I think it's fair to say that Mathilde is not as good as she could be at diplomacy. She's only bad in comparison to everything else she does. She's competent at diplomacy.
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.
NexusEye
Aspiring God
- Pronouns
- She/Her
The organizer of a piece of interactive online fiction, not the most counterintuitive and confusing theory of physics ever.
Mathilde's Dwarf Diplomacy Class
Fair enough, she doesn't have any relevant teaching traits, so I can see how her attempts to get her advanced Karaz Ankor insights across would come across as yet another iteration of the flying school meme.
About that...
- Location
- 47° 09′ S, 126° 43′ O
[X] Plan Red
Could Mathilde ask the dwarf for a list of the grudges that the dwarves would have against the Empire, a citizen of the Empire or someone who is currently on the territory of the Empire?
If such grudges exist Mathilde is in the ideal situation to warn the government of the Empire so that they can be resolved.
Could Mathilde ask the dwarf for a list of the grudges that the dwarves would have against the Empire, a citizen of the Empire or someone who is currently on the territory of the Empire?
If such grudges exist Mathilde is in the ideal situation to warn the government of the Empire so that they can be resolved.
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TimEd
Meteor maker
I wonder how much of the Quest can be decoded using only the variations of this meme?About that...
A Grudge doesn't mean a Throng shows up on your doorstep without warning one day unless you're an Orc or something, doubly so for inherited Grudges. Overtures are made to resolve the matter peacefully before the Dwarves resort to blood.
- Location
- Aotearoa
Also, you know... we found out that Zhufbar has (had) grudges going back to pre-Empire Asoborn tribesmen that they still held against modern Stirlanders.
So. Basically seems like an impossibly large task.
So. Basically seems like an impossibly large task.
Mother Nyx
Mother of Elpis
- Location
- The Kei Klub
- Pronouns
- She/Her
All of it.
- Location
- New Brunswick, NJ
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
I concur. I made it my Google Chat status message.
(Man, this update was so good. I know Boney was beating his head against making it come out right, and all I have to say is: worth the wait. So many great lines.)
- Location
- Aotearoa
Agreed. I idly wonder what the troublesome paragraph was.
- Location
- Mid-Atlantic
There may be exceptions to this, but I suspect they usually involve:
1) Someone killing a dwarf, in which case what did you expect would happen, of course a Throng shows up on your doorstep. Or:
2) Some dwarf overreacting (or at least Not Doing Things Properly), even by dwarf standards.
It bears remembering that while all dwarves are going to on some level respect each other's Grudges, Grudge record-keeping is at least partially decentralized. They're not all in the Dammaz Kron.
NexusEye
Aspiring God
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Yup
It seems the Dammaz Kron only contains Grudges that are offences to Dwarfkind as a whole, lesser Grudges are recorded and dealt with locally.
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There are offences that can only be repaid in blood, yeah, but the Empire as a whole hasn't committed any against Dwarfkind, and Dwarves don't fully believe in sins of the father, so even if an ancestor did something unforgivable they'll give you a fair shot to make amends. But this is all assuming it happens on a nation-state level, things do vary with individuals, but the Empire-Karaz Ankor alliance isn't going to be dissolved because a Dwarf thought a mouthful of fist was a great way to repay the Manling-Innkeeper-Watered-the-Ale Grudge.
- Location
- Greece
Even then, they'd probably ask the local government for extradition first rather than invading with a Throng, assuming said local government is not directly involved.
- Location
- Earth
I mainly got stalled on where to take it and how to segue it naturally after Mathilde told Panoramia she was green, but there were a fair few stop-and-starts throughout.
- Location
- Aotearoa
Thanks. It came out very nicely, very naturally.
[X] [TOWER] Anti-Air: Azyr
[X] [TOWER] Anti-Air: Ulgu
[X] [TOWER] Grey Battery
[X] [TOWER] Far Sight
[X] [LIBRARY] Enchantment: Imperial Antiquarian (100gc, 2CF), Divine Magic: Imperial Antiquarian (100gc, 2CF), The Empire of Man: Dwarf Antiquarian (100gc, 2DF)
[X] [DWARF] Rooms of Calamity for eight colleges (10DF + 10 gallons AV)
[X] [COLLEGE] No purchase.
