Remove ads

Warhammer Fantasy: Divided Loyalties - an Advisor's Quest

Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
Reader mode
I'll also point out that there are written reports, so you can have a well-crafted sentence or two as the spoken report and any infodumps you feel that Van Hal needs in the paperwork.
 
Veekie, your report is assuming the infiltrators are vampire-enhanced and the one pawing at the door is a vampire on basically no evidence. I know this is Stirland and it's usually vampires, but it's not always vampires.

Also you're shading Berthold's report to be 'The Sigmarite order is abusive and zealous' and not 'Berthold is friends with people who beat peasants for not knowing Sigmarite canon chapter and verse.' Those are different things. Since I very much don't want Berthold as the military advisor (his Order was deliberately xenophobic and refused to even converse with us, his friends beat people like us for laughs, he himself will very likely hold a grudge for us knocking him unconscious), you recommending him worries me.
 
Guile said:
Veekie, your report is assuming the infiltrators are vampire-enhanced and the one pawing at the door is a vampire on basically no evidence. I know this is Stirland and it's usually vampires, but it's not always vampires.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
This is based on Van Hal's own analysis last update:
As he said:
-Not undead - They bleed
-Not shapeshifters - Their corpse is human
-Not magic - We checked
-Some vampire bloodlines allow enhancements of mortal servitors. The Von Carsteins are not known for using it much, but it's not something they're forbidden to.

Ergo, Occam's razor, it's a Renfield variant.

-The door was hammered by:
--Something human enough to have human mannerisms of frustration
--Something strong enough to shake a locked, MAGICALLY locked and extremely heavy door which we have trouble with even the locking bar of.
--Something smart enough to run away when the Greatswords show up.
--Something smart enough to run away from Greatsword and thus strong enough to think they can kill a Runefang wielding Elector Count AND a Journeyman Wizard and get away with it.

This rules out:
-Human - Too weak
-Monstrous undead - Too dumb, too inhuman, too slow
-Necromancer - Any spellcaster would be able to identify that the door is magically locked and thus go for a dispel rather than pound it vigorously for an extended period.
-Chaos Spawn - Being strong AND running away does not align with any typical mutant or beastman category
-Orc - Aside from having never SEEN an orc they would be rather distinct.

Which leaves well...its either a Vampire or a bloody Tomb King. Not many Tomb Kings in Stirland. Probably not a daemon

He's a guy with Learning significantly higher than us, who's specialized in the Undead. His analysis is solid given the facts as much as a PhD in Undead could be.
Also you're shading Berthold's report to be 'The Sigmarite order is abusive and zealous' and not 'Berthold is friends with people who beat peasants for not knowing Sigmarite canon chapter and verse.' Those are different things. Since I very much don't want Berthold as the military advisor (his Order was deliberately xenophobic and refused to even converse with us, his friends beat people like us for laughs, he himself will very likely hold a grudge for us knocking him unconscious), you recommending him worries me.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I'd adjust the phrasing for that bit, however, we have to consider our employer's PoV as a devout sigmarite himself facing a lot of subversion hazards.

I cannot in good faith recommend against Berthold because he solves many of Van Hal's issues, even though he's inconvenient to us. And Van Hal recognizes that.

At the same time we're well aware of our economic state. Otto has expensive habits, given his experiments. While he's convenient for US, we have to lay out the flaws. Though I'd admit that the wunderwaffen he's working on would make fighting necromancers and vampires much easier, if only by relying on less mortal soldiers they can reanimate

And then in this country leading from the front with a gun means we'd need a newer Marshal soon after. It'd be the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor spot.
 
Last edited:
veekie said:
This is based on Van Hal's own analysis last update:
As he said:
-Not undead - They bleed
-Not shapeshifters - Their corpse is human
-Not magic - We checked
-Some vampire bloodlines allow enhancements of mortal servitors. The Von Carsteins are not known for using it much, but it's not something they're forbidden to.

Ergo, Occam's razor, it's a Renfield variant.

-The door was hammered by:
--Something human enough to have human mannerisms of frustration
--Something strong enough to shake a locked, MAGICALLY locked and extremely heavy door which we have trouble with even the locking bar of.
--Something smart enough to run away when the Greatswords show up.
--Something smart enough to run away from Greatsword and thus strong enough to think they can kill a Runefang wielding Elector Count AND a Journeyman Wizard and get away with it.

This rules out:
-Human - Too weak
-Monstrous undead - Too dumb, too inhuman, too slow
-Necromancer - Any spellcaster would be able to identify that the door is magically locked and thus go for a dispel rather than pound it vigorously for an extended period.
-Chaos Spawn - Being strong AND running away does not align with any typical mutant or beastman category
-Orc - Aside from having never SEEN an orc they would be rather distinct.

Which leaves well...its either a Vampire or a bloody Tomb King. Not many Tomb Kings in Stirland.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I don't know Warhammer well enough to refute any of this. To me, 'inhumanly fast and strong but still bleeds' could be a variety of things.
He's a guy with Learning significantly higher than us, who's specialized in the Undead. His analysis is solid given the facts as much as a PhD in Undead could be.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Van Hal specifically said the infiltrators 'could be humans enchanted ahead of time, could be mutants, could be empowered servants of vampires.' Van Hal never said a word about the thing at the door.
I'd adjust the phrasing for that bit, however, we have to consider our employer's PoV as a devout sigmarite himself facing a lot of subversion hazards.

I cannot in good faith recommend against Berthold because he solves many of Van Hal's issues
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
You're advising to put a guy who pals around with people who beats non-Sigmarites in charge of an army composed of like 3/4ths non-Sigmarites. He solves one issue (doughty, unlikely to be subverted by vampires) with several others.
 
Okay, this cuts things down to the minimum words that I could manage and eventually segues from talking into general points to be made. That said, hopefully it's both comprehensive and comprehensible.


