Warhammer Fantasy: Divided Loyalties - an Advisor's Quest

Alliterate · Jan 28, 2018

TotallyNotEvil said:
Added that to Plan Backlog. Transport in a lead-lined steel case with magic and mudane locks.

As were spending the action to examine them, let's do that first. Then, use what we know to supplement that means of transport as we take one to Altdorf, if we think it prudent.

Boney · Jan 28, 2018

Siual said:
I think the action is pretty interesting, and the fact that it's showing up could be relevant in a meta-sense.

I'm not going to say you shouldn't think like this, just be aware that doing so gives me a pretty powerful tool to instil paranoia for my own amusement.

Dadarian · Jan 28, 2018

[x] Plan Backlog
-[x] The Wurtbad Watch already has their ear to the ground. Make their information flow to you.
-[x] Personally vet everyone that works in the castle, and replace everyone you're not sure of the loyalties of
-[x] Much of Western Stirland is under the de facto direct control of the Elector Count. Meet with each of the local leaders and make it clear that you're to be kept in the loop.
-[x] Van Hal is considering candidates for the post of Marshal, and he has asked you to vet them. Investigate them in person.
--[x] That damn Asp has still been quiet, but maybe it's just biding it's time. Finally admit it's existence to your contacts back in the College and see if they know anything that can help. *Renald's Blessing*
-[x] Home Comforts: Your Palace-Shrine is bursting with potential. And also mud.
--[x] Diggy Diggy Hole, Outsourced: Pay someone to do the digging, then Mindhole them on their way out. (no action required, -personal gold)
-[x] A large number of Shyish-stained weapons were uncovered from the Barrow. Perhaps you should:
--[x] Examine them yourself and see if they're useful, or dangerous, or both.
---[x] Bring an example or two to show your master while you are there.
----[X] Lead-lined steel case. Magic lock on top of mundane one.

Reposting for Renald's Blessing

Atam the Ork · Jan 28, 2018

@BoneyM If we vet the castle staff will Kasmir be there to help or do we have to specify that we want him to come along?

Siual · Jan 28, 2018

TotallyNotEvil said:
It doesn't cost an action, and it might reveal a bunch of interesting stuff.

We seriously need to vet for spies.

If we are already replacing sketchy folk with people we trust, it'd certainly go a good way towards aleviating the need for further godly inquiry.

Besides, we really have a lot on our plate. Double-checking the priest in religious matters doesn't sound like a priority, especially as we live with a veteran WH.

Aah, I forgot it didn't take an action, I'm all for it then.

And I see your points, I'm just leery of the action popping up, and we know too little about Kasimir as it is. Might just be my paranoia though.

Boney · Jan 28, 2018

Kasmir will be in Wurtbad a fair bit this turn, so you can write in asking for his assistance if you like.

Seventeen · Jan 28, 2018

BoneyM said:
[ ] As Per Orders: Perform your current assignment.
-[ ] The Wurtbad Watch already has their ear to the ground. Make their information flow to you.
-[ ] Personally vet everyone that works in the castle, and replace everyone you're not sure of the loyalties of.
-[ ] Acquire a copy of Brother Kasmir's report, and confirm everyone is worshipping as they claimed to.
-[ ] Wurtbad, like all major cities, is home to a number of guilds. Reach out to them and enforce your will.
-[ ] There's a vacuum where a dozen trade guilds should be. Found one of your own, and let information and profits flow through you, and see what the Stirlandian League does about it. (warning: expensive, will need Van Hal or Wilhelmina to sign off on it)
-[ ] Much of Western Stirland is under the de facto direct control of the Elector Count. Meet with each of the local leaders and make it clear that you're to be kept in the loop.

"Widen the local network" is pretty straightforward direction, thankfully. It cuts the Found a Trade Guild and Western Stirland options, because they're not based in Wurtbad, while investigating the castle workforce and following up on Kasmir's report aren't expanding the network. Wurtbad Watch and the city guilds, it is.

BoneyM said:
[ ] Backtracking and Side Operations:
-[ ] You haven't asked Anton about your predecessor - see if he knows anything useful.
-[ ] The thing you stabbed in the face is still in the cells, and now several others that were found are keeping it company. Examine them, learn from them, see if you can identify them.
-[ ] Van Hal is considering candidates for the post of Marshal, and he has asked you to vet them. Investigate them (choose: in person, via correspondence).
-[ ] A large number of Shyish-stained weapons were uncovered from the Barrow. Perhaps you should:
--[ ] Examine them yourself and see if they're useful, or dangerous, or both.
--[ ] Send them to the Amethyst Order for examination (does not take an action).
--[ ] Allow the Morrites to examine them (does not take an action).
--[ ] Just have them melted down and buried (does not take an action).

