>>2834343
>Be polite, offer a drink, see what he wants
>Ask if Franklin is in trouble

>>2834347
Oh and squeeze Leia's hand back, let her stand behind you

>>2834347
>>2834348
Supporting.

>>2834343

>Be polite, offer a drink, see what he wants

>>2834347
>>2834348
yes, this

>>2834343
>Be polite, offer a drink, see what he wants

>>2834353
>>2834347
>>2834348

making it clear that we stand between him and our slave, not letting he get his hands on her

>>2834343
>Tell him to step back, he’s scaring Leia.
>Be polite, offer a drink, see what he wants
Don't call Leia a slave yet. I don't wanna know if the mage is trigger happy.

>>2834356
>>2834355
>>2834348
These

>>2834347
>>2834348
>>2834350
>>2834352
>>2834353
>>2834354
>>2834356
>>2834357

You slip in front of Leia and put an arm across her chest. But it’s ultimately an empty gesture, there’s little you can do to bar the mageknight if he decides to act.

“Would you like something to drink?” You say. You hope you sound braver than you feel.

The mageknight laughs, a shrill, insane laughter, loud and inhibited. “Interesting.” He says, still staring at your Elf. “Yes I suppose I could go for some milk chai.”

“Um, I don’t think--”

He laughs again. “It was merely a jest! Water shall do quite well.” He floats over to the table, hovering over the chair.

“Leia, get us some glasses and the pitcher.” She doesn’t move. You press your thumb into her hand, making small circles in the palm. “It’s alright.” With that reassurance, she releases you and ducks back into the house. You look to your guest.

“Is Franklin alright?”

“Other than a nasty bruise, he’s quite well.” He descends, slowly, to the floor but never quite touches it. “Perhaps thou shouldst explain the matter. My brother was reticent to say the least. Jail Time does inspire a certain brand of silence. Fear of anal fucking is a far more effective deterrent than any rule of law, don’t you think?”

>Stick to the truth
>Stick to the lie
>If Franklin didn’t say anything, you shouldn’t either; change the subject (write-in)

>>2834367
>>Stick to the truth

if he sense we are lying he will probe Leia's mind

>>2834367
>>Stick to the truth
Franklin is young and made some mistakes that come with that age.

>>2834367
>Stick to the truth

>>2834367

>If Franklin didn't say anythiing, you shouldn't either, change the subject - what's a mageknight doing here?

>>2834367
>If Franklin didn’t say anything, you shouldn’t either; change the subject (write-in)
"Ill tell you the truth if you restore leias magic."

>>2834367
>Stick to the truth
Trust me, buddy, you don’t want to jump off this cliff.

>>2834367
> "I would be happy to tell you, but I fear that it woulb be a betrayal of Franklin's trust if I did so. But in the end, there is not much I can do to stop you from taking the truth from me. If you still want to know I'll tell you."

Let him decide if he wants to know, this way we don't actively tell him something we may not need to. If he say yes we tell hism the truth, if he says no we ask him what do we owe the pleasure of his visit.

Important: when Leia comes with the water we take it from her gently and serve Samson ourselves, so she can stay a little far from him in case he tries to touch her

>>2834387
why is that important ?

>>2834389
For me it is. He mentioned she is not warded, I think he wants to probe her mind or something and that would hurt waifu

>>2834387
I'll support this

>>2834387
>>2834393
+1

>>2834387
Supporting this. He’ll still make us tell, but at least he’ll have something else to ask Franklin.

>>2834387
Supporting.

>>2834370
>>2834371
>>2834375
>>2834387
>>2834403
>>2834410
>>2834411
>>2834418

It’s well known that theurges can read minds and you’re certain that’s exactly what he was doing when he was looking at Leia. You’re also certain that lying to a mageknight is about the most suicidal thing you can do right, save jumping off the balcony. On the other hand, if Franklin didn't say anything maybe you shouldn't either.

"I'd tell you but I don't want to betray your brother's trust. Of course, there's not much I can do if you take the truth by force."

“Quite astute, what wast thy name again?” Leia returns with the glassware and pours the both of you water. Her hands shake and the floating mageknight stares at her. A mad grin stretches his lips. “Fascinating.” He says. “Such a turbulent mix of emotions. Joy, greed, fear. And a few she herself does not understand.” He talks as though there were no one else around. He drains his glass and slams the cup down on the table. "So, Sebastian Sondheim, illegal alchemist and slave owner and friend to my brother, thou art wrong on all accounts. I cannot force the truth from someone so strongly warded, nor would it be a betrayal of any kind. Still loyalty is an admirable quality, unlike those pig-fuckers in the palace. I'll not pursue the line."

“OK.” You finger the rim of the glass, and suddenly remember Abe. “What about Abe?”

“Who?”

“He’s a boy--we’ll he’d be a man to your eyes. An orphan. Is he alright? Did they release him?”

“I know the lad. My brother vouched for his release, He can be irritatingly inconsolable at times. Yes he’s been released. He is--he will be...fine.”

You’re not sure you like the sound of that, or the playful glint in the mageknight’s eyes. "Ah, that reminds me." He slips his hand into his robes and pulls out a small glass vial. Moonlight strikes the crystal inside and break into many colors. A chill runs down your legs as he carefully places the vial on the table.

“Didst thou make this?”

This is a test. He already knows the answer. You nod. He stares at your Elf, tilting his head slightly to the left like a curious bird. “Mmm, the memories are all muddled. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Fontaine will throw a fit.” He sounds completely indifferent. “I don’t suppose thou could just tell me how it was made?”

>It’s a trade secret, he wouldn’t ask another theurge to reveal his spells
>Tell him the recipe
>Tell him a false recipe, leaving out the crucial ingredient

>>2834462
>I haven't told to my present employer and would much prefer to not tell anyone else.

>>2834462
>It’s a trade secret, he wouldn’t ask another theurge to reveal his spells
And tell him that, honestly, you'd really rather not have anybody know how to make that particular mixture, for reasons he probably already knows

>>2834462
>It’s a trade secret, he wouldn’t ask another theurge to reveal his spells

For once Leia's starleech trauma proved to be a blessing in disguise.

Where does Seabass have any wards from though? Toad? Sarah? The Divine? Leia's handholding?
Probably not Antipater or we'd have been dead by now.

>>2834462
>>It’s a trade secret, he wouldn’t ask another theurge to reveal his spells

>>2834472
>Where does Seabass have any wards from though? Toad? Sarah? The Divine? Leia's handholding?
>Probably not Antipater or we'd have been dead by now.
>>2834343
>Pastebin: https://pastebin.com/bXqKpAsD
># A ward necklace, it generates a shield whenever you're in danger (9 silver)
Nah, we bought a necklace so we wouldn't get shanked again. Turns out it works here too.
Which also means we probably would've survived the first stabbing if Leia tried to betray us.

>>2834462

>It's a trade secret, he wouldn't ask another theurge to reveal his spells

>>2834480
Damn, that's pretty awesome.
We should buy additional one for Leia.

>>2834462
>>It’s a trade secret, he wouldn’t ask another theurge to reveal his spells

>>2834480
damn, that's a good necklace if that's it
strong enough to fuck with a mageknight? gotta get at least one for Leia and maybe another one for us as well to wear like in the lining of our pants or something

>>2834462
>>It’s a trade secret, he wouldn’t ask another theurge to reveal his spells
"You wouldn't mind rape for a recipe."
>>2834469
+1

>>2834490
Yep.
>>2834343
>Pastebin: https://pastebin.com/bXqKpAsD
I think we're transferring all our security items too, like the padlock.

