Would you like to explain to Vantigon your reasoning
The High King Returns
- Thread starter Lonkas
- Start date
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- Tags
- warhammer quest dawi vlagian luck
I'm just saying, we already are gonna have to fight them to save one of the Karaks, might as well make a project of it.
The Ogres are always going to be a problem unless they are dealt with one way or the other, given their respect of Strength we might as well put them under our banner with a grand show of strength while also saving the Karak in The Mountains of Mourne while we are at it.
Their Presence as Bodyguards to our Merchants might also be effective, particularly in Cathay.
The Ogres are always going to be a problem unless they are dealt with one way or the other, given their respect of Strength we might as well put them under our banner with a grand show of strength while also saving the Karak in The Mountains of Mourne while we are at it.
Their Presence as Bodyguards to our Merchants might also be effective, particularly in Cathay.
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- Location
- USA
The Dawi would love to make them a project the same way they do to the orcs and Skaven.
I mean yeah, but the Ogres aren't like the Greenskins or Skaven, they are capable of not being complete monsters and can be actually become part of other nations (The Empire had entire Populations of Ogre Citizens in Canon, known as Imperial Ogres.).
Encourage them to join our Empire (Maybe under the Human or Halfling Provinces (I again suggest taking a province and handing them to the Halflings to get a Halfling Vassal.).) so I don't find it particularly palatable to deal with them the same as those other 2.
Not to mention that while they aren't Immune, they ARE more Resistant to Chaos than the Humans.
But regardless, Worship of The Maw should be disbanded no matter what we do with them.
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Unfortunately, his capabilities in that regard are both canon and easily knowable IC if we make contact with the Tomb Kings.
The Gates of Death
New
Deep within the heart of Azul, located right beneath the throne room itself lies the greatest temple of Gazul within all of the Karaz Ankor. Rivalling even the great gates of Karaz A Karak, an enormous set of doors are set at the end of the of a vast open space detailing Gazuls journey to establish the Underearth and establishing the Glittering realm itself, the land fit for the dwarven dead. A duty and a task that sees him venerated second only to those considered the 'main' three ancester gods of Grungi, Grimnir and Valaya, for he saved the Dawi from the coil of mortality and gave their spirits a safe haven for eternity.
Here his most holy temple sits, the only one not situated next to the tombs and mausoleums of the Dawi, for here is the one that he is said to have founded himself, with the aid of his fellow ancestry god Thugni. Here it is said that for a thousand days that he laboured in utter silence and secrecy along with his companion and having forged (or stolen in some translations) the passage, he created these gates to guard them, the portal for dwarven dead to enter into the glittering realm. Though Azulites had always treated this as Dawr, the rest of the Ankor had largely considered the location a holy place, but nonetheless more symbolic than actual effective truth. This was also runelord Thorek Grimoldson's opinion until he had been emplacing a spiritual warding within the throneroom above and having ripped up the floor to begin his working encountered runework of surpassing perfection and complexity beneath his feet.
Calling upon his fellow Runeworkers to analyze and study these runes, thinking it at first a grand warding for the protection of the king of Azul, he had instead gradually moved his study of the masterpiece lower into the temple to Gazul itself. Where, after consultations of the priests, it was determined that as an heir of Thugni, he did bear the right to study his ancestor gods teachings and works. Thus it was that heavily ciphered and sealed messagers began to be sent to and From Azul and the guildmaster of the Everpeak, discussing the find and requesting further masters be sent to Azul, accelerated even further once Thorek divined exactly what the gates themselves would be capable of. Requesting only that once restoration work was done that he be able to activate the relic for three days. Though long in coming, the eventual confirmation stoked his heart and led him to truly begin evaluating the complexities of the work.
To his astonishment, in this diminished age, the work of the masters who had forged this creation were largely legible to him and his fellows, even if only after lengthy periods of grumbled debate. With many of the ancient runes recovered, or even in more recent times, seeing minor alterations and improvements. However, it was clear that at some point in the past, the great artifact had been deliberately damaged, with seven points of sabotage discovered throughout its structure that would lead it to failure. Eventually and only with the greatest of security was it eventually discovered that one of king Bardins ancestors had seen the damage done, thousands of years ago, when the order to abandon the hold was nearly given.
