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>>33046924
The silence held longer this time, only broken by the click of McCain's revolver cycling to a loaded chamber.

"How long since you figured that out?"

"Please, it's not like it was hard. Same name, was obviously alive back then, showed up here right around the time when the partisans took a massive hit. Look a bit old for the person, but hey its not like anyone would suspect anything. Encyclopaedic knowledge of nitor policy, hand to hand style matching our officer corps training around that time." Keel said, ticking off the reasons on his fingers.

More silence.

"Your intention?"

"Nothing for now, what could I prove? Besides, I saw you and the current 'Two Hands' at the same time, and that's the one I'm after. 20 years is a long time after all, even if our statute of limitation of treason doesn't expire."

"It wasn't treason." He growled.

"See, that's not how the records see it, a prominent Nitor captain going native? Attacking convoys? Raiding? All this attributed to you, but then you up and go dark right when the rebellion turned to outright war. That makes me curious. Why? Especially since you had done such a masterful job of scaring everyone without anyone getting hurt up until then."

"It wasn't me, and the Watch hurt plenty before the partisans did"

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>>33046945
"Oh we know it wasn't your hand specifically. Still, it was credited to you, burned into the ground in blood and fire. We knew you threw your lot in with the partisans when you killed the watch commander and it took off, and your soldiers we KNOW were involved with the butchery afterwards"

"And I wasn't in any shape to do anythin' after that. I had no idea what they were doing. Spent the rest of that time driftin' in and out of coma. Regardless, both sides of that got played by the Pheonix bastards. What happened to my boys was the only failin' on my part. I took care of that."

"A curious take on events, but nevertheless, I am most interested in hearing your take on that. Our records are surprisingly sparse regarding that, but it matches what we know of what happened to your men." Keel said, standing up. "Don't worry about a thing, Captain, working with the Fifth Calv Misfits has taught me the art of discretion."

Watching the Nitor soldier head toward his tent and head in, McCain returned to staring into the fire.


Pulling your vision from your rifles sight, you keep your vision focused on where you saw the cougar go down. Mentally marking the spot, you look back towards the house a distance away. Its still early, you know Tai is up, and may have heard the shot, but if the thing isn't dead, you might want to go and put it out of its misery.

>Head back to the house. Get a group together. The cougar will keep.
>head down to where you saw the animal drop.

>>33046969
>>head down to where you saw the animal drop.
It's only neighborly we put the thing down proper, instead of letting it suffer.

Damn cougar killed our cattle, sure, but the thing didn't know what it was doing, after all.

>>33046969
>Head down to where you saw the animal drop.

How fast can we move on grass anyways? Not that it's relevant right now.

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Not wanting to cause undue suffering, you slither down the hillside from your father's grave, shivering slightly as you pass through the shadow of the hill and the chilly morning dew. Moving cautiously through the higher grass, you reach the point where you saw the animal go down. Its there, laying in the grass, you can see the trail it took from the pond out and see the telltale traces of blood. Judging by the amount and color, you figure it was a clean kill. However, you opt not to risk it, and nudge the animal's head with the barrel of your rifle. Yep, definitely dead.

The sound of horses break you from your inspection, as you look and see a pair of riders emerge from the treeline making a beeline to where you took the shot from. Even from here you can see the black uniform of the Nitor. Keel and McCain are moving at a breakneck pace toward your father's resting place. Hailing them, they slow down to a trot as they approach.

"We heard the shot on the way back Miss and came as quick as we co- whoa." McCain says, seeing the cougar for the first time.

>?

>>33047186
You can move fast enough to sustain with a horse at trotting speed roughly. You are capable of faster bursts, but will tire you out if you keep it up.

>>33047891
Just smile at them. A big cocky smile, it was a pretty nice shot after all.

>>33047891
>?
Well, I saw it heading for the water, and figured this was our chance at bagging it. It was either that or camp out waiting for it.

Do you suppose it had family? There could be more of these running around.

What do we do with a dead cougar? I've always lived in the city so I dunno.
Cremate it?

>>33048001
Well, if we don't want it we bury it.

But we probably skin it for a pelt at least. And we also probably take some meat off of it, because it smells good to us.

