I agree with most of your analysis, but I would point out that my plan does have 2 actions towards combat with a third partially focused.
Orc Quest; or, A Critical Examination of Agency Through in Interactive Fiction (Warcraft)
- Thread starter FractiousDay
- Start date
- Fantasy
I agree with most of your analysis, but I would point out that my plan does have 2 actions towards combat with a third partially focused.
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Not going to comment extensively till others have discussed it a bit, but I will note you now have access to the resources of the clan. There's plenty of swords of good quality lying about and if you wanted to boost it you could get another former blademaster's one perhaps. Or you could befriend an old blademaster and not so subtly mention you need a sword, or other ways. Searing collars and summoning components are available without boosts, but if you boosted it with your clan boost you could get tutelage on it etc., and the +20 would give a better outcome etc.
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- He/Him
Let's see...
we should surely Investigate the Renegades to understand who they are, why they have left the clan, and what abilities we have to expect from them.
I would like to boost this one, but I don't know if Neeru would actually grant us a boost, he would probably prefer for us to just smash them without thinking.
We need to have some in-clan connections, like elders and such. The masters of the sword should be a good place to start. So, Meet with the Blademasters. Boosted, so it surely works well.
We are going to fight again at some point. Developing magic takes time, and if a casting doesn't work or we are taken by surpries we should still be able to defend ourselves.
We are good with a sword.
That is not enough.
We can be unparalleled with a sword. This allows a burning blade (^^) to actually do damage and not be just for intimidation.
And it would also be a good show of prowess for Grok'mash, because he should be able to defeat big stronk unskilled orcs that look down upon him, proving that there is more to him than meets the eye. Combat: Train your skill in the sword through sparring
To learn more on the magical side, we can pick [] Training: (write-in) Ragefire. Dig further into the Ragefire that we use our blade to channel and attempt to develop other ways to call the power of the Firelands to our will without reliance on the blade.
This should be helped by interacting with the old masters of the blade and the flame. As much as I like the flameseer angle, we need to use magic in combat. Something that we can't really do in the current state.
In the meantime, intrigues swirl menacingly around us. We should try to know more. Let's start by Socialising with the Shattered Hand.
Do you really think the placement of Orc intelligence was random? It's to keep an eye on the Burning Blade. Contacting them means having a wider perspective and more sources of information... that we shall consider carefully. Later on we can learn Advanced Stealth from them, building upon our Basic Stealth.
Finally, we can Socialise generally with the Burning Blade clan members. I prefer this to trying to research the intrigues immediately. Let us have apower social information base, and then we will explore the contrasts between Clan and Horde.
[X] Plan: A Blade, Reforged.
[X] Investigate the Renegades: While you could simply set out and hunt down the renegades, perhaps it would be better to understand why they've left the clan first?
[X] Meet with the Blademasters: The older tradition of the clan, you've always looked up to the Blademasters. Now you've returned perhaps you might arrange a meeting with a few of them to learn about them properly? (BOOSTED)
[X] Socialise generally with the Burning Blade clan members: You've been away for several years and you'd better get to know the clan you might lead one day.
[X] Socialise with the Shattered Hand: These gloomy folk share the Clef of Shadow with your own clan, perhaps you can get to know your neighbours?
[X] Combat: Train your skill in the sword through sparring, your clan are fine warriors and there are no doubt many in Orgrimmar who wouldn't mind a few spars.
[X] Training: Ragefire. Shamanism is an art that takes years to practice, learn and progress in. As it stands, we don't have years. Dig further into the Ragefire that we use our blade to channel and attempt to develop other ways to call the power of the Firelands to our will without reliance on the blade.
we should surely Investigate the Renegades to understand who they are, why they have left the clan, and what abilities we have to expect from them.
I would like to boost this one, but I don't know if Neeru would actually grant us a boost, he would probably prefer for us to just smash them without thinking.
We need to have some in-clan connections, like elders and such. The masters of the sword should be a good place to start. So, Meet with the Blademasters. Boosted, so it surely works well.
We are going to fight again at some point. Developing magic takes time, and if a casting doesn't work or we are taken by surpries we should still be able to defend ourselves.