Yet over the next few decades, much time, energy and deliberation would be put into determining exactly what the missing runes were and how they interacted with the wider whole. The task was not made easier by the fact that Azul's Runeworkers had been sure to destroy some of the most complicated componants to ensure that no single captured Runelord or traitor to their race could hope to restore to life what had been destroyed. But few things in this world can withstand the scrutiny of dozens of Runelords and this sabotage could not be said to be one of them. One by one the items were restored, with much fanfare each time, until at last the last missing link was resolved and with confirmation from the Everpeak, a date was set for its temporary reactivation. So it was that on the eve of Gazuls descent into the Underearth, Thorek Grimoldson ordered the gates to the Glittering Realm opened once more.
—-------------------------------------------------------
The arrow caught Varrik under the arm as he raised his pick above his head, about to deliver the killstroke on the grobi before him. He gasped out in pain for a moment, as the greenskin in front of him took the opportunity, grabbing onto Varriks beard and plunging his jagged knife into the miners eyes, cacklin with mad glee as the dawi sank to his knees, the last conscious thought as he collapsed, watching his friends die to the mad greenskin ambush, was the wish that there were some way that he could avenge the the pain that he felt in this instance. Slowly though, coldness seeped into his muscles and then his bones and with an aching sigh, darkness took him at last.
Varrik would not relent though, and with what little will he could muster, he clung to the scene, even as he felt pull upon his spirit dragging him somewhere southwards. He clung on from the shadowy world of spirits as he watched the greenskin rush onwards, a shieldwall made in desperation toward the rear of the mine a last desperate defence against their savagery. What few dawi remained being dragged out of their defensive line one by one by the shrieking grobi horde. With all the strength that his spirit could muster, Varrik longed to reach for his pick, to grasp it again and avenge his death, to lay waste to those who would despoil his home with their filth. But his strength to remain was failing him and though he reached forth his hand, the pull strengthened more and more the colder his body grew.
Suddenly though, warmth spread through his chest and strength returned to his spirit, the pull while still present became suddenly only the faintest of tugs and with a force of will the miner reached through the veil between worlds, grasping his pick again in his ghostly hands and used it to drag himself fully into the world of the living. With a gasp he felt the crushing realness of the world impinge upon his spirit, but bearing the weight of a world that despised them was nothing new to a Dawi and with a grin he hefted his pick and began to jog, delighting in the panicked squarks of the grobi as they saw their doom coming for them, the ancient warcry of his kin sounding from his throat for the very last time.
"Khazakun Khazakit Ha!"
—----------------------------
"And the last will go to Valya, my fifth born. The lass is only forty and with me dead she'll need a worthy dowry to see someone take her in. She can brew a hearty broth but that's not enough for a stout miner or two to take her in."
The Reckoner closes his book with a thud of finality, as he finished copying the last of Varriks will and testament. He looks at Varrick again mixes of hope, fear, doubt and awe playing across his features as he stares at the returned miners ghostly form beginning to fray somewhat at the edges, but still very much dawi he had spent many a night with in the fighting halls. Joined in this new unlife by several of his fellows. who too had been spared the embrace of death for a few hours, long enough to extract their vengeance in blood.
"It really is you Varrik, Gazul be praised." When I heard of the fight I came as quickly as I could. I'd hoped to find you among the living, but this will do as a second best, aye?"
"Aye it's me, as I can tell at least, I'm just happy I got to lay a few out before I had to go. And maybe Garrik will learn to have his ear out for grobi picks the next time he's out mining."
The last he grumbles just loudly enough to be overheard by their rock-whisperer who ducks his head in shame, especially after several echoing and ghosty harrumphs come from the other spectres seeing to the last of their earthly affairs. Finally, however, a robed figure steps into the mine, his pace slow and measured even as he carries a broad upright two handed sword in his grasp and unsurprised, the priest of Gazul sternly examines the dawi spectres before him before, eventually he gestures to Varrik, a gentle smile upon his ancient features
"You are untainted by the scent of a ruzghul, yet it is ill that you remain too long outside the gates of the underearth. Now that you have achieved your vengeance in death that you could not in life, do you consent to being sent to his halls?"
