My fourth year in Norsca.
Year 162 of the Reign of Phoenix King Bel-Hathor the Sage. Season of Frost. Day five.
Day 1700. Possibly. I lost track a while ago.
Easy to do when the days blur by, happens to me every so often.
By my reckoning it is the hundredth and sixty second year of the reign of Phoenix King Bel-Hathor. If he wasn't knifed by a Druchii infiltrator by now. As good a time as any to start a new diary. I have placed the old one in my lockbox. I'd like to publish them some day.
Heh, the fact that she has to qualify it with 'if he hasn't been knifed already' say a LOT about the spies ability to get past the royal guards
I have been keeping track of the simple day to day events of my life within Norsca. But I find myself losing track of the days. Sometimes days pass while I work. At times, it feels like the humans soar past, moving too quickly for me to properly track. Yesterday, I asked Michael to wait for me in my bed, then got distracted by my tome on Shyish and spent the night ruminating about the first three pages.
Yeah, it is not easy to synch up with the humans now that she's starting to get set in the Elven Diffusion of attention.
On a whim, I asked Michael about the Tilean calendar as I was writing the date for this entry. He told me that they also have years of four hundred days. A single rotation of The Fated Place, around Söll. I believe it is the calendar Hoeth passed down to us. But instead of four seasons of a hundred days, the Tileans use sixteen seasons of twenty five days each. A single cycle of the moon.
Months instead of seasons, makes sense to me.
I am starting to like them. They seem to have adequate reverence for our understanding of the cosmic order to copy it.
I do look forward to going to Tilea eventually, once things in Norsca have reached the point of doing so. It should be good when Luthien has ensured she can't be interrogated by the Swordmasters.
Luthien Gains
The First Journal: A diary of the first 1700 days of Luthien's life in Norsca. It mentions her daily activities, the people she met, and the composition of every single meal she ate. Commentary about local traditions, people, and environments.
In a few centuries, it will be a rare insight into the daily life of the Bjornlings at the start of King Ulfar's reformations. Who will be interested in it, remains to be seen.
Oooooh, I bet the Verenans would be interested in it as well as historians just off the top of my head. Anyone else would need contextual interest that would be too hard to pin down now.
Expand mining operations to include a Silver Mine:
With some more steel tools, and some of your experiences in refining silver, you believe that you can help Skjold to piggyback a silver-extraction operation off of the iron mine. You'll ask to be paid in a portion of the produced silver, as well as first-pickings with all the ingots produced.
This will help to industrially develop Skjold.
You gain effectively unlimited access to silver.
Rolled 100 + 12 (Luthien's Stewardship) = 112
Me right now
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRcj6CAhe7s&t=13s
Spring 1665
Luthien looked out across the Skjöldurgryfja mine. The iron mine had grown to include large worker barracks, kitchens, and some on-site ore processing. The Bjornlings had built a wall around the mine, and it was guarded by a dedicated group of the Skjold City Watch. The thralls were away at the moment, aiding the local farmers in planting the next harvest.
Yup, this mine is VEDDY important and interesting that the Bjornlings have the thralls working on the planting when the season is right. It makes sense though, the mining is something they can do year round but in Norsca you need all hands you can get to get more crops in, so better to put the mining on pause during planting season.
She had prepared the additional tools, drawn up a map on how to properly ventilate and expand the mineshaft leading towards the deposit of silver she had sensed. It took some digging, but eventually the mineshaft was extended to reach the ore. As she had expected, the miners struck a copious supply of Galena. A lead ore that was also rich in silver, which the ancient Asur had used to both supply themselves with silver and to provide lead pipes for irrigation systems of old. Lead could also be used for storage.
I hope the Ancient elves moved off that right quick, although with magic they probably were able to heal the damage lead would do in short order
She thought of introducing the Bjornlings to boiling fruit must in lead pots to create a sweet wine that was cheaper than honey. The Bjornlings would probably enjoy it.
New investment idea and if they keep boiling that will lead to sugar which could be another nice tradegood.
Already the ground work was being laid for processing the ore. Luthien looked up from the parchment plans she had drawn up, and examined the way the mineworks were growing. Michael stood behind her, wrapped in thick wool clothes and holding a sealed jar of milk, as well as a bag of drawing supplies and other tools his mistress might need.
Micheal is so helpful
The Bjornlings gathered before her were the smiths of the Metalsmith's Quarter, the foremen of the mine, and a few dabbling alchemists that had joined in. Their authority had grown to cover both the Quarter and the mine, and they now styled themselves as 'The Ironkin'. They had gathered to discuss Luthien's plans to get the most from the silver ore she had discovered.
Oooh, I like that name "The Ironkin." very fitting i'd say.
"We will need to move a lot of ore to extract enough silver, so forget about bringing it all the way to the Metalsmith's Quarter. We will be processing it locally." The Bjornlings looked confused, but none of them spoke up against her. A few nodded. More than the last time she had discussed the idea.
Yup, if this were pure silver that'd be one thing, but this is a near natural alloy so better to process it on site and then ship the ores, less hassle.
That was good. They were learning.
Heh, they are indeed.
"First." She pointed at drawings of millstones attached to water wheels. "The ore must be crushed completely into fine powder. That means sturdy millstones." Luthien looked at Eirtir. "Five of them, powered by the river, should do." She offered the sheet of parchment to the smith, motioning towards the drawings and exact sizes of the millstones she would need. "You know the local materials. Get me those the millstones."
Sounds like that quarry will be getting a lot of use for projects like this.
She pointed at the washing tables she had drawn. Large stone troughs through which part of the river could be diverted, with the water controlled by a small gate. "Flowing water will run through the pebbles. If the millstones are right, the water will carry off the rocks, while leaving the lead and the silver."
So it's a grinding process to get the slag out instead of smelting it? Interesting, I figured you'd want to take advantage of the lead's heavier weight to separate it.
Luthien pointed at the drawing of a Cupellation furnace she had designed. "This design is better than any forge Norscans use for creating silver. You don't have mercury for extra-"
Aaah, so that was just getting rid of as much slag as possible prior to smelting
Someone coughed. Luthien turned around to find King Ulfar approaching the gathering alongside his Huskarls. There was a dwarf standing next to him. "Gydja. I have someone who wishes to speak with you. This is Elkar Silverhand. The foreman of the colony that the Mountain Folk are establishing. He and his kin believe that the Skjöldurgryfja can be expanded, and wished to look upon it.
Oooh, our first Norscan dorf, and they were really eager to meet huh? Makes sense they'd want to check out the local Umgi mine.
Luthien had expected the first pure dwarf she'd met to look more imposing than he really was. The dwarf wore thick winter clothes made from fine wool, with a white fur cloak. His braided black beard extended to his knees. He looked like a perfectly normal professional dwarf. He carried an axe by his side, and carried a small book in which he was making notes.
"I was expecting you to be...not taller...but...thicker?"
"Holy shit, an elf that doesn't look like a twig!"
Hmm, so not a 'beardling' but not a Longbeard either...Fullbeard I think this is the term?
As a child, Luthien had been told stories of the dwarfs. Of the slaughter of the colonists, and the brutal massacres of women and children by dwarf axes. The destruction of ancient cities that had stood since the first golden age of the Asur. But those stories had come with tales of how these conflicts had broken both empires, and led them down the path to ruin. How, because of a single beard being clipped, the world's two greatest empires had destroyed each other. There had been little energy for hatred towards the dwarfs.
Ah, all thanks to Malekith sowing the seeds of discord. Such a waste. That the elves focus on the beard clipping as the initiating event is interesting, either even they don't know all the things Malekith did to set them against each other, or they don't consider them impactful enough to truly cause the war. From what i see the Dwarves see the Beard Clipping *of an ambassador* thus combining two heinous acts to them, as the straw that broke the camel's back after several years caravans attacked and other such ambushes that Malekith had performed.
She raised an eyebrow. "Are you replacing me?"
Ulfar's eyes went wide. "Ulric, No! But the Dwarfs know more about mining than the Norscans. Eirtir mentioned the problem to me." He smiled at the Iron Master. "Eirtir, elucidate the Gydja please."
I won't lie, Luthien being concerned at being replaced is rather fitting in light of the increased moments of being out of sync.
but Ulfar's panic at potentially irritating his Kingdom's elven Wise Woman was also amusing.
Eirtir nodded. "We're running short on labourers. There's more farmland. Better tools. Every Jarl wants their thralls to work the fields, not be spent in the mines. And there's not many new thralls coming in. It is dangerous work. The pit already swallowed a thousand thralls."
Aaah, so it isn't temporary to be having the thralls working the land for planting yeah i can see how that would cause a strain on the thrall population, especially with the year long purge that was done in Olricstaat on the Skaelings.
And yikes, a thousand people have already died to get the iron out of the mine...hoo boy no wonder there's a labor shortage now.
"You worked your own miners to death." Luthien mumbled in disbelief. She had expected some casualties, but it was almost impressive how desperate the Bjornlings had been for ore. Why didn't they ask her for some advice? Luthien wondered if those deaths counted as offerings to Khaine. She touched the Eternal Wound through her chest. It hadn't hurt for a while. Was that why she had not been feeling the rage for a while? She shook her head.
I mean, regular amounts of quality iron that they can now turn into steel, all the tools and weapons they need to make for their realm and the people in it, i can see them burning through thralls to not only make up for lost time but get ahead of where they think it should be.
As for why they didn't ask for advice...I guess they just felt this was a natural occurrence of having such a mine and worth the price of what they got out of it. Thralls are replaceable, steel goods are much more precious right now.
Men and their short sightedness.
Not wrong but when you're on the clock of trying to make as much progress as possible, there's only so much you can do without pushing past the red line.
The dwarf spoke up. "Aye. That's what happens if you replace proper mining with throwing bodies at the ore face." He walked up to the drawings Luthien had made and raised an eyebrow. He muttered something under his breath in Khazalid. "Better than Umgak. The best you can do with local technology."
Ah, an elder race bonding moment
Oh wow, we got a
compliment. Our relationship with them is off to a good start! especially with the admission that it is local tech holding anything better back.
He picked up a sample of the ore that Luthien had taken from the mine and examined it, taking a small monocle to examine it more closely. He rubbed the ore, licked dust from his fingers, and tapped it multiple times.
one must be thorough after all
"Aye, this is good galena. Four percent silver. Good quality lead too. A very nice find."
"Four point five, Master Silverhand." Luthien said, not skipping a beat. "That's the purity of the silver."
hahaha, i love the debating on the ore quality here.
