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>>38428825
"I wouldn't say that, he's stabilized, yes, but the burns are still largely the most serious aspect of his injuries, and he'll need round the clock care to see that they don't get infected." he responds, "Broken jaw is on the mend, I give it less than a week before he can try and talk, but the burns will be longer, and are healing a lot slower. If his physiology is like I suspect, those will be the worst of it."

You ponder that as the doctor leaves to go report to Keel who is considerately keeping himself and a few men stationed by the camp, waiting for your new 'help' to arrive.

>Go check on the centaur being tended to by Marie and Tatiana
>Go see McCain and see if you can't find anything about this Miss Patrick.
>Go see Tai, its been some time since you talked to him.
>Other?

>>38428835
>>Go see Tai, its been some time since you talked to him.
How've things been on the ranch, Tai?
So many problems everywhere but here, it seems.
Also sorry we haven't found good herbs for you from beyond the mountain yet.

>>38428835
Seeing you post that always makes me wish I had better lighting and a camera.

>Go see Tai, its been some time since you talked to him.
Poor guy is reliable but doesn't get any screentime.

Have we ever asked what Tai's ambitions are? I can't imagine a talented guy like him is satisfied just being a ranch hand all his life.

>>38429223
Well, I know he's a hobbyist herb gardener, but I don't think so.

>>38428835
>>Go see Tai, its been some time since you talked to him.
We've got him in the clear and Tai is going to be dealing with some shit as were definitely a valid raiding target for the Phoenix empire simply on the grounds of being half serpent. If they find out that we've got plenty of cattle and were responsible for the swamp raid, we will be attacked. This is especially a big deal after the reveal last thread which, despite putting us in a better position for raiding, will also put a bigger target on us.

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You figure four bodies inside the bunkhouse is one snake too many and leave Tatiana and Marie to their work. Veles is still loitering about, McCain largely pointing out things for him to do. Its a bit odd, but you wager the ancient lamia is probably just trying to overhear some gossip on the state of the war. Leaving them to that, you head inside behind the barn, where Tai is tending to the poultry.

"Hey Tai," You say, slithering around the corner and sitting on a hay bale, "How are things holding up on the ranch? Sorry I didn't get a chance to talk to you right when I got back. Seems everyone has problems except here."

"I wouldn't say that Miss Sasha, what with the bad news on the countryside and the walking stomach still about, our larders have taken their own hit. I sometimes wonder how he gets food up there by himself if he eats so much here."

"How much did he eat?"

"Probably as much as McCain and yourself combined. Cooking for three when there is only two is a bit off putting Miss Sasha." He says, scattering the seed to the hens, before moving towards the roosts to check for eggs.

"I suppose, but at the same time, its not like he wasn't helpful, right?" You counter.

"As much as he could be, yes. Did not like the way he eyed the chickens though." He responds, prompting you to roll your eyes. "Was there something you needed Miss Sasha?"

>?

>>38430074
Not particularly. Just looking to check in on the ranch. See if it needs anything. It's the only stable part of all these enterprises. Heck, we'll probably wind up bumming around here a week waiting for our guest to heal so we can get a statement.

After checkins, maybe hear keele out if we've not done that already in passing, and then dismiss veles. We're back for a while, thanks for giving us a hand, don't eat my chickens, that kind of thing.

>>38430074
Just to chat. We need a break from how heavy all the situations are, and we don't get to talk to him much.

Ask how long he's been planning to work for us, if he has any dreams in mind to work towards. Does he try to keep in touch with his family?

I feel his and Marie's backstories will be important, we should try to learn about them during downtime before Miss Patrick show up to steal the spotlight.

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"Just a chat really, things are getting heavy, and this is probably the only stable income we've got, besides, its not like we've had a chance to talk all that much."

"Oh. Well, that is good Miss Sasha." Tai responds, if a bit awkwardly.

"So how long were you planning on working here, I mean you've done a good job," you add hastily, seeing his eyes widen in panic "I was just wonder what you've got by way of goals, or dreams or what have you. Surely ranching isn't all you want to do, yeah?"

He cocks his head sideways, regarding the question for a moment. "Nothing so grand as that Miss Sasha, I came here because my aunt encouraged me to find work. Simple as that, and this is a good thing here. I get to tend my garden, I do not have all my cousins around, and my aunt doesn't have to worry about me."

