Warhammer Fantasy: Divided Loyalties - an Advisor's Quest
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- warhammer warhammer fantasy fantasy be gay do crimes (gay) female protagonist pansexual protagonist ck2 quest divided loyalties mountain vietnam ranald is real this is a dwarf quest (dwarfs) this is maybe an elf quest this is not a vampire quest this is not an empire quest try it and find out open voting
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Ambush on the Skull River 1
At long, long last, the Okral have finished their work, packed up, and returned to Karaz-a-Karak. Though the tension never really eased through their long stay in Karak Eight Peaks, it never came to a head either, which is a relief. Belegar isn't quite looking for an excuse to escalate his feud with Karaz-a-Karak, but he wouldn't turn one away if it knocked on his door either. It's a small miracle that he never received one.
The planned celebration, officially for the reclamation in general but unofficially because the Okral is finally gone, is still some time off as its preparations are put on the backburner in favour of moving everyone around. The growing Clans of the refounded Karak are spreading out into the newly-restored twin peaks of Karags Rhyn and Mhonar, which have been dedicated to Valaya and Smednir respectively. Karag Lhune was far from running out of space, but the logic is that it wouldn't do to leave too much of the mountains empty as it would invite something to fill it. You fully expect to have a nice and long quiet period to put the finishing touches on your preparations for the Karag Dum Expedition.
Unfortunately, the sounding of the Citadel's signal horn just as the sun is setting - a design gifted to the Karak by King Kazador Thunderhorn, which says all that needs to about how loud and impossible to ignore it is - dashes those hopes, and as quickly as you safely can you wind down your manipulation of magical energies and rush to the balcony. You're supposed to look to the signal flags first, but your attention is firmly grabbed by the first full demonstration of Gotri's 'honeycomb' hangar design as Karag Lhune's slopes expel its full complement of gyrocopters, each of which circles the mountain to throw itself northwards at all possible speed. You're already developing a suspicion as you tear your eyes downwards to see the signal flags on the Citadel - 'Karaz-a-Karak, army, under attack'.
With a moment's concentration you expel a cloud of Ulgu in the shape of your coat of arms, and you're hugely relieved to see that of the Angrund clan answer it, and a gyrocarriage is already touching down outside the King's Gates. After it collects its cargo, you're mostly glad and only a little nervous to see it beeline straight in your direction, rather than immediately following the angry swarm of copters north. In what seems like a moment it's touching down on the landing pad on your balcony and you're clambering aboard to see three familiar faces - Belegar, Gotri, and Dreng.
"Part of the Okral's been attacked," Belegar yells over the sound of the engine. "Skull River, near the southern edge of the Forest of Gloom."
"Forest Goblins?" you say. You really hope it was Forest Goblins.
"Bandits." Even over the engine you can hear the suspicion in his voice.
"How many casualties?"
"Gotri?"
[Rolling...]
[Rolling...]
"Unconfirmed," he says, double checking some hastily-scrawled notes, "but it sounds like a lot. An entire passenger monitor went down while carrying several hundred passengers, perhaps as many as a thousand. My pilot who was escorting the convoy said there was some sort of explosion below the waterline, then musket fire from the shore. And that's not a good river to go down in." You suppress a shudder at the thought. Skull River is named not so much for the bones that litter its banks, but for the skull-shaped markings on the ravenous swarms of predatory fish that fill it.
"Weber, we're all thinking it. Can you rule out Marienburg's involvement?"
You remember your own suspicions regarding the disease outbreak in southern Stirland. "I can't," you admit. "If it was their agents, they might have mistaken the passenger ships for a supply convoy, bound for the canal."
"Damn," is all Belegar says.
"On top of the river itself," Dreng says, "that's right on the border between Black Spider and Bloody Spear territory. If the explosion attracted their attention they could do even more damage."
If it had been quieter in there, you'd have described the atmosphere that falls upon the passenger bay as a grim silence.