Elkarlooked Luthien in the eyes and took a long moment to sample the ore's dust again. "Four point two. Not bad, Elgi, but you went a little high there. How do you know so much about a miner's work?"
"I was raised as a miner." Luthien replied after a tense pause.
oh wow, 'not bad' he says, that is some..wow, you do not hear that often from a dwarf to another race.
And we'll see how he responds to finding out that Luthien has done the mining.
The Dwarf looked surprised, and seemed to relax a bit. "So. You think you know mining work, eh? I'd like to see that for myself. Visit us sometime."
He examined the ore again, then seemed to make a decision.
So some skepticism but offering the chance to prove it. Better than some get that's for sure, and we have an invitation to see them again. I definitely want to get that done alongside visiting Bardum so that Luthien isn't slighting the first....'dwarf' she met who handles daemontech
"King Ulfar. Forget the Colony and the Foreign Quarter in Skjold. We'll be establishing our settlement right here. It's only half a day to Skjold, and with how fast you breed, we'll be a quarter of the city soon enough."
"You will build a Hold here?" Ulfar said hesitantly, like he wasn't sure how to take the sudden change of his plans.
I mean...not wrong about how quick humans settlements can grow without massive death tolls.
And I *doubt* it's a hold...
"A Hold!" The dwarf glared at the king. "Don't be a wazzock. Do you see any mountains around here? It's flatter and less defined than a she-elf's chest!" He paused, realising what he said, then coughed. "Except for that one. She makes the ones I met look like halflings."
...hahahahaha, I've missed dwarvish bluntness...
and he actually retracted a bit if only to clarify that Luthien has a...proper set of 'bountiful cups'
Ulfar turned towards a Huskarl, muttering. "What's a wazzock?"
"What…?" Luthien said, not sure how to take the remark.
Silverhand cast confusion: it was super effective!
Elkar motioned for the area. "There's enough ore to support a dwarf settlement for a century. Perhaps more. Ah ken see it already. A well packed surface settlement. Shelters below ground. Maybe some fields of barley and a few goats. This could become downright cosy." He slammed a fist into an open palm. "Give us three quarters of the silver and a quarter of the iron, and we will give the opposite to you. Each month, we will gather all the ingots, weigh them, and distribute them fairly."
3/4 of the Silver? I'd be more shocked if I hadn't seen the antics they pull behind closed doors on their own people but that's still hefty as furk...still more silver than the Bjornlings would get otherwise, and I bet that 3/4 of the iron will be leagues ahead of what they're getting now and saving on thrall lives too
"I want to renegotiate this every ten years." Ulfar said. "And you must provide cast and wrought iron, a supply of steel, and we retain the labour tax."
The dwarf looked dubious. "No dwarf steel. But it will be as good as any steel your kind has ever made."
Smart to put in a renegotiation at that time length. Long enough that it will satisfy both parties but short enough that a bad deal won't be crippling.
Luthien wasn't sure how sincere the Dwarfs were. "Will Skjold receive as much metal as they had before?"
The dwarf nodded. "A manling's pace at mining is atrocious. We'll ensure that everything is handled fairly. "
Well, at the very least Skjold won't *lose* any metal even if they aren't gaining too much more, but that's up to Ulfar to renegotiate in the future. Luthien gets her cut either way.
Ulfar grinned. "Let us put this into one of these contracts that you love so much."
Eirtir walked up to Luthien as Ulfar and the dwarf departed. "I hope you were not looking forward to designing the mine."
Luthien turned on him, then laughed. "Mining is what leads to the enjoyable part. I will add a silversmith's workshop to the Metalsmith's Quarter that will make you weep tears of joy. I couldn't care less where the silver comes from."
Luthien is happy that the dwarves are handling the hassle part and she gets to make a fancy workshop instead. She just wants her shiny.
Skjold Gains:
The Iron Kin:
The metal and silversmiths of the Bjornlings have formally organised and formed a large group with the goal of representing their interests and guarding their forges. Their leader, Iron Master Eirtir, is the representative of the Metalsmith's Quarter, which he has complete authority over. The Iron Kin have even been assigned a permanent detachment of the Skjold City Guard to defend them.
Yey, our boi is moving up in the world, makes sense that they'd become their own organization that while is beholden to the king are able to work together to coordinate as they need to. That they get a permanent guard also is a dual thing, on the one hand it will keep them safe...on the other hand it's also keeping guard on them to keep them honest and obedient...
The Silversmith's Hearth:
No longer needing to ensure the supply of silver herself, Luthien has created a Silversmith's paradise in the Metalsmith's Quarter. Consisting of a large cosy building inside the quarter, which is part home, part workshop. Luthien has personally filled it with hammers, anvils, fifty different types of moulds, and every possible tool that a silversmith could wish for. Each of the moulds is expertly made of Caledorian Steel made Everlasting to avoid attempts to reclaim the metal.
Hah! Can't melt them down or break them apart to steal the metal
but this is a VERY fancy set up and will hopefully ensure that Skjold will be a major center of silversmithing from here on out.
The few Silversmiths among the Bjornlings, previously focused on melting down captured items, have moved here to turn the ingots produced by Azril Ekrund into arm rings, jewellery, and even home decorations.
Unlocks 10 Gold Dragons in income each turn.
woohoo! Free moneh!
Azril Ekrund: The Silver Stairway.
The Dwarfs of Kraka Drak have taken over control of the iron and the silver mine, bringing in a hundred experienced miners to renovate the entire process, and to introduce their own metallurgical skills. Azril Ekrund is to become a dedicated surface community, surrounded by sturdy walls, and filled with dwarfs and their families.
Oooh, fancy dawi settlement (for norsca) being put in place, this will definitely benefit the realm long term.
According to the contract signed by King Ulfar and Elkar Silverhand, Luthien Morningstar is to be provided with first pickings from all the Lead, Silver, and Iron ingots that Azril Ekrund produced
Unlocks 20 Gold Dragons in income each turn.
Provides Luthien with a functionally unlimited supply of Lead, silver ingots, and steel Ingots.
Sweeeet, so that's even more loot than we were expecting to get.
The following actions combine into a combo.
Create Protective raiment:
Carve protective wards and charms in ivory, and make small metal charms with Hysh runes of purity woven into them. Create a set of these charms and trinkets that you can wear in order to protect yourself from Dark Magic corruption.
Rolled 33 + 20 (Luthien's Learning) + 10 (Combo) = 63
Augment protective charms with Hysh:
The protective charms of the Shamans are useful. But they're not perfect. Combine your knowledge of Hysh with the charms, to create more potent defenses that actively repel Dhar.
78 + 20 (Luthien's Learning) + 10 (Combo) = 108
Not bad rolls overall and I told everyone that synergies matter! They can't be casual ones but if they do mesh well it does have impact!
VINDICATION!!!
Each of the pieces of ivory had to be perfect. Luthien carefully picked out the choicest pieces from the local market, focussing on buying horns that she could cut into cakes and carve into round emblems.
With precision tools, she carefully worked at the Ivory, each scratch of material she removed being done with the utmost precision. It was a slow and delicate process, but she was utterly consumed by it. As she worked, she muttered prayers to Asuryan and to Vaul, asking them to guide her hand as she worked.
Reminds me of how Dwarves carve runes as well, being very precise and careful to ensure they are exactly correct.
For months she sat at a table in the dining room, carefully working away at the Ivory, throwing weeks of work away when the slightest flaw or imperfection was discovered in the ivory. Her life was dedicated purely to her craft, and she stopped listening to those around her.
Scrape the ivory. File away the edges. Clean the tool. Scape ivory. File edges. Clean tools.
Getting sucked into her work as we saw being warned would be the case, makes sense that she'd be as persnickity as dwarves are when rune carving too.
Eventually shapes began to emerge in the material, the emblem she saw in her mind's eye manifesting from the ivory. She carved runes of containment into the material in the language of the Stone-Builders, when empowered, they would draw in Ambient Dhar. Using wax, she filled in the runes, and created moulds. With a steady hand, and after numerous attempts, she poured the silver and created tiny silver runes that she could inlay into the Ivory.
Oooh, nice reference to the old race of humans that dwelt here before assimilating into the Norsii.
Each fit had to be perfect. She spoke the words of power that Larmik had taught her. Arcane words that empowered the Ghur runecraft, imbuing the talismans with an arcane intelligence to draw in surrounding Dhar. It was the size of her fist, and it would serve to concentrate and store the ambient dhar, safely containing it. The talisman could contain a great deal of Dhar.
Nicely done, and looks like the beast magic is what's keeping it focused on its task, not too smart but useful all the same
After examining the runes, it became clear to Luthien that the talisman had some measure of intelligence. Something to examine another time.
beastly intelligence as i suspected.
But holding Dhar was not enough for her. She wanted to drive off Dark Magic, to keep it from tainting her flesh with corruption. Luthien started working with silver. The purest of metals, rich in Chamon, and easily made reflective and therefore able to channel Hysh. She created a series of flat reflective disks, polished to a mirror sheen. On the edges of these, she wrote down the Anoqeyan words for order, stability, and reason. But to empower the words, she required the most potent light there was.
Interesting, figured gold would be more pure, since it doesn't tarnish, but either way this is a very cool elaboration on the process of making the items.
At the height of each twenty-five day lunar month, she held a talisman high and used the Hysh that radiated from the world towards the White Moon and rebounded. This Hysh, bearing the touch of the moon, was woven into a single talisman. For five months, she repeated this process, creating a series of defensive talismans. Each to be carefully positioned each limb and her neck using silver chains, or attached directly to robes.
Oh damn, this is some pretty elaborate ritualizing in order to make these items but seems like it was worth it in the end. Hopefully this will help us later on.
Luthien Gains:
Dhar-Trap: A large ivory disc the size of a hand, carved with minute details that human eyes can barely see. Potent runes written in the language of the Stone-Builders are carved along the edges, invoking an enchantment of Ghur that greedily sucks in ambient Dhar and stores it inside.
Dhar Traps are wily things, and if kept in close proximity, will begin devouring each other's magic.
Saves you from one killing blow or mutation-causing event caused by Dark Magic.
Question, the underlined bit, does this mean that the traps will siphon each other's magic they use to function, or the dhar magic they are currently storing/gathered inside? Cause either isn't really good but one is less good than the other.
Protective talismans: Silver talismans woven from Hysh reflected from The White Moon, bound into flawless silver amulets inscribed with Anoqeyan words. The talismans glow with inner light when in the presence of ambient Dhar, pushing it away from the wearer.
