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Warhammer Fantasy: Divided Loyalties - an Advisor's Quest

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Alliterate said:
@BoneyM As I understand it, we've been using the gong farming proceeds to offset the burdens of the expanded Watch on Stirlands treasury? Has that gone beyond what we are 'chartered' to draw- I.e. are we underspending what we're 'entitled' to, if you see what I mean?

Van Hal said use our judgement, and to expand the Watch. He'd not be opposed to paying for what he gets... I guess I'm asking if we've created enough scope for expanded training for the watchmen action to come out of the Watches budget, rather than our discretionary income? Or if not, what might let that be the case?
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The budget is signed off on by the Elector Count each year, and he's been rubber-stamping it because it's getting a lot more bang for Stirland's buck because of the defrayment of costs. So yes, there's more than enough wiggle room to expand training without it raising any eyebrows at budget time. In thinking about this question I've decided to simplify matters a great deal and put a number rating on budgetary wiggle room - you're currently at +3, where 0 is the point where the Watch meets but does not exceed expectations, given their level of funding. +2 of that is due to gong farming defrayment, and the third is due to the quick and thorough demolishment of the Stirhugel troubles.

Angelform said:
Thinking of immortality…

@BoneyM
Most CKII style quests are explicitly dynastic. There is an understanding that if the player character gets killed their appointed heir will become the new player character. (Most quests never get to that point but nonetheless.) This quest however… we are just an advisor. So what happens if we get our throat torn out by an undead monster?
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If Mathilde dies, there will be a narrative denouement that shows how Stirland fares in her absence and the effect she had on the world, and the quest will come to a close.

Seventeen said:
I think we've actually already done the first (@BoneyM? Is that a repeatable action? I don't remember if we've expanded further since the last time we took it), but it'll definitely be worth taking once we've expanded some more.
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I had to go back and double-check myself, but I'm almost certain you haven't done this. You've integrated the Rat-Catchers, integrated and expanded the Gong-Farmers, and tried to expand the administration, as well as expanding outwards to other counties and baronies, but you haven't increased the ranks in Wurtbad itself.

If someone can prove me wrong there, please do. I'm juggling a lot of balls here and it's entirely possible I dropped one.

Alliterate said:
I could come around to the idea of 'sit on the paper for now, we won't be going for Magister while the Purge is on so there is no rush to submit' but the phrasing demanding nothing less than sublime profundity seems as dangerous as people feel Practical and a distaste for scholastic study would be.

@BoneyM Are whichever of the two options wins really, evocatively descriptive of Mathildes thinking? I know Practical gains a trait and so probably is, but does the delay publishing one describe Mathildes own internal monologue in the same way?
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Yes, both options describe her thought process if she takes them. The prose is a bit purple for continuing the paper but Mathilde's like that, sometimes.

Guile said:
I'm not actually even sure where the costs are coming from; training squad leaders to read, so they can fill out the forms?
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There's retired soldiers acting as Attachés in the army, distributing and collecting forms, making sure that gaps are filled in, and confirming the information contained in them.



As to the current discussion: you're a bad glitch away from a bad trait, yes, but being a wizard means you're almost always a bad glitch away from something terrible happening. As can probably be guessed, a glitch means a negatrait, a normal failure means a wasted action, a success means a mostly good trait equivalent to Practical, a critical success means a great trait.
 
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It looks like I stuck my [] Yes vote in with the rest of my plan rather than outside, so it's not being counted by the vote tally. So just so there's no confusion, [] Yes should have 3 more votes than it currently does.
 
If you edit your post, I think the tally will update accordingly.

Three and a half hours left until voting closes.
 
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BoneyM said:
Yes, both options describe her thought process if she takes them. The prose is a bit purple for continuing the paper but Mathilde's like that, sometimes.
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Plus she's about as frustrated by this as goddamned Wizard Chic
BoneyM said:
So yes, there's more than enough wiggle room to expand training without it raising any eyebrows at budget time. In thinking about this question I've decided to simplify matters a great deal and put a number rating on budgetary wiggle room - you're currently at +3, where 0 is the point where the Watch meets but does not exceed expectations, given their level of funding. +2 of that is due to gong farming defrayment, and the third is due to the quick and thorough demolishment of the Stirhugel troubles.
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Alright awesome.

