Asheram
Not quite altogether
- Location
- Δ Hidden Forbidden Holy Ground
Thank you kindly, that rules out that.
Warhammer Fantasy: Divided Loyalties - an Advisor's Quest
- Thread starter Boney
- Start date
- Fantasy Users' Choice!
Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
Kornet
Quite possibly a sloth abomination
- Location
- Mother Russia
Not economically feasible. In fact, even a short railroaf k8p - riverport which was investigated was economically unfeasible.
SuperSonicSound
Shadowmancer of the Shadow Cabal
Wasn't the issue one of supply? Obviously with k8P now secured supply will increase, that said wasn't that update something that happened before Kazador basically said "Give K8P all the steels"
NuclearConsensus
Herald of the Thorned One
- Location
- the Philippines
This is a fair point, but given the recent problems with piracy it's likely the focus in the near future will be on the riverine navy for the moment. Of course, with the losses Karak Drazh sustained and the full retaking of Eight Peaks, if there ever was a good time to experiment with the use of rail, it's right now.
We have literal WoG on this. the Grey College won't be sharing information unless a specific request is made by Mathilde(with Favor outlay if someone somewhere must spend their AP on getting this), the information is immediately obvious that it'd be relevant to the College and thus disseminated in general, OR the information is immediately obvious that its relevant to Mathilde AND the person getting the information knows this.
If you want a spy network, cultivate your own. The College runs on a mishmash of disconnected personal scale networks, which are jealously guarded by their operator and their extent is not known to the rest of the Grey College.
If you're content to be ignorant except for when Empire-shaking events are happening then you let the College network do its work.
And I'd add, a spy network is hardly the exclusive domain of a spymaster. Not in the Medieval-Renaissance period. Every statesman, diplomat, noble, merchant and intellectual must cultivate their own sources for the type of information THEY need themselves, due to the very poor state of communications.
The clever ones piggyback their networks onto existing systems, the noble and statesman run on the state courier services and taxmen, while literally everyone hitches rides on merchant networks, which inherently respire information as a core functionality.
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Asheram
Not quite altogether
- Location
- Δ Hidden Forbidden Holy Ground
If we could deal with the smoke generated, a railway through the underway up to kazador could be useful for goods and rapid troop deployment
NuclearConsensus
Herald of the Thorned One
- Location
- the Philippines
It would be a good way to facilitate transport of dwarfs and materiel. All that steel they've stockpiled will be more accessible than before.
The problem of course is that the Underway isn't as secure as the Ulrikadrin-Eight Peaks route, and given the distance involved and the lack of man- and dwarfpower it might be impossible to fully secure, which is a problem. Having the rail line cut by enterprising Skaven or greenskins, or worse, having them capture and then use a train as a Trojan horse for either Karak is a real, albeit remote for the latter, possibility.
A Mixed Reception
- Location
- The Star Kingdom of Manticore
Fredrick sat down among the other students from the University of Altdorf. Excitement nearly bubbled out of him. It was so hard to get accurate information about orcs. Most of those that fought the creatures were not scholars and so parsing through the accounts could be quite tedious while offering no new information for study. He knew the lecture would be about magic but the paper the lectures were about had offered tantalizing hints of an immense understanding about orcs. Hopefully he would be able to glean some insights for himself.
It was fascinating. The insights the presenter had in regards to orcs exceed anything else he had encountered. "Waaagh And Hive" had captured his attention several months ago and he had even defended its ideas in an informal debate. He had known the writing was rocky but the idea surely had merit. What a fool he had been! "Waaagh And Hive" was being thoroughly trashed and it was all Fredrick could do to not burn the copy he had brought. If only she would stop giving three or four metaphors for each of the main points. It really dragged on occasionally but the information was still invaluable for his studies into orc culture and society.
