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Warhammer Fantasy: Divided Loyalties - an Advisor's Quest

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One angle of the Mandred Bodyguard is the continuation of Mathilde's core desire to find a leader that she considers worthy so she can dedicate herself to helping them achieve their aims and make their domain a better place. After Abelheim, she found another one in Belegar, and now it might come in the form of helping to grow and protect her godson until he becomes that leader down the road. And ensuring that the probably future Emperor becomes that person, in both a character development sense and a survival sense, is certainly just as worthy of a cause for Mathilde to dedicate herself towards. I think it's one that I will be voting to poke when it comes time to do so, just to get a sense of the finer details behind that choice. I don't love it in a few ways, but it's interesting enough to at least check out.

On a related note, the resolution to the Battle of the Caldera arc had her go "okay, fine, I just took command and handled myself brilliantly again, but seriously I'd prefer to be the proactive knife in the dark instead of the leader" when it came to choosing traits, even with how much the thread talked about upgrading into General of Fog. Which is why I'm not very interested in the Leadership offers.
 
NukeDaSun said:
The Mandred one is interesting mostly because I think it's a fun way to interact with higher Imperial politics, but our Disdain for Sigmar trait is going to be a doozy there, and having the heir to the empire tutored by someone who's not really a fan of one of the biggest gods of the Empire might be a bit of a pain in the long run.
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I'm not at the moment very enthused by this one for the reasons I think Pickle pointed out- it sounds like retirement, and the end of Mathilde's story, in taking a role where shaping Mandreds story is the focus.
 
FriedIce said:
Ranald's Bestest Favouritest Minion
+ Be the first ever Wizard High Priest
+ Everything about this will infuriate the Sigmarites
+ D E E P L O R E
- Fundamental change in our relationship with Ranald
- Probably locks us out of becoming the Grey Matriarch or Supreme Matriarch
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- Ranald is willing to command us to burn our bridges with everyone else if we give him the chance
- Thorgrim just declared a Grudge on Ranald for "taking a dawi soul", and explicitly leaving our loremaster position to be high priest would exacerbate that issue
 
silentorphan said:
Weeks later, a letter from K8P, direct for the Empress...

"Dear Heidi: Your Chamberlain is trying to poach me to be a tutor for your son. I'm flattered by the offer, but I'm afraid I have to decline. There's a Light Order magister called Egrimm van Horstmann whom I can recommend to you, though. He's not a Ranaldite, so no spilling secrets our mutual friend doesn't want known."
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Horstmann: "...This Empress is kinda sus"
 
@BoneyM : A question about the Wissenland option. Gray wizards aren't allowed to interfere in the empire's internal politics. The only reason we could become a spy master before was because we were against vampires. However Skaven-related is a secret so how is giving Mathilde the position justified? I have gathered before that the gray order considers publicly upholding the vows about as important as actually holding to them.
 
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Alliterate said:
I'm not at the moment very enthused by this one for the reasons I think Pickle pointed out- it sounds like retirement, and the end of Mathilde's story, in taking a role where shaping Mandreds story is the focus.
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Yep, this. It's a very long term task, raising a child who barely has a personality at this point. I have faith Boney could keep it interesting, but if I have a say in matters it's not the sort of story I'm looking for. Plenty of the other options seem much more intriguing - and realistically if we want waystones to happen I think it needs to be a full time job. It's also an excellent compromise option.
Waystones have a bit of everything - Elves, Dwarfs, Staying in K8P, traveling, The Colleges, The Empire.
 
