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

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VagrantHero said:
I'd like to wait on the Badlands Mission until we can also do the Sable Negotiations as well, since they don't have to know we would try to rescue their 2 imprisoned flight members anyway. And I do think we could use the additional preparation of our elites and magical arm before we try our hand again at messing with Rend. I remember we got badly bloodied previously. As for what I want out of the Breakers and Blademasters actions, part of it is for the martial applications, but part of it would also be in service of the infrastructural/economic ends, as I wrote here. Yeah we don't necessarily need to do it now, but the only thing that even really competes with the amount of progress this would make towards increasing our power would be further collaboration between the Dragonmaw and the Black Dragonflight.
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It's not rend who we would be messing with at kargath hold but thrall as it's his forces there waiting to kill rend when they get a chance but fair point
 
Thanatosra said:
I would say our ability to project power in the badlands is limited as it's right outside rend backdoor I think and the orcs at new kargath are there to kill rend (on thralls orders) so most likely really bored waiting fir a chance
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VagrantHero said:
additional preparation of our elites and magical arm before we try our hand again at messing with Rend.
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It would be extremely limited yes, but you wouldn't be there for very long. Yes, it's near Rend but it's outside his territory and in a borderland between Ironforge, the Dark Irons and Rend's influence really. You'd have supplies from Loch Modan and would be in and out relatively quickly. Rend would detect you moving through the Wetlands, and might be able to rally a force to oppose you if he wanted, but that force would have to be pretty agile to match Grok.
VagrantHero said:
I'd like to wait on the Badlands Mission until we can also do the Sable Negotiations as well, since they don't have to know we would try to rescue their 2 imprisoned flight members anyway
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Slightly correction that there seem to be quite a few drakes there, it would appear trying to diminish the Dark Irons who oppose the Blacks.

If you wanted to convert Sable Negotiations slightly, you could bring Kalaran along and he can advise while you're dealing with the imprisoned drakes etc. While the Blacks wouldn't regard you as under any particular obligation to rescue them, it's certainly killing two birds with one stone.
Thanatosra said:
It's not rend who we would be messing with at kargath hold but thrall as it's his forces there waiting to kill rend when they get a chance but fair point
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The settlement at Kargath is there for Thrall to watch Blackrock Mountain, just like Stonard is to watch the Dark Portal and the Blasted Lands.
 
FractiousDay said:
The settlement at Kargath is there for Thrall to watch Blackrock Mountain, just like Stonard is to watch the Dark Portal and the Blasted Lands.
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How long before Thrall sets up a settlement to keep a watch on us?

I imagine that would have initially been the Frostwolves' job but uh...

Anyway yeah, I'm very much that we don't go into the Badlands yet and spend this turn setting up institutions and such. Then next turn we can do some additional adventurism.
 
FractiousDay said:
If Thrall continues to speak as he does the position of the Burning Blade within the Horde will be irreparably damaged. Your father will react as he's accustomed to, giving in to his impulses of pride and paranoia and the Horde will lose its most reliable source of expertise on demonic matters with the warlocks going their own way and falling to darkness.

But you can stop it.

"If you've ever trusted me do so now." you say, looking at your father.

He's almost crouched as if expecting an attack, claws ready, but then the statement shakes him out of his trance and his head snaps to you, "What-"

"Warchief!" you roar up at the dais.

The interruption is unexpected. Thrall's choice of arena and his effort to set the encounter up should have prevented such an attack but you lift your head and meet his eyes.

The crowd dies down swiftly as Thrall cuts himself off mid-sentence, staring at you in confusion.

"If anyone is responsible for this affair, for the march of Forneus and the Battle of Dreadmist it is me! I gave the orders, I had command."

You see Thrall's eyes flit to someone in the crowd, then back to you but before he can recover you continue.

"You speak of the Fel as corruption, a baleful influence on the Horde. Once perhaps, once when proud chieftains drank Mannoroth's blood, each more eager than the last to take the Legion's power. Now the Burning Blade use the Fel in defence of our people, as we did in the battle."

There's little space to gauge the crowd's reaction, you only really have time to try and draw attention to yourself rather than the clan.

"You claim that the Fel is the cause of our misery, yet I am a shaman. I went to Dreadmist to better connect with the Spirits, yet I also went under orders to oppose the Centaur of the Barrens. I ordered attacks on the Kolkar, I slew their leaders and then I found my position surrounded by thousands of enemies, far more than we had any knowledge of. I knew we had no hope of survival if we fought with honour so I ordered a delay. My warriors threw the Centaur back again and again, killing hundreds of them, and even then there was a thousand still left."

Thrall has some inkling of where you're going but clearly feels unable to confront you as you speak.

