[X] [LIBRARY] Library of Mournings: name two non-magical topics to hire Cityborn scribes to copy all available Laurelorn books on.
-[X] Hekarti
-[X] Loec
[X] [PURCHASE] Minor Gods (The Empire) Extensive and Esoteric (250 Gold)
Another reason why I am really not sold on 'backfill' is that it is so impersonal. I mean if we buy stuff on the elf gods we might get a little scene with that lore the same way we got a weaving scene with Francesco last turn. What does backfilling do? You cannot have a scene with small increases in all sorts of disparate topics so all we would get is numbers going up on the library page.
Another reason why I am really not sold on 'backfill' is that it is so impersonal. I mean if we buy stuff on the elf gods we might get a little scene with that lore the same way we got a weaving scene with Francesco last turn. What does backfilling do? You cannot have a scene with small increases in all sorts of disparate topics so all we would get is numbers going up on the library page.
Of course you can have a scene about increases in all sorts of disparate topics. Just write a short sentence on each topic you got, or a description of how Mathilde's contacts buy out entire bookstores with Belegar's endless money, or about how Mathilde feels as she sees shelves fill and the library becomes more concrete and less of an idea, or some mix of the above.
The scene we got last time was about getting books from the Eonir in general, which probably won't repeat every time, and about silk weaving. The other topic we got books on got a single line:
and that's it. Textiles probably got such a long scene because the We silk has been something the thread has cared about for a while, and I doubt we'll get similar scenes for most other topics.
But really, I think you should vote based on what kind of things you want to read, not how much words you think you'll get. Trying to divine how lengthy a scene we'll get from each option doesn't isn't the way to go.
I also disagree with the idea the back-fill is impersonal - it puts the focus on growing the library rather than on learning about specific topics, but the library isn't 'a list of numbers on a page' to Mathilde, it's a project so near and dear to her heart that when Belegar told her she can have anything, this was what she asked for.
Of course you can have a scene about increases in all sorts of disparate topics. Just write a short sentence on each topic you got, or a description of how Mathilde's contacts buy out entire bookstores with Belegar's endless money, or about how Mathilde feels as she sees shelves fill and the library becomes more concrete and less of an idea, or some mix of the above.
The scene we got last time was about getting books from the Eonir in general, which probably won't repeat every time, and about silk weaving. The other topic we got books on got a single line:
and that's it. Textiles probably got such a long scene because the We silk has been something the thread has cared about for a while, and I doubt we'll get similar scenes for most other topics.
But really, I think you should vote based on what kind of things you want to read, not how much words you think you'll get. Trying to divine how lengthy a scene we'll get from each option doesn't isn't the way to go.
I also disagree with the idea the back-fill is impersonal - it puts the focus on growing the library rather than on learning about specific topics, but the library isn't 'a list of numbers on a page' to Mathilde, it's a project so near and dear to her heart that when Belegar told her she can have anything, this was what she asked for.
I am not trying to divine how lengthy it will be. I am trying to divine how satisfying it is and a dry 'the library got bigger' is a lot less interesting to me. It is also by definition impersonal because it is not about Mathilde's person and her projects, it is about the library doing library things. I absolutely think some things to do with the library can have personal and emotional impact I just do not think a general order to backfill the shelves will, nor realistically should it. Some things just are business as usual and should be treated as such by the character, if we go for backfill this will be far from the last time this is done and it would feel forced for it to have some kind of emotional or personal resonance.
[X] [LIBRARY] Library of Mournings: name two non-magical topics to hire Cityborn scribes to copy all available Laurelorn books on.
-[X] Hekarti
-[X] Loec
[X] [PURCHASE] Minor Gods (The Empire) Extensive and Esoteric (250 Gold)
[x] [DWARF] No purchase.
[X] [COLLEGE] Extremely extensive background check on our new best friend, Egrimm "I just showed up at the Light College one day out of nowhere" van Horstman.
Had a thought I found a bit amusing- with the huge backlog of captured writing they have, the Dwarfs will almost certainly be able to construct a better history of the Skaven than the Skaven ever have.
I'm assuming that's creative license or something. The most in-depth descriptions of Black Fire Pass have been from 3rd Edition WFRP, and those areas say that there was some sort of volcano in the region that has long been dormant which created the pathways that make the pass. I don't think there's any mentions from the sources I've read of Black Fire Pass still being geothermally active.