[X] [PURCHASE] Firkin of dwarven ink for Grey College Docent (5gc)
[X] Plan Gingganz
[X] Plan Red
[X] Plan Full Spectrum no AV
Main concern points on the vote that I can see:
-The desire to burn Favors because we have them - Um, what. We aren't exactly hoarding favors. We have large windfalls, which we then spend down when we spot useful and relevant things to spend on.
-The desire to spend Favors on Steam Tanks - To date Mathilde's sole relationship with Steam tanks was talking to someone who once operated one. Steam Tanks are big, and while dwarf favors are rare, they aren't so rare that nobody else in the Empire wouldn't be able to afford it.
Additional tanks are valuable but not revolutionary, a big part of the problem is that the Empire's logistics for supporting more Steam Tanks are pretty limited so long as things are being done artisanal, theres just too many complex parts which requires a top level expert in the field to build and maintain, doubly so if you must purchase additional or replacement parts expensively from a dwarven Engineering Guild.
So we could possibly do it, but I think Adela on her current route of straight out apprenticing to a Dwarf Engineer might be a better narrative resolution that deals with that.
-The desire to intervene in Marienburg - This seems like sticking an oar into the situation when the Chancellor seems to have matters in hand. If Marienburg escalates...then maybe. But until then it seems as likely to go worse as better.
-The desire to intervene in Black Water - Mathilde would make a superlative surveyor, and possibly allow for accelerated construction. Not critical but not a bad option. Good solidarity for Belegar in any case, Barak Varr backed him up, he backs Barak Varr up.
-Bright - Passion and impulse and a ready supply of lots of magical energy with the ability to turn lots of magical energy into lots of kill. Probably just don't mention it at all so they don't try.
-Gold - You can bet your ass some budding enchanter or alchemist would try to use them to achieve magic concentrations above what they can personally achieve outside the College on Journey. Sternly warn them away. They'd probably listen. Probably.
-Celestial - Professionally nosy. May be best not to mention the stones at all, though if they tried something stupid the divinations probably would drop hints before they went through. probably.
-Amethyst - Basic lessons in what not to do, necromancers, ghosts and specters like to congregate around Waystones and about all they need to learn is not to damage the stone in the process, and do emergency mitigation if a necromancer does something stupid.
-Grey - Basic lessons in what not to do, necromancers and sorcerors like to congregate around Waystones. So much the same as the Amethysts, except Greys like to skirt the rules, so its best not to let your Grey Journeymen know until they're practically planning to do something to it.
-Light - Similar to Amethysts and Greys, their likely jobs would associate them with such. However, less temptation, Hysh Choirs aleady provide similar functions with less fuss.
-Jade/Amber - They have pre-imperial traditions of managing the stones and evidently have not exploded. Dish out the classes for the Journeymen, besides, most of the Stones are in their stomping grounds, can't avoid it.
Panoramia is utterly unconcerned for magisterial praise. Helping her is nice, but she doesn't actually care, her ambitions are completely unrelated to her College rank, the halflings are already giving her the respect and pay of a Magister.
The only reason she'd go for the exams at all is that her Master might prod her a bit.
[X] [TOWER] Anti-Air: Ulgu
[X] [TOWER] Grey Battery
[X] [TOWER] Far Sight
[X] [LIBRARY] Enchantment: Imperial Antiquarian (100gc, 2CF), Divine Magic: Imperial Antiquarian (100gc, 2CF), The Empire of Man: Dwarf Antiquarian (100gc, 2DF)
[X] [DWARF] Rooms of Calamity for eight colleges (10DF + 10 gallons AV)
[X] [COLLEGE] No purchase.
[X] [PURCHASE] Firkin of dwarven ink for Grey College Docent (5gc)
[X] Plan Gingganz
[X] Plan Red
[X] Plan Full Spectrum no AV
Main concern points on the vote that I can see:
-The desire to burn Favors because we have them - Um, what. We aren't exactly hoarding favors. We have large windfalls, which we then spend down when we spot useful and relevant things to spend on.
-The desire to spend Favors on Steam Tanks - To date Mathilde's sole relationship with Steam tanks was talking to someone who once operated one. Steam Tanks are big, and while dwarf favors are rare, they aren't so rare that nobody else in the Empire wouldn't be able to afford it.
