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.
There is not a lot at the moment which we can fill those slots with efficiently. So brute forcing the secrets of light is as good as most other options. But I do want to do it after the last two odd places, in the hopes that they net an upgrade to journeyman of the odd.
There is not a lot at the moment which we can fill those slots with efficiently. So brute forcing the secrets of light is as good as most other options. But I do want to do it after the last two odd places, in the hopes that they net an upgrade to journeyman of the odd.
Odd Places, Rune Metal, the commissions, Once more with Smelting, and Chains for a Dragon all fit there efficiently but ya seems like the best use for it.
Deep primeval darkness slowly gave way to gloom and then brightened further. Spiky shadows grew and twisted from fissures and outcroppings in the tunnel walls. A hypothetical watcher could take them for the grasping fingers of creatures formed from the darkness. A distant whisper of sound grew, first muffled by distance and distortion but eventually resolving into echoes of footsteps, off-tune whistling and the jolly clink of metal on goats leather. This steadily grew in volume as a brief flicker of light pierced the omnipresent gloom of the deep tunnel.
Reflected candlelight raced excitedly ahead, gently pushing the spikey shadows into the deeper holes in the tunnel wall, heralding the approach of a figure around the gentle bend of the underground passage.
Stepping into view, the candle on the steel helm illuminated the dwarf beneath with a warm glow. Though the individuals face remained in the shadow a long silver beard and a worn but lovingly cared for set of padded armour was clearly discernible. As the figure walked down the tunnel, the dancing candle flame from his helm was reflected thousands of times over in the cave walls' patchy obsidian covering. The reflected glow created a twinkling underground starfield in the glassy rock broken up by "clouds" of unmelted material. In the walls, small studs of silvery metal formed impossible planets in this ersatz night sky. Their sudden steady appearance in the shifting sky captured the attention of the dwarf.
The dwarf slowed his progress, the gentle tread of his heavy boots silent as he surveyed the scene before him. Nodding to himself, he swung down his pack and attached bedroll from his shoulders and placing it on the tunnel floor. As he unhooked the small lantern from the collection of gear, he pushed a questing hand into his backpack, withdrawing a wax taper. With a smooth motion, brought the taper to the lit candle on his helm before moving it down to the lantern and carefully igniting the wick inside. The fire flared revealing an old, but unbroken dwarfs face. Bright eyes sparkled in the glow of the newly lit lantern as he raised the new light to properly illuminate the cavern wall.
The brighter light reflected from the obsidian revealed deep shadows and deeper fissures between the outcroppings. It concealed unmelted native rock in the gaps pregnant with silvery nodules. Walking over to one of these fissures the dwarf leant forward, bringing the lantern closer and banishing the shadows from this particular crevice.
The myriad reflected flames sparked and danced along the obsidian walls as the dwarf knelt. The candle flame on his helmet flickered with the movement. Brushing his hand against the wall, he looked closely at one specific melt spot then at the unmelted rock further in the crack. He drew his pick from the loop on his belt with deliberation and with careful precision dropped the point just outside the light grey smear.
The tinkling of rock parting echoed up and down the corridor as the miner gently rubbed the small stone chips aside and concentrating on the undamaged slivery grey smudge. He sat back on his heels for a moment and then pulled a small wafer of material from his belt and compared it to the streak. Then he deliberately drew it across the ore nodule. Carefully examining the smudge and then the piece of metal in his hand, his silvery beard shifted into a smile. Both metal sliver and ore had deformed. The material matched.
Standing and taking a step back, The illusion of the night sky reasserted itself on the tunnel wall. Only now it was joined by a new rising white moon made from the ore that his excavation had uncovered.
It was with a near bounce in his step that he pulled a small engraved chisel and hammer from a pouch hung from his belt. Noting a prominent outcropping of mixed ore and rock, he stepped across and cheerfully set to work carving. Each strike of the chisel dug into the obsidian, underlying rock and silvery ore with equal ease as the runes on the chisel glowed. The sigil on his chisel, that of clan Winterhearth was copied with exacting detail and an almost startling speed.
