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>>35711393
"I've been thinkin' Miss," McCain leads off once you're in private, "If'n we go straight to the nitor, that's right through the city. Prolly more questions than we want to answer with this miserable sod on hand." gesturing to the bound and gagged prisoner.

"Well, what else can we do?" You ask, focusing more on your aching head than where he is going with this."

"I'd prolly be the last to suggest it, but we might want to see if your shady orc fella is still about. He might have a better plan than frogmarching someone with a broken arm through town."

"Couldn't we take our carriage? Its unlikely that he's back by now, I mean he did have us talk to that bartender."

"Did he say he was out of town?"

"I... don't remember."

>Try and see if Serrak is available.
>Go right to the Nitor post.
>Other?

>>35711427

Stuff him in a huge-ass burlap sack and drag him down the street.

If anyone asks, say its an escaped calf we're bringing back to its owner, and he doesn't want anyone to see the brand on it, lest he get teased for allowing rustlers to get the drop on him.

>>35711427
>>35711574
Uh, that might be a bit direct.
Maybe first let's just ask someone to send a runner to the nitor? Serrak sure, whoever really.

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>>35711708

Well, if you really want, we can just carry him.

>>35711793
I just sort of think that should be plan "B".
You know, after we try and see about getting the nitor to come to us.

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Rolled 20 (1d20)

"Well, we could always just stuff him in a sack and drag him to the Nitor post. Just say he's a lost calf or something." You say, your prisoners eyes bugging out as the words leave your mouth.

McCain puts a hand on your forehead, "You feelin' alright Miss?"

You bat it away, "Yeah, just fine. Couldn't we send a runner to the Nitor or something? I mean the hotel has to have a couple on hand, can get Serrak while we wait."

"I suppose."

"You go get Serrak, I'll see to it that chuckles here doesn't do anything." You say. Leaning back and resting against the stable wall.

It's not three minutes after McCain left that your captive goes after you, swinging his leg up in an arc that narrowly misses your head. You duck down and slide away putting yourself between him and any hope of escape out of the closed door.

>Action?

Rolled 14, 11 = 25 (2d20)

>>35712295
We took all the weapons he has, right?
If so, let's see about just wrapping him. Maybe put our size to use.
I am predicting die rolls, so here is some.

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>35712295
Wrap his legs up, if he keeps trying crush them.

Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>35712295

Third vote for giving him the constrictor hug.

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Rolled 5 (1d20)

>17+4 vs 20 (Bound, criticals disabled)

The Faux McCain is apparently unphased by both the broken arm, and the heavy ropes binding his upper half as he springboards off the side of the wagon, rocking it slightly as he does, in a desperate bid to get behind you. You manage to catch him mid flight, throwing him down again before you instinctively coil around the elf. You take care not to crush him, being worth more alive than dead, but with the rate he's fighting you're constricting far harder than you'd like.

Eventually he goes slack, and you unwrap yourself from him, really hoping that you've not killed him. Though as you watch his feeble attempts at incchworming toward the door, you've got to admire his tenacity. You drag him back towards the rear of the stable, and bind his feet proper, keeping watch as your headache pounds even more with the exertion.

You freeze when you hear a polite cough behind you, turning, you see Serrak illuminated from behind before he closes the door.

"Your foreman left for the nitor post with an urgent look on his face. Who's your... guest?"

>?

>>35713290
A rather tenacious bandit who shot me. We're trying to get him to the nitor without a commotion, and of course he tries to escape. We think hes was working with the smugglers among other things.

>>35713290
Oh, he's an unpleasant sort. We're hoping the nitor will pick him up.
He's the same guy who attacked the ranch, and he might have a bounty on top of it.


(I'm trying to not directly mention serrak's involvement in all this in front of the prisoner, for safety reasons.)

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"Oh, he's an unpleasant sort." You say, dragging the still weakly wriggling bundle towards a pillar, near the back of the room. "We're hoping the nitor will pick him up."

You begin tying the elf to the pole. "He's the same guy who attacked the ranch, and he might have a bounty on top of it. Not To mention he's prolly tied to the smugglers that attacked me."

"Seems like a big laundry list for someone, any idea on his name?" The orc says, cupping a cigarette and lighting it with his prosthetic.

"Well, the Nitor about bloody near caught him when he hit our ranch. He made a big grandstand and said his name was 'Two Hands' McCain." You say over the muffled protests of your captive, who appears to be be rapidly regaining lucidity and struggling against his bonds.

"Interesting. Let me see about getting some of the hotel men to keep an eye on the... gentleman, while we have a discussion."

With the large, uncomplicated, and impassive men keeping 'McCain' most assuredly captive, you and Serrak enter your carriage, and you give him the rundown on what you saw, including the Pheonix ship, which at least makes him raise his eyebrows.

You're just about finishing up when McCain comes back, saying that Keel is in, but can't go off base. According to what he told McCain, a 'specialist' has come to the southern continent to look for the 'Partisan Outlaw Two Hands'

Things may have just gotten a bit more complicated.

