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Myth: A New Age CYOA

Baltika9

Arcane
Joined
Jun 27, 2012
Messages
9,611
Not sure what to say to Jan right now, but I do know what kind of cloak I want for the second option:
bat-mnn_1.jpg
 

Absinthe

Arcane
Joined
Jan 6, 2012
Messages
4,062
Alright B+E then for #2. I don't want to risk breaking the spinner (let Melete have her fun with that, once we waken her) and mass produced rings makes me a bit uncomfortable.
 

Nevill

Arcane
Joined
Jun 6, 2009
Messages
11,211
Shadorwun: Hong Kong
I believe if we want to engage Jan in a conversation, we should leave our position with the Spider Goddess ambiguous. He is the one who has little interest in politics, but values knowledge instead, right? Well, tell him less about yourself and more about the matters that interest him. That way you might win him over without confirming which side you were on.

Just tell him about the conflict between the Damned, and how you saw one of these eggs affecting Miosguinn, and how it was destroyed. No taking sides, just entertaining facts, from an observer's perspective.

Knowledge for knowledge, though. Try to get the information we need out of him.

He seems to be a bit of a recluse and somewhat socially awkward. I think Thais would be able to play him if she observes what makes him tick. She has received training to lend an ear to her clients and talk with them about their interests and concerns.

Then we will determine if harsher actions are warranted.

Edit: Is that close to D or not? I can't tell. They have a common element in that we shift the conversation to talk about his hobbies.

Not sure what to say to Jan right now, but I do know what kind of cloak I want for the second option:
Our hat would screw up the aerodynamics. :(
 
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Fangshi

Arcane
Joined
Jan 9, 2014
Messages
1,997
Nevill said:
Edit: Is that close to D or not? I can't tell. They have a common element in that we shift the conversation to talk about his hobbies.

I would say they have the same basic goal in mind so yes unless there are any objections.

Baltika9 said:
Not sure what to say to Jan right now, but I do know what kind of cloak I want for the second option:

Well alright then. Adding batman cape. :salute:
 
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Absinthe

Arcane
Joined
Jan 6, 2012
Messages
4,062
I don't want to inform him about the conflict with the Damned. That shit is pretty top secret for now. I only want to do piecemeal revelations about our breadth of knowledge and indicate familiarity by sharing bits of our own knowledge of such devices. If we trade him some unrelated yet otherwise engrossing stories, he might be inclined to share more with us about the goddess.

Batman cape could be really good with wind spells tbh. I don't need the cape to actually go bat-form though. Just give it those sweet options.
 
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Nevill

Arcane
Joined
Jun 6, 2009
Messages
11,211
Shadorwun: Hong Kong
Alright, put me down to 1D.

Not sure what I want from the academy, though. I don't think we have time to sit through their lessons. I guess we'll see what people come up with.

I'd like to have some protective gear, though, and is there a way to make them not want to break the Spinner? It cost us Albrecht 20 WP, after all.

Edit. 2F! 2F! 2F!!!
 
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Absinthe

Arcane
Joined
Jan 6, 2012
Messages
4,062
Swap 2B into 2F for me too.

By the way Fangshi, for 1D I want to really play up the archaeologist side, by which I mean I want to raise an interest in us working together later or otherwise maybe just do some work for each other.
 
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Fangshi

Arcane
Joined
Jan 9, 2014
Messages
1,997
Absinthe said:
By the way Fangshi, for 1D I want to really play up the archaeologist side, by which I mean I want to raise an interest in us working together later or otherwise maybe just do some work for each other.

Noted, if D wins then that is how I will play it.

Nevill said:
I'd like to have some protective gear, though, and is there a way to make them not want to break the Spinner?

It is not that they want to break it but they are very, ah, child-like as you have seen and most of them are a little unhinged. Short of standing over them the entire time they have it I can't think of anything you can do to ensure they do not break it.
 

Absinthe

Arcane
Joined
Jan 6, 2012
Messages
4,062
I'd also like to see if we can settle into some kind of friendly story/theory/knowledge-exchange while we try to befriend him and get him to spill the beans.
 

Fangshi

Arcane
Joined
Jan 9, 2014
Messages
1,997
I am just going to move all the information about the Kingdom to one place. It will make it easier to check I think. I may or may not keep it updated, depends on what is easier for me really.

The Dwarven Kingdom Details:

Albrecht's many progeny:

The dwarf King has had two wives in his life and before Eleanor he had his fair share of mistresses as well. This has led to a number of children, they are listed below, oldest to youngest (they are all adults now by the way, there are no 'children' among his children). You ask him about his offspring and he agrees to tell you what he knows though he notes that if he knew everything (or even most things) about them he would not need you to do this for him. He is not close to most of his children and that fact it is the single greatest regret he has.

1. Reinhard:

Albrecht's first son and the designated heir. He is tall and broad for a dwarf, strong jawed, keen eyed, he is everything one could want in a prince of the blood. He is an intelligent and effective leader, a gifted tactician and general that spends most of his time in the field with the army. He is well loved by the people and considered a hero of the kingdom by many. He is generous, he is loyal, he is brave, he also hates his father. Albrecht makes no attempt to hide this fact, when Reinhardt's mother died the dwarf took it hard and blamed Albrecht. The two of them had it out and since then they have not spoken privately as father and son. Reinhardt disagrees with his father on the course the Kingdom should take in the future and enjoys considerable military support however he also makes the Great Houses nervous and he has few genuine friends outside of the military. Reinhardt has the ambition to be a traitor and the ability to carry it off but as the designated heir he lacks a clear motive, weakening the kingdom does nothing but weaken his own future as far as Albrecht can see. If he is the traitor then Albrecht advises caution, he is not an enemy to treat lightly.