Will push back ambient Dhar. Does not protect from intelligently guided Dhar.
More than fair, that's what expelling Dhar is for in regards to directed Dhar coming at her.
Unlocks Ghur research
Instinct: A simple instinct is bestowed onto the item, with the ability to activate another Enchantment. The activated enchantment can be given four words of instructions. But it must be something that the enchantment is capable of.
Warning: The intelligence is dumb as a rock and completely literal.
For example: Burn when near Dhar.
So be very careful when creating this, particularly when pondering unintended effects.
Unlocks Ghur research
Devour magic: Taking the enchantment from the Dhar-Traps to create a spell that actively seeks out other magic to devour, might be a possible avenue of research.
Hmm, that could be useful for creating traps/spells to eat all eight winds of magic and dhar in order to face off against other spell casters in order to prevent them from being able to hit luthien with anything magically, at least the spells that dont create physical objects. Very handy for facing necromancers and vampires I'd say.
Mathematics:
Your knowledge of Hysh warding runes would be greatly improved, if you actually had a firmer understanding of mathematics, and how to convert these into Anoqeyan runes.
Improves the strength of Hysh-spells when banishing Daemons.
Rolled 9 + 20 (Luthien's Learning) = 29
Summer 1665
There's barely anyone in Skjold that even knows division or multiplication, let alone how to write them down. And none of the merchants are selling any books even remotely connected to complex mathematics. Nothing more complicated than a Merchant's counting.
Upon completing Learn about the Politics of the Old World you will gain the option to travel to Marienburg to search for books on mathematics.
Meh. Sucks but honestly this is one of the few roles that I feel we could afford to flub that badly, at least we'll have reason to go to Marienburg beyond checking on how our steel walking stick is doing.
Visit the Troll-Skull and network with the Norscans
The Troll-Skull Tavern is a violent and lively place, where Norscans drink dangerous amounts of mead, sing bawdy songs, and love having a few good brawls each evening. It might be fun to go here for a slightly more aggressive evening than usual.
Chance to unlock expeditions or traders from Norsca, and the Norscan diaspora.
Available only this turn: A crew has returned from an expedition to Skeggi, bringing stories of Lustrian gold.
Rolled 29 + 15 (Luthien's Diplomacy) = 44
Another meh and hopefully it doesn't prevent us from getting Lustrian contacts.
The Troll-Skull tavern was what one expected of a Norscan house of drinking. Built around a great hearth surrounded by rails so nobody fell in. There was a large reinforced bar manned by a grizzled tavern keeper that kept two loaded crossbows hanging on the wall behind him. A distinct aroma of straw, sex, sweat, and alcohol permeated the bar. Bawdy songs were sung, while a skald played 'The saga of a hundred vengeful nuns'. A group of Five Norscans were trying to beat an Ogre in a fighting pit dug in the floor.
Oh hey, an Ogre! I want to see if we can get an Ogre minion. They live a rather long time if they aren't dying from...everything and are pretty adaptable and loyal if you can win said loyalty.
When Luthien learned of the crew from Skeggi, she had expected to hear stories of great explorers. Piles of Saurian Gold. And brave warriors that had returned from the Green Hell. What she met in the tavern were wild-eyed ragged-looking men that anxiously looked around, jumping to glare at any sudden noise. Their leader's eyes went wide when he saw Luthien enter the Troll-Skull. "What's one of them doing here?" He asked out loud.
Oh goodie, Luthien being mistaken for a Dark Elf again...joy.
One of the tavern wenches turned to look at Luthien and berated the explorer. She looked like she was far just past her prime. "That's the Forge-Maiden. Don't offend her, unless you want her to kill you."
An excellent correction oh 'well seasoned' bar maid
Luthien sat down across from the explorer, motioning for the wench. "Another round for this crew of hearty sailors. On me."
That got some appreciative muttering.
Ah the power of buying a free round, truly a glorious ability.
"I heard you lot arrived from Lustria. I'll keep paying for your drinks if you tell me about it." She took a single Gold Dragon from her wallet and slid it towards the wench. "Keep the drinks and the food coming." She turned back towards the explorer. "What's your name?"
Food and booze, for guys as jumpy as this I can imagine this will help a lot.
"Sven Haroldsson. Please." He muttered, as if going through the motions of propriety. "Aye. We came from Lustria. But we're not going back there, if that's what you're asking." The captain said, his eyes glazed over in a thousand yard stare. "The green hell swallowed up over half of my crew, and we barely got enough plunder to be worth it."
Ah, so the roll was im guessing how well their expedition went...and yeah, Lustria is magically designed to ensure that only the Lizardmen can prosper. the only other groups that really make it work there are ones that
cheat: The skaven who live underground, and the undead who outright just corrupt the land and magic...so the entire realm is basically weaponized nature...oh i so want to see that with Luthien's second sight.
"Lizardmen?"
"We didn't see no lizards besides the ones in the trees. Three men had their feet eaten by the mud slugs. Five were eaten by lizard piranhas. Stripped to the bone. Twenty died from disease. And that was before we found one of them old temples. But it had been stripped before. Almost not worth the reward."
All that and 'almost not worth the reward', hoo boy, says a lot about what you can get even from a picked clean temple.
"There was the big croc that ate Olaf." One of the explorers muttered.
"A croc aint a lizard. Don't be daft." Sven scowled. "Crocs are crocs." He turned to face Luthien. "Why do you ask us? Aren't you elves much more knowlede… knoledgab… knowledgeable about Lustria?"
Oh boy Sven's had more than a few, but can't say I blame him, after what he's been through.
"We never went far beyond the coast, even during the Golden Age." Luthien said, sliding a tankard towards the captain. "We had some colonies in the Golden Age. Most were abandoned. Skeggi probably knows more about surviving in Lustria than most elves do."
Which makes it a place worth going to in and of itself to me, at least if the knowledge that Luthien can get is couched the right way.
That seemed to cheer up Sven. "Aye. Skeggi ain't half bad. Just without firm leadership. But why are you interested?"
"There's some materials from there I'd have use for. And I am interested in adventure. Perhaps you could transport me-" She was immediately interrupted.
Hmmmm, 'without firm leadership' he says? Sounds like a power vacuum that a certain Wise woman with ties to Norsca might be in a good position to fill in the future...
"Well we're not going back, so you'll need to find someone else." Sven said adamantly. "Seen enough of that place for a lifetime."
"What about your brother, Sven?" Olaf said. "He could take her to Skeggi, or bring the stuff she wants."
"What did I tell you about saying stupi- Wait. You're right." Something approaching interest appeared in his eyes. "My brother, Olgur, trades for chew-leaf. Some idiots managed to reach the mountains in Lustria. Apparently things ain't as bad there. Built a settlement and all that. Sometimes a caravan survives to reach Skeggi, and they have this leaf the Shamans like. He also deals in stuff like hides, bits of gold, other good stuff."
Oh nice, so there's a mountain settlement...I wonder if it'd be possible to do a joint expedition there with the Norscan dawi, in the furs that feel comfy in all weather and temps, that could be a good way to ensure that at least some of their kin are safe...although the mountains might have clan pestilens nests in them so idk...
Luthien leaned forward. "That's more like it. Where can I meet him?"
Sven looked out one of the shutters, and seemed to do some counting on his fingers. "He should be back every spring."
So another merchant contact to make, veddy nice!
Chew-Leaf, the key ingredient for Meddglyn of Energy, is only occasionally available in Skjold, when Olgur Haroldsson carries it with him from Lustria.
so getting a more regularly supply or even finding a way to grow it with magical greenhouses could see the shamans making a LOT more stamina potions...or is that the magic potion? either way, getting a regular supply of that leaf would be huge for the Shamans and Luthien as well.
Unlocks action:
Trading with Olgur Haroldsson, Lustrian Importer:
Huzzah! Will probably wait till Luthien has an alchemy lab set up before really trading.
Unlocks expedition:
Join Olgur Haroldsson to Skeggi.
...I want to, so bad, but like i was saying during the previous vote, gotta wait for these and the wood elves till Luthien has time to really focus on it...
[TEXTBOOK] What about a better source?: Luthien owns a tome on Shyish "The Amethyst Wind," which was penned by Phoenix King Bel-Korhadris. It contains complicated anatomical drawings of humans, elves, and dwarfs, and those parts must tower over nearly any human medical work. Allow Michael to copy those parts over, and reference the book as a source.
Michael's book will have serious credentials. If the sources are believed.
The existence of The Amethyst Wind becomes known
Rolled 99 + 20 (Luthien's Learning) + 10 (Excellent source material) = 129
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usfiAsWR4qU
It took Luthien two months just to painstakingly copy the parts of The Amethyst Wind that would be relevant for Michael's tome. Every word, every smudge, the smallest stain. She tried to faithfully copy them to a format that Michael could understand. Marking the sections which would be relevant for a tome on anatomy.
Yup, doing it by hand franciscian monk style. Hard work for sure.
Michael was genuinely happy as he worked his way through page after page of Parchment as he wrote his own sections on human anatomy. He carefully transcribed what Luthien knew about Asur anatomy and cross-referencing it with The Amethyst Wind. What started as a book about just elven anatomy, quickly grew to include men and dwarfs, with Michael describing the differences in how each organ functioned. There were drawings comparing elven to dwarf musculature. An explanation of the function of the kidneys.
Oooh, nice, so this will be very helpful for more than just humans, it might well help the Umgdawi in the Imperial cities if the priestesses of Valaya don't already have this level of knowledge, but at the very least it could make a difference for doctors and surgeons who have to operate on dwarves if there's no priestesses nearby.
Luthien spent days just watching Michael write, or carefully scanning the pages of The Amethyst Wind for information that might be useful for the book. Michael's drawing skills improved, until he could make passable copies of the drawings. They both stopped making love, and instead spent their time together on the project, making a bit of progress whenever possible.
Ah, and so they transition from sleeping together to just getting enthralled in the work. i will admit I feel vindicated that we went with the choice we did for Micheal. It allowed them to just...separate without drama like this whereas I imagine that either of the other options would have been more contentious.
It took them two years of intermittent work. They stopped touching each other, focussing their time together on discussing the book. In the end, their workwas complete. A three hundred page grimoire on anatomy, with each drawing and quote painstakingly copied over and referenced.
Both got sucked into the work very deeply it seems.
And boy howdy did it pay off it seems. 300 pages of quality medical knowledge.
