge-hook-stick in one hand, is cautiously advancing towards Dozer. Your heart skips a beat as you realize that it is one of the loathsome scalemen. Though taking on the scaleman is a dangerous proposition, the thought of letting the vile creature kill Dozer and get away with it disgusts you. Sure, you had ran away when there were many scalemen, but now there is just one, and you have a shot at redeeming yourself.
Of course, it's also possible that the scaleman might decide that fighting a dog isn't worth it.
You look back to Iladj and see that he has not woken yet. His help could be very useful in this fight, but he could also get hurt, and the time it takes you to wake him is precious.
>Descend alone and face the scaleman with Dozer.
>Wake Iladj, then descend and face the scaleman with him and Dozer.
>Stay hidden. (Dozer faces the scaleman alone)
>Write in

>>6079734
>>Descend alone and face the scaleman with Dozer.

>>6079734
>Wake Iladj, then descend and face the scaleman with him and Dozer.

>>6079734
>Start throwing loose rocks at the scaleman, aiming for his head.
>Try to wake Iladj by screaming at him while throwing the rocks.

>>6080314
+1, chimp the FUCK out.

>>6079734

>>6079736
I'll change my vote to this
>>6080314
>>6080375

Rolled 2 (1d3)

>>6080314
nice write-in! rolling for the outcome
1 = you miss the scaleman
2 = you manage to hit the scaleman with some rocks
3 = you manage to hit the scaleman on the head with a well-thrown rock
expect the write-up within an hour

File: 4c17cd8885e0d3a8245544d40(...).jpg (47 KB, 736x515)

47 KB JPG

You remember that the cave has rocks of decent size, and quickly gather a few to throw at the scaleman. Your heart races as you anticipate the rewarding experience of a well-thrown rock from your vantage point caving in the skull of the damn reptilian. You steel your nerves, however, knowing that you must not fuck this up. You wait until the moment is just right, and only then do you unleash a ferocious barrage of rocks and an equally-ferocious barrage of obscenities.
You feel an intense rush as you throw the stones. Unfortunately, none of your stones quite manage to hit the scaleman's head, but you do manage to hit its free arm and the knee on the same side of the body. The heavy rocks, thrown with your strength and becoming deadlier from the fall down, wound the scaleman enough that Dozer now has the upper hand and feels confident enough to attack. Not wanting to accidentally hurt your dog, you now climb down, with one rock in hand, to assist.
You move quickly, but you are careful to avoid hurting your foot again. By the time you get down, Dozer has the upper hand, though the scaleman is still struggling and has managed to injure Dozer somewhat, though not to an immediately life-threatening extent. You move in to subdue the scaleman and find Iladj by your side in a few moments. Clearly, the commotion you made had woken him, and he helps you fully overpower the scaleman and take its weapon.
Your first instinct is to quickly kill the scaleman and move on, as there could be more nearby. At the same time, though, a live scaleman could be a valuable source of information, perhaps worth interrogating. You also consider making the scaleman suffer before killing it as revenge for what its people did to yours. Iladj senses that you are mulling over what to do and looks at you, awaiting your decision.
>Finish off the scaleman and move out
>Interrogate the scaleman
>Torture the scaleman to death
>Write in

>>6080566
>>Interrogate the scaleman

>>6080566
>Incapacitate the scaleman
We're keeping him down with the two of us. If we can just like, break his legs, so he can't get up or away. Then there's no risk of him overpowering us back.
>Tend to Dozer wound's
I feel like Dozer is a higher priority then any info we can get from the guy. Let him suffer for now while we tend to Dozer. After that is done we can decide what to do with the fella.

>>6080566
>>Interrogate the scaleman

>>6080566
>Interrogate the scaleman

You first cripple the scaleman, using your rock to break its legs and arms to keep it from attacking you or running away. The scaleman remains fairly stoic throughout, but you see it flinch and wince a bit as you hear its bones crunch under your blows. You find yourself enjoying the process, more than you ever thought you'd like hurting another living being.
With the scaleman fully crippled, you briefly check on Dozer. He is hurt, but it is not too serious and you know that dogs recover from injuries faster than humans do. Still, you ask Iladj for some medicine to give to Dozer. He gives you a strange look for a moment, then obliges you, giving you some herbs to numb Dozer's pain a bit and help him heal somewhat quicker. He takes a small amount, too, noting that he injured his foot on the way down from the cave just like you did earlier.
Finally, you interrogate the scaleman, demanding to know where it took your people. Despite your attempts at threatening and torturing the scaleman, it refuses to divulge any information. Instead, speaking in a broken version of your tongue with a characteristic lisp, it boasts that the human race has no right to exist, citing the primitive tools of your race compared to the advanced technology of his, such as the weapon you took form him. You find that this statement wounds your pride, but Iladj seems to find it almost amusing. He also claims that your people should be grateful for being taken from their worthless existence and being given the chance to serve their betters, and this makes you seethe with fury. You realize that you will not get any information out it, and decide that you will not let it live.
>Kill the scaleman quickly and move on.
>Kill the scaleman slowly and painfully. Make it suffer, make it pay dearly for what its people have done to yours.
please provide write-ins for how you kill the scaleman, especially if you choose the second option. I promise that it is important.

