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Warhammer Fantasy: Divided Loyalties - an Advisor's Quest

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[X] Plan The Splits
-[X] GARNET: Split
-[X] GEM: Joint research
-[X] COINS: Cede
-[X] VAT: Send to College and split
-[X] QUEEKISH: Claim

I'm charmed by the notion of doing joint research with Gretel. I want to know more about her. It could be fun.

[X] BOOK: Dwarven books on Gut Magic.
[X] BOOK: Dwarven books on the Great Maw.

I suspect he wants to figure out a way to cope with the Black Hunger and I'm inclined to let him try.

[X] PET: A puppy, of a smaller but non-ratting breed.

Dogs are a skaven's best friend, yes-yes.

@soul ice: Be advised that the tally isn't counting your votes properly; it's grouping the Book and Pet votes in with your plan vote for some reason.
@HanEmpire, @Guile: Be advised that line-item voting for the loot is no longer the law of the land.
 
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[X] BOOK: Rarer Dwarven books on the Ogre Kingdoms.
[X] PET: A puppy, of a smaller but non-ratting breed.

[X] Plan gemkeeping
 
Angelform said:
We might have to consider hitting them fairly soon if we don't want them replaced by a more formidable and foe. On the other hand would the extra territory actually help us at present?
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BoneyM has said, think in terms of fronts, not territory.

Securing Under-Citadel closes the surface-underground front, and opens up two, the Citadel-Caldera, and the Citadel-Sentinels.

On the other hand, the Sentinels are currently deserted, so would only need a comparatively light guard. Add to that how woefully undermanned the Skaven are, and some more raids and added We pressure might be enough to drive them out, and wouldn't increase our fronts by that much. Plus, the We could then start pressuring the Under-Caldera.

(There might also be a Citadel-Karagril route that Mors was under attack through before. Not sure on the exact details though, and if it exists, it's not on the actual map.)

Under-Karagril is riskier, since that opens us up to Red Fang (which Mors has oh so helpfully absorbed the brunt of their most recent attacks.) We'd need to do more detailed scouting to figure out whether or not the Karak Drazh Underway can be sealed or not before I'd be willing to risk it.
 
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Review time, yes-yes.

BoneyM said:
The Brights tend to be a practical lot, and those that lean towards enchantment usually lack the worst eccentricities of their kind, so you feel comfortable putting the word out and seeing who responds. The result is Hugo Bann, who according to College rumour had an extremely promising career take an unexpected turn from an unfortunate miscast, though said rumours never agree on what exact form that miscast took, and he has never cast battle magic in anger since. Instead he delved into the art of turning, creating staffs not just to improve the channelling of Aqshy, but also allowing for much easier casting of various manifestations of flames. He's a giant of a man, towering at least a foot taller than the tip of your hat, and after a bluff greeting he throws himself into the task, fire-etching runes into support beams and building an enchantment piece by laborious piece. An interesting challenge, he says; apparently most high-level Bright Magic is concerned with making as much of the energy manifest as heat instead of light as possible, and taking things the other way is a great way to stretch a mind that easily grows tired of the usual orders for staves.
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So, Brights are practical? I was mistakenly convinced that they would tend to let their passions rule them, but it seems not.
Hugo Bann sounds interesting. A magister with a talent for battle magic turned enchanter.

BoneyM said:
The Celestials are a more tedious sort, but you've got an inside source, and Magister Kereveld arrives with a classmate of his: Klaus Solmann, who's trying to build his dream observatory in some town in Ostland but keeps burning through his resources as the scope of the project keeps expanding. The two of them set to work, bickering good-naturedly and spending what seems to you an unreasonable amount of time staring up at stars, trying to determine some esoteric local stellar property that may or may not impact the tower itself. You're forced to be present for every step of the way, as very few wizards are used to this many Winds were operating at once, and you need to take regular countermeasures to ensure that ambient magical leakage will be minimized.
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Mathilde's biases nonwhitstanding, curious that two magisters decided to take up the project. Though, seeing as they are old friends, it was probably as much about catching up at an interesting new locale for the Celestials as doing the job properly.

