Time for spaghetti review! Wait, that reminds me, where's my damn lunch?!
Though it's largely made redundant by your visit there and hearing about it in person from Roswita, you still go through the information the EIC collected from gossip and and observable movements from the front line. The Army of Stirland is holding and fortifying Tempelhof, Pfaffbach and Regrakhof, while the 3rd Division is on the long march around Hunger Wood to Siegfriedhof to reinforce the Black Guard and be in position for what promises to be a brutal war against the Strigoi that call it home. But though the casualty lists promise to be brutal, they're guaranteed to be less than if any of the Vampires established themselves enough to start turning their gaze towards the Empire, even without considering the disaster that Teufelheim could have ended up being. That was the reasoning that Abelhelm used to begin the Purge six years ago, and one thing you share with Roswita is a firm belief that it still applies.
We all knew that it would be a long, tough road from the start. Truthfully, much has been achieved already. Perhaps even more than we could have reasonably hoped for. Nevertheless, no reason to stop now.
"I took some inspiration from our Imperial allies," and Gotri gives a bow in your direction. "Their 'mortars' don't have a long barrel because they don't need one - they don't want maximum force like you do with a cannon, they want an exactly-measured amount of force to give the parabolic arc they want. Similarly, we don't need maximum velocity here. We'd be up against personal armour and flesh, and maximum range is about 150 meters. We also lose out on accuracy from both velocity and rifling, but if we're not shooting single balls..." He pulls a bundle of metal balls wrapped in flimsy-looking rope from the nearest gun. "We don't need it. We're killing in an expanding cone instead of a straight line. So it takes less steel, less precision, and less work to make, and since it's bolted down we can overengineer instead of trying to make it battlefield portable so it's as reliable as any cannon rolling out of Zhufbar.
Surprisingly tame defensive measures for a Dwarf radical. Dependable, simple and efficient, though. I think I prefer it that way. Between this and shipyards, Prince Gotri seems quite capable and versatile.
and all the work is being done at Karak Azul so that's alongside any other work."
Gunpowder acclimatisation for Karak Azul is starting, that's excellent. If I understood Gotri correctly, he outsourced the whole production and hence can accomplish additional tasks?
If so, an amazing job.
The Temple of Grungni is not to be visited by layfolk while it's in the process of being excavated, as to Grungni the process of mining out the Temple is as sacred as the Temple itself. But as you walk past it on the way upwards, Gunnars explains that it's on track for completion in another year or so. He'd not been able to draw in any high-ranking members of the established Temples, but a Temple focused on Grungni's aspect of Mining has attracted enough interest from mining clans to fill out a priesthood.
Poor Gunnars, always building shrines and temples. Well, and helping weaponize a mountain. But mostly former. Interesting tidbit about Ancestor Worship having various aspects.
"They said the Emperor has first refusal and the Elector Count of Wissenland has second, but as long as they could boast of supplying cannon to Karak Eight Peaks, the rest of their production is ours," Prince Kazrik says, unable to keep from smiling with pride. "And I had an unofficial word with the Emperor's representative in Nuln, and now we possess a license to buy cannon at Nuln rates, rather than paying the foreign powers and private citizen cannon tariffs."
"Excellent work. How many have we got?"
"Thirty now, ten more en route. If I remain there to beat the Elector Counts to any that come out of the foundry, I think I can get to at least sixty by the end of the year."
Prince Kazrik clearly knows what he's doing. Honestly, he's likely my favorite of the Councillors. I am looking forward to seeing him develop, he has a lot of potential and a good head on his shoulders. Not to mention good genes.
"I was able to find a significant number of interested weavers in," she checks her notes, "Wissenland, Averland, and Stirland. Final headcount will have to wait until we see how many actually show up to the Black Fire Pass ferries I organized, but I'm expecting at least three hundred, largely thanks to Master Weber's contacts in the Empire. I was also able to recruit a group of human engineers from the University of Nuln, who were unable to find any interest in the Empire for their loom designs."
So far so good. Professional weavers and intellectuals that can potentially massively increase the production output. The Dwarf Weaver Guild will eat their hats out of frustration. Good. Those greedy halfbeards deserve it.
"Excuse me, my King," Princess Edda interrupts, "but I've discovered that I have no affinity for dealing with or managing humans. I believe it would be better for the economy of your Karak for a new Steward to be found." She's obviously rehearsed saying this, and to her credit none of her nervousness is visible except in a tremble in her shoulders.
