>>2372935
>>Help your slave with breakfast

>>2372935
>Leave your slave to her work and wash up

What are slaves for, if not manual labour?

>>2372935

>Help your slave with breakfast

Later, she can do it on her own, but for now, it's best we get on the person who'll be preparing our meal's good side.

>>2372935
>Wash up

>>2372935
>>Help your slave with breakfast

>>2372935

>>2372937
>>2372938
>>2372952
>>2372955
>>2372976

You head to the kitchen first just to see what the Elf is preparing. You find her crouched over the wood stove, still in her pitiful rags, nursing some sausages in the fire. Her little brows are scrunched in quiet concentration until she notices your presence, at which point they unfold and remain fixed on the ground, slightly afraid, occasionally glancing up to see if you're still looking.

The sausages seem to be the only thing left to prepare. There's a small platter with some freshly toasted bread, grapes, some old cheese you didn't even know you had and what appears to be some kind of bean dip (judging by the condition of the mortar and pestle and the half-empty paper bag of chickpeas, it was made with some effort).

But no breakfast is complete without some eggs and so you run downstairs to the yard and grab a few from the chicken coop. Your chickens are gracefully strutting on the grass, pecking at invisible worms and insects. By the time you get back upstairs, the sausages are ready and the plate has been moved to the veranda and your slave is waiting for you by the door.

"Let me get these in pan." You say, holding up the eggs. She frowns and gives you one of her patented panicked looks.

"I was supposed to cook eggs? I'm sorry I didn't know. I'm sorry." She says, dragging her right hand down her left arm. A slight tremble runs down her body. Looking to the table, you realize that, as before, she's only cooked enough for you and nothing for herself. You should really correct this behavior before it becomes a habit. What good is a starving slave?

>Have her eat with you and have a discussion about this
>Eat in silence, you can deal with this later

>>2372997
>>Have her eat with you and have a discussion about this

>>2372997
>>Have her eat with you and have a discussion about this

Aww yeah boi, qt ptsd elf slave quest.

>>2372997
>>Have her eat with you and have a discussion about this

>>2372976
>>Have her eat with you and have a discussion about this

>>2372997
>>Have her eat with you and have a discussion about this

>>2372997

>Have her eat with you and have a discussion about this

>>2372997

>>2373002
>>2373012
>>2373037
>>2373060

"It's fine. Next time OK? Go sit." You gesture toward the veranda with your eyes. She nods, still unsure if there is a future punishment in store for her and goes to stand by the table with her head down. You sigh and head for the kitchen. Eggs at least, are an artform you've mastered and it is no time at all before the golden mounds of scrambled egg meat, perfectly moistened and conservatively seasoned (salt is not cheap) are finished in the pan. You grab two plates, scoop the majority of it on to one and the remainder onto another.

You let the eggs cool just a little and take the opportunity to wash up. The water's nearly gone in the bathroom. The slave had the foresight to wash your vomit-stained blankets and string them up to dry. Which reminds you that you should probably discuss her sleeping habits as well. You wash your face and neck with what little water remains in the bucket and then join your slave at the table with your platter of eggs.

"Sit. You command her, taking a seat yourself. She obeys, looking around nervously and fidgeting in her chair. You slide the larger portion of eggs toward her. She looks confused, as usual. You sigh again and try and gather what little Elvish you know.

>Be clear, but be firm. Explain her duties and address the sleeping arrangement and food issues.
>Try to probe her mind a little. Explain to her what you want out of this, and try to understand her, to get some details of her former treatment. Show her it won't be the same way now
>You have little time for this. Tell her directly what you want and be frank about it.

>>2373071

>Be clear, but be firm. Explain her duties and address the sleeping arrangement and food issues.

>>2373071
>You have little time for this. Tell her directly what you want and be frank about it.

>>2373071
>>Be clear, but be firm. Explain her duties and address the sleeping arrangement and food issues.

>>2373071
>>Be clear, but be firm. Explain her duties and address the sleeping arrangement and food issues.

>>2373071
>Be clear, but be firm. Explain her duties and address the sleeping arrangement and food issues.

>>2373071
>>Try to probe her mind a little. Explain to her what you want out of this, and try to understand her, to get some details of her former treatment. Show her it won't be the same way now

Going for this one because we want to make it perfectly clear we aren't a power-tripping abusive asshole. There are things she will be expected to do, but we aren't gonna whip her silly just because she forgot to stoke the furnace once or twice.

>>2373071
>>Try to probe her mind a little. Explain to her what you want out of this, and try to understand her, to get some details of her former treatment. Show her it won't be the same way now

>>2373071

>Be clear, but be firm. Explain her duties and address the sleeping arrangement and food issues.

>>2373071

>>2373075

You look out into the beginnings of the town beyond your yard. Carriages move like heavy beetles through the dry earthen streets and already the noise of people and animals are loud. You look back at the girl, wringing her hands and staring at her eggs. The only thing more obvious than her desire is her restraint. How best to handle this?

You remember reading that it's best to be clear and straightforward, even blunt, with a slave. The less miscommunication, the less chance of the slave making a mistake out of ignorance and the less punishment she suffers. Win-win. You should be firm. Not necessarily cutting but not soft either. At the end of the day you paid 6 sovereigns for her, a kingly sum (for you) and you are her master and she is your slave.

"Eat." You say. Gesturing to her eggs with your fork. She slowly lifts a forkful into her mouth and closes her eyes, to savor it. "Good? Too little salt?". She shakes her head.

"I-I will try to cook it like this n-next time. If this is how you like it." She says.

You nod. "Good. Eat it all. Eat this too." You slide over the platter she prepared herself. You gesture again when she hesitates. "I have no use for sick slave."
You say. "Understand? Eat lots. Be healthy. Sleep inside, from now. Cold outside right?"

"I-is that OK? For me to sleep inside?

"No use for sick slave." You say. "You houseslave. You cook, clean, help me with house. You need be healthy, OK? Sleep inside.". She nods. You wave at her rags. "Also, clothes. I have some old. You wear. After this I show you. And maybe haircut." Her white-gold hair is short and grossly uneven, as though someone ran through it with scissors while their eyes were closed. If you remember right, Elves prize their hair as their most attractive feature. A long, well-kept head of hair is the equivalent of wide birthing hips or broad shoulders. She could use a wash too, to get rid of all the dried mud.

She doesn't say anything, just sullenly pokes at her eggs and glances up at you. It seems she does want to say something, but is afraid to speak. Perhaps she doesn't like the idea of hand-me-downs. Or perhaps she just doesn't like your eggs--which is preposterous.

>Have her air her thoughts
>Finish your meal in silence, you've said what you wanted to.

>>2373169

>Have her air her thoughts

>>2373169
>>Have her air her thoughts
We want a competent house slave, not some yes-
man.

>>2373169
>>Have her air her thoughts

>>2373169
>Have her air her thoughts
Out With it i dont want silence

>>2373169
>>Have her air her thoughts

>>2373169

>Have her air her thoughts

>>2373169
>>Have her air her thoughts
Speak freely.

>>2373169

>>2373175
>>2373176
>>2373182
>>2373184
>>2373186
>>2373193
>>2373194

"What is it? You say, laying down your fork.

She jumps a little in the chair. "N-nothing." She looks up at you and seeing that you're not at all convinced, she starts to wring her hands and speak rapid Elvish.

"Slow down. I no understand."

"I'm s-sorry. Sorry. It's just...M-master is so different. He does not hurt me with the iron or t-touch me...He lets me eat with him and gives me delicious food and gives me his blanket. H-he even gives me clothes. It's just...is this OK?" She seems now to be talking to herself. Is this OK? If Master wants to h-hurt me, touch me..." She pauses and nods, rubbing her shoulder and shuddering. Her voice goes quiet. "OK. J-just, i-if I can have a little food like this...sometimes..."

She meets your eyes briefly, to see how you feel about her proposal. You take in a shaky breath, unsure of how to react. Your insides feel like liquid. She seems to take your momentary silence for displeasure and starts hastily retracting her words.