He is currently traveling with the army south to Stoneheim.

2. Timo:

Albrecht's second son and a joyful if merciless dwarf. He is a plotter, always ha been, and he has been instrumental in helping House Albrecht retain the throne over the last decade. He spends most of his time in a private room at the Silver Flame and it is said he is on very intimate terms with the owner of the establishment. His agents, while not as skilled as the Pathfinders in general, are quite adept at extracting and spinning information. He gets along well enough with the king, he always says the right things and shows due respect for his step mother but there is a 'distance' to him in his dealings with the rest of his family, as if he is unwilling or unable to get too close to them personally. Albrecht worries about him from time to time but he is a grown dwarf and must make his own fate. Timo has spent the better part of his adult life in service to his House and though he has the ability to be a successful traitor Albrcht is not certain if he has the desire to betray his own family like that, still there is something off about the boy.

He should be at the Silver Flame, as always when not on public or private business.

3. Wenzel

Albrecht's third son. A drunkard, a lech, a spendthrift and a gambler. There is little to say about the dwarf that is positive but his older brothers both care for him dearly. Albrecht can not actually tell you much about his son's activities. He comes and goes from the palace as he sees fit and until last year he had a habit of bringing home all sorts of rascals and scoundrels. Albrecht had it out with 'the boy' and since then he has taken up with a group of 'mercenaries' on the far end of town. He fancies himself some sort of 'captain' of 'fighting men' but they are mostly thugs, extortionists and murderers. Reinhard has done what he can to try and reign in his younger brother and Timo does what he can to minimize the scandal Wenzel causes but Albrecht's third son is an embarrassment to the family. Albrecht could see him as the traitor if he could somehow manage to stay sober enough to even plot such a thing. Wenzel has motive but lacks the ability to actually pull it off in Albrecht's estimation.

He should be with his 'company' somewhere on the rough side of town.

4. Jan

Albrecht's youngest surviving son by his first wife. Jan is a quiet dwarf and keeps largely to himself. When he came of age he applied to be accepted to the Royal Academy and without any favouritism on the part of his father he made the cut. Of all the sons born to him by his first wife, Jan is his favourite. Perhaps because he is the only son that Albrecht is still on reasonable terms with. He is a scholar and a researcher, a mage and an explorer. He often takes long trips into the hinterland to research the history of the Kingdom and he has made a number of fascinating discovers about some of the previous dynasties that the king was quick to put to use for more 'practical' ends. Albrecht does not believe Jan could betray him, he does not see what his son would gain from such an act as he has little interest in the kingdom and prefers to pursue knowledge instead.

He should be at the Royal Academy should you wish to speak with him. He normally does not welcome unexpected guests but the King will give you a letter of introduction if you wish to see him.

5. Horst - deceased

All he had was a name. Albrecht's first wife, Rosalind, died in childbirth with the baby. Albrecht was not with her at the time and only found out about the deaths weeks later. It shames him to this day that he did not even get to see the child's body before it was buried but dwarven tradition holds that the corpse should be returned to the earth as soon as possible to facilitate an easy passage of the soul...

He is buried in the family crypt in Stoneheim.

6. Jori - deceased

Albrecht's first son by Eleanor and his sixth official son. Jori was the closest child to his father and as fifth in line to the throne there was such a slight chance of him ever taking the throne that their relationship could crystallize around other aspects of their personalities. Jori was the first child that Albrecht was really 'there for', he was a father to Jori in a way he had not been with his other sons and it gave him joy and sorrow in equal measure. Joy at what he had with the boy and sorrow at what he had so foolishly squandered with Jori's half brothers.

You know all too well what happened to Jori. He died fighting the Blues under Muirthemne alongside you, he is still buried there.

7. Friedelinde

Albrecht's oldest daughter and an officer in the Royal Army, she holds the official rank of Master of the Chariots and is responsible for the maintenance, deployment and command of the kingdom's mobile elements. She is a fierce and rather stubborn 'young lady' and he thinks the two of you would get along famously if you ever met. She is his favourite out of his surviving children and the one he has the most in common with. She spends most of her free time with the designated heirs of house Hesse and Reginar. The three of them together are known as the 'Three Charioteers' and the stories of the battles with the ghôls, their devastating charges and calculated feints, are the stuff of many a barroom tale.

She is with the army on the way to Stoneheim.

8. Dagmar - deceased

Albrecht's second daughter died four months ago when the carriage she was riding in exploded. She was not the target as far as he can tell. He was to head to the Assembly that morning and his personal carriage was prepared for the trip however it was such a beutiful day that at the last minute he decided, on a whim, to take one of the open carriages instead to enjoy the sun. Dagmar wanted to do a little shopping along the high street that day as well and when she asked her father if she could borrow a carriage he offered to let her use his personal one. After all, no one would think of getting in the way of the king's carriage. He had joked that she could skip the morning traffic that way.

As soon as the carriage rolled out of the front gates if detonated.

There was nothing that could be done.

What is left of her is buried in Stoneheim in the family crypt.

9. Heiner - deceased

Albrecht's youngest son, he had volunteered to escort Dagmar around town that day. He was in the carriage when it blew.

He too lies in the family mausoleum.

10. Bärbel

Albrecht's youngest living daughter. She is a cadet in the Royal Army serving under a different name so as not to receive special attention. She has spent her entire life trying to distance herself from her father and her family. In fact she only ever asked him for one thing in her entire life and that was for his permission to let her enroll in the army four months ago. He had readily given it to her though he suspects that she would have done it anyway even if he refused. From what he remembers of her as she grew up she was always a rather sad child, she always looked lost and a little upset and though he tried to help her he did not really know how and she would not or could not tell him how.

