Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
That seems inverted. When making deals with cults you want copies of their private collection books, not open market books. You want to be able to tell them "I already have 80% of your collection, what exclusive books do you offer to get copies of my exclusive books?"
I'd agree if we had access to a limited number of exclusive books that we needed to squeeze the most out of. Given we have the entire library of mournings to draw on it seems far far more cost efficient to simply trade a small number of exclusive books for more commonly available ones and then trade more exclusive books for access to exclusive books.
 
I posted a bunch of stuff in the thread a while back, my notes that I took by hand, and I never really copied them to the thread or tried to decipher them. I'm not up for fully doing that, but here's something that might be relevant. The Empire's roads, passes and waterways.

These are my raw notes. You're free to take a look, but deciphering them without context might be a bit of a challenge. I didn't categorise them because I was writing them as they came to mind, and I rely on memory to recall the way I structured them. For context, here's relevant maps so you can visualise some of the place I wrote down:

The first thing in my raw notes is a list of major Pilgrimage routes taken from the Empire. Imperial citizens are a religous people, and every year there is a significant amount of pilgrims that move through the Empire's roads for one reason or another. These Pilgrims are a great source of income, and do factor into the Empire and even Bretonnia's trade.

Sigmar's Exodus is the most notable Pilgrimage, starting in Altdorf and moving through Middenland, Talabecland, then Stirland. Some people stop at Wurtbad, but some advance even further into Worden and then into Averheim for their Pilgrimage. Also in this same route is an alternate route, where people decide to move from Wurtbad down into the Zhufbar road so they can reach the World's Edge Mountains. The reason for this is that this is another pilgrimage route known as the Skaranorak Pilgrimage. This is where Sigmar fought against one of the first born Dragon Ogres, because he's just like that. So believe it or not, but Stirland is a religous attraction for Pilgrims due to two important routes leading through their territory.

Other important Pilgrimages. Ulricans travel to Middenheim to see Ulric's flame. Many sick people go every year on a pilgrimage to the High Temple of Shallya in Couronne to be treated there by the High Priestess, moving from Altdorf through Axe Bite Pass and then moving north from Montfort to Gisoreux to Couronne next to the Grey Mountains/Pale Sisters. The reason for this being that other routes are far too dangerous for Pilgrims and this route at least has state sponsored knights and inns looking out for the pilgrims. The Knights of the Blazing Sun are the most prominent and famous Myrmidian Knightly Order in the Empire and their main chapterhouse is in Talabheim, where they keep the pilgrimage route to Magritta open for anyone willing to make the journey. Certain individuals might believe that Myrmidia's hometown is Remas, not Magritta (particularly if they're of Tilean descent) so they might go a different route. The only thing that could be considered a Morrite pilgrimage that isn't death is travelling to the Luccini conclave every ten years. Taal has Talabheim and several sacred groves and forests. Rhya has some sacred groves. Ranald doesn't have a place, he has a task. Bretonnia's pilgrimages are trips to Grail Chapels, particularly the ones in Bordelaux (first Grail Chapel), Bastonne (land of Gilles) and Quenelles (the most attuned to the Lady).
Uh, to quickly summarise my notes so you can get what I was thinking of:
Silver Road: Next to Karaz-A-Karak, major trade route/pass to the east. Mt. Silverspear and Mt.Gunbad held by the Bloody Spearz Night Goblins make this path troublesome.

Mad Dog Pass: Next to Howling River, one of the passes to the east. Area is unclaimed and contested between two Border Princes, Black Spider Forest Goblins, Bloody Spearz Night Goblins, and Ironclaw Orcs from Iron Rock none of which hold a solid claim on it. Past the pass is Crookback Mountain, which contains Skaven (Rictus) and then Mt.Grey Hag (Night Goblins).

Death Pass: Next to Karak Eight Peaks, major trade route to the east. New route bypasses Dragon Ogres of Thunder Mountain and Red Fang Orcs of Black Crag.

Silk Road/Ivory Road/Spice Road: Different routes through the Dark Lands into the Far East. Spice Road is the southernmost and leads to Ind, Silk is the northernmost and skirts Chaos Dwarf territory, Ivory is Greasus territory leading into the mountains of mourne.