>>2834469
This too

>>2834468
>>2834469
>>2834471
>>2834473
>>2834481
>>2834497
>>2834501

“I can’t. Trade secret. You wouldn’t ask another theurge to show you his spell book.” It’s a gamble, simply because he could blow you and possibly half the city block with a mere flick of his wrist and a few well-intoned words. No one would be able to stop him. Mageknights are above the law and operate independently of any organization. Such immense concentrated power could never be subject to external control. Not even the king can command a mageknight.

Which makes you all the more curious as to why he's here. Most mageknights are out in the unexplored regions of the world, searching for lost theurgical artifacts and spells.

Samson shrugs. “Ah well, at least I can tell Fontaine I tried. I do enjoy his little outbursts.” He sighs. “Well toodleoo then.”

You slump back in the chair and start to relax--until you realize that if Fontaine knows about the anabolic it’s only a matter of time before he comes knocking at your door again--likely with less capricious henchmen. Antipater’s probably protecting you for now, but that’s an even more dangerous position to be in. What if you could just nip this in the bud?

“Wait.” You say. Samson does a quick about face.

“A mind changed perhaps?”

>Tell him the recipe, in exchange for freedom from any future harassment
>Set up a meeting with Fontaine, you won’t give out the recipe but maybe you can profit from the product
>On second thought, it’s probably better to keep your allegiances straight; wouldn’t want Antipater to get the wrong idea. Ask about your Elf instead, about her magic

>>2834520
>Ask about your Elf instead, about her magic

File: 03.jpg (15 KB, 236x308)

15 KB JPG

>>2834520
>Ask about your Elf instead, about her magic
magic

>>2834520
>Ask about your Elf instead, about her magic


but not out of Aligence to Antipater, we will betray him, we will not help him with genocide and slavery

>>2834520

Offer to give in the recipe in exchange for a diagnosis for your Elf and assurance of protection from further harassment.

>>2834520
>On second thought, it’s probably better to keep your allegiances straight; wouldn’t want Antipater to get the wrong idea. Ask about your Elf instead, about her magic

>>2834520
>Ask about your Elf instead, about her magic

>>2834530
+1
>>2834532
I think we could lead up to that offer. I'm not sure about Fontaine though because he's worse than Antipater on a macro scale.

>>2834530
This

And Fontaine isn't any better. He just wants to kill everyone. If we tell him that the anabolic comes from elven hair he will erd up all the elves and shave them.

We will find a way to destroy Antipater's plan

>>2834532
I wouldn't recommend marking all elves as candidates for industrial blood harvesting even if such assurances for ourselves were issued and could be trusted.

>>2834520
>ask about elf

>>2834520
>>Ask about your Elf instead, about her magic

>>2834520
>Ask about your Elf instead, about her magic

>>2834530
>Anon says, while helping with genocide and slavery from the get go.

>>2834602
Yeah. Maybe we should secretly side with Roche

>>2834602
we don't actually

we never helped them with the lizard genocide( we made a cure) and with slavery(our cure was definite, not temporary)

If we help with that we would be fucked, genocide is bad in it's own right, but if we help Antipater to make even more slaves we are enabling him to do to other people what he did to Leia. Imagine so much more Leias, we don't want what happened to her to help with other people right?

>>2834624
*happen to other people

>>2834624
>We never helped with slavery
>We have a slave.
>Implying that we won't unknowingly help antipater with slavery and genocide when we are working for him.

>Imagine so much more Leias, we don't want what happened to her to help with other people right?
I'd rather have them killed. It would spare them all the suffering leia passed through.

>>2834637
We own a slave but since thread one it was stated we did not feel comfortable with the idea of slavery, hell, last thread we even promised Leia we would free her. I think after learning the truth Seabass's stand on it changed dramatically for the against it

we agreed to work for him out of fear, but my idea is to sabotage him every chance I get and not help him do that.

Maybe killing them is mercy yes, but condemning more people to her fate is not something we would do, that's why I think we would not help Antipater make more slaves. If ending the hold he has on slaves is too much of a pipe dream I settle for just fucking killing him

>>2834649
Sabotaging him, although nice, is ultimately pointless because at worst he would kill us for deterring him, and at best he would stop contracting him. We would also be pretty fast to discover since it seems that only we and lawson are the only alchemist working for him.
>If ending the hold he has on slaves is too much of a pipe dream I settle for just fucking killing him
Both are pipe dreams. The only way to have a chance to do it would be to joining his close friends circle, and that will be hard in all aspects. Then we have to research how many defenses he has. A powerful man as he, has equally powerful enemies. In the real world, a bullet could have solved our problem, but here we would need to know all the charms and shields he has applied upon himself/his home.

You hesitate. Are you really sure that Fontaine is any better than Antipater? Antipater himself said that their goals were the same, maybe you shouldn’t be so hasty to help him. But you have to say something, Samson’s tapping his foot in midair.

“My--my Leia--my slave. She’s lost her magic, would you mind...taking a look?”

“Thou art asking a mageknight, the most powerful theurge in the land, a man so feared and revered that he is as a god in some places, a man bound to no establishment, to no rule of law--not even to those of nature--to diagnose a slave?” His voice rises steadily until it’s so loud it threatens to shatter the windows. Clouds gather above his head.

“If you’re not too busy.” You squeak. You can feel your slave grab onto the back of your shirt, and cower. This is not how you envisioned dying.

“Alright.” He says. The clouds vanish. “Might be interesting. Have her lay down somewhere.”

You wipe a bead of sweat from your neck. You’re going to have a long conversation with Frankllin after this.

He follows you and Leia into the house (always floating an inch above floor, as though it was made of lava). You have Leia lie down on her makeshift bed while Samson has a look around your apartment. He seems especially fascinated with the set of troll hearts on your workbench.

“I don’t suppose thou wouldst tell what these are for?”

“Can’t do that.”

“Pity. Well let’s a take look.” He kneels at your Elf’s side (still floating) and takes her pulse.
“M-master?”

“It’s alright, I’m right here.” You crouch by her side and give her other hand a squeeze, which calms her immediately.

“Mmm, fascinating. Alright. Lift her dress.”

“What?” Leia automatically goes to comply and you grab her hand. “Stop that.”

Samson laughs, shaking the very foundation of the house. “Be at ease, Sebastian Sondheim. I merely wish to examine the scar. None of my classic jests, I promise.”

You slowly release your Elf’s hand and look away as she lifts her dress to the waist. She yelps a moment later and you whip your head around to see Samson pressing his hand over her bare stomach, over the white vertical scar that runs through it. You try to focus on this and not on the rather interesting pair of underwear that your slave is wearing--courtesy of Nina, of course. You’re going to have a long conversation with her as well. “What is it? Are you hurt?” You ask.

She shakes her head. “It’s cold.”

Samson releases her and closes his eyes a moment. “Fucking hell. This is more intriguing that I first thought. Her magic is gone.” He says, amazed.

“Yes.” You say, pointedly.

Cont.

