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>>30481435
He regards you for a moment before speaking, "The idea with the horses is intriguing, I could give you more than a few contacts to work with in that front, free of any charge at that, given the advantageous position you've put me in. However, I am wary to due so, as the board knows who you are, and while working with someone who we were unofficially against not a month earlier is a known practice. It would necessitate something of greater value just a simple luxury item to not arouse suspicion." He rises from his chair, and walks to the wall on your right upon which a large map outlining the known parts of the southern continent. "The organization has an interest in tapping the unspent resources present here, for both the benefit of our original prosthetics business and our other branching assets. I have an interest in this area because I am a firm adherent to the belief that knowledge is the key to control, knowing where to put your finger on the scale to tip the tide in your favor. It would take something much greater to allow me to broach my personal expense account or negotiate a agreement with you for anything larger."

>Tell him about the (Specify: Iron, Pass Through Mountains, Hot Spring)
>No, that is all I have at the moment.
>Other

>>30481452
>>30481435
>Misspell my handle

Man I hope I don't turn this into a weekly set of errors.

>>30481452
Let's not mention the pass just yet. The iron & the hot spring are worth mentioning though

>>30481452
well, we MIGHT have some ferrous metals on the land. I'm okay with telling him that.
Though, it could be just a surface patch, and not an actual vein.

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You decide to inform him about your less certain ideas, namely your possibility for iron which you discovered from the magnetite near the lightning stricken tree, and the natural hot spring near the river running through your property. You produce the samples of the minerals and he takes them, turning one of the samples over and over under the light of one of the lamps.

He's quiet for some time before he looks back up at you and McCain. "This is more of their interest than mine to be honest, though I would imagine they would be more than willing to allow for a professional surveying of your property. Especially if these are thermal springs that you mention. As I said before, this continent has a lot of untapped resources, and a river leading into the mountains is a major interest. Signs of activity beneath the ground, like your hot springs, are also of interest because they would indicate possible earth movements which may also be promising."

He regards you and your foreman for some time after this, placing the samples back in the case your brought them in, before speaking again. "I will go this far. I can give you some individuals I know personally that may be in the market for a prize horse on the mainland, and provide for a proper surveying team to look into your property on the condition that they share their findings with me as well. Is that agreeable?"

>Well?

>>30482144
tough decision.
Stipulate that you be allowed to check on the survey team or go with them, then accept to surveyors. They can confirm the mine at least.

Oh, and tell him there's deer around too, so we'll figure out something with hunting rights and all that later.

>>30482144
I'm not comfortable leaving strangers to wander around our property unsupervised.

I'm confident we could convince Veles to help, so how about we propose adding a 'native' to the surveying team to make the whole operation go smoother. He can keep them from accidentally discovering his lair or a mountain pass as well as keep them honest about what they find.

Also, YES Lamia Legacy!

>>30482283
adding a native works just as well as going ourself.

Either way, we should include a clause to have one of our mans go with 'em.

>>30482295
We're a busy person though. It makes more sense to send Veles with them because he's familiar with the land and doesn't have much to do normally.

>>30482144
You ever think about owning a snake so you can take your own pictures? I think that would be cute as hell.

>>30482384
yeah. It's a good idea to spread the clause out to just one of our guys, instead of us specifically.
The one of our guys in question being Veles, if he agrees to the deal.

>>30482413
Right, right of course. Sorry if I didn't understand you before.

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>>30482263
You spoke about the deer, he seemed uninterested in that aspect. You can see why, as there are a... copious amount of of them in the swamps and such further north. It's a novelty on the mainland, but its more a natural meat source.
>>30482412
Had a bearded dragon for about 12 years, lost him last August, fucker was the embodiment of sloth. Currently in a situation where pets are frowned on though, so sadly unable to.

Consensus seems to be throw a clause in for them to move with one of the 'natives', do you want to use that term or do you want to use a different one?

>>30482519
I'd just say we're going to be using one of our own men.
I mean, it COULD be veles, but if we don't manage to secure him then we're going to just use someone from around town.

>>30482535
I agree with this guy.

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Oi OP, I remember you complaining about not having enough pictures so I thought I'd take a little dive to find some. Still nothing good that can be Sasha, though.

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>>30482977

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>>30482994

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>>30483014
Not a very fruitful hunt, but I hope you can pick up a couple for next thread.

>>30483036
you and your snakes.

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"I'd be amenable to that, provided the team would allow someone of my choosing to join and make sure nothing is disturbed and to smooth things along." You respond.

