GM NOTE: Super tired! Issues, mistakes, etc. Let me know, and I'll get to them sometime tomorrow. Moratorium for 3 Hours.
Turn 35
2339 IC
The early morning day found you stripped to the waist, wearing little better than peasant rough spun pants and nothing else. Your body was, for the most part, bared to the world. To your side was a sturdy wooden stool, a hefty pitcher of ostka sitting atop it. Before you, spread in a loose half circle, was the most concentrated Hohenzollern family possible. Only the dead, those below a certain age, Alexandra, and your youngest daughters were missing. But everyone else, wives included, were present. From Arthur to Logan, they were all here. Urgdug was not present, though that was largely because he was over to the side, near the makeshift nest structure that had been Oskana's home for all these years. What would be ensuing next would no doubt get her agitated, and hungry besides. With you directly participating, it would be up to Urgdug to corral her from trying to get involved herself. Only Natasha stood next to you, facing the rest of your family shoulder to shoulder.
"Good morning, everyone," you spoke from your center, voice carrying across the courtyard without truly shouting.
A series of greetings came back to you, a mixture of 'fathers' and 'Count Hohenzollerns'.
"We have, all of us, been participating in daily family spars as often as possible," you said smoothly, arms folded behind your back as you rested at easy attention. "We have matched steel to steel many a time," you slowly looked in the eyes of everyone you could, scanning from Anna to Serhild. "Those too young to participate in the greater fights, have fought amongst themselves."
You aren't going to have Logan and Frederick be a part of this, not just yet. They are blooded, but not yet in actual battle. Only in spars, and even then you've been keeping matters just a few notches above what is normally done in the households of other noble families.
"We have, all of us, shed each other's blood and broken each other's bones in the effort to better prepare us against the true foes that face us in this world."
Natasha then speaks up from next to you, her voice cool and detached despite the warmth of her being this close to you.
"The agents of the Dark Gods. Greenskins. Skaven. Mutants. Beastmen. Druchii. Daemons. The things my husband and I have faced, and more. Whether human or inhuman, what they all share in common is one thing."
"They will cause you pain," you and Natasha say at the same time.
Only then does your wife step slightly away from you towards the waiting pile of weapons. But you keep the attention of those assembled on you.
"In battle, you will be hurt. You will be struck, stabbed, burned, more and worse," you continue alone. "Some of us know this well indeed."
Humorless grins briefly appear on Magnus and Arthur's faces, while Sabine and Serhild straighten their shoulders where they stand. Anna, for her part, shows no outward reaction at all. They've all suffered in battle before, and in spars besides. You highly doubt that anyone outside of Wulfenburg Castle are aware of the sheer amount of damage that everyone present has sustained purely from a family member's hands.
"It is thanks to each other that we know just how fragile our lives can be. Yesterday, we watched as Arthur," you incline your head, "Disemboweled his brother Magnus, shortly after having his ribcage broken. A week ago, Sabine opened my throat with her knife and had her face covered by the ensuing spurting of blood." The woman in question shudders ever so slightly at the memory. "And Natasha has stabbed me in the heart more times than I can count."
"Seventy-three," she calls out from where she bustles at the pile out of your direct sight, bringing a chagrined smile to your lips. "Seventy-four if you count the time when I cut through your lung that one time."
"I
don't," you say through the corner of your mouth, not turning your head. "Because that was an upwards cleave, not a piercing motion."
"Semantics!"
"In any case," you grind on, shaking your head amidst quiet chuckles emanating from the rest of your family. "One of the most important things to remember…is our privilege."
With that, you turn slightly on your heel, your bare feet sliding silently against the stone. With one arm, you gesture towards the full assemblage of the Jade Wizards.
"We can only train in the excesses that we do, twice or more daily like we do, with the sheer violence that we do, because of the brilliance of Teclis and the foresight of our Emperor in allowing the Magic Colleges to come forth at all."
A series of respectful nods are exchanged back and forth.
"However," you clear your throat, turning their eyes back to you. "It was not always this way. Nor can we rely on them being there always. In the field of battle, they could be isolated. They could be forced into matters magical to prevent the enemy from performing their own dire spells."
Each of the Jade Wizards begin to shuffle forward, taking positions behind one of the Hohenzollerns facing you or another.
"You cannot rely purely on magic. If the priest cannot reach you, if the wizard cannot," you carefully take off the talisman which hangs almost constantly on your neck. "You can rely only on yourself. Your immediate response
cannot be 'I shall simply wait for healing to happen'."
Natasha scoops it out of your hand without a word.
"So, today's lesson is to be capable of withstanding pain. Pain must not be able to prevent you from thinking, from acting, from being aware of your surroundings. However, nor must you ignore it. It is one of the body's most valuable signaling processes."
There is a heavy rattle from next to you, and you watch with grim amusement as some of your family look away from you entirely to stare at your wife.
"There will be no healing, today."
Your words are heavy, and snap their eyes right back to you.
"The wizards are to prevent you from dying. Nothing else. There is a reason I asked everyone to clear their schedules. Being able to withstand pain is also important in case of torture!"
Something you yourself have suffered. The nightmares of your time have quieted long ago, however, and you thank Morr every morning you wake up without them for just such a thing. Not to mention you are somewhat sure that they were at least partly because Jung himself had fallen to darkness as he had. But the torture was felt regardless. There are more than a few of your scars, faded as they might be, which still exist on your back and legs.
"Every single person here is important. Every single person here is a member of an Electoral family. This is known. No one has been stupid enough to try it, but that does not mean it cannot happen."
Whatever smiles that might have existed on the faces in front of you are gone now.
"Whether in battle, or torture, you must be prepared to truly suffer pain. Pain without the knowledge of when relief is coming."
"Even when one of us women is giving birth," Natasha calls out, breathing a bit hard as she drags
something out of the pile, "We have Priestesses of Rhya and Shallya with us, as well as a Jade Wizard or two. Now
that is a privilege."
"Indeed," you nod sharply. "We live in a harsh world. Our preparations must be harsh as well, lest we find ourselves passing into Morr's Realm before our time."
You hear the whistling of metal and wood, and force yourself not to react.
"Starting now!" Natasha cries out.
And the war hammer she has chosen cracks into your left knee as hard as can possibly be done, shattering the joint entirely and nearly toppling you over. Bursts of white pain burn out of your vision, only to be replaced with clouds of black dots. Bone and cartilage are obliterated, snapping the joint backwards entirely, letting your shin and foot flop insanely about as blood spatters onto the courtyard from where the bone has stabbed upwards through the muscle and skin. Your right foot only flexes, digging into the stone blocks and keeping you from falling over. Instead, you are forced to adjust your weight to entirely rest on your functioning leg.
The reactions are about what you expected. Everyone, and you mean everyone, drops halfway into a defensive combat stance before they realize that Natasha is not advancing on them. Instead, she drops the hammer onto the ground, blood covering its head, and folds her arms behind her back and steps in front of you. Which is great, because you are grinding your teeth so hard to prevent yourself from yelling that you are almost worried you'll crack a few of them.
"Sabine, because you are pregnant," Natasha tosses her hair as she steps forward and keeps her back ramrod straight, "You are excused from this. We do not want too much stress to cause an issue with the baby."
"Thank you, Lady Hohenzollern," Sabine curtseys, but her face is firm. "But I am no coward. I shall partake in this…test…when the child is birthed."
Now, to be fair to her, she has taken wounds before in combat. A minotaur battered her off a horse once, a few goblins got some knives into her back with poison dripping on them, but in both of those incidents and others she rather quickly had some Jade Wizards come to her aid.
"Admirable," Natasha chuckles darkly, "But you may reconsider those words after witnessing the rest of this."
Unlike you, Natasha is wearing light sparring gear. Studded leather and thick cloth, for the most part. No actual plate or the like. The same cannot be said of your children, for they were rather assuming this was going to be one of the more involved combats you've occasionally organized. They were prepared for, say, another war game scenario where they were having to deal with a raiding party of Norscans. Or perhaps for a retreat from a group of mercenaries sent after them while they were 'traveling' to some other part of the Empire.
"Each of you will take a blow from the other, and it must be
crippling. Something which will cause immense pain. And then," she shrugs, "You will suffer it."
"Um. Mother," Magnus speaks up, rubbing at the back of his head, "For how long?"
"Until it is decided we stop," Natasha raises an eyebrow. "Who is to say how long a battle may last, with you being wounded? How long someone might torture you?"
Quietly, you lean over and sweep up the hammer that had just been used against you. She is not a weak woman, your wife, indeed even without her magic she is strong indeed. But you are stronger, and that is simply a fact. That is the only reason that you require but one hand to lift it high, whereas she required two. It is not as if you were trying for stealth, and as such you can see as Natasha attempts to set herself as best she can for the blow that is coming. To her credit, she barely lets loose a gasp when you slam the hammer down onto her right shoulder, cracking it and likely part of her collarbone as the hammer strikes true. If you had truly, absolutely needed to, it is even possible that you could have aimed it such that you would dismember her with sheer bludgeoning force. But you aren't going for that, not right now.
Your children and their spouses can only watch as Natasha buckles slightly, but not to the point of falling to her feet. Her knees wobble only twice before she straightens again, her right arm completely useless now. At a nearly unseen signal from one of the Greatswords guarding the gate into the courtyard, Natasha points over your children's shoulders.
"For certain wounds, the Journeyman Bright Wizard Helmut Cinderblade has volunteered to cauterize, in case any of you were worried about bleeding out."
Said wizard now stands rather gobsmacked as he stares at the lot of you from the entrance. He'd only come up near the end, and so missed the part where Natasha nearly took your leg off at the knee. On the other hand, he had witnessed you practically pulverizing her shoulder.
"Welcome to Castle Wulfenburg, Helmut," you wave at him, adjusting again to prevent yourself from toppling over. "I think I shall be the first one to make use of your services."
You had not really gotten to know the Bright Wizards very well, unlike their Jade peers, but you couldn't help but expect
something out of a man who decided to make his last name Cinderblade. Said blade was one you'd seen, actually, itself seemingly permanently just-pulled out from the flames of the forge itself. Considering that they'd just got here, you had not yet gotten to see just how helpful multiple Bright Wizards could be in battle, but there was little doubt that over the rest of the year they'd be put to the test. There was the regular patrol against the greenskins and beastmen, as well as the more aggressive purges which would occur as winter turned to spring and the darker creatures attempted to strike out in greater number. The year would show their worth – but considering that a nearly dead Odelia Flamestar had done quite well for herself in Nordland? Your expectations were somewhat high.
"Ah…yes, Count Hohenzollern," Helmut muttered slowly, carefully moving about until he was close enough to you. "I…are you sure?"