>>2834680
Still
doing his bidding is not an option for me at least, To help him enslave an entire race and give them in a platter for him to do what he did to Leia would be too much. I will try to find others that can help and bring Toad around by telling him what we know about Antipater. To my votes, helping him is not even an option, it would be too much of a change of character from going to concerned but greedy alchemist that helps an orphanage and tries his best to help his broken slave to a cold and callous practical man that doesn't care how his actions may doom thousands to suffer

>>2834680
>>2834649
Id like to work for him and have leia kill him someday by her own hands. Also secretly plotting with Roche seems like an idea.

>>2834680
it's a long game to be sure, but definitely not impossible. direct sabotage is stupid, but 'accidents' and 'unintended side effects' are things we can slip through, especially long-term ones.

>>2834693

“Thou dost not understand. Her homunculus has been completely removed.” He flips the dress back down and rises to his feet. “The homunculus is the manifestation of the psyche that stores and regenerates the theurgic force. Without it her body can do neither. Of course, being an elf, magic suffuses her body but it is not concentrated enough for a spell or ritual.”

At least Toad can rest easy. “I know what the homunculus is.” You say. “Can you help her?”

“I could. Thou wouldst need a spare homuncule, a transplant. It is the only way to restore function. Though perhaps an artificial one would work as well.” He muses.

“Where would I find a spare homuncule?”

He looks at you and then his eyes move to your stomach.

“No!”

Both your heads whip toward your Elf. She covers her mouth, as if she was the most surprised by the outburst. She shakes her head. “Master, you can’t.” Samson tilts his head again and smiles.

“Oho, I see. Yes, I’m afraid for thy Elf’s sake, we should refrain from that option. She seems to have other plans for thy homuncule.”

You look between the mageknight and your slave, not comprehending anything. “You mentioned an artificial homunculus?”

“Theoretically possible, experimentally unproven. If it could be engineered, it’s properties might even exceed mortal bounds--imagine! But, no, no, an organic one would probably fare better. Less risk. Less hassle. Anyway, I should probably exact some sort of price for this information…”

A moment of tense silence passes, where you can only hear your own heartbeat. “But the novelty was interesting enough. And so, fare thee well Sebastian Sondheim. Let me know if you find that homuncule, I’d like to do the surgery myself.”

And before you can say anything, he takes a running leap to the edge of the balcony and is gone.

You collapse onto the floor, spread-eagled, all the tension in your body suddenly released. Your slave crouches beside you. “Are you OK master?”

“I think so.”

>Ask her about the homunculus
>It’s been a long day, get some rest
>Check up on Franklin

>>2834699
>Ask her about the homunculus

>>2834699
>Check up on Franklin
let's see how the shota is taking this.

>>2834699
>Hug elf
>It’s been a long day, get some rest

>>2834710

>Ask her about the homunculus

and I'd like to know how long homunculus can last outside of body. Maybe Antipater has it in a jar somewhere. Although taking it without him being aware would presumably be difficult. I guess synthesizing a magic implant would be safer for our purposes.

>>2834699
>Ask her about the homunculus

>>2834699
>>Ask her about the homunculus

>>2834699
>>It’s been a long day, get some rest

>>2834696
>>2834698
ok, you want to play the long game? then expect to help him enslave and genocide a shitload of people.
>but 'accidents' and 'unintended side effects' are things we can slip through.
The only question would be how many weeks or months of unintended side effects and accidents will he tolerate, because if we consider lawson and the lizard invasion as a basis, its not much.

>>2834710
this

we can build one! time to look for some more books

I would like task Nam who she thinks Mr. Glossman is too if we go there, and find more books on that possible panacea, everything mr. glossman wrote came out to be truth, it wouldn't hurt to check if his most wild theory is right too

>>2834699
Check up on Franklin

>>2834710
>hug elf

>Ask her about the homunculus
And ask her why our homunculus couldn't be used, we are not magic practioners

>>2834707
also throwing my support in for
>+hug elf

>>2834699
>Ask her about the homunculus
>It’s been a long day, get some rest.

I'm actually a bit exhausted myself...

>>2834699
>>Check up on Franklin

>>2834726
>ok, you want to play the long game?
What is your alternative ?

>>2834726
I dunno what to tell you, man. if we fail, we fail. But we need to make the attempt. The only other person who's trying is Roche, and Toad's probably going to murder him

>>2834775
I wish to tell Toad the truth so he can stop being delusional in thinking Antipater is a decent person

>>2834754
Fuck off from here and avoid all the players that are using us a chess piece/sacrificial lamb. Start from somewhere safe that no one know us. Plan from there, use the knowledge we have to secure our socioeconomical position and strike our enemies from afar.

The slaves are still going to suffer, the other species are still going to be killed, but we will be free to act on our own counter plans instead of planning on "unfortunate accidents" that just delay the inevitable for a moment, and we won't have their blood on our hands because we won't be working for any monster.

>>2834775
Then make a smart attempt against antipater instead of working directly under him. Note: i'm not saying that my above text is the best option, but it is way more flexible than what we are attempting to do right now.

>>2834787
I don't think Toad ever considered Antipater a decent person, and he has Toad by his elf scented balls by monitoring his daughter.

>>2834787
Toad knows antipater is a piece of shit, but he is just too deep and can't get out.

>>2834795
You mean pull a Monte Christo? That could be interesting.

>>2834795
bailing with elf seems a decent option for me, try to find other people and plan for a cure.

File: 1525287707215.jpg (140 KB, 924x526)

140 KB JPG

>bailing with elf and starting a new life with her while we shadow war against some of the most powerful people and organizations in the world
Sounds nice desu.

>>2834804
>>2834809
I’d like to at least start up a “cure” that’ll have detrimental side effects when taken long term first, though. After we do that, we can have Toad “take care of us” as a “loose end”, then escape with a good portion of the gold we’d have left with Nina as a start up, then start developing the cure in a different city.

Next time we go to the market, can we buy leia two elven combat knifes ?

>>2834795
>>2834804
>>2834809
This is actually a good idea.

>>2834837
>>2834835
>>2834809
>>2834804
>>2834846

You anons are weird interesting bunch. Last threads i proposed this you were very much against the idea of leaving and starting somewhere else.

>>2834837
Also before we bail out, maybe we can ask Antipater for a humunculus and tell him we need it for some crap

I'm 100% on board with a shadow war
we probably need a bit more money before starting up which is unfortunate. we do have some decent connections though, especially if we earn the trust of the lizardfolk with this cure we're making

>>2834837
What should this harmful cure be aimed at though? Maybe some longevity treatment or something.

Other than that harming Antipater's business most, and what could maybe fall within our ability, is to try and neutralise Lawson's plague in general populace for free. Of course we'd have to come up with a self-replicating cure and find a way to spread it massively. Maybe with insects as someone said some threads ago.

>>2834804
Except Monte Cristo had an endless supply of money and a shit ton of time to prepare

>>2834849
I wasn’t there for the “Let’s work for the psychotic elf racist/rapist” vote.

>>2834849
Well we would have to explore feasibility of such a move and then consider consequences for those of our close ones that would be left behind.

Maybe Antipater will unwittingly give us an opportunity himself. We could stage an "accident".

Poor Nina though, and just when she bought a new property...

>>2834858
have you seen the interest rates the bank has? Remember we can also make some heavy shit with the healing paste and the lickable strength pearl.

