Orc Quest; or, A Critical Examination of Agency Through in Interactive Fiction (Warcraft)

Frankly, I believe we should teach Grok'mash some very basic mistrust.
What are the aims of the Black Dragonflight? Kalaran is cool and all, but Grok'mash did not meet the leaders of the Dragonflight. Are they sensible? Are they honorable? What would Kartha, or his father say? Better to wait and gather more information

[X] Army, Orcs and diplomacy:
-[X] Decline the proposal
-[X] A Harsh Hand
-[X] Orc Wrangling
-[X] Mission to Stormwind
-[X] Sons of the Earth

On the other choices:
- A Harsh Hand
Let's try to have a human army under our command, episode 2. If they manage to fail again, they are truly hopeless and there won't be an attempt n.3.

- Orc Wrangling
Orcs will be the ones to follow us. We can protect them. It would also be good to balance out the numbers, in the face of the Demonsword clan. Travel to Hammerfall and command the clans to follow you back to Alterac.

- Mission to Stormwind
Officially going to King's landing Stormwind so we are officially recognized, and people cannot start stupid stories about a monstrous Orc drunk on Fel. Let's meet the Queen. Additionally, support Bishop Karlus and possibly visit the Bronzebeard Dwarves

- Sons of the Earth
More dwarves, cool. Let's try to have them as allies. And also gather more info, like say, on the Black Dragonflight. And smooth things if necessary. We do not need a conflict on our doorstep.

FractiousDay said:

Part of why there's a dragon now is because dragons are cool, and it's cool to have dragons.

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Westeros, here we come! Time for a crossover with ASOIAF🤩

Netos said:

Frankly, I believe we should teach Grok'mash some very basic mistrust.
What are the aims of the Black Dragonflight? Kalaran is cool and all, but Grok'mash did not meet the leaders of the Dragonflight. Are they sensible? Are they honorable? What would Kartha, or his father say? Better to wait and gather more information

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This is a fair point, but it has also come up before and I think my response is basically the same.

Grok is aware that some people are manipulating him, or that there might be ulterior motives behind certain issues, but the problem is that he can't necessarily inform himself better, he can't take a duplicitous route himself (though he's pretty careful generally), and that sometimes he does have a different view on things.

For example, he went and gave the Demon Seed to Varimathras. He knows a Dreadlord probably has plans for it, but he also can't really do much about that. He can't beat Varimathras in combat (or couldn't before the demon retreats) and as they used it to get the Forsaken out, Grok finds himself being manipulated to do things he agrees with. Same for Dathrohan, same for Feldad, same for Thrall, and in this case same for Kalaran. In all the instances Grok knows there's something going on but his ability to influence that sort of thing is limited.

In this specific case, as far as he's aware, the Blacks have been allied to the Horde for 15 years, and they've been pretty reliable allies in that time. He believe's Kalaran's remakrs about the Blacks keeping the conflict between the Blackrock and Stormwind fairly low level, as taht does indeed make sense, and Kalaran has fought iwth him and risked his life for Grok, which Grok respects a lot.

I as the author and you as the readers obviously know more, we know for example that Onyxia is looking at Grok as one way to disrupt elemental stuff to get Deathwing out of Deepholme faster. We know that Kalaran has gone on about how he's talked to the Queen, and then talked to Nef, and we might be suspicious of that. Indeed, Kalaran has represented himself as an agent of Neferian. This is a lie, he is in fact firmly on Onyxia's side of the Blacks, which is why he's been associated with her all the time. Here therefore,it's not Nef but Onyxia who's trying to get Alterac as a base for eggs.

But of course Grok doesn't know that.

The only people who migh tknow more aren't really around. You'd need someone with extensive experience of itnernal Black politics to be able to discern this stuff. Grok has indeed discerned the basic issue, that he suspects the Blacks might be using him to set up an alternate orcish ally to balance against Rend's Dark Horde, but while that's if Kalaran was being truthful, he's not he's working for Onyxia etc/.

FractiousDay said:

For example, he went and gave the Demon Seed to Varimathras. He knows a Dreadlord probably has plans for it, but he also can't really do much about that. He can't beat Varimathras in combat (or couldn't before the demon retreats) and as they used it to get the Forsaken out, Grok finds himself being manipulated to do things he agrees with. Same for Dathrohan, same for Feldad, same for Thrall, and in this case same for Kalaran. In all the instances Grok knows there's something going on but his ability to influence that sort of thing is limited.

