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.
snorri just casts a storm above khazagar and the whole enemy army just falls to their deaths
then combine the storm with the brana kings to make it even lightningier
That's pretty much the best tactical decision the fimir could make right now tbh. Use the waystone power from multiple cities and create portals to siege the karak's while the Northern Throng is out on campaign and it's only garrisons to defend.
That's pretty much the best tactical decision the fimir could make right now tbh. Use the waystone power from multiple cities and create portals to siege the karak's while the Northern Throng is out on campaign and it's only garrisons to defend.
Oh yes, but the goal here was thinking of a reasonable reason for Drak to get sieged so we can see Runesmiths boil out of Khaz like a kicked bees nest. I do think it'd be funny if they get sieged in the two years Snorri's at war so the more powerful people have to decide if riding a Brana back to help is worth it or if Snorri is just insane.
The warden spoke in tones of infinite patience. "Yes, I understand how the application of your fire to our trollgut bombs might agitate the acid inside and theoretically make it splash across a greater area when the bomb bursts. But the thing is, Zharrok, your fire would also burn through the bomb's outer layer and that layer serves a rather important purpose in keeping the acid away from us while we're holding the bomb."
"But don't you see, the cover wouldn't burn instantaneously, so if you only timed your throw to just before I hit, there would be time for the bomb to fly clear before it breaks. In fact, if it detonated in midair and the acid rained down that could make the weapon even more potent. And it'd be safe. Probably - I meant provably! It would provably be safe."
Vikken glanced at the byplay from a little ways away. "Well, at least they're keeping that one distracted, for the moment, while we figure out what to do about the other. Really, how can someone so big manage to just disappear like this?"
"It's an unexpected situation, to be sure," Ylva said in response. "And after we've sorted it out, I will be having a few pointed words with certain people about letting him sneak off, but for the moment our focus should be to get eyes on him again."
"So, uh. Should we be worried?"
Ylva tilted her hand from side to side in a so-so gesture. "I've spent enough time with young Izgrom to be confident he won't do anyone any real harm, at this point, even running around unsupervised. That still leaves room for a lot of less serious misbehaviour he could get up to, intentionally or not, and our report to Lord Snorri will already be shameful enough as it is - imagine how much worse it will be if the dragon actually causes any kind of trouble before we find him. The sooner we have him corralled, the better."
"Right, then. Split up to look for the blighter, meet back here in half an hour and if we've still not found him we call for reinforcements?"
Ylva nodded. "Go."
---
One of the most important facets of the personal philosophy Vikken had developed, over the course of his long life, was that unexpected strokes of good fortune were rarer than veins of white gold and so one should be properly appreciative whenever they came along. Therefore he allowed himself a few seconds to untense and offer a quick, quiet prayer of thanks to the ancestors for the gift of good luck they had sent his way. He'd found their prodigal dragon much quicker than expected, the mess he'd found the dragon in seemed eminently salvageable and, most excellently of all, someone was having a very bad day and it wasn't him.
"So," he said, savouring the moment.
"So," Izgrom echoed, with no enthusiasm whatsover.
"So, drakkling. Are you going to tell me why you're wearing a little griffon as a hat?"
Izgrom appeared to have some difficulty formulating an answer. Happily, the accoutrement on his head filled in for him: "I am not a hat! I have defeated this fell beast in combat, and by the laws of honour it must now serve as my mount!"
"We helped!" another voice peeped from somewhere further behind. Vikken craned his head to the side and, sure enough, there were two more cheeky little devils clinging to the dragon's back. He'd not seen them at first, being as they were obscured by the bulk of Izgrom's head and not immediately conspicuous like the one on top.
The first griffonlet squawked in outrage and twisted his body round so he could glare at the other two. Izgrom grimaced; the kid was digging his talons in to keep his balance and it was evidently causing some discomfort. "No you didn't! I leapt upon the dragon's back firstly and boldestly. You just clambered up afterwards to hog my glory!"
"Is it my turn to ride on his head yet, big brother?"
"No, I hardly even made my way up here! You're such a whiner-"
Izgrom attempted for a moment to look up cross-eyed at the top of his scalp where the one rider was squabbling with the second and third, before his eyes focused forward again. Not for the first time, Vikken regretted his lacking talent for poesy, because he knew when he told this story to the lads and lasses over drinks later on he'd struggle to capture fully in words just how funny the dragon looked, right then. His spines, already depressed in some places from the unfamiliar weight sitting on top of them, positively drooped. His copper eyes were practically patinated with embarrassment. Ach, what kind of simile could possibly do the image justice? Some kind of small woodland critter caught out pitiably in a rainstorm? No, Vikken had it: in that moment Izgrom was as a beardling who'd just wetted his moustache on a spoonful of soup. Painfully aware of how foolish he looked and acutely chagrined by the sheer banality of what had defeated him. "...They won't get off," he said, miserably.
"Yep, there's your problem right there. How'd they get on in the first place?"
Izgrom's nostrils flared. He was probably trying to project a dignified kind of anger but, honestly, the tableau vivant he was participating in rather undermined the attempt. "I was merely passing by when these three accosted me and started climbing up my tail! I could flex my spines, or roll over and dislodge them, but that would cause injury and the little pests are shamelessly abusing my mercy-"
"Don't let the snake backtalk like that, big brother!"
"Yeah! Peck him so he'll learn who's boss!"
"-by clinging - ow - clinging to my back and - ow - treating me ignominiously like - ow - like a beast of burden."
"I see," Vikken said, taking care to let just enough of his mirth show that Izgrom would pick up on it. "What a battle it must have been, young warriors, when you bested this drakk, mighty as he is - if also a bit sausage-shaped." The sausage-shaped one growled; Vikken ignored him. "Tell me, what first made you aspire to become dragon riders?"
"It was cousin Thunder Wing, who's always going on adventures and carrying some dwarf with her-"
"It's so unfair, she never lets us ride on her back, so we decided-"
"I decided who needs Thunder Wing anyway? I'll find a way better mount to ride on and go on way better adventures, that'll show her."
Vikken hummed. "A worthy ambition, to be sure. But won't you be a little limited in where the drakk can take you, compared to where brana such as yourselves can go? This one has no wings, after all."
"Yeah but big brother still hasn't learned to fly, so he can't afford to be picky-"
"Shut up shut up shut uppppppp-" the head griffonlet yelled, and as he did he forcefully flapped his wings up and down, one after the other in an offbeat pattern: left-right, left-right, left-right. Perhaps he only meant to make enough noise to drown out the voices of his little siblings and so prevent them from further embarrassing him. The effect of his actions, however, was that Izgrom suffered the additional indignity of having alternating sides of his face slapped by the griffon's wings over and over, and if they were not yet strong enough to carry the little hellion in flight they clearly had strength enough to sting when used as dragonswatters. Once the rider had finally calmed down some, Izgrom took a moment to spit brana down out of his mouth and then looked pleadingly at Vikken. "Please get them off me?"
Oh-ho-ho. "I would love to help you, drakkling, really I would." Vikken tilted his head back and put one hand on his hip; the other he raised upwards, backhand pressed against forehead in a grotesquely overacted display of regret. A poet he might not be, but let no-one say he could not perform a decent farce. "But alas and alack! My treasured smoking pipe disappeared mysteriously some time ago, and without any way to smoke my pipeherbs I simply do not have any strength to my limbs. Why, in this condition my Vicegrip is hardly any kind of grip at all!"
Izgrom brightened. "Oh! I know where-" he stopped himself, having at the last moment spotted the trap that Vikken had set out for him. "I mean. Hypothetically if I knew where your pipe was, would you help me after you got it back?"
Vikken glanced at him sideways while still keeping his ridiculous pose. "Hypothetically, you say? Oh, it would help if the pipe were to be found, for sure it would - but if someone just knew where it was right away, that would imply they'd already known for some time and hadn't told me. Or worse, filched it off me and hid it as some kind of prank. Were I forced to confront the reality of such a betrayal, my poor nerves would be completely shot. In this hypothetical scenario, I would probably be so distressed I couldn't help anyone at all."
For a few seconds, Izgrom agonised visibly over how to navigate the treacherous straits he'd found himself in. "I could... help you look for it?" he tried.
"An excellent idea, youngster! Let us be off at once." Vikken straightened himself up and set off back the way he'd come from, at a brisk march, knowing the miserable mischief-maker would follow in his heels. He supposed he'd show a bit of mercy and let Izgrom arrange things 'luckily' so they 'stumbled' upon the place where his pipe had 'accidentally' ended up - eventually. He'd make sure their search started in places he'd already looked and knew for sure there was no pipe, though, because he wouldn't want the valiant little dragonriders to be deprived of their ride too quickly, would he? And in the process he might teach Izgrom a valuable lesson, of the sort beardlings of all species needed to learn sooner or later: mess with adults and you pay the price.
Master Rune of Memory: A Rune that is certainly esoteric but may not even be strange, by some variants of the terms strange. As the user fights, the victims of the enemy they face whisper in their ear, letting them know how best to strike at the foe and increasing their strength. But not only Dwarfs whisper in their ears: All who have suffered at their hands whisper to the sons of Grungni.
