Warhammer Fantasy: A Dynasty of Dynamic Alcoholism

[mastergamer98007]

[X] Plan: Well rested to avoid to much Exhaustion+Attrition+Attention
-[X] Keep Kerillian Close: The potential fractious damage that bringing in any more Druchii than you've got to the warband which is primarily made up of the freed could be considerable. Too much to countenance if you wish to command effectively and without major issue. In another time, another place, simply following Khaine might be enough to unify elves aplenty, but this is not then. Besides, you'll want Kerillian to help you kill other Druchii in your way tomorrow.
-[X] The People
--[X] Courage to Cowards: the Claw of Dominion are terrified, but many of them are so inured to their state of being that to imagine doing otherwise is immensely difficult for them. With the Druchii so terribly distracted with each other, this is the last chance you'll get, that any of your warband will get, to convince them to do otherwise. Make the effort, even if it draws the attention of some Druchii who's outrage at freed slaves might make them an issue to be dealt with. Give them one last chance to die free.
--[X] The Noble Asur: There are more Asur scattered around the Black Ark. For psychologically damaging reasons, the Druchii were happy to inform the Asur of how many of their fellows were enslaved, and where, and what was regularly being done to them. Some were captured in the ill-fated expedition led by Eldyra, others are older than that. The Asur with Sadrina have spoken up. If this really is the last chance, then some effort should be put in, they claim, to try and raid those remaining noble estates that would have them. With the Druchii falling upon themselves across the whole Ark, there will never be a better chance and the Druchii in a weaker position.

 

[NutMaster]

Hm. Now which of these is incorrect? An impostor or is hulteressa just wrong?

Click to shrink...

There was a follow-up comment by torroar, e
Eldyra is alive with Frederick. It seems Hultressa simply assumed Eldyra wouldn't survive the fallout of fighting against those that come to take Gwen and her activating traps in the Tor. Characters in universe will probably talk about this in the next chapter

 

[Valerian]

[X] Plan Much to do
-[X] Keep Kerillian Close:
-[X]Arenas
--[X] The Ring of Gore:
--[X] The Crimson Thorn:
-[X] The People
--[X] The Noble Asur:


I want to attack both Arenas. They are our greatest sources of untapped fighters and guarantee more damage done to Alyssa's forces.

The Courage to Cowards option doesn't speak to me at all. They have sat on the sidelines everytime we came back from a successful mission and refused to join up. They had their chance over and over. I want to give their wasted chances to actual trained fighters instead.

 

[Kihrain]

[X] Plan: Less Ambition
-[X] Keep Kerillian Close: The potential fractious damage that bringing in any more Druchii than you've got to the warband which is primarily made up of the freed could be considerable. Too much to countenance if you wish to command effectively and without major issue. In another time, another place, simply following Khaine might be enough to unify elves aplenty, but this is not then. Besides, you'll want Kerillian to help you kill other Druchii in your way tomorrow.
-[X]Arenas
--[X] The Crimson Thorn: House Direblaze was first to swear to Alyssa, so this would be yet another blow to the power her crumbled faction possesses and could potentially call upon. There may be gladiators here to free as well. Also monstrous beasts that you might be able to unleash to cause rampages and damage, if Hultressa can somewhat command the damn things with Ghur and the like, as well as the strange and mysterious Lizardmen. Whether or not they would be a help or hinderance is unknown at this time.
-[X] The People
--[X] Courage to Cowards: the Claw of Dominion are terrified, but many of them are so inured to their state of being that to imagine doing otherwise is immensely difficult for them. With the Druchii so terribly distracted with each other, this is the last chance you'll get, that any of your warband will get, to convince them to do otherwise. Make the effort, even if it draws the attention of some Druchii who's outrage at freed slaves might make them an issue to be dealt with. Give them one last chance to die free.
--[X] The Noble Asur: There are more Asur scattered around the Black Ark. For psychologically damaging reasons, the Druchii were happy to inform the Asur of how many of their fellows were enslaved, and where, and what was regularly being done to them. Some were captured in the ill-fated expedition led by Eldyra, others are older than that. The Asur with Sadrina have spoken up. If this really is the last chance, then some effort should be put in, they claim, to try and raid those remaining noble estates that would have them. With the Druchii falling upon themselves across the whole Ark, there will never be a better chance and the Druchii in a weaker position.