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I find everyone has a use for Grok even those who would be more benevolent. His companions certainly do including Tirion and Karlus thanks to his use of the light. It's not a bad thing but it's something to keep in mind.

MrRobot said:

We just need to get tha mountain and achive maximum orc gigachad mode.

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There's ore in them mountains especially when Grok has the power of earth in his trinket to get more earthblood with the help of the black dragon flight.

do wonder how are actions are affecting non orc horde members in the area like the raventusk trolls (I know they are not excatly near by but close to duronhold keep where the orcs we seek are) cause I would like to reach out to them as the only group of forest trolls allied with thralls horde (the others are either indpendent or allied with rend's dark horde)

[X] Plan build a powerbase

I want to look for the warlocks but with how time sensitive some things are it's merely choosing which one is the most important while letting the one that's due next turn slip away when that's how the seize/negotiate resources was lost.

[X] Plan build a powerbase

4 for plan powerbase. Will put the vote on a timer and close during next week.

As expected. Wonder what the warlocks will be doing?

Ending vote slightly early, will roll

Thanatosra said:

[] Plan build a powerbase
-[]Lead the Oreseekers
-[] Orc Wrangling
-[]A harsh hand
-[] Spiritual Advice
-[] Accept the proposal
as I feel these improve our powerbase as making sure the we have our own supply for if we get isolatied from the rest of the altarec, getting the rest of the orcs around boosts our numbers and decrease the relience on the somewhat dubious demonsword clan, spiritual adice cause well we kinda don't want the scarelts to completly control this area and for black dragons kalaran has been a good ally and hey maybe we can do something with them

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@Thanatosra just to clarify, you state 'we kinda don't want the scarelts to completly control this area', but I think you might have confused the 'Spiritual Advice' action and the Stormwind mission action. The latter is the one that would indeed prevent the Scarlets from controlling the Alteraci clergy. Is this correct? Did you mean the Stormwind one?

Events
Alteraci foreign influence? 28, situation degrades. Multiple foreign influences now present in Alterac. Power split between Gregor/Grok/Lordaeron admin/Lordaeron leaning clergy/former Syndicate nobles
Lordaeronian Bishop appointed to Alteraci clergy, Archbishop Hylan selected, human-centrist, isolationist.
Stormwind situation degrades generally, further threats from Blackrock Orcs, creep species and banditry.

Non actions
Stormwind situation fairly chill? 27, degrades, Defias resurgent. Further roles subject to action clarification
Gregor stewardship previously going well, 79, still performing well! Alteraci nobility in hand
Gilneas holding the Capital, 63, situation stable for this turn
Scourge resurgence, 82, resurgence continues, Scarlet defence? 73, open battles in plaguelands
Lich King planning to continu? 93, going very well!
Trolls not doing raiding? 73, still being relatively chill
Syndicate holdouts still hiding? 98, yes still hiding

Actions
-[]Lead the Oreseekers, 95, significant advances. Grok inspired toward more ideas for harnessing the Spirits for resouce stuff, as well as personally growing. Dragons also impressed. Elemental interrupt? 82, no interrupt.
-[] Orc Wrangling, 66, broadlty well, specific efforts: Hammerfall 98, all of them, Frostwolves 32, not many, they're distrustful, Warsong 23, busy fighting someone?, final Blackrock clans, 9, very poor, whyso? Triggers Rend interrupt, 36, poor opinion of you, but not openly hostile yet.
Trollbane interrupt? 52, attacking remaining orcs when he gets round to it, not getting anywhere really.
-[]A harsh hand, general impact? 79, will need further work next turn, but army somewhat improved.
-[] Spiritual Advice, Fairbanks/Tirion, 84, both available for a chat.

FractiousDay said:

just to clarify, you state 'we kinda don't want the scarelts to completly control this area', but I think you might have confused the 'Spiritual Advice' action and the Stormwind mission action. The latter is the one that would indeed prevent the Scarlets from controlling the Alteraci clergy. Is this correct? Did you mean the Stormwind one?