Rumor says that the Rune seems related to the Runes of Gazul, Grudges, Fury, and Spite.
Rune of Wind Shaker: The Winds of Magic are perturbed, shaken and minutely moved around the field of battle. This can be compensated for, but it makes the job of casting much harder for a wizard.
Master Rune of Wind Shredder: A development of Wind Shaker, the Winds of Magic are stirred, perturbed, shifted and more. A sufficiently skilled wizard can compensate, there is little a sufficiently skilled anyone cannot compensate for, but such becomes the realm of Archmages, Lord Magisters, and Supreme Sorceresses, rather than the average wizard.
"And lo the Lady Snerra grew hateful and wroth of the treacherous ambushes of the damned Dirachs and did create Runes to strike against them and their magic, aided by Brana."
-Saga of the Fimir War
Master Rune of Gromril Fate: The maker whispers a destiny, a weakness, into the armor, but in return it becomes impervious to all other threats.
Rest you shall, after ten by ten sorcerers of the Foe you face.
-An example of a fate whispered.
Master Rune of Vengeance: An odd Rune, it can accept nearly any Reagent and function. It makes the armor bearing it impervious to nearly all damage, but in return entities of the same sort as the Reagent's sort become dreadfully effective, capable of tearing through it like air.
Lest you should think you might be clever, all using a material reagent--something like a Hearthstone--does is make you vulnerable to fire, or lightning, or Gromril, or what have you.
Master Rune of Smednir: Forced onto a banner for the moment, the Ancestor God of metalwork looks down on the metal of the field. The metal of the Dwarfs becomes harder, stronger, more resilient, while the work of the enemy becomes shoddy garbage itself, failing against the armor and weapons of the Dwarfs. A good, solid punch could cave in an enemy's breastplate afterwards, for instance, while a Dwarf's weapon will carve through stone, not with no resistance but decidedly manageable resistance.
Smednir never approved the name, but He never disapproved it either. The inventor was surely either bold or mad.
Master Rune of Star Scream (Talisman): Bearer can unleash that same scream as the war machines unleash from a talisman in a constant burst of directed noise. Bearer and allies are protected from the scream on the talismanic scale, at least.
Master Rune of Titan Breaker (Weapon): Wearer does incredible damage to very large enemies, the monstrously huge to the incredibly large alike shattered. Grontis, Giants, Dragons--if it's huge, it will be hewn apart.
Master Rune of Conduction (Talismanic): By casting the Rune, a massive fiery force falls on the user. It will not harm them, but the enemy will be crushed to bits.
Rune of Wind Shaker: The Winds of Magic are perturbed, shaken and minutely moved around the field of battle. This can be compensated for, but it makes the job of casting much harder for a wizard.
Master Rune of Wind Shredder: A development of Wind Shaker, the Winds of Magic are stirred, perturbed, shifted and more. A sufficiently skilled wizard can compensate, there is little a sufficiently skilled anyone cannot compensate for, but such becomes the realm of Archmages, Lord Magisters, and Supreme Sorceresses, rather than the average wizard.
"And lo the Lady Snerra grew hateful and wroth of the treacherous ambushes of the damned Dirachs and did create Runes to strike against them and their magic, aided by Brana."
-Saga of the Fimir War
Just a thought, but if Snerra is developing these to use on a battlefield where friendly wizards are operating, she may try to restrict it only to effect hostile ones, excluding enemy ones from the effects.
In fact it makes me wonder if you could do something like make the Winds blow smoothly around friendly wizards and turbulently around enemy ones, essentially conserving the amount of disorder, just moving it around.
It's a Wrath and Ruin variant that buries the target in phantom paperwork.
Less powerful than Gravity, but the only way to overcome it is to read the papers, rather than brute strength.
Also, beware of papercuts.
Tbh it's a bit of meme; it causes paperwork/book stacks to fall with the force of a landslide onto an enemy, with the fall being guided for maximum damage.
Yeah, it's like a heat haze. Not as good as, say, blocking scyring, but it makes it difficult to discern numbers and armaments, and nigh impossible to pick out a single person.
While I am unsure whether Soulcake already have an effect in mind for this Rune Variant, given that we can convert it at any time right now, there's hopefully no harm done in proposing.
Master Rune of Runic Amplification (Structure)
Ambient magic around the structure is absorbed and converted into Runic Energy empowering all runes within the structure, allowing runes to recharge faster and new runes struck with greater potency. The casting of all runes within the structure is improved. Enemies within range of the structure suffer a greater casting debuff, and hostile spells cast around at or inside the structure are broken up to empower all runes within the structure further.
#Rune-Ideas
I hypothesize the structure version of Runic Amplification absorbs ambient magic for several reasons:
1. Structure Purification, which converts magic -> heat also absorbs ambient magic. Runic Amplification converts magic -> runic energy.
2. If Runic Amplification only absorbs formed spells and not just ambient magic, then its utility within Karaks where spellwork is rare or unlikely outside of sieges is going to be exceedingly limited.
3. It's a slightly silly image, for all that Hysh, Aqsyh and Chamon attracted to the Khazagar to only be usable if the Brana uses these winds to cast spells at a Runic Amplification array.
Master Rune of Morgrim(Weapon): An example of a weapon Rune specialized for a crossbow, weapons inscribed with this Rune are smoother moving, reload easier, and hit far, far harder than they should. The Ancestor of Engineering favors such contraptions, after all.
In the distant future of the engineer's guild, this is sought-out for the sake of making mechanical shifting weapons clank around smoothly, and making them as tough as any az.
Master Rune of Morgrim(Banner): Machines under the aegis of the banner strike harder and reload faster, if not as much as the Weapon Rune, and it applies to War Machines as well. Popular amongst Quarreler clans as well as, obviously, Engineers.
If it works on guns will become a fierce future debate, but it working on gyrocopters will perhaps be recorded in a thousand years.
Master Rune of Morgrim(Engineering): While somewhat "boring", War Machines under this Rune are simply more in every fashion, including curiously being slightly lighter and easier to repair. They also seem to get stuck less.
Perhaps the strongest of the Master Runes of Morgrim, his touch is felt most in artillery and the thunder of Bolt Hurlers.
Master Rune of Morgrim(Armor): The machine endures when the flesh cannot, meaning that while the armor is more easily damaged, it is more easily repaired, and like Drengi, it must be shattered utterly to find the bearer injured.
The point of a machine is to protect those who cannot endure on their own flesh. This is very much inspired by a sight of Drengi after a fierce battle, where Morgrim had to replace many of the Pure Gromril plates.
Master Rune of Morgrim(Talisman): The bearers of this talisman become tireless, their movements far more precise, and their sight exacting and clear. Morgrim's wrath upon a missed shot with this Rune in your grasp!
Popular among elder Dawi whose sight was damaged in battle, returning old sights that were blurry before. It cannot replace an eye, but it can deal with a wounded one. And of course, very popular among any crews who truly desire to get some REALLY good shots in on those bastards out there!
There is understandably a great deal of excitement to be had when you and Karstah walk out of Khazagar and proudly proclaim that it shall open its doors in the coming months.
The right amount of time for people to square away their schedules, and for excitement to build to a proper crescendo.
And though none there know at the time, it also coincides with the exact time that King Gloin and King Whitebeard will bring their Throngs back to Kraka Drakk.
While the work of building Khazagar is done, you still have to go and prepare everything for the coming opening. Thankfully the issue of food and drink is well settled by this point, given you have a literal kitchen complex on the job, but there are other bits of bookkeeping to get done. Runesmiths that have patiently been waiting need to be informed, Dorms have to be given out and organized, schedules set, things like that. Then there are the shopkeepers and other employees who work here, sworn to secrecy until opening day. You nevertheless sweeten the pot by giving them their own private celebration a tenday before the opening.
You all knew no one would get a chance to rest in the coming days.
Until at last the fated day arrives.
King Gloin, High King Whitebeard, and the Son of the King of the Skies, and their respective kin and close companions stand at the head of a crowd that spills out of Khazid Okraz on a cool summer night to behold the outer walls of Khazagar properly awash with the glow of the full complement of outdoor Runes of Refraction and Light. With only a little bit of fanfare, you swing Zharrgal against the gate, activating the Runes that slide it upwards to reveal the courtyard within and the statue of Thungni standing in the center of it all. You do not linger there long however, leading them past the statue of the Ancestor and through the doors of the Keep into the Grozurbaz.
You lead them down the long walk past rows on rows of open shops, under the multitude of foot bridges and the warm light of the chandeliers. The crowd begins to slowly thin as Dawi and Brana walk into shops and/or simply marvel at the construction.
Continuing up the steps, describing everything to the three royals following you, to the door that leads into the Karaz-Irkul, before the countenance of Thungni.
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Snorri Jollson is near the front of the crowd, standing beside his mother and father with the rest of Lord Klausson's former apprentices as he leads them all to the third set of gates he's seen all night. It is by far the most wonderful, though he stands behind several people, the door is massive enough that it doesn't matter. Flanked by two equally towering statues, the image of Thungni, because who else would have that Rune gleaming above His head, is breathtaking in its quality. From the folds in his robes, the wrinkles on his hands to the strands of his beard, every detail of the image is made with such exacting precision that Snorri can't believe a living Dwarf made it.