King Belegar considers her for some time. "No," he says finally. "You've shown diligence and ability in every other aspect of the role, and there's no shame in not being equally skilled in every new and strange challenge Karak Eight Peaks supplies. Give the leader of the Undumgi temporary control of Karag Nar and let him know if he proves equal to the task, it will be made permanent and he will be given the title of Thane. Drop management of the silk business in his lap, that can be his trial. Meanwhile, see to establishing proper infrastructure in Karagril - they've got picks and the like, but they'll need a blacksmith for sharpening and repairs, a carpenter for support beams, and a smelter until we retake Karag Rhyn. Probably several other things, too - find out what."
"Thank you, King Belegar," Princess Edda says, just above a whisper.
"No thanks needed. Since you were given it, you've earned your position and you'll do so several more times over in the coming years."
I honestly didn't expect this, at all. That took courage, humility and integrity. I am proud of you, Edda. This was by far the best outcome. And no Mathilde's meddling needed, to boot. Good news all around.
An additional surprise is that Belegar decided to give greater autonomy to the Undumgi, and even give their leader (if proven worthy) a title of Thane. Karak Eight Peaks really is turning into a multi-cultural multi-racial settlement. Now, thankfully Francesco is easily the best suited of the three former candidates for the task at hand. Nevertheless, we should keep an eye on him.
"Kvinn-Wyr," he says, pointing to the most distant. "Trolls, as we know. The Sentinels show signs of Orc habitation at some point, but they're long gone." He skips over Mhonar to point at Karag Rhyn. "Broken Toof above, Crooked Moon below. The former used to live in the caldera and the latter once had the entire mountain, so they're crammed in and angry at each other about it, though right now it's skirmishes instead of all-out war.
So, nobody has poked the trolls and the Bile Troll hasn't mutated into a Throgg-tier threat yet.
The Greenskin powderkeg is all nice and ready to burst. A lit match would not go amiss, but might hopefully prove unnecessary.
Which is strange, because Karag Mhonar is right there and, as far as I could tell, uninhabited. Lots of dead greenskins and Skaven, from fresh to ancient, all with shattered bones. But my Rangers have scoured it from top to bottom and found nothing."
"Strange," King Belegar says. "Have the greenskins fortified against the east?"
"Not a bit. They just don't venture into the tunnels that link the two Karags."
"Any trolls ventured west?"
"None, as far as I can tell. Not even corpses."
Ooh, I smell a mystery. Dammit. I want Mathilde to deep scout it, but where the hell are we going to find the free actions?
I disagree with the hypothesis that Mournghuls are responsible.
It doesn't strike me as their modus operandi.
I feel we have stumbled across on a We-tier easter egg.
Yar?"
"Eshin, top and bottom."
"Not just a warband, then. Blast."
So, Eshin has managed to conquer and destroy the greenskins in Yar. Bad news. While I fear Skryre more overall, Eshin is a potential counter to Mathilde.
"As for Zilfin..." All eyes go to the tallest of the eight peaks, the only one apart from Karagril to stretch so high as to have snow on its peak year-round. "Skryre underneath, but though they've fortified the caldera entrance and the Grim Gates above, that's as high as they've gone. Should have noticed why sooner. Look."
He points upward at Karagril's peak, and then back at Zilfin. You can't see anything significant about either, but Prince Gotri's eyes narrow as he peers back and forth between them. "The frost line's higher on Karagril."
"Ice Dragon," Dreng confirms.
An Azyr-wielding Emperor Dragon? I think I would prefer a Balrog.
Well, shit. Unless Anton and Kazrik team up with Asarnil (or the Supreme Patriarch) and manage to pull out a miracle, this is going to suck so much.
"Finally, surface defence. Master Weber?"
All eyes turn to Karag Nar, and the two tower on its peak. "With assistance from Kragg, Gunnars, and the Grey College, it's operational, but I believe there's still more to be done before it could be considered complete."
He nods. "Will it remain as operational as it is now?"
You consider the various upgrades you're considering. "Yes."
"Then by all means."
I can physically feel Mathilde's desire for smugness warring with her desire to be thorough.
Conclusion: The Council is in general surprisingly competent. They just might grow into the kind of collection of great leaders that Karak Eight Peaks will need to survive and thrive.
I am feeling very hyped for the next turn. A lot of very cool options.