[x] [General Report] Plan Short And Simple
-[x] Efforts to build our intelligence network have produced some results. Munzhausen and Purgg are now sending regular reports our way and the Watch here in Wurtbad will provide intelligence on anything suspicious. Checking the castle staff for infiltrators found some rather dramatically; unfortunately I can't guarantee that they were the only ones.
-[x] The blades we recovered from the mound aren't usable as weapons and would kill anyone who tried to use them that way in short order. Studying them for potential magical applications might produce useful results, but that will take funding and years of work.
-[x] Our written report should include more detailed information on the expansion of our network as well as a note on our failed attempt to gain contacts in a timely fashion in Wörden.

[x] [Incident Report] Plan Two Sentences And Kasmir
-[x] A fairly extensive interviewing process of the castle staff eventually found one spy based upon an inconsistency in his story, who attacked with unnatural speed when he realized he was discovered. At least two others revealed themselves in the aftermath, but we still haven't fully determined what exactly happened or identified the infiltrators' nature.
-[x] Kasmir, next time I attempt to call upon your expertise, please provide it.

[x] [One-on-One Report] Plan Small Items Of Concern
-[x] Request Van Hal's support in our efforts to purge the castle of infiltrators and track down their source over the next few months.
-[x] Ask Van Hal if he can explain what's happened with the East Wing. Unless it's a known variable it's a potential threat and we can't consider the castle safe.
-[x] See if he has any recommendations for finding reliable lieutenants.
-[x] If he ever has spare money, we want to build and equip a concealed wizard's lab. We consider our having a well-equipped enchanter's lab and a plentiful supply of reagents to be in Stirland's interest, as is concealing its existence and location from anyone who might consider us a target (read: absolutely everyone).

[x] [Marshal Candidates] Plan Everything Turns Up Gustav
-[x] Tell Van Hal everything we know and how we found it out, in private
-[x] Recommend Gustav on the grounds that Berthold will clash with Morrites and de facto encourage proscribed cults by making all non-Sigmar religions seem less legitimate, while Otto will soak up money that the County can ill afford. Gustav is reckless, but both capable and well-loved; Stirland needs competent, popular leadership right now.

[x] [Options] Plan There Are Really Only Two Important Things Happening Here
-[x] The servants. Is there even any reason to suggest any other course of investigation?
-[x] The disappearance of your predecessor is very concerning, especially since he's actively trying to sabotage the hunt for him. He must be found, and you've got a lead: Julbach.
 
Last edited:
[X] [General Report] Plan Public Interests
[X] [Incident Report] Plan Limited Facts
[X] [One-on-One Report] Plan Darkened Wing
[X] [Marshal candidates] Plan Fair Reviews
[X] [Options] Infiltrators and Masterminds
 
[x] [General Report] Plan Short And Simple
[x] [Incident Report] Plan Two Sentences And Kasmir
[x] [One-on-One Report] Plan Small Items Of Concern
[x] [Marshal Candidates] Plan Everything Turns Up Gustav
[x] [Options] Plan There Are Really Only Two Important Things Happening Here

I'm willing to vote for this, but I'd suggest amending 'Plan Short and Simple' to include mention of the place that was being deliberately or non-deliberately drowned in red tape. I'm also not sure about calling Kasmir to the mat in the Incident Report, unless the Incident Report is also in private with Van Hal. Such a comment seems like it would come better from the head honcho.
 