>>6081104
>Kill the scaleman slowly and painfully. Make it suffer, make it pay dearly for what its people have done to yours.
Mlakli produces his stone axe that he felled the deer with, standing over and staring down at the broken, writhing scaleman for a few moments before it starts lisping again. Before it can finish its next and final taunt against the human race, rock meets teeth. Then the water-tempered rock reintroduces itself to the pointy pyramid-like teeth of the scaled devil. The next dozen strikes were methodical, making sure to mash the vocal chords and airways into wet paste. This *thing* does not deserve air, and it certainly has no business speaking The Language.

Panting heavily, eyes bulging, Mlakli rises slowly and turns around, calming down when he sees his companions, and then falling to his knees crying, for a reason he does not fully understand. Dozer wags his tail and smiles on, awaiting Mlakli's next instruction. Iladj on the other hand...

>>6081104
>Kill the scaleman slowly and painfully. Make it suffer, make it pay dearly for what its people have done to yours.
Can we skin and tan it like with the snake? Intention is for the scaleman to be alive while we do that.

>>6081104
>Kill the scaleman quickly and move on.
Crush neck with rock.

>>6081216
As a herder, you have the skillset to skin the scaleman properly without ruining the skin or letting it die too quickly. Tanning the scaleman’s skin would be a different vote because it would require a large additional time commitment.

I'm gonna change my vote >>6081124 to this: >>6081216
skin the bastard alive

You tell Iladj that you intend to skin the scaleman alive, to get revenge for the atrocities committed upon your people and to perhaps make use of the scaleman's skin. Iladj stares at you for a few moments, furrowing his brow, before finally nodding and offering his help with keeping the scaleman still.
You take the scaleman's weapon in your hands and inspect it, and it reminds you of the weapons used by its kind to slaughter your tribe. The material is hard but not brittle, and possesses a long and cruel cutting edge. You note with some pride, though, that it is not nearly as sharp as a well-knapped knife made from flint. Skinning the scaleman with it will be awkward due to its size and due to the current low visibility, but you are confident that your experience will see your through.
You work methodically, carefully opening up the scaleman starting with the more sensitive and less vital parts of its body. At first, it taunts you, for example claiming that even as you kill it you admit the superiority of its race's craftsmanship. The only response it gets, though, is more of its scaly skin being cut from its flesh, and soon it is reduced to fruitlessly fighting back against the torment you subject it to.
The feeling of avenging your people, of asserting your dominance over the hated enemy of your kind, is exhilarating, an invigorating rush of power, satisfaction and pleasure that lingers even after the scaleman finally expires. As you finish skinning the scaleman, you toss a few chunks of its flesh to Dozer, who happily devours them. Iladj, on the other hand, is uneasy. He sympathetically acknowledges that it must feel good to take revenge and to assert your dominance against a foe who you had previously been helpless against, but notes that it doesn't really bring you any closer to liberating your people and warns you against making a habit out of it, lest you become like the cruel wolfmen.
>Heed Iladj's advice. Whether the scalemen suffer or not is less important than rescuing your people and not becoming a monster in the process.
>Argue that the scalemen deserve it, and perhaps gaining boons like those given to the wolfmen could help you get revenge on the scalemen and free your people.
>Write in

>>6081864
>Admit that you acted in the moment, the suffering of your people aswell as Dozer's injury made you impulsive. The punishment was satisfying, and this is a temptation you're not sure you can control.

>>6081864
>Tell Iladj it felt great and we're now more pumped than ever to rescue our people - and that if we ever see a wolfman on our journey, itll be his turn to make the pelt. Finish packing up camp and head out.

>>6081864
>Heed Iladj's advice. Whether the scalemen suffer or not is less important than rescuing your people and not becoming a monster in the process.

