Warhammer Fantasy: Divided Loyalties - an Advisor's Quest

[Gavin Prince]

I'm a little busy getting ready for work, but I just want people to know that I'm cooking a plan titled "We Have Adventures At Home", and that I'm willing to take requests on which Old World Face Punching Actions people are interested in.

Because if we're going to be punching faces this turn, I'd rather they be local and probably come with a strategic benefit for the project, like reclaiming a Nexus or earning an allies trust or something.

With Overwork, I reckon I can fit in a bunch of juicy actions this turn.

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The biggest option for home grown adventures lies with the girl scouts
Learn scouting from dwarven rangers (with eike)
Scout the Mordheim Nexus (with one or more webmat boys)
Bring Bretonnia intovthe project (Iron Orcs as a write-in)
Scout the Forest of Shadows nexuses
Build the first waystone

One spare action for whatever. Father turn to ping in Bretonnia and Forest of Shadows I suppose

 

[Aliya]

Ok, not really a plan maker for this quest, but here is my idea.
[]Plan: We have two hands and 12 AP.
-[] 1 Overwork Bonus AP.
-[] 2 AP borrowed from the next turn for Elfcation.
-[] Coin: Protector
-[] Waystone: Deploy in Lauleron (First)
---[] Hatalath, Sarvoi, Cadaeth
-[] Waystone: Deploy in Kislev
--[] Pragg
---[] Zlata and Baba Niedzwenka
-[ ] MAX: Receive dictation: specify which two papers or one book will be written (Linguistic Drift in Lizardmen Glyphs (FADING), The Polyphenic Theory of Lizardmen Society (FADING))
-[ ] JOHANN: Study an artefact: (Branulhune - investigate the odd flash when it is desummoned underwater)
-[ ] EGRIMM: Attempt a Windherder enchantment with Egrimm (Auditory Seviroscope) Spend 2 CF for a Journeyman with Auditory Magesight to help out
-[][][] Travel to Nagarythe at the invitation of Ambassador Daroir, and join their eternal war against Naggarothi invaders for three months.
-[] Tributary: Dreaming Wood
--[] Nordland
---[] Hatalath, Sarvoi, Cadaeth
-[] EIC: Assist in the creation of the magical route through the Schadensumpf, both personally and with the EIC's influence and resources
-[] KAU: Seek the publishing contacts to start acquiring large amounts of books from a nearby realm (Lothern)
-[] SERENITY: Aethyric Vitae 2/2
-[] Eike Actions: Explore Ward of Storm, EIC action, Eggrim Action
-[] Eike Study: Enchanting class at the Grey College (paid in CF)

 

[BeepSmile]

Anyone interested in the audio-servioscope this turn?

 

[DragonParadox]

Anyone interested in the audio-servioscope this turn?

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I am if we can get WEB-Mat going with all three actions

 

[Solar Saiyan]

So, correct me if I am wrong, I cant keep up with the discussions, this is the turn vote, right? So, is this the time for the M-Orb flex?

 

[DragonParadox]

So, correct me if I am wrong, I cant keep up with the discussions, this is the turn vote, right? So, is this the time for the M-Orb flex?

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Yes t both, we just need to not both the writing roll.

 

[Gavin Prince]

I am if we can get WEB-Mat going with all three actions

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Lovely Laurelorn with Johann (boosting Eonir Diplomacy and learning more about the Forestborn)
Write a paper with Max (Lizardman stuff)

Also

The biggest option for home grown adventures lies with the girl scouts
...
One spare action for whatever. Father turn to ping in Bretonnia and Forest of Shadows I suppose

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For that one spare action for a write-in home-grown adventure consider:

• Mathilde just learned at the Mandredmoot that Kemmler is once again active
• The first thing she did after was to go establish an entire Nehekharan Wing in her library

The Amethysts would be quite happy if a Lord Magister was to offer her services in that direction as a write-in, and there's probably enough of a recent lead-in for Boney to work it in without it coming completely out of left field.

 

[mathymancer]

With our new books on Nehekhara and all the talk of languages around the Old Ones texts we got I'm surprised there's no language learning plan floating. We wanted to learn High Nehekharan for the sake of researching our vampire writing, so a turn plan with that action would work both towards our old goals and towards our new ones. I also think that finishing off our advanced Eonir diplomacy is actually moderately important right now, because we're about to give the Eonir two things they really want (tributaries, the mist road) and better Eonir diplomacy could stop us from getting bilked like what happened when we recruited House Tindomiel.