Varrik nods, though there is part of him that wishes to cling to the life that he has always known, he still feels the pull that first greeted him upon his death and simply being within the priests presence he feels it gaining in strength. "I am prepared elder, I thank Gazul for allowing me to not be ushered with haste to his halls"
The elder of Gazul nods and visible only to those who have stepped a foot into death his sword glows golden in the dark, the pull grows into an irresistible wrenching and fast as lighting Varrik is launched southwords.
—---------------
Only as he nears his destination from far off Vlag does the pull begin to lessen, the mountains that he passes becoming less blurs and more solid shapes until at last as the deceleration continues he sees his final destination. Not the mountain of Azul but the great gates at its heart, gleaming gold in his vision, with a faint gold line that connects him to it. The instincts of life still hold sway though and he tenses as he begins to pass through the outer layers of the mountain, past the broad avenues of a repaired hold and finally gently deposited only a few hundred feet from the great, golden gates.
Around him he sees the grey forms of dozens of the spectral dead, marching quickly and without looking around toward their final destination, though from the edges of the gate hes sees a commotion as several dawi dressed as runelords gesture toward him, seemingly not seeing the crowd around him. Then they point to another bright blue as opposed to the majorities grey. Who clearly sees him and salutes before joining the throng heading toward the Glittering Realm. Varrik begins to pull the tug again as he takes a moment to watch while others continue to arrive. Perhaps one twenty have been chosen he decides as he watches, astounded at what it seems his kinsmen to the south have accomplished. But eventually he heaves a great sigh and marches toward the gate and toward his future.
News of this spreads across the Ankor and even into the human realms, as every hold records instances of their dead rising again briefly to fight again those who had seen them slain, though it seems that those far from a serviced temple of gazul when they fall are not given the opportunity to claim their vengeance. Jubilation comes to the general populace of the Ankor, only to collapse into a short depression as after the third day Kragg reactivated the eyes of Gazul and several of the Runic golems he had been forced to return to dormancy in order to investigate what the Gates of the Underearth would even accomplish.
And to see that he was impressed would be an understatement. Even given the bare minimum of power it required to activate Kragg was sure that it had likely saved hundreds if not thousands of lives across the Ankor if ever so briefly and his heart ached at denying the closure that many families even in everpeak alone had been given to say a final goodbye to their kin. Now he would have to think long and hard on how he would spend what power he had, for perhaps the dead could offer much indeed to the Ankor, even more than they already did.
The Gates of the Underearth are a regional masterwork located deep in the heart of Karak Azul, specifically within the greatest temple of Gazul, the so called entrance to the Dawi afterlife. requiring an enormous amount of runic power to activate, it allows the most vengeful spirits of the recently deceased to have a chance of finding their vengeace against the enemies of the Dawi. Though it only manages to reach the edges of Aldankor and only those near to a temple of Gazul (Holds and some few imperial cities)
It requires a minimum of 3 runic power to activate and has a marginal effect on invasion damage and a small effect on attrition throughout Aldankor. It can consume up to six runic power to marginally raise the effectiveness of those modifiers until it hits its maximum capacity.
Having it at minimum capacity also provides a single point of pride.
Pride is a new mechanic and something of a double edged sword. Pride increases the birthrate of the Ankor and after reaching certain thresholds has other positive effects. However, pride also mildly increases how obstinate, annoying, stubborn and well prideful the dawi can be, mildly increasing the likeliness each turn that a grudge will be earned.
Here his most holy temple sits, the only one not situated next to the tombs and mausoleums of the Dawi, for here is the one that he is said to have founded himself, with the aid of his fellow ancestry god Thugni. Here it is said that for a thousand days that he laboured in utter silence and secrecy along with his companion and having forged (or stolen in some translations) the passage, he created these gates to guard them, the portal for dwarven dead to enter into the glittering realm. Though Azulites had always treated this as Dawr, the rest of the Ankor had largely considered the location a holy place, but nonetheless more symbolic than actual effective truth. This was also runelord Thorek Grimoldson's opinion until he had been emplacing a spiritual warding within the throneroom above and having ripped up the floor to begin his working encountered runework of surpassing perfection and complexity beneath his feet.
