>>2531507
Well shit,

>Stay calm, hear him out
Just to be cultural, however fuck working with organised crime, it's not worth it.

>>2531507
>Stay calm, hear him out

We will probably say no, but let's hear the quest hook in its entirety.

>>2531507
>Stay calm, hear him out

>>2531507
>Stay calm, hear him out
"I haven't decided if I have principles yet. Can you elaborate further?"

>>2531551
Also, be polite and offer a place to sit and a drink. Wake up the slave and have her make food and drink for our guests. A fire, whatever accomodations.

>>2531522

You rest your hand on your lap, making a tight fist above the knee. Three hundred sovereigns. Did you really just hear that?

"What's the job?" Then, realizing the nature of the man before you, what he's done and what he's capable of doing, you add "I won't make narcotics."

He lets out a sharp hawing sound, like a blade released from it's sheathe. "Nothing like that." He says. "You'll be making medicine." You look to Toad and he is back to staring out the veranda. "I have a lab already set up. We have everything and whatever we don't have we can order."

You massage your eyes. "Three hundred sovereigns?"

"Is that not acceptable? Four hundred then, but anymore than that and I'd be out of business." He makes that hawing sound again. Four hundred sovereigns is a change of life, a years rent, enough to get licensed, to start building your own lab, to move on bigger and better things. But the nature of this job is explicitly criminal and this man, who was responsible for your almost fatal stabbing, the kidnapping of your slave, is not an upright citizen. You have too many questions--why is Toad with him for one? He's an Elf. You assumed the day Toad worked with an Elf would be the day the sun fell from the sky.

>Ask for some time to think about it, you need to discuss this with Toad
>Ask why you, there's plenty of alchemists in town
>Refuse the offer, you're no criminal, even if it is just "medicine". Or four hundred sovereigns.

>>2531507
>Stay calm, hear him out
300 sovereigns is quite significant

>>2531571
>Ask for some time to think about it, you need to discuss this with Toad

>>2531571
>Ask for some time to think about it, you need to discuss this with Toad

>>2531571
Play along, but probe further without being committal. Ask him about his relationship with Toad. Tell him you like to know who you're getting in bed with. if we're moving up in the criminal world, we need to be cautious.

>>2531571
>Ask for some time to think about it, you need to discuss this with Toad

>>2531571
It's obvious why he'd come to C-bass. We're a fairly skilled alchemist with no license. There's a good chance we'll get our hands dirty to make our pay. A licensed professional wouldn't risk it.

>"What kind of medicine?"
If not this option, then:
>Ask for some time to think about it, you need to discuss this with Toad.
Toad no doubt knows the deal about this scheme.

>>2531571
>Ask for some time to think about it, you need to discuss this with Toad
He is probably asking us because we did a good job and we are unlicensed

also do this since the last post was too late
>>2531564

>>2531594
being the very best requires sacrifices
like working outside the box, outside the rules
besides, what has society done for us anyway?

>>2531571
>Ask what kind of "medicine". We need more details.

>>2531601
Of course the offer should be considered, but if you're going to make a deal with the devil, make sure you know what cheats he's using.

>>2531608
"I told you once you son-of-a-bitch, I'm the best that's ever been."

>>2531579
>>2531585

There's more to this than what appears. Toad would never bring someone like this into your home. You remember him distinctly saying the ink job was a one-time thing.

"I need some time."

"Of course." He heads toward the kitchen and starts pouring himself some leftover tea from the kettle.

You clear your throat. "I meant alone."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible." He says. "I need your answer before I leave. We're all on a clock."

You grab the pistol and stuff it down the side of your pants and then drag Toad into the balcony for a private chat.

"You wanna tell me what the hell is going on?"

"You don't have to do it." He says. He's mumbling, slurring his words together. He stopped drinking after Lily left for the Academy. He promised her."The deal was that I just introduce you. That's it."

>Ask him why he's been drinking
>Ask him what this job actually entails
>Ask him if the money is actually this good

>>2531619
>>Ask him why he's been drinking

>>2531619
>Ask him what this job actually entails
>Ask him if the money is actually this good

>>2531621
if there's time, ask him if he thinks we should take the job

>>2531619
>Won't let us talk to Toad alone, needs an answer now, not allowed to read the contract.
This is a pressure tactic. This deal stinks. Toad says we don't have to do it. I hope that means Roche won't retaliate if we say no. Because I'm saying no.

>Ask him why he's been drinking

>>2531619
>Ask him why he's been drinking
We should refuse, just from that.

>>2531619
>Ask him why he's been drinking

>>2531619
>>Ask him what this job actually entails

>>2531619
>Ask him what this job actually entails
>Ask him why he's been drinking

>>2531621

"What's it? Am I really just making medicine?"

"Seems like it. I just haven't figured out the whys or the where-tos. He's working for someone, that much I know. Fucking Elves. Goddamn fucking Elves." He's rambling.

"Have you been drinking?" But the thing is self evident. What you're really asking, is "why?". He doesn't say anything. He takes a deep breath and rears back and exhales a lungful of smoke.

"Toad?"

He takes the pipe from his mouth and dumps the ash. Shrugs. "Just a couple shots. No big deal." It was more than a couple.

"You promised you wouldn't--"

"I know what I promised! Fuck!" He covers his eyes. "I didn't want to get you involved, Seabass. I still don't. Just say no and you won't see him again. I swear that."

He finally looks at you and his eyes look like the end stages of a fungal growth. Red roots everywhere, bags beneath so heavy they have turned black. You draw closer and touch his arm.

"Are you in trouble Toad?" You whisper. You glance back at Roche who is sitting at your desk, sipping tea while staring at your sleeping Elf. Toad rubs his eyes.

He swallows. "H-he knows things. Lily's mother--I..." He shakes his head and raises himself and the steel is back in his spine. "I'll deal with this, just tell him no." He says. He nods. He pats your arm. "Just say no." He goes back inside. Something is very wrong, because even you don't know anything about Lily's mother, except that she's dead and Toad doesn't like talking about her. Ever.

>Do as Toad says, refuse the offer
>Toad is in trouble and it's four hundred sovereigns, take the job
>Ask about the specific details of the medicine, under the pretense that you want to know if you're qualified

>>2531619
>Ask him what this job actually entails
>Ask him why he's been drinking

>>2531683
>>Ask about the specific details of the medicine, under the pretense that you want to know if you're qualified

>>2531683
>Ask about the specific details of the medicine, under the pretense that you want to know if you're qualified

>>2531683
>>Ask about the specific details of the medicine, under the pretense that you want to know if you're qualified

>>2531683
>Ask about the specific details of the medicine, under the pretense that you want to know if you're qualified

>>2531683

>Ask about the specific details of the medicine, under the pretense that you want to know if you're qualified

Ask if you'll have access to research as well, in case you need to brush up on techniques.

>>2531683
>Ask about the specific details of the medicine, under the pretense that you want to know if you're qualified

Would selling our souls to the Elf actually lift the load off Toad in some way? We'll be right foolish if this makes things more complicated.