Peak Pass: Karak Kadrin and Ostermark border this pass leading into the Dark Lands. Gnashrak's lair and Karak Ungor's Red Eye tribes make the path troublesome.

High Pass: Northernmost pass of the World's Edge Mountains past the borders of Kislev leading into the Zorn Uzkul, currently watched over by Vlag. The road isn't fully clear, but it is one of the routes to the east.

Skull Road: Path leading from High Pass through the Zorn Uzkul, travelled by many merchants that eventually move on into what the Dolgan call the "Tea Road'. This seems to be the path through to the Steppes rather than the mountains of Mourne.

Southlands/Dragon Isles journey: Unreliable pathways leading to these places yield a lot of riches but often end in death. No established roads or movement areas.

Arabyan Trail/Zandri Road: Road that goes southwest from Barak Varr leading to Zandri. It follows the coast past the Dragonback mountains in the Badlands.

Passes to the Border Princes from the Empire: Winter's Teeth Pass (Kreutzhofen, Wissenland), Icy Wind Pass (Wissenland to Border Princes), Black Fire Pass (Averland to Border Princes).

Passes from Bretonnia to the Empire: Montdider Pass (Kreutzhofen, Wissenland to Loren Highway leading to Quenelles), Grey Lady Pass (Watched over by Ubersreik in Reikland and Sanglac Castle in Parravon), Axe Bite Pass (biggest pass between Castle Montfort in Bretonnia and Helmgart in Reikland), Crooked Corridor (narrow and perilous pass between Montfort and Reikland) and Gisoreux Gap (in the Wasteland, watched over by Fort Bergres in the Wasteland and Castle Desfleux in Gisoreux)

Marches of Couronne: Watched over by Castle Tancred in Couronne, this series of wide, expansive dry plains watches over the border between Bretonnia and the Wasteland and has had some occasional conflict due to expansionist efforts.

Rivers:

River Reik: Starts at the Black Mountains and fed by several streams leading to the Reikmouth at Marienburg at the Wasteland. Moves over Wissenland through the Upper Reik, leading to Reikland and then the Wasteland. Altdorf, Nuln and Kemperbad sit at the crossroads between several streams and the city of Carroburg is fed by it.

River Sol: Originates from the River of Echoes beneath the Vaults, entering the Empire at Kreutzhofen in Wissenaland and moving through former Solland territory and meeting the Upper Reik at Pfeildorf.

River Aver: Two streams, the Aver Reach and Blue Reach, flow down from the World's Edge and Black Mountains respectively and border the Moot, combining together at Dreiflussen before going down the northern border of Averland and the southern border of Stirland and eventually meeting the Reik at Nuln. Averheim is fed by this river.

River Stir: The Upper and Lower Stir originate in the World's Edge mountains and flow down from Ostermark into Sylvanian territory, bordering northern Stirland and southern Ostermark and Talabecland. The Stir eventually meets the Reik at Kemperbad, and it feeds Wurtbad, Waldenhof, Mordheim and even Drakenhof through the River Drak.

River Talabec: The Upper and Lower Talabec originate in the World's Edge Mountains and flow down towards the northern border of Ostermark and flows through northern Talabecland and southern Ostland, Hochland and Middenland, with several additional tributaries coming from the Middle Mountains. The Talabec is also fed by the River Urskoy further north in Kislev through the Brunwasser tributary. The Talabec is incredibly long and meets the Reik at Altdorf with Carroburg on the other side in Middenland. The Talabec feeds Bechafen, Hergig, and Talabheim. Two major tributaries from the Middle Mountains are the Wolf's Run and Drakwasser, which from the eastern and western borders of Hochland respectively. The Wolf's Run also feed Wolfenburg in Ostland.

River Delb: Tributary to the Talabec from the western Howling Hills right next to Delberz, giving the town its name. This river grants Delberz its status as an economic and trading powerhouse as well as its position in the middle of the Altdorf-Middenheim road)
River Taub (Tributary to the Talabec from the eastern Howling Hills, moving through Grimminhagen and Untergaurd. Vital river for movement through the Old Forest Road.

