Each step has its benefits. We have the Momentum Dump.
The next one is the Guard Bypass , benefits self explanatory
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.
The next one is the Guard Bypass , benefits self explanatory
- Location
- somewhere over there.
- Pronouns
- They/It
Or it does entirely the opposite, and most reasonable explanations for what it is are simultaneously true. That'd seem to be the progression of each wizard having a unique understanding and relationship with magic when the magic is what's making up the entire demiplane. In naming it, you define it for yourself.
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Can we look forward to promotion upon the success of this expedition?
I mean to be lord you have to be lord of something, thane like knight can be nominal. Where is Mathilde going to find a clan to be lord of?
Runelords don't abide by this sort of restriction; so it'd likely be a 'You're the best Dwarf friend since Sigmar so we're basically bound to shower you in titles' type of recognition.
Let's keep in mind that even beyond the Expedition Mathilde still has pending favour for Skaven translation and she's got absurd amounts of Dwarf reputation. The next big thing in dwarf rep is an entire Tilean city that's got less than two thirds of Mathilde's rep collectively.
No, Thane's been watered down a lot because it's considered the minimum suitable rank to lead a military force, but Lord has much more ironclad requirements.
Runlords are respected far beyond any other dwarfs, grandmasters, priests and clan lords together. Mathilde is nowhere near that.
Uhhhh... wizards! She'll be head wizard to all the wizard to all the Dawi in K8 peaks.
As Magister she's already nominal head. Getting recognized by deed and prompted to something like head of a new guild/mages guild.
I mean the Dawi need to repay debts and shit right? Reclaiming two Karaks back to back is seriously massive.
Wizards are not related to one another, they are a guild not a clan . Calling her grandmaster covers that.
SuperSonicSound
Shadowmancer of the Shadow Cabal
Do you recall the idea we had to do book boon + research institutes?
I think Mathilde will be in charge of the college branch at K8P, that it's main focus is research rather than teaching is fine. We'd be the guild master of the K8P wizards branch.
Lords don't have be related to the people they are 'sovereign' over.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Man, after glimpsing the preview, I'd really decided to let it wait until the full update dropped, but I'm glad I changed my mind. Lady Magister Weber. I hope we have the Duckling Club immediately after this, so we can wait until everyone's there before we strut in like a peacock in our Wizard Lord robes. I'm imagining Panoramia jumping up and giving us a suspiciously affectionate hug.
Also, this sheds new light on how important the duties of Porter Reiner Starke are, he watches over who gets access to their little portion of the Shadow Realm.
Also, this sheds new light on how important the duties of Porter Reiner Starke are, he watches over who gets access to their little portion of the Shadow Realm.
They kind of do for dwarfs. You have to be lord of a clan and thus part of it. When the relationship is professional you get called grandmaster.
Quest
The Great One
- Location
- Everywhere
It was a player-suggested action. I'd rather not experiment with untested ideas just before the Expedition.
SuperSonicSound
Shadowmancer of the Shadow Cabal
It was but the worst down sides are "nothing immediately valuable is learned" Either Pall of darkness doesn't block magical senses in which case it works as a field of darkness we can see through if we try to focus through it, or it does block magical senses no matter the effort put in and therefore we can blind enemy spell casters mage sight by using it.
That gives us tactical options either way, it may be that the action isn't worth doing anyway but it has nothing to do with it being an untested idea. There's basically no risk attached to the action on any level.
Turn 32 Social - 2485.5 - Part 2
[*] Plan to set up EIC gunpowder production in Stirland
"Stirland is currently reliant on importing gunpowder, and dealing with the unreliable quality of Nuln's gunpowder - since the purest goes to those currently in the Elector Count's favour - or paying a hefty premium for powder from Zhufbar," you say, steepling your fingers. "Considering how reliant the Repeater is on good powder, it's a limiter to how much the Army of Stirland will be willing to expand its use."
"Can you get your hands on the proper techniques?" Wilhelmina asks, leaning forward.
You consider it for a moment. "I might be able to get Dwarven ones, but I'd be on the hook for them - that's an uncomfortable position when I'd usually be a continent away from the factory. But I've got an in or two with the Imperial Gunnery School. If we tie it into non-compete contracts I should be able to get Nuln's techniques out of them, and I doubt we'll be able to exceed the requirements of both Stirland and the Undumgi."
