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Warhammer Fantasy: Divided Loyalties - an Advisor's Quest

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Everyone seems to be assuming that becoming Belegar's spy master is locked in. I just wanted to add that even though I voted for that option, I very much don't want to do that. I want to witness the striking of grudges and maybe expand our dwarven contacts.

If the option comes up, I'm definitely voting against it. For the next few years, I want to work on our magic, take advantage of the silk road and try to redeem Ranald's aspect of the protector while helping out with K8P whenever we can, but I don't want to be tied down. (Besides our wizard's tower.)
 
Zero Gravitas said:
That would work for the trolls but drip feeding Slayers to fast breeding enemies like orcs and Skaven is pointless.

That said future advances will probably go peak by peak rather than getting about a quarter of the hold at once.
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Naw, its about claiming ground and seizing it. Send Slayers to seize a tunnel or room, Slayers fend off the horde with their lives while the room is fortified into an advanced base and heavier firepower hauled up to hold it for good.
Repeat.
Chlof said:
293 individual voters, btw. Is that bigger or smaller than the apotheosis vote?
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Its a clear, straightforward, preference based vote where theres no objective right or wrong.
deathofrats0808 said:
The Dwarves have rifling, they use it on their handguns. Hell, humans have rifling, although it's specialist weapons only for them. Crossbows still outrange rifles handguns on the tabletop.

I'd think crossbow/greatsword would fall under rule of cool and fitting a sideways slung quiver of bolts across lower back is possible.

Also, if you think we're so encumbered already, I assume you're pushing for staff/axe for our eventual +1 magic item?
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I'm pushing for a reduced size staff, like cane sized. Its might be more difficult to make than a full sized staff, but its likely easier than making one out of metal, while equipping a staff with the greatsword would hinder the greatsword, and a Greataxe with a staff hilt would replace the greatsword.
Theres no practical way to carry two greatweapons on your person at the same time without limiting your ability to use either one in actual combat, dropping your staff in combat for noncombat uses only is likely to lose it.

I would also accept a plan B where we have Wolf, once he's large enough, serve as the carrier for the staff, but that limits HIS use in combat.

And finally, we're REALLY in no rush to get a staff. As pointed out, pretty much until we have Shadow Knives theres not a lot of reason to need one.
 
Derpmind said:
This is what we're doing during the winding down of the campaign. They're going to still be here at least until the knights leave, which won't be until after the actions taken during this time.
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What would that be? A couple of weeks? That's a short deadline for an article for which you have already made the research - and an insane deadline for one you have not completed it yet, like in this case.

Besides, we are leaving to Karaz-a-Karak shortly.

Basically, I'm treating them as unavailable right from the last update.

Derpmind said:
The option doesn't actually build a tavern or anything else. It's helping the Undumgi get established, and none of the follow-up sideprojects like building taverns or making a spy network. It'll help doing those things in later follow up actions, but the main thing it helps with is taking that leadership position.
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And once again, I disagree. I expect that much like the tower vote, this option would be followed by a subvote about how exactly do we help them organize. This whole round of voting is about broad strokes and priorities, the next one will be about the gritty details of how exactly we go about achieving them.
 
Nix's Warden said:
I honestly love that, both the idea, and the catch phrase. I wonder if a human has ever experimented with literally magical alcohol before?
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Both the Jade and Bright wizards have a spell that turns things into alcohol, so safe bet someone's pushed past just making normal booze with magic haha. The Jade one is like "A pool of muddy water? Instant party for a dozen people! Drink up!"
 