She is marching south with the rest of the army as far as he knows. He can give you her assumed name and the number of her regiment if you wish to find her.

11. Lilli - deceased

His youngest daughter. She died fifteen years ago, the victim of a ghôlish attack while on route between Mygard and Stoneheim. Her body was never found, it was assumed that she had been carried off to serve as a snack. She had a degree of magical talent but not enough to save her life. He loved her dearly and her death hit him hard. It hit Eleanor even harder and the two agreed not to have any more children.

An empty coffin with her name on it and a few personal effects rests in their crypt in Stoneheim.

Albrecht also has four known, living bastards.

The first is a mercenary operating out of the poorer end of town. Her name is Letta, she has never tried to contact him or ask him for anything and if her mother had not told him then he would not even know she exists. She runs a small mercenary outfit of about ten, they have a decent reputation but lack the resources to really make a name for themselves barring extraordinary luck. He has often thought about hiring her, giving her a simple contract with a massive paycheck just to help her out but as he watched her it became clear that, that would merely insult her. She is a few years younger the Reinhardt.

The second lives somewhere in the western empire. His name is Udo and his mother was a serving girl, a dwarven exile, at the court of some Imperial noble he can not remember. He was far from home and a different dwarf back then. He only found out she had given birth to his son years later. The boy is a brewer and wants nothing to do with him or the family. His brand is called maul's head and Albrecht hears that it is quite good if you are ever up around Tyr.

The third is a baker in Stoneheim. Not much more to say about him than that.

The fourth, he lowers his voice to a whisper and scans the room.

The fourth is Astrid.

She does not know and he is not sure if he should tell her.

The Houses:

House Hess:

House Hesse: One of the younger houses that made a name for themselves during the war. They are a house of warriors and hunters with a strong presence in the military and a large private army, they have sufficient assets to support their military and keep it outfitted in high grade equipment but little money left for anything else.

Albrecht has known Hesse for decades, he is a rough dwarf but a fair and true friend. He was Jori's godfather. Hesse enjoys hunting, warfare, drinking and little else, he rarely goes anywhere without one of his many hounds.

Armies: Approximately 1500 armed fighters (warriors and grenadiers), 500 in Myrgard, 500 at your fort, 500 in Stoneheim.

Finances: Poor

Spheres of Control: Military perhaps, some mining

Resources: Aside from a large standing army, very little.

Relation to the Crown: Very good, Hesse and Albrecht have been friends for decades.

Relations to other Houses:
Berg - Fine, the two houses have no real history to speak of
Seinsheim - Strained, Hesse somehow managed to offend Seinsheim, not difficult to do as the old dwarf is a prick.
Reginar - Very Good, As another 'young' house and one that rose off military service the two have a lot in common and often lend each other resources when needed.
Welf - Good, a study in contrasts the martial Hesse and refined Welf actually get along splendidly and often work as a team as a result.

House Berg:

House Berg is small for a great house and most of their power comes from the lands that they hold. The Bergs control some of the most fertile lands in the kingdom and they used the fall of the Eberhardts to secure the rest. At the moment they have a near monopoly on food production in the kingdom. Albrecht does not spend much time with Berg socially, he finds the dwarf to be a bit dull and interested only yearly rainfall and the latest developments in horticulture. Supposedly the Berg estate has quite the flower garden, 'unique in all the kingdom' people say but he would not know, he has little time for flowers.

Armies: Approximately 400 armed fighters (warriors mostly), 200 around Myrgard on the family estates, 100 with him and the army, 100 in Stoneheim.

Finances: Rich

Spheres of Control: Agriculture

Resources: Substantial stores of food and coin

Relation to the Crown: Fine, there is no real hostility between the two

Relations to other Houses:
Hesse - Fine, the two houses have no real history to speak of.
Seinsheim - Strained, Berg somehow managed to offend Seinsheim, not difficult to do as the old dwarf is a prick.
Reginar - Fine, the two houses have no real history to speak of.
Welf - Poor, Berg wants more land for basic agriculture, Welf wants more land for cash crops, the two are often in competition with one another. It is also a poorly kept secret that Welf is sleeping with Berg's wife. Berg does not personally care as he has been seeing a dashing young officer in the army but it is a little humiliating for him to have his wife go to Welf of all people.

House Seinsheim:

An old house, arguably the oldest house that still holds power. Seinsheim is large, powerful and loyal primarily to the idea of the kingdom rather than to any particular king. Albrecht does not doubt for a second that Seinsheim would have supported Eberhardt's claim if Eberhardt had not been so dead set on dismantling the monarchy in favour of a republic. If Seinsheim had backed Eberhardt then Albrecht would have been doomed but the hostility between the two ensured that king had a chance.

On a personal note Seinsheim is an ass and the king has somehow managed to offend the dwarf lord, he just is not sure what exactly he did.

Armies: Approximately 1000 armed fighters (warriors and greanadiers), 200 in Myrgard, 500 with him and the army, 300 in Stoneheim

Finances: Rich

Spheres of Control: Mining and smelting

Resources: Substantial stores of ore, weapons, equipment and coin split between Myrgard and Stoneheim

Relation to the Crown: Strained, Albrecht somehow managed to offend Seinsheim, not difficult as the old dwarf is a prick.

