Angel Team: Design Phase T7TURNTURNTURNInstitute of Intrigue
All kinds come to our ranks, from old soldiers of the frontiers to back alley criminals turning their lives around. It was only natural that some among our ranks would be former politicians, clerks, speechwriters. The kind of people who know the world of nobility and politics and how to survive in it. And as we gain influence, it's increasingly obvious that missionaries and philosophers won't get us to the top on their own - at least not with demonic forces working against us. So, we've pulled those cultists with political experience, as well as those with charisma, for another purpose.
The Institute of Intrigue is, admittedly, not the obvious thing to create when we're at war. But as was shown when a Chosen Apostle got himself jailed, we can't ignore the fact that not all our threats are demonic; some will be purely human, and in the higher levels of society, some don't look kindly to our usual tactics. So we've got to get in the hard way. Our most charismatic cultists, as well as those skilled with more bureaucratic work, are brought to the [name] to be trained in the art of politics; how to integrate themselves into the political framework and how to either rapidly ascend themselves or how to bring our allies to positions of power.
They are particularly given information on the political structures and situations in the capitals. To operate effectively, they need to know a lot; the general thrust of court and advisor's politics, the power players and their allegiances, who can be influenced and who's rock steady. Those trained at the Institute will be best able to help our general position in the capitals as well as that of the factions we support.
Institute of Intrigue: Easy: (1+1)+1=3: Buggy Mess
This was a fairly simple idea. Hard to get wrong.
It got wrong.
Okay, look. You can't be blamed for trying to impart knowledge directly into human minds again. Trying once and giving up is for Demons. So you took all the knowledge the future politicians would need, and overwrote some pointless memories (overwriting existing memories being easier than creating brand new ones). How were you supposed to know that humans needed to remember so many trivial things just to stay 'sane'?
Besides, it did work, technically. The graduates of the Institute of Intrigue go through basic courses on the various aspects of politics- nothing especially impressive, but enough to make them reasonably competent at basic political manoeuvring-, and are then granted perfect knowledge of the political situations in the surrounding area (at least, 100% of what you and your cult have collected). They can remember the names of every courtier in Lesimor and Dolgoth, and some of their background- giving them a better chance of manipulating them into supporting the cult.
They just happen to be babbling lunatics as well. Ask them about the King of Dolgoth's second wife's third cousin twice removed, and they will tell you all there is to know. Ask them what colour the sky is, and they will tell you that it is lantern oil hedgehog, then accuse you of working for the secret society of candlestick bakers. This may impact their performance a little.
Upon reflection, you decide not to deploy the Graduates in their current state. Any good they do politically is likely to be immediately undone by their unusual condition.
Graduates are competent politicians, but incompetent humans. They will not be deployed. They would be
Uncommon if they were, due to the education required.
Bright Forge (Cheapened Shield Var.)
Under the harsh desert sun, the Bright Forge is built. The military workshops have long grown and expanded with the growing needs of war. The Bright Forge represents the next escalation.
Heliel calls upon the faith and power of the Good of the hundreds of blacksmiths, fletchers, tanners and others all contributing to the workshops to fashion an Angel of the Forge and a large complex consisting of a central building with a very large forge and a great deal of enchantment equipment, with a great number of forges radiating out from it in the land around this building. This Angel is bound to this central forge building, and does not have a corporeal form. Rather it applies to the complex much like the way the Orator Cherubs apply to the Chosen Apostles, operating tools and aiding with craftsmanship.
The center building represents an exciting advancement in providing a space for mass enchanting services. While underutilized as of now, the Bright Forge Angel is particularly suited for creating enchantments with much more ease -- it is both a being of Good and Magic, which means that it has plenty of capacity to provide the magical power that enchanted runes need to function, and as a being designed around the manipulation of equipment, it is also plenty capable of making several of these runes simultaneously.
With the Bright Forge, stronger arms and armor are easier to make and more attainable, and enchanted items have much more dedicated production, making it easier to create enchanted items for more than a select few units.