Rivers Salz/Demst/Schaukel: Nordland is not connected to any of the main rivers of the Empire, instead, it has three rivers coming from Laurelorn and flowing into the Sea of Claws. From east to west that's the Salz from the Silver Hills giving Salzenmund its name, the Demst from the Misty Hills, and the Schaukel from the Tarn of Tears. The Salz feeds Salzenmund and Neus Emskrank, and the Demst feeds Hargendorf.

Roads:

Old Dwarf Road: Most major Imperial road, built by Dwarves leading from Karaz-A-Karak to Marienburg, formerly Sith Rionnsac. The Old Dwarf Road leads from Karaz-A-Karak through Black Fire Pass, moving through the settlements of Grenzstadt, Heideck and Averheim in Averland, the settlements of Vigaun, Worden, Potting, Tarshof and Wurtbad in Stirland and then transitioning into the Old Forest Road which leads into the Great North Road.

Old Forest Road: The Old Dwarf Road transitions into the Old Forest Road at Talabecland, moving through Hermdorf, Lieske, the Farlic Hills, then Uckrofurt, Talabheim, then Talagaad, the port of Talabheim. At the Talabheim port a ship is taken up through the River Taub to Grimminhagen and the Old Forest Road continues to Immelschild then Middenheim, where the road transitions to the Great North Road.
Great North Road: The Great North Road leads from Middenheim through the Schadensumpf to the northwest, a route that borders Nordland as it eventually leads into the Wasteland. The road becomes the "Middenheim Road" at that point, leading to Marienburg, the final destination.

Altdorf-Middenheim Road: One of two major roads built by Sigmar. This one obviously leads from Altdorf to Middenheim and vice versa. Several settlements lay along this road, such as Kutenholz, Brockel, Delberz, Malstedt and Schoninghagen.

Altdorf-Nuln Road: One of two major roads built by Sigmar. This one from Altdorf to Nuln and vice versa when Rivers don't cut it. You go down to Bogenhafen (named after the tributary to the Reik the River Bogen), then move to Ubersreik, move through the River Teufel to Stimmigen, then Dinkelburg, then through the River Grissen to Grissenwald then to Nuln.

Middenheim-Erengrad Road: One of Middenheim's four major roads (the other three being the Altdorf-Middenheim, Great North and Old Forest Roads). The Middenheim-Erengrad road leads north from Middenheim to Arenburg then into Nordland, moving through major towns such as Beeckerhoven (where Dieter Helsnicht lost) to Luftburg to Norden and leading into Ostland, moving through Birkewiese and Schonfeld to Kislev and eventually to Erengrad. This is the only major road running through Nordland. It is also the only major interprovincial Ostland road, the other roads are focused on the more populous southwest of Ostland with Ferlangen to the northwest to Wurzen in the southeast.

Old Coast Road: Road leading from Marienburg to Couronne, moving through the coastline of the Marches. Unpopular.

Gisoreux Road: Road leading from Marienburg to Fort Bergres guarding the Gisoreux Gap. Extortionary tolls.

Nuln Road: This road is in Stirland, leading from Purgg in Western Stirland to Lochen, Flensburg, Ramsau, Blutdorf and eventually leading to Nuln. This is the major overland route from Stirland to Nuln without having to take a circitous/lengthy trip by boat.

Praager Strasse: Road from Halstedt in Central Stirland through Gablitz, Steinbachthal, Vorderbergen and into Ostermark. This is the main overland route to Ostermark from Stirland without going through Talabecland.

Moot Road: Road in Stirland leading from Halstedt in Central Stirland to the Mootland. Important for trade between Empire and the Moot.

Zhufbar Road: Road leading from Hornau in Southern Stirland to Drebkau and then into the Black Water, leading to Zhufbar.

Haunted Highway: Road built by Detlef Shultz under Abelhelm van Hal's instruction between Leicheberg in Southern Stirland to Langwald in Central Stirland through the Haunted Hills, currently the Hunter's Hills. Enables direct trade between Southern Stirland and Central Stirland without having to go through the Moot.
That was not quick. Congratulations if you've stuck with me to the end.

Anyways, if you're been keeping track of where all the major routes are, you can probably pinpoint where the "hotspots" are in the Empire so to speak. The areas of higher activity and priority and which typically have greater importance. If I keep going, I have a feeling I'll never finish, so I'll just stop here.
 