Relations to other Houses:
Hesse - Strained, Hesse somehow managed to offend Seinsheim, not difficult to do as the old dwarf is a prick.
Berg - Strained, Berg somehow managed to offend Seinsheim, not difficult to do as the old dwarf is a prick.
Reginar - Strained, Reginar somehow managed to offend Seinsheim, not difficult to do as the old dwarf is a prick.
Welf - Strained, Welf somehow managed to offend Seinsheim, not difficult to do as the old dwarf is a prick.

House Reginar:

Another young house that won its place through heroics during the Great War and the reclamation of the Kingdom that followed. House Reginar are at home on the battlefield and many members of he House are either current or former member of the military. Albrecht enjoys good relations with Reginar and the king was sponsor of Reginar's heir when the boy decided to join the military, he is like an uncle to the younger dwarf. In many ways the house is similar to House Hesse in most ways and the two enjoy a friendly rivalry that began during the war and continues to this day. Reginar is a lean dwarf with a quick mind and a nice right hook, his house reflects his nature, it is smaller and leaner than House Hesse but its fighters are even more impressive.

Armies: Approximately 500 armed fighters (warriors and greanadiers), 200 in Myrgard, 300 in Stoneheim

Finances: Adequate

Spheres of Control: Logging

Resources: He supplies most of the wood for the kingdom to be turned into chariots, bolts, and everything else.

Relation to the Crown: Good, Reginar has always demonstrated loyalty to the crown and his son is a favourite of the King's.

Relations to other Houses:
Hesse - Very Good, As another 'young' house and one that rose off military service the two have a lot in common and often lend each other resources when needed.
Berg - Fine, the two houses have no real history to speak of.
Seinsheim - Strained, Reginar somehow managed to offend Seinsheim, not difficult to do as the old dwarf is a prick.
Welf - Fine, the two houses have no real history to speak of.

House Welf:

Decadent or merely refined the Welfs have always had a taste for the finer thing in life and they have made a fortune specializing in the import and manufacture of luxury items. Their prices are high but always fair and when it comes to business they do not play favourites. The house specializes in brewing and in law, it is no longer remembered from which profession they earned the title 'Virtuous' though barroom wits are quick to note that by either measure they should have lost that honour long ago.

Albrecht has fine relations with the house. He buys their products the same as anyone else but he has no real personal relationship with Welf or his people.

Armies: Approximately 500 armed fighters (warriors and greanadiers), 300 in Myrgard, 200 in Stoneheim

Finances: Rich

Spheres of Control: Brewery, Law, Cash Crops

Resources: Significant reserves of coin, a great deal of alcohol and imported luxuries for resale

Relation to the Crown: Fine, the two houses have no real history to speak of.

Relations to other Houses:
Hesse - Good, a study in contrasts the martial Hesse and refined Welf actually get along splendidly and often work as a team as a result.
Berg - Poor, Berg wants more land for basic agriculture, Welf wants more land for cash crops, the two are often in competition with one another. It is also a poorly kept secret that Welf is sleeping with Berg's wife. Berg does not personally care as he has been seeing a dashing young officer in the army but it is a little humiliating for him to have his wife go to Welf of all people.
Seinsheim - Strained, Welf somehow managed to offend Seinsheim, not difficult to do as the old dwarf is a prick.
Reginar - Fine, the two houses have no real history to speak of.

Resources still firmly in Albrecht's control:

House Albrecht Guards: 2100 armed fighters (warriors and grenadiers), 600 in Myrgard, 1000 in Stoneheim, and 500 at your fort.

The Pathfinders: The entire organization, he has been trying to expand their influence and the resources and personnel they can call upon. If he had to summon them all at once thy would number maybe one hundred and fifty, roughly twenty of which would be agents and the rest officers.

The Royal Academy: He believes he still has the complete loyalty of the academy, their inventions and their creatures. If he has to he can turn them loose but they are not the most stable group of individuals to begin with and giving them the freedom to wage war is something he hesitates to do.

The Royal Army: About five thousand soldiers spread out throughout the kingdom. He believes they are loyal but can not be sure. (The Royal Guards under Argus he is certain of though and they number maybe two hundred at any given time, baring unusual circumstances.)

There are maybe one thousand Dwarven soldiers in Myrgard with another thousand or two in Stoneheim and another thousand or so spread out throughout the kingdom. One thousand soldiers march south with Seinsheim and Berg at this moment.

Mercenaries: There are thousands of mercenaries in the city and Albrecht has the entire state treasury to draw from, if he needs to he could hire some.

Militia: Finally he could press the volunteer city guard (about five hundred dwarves) and any fit civilians into military service as militia units though he has no illusions as to their odds against actual military units of the horros he hears are prowling the south.

Mercenaries:

The Black Arrows:

The Black Arrows - One of the most successful companies in the entire Kingdom with over a decade of successful contracts under their belt. They are amongst the finest archers this side of the Cloudspine Mountains and are known for their professionalism. Dressed in black and gold the Arrows have aided you a number of times in the past and have proven themselves competent and dependable. Buying them out would not be cheap though.

Leader: Ceannard

Numbers: Currently the company consists of thirty 'Black Arrows', the name used for Ceannard's fully trained, expert marksmen. (They are amongst the best human archers in the world.) And a further fifty new archers which are not yet counted as full members of the company.

Cost:
To fully buy out: 4000 WPs
To buy out but and keep Ceannard and his officers on: 3000 WPs
To buy out and make Ceannard a partner: 2000 WPs
To buy out making Ceannard a partner but 'negotiating' a little - 1000 WPs
To buy out making Ceannard a partner but 'negotiating' a lot (and often) - 800 WPs

The Blooded Doves

The Blooded Doves - A human outfit, mostly heavy infantry. They are the former guardians of a minor faith, however a schism in their church has left them without a patron. They take on mercenary work to cover their expenses. They dress in red and white and you met a few of them at Meletē's workshop. You could buy them out if you are willing to respect their faith, provide them with space for a chapel at your facilities and clothe and feed them.