Marshal candidates is probably the second or third priority after taking actions towards our assignment, so that's in. I'd like to go personally, both because that's what Van Hal wants and because I prefer an actual scene to reading a letter. Castle zombies are obviously keeping for now (if with a bit of a stench), but if we can fit it in either the Anton action or looking at the weapons would be a good idea, I think.

BoneyM said:
[ ] Delegation: Maybe it's time to start being less spy and more master. Though Gods know where you'll find someone competent and trustworthy enough to grant such easily-abusable power. (write in source of potential lieutenants)
[ ] Getting To Know You: Spend time with one of your fellow councillors, offering your help in their task and generally getting a feel for them (choose one).
[ ] Getting To Know You Whether You Like It Or Not: You've been given good reason to mistrust your fellow councillors. Perhaps you should see what they spent their time doing (choose one).
[ ] Sucking Up To The Boss: Normally you'd just go about things and report in to the Elector Count when you've got something major to report. If you instead give him regular reports and updates, it may make him more willing to trust you, and allow you to better get to know him. Opening yourself up to oversight, criticism, and potential micromanagement is a heavy price to pay, though.
[ ] Letters Home: You might be able to wring more information out of your Master, or you might just be able to get news, information and guidance in general from the Grey Order.
[ ] Hang Out A Shingle: Spymasters don't advertise, but wizards sometimes do. Make an official announcement that there's a wizard in residence, and see who comes out of the woodwork.
[ ] Now that you've got gold to throw around, you should stock up on spell components. They're not strictly necessary, but they do make things easier. (-personal gold)

We definitely want to collect some lieutenants, but I'm not sure where from just yet. Nothing else seems particularly necessary at the moment, although personally I'd like to do Letters Home sooner rather than later. Remember, the only information we have on the person or organisation that put us here is that they wanted to know about Anton -- getting a clue, anything at all, from our Master would put us a lot closer to learning more about them.

BoneyM said:
[ ] Self-Improvement: Things have been going well so far, but the skills of a Journeyman Grey Mage can only go so far.
-[ ] Practice, Practice, Practice: Having been thrown into the deep end of imperial politics, it would probably be a good idea to brush up on your skills (choose one).
-[ ] Tutoring: One of your fellow councillors may be willing to teach you in their chosen field (choose who).
-[ ] Pretty Good Swords: You've struck up a friendship with the Champion of the Greatswords and have discovered a talent for wielding them. Continue to cultivate this.
-[ ] Combat Training: You're virtually surrounded by armed warriors of various sorts. See if you can convince one to teach you (choose who).
-[ ] Combat Training, In The Free Market: You haven't made many heavily armed friends yet, but gold is good for that. Go out and buy some training. (-personal gold)
-[ ] You only really kept in practice with a handful of the petty and minor magics you were taught. Maybe you should brush up on the others.
-[ ] You're naturally talented at enchantment; so far, this just amounts to being able to make your desk meow for about an hour. See if you can improve on that, or at least figure out a way to make that useful.

I'd rather go with enchantment over anything else if we take the sword action this turn. Otherwise, we've still got a couple of spells we can revise into usefulness. I'd prefer not to go with another Greatsword action just yet.

BoneyM said:
[ ] Home Comforts: Your Palace-Shrine is bursting with potential. And also mud.
-[ ] Diggy Diggy Hole: A wizard wielding a shovel is unnatural, but doing it yourself might be the only way to keep things secret. Clear out a new room of your Palace-Shrine by hand.
-[ ] Diggy Diggy Hole, Outsourced: Pay someone to do the digging, then Mindhole them on their way out. (no action required, -personal gold)
-[ ] Filled with Potential: You've got a room cleared out and ready to be put to use. Decide what you're going to put there.

I've got no idea what we'd want to do with the cleared room. Lab? Library? We don't really have the money for anything fancy at the moment, so I'm sort of lost. Outsourced digging is probably a good idea, though; no action and a chance of finding something cool is hard to pass up.

BoneyM said:
[ ] Research:
-[ ] This is Stirland. Time to bone up on your knowledge of the Undead.
-[ ] That damn Asp has still been quiet, but maybe it's just biding it's time. Finally admit it's existence to your contacts back in the College and see if they know anything that can help.
-[ ] As a Journeywoman, the path to Magister is marked by mastering more than the two shadow spells you already know. Send to the Grey Order for the basics and work on figuring out one of the others.
-[ ] As a Journeywoman, the path to mediocrity is marked by only learning spells created by others. Your relationship with Ulgu is between you and it. (create-a-spell, write in the effects, much more difficult than the above)

The Asp is a definite yes, since we just told the count that we'd be looking into it. Perhaps a magic action, if we can fit it? Undead research can wait, but if some particularly interested person wanted to fit it into their plan, they could make a fairly thematic turn featuring it and the castle undead action above.