Calling upon his fellow Runeworkers to analyze and study these runes, thinking it at first a grand warding for the protection of the king of Azul, he had instead gradually moved his study of the masterpiece lower into the temple to Gazul itself. Where, after consultations of the priests, it was determined that as an heir of Thugni, he did bear the right to study his ancestor gods teachings and works. Thus it was that heavily ciphered and sealed messagers began to be sent to and From Azul and the guildmaster of the Everpeak, discussing the find and requesting further masters be sent to Azul, accelerated even further once Thorek divined exactly what the gates themselves would be capable of. Requesting only that once restoration work was done that he be able to activate the relic for three days. Though long in coming, the eventual confirmation stoked his heart and led him to truly begin evaluating the complexities of the work.
To his astonishment, in this diminished age, the work of the masters who had forged this creation were largely legible to him and his fellows, even if only after lengthy periods of grumbled debate. With many of the ancient runes recovered, or even in more recent times, seeing minor alterations and improvements. However, it was clear that at some point in the past, the great artifact had been deliberately damaged, with seven points of sabotage discovered throughout its structure that would lead it to failure. Eventually and only with the greatest of security was it eventually discovered that one of king Bardins ancestors had seen the damage done, thousands of years ago, when the order to abandon the hold was nearly given.
Yet over the next few decades, much time, energy and deliberation would be put into determining exactly what the missing runes were and how they interacted with the wider whole. The task was not made easier by the fact that Azul's Runeworkers had been sure to destroy some of the most complicated componants to ensure that no single captured Runelord or traitor to their race could hope to restore to life what had been destroyed. But few things in this world can withstand the scrutiny of dozens of Runelords and this sabotage could not be said to be one of them. One by one the items were restored, with much fanfare each time, until at last the last missing link was resolved and with confirmation from the Everpeak, a date was set for its temporary reactivation. So it was that on the eve of Gazuls descent into the Underearth, Thorek Grimoldson ordered the gates to the Glittering Realm opened once more.
—-------------------------------------------------------
The arrow caught Varrik under the arm as he raised his pick above his head, about to deliver the killstroke on the grobi before him. He gasped out in pain for a moment, as the greenskin in front of him took the opportunity, grabbing onto Varriks beard and plunging his jagged knife into the miners eyes, cacklin with mad glee as the dawi sank to his knees, the last conscious thought as he collapsed, watching his friends die to the mad greenskin ambush, was the wish that there were some way that he could avenge the the pain that he felt in this instance. Slowly though, coldness seeped into his muscles and then his bones and with an aching sigh, darkness took him at last.
Varrik would not relent though, and with what little will he could muster, he clung to the scene, even as he felt pull upon his spirit dragging him somewhere southwards. He clung on from the shadowy world of spirits as he watched the greenskin rush onwards, a shieldwall made in desperation toward the rear of the mine a last desperate defence against their savagery. What few dawi remained being dragged out of their defensive line one by one by the shrieking grobi horde. With all the strength that his spirit could muster, Varrik longed to reach for his pick, to grasp it again and avenge his death, to lay waste to those who would despoil his home with their filth. But his strength to remain was failing him and though he reached forth his hand, the pull strengthened more and more the colder his body grew.
Suddenly though, warmth spread through his chest and strength returned to his spirit, the pull while still present became suddenly only the faintest of tugs and with a force of will the miner reached through the veil between worlds, grasping his pick again in his ghostly hands and used it to drag himself fully into the world of the living. With a gasp he felt the crushing realness of the world impinge upon his spirit, but bearing the weight of a world that despised them was nothing new to a Dawi and with a grin he hefted his pick and began to jog, delighting in the panicked squarks of the grobi as they saw their doom coming for them, the ancient warcry of his kin sounding from his throat for the very last time.
"Khazakun Khazakit Ha!"