>>33048043
That makes sense! It was kind of a stupid question I guess.

>>33047950
>>33047953
Anyway, either works, or one and then the other.

We killed a big thing and it's kind of impressive. I also worry it may just be a cub and/or a member of a group.

Who knows whether giant cougars operate like lions.

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You fail to suppress your grin as you respond, "Saw it heading towards the water. Figured it was a good a chance as any. Took the shot."

"Like I was saying Miss Masterson, the Nitor really missed out on a good soldier." Keel says, causing McCain to frown.

You shrug, "Neither here nor there. I'm just worried if there are more around. Can't have my cattle getting eaten."

"Doubtful," Veles voice calls out, cresting the hill with the other two nitor and the spare horses. "They are largely solitary hunters. That looks to be large male, young though, just hit peak maturity. Likely looking for new place to call own."

"Any chance more will come to take its place?" you ask.

"Always chance that can happen, but I do not see it happening soon." the old snake says.

"What about its meat? I know I'm keeping the pelt." You say, eliciting a laugh and a muttered 'of course' from McCain.

"Is carnivore, so will not be like deer or cows. Is edible though." Veles says, "Call it speaking from experience."

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>>33049151
Between yourselve and veles, you managed to drag the massive thing back to the ranch, stopping a couple times in the process. Upon arrival, you are greeted by stares from the nitor, and a small cheer from Tai. Laying it down where they processed the first slain cow, you can get full appreciation for how massive this thing is. 10 feet long, upwards of 900 pounds by your rough estimate. Leaving the gutting and skinning to McCain and a wide eyed Marie, you try and get the second cow out of the tree. After some exertion you manage it, and despite the loss of two animals, you are at least swimming in meat. Leaving Tai to figure out how to use it before it spoils. Heading inside, you try to work on what to do next, noticing a small package addressed from Serrak you missed before.

>Get ready to head back into the centaur lands
>Work on the ranch some, there could be more of the cougars lying about.
>Check out the package
>Other?

>>33049179
>>Check out the package
What's in the mystery box? That's priority one.

Also, find out what cougar tastes like.

>>33049179
>>Check out the package

>>33049179
What's in the box.

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Heading over to the package, you open it to find a folder containing the information that the survey team had written up formally. Its pretty much the same as what they told you, rich lodes of ore buried under near inaccessible bedrock, the self sustaining hot springs, animal resources and the like. Sprinkled throughout this are notes in what you presume to be the neat script of Serrak marking out comments on the different sections. "Signficant Capital Investment." Seems to be the phrase of choice on the mining report, wheras 'potential' and 'time investment' are sprinkled through the animal resource and hot spring sections. Leafing through it you see a handwritten note, requesting a meeting at your earliest convenience in Snake's Landing.

>Plan of action?

>>33049711
Aw jeez. Do you think the soldiers will mind if we take a break from exploration to go dawdle off to town and back?
I'm up for giving him a visit to see what he wants, but we'd be imposing on the troops for a few days.


So, check with the soldiers if that's okay, and if it is, let's go visit.

Also, look over our maps one more time and confirm the mountain pass -is- on our land, legally. If it's not, consider purchasing more land next time we're at snake's landing over the mountain pass.

>>33049711
We get ready and head out to Snake's Landing.

We can also pick up more supplies for the next expedition, and baubles and perhaps seeds and spices to show off to the centaurs too.

>>33049792
Apologies, internet cut out before I could respond. The nitor officers are on a two week operation officially under the command of the Sergeant to 'secure landowner lands' using the raid by the faux 'Two Hands' McCain as justification. Unofficially they are answering to Keel, who is on a month long furlow. You spent roughly a week and a half in Casimiran lands. If they stay longer, there either needs to be a reason to be sent to his commander, or you need to come clean. Keel would still be available should they go.

>>33050746
That really throws a spanner into things. We don't really even have enough for one more trip with the soldiers.

So, I guess they're done here, as we burned most of their two weeks. Snake's landing is like two days away if I recall, so that's a four day trip to get more supplies, and then we fit in one more trip with keep along for the ride to the villages instead of the nomads.

That timetable SHOULD work, at which point we can go public with the information some.