BoneyM said:
It's a long, tedious process, but inch by agonizing inch the third and fourth towers of Karag Nar take shape and stretch towards the sky. The Red Tower will be easy enough to keep powered; your hearths and fireplaces are all linked up to the same outlet, and you have it moved so the smoke emits from the top of the Red Tower, robbed of the ambient Aqshy that the fires below produced, and in a pinch you could just build a bonfire inside it, as the wooden beams it's constructed out of are apparently no longer flammable. The Blue Tower is much simpler, as at this height ambient Azyr is prevalent, and if that's not enough, the lightning spire on top of it will be constantly absorbing Azyr and electricity alike when the weather is at its most disruptive. Once more King Belegar's goodwill flows into the Colleges; you wonder how many times those favours will be traded before they're finally called in, and the final form the repayment of them might take.
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Well, that task is certainly done. While I could argue that it was hardly necessary, making sure that you've added all the extranous but useful bells and whistles when making a frickin Wonder of the New Age just seems right.

As for the goodwill bit, I sense a potential (or maybe even mandatory) plothook in the future.

BoneyM said:
For your gambit to extract knowledge of Queekish from Qrech without him realizing the importance of what he would be sharing, you need documents, ideally documents from Clan Mors. Luckily you're not short of underlings eager to go on raids into Skaven territory, and the first up is Gretel, who has recently begin to show an impressive ability to move unseen in the underground tunnels dominated by the Skaven. You've got a theory or two along those lines - Maurer is the traditional surname of masons, but it's also a common one given to foundlings and orphans raised by the Temple of Morr. Your own upbringing was far from opulent, but you don't doubt those that compete for the few resources dedicated to helping the most vulnerable had it worse than you. Did Gretel turn to theft to survive? Or perhaps for comfort? Did the gift of magic provide a future for her, or did it steer her off one she'd already chosen?
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A new insight on Gretel.
Well, it seems her thirst for wealth stems from childhood trauma.
Not something that the Amethyst College will look kindly upon, having in mind that they are all about leaving your old self behind, but nevertheless perfectly human and understandable, and Gretel's probably ignoring the ethos of her College rathen than breaking any rules.
In any case, we should keep an eye out on her, her desire for wealth coupled with a talent for sneaking could turn really problematic for our Wizard-Dwarf ambitions if it's not channeled correctly.

BoneyM said:
You certainly hope their numbers are diminished, but the only way to find out for sure is to see for yourself. Sure enough, your findings reinforce your hunch, and the fronts pointed towards the Citadel are stripped to the bone, a mere handful of clanrats on barricades that once had entire platoons dedicated to them. The slightest noise in the darkness sends the 'guards' diving for cover rather than investigating, so you bypass them with ease. You're starting to wonder how dedicated Eshin is to Mors' destruction, considering that their most skilled would surely find it as trivial as you and Gretel do to circle around and penetrate their defences.

[Robbing Clan Mors: 88+20=108]

Though Gretel raw affinity for the shadows is almost the equal of your own, the Lore of Death is not suited for stealthy endeavours. You could certainly cast a few suitable spells on her, but though that might make this foray easier, it would do nothing to sharpen her own abilities, since she can't rely on always having a Grey Wizard on hand. So you let her take the lead, and grow more and more impressed as she pushes further and further into Mors' territory. There are several false starts and it takes a few different attempts until you find out the safest way through the tunnels when invisibility isn't an option, but eventually you once more find yourself passing through the Cavern of Stars and into the Trench. When last you were here, this was a nervous but still thriving center of trade and industry, but it seems Mors has not profited from their recent expansion as now only a handful of Skaven mill about the much-reduced marketplace, and that they're short enough of resources that light sources are few and far between only further increases the ability of the two of you to make yourselves at home in what should be the heart of Clan Mors' power.
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Mors is being stretched really thin. Hell, just the state of the "Bazaar" is telling a lot. While certainly good for Dwarfs, we should probably refrain from sabotaging and raiding them overmuch so as not to begin the chain reaction of catastrophic failure that leaves us holding the bag.
I will admit, it seems that we will have to start culling the Eshin so as to prolong the stalemate, as the status quo strongly suggests that Eshin are being barely held back by Mors.