>>2531690
>>2531692

You follow Toad back inside, still unsure of how to proceed. Roche puts down his cup on the table. "That is very fine tea." He says. "Have you come to a decision?"

You glance at Toad who is staring now at the door. "I need more details about this medicine."

"You'll know everything you need to once I bring you to the lab."

"No, I need to know now, because I don't want to waste time, mine or yours. If it turns out that I'm not qualified to make this medicine, what then? We're all on a clock right?"

"Right. Very well, I suppose there's little harm in it. You'll be working with a certain poison--a neurotoxin."

This grabs Toad's attention. "This is the about the Reptilians." You say.

"Something like that. Is that enough information for you?"

"So I'll be making antidotes for the adventurers? But anyone can do that. That's not even illegal."

"Antidotes, yes. But not for the adventurers. But that's all I can say about the matter, unless you're on board. I need a decision now."

>Do it, you can't leave Toad out to dry
>Decline, you have other things on your plate

>>2531758
>Do it, you can't leave Toad out to dry

>>2531758
>>Do it, you can't leave Toad out to dry

>>2531758
>Do it, you can't leave Toad out to dry

>>2531758
>Do it, you can't leave Toad out to dry

>>2531758
Do it on the condition that you're owed a favor, rather than the money.

>>2531758
>Do it, you can't leave Toad out to dry

>>2531758
Also ask if Leia can come along.

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>>2531758
>Do it, you can't leave Toad out to dry

There's only one way we're going to get to the bottom of the lizard people conspiracy.

>>2531758
>Decline, you have other things on your plate

Goddamit guys, Toad was always right and I thought we shared the sentiment of keeping shady business to minimum?

>>2531797
this is for Toad

and we don't really have a choice here

>>2531797
we can still manage to be surreptitious in this scenario, as well. it might be to our benefit to have a good underground network to distribute our illicit wares.

>>2531797
I really wanted to, but I'd rather be an active player in the conspiracy rather than find out too late that Toad's in over his head. The path to combat alchemist is clear. The lizard man conspiracy will soon unravel. The /ancap/ path is clear.

>>2531797
From the sounds of it the medicine might be for the same lizard related sickness the adventurers and that one orphan girl have (I might be wrong on that). Even if he's not planning to sell it to the people we still know how to make it.

>>2531766
>>2531771
>>2531772
>>2531774

Toad is in trouble and that's really all the information you need for this job. Even if there was nothing else, you'd do it in a heartbeat. But there's also the matter of the four hundred sovereigns. It certainly doesn't hurt.

"OK. I'm in."

"Seabass!" Says Toad. Roche glances at him and he looks down.

"I'm in."

"Excellent." He raps that table and slides the blood diamond over to you. "Hold on to that and bring it to the lab." He gets up and buttons his suit.

"Wait, when do I start?"

"As soon as possible." He says.

"And the money?"

He's already at the door. "I'll have someone pick you up in the morning." And then he's gone. Toad gives you a single, pained look and then follows.

You collapse on to your chair, your knees are shaking. Four hundred sovereigns. Toad. Roche. Lizardmen and Kobolds. Neurotoxins. And you still have to finish working on the potions for the kids. It's near midnight now, you should get some sleep but you're too giddy to lie still.

>Try to sleep anyway, it won't do you any good to be exhausted tomorrow
>Read something, since you're up anyways
>Continue working on the strength potion

>>2531818
I'm not really happy with this outcome but I'll go along with it to spare argument and move the plot along.

>>2531820
Try to sleep anyway, it won't do you any good to be exhausted tomorrow

>>2531823
I know how you feel, been there before. Thanks for being a stand-up broski.

>>2531820
>>Try to sleep anyway, it won't do you any good to be exhausted tomorrow

>>2531820
>Try to sleep anyway, it won't do you any good to be exhausted tomorrow

>>2531820
Wake up Leia. Let her know you'll be leaving in the morning and you don't know if she'll be coming. Get her prepared to take care of the place alone for at least three weeks. Teach her how to care for the beetles. Leave her with money for food. Get packed and go to sleep.

>>2531838
It's like you want your QT 3.14 elf slave kidnapped and raped. If the lab is a live-in situation, we'll move the beetle tank there. Everything else Nina can pull firewatch on.

>>2531843
I just assumed it was live-in. Been watching too much Breaking Bad.

>>2531820
>Try to sleep anyway, it won't do you any good to be exhausted tomorrow

>>2531820
>>Read something, since you're up anyways
it willl calm us down

>>2531855
changing
>>Read something, since you're up anyways

>>2531830
>>2531834
>>2531835

You lie down and wrap yourself in the blankets and try to settle your thoughts. It doesn't work. You lie awake, calculating the possibilities, running scenarios through your head. At some point you do fall asleep but it seems like it's only been a few minutes before your Elf is shaking you awake and telling you that breakfast is ready and that someone is here to see you.

It's Abe. Lucy's with him, helping your Elf set up the plates. You can tell immediately that something is wrong because Abe looks like he just swallowed a Lavozian earthworm.

"What's wrong?"

"They want us to go tonight." He says. "Won't take no for an answer. I don't know what to do. I don't suppose you have the stuff ready?"

You rub the crusts from your eyes and a memory of yesterday's near disaster flashes through your mind. "Not exactly." You say.

"Yeah." He sighs.

There's knock at the door. This time it's a carriage-driver.

"Here to pick up Master Sondheim." He says.

Shit.

>Stay home and work on the strength potion
>Give Abe the crystal, instruct him in its use and hope for the best

OOC: Gonna grab some food brb

>>2531870
>Give Abe the crystal, instruct him in its use and hope for the best

>>2531870
>Give Abe the crystal, instruct him in its use and hope for the best

He can cut it into smaller doses, r-right?

>>2531870
>Give Abe the crystal, instruct him in its use and hope for the best

>>2531870
>Give Abe the crystal, instruct him in its use and hope for the best
run a quick calculation in your head, estimate dilution needed, crush some small doses and apportion them into flour paste for later consumption
while doing this, warn Abe about the side effects of the primal instincts and not to take too much, make sure he brings extra clothes just in case
then gather book about toxins and get in carriage

>>2531870
>Give Abe the crystal, instruct him in its use and hope for the best

Here's hoping he doesn't die or go insane from using it...

>>2531507
>It's time for /biz/ quest disguised as /d/ quest.

Fuck yeah.

>>2531870
>Stay home and work on the strength potion
In its current state the potential for loss of control is too high, we need to at least dilute it.

>>2531758
>"Antidotes, yes. But not for the adventurers. But that's all I can say about the matter, unless you're on board. I need a decision now."
>>2531820
>He's already at the door. "I'll have someone pick you up in the morning." And then he's gone. Toad gives you a single, pained look and then follows.
>>2531870
>"They want us to go tonight." He says. "Won't take no for an answer. I don't know what to do. I don't suppose you have the stuff ready?"
Oh no, Abe's indirectly involved in the conspiracy now.

