Beautiful thought for if the full bevy of romance votes wins, but imagine how it's framed in her head.
Mathilde: Hmm, I guess I will be going on the trip into hell.
Also Mathilde: time for Romance!
[X] Francesco Caravello, proud Viceroy of the Undumgi.
Foreign Relations
[X] Barak Varr, to watch the progress of the canal.
[X] Stirland, to see for yourself how the war against Sylvania is progressing.
Friends Abroad
[X] Kasmir, to see how he's keeping himself busy in Sylvania.
[X] Julia, to see what she has gotten up to as Stirland's most experienced spy master.
[X] Eike Hochschild, to get to know your future business partner.
[X] [ROMANCE] Elector Countess Roswita van Hal
[X] [ROMANCE] Baron Anton Kiesinger II
[X] [ROMANCE] Magister Johann
[X] Kasmir, to see how he's keeping himself busy in Sylvania.
[X] Stirland, to see for yourself how the war against Sylvania is progressing.
[X] Pay a visit to your fief, to see if anything has changed. It probably hasn't.
[X] [ROMANCE] Elector Countess Roswita van Hal
[X] [ROMANCE] Baron Anton Kiesinger II
[X] [ROMANCE] The Ice Dragon of Karag Zilfin
[X] [ROMANCE] Chief Bombardier Oswald Oswaldson
[X] [ROMANCE] Elector Countess Roswita van Hal
[X] [ROMANCE] Baron Anton Kiesinger II
[X] Eike Hochschild, to get to know your future business partner.
[X] Kasmir, to see how he's keeping himself busy in Sylvania.
[X] [ROMANCE] The Ice Dragon of Karag Zilfin
[X] [ROMANCE] Chief Bombardier Oswald Oswaldson
[X] Hubert, as he settles in to his niche with Ulrikadrin.
[X] Elder Hluodwica, High Priestess of Esmerelda and civilian leader of the Eight Peaks Halflings.
[X] Pay a visit to your fief, to see if anything has changed. It probably hasn't.
either he's telling the truth or it's a bit of reverse psychology and the town was burnt to the ground and rebuilt by a group of skinwalkers who like are hands off approach enough not to make (Noticeable) waves.
[X] [ROMANCE] The Ice Dragon of Karag Zilfin
Nothing really stuck out to me enough that I felt compelled enough to vote on other than these two. I'm pretty happy with almost anything winning.
[X] [ROMANCE] The Ice Dragon of Karag Zilfin
[X] Gretel, who's apparently spending her newly-earned wealth to make herself at home.
[X] Eike Hochschild, to get to know your future business partner.
[X] Follow up on your donation of the Skaven organ-vat, and see what has been made of it.
Altdorf! City of Bridges! City of Magic!
Who can boast a town more grand, more marvelous?
For the Empire holds sway, superior in every way.
Here stands Sigmar's Great Cathedral,
And there sits the Imperial Palace.
Her visitors range from far and wide,
And they come by foot and by horse and by noble river's ride.
Who can claim any city more vast, more prosperous?
Cities stank.
There were just so many things going on at once, and it was too loud, and did that mule just poop where you were about to step? Then add the smoke of a thousand burning fireplaces, the refuse and garbage of ten thousand households, the daily activities of a hundred thousand souls. These unfortunate circumstances, and many more besides (You buy your food from a store?), were natural barriers to any newcomers who might hope to find a place for themselves in a city. Doubly so for the streets of Altdorf, where you might turn right four full times and not end up where you had started. If you wanted to make it, you had to rely on the right connections...
The grocer's shop was in a small and cozy corner of the Market District, well positioned to lure clients and suppliers alike. A large table with samples and placards sat in the front, from which customers could make their selections if they didn't already have an order in mind for the frowning shopkeep manning the counter.
"So, can I get you something?" he drawled, eyeing the lass who'd been nervously hovering over the labels for the past five minutes. The flickering lantern-light revealed a short woman dressed in a dusty peasant's garb, topped by a slightly too large straw hat periodically sliding over her eyes. There was a noticeable bulk to her arms, likely from days spent working in the fields. "With the way you've been gawking over my wares, you must be new to the city, eh?"
"Well," she began. "I was hoping for— I mean, I suppose could use some assistance, yes." she responded.
"Oho! You're from Stirland! You must be! By the gods, it's good to hear a proper Stirlandian accent again. Not a lot of us in these parts. Whereabouts do you come from? Julbach? Tarshof?"
"Biderhof, actually." she replied. "I take it you're the same?"
"Not far, not far at all! I'm from Wurtbad myself, before Da decided that at least one of his sons would make a living outside the province if it was the last thing he did. Bloody odd things happening in Eagle Castle. So there I was..." he boasted, not noticing the other customers groan and exit the shop. "He'll be at it for a while, dear." one of them whispered. "Best of luck."
"...and ten years later and I have my own shop in the market!"
"Smart man, your Da." she agreed.
"So what're you in for? Oh, where did my manners go? The name's Gilfred Grossmann."
"Alys Schmidt. I'm afraid you were right, I'm newly arrived. I'm to meet my Aunt Julia next week, you see, but the boat came early on account of fair weather and she must still be away on one of her business trips. I don't suppose you've got or know of a spare room available for a few days? I should have enough coin left for a few days' rations..."
"Hmph. I'd be happy to help a fellow Stirlander out— remind me to figure out our family relation later— but livable rooms, no. I'm not an innkeeper, and from the look of it you can't afford one. Living in this city's expensive! Space costs more here, unless you want to test your luck in the less savoury parts of town. Wouldn't recommend it. I suppose you could take one of the hay bales I've got in the storeroom, if you don't mind it being a tad uncomfortable. That said, I'm not keen on taking your coin if you've got so little. Say, you've got your letters? "
"I was reading your labels, yes. Auntie insisted I learn. You have a remarkable variety of flour."