The anatomy of the Ordered Races: A three hundred page masterpiece about the biology of the three spoken races, The High Elves, the Dwarfs, and the humans. The book goes into extreme detail, describing the growth of each species from fetal development, to adulthood, and the effects of aging. Each organ's function is described, and compared with those in the other species.
Damn, this is some serious work here. This might well butterfly in a few ways but lives should be saved and in the end this is the important part.
The tome is far ahead of its time for the lands of the Old World, with its descriptions of fetal development contradicting the belief systems of most organized religions. And its loud denunciation of humours and bloodletting leads some to call it quackery. But for dedicated physicians with an understanding of anatomy, this tome is invaluable for diagnosing sickness.
Heh, there was going to be some accusations of quackery regardless of what choice was made but this should really help the quality physicians that aren't obsessed with following Gaelen's work.
Luthien gains trait
Anatomist: After helping Michael write his book on Anatomy, Luthien gained a very thorough and firm understanding of anatomy, and can now use this when healing or diagnosing wounds.
Bones and organs are less likely to heal back wrong when Luthien uses healing magic.
YUS! This was even more worth it now! Didn't know that things healing wrong was an option, should have really, but hey, now there's a less chance of that happening. So glad we chose the better source.
And it helps to know where one must strike to cause the most pain possible.
+2 to Combat Prowess
VINDICATION!!!! Especially when we're about to go clear out the tower. Oh this is a glorious day!
You decide to learn the Lore of Ulgu
Rolled 95 + 20 (Luthien's Learning) = 115
...just...see songs one and two from the last really great rolls...I'm going to sit down now.
Luthien still remembered her meeting with The Owl, and the way he had woven the wind of shadow. She wanted to be able to weave a cloak of invisibility, to confuse and obfuscate her enemies, and to hide her secrets. She had touched the Wind of Ulgu for a moment, and found herself desiring to master it herself.
It was a pretty impactful scene for sure to interact with The Owl. Wonder if Luthien will be able to learn from him like she has Larmik
At the bottom of her lockbox was the tome on The Wind of Ulgu. She hadn't remembered putting it down there. Had it moved somehow? The book looked different than when she had gotten her hands on it. When she'd purchased the book, it had a simple grey cover, and was called. "A Guide to Ulgu." There had been no name on its cover, and she'd bought it on a whim.
...spoopy shadow book acting spoopy...and we got a high roll...i sense budding mystery...
Now, it was black, and oozed with Ulgu, almost like it had absorbed the shadows it lay in. She picked it up. At the slightest touch the book shook, and a name appeared on the front, as the letters of the title shifted and rearranged.
If we hadn't gotten a super high roll I'd be terrified, right now I'm concernedly intrigued...concetriged?
"A guide to secrets." By Erasophania. Luthien had never even heard a name like that before.
She opened the first pages, and an empty page at the start of the book shimmered as hidden text appeared.
BY FUCKING WHO?! HOW THE FUCK DID WE GET A BOOK WRITTEN BY
ERASOPHANIA THE DAEMONOLOGIST?!?!?!
I...holy shit. Holy shit....HOLY FUCKING SHIT.
"If you are reading this, then you seek to control secrets. To keep them from those that would use them against you.
'I write this book, trapped within a tower, my writings being one of few hobbies I was allowed. I had a servant smuggle my books to common merchants, where they would hopefully end up doing some good.
Yup, this is the person I'm thinking off...oh my gods.
'I am of the Blood of Aenarion, cursed from birth to bring either greatness or suffering to the Asur.
I just...this is a character from The Blood of Aenarion that I never see referenced...and we got a spellbook written by him...oh fuck. They are one of the blood of Aenarion that are not referenced in tones of hugs and puppies...
'When I was sixteen, I killed a man who attempted to stop me from ever being able to draw the Widowmaker, even though I had no interest in doing so. The Cult of the Forbidden Blade is their name, and they would have all of The Blood smothered at birth.
Huh...wonder if they are the cult we dealt with or another group entirely.
'I killed him with my bare hands, and I was taken to the Shrine of Asuryan to be tested. They declared my fate to be ominous. I was condemned to be locked away forever, or destroyed.
and based on what little is known of them, tha turned out ot be accurate, whether it was self-fulfilling or not idk.
'My father sealed me in this tower, and I have remained in it for a hundred years. During that time, I have studied a great deal, and taken to writing books on philosophy and magic. I have learned to secure my mind from intrusion, and to guard myself from prying eyes.
And a few other things besides, but I imagine shadow magic is how they eventually get out as well
'Now I will help you do it. I developed these spells myself, to hide myself from my father and to prepare for the day I could break free. They are crude and barbaric, but undeniably effective.
Yeah, i imagine being stuck in a tower with limited resources access would lead to crude results but if they work they work.
'My only request, for the one to take this book, is to give it to another that is in need of secrecy, when their need is greater.
Huh...wonder if we can grant this to Teclis or The Owl in the future, sounds like once Luthien learns all that she needs this could help either of them far more.
Luthien continued reading the book.
"Ulgu is different from most winds, in that it is drawn to civilization, and will accumulate there naturally. Only Hysh's propensity towards attraction by geometric patterns can be compared."
So by this
@EVA-Saiyajin it seems like light and shadow magics are polar opposites of a similar theme, in that they are the yin and yang of the 'civilization magics'.
'Ulgu is secrecy and deception. It is a thick slow wind, which naturally accumulates in secrets. It is found in the darkened hallways of palaces, where courtiers scheme. It will seep into wine cellars, where a Noble keeps his best stock. It pools under the beds of children, whose fear of what could lurk beneath their beds, manifests as pools of Ulgu.
So Shadow magic is the magic of the bogeyman huh?
'Ulgu is thick, and cloying. But it is also flexible. It can be woven almost like thread, to create illusionary guises to protect oneself. Think of it like putting your hands in spider's silk, and drawing it around you.
A pretty apt analogy I'd say.
Luthien was enraptured by the book, and read it intensively. There were spells that were far beyond her understanding, which wove Ulgu in elaborate tapestries of magic, which could influence time, space, and the perception of both. Again and again she reread every passage she finished, finding new words and even whole sentences appearing as the ink slid aside to make space for more.
Oh wow, so the book more or less gives you more knowledge as you increase your capacity to understand it through comprehending the already exposed material...that's ingenious!
She opened the section of spells for 'Beginners'. The spellwork was complex, and if she had not been inspired by The Owl, she would have had trouble even knowing how to begin weaving the required Ulgu. After a year of careful reading and experimenting, Luthien finally felt she had gotten as much out of the book as she could for the time being.
yeah this isn't something anyone can just plow through and get all in one go.
In the dead of night, with her home lit by a single candle, Luthien began to wield the darkness. She pulled clouds of Ulgu towards herself, draping herself in a cloak of the stuff that hid her from sight. She manipulated the shadows to form whips and soils, striking at targets she threw in the air.
Shadow tentacles and tendrils huh? this will be immensely useful in tunnel fighting.
As she sank down into her own shadow, Luthien felt her mind detach from her body. Her body disappeared, and she felt the sensations of her own body fading away. It was a curious experience, almost like body-wide deprivation of the senses. But as she sank, she felt her consciousness expanding further. It was like a deep meditation, but even further. Not even the most remote of physical connection remained.
that seems like it could be very dangerous if not done correctly, easy to lose yourself in the experience and be unable to find your way back.
She was a living shadow that crawled across the floor, even though she felt a phantom remnant of… her hands? They felt like her hands, but there were no fingers. She stretched fingers that no longer existed, muttering a spell and tensing the inflection of her mind. Even without a physical form besides a particularly concentrated ball of Ulgu, she could cast spells like she were normal.
Oh that's incredibly handy, very useful for sneaking and spying once Luthien gets a better handle on it.
She crawled across the ground, moving through the shadows cast by the candle. It was a curious feeling, to have no body. But she could imagine the uses for it.
The door opened and light flooded in from a lantern. Luthien instantly regained her physical form, as if the shadow spat her out. Michael looked down at a Luthien that was now lying upon the ground.
So it needs total darkness to work or at least no new lights being introduced directly where she currently is, good to know.
And then at the pile of clothing that lay where she had begun her spellwork.
"Why are you crawling naked across the ground?"
"Magic." She said bluntly.
Hah!
Luthien learned:
Apprentice-Level Lore of Ulgu: Shadows and secrecy are wielded by the user, creating spellwork that toys with perception. Luthien can use tendrils of her own shadow to manipulate or move objects. This needs to be a conscious effort.
Nice! This should be so handy, I'm very glad we did this.
Cloak of Invisibility: A cloak of invisibility is woven around the target, hiding them from non-magical sight. Does not hide the wearer from the other senses.
Woohoo! Still gotta be quiet and cover her scent but it helps for sure even with that limitation
Hide Aura: Luthien weaves a thin veil of Ulgu around herself that dampens the light of her soul. While this spell is maintained, Luthien can not be detected by any but the most potent Mage Sight
Oh that's useful as fuck for the assassinating the chaos sorcerers we will be doing as well as checking out any mages, vampires or necromancers in the future. They won't be able to sense Luthien's aura when she spies on them in shadow form
Sanctum of the Mind: Departing the physical world, the mind retreats into a fortress within itself, where the caster is unable to feel all sensation upon their body. Torture and interrogation does not work on one channeling this spell.
Good good, probably will need to work on more stuff like this to handle the Swordmasters but this is a good start to being able to go back home
Combat Magic:
Choking Shadow: Luthien animates a man's shadow to come alive and choke them. The shadow is as strong as the target, but will disperse a second after the casting ends, or if dispersed.
Oh that's diabolical and will be SO helpful for assassinations or in the middle of a heated fight if Luthien can't get close for example...or even trying to take out someone far away without exposing herself. This really is the assassin's magic.
Poisonous fog: Luthien conjures a cloud of living fog that seeks to constrict and drag her foes down to the ground. The shadows are acidic to the touch, and cause bloody coughing if breathed in.
Oh goody, can summon green dragon breath, lovely! This will probably be very helpful for dealing with large groups en masse like the skaven or greenskins.
Shadow daggers: A dagger of congealed darkness shoots out of a shadow the caster is focused on. The daggers fly as fast as thrown daggers, and will seek out weak spots.
Noice, another effective assassination magic or something to take someone out quietly in a battle. We are unlocking a LOT of cool spells with this lucky moment.