DragonParadox said:
I can think of two ways:
  1. The same way Necromancers cast, they use Shysh to insulate themselves from the madness of Dhar, we can potentially use Ulgu to touch upon the far more harmonious High Magic (if that is what it is)
  2. The same way pre-College alchemists manipulated their reagents through purely physical means (not channeling magic at all) to produce their formulas
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I don't think one would work. Dhar can accept that sort of manipulation, but I think it would unbalance Qhaysh and thus corrupt it into Dhar. As for alchemy that would be interesting, but that sounds more like a 'give this stuff to the colleges' thing. Nice but not a cool shiny for us. Still any result is better than no result I guess. :D.

veekie said:
I'm pushing for a reduced size staff, like cane sized. Its might be more difficult to make than a full sized staff, but its likely easier than making one out of metal, while equipping a staff with the greatsword would hinder the greatsword, and a Greataxe with a staff hilt would replace the greatsword.
Theres no practical way to carry two greatweapons on your person at the same time without limiting your ability to use either one in actual combat, dropping your staff in combat for noncombat uses only is likely to lose it.

I would also accept a plan B where we have Wolf, once he's large enough, serve as the carrier for the staff, but that limits HIS use in combat.

And finally, we're REALLY in no rush to get a staff. As pointed out, pretty much until we have Shadow Knives theres not a lot of reason to need one.
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What, so about the size of a sword then? I'm unsure whether we'd be able to wield both greatsword and mini-staff at once then. Interesting idea.

No, I know, just curious about your thoughts is all.
 
ADarkerPorpoise said:
Both the Jade and Bright wizards have a spell that turns things into alcohol, so safe bet someone's pushed past just making normal booze with magic haha. The Jade one is like "A pool of muddy water? Instant party for a dozen people! Drink up!"
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Now I wonder if Ulgu Alcohol would be a acid trip in a bottle as the Ulgu makes the drinker start Seeing Things.
 
TotallyNotEvil said:
Nope, the point of the axe is that wood is good at conducting magic, drastically more so than metal, and we can separate the Killy bits from the magical conducting bits. Not so with a sword.
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No, not quite. Metal is actually better at conducting magic than wood, as I understand it. Metal tends to allow magic to travel through it, whereas organic things tend to retain it. This has pros and cons, for both, but either property can be made useful.

The purpose of an earthing rod is to provide a conduit through which the errant magickal power can be grounded which isn't the body of the caster. Metal is typically more suitable for this purpose, as it is very good at conducting the magic - better than the flesh it would otherwise travel through - though you could use obsidian to... nullify? banish? calm? the power in question. You could probably make an earthing rod out of wood, but you'd be working against the natural inclination of the wood to absorb. Though I suppose you might be able to send the saturated wood to the gold college - they might find a use for it.

A greatsword could be turned into an earthing rod with, presumably, relatively little difficulty once the actual process is learned, but it would come at the cost of being a better greatsword. Can't make it super conductive and also a magickal weapon in its own right. Whereas if the haft and blade are separate components, it might be possible to make the blade enchanted and the haft conductive, though you might well end up making the haft out of metal, raising the weight.
 
On the papers, one of the reason I want to do them now is to earn the College favours to commission more magical items.

An item of long lasting Law of Logic or Inspiration would be exceptionally handy for almost everything strategic we do.
 
Equable said:
No, not quite. Metal is actually better at conducting magic than wood, as I understand it. Metal tends to allow magic to travel through it, whereas organic things tend to retain it. This has pros and cons, for both, but either property can be made useful.

The purpose of an earthing rod is to provide a conduit through which the errant magickal power can be grounded which isn't the body of the caster. Metal is typically more suitable for this purpose, as it is very good at conducting the magic - better than the flesh it would otherwise travel through - though you could use obsidian to... nullify? banish? calm? the power in question. You could probably make an earthing rod out of wood, but you'd be working against the natural inclination of the wood to absorb. Though I suppose you might be able to send the saturated wood to the gold college - they might find a use for it.

A greatsword could be turned into an earthing rod with, presumably, relatively little difficulty once the actual process is learned, but it would come at the cost of being a better greatsword. Can't make it super conductive and also a magickal weapon in its own right. Whereas if the haft and blade are separate components, it might be possible to make the blade enchanted and the haft conductive, though you might well end up making the haft out of metal, raising the weight.
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There are a lot of assumptions in this one post
 
Kornet said:
And once again, I disagree. I expect that much like the tower vote, this option would be followed by a subvote about how exactly do we help them organize. This whole round of voting is about broad strokes and priorities, the next one will be about the gritty details of how exactly we go about achieving them.
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As assumption.

