Remove ads

Warhammer Fantasy: Divided Loyalties - an Advisor's Quest

Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
Reader mode
As I said, my priorities:

1) join the expedition early. This thing was a pressure cooker on a fuse before we joined up, and we've thrown a lot more chaos into the mix with enough humans to equal the dwarves, and an elf to that could, if he really wanted to, overpower everyone and take off with the greatest recovered treasures. Not likely, but possible enough to make paranoia a possibility. I think we need to get here early to solidify our authority, and supress bad rumors if needed. Make sure that we have a good foundation out of the first meetings.

2) Start working on our great sword style. I've proposed training with a practice sword in a dark room under the influence of Substance of Shadows as a way to start working on flickering with a non-lethal equivalent- and it would be a great excuse to spend more time with Johann, who would be able to spar in the dark without penalty. Focus on shedding binds and blade-to-blade clashes with flickers as a start. I think this is above other options because it is in keeping with the time and effort she's put into becoming a martial powerhouse to continue on this route, and because I love our sword and want to keep it central to Mathilde.

3) Ask to the runesmiths to teach you enough to recognize and recover the true treasures of the hold. I guess I am committed on this, for the possibilities of puzzling out cryptic hints deep in the tunnels, and the hard 'pick two of three' choices for treasures with limited information. It sounds like it could add a lot, to understand just a little bit.

Past that it's new armor, then seeing through Pall of Darkness. I'm favorable to an overwork, but not two, because seeing up a mostly social-with-consequences turn after is something I'd like. We need to lay some groundwork for our public pivot towards elves, or it could go badly.
 
Last edited:
I full under the 'its not occ for mathy to think it exists or want to learn it, but there is no way that its a sub - 3 ap action, probably even more. ' when it comes to arcane Khazalid.

like this is a case of a language that despite most races knowing the root language (Khazalid) and having a relative amout of examples around the world (rune weapons, wall, furnace sometimes...) no one has cracked it.

this is in spit of a loooooot of very smart, if dubiously ethical, people, scholars, damsels, ice witchs, elf high mages, and one or two lord magisters giving it their best go over the ages.

there are hard languages to learn, and then there is the Arcane Khazalid.
 
Jyn Ryvia said:
I full under the 'its not occ for mathy to think it exists or want to learn it, but there is no way that its a sub - 3 ap action, probably even more. ' when it comes to arcane Khazalid.

like this is a case of a language that despite most races knowing the root language (Khazalid) and having a relative amout of examples around the world (rune weapons, wall, furnace sometimes...) no one has cracked it.

this is in spit of a loooooot of very smart, if dubiously ethical, people, scholars, damsels, ice witchs, elf high mages, and one or two lord magisters giving it their best go over the ages.

there are hard languages to learn, and then there is the Arcane Khazalid.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...


word of QM, it's 2-3 actions. I'm not sure I really understand the rest of your post. Arcane Khazalid isn't something you can just puzzle out any more than you could learn a pictographic or logographic language without a rosetta stone equivalent or some one else that speaks the language.

Also Arcane Khazalid alone isn't going to be remotely enough to be able to smith runes if that's what you're getting at?
 
storryeater said:
Ooops....

Back to the drawing board for unrealistic pie in the sky technically plausible but practically impossible suggestions, then
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
You seem to be working towards surpassing the known limitations of human existance. A worthy pursuit, however, I fear that you like so many before you will end up lacking the Oomph that breaking through the mortal ceiling requires. Breaking past the barriers separating various human minds is not easy nor cheap, after all.

To help you in your quest, might I interest you in this underutilized energy source that provides nigh limitless amounts of power at little to no significant cost? All it takes is this one trick developed by an ancient witchhunter and BOOM, all the arcane power you could ever want right at the tip of your fingers.

Now, you might be wondering why, if this trick is so powerful (which it is), why isn't everyone using it? My friend, the answer is simple, seeing as the Empire outlawed the use of it centuries ago. HOWEVER, thanks to the loophole known as "not cheating if you don't get caught" -as established by the Ranaldites of old-, you can use it freely as long as nobody tattles on you.

