The Long Night Part One: Embers in the Dusk: A Planetary Governor Quest (43k) Complete Sequel Up

[AlsoSprachOdin]

Reminder: Personal: Know Avernus: Avernite individuals and groups of Noble-like influence/power/wealth.
Edit:

Xavier: Research (Psyrodactyl) instead of Psychic Materials - Telepathy power that really helps our Infiltrators.

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More of a counter-infiltration power, innit?

 

[Dynamesmouse]

Reminder: Personal: Know Avernus: Avernite individuals and groups of Noble-like influence/power/wealth.
Edit:

More of a counter-infiltration power, innit?

Click to shrink...

Basically it's a Telepathy/Divination power. While active, its user is aware of anyone who is thinking of them. People in the shuttles were vigilant in watching for the Psyrodactyls, so much so that it was attracting them. Now that we know how they work, we know how to quit seeming like predators to them.

This power is incredible useful in tailing people, since you know if they think you are following them. It's also useful if someone is suspicious of you, since they keep thinking about you.

 

[Shard]

Just going to note - I have a strong preference for studying wildlife that wasn't introduced by omake. We already have a pretty long queue for that, and omake wildlife just makes it worse and adds a bunch of pet projects that the writers want done, and it annoys the hell out of me because I want to look into the things that Durin created.

Click to shrink...

Anyway, going by Biologis research queue, here's my best guesses at what they might help:

Avalanche Shrub: The main benefit I see might be either Siege development or a psychic power that does the same.
Meteor Fig: Defences? Pyromancer psychic power?
Poison Lichen: -Upkeep cost (Better way to handle poison lichen), Biomancer poison power.
Sargasso Kelp: Unlikely to be useful. Food source? Reduced Maintainence?
Psychic Anglerfish: Potential Telepathy power?
Glory-Aquila: Some morale bonus?
Banshee Quail: Telepathy attack power? Adaptable to megasound blasters?
Dragonfruit: Aerial bonii, potentially.
Mirage Palm, Camo Croc: Probable stealth or defences bonii.
Giant Mosquito: Anti-stealth technology, superior anticult from better capturing abilities? Assisting medical tech due to better blood drawing techniques? (not seeing much here)
Razograss, Cannibal Grass: Potent anti-infantry technology (Mostly in improving our defences against any chaff.)
Helljackal: Probably leads to either better materials or a Rage telepathy power. (Useful vs Abomination)
Raptor: Likely leads improvements to light units, their speed might lend insights to improve our aircraft?

One problem might be that we zero-ed in on the best creatures to research, and the remaining are.. not the best research targets. The omakes have quite some which are detailed somewhat.

@Durin

Some updating on Mechanicus/Biologis section: Titan Scorpion isn't there. The research is from here, for convenience.

Needs removing from not yet researched under Biologis:

Dragon Turtles
Calming Butcher Bird
Psyrodactyls
Nog
Titan Scorpions

 

[Red Bovine]

Guys, I'm suspicious of all the Orks Waaaghs we keep attracting. So I went back to turn 100, when we divined what the local chaos polities were up to, and just guess what I found.

Spoiler: Greater Divination (Local Chaos Polities)

High Grandmaster Ridcully is more skilled at seeing the present as he is at predicting the future. This allows him to gather a good deal of information about the galaxy using his powers. Possible focuses are the condition of races or organisations, the balance of power in Segmentums or even the activity and compositions of pantheons of gods.

Time: 1 year. (can only be taken once per turn)
Chance of Success: 10%

Cost: 4,000,000 Thrones
Reward: Information on focus. The narrower the target the more information.

Complete
Year three roll d100=33+45(control)+60(Paragon of Divination)+20(double down)=158: Success
Year three roll d100=57+45(control)+60(Paragon of Divination)+20(double down)+15(Paragon of Divination)=197: Critical Success
some information will be added to datasheets

High Grandmaster Ridcully spent a year examining the local Chaos polities in order to detemrine both what they are capable of and what they are doing. To begin with he found that Valinor is expecting a major crusade fleet within the next decade, which they intend to keep secret until they have an opportunity to use it to kill Saint Lin. They are certain that they will gain much favour from the Abomination if they kill him and are willing to die to the last man in this effort. That means that while they are currently fortifying they will be willing to strip their worlds of defences in order to get enough men to kill Saint Lin, and will likely wait until the Imperial Trust is tied down on another front before they begin.

