>>25730775
You are Oberst Hans Landa, an engineering expert with the Third Reich, dispatched via a magical gateway in Berlin-- the principles of which you can barely scrape to understand-- to a strange new world, sent to make it the secret weapon that shall ensure Germany's victory in the war against Poland, and total security for millennia to come.

For now, however, it seems you're having some interesting times just trying to stay alive in this place. You look down at the bundle of bandages around your stomach, then look back to the medic, then back over the rather demolished command center. The large radio console is busted, but not irreparably so, thankfully. It will still be a day or two before you get long-range communications back, unfortunately.

You're left on your lonesome now, however. Just what shall be your next order of business?

>>25730775
find out where the tunnel exited

Make sure that the assassin is dissected by our top scientists and doctors. Time to see how the hell that thing ticks and how we can kill/make our own.

>>25731014
>>25730998
You look towards the men covering the tunnel, a small squad-level radio set laid out in the middle of the room in place of the main radio array. The men covering the assassin's remains back up as a pair of men carrying a stretcher move up.

"Have that damned thing dissected." You order, once the men are certain that it's dead (by virtue of it not moving anymore.) There's a moment of grunting and heaving as they try to dislodge its head from the cabinet, but they succeed, its ruined mask being placed atop its face-down body. Blood, thick and black, dribbles upon the stretcher as they hurry the body away.

It'll be a few more minutes, as the bleeding from your stomach begins to slow, before you hear the radio chirrup.

"Full lockdown is now in effect. Raiding parties are at the gate, and have checked in that they have the nobles in custody. Gunther reports he'll be with the Thule Society sorcerer at the gate." One of the door sentries reports in.

"This is the exploration team." Another voice cuts in, "It appears that this tunnel leads into the city's sewer system. Directly into it, in fact." He suggests, "It seems like there was some sort of hidden wall built for this exact purpose."

what is the situation overall?

>>25731259
>Are you looking for a total report on all current assets, or are you looking for a view on your current situation?

>>25731300
total report and I want to see a report on any local organizations and factions.

>>25731325
>The 'unofficial' way of reporting all of that: http://emlia.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php?n=TheFourthEmpire.TheFourthEmpire

You currently possess a number of assets and factions under your control. Your biggest opponent at the moment is the "Empire," A group that exists and seemingly holds the lion's share of territory in this realm. You have had several engagements before, but this engagement is the first that has seriously tasked you. The Empire appears to possess vast resources in both manpower and magic, as well as precious magical materials, though you have been hard at work understanding magic for yourself and putting it to good use.

You currently hold control of three main areas: The city of Redding, the small village of Riverside, and the Portal Base, wherein you contain the Gate itself, which is your main source of reinforcements at this point in time.

>>25731447
Make sure the portal is secured an attack like this might also double as a distraction.

>>25731494
after do a full sweep of the area there might be more hiding in wait.

>>25731522
also block that hole this isn't the death star

>>25731535
>>25731522
>>25731494
The portal facility itself is currently held with a number of fortifications, as well as four full squads of Wehrmacht infantry. The arrival of additional forces will certainly help assist it against eventual attack.

Considering the Keep itself is in lockdown, sweeps are already underway, though you have heard nothing further on the radio. Do you wish to have the tunnel filled with concrete, or simply have the hole itself blocked off?

>>25731630
Just have it blocked if the city is ever lost its a go point to launch a counterattack. while blocking it rig it with explosives to collapse it in-case of attack.

>>25731630
how late into the 1940s are we?
I need an exact date as to know what aircraft and tanks germany currently has

>>25731681
>>25731756
It is currently November 15th, 1939. You do, however, have access to prototype weaponry and materiel, but the more advanced that said prototypes are, the more prone to breakdown/maintenance they are.

"Get some sheet metal in place over the hole. Call the squad back." You order, grunting slightly as you turn the wrong way, irritating your stomach wound slightly.

Rigging the tunnel with explosives could put the Keep as a whole at risk of demolition, severely compromising the structure of the fort. If that is your goal, however, it could be easily done by one of the engineering squads.

>>25731828
then just have the engineers boobytrap the tunnel with noise makers or grenades based on if the tunnel can handle it or not. Do we have any eyes and ears in the empire?

>>25731907
"Rig the tunnel." You also order, looking around the room, the wounded mostly evacuated now, heading off to the infirmary in the Keep.

"Put plenty of grenades. I don't want a repeat of this." You state simply, left to your thoughts, mildly addled as they are.