Leader: Ada the Dove

Numbers: Sixty human soldiers. Forty of which are heavy infantry, ten of which are light infantry and ten of which are light cavalry. Their cost is higher than average as each has a great deal of intricate equipment to maintain most of which has a religious significance for them.

Cost:
To fully buy out - N/A (as a religious order you will have to accept them all, including officers.)
To buy out but keep Ada and her officers on - 750 WPs
To buy out and make Ada a partner - 400 WPs

'Ta Blue Bastards'

'Ta Blue Bastards' - They are, interesting. You met a few at Meletē's workshop as well. They fight naked and attack with multiple blades. Most of them are dwarves but there are a few mauls and humans as well. They paint themselves in blue dye as they believe it will protect them in battle. They tend to drink most of their money away and so are always looking for new jobs. If you gave them food, board and booze they would gladly fight for you.

Leader: 'Ta Blue Bastard

Numbers: One hundred and twenty 'berserker braves', eighty dwarves, twenty humans and twenty mauls.

Cost:
To fully buy out the Bastard - 100 WPs and twelve cases of the finest whiskey you can get.
To buy out and keep the Bastard and his fellows on - 50 WPs
To buy out and make the Bastard a partner - Free but he will want any and all alcohol you come across.

The Mighty Cocks

The Mighty Cocks - A traditional mercenary company held together by gold, beer and a bit of violence. The Cocks are good at fighting and little else, as such they are often mislead by their employers and short changed when it comes time to pay up. Given their violent disposition the Cocks usually manage to get their payment, in gold or blood, either will do. They dress in gaudy greens and red and tend to prefer cheap, easy to acquire weapons and armour. Given the company's history of violence it tends to attract a disproportionate number of Berserks, Mauls and criminals. It is led by a massive Maul known only as the Cock, there are a number of rather entertaining stories about how he got that name. It is likely none of them are true. Give them gold or blood and they will follow.

Leader: The Cock

Numbers: Ninety brawlers, fourty Berserks, thirty mauls, and twenty dwarves. They are all poorly armed and armoured.

Cost:
To fully buy out the Cock - Free, you will need to challenge him and kill him in single combat. Anything goes.
To buy out and keep the Cock and his lieutenants on - 500 WPs
To buy out and make the Cock a partner - 300 WPs

The Seekers

The Seekers - Mercenary mages that are very selective in the jobs they take. There existence is fact but their goals are unknown. All agree that they are looking for something however and that is how they got their name. Some say they are looking for knowledge, some say for power, others think they are searching for redemption while others insist they are simply looking for a fight worth having. Whatever they are looking for they do good work, that much can not be denied. They have never failed to complete a contract but they rarely take on jobs and their rate makes the Arrows look cheap.

Leader: The Old Man in the Mountain

Numbers: Twenty Battlemages and an unknown number of unknown 'guardians'

Cost:
To fully buy them out - N/A
To buy them out and keep their leaders on - unknown, you would have to meet with their leader
To buy them out and make their leaders partners - unknown, you would have to meet with their leader

Wenzel's Weasels

Wenzel's Weasels - Scum, lowlifes, thugs, murderers, there is not a fool, madman or criminal Wenzel has met that he has not hit it off with. This loose and large circle of friends and hangers-on that congregate around the buffoonish prince constitute one of the largest 'mercenary' companies in Myrgard. At over three hundred and fifty members the weasels have the sheer numbers needed to win most conflicts with other companies, or even city guards, without having to resort to any real form of strategy. When they take a job, which is not terribly often, they tend to simply throw 'soldiers' (the name for an entry level Weasel) at it until the problem goes away. The vast majority of the outfit is comprised of poorly armed and armoured dwarves drawn to the 'easy life' that Wenzel promises but there are a number of humans, mauls, and the like within the organization as well. Some claim that Wenzel even employs ghôls as well. Despite the low quality of the rank and file Weasels many of the officers sport unique skills or above average equipment which does allow the Weasels to compete 'on quality' every now and then. Given their seemingly endless numbers, strong financial backing and general ruthlessness it is rare for the Weasels to fail at a contract once they have undertaken it, though colateral damage tends to be high.

The Weasels have only ever failed to deliver on one contract. Seven months ago they were hired to assault the compound of a minor house and kill all of its occupants. The house in question got wind of the impending attack and hired the Arrows to protect them (Ceannard charged them 500WPs to protect the compound on the condition that not one enemy would breach the walls). Approximately two hundred and eighty seven Weasels died that night, not a single member of the target house, nor a single Arrow was injured and the walls of their compound remained unbreached. Needless to say the Weasels and Wenzel do not much like the Black Arrows.

Leader: Wenzel Albrecht

Numbers: Three hundred and eighty five 'soldiers' (a mix of different races and equipment load-outs, each soldier is expected to supply his or her own equipment leading to radically different levels of equipment quality).

Cost:
To fully buy out - N/A, Wenzel does this for fun and the rest follow Wenzel
To buy out but keep Wenzel and his officers on - 1750 WPs
To buy out and make Wenzel a partner - 700 WPs

The Ten Sovereigns

The Ten Sovereigns - A small but well run mercenary group led by the dwarf Letta. The Sovereigns were formed forty years ago in a grubby little tavern in Stoneheim. It was a rather regular night all things considered, ten strangers drank at separate tables in the bar or in ones and twos when a disheveled merchant burst through the front door wailing. He said he had been robbed and he begged the strangers to help him. Well, just like in a storybook they did, the ten strangers followed the merchant out into the night and were cut down by bandits and robbed. The merchant had led them into a trap. Some of those strangers had family, some had friends, one of those friends was Letta, a dwarven veteran of the war. She found out who was responsible for the robbery and tracked them back to a compound southwest of Stoneheim. However there were too many to fight by herself and so instead she tracked done the friends and loved ones of the other strangers that had died. Some were warriors and joined her cause, many more weren't and gave her money and supplies in exchange for the promise of vengeance and justice.