We are good with a sword.
That is not enough.
We can be unparalleled with a sword. This allows a burning blade (^^) to actually do damage and not be just for intimidation.
And it would also be a good show of prowess for Grok'mash, because he should be able to defeat big stronk unskilled orcs that look down upon him, proving that there is more to him than meets the eye. Combat: Train your skill in the sword through sparring
To learn more on the magical side, we can pick [] Training: (write-in) Ragefire. Dig further into the Ragefire that we use our blade to channel and attempt to develop other ways to call the power of the Firelands to our will without reliance on the blade.
This should be helped by interacting with the old masters of the blade and the flame. As much as I like the flameseer angle, we need to use magic in combat. Something that we can't really do in the current state.
In the meantime, intrigues swirl menacingly around us. We should try to know more. Let's start by Socialising with the Shattered Hand.
Do you really think the placement of Orc intelligence was random? It's to keep an eye on the Burning Blade. Contacting them means having a wider perspective and more sources of information... that we shall consider carefully. Later on we can learn Advanced Stealth from them, building upon our Basic Stealth.
Finally, we can Socialise generally with the Burning Blade clan members. I prefer this to trying to research the intrigues immediately. Let us have a
[X] Plan: A Blade, Reforged.
[X] Investigate the Renegades: While you could simply set out and hunt down the renegades, perhaps it would be better to understand why they've left the clan first?
[X] Meet with the Blademasters: The older tradition of the clan, you've always looked up to the Blademasters. Now you've returned perhaps you might arrange a meeting with a few of them to learn about them properly? (BOOSTED)
[X] Socialise generally with the Burning Blade clan members: You've been away for several years and you'd better get to know the clan you might lead one day.
[X] Socialise with the Shattered Hand: These gloomy folk share the Clef of Shadow with your own clan, perhaps you can get to know your neighbours?
[X] Combat: Train your skill in the sword through sparring, your clan are fine warriors and there are no doubt many in Orgrimmar who wouldn't mind a few spars.
[X] Training: Ragefire. Shamanism is an art that takes years to practice, learn and progress in. As it stands, we don't have years. Dig further into the Ragefire that we use our blade to channel and attempt to develop other ways to call the power of the Firelands to our will without reliance on the blade.
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- Location
- United Kingdom
You putting a clan boost on any of that?
- Location
- the point is of no return and you have reached it!
This is a good analysis but I worry that it's an information hazard. I agree that the Shattered Hand's presence is intentional and we should note their presence, but I don't know if there's more benefit in actually going to speak to them vs using that spot elsewhere.
What do we actually benefit from knowing about the Horde vs Burning Blade schemes at the moment when we aren't powerful enough to be a real player in them? We know that both Neeru and Thrall are scrying us or have others scrying us, so whatever we do learn from the Shattered Hand will have to be weighed as "legitimate information from spies" versus "information from spies given to fake out Neeru" versus "information from Warlock-supporting spies to fake out Thrall" and so on.
I worry with this plan that we're not using our resources efficiently. Research actions are capped per update for a reason; here we aren't using either of them. We're taking three (four? depending on how Investigate plays out) social actions vs two training actions. I think not using the boost is fine; it's available to us, but there's something to be said for succeeding without relying on Neeru's support & resources; but I don't think it does enough to improve our situation.
There's a bit of redundancy between <> Meet with the Blademasters and <> Socialise generally with the Burning Blade clan members, isn't there? They're definitely different groups within the clan, but they should provide similar outcomes.
My thought for a plan atm is something like this:
[] Plan: Grok'mash Requires More Vespene Gas
-[] Investigate the Renegades
-[] Meet with the Blademasters (Boost)
-[] Training: Combat
-[] Training: Meditation (Fire Connection)
-[] (Write-in) Training: Ragefire +20
-[] (Write-in) Research: Flameseer
My original write-in had the Flameseer research as a Burning Blade option as I expected the materials to be harder to secure. With the QM's input, I feel better moving it into the Research section and not using a boost on it to represent a more general research on Flameseer artifacts and activities among members of the clan & the collection of the Flameseer items. I feel somewhat bad about not using both Research options available to us here, but I think the immediate training benefits of Meditation (Fire Connection) are synergistic with the other options enough to outweigh that.
