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Warhammer Fantasy: Divided Loyalties - an Advisor's Quest

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I'm calling it a night before the vote opens, but here's why I want Hag Witches:
Boney said:
Hag Witches are said to know a great deal about pacifying the spirits of the land and cleansing the taint of Chaos. If that involves Waystone, great, and if it doesn't, then they're somehow able to do the same thing that Waystones do.
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Even if they don't know stuff about Waystones specifically, their techniques might be useful when we hit the point of needing to throw up our hands and re-invent the wheel because we don't understand how Waystones do something that we need to do.

(Also, I would like to get as high a diversity of human magical traditions as is possible. It could come in very handy for Laying the Foundations.)
 
Actually I worry about Mathilde and think we need to become more dangerous as a wizard, swordsman, and just in general. Because of Mathilde reputation others will ask Mathilde to take care of problems that are more dangerous. I think we will have to kill those chaos orks for to get Bretonia on board. But there are other organizations who will only hear about Mathilde adventures and that will exaggerated.
 
Mathilde's a problem solver. If you point her at a something that is likely to be a problem, it's going to get solved.

If they just wanted a look-see, they wouldn't have asked a Lady Magister to poke her nose in.
 
Redshirt Army said:
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To be fair, she did fulfilled Mira task the the exact degree that is expected from a Grey LM

The original task Mira gave her was to investigate what Alric did. She had, Alric is here to curry favor and here is the exact way he is going about it. part of the investigation was made after she had decided to personally interfere, but fair chances she would have done so even if it wasn't Albreich there messing things up. Heck if she didn't solve the problem herself I can see her passing a nice notebook to Mira on possible ways she can hamstring Alric in his mission.

She did not excel too much, but again there wasn't much to excel in that particular request. she hadn't really been given any laser focused missions so far.

Edit: on further thought she could have tried exploring what kind of Favor Alric would have tried to extract from the Unlgenfir and how to use it to rise back in power in the Light College, so yeah, I partly concede the point. But I don't think it is at a point yet where it will affect the jobs being offered to her, at least in the regard to having her do more delicate kind of jobs.
 
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Mira's request: Find out what Alric was up to.

Mathilde: Found out what Alric was up to, then solved the problem he was trying to solve first and gave the credit to the locals so he couldn't get it.

Verdict: Total over-achievement. Fulfilled the initial request entirely and then went three steps further.

Paranoth's request: Find out what's going on in the Griffin Woods

Mathilde: Found out what was going on in the Griffin Woods, then saw the problem through to no longer being a problem while also improving relations with Kislev

Verdict: Maybe could have found out more about the initial problem, but actually fixing it definitely takes priority and she has enough information to find out the rest anyways. Almost total over-achievement.

Overall I'd disagree- the 'extras' Mathilde tends to add are just seeing the problem all the way through to the end rather than being satisfied with just finding out what the problem is. As exemplified with a rather memorable moment:

Boney said:
"The best kind of good news," you say.

He considers that for a moment. "I'd say Malekith's death or a full-blown Skaven civil war, but I doubt either would involve a cartload of paperwork."

"The kind that would have been very bad news, except it ends with 'and I took care of it'." You take the top book and slide it across his desk.
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Redshirt Army said:
Well, again - much like Mathilde didn't actually put that much effort towards figuring out Alric's exact gameplan for Mira's ostensible favor, she also didn't put that much effort into figuring out exactly what was causing the disturbance in the Forest of Shadows for her favor to Paranoth.

Mathilde still thinks this was a sanctioned action by Athel Loren and has no clue what a "Drycha" is, which she absolutely could have figured out if she spent a fraction of the time she did gathering armies instead gathering information.

So it's not quite accurate to say that Mathilde overachieves her assigned goals - much like when we were Belegar's Loremaster, Mathilde's go-to seems to be to technically accomplish her assigned task with bare-bones effort, then go above and beyond when it comes to a related task that, while helpful, nobody actually asked her to do.

If you just have problems that you're happy to spray solutions in the general direction of, then this is a fine approach, but having a reputation for that kind of barely-steerable aim does mean that when it comes to more delicate favours Mathilde is a lot less likely to be a good choice.
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It's a, uh, very Bondian Superspy approach to the ostensible espionage genre of the Grey College, really.

Asked to Please Investigate a Suspicious Thing, winds up in the middle of action chase scenes and a pocket war.