Shadow spike: A crude spell, but undeniably potent. A shadow solidifies and shoots out as a spike, capable of punching through flesh and bone. The spike is covered with little jagged edges, like serrated knives.
oh nasty, an impaling spell, probably something used to take out enemy mages or leaders without them suspecting if possible.
Shadow-Blanket: Luthien grabs her own shadow and pulls it over herself like a blanket, causing her to become as flat as the ground she is standing on. If the shadow is partially removed, those parts of Luthien become visible.
So a way to hide until someone moves away, could be useful in a pinch.
Mind warp: A word of power is spoken and the caster blasts the enemy's mind with lies, deceit, and misdirection. The target is slowly convinced that the danger is past and they can lower their weapons, or that new non-existent enemies are facing them.
So can be used to either keep guards from suspecting something is wrong or to get someone paranoid and distracted, maybe even turn them on others nearby with skaven for example.
Enchantment:
Invisible Cloth: Thread of the finest material must be woven by hand to create a cloak that looks like a shadow. When fully worn around one's person, the wearer looks like the nearest shadow.
Does not work on beings with eyesight superior to the average human. This includes animals.
Oooh, so this could be handy in cities at least, if only human ones. Still useful.
Expansive scabbard: A weapon up to three times its length can be sheathed in a scabbard created with this enchantment.
Oh this could be a very effective enchantment to use for long and broadswords, greatswords too...anything big really. Save on space, room, maybe weight. but it'd be really good for keeping a hefty weapon out of sight or out of the way, very happy to have gotten this.
Runes of Ulgu: The runes carved on this blade hide its power from prying eyes. The spells woven within the metal are not perceptible unless the blade is swung in anger.
Oh, this could be handy keeping a spelled weapon's abilities hidden until the battle is happening. useful if trying ot get an edge.
Distort: The blade is woven with a potent enchantment that, to an onlooker, shifts its position every time they blink, while hiding its actual position. Does not work when the blade is dirty.
Oh, so keep the blade clean and it'll be that much harder to be able to anticipate and counter. Good for making a weapon to bypass an opponent's defenses rather than beating through them.
Unlocks research:
Hide magical activity.
Teleport
Passive resistance to interrogation.
Attune equipment for translocation: Teleportation without clothes attuned to travel with you, is a quick trip to embarrassment.
WE'RE ALMOST THERE LADS AND LASSES! WE ARE ON THE PATH TO FIGURING OUT HOW TO AVOID BEING INTERROGATED BY THE SWORDMASTERS AND GETTING CAUGHT!
Plus hiding magical activity will be helpful, teleportation!...and making clothes that travel with Luthien so she isn't nekkid. Veddy important.
Support Michael starting a medical practice:
Michael is a skilled physician and midwife. He should pass those skills on. Have an apothecary built where he can take apprentices and share his skills.Use the money earned to support the apothecary, and to build a fund for Michael if he takes your offer of official freedom.
Cost: 5 Gold Dragons.
Rolled 80 + 20 (Luthien's Learning) + 10 (Anatomy of the Ordered Races) = 110
Huzzah! And the book made a big difference as well! Double Huzzah.
Autumn 1665
King Ulfar leafed through the pages of The Anatomy, his eyes catching on the drawings. He grit his teeth at some of the images of fetal development, but did not stop reading. Eventually, he looked up at Michael. "I understand barely anything about this book, but I can see it is very impressive. Feel free to build your apothecary."
Yeah I can imagine some of the stuff in fetal development being yeesh worthy. And hey, Ulfar knows better than to argue with a good thing.
Luthien nodded, already thinking of where she'd recommend Michael to construct it. She was going through the motions in her head, planning the construction, layout, her head filled with ideas, she forgot the world around her and began to head for home.
Ah Luthien, getting lost in the clouds. Not even an elf thing, just an artist/creator thing
The voices she heard were muted, barely audible in her mind as she ascended to that plane of thought that her work sometimes elevated her to.
She heard Michael give a polite cough. "I had a request, King Ulfar."
"What is it?"
"I would like to employ a few children to read and write. I can teach them to write the text of these books. I will do the drawing myself."
...Huh, well this might actually solve that literacy issue that was being discussed pre update, about teaching the Bjornlings to read and write and so on for making the Merchant house. Go Micheal!
"Who are you to make a request like that without being in the presence of your owner, thrall!" A rough Norscan voice spat out. "I should gut you for forgetting your place in the presence of the King." A few other Bjornlings muttered agreement.
My guy...she's right there...I get you're being loyal but you're also being stupid.
Luthien's perception slammed back down to earth and she turned to face Michael. She was already at the stairs leading down, and saw a Norscan advancing upon Michael. She recognized him as being from one of the inland villages. He raised his fist, even as Ulfar stood up and prepared to shout.
Yeah she's not too far away and if this is one of the new immigrants, sounds like he's either misreading the situation because he doesn't know the context between Luthien, King Ulfar, and Micheal...or he's just trying to make a show to make a 'good impression'...idk.
One moment Luthien was standing at the base of the stairs, the next he was gagging as a shadow crawled out of his mouth and put tendrils around his neck. Luthien stood in the doorway, aiming a hand glowing with blackness at the man's throat. She let go, then blasted the man with a wave of Hysh that dispersed the shadow and knocked him on his back.
Told ya! Luthien will be able to handle enemies far away with a whole new variety of spells.
Silence descended on the hall as Luthien grabbed Michael by the scruff and dragged him off. She glared over her shoulder. "The next person to threaten one of my thralls dies." she spat.
I won't lie, I'm reminded of the scene from the movie ever After where the MC literally hoists the prince over her shoulder and walks off with him.
Skjold Gains:
Michael's Apothecary and scribe school: Using Luthien's investment, Michael has built himself a decently sized Apothecary. Here he provides a variety of herbal remedies and minor alchemical cures to the people of Skjold. Next to the apothecary is a small school where Michael teaches a small class of ten young Bjornlings to read and write, intending on using them as scribes for copying his tome on anatomy.
Woohoo! This should help Skjold in the long term get a population of effective and literate people in it to be able to set up more of what the location needs now that it's going beyond the rough and tumble trade port of its early days.
Michael's business is very profitable, and so is Luthien's cut.
Gain 5 Gold Dragons per turn.
Yey, maor moneh!
Set up a fur trade managed by Brorn:
The Norscans don't seem to understand the sheer demand for the more luxurious and less utilitarian furs within their lands. Starting a business to hunt, prepare, and sell as many of these furs as possible could be a valuable source of income.
You will work with Brorn and go into business with him. He will run it, and you'll get a cut of the profits for supplying superior tools.
Unlocks 10 Gold Dragons in income each turn.
Functionally unlimited access to sable, mink, marten, and other luxury furs.
Rolled 42 + 12 (Luthien's Stewardship) = 54
Not great but not bad either, this is fair for a middling roll.
In Luthien's limited experiences, most good business started with a good drink in a pleasant environment. She sat across from Brorn inside his luxuriously furnished home. There were fine chairs made from the best lumber, and either created by Norscan master craftsmen, or taken as plunder in raids long ago. There were fine fur rugs hanging tastefully on the walls. The mantle above the fireplace had the head of a troll, a massive elk, and the head of what looked like a massive rat.
A very fancy house indeed, and that last trophy could be a rat ogre or just one of their dire rats too.
The room smelled of burning charcoal, straw, cooking meat, and freshly baked bread. Brorn sat across from Luthien, dressed in more modest clothing instead of his sturdier traveler's leathers, as his wife Lena Hilgdottir poured them both a sweet mead that flowed like milk. The Norscan woman was a striking figure, her long red hair cascaded down her back. She was dressed in fine robes of blue silk, decorated with intricate silver jewellery that adorned her neck, wrists, and fingers. Feathers and fur were sewn onto the fabric, adding texture and flair to her already impressive ensemble.
They are doing very well for themselves indeed.
Despite being pregnant, she carried herself with an air of grace and confidence. She was close to birth, and it had all happened while Luthien was focused upon creating the talismans. Luthien resolved to give them a gift for their child.
So it's been a good/not troublesome pregnancy, that's good to hear. A gift does indeed sound nice.
[] [GIFT] A shield to be cradled in, and a sword to hug:
Your father told you stories of how in Aenarion's Nagarythe, children were cradled in the shields they would carry as adults, forged for them at their birth, hugging a scabbard made of soft fur. Some in Ulthuan carried on the practice, mostly the martial families that descended from Nagarythian refugees.
You will make a fine shield for Brorn's child, which can be put in a frame to function as a cradle, and make a fine enchanted sword in a scabbard of the softest fur you can find, which the child will hug for comfort.
The world is a cruel place, and the child will have to fight one day.
Brorn's child will grow up sleeping next to martial magic, and be inspired to be a great warrior.
I like this idea, because Ulfar's son is already training to become King, and it would be fitting for the King to have a Champion that is tied by love and blood to aid him. Plus this is Norsca, there will never be a lack of a need to fight.
[] [GIFT] A protective emblem:
Your mother still carried the birth-gift that her own parents had received from a silversmith. A pendant, taken during a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Asuryan. She claimed it had protected Luthien as she grew up, and made her grow healthy and vital.
Giving something to protect the child from corruption feels like the right thing to do.
A beautiful silver figurine of a Phoenix, infused with a spark of Asuryan's fire. It will be placed above the crib, and the child will sleep in the warm glow.
Brorn's child will grow up sleeping under the shadow of an icon of Asuryan. Perhaps he will have a potent destiny?
Then again this could be useful too, maybe he becomes a great trader, an explorer, a great shaman...who can say.
[] [GIFT] A symbol of Isha:
You will make a blanket, decorated with silver leaf, and enchanted to be Everlasting, and beseech Isha to protect and nurture this human child. It will be of the softest fur, easily washable, and of the finest quality.
Perhaps an ordinary healthy life is the best thing to hope for?
Hey, even a safe childhood is a treasured gift in its own right in Norsca.
Brorn had fought a losing battle to convince Lena that he could pour the drinks and prepare the food, but one look of Lena's green eyes had silenced him. None dared to question her mastery of the home. She prepared a sumptuous dinner of bread, cheese, and mead, and carefully observed Brorn's table manners as he ate. "I am happy to have you as a guest, Luthien. You mentioned something about fur trading?"
"You are trying to meddle in *MY* domain! Out! Out foolish male before i get the pan!"
"Yes dear."
Luthien nodded. "I was talking to Larmik about the types of fur and leather that are available in Norsca. And he brought up that Norscans only use the most practical hides for their clothes and armour." She ate a slice of hearty black bread. The taste reminded her of her home, and for a moment, she fell into her memories.