Voting to help the humans get established is voting to help the humans get established. Nothing more, nothing less.
 
[X] There's a lot of prime real estate currently unclaimed. Stake out a prime position for a wizard's tower.
 
Equable said:
No, not quite. Metal is actually better at conducting magic than wood, as I understand it. Metal tends to allow magic to travel through it, whereas organic things tend to retain it. This has pros and cons, for both, but either property can be made useful.

The purpose of an earthing rod is to provide a conduit through which the errant magickal power can be grounded which isn't the body of the caster. Metal is typically more suitable for this purpose, as it is very good at conducting the magic - better than the flesh it would otherwise travel through - though you could use obsidian to... nullify? banish? calm? the power in question. You could probably make an earthing rod out of wood, but you'd be working against the natural inclination of the wood to absorb. Though I suppose you might be able to send the saturated wood to the gold college - they might find a use for it.

A greatsword could be turned into an earthing rod with, presumably, relatively little difficulty once the actual process is learned, but it would come at the cost of being a better greatsword. Can't make it super conductive and also a magickal weapon in its own right. Whereas if the haft and blade are separate components, it might be possible to make the blade enchanted and the haft conductive, though you might well end up making the haft out of metal, raising the weight.
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To our knowledge of in quest lore the process of making a staff simply hadn't been explored much yet. Theres the standard template classic wooden staff, which the Colleges know how to make for whatever Wind might want one...and thats about it.

Too early in the timeline yet.
Presumably those designs are either adapted from the druids' predating the colleges or Teclis just dropped off a standard template so the Battle Wizards can be a bit more useful, beyond that the humans can figure it out themselves if they want to.
 
Angelform said:
As assumption.

Voting to help the humans get established is voting to help the humans get established. Nothing more, nothing less.
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True, but most things are assumptions. Given the fact that tower option leads to a subvote to chose a tower and the fact that undumgi vote doesn't force us to take direct command of them (both as per word of BoneyM), I feel it is a very safe assumption to make.
 
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A Letter to Wilhelmina
  • Apocrypha
    • Setting aside the debate for a moment (I will catch up and respond when I can) I couldn't help but think of how some of our friends will receive the news of what happened here. That eventually lead to this:

    Opportunity arrives in WURTBAD1​ on a wet and windy Wellentag in the month of Kaldezeit. It finds you, WILHELMINA HOCHSCHILD2​, working at your desk in the headquarters of the EAST IMPERIAL COMPANY, your company3​. It arrives in the form of A LETTER, delivered by a man speckled and splattered with mud. With a smile on his face that can only come from the gold in his pocket4​, he hands you THE LETTER. It was delivered on behalf of your dear friend and business partner, MATHILDE WEBER5​, a MAGISTER OF THE GREY ORDER6​ who departed the EMPIRE OF MAN7​ on an expedition several months ago. Without looking up, you quickly dismiss the already departed courier and set to work revealing THE LETTER'S contents.

    'THE MEMOIRS OF ASARNIL THE DRAGONLORD'8​ proves to be insufficient to this task. Ignoring the persuasive words encouraging you to try the provided recipe for HALFLING PIE9 10​ you reach for the leftmost hidden compartment in your fine oak desk. Retrieving the ONE TIME PAD11​ you set to work once more, and this time the true contents of THE LETTER are revealed. The story hidden within is one of ADVENTURE AND DARING, OF CUNNING BRUTALITY AND BRUTAL CUNNING12​. Yet, it is not this story alone that holds your interest. You know that the first EIC cipher13​ would not have been needed if this was all she wanted to relate to you. You read on. The penultimate line reveals all.