You currently do not have any spies in actual Empire territory, though a number of locals have agreed to assist your efforts inside of your territory, in exchange for the usual favors that such informants tend to receive.

>>25731960
Ok, do NOT explode the tunnel. This thing can be hella useful as an escape tunnel. We can still rig it so that we can collapse it if we need to later (after we have used it to escape for example).

>>25731960
We need to regain our bearing and find out what our premonition means. We seem to have awakened our latent magic just now. If we manage to train our prescience assassins will stop being an issue. We need to talk with Siegfried about this.

>>25732437
>>25732417
With the tunnel rigged, it's still usable for escape, though it might require the touch of a blowtorch to make it entirely usable again.

In the interim, you focus on what your premotion-- "Reaper's Hand"-- have have had full implications of beyond the killer. Nothing immediately comes to mind, but the idea of yourself as a mage is an interesting one. Siegfried, unfortunately, is already on his way to the Gate's facility. You could attempt to have the men catch up and redirect him, or you could attempt to catch him yourself if you wish to take the journey.

>>25732473
We might fake the assassination being successful. Bait them into using whatever follow-up plan they had. I'm not sure if they actually had any though. Maybe trying to assassinate the next leader as well until no potential commanders remain?

We could lay traps for future assassins if there are some. Have officers seem vulnerable etc. The only problem I see with this is that I have no idea if there will be any assassination attempts in the near future at all.

Try to get you hand on some beginner lever magical tomes. I don't feel secure with letting anyone here know about our apparent talent so it will be self-study until another Thule member comes.

>>25732473
>>25732551
Could try to acquire something from the mages we have under our command. We can make some sort of excuse i'm sure.

Though interestingly it seems our magic reacted with our strong emotional outburst.

After the sweeps are done we should consider searching the sewers.

We should also at some point have a nice long "chat" with the Knight Commander because if anyone could have known about escape tunnel it would have been him.

>>25732998
>>25732551
You could relay orders to the mages working for the Reich, if you wish, to forward what they have in terms of knowledge. You could requisition one of the translator rings as well (which the mages are currently preoccupied with making more of.)

Traplaying is your decision to make, but some of the officers might not appreciate being made into human bait for the Empire's assassins, especially if some of them end up successful.

Siegfried is likely to have left a primer of some sort for his replacements. Do you wish to have that requisitioned for you to read, when you're a bit less... well, wounded?

Furthermore, sweeps are already underway in the Keep, as per standard lockdown procedures. The Knight Commander could likely be summoned at this point as well, if you wished to have a squad sent forth to obtain him from the Temple district.

>>25733460
We could request magical healing. I'm quite sure the mages wouldn't do anything untoward in front of our guards. Magical compulsion might be an issue here though so a wand of healing or the Knight Commander (if he knows magic) are preferable.

I fear that Siegfried is too paranoid to leave his Primer untrapped, unhidden and unencrypted. I assume he intends to have his replacement informed of how to safely find and use it. It would be a great source of knowledge if we do manage use it though.

>Send for a wand of healing if such a thing is in our possession.
>Send for the Knight Commander.
Talk to him about hidden passages. I would also like us to visit the temples one of these days if that isn't considered too disrespectful. While we won't bow to foreign powers potentially real gods shouldn't be offended and it would be really good if we could make sure they aren't going to rally their followers against us.

>>25733460
Well once we have our stitches done we should see if Siegfried did leave a primer as it wouldn't hurt to look.

Though >>25734110 did bring up a good point in that the Knight Commander might know some magical healing so might as well summon him anyway.

But really we should just leave the temple district alone at least for the time being. I'm pretty sure "sacrificing living humans" counts as getting on some of these gods bad sides.

>>25734577
>>25734110
"Do we have any magical healing available?" You call out, thinking. "Get a few of the mages up here-- better yet, get Knight Commander Beregen." You order, one of the surviving adjutants abruptly nodding and hurrying off to relay the order by word of mouth, considering the status of the long-range radio system.

"Do we have any sort of healing magical items?" You inquire, looking around those present. One of the soldiers speaks up,

"No, sir." He replies, "But the local marketplace might have something such as that. Shall I head down and purchase some, or do you wish for me to simply take them?" He inquires.

>>25737028
Purchase them but do not haggle on the price, just get back here as soon as possible

>>25737392
This. We are still doing the mostly nice-guy routine. No reason to stop now.