"Would that be your ancient friend?" he says. He then looks at your expression and continues. "I made a few deductions and read up on some things." He gestures toward a book on the table, it looks to be a medical journal, "Length is a good indication of age, and at a length like that, well... lets just say I hope he learns our language soon because more than a few people would be eager to ask questions. Besides, as I said, its my business to know as much as I can. As for that request I see no qualms with it." He takes a pen out of his desk and drafts up something before handing it to you. YOu look it over, and it appears to be a simple contract regarding the whole thing, it states in very plain terms that he will be providing a surveying crew and you will be providing a 'guide' to survey the lands surrounding the Lion's head ranch, and the findings will be delivered to both a one Sasha Masterson, and to Serrak himself."

You sign the contact and he places it in a file. "If that is all then, I look forward to hearing from you again. Do not let me detain you and please, have a nice day." Looks at both of you. "Miss Masterson. Mr. McCain."

You are almost out to door before you realize Serrak was never introduced to your foreman...

>Reaction?

>>30483087
Out of curiosity, how did you come to meet my foreman?

>>30483111
oh, and do assure him our ancient can talk. We've been thinking of taking him by the local government to help with things, but that might hassle him.

>>30483087
Glance up to McCain, just ask him quietly if he and Serrak ever met. This isn't necessarily something to be alarmed about, it could be a mundane thing.

>>30483152
yeah, ask McCain about this.
Determine exactly how much we've been spied on/researched

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You turn to your foreman and ask him quietly, "Have you ever met Serrak before?" He shakes his head, then narrows his eyes as the realization hits him as well. You turn to the orc, who is holding a pair of folders in his prosthetic hand.

"Out of curiosity, how did you come to meet my foreman?" You say to him.

"I did not, however, Varath decided to do some snooping after brute force failed. Kind of contrary to the preferred order of things, but nonetheless, he discovered some curious things about your foreman. He ordered me to send the files to the Nitor right as I was delivering the result of the no confidence vote. After going through them, I decided that it would not be prudent, as I have high doubts that a real outlaw could give up his trade for two decades." He holds a pair of files out to you. "Lets just call it a gesture of good faith in character judgement."

You take the folders, one has the heading, "Matthew 'Two Hands' McCain", the other, "Sasha Masterson." and look up at your foreman, who asks the orc, "And who all knows of this?"

"Only myself, and unfortunately Karath, though he is far too busy appealing the vote to do anything about it. I myself found it amusing to see his reaction to not only learning that he was facing was an experienced fighter, but the person he had hired based on that reputation was little more than a pretender. He does have such an inventive mastery of invectives when he gets upset."

>Action?

>>30483615
You do thorough work. Are you sure you're not in the spy business?
Ah well, we can still work together, right McCain?

>>30483615
Well okay then.

What else did we come here to do? Arm everyone better then a cattleman's pistol and that was it? We've already browsed for general things.

>>30483753
Yeah, though I'm not sure they'll really have any better guns. Last place only had pistols, and guns were custom order things.
And our search for spices fell through, so none of those either.

>>30483793
I'm sure we can find repeating rifles here. This is a trading port if I'm not mistaken?

Uh, yep can't think of much else to do but show McCain our dresses. Good formal wear for whenever we'll need it, which shouldn't be too far off if we'll be doing business for luxury goods with the rich.

>>30483877
Yeah, I suppose we're done. I mean, I guess we can buy some flour and junk so our hands don't have to do it later. A few eggs for the way back. But that's a negligible expense, and pretty routine.

>>30483877
Well we can certainly look. If nothing else, we might find inexpensive falling block might also have some value, despite its low rate of fire.

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"You do thorough work. Are you sure you're not in the spy business?"

That elicits a muffled, strangled, an otherwise suppressed hint of a laugh from the normally serious orc. "Governmental? No. Industrial espionage? Well..." and he doesn't continue. You decide its best to leave it at that and turn to McCain.

"You going to be all right with this?" you ask, as you exit the room, gently closing it behind you and looking at the list of 'horse business' contact Serrak placed between the folders when he handed it to you.

"I ain't alright with a lot of it, but it seems like he has bigger goals just puttin' the squeeze on a broken down soldier." McCain responds, "Was there anything else you wanted to do here?"

"Well I suppose we could pick up groceries and save the hands the trouble. Also been meaning to check out some proper rifles, but not sure we'd get anything worthwhile here."

