Rags to Ithilmar. The Quest of an Asur Commoner.

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Those were some wonderful rolls.

Id suggest sharing the barrels, then returning the rest of the beer to the dwarves: "This belongs to your people. You will appreciate it more than I."
 
Night_stalker said:
I got no objections to giving away some of the beer. Maybe sell the rest to the local Dwarves?
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Mayto said:
Luthien doesn't know much about Dwarfs, but she knows they won't like an elf being in possession of their beer, especially ancient barrels. Best to give the generic stuff to the Bjornlings and keep the rare one for herself.
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I don't think the dwarfes are going to take Luthien selling ancient dwarfen beer to them kindly.
 
OK so we have two major choices

Friend or Not
Do we want to be friend of mortals?

Pros
  • People sense when you are their friend as opposed to when you are being more distant, the Norscans are more likely to like us, to provide companionship and a balance to Luthien's more obsessive tendencies
  • It might help with lost time, in that we would have more reason to try to cling to the days as they go
  • It would give us a chance to become close even with those humans who will not lightly die, like the shamans
  • More interesting things to make masterworks out of

Cons
  • Depression, depression is very bad when you have deeper feelings than most mortals, they are just going to keep dying. That said we do not have to make friends with all humans, this is just a vote about how we can have human friends
  • It will make us weary of crafting lest we miss the lives of our friends
I think I am going to vote friend because to me at least it makes the most narrative sense, but I won't say I cannot see why someone would want to avoid the heartbreak of being an immortal among beloved mayflies

Beer...

Eh they bled and died for it, give them half the beer, but not the Wuroth, that would be insane.
 
Oh wow. I forgot to add the actual plaque when compiling the post. How embarassing. I put it back in. But here it is for the people who already finished it.

"My friend. It is thanks to you that I completed my life's work.

Aboard your Dragonship, we have seen Tor Achare, the isles of Elithis, the Citadel of Dusk, and the furthest reaches of Cathay.

We have calculated the circumference of the world, measured the movement of the moons, and even found the furthest planets in our solar system. I should have believed you when you told me there was a world orbiting so close to the sun. And I was delighted to prove to you that the foul moon's orbit can, in fact, be calculated.

As a token of my appreciation, I would give you this barrel of Eight Peaks Royal Reserve, brewed by Runelord Algur Silverthumb. The barrel is made of Wutroth, and bound in silver.

Open it when your son comes of age, and enjoy it.

-Erad Ostinson. Court Astronomer of High King Snorri of the Karaz Ankor."

Luthien knew the name of the Asur who was said to have done just those things. Who'd mapped the planets, calculated the world's circumference and rotation. The greatest astronomer the Asur had ever produced. Loremaster Elrik.

He'd dissapeared in mysterious circumstances.
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Mayto said:
[] [APPRECIATION] "Friends.":
Luthien accepts friendship from humans and won't hold back for fear of growing attached to them.
Luthien's true friends will throw themselves on a sword for her without a second of hesitation.
The loss of a friend will weigh on Luthien. Even if they died from age.
Unlocks: Memorial Masterwork: Forged with the ashes of a lost companion.

[] [APPRECIATION] "Companions.":
Luthien still keeps humans at an arm's length and tries not to grow too attached to them.
Luthien's companions aren't willing to die for her.
The loss of a companion will only remain with Luthien if they die an unnatural death.

Asur have excellent memories, and the loss of a friend can remain with an Asur for the rest of their lives, possibly driving them into depression.
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Luthien can easily have the upsides of "Friends" without any of the downsides, through the simple expedient of Necromancy.

A friend throws themselves on a sword for her and dies as a result?
  • Step 1 - Cast Raise Dead.
  • Step 2 - Friend is no longer dead.
  • Step 3 - Depression goes bye-bye.
  • Step 4 - Friend is conveniently available to throw themselves on a sword for Luthien again.
  • Step 5 - Profit!

A friend is about to die of old age?
  • Step 1 - Turn friend into immortal lich.
  • Step 2 - Friend no longer dies from old age.
  • Step 3 - Depression goes bye-bye.
  • Step 4 - With a phylactery in a sufficiently secured location, friend is conveniently available to throw themselves on a sword for Luthien.
  • Step 5 - Profit!
 
Mayto said:
1 vial of warpstone dust finer than seems possible.
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That moment when you realize we've essentially found what might be the most purified version of magic cocaine in existence

Now here's the important question. Was Elrik actually using it for magic. Or did his astronomy require some…mental gymnastics. I mean, he has the title of "The Mad"


Yes, I'm asking if he snorted pure warpstone.
 