Anyone has objectioms to changing the saltpeter production to training expansion to make the Watch happier?

My plan is behind, but I think we still got some time anyways.
 
veekie said:
Anyone has objectioms to changing the saltpeter production to training expansion to make the Watch happier?

My plan is behind, but I think we still got some time anyways.
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Kind of, yes.

Both leading votes have 50g being thrown into Gossipmongers again, which means we'll probably have a deficit again. So paying for trainers and expanding the Watch in the same turn seems like a bad idea.
 
[X] Yes. Don't be unrealistic. The paper communicates the concept and construction of Mathilde's Mystical Matrix without inducing unconsciousness or migraines. That's a win. Take the win.

[X] Derpmind
 
We took the Enchantment trait at character generation. We are a character specked towards studying magic and figuring out new ways to use it so why take a trait that means the character dislikes the more esoteric side of magic. I can see this trait messing with everything we try to do when it comes to studying the magic artefacts we have in storage and the enchanting we will do in the future. Will this trait help us with studying the swords soaked with death magic, will it help us with the 'Qhaysh Juice', no it will not. We are doing our job when we check with our two subordinates and helping to track down the Singing King will be of immense help to the campaign so we are not slacking their. There is no reason we can not put the paper to the side for a time sense it is "done " and come back to it when the purge is done because we are not on a time limit and this could be of immense utility to the Colleges as a whole.
 
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Stewart9 said:
We are a character specked towards studying magic and figuring out new ways to use it so why take a trait that means the character dislikes the more esoteric side of magic.
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All magic is esoteric, purely on the definition of esoteric. What the trait fluff talks about is the academic side. Research doesn't have to include writing up a perfect report for all the other snooty wizards to read. Plenty of knowledge is passed on in the Colleges of Magic without having to get into the equivalent of modern research publishing.

BoneyM said:
I had to go back and double-check myself, but I'm almost certain you haven't done this. You've integrated the Rat-Catchers, integrated and expanded the Gong-Farmers, and tried to expand the administration, as well as expanding outwards to other counties and baronies, but you haven't increased the ranks in Wurtbad itself.

If someone can prove me wrong there, please do. I'm juggling a lot of balls here and it's entirely possible I dropped one.
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Whoops. I have a terrible memory. I probably should have double-checked, myself, before commenting on it.
 
Seventeen said:
All magic is esoteric, purely on the definition of esoteric. What the trait fluff talks about is the academic side. Research doesn't have to include writing up a perfect report for all the other snooty wizards to read.
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It does involve writing those research papers though, so not liking that is certainly a detriment.

Seventeen said:
Plenty of knowledge is passed on in the Colleges of Magic without having to get into the equivalent of modern research publishing.
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It does, but not through avenues really open to a Spymaster. At least as far as I've understood things.

Mathilde can't do a lot of tutoring herself, after all.
 
I find it funny that we are an enchanter but are probably never going to do it for another couple of years, should have picked something else.

How do we earn extra shinies? Can something like a 10k omake work?
 
After author's explanation that we will not get bad trait just for choosing this course of action, I'm changing vote.
[X] No. Mathilde's Mystical Matrix is worthy of a paper of sublime profundity, that communicates the earthshaking possibilities of the spell with elegance.
 
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LockedMind said:
After author's explanation that we will not get bad trait just for choosing this course of action, I'm changing vote.
[X] No. Mathilde's Mystical Matrix is worthy of a paper of sublime profundity, that communicates the earthshaking possibilities of the spell with elegance.
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We will get a bad trait if we roll poorly like we have the last 2 or 3 times this has come up, though.
 
Guile said:
We will get a bad trait if we roll poorly like we have the last 2 or 3 times this has come up, though.
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Nope.
As to the current discussion: you're a bad glitch away from a bad trait, yes, but being a wizard means you're almost always a bad glitch away from something terrible happening. As can probably be guessed, a glitch means a negatrait, a normal failure means a wasted action, a success means a mostly good trait equivalent to Practical, a critical success means a great trait.
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Author said that critfail will get us a bad trait on this and normal fail will only waste an action. Also our latest rolls were mediocre, not poor - paper was improved as a result.
 