When the lecture had ended he had rushed forward to try and sneak in questions. It became very quickly apparent that asking questions about orc cultural was not going to happen. He didn't quite know the group asking questions but he wasn't blind and the space everyone was giving was a clue that perhaps this wasn't the time for him to ask questions. He trudged back to the group he had attended the lecture with and was eventually cajoled into drinking at the Stout Heart. The Stout Heart had become a popular watering hole for students wanting to discuss orc. This evening quite a crowd had gathered. Many from the lecture but even those who couldn't attend ducked in as evening waxed and of course others from off the street. Several dwarfs were even huddled together discussing something. They seemed quite pleased given the number of rounds they bought each other but that oddity was soon eclipsed by the pit stain of scholarship in front of him.
"Professor Waltram's theories are wrong!" Fredrick said. "Lanfrank I know you look up Professor Waltram but just because he sees something in the drivel you call writing doesn't mean he is right." The argument with Lanfrank was quickly taking a central stage in the Stout Heart.
"Professor Waltram has spent his life studying orcs!" Lanfrank retorted. "How long has this woman studied orcs? A month? Two?"
"Whatever time Dame Weber has spent she has spent outside the walls of Altdorf. Has Professor Waltram ever left Altdorf? I didn't think so! All of his theories are based on second hand accounts. Dame Weber has been out there! Fighting Sigmar's enemies! That is what gives her ideas weight. They are based in experience. Not on the ashes of a warm fireplace!"
Lanfrank threw his arms up. "Are you so infatuated with her Fredrick that you have lost your sense? She is a woman. She will never do anything worthwhile. Perhaps if some men figure out anything from the rubbish she undoubtedly spewed we can revisit this topic."
Fredrick started. Misogyny? He was dealing with misogyny? Before he could get another word a dwarf interrupted him.
"Whatcha say there manling?" The dwarf said. "You said something about Azrildrekked."
Lanfrank blinked confusedly at the dwarf. "Az...rildrek...ked? I am sorry but I don't know what you're talking about."
The dwarf slugged back his mug before speaking again. "Mathilde Weber. What did you say about Mathilde Weber?"
Lanfrank shrugged. "She is a woman so she can't do anything worthwhile. What of it?"
The dwarf stared hard at Lanfrank and Fredrick was beginning to feel uncomfortable as the other dwarfs started to mutter amongst themselves.
"...What?" The dwarf said. "Manling it might be best for you to head home. I would hate to hurt someone on a day of such good news."
It was then that Fredrick noticed that the dwarf had started to almost caress his ax. The whiteness of Lanfrank's face made it clear he got the message.
"It makes sense that a woman dwarfs find attractive you would also find attractive Fredrick." Lanfrank said as he sneered at Fredrick. "But I know when I am not welcome anymore so I will take my leave. Good day."
With Lanfrank making a quick exit Fredrick managed to catch the dwarf's attention before he made it back to his table.
"Good dwarf." Fredrick said. "Thank you for coming to Dame Weber's defense but what does Azrildrekked mean? I have never heard that word before."
"Hmph. It is difficult to translate it into this tongue but… yes… Great Defender of the Silver Depths is close enough."
"I have never heard of such a title before." Fredrick said. "How did she get that name?"
The dwarf suddenly smiled at him with a twinkle in his eye. "You want to hear the story? Buy us a round." He motioned to his fellow dwarfs. "Then we'll share the story with you."
Fredrick had to endure quite the scolding from his sister when he stumbled home drunk in the wee hours of the morning. When she had cooled down he would ask her for advice in writing a letter. As sleep claimed his drunken form he wondered what flowers would go best with a letter.
A.N.
An Omake for the Omake throne @BoneyM
This idea came to me from thinking about why different Altdorf students would attend. Then it spiraled into a poor student having what is very very very very likely an unrequited crush.
It was fascinating. The insights the presenter had in regards to orcs exceed anything else he had encountered. "Waaagh And Hive" had captured his attention several months ago and he had even defended its ideas in an informal debate. He had known the writing was rocky but the idea surely had merit. What a fool he had been! "Waaagh And Hive" was being thoroughly trashed and it was all Fredrick could do to not burn the copy he had brought. If only she would stop giving three or four metaphors for each of the main points. It really dragged on occasionally but the information was still invaluable for his studies into orc culture and society.