I've learnt a lot from this quest and Warhammer Fantasy in general about geography honestly. I appreciate that. Before this quest, I didn't know what a "Headwater" was, and I didn't know how common it was that rivers tended to form with headwaters from mountains. I also didn't realise how essential it was to be living next to a river in a pre-modern society. Staring at maps for so long has been really educational.
 
I've learnt a lot from this quest and Warhammer Fantasy in general about geography honestly. I appreciate that. Before this quest, I didn't know what a "Headwater" was, and I didn't know how common it was that rivers tended to form with headwaters from mountains. I also didn't realise how essential it was to be living next to a river in a pre-modern society. Staring at maps for so long has been really educational.

Someone once told me that in all of human history, only two cities have ever been built without access to freshwater; Petra, and Las Vegas. Every other city was constructed with freshwater nearby.

I don't know how accurate that statement is, but it does highlight just how important freshwater is, and when worldbuilding, one of the first questions that need to be asked is "where does the water come from?"
 
The Library vote is currently tied between backfilling and trying to get a lead on where to use the Father coin-side.

Adhoc vote count started by Derpmind on Dec 19, 2021 at 12:00 PM, finished with 240 posts and 58 votes.
 
Oh gods...I think we might have given the Grey Collage something more powerful than the truth. A good romance story. Now when somebody asks about why Mathilde did these things in Stirland the College will be able to weave a tale of admiration and respect, of how young Mathilde was struck by Abelhelm's respect for her and confidence in her skills, and then how those feelings blossomed into 'more', including a loyalty and drive to help him., only to be tragically cut short by the edge of an undead's blade and the evil of a vampire.

Portrayed correctly and it might become a story of how wizards are still human and treating them well will lead to earning their respect and loyalty, and possibly more. Not only does Wizard Chic enter an all new high, but it becomes a common practice for Noble's to recruit journeying wizards into their businesses and adventures, perhaps looking for more than just magic firepower.
 
Someone once told me that in all of human history, only two cities have ever been built without access to freshwater; Petra, and Las Vegas. Every other city was constructed with freshwater nearby.

I don't know how accurate that statement is, but it does highlight just how important freshwater is, and when worldbuilding, one of the first questions that need to be asked is "where does the water come from?"
Boney brought this up before and I have yet to find an example to add to his statement, but there are only two major cities in Warhammer Fantasy with no direct access to water, and those cities are Middenheim and Trantio in Tilea. Middenheim is built on a snowy mountain and I'm sure they've figured out all kinds of ways to subsist off the resources available to them from combined human and Dwarven ingenuity.

Trantio on the other hand is a bit of an anomaly. It's one of the smallest Principalities in Tilea and its main source of profit is the Trantine Hills it's right next to, as well as the overland Old Dwarf Pass leading from the Border Princes to Tilea, contesting Pavona's Dark Maiden Pass. Trantio got its start because Marco Columbo (yes I know, high levels of creativity at GW) used his riches from successful adventures to Lustria to make it a properous Principality, but I don't think it ever got all that big.
 
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The Library vote is currently tied between backfilling and trying to get a lead on where to use the Father coin-side.
The hekarti/loec vote isn't about the Father coin, but rather to get more information about gods relevant to us. A lot of people want to induct the hekarti faction into the waystone project, so it makes sense to figure out what we are getting ourselves in for before we commit. And Loec mostly because it falls into mathilde's area of interest.
 
The hekarti/loec vote isn't about the Father coin, but rather to get more information about gods relevant to us. A lot of people want to induct the hekarti faction into the waystone project, so it makes sense to figure out what we are getting ourselves in for before we commit. And Loec mostly because it falls into mathilde's area of interest.
I'll admit I'm not on top of which Elf deity is which, but I'm going by @picklepikkl's reasoning for his Library vote here:
If we can get information that helps us use the Father with zero AP cost, we absolutely should make that our priority. It's a very powerful effect and we should maximize our odds of pulling it off. I feel very strongly about this.
 
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I'll admit I'm not on top of which Elf deity is which, but I'm going by Picklepikkl's reasoning for his Library vote here:
I'm pretty sure that's in reference to his purchase vote, which includes minor gods of the empire. That would be very helpful for the Father coin, given that various minor empire gods seem to be the best supported Daughter theory so far.
 