"Can you cauterize it or not? I was made to believe that it was something you were capable of."
The Bright Wizard just stares at you and then over towards Carlotta, who now stands just behind you. Whatever it is that the Jade Wizard does next, she does it silently, but you think you hear the flapping of her robes as she performs some motion or another with her hands.
"I…can. It is
exceedingly painful, Count."
Sighing, you look at him and thrust your left arm at him.
"I once had a vampire, empowered with immense unholy power and dark magics, crush my arm into pulp and then wrench those remains off. I then stuck the stump into a blazing fire, using the hammer of the Grand Theogonist himself which had been heated white hot by that fire."
You wiggle your arm at him.
"This one, specifically. I am
aware of the pain that cauterization can cause."
He just blinks before nodding.
"Right. Of course. My apologies. I'll just…," he wiggles his fingers and you watch with interest as a thin sheet of seemingly liquid flame sprouts from his wrist and covers the entire hand.
Then he touches the bleeding portions of your ruined leg, and you have to grit your teeth again as the scent of cooked flesh mingles with the burnt hairs on the limb. Pain thunders up through you again, only to run directly into your stubborn refusal to scream or anything similar. For some reason, it is Helmut who rears back as if burnt, rather than you, his every motion cautious in the extreme. But you elect to ignore him for the moment as Natasha moves about so that she is once more shoulder to shoulder with you.
"Now then, our friends of the Jade College have assured me that even something as grievous as what my lovely wife has done to me are within their abilities to fix. So don't feel any need to hold back."
"Obviously," Natasha rolls her shoulder experimentally and stops immediately, wincing from the pain. "Do
not go for immediately fatal strikes. It would rather defeat the purpose of this."
After that, you simply stand at the ready with Natasha as everyone debates amongst themselves. Sabine comes forward, showing some interesting initiative and pushing Magnus over towards his brother and Serhild, and approaches you instead. Anna appears to be looking at her own weapons and is weighing her options.
"Do you really think it's likely that we could...we could be tortured, Count Hohenzollern?" She asks nervously, running a hand through her hair as she asks.
"I mean, I was once," you answer candidly, reaching for the pitcher of ostka and swallowing a good bit of it down. "And that was by Imperial citizenry."
Horror blooms across her face for a short moment, but within seconds her mind seizes upon the somewhat old but well known information. As far as you could tell, the whole 'not burning' thing was largely forgotten by many until you walked out of Karak Ungor changed as you had been.
"More seriously," you suck down a hearty lungful of air after drinking more of the ostka, "You've heard the reports, right? More Druchii in the Sea of Claws?"
Sabine nods, her arms rising up to cross underneath her chest.
"Ah, yes. But that's so far away from Wulfenburg, isn't it?"
"There was a Druchii in the city during your wedding, you know," Natasha says distractedly, herself focused on those who are still discussing blows.
"I…yes, I remember you telling me so," Sabine shudders again. "But that was just one, wasn't it?"
It is right about then when her fear runs straight into her own hard won experience. You can actually see it happen, the quavering in her voice firming away, the curling of her body straightening outwards. There is an instinctual fear of the dagger ships instilled in anyone with any familiarity with a coastline in the Empire. It's ingrained, as there have been raids large and small since the time of Sigmar. You also know that for the vast majority of the uneducated, actually telling the difference between the different kinds of elves is something most simply can't do. But Sabine, who once largely operated through agents and hired hands to beat, rob, and you suspect rather heavily kill, has fought alongside you and the rest of your family for a while now. She acquitted herself quite well just this past year!
"But we can't be certain they won't penetrate this deep, can we," her words are steady, now, her lips pressed into a line. "That there might be a group of infiltrators
tonight, for all we know, ready to abscond with one of us."
"Exactly," you nod. "We're already tearing each other apart in the spars, literally so in many cases-,"
A flush fills Sabine's cheeks.
"Again, I am so sorry," she interrupts in a rush. "I wasn't expecting you to dodge that way, I was only trying to push you back into Magnus' offense, and-,"
"Sabine," you lift a hand to stop her before she gets going again. "It was a good hit. I made a mistake. I'm not immune to such. Far better for
you to do it, than a beastman."
Honestly. It's been an entire week, and she keeps apologizing for it. It was your fault in the first place for trying to get clever when you should have simply taken the hit on your breastplate!
"Now then, as I was saying," you say sternly, "We already tear each other apart in the spars, because we want to be as prepared as we can possibly be for when fighting finds us, or we find fighting. Iron sharpens iron, as the saying goes."
"Oh, Arthur, just pick something would you!? It's not that hard! Stab, smash, or slash!" Natasha calls out, walking away and leaving you and Sabine…and Helmut…and Carlotta.
Hmm.
"Helmut, Carlotta, if you would give us some space?"
The two wizards start slightly and begin speaking at the same time, but you just wave them away and soon enough they putter off to a polite distance.
"We train as we do, because it is an inevitably, at some point, that we'll be forced to suffer. It is the world we live in. If not in battle, then something else," you say gently. "And, yes, the recent growth in Druchii raids the whole…capture and torture issue was a concern of mine."
"Would I be correct, Count Hohezollern," Sabine looks up at you, "That your recent experiences with the elves of Laurelorn and Ulthuan have also brought things to a fore in your mind?"
"Absolutely," is the prompt answer. "Hell, for all I know, whenever that next meeting takes place, they'll try to jump out and sabotage matters."
What a life you live where you actually have to take such things as a possible credible threat to yourself and your family. Sometimes, you think things might have been better if you'd stayed an exiled blacksmith in Jegow.
"Oh, for goodness sake.
I'll do it!"
A loud squelch and tearing of flesh makes you and Sabine look over to where Natasha has slammed an enormous spike of ice up and through Arthur's stomach to pierce out of his back. The way her hair whips about when she summons forth her cold magic, the way the sunlight strikes her in this very moment, it's enough to make your heart skip a beat. The wheeze half-way out of Arthur's mouth, the cringing wince on Serhild's face, the way that Magnus is just beginning to pull away from the attack, you see all of it and dismiss it in favor of simply looking at your wife. God's, she's beautiful like this. Then the moment is over, and Arthur is falling onto his side, coughing up blood as Natasha rips the ice spike right out of him. A sharp bang echoes throughout the yard as Anna, having folded one arm up, fires a pistol round through her forearm and upper arm in the same instance.
"Bright Wizard! Get over here!" Natasha calls out, now slightly bloodied fists on her hips.
Oh, right. To hell with staying back in Jegow. If you had, you would never have met your wife!
Helmut Cinderblade's eyes are as wide as you've ever seen them as he rushes over. You don't really know why he's got a few chains wrapping around his upper arms, nor why he and his fellows seem to like having stylized candelabras on their backs, but by this point the odd eccentricities in how wizards dress barely affects you. As long as the magic works, you suppose.
"I'm not demanding that we get ourselves torture training, exactly, right now," you look back at Sabine. "It's just a matter of pain tolerance, or at least specifically managing it without the absolute assurance that magical healing will be received."
You emphasize the lack of the Light of Summer around your neck with a gesture.
"I don't want us to come to rely on a crutch that could be removed at any moment."
"I…think I understand, Count Hohenzollern," she says while looking down.
Briefly, she brushes her hands over the barely noticeable swell in her stomach.
"Things were simpler when the greatest threats I had to deal with was price gouging or goods going missing, maybe rival merchant consortiums at worst."
Her words are so soft that you aren't entirely sure that you were supposed to be hearing them.
"Do you regret marrying into our family, then?" Your words, on the other hand, are definitely meant to be heard for all that they are quite quiet.
With a speed that makes you smile, Sabine's head shoots back up as she glares at you.
"Absolutely not," she shakes her head vigorously. "Do you know how badly the greater economy would fare if the Northern Trident hadn't formed as it had?" A hand is nearly shoved in your face next, palm facing you with the fingers outstretched. "Without proper defenses, Imperial goods would not flow," a finger goes down, "Production sites would be burnt or ravaged," another finger lowers, "Employees wouldn't
exist, and neither would managers," another finger, "Trade routes would dry up," only one finger remains. "And worse, money would cease to matter if everyone was dead!"
You…aren't entirely sure how to respond to that.
"I can do much more for the betterment of the Empire with this family than I ever could have if I remained sequestered from such matters."
Then she pauses and blinks.
"Oh. And…of course, I love Magnus, and our children, and I would not want to change anything about them," she says in an embarrassed rush, pink dusting her cheeks once more.
"Well," you mutter, "At least he's in the top three."
"I, I didn't mean to-, oh my goodness-," she sputters.
Despite the rather immense pain in your leg, you can't help but laugh. Said laugh ends rather abruptly however as the force of it jostles the broken bones and cauterized flesh. In the meantime, it appears that everyone else has gotten to work. Arthur is staggering to his feet with smoke still coming off of his recently closed puncture, helped by Natasha. Serhild, for her part, has been stabbed multiple times in the back, going by the smoke pattern raised by the cauterization. She is currently leaning forward, hands resting on her thighs, as she tries to grit her teeth through absolutely incredible pain. Magnus, on the other hand, is outright on the ground. Someone, you're not sure who, has shattered his femur with another one of the hammers from the pile.
Where bones have broken the skin, the wizard is there. But other than that? Everyone is sort of just suffering, gritting teeth to withstand the pain inflicted. Yourself included, the throbbing inferno of pain screaming through your body from your leg is absolutely horrendous. And, exactly as you'd suspected, a rather significant part of you was conflicted from the fact that the Light of Summer should have healed it by now but it wasn't
there. It was a weakness, to be so desperate and sure that the healing would be coming, to rely on it so heavily. This is not the same thing as being in battle, where the rage and pace of it could keep the pain numbed when it should have been crippling. Your heart was certainly pounding far harder than it would be at rest, somewhere close but not quite the same as it would be in a full on fight. Worse, with each thump another spike of pain rolled up from your leg.
"Don't worry about it, Sabine. I know you love him," you grin at her, shifting your foot again to keep from wobbling.
"I do, yes," she nods rapidly.
Whatever else might have been said ends with Natasha walking back over and snatching the ostka pitcher for herself. You and Sabine wait as she uses her functioning arm to tilt it into her mouth, you shifting your foot again while Sabine steadies her breathing.
"Doesn't…it sort of defeat the purpose of pain tolerance training if you drink?" She eventually asks, when she realizes that Natasha hasn't actually stopped drinking.
"Sabine," you chuckle, rubbing your chin with the back of one hand, "Do you know how much drink it would take to actually start numbing things?"
Natasha's shoulders shake slightly without preventing the steady flow of ostka into her throat. Over the lip of the pitcher she favors you with a wicked glance.
