I've eyed that sentence before, but the lore-accurate version where I introduce and then have to explain 'Ulric's Balm' or whatever is a whole paragraph long and that is not a spot in the narrative where a lore digression fits elegantly in.
Warhammer Fantasy: Divided Loyalties - an Advisor's Quest
- Thread starter Boney
- Start date
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Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
I've eyed that sentence before, but the lore-accurate version where I introduce and then have to explain 'Ulric's Balm' or whatever is a whole paragraph long and that is not a spot in the narrative where a lore digression fits elegantly in.
fictionfan
Please sir, may I have some Meows?
- Location
- Tempe, AZ
If you have Azry or any wind of magic you don't need a lightbulb to make light. Making light with magic is petty magic.
Maybe just add a * with a footnote?
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That'd give me plausible deniability that might save me from being charged, but the pacing will still be dead.
chocolote12
A Penguin Flailing Against The Keyboard Of Life.
You could use a phrase like 'the heat of battle' as a synonym for adrenaline (i.e 'The heat of battle is a hell of a thing'). It's got the same gist without the medical information.
- Location
- To the left. No, not there, the other left.
'Battle-rush' also would work.
I thought of that but didn't like the phrases that came to mind. Look, this is really just the laconic thing. I make a dozen trade-offs between lore-accurate vocabulary and easy comprehensibility in every single update. I've evaluated it in the light of actual adrenaline coming up later in the story and I've decided it's still the right decision to make.
Tasoli
Life is for Living
- Location
- Behind the Keyboard.
Combat shock would be my go to.
- Location
- Australia
Getting started on Deft Steps Light Fingers, the grim and perilous guide for rogues, rangers, rascals, and rovers. Opening up the book and I'm met with two things: first, there's no intro text at all, and two, the table of contents is filled with stuff. Seems there was a hell of a lot the authors wanted to squeeze in, might have had something to do with the legendary delay.
The book proper begins in page 4 with the Cult of Ranald.
We've actually got some new descriptions of how he looks like.
You've got Ranald sick and what looks to be some dead Chaos Warriors next to him.
Page 5 talks about the aspects of Ranald and some stories associated with him. The aspects are the same four faces we know of, save that the Gambler is now called the Gamester, because Ranald lends his aid to the oppressed. Here's the associated stories, starting with the Night Prowler:
Page 6 takes us into Olde Weirde's Incunabulum, with the three professors talking about Ranald's origins. The first origin story is supplied to us by Pfaff, the blowhard Sigmarite:
The tale-telling concludes and Pfaff takes his leave, though Gronighof and Old Weirde keep talking, with Old Weirde saying this:
Page 8, The Brotherhood
Page 10 gives us the relations the Cult of Ranald has with various other organisations. Here's the relations with the Cult of Shallya:
Page 11 is about famous figures in the cult.
There are some famous figures who are alive in Mathilde's time, but they're 20 years old or younger at the moment. The second entry cannot be canon in Divided Loyalties.
Page 12 details some Ranaldan books.
Page 13 is when the book starts talking about Ranald priest PCs, and to that end it includes this bit of lore:
Pages 15 and 23
Page 17
Good lord the sheer menace emanating from this woman. It almost matches her incredible sense of style.
Page 14 is when we start getting the Ranaldan priest careers. We've got the Thief-Priest, Gambler-Priest, Trickster-Priest, and Liberator-Priest, each corresponding to one of Ranald's aspects.
Page 18 is where we begin getting Miracles. The way this book organises the miracles and careers is a bit odd - not bad, necessarily, but certainly unusual. First it gives the Thief-Priest and Gambler-Priest careers, then it gives Miracles those careers can take, then it gives the Trickster-Priest and Liberator-Priest careers, before then giving us the Miracles available to those two careers. I imagine it helps readability in some way, though I'm intuiting it's the kind of thing you'd only appreciate through regular play/reference.
The first sentence of the The Heat Is Off miracle is something I find funny:
Page 19
Page 20 gives us an example of what a high-class Ranaldan priestess looks like (in this case a trickster-priestess):
Page 21
This'll be of interest to the thread.
Page 23
Page 24 gives us a Deceiver miracle called Ranald's Mischief that reminds me of Egrimm's mirror.
Page 24
Page 25 gives us Protector miracles and two of them are quite creative.
Since we took a trip to Talabheim that one time, here's how Ranaldans are there.
That's it for chapter 1 of Deft Steps Light Fingers, which it turns out has no comma in the title. Flavour-wise it's a good expansion on the lore that Tome of Salvation provides us on the Cult of Ranald, with a focus on giving players information on the priests they'll be playing as. After this is three chapters of ordinary crime so I don't expect I'll be covering much of it. After that though is the Cult of Taal.
The book proper begins in page 4 with the Cult of Ranald.
Yes they do.
We've actually got some new descriptions of how he looks like.
Quite novel to imagine Ranald laughing while holding a straightened palm vertically to the side of or below her mouth. As for Grottio's work, I believe it's depicted on the same page.