>>6081974
+1

>>6081864

You ponder Iladj's words for a while before responding. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision rather than a rational action, and perhaps you should work on resisting it to keep your mind clear. Yet, you are not sure you can resist this temptation, and you must admit that torturing the scaleman to death felt great. You think you'd do it again if you came across another scaleman, or perhaps one of the wolfmen Iladj told you about.
You admit your complex feelings on the topic to Iladj. He thinks for several moments before telling you a bit about the wolfmen: before they became cruel and bloodthirsty monsters, they were a proud and noble race that took a bit too much pleasure in taking revenge against those who had wronged them. He concludes by warning you that killing monsters is a good thing to do, but that you should take care to not become one.
You keep Iladj's words in mind, but for now, you have a pressing decision to make. If you came across one scaleman, there may be more nearby, so you must decide whether staying in place long enough to rest and tan the scaleman's skin is worth it.
>take a few important things and head out now
>retreat to the cave to rest and leave as soon as the sun rises
>retreat to the cave and leave in the evening once you have tanned the scaleman's skin
>write in

>>6082457
>Retreat to the cave to rest and in the morning try to scout the area for any more signs of Scalemen.
If deemed safe we can stay and tan, if not we should consider what to do then. Either way can we replenish the thrown rocks incase we need to throw from the cave again?

>>6082475
+1

>>6082475
>Retreat to the cave to rest and in the morning try to scout the area for any more signs of Scalemen.

You decide to stay in place for now and check for signs of scaleman presence first thing in the morning when you can see better. You gather the scaleman's weapon and skin, and a few rocks, before climbing back up into the cave, being sure to help Iladj along the way. You are forced to leave the scaleman's carcass down below with Dozer due to its weight. You are not completely sure sure whether the sight of a flayed scaleman would scare off its kind or attract their retribution if they found it, so you disguise it a bit by hacking it to pieces with the scaleman's weapon, which you begrudgingly admit is of high quality, and leaving the pieces in a pile for Dozer to eat as he sees fit. You muse to yourself that soon the scaleman will be a pelt and a pile of dog crap, and this lifts your spirit some more.
In the morning, you and Iladj look out of the cave and note that you had not been disturbed in your sleep a second time and that there are no scalemen gathered near the cave entrance. This reassures you a bit, but you note that they could still be fairly close, so you and Iladj descend and embark on a short patrol of the surrounding territory.
From the moment you start heading back to the cave to the initial span of your patrol, you get a fair amount of time to talk with Iladj and learn from the old and wise healer. What do you discuss?
>You ask him to tell you a bit more about herbalism.
>You ask him for more information about the wolfmen.
>You ask him about what the scaleman told you and bring up the quality of its weapon compared to what your people can produce. Are humans really inferior?
>Write in (highly encouraged, the above 2 prompts are just examples)
Keep in mind that if you talk about several topics with Iladj then the time of your conversation will be split between them, so you'll learn less about each one. If you stick to one topic, you can go more in depth on it.

>>6083195
>You ask him to tell you a bit more about herbalism.
>You ask him for more information about the wolfmen.

>>6083195
>Talk about our shared experiences of loss from the scale- and wolfmen, ponder if there could be more survivors who escaped a cruel fate like us, or if there are even more dangerous people out there than the wolf- or scalemen we don't know about.
Bit of bonding, bringing up strength in numbers if we find more survivors, and fearing the existence of even stronger foes.

>>6083286
+1

I’ll put out an update tomorrow

>>6083195
>>You ask him about what the scaleman told you and bring up the quality of its weapon compared to what your people can produce. Are humans really inferior?

rolling 1d3:
1 = you find no evidence of other scalemen after a thorough search
2 = you find evidence of scalemen, but not the scalemen themselves
3 = you find scalemen, but they don't notice you right away

Rolled 1 (1d3)

