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RHUNRIKKI STROLLAR (Warhammer Fantasy Golden Age Dwarf Runelord Quest)

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On Thread Etiquette:
I'm not going to weigh in on the logic of either side's arguments, but I will ask that everyone read over what they write and really consider if the words they used are polite and won't be inflammatory intentionally or not. You cant account for people's tolerances perfectly but at least try to say your piece without saying things that can be easily construed as overly dismissive of the other side of the argument, thank you.

Please endeavour to be cordial. :^)
 
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I don't think we have ever actually got Thungi's brilliance to proc. Given how often we failed to reach it I hope if we do it does something cool.
 
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...I kinda didn't really ponder this, but I wonder how the actual black smith scene is doing in Kraka Drak.

With how many rune smiths there are running around and attending both the city and Khazagar, theres competitions for them even, I wonder if actual black smiths are struggling to find work to do.
 
Silver719 said:
Out of curiosity, what's the logic behind not progressing towards the effective end, or at least next stage, of the Windsight project, ala making a variant that doesn't require maiming?
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It's entirely possible that there is no way to create such a variant. Going against a fundamental part of dwarven nature may inherently require sacrifice.
 
Hmm guess background roll gave High Talented beardlings too tempting to pass up without thinking about it.

Edit: Honestly snorri not taking apprentice is only to be able to go 6ap on Stormforging the dragon for me which I think is still pretty tempting.
 
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Ankheg said:
So how certain are we that Vragni isn't messing with Hashut? Orange Runes are kinda his whole 'thing'. Well, that and daemon-engines. And satanic dwarfs. And generally evil things.
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I think if we accuse Vragni of working with demons, it may actually cause a war.
I mean, sheer anger would kill him within seconds, so we wouldn't need to fight him personally, but still. Probably not wise.
 
Yeah, I think we should start with another batch of Apprentices.

soulcake said:
Dolgi's blood, or perhaps a mix of his and Klorah's, seems particularly well suited to producing Runesmiths. All of his children are Runesmiths, and all of his grandchildren so far also bear the Gift. Not that any but you know with any degree of certainty just yet.
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The Dawi seems to have passed the skill to his children. Another set of Twins and grandkids with the Talent.

I was joking about how half the Rune Smiths would be related to Dolgi by the founding of the Empire but it will probably be closer to the emergence of Skaven Blight at this rate
 
soulcake said:
"Think you'll get to see the Greater Dragonblood Smelter will you?" you scoff disbelievingly, "believe I'll humour such a request?"

You have things to do today plaitling, as if Snorri Klausson has the time to play tour guide to a child. Let alone allow her into your Workshop!

"Yes!"

You frown even harder.

Preposterous.
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Santa maintaining his reputation as having a soft spot for children of all sorts. Even the annoying ones.
 
Not really feeling Snorri getting another apprentice. He has Karstah and she's basically his Perma-Apprentice. Also I feel like it would be really weird and awkward if he and Karstah both had apprentices at the same time for everyone.

Let's just have Karstah take an apprentice. The Dragons are almost ready to move out and she hasn't had one before.
 
UlseDovThur said:
Not really feeling Snorri getting another apprentice. He has Karstah and she's basically his Perma-Apprentice. Also I feel like it would be really weird and awkward if he and Karstah both had apprentices at the same time for everyone.

Let's just have Karstah take an apprentice. The Dragons are almost ready to move out and she hasn't had one before.
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..our daughter is not a "perma-apprentice."
 
soulcake said:
The monthly get-together is at Dolgi's this time, and for understandably good reason. Rather than deal with a drunken Dolgi crowing about his newest grandchildren, or that wretched concoction of a stew, you beat a hasty retreat to the quiet area where said grandchildren were. Relieving Brunna of the duty of watching over them with a gruff grunt and jerked finger pointed at the dinner table.

"Save your husband from his fool father, young lady, he's badgering Skarri to do a jig that will end with two sprained shins and a visit to the Temple of Valaya," you call after her as she heads off before turning to look at the sprogs that are the cause of Dolgi's raucous idiocy.
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Snorri being part of the family is really sweet.

soulcake said:
Young Svina, Dolgi's first grandchild, watches her newest siblings with a small frown on her face. Why? Who can say when it comes to the mind of young ones not even past their second decade.

"Gruncle," she asks, bah, looking up at you, "what's a Runesmith do?"

"Your da and ma not tell you child?" you ask back, ignoring her poor grammar for now.

"They did, but I wanna hear everyone's answer," she explains, as if that is all the answer she needs before frowning in thought.