>>2531910
+1. Abe's got the potential to be an alchemist but this is too sudden for him.
>>2531820
>"Excellent." He raps that table and slides the blood diamond over to you. "Hold on to that and bring it to the lab." He gets up and buttons his suit.
This is the strength potion crystal, not the blood diamond?

>>2531910
maybe we should just tell him to lick it

>>2531917
No it's the blood diamond. He doesn't know anything about the strength potion (be grateful)

>>2531910
Damnit, you're right...Can we grind it and mix it in water? That should take like, what, 5 minutes?

>>2531917
>Abe is involved in the conspiracy?
No, this is just a cheeky QM testing our priorities.

That said, switching to
>>Stay home and work on the strength potion
Let's not take TOO long.

>>2531870
Give Abe the crystal, instruct him in its use and hope for the best

>>2531935
+1, take a bit of time to try to dilute it into a dose that's not liable to kill anybody or make them hulk out like we did.

I'm making an assumption that this guy is a Gentleman Johnny Marcone deal. Blatantly shady, but having the places that are under your thumb destroyed is bad for business.

>>2531870
>>Give Abe the crystal, instruct him in its use and hope for the best
Tell him to just lick it to get a boost and that anything bigger than a grain could transform him.

>>2531949
backing.

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IT IS TIME.
But this thread is in dire need of more elves. What is wrong with you people.

>Toad. Roche. Lizardmen and Kobolds. Neurotoxins.
Fuck. I'm pretty sure we will go full auschwitz on the lizarmen and kobolds.

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>>2531965
>implying what this thread doesn't need is more qt ginger landladies

>>2531870

+1, take a bit of time to try to dilute it into a dose that's not liable to kill anybody or make them hulk out like we did.

I'm making an assumption that this guy is a Gentleman Johnny Marcone deal. Blatantly shady, but having the places that are under your thumb destroyed is bad for business.

>>2531965
I can't draw.

I don't have an image collection of elves.

We should cut the crystal in half. Tell Abe to lick it, and take the rest with us for emergency hulkout.

>>2531965
We already had one make us a deal that we did not want to refuse for the sake of a good buddy.

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>>2531974
Good.

Do note that allot of heavy painkiller medacines are also neurotoxins, so dont go talking about genocide just yet.

>>2531988
I'm pretty sure we're going to be mass producing a cure for the neurotoxin the lizardmen coat their spears with. Same stuff we used the phoenix dust to cure the little girl earlier in the quest.

>>2531965
We like to keep our elve pics related to what our Elf is supposed to look like. Also, we get nice elf moments, but we're kind of in the middle of a lizardmen/crime conspiracy and trying to not get black bagged.

>>2531979
Pleb taste.

>>2531951
>just lick it
Not a bad idea.
>>2531981
>take the rest with us for emergency hulkout

If we can't do this now, we should later. Just in case.

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>>2531979
i agree with you, good sir. Specially if they are of the smug variant.

>"Antidotes, yes. But not for the adventurers
so what, for lizardmen?

>>2531995
only if we get to dick the smug out

>>2531992
>>2531988
ehhh....probably? but in that case roche would have contacted some alchemist with a licence, Unless his reputation would have made everyone tell him no out of fear. Then again, keeping the war machine going as much as possible IS good business and those sovereigns could help us get our licence.

>>2532012
Well you also have to consider the flip side:
Being unlicensed means that if we were to turn on our employer in a court of law he would be able to ruin us with contemptuous ease. A licensed alchemist is unlikely to have such problems.

>>2532012
Oh yeah, I was totally behind taking the job. Dude's a shady asshole, but I can't see us making medicine ending poorly for everyone else. It's just a matter of whether or not he's going to stab us in the back.

>>2531893
>>2531895
>>2531899

There's no time to do the extended analysis on the crystal. The best you can do is give Abe a chunk of it and tell him to dilute it as much possible before he takes it. Failing that, you tell him to just lick the damn thing, but never to take any of it raw and whole.

"What is it?" He holds the rock up to the light, the rainbow shimmers on it's surface.

"Anabolic. Kind of. Just be careful with it and do not, under any circumstances give to it anyone--especially not the adventurers. I haven't tested it fully yet."

He nods and carefully pockets the crystal. "Where are you going?"

You put on your jacket. "I have work." There's still the matter of your Elf. Do you take her with you? You don't want to leave her here. Since yesterday she's gone back to her old jumpy, sullen self. She's doing a little better with Lucy's company but Abe is getting ready to leave with you. Should you call Nina again?

>Take her with you
>Leave her here alone, it can't be helped
>See if Nina can slave-sit again

>>2532029
>Take her with you.

Might be helpful to have an extra pair of hands.

>>2532029
>See if Nina can slave-sit again

>>2532029
>>See if Nina can slave-sit again
"Ill owe you a lot of dinners if you do this."

>>2532029
>See if Nina can slave-sit again

Make sure to explain (to our elf) that we are out for business and what to do should we not come back.

>>2532020
>but I can't see us making medicine ending poorly for everyone else.
There are a lot of ways you can reinterpretate "Making medicine" or hide some meaning as other.
>>2532019
>A licensed alchemist is unlikely to have such problems.
Probably not. Roche could bribe his way out, like most politicians do. Also he could disappear the alchemist in a very easy manner. These are the middle-ish ages. You could kill someone in a dark alley and chances are that no one would know who killed that poor sod.

Posting redheads in the meantime.

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>>2532029
>>See if Nina can slave-sit again
Shit, lets see if we can owe her one favor for the time being.

>>2532029
>See if Nina can slave-sit again

>>2532020
>It's just a matter of whether or not he's going to stab us in the back.
He's not, he's going to blackmail us into the same situation Toad is in.

>>2532029
>>Take her with you
She can be the Jesse to our Walter. Have we given Leia any self-defence yet?

>>2532029
>See if Nina can slave-sit again

I don't like it, but it's makes the most sense for now.

>>2532046
This
and tell her not to trust anyone but Nina unless they give her a password - "gilded basilisk"

>>2532059
>Have we given Leia any self-defence yet?
She has our thoughts and prayers.

>>2532064
supporting.

>>2532059
>Have we given Leia any self-defence yet?
Lol
we can barely take care of ourselves

>>2532029

>Take her with you.

>>2532066
>>2532072

>>2532059
Switch to >>2532064.

>>2531925
>>2531935
Good to hear.

>>2532072
Maybe we can tell nina to take her for some self dense classes...well, i don't think those exist right now, but there should be something similar.

>>2532029
>Take her with you

Do we really trust Nina alone with Leia?

>>2532090
...yes? what's the worst that can happen teach leia to be smug or teach her how to make her own clothing?

>>2532097
>what's the worst that can happen teach leia to be smug?

Is it bad that I want this?

>>2532029
>Take her with you

>>2532097
she could teach her how to woo a man

with shoulder punches and insults!

>>2532097
She could teach the elf to be a busybody.

>>2532099
Not at all. I'd also like a snarky yet loyal slave.