Next red marking powder was carefully removed from his pouch and packed into the freshly cut grooves. Tamped into the newly formed void with the runic chisel's gentle encouragement, the runes glow seemed to spread to the powder leaving a calming light. A grin came to the workers face as Valaya's rune was carved last and a nod in satisfaction at a job well done. Tools disappeared back into the belt pouch, and a piece of parchment and sharpened charcoal stick from his belt replaced them. He noted a small addition to the existing work before folding the paper and returning the item so his belt.
Carefully packing the last of his materials away and extinguishing the lantern, he swung his pack and bedroll back onto his back. He indulged in one last look at the picture he had found. A peaceful night sky deep underground complete with planets and a rising moon finished with the artist's signature in the form of his house banner.
One last search of the environs for anything left, and he was off. Whistling, as he strolled onwards, the flame on his helmet, throwing a large shadow behind him as he marched off down the tunnel to the sound of a jaunty tune. He did not seem to notice the long spindly dark arm that stretched unnaturally from the deepest darkness to silently tug the map from his belt pouch.
Silence slowly reasserted itself as the dwarf rounded the bend, leaving nothing but a faintly glowing sigil and a slip of paper almost lost against the dark tunnel floor. The tunnel's gloom stole back in, bringing with it the spikey grasping shadow. The loss of light from his retreating candle removed the peaceful illusion of night sky, with just the blue rune glowing in defiance of the unnatural behaviour.
The shadow looked at the map and at the sigil in the carving, cringing away from it. Then back at the map. Frantic with indecision, it flickered between gazing at the small bull-headed pendant that was twisted around and somehow through its form then back to the Winterhearth sigil on the wall. Wobbling around it seemed reluctant to act then, violently the charm pulsed. Falling to the floor, its spindly hand brushed against the head of the pendant, and the bulls eyes glowed an unnatural black.
Silence reigned for a brief moment before, from inside the tunnel wall, a cracking sound and a small rain of pebbles. An unnaturally dark rift seemed to crawl into existence from the darkest fissure in the cave wall. Abnormal motion as a tear in reality formed and a dwarf shape stepped clumsily through. A few more clinks in the darkness and a black not light appeared in the figures hand illuminating the tunnel in stark black and white.
An armoured figure with a hand raised high, and a posture that demanded subservience loomed in front of the closing rift. The spindly shadow that had stolen the first dwarf's parchment cowered before it. It attempted to withdraw from the not light held by the dwarf while simultaneously trying to avoid the red glow on the tunnel wall. The shadowy creature frantically gestured to the glowing seal and the piece of paper, trying to direct the dwarf's ire elsewhere even as it began to smoke from the presence of the not light.
The new dwarf scowled at the sigil and then the parchment before deliberately turning his gaze towards the cowering creature. Impassive, he watched the creature cringe and scrape for a moment before the dwarf pulsed the dark light brighter, a look of crazed fury on his face. This instantly drove all shadows away and caused the beast to painfully disintegrate into a puff of oily smoke leaving only a tarnished amulet behind.
No star glimmered in the stark unlight that harshly illuminated the tunnel. Grey ore and melted rock reflected the shadowless figure in a thousand gutwrenching distortions. Richly decorated bull themed sections of armour juxtaposed badly with crudely shaped replacements for missing pieces. Rich clothing, torn and stained covered what places were still missing armour. A burnt beard, black matted and oily concealed a scowling face with fangs jutting from the lower jaw. It staked clumsily forward on stiff unshod feet. Footsteps that sounded like a stone on fragile glass followed the shape to the valiantly glowing sigil of Clan Winterhearth.