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Inserted tally
Adhoc vote count started by Omegahugger on Feb 26, 2018 at 5:42 AM, finished with 5993 posts and 82 votes.
  • [X] Yes. Don't be unrealistic. The paper communicates the concept and construction of Mathilde's Mystical Matrix without inducing unconsciousness or migraines. That's a win. Take the win.
    [X] No. Mathilde's Mystical Matrix is worthy of a paper of sublime profundity, that communicates the earthshaking possibilities of the spell with elegance.
    [X] Plan Singing King Hunt + Enchantment
    -[X][Intel] Gossipmongers: Julia's previous attempt had no result but the enrichment of various hangers-on of the Flensburg courts. Perhaps this was just poor luck; perhaps she should try again. (NEW-ish)
    -[X][Watch] In Wissenland, there are a number of techniques in use to derive saltpeter from urine. It would take a great deal more effort than selling to tanneries, but saltpeter could be exported to Nuln for fantastic profit, or used to start gunpowder production in Stirland.
    -[X][Personal] Attach yourself to the army so you can join the hunt for the Singing King (specify which regiment to join, or general staff to avoid the thick of the fighting). (NEW-ish)
    --[X] General Staff
    --[X] Ranald's Blessing
    -[X][Personal] Enchantment: You've finally got the equipment, now you've just got to unpack it all and set up your laboratory.
    [X][Action] Plan Pressing Onwards
    [X][Action] Plan Pressing Onwards
    -[X][Intel] Gossipmongers: Julia's previous attempt had no result but the enrichment of various hangers-on of the Flensburg courts. Perhaps this was just poor luck; perhaps she should try again. (NEW-ish)
    -[X][Watch] Improve the training of the Watch, hiring trainers and dedicating paid time each week to sharpening skills.
    -[X][Personal] Attach yourself to the army so you can join the hunt for the Singing King (specify which regiment to join, or general staff to avoid the thick of the fighting). (NEW-ish)
    --[X] 4th Division
    -[X][Personal] The watchtowers on the walls was an uninspired choice for watching the Ulgu in the world, perhaps you can think of something different. (???)
    --[X] Ranald's Blessing
    [X] Plan Money troubles and Ostermark
    -[X] Formalize and organize the payments people make for the Gong Farmers to perform their service, as well as having the Watch start enforcing existing laws against dumping human waste in the street or the Stir.
    -[X] Headhunt administrators from other organizations in Stirland.
    -[X] Getting To Know You: Spend time with one of your fellow councillors, your liege, or any of the other important figures you've come to know, offering your help in their tasks and generally getting a feel for them (choose one).
    --[X] Stewardship adviser.
    -[X] Something apparently quite similar to the Purge of the Haunted Hills is going on in Ostermark's southern regions; you could inspect goings-on up there yourself.
    --[X] Ranald's Blessing
    [X] Plan Snake Juice
    -[X] Yes. Don't be unrealistic. The paper communicates the concept and construction of Mathilde's Mystical Matrix without inducing unconsciousness or migraines. That's a win. Take the win.
    -[X] Write-in: Try to find out where, how and why your money drained away into the coffers of Flensberg court affiliates like tossing coins down a well. Enemy action seems likely, rather than your entire new network deciding to turn on you without prompting.
    -[x] In Wissenland, there are a number of techniques in use to derive saltpeter from urine. It would take a great deal more effort than selling to tanneries, but saltpeter could be exported to Nuln for fantastic profit, or used to start gunpowder production in Stirland.
    -[X] Enchantment: You've finally got the equipment, now you've just got to unpack it all and set up your laboratory.
    -[X] Qhaysh Juice: Whatever it is, it's dripping out of the box at a steady rate. You've got several gallons of the stuff and it's still coming out. It's got to be good for something.
    --[X] Ranald's Blessing
    [X] Plan Snake Juice
    -[X] Write-in: Try to find out where, how and why your money drained away into the coffers of Flensberg court affiliates like tossing coins down a well. Enemy action seems likely, rather than your entire new network deciding to turn on you without prompting.
    -[x] In Wissenland, there are a number of techniques in use to derive saltpeter from urine. It would take a great deal more effort than selling to tanneries, but saltpeter could be exported to Nuln for fantastic profit, or used to start gunpowder production in Stirland.
    -[X] Enchantment: You've finally got the equipment, now you've just got to unpack it all and set up your laboratory.
    -[X] Qhaysh Juice: Whatever it is, it's dripping out of the box at a steady rate. You've got several gallons of the stuff and it's still coming out. It's got to be good for something.
    --[X] Ranald's Blessing
    [X][Action] Plan Pressing Onwards
    -[X][Intel] Gossipmongers: Julia's previous attempt had no result but the enrichment of various hangers-on of the Flensburg courts. Perhaps this was just poor luck; perhaps she should try again. (NEW-ish)
    -[X][Watch] In Wissenland, there are a number of techniques in use to derive saltpeter from urine. It would take a great deal more effort than selling to tanneries, but saltpeter could be exported to Nuln for fantastic profit, or used to start gunpowder production in Stirland.
    -[X][Personal] Attach yourself to the army so you can join the hunt for the Singing King (specify which regiment to join, or general staff to avoid the thick of the fighting). (NEW-ish)