Using pickle's SHADOW WIZARD MURDER GANG plan as a base, I've cooked up something that I think could work, although at a terrible cost:

[] Plan Fatherless Behavior
-[] 1 AP Overwork, 1AP from T45 used
-[] The Protector

-[]JOHANN: Explore the Ward of Storm
--[] Try to aid the Ward of Storm Faniour against local gribblies
-[]EGRIMM: Learn written High Nehekharan from the Colleges (2 CF)
-[]EGRIMM: Study an artefact: Kurgan moon shrine

-[] Waystone: Deploy in Kislev (Praag Region)
--[] With Zlata and Baba Niedzwenka
-[] Tributary: Dreaming Wood (Nordland)
--[] With Cadaeth, Sarvoi, Hatalath, Tochter, and Max
-[] [] [] Travel to Nagarythe at the invitation of Ambassador Daroir, and join their eternal war against Naggarothi invaders for three months. (1 AP from turn 45)

-[] EIC: Assist in the creation of the magical route through the Schadensumpf, both personally and with the EIC's influence and resources
-[ ] KAU: Seek an exchange arrangement with another Library or a Karak's archives to be able to make copies of their corpus (Karak Vlag)
-[] SERENITY: Aethyric Vitae 2/2
-[] Eike Actions: explore Ward of Storm, KAU action, EIC action, Kurgan Shrine study
-[] Eike Study: Learn Sounds, study Khazalid

Some notes on the main changes:
-I'm putting Johann on the Storm Ward exploration, but it's not just for action economy - we already used Johann's in with the Eonir in an exploration action, and I think it might be a good idea to use it again because apparently the Ward of Storm is very militarized and Johann is a known entity in Laurelorn mostly because their top fighter was impressed by how good Johann is at punching.
-I'm putting Eike on helping with the mist road in the hopes she'll learn some enchanting from Mathilde, and changing her study action to learning magic instead, because I would like her to finally finish that very basic part of her magical education.
-Vlag book instead of Lothern book, because I like it better.
-The third WEB-MAT action is Kurgan shrine study because we have a bunch of new books on religion and I want to study it and I want to maybe see Eike's piety score, but I'm not married to that action. One obvious alternative is to switch that with the Kurgan weapons, which gives Eike another enchanting related action to be on.
-Max is on both Laurelorn deployement to serve as a general gopher, he already has some experience doing that for Niedzwenka from when they worked on the ritual. Tochter is on the Dreaming Wood action because she designed it with Cadaeth, I figure she might have something to offer there.

The price we pay for this is 1AP taken from next turn. In fact, in a way it's sort of 2AP, because we're also committing to studying the Nehekharan Network (or else having Egrimm take Nehekharan lessons on company time is a no-go). I think this is a price we can afford to pay, but with a measely 3AP left for turn 45 it does make the chance of a Father turn happening more or less zero. But let's be honest, it was already more or less zero. And on that note, I'll be posting a Father plan shortly.

 

[BeepSmile]

@mathymancer would you be willing to switch Egrimm's action to the audio-seviscorpe (and put Eike on that action)?

Edit: Max should not be in Kislev working on waystones. It'll look really really bad imo.
We might get away with a male elf (and a male dwarf should be fine) if any of them would be useful, but not a male human.

 

[Tasoli]

I am fine with Elfcation but I feel like we are busy enough that we should perhaps borrow 2 AP from the next turn? Or atleast one anyway.

Actually @Boney if we were to borrow an AP from next for Elfcation turn would that mean we can take KAU Lothern book action next turn? Do it on the way back essentially.

 

[mathymancer]

@mathymancer would you be willing to switch Egrimm's action to the audio-seviscorpe (and put Eike on that action)?

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I would definitely be willing to approval vote for a plan with that change made. I'm unsure if I'll make that change myself, and probably will only definitively settle on the third WEB-MAT action sometime close to the opening of the vote.

 

[Boney]

I am fine with Elfcation but I feel like we are busy enough that we should perhaps borrow 2 AP from the next turn? Or atleast one anyway.

Actually @Boney if we were to borrow an AP from next for Elfcation turn would that mean we can take KAU Lothern book action next turn? Do it on the way back essentially.