It is also so lifelike that Snorri instinctively straightens his back when his gaze meets the image's eyes.
He gulps, swearing that the gems of the Ancestor's eyes bore into him and him alone with inscrutable intent, before he shakes off the feeling by attributing it to simple nerves.
Mother glances at him, the delicate curve of her brow quirked upward with an unspoken question, and he merely shakes his head.
He won't worry her with his foolishness, not with her still on the mend.
Snorri watches the Dwarf he was named after nod to his heir, and together they slowly push the doors apart, splitting Thungni in twain.
Listening to the people around him catch their breaths, he barely realises that he has joined them until the burn in his lungs grows too painful to ignore.
It is beautiful.
The sky, the night sky his father snuck him and his brother out to see when they were boys...
..It is here.
Splattered on the roof of the pillared hall, and twinkling with countless bright specks of light placed with such accuracy that he can tell the multitude of constellations he was taught with but a glance.
The sapphire crown, the ruby scepter, the dread blade, the north star…
He isn't sure when the crowd starts moving, but he follows dumbly along as his family walks deeper inside to get a closer look at the sights and more importantly the drinks being carted out by dozens of Winterhearth Clansdwarfs.
Several of the doors leading to the branching halls are closed, revealing yet more murals carved onto their surfaces, only the doors to the Ror-khaz (heh), Trogg-Khaz and Tiwar-Khaz lay open for wandering visitors, and from what he catches from passing glances they are also beautiful. Belatedly, he realizes that above each of the massive door frames is a Rune of one of the Ancestors. Childishly, he wishes the closed doors were open, desperate to know what wonders lay behind the Wutroth and Metal and simultaneously sure they cannot match what is in this room.
He spends minutes walking aimlessly, seeing the sights and sipping from a mug that had at some point been shoved into his hands, before his feet move him before the railing at the edge of the hole in the center of the room's floor.
Curiosity overtaking his innate fear of heights, Snorri Jollson peaks over the gold-edged fence and blinks in renewed wonder.
There are the rest of the constellations…
━<><><><==><><><>━
"Impressive Lord Klausson" Menlinwen comments, walking up to you and Master Yorri.
"My thanks," you reply, turning to face her, letting the satisfaction you feel leak out.
Vindication, even so small, is a gift.
"Indeed, I did not think your people were capable of ritual magic, but you have proved me wrong. Fascinating really." She continues academically, turning to look at Khazagar.
"Ha, yes I- excuse me? I what?!" you say, and definitely not sputter.
What?
What ritual?!
Menlinwen looks at you quizzically.
"The ritual you casted? Crude, all told, but the fact that you did it at all is an achievement."
"What ritual?" Yorri cuts in, face a mix of morbid curiosity and creeping dread.
"...Surely you- no, you truly did not know?"
"Assume we don't lass." Yorri prompts, voice serious.
The elf blinks, but begins to pale when she puts the pieces together.
"By Asuryan, if you didn't intend for that to happen… Then Lord Klausson I must say you're lucky to be alive, let alone hale and whole as you are." Menlinwen mutters, eyes darting between you and Khazagar with renewed interest.
"I/He what?!" you and Yorri say simultaneously.
"Snorri are you trying to kill yourself!?" Yorri whispers angrily, turning to grab you by the shoulders with a vice-like grip.
"No! Why in Grungni's name would I do that?"
"Elf if this is some jape I will be cross with you." Yorri says, turning his ire upon Menlinwen.
"I do not jest Master Yorri. It is the truth of it. Ask one of the Brana if you must."
"Right, right that's a good start. Of all the ignorant, half-cocked nonsense you've done lad. Couldn't wait for 100 years to pass before you do this madness?!"
"Perhaps, we ought to discuss things somewhere more private." you urge, giving both Yorri and Menlinwen meaningful looks.
Thankfully the two of them nod, though your Master is giving you quite the stink-eye.
How would you have known!?
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"Working on seven halls, over seven years and seventy-seven days, and I believe you have seven universal Ancestor Gods…" Menlinwen continues to rattle off, though you're a bit preoccupied musing over your accidental brush with death.
Magic is bollocks.
You were this close to dying according to Menlinwen, by some means she cannot yet fully comprehend you somehow stumbled upon a shambling mess of a success when all logic dictates that your actions should have magically backfired.
Horribly so.
"Lord Klausson?"
What cosmic idiocy would it have been for you to have survived so much, only to die because you caused some nonsensical aethyric resonance to turn in on itself and blow up in your face.
"Lord Klausson?!"
All your work, unfinished!
"Allow me lass."
Your retainers, the drakks, your family, Karstah! All of them lef-
You sputter at the sensation of Troll Tongue smacking you hard across your cheek, then glare at Master Yorri.
"Right, he's back with us. Go ahead young lady, we're listening."
Despite the assault on your person, you do take the time to glance and nod at Menlinwen in the affirmative before going back to glaring at Master Yorri.
"Lord Klausson, I believe I have a fairly solid theory as to what happened. For the sake of efficiency however, I must ask that you tell me what you know of ritual magic."
What follows is a very upsetting two hours where Menlinwen explains, in great detail, the confluence of events which led to your inadvertent mixup.
Firstly, you had, by sheer happenstance, been evoking a consistent and long running bit of numerology with Khazagar. Seven Ancestor Gods, Seven Towers, Seven Halls, Seven Levels to your Library, Two-hundred and ten statues of the Ancestors, Seven multiples of the total number of Runes struck, et cetera, et cetera.
Second, you had surrounded yourself with a great deal of sympathetic items; the volume of Ancestor badges, Statues of the Ancestors, Runes, your workshop, the Adamant, Gromril you had on hand, Menlinwen theorizes, would be enough to encompass the totality of Khazagar and make up for the admittedly broad sympathetic resonance. Had they been more immediately understandable, or potent, you would have needed less. Not that you wanted to do it at all mind you, but the point stands.
Thirdly, the language. Chanting in Khazalid, especially the archaic Khazalid in some of the Runes, must have sufficed for the spell itself. Here Menlinwen is surprised you managed anything at all, because this is often an incredibly precise set of incantations and for you to stumble into something that worked, let alone provided a result that was at least not actively harmful, is one in several millions.
Yorri gave you a very pointed look here, for some reason. What could you have done? Done the order differently?
Lastly, and where it moved from the realm of the improbable to the practically impossible, was Magic.
Dwarfs, as you insist on telling Menlinwen, did not, could not, interact with magic in the way that the Brana and Elgi did. Runes and Runes alone were the singular proven safe way a Dwarf could touch the immaterial energies suffusing the world in any meaningful capacity. So here your elven tutor had been stumped for a moment, before snapping her fingers. A bit of grudging interrogation later and Menlinwen's best theory is that the sheer amount of magic you were dredging up made up for the inability to cast. Moreover, the movement of Barak Azamar as you walked through Khazagar may have served as something of a very, very, crude means of manipulation. Akin to flooding a sandbox but dumping the water in a vaguely specific pattern that ended up deforming the sand into something that looked like an image.
"Frankly Lord Klausson," Menlinwen finishes, ignorant or uncaring of your distress, "the only way you could make it more likely was having ritualized action throughout the entire event. I can't profess to knowing what goes into the making of a Rune, but the amount of duplicate Runes present may be enough to have done it by accident?"
You stare ahead blankly. She didn't know, but that wasn't a damning indictment at least. It was simply the way Runes wo-
"-Well that and perhaps you went through Khazagar in a purposefully thematic path, beginning at one place, ending at another, more so if you finish exactly as you started…Really this is incredibly fascinating!"
Oh boga.
Yorri looks at you, knowingly, accusingly.
Sighing, you move your hand to rub your forehead.
Why couldn't you just make a nice building?
━<><><>< Grumblings and Goings ><><><>━
- [Mid 434] Khazagar has at last opened its, admittedly beautiful, doors to the public. HARUMPH, it'll take more than a keen sense of aesthetics to win over the Runesmiths. A novel idea, a controversial idea, but that goes without saying doesn't it? Is it Pyrite, is it Gold? Time will tell. The Runesmiths of Kraka Drakk flock to it already, and even Snerra Brightgrin has put forward her own Rune to share with any she finds worthy as a sign of faith in her teacher. A proper student that one. Regardless, the structure that Klausson has brought into existence is one worthy of praise from even the most hardened critic. It is a wonder, that there can be no doubt.
- [Mid 434] The Gift Giver aims to weigh the scales of public opinion to Gold it seems. On the night that he unveiled Khazagar to the public the Runelord revealed that he had somehow improved the system he devised to create Gromril Chain. Now, the Runesmiths whisper, even one of their own apprentices can be trusted to create the mechanical devices which let a Dwarf manipulate Gromril like simple steel. Even then the apparatus is, unlike its predecessor, no one trick pony. A variety of uses can easily be inferred from a device that not only lowers the melting point of metal, but allows it to be molded like clay. Some mutter and grumble about Klausson's earlier decision to reveal his old Chainforger, if he was going to up and make this wonder? Regardless, it is a sight to behold. Once thought to be the realm of Grungni and his sons alone, now with the aid of an apprentice Runesmith any Metalsmith can do what the Ancestors do, and that is a cause for celebration. Hail Gift Giver, this Khazagar looks to be starting on the right foot at least.