The boost with the Blademasters is intended to have that meeting include some level of training & to secure us a new blade that we can actually use properly in combat. Investigating the Renegades does not need a boost IMO, and I don't think we -want- it boosted if we want to receive proper information in the situation without that information getting immediately back to Neeru/without getting that info through Neeru's POV.
Training in Combat here & Ragefire here for immediate use in the Renegade campaign. Meditation on Fire Connection and the Flameseer items (esp. Flame Collars) should both act as multipliers on our Fire skills, which I think would have immediate benefits in Ragefire's strength & long-term benefits in all of our Fire use.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
So... if I understand correctly, the boost means "support me in this endeavour, I ask it of you officially as the heir to the Burning Blade clan".
IMO there are 2 good candidates for it: Investigate the Renegades and Meet with the old Blademasters. And... yeah, your observations are good, let's boost meeting the Blademasters (I'll edit it in), otherwise Neeru will know every single thing of the investigation.
Flameseer instead of socialising with clan members is also a good pick. I may converge on that plan if needed. I still think we should also interact outside of our clan, though.
IMO there are 2 good candidates for it: Investigate the Renegades and Meet with the old Blademasters. And... yeah, your observations are good, let's boost meeting the Blademasters (I'll edit it in), otherwise Neeru will know every single thing of the investigation.
Flameseer instead of socialising with clan members is also a good pick. I may converge on that plan if needed. I still think we should also interact outside of our clan, though.
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hapcelion
The Abyss gazed back
- Location
- n/a
I'm not too worried about combat abilities right now. We've kind of done some training with them in the past and now we've just been handed the opportunity to interact with a lot of people of various abilities and levels of influence. Once we introduce ourselves and get acquainted, knowing their background and specialties, we could pick out teachers who are most amenable to us and what direction we take. There'll be time enough to get into physical training.
- Location
- United Kingdom
Kinda, subtly different.
BB are a clan, I won't go into the specifics till you've actually looked into them in character, but its not so formal. You have a social position but this is you sort of banking on your future rank. 'When I'm more powerful you'll regret it if you don't help me, and if you help me now maybe I'll remember it' that sort of thing. There's no 'officially' involved because you don't have an official position, nothing is codified. As I indicated when you were in character creation you have certain obligations. You're expected, as the heir, to deputise for your father if he's busy for example, conduct minor ceremonies, lead forces in battle, be a good representative of your clan to foreign powers, work for the glory of the clan, that sort of thing. Your father is so annoyed at your because you've not done this stuff yet and are also pretty weak (when compared with other orcs).
If you're hunting down the renegades for example you could get military support of something like 20 mundane warriors, or 1 magic user. You couldn't get many more because the situation doesn't call for it and your social capital doesn't stretch that far. Also it would be embarrassing to ask for more people to deal with a relatively minor threat.
[X] Investigate the Renegades: While you could simply set out and hunt down the renegades, perhaps it would be better to understand why they've left the clan first?
[X] Meet with the Blademasters: The older tradition of the clan, you've always looked up to the Blademasters. Now you've returned perhaps you might arrange a meeting with a few of them to learn about them properly? (BOOSTED)
[X] Socialise generally with the Burning Blade clan members: You've been away for several years and you'd better get to know the clan you might lead one day.
[X] Socialise with the Shattered Hand: These gloomy folk share the Clef of Shadow with your own clan, perhaps you can get to know your neighbours?
[X] Combat: Train your skill in the sword through sparring, your clan are fine warriors and there are no doubt many in Orgrimmar who wouldn't mind a few spars.
[X] Training: Ragefire. Shamanism is an art that takes years to practice, learn and progress in. As it stands, we don't have years. Dig further into the Ragefire that we use our blade to channel and attempt to develop other ways to call the power of the Firelands to our will without reliance on the blade.
I like this plan.
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- Location
- United Kingdom
Covered under the standard policy of 'thread discussions inform the in character actions', so because various people are discussing it that can be one of the groups you talk to.
hapcelion
The Abyss gazed back
- Location
- n/a
[x]Plan: Connections
[x] Get orders: Speak with the Warchief's advisor Nazgrel and set about whatever tasks he might have for you.