"Alright, we'll stockpile any excess niter production for now." Wilhelmina frowns thoughtfully. "The factory will probably have to be in Wurtbad. I can't see Roswita allowing it outside her demesne."
You nod. "We've got a lot of eggs in Blutdorf's basket as it is. And Wurtbad's better located to take in niter from a province-wide network."
"Not what I expected for the EIC, but it's not like gunpowder will ever not be needed," Wilhelmina says, then smiles and pats the hip where a pistol would usually be, though her gunbelt is currently hanging from a hook on the wall. "I like the idea of being able to pull good powder right out of the factory too, instead of paying a king's ransom for the good stuff."
---
"A question for you, Magister," Algard says as he leads you through the halls of the Grey College. "What is the location of the Grey College?"
You've mapped it out, most Grey Wizards do as Apprentices. You have to decide based mostly on guesswork which access points are physical and which aren't to get a solid answer, so most end up with different answers. "Just below the Imperial Mint. I assume to add its defences to our College's, and vice versa."
He smiles. "It's the sort of thing we would do." He stops at a blank section of wall, and your mental map of the Grey College tells you you're on the outer edge of the College - or at least, the portion you know.
You eye it suspiciously for any trace of secret entrances. "'Would do', but not 'have done'."
"To hide something from a Grey Wizard, give them enough false clues to reach a wrong answer that makes them feel clever," he says with a smile. "To hide it from many, have enough wrong answers for them to argue over. Who says any of the access points are physical?"
"Basic logic," you retort. "The College has to be somewhere, so having at least some of the access points be physical is only sensible. Saves magical power and effort, and allows an access point in case of local magical collapse."
"The College has to be somewhere," he repeats, his smile widening. "A logical assumption." He places a hand on the wall and it ripples and melts away, revealing... nothing. A uniform field of grey on the other side, stretching as far as you can see in all directions. "The problem with logical assumption is that logic often has nothing to do with our profession."
He walks through the opening and without any visible trepidation you follow suit, walking atop an invisible floor. The wall heals below you and vanishes, enfolding the pair of you in an endless grey void. It's just as featureless to your Magesight as it is to your eyes. "Where are we?"
"To everyone else, the border between this world and the Aethyr is as thin as a dream. To those with the right attunement, the border can be a plane in its own right." He takes a seat on a chair you're certain was not there a moment ago. "It is the source of some of our most potent abilities. This is where objects enfolded within Substance of Shadow reside, this is the impossibly thin and thus infinitely sharp edge summoned by Penumbral Pendulum, this is where the Pit of Shades opens into, creating a wailing as the air itself is crushed. And through Teclis' techniques that I've only begun to scratch the surface of, it can be permanently expanded into a pocket big enough for a College."
"It is the Hedge," says Provost Kurtis Krammovitch, and you turn to see him sitting just beside Algard. "And the Hedgewise have been visiting it since before the time of Sigmar."
"It is the Shadows that give the Forest of Shadows its name," says Lord Magister Walther Kupfer, "stolen by the Goddess Halétha to empower those who are opposed to it."
"It is a portion of the Aethyr that has been cut off from the rest, which happens more often than you might think," says Lady Magister Grey.
"It is a metaphor, fed by Ulgu until it grew fat enough to visit," says Bursar Wilhelmine von Bucht.
"It is part of the Grey Vaults, the threshold of Morr's Realm," says Porter Reiner Starke.
"It's simply a novel application of existing principles," says Lord Magister Melkoth.
"It's a secret, even to us," says Algard. "Ours to puzzle over, and ours to keep." You complete your circuit, and see an empty eighth chair in the circle surrounding you. "And now yours. Take a seat, Lady Magister Weber."
Without a moment's hesitation you do so, happiness and pride radiating through your body. You knew you might be close to earning it, but after the promotion to Magister you half-expected it to be a curt letter or something. But a circle of chairs in a secret pocket-dimension formed by Teclis? This is exactly the sort of thing you had hoped for. Part of the upholstery of the chair springs to life, throwing itself onto your robes and forming the ornamental trimmings that indicate a Wizard Lord of the Empire to those who know the patterns.
"Don't ask me how long it took to set that up," Lady Magister Grey grumbles. "Eight years wearing the same robe, and you make a new one just as we're about to promote you."