>>2834837
No Nina for me though, don't want to get her dragged into this mess

>>2834858
I'm guessing the point of this plan is to win time and safety so that we can make tons of money and prepare away from this political clusterfuck. (>inb4 we walk into an even worse political clusterfuck on our escape)

You recount the events of the day. Amazing how much can change in the space of a few hours. You roll over on your side and catch your Elf frowning at your head. You don’t think you’ve ever seen her frown, scared yes, but never actually upset.

“What is it?”

“Oh! N-nothing.” She links her fingers together, picking at the calloused, burnt fingers. “Master must never give up his homuncule.” She suddenly says.

“I wasn’t planning on it--but I am curious as to why I shouldn’t.” You can’t imagine your Elf having any nefarious plans, but the way she does not meet your eyes and looks toward her own bed and rubs her arm, puts that to doubt.
It irks you a little. “Is there something wrong with my homuncule? I know I’m not a theurge, but I thought it's the rituals that--”

“It’s not that.” She says. She plays absentmindedly with her ribbon. “Well, for one, I don’t want master to--that is for my sake--and-and for another…” She looks at you and her cheeks burn the color of sunsets. She shakes her head. “Nevermind.” She flees to her covers and pulls them over her head.

You have half mind to force her to speak, but you can feel sleep tug at your eyes and you crawl over to your own bedspread and forget it all.

---

Why dont we have an apprentice yet?

>>2834865
I do feel bad for her, specially because i'm rooting for a nina-seabass end, but i'd rather have seabass alive and morally stable than to see what the future holds for us in this path (ALTHOUGH nina could stick with us, and that would be very good for very different reasons other than shipping)

>You are now Toad

You thoroughly underestimated the security here. It’s fucking pitiful. Three night watchmen, not even an anti-magic and a guard dog. The wards on the wall were a simple detection spell and a lightning shield--the only hard part about this whole thing was planting the scrying ball to pick up the dispel-phrase.

The “maximum security” prison compound is little more than a walled barracks. You scaled the battlements from the eastern side, near the water where the wall was highest, but also least guarded. The prison itself is divided into three separate buildings, a small stone structure built into a hill--a repurposed old mine that serves to contain all the most dangerous prisoners (this is one is actually heavily warded), a elongated wooden cabin for the guards and a squat stone tower for “special prisoners”.

According to Antipater’s intel, Robert should be in the tower. You crouch low to keep away from the floating lights. Even if you got caught now, escape would be a simple matter. You’re more worried about getting Robert out. Keeping civilians safe was never your forte--it was usually the opposite. Elimination instead of extraction.

You hug the northern wall of the cabin, inching your way west. The tower stands about 10 feet away, and the road between has no cover. You’ll have to make a run for it. You’re about to step out of the shadows when something--someone--drops from the sky like a catapulted stone. Instantly the whole prison is at attention. A guard comes running up weapon drawn, but the stranger flashes something at him--a medallion, one whose sheen and pattern you know even in this dark and your throat goes dry.

“Where’s Fontaine?” Says the Mageknight. “I have news.”

“About time.” A man emerges from the cabin, suited head to toe in shining steel. He grabs the mageknight’s arm and they walk off, speaking quietly.

>None of your business, do your job and get out
>Follow them, what’s a mageknight doing here?
>Abort, you don’t like these conditions

>>2834873
we have an elf, that's better in every way

>>2834882
>>None of your business, do your job and get out

>>2834882
>Follow them, what’s a mageknight doing here?
>Be ready to abort if something feels wrong.

>>2834877
Take Nina AND the elf.

>>2834882

>Follow them, what's a mageknight doing here?

>>2834882
>>Follow them, what’s a mageknight doing here?

>>2834882
Does Toad have protection from magical detection that would allow him to sneak up after them?

Even so I suspect Toad would go with
>None of your business, do your job and get out

Although he did see recently enough weird shit to know something is up...

>>2834892
Nah,na stays, she is not involved in any of this and taking her with us would just put her in needless danger, we are her friend and wouldn't want her to be harmed, Franklin can take good care of her

>>2834892
that is a possibility i'm rooting for.

>>2834897
i don't think he would try to trail them if he didn't.

>>2834882
>None of your business, do your job and get out
fucker can read minds, even if Toad is warded that would just paint him as a huge person of interest.

>>2834882
>Follow them, what’s a mageknight doing here?

>None of your business, do your job and get out

>>2834882
>Follow them, what's a mageknight doing here?

>>2834882
>>None of your business, do your job and get out

>Abort, you don’t like these conditions

>>2834882
>Follow them, what’s a mageknight doing here?

>>2834887
>>2834897
>>2834906
>>2834914
>>2834911
>Risk managment

>>2834889
>>2834894
>>2834895
>>2834908
>>2834912
>>2834908
>>2834912
>>2834919
>Sneak mode

Writing.

>>2834882
>>Follow them, what’s a mageknight doing here?

>>2834882
>Follow them, what’s a mageknight doing here?

>>2834892
dragging someone with no stake and no skills related to something like this is both stupid and cruel

>>2834938
It's to keep her safe, you damn fool. You think those kind of people won't search out those close to us to get information?

>>2834942
she is not close, she is our landlady and friend, and dragging her would put her in greater danger., we cannot defend ourselves, imagine defend the elf and her, we are running for lack of options, she will be way safer if she stays.

She stays with Fanklin safe and sound man

>>2834938
>both stupid and cruel
We are not going to force her to come with us. We will explain what we are going to do and she will choose. Also most of our choices have been very stupid, so this one falls as the norm.

>>2834952
You know, we could try to bring franklin too. I think he will appreciate very much a new start.

>>2834952
>she is our landlady and friend
And one of the only people that's close to us, aside from Toad. If you don't think they'd go to her to attempt to extract information if we up and left, you're naive.

File: homunculis.jpg (176 KB, 900x960)

176 KB JPG

>homunculus inside every person.

I bet you it is a chibi version of everyone. Or a malformed fetus-like thing. Your choise

>>2834954
>>2834957
Does anyone even know about Nina? At all?

You anons don't even know the lay of the land in this quest. You're just making up a possibility of "starting over".

Aren't small towns incredibly insular? What would they think of a strange new alchemist who dotes on his slave moving in and trying to sell off strange concoctions? That option would mean starving to death. Moving to some city would mean getting caught for being illegal. What kind of plan do you dudes have aside from "Distance Seabass from Antipater in the hopes that he doesn't send anyone after us"?

>>2834957
no man, she doesn't have any more information on us as Franklin or Sarah, we never confide anything to her, and as far as anyone knows (even Toad) she is just a friend, we haven't been seen or heard with her and we never mentioned her to anyone. She is someone we interact on our apartment. I know some anons want her to be more, but at the current state she is safe in ignorance about our dealings and she is not on harm's way unless we do something stupid like involving her in this mess by dragging her with us. We will only put her in danger by bringing her.

by your logic we would have to drag Nina, Sarah, all the orphans, Rose from the stall, our merchant friend and Franklin too when we escape

>>2834970
>Does anyone even know about Nina? At all?
Franklin does. Presumably so does his brother.

>>2834976
Of course Franklin is probably the last person on earth that would want to put her in danger.

>>2834970
They'll find out, rich and powerful people have a lot of resources at their disposal you know.