This is a brilliant opportunity for any magic user whether they be young or old, new or experienced, dead or alive. Normally, this is where I'd tell you that this is a limited time offer that you have to commit to RIGHT NOW, but the wonderous thing about this energy is that we'll never run out. It is entirely renewable (as long as the Chaos Gates remain open) and can be find amply in any environment located more than 30 miles north or south of the equator. So if you need some time to think about it, feel free to kic back and review your options. Ask some of your collegues for advice if you need to.

I promise you won't find any other source giving you the power you need with no strings attached.

*Side effects include mental degradation, pain, miscasts, involuntary explosions, environmental damage,persecution by angry priests of various deities and occasional scenery chewing. Please see your local vampire if Dhar is appropiate for you.
 
Omegahugger said:
*Side effects include mental degradation, pain, miscasts, involuntary explosions, environmental damage,persecution by angry priests of various deities and occasional scenery chewing. Please see your local vampire if Dhar is appropiate for you.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
(Don't forget an insatiable desire for the flesh of halflings.)
 
SuperSonicSound said:
Historical patterns don't fit here unless you expect Borek and every one to leave the expedition utterly unattended for some reason, but sure. I'm aware we were in charge when Belegar was dealing with Riverine piracy in the border princes.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

It happened twice, ie every time we went campaigning.

Omegahugger said:
You seem to be working towards surpassing the known limitations of human existance. A worthy pursuit, however, I fear that you like so many before you will end up lacking the Oomph that breaking through the mortal ceiling requires. Breaking past the barriers separating various human minds is not easy nor cheap, after all.

To help you in your quest, might I interest you in this underutilized energy source that provides nigh limitless amounts of power at little to no significant cost? All it takes is this one trick developed by an ancient witchhunter and BOOM, all the arcane power you could ever want right at the tip of your fingers.

Now, you might be wondering why, if this trick is so powerful (which it is), why isn't everyone using it? My friend, the answer is simple, seeing as the Empire outlawed the use of it centuries ago. HOWEVER, thanks to the loophole known as "not cheating if you don't get caught" -as established by the Ranaldites of old-, you can use it freely as long as nobody tattles on you.

This is a brilliant opportunity for any magic user whether they be young or old, new or experienced, dead or alive. Normally, this is where I'd tell you that this is a limited time offer that you have to commit to RIGHT NOW, but the wonderous thing about this energy is that we'll never run out. It is entirely renewable (as long as the Chaos Gates remain open) and can be find amply in any environment located more than 30 miles north or south of the equator. So if you need some time to think about it, feel free to kic back and review your options. Ask some of your collegues for advice if you need to.

I promise you won't find any other source giving you the power you need with no strings attached.

*Side effects include mental degradation, pain, miscasts, involuntary explosions, environmental damage,persecution by angry priests of various deities and occasional scenery chewing. Please see your local vampire if Dhar is appropiate for you.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

The only true path to power is trailblazing, else we will be forever behind. Can we do the dhar thing better than Nagash, if only by standing on his shoulders?
he is currently a giant, and as the phrase goes...
no? Then its not the right avenue to sell our soul to.

Heck, no avenue that presupposes selling our soul is a path of power, for our soul is beholden... no, if we want ultimate power, we need something new, preferably something undharish. At the very least, our own elixir of death rather than Nefertata's flawed recipe, for if we cannot at the very least be like Nagash, we cannot surpass him. But why go for copying when we can become an entirely new kind of monster, without ever sacrificing our morality?
 