Klaus said:
I'm cool with basically ALL of these, so I'm not going to wind up salty whichever wins. It's a nice feeling.:)
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I love all these options so much that I am disappointed we can only pick 1.
DragonParadox said:
Why though? The land is shit, the people are mostly the dregs of civilized society, including but not limited to cultists and bandits and madmen and if by some miracle you can make something out of that the next waagh will wise the slate clean.
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DragonParadox said:
The land is terrible
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Actually the lands is good. If anything it's better than most of the empire because it hasn't been mined out. The problem is that it is undefendable and undeveloped.
 
fictionfan said:
Actually the lands is good. If anything it's better than most of the empire because it hasn't been mined out. The problem is that it is undefendable and undeveloped.
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Almost nothing is 'mined out' as far as I'm aware. We're talking about pre-industrial mining, only the Dwarfs can probably claim to have actually run out anything but the smallest and most shallow of veins. The land is awful for growing food, which is rather important in an era before easy logistics and storage for perishables. When people say bad land, they mean it can't support a large population, because fertile is synonymous with good, and you will never build a thriving civilization if you cannot produce food locally.
 
HungryHamadryad said:
Waystones have a bit of everything - Elves, Dwarfs, Staying in K8P, traveling, The Colleges, The Empire.
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Waystones might also be a route into Magical Troubleshooter At Large for the Empire (or perhaps ambitiously... The Forces Of Order In The Old World)- while Karak Eight Peaks might have run low on problems that need out-of-the-hat thinking, it'll be a long time until the whole Empire does.
 
The Phoenixian said:
You know, I see a lot of talk about Waystones as an option in and of themselves, but I can't help but feel it's more likely that it would be a question of "Okay, but how do we fit the Waystone Project into this job description?" Especially as it's been noted, IIRC, as something that will take decades of effort.
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You have that backwards, I'm afraid. It has not been noted as something that will take decades; it has been noted as something that would be a job in itself.
BoneyM said:
The Waystone project isn't the sort of thing you'll be able to bang out in a turn or two to get it out of the way. It's a next job in its own right. And the Elfcation would be relatively short for Mathilde, but it would be in the same way this Expedition was.
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Unfortunately, I can't provide a snappy quote of the absence of Boney saying that it would be decades, but I hope my credibility is sufficient that you can take my word for it. I believe you are remembering other people saying it would take decades; I've seen those posts, though I don't want to call anyone out. I have not seen any of those posts come with a Boney quote backing it up.
 
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The Phoenixian said:
You know, I see a lot of talk about Waystones as an option in and of themselves, but I can't help but feel it's more likely that it would be a question of "Okay, but how do we fit the Waystone Project into this job description?" Especially as it's been noted, IIRC, as something that will take decades of effort.

IE: Somewhere like Sylvania or the Mad Dog Pass, it might be something Mathilde sets up as an agency within her purview; as an ambassador to the Karaz Ankor she might be spending time on the side running as a go between for Dwarf, Empire, and Eonir; in Lustria she might take the approach of looking into the Lizardmen's geomantic web for cues, (if she can get on good enough relations) and so on and so forth.
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How have you taken "will take decades of dedicated effort" and reached "this is something to do on the side of another job"?
 
On the one hand, being the most powerful necromancer in Sylvania is a great way to finally get started on

[ ] Seeking adventure as the second coming of Nagash, searching for ways to overcome the final enemy of life. (you won't actually write this on the paper, but choose it if this is what you want Mathilde to do).

Of course, I would prefer getting started on this with a trip to Nehekhara to study the Mortuary Cult, but on the other hand that's what Mannfred did and he's terrible. I'd also be interested in collecting the 9 Books and making a project out of creating our own Elixir. We're probably powerful and knowledgeable enough to avoid the traps and not get possessed.

On the other hand, one of Sigmar's greatest achievements in the eyes of the Karaz Ankor was building an empire that secured their border and remained a staunch ally for thousands of years, so if we want to get started on 1-upping that our best bet is probably becoming a Border Princess.
 
CornyBones said:
High Priestess sounds the most painful to let go imo. I *want it* because of our relationship with Renald, but like any good cat im afraid of Mathilda being tied down.

Elves and Lizardmen are things I want to follow on.
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If it was of another god, then yes, I'd agree. But after we do the Kislev thing, I think we'd be pretty free to do stuff. Also, we'd have trouble being with Panoramia in Lustria as well, as she is busy in K8P.

