Dread Solstice

[Sception]

In the interest of unity, and based on my inability to convince others, I will change the suggested vote in my prior post to Eye.

At the very least, I do feel none of these results particularly favor or disfavor us.  GW has managed to put together a somewhat more opaque result this week.  We'll see how it turns out.

[shinros]

5 minutes ago, Sception said:

In the interest of unity, and based on my inability to convince others, I will change the suggested vote in my prior post to Eye.

At the very least, I do feel none of these results particularly favor or disfavor us.  GW has managed to put together a somewhat more opaque result this week.  We'll see how it turns out.

Indeed, meta wise I don't think they will give us another buff but I do think eye will help us in terms of the death narrative. We are keeping the great work under wraps ALL the ga's are doing this action if it wins. 

[Undeadly]

9 minutes ago, Sception said:

In the interest of unity, and based on my inability to convince others, I will change the suggested vote in my prior post to Eye.

At the very least, I do feel none of these results particularly favor or disfavor us.  GW has managed to put together a somewhat more opaque result this week.  We'll see how it turns out.

Thank you; I think we all appreciate that the cohesiveness we bring.

Also, keep in mind; Although they might not be as active in their efforts, don't think that we're the only ones to employ trickery to get our way.

[shinros]

30 minutes ago, Undeadly said:

Thank you; I think we all appreciate that the cohesiveness we bring.

Also, keep in mind; Although they might not be as active in their efforts, don't think that we're the only ones to employ trickery to get our way.

True some people might be trying to mislead others from now on. I think the campaign will be far more interesting if the choices are opaque .

[Keldrek]

I do think that there is one part that caught my eye that made Sception’s initial post seems reasonable. The description specifically said secrets of aelves, men and duardins. Mortals...so it does seem the two killing choices are not really pertaining to the undead. If anything, we may exact revenge via drake. But definitely not the eye since mortal secrets are not our secrets.

[shinros]

34 minutes ago, Keldrek said:

I do think that there is one part that caught my eye that made Sception’s initial post seems reasonable. The description specifically said secrets of aelves, men and duardins. Mortals...so it does seem the two killing choices are not really pertaining to the undead. If anything, we may exact revenge via drake. But definitely not the eye since mortal secrets are not our secrets.

Yet it's mortal's spreading news about the omens leading to Nagash's great work. I think the reasoning is as long as it is kept on the down low and we delay the other GA's Nagash can complete it without hindrance. 

[shinros]

Also it seems skull is in the lead again. I am actually quite interested to see the outcome for this one because of how each choice is a lot more opaque this week. A part of me hopes it benefit's destruction because I think it would be cool to have a permanent moon in the setting. I recall someone saying in the order version of the thread that this week is also a "lesser" evil sort of choice for them and that they should go skull. 

I can see the reasoning in that. Perhaps with this route Nagash might find the location of slaanesh and the missing souls? Even if people might find out about the great work?

edit: Also I want to raise the point skull is clearly going to win this week but at the same time we might see if a choice effect's more than one alliance or if skull always equals death in someway. A part of me thinks skull is for destruction this week but we will see. (not that I am against it)

[shinros]

Right I don't think death has a stake this week I think week 1 was the crucial  decision for us which we won. I think this week more or less is for chaos to get something and considering I feel the warqueen is the "worst" harbinger I think they need it. Overall the outcome for skull Nagash's work is not really effected because people were essentially driven insane.

[Sception]

Holy moly, skull wins week 2 by a single vote!  That meahttps://whc-cdn.games-workshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/AoSMPDreadSolsticeResults-Mar1-Choices1c.jpgns I cast one of the deciding votes, cashing in two for skull - yes, even after agreeing the Eye was the best, it was too far behind, and I just didn't trust Drake last week, not when the secrets being revealed and people in power being ousted could so easily have been our own infiltrated vampires.  But two points, a game and my knight of shrouds, cast in the last minutes of the local store's closing hours.  I mean, realistically the world kept turning and votes kept being cashed for hours afterwards, but I'm still claiming this one for me.

Anyway,

DREAD SOLSTICE, WEEK THREE

~ RULES ~

No new artefacts unlocked last week by anyone.  The bravery penalties to our enemies from the first week's victory have faded, to be replaced with a risky boon to casters of all stripes:

Quote

Test of the Mind:  At the start of the first battle round, each player must roll a dice for each Wizard in their army that is not a named character. On a 1, that Wizard suffers D6 mortal wounds. On a 2-6, that Wizard can attempt to cast one extra spell in each of their hero phases.

