>>2492465
>Pull Abe aside and speak to him in private

>>2492465
>>Pull Abe aside and speak to him in private
Explain the dangers of the "job"he is going to do --aka, soviet minesweeper--. Also explain him of the responsibility he has towards the other kids, and tell him that if he need money we can help him find something that won't potentially kill him.
If after that he still wants to go, well that's his problem. He is of sufficient age to make his own decisions.

>>2492465
>>Pull Abe aside and speak to him in private

>>2492465
>Pull Abe aside and speak to him in private

>>2492465
>Pull Abe aside and speak to him in private

>>2492477
>>2492480
>>2492481
>>2492485

"No. We need to talk about this right now." Though you're older than him, he's built like a bear and it's only by his own consent that you're able to pull him aside. You don't waste words. "What about Lucy? What happens if you die? What happens to her?"

"I won't die."

You scoff and look back at the adventurers. The transaction has concluded and they are shuffling away.

"There are better ways to make money." You touch his arm. "What's going on? I thought you were going to try for the Academy? You're too smart to be throwing away your life like this Abe." He stares at you for a long moment, you stand together in the downpour, fat droplets down his bangs to his whiskers but they are not rain.

"Lucy's sick." He says. He cannot say more. You cannot say anything. A hot lump twists in your stomach like a parasitic worm.

The other boys now crowd around you and Abe sweeps a hand over his eyes. "We need the money Seabass. All of us do, and its good money." He says.

"Actually we wanted to talk to you about it, you think you could help us Big bro?" Says one of other boys.

"Yeah." says another. "Like a healing potion or a poison for the kobolds or something."

"Abe." You say.

"It would help us out a lot." He says, nodding.

"Come inside before you catch a cold, boys, you too Sebastian." Says Sarah, waving from the gate.

>Agree for now and head inside
>Refuse, you'll have no part in this
>Say nothing for now

offer him a position as alchemical assistant

>>2492541
>Agree for now and head inside

>>2492543
That would just be limiting him. If he is smart enough for the academy he should just go there

>>2492541
>Agree for now and head inside

>>2492543
+1
>>2492541
>>Agree for now and head inside

>>2492555
Which makes me wonder why we couldn't go for the academy.

>>2492541

>Agree for now and head inside. I dont see a reason not to.

>>2492541
>Agree for now. Ask when they're heading out, maybe we can get some intel from Toad about what they're facing and we can bring some antidotes. We could go with, as support.

>>2492559
Maybe we're not smart enough. Maybe rival history with what's-his-nuts prevented it somehow.

>>2492541
>Agree for now and head inside

>>2492555
>>2492558
>>2492559
>>2492560
>>2492562

You sigh and close your eyes. "Alright." You say. "Since nothing I say is going to help, I can at least make sure you all don't die."

The boys all follow Sarah inside to the mess hall. You stay behind with Abe, heading for the dormitory. "We'll split the money with you." He says, the moment you're alone. You almost hit him.

"You think I care about the money? Never mind that! What's wrong with Lucy? She didn't seem sick when I saw her."

Abe sits down on his bunk his arms rest on his knees and his whole body curves inward like a bow. You grab a towel. "I don't know what it is." He says, quietly. "But I bought some medicine and it works so far, as long as she takes it."

"And if she doesn't?" You hand him the towel.

"She gets sick. Chills, fever, she keeps getting these sores on her arms and lips and she gets tired all the time."

"You went the healer?" He nods. "And?"

"He doesn't know what it is. It's some new disease and she's not the only one that has it. He thinks it's something from the kobolds. Adventures get it, bring it back to town. There's medicine for it but it keeps coming back unless she's constantly taking it. Magic cures it, but..." He rubs his brow.

"It's expensive." You nod. "How much do you need?"

"150." He says, swallowing.

"Silver?"

"Sovereigns."

You have to sit down.

"I have 90 saved up." He says. He takes out a jar of coins from under his bunk, it's filled with silver coins and a few sovereigns at the very bottom.

"That's your tuition money."

"Lucy comes first. She always has." He says.

"Brootherrrr, Big Broooo, Sarah says if you don't come to the table right now you won't get any food." Lucy, at the door, hands on her hips.

Abe finishes drying himself and slaps your shoulder. "Come on, don't look so worried." He smiles. "I'll make the money and everything will be alright."

"Does Sarah know?"

"Of course not, are you kidding? You know how she is, she has enough to worry about with the other kids. I'll handle this--I won't let anything happen to the other boys either."

"That's not up to you." You stand up. "You should have come to me earlier."

"I didn't want to--"

"Don't say it, don't even think it. We're like family, you come to me anytime, with anything."

He sighs. "I know. I'm sorry."

"So when is this thing happening? How much time do I have?"

"Well they gave us the money up front this time, so at least a few days, maybe a week." He pauses. "I might be able to delay them--why you have something in mind? I figured you'd just give us whatever you have lying around."

>Tell him to cancel the contract, he'll come work for you and you'll raise the money together
>You'll have to call Toad for another favor, he'll know how to handle this
>Tell him to delay as long as possible, you'll get the analgesics done this week and use the money to buy reagents for potions they can use

>>2492617
>>Tell him to delay as long as possible, you'll get the analgesics done this week and use the money to buy reagents for potions they can use

Let's finally get something done with just our skill and our slave labor.

>>2492617
>>Tell him to delay as long as possible, you'll get the analgesics done this week and use the money to buy reagents for potions they can use

>>2492617
>There's medicine for it but it keeps coming back unless she's constantly taking it. Magic cures it, but..." He rubs his brow.
Is this a magic spell or alchemy?

>>Tell him to delay as long as possible, you'll get the analgesics done this week and use the money to buy reagents for potions they can use
>>2492622
Agreed. Time to alchemize. How much time do we have to harvest the vivarium?

>>2492617
I dont want the kid to be in danger and go to uni...

>Tell him to cancel the contract, hell come work for you and you'll raise the money together

>>2492617
>Tell him to delay as long as possible, you'll get the analgesics done this week and use the money to buy reagents for potions they can use

>>2492617
>Tell him to delay as long as possible, you'll get the analgesics done this week and use the money to buy reagents for potions they can use

While we're doing this, we can try to find out more information about potential diseases and afflictions coming from the kobolds. Time to visit the healers and see what they know. We can also see if our elf knows anything about healing magic. Maybe the bookstore woman knows something.

>>2492617
>Tell him to delay as long as possible, you'll get the analgesics done this week and use the money to buy reagents for potions they can use

>>2492617
Also, ask Abe if he knows how the disease is spread, we might need to take precautions against contracting the disease ourselves, or assist in preventing an outbreak among the orphans.

>>2492617
Is abe stupid? why is we working to get rid of kobolds if they have the disease? what will happen if when he gets sick?

>Tell him to cancel the contract, he'll come work for you and you'll raise the money together

>>2492663
>We can also see if our elf knows anything about healing magic.
Does it matter? even if she knew, she would be incapable of using it because she can't use magic.