- [Mid 434] The Citadel of Creation, while active, is perhaps a little over halfway complete if one goes by Lord Vragni's original plans. Ornsmotek pours wealth, long owed, into the Runelord's project, sure in its future returns. Similarly, Lord Vragni has not sat idle, he has begun travelling abroad across the region, finally culminating what rumours say is decades of negotiation and argument with a few of his fellow Runelords. In the face of Khazagar's completion, Silverbrand only buckles down and grinds his teeth. His Citadel, he says, shall be the finest in the north, nai the Karaz Ankor! A bold claim, one that may have more than just Khazagar contesting it, if the rumours in Izril and Brynduraz have any heft to them.
- [Mid 434] Dire news from the Elves, for they have met stiff resistance from the Fimir of the coast. A landing attempt by the Princeling Malekith was forced to return home after bloodying the combined armies of two Fimir cities thrown against him and his. Even at sea were the Elgi harassed, by floating slabs of dark iron and gnarled, tainted wood that the Fimir use as ships. Thulgrim Saltbeard sees such things, powered by bound daemons and fed with the death of the innocent, and agrees with the Elves that such wretched artifice ought to be sent to the bottom of the ocean, preferably in many small pieces.
- [Mid 434] King Gloin of Kraka Drakk has lost a hand killing the Fimir to avenge the Grudge of his dead son, noble Prince Thorek. His Huskarls, snarling in fury, slew the guardians of the wretched Matriarch while the King of Kraka Drakk descended upon her like a falling comet. Trollslayer, axe of Otrek, the axe of the Kings of Kraka Drakk, drank deeply and greedily as it spilt blackened ichor like ale foam. Gloin, caught in the throes of ceaseless fury, willingly parted with his hand so as to slam his father's weapon, edge first into the Meargh's skull. The King marches on despite his injury, having the stump cleaned and checked over by the Valayans out of good sense, but refusing to return home until his Bludgald is settled. "A city for my son," he roars, and his warriors rally to oblige him.
- [Mid-Late 434] From pyre to ember, the fury of the Silver Drake settles as he stands atop the rubble of another Fimir city. Vengeance is had, and though his personal Grudge is settled, the Grudge of his subjects and kinfolk yet demands striking out! A fine thing that High King Whitebeard is here, for without his aid this surely would not have come to pass with such rapidity, and with so few comparative losses.
- [Mid-Late 434] The Inaugural contest of Khazagar is a joint venture between King Gloin and Lord Klausson. A suit of armour meant for the King's personal champion, let the enterprising Masters test their skill and have their work fall beneath the Gift Giver's unforgiving judgement. Regardless, the King of Kraka Drakk has proclaimed that even though the winner alone shall win the heart of an Elder Wyrm for their work, he shall compensate the ten greatest works of the whole event for his Huskarls, and all other entrants as personal treasure for the hoard of Clan Ironarm. A gracious lord who knows that Kraka Drakks success lays upon the back of the Rhunki his father first enticed here so many centuries ago.
━<><><>< Gains/Stuff ><><><>━
- Information! In creating Khazagar, Snorri has done the proverbial Monkey with a Typewriter, enacting a very very crude ritual upon a place of power. From what Menlinwen can gather, the effect is at least benign. You literally have no clue, and without Windsight or the ability to manipulate the Winds, are reliant on Menlinwen's and, after a bit of consideration, Blizzardwing and maybe a few other Brana's investigations.
-- Menlinwen stresses, you cannot attempt this again for the sake of your personal safety.
-- -50x Gromril.
--- YOUR BARS! DRUNKEN UP LIKE CHEAP ALE BY SOME ZHUF NONSENSE. BAH!
- +1 [Tier 4] Elder Magma Wyrm Blood
- +1 [Tier 4] Ancient Greedy Troll's Heart
- Minimum 5 Turns (Turn 57) before a chance of a Chaos portal opening arises.
Ubiquity: Select | Little-Known | Known | Well-Known | Universal
Attendane: Declining Rapidly | Declining | Declining Slowly | Steady | Rising Slowly| Rising | Rising Rapidly
Impact: Minor (A group no bigger than a Clan, or specialized Guild benefits, makes a task easier) | Moderate (multiple Clans, or a middling Guild benefit, makes a difficult task practical) | High (A hold, or major guild benefits, a difficult task becomes standard) | Revolutionary (The Karaz Ankor benefits, an impossible task is made possible) | Defining (an impossible task is made practical)
- Misc: Novel (new, untested) | Luxury (It's a luxury, makes life comfier, but not necessary ) | ???
Waystone Report: End of Turn 52/Start of Turn 53.
-- Waystone Rerolls: 1/2
-- Region Status, East: Unchanged. 0.5/10 of Stones destroyed, 0.5/10 damaged, remainder pristine.
-- Region Status, Center: Unchanged. 0.5/10 of Stones destroyed, 1/10 damaged, remainder pristine.
-- Region Status, West: Under Threat. 3/10 of Stones destroyed, 4/10 of Stones corrupted, 2/10 damaged
Lord,
Fighting's hard. We hurt them as bad as they hurt us, but the stones get caught in the crossfire more than I'd like.
Rudil if you're reading this I told Izgrom you would be his minder while I was gone.
Rorek: Choose 1 outside of Plan Vote.
Rorek's finally found the time to write to you.
[ ] [Letters:] Knowledge about Eastern Markets [Standard, Insightful]
[ ] [Letters:] Knowledge about Izril stance on Karaz-a-Karak [Limited]
[ ] [Letters:] Knowledge about current Izril Politics [Extensive]
[ ] [Letters:] Knowledge about Southern Oddities [Standard]
[ ] [Letters:] Knowledge about Southern Markets [Extensive, Insightful]
━<><><><==><><><>━
You have 5 actions, 3 retainer actions, 1 research action, 3 heir actions, and [Special] 0 Yorri prods this turn, General:
[ ] Apprentice Hunt: [Cost: 1 action] Apprentice Vote after Turn Results.Go out and trawl through the local and regional populace to find a beardling or two worth your time. No stone unturned, no clan unchecked, no record unread, even the Foundling Wards!
[ ] Drakk Rearing [Cost: minimum 1 general, heir or retainer action, 7/?? actions] Locked until Turn 55 Results. Gain Dwarf acclimated Dragons. More actions improve speed, breadth and depth of their development. By the reckoning of the Dwarfs, and the magics of the Brana and Menlinwen, the Shard Wyrms shall be physically mature specimens when they reach 120 years Old, however the first 60 years of their life will be the most important, both in terms of amount of care and socialization required.
[ ] Kradskonti [Cost: 1 action] Gain a chance to observe Kradskonti. Kradskonti? Kradskonti! When the Valayans informed you of this opportunity, you had to force yourself from jumping out of your chair and rushing south. The first time is free, they say, but subsequent viewings will not be tolerated without a few concessions. The Cult know what they have, and if any Rhunki (IE you) wants to futz about and examine the weapon of their Patron they best be ready to do something in return.
[ ] March [Cost: 1 action] Gain possible loot, bonus to roll against Fimir. No actual interlude but combat rolls will still be made. The idiots decide they want to tear open a hole in reality do they? You razed three cities already, and you're not one to leave a job half finished.
[ ] Riddle me This: [Cost: 1 general or retainer action] Gain knowledge? Roll for usefulness, additional actions apply bonus to roll. Thungni left more than a tome of lore, indeed he left a most ominous riddle.
"Wherein I have left, yet I remain. Where I have not rested, yet my mark s'upon the bed. Where I may gaze at the stars but see not the moon. Where there can be light yet ought to be dark. Where the land shines only when I do. There, 'pon that land, lies that which only the worthy may handle."
You've had decades to think about what it may mean when there was time, but you suppose now's as good a time as any to put in a bit more effort into it.
- [ ] Ask Yorri: [Cost: 2 Yorri prods] Your teacher has a look about him.
[ ] The Road to Anoqeyån Pt. 2: [Cost: 6 actions] Master of the Odd will proc. Gain exceptional- understanding of Anoqeyån. Now that Menlinwen has taught you the very fundamentals of the Elven arcane language, she feels comfortable enough to begin teaching you to the same level she has reached. Going any further beyond this point requires waiting for Menlinwen to become an Archmage or for you to find one yourself.
[ ] Prod for Prod: [Cost: 1 action] Gain 2 +1d3 Yorri prods. Master Yorri is most certainly more learned and experienced than you are, but mayhaps you have something worth his time as well? You've taught a good amount, Adamant included, but there are still a few things Yorri himself is interested in.
Retainers: Every option taken adds +2 to the Recruitment Dice (1d10 +5) unless otherwise stated. (*Updated*) Removed Bookhunting.
[ ] Render Aid: [Cost: 1 retainer action] Can be taken multiple times. Roll for usefulness, additional actions apply bonus to roll. Gain reputation and +2 bonus per action to Recruitment Dice. Low to Moderate Chance for Casualties/Fatalities. You formed these Hearth Guard to combat all the ills that befall the dwarfen people. Send them out, render aid, earn goodwill and spread the word of your retainers and their stated mission beyond the borders of Kraka Drakk.