This is a pretty nice bonus for the Legions of the Dead, what with our new spell lores to take advantage with.  Possibly an even greater boon to any Tzeentch opponents we may run up against, but so it goes.   Of course, there's the risk of losing your 5 wound heroes to bad luck before the game even starts, but the potential rewards are great.

~ DILEMMA ~

This week, the situation in the Mortal Realms continues to worsen as mysterious Red Mists descends upon Aqshy, imbuing those who inhale it with freakish strength.  It’s up to you whether you embrace this strange phenomenon or undertake desperate measures to halt it. With rules, artefacts and the very destiny of the Mortal Realms in the balance, you won’t want to miss it – as we saw this week, a single vote can have an enormous impact.

more details HERE

ANALYSIS - 

This seems like a Khornate matter, taking place on another realm entirely.  Drake seems to greatly favor the ruinous powers, and khorne in particular, though a plague of mist-inspired murder among the living certainly doesn't seem like a bad thing for the Dead.  Eye, well, it doesn't directly seem to strike against us, but certainly seems the least favorable result for Nagash.  At the very least, burning corpses is a terrible waste of raw materials.  Skull hasn't served us wrong yet, and ritually sealing the fury of the living away behind the cold calm of the grave is a concept that greatly appeals to me, but that word, 'consecrating', that's not a word I like.  That's not a word I like at all.

So I'm up in the air, and after last week I'm not going to rush to judgment before others have weighed in.  Personally, I don't see huge stakes for Nagash either way here, though if I had to choose, Drake sounds best to me.  I would certainly prefer for Eye to lose.  Sadly, it seems to have taken an early lead.

Thoughts?

[Smavo]

This week I think drake clearly. Our minions can benifit but not have the side effects because they are mindless.

Also an old death comand trait was called red fury.

The more who indulge will go crazy and kill. Sending more souls to nagash and if they go crazy may be killed to stop the crazyness. Win win. 

The eye robs us of minions

The consecrates the realm and seals it off. Death would prefer to desecrate.

[Inqy]

52 minutes ago, Sception said:

This seems like a Khornate matter, taking place on another realm entirely.  Drake seems to greatly favor the ruinous powers, and khorne in particular, though a plague of mist-inspired murder among the living certainly doesn't seem like a bad thing for the Dead.  Eye, well, it doesn't directly seem to strike against us, but certainly seems the least favorable result for Nagash.  At the very least, burning corpses is a terrible waste of raw materials.  Skull hasn't served us wrong yet, and ritually sealing the fury of the living away behind the cold calm of the grave is a concept that greatly appeals to me, but that word, 'consecrating', that's not a word I like.  That's not a word I like at all.

 

I say the Eye. The Drake clearly favours the forces of Chaos, while sanctified rituals might actually harm the undead.

Burning the bodies though, pah, what need have hungry ghosts for bodies? It is well within Nagash's power to make use of such things.

[Sception]

Eye just feels to me like a terrible waste.  A waste of raw materials in the corpses, and a waste of serious disruption to the living.  As Smavo pointed out, this red mist sounds like the Red Fury made manifest, and it arises from the dead.  As much as it clearly pleases Khorne, and Gorkamorka for that matter, it also sounds like something Nagash would have unleashed.  Even if it does favor the chaos worshippers, I say don't look a gift corpse in the mouth.  The enemies of our enemies are also our enemies.  We're not going to be able to strike at one without emboldening another, and in this case I'd rather embolden the side that is, lets be blunt, using death magic to slaughter the living.

I vote Drake.

[Keldrek]

I agree with Drake being the best decision of the lot. Consecrating and burning the dead are both outright practices to disrupt the undead and while red mist might help khorne, it does seem counterintuitive to go for things that are directly against us.

Have been on the fence about last week’s decision and results but I suppose a global buff is better than one directly favouring a faction? I suppose it’s unlikely for death to receive two bonuses in a row and hopefully that was the best result for us. Still, I wish it had more impact on the current narrative. Just seem like the narrative abruptly ended and it didn’t really matter...

[shinros]

Yup thinking about it I also say vote drake. I am of a mind that the other two options disrupts us. 