When the lecture had ended he had rushed forward to try and sneak in questions. It became very quickly apparent that asking questions about orc cultural was not going to happen. He didn't quite know the group asking questions but he wasn't blind and the space everyone was giving was a clue that perhaps this wasn't the time for him to ask questions. He trudged back to the group he had attended the lecture with and was eventually cajoled into drinking at the Stout Heart. The Stout Heart had become a popular watering hole for students wanting to discuss orc. This evening quite a crowd had gathered. Many from the lecture but even those who couldn't attend ducked in as evening waxed and of course others from off the street. Several dwarfs were even huddled together discussing something. They seemed quite pleased given the number of rounds they bought each other but that oddity was soon eclipsed by the pit stain of scholarship in front of him.
"Professor Waltram's theories are wrong!" Fredrick said. "Lanfrank I know you look up Professor Waltram but just because he sees something in the drivel you call writing doesn't mean he is right." The argument with Lanfrank was quickly taking a central stage in the Stout Heart.
"Professor Waltram has spent his life studying orcs!" Lanfrank retorted. "How long has this woman studied orcs? A month? Two?"
"Whatever time Dame Weber has spent she has spent outside the walls of Altdorf. Has Professor Waltram ever left Altdorf? I didn't think so! All of his theories are based on second hand accounts. Dame Weber has been out there! Fighting Sigmar's enemies! That is what gives her ideas weight. They are based in experience. Not on the ashes of a warm fireplace!"
Lanfrank threw his arms up. "Are you so infatuated with her Fredrick that you have lost your sense? She is a woman. She will never do anything worthwhile. Perhaps if some men figure out anything from the rubbish she undoubtedly spewed we can revisit this topic."
Fredrick started. Misogyny? He was dealing with misogyny? Before he could get another word a dwarf interrupted him.
"Whatcha say there manling?" The dwarf said. "You said something about Azrildrekked."
Lanfrank blinked confusedly at the dwarf. "Az...rildrek...ked? I am sorry but I don't know what you're talking about."
The dwarf slugged back his mug before speaking again. "Mathilde Weber. What did you say about Mathilde Weber?"
Lanfrank shrugged. "She is a woman so she can't do anything worthwhile. What of it?"
The dwarf stared hard at Lanfrank and Fredrick was beginning to feel uncomfortable as the other dwarfs started to mutter amongst themselves.
"...What?" The dwarf said. "Manling it might be best for you to head home. I would hate to hurt someone on a day of such good news."
It was then that Fredrick noticed that the dwarf had started to almost caress his ax. The whiteness of Lanfrank's face made it clear he got the message.
"It makes sense that a woman dwarfs find attractive you would also find attractive Fredrick." Lanfrank said as he sneered at Fredrick. "But I know when I am not welcome anymore so I will take my leave. Good day."
With Lanfrank making a quick exit Fredrick managed to catch the dwarf's attention before he made it back to his table.
"Good dwarf." Fredrick said. "Thank you for coming to Dame Weber's defense but what does Azrildrekked mean? I have never heard that word before."
"Hmph. It is difficult to translate it into this tongue but… yes… Great Defender of the Silver Depths is close enough."
"I have never heard of such a title before." Fredrick said. "How did she get that name?"
The dwarf suddenly smiled at him with a twinkle in his eye. "You want to hear the story? Buy us a round." He motioned to his fellow dwarfs. "Then we'll share the story with you."
Fredrick had to endure quite the scolding from his sister when he stumbled home drunk in the wee hours of the morning. When she had cooled down he would ask her for advice in writing a letter. As sleep claimed his drunken form he wondered what flowers would go best with a letter.
A.N.
An Omake for the Omake throne @BoneyM
This idea came to me from thinking about why different Altdorf students would attend. Then it spiraled into a poor student having what is very very very very likely an unrequited crush.
- Location
- Singapore
And so we found in Federick the first non magical scholar to stumble on Mathilde's Great Library, who immediately volunteers to be Mathilde's new Julia out of a crush. Behold our future chief archivist!