BoneyM said:
[ ] Influence: Though you haven't taken these over (yet?) you could still spend some time to influence or tap into them. Write in what you would like to do with them.
- [ ] The Wurtbadian Thieves Guild is currently little more than a church group, albeit of a very unconventional god.
- [ ] Biderhof, a village based on woodcutting and agriculture, has adopted you as one of it's own.

Doesn't seem particularly worth it at the moment. If anyone has any particular ideas, though, I'm all ears.

Here's what I'm thinking:

[ ] Plan Unfinished Plan
-[ ] The Wurtbad Watch already has their ear to the ground. Make their information flow to you.
-[ ] Wurtbad, like all major cities, is home to a number of guilds. Reach out to them and enforce your will.
-[ ] A large number of Shyish-stained weapons were uncovered from the Barrow. Perhaps you should:
--[ ] Examine them yourself and see if they're useful, or dangerous, or both.
-[ ] You're naturally talented at enchantment; so far, this just amounts to being able to make your desk meow for about an hour. See if you can improve on that, or at least figure out a way to make that useful.
-[ ] Diggy Diggy Hole, Outsourced: Pay someone to do the digging, then Mindhole them on their way out. (no action required, -personal gold)
-[ ] Go to Altdorf:
--[ ] Van Hal is considering candidates for the post of Marshal, and he has asked you to vet them. Investigate them in person.
--[ ] That damn Asp has still been quiet, but maybe it's just biding it's time. Finally admit it's existence to your contacts back in the College and see if they know anything that can help.
--[ ] Letters Home: You might be able to wring more information out of your Master, or you might just be able to get news, information and guidance in general from the Grey Order.

@BoneyM, would I need to replace Letters Home with a write-in if I wanted to get the information in person?

Atam the Ork · Jan 28, 2018

BoneyM said:
Kasmir will be in Wurtbad a fair bit this turn, so you can write in asking for his assistance if you like.

Thank you

@TotallyNotEvil Do you mind adding this to your plan since it will improve our relationship with him and making it easier for people to talk if they see a Sigmar priest is with us

TotallyNotEvil · Jan 28, 2018

Ok, added Brother Kasmir to help us vet the staff.

Do people have a strong preferrence or another for the Blessing? I'm leaning towards the weapons because we might literally get a blessing from it and it has good odds of improving our enchanting skill if we succeed.

mrttao · Jan 28, 2018

I don't see the count allowing us both the renald cult thieves guild AND the monopolistic trade league. So if I have to choose one, I will go for the renald cult as it fits a lot better with us so far. Also remember it is only even an option because of a renald blessing backed critsuccess on contacting the thieves guild resulting in them receiving a prophecy about us. So let's dismantle the league and make a push for the cult instead.

[x] Plan Renald Cult
-[x] PREDECESSOR LOYALTY: I think that even if they were merely self serving and incompetent, it is not something we can risk betting on. A well entrenched spymaster could do a lot of damage if he really works with vampires. I think the risk of letting him go is too high.
-[x] PREDECESSOR APPROACH: The rot lives on; we must excise it.
-[x] STIRLANDIAN LEAGUE: Do not clasp the snake to your bosom. Destroy the League.
--[x] Stirland economy is in poor shape, and the league carries much of the blame. It completely cripples trade that it isn't doing, which in turn lets it prey on local businesses and cripple their growth as well, and its tax exemptions make things even worse. While it is a bit of a shame to lose out on such an impressive intelligence engine. We can still do our job without crippling the economy.
[x] As Per Orders: Perform your current assignment.
-[x] The Wurtbad Watch already has their ear to the ground. Make their information flow to you.
-[x] Personally vet everyone that works in the castle, and replace everyone you're not sure of the loyalties of.
--[x] Coordinate with Kasmir on this one
[x] Backtracking and Side Operations:
-[x] Van Hal is considering candidates for the post of Marshal, and he has asked you to vet them. Investigate them via correspondence.
-[x] A large number of Shyish-stained weapons were uncovered from the Barrow. Perhaps you should:
--[x] Examine them yourself and see if they're useful, or dangerous, or both.
[x] Research:
-[x] This is Stirland. Time to bone up on your knowledge of the Undead.
-[x] That damn Asp has still been quiet, but maybe it's just biding it's time. Finally admit it's existence to your contacts back in the College and see if they know anything that can help.
--[x] Renald Blessing
[x] Home Comforts: Your Palace-Shrine is bursting with potential. And also mud.
-[x] Diggy Diggy Hole, Outsourced: Pay someone to do the digging, then Mindhole them on their way out. (no action required, -personal gold)

Write to college about asp and asking for info about candidates. Study undead because it is stirland. Get those weapons vetted now because I don't trust others to do it and the sooner we do this the sooner they can be placed in the hands of the trusted fighters under the count and make a big difference in engagements.