"More than that," you jerk your chin at the pitcher. "We're rather experienced in matters of the drink."
And isn't that an understatement.
"For the record," Natasha gasps for air as she thumps the emptied pitcher down, wiping her mouth with her sleeve, "Unlike you or Serhild,
I had to give birth to some children bereft of any such aid."
Slowly, your wife turns about so that her back is facing Sabine. With her functioning hand, she brushes behind herself near the shoulder blades. The motion alone drags black tendrils of anger out of your heart and through your blood.
"And, even now," she says softly, "There is a reminder on my back from one of my worst near death experiences."
It's been years, and years, and years.
And
still you feel the rage boiling up inside of you at the thought of Zacharias. It's slower to start than it used to be, to be sure. It takes longer for it to truly grow to the incandescent inferno of the past. But it is still there, still inside of you. It will never leave you. You and her had chances to have the scar repaired. The Jade Wizards have offered before, after sighting it after a few particularly brutal sparring matches. But every time, she has refused. It is, in truth, one of the few things that you fight over. You want it gone, every bit of possible evidence of Zacharias scoured, but she has always rebutted that she wants the reminder. It doesn't pain her physically anymore, there's been healing enough for that, but still, it remains.
"So we'll be fine," you grunt, "It's as much for hydration as it is anything else right now."
"I…see," Sabine just blinks rapidly as she answers. "So…what happens now?"
"Scaling up the wounds over time, with cauterization to keep from bleeding out or anything," you rub at your chin. "Possibly attempting to spar while injured to make sure to get a proper feel for it. If things get too rough, the Jade Wizards will step in. We've given them strict instruction to do as little as possible otherwise."
"All right then," she nods rapidly. "Should I…remain present?"
Natasha places a hand on her shoulder, shaking the younger woman ever so slightly.
"Sabine, you don't have to do any of this if you don't wish. It is purely voluntary," she says kindly, a small smile on her face. "All of it is. I respect that you've done as you have thus far, the training, the fighting, but
never let yourself feel pressured."
"She speaks truly," you nod. "Don't want to upset the child, after all."
For a moment or two she thinks, the silence punctuated only by the distant squawks of Oskana. And, admittedly, the quiet muttered curses coming out of Serhild and Arthur's mouths. They're actually finishing each other's angry sentences, you realize. It's quite adorable. It might go a bit against the spirit of the entire thing for them to be leaning on each other like they are, but you aren't going to say anything. Magnus, on the other hand, is simply sitting on the ground, smoke still filtering out of his stomach and left thigh from some very obvious puncture wounds which pierced all the way through. Going by the bloodied blade sitting on the ground next to Arthur, you can guess where he got the wounds.
"I think I shall retire then," Sabine sets her shoulders, "The younger children will require
someone to look after them, after all. Frederick and Logan do their best, but…,"
But sometimes, it takes a Hohenzollern, married or otherwise, to corral them. You really must thank Hagrid again for the quality of servants and maids he is able to procure for the castle. They don't have it easy with the entire Herd these days. With that said, Sabine leaves for the innards of the castle, though she does make a point to stop by Magnus and exchange a kiss with him beforehand. Ever since what happened with Natasha, you've made a point for regular examinations of both magical and spiritual nature for anyone pregnant within the castle. Sabine, thankfully, seems free thus far from any untoward influences, but at the same time you can't help but the twinge of paranoia of that
no one knew anything was wrong until the corrupted…things…were tearing your wife apart from within at the moment of Logan's birth.
"Well," you look down at Natasha once Sabine's left, "Shall we?"
"Of course."
An Arabyan punching dagger for you, and a Tilean stiletto for her.
"Count Hohenzollern!"
You pause in your stabbing motion, though Natasha does not, and so it is with great annoyance, shockingly severe pain, and a wheezing gurgle you glare first at her then at the Greatsword who called out to you. Staggering slightly, you cough up blood in a great bubbling froth before the Bright Wizard gets over to you. By then, Natasha's pulled the dagger out of your chest, and Helmut's stuck his fingers into the new ragged hole in your chest, said digits coated with magic. Without your own control, your head falls backwards as the newest wound burns its way into your body, a new and horrific instrument added to the overall orchestra of pain which is steadily flooding your body.
"Thank you, Helmut," you growl, the wizard skittering backwards towards Carlotta who watches the proceedings with her characteristically sleepy expression. "What do you want, Volgar?"
"Erm…there's two different messengers here or you, sir. Or, rather, one, and his guards, and then…a second is on their way."
The oddness of his words causes you to squint at the man, and that is the only reason, not because you are currently in excruciating pain. At all.
You look down at your ruined leg.
"Oh…great."
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"What in God's name is
happening around here," Helmut hissed at the ridiculously placid woman standing in front of him. "Are they all insane? Are
you insane?!"
"Oh, keep your voice down, sparky," the Jade Wizard waved him off, tucking her book back under her arm as she turned to look at him. "It's fine."
On the outside, sure, she looked like almost anyone else if they discounted the staff and the green and black robes. But Helmut could see the carefully marshalled pools of Ghyran which suffused not just her but every other of her peers spread throughout the courtyard. The act of it was quite obviously familiar, a conscious or subconscious – or both – effort to be absolutely ready to cast at as close to full power as could possibly be managed. He felt the Red Wing sparking and sputtering within him as a result of his own uncertainty. Uncertainty that was little helped with how the Jades were acting.
"They are…
mutilating each other," he shot back slightly quieter. "And you're just watching it happen?"
Carlotta, that was her name, just chuckled darkly.
"You haven't seen anything yet. I've been part of the Count's cadre of healers for a while now," she shook her head, her eyes as haunted as any soldier that Helmut had seen, "They don't…simply spar, to retain martial excellence. They
fight. Outright. And the Empire is better for it," she blinked rapidly before refocusing on him. "Have no doubt of
that. Better this than fops who don't know what it is to truly shed blood in the Empire's name."
Helmut just shook his head, his eyes wide as he did so.
"Did I hear him right, they fight near on to the death,
daily?"
"Aye," Carlotta shrugged, muted green light briefly causing her eyes to grow luminous as she glanced over his shoulder before disappearing. "Once daily for certain for the younger ones, twice for the Count and the Countess."
Both wizards turned to look at the now heavily wounded but still standing Kislevite. There was an abundance of twisting Winds which floated about her fingers, but then that was always true. What strands of Azyr they could see were far darker than they should have been, carrying with them a chill which struck both of them in the soul simply from viewing it. The cold magic of Kislev was an oddity and a threat both, and they knew it. Even more so, though Carlotta had yet to make much of it, since there was the flavor of the divine beginning to color the Winds whenever Natasha von Hohenzollern made use of them. The woman in question was currently helping her husband closer to the gates of the courtyard without complaint despite the wounds inflicted on her.
"Of course, then the children," Carlotta jutted her chin over towards the two sons present, "Often spar with their wives independently as well. But
no one goes as hard as the Count and the Countess. At least an hour for the first spar, two hours for the second spar. And sometimes he'll even go up against Greatbellow all by himself.
Those are hard days, even for us," she shuddered.
Despite himself, Helmut couldn't help but look over towards the ogre in question. There was obviously a certain hubbub about ogres in the College ever since those ogre fire-priests had been delivered to them. He'd seen a great many of his compatriots experimenting with trying to create the same sort of empowering tattoos that the ogres had born, though he himself was not one of them. But the ogre was…he frowned as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing in the body of Urgdug Greatbellow before giving it up for something to do later. It was the exact same conclusion he'd made when he'd looked a little too closely at the Count Hohenzollern too.
"But…
this…," he trailed off.
"You get used to it," she shrugged again. "Just wait until we're riding out in the raids and purges."
==================================================
"Interesting," you murmur as you tear open the letter and begin scanning the contents.
"What does it say?" Natasha asked, her chin propped on your shoulder as the two of you leaned on each other for support.
It had born not the official Imperial Seal, but rather the personal golden gryphon of Magnus the Pious himself. Expensive wax, the finest vellum, that alone would have given it away were it not for the messenger who carried it being one of the actual Knights Griffon themselves. A knight who was, in turn, being escorted by a number of his own fellows. All of them were staring at you and Natasha, though with the face-covering helms it was impossible to tell their expressions. Well, for the most part. You could see how wide their eyes were through the slits.
"It's a personal request, actually. He wishes to know if it is at all possible for us to…donate…Oskana for a breeding attempt with Sigismund."
"
Really," Natasha says the words archly, but you can hear the vibrato of interest in them. "That could be quite something. But she
would be gone from us in the meantime, wouldn't she?"
"True," you hum as you consider the matter. "He assures us of her safety, and there will be healers and trainers and such on standby during the process."
"Hmm. Purely as a favor?"
"Actually," you tilt and lift the letter so she can read a specific section, "Not at all."
I would not wish to abuse your generosity, old friend, and as a rider myself I know just how much of an advantage a fully grown and trained gryphon can be in martial matters. I would not leave your province bereft of such a beast without trying to make up for the difference in some small measure. As such, in the meantime with Oskana in the south, I would send forth fifty of my best Knights Griffon to fight alongside you against the creatures which frustratingly still exist within the bounds of the Empire, to remain there until Oskana is returned to you. Furthermore, only if Oskana produces more than one egg, would I request that you allow me to keep but one. Should her clutch be singular, then I would never even begin to think of taking possession of it.
I know, too, that this comes rather suddenly to you, yet it is only now that circumstances would allow me organize such an attempt at all. For the abruptness, I apologize, and hope you can understand my eagerness regardless. Please, respond as promptly as you can, if at all possible. Should you assent, a host of Knights Griffon will arrive to help escort her south, with the aid of a number of Amber Wizards. However, do not feel pressured at all to do this, as this is not a missive of the Emperor, but of me, Magnus. It is purely a question, not a demand in the slightest.
I hope this message finds you and yours well.
- Magnus von Bildhofen
"Well, that sounds rather interesting," Natasha says quietly, drawing her head back slightly and tilting it in thought. "What do you think?"
"Well, I'll have to think on it."
You glance up at the knights still standing there.
"We'll have an answer for you by the end of today. I'm sure lodgings can be found for you in the meantime."
The last portions was directed towards the Greatsword who slams a fist to his breastplate as he bows.
"Aye, Count Hohenzollern."
He begins to lead them away before appearing to remember something and turns back to you, his expression conflicted.
"…Volgar?"
"Er, the second messenger is, er, an elf, my lord. Says they're from Ulthuan."