Last edited:
[X] [General Report] Plan Public Interests

[X] [Incident Report] Plan Limited Facts

[X] [One-on-One Report] Plan Darkened Wing

[x] [Marshal Candidates] Plan Everything Turns Up Gustav

[X] [Options] Infiltrators and Masterminds

My opinion changes faster and more frequently then the tides!
Adhoc vote count started by Lupercal on Jan 31, 2018 at 10:16 PM, finished with 85 posts and 16 votes.
  • [X] [Options] Infiltrators and Masterminds
    -[X] The servants. Is there even any reason to suggest any other course of investigation?
    -[X] Drakenhof. The servants were pawns. You should study the hidden hand.
    -[X] Your predecessor is still out there, doing gods know what, being in league with gods know what. And you've got a lead: Julbach.
    -[X] The Stirlandian League is a cancer eating at Stirland's economy, and it must be destroyed.
    -[X] You've got a whole bunch of friends now, but you could always use more!
    [X] [Marshal candidates] Report our findings to the Count plainly and objectively in private. Recommend the Count to retain the pistolier as military advisor as he is neutral in faith, well liked among his peers, brave even against monsters, and most likely to obey orders competently and without distraction. Which is the most important as the army is in dire need of stable progress and not funny business.
    [X] [Marshal candidates] Plan Fair Reviews
    -[X] Sir Berthold of the Order of the Hammer of Sigmar - "His friends in the Order themselves are fairly zealous in their belief in Sigmar, which makes Berthold difficult to subvert to the cause of the many, many ills that plague this land, but at the same time they are intolerant and abusive to those of other, legitimate beliefs. Berthold himself was never seen physically abusing anyone in that manner however, but you can expect some significant friction with the Morrite and Ulrican members of the army if he follows the lead of his friends. "
    -[X] Outrider Champion Gustav von Jungfreud - "Gustav himself is well loved by his fellows, and reputed to be a skilled fighter with his pistols, but is noted to brave to the point of recklessness and puts himself at the front of every battle."
    -[X] Master Engineer Otto of Nuln - "Otto is a bonafide genius in his field, with many proven credentials , and ambitious regarding his projects. However, he is the picture of a disorganized, eccentric engineer, with no noted military accomplishments beyond his brilliance. I suspect his goal with this assignment would be mainly to test his creations in the field, to see them put into mass deployment, or to make something particularly impressive they were reluctant to fund him for."
    -[X] Recommendation - "I'd note that all of these would have major complications, but I would say either Berthold, for his devotion to Sigmar and thus resilience to vampire wiles, or Otto, for improving the quality of arms and equipment. Depends a lot on where you prefer your headaches to be, since Berthold is likely to cause troubles with diplomacy and morale, while Otto would probably hurt your budget, your Grace."
    [X] [Options] Infiltrators and Masterminds
    [X] [General Report] "I've spoken to the Watch and convinced them to proactively report when they see cultists and other funny business, so that I don't have to spend weeks reading through their record-books again to find when something happened. I've also been to Munzhausen, Purgg, and Wörden to recruit informants, but I only found useful and cooperative people in the first two. Wörden was a bureaucratic tangle of 'I don't have the authority', 'This isn't my business', 'Who are you anyway?' and 'He's away, ask tomorrow'. Finally, I interviewed the palace servants and was attacked by one definite infiltrator, finding another likely infiltrator, and I wasn't even halfway through, which suggests there are several more. But I'll get to that in a moment. What I'd like now is for Van Hal, Wilhelmina or possibly Champion Markus to recommend me some trustworthy people I can start delegating to, because right now I need a loyal assistant more than I need a skilled spy."
    [X] [Incident Report] Plan Limited Facts
    [X] [General Report] Plan Public Interests
    [X] [One-on-One Report] Plan Darkened Wing
    [X] [One-on-One Report] Plan Darkened Wing
    -[X] "As per our previous discussion, the two servants seem likely to be vampire enhanced servants, and we can likely find out more by interrogating the surviving one. I've taken the liberty to imply that both of them were slain in the ensuing struggle, so as to reduce the risks of an attempt to silence the survivor before you're done with them if we're being listened in on at council."
    -[X] "As I understand it, the vampire themselves must be in reasonably frequent contact to maintain such a relation, while the last attacker was most likely the vampire themselves, considering the sheer strength exhibited. If they responded within an hour of the incident, they pretty much have to reside within the castle itself. I suspect the East Wing may be where they are based, but can't be certain."
    -[X] "Additionally, considering the increasing load of managing our informants, I'd also like to request for some trusted and reasonably discreet recommendations to help coordinate the information. I've also gotten some materials on dealing with the snake mentioned previous."
    [X] [General Report] Plan Public Interests
    -[X] "I've spoken to the Watch and gotten them to report to me any unusual events, so we're less likely to have to deal with things like our entire tax record being carried out through the city gates. I've also been to Munzhausen, Purgg, and Wörden to recruit informants, but I only found useful and cooperative people in the first two. Wörden was a bureaucratic tangle of 'I don't have the authority', 'This isn't my business', 'Who are you anyway?' and 'He's away, ask tomorrow'."
    -[X] "I've also gotten the magic weapons checked out unfortunately, they are currently closer to small bombs of pure Shyish energies than true enchanted weapons, barring further research to put them to use, and could become dangerous over time if not kept sealed in lead or steel, at least when kept outside of a Shyish charged atmosphere like a tomb or the Amethyst College. I suspect this might be part of a ploy with the ledgers to get our people to wield valuable seeming weapons that could kill the wielder if the enchantment was disturbed. Further study could turn them to good use however. It would take time."
    -[X] "Finally, there was an incident with a couple of spies in the palace servants, but their backers remain inconclusive after I was forced to kill them when they came after me."
    [X] [Private Report] "Item one, the snake. It's still lurking, but while I was in Altdorf, I was able to obtain a copy of one of Leonardo's books that should help me get rid of it. Item two, the barrow-swords. They're absorbing and draining magic; having lain in the barrow they've absorbed practically pure Shyish. Now that we have them outside the barrow, they're likely to absorb all the winds and eventually rot to Dhar unless we either seal them away in an appropriate chamber or simply put them back in the barrow for the time being. It's not a structured enchantment, but a very volatile one, apt to destroy the weapon and injure the wielder as things currently stand, so they're no good to us right now. On the other hand, it's also a very unusual enchantment, doing things with Shyish that I can't recall enchanters ever doing before, which is very interesting and perhaps profitable. You could store them until a better time, sell them to the Amethyst Order, or, perhaps, depending on how much you need my other duties, simply have me look at them, as I studied enchantment. It would take proper tools, though, which brings me to item three. Would you consider allowing me to use part of my budget to set up a proper enchantment-laboratory, whether for the barrow-swords or other future projects? And finally, item four, I'd like to know what that business with the East Wing is."
    [X] [Marshal candidates] "All the candidates have significant flaws. First, Outrider Champion Gustav von Jungfreud is the one I favor the most. He's well-liked and undoubtedly skilled and brave, but perhaps foolishly brave and headstrong and liable to charging into danger. He's a front-line leader, not an army builder. There's a significant chance you'd have to replace him again in a few years. Second, Sir Berthold seems competent, but also overly zealous. I have not observed him personally striking anyone, but the local chapter of his order has a nasty habit of beating people who don't confess Sigmar, and then sometimes still beating even those who do confess Sigmar but stumble over the words. That's bad company to keep. He might improve away from them, or he might start a feud with the Morrites. And then, of course, there's the fact that I accidentally knocked him unconscious with magic. If you select him, I must advise that you give him strict instructions to focus his attention on the Army of Stirland and not on the Morrites or me. Finally, Master Engineer Otto is everything you'd expect from a Master Engineer of Nuln. Grandiose visions and brilliant mechanical projects and quite eccentric. He could be useful for modernizing our armaments and giving us new tricks against Sylvania and otherwise being useful in the long term, but likely expensive and I don't think he's what you need right now. You might consider retaining him in a separate position."
    [X] [Incident Report] "While interviewing the palace staff, one of them claimed to be related to one of my intelligence contacts. As it happens, said contact was a distant relative of mine and it was partly due to hearing his family tree that I'd won him over. So I started asking the staff about his relations, and noticed that his presentation of the family tree was inconsistent. When pressed on the point, the servant in question attacked me with vampire speed, though fortunately not vampire strength or resilience. I cut him open with my greatsword, he collapsed, and I cut off his head to be sure. That's the point where I ditched my bloodstained robe so that I'd only cause gossip rather than a panic, as well as not tipping off any other infiltrators there might be. Then I went to the courtyard to try enlist the aid of the Greatswords I had seen there previously. That was the point where I tried to fling a dart to tap Markus on the shoulder, missed, and knocked Berthold on the head. Since that was getting a lot more attention than I'd intended, I went to look for the Elector Count instead. On the way I saw one of the staff I'd interviewed earlier fiddling with the lock and trying to get into the room where I'd locked the first infiltrator, so I knocked the second one unconscious and left her in there too. Then I went to see the Count, Markus came to see the Count, and we barricaded ourselves in until the rest of the Greatswords came back. During that time, something very strong - probably a vampire - tried quite intently to beat the office door down and got nowhere. Allow me to say how much I appreciate that door, my liege."
    [X] [Incident Report] Plan Limited Facts
    -[X] "As everyone is likely well aware, there were infiltrators in the castle amongst the castle servants, with cover stories that held up until they tried to claim familiarity with someone I personally knew. They do not seem to be undead or shapeshifters upon being killed, but there is at least one more supernaturally strong being that tried to break into the Study to assault Van Hal and myself before the Greatswords chased them off."
    -[X] "I would like to work with Kasmir, and preferably additional Morrite and Shallyan priests of the servants' claimed faiths to further vet the remaining castle servants, as their professed religious beliefs seem a little odd for Stirlanders. There should be more Sigmarites by proportion in the province, and it would be too convenient to have most of the servants claiming beliefs which their interviewer cannot personally verify."
    [X] [Marshal candidates] Plan Fair Reviews
    [x] [Marshal Candidates] Plan Everything Turns Up Gustav
    -[x] Tell Van Hal everything we know and how we found it out, in private
    -[x] Recommend Gustav on the grounds that Berthold will clash with Morrites and de facto encourage proscribed cults by making all non-Sigmar religions seem less legitimate, while Otto will soak up money that the County can ill afford. Gustav is reckless, but both capable and well-loved; Stirland needs competent, popular leadership right now.
    [x] [Incident Report] Plan Two Sentences And Kasmir
    [x] [Marshal Candidates] Plan Everything Turns Up Gustav
    [x] [One-on-One Report] Plan
    [x] [Incident Report] Plan Two Sentences And Kasmir
    -[x] A fairly extensive interviewing process of the castle staff eventually found one spy based upon an inconsistency in his story, who attacked with unnatural speed when he realized he was discovered. At least two others revealed themselves in the aftermath, but we still haven't fully determined what exactly happened or identified the infiltrators' nature.
    -[x] Kasmir, next time I attempt to call upon your expertise, please provide it.
    [x] [General Report] Plan Short And Simple
    [x] [Options] Plan There Are Really Only Two Important Things Happening Here
    -[X] The servants. Is there even any reason to suggest any other course of investigation?
    -[x] The disappearance of your predecessor is very concerning, especially since he's actively trying to sabotage the hunt for him. He must be found, and you've got a lead: Julbach.
    [x] [One-on-One Report] Plan Small Items Of Concern
    -[x] Request Van Hal's support in our efforts to purge the castle of infiltrators and track down their source over the next few months.
    -[x] Ask Van Hal if he can explain what's happened with the East Wing. Unless it's a known variable it's a potential threat and we can't consider the castle safe.
    -[x] See if he has any recommendations for finding reliable lieutenants.
    -[x] If he ever has spare money, we want to build and equip a concealed wizard's lab. We consider our having a well-equipped enchanter's lab and a plentiful supply of reagents to be in Stirland's interest, as is concealing its existence and location from anyone who might consider us a target.
    [x] [General Report] Plan Short And Simple
    -[x] Efforts to build our intelligence network have produced some results. Munzhausen and Purgg are now sending regular reports our way and the Watch here in Wurtbad will provide intelligence on anything suspicious. Checking the castle staff for infiltrators found some rather dramatically; unfortunately I can't guarantee that they were the only ones.
    -[x] The blades we recovered from the mound aren't usable as weapons and would kill anyone who tried to use them that way in short order. Studying them for potential magical applications might produce useful results, but that will take funding and years of work.
    [x] [Options] Plan There Are Really Only Two Important Things Happening Here
Click to expand...