A savage bull-headed axe was slowly drawn from the belt by the off-hand, flipped, so the curved back spike thrust forward. He paused momentarily with a sneer on his face. A look of anticipation crossed before he savingly attacked the sigil. Blow after blow splintered material away from the glass-like obsidian leaving only the parts of the sigil cut into the impenetrable silvery ore. The dwarf's actions were manic against the hated sight. The defiant glow from the clan emblem slowly weakened as the attack's savagery crushed and scoured the supporting rock.
Panting the dwarf stepped back and raised his hand, unlight flickering back to full strength to survey his work. Still puffing the abused and feebly glowing remains of the sigil prompted a strange shape to form on his face. A sneer, the closest his face could twist into a smile signalled the finding of the ruin more to his liking. Then as if a demented artist examining his work, he took a step back and stroked his abused beard.
Savagely grinning he reached down and unhooked an oil lamp from his belt, lit it from the unlight in his hand and carefully brought it close to the shattered remains. Slight adjustments to the lantern's frame half-choked the fire. They forced greasy smoke to billow forward and further taint the surviving fragments from his brutal assault. A step back was again accompanied by the sound of broken glass. He considered the nearly excised sigil then the lamp before a distant sound of activity intruded on his contemplation. Startled into rapid action, the dwarf opened the lantern's base and violently dashed it on the feebly glowing remains of the sigil. Real flame roared momentarily blinding the cavern and driving away from the unlight and forced the shadows to deepen. The savage dwarf stepped clumsily into the closest shadow, already twisting an unnatural rift open in the deepest part to make his escape.
The flames began to settle again with the obsidian's cooling and tinkling echoing down the tunnel before a deep crack started. Larger it grew before finally, a plate of obsidian that recently held the underground sky lost contact with the tunnel wall. Dashing itself against the tunnel floor into thousands of razor-sharp fragments. This absence reveals another type of ore, a glowing green lump above the original moon's left. Its light tinged an unnatural green that warred with the battered remains of the winter hearth sigil's only truly intact part, the rune of Valaya.
This scene was slowly lit again as hurried footsteps approached the tunnel, the friendly candle flame bobbing with the rapid progress of the dwarf under it. The figure pauses a moment, taken aback at the abuse the tunnel wall has sustained and then notices his half-buried parchment. Nodding he collects it and securely paces it back in his pouch. He then turns to consider the scene.
The starfield he admired is damaged and twisted. Large gaps exist where the flame eliminated thousands of stars. Dark stormy clouds seem to have gathered over this section of underground sky. An Evil glowing moon has joined the kinder slivery one. The Winterhearth sigil declaring the site theirs the site is all but erased. Thousands of razor-sharp shards of obsidian covering the floor twinkle in the light like fires of an army camp far off. He carefully stepped closer to the modified mural and seems to take heart from the fact that Valaya's rune still glows defiantly.
The green moon is of obvious concern. Detailed measurements are taken the green rock carefully avoided. Then he once again takes out his map makes another note and walks determinedly for home. He will be back and with reinforcements. He will be back and with reinforcements. Dwarfs are not superstitious. Nevertheless, the portent of Valayas Rune's endurance when all else was lost will be enough to make it so.
Would you believe this idea started with Vragni accidentally mining his way into the bottom of one of Snorri's claims? Then I realised Vragni doesn't hang around Krakka Drakk and well...
Enjoy
Comments and corrections welcome. and as always thank you to @soulcake for such an interesting world to play around in
Ah, superstition. Dwarves are indeed, not very superstitious. They don't believe in things that don't exist.
They are however aggressively substitous and as such believe very much in things like magic and ghosts and supernatural bullshit. Because this is a fantasy world. Believe in real things like magic.
Whelp now I have to clear my schedule to do more Secrets of Light research now what would that even look like.