[X] [COLLEGE] Extremely extensive background check on our new best friend, Egrimm "I just showed up at the Light College one day out of nowhere" van Horstman.
[X] [PURCHASE] Minor Gods (The Empire): Extensive and Esoteric (250 Gold), Hekarti: Extensive and Esoteric Eonir (250 Gold), Atharti: Extensive and Esoteric Eonir (250 Gold)
[X] [PURCHASE] Minor Gods (The Empire): Extensive and Esoteric (250 Gold), Hekarti: Extensive and Esoteric Eonir (250 Gold), Loec: Extensive and Esoteric Eonir (250 Gold)
[X] [PURCHASE] Minor Gods (The Empire): Extensive and Esoteric (250 Gold), Hekarti: Extensive and Esoteric Eonir (250 Gold), Hoeth: Extensive and Esoteric Eonir (250 Gold)
[X] [LIBRARY] Library of Mournings: name two non-magical topics to hire Cityborn scribes to copy all available Laurelorn books on.
-[X] Hekarti
-[X] Loec
[X] [LIBRARY] Library of Mournings: name two non-magical topics to hire Cityborn scribes to copy all available Laurelorn books on.
-[X] Engineering
-[X] Linguistics
[X] [LIBRARY] Library of Mournings: name two non-magical topics to hire Cityborn scribes to copy all available Laurelorn books on.
-[X] Hekarti
-[X] Hoeth
[X] [LIBRARY] Library of Mournings: name two non-magical topics to hire Cityborn scribes to copy all available Laurelorn books on.
-[X] Hekarti
-[X] Agriculture
@Boney I have a few questions about Horstmann's capabilites. Maybe these aren't things Mathilde currently knows, but I want to know if Mathilde knows them.
How much Battle Magic does Horstmann know? Shem's Burning Gaze is a given, that was apparent from the list he gave us during Karag Dum, but I assume that the spell he cast to destroy that Higher Daemon was the Battle Magic spell Banishment, not the Moderately Complicated Banish. Would I be correct in that assumption? My current stipulation is that he is a "Level 2 Wizard" who knows two Battle Magic spells, but I want to make sure. Maybe he knows more.
What is his level of enchanting? Relatively Simple, Moderately Complicated, Fiendishly Complex or Battle Magic?
What would Horstmann say his specialty lies in? Anti-Daemonology? Enchanting? Research? Multi-specialty?
@Boney I have a few questions about Horstmann's capabilites. Maybe these aren't things Mathilde currently knows, but I want to know if Mathilde knows them.
How much Battle Magic does Horstmann know? Shem's Burning Gaze is a given, that was apparent from the list he gave us during Karag Dum, but I assume that the spell he cast to destroy that Higher Daemon was the Battle Magic spell Banishment, not the Fiendishly Complex Banish. Would I be correct in that assumption? My current stipulation is that he is a "Level 2 Wizard" who knows two Battle Magic spells, but I want to make sure. Maybe he knows more.
What is his level of enchanting? Relatively Simple, Moderately Complicated, Fiendishly Complex or Battle Magic?
You're asking for an enumeration of a lot of things that aren't enumerated. Things like 'Fiendishly Complex' and 'level of enchanting' are abstractions that I only apply to Mathilde because it is necessary. Other characters don't need to have their capabilities understood at a glance for hundreds of voters, so they're more nuanced. Mathilde's knowledge of Horstmann's capabilities are limited to what she's seen him doing, and all of those things happened on-screen.
Depending how bitter he was feeling at the time, he might describe himself as a specialist in everything Alric threw him at, which would be best represented with the title Doulos. Officially he was Abjurer, Treatite, Chanter, Monad, Minor Exorcist, and Low Luminary, representing Magisterial-level expertise in anti-Daemonology and academia, and sub-Magisterial skill in choirs, teaching, exorcism, and witch-hunting. After his promotion he is Nous and Abjurer with Nous being the Lord Magister title for academia, because sub-Magisterial titles are dropped for Lord Magisters. Keep in mind this is titular, and doesn't necessarily reflect his actual skill levels.