>>2492710
Presuming she's not lying. But if she knows anything about the spell at all, we might be able to figure out an alchemical solution. Which would make us loadsamonay.

>>2492622
>>2492628
et al.

"Delay as long as you can." You say. You'll need to sell the analgesics first and with the money you can buy more reagents. 150 sovereigns. You consider offering Abe a job but he's no alchemist and he'd make more money working for the adventurers. What you're most worried about is the disease itself. If it really does come from the Kobolds, then there's a possibility that Abe will catch it in the process of hunting them. You're sure he knows this, and that he's calculated the risk and found it acceptable.

You enter the mess hall which is a small room with a fireplace a long table and smaller round table for the younger children (who are mostly just running around and yelling). Your Elf is helping Sarah feed the younger kids but both look up when you come in. You take a seat at the table and a take little porridge but do not eat it. Your thoughts are elsewhere and your appetite is gone.

"It's raining so hard today, will you stay over Sebastian?" Asks Sarah. It is after lunch and the children have been put to bed for their midday nap. The older ones are chatting among themselves and Abe is distributing the money he got from adventurers. You and your Elf are helping Sarah wash the dishes. Your Elf in particular is in better spirits than you have ever seen her, she's even humming one of the songs the children taught her as she washes.

>You can't stay, you need to head back home and start work immedieatly
>You can stay the night and leave in the morning, the trip has been good for your Elf so far
>Your Elf can stay the night, you'll head back

>>2492717
hmm, that's a good point.

>>2492728
>Your Elf can stay the night, you'll head back

>>2492728
>You can't stay, you need to head back home and start work immedieatly

>>2492728
>>You can stay the night and leave in the morning, the trip has been good for your Elf so far.
We need to talk with sarah about the kids, to see if we can do something with their situation and check lucy to see first hand her symptoms. It's also bad wuju to travel under the rain. at night.A lot of bad things can happen.

>>2492728
>>You can stay the night and leave in the morning, the trip has been good for your Elf so far

>>2492728
Your Elf can stay the night, you'll head back

>>2492728
>You can stay the night and leave in the morning, the trip has been good for your Elf so far
By the time we get back, we won't be able to do much. The trip across town took half a day if I remember. We should further examine Lucy have talk to Sarah about this, even though Abe didn't want to. We'll tell he we'll take care of it and look super cool about it. Like hell we're just leaving our six sovereigns here and heading back to work ourselves.

>>2492728
>You can stay the night and leave in the morning, the trip has been good for your Elf so far

>>2492728
>>You can stay the night and leave in the morning, the trip has been good for your Elf so far

>>2492758
>>2492754
>>2492738

You don't want to tavel in the rain. This trip has also been good for your Elf and you want to stay to lift her spirits.

"I'll stay the night." You say. "If it's not too much trouble"

"Wonderful!" She smiles at you and your heart does little leaps even as your thoughts are cloud over by Lucy's illness. Should you tell Sarah about it? What if the disease is contagious? No, from what Abe told you this has been going on for many days and others would have already caught the sickness by now and Abe would have already taken the proper precautions.

Ultimately you need to examine Lucy yourself, you didn't sense any symptoms when you were holding her before but that was only because of the medicine. You need to inspect the medicine as well--with the alchemiloupe and perhaps a few more Lavozian earthworms you might be able to reproduce it, maybe even improve it.

"Everything OK, Sebastian?" Sarah studies your face and suddenly places her hand your forehead. Your heart jumps to your throat but you remain still. "Hmm. You don't have a fever but you didn't touch any of the food earlier. Did I not put in enough salt?" Sarah is quite sensitive about her cooking, and admittedly, its not as great as your Elf's. Case in point, while it's true that you didn't have much of an appetite, the porridge was tasteless and bland and didn't help matters.

>Lie, tell her you just weren't hungry
>Let her down gently, the porridge could have used a little more salt
>Tell her about Lucy and Abe, the salinity of her food is the least of her worries

OOC: Gonna grab some food brb

>>2492823
>Tell her about Lucy and Abe, the salinity of her food is the least of her worries

Hiding bad news doesn't get better with time. She doesn't have to change anything she's doing, but if something happens later on, we need to know immediately. Sarah is a responsible gal. She won't do anything rash.

>>2492823
>>Tell her about Lucy and Abe, the salinity of her food is the least of her worries

"We need to speak in private. And it needs to stay between us, no matter what."

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Aww yiss elf time baby.

>>2492823
>Tell her about Lucy and Abe, the salinity of her food is the least of her worries

>>2492728
>You can stay the night and leave in the morning, the trip has been good for your Elf so far
so....with all the things happening with the kobolds, something's gotta be up. The poison, adventurers turned robbers, the everything under control by the mafia...

Do you think the orphanage might get raided by kobolds? A tracker placed on one of the kids, or the adventurers deliberately luring them there?

>>2492823
>I found out WHY Abe took the job. Just lemme cook something up to fix it.

>>2492863
I'd wonder why the Illuminati wants to massacre a bunch of orphans. Where does profit come into play there? So far my guess is that a McGuffin of ultimate magic power has been hidden away in a Kobold cave, or perhaps the Reptillians have it, and the Human Illuminati want it.

>>2492823
>>Tell her about Lucy and Abe, the salinity of her food is the least of her worries

>>2492888
>why the Illuminati wants to massacre a bunch of orphans
the adventurers would do it, and profit off the killed kobolds. The "medicine" seller would also profit from more people infected, or at least have a plausible excuse why suddenly more people are coming down with the "disease".

>>2492888
>>2492863
or maybe these things are unrelated? like in real life? just some series of unfortunate events that happened just because.

>Tell her about Lucy and Abe, the salinity of her food is the least of her worries

Well do what we always do. Keep our eyes and ear open, and our head down.

>>2492823
Deflect the question. Tell her you're preoccupied with business questions, and ask her if the temple has any spare room for a reagents garden, you can rent the space and pay a small fee to the orphans for safeguarding and keeping it, and delivering the goods.

Knowledge check on Seabass for gardening reagents.

>>2492823
>Lie, tell her you just weren't hungry

>>2492905
Most of these things are kobold related. Them using new poisons, adventurers reacting to the more dangerous kobolds by hiring orphans, etc

The robbery isn't directly related, but this is a pair that just got hit bad by the kobolds.

>>2492905
Toad is naturally paranoid, but his monolouged insights make me think different. The reptillians teaming up with kobolds is odd. The robbers guild works for Toad's arch nemesis, who is miraculously nobility now. Some organization has put an adventurer's bounty on all the surrounding kobold dwellings. Nah, anon. Nah. Some shit is going down.

>>2492823
>Let her down gently, the porridge could have used a little more salt

>>2492921
i mean the lines that someone ultra powerful and ultra secretive is controlling everything behind the curtains. We know that man is watdo but that is his job Even if we found this person or organization, we really con't do anything to stop them or do whatsoever. so why worry?