 

[torroar]

Small addition made to the update right after Hultressa said Eldyra gave her life:

"Not dead, actually," you speak up, making her pause and blink. "Not in pristine condition, no, but she's in the Tor, a slab or two over from my husband, still breathing."

"How could you...ah, that...bond," she says with audible distaste before it ameliorates with relief. "Then that...is all the more reason, then."

Fists slam against the table.

^And then it's back to before with Sadrina yelling.

----

In addition, as I go through the corrections offered to me by some trusted fellows in PM:

I recognize that this has been going on a while. But I really, really tried with this one. Tore 20k words out of my skull, and even managed to name it the penultimate recruiting drive before the final assault. Penultimate. As in right before the end. And yet the occasional 'how much longer' continues to haunt my eyeballs when I read through the thread because the brain is unfortunately liable to seize upon such things even as others seem okay or even pleased with what was written. And I really want to emphasize here: The answer is as long as it takes. I am trying, for real. I don't want to try and do a Lovely Laurelorn esque continual mega batch, but if it truly has become that onerous, I can, like, try. The hope is that there is the upcoming update and then the final assault on the Tor and then leaving the Ark. Disregarding wordcount, that is the hope, I suppose. How many updates it might take to do the latter two, hard to say, we might run into decision points that require a stoppage, as I would like to keep offering votes and choices as is the point of the quest and not just a free writing project. Or I guess I might as well try and try to squeeze it into a Lovely Laurelorn direction if only to spare my brain the itches it gets from the question and just write all the way to the escape. I don't want to do that, and my actual capability of doing so is actually uncertain as I fell into the worst fugue I've ever experienced while doing LL and I frankly don't think I'm capable of doing it again given IRL circumstances and duty to the parent, but still.

Regardless, appreciate you all for your comments so long as they're not just like...I dunno, a blatant insult without actual feedback [and I want to also note, I do not regard 'how much longer' as insults, just makes me go 'aw' and sigh when I read them, it's seriously okay, that's how entertainment and writing and stuff works, that kind of question is the sort that is legitimate to ask, especially given the length of the arc] Keeps me humble and that's not a bad thing.

 

[mmgaballah]

Regardless, appreciate you all for your comments so long as they're not just like...I dunno, a blatant insult without actual feedback [and I want to also note, I do not regard 'how much longer' as insults, just makes me go 'aw' and sigh when I read them, it's seriously okay, that's how entertainment and writing and stuff works, that kind of question is the sort that is legitimate to ask, especially given the length of the arc] Keeps me humble and that's not a bad thing.

Click to shrink...

don't take them too hard or personally , its not that this ark is bad nor anything wrong with the story and the writing remains excellent and emotionally engaging as aways , which is the root of the complaints in fact you always manage to get a rise from us as your writing gives us the feels hard its then that the quest nature of the story hits because it means every chapter ends on a sort of cliff hanger

this causes a phenomenon I call Narrative Blue Balls which is well immensely frustrating and its been going on for over 2 real life years its only known cure is to reach the ending and epilogue

this Narrative Blue Balls issue is also the cause of most complaints about KU and LL , I found this quest after KU was done so I never suffered Narrative Blue Balls merely fatigue and eye strain due to lack of sleep as I binged the whole thing over 3 to 4 emotionally exhausting days

hence why people keep asking about when it will end , don't take it personally its just the Narrative Blue Balls talking it will pass

 

[Brogatar]

[X] Plan: Less Ambition

 

[MightbeaMimic]

Honestly I'm happy with how things are going because we're making progress. The previous update that people (including me) got frustrated at was frustrating because it felt like a step back (although it actually wasn't).

Now? The ark is collapsing, we're making final preparations to rescue Freddy and things are all coming to a head. I'm looking forward to the next update and am excited to see what happens

 

[Vuus]

[X] Plan: Less Ambition

 

[abominable]

Ah I can see the logic of trying to bust out some Lizzies.

If we do end up in Norsca, hooking up with the Norscan dawis and Oldie worshipping tribes would be a lot easier with the Lizzies.

Man this may just end up topping the Karak Ungor campaign by virtue of enemies fought, biomes fought in, allies courted and gods pissed off and cavorted with.

Hell, maybe Freddie'll get beheaded a second time! 🤔

 

[Garlak]

Hmm... if we actually wind up conquering the Black Ark at the end of the clash with Alyssa... there might be a benefit to sending Kerillian out.

Namely, the Druchii civilian masses that are riled up enough to start fighting now?