>>6084696
I'm a dumbass who forgot to roll

You decide to discuss several topics with Iladj. You ask him briefly about some of the herbs, and he tells you about the one that can cause visions. He tells you that you should try it at some point but also tells you some stories of people who had bad experiences with the drug.
You ask for more information about the wolfmen. He tells you to picture a human-like body with wolf-like face, fur and tail, and with hands that are human-like but with vicious claws instead of fignernails. He adds that they are about as tall as humans but much more muscular, and that their loose, furry skin makes them hard to kill. He notes that he is not sure how much of their strength is inherent to their people and how much comes from their evil gods.
You also ask about the possibility of finding more survivors to work with and the potential existence of other races, some of which could perhaps be even greater threats. Iladj agrees with your sentiment regarding other survivors but warns you that some of the lone men (or women) you might encounter could turn out to be the "greater threat" you are worried about. He tells you that he has only personally seen wolfmen and scalemen, but has heard credible stories of other types of creatures which are a mix of human and warm-blooded beast which are similarly primitive. You do not recognize any of the beasts he mentions, though, so he is unable to give you a good understanding of what they are like. He also mentions far less credible stories of caches, dating from long before the first stories were passed down, filled with items ranging from the extremely high-quality to the outright magical, and notes that if the creators are still around then it would be good idea to beware them.
You also note the quality weapon you were able to take from the scalemen and ask whether their superior craftsmanship is a sign of the superiority of their race. Iladj shrugs and responds that he really doesn't know. He does mention the items from before, though, noting that by the scaleman's logic, if those items did exist then their creator was vastly superior to the scalemen, yet whichever civilization created them is long gone.
[CONT]

You set out with Iladj and Dozer at the break of dawn, looking for any trace of scalemen. In case they do exist, you keep your conversation to hushed whispers and take care to move quietly through the ground. Yet, to your relief, there are no signs of scaleman activity. Even though you and Iladj look carefully, you find no traces of the abominations nearby. Even though the scalemen are a people who take care to not make their presence obvious, there are still signs that cannot be practically concealed completely, such as footprints in the dirt that you and Iladj can notice or a smell that Dozer could pick up. Having made a thorough search, you and Iladj are confident that the scaleman you killed was the only one around and return to camp.
What do you do?
>Tan the scaleman's skin
>Write in

>>6084718
>Tan the scaleman's skin
>Go out for supplies simultaneously
Water, food, anything we might need. We can do that while the skin is tanning right?

>>6084718
>>Tan the scaleman's skin
>>Go out for supplies simultaneously

>>6084725
+1

>>6084725
Mostly yes, but preparing the skin for tanning could take a few hours

You first prepare the scaleman's skin for tanning. You direct Iladj to find suitable materials to keep the skin stretched on the rack while you prepare the skin. Taking a large rock, you split open the dead scaleman's head, then rub the brains into the skin. The brain is large, giving you a generous amount of material to prepare both the scaleman's skin and the snake's, and a good amount is left over. Iladj soon returns with a large quantity of strong fibers, which you use to tighten the scaleman's skin and the snakeskin against the rack for tanning. You spend the rest of the day with Iladj forgaging for more supplies, gathering an ample amount of berries and mushrooms which Iladj prepares into rations. You would also have gathered water from a stream you found, but you realize that you do not have the means to do so, so you make do with taking a few drinks. As the sun journeys through the sky, you adjust the rack so that the skins are always facing the sun, and eat some of your smoked meat to sustain yourself. By nightfall the skins are ready.
Before you go to sleep again, you offer some of the scaleman's delicious, fatty brain to Iladj to enjoy, but he refuses it, citing a taboo held by his people about eating the brains of living creatures.
>Eat the brain yourself
>Listen to Iladj and let Dozer eat the brain
>Listen to Iladj and dispose of the remaining brain
>Write in
The next day comes relatively uneventfully and it is finally time to continue your quest. You discuss where to go with Iladj.
>Try to go back the way you fled
>Follow the stream to a river and follow the river
>Trace back the footsteps of the scaleman you encountered last night
>Write in
The scaleman's skin is quite large and you might want to do something with it.
>Wear it as a hunter might wear a wolf pelt
>Just carry it with you for now
>Write in

>>6085321
I'm not sure whether to see these scalemen as humanoids, which would make this feel like cannibalism, or just these large animals like e.g. a bear. Either way, Dozer can enjoy this treat for alerting and defending us.
>Listen to Iladj and let Dozer eat the brain

I'm not sure where we wanna go. I will support any other anon's vote or write-in with good reasoning, but for now:
>Trace back the footsteps of the scaleman you encountered last night
Maybe he fled cause his group was attacked, he went out hunting? We don't know their culture, but let's say if his group moved on cause the scaleman didn't return in time, maybe we can find left behind supplies or something of value where they last camped.

>Use the scaleman's skin to make clothing for Dozer to better protect him
Inspired by >>6077736 and >>6079107. I figure that will take some time, but if that can help prevent or ease injuries like mentioned in >>6080566, than it's a fitting purpose for the skin. Maybe it will make Dozer look more intimidating as well.

>>6085321
>Eat the brain yourself
No laws or religion is here to stop an honest man from doing what he can to survive.
>Trace back the footsteps of the scaleman you encountered last night
>Use the scaleman's skin to make clothing for Dozer to better protect him

>>6085321
>Eat the brain yourself
Calories is calories.