[-] Recruitment Drive: [Cost: 1 retainer action] Locked due to Full Roster. Can be taken multiple times. Gain 1d5 +5 bonus dice to Recruitment Dice (1d10 +5). You have retainers, dwarfs who understand what it takes to become part of your Hearthguard, send them out to see if they can lend their expertise more and skill to improve the growth of your retinue.
[ ] Retainer Reconfiguring: [Cost: 1 retainer action] Can be taken once every variable number of turns. Change some aspect of your retainers. The Hearth Guard are a fine force of Dawi, but much like the defences of a Karak, there is potentially more to be done. It will take some time for these steadfast retainers of yours to adjust to whatever changes you make, but the length of it definitely correlates to the number of changes you want done.
- [ ] Change Appearance: [Cost: +1 turn until change] Simple cosmetic alterations to their symbol, their colour scheme and/or even appearance of their armour, depending on the scale and nature of the change it could be seamless or it could take a bit of work. While there's something to be said about aesthetic continuity, improving or updating their look to fit with deeds done will draw no raised brows. Completely changing it, however, will draw quite a few looks. If for no other reason than the material cost involved in doing so.
- [ ] Change Numbers: [Cost: +1 turn until change] +1/-1 retainer action per every 60 retainers added/removed. Increasing or decreasing the number of Retainers you wish to take on permanently. It signals that you either require more or less of their services. While you will not remove retainers currently in service if you wish to downsize, it means you simply will not replace them in the event one of your loyal followers falls in the line of duty or simply to the vagaries of time.
[ ] Scouting: [Cost: 1 retainer action] Gain minor bonus to Waystone rolls. Can be taken multiple times. Roll for usefulness, additional actions apply bonus to roll. Send out your Retainers, scour the Far North to see if there's some of these stones that Master Yorri Missed.
[ ] The Throng is Mustered: [Cost: 1 retainer action] Can be taken multiple times. Gain Bonus to Throng Rolls against Fimir, additional actions apply bonus to roll. Minor Chance for Casualties/Fatalities. The King of Kraka Drakk calls the Throng to war, lend the might of your Retainers to his cause. You have no real clue as to how developed the Fimir presence is, but given the corpse Rudil dragged back you have a feeling they've been here a while.
[ ] Training Regime Pt.1: [Cost: (4 -2) =2 retainer actions] Gain "Hearthwarden Ranger" Training Standard and Category, some existing classes will be absorbed into the new category. Rudil's aims are far reaching and especially ambitious. Working with his compatriots to devise a set of universally agreed upon criteria for what it means to be a Hearthwarden Ranger and then make sure everyone he wants to fit that category meets those standards. It won't be everyone, but Rudil made it clear it would be a long labour.
[ ] Waywarding: [Cost: 1 action or retainer action] Gain bonus to Waystone rolls and update on status of Waystones. Can be taken multiple times. There is no set time in which you or your retainers are meant to check on these stone monoliths, but doing so more regularly will mean that you're more likely to keep them safe and know their status.
(*New*)Khazagar: You may convert one general action into 2 Khazagar actions. You may convert 2 retainer or heir actions into 3 Khazagar actions. You are using 6/7 maximum Classes you can teach.
[ ] Curriculum Change: [Cost: 1 Khazagar action] Add, Switch or Remove a Rune you are teaching. Cannot teach RESTRICTED, UNSHAREABLE, and/or INCOMPLETE Runes. Changing track isn't an easy task. It's not the hardest thing in your life, but for you it's more than simply saying you're not teaching this Rune anymore and being done with it. Announcements need to be made, the last few stragglers taught, and of course designing a new test to prove one's worthiness if you decide to replace or add a new Rune.
- [ ] Write-In [Rune Name]
[ ] Write-In, Host a Special Tournament: [Cost: 1 Khazagar action] Choose X number of T3 or Higher Reagent(s) as a reward. Gain boost to attendance and chance to gain Creation of Note. You have it so that Khazagar hosts regular tournaments of both artistic and martial skill where Runesmiths may compete against each other for a reward. But this time you want to dangle a particularly juicy prize, get the minds of the young flowing.
[ ] Write-In, Royal Patronage: [Cost: 1 Khazagar action and (25 - Standing Level) Favour with a Hold at 5 Standing or higher] Gain boost to attendance and interest from third parties. Cannot Choose Kraka Drakk. Favour Cost double for Hold with equivalent Institution. Khazagar speaks for itself, but getting the Monarch of a Hold and a prominent Thane or four to mosey up and publicly announce they're hosting tournaments at Khazagar certainly wouldn't hurt.
Requests: Denote which simple request will receive the apprentice action in your plan. Available Requests below.
[ ] [Simple] Apprentice work: [Cost: 1 apprentice or heir action] Can be taken multiple times. Roll for usefulness. Your young charges are now of an age you feel it acceptable for them to do a bit of exploration. Send your apprentices out into the hold and pick up a few tasks from whoever offers it to them. Give them a bit of experience for their upcoming trial as journeymen and let them build a reputation in the hold. You'll of course critique their work and use it as a learning experience as any good master ought to.
[ ] [Simple] An Even Better Smelter: [Cost: 6 actions or heir actions, 1 Voidstone] Peerless Production will proc.Gain 1 Greater Dragonblood Smelter, and 70 Favour with the Brotherhood of Dron. Your knowledge of this new variant of the Master Rune of Purification to create an even better version of the Dragonblood Smelter, it would certainly be something the Brotherhood would care to know about. They wouldn't turn down the opportunity to get more Adamant per decade.
[ ] [Simple] Once more with Smelting: [Cost: 4 actions, 1 Voidstone] Peerless Production will proc. Gain 1 Dragonblood Smelter. It has been around a century since you last made an Adamant Smelter. It's been enough time since that you feel safe about making another one without feeling like you're committing sacrilege.
[ ] [Simple] Re-warding Work: [Cost: 2 actions or heir actions] Peerless Production will proc. Gain 1 Waystone reroll. There's work to be done, repairing damaged wards and adding new Runes around the monolith and otherwise. Your master most certainly did a bang up job, but there's nothing wrong with contingencies upon contingencies.
[ ] [Simple] The Brotherhood Calls: [Cost: minimum 1 action] Due whenever. Peerless Production will proc. Gain Variable Standing and Favour with The Brotherhood of Dron. The Brotherhood would be greatly interested in a collated and substantial set of notes about your experiences with the recent "Extreme Magical Turbulence and Concentration Event," as well as anything you'd be willing to give regarding your time crafting at the Anvil of the Earth. High energy environments of such a nature naturally attract the attention of your fellow members given the energy costs of generating Adamant.
[ ] [Difficult] Commission, Coronation Gift Pt. 1: [Cost: 1 action] Due end of turn 55. Gain 1 Standing with Karaz-a-Karak. If a Rune you want requires special ingredients that you don't have access to I will alert you. Apply optional reagent materials here. Gloin has come to you with a request. Create something to celebrate the coronation of the High King. Already there are several Holds that Gloin knows of who are scrambling to do the same. If you really think about it, he implies, its a contest to see who can make the best gift. Cheeky lad.
[ ] [Simple] Commission, Zharr-a-Drakhazi Pt. 2: [Cost: 1 action] Apply any optional structural materials and any aesthetic changes here. Peerless Production will proc. You have the plan, now you need only bring it to life.
- [X] Combo, Guardian's Rebuke: The Master Rune of Spite [T4 Elder Stonehorn's Eye], Rune of Spellturning [T4 Ancient Stone Troll's Blood], Rune of Gazul's Flame [T4 Elder Magma Wyrm's Blood]
[ ] [Difficult] Write In Pt. 1: [Cost: 1 action] If a rune you want requires special ingredients that you don't have access to I will alert you. Apply optional Rune Ingredients here. You've had an idea! This is the template for write in item request! Please put down the name, description and type of equipment/item you want made. Pt 2 of the item will cost differently depending on the number of items and potentially the size of it as well. A base guideline for Pt. 2 costs will be at the bottom of the post.
- [ ] Choose: choose three runes you want on the weapon.
- [ ] Theme: write in a theme for the weapon. (I will roll to see if you find a new combo)
- [ ] GM: Leave it to the GM. (I will roll to see if you find a new combo)
- [ ] Function: Give a function or effect for the item in question and the type of equipment. (I will do my best to fulfill the desired effect, if impossible or requiring materials I will alert you. I will roll to see if you find a new combo)
How to vote on Multi-Piece Difficult Requests.
[Y] Difficult Request Pt. 1
- [Y] Choose/Theme/GM/Function: For Item 1
- [Y] Choose/Theme/GM/Function: For Item 2
- [Y] Choose/Theme/GM/Function: For Item 3
Write-in Equipment Action Costs:
1 Action - 1 standard piece of equipment.
2 Actions - Multiple pieces of equipment or Large individual items
3 Actions - Very Large individual items or a full/near full set of items.
Write-in Adamant Costs, General Guideline:
1 Piece of equipment or hypothetical Rune requiring Adamant - 1 bar
1 Suit of Armour for a Dwarf - 3 bars
1 Suit of Armour for a Human or Elf sized being - 4 bars
1 Piece of Ogre sized Gronti equipment - 2 bars
1 Suit of Ogre sized Gronti armour - 6 Bars
Anything larger just ask me, it will also appear in applicable actions or in the FAQ.