Otherwise he can tell that the Princedom of Turoq is preparing their new game-changing super-weapon for the Awakening of the Ork Gods, and are confident that it will be enough to allow them to weather the storm. So far Ridcully has not proven able to determine exactly what said weapon is and tells you that it is obscured by a diviner of prestigious skill, most likely a Lord of Change or Daemon Prince of Tzeench. The Princedom of Demagoye is also fortifying their worlds but does not have any new super weapons waiting in reserve, or at least not any that Ridcully can predict. The assorted minor Chaos polities are not doing anything of note, and are almost certainly doomed.

This is the same divination that allowed us forewarning on the Abominable Crusade. The Princedom of Turoq is Tzeentchian, so putting all of their hopes and focus on this one "superweapon" is right up their ally. But what if it isn't some sort of fleet killer like we first thought, but a warp manipulator? They're Tzeentchian, so having a Greater Daemon shroud their superweaon from scryers is just what they do. We didn't think too much of it at the time, but what if they're able to alter a Waaagh's destination by altering the warp currents it would travel along? Or they just outright edit its destiny?

This theory would explain why the Abomination knew when to attack us, they were given advice by the slaves of Tzeentch. It would explain why they're confident that it would allow them to survive the Ork Awakening, they could just redirect any Ork Waaagh to whatever enemy they have. We know that Tzeentch itself has an interest in us, so it may have given Turoq a discount on a Lord of Change to shroud their device.

After all, what better time to strike than when your enemy just took an Ork Waagh to the face?

@Enjou, I believe that Divining the superweapon of Turoq, or maybe the world itself of Turoq, is too important to ignore.

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No offense but this feels like fear mongering. You are pretty much reaching and making a ton of assumptions here. Saying that they likely had a hand in the Waagh's is ignoring the fact that we were warned that were warned that Waagh's would become more frequent thanks the awakening and Rotbart himself has said that this may become normal. There is also the case of divining threats we aren't in a position to do anything about like with the last turn. We learned about the Devastor sure but we still can't do shit about it. We've already taken a beating and are still recovering from the last Waagh and abomination invasion so we aren't really in a position to do much.

Which is why I've been suggesting divining the other human polities to gain an allience and/or tech. It would be something we could start working on immediately while making it eaiser to deal with threats down the line.

 

[Stormgear]

Anyway, going by Biologis research queue, here's my best guesses at what they might help:

Avalanche Shrub: The main benefit I see might be either Siege development or a psychic power that does the same.
Meteor Fig: Defences? Pyromancer psychic power?
Poison Lichen: -Upkeep cost (Better way to handle poison lichen), Biomancer poison power.
Sargasso Kelp: Unlikely to be useful. Food source? Reduced Maintainence?
Psychic Anglerfish: Potential Telepathy power?
Glory-Aquila: Some morale bonus?
Banshee Quail: Telepathy attack power? Adaptable to megasound blasters?
Dragonfruit: Aerial bonii, potentially.
Mirage Palm, Camo Croc: Probable stealth or defences bonii.
Giant Mosquito: Anti-stealth technology, superior anticult from better capturing abilities? Assisting medical tech due to better blood drawing techniques? (not seeing much here)
Razograss, Cannibal Grass: Potent anti-infantry technology (Mostly in improving our defences against any chaff.)
Helljackal: Probably leads to either better materials or a Rage telepathy power. (Useful vs Abomination)
Raptor: Likely leads improvements to light units, their speed might lend insights to improve our aircraft?

One problem might be that we zero-ed in on the best creatures to research, and the remaining are.. not the best research targets. The omakes have quite some which are detailed somewhat.

@Durin

Some updating on Mechanicus/Biologis section: Titan Scorpion isn't there. The research is from here, for convenience.

Needs removing from not yet researched under Biologis:

Dragon Turtles
Calming Butcher Bird
Psyrodactyls
Nog
Titan Scorpions

Click to shrink...