>>25737028
perhaps we should go with a real doctor instead of the local witchcraft.

>>25738664
I think we have our real medical staff at the gate camp, lets see how the local witch craft works!

bump

>>25737028
Her Obersturmbannführer? Did he die? o-o

Anywho I vote for trying the local healing witchcraft who and to contact the Knight Commander, maybe we'll be lucky and they have resurrection magic! :D Though unlikely to the extreme

>>25737028
Might as well go with the "local witchcraft". It would at least give us an estimate on how do their medicine is.

>>25741861
>>25741081
>Sorry about that, elected to take a nap while /tg/ drifted through its non-peak hours.

>>25737392
>>25738412
>>25738412
>>25738664
>>25738905
>>25741861
>>25743369
You do have Dr. Klein and other surgical staff on-hand, but for now, you elect to see just what magic can yield for yourself.

"Purchase them-- don't bother with haggling." You order, "We need a quick solution fast, with so many of the officers injured." You state simply, reclining against the desk a bit further.

It would be almost an hour by the time the Knight Commander arrived, even with all the rushing. The search teams would reveal no further assassins, and the tunnel itself would be carefully rigged and sealed back up, in the event that any more attackers might try the same means of entry.

The arrival of the Knight Commander, clad in his full plate suit of mithril armor, would prompt you to rise. Your stomach wound having been bandaged now that the bleeding had (mostly) stopped, you simply remain where you are, seated atop the damaged desk.

The Knight Commander's expression is extremely sour as he enters into the command room, his brief assessment of just what it looks like not entirely escaping your (slightly lightheaded) notice. He was every bit as savvy as any other commander, and it was evident he was curious just how the Reich ran its operations.

"I told those wretched fools this would happen." He grumbled, his expression sour as he looked over to you, his brows furrowing. "Your men alerted me that there was an attack. There's wounded and injured." He stated, obviously contemplating something. "How bad was it?"

It would be at this point you'd hear over the radio that a number of items for healing had been procured, and that a small convoy was en route back to the Keep to deliver them.

it might be a good idea to place in an order for a squadron of 10 Fw-190 fighter/bomber
useful enough to to bomb ground targets but agile enough to ground attack or dogfight any "flying" threats

>>25744293
"Bad enough that the assassin was something not human clad in mythril armor."

>>25744293
Well you are correct that there was an attack, if one could call a cowards blade in the night an attack.
Knight Commander, there has been an assassination attempt on me and my staff, which was partly successful as you can see.

I hope you understand the ramifications this will have in the foreseeable future for the responsible. As is natural the Reich is most curious to who or what attacked, a most disfigured man with obvious...implants... and astounding combat prowess, any information you would care to share would be most appreciated.

>>25744497
This is obviously an attack by the empire we should secure a spy network as soon as possible. There is a small chance it could have been a local resistance attempt have the gestapo sniff around.

>>25744619
also as soon as all medical work is done put as much into that autopsy as you can.

>>25744619
An excellent suggestion, we put Herr Doyle in charge of that task, as it falls somewhat under his jurisdiction.

There are always those who value coin and favour more then honesty and pride.

Rolled 60

>>25744293
"I will have to take more safety precautions, which will mean that I will have to be less lenient than I have been so far. It seems like some take me for a fool that will be easily disposed of."

>>25744416
Considering it has not yet entered widespread production, such an aircraft would be primarily a prototype, albeit a prototype that's very close to completion with a few basic modifications.

>>25744619
>>25744497
>>25744435
>>25744691
>>25744801
>>25744817
"Bad enough that the assassin was something not a human clad in mithril armor." You snipe back, quirking an eyebrow at the Knight Commander's entrance. He says nothing, so you speak on his behalf. "I will have to take more safety precautions, which will mean that I will have to be less lenient than I have been so far. It seems that some take me for a fool that will be easily disposed of."

You gesture to the room around you, mostly cleaned up, but signs of battle still evident. An engineer pries off the casing of the damaged radio console, getting to work on its inner wiring.

"Knight Commander, there has been an assassination attempt on me and my staff, which was partly successful as you can see. I hope you understand the ramifications this will have in the foreseeable future for the responsible. As is natural the Reich is most curious to who or what attacked, a most disfigured man with obvious...implants... and astounding combat prowess, any information you would care to share would be most appreciated."