Crossbows use Weapon Runes. A Gronti sized Crossbow would use Engineering Runes. Weapons like Axes don't make this distinction. Shields use Armour Runes.
Available Requests:
[ ] [Difficult] Staffing Pt. 1: [Cost: 1 action] Due whenever.If a Rune you want requires special ingredients that you don't have access to I will alert you. Apply optional reagent materials here. Your Hearthwardens have come to you with an odd request. They have been left with the skull of the Greedy Troll they slew for the sake of Ornsmotek. Several of them have been thinking, on account of your own personal history with their sire, that they could turn the foul thing's skull into a topper for a Banner. They have no real preference about what the Banner does though.
- [ ] Accept
WHEN TAKING REQUESTS, SIMPLY ADD JUST THE REQUEST'S NAME WITH THE ACCEPT SUB VOTE AT THE END YOUR PLAN.
So take, for instance, the "[Simple] Armoured Maidens:" request.
[Y] Plan Big Beard 2
- [Y] All other Plan stuff
- [Y] [Simple] Armoured Maidens:
-- [Y] Accept
Challenges of the Burudin:
Gottri's Challenge Create a Rune or Combination of Runes capable of breaking Adamant. Reveal and gain 1 Standing with Gottri Hammerspite, gain Master Rune of Shattering Sound
After acquiring Adamant, a result of Kraggi's eternal quest to perfect Old Breaker, Gottri has changed his long standing challenge to his fellow Burudin members. Now, rather than find that which can withstand his Runes, he challenges any to create that which can sunder Adamant. He boasts, in his laconic and brusque way, that no one will manage before he can, and he's willing to bet one of his acceptable Runes over it to boot.
Angkra's Challenge Devise a Means of Creating a Prosthetic that grows with the user. Reveal and gain 2 Standing with Angkra Twenty-loops.
Angkra Twenty-loops has taken an interest in a curious northern invention, Prosthetic Runes. She has come into contact with Snerra of all people, and has been inspired by the young woman's vigorous efforts to develop something that can be used for beardlings and the like. A topic which has captured the daughter of Thungni's personal attention.
Thormund's Challenge Create something that can turn the mountains against our foes. Reveal Standing with Thormund Stalwart-shield and gain 3 Standing with Karak Kadrin
The wandering Runelord Thormund Stalwart-shield muses on the defensive properties of mountains and a subsequent idea that took his mind when he fought alongside the Throng of Karak Kadrin to defeat a wandering army of Khornates. He grumbles that such power is so poorly weaponized. Avalanches, rockfalls and the like are one thing, but entirely too uncontrollable for his taste and the realm of Rangers. No, if someone could literally make the living stone act against our foes, it would be a feat worthy of song and be of great interest to the Peak Pass Hold.
Alric's Challenge Create a method of reliable, quick and secure communication as possible. Reveal and gain 1 Standing with Alric Thungnisson, Angkra Twenty-loops, and Karaz-a-Karak
As a consequence of his frequent discussions with his venerable uncle, the mighty and wise Snorri Whitebeard, Alric has offered a prompt for any that wish to take it up. A way for messages to be shared across the realms faster than any Runebearer, safer than any road and as reliable as a Master Crafted axe. Such is the sort of goal, the sort of problem a proper Runelord should set their sights upon he reckons, anything less is beneath them.
Durin's Challenges Find the Ankor Bryn. Create a Weapon beyond Karaz-Kazak-Rhun. Create a Runestaff more powerful than Gormwand. Break the Rule of Three.
A relic, one kept out of respect for the founder of the order. Many have tried, all have failed. Since Durin's death none have made a serious go at the first, and only the Brotherhood makes longstanding attempts at the last. These are considered the final goals of Runecraft, ones that shall one day in the nebulous future.
Completing one of these Challenges will make it easier to enter dialogues with and deeper relationships with the corresponding Burudin Member.
Research: Yorri Prod options added. Unless they say some variant of, "Can be taken without action input," you need to put an action into that option as well.
General: (*Updated*)[ ] [Difficult] Akazit Pt. 2: [Cost: (14 -7) =7 actions] Master of the Odd will proc. You've bumbled your way into finding a method of reducing an item to a pile of single Wind-infused ash. But the stuff gets muddied with the ambient Winds and is rendered useless within seconds of completion, so the next step is to find a way to actually capture and isolate this Wind infused ash before it decays. Easier said than done, but when you have your eye it'll be doable at the very least.
[ ] [Difficult] Mysterious Mystery Sword: [Cost: (12 -5) =7 actions] Master of the Odd and Soul of the Earth will proc. Gain ???, possibly progress to Mysterious Mystery Cauldron and Mysterious Mystery Barrel. A sword that cuts through Gromril with an unnerving amount of ease. Studying it will be more about trying to recreate what it does through a Rune, but a bit of material study isn't off the table either given that you have two broken ones to work with as well.
[ ] [Difficult] Mysterious Mystery Barrel and Horn: [Cost: 8 actions] Master of the Odd will proc. Gain ???, progress to Mysterious Mystery Cauldron and possibly Mysterious Mystery Sword. Magical drinks, utter hogwash and a perversion of the fine art of brewing is what it is! Still, their creation isn't completely unheard of. You have the Rune of Hearty Soup, but these, you are forced to admit, have a wider variety and efficacy than what you possess.
[ ] [Difficult] Mysterious Mystery Cauldron: [Cost: (8 -2) =6 actions] Master of the Odd and Soul of the Earth will proc. Gain ???, progress to Mysterious Mystery Barrel and Horn and possibly Mysterious Mystery Sword. Magical soups, you've had a form of it before. From the Rune of Hearty Soup actually, but you must say that the taste of the broth from these fragments is a fine bit better than that Rune. If you could make a better Rune…well you won't complain!
[ ] [Difficult] Monolith Mastery Pt. 1: [Cost: (24 -4) =20 actions] Master of the Odd will proc. You can use the stones now, but not safely. Yorri tells you they never will be a safe bet, but you can at least try to make it safer. Besides, you still dont know how they work, and your work requires that you know how they work. So by Grungni, you're going to figure it out.
- [ ] Prod Yorri: [Cost 1 prod] Gain 1d2 progress. Can be taken multiple times without action input. Your master has been safeguarding these stones for centuries, and is ancient himself. He must have picked up a thing or two, but now he feels willing to share it with you.
Material Research:
[ ] [Simple] Frostbird's Feather: [Cost: 2 actions] Master of the Odd will proc. Cold to the touch, supposedly they're from older phoenixes according to Menlinwen. Time to see what use they have to you.
[ ] [Simple] Chimaera Autopsy: [Cost: (4 -1) = 3 actions] Master of the Odd will proc. Damn things are odd monstrosities, three heads, two hearts, four brains. Neither one is entirely alike. A part of you wonders how much of this is usable and how much more is tainted krut. You'll have to wear some protective gear when dealing with these bodies, that's for sure.
- [ ] Prod Yorri: [Cost 1 prod] Gain 1d2 progress. Your master had to fight these things in his mad dash to Kraka Drakk. He may very well have an insight or two.
[ ] [Simple] Kraken Autopsy: [Cost: 4 actions] Master of the Odd will proc. The tentacled creature was slain by the Elven fleet as they cleared the waters for their trade vessels. You possess the body of a mature specimen and the very large eye of what you are told was an especially old one.
[ ] [Simple] Merwyrm Autopsy: [Cost: 4 actions] Master of the Odd will proc. Large serpentine bodies, fins and general fishy scent aside, this is most certainly a Dragon, and Dragons are quite the bounty of reagents. Though from the tales told of Merwyrms, just what this creature's body parts could be reagents for you aren't too sure of.
Concept Research:
[ ] [Difficult] Diction Direction Pt. 2: [Cost: (8 -5) =3 actions] Master of the Odd will proc. You have a few ideas about where to take this Rune. A universal translator for one, rather than just Khazalid. Not entirely sure how such a thing could be done, but it's definitely possible. Master Yorri's Rune of Sound gives you a few ideas at the very least. Now that Yorri's given you a Rune that restores hearing, you wonder if examining it will provide further insights or hopefully ideas about where to go next.
[ ] [Difficult] Extra-sensory Pt. 1: [Cost: 16 actions] Master of the Odd will proc. You have the very, very rudimentary ability to perceive the Winds of Magic as the Brana and Elgi do. How exhilarating it is, how infuriating, to know that so much has opened up to you with so simple a change. Imagine then perfecting it? To see truly as they do, with the full breadth and detail of it all. How much could Runecraft progress with such knowledge? A path of great reward, and perhaps even greater danger. Who's to say what effects may come of it? Still, you must try.