He nods, "Most everything worth buyin' of that sort would be either in Riverport or ordered from Enos." he says, "Repeaters and the like are pricey though. So much so that even years after I left the Nitor they still uses single shot rifles. Not sure if'n you'd have the cash for good ones."

>Lets take a look here for weapons regardless.
>Lets just pick up supplies and head home.

>>30484400
we probably don't have the cash. Let's just window shop and see what's available for a bit, then get supplies and leave.

>>30484400
>Lets take a look here for weapons regardless.
May as well take a look. OP might make us roll for what we find, so that'd be fun.

>>30484450
They're probably going to be as expensive as the dresses, and that was really a one-in-a-long-while purchase.

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>>30484425
>>30484450
>>30484485
>OP might make us roll for what we find.
Got that right, if you're going to go with that, I'll need a d20 roll even if just window shopping.

Rolled 17

>>30484616
sure why not

Rolled 18

>>30484616

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>18

"May as well see what they have to offer, didn't expect to find those dresses either, maybe we'll get lucky." you say, heading to your carriage and placing the samples, your old clothes, and the folders underneath your seat.

Slithering through town, you do end up turning a few heads, one lad looked to move up to you, but noticed what you were looking at and sped away quickly. Thinking on it, being fancily dressed and checking out the window of a gun store is probably not the most incognito move you've done, but both your obvious expertise with handling the rifles the salesmen hand you, and the gaze of McCain leaves you relatively unmolested. The salesman insists on showing you rifles, which, while very well made, have obviously been made to serve as collectors items or target shooters. The fancy inlays, engravings, and other fripperies on the stocks, grips, and barrels dissuade you more from them than their price tag. You do find a few of the sport rifles that are much more utilitarian in design, but one look at the price there had you place that one down as quickly as you could.

A little disheartened that you could not find another deal like you did in the import store, you back to your coach, and climb is as McCain takes the reigns.

>Head home picking up supplies at Enos' Store(1d20 roll lower is better.)
>Other (Specify)

Rolled 16

>>30485022
let's just head home and get stuff from the local guy. Business accomplished, we'll have help surveying and building. Now we can focus on horses, ranching, and exploring beyong the mountains.

Rolled 16

>>30485022
>Head home picking up supplies at Enos' Store(1d20 roll lower is better.)
Yep, yep. Let's go.

Rolled 10

>>30485022
Once of the few quests I hope for ones. Except heretical love .

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>10

The trip home is relatively uneventful, though it is late by the time you reach Enos' store, he is still there mending yet another window. Though this time he didn't throw anyone through it as you come to find out. Apparently the people who set the window last time forgot to remove the setting pins before they put it up and when the door closed it finally snapped the pin dropping the sheet glass about an inch, splintering it. He happily sells you this weeks worth of supplies and you get them into your coach. Upon arriving home you find not just one but both of the hands on watch, sitting on your porch who promptly sprint to your carriage the instant Traveller and Greenbriar halt. Thinking something is up you poke your head out but all you hear is a torrent of complaints from one about the other toward McCain, then from the roof of your carriage you hear the sound of McCain's laughter as the two proceed to get into an arguement about who should report the other. Eventually it all settles down, and upon explanation the indignation from from both their faces is almost too much for even you. The two promptly go to bed, as McCain described it, "Marie's in a huff and Tai has some ruffled feathers." You have a late dinner with your foreman, bidding him a good night as you take your acquisitions up to your room, and slither into some bedclothes. Worn out from travel, it isn't long before you drift off to sleep.

>The Burned Village
>The Tree In the Ruins
>The Drifting Ship

>>30485581
His aunts have good taste.
On a lark, why not the tree in the ruins this time.
I've no idea what these things mean so it's basically random.

>>30485581
Tai has great taste. I want to keep him around forever.

>The Burned Village

>>30485625
burned village works too, I don't mind.

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>The Burned Village

You see the remnants of what you know now to be the slums of first wood. Ducking through the alleys, plowing through hedgerows, and otherwise running with a limp you see the form of McCain. You can clearly see him now, and just as clearly you can hear the baying of the hounds that seem apparently after him. It isn't long before he's clambered up a downspout and into a bolt hole on the roof of a building. The vision turns to the sight of a port town, high stone walls and an archaic looking though massive ship, a dreadnought of epic scale, sits docked. You see McCain again, this time with a heavy duster, collar turned up and a beaten slouch hat on. He slips onto one of the barges offloading cattle and then it fades to black.