"I ordered the elders of our clan to summon a greater demon, one which could destroy the Centaur, even if we were destroyed also. Without such strength we'd have been lost, without our sacrifice and the deaths of my warriors the Kolkar would have swept across the Barrens, isolating our settlements and killing anyone they came across. I did as I did for the protection of our people, even if if meant the sacrifice of myself and my warriors."

"And yet the Centaur were provoked by the reckless use of the Fel against the Spirits!" Thrall replies, finding a response.

You pause. Thrall is right, his remarks confirmed, at least in part, but the Kolkar shaman who had thrown itself on your sword at the mountain. However you couldn't reply with counterpoints without weakening Thrall's position overall which you had no wish to do. The assembly has grown quiet, all that you can do is resituate the argument onto your own shoulders again, "I ordered this, I had command. I am no warlock, you know this well enough. I have not taken the Fel, yet I still gave the order, all that occurred is my responsibility, not the work of those who came after me."

"And you admit you abandoned your traditions for power? You abandoned your duty to the Spirits as a shaman?"

You frown at that. What is Thrall trying to do? Does he realise your strategy? Does he realise your attempts to counter his own rather than simply to mindlessly defend your clan? Or was he trying to get the debate back to his well-prepared ground of hearkening back to the Old Horde's actions?

"I am a warrior of the Burning Blade and a captain of the Horde. Those are my duties. Yes I understood the effect of this on my connection to the Spirits, but the Horde is greater than me. I acted as I did in accordance with my orders, if I have failed in this let the judgement and shame fall on me, not be diverted before this assembly to my clan…"

The last statement is a thrust at Thrall's strategy more directly than you've tried before, but clearly it strikes true, the Warchief's lips curling around his tusks. Your appeal and your piety have also been felt by the audience and you hear a low rumble run across the crowd as they speak among themselves.

One armoured figure in Thrall's party leans toward him. The Orc is old, grey-haired and speaks for a while, the Warchief inclining his head. Is this Saurfang? You've probably seen the Orc before but you certainly don't recall doing so, though you've been away for years in any case.

The conversation is quick but the noise from the crowd increases and then out of the corner of your eyes you see one figure leap to their feet.

"Honour!" the warrior cries, "Honour! For the Horde!"

Others take up the cry and though they aren't many another murmur goes through the crowd.

You look closer and see the figure is Sorek of the Blackrock, and those around him crying out too are Blackrock. You meet his eyes and he clashes gauntlet against his breastplate in salute. You have some friends here then it seems, more than you could have hoped for.

In the lull in conversation as Thrall still listens to Saurfang you look toward your father. His stance has shifted somewhat, less hostile but holding the same wary tension in his muscles. He looks between the Warchief and you, a strange expression on his face.

Finally the Warchief rises, taking up the Doomhammer, blue eyes looking sternly down at you, his black and brass armour shining in the sun, "Grok'mash of the Burning Blade, you claim responsibility for these events. Are you prepared to accept the consequences?"

"I am."

Thrall nods once, "Very well. As you say, you were the commander at Dreadmist, through your actions the Centaur advanced, and through your actions Forneus was summoned. Do you accept responsibility for this?" he asks again.

Neither were strictly true, but you had little choice, "I do."

"Through your failings and dereliction of duty to clan and people the Spirits have been roused to fury, the land broken and our city and people attacked, do you accept responsibility for these events?"

Again, you had no choice despite the inaccuracies Thrall was drawing you into, "I do."

Thrall raises his hammer above his head, "Then I pronounce your sentence. You served the Horde. No longer. You are exiled, cast out. You are no longer a part of this Horde, no longer one of our people. Go far from this place, you are unwelcome among us, your dishonour stains you like the blood on your hands. Go now to some faraway place and seek your future." his eyes flick from you to your father, "Let no Orc give you shelter or hospitality, let none even speak to you from this day forward. Let no person or clan give you aid lest they suffer under the burden of your sins. Go now, dishonoured and nameless, go now outcast, go now and leave us."

The doomful pronouncement might have sapped the strength of any warrior, leaving them downcast and sorrowful, but you look up at the Warchief and greet your exile with a smile.
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The fucking stones in this orc god damn.
 