—----------------------------
"And the last will go to Valya, my fifth born. The lass is only forty and with me dead she'll need a worthy dowry to see someone take her in. She can brew a hearty broth but that's not enough for a stout miner or two to take her in."
The Reckoner closes his book with a thud of finality, as he finished copying the last of Varriks will and testament. He looks at Varrick again mixes of hope, fear, doubt and awe playing across his features as he stares at the returned miners ghostly form beginning to fray somewhat at the edges, but still very much dawi he had spent many a night with in the fighting halls. Joined in this new unlife by several of his fellows. who too had been spared the embrace of death for a few hours, long enough to extract their vengeance in blood.
"It really is you Varrik, Gazul be praised." When I heard of the fight I came as quickly as I could. I'd hoped to find you among the living, but this will do as a second best, aye?"
"Aye it's me, as I can tell at least, I'm just happy I got to lay a few out before I had to go. And maybe Garrik will learn to have his ear out for grobi picks the next time he's out mining."
The last he grumbles just loudly enough to be overheard by their rock-whisperer who ducks his head in shame, especially after several echoing and ghosty harrumphs come from the other spectres seeing to the last of their earthly affairs. Finally, however, a robed figure steps into the mine, his pace slow and measured even as he carries a broad upright two handed sword in his grasp and unsurprised, the priest of Gazul sternly examines the dawi spectres before him before, eventually he gestures to Varrik, a gentle smile upon his ancient features
"You are untainted by the scent of a ruzghul, yet it is ill that you remain too long outside the gates of the underearth. Now that you have achieved your vengeance in death that you could not in life, do you consent to being sent to his halls?"
Varrik nods, though there is part of him that wishes to cling to the life that he has always known, he still feels the pull that first greeted him upon his death and simply being within the priests presence he feels it gaining in strength. "I am prepared elder, I thank Gazul for allowing me to not be ushered with haste to his halls"
The elder of Gazul nods and visible only to those who have stepped a foot into death his sword glows golden in the dark, the pull grows into an irresistible wrenching and fast as lighting Varrik is launched southwords.
—---------------
Only as he nears his destination from far off Vlag does the pull begin to lessen, the mountains that he passes becoming less blurs and more solid shapes until at last as the deceleration continues he sees his final destination. Not the mountain of Azul but the great gates at its heart, gleaming gold in his vision, with a faint gold line that connects him to it. The instincts of life still hold sway though and he tenses as he begins to pass through the outer layers of the mountain, past the broad avenues of a repaired hold and finally gently deposited only a few hundred feet from the great, golden gates.
Around him he sees the grey forms of dozens of the spectral dead, marching quickly and without looking around toward their final destination, though from the edges of the gate hes sees a commotion as several dawi dressed as runelords gesture toward him, seemingly not seeing the crowd around him. Then they point to another bright blue as opposed to the majorities grey. Who clearly sees him and salutes before joining the throng heading toward the Glittering Realm. Varrik begins to pull the tug again as he takes a moment to watch while others continue to arrive. Perhaps one twenty have been chosen he decides as he watches, astounded at what it seems his kinsmen to the south have accomplished. But eventually he heaves a great sigh and marches toward the gate and toward his future.
News of this spreads across the Ankor and even into the human realms, as every hold records instances of their dead rising again briefly to fight again those who had seen them slain, though it seems that those far from a serviced temple of gazul when they fall are not given the opportunity to claim their vengeance. Jubilation comes to the general populace of the Ankor, only to collapse into a short depression as after the third day Kragg reactivated the eyes of Gazul and several of the Runic golems he had been forced to return to dormancy in order to investigate what the Gates of the Underearth would even accomplish.
And to see that he was impressed would be an understatement. Even given the bare minimum of power it required to activate Kragg was sure that it had likely saved hundreds if not thousands of lives across the Ankor if ever so briefly and his heart ached at denying the closure that many families even in everpeak alone had been given to say a final goodbye to their kin. Now he would have to think long and hard on how he would spend what power he had, for perhaps the dead could offer much indeed to the Ankor, even more than they already did.