We should totally research the Alchemical Slug.

Or, you know, any of the other Omake wildlife. I'm partial to more and better chemicals myself, though. Thunderheads, the various spiders and trees (shameless plug, again) in recent omakes and Soul Oysters seem really interesting.

 

[AlsoSprachOdin]

No offense but this feels like fear mongering. You are pretty much reaching and making a ton of assumptions here. Saying that they likely had a hand in the Waagh's is ignoring the fact that we were warned that were warned that Waagh's would become more frequent thanks the awakening and Rotbart himself has said that this may become normal. There is also the case of divining threats we aren't in a position to do anything about like with the last turn. We learned about the Devastor sure but we still can't do shit about it. We've already taken a beating and are still recovering from the last Waagh and abomination invasion so we aren't really in a position to do much.

Which is why I've been suggesting divining the other human polities to gain an allience and/or tech. It would be something we could start working on immediately while making it eaiser to deal with threats down the line.

Click to shrink...

It would take too long to implement new tech before this new Waaagh comes in. But it might be a good idea to Divine our Chaotic neighbours to make sure they don't plan to stick an invasion fleet in our back while we're busy with Orks. Damn good thing we can have Ridcully do twice as much divination as we used to.

 

[Dynamesmouse]

No offense but this feels like fear mongering. You are pretty much reaching and making a ton of assumptions here. Saying that they likely had a hand in the Waagh's is ignoring the fact that we were warned that were warned that Waagh's would become more frequent thanks the awakening and Rotbart himself has said that this may become normal. There is also the case of divining threats we aren't in a position to do anything about like with the last turn. We learned about the Devastor sure but we still can't do shit about it. We've already taken a beating and are still recovering from the last Waagh and abomination invasion so we aren't really in a position to do much.

Which is why I've been suggesting divining the other human polities to gain an allience and/or tech. It would be something we could start working on immediately while making it eaiser to deal with threats down the line.

Click to shrink...

Counterpoint: Fear mongering would be if I was saying that we needed to destroy Turoq. We do, but maybe in a century or so. All I ask for is that we divine Turoq and their superweapon that they believe would keep them safe from Ork Waaghs.

While it could be that a lot of Ork Worlds are all simultaneously producing Ork Waaghs in response to the Ork Gods Awakening, and us being unlucky, it's still worthwhile to know what it is that the Princedom of Turoq wants so secret that they got a Daemon Prince or a Lord of Change to shroud it from Divination.

 

[Red Bovine]

It would take too long to implement new tech before this new Waaagh comes in. But it might be a good idea to Divine our Chaotic neighbours to make sure they don't plan to stick an invasion fleet in our back while we're busy with Orks. Damn good thing we can have Ridcully do twice as much divination as we used to.

Click to shrink...

I meant long term. We already have the order of Omens watching out for threats and it was mentioned that Ork attacks are likely to happen more often now so don' think it's practical to continually spend divination actions continually looking at our neighbors every single time a Waagh hits.

 

[Zedman7054]

Titan Designing Step One: Schematics – Archmagos Tranth believes that he now understands Titans well enough to begin to work on how to create more. The first step of these would be to create a set of schematics for the Titan, integrating the advanced technology that the Imperial Trust has access to from the start. Once this has been completed he will need to work on creating the data systems and Machine Spirit, integrating the Princeps and then tying it all together.

Time: 10 years
Chance of Success: -100% (4% after bonuses)

Reward: Gain schematics of Titan, first step on the path to creating Titans.

Click to shrink...

@Durin I have a quick question about the Titan designing. It states we have a 4% chance of success after 10 years of work. But what exactly would it mean to fail? That we'd have to take the option again, hopefully with a higher base chance of success?

I know it sounds like a stupid question, but it can be a bit hard to tell what kind of consequences there are to certain options failing. There are some that seem to have little to no consequences, like I assume the Titan Designing would be, but it's not made clear when a failure would stop something dead in it's tracks or if it can be tried again.

...Maybe I'm just being a bit too obtuse.

 

[DarknessSmiles]

@Durin I have a quick question about the Titan designing. It states we have a 4% chance of success after 10 years of work. But what exactly would it mean to fail? That we'd have to take the option again, hopefully with a higher base chance of success?