Adhoc vote count started by Lupercal on Jan 31, 2018 at 10:21 PM, finished with 88 posts and 18 votes.
  • [X] [Options] Infiltrators and Masterminds
    -[X] The servants. Is there even any reason to suggest any other course of investigation?
    -[X] Drakenhof. The servants were pawns. You should study the hidden hand.
    -[X] Your predecessor is still out there, doing gods know what, being in league with gods know what. And you've got a lead: Julbach.
    -[X] The Stirlandian League is a cancer eating at Stirland's economy, and it must be destroyed.
    -[X] You've got a whole bunch of friends now, but you could always use more!
    [X] [Marshal candidates] Report our findings to the Count plainly and objectively in private. Recommend the Count to retain the pistolier as military advisor as he is neutral in faith, well liked among his peers, brave even against monsters, and most likely to obey orders competently and without distraction. Which is the most important as the army is in dire need of stable progress and not funny business.
    [X] [General Report] Plan Public Interests
    [X] [Options] Infiltrators and Masterminds
    [X] [One-on-One Report] Plan Darkened Wing
    [X] [Incident Report] Plan Limited Facts
    [x] [Marshal Candidates] Plan Everything Turns Up Gustav
    [X] [General Report] "I've spoken to the Watch and convinced them to proactively report when they see cultists and other funny business, so that I don't have to spend weeks reading through their record-books again to find when something happened. I've also been to Munzhausen, Purgg, and Wörden to recruit informants, but I only found useful and cooperative people in the first two. Wörden was a bureaucratic tangle of 'I don't have the authority', 'This isn't my business', 'Who are you anyway?' and 'He's away, ask tomorrow'. Finally, I interviewed the palace servants and was attacked by one definite infiltrator, finding another likely infiltrator, and I wasn't even halfway through, which suggests there are several more. But I'll get to that in a moment. What I'd like now is for Van Hal, Wilhelmina or possibly Champion Markus to recommend me some trustworthy people I can start delegating to, because right now I need a loyal assistant more than I need a skilled spy."
    [X] [Marshal candidates] Plan Fair Reviews
    -[X] Sir Berthold of the Order of the Hammer of Sigmar - "His friends in the Order themselves are fairly zealous in their belief in Sigmar, which makes Berthold difficult to subvert to the cause of the many, many ills that plague this land, but at the same time they are intolerant and abusive to those of other, legitimate beliefs. Berthold himself was never seen physically abusing anyone in that manner however, but you can expect some significant friction with the Morrite and Ulrican members of the army if he follows the lead of his friends. "
    -[X] Outrider Champion Gustav von Jungfreud - "Gustav himself is well loved by his fellows, and reputed to be a skilled fighter with his pistols, but is noted to brave to the point of recklessness and puts himself at the front of every battle."
    -[X] Master Engineer Otto of Nuln - "Otto is a bonafide genius in his field, with many proven credentials , and ambitious regarding his projects. However, he is the picture of a disorganized, eccentric engineer, with no noted military accomplishments beyond his brilliance. I suspect his goal with this assignment would be mainly to test his creations in the field, to see them put into mass deployment, or to make something particularly impressive they were reluctant to fund him for."
    -[X] Recommendation - "I'd note that all of these would have major complications, but I would say either Berthold, for his devotion to Sigmar and thus resilience to vampire wiles, or Otto, for improving the quality of arms and equipment. Depends a lot on where you prefer your headaches to be, since Berthold is likely to cause troubles with diplomacy and morale, while Otto would probably hurt your budget, your Grace."
    [X] [One-on-One Report] Plan Darkened Wing
    -[X] "As per our previous discussion, the two servants seem likely to be vampire enhanced servants, and we can likely find out more by interrogating the surviving one. I've taken the liberty to imply that both of them were slain in the ensuing struggle, so as to reduce the risks of an attempt to silence the survivor before you're done with them if we're being listened in on at council."
    -[X] "As I understand it, the vampire themselves must be in reasonably frequent contact to maintain such a relation, while the last attacker was most likely the vampire themselves, considering the sheer strength exhibited. If they responded within an hour of the incident, they pretty much have to reside within the castle itself. I suspect the East Wing may be where they are based, but can't be certain."
    -[X] "Additionally, considering the increasing load of managing our informants, I'd also like to request for some trusted and reasonably discreet recommendations to help coordinate the information. I've also gotten some materials on dealing with the snake mentioned previous."
    [X] [Incident Report] Plan Limited Facts
    -[X] "As everyone is likely well aware, there were infiltrators in the castle amongst the castle servants, with cover stories that held up until they tried to claim familiarity with someone I personally knew. They do not seem to be undead or shapeshifters upon being killed, but there is at least one more supernaturally strong being that tried to break into the Study to assault Van Hal and myself before the Greatswords chased them off."
    -[X] "I would like to work with Kasmir, and preferably additional Morrite and Shallyan priests of the servants' claimed faiths to further vet the remaining castle servants, as their professed religious beliefs seem a little odd for Stirlanders. There should be more Sigmarites by proportion in the province, and it would be too convenient to have most of the servants claiming beliefs which their interviewer cannot personally verify."
    [X] [General Report] Plan Public Interests
    -[X] "I've spoken to the Watch and gotten them to report to me any unusual events, so we're less likely to have to deal with things like our entire tax record being carried out through the city gates. I've also been to Munzhausen, Purgg, and Wörden to recruit informants, but I only found useful and cooperative people in the first two. Wörden was a bureaucratic tangle of 'I don't have the authority', 'This isn't my business', 'Who are you anyway?' and 'He's away, ask tomorrow'."
    -[X] "I've also gotten the magic weapons checked out unfortunately, they are currently closer to small bombs of pure Shyish energies than true enchanted weapons, barring further research to put them to use, and could become dangerous over time if not kept sealed in lead or steel, at least when kept outside of a Shyish charged atmosphere like a tomb or the Amethyst College. I suspect this might be part of a ploy with the ledgers to get our people to wield valuable seeming weapons that could kill the wielder if the enchantment was disturbed. Further study could turn them to good use however. It would take time."
    -[X] "Finally, there was an incident with a couple of spies in the palace servants, but their backers remain inconclusive after I was forced to kill them when they came after me."
    [X] [Private Report] "Item one, the snake. It's still lurking, but while I was in Altdorf, I was able to obtain a copy of one of Leonardo's books that should help me get rid of it. Item two, the barrow-swords. They're absorbing and draining magic; having lain in the barrow they've absorbed practically pure Shyish. Now that we have them outside the barrow, they're likely to absorb all the winds and eventually rot to Dhar unless we either seal them away in an appropriate chamber or simply put them back in the barrow for the time being. It's not a structured enchantment, but a very volatile one, apt to destroy the weapon and injure the wielder as things currently stand, so they're no good to us right now. On the other hand, it's also a very unusual enchantment, doing things with Shyish that I can't recall enchanters ever doing before, which is very interesting and perhaps profitable. You could store them until a better time, sell them to the Amethyst Order, or, perhaps, depending on how much you need my other duties, simply have me look at them, as I studied enchantment. It would take proper tools, though, which brings me to item three. Would you consider allowing me to use part of my budget to set up a proper enchantment-laboratory, whether for the barrow-swords or other future projects? And finally, item four, I'd like to know what that business with the East Wing is."