Page 5 talks about the aspects of Ranald and some stories associated with him. The aspects are the same four faces we know of, save that the Gambler is now called the Gamester, because Ranald lends his aid to the oppressed. Here's the associated stories, starting with the Night Prowler:
The Gamester:
The Protector:
The Deceiver:
Page 6 takes us into Olde Weirde's Incunabulum, with the three professors talking about Ranald's origins. The first origin story is supplied to us by Pfaff, the blowhard Sigmarite:
I guess this'd make Marienburg holy ground if it were true. Gronighof's tale is basically the same Shallya story we all know, though we are told that the story happens in Bordeleaux, and we also learn that this is the most commonly told origin story. Finally, we have Olde Weirde's story:
I guess Agnetha was Karl-Franz's mum? Regardless, I'll be adding that book to my library list. Moving on, Gronighof then provides us a new origin story, this time of how Rhya hid Ranald, which he recounts in page 7.
Honestly I don't understand this story. What's Ulgu got to do with it? Who's Ranald's mother, Rhya?
The tale-telling concludes and Pfaff takes his leave, though Gronighof and Old Weirde keep talking, with Old Weirde saying this:
Up until now "Prince of Cats" has been an Age of Sigmar thing; Fantasy only had the Chieftain of Cats (in one place: Archives of the Empire 3, in the hedge witch section).
Page 8, The Brotherhood
In Tome of Salvation, the Brotherhood and the Givers of Coin were two different sects. 4e's Brotherhood is is the same as in Tome of Salvation.
I guess we have a usable name for when Ranald's a girl. Also for those who are wondering about the English name "Jack", Sartosa is England, or perhaps an English colony on the Caribbean.
There are countless stories in other pieces of fiction about ancient orders that puppet things from the shadows and are behind everything, like the Assassins and Templars of Assassin's Creed, or the League of Assassins in DC. It's funny to see that same story being told as an obvious lie intended to make people look the fool.
Page 10 gives us the relations the Cult of Ranald has with various other organisations. Here's the relations with the Cult of Shallya:
Page 11 is about famous figures in the cult.
It's good to see Felix get the recognition he deserved, even as he was denied the reward and pardon he was promised.
This ought to be of interest to the thread for obvious reasons. Also, it seems that there are two wizards named Wyssan, as Wyssan's Wildform and Wyssan's Ally are from the Lore of Beasts.
There are some famous figures who are alive in Mathilde's time, but they're 20 years old or younger at the moment. The second entry cannot be canon in Divided Loyalties.
So yeah, in Warhammer proper it could be that the Obernan Stone is simply fake. Of course, they'd only be 16 years old at this time (unless Boney changes their age) and Boney wouldn't have been thinking and writing about it with these two in mind, so I think we can safely conclude that the Obernarn Stone is legit. (Or if it's fake, it wasn't faked by those two.)
Page 12 details some Ranaldan books.
Pretty neat book, and very good mechanically. Those 5 advances would normally cost 125 XP, more if you already have the skill. I wonder how well Mathilde would do at deciphering the riddles.
I think this means that to some, the Prince of Cats and Ranald are two different figures.
The socio-political Liber Mortis.
Page 13 is when the book starts talking about Ranald priest PCs, and to that end it includes this bit of lore:
Katya and Ranald can fight.
Pages 15 and 23
So Ranaldans stole a Runefang once.
Page 17
Altdorf - Crown of the Empire, page 176
Page 14 is when we start getting the Ranaldan priest careers. We've got the Thief-Priest, Gambler-Priest, Trickster-Priest, and Liberator-Priest, each corresponding to one of Ranald's aspects.
Page 18 is where we begin getting Miracles. The way this book organises the miracles and careers is a bit odd - not bad, necessarily, but certainly unusual. First it gives the Thief-Priest and Gambler-Priest careers, then it gives Miracles those careers can take, then it gives the Trickster-Priest and Liberator-Priest careers, before then giving us the Miracles available to those two careers. I imagine it helps readability in some way, though I'm intuiting it's the kind of thing you'd only appreciate through regular play/reference.
The first sentence of the The Heat Is Off miracle is something I find funny:
Page 19
Didn't expect an 'understand language' miracle from Ranald, but neat.
This miracle is amazing.
Page 20 gives us an example of what a high-class Ranaldan priestess looks like (in this case a trickster-priestess):
Page 21
😉
Interesting, looks like illusionists are still around even in the age of the Colleges, though maybe that's just in places outside the Empire.
Madara is a Ranaldan.
This'll be of interest to the thread.
Page 23
It's possible in Warhammer for some rich people to be good.
Not too common to see it said that Protector devotees beat up common violent criminals.
Page 24 gives us a Deceiver miracle called Ranald's Mischief that reminds me of Egrimm's mirror.
Page 24
Info on how big the Dealer is.
Page 25 gives us Protector miracles and two of them are quite creative.
One is an ongoing wide-range damage reflection miracle, and the other is outright based on social/economic status.
Since we took a trip to Talabheim that one time, here's how Ranaldans are there.