Remove ads
Meanwhile, in BorekQuest 2
  • Apocrypha
    • Vebyast said:
    Borek Negaverse, because I was slightly bored
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    BorekQuest 2: Chaos Boogaloo
    ShortSpeak said:
    I think that Karak Eight Peaks has fallen to Chaos. They have a human wizard, an Ulgu user who murdered a Witch Hunter, in what's traditionally the position with the most soft power. They're reckless with technology, like those grapecannon and the Zhufokri-powered steam cannon that Josef saw them experimenting with, which are definitely a Dawi-Zharr tech. Josef even thought they were experimenting with runecraft. There isn't a rune in the book that can wipe out a Waaagh like that. There's that unknown source of silk which is probably secret trade with the East. There's that Thing going on between them and the High King. They have way more money than they should. Support from Chaos would explain how Belegar's Expedition succeeded here where it didn't in canon. And now they're trying to get us all mutated by making deals with the Kurgan. We have to stop this.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Mooks said:
    ShortSpeak said:
    They have a human wizard, an Ulgu user who murdered a Witch Hunter, in what's traditionally the position with the most soft power.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    We've already been over all the other possible explanations for the hat. The rest of the post is baseless fearmongering.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    DollaryDoo said:
    A short teaser for the upcoming update, since it's relevant to the current discussion:

    "Boss! Someone here to see you. Another of Magister Weber's volunteers."

    Mogra's shout is a blessed diversion from the supplies ledgers that you, Snorri, and Gotrek have been slaving over. "Excellent! Send them in," you call back. Magister Weber's extensive connections have been unorthodox - umgi, elves, dragons, and Kurgan mutton aren't exactly what you were hoping for - but they nevertheless promise woe to the Great Enemy and so you'll take them.

    The impossibly white robes and gently glowing staff instantly mark the umgi that enters as another zhufokrul. "Borek Forkbeard of Clan Grimnar," you say. "At your service and your... guild's." Maybe this one will give you more indication of whether that's the correct address.

    "The Light Order is glad to be of service," the zhufokrul says. "Magister Weber conveyed to us that you intended to strike into Enemy territory, and who better to join you than the Heirophants?" He smiles, eyes shining brightly. "Magister Egrimm van Horstmann. It's a pleasure."
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    SightCentral said:
    DollaryDoo said:
    Horstmann
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    ShortSpeak said:
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
     
    Last edited:
  • Apocrypha
    • So, I've been thinking on want to do when we finally have to make an official name for duckling club.

    Drake= Duck.
    Drake= Young Dragon

    The august order of the Aethyr drakes of the silver queen.

    or 'The magic ducks of K8Ps'

    what do people thing?
     
    You know, regardless of whether Horstmann worships Chaos, he's likely to more or less play ball on the Expedition. His canon plans certainly aren't served by betraying us - that doesn't hurt the Light College at all. If he has something else Chaos-related in mind, it's still very unlikely that the Expedition is where he'll seize on it - he'll be surrounded by powerful fighters and hero units who hate Chaos, can smack him down, and are hardy or agile enough to (likely) survive any magic he can plausibly throw at them (and that's if he doesn't get counterspelled). And, not being a Grey Wizard, he'll have limited opportunities for sneaking off and doing suspicious things. Finally, of course, if he severely hurts the Expedition overall, he's likely to die as well. At worst I'd expect him to try and get his hands on some sort of Chaos artifact, or maybe do something extremely subtle to try and corrupt the Wizards on the expedition (I'm not even sure what that would be tbh)
     
    Last edited:
    Briefvoice said:
    Given the very good results we had for scouting the steppes, I'm tempted to go for a "Scout the Road of Skulls" action next turn.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    Unfortunately, we're far more likely to go to the Karag Dum Vicinity than anywhere else, since we know the Yusak are there. (As opposed to scouting out where we don't know what we might find, which you'd think would be the best places to scout.) That said, it's not like we couldn't do two scouting actions next turn; we've got a really good result from the one scouting action we took so it might be worth just doubling-down on doing more of it. I'd argue that this agreement should have a much bigger impact on the expedition's chances of success than a personal improvement action would have...
     