"So you've kept in touch then?"

He looks down. "Not particularly, Miss Sasha, she was happy to see me go. Something about my late father. I do not know. He died coming here from the Empire. I was very little at the time."

"Oh, sorry, didn't mean-" You start.

"No it is fine. Long time ago regardless."

"Well, how IS the ranch doing, by the way." You say, changing the subject.

"Ticking along, Miss Sasha. We will need to restock the larder soon, I have sent an order to that bull-man Enos in South Fork, but when he will get more supply is not known. The regiments are buying up a lot of things though he says."

>More questions?
>Go talk to Veles
>Go talk to Keel.
>Other?

>>38431345
You do Good work Tai, I'm glad you're here.

>Go talk to Veles

>>38431345
Very good then. You keep tending your garden.
I agree with
>Go talk to Veles
we need to dismiss him before he eats everything. And inform him of the politics, if he hasn't overheard already.

maybe keel after that, because I can't remember if we've talked to him about all this junk yet and he wanted to talk to us.

>>38431345
We should PROBABLY warn him about the fact that people might be a bit aggressive or cautious around him because of his specific ethnicity. You know, hes currently in an area actively fighting the Phoenix empire, him being not-asian probably will get him ire in village.

>>38431345
He doesn't get much chance to visit South Fork or Snake's Landing and he doesn't talk much to anyone on the ranch. It's not our place to pry, of course, but I want him to hang out at a bar or something. Loosen up a bit.

Anyways;
>Go talk to Veles

See what's what, how he gets along with Tai, tell him to go eat his own food.

>>38431345
>Go talk to Veles

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"Well," You say, for lack of anything else. "Keep up the good work, and just be wary, there might be a bit of an upswing in... well... people hostile towards anyone hailing from the Empire."

"Nothing I haven't endured before Miss Sasha." He says, and that seems to be that.

Excusing yourself, you make your way out towards where Veles is standing watch over the herd. Well, standing watch is a loose term for it, since the herd is on the opposite side of the pasture, keeping well away from the 42 foot long snake that looking at them.

"Oh, Sasha, good to see you."

"Hello Veles, enjoy yourself here while I was away?"

"Quite. Tai is an excellent cook. I've told him so several times."

"Yeah, about that, he's a little less than pleased."

"Why's that?"

"Apparently someone ate far more than their share."

Veles bursts out laughing at that. "Oh dear. I wonder who that could be."

"I don't know, but Tai's started referring to him as a walking stomach."

"Can't be me then, I don't walk."

"Veles." you say, disapprovingly.

"Can you blame me? He is good with cooking. Saves me trouble. If it is that much trouble, I'll bring something to restock your larders. Simple price for letting him work his particular magic."

"And something about menacing the chickens."

"Only looking at your husbandry. When you get to be as long as I am, you'll find you make prey species nervous by being around them."

>Don't think I'll last that long.
>His magic?
>Politics.
>Other?

>>38432728
>His magic?

>>38432728
>>His magic?
>>Politics.
We've not done much chicken husbandry yet. They're mostly for the eggs.
Just tell 'im about all the local wars and stuff. good to keep abreast of that, eh wot? And hearing the praise of your cook is always nice.

>>38432728
>His magic?
>Politics.

>>38432728
>His magic?
>Politics.

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"His magic?" you ask, curious.

"Oh. Nothing really, I was trying one of your... turns of phrase was it? He is meticulous about his details, similar to how I get when I am examining something, like that compass. Only he applies to food, or managing this place. I am not suggesting that these 'Phoenix' people are descendants Rocs, though there is an interesting book one of those Schola fellows had that may have suggested that. That 'humanization' syndrome is a novel idea, and it makes sense I suppose, given the evidence that was presented.." He says, checking himself before he starts to ramble.

"We've gained a great understanding of how people work since then."

"Not enough is appears." He responds.

"Oh?"

"You still haven't figured out why the females of our kind waste away after having a clutch."

"The withering? I... I guess you're right." memories of mother coming unbidden

"Yes, you know of it, but not WHY. That is the understanding I had hoped to gain. Why my mate only had that happen after her second clutch so long ago."

Treading into morose waters twice in one day, you hurriedly change into what you originally wanted to talk to him about. Speaking quickly you give him a rundown of what you know about the phoenix empire, and what Keel has told you so far, as to where they might be targeting, and their predisposition against snakefolk. He takes it in almost nonchalantly, if a bit thoughtful.

