>>38728143
>Tell her the full story.
May as well, eh?

>>38728143
>>Just say he's worked here for two decades.
and, after secret conference with mccain to see if it's all right with him,
>Tell her the full story.

>>38728143
>>Just say he's worked here for two decades.
ask him if anything else is alright if yes
>Tell her the full story.

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You continue "Well, Miss Patrick, the fact of the matter is, that this particular Matt McCain, has been employed at this ranch for nearly twenty years. In that time he has been nothing but reliable for both myself, and my late father. As for his time before that, if he wishes to discuss it is his own business. But rest assured that."

"That doesn't excuse what happened in First Wood. The man has more than a few innocent lives on his hands." She finishes, looking unhappy with your answer.

Captian Keel holds up a gloved hand, interrupting the looming shouting match pausing as both your gaze and Liama's focus on him. "If I may, the Schola has already taken the statement from Mr. McCain, and as such the findings in his testimony have some correlations with what we know happened. We have reason to believe that he was not in a command capacity, nor was able to influence the events after the death of the, now known to have been corrupt, head of the First Wood Watch. Were it not for the... sensitive... nature of the account, we would be happy to provide a transcript. As of right now though, command has deemed it best not to make that information public as of yet."

"If'n Lia wants to know what happened, I'd be happy to tell the tale again." McCain chimes in.

"You had well and better Matthew McCain." She says, looking back at the elf before returning to look at you.

>"Lets try and start this welcome over, shall we?"
>"You two know each other?"
>Other.

>>38729606
>"Lets try and start this welcome over, shall we?"
Lets face it first time was a train wreck.

>>38729606
>>"Lets try and start this welcome over, shall we?"
How about we all just sit and/or slither down and have some coffee and snacks and talk this over.
I'm sure all you military types are tired after fighting all sorts of birds and marching all this way.

>>38729606
>"Lets try and start this welcome over, shall we?"

>>38729606
>"Lets try and start this welcome over, shall we?"

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You sigh, pointedly ignoring that your foreman and Miss Patrick clearly have a history. "Lets try and start this welcome over, shall we?"

You see the relief wash through her, surprising yourself. "Yes, lets. Lia Patrick."

"Sasha Masterson, and welcome the Lion's Head ranch."

"Oh, right, profession. Well, we don't quite have a name yet for ourselves. Protection work is kind of a" she pauses, thinking, "Well, lets say its a new venture to just be doing security for some place."

You're a bit nonplussed, "Serrak spoke highly of you."

"Oh really? That's good to know. He's an odd sort. Always thinking a few steps ahead of everything. I remember him somehow managing to get us supply caches when we were poking around those ruins in the far north, out where the big ice used to be, but- Oh right, I'm not supposed to talk about that. Never mind." As if oblivious to the inquiring look on Keel's face she continues. "Masterson, eh? Any relation to Lionel or Celes?"

"Those were my parents."

"Oh, right, Lion's Head. Should have guessed. Really clever actually. Celes was one of the instructors for the non bipeds back in the academy."

You mean to respond when the noise of some sort of disturbance outside catches your attention. Looking out the window, you catch sight of Marie arguing heatedly with one of the people in Liama's group.

>What do?

>>38730662
>>What do?
Obviously, go towards the commotion and interject your big snakebutt in there to see what the problem is.

Also possibly get some hospitality set out for these guys before more arguments occur.

>>38730662
Well this looks like Trouble excuse ourselves and see to the trouble.

>>38730662
Geez. Get over there and mediate whatever the problem is, have Lia come with us. I wonder where Keel is?

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Sensing trouble, and something to divert your attention away from this awkward discussion. You excuse yourself to go see to the problem, suggesting that McCain talk to Lia immediately to clear the air. Exiting your house, you head to the wagons. The lead of which Marie is haranguing the driver of the first cart, who has an expression not of shock or confusion, but more of a tired resignation. As if used to it.

"Marie, what's going on here?" You call, causing her to pause, looking at you as you approach.

"Nothing Miss Masterson, just some filthy turncoat traitors that shouldn't be working for people responsible for their ills is all." she calls back, before turning and beginning her tirade again.

"Marie." You call again, sternly.

The harpy huffs in frustration, before doing an agitated hopskip towards you. "Just some 'old friends' who apparently like to get bought out."

You see the lead wagon driver roll his eyes, and you turn back to Marie. "I need specifics."

She gestures to the group. "Miss Masterson, meet Eli, Caff, Jack, and Liz. Former shadow company members."

"Only former as much as you are." Calls Eli, a tired looking dark haired human.

You stop her before she starts yet another tirade. "Same folks you said would never work with a Patrick?"

She huffs once again.

>Deal with Marie
>Talk to these 'shadows'
>Other?

>>38731759
>>Other?
Separate the two, and mention that whatever was done is long since over and buried. Like, what, hundreds of years go?

>>38731759
>>Deal with Marie
Marie, People change, yelling about it does no one any good.

>>38731759
>Deal with Marie
>Talk to these 'shadows'
Make Marie shut up while we ask these guys what their side of the story is. If we can get some proper understanding of this we can probably convince her to cool it.

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"Marie." You say, having had just about enough of this.

"Yes?"

"Go give Tai a hand with the cattle. Alright? I'll take care of this."