"That I do. Anyways, that's a damn rare sight for us folk. Help me sort out my inventory books, maybe man the counter for a bit, and you can have the storeroom for as long as you need it. A few days, you said? I can throw in four shillings as well. What do you think?"
"Four shillings in less than a week? That's an awful high wage! You're sure?"
"Back in your Biderhof, maybe. In Wurtbad, less so, and certainly not in Altdorf. If you'd like, consider it a 'Welcome to Altdorf' present."
You're given a five minute head start and told to hide before three of the Proctors start hunting you; four days later the town criers start broadcasting a request that you report to the College, and you say goodbye to the grocer you had been working for as Alys Schmidt and report smugly back.
It could've been your classic 'farmhand moves to the big city' story, but the peasant is actually a ten year native Grey Wizard pretending to be a peasant for her exams! What a twist.
I'm not sure I like how the second part turned out, but I've been stuck for a while and figured I might as well post what I have and move on.
[X] [ROMANCE] Elector Countess Roswita van Hal
[X] [ROMANCE] Baron Anton Kiesinger II
[X] [ROMANCE] The Ice Dragon of Karag Zilfin
[X] [ROMANCE] Chief Bombardier Oswald Oswaldson
[X] Kasmir, to see how he's keeping himself busy in Sylvania.
[X] [ROMANCE] Magister Johann
[X] [ROMANCE] Baron Anton Kiesinger II
[X] [ROMANCE] Chief Bombardier Oswald Oswaldson
[X] Gretel, who's apparently spending her newly-earned wealth to make herself at home.
[X] Hubert, as he settles in to his niche with Ulrikadrin.
[X] Elder Hluodwica, High Priestess of Esmerelda and civilian leader of the Eight Peaks Halflings.
[X] Francesco Caravello, proud Viceroy of the Undumgi.
[X] Sir Ruprecht Wulfhart, leader of the frontier town of Ulrikadrin.
[X] Barak Varr, to watch the progress of the canal.
[X] Stirland, to see for yourself how the war against Sylvania is progressing.
[X] Kasmir, to see how he's keeping himself busy in Sylvania.
[X] Eike Hochschild, to get to know your future business partner.
[X] The Amber College, to check in on the salamanders.
[X] Follow up on your donation of the Skaven organ-vat, and see what has been made of it.
[X] Pay a visit to your fief, to see if anything has changed. It probably hasn't.
[X] [ROMANCE] Elector Countess Roswita van Hal
[X] [ROMANCE] Baron Anton Kiesinger II
[X] [ROMANCE] The Ice Dragon of Karag Zilfin
[X] [ROMANCE] Chief Bombardier Oswald Oswaldson
We need to slam all the romance options to ensure we pick up all the death flags before leaving for the Chaos Wastes.
[X] [ROMANCE] Baron Anton Kiesinger II
[X] [ROMANCE] Chief Bombardier Oswald Oswaldson
[X] Hubert, as he settles in to his niche with Ulrikadrin.
[X] Francesco Caravello, proud Viceroy of the Undumgi.
[X] Sir Ruprecht Wulfhart, leader of the frontier town of Ulrikadrin.
[X] Stirland, to see for yourself how the war against Sylvania is progressing.
[X] Kasmir, to see how he's keeping himself busy in Sylvania.
[X] Julia, to see what she has gotten up to as Stirland's most experienced spy master.
[X] [ROMANCE] Elector Countess Roswita van Hal
[X] [ROMANCE] Baron Anton Kiesinger II
[X] [ROMANCE] The Ice Dragon of Karag Zilfin
[X] [ROMANCE] Chief Bombardier Oswald Oswaldson
[X] Elder Hluodwica, High Priestess of Esmerelda and civilian leader of the Eight Peaks Halflings.
[X] Barak Varr, to watch the progress of the canal.
[X] Julia, to see what she has gotten up to as Stirland's most experienced spy master.
[X] Eike Hochschild, to get to know your future business partner.
[X] [ROMANCE] Elector Countess Roswita van Hal
[X] [ROMANCE] Baron Anton Kiesinger II
[X] [ROMANCE] The Ice Dragon of Karag Zilfin
[X] [ROMANCE] Chief Bombardier Oswald Oswaldson
[X] Elder Hluodwica, High Priestess of Esmerelda and civilian leader of the Eight Peaks Halflings.
[X] Eike Hochschild, to get to know your future business partner.
[X] Barak Varr, to watch the progress of the canal.
[X] Gretel, who's apparently spending her newly-earned wealth to make herself at home.
[X] [ROMANCE] Journeywoman Panoramia
[X] [ROMANCE] Magister Johann
[X] [ROMANCE] Elector Countess Roswita van Hal
[X] [ROMANCE] Baron Anton Kiesinger II
[X] [ROMANCE] Chief Bombardier Oswald Oswaldson
[X] [ROMANCE] Elector Countess Roswita van Hal
[X] [ROMANCE] Baron Anton Kiesinger II
[X] [ROMANCE] The Ice Dragon of Karag Zilfin
[X] [ROMANCE] Chief Bombardier Oswald Oswaldson
[X] Barak Varr, to watch the progress of the canal.
[X] Stirland, to see for yourself how the war against Sylvania is progressing.
[X] Kasmir, to see how he's keeping himself busy in Sylvania.
[X] The Amber College, to check in on the salamanders.
[X] Follow up on your donation of the Skaven organ-vat, and see what has been made of it.
[X] Elder Hluodwica, High Priestess of Esmerelda and civilian leader of the Eight Peaks Halflings.