They will still be riled up after the Final Battle(TM) with Alyssa goes down. And they will want to have a say in who is in charge of the Ark. With spears to make their point. Or perhaps, the Atharti cultists and the masses of civilians -- both being Druchii -- will team up in order to wipe us out as an offense to their pride.

And if we send Kerillian out, to go round them up and lead them?

Then WE will have been the ones to have been leading them during this uprising.

Meaning that when the dust settles and all the individual parties stop stabbing Alyssa's corpse, if we have to turn to the others and say "We're in charge", the Druchii civilians won't be as likely to say "And what makes you say you are in charge? We have an army too!" and the Atharti won't be as easily able to say "Let's gut those rebellious slaves!" to the civillians, because the civilians would have been led by Kerillian.

In short, I think that perhaps sending Kerillian out to round up the civillians, means three things;

1. A more organized civilian uprising and resistance, in the present.
2. The mobs being more likely to listen to hear us out when the dust settled. Rather than to side with the Atharti-lead Druchii.
3. The Atharti cultists feel less embolded to inevitably backstab us, because the civilian masses would be led by a Khainite Draich-wielding Kerillian.

Whether our message would just be "Just let us leave; let us take some ships and leave", or "We are in charge now, as we try to steer this Black Ark somewhere", it'd be useful to have another party more likely to listen to us than to the Atharti'ans.

 

[90% Human]

[X] Plan: Less Ambition

 

[LysanderArgent]

@torroar

Mate, I'll say that for me this point of the arc is fun. Leading a rebellion involves action, choices, and consequences; it's all very dynamic. And Natasha's whole roaring rampage of revenge has been very cathartic.

To me, the period when Fredrick was stuck in Hultresses quarters was... frustrating.

On the positive side, we got a lot of world-building lore which was fun, and the scenes of Fredrick being his papa bear self with Gwen and Eldyra was supremely satisfying. Or when he freaks out Hultress with his badassery.

But it did seem to drag on and we got a real sense of cabin fever during it, sure we could make choices but we only really barely saw the consequences of the choices filtered through what Hultrersss told us. But regardless it seemed like we were getting to the climax with the auction... only for it all to be ripped out from under us. Not only was the build-up 'betrayed', but it included an extra gut punch with Fredrick getting captured and tortured. That was a low point for me.

But honestly, everything since then with Natasha has been great. Sure I'm saying that because the rolls have been very kind to us, but regardless; I love where we are currently.

[X] Plan: Well rested to avoid to much Exhaustion+Attrition+Attention

 

[torroar]

don't take them too hard or personally , its not that this ark is bad nor anything wrong with the story and the writing remains excellent and emotionally engaging as aways , which is the root of the complaints in fact you always manage to get a rise from us as your writing gives us the feels hard its then that the quest nature of the story hits because it means every chapter ends on a sort of cliff hanger

this causes a phenomenon I call Narrative Blue Balls which is well immensely frustrating and its been going on for over 2 real life years its only known cure is to reach the ending and epilogue

this Narrative Blue Balls issue is also the cause of most complaints about KU and LL , I found this quest after KU was done so I never suffered Narrative Blue Balls merely fatigue and eye strain due to lack of sleep as I binged the whole thing over 3 to 4 emotionally exhausting days

hence why people keep asking about when it will end , don't take it personally its just the Narrative Blue Balls talking it will pass

Click to shrink...

I'd say, if anything, the whole of KU taking as long as it did is probably the worst of out of all of it, compared to LL or this, because during KU I was like, legitimately depressed. Undiagnosed, maybe, but there were days where it definitely wasn't writer's block but outright just bedrotting because I couldn't muster the energy to even get out of bed, let alone get to the laptop. Just a horrible malaise I couldn't quite shake for a long time. Odd to compare then to now, because I'm certainly not in what I would call a 'better' mental space, but due to requirements demanding me get up and help the parent, I have to get up and do things every day. So maybe that is better, in its own way.

But I get it. I seriously do, it's the case of being there as something is built and enjoying it after it already is.

I really do get it, which is why I was trying to say to those who ask about it that, like, hey man, I get it. I just want to communicate that, while I get it, I also sometimes feel a bit down from the repetition on that end. Funny thing psychologically to be aware of something and still have it poke at you on occasion internally even if consciously you know better.

Really, all I was trying to say was I get it, and we'll just have to keep going as best we can.