---
The journey is as tense as it is long; as much a miracle of engineering the gyrocarriage is, it's still a long way from Karak Eight Peaks to the Skull River, especially once the sun fully sets and the pilot has to follow the Blood River north to keep on course. When you finally arrive, it's to see by the light of a gibbous Mannslieb and a crescent Morrslieb that the Okral's convoy has beached itself on the eastern bank of the river, and the very tip of the steam funnel of the wrecked ship just peeking out from the top of the rapidly-flowing waters. Several burning fires illuminate a nearby hill where this segment of the Okral are fortifying themselves and gyrocopters buzz overhead in wary circles.
"Barak Varr's reinforcements should arrive by dawn," Belegar says as the gyrocarriage begins its descent. "Our first priority is to make sure that nothing further happens to them. Second is answers. Third is vengeance. Understood?" You, Gotri, and Dreng nod as the gyrocarriage alights atop the hill, and the four of you clamber out and are instantly met with a crowd of angry, shouting Dwarves.
As the Okral lists its grievances, primarily the apparent death of the leader of Karaz-a-Karak's Metalsmiths Guild, you consider your options for how you can best contribute. Your Magesight makes you the best option for scouting, tracking, or investigating, where everyone else has to wait for the rising sun to make their contributions possible. But there's only one of you.
[ ] Remain here and guard the Okral
[ ] Try to track the bandits
[ ] Scour the river banks for anything the bandits left behind
[ ] Use Substance of Shadow to check the wrecked passenger ship for survivors
[ ] Scout for any approaching greenskin forces
- There will be a one hour moratorium.
- You can only choose one thing to do right now; there might be opportunity to do more later, but with every passing moment the tracks get fainter, evidence could be washed away, and any greenskins could get closer.
The planned celebration, officially for the reclamation in general but unofficially because the Okral is finally gone, is still some time off as its preparations are put on the backburner in favour of moving everyone around. The growing Clans of the refounded Karak are spreading out into the newly-restored twin peaks of Karags Rhyn and Mhonar, which have been dedicated to Valaya and Smednir respectively. Karag Lhune was far from running out of space, but the logic is that it wouldn't do to leave too much of the mountains empty as it would invite something to fill it. You fully expect to have a nice and long quiet period to put the finishing touches on your preparations for the Karag Dum Expedition.
Unfortunately, the sounding of the Citadel's signal horn just as the sun is setting - a design gifted to the Karak by King Kazador Thunderhorn, which says all that needs to about how loud and impossible to ignore it is - dashes those hopes, and as quickly as you safely can you wind down your manipulation of magical energies and rush to the balcony. You're supposed to look to the signal flags first, but your attention is firmly grabbed by the first full demonstration of Gotri's 'honeycomb' hangar design as Karag Lhune's slopes expel its full complement of gyrocopters, each of which circles the mountain to throw itself northwards at all possible speed. You're already developing a suspicion as you tear your eyes downwards to see the signal flags on the Citadel - 'Karaz-a-Karak, army, under attack'.
With a moment's concentration you expel a cloud of Ulgu in the shape of your coat of arms, and you're hugely relieved to see that of the Angrund clan answer it, and a gyrocarriage is already touching down outside the King's Gates. After it collects its cargo, you're mostly glad and only a little nervous to see it beeline straight in your direction, rather than immediately following the angry swarm of copters north. In what seems like a moment it's touching down on the landing pad on your balcony and you're clambering aboard to see three familiar faces - Belegar, Gotri, and Dreng.
"Part of the Okral's been attacked," Belegar yells over the sound of the engine. "Skull River, near the southern edge of the Forest of Gloom."
"Forest Goblins?" you say. You really hope it was Forest Goblins.
"Bandits." Even over the engine you can hear the suspicion in his voice.
"How many casualties?"
"Gotri?"
[Rolling...]
[Rolling...]
"Unconfirmed," he says, double checking some hastily-scrawled notes, "but it sounds like a lot. An entire passenger monitor went down while carrying several hundred passengers, perhaps as many as a thousand. My pilot who was escorting the convoy said there was some sort of explosion below the waterline, then musket fire from the shore. And that's not a good river to go down in." You suppress a shudder at the thought. Skull River is named not so much for the bones that litter its banks, but for the skull-shaped markings on the ravenous swarms of predatory fish that fill it.
"Weber, we're all thinking it. Can you rule out Marienburg's involvement?"
You remember your own suspicions regarding the disease outbreak in southern Stirland. "I can't," you admit. "If it was their agents, they might have mistaken the passenger ships for a supply convoy, bound for the canal."