That's it for chapter 1 of Deft Steps Light Fingers, which it turns out has no comma in the title. Flavour-wise it's a good expansion on the lore that Tome of Salvation provides us on the Cult of Ranald, with a focus on giving players information on the priests they'll be playing as. After this is three chapters of ordinary crime so I don't expect I'll be covering much of it. After that though is the Cult of Taal.
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- Pronouns
- He/Him
It is shown as a last name, they could easily be related.
Dame Weber, founder and first Head Librarian of Kron Azril Ungol:" I have failed!"
- Pronouns
- He/His/etc
"Well there is the Spider Library, there might be some information in there, but frankly it creeps everyone out."
- Location
- New Zealand
Good lord, that Shallya's face is disturbing...
I like the name Hands von Klepto for a priest of the thief's god.
I like the name Hands von Klepto for a priest of the thief's god.
Pretty sure that Albion is England (an island off the main continent, perpetually rainy and foggy and muddy). Sartosa definitely comes across as a Caribbean colony, though.
- Location
- Australia
Albion is England before the Angles. Meanwhile you have a bunch of people with English names in Warhammer and they're all pirates.
- Location
- Washington
Gee games workshop, how come your mom lets your setting have FOUR englands?
Fayhem
Definitely not an escaped SCP
- Location
- At large
- Pronouns
- He/Him
The idea being put forward that Gazul/Gazulites could have a connection to Runic Necromancy after the number of times you've cited "in 1e Priests of Gazul knew necromancy" as an example of completely out of pocket lore you'd never use is very funny to me, even if you do (very reasonably) seem to be going in the other direction from that still.
FWIW, I found the writing of your reactions charming and evocative enough that it actually convinced me to open a tab for your quest (don't, uh, count on seeing me in there soon necessarily tho - the exact number of tabs I have open for stories I intend to someday try reading is unknown to both god and man, but is definitely somewhere in triple digits).
I think it might be implying that the mother is Ulgu? The wind of Ulgu blew strongly, then Rhya went for a walk and found a baby. This would fit the later section about the worship of Ranald in the Grey Order, which says some consider Him to be an incarnate of Ulgu.
Or those guys are lying about faking it. It's a very Ranaldian thing to do.
Vylmar and Katya are Gods, Mummit is a star sign, Zanni is probably from this, and Stanley is too generic a name to be inspired by anything specific I think.
Morrowlark
You've lost something, haven't you?
You're gonna make me blush. I look forward to seeing you in there when you get the chance. We're about to start a new Arc here soon; if you run you may just get there in time to help pick which one it is.
Now back to our regularly scheduled GW WHAT ARE YOU DOING -
deathofrats0808
Don’t think of it as dying; just as leaving early
- Location
- Earth
Agnetha was an earlier Empress who founded the earliest colleges in Nuln. It's the name of the Uni, not an author citation.
People forget that the UK had a lot of Mediterranean possessions.
- Location
- Australia
Turns out that Eyrie is a reference to a WFRP 1e adventure called Doomstones 3 - Death Rock, which takes place in a great monastery that was heavily fortified by a dwarf wizard.
DocMatoi
Theoretical Lover of Girls
- Location
- within 2 hours of the White House
- Pronouns
- They/Them
and boy is that ever obvious
DocMatoi
Theoretical Lover of Girls
- Location
- within 2 hours of the White House
- Pronouns
- They/Them
luckily, our top irl humorists have in fact reconstructed this joke as it may have been told by the old world:
The historical (lack of) understanding of PTSD is an even bigger can of worms than adrenaline, and that's without getting into 'shock' in English originally solely meaning the moment of being charged in battle. That would make it still be appropriate but in a different way than the modern understanding of the word 'shock', and now we're right back at a paragraph to replace a phrase.
I see Josef Bugman is still trapped in that time vortex.
Fascinated by the demonological implication of how Ranald born of Tzeentch's severed fingers has enough self-determination to develop three more aspects after his birth as the Night Prowler.
This actually reminds me of a myth of Dionysus. One of his purported origins is that he was fathered by a God called Ammon who was stepping out on his wife Rhea (!), and to prevent her from finding out about it, he hid the infant in Nysa, a place that's sometimes identified as Arabia (!). Later on the myths converge on Dionysus joining Olympus, as Ranald here does. The Taal and Rhya relationship here feels like a later bowdlerist expurgated an infidelity without doing anything about the circumstances that gave rise to it - emphasis is put on how lonely Rhya is and how far away Taal is and how long-lasting and trivial what he's doing is, then 'the Grey Wind blew' and oops, there's a baby, how mysterious, how did that happen to a neglected wife while her husband was so far away? And then the inconsistency becomes explicit when later in the myth he's outright referred to as Rhya's son.
I don't know if this is intentional, but 'Jake' was used in Discordianism to refer to a type of crowdsourced prank back in the day. A trickster god called 'Cunning Jake' would be a very apropos double meaning.
A lot of what people think about when they think about a stereotypical pirate is just Cornish. It makes sense that Sartosa would seem English-ish.
- Location
- To the left. No, not there, the other left.
I could also just be a pun on "cunning joke/jape" (and I find very likely it's where the Discordianism term comes from as well).