Ah, nostalgia strikes again.
Bread was something Luthien had always enjoyed. Prince Eltenar's estate had survived from fruit orchards, hunting, and foraging. Bread had been reserved for the feast days devoted to Isha, in her aspect of the homemaker. Nobles preferred white bread, decorated richly with the most obscure ingredients. To Khaine's fiery pits with the nobles and their white bread. The taste brought back memories of her mother firing up the oven hearth of the old mansion's kitchen. Of a delicious brown bread, served with butter, wild honey, and jam. And finally, a cup of rough wine that no nobleman would be caught dead drinking, but which the commoners drank in abundance from great mugs. Even the children.
And for many peasants its all they can get at times... interesting how the differing diets show what is appreciated and what is taken for granted in a 'grass is greener' similarities. Good to see a happy memory for Luthien as well. She seems to have had a very nice childhood overall.
"Luthien." Brorn said, shaking her from her reverie. She looked and saw that Brorn had already finished most of his meal, and his wife was pouring him a cup what smelled like a herbal tea, while Luthien had only finished a single slice. "You mentioned fur trading?"
Ooops
quick, time to play it off.
Trying to appear aloof, and like she had definitely intended to act so slowly. Luthien immediately flipped the switch in her mind that allowed her to take the persona of the trader she had cultivated in Lothern. "There's a market for fine furs, and I think the Bjornlings could tap into it. Selling Mink, Beaver, Sable, and Marten, to the Southern lands. You should set up a group of dedicated hunters, who purely hunt these beasts."
Clearly she had of course
and they'd make bank indeed selling those things.
"Perhaps. Hunting just to earn money can be looked down upon by those close to He of the Forest, who intends us to use his bounty wisely." Brorn said. "But… Hunting dangerous beasts to defend one's home is no shame. And we could hand the meat out to the poor and the thralls. The organs we'll feed to the pigs. The fat we'll make into soap. The bones can be made into tools, fertiliser, and decoration. Then we will process the hides and sell them to the Marienburgers! I think the southerners call a group like that a Guild."
I mean, not wrong, if they're wasteful about the fur hunting as many have been before...But these are ferocious predators one and all so I'd say that counts for defending one's people and livestock at the very least.
Plus as Brorn shows here, there's plenty of ways to make use out of the rest of the animal.
He paused, turning to Lena. "Guildmaster Brorn of the Fur Guild. How does it sound?"
"Too southern." She grunted. "'Guild-Jarl Brorn' sounds better."
Oooh, I do like "Guild-Jarl" too, very Norscan and fitting that the Guild would be seen as it's own village type deal, a realm in and of itself within the kingdom as they often were.
Luthien played with the Norscan word in her mind. Ithantharmeistar. It sounded nice.
"I like it!"
Huzzah!
She put her hands on her belly. "You promised me you'd stop travelling the world after our first child." She eyed him accusatively. "You could start this Guild, build a hall to run it from, and not travel the world."
"Aye…" Brorn muttered. Then his face lit up. "I do like it. There's many young men who would go raiding, but who don't anymore. I'll organise them. Get some tanners and leatherworkers involved."
Oh yey, Brorn's gonna settle down, guess this means he won't be as available to get stuff on Luthien's behalf but there's always another merchant. And better to have Brorn secure and helping us get the fur trade established. Plus this will cement him as not trying to get his kin's throne and his children will be inheriting the Guild instead, which will bring them plenty of wealth in its own right.
"Furrier." Luthien said, using the Eltharin word. "A dedicated worker of furs is called a furrier."
Noice, spreading more words in the local lingo. Norscan is going to be a very interesting language later on at this point. A mix of at least three different languages from three different races.
Brorn repeated the word a few times, seemingly enjoying the way it rolled off the tongue. "Can you provide some tools?"
"I'll make you needles that will never break." She chuckled. "But first. We need to negotiate about my fee. I'll want a yearly payment for the tools." She unrolled a piece of parchment. "These are the tools I can provide. I'll want a payment for each fur worked with one of them."
"I believe that can be arranged."
Luthien showing her business smarts as per usual, veddy nice.
Business management: You are starting to get a firm grasp on the difficulties involved in managing larger organisations. Level 1/3
+2 Stewardship.
Upgrades to
Business savvy: You have become adept at managing a business. Using parchment and quill to manage your finances. Level 2/3
+4 Stewardship.
Yaay, we're almost there, and a bigger bonus to Luthien's stewardship is acquired. This was a nice bonus I should have seen coming.
Skjold Gains:
The Fur Guild: Founded by GuildJarl Brorn, brother of King Ulfar of Skjold. The Fur Guild, run from an impressively ornate Hall in Skjold, runs a network of hunting lodges and furries spread throughout Bjornland. The hunters of the guild are responsible for driving off the dangerous Mangler Mink, Monster Marten, and Sword Sable. Large aggressive pack creatures with a history of swarming into villages and dragging off their victims to their burrows.
Yup, they aren't just hunting critters for the sake of furs, they're also lessening the deathtoll from those buggers on the kingdom itself, so they're now properly profiting from something they were doing anyway
The hides of these creatures are some of the finest and most luscious furs available to the Old World and beyond, and their size beats any similar creatures in other lands. They are processed, worked, and sold in bales at an auction house in Skjold, which is prone to ferocious bidding wars.
I should hope so, these are some very valuable furs. Still need to work up to Jarl Bear furs tho...
The most precious possessions of the Guild are the tools created by Gydja Luthien Morningstar, the Forge-Maiden. Only the finest workers are allowed to use these tools, and the guild still pays a retainer to the Forge-Maiden for their continued ownership.
Unlocks 10 Gold Dragons in income each turn.
Functionally unlimited access to sable, mink, marten, and other luxury furs.
Woohoo, so free furs and continued moneh for some very NICE tools. Skjold just keeps getting better
Assassination.
Raid Freja's shop with the help of the Skjold City Watch: While the cult is gathered, lead the City Watch in a raid upon the shop. Kill anyone who resists, interrogate those who surrender, and gather all the information you can on further cultic networks.
A chance of finding something to link the cult to Alfar.
Here's hoping it goes well..
Summer 1665
The quiet of the night is disrupted as ten men of the Skjold City Watch follow Luthien Morningstar into the Apothecary. They are devoted followers of King Ulfar, and fierce opponents of the Dark Gods. They eagerly took the opportunity to vent their hatred upon traitors to their Tribe. The cultists, not expecting the raid, attempt to fight back with axes and clubs, but their weapons bounce off the thick armour of the Watch.
So it's 'Luthien Morningstar' to the Norscans now huh? Veddy fancy name and I wonder if it is related to her making that armor. And looks like We got some very anti Chaos norscans now, very good. The longer this kingdom lasts, the more of them there will be.
Freja Sigridsdottir, leader of the coven, attempts to conjure Dark Magic, but is turned to ash by a blast of Light that erupts from Luthien's outstretched hand. Two more are crushed by a single sweeping blow of Vaul's Blood.
Luthien: "No."
Rolling to find clues:
Rolled 72
Among the remains, a small lead box is discovered, which contained several shards of Warpstone. There are also maps to the local springs, and the source of the River Skjold. There are also lists of the guards stationed at the city's granaries.
There is a plot to poison Skjold with Warpstone.
Oh that's not good! That would have done some serious damage for sure, and slowly corrupted people against their will if this hadn't been found out. Glad we took this option for dealing with the Chaos followers to balance out Ulfar's approach.
Sneak aboard the Tylos's lament and find what Alfar is trading for: By the time that the Lament is boarded, the cultists will have time to burn their documents and hide their trails. Instead, sneak aboard while the watch is ready to rush to your defense.
Requires an Intrigue result of 40+ to not be discovered. If you are, you can be wounded during the ensuing scuffle.
Summer 1665
Luthien quietly sneaks into the harbour, her body hidden by dark cloth, and a cloak of primitively woven Ulgu around her. She has employed stealth before while in the Levy, lying in ambush for days before unleashing volleys of arrows upon unsuspecting foes.
Rolled 47 + 15 (Luthien's Intrigue) = 62
Not great but still enough to prevent getting hurt, and that works for me. Using Shadow magic definitely helps.
None of the crew of the cargo ship even notices her as she climbs up the anchor chain and makes her way aboard the ship. She walks through the creaky decks, bypassing the bored guards.
Sneaky sneak...
Rolling to find clues:
Rolled 72
The captain's cabin is open, and Luthien makes her way inside. She quickly reads the correspondence, but without taking any, so as to keep her infiltration a secret. There is the usual paperwork to be expected of a merchant's vessel. Shipping fees. Insurance. Bills of sale. New import duties. Letters from merchants asking for imports.
...Huh, same exact roll for both times we're finding clues. at the very least it's a reasonably high number.
Her eyes are caught by a letter that is particularly worn. Like it has been read far too many times by a fumbling hand. Luthien's eyes glaze over the letter, she reads a purchasing order for. 'Rich Copper' There wasn't anything that could be called 'rich copper' for sale anywhere in Skjold. She had checked. Was it a euphemism?
obviously, now it's a matter of finding out what it's referencing.
Perhaps for a glowing green rock? She grins.
She reads the name. It is a request from a Nulner named Alexander Streissner' from The Spring Grove.
The Spring Groves served to funnel Warpstone to the Tylos's Lament.
The Tylos's Lament exports Warpstone on behalf of the Vitki.
So it might be the sorcerers sending warpstone to cults they've established in the empire...or pawns to get them hooked...
Travel to the ruins of Fimir's Bane: A village destroyed by the eponymous beings. The chaos loremaster Alfar Igorsson supposedly came from this place. There might be something here you can use against him.
Chance to find information on just who the loremaster is.
Autumn 1665
Luthien knew nothing of the Fimir, only that they were a dangerous reclusive race from the dawn of history, which had been driven into the wilderness long ago. According to rumours she had heard in the Levy, they even predated the Old Ones.
Here's hoping we can find something, and the Fimir are *nasty* hopefully Luthien doesn't meat any anytime soon.
She followed a caravan carrying a shipment of steel weapons and arrowheads towards a village near the Graeling border. The home of a Farmrir Bjarghjarta, a Jarl that had helped to destroy a small army of Graelings. When Luthien had asked to come with them, the drivers had practically fought for the right to have her sit next to them.
Yeeey, referencing another thing. Glad you liked that one too :3
Looks like Farmrir is doing well if he's getting a nice big shipment like that.