Revan4221X said:
That moment when you realize we've essentially found what might be the most purified version of magic cocaine in existence

Now here's the important question. Was Elrik actually using it for magic. Or did his astronomy require some…mental gymnastics. I mean, he has the title of "The Mad"


Yes, I'm asking if he snorted pure warpstone.
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The warpstone was with the mutants and he was locked in the highest part of the tower.
 
Revan4221X said:
That moment when you realize we've essentially found what might be the most purified version of magic cocaine in existence

Now here's the important question. Was Elrik actually using it for magic. Or did his astronomy require some…mental gymnastics. I mean, he has the title of "The Mad"


Yes, I'm asking if he snorted pure warpstone.
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I do not think this is as simple as 'the archmage was making like a skaven', not given what is outside. Those are trees for growing power-stones, that is the kind of thing the future colleges would sell their souls for. While I do not doubt that the Golden Age Elves had a lot more of them, it still took elf-time to make them, but those trees are just there for the harvesting

That is the kind of esoteric and advanced magical process that may well have warpstone dust either as a fertilizer or a byproduct IMO
 
Mayto said:
Learning Ghyran and Shyish will unlock: Food preservation enchantment.
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Mayto said:
There were no food supplies, and the path leading to the tower was treacherous
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However we are going to resolve our food supply, preservation enchantments seems like an urgent priority if we want this to be our base. Yes, there are multiple methods of preservation and ways of getting a regular supply of food in, but I suspect they cost more AP and gold than just learning Ghyran and Shyish and are helped by learning both winds.

We also need to probably make a move on in securing our coffee supply with two year turns and four years of coffee left, and Ghyran will help in that, and there has been alot of interest in the Steal Life enchantments that we can unlock by learning Shysh and we do have two bars of Ithilmar now....

So many things to do.... and that's not touching fixing up the tower's damaged structure, looking at the defences, getting the forge back up to usable status and so on. But first, we must learn not to starve to death inside this tower unlike the previous occupant.:V
 
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Mayto said:
Brorn glanced at a silver ring he wore around his finger, which had a tiny wolf's head carved on its surface. "We'll need the gods," he said. "Ulfar is talking of having temples built to the old gods, before the Dark Ones. He of the Sea, He of the forest, She of the Harvest. Everyone from the petty village oracles to the sages of the Circle is warning King Ulfar of a darkness approaching Skjold."
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Okay, I think we should probably get a start on finding the Wood Elves sooner rather than later. I would like to have a fallback position in case the war goes badly and we need to flee.
Mayto said:
[] [REWARD] Give the warriors and their families a barrel of beer each:
The Bjornlings will be satisfied, and Luthien gains a reputation as a fair leader.
You give away 21 barrels of the beer and keep the remainder for yourself.
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The beer was given as a gift from a Dawi to an Asur, and we have documentation of such. Therefore, we should be on fairly solid legal footing holding onto said alcohol.
 
@Mayto question about paying for raid help: can we just pay in money as opposed to loot, gold dragons and such? I ask not because I think we desperately need to keep all the beer now, I'm curious for the future.
 
Mayto said:
A mutant with the head of a boar headbutts a bjornling attempting to gore him, but her chainmail saves her life, leaving her with a broken rib
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This is confusing. How did a headbutted bjornling lead to Luthien getting nearly killed?

Mayto said:
then unlocked it from the other sidej
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Should be *side.*

As far as I'm concerned, the beer is ours. Give some as a reward to the Bjornlings for their efforts and so we can be considered fair, but the dwarfs have no claim on this beyond being the brewers.

I'm very surprised (and also kinda not) that Luthien carved the symbol of Khaine onto the sword. Hopefully the kid does something epic.
 
Andmeuths said:
However we are going to resolve our food supply, preservation enchantments seems like an urgent priority if we want this to be our base. Yes, there are multiple methods of preservation and ways of getting a regular supply of food in, but I suspect they cost more AP and gold than just learning Ghyran and Shyish and are helped by learning both winds.

We also need to probably make a move on in securing our coffee supply with two year turns and four years of coffee left, and Ghyran will help in that, and there has been alot of interest in the Steal Life enchantments that we can unlock by learning Shysh and we do have two bars of Ithilmar now....

So many things to do.... and that's not touching fixing up the tower's damaged structure, looking at the defences, getting the forge back up to usable status and so on. But first, we must learn not to starve to death inside this tower unlike the previous occupant.:V
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Well okay lets break this down
How is magical preservation going to solve the food supply. It will allow it to last longer but if we are going to be in a fuge state it seems deeply impractical to magical preserve a years food before we have to craft each time. Also were will we get the food from either we have to hunt it ourselves and then it is not automatic or we will have to still import it just in larger quantities. To finish it why would simple methods of preserving food take more time building a smokery is not something i personally would think takes that much time.