Alarm would not quite be the right word for you to use when describing what happens on Natasha's face. Nevertheless, she immediately pulls the Light of Summer from where it had been deposited in a pouch on her waist and slides it over your head. In an instant, you feel a heavy pulse from it reverberate across your body. The smoke rapidly departs from your chest as the flesh regenerates, while Natasha snaps her fingers to get Carlotta to jog over. She leaves a rather befuddled looking Bright Wizard to stand alone in the courtyard. A look from you brings Jurgen over as well, considering he was assigned to you for this morning.
"My lady?" They ask in unison.
"We need to be a bit more presentable, my dears."
"Of course."
And then Carlotta and Jurgen are casting, the soothing healing of their magic washing over the two of you. The shuffling and popping of resetting and regrowing bone is one you are well familiar with at this point. There is a dull series of clicks which announces the resetting of your knee and then an oddly wet sensation as the fluids of the joint refill before being swathed in flesh and skin once more. You have to grit your teeth not from suppressing pain, but from the incredibly disconcerting, if familiar, sounds and feeling of your leg snapping back into proper place. In a short amount of time you find yourself once more standing on two feet. Natasha rolls her fixed shoulder, and inhales deeply. With that single breath, you feel a cold wind rush past you. Carlotta and Jurgen shiver slightly, but you're well used to this specific spell of hers. One that you've seen multiple wielders of ice magic use before, when they wish to appear especially proficient and aloof.
The leather and thick cloth disappears beneath a sweeping dress of thin but dark ice that shimmers in the morning light. Unfortunately for you, there is little that can be done for your outfit other than getting a tunic thrown at you that you hastily pull on. Nothing to be done about the pants.
"Well," Natasha looks you up and down before sighing, a hand going to her forehead. "No doubt they came to speak to you specifically, considering last time."
"I could still try and get out of the way, if you wish," you grab her other hand and bring it up to your lips for a soft kiss.
"No, no there's little point in that," she sighs and smooths the ice out of habit if nothing else and straightens.
A wave from Volgar goes to another Greatsword just out of sight before he begins escorting the Knights Griffon away. You, too, begin to move away, if only to allow Natasha to take the fore with you rather unpresentable at the moment. This time, the one being escorted up the path is, of all things an elf. One of the Asur, to be specific. Their long golden blonde hair hangs down past their shoulders in a shimmering curtain, a long dress of forest green with white highlights swishes silently as they come up the path. A fine leather messenger's satchel hangs from their shoulder, while a thin golden circlet with a small but quality ruby set in it sits on their head. Somehow, there is not a speck of dirt on them at all. Whatever it was, precisely, that they were going to say rather obviously dies in their throat as they take in your current state. To their credit, however, it is barely a stutter step before they continue forwards.
It's a shame that your clothes are a bit covered in blood.
"Count and Countess Hohenzollern," they bow to you, eyes bouncing quickly between the two of you before coming to a rest. "Please excuse the suddenness of my visit. I am Sadrina."
"It is no trouble at all," you respond politely.
"I do apologize for our state," Natasha adds on, "We were in the middle of a training session when you arrived."
"GAH!"
Neither you nor Natasha even twitch at the sound of Magnus and his cut off scream. Sadrina, on the other hand, manages to glance between the two of you and widens her eyes at what she sees.
"As I said," Natasha stresses, "A training session in progress."
"I…see," Sadrina blinks before turning back to you. "I have been sent by the Everqueen to once more communicate her thanks to you for your aid last year," she bows her head.
Sent by the…hold on a moment.
"Are you…a Handmaiden, then?" You ask slowly, trying to revise your initial assumption of her.
There is an odd flicker, then, and your hackles are rising as a threat suddenly appears far closer to you than you'd like. It is in Sadrina's smile, the way she ever so slightly shifts her feet. Just as quickly, however, it is gone again. She does not even openly wear a knife!
"Sometimes the Everqueen wishes her Handmaidens to openly express their presence. Other times, she wishes us to be…discreet," she says the last part in a stage whisper, smiling at you with far more casual ease than Litania ever managed. "I was one of those who journeyed with Finubar before he stepped into the fire," she titters. "The experience has been quite beneficial in the performing of my duties."
Honestly, despite what had just happened, your mind is still struggling to accept that she is not simply some lower ranking emissary or another. That she is not, in fact, just a pleasant civilian. Somehow.
"I…see."
"I think you actually might," she blinks with overly wide eyes at you before smiling again and clearing her throat with some dainty coughs. "Now then, my message. Because of your aid in opening the door for the Everqueen to truly speak once more with the Asrai, she wishes to pass on her thanks. It was by your past deeds and presence alone that they were even willing to entertain the matter at all."
You shift uncomfortably, just a bit, from the sincerity in her voice.
"Now, she would speak to you again, kind and generous soul that you are, in remembrance of your actions when she came to reclaim the remains of one of the most honored of our number," she grows somber as she speaks of that meeting. "Another meeting has been set, within the bounds of the Kindred of Lady Dawnstone, and as you have proven a capable neutral party, both Lady Dawnstone and the Everqueen have seen fit to invite you once more."
"Moving a bit fast, aren't they?" You can't help but ask. "In matters of elves, I would think that something like this would take many years."
Sadrina just shakes her head, her expression serious.
"Alarielle the Radiant is not as past Everqueens. She
leads, she does not remain distant. In matters of both war
and in peace," the elf says sternly, weighty respect and awe filling every single word.
Then, chagrined, she shakes her head.
"And yet, through your own actions, the Lady Dawnstone sees you as somewhat trustworthy. More so, perhaps, than their own kin," she says with aching sorrow.
Seriously, you think you might even see some wetness in her eyes.
"You have shed blood alongside Lady Dawnstone, you have performed great deeds for her Kindred and Realm, and it is for this reason that the Everqueen believes that your presence might yet prove beneficial."
With that, the Handmaiden falls silent, looking at the two of you expectantly.
"Are we…required to answer right now?"
"Oh no, not at all," Sadrina answers quickly. "The meeting is planned to occur in spring, at the end of the year, when Isha's touch upon the world is flush and strong."
"How, precisely," Natasha says, "Are we meant to communicate our assent or not?"
"Merely send a message to me," she smiles brightly. "I will be residing in Wulfenburg until I receive an answer. I have purchased long term lodging at the inn known as the Golden Horns, and will reside there until I either receive your answer or must depart for Laurelorn in the spring."
She then reaches into her bag and pulls out a crisp yet empty piece of letter stock. Emblazoned upon the back of the parchment is some sort of heraldry, heavily featuring a heart that appears to be weeping tears of blood.
"Simply send a letter with this to the Golden Horns with your answer," Sadrina bows at the waist to both of you. "And with that, my duty is done. I shall not keep you from your…training…any longer."
"Well, we are always happy to help, and to speak warmly with those of Ulthuan," you answer her.
"Go in peace," Natasha continues.
"One can only hope," the Handmaiden laughs in a musical lilt before turning to walk back down the path.
Leaving you and Natasha looking at each other.
"You could have just asked for a boon back then, you know," she says, hands on her hips. "But now, here we are."
"It seemed like the right thing to do."
You can't really explain it better than that.
"Right, and now, because of Nordland and you killing off that centigor beastlord, the Asrai like you more than their actual cousins," she says the words but by the tone of it she struggles to believe it.
"Ah, no," you wag a finger, "They don't 'like me more', they just know me more. And hope I'll act in a way they can predict."
Plus, if you remember correctly, the Asrai of Laurelorn might actually be just a tiny bit desperate. Not that they'd ever use those words when explaining the matter to you.
"And the High Elves just want to use me as a tool to ease relations, specifically because of the help I've given to Laurelorn before. I'm…I'm grease," you say slowly, realizing the truth of it even as you were saying it. "I'm diplomatic grease."
Like when one is trying to get something to stop squeaking in the Engineering School. Not quite sure what to do with that realization.
"To hell with this, I need a drink," your grumble, handing the letter stock over to a waiting Greatsword. "Put that in my study."
You're halfway back through the courtyard before you have to stare down at the rapier which has pierced through your back and out of your stomach.
"We're supposed to be training, remember?" Natasha says from behind you, mirth in her voice.
Without a sound you reach down and grasp the blade on both sides of you, left hand going to the bit sticking out of your front and the right hand reaching behind you. There is a quiet shriek of metal as you snap the rapier and turn on your wife. Silently, you reach down and pull the bit remaining in your stomach out, leaving it to clink onto the ground. The Light of Summer flashes, and so you wait before the just-inflicted-wound disappears before taking it off your neck and tossing it at Natasha who snatches it out of the air.
"Oh, yes," you sniff, "How could I forget."
Slowly, you crack your neck from side to side.
"All my love, forever," you growl at her, a note of genuine affection still making its way out.
"Forever," she smirks back cheekily.
Your absolutely dignified response is a spiked mace off the ground thrown at her face.
Military: Stephan von Raukov is a quiet yet experienced mercenary soldier, but his dedication to Ostland and family is unquestionable. He strongly believes in honor, preserving the lives of your own fighters, and unconventional tactics. (Choose 2):
Tracking Beast-Paths: The mercenaries found one last year, now it is time to find more. All, if possible. With aid from the Army of Ostland and the Army of the Forest, you need to start locating these assault vectors as soon as possible. With the beastmen hopefully scattered by the fighting at the Blood Fane, it will not nearly be as dangerous as before to investigate. By which you mean send the mercenaries in, and through fire and steel ensure their efforts succeed and that they live to continue doing the job you desire from them. The militia will likely help out as well, in different areas of course. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Year. Reward: At Least One Major Beast-Path Located. Chance Of Success: 75%
Making The Wolfways: The Temple of the Iceborn Flame begins construction this year. You will have to carve paths to it, not just for the supplies but also for the pilgrims who will no doubt be coming to see it. It is time for a violent carving and uprooting through the forests. In the triangle between Smallhof, Ferlangen, and Bohsenfels is where the site lies, and so you will need three different roads. It will be somewhat profitable given that you'll have felled trees for sale afterwards. But damned if it won't be hard. It's many, many miles of forest. You'll start with the first path you carved up, reinforcing it, preparing it, before getting to the others. Ogres will have to be utilized in considerable number for this, but you're sure they'll be happy to be paid for the work. The name of 'Treebreaker' is one that Urgdug was recently granted by his peers due to them suddenly remembering his efforts in Nordland long ago, and one that has already been taken up by others. You'll have help from the Ulricans you'll be letting in at least, so there's that. Cost: 1,000. Time: 3 Years. Reward: Proper paths cut through the trees leading from Smallhof, Ferlangen, and Bohsenfels towards the Temple of the Iceborn Flame. Beastmen/goblins/bandits/etc. curtailed further from forest. Chance of Success: 75%
In Progress. Due To Failure Last Year, Progress At 3 Years.