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No. Allowing the AP-borrowing at all is going to be enough of a headache to keep track of without it spilling over into next turn being Lothern-adjacent too.

 

[Nimbus]

Oh, wow, that was not a good time to go to sleep! Alright, let's see.

I'm sympathetic to the argument against putting off the Elfcation to prepare for the Elfcation. Bolstering Scouting seems like too natural a fit for the Shadow Warriors' approach to warfare to pass up but other than that, I think any case needs to be particularly persuasive.

What I am more concerned about is getting Mathilde's affairs in order beforehand. We don't want to go to Nagarythe to fight Druchii, die while fighting said Druchii and leave a whole bunch of projects half-done, falling apart or in a state in which nobody can make use of them. The possibility is hopefully slim but it does exist, it's mostly beyond our control and we should be prepared for it.

I actually don't think that the Waystone Project should be a priority in light of the above. This is its own institution now and so it has its own momentum; the deployment is going to start regardless of whether Mathilde is helping it along or not, even if that help would make it go faster. That said, we can give it as big a push as possible. As noted in the update, the deployment of this first Waystone is an epochal achievement. Therefore, I propose we deploy the first Waystone to Praag. considering its history as a place where different factions united to hold back Chaos, then make its inauguration an event. Bring along all of the members of the Project to show off the benefits of international cooperation; ask the Tzar if he can lay on all the relevant glitz and glamour, since, you know, we did do that thing for him recently; and then invite every ambassador we can get hold of to spread the news that the Project is moving to deployment and that now is the time to buy in.

The Gigaflex, on the other hand, won't happen without Mathilde's intervention and deserves the single action needed to do so. I recall being concerned about the Colleges wanting to ask Mathilde's advice on AV-related matters while she's away but, ah... That's what the book's for! (There's also a part of me that wants to lean into my previous proposal and suggest that we try to leverage the announcement for the 'gift Orbs to Teclis' proposal by properly making them a gift from the Colleges (and thus one that we might be able to just ask for the power stones for), rather than one carried out under Mathilde's own steam in the name of the Colleges as previously suggested, but I recognise that most people probably won't back that.)

Then there are our other longstanding projects. Setting up auditing for the EIC makes sense to keep it ticking over, as would checking in on the We-silk endeavours in case we can find (by which I mean Eike finds) something in Lothern that might help with any specific issues they might be having. I also recall the suggestion being made that we should make a trip of looking over our fief in Stirland with Pan, which is definitely something to make sure there are no outstanding problems with. (Also, you know - Mathilde spending quality time with her girlfriend before she heads off on a months-long, possibly quite stressful jaunt to another continent sounds like a good idea. Maybe bring her along to the Waystone Inauguration too if she wants to come, though potential Jade College friction may mean she doesn't.)

In terms of turning these ramblings into action, I might compose a plan built on the above points? Never done so before and I admit I am mildly terrified of making a half-dozen errors in the formatting but hey, no doubt there'll be plenty of people very willing to set it straight!

 

[Gavin Prince]

Plan "Swallow an Energy Field Bigger than Your Own Head"

[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] WEBMAT: Capture an Apparition (Whispering Darkness). 4AP thanks to Webmat discount
[ ] Attempt to bind the dozen or so apparitions to your soul as a single choking fog spell
[ ] Go build a waystone or something

 

[Andres]

@mathymancer any chance of putting an Eonir on Praag? I really want an Eonir to be present and involved in setting up the first waystone. Sarvoi might be a good choice - it's the opportunity for him to scope out new magical flows.

-Vlag book instead of Lothern book, because I like it better.

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But Vlag is just a dwarf hold. There's no boats for Eike to geek out over, no exotic port city in the elf land to visit.

 

[DragonParadox]

Oh, wow, that was not a good time to go to sleep! Alright, let's see.

I'm sympathetic to the argument against putting off the Elfcation to prepare for the Elfcation. Bolstering Scouting seems like too natural a fit for the Shadow Warriors' approach to warfare to pass up but other than that, I think any case needs to be particularly persuasive.

What I am more concerned about is getting Mathilde's affairs in order beforehand. We don't want to go to Nagarythe to fight Druchii, die while fighting said Druchii and leave a whole bunch of projects half-done, falling apart or in a state in which nobody can make use of them. The possibility is hopefully slim but it does exist, it's mostly beyond our control and we should be prepared for it.