>Trace back the footsteps of the scaleman you encountered last night

>Just carry it with you for now
If we come across scalemen, it may be t our advantage if they don't IMMEDIATELY clock us as a dangerous enemy.

update will be tomorrow

You ignore Iladj's insistence that the brain should not be eaten and cook it a bit before eating it yourself, sharing a small portion with Dozer. The rich, fatty scaleman brain is delicious and nourishing, replenishing your lost energy and even lifting your spirits a bit. Iladj does not really try to stop you from trying to eat it once it is clear you have made up your mind, but you can tell he really does disapprove. You can't help but wonder why Iladj's culture would forbid a food so delicious.
You decide with Iladj to follow the footsteps of the scaleman you encountered previously. Though you could potentially be making a larger detour, you are perhaps more likely to encounter scalemen this way. Before setting out, though, you contemplate what to do with the scaleman's skin. You decide that it would be most appropriate to have Dozer wear it: the additional layer could help better protect him in future combat. Besides, he played a major role in taking down the abomination, so it is fitting that he gets to wear it as a trophy.
You work to turn a portion of the scaleman skin into a vest which covers Dozer's neck and torso. These are the easiest and most important areas to protect, so you keep the design simple. Even so, the work is painstaking, taking a large portion of the day, but in the end your companion is much better protected. Of course, the weight of the skin weighs him down a bit, but you feel that the added protection is worth it.
As the scaleman has much more skin than a dog, you have a large amount of skin left over, which you decide to take with you. You get the idea that perhaps you and Iladj should have similar suits, but you can do that later.
When you set out, you take the skin, your rations and the weapon you took from the scaleman, and a few rocks. Iladj carries some more rations and rocks, the axe you had crafted previously, the scaleman skin and the herbs he had previously gathered. You leave your racks behind, but you are confident that you can make new ones without too much trouble when you settle down again.
As you retrace the scaleman's footsteps, you converse with Iladj, and the conversation quickly turns to the topic of what you'll do when you actually run into the scalemen you may be trying to find.
>You discuss what to do before and when you run into scalemen. (Write in)
>No plan survives contact with the enemy. Rather than plan ahead, you'll figure something out when the time comes.
>Fuck it, walking right into a bunch of scalemen sounds like a bad idea. Turn around and go somewhere else.
>Write in

>>6086861
>Converse about Iladj's dietary beliefs.
Our tribe didn't have this stigma, now that we're travelling together it's good to know eachothers customs and traditions to avoid potential conflict.
>Intent is to find where the scaleman came from.
Was he part of a hunting party, a nomadic (sub)group, a permanent settlement? Either way, we have a chance to find left behind supplies, and a possible lead to finding enslaved brethren to free.
>Stay hidden and scout the place.
See if we can get a feel for how many scalemen are, depending on what we encounter we will come up with a plan then. Worst case we flee all the way back to our cave where we can better defend ourselves.

>>6086965
+1

>>6086965
+1

>>6086965
+1

Rolled 1 (1d2)

Sorry about the unannounced delay. rolling for result:
1 = you find an abandoned scaleman camp
2 = you encounter a group of scalemen

>>6088211
You question Iladj about his culture's taboo on eating brains, but you find that there doesn't seem to be a deeper reason or justification for it. Perhaps there was one long ago, but if it still applies, it has been long forgotten.
You don't have a plan in mind for any scaleman encounters as you follow the tracks of the scaleman, as you think that there are too many unknowns to decide what to do in advance, such as the size of the party you could encounter. Before you encounter any more scalemen, however, you find a place where tracks of scalemen and large snakes meet at and shoot off from, perhaps like silk strands meeting at the center of a spiderweb but seemingly a lot less organized. This is clearly the remains of a scaleman camp, though unfortunately nothing particularly valuable is left behind. However, you find a pit where human corpses have been dumped. Though you cannot recognize them in their current state, they are all either young or old, and the thought of children or elders of your people being among them makes you seethe with rage. You wonder why they would do this, and Iladj comments that perhaps someone at this camp decided that they were not worth the effort of enslaving. This thought upsets you more, and after you take a few moments to calm down, you find that your resolve to free your people is stronger than before.
With nothing else to do here, you and Iladj look through the footprints left behind. Out of all the groups of tracks leading in and out of the camp, two are especially large, clearly corresponding to when the main group entered and left this area. The tracks are fairly fresh, and you think that you could catch up to the group if you pursued them. Though you have no chance of taking on a group of this size, you figure that perhaps catching up to them could let you free a few people or take out a few scalemen who wander off too far from the group.
Another thing that catches your eye is a smalller set of tracks leading away from the camp, containing one set of human footprints and a few scaleman footprints. The footprints are a bit widely spaced, and you can't help but imagine that they belonged to someone somehow running off and escaping the scaleman camp. Iladj, however, is more cautious, noting that whoever it was could be dead or captured, or could even be a human working for the scalemen if such a thing is possible. You had personally never seen or heard of a human collaborating with scalemen, but yet you can't prove that no human could ever collaborate with scalemen.
>Follow the main set of tracks
>Follow the potential escapee
>Write in
However, it is getting dark, so it may be worth getting some rest first.
>Pursue the tracks, even in the darkness. Every moment is precious.
>Make camp where you are now and rest until sunrise.
>Write in