The Knight Commander pauses, seemingly considering something. "The Empire is known for having a great many weapons at its disposal. Some of them much more secretive than others. It may be that someone in the Empire wished to see you gone, and had the necessary ties to employ just such a killer. Your survival is very... Unexpected, I would say, considering the usual efficiency they have in these matters." He remarked, giving you a nod of apparent respect.

>>25745703


You do, in fact, have a spy network, and Doyle is likely currently in the midst of shaking down said spy network. You could contact him to make sure of this, but in all likelihood, Doyle's network of informants across the city is likely already scouring for potential sources.

There is also, as a matter of course, the men looking to obtain Rhemult. You've heard nothing from the men sent to locate the apparent underworld organizer, but it has, after all, been a hectic night.

>>25745757
we should have a follow up team move in to where they were last known

>>25745703
"Naturally they do, as do the Reich. Of course, we are in the habit of facing and crushing the enemy in the field rather then this kind of treachery.

I thank you for that tidbit of information, and should you think of something else I would naturally be delighted to share your thoughts.
Speaking of those, now that you have seen what we bring and offer, what do you think, in honesty, of us?. Of me? You may, I even insist that, you speak freely.

So, I put forward that we need to recall our medical experts, gather all of our scientific and medical knowledge and throw it straight at our little corpse.

Preferably transporting the damned thing back to the gate-base (soon Festung Walhall) for safe and proper studies

>>25746376
>>25745978
>>25745827
You could have Dr. Klein and the other medical professionals, all of which have moved to be situated at Redding, begin an in-depth examination of the corpse, but without Siegfried or another magical expert present, it may not go according to plan.

As far as transporting it is concerned, you could certainly have it moved back to your base camp at the moment. You had mentioned wishing to be present there as well, so if you desired, you could accompany the corpse and the medical personnel as well.

Knight Commander Beregen bites at his lower lip as you speak up. "Thank you for the tidbit of information, and should you think of something else, I would naturally be delighted to share your thoughts. Speaking of those... now that you have seen what we bring and offer, what do you think, in honesty, of us? Of me? You may, I even insist that, you speak freely."

His face goes abruptly blank as he considers what to say. "I would say that your nation-- this Reich-- is of great power, and, potentially, great danger to the Empire. Your machines are strange, but you treat the workers well enough, and you have not abused anyone flagrantly. Your employment of all the unemployed is certainly to be smiled upon, giving vagrants work, but I find your methods... exotic. Strange. You wish for all citizens to have paperwork, but I cannot fathom the reasons for it." The Knight Commander states plainly, "However, I cannot deny that you have been more fair than most rulers in the past. You have not set your men as hounds upon the city. You have respected your promise to leave the Temple District alone. For that, I am willing to extend the services of our healers to your own men, should you have wish of their use." He states, "I could even attend to your injuries with my own abilities, should you desire."

>>25747665
You could dispatch another squad of Wehrmacht soldiers, if you wish, to attempt to locate the original team sent in search of Rhemult, or at least to render aid should they find them.

>>25747681
Why not do it the extra-simple way and spread the word that we like to speak to this particular man or a representative?

Let him come to us, etc etc

>>25747665
If you could that would be most apreciated."

>>25747665
"The Reich rules over a great many people, Knight-Commander. Paperwork is simply one of our tools to provide fair and efficient government.

"As to your offer of aid, it is most appreciated. Though the Reich provides the best care it can afford to its soldiers, it is sometimes regrettably not enough."

>>25748323
>>25750116
>>25750561
You could certainly have Doyle spread the word that you want to speak with Rhemult, though your squads may turn up results soon enough.

You look the Knight Commander over, before at last nodding. "Your offer of aid is most appreciated. Though we provide the best care we can afford, sometimes it is, regrettably, not enough." You tell him.

The armored man approaches as you continue speaking, his mithril hands reaching towards your bandaged stomach and hands, clasping your hands together over your stomach as his brow furrows in concentration.

"The Reich rules over a great many people, Knight Commander." You state, "Paperwork is simply one of our tools to--" You're cut short by a sudden bubbling sensation. A sizzling sensation, not unlike the feeling of hydrogen peroxide on a wound.

You pause for a minute as you feel the tendrils of some strange, exotic energy radiate over your hands and stomach, a warmth that consolidates in a mild golden glow over the affected areas.

The Knight Commander removes his hands, and you're left with the sight of your hands, puffy, pink, and tender, but once again whole. Your stomach has a small scar in your uniform, but you appear otherwise whole.

"To provide fair and efficient government." You trail off, looking back to the Knight Commander in no small amount of awe.