It was always nice to be respected.
Near the village, she stepped off the wagon, waved the drivers on, and headed towards the ruined buildings, weapon close to hand. She immediately began searching.
Indeed it is Luthien, indeed it is.
Rolled 37 to find more information:
Fimir's Bane was stripped bare of anything useful. All the furniture had been taken away and the nails had been pulled from the wood. There were signs of stonework on the ruins. Even the stone was slowly being stripped away by scavengers like a carcass left in the wilderness. She searched in the area, but could not find the shaman's hut, home, or cave.
There is no trail in Fimir's Bane to pick up.
Frammitz! Well this was a bust, hopefully we can find out other things that give us a new trail, but this is not good...
Roadside assassination: The Sorcerer's movements have not changed. Kill him while he's alone on the road. It will be hard to approach him openly at night without being spotted.
Winter 1665
Alfar was becoming increasingly slippery and paranoid. He travelled at night, protected by potent magical wards that hid his presence. Luthien stalked him like a hawk, waiting for a moment when he led his guard down. Multiple times, he gave Luthien the slip, disappearing down a back alley, or just vanishing from sight with powers unknown.
Getting more concerned about this especially in light of the failure in the village reuins...
This one is slippery indeed, and I wonder if he's counter stalking luthien...
After months of tracking, the Loremaster finally made a mistake. Alfar was slightly drunk as he left Skjold, and his warding spells weren't perfect. Luthiesn was able to shroud herself in Ulgu and follow him in the night. She knew the path he would take, and took a shortcut through the forest. She waited in one of the trees, her ritual knife at the ready.
sneaky...SNEAK...
One moment, Alfar was walking across the forest road towards Pale Lake.
Rolled 70 + 20 (Luthien's Combat Prowess) = 90
The next Luthien leapt from the tree, slamming into the Loremaster's back and jamming her Khainite dagger through his neck. The Loremaster didn't even have time to scream before Luthien removed his head. Then the Loremaster's body exploded in black fire, reducing him to so much dust and vapour. The blasts washed over Luthien's talismans, but did not breach them.
IMMINENT VIOLENCE!
Very glad I pushed for those protections cause they were useful. I was worried he'd have some last ditch effort to take whoever was attacking him with them
She gathered the ashes and returned home. There were still more followers of the Dark Gods to hunt. And a web of conspiracy to uncover.
indeed, veddy myserious.
Assassination conclusions:
Alfar Igorsson, Loremaster of Chaos Undivided, is dead, his corpse left for the wolves.
I think his body got turned to ashes and blew away with the wind?
The Tylos's Lament did not return in 1666
Huh...so either it got word that he was dead and so was whatshername or something went wonky...
But a few loose threads remain:
Any cells Luthien hasn't eradicated have gone to ground.
so it'll be harder to find them for sure.
Jarl Igor Bjornkin, loyal vassal to King Ulfar, and Jarl of Pale Lake lost his Shaman.
Might want to send word to the Circle that the Loremaster was a sorcerer plant and they need to send someone reliable to make sure the jarl and village he rules over are safe.
The Village of Fimir's Bane was destroyed completely, far more than by a normal raid. Its destruction was intentional.
Definitely disposing of evidence but too little remains to put it together.
Freja Sigridsdottir, the owner of the herbalist's store, The Spring Grove, has been burned to ash.
another good riddance.
Erwuld Skolwin, Alfar's secret identity, traded lockboxes with the Tylos's Lament.
The Tylos's Lament was expected to get the Warpstone from Freja, for a Alexander Streissner in Nuln
And it didn't come back after they were taken out but it had no way that we could see that it would know which means they had some fallback method of letting them know or we got there too late and they finished their business.
You could not find direct proof linking the purchase of these boxes to the 'Rich Copper' bought from Freja Sigridsdottir.
Well that sucks, but we got a decent roll so idk if we'd need to crit to find it so I think it's not worth worrying about.
Alfar was drunk when he left Skjold. Tylos's Lament did not arrive that year and Freya was killed. He was normally very careful about avoiding drunkenness.
He had an enchantment that destroyed his body the moment he died.
The other lockboxes remain missing.
Yeah, altogether this seems pretty sketch and I'll be putting together the possible plot later when Im done wit hthe review.
[] [PLOT] Write in the most plausible story for what the Loremaster was involved with. The dominant vote, is what Luthien will believe.
I have a few theories but I am not sure atm and will write them out once I am voting.
Luthien checked one last time to make sure that Michael had left the house, and upon confirming his absence, and that the latch on the bedroom door was down.
Time to do sneaky khaine things....
Luthien filled the pool of the Khainite fire shrine with the ashes that remained of Alfar, ground finely with mortar and pestle. She placed her dagger inside, the blood on its sides still wet. She pricked the tip of her finger with her own dagger, then spoke a word of power and let the blood drip onto the ash.
Nice imagery with the ritual.
Black fire erupted in the pool, consuming the ash and setting the blood on the dagger alight. Magical energies began to flow towards the shrine, coalescing around it. Luthien felt the pain of the Mark in her chest fading for a moment.
Oooh, so Khaine approves, at least enough to keep the mark pain minimal.
She put her hands together and prayed in Eltharin.
"Khaela Mensha Khaine.
My target lies slain. His soul was rotten, and his life wicked.
I offer his soul to you, so that you may sup upon it, and do not feast upon mine.
May he burn forever in your flames."
Khaine is not nice, he serves a purpose to the elves but he is not benevolent by any means....
The fires raged in the shrine as Luthien prayed, but as she finished, the ashes burned away cleanly, leaving just a clean dagger in the flames. But even without fuel, a black fire raged above the pool. It looked like the small statue of Khaine was calling the flame into being, and the small runed on the metal fires carved in the edges of the pool, glowed with a baleful blue light.
Oh man, it is very easy to imagine it and it is very spooky and amazing.
Luthien attempts to invoke a vision:
Rolled 27
You gain one hint.
...at least we get something, darn dice.
There were mutants sitting at writing desks, clutching quills with mutant tendrils, writing texts that glowed with a green light. Luthien heard wood creaking, thunder, and the roar of a great bear.
So the evil parallel to what Micheal is doing, the warpstone sounds like it was meant for this chaos book maker to create more texts that will corrupt all that read them.
The image faded, and now the flames showed her something different. She saw a man placing one of a dozen lead-lined boxes in the back of a wagon. The boxes looked like the ones she had seen the crew of the Tylos's Lament offloading, then hiding them in the back of the wagon.
So we're seeing the next step in this chain passing the warpstone along.
The man was middle-aged. His hair was black, and his eyes were green. He carried a large curved dagger on a sheath at his belt. It looked to be made of Ithilmar. A very valuable trophy indeed.
Time to divest him of said trophy. Might even be enough to make a full sword of the stuff.
The cart left Skjold as it snowed. Luthien looked outside. It had last snowed two weeks ago.
...or it could be where the rest of the warpstone went instead that didn't go to the bote...
The cart passed through a village that lay near a river and a stone circle. But she did not recognize it. The man traded the lockboxes with a man who was dressed like a merchant. His face was hidden by something that stopped the flames from showing his true identity.
Ah, so there was another supply chain and not just the bote.
Unlocks actions:
Pick up the Dagger and go on a hunt.
I guess Luthien has some hunting to do...
As Luthien stood up, the black flame faded and jumped into Luthien's chest, straight through the Mark. Divine might flooded her veins and she felt power flowing through her limbs. It was a stream of Khainite-aspected Ulgu, flowing through the hole in her chest and saturating every fibre of her being. It felt magnificent, like she was weightless. She shook as she tried to contain the energy, but it was too much for her. Like a spring uncoiling, the energy erupted from her body.
Oh boy, is khaine happy or disapproving of how Luthien went about this....?
A heartbeast later, she emerged in an empty black abyss, speeding through it like she had been flung by a catapult.
Another heartbeat later, she appeared in the dining room in an explosion of black fire.
She had crossed into the edges of Khaine's realm, and re-appeared in the physical world.
Did we just get khaine flavored teleportation?!
Luthien learns Khainite Sorcery:
Shadowstep: Luthien steps from the physical world into edges of the realm of the Bloody Handed God before emerging again in the physical world.
Luthien can teleport up to ten metres, so long she can see where she is going, or has already set foot in it. She must have been standing still for five seconds before she can do this.
YES WE FUGGIN DID!!!
So she needs to be still for a period of time and can't just running teleport, fair nough and she needs knowledge of the location or line of sight. Still pretty awesome.
[MASTERWORK] Morningstar
-A chainmail hauberk made of Ithilmar, covering your upper arms down to your waist. The mail will be woven with a Prince's weave, weaving 8 chain rings in 2, rather than the more common 4 in 1 used in the levy. Combined with your ability to fuse rings rather than rivet them, this chain suit will be practically impenetrable, truly worthy of an Elven Prince... and be worth a Prince's ransom. An Ithilmar helm, with fluting reminiscent of the draconic decorations of the great helms of the Dragon Princes. Bracers and Greaves made of steel to guard your forearms, shins and knees, with elegant, flowing lines patterned after the enchanted Vambraces once worn by Prince Eltenar, which you once maintained.
-Materials: 2 Ithilmar Ingots (1 for the Helmet, 1 for the Chainmail), 2 Caledorian Steel ingots (1 for bracers, 1 for greaves)
-Enchantments: Runes of Hysh (Asurayan Invocation), Minor self repair (experimental), Energy of Beasts (Experimental), Controlled Core Temperature (experimental), Everlasting
Rolled 91 + 20 (Luthien's learning) +20 (Inspiration) = 111
All of 1666 AND 1667
I just..the rolls in this turn have been a rollercoaster holy wow.
Luthien took over Eirtir's blacksmith in Skjold, which had been left empty for a while now. Several smiths had come to observe the occurrence, and at her request, muttered prayers to Vaul.
Glad to see the old haunt is still getting some use now.
Luthien carefully cradled the Ithilmar ingots as she got to work. It was a pleasure to work with such a sacred material. She had laid out her best tools, cleaned them all thoroughly, and had repeated the process she was about to go through a hundred times in her head. She heated the Ithilmar, and carefully wove it into long wires using a drawplate. Each of the spools of wire, she then cut into lengths to make circles of a three millimetre diameter.
Yeah i can imagine that this is a moment Luthien needed to build up to.