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Im pretty sure that failure give the Next attempt a bonus that stacks with previous " ext attempt" bonuses and that reattempts are 1 or 2 years for design actions.

 

[Nurgle]

So I think We should have a proposal that we should quit having a emergency meeeting every time we are going to get attacked unless it is multiple or a large black crusade. Because we need to be able to respond to events quicker without having to plan everything out in committee.

 

[Red Bovine]

Counterpoint: Fear mongering would be if I was saying that we needed to destroy Turoq. We do, but maybe in a century or so. All I ask for is that we divine Turoq and their superweapon that they believe would keep them safe from Ork Waaghs.

While it could be that a lot of Ork Worlds are all simultaneously producing Ork Waaghs in response to the Ork Gods Awakening, and us being unlucky, it's still worthwhile to know what it is that the Princedom of Turoq wants so secret that they got a Daemon Prince or a Lord of Change to shroud it from Divination.

Click to shrink...

I assume that anyone that can wards their most important stuff along with lesser stuff to avoid people just spying in one them. I'm assuming that we also have such wards all over our most important places and stuff.

 

[thamuzz]

We should totally research the Alchemical Slug.

Or, you know, any of the other Omake wildlife. I'm partial to more and better chemicals myself, though. Thunderheads, the various spiders and trees (shameless plug, again) in recent omakes and Soul Oysters seem really interesting.

Click to shrink...

Methinks you missed the context.

Just going to note - I have a strong preference for studying wildlife that wasn't introduced by omake. We already have a pretty long queue for that, and omake wildlife just makes it worse and adds a bunch of pet projects that the writers want done, and it annoys the hell out of me because I want to look into the things that Durin created.

Click to shrink...

Thus, the non-Omake based wildlife remaining on the docket.

Edit:
@Enjou
Are you treating Hathor Beasts as Omake wildlife (given that they are omake derived), or non-omake, since they were introduced in the initial post for Duat's wildlife?

EDIT:

Guys, I'm suspicious of all the Orks Waaaghs we keep attracting. So I went back to turn 100, when we divined what the local chaos polities were up to, and just guess what I found.

Spoiler: Greater Divination (Local Chaos Polities)

High Grandmaster Ridcully is more skilled at seeing the present as he is at predicting the future. This allows him to gather a good deal of information about the galaxy using his powers. Possible focuses are the condition of races or organisations, the balance of power in Segmentums or even the activity and compositions of pantheons of gods.

Time: 1 year. (can only be taken once per turn)
Chance of Success: 10%

Cost: 4,000,000 Thrones
Reward: Information on focus. The narrower the target the more information.

Complete
Year three roll d100=33+45(control)+60(Paragon of Divination)+20(double down)=158: Success
Year three roll d100=57+45(control)+60(Paragon of Divination)+20(double down)+15(Paragon of Divination)=197: Critical Success
some information will be added to datasheets

High Grandmaster Ridcully spent a year examining the local Chaos polities in order to detemrine both what they are capable of and what they are doing. To begin with he found that Valinor is expecting a major crusade fleet within the next decade, which they intend to keep secret until they have an opportunity to use it to kill Saint Lin. They are certain that they will gain much favour from the Abomination if they kill him and are willing to die to the last man in this effort. That means that while they are currently fortifying they will be willing to strip their worlds of defences in order to get enough men to kill Saint Lin, and will likely wait until the Imperial Trust is tied down on another front before they begin.

Otherwise he can tell that the Princedom of Turoq is preparing their new game-changing super-weapon for the Awakening of the Ork Gods, and are confident that it will be enough to allow them to weather the storm. So far Ridcully has not proven able to determine exactly what said weapon is and tells you that it is obscured by a diviner of prestigious skill, most likely a Lord of Change or Daemon Prince of Tzeench. The Princedom of Demagoye is also fortifying their worlds but does not have any new super weapons waiting in reserve, or at least not any that Ridcully can predict. The assorted minor Chaos polities are not doing anything of note, and are almost certainly doomed.

