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Do we really now if Eshin Frenemy was the Master Assassin? What if he was one of the triad, or another agent?
The Eshin we met is in a state of quantum uncertainty, I think. They can appear wherever the narrative would like to place them best.
I wonder if the dragon would be willing (or able for that matter) be make use of Mathilde's Substance to Shadow so we can sneak it though walls to get to the areas Eshin thinks are safe.

Surprise Emperor Dragon. :V
It's got so many arcane marks that it's basically made out of Hysh, and it's constantly producing illumination. One slipup and it could end its life stuck halfway in a wall.
 
You manage to find the likely source of that throwing star soon after, as while you were waiting for Johann to return from dropping off some more acquisitions, you spend a good fifteen minutes staring at a guardpost on the Karag Yar side of Clan Mors territory, trying to figure out what about it has you feeling like something was seriously off. Then you shifted to prevent an oncoming cramp and the Skaven who had crawled right up beside you screamed in shock and you screamed back and both of you scrabbled away from each other on all fours.

A long, hideously embarrassed silence later as the guards call suspiciously out at the darkness later, a voice speaking surprisingly good Reikspiel calls out. "I pretend that didn't happen and too-too-quiet man-thing does same, yes?"

"Deal," you finally respond, staring into the darkness and trying to figure out why your Magesight insists there's nothing out there.

"Good-good. Man-things never so quiet. You have skill. Have good hunt of the Traitor Clan. May I kill you last."

A skittering in the darkness is your only indication that whatever it was has retreated, and you exhale and try to convince your heart to stop beating so damn fast. The Grey College taught you to never take the best vantage point, because everyone else would; take the second-best instead. It seems Clan Eshin teaches the same.

This was our original meeting. Notice how it doesn't ping our magesight

@BoneyM , when we say the triad, could we detect those with our magesight?
 
I wonder what would happen if it looked like this Council Agent were assassinated by an enterprising Eshin?
The signs of Mathilde killing someone are astoundingly similar to Eshin Sorceror killing someone really.
I don´t think so, Skaven's response to killing their leader/hero units is even worse than Orks, if Sleek and a portion of the Sormvemin and regular infantry is alive after killing the Master Assasin Eshin is fucked...
We'll see after this corner is resolved. I'd note that we don't have any idea where Master Assassin is or any ability to trace them. Too much like a fair fight to want to press it unless we must.

We can trace Sorceror because of its spamming Lore of Stealth like mad. Master Assassin is a blank in windsight.
 
On the Theurgy topic, I've just read in Tome of Salvation:

Most priests speak a cult-specific, ritualised dialect of Magick, which they use to grant blessings and sometimes even to preach. Unlike the lingua praestantia—the dialect of Magick reputedly created by Teclis for the Colleges of Magic—the older cult varieties are sprawling, massively complex languages, the origins of which are not well-understood.​

I wonder if it would be useful for Mathilde to learn the Ranaldian dialect of Magick if it exists here

The signs of Mathilde killing someone are astoundingly similar to Eshin Sorceror killing someone really.

In other worlds, none unless they're sending a message, as the Eshin sorcerer can make the bodies melt into nothingness, while Mathilde can hide them in the walls. The absence of evidence is itself a form of evidence after all.
 
.....Does Eshin know that we've already captured the rest of the Karak? They might not realise that they are facing the last Mors occupancy (except the ones facing the orcs.)
 
i still really want to set up mors somewhere far away as a new, constant, and possibly Ranaldian thorn in the side of the Council, so i will be voting hard-line for the survival of mors, up until it actively harms the Karak.
 
A mere member of the Triad wouldnt have had the calm and confidence Mathildes Rival showed when they surprised each other.

We literally bounced on each other and then scampered away. I don't really see that as confidence, that's why I'm asking about a fact that can tell if if what we met was the master assassin or only a normal assassin.
 