>>2532029
>>See if Nina can slave-sit again

>>2532029
>>Take her with you

>>2532037
>>2532040
>>2532046
>>2532051

"M-master, are you leaving again?" Your slave wrings her hands.

"I have to go somewhere. I'll be right..." But you don't know how long this will take. He said three weeks, is that three weeks living in the lab? "I'll be back." You say. You'll owe Nina a lot of dinners after this. You can already see her annoying smug smile at your expense.

You go to the door, where the driver is waiting, but your Elf grabs the corner of your elbow, pulling at the cloth. "P-please don't leave me alone." She says. Then immediately, as though she were a child that had blasphemed in front of a particularly rod-ready nun, she clamps both hands over her mouth. "I-I-I'm sorry." She says. "I'm sorry. Please forget what I said. I haven't forgotten my place. I promise." She raises her arms and shuts her eyes as if to expect a blow.

Abe and Lucy are watching the both of you with rapt interest, perhaps expecting the same. You flush. "Stop that." You lower her arms, gently. She's terrified. "Nina will be with you, you won't be alone." You say. Her shoulders relax.

"I'm sorry I'm such a bother Master." She says, quietly. She finally releases you, gives a curt bow and then runs off into the kitchen.

"Abe, Lucy. Let's go." Lucy goes to hug your Elf before joining you on the stairs.

"You better not hit bigtits-sis." She says pouting.

"That is a little rough, Seabass, even if she is a slave." Adds Abe.

"I don't hit her! I've never hit her! What kind of person do you guys think I am? She's just like that. I'm working on it--it's a work in progress."

You knock on Nina's door but to your surprise there's no response. "Well, well. Sondheim, you had better stop that racket. She's not home." Says Franklin, head out of his door.

"What? Where is she? It's not even noon yet."

"She left in a rush around dawn, for the capital." He says. "Something about her mother being sick."

Damn. Now who's going to watch Leia? Should you take your Elf with you after all?

>Take your Elf with you
>Leave her alone, she'll be fine
>Ask Franklin to watch her

>>2532156

>Take your Elf with you

>>2532156
Take Elf. Three weeks alone, even with Nina around is probably not good for her.

(Also the QM seems to want her along. Makes sense since this is Elf Slave Quest.)

>>2532156
>>Take your Elf with you
its bullshit but i'll accept it.

>>2532156
>Take your Elf with you

Well time to bite the proverbial bullet.

>>2532156
>Take your Elf with you

I'm sorry I tried to pawn off the titular character. I just didn't want her to get kidnapped and/or gangraped.

>>2532162
You can always resume the three weeks and be done with it. Just because the name is elf slave quest doesn't mean we have to have her on our side 24/7

>>2532156
take her with us, I guess

>>2532177
And skip over the SCIENCE! and intrigue of working for a crime lord who has dirt on our protector? Lunacy.

GUYS Franklin is a mage, right? what if we leave her with him. In exchange we pay him and also ask him if he can look at her lack of magic powers. We know she had an arcane operation done to her. Maybe he knows a way to reverse it. Also changing my vote from

>>2532165

to

>>2532156
>Ask Franklin to watch her

>>2532156

>take the elf with you

>>2532183
ehh, that would be three weeks of being trapped in a lab doing medicine and what not. there is not many things that can interest us.

>>2532185
Franklin is a shit mage with a nice expensive magic wand. He's also too busy interning for an important dignitary who may or may not be the Elve's former abuser. Stop. Accept the direction the DM is pushing us. Take the Elf with us on magical meth making adventures.

>>2532156
>Take your Elf with you

>>2532192
Wouldnt trust Franklin to piss standing up.
Hes a boy and entirely too preoccupied with what his balls are telling him rather than his head.

>>2532191
That's an unsupported assumption and shame on you for your lack of imagination.

>>2532194
No, of course not. But as long as we're working with the card metaphor, it's nice to have a QM who's honest about a stacked deck.

>>2532192
>mfw started the quest due to it being fapbait
>mfw stayed due to excellent alchemy writing and /biz/
>mfw now we're breaking bad with our qt elf slave.

Best quest on /qst/ right now.

>>2532202
>That's an unsupported assumption and shame on you for your lack of imagination.
Fuck you, i'm trying to defend my own flawed logic over here. Also player agency, but whatever.

>>2532162

Well I don't want to reveal my cards, but I'm prepared no matter what choice is made here and have no particular preference.

>>2532192
Also looking back at the previous thread, there seems to be a little confusion about Leia's previous master. I'll put up a character sheet type thing later that will keep stuff like this clear in the future.

For now:

Lord Fontain is the one Franklin works for, you've only seen him once so far and haven't actually interacted with him. He's a former general and the one bringing in the adventurers and trying to genocide the reptilians. He's also the son of a Chimia stockholder, but not an alchemist himself.

Viceroy Antipater is the suspected former master of Leia, he's a real estate mogul (not an alchemist) and a passionate pacifist and philanthropist. He's against Fontain's policies. Lawson is his son.

>>2532204
>Breaking Bad: Magical edition
Yes, this is amazing.

>>2532221
My bad senpai.
But trying to pawn Leia off on Franklin is still stupid.

>>2532156
>Take your Elf with you
"I thought after what... happened... you'd prefer to see as little of me as possible...

>>2532156
>Take your Elf with you

>>2532158
>>2532165
>>2532169

You consider, in a moment of sheer absurdity, to ask Franklin to watch Leia. You are almost brought to laughter by the thought. You'll just have to take her with you. It'll be nice to have an extra pair of hands anyway.

"Alright, thanks Franklin."

"That's Mr. Franklin to you." He says and then locks his door. Brat.

"Wait in the carriage, I'll be right back." You tell Lucy and Abe. They head out you head back and grab your Elf. Feeling too embarrassed to really explain anything. She mercifully doesn't ask any questions.

The carriage is nothing like the usual fare. It looks more like something a princess might take to visit a ball, all filigree and purple cloth. There's not even horses to pull it, just a giant wooden wheel, enchanted to move on its own. Red leather interior with seats on both sides, enough to accommodate at least six people in comfort and class.

"Wow, Seabass, what kind of job are doing? Must have one hell of a payout." Says Abe. Your Elf is admiring the silk curtains, rubbing it against her cheek and comparing its feel to the ribbon you bought her. You don't say anything. Roche is sending a message. He's rich and he's powerful and those things be used for generosity, as here, but he's also saying that he's not to be trifled with.

You drop Abe and Lucy at the orphanage first and reiterate caution regarding the crystal. Abe assures you everything will be fine. "Leave a message with Franklin if you can't find me. As soon as you come back." You tell him.

"Will do. Stay safe. You sure you don't want to pop in and say hi? I know Sarah'll be happy." He grins. Cheeky little bastard.

"Can't. Tell her hi for me."

The carriage winds its way to the docks. You expect a warehouse of some kind, but the lab is even more remote. You have to take a boat to a small inlet some ways up the coast. Your Elf seems to get more and more nervous as you approach. By the time you finally hit land, your Elf is clinging to your arm like the sand in your shoes. "What's wrong?"