    [X] [Marshal candidates] "All the candidates have significant flaws. First, Outrider Champion Gustav von Jungfreud is the one I favor the most. He's well-liked and undoubtedly skilled and brave, but perhaps foolishly brave and headstrong and liable to charging into danger. He's a front-line leader, not an army builder. There's a significant chance you'd have to replace him again in a few years. Second, Sir Berthold seems competent, but also overly zealous. I have not observed him personally striking anyone, but the local chapter of his order has a nasty habit of beating people who don't confess Sigmar, and then sometimes still beating even those who do confess Sigmar but stumble over the words. That's bad company to keep. He might improve away from them, or he might start a feud with the Morrites. And then, of course, there's the fact that I accidentally knocked him unconscious with magic. If you select him, I must advise that you give him strict instructions to focus his attention on the Army of Stirland and not on the Morrites or me. Finally, Master Engineer Otto is everything you'd expect from a Master Engineer of Nuln. Grandiose visions and brilliant mechanical projects and quite eccentric. He could be useful for modernizing our armaments and giving us new tricks against Sylvania and otherwise being useful in the long term, but likely expensive and I don't think he's what you need right now. You might consider retaining him in a separate position."
    [X] [Incident Report] "While interviewing the palace staff, one of them claimed to be related to one of my intelligence contacts. As it happens, said contact was a distant relative of mine and it was partly due to hearing his family tree that I'd won him over. So I started asking the staff about his relations, and noticed that his presentation of the family tree was inconsistent. When pressed on the point, the servant in question attacked me with vampire speed, though fortunately not vampire strength or resilience. I cut him open with my greatsword, he collapsed, and I cut off his head to be sure. That's the point where I ditched my bloodstained robe so that I'd only cause gossip rather than a panic, as well as not tipping off any other infiltrators there might be. Then I went to the courtyard to try enlist the aid of the Greatswords I had seen there previously. That was the point where I tried to fling a dart to tap Markus on the shoulder, missed, and knocked Berthold on the head. Since that was getting a lot more attention than I'd intended, I went to look for the Elector Count instead. On the way I saw one of the staff I'd interviewed earlier fiddling with the lock and trying to get into the room where I'd locked the first infiltrator, so I knocked the second one unconscious and left her in there too. Then I went to see the Count, Markus came to see the Count, and we barricaded ourselves in until the rest of the Greatswords came back. During that time, something very strong - probably a vampire - tried quite intently to beat the office door down and got nowhere. Allow me to say how much I appreciate that door, my liege."
    [x] [General Report] Plan Short And Simple
    [x] [Options] Plan There Are Really Only Two Important Things Happening Here
    [x] [Incident Report] Plan Two Sentences And Kasmir
    [X] [Marshal candidates] Plan Fair Reviews
    [x] [Options] Plan There Are Really Only Two Important Things Happening Here
    -[X] The servants. Is there even any reason to suggest any other course of investigation?
    -[x] The disappearance of your predecessor is very concerning, especially since he's actively trying to sabotage the hunt for him. He must be found, and you've got a lead: Julbach.
    [x] [Marshal Candidates] Plan Everything Turns Up Gustav
    -[x] Tell Van Hal everything we know and how we found it out, in private
    -[x] Recommend Gustav on the grounds that Berthold will clash with Morrites and de facto encourage proscribed cults by making all non-Sigmar religions seem less legitimate, while Otto will soak up money that the County can ill afford. Gustav is reckless, but both capable and well-loved; Stirland needs competent, popular leadership right now.
    [x] [One-on-One Report] Plan Small Items Of Concern
    -[x] Request Van Hal's support in our efforts to purge the castle of infiltrators and track down their source over the next few months.
    -[x] Ask Van Hal if he can explain what's happened with the East Wing. Unless it's a known variable it's a potential threat and we can't consider the castle safe.
    -[x] See if he has any recommendations for finding reliable lieutenants.
    -[x] If he ever has spare money, we want to build and equip a concealed wizard's lab. We consider our having a well-equipped enchanter's lab and a plentiful supply of reagents to be in Stirland's interest, as is concealing its existence and location from anyone who might consider us a target.
    [x] [One-on-One Report] Plan
    [x] [Incident Report] Plan Two Sentences And Kasmir
    -[x] A fairly extensive interviewing process of the castle staff eventually found one spy based upon an inconsistency in his story, who attacked with unnatural speed when he realized he was discovered. At least two others revealed themselves in the aftermath, but we still haven't fully determined what exactly happened or identified the infiltrators' nature.
    -[x] Kasmir, next time I attempt to call upon your expertise, please provide it.
    [x] [General Report] Plan Short And Simple
    -[x] Efforts to build our intelligence network have produced some results. Munzhausen and Purgg are now sending regular reports our way and the Watch here in Wurtbad will provide intelligence on anything suspicious. Checking the castle staff for infiltrators found some rather dramatically; unfortunately I can't guarantee that they were the only ones.
    -[x] The blades we recovered from the mound aren't usable as weapons and would kill anyone who tried to use them that way in short order. Studying them for potential magical applications might produce useful results, but that will take funding and years of work.
    [x] [One-on-One Report] Plan Small Items Of Concern
    [x] Plan Concise
    -[x] [General Report] The Wurtbad Watch is now giving me information, albeit reluctantly. Worden was a bureaucratic tangle, giving me the runaround. May have been intentional or unintentional. The main thing I need is a trustworthy assistant, and could use candidates from Champion Markus, Van Hel, or Wilhelma.
    -[x] [Investigation Report] While interviewing the palace staff, I caught one of them out in a lie. He was faster than a normal human, but no more durable. I found another infiltrator trying to check up on the body. Also, I was only in my underthings because my robes were covered in blood and I didn't want to tip them off. There was at least a third infiltrator who tried to batter down the door into Van Hel's study, before it fled.
    -[x] [Marshal candidates] [Private] They're all flawed, but none are as bad as de Verezzo. Sir Berthold hangs out with zealots, the kind of people who beat anyone who's not a Sigmarite, or Sigmarites who they think aren't good enough. Master Engineer Otto is brilliant. However, he's likely to focus on his own inventions rather than more normal soldiery, and doesn't seem to have experience or skill in military matters. Outrider Champion Gustav von Jungfreud is brave and either incredibly lucky, incredibly skilled, or both. However, he's likely to favor charging enemies rather than actually leading the army in battle. I'd favor Jungfreud as the least bad option, followed by Otto. While neither is ideal, they're unlikely to actively damage the military. I'd advise against Berthold, as the military has a number of religions and he'd be liable to cause issues with the Morrites.
    -[x] [Private Report] I have a lead on getting rid of the snake. The barrow swords need to be put back in the crypt, put in proper storage, or sold to the Amethyst Order. I'd like to keep them for research purposes. I have talents in enchantment, and spending some of my budget would allow me to further research into that area. Finally, what's with the East Wing?
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
[x] [General Report] Plan Short And Simple
[x] [Incident Report] Plan Two Sentences And Kasmir
[x] [One-on-One Report] Plan Small Items Of Concern
[x] [Marshal Candidates] Plan Everything Turns Up Gustav
[x] [Options] Plan There Are Really Only Two Important Things Happening Here

