(Previous thread: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15729172/ )

You have gotten a chance to go over each of them and, arranged for medical attention to go to those who need it.

What will you do?

(Also, some quick announcements: Today's game will be short (ending at around 24:00) and there is no game on Friday. Gencon, baby.)

Here are the groups of people in the building:

Ex-Prisoners
Cave Fang Guards (charmed)
Cave Fang warden
Cave Fang blue-scales (charmed)
The experiments
The CCCP soldiers
The dragonslayer skeletons
Slam'lok

>>15810797

(Ah derp, I meant it will end at around 02:00)

>>15810593
First, have the Cave Fangs put themselves in restraints before the charms wear off. Preferably if the Dragon's Belly has some rooms we can put them in until we can figure out what to do with them.

Ask the CCCP soldiers if they saw what might have happened to the previous envoy to the Alloyed Brotherhood.

Interrogate the Prison Warden on the subject as well.

And finally, find alternate housing for the prisoners that can walk on their own.

>>15810854

You ask the soldiers to restrain themselves, for everyone's safety. A number of them seem... eager... to enter the restraints. You hear protests from a few expecting something as you lock the door.

You ask the prisoners what they will do, and a number of them have places that they can take other prisoners. The skeletons volunteer to have any others stay in their caves for a few days, but the prisoners are understandable reluctant.

Those unable to move are not just those who have been experimented on, but a few suffering from extreme malnourishment whose bodies are stick-thin and withered. Within a few weeks or months, some of them may recover.

You head over to the soldiers, who are sitting around a small table, talking with one another. The leader sees you approach, and raises his right hand to his chest in salute. "Men, attention!"

The others turn, saluting from their seats as you approach. You wave their arms down, and the leader nods to his men, each slowly easing their arms down. "What can we do for you, sir?"

>>15811030
"What can you tell me about the envoy that you were with? Did any of you see him during your time down in the lab?"

Hey, VKO, can we teleport back to the Crystal Caverns?
Our current range is somewhere in the 1500 miles range.

>>15811172

"What can you tell me about the envoy that you were with? Did any of you see him during your time down in the lab?" You ask them.

An uncomfortable quiet runs over them as they look at each other, seeming for the first time since they made good their escape like a group of old, tired soldiers.

"Well, let me give this like a report then, magistrate Mynthar. I am lieutenant Alta. My troop, the 43rd CCCP defense unit, departed from the Crystal Caverns about four weeks back.

"We came here... Gods, it was a month back, wasn't it." The leader says, shaking his head. "We came here escorting Thera, of the merchants. He was a quiet sort, but very decisive in his dealings." His brow furrows. "He made a few enemies, due to his position on our technology. One day, we looked for him in the morning after we'd all gotten set up with our kit, and he was gone."

"We went to the church first." The kobold to his right says. "They hadn't seen him. We tried everyone until the Cave Fang gave us a hard time, and..."

"They kept us in nearby cells. They took us away one by one." Alta says, looking at the twisted metal rod extending from the remnant of his left arm. "We thought they had him. We never saw him down there, or heard him."

"None of us have any sort of infections." Another of the maimed kobolds says to you. "That son of a wyrm knows how to disinfect a wound."

"Sir, we'd like to hear it from you." Alta looks up at you raising up his ruined left arm. "After what that bastard did to all of them, to us, why are we letting him live?"

>>15811172

And yes, you can teleport back there. You can bring up to 8 people with you.

bump

>>15811911
"For information. He was, I assume, the key to their entire scientific endeavor. We need to know how far the Cave Fangs have gotten with their prosthetic and augmentation technology.
"You saw some of those kobolds, the ones that can burn metal with a touch or freeze things just by breathing? That's a level of augmentation technology we haven't gotten to ourselves.
"Also, he's insurance, a hostage. If Thera is still alive, we can use him."

I don't think we have many Teleports left in us for today. So we'll probably need to do the Teleports tomorrow.
Mynthar will Teleport the critical cases and the 43rd back to the Crystal Caverns for medical attention and to have good prosthetics installed.
Also to give the report to the Council, and request to bring along an actual combat unit for protection.

>>15812172

"For information. He was, I assume, the key to their entire scientific endeavor. We need to know how far the Cave Fangs have gotten with their prosthetic and augmentation technology." You explain to him.