"They took me here before." She says. It's all she has to say. The lab is built into the side of a bluff overlooking the ocean. There's a set of stone steps built into the side, exactly aligned with the rock. It's hard to see it unless you're looking at it from the side. Toad is waiting for you at the entrance.

"You shouldn't have agreed to this Seabass." He says. He looks sober. Not necessarily better.

>Ignore him, walk inside and take a look at this lab
>Tell him you're trying to help him, you'll gather information as you work
>It's too late now. Ask him what he knows.

>>2532320
>It's too late now. Ask him what he knows.

>>2532320
>Tell him you're trying to help him. Ask him what he knows.

>>2532320
>It's too late now. Ask him what he knows.

>>2532320
>>It's too late now. Ask him what he knows.

>>2532320
>Tell him you're trying to help him, you'll gather information as you work

>>2532320
>Tell him you're trying to help him, you'll gather information as you work
>It's too late now. Ask him what he knows.

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>>2532320
I am going to make a wild guess and assume that the crimelord is going to murder the fuck out of us when we're done. He might even target people we know because looseends be looseends. What the fuck did we get ourselves into dammit. We're going to have to think of contingencies quck.

>>2532370
Doesnt make sense. crime lord cant just kill everyone he makes dealings with or else he wont last long.

No, he will come to us in future for more tasks and jobs if we do this. We become an "asset".

>>2532370
Don't say that man, Watdo gets ideas from our paranoid ramblings That would be bad business for him. Even if he kills everyone, rumors spread quickly.

>>2532370
Roche is machiavellian, not cartoon psycho. He'll blackmail us in order to use our talents for less than they're worth in the future and keep our mouth shut. But we should make another batch of Mr Hyde crystal as contingency. I say make better poison for our super soaker, but the dice gods would probably kill us or our elf if we tried.

>>2532320
>>Tell him you're trying to help him, you'll gather information as you work

>>2532387
>>2532410
We're some mid-tier alchemist dealing with the shadiest shit in the kingdom. The guy has too much to lose by the possiblity of leaking and not a lot if he kills us.

>>2532418
Your being overly paranoid.
he doesnt need to kill us if hes confident that we will keep our mouth shut. And if he knows we can make the shit he wants then we are valuable.

Unless you consider him hiring and then disposing of alchemists on a routine basis something that will go totally unnoticed?

Again, crime lords cant kill everyone they deal with, and they dont have to. Considering we know hes wealthy and hes flaunting it at us, we all know we cant cross this man and survive.

So chill, hes not going to kill us, just put us to work. Unless we do something stupid like try go to the guard.

>>2532418
Someone with our skill with no license is actually a rarity, I'm guessing. And he doesn't really have much to worry about leaking. His employer owns law enforcement, he can bribe anyone to do anything. No, I'm not worried that he's going to murder his antidote maker after one batch.

>>2532430
>>2532418
>>2532431
Adding to this, if he really would want us dead, he would have us killed instead of coming to apologize to us. You understand that a DIRECT apology from an underworld lord is a big deal, right?

>>2532320
>Ignore him, walk inside and take a look at this lab
As long as we don't dig too deep we can just say we were making stuff for adventurers if we get busted.

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>>2532330
>>2532334

You scoff. "What would you have done?"

"That's different. I made promises."

A silence falls before you both.

"Well, it's too late now." You say. "I'm already here. I know you're trouble and I'll do whatever I can to help."

"You're like your father in a lot of ways." He says.

"Loyal and courageous?"

"Foolhardy and stubborn." He goes into the tunnel and you follow. "Why'd you bring the Elf? Not enough you have work for one, but you want to work with one too? Did you get her checked?" Your Elf hides behind you at hearing that.

"She doesn't have magic." You say. "And I've been teaching her our tongue, so watch your words."

"That so, Sylvan?"

"Y-yes."

He grunts.

"So what do you know about this guy? And why are you working for him?"

"He's one of the higher-ups in the Five-Pointed Cross. He was small time for a while, but he's obviously moved up. He has a patron--I don't know who yet, but it's someone up the flagpole because the guards are in his pocket."

He looks at you to see if you understand the gravity of what he's just said. You do.

"I don't know what his real objective is, he's an Elf so it's bound to be nasty but...from what I can tell, this operation is separate from everything else. No one knows about it--and no one can, he's a dangerous man." He stops again and you nod to assure him you understand what that means.

You arrive at the entrance. The guards there flinch at the sight of Toad, and scramble to let him in through the iron portcullis. You can already see the lab through the gaps. It's...beautiful. You walk in and are rendered speechless.

There's a bench with all the alchemical apparatuses you could ever need. Everything is high quality, branded with the Chimia logo. To each side of the bench are manufactory level crystallization tanks with the conical top--tall as you are. So this is where they went. There's a full distillery with a set of high quality distillation tubes, made from reinforced slug intestines, that run from one cylinder to the another.

Roche himself emerges from a tunnel cut into the eastern wall. "You're late. And you brought her. Good." He says. "Traffic?" You nod, still dazed. He snaps his fingers. "Bring him in." Behind him, a pair of henchmen drag in a lizardman--and throw him to the floor. His hands and feet are chained by heavy iron balls. He's a mere child, a little shorter than your Elf. At least he's not injured, just scared.

"What's this?"

"Your test subject." He says.

>You never agreed to anything like this and you won't now.
>Good, a live test subject will make things go faster. Get to work.
>Demand an explanation, you've been kept in the dark long enough

>>2532477
>Demand an explanation, you've been kept in the dark long enough

>>2532477
>Good, a live test subject will make things go faster. Get to work.

>>2532477
>>Demand an explanation, you've been kept in the dark long enough
Also I think after this it might be a good idea to get payment in Chimia equipment rather than just gold.

>>2532477
See? Full auschwitz.
>Demand an explanation, you've been kept in the dark long enough

So you want us to create a medicine to get them rid of the disease called being alive? well. can do.

>>2532477
>>Demand an explanation, you've been kept in the dark long enough

They don't look like lab rats so unless we're actually producing something like the Black Plague or Mustard Gas some more indepth explaning is needed to be had.

>>2532477
>Demand an explanation, you've been kept in the dark long enough

The venom that the lizardmen traditionally use. It's actually their literal venom, isn't it? They've just coated their weapons in it.

>>2532477
>Good, a live test subject will make things go faster. Get to work.

why would I need him though are you sure the toxin works on him as it would a human or an elf

>>2532491
you know, i wouldn't accept the gold either. i'd rather have his word and promise to never contact us again or require our services. This this the proverbial edge of the slippery slope edge(or we just slided in, but can still grab the edge with our hands).

>>2532477
>other: put hand, apply to forehead. inwardly regret. Lets Start thinking of ways to backstab this backstabbing elf while technically fulfilling this agreement.

And this is why bad shit happens when word gets around that we don't have a license! Shit like this happens!


