Coincidentally, investigation also means waiting, since no matter what kind of investigation we're doing, I doubt the steam wagons will do anything but sit there. So if they are willing to talk, they will contact us at some point while we're doing so.To follow up on my post, it's possible that the best course of action is just... WAIT. Just wait.
Borek's going in, right? If there's anyone left alive in Karag Dum, I presume he'll report that there's an expedition of steam wagons sitting out here. Now Borek is obviously so ashamed that, well, he feels like the right thing to do is for all of karaz ankor to wash their hands of Karag Dum. But... that's Borek's point of view. Everybody in there, if there's anybody in there, has had 185 years to come up with their self-justifications. If we WAIT it seems very possible someone will come out and say hello. And if they don't, well, that sort of says it all about whether Karag Dum wants to reestablish contact with karaz ankor, doesn't it?
All waystones carry energy one way, iirc....Just occurs to me:
When Mathilde was unclogging the Vlag Waystone, did she feel the energy channel going both ways (i.e. from Dum to Vlag and from Vlag to Dum)? Or just one?
...Just occurs to me:
When Mathilde was unclogging the Vlag Waystone, did she feel the energy channel going both ways (i.e. from Dum to Vlag and from Vlag to Dum)? Or just one?
The Karaz Ankor is gonna be disgusted by anything to do with Dum, but that doesn't mean we can't sate our own curiosity![X] ACTION: Turn back
At this point... there's no way this turns out to be something the Karaz Ankor wouldn't burn Karag Dum for. It doesn't really materially change anything. And staying any longer in the Chaos Wastes with it's man-eating childhood homes seems too risky.
It could also be a Kickflip Runepriest on the level of Kragg, who drives the Winds to metaphorical tears and whimpers with his mere presence.I don't think it's fair to dismiss the idea of this being Morghur entirely.
It is actually twisting reality, as per text of the update. It just doesn't seem to be doing so in a Chaos-y way. So this is either Morghur that's been cleansed/suppressed of Chaos somehow, or something comparatively powerful and also attractive to Beastmen. Either way, it seems like it should be approached with extreme caution.
Such a Runepriest seems like they'd meet the description of "something comparatively powerful and also attractive to Beastmen"We could have the caravan start an about face while we check things out and catch up later
It could also be a Kickflip Runepriest on the level of Kragg, who drives the Winds to metaphorical tears and whimpers with his mere presence.
Less likely, but possible.
The fact that as far as we know there is no such thing. If your theory requires the existence of previously unknown classes of beings that look very like the cannibalistic monsters as old as civilization it's going to require some very extraordinary proof and I don't think it's worth risking Mathilde's life looking for such.
Coincidentally, investigation also means waiting, since no matter what kind of investigation we're doing, I doubt the steam wagons will do anything but sit there. So if they are willing to talk, they will contact us at some point while we're doing so.
In addition to wanting complete information for the records as has been discussed, there was a brief mention that seems to have gotten lost in the thread of possibly getting tools/expertise to aid in repairing the Dwarf Road down from the Steppes for the way back - which isn't out of the realm of plausibility for several of the possible scenarios that have been brought up even if Dum has fallen to Chaos in some form or another (see us buying meat from Uzkulak).What do people to hope to gain by investigating other than satisfying their curiosity?
To follow up on my post, it's possible that the best course of action is just... WAIT. Just wait.
Borek's going in, right? If there's anyone left alive in Karag Dum, I presume he'll report that there's an expedition of steam wagons sitting out here. Now Borek is obviously so ashamed that, well, he feels like the right thing to do is for all of karaz ankor to wash their hands of Karag Dum. But... that's Borek's point of view. Everybody in there, if there's anybody in there, has had 185 years to come up with their self-justifications. If we WAIT it seems very possible someone will come out and say hello. And if they don't, well, that sort of says it all about whether Karag Dum wants to reestablish contact with karaz ankor, doesn't it?
Coincidentally, investigation also means waiting, since no matter what kind of investigation we're doing, I doubt the steam wagons will do anything but sit there. So if they are willing to talk, they will contact us at some point while we're doing so.
Waiting around isn't exactly safe either, this deep in the Wastes. I would not advise it. We'd suffer both physically and mentally.Yeah, but an active investigation by Mathilde is a lot more dangerous than waiting beside everyone else.
Something that just occurred to me is that if Mathilde dies, the knights and their mounts are going to starve. She is the only one capable of casting Mockery of Death. Maybe this is a moment when we ought to be a little more cautious than usual, out of a sense of responsibility if nothing else.
Are Beastmen hot for Greatbeards? They do seem to like waystones, but they also like meteors and other crap, I'm not sure the Dwarves have anything to do with itSuch a Runepriest seems like they'd meet the description of "something comparatively powerful and also attractive to Beastmen"
Well... ordinarily, no, but the Beastmen must be attracted by somethingAre Beastmen hot for Greatbeards? They do seem to like waystones, but they also like meteors and other crap, I'm not sure the Dwarves have anything to do with it
Well, Goats do have beards....Are Beastmen hot for Greatbeards? They do seem to like waystones, but they also like meteors and other crap, I'm not sure the Dwarves have anything to do with it
... Huh.- The landscape around Karag Dum has changed, including the disappearance of the smaller mountains around it, the growth of a forest around its base, and the appearance of a desert around the forest. It is also hotter here than anywhere else in the Steppes. Apart from the forests covering the lower parts of it, the exterior of Karag Dum appears unchanged.
- The forest is inhabited by Beastmen, who seem to be obeying Morghur.
- As far as Mathilde can tell, none of this is an illusion.
- There is less ambient Dhar here than other parts of the Chaos Wastes Mathilde has seen, though still more than outside of it.