Also, just because something is doable, doesn't make it a good idea. First, let's wait on deciding about Lustria until we read the Elf's notes.
 
BoneyM said:
As it has been vouchsafed that the Lady Magister's trustworthiness and suitability are beyond reproach, the Chamberlain of the Imperial House invites the Lady Magister to act as Bodyguard and Tutor to Crown Prince Mandred...
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So by my quick calculations Mandred is about 4 or 5 right now (depending on exactly when he was born in 2481 and whether we're in 2487 yet). Eike is about 10.

Is it wrong that I want to introduce them so Eike can be a cool older cousin figure for a few years? Because I find that image extremely cute. I'm sure I can come up with some sort of reasoning for it happening, understanding the lower classes maybe?
 
Not picking any option that leaves Panoramia behind.


DragonParadox said:
Ulgu apotheosis does not need necromancy.
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I wholly dislike your plan to replace a chunk of Mathilde's personality with ulgu.

Alectai said:
Legitimately though, if people want to solve the Waystone Problem, the answer is not "Double down where we are", if the problem can be solved locally, it would have been by now.
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How can you say that. You know very well that the possibility of a joint dwarf-Eonir-Colleges waystone project hasn't come up before now.
 
Prime 2.0 said:
- Ranald is willing to command us to burn our bridges with everyone else if we give him the chance
- Thorgrim just declared a Grudge on Ranald for "taking a dawi soul", and explicitly leaving our loremaster position to be high priest would exacerbate that issue
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No. First, we've already (likely) made up for the Grudge with Karag Vlag. Second, the bridge burning was never a certainty, just a result if we give him such an open ended opportunity such as the Pilgrimage of Fingers (where we basically say we'll steal anything you want 8 times). In contrast, being a High Priest to solve the Kislev problem is quite different.

Deathbybunnies said:
How have you taken "will take decades of dedicated effort" and reached "this is something to do on the side of another job"?
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I don't recall Boney saying decades, to be fair, but yes, that's a job in and of itself.
 
If the tutor job is taken, I'd definitely push hard for Mathilde to take on an apprentice at the same time. Raising both together under the same Lord Magister is prime Story bait for the pair to become eternal rivals/friends.
 
Another thing for Lustria. It's a perfect place to really spend that dwarf favor build we have. Get all sorts of dwarf goodies and build teams to fortify the town.

Second thing, I just really want to interact with Boney's Amazons. They would be very enjoyable allies as would the lizardmen.
 
Gap said:
My personal explanation for that is because she never had a reason to change it? Using the K8P traits to remove it sounded to Meta for me. This expedition doesnt sound much better either but maybe use a IC narrative about she being in the presence of other Region Gods to give Sigmar a 2nd chance?
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My argument is that Van Hals death is less fresh for her and she's had more time to think on it.
 
You know, IIRC Heide was a bit worried Mandred might end up magical. Maybe there's more to the "tutor" part of the offer than it seems.
 
Chronic said:
If the Orcs stopped and sieged every giant fortress they came across on their Waaaghs none of them would ever make it into the Empire, and Karaz-A-Karak would be besieged at all times.

The Orcs are too impatient to sit through most sieges. They'll attempt to storm the fortress once, then when it turns out they can't get in and the Waaaghboss isn't cunnin' enough to think of a better plan than "bash our heads against the walls" go around to easier loot and better fights. Then your countryside burns.
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Well...
Ganurath said:
If we go Border Princess, how hard would it be to make an Orc Bait Fortress in the same conceptual vein as the Screaming Tower, or whatever Algard's cultist trap is called?
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This basically. You don't give them a fortress that they give up beating their heads against. You give them a clear path forward to make progress towards the fight, like say a giant doom fortress what has a giant breach in it. They pour in, working their way around to the second layer, where there's another breach for them to charge through. Rinse and repeat, murdering them from above on both sides the entire way, so that the Waaagh gets fully invested and can't withdraw without being massacred. Shake and bake the area with burning shadows to remove the spores, and wait for the next customers.
 
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