[shinros]

so, week 3 outcome. 

https://malignportents.com/dreadsolstice/

Now for this week the choice is pretty clear, skull. 

A nice guy on reddit made this image

[Sception]

Last week's Drake was a very clear win for chaos and khorne, but we kind of knew that going in.  I sort of suspect that skull might have, once again, been a better choice for us, but that word, consecrated, just no.  Overall, I can't begrudge this result, nor can I be mad that the warqueen has picked up a new artefact, as she's a cool model that could really use some extra mechanical push.

That said, khorne has had their fun, Marakarr has her new toy, and I'd rather cripple Kul's new spaceship before the warqueen can convince him to fly it to Shyish.  So I agree with @shinros, it's time to get back on the Skull wagon.  Any objections?

.....

As for this week's rules, I'm not intimidated by the warqueen's new artefact.  like our knight of shrouds, she's a support hero more than anything else, especially if you're playing with prophesy points, so the last place she really wants to be is in melee anyway.

Plus the most common chaos lists I see these days are Khone, Tzeentch, or Nurgle, and she can't even be given an artefact in those lists, for the same reason that the Knight of Shrouds can't be given an artefact in legion lists.  A bit off topic, there's a rumor that each of the non-stormcast heralds' subfactions - darkoath, moonclan, and nighthaunt - will be getting their own battletomes after the campaign.  If that's true, maybe their campaign artefacts might see some use then.

Otherwise, the extra attack on 6's to hit when charging this week is nice for a lot of our units.  blood knights, black knights, hexwraiths, spirit hosts, vargheists, monsters, archai, and most especially morghast harbingers will get a lot of use out of it.  Looking beyond the legions, flayers, monster-riding ghoul kings, chariots, and necroknights will also be extra intimidating this week.

And the fact that it's on an 'unmodified' 6 is nice for us.  Oh, sure, it means we can't block it with overwhelming dread, but it can't be blocked by enemy hit penalties either, and hit bonuses, something the most commonly played undead lists lack but most everyone else has access to, won't help it.

[CrownWBG]

 

18 minutes ago, Sception said:

Last week's Drake was a very clear win for chaos and khorne, but we kind of knew that going in.  I sort of suspect that skull might have, once again, been a better choice for us, but that word, consecrated, just no.  Overall, I can't begrudge this result, nor can I be mad that the warqueen has picked up a new artefact, as she's a cool model that could really use some extra mechanical push.

That said, khorne has had their fun, Marakarr has her new toy, and I'd rather cripple Kul's new spaceship before the warqueen can convince him to fly it to Shyish.  So I agree with @shinros, it's time to get back on the Skull wagon.  Any objections? 

Skulls for the Skull God it is!

[Undeadly]

Once again, we have derailed the efforts of Order and Chaos, and with the help of destruction, mired down our enemies in a wave of war and madness. Lord Nagash should be certainly pleased with the souls that will spill forth.

However, as Sception said, the arrival of the Orb Infernia will present a problem, if the Warqueen should rally it to her cause. She knows of something in Shyish; thus, her efforts to rally under Korghos should be squashed. If we flee the realm, than surely the Orb will continue on its path unabated, and the great work may face peril at such power. 

Thus, we should rally with the forces of Order, and blow the planetoid from the heavens. The Skull should be a easy choice for those of Order; Stormcast, DoK, Seraphon and other more stalwart factions will obviously choose to destroy it, and Death has but one master, so we too shall destroy it in his name. There we find common clause. It is the Duradin, the KO and FS that may choose to serve.

Destruction will be split, as some Orruks may serve, but the Goblins and Ogres may run.

But never the less, we must take down that blasted Orb.

Also, may I mention the fact that Korghos got a name drop? I like seeing new characters get more screen time.

[AverageBoss]

How does this weeks special rule interact with the Terrorgheists maw attack?

Or Frightful Touch for that matter. Or anything else really that does something special on a 6 to hit.

[Keldrek]

Convincing enough for me. Although when I initially read the choices I was a bit hesitant. The new weapon certainly sounds like it’s owned by order. If we choose to help them and nuke Korghos, what guarantees do we have that they won’t turn it against us next?

[Sception]

Mostly that it sounds like it's powered by the same red mists, and those are currently limited to the realm of fire.