"Damn," is all Belegar says.
"On top of the river itself," Dreng says, "that's right on the border between Black Spider and Bloody Spear territory. If the explosion attracted their attention they could do even more damage."
If it had been quieter in there, you'd have described the atmosphere that falls upon the passenger bay as a grim silence.
---
The journey is as tense as it is long; as much a miracle of engineering the gyrocarriage is, it's still a long way from Karak Eight Peaks to the Skull River, especially once the sun fully sets and the pilot has to follow the Blood River north to keep on course. When you finally arrive, it's to see by the light of a gibbous Mannslieb and a crescent Morrslieb that the Okral's convoy has beached itself on the eastern bank of the river, and the very tip of the steam funnel of the wrecked ship just peeking out from the top of the rapidly-flowing waters. Several burning fires illuminate a nearby hill where this segment of the Okral are fortifying themselves and gyrocopters buzz overhead in wary circles.
"Barak Varr's reinforcements should arrive by dawn," Belegar says as the gyrocarriage begins its descent. "Our first priority is to make sure that nothing further happens to them. Second is answers. Third is vengeance. Understood?" You, Gotri, and Dreng nod as the gyrocarriage alights atop the hill, and the four of you clamber out and are instantly met with a crowd of angry, shouting Dwarves.
As the Okral lists its grievances, primarily the apparent death of the leader of Karaz-a-Karak's Metalsmiths Guild, you consider your options for how you can best contribute. Your Magesight makes you the best option for scouting, tracking, or investigating, where everyone else has to wait for the rising sun to make their contributions possible. But there's only one of you.
[ ] Remain here and guard the Okral
[ ] Try to track the bandits
[ ] Scour the river banks for anything the bandits left behind
[ ] Use Substance of Shadow to check the wrecked passenger ship for survivors
[ ] Scout for any approaching greenskin forces
- There will be a one hour moratorium.
- You can only choose one thing to do right now; there might be opportunity to do more later, but with every passing moment the tracks get fainter, evidence could be washed away, and any greenskins could get closer.
Last edited:
Rockeye
Plausible Engineer
- Location
- Midwestern U.S.
Ohhhhh boy. This is a mess and a half.
I don't think we need to guard the Okral, there are a whole lot of angry dwarves good at guarding here already, not our comparative advantage.
The one thing ONLY WE can do is Substance of Shadow... Hmm.
I don't think we need to guard the Okral, there are a whole lot of angry dwarves good at guarding here already, not our comparative advantage.
The one thing ONLY WE can do is Substance of Shadow... Hmm.
Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
Well, shit.
It's not a worst case scenario but it does commit us to a campaign. This is salvagable as long as we push this grudge to the hilt.
My gut is to look for survivors, limiting harm in this early window is the fastest, most effective move we could make.
It's not a worst case scenario but it does commit us to a campaign. This is salvagable as long as we push this grudge to the hilt.
My gut is to look for survivors, limiting harm in this early window is the fastest, most effective move we could make.
- Location
- Elsewhere
YES! IT'S NOT A CIVIL WAR!
Although I'm really hoping this is a false flag operation meant to throw Marienberg under the bus. Because if not, then I think war might be on the horizon. And I doubt that'll end well for anyone involved.
Although I'm really hoping this is a false flag operation meant to throw Marienberg under the bus. Because if not, then I think war might be on the horizon. And I doubt that'll end well for anyone involved.
Thebigpieman
I've got this, I think.
- Location
- United States
Ah, so it's not civil war.
It's arguably something far simpler with possibly worse consequences.
It's arguably something far simpler with possibly worse consequences.
Well.
Good news, this isn't the Dawi Civil War.
WTF, Marienburg.
... I'm pretty sure finding good enough proof here locks Ulthuan out of defending Marienburg, because damn. On the other hand, if there's any dwarves still living on the ship, we're pretty much it for getting them out.
- Location
- Florida
Yeah I think we either look for survivors or hunt down the bandits and get answers to direct Grudges at.
Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
It could be one if we do a half assed job avenging the Grudge. This commits us to an annoying project that potentially brings us into open conflict against an entrenched foe.