>Demand an explanation, you've been kept in the dark long enough

>>2532477
>>Good, a live test subject will make things go faster. Get to work.
I'm assuming we aren't going to torture him or anything similar.

>>2532555
nah. we are efficient after all. We just need to find something that can kill him as fast as possible. Probably with the neurotoxin roche talked to us before.

Well, it seems if we want to set up independent practice at some point, we'll have to work for it.

In order to leave this shit unscathed we'll have to either put ourselves into good graces of the villain(?), make insurance policy solid enough that we won't be bothered if we leave, or find an opportunity to betray him to such a devastating effect that he and his successors (if there are any, preferably not) will be in no position to exact vengeance.

In any case, for the time being elf slave quest is now elf's slave quest (was that what you had in mind OP?)

>>2532555
I agree with this actually, if we don't question him we can just do whats needed to progress with whatever we are doing.
+

>>2532485
>>2532491
>>2532493

"I think you had better explain what it is you want me to do."

"It's quite simple." He walks over to the lizard and lifts his serpentine head to show you. The scales are red and flaking, and there are red sores around his mouth. The creature's breathing is ragged and pneumatic. "This poor creature will be dead within the week." He says. "A side-effect of the neurotoxin they use."

You draw closer and examine the lizard yourself. It looks suspiciously similar to Abe's description of Lucy's symptoms. "And?" You say. "What does that have to do with me?"

"I want you to develop a cure."

"Why?"

He smiles. "Yours is not to wonder why." He says, sing-song. "The toxin is made from reptilian blood diamond--you brought it with you I hope?" You nod, laying it on the bench. "Good. I believe it will be a crucial ingredient in the cure. The venom is in his body, in his blood and saliva. They imbibe it you see. Reptilians are supposed to have immunity to things like this but, this particular toxin is...specially designed. The sickness kills them and renders them...sterile."

He releases the lizard and wipes his hand on his sleeve. "You must make medicine that neutralizes these side-effects. You are free to use your subject as you wish, I have cleared out the rooms so you can also stay here if it's more convenient to you. Food will be brought to you and let my men know if you need anything else."

He moves toward the exit. You look to Toad. He just stares. He's as surprised you are.

"What if a week isn't enough time." You call out.

He shrugs. "Then I suppose he dies." He says. "We'll get another, there's no shortage of that. For now, anyway. Come, Toad." And then he's gone.

"You gonna be alright Seabass?" Asks Toad.

"Yeah I think so."

He squeezes your shoulder and then leaves you alone with the wheezing lizard and your Elf. Better get to work.

But how to begin?

>Get a sample of the toxin first, analyze it
>Try talking to the lizard
>Check out all the equipment more closely

>>2532596
>>Check out all the equipment more closely
A good tradesman must know his tools.

>Check out all the equipment more closely

I doubt the lizard boy wants to discuss anything at the moment. We're going to separate the components of the blood diamond first, I assume. Let's see what tools would be best for the job.

>>2532596
>Check out all the equipment more closely

>>2532596
>Check out all the equipment more closely

>>2532596
>>Check out all the equipment more closely

>>2532596
Move the lizard to a cot or something
>Check out all the equipment more closely

>>2532596
>Try talking to the lizard
let's try to see if we can make him/her/it cooperate willingly.

>>2532596
>Check out all the equipment more closely

Might as well check the limitations of our new equipment.

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>>2532622
>>2532627
It just hit me, why not have Leia tend to him?

>>2532639
If he is suffering from a neurotoxin, which we know can be spread through touch, (since the orphanage girl caught it), then we really really dont want our elf touching this guy.

We should also take care to treat him as poisonous at all times as well.

>>2532605
>>2532611
>>2532612

The tanks along the walls are obvious in their function. You spend only a little time on them (mostly just to touch and admire them). You won't get to use them until the very last stage anyway, once a cure (if there even is one) is ready for mass production.

The bench has the more interesting toys. There's the standard alchemical equipment, beakers, flasks, vials, alembics, enchanted auto-pestles, enchanted smart-burners, even a dragon-tooth drill for cutting into gemstones--useful for working on the blood diamond. There's starleeches for drawing blood, an entire minigarden full of Lavozian earthworms and an assortment of mushrooms and herbs--redweed, chromastool, even a few species of flowers, freesias and rhododendrons and roses. Somehow they're all growing together. Sniffing the soil, you realize it's been laced with troll feces, the most potent fertilizer known to the civilized world.

Once the initial wonder and giddiness wear off, you remember the lizard in the room. He's lying the floor, shivering. He looks like a cross between a lion cub and a crocodile. Your Elf is watching him intently. The henchmen have already left so you should probably do something about him. You spy a bare cot in the corner.

>Have your Elf take care of him
>Take him to the cot yourself
>Call the guards to carry him

>>2532656
>Take him to the cot yourself

>>2532656
>Call the guards to carry him

DO NOT TOUCH HIM.

see: orphan girl suffering neurotoxin despite never having gone near these fuckers. Treat it with the respect poison deserves.

>>2532656
>>Call the guards to carry him

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>>2532643
Curse you and your common sense.
>>2532656
>Call the guards to carry him
>Out of the work area
Do we have something resembling infection prevention measures in universe? Long rubber gloves? Respirator? Eye shields?

>>2532656
>>Call the guards to carry him

>>2532656
>Call the guards to carry him

>>2532656
>ask the guards for spare clothing.
We'll need spare clothing to act as hazmat suits

>>2532656
>>Call the guards to carry him

>>2532596
>conspiracy time

>lizards imbibe blood diamonds to give themselves neurotoxic venom in their bodily fluids
>They are immune to the negative effects while being able to harm enemies
>useful biological adaptation, very effective in keeping the adventurers and mercenaries at bay with lethal sickness
>but what's this, the blood diamonds are different now
>The toxin does effect the lizardmen now, and even sterilizes them
>death on a weekly timetable and denies them the ability to reproduce
>recipe for a quick and effective genocide
>Fontain we know wants to kill the scaly fucks so maybe he funded this bio weapon knowing the lizardmens toxin tactic
>but wait a minute Antipater is maybe the guy who tortured the elf and the elf remembers this place
>Antipater is supposedly against lizard genocide
>Roche eants us to make a cure for the neurotoxin and sterility
>Too many coincedences
>Antipater and probably Fontaine are both in a oblong shadow conflict involving the reptilians and the adventurers and the crime syndicate is playing both sides by producing the toxin and the cure for fun and profit
>but why? What would the two politicians care about the conflict? Why do this weapons research and cure research? What's in it for them? Where does the elf torture fit in?

The plot just gets deeper anons, any deeper and this shit's going to turn into some kind of fantasy noir/ sin city massacre involving the reptilians, mercenaries and two big wig politicians

If we had guns we could turn this quest into a john wu movie

>>2532656
call the guards to carry him, tell them to be gentle, you need it to survive

>>2532693
My only hope out of this is that we end up with a Automatic Crossbow like the one in Van Helsing.