Alta glowers a bit, the melted end of the metal frame in place of his left arm wavering momentarily. "Well, if I or my men are any indication, sir, I'd wager they have no damned idea what they're doing. The hand melting off was practically an improvement." He reaches down below the table, lifting his right leg up and dropping the metal foot on the table. The thing is amazingly crude, and save a few hoses you have no idea how it would even move. "This is supposed to be 'better' than my old foot, he told me. I haven't been able to move a toe other than what he left me on my other leg." He points over to the kobold whose left arm ends in a plug. "Hell, he didn't even have anything for Gurn after he hacked his arm off with that... Thing!" The kobold tries to put on an amiable expression, but you can tell he's as mad as the rest of them.

"You saw some of those kobolds, the ones that can burn metal with a touch or freeze things just by breathing? That's a level of augmentation technology we haven't gotten to ourselves." You say to him.

"Well, yes, I suppose that kind..." Alta says, rubbing at the bandage on his right hand.

"Also, he's insurance, a hostage. If Thera is still alive, we can use him." You say to them.

"As long as we make sure that... Monster can't do something like this again, I'm all for it, sir." Alta lowers his leg back below the table with a metallic clang. "What else can we do for you?"

>>15812470
"Tell me what you know about the deep kobolds here. We're obviously not going to work with the Cave Fangs faction of the Alloyed Brotherhood, but that doesn't mean we should go to war with the other two factions. Especially with the northern troglodytes and their empire already sending advance recon-in-force battalions near our border.
"Tomorrow, I'll teleport you and and your men back to the Crystal Caverns for a full debrief and medical attention."

>>15812608

"Tell me what you know about the deep kobolds here. We're obviously not going to work with the Cave Fangs faction of the Alloyed Brotherhood, but that doesn't mean we should go to war with the other two factions. Especially with the northern troglodytes and their empire already sending advance recon-in-force battalions near our border." You say to the group, quietly.

"What?" Alta takes a deep breath, shock evident in his face. "It's gone that far, has it? We're going to be fighting a war, aren't we."

"That may be." You say to the group. "But neither side has declared war yet. So we still have time, but not a lot of it."

Alta may look weary, but he catches your inclination with a sharp mind. "Yessir. We didn't get to have much contact with them, but they seem to be a tribal community, despite being in the middle of the city," He shrugs. "They're welcoming enough, despite a fearsome reputation."

"Tomorrow, I'll teleport you and and your men back to the Crystal Caverns for a full debrief and medical attention." You say to them.

"Never thought I'd say it, but I look forward to the rest, sir." Alta says, saluting you once again.

>>15812716
Okay, now, interrogate the Cave Fang Warden.
Was Thera ever in the facility? Does he know where the ambassador is right now?

>>15812822

Short answer:

1. Thera was never in the facility.

2. He is still convinced you are a necromancer of considerable power.

>>15812846
Well, he's not much use then.
I don't like killing the Cave Fang we have captured outright, but letting them go would be a problem.

We should thank the dragonslayer skeletons.
"Gentlemen, thank you for your assistance. I hope that little excursion was an invigorating experience?"

As for Slam'lok: "Slam'lok, do you wish to have prosthetic replacements for your hands, like my arm here, or would you rather wait and see if we can get a Scroll of Regeneration from the Church here?"

>>15812929

Leaving the soliders, you head over to the skeletal warriors and Slam'lok, who are chatting amongst themselves. The cyclopean skeletons look over at you as you approach.

"Gentlemen, thank you for your assistance. I hope that little excursion was an invigorating experience?" You ask them.

"Oh, sure it was! Nothing like the thrill of combat to make you feel alive!" Ghurken says from where he is sitting on one of the bar tables, at a bit below head level.

"We did enjoy it, sir." The purple-eyed skeleton says to you. "It has been too long since any of us got to fight. Too long. I'm surprised no one came away with any serious injuries."

"Kids today don't drink their milk or pump enough iron, like I did when I was their age!" Ghurken cackles. "When I was five years old, I could do 300 hand-stand pushups in a row, then run three miles!"

"That might be why your hips gave out, old man." The yellow-eyed skeleton with the greatsword says to him.

"Slam'lok, do you wish to have prosthetic replacements for your hands, like my arm here, or would you rather wait and see if we can get a Scroll of Regeneration from the Church here?" You ask him.

"Well, if it was up to me, I suppose I would want my hands back." Slam'lok says. "After all, I doubt any material can mimic the durability of dragon bone." He looks down at his stumps, wrapped in clean cloth. "But, if you got your hands on such a scroll, are there not people more deserving than I who could regain their full faculties?"

>>15813116
"Perhaps. As you said, there are few materials as durable as dragonbone. And consider how useful you are to others: would you be as useful with your natural hands, or with prosthetics? The same question applies to everyone else. Prosthetics are easier to acquire than Regeneration, and so usefulness calculus must be done each time."