You're asking for an enumeration of a lot of things that aren't enumerated. Things like 'Fiendishly Complex' and 'level of enchanting' are abstractions that I only apply to Mathilde because it is necessary. Other characters don't need to have their capabilities understood at a glance for hundreds of voters, so they're more nuanced. Mathilde's knowledge of Horstmann's capabilities are limited to what she's seen him doing, and all of those things happened on-screen.
Depending how bitter he was feeling at the time, he might describe himself as a specialist in everything Alric threw him at, which would be best represented with the title Doulos. Officially he was Abjurer, Treatite, Chanter, Monad, Minor Exorcist, and Low Luminary, representing Magisterial-level expertise in anti-Daemonology and academia, and sub-Magisterial skill in choirs, teaching, exorcism, and witch-hunting. After his promotion he is Nous and Abjurer with Nous being the Lord Magister title for academia, because sub-Magisterial titles are dropped for Lord Magisters. Keep in mind this is titular, and doesn't necessarily reflect his actual skill levels.
Depending how bitter he was feeling at the time, he might describe himself as a specialist in everything Alric threw him at, which would be best represented with the title Doulos. Officially he was Abjurer, Treatite, Chanter, Monad, Minor Exorcist, and Low Luminary, representing Magisterial-level expertise in anti-Daemonology and academia, and sub-Magisterial skill in choirs, teaching, exorcism, and witch-hunting. After his promotion he is Nous and Abjurer with Nous being the Lord Magister title for academia, because sub-Magisterial titles are dropped for Lord Magisters. Keep in mind this is titular, and doesn't necessarily reflect his actual skill levels.
That's a lot of words whose meanings I didn't understand, so I looked them up. Looking up the first, I was hit immediately with the term Doulos meaning "Slave" apparently. Nous means mind or intellect. Monad's meaning in philosophy is "an indivisible and hence ultimately simple entity, such as an atom or a person." Luminary, Abjurer, Chanter and Exorcist can be understood from context.
After his promotion he is Nous and Abjurer with Nous being the Lord Magister title for academia, because sub-Magisterial titles are dropped for Lord Magisters.
[*] [LIBRARY] Library of Mournings: name two non-magical topics to hire Cityborn scribes to copy all available Laurelorn books on.
-[*] Hekarti
-[*] Loec
[*] [DWARF] No purchase.
[*] [COLLEGE] No purchase.
[*] [PURCHASE] Minor Gods (The Empire) Extensive and Esoteric (250 Gold)
A brief skim of your recent purchases highlights the difference between the human and Elven perspective of Gods. A human book on a God will tell you how one should act to attract the attention and approval of a God, whereas an Elven book instead instructs the reader to find the place in themselves where that God is already reflected, how to give that part primacy when needed, and the situations in which doing so would be most beneficial. Parts of the books dedicated to Hekarti read like a very mystical version of a set of Wind attunement and attenuation techniques, and parts of the books dedicated to Loec would function well as guide to music, dance, or ambush tactics. You wonder if this difference arises from the Elves or their Gods - are the Elven Gods more willing to share worshippers, or are Elves just poorly-suited to dedication to a single God? You find the question resonates with very similar ones about the Winds, how Elves are capable of weaving all of them in concert but humans delve much deeper into just one. As in all things, the Elves have a tendency to claim this as a sign of superiority, but an argument can be made - and Cython has already done so - that this is a form of cowardice. To choose one is to reject the others, but to choose none is to master none.
This difference in perspective is also why you were able to secure this many books at all. In any human Cult, a large amount of these would be considered Cult secrets and only available to those that have dedicated their lives to the God in question. But to an Eonir perspective, it makes no sense to try to conceal these things because they are simply transcriptions of information that lies within every Elven soul. And because no non-Eonir have had access to the Library of Mournings for millennia, it would make no sense to have any sort of safeguard against that information reaching non-Elves. Perhaps they will identify this as an oversight and close it in time, or perhaps they won't, as this is all information available to polities as distant and inscrutable as Ulthuan and Naggaroth and Athel Loren. Divine secrets exist that aren't on the shelves for any reader to access, of course, but they represent a much narrower portion of the corpus and would fill perhaps a tome or two, rather than entire shelves.