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maybe its been a bit but I did feel reaching out about the light was important

Thanatosra said:

maybe its been a bit but I did feel reaching out about the light was important

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Ah ok, cool it was spiritial advice indeed then

FractiousDay said:

Rend interrupt, 36, poor opinion of you

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well I also have a poor opinion of you so their

though I am surpised he isn't openly hostile we kinda are cutting into his recruitment area (after all the stormwind stockade orcs were mostly likely from his horde)

FractiousDay said:

Orc Wrangling, 62, broadlty well, specific efforts

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That's 82, but what does that mean that the efforts go "broadly well", yet are stalled in all specific directions save for Hammerfall orcs? As for Hammerfall... while their numbers are not insignificant, we have already gathered their volunteers prior. So if we didn't get specific clans, whom did we get with the "broad" action?

Nevill said:

That's 82, but what does that mean that the efforts go "broadly well", yet are stalled in all specific directions save for Hammerfall orcs? As for Hammerfall... while their numbers are not insignificant, we have already gathered their volunteers prior. So if we didn't get specific clans, whom did we get with the "broad" action?

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Remember that there are clanless Orcs wandering around and freed or transfered prisoners from the Alliance.

Those are sources of recruitment as well.

Results aren't too bad in fact it went overall well.

Even reforming Alterac's human army had a good rating but since corruption was that bad it just needs one more threshold.

The resources situation has been solved and I dare say the find may have yields even greater than Alterac's existing ones Gregor and Danrothan might have to negotiate for a share.

FractiousDay said:

-[]Lead the Oreseekers, 95, significant advances. Grok inspired toward more ideas for harnessing the Spirits for resouce stuff, as well as personally growing. Dragons also impressed. Elemental interrupt? 82, no interrupt.

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Any rare yields?

It'll be useful towards trading.

FractiousDay said:

Scourge resurgence, 82, resurgance continues, Scarlet defence? 73, open battles in plaguelands
Lich King planning continuing? 93, going very well!

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The Scarlets maybe too busy to upstage Karlus.

FractiousDay said:

Gilneas holding the Capital, 63, situation stable for this turn

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Can do Battle Brothers mercenary work next turn. Give the war inclined something to do.

Thanatosra said:

though I am surpised he isn't openly hostile we kinda are cutting into his recruitment area (after all the stormwind stockade orcs were mostly likely from his horde)

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Problem is Rend doesn't want to seem like the aggressor. The 'constitutional' arrangements of the Old Horde are somewhat fluid, so in theory Rend doesn't really have authority over the other Blackrock clans, he has to rely on various other factors.

Nevill said:

That's 82, but what does that mean that the efforts go "broadly well", yet are stalled in all specific directions save for Hammerfall orcs? As for Hammerfall... while their numbers are not insignificant, we have already gathered their volunteers prior. So if we didn't get specific clans, whom did we get with the "broad" action?

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The 82 is for avoiding an elemental response from your dark shamanism, the orcs were 66. So the attempts at properly recruiting the clans went generally well, but for the specific polities you've previously encountered, the successes were unevenly distributed. For example, the Frostwolves would have gone with you, if they hadn't been distributed and previously distrustful of you.

rx915 said:

Any rare yields?

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Sure can add it in.

FractiousDay said:

So the attempts at properly recruiting the clans went generally well, but for the specific polities you've previously encountered, the successes were unevenly distributed. For example, the Frostwolves would have gone with you, if they hadn't been distributed and previously distrustful of you.

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It's just I don't know of many clans who weren't among the ones mentioned. But I suppose that's why they are 'known polities'.

...haven't we exiled the Frostwolves?

FractiousDay said:

Lordaeronian Bishop appointed to Alteraci clergy, Archbishop Hylan selected, human-centrist, isolationist.

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Oof. This is kinda why I wanted the Mission to Stormwind rather than Spiritual Advice. Well, what's done is done.

okay the from checking the priests (who is someone with a wiki page) I do wonder whats different about him cause on the wiki it calls him one of the true powers of the church with no mention to where he is from apart from his allegiance to the church of light.

FractiousDay said:

Sure can add it in.

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I might believe even elementium is possible.

Though if that's too rare than it can be downgraded to rare but not as rare like Thorium which orcs do prize greatly when I checked it or mithril which is listed to be in Alterac along with true silver.

Otherwise standard and prized ore like iron, copper, tin, silver and gold is already covered with 95 rating.

FractiousDay said:

Lordaeronian Bishop appointed to Alteraci clergy, Archbishop Hylan selected, human-centrist, isolationist.

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Lol.

ColonelRogers said:

Oof. This is kinda why I wanted the Mission to Stormwind rather than Spiritual Advice. Well, what's done is done.