[X] Both must die.
- [X] Let the Sorcerer's attack play out, then finish off whoever survives.
I love how the Skaven numerology of this lines up.
Four is feed. Between Agent, bodyguards and sorcerer, the Agent believes he has the advantage and can claim what he wants.
Two is war. The sorcerer has something in mind that makes the bodyguards irrelevant.
Five is plot. None of them are aware of the fifth person here, plotting in the shadows.
Don't forget, Three is Stability- Council+Guards/Eshin/Mathilde
When Eshin attacks, itll be two is war once again.
 
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[X] Both must die.
- [X] Let the Sorcerer's attack play out, then finish off whoever survives.

Difference between a Jounin Master Assassin who can accidentally sneak up on us, and the Genin Team Triad.
Damn, now I desperately want the Eshin triad to be composed of thinly veiled Naruto references. :V
Hmm...You know, Mathilde is a magic ninja with a giant sword and strong mist/fog associations... :thonk:
 
[ ] Both must die.
- [ ] Attack them both now.
They are both concentrated on the other right now, achieves total surprise. Risks them ganging up on us.
- [ ] Attack them both just as the Sorcerer strikes.
Maximizes taking Sorcerer offguard.
- [ ] Let the Sorcerer's attack play out, then finish off whoever survives.
Get a look at what they can do and finish off a weakened party. They'll be on guard though.

[X] The Council Agent must die.
- [X] Let the Sorcerer try, and finish the job if he fails.
 
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i still really want to set up mors somewhere far away as a new, constant, and possibly Ranaldian thorn in the side of the Council, so i will be voting hard-line for the survival of mors, up until it actively harms the Karak.
They're the Competence Clan, and the ones that actually killed all the dwarves in Eight Peaks in the past. Being able to truthfully claim that we've crushed them in the heart of their power is worth more to the dwarves than the existence of another Skaven clan that will probably only increase the numbers of dangerous warriors they have at their disposal.

In any given situation Skaven clans backstab each other all the time, but the moment you look at the larger situation they somehow make a transition into net goods for Skavendom, and Mor's shtick is not falling for the cartoon incompetence tropes that plague, say, Thanquol's efforts at world domination.
 
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@BoneyM How about something like this:
[X] Both should die (write in)
-[X] Let the Sorcerer's attack play out, then finish off whoever survives.


So if it turns out we don't actually have a proper read on the situation, and the Eshin isn't planning to physically attack, Mat can not be pre-commited to fighting them both?

I'll approval vote the preset:
[X] Both must die.
-[X] Let the Sorcerer's attack play out, then finish off whoever survives.
 
[X] Both must die.
- [X] Let the Sorcerer's attack play out, then finish off whoever survives.
 
[X] Both must die.
- [X] Let the Sorcerer's attack play out, then finish off whoever survives.
.....Does Eshin know that we've already captured the rest of the Karak? They might not realise that they are facing the last Mors occupancy (except the ones facing the orcs.)
They know Sleek is there and they know Mors' numbers. They should expect a cleanup operation to abduct the breeders and thats about it. What matters is mostly Sleek.
 
Here's a mildly terrifying thought: Mathilde may end up as the standard of (Grey) Wizard behavior.

It's already the case where Kazador is concerned, and I can easily see it for the rest of the empire. The reason is pretty simple: For all her talents, sublety really isn't one of them. I'd say the Black College is probably the most subtle big thing she did, and that had her killing in the streets and depopulating a castle. I repeat, Killing the entirety of a castle is peak subtlety for Mathilde. Because at least the castle was still standing afterwards.

All the other Grey Wizards do important but dirty work, but their most spectacular feats (and most feats in general) are only ever known to a few. Meanwhile, Mathilde prances around leading armies, destroying strongholds, building doom towers, getting knighted and starting gambling parties. So if the average man hears "Grey Wizard", what will come to mind?

And really, I think the Grey Wizards would like it that way. It's much easier to be a sneaky bastard if nobody is expecting you to be one.
James Bond also would not be classified as the world greatest spy, nor spying is the last thing his boss uses him.

No, you call The Bond when you need something absolutely positively must be killed, destroyed or lasered.


So, yeah, we are soooo setting up a bad examples for the junior greys.
 
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