>>6088271
>Follow the potential escapee
>Make camp where you are now and rest until sunrise.

>>6088271
>Check for individual tracks
Just wondering if more scalemen went off individually like the one we encountered. Does it seem more did not return (yet)? This could pose a danger for us if we camp here.

I will leave voting open for one more day.

>>6089295
QM?

Rolled 4 (1d4)

You and Iladj do your best to examine the tracks more carefully, trying to determine if there could be other scaleman stragglers who are yet to return to camp. However, with the tangle of tracks making individual footprints hard to discern, and the large number of footprints making it hard to keep track of things, you and Iladj aren't able to conclusively determine what happened.
You decide to search for the potential escaped human in the morning, deciding that the risk of setting out at night isn't worth the potential reward. Though you think some scalemen could return to the camp, you decide that you can take care of them, like last time, if that happens. Out in the open, you and Iladj take turns sleeping, with Dozer helping you keep an eye out.
rolling for outcome:
1-2 = nothing of note
3 = scalemen return
4 = human returns

>>6091755
You sit with Dozer, keeping an eye out for any movement that could mean trouble. Iladj is sound asleep, and so you pass the time doing anything you can while staring into the unmoving surroundings. You pet Dozer, you retell yourself the stories of your loved ones, you tend to the fire that provides you with warmth and light, and yet, as the hours go by, you feel tired and bored. You finally decide that it is time for a change of guard: you rock Iladj awake, then go to sleep yourself. Finally, you slip out of consciousness... only to be brought back to it by a firm slap. You awaken with a start, and you hear Iladj telling you that there is some sort of figure approaching, and Dozer growling at it. You look closer, and are able to make out a silhouette, standing in the distance, seemingly undecided as to whether to approach or not. Taking a closer look, you find to your relief that it is a human and not a scaleman.
You are not one to turn away a stranger, especially when your current quest benefits from having more men. You allow him to approach, but keeping in mind Iladj's advice to not blindly trust the stranger, you feel the need to ask him a few questions before deciding whether to trust him. You hope that he is friendly, but just in case he is not, you keep your scaleman weapon by your side.
>Question the man (write in questions)
>Do another action (write in)
the above choices are not mutually exclusive
>>6091676
Sorry for going quiet without warning.

>>6091762
>Question the man (write in questions)
Of course, ask if he’s friendly. Not like he’d lie, right?
Ask if it’s just him out here.
Ask if there were any other humans still alive before he escaped.

>>6092023
+1
>Have Dozer approach the man and sniff him out (write in action)
I trust our dog whether the man can be trusted.

>>6092206
+1

>>6091762
Welcome back, QM. Good to see this quest yet lives.

I am up late with work today so I will update tomorrow

You start by asking the man whether he is friendly. He hesitates, then replies that, yes, he is, and why would he not be? Humans need to stick together with the scalemen around, after all, he adds. Iladj furrows his brow, then asks if he had seen any scalemen himself, to which he pauses for a second, then replies that he had gotten a glimpse of a few from a good distance, but snuck away before they noticed him. You ask if he's alone, and he says that he is, and asks you why you'd think he has companions. If he is telling the truth, then he is a loner like you and Iladj were.
As you converse with the man, you notice his outfit. He wears just a simple but fairly well-maintained loincloth.
Finally, you invite Dozer to take a look at the human. When Dozer gets close, he instantly recognizes the material of the vest as scaleman skin and exclaims in surprise, then asks where you got it from. You boast that you took it from its wearer, and that you also took its weapon, showing the man the long knife-thing which you took from it. His eyes widen when he sees it.
When Dozer gets close to the man, he reaches down and tries to pet him, which Dozer flinches away from. Iladj whispers into your ear that he feels something doesn't add up.
>Tell Iladj that he is being paranoid and that the man could be a good friend.
>Ask the man some more questions. (write in)
>You agree with Iladj that you can't blindly trust the man. Politely but firmly tell him to leave.
>You are certain that the man is up to no good. Kill him before he kills you.
>Write in

>>6093368
>Are you sure you weren't followed? (write-in question)
Try to have him double down on his story.
>Dozer here can smell scaleman scent, and he sure smelled it on you. (deceive attempt)
So if he's friendly, he should be genuinly concerned. If he's alligned, he knows his story isn't adding up and we'll see how he reacts.