And the poor guy will never get a chance at even attempting to have his crush requited since the thread would never vote to social him, and hence would never know of that crush.
Infact poor Mathilde mistakens the guy's letter for an aspiring mundane scholar seeking the Loremaster's approval to set up shop in the Eight Peaks!
And the poor guy will never get a chance at even attempting to have his crush requited since the thread would never vote to social him, and hence would never know of that crush.
Infact poor Mathilde mistakens the guy's letter for an aspiring mundane scholar seeking the Loremaster's approval to set up shop in the Eight Peaks!
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- Pronouns
- They/It
I can see the utility of having a rumor mill going, but damn if I'm not wary of it.
Adding, presumably, another turn into the Actions/Social cycle and potentially adding another vector for AP hell factions to form around and latch on to, wanting to jaunt halfway across Malus to fix things. It's spooky stuff!
Adding, presumably, another turn into the Actions/Social cycle and potentially adding another vector for AP hell factions to form around and latch on to, wanting to jaunt halfway across Malus to fix things. It's spooky stuff!
- Location
- Goose Land
Safety and availability of ammunition, plus potential morale effects, have come up but another factor may be esoteric magical defenses.
Does an Item of [Protection from Fire] help against a Steam weapon? If the effect is actually [Protection from Heat], then yes it does, but if the effect is specifically targeted against Fire? Then they'll have a very unpleasant day.
Omegahugger
Inattentive Idiot
This doesn't have to be their end, you know.Poor ratties
If we wanted to, we could help them pick up spears and shields once more. Let them once again protect the Karak from those who would invade it. With a bit of luck we could even pull their souls kicking and screaming from the grasp of the Horned Rat!
We could give the last defenders of Clan Mors a second chance, this time serving the true ruler of Karak-Eight-Peaks.
Thats basically the EIC though. Its been made abundantly clear its exactly the sort of self propagating, self financing carrier wave you want for an information network anyways.
- Location
- Finland
EIC is potentially a good information network, but so far i am not seeing it used as such to the extent i would want it to.
Part of the problem is that we have been rather busy since fired from ou Spymaster job, we really should dedicate few AP's in future turns if and when we can to turning EIC to it's full potential.
Omegahugger
Inattentive Idiot
"Why hello there, fellow wizard in a barely decent outfit. Would you mind meeting in private for a bit so we could discuss... Romance novels?"
What? The lady is Bretonian, Bretonia's sacred flower is the lily, lily means yuri, it makes perfect sense.
Why else do you think there are so many crossdressing knights around, the Lady is a huge fan of shoujo romance!
chocolote12
A Penguin Flailing Against The Keyboard Of Life.
The issue with the EIC is that we've constantly been spending our half actions on fixing it up instead of using it, which is good because it means we won't have to worry as much about somebody we don't like using it, but bad because it's not very interesting to get a benefit which isn't conducive to further story telling (well, unless the plot thread is that people are trying to infiltrate and getting caught out, which I admit I would find satisfying).
- Location
- Finland
It's being built, but i'm not sure we have actually turned it on yet.
We have taken steps to build it up, and to make sure it remains loyal, but what have done to turn it into a proper information network?
We also need to spread it further so it can provide information beyond Stirland and K8P.
I kinda want some eyes in every major city and trade center in the empire.
Or at minimum in every provincial capital.
We don't need to spread it further. Its spreading like kudzu as it is. We need to build information apparatus rather than adding more and more measures to ensure that it definitely for reals will not go askew.
- Location
- Finland
I was not suggesting we personally go and set up branch offices.
Just give some directions to setup them in key locations, if that is not happening yet.
Mainly what we need to do is make EIC to actually act as an information provider.
- Location
- somewhere over there.
- Pronouns
- They/It
Wilhelmina will have already done this. She's very, very good at what she does.
- Location
- Finland
Wilhelmina is after profit (long term, sustainable), we want information.
Yes, Wilhelmina can, for now, be left to handle everything day to day, but that is not an excuse to not take an occasional look and offer extra direction if needed.