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>>33800329
You huff and slither onto the bedroll, "I'd at least hoped to have seen inside. Get to know what it is like."

Your ancient associate shrugs, "If anything like last time I was there, probably several goods warehouses, a place to put up sanctioned guests, and the buildings for the nobility and guard. The peasants are all beneath the city." He looks at your expression. "Easier to dig a ramp than build one in the badlands. Besides, how else would you keep them safe and secure if not within your walls."


>You were inside then?
>Any suggestions on our next move?
>Other?

>>33800355
>>You were inside then?
Also ask if there's any other real cool sights to see around here that are within our supply range. Once this trip's done, we'll have to make our report to the orc about this to get economy started proper.

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You watch him stretch luxuriously as he moves to the pile of furs that is his bedroll, "Not on my last visit down here. So more than thirty years ago, yes." He scratches the head of the Dahz who is splayed out by the fire. "Had to have been with her... grandsire I believe. I had an exceptionally bountiful year with my falcons. So much so that caring for and imprinting newborns would have been unwise. So I bartered them off to several of nobility."

"What'd you get off of them?" You ask, thinking back to the curios sitting in the mountain lair.

"Largely similar to what you got. Material. Their silks are royal secret you know. I was able to make upper body glove out of some of it. Wasted the rest trying to make one for lower body. Does not quite work with how we move. Moved from hold to hold, getting what I could." He says, pulling the black silken undershirt.

You look at the length of coils, "That must have been quite a lot of silk."

He grins, "It was, shame I could not move with any measure of grace when I wore it, and crawling into it at night to sleep was not inviting prospect."

"Alright you two, the history lesson is nice and all, but what are we doin' about right now." McCain says, reloading his revolver.

"Not much in way of landmarks nearby, unless you want to rough it." Veles says, "This is northernmost hold."

"Well," Says Keel, "We've got enough to wait here a day or two. Might get lucky and see whoever is in charge come back."

>Response?

>>33801276
Sure. Let's stick around a day and look for ways to help the locals and wait for the guy in charge.
If we happen to bag some trolls on our nightly lookout, that might make them a bit happier.

No huge pressure behind that though, as we've already seen they have silks comparable to the phoenix, breaking up the monopoly. They'll be getting a lot of visitors soon.

This is still is going?

>>33801436
It's pretty sickly, but stubborn.

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>>33801436
I'm not the sort to let a story be left unresolved so long as someone is enjoying it. I may be scaling back from my original plans, but I won't leave any plot threads dangling.

What, you thought you saw the last of Karath and the false 'two hands'?

>>33801717
yeah, fair enough.
I enjoy the quest, but I feel sort of bad making it happen with very few audience members

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Rolled 1

"May as well use the supplies we got, perchance our luck will change." You say, curling up into your bedroll before calling out through the fabric. "I'm turning in early, its dark and liable to get cold again."

You hear McCain through the covers, "You know, that reminds me, Tai's been getting up early and putting heavy blankets over Marie in the other room lately. I think that's how he's been able to get food ready well before she wakes up."

You try hard to suppress laughter as you close your eyes and force yourself to sleep.

Once again the myriad assaults you, though it seems faded and muted, the images and sounds being replaced by familiar images you have seen before. You can't seem to grasp them though and after what seems to be an eternity, you slither out of your blankets in time to see the sunrise. Stoking the fire, you watch work details file out of the hold, the brown dots of centaurs moving in teams of four to different fields.

McCain is first to wake after you, and you enlist him in making an impromptu breakfast from your supplies. Veles is next to awaken, if the motion under the pile of furs is any indication. Though he seemingly refuses to extricate himself from the mass of furs until well after the rest of you are fed.

>roll me a 1d20+4 here.

Rolled 17 + 4

>>33803205
time for some business luck check.

>>33801717
I've been reading this quest for a while, but I just lurk about 90% of the time. I'll try to post more in the future to show that more people are here.

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21 vs 1

You don't see any trolls on the horizon, but you figure that being on this face you're between the town and any of the roving band that might slip past the Kozaks anyway. You occupy your time with observing the comings and goings of the centaurs manning the fields. You note that the work shifts seem to swap plenty often, and start picking out familiar ones, noting that there seem to be two alternating groups per field, working in maybe what appear to be hour to hour and a half long stints, before swapping with the ones resting in the shade. The process appears almost mechanical, though you are curious how they manage it without timepieces.