Actions
Turn 39
Turn 40 – Armoured Maidens Due, and Gnolbarag Lost
Turn 41
Turn 42 – Grave Wardens Due
Turn 43 - Skrundaz Lost
Turn 44 - Az-Dreugi Lost
Turn 45 - Gnolbarag Due, and Skrundaz Due
Turn 46 - Az-Dreugi Due
AP 1
Basket
Armoured Maidens
Grave Wardens
Grave Wardens
Eltharin
??? (Akazit)
??? (Akazit)
??? (Alchemy)
AP 2
Basket
Armoured Maidens
Grave Wardens
Grave Wardens
Eltharin
??? (Akazit)
??? (Akazit)
??? (Alchemy)
AP 3
Basket
Armoured Maidens
Grave Wardens
Grave Wardens
Eltharin
??? (Akazit)
??? (Akazit)
??? (Alchemy)
AP 4
Basket
Armoured Maidens
??? (Defense in Depth)
Grave Wardens
??? (Odd Places)
???
???
???
AP 5
Hold Founding
Hold Founding
Rhunkalbrogg
Grave Wardens
??? (Odd Places)
???
???
???
I guess we can push back Eltharin/Akazit, or we can finish Odd Places and hope it upgrades Journeyman of the Odd so that it hopefully procs on two actions, or we can just fill up the blank actions with Secrets of Light even it isn't efficient.
I don't see any reason to change our plans to fit in Secrets of Light, I'd rather stick with my plan of eltharin & odd places -> Odd Materials -> Akazit and just use Yorri prods to get it done once he shows up. Yorri gives 1d3+1 progress per prod on Secrets of Light, It's the most efficient way of spending them.
I don't see any reason to change our plans to fit in Secrets of Light, I'd rather stick with my plan of eltharin & odd places -> Odd Materials -> Akazit and just use Yorri prods to get it done once he shows up. Yorri gives 1d3+1 progress per prod on Secrets of Light, It's the most efficient way of spending them.
I expect Yorri to show up at some point around the Rhunkalbrogg but if he doesn't I'm not comfortable leaving this hanging over our heads so I'll be going Eltharin + Odd Place -> Odd Materials -> Akazit + Secrets of Light or Secrets of Light + ??? depending on how the upgraded Journeyman of the Odd plays out.
Which as a side note alchemy might be more likely to give us an upgrade to Journeyman of the Odd than Odd Places as it's significantly odder to develop an entirely new field of magic crafting to synergize with your rune smithing than it is to do mat science research on odd materials for rune smithing.
I don't see any reason to change our plans to fit in Secrets of Light, I'd rather stick with my plan of eltharin & odd places -> Odd Materials -> Akazit and just use Yorri prods to get it done once he shows up. Yorri gives 1d3+1 progress per prod on Secrets of Light, It's the most efficient way of spending them.
We didn't see Yorri for the first 200 years in quest. The fact that he turned up twice more is an oddity (Joll's injury). Relying on him reappring anytime soon is not wise.
We didn't see Yorri for the first 200 years in quest. The fact that he turned up twice more is an oddity (Joll's injury). Relying on him reappring anytime soon is not wise.
Us releasing Gromril chain feels like the kind of thing to make him at least pop in, he showed up after Snorri did the gifting for example. Also wasn't he waiting for us to do the Odd places for those 200 years which is why he didn't show up? If he doesn't show up at all we can do the research ourself but given how good he is at helping with it I'm willing to wait for a while before jumping on it.
I expect Yorri to show up at some point around the Rhunkalbrogg but if he doesn't I'm not comfortable leaving this hanging over our heads so I'll be going Eltharin + Odd Place -> Odd Materials -> Akazit + Secrets of Light or Secrets of Light + ??? depending on how the upgraded Journeyman of the Odd plays out.
Which as a side note alchemy might be more likely to give us an upgrade to Journeyman of the Odd than Odd Places as it's significantly odder to develop an entirely new field of magic crafting to synergize with your rune smithing than it is to do mat science research on odd materials for rune smithing.
Student of the Odd came from being taught by Yorri, it upgraded to Journeyman as we followed in his footsteps, I think master can only come from completing his journey in the north rather than just researching stuff that could be labelled odd in some way.
