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Warhammer Fantasy: Divided Loyalties - an Advisor's Quest

Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
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[X] Locals
[X] Cython

My two favorite options.

Locals would be the best way to integrate the Library into the K8P community and ensure people use its resources as part of their daily lives. It's also by far the most practical option.

Cynthon... would be the best way to integrate Cython into the K8P community. Rather than having him live on a remote peak, taking the job would mean he'd be interacting with the rest of K8P on friendly terms. Which I think would be not just rule-of-cool and such, but would be a fascinating addition to K8P's growing cosmopolitan culture.

I also think much of the worries about Cython are overblown. Accepting the job of being a librarian would necessarily require him to agree to operate it as a library - under the rules Mathilde (and Belegar) set, too. No banning people unless they explicitly broken rules, no absconding with the library's books unless you're only taking copies, be open and welcoming to your squishy little guests, etc. etc.
 
[x] Collegiate
[x] Locals

I think I prefer Locals since I like the vibe of the Library becoming a more integrated part of the K8P community as opposed to "that thing there." And hey, the We are totally locals!!! They should be kinda used to them right???

Though I'll admit I mainly don't want Dragon winning. Cython is super duper cool, I think they'd actually do a great job and yes it's a super unique chance I don't blame others for hopping on. My dislike is 100% selfish/ego based in that I see the library as being Mathildes legacy and gift to the world. I think Cython, being a goddamn Emperor Hysh Dragon, would 100% take top billing and make the library theirs in terms of "branding". I mean common, Emperor Hysh Dragon, one of the few things around that makes Mathilde, Dwarf soul Grey Magister, seem boring and passe. A metaphor I can think of would be some relatively prestigious law firm hiring some ridiculously high profile lawyer from New York. Of course the latter's name is going on top of the firm. Also don't feel guilty about going against it since while Cython has a ton of unique benefits that no one else can replicate, I don't think their upsides are so overwhelming the library would be kneecapped without Cython as head staff.

Ironically, I think I'd feel less strongly if thread voted to take a lesser position but hey we've decided to take head spot so it's now ours. And I want to keep it like that.
 
I'm going to go ahead and assume there is either a more convenient method of creating orbs of sorcery, or the elves have a more convenient method of acquiring pure power of aethyr.
Maybe we could ask the Grey Lords about it at some point?
Once we have managed to impress them a bit more.

M: How would you make one of these? *shows orb of sorcery*
GL: You wish to learn how to make orbs of sorcery?
M: No, i want to learn how you make them, because my method is super inconvenient.
 
infinityDivided said:
I'm starting to get a bit stressed at how many Incredibly Important uses Vitae has. We only have one source of it, it produces very slowly, and we have no ways of meaningfully creating another source.

I think that should be our next direction of research, as finding new uses for it stops helping when you only have so much of it.
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I am going to lean heavy to the Galaxy-Flex option of paying for the power stones out of pocket and in the spirit of honesty, that's in large part because I still want to bling out the Gyrocarrige via runes via some nebulous "3/4/whatever gallons AV to 'make better'."

Failing that, I suppose I'd have to settle for Adela learning enough to suggest to Gotri a modification/addition to the engine that allows her to apply a casting of Flashcook or Inextinguishable flame (She knows both).

Though considering that when you roll the dice enough a miscast is gonna happen; it's probably much wiser to get an enchanted object... which costs Favour :/

(Relatively Simple) Instantly cooks food or boils water
(Moderately Complicated) Makes one flame inextinguishable. Duration depends on Magic, up to one year
(Relatively Simple) Causes a fire to burn as hotly as naturally possible and without consuming fuel for up to an hour

Edit: Even if we do go for a wind based approach to the engine, I'd still hope we'd be able to spend one or two gallons of AV on making the carriage (and maybe the cockpit) more comfortable.
 
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Rafin said:
@Boney I there any chance at all that I can convince you to be overly generous and lenient by restructuring the vote so that Cython/We is a separate option in addition to one of the more mundane ones? Because neither of the two is what one would rightly call practical or sensible, but one of them is almost definitely going to win, to the point that all the merits of all the "normal" ones are completely overshadowed, or at least that's what I anticipate. And at the same time if one of the sensible options somehow does win because all the "no monsters" voters come together and narrowly win through approval voting then all the Cython/We fans will forevermore remember this day as the day where the Library "became boring". Even though before today the Library was just fine and that objectively wouldn't change. In other words this choice we have here is the most polarized OOC fun vs IC practicality votes yet. And that saddens me personally.