I think 'Hellcannon Foundry Destroyer Lady Magister Grey' perhaps was cut from similar cloth.
(As an foreshadowing of where this go wide, go loud approach may untimely ultimately end.)
 
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Alliterate said:
It's, uh, a very Bondian Superspy approach to the ostensible espionage genre of the Grey College, really.

Asked to Please Investigate a Suspicious Thing, winds up in the middle of action chase scenes and a pocket war.

I think 'Hellcannon Foundry Destroyer Lady Magister Grey' perhaps was cut from similar cloth.
(As an example of where this go wide, go loud approach may untimely ultimately lead.)
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I'm reminded of the "supposedly classified" legends in the Grey College about Lord Magisters. Also about the Saint Grey legends, but Mathilde has to die before those become relevant. I wonder how many of Mathilde's things have actually made it into those categories.
 
Ericwinter said:
Mathilde: goes out to investigate rumors of disturbances in order to recruit a couple of Orders into the project.

Also Mathilde: sets off a city wide manhunt and murders a Chaos champion while making friends with a Cult, then instigates a mass mobilization of Kislevite forces to murder a tree spirit army and murders the most dangerous of said tree spirits personally.

Parranoth and Mira: :o:o
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Later...

Dragomas: "Mathilde! I've been told you want my Ambers on your Waystone project. Swapped crows with the Wild Father, and he'd rather let me take the lead on the matter than take time away from what he's working on."
Mathilde: "I'd been wondering how things worked between the Supreme Patriarch and the Patriarch of his native College."
Dragomas: "Depends on the native College, I imagine. My pack's guided by instinct more than hierarchy, so it won't be a complication here. Project's going well, I hope?"
Mathilde: "As well as we can hope, considering that we don't actually bring anything to the table in terms of magical knowledge."
Dragomas: "Nobody appreciates the work it takes to keep proud beasts from biting, but I take your meaning. You think the Amber College has applicable knowledge?"
Mathilde: "Lord Magister Luuk knew enough about herdstones to usurp the creation of one a while back, and my conversation with him that followed made me think that your College keeps more secrets on accident than mine does on purpose."
Dragomas: "HA! That wouldn't surprise me. Luuk's got a project, but there's a Lady Magister up in Hochland with similar experience who'd probably love to get away from the researchers at their school."

Later...

Mathilde: "So, apparently Boris Toddbringer had a history with this particular Beastlord."
 
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Ganurath said:
Dragomas: "Mathilde! I've been told you want my Ambers on your Waystone project. Swapped crows with the Wild Father, and he'd rather let me take the lead on the matter than take time away from what he's working on."
Mathilde: "I'd been wondering how things worked between the Supreme Patriarch and the Patriarch of his native College."
Dragomas: "Depends on the native College, I imagine. My pack's guided by instinct more than hierarchy, so it won't be a complication here. Project's going well, I hope?"
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I'm… pretty sure Dragomas is the Amber Partriarch as well? Did I miss somewhere it was said he wasn't?
 
Ericwinter said:
I'm… pretty sure Dragomas is the Amber Partriarch as well? Did I miss somewhere it was said he wasn't?
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I'm pretty sure he is.

It's not a requirement or anything, though. Gelt was Supreme Patriarch for several years before he became Patriarch of the Gold College (Feldman disappeared a year before the Storm of Chaos)
 
Redshirt Army said:
(Burning the library building was cover for looting it of everything not nailed down, of course.)
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You say that like we wouldn't pry up the nailed down stuff too.
Mopman43 said:
I'm pretty sure he is.

It's not a requirement or anything, though. Gelt was Supreme Patriarch for several years before he became Patriarch of the Gold College (Feldman disappeared a year before the Storm of Chaos)
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Yeah, I knew that, was just confused by this particular instance.
 
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@Boney If the Paranoth investigation turns out to be a time overrun that spilled into next turn, would it count as 1 less AP or 1 overwork slot used, mechanically speaking? In fact, now that this mini-arc is complete, did we exceed our alloted time?
 
Redshirt Army said:
"...and that's how the Great Library of Verena burned to the ground."
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"So I was just arriving at the docks when I noticed one of the yard hands was acting suspicious...

...And with the help of Star Chamber we identified no less then three different Tzeentch cults and one very confused Khorne one, and burned down the entire wings where they spread their taints."