I actually don't think that the Waystone Project should be a priority in light of the above. This is its own institution now and so it has its own momentum; the deployment is going to start regardless of whether Mathilde is helping it along or not, even if that help would make it go faster. That said, we can give it as big a push as possible. As noted in the update, this is an epochal achievement, and so, unless there are any blindingly obvious reasons not to, I propose we deploy the first Waystone to Praag, considering its history as a place where different factions united to hold back Chaos, then make its inauguration an event. Bring along all of the members of the Project to show off the benefits of international cooperation; ask the Tzar if he can lay on all the relevant glitz and glamour, since, you know, we did do that thing for him recently; and then invite every ambassador we can get hold of to spread the news that the Project is moving to deployment and that people should be free to buy in.

The Gigaflex, on the other hand, won't happen without Mathilde's intervention and deserves the single action needed to do so. I recall being concerned about the Colleges wanting to ask Mathilde's advice on AV-related matters while she's away but, ah... That's what the book's for! (There's also a part of me that wants to lean into my previous proposal and suggest that we try to leverage the announcement for the 'gift Orbs to Teclis' proposal by properly making them a gift from the Colleges (and thus one that we might be able to just ask for the power stones for), rather than one carried out under Mathilde's own steam in the name of the Colleges as previously suggested, but I recognise that most people probably won't back that.)

Then there are our other longstanding projects. Setting up auditing for the EIC makes sense to keep it ticking over, as would checking in on the We-silk endeavours in case we can find (by which I mean Eike finds) something in Lothern that might help with any specific issues they might be having. I also recall the suggestion being made that we should make a trip of looking over our fief in Stirland with Pan, which is definitely something to make sure there are no outstanding problems with. (Also, you know - Mathilde spending quality time with her girlfriend before she heads off on a months-long, possibly quite stressful jaunt to another continent sounds like a good idea. Maybe bring her along to the Waystone Inauguration too if she wants to come, though potential Jade College friction may mean she doesn't.)

In terms of turning all of the above ramblings into action, I might compose a plan built on the above points? Never done so before and I admit I am mildly terrified of making a half-dozen errors in the format but hey, no doubt there'll be plenty of people very willing to set it straight!

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I think you may be overreaching with things we are 'supposed' to do

1. The EIC does not need an audit, the company already had more actions used to keep it trustworthy than any other kind of action and it is in the keeping of trustworthy people several times over (Wilhemina, the Hochalander and eventually Eike)
2. We have no ability to 'check' on the silk business. It will be done when it's done
3. Goat fief was intentionally chosen to never need oversight and what oversight we gave was social AP, that is how insignificant it is.

 

[ArcanaVitae]

As you sit and ponder the newly-constructed Waystone, you consider the nature of firsts. This Waystone is certainly a first of some kind, but it takes a carefully-constructed array of qualifiers to correctly identify what. Certainly not the first constructed in the Old World, considering the partnership between Elves and Dwarves was forged here. Not even the first since the breakdown of that alliance, as the Belthani, the Nehekharans, the Scythians, and possibly others have left behind additions to the network. Not even the first in the Empire's history, as it is very likely that Belthani remnants lingered in corners of the Reik Basin until the Drive to the Frontiers brought its entirety under Imperial rule; that, and who knows what the Bretonni were getting up to west of the Grey Mountains in the era before the Royarchs and the Lady came to rule those lands. It might be as little as fifteen centuries since the last Waystone was constructed in the Old World.

All that said, it is still quite the accomplishment. This Waystone is the first of many, and it will mark a turning point in the history of whichever land it is planted in. The question of which land that will be hangs heavy in the air, and maps of the rivers of the Old World have come under close scrutiny in recent weeks. In Kislev, this Waystone placed along the Tobol would halt the spread of Troll Country, or along the Kalti Delta to turn a Norscan stronghold into Kislevite territory, or along the uppermost reaches of the Lynsk could cut Praag off from the Chaos Wastes and start to reverse almost two centuries of corruption. In the Empire, Mordheim could be ringed with Waystones to drain away almost five centuries of accumulated corruption, or the Waystone could be placed along the Drak to drive a stake into the heart of Sylvania, or along the Black Run to fortify the barrier between Stirland or Sylvania. Or the newly-established trade crossroad of the Black Water could be ringed with Waystones to begin to counter whatever font of corruption lies deep below the surface.