"The divine provide great works for their servants to use." He replies, smiling faintly. "I have heard word that you wish to speak to many people, and offer much to those that you speak with. I would take it that these reports are true, from what you've indicated?"

>>25751441
they are true. those that choose to work with us will be rewarded

>>25751441
"Both ultimately and in the interim our goal is improvement of the human condition." Even if this entails the removal of huge parts of humanity as well as other races.

>>25756872
We are more Rommel then Himmler

>>25756872
at this point in time the war in poland is still going on so the systematic extermination has not gotten into full swing so I don't think we know about it.

bump

>>25761028

You'll be waiting for a long time. OP phases in and out of existence, but when he does appear, he delivers.

Polite sage for non-contribution.

>>25751441
bump

>>25763358
Bump

>>25761055
maybe, maybe he goes into the gate in between posts!

>>25751441
We should really look creating magical aptitude tests for our soldiers. Our men being able to instantly heal wounds would be invaluable and reduce the demand for medical supplies from home/healing items from the locals. There's surely a magical method of healing that doesn't require worshiping the Knight Commander's god.

Seems like the quest lost a lot of steam

>>25766896
Unfortunatly this happens from time to time as people get on and off. If may just be that Oberst is done running the quest for now, or something like that

>>25766924
Better to phase in and out then to have no quest at all. At least that's what I like to think.

>>25763506
Bump

>>25751441
We need Gunthers report, best without the Knight Commander listening. How many losses, could someone escape, who of the nobles were imprisoned and which killed? In case he was able to take the old man alive, I have prepared a little talk that should make him tell us everything he knows.

>>25766896
>>25766924
>Apologies. Overdid it a bit today, so I passed out for quite some time.

>>25753561
>>25756872
>>25758146
>>25758349
>>25771345
"They are quite true." You reply, "But those that choose to work with us will be rewarded for their wisdom." You remark, smiling at the Knight Commander. "As you, yourself, know. Our goal ultimately, and in the interim, is improvement of mankind."

You pause, "That is not without costs, in many forms." You remark, testing your newly healed hands, flexing them. They're still tender, but you're good to move, at least.

The Knight Commander nods. "As I have learned in many years of service." He states, looking towards you, then to the other parts of the room. You realize that you need to speak with Gunther still to hear his report-- as well as that, you had intended to personally interrogate the prisoners captured, before they were sacrificed for the Gate.

Do you wish to bring Knight Commander Beregen with you to the Gate facility, or have any last issues to address in Redding, before you attend the Gate's activation?

>>25771696
...Interesting. I had not suspected you.

>>25771696
talk to Gunther and then bring Beregen with us

>>25771696
>Ah heck, forgot to change over from Alchemist Quest. Apologies!

>>25771772
It will be a couple days to return to base camp. In the meantime, do you have any orders for Redding's detachments before you depart?

>>25771730
Makes you wonder how many quests he has run, I recall him admitting he ran the shattered galaxies quest (I think it was called that).

>>25771988
now I miss shattered galaxies quest

>>25772009
I do too.

>>25771988
>>25772009
>Well, if we're going to get into it...

>Shattered Galaxies Quest
>Thinking Machine Quest
>This
>Alchemist Quest
>Ultimate Faction Wars Quest: Human Edition

>>25771833
can you put up the list of upgrades we were working on in Redding

>>25772044
Hang on, I think I might know you. Do you know a NimbleJack3 on skype?

>>25772074
>Nope! Sorry. I'm Jony_Mooper on Skype.

>>25772067
You have no active construction projects in Redding. Your workforce has been preoccupied with mostly maintaining the streets and performing maintenance on existing structures.

>Existing structures:
>[ ] Keep [Basic]
>[ ] Administrative Center [Basic]
>[ ] Chemical Factory [Basic] [Fertilizers enabled] [100 Workers required]
>[ ] Steel Mill [Basic]
>[ ] Foundry [Basic]
>[ ] Concrete Factory [Basic]

>>25772090
thinking we should get the men working on upgrading the Keep to German Standards

>>25772108
The Keep itself has been upgraded with a number of modern amenities (thus the [Basic] tag), but if you wish, you could have them continue working on renovating the Keep, until it reaches a much more luxurious (and modern) standard. With the steel mill, foundry, and chemical factory, most of the basic components needed for upgrades are on-hand and self-sustaining.

>>25772090
Nothing else do do in Redding. Let's fire up the Gate.