She prepared and then she struck, her and nine other mercenaries, the Ten Sovereigns, so named after the gold their friends and family died for.

The company has a rotating membership but it always stabilizes at ten, when a member dies or retires then a new one is hired. They are not a rich company, not a big one either and they get few contracts because they are so small but also because they are rather picky in the sort of work they will take on.

Leader: Letta

Numbers: Ten, no more, no less. The current lineup is comprised of Letta, five dwarves, a fir'Bolg, two humans and a maul.

Cost:
N/A, they are not the sort of company you buy out.

If you wish to try and incorporate them within your own organization you would have to demonstrate to them that you are 'worth' serving in perpetuity. No one has managed that so far.

The Knights of the Broken Lance

The Knights of the Broken Lance - A company comprised entirely of cavalry, with a fairly even mix of heavy and light cavalry (about thirty riders in total). Most are the fourth or fifth sons of minor noble houses in the Empire. With few careers open to them in the Empire they came south and offered their services to the dwarves. The dwarves generally lack strong mobile elements in their military forces, with the exception of small companies of chariots so the Knights have managed to make a living within the Kingdom. Many of its members long to return to their homeland though and as a result they are open to the idea of serving other humans that can make that happen. They have made a name for themselves patrolling the highways between Myrgard and Stoneheim, protecting merchant caravans and terrorizing brigands. They have a reputation for professionalism but they have been known to charge a lot for even the simplest of jobs. Still, if you want mobility on the battlefield there are few options as goods as the Knights.

Leader: Oscar mac Cumhail

Numbers: Thirty riders, twenty heavy cavalry and ten light cavalry

Cost:
To fully buy out the Knights - 1000 WPs
To buy out the Knights but keep Oscar on - 400 WPs
To buy out the Knights and make Oscar a partner - 300WPs

The Hounds

The Hounds - A fitting name for a company that trains and utilizes beasts on the battlefield. Most of the company is comprised of dwarves and their pet wolfhounds but a handful of fir'Bolgs and humans bring more exotic beasts with them as well. Your team did not get a chance to see such creatures first hand.

Leader: Egil

Numbers: Twenty dwarves, fifty hounds, six humans, four elephants, two fir'Bolg, six Ermine wolves

Cost:
To completely buy out the Hounds - 500 WPs
To buy out the Hounds but keep Egil on - 400 WPs
To buy out the Hounds and make Egil a partner - 200WPs

The Grey Arrows:

The Grey Arrows - A rather interesting company founded by the Lady Grey. It is hard to say if she is actually a Lady with full rank in the Empire but she certainly has the money to back up her claim. Her company consists of archers, equipped with the finest weapons and armour that money can buy but they seem to lack discipline and any real combat experience.

Leader: The Lady Grey

Numbers: Sixty 'Grey Arrows', novice human bowmen in exquisite gear.

Cost:
N/A - The Lady Grey has no wish to retire or become someone's employee.

The Brickyard Boys:

The Brickyard Boys - A new company, founded after the fire that ravaged the poor end of Myrgard. This company is comprised of former shop owners, clerks, beggars, and unemployed tenants. They cobbled together what equipment they could find and organized themselves behind the biggest member of their group. They seek revenge against the Watcher and his necromancers as well as food, shelter and a decent day's pay.

Leader: Ajiak the Mason

Numbers: Four hundred dwarves armed with makeshift weapons and cloth armour or no armour at all.

Cost:
Hire but keep Ajiak on - 100 WPs
Buy out the Boys and make Ajiak a partner - 50 WPs


Known Cultists:

He will start with the five most 'high profile' cultists in the kingdom:

#1 Birgir - A fairly typical dwarf all things considered. He is chief financial officer for one of the larger mining firms south of Stoneheim but he lives in Myrgard to maintain easy access to the lords and powerbrokers of the kingdom. Mayer has only met the dwarf twice, he found him to be boring, long-winded, and rather short-sighted. He was more concerned with turning quick immediate profits and enjoying his wealth than with securing a steady stream of income or seizing any of the levers of power available to him. Mayer believes that he is a high ranking member of the 'Silver Spinneret' a Spider Goddess pleasure cult in the city, he may even be their high priest. From what Mayer understands they are a group of wealthy and bored aristocrats and bankers that get together, inject themselves with hallucinogenic poisons and indulge themselves in every vice they can conceive of. Birgir has been in Stoneheim with his wife for the last eight months or so, overseeing the construction of a new office complex there otherwise you would have met him when you paid visits to the great bankers of the city.

#2 Anja - Birgir's wife. Half his age and twice as smart, Mayer found her intriguing at first but all she really seemed interested in was tricking him into joining their cult. When he declined she attempted to blackmail him, it did not work out well for her or her husband. Threats were made, Birgir lost a quarter of his fortune overnight and the couple stopped bothering Mayer. Of course this spat also served to isolate Mayer socially from much of the banking world, Birgir and his wife are very popular.

#3 Asger - The Champion of House Reginar and a master at single combat with a blade. Mayer only knows the dwarf by reputation but he is said to be merciless to the foes of his master, the champion is likely with Hesse at your fort but you did not meet him while you were there.