    B/EXP TRI, BV-KEP ROUTE SEC, D PASS O.14​​

    Options run through your mind and visions of exotic goods dance before your eyes. You dismiss them both. You rise from your well-padded chair and retrieve a dust-coated map from its place at the back of the shelves. It is old, incomplete, and sufficient for your needs. It tells you all you need to know, and you return it to its place as you turn your mind back to the ledgers you had previously set aside. The EAST IMPERIAL COMPANY is STABLE. It is of MODERATE size but its leadership15​ is LACKING. Its potential growth is currently QUESTIONABLE. The need to take advantage of this opportunity delivered to you is UNDENIABLE. Yet you cannot commit everything to this endeavor. To the east, CASTLE DRAKENHOF HAS FALLEN16​. To the north, CIVIL WAR BREWS. KARAK EIGHT PEAKS sits far to the south. Each has dangers to snare the unwary. Each has opportunities to enrich the bold. Your resources, in men and materials, are limited. Where will they be sent? Who will you entrust to see your will carried out? How long can you prepare? You might be the first to receive this news yet by the time spring arrives, all will have heard. All you know for certain is contained in THE LETTER'S final line.

    FORTUNE AWAITS AT KARAK EIGHT PEAKS​

    1. A city in Stirland, a province of the Empire of Man.
    2. The hero of our tale.
    3. Your pride, your joy, your arguably most accomplished offspring.
    4. You should know, you just signed off on his payment.
    5. The second primary shareholder and one of the three founders of the company. You met while working for the (now departed) leader of Stirland.
    6. A group of mages whose magic revolves around stealth and subtlety.
    7. The sole    17​ source of human civilization in the world.
    8. Recorded by Magister Mathilde, published by Wurtbad Books, Periodicals and Printing.
    9. Made by Halflings, not of Halflings.
    10. It is common for Grey Magisters to leave dangerous and deadly traps in their letters in the event they are intercepted.
    11. Don't even get me started.
    12. Even more than one would expect from a story featuring Mathilde.
    13. One whose existence is only known by the chief shareholders of the company.
    14. Belegar's Expedition Triumphant, Barak Var - Karak Eight Peaks Route Secure, Death Pass Open.
    15. Yourself and Mathilde excluded.
    16. Mathilde's work. Again.
    17. Excluding Brettonia, Tilea, Estalia, Kislev, Cathay, Ind, Marienburg, Nippon, Araby, and numerous other polities to minor to be mentioned here.

    A letter from a distant, yet dear friend promising untold wealth? It's like the start of every pulp adventure novel. So inspired by the works of those more talented than I, a lack of sleep, and memories of old CYOA books I put pen to paper for the first bout of creative writing I've had since high school. I have decided to inflict the results upon you all.
     
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  • Apocrypha
    • [X] You could help the Undumgi and the Ulricans establish themselves.
    [X] There's a lot of prime real estate currently unclaimed. Stake out a prime position for a wizard's tower.
    [X] Scout the rest of the Eight Peaks, to find out what other horrors are waiting out there.
    Adhoc vote count started by Smartphone on Sep 28, 2019 at 12:55 PM, finished with 832 posts and 278 votes.
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    Equable said:
    No, not quite. Metal is actually better at conducting magic than wood, as I understand it. Metal tends to allow magic to travel through it, whereas organic things tend to retain it. This has pros and cons, for both, but either property can be made useful
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    Nope, wood is by far and wide a better channel than metal. That's why, if you want a +1 magic staff, "picking the right wood puts you halfway there".

    Getting a grounding rod as the haft of an incredibly murderous axé is eminently feasible, and sounds perfect.
     
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    [X] Scout the rest of the Eight Peaks, to find out what other horrors are waiting out there.
    This suggests a future assisting Karak Eight Peaks with its reconquest, as a Spymaster focused on threats within the Karak.
    [X] Write a series of papers on the magical phenomena you witnessed. Or better yet, get your Journeymanlings to do the actual writing.
    This suggests a future of investigation and study at Karak Eight Peaks, and perhaps helping Johann poke at Skaven technology.
    [X] There's a lot of prime real estate currently unclaimed. Stake out a prime position for a wizard's tower.
    This suggests a future catching up on your pre-existing study topics.
     
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