>>2532693
>If we had guns we could turn this quest into a john wu movie
...chances are that we would end up shooting ourselves.

>>2532693
Just a one thing to correct you on:
>but wait a minute Antipater is maybe the guy who tortured the elf and the elf remembers this place
This is the place that Toad raided. It's the 5 point whatever hideout (looter's guild, for brevity). That's why the elf has been here before.

>>2532715
Yeah, we seem pretty inept at combat.

>>2532730
Somewhere down the line I want toad to teach C-bass how to do some ninja stuff. Just some disarms and arm locks to compliment our wrist mounted poison dart guns.

>>2532693
>but why? What would the two politicians care about the conflict? Why do this weapons research and cure research? What's in it for them?
Do you really need that explained?

>>2532662
>>2532670
>>2532671

Probably best not to have you or your Elf handle the diseased lizard. You call for the guards and have them move him to the cot. They seem confused by the order, like if you had just asked them to sing the lizard a song.

"If he dies from exposure that would just delay me further. Is that what you want? Is that what your boss wants?"

They make no more fuss after that. You sit at the bench and take out your notebook. If your hunch is right, then you already have a cure--technically speaking. The same one that Lawson sells at his shop, the one that Abe bought for Lucy. Should you try to recreate that? Improve on it?

Or perhaps it would be better to start from scratch, analyze the toxin first and extrapolate from there. But really, none of this makes any sense. Why would Roche want to take away the debilities of the toxin? It's almost as if he's helping the Reptilians. But such an act would be direct treason, no matter how high up the flagpole his patron, he'd be drawn and quartered at noon. So would you, come to think of it.

Suddenly four hundred sovereigns seems a paltry sum for what you're doing. And you still don't know why. Why would he help the Reptilians? Is he working with them? Or maybe it's more elemental--just business. The more Toadish side of you suspects worse things, that maybe this disease is going to spread to the human population--that maybe it already has, and Roche is just getting in on the ground floor.

More intriguing than all this is the toxin itself. You always assumed that it was a natural secretion, or at least something the Lizards and Kobolds made on their own, yet Roche made it sound like it was something manufactured professionally. After all, why would a natural, or primitive toxin kill and sterilize its creators? And if it was made, then by whom? And for what purpose?

You massage your temples. Too much to think about all at once. You have your task, all this can come later.

>Start with the toxin, draw some samples from the lizard
>Start with Lawson's cure, recreate it

>>2532759
>Start with the toxin, draw some samples from the lizard

>>2532759
>Start with the toxin, draw some samples from the lizard
Lawson's cure is for traditional reptilian neurotoxin, and is not working permanently.

>>2532759
>Start with the toxin, draw some samples from the lizard

>>2532759
well, its not our problem what the hell he wants to do with the cure. That would also drag us deeper into the underworld and we really don't want that.
>Start with the toxin, draw some samples from the lizard
We also need to know the symptoms of the toxin. We already know what it does to humans, but not what it does to lizards.

>>2532759
>>Start with the toxin, draw some samples from the lizard

No point in starting with another person's cure because they might have made a mistake or fuckup somewhere down the line.

>>2532759
>>Start with the toxin, draw some samples from the lizard
Lawson is keeping the sickness in check. We need a final cure.

>>2532759
>>>Start with the toxin, draw some samples from the lizard

>>2532746
What do you mean by that?

Do you mean that it's not really important to know their motivations (at least this stage)?

or

Do you mean that their motivations are somewhat transparent and that Its obvious and I apprently don't see it. If that's case then yeah I'll need for someone to explain.

I mean fontaine wants to kill the reptilians so he can expand the city or mine something? Did I miss and update that states what fontaine was intending when he started trying to displace the kobolds and lizard people?

>>2532815
I think he means to create a reptilian plague that affects all the populace using the diamondblood neurotoxin strain and then use our fabricated cure as a means of selective genocide and PR promotion. Because we don't have a license, we don't get the public recognition and credit for the cure creation.

>>2532759
>>Start with the toxin, draw some samples from the lizard

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>>2532815
...ok.
The answer is -like in real life- money and power. If the war machine keeps going, ANYONE (regardless of whom) related to the conflict can benefit from it, either by acquiring more people to join their armies, or in roches case, developing something that can gain him money. Everything else is irrelevant to us because we can do jack shit about it.

>>2532759
>Start with the toxin, draw some samples from the lizard
ask Leia if she can help soothe the lizard from afar
have the guards take the sample
try saliva before blood

>>2532842
>have the guards take the sample
ehh, the guards arent our assistants. Eventually they'll tell us to fuck off. I'd rather not bother them until we need the lizard moved again.

>>2532759
What ever we do, get several sets of clothing including gloves. We want to cycle out disposables for washing at very high temperatures (basically boil proof gloves if we can get some).

>>2532852
Or if the lizard reacts in a disagreeable manner like mutating and has to be put down.

>>2532852
ok
we just need to be cautious

>>2532866
shouldnt happen unless we are stupid enough to infect him with a powerful mutigen or pump nigh on raw magic into him.

More likely to just end up with a dead lizard.

>>2532826
>>2532833
Sound reasoning. War profiteering isn't exactly rare.

I was thinking there was more of a sinister motivations than just making money or accumulating power.

But then again not every villain in a fantasy setting is some sauron motherfucker who hates daylight and puppies so that's just me beng genre blind for a second and being dense.

Also accidently name fagged so that was embarrasing.

>>2532768
>>2532775
>>2532778

You're better off starting from scratch. Even if Lawson is a supposed genius prodigy, his "cure" is merely a treatment--it may even only mask the symptoms.

You draw some samples from the lizard. First some blood from his arm with the starleeches, then a few of his scales with a scalpel. In the meantime you instruct your Elf to set up the alembics and retorts, nothing more complex than attaching the hoses to their openings and arranging everything in a simple order. She moves away as soon as you return with the bloodswelled leeches--she's scared of them. And you tease her a little, holding one up by its center and showing her the small wriggling tentacles. She has to cover her eyes and you have to laugh.

You milk the blood out into a vial, careful not to make contact with any of it. It's rough working with the thick leather gloves and the apron and the thick-rimmed glasses but the neurotoxin is potent enough to require such precaution. Not to mention the disease itself.

You dissolve the scale in some high grade acid, filter out what doesn't dissolve and in the process discover a void filtration system under the bench, enchanted by a wind spirit that sucks out air for rapid evaporation--it almost brings a tear to your eye. All that remains are some further rounds of purification and then some separation with the earthworms.

The blood is another matter, you've never actually worked with blood before. From what you remembering of your old textbook, blood can be separated into light and heavy elements--usually by distillation, though its a lengthy and tedious process. The toxin should be in the heavy part anyway, so it might be better to just crystallize and filter. On the other hand, that's only a guess, you could be wrong.