    Derpmind said:
    Unfortunately, we're far more likely to go to the Karag Dum Vicinity than anywhere else, since we know the Yusak are there.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    The main issue with scouting Karag Dum is that we'd need to go past Dolgan lands to get there (unless we're willing to try a roundabout route through the Kul). If the Dolgan see us going to talk to the Yusak, they'll be suspicious, because they think that we're a Chaos Worshipper and we shouldn't want anything to do with them.
     
    picklepikkl said:
    Help me build out the key to the Negaverse characters:
    • DollaryDoo = BoneyM
    • Mooks = random_npc?
    • oliveolave = me
    • Intrigue = Guile
    • LethargicPossum = Doomed Wombat?
    • Kranm = kfrar?
    • Onyon = Garlak
    • ShortSpeak = Briefvoice
    • SightCentral = Lightwhispers?
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    • DollaryDoo = MoneyB, a common Negaverse QM = BoneyM, correct.
    • oliveolave, Intrigue, Onyon, ShortSpeak, all correct
    • Mooks = RedshirtArmy. They exist to die en masse. Edit: a specific reference to their response to the IRL Empress Heidi reveal here.
    • LethargicPossum - Honestly don't know, IIRC I copy-pasted it off one of @Redshirt Army's negaverses.
    • Kranm is me. The GURPS character that originally bore this name had a surname and that was it. Can't remember if I've populated it on my SV profile, though. It was 3 AM when I wrote BorekQuest 1 and chose the username, don't judge me. :p edit: Actually, no, past-me stayed up at 3 AM which is stupid, judge him hard.
    • SightCentral = @NexusEye. Edit: a specific reference to their response to the IRL Horstmann-roll here.

    tapkomet said:
    At worst I'd expect him to try and get his hands on some sort of Chaos artifact, or maybe do something extremely subtle to try and corrupt the Wizards on the expedition (I'm not even sure what that would be tbh)
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    This is my read as well. He'll go "This chaos artifact has to be kept contained by the people who make it their business to contain chaos artifacts", and he wouldn't even be wrong.
     
    Last edited:
    Jyn Ryvia said:
    So, I've been thinking on want to do when we finally have to make an official name for duckling club.

    Drake= Duck.
    Drake= Young Dragon

    The august order of the Aethyr drakes of the silver queen.

    or 'The magic ducks of K8Ps'

    what do people thing?
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Just leave it as Duckling Club, eventually historians and school teachers will come up with some deeper meaning, probably related to an Stirland legend about wizards having the same weight as ducks, allowing them to float.
     
    das_slash said:
    The Skaven, who have been in a war with them for, well, a long time, think he is (was?) their foremost expert in fighting them.

    I'm sure we could get more pointed advice.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    I mean, the go-to military strategy for skaven is to either send in a few special units (Eshin assassins/Skyre contraption/Moulder hellbeast/etc) or wave after wave of their own men - "don't storm their defenses" is actually a highly useful tactical/strategic insight for them.

    Edit: What I'm saying here is that we shouldn't really knock it even if there is more to say, because it's valuable advice and probably deserves its position as the first thing out of an expert's mouth.
     
    Last edited:
    tapkomet said:
    You know, regardless of whether Horstmann worships Chaos, he's likely to more or less play ball on the Expedition. His canon plans certainly aren't served by betraying us - that doesn't hurt the Light College at all. If he has something else Chaos-related in mind, it's still very unlikely that the Expedition is where he'll seize on it - he'll be surrounded by powerful fighters and hero units who hate Chaos, can smack him down, and are hardy or agile enough to (likely) survive any magic he can plausibly throw at them (and that's if he doesn't get counterspelled). And, not being a Grey Wizard, he'll have limited opportunities for sneaking off and doing suspicious things. Finally, of course, if he severely hurts the Expedition overall, he's likely to die as well. At worst I'd expect him to try and get his hands on some sort of Chaos artifact, or maybe do something extremely subtle to try and corrupt the Wizards on the expedition (I'm not even sure what that would be tbh)
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    My expectation is that he's going in with no specific plans. He'll look for opportunities to take, and if something really good comes up he'll take it.

    I wonder if Horstmann knows battle magic. I bet he knows at least some.
     
    So here's my guess on how the general college call for wizards works out. Roll once for each College.

    1-3 Nobody shows
    4-5 One Journeyman from that college
    6 Roll again. On a 1-3, get 2 journeyman from the college. On a 4-6, one journeyman and one magister.

    (Somebody do eight d6 rolls for funsies.)
     
    Reader mode
    You must login or register to reply here.
    Remove ads
    Back
    Top