With some effort, you put the metaphysical examination of specific psychology and sociology out of your mind to turn your attention to more worldly matters. With the cooperation of the Order of Light and the Order of Life secured, if not yet fully paid for, you now have quite an array of contributors, including inheritors of each of the major parties that was present for the raising of the Old World's Runestones - Thorek for the Dwarves, Lord Hatalath for the Elves, and Elrisse and Tochter for the humans. While there's undoubtedly still value to be found among other groups, this foundation should bring enough perspectives to the table that a groundwork established here and now should be able to incorporate all of those you're likely to be able to bring in in the future. Part of you does want to bring in practically every magical tradition on the continent before you begin, but that's hardly practical. Another part of you does rankle at beginning work on credit, so it might be preferable to fully pay for the presence of Elrisse and Tochter before you put them to work. You did agree to investigate Alric personally, and while you technically didn't promise personal investigation for Gryphon's Wood, a lot of the reasons why Paranoth thought you'd be suited for it wouldn't apply if you merely delegated it.
You have five actions you can apply without engaging in overwork. For every two AP spent across all members of WEB-MAT, including recruiting new members, you can spend one 'free' additional AP with any member of WEB-MAT. WEB-MAT actions are performed by Mathilde alongside that person when possible, such as studying something alongside that person, cowriting a paper together, one teaching the other, both of them learning something new, et cetera.
Current overwork status: [-] [ ] [ ] Each box will be filled by one action of overwork, and will take the two turns after that to fade as you recover. The first box incurs no penalty. The second will give a -10 penalty to all actions during the first turn of recovery. The third will give a -20 penalty to all actions on both turns of recovery.
Overwork incurs no penalties on the turns taken, only on the turns recovering from it. You can take as many actions of overwork as you have unfilled boxes.
When you use overwork it fills the left-most empty box, so [-][ ][ ] becomes [-][+][ ], not [+][-][ ]. All boxes recover in parallel and independent from one another, but second and third apply maluses on your actions during that cooldown period.
WEB-MAT: Magister Maximilian de Gaynesford, Gold Wizard
[ ] MAX: Learning: specify what and from who. You may pay for a trainer.
[ ] MAX: Study an artefact: specify which.
[ ] MAX: Receive dictation: specify which two papers or one book will be written.
WEB-MAT: Magister Johann, Gold Wizard
[ ] JOHANN: Learning: specify what and from who. You may pay for a trainer.
[ ] JOHANN: Study an artefact: specify which.
[ ] JOHANN: Write a paper: specify which.
WEB-MAT: Lord Magister Egrimm van Horstmann, Light Wizard
[ ] EGRIMM: Attempt a Windherder enchantment with Egrimm (specify what)
[ ] EGRIMM: Learning: specify what from who. You may pay for a trainer.
[ ] EGRIMM: Study an artefact: specify which.
[ ] EGRIMM: Write a paper: specify which.
WEB-MAT: Other
[ ] WEB-MAT: Attempt to recruit someone to WEB-MAT (specify who)
[ ] WEB-MAT: Investigate Alric with one or more members of WEB-MAT (specify who) (NEW)
[ ] WEB-MAT: Investigate Gryphon Wood with one or more members of WEB-MAT (specify who) (NEW)
[ ] WEB-MAT: Hire someone as a full-time Gyrocopter pilot (optional: specify who) (NEW)
The Waystone Project, Recruitment
[ ] Attempt to bring an Order into the Waystone Project (specify which)
[ ] Attempt to bring a non-Order magical tradition into the Waystone Project (specify which)
[ ] Attempt to bring a human Cult into the Waystone Project (specify which)
[ ] Attempt to bring a Major House or Ward into the Waystone Project (specify which)
[ ] Attempt to bring a Karak's Runesmiths into the Waystone Project (specify which)
The Waystone Project, Research
[ ] Personally scrutinize a Waystone as thoroughly as you possibly can.
[ ] Lay the foundations: work with the current members of WEB-MAT and the Waystone Project to build a single unified framework for understanding the Waystones. In theory, the more members there currently are, the more complete this framework will be. Will unlock further investigations. Can be repeated if desired, but will not unlock anything new after the first time, it will just make a new framework incorporating any new recruits.
Lovely Laurelorn
[ ] Explore the wonders of the ancient and beautiful city of Tor Lithanel.