Praise Sigmar, a short-ish plan that doesn't monologue.
 
Last edited:
[x] Plan Concise
-[x] [General Report] The Wurtbad Watch is now giving me information, albeit reluctantly. Worden was a bureaucratic tangle, giving me the runaround. May have been intentional or unintentional. The main thing I need is a trustworthy assistant, and could use candidates from Champion Markus, Van Hel, or Wilhelma.
-[x] [Investigation Report] While interviewing the palace staff, I caught one of them out in a lie. He was faster than a normal human, but no more durable. I found another infiltrator trying to check up on the body. Also, I was only in my underthings because my robes were covered in blood and I didn't want to tip them off. There was at least a third infiltrator who tried to batter down the door into Van Hel's study, before it fled.
-[x] [Marshal candidates] [Private] They're all flawed, but none are as bad as de Verezzo. Sir Berthold hangs out with zealots, the kind of people who beat anyone who's not a Sigmarite, or Sigmarites who they think aren't good enough. Master Engineer Otto is brilliant. However, he's likely to focus on his own inventions rather than more normal soldiery, and doesn't seem to have experience or skill in military matters. Outrider Champion Gustav von Jungfreud is brave and either incredibly lucky, incredibly skilled, or both. However, he's likely to favor charging enemies rather than actually leading the army in battle. I'd favor Jungfreud as the least bad option, followed by Otto. While neither is ideal, they're unlikely to actively damage the military. I'd advise against Berthold, as the military has a number of religions and he'd be liable to cause issues with the Morrites.
-[x] [Private Report] I have a lead on getting rid of the snake. The barrow swords need to be put back in the crypt, put in proper storage, or sold to the Amethyst Order. I'd like to keep them for research purposes. I have talents in enchantment, and spending some of my budget would allow me to further research into that area. Finally, what's with the East Wing?