>action?

>>35714060
But we HAVE two hands!
Or the bandit who claims to be two hands!
Looks like we're going to have to march him up to the nitor then. Maybe using the wagon.
Let Serrak and Mccain weigh in on just taking him there in the wagon, but it seems to be our best bet.

>>35714060
Haul the faux McCain down to the Nitor base. I want to wash out hands of the fuck, collect our bounty, and get some of our projects going.

>>35714060

CANVAS.

BAG.

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"May as well take him right there and get this done and over with so I can get on with managing the ranch." You say with finality.

"Drag him in the carraige then?" McCain suggests.

"Probably for the best. Let them know about all we know, then get out of here."

"Understood" He says, heading out towards the stables where Greenbriar and Traveller were put up.

"I think I might want to come along for this." Serrak says, "There might be some... niceties to smooth out."

"Some significant pause worthy complications?" you retort.

"Exactly. I have an investment to protect."

Rolling up to the fort, you see Captain Keel, and a Major who you don't recognize waiting for you with a posting of soldiers. He greets you with a wave.

"You alright Miss Masterson, need to see a medic or anything?"

"I should be fine, hard headed and stubborn about things, you know. I'll be fine."

"If you're sure."

You open the door and Serrak steps out, Keel raising an eyebrow at that as you pull your bundled cargo out of the carriage.

Pulling the canvas sackcloth out from over his head, you give a bit of a flourish. "One 'Two Hands McCain, thrice bound." You say laughing as the soldiers behind Keel wince at the wordplay.

>Tell Keel everything about the smugglers base and the phoenix involvement.
>Just leave with whatever bounty there is.

>>35715252
>>Tell Keel everything about the smugglers base and the phoenix involvement.
We can't collect on that bounty, but they ARE keeping and killing slaves.
Aint right to let them just keep on keepin' on. That and if they catch ALL the smugglers, we get our diamonds out of evidence faster.

>>35715252
>>Tell Keel everything about the smugglers base and the phoenix involvement.
Gotta get in that community service and all.

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"Listen, we've found those smugglers." You say, catching tearing the captain's interest from the captive that the major is now beelining for.

"Oh? What about them."

"They are working with the Phoenix Empire. They've got slaves working the mine."

That pulls his attention, right as the major arrives.

"Look what a concerned citizen has done for us." Keel says idly as the man looks down.

The major looks at the captive then at you, before turning to Keel, "This the same girl I heard about? Because I've gotten report of some pretty damning things about someone under her employ, Keel, and if you think that I'm not going to follow up on that lead just because we've got ONE person claiming to be McCain. Especially since it involves you."

"Before you put anything more into words, Major, I would advise you against... spurious claims against one of my clients." Serrak says, straightening his suit as he steps out of the carriage.

"And who would you be." the officer asks, sizing up the slim orc and his artifice prosthetic.

"One of the current partners in a certain road that is being built. One that would not be so generous with whether or not it becomes a toll road, nor what the price is going to be if another one of my partners in that endeavour is hassled."

The Major is agape.

>Let Serrak handle this.
>Try and explain what you saw at the smugglers camp.
>other

>>35717042
>>other
"Well, sir, it seems you have two options: Either speak to Mr. Serrak here about the unfounded rumors about a second McCain, or talk to me about the smugglers"

>>35717042
>>Try and explain what you saw at the smugglers camp.
We can play hard-arm like
>>35717136
says, but I really hope they choose the smuggler option.

>>35717181
So do I, but we honestly have better things to do than play party to a witch hunt. Or at least that the the tack we had ought to play.

>>35717042
>>Try and explain what you saw at the smugglers camp.

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"Anyway, like I was saying." You cut back in, feeling the stares turn to you, "This guy just did some deal with some official looking fellow from the Pheonix Empire. Involved handing over prisoners to what I can only speculate is slaving away in a mine. I followed the Pheonix guys out, and there was this huge warship, then they dumped a bunch of bodies overboard, and then their ship faded out of sight."

You stop, noticing the intensity of the stares increasing as the bored rank and file, and even soldiers just passing by turn and stop to look at you.

"I think... what we need to do is have a long chat in private, Miss Masterson." Captain Keel says, turning towards the Major, "Because, and I think the Major will agree with me, that this has turned into something worthy of 'discretion'."

You and your party are hurriedly ushered inside the fort, with the faux McCain being dragged off to the stockades, continuing his muffled protests the entire way there. You see Colonel Braun standing near the officers quarters, and as you enter, you see the Major talking animatedly at the man before he is abruptly dismissed, his eyes narrowing and lips tightening as he gives a formal salute, and walks away.

You, your foreman, and your business partner are ushered inside by Keel, who takes out a familiar notepad and turns to a clean page. "Start at the beginning."

>Arc complete. As always, thanks for reading. And thanks for being a part of this in the year we've been trucking along.

>>35718286
Oh boy. Time for long explanations.

Thanks for running!