BoneyM said:
ou direct Gretel towards where you remember permanent guards being posted previously, and though you could literally walk right through the door, you watch as the girl produces lockpicks from an inner pocket and in only a minute or two has the door swinging open. From the sheer amount of stuff piled around and the number of bars on the door you take it to be the home of a Chieftain or possible even a Warlord, and you shut the door behind you and conjure light to begin your search, each starting from one end and working your way through. Most of it is of dubious value, broken weapons from vanquished enemies, skulls still bearing the toothmarks from being gnawed clean, piles of silk stolen from caravans that once would be priceless but after years of neglect held value only to the fungus and insects that had colonized it. And, of course, copious amounts of the warpstone tokens they use for currency, which is worse than worthless to you but you gather it up anyway - the Dwarves have ways to properly seal it away, and better that than in Skaven hands. But here and there you make discoveries worth the effort; a chest containing a solid-black gem, a small sack of blood-red jewels, and Gretel was brave enough to dig through a fetid nest of haphazardly-piled cloth that serves the Skaven as a bed, and was rewarded with a pillow that bore tightly-bound golden coins inside its stuffing. The desk is your last port of call, confirming that not even Skaven are free of paperwork, and you gather up everything bearing the scratchy runes of Queekish.

The two of you spend a few more days lurking in the area, but it seems your burglary prompted the Skaven to shake at least a few clanrats free from the front lines and opportunities dry up. You wrap the voyage up with an ambush on a trio of Stormvermin hauling a cart containing some sort of murky, chilled vat that seems like Moulder-work to you, and with some effort you haul it back out of the tunnels, your hands only slightly sparking from leaking Dhar. All in all, a profitable campaign, and all that's left to do is split the booty.
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A succesful raid. Mathilde got the Skaven documents that she wanted, but Gretel must be licking her chops at the thought of all the loot. I am quite sure the haul was beyond her wildest expectations.

The magical black gem sounds fascinating, the Organ Vat is making my lizard brain gibber something fierce. I would gladly send it to College and wash my hands off it.

BoneyM said:
Anyone without your confidence would call the results you achieve beyond your wildest expectations. As is, you merely smile at a result that falls neatly within your forecast for best-case scenario.

Over two weeks Clan Mors is rocked by a series of raids on their most isolated guard posts, with reinforcements arriving to find the guards, their equipment, their correspondence, and their weapons nowhere to be found, which is far from necessary but does mean they're unable to pin the blame on anyone in particular. Particularly cunning greenskins? Techno-sorcerous devilry from Skryre? The usual shenanigans of Eshin? That the weapons are melted down by Dwarves for scrap iron, the Skaven either turned over to the We if punched senseless or to the Halflings for composting if they're bisected by Branulhune, and their correspondence and anything else of interest is added to your growing collection of Skaven curiousities is likely far from the top of their suspect list.

Though you do add significantly to your collection of Queekish writings, the rest of the loot is fairly lackluster, and all you end up keeping are several more examples of Skaven firearms. This doesn't really increase your research possibilities, but it does mean that whoever ends up poking at them will have an easier time of it, and will have no need to hold back from destructive testing.
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Oh, I like this method of horror-style skulking. Suitably intimidating, and what's more, sufficently enigmatic. The findings are dissappointing, but at least Mathilde found more fodder for Skaven research - written and otherwise.
I strongly suggest that we have Max take a poke on some of the Skaven weaponry. His abilities would be an amazing boon to the reverse-engineering efforts.

BoneyM said:
With his focus on the book, it takes him a moment to notice what was in your other hand; a small square of wood, about the size of your palm on each side. Ulrikadrin hardwood, which Johann had started supplying to his rapidly-growing children after their teeth started growing uncomfortably large, and after a few more book purchases you'd started to suspect that your prisoner might be concealing his discomfort from you. "Your teeth," you say, and you're familiar enough with him to recognize that he just become significantly more tense. You place the block of wood on the desk in front of him and take the stone seat opposite him. "They never stop growing, do they?"

"I am fine," he says, but he does reach out and grip the wooden block.

"I do not seek your weakness," you remind him. "You are already under my power. If you have a problem, that is also my problem, not my opportunity." Qrech turns the wooden block over and over in his hands, trying to process the information that Ranald's Coin won't let him disbelieve. The cube wasn't quite the legendary Ironbark the Dwarves prized, and the carpenters among them were always quick to grumble about it, but it was certainly dense and tough. The block was also just small enough that it couldn't be shaped into any sort of weapon, and you'd be supplying one with his morning meal each day from now on.
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I think that Qrech is getting understandably nervous at Mathilde's showcase about knowledge of the Skaven (meaning she will be more difficult to manipulate) or he is feeling really iffy about giving Mathilde yet another venue to pressure him. Probably both.

