Partial review done over dinner.
To say that you draw a few stares as you lead a procession of enormous spiders across the Eastern Valley is an understatement. Despite the entire Karak being forewarned to avoid any messy misunderstandings, the only people who didn't stop to gawk were the ones calling for other people to get here quick so they could join in the gawking.
Well...premodern societies DID have a fairly limited array of leisure activities.
"Check out what the wizard is doing this time" is a novel spectacle.
Add commanding
spiders creatures of the night to the vampire proofs?
The We seemed equally uncomfortable, both from the amount of stares they get and from being exposed, and you reflect that this may be the first time any of their species has walked under the open sky. You also get your first glimpse of the three Egg-Layers, which resemble an Arachnarok spider in size but completely lack fangs, and the innumerable dog-sized Web-Weavers clinging to the Egg-Layers like a coat of armour. The Hunters flank the skittering procession, though that they're facing forward instead of outwards is a gesture of trust.
Not sure if trust or sufficiently advanced helplessness, considering what they've seen of our faction.
Also interesting to see the caste sizes. The Egg-Layers are massive but completely unarmed, they'd rely on sheer mass for safety I think. Should be good for brainmass too
The Web-Weavers' size confused me for a moment, since they'd need to produce basically their own volume in webbing to get anywhere, but applied logic sorted that out: the Web-Weavers need to be able to move on surfaces which can't physically support the other castes' mass and size, or they wouldn't be able to defend effectively against goblins and Skaven underground.
Send in the builders, string up the webbing to reinforce tunnels, then move out over the span and recover the silk to eat.
How big were the Hunters? I was envisioning something around horse sized if they're calling dwarfs Small.
Through the gates of the Citadel and down a stairway went the We, disappearing into the depths of the tunnels beneath. The Dwarven fortifications had been quickly dismantled and remade under your supervision deeper underground, guided by your earlier scouting of Clan Mors' territory.
Original lines sound drawn on the assumption of united Skaven and few good chokes?
Now what was once the King's Hall had been reclaimed, though Belegar had declared that the Hall of the Moon served in that role in the resurgent Karak, and some new purpose would be found for the old Hall.
Just as well, the Hall is just too vulnerable to attacks from below here. The Citadel is tough, but no mountain either. Wouldn't want artillery to reduce it.
Just below that, accessible only through a newly-fortified junction that would protect and also carefully watch the Hold's newest allies, was the Hall of Pillared Iron. The room had only a single entrance and the pillars that named it would serve well as anchor points for the Web-Weavers. The junction wall stood ten feet tall and would become taller still in the following weeks, but the Hunters could come and go along the roof. You doubted any of the We would go up rather than down after the Dwarves had proven so uncooperative to attempts to make a meal out of them, but a second guard on the stairs down made it impossible for them to do so unnoticed and therefore put the minds of the Dwarves at rest.
So...literally iron pillars huh? Were they built to make a statement? Also surprised they weren't scrapped for the metal by the black orcs, but I suppose there were runes that made it impractical.
...either that or the pillars are a core structural support.
Also in hindsight, that's not a bad way to snag Skaven sneaking up if they had to wind through a maze of webs that. the spiders instinctively know where everything ON the web is.
The item you had commissioned of the Amber College arrived quickly, and freed up Esbern and Seija to continue on their journeys. They say they'll linger in Ulrikadrin for a time and turn their extensive notes into a proper paper, and as you skim their drafts you're pleased to see yourself listed as a contributor.
Off to play with the wolves now that the lionbirds are gone?
Maybe they can help out with the Stables being set up there.
Also awesome, paper without spending actions beyond the actual investigation.
The paper focuses almost entirely on the social and biological cooperation of the We, which reaches a level of cooperation that matches that of hive insects and has never previously found in arachnids.
Guess they credited us for the breakthrough because it wouldn't have happened without our literature on bugs.
They're really configured more like ants than anything else.
It would have been a coup if you had beaten them to the punch, but you still get some of the credit and there's still plenty of room for new papers that go deeper into the psychology and anatomy of the We.
We'd have a dedicated facility for the anatomy.
The psychology is going to be all live interactions though.
So it now turns to Maximilian to take the lead in building a relationship with the We, or at least whichever portion of the We is wearing the ivory circlet like a bracelet on its pedipalps at the time.
[Maximilian teaching the We: Learning, 62+16+10(Patient)+7(Library: The Empire of Man)=95.]
[The We learning on their own: 80.]
It's slow going, but Maximilian sticks to it and as weeks pass the We grow to understand what he's saying and develop an understanding of writing. On top of that they begin to understand the concept and then the language of spoken speech, and begin to develop a basic understanding of spoken Reikspiel, not just from Maximilian but by conversations amongst themselves using the circlet. They're still completely incapable of speaking without magical assistance, their mouthparts being completely unsuited to the task, but with an adequate supply of chalk and a convenient wall to write on, they're able to make themselves understood when they feel the need.
Good learners(and Max is a hella good teacher, Patient is God), I guess the reasoning here is that learning language isn't THAT different from the fundamental brainwork needed to plan and build complex web structures that can support a freakin 30ft spider's weight.
Might be an interesting day to analyze their webbing as a structural material.
Also they could probably weave words into webs given some practice. Biologically wasteful, thats a LOT of protein after all, but they might if they pick up some dwarf aesthetics.
The Dwarves ensure someone fluent in the language is on the nearby fortifications at all times, and slowly begin to grow accustomed to their comings and goings, possibly helped by how often they return with a paralyzed and bound Skaven hanging from their pedipalps.
It occurs to me this somewhat resembles their relationship with Mathilde. The whole magic thing makes them uneasy but going on enthusiastic walks with their enemies winding up dead as the result is a reliable way of bonding with dwarves!
[Preliminary Observations on the Eusocial Cave Spider, By J. Esber (Amber) & J. Seija (Amber), M. Mathilde Weber (Grey). Subject: Rare, +1. Insight: Shattering, +3. Delivery: Competent, +0. Contributor, -3. Thorough, +1. Exotic, +1. Final Rating: +3]
Excellent work Journeymen!
They just paid for the translation ring.
Also I *think* they're nearly qualified for the Magister exam?
Obviously it won't be the same between Colleges but:
-"Have you journeyed?"
--Traveled across the Empire into the depths of Karak Eight Peaks.
-"Have you discovered?"
--Discovered the Eusocial Cave Spider
--Witneessed the deployment of an 'Anvil of Doom' during the Battle of Karag Nar
--Discovered that Dragon Ogres do not thrive upon volcanic lightning
-"Have you achieved?"
--Slew a Dragon Ogre in melee combat
--Bonded with a Demigryph(probably rates pretty damn high)
--Contributed to the success of the retaking of Karak Eight Peaks expedition.
Written Exam: Unknown, but they managed a 99 roll on Waagh notes, I assume they can write worth a damn.
Arcane Marks: Unknown, but they almost certainly have a few.
Spells known: 4 Ghur spells each. May know more but not tactically relevant. Did not have a tactically relevant Mastered spell.
Magic Stat: Unknown.
Tradecraft test: Unknown, but they've been working with Taalites a long while. I assume they are more than competent. Probably not as ridiculous as our Intrigue test went though. Heh.
Duel: They're Amber wizards so their Demigryphs almost certainly would be allowed in the duel. Also they beat up a Dragon Ogre.
So hmm, I guess they're going to do a crash course on spells, after which they can graduate easily enough.
