[] Plan: Grant us eyes! Part One
-[] Snorri
--[] [Difficult] Extra-sensory Pt. 1:
5 Snorri
--[] [Difficult] Compress the Combo Creeping Cold
Instant
--[] [Difficult] Understand the Master Rune of Immolation
Instant
--[] [Simple] Chimaera Autopsy
1 Research
-[] Retainers & Orders
--[] Expedition, Aiding Ravnsvake
2 Retainer
--[] Expedition, Aiding Dorden
1 Retainer
--[] Order: T4 Ancient Greedy Troll Heart
-[] Karstah
--[] [Simple] Kraken Autopsy: Dissect the Kraken Corpse and Elder Kraken Eye we have.
Hypothetical Karstah 5th
--[] Riddle Me This: The riddle from Thungni that leads to his Hammer.
1 Karstah
--[] [Difficult] Write In, Talisman, Flamedrinking Prototype pt 1: You're a runelord who has opted to use heat and flame consistently in your work and with the advent of better smelters the thought smacked you upside the head: Why not find a way to use that heat to enhance or even fuel your runes in some way? After sharing the thought with Karstah the two of you have decided that she will make a pair of Pure Gromril amulets to test the idea - on the first a set of runes provided by you, and on the second a set of runes that she will decide upon.
1 Karstah
---[] Combo: Rune of Furnace + Ancestor Rune of Thungni + Rune of Thungni's Presence
---[] Theme: "Heat is energy. It is fluid and changeable. Through Thungni's ingenuity, change it into the light and energy of Runes."
--[] [Difficult] Write In, Brynbar, Talisman pt 1: A circular clasp whose seam depicts a shimmering and glowing gate to the glittering realm. On each half of the clasp the runes of Siphoning and Thungni glow, surrounded by 'runes' from the early days of runesmithing, inlaid with Dronril in imitation of runelight. There are also streams spiraling up from the gate and into the clasp, of powdered hearthstone painted on and tiny shards of an invisible diamond embedded along them. When separated, the halves reveals the glittering realm, filled with even more 'runes.' Thungni stands there, formed with inset plates of various metals (thus forming color), holding the master rune of His Presence aloft, along with various other runes surrounding him, hovering. The edges of the clasp shine with opal, eight luminous colors formed from luminous gems (one for each wind) spiraling inward towards the gate, bound and twined by the streams of glittering power. The backplate (where the depiction of the glittering realm rests) is part of one of the clasp halves, and as such is adamant, with inset plates of Oathgold forming towers and structures, while elder frost wyrm horns form the stony walls of the cavernous realm. The entirety of the backplate is covered in this coating of powdered hearthstone at various intensities, giving the impression of shining mists. Invisible diamond shards embedded in the metal, like snow in the air, making it all glitter like it's namesake. Our thoughts for the intent and image is that:
Power flows from above and below, as Thungni brings forth the gift of the glittering realm's power and binds the winds to his will. 1 Karstah
---[] Choose: Master Rune of Thungni's Presence (Adamant and Ancient Greedy Troll Heart), Thungni (Adamant), Siphoning (Ancient Greedy Troll Heart)
--[] [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.
---[] Accept. Use Azrilzhufgotten's write in for this.
--[] [Difficult] Write In Pt. 1: [Cost: 1 action] Azrilzhufgotten, or The Silver River Marches. The Hearthwardens have been stretched to their limits these past few centuries, taking on multiple new duties spread wide across the north, while bearing only the baseline equipment you give them on taking their oath. It's time to start fixing that. Azrilzhufgotten will be a banner of your finest work, embroidered on Ancient Troll Hide [T4], mounted on an adamant staff, and topped with the skull of the Ornsmotek greedy troll. The tapestry depicts the Hearthwardens in the full glory of their power and age, sweeping down from a mountain pass to relieve a besieged Karak from a force of beastmen led by murderous and evil Trolls reaching up to destroy its walls. Three adamant plates form the shields of the front rank of dwarves, each bearing a rune. Although the details do not match, any Hearthwarden who views it will instantly recognize the allusion to their defense of the free dwarves of Karag Dum, the moment when they stood as Pillars in the Dark. This banner calls to the Hearth Guard's first, deepest purpose: When Dawi are threatened, no matter the hold, no matter the distance, the Hearthwardens will be there, standing in the way.
1 Karstah
--[] Choose: Master Rune of Traversal (Radiant Pegasus' Heart [T4]), Rune of Impact (Stonehorn Leg Muscles [T3]), Rune of Amber (Barazgal [T4]).
I've been working on this plan for a while and I'm going to credit
@Xepheria for the idea to just rush ESP for two turns. Just get it done. I'm pretty sure I also mentioned this idea during this turn.
To give you all an idea of my mindset, I've been looking at ESP for a while and at this point I'm looking at it in terms of "What turn we can get it done?" and this plan promises that we could get it done on turn 57.
That's why this is Part One. Part Two is doing 5 Snorri into ESP to wrap it up. ESP is the main thrust of this plan. Should also make the turns go by pretty quickly.