Vetting the staff and expanding our network to the watch just makes sense. Diggy that doesn't require actions, because it doesn't require actions

Atam the Ork · Jan 28, 2018

@mrttao Hey since you are vetting staff do you mind adding to ask Kasmir to help to help improve our relationship with him

Alliterate · Jan 28, 2018

I

Seventeen said:
"Widen the local network" is pretty straightforward direction, thankfully. It cuts the Found a Trade Guild and Western Stirland options, because they're not based in Wurtbad, while investigating the castle workforce and following up on Kasmir's report aren't expanding the network. Wurtbad Watch and the city guilds, it is.

Marshal candidates is probably the second or third priority after taking actions towards our assignment, so that's in. I'd like to go personally, both because that's what Van Hal wants and because I prefer an actual scene to reading a letter. Castle zombies are obviously keeping for now (if with a bit of a stench), but if we can fit it in either the Anton action or looking at the weapons would be a good idea, I think.

We definitely want to collect some lieutenants, but I'm not sure where from just yet. Nothing else seems particularly necessary at the moment, although personally I'd like to do Letters Home sooner rather than later. Remember, the only information we have on the person or organisation that put us here is that they wanted to know about Anton -- getting a clue, anything at all, from our Master would put us a lot closer to learning more about them.

I'd rather go with enchantment over anything else if we take the sword action this turn. Otherwise, we've still got a couple of spells we can revise into usefulness. I'd prefer not to go with another Greatsword action just yet.

I've got no idea what we'd want to do with the cleared room. Lab? Library? We don't really have the money for anything fancy at the moment, so I'm sort of lost. Outsourced digging is probably a good idea, though; no action and a chance of finding something cool is hard to pass up.

The Asp is a definite yes, since we just told the count that we'd be looking into it. Perhaps a magic action, if we can fit it? Undead research can wait, but if some particularly interested person wanted to fit it into their plan, they could make a fairly thematic turn featuring it and the castle undead action above.

Doesn't seem particularly worth it at the moment. If anyone has any particular ideas, though, I'm all ears.

Here's what I'm thinking:

[ ] Plan Unfinished Plan
-[ ] The Wurtbad Watch already has their ear to the ground. Make their information flow to you.
-[ ] Wurtbad, like all major cities, is home to a number of guilds. Reach out to them and enforce your will.
-[ ] A large number of Shyish-stained weapons were uncovered from the Barrow. Perhaps you should:
--[ ] Examine them yourself and see if they're useful, or dangerous, or both.
-[ ] You're naturally talented at enchantment; so far, this just amounts to being able to make your desk meow for about an hour. See if you can improve on that, or at least figure out a way to make that useful.
-[ ] Diggy Diggy Hole, Outsourced: Pay someone to do the digging, then Mindhole them on their way out. (no action required, -personal gold)
-[ ] Go to Altdorf:
--[ ] Van Hal is considering candidates for the post of Marshal, and he has asked you to vet them. Investigate them in person.
--[ ] That damn Asp has still been quiet, but maybe it's just biding it's time. Finally admit it's existence to your contacts back in the College and see if they know anything that can help.
--[ ] Letters Home: You might be able to wring more information out of your Master, or you might just be able to get news, information and guidance in general from the Grey Order.

@BoneyM, would I need to replace Letters Home with a write-in if I wanted to get the information in person?

I could definitely get behind Enchanting practise alongside sword checking. I see synergies there. But... let's get on top the castle staff. I think it's a higher priority than guilds, and we're not just vetting the staff- we're *recruiting* some of them and replacing others with our agents.

And don't forget the blessing. Asp or swords, probably.

TotallyNotEvil · Jan 28, 2018

Seventeen said:
"Widen the local network" pretty straightforward direction, thankfully. It cuts the Found a Trade Guild and Western Stirland options, because they're not based in Wurtbad, while investigating the castle workforce and following up on Kasmir's report aren't expanding the network. Wurtbad Watch and the city guilds, it is.

I read that as widening the *Stirland* network, but I was also divided between castle and guilds.