>Something wrong?
>Bid Veles goodbye, speak to someone else.
>Other.

>>38434479
>Something wrong?

>>38434479
>>Something wrong?
I feel it would only be neighborly if he wants to talk about it.
If not, then go right ahead and get keel's briefing. Then worry over the wounded centaur.

>>38434479
>Something wrong?
Maybe it's passing our lives from on generation to the next? And the thinning of our blood.

>>38434479
>Something wrong?

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"Is there something wrong?"

He snaps out of his far off look, "No, not quite, just curious. You say that these Phoenix people hate Lamias and Nagas, yes?"

"Something like that, something about old legends, and the paladin serpent ruining their invasion centuries ago."

"Strange. They have reason to hate, I guess, but they haven't carried it out."

"Carried what out?"

"Total annihilation of that which they hate. At least, back during the time of my sire that was the recourse. Centaurs also have a similar ideal. Something like a foe is just an enemy you haven't killed yet. Does not translate well."

"I things are different now."

"More so than you can imagine. This on and off enmity with these Phoenix people reminds more more a draconic rivalry than anything else."

"Only a rivalry?"

"Yes. You MIGHT not get killed in that case."

>Ask more about the old times
>Bid your farewell, go see someone else.

>>38435335
>>Ask more about the old times

>>38435335
>Bid your farewell, go see someone else.
That's enough out of you, you old so-and-so.
Let's make sure to visit keel this session. We can't put him off for two sessions, I'd feel rude.

though push comes to shove, I by default give up my vote in the event of a tie to keep things moving.

>>38435335
>Ask more about the old times
As if I'd want to pass up on more info dumps.

>>38435335
>>Ask more about the old times
Knowledge is power, and I am a hardcore lore junkie.

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"I'd like to know more about these old times."

"You and the Schola Nitor both, but there is not much to tell. Or rather, there is not much that I think is significant. It was simple. The great beasts, the Rocs, the Trolls, the Leviathans, the Dragons. They ran the show. The things that became elves and humans were just emerging from whatever they spawned from, the northern fleshcrafters were doing their business in the north. Never got a chance to find out more about either. Dragon Who Was Dragon made the plans and I was happy to be useful. Its funny, from what I heard, the only other one from that time is the self styled 'old one' that sleeps more than he can recall. Its... an odd feeling to say the least."

"Outliving everyone else?"

"No, making sense of the pompous ego driven blowhard for those that wrote everything down. The Nitor wanted my opinion on his statements, and I've not the inclination to go through five hundred years of your recordings of his anecdotes."

You can't help but laugh, you've got someone who is probably the authority on pre citadel times right here, and he's being a diva. You can only imagine what would happen if someone let slip about that iron book he has in his lair.

Following the old snake to the gateway, you bid him farewell as you head back toward the waiting nitor.

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>Going to pause the thread here since I know folks start to drop off past midnight. Since you've got some downtime, please pick an aspect you'd like Sasha to focus on, be it marksmanship, magic, research, or whatever, and I'll have a big writeup prepared next time on all of what you accomplished in the meantime. As always, I'll be around for a bit if you have setting or other questions. Thanks again for reading.

>>38436471
thanks for running, guy.

And let's get either more marksmanship, or ranks in natural combat. shit's gonna get messy soon enough. might as well practice shooting while we wait for the horse.

>>38436471
Thanks for running!

>>38436503
I like natural combat, we could learn to spit venom cocktails like Ssen.

>>38436471
Shooting or natural combat.

>>38436581
>>38436471
also thanks for running.

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>>38436601
>>38436581
>>38436503
Thank goodness I got pictures for both magic AND shooting stuff then.

Always pays to hedge your bets.

I've been rereading old threads for the dreams, since I realized I never payed much attention to them. The best I can guess is they're triggered by asking or learning about someone's past. Seems too easy, though.

Also found this that I forgot about.
>The Captain regards her, you see his eyes flit down, following the necklace chain she wears, before the light of understanding shines in his eyes and he lets that comment pass. You have no idea what just went on and you make a note of it to talk with Marie later.
We should remember to ask Marie about her past and the Shadows when it comes up again. She hasn't spoken up about it but it doesn't seem like she's trying to hide anything either.

>>38436910
Yeah, following up on old leads couldn't hurt.