Understanding Runes and Chimaera
Moving on to the rest, Creeping Cold is to continue pushing XP into our Weapon mystery trait and Immolation is the same for our Engineering mystery trait. Plus, Creeping Cold provides us an Odd Weapon Rune for our future experiments, and because of that gives us a future source of Weapon trait XP. Same as Raptorstrike actually.
To expand on that, Creeping Cold and Raptorstrike both help us expand the ways we can gain experience in traits related to the Weapon Category. That is important for any desire to create more complex and powerful Weapon Runes including overarching visions to create deadly True Death weapons or to compress the World That Was into a single Master Rune, so I'd consider it foundational work.
Chimaera is a freebie, largely not important.
Retainer and Order
The Retainer stuff is obvious and just finishing up our Aid work for the Retainers. The order of the Troll Heart though has a specific reason tied to what Karstah is doing; Brynbar is an anti-magic amulet for use in the war that has been discussed throughout the thread and it needs 2 Ancient Greedy Troll Hearts. The Dragon that has also been discussed off and on also needs 2 Ancient Greedy Troll Hearts. And we currently have 3 Ancient Greedy Troll Hearts in storage, so we need to order a fourth - latest it can arrive is Turn 60, which is fine.
Karstah
Now I do gotta talk about Karstah. The "Hypothetical Karstah 5th" action is an oddity I will admit but she has gained a new action
roughly every two turns. She became our heir on turn 47, gained her second on turn 49, her third on turn 52, and her fourth on 54. I'm not sure if she will gain a fifth action for turn 56, and tbh it does not matter that much, because I'm only using this to demonstrate the loose pattern and bring the hypothetical to people's awareness so that other planners are not caught off guard.
Moving on! The main thing that I'm focused on having her do is more work on Thungni's Riddle, War Prep, and Design Work. I don't think that Drakk Rearing will exist going into turn 56, because the Dragons have reached the point of being mostly independent.
[ ] Drakk Rearing
[Cost: minimum 1 general, heir or retainer action, 12/?? 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.
The action itself notes a 60 year period as the most important part of their lives - after that is thus less important or less impactful, and we've passed that point. Therefore, I think the action will cease to be. Also they are now off to their apprenticeships and we and Karstah both have much less to do with their care at this point. If the option does continue to exist I think further actions are optional. But I think preparing items for the War and our Research is more important, as is the Riddle.
The Riddle is a lead on a big research project we need to find, hopefully before it gets snatched up (I'm not sure that's a thing but some people have raised the concern). If Karstah can't do it and Drakk Rearing still exists, the action here could go to the Drakks. If Karstah can't do it and Drakk Rearing is gone, she can start the Kraken Autopsy - easy change either way.
Karstah's Design Work
The three items are straightforward.
The Flamedrinking talisman is us starting an experimental path to Inventing the Rune of Flamedrinking, which does exist on the sheet, its just Future so we need to do the legwork. So make an item that is about resisting and absorbing heat, then converting it into Runic Energy. We're using two options here to ply the waters and see what drops out. If we get two different combos, great! More for us!
Why should you care about Flamedrinking? Three reasons. It is critical for a piece of magitech Safety Equipment that needs to be built before we attempt forging in a Storm of Magic - I've got a design for a talisman sitting using the Master Rune of Purification, Rune of Flamedrinking, and Rune of Thungni, waiting for the Rune. Second, it is potentially useful in our smelter designs because it can help control the heat output to exactly where it needs to be. Third, its definitely useful in general for our work to do with Heat (which we do a lot of).
The item I have in mind would also be hilariously stupid good for deleting enemy items, making us even more busted in combat.
Just grab the enemy's sword and melt it into slag or whatever.
That's what it does as a basic rune.
Brynbar is a juiced anti-magic talisman meant to radically improve Snorri's own kit and crush the Magic round completely. Its prep for any Meargh Final Bosses and their Daemon Forged Monstrosities. Its also really pretty. There is some hope that it might tie into our Set in some way due to echoing what happened during the forging of Skarrenbakraz. If folks have more questions about it, direct them to
@Mr. Idiot, Brynbar is his brainchild.
Azrilzhuffgotten is for our Hearthguard and is the brain child of
@BelligerentGnu. The missions we send them on have been getting more difficult and this will help them deal with those missions and the War - protecting, evacuating, coordinating and
getting to places quickly.
Its meant to absurdly boost their movement, finally fix that Below Average for Dwarves mobility that they have and make them completely ignore difficult terrain. Also makes their formation harder to break and greatly boosts the power of their charges in battle. Resisting disruption of their formation will also be useful in natural disasters like floods and avalanches as people will be harder to sweep away.
Finally, it will tie in nicely with the Coordination Brotherhood Banner that will get built possibly using the Master Rune of Fraternity converted to Banner form, and the Mountainsouled Banner. Its one pillar in the trio meant to make them like Hyper-Coordinated and Relentless Terminators.
I'm open to questions about stuff.