The Gates of the Underearth are a regional masterwork located deep in the heart of Karak Azul, specifically within the greatest temple of Gazul, the so called entrance to the Dawi afterlife. requiring an enormous amount of runic power to activate, it allows the most vengeful spirits of the recently deceased to have a chance of finding their vengeace against the enemies of the Dawi. Though it only manages to reach the edges of Aldankor and only those near to a temple of Gazul (Holds and some few imperial cities)
It requires a minimum of 3 runic power to activate and has a marginal effect on invasion damage and a small effect on attrition throughout Aldankor. It can consume up to six runic power to marginally raise the effectiveness of those modifiers until it hits its maximum capacity.
Having it at minimum capacity also provides a single point of pride.
Pride is a new mechanic and something of a double edged sword. Pride increases the birthrate of the Ankor and after reaching certain thresholds has other positive effects. However, pride also mildly increases how obstinate, annoying, stubborn and well prideful the dawi can be, mildly increasing the likeliness each turn that a grudge will be earned.
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Welp, that is one more reason to capture lost holds, they come with built in runic power.
Chimeraguard
We do deserve to exist.
Though on the flipside, they're also liable to have more Masterworks, given that most of the Holds that fell and have Waystones (save Ungor) were the Southern Holds, which were older and richer.
So for 3 runic power we get small increase in birth rate and grudge chance, small decrease in attrition, marginal decrease in invasion causalties.
It'll cost us about 100-150 gold to make extra 3 runic power.
I imagine retaking a lost hold would also give some pride. @Lonkas do we get any runic knowledge from this discovery? It doesn't say so but seems fitting.
It'll cost us about 100-150 gold to make extra 3 runic power.
I imagine retaking a lost hold would also give some pride. @Lonkas do we get any runic knowledge from this discovery? It doesn't say so but seems fitting.
The additional runic knowledge was factored into the protective runework bonus. I actually only allowed you to unlock the masterwork because you are inches away from T5 runework where regional masterworks are actually unlocked. Retaking holds would only reduce Shame after a point but there are also other breakpoints as an empire that would see you gain pride.
The Dawi don't necessarally feel pride from taking back their homes, just an absense of shame that there are no longer squatters in them.
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...........So we need to build a Temple to Gazul in every Hold and Vassal Nation now.
Also I think we should raise Gazul and maybe Thugni to Main Ancestors, cause holy shit did Gazul just do ALOT of good in just 3 short days.
Could even see some of the Umgi turn to his worship after that display.
Also I think we should raise Gazul and maybe Thugni to Main Ancestors, cause holy shit did Gazul just do ALOT of good in just 3 short days.
Could even see some of the Umgi turn to his worship after that display.
All 7 of the Ancestor Gods are worshiped roughly equally by everyone within their domain, it's just people do not have much reason to pray to the god of death unless they are dying, remembering the dead or trying to put down that which should be dead. By contrast Valaya for instance is all hearth and home so she gets invoked more often.
Fair enough, although I do maintain we need Temples to him yesterday in every hold old and new, every outpost and fort, and in our Vassals' lands both current and future. Honestly we should probably have a temple to each of the 7 in all those.
So we need to wipe the floor with elves again, hear you loud and clear.
We need to turn this on whenever we end up in a war or hold reclamation around aldankor
It does nothing on offensive, though.
But the narrative shows dwarves coming back from the dead to kill those gobi that killed him and hold reclamation has the highest death rates or does it not work quest wise?
That only works near functional temples of Gazul, and there are none in holds we want to reclaim.
If we're assaulting a hold we can build one on the surface
- Location
- Utrecht
While it would be great if it worked, a consecrated shrine built in a siege camp is probably not enough.
Although, given hold reclamations take 40 years, I could see the dwarfs building something more substantial.
On a similar note I wonder if you can build a temple to Gazul on sufficiently large ships.
Temple ships would be awesome
..............Fund it.
- Location
- Utrecht
you hear a distant sound coming from the direction of Zlatan.
You don't understand the words, but the tone, at least, seems to convey approval.
-3 DC to ???
ferrying a Slann to the Dragon Isles on a specially built temple ship