Warhammer Fantasy: Divided Loyalties - an Advisor's Quest

[ctulhuslp]

On the other hand, imagine the economic good that setting things up early with the EIC could do, and how many mercenaries or defenses or weapons the extra money could let us buy, and in doing so how many lives we could save in the long term.

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K8P is going to be filthy rich due to its position and mines anyway. It does not run risk of having no trade or no money. Like. It does not even need money for now at all, it can pay with the old treasures for several turns without even trying.

But either engineer or runesmith are less suited to poking Weird Shit and going scouting somewhere in Abyss and coming back in one piece than Mathilde. That screams Learning advisor to me.

 

[Exmorri]

Guys, imagine that an attack was building that we could have prepared for but we didn't because we were personally too busy going to see a few friends? Imagine the lives we can save with our intelligence.

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I think you underestimate the agency of characters who aren't Mathilde. Ulthar has two thousand Rangers. They'll also be looking out for attacks.

 

[Alliterate]

told the EIC board about us wanting to have them get in on the ground floor of the 8 Peaks economy that many of them would begin to see Coins and hyperventilating.

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The board? So... Wilheimina then. We'd already know!
Oh gods no. She'd send us one of her sons!

Mathilde is gonna die tripping down the stairs trying to carry all the weapons and items you guys want for her before any ork or skaven gets near her

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Or tripping over a cat and tangling in all her wargear.

"Can you communicate with it?"

"There's a spell called The Talking Beast, but I've yet to learn it. I'll need to send to Altdorf for the scroll. If you could write an authorization-"

"Of course."

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So, this got me thinking about scrolls.
1. For the journeymanlings- should we be signing off on a useful spell for any and all of them? Is that expected of us as a Magister on site? I.e. could we deliver authorisations to all their Colleges, or is that a bit weird and stepping on the Masters toes?
Bit of "Form of the Soaring Raven" for Esbern, and the "talk to Trees" for Panny, and IDK some sort of charisma spell for Max...

2. For Us. Do we need to pay for the scrolls now- I think maybe Regimand footed the bill before, @BoneyM , but now it's up to us.

As a journeywoman, books and scrolls of Grey Magic spells are loaned to you under the assumption that if they're lost or damaged, your Master will pay for it. As a Magister, all that changes is that it's you personally that'll be on the hook for losses or damages.

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So if/as we wind up going to Altdorf this epilogue turn, and particularly if we're putting stuff in Belegars Vault- can we get/buy/however it now works the 'missing scrolls' from the Grey spellbook, so we can study at our leisure (but soon)?

 

[LockedMind]

[X] Scout the rest of the Eight Peaks, to find out what other horrors are waiting out there.

vote for the third place. Other things I like are already winning.

 

[adaer]

K8P is going to be filthy rich due to its position and mines anyway. It does not run risk of having no trade or no money. Like. It does not even need money for now at all, it can pay with the old treasures for several turns without even trying.

But either engineer or runesmith are less suited to poking Weird Shit and going scouting somewhere in Abyss and coming back in one piece than Mathilde. That screams Learning advisor to me.

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I wonder whether being the designated Poker of Strange Things also means we might be able write off our extra-secure dangerous magical research lab as a business expense. Though we'd still probably want a private one.

 

[Andres]

 

[thefoolswriter]

[X] Scout the rest of the Eight Peaks, to find out what other horrors are waiting out there.

 

[SuperSonicSound]

Thinking about it basically all of the positions work for us. The learning one gives us the widest latitude in actions we can take personally. The Stewardship one though lets us act as the quintissential spy master as we'll be able to setup agents in pretty much everything.

 

[Pempelune]

The key words there being "The first obedience of every Magister must be to the ideals and laws of Sigmar's Holy Empire". Considering how often the leaders of said Empire act against its best interests, I don't think keeping shit to ourselves is particularly controversial. If we tell people and they act on it, that could severely damage the relationship between the race, which is obviously outside the interests of our home.

After all, this Empire was founded on friendship with Dwarfs. What could be more true than continuing that legacy in good faith?

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That's a good point, but it feels like an excuse to wiggle out of a duty Mathile dislike. And I rather doubt the Grey Order would see it this way.