>Stay firm god dammit. Just tell her you won't do anything like that to her.
>This seems like a good time to give her that cream Mam gave you, it might allay her fears a little
>Say nothing. Fear is always a good motivator, even if unfounded.

>>2373223
>Stay firm god dammit. Just tell her you won't do anything like that to her.
>This seems like a good time to give her that cream Mam gave you, it might allay her fears a little.

I see no reason we can't do both. Impress to her that we need a servant and an errand girl, not a living whipping post.

>>2373223
>>2373232
Yeah, this.
>Stay firm god dammit. Just tell her you won't do anything like that to her.
>This seems like a good time to give her that cream Mam gave you, it might allay her fears a little

>>2373223
>This seems like a good time to give her that cream Mam gave you, it might allay her fears a little

>>2373223
>>Stay firm god dammit. Just tell her you won't do anything like that to her.
>>This seems like a good time to give her that cream Mam gave you, it might allay her fears a little
"i need a competent house slave, that is capable of anticipating my intentions and have things ready for when i need them. Abusing you won't yield me those results and will only make you less useful"

>>2373223
>>Stay firm god dammit. Just tell her you won't do anything like that to her.
>>This seems like a good time to give her that cream Mam gave you, it might allay her fears a little
I like the idea of a mix being firm with what she is but also that we are not an ass

>>2373223
boop her on the nose

>>2373269
Firm but kind?

>>2373295
Effectively

>>2373223

>I don't hurt people unless they hurt me first. And I take no pleasure in pain of others.

>>2373223

>>2373232
>>2373233
>>2373236
>>2373256
>>2373269

You don't know how to handle this. This isn't like one of your experiments. There, all things are written down and all the portions even, everything planned out in advance and calculated and certain. She's still speaking and your irresponsiveness just makes her more and more afraid.

You need to stay firm godamn it. You look at her wounds. She's suffered incredibly and it puts your stomach in knots to think that such a man exists that would do something like this. You need to at least assure her that, you are not a such a man.

"Stop." You silence her with a word. "Wait." You head back in the house and look for the cream Mam gave you. You find it on your desk, unopened, untouched since you bought it. It smells faintly of something sweet, your keen nose picks up a flowery scent, lavender perhaps. You head back to the veranda where the Elf has turned white with fear. You realize that she expected you to come out with some instrument of punishment and when you slide over the cream, she's astonished.

"Use that. For... You gesture with your hands to put it on her arms and legs. "Should help with pain. And wash up after I get water from well. And listen...I'm new master. I not do anything like that. No iron. No...touching. I need houseslave. Good houseslave. That's all."

She doesn't seem wholly convinced, but you've nothing more to say, nor could you say anything that would help. These things take time and patience. She handles the cream in her hands in awe and you return to your meal and she does too soon after, eating her fill in the morning silence.

Afterwards, you give her a haircut (making sure to save the clippings for later), have her wash and put on the cream and bring out some of your clothes for her to try on. As expected all of it is several sizes too big for her. You're almost a foot taller than she is so the sleeves of your shirts run down past her hands and your trousers keep falling down from her waist and the legs go well past her feet. Your shoes don't fit her either. In all she looks like a little girl trying on her father's clothes. Yet she also seems to be trying her best to hide her mirth and pleasure. She constantly touches the tips of her now straight and even hair, trying very hard not to smile.

You'll have to do something about the clothes. You can spend 2 or 3 silver on getting them fitted, or you can just buy her new ones from the thrift store for a few extra silver (5 or 6 if you're careful). As it is though you only have 1 silver in your pocket and you'd have to spend that just on the carriage.

There is another option. A dread and terrible one. Nina is a seamstress. And a damn good one by the quality of her clients (usually the daughters and wives of passing merchants and even a noble's wife once). Of course you're loathe to ask so much as a glass of water from her, but somehow you're certain she'd do it.

>>2373351
On the other hand...you still have that reptilian blood diamond. It's in fairly good shape and should fetch a good price.

>Gird your loins and ask Nina, you don't feel like going out today
>Pack some clothes for fitting and head to town

>>2373353
>Pack some clothes for fitting and head to town

>>2373351
>>Pack some clothes for fitting and head to town
we can get her decent clothes later on, when we make more money.

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>>2373353
>Gird your loins and ask Nina, you don't feel like going out today

Headpats for the slave when?

>>2373353
>Gird your loins and ask Nina, you don't feel like going out today

>>2373353
>>Pack some clothes for fitting and head to town
What an adorable little elf.

>>2373353
>Gird your loins and ask Nina, you don't feel like going out today

>>2373351
>>Gird your loins and ask Nina, you don't feel like going out today

>>2373353
>>Gird your loins and ask Nina, you don't feel like going out today

>>2373353

>Gird your loins and ask Nina, you don't feel like going out today

>>2373353
>Ask the tsundere to help.

>>2373353

>Gird your loins and ask Nina, you don't feel like going out today

>>2373353

>>2373378
>>2373389
>>2373441
>>2373459
>>2373463
>>2373482
>>2373514

One night of Nina is enough for a lifetime, but in this case, the savings are too tempting to turn down.

Nina, as though clairvoyant, is waiting for you by the stairs as you come down and your stomach falls.

"Going to town again?" She asks. "Don't you only go once a month?"

"No. Actually..." This is harder than you thought.

"What? Well anyway listen, I really enjoyed dinner last night."

"You hardly touched your food." You say, flatly. She begins to curl a lock of her red hair around her thumb.

"I wasn't that hungry, but what I ate, I liked." She says.

"Great. Wonderful. Look, I uh, I have a favor to ask."

"Favor? Does it have to do with her?"

"...no."

"It has do with her. So what? Does she need a new collar or something?" She laughs, a snorting pig like laughter that greatly strains her otherwise dainty face. You sigh.

"New clothes. Well, old ones. I'd like to get them fitted."

She frowns. "And you want me to do it?"

The door to the other apartment opens before you can answer and a short, youthful boy of impeccable fashion taste and carefully coifed golden hair taps his jeweled scepter on the floor. "Well, well." He says, looking up at the three of you. "Well, well."

"Morning Franky." Says Nina.

He clears his throat. "G-good morning, Nina." He says, shyly. Then he looks to you. "Well, well. You know I thought the smell coming from your apartment couldn't possibly get any worse, Sondheim. Then I awake this morning to the distinct pungency of rot and urine. I figured you for dead and felt a most immediate relief."

"Sorry to disappoint you." You say. The 15 year old, Mr. Franklin is not fond of you. He's made no less than 40 complaints to the landlady since you've arrived.

"Yes, well, disappointment is all I've come to expect from you Sondheim." He says, tapping his scepter.

"Oh be nice, Franky."

"Y-yes, Nina." He says, looking at his shoes. He glances at your slave. "And I see you've added another miserable creature to your retinue. I know they say misery loves company Sondheim, but should you really be taking on additional responsibilities when you can't even take care of yourself?"

"She's my slave." You say, which isn't much of a response, but shuts him up all the same. You'd like nothing more than to thrash this brat but he's one of the sons of a fairly wealthy aristocrat and you've gotten used to not having powerful enemies. You're not exactly sure what he's doing living here in this hovel.

"You know I'm pretty busy" Says Nina, reorienting the conversation and pouting.

"I know and I didn't want to bother you but--" A lie so bold, you're actually a little proud of it.

1/2

>>2373579
"Oh there's a first, Sondheim doesn't want to inconvenience someone." Says Franklin, rolling his eyes so hard you're surprised he doesn't pull a muscle.

"Well it's no bother." She says, smiling. "I was just messing with you. You should learn to rely on people a little more Seabass. This is why no one likes you." She pats your arm in mock pity.

"Are you making a list?"

"As if there were paper enough in the world to list Sondheim's faults." Mutters Franklin.

Nina finally lets you free from the stairs, but grabs your slave before she can follow you back up. "M-m-master." She squeaks. You turn back.