Chancellor of the Seal, looking over some very stiffly lettered words from the board of directors of Marineburg and the cult of Verenea: "...Thank you for the assistance Lady magister."
 
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Ericwinter said:
You say that like we would pry up the nailed down stuff too.
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And the nails themselves are actually surprisingly valuable when they're all being hand-made by a blacksmith.

Mellowfellow said:
@Boney If the Paranoth investigation turns out to be a time overrun that spilled into next turn, would it count as 1 less AP or 1 overwork slot used, mechanically speaking? In fact, now that this mini-arc is complete, did we exceed our alloted time?
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One week with the Taalites, one with the Hedgewise, one rallying Kislev, one fighting and heading back. It doesn't seem like an overrun.
 
seekingflame said:
"So I was just arriving at the docks when I noticed one of the yard hands was acting suspicious...

...And with the help of Star Chamber we identified no less then three different Tzeentch cults and one very confused Khorne one, and burned down the entire wings where they spread their taints."

Chancellor of the Seal, looking over some very stiffly lettered words from the board of directors of Marineburg and the cult of Verenea: "...Thank you for the assistance Lady magister."
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Chamberlain of the Seal would probably think this was step ??? in the Lady Magister Mathilde Weber's plan to subdue Marienburg.
 
Before we get too carried away, I'd note that without modern communications, if you bring in a Lord Magister on a problem, you are largely paying for their independent initiative - you simply don't tend to get lord magisters who do the minimum and clock out.

Meaning they already expect a horribly complex, time sensitive problem
 
Ericwinter said:
That's… a fair point. Although to be fair Damsels can use multiple Winds, so it might not discount humans instantaneously. Assuming she thinks those were both natural uses and not enchanted gear.
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Well we saw Drycha considers Bretonnia as a whole to be "elf puppets" so she's still probably gonna blame the elves. Seems to be her thing.

Also regarding why the Forrest of Shadows hated Drycha so much--theres lore about all sorts of nasties that'd give Drycha's antics a run for their money so it's probably not outrage at innocent deaths...What if the problem was less one of morality and one of presumption.

We've seen Boney firmly establish that being part of the same group or species doesn't necessarily mean happy fun get along times--see WoG that Cython would have zero interest in the Imperial Dragon despite people wondering about Dragon solidarity and how the Chaos Waste tribes had their own differences, customs, clashes, etc and weren't just some monolithic chaos hoard.

From what I've gathered of her lore, Drychas whole thing is how things were better when it was just Forrest spirits before stupid fleshings ruined everything. And how all the Forrest kin should unite to bring back the good old days (and by unite she means unite under her command and follow her plots). In others words the type of being who would probably make the assumption that of course all Forest peeps are one.

In other words:

Forest of Shadows: Ladeedaa what a wonderful day to be a creepy Forest. Let's see whats happening: hrrrm some Beasthoardes watering a patch with blood sacrifice, some humans cutting down some trees--how cute at this rate maybe in a few centuries they'll come close to beating trees felled from rando elks scratching their heads too vigorously, a new mold killing off certain tree types and encouraging others? Huh--

Drycha: HELLO MY FELLOW TREE PEEPS LETS START FULLFILLING MY GLORIOUS PLAN

Forest of Shadows: who the fuck do you think you are, you can't just come in and start--

Drycha: Okay so I brought my cooler Athel Loren dudes to do most of the heavy lifting since you locals are puny but you can also do cool things; here's your marching orders! Wow it's almost impressive you aren't punnier given the lack of magic, like dayum..

Forrest of Shadows: are you even listening to me, why don't you fuck off back to Athel Loren if it's so much better then.
 
I lagree with 'overboard' in general terms/approach, but both of the most recent cases had very clear reasons to go to extra effort rather than say 'Did what I was asked for, now back to [other worthwhile thing].'

1. Prevent the chance of doubt being cast on Heidi being who she pretends to be
2. Get headpat-vouchers that can be traded in for candied walnuts Waystone Project assistance
Alliterate said:
I think 'Hellcannon Foundry Destroyer Lady Magister Grey' perhaps was cut from similar cloth.
(As an foreshadowing of where this go wide, go loud approach may untimely ultimately end.)
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This is the exact reason I'm glad we didn't take the anti-skaven job offer.
 
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