[ ] Explore one of the Wards of Laurelorn (specify which: Storm, Rain, Frost)
Self-Improvement:
[ ] Receive training: specify who and what. (acquaintances may train you for free, or you can hire someone with money or favours)
[ ] Attempt to learn Battle Magic at the Grey College. (1 College Favour per attempt)
[ ] Attempt to gain control of one of your Arcane Marks (specify which)
[ ] Try to see through Pall of Darkness with your improved magical senses.
[ ] Practice shooting while invisible. (applies to Substance of Shadow and Invisibility)
[ ] Branulhune's ability to disappear and reappear at a thought allows entirely new forms of combat. Continue to work on them.
[ ] Attempt to finish off the Grey College spellbook by learning Shadow of Death, Cloak Activity, and the MAPP.
Research and Publishing:
[ ] Study an artefact: select which.
[ ] Write a paper: select which.
[ ] Write something else: write in.
Once per turn, you can write a paper or write a 'something else' without spending an action thanks to your Tower of Serenity.
[ ] The Second Secret of Dhar teaches how to collapse it upon itself. Practice upon local Dhar taint, and very cautiously see if this works with Warpstone.
Aethyric Vitae (17 gallons):
[ ] Experiment with integrating the Vitae into enchantments.
[ ] Investigate how the Vitae reacts to a power stone. [ ] Investigate how the Vitae reacts to being subjected to power stone creation methods.
[ ] Using the secrets you already know of the Vitae, attempt to weaponize it.
Enchantment and Spell Creation:
[ ] Enchant an item: specify what and how (current skill level allows for Fiendishly Complex spells and lower; you may use Windherder to attempt to enchant something with spells from different Winds)
[ ] Attempt to create a spell (see Approved Spells threadmark)
[ ] Attempt to codify Rite of Way so that others can learn it.
[ ] Attempt to capture an Apparition (optional: specify which)
[ ] Turn a staff (specify for whom) (optional: specify from what)
Foreign Relations:
[ ] Investigate Alric (NEW)
[ ] Investigate Gryphon Wood (NEW)
[ ] Involve yourself in current affairs: specify what and how.
Current examples: Sylvanian campaign, Marienburg affair, Black Waters project
Personal Relations:
[ ] Spend time assisting or ingratiating yourself with someone else: specify who and how.
[ ] Spend time investigating a character without their knowledge: specify who.
[ ] Wolf is fully grown, very smart, and a Very Good Boy. Train him further. (specify what he will be taught)
[ ] Wolf is fully grown and very magical. Deepen your familiar bond. (may unlock a new familiar ability; risks obsession)
The Eastern Imperial Company Your share of EIC profits: 200 crowns / turn
Current Focus of the EIC: Southern Middenland
EIC Handler: The Hochlander The first AP spent in this category is free. Any additional choices cost 1 AP.
[ ] EIC: Completely hand over management of the EIC intelligence apparatus to the Hochlander.
[ ] EIC: Have the Hochlander set up a shadow headquarters for the EIC in the Sunken Palace.
[ ] EIC: Have the Hochlander set up a shadow headquarters for the EIC in your fief.
[ ] EIC: Found an auditors division, to make sure the ledgers are in order.
[ ] EIC: Insert agents into a particular province, cult, company, or institution to start gathering their secrets. (specify who)
[ ] EIC: Reach out to Roswita, and have the EIC start passing on tips about any tax evasion or other naughtiness by the EIC's rivals.
[ ] EIC: Improve and expand the EIC's paramilitary river navy. (optional: specify how)
[ ] EIC: Have the EIC keep tabs on mercenaries so that they can be more easily hired if needed.
[ ] EIC: Investigate what trade goods the Eonir might be willing to import from the Empire. (NEW)
[ ] EIC: Try to uncover what's going on in Gryphon's Wood. (NEW)
Kron-Azril-Ungol
Status: Under construction. The first AP spent in this category is free. Any additional choices cost 1 AP.
[ ] Seek the publishing contacts to start acquiring large amounts of books from a nearby realm (specify which: Bretonnia, Kislev, Tilea/Estalia, Araby) Gives wide and easy access within a language, but is subject to local restrictions and is a less efficient use of the Library's acquisition budget than other methods.