On Wings Of Canvas: Okay, you've finally had long enough time with training and recruitment capabilities that it is possible for a full cadre of wing-suit equipped soldiers to take the skies. Not just in the guard towers, but in the armies themselves. Equipped with crossbows, and launchers too for when the terrain does not allow them to reach the skies normally, they could be valuable assets. Not just for scouting above the terrain, but also for skirmishing and raiding enemy rear lines. Handguns are just too dangerous, the slightest spark could ruin the actual wings themselves. Bows can't get the requisite range of movement for pulling an arm back without ruining wing movements. All three of the armies will benefit from this. Thankfully, Anna has been using volunteers from said armies for a while now, so there is actually a pool of people who are already somewhat trained. Cost: 1,000. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Wing-Suit Fighters Join In Army Ranks.
Halberding: The Army of the Forest and the Army of the Range could use some help, in the shape of the halberdiers. It's a very effective weapon. Not quite the same reach as the pikes, but with variable uses. You have the numbers, have had them for a while frankly. Von Raukov has been pushing this for some time, but you have to admit you've finally been ground down enough to put it on the official docket of options. And frankly, raising more troops is something you are happy to spend money on. The more men you have patrolling the forests and roads, the better for your people. Plus, it's something that the people of Ostland take pride in, being part of the armed forces. Cost: 1,400. Time: 1 Year. Reward: 2,000 Halberdiers Join Army of the Forest, 2,000 Halberdiers Join Army of the Range.
Crossbow Up: Crossbows occupy a strong position these days, and are in use across the whole of the Empire. They are more assuredly safe than guns, and take less time to reach nominal mastery than either guns or bows. A number of regiments of Ostlander origin even participated in the Great War Against Chaos under your father's reign. Furthermore, they are more acceptable than gunpowder weaponry for more devout Ulricans and Taalites, meaning that you can recruit more people for the position than you otherwise could have. Plus, they are in use even in Middenland, for instance. Gunther may be quite Ulrican indeed, but he isn't so mad as to deny them – or even some handgunners – in his armies. It's time you bring back the loyal and useful crossbows of Ostland, who can fire in the rain and inclement weather far better than handguns, able to arc their bolts slightly and the like. Cost: 2,100. Time: 1 Year. Reward: 2,000 Crossbowmen Added To All 3 Armies. Ranged weaponry, reliable.
Blastweave Upgrading: Understandably, it will take time for you to take the cannons you have, of Great and Dash varieties, return them to Wulfenburg, and upgrade them properly. The results would obviously speak to themselves, and you need to do it, but while doing so you will have a varying number of cannons available for usual military work. Nothing too bad, but numbers are numbers. It is simply a matter of authorizing it and extremely exacting work to make sure that the blastweave is as well done as possible. Some of the engineers have begun speaking about more exacting molds and other such machines to make things uniform, or 'standard', but this is what you can do for now. Cost: 1,000. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Great+Dash Cannons Upgraded With Blastweave, and all that comes with it.
Not This Year: Pull your ships back, keep them close to the coastlines, but move the Army of Ostland to the coast, along with elements of the Army of the Range, to defend them. Let the Norscans know that they will not find you easy prey this year. The fishing ships now have their guns, and will be better able to defend themselves. Keep the Norscans
out, damn it. Keep the troops amongst the isolated hamlets and villages, not just the bigger settlements like Salkalten. Let them lend their cannons, bows, and guns, to defend the coastline this year. It is not the same as an actual deployment, but this is their homeland, let them defend it. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Bonus To Sea of Claws Rolls For This Year, Slight Lowering Of Roll Requirements For Success.
Mercenary Office: An office has been established, purely for the purchasing and ending of mercenary contracts, as well as ordering them to aid in different purposes. When one does not require this, the office will ensure that no issue is made of it. When does, it will not take away resources from other offices of the central government of Ostland. [
Note: Do not need to act upon this if not desired]
Purchase Additional Mercenaries: You have the money to pay, and you have the need. Mercenaries are omni-present in this world, and you could use some extra bodies. Or expertise, or training, or any other number of things. Send out the call, see who responds, and set up the contracts. Depending on what is being done and who is being hired, they would arrive some time into the year, with an absolute guarantee of arrival by end of the year. Cost: Depends. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Choose Which Mercenary Band To Hire, and For What.
End Mercenary Contracts: Sometimes, you don't have the money to pay. Sometimes, you do but no longer need the assistance of mercenaries. As it is, the time has come for you to cancel some contracts. Probably nothing malicious, unless they screwed up and you need them to get out of your employ. Cost: 0. Time: 1 Year. Reward: At End Of Turn – Choose Which Mercenary Band Gets Fired.
Third Imperial Navy: As the Steward of the Third Imperial Navy, you have a responsibility to build up, maintain, and use the ships of the Empire for its betterment and protection. The First Imperial Navy is based in Nordland, while the Second Imperial Navy is based in Marienburg. Should the material requirements extend beyond that of the Imperial Stipend, they will come from the treasury to fill in the gap. (Choose 2)
Guarding Ships: A number of wolf ships could escort your trade caravans, ensuring that they can be relied upon to gain both more goods and be better protected in bringing them back. This will, obviously, draw away some of your wolf ships from regular patrol duty to do so, but it is not the worst thing in the world when you have a good number of wargalleys, right? Off they'll go, ranging out down the coasts in search of wealth, with some mighty Ostlander Wolf Ships guarding them the entire way. Far better than the simple defenses merchants would otherwise possess, right? Cost: 100. Time: 1 Year. Reward: 50% Chance Of Increased Trade Income For This Turn, Recoup Cost And A Bit Of Extra Profit.
Scouts For Launching: The wing-suit launchers have worked well thus far on the guard towers throughout the province. A particularly drunk pair of messenger carriers, off-duty and having taken their wing-suits with them, flew over Salkalten on a 'joy flight'. They then crashed onto a ship before managing to escape by leaping from one ship to the next. Over the course of several hours, they evaded the garrison before colliding with one another and falling into the waters. At which point they were dragged out of the drink, and fired from their duties. Apparently they have been pressed into naval service for their constant disturbances. But an idea was hatched. Maybe some of the ships could have them installed, allowing vessels to have scouts capable of flight and return, with the crossbows they've been granted. Installing them and training the men will cost more than just money, it will take time. But if successful, it will help your ships considerably in seeing foes across the waves. Cost: 1,000. Time: 2 Years. Reward: Wing-Suit Scouts added to your ships, increasing sight range, slight damage capability/harassment capabilities.
Gauschdorf: A barely acknowledgeable town, more important due to the fact that it is a garrison location for your troops on the border of Kislev. They are more guard station than village, but then those soldiers still have their families. More importantly, they are stuck right on the edge of the Gulf of Kislev and are somewhat nearby – nautically speaking – to Erengrad. A small dock exists there, and it may be time for said small dock to be changed. That close to Erengrad and its formidable defenses mean that, much like Verborgenbucht, it could be a target to naval raiders avoiding the harder targets. The people of Gauschdorf are for the most part soldiers, former and current, and their families. They will likely be more than willing to let you do with the town as you will so long as you are building up the defenses. Some minor diplomatic efforts to get people to head there to assist in populating it won't hurt either. Cost: 1,500. Time: 3 Years. Reward: Gauschdorf gains military berthing-capable docks, defenses increased. Ship Capacity Increase.
Will Complete Next Turn
Hard Knock Shipping: The ships to Albion were lost last time. It need not happen again. Dedicate some of the wolf ships in extra to guard the trade caravan. It will pull them away from the coastal defenses, but it could still be useful in the run. After all, pirates, raiders, or worse might be an issue. Plus, the marines on the ships might be able to help guard the merchants once they actually hit land. It is up to you, of course, they're your ships to do with as you will, but it might be worth it. Or not, who knows. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Year. Reward: +20 To Hard Drinking Markets Action.
Don't Select Unless Hard Drinking Markets Chosen, Because…Like, Don't Be Silly?
Wolf Focus: You need Wolf Ships more than you need Wargalleys, you think. They are sleek, fast, and have good rams. Plus, they're capable of ranging further out than wargalleys. Considering how things went last year, it would be better for your naval forces to be capable of ranging out that far. If only to keep them out of the coasts entirely, right? It will take more men to crew them, but that is simply the cost of building things in this manner. Cost: 2000. Time: 1 Years. Reward: 10 Wolf Ships.
Greatship 3: It's been many years, and the greatship hasn't capsized, exploded, or otherwise run into a disaster. It's proven itself in year after year of naval raids, so it is time to build another one. Considering the size of them and the actual specialized work it requires to make one compared to wolf ships or galleys, it will take a considerable bit of funds to produce another. But, hopefully, it should be worth it. Throw some money in, some lumber, and write up some new cannons to be granted. You can trust the Prince of Salkalten to select a proper captain for the ship. You'll also have to come up with a name for the thing. But, overall, it shouldn't be too hard to make one thanks to the repeated expansions on the docks of your major port city. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Year. Reward: 1 New Greatship.
Galley Focus: Smaller ships, sure, but Wargalleys are perfect for quickly patrolling the coastline specifically. They might not be as directly powerful as wolf ships, but they can be built in greater numbers due to their size. Being ramships, they are more likely to actually engage Norscan raiders who are looking for a fight, in terms of boarding, while with wolf ships the raiders might try to sail around, or flee to attack from another direction. On the other hand, it is the wargalleys that will have more knights and soldiers on them, for just such a fight. It is a bloody work, but one worth it, you think. Cost: 1500. Time: 1 Year. Reward: 10 Wargalleys.
Greater Wolf Focus: You not only need more Wolf Ships, but you need a lot! They are sleek, fast, are good at ramming, and can range further out on the seas than the wargalleys. They are an invaluable and core part of your fleet, of any of the Imperial Fleets, and their usefulness cannot be understated. Plus, with the upgrades of cannons and scorpions, they are actually a bit more powerful than their peers in the other fleets - though you hear Nordland may or may not be changing that. It will take more men to crew them, and cost more to build more, but that is simple mathematics. This is the northern coast of the Emipre! You have plenty of Ostlanders who have grown up along the coast who could be willing, and others from further in who feel the call. Cost: 4000. Time: 1 Year. Reward: 20 Wolf Ships.