However, the guilds will keep. The castle staff being compromise means it's a terrifying breach of security.

It's also under "Do your Job". So I'm pretty sure it counts.

@edit: And reading the option, Western Stirland is the Count's backyard.

I'm not terribly attached to it, could go for guilds too.

Seventeen said:
[ ] Plan Unfinished Plan

I've proposed a plan essentially identical to this.

Boney · Jan 28, 2018

Seventeen said:
@BoneyM, would I need to replace Letters Home with a write-in if I wanted to get the information in person?

I'd assume that was what was meant, but it's always best to write-in details like that.

mrttao · Jan 28, 2018

Atam the Ork said:
@mrttao Hey since you are vetting staff do you mind adding to ask Kasmir to help to help improve our relationship with him

Ok, sure.

Also, where should I put renald blessing? I am thinking the ASP or the candidate vetting

edit: done. added kasmir and put blessing on asp

Seventeen · Jan 28, 2018

TotallyNotEvil said:
I've proposed a plan essentially identical to this.

Two actions difference is a lot when the plans only have six or seven actions. Not nearly close enough for me.

Alliterate · Jan 28, 2018

TotallyNotEvil said:
I read that as widening the *Stirland* network, but I was also divided between castle and guilds.

However, the guilds will keep. The castle staff being compromise means it's a terrifying breach of security.

It's also under "Do your Job". So I'm pretty sure it counts.

I've proposed a plan essentially identical to this.

I do like your plan... would you consider replacing western stirland with Enchantment practise? It synergies really well with the swords ("how were they made?"), going to Altdorf, digging out an Enchantment lab, buying some tools in Altdorf...

TotallyNotEvil · Jan 28, 2018

Alliterate said:
I do like your plan... would you consider replacing western stirland with Enchantment practise? It synergies really well with the swords ("how were they made?"), going to Altdorf, digging out an Enchantment lab, buying some tools in Altdorf...

I'm sorely tempted, but my thinking is that the weapons will still be there if we want them as aid to enchanting.

Getting a network up and running ASAP is weight more heavily thant that.

But again, sorely tempted. If people feel like Enchanting in favor of Wester Stirland, I will swap it.

veekie · Jan 28, 2018

Brief assessment, then work, then actual vote.

[ ] Weigh in - write-ins justifying a decision will have much greater weight. No action point expenditure.
-[ ] PREDECESSOR LOYALTY: Their self-serving nature and incompetence only gave the Von Carsteins an opportunity.
-[ ] PREDECESSOR LOYALTY: I believe that they were truly suborned by the Von Carsteins.

I'm like 70% sure he's suborned. The setup is just too perfect with the Carsteins knowing things like where our ledgers are hidden and how to take them outunnoticed, etc.

-[ ] PREDECESSOR APPROACH: The damage is done; we must repair it.
-[ ] PREDECESSOR APPROACH: The rot lives on; we must excise it.

Personally leaning towards excise. If they are subverted by vampires, that also means undead spies and agents on top of the living ones. Where we might tolerate some agents, the undead are intolerable.

-[ ] STIRLANDIAN LEAGUE: Do not clasp the snake to your bosom. Destroy the League.
-[ ] STIRLANDIAN LEAGUE: Do not waste such a potent resource. Claim the League.

Thus as with the above, the League has to be dismantled. An intelligence resource you can neither trace nor trust is poison.

Boney · Jan 28, 2018

If not investigated this turn, you will have been sitting on the weapons for a year without doing anything. I'm not saying that this will attract attention, but if it does it would be difficult to justify.

veekie · Jan 28, 2018

mrttao said:
-[x] Van Hal is considering candidates for the post of Marshal, and he has asked you to vet them. Investigate them via correspondence.

Uh, our boss said he prefers us going in person even if we have to leave the city for a while

TotallyNotEvil · Jan 28, 2018

veekie said:
Brief assessment, then work, then actual vote.

Warhammer Fantasy: Divided Loyalties - an Advisor's Quest

Recent threadmarks

Recent threadmarks

Recent threadmarks

Recent threadmarks

Recent threadmarks

Recent threadmarks

Alliterate

Boney

Dadarian

The King of Queen's

Atam the Ork

Siual

Boney

Seventeen

Atam the Ork

TotallyNotEvil

mrttao

Atam the Ork

Alliterate

TotallyNotEvil

Boney

mrttao

Seventeen

Alliterate

TotallyNotEvil

veekie

Boney

veekie

TotallyNotEvil

DarkLight140

Credit to Team

mrttao

Siual

Recent threadmarks

Recent threadmarks

Recent threadmarks

Recent threadmarks

Recent threadmarks

Recent threadmarks