Mate, I'll say that for me this point of the arc is fun. Leading a rebellion involves action, choices, and consequences; it's all very dynamic. And Natashas whole roaring rampage of revenge has been very cathartic.

To me, the period when Fredrick was stuck in Hultresses quarters was... frustrating.

On the positive side, we got a lot of world-building lore which was fun, and the scenes of Fredrick being his papa bear self with Gwen and Eldyra was supremely satisfying.

But it did seem to drag on and we got a real sense of cabin fever during it, but it seemed like we were getting to the climax with the auction... only for it all to be ripped out from under us. Not only was the build up ruined, but it included an extra gut p[unch with Fredrick getting captured and tortured. That was a low point for me.

But honestly, everything since then with Natasha has been great. Sure I'm saying that because the rolls have been very kind to us, but regardless; I love where we are currently.

Click to shrink...

I understand how the fallout and results might not have been immediately what was desired with how the auction turned out, I get it. I apologize for it dragging on and the ripping bit. That is, unfortunately, sometimes how things end up going. I'm glad that things were able to turn around for you to remain engaged and such, and again, apologize for the time it's taken to get through this.

I just know that if I could do an update a day, there would be less stifled feelings and trapped'ness, because of how rapid it all would have been. Like how you could read a book or completed story and just bulldoze your way through, rather than having to wait on me. Just the nature of the being human thing though, unfortunately. If I could distill muse and motivation that lets me write 20k words in sub 48 hours, and just, do that on the regular? Well, that'd be pretty sweet.

But it also sounds dangerously like feeding all of my writing into an AI and just using that, and that just won't do. Not for me.

So again, to everyone, it's all love and appreciation on my front, the hide's gotten thicker over the years so I'm not going to break down angry and wailing, I'm too tired to do that anymore for the most part. So it's just like, an acknowledgemnet, you know? Like a bear noticing a prickly bush is prickly, not going oof oo ouch.

Does make me wonder at how serial webcomic writers when they got into particularly tense arcs think about things though, when it's just the one page a week.

 

[MightbeaMimic]

"And…," she trails off before an exasperated and tired snort escapes her. "I couldn't just leave him."

Like pulling teeth, that.

"Him? My husband? Frederick von Hohenzollern?" You hiss out.

She grinds her teeth for a moment before nodding once.

"Yes. Yes," she says it the second time as a hiss. "The debt I owe him is too great, the…there's…," her grasp over speech appears to disappear for a brief instant. "He was kind to her," she finally says, sagging in her chair, eyes once more on her daughter.

Click to shrink...

Freddy to elves: "You will be befriended. Do not resist"

 

[DkArthas]

[X] Plan Blood, Monsters, and Elves

The dark elves are too useful to be ignored. At least we need them to know our khaine sword swinging girl exists so they don't end up fighting us.

 

[Night_stalker]

[X] Plan: Well rested to avoid to much Exhaustion+Attrition+Attention

 

[TehChron]

We don't really need to get in any massive fights anymore.

Click to shrink...

No, we lost a shit ton hitting the Anchorstone complex, and that Sorceress was hobbled trying to keep from accidentally breaking it precisely in the manner that Natasha ultimately wound up doing so.

The Tor of Dominance is the beating heart of the Ark's entire aethyric network, and Hultressa will be at her strongest there, complete with apprentice Sorceresses to serve as ablative on top of her most loyal troops and most powerful mook Slaaneshi mooks and daemons.

We need to hit one of the Arenas by default for more bodies in order to successfully burn through Alyssa's remaining ablative forces so that we can gank her in turn and have the breathing room to free Freddie and Eldyra. Once we do, we can leave, because killing Hultressa will break the siege mentality of the Methlann cult and give us an opening to try and grab boats to gtfo as the Ark slows down to avoid pasting itself on the Norscan shoreline

 

[buli-buli]

[X] Plan Blood, Monsters, and Elves

 

[watcheye456]

MAN! What a chapter! Took me over an hour to read throu, plus breaks! But man, It is a glorous read.

Hultressa decided to relieve the siege at the Temple of Atharti.

Click to shrink...

As much as is benefits us that both happened at the sme time, Kind of wished we did go there.
I acnowledge this course of action was superior, just wanted to see Huli in action.