"Oh! Was that Elvish? What a pretty language. You can speak Elvish right Seabass? Say something back. Go on."

>Tell Nina to release her, you'll go to the market after all
>Speak in Elvish, tell her not to be afraid and give Nina the clothes, let her handle this
>Give Nina the clothes but grab your Elf and head to town anyway, the gem still needs to be sold

>>2373353
>Pack some clothes for fitting and head to town

Don't want to owe Nina shit. She seems to be a bitch that will hold it over us.

>>2373581
>Speak in Elvish, tell her not to be afraid and give Nina the clothes, let her handle this

>>2373581
This >>2373589

OOC: Gonna grab some food brb

>>2373581
>Speak in Elvish, tell her not to be afraid and give Nina the clothes, let her handle this

>>2373581
>Speak in Elvish, tell her not to be afraid and give Nina the clothes, let her handle this

>>2373581
>Speak in Elvish, tell her not to be afraid and give Nina the clothes, let her handle this

>>2373581
>Speak in Elvish

>>2373581
>>Speak in Elvish, tell her not to be afraid and give Nina the clothes, let her handle this

>>2373581
>Speak in Elvish, tell her not to be afraid and give Nina the clothes, let her handle this

>>2373581
>Speak in Elvish, tell her not to be afraid and give Nina the clothes, let her handle this
Just close your eyes and think of the savings

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>>2373581

>>2373593
>>2373608
>>2373661
>>2373671
>>2373673
>>2373720

So far from Eastmarch or the Western Reaches (where you assume this Elf is from, given her accent), most people here have never heard any Elvish and Nina, and even Franklin, are understandably curious.

"Don't be scared." You say, going back down, to reassure the Elf. She gives you a pained look which you understand completely, you wouldn't want to be in Nina's company either, but Nina will need her close by for the fitting. "Nina make clothes for you. OK? Go with her. It's OK."

"Oh! You just said my name." Says Nina, pointing at you. "What did you tell her? Tell me!" You sigh.

"Nothing. I just said you'd be making her clothes." You hand Nina the bag and she rummages through the clothes briefly before handing it back to you. "What? You can't do it?"

"I'm a tailor not a magician." She says, folding her arms. "Rats wouldn't use those clothes make their nests. I have some old orders I made lying around that might fit her, or will after I fix them up. You can have those."

If it's Nina's work you're sure it'll will be elegant and fanciful. Exactly the kind of clothes that are inappropriate for a houseslave. "I don't need ball gowns and evening wear, Nina. Just something simple and comfortable."

But she waves you away and drags your slave down the stairs, while the latter glances between the two of you, green eyes wide with fright. Franklin opens his mouth to air some more scorn when the front door opens and an old man in a blue-green hood slips through. His movements are silent and calculated, much like a cat's and he wears a cloak of mud-smirched blue-green and beneath, armor of polished ox-hide and iron boots. Between his lips there hangs a long wooden pipe, smoking and smelling of rich tobacco. His eyes move first to you and then to Nina and then to the slave--at which point they stop briefly, before returning back to you. You can see disapproval there as he figures out the situation, and a little disgust.

"Well, well, Toad. About time you showed up." Says Franklin, jaunting up to the man's side. "Nearly made me late you know. Come, come, let's see about a carriage."

"A minute, young master." He says, taking the pipe from his mouth and dumping it's ash, then looking from the boy to you. His voice sounds like someone ran his vocal chords through a cheese grater. A perpetual frog in his throat from his smoking habit, from whence he gets his name. "A word with you, Seabass?" He asks. "Heading out?"

You can guess what he wants to talk about, given his frequent glances at the slave. Nina says hello before finally dragging the slave through the door and closing it behind her. Damn it, you never discussed payment. It's probably going to be another dinner, you can just feel it.

>Head out with them. You still have to sell that gem
>Head back upstairs to have a private word with Toad
>Say you're too busy right now, maybe later.

>>2373841
>>Head back upstairs to have a private word with Toad

>>2373841
>Head back upstairs to have a private word with Toad

>>2373841
>Head back upstairs to have a private word with Toad

>>2373841
>>Head back upstairs to have a private word with Toad

>>2373841
>Head back upstairs to have a private word with Toad

>>2373841

>>2373877
>>2373889

You were planning on getting some work done today and with the matter of the clothes settled, there's no more reason for you to head to the market. You can sell the gem another time.

"No, not today. You can come up if want to talk."

"Be minute, young master." He says. "Call us a carriage in the betweentime."

Franklin taps his scepter and crosses his arms, but ultimately obeys. "Do be quick about it, Toad." He calls out. "Don't stay in that god awful place too long or the stink will catch your clothes."

Toad bounds the stairs in his quiet way and follows you to your door. You head for the kitchen as you enter, looking for a clean glass to pour a drink of water. Toad stands idle by the door looking about the room, the many knives across his belt glint in the sunlight. He approaches the terrarium of your jejunebugs as you hand him the water and he sips at it like it were liquor.

"New potion?" He asks, tapping the glass where a bug was just climbing.

"Working on some restoratives. No one buys perfumes anymore."

He grunts, but doesn't say anything. Just stares at you.

"Look if you're going to chide me about the slave, just save it." You blurt out. "She was cheap and I just needed some help while I transition."

He grunts again. "Just here for the usual." He says.

"What, again?" You squint at him. "What are you doing Toad?" You lower your voice a few decibels. "Are you moonlighting again? I thought you said Franklin pays decently."

He grunts. You sigh and head for the freezer, taking out the two bottles of antidote you were working on.

"Look I don't know if these are potent enough. It's a new method, which I haven't tested yet. Do you need them right now?"

He puts the glass down and wipes his mouth. "Tonight." He says, nodding and getting out his pipe. He lays a pinch of tobacco from a pouch at his waist, but does not light it. "And I'm just doing some guidework now. Adventurers are good business, but insurance is good. Kobold's using poison now, strange times. Strange times."

"Yeah I heard about that. Had someone come up here last night, apparently there's lizardmen with them now too? Which is why I'm hesitant to have you rely on this, it might not be enough." You lay your palm flat and he snatches the vials from your hand.

"Never failed me yet." He says, whispering an incantation that lights his pipe.

"Don't smoke in here." You usher him to the door. He doesn't resist, but stops just before he leaves.

"You watch that Elf." He says, pointing the pipe at you. "Never met a Elf that could be trusted."

"Noted. You should go easy on that pipe. What would Lily say?"

He grunts dismissively and shuffles down the stairs, leaving you alone in your room.

Looks like you have the rest of the day to yourself. What should you do?

>Continue reading those books you bought
>Work on cultivating your jejunebugs
>Work on preparing the phoenix ash for processing

>>2374038
>Work on preparing the phoenix ash for processing

>>2374038
>Continue reading those books you bought

>>2374038
>Work on cultivating your jejunebugs

>>2374038
>>Work on preparing the phoenix ash for processing

>>2374038
>Continue reading those books you bought

>>2374038
>>Work on preparing the phoenix ash for processing

>>2373841

>Head out with them. You still have to sell that gem

>>2374038
>Continue reading those books you bought

>>2374038

>Work on preparing the phoenix ash for processing

>>2374038
>"Never failed me yet." He says, whispering an incantation that lights his pipe.
Neat.
Also, is it weird if I picture our alchemist perpetually wearing a plague doctor's mask? Every time I imagine him speaking with someone, he's talking through that mask.

>>2374038
>Work on cultivating your jejunebugs
i wanna hurry up and cultivate them, and find some way to get rid of the smell in our place, what if we have customers come through

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>>2374051
>>2374062
>>2374068
>>2374052
>>2374064
>>2374090

It will still be another day or two before the jejunebugs need any attention. For now you just lay out dish of water for them. Franklin was right (in his own annoying way) the smell from the terrarium is starting to become rancid. But you don't want to bother with cleaning it now, you have other work to do.