And yes, I get that I'm asking for the moon here. And that I am appealing to your emotions. I won't ask again if the answer is no and I'll definitely get over it. But I have to at least try.


Seeing how Teclis gave only one to each College, where does the Order of Light get additional ones from? Or is there canonically only a single death-ray machine?

Do we know what each (or any one) College is currently using their Orb of Sorcery for?

Make a Hysh one, study how to make it go boom widely (as opposed to ripping a hole in reality or whatever) and drop the resulting bomb in the Chaos Wastes?

The bigger risk is that we have no idea what the maximum size is. So if it for any reason is smaller than the size we are trying to go for then the resulting oopsie will be really bad.

And if we are creating eight oversized ones at the same time for efficiency instead of wasting 7/8ths of however much AV we need to play it safe, then said oopsie is eight times as big and made of Dhar. Third Polar Gate anyone?

That's definitely true, but we are hoping for this Library to last forever and Cython is immortal. So when the day comes where this Library would modernize into a modern Library, Cython might stand in the way of that.

Yes, I am being very optimistic here.

I was thinking less problem and more that his sword is purposely built for Powerstone enlargement to be a useful side effect. The sockets around them would have to be able to expand and retract though.

What about Faniour?

They would help in that they would do whatever Mathilde thinks is best, without bringing their own baggage and convictions in.

But IMO that's both overly optimistic and short sighted thinking. A bunch of (Human?) orphans are not all guaranteed to be loyal, because they are still people with their own minds and dreams and stories. Also, what would happen after Mathilde's death? They would become an independent and self-perpetuating organization that could evolve in pretty much whatever direction over the centuries.
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I feel like someone made a mistake in the reading somewhere and the Colleges got more than 1 Orb each.

But, I can't check sources until I'm back home in about 6 hours.
 
There might be a single orb used most of the time for the fixed defenses but when really needed its removed and put into the battle altar.
 
Rafin said:
@Boney I there any chance at all that I can convince you to be overly generous and lenient by restructuring the vote so that Cython/We is a separate option in addition to one of the more mundane ones? Because neither of the two is what one would rightly call practical or sensible, but one of them is almost definitely going to win, to the point that all the merits of all the "normal" ones are completely overshadowed, or at least that's what I anticipate. And at the same time if one of the sensible options somehow does win because all the "no monsters" voters come together and narrowly win through approval voting then all the Cython/We fans will forevermore remember this day as the day where the Library "became boring". Even though before today the Library was just fine and that objectively wouldn't change. In other words this choice we have here is the most polarized OOC fun vs IC practicality votes yet. And that saddens me personally.

And yes, I get that I'm asking for the moon here. And that I am appealing to your emotions. I won't ask again if the answer is no and I'll definitely get over it. But I have to at least try.
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Your argument that Cython and the We are so absolutely predestined to win that I should consider offering an entirely separate vote for all the other options is rather undermined by the fact that at the time I am writing this, neither Cython nor the We are winning.

Rafin said:
Do we know what each (or any one) College is currently using their Orb of Sorcery for?
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At this exact moment? Probably nothing. They're only used when absolutely necessarily.

Rafin said:
I was thinking less problem and more that his sword is purposely built for Powerstone enlargement to be a useful side effect. The sockets around them would have to be able to expand and retract though.
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This could be theoretically possible.

Rafin said:
What about Faniour?
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What traits of the Faniour make them particularly suited to being librarians?
 
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[X] Cult of Verena
Will ensure the goodwill of the wider Cult, and will make a Library dedicated to sharing truth and knowledge.

I'll edit my vote to We if it becomes clear Verena won't win.
[] The We
Spider Librarians.
 
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Boney said:
My current idea is there'd be a 'use CF to do it and have the Orbs of Sorcery to do with as she will' option and a 'explain what the plan is to the Colleges, get them all to chip in a power stone, and then rewards (if it all goes according to plan) but no galaxy flex moment' option.
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May I offer the following option/plot:
[] Speak to Belegar, as King of Karag Eight Peaks. Do so in private. Tell him one of those superweapons you've been working on is nearing the point of bearing fruit, for the Empire, as it already has for the Karaz Ankor. Ask him if he's willing to invest on the gamble that it works. You're pretty sure it should, but it's human magic. Pretty sure is as sure as you can be, when breaking new ground. In return for securing the missing College Favor, cut him in on the profits of delivering the orbs to the Colleges. In return, when they ask you how it was done, tell them you've sworn to a dwarven King you wouldn't reveal secrets. As you will, as the contract would be secret. Imply Runesmiths were involved in the process, but never outright state it.