>>2492922
Good points, but maybe the reptillians are joining with the kobolds because they are defending themselves from the hordes or adventurers that are trying to fuck them up? Like a normal arms race; two nations under attack by the same enemy join forces to defend themselves better. The bounty seems like a reaction to the kobolds and reptilians becoming a threat. From my point of view, everything seems like a natural reaction to some previous event, and not something that some kind of shay group would do.

>>2492946
>so why worry?
Because we can leave town, but that orphanage is going to get fucked.

>>2492823
>>Tell her about Lucy and Abe, the salinity of her food is the least of her worries

>>2492960
Solution: we arm the orphans.

>>2492960
hmm, but we can't really do anything about it.We also don't know if this raid will or can happen, or if it exists at all in somebodies mind.

>>2492966
>>2492963
It's more about having a plan for the case of someone else getting infected that isn't "run out of money".

>>2492982
well, yeah. that's a good point.

>>2492823
>Tell her about Lucy and Abe, the salinity of her food is the least of her worries

Honestly with all the corruption going on my gut feeling is that someone is poisoning Lucy to get her to show 'symptoms' of the disease, and then using the disease as an excuse to exort money and labour (AKA meat shields) out of the orphans.

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>>2492963
>Solution: we arm the orphans

>>2492966
The orphanage isn't going to get raided, they'll be used as cannon fodder as each survivor becomes more desperate to save the last.

>>2492982
Solution: we amputate the orphans.

>>2493001
what a disarming suggestion

>>2493001
oh, you mean, THAT kind of raid. Well, the answer basically lies in giving them some other kind of income. The hard part is that they are orphans and other than prostituting themselves, there are not so many ways they can get some big amounts of cash in an easy way.

Wait, it just hit me: Is Sebastian an AnarchoCapitalist? I mean, he sees nothing wrong with buying a slave, and he thinks children have the right to consent to labor.

>>2493025
That's how I want to play him. I think the world kin of forces it on him.

>>2493025
Then Sebastion should suggest prostituting the orphans.

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>>2493001
>>2493000
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxLFdJLSho8

>Desire for Colonel Kurtz endgame intensifies

>>2493045
You could make that happen, anon.

>>2492823
>>Tell her about Lucy and Abe, the salinity of her food is the least of her worries

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389 KB JPG

>>2493090

>>2492836
>>2492837
et al

"No, the porridge was OK." You say. You cannot clean anymore. You need to tell her. This isn't something you can keep from her. "I need to speak with you." You say.

She gives a bird's look, head bent at an angle. "Sure, but can it wait until after we're done? And what about?" You grab her arm and pull her away to a silent corner. "S-Sebastian, what are you doing?" She is flushed, smooth skin red all over. Your thoughts are far away, or you would have admired.

"Listen, what I tell you now stays between us. Promise me."

"Sebastian, what's wrong?"

"Promise me."

"No. I cannot promise that, but tell me what you will and I will help in whatever way I can."

You shake your head. "Abe can't know I told you." You sigh. "It doesn't matter, you need to know. Lucy is sick."

"What? Oh you mean the cold she had a few weeks ago. No--well she was doing badly for a while but Abe bought her medicine and she got better. She's fine now."

"No, listen to me. Why do you think Abe is helping these adventurers?"

"He told me it was because he was saving up money, I was against it from the beginning but, he wouldn't listen. I thought that you could talk some sense into him, he respects you. All the boys do."

"He's doing it because Lucy is sick. He needs money for magical treatment."

Her face shuffles through many expressions. Surprise. Fear. Finally anger.

"Why didn't he tell me?"

"He didn't want to worry you. You have enough on your plate as it is." She shakes her head, already blinking away tears. "I'll take care of this, I'll make sure the boys return safely. and maybe I can make some medicine for Lucy too. I'm telling you in case something happens."

"What? In case what happens?"

"I don't know. Something about all this doesn't feel right. Just keep on doing what you've been doing and keep an eye on Lucy and if anyone else gets sick let me know right away."

She wipes her eyes. "Nothing will happen right?"

You have no answer, but you try to smile. It is enough. You return to the dishes only to find them all finished by your Elf. You spend the rest of the day indoors...

>Playing with the kids, giving you a chance to examine Lucy more closely
>Speaking with the older boys to learn more about the kobolds and the adventurers that hunt them
>Examining the medicine that Abe bought through some common alchemical tests

>>2493147
>Examining the medicine that Abe bought through some common alchemical tests

>>2493147
>Playing with the kids, giving you a chance to examine Lucy more closely

>>2493147
>Examining the medicine that Abe bought through some common alchemical tests

>>2493147
>>Examining the medicine that Abe bought through some common alchemical tests

>>2493147
>>Examining the medicine that Abe bought through some common alchemical tests
Back to the lab yo.

>>2493023
>there are not so many ways they can get some big amounts of cash in an easy way.
The alternative is doing what we recently did, commit crime.

>>2493025
>>2493037
We have been steering him in that direction.
>>2493037
>I think the world kin of forces it on him.
Indeed.

>>2493147
>Examining the medicine that Abe bought through some common alchemical tests

Given a choice between inspecting Lucy or the medicine, we'll learn more from the medicine. We're alchemists, not doctors.

>>2493171
Oh, yeah, we totally did commit crime for profit. I'm fine with the AnCap meme route. Just, no child prostitution, please. More like shieldbro-kun. Proteccter of lolis, and extorter of the rich.

>>2493147
>>Examining the medicine that Abe bought through some common alchemical tests

>>2493147
>>Examining the medicine that Abe bought through some common alchemical tests
Lucy (hopefully) isn't going anywhere, and if there is something afoot then examining the medicine before the culprits get wind of our efforts is the best bet.

>>2493158
>>2493159
et al

The children rub the sleep from their eyes after their naps and pull your Elf to play with them again. They delight in teaching her words in your tongue and she can now form basic sentences. More importantly, she's speaking freely with them. It was worth bringing her here, in one day you've possibly reversed years of damage.

You wish you could join their gambols and fun but you have work to do. Something about this all smells fishy. As Toad likes to say, "You manage risk long enough, well enough, and you start to notice when things are too convenient. That's a sign that bad things are about to happen." And though you've not been in the risk management business as long as he has, even you can sense a faint connection running through all the events of the past week. Maybe it's just Toadish paranoia, but maybe it's not.

First order of business, you need to examine the medicine. It's in a small glass vial, the liquid is clear and thin like oil.

"I give her a few drops with her milk at night." Says Abe. "It lasts maybe a week. You really think you can make more?"

"I won't know until I try." Ideally you'd start with distillation to remove the additives and solvents followed by crystallization for the active component. Unfortunately you don't have any of your tools with you and the small sample size won't allow for any kind of meaningful distillation.