Any way we could enforce guards, or people following the 4-person-party system? Talk that over with keel when you can.

>>33050874
Keep in mind, you've still got 2 weeks worth of supplies on hand, sans your barter material It was just a tad much to carry between the four of you.

Just to confirm, the plan is to go to Snake's Landing to meet with Serrak and pick up more supplies. Then heading out into Casimiran territory for a visit to the Szlachta without Nitor backup?

>>33051168
I guess it has to be. The nitor already burned up most of their two weeks with our visit to the dag ol' nomad camp.

We've still got keel, though, since he's on for a month rather than two weeks.

After that, we'll have to look into legitimizing or something.

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Heading back outside, you move over to Keel, who is standing with the nitor soldiers. He looks at you inquisitively as your approach. "Something wrong Miss?"

"Might be, yes, I've gotten a message from a businessman I know requesting a meeting. Any other person and I'd put it off, but it may be important."

"Where at?"

"Snake's Landing." You say, hearing the hiss as he inhales through his teeth.

"My men's time is almost up. If they stay any longer it will cause questions, and I fear that even my discretion won't be able to keep this under wraps."

"Yeah, hence the issue. That said, I think we'll be ok."

"If you say so." He acquiesces.

The men don't seem to take being stood down too well, seemingly feeling their mission was failed. This is however, with your offer of allowing them to spend the rest of the time they are here at the camp to make use of the animals you lost, rather than let them go to waste. You spend the rest of the day preparing a veritable feast of beef and cougar, though you find that the cougar backstrap is rather curious and tastes oddly of wild pork. You find to your chagrin that baking any of it results in a meal so tough you could probably use it for armor.

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>>33051910
However, Tai comes to the rescue once again, saving the other three quarters from that fate by trying to simmer one of them in a pot until the meat was falling off the bone, he then chipped the meat into small chunks and added a sauce of his own creation. Needless to say it was phenomenal, and even between you, your hands, the soldiers, and the bottomless pit that Veles can be sometimes, you still are hard pressed to finish off what you prepared. Full, content, and in good company, you head to bed.

Waking the next morning, you find yourself unable to recall any of the myriad of images you saw in your sleep, but at the very least you feel rested. Getting ready, you head to the carriage where Traveller and Greenbriar are hitched and are ready to go and see what Serrak wants.

>1d20 travel roll
>Taking anyone? (Specify)

Rolled 6

>>33051953
Marie and Tai? They've been stuck on the ranch for long enough. Keel and McCain can keep the place running, I'm pretty sure.

>>33051953
Let's take Marie. She just about ran herself to death before. We had ought to reward her a bit.

>>33051953
Sorry soldier men. You didn't fail though, we totally met an ENTIRE NEW CULTURE. This is important stuff.
Even if we're not making huge bank yet.

Rolled 16

>>33051953
forgotmeroll

Rolled 10

>>33052107
Right, rolling.

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>6

You offer to take both Marie and Tai, though you are surprised to see Tai turn it down, citing 'How will they manage to properly cook everything without me around?' Marie is also hesitant, but through urging from Tai and a sharp look from McCain she gets on the top of the carriage.

The roads are a welcome relief compared to moving through the unimproved badlands of Casimiran territory, and with surprisingly little in the way of traffic even upon entering South Fork. You pass through South Fork and head onto the road toward Snake's Landing. Given the light activity on the roadway, you figure this is as good a time as any to talk to Marie about earlier.

"You didn't have to run yourself ragged like that you know." You say, coming up from the hatch in the carriage.

"I don't know what you mean, Miss Masterson." She says, looking straight ahead.

"You were dead on your feet when I got back, in fact, not even that since you were in bed."

"No sense not doing a good job." she says, dismissing the accusation.

"There is doing a good job and there is working yourself to death. Your dedication is admirable, but you don't have to go that far." You say.

"If you say so."

Despite the bit of tenseness, the pervasive mood is altogether positive as you roll into Snake's Landing late in the evening, reserving a room at the hotel.

>In the morning...
>Head right to Serrak.
>Check about town (Specify.)

>>33053235
>>Head right to Serrak.
Allright serrak this better be important because you're calling me away from some good stuff.