[x] Investigate the Renegades: While you could simply set out and hunt down the renegades, perhaps it would be better to understand why they've left the clan first? BOOST
[x] Meet with the Blademasters: The older tradition of the clan, you've always looked up to the Blademasters. Now you've returned perhaps you might arrange a meeting with a few of them to learn about them properly?
[x] Socialise generally with the Burning Blade clan members: You've been away for several years and you'd better get to know the clan you might lead one day.
[x] Socialise with the Shattered Hand: These gloomy folk share the Clef of Shadow with your own clan, perhaps you can get to know your neighbours?
[x] Kul Tiran Translation
Well, learning common probably isn't going to be all that important, but getting that Kul Tiran stuff translated would be very helpful. I'm banking on it being useful intelligence somehow.
[x] Get orders: Speak with the Warchief's advisor Nazgrel and set about whatever tasks he might have for you.
[x] Investigate the Renegades: While you could simply set out and hunt down the renegades, perhaps it would be better to understand why they've left the clan first? BOOST
[x] Meet with the Blademasters: The older tradition of the clan, you've always looked up to the Blademasters. Now you've returned perhaps you might arrange a meeting with a few of them to learn about them properly?
[x] Socialise generally with the Burning Blade clan members: You've been away for several years and you'd better get to know the clan you might lead one day.
[x] Socialise with the Shattered Hand: These gloomy folk share the Clef of Shadow with your own clan, perhaps you can get to know your neighbours?
[x] Kul Tiran Translation
Well, learning common probably isn't going to be all that important, but getting that Kul Tiran stuff translated would be very helpful. I'm banking on it being useful intelligence somehow.
Changed my mind, I like the social plan most.
[x]Plan: Connections
[x] Get orders: Speak with the Warchief's advisor Nazgrel and set about whatever tasks he might have for you.
[x] Investigate the Renegades: While you could simply set out and hunt down the renegades, perhaps it would be better to understand why they've left the clan first? BOOST
[x] Meet with the Blademasters: The older tradition of the clan, you've always looked up to the Blademasters. Now you've returned perhaps you might arrange a meeting with a few of them to learn about them properly?
[x] Socialise generally with the Burning Blade clan members: You've been away for several years and you'd better get to know the clan you might lead one day.
[x] Socialise with the Shattered Hand: These gloomy folk share the Clef of Shadow with your own clan, perhaps you can get to know your neighbours?
[x] Kul Tiran Translation
Let's also ask Orcish Intelligence about the latest dirt on the Renegades.
[x]Plan: Connections
[x] Get orders: Speak with the Warchief's advisor Nazgrel and set about whatever tasks he might have for you.
[x] Investigate the Renegades: While you could simply set out and hunt down the renegades, perhaps it would be better to understand why they've left the clan first? BOOST
[x] Meet with the Blademasters: The older tradition of the clan, you've always looked up to the Blademasters. Now you've returned perhaps you might arrange a meeting with a few of them to learn about them properly?
[x] Socialise generally with the Burning Blade clan members: You've been away for several years and you'd better get to know the clan you might lead one day.
[x] Socialise with the Shattered Hand: These gloomy folk share the Clef of Shadow with your own clan, perhaps you can get to know your neighbours?
[x] Kul Tiran Translation
Let's also ask Orcish Intelligence about the latest dirt on the Renegades.
hapcelion
The Abyss gazed back
- Location
- n/a
It's always nice to have friend who provide you with Intelligence, no?
However, I do want to point out, if we're asking for help from the shattered hand, we'll probably owe them a favor for this, so be prepared to repay them for that bit of kindness at a later date.
My only concerns thus far with interacting with the shattered hand is whether or not our father will learn of it and think that we're maybe plotting against him or if he's fine with us smartly trying to make connections and getting information.
Professor Vesca
Good News Everyone!
[x]Plan: Connections
[x] Get orders: Speak with the Warchief's advisor Nazgrel and set about whatever tasks he might have for you.