 

[Boney]

So, this got me thinking about scrolls.
1. For the journeymanlings- should we be signing off on a useful spell for any and all of them? Is that expected of us as a Magister on site? I.e. could we deliver authorisations to all their Colleges, or is that a bit weird and stepping on the Masters toes?

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Their magical progression is under the control of their Masters. Signing authorization basically says there is a pressing need for them to know that spell ASAP, so the intended progression must be sacrificed.

2. For Us. Do we need to pay for the scrolls now- I think maybe Regimand footed the bill before, @BoneyM , but now it's up to us.

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Only if you lose them.

So if/as we wind up going to Altdorf this epilogue turn, and particularly if we're putting stuff in Belegars Vault- can we get/buy/however it now works the 'missing scrolls' from the Grey spellbook, so we can study at our leisure (but soon)?

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Retrieving or requesting the right scrolls will be folded into the process of learning them.

 

[spiritualatheist]

I'm in favor of Stewardship, myself. Turning the undumgi into something truly formidable appeals to me, and creating a nice spy network also sounds fun.

Edit: just hiring agents to buy merchants drinks and listen to their stories would be an information gold mine, let alone actually inserting our people into their caravans.

 

[Alliterate]

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We're fine, everything is fine...

 

[SuperSonicSound]

Good thing all of the wealth we're acquiring is of immediate and practical use.

 

[vsh]

heir to Zhufbar

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Huh. With that in mind we have a rather strong coalition of Karak Azul - K8P - Barak Varr - Zhufbar.

"Got to be friendly with the High King, and nothing like sending your firstborn to make him feel comfortable. Nobody outright says hostages, but..."

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That's bullshit, Sky Thane. No one gives a fleet of gyrocopters to a hostage. I guess he sort of feels trapped in a representative role, but that's just over the line.

 

[Alliterate]

Only if you lose them.

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As I recall, we Acid-melted the Moderately Complex Burning Shadows scroll.
It's almost like Mathilde thinks money is easy to come by.

 

[Lealope]

That's a good point, but it feels like an excuse to wiggle out of a duty Mathile dislike. And I rather doubt the Grey Order would see it this way.

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It feels like that because that's largely what it is on my part. I don't care overmuch for the Empire in its current state and the Dwarfs have been very good to us. As for the Grey Order, I have a firm skepticism towards shady government organizations that claim to serve the greater good as a justification for their actions.

Can you imagine how much worse the CIA would get if they had access to Ulgu? I don't think its all that controversial to mistrust them when they mindwipe us every five minutes. Maybe they'd even approve of our paranoia, considering how it fits with their institutional norms.

We're fine, everything is fine...

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I'm pretty sure the closest thing Mathilde has to luxury spending is her trashy romance books. I'm sure we'll be fine.

 

[noliar]

I think that whichever adviser role we take, if we take one, we're going to be rolling intrigue into it. We'll also be doing research on weird shit whatever. So, the more sporadic nature of the headline duties of learning gives us more time to intrigue and we can do some research as official actions. And books, a learning advisor shouldn't have to spend favour on books! Learning is the one I'd pick.

Yes, stewardship gives us more direct access to the trade networks but it also involves a fuckton of stewardship which is a big time sink if we do it properly. Being learning adviser gives enough reason to ask what's out there of travellers and even sponsor people to go out and look. Being rich and a shareholder in the EIC gives us access to trade networks. And frankly, if the stewardship adviser is more interested in internal production we can get our tentacles into tolls and trade and get away with it. Make the stewardship adviser's part of our network. Hell, do it openly - we have the contacts to recruit an experienced auditor of trade companies for their office.

 

[Ganurath]

It feels like that because that's largely what it is on my part. I don't care overmuch for the Empire in its current state and the Dwarfs have been very good to us. As for the Grey Order, I have a firm skepticism towards shady government organizations that claim to be doing shit for the greater good.

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Mathilde: "I'm not permitted to comment on whether or not I know whether or not I have clearance to acknowledge the possibility of a good pursued by the Order, regardless of the greatness of any hypothetical good involved."