FractiousDay said:
The settlement at Kargath is there for Thrall to watch Blackrock Mountain, just like Stonard is to watch the Dark Portal and the Blasted Lands.
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guess I was wrong about the purpose
Chimeraguard said:
I imagine that would have initially been the Frostwolves' job but uh...
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I mean doubt thrall can just build a settlement near us since theirs gilneas to our south (since we toke sliverpine forest) lorderon to our north (the scarlets and whats not owned by them is owned by the scourge since the forsken have been pushed out) and to our south right theirs stromgrade. only real place thrall has is the hinterlands and we toke his supporters that were there (raventusk and warsong) and I doubt the scarlets would let that happen (if thrall can even get their like he would have to get to the other side of the eastern kingdoms by boat like thats a long way for a nation that has to worry about kul tiras navy when they don't really have one) not saying thrall wont spy on us just not in the same way he can with rend whos in a more contested area where he can get away with it
 
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[X] Plan: Incendiary Bonds

I'd prefer to try building up firearm manufacturing again but that doesn't seem popular at the moment. Definitely prefer to build up the Breakers over a trip to the badlands as well.
 
It is bundled into Freedom and Captivity.
FractiousDay said:
To note, the Kul Tiras action would be bundled with the Dalaran one. I've referenced 'prisons' (plural) but sure can get that it's not necessarily incredibly apparent. So its the merc contracts for the Violet Hold, Tol Barad, negotiations to get the forsaken prisoners and general diplo with Dalaran
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Since that's clarified I'm all ears. It makes sense. Instead of greater magic knowledge as the payment it's a favor for undead prisoners in exchange for all the magic prison problems done with. A worthwhile tradeoff. Sylvanas and Fairbanks will owe Grok a favor.

[X] Plan: Incendiary Bonds
 
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Adhoc vote count started by FractiousDay on Jun 14, 2024 at 4:35 PM, finished with 31 posts and 11 votes.
  • [X] Plan: Incendiary Bonds
    -[X] Kosh'harg (The Primary Element here will be founding of the Alterac Circle of Elders, with sub circles roughly corresponding to governmental ministries regarding agriculture, industry, commerce, foreign relations, and military matters, with Shaman, Blademasters, and other individuals of import such as Clan Chiefs comprising these Circles as appropriate, and responsible for advising the community and receiving/presenting petitions. This may be expanded to additional Circles representing regions beyond Alterac such as the Silverpine. The Secondary Element will be the inauguration of a new generation of Blademasters from among the Aspirants and the advancement of Grok'mash's take on Dark Shamanism, with reciprocal obligations offered in a similar style to human Knighthood that may be opted into for those willing to swear more personal fealty to the Warchief in return for being his trusted representatives and fiefholders. Tertiary Elements will be to begin discussions on the codification of honor as well as to consider measures to preserve tribal identities, especially for the smaller clans, so as to prevent a shameful end of their cultural heritage.)
    -[X] Lead the Breakers
    -[X] New Blademasters
    -[X] Freedom and Captivity
    -[X] Free Mercenary Action: Assist the Scarlet Crusade in blunting the Scourge counteroffensive in Lordaeron
    [X] Plan Diplomacy and Fighting
    -[X] Freedom and Captivity
    -[X] New Blademasters
    -[X] The Kosh'arg festival (Reforms: Establish a Circle of Elders to be annoying and traditional and advise on matters, thus giving you gravitas; establish a Circle of Blademasters, that can act as envoys to other lands and can be temporarily empowered to speak with your authority when you are not in a location; establish a Circle of Shamans, that will have a representative from each Shamanic tradition (fire, water, earth etc.) and two for Fel Warlocks; establish a Circle of Captains, army officers that are officially allowed to command troop detachments and speak in the discussions during a campaign, although the ultimate decision still lies with you; finally, establish a Circle of Representatives, where we can have an envoy from every people (including the Orcish clans) or piece of land we rule over, e.g. one for Alterac's capital, one for Silverpine Forest, one for the Eastern mountains etc.; humans are included in the last Circle, like any others e.g. the displaced Trolls)
    -[X] Badlands mission
    -[X] Mercenary action: help Admiral Westwind against the Scourge
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Votes so far.
 
New Blademasters is finally gonna happen. My god, SO LONG HAVE I WAITED! HUAAA!!!

I suppose I wish we had meditated once with Myzrael in the modern era to see to what extent she was pacified/tame/willing to work with us. To expand on our dark shamanism which we're about do with the Breakers and the Festival.
 
Ishtar said:
New Blademasters is finally gonna happen. My god, SO LONG HAVE I WAITED! HUAAA!!!

I suppose I wish we had meditated once with Myzrael in the modern era to see to what extent she was pacified/tame/willing to work with us. To expand on our dark shamanism which we're about do with the Breakers and the Festival.
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I think she wants to be free and cause trouble in the physical world.
 
I mean we might be able to purify myzreal after all she becomes non hostile after she got beaten in cannon and forced back to deepholm but would grok know to do that or want to
 
If all goes well then creating one of the few airforces next turn is doable that will be another game changer. Nothing like that since the Dragon Riders of Loreth'Aran that ironically their killers children can take inspiration from.
 
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