This is the same divination that allowed us forewarning on the Abominable Crusade. The Princedom of Turoq is Tzeentchian, so putting all of their hopes and focus on this one "superweapon" is right up their ally. But what if it isn't some sort of fleet killer like we first thought, but a warp manipulator? They're Tzeentchian, so having a Greater Daemon shroud their superweaon from scryers is just what they do. We didn't think too much of it at the time, but what if they're able to alter a Waaagh's destination by altering the warp currents it would travel along? Or they just outright edit its destiny?

This theory would explain why the Abomination knew when to attack us, they were given advice by the slaves of Tzeentch. It would explain why they're confident that it would allow them to survive the Ork Awakening, they could just redirect any Ork Waaagh to whatever enemy they have. We know that Tzeentch itself has an interest in us, so it may have given Turoq a discount on a Lord of Change to shroud their device.

After all, what better time to strike than when your enemy just took an Ork Waagh to the face?

@Enjou, I believe that Divining the superweapon of Turoq, or maybe the world itself of Turoq, is too important to ignore.

Click to shrink...

I'm still partial to the theory that their superweapon is all the high grade psykers they've been stealing from us. A bunch of alpha class sorcerers is a rather potent force.

 

[random_npc]

Just going to note - I have a strong preference for studying wildlife that wasn't introduced by omake. We already have a pretty long queue for that, and omake wildlife just makes it worse and adds a bunch of pet projects that the writers want done, and it annoys the hell out of me because I want to look into the things that Durin created.

Click to shrink...

speaking as someone who has written a few wildlife omakes, this is a really weird stance to take. we are by design never going to "finish" researching the wildlife, and I don't think I've so much as seen someone push for researching the wildlife they made. Why not base what wildlife we research on how likely it is to have a useful power?

 

[Dark as Silver]

Lessens Learned: Taint Control-

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We should spend more time talking about how awesome this is.

 

[Red Bovine]

@Enjou Might I suggest doing a trade action with the Nynye for the fifth year since by then we would have credits? We got word of Durin that they are not interested in space travel tech so we can just leave that out to avoid issues and trade them Quartok tech. Getting the potion making knowledge means we would be able to make a lot of the stuff on our own and considering that the Waagh is coming in a few years having production start as early as possible would really help out for it and all future wars.

 

[Andres]

Diplomacy
SLOT A - Year 1
-Y1: Make a Request (See if she's got some means by which Saint Lin and Jacob can stop aging as quickly)
-Y2: Daemon Hunt: Summoning
-- REPEAT UNTIL SUCCESS
-Y3: ???

Click to shrink...

Ask Areatha to join us in fighting the Waaagh. Her power would be of immense aid and save many lives. Given that we're finishing the reagent stuff this turn, opening up a trade with the Nynye on Year 5 is probably also a good idea.

SLOT B - Year 1 (Xavier)
-Y1: Psychic Materials: Wildlife
-Y2: Anti-Ork Powers: Techbane
-- DOUBLE DOWN YEAR 2

Click to shrink...

Not Techbane. Pick Grand Countering instead. It will result in a much larger difference and give us greater psyker superiority. Have Aria do Techbane instead. We won't have time to get both Techbane and Grand Countering if we make Xavier get Techbane, but we can if we get Xavier on Grand Countering and instead leave Techbane to Aria.

 

[Doomed Wombat]

Not Techbane. Pick Grand Countering instead. It will result in a much larger difference and give us greater psyker superiority. Have Aria do Techbane instead. We won't have time to get both Techbane and Grand Countering if we make Xavier get Techbane, but we can if we get Xavier on Grand Countering and instead leave Techbane to Aria.

Click to shrink...

Actually connected to that.

Sound out asking her help in creating those powers as Durin stated that her absolute mastery is in techniques. Either she can improve the power, reduce the time to learn it, increase the chance of doing so, or all of the above.

 

[Red Bovine]

Ask Areatha to join us in fighting the Waaagh. Her power would be of immense aid and save many lives. Given that we're finishing the reagent stuff this turn, opening up a trade with the Nynye on Year 5 is probably also a good idea.

Click to shrink...