You'll have to rely on staining and crude separation techniques. "I need a sheet of paper, some water and some turmeric." Abe doesn't even question you, he comes back with a glass of water, the notebook he uses to study and a vial of turmeric from the kitchen. The rest depends upon your skill.

>Roll 1d20 to see how well this experiment goes

Rolled 18 (1d20)

>>2493275

>>2493275
pls dont suck

>>2493277
Yay

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>2493275
forgot to roll

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>2493275

>>2493277
>>2493298
A somewhat success.

Rolled 8 (1d20)

>>2493275

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>2493277
>>2493292
>>2493298

>18, 3, 14: 1 success

You mix a few grains of the turmeric, a drop of water and drop of the medicine and mix them together on a strip of paper you rip out from the book. You then grab a candle and place it below the paper, let the mixture heat up and turn the strip perpendicular to the floor, letting the mixture run down, cling to the fibers of the paper and hopefully separate.

The theory is simple: stain the components and then separate them with the help of gravity. The stain then breaks up into bands from the paper which gives an indication of the complexity of the alchemical concoction. No one knows the exact nature or mechanism behind the separation and it doesn't tell you anything about the actual composition of the concoction.

Turmeric is also a terrible component to stain with--but what you're using isn't real turmeric, that would have to come from Eastmarch and is only something you'd find in a richer household, this is a substitute made from powdered honeycress, a special water lily exclusive to this area. Cipherous ink would probably work much better, but you work with what you can get.

The results are lackluster but not for lack of technique, you've done the whole thing perfectly. You weren't expecting such a crude method to yield any results anyway, but it isn't totally useless. The medicine separates into three distinct bands, yellow, orange and red. More interesting however is the smell when the mixture is heated--some of it is just the turmeric of course, and a lesser nose than yours might not have picked it up, but you distinctly smell the smoky sweetness of phoenix ash, an odor you've become well-acquainted with this past week.

"So?" Asks Abe. "Can you really make more of it?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe. I need to do more tests. How much was this and who did you buy it from? From the healer?"

He shakes his head. "From the shop on Hammon street, across from the bakery. It was 5 silver but the owner gave me a discount when I told him it was for my sister."

"Oh."

"You know it?"

"The Gated Chalice?"

"Yeah, that's it."

Of course it is. That's Lawson's shop. Originally a project of his father's: to provide cheap alchemical services to the poorer citizens of the village. A bargain store for potions. Since Lawson took over, the shop has been transformed from a last resort of the desperate to the most frequented alchemical shop in the town. Even the wealthy shop there (though they must pay a much higher price) and other alchemists go there just to learn from the "Wunderkind".

That makes asking about the medicine much more difficult.

>Swallow your pride, you'll head over to Lawson's shop and ask about the medicine--he'll try to humiliate you as he always does, but you can endure it
>Take the vial with you and pay Abe some silver to get more so you can run further tests
>It's probably better not to try and replicate one of Lawson's potions, you'll figure something else out

>>2493410
>Take the vial with you and pay Abe some silver to get more so you can run further tests
Being face to face with Lawson is the absolutely last resort.

>>2493410
>Take the vial with you and pay Abe some silver to get more so you can run further tests

>>2493410
>Buy Abe's medicine and give him a little extra to buy some more portions.

>>2493410
>>Take the vial with you and pay Abe some silver to get more so you can run further tests
Would continuing to do these activities eventually increase our skill despite not strictly studying for it?

>>2493189
>Oh, yeah, we totally did commit crime for profit. I'm fine with the AnCap meme route. Just, no child prostitution, please. More like shieldbro-kun. Proteccter of lolis, and extorter of the rich.
>>2493000
>>2493108
>>2493046
>Choose your own adventure.

>>2493410
>Take the vial with you and pay Abe some silver to get more so you can run further tests
>No alchemist, however charitable. Will simply hand out potion recipes.

>>2493410
>>Take the vial with you and pay Abe some silver to get more so you can run further tests

>>2493410
>>Take the vial with you and pay Abe some silver to get more so you can run further tests
And tell anyone I took this vial. Say you dropped it and it broke or something.

>>2493410
>Take the vial with you and pay Abe some silver to get more so you can run further tests
>>2493420
and this

>>2493426
they should increase our abilities. or at the very least make us better in the specific thing we are doing.

>>2493410
>Take the vial with you and pay Abe some silver to get more so you can run further tests

If Lawson is selling snake oil, the black mail potential will be too fantastic.

>>2493451
actually we'd likely just go public with such knowledge.

attempting blackmail would end up with us getting quickly assassinated, selling such information would also be liable to land us in more trouble than what value we'd get for it.

where do you get phoenix ash anyway?

maybe if the lead to alternative panacea was real, and not just madman's ravings, maybe the author was silenced to preserve the monopoly

>>2493451
What if it's like that star trek TNG episode where the medicine cured the disease, and now it only serves to prevent withdrawal symptoms?

>>2493504
>where do you get phoenix ash anyway?
From a phoenix, duh.

maybe if the lead to alternative panacea was real, and not just madman's ravings, maybe the author was silenced to preserve the monopoly
I don't think so. If anything, the companies would be more pressed to find it before their competitors.

>>2493507
I suspect it's something along those lines. Phoenix ash was the curative. The other ingredients are like crack or something.

>>2493426
>Would continuing to do these activities eventually increase our skill despite not strictly studying for it?
Will we get skill modifiers or advantage rolls at all? I know we started this game without a character sheet and what ruleset we use could change the whole game, but, damn, every little alchemy thing we do is at the mercy of d20. I'd like to know how our skill and knowledge play into the final result.

>>2493410
>Take the vial with you and pay Abe some silver to get more so you can run further tests

>>2493517
>From a phoenix, duh.
What if its just a fancy name for expensive charcoal from birds nest or something

>>2493530
>What if its just a fancy name for expensive charcoal from birds nest or something
That makes sense too. Maybe its the ashes of some medicinal herbs, that become more potent after being burnt.

>>2493525
just trust in the magnificent Watdo

we will be taken on a wonderful journey

>>2493418
>>2493419
et al

You pocket the vial. You'll have to run further tests on it and you refuse to ask Lawson for any kind of help (and you doubt he'd provide any). You hand Abe some silver, naturally he refuses it at first but you force it. "Buy some more vials, keep them around just in case. Don't tell anyone I have this, especially not the owner of that store. I mean that."

"Alright."

"I'll run some more tests and see if I can't reproduce this. I'll come by again next weekend with some potions. Try to delay the job until then."

"Got it. Thanks Seabass."

"Next time anything like this happens, you come to me first."

"Yeah. Sorry."

You pat his arm and return to the mess hall. Your Elf helps Sarah prepare dinner and the food has a measurable effect on the kids. You later overhear Sarah asking your Elf if she can teach her how to improve her cooking. You end up having to translate for Sarah and her flustered, embarrassed face wounds your heart again.