    --[X] 4th Division
    -[X][Personal] The watchtowers on the walls was an uninspired choice for watching the Ulgu in the world, perhaps you can think of something different. (???)
    --[X] Ranald's Blessing
    [X] Plan Compromise For No Votes
    -[X] Gossipmongers: Julia's previous attempt had no result but the enrichment of various hangers-on of the Flensburg courts. Perhaps this was just poor luck; perhaps she should try again.
    -[x] In Wissenland, there are a number of techniques in use to derive saltpeter from urine. It would take a great deal more effort than selling to tanneries, but saltpeter could be exported to Nuln for fantastic profit, or used to start gunpowder production in Stirland.
    -[X] Diggy Diggy Hole, Remixed: You're getting sick of having workmen tramping in and out of your abode. Recruit an entire team and personally oversee them to clear out all of the reachable portions of the Palace-Shrine and be done with it. (-personal gold)
    --[X] Ranald's Blessing
    -[X] Enchantment: You've finally got the equipment, now you've just got to unpack it all and set up your laboratory.
    [X] Plan Stop Losing Money
    -[X] Gossipmongers: Julia's previous attempt had no result but the enrichment of various hangers-on of the Flensburg courts. Perhaps this was just poor luck; perhaps she should try again.(NEW-ish)
    -[X] Formalize and organize the payments people make for the Gong Farmers to perform their service, as well as having the Watch start enforcing existing laws against dumping human waste in the street or the Stir.
    -[X] The watchtowers on the walls was an uninspired choice for watching the Ulgu in the world, perhaps you can think of something different. (???)
    --[X] Ranald's Blessing
    -[X] Information Network: Work alongside to Julia to administer the network. Choose another Organizational Action for the Network.
    --[X] Trade Delegation: Convince Wilhelmina and Markus to partner your network with the EIC based on the value of market information.
    [X] Plan Singing King Hunt + Enchantment
    -[X][Intel] Gossipmongers: Julia's previous attempt had no result but the enrichment of various hangers-on of the Flensburg courts. Perhaps this was just poor luck; perhaps she should try again. (NEW-ish)
    -[X][Watch] In Wissenland, there are a number of techniques in use to derive saltpeter from urine. It would take a great deal more effort than selling to tanneries, but saltpeter could be exported to Nuln for fantastic profit, or used to start gunpowder production in Stirland.
    -[X][Personal] Attach yourself to the army so you can join the hunt for the Singing King (specify which regiment to join, or general staff to avoid the thick of the fighting). (NEW-ish)
    --[X] 4th Division
    --[X] Ranald's Blessing
    -[X][Personal] Enchantment: You've finally got the equipment, now you've just got to unpack it all and set up your laboratory.
    [x] Plan fund-amentals of research
    -[x] Trade Delegation: Convince Wilhelmina and Markus to partner your network with the EIC based on the value of market information.
    -[x] In Wissenland, there are a number of techniques in use to derive saltpeter from urine. It would take a great deal more effort than selling to tanneries, but saltpeter could be exported to Nuln for fantastic profit, or used to start gunpowder production in Stirland.
    -[X] Enchantment: You've finally got the equipment, now you've just got to unpack it all and set up your laboratory.
    -[x] Qhaysh Skunkworks: It would take careful study to unlock the secrets of the liquid. It would take considerably less time to find out if it can be made to burn, or explode, or do something militarily useful.
    --[X] Ranald's Blessing
    [X] In Wissenland, there are a number of techniques in use to derive saltpeter from urine. It would take a great deal more effort than selling to tanneries, but saltpeter could be exported to Nuln for fantastic profit, or used to start gunpowder production in Stirland.
    [X] plan information blowup
    -[X] Gossipmongers: Julia's previous attempt had no result but the enrichment of various hangers-on of the Flensburg courts. Perhaps this was just poor luck; perhaps she should try again.(NEW-ish)
    -[X] Something apparently quite similar to the Purge of the Haunted Hills is going on in Ostermark's southern regions; you could inspect goings-on up there yourself.
    -[X] The Dwarves have crossed into the Empire, pursuing the greenskins into the woods. Perhaps you could tag along.
    --[X] Ranald's Blessing
    [X] Plan Back to Work
    -[X] Gossipmongers: Julia's previous attempt had no result but the enrichment of various hangers-on of the Flensburg courts. Perhaps this was just poor luck; perhaps she should try again.
    -[X] Expand the ranks of the Watch, so that they're able to start covering even the poorer parts of their covered area.
    -[X] Something apparently quite similar to the Purge of the Haunted Hills is going on in Ostermark's southern regions; you could inspect goings-on up there yourself.
    -[X] The Dwarves have crossed into the Empire, pursuing the greenskins into the woods. Perhaps you could tag along.
    --[X] Ranald's Blessing
    [X] Plan Singing King Hunt + Enchantment [X] Plan Singing King Hunt + Enchantment
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[X] Yes. Don't be unrealistic. The paper communicates the concept and construction of Mathilde's Mystical Matrix without inducing unconsciousness or migraines. That's a win. Take the win.