BoneyM said:
"Speaking of problems," you say, knowing that it would take more than words to get around the paranoia that Skaven society had instilled in Qrech, "there is one you might be able to help me with." You produce a few samples of Clan Mors' correspondence. "Those that should be my allies demand a great deal to do what should be their duty. It takes six weeks and an irritating amount of influence to process translations."

"It is ever thus," Qrech says with a nod, seemingly glad the topic is moving on, and either unsurprised or suppressing any reaction to the news that humans could translate Queekish, divine magic bypassing any suspicion he might have had.

"My leaders want assurances that Traitor-Clan Mors is vulnerable before they risk their soldiers and their reputation on an assault, but though I can intercept Traitor-Clan Mors' communications easily enough, I cannot get a rapid translation of their meaning. Then it occurs to me that clever Qrech speaks Khazalid, so he could translate these letters into Khazalid for me." Qrech had reflexively scowled at the mention of Clan Mors, but beyond that automatic reaction he seems to be thinking quite deeply. You sit still, letting him process your words.

"Only that of Traitor-Clan Mors?" he asks cautiously.

"All of them were taken from Traitor-Clan Mors. I do not know who originally wrote them. If anything they have was taken from another Clan, you may destroy it or translate it as you wish."

"Skryre and Eshin are better than Traitor-Clan, but Clan Moulder will shed no tears if they are made vulnerable," he muses. Finally, he puts the stone block he'd been fiddling with down on the table with a click of wood on stone. "Qrech, Chieftain of Clan Moulder, will do this.
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Well, this is going swimmingly so far. Some new info on Qrech. It seems that despite his spiteful joy at the destruction of the local Moulder forces, he still considers himself a loyal member of the Moulder and thus doesn't wish for the rival Great Clans to prosper from Moulder's setbacks.

BoneyM said:
But Qrech, prisoner of Battlemage Mathilde, has conditions."

"Speak them."

"More books. Of the Ogres, or of their Maw, or of their Gut-sorcery." He pauses, searching for a word, waving a paw at the door. "Curtain," he finally says. "To block the light when I wish to block the light. And company. A pet, like the wolf-beast that always watches over you."

"A curtain will be installed when you awaken tomorrow. I shall consider the others." He nods and you stand, leaving the letters and a small stick of graphite on the desk in front of him, considering whether and how you will meet his requests.
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Ah, our first test. And a multi-layered one, if I had to hazard a guess. Just how much Mathilde is feeling benevolent towards little ol' Qrech, is she willing to indulge him and to what extent, and finally is she ready to give him some potentially useful information.
I am not that good at the whole "looking underneath the Underneath", but fullfiling all of his requests might not actually be for the best.

The pet request is particularly intriguing. Supplying a Moulder with a living creature of any sorts seems deeply unwise, but then again their affinity towards creatures of all and any kind must come from somewhere, perverted and put to unholy purposes at it is.

Conclusion: I will admit, the update was not completely to my taste. The division, while logical enough for a quest, doesn't feel right from story-telling perspective, I think that it lacks a bit of substance compared to some of the previous parts.
Also, to be frank, I am not fond of the "micro-managament-y" bits that this vote will entail. But that's just my personal preferance.
 
[X] Plan Perks of the Job
[X] BOOK: Rarer Dwarven books on the Ogre Kingdoms.
[X] PET: A puppy, of a smaller but non-ratting breed.
 
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Ok, books might be a trap question from Igor, I think. If we're giving out strategical insight to him, then he knows we're killing him after we're done. I think I'll vote teaching Reikspiel after I wake up.
 
[X] Plan don't fill up the Research 'to-do list'.
-[X] GARNET: Split
-[X] GEM: Joint research
-[X] COINS: Cede
-[X] VAT: Send to College and split
-[X] BOOK: Dwarven books on the Great Maw.
-[X] PET: A puppy, of a smaller but non-ratting breed.

We can do the Black Gem as a Duckling club action, save AP. and it's not something we are half hiding like a lot of other things. (Snek Juice, the Book etc.)

Splitting and Ceding the wealth and with the duckling will get her on-side if we need her later.

I don't want to add the VAT to the list of things we will never get around to, let the College take over some of the work and get the easy CF.
 