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Over a light breakfast in the hotel you figure that is best to get this over with as quickly as possible. You arrange for a meeting with Serrak in the same penthouse suite that he used before. Marie opts to wait outside as you enter to the familiar sight of the office with the heavily drawn blinds. Forgoing his usual dramatic turn, you see Serrak sitting there, fingers steepled as he looks at you.

"Glad to see you here so promptly." He says, beckoning you over with his prosthetic hand. "It would appear there is a bit of a situation."

"And that is?" You ask, sliding into one of the chairs at the front of the desk.

"I am now owner of the company. Karath has flogged off the prosthetics and research and assets to the highest bidder, which I was."

"That's good right?" You ask, not seeing where he is going with this.

"I thought so as well, as I promptly rehired the competent people he had replaced with his sycophants. However, it would appear that one of said cronies is a dab hand with patent law, and they demanded royalties for the patents they owned, but not used. They were shouted down in court, but between the purchase, and my acquisition of the patents through legal means, my profit margin for investment has become slim and will remain so for some time. I am concerned that I will not be able to commit as much as I said I would to your endeavours. If only to keep fiscally stable." The ork says, producing a cigarette from a silver case.

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>>33054438
"So no money for me to develop my land then, yes? You could have told me that by mail." you reply.

"I believe in a more personal touch," He says, "besides it is hardly that dire. I just need to convince my board of trustees that said investments are sound. Ergo the survey report on your land was promising, but they are hesitant to broach into luxury horse ranching, nor tourism at some hot spring as a reliable investment."

"So..." You say, still not seeing where he is going.

"I need something that will sell them on this. Something to make it worthwhile, I was curious if you had any ideas or if anything new had come up. I was also curious if you had found out where your native associate had acquired those furs or that silk I had noticed on our first meeting. If not, I'm afraid I cannot be much help."

>Response?

>>33054461
A real tough question there. For an answer, well:

We're working on making our way through the mountains, actually. The whole area is littered with passes that could very well work. We were actually about to head out to a very likely one when you called us down here. Mind if we check back in with you in a couple weeks, maybe a month? If it pans out, well, you know how much getting to the mainland would be worth.


There. As close to the truth as I can get without outright telling him we're already through. We can tell him that once we get back from our two week trip and inform the government officially of our find, so he can't back-room maneuver us out of it.

>>33054461
I don't know. We're going to reveal the pass anyways within a month or so, but wouldn't it be best to have a firm relationship with the Casmerian leadership (royalty?) before we do so?

I want to tell him we'll get back to him on this.

>>33054744
maybe just tell him we have something big and secret right now, and we'll tell him in a month, assuming it doesn't kill us.
And if it does kill us, well, turns out it wasn't as profitable as we thought.

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"Well, there might be something." you say, after some deliberation.

"Yes?"

"I'm just not quite at liberty to discuss it."

"Ah." He says with a note of finality.

"Nothing dire, it is just it is going to take a couple weeks up to a month to handle. Then I can get back with you. Trust me though, it is worth it." you say earnestly.

He takes a drag of his cigarette and mulls it over. "I... think I can swing that. It had better be good."

"Believe me, it will be. Provided I don't die in the process."

You leave the orc to his business and exit to see Marie idly playing with on of her knives at the nearby table. "Everything good Miss Masterson?" She says, heedless of the worried stare one of the hotel workers is giving her.

"For the most part, just assuaging some concerns."

"Right, its still early, but if everything goes like it did, we can make it back to the ranch late tonight if you want."

>Head back (1d20 travel roll)
>Check here for something.
>Other

Regardless of outcome, next update will be after I get some sleep, or next thread if this gets bumped off the board. Apologies on the slowness, internet decided now was a good time to be terrible and I have a few obligations in the morning.

Rolled 8

>>33056173
Well, we've pretty much done our thing. We could get like, some clocks and heat charms and seeds and herbs for demonstration/trade, I suppose, but we're leaving right after either way.

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Rolled 1

>>33056173
Picking out some more baubles before heading back shouldn't take long.

And thanks for running Chemlab, hope you're back tomorrow.

Op may have been struck by internet problems