Additional tanks are valuable but not revolutionary, a big part of the problem is that the Empire's logistics for supporting more Steam Tanks are pretty limited so long as things are being done artisanal, theres just too many complex parts which requires a top level expert in the field to build and maintain, doubly so if you must purchase additional or replacement parts expensively from a dwarven Engineering Guild.
So we could possibly do it, but I think Adela on her current route of straight out apprenticing to a Dwarf Engineer might be a better narrative resolution that deals with that.
-The desire to intervene in Marienburg - This seems like sticking an oar into the situation when the Chancellor seems to have matters in hand. If Marienburg escalates...then maybe. But until then it seems as likely to go worse as better.
-The desire to intervene in Black Water - Mathilde would make a superlative surveyor, and possibly allow for accelerated construction. Not critical but not a bad option. Good solidarity for Belegar in any case, Barak Varr backed him up, he backs Barak Varr up.
Lets see, what would a Journeyman of a given College likely think of Waystones:
-Bright - Passion and impulse and a ready supply of lots of magical energy with the ability to turn lots of magical energy into lots of kill. Probably just don't mention it at all so they don't try.
-Gold - You can bet your ass some budding enchanter or alchemist would try to use them to achieve magic concentrations above what they can personally achieve outside the College on Journey. Sternly warn them away. They'd probably listen. Probably.
-Celestial - Professionally nosy. May be best not to mention the stones at all, though if they tried something stupid the divinations probably would drop hints before they went through. probably.
-Amethyst - Basic lessons in what not to do, necromancers, ghosts and specters like to congregate around Waystones and about all they need to learn is not to damage the stone in the process, and do emergency mitigation if a necromancer does something stupid.
-Grey - Basic lessons in what not to do, necromancers and sorcerors like to congregate around Waystones. So much the same as the Amethysts, except Greys like to skirt the rules, so its best not to let your Grey Journeymen know until they're practically planning to do something to it.
-Light - Similar to Amethysts and Greys, their likely jobs would associate them with such. However, less temptation, Hysh Choirs aleady provide similar functions with less fuss.
-Jade/Amber - They have pre-imperial traditions of managing the stones and evidently have not exploded. Dish out the classes for the Journeymen, besides, most of the Stones are in their stomping grounds, can't avoid it.
Panoramia is utterly unconcerned for magisterial praise. Helping her is nice, but she doesn't actually care, her ambitions are completely unrelated to her College rank, the halflings are already giving her the respect and pay of a Magister.
The only reason she'd go for the exams at all is that her Master might prod her a bit.
- Location
- Aotearoa
But isn't that just dealt with by "but Mum, I don't want to yet! You know me, busy busy busy!"
"OK, dear."
Depends on the mum...and might also be aunts involved.But isn't that just dealt with by "but Mum, I don't want to yet! You know me, busy busy busy!"
"OK, dear."
[X] Plan: options
-[X] PROJECT: Aethyric Vitae
You're reasonably confident that there's a great deal of potential yet to be unlocked in the Vitae.
-[X] PROJECT: Cartographer
Your maps have made significant differences to several battles, and could prove just as useful in its ongoing defence. You could map the entirety of Karak Eight Peaks and enchant a map room so that it would forever display your findings, and could be updated as needed.
-[X] PROJECT: Marienburg
Marienburg is threatening a blockade, and the Empire is threatening to break it. You could be of some use in cowing Marienburg or paving the way for a short decisive war.
-[X] PROJECT: Nagarythe
Dwarves don't really believe in things like 'vacations', but you're pretty sure they'll happily make an exception for a vacation dedicated to tormenting the Druchii.
I don't really care about doing waystones and almost all the plans involve them so here's my meh plan
-[X] PROJECT: Aethyric Vitae
You're reasonably confident that there's a great deal of potential yet to be unlocked in the Vitae.
-[X] PROJECT: Cartographer
Your maps have made significant differences to several battles, and could prove just as useful in its ongoing defence. You could map the entirety of Karak Eight Peaks and enchant a map room so that it would forever display your findings, and could be updated as needed.
-[X] PROJECT: Marienburg
Marienburg is threatening a blockade, and the Empire is threatening to break it. You could be of some use in cowing Marienburg or paving the way for a short decisive war.
-[X] PROJECT: Nagarythe
Dwarves don't really believe in things like 'vacations', but you're pretty sure they'll happily make an exception for a vacation dedicated to tormenting the Druchii.
I don't really care about doing waystones and almost all the plans involve them so here's my meh plan