"It wasn't them," she insists, gesturing to the papers behind her. "Extensive investigations by those with the talents, skills, and experience specifically at investigating the Holders of the Shore, of radicals in the Cult in general, are things I shall trust more than the Witch Hunter's methods," she sucks a bit of air through her ivory teeth, "I know the depravity, cruelness, and duplicitousness of the Druchii. It is entirely possible that they could have been responsible for it. But they were not."
"So…what," you sputter, "It's was just all insane maniacs, who decided to work together for once, in defiance of all normal operating procedures for their kind?"
Maghda raises an eyebrow.
"Is that genuinely surprising? Honestly. Answer me, in all your time, have you never dealt with a foe who avoided traditional tactics and methods, and in doing so proved a different magnitude of threat than you were accustomed to dealing with?"
It's true that foes can change tactics but I would also like to point out that literally all of these changes came adapting to outside pressures or as part of someone else's plot. Going through each:
Like daemon-infused greenskins acting with far more tactical cunning than usual while utilizing weaponry that none of their kind had been noted to wield up until then. Or perhaps centigors clad from head to hoof in armor in direct defiance to the usual ramshackle manner of their kind. Or a dryad utilizing the tendency of warfare in Mallus to focus on giant monstrous threats in a complete sacrificial play of effort and magic of absurd cost. Or, going in the other direction, gaining the aid of a Sigmar-blessed vampiress while fighting other vampires. The Empire not merely accepting the use of magic but making an institution out of it to absolutely vital effect during the Great War Against Chaos. Asrai willingly journeying to Ulthuan to help protect the Everqueen rather than remaining wholly within their forests.
Greenskin:
-A black orc (which was why he had armor on to begin with) and a servant of the Chaos Dwarfs as part of a larger plot to destroy the throne of power.
—This guy didn't come up with daemon smithing on his own, he was just given it. He is a tool of a plot.
Centigors:
-We got statements of Malagor planning something. Nuff said.
Dryad:
-For all she exploited our understanding of fighting, we don't actually know how dryads or forest creatures in general fight. They're too alien and/or unknown for Freddy to make judgements on their style of warfare.
Vampire:
-Yeah fair point. Genevieve is weird, but I would argue that this was always in the gods' power, they just didn't have reason to give it before. It's a revealing of unknown capabilities.
Colleges:
-Yeah, this is bullshit. The Colleges came from the second-best emperor in history who was blessed by every god. If it wasn't for his visible holiness he'd have died from religious uprising (and he got more shit for this one decision than anything else he's done) And wouldn't have thought to do it at all if a traveling high elf lore master and co didn't come and open up the possibility. Basically a Magnus the Pious tier character would a character to restructure the cult itself, or at least make make waves in the cult itself for their ideology. This is not an internal matter.
Asrai:
-Those guys got their worldview Molotov'd in the balls and divine intervention. See: adapting to circumstances.
So, like, I buy that she's sincere and that she did search, but her belief that this was random chance is just squigshit. The scale of the actions are too large and require too much prep. The examples listed are battles on a racial scale. It affects gods and if the leader wasn't notable than it was outside influence. This is not the time to ask, but I really hope we can get a cross examination.
The issue is not their design, it is the materials that they are made with, and the elves that crew them.
Darn. Well if we can't use em, sink em.
Someone will have to explain to me why a god would care about a shiny babble, no matter how magical it is.
Because it's a target that could cause personal anguish if lost to us.
Saying they are apolitical over and over isn't going to solve the problem, they control the equivalent of an independent national guard AND own most of the highways equivalents of your country, they NEED to be given political power just to coordinate effectively for the country to run smoothly.
And they do have power. It's called being given unilateral mastery of oceans and (usually) being untouchable by other cults. If you mean why don't they have a vote in meets then it's because for a large part of its history the empire wasn't. Not worth the capital to push when they get what they want anyways. Pre 3 emps the empire wasn't connected enough for them to leverage their trade control. And now the only reason that they haven't pushed is because the leader is more focused on humanitarianism and worship over political power. I feel like I'm pissing in the wind considering how you've acted but cheers! Hope this clarifies!
———
I'm fine with burning Druchii ships and giving the Fist and Omen to cult, because the Fist is emblematic of Fredrick and the Omen for Oskar's early interest. Nothing else has that connection and emotional value. To that end: No burning, I'd go for it if we had to but this is just a loss for everybody. We loose our heaviest ships and the cult looses out on heavy hitting ships that will be used to protect somebody. That's the most important thing here.
I'm ok with the Kneelhauling in moderation. Second or third worst. Helping her helps us in but I'm not willing to get a burial at sea here.
@torroar You've done a greatjob honestly, with how you've presented things. Be aware that it's basically three people who have consistently failed at empathizing with people or viewing things from another's perspective. After a certain point you should just be aware that they aren't changing. You can only do so much, yeah?
man this is getting long lol