#4 Ebba - Mayer has heard that she is something of a celebrity among cultist circles. She is an imperial dwarf, a member of one of the families that decided to remain in human lands after the Kingdom was reestablished, supposedly she can see the future 'through the strands of the Goddess' web'. Mayer scoffs, he says that she is a fraud and that no one can simply predict the future (Derryth is not sure though, she has heard stories of the Total Codex and its ability to read the future, perhaps it is possible for a person to do the same). Ebba has taken over the other cult of the Goddess in the city and has renamed it the 'Spun Truth', as far as Mayer knows it is just another pleasure cult but he is willing to admit that he does not actually know what either cult does, he is merely baseing his assumptions on what he can learn from others.

#5 Hallr - Professor at the Royal Academy. Hallr does not travel in the same social circles as Mayer does so he knows little about the dwarf other than what his agents tell him. Supposedly there is good reason to believe the Hallr is a cultist and that he has been trying to involve other fellows of the Academy in his worship. Mayer does not know how successful Hallr has been or even if the government is aware of the cultist's attempts.

There are also a number of high ranking individuals that may be cultists but Mayer can not be certain. He has heard rumors about Lords Hesse and Berg, about two of Albrecht's sons (Timo and Jan) and about several members of the Goldsmith's guild as well. He does not know if these people are followers of the Spider Goddess, some other cult or are completely innocent and just the victims of vicious rumour.

House Champions:

Well, skipping Argus since you already know what he is like. I will start with the least unusual champions and work my way to the most unusual champions.

Houses Hesse and Raginar:

Alfhild and Asgar are the warrior type (which makes sense as their houses are warrior houses), they drink, they fight, they laugh, they cry. They are very much stereotypical dwarves and they are very much in love. They actually met each other after they became the champions of their respective houses. They wound up on opposite sides in a barroom brawl, after a good ten minutes of beating each other senseless they knew it was love and were married within the year. They look after their friends, terrify their enemies, and represent their lords in the exact sort of manner that Hesse and Raginar expect.

He favours an axe and shield, she favours and mace and shield, they fight in a straightforward and traditional style.

House Berg:

The 'Artisan' is a master with a blade, no one knows his real name but he came to the city three years ago looking for a challenge. He is a thin man and short with hard features and dead eyes (even when he smiles or laughs his eyes remain cold), he sports a mustache in the fir'Bolg style and seems to be almost as skilled with a bow as he is with a sword.

The champion of a minor house (so minor you really do not need to know their name) spotted him wandering the streets and decided it would be worth his time to 'harass' a 'foreigner' for an evening. Things quickly deteriorated and a formal challenge was issued by the dwarf to the man.

They met three evenings later in one of the smaller squares in town with suitable witnesses (the Artisan knew no one in the city but drafted an out of work vintner to serve as his witness). The duel was over quickly, the Artisan winning handedly but it was not simply the speed with which he won that impressed and horrified the onlookers. He carved up the dwarf, sculpting him into a gross mockery of his former self and so he came to be known as the Artisan (probably because the 'Sculptor' did not have the same ring to it).

He fights to win and is completely without mercy but will only act if ordered to or provoked.

He is considered by many to be the second best swordsman in the city. Liechtenauer is the best. The two do not get along well as a result though the rivalry is almost completely on the 'Artisan's' side.

House Welf:

The 'Boar', is Welf's servant and he acquired him when he was just a runt of a maul. He took care of him, educated him, trained him and now the Boar returns the favour by loyally serving the dwarf in all things.

Unlike the Artisan the Boar's name is not unknown, it is just that no one bothers to remember it. He has served as a mercenary and a captain, some even say he could be a general and he certainly has a martial air about him. He is certainly no animal, he is well versed in the dwarven classics, in the sagas and poetry of his adopted people and it is said that he is quite a skilled chef as well.

He fights with a spear and shield using his impressive size, weight and reach to strike at smaller opponents from a distance. He is also more than proficient in a number of shorter ranged weapons and is capable of switching to something more useful should an opponent slip past his guard.

Next to Argus he is the only surviving champion of a major house that is confident and capable leading large bodies of men. In fact he is arguably a better commander than the King's champion though he is less well liked by his men (most of them being dwarves of 'standing' they rankle a little under the command of a servant and a maul too boot).

House Seinsheim:

Seinsheim's champions are unusual in a number of regards. First, there are two of them, and while there are technically no laws against having two people share the role of champion it is frowned upon by the rest of the houses who view it as 'undwarven' and 'unsporting'. Seinsheim as always does not care what any of the other lords think and so both Galena and Treva are his champions.

The second thing most dwarves object to is that they are both mages, Galena is an elementalist that specializes in metal spells while Treva is an adept that specializes in physical spells. The result is that they will often use their magic to win duels decisively. Again this is seen as 'undwarven' and 'unsporting' and again Seinsheim could not care less.

The two mages are thought to be sisters and look to be twins from the way they act and are able to anticipate each other's actions. They are also thought to be refugees from the Empire but no one is sure about that. Very little is known about them in general (even their names are not necessarily their real names) in fact.

They serve as bodyguards and 'magic detectors' for the dwarf lord. Why he would need such protection the dwarf lord has not seen fit to say.
 
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Nevill

Arcane
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Messages
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Shadorwun: Hong Kong
It is not that they want to break it but they are very, ah, child-like as you have seen and most of them are a little unhinged. Short of standing over them the entire time they have it I can't think of anything you can do to ensure they do not break it.
No, what I meant is 'actively not want to break it'. To provide them with incentive to treat it carefully.

Or at least have some sort of insurance for that kind of stuff.
 