[Due to Production Requirements, Dock Usage, Etc. Counts As Two Actions]
Diplomacy: Natasha is your incomparable wife. She commits to her work with business-like attitude, with no distractions. With Sabine here, what can be done, and with who, has expanded in scope and scale, it seems. (Choose 3):
Hard Drinking Markets: The land of Albion is strange, hard to find, harder to get to, and harder still to land on without dashing oneself against the rocks. Or into swamplands infested with Fimir. You've even heard tale that there exists giant wagon-sized crustaceans on what shores it does possess. Worse at the rumors that one side of the island simply cannot be approached, though the reasons why are unknown. Nevertheless, Sabine has turned her eyes onto the wealth available through the alcohol markets, tapped heavily by Ostland as it is. As such, one of the things that makes the most money is rarity, which in this case means…Albion. You have a fleet, you have ships, and she wants to see if it is possible to establish some sort of post or contact with the strange island, beyond the occasional daring trader who makes it every few years. Cost: 1,000. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Albion Connection, more access to Albionese drinks? Chance of Success: 50%
Back To Bordeleaux: There are multiple major ports in the Dukedom of Bordeleaux, beyond the city actually named after the land. It is time to go to there as well, to try and expand your own trade with them. It is, you think, the one Dukedom that you can truly empathize with, if only based purely on your love for the drink. Surely, they might be desirous to partake in things other than their own wines? For a hint of variety if nothing else. While you, in turn, could profit from those same wines dragged so far north. Furthermore, the more Ostland ship banners that are present across the Bretonnian coastline, the more your presence can be felt in that land. If that's what on wishes to focus on, that is. Personally, at the moment you're fine with just getting some more funds into the treasury. Cost: 1,000. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Increased Alcohol Trade Income/Ostland Presence In Bretonnia Increases.
Estalian Extracting: Estalia has a lot of things worth making use of. Specifically, their steel, and their duelists. Estalian Diestros are some of the most famously deadly fighters in the world, and that's just a fact. Despite having their origins be based purely in that far off nation, bereft of the troubles that the Empire faces in comparison? They are nevertheless quite skilled and deadly besides. Enough to the point that there are plenty of mercenary Diestros in the world. In the southern provinces, in major cities like Altdorf and Nuln, there are even fencing schools for the wealthiest nobility to send their sons to. Plus, drawing more Estalian smiths to the Street of Steel will be of great aid for your citizenry and your armed forces both. Without a central unifying force in Estalia, drawing in such individuals is likely to be far easier than it might otherwise have been. Perhaps there might even be simply Estalians willing to leave behind the simmering anarchy of their homeland for someplace slightly more stable, a place where some of their fellow countrymen have already settled? Cost: 750. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Estalians Drawn To Ostland – Smiths, Diestros, Peasants. Possible Effects include improvement to Street of Steel, Diestro trainers for nobility, peasants for settlements? Chance of Success: 50%
Double Barreling: With your double-barreled handguns created, it seems reasonable for you to extract a higher price for selling them, does it not? Some might not see it that way, but the effort must be made to convince certain customers that you are offering a better product and thus require more in payment for it. Or at least, that is what Sabine has stated most firmly in council meetings. Sure, there's a learning curve to the things, and they require greater amounts of black powder, but quite literally it is two bullets instead of one while firing. And given reloading rates? That's more than reasonable, one might think, in terms of stopping power. Still, if it works out, then it could represent a blanket increase in profits from your gun sale. If it fails you might lose customers, but that is the risk one takes when they enter Handrich's realm of influence...or so, again, Sabine says. Though she clearly is hoping that such a thing does not occur in this case. As do you. But, yet, nobody really
likes paying more for things. Cost: 1,000. Time: 2 Years. Reward: Double-Barreled Ostland Handguns begin being sold to current customer base, current customer base begins paying more as a result in gun sales. Increase in Income From Gun Sales.
Grasping The Comet: You are not blind. Your finances have been running very closely to the wire for a short while now. It would not be the first time that a noble of the Empire has done something like this before. A thought you'd had after discussion with Stephan. But something new for you. Getting loans from the Cult of Sigmar – likely one of the wealthiest individual organizations in the Empire – is relatively simple. Paying them
back on the other hand might not be so. After all, if you're asking for loans, you might not have the money to pay it back, now do you? Not to mention possible interest issues, both financially and literally. You cannot simply get money from a cult without them demanding something in turn, and at the least them being responsible for your funds gains them influence in your province whether you like it nor not. But…if you
need the money…you know that they would love to provide. Their demands on the other hand, you cannot know until you ask. Cost: 100. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Loan Offering Special Choice (Immediate Choice After Vote Closes)
Approach The Jade College: It's been offered, or rather not offered but opined, that the Jade College might be able to do something for Magnus' son. His shrunken and somewhat twisted son. You've no idea on what his mental ability might be either. It is a horrifying thing to consider, yet one that you are in the smallest way experienced with. Those monstrous things, by description at least, that once nearly slew Natasha from within. But this boy is, at least, free of discernable taint from beyond. Sometimes these things just happen. Noble families give birth to disadvantaged children just as commoners do, they just have more money and the ability to hide it. You do not have to do it, and technically you should not have been told at all. But you know. So you can ask. It may not go over well, but if there is a chance…it may be a chance. On the other hand, perhaps it should not be done. He may grow up well enough, his mind whole and hale, but his body a bit off. But if…but if. Or they might refuse, angry that you would try to ply their secrets. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Jade College ???? Aid Chance of Success: 50%
Trying To Speak To Middenland: At the very least, Gunthar's wife seemed less immediately and virulently hostile towards you. Somewhat. A bit. Considering the fact that she has her own reputation as a war leader and harsh law-giver in that she has performed the duties of executioner personally more than once. The beastmen are everyone's problem, and considering the situation going on in the Drakwald, it might be prudent to make plans or at least give the option of making plans for mutual defensive aid against one of mankind's greatest threats since the time of Sigmar. But you'll have to talk to Gunthar as well, because you've learned enough from Talabecland to not even try to go around the main roadblock. In one case, Adolf. In this, Gunthar. Maybe he'll be more considerate if you are a mountain range away and not pissing him off by being in the same city as him. Cost: 100. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Middenland approached on working together in defense on the off-chance the beastmen erupt from the Drakwald in greater numbers than the usual. Chance of Success: 5%
An Open Hand: You don't know Count Rommel personally, but then, the same could be said for many of the Electors. But Reikland is one of the strongest provinces in the Empire. It always has been, as befitting the land from where Sigmar himself once roamed. From there the Unberogen arose as a true power, a power they retain today. They are, you know, one of the wealthiest, strongest, and most populous provinces in the Empire and have been for a long, long time. It may be time to reach out to Count Rommel, as while he was not part of that odd little cabal which came up against you in the Meet, he was not one of those who was clearly on your side either. You could try reaching out to him, shoring up amiable relations. He will not simply become a friend out of nowhere, but you could get something out of it. Maybe. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Amiable opening to relations with Count Rommel. Chance of Success: 65%
Stewardship: Morgan von Bernhardt is an energetic woman. While her father was not the most creative man, she seems to be more so. With her vigor, she has promised you significantly
more than her father was able to stay awake for, though lately she has been coughing a bit more and spending time with her children. (Choose 1):
Lumbering Heat: Charcoal is one of the most common heating sources in the Empire, and is reasonably cheap. Everyone uses it in winter, even in Wulfenburg. But Sabine has spoken of diversifying your usages of lumber, for while a few minor charcoal producers exist in Ostland, most in Ostland independently make their own. Hamlets and villages make it themselves, and it is not necessarily the easiest work. Sabine has also brought up charcoal companies, entire organizations built around the production and selling of charcoal down in the southern parts of the Empire, where it doesn't even get as cold as it can up in the Trident! If it works down there, it should work here. Normally people do it on their own, but a full company could produce far more, and gain you some funds as well, if done properly. Sabine has, therefore, requested an allocation of funds given over to her to set up such a charcoal company. It would, by necessity, use Nassau traders and caravans, but your treasury should still be capable of making a profit. It will most likely not be based at Wulfenburg proper, but in Roezfels, Vandergart, or Jegow. Cost: 1,000. Time: 2 Years. Reward: Ostland Charocal Company created. New Income Source: Charcoal Sales.
The Lighthouse Of Salkalten, Foundation: Morgan wishes to create what is, effectively, a prestige project. Not vanity, no, the value of an actual lighthouse greatly improves a port's standing amongst its peers. In bad weather, storms and the like, such things are often all that can help a ship find its way home. Or, at the very least, avoid smashing itself into the coastline. And, not untruly, Morgan has noted that major ports do possess something similar which, if you want Salkalten to be taken seriously, will require. The actual lighthouse itself is something quite gigantic in the schematics, and she wishes to have it be an actual extension of the Temple of Manann located in Salkalten. The foundation itself will be enormous. She wishes to pull, once again, from the dwarf engineers of Barak Varr, to help. By the end of it, she wants it to stretch up above the walls, quite high, so that it can be visible from quite far away. She wishes to, at to start, have the most vital part be the 'light' portion, with the possibility of adding a bell or foghorns or the like to it later. This will involve the Bright Wizards – possibly more than the ones you have currently for it to be more advanced – but either way, it stands to be quite a thing. But first, you need to start. Cost: 3,500. Time: 2 Years. Reward: Salkalten Lighthouse Foundation Created/Bottom Third Of Structure Built.
The Annulii Apple: So, you've received a supposedly 'small token gift' from the High Elves. Some kind of apple from some place called the Annulli Mountains. Apparently, it's a hell of an apple. Some of the Jade Wizards have, after some cursory inquiry, admitted that they possess spells to help not only grow the apple quickly, but to rapidly help craft an entire grove. A year's worth of plant growth in a single hour? By Sigmar, that's a disconcerting thing to hear. But if the apple is at all exceptional, then it wouldn't be the worst thing to make. And you could possibly make some kind of cider or brandy out of it, so there is that as well. All you would need to do is dedicate some of the Jade Wizards to the task, and you could have an entire test grove out of it by the end of the year. Possibly more than one test grove, if you truly start factoring in time versus how much time it requires to get a tree to a flowering level for harvesting, and reproduction. Apparently, to preserve the apple as much as possible, they'll not be using the seeds precisely so much as samples from the first initial tree itself. Sabine was rather excitable about the whole matter. Luxury goods run as much on reputation as anything else. An apple previously only accessible in Ulthuan? Apparently she is convinced that bushels will go quite highly priced. Cost: 750. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Annulli Apple Grove(s)? Farming Income. Trading Income. Further options for Middle Mountain development.