[ ] [Difficult] The Fixing of Things Pt. 2: [Cost: 14 actions] Master of the Odd will proc. The Rune of Repair is as good as it'll get. You need to make an entirely new Rune if you want something better. It seems likely that the Rune of Repair's maker purposefully developed it in such a way that refinement became unwieldy, and given who gave you that Basket, it feels perfectly in character given the many, many, stories told of the Ancestor Queen. Well, you shant disappoint Valaya Herself! A better Rune of Repair, but one you made from the ground up? By Valaya it shall be done!
[ ] [Difficult] The Happening of Things: [Cost: (8 -2) =6 actions] Master of the Odd will proc. The vision gnaws at you, a flame to the parchment of your mind. There is a theory, a hypothesis you wish to test and the faintest inklings of a Rune in your mind's eye. But there's a good deal of preparatory work to be done. One doesn't futz about with what you think you saw in that vision after all!
[-] [Difficult] The Movement of Things Pt. 7: [Cost: (20 -1) = 19 actions] Master of the Odd will proc. Locked until Anoqeyan Pt. 2, Extra-sensory Pt. ???, and Monolith Mastery Pt. ??? are complete. To go beyond the Rune of Siphoning, to create something that can dredge anything close to the amount of power the Central Array of Karag Dron can, you must improve your understanding of the Monoliths, and the flow of magic first. It will likely take a long, long time until that's the case.
- [-] Prod Yorri: [Cost 1 prod] Gain 1d2 +1 progress, can be taken multiple times. Yorri's face is grim.
[ ] [Difficult] The Movement of Things Pt. 6b, The Body: [Cost: (18 -2) =16 actions] Master of the Odd and Mind for Constructs will proc. Continuing your work on the Rune of Waking Elements, you want the Rune to be able to form a body from almost any surrounding material. Realistically you doubt you can do that, but getting as close as possible is still the goal. At the very least you want these Elemental Gronti to mimic Mhorni's ability as closely as possible.
- [ ] Prod Yorri: [Cost 1 prod] Gain 1d3+1 progress, can be taken multiple times without action input. Yorri doesn't say anything when you give him a questioning look.
[ ] [Difficult] The Movement of Things Pt. 6c, The Soul: [Cost: (15 -2) =13 actions] Master of the Odd and Mind for Constructs will proc. You "know," what Mhorni is, you think, but your investigations decades prior left you empty-handed. Now, armed with hopefully better tools and better understanding, you wish to tackle the questions you made all those years ago. Why did Mhorni bind itself, why was it not turned into energy, why do the Runes seem perfectly happy to assist it as they do you? Why, why and more whys. You won't get all the answers immediately you imagine, but the path is open.
- [ ] Prod Yorri: [Cost 1 prod] Gain 1d2+1 progress, can be taken multiple times without action input. Yorri looks a smidge nostalgic.
[ ] [Difficult] The Mind of Things Pt. 6: [Cost: 20 actions] Master of the Odd will proc. You have managed to create a Rune that, on the whole, can transfer skills and experience from one Dwarf to another. An impressive feat, and yet one not without flaw. It is skill imparted without context, which must still be earned. You can do more, you can do better. True comprehension, transference of that which makes a skill, experience; or in other words, the wisdom to temper knowledge.
[-] [Difficult] The Rune Metal Pt. 7: [Cost: (22 -10) =12 actions] Master of the Odd and Soul of the Earth will proc.Locked until Extra-sensory Pt. ???, and Akazit Pt. ??? are complete. The best theory you have when it comes to creating the metal in your mind, requires both the means to not only isolate and extract the essence of a Runesmith, but to then infuse that essence into Adamant. And hopefully, if you aren't off the mark completely, you will have a material that shall break the oldest hurdle of your profession. More personally you want nothing more than to reach that image, that shining silver you saw over five centuries ago.
[ ] [Difficult] The Secrets of Light Pt. 2: [Cost: (8 -5) =3 actions] Master 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. With a Rune to restore sight now in your repertoire, you can only think of simply increasing the amount of light generated, but maybe examining the Rune Yorri taught you will get the old muse running.
[ ] [Difficult] The Secrets of Storage Pt. 2: [Cost: (14 -4) =10 actions] Master of the Odd will proc. Of course! Of course Valaya would do as she seems to have. The Rune of Storage is a proof, a showcase, an inspiration for curious minds. No, if you want to build something better it will be built from the ground up and not off Her back. Such is the implied order of the Ancestor, and so you shall abide!
[ ] [Difficult] The Weight of Things: [Cost: (10 -3) =7 actions] Master of the Odd will proc. Dolgi's Rune has given you ideas, though there are questions as to whether any developments should be shared and threaten to overshadow your apprentice's work, you can at the very least try and figure out the intricacies of it.
Rune Research:
[ ] [Difficult] Understand the Master Rune of Thungni [Engineering]: [Cost: 24 actions]Mind for Constructs will proc. Snerra gave you an item bearing this Rune. It is...by all that is good this is something you must understand before you die, when not if.
[ ] [Difficult] Compress a Combo: [Cost: 1 +(2 x Effective Complexity) actions] Unlock the Convert and Simplify Options for the Master Rune. Gain a Master Rune of the same Category as the chosen Combo.
[ ] [Difficult] Understand a Master Rune: [Cost: (4 +4 x Effective Complexity) - Similar Runes actions] Unlock the Convert and Simplify Options for that Master Rune. Gain progress to any associated Research. Risk rises with Complexity.
[ ] [Difficult] Convert a Master Rune: [Cost: 2 actions per Category] Gain a Master Rune of the chosen Category(ies).
[ ] [Difficult] Simplify a Master Rune: [Cost: 2 actions] Gain a Regular Rune for every known Category of the chosen Master Rune.
[ ] [Difficult] Convert a Regular Rune: [Cost: 1 action per Category] Gain a Regular Rune of the chosen Category(ies).
Understand Action Cost = [4 + (4 x (Complexity Rating - Relevant Specialties and Traits))] - (Related Master Runes/2) - (Alternate Variants of Same Master Rune)
Compress Action Cost = 1 + (2 x (Complexity Rating - Relevant Specialties and Traits))
Specialty Levels go from 1 (Base) to 4 (Savant)
An Understand option can autocomplete, but it has to be chosen first.
Order:
You can only Order 1 new item a turn freely, but can have as many orders ongoing as you want.
- +1 [Tier 4] Elder Magma Wyrm's Heart, arriving Turn 56
- +1 [Tier 4] Voidstone, arriving Turn 54
Elf Market:
- x1 Firebird's Feather available: one feather equals 1 order, Cost 5 Favour for Royal Expedite and Authority purposes.
- x1 Merwyrm Corpses available: one corpse equals 1 order, Cost 10 Favour for Royal Expedite and Authority purposes.
- x2 Kraken Corpse available: one corpse equals 1 order, Cost 10 Favour for Royal Expedite and Authority purposes.
[ ] ORDER: Write-in
- [ ] Royal Expedite: [Cost: 5,10,15, Favour from one Hold, depending on tier] -1 turn taken on order, can be taken multiple times. You may petition a monarch to flex their political muscle to expedite the process.
[ ] Royal Authority: [Cost: 5,10,15, Favour from one Hold depending on tier] +1 Order. You may petition an indebted monarch to flex their political muscle to order something for your use.
- [ ] Royal Expedite: [Cost: 5,10,15, Favour from one Hold, depending on tier] -1 turn taken on order, can be taken multiple times. You may petition them to flex a bit more political muscle to expedite the process.
[ ] Princely Hunting: [Cost: 10 Favour from Kraka Drakk] Prince Gimli will go out and slay [Write-in] monster.Gain mats. It would be ridiculous for you to ask your King to go gallivanting around the North to find something for you to make a Rune out of, but a Prince or Princess? Well, that's just you helping them build their legend through the slaying of monsters and aiding their elders. The rarer the monster the greater the reward, but it may take longer to find. Monsters slain by Gimli provide more material by virtue of being the entire beast rather than just ordering a singular organ.
[ ] Dreng Them: [Cost: 1 retainer action] Can be taken multiple times. Additional actions add bonus modifier.The Hearth Guard will go out and slay [Write-in] monster. Gain mats, reputation and +2 bonus per action to Recruitment Dice. While your Hearth Guard were also meant to clear all the ills that assailed dwarfkind, you must admit there are many a mundane foe to slay. Send these brave dawi out on a quest to slay beasties on your behalf, earn glory and give you materials to make ever more wonders.
━<><><><==><><><>━ Remember to vote by plan. There will be a Sixteen hour moratorium for discussion.
AN: Wanted this out on Sunday. A personal challenge. Hope you enjoy, please C&C. :^)
Well ritual could have killed us... and we may have found a way to use magic... as a dwarf... without the turning to stone, neat. But not something to touch without very through research.
As for actions- march to war, make our item and I think I would like more elf lessons this turn, 2 actions on it will get us decent progress,
[ ] The Road to Anoqeyån Pt. 2: [Cost: 6 actions] Master of the Odd will proc. Gain exceptional- understanding of Anoqeyån. Now that Menlinwen has taught you the very fundamentals of the Elven arcane language, she feels comfortable enough to begin teaching you to the same level she has reached. Going any further beyond this point requires waiting for Menlinwen to become an Archmage or for you to find one yourself.