It was mentioned that she wasn't interested in leaving off world and I'd doubt she'd be interested in fighting a war off Avernus. Also don't think the Trust would be cool with her getting off world due to her being part xeno of Avernus wildlife and being stupidly powerful. Think it would be better long term to ask her to help us with psyker techniques instead.

 

[Andres]

It was mentioned that she wasn't interested in leaving off world and I'd doubt she'd be interested in fighting a war off Avernus.

Click to shrink...

She doesn't seem like the kind of person that would let a great many people die just because she doesn't want to leave the planet. Besides that, she's mostly human, so she wouldn't fall under that unnatural compulsion to stay on Avernus that other races fall under.

Also don't think the Trust would be cool with her getting off world due to her being part xeno of Avernus wildlife and being stupidly powerful.

Click to shrink...

They'll care a lot more that she's mostly human and that she's stupidly powerful is a point in her favour since it means she'll be even more effective against orks. She's not a threat to other humans and other Trust members are capable of rational thought so they will realise that.

Really, there's no reason for them to object. Even if she was 100% Avernus xeno they're not going to object to more aid just because that aid happens to be powerful. So long as it won't hurt humans while off-world they won't care.

 

[Doomed Wombat]

She doesn't seem like the kind of person that would let a great many people die just because she doesn't want to leave the planet. Besides that, she's mostly human, so she wouldn't fall under that unnatural compulsion to stay on Avernus that other races fall under.


They'll care a lot more that she's mostly human and that she's stupidly powerful is a point in her favour since it means she'll be even more effective against orks. She's not a threat to other humans and other Trust members are capable of rational thought so they will realise that.

Click to shrink...

Well lets keep it simple

@Durin
1. Can we ask her if she's interested in going to fight any foe off world that isn't chaos or possibly necrons now, for any reason?
2. Out of curiosity does she know exactly what the Avernite's logic for being almost violently opposed to leaving Avernus is? We presume its some kind of psycic/genetic compulsion, but is there anything else to it that she knows of?
3. Since it came up, how close do we think we are to getting a new Master Primaris who we can send off to found another branch of the UU?

 

[Crafter of War]

She doesn't seem like the kind of person that would let a great many people die just because she doesn't want to leave the planet. Besides that, she's mostly human, so she wouldn't fall under that unnatural compulsion to stay on Avernus that other races fall under.

Click to shrink...

According to Inquisitor Klovis-Ultan despite the fact that Areatha is human, or at least mostly human, she does not consider that fact to be of any real import and views Hummanity as no different from any star faring Xenos species. It was only thanks to some timely warning by Ridcully that a disaster was avoided at this revelation. Areatha is an intensely curious woman and would welcome the opportunity to live among humanity for a few decades, though she is clear that while she will be a good guest and follow your customs she would no feel obligated to follow your orders under any circumstances.

Click to shrink...

 

[Andres]

Click to shrink...

Read closer and you'll see that that quote does not contradict any of what I said.

 

[nat_401]

Not keen on the idea of asking Areatha to help with the orks, she's not an asset we can control and order about, she doesn't get on with procedure which is a major issue in a war and she wont hesitate to mouth off to someone and cause a diplomatic incident, she's a loose canon basically and there is nothing we can do about that.

So I think We should have a proposal that we should quit having a emergency meeeting every time we are going to get attacked unless it is multiple or a large black crusade. Because we need to be able to respond to events quicker without having to plan everything out in committee.

Click to shrink...

I get where your coming from but the nature of the Trusts leadership makes the council meetings essential, we cannot organize the various forces within the Trust without getting all the relevant authorities to those forces around a table to hash out what the response to the threat is going to be and how it will be achieved.

@Durin Are any of the Solar Admirals in the Trust men eligible for marriage? Kinda a long shot but might as well ask

Ergh... trying to Omake hurts my brain...

 

[Doomed Wombat]

Click to shrink...

That quote does not actually invalidate his question.

We don't know how willing she is in any real respect, she could not be interested, or she could be very up for it. Both are possible.

That being said I'm not convinced we should get her too if we can...eh my thoughts are complicated in other words.

I'll just wait for Durin.

Ergh... trying to Omake hurts my brain...

Click to shrink...

What's the omake?

I can offer my services if you like?