You spend the night in the boys dorms, listening to them gossip about the pretty village girls and play cards late into the night until Sarah comes by and scolds them and you for letting them stay up so late.

The rain lasts all through the night and clears up near dawn. The earth is wet and has the smell of water in it and you leave shortly after breakfast (after once again extricating yourself from the masses of child arms and legs that pin you down). Your Elf in particular is saddened to go, the children all kiss and hug her (and they are more gentle with her than you, the little brats). Sarah holds her a little longer than the others and parts her hair and kisses her brow and thanks her for helping with the dishes and the cooking and the children, and wants to say something more but cannot.

On the ride home your Elf busies herself with finishing up some drawings in her notebook. Faces of the boys and girls, sketches of the interior of the temple and the orphanage. She even has a few drawings of you and Sarah when you were walking along the grounds.

"You enjoyed trip? You say. She doesn't respond. You turn to her and see tears fall on the paper and she tries very hard to hide them. A response you were not expecting. "You know, we'll go back there in a few days." You say. Clearly, by the state of her eyes, she did not know. You offer her your handkerchief. It's strange, you've never seen her cry, but now that she is, she can't stop, the tears just flow and flow. She shakes with little sobs, unable to speak, curling into herself, perhaps ashamed, perhaps afraid.

>Let her expend herself
>Hold and comfort her
>Scold her, why does she cry to good news?

>>2493596
>Hold and comfort her

>>2493596
>Scold her, why does she cry to good news?

>>2493596
You monster, Watdo. You know I want to be a ruthless scheming alchemist, and you pull this shit on me.
...
>COMFORT

>>2493545
That's actually exactly what it is. I think I mentioned this in the first thread, Phoenix Ash comes from redweed:

>...But there seems to be a sale today on phoenix ashes. "Oh yeah." Says Gunter, when you inquire. "Coupla "heroes" came in last week with bags of the stuff. Took me three days to grind it all. Apparently some nutbag was using troll shit to grow redweed. They caught him cause he was stealing sheep to feed it--can you believe that? Fuckin' a man this place is going to shit, I swear."

>>2493596

>Let her expend herself

>>2493596
>Hold and comfort her

>>2493596
>Hold and comfort her

>>2493596
>>Hold and comfort her

>>2493596
>Hold and comfort her
A sad slave is no good!

But DESU I love the dynamic between these two, keep up the good work

>>2493596
>Hold and comfort her

>>2493596
>>Hold and comfort her
a happy slave is a productive slave

>>2493596
>hold and comfort
Because it’s a sad, helpless girl and we have a heart. at least I hope it’s still there and we didn’t sell it on last garage sale or mistakenly put it in a soup, because fuck those jars are so similar

>>2493762
I get a serious Drive vibe from Seabass.

>>2493600
>>2493612
et al

You aren't sure what to do. She is a slave says one within you and another rattles off a list of her wounds, the greatest of all which are the shards of glass in her soul and another says to quiet all this and simply hold her.

You reach over and touch her shoulder and she flinches. "Please spare me." She says, all breath. Words you have heard her utter in her sleep, which have waked you in the night and you have watched the little wisps of her hair shake and tremble by that choked breath. Words repeated then and now. Half-prayer, half-plea--but they were not answered.

You reach around and grab her. Your eyes are elsewhere. The memory of a little boy in a cloister: his knees are bent before the tapestry and his hands are so tight upon each other, so white and bloodless at his chest and his head devoutly bowed before the Thrice Great. He is a little boy and understands nothing of this world and prays so hard for his mother and father. "Please spare them." He says and offers his treasures: his toy knight with the shiny copper cap and the maroon cape and his tin of lemon lozenges and his new shoes. He will be a good boy from now on, he won't ask for any more toys, he'll won't complain about eating his vegetables, he won't slurp his soup, or sleep late or yell. All this proferred at the altar and the words "Please spare them" in between his teeth--but they were not answered.

You pull her into you and hold her and she shakes, fearing now a breaking of all that has come before, a punishment made more severe by its former omission. But you simply lay her head against yourself and say nothing. You have nothing to shed, all this has come before and gone. You watch the passing of the houses and the people through the carriage window in silence. She spends her tears a long while and at the end of it falls asleep on your lap, exhausted by so great a release.

You have no family says a voice within you. It is eternal. I know, you reply and your building comes into view and you tell the cabby to stop. Rather than waking your Elf you simply carry her upstairs and lay her on the blankets and let her rest.

Her notebook falls from her hands and opens beside her.

>Close it and put it back, she likes to sleep with it
>Leaf through it, perhaps it will give some insight into her mind
>Close it and put it away, you don't want to wake her and you have work to do.

>>2493819
>Leaf through it, perhaps it will give some insight into her mind

>>2493819
>Close it and put it back, she likes to sleep with it

>>2493147
Can we combine
>Playing with the kids, giving you a chance to examine Lucy more closely
And
>Examining the medicine that Abe bought through some common alchemical tests

>>2493819
>Close it and put it back, she likes to sleep with it

>>2493819
>Close it and put it back, she likes to sleep with it

>>2493819
>Close it and put it back, she likes to sleep with it
Every time an option like this happens reading its a horrible plan

>>2493819
>Close it and put it back, she likes to sleep with it

>>2493819
>Close it and put it back, she likes to sleep with it
We have work to do. Check on beetles. Read up on restoratives.

>>2493819
>Leaf through it, perhaps it will give some insight into her mind
and
>Close it and put it back, she likes to sleep with it

>>2493819
>>Close it and put it back, she likes to sleep with it

>>2493819

>>2493864
Seems like the best idea

>>2493825
>>2493841
>>2493842
>>2493848

You close it and put it back in her hands, she rouses a little but not enough to fully wake. She presses the book against her chest and turns away.

You make some tea and get to work. There's much to do: you have to finish the analgesics, analyze the medicine and make some useful potions for the boys.

>Check up on the jejunes first
>Read up on toxins--they could help with the kobolds
>Use the alchemiloupe and focus on analyzing the medicine
>Write-in

>>2493874
>Use the alchemiloupe and focus on analyzing the medicine

OOC: Lunch break. Brb

>>2493874
>Check up on the jejunes first
then,
>Use the alchemiloupe and focus on analyzing the medicine

>>2493874
>Check up on the jejunes first
Itll take like 5 mins and they are our stable income right now

>>2493874
>Check up on the jejunes first

>>2493819
>>Leaf through it, perhaps it will give some insight into her mind

>>2493874
>>Check up on the jejunes first
then >Use the alchemiloupe and focus on analyzing the medicine

>>2493874
>>Use the alchemiloupe and focus on analyzing the medicine

>>2493874
>Check up on the jejunes first
Those damn beatles tho. We should really teach the elf how to do this extraction business if we're going to make analgesics our primary commodity. Let's make sure they haven't eaten eachother. Then

>Use the alchemiloupe and focus on analyzing the medicine
Let's save some orphans and undermine our rival. It's 3 ingredients and we already know one of them. This shouldn't take too long.