"Granda Dolgi started talking about jerky halfway through when I asked him…you won't talk about jerky will you?" she adds, staring at you suspiciously.

You huff.

"No I won't," you answer, earning a beaming smile full of holes where fallen baby teeth have yet to be replaced.

Moving around so that she can listen to you while keeping her siblings in eyeshot, Svina sits down on the ground and waits for you to start talking.

The cheekiness of youth, in your day they'd at least ask instead of assuming.

"Listen closely then young lady, for I shant repeat myself," you grumble, "A Runesmith is many things, but first and foremost our craft is Wonder…"
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He's having a lot of fun telling her about what Runesmiths do. She's having fun poking at grumpy gruncle.

soulcake said:
Young Dawi less than twenty years old, another data point—

You stood near the fore of Clan Winterhearth's elders, just a few paces shy of where your great Grand-Uncle, and then your Uncle Krauss once stood. The eldest of the Clan was now a mere 300 centuries your senior, your older cousin and the Clan's loremaster.

The beardlings step forth, ready to be judged for the strength of the Gift in their veins.

Souls bared, untested and whose Golden veins varied in lustre. Some had no veins at all, others barely veins at all. The weak emanation of Stilling Fields that cannot be seen because they are swallowed whole by your own.

You watch the replica of Karaz-Kazak-Rhun be handed to one lad, how the Rune glows and matches the pulse of the veins in their soul.

He has The Gift, and The elder nods and the young man beams.

Another youth, the light of the Rune as dim as freshly doused coals.

No Gift.

A third, a young Kvinn of twenty-two who had come all the way from Winterhearth Hold, is handed the replica of Karaz-Kazak-Rhun. You had already known upon catching a glimpse of her soul earlier that her Gift was strong.

And the hammer agrees with your assessment, as it glows brightly the moment her hands touch it. For a moment you see a different young lady—in a different dress and with a beaming grin—in the glow before the light fades. It did not match Snerra's of course, no one has in the centuries since her Kumenouht as Jorri loves to crow, but still worthy of cracking a cask and singing a song.

—for your research.
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It makes sense that he'd take advantage of this to get more data.

soulcake said:
You eye their little souls, noting that their veins shine brightly.

Dolgi's blood, or perhaps a mix of his and Klorah's, seems particularly well suited to producing Runesmiths. All of his children are Runesmiths, and all of his grandchildren so far also bear the Gift. Not that any but you know with any degree of certainty just yet.

The pessimistic part of you worries about what sort of reception the first non-Runesmith grandchild shall do, and the unspoken pressure among his children to not be the one that breaks such a chain.
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That's an understandable concern.

soulcake said:
"—but it wouldn't do to teach you poor habits," you continue, pulling out the toy hidden in your cloak like it had come from thin air.

You hold out the stuffed Branakroki towards her, black and white coat with big button eyes that glint in the light.

She takes the toy from your hand politely and cradles it to her chest for a moment, before she gently puts it down between her siblings.

Svina turns back to you.

"Two more gruncle! You deceived all three of us!" she says, gesturing to the two babies preoccupied with the plush now sandwiched between them.

You raise a brow, and she huffs harder, challenging.

Of for the love of—

"A hammer! A hammer too!" she adds quickly, grinning as you dug your hand into your cloak, almost catching you off guard.

—Bah! She's lucky you actually had a toy hammer on hand.

'Harumph' ing fiercely, you pull out the hammers and toss them to an expectant Svina. Skarri ought to teach his child better manners, you grouse, lest you be stuck dealing with this nonsense every time you speak to this child.

You wonder when Jorri's eldest and their families are visiting, haven't seen your grand nephews in a decade or so now that you think about it.
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Man this is really adorable.

soulcake said:
Grumbling, you go through the laborious process of changing your frame of mind to the right headspace for the metaphysical component of the word, and then speak the verbal half of the Anoqeyån concept for "sunset."

Again, you and Menlinwen see a portion of your Stilling Field vibrating slightly westward, the space moving like the heat haze on a sweltering summer's day.

"Fascinating," she murmurs, "the phenomena alone is a curiosity, but as to why it behaves this way I can only begin to guess."

"I'd hear those guesses regardless, Ebonsea," you respond, silently disquieted.