>>2834970
>Aren't small towns incredibly insular?
I wanna say yes, but considering that banks and other guilds exist, it implies some basic level of globalization.
>What would they think of a strange new alchemist who dotes on his slave
Then we don't show we dote her, or that she is a slave. For all terms and purposis she is our assistant.
>moving in and trying to sell off strange concoctions?
Believe me that they won't care when said strange concoctions save their lives at reasonable prices.

>Moving to some city would mean getting caught for being illegal.
Implying that there is not a way to forge papers(supposing they exist) or bribe the local police forces, or just be out of the way of them.

>>2834962
The word of "homunculus" has had a number of different meanings over the years so I doubt it's referring to an animate doll or physical little person. In terms of a meaning associated with alchemy and early reproductive science the closest association I can come up with of the top of my head is the preformationist one (see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homunculus#Preformationism).

Every bone in your body is telling you to let this go. Either to complete the mission or better yet, abort it and try again when there’s less variables. You do neither. Whatever Antipater may say about “this is the last mission” (he seems to have forgotten about Roche since he disappeared, though you haven’t), you know that you’re never really out until one of you is in a coffin.

You rub your eyes and reach unconsciously for your pipe, stopping moments before you light up. You need sleep. You need a vacation, some place remote and tropical. Maybe near the ocean. Lily likes the beach, though you personally never cared much for sand.

Once the two are out of earshot, you take out one of your scryders and roll it as hard as you can in their direction. The scryder bounces along the rough dirt floor until it comes to a complete stop about a yard from their feet. Then it’s eight small metallic legs pop out of the grooves on its side and it begins to walk inconspicuously toward its mark.

You put the receiving scrying ball to your ear. At first nothing. The sound of wind and the machine’s gears turning. Then voices, muffled and distorted. You give the orb a good shake and the voices snap into cohesion.

“...He didn’t tell me.”

“What do you mean he didn’t tell you? Why would he have to tell you? Just read it out of him.”

“I’m afraid I couldn’t. He was warded.”

“Warded? You--you’re a mageknight, what ward could possibly--are you lying to me? Is this a game?”

“Yes. Of course it’s game. Dost thou really believe I care a whit about the prattle and politics of insects? I humor thee because it is amusing to me, but do not test my fucking temper, Fontaine. No man mourns when an ant is crushed underfoot.”

“...I-I didn’t mean it that way. I just don’t understand why. I mean we--we had an agreement didn’t we? And if this is about your brother, I’m telling you I didn’t know. He never told me and you know that Mageknights are stricken from family records and--”

“I don’t care about that. And I suppose I could have forced the issue, but that is not my way. He made a reasonable argument and I’d rather not kill the few friends my poor brother has. At any rate, he is thy man, the creator of that crystal.”

“Alright. I guess that’s something. Is there anything else? Anything we can actually use. That bastard Antipater has him hugged to his breast like a prodigal son”

“...There is something.”

“What?”

“I want the location first.”

“But you didn’t even get what we agreed on!”

“So? The only thing we really agreed on, is that thou wouldst give me the location of the Basilisk and I would not burn down this entire town and everyone in it--save my brother of course--eh, maybe him too.” There's a tense silence.

Cont.

>>2835037

“Are...are you joking?”

“...Yes. Thou hast fallen for one of my classic jests! How droll it all is!” The mageknight laughs.

“Be serious!”

“Very well. Here’s serious.” The mageknight leans into the armored face. “If I don’t have the location when I leave, I will level this compound to the ground and thou with it,. And that, dear Fontaine, is no fucking jest.”

Fontaine is quiet for a long moment, a staring contest proceeds which he loses. “Damn you. Give him the goddamn map!”

“Very good.” Says the mageknight, running his eyes over an unfurled scroll. “The alchemist has an Elf.” He says.

“What?”

“An Elf. A slave, though I would guess she means a little more than property to him. She certainly sees more than a master in him.”

“Enough riddles! Speak plainly man.”

“Thy stupidity loses its charm after a while, Fontaine. Do something about that. The Elf, the slave, she is the weakness. Anitpater will do nothing to protect her, he cares only about the alchemist. The alchemist cares about the slave. Canst thou see the dots in thy puny little brain? Canst thou exert the monumental effort to connect them?”

“The slave?”

“The slave. Don’t hurt her of course, I have an interest in her as well.” He turns, you could swear he stares right at the scryder and for a minute you think you’re bust. But he just smiles. “And now, sweet Fontaine, I must as they say in the slums, fuck off. Toodles.” The mageknight leaps into the air and disappears, leaving the armored man behind to pace and muse. The scryder scuttles back to your location and curls into a ball. You pocket it and the receiver and try to make sense of what you’ve just heard.

>The kid’s in danger, time to abort and check-in
>Best thing to do now is finish the job, get some leverage with Antipater
>Get out and go straight to Antipater to let him know what you just heard

>>2835032
So Leia needs Seabass' homunculi transplant amirite? I mean, Samson said he would perfomr the surgery... we probably can do it without him peeping

>>2835042
>The kid’s in danger, time to abort and check-in

good thing we listened in, time to bail guys

>>2835037
>Best thing to do now is finish the job, get some leverage with Antipater

Yep, this are like, a lot more variables but Toad better finished the job and later occupies with more bad stuff. Has he quit drinking?

>>2835042
>The kid’s in danger, time to abort and check-in
We have aproper excuse to abort, since the mageknight was here

>>2835042
>The kid’s in danger, time to abort and check-in
don't let Antipater know about elf

>>2835042
>>The kid’s in danger, time to abort and check-in

If we stay here, Fontane can make his move, he doesn't seem like a o patient man

>>2835042
>The kid’s in danger, time to abort and check-in

>>2835042
>Best thing to do now is finish the job, get some leverage with Antipater
Get a warning out to the kid as soon as you can though.

>>2835046
No it's not literally gametes, probably just a specialist organ in that region of the body.

>>2835042
>The kid’s in danger, time to abort and check-in

Also if Anipater throws a snit about the job we can just spin something about protecting his precious alchemist from being stolen from right under his nose.

>>2835042
>Best thing to do now is finish the job, get some leverage with Antipater

>>2835042
>abort

>>2835042
>>Best thing to do now is finish the job, get some leverage with Antipater

>>2835042
If we have a scrying ball that we can use to contact antipater then we should contact him as we abort.

>>2835042
It's interesting to see how that glorious faggot talks to antipater's peer. I guess wizards are something else here.

if we can do the retrieval later (the guy isn't about to be executed or transferred beyond our reach)
>time to abort and check in
Otherwise
>time to finish the job

>>2835106
It would be extra ironic if Toad literally pointed his attention to the elf. But he probably doesn't want Antipater to gain even stronger grip on Seabass either.

>>2835042
>Best thing to do now is finish the job, get some leverage with Antipater

>>2835042
>The kid’s in danger, time to abort and check-in

>>2835054
>>2835061
>>2835064
>>2835070
>>2835072

You take one last look at the tower. Sorry Robert, you’ll have to wait, family always comes first. You slink along the back wall of the cabin, narrowly avoiding a guard that stepped out to pee. A few minutes later you’ve scaled the wall, and climbed down to the other side.