>>2493874
>Check up on the jejunes first
Then
>Use the alchemiloupe and focus on analyzing the medicine

>>2493882
this

>>2493874
>Check up on the jejunes first

>>2493874
Supporting >>2493882

>>2493900
These analgesics are gonna make us some serious bank. They're priority number one at the moment.

>>2493929
>These analgesics are gonna make us some serious bank.
That's right, and we can't take care of others unless we can take care of ourselves first.

>>2493938
Pretty much given our character the only way we're going to get enough power to effect change will be by amassing wealth.

>>2493874
>>Check up on the jejunes first

File: 1522780848165.jpg (1.44 MB, 3507x2480)

1.44 MB JPG

>>2493819
>>2493874
That was precious as fuck.

>>2493945
More money for us means more money for the orphans which means Sarah-senpai might finally notice us

>>2493874
>Use the alchemiloupe and focus on analyzing the medicine

>>2493819
>>2493874
Fuck you op. You almost made me cry. Don’t try to make me feel things.

>>2493874
>Check up on the jejunes first

Well done OP. Made me sad.

>>2493874
>>2493882
Putting my vote in for this too

>>2493882
et al

The jejunes naturally come first. The small black-shelled beetles are like beads of congealed blood, dripping through the terrarium. The queen has nested next to the dish of water and you note a cluster of eggs along the perimeter of a rock, hidden by its shadow. You count three dozen, more than enough recoup your initial investment, even if you only sell them back after they've hatched.

The jejunes have already begun fighting and sadly your inattention has resulted in the injury (but not death) of one of them. You separate all the jejunes into separate plates. Now would be the time to extract their fluid, but how to go about it? The standard method is a simple operation: cut into the thorax, remove the shell, remove the head and then cut out the extract sacs. This kills the beetle of course, but there is another, more difficult way that you remember glancing over in that insect book. You can try and use a needle to puncture the sac from outside then drain the fluid.

In time the sac will regenerate and the jejunes can be harvested again (as long as they don't get an infection from the wound). Of course, if you miss the sac, or penetrate too deeply or incorrectly you'll end up killing them anyway--or worse, leak the fluid into the surrounding tissue, wasting it completely.

You have half a dozen jejunes ready for harvest which is enough, with your ash distillate, to make three or four batches of potion, which should net you 9 to 16 sovereigns, depending on how you price them and the demand. In fact you'll have about half of the extract left over after all is said and done, which gives you a generous margin of error.

What will you do?

>Try the needle approach
>Go for the standard surgical approach

>>2494249
Can we get some DCs?

>>2494249
Try half and half.

That way we get a definite harvest, but also might learn the new technique.

>>2494249
>Go for the standard surgical approach

>>2494249
Go for the standard surgical approach

>>2494249
>Try half and half.

>>2494256
Supporting

>>2494256
This.

>>2494249
>half half

>>2494251
I've been thinking about this actually. I usually omit the DC for rolls but would people prefer having them up front?

Also regarding some other posts about skill progression, I've been meaning to do this ever since the cipherous ink thread but keep forgetting. You guys will earn a perk at the end of this session--just remind me in case I somehow forget again.

>>2494256
supporting

>>2494256
this

>>2494268
I don't really care about DCs, but it seems others do.

>>2494256
supporting

>>2494268
I'd be for it, but then again, I don't visit this quest very often.

>>2494256
et al

The surplus gives you the freedom to experiment but, as Toad always tells you, you must manage your risk. You decide to try the needle method with half of the bugs and for the other half use the standard surgical procedure.

You divide the beetles into two mugs, covering them with a small plate so they don't crawl out. You take a few minutes to clean out the terrarium and scrub out all the dry pellets of foul-smelling waste and feel good about the fact that soon, you'll at least two dozen more jejunes running around.

You put the cover back on the terrarium and get out your dissection supplies. You'll begin with the experimental method first, if you can get it down then you'll just do it for all the bugs.

>Roll 1d20 to see how well the extraction goes

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>2494318
We need to teach our elf how to manage bug care.

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>2494318

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>2494318

>>2494325
>>2494327

Well fuck. I hope we have a saviour online tonight.

Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>2494318

>>2494325
>>2494327
Damn. I'd think it would get easier with experience.

>>2494348
The dice gods laugh at such logical progression.

>>2494348
We're just worn out because of the trip.

Yeah, that's it...

Our dice always hate us, you should know that by now.

>>2494354
I'm gonna beg for a "lucky break" perk for our alchemy soon.

>>2494325
>>2494327
>>2494330

>5, 3, 15: 1 Success

The technique is neither simple nor easy. The main difficulty is in locating the sacs from the outside. You can't remember whether the book said to insert from the third foreleg or or to go in from the break in the carapace between head and thorax. If you had the book with you might have been able to use it a reference--perhaps you were too hasty in selling it.

You end up killing the first two but find a measure of success with the third (it was the cleft in the carapace after all and you have to angle it just right). You drain the extract, a clear spit-like liquid, into a small vial, return the jejune to its lair and then move on to the next batch of insects.

You think you've gotten the technique with the needle down now, but decide to use the standard method (at least until you've gotten the required amount). Here you are more confident, as you can take your time and the beetle will not be moving as you work.

>Roll 1d20 to see how well the surgical procedure goes

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>2494369

Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>2494369

Rolled 9 (1d20)

>>2494369

>>2494325
>>2494327
It keeps fucking happening

Rolled 2 (1d20)

>>2494369
Ugghh.

>>2494379
>>2494382
IT KEEPS HAPPENING

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>2494369
WHHHYYY!?

>>2494389
Have faith. We'll persevere. "Lucky in love," they say.

What in the name of dicks are these dice.

>>2494384
>>2494389
Don't be hasty. We don't know what the DC is

Rolled 6 (1d20)

do it

>>2494411
its a 7 and a 13. at best is 1 success.

>>2494378
>>2494379
>>2494382

>13, 7, 9: 3 successes

The dissection goes perfectly. You apply a sudden innovation to the method that comes to you as you work: since the sacs are located near the head, you simply cut the entire abdomen off and pull the fluid sacs from the thoracic cavity. This makes the process much, much easier and much faster and with a lesser risk of tearing or puncturing the sacs in the process.

With the extra beetle left over you try the needle method again, trying now to perfect your technique--it works perfectly. You wonder if you should have just tried the needle with all of them, but no matter, you have your extract and two of the 6 jejunes are still alive.

What remains now is just to mix the ash distillate with the extract and then crystallize and cut into little tablets. However you remember the book on restoratives and the notes on the margins which suggested that you skip the crystallization entirely add a congealant (the book recommends flour) to add volume and make a paste. With that you'll be able to roughly double your yield without any loss in purity--but you also remember the insane ramblings on redweed being a possible panacea. You're not sure if you should take any of those notes at face value.