"We had planned to let you season a few more years," Algard says with a smile, "but if you're going into hell, it's only proper you shall do so in the rank you have earned."
---
Master Baker Hluodwica, Elder of the Karak Eight Peaks Halflings and High Priestess of Esmerelda, is easily the most important personage in Karak Eight Peaks that you haven't spent much time with. It's easy to justify why - the Halflings are happy to be left to their fields and their food, and if there were any problems Kazrik or Edda or Panoramia would be the logical people to handle them - but it's still something you've been meaning to correct when you had a spare moment.
The local Temple to Esmerelda is a three-sided building placed amongst the fields equidistant between Karag Nar and Karag Lhune, with an entrance on each side for Halflings from the fields, Dwarves from Karag Lhune, and humans from Karag Nar to visit it freely. This is an offer taken up much more often than those unfamiliar with Halflings would expect, for Esmerelda is worshipped by making, supplying, and consuming good food. Some might consider this a trivial sphere for a Goddess, especially one that is the head of a Pantheon, but only if they were very sure where their next meal is coming from. In many of the darker periods in Imperial history, simple lack of food has killed more than disease or greenskins or the forces of Chaos.
Even the humble pie, the much-derided object of worship during Pie Week, has more to it than those that dismiss the Halflings as simple gluttons would realize. In the distant past, long before humanity had come to the Old World, food preservation was poorly understood and starving during the winter was a constant threat. Pottery was fragile, difficult to transport, time-consuming to make, and required access to the right sorts of clays. Granaries were immobile and took a lot of effort to make, and meant all your food was in one place and fire or rot or vermin could take the whole structure in one fell swoop. But encasing food in a shell of flour before you cook it? That was quick, easy, portable, divisible, and if done right, delicious. It was that secret that gained the Halflings a position in the nomadic tribes that predate the Empire, and it's why the human tribes had Halflings among them when they entered the Reik Basin.
You introduce yourself to the Priestess at the bench, and know better than to resist as she pushes the meal of the day on you before she goes off to fetch the High Priestess, and put a couple of silver coins into the offering bowl before taking your seat and examining the meal. It's a thick wheat-based soup with beans and vegetables of a sort that had been mildly popular in Altdorf when you were an Apprentice and you've made good progress on it by the time Hluodwica arrives and seats herself across from you, placing a bowl of her own in front of her.
"Magister-" She looks again, and corrects herself. "Lady Magister Weber. Are you enjoying the meal?"
"Haven't had this in almost twenty years," you say. "Minestrone, right?"
"So it's known in the Empire, but that's simply Tilean for 'soup'. They now know it as polus but the basic recipe dates back to their earliest records, from the times when they'd boil spelt in salt water and add whatever vegetables they had on hand, and called it pulte."
"You study history?" you ask curiously.
"I study food, and food is history," she says, with perfect confidence. "Or at least it is to those of us who didn't have the fortune of being given magical paradises by their Gods. You can't build a city until you have enough food that someone can focus on building instead of hunting or gathering or farming. How many missed meals would it take to reduce Altdorf to rubble?"
You smile. "I was there for the Dunnage Tax riots. Sometimes it seems like you'd barely need one."
"You might be right. I'm glad it's Hisme that has to deal with it, and not me. So, is your business here today mild enough that it can accompany eating?"
"Purely a social call," you say, and she nods and takes up her spoon. "As you've just pointed out, the Halflings are important to the Karak, and you lead them. I've been meaning to find the time to get to know you better for some time."
"And unlike our Panoramia, you don't have a lazy winter to fill with socializing," she notes. "Dusk and dawn she said, and it's never far from one of those, is it? Busy as..." She smiles. "Almost said busy as a bee, but even they're lazy as anything when the snows come."
"Sow that you may reap, then reap that you may sow," you say with a shrug. "Always something that needs doing."
"That's a Stirlandian saying," she notes. "You're from there, then?"
"Spymistress there for eight years," you say, not inaccurately.
"There's very few of our kind that isn't aware of that. Many a tragedy for us wandered over from the Haunted Hills or the Ghoul Wood, and it seems that course in our history is finishing. But that's not what I asked."
You consider several answers. "Kelham," you say eventually.
"Ah," she says, looking at you with an undecipherable expression. "I thought I heard a trace of it in your accent."
"I left when I was ten," you continue, "and have not practiced their traditions in twenty-five years."