And are suddenly face to face with a floating mageknight. You instantly reach for your knives, but he waves his hands and the short tufts of wildgrass at your feet grow to enormous length and like living limbs bind your mouth, arms and legs. “Let’s be not hasty spy. Ah thou art warded too, but I’ll not pull my punches here.” He tilts his head to the side and his golden eyes burn into your own. Your brain spasms with arcane energies, like a million screeching violins, and you start to black out. Then all it once, it stops. “Oho! Who would’ve thought I’d meet the great Theodore in these backwoods!” He does a little flip of joy in mid-air. “Dost thou know they struck thee from all the academy records? Books, treatises, even the history books. Dost thou know, I actually referenced thy work not an hour ago. Didst thou really make the stone?”

You stare at him until he realizes.

“Ah, sorry, sorry.” He flicks his wrist and the vines release from your mouth. “Just got a bit excited. Star-struck if you please. Fuck! Theodore, Beloved of the Gods, wielder of the Primal Fire, in the flesh. They said thou wast dead.” He draws close, touches your forehead. “Hmm, well that’s interesting. That’s twice in one night I’ve met someone without an homuncule.”

“Please, let me go.” You say.

“Of course.” He makes a “sit down” gesture with his hand and the vines retreat back into the earth, dropping you to the floor. “That was a neat little device thou wast using by the way.” He shakes his head and tsks. “Poor Theodore, theurgic legend reduced to parlor tricks. I’ll let thee go for now, but thou shouldst let her be taken. Fontaine will not hurt her or him.”

“It’s not Fontaine I’m worried about.” You say, grunting to your feet.

“Yes, quite a den of wolves we have here. Or fire ants. Or perhaps just regular ants. Minor annoyances really.”

“Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be raiding some 1000 year old tomb in the east?”

He smiles, a grin more suggestive of insanity than humor. “I’m here because of thee. Thy work, thy magnum opus. Prima materia.”

You grunt. Two words you hoped never to hear again.

---
>You are now Sebastian

You awake to silence. No sound of frying eggs or bacon, no shuffle of your Elf’s feet or the broom in her hands. You bolt up and look around. No sign whatsoever of your Elf. Her bed is made, but she’s not in it. The bathroom is empty, as is the balcony.

“Leia!”

No answer.

>She might’ve just gone out to get water or something, just wait
>Check Nina’s place, maybe she’s there
>Check outside

>>2835171
>>Check outside

>>2835171
Well fuck. Isn't that like second time this month? Should've had her carry one of the mateflies around.

>Check outside

>>2835171
>Check outside

>>2835171
>check outside

>>2835171
>Check outside

Oh gods, NO! Watdo, my heart can't take this!

>>2835171
>>Check outside
come on, really?

>>2835171
>>Check outside
Oh fuck.

>>2835171
>>Check outside
We should really learn how to fight

>>2835171
>>Check outside

paranoia, bad feelings, a knot on the stomach where is she?

>>2835171
>Check outside

>>2835171
Dammit Watdo, we both know she's fine but Sebass is paranoid enough that of course the first thing he'll do is
>Check outside

>>2835171
>Check outside

>>2835230
both us and Leia need to take lessons from Toad

>>2835171
>Check outside

You put on your boots as fast as your alchemically burned hands will allow and stumble down the stairs, two at a time, first to the front gate, which yields nothing, then to the yard in the back.

Sure enough, your Elf is there, collecting eggs for the day’s breakfast. You let a out a breath of relief you didn’t even realize you were holding. You’re about to leave her to her business when she lays the basket down and takes a handful seed from the feeder. Then crouching on her hams, she lets the chickens eat out of her palm.

They gather and she sings to them and she giggles when they tickle her with their gentle pecks. She whispers conspiratorially at them and they cock their heads as though wondering if she’s a few marbles shy of a game. She notices that Pecky has some bits of dirt stuck in her feathers (Pecky is something of a slob) and carries her in her arms to the pond and lovingly scrubs the dirt away. Pecky protests fiercely of course (she’s also something of a bitch). She tries to peck your Elf’s face, and your Elf quietly scolds her with, forefinger and a soothing voice

She stays huddled by the pond for a moment. The chickens stand beside her and slake their thirst while she lectures them on things that you taught her. Words she’s learned and stories she’s read and alchemical procedures she doesn’t quite wholly understand but whose gaps she fills with made-up words. Finally, once she’s exhausted the material, she goes quiet and just stares at her reflection in the water, stares at her hands and her arms and her neck and her scars. You watch as she tries to wash them away--a entirely vain effort but one nevertheless attempted with complete earnest.

You realize that it’s not even morning yet, that you’ve woken up an hour before you usually do and that all this is your Elf’s morning ritual. And you suddenly feel as if you’re intruding on something sacred, something intensely private.

>She hasn’t noticed you yet, leave
>Stay and watch a little longer
>Call out to her, its time for breakfast

>>2835294
>>Stay and watch a little longer
just.....breathe

>>2835294
>>Stay and watch a little longer

>>2835294
>Stay and watch a little longer

She takes care of Pecky, it's so cute

>>2835294
>Stay and watch a little longer

>>2835294
>say "good morning"

>>2835294
>Stay and watch a little longer
Too cute

>>2835318
this actually

say good morning and move to help her, we didn't mean to intrude on her

Id do
>She hasn’t noticed you yet, leave
but im afraid of letting her be alone because of last scene.
So
>Call out to her, its time for breakfast

>>2835294
>She hasn’t noticed you yet, leave

>>2835334
>>2835318
Hmmm


We can watch a little longer and when she is close to turning to our direction we say "good morning" to pretend we just arrived and help her with the morning routine, we are not usually awake this time so it's a nice change of pace

>>2835345
We need to have her close with us. We will watch how she gets taken away by thugs if we just stalk her.

>>2835294

>Stay and watch a little longer

:3

Writing for stalking and saying "Good morning" if--when--you get caught

>>2835294
>She hasn’t noticed you yet, leave.

Let her be alooone

>>2835365
You dumb cunt, we cannot leave her alone at this point.

>>2835374
Too late my friend.

>>2835294
>Stay and watch a little longer

You can’t bring yourself to look away, but you don’t want to intrude either. There is a strange mix of guilt and gratitude which is not limited to the confines of here and now. Your hands clasp unconsciously, and you mutter words of thanks to a god who has never answered you, yet for all those broken mercies, this gift alone seems enough.

She carefully removes her shoes, treating them with the same care as one might a sparrow with a wounded wing. She passes her feet through the waters to her ankles and she swings her legs lightly as she leans and she watches the sun rise upon the world. She cleans her shoes using a rough stone tapered on one side like a chisel. With this she chips the hardened mud away. She washes the ribbon and uses the reflection in the pool to try her hair in many ways, but in the end settles on the same utilitarian bun she always wears.

She takes out her notebook and hums to herself as she draws. It must be purely from imagination as she looks at no reference. Finally she spots you at the door. She is at first a bit embarrassed (mostly because of her feet which she hastily tries to cover with the shoes, and a little because of whatever she was drawing, because she snaps the notebook shut) but then she waves at you.

“Morning.” You say.

“Good morning master. I didn’t know you’d be up so early, I’ll go make breakfast right away.”

“There’s no hurry, I’ll leave you alone. Come up when you’re ready.”

“I’m ready now, master. I’m all done.” Then she picks up the basket of eggs and waits for you. You remember her vow and feel the sudden impulse to embrace her, which you resist with great effort and only by taking her hand instead. She smiles at the sudden touch and you try your best to ignore it.