>Try and make the paste, it's worth a try
>Go for the tried and true, crystallize and cut
>Why not half and half? Have your cake and eat it too

>>2494431
>Why not half and half? Have your cake and eat it too

>>2494431
>Why not half and half? Have your cake and eat it too

>>2494431
>>Try and make the paste, it's worth a try

>>2494431
>Why not half and half? Have your cake and eat it too

>>2494431
>Try and make the paste, it's worth a try

I think the trade off here is potency in comparable to quantity. The active components are all there, and crystalization only loses some of the product anyway.

>>2494431
>Why not half and half? Have your cake and eat it too

>>2494431
>Why not half and half? Have your cake and eat it too
>This is how we learn

>>2494431
>>Why not half and half? Have your cake and eat it too

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>tfw the name of the quest tricks people into thinking this is fantasy /d/
>in reality, we are in a fantasy blend of /biz/ and /tg/ and /sci/, playing an AnCap orphaned alchemist in his 20s with experience in perfumes, with the goal of gitting gud and being licensed through making LODSOFEMONE with his qt 3.14 traumatized elf slave - but the Illuminati are trying to use the lizard people in something out of motherfucking Jason Bourne + /x/ + /pol/
I
LOVE
THIS
QUEST

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>>2493410
>literally budget chromatography
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

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>>2494470
What a wonderful description of this quest.

>>2494431
>>Why not half and half? Have your cake and eat it too

>>2494439
>>2494443
et al

There's no reason you can't have your cake and eat it too. You'll do the crystallization first to ensure you at least have something to sell but mixing flour into a solution is something a child can do, so there's no reason to at least try.

>Roll 1d20 to see how well you crystallize

Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>2494513

Rolled 8 (1d20)

>>2494513

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>2494513

Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>2494513
>Something a child can do
Surely we c-can't fuck this up.

>>2494514
>>2494517
>>2494518

>11, 8, 12: 2 successes

The crystallization goes smoothly, it's not much different from when you purified the ash, though it does take several rounds to get rid of some impurities in the jejune extract. You lose about half of your yield but this is average and should still be enough for at least two batches.

Now for the paste. It's as easy as pouring the right amount of flour into the mix. You calculate this by taking an aliquot of the extract-distillate solution, slowly adding flour until the solution congeals, then recording the amount of flour used, then scaling up for the amount of solution on hand. The process is not much different from dilution--though it does require a much more steady hand to dole out the grains of flour.

In the end, it only takes three aliquots to measure the flour to the required precision. You double check your math and then mix everything together. The clear fluid forms a soft doughy paste as you stir. Like mud of a dull white color.

Now all that's left is to check if it actually works--according to the book the paste can be applied topically but works just as well--and in some cases better--if it's eaten. Unfortunately you have no swamp rats to test it on, but you yourself are wounded (the wound is healing nicely but still hurts if you move too much) and the paste was originally supposed to be used to treat your Elf's feet.

You look behind you at the corner where your Elf lies. Her slow and regular breathing means she's still in deep sleep, but her brow is for once unfurrowed by her nightmares.

>Wake her up and have her apply the paste to her feet
>Try and apply the paste while she's sleeping
>Apply the paste to your own wound and see if it helps

>>2494574
>>Apply the paste to your own wound and see if it helps
then
>Try and apply the paste while she's sleeping

>>2494574
>>Try and apply the paste while she's sleeping
Hum the orphan song while you do it.

>>2494574
>Try and apply the paste while she's sleeping


Extra creepy

>>2494574
>Apply the paste to your own wound and see if it helps
AND
>Try and apply the paste while she's sleeping

This is going to go well.

>>2494574
>Apply the paste to your own wound and see if it helps
We'll get much better feedback this way rather than some half translated report.
Unless of course we're worried the paste might be harmful.

>>2494574
>Apply the paste to your own wound and see if it helps
>>Try and apply the paste while she's sleeping
super creepy though

>>2494611
Like he said, though, the paste was originally supposed to be for the elf anyways.

>>2494574
>Apply the paste to your own wound and see if it helps
THEN if it works
>Try and apply the paste while she's sleeping

>>2494574
>Wake her up and have her apply the paste to her feet
>Lets not get handsy.

>>2494658
>Not wanting to initiate awkward MISUNDERSTANDING with qt elf slave

It's like you DON'T want an anime harem or something.

>>2494574
>Apply the paste to your own wound and see if it helps
>>Try and apply the paste while she's sleeping

>>2494628
this

>>2494662
I don't want a harem. One girl is just fine.

>>2494574
>Wake her up and have her apply the paste to her feet
Do not apply on self. There's treating other people like guinea pigs, and then there's just bad ideas for everyone involved.

>>2494662
we can literally ask her to sleep with us and i can bet she will jump at us. Hell, she even offered herself on day 2 or something like that.

>>2494740
>wanting to reawaken her rape trauma
No.

>>2494743
don't blame me, blame these two horndogs.
>>2494662
>>2494658

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>>2494754
Either we're going to
>A) Steel ourselves once we git gud enough (lategame), and propose to nun waifu
>B) Get the lifesaving mage manlet another girl, and finally give the redhead tsundere the D

>>2494583
>>2494588
>>2494592
>>2494593

You dab your finger into the bottle of paste and sniff it. It's odorless with a faint scent of vanilla, though that might be from the bottle itself. You lift your shirt and press the paste into the mouth of your wound. The effect is much more immediate that you expected and much more intense--for a moment you think you might have used too much extract, but the effect quickly mellows out.

The pain is completely gone. You have to actually press into the wound to even feel a slight tingle. The effect lasts until the paste dries out and even then there is a residual, pleasant numbness. What happens if you eat it? Probably something to test on swamp rats and not on yourself.

Satisfied at least with the topical effect you go to your Elf to apply the paste to her feet. You don't want to wake her from what must be the first sleep she's had in years that isn't plagued by memories of her former master, so you carefully take off her shoes, lift her feet on to your lap, deposit a fistful of the paste into your palm and then slowly rub it across the terrible burns on her soles. Midway through her left foot you realize how creepy this actually is--"M-master?" And naturally your Elf awakes in the moment of that realization. And blushes.

"How does it feel?" Your curiosity overcomes even your embarrassment.

Her eyes widen at a realization of her own. "It-it doesn't hurt! It doesn't hurt!" She says.

"That's good. Now you can--". You start to rise and are about to tell her to apply the rest of the paste herself but her eyes are shining, staring at you with too many things in them, admiration, gratitude, maybe even hope. And not the fear which is always there. You sigh. "Lie down. I'll finish." Slowly she sinks back into the blankets and you continue your work. You can feel her eyes still stare at you from the side, but you ignore it. You can feel her giggle when you rub between the toes, where she is ticklish, but you ignore it. You can feel the gentle welling of something within your stomach--happiness, you think, gratitude of your own to the One who has united the two of you, but you ignore that.