After a long moment, she nods. "Carrots and weeds grow in the same soil, and Panoramia and Titus both have nothing but good to say of you. I apologize for bringing it up." You think of the many figures hanging from trees and being beaten with sticks in your earliest memories that you're only mostly sure were straw-stuffed effigies, and nod in acceptance. "So! That Panoramia, hm? Quite a girl."
You're happy to seize the change in topic. "I quite think so."
"Our kind only very rarely produce Wizards, even more so than yours, and while we're happy not to have the fire and death and wild animals, we could use a few more Panoramias. Only has to spend a day in a field and she knows it like her family has been farming it for three generations."
You're happy to let the conversation linger there until the meal is concluded, and then make your farewells. Not quite what you expected, but you've still gotten to know the disconcertingly perceptive Elder of the local Halflings at least a little.
---
The applause when you arrive at the meeting is almost instant which leads you to suspect Panoramia had tipped them off, but it's heartfelt and gratifying nonetheless. You don't think you'll ever get sick of hearing 'congratulations, Lady Magister'. But as tempting as it is, your ego cannot be the sole focus of the last official meeting of the Wizards of Karak Eight Peaks before you leave for Karag Dum, so you wrap it up and move the meeting along.
Even as the meeting goes through its usual patterns the shadow of Karag Dum is ever-present, as most of those present have been focusing on their preparations for it these past months. Adela and Gretel don't have much to contribute, having been busy working their way deeper into the local Gunnery School and the Besiegers respectively. If nothing else, it's something to be proud of that each of your Ducklings have found a niche for themselves here in the Karak.
Afterwards, Panoramia lingers as the rest of the Wizards file out. "Hey," you say with a smile.
"Hey," she replies.
"Something wrong?"
"You haven't asked me if I'm coming," she says softly.
"I figured you'd tell me when you decided if you would."
"Do you want me to come?"
You take a moment to consider that. "I have a preference," you admit, "but it's much less important to me than you deciding for yourself."
She smiles. "That's sweet of you." She sighs, and stretches out her legs while leaning back in her chair. "I think I could. Missing most of the spring would set the timetable back, but probably only by a year - the Halflings know the conditions well enough to maintain them. I think. And it's not like the Karak is in danger of starving, or running out of gold to buy food." She looks at you. "What's it like up there?"
"It's the same terrain as the Veldt in Ostermark. It all seems shockingly normal, except for the sky. The Winds blow so hard that they can't settle, and they flow in rivers overhead, lighting up the sky. It's supposed to be worse further north, but Kurgan land stretches all the way up to the Karag so I think logically it can't be any worse than Mordheim. I suppose it makes sense that it couldn't be too disrupted until it's nearer the pole, there's supposed to be Norscan tribes living as far north as the far side of the Frozen Sea."
"Do you think it will succeed?"
"Succeed," you muse. "I think it'll find out what happened. I think that if it's necessary, I can make the Expedition turn around. And I think that in the worst case scenario, I can make it home."
"I'll hold you to that." She goes quiet as she considers it some more. "I don't think I can. I've been doing this for seven years. If I went north, my mind would be here the entire time. Are they keeping it in check, have there been any spore outbreaks, is the soil enrichment staying balanced without any ability to gauge it..." She sighs. "I'm sorry."
You shake your head firmly. "Don't apologize. I asked you to decide. I'm glad you did."
"Thank you for understanding." She reaches across the table and places her hand on yours. "You know, I've been noticing a pattern," she says a few moments later with a teasing smile. "Dragonbone staff, enchanted flask for firebreathing, dragonscale pauldrons. Should I be worried about the time you're spending with Cython?"
"No," you say simply. "I chose you."
She laughs, then stops when she realizes you're serious. "Wait, really?"
"I mean, we are dating now, aren't we?"
"That's not what I-" She realizes you were playing with her, and you can see her eyes dart around the area to see if there's anything she can throw at you that's not so heavy that it could actually hurt. "I mean, you're attracted to dragons?"
"I'm attracted to clever and interesting," you say with a shrug. "And I guess dangerous, a bit. Beyond that, it's all just..." You wave a hand. "Details, and logistics."
She considers that. "I'm not dangerous."
"Have you seen the thorn thing you do?"