[X] [Options] Infiltrators and Masterminds
-[X] The servants. Is there even any reason to suggest any other course of investigation?
-[X] Drakenhof. The servants were pawns. You should study the hidden hand.
-[X] Your predecessor is still out there, doing gods know what, being in league with gods know what. And you've got a lead: Julbach.
-[X] The Stirlandian League is a cancer eating at Stirland's economy, and it must be destroyed.
-[X] You've got a whole bunch of friends now, but you could always use more!
 
Guile said:
I'm willing to vote for this, but I'd suggest amending 'Plan Short and Simple' to include mention of the place that was being deliberately or non-deliberately drowned in red tape. I'm also not sure about calling Kasmir to the mat in the Incident Report, unless the Incident Report is also in private with Van Hal. Such a comment seems like it would come better from the head honcho.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Honestly, complaining about being drowned in red tape seemed foolish to me. We got a bad roll and failed to put together an intel network in the time allocated- why parade our failures, here? If we attempt to build contacts and fail again then we can start thinking enemy action but until then it seems unimportant to bring up.

I guess that's the sort of thing that we could put in the theoretical full detail written report. Will add a line about that.

Calling Kasmir to the mat isn't ideal, but frankly we can't let the fact that we asked for help finding infiltrators and he refused us go unreported, and I would rather do it to his face than behind his back. Van Hal is paranoid as hell and we know it; unless we actively believe that Kasmir is deliberately working against Stirland instead of simply being a dick, I don't want to prompt Van Hal to spend a personal action on investigating him.
 
Sure I'll actually vote for once instead of sometimes-lurk.

I am all for the death of any vote that's about shoving walls of words into a PC's mouth when not prompted/without good reason - I seperately feel like there are issues with existing votes that are not present in this one, but honestly that's a secondary goal to 'no, bad wall-of-wordsing, bad, bad trying-to-do-the-thing-the-QM-does, bad, I have the spray bottle, stop it!'.

[x] [General Report] Plan Short And Simple
[x] [Incident Report] Plan Two Sentences And Kasmir
[x] [One-on-One Report] Plan Small Items Of Concern
[x] [Marshal Candidates] Plan Everything Turns Up Gustav
[x] [Options] Plan There Are Really Only Two Important Things Happening Here
 
Last edited:
Also looks like plan Veekie is the one to beat, but I'll mention my problems with Exmorri's plan:

- There's a lot of cruft in the General Report and Incident Report, things we already told Van Hal. In particular it airs that we KO'd Berthold in front of the rest of the council, which seems unwise.
- The General Report suggests having other advisors funnel trustworthy people to us? Why would they do that, why would we trust them to know trustworthiness if they saw it (they aren't Intrigue characters), why wouldn't the 'trustworthy' people report everything they learn to the advisor who gave them to us?
- The Incident Report is claiming we're related to that village headman? I'm pretty sure that was a joke of BoneyM's, getting adopted.
- Incident Report also suggests Vampires when we don't know that for sure.
- The Private Report talks about the snake but has no new information for Van Hal, and the report on the swords suggests putting them back in the barrow - which has been cleaned and sanctified by Kasmir.
- It also asks for an enchanting lab, almost begging Van Hal to ask 'an enchanting lab where?'
 
[x] [General Report] Plan Short And Simple
[x] [Incident Report] Plan Two Sentences And Kasmir
[x] [One-on-One Report] Plan Small Items Of Concern
[x] [Marshal Candidates] Plan Everything Turns Up Gustav
[x] [Options] Plan There Are Really Only Two Important Things Happening Here
 
Guile said:
I don't know Warhammer well enough to refute any of this. To me, 'inhumanly fast and strong but still bleeds' could be a variety of things.