She channelled Chammon and Aqshy through her hands as she worked, heating the metal until it was white hot, working it with her bare hands so as to ensure that each of the rings fused completely. She made Prince's Weave. Eight rings in two. She held two spells active at a time as she worked. She kept the finished rings cool, while heating the one she worked. Each ring was painstakingly made to be perfect, and she melted nearly half of them down in a search for perfection.
Oh wow, she's making some FINE chainmail, on par with the mithril shirt that Frodo had in the Lord of the Rings.
Eight rings lined up, their ends fused. Two rings looped through the other eight. Pull four of the eight rings to the other side. Loop two more rings through those four. Slowly, day by day, she began to weave patches of immaculate rings together. She created a single band on a wooden dummy that had been modelled after her.
This sounds like some of the sewing and weaving my mom used to do. Lots of intricate work.
Once she had created the waist. She hooked another two rings through the top two of a bundle of two rings, and then closed it around the top two rings of the next. She used tweezers and the most subtle of magic to extend her work. Whenever she placed a ring, she grabbed another from the bucket of rings she'd prepared, wove it into the growing tunic, closed it, and magically sealed the ends together.
Yup, definitely like weaving, very persnickety work which made chainmail a pain to make
Then, she began the spellwork.
Each of the two horizontal rings was engraved with a tiny script that invoked warmth and heat, keeping the rings warm, even in the coldest environment. Warmth radiated from the rings.
Oh wow...so she's enchanting every ring? That...explains why she's taking so long on it.
The other horizontal ring, she imbued with the name of Asuryan, written not on the metal, but woven into the most delicate of spellwork that she could manage. The armour began to glow as she worked, only fading when she finished a ring, and then lighting once more as she began with the next.
Hooo boy...she's going for broke with this one.
Through rain and snow, Luthien worked. A pile of empty milk jugs and plates with eaten meals began to build up near her workspace, each day carefully cleaned up by Michael. Only when her fingers cramped, and she was too exhausted to work, did she take a break and finish another chore or duty.
Yup, she's in full creation fugue at this point, wholly lost in the art of smithing.
Michael had a bed moved into the workshop. It had been difficult to convince some Bjornlings to help her, after Luthien had thrown the last man to get in her way across the room so she could get to another bucket of Ithilmar rings.
Yet the obstacle!
She barely recognized when an enterprising Norscan constructed an outhouse across from the blacksmith and charged her a silver piece per use. She just fumbled through her purse and slammed a bundle of Gold Dragons into his hands.
...how much are we paying for this poop stall?
After a year, he had built himself a home and gone into business as a spice trader.
I should fucking HOPE SO! Smart arse ripoff artist knowing when to strike *grumble grumble grumble*.
But in the end, the project would draw her in again. She missed the birth of Brorn's child. Only stopping for a moment to mutter something about the child being beautiful when it was brought out before her, and finishing the gift she had promised it.
She's lost in the fugue, I'm impressed she was able to focus enough to comment on the smol.
When Srurg led a successful raid against the Skaelings and slew a Hellguard with one of Luthien's spears, she was still working away at the chainmail as he was carried through the streets.
I am SO glad that we made those spears, now they have what, one of them left not including the King? The Skaelings are falling and they can't seem to catch a break. Srurg did very well and I'm glad to see him using the spear instead of that former chaos axe. This firmly puts the momentum on the side of the Bjornlings.
Prior to this they were digesting the gains from the last raid and the Kurgan were keeping the Skaelings busy...now, now the Bjornlings are done adjusting to their new resources and lands and are back on the offensive. I'm not sure the Skaelings will be able to turn the tide at this point without a LOT of help from the chaos side. This might well be how they devolve into the Graeling's state of being.
After a year, the chainmail shirt was done, and Luthien began weaving her most potent spellwork ever. For five months, she wove a lattice of Chammonic spellwork that rippled with power. When any piece of the chain or the connected armour broke, golden metal would bleed through the cracks to reform the damage.
Ooooh, so the armor self repairs? that will be VERY handy in the days to come.
She did not see Michael start seeing a Norscan woman whose little brother learned at his school. Or falling in love with her. When he'd asked for his freedom so he could marry her, she just muttered an agreement, and got back to weaving a defensive spell.
Aaawww, he found love, I am now doubly glad we didn't get too close to Micheal, he was able to move on when I think he realized that Luthien was just too different for anything more than sleeping with her to happen. And with the apothecary and the writing school in place, he has a position in the village as more than just the local medicine man and off the books giggalo.
He had a healthy daughter that same year. Luthiana Michaelsdottir.
He has a smol of his own. I wonder if Brorn's son will marry Micheal's daughter.
[] [MICHAEL] Write in a fitting gift for Michael's family. Use the Masterworks rules.
Will try to come up with something that hopefully appeals.
She had broken from her obsession for a moment to smile and congratulate him. But then she returned to her work. She was almost done. Soon her great work would be complete!
Yup, full on artist obsession mode going. This happened with the bow too, I think this is a risk when it comes to making ANY masterwork, she will fall into this same state until it is done.
When Ulfar invited foreign dignitaries to visit Skjold, a few had shown up, just to gawk at her as she worked. She'd been too focused to tell them to leave. She did not notice the walls constructed around Eirtir's blacksmith, so people would stop seeing her constant spellwork, or hear the sound of her hammer striking the ithilmar.Vambraces and Leggaurds. Each of them was made with the most careful attention to detail she could muster. She wove the same spells she had woven into the mail into the armour.
Guess Luthien missed a chance to meet this dignitary group but hopefully the impression that was made was suitably impressive despite that. And yeah I can imagine that the distraction of her work was getting a bit much. I suppose this has become her personal workshop now and is secure from people messing around in it.
The leather she worked with the most care she had ever put into such a material. It was a body-covering undersuit of the strongest Norscan leather she could find. Through it, she wove staggeringly complex Ghur enchantments that drew upon the ambient magic of all beasts, drew it in, and then fed power and vitality to the wearer.
This is the mammoth trunk stuff right? hopefully it holds up. and i imagine this looks like something similar to a SCUBA wetsuit at least from the neck down. The enchantments should help keep Luthien going.
For two years, the only thing that existed in Luthien's life was her armour. She emerged from the workshop, her hair almost reaching to her feet, wide-eyed, as pale as a Druchii, wearing her immaculate armour. She looked like a Dragon Prince of Caledor. Clad in shining white Ithilmar mail that when the sun hit it just right, seemed to glow with inner fire. She wore an immaculate helm with draconic fluting. The Vambraces and greaves were engraved with a texture akin to dragonscales, and if looked at closely enough, depicted scenes of dragons burning daemonic armies.
Ooooh, oh we're really diving into the not!Sauron elements here.
She stumbled forward and collapsed from exhaustion. Shiny armour and all.
Aaaaand sploot has happened...seems fitting.
Luthien learned:
Hysh Enchantment: Asuryan's Light: The blinding light of the Emperor Of The Heavens glows from the runes carved in his honour. The very presence of these runes hurts the daemonic and the corrupt, burning corrupted skin.
Lesser daemons burn and are slowly banished in the presence of these runes.
Hahahaha! This is going to be perfect if/when we have to face anything like that. I wonder if they'll do any damage to mutants or things like skaven or beastmen. That would be pretty awesome if they did, but even if that's not the case, the longer Luthien is around the lesser daemons, the more they suffer and will be yeeted away so she's at this point very much an anti chaos warrior...I wonder if this will help the Lizardmen see her as a positive to see something so anti-daemon.
Chammon Enchantment: Blood of metal: When this armour is damaged, golden metal flows from the cracks and begins to seal the damage. Can not replace missing components, but if they are re-attached, the armour will gradually heal itself.
niiice, if we can do this for other metalworks, this might well help Luthien create artifacts that stand the test of time, especially if combined with light magic spells to prevent it being corrupted.
Ghur Enchantment: Power of the Wilds: Armour imbued with this enchantment seems to constantly bleed energy and vitality into the wearer. Proximity to the wind of Ghur slowly recharges the energy that the armour can spare.
So gotta hang around wild places to recharge it, seems like a small price when this is the adventuring armor.
Aqshy Enchantment: Comfortable heat: Armour with this enchantment will always be of a comfortable temperature, and adjusts itself based upon the environment. You can sleep in the Norscan snow, and this armour will keep you alive.
So it's based on the Jarl Bear fur, VERY helpful especially for exploring Norsca and Lustrian climes.
You Gain:
Morningstar
A chainmail hauberk made of Ithilmar, covering your upper arms down to your waist. The mail will be woven with a Prince's weave, weaving 8 chain rings in 2, rather than the more common 4 in 1 used in the levy. Combined with your ability to fuse rings rather than rivet them, this chain suit is practically impenetrable, truly worthy of an Elven Prince... and worth a Prince's ransom.
The set also contains an Ithilmar helm with fluting reminiscent of the draconic decorations of the great helms of the Dragon Princes.
The Bracers and Greaves are made of Caledorian steel to guard the forearms, shins and knees, with elegant flowing lines patterned after the enchanted Vambraces once worn by Prince Eltenar. On the flat surfaces, battles between dragons and vast daemonic hordes has been depicted.
Will negate a failed defensive roll per combat encounter. Can negate critical failures.
Luthien will wear this armour at all times, except when sleeping in a safe location, or when she can't sneak it under formal clothes. She fits this over fitting under-armour, depending upon her location.
Hysh Enchantment: Asuryan's Light:
Chammon Enchantment: Blood of metal:
Ghur Enchantment: Power of the Wilds:
Aqshy Enchantment: Comfortable heat:
Vaul Enchantment: Everlasting:
Items Remaining for Masterwork creation:
Functionally unlimited supply of iron for Caledorian Steel
Generic Norscan lumber, ivory, and hides.
1 Ithilmar Ingot.
Damn, this is a quality piece of armor, can't wait to test it out in the tower.
Current expenses:
Physique upkeep: 5 gold Dragons
Toilet: 10 Gold Dragons
Current Income:
Whale Oil Lanterns: 15 Gold Dragons.
Silversmith: 10 Gold Dragons.
Azril Ekrund: 20 Gold Dragons.
Fur trade: 10 Gold Dragons.
Three years turn.
Total expenses: 45 Gold Dragons
Total income: 165 Gold Dragons
Remaining funds:
249 Gold Dragons
The Poop box costs HOW MUCH?! Please tell me we can renegotiate that or that that was a one time payment! Good gods that's a massive ripoff but the bugger knew when to strike when Luthien would least argue. At the very least Luthien is starting to make major money again.