That's Soul of the Earth. Personally, I'm envisioning us going in on those in Turns 54-55.
[] Plan: O Master My Master
-[] Training Regime Pt. 1 [2 Retainer]
-[] Waywarding [1 Retainer]
-[] Drakk Rearing [2 Heir]
-[] March [1 AP]
-[] Prod for Prod [1 AP]
-[] Riddle Me This [1 Heir]
-[] [Simple] Commission, Zharr-a-Drakhazi Pt. 2 [2 AP + 1 Grudge] (Wear Skarren/BA/Zharrgal while forging)
--[X] Combo, Guardian's Rebuke: The Master Rune of Spite [T4 Elder Stonehorn's Eye], Rune of Spellturning [T4 Ancient Stone Troll's Blood], Rune of Gazul's Flame [T4 Elder Magma Wyrm's Blood]
-[] [Simple] Frostbird's Feather [1 Research]
-[] [Difficult] The Movement of Things 6b, The Body [2+1d3 Prods]
-[] [Difficult] Convert a Regular Rune (Siphoning to Talismanic) [1 AP]
-[] [Difficult] Understand a Master Rune (Grungni [Talismanic]) [Instant]
-[] [Difficult] Understand a Master Rune (Valaya [Talismanic]) [Instant]
-[] Order: T4 Lightning Aspected Gemstone
-[] Order 2: T4 Voidstone [15 Kraka Grom Favor]
-[] Order 3: T3 Stonehorn Leg Muscles [10 Kraka Drakk Favor]
--[] Royal Expedite x2 [20 Kraka Grom Favor]
Which master do I poetically quote? Yorri, on whose behalf we particularly march for? Durin, whose legacy we strive to continue? His father and master Thungni, whose Riddle we ponder? Or perhaps Snorri himself, putting heads together with his heir? All of the above.
As promised, finishing the Spite talisman and marching to war. Unlike Bungie's plan, I don't really think we need Siphoning in the Coronation Gift and anyway, I want to add extra spice to the Riddle roll. We're doing this the once, so let's make it count!
Edit: After hearing Bungie out, stripped AP from Riddle Me This and moved it to converting Siphoning.
"Indeed, I did not think your people were capable of ritual magic, but you have proved me wrong. Fascinating really." She continues academically, turning to look at Khazagar.
Yeah i went back to get numbers and realized i mixed it up with the rune metal trait still putting in 2 actions gets us half way there and easier to fit in 2 actions in a future turn to continue down a line of inquiry into what we just did
[] Plan To War and Spite, With Waystone Work
-[] Snorri and Karstah
--[] Build Zharr-a-Drakhazi 2 Snorri + 1 Grudge (Wear Skarren/BA/Zharrgal while forging)
--[] Prod for Prod 1 Snorri
---[] Monolith Mastery pt1 2+1d3 Yorri Prods
--[] Convert Siphoning to Talismanic 1 Snorri
--[] March 1 Snorri
--[] Frostbird Feathers 1 Research
--[] Drakk Rearing 2 Karstah
--[] Re-warding Work 1 Karstah
--[] Understand the Master Rune of the Eagle-Eyed Instant
--[] Compress Brotherbound Instant
-[] Retainers and Orders
--[] Waywarding 1 Retainer
--[] Training 2 Retainer
--[] Order: T4 Lightning Aspected Gemstone
--[] Order 2: T3 Stonehorn Leg Muscles 10 Kraka Drakk Favor
---[] 2x Expedite Order 2 20 Grom Favor
--[] Order 3: T4 Voidstone 15 Grom Favor
--[] Order 4: T4 Elder Magma Wyrm Heart 15 Kraka Drakk Favor
---[] 3x Expedite, 15 Kraka Drakk Favor and 30 Grom Favor
So why T3 Stonehorn Leg Muscles as my second Order, and expediting it so much? This is to get a reagent for what I consider the Unstoppable Banner, for the Hearthguard.
The combo there is Master Rune of Traversal (T4 Radiant Pegasus Heart) + Impact (T3 Stonehorn Leg Muscles) + Deflection (T4 Barazgal).
The theme is "These Elders shall go where they must, through anything they must, and no falling rocks or the blows of foemen shall stop them."
[] Write In: Elder's Ceaseless Aid, Banner: This is a banner depicting all of the terrible blizzard conditions of the Far North, and carving through those conditions is a band of Elders. The leader, a grim faced Valayan matron, holds a lantern embossed with the mundane symbol of Winterhearth carved from Hearthstone. They travel through the snow, walking untouched by the blizzard to uncover and rescue fallen dwarves caught in an avalanche. The Runes are inscribed into the Adamant handle-piece, suitably shaped that it may ride in the slot on dawi armor or be comfortably held in one hand, and glow with the Shine of Gold that Khazagar shall become famous for.
The stonehorn muscles are to improve the force and power of the charge, rather than the horns which seemed to add a fear effect to Rik Hunken charges. Barazgal is drawing on the kinetic redirection of the Master Rune of Grungni series of runes.
Not building this banner this turn, but setting up so it can be built whenever we want after this turn. Instead what's actually getting built is of course the Spite Talisman.
The lightning aspected gemstone I've already okayed with soul, its for Zon-Dum uses in the future with the hope to turn it into a lightning blaster. Useful on a shield for Snorri if needed, and also the Dragon (they'd end up being the same creation, he'd just put it in the dragon when that's ready)
Rest of it is to push Monolith Mastery into the range of being doable, and doing some Waystone Waywarding and ward repair so that we get more rerolls. Master Rune of Eagle Eye and Brotherbound are to test what is giving exp to our mysterious trait or traits, including verifying if we have one trait or two in the works. Plus, Brotherbound is useful for one of the other Hearthguard Banners.
[] Plan To War and Spite, With the bod
-[] Snorri and Karstah
--[] Build Zharr-a-Drakhazi 2 Snorri + 1 Grudge (Wear Skarren/BA/Zharrgal while forging)
--[] Prod for Prod 1 Snorri
---[] Movement 6b The Body 2+1d3 Yorri Prods
--[] Convert Siphoning to Talismanic 1 Snorri
--[] March 1 Snorri
--[] Frostbird Feathers 1 Research
--[] Drakk Rearing 2 Karstah
--[] Re-warding Work 1 Karstah
--[] Understand the Master Rune of the Eagle-Eyed Instant
--[] Compress Brotherbound Instant
-[] Retainers and Orders
--[] Waywarding 1 Retainer
--[] Training 2 Retainer
--[] Order: T4 Lightning Aspected Gemstone
--[] Order 2: T3 Stonehorn Leg Muscles 10 Kraka Drakk Favor
---[] 2x Expedite Order 2 20 Grom Favor
--[] Order 3: T4 Voidstone 15 Grom Favor
--[] Order 4: T4 Elder Magma Wyrm Heart 15 Kraka Drakk Favor
---[] 3x Expedite, 15 Kraka Drakk Favor and 30 Grom Favor
Literally the same plan as Bungie, but with different Prod allocation. That's all.
Okay, so I think finding out what the Ritual effect is puts a bit of emphasis on Extra-Sensory part 1. 2 AP on the Spite Amulet, 1 AP marching to war, 2 AP working on Extra-Sensory? This is very much a skeleton, and can be adjusted to account for Karstah and Retainers. It also needs Drakk Rearing put in somewhere.
Action Name
Actions Spent
Potential Results
Other Notes
Commission, Zharr-a-Drakhazi Pt. 2
2 General AP, 1 Grudge
3~5 Progress
Anywhere from 3 to 5 Overflow, average of 3.2 Overflow. Progress on Peerless Production.
I bet that the number of hairs in Snorri's beard is a multiple of seven too! And maybe its lenght is 49 centimeters (or whatever unit of lenght dwarves commonly use)!
Rest of it is to push Monolith Mastery into the range of being doable, and doing some Waystone Waywarding and ward repair so that we get more rerolls. Master Rune of Eagle Eye and Brotherbound are to test what is giving exp to our mysterious trait or traits, including verifying if we have one trait or two in the works. Plus, Brotherbound is useful for one of the other Hearthguard Banners.
On the other hand the fact that we can accidentally into a ritual seems like something we should be following up on and The Road to Anoqeyån Pt. 2 is something best done as 2->3 twice, and we get half way done this turn which is a lot closer than what we will get to Monolith Mastery.
Ornsmotek pours wealth, long owed, into the Runelord's project, sure in its future returns. Similarly, Lord Vragni has not sat idle, he has begun travelling abroad across the region, finally culminating what rumours say is decades of negotiation and argument with a few of his fellow Runelords.
Snorri should send an anonymous gift to help fund the Citadel of Creation. Just as an axe will go blunt without a good grindstone, so will the students of Khazagar without good competition. Vragni has the will and the skill to do it, let not funding be what stops him.
Well now that was informative for sure! Snorri learned he did a ritual and got very lucky having survived! Also our King Gloin lost a hand avenging his son, perhaps we'll make a replacement for him at some point? Though in the meantime I think it's time for us to March to war and bring the fight to the Fimir!
"Indeed, I did not think your people were capable of ritual magic, but you have proved me wrong. Fascinating really." She continues academically, turning to look at Khazagar.