[x] Investigate the Renegades: While you could simply set out and hunt down the renegades, perhaps it would be better to understand why they've left the clan first? BOOST
[x] Meet with the Blademasters: The older tradition of the clan, you've always looked up to the Blademasters. Now you've returned perhaps you might arrange a meeting with a few of them to learn about them properly?
[x] Socialise generally with the Burning Blade clan members: You've been away for several years and you'd better get to know the clan you might lead one day.
[x] Socialise with the Shattered Hand: These gloomy folk share the Clef of Shadow with your own clan, perhaps you can get to know your neighbours?
[x] Kul Tiran Translation
[x] Get orders: Speak with the Warchief's advisor Nazgrel and set about whatever tasks he might have for you.
[x] Investigate the Renegades: While you could simply set out and hunt down the renegades, perhaps it would be better to understand why they've left the clan first? BOOST
[x] Meet with the Blademasters: The older tradition of the clan, you've always looked up to the Blademasters. Now you've returned perhaps you might arrange a meeting with a few of them to learn about them properly?
[x] Socialise generally with the Burning Blade clan members: You've been away for several years and you'd better get to know the clan you might lead one day.
[x] Socialise with the Shattered Hand: These gloomy folk share the Clef of Shadow with your own clan, perhaps you can get to know your neighbours?
[x] Kul Tiran Translation
This is fine with me either way. I think I decided on the form of the the teenage rebellion I want to go for: we will get a rainbow-colored mohawk, surround ourselves with unsavory company and cause scandals for Neeru while being unquestionably effective. This way, we can drive him up the wall while still retaining our political viability as his heir.
hapcelion
The Abyss gazed back
- Location
- n/a
but not too outrageously scandalous. Keep in mind, we do need to foster a good image for the clan that we'll be leading in the future. We can't be this utterly wild hooligan going about doing whatever he wants. That'd be stepping on the Hellscream's turf.This is fine with me either way. I think I decided on the form of the the teenage rebellion I want to go for: we will get a rainbow-colored mohawk, surround ourselves with unsavory company and cause scandals for Neeru while being unquestionably effective. This way, we can drive him up the wall while still retaining our political viability as his heir.
- Location
- United Kingdom
I'm highly amused by some of this that may or may not be revealed in a few arcs.
Also the next time you'll be assessed for clan status will be at the end of this arc. As long as you don't do anything ridiculous you'll be keeping your position till the end of the arc, which I'll probably have as of a similar length of this one.
Also the next time you'll be assessed for clan status will be at the end of this arc. As long as you don't do anything ridiculous you'll be keeping your position till the end of the arc, which I'll probably have as of a similar length of this one.
Sweet. On a note related to the whole 'teenage rebellion' thing I'm trying to kickstart: motorbikes are featured in WoW as usable mounts; will your setting feature them as well?
I would like to tell you that I'm not taking inspiration from Judas Priest here, but that would be a blatant lie.
😜
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- Location
- PA
Hrrm. I was focusing myself, reading through this chapter, on the whole 'broke the sword' thing.
Dad approved of that, and I can see several angles to that approval.
1.It makes Elementalism look bad, that we can break it's power like that. (Potential Leigon Traitor-it gives him a better idea on how to deal with enemy shamen going forward-slam their elementals into each other, and it will weaken the shamen)
2. Our act destroyed an elementalism creation that could have inspired someone else to revive the Blademasters of old. It's now that much harder to restore the old ways. (Potential traitor-it's a sneaky signalling that we're part of Feldad's Demon-worshipping Burning Blade, versus say, Thrall's
3. We basically traded the Sword's power for enhancing our own. Warlocks are probably generally keen on this, since they HAVE to be in control. Being buddy-buddy with the Fel means opening a vulnerablity to the Fel, and that powersource will gladly consume you alive if you let it. It might be a loss from the Shaman's perspective, but they work ENTIRELY on being buddy-buddy with their powersource, so the difference does make sense.
...On that note: I'm personally liking the Flameseer angle, since there's ways to tilt it towards FelDad (Felflame seeing! Direct contact with the old demonic masters!) Or, to use it to augment Shamanism practices. (Okay, so you're a shaman. Do you want to be a traditional Farseer, or do you want to try being this new-angle Flameseer?) It DOES probably uncomfortably stick an honorable orc into intrigue shenanigans, but the poor boy's already got to deal with it thanks to the FelDad/Thrall Tension.