Van Hal specifically said the infiltrators 'could be humans enchanted ahead of time, could be mutants, could be empowered servants of vampires.' Van Hal never said a word about the thing at the door.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
However, we have a few issues:
-Humans enchanted ahead of time is busted. We can SEE magic, and any enchantment would be visible. Furthermore, such enchantment would not align with their incompetence

-Mutants we can disprove by their repeatability and visual inspection. Barring the direct intervention of a warp entity, you don't get repeatable mutations used as SERVANT infiltrators

-The thing at the door is not the same as the infiltrators. If that guy was that strong he'd have ripped us apart.
You're advising to put a guy who pals around with people who beats non-Sigmarites in charge of an army composed of like 3/4ths non-Sigmarites. He solves one issue (doughty, unlikely to be subverted by vampires) with several others.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
No, I'm advising that Otto might be the best, but will be expensive, while Berthold is cheaper, but comes with morale problems even if he's basically impossible to corrupt.

The budget is a very real issue.
 
veekie said:
-Mutants we can disprove by their repeatability and visual inspection. Barring the direct intervention of a warp entity, you don't get repeatable mutations used as SERVANT infiltrators
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
The repeatability of the one infiltrator that attacked us and the girl we caught trying to pick a door lock, bashed over the head and left in there? It's not like we gave them any but a cursory inspection.
No, I'm advising that Otto might be the best, but will be expensive, while Berthold is cheaper, but comes with morale problems even if he's basically impossible to corrupt.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
There's morale problems ("some friction"), and then there is 'This guy's BFFs launch gang beatings on Morrites and Ulrichites, exactly like the majority of his new army.'
 
Last edited:
Candidate aligns and topics are covered.

[x] [General Report] Plan Short And Simple
[x] [Incident Report] Plan Two Sentences And Kasmir
[x] [One-on-One Report] Plan Small Items Of Concern
[x] [Marshal Candidates] Plan Everything Turns Up Gustav
[x] [Options] Plan There Are Really Only Two Important Things Happening Here
 
[x] [General Report] Plan Short And Simple
[x] [Incident Report] Plan Two Sentences And Kasmir
[x] [One-on-One Report] Plan Small Items Of Concern
[x] [Marshal Candidates] Plan Everything Turns Up Gustav
[x] [Options] Plan There Are Really Only Two Important Things Happening Here
 
Guile said:
There's morale problems ("some friction"), and then there is 'This guy's BFFs launch gang beatings on Morrites and Ulrichites, exactly like the majority of his new army.'
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

And yet he had never done it himself.
Guile said:
The repeatability of the one infiltrator that attacked us and the girl we caught trying to pick a door lock, bashed over the head and left in there? It's not like we gave them any but a cursory inspection.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Uniques don't tend to infiltrate servants. And yes, given mutants, two of the same is a big deal.
 
[x] [General Report] Plan Short And Simple
[x] [Incident Report] Plan Two Sentences And Kasmir
[x] [One-on-One Report] Plan Small Items Of Concern
[x] [Marshal Candidates] Plan Everything Turns Up Gustav
[x] [Options] Plan There Are Really Only Two Important Things Happening Here
 
BoneyM said:
I'll also point out that there are written reports, so you can have a well-crafted sentence or two as the spoken report and any infodumps you feel that Van Hal needs in the paperwork.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
All in favour of adopting "...and any infodumps you feel that Van Hal needs in the paperwork" as general catch-all on future reports?

I would definitely have written shorter if I had had this in mind at the time.

Guile said:
Also looks like plan Veekie is the one to beat, but I'll mention my problems with Exmorri's plan:

- There's a lot of cruft in the General Report and Incident Report, things we already told Van Hal. In particular it airs that we KO'd Berthold in front of the rest of the council, which seems unwise.
- The General Report suggests having other advisors funnel trustworthy people to us? Why would they do that, why would we trust them to know trustworthiness if they saw it (they aren't Intrigue characters), why wouldn't the 'trustworthy' people report everything they learn to the advisor who gave them to us?
- The Incident Report is claiming we're related to that village headman? I'm pretty sure that was a joke of BoneyM's, getting adopted.
- Incident Report also suggests Vampires when we don't know that for sure.
- The Private Report talks about the snake but has no new information for Van Hal, and the report on the swords suggests putting them back in the barrow - which has been cleaned and sanctified by Kasmir.
- It also asks for an enchanting lab, almost begging Van Hal to ask 'an enchanting lab where?'
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
-Some repeating what we told Van Hal seems somewhat unavoidable when we're telling the Council. And Markus already knows we KO'd Berthold.
-I'm expecting we would double-check any suggested people, and while the others aren't Intrigue characters they are Long-Term Experience characters who can know trustworthiness that way.
-The roll saying "Adopted" might well be humorous. The text of the update says more plainly "On familiar ground now, he begins that most Stirlandian of habits: he tries to find the point where his family tree intersects yours. You're there for the rest of the afternoon, but at the end of it he's built a working theory that his second cousin is your grandfather's first wife's nephew and he couldn't be happier to help you."
-Which is why the incident report does not conclude vampires.
-The Private Report talks very little about the snake for just that reason.
-I leave that in Mathilde's capable hands (and BoneyM) whether to suggest it in the castle or the palace-shrine, because as noted elsewhere, wall of text and micromanagement of items already.

Bob's Beard said:
I am all for the death of any vote that's about shoving walls of words into a PC's mouth when not prompted/without good reason - I seperately feel like there are issues with existing votes that are not present in this one, but honestly that's a secondary goal to 'no, bad wall-of-wordsing, bad, bad trying-to-do-the-thing-the-QM-does, bad, I have the spray bottle, stop it!'.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I will take the advice for future reference, but that's funny coming from someone whose avatar text reads "I will punch you in the eyeballs with wooooooords!"
 
Last edited:
Reader mode
You must login or register to reply here.
Remove ads
Back
Top