[ ] Seek an exchange arrangement with another Library to be able to make copies of their corpus (specify which, eg: Great Library of Marienburg, Great Library of Altdorf, Ancient Library of Carroburg) Difficulty will depend on the size, prestige, and disposition of the library in question, and the relative impressiveness of Kron-Azril-Ungol.
[ ] Seek an agreement with a Cult to have access to their libraries (specify which, eg: Verenans, Myrmidians, Sigmarites) Difficulty will vary heavily depending on the Cult in question, but can allow access to rare tomes and esoteric subjects.
[ ] Set up a no-questions-asked bounty system for books within the Cult of Ranald Results will be unreliable and depending on what is sought may result in blowback, but this may allow you to acquire books that would otherwise be entirely inaccessible.
Ranald's Coin - specify which face it will be set to
[ ] The Gambler: specify an action this will apply to. A +20 bonus to up to two dice rolls resulting from a single chosen action.
[ ] The Night Prowler As long as you are outside of private property and within a town or city, nobody will question your presence and nobody will be able to find you if you do not wish them to.
[ ] The Deceiver: specify how this will be used. Lies you have developed beforehand will be delivered perfectly. The listener may believe you to be mistaken, but they will never believe that you are lying. Cannot be used to tell truths.
[ ] The Protector When you act in a way that defends an individual or group from a danger that you did not cause, they will become aware of what you have done and will believe you acted selflessly in doing so. Rule of thumb: if you have to explain why this might apply, it probably doesn't.
[ ] The Father Ranald's daughters, and Their followers, will recognize you as being worthy of trust and faith.
Ranald's Coin (note from Ranald: don't)
Vampire skulls
Branulhune - investigate the odd flash when it is desummoned underwater
Books and rubbings from an Asur explorer of Lustria and the Southlands Ghyran Nut
Kurgan Shrine to Mannslieb
Kurgan enchanted weapons
Note: Fresh and Refreshed papers confer a +10 bonus; faded ones a -10 malus.
Papers get one step less 'fresh' each turn: Fresh; Fading; Mostly Faded: Faded. Only the first and last have an effect on the diceroll.
Observations on the Windfall north of the Dark Lands (FADED)
Windsoak Mushrooms - Ulgu (FADED)
Windsoak Mushrooms - Aqshy(FADED)
Windsoak Mushrooms - Ghyran (FADED)
Windsoak Mushrooms - Azyr (FADED)
Comprehensive notes on possible terrain obstacles (FADED)
Waaagh energy and magic witnessed during the Expedition (FADED)
The Black Orc Warboss' worship of Only Gork, and what you saw of the Rogue Idol ritual (FADED)
Preliminary paper on Aethyric Vitae (TIMELESS)
Coins of Nehekhara's Fifth Dynasty (TIMELESS)
You can literally write the book on a topic for the same amount of effort as two papers; this can be split over multiple turns. You don't need to have all the pieces to do so, but it would be more efficient and impressive if you did.
Windsoak Mushrooms (missing: Chamon, Shyish)
The Currency of Strygos
The Currency of Tylos
Coins of Nehekhara's Fourth Dynasty
Coins of Nehekhara's Sixth Dynasty
- There will be a twelve hour moratorium. Voting will be in plan format.
- If there's an action that you think should be present and isn't already covered, please let me know.
- The Alric and Gryphon Wood actions can be taken either alone or with WEB-MAT, and will be separate mini-turns if/when taken.
so, invesigate alric and gryphon wood to cover those obligations, scrutinize a waystone ourselves, and Lay the Foundataions? with one floater for some kind of self-improvement?
Ranald's Coin - specify which face it will be set to
[ ] The Gambler: specify an action this will apply to. A +20 bonus to up to two dice rolls resulting from a single chosen action.
[ ] The Night Prowler As long as you are outside of private property and within a town or city, nobody will question your presence and nobody will be able to find you if you do not wish them to.
[ ] The Deceiver: specify how this will be used. Lies you have developed beforehand will be delivered perfectly. The listener may believe you to be mistaken, but they will never believe that you are lying. Cannot be used to tell truths.
[ ] The Protector When you act in a way that defends an individual or group from a danger that you did not cause, they will become aware of what you have done and will believe you acted selflessly in doing so. Rule of thumb: if you have to explain why this might apply, it probably doesn't.