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The winning vote won be it good or bad.

I didn't want it but you know Thanatsora decided learning more about the light's important so that's that. Worked well too with 84 roll.

I would be butthurt but I'm long past that into apathy. I'm going to be angsting over any choices not picked or if they're picked but the roll was bad anyway.

Could work with it though if you want to get Karlus as Grok's personal confessor or something.

FractiousDay said:

Problem is Rend doesn't want to seem like the aggressor. The 'constitutional' arrangements of the Old Horde are somewhat fluid, so in theory Rend doesn't really have authority over the other Blackrock clans, he has to rely on various other factors.

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Does his passive aggressiveness allow a justified makgora eventually?

Nevill said:

It's just I don't know of many clans who weren't among the ones mentioned. But I suppose that's why they are 'known polities'.

...haven't we exiled the Frostwolves?

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As per some of the previous choices, Grok is concerned about the fate of the Orcs in Lordaeron, especially in light of a resurgent Alliance under Dathrohan. You had a previous choice to prioritise Lordaeronian Orcs over the Burning Blade back home, and here Grok recognises he has the capacity to help them out by gathering them under his aegis in Alterac. As per the action last turn:

You had partly taken the Constable's commission in order to better safeguard the orcs of Lordaeron. The Frostwolves are wounded, the Orcs of Hammerfall under threat by the Amani and the Stromic King, while the Warsong remnants were under their own pressures. It is time to gather them. Travel to Hammerfall and command the clans to follow you back to Alterac where you can properly protect them. Without your intervention, eventually, you believe the situation of the Orcs will dramatically worsen.

As for your confusion, it may just be the wording. I usually do a general roll to see how well an action has gone, and then I'll do more granular rolls to represent the agency of the individual parties, or the randomness inherent in various affairs. You have the Warsong remnants, the Blackrock-aligned clans, Hammerfall and its surrounding population, and the remaining Frostwolves. + the Stromic forces and Rend's Horde, so those are the rolls I did.

In terms of the Frostwolves, you exiled them because they'd attacked you treacherously, and you didn't want them around you. The specific wording was '[X] The remains of the clan will be banished, commanded to leave Alterac and likely travel to Hammerfall instead'. Then a couple of turns later you had '[X] Prioritise the continued security of the clans in Lordaeron and good relations with the Alliance'. Then you were a warleader and captain, in command of a temporary force, but your situation is changed now and you're a chief and a powerful figure in Alterac. As such, you have the ability to forgive the Frostwolves' banishment and accept them back now that tempers have cooled. There would be conditions for that, which the Frostwolves who join you will accept because otherwise they'll just have to stay as paupers squatting in Arathi, hunted by the Amani and Stromic forces.

Thanatosra said:

I do wonder whats different about him

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Well he's just a guy I identified as being more aligned with Dathrohans faction really. He, like other characters, is indeed a character I've pulled from the RPG.

rx915 said:

Does his passive aggressiveness allow a justified makgora eventually?

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Massively depends, different people would have different opinions on it. For lots of people that would be considered as a pretty petty reason. This would include Grok. He is indeed sort of poaching the Lordaeronian orcs away from Rend, especially the Blackrock ones. Really, Rend has more reason to challenge Grok because Grok is assuming the mantle of a Warchief. Grok has been dancing aroung this issue for a while, and now, being in command of significant resources, does indeed present a potential challenger to both Thrall and Rend.

FractiousDay said:

Massively depends, different people would have different opinions on it. For lots of people that would be considered as a pretty petty reason. This would include Grok. He is indeed sort of poaching the Lordaeronian orcs away from Rend, especially the Blackrock ones. Really, Rend has more reason to challenge Grok because Grok is assuming the mantle of a Warchief. Grok has been dancing aroung this issue for a while, and now, being in command of significant resources, does indeed present a potential challenger to both Thrall and Rend.

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Not yet for a Makgora then?

He must be really jelly.

He really will when he finds out Grok riding a dragon.

FractiousDay said:

Hammerfall 98

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Does that include the Forsaken in Hammerfall?

rx915 said:

He really will when he finds out Grok riding a dragon.

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rend- hey thats my gimmick don't steal it (after all rend does have his own chromatic dragon mount)
grok- sorry cant hear you after your men joining me instead of comming back to you
more serious yeah grok challenging rend over him being passive aggressive is kinda a weak reason leadership of the dark horde sure