So, instead of Mathilde buying the orbs, Belegar buys them with Mathilde contributing, to muddy the waters. Then when she shows up with the Orbs of Sorcery, she can use him as a smokescreen, for anyone that comes looking, and to deflect credit. So less assasins come after her. Hell, if she really wants to, and Belegar agrees, he might be the one to present them as a gift to the Empire, one she merely contributed to.

That way when the Elves come looking, they'll find surly Runelords looking back. Not one Grey Lady Magister.

EDIT: Also votes:
[X] Runescribes Guild
[X] Orphans
[X] Locals
 
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Cython is falling behind a bit so I'll throw in a vote for it; I feel like I'm not done evaluating it as an option yet.

[X] The We
[X] Cult of Verena
[X] Cython

The We is my favored choice and the one I'd go for if I want reliable, trustworthy librarians that aren't inclined to be vulnerable to bribery or divided loyalties. They also have various quirks that make them unusually capable as librarians.

The Cult of Verena's values are practically identical to our mission statement, and will make it easier to get their BÖÖK. They're also good friends to make.

Cython is sorta the wildcard option to me, it's rather more callous and self-serving, but it would be very good at the job, and it would align its interests much more heavily with the Karak, and a dragon is a very valuable ally to have indeed. Cython also likely knows quite some exotic information that it might be more inclined to share. Old One stuff, mayhaps?

Rafin said:
I there any chance at all that I can convince you to be overly generous and lenient by restructuring the vote so that Cython/We is a separate option in addition to one of the more mundane ones? Because neither of the two is what one would rightly call practical or sensible, but one of them is almost definitely going to win, to the point that all the merits of all the "normal" ones are completely overshadowed, or at least that's what I anticipate. And at the same time if one of the sensible options somehow does win because all the "no monsters" voters come together and narrowly win through approval voting then all the Cython/We fans will forevermore remember this day as the day where the Library "became boring". Even though before today the Library was just fine and that objectively wouldn't change. In other words this choice we have here is the most polarized OOC fun vs IC practicality votes yet. And that saddens me personally.
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I feel like framing the argument for Cython/We as "OOC fun vs IC practicality" is kinda an unfair way to frame it. I think most Cython/We voters are genuine in their belief that they think they're good choices.
 
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primemountain said:
May I offer the following option/plot:
[] Speak to Belegar, as King of Karag Eight Peaks. Do so in private. Tell him one of those superweapons you've been working on is nearing the point of bearing fruit, for the Empire, as it already has for the Karaz Ankor. Ask him if he's willing to invest on the gamble that it works. You're pretty sure it should, but it's human magic. Pretty sure is as sure as you can be, when breaking new ground. In return for securing the missing College Favor, cut him in on the profits of delivering the orbs to the Colleges. In return, when they ask you how it was done, tell them you've sworn to a dwarven King you wouldn't reveal secrets. As you will, as the contract would be secret. Imply Runesmiths were involved in the process, but never outright state it.

So, instead of Mathilde buying the orbs, Belegar buys them with Mathilde contributing, to muddy the waters. Then when she shows up with the Orbs of Sorcery, she can use him as a smokescreen, for anyone that comes looking, and to deflect credit. So less assasins come after her. Hell, if she really wants to, and Belegar agrees, he might be the one to present them as a gift to the Empire, one she merely contributed to.

That way when the Elves come looking, they'll find surly Runelords looking back. Not one Grey Lady Magister.
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Why are people suddenly seeing assassins behind every action?
 
Boney said:
Why are people suddenly seeing assassins behind every action?
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Because we're getting to the point where we really should be getting some. Even if they're foolish amateurs. Someone is going to take a swing at us. All prominent figures in warhammer have this problem.

And we're a professional assassin. Call it a healthy level of professional paranoia.
 
ThatGuyMike said:
Right where is it. Where's that apoc of Belegar's mind working through the library request and going 'Dragon librarian, Dragon librarian, Dragon librarian'

Step up, cause ima slap you on the back and vote dragon
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Here ya go:
Derpmind said:
"A library. Straightforward." you say. And thank Grungni for that. "That shouldn't be a problem. The staffing, though... I take it you had humans in mind?"

"Any species," she says firmly, "as long as they don't act against the Civilized Realms and are willing to swear the proper oaths."

Dragon librarian, dragon librarian, dragon librarian-

You shove the panic down.
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[X] Locals
Will more fully integrate the Library with the wider Karak, to the benefit of both.
 
@Boney: Do the We count as Locals? Or, to put it another way, should one of the we want to work at the Library (at some far future date), would they be prevented from doing so?
 
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