---

After breakfast, you finally get some time to yourself. One of the few benefits of working for Antipater is that you no longer have to confine yourself to an sunless hideout. The troll hearts and the starleeches that feed upon them are almost ready to be harvested. You give it another day at the most. Enough blood to save the entire village of lizards, as promised, though now it seems it will go to waste.

Nina has been pestering you since she woke up about looking for a house and you’ve been thinking about going to the market to replenish your supplies as well as to check on the orphanage. You also have a mind to visit Toad, to see if he knows anything about this mageknight. You still wonder if you should tell him about your suspicions regarding Antipater, he blew it off last time and wasn’t willing to hear you then, but he might have cooled off.

What to do today?

>House-shopping with Nina first
>Visit the orphanage first
>Shopping for books and supplies first

OOC: Gonna break for lunch.

>>2835500
>>House-shopping with Nina first

>>2835500
>Shopping for books and supplies first

We wanted to get her something to defend herself with Non?

>>2835500
supplies, then orphanage, that'll let us spend as much time as possible on the house without needing to worry about other things

at night, hopefully Toad'll be around to talk to

>>2835500
>>Shopping for books and supplies first

we need books about homunculus and some ward stones for her

>>2835500
>Shopping for books and supplies first

It is time... TO MAKE MORE PAIN-AWAY CREAM! At least a good chunk so she applies every morning.

Also, a canvas and paint and brushes and a stand and a hair comb. And scissors for her slave to cut seabass' hair.

>>2835523
>>2835520
Both of these are very good

>Shopping for books and supplies first

I want to talk with the bookstore woman about Mr. Glossman too

>>2835500
>Shopping for books and supplies first

>>2835500
>Visit the orphanage first
I want to know how Lucy and Abe are doing before we go shopping in case it affects our purchases.

>>2835500

>Shopping for books and supplies first

We can always go house shopping with best girl later.

>>2835545
But Leia isn't buying a house for now anon

File: 09.jpg (12 KB, 236x300)

12 KB JPG

>>2835533
>>2835523
Yeah, and lets buy her the combat knifes if you dont mind.

>>2835500
>>Shopping for books and supplies first

>>2835569
not yet, we need to have her learn to use them first, otherwise she's more liable to hurt herself

>>2835569
Don’t we still have a knife from that mugging Franklin dragged us into?

File: knifes.jpg (19 KB, 425x283)

19 KB JPG

>>2835590
maybe, but do we have sth. like this ?

Why doesn't seabass makes poison disguised in a parfume bottle and gives it to Leia? Instead of a knife that she will be too scared to use, a bottle to fling at an assailtant would be better.

how about we get another squirtgun and teach Leia how to make a solution for it? It was pretty effective last time, if not enough for two thugs.

>>2835500
>House-shopping with Nina first

>>2835500
>Shopping for books and supplies first

>>2835619
But anon, she can't hide a squirter gun. It's not an inconspicuous weapon.

She could have the gun and the bottle... if the former is taken away, the is still the fake parfum

>>2835500
>Shopping for books and supplies first
And then we really need to check out the orphanage

>>2835500
>House-shopping with Nina first

>>2835500
>Visit the orphanage first
Where is the boy we give the steroids to?

>>2835662
Hmm... Right. Why settle for throwing though when we can outfit her like a Russian assassin?

>>2835662
>Implying she can't squirt someone to death with Sebastian special fluids hidden in her.

>>2835500
>House-shopping with Nina first

>>2835500
>Shopping for books and supplies first

>>2835513
>>2835621
>>2835680
>>2835873
>The redheaded league

>>2835514
>>2835517
>>2835520
>>2835523
>>2835533
>>2835537
>>2835545
>>2835571
>>2835647
>>2835666
>>2835885
>Burn through those savings

>>2835543
>>2835681
>Think of the children

Writing.

>>2835902
>Think of the children
Its not my kid, It can go fuck itself

>>2835902
speaking of which how much money do we have left

>>2835911
>>2835902
yeah, we may need to get the money from the lockbox

>>2835907
We ought to have experience dealing with kids for the brood of half-elves we're inevitably going spawn

Shopping of course, comes first. Not only have you run out of all your alchemical reagents but you’re also short on groceries. The food that Toad bought your Elf was enough for a few meals, but you burned through it yesterday with Nina’s company.

Nina, menace that she is, refuses your offer of going house-shopping later in the afternoon. Instead, you all decide to go together and share one cab. She’ll take a look at all the houses, pick out the ones she likes (and whose price is reasonable) and then take you to see them after lunch. You plan on visiting the orphanage afterwards, first to administer the cure to Lucy and second to check up on Abe.

Your Elf is delighted with the news and strangely, so is Nina. She has a fresh bundle of clothes for the children which look newly made (you’re not sure when she found the time for it). At the same time, she seems a little nervous but she won’t say why.

The only thing left is to check up on Franklin. You’ve not seen or heard him since he arrived last night. Perhaps he’s still resting and you should just leave him be. On the other hand, you planned on having him accompany Nina, which you’re certain would boost his spirits.

>Check on Franklin before you go
>Let him rest, and head out

>>2835952
>Check on Franklin before you go

>>2835952
>Check on Franklin before you go
Frankieeeeeee! IT"S TOIEM TO WAKE THE FUCK UP!

>>2835952
>Check on Franklin before you go
Wakey wakey you little shit

>>2835952
>>Check on Franklin before you go

this, time to set up him an Nina so she will leave us alone

>>2835952
>>Check on Franklin before you go

>>2835952
>Let him rest, and head out

>>2835952
>Check on Franklin before you go

He will be moving with us too right? After all she is selling this place.

>>2835952
>>Check on Franklin before you go

>>2835952
>Let him rest, and head out

>>2835952
>Check on Franklin before you go

>>2835952

>Check on Franklin before you go

Can't forget about our boy, Frankie.

>>2835952
>Check on Franklin before you go

>>2835952
>Check on Franklin before you go

Franklin is indeed sleeping when you find him. His usually coiffed hair is a wiry mess (not unlike his brother) and his eye still sports a red and purple bruise that he at first tries to hide but once Nina gets a look at it and starts doting on him, he shows off proudly like a badge of honor.

“Are you doing alright?” You ask. You and Franklin are sitting across from each other on the carriage, likewise Nina and Leia are sitting opposite each other. Leia’s trying to teach Nina some kind of clapping game, one she learned from the kids at the temple.

“I’m fine.” He says. “Are you going to see Abe?”

You nod. He gulps and looks out the window. “When you see him--just know that I had nothing to do with it. I didn’t even know.”

“What?”

“I swear to you I didn’t know.”

“What did they do? Did they hurt him?”

“He’ll be OK. My brother said so.”

“What did they do, Frank?”

“They wanted to know about the crystal. But he wouldn’t tell them. Then after they sent the men to our house--well they lost their patience.”

You can’t even feel your nails dig into your kneecap, though its so hard that the flesh is bruising.

“I’m sorry Sondheim. But he’s OK, really. I wish I could have helped him. I should have. I’m sorry. Are you...angry?”

“Not at you.” You say. Which is the truth. You want to be angry at someone else, at Fontaine, even at Abe, but ultimately you’re the one to blame. If you hadn’t given him the crystal in the first place, or if you had gone with those men when they asked--you’ll make this right. You can at least do that much.

You arrive at the market, still in sour spirits but rapidly improving by the smell and bustle of commerce. Your natural element.