My idea would be import a bunch of thralls and have them farm for us and do daily chores this way we can completly avoid being dependent on food from the outside and we can likely turn the tower into a thriving settlement where we can exert influence from.

Other than the semantics about food preservation i actually agree with you lets finish learning about all the winds and build up a mighty homebase where we can lord over the puny humans from.
 
Ooohhh, this is a tempting place to make home.

Forge? Check. Hot tub? Check. Someone already made a road here and it's still in one piece? Bonus.

So the things that need to happen for this to be viable in elf-time is 1)secure the bjornling kingdom, which means winning its wars and overseeing at least one leadership transition, 2) make alliance with the dwarves- first thing to do is probably let them know of the beer the expedition got, so they can make bids on the stuff we give away, then the iron ore vein, then get something on paper; 3) wrap up our affairs in the port and make the transition from every-day, if exotic, figure to mysterious sage in the woods.

I don't think it's a good idea to try and keep human-time activities going once we get everything set up to take a few decades off and make some masterworks, which puts me in the mind set that this tower is (if Luthien were human) be her retirement plan, fixing it up as she can now and planning a bunch of crafting in twenty years. This will put us nicely in the position of disappearing from the kingdom right about the time the rest of our peer 'generation' disappears, which will make it a lot less disruptive for human governance, and gives us the flexibility to start making long trips elsewhere.

Also, the tower had changed my thinking on Ulithan. This, here, if restored, is as good as anything we are going to find back home, and we aren't going to have to play games because we are a commoner putting on airs as if a noble and an archmage- we can just be a noble and an archmage. So now, since I don't want to lose the company of elves, the question becomes one of visiting and recruitment. Maybe we can reach out to our old apprentices, and offer to finish their training? We did right by then and their house, so we might be able to pull them and a squad of their bodyguards.

Other options would be quietly reaching out to saphery about returning archmage's bones, and all them to send someone to look over the telescope and assorted notes. Use them as an in to find actial allies within the white tower, and bring them onto our side by only then revealing we have the book.

Or reaching out to the wood elves, and offering to host a delegation at the tower while they size up Norsca.

I'm reluctant to bring our chaos dwarf friend here though. This seems like exactly the sort of thing that he might get very envious of, and make moves too take possession. I'd like to continue interacting with him from a position of weakness- go to his place when we want to talk, I think the implicit authority will sooth him from trying to look deeper.
 
Hianny said:
Well okay lets break this down
How is magical preservation going to solve the food supply. It will allow it to last longer but if we are going to be in a fuge state it seems deeply impractical to magical preserve a years food before we have to craft each time. Also were will we get the food from either we have to hunt it ourselves and then it is not automatic or we will have to still import it just in larger quantities. To finish it why would simple methods of preserving food take more time building a smokery is not something i personally would think takes that much time.

My idea would be import a bunch of thralls and have them farm for us and do daily chores this way we can completly avoid being dependent on food from the outside and we can likely turn the tower into a thriving settlement where we can exert influence from.
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Ok, let's break it down:

The issue is AP (Action points) here.

If Luthien has a way to get food delivered to her once in a while from Skjold, then the only issue is storing them in her larders in the periods of time she has coherent attention. That's probably around 3 AP to set up once, and probably basic food supply is automated in the immediate future so long Skjold remains stable, so Luthien has room to focus on other things like fixing up the tower.

If Luthien was going to build a Smokery, that's One AP. If she's going to hunt every turn, that's another AP drain every turn. If she wants to import Thralls, that might take multiple APs to reach self-sufficiency, depending on QM generosity. If she is going to build an Icebox, another AP. It stacks up. Your plan can very rapidly take Luthien into AP hell unless the QM changes the system to accommodate your ideas, such as creating a separate lair building system decoupled from normal AP.

We are already deep, deep into AP hell. People want to learn Khazalid, People want to study combat magic. People want to pray to another god, possibly. The building needs to be fixed. People want to get started in learning about Old World Elves. Maybe we need to invest in another industry to get our income up depending on base building costs. Maybe we need to get favors by arming Skjold further. So any idea that's going to take alot of recurring AP is not sustainable politically.

That being said, if you want to make a farm commune of thralls, and I don't object to this idea, if the AP can be found for this, keep in mind learning Ghyran opens up the potential of learning how to also make farmland more fertile.
 
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