The first project of the Angel and craftsmen of the Bright Forge is to double down with ferocity on some of the enchanted equipment previously made, to create many more copies of our enchanted gear and allow it to show up on the battlefield with much more prevalence. In this case, the Barrier Shields that our minotaurs wield are what sees the focus, with the intent being to create many more shields and allow the Shield Minotaurs to become a more consistently present force on the battlefield (read: Uncommon rather than Rare).
Bright Forge (Cheapened Shield Var.): Normal: (2+3)=5: Average
Good creates where Evil destroys; it is known. There may be exceptions to the rule... many exceptions, in fact, but the point stands. Sort of. Well, your followers believe it, and that's what matters.
A thousand craftsmen kneel in the sand, in concentric circles, all facing towards the centre. There, you draw on their creativity, drive, and skill, siphoning it into yourself. Next, you split off part of your essence, containing the aforementioned qualities, and drive the sphere of Good into the ground. The sand around the impact point fuses into glass, and as the sphere sinks deeper, the glass spreads out, forming a multicoloured mosaic of indescribable beauty. The kneeling craftsmen marvel as the ground beneath their feet is transformed, a physical manifestation of the genius loci now inhabiting this formerly featureless stretch of desert.
With the
Angel of the Forge in place, work begins on building a suitable structure around it. The builders work like men possessed, knowing without being told where to go and what to do, quickly erecting a domed hall over the glass mosaic- which conveniently has sections missing where stone pillars may be sunk into the earth-, and setting up forges and workshops of all kinds in smaller halls radiating from the central structure.
Under AotF's influence, craftsmen work faster, and enchantments are easier to apply. Production of Sunbows and Barrier Shields is moved into the Bright Forge. Production of both is increased, with production of Barrier Shields being prioritised- with the result that the number of Shield Minotaurs that can be deployed almost doubles (note that making Shield Minotaurs more common than Minotaurs in general is not possible (and making Minotaurs more common would be tricky)).
The
Bright Forge provides a small increase to industrial capacity, and a significant increase to enchantment capacity. Thanks to increased production, Shield Minotaurs are more common (3 per unit, Uncommon), and Sunbows are 10% more numerous.
It is now the Revision Phase. You have two revisions.
Heliel: The benevolent leader of your faction, a being of immense power. There is very little they cannot do. Needless to say, they are Unique.
Champions:
The Silver Markswoman: A female archer who was accidentally imbued with the power of light, causing her to glow, granting her improved vision, and increasing her stamina when exposed to sunlight. Wears a hooded cloak when not fighting to conceal her glowing skin & hair. An expert archer, she harmonises with her Sunbow, giving it even greater range and power. Not particularly skilled at close combat, or provided with any special equipment. Unique
Mundane Units:
Armed Cultists: Equipped with fairly respectable equipment- a well-made gambeson, padded iron cap, sturdy spear, shiny dagger, and a solid shield-, combined with rudimentary training, mean that while these are not elite warriors, they would stand a chance against a real soldier. More importantly, they're cheap and plentiful. Like regular cultists, their dedication (and communal singing) makes them more resilient mentally than civilians. Common
Cultist Archers: Cultists who have some experience and training with a bow are valuable assets in combat, harassing the enemy from a distance. Their bows are not high-draw war-bows, but they've received training from experts that renders them better and faster shots- the equal of the average archer in a human army. Also provided with gambeson and iron cap. Like regular cultists, their dedication (and communal singing) makes them more resilient mentally than civilians. Extended training programmes also increase the number of archers available, doubling the size of each unit.Uncommon
Sunbow Skirmishers: Archers provided with Sunbows- recurve shortbows enchanted to double the force imparted on arrows, and cause said arrows to glow like the sun in flight and cause burning on impact-, and rigorous training in mobility, allowing them to move around the battlefield extremely rapidly- all but regardless of terrain. Are otherwise similar to regular archers in terms of equipment. Significantly smaller units than regular archers. Uncommon
Acolytes: Cultists who have begun their exploration of the magical arts, studying under the Angel. They can cast any Common spells (unless noted otherwise). Their physical strength leaves something to be desired, but their mental fortitude is even greater than regular cultists. Wear a gambeson, but forgo iron cap. There are not many Acolytes in a unit. Uncommon
Angel's Voices: Acolytes who have discovered a song that resonates with their own 'Soul Song', granting them greatly improved magical ability, especially with regard to Spellsongs. They can sing any Uncommon Spellsongs, and cast most other Uncommon spells. No more physically adept than regular Acolytes. Wear white robes sown with golden thread, and wear little white masks over their eyes. 3-4 per unit. Uncommon
Cultist Officers: Featuring a whole two tiers of military hierarchy, the sergeants and captains impart a modicum of organisation upon their fellow cultists. While not massively better than self-organised troops, it's still noticeable. They are distributed amongst all cultist units (eg Armed Cultists, Cultist Archers, Acolytes).