You start by pulling out the books you bought from Mam and the bag of remaining phoenix ash. You've already tried (and failed) to read the book on insect cultivation. But there's still the other two that you yet haven't touched.

You decide you'll spend the day trying out some of the methods in the Crystallogensis book with the phoenix ash. The standard procedure for making a analgesic would require you to purify the ash and then dissolve it in an acid bath, distill it and then add the jejune extract to the distallant.

You've never actually tied crystallizing anything before. For perfumes you generally just purify through dissolution and distillation. However, it should be a perfectly valid way to process the ash.

You open the book and leaf through its contents. It seems to be structured like some kind of lab journal. There are 10 chapters, but each one is a separate experiment describing a different method of crystallization, written by a different author. Sadly, you lack the equipment for pretty much all of these, but you think you can make one or two of them work.

One of them requires your entire batch of ash and will require a long time and careful attention given your limited equipment, but promises a great yield and purity. Another is a much simpler and more hands-off technique, but is meant mostly for testing composition and such does not promise very conversion. You'd guess from the calculations given that only about 20% of your ash would be of good usable purity, which is just enough to make one batch of potions. A good 3-4 sovereigns depending on the market.

Finally a third method proposes a counter-argument, rejecting evaporative crystallization entirely, and suggesting as an alternative a strange (but novel) technique for rapid sublimation. This is followed by collection with a cold finger and promises a fairly unbelievable yield. You do have an old aludel you've been meaning to use, but the method is completely unfamiliar to you and you're uncertain of its success or its claims.

>Go for the low-risk, low-yield, simple method
>Might as well use up all the ash, go for the high-yield method
>Try and experiment, go for the novel sublimation technique

>>2374195
>>Might as well use up all the ash, go for the high-yield method
We don't have to resources to experiment on a money maker like this.

>>2374195
>>Might as well use up all the ash, go for the high-yield method
We do not have the funds for experimentation. Not yet, anyways.

>>2374195
>Might as well use up all the ash, go for the high-yield method
I would love to experiment, seems like so much fun but as >>2374228
said. We broke right now. Lets get some semblance of financial security first

>>2374195
>Might as well use up all the ash, go for the high-yield method

>>2374195
>Try and experiment, go for the novel sublimation technique

>>2374195
>Might as well use up all the ash, go for the high-yield method

>>2374195
>Might as well use up all the ash, go for the high-yield method

>>2374211
>>2374228
>>2374247

As much as you'd like to experiment, you're broke. You need some money to make up for the slave so its better to go for the higher yield method. You're fairly confident in your abilities and the method, while long, tiring and complex is one you fully understand (after an hour or so mapping the thing out on paper that is).

You bring out your calcinator from below the desk. It's bottom is burnt black from frequent use, but the girl still heats as even as the day you bought her.

You wish had one of those fancy enchanted burners all the pros use. Minor elementals sealed into a coil of iron that heats perfectly and maintains its temperature up to several days--a dream come true. Alas, they also require a fortune come true and so you're stuck with bits of coal from the wood stove.

It will take a while for the calcinator to heat up to the appropriate temperature. Perhaps you should do something in the meantime?

>Double check your calculations and notes to ensure that nothing goes wrong (-1 to the DC)
>Add some water to the ash and grind it into a paste, it's a little trick you learned that speeds up the whole process
>Head downstairs to check on your slave

>>2374348

>Double check your calculations and notes to ensure that nothing goes wrong (-1 to the DC)

>>2374348
>Double check your calculations and notes to ensure that nothing goes wrong (-1 to the DC)

>>2374348
>>Double check your calculations and notes to ensure that nothing goes wrong (-1 to the DC)

>>2374348
>Double check your calculations and notes to ensure that nothing goes wrong (-1 to the DC)
Just like grandpa said. Measure twice, cut once.

>>2374348
>Double check your calculations and notes to ensure that nothing goes wrong (-1 to the DC)

>>2374348
>Double check your calculations and notes to ensure that nothing goes wrong (-1 to the DC)
New technique and all.

Also after proving our illiteracy last thread I'm not putting much trust in any of our abilities right now.

>>2374348
>>Double check your calculations and notes to ensure that nothing goes wrong (-1 to the DC)

>>2374370
It's not our fault. That was the author for not writing with actually communicating in mind.

>>2374348
>Double check your calculations and notes to ensure that nothing goes wrong (-1 to the DC)

File: Calcinator.jpg (216 KB, 1500x521)

216 KB JPG

>>2374348

>>2374354
>>2374355
>>2374360
>>2374364
>>2374365
>>2374370
>>2374374
>>2374384

For the first run through, you should probably just stick exactly to the method and reproduce it. You take the time to double check all your math and steps following and to ready all the other reagents you'll need later on. As it happens you manage to catch a small discrepancy in the text and your own notes, which if left uncorrected would've doubled the cooling time.

By the time you're finished correcting everything the calcinator is glowing with heat.

>Roll 1d20 to see how well you execute this crystallization

>>2374348
>Double check your calculations and notes to ensure that nothing goes wrong (-1 to the DC)

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>2374390

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>2374390

Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>2374390

Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>2374390

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>2374390

>>2374400
Well, I think this went well. :)
$$$$$$$$$$$$
>>2374404
this fucking guy! Haha!

>>2374404
We can't read but we CAN crystallize

>>2374396
>>2374399
>>2374400

15, 12, 17: 3 successes

You place the ash into a glass of "pure" (i.e boiled) water, dissolve it thoroughly, place it over the calcinator body and watch as it resolves into a steamy black, bubbling goop, reflective and fluid as mercuric glass.

As the book instructs you wait until nearly all of the water evaporates and only a thin caky film remains at the bottom. This is the difficult and tedious part. If you had a perfectly even heating surface, it would be trivial. You could just leave it on as long as you want. But, although the old girl works just fine for heating up the cucurbit, the calcinator and the coals don't provide perfectly even heating. And without it the crystals require a random additional amount of time to come out of solution, even after most the water has evaporated.

The process requires a watchful and patient eye. And it takes more than half-an-hour of staring at the thing before you can see the little flecks of white.

You immediately get the glass out of the heat, drain it and filter the residue, add more water, and then begin the process again. All told, it's painful and slow. It takes another 10 cycles and 4 and a half hours before all the gray goop has turned into pure white chalky matter.

Well worth the effort in the end, as you've converted nearly 80% of the ash into pure, usable crystal. Thrice what you would've gotten with the simpler method and enough for three batches of potion. You take a few moments to stretch your legs but the thought of a good 12, maybe even 15 sovereigns is enough to set your body into a cheerful little dance.

This unfortunately, is the moment Nina and your slave choose to enter the room. You apparently left the door unlocked. There is a short and painful silence in which you quietly lower your arms to your sides and take a seat at the desk. Nina looks as if she just witnessed someone giving birth.

Mercifully, you don't think your slave saw anything given that she's staring at her feet. But you do see her and your eyes remain fixed because she looks absolutely...stunning, gorgeous, even regal. Exactly the opposite of what a houseslave should look like.

"What in god's green earth is this?" You say.

"I could say the same to you." Nina replies. You blush.

"Never mind that. I told you I wanted something simple. She's a houseslave not a...a paramour! She can't work in this! I don't even think she can breathe in this!" Indeed, your Elf looks a little flushed about the face. Nina had the bright idea to put her in the kind of gowns the noble ladies wear to their insufferable balls and parties. Too much lace. Too many bows. Why is she wearing a veil? Is she wearing rouge and make-up?

1/2

>>2374601

"Oh relax, Seabass. I made some other clothes for her too." She says, tossing a bag of normal working clothes at you. "I figured she could wear this to...our dinner. Tonight." You look up at the redheaded creature. She smiles sweetly at you. "I was thinking we'd have chicken tonight. She can cook chicken right?"

"Chicken is expensive." You say. "I don't have any."

"What about the two out back silly?"

You gasp. "Pecky and Mrs. Cluckles? Absolutely not! They are not for eating! Do you know how much money I save on eggs because of them?"