You have only 7 silver pieces in your pocket, hardly enough for what you have in mind today. You could either withdraw some money from the bank, or, since Gunter still owes you the sovereigns for the analgesic paste, you could just go to him.

>Head to Gunters
>Head to the bank

>>2836066
>>Head to the bank

>>2836066

>Head to Gunters

>>2836066
>>Head to Gunters

pfft, but of course. We could even get paid in supplies at a nice discount.

>>2836066
>Head to Gunters
Sebastian is AnCap, remember. Also banks are in Antipater's pocket, or someone else's.

>>2836066
>Head to Gunters

>>2836084
>>2836085
+1

>>2836066
>>Head to Gunters

>>2836066
>Head to Gunters

What's up with this AnCap business? We have been nothing but regular old Cap

>>2836066
>Head to Gunters

>>2836097
And if you guys are serious on that AnCap business remember that everything that Antipater wants is breching the NAP. And if that wasn't enough he IS THE FUCKING GOVERNMENT

>>2836066
>Head to Gunters

>>2836066
>>Head to Gunters

>>2836105
>>2836097
We have no tomahawk missiles to throw at him, and even then his wards would protect him. We're gonna get him though. We're gonna get him HARD. But as long as we're in this fucking situation, we gotta buckle down and try to survive until we get an opening from someone.
He won't get away with violating the NAP like that.

Nina and Franklin take the carriage to see the houses while you and Leia head for Gunters. Gunter is sorting his wares when you find him. His stall is in a different place than usual.

“Seabass!” He leaps over the stall and encloses both you and Leia in a back-breaking hug. It’s an unusually saccharine gesture, even for him.

“I take it there’s some good news?” You say, after oxygen finally resumes travel to your brain.

“You fucking know it buddy.” He leans in. “The old lady’s expecting.” He says, boiling over with joy. “Fuckin’ a, I tell you man, it was the ring that did it. Remember that ring I told you about? The one I couldn’t buy her when we got married. Well let me tell you, it got results. We had to send the girls to their grandma’s for a weekend.”

“Spare me the details, I beg you.”

He laughs, the stalls tremble even more than usual. “We’re hoping it's a boy this time. Three girls--I love ‘em to death but they’re under their Ma’s wing, you know?” He sighs. “Not that I’d mind another girl, they’re a hell of a lot cleaner. Anyway, I’m rambling over here, sorry about that. What can I do you for today?” He leans in again. “How’d those hearts work out for ya?”

“Just fine. I want to thank you for getting them on such short notice.”

“Are you fucking kidding me? I made fortune on those. Where the hell did you get that kind of money anyway? You marry some rich broad I don’t know about?” He looks at Leia expectantly, who just smiles at him. “Ah nevermind, I don’t even wanna know. Anyway I still have the money from the painkillers--and listen, we gotta make some more of that. It’s a big hit. Oh, but I’m out of phoenix ash, though I have some good subs here.”

>You have 13 sovereigns on credit
>You have 7.5 silver pieces on person

>Take a look at the phoenix ash substitutes
>Take a look at some other reagents, broaden your horizons
>Just collect your money and head for Mam’s, you’ll come back later

>>2836156
>>Just collect your money and head for Mam’s, you’ll come back later

books

we don't know what we need for the homunculi, and I want that panacea thing so we can experiment

>>2836156

>Take a look at some other reagents, broaden your horizons

If we're not gonna go with what we're comfortable with, we might as well look for something new.

>>2836156
>Just collect your money and head for Mam’s, you’ll come back later

I'll be right back

>>2836156
>Take a look at some other reagents, broaden your horizons

>>2836156
>Take a look at the phoenix ash substitutes
Maybe that will help with figuring out what redweed has that they don't

>>2836156
>>Just collect your money and head for Mam’s, you’ll come back later

>>2836156
>Take a look at some other reagents, broaden your horizons

>>2836164
>>2836177
+1

>>2836156
>Take a look at some other reagents, broaden your horizons

>>2836156

>Take a look at some other reagents, broaden your horizons

Let's see if the cristalization -->> turn it into a paste trick works with other stuff besides ash. Maybe super fast acting poisons, antidotes, somnifers...

>>2836156
>Just collect your money and head for Mam’s, you’ll come back later
BOOKS PLZ

>>2836234
Also, we’ve got to ask Mam who sold her that book with the notes in the margins.

“I’ll just take the money, I wanna head to Mam’s first. I’ll be back later.”

“Sure thing.” He counts out 13 sovereigns into a small cloth pouch and hands it over to you.

“I’ll see you in a bit.”

Mam’s shop is, as usual, deserted. You wonder how the old woman is still in business, she must have some alternative revenue stream but there are few jobs you imagine a woman her age could do.

As you browse the shelves, you feel a giddy elation at the prospect of finally being able to buy whatever you want. No more window shopping, no more copying parts of books in secret and smudging the ink and having to waste ingredients trying to get the ratios right. No more hard choices between which book to leave behind (it’s like choosing a child to kill).

Your Elf feels much the same way, though you guess its for a different reason. She can read now--well, mostly, she still has trouble with some of the longer words and with homophones (probably because Elf language is so attuned to phonetics)--and each book represents for her an entirely new world. In many ways a miniature miracle.

You watch her thumb through the titles, picking things out at random and sounding out words under her breath. She admires a set of paints and inks beneath a glass case for what seems like five minutes, pressing her nose flat against the glass. Mam watches her too and behind her bifocals you can sense a trace of curiosity, perhaps a smile, yet also a kind of a tragic sadness which reminds you a lot of Toad.

>Look for a book to repurpose your troll hearts; put the 300 sovereigns to work
>Look for a book on the homunculus and its relation to theurgy
>Look for a book on elven physiology, get to the bottom of the blood and the hair issues
>Look for something else (write-in)

>>2836238
>Look for a book on elven physiology and a book on repurposing troll hearts

>>2836238
>Look for a book on the homunculus and its relation to theurgy
>Look for a book on elven physiology, get to the bottom of the blood and the hair issues
Also this >>2836237

>>2836244
+1

>>2836238
>>Look for a book on the homunculus and its relation to theurgy


guys, I'm afraid of going for elven phisiology, I don't want to discover anything else that might give reason to fuck with them
ask about Mr. Glossman

>>2836238

>Look for a book to repurpose your troll hearts; put the 300 sovereigns to work
>Look for a book on elven physiology, get to the bottom of the blood and the hair issues

>>2836238
>>Look for a book to repurpose your troll hearts; put the 300 sovereigns to work
>>Look for a book on the homunculus and its relation to theurgy


How much of the cure do we have by now?

>>2836238
>Look for a book on elven physiology, get to the bottom of the blood and the hair issues
The more we know about them the more mundane ingredients we can pretend we make potions out of to throw people off the truth

>>2836238
>Look for a book to repurpose your troll hearts; put the 300 sovereigns to work

We are on shaky legs. It's not like there is an steady source of income for us and working for antipater doesn't guarantee stability.

Also! we need to amass some capital to buy the house Nina is looking for.

ALSO!
>Look for something else (write-in) PAINTS

>>2836238
>Look for a book to repurpose your troll hearts; put the 300 sovereigns to work
>Look for a book on the homunculus and its relation to theurgy
bet'cha these two can go together
and ask about Glossman

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>>2836238
Damn I want all of these choices and I don't know what to pick