The Stone Beneath Wulfenburg: Once upon a time, there were skaven beneath your city. You would prefer if that was never the case again. As such, speak with the dwarfs of your city and see if they would be willing to apply their expertise on guarding against such things, whilst simultaneously making use of the space to create things such as underground granaries, storage facilities, and the like. Some areas can become permanently livable, if they would prefer it, and you think they might. But also, they need to properly reinforce the entire thing, reroute the sewer systems with dwarf expertise, and completely lock down the underground. Gates, walls, reinforcing pillars and the like. The dwarfs will be happy to have permissions and ownership for buildings that they build down there for their own purposes, and you know that they will be certainly eager to help protect their homes. Plus, as you expand Wulfenburg above, it can only help to expand it below as well to compensate. Thankfully, with all the dwarfs there and the area previously already cleared with some work done in this vein, it is only a continuation of what you've already done. Cost: 2,000. Time: 3 Years. Reward: Under-Wulfenburg Further Reinforced for safety and settlement for dwarfs and particularly weird humans. Better sewer/plumbing systems.
Will Complete Next Turn.
Walls Of The Wolf: Wulfenburg itself has steadily received immigrants for many years now. Imperial Dwarfs to the dwarf quarter. Estalians rescued from their embattled lands. Ogres funneled from elsewhere in the Empire where they are unwelcome. Those coming to join in the opportunities offered by your engineering school, or your growing settlements. Not to mention the growth of the already present population in the decades after the war against Zacharias. Wulfenburg is starting to strain. You know it, you've known it, really, but it's starting to reach the point where you can do so with greater magnitude, in the sort of scope you truly desire, and actually really need to. Financially, and resource-wise. You know that there are enemies coming to Wulfenburg. Maybe not now. Maybe not in your lifetime. But you wouldn't bet on the latter. They'll come. And this is not Middenheim, which quite literally cannot expand beyond its current bindings, only downwards to a certain point. But you will not simply throw up stone and wattle to be cast down at the nearest provocation. You have ogres. You have good contacts amongst the dwarfs. The amount of high quality stone you can bring in is not inconsequential. You have built plenty of walls around Salkalten. And while no settlement of the Empire with more than a hundred people is without some form of wall or another, Wulfenburg deserves more. Why not expand the city limits while you are at it? An act of civil and defense design, for both providing homes for the people and doing so defensively. Just in case. Cost: 3,500. Time: 3 Years. Reward: Wulfenburg City Limits Extended, ending with new large and stout walls of thick stone and crafted with the defensive expertise of the dwarfs. Significantly improves city defenses. Will be manned with additional cannons and guard towers as well.
Will Complete This Turn.
Research: Helga and her daughter have taken up this position, switching off whenever the other has to be teaching a class or engineering something or other in your engineering facilities. ONE OPTION LOCKED OVERALL DUE TO AVERLAND PRODUCTION REQUIREMENTS (Choose 2):
Off-Roading: Cyclers are a viable creation. However, they are thus far only exceedingly useful on paved roads. Off-road they are less viable for important things. But also there are concerns for weight and the effort it takes to use them. Anna can ride one around, a fully armored soldier never could. So, these two things must be worked upon. A way for the wheels to grip better, as well as testing truly what weights can and can't be used. The latter will determine what use they will have on the battlefield, though you know immediately that they will be of use for passing messages and packages at the very least amongst the roads. They do not require the same things that horses do, though they are not without cost in terms of maintenance. More research is required, but the goal is easily visible. Though the wheels are going to be the greater issue…and Anna is focusing on other projects now. Cost: 1,000. Time: 3 Years. Reward: Functional Cyclers For Both Road And Off-Road, Increased Knowledge. Chance of Success: 65%
Heavy Blastguns: The blastgun itself is not too bad of a weapon. An insanely short match, a quick light, and pop goes a concentrated shot straight to who or whatever is in front of the barrel. But it could be improved, especially with what you've learned of gunnery and metallurgy over the past years. If it were larger, it could fire more. If the barrel's internals were altered, they could increase the spray without losing penetration capabilities. But more specifically, recent pistolier developments elsewhere in the Empire have inspired some of your engineers. They want to make weapons capable of firing a much more powerful blast, much more than the damage a pair of pistols could manage. As such, they wish to create heavy blastguns, something that, say, a lightly armored horse could manage with ease. Allowing light cavalry to ride up to the enemy, fire, retreat, and then reload before turning about. With all of the experience and advances made in gunnery, it shouldn't be
too difficult. Cost: 1,000. Time: 2 Years. Reward: Heavy Blastgun, an upgraded and more damaging version than the infantry version. Meant for cavalry use. Chance of Success: 75%
Grenadier Suits: Anna has been working on this in her off time for a while now. A suit of armor, partly harness, built to carry bombs for a special sort of trooper. One who can carry bombs in as watertight and protective as possible containers. At the same time, they need to allow full range of movement so that the ones wearing them can throw as far and accurately as possible. A sling could be added for being able to throw further if they can, too. Considering the amount of time Anna's spent on this, throwing it to the lesser Master Engineers ensures that such a project would likely not take that long at all. Bombs are quite expensive though, so testing will have to be excruciatingly careful! Cost: 1,000. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Grenadier Suits created, for a specialized group of troops to carry, light, and throw explosives in battle as their primary armament. Obviously they'll get a blade too, for when they run out. Chance of Success: 90%
Vaporcyclers: Okay. You had to read through the proposal a few times. It is known that the steam boilers in both doomspheres and steam/soup tanks work as artificial and powerful motivation to get them moving. It can grind wheels forward harder and faster than legs of flesh could ever possibly pump. Well, human ones at least. You're reasonably sure that Urgdug could simply pick up a steam tank and throw it. If ogres can wrestle giants, after all…but in any case, this one came about as one of a proposal from Idette after a ten-day drinking binge in which she was even drunker than is normally tolerable. Seriously, she was sent home there due to how drunk she was. But she came back ranting about fully metal – or at least mostly metal – cyclers with the vapor engine attached to it. Because the wooden ones, reinforced as they might have been, would be torn apart by the potential strength behind it. No pedaling, only velocity-by-vapor! She won't stop talking about it. If you threw some money at Idette, maybe she'll actually manage it? Anna promises to help when she can, so at least there's that. The engines work, you know that much. But will the cycler? Cost: 2,000. Time: 4 Turn. Reward: Vaporcyclers? A likely highly expensive specialized vapor engine-accelerated cycler made of metal, possibly good for scouts/recon/??? Chance of Success: 50%
Vapor Tanks: You know the Soup Tank intimately. As does Anna. The actual steam system was heavily modified by the halflings over many years. It likely bears very little resemblance to the steam systems present in the other steam tanks in Nuln. Not least of which is because each of the tanks have their own individualized internal components and systems. Leonardo may have been brilliant, but for wide-scale production he was perhaps just a bit less able. But that's fine. You don't
need the steam systems anymore, or so Anna say. The 'fucking be-damned skaven', by Anna's own words, managed to create their precious rat tanks with the aid of warpstone. While you'll never touch the stuff out of your own volition if you can help it you don't need it either. You know how the frame works, both skaven and soup tank designs are well known to you for various reasons. You have an engine. Time put all of that knowledge together. Anna is willing to make an effort at it. It will be expensive, but your engineers have had years and years to study the damn tank, with the engine…well. You can fit on a cannon as well, that part is simple. Cost: 2,000. Time: 5 Years. Reward: The Vapor Tank, a war machine powered by alcoholic vapor based upon a foundation of knowledge gained from studying destroyed rat tanks and long-term possession of the soup tank, and knowledge skimmed of the steam tanks in Nuln. Chance of Success: 50%
Titan Cannon: The Ironblaster is the most effective proof of concept that could possibly exist. It's made of bronze, however. Extremely advanced, possibly magical bronze, for all you know. But you have pretty damn good steel, if you say so yourself. So it should not be impossible for you to create something like the Ironblasters, but better, or at least something that could be replicated in terms of not having the special bronze. A better, more stable platform, rather than the awful things that the ogres use. Horse-pulled, obviously. Something to help aim. Thankfully, it would come with the blastweave installed, due to its essentially being a lift from the ironblaster design directly, in terms of size at least. Thankfully, the intense studies that Anna and yourself worked on will greatly reduce the time it takes to do this. Cost: 1,000. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Titan Cannons, Ironblaster-sized properly maintained steel-based cannons. Chance of Success: 75%
Imperial Organs, Big: The organ cannon used by the dwarfs was certainly very interesting, though unfortunately the somewhat distasteful business regarding Valma and her revealing apparently illegal secrets at your pressuring has resulted in the majority of the dwarf Engineering Guild to not much liking Anna. As such, at Karak Ungor she was not allowed to examine any of the more exotic and new dwarfen machinery that they had brought to bear. Still, the initial concept was intriguing and the engineers of Ostland are relatively sure that they can manage something similar only…bigger. Instead of four smaller dwarf cannons put together into a single device, they wish to try something with four imperial great cannons, and all that may or may not imply. Still, the better to not annoy the dwarfs any further they are happy to make it not be so blatant a copy. So instead of
four they're going to stick
three together. In a sort of…tri-barrel design. One on top of two. Testing and creating such a thing would of course take time. Hopefully this would just be a good amount of firepower. Cost: 2000. Time: 4 Years. Reward: The Ostlander Grand Volley Cannon, effectively 3 Imperial Great Cannons worked together. Greater concentrated and more rapid firepower. Chance of Success: 55%
The Other Two Cannon Types: Valma refused to do anything more and now she's dead. Still, Helga and her daughter Agatha believe that with what they learned working on the Great Cannons they can improve the Dash and Bull Cannon types. Though the Dash Cannon was made smaller to be easier to move and aim and the second was made to be far hardier than the other two types, they are still cannons. It's going to take a while to upgrade them in a similar manner, and though the dwarfs are rather put out with Valma personally, it's likely that they'll justify any further improvements that your daughter makes as Valma's fault again. Cost: 1000. Time: 5 Years. Reward: Bull Cannons and Dash Cannons Improved As The Great Cannons Were. Chance of Success: 30%
Piety: You now have three religious advisors. One, Jorgen Albrecht, is a Priest of Sigmar, Emil Beltz on the other hand is a Priest of Ulric, while Lady Rosa is a Priest of Morr. Having all three prominent advisors from all three of these religions is a powerful statement, and with their own staffs you get a little bit more ability to…well,
do things. (Choose 2):
A True Mountain Garden: Minor temples are one thing, but Arthur wishes there to be a true Garden of Morr, similar to the greater ones that have been built in Ostland proper, below the mountains. A place not just for internment of the dead, but for sermons on the God of the Dead, his responsibilities to the living and theirs to him, and so on and so forth. As well as wings and areas for augurs to be contacted, rather than having to hope for them to just come by, or wander past. Ever little bit of civilization helps, and you know this well. The more secure the dead, the happier the living. A bit of an odd thing, likely in certain parts of the Empire, but the specter of Zacharias, of necromancy, remains strong. A quiet undercurrent of fear erupted, you find, when rumors of the sacking carried out by one of the abominable Tomb Kings trickled north. Far to the south of Ostland, to be sure, but the threat of an undead naval force spooked a lot of people. Plus, perhaps it will help people with their dreams. For that is one of the purviews of Morr as well. Reassurance goes a long way, if one believes in such things. And a good number do. Cost: 1,500. Time: 3 Years. Reward: Major Temple of Morr built in the Middle Mountains. Morale improvement to the people, hopeful protection against necromancy and the like.