Perhaps, we could attempt to do the FLameseer thing, directly at Thrall and see what happens. With any luck we'll just catch him bathing versus in a secret clandestine meeting where he'd like to maintain control of information flow/must respond to someone peeping on his business.
Dad approved of that, and I can see several angles to that approval.
1.It makes Elementalism look bad, that we can break it's power like that. (Potential Leigon Traitor-it gives him a better idea on how to deal with enemy shamen going forward-slam their elementals into each other, and it will weaken the shamen)
2. Our act destroyed an elementalism creation that could have inspired someone else to revive the Blademasters of old. It's now that much harder to restore the old ways. (Potential traitor-it's a sneaky signalling that we're part of Feldad's Demon-worshipping Burning Blade, versus say, Thrall's
3. We basically traded the Sword's power for enhancing our own. Warlocks are probably generally keen on this, since they HAVE to be in control. Being buddy-buddy with the Fel means opening a vulnerablity to the Fel, and that powersource will gladly consume you alive if you let it. It might be a loss from the Shaman's perspective, but they work ENTIRELY on being buddy-buddy with their powersource, so the difference does make sense.
...On that note: I'm personally liking the Flameseer angle, since there's ways to tilt it towards FelDad (Felflame seeing! Direct contact with the old demonic masters!) Or, to use it to augment Shamanism practices. (Okay, so you're a shaman. Do you want to be a traditional Farseer, or do you want to try being this new-angle Flameseer?) It DOES probably uncomfortably stick an honorable orc into intrigue shenanigans, but the poor boy's already got to deal with it thanks to the FelDad/Thrall Tension.
Perhaps, we could attempt to do the FLameseer thing, directly at Thrall and see what happens. With any luck we'll just catch him bathing versus in a secret clandestine meeting where he'd like to maintain control of information flow/must respond to someone peeping on his business.
hapcelion
The Abyss gazed back
- Location
- n/a
While I would like to practice with the flameseeing more, I think it would be disrespectful to spy on the warchief, and that'd have some bad consequences down the line. Let's try to see if we can find Vark and communicate with him from afar.
Kir the Wizard
The Sun King
- Location
- Ukraine
I don't know guys, I think Grok notifying the reader from time to time that the Burning Blade's current main role is being the Horde's specialists on Fel and Demonic lore is pretty important...
- Location
- United Kingdom
So I'm inclined to say it's going to be less silly and arcadey than the game, so there's going to be less silly gnome tech. However, sure its certainly possible the gnomes have invented such a thing.
Going to leave this here
This is indeed a good point. It's also a point that without the Burning Blade the Horde would have to rely on Forsaken warlocks, who are outcasts among outcasts and serve entirely their own ends. That or random independent groups.
Similarly the Thunderlords are the beast tamers, they're the ones supplying the wyverns and being the expert giant killers. Now losing expertise like that would be inconvenient, but not too damaging. Comparably the BB are one of the only groups of actual magic users, and they're also the majority of warlocks. I'll go into this a bit more in the results chapter if you chat to the blademasters or warlocks, so I'll leave more explanation to them, but keep in mind that yes you could ignore the BB, but the Horde may lose out from it.
Kir the Wizard
The Sun King
- Location
- Ukraine
Forsaken are bad, nogood time guaranteed, and, well, BIG OOPS if they're already fully in the Horde while Calia Menethil is back leading Lordaeron already, that's a fast track to an Alliance-Horde war guaranteed.
hapcelion
The Abyss gazed back
- Location
- n/a
I don't feel like the forsaken are bad, more that sylvanas has shown herself over the years to be not so friendly.
Though, yeah, to be fair, being allies with the forsaken probably isn't doing us too many favors. I sort of get that having someone in the EK to draw the Alliance's attention may be necessary to a degree, but with the benefit of hindsight, any relation with them while Sylvanas is in charge is going to be riddled with paranoia and mistrust. Not exactly conducive to building a relationship.