You wake up late, again. The sun rousing you from your slumber. You resist the urge to dig yourself deeper into the mess of blankets and pull yourself out heading to the basin to wash yourself. You slip on your work clothes, giving the cheongsams a longing look before you head downstairs to see that someone left breakfast for you in the oven again. You

>Check out the possible horse contacts
>Go see Veles
>See about cattle
>Other?

>>30486412
Smalltalk with the hands, leave them in charge of the cattle again. They did so well last time.
Then horses.
Then Veles.

>>30486412
Sorry OP I was busy with something. You didn't lose readers!

>>30486486
Supporting this, it's sensible.

We still need to ask Veles about sleepy tea/Lamia equivalent, so let's not forget that when also asking if he'll help the surveyors.

>>30486779
Good memory, anon. We'll check in with him on medicines that get through our poison resistance.

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You finish your meal before heading outside. With McCain back, the ranch is running like a well oiled machine. Everything seems well in hand under the elfs watchful eye, and the squabbling last night is all but a memory now. Marie continues to circle the cattle, watching for potential maverick cattle. You catch your foremans eye and he gives you a curt nod. Tai is once again taking care of the horses and seems engrossed in his work.

Satisfied things are well in hand you head back inside and go over the names and profiles of the potential buyers. A lot seem to have names followed by the Third, Esquire, and other fancy titles. From the notes left by Serrak, it would appear that these people have no intention of so much as even setting a foot on the continent, so as such, if you so much as want to make a cent off them, you would have to bring the horse to the UFK proper.

You mull over this prospect. You've never in concious memory been on the mainland, even though you were apparently born there, but again looking at hte annotation. That is a LOT of money for one animal, at least half of what you would make on a full cattle drive.

You put that aside for now, and head towards the gateway that Veles erected. Again focusing, you are surpised with how easy the portal opens. You slither through... and into the room you caught your first sight of the centaurs.

>Action?

>>30487406
Hey Veles, I came by to visit and drop off more snacks.
Oh hey, centaurs, I was just thinking about horses.
Veles, aren't you going to introduce us?
After that, do whatever greetings we can pull off with our snakefriend and half-learned horse language.

>>30487406
Mild panic, scan the room for Veles. Give him a lost pleading look but otherwise act dignified in front of your new friends.

>>30487471
>>30487510
Clarification, centaurs aren't in the room. This is the gateway room that from the top part you caught sight of the nomadic group.

>>30487550
oh, nevermind then.
Let's go and talk to Veles then. Ask him how he feels about new neighbors, and maybe working with them to make sure they don't do anything sssuspicious.

It'll be fun.

>>30487601
And sleep drugs. Or just ask him why we're sleeping in so much with these weird dreams.

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You make your way toward the main foyer, seeing Veles at one of the work tables and hailing him. He jumps up from the table, hitting his head on the frame of something he had been working on, and looks back to you.

<Oh, Sasha, apologies, I was engrossed in this.> He gestures to the frame <If I can get it to work right, it should simplify things with the hawks significantly>

You look at the mess of steel and leather bindings fastening in place <What is it supposed to be?>

He backs away from it, dusting his hands as he uncoils himself to his full length. <Incubator. Crystal stores energy from the sun, lights when it gets dark..>

<Interesting, hey, I've got a question about a few things.> You say, looking away as he stretches and pops his joints a bit, before he regards you questioningly, <One, I figured I had better off ask about our natural poisons. And the other, I was wondering if you had something in the way of a sleep aid. I keep getting these dreams, and well, they are causing me to wake up far later than I should.>

His brow furrows at this, <Dreams? Curious. On the first part I can help, but the second is something I'd have to look into.>

Moving with quickness belying his size, he disappears down a tunnel only to return claws extended, a series of mason jars, balanced delicately between them.

>Have to pause the thread, will try to be back tomorrow. Next week I have free so I'll do a good old fashioned long one thread.

>>30488515
we'll see if the thread lives to tomorrow. It probably won't.
Oh well, thanks for running! Veles medical knowledge incoming.

>>30488515
Fun thread Chemlab, thank you for running! Looking forward to when you run next.

Centaurs maybe soon. I wonder if they visit veles often.

single late night bump so it carries to the morning. Maybe.

We should start considering payment methods for veles.

>>30498113
He likely has about as much material wealth as he cares for. He is also ancheint beyond our reckoning. New experiences would probably have value. As would new publications.

>>30492554
I wonder what Chemlab's take on centaurs is going to be.

>>30488515
One more in hopes of our dearstoryteller's return.

>>30507413
Eh, if he doesn't then it wasn't meant to be today.

We should totally start buying bookes for Veles though.