"Thank you." She says. "I wish--I wish I could repay master. For everything, for so much that I can't even--"

You turn away. "Dinnertime." You say and she is silent for a long second, staring at your back as you move to your desk and resume your work.

"Yes master." She says, so quietly as though to herself. She rises and moves to the kitchen, you watch her go and she is humming a song the children have taught her and you are smiling despite yourself.

SESSION END

OOC: Next session is next Saturday 8 AM PST as usual. Thanks for playing (and posting and reading and lurking). I hope you're all enjoying the quest!

There will be an OPTIONAL extra Toad session tomorrow, starting at 8 AM PST. It will be in the same thread.

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I ain't saying it's right. But you're saying a foot massage don't mean nothing, and I'm saying it does. Now look, I've given a million ladies a million foot massages, and they all meant something. We act like they don't, but they do, and that's what's so fucking cool about them.

>>2494782
It sucks how short you run your sessions, dude. But if it's a schedule thing, then I guess no way to go around it.

Also did you see the anatomy stuff I posted last thread? Squid, clam, frog, earthworm?

>>2494782
Oh yeah, crayfish too

>>2494799
It is and I did. Brought back some memories of Bio 2. Thank god I'm not doing wet lab stuff anymore, I suck at it.

>>2494803
Don’t forget our perk. We need to get swole to protec the smiles of elf

>>2494799
10 hours per session isn't enough for you?

Thanks for running, Watdo!
I 've had a blast. Don't forget archive.

>>2494803
Oh yeah what >>2494846 said.
We need to progress and git gud, and perks are our path to proficiency.

>>2494803
Labwork, especially Biochemistry is garbage for me. It's practically the main reason I peaced out of pure sciences and did medicine instead.

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>>2494782
We get some sort of feat now right?
Also what kind of market are we looking at in regards to alchemy in the city? Is it a monopoly or more of an oligopoly? How much of the market does Lawson cover?

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>>2494782
>"Thank you." She says. "I wish--I wish I could repay master. For everything, for so much that I can't even--"
Oh shit, i know how that's going to end.

>optional extra toad session
Even though i missed out on the main course because lolgettingdrunkwithfriends i can still have dessert?
Y E S

>>2495094
Sauce

>>2494782
This is how I want the relationship to be with our elf lady, if she cares for seabass so much she will be incredibly loyal

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>>2495115
headpat simulator.

>>2495115
Teaching Feeling. Pretty much the inspiration for this quest I'm assuming.

>>2494846
>>2494857
>>2495022

Thanks for reminding me, I knew I'd forget.

Choose One

>Cooking Crystal: You've attained a measure of expertise in growing crystals. +3 to all rolls involving crystallization
>Bookworm: You've improved your reading comprehension to advanced phonics levels. +1 successes to all rolls involving reading
>Analchemist: You've become proficient in alchemical analysis. Anytime you get a single success in an analysis roll, make it two successes.

I've tried to keep it in the flavor of the activities you've done so far.

>>2495022
>Also what kind of market are we looking at in regards to alchemy in the city?
Not much competition, it's one of the reasons you moved here. This is changing as more and more adventurers come in, increasing demand.
>Is it a monopoly or more of an oligopoly?
Neither, it's a fairly free market. Some are more well-established than others but there's plenty of money to be made. The world at large however, is dominated by Chimia. These are borderlands and do not fall under that classification.
>How much of the market does Lawson cover?
Lawson's shop sells mostly to the poor, the adventurers (who are now the main source of money), cannot shop there. It's charity more than commerce.

>>2495229
>Analchemist: You've become proficient in alchemical analysis. Anytime you get a single success in an analysis roll, make it two successes.
This. Fuck constant <10 rolls every time.
>inb4 dice rolls become high now once we get this perk, so that this becomes ultimately useless

>>2495229
>>Bookworm: You've improved your reading comprehension to advanced phonics levels. +1 successes to all rolls involving reading

>>2495229
>Analchemist: You've become proficient in alchemical analysis. Anytime you get a single success in an analysis roll, make it two successes.
I know what you were TRYING to make this sound like, but this just makes Seabass look like he specializes in medicines you stick up your butt.

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>>2495255

>>2495229
>>Analchemist: You've become proficient in alchemical analysis. Anytime you get a single success in an analysis roll, make it two successes.
We're going to need it to figure out what's in the potion that The Gated Chalice is selling.

>>2495229
I'm tempted by "Anal Chemist". Heh. but

>Bookworm
We're going to be studying more books, guaranteed.

>Lawson's shop is more charity than commerce
I know he's a renown prodigy and all, but what is his source of income? Is his research funded by his university or something?

>>2495229
>Analchemist
Can we set up deals for adventurers to increase our sales and name recognition? Like buy a potion get another half off, if our costs allow it

Why is everyone picking Analchemist? Becuase we had to analyze events in a row? That's reactionary. No garuntee we'll need to analyze other people's potions in the future. There's, like, two alchemists on the block.
Unless your long con is to reverse engineer Chimia brand potions and sell them at a discount. Clever bois. Better rolls on reading is really a better option tho.

>>2495229
>Bookworm: You've improved your reading comprehension to advanced phonics levels. +1 successes to all rolls involving reading

>>2495278
>I know he's a renown prodigy and all, but what is his source of income? Is his research funded by his university or something?

His father is extremely wealthy (he'd have to be to become viceroy without being a blueblood). But he himself probably has a modest bank account from his stint at Chimia.

When he was doing research at the Academy, he was likely funded but only in a superficial sense as his father probably donate lots of money in the first place

>>2495281
>Can we set up deals for adventurers to increase our sales and name recognition? Like buy a potion get another half off, if our costs allow it

Of course! Marketing with a good product will quickly establish your brand--but there will be consequences, both good and bad.

>>2495229
>Bookworm: You've improved your reading comprehension to advanced phonics levels. +1 successes to all rolls involving readin

We gotta get harder books and make our own brand of stuff. Maybe we can study with books and get our license.

>>2494782
>There will be an OPTIONAL extra Toad session tomorrow, starting at 8 AM PST. It will be in the same thread.
Nice

For the ones choosing analchemist.

The bonus only applies if we ONLY get one success. If we get 2 or more, we don't get the extra one.

>>2495372
We've had the WORST fucking luck with dice this quest. We need this.

>>2495452
you haven't seen worst

>>2495372
that's fine.

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>>2495452
>Anon picks analchemist
>There's never a need to reverse engineer potions for the rest of the quest
>We try to read how to make poisons so we can become combat alchemist
>We fail the rolls and mustard gas ourselves attempting to produce it.

>>2495229
>Bookworm: You've improved your reading comprehension to advanced phonics levels. +1 successes to all rolls involving reading

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>>2494782
Fuck is that cute. I was honestly expecting a worse reaction than that, not complete happiness from her.

>>2495229
>Bookworm: You've improved your reading comprehension to advanced phonics levels. +1 successes to all rolls involving reading