>>15813220

"Perhaps. As you said, there are few materials as durable as dragonbone. And consider how useful you are to others: would you be as useful with your natural hands, or with prosthetics? The same question applies to everyone else. Prosthetics are easier to acquire than Regeneration, and so usefulness calculus must be done each time." You explain to him.

"Yeah, a FEW people might have a FEW more body parts missing than you, y'know." Ghurken grumbles.

"I don't know." Slam'lok looks over at you. "I would rather have my own hands back, but I doubt there are any in your group who would feel differently." He lowers his arms to his sides. "Something that rare... If you think I would be the most deserving of it, then that is how it shall be. But, yourself, or your young comrade?" He nods over at Turen, who is speaking with several of the prisoners. "You've been through more than I have."

"And if you're worried about dragon bone, I assure you we've got enough to build our own dracolich!" Ghurkn pipes up. "But, hey, if you can build him some kind of prosthetic work-a-thingy, I mean, there's a few people who may or may not have the knowledge of the whereabouts of several dragon hordes who might be in that market too." Ghurken whispers, or as close to whispering as you've heard him get.

>>15813388
>I mean, there's a few people who may or may not have the knowledge of the whereabouts of several dragon hordes who might be in that market too
"A...full body prosthetic? I...I suppose it might be possible. I'll have to talk with the mages back in the Crystal Caverns about it."

Oh man, that could be interesting: intelligent undead with ioun ore/dragonbone cybermantic limbs.

Anyway, I think we're pretty much done until tomorrow, when we can teleport back to the Crystal Caverns and give a report to the Council.

>>15813425

"A... full body prosthetic?" You say, a bit taken aback at the thought "I... I suppose it might be possible. I'll have to talk with the mages back in the Crystal Caverns about it." You say to the talking skull.

Ghurken's eye lights up. "Well, that's the best news I've heard all century!" He stops himself, seeming to realize he's stepped out of his role. "Not that I'll hold my breath or anything. Not that I could. But trust me, I've been in retirement so long I'd come out of it a new man!" He smiles, looking up in what can only be an imaginary pose. "And not just because of the new body, either. It's been hell, living with my kids."

"Grandpa-" The violet eyed one says.

"Don't you go all teary-eyed on me!" Ghurken shouts, baring his teeth. "None of you know what it's like! You're- well, YOU! And who've thunk after over a hundred years of hard work, one day my shoulders would give out!" He looks over at you. "They gave right out of my shoulder sockets! None of them would even help me try and put them back!"

"They fell out when you were hitting us over the head, grandpa!" The violet eyed one says.

"And if you were real men you'd take your punishment like some!" He shouts. "So I was armless, me, the head of this family, for fifty years." He looks up at you, seeming somewhat pathetic. "And then my own sons try to kill me."

"It was a cave-in, grandpa!" The skeletons all say simultaneously.

"Crushed every bone in my body save the couple I am now." Ghurken sighs. "It's true. You don't know what you've got until it's gone! Even if that thing is your arms, or your body.

"OR SOME OBEDIENT, CARING CHILDREN!" He shouts suddenly, before "blinking". "Oh wait, I never had those."

(And that's it for me. I'm off to packing.)

>>15813518
What's the schedule for the other quests, OP?

>>15813819

Oh hey so yeah turns out my flight was with a different airline.

But yeah, on Friday there will be no quests this week. Gargoyle Quest is at 21:00-21:30, and Sorcerer Quest should happen at some time near that. Sorcerer Quest hasn't happened in some time, though.

But hey, if you're here, i can play until noon my time tomorrow.

The next day, you teleport to the Crystal Caverns, along with the wounded soldiers. They are helped away, and you begin quick preparations to brief the council on your actions.

You consider what to do about those who you left back in the tavern. You can take eight people, and a great deal of objects, with you with each teleportation.

>>15814645
We're going to teleport back to the Alloyed Brotherhood with a full combat unit, fully armed with lineguns.
The second set of trips should probably include a GRU unit as well.

But teleporting back and forth should be after the Council meeting.

>>15815650

You head to the council, explaining all that has happened in the last week or so.

"You made a full assault on a prison using... Skeletons?" The representative of the merchant's guild seems taken aback.

"He got our men out. That's what matters." Ghaon says, for once seeming to be for your case instead of on it.

"What about the others who were injured by that man? Are we to give them aid, and fully integrate them?" The head of resource management asks.

"They'd be damn fools not to." The head of farming responds.