I am happy to take a good trait (+3 stats net, pretty nice) right now for zero additional actions. But wait, you might say, what about the theoretical great trait only a critical success away? And to that I say, we can take the good trait now, then take other useful actions, get the critical success on those, and get another good trait that stacks with it. It'll be nice.

The argument that practicality is bad and will sabotage Mathilde's development as a wizard is wrongheaded and incorrect. She can do practical wizardry things like learn new spells, develop new techniques, and cast absurdly powerful magic while not getting wrapped up in elegantly writing about her own sublime profundity. She's not a research mage, she's a spymaster. The real self-sabotage is wasting all these action slots
 
Right now we have an okay paper if we put it to the side we have a great chance of getting a great paper which would give us a better trait. DarkLight140 developing new techniques when it comes to enchantment is as we are seeing with the paper is very much tied up in being able to write about them in ways other wizards can understand. The death swords are a good example. They were created with spells no Imperial wizards knows or understands. We will go down a rout similar with them I suspect to the one we are on with the bound in living things spell Matrix. Each wizard sees magic differently as we were shone by the books we had to barrow to get as far as we have and some thing that is a dry academic paper will be harder for example Bright, Death, Jade and Amber wizards to get. We want this to make our name with the Colleges as a whole right not just our own? This is what we are going to use to become a magister.
Plus a trait that takes away learning from a wizard is a bad one because learning is the trait that dictates how good we are at magic. Which dictates how high we can go up the magic spell ladder with any kind of safety. I for one would prefer not to try and depend on casting absurdly powerful magic spell that are the high end of Grey magic which if you mess up can do more then kill you as the way we improved our understanding of magic a majority of the time.
 
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Stewart9 said:
Plus a trait that takes away learning from a wizard is a bad one because learning is the trait that dictates how good we are at magic. Which dictates how high we can go up the magic spell ladder with any kind of safety.
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That does not appear to be the case. Charsheet:
BoneyM said:
Learning: 17+1+1=19 - The more you learn of magic, the more you realize how ignorant everyone else is.
Magic: 3+1=4 - Your grasp of the fundamentals of magic would challenge that of most Magisters; now you just need to bring your grasp of Ulgu specifically to the same level.
Magic uses a different scale than the other stats; see the Spellbook threadmark for more information.
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Spellbook:
BoneyM said:
Moderately Complicated - Magic 3 required to learn, Magic 5 to cast reliably.
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