"Such a cheapskate! Fine, fine, we'll have whatever you want. But what do you think? Doesn't she look cute? I tried my best to hide all those nasty scars and her hair could be a little longer and she could stand to gain a little weight--so thin, honestly it's unhealthy. But otherwise I think she looks pretty good. Right? Whaddyathink?"

Silence. You have a hard time trying not to stare at your slave.

"D-does master like this kind of dress?" Says your slave quietly, wringing her hands.

"Oooh! She spoke. She didn't say a single word when I was measuring her. You have to teach me some elvish Seabass. What did she say?"

>Tell her you don't like it. It's not fitting for a slave.
>Tell her to take it off immediately and put on one of the other dresses
>Tell her it looks fine, but that you prefer her in working clothes

>>2374615
>>Tell her it looks fine, but that you prefer her in working clothes
No need tread all over what self esteem she has. Also explaining your reasoning to her is better than just handing out orders to be obeyed like her previous masters.

>>2374615
>Tell her it looks fine, but that you prefer her in working clothes

>>2374615
Oh my.

Tell her she looks wonderful in them, but they are not working clothes. Maybe they'd be more useful if we ever just so happened to be entertaining rich or important guests, but I doubt that will be happening anytime soon. If ever.

>>2374615
Backing these >>2374632
>>2374627

>>2374615
>Tell her to take it off immediately and put on one of the other dresses

>>2374632
this

>>2374632
This.

>>2374632
Changing my vote to this - the clothes are lovely but not that great for housework. (Also does the village think we're a massive pervert yet? Because if they see her in this outfit then they'll certainly get the wrong idea.)

>>2374632
how noice. :)
this

>>2374615
>>Tell her it looks fine, but that you prefer her in working clothes

>>2374615
>>Tell her it looks fine, but that you prefer her in working clothes

>>2374627
>>2374631
>>2374632
>>2374640
>>2374649
>>2374655
>>2374662
>>2374676
>>2374686

You clear your throat, trying desperately to remember the right Elvish words.

"You look...wonderful." Damn it you couldn't remember the word for fine.

She relaxes a little at these words and flushes even further, but does not look up to meet your eyes.

"But you wear this clothes for normal." You say, holding up the bag. "That clothes, maybe, sometimes." You don't have the vocabulary to add that she might wear the clothes if you're ever entertaining the rich and wealthy or attending one of those balls yourself. But she seems to get the message all the same. You don't hate it. She doesn't look bad in it. But you prefer her in working clothes, as is proper.

Now to deal with the serpent. "Look I never agreed to dinner." You say.

"What! So I do all this work, I halt my entire backlog of orders--"

"Never asked you to do that, but all right."

"I stop my entire operation, work my fingers to the nub for you and all I wanted in return is one little tiny dinner and you won't even--do you know how much people buy my dresses for, how much this dress would go for in the market?"

"I thought you said these were cancelled orders."

"Nevermind that! Sovereigns Seabass!"

>Tell you didn't want that kind of dress in the first place, and that you'll pay for the others
>Begrudgingly agree to yet another dinner with the Beast

>>2374713
>Begrudgingly agree to yet another dinner with the Beast
whats the harm, except ya know, pride and shit.

>>2374713
>Begrudgingly agree to yet another dinner with the Beast
She doesn't seem like a bad person at all. If anything she's been rather helpfull.

>>2374713
>Begrudgingly agree to yet another dinner with the Beast
We may have succeeded with the crystalising the ash but that doesn't mean we can spend money like water here - free is free. Also like hell we can ever afford a dress that like for her on our own dime.

>>2374713
>>Begrudgingly agree to yet another dinner with the Beast
I'm fairly certain this is a sex thing.

>>2374713
>Begrudgingly agree to yet another dinner with the Beast
For someone whose adamant that everyone hates us, she seems to want to spend a lot of time with us.

>>2374731
She's just annoying as shit is the problem. But I have to agree, annoying does not mean she's scum.

>>2374713
Forgot.
>Begrudgingly agree to yet another dinner with the Beast

>>2374713
>>Begrudgingly agree to yet another dinner with the Beast

>>2374713
>Begrudgingly agree to yet another dinner with the Beast

>>2374713
>>Begrudgingly agree to yet another dinner with the Beast

>>2374713
>Agree to go on a date with the tsundere.

>>2374730
>>2374731
>>2374749

You glance at the white crystals you spent the better part of your day fashioning. Even if all goes well and you sell your first few batches of potion, it's unlikely you can ever purchase a dress like this. Not that you wanted one in the first place, but even the normal clothes are of such good quality that you'd be hard pressed to find them in a normal shop, let alone afford them.

It seems yet another night will be proffered to the Beast. You can hardly wait. This time at least, there will be enough food for everyone.

"Alright. Alright." You say, rubbing your eyes. The stomache is settling in already at the prospect of listening to yet more of Nina's "stories".

"Hmph. 6:30. And she better be in that dress when I see her." She says and then moves to the door. "Oh and Franky said he'll be joining us too. See you then!"

And she's gone before you can get a word in edgewise, humming, red curls bouncing down the stairs like curling tongues of hellfire. God damn her.

You have your slave change into working clothes, a simple utilitarian dress of uniform color (with egregious flower patterns, which you decide to excuse) and a white apron--which is an odd thing for a woman who can't even boil water to have lying around.

The Elf gets busy with dinner and you feel a little strange. The good kind of strange. Knowing that you don't have to cook yourself anymore and that it's almost certainly going to be tasty, is a good feeling. Alchemical skills, sadly do not transfer to cooking and you've often gone hungry because of blackened meat and improperly cooked vegetables.

It will be a few hours before the food is ready. What should you do in the meantime?

>Take a walk around the village, maybe visit the pub for some news and rumor
>Help your slave with the dinner, maybe learn a thing or two of her language and her cooking
>Get back to work on the ash, see if you can't finish completely ready it for mixing with the jejeune extract

>>2374865
>>Get back to work on the ash, see if you can't finish completely ready it for mixing with the jejeune extract
Need to get money.

>>2374865
>Get back to work on the ash, see if you can't finish completely ready it for mixing with the jejeune extract

>>2374865
>Get back to work on the ash, see if you can't finish completely ready it for mixing with the jejeune extract

>>2374865
>Help your slave with the dinner, maybe learn a thing or two of her language and her cooking
Might as well get used to her being around us in a non-giving orders context now, otherwise she's gonna be tense as shit when we drag her off to dinner wondering if her every move will piss us off

>>2374865
>>Help your slave with the dinner, maybe learn a thing or two of her language and her cooking

>>2374865
>>Get back to work on the ash, see if you can't finish completely ready it for mixing with the jejeune extract
F U N D S

>>2374865
>Help your slave with the dinner, maybe learn a thing or two of her language and her cooking

>>2374865
>Get back to work on the ash, see if you can't finish completely ready it for mixing with the jejeune extract

>>2374865
>Help your slave with the dinner, maybe learn a thing or two of her language and her cooking

>>2374865
>>Get back to work on the ash, see if you can't finish completely ready it for mixing with the jejeune extract

>>2374865
>>Get back to work on the ash, see if you can't finish completely ready it for mixing with the jejeune extract
WRK HARD, play hard.

File: Cucurbit and Retort.jpg (12 KB, 270x270)

12 KB JPG

>>2374865

>>2374880
>>2374882
>>2374888

There's no rest for the wicked...or the impoverished. You head for the kitchen first, to grab a snack and to make sure that the Elf understands she's cooking for four people instead of 2 and then back to your desk to resume your work.

The crystal has cooled into a dry, almost powdery substance whose flecks reflect little points of light. The bulk of the work is done. The rest is just a matter of dissolving the crystal in acid and then gathering the distillate.

You get bring out the cucurbit and the retort, both stained as much as the calcinator by use (and you admit, some early mistakes). A few small hairline cracks have even begun to form, which has greatly diminished the efficiency of these tools. You think back wistfully to that Chimia alembic set, with that you might have been able to preserve this massive 80% conversion, but as it is, you're certain to lose some of it through the distillation.