Fangshi

Arcane
Joined
Jan 9, 2014
Messages
1,997
Well the King will pay for it if it breaks or disappears but I don't know how you can make them be more careful with it. Threats of death are not even terribly useful against them I and afraid.

Absinthe said:
I'd also like to see if we can settle into some kind of friendly story/theory/knowledge-exchange while we try to befriend him and get him to spill the beans.

Sure I will keep that in mind if he warms up to you.
 

Absinthe

Arcane
Joined
Jan 6, 2012
Messages
4,062
By the way, what's the cost of doing 2E anyhow? I know we have to spend an afternoon there, but what else would we be doing?
 

Fangshi

Arcane
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Messages
1,997
Absinthe said:
By the way, what's the cost of doing 2E anyhow? I know we have to spend an afternoon there, but what else would we be doing?

Well the other options would include things like checking in with your other teams during the day rather than at night (which may or may not make a difference), looking into Albrecht's bastards to see if there is anything of interest there, maybe checking with the only lord that is currently in town or going to some of the local pubs where you might meet someone like Liechtenauer. I would give you a variety of choices based on how the rolls go in the next update, some would be rather specific and others would have a larger element of luck to them but all of the options would take place away from the Academy so the ladies will have to see what is available before they can decide.
 

Nevill

Arcane
Joined
Jun 6, 2009
Messages
11,211
Shadorwun: Hong Kong
I would take a drink with Liechtenauer over some enchantment lessons any day of the week. We have tons of spells available already (our Elemental tome, our scrolls ripped by Nanshe out of the spellbook of TWM's slave, Gullveig's spellbook and the Purple Sun Nightmare), and no time to learn them. Might as well do something useful instead.

Or lend Lyssa some help in filtering out spies and the like. We took pains to start this recruiting campaign to form something that is not compromised.

The only Albrecht bastard I am interested in is Letta, because I want her and her company working for us. It would be nice to meet with her and get them to work on the investigation ASAP, considering that our time here is limited.

We have a very busy schedule.
 

Jester

Arbiter
Joined
Mar 24, 2013
Messages
1,493
1 E > D
(E - Share a tale of our friend Mios fate story, the way he was screwed up would discourage any contacts attempts and show how dangerous this whole clutist situation is. It show part of goddess true character to.)

2 B D F (B first they can work on rest while we are doing stuff south.) Jester package ;)

I ask that we pursue weaving parts if we add condition that spinner will be under put under Janine protection. She sound like mostly sane person there, so i assume if we will give her veto power it will decrease chance of failure. Mby ask Jan to help with that if needed. As long as it wont be stolen everything is ok.
BD - sound like very good combo making prefect uniform for our standing military forces if thats works. B as protection from arrows generally, sort of improvised shield in pinch and increase to overall defence of armour. D sound better suited to us and how we do things. F because i wish to have those batman gliders, we could send few to patchfinders and it could jump start mice spies equipment assembly.


Questions:
Did he told anyone about his findings about control magic or shady parts of cult in general?
How did he get those artefacts?
Why the hell there are so much people with death wish here? Dont you have any safety protocols? (judging from our experiences with Academy)
 
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Nevill

Arcane
Joined
Jun 6, 2009
Messages
11,211
Shadorwun: Hong Kong
E - because we dont have anything planed for today.
*sigh*

Codexian ADD strikes again.

We can have a meeting with Liechtenauer planned, or our merc screening, or seek out and enlist the Ten Sovereigns, or spy on Lord Reginar.

But they are not in the current update, so they are not there at all. Shiny!
 

Jester

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Joined
Mar 24, 2013
Messages
1,493
E - because we dont have anything planed for today.
*sigh*

Codexian ADD strikes again.

We can have a meeting with Liechtenauer planned, or our merc screening, or seek out and enlist the Ten Sovereigns, or spy on Lord Reginar.

But they are not in the current update, so they are not there at all. Shiny!
Oh ok itc small change. Must get a schedule for our actions.
 

Nevill

Arcane
Joined
Jun 6, 2009
Messages
11,211
Shadorwun: Hong Kong
I would not actually mind it all that much if we took time to learn Invisibility. That is one spell I am sorely missing. Then again, it is hardly unique to the Academy.

Enchantment school is the most underused school in our arsenal. When was the last time we cast any of the Oaths or Riddles?

And since our reputation with the Academy is not that great, they won't even show us the good ones! Our Elemental Tome will probably prove more useful than all of their public spells combined, and we can peruse it any time we want - it's just we often don't have that time, and we certainly don't have it now.

What happened to researching the 'Unforgotten, Unforgiven'? We have 4-5 days in total before we have to leave the capital (if nothing drastic happens), I can't waste 20% of that time sitting on my butt and learning some spells I am not going to use any time soon.
 
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archaen

Cipher
Patron
Joined
Mar 10, 2014
Messages
633
1.D
2.BD With making Janine the project head. I want to save F for our inventor.


I agree with Nevill that we shouldn't waste time learning spells unless it is going to be immediately useful in either our search for herectics to the true throne of Albrecht or in waging war. If we are going to spend time on something other than plot I would rather study the Halcyon stone.
 

Jester

Arbiter
Joined
Mar 24, 2013
Messages
1,493
What happened to researching the 'Unforgotten, Unforgiven'? We have 4-5 days total before we have to leave the capital (if nothing drastic happens), I can't waste 20% of that time sitting on my butt and learning some spells I am not going to use any time soon.
Wasnt there an idea to employ one of Al children companies to look into that? It didnt pass?

And we are enchanting things everyday i think. Those enchants we got have limited time spawn, or do i recall wrong?
 

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