[shinros]

1 hour ago, Keldrek said:

Convincing enough for me. Although when I initially read the choices I was a bit hesitant. The new weapon certainly sounds like it’s owned by order. If we choose to help them and nuke Korghos, what guarantees do we have that they won’t turn it against us next?

It's either that or a portable planet owned by a lord of khorne. 

[Sception]

CHAPTER THREE – HOUR OF THE DAMNED

WEEK 5: THE BLACK VOID HUNGERS

The dilemma

Spoiler

 

Everywhere across Shyish, waking dreams plague those who have scried the future – yourself included, for your quest has led you to the heart of the Realm of Death. Every visionary, mage and wise man is haunted by the image of a vast black sphere that steals light, warmth and hope from all who witness it.

Yet only at night is its most profound consequence keenly felt. The Black Void, synonymous with oblivion in the mythic symbology of Azyr, hungers to devour all things – and in the Realm of Death, that rapacious nothingness begins to consume time itself.

It starts with a blink in time, a glitch in the chronology of events that few notice bar a slight feeling of disorientation. Perhaps, if the cities of Sigmar’s free people had not striven to find order in time as well as space, it would have gone unnoticed, at least for a while. But as the effects worsen, the clockmakers and arcanists of the Amethyst Realm notice their hourglasses suddenly filled with less sand, and that at midnight, their chronocogs and water clocks glitch as if ten minutes has passed without their notice.

And so it has. For in the dead of night, the Black Void feeds.

Stolen seconds turn to minutes, and then hours. As more and more time slips away, even the most primitive and bestial species become somehow aware that their lives are being shortened by an impossible force that preys on them from the Great Nothing.

Your people near the verge of panic as this realisation sets in. How will you address this terrible theft of time?

 

The choices

Spoiler

 

DRAKE:  EMBRACE THE DARKNESS

There can be no escape from the entropy and oblivion of Shyish. A mortal might fight it for a lifespan, but in the end, all will fall to its glacial curse. Unless, of course, the way to escape it is to find the time that it has stolen, and claim it for yourself...

EYE:  REDOUBLE YOUR EFFORTS

Time is literally running out! You see the Black Void as synonymous with the rising tide of death – perhaps, by sacking Nagashizzar, you can bring this curse to a swift end.

SKULL:  SHORE UP AND RECRUIT

Even the Supreme Necromancer would not let time itself be devoured. You intend to bolster your forces and ride out the storm – and ultimately let this occult danger slide into distant memory.

 

Well, I have to say, devouring time itself is a far more apocalyptic plan than I thought Nagash would be going for here.  And I honestly still half expect that this isn't the real plan.  All of the narrative hints so far have been pushing the idea that he had developed avway to capture all souls of the dead on shyish, even those claimef by other gods, and all the portents were just to lure victims to shyish to fight and die under the pyramid's influence, so I view this less as nagash's monsterous true ambition and more as a last desperate attempt to force his rivals to take him seriously and get their butts to shyish.

But that's just a silly theory.  On the bald face of the matter, 'actually going to shyish to stop the temporal apocalypse' is the worst option for us, and 'sit back and ket nagash devour time itself' is the best, with 'try to steal the time back from nagash' in the middle.

But, as per the policy since week two, I won't jump the gun on calling a correct response till others weigh in.

.........

Especially since, unfortunately, I also think this week will be where the other factions' patience with Nagash's games wears out.  GW has with the stolen hours introduced a turn of events apocalyptic enough that I expect direct resistance to it to be more overwhelming even than resistance to Kull was last week.  Drake might stand a chance, but Skull's 'do nothing' is such a underwhelming option that I doubt we'll be able to get anyone to go along with it.

[smucreo]

Yep, just like with Khorne last week I expect a full focus on stopping Nagash this week. And since it's three alliances vs Death I don't expect any other result than the possible sacking of Nagashizzar. Let's hope it's all part of Nagash's plan! At least he will have all the other factions where he wants them, at the center of Shyish.

[Sception]

If we think this is a lost cause either way, then I'm inclined to push Skull, since trying to come up with reasons why that's a good idea should at least be amusing.

On the other hand, a victory isn't really a victory without a fight.  GW isn't going to end the game based on this campaign, so if nagash's apocalyptic plan fails, as it inevitably must, without anyone doing anything, that would be pretty lame, right?  If drake or especially skull did win, would that be a sign of the community supporting nagash, or disrespecting him?