 

[SuperSonicSound]

I think it's important to realise that Belegar is already a stewardship specialist given what he managed to pull off in getting assistance from at least one hold via the promise of future mutual profits from K8P simply being out of Grobi and Thagorakki hands. Even as a Steward ship adviser Belegar is going to be undertaking his own actions and doing a lot of stuff in that sphere of interest. As an Adviser we'll be able to do stuff ourself as well on top but we wont be expected to do literally everything.

 

[Blorp]

I'm pretty sure the closest thing Mathilde has to luxury spending is her trashy romance books. I'm sure we'll be fine.

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So that's what she's saving up for.

Now I'm just imagining Mathilde sweating bullets as the Grey Order questions her about her assets being stated as ten vaults' worth of trashy romance books (but not sweating nearly as much as when it's confirmed that she's telling the truth).

 

[thefoolswriter]

we need more dwarf favours for our greatsword

 

[Arbit]

[X] Remain in Karak Eight Peaks, either in the employ of Belegar or pursuing your research.


[X] Give them away...
- [X] To the Amber College

[X] Claim the site where Ranald mugged Mork and build a shrine to Ranald there.
[X] Scout the rest of the Eight Peaks, to find out what other horrors are waiting out there.
[X] Try to follow Johann, to see what he's getting up to.
[X] Join Karak Azul as they raid and scout in force the other portions of the Karak.

 

[adaer]

So that's what she's saving up for.

Now I'm just imagining Mathilde sweating bullets as the Grey Order questions her about her assets being stated as ten vaults' worth of trashy romance books (but not sweating nearly as much as when it's confirmed that she's telling the truth).

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She needs them! To...trade for favors and information from the halflings, and any interested civilians in future trade caravans. The fact that she's only trading the ones she's already read is definitely because she has to personally judge the quality of each one to make sure she's getting a good deal.

 

[Zero Gravitas]

It feels like that because that's largely what it is on my part. I don't care overmuch for the Empire in its current state and the Dwarfs have been very good to us. As for the Grey Order, I have a firm skepticism towards shady government organizations that claim to be doing shit for the greater good.

Can you imagine how much worse the CIA would get if they had access to Ulgu? I don't think its all that controversial to mistrust them when they mindwipe us every five minutes. Maybe they'd even approve of our paranoia, considering how it fits with their institutional norms.

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The Grey Order is set up to minimize rogue actions though. Sure they can do shady things but they're shady things balanced towards the unequivocal greater good (in a screw Chaos and other such stuff way) rather than filling some Elector Count's pockets or other partisan stuff.

Considering even Dawi have institutional infighting once one digs down deep enough the Grey College seems to be doing as much good as it possibly can considering it is still made out of humans and not some sort of weird automatons.

I think it's important to realise that Belegar is already a stewardship specialist given what he managed to pull off in getting assistance from at least one hold via the promise of future mutual profits from K8P simply being out of Grobi and Thagorakki hands. Even as a Steward ship adviser Belegar is going to be undertaking his own actions and doing a lot of stuff in that sphere of interest. As an Adviser we'll be able to do stuff ourself as well on top but we wont be expected to do literally everything.

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That doesn't make Stewardship an optimal path to take. Mathilde isn't as good in it, spy networks can be built without the stewardship spot and we've already got too much money to the point where it is getting quite important to spend most of it before it becomes too much for the Grey College to ignore.

There's no clear benefit to Mathilde in going all in the Stewardship direction.

 

[Alliterate]

I'm pretty sure the closest thing Mathilde has to luxury spending is her trashy romance books. I'm sure we'll be fine.

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Hey, The Witch and her Hunter 2: Shadow and Flame is an underappreciated classic!

ten vaults' worth of trashy romance books

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Two vaults of which are entirely given over to the oeuvre of modern literary titan Stabreim Knockenbeinern.

On Stewardship:

Stewardship:
Economics (2/3)

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We're one training action away from completing this, which should give a decent practical bonus.
"Learning a new skill increases the relevant base characteristic, and has narrative effects - a good roll with a weapon you're skilled at will have a better effect than the same roll with one you aren't."