But beggars can't be choosers you suppose.

>Roll 1d20 to see how well you distill the crystal

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>2374961

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>2374961

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>2374961

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>2374961
Here it comes

>>2374972
Yeeeessssss

>>2374972
Saved

>>2374972
Woooooo! Monies!

>>2374972
nice!

>>2374972
We bookdumb but good golly can we ALCHEMY

>>2374961

>>2374970
>>2374971
>>2374972

13, 10, 19: 2 Successes

You out bring your jar of "slug juice". It's a putrid green fluid taken from the Megariolimax, a species of recently discovered giant slug that's native to this region. It's not as good as pure acid, but works just as well for your purposes and is several times cheaper to boot. You mix the crystals into the acid, it dissolves with a serpentine hiss and the sour odor of the gaseous fumes nearly burns your nose.

You quickly bring the concoction outside to let it air. It takes a few minutes before the sizzling fully expires and the crystal is completely dissolved in the slug juice (which has become less viscous and turned a lighter shade of green-yellow).

You return the solution into the cucurbit, set up the retort and the tube connecting the two and wait as the whole thing heats up from the calcinator, adjusting the height of the ring stand so as to control the temperature and keep it constant. Slowly, ever so slowly, the pure clear distallate gathers at the sides of the tube and falls gently down to the cool collecting retort.

You end without needing a second cycle. By the time all of the solution has evaporated your slave has finished cooking and is setting up the plates. As expected, you lost about 20% of the yield solely because of your shoddy equipment--yet this is a surprisingly low loss, given that you've regularly lost more than half of your stock before.

It either speaks to your growing skill or just dumb luck, either way, you'll take it. You save the distillate in the freezer, help the slave carry all the food downstairs and then have her change into the other dress (which she is both confused, pleased and embarrassed to do).

Feeling in a good mood yourself at having accomplished so much today, you decide a run a comb through your hair and put on your best (i.e only clean) suit as well. Nina is surprised and delighted to see that you "dressed up for her" try as you might to convince her otherwise.

Franklin arrives soon after, wielding in place of his scepter, a bouquet of flowers for Nina. He's visibly crestfallen when he sees you sitting outside at the table. "Well, well. I suppose even dogs can look good when their fur is brushed." He says, as he approaches.

"Good evening to you too, Franklin."

"That's Mr. Franklin to you Sondheim. Have some respect, if not for yourself, at least for your betters. A-and who's this lovely young lady?" His voice rises several octaves. "Madam, h-haven't I seen you somewhere? A-a ball in the capital perhaps?" Says Franklin, offering his hand. Your slave looks to you in her characteristic panic.

"That would be my slave you saw at your ball, Mr.Franklin."

He squints at her, realizes the error and runs his fingers through his coifed hair. "Of course. It was a jest, you fool, Sondheim. Or are you as bereft of a sense of humor as you are a sense of smell?"

1/2

>>2375120
Nina joins the table just before you break your vow never to hit children. She's decided to dress up as well, in a dress similar to your slave's and, you admit, she looks just as good, if not better.

"N-Nina, y-you look ravishing." Says Franklin.

"Well thanks Franky." She says, smiling. Then she looks to you. Waiting for something. You don't know what. She frowns.

"What?"

"How do I look?"

Why do people keep asking you that? You are hardly a fountain of fashion advice.

>Tell her she looks likes she owns a small but successful tailoring business
>Tell her she looks fine and whether you can start eating
>How the hell should you know? You're an alchemist not a whatever the hell fashion people are.

>>2375132
>You look good in it...
>...but I'm an alchemist not a- whatever the hell fashion people are.

>>2375145
I'll back this.

>>2375132
Stop hitting on our house slave, you little shit.
>Tell her she looks likes she owns a small but successful tailoring business

>>2375145
Seconding.

>>2375145
support

>>2375132
>"You look very well dressed"

>>2375145
This.

>>2375132
Backing this >>2375145

>>2375145
Yeah sure, I'll go with this.

>>2375145
>>2375153
>>2375158
>>2375164
>>2375166
>>2375167
>>2375172
Harem fags

>>2375231
>Do I look nice in this dress?
>Yeah, sure
>WOW HAREMFAGS
What?

>>2375239
Just a troll attempt. Not worth the energy.

>>2375145
i like this too.

>>2375132

>>2375145
>>2375153
>>2375158
>>2375164
>>2375167
>>2375166

"...You look good in it."

"Really? You think so?" For a moment she almost sounds sincere. Then she sits down, waving her hand. "Ah what do you know. You're a perfume-maker."

"Alchemist." You correct.

"Whatever. You don't know anything about fashion."

"Quite correct. Sondhiem here wouldn't know a bowtie from a bowstring." Says Franklin. "T-truly your beauty is lost on him, Nina."

He's right, but it's still irksome.

"Well thank you Franky."

"B-but not on me." He says, so quietly that no one but him (and you) can hear it. You flash him a grin and he narrows his eyes.

"If we're through insulting me, I'd like to start eating?"

Nina gestures to the food and everyone begins loading their plates. You end up having to load your slave's plate as well, unused as she is to taking food for herself.

The dinner goes...smoothly. Franklin even makes a few jokes that aren't at your expense. You learn that he's apprenticed to one of the governing viceroys here, Lord Jacobin Fontain. You've heard of him. A soldier by trade, made his way up the ranks to general. Bit of a warmonger. His father is one of the owners of the Chimia joint-stock and apparently sent him here to redirect his bloodlust toward useful expansion. A powerful man by all accounts, if a bit crazy. He's the one responsible for the sudden surge in adventurers, which was in direct opposition to will of the elder viceroy, Chancellor Antipater.

Franklin seems to respect him, an adoration tempered by fear. Which probably means he's not a very nice person.

The night winds down. You have your slave return upstairs to change and ready the bed, while you help Nina with the dishes. Franklin is already fast asleep on the couch (you told him not to drink that third glass of wine but he insisted).

"Hey." Says Nina.

"What?" You put the last plate into the rack.

"Thanks." She says, quietly biting her nails.

"For what?"

"For this. For tonight. And last night."

"OK. Do you have blurry vision? Recite the alphabet backward."

She smacks your shoulder. "I'm serious. Ever since my sister got married and left for the capital, I mean it's been kind of lonely. So it's nice to just, be with people, share a meal--even one I didn't cook. I know you don't like that kind of stuff, so...thanks."

>Ask her about her sister, why didn't she just go with her to the Capital? Her mother went.
>Tell her she's welcome and leave it at that
>Tell her there's nothing to thank you for, she did you a favor with the clothes and you returned it

>>2375369
>>Ask her about her sister, why didn't she just go with her to the Capital? Her mother went.

>>2375369
>>Tell her she's welcome and leave it at that

I want to know, but I don't.

>>2375369
>Tell her she's welcome and leave it at that

>>2375369
>>Ask her about her sister, why didn't she just go with her to the Capital? Her mother went.
Capital would probably have a better market for tailored goods anyways.

>>2375369
>>Ask her about her sister, why didn't she just go with her to the Capital? Her mother went.

>>2375369
>Ask her about her sister, why didn't she just go with her to the Capital? Her mother went.

>>2375239
>>2375272
Feel free to act as stupid as you want.

>>2375369
>Ask her about her sister, why didn't she just go with her to the Capital? Her mother went.

>>2375369
>Ask her about her sister, why didn't she just go with her to the Capital? Her mother went.

Should have asked her to be our housewife then

>>2375369

>>2375380
>>2375386
>>2375397
>>2375400
>>2375403
>>2375410

"You know I've been wondering about that. Why didn't you just go with her? I mean there's probably a better market for your clothes there than here right? And much as I hate to admit it, you're a skilled tailor. I don't really see a reason for you stick around here. Your mother went, didn't she?"