The decision would be life-changing to those living in or near the affected area, but perhaps more important would be the statement of intent that the decision would be taken for. Rightly or wrongly, the world will be paying attention to who the first major beneficiary of the Waystone Project will be.

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This is an insanely big deal.

[ ] Waystone: Negotiate with Ulthuan for details of how to create a Nexus (NEW)

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[ ] Waystone: Negotiate with Ulthuan to re-erect Barak Varr's Nexus (NEW)
[ ] Waystone: Seek the lost Black Fire Pass Nexus (NEW)

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Good to know about all the New Actions.

Been a while since I've been this early.

Hmm. There's a lot of important places to put a Waystone. Cleaning up Mordheim is a hell of a statement and securing Sylvania is an excellent capstone for Mathilde's lifework. But... saving and securing Praag isn't just a statement. It's taking the fight directly to Chaos. Shore up the greatest wound still suffered from Asavar Kul, as a symbol of teamwork between all the races.

Putting it in the Empire would be nice, but putting it in Kisliv strikes me as the boldest and most impactful move to make.

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I think deploying it in Kislev makes the most sense--it's hard to argue against the fact that Kislev needs it the most, and that everyone benefits from Kislev being a bulwark against Chaos in the north. The question is if we can just hook it up to Kislev's own piece of the network and have everything work out just fine.

It would also be a major statement of intent with the project--that this really does aim to help everyone, as the first members of the project were the Empire and Laurelorn. Putting our first waystone in Kislev shows that we intend to spread them widely. Praag burned buying time for the rest of the Old World; it would be poetic for the rest of the Old World to help restore Praag in a way that couldn't be done before.

EDIT: It also would make it plausible to get financial backing from Kislev to really ramp up production and add legitimacy to the project and our stated goals. Putting the first one near Praag, with the project featuring Kislev as members, makes it a show of patriotism and aspiration.

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No matter what's chosen it's very much a statement of intent.

Very much agreed. Both narratively and in universe, mathilde's current main project is at a truly critical stage, and while we have major deliverables, we've not yet arranged for *any* long term production or deployment concerns, we haven't even examined one of the biggest things we want to support with the fruits of the project, and we're sitting on a number of options to capitalize on the existing success and resources available to solidify and branch out from that success. Mathilde leaving for a dangerous adventure across the ocean without so much as making sure the first waystones make it more than a month without issues, without getting all the ducks in line for kislev/boris after they went all in, etc...it just feels wrong to me :/ I get it, the thread has wanted to go on the elfcation for ages, and the last "good" opportunity to do so was missed because, despite being a perfect lull in story, boney and the thread were all wanting a break from intense adventure updates after the Dum expedition, but doing it right now is just... it doesn't feel like it makes sense in universe, and while i'm not going to pretend that my mental picture of mathilde is the true one or anything like that, it really just doesn't mesh with my mental image of mathilde. in a year (or...a year and a half, since i think the way the overwork mechanics function means people were saying that would be the best way to do so) when the waystone project is truly in its "expand deployment, make minor tweaks and polishes as bulk production reveals them" phase, then it would make perfect sense both to me and to how-i-view-mathilde's-character to go off to ulthuan, but...not now.

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Yeah the Waystone project is the main focus.

Passed over? Laurelorn very much does not want a repeat of the Great War Against Chaos, but this time with a badly weakened Kislev and favorable terrain for the forces of Chaos all the way up to Praag. Same goes for the Empire.

And Kislev has indeed put in a lot of effort.

Laurelorn has already struck gold with the project as it is--lots of good ties with its neighbors and other regional powers, as well as incoming lucrative trade...and prestige.

The Empire has established better ties with Laurelorn than it has ever had, on top of securing a new production line of waystones. It's also helped improve relations with Kislev, developed a much better understanding of the essential magical infrastructure that allows for the Empire's continued existence, and established itself as an equal partner to elves.

The Karaz Ankor solved a serious rift in its own internal relations, established the beginnings of a potentially game-changing relationship with Laurelorn, has an eventual way to expand its own piece of the waystone network (by feeding it more energy into existing karak-waystones), and has helped develop the means to make places like Sylvania, the Black Water, and Mordheim a lot less nasty.

During the Great War Against Chaos, the Karaz Ankor and the Empire sallied with huge armies to fight the forces of Chaos at the gates of Kislev's cities before they'd be fighting those same forces individually at the gates of their own cities. Restoring and bolstering Kislev is definitely a good thing and works as well as a first step as anything.