ConfusedCanuck said:
[X] GARNET: Split
[X] GEM: Claim and research
[X] COINS: Cede
[X] VAT: Send to College and split
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It's plan voting; this distribution is identical to Plan Perks of the Job.

Jyn Ryvia said:
[X] Plan don't fill up the Research 'to-do list'.
-[X] GARNET: Split
-[X] GEM: Joint research
-[X] COINS: Cede
-[X] VAT: Send to College and split
-[X] BOOK: Dwarven books on the Great Maw.
-[X] PET: A puppy, of a smaller but non-ratting breed.
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Two things: Book and Pet aren't part of the plan vote, and this distribution of loot is identical to my existing Plan The Splits.
 
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[X] Plan gemkeeping

[X] BOOK: Rarer Dwarven books on the Ogre Kingdoms.
[X] PET: A puppy, of a smaller but non-ratting breed.
 
Those loot rolls are turning into a problem. Far too many research topic. Tempted to just send everything away to the colleges, even if I'm personally interested in the black gem.
Glau said:
The final cleansing of the fortress was handled by the dwaves
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"dwarves"
BoneyM said:
very few wizards are used to this many Winds were operating at once
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remove "were"
BoneyM said:
Gretel, who has recently begin to show an impressive ability to move
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"begun"
BoneyM said:
Though Gretel raw affinity for the shadows is almost the equal of your own
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"Gretel's"
BoneyM said:
When last you were here, this was a nervous but still thriving center of trade and industry, but it seems Mors has not profited from their recent expansion as now only a handful of Skaven mill about the much-reduced marketplace, and that they're short enough of resources that light sources are few and far between only further increases the ability of the two of you to make yourselves at home in what should be the heart of Clan Mors' power.
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Huge run-on sentence.
BoneyM said:
[Johann's stealth: 90+18=98.]
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"108"
BoneyM said:
Finally, he puts the stone block he'd been fiddling with down on the table with a click of wood on stone.
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"wood block" (presumably)
 
[X] BOOK: Rarer Dwarven books on the Ogre Kingdoms.
[X] PET: A puppy, of a smaller but non-ratting breed.

He seemed open to tranlating documents about Eshin and Skyre as well, which looks promising.
 
picklepikkl said:
Two things: Book and Pet aren't part of the plan vote, and this distribution of loot is identical to my existing Plan The Splits.
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point.

[X] Plan The Splits
-[X] GARNET: Split
-[X] GEM: Joint research
-[X] COINS: Cede
-[X] VAT: Send to College and split
-[X] QUEEKISH: Claim

but I don't agree with giving him all the books in the first go, get him to work for it.

[X] BOOK: Dwarven books on the Great Maw.
[X] PET: A puppy, of a smaller but non-ratting breed.
 
vsh said:
If we're giving out strategical insight to him, then he knows we're killing him after we're done.
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I'm pretty sure a fair number of people voting for it don't consider strategical insight on the Ogres worth killing him over, which means what you're actually worried about here is that this Skaven is so paranoid we're at risk of him suiciding with every interaction.

I don't believe that's worth stressing out over.

[X]Plan gemkeeping

[x] Plan Hazardous Research
-[x] GARNET: Cede
-[x] GEM: Joint research
-[x] COINS: Cede
-[x] VAT: Claim and research

[x] BOOK: Rarer Dwarven books on the Ogre Kingdoms.
[x] PET: A puppy, of a smaller but non-ratting breed.
 
Would a 2 sided mirror work to block the light without giving him too much privacy? Are 2 sided mirrors even a thing here?

[X] PET: A puppy, of a smaller but non-ratting breed.

[X] BOOK: Rarer Dwarven books on the Ogre Kingdoms.

[X] Plan Perks of the Job

Giving her what she wants the most (coin) should offset not getting an equal share.
Also, again, we are a magister and a councilor, our time is plain more valuable.
 
[X] Plan gemkeeping

[X] BOOK: Rarer Dwarven books on the Ogre Kingdoms.
[X] PET: A puppy, of a smaller but non-ratting breed.
 
[X]Plan gemkeeping
-[X] GARNET: Cede
-[X] GEM: Claim and research
-[X] COINS: Cede
-[X] VAT: Send to College and split
-[X] QUEEK:Claim

[X] PET: A puppy, of a smaller but non-ratting breed.
 
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