"Yes Miss Masterson." She says sheepishly, winging off.

Approaching the group, you scratch the back of your neck. "Sorry about that she's-"

"Don't worry about it Miss." Eli says from his roost inside the wagon, "Marie's always been the one to champion decades old causes. Just another one to add to the list"

"You know her well then I take it?"

"Grew up together in the citadel ruins. We all joined shadow company, but I suppose she took to it the most. Learning everything she could about its history. The companies forcing everyone out prolly hit her the hardest. Simple as that." the woman named Liz says, fiddling with reins of the horses pulling the second wagon.

>Ask more about the shadows.
>Try and get them accommodated properly.
>Other?

>>38733156
>Try and get them accommodated properly.
while we
>Ask more about the shadows.

>>38733156
>>Try and get them accommodated properly.
They're going to be guarding us or something?
Well, our job is to get 'em set up.

>>38733156
>Ask more about the shadows.
If the companies have forced them out, is Citadel in good enough shape to not need them?

>>38733200
Seconding this

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"Well, lets see about getting you folks settled in, yeah? Was there anything in particular you needed?" You ask the group.

"Outside of pointing us to a clear spot to set up shelter. Not much Miss. Lia's said everything was paid in advance for a couple months. After that, we'll see how much we're needed and ifn you want to reup." Caff responds from the second wagon.

Directing them to a clear flat expanse of land, you watch as they unload supplies and some unusual frames from their wagons, tipping the wagons themselves on their side opposite one another. The group then proceeds take the frames inside, placing a tent fabric over the whole mess. In short order, they've got what looks to be a fairly well set up flop house between the two wagons.

"Pretty nice isn't it." Liama says from behind you.

"Its efficient to say the least. Can't imagine it'd be warm though."

"Few heat charms fixes that. Mainly my boys wanted a place where we could work on everything we need, but also not have to deal with sleeping becoming a pile of limbs and awkwardness."

"So its a movable home of sorts?"

"Exactly."

You have to ask. "Where'd you find these guys? One of my hands has a bit of... well history with them."

"Oh really? Well. After I left the nitor, I figured my best bet would be to do something useful. They just kind of showed up along the way looking for work. We got along well enough."

>You were in the Nitor then?
>Is everything taken care of with McCain and you?
>Other.

>>38735206
>>Is everything taken care of with McCain and you?
we're not going to have, uh problems will we?
because there's another, more dangerous mccain out there.

>>38735206
>>Is everything taken care of with McCain and you?

>>38735206
>Is everything taken care of with McCain and you?

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"Is everything taken care of between you and McCain?" You ask, hoping to get the worst of that business out of the way.

"There's a lot he hasn't said, but I Keel impressed upon me that the Nitor have the matter well in hand." Liama responds, "That's good enough for me I suppose."

"Good. He's been a rock for me for as long as I can remember." You respond, turning back to look at the assembly.

"Listen, I want to apologize for jumping the gun there." She starts, but you cut her off.

"Nothing to apologize for, you didn't know."

"Yes, just want to make sure that there's no hard feelings. Don't want to have another incident like the one at the ambassadors party and the phoenix delegate."

"What happened there?"

"I told a story my mum told me about when he was a child. It didn't go over well with him."

You're starting to see why Liama Patrick is considered a mobile diplomatic incident.

>Going to pause the thread here. Wanted to wrap up the Liama intro properly before the week was over and my internet is being less than cooperative. Blame that big solar flare messing with my satellite or something.
>As always, thanks for reading, and if you have any questions about characters, setting or just what you like/dislike about this quest, I should be available for a bit longer tonight.

>>38736377
Thank you for running! Can you talk about this continent a bit? I've forgotten a bit about it.

Like, what's it called? Where's Tai's family's ranch? Are there other settlements along the coast?

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>>38736636
The Southern Continent is named just that, in the bog standard naming convention that the United Free Kingdoms seems to employ. The Phoenix Empire likes to make the point of their name for it being stricken from the records, much like the original name of their city that is now known as riverport. This 'injustice' falls apart on closer inspection, given that the literal translation is 'land of the south free of snakes.' This makes Snakes Landing, and more recently the discovery of Veles more than a little ironic. This lack of definitive name is mostly hinged on the fact that upwards of 90% of the continent has been impassible by the mountains. If you want the real name of the continent, your best bet would be to ask the Casimiran Centaurs.

Tai's Aunt and Uncle own a ranch to the far west of Riverport, its a small one, even compared to the scale of the Lion's head, and most of their farming is for subsistence. Tai's not brought up his immediate family as of yet.

Other than the two major cities, Riverport and Snake's Landing the best you are going to find are fishing villages and small quays. The mer have dominion towards the warmer northern areas. Small towns like South Fork are few and far between, usually even smaller consisting of naught more but a grain silo, general store, and maybe a locally appointed Sheriff if they are lucky.

>Tell her the full story

>>38737280
Huh, I never realized we were on the northern end of the continent. I just assumed we were on the east coast. Thanks for the answers.

Rough idea when the next thread is?

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>>38737468
Next week sometime. I try and stick the weekend, but as I've showcased, keeping to a specific day is a little bit of a crapshoot.
>>38737365
I know exactly why this happened, and it is both hilarious and depressing at the same time.