[X] [LIBRARY] Library of Mournings: name two non-magical topics to hire Cityborn scribes to copy all available Laurelorn books on.
-[X] Hekarti
-[X] Loec
 
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I do think Hoeth is more relevant to next turn if we are going to start talking to the clans, but I'll vote for the Lorc one just to get info on hekarti for recruiting.

[X] [LIBRARY] Library of Mournings: name two non-magical topics to hire Cityborn scribes to copy all available Laurelorn books on.
-[X] Hekarti
-[X] Loec

[X] [LIBRARY] Library of Mournings: name two non-magical topics to hire Cityborn scribes to copy all available Laurelorn books on.
-[X] Hekarti
-[X] Hoeth
 
Just a reminder that we can also just buy books with money. A 500 gold investment for a deluge of books is imo a good investment. I wanted Hekarti and Atharti because I am a one issue voter and my issue is the Father, but I'll also approval vote every other combination: Hekarti and Hoeth, Hekarti and Loec, and just Hekarti for those who think 500gc is too much.

[X] [LIBRARY] Back-fill.
[X] [DWARF] No purchase.
[X] [COLLEGE] No purchase.
[X] [PURCHASE] Minor Gods (The Empire): Extensive and Esoteric (250 Gold), Hekarti: Extensive and Esoteric Eonir (250 Gold), Atharti: Extensive and Esoteric Eonir (250 Gold)

[X] [PURCHASE] Minor Gods (The Empire): Extensive and Esoteric (250 Gold), Hekarti: Extensive and Esoteric Eonir (250 Gold), Loec: Extensive and Esoteric Eonir (250 Gold)
[X] [PURCHASE] Minor Gods (The Empire): Extensive and Esoteric (250 Gold), Hekarti: Extensive and Esoteric Eonir (250 Gold), Hoeth: Extensive and Esoteric Eonir (250 Gold)
[X] [PURCHASE] Minor Gods (The Empire): Extensive and Esoteric (250 Gold), Hekarti: Extensive and Esoteric Eonir (250 Gold)
 
Let's not spend large sums of money we don't need to. We have spent considerable resources to set ourselves up to get access to essentially unlimited books, for free, if we pace ourselves. Which we can afford to do, as Actions remain limited.

We have plenty of other (IMO more) interesting things to be getting on with, and the first year of the Waystone Project has led us to spend thousands of gold just to keep up with the Elven Jones's already.
 
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Let's not spend large sums of money we don't need to. We have spent considerable resources to set ourselves up to get access to essentially unlimited books, for free, if we pace ourselves. Which we can afford to do, as Actions remain limited.

We have plenty of other (IMO more) interesting things to be getting on with, and the first year of the Waystone Project has led us to spend thousands of gold just to keep up with the Elven Jones's already.
Do we even have an income other than the fief right now? The fief whose steward we gave something akin to a carte blanche on spending?
 
Do we even have an income other than the fief right now? The fief whose steward we gave something akin to a carte blanche on spending?
I don't think the steward is wasting the fief's money; last time we talked to him he seemed apologetic for what little money he did spend. Assuming zero spending, we should have just shy of 800 gold in our fief's coffers. Even if the steward spent half of it, that's 400gc, which is equal to two turns of our current EIC income.
 
Hey, i just more or less binged this quest and want to say thank you to boney for writing it, its a joy to read.

Also i have a question if that's alright,
Did Thorgrims loremasters or the colleges already find out anything from translating captured skaven texts?

And finally,
[X] [LIBRARY] Library of Mournings: name two non-magical topics to hire Cityborn scribes to copy all available Laurelorn books on.
-[X] Hekarti
-[X] Agriculture
(To maybe help out Panoramia a bit)
 
Hey, i just more or less binged this quest and want to say thank you to boney for writing it, its a joy to read.

Welcome to the front lines! I hope you enjoy your stay- this quest churns out pages like nobody's business, but there's a few of us who stay current and it's always fun to welcome new ones.

I look forward to you discovering the apocrypha stories, there's quite a bit there and in the media tag that are a ton of fun.
 
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