The Temples Of Dunkelstal: The large town of Mierach was the most established settlement that could have been considered part of the Middle Mountains in the past. At least within Ostland's previously claimed territories. But said territory has expanded quite considerably. Both in geographic distance and population. The latter remarkably so, though you've certainly put a lot of work into exactly such a thing. As of now, if there is a settlement which could be considered a 'capital' equivalent, or at the least a large nexus, in the new Middle Mountain territories, it would be Dunkelstal. High walls, the resident location of the Middle Mountain's Great Kitchen of Esmeralda, and the most populated settlement in the Middle Mountains. Literally, to the point of somehow outpacing Mierach itself. But it will be more, in the future. Jogen and Emil wish you to construct true temples to Sigmar and Ulric within Dunkelstal. It is these which mark truly strong settlements, providing a place of security in body and soul. It will increase the profile of the town, and make people more inclined to settle there. The stronger that central nexus point, the benefits can only spread to the lesser towns and villages in the Middle Mountains, if only for a major rallying point to flee to in times of great trouble. Cost: 1,000. Time: 2 Years. Reward: Major Temple of Sigmar and Ulric built within Middle Mountains.
Seek Out Myrmidian Artistic Priests: The general opinion of Myrmidia in the Empire is that of a warrior Goddess. Or, simply, a treacherous wench considering the more immediately recent past. But they've been working quite hard to banish the latter opinion, throwing their knightly orders into the fray across the Empire with almost reckless abandon. Except going by her own tenets, it is quite rare for them to be reckless at all. At least that is what you think, based on your own cursory knowledge. It is time to expand such knowledge. Seek out Myrmidian priests or priestesses from beyond the Empire's borders who specialize in things not purely based around warfare. If they say that she is a Goddess of far more things than war, find some of their clergy who focus on such things and bring them to Ostland. Cost: 1,000. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Myrmidian clergy not purely focused around War arrive in Ostland, further Myrmidian options. Chance of Success: 75%
Morr's Time: Arthur does not often choose to openly wield the hefty amount of influence over the Order of the Garden he truly possesses. He prefers journeying from province to province, sending letters, conferencing, speaking and convincing people rather than outright giving orders. But Stirland, or rather Sylvania, which is now fully decided as Stirland's territory barring a few slivers? It needs Morr. It needs Morr badly. Not as an army that righteously purges, but as builders, and educators, and protectors. Consecrators and augurs to protect and guide. Arthur's willing to do it, to marshal the Order of the Garden's priesthood and strength from across the provinces to Stirland. It is something that would greatly aid Stirland, while simultaneously improving their disposition towards the ones who helped it happen. Arthur, in turn, requests your aid in organizing things, as well as communicating with the rest of the Trident to shift militia and troop movements to watch over temples and gardens that will have, in turn, somewhat reduced garrisons for a time. Cost: 1,000. Time: 3 Years. Reward: Sylvania Receives Massive Morrite Support/Temple And Garden Construction/Consecration/Education For Anti-Undead Purposes. Stirland Approval.
Will Complete This Turn.
Intrigue: You have two different intelligence organizations. One, Witch Hunter Marlisa, is focused on combating cults, threats, monsters, and generally outside forces. The other is Master Baggins, a very influential halfling cook and champion of the common man. Now, a third, is present in the form of Sabine. Her own experience is different, but that does not preclude her from having value in this. (Choose 2):
Into The Wolf Den: Who the hell is Dolph? What is going on in Middenland? You need more information. And there is someone who has already proven some ability at getting where you have had little success before. Sabine is sure that she can help in this, not least of which due to the small amount of additional trade she was able to establish with Middenheim. Which means spies. And, in turn, a bit of paranoia on your part that every caravan from everywhere might be carrying informants from said places. Sabine chuckling lightly at this did not help matters, though she clarified that the cost expenses would be absurd to ensure such a thing, and it is more likely that every few merchants and traders work for any singular entity in particular. Far more are more freelance, offering word for coin as much as any other good they might be able to sell. You need to know what the hell is going on in there, but can't do much without the groundwork being laid. Have to start somewhere after all. Cost: 1,000. Time: 2 Years. Reward: Information. Chance of Success: 35%
Find Your Enemies: So, your Marienburg Spy Ring is now aware that some of the families are against you, while others are not. Such is the financial scope available to the various merchants in that city, that there are those whose aims are entirely based on southern climes, or simply elsewhere, leaving their opponents to be those who scour the northern portions of the Empire for their own profits. So, you need to find out which of the three of those families are actually aimed directly against you. Use their connections with the so-called Lodge, and track down which ones are actually your enemies and which ones are not. Once you've positively identified them, you can keep proper watch on them. It is one thing to figure that the resources involved were flowing from three families, it is another to identify them fully. But it will be done. It must be, so that you can't be caught off guard like you were before. Cost: 1,000. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Primary Marienburg Opposition To Ostland Identified, Information, Etc. Chance of Success: 65%
Quinsberry Questioning: So, Hagrid has revealed the presence of the Quinsberry Lodge to you. Grudgingly, worriedly, and for good reason. A bunch of murderous, thieving, skulking bastards bobbling into your province? Absolutely not. You've got plenty good halflings, Hagrid among them, who are doing much to advance the interests of the halfling people throughout Ostland. For goodness sake, it was because of him that you even added an enormous section in your law project on pruning and fixing halfling-targeting laws, fees, and so on. If this was the Era of Three Emperors…well. It is not the first time that a province has burned half the Moot down. Sometimes it was Stirland. Other times it was Averland. But for now, you need to find how much, if at all, they've infiltrated the rest of the Northern Trident. And you know what? Stirland too. You doubt that the Countess would mind, it's not like you're ordering a culling. Right now, at least. Find them, if they're there. Shore up your defenses as best you can even if they are not. Once that's done, you can work on…next steps. Cost: 1,000. Time: 2 Years. Reward: Quinsberry Lodge agents identified throughout Northern Trident/Stirland if they are there at all. Shore up intrigue-based defenses from potential Quinsberry movements against the Trident. Chance of Success: 75%
Personal: God's above, your family has been through too much. (Choose 1):
The Law Of Ostland: While you could not have imagined the delay it would take you to reach this point, you have at last, reached it. It is time to put your mind to use more than your blade, and shred away this insane wild tangle of laws, points of authority, agency, punishments, and more. It is a beast you are unfamiliar with, to be sure, one of paper and vellum and ink, but it is one that you will fight regardless. Ostland deserves better than that, and its people do as well. Might the nobles dislike how their authority may fluctuate as a result of what you do come up with? Perhaps. At the moment, you haven't put anything into place, and this is a private work, so there is nothing for them to complain about. For now, it is time to begin, sending out your feelers and servants across the province to bring every copy of every corner's legal code forth to you, that you may create a unified Ostlander legal code, rather than one that changes every few bloody feet outside of Wulfenburg! Cost: 1,000. Time: ??? Reward: Streamlined Unified Legal Code For Ostland Province.
Will Complete In ??? Turns
Stabbing With Guns: Okay, maybe you are being a bit presumptuous here. You have only just begun to learn engineering, within the past handful of years. Far less than any senior or master engineer, Anna included. But, more than once, you have seen your handgunners forced to fight at close range. Maybe they aren't able to pull a knife or blade out before the enemy is upon them. Maybe they weren't carrying one at all. An ironfist would undeniably help, but that's largely for defense, and even closer range. You could offer a point beyond that, something that they could fight with to keep the enemy just that little bit further away. Just stick a blade on the end of the gun. How hard can that be? Just mix your knowledge of blacksmithing and engineering, and just…put a stabbing portion on the gun? It's going to take some time, of course, but it's a project that you can do on your own. Your experience in ironfists should help, even, in terms of melding blade with greater masses of metal. Cost: 100. Time: 3 Years. Reward: Gun-based Stabbery/Erdolchen (Stabby bit attached to handguns). Chance of Success: 85%
Will Complete This Turn.
Gold Journeymen: You are reasonably sure you can handle this negotiation, considering it's been done multiple times with the Jade Wizards, and then the Amber. See if any of the Gold College would be willing to send some of their journeymen north to join your forces. Perhaps just helping out in your engineering works, or in combat. It is not an entire year's worth of attention after all, just a few letters, and some coin determination depending on how many of them come north. The ranks of the wizards are still slowly expanding, even though it's been over thirty years since the colleges first began. Cost: 100 at first, fees to come afterwards. Time: 1 Year. Reward: 2+1d4 Gold Journeymen Wizards For Combat Purposes. Chance of Success: 75%
Soul Study: Ever since coming back from Karak Ungor, you've been noticing things. Odd sensations, noises, feelings, and so on. You are called stone-souled by some, and frankly, you need to actually know what's going on with your soul. It barely survived that fight, after all. Speak to the Priests of Gazul, and your son Arthur, to get some in-depth, actually relevant and hopefully revealing information about what is going on with your soul. Or, at least, know who else to talk to next if this fails. A soul is quite important, after all. You'd like it if yours wasn't horribly mangled or something. Cost: 100. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Information???
Special Options [Choose One Or The Other]
On Matters Of Feather
[] Send Oskana South: The Emperor has requested the presence of Oskana as the only other vaguely tame gryphon in the Empire to try and breed her with Sigismund. The latter is the gryphon who hatched from the egg you sent to him so long ago. In return, he has promised to donate a number of his elite Knights Griffon to make up the difference until Oskana returns to you. Should things go well enough that she lays a second egg, he would lay claim to it while giving you the first. If she only lays one, it's yours. For now, he simply wishes to see if it's possible.
[] Retain Oskana: The Emperor has made it plain that this is only a request, not a demand. As such, you are fully within your rights to refuse him. He'll be disappointed, but you could use Oskana this year in the forests.
Lovely Laurelorn
[] Attend: Your 'success' was apparently noticed. Now they'd like you to repeat it, mostly by proving that trust and meaningful reciprocation is possible. By existing. Hopefully you are, if not a friend, a good enough associate that the elves of Laurelorn won't disappear you into their forest. Thank goodness you chose to make sure the Everqueen remembered you, huh?
[] Decline: You've had quite enough of elf business at this point. You could decline, and be done with the matter. Besides, they can't keep using you as a diplomatic crutch forever, just sort of sitting there while they dance around the matter, right?