I don't see any reason to change our plans to fit in Secrets of Light, I'd rather stick with my plan of eltharin & odd places -> Odd Materials -> Akazit and just use Yorri prods to get it done once he shows up. Yorri gives 1d3+1 progress per prod on Secrets of Light, It's the most efficient way of spending them.
We were only able to spend prods on Secret of Light during Yorris first visit, the second time (turn 29 and 30) the option had disappeared.
My take is that Yorri can only help us while he knows more than us, once we pass that point the option is lost.
It's also possible that soulcake forgot to add the option, just like we weren't able to spend brotherhood favor for a few turns after that Yorri visit but I would rather not rely on that.
We should also consider that we may need to do both Secrets of Light research and Mind of Things research to unlock prosthetic eyes. The first to make the sensor and the second to build the interface between it and the recipients' mind.
Another is that we may have to do more than one iteration of Light research to give full replacement eye sight. I could easily see the first version of a light detecting rune not being able to distinguish colour, only brightness, and I'd prefer to avoid giving her what later looks like relatively shoddy work.
All in all, this could be quite a substantial series of research projects.
We should also consider that we may need to do both Secrets of Light research and Mind of Things research to unlock prosthetic eyes. The first to make the sensor and the second to build the interface between it and the recipients' mind.
Another is that we may have to do more than one iteration of Light research to give full replacement eye sight. I could easily see the first version of a light detecting rune not being able to distinguish colour, only brightness, and I'd prefer to avoid giving her what later looks like relatively shoddy work.
All in all, this could be quite a substantial series of research projects.
[ ] The Mind of Things Pt. 3: [Cost: (10 -4) =6 actions] Journeyman of the Odd and Mind for Constructs will proc. The Rune of Forged Limb has made you curious. Due mostly to the fact that it shares a seemingly unnecessary connection to the Master Rune of Waking and a whole host of other Runes. What exactly lies behind such a concept? Understanding the connection between mind and body, and how Runes play into such a thing could prove valuable, perhaps even key, to not only for future prosthetics but maybe even more esoteric avenues of research. Bah, who's to say?
[ ] The Secrets of Light Pt. 2: [Cost: (8 -3) =5 actions] Journeyman of the Odd will proc. The Rune of Refraction has proven you can at the very least manipulate the power of light. Versatility is no longer an issue, but power, useability and overall purpose remain unclear to you. One potential avenue of research you'll be looking into could be a means of restoring sight.
So it might be that mind provides the basis for both prosthetic eyes and ears to work then light and sound provide the inputs.
Fortunately Yorri can give progress for The Mind of Things, I think we should research Light first, then if we need to research Mind to get the eyes working we can do that. But if Yorri shows up before we research Light we should use him for Mind anyway.
And yeah you did. It'd be a mark of shame on you if Orra died before you gave her said eyes, and a bad look if it took too particularly long to do so but again Rune Research. Just to head off that particular question.
Student of the Odd came from being taught by Yorri, it upgraded to Journeyman as we followed in his footsteps, I think master can only come from completing his journey in the north rather than just researching stuff that could be labelled odd in some way.
It would be odd to see Journeyman of the Odd upgrade from such little effort compared to what it took to upgrade it before plus we wouldn't really be broadening our horizons of the odd we'd just be doing the exact same odd stuff as before. And with these two factors combined it seems to me at least that stepping out of Yorri's shadow and doing our own odd actions in other fields which do require a lot of effort and would push Snorri's boundaries and would therefore be more likely to result in us upgrading Journeyman of the Odd than just Odd Places.
Edit: It's like how as an apprentice you just have to learn everything your master is willing to teach you well as a journeyman you have to go out and learn on your own so that you can return to your master and present them a piece of work that will show your mastery to me it seems like Odd Places was the student path of progression for Snorri's odd trait as he just learned of the odd what Yori was willing to teach him well alchemy will be his path for progression through the journeyman stage as he learns about it on his own and can eventually present it as a sign of his mastery of the odd.