3: Karag Dum is exuding an environmentally massive amount of heat, described as a "hot, gritty wind that seems to be blowing directly into [Mathilde's] face."
... Huh.
Is this... The Rune of Valaya in action?
Belt of the Unshackled Mountain: A protective runic talisman made for you in repayment for your actions during the Sieges of the Drakenhofs.
Spellburner Rune: The first rune is a variation on the Spelleater Rune. When a hostile spell is targeted against you, it will not only counter it but also burn - literally burn - the knowledge of it from the mind of the caster. It will be dormant for twelve hours after each use.
Rune of Rancour: The second is based on the Master Rune of Spite, but somehow combined with the Rune of Fortitude. It will grant you the strength to withstand wounds, while returning twofold any strike against whoever dealt it to you.
Rune of Valaya's Vengeance: The third, the largest and most intricate of the three incorporates elements of both the Rune of the Furnace and the Rune that Valaya gave to the dwarves that allowed them to weather the coming of Chaos. It will grant you such resistance to flame that you could wade through lava, and burn off any taint of chaos before it could even touch you.
Holy fuck.
Did they tune some huge Karak-Rune of Valaya to "burn off all the taint from Morghur"?
Is that what the fucking did?
Holy shit. Is that why it's so hot here, and why there is so little comparative Dhar in here?
They tuned a Karak-Rune to purify Morghur's corruption.
Oh my god.
Is THAT what they did? O_O
I haven't read through the discussion at all (aha, 60 pages to catch up on? Well'p) so I don't know if anybody else has said this before (I only just copied the "point 3" from some poster, barely read their post, so I don't know if they even say this) but...
Fuuuuuuuuck. If that's what is happening, then, holy shit.
So the Dawi are using their art to purify Beastmen.
While culturally believing that the arts of the Ancients are supposed to be used to protect a Dwarf from Chaos and the Winds of Magic.
But instead, they turned their art to burning away corruption, so that they could get a friendly(?) sane(?) maybe Dum-born maybe Dum-captured Morghur to defend them.
Holy SHIT.
... Okay.
I am... Now more optimistic about what is going on at Karag Dum.
And, in fact, the idea of them using the Runes of Valaya to burn away corruption and use the results/consequences of what-were-once-corrupted beings to defend themselves... It fits. It would suck and weigh at the Dawi soul and spirit. But it's not necessarily horrible Chaos Dwarf tier shit. Just... things that nobody had thought of or figured out how to judge.
Wow.
On the bright side, this makes me more willing to believe that "just walk into Karag Dum and start talking" might actually not be suicidal.
I like the idea, but I suspect there's a lot more going on. So far this doesn't explain:3: Karag Dum is exuding an environmentally massive amount of heat, described as a "hot, gritty wind that seems to be blowing directly into [Mathilde's] face."
... Huh.
Is this... The Rune of Valaya in action?
Belt of the Unshackled Mountain: A protective runic talisman made for you in repayment for your actions during the Sieges of the Drakenhofs.
Spellburner Rune: The first rune is a variation on the Spelleater Rune. When a hostile spell is targeted against you, it will not only counter it but also burn - literally burn - the knowledge of it from the mind of the caster. It will be dormant for twelve hours after each use.
Rune of Rancour: The second is based on the Master Rune of Spite, but somehow combined with the Rune of Fortitude. It will grant you the strength to withstand wounds, while returning twofold any strike against whoever dealt it to you.
Rune of Valaya's Vengeance: The third, the largest and most intricate of the three incorporates elements of both the Rune of the Furnace and the Rune that Valaya gave to the dwarves that allowed them to weather the coming of Chaos. It will grant you such resistance to flame that you could wade through lava, and burn off any taint of chaos before it could even touch you.
Holy fuck.
Did they tune some huge Karak-Rune of Valaya to "burn off all the taint from Morghur"?
Is that what the fucking did?
Holy shit. Is that why it's so hot here, and why there is so little comparative Dhar in here?
They tuned a Karak-Rune to purify Morghur's corruption.
Oh my god.
Is THAT what they did? O_O
I haven't read through the discussion at all (aha, 60 pages to catch up on? Well'p) so I don't know if anybody else has said this before (I only just copied the "point 3" from some poster, barely read their post, so I don't know if they even say this) but...
Fuuuuuuuuck. If that's what is happening, then, holy shit.
So the Dawi are using their art to purify Beastmen.
While culturally believing that the arts of the Ancients are supposed to be used to protect a Dwarf from Chaos and the Winds of Magic.
But instead, they turned their art to burning away corruption, so that they could get a friendly(?) sane(?) maybe Dum-born maybe Dum-captured Morghur to defend them.
Holy SHIT.
... Okay.
I am... Now more optimistic about what is going on at Karag Dum.
And, in fact, the idea of them using the Runes of Valaya to burn away corruption and use the results/consequences of what-were-once-corrupted beings to defend themselves... It fits. It would suck and weigh at the Dawi soul and spirit. But it's not necessarily horrible Chaos Dwarf tier shit. Just... things that nobody had thought of or figured out how to judge.
Wow.
On the bright side, this makes me more willing to believe that "just walk into Karag Dum and start talking" might actually not be suicidal.
Though Borek's pace is steady, his process across the sand is anything but, as the heat-shimmer embraces him and sends mirages of his image shimmering to and fro.
Actually, we owe him 2000 gold (1000 from the seed, 800 from the arm gold, and 200 from the books)
Unless there are glaring difference between my work and Garlak's I've written one up, I think.That...
That actually seems to me like the only theory here that has no weakness and makes perfect logical sense while being within the powerlevel of the Dawi.
Can we get a theory vote out of this?