"It's too bad about the representative. He may not have made it out." The head of mining says. "My cousin was a merchant there. He crossed someone, we don't know who, and he disappeared."

Yuune gives you an acknowledging nod.

"By the way, you've been gone, so you wouldn't know." Ghaon says, biting his lip a bit. "There was a success in interrogating a trog scout we caught far up north. We estimate a group of 15,000 troops makes up their southern army."

The council is silent for a moment.

"We can't afford to take that many on head-on." You say to them. "I suggest we pull all scouts back except for the essentials and make a series of small outposts surrounding the crystal caverns for observation, and possibly to collapse the tunnels."

"Collapsing the tunnels?" The head of mining shouts. "We might not be able to clear that rock if we need to."

"Then neither will our enemies." Ghaon says to him. "I'll get right on it, magistrate.

>>15819467
"It's unfortunate, but mining out alternative tunnels is preferable to allowing such a large force use the main lines to attack us.
"I will return to the Alloyed Brotherhood, and see if we can work out some kind of trade agreement with them. Their Church faction seemed willing to provide certain healing magics and restorative potions in exchange for processed ioun ore. I will see what the deep kobold faction has to offer.
"Of course, they wanted examples of our technology, but that was kept well off the table.
"But with this new information about the troglodyte forces, I think it may require that we loosen certain restrictions. For example: prosthetics.
"I know that I was the first to suggest restricting the availability of prosthetics to outsiders, however, that was before this situation with the troglodyte empire became so inevitable. With the impending war and our need for currency, I think we need to loosen those restrictions. Allow anyone who can afford it, to purchase our prosthetics.
"We need money, plain and simple. Money with which to hire intermediaries on the surface, with which to buy wands and potions of curing for our front-line forces."

"He was right, you know." Ghaon says after the meeting has concluded, walking along next to you. "I'd rather not be held responsible for building a tomb for our people. Blocking off every escape route-"

"Ah, but we won't be escaping." You say to Ghaon, looking out over the edge of the courtyard surrounding the council chambers. You can see right down the central market path, innumerable kobolds bustling about their daily duties. You point out at them.

"Without them, our military would have no weapons, no food. Hell, I doubt I would have lived after being caught by Rozenkraft." You say, sipping some water from one of the small fountains nearby. "I believe that with our ingenuity, your strategy, and our technology, we can overcome this."

"You mean to tell me-" Ghaon starts excitedly, walking over next to you and planting his hands on the railing.

"Precisely." You say to him, grinning out over the crowds. "I don't intend to seal us in. I simply mean to funnel our adversaries into a manageable area."

"Even a thousand snakes can only fit some of their heads into a single hole." Ghaon says, rubbing his chin. "Hmm, that phrase never meant anything to me until now."

"That's what I'm here for." You say, patting him on the shoulder as you turn to walk away.

"Mynthar." Ghaon says, after you've gotten no more than a foot away. "If you need a personal guard, you can take whomever you need. I've already made the arrangements."

"Thank you." You say to him, continuing off to make preparations.

(And that's it for today)

>>15819674
Alright, enjoy Gencon.

>>15819571

Before: >>15819674

"It's unfortunate, but mining out alternative tunnels is preferable to allowing such a large force use the main lines to attack us." You say to the mining head.

"I will return to the Alloyed Brotherhood, and see if we can work out some kind of trade agreement with them. Their Church faction seemed willing to provide certain healing magics and restorative potions in exchange for processed ioun ore. I will see what the deep kobold faction has to offer."

"I'd like to know what they're using it for, as would your brother." The head of trade says to you, indicating Yuune.

"Of course, they wanted examples of our technology, but that was kept well off the table." You nod to him.

"But with this new information about the troglodyte forces, I think it may require that we loosen certain restrictions. For example: prosthetics." You say, looking over at Yuune.

"I know that I was the first to suggest restricting the availability of prosthetics to outsiders; however, that was before this situation with the troglodyte empire became so inevitable. With the impending war and our need for currency, I think we need to loosen those restrictions. Allow anyone who can afford it to purchase our prosthetics." You take a look over each of the representatives in turn. None seem to like it, but they appear to be waiting for you to finish.

"We need money, plain and simple. Money with which to hire intermediaries on the surface, with which to buy wands and potions of curing for our front-line forces."

You words ring true, and they fold after about an hour's worth of debating. They will organize a group to go out and attend to such matters in person. You do tell them there is a powerful bandit king in need of a replacement who they can charge top coin to.

>>15819728
Good show, OP. See you next week.