>>6093368
>>You are certain that the man is up to no good. Kill him before he kills you.

>>6093395
+1

>>6093368
I'm >>6091676 on mobile.

>>6093395
+1

You ask the man whether he was sure he wasn't followed, and he repeats that he's sure. He tells you that, even if scalemen were following him, they'd have snatched him up by now and taken him away instead of letting him wander.
You also inform the man that Dozer can smell scaleman scent, and that he smelled it on him. You didn't believe the statement before you said it, but as you say it, you note that perhaps Dozer really could notice the scent of scaleman on the man. Then again, he is wearing a suit of scaleman skin, and so maybe scaleman scent doesn't stand out to him anymore. So, like the best lies, yours has a bit of truth mixed in.
It seems enough to convince the man, and he momentarily panics, then angrily insists that he does not smell of scalemen because he was never around them and that your dog must have smelled you. To be fair, after you skinned that scaleman recently, you probably still smell a bit of it, enough for Dozer and his sensitive nose to pick up on anyway.
>The man's responses check out. Let him in.
>Ask the man some more questions. (write in)
>You don't trust the man, but don't want to fight him. Politely but firmly tell him to leave.
>You are certain that the man is up to no good. Kill him before he kills you.
>Write in

>>6094173
>The man's responses check out. Let him in.
But keep one eye on him at all times. For now, at least.

>>6094173
>Explain that he can join us, but that we'll be on our guard. He'll need to earn our trust.

>Whisper to Iladj asking if he agrees with our judgement, is there anything he would like to add or ask?

>Ask the man what his story is. How come he's travelling solo? Did something happen to his people? How has he survived till now?

The man's responses to being friendly and travelling alone (initial hesitation, angry for inquiring about it) do make him suspicious, but it could be the shock of him unexpectedly encountering humans. His further responses make it look that the angriness is just the man's attitude, but still there could be more at play.
One thing to note is that we found this human on the trail of an escaped human from the scalemen's camp. Are these different humans..? Scalemen were supposed to be with/pursuing it too.
>Double check if the man came from the same (general) direction where the trail was leading to.

>>6094173
>>You are certain that the man is up to no good. Kill him before he kills you.

>>6094238
+1

>>6094173

Whether you accept the man or not is an important decision, so you step away to quietly discuss the matter with Iladj. You find his hesitation and anger suspicious, perhaps indicating a liar, but can't rule out that perhaps the newcomer is a good man who is overcoming shock at finding other survivors or something else. Iladj counters that it is better to be safe than sorry, and that, even if the newcomer is just a good man in a bad mental state, he could be a potential liability. He agrees to ask a few more questions before deciding whether to trust the man.
Iladj asks what he thinks about the scalemen, and the man responds with a somewhat long rant about the evils of the scalemen, but mentions a few "positive" points about their pride and toolmaking abilities. Iladj asks how he knows so much, and he replies that he has heard many stories of them.
You ask about his story: why he is alone, what happened to his people and how he survived. He replies that he is alone because he likes it that way, and that his people are fine. This thought excites you, but you don't act on it yet. You ask how he has survived until now, and he tells you that he has hunted and gathered. You note that he has no supplies and no weapons on him, to which he responds by showing you a knife, which seems to be made of a similar material to the scaleman blade you have. You ask him where he got it from: he hesitates for a few moments, then replies that he found it on the ground while following scaleman tracks.
Finally, you note his general direction: he's roughly from the same place that the human and scaleman tracks went off into.
>The man's responses check out. Let him in.
>Ask the man some more questions. (write in)
>You don't trust the man, but don't want to fight him. Politely but firmly tell him to leave.
>You are certain that the man is up to no good. Kill him before he kills you.
>Write in

>>6095052
>The man's responses check out. Let him in.
Again, while keeping one eye on him.