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That's a great argument to place it in Kislev.

I think there's a very much simpler reason to choose kislev: The everchosen bowl is happening right now. This is fortification for the next great war, and the earlier the waystones at the front go down, the better off everyone will be.

A lot of grumbling about this will get much quieter when the available intel gets spread around.

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That is also a major factor.

I'm categorically against any sentiment of "shoring up our skills before going on the Elfcation". We've already done that! It's an unending treadmill, and we already had a turn plan lean SUPER HARD into self-improvement for the purpose of going to Ulthuan Next Turn! Regardless of other concerns, I'm super hard against continuing the treadmill and delaying the payoff forever.

Put me down in support of a Praag Waystone. I think we can, and probably should, do multiple Waystone-setting actions and borrow an action for the Elfcation from the next turn (we are explicitly allowed to do that).

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Mathilde is a badass and that's very much been established we don't really need more skills to survive the Elfcation.

 

[The Phoenixian]

I think that I actually favour Sylvania for initial deployment?

Praag is a fine statement of "FUCK YOU CHAOS" and Boris would be super-grateful for the gesture, but Sylvania is a job that is mostly done and the Waystones would pretty much complete it.

It would show loyalty to the imperial cause, which could be useful if somebody starts questioning Mathilde's loyalties at some point, it would avoid the issues of going first with eonir or dawi (I am convinced that those two need to be done at the same time to avoid prickly pride issues with either) and it means not putting a lot of valuable infrastructure in what is likely going to be the frontline of the next great war against Chaos, which Boris also expects to happen any day now.

Remember that Boris doesn't think that he has time for gradual improvement. That's the whole reasoning behind ordering the murder of his father.

He sighs. "Long term infrastructure project, yha? Small, bit by bit improvements over time. That does not work, not with how things are now. If this project was Kislev's project, I could have made it a matter of pride for Kislev, that could have gotten at least most of the resources it needs. But now it is Imperinyi project - I know this is not fully the case, but that is how it is seen in Kislev. If improvements are not obvious, then Kislev's resources for Empire's glory is how it will be seen, and that is an argument that cannot be won." He pauses, his eyes on your face. "Not with the Tzar."
[...]
"I have had the same solution in mind for many years - to wait until time and fate solves it. But there are movements to the north, movements we have seen before. Every year Za grows stronger while Kislev remains weak. Time can no longer save Kislev, it can only doom it. If waiting is not the solution, then acting must be." He pauses again, but this time, it is not for emphasis - it is genuine hesitation. "And your Order has a reputation for a certain kind of action."

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As far as this whole point goes, I don't think it really applies. Having the first waystone of a multi-polity waystone project in a long time would absolutely be a matter of pride for Kislev. Plus there's the middle three lines of that to consider.

[...]"Not with the Tzar."

"Is it a matter of resources?"

"Nie, not directly. Kislev is not a rich land, but it is a large land. What it lacks in treasure it has in muscle and will. But the Tzar goes unchallenged because he leaves the Boyars be, so those resources go towards their own comforts and projects and glory. Even if he wished to change things, he could not - the Boyars are so accustomed to his ways they will not accept his changing them. And I know for sure that he does not wish to change things."You begin to suspect the trajectory of this conversation.

"Do you have a solution to this problem in mind?"

"I have had the same solution in mind for many years [...]

It reads to me more like The Tzar was the reason he couldn't take action to build out waystones, rather than the speed of the waystones themselves being the problem. With Boris now in charge, a significant waystone buildup would absolute slow, if not invert, the process he worries about, potentially slow the growth of Chaos by pushing back it's realm of influence, and at the very least buy Kislev precious time for the land to grow hale even as the Tzar grows strong and Chaos looms larger.

Plus, I really like the symbolism others mentioned: Praag once bled for the sake of the old world. Now at last the powers of the old world have grown strong enough in the wake of that sacrifice to lend the time and strength it brought them back to that city which sacrificed itself so valiantly.

 

[mathymancer]

Edit: Max should not be in Kislev working on waystones. It'll look really really bad imo.
We might get away with a male elf (and a male dwarf should be fine) if any of them would be useful, but not a male human.

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Very fair point, edited.

@mathymancer any chance of putting an Eonir on Praag? I really want an Eonir to be present and involved in setting up the first waystone. Sarvoi might be a good choice - it's the opportunity for him to scope out new magical flows.