"Given what little I am aware of," she begins, tone not judging despite the obvious secrets on your part, "I believe the cause is whatever you've done to yourself Lord Klausson, rather than the Anoqeyån itself. We've done these exercises in the past to no effect after all. I doubt it's mere coincidence that this phenomenon only started occurring after you started lessons again. That said, it's clear from our admittedly few experiments that the full Anoqeyån expression is required, rather than it being one aspect in particular. Thus I'm led to believe that it is awareness of the phenomenon itself that is key to this. If you would be interested, Lord Klausson, I can prepare some exercises for you to help determine if my theory is true."

"If you'd be so inclined. As an aside, there aren't any concerns about possible dangers from me doing independent attempts, are there?" You ask, glancing at Menlinwen curiously.

She takes a moment to think, but eventually shakes her head.

"Your kinds' natural nullification effect makes botching Anoqeyån relatively harmless. Nothing is of course perfectly safe, but I've yet to teach you anything that I could see as being dangerous and requiring a mage's presence just yet. What you know so far should be fine to experiment with at the very least."

You grunt in understanding while making it a point in your head to write this down and test more on your lonesome later.
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So him having Windsight changes the effects.

soulcake said:
Hard to tell, and probably a bit of column A and column B if you were a betting dawi, but for your purposes the truth doesn't really matter when the end result is the same.

On a whim—and because static is the bane of beardcare—you tried your hand at creating a way to store the mushrooms that wasn't liable to get you struck by errant bolts of electricity, an endeavour that sent your mind spiraling towards your other overarching project.

Akazit.

You had decided to put away playing with the idea of obsidian phials to store the Winds, not permanent of course, but instead you repurpose the building blocks of your initial idea to create something different. As you've gotten better with your eye, and you can finally visualize the concepts of what Elven writers went purple describing in infuriatingly poor detail, you've realized that you're overcomplicating things a bit.

As it is you have two competing designs, one built off your improved comprehension of the Winds, and the other based on your original extrapolations and ideas from observing Dragon Essence. The first design relies on manipulating the properties of the Winds themselves against them; a small stove with clear design inspirations from Dragonblood Smelter, the inside of which would be lined with panes of obsidian. Once burned or even during the breakdown itself, the Wind would be corralled through the furnace's structure into piping that would direct it into your storage barrels. The issue of bottling the ash completely bypassed. The difficult part, that you have yet to solve, is being able to manipulate the process as it's happening. Correctly funnelling the Winds isn't insurmountable, but one of precision and understanding you don't yet have.

The second design is about as difficult though not in the same way as the first method. What you'd be doing is utilizing several principles long pioneered by both the Engineers and Brewers Guilds. Immersing the reagent within a liquid and boiling both away with the Rune of Calcination until a concentrate made of ash, wind and fluid to create something like the Dragon Essence you produce from your smelters. The tricky part, of course, is finding a liquid medium to replace the ash itself.
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Poking at reagents and various wind phenomena is a great way for him to develop Akazit.

soulcake said:
"Karstah, why is the Skarri's eldest sprog here?" you murmur, looking at a beaming Svina, her hair done up in pigtails.

"Elder Dolgi thought it would be funny to send her your way while he was negotiating with a client," your heir answered dutifully.

You make a mental note to toss gravel at Dolgi, then side eye an unflinching Karstah. Grumbling, you move your gaze and give Svina a sharp look that fails to do so much as make a hair on her head precocious fool's head wilt.

By the Ancestors—you've gone soft!

"Gruncle, I want to see the Smelter you made!" she says, not even bothering to greet you.

Your eyebrow twitches at the word, whatever childish charm the word had at 11 has since lost its lustre at 12, but that doesn't seem to stop Svina.

Though admittedly you can hear the capitalization and nod in approval internally even as you frown and 'harumph' outwardly.

"Think you'll get to see the Greater Dragonblood Smelter will you?" you scoff disbelievingly, "believe I'll humour such a request?"

You have things to do today plaitling, as if Snorri Klausson has the time to play tour guide to a child. Let alone allow her into your Workshop!

"Yes!"

You frown even harder.

Preposterous.
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HAHAHAHA. I really want her to be an Apprentice it'll be hilarious.

soulcake said:
"Talented at being a pain my arse," he rumbles with mostly exaggerated anger, "But you seemed to have a good hand at it. Compatible temperaments matter more than you would think. Konna was a handful, but I had experience under my belt and Thorgrim kept her from being too foolish. S'no wonder they ended up marrying. Onki, well, he was a challenge. I remember once that he'd visit Kraka Drakk after—"

Karstah pretends not to hear his voice hitch slightly.
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He hasn't mentioned them a lot. Also his pain is noticeable.

soulcake said:
"Who can say my child? Who can say? Quite the crop I've been noticing," he eventually offers.
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I'm really happy that Snorri called Karstah his child.

soulcake said:
Old bones grasp the treasure, unworthy, untrusted he thinks.