You also note the occasional large wagon rolling in and out of the town proper. You can only assume that this is the harvest being carted away to whatever hold. Veles informs you that most of the holds have a speciality, with some focusing on livestock, others on luxury goods, and if his recollection is correct, being in this fertile valley is what allows Bralin to be an agricultural powerhouse. The other holds apparently have their own fields, mostly for self sufficiency, but the majority of the kozak food tithe and support in lean years comes from here.

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>>33804677
Near middday, a dust cloud on the packed earth road catches your attention. Watching it approach, you see the colors of the Bralin hussars, in a significant number and moving at an appreciable clip. Four of the silver and purple bedecked warriors bear a some sort of palanquin between them. At the head you one flanked by at least 8 hussars, the glint of their armor making it almost painful to look even at this distance.

"Looks like our luck came back around." Keel says, lowering his spyglass, "If that ain't the leader of some sort. I'm not sure what is."

>Action?

>>33804702
well, now we can ask to talk to him, at least. Though he seems pretty high up on the totem pole for us to get an audience.
That and our only real questions would be if we can look around his town, what his people are like, and if he'd be OK with a stream of foreign traders.

Be prepared to be turned away yet again, because we don't really have any clout at this point.

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"May as well take another stab at the gate then." You say, getting up from your resting position on the ridge.

"North or South?" McCain asks, packing up the last of the camp and moving some dirt on the last embers of your campfire.

"Whichever is closer I suppose." You say, slinging your pack back onto your shoulders.

You make your way down the toward the town itself, and across the fields, taking care to use the carefully placed space between the fields so as to not disturb the workers. You note they still find things to do on the far side of the field from you as you do so. Approaching the gate, you immediately notice that there are 4 guards on the outside walls here, and a small congregation of what you can only assume are merchants.

Approaching, you wait for the anticipated crossing of the halberds of the middle two.

[Entry forbidden until Lord Bralin finishes conferring with his advisor, and the rest of the gentry.]

You nod at least they didn't say anything about unauthorized access, though if the shouts of anger from the merchants are any indication, they've barred them for

[Kutkh Masterson?] A voice from behind calls to you.

You turn to see the visage of a centaur in Kozak garb approaching. Looking closer you recognize it as Elim, one of the patrol you met on your first foray here. With him are two other centaurs you don't recognize.

[Hello, my apologies, didn't see you there.] You say hurriedly.

[No matter, do you have a moment?]

>?

>>33806056
"Yes sure. What's the matter?"

>>33806056
I don't see any reason not to. They're kind of sort of friends.

>>33806210
er, not to see what they want, rather.

>>33806056
Yes, can I help you.

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[Sure, no problem, what's the matter?]

He looks over his shoulder. [Not here, too many ears, we shall head north.]

Flanked by the other two, your party and his walk and slither in tandem around the heavy walls of Bralin, watching the peasantry torn between moving to far ends of the fields, or the resupply station. It takes a long time, but you've nearly gone all the way around Bralin by the time he stops to and addresses you. [I dislike this secrecy, but it is necessary.]

[Seems quite a significant step to take, I presume it is necessary?] You ask, slithering off away from your group and his.

[Absolute necessity, the future is looking tenuous at best. Desperation is the primary reason for my request. You own a szlachta right?] He says, intensely staring at you.

[If you mean a farm, yes I do. Nothing of this size though.] You say, tentatively.

[But it is yours. Your domain, correct?]

[Yes, I mean, technically its within my nations domain, but we've got the rights to it.] You ask, wondering where he is going with this.

He nods [Good enough, can you be where we originally met before the next full moon?]

You do some hasty mental calculations, if you remember your almanac the next full moon is four days from now.

>Response?

>>33807227
Yes, we'll meet him.

We'll also bring a few guys as back up, but we'll meet him.

>>33807227
Sure, we can make it there. What's the matter?

>>33807227
Honestly, our meetings here are kind of a wash anyway. The merchants are receptive enough, which is good.

We can go tonight and tomorrow, with the remainder of our time here, if that's fine.