She frowns. "My mother went because she knew I wouldn't be able to take care of her. And she was right, my sister is better at that kind of stuff than I am. As for me. They did offer it, but I figured I'd just be a burden on them. I didn't want that. To...encroach on my sister's happiness. Or something like that." She sighs curls her hair around her thumb again.

"Well I think that's kind of stupid." You blurt out. "How would you be a burden? You pay your own way even here. I know plenty of people that would just sit around and live off the rent, but you're industrious and you're good at your trade. That's more than can be said of most." You don't even know what you're saying, but she seems to be pleased by it nonetheless.

"You think I should just pack up and leave for the capital?"

"Sure. I don't think you'd have any trouble there, you don't even need your sister. Your trade will bring money and money will get you whatever you need. And there's really no reason for you stay here right?"

She purses her lips and seems to hesitate with something. Finally she just gives your shoulder a squeeze and walks away. You begin to realize that maybe her proposal was only rhetorical and not meant to be answered seriously. You sigh. You wish people confided in you less, you're just not very good at things like this.

You put away the dishes and head upstairs. Your slave is already asleep on the floor on the far corner of the room, as far from the blankets as she could possibly get. You grab the one in the bathroom, now completely dry, take it for yourself and drape the other over her small form. Her eyes are scrunched and she whimpers from whatever nightmares she surely suffers.

You lay down at your place and listen to her distant breathing for a few minutes in moonlight, until sleep starts catch up to you as well.

It's well past midnight, when you're awakened by the sound of a pick cracking the pitiful lock on your door and 2 pairs of feet shuffling onto your floor without permission. Thieves.

>Pretend to be asleep, they won't hurt you if they think you haven't noticed
>Get up and accost them, thieves are cowards
>Wait and see what they do, strike when the moment is right

OOC: Gonna grab a bite to eat brb

>>2375563
>Get up and accost them, thieves are cowards

>>2375563
>>Get up and accost them, thieves are cowards

>>2375563
>Wait and see what they do, strike when the moment is right
robbery? our monies? after we worked so hard on our shit? Fuck. No.

>>2375563
>Wait and see what they do, strike when the moment is right

>>2375563
>Wait and see what they do, strike when the moment is right

File: 1512255358791.jpg (14 KB, 480x380)

14 KB JPG

>>2375563
>>Get up and accost them, thieves are cowards

>>2375563
>>Get up and accost them, thieves are cowards

>>2375563
>Wait and see what they do, strike when the moment is right

>>2375563
>Get up and accost them, thieves are cowards
>Grab some perfume bottle and pretend they're filled with some magical poison you made

>>2375563
GET THE BROOM.

>>2375563
>Get up and accost them, thieves are cowards

>>2375563
>Get up and accost them, thieves are cowards

>>2375563

>>2375585
>>2375587
>>2375607
>>2375612
>>2375624
>>2375632
>>2375660

Thieves, as a rule, are cowards. If they weren't cowards they'd put their shoulders to the wheel and make an honest living as everyone else does, instead of taking it for nothing. And you'll be damned if they take yours.

You burst out of your blankets, standing to full height in one movement. "Who hell do you think you are breaking into my home? Where I sleep!" You yell. The thieves turn, strangely calm and quiet, the both of them. They don't seem surprised.

"Told you he was awake." Says one. You cannot make out either of their faces in the dark but you can tell both heads are covered by hoods. "You owe me a drink."

"Fuck you." Says the other, stepping toward you and revealing a concealed knife from his wrist.

>Try and talk them down. No one needs to get hurt--especially you
>Charge the guy coming toward you, maybe you can surprise him
>Stay silent and watch his movements. Strike hard and fast.

>>2376335
>>Stay silent and watch his movements. Strike hard and fast.

>>2376335
>>Stay silent and watch his movements. Strike hard and fast.

>>2376335
>>Try and talk them down. No one needs to get hurt--especially you

>>2376335
>>Stay silent and watch his movements. Strike hard and fast.
do we have that bottle of slug acid at hand? or a base or something like that? nothing scares thiefs more like a good old splash of acid to the face.

>>2376335
>>2376352
Yeah, you're an alchemist. Surely there's some nasty acid or concoction around that can be used?

>>2376335
>>Stay silent and watch his movements. Strike hard and fast.

>>2376335
If we have any of that left over slug acid Throw it in that knife guy's face. Disfigure him for life.

>>2376335

>>2376345
>>2376346
>>2376352

What is it Toad likes to say? Strike when the iron is hot, then keep it hot by striking. No talk here. You keep a neutral stance, waiting for them to get closer. Neither of them are saying anything now. The other one is rummaging through your freezer and you see him pull out the ash distillate you spent the entire day extracting.

"You find it?" Says the one coming toward you.

"Nah." Says the other. "There's a chick here though."

God damn it. He's moving toward the veranda, then past it, where your slave is huddled. She screams as he grabs her. "Mast--!" He's slipped a hand on her mouth.

"Shut her up." Says the one with the knife. He takes another step forward. "She good?"

"She's a looker. Fetch a price--nah wait. Fuck she's done bad."

"What's up?"

"Dunno. Scar marks or something."

"But is she good?"

"I mean...she got a pretty mouth. A real pretty mouth."

You can feel your blood boil, but still you keep your cool and wait. The one with the knife suddenly steps forward and lunges at your throat!

>Roll 1d20 to see if how you handle this attack

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>2376389

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>2376389
Fuck, there's going to be a crit 1 one in here and everything's going to go to shit, I just know it.

Rolled 2 (1d20)

>>2376389

>>2376390
>>2376394
>>2376395
Rip

Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>2376389

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>2376389

>>2376390
>>2376394
>>2376395

3, 10, 2: 0 Successes

It was a feint. That's the last thing you understand before the bastard's knife digs into the side of your stomach and all the wind in your lungs and all the blood in your belly rushes out like a popped balloon. You can feel the steady dribble instantly soil your clothes and the pain is so terrible that briefly everything goes black by it.

The man holds you up, searching your pockets until he pulls out the small, blood red gem. "Found it." He says, throwing it to the other, who catches it with one hand. "That's it right."

"Right-o."

The man throws you the ground, discards you. You clamp your hand over your wound, trying furiously to stay conscious--but the bleeding is bad and only getting worse.

"We taking the girl?" The man says, wiping his knife on his trousers. You note the tattoo on his left ankle. 5 black dots arranged in a quincunx. "We won't get much if she's bad."

"Nah. She good--just not in the way of metal. Ain't you baby?" He pulls your slaves mouth toward his own and breathes on her. "Real good time ahead for you, you'll see." He whispers. She struggles, but it is futile.

You watch as they drag your slave away and her muffled screams are worse than even the wound. They leave you bleeding on the floor and even have the courtesy to close the door behind them. The entire house is silent. A soft wind blows through the veranda and through the room, as though nothing at all had happened.

You're so paralyzed with pain and rage, you can't even scream.

SESSION END

>>2376442
FUCK

>>2376442
FUCK

>>2376442
What the fuck, Whelp we're dead. Rip quest

>>2376450
>>2376454
Good rolls evaporate when they most matter, every time.

>>2376442
Solid dark turn.

>>2376457
I didn't even roll, I was busy

>>2376442
Oh. Oh no. We're getting her back. Fuck that shit. If we gotta get Toad in on it we will.

OOC: Next session will be next week, same time, same day.

Archive: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=watdo

How're you guys liking the quest so far?

>>2376477
well besides for this fucking meme ending, its actually pretty decently written.

>>2376477
Super down. Nice build up.

>>2376477
Massive letdown.

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>>2376477
I was enjoying the slice of life-ness, it was cozy. Then we got shanked and our shell shocked slave got stolen.
I'm looking forward to how you do adventure.

>>2376491
That picture is awesome, it works perfectly for how we can change to get our houseelf back and you should feel awesome. A furious alchemist can be a terrible thing.

>>2376491
If we sold the gemstone, we wouldn't be in this mess.
Now we have to gather up our allies, a tailor, a noblish brat, and an old man, to hunt down our slave.