>Attempt the full distillation, it's what you're good at after all
>Just crystallize, it shouldn't take too long anyway
>Leave the blood, purify the dissolved scale instead

>>2532894
>Attempt the full distillation, it's what you're good at after all

>>2532894
>>Attempt the full distillation, it's what you're good at after all

>>2532894

>Attempt the full distillation, it's what you're good at after all

Bloods chock full of stuff of various sizes, better we isolate them all instead of getting false posatives and having to redo this.

>>2532894
>Attempt the full distillation, it's what you're good at after all
A scientist assuming anything. Cute.

Hopefully the dice gods can get bent since we'll have a favorable DC on distillation.

>>2532894
>>Attempt the full distillation, it's what you're good at after all

No half-assing about. We're on the clock and we should be thorough regardless of employer.

>>2532906
>>2532913
>>2532917

Distillation is your bread and butter, it's really the only thing you're good at and you're itching to try out all this fancy new equipment. You save some of the blood in case you need to crystallize after all and move the rest into the Chimia brand 100% dwarven glass alembic. The burner heats to the boiling temperature in perfectly linear, even fashion--it's actually better than the one you bought from Gunter, there aren't even control knobs, it just knows what the right temperature is and then stays there.

>Roll 1d20 to see how well the distillation goes
>You get +3 from all the fancy equipment

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>2532946

Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>2532946
come on nat 1!

Rolled 15 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>2532946

Rolled 14 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>2532946
heres the second PROPER roll

Rolled 14 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>2532946

>>2532948
>>2532953
These two technically rolled incorrectly

>>2532965
We know how to add 3. They're fine.

Technically the QM said roll 1d20

>>2532965
>>2532969

It's actually important to detail this- I've seen quests where rolls were invalidated by the QM because they asked specifically for one format and then got the other.

Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>2532946
>>2532997
fine.

>>2532997
Probably would not hurt to directly ask the QM for those kinds of specifics.

>>2532997
I have seen long wars when when someone doesn't add the modifier, up to the QM.

I hope you all realize that there is no leaving the underground without dying, right? Bloody regards all of you.

>>2532997
>>2533035
The QM says there's a plus 3, says to roll a d20. If the poster didn't add the +3, the QM doesn't add it? What kind of quests are so 'tism filled that the QM wants to throw the game?

>>2533046
You can be surprised by how precise a person can be when they want to be a pain in the ass. Same goes for QMs as well.

>>2533036
we were destined for the underground

orphan with no prospects but to make perfume for scraps

had to scrimp and slave for the money to buy a slave

too autistic to just mate and have children for labor

>>2532948
>>2532953
>>2532957

>8, 10, 18: 1 success

It takes hours. And hours and hours and hours. Tedious doesn't even begin to describe it. It's made easier by the equipment. It's made easier by taking shifts with your Elf and to spend some time teaching her the mechanical basics of your craft. She learns with all the enthusiasm she puts into learning language or writing. Hours and hours.

You lose track of time, light filters in from the opening of the dock below you, a hollow space large enough to accommodate a full three-masted ship but there are only rowboats down there now. Light falls away, sunlight to starlight. You get lunch. You get dinner. You eat without really thinking, with one eye still at the apparatuses, interrupting your meal to switch beakers, begin the filtration, re-distill.

At some point your Elf falls asleep at the bench and you carry her to a small inner room where a bed has been set up and put a blanket over her and resume the work alone. How long have you been working now? 10 hours? 15? No blood of human origin would take this long. You've either made a mistake--which is impossible--or it's the blood itself, which is sensible because, after all the toxin resistance reptilians are fabled for has to come from somewhere.

Only when the first light of dawn finally comes and your eyes are drooping from the night, does the last bit of distillation trickle through the tubes. Pure as snow.
The blood divides into 17 different components, light and heavy doesn't even begin to classify them. You test each one on some rats you find sitting in a cage by the wall. Out of the 17, six are toxic, four cause the characteristic foaming at the mouth and seizures, two cause the same symptoms as the lizard.

Exhausted but satisfied with your work, you head back to the inner room and collapse on the bed. You fall asleep as soon as you close your eyes, too tired to even realize that your Elf is still sleeping under the covers.

----

It's late midday when you awake. You feel something warm and soft pressing against your neck. The scent of vanilla. You've woken up before your Elf for once--perhaps not a good thing, as her arms are wrapped tight around your neck and your head pressed tight to her chest. She must've mistaken you for her notebook.

>Might as well sleep some more
>Get up and try not to wake her
>Wake her and get her off you

>>2533079
>Might as well sleep some more
and
>hug the elf

>>2533079
>Might as well sleep some more

>>2533079
>Get up and try not to wake her
The Lizard is on limited time. Let's hurry it up before he dies.

>>2533079
>>2533085
This plz
Hug em up

>>2533079
>>Might as well sleep some more
then
>>Get up and try not to wake her

Maybe 5 minutes, this is kinda nice.

>>2533079
>Might as well sleep some more
It's the little things in life.
>hug the elf

>>2533079
>Get up and try not to wake her
give her a little butt squeeze before you do

>>2533079
>Get up and try not to wake her
Work before play, Also maybe we should document this, the lizard stuff not the elf

>>2533126
Ugh, fine. Switching to
>Get up and try not to wake her
But also
>Hug before getting up

>>2533079
>>Might as well sleep some more
>and
>>hug the elf

>>2533126
Always note down your experiments. It lets you know what you did wrong.

>>2533079
>>Get up and try not to wake her
Pleasant as it is... Back to work

>>2533079
>Get up and try not to wake her
+
Enjoy the cuddle a little before we do.

>>2533085
>>2533089
>>2533103

You should get up, there's work to do. You touch her arm to pull it back, but you can feel her breath on your hair and her pulse on the back of your neck and it is slow and comfortable, like the drip of rainwater out of a leaky pipe.

Five more minutes won't hurt. You close your eyes and become aware of the heat of her body passing through your clothes, almost skin to skin and after a few minutes you start to sweat. You try to shift yourself but the movement is enough to wake her.

She yawns and nestles into you further so that her breath tickles your ear and then she realizes her compromised position and her arms snap back like a whip and she rolls over to the other side of the bed so fast that she falls off with a thud.

>Pretend to stay asleep, probably better that way
>Get up and check if she's alright

>>2533171
>Get up and check if she's alright

>>2533171

>Get up and check if she's alright
HEADPATS

>>2533171
>Get up and check if she's alright

>>2533171
pat her on the butt and get to work

>>2533171
>Get up and check if she's alright

>>2533171
>Get up and check if she's alright

>>2533193
Nooooo
If they don't ask for it it's rape.
Steady your pimp hand to the time is right.

>>2533193
NO ASS SLAPS. ONLY HEADPATS. ASS SLAPS ARE FOR NINA.

>>2533171
>>Get up and check if she's alright

>>2533193
we do not pat butts, we pat heads

>>2533171
>>Pretend to stay asleep, probably better that way

She's probably not hurt badly, and any kind of broaching the topic will embarrass her and probably make her a bit blushy and distracted and distant. We'll approach the issue later, but for now, let her try to distract herself by throwing herself into helping us.