It and its master disagrees.

One was always their own worst critic.

The hammer, the other hammer, voices that sang in his head.

Reckoning was at hand.

Let it come to its end.
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Huh who is this?

soulcake said:
- [Late 495] Strange things come from the Citadel of Creation. Through some mysterious working, Lord Vragni Silverbrand has done something to his creation akin to Lord Klausson's Khazagar. Now every item of Runecraft that henceforth created on the Citadel's grounds now permanently glows with brilliant orange light.
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Props to him for figuring that out, wonder why it's orange.

soulcake said:
- [Burudin] None have heard from Angkra?

- [Burudin] You ought not to expect any. Her last letter was rather clear wasn't it?

- [Burudin] Peace in her final days. It is better she be feasting with her kin when this tomfoolery that Kraka Drakk started finally finishes cooking. Four Holds partaking in this, I've half a mind to raise a Hall of Dunderheads in Everpeak and make it the envy of the realm just to shut up their crowing! Golden Runes this, Orange Runes that, I'm already hearing rumblings that the Jewelbrains down south are thinking of Diamond Necklaces for those who learn from their council. What's Brynduraz doing as their shtick eh? Cooking up some way to make their Gromril sing and dance? bah! At least the Brewers make their vintages taste different. A Rune is a Rune!
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RIP Angkra she had a damn good run.
 
I'm really curious what Vragni did. Alternate colors seem to mean alternate power sources, yet, we only know of Deep Magic.

What other magic is he mucking with?

No way it's Chaos, he's not that stupid at all, but we've not seen orange before either.

Well done that man.
 
soulcake said:
You eye their little souls, noting that their veins shine brightly.

Dolgi's blood, or perhaps a mix of his and Klorah's, seems particularly well suited to producing Runesmiths. All of his children are Runesmiths, and all of his grandchildren so far also bear the Gift. Not that any but you know with any degree of certainty just yet.
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I swear, Dolgi does more for the Karaz Ankor in his bed than he does in his workshop
soulcake said:
I've half a mind to raise a Hall of Dunderheads in Everpeak and make it the envy of the realm just to shut up their crowing!
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Do it then. Go on, do it. You definitely won't be doing exactly what we want you to do...
 
MORE APPRENTICES RAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

people saying no more apprentices for snorri, BAH I say, BAH! it is for the elders to pass on their wisdom to the empty headed younglings!
 
I think taking an apprentice in parallel with Karstah taking one is a good chance for us to pass down a bit more about how to teach as setting her up as an heir and not just a normal apprentice.


Also, I liked using windsight to examine candidates.
 
The Sandman said:
It's entirely possible that there is no way to create such a variant. Going against a fundamental part of dwarven nature may inherently require sacrifice.
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We have a research project to try to solve that problem:
soulcake said:
(*New*)[ ] [Difficult] Extra-sensory Pt. 2: [Cost: 8 actions] Master of the Odd will proc. Gain progress towards Understanding Runecraft. Karstah's creations will now add progress to Understand Runecraft. Improving the Rune of Windsight, or finding a way to provide an equivalent level of detail without needing the user to maim themselves is the goal. Otherwise you're limited to people missing eyes, assuming that you don't want the Cult of Valaya turning around and sending you to meet with the Ancestor Queen Herself. Which is a safe assumption to make.
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[X] [Snorri:] No.
[X] [Karstah:] Yes. Apprentice Vote in next Turn Results. (Taking apprentices will lock minimum 1 action per turn for 12 turns)
 
[X] [Snorri:] Yes. Apprentice Vote in next Turn Results. (Taking apprentices will lock minimum 1 action per turn for 10 turns)
[X] [Karstah:] Yes. Apprentice Vote in next Turn Results. (Taking apprentices will lock minimum 1 action per turn for 12 turns)

Is this inconvenient? Yes. Is this bad timing, when we have a major project just next turn? Also yes. Should we do this anyways? Heck yeah, we should! Teaching an apprentice is fun! (Svina is adorable and I want to spoil her.) Plus I don't want Snorri to stop taking on new students forever. It's been quite a while since we've had an apprentice, but even still, I'd be sad to see that part of the quest go.

Edit: Since it turns out we can recruit someone we don't start teaching until after next turn, this doesn't even hurt our dragon gronti. So I think there's even less reason not to do this.
 
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