Or we can write her off, because she's just property, y'know? You wouldn't form a posse to hunt the guys who stole your TV.

>>2376442
welp, time to get a new slave.

>>2376497
>You wouldn't form a posse to hunt the guys who stole your TV.

Says you, they also shanked us. Make things personal.

>>2376558
>>2376442
...well, supposing we survive a stab like that. definitely will be out for a week at least.

>>2376497
>>2376558
Fuck that noise.

>>2376497
>You wouldn't form a posse to hunt the guys who stole your TV.

Lol I'd sooner form a posse for a tv then a slave but either way we wasted money on her. Either they pay us for her, or we get her back and maybe them as slaves too after they finish raping her.

>>2376592
Have some class, not only did they steal your slave to presumably make her into a sex slave and steal a valuable gem, but they also shanked you in the fucking gut. They deserve to choke to death on whatever vile mixture we can mix up just for that.

>>2376592
>Implying we could keep them as docile slaves without spending lots of money on enchanted slave collars or something.
>Implying they wouldn't be worth more as ingredients.

>>2376605
Hey, I like that. Instead of being an asshole you have a constructive idea.

>>2376592
>>2376604
>>2376605
>>2376612
just a little problem. we have been FUCKING STABBED. and not just a normal stab, but one that pierced one of our fucking lungs and our stomach. Right now we are literally running out of breath drowning in our own blood and dissolving from the inside. lets leave the desires of vengeance for later. supposing we can call for help or survive.

>>2376627
We DID just make a batch of phoenix ash meds. Probably have restorative properties.

>>2376627
Wouldn't be much of a quest if we just died on the first thread from a single stab would now, would it?

>>2376643
yeah, but are we close to it?
considering OP's storytelling so far, we will have to make a roll to reach them and unless we roll fairly high, i doubt we will reach it in time before the pain subdues us completely or our stomach acid begins to eat away the other important parts our body has.

>>2376627
>>2376659
Something tells me you're no fun at parties.

>>2376656
i've seen quests end in 5 threads because people got stupid(not that we got stupid right now, it was just pure old RNG). it wouldn't surprise me if it ended the same.

>>2376442
The one time i dont roll
FUCK

So uh, 2 things:

Does anyone suspect that Toad was the one who might have spied for the gem and noted that we didn't sell it yet?

And next time, consider the jejunebugs. Even if we couldn't move the terrarium to the front of the door, a handful off piss and rancid shit smell in the face really changes people's minds about their decisions in life.

Watdo, I'm not asking to be That Guy, but do we know what our elf slave looks like?

Again, I'm not That Guy. Just curious.

OOC:
>>2376491
This is a cool pic. I'm gonna use this.

>>2376662
While I always play the dice straight, it's never just RNG. I wouldn't say it was wise to
1. Just jump out of bed and openly challenge them
2. Actually try to go mano-a-mano against a guy with a knife while unarmed and outnumbered
Granted if you got the rolls you needed, things would've gone very differently, but the DC was very much not in your favor.

>>2377424
Not sure what you're asking but see: >>2355275

>The elf is small, gaunt, dressed in what can only be called rags. Her face and body are covered with dirt and little splotches of dried mud. Her nose is small and button like, her hair a pale, white gold, her ears pointed--as is characteristic of elves--and her eyes large and green. Pretty in some ways, though her sullen and lifeless expression destroys any beauty she might possess.

>>2377499
Is there any way to save her before it's too late?

>>2377732
Probably not. She's probably going to be raped at least multiple times before we get to her, especially considering we're just some dirt poor alchemist with likely zero martial or weapons training, currently trying not to bleed to death on the floor.

>>2377499
1. Just jump out of bed and openly challenge them
2. Actually try to go mano-a-mano against a guy with a knife while unarmed and outnumbered

That first one is fucking wrong, because even if we did we still were 'waiting' for a time and the dude was alone. We should've be able to strike when he was talking to his buddy.

The second one is also bullshit because you think us having a hard life and all that would've ensured we could atleast fight a scrap with knives. Its actually NOT that hard to disarm an enemy when he thinks less of you like these fucks clearly did.

>>2375272
And you're a pisshead attempt.

>>2377499
Ontop of my shit here >>2377833

You also let abunch of random 1 ID fags who were clearly samefagging influence a half-way decent choice there if you knew we'd be ganked like this boss. Don't fucking let that happen again.

>>2376477
I was liking it, was.

It sure is fun having literally everything we've done in the entire quest destroyed by a single roll. Guess it's going to be one of those quests were a state of existence outside of endless suffering isn't allowed.

>>2377499
So the options were get shanked or let them steal everything and then shank us because they couldn't find our gem. How fair of you.

>>2377849
What again? There won't be an again if things continue like how this "fight" ran.

>>2377499
Thought we had a pic or something. No need to get testy.

>>2377849
>Samefagging
Okay. What exactly is that and how does one do it? I've been accused of it before so...I at least want some insight.

>>2377902
Its a hold over from /tg/ era days, Basically you change your IP and vote. With ID tags however you can tell easier who is doing it when you get abunch of sudden 1 ID tags outside of the first few opening posts.

>>2377499
And this is why you sleep with a side arm. At least a good large knife.

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36 KB PNG

>>2377916
It's also an accusation that gets dragged out every time someone doesn't get their way in a vote and has to throw a tantrum about it because clearly it's impossible for that many people to disagree with them.
>>2377902
Basically, it's meaningless shitflinging and you should ignore it.

>>2378022
You know that is a true counter point, However I like to point back that those ID's never show back up again. You can scroll up and look.

OOC:
>>2377833
>>2377849

What are you talking about my man, the choices were:

>Pretend to be asleep, they won't hurt you if they think you haven't noticed
>Get up and accost them, thieves are cowards
>Wait and see what they do, strike when the moment is right

To your credit I see that you voted for the last option (which would've given you the element of surprise and lowered the DC), but unfortunately that option didn't win. Was it samefaggotry? Well, I didn't realize samefaggotry was even possible here (isn't that the point of the ids?) or that it was happening my quest. If people are samefagging, please stop. It fucks up my perception of what the majority actually wants to do and it's just selfish.

As for this:
>The second one is also bullshit because you think us having a hard life and all that would've ensured we could at least fight a scrap with knives. Its actually NOT that hard to disarm an enemy when he thinks less of you like these fucks clearly did.

Coming from a poor background myself, I'd say that's debatable. I certainly never learned how to fight and would never fight someone who is armed 1-on-1 (I wouldn't fight at all actually, call me a pussy but it's generally not worth it). But it's not like it was an autofail right? We rolled some dice and the dice fucked us. So it goes. Regression to the mean and all that.

>>2377902
My bad, didn't mean to come off testy. I really didn't understand what you meant. I've been looking for appropriate pics but haven't found anything satisfactory yet. "blonde elf slave" on google images returns a...different kind of result.

>>2377879
>>2377889
>>2377894
It's hard to hear something like this desu. I'll at least say that, you can trust me enough to believe this isn't true:
>Guess it's going to be one of those quests were a state of existence outside of endless suffering isn't allowed.

I enjoy the ol' tear-jerker as much as the next guy, but that's not what this quest is.

>>2378180
>I enjoy the ol' tear-jerker as much as the next guy, but that's not what this quest is.
Action louder than words, and actions say otherwise

>>2378180
Fair enough Boss, However in my own life from hardships, Fighting is something you picked up quickly or others walked all over you. Thanks for answering anyway boss.

>>2378180
Hey, new guy here, just read this and the previous threads and like it so far (the Alchemy jargon and potion making is very amusing)
so next thread when? Unless I misread you didn't say when.

>>2378233
Right here my man: >>2376477

>>2377916
>Basically you change your IP and vote. With ID tags however you can tell easier who is doing it when you get abunch of sudden 1 ID tags outside of the first few opening posts.
Seems like a lot of work, especially for a quest. Don't you think?

>>2378022
That doesn't answer the question. Try getting in the habit of doing that.