(Cracks and Fractures: 77+Food Supply Friction(15)+Besmirching Glory(20)+Complex Conquered(25)+Siege Shattered(20)+Auction Ruination(30)+Hultressan Attrition(10)+Complex Obliterated(30)+Embers of Khaine(5)+Dissatisfied Cytharai Cultists(10)-Foundational Corruption(35)-Immediate Loyalists(15)-Screamtaker Dissatisfaction(15)-Bribes And Threats(10)-Daemonic Support(15)=152/100)

Click to shrink...

Muahhahahah! The power of cumulation!

"Khaine has always been strongest amongst the Druchii, and not so easily guttered out. Alyssa might have shattered the Cult, but she could no more kill Khaine by shattering Him into pieces than she could extinguish the flame of war and burning blood within most every Druchii heart,"

Click to shrink...

This... This somehow feels 40k.
Anyone else? or is it just me?
Eldari sure can subscribe to that line of thought.

The Temple of Atharti has become a major rallying point, and managed to repel Alyssa when she personally came to assault it."

Click to shrink...

This is good. Blow number three. Gained a tentative ally in the form of High priestess. Not that she would ever admit it, but she better learn to listen.

"Alas, no," Kerillian grumbles. "The High Priestess came out of a thousand-elf orgy as some sort of ritual to call upon Atharti's power and managed to repel her, as the story goes."

Click to shrink...

...
This is hilarious to me. Reminds me of game called Subverse.
Certanly in the portfoli and image of Atharti. Not beating allegation on that one.
Plus Natasha's reaction... just elfs being elfs.

"You may rightly blame me for much of the pain your husband has suffered. But could I ask for succor for a night, for myself and my child?"

You want very, very, very badly to refuse them.

But there is a crying child out there who needs a warm bed and a blanket.

"…get in here," you grumble and sweep back into the Tor.

Click to shrink...

... This , may just be the most powerfull impact of the update... Just, ... a child is cold, they will be warm...
Some things are worth in what can not be described.

Hultressa sniffs and then looks down into the glass of water before downing it entirely.

"Matters…are in motion. I had no way to know you would be so active, nor so…successful," she says with grudging respect and a few notes of genuine bewilderment.

Click to shrink...

Not sure if she was humbled or just bewildred. but love it either way.
Poor Huli learning that Freddy is contaigous.

"I…may have…reacted…unwisely," she admits, sucking some air through her teeth.

Click to shrink...

Hahahahha!
It is not often we hear an elf say that! Good on her for acknowledging it.

"He was kind to her," she finally says, sagging in her chair, eyes once more on her daughter.

Click to shrink...

... Point for Fredric.
I got no words.




"See this fire? Make it bigger."

I will not care much for Druchii, esspecially not the ones that not care for situation such as this.
Mayby later, if fate is willing
Also we need all we can take. Before we make the landfall.

Oh man is it possible to claim this Ark as our own

Click to shrink...

I mean... Is there any ark left at that point? Might as well let it sink....
Preferably close to Northern dwarfs.

 

[EVA-Saiyajin]

Nothing wrong has been done as far as pacing.

 

[TehChron]

[X] Plan: Less Ambition

There's no point in getting ready to try and overreach.

No matter what, by the end of this chain of events the Claw of Dominon is going to be finished, and stories of Freddie and Natasha's responsibility in seeing it taken out are going to spread to the wider world regardless.

If the coping over the loss of the Fortress of Eternal Torture was going to be wild in blaming the Wood Elves, the mental gymnastics that the Druchii are going to leap through to rationalize this are going to be something else once word gets out of what happened.

Especially because its going to be historical record that "Natasha and Fredereck von Hohenzollern were lost aboard the Claw of Dominion as it departed Sakalken in defeat" and ideally it'll also be historical record when they re-appear in Kislev down the line.

Setting aside that the Elves are going to gleefully rub it into the Druchiis collective faces.

We just need to break Freddie out, and get as many bodies into boats to make their way ashore as possible before the Khainites arrive to bowl it all over into the sea to spite the Slaaneshii.

Edit: We're going to have one more chance to recruit bodies because no matter what, after we take out Alyssa there's going to be at least one more fight on this ark - hitting the Cult of Mathlann so we can grab whatever boats remain to be taken

 

[EVA-Saiyajin]

[X] Plan: Less Ambition

 

[mmgaballah]

[X]Arenas

 

[Thule]

So what do people think will happen with the Claw of Dominon once it crash into Norscan? i mean there is no way we could take it back to Ostland as we have no way to power it, so someone else is gonna claim its ruins