So yeah, I figure the last thing we want is the ones responsible deciding to come back for another go. But we want to gamble for some harm reduction first--Dwarfs take a lot of killing and we do have an artifact that can resuscitate the only mostly dead. (Which is still slightly alive!)
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- Location
- Elsewhere
Now that you mention it, we might not be out of the woods. Although Dwarves are likely to be fine as long as we put in our best effort, even if that would conflict with the expedition preparations. We might have to take actions towards investigating this next turn.
If it's Marienburg they done fucked up baaaaaaad.
That double 6...
That double 6...
ConfusedCanuck
Where did it all go wrong?
- Location
- Neverland
Oh God if this is Marienburg's doing they are screwed cause the High King will back the Empire and will be seeking blood! On that note I think we should track down the bandits that did this so we can avenge this wrong all the quicker!
I know people's instincts are to look for survivors, but while dwarves are very tough.... they can't hold their breath for hours. The chance of survivors is, sadly, remote. Maybe there's an air pocket, but probably not.
On the other hand, the bandits are getting further away by the minute, but Mathilde might be able to catch them in the dark.
[ ] Try to track the bandits
Going to be my vote unless someone has a heck of an argument.
On the other hand, the bandits are getting further away by the minute, but Mathilde might be able to catch them in the dark.
[ ] Try to track the bandits
Going to be my vote unless someone has a heck of an argument.
MiracleGrow
Miracles for only $19.99 [They/Them]
- Location
- DOOR STUCK DOOR STUCK PLEASE I BEG U
I'm fairly sure it means try to find survivors who managed to get ashore.
NexusEye
Aspiring God
- Pronouns
- She/Her
The option explicitly states that we would be searching the wrecked passenger ship.
Zedman7054
Eternally 3rd
- Location
- United States
Well shit. I wasn't the biggest fan of the Okral, but no one really deserves this. If this is Marienburg's fault...it probably won't spiral into War of the Beards 2: Electric Dragon Boogaloo, but we might be seeing the conquest of Marienburg through an alliance of men and dwarves.
It almost makes me consider sandbagging, because really our most likely course is to go after the bandits, best use of our talents and skills, gets a better picture of the situation, which might lead to a war...but not giving our A-game is counter-intuitive, and kind of an insult.
Our best bet is to keep the Vengeance accurate and minimal.
It almost makes me consider sandbagging, because really our most likely course is to go after the bandits, best use of our talents and skills, gets a better picture of the situation, which might lead to a war...but not giving our A-game is counter-intuitive, and kind of an insult.
Our best bet is to keep the Vengeance accurate and minimal.
Ericwinter
Definitely not a Skaven Infiltrator
- Location
- America
Well. This is, uh... not good? I mean, at least it's not civil war, and if Marienburg did this then they're gonna be fucked when the dwarves declare their grudge, but on the other hand that looks like a lot of dead dwarves, which is always bad.
SaltyWaffles
I am dissapoint, son
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[ ] Try to track the bandits
We need to be able to pin this on Marienburg. Even modest evidence will probably be enough when combined with the blatant rise in human banditry along the entire canal project.
While the Okral is, well, an army, Mathilde is really the only one who has a chance of catching the bandits (while also being able to handle herself if greenskins attack her, by chance).
@BoneyM
As for looking for survivors...wouldn't Johann be a lot better suited for that? He doesn't need to breathe and he's got good Windsight, plus he's super strong (to the point of being able to rip apart metal without tools); he'd be ideal for finding and rescuing survivors.
We need to be able to pin this on Marienburg. Even modest evidence will probably be enough when combined with the blatant rise in human banditry along the entire canal project.
While the Okral is, well, an army, Mathilde is really the only one who has a chance of catching the bandits (while also being able to handle herself if greenskins attack her, by chance).
@BoneyM
As for looking for survivors...wouldn't Johann be a lot better suited for that? He doesn't need to breathe and he's got good Windsight, plus he's super strong (to the point of being able to rip apart metal without tools); he'd be ideal for finding and rescuing survivors.
Johann is probably best suited for that. See above.
MiracleGrow
Miracles for only $19.99 [They/Them]
- Location
- DOOR STUCK DOOR STUCK PLEASE I BEG U
Woops misread it.