Apostles of the Minotaurs: Students of moral philosophy and appreciators of the world. Their grasp of deeper concepts has the potential to win over those who appreciate a more intellectual approach. Rare
Graduates: Graduates of the Institute of Intrigue (making them reasonably competent political operatives), who have been augmented with a supernatural memory of local politics (making them very good political operatives), and are babbling lunatics (making them utterly useless political operatives). Uncommon
Summoned/Mutated Units:
Bright Shadows: Souls of fallen cultists (or other Good people), empowered with Good such that they may continue to serve in death as they did in life. Invisible and incorporeal, with an uncanny ability to find whatever they are looking for, they make for excellent spies and capable scouts. Immune to physical attack (but not magical attack). Not useful in actual combat. Uncommon
Bright Shadow Acolytes: Bright Shadows with magical potential, who have been further empowered to enable them to utilise such. Their spellcasting ability is rather weak, and they are easier to detect. Nevertheless, invisible spellcasters are nothing to sneer at. Rare
Shadow Walkers: Former criminal types, who found redemption under Heliel, and now serve her cause fanatically. They have been augmented with minor mutations that improve their stealth ability, and are skilled in all manner of underhanded activities. Uncommon
Chosen Apostles: Acolytes with a companion Orator Cherub bound to their souls. The Orator Cherub is a very minor angelic being with mastery of rhetoric, which both provides the Apostle with a script and augments their voice with angelic energy. Rare
Monsters:
Wyvern Harriers: Large (horse+ size) reptiles, their front limbs are powerful wings that (combined with inherent magic) enable them to fly. They can augment their breath into gale-force winds, though only once every few minutes. Scales provide moderate natural armour, though their wing membranes are vulnerable. Not particularly intelligent. Each 'unit' consists of a single Wyvern. Uncommon
Wyvern Riders: An uncomfortable saddle (for both rider and ride) with simply awful safety, combined with a wyvern's unease at having a rider, render these unlikely to see much use.
Wailing Wyvern: Wyverns are taught to 'sing' a modified version of Refrain of Regret using their air-blast magic. This can be used to demoralise dozens of enemy soldiers at once, but the feedback will also cause the Wyvern itself to flee. Wyverns will only use this ability when directly ordered to.