She cocks her head. "I guess put that way, I can kind of see it." She nods to herself. "Plus your Magesight is visual. I suppose Cython's just one big flare of Hysh to that, just like I am with Ghyran."
"I admit, you look really impressive drawing on the Waystones."
"Really?" She leans back in her chair to place her fingers on the smoothed stone of the wall, and after a moment she brightens in your vision as Ghyran trickles into her. "I'll have to keep that in mind."
---
[ ] [TOWER] Battery (COLOUR)
Seek to expand the capability of a tower to absorb and store its wind for future use. 50gc.
[ ] [TOWER] Far Sight
Filled to the brim with refraction cantrips, this tower would allow anyone in it to see in detail any point within line of sight. 2 College Favours.
[ ] [TOWER] Protection (COLOUR)
Build a tower to magically reinforce or protect the others. Specify wind. 5 College favours.
[ ] [TOWER] Anti-Air (COLOUR)
Build a tower to magically attack any airborne enemies. Specify wind. 5 College favours.
[ ] [TOWER] Smoke and Mirrors
Build a tower to enable longer-range teleportation. Will require an action to set up, exact implementation will be determined by rolls and choices with that action.
[ ] [TOWER] Greenhouse
A tower infused with the Jade Wind and temperature controls to allow for horticultural experimentation and fresh fruit year-round. 50gc, 2 College Favours, 2 Dwarf Favours.
Library Purchases
Budget: 300gc, 2 Dwarf Favour. Anything not spent will not accumulate.
[ ] [LIBRARY] No purchase.
[ ] [LIBRARY] Write-in.
Dwarf Favour Purchases
Aethyric Vitae can be spent instead of favour at an exchange rate of 3 favour per gallon; for Rune-related purchases, this will also guarantee the cooperation of Runelords who may otherwise be disinterested. To use this, simply add 'paid by Vitae' or similar to an item you are voting for.
[ ] [DWARF] No purchase.
[ ] [DWARF] Write-in.
College Favour Purchases
[ ] [COLLEGE] No purchase.
[ ] [COLLEGE] Write-in.
Other Purchases
[ ] [PURCHASE] No purchase.
[ ] [PURCHASE] Write-in.
- There will be a two hour moratorium.
- This is the last chance for purchases before the Expedition.
- Suggestions for new towers are welcome.
- The promotion portion of the update was originally posted here.
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- Location
- Russia
Well, that was clearly a one-of-a-kind event. I mean, what are the chances that Storm of Magic happens in Altdorf again? All those precautions are just unreasonable paranoia standing in the way of knowledge-sharing.
They could have started they relationship as apprentices and then one of them grew in power and status and other didn't.
Panoramia: "She finds high Magic stat sexy, gotta work on it"
deathofrats0808
Don’t think of it as dying; just as leaving early
- Location
- Earth
Except that the Storm of Magic during the Night was artificially generated. So it could happen again at any time, and then you don't want wizards running around with the ability to level the city.
Quest
The Great One
- Location
- Everywhere
I like the action, I just think doing something like developing an aspect of our sword style or making sure we complete our spell is much more important.
SuperSonicSound
Shadowmancer of the Shadow Cabal
I think Fog path is basically almost complete one action in it should finish it.
The sword style as has been mentioned wont be finished in a single action, but I can see the value in trying.
@BoneyM
Does going as far north as we are going and exposing our windsight to the extreme magical environment of the far north count as exercising our windsight for the purposes of a campaign arc end?
I'll have to admit some of my desire to push on the pall of darkness action is entirely related to that.
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- Pronouns
- He/Him
I feel like this update schedule is designed to tip my decision-making process over the line into "fuck it, just stay awake until work".
I consider this quite good news, Panoramia is Magister-tier but she just isn't as combat specced as our two golden boys. I had a feeling that Mathilde worrying over her would interfere with things a bit. Now we can fight knowing that she is safe.
Pan is definitely judging you, thread.
I do feel good about getting this narrative scene of locking in Panoramia. I've supported this ship for an extremely long time.
I consider this quite good news, Panoramia is Magister-tier but she just isn't as combat specced as our two golden boys. I had a feeling that Mathilde worrying over her would interfere with things a bit. Now we can fight knowing that she is safe.
Pan is definitely judging you, thread.
I do feel good about getting this narrative scene of locking in Panoramia. I've supported this ship for an extremely long time.