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I think any scoping out of magical flows will happen more on a Kislev network investigation, this is just setting up the stones. But I'm not super opposed to the idea in principle. I think Sarvoi is going to be involved in the construction anyway, maybe Hatalath? I dunno.

But Vlag is just a dwarf hold. There's no boats for Eike to geek out over, no exotic port city in the elf land to visit.

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Just a dwarf hold? Vlag is a dwarf hold FROM LITERAL HELL! It contains dwarves who HATE BEER and LOVE SEX! It probably has books from the FIRE SPIRE, which is a SPIRE made of FIRE!* It is the source of stone for Laurelorn, stone which will get to Tor Lithanel BY BOAT!** You dare compare this to an ELF CITY? Eike has seen elves. Eike speaks elf, in an australian accent. Eike has had enough of elves. Now is the time of hammer and axe. Now is the time for VLAG.

*The Fire Spire is not a spire made of fire
**The odds of this coming up in any way during the KAU action are minimal

 

[Boney]

@Boney Besides both being sun/creator gods at the head of their pantheon and married to a moon goddess, do our books mention any more similarities between Asuryan and Ptra?

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On further thought there are a couple of things that would jump out from a skim of Mathilde's new books. Asuryan is said to have always been masked and no mortal had ever seen His face, while it is said that nobody could look upon Ptra's face without being driven mad. And the aura that was said to surround Ptra's priesthood does seem similar to descriptions of that surrounding the Phoenix Guard on the battlefield.

 

[Andres]

I think any scoping out of magical flows will happen more on a Kislev network investigation, this is just setting up the stones. But I'm not super opposed to the idea in principle. I think Sarvoi is going to be involved in the construction anyway, maybe Hatalath? I dunno.

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Oh yeah it's not about research and magical flows, it's about prestige and diplomacy. Laurelorn hosted the project to make friends with other nations, and being part of setting up the first waystone would be good for that, and especially help their relations with Kislev. Think of it like their own Teclis moment.

 

[mathymancer]

Oh hi speaking of new books:

Apart from the odd sense of familiarity that the Nehekharan coins depicting a hooded snake cause you, the rest of the cataloguing is uneventful, and after weeks of work you're left with enough coins to fill several coin cabinets that Belegar had a hobbyist carpenter of Clan Angrund put together.

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Do our new books contain pictures and/or descriptions of Qu'aph? And if they do, does Mathilde recognize Him as the God that gave her a tingly feeling way back when she was cataloguing Nehekharan coins?

 

[Nimbus]

I think you may be overreaching with things we are 'supposed' to do

1. The EIC does not need an audit, the company already had more actions used to keep it trustworthy than any other kind of action and it is in the keeping of trustworthy people several times over (Wilhemina, the Hochalander and eventually Eike)
2. We have no ability to 'check' on the silk business. It will be done when it's done
3. Goat fief was intentionally chosen to never need oversight and what oversight we gave was social AP, that is how insignificant it is.

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Possibly fair! Did strike me as at least a little conservative by the time I was done writing it.

With regards to 2. specifically, I imagine that it would be done with a 'Personal Relations: Francesco Caravello' action. That said, I realise that I've contradicted myself: like the Waystone Project the We-silk endeavour is also its own thing that's ticking over and doesn't need Mathilde's intervention except to speed things along! Maybe more of a 'nice-to-have' than a 'need-to-do', then, as you say.

In terms of 3., fair enough! Maybe worth doing as a social action with Pan pre-Nagarythe, then, with the focus on giving Mathilde time to relax before diving headfirst into a guerilla war? Remember people being drawn to the idea after the recent Omake on life in the fief.

 

[DragonParadox]

In terms of 3., fair enough! Maybe worth doing as a social action with Pan pre-Nagarythe, then, with the focus on giving Mathilde time to relax before diving headfirst into a guerilla war? Remember people being drawn to the idea after the recent Omake on life in the fief.

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Mathilde thinks of guerilla war as a holiday, that is the kind of character we made. 'How much can I cut back on sleeping and eating without it affecting my work' is a question she asked more than once and upon encountering a Rider in Red, a being mono-focused on its purpose she felt some sympathy to it's satisfaction at a job well done.

That said sure, a social action in the fief would be cool.

 

[Andres]

We can use a normal action to do stuff with Panoramia. It'd be a Personal Relations action.