Monks of Minos: Half man, half bull, all pacifist. Strong, tough, and capable of channelling small amounts of Good into their strikes, these monks are built for war- but their minds have, over many generations, been honed for peace. Very effective warriors, despite their reluctance to cause unnecessary suffering and their rigid adherence to their brand of martial arts. Fight in tiny squads of 3-4 minotaurs. Uncommon
Shield Minotaurs: Monks of Minos, equipped with large iron 'Barrier Shields'. The shields are embossed with glyphs, and when planted in the ground project a magical barrier above and to the sides, which blocks/diminishes magical attacks. The barriers last for several minutes before needing to be recharged. Operate in squads of 3. Uncommon
Spells/Rituals:
Magic Missile: Known by many names, the simple technique of blasting your opponent with raw Magic/Good/Evil is a tried and true method of making things go away. Efficacy increases with caster's mental might, and decreases with the target's. Common
Major Missile: A more powerful, but also more draining version of Magic Missile. Produces a stronger blast than the standard Magic Missile, but can only be cast a few times (depending on strength) before the user is drained of their spellcasting reserves. The user has a limited ability to direct the missile in flight. Common
Heliel's Love: A very efficient basic healing spell. A slight touch and channelling of angelic love initiates a self-sustaining healing process that can heal up to moderately serious injuries and diseases fairly rapidly. The magic has lingering effects even after healing is complete, leaving the subject healthier and more resilient for a few hours afterwards. Heliel casts this magic automatically on all in her vicinity (unless specifically choosing not to). Common
Mass Heliel's Love: A markedly less efficient variant of Heliel's Love, that affects all targets in a small area (~15 at a time). The healing effect is reduced, to the point where even stabilising moderately serious injuries is a gamble- sometimes doing enough for the patient to survive until more personalised healing can be applied, other times only giving the appearance thereof. It cannot be cast as often as Heliel's Love, but is still Common
Heliel's True Gift: A modified version of Heliel's Love that can reverse ageing by 15-20 years. Heliel herself can reverse ageing almost indefinitely. Uncommon
Heliel's False Gift: A modified version of Heliel's True Gift that reverses ageing by 5-10 years for up to a week, after which the magic abruptly ends- very painfully. Uncommon
Song of Soothing: A spellsong developed to heal and fortify the mind. The song must be initiated by a magic user, but once sufficient numbers are singing along it becomes self-sustaining. Cannot be used by or affect the undead. Common
Refrain of Regret: An inverted version of Song of Soothing. Listeners are compelled to sing along, thereby weakening their minds. This includes friendly targets. It is also not self-sustaining, as continued exposure renders one incapable of lending energy to the music. Common
Missile in Major Key: An offensive spellsong that unleashes a wave of magical energy at the foe. Cast by three mages singing together. Inefficient, but deadly to those caught by the wave. Uncommon
Infiltration Techniques:
Proselytise: Cultists go forth and spread the Good word, finding those sympathetic to their cause and slowly winning them over. Not the fastest way of gaining converts, as baseline cultists are not expert missionaries, but it keeps the cult growing. Common
Travelling Medics: Acolytes/Angel's Voices accompany proselytising missions, curing the sick and injured in order to win over the local population. Uncommon
Spy: Agents of Heliel travel the land, seeking secrets, while going unnoticed themselves. Does not directly increase influence, but aids in most other infiltration endeavours. Bright Shadows are most suitable for this role (Shadow Walkers can also help). Common
Exploit Intelligence: Using information gathered by other infiltrators, agents go forth to advance the Good cause while hindering Evil. Covers all manner of activity; theft, sabotage, blackmail, intimidation, even murder- all at the expense of the unrighteous, of course. Not extremely effective due to lack of specialisation, but not bad either. Shadow Walkers are most effective at this. Uncommon
Inquisition: More specialised towards the uncovering and elimination of demonic agents, especially high-value targets. Does little to actively advance the Good cause, but can throw Evil operations into disarray. Rare
Infrastructure:
Basic Training Camps: Rudimentary facilities, where cultists learn the basics of combat and warfare. Singing is integrated into the training programme, serving to boost morale.
Basic Officer Training: A stumbling, amateurish step towards proper military organisation, the officers trained thus are still better than leaders chosen in the moment.
Military Workshops: A series of mines, smelters, forges and workshops that provide the forces of Good with arms and armour.
The Bright Forge: A large workshop complex possessed of an angelic genius loci that accelerates production and enchantment. Geared towards producing enchanted equipment.
Export Workshops: A section of workshop space set aside for producing goods for export, especially enchanted items.
DARRIN (Combat)Dry Plains:
4/4 |
0/4Mountain Passes:
3/4 |
1/4Rice Terraces:
0/4 |
4/4LESIMOR (Influence)Fortified Frontier:
3/5 |
2/5Lawless Capital:
3/5 |
3/5Scholarly Towers:
3/5 |
3?/5XA-NAM (Combat)River Delta:
4/4 |
0/4River Crossings:
3/4 |
1/4Light Jungle:
0/4 |
4/4DOLGOTH (Influence)Trade City:
3/5 |
3/5Ostentatious Capital:
3/5 |
3?/5Wartorn Wastes:
3/5 |
3?/5
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Topic: Angel Team - Chiaroscuro Arms Race: Strategy Phase 10 (Read 30144 times)