>>33807227
"I would like some idea of what I am going out of my way for, if you are at liberty to at least hint."

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[Honestly, trying to talk to gentry have been a wash so far, so we'll be happy to meet you there. What exactly is the problem? I would like some idea of what I am going out of my way for, if you are at liberty to at least hint.] You reiterate, watching as he still looks over his shoulder.

[Not now, it will be made clear when you get there. Ataman Veron would be in your debt should you help.]

[Well, don't hold it against me, but I'll be bringing my friends with. This cloak and dagger business has me a little nervous.]

[You have no idea.] He says, before returning and having a muted conversation with one of his followers, who promptly sprints off. He returns to you with a scroll sealed in a black silk ribbon. [Give this to the merchant named Boris in the northern warehouse when you can. I presume you are here to peddle your claybreakers, he might be of use to you.]

[Claybreakers?]

[My brethren of the Kozak have been referring to your weaponry by that name after your little performance. Most were... well, it appears a novelty way of dealing the fallen. Flame works much better. Some of our archers are intrigued but we have not many of them.] He stands at attention and throws a complicated salute, [For now, I will bid you farewell, and hope to see you soon.]

You watch as he and his other companion make their way to the north, a direction away from where the other one was heading.

Your associates look at you inquisitively.

>?

>>33808325
Might as well do that delivery quest. To the northern warehouse

>>33808325
Let's see if we're literate enough with veles' help to read that scroll.
Then visit the merchant, finish whatever business you have there, and get moving for your rendevous.

>>33808325
Let's give them a brief rundown, then see if we can't arrange for a meeting with the head hancho of this area.

>>33808325
It seems that the Kozacks want a meeting with us, and, he gave me this to give to the merchant Boris.

So, I guess we give this to Boris and then head out to the meeting.

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"It would appear something has come up for the Kozaks." You say, pre-empting their questions. "They want to meet where we ran into them initially within the next four days."

"Any idea what it was about?" Keel asks.

"No idea, but it must be serious." You say.

McCain interjects "What makes you think that? They seem to be actin' about as cagey as the szlachta are."

"Simple, they are not abiding by the rule of four." Veles answers, "I do not know what it is, but it must be dire."

"Also I'm to give this to Boris back on the northern side of town." You say, holding up the silk tied paper which the ancient snake takes into his hands. "Any idea what it is?"

"I do not know but I would advise against opening it." Veles says, turning it over and examining the ribbon. "it has a flame rune on it if the seal is improperly opened."

"Wait, like a bomb?"

You forestall McCain's outburst. "How big of a rune?"

"Not big, is likely to just destroy note."

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>>33809136
You make your way around the town, driven by interest in whatever this mysterious meeting could be. It takes a good while, but by late afternoon (after being waylaid by a patrol curious as to what you were doing that Veles talked you through.) you are standing outside the ramshackle building that the bombastic merchant resides in. It would also appear that the guards from before are still posted here, the 'kozak stock' one giving you a nod before being rapped on the back of his helmet by his superior. Opening the door, you head back into the shop, message and associates in tow.


>Pausing here for now, am loathe to do so now that voting seems to have picked up, but I do have obligations in the morning. My apologies. I'll be on tomorrow should this survive, and likely the next day as well. Thanks again for reading.

If anyone has any feedback on how the quest is going so far, or what they would like to see. I'd be glad to hear it.

>>33809194
Oh, well, thanks for running again, canid. See you next time these things roll around.

As for concerns and wants, well, the primary concern is always posting time, but that probably won't be changing.

The secret note stuff seems like it'll be interesting, and going back home will let us finally get people moving through our land.

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>>33809246
I'm trying to pick up the pace with regard to post times, and on timing it, I'm averaging about 45-50 minutes between update give or take. Its just more noticeable with the lack of discussion between updates given the smaller readerbase. That and not wanting to get halfway through and update and have the 3rd of 4th guy vote differently, since that's a good portion of the consensus right now.

>>33809416
Yeah, the population's kinda small.
Can't put the onus on you to increase it at this point, though.

>>33809194
Only thing I'd like to see is a brief recap of the quest and on what we're currently doing at the start of the thread. I'd find a refresher helpful and maybe the quest would look more accessible to new readers.