>>6095052
I'm really not trusting this fella after the last info. He likes to travel alone but would like to group up, he has a knife of Scalemen metals but just 'found it'? (not to mention his surprise when we showed we had one)

>Confront the man about his weapon.
We were at a scaleman camp and no valueable supplies were left by them, and we're supposed to believe they casually dropped a knife during their travels and he just happened to find it? I'm doubting this man and leaning more into him co-operating with the scalies like Iladj suggested.

>Ready our weapon and confront the man about his origins.
He came from the tracks of scalemen and a human, and he's telling us various conflicting things according to what knowledge we have. He better have a good story what he was doing right before he got here, otherwise he's a potential danger to our survivability.

>>6095052
>You don't trust the man, but don't want to fight him. Politely but firmly tell him to leave.
>Ready our weapon.
Doesn't add up, and if he likes being alone, he can just go back to being alone. Away from us. Now.

>>6095091
+1

No update today

You REALLY do not trust this man. Scalemen are not known for leaving valuable things behind, so you don't believe that one of them would have just dropped a knife like that. It's also noteworthy that he came from the direction of the human and scaleman tracks. Part of you thinks that Iladj may have been on to something when he suggested that the man was a scaleman collaborator.
You draw your weapon and advance on the man, pointing out the discrepancies between your knowledge and what he told you, and telling him that he better have a really good explanation for this difference, though you stop short of actually accusing him of working with the scalemen. You add that perhaps the man should go away if he likes being alone so much.
The man doubles down, drawing his blade as he hurls a string of obscenities directed at you, Iladj and Dozer and accuses you of calling him a liar for not believing his story and a coward for suggesting that he leave, and curses you for suggesting that he would have collaborated with the scalemen to get his weapon. He suggests that maybe you are the scaleman collaborator, noting that your blade is more formidable than his. Iladj stands by, ready to support you in a fight. Dozer, sensing the man's aggression, growls, becoming ready to attack at a moment's notice. Though the man is outnumbered, you can tell by the way he stands with his weapon that he will be a dangerous opponent to fight.
>Let the man know that he is not welcome by your camp and is to leave immediately.
>The man is not only a likely threat, but now dares to threaten and slander you? Kill him.
>Apologize for offending the man with your accusations. Perhaps there is a good explanation.
>Write in

>>6096765
>Let the man know that he is not welcome by your camp and is to leave immediately.
Ape not kill ape.

>>6096765
>The man is not only a likely threat, but now dares to threaten and slander you? Incapacitate him.
3v1 let's go
altho we could try to keep it 'non-lethal' so we can interrogate him later if he survives

I will leave the vote open for longer

>>6096765
>Let the man know that he is not welcome by your camp and is to leave immediately.
Feck off.

You consider attacking and capturing the man, but decide against it. You would feel bad about killing a fellow human, even one who you suspect to be working with your enemy, and perhaps you are worried that one of you could get hurt by his knife.
You tell the man that you do not trust him and that he is to leave immediately, making it clear that things will end badly for him if he does not. After a moment, the man nods and backs away, keeping his dagger in his hand the entire time, until he is a good distance away from you, then turns and walks away.
With the immediate threat gone, the camp becomes noticeably calmer, with you, Iladj and Dozer finally able to relax. As you calm down, you wonder whether you made the right choice. On one hand, you did not run the risk of hurting a man who did no wrong, but on the other hand, if your suspicions were correct, then letting the man go could come back to hurt you later on. You take consolation in the fact that at least none of you got hurt.
>Write in

>>6098561
Go back and examine the main tracks, if still possible.

>>6098561
>Double check if the man left for good and isn't hanging around.
>Discuss what happened with Ladj and propose heading back to our cave while hiding our tracks.

>>6099512
+1

Update will be tomorrow or on monday

I meant for this continuation to be a one-shot, but because we are on page 9, I am not confident that I can guide this quest through another interesting encounter before it becomes archived. Therefore, I will stop updating here.
I apologize for not always updating in a timely manner and for failing to properly pace this quest as a one-shot. Though we did not make it to the destination (e.g. reuniting with our people, or perhaps a slightly different or very different ending), I hope that you enjoyed the journey while it lasted.
If you want to ask any questions, I will do my best to answer them before the thread is archived. Feedback is also welcome. If you wish to continue this quest further, you have my blessing to do so as you see fit.
archive link: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2024/6065973/

>>6101705
Why not run a thread 2? I mean, if your'e enjoying it.

>>6101726
While writing the quest was fun and even arguably beneficial for me, it’s also a non-trivial time commitment that I won’t be able to make over the duration of a second thread.