>>25772120
this would be good

>>25772125
>>25772129
You look to the Knight Commander. "I think it will serve you well to understand just how grand a change we will be bringing." You inform him, smiling.

He pauses, "... How so?" He asks, to which you smile.

"Come with me to our headquarters here. I think you will find the arrival of our next wave of reinforcements enlightening." You mention, still smiling.

The Knight Commander nods, "Very well-- I assume we will be taking one of your golem transports?" He asks. This causes you to pause in turn at how to explain the concept of automobiles.

"Close enough." You remark, idly adjusting the ring on your finger as you begin to walk towards the doorway. "There are many changes to be coming." You add, pulling aside one of the soldiers at the entrance to the command post. "Relay orders that the workers are to continue improvements on the Keep-- the engineering staff here can handle the finer details of it." You order, before at last descending the stairs.

Transport, taken via a ride in the back of an Opel Blitz, part of a four-vehicle convoy meant to get supplies from the fuel pump. Considering the recent incident, a full squad of Wehrmacht infantry would ride along, the men keeping their gas masks close at hand should another assassin as before arrive.

The ensuing three days would go be quickly enough, Knight Commander Beregen remaining fairly quiet on the trip over, in spite of recent events. He would make a little small talk on his way along, but as with all things, the trip would soon come to an end. On the third day, the convoy would come rolling to a stop near the Gate base, the massive wooden walls standing proud, the observation post hailing the convoy with the short range radio. Siegfried, Gunther, and the others had apparently already all arrived.

>>25773272
And there, looming over the area, was the massive structure of the Gate itself. Surrounded on all sides by the concrete foundations of the future star fort, it loomed over the surrounding areas like a monument from God. Which it may well have been, for all that you know.

The base itself, though by no means as imposing (yet), had clearly undergone numerous renovations. Though the wooden palisade remained, hundreds of people could be seen laboring, townsfolk that had little idea of just what they were building even now. The prisoner encampment remained where it had been, but the star fort's construction went on around it, the prisoners clearly to be the last things moved. Massive piles of moved earth, shipped there via wheelbarrows, sat along the edge of the riverbank. More men could be seen with shovels and pickaxes, churning up entire webs of tunnels as the scant few pieces of heavy earth moving equipment were hard at work in more critical areas.

The Knight Commander said nothing, but the expression of mixed fear and awe said all that he needed to, the man leaning out the side of the vehicle (since comfortable with riding in it) as he stared at everything.

The vehicles would rumble directly through the front entrance, your own vehicle pulling aside near the base's command post as the other vehicles rolled on to the warehouse building inside of the encampment.

You'd hop out rather casually, in comparison to the Knight Commander's careful emergence. Gunther was visible inside of the command tent, clearly overseeing something. You could also head directly to the Gate itself, considering this was on the eve of the opening itself. You could also head directly to the prison encampment, if you wished to interrogate the prisoners before their inevitable sacrifice.

>>25773272
>>25773331
>Three days
What ?
What's the distance between Redding and the Gate ?

>>25773331
>Will procure food as a plan of action is set out.
>Also, it may be wise to set up a general list or idea of just what in particular you desire to attain from the Gate.

>Current options, with more available should you have something specific in mind:
>[ ] Three squads of elite SS Commandos, five men each with body armor and heavy weaponry.
>[ ] An extra pair of Panzer IV tanks, with a fuel truck to go with them.
>[ ] An additional 6 Blitzes with ammunition, medical supplies, and fuel, as well as a Protze full of heavier construction supplies.
>[ ] 4 Panzer II tanks, no fuel truck.
>[ ] 3 Sd.Kfz. 247s
>[ ] 1 Flakpanzer IV (Wirbelwind)
>[ ] 1 Company of Wehrmacht infantrymen, numbering approximately 200 soldiers.
>[ ] 1 Company of Gebirgsjager, numbering approximately 100 men.
>[ ] 5 teams of 10 Pioneers each, combat engineers of no small renown.
>[ ] Two full teams of research and medical personnel, to bolster your research capabilities.
>[ ] [Specific request]

>>25773361
Several hundred kilometers-- but the main issue in mind is that the roads themselves are rather treacherous in some parts, and require slower/more careful handling, plus the caution taken in avoiding ambushes along the way from Empire raiding parties.

>>25773366
Dp we get more than one select?

File: 1372771255393.jpg-(97 KB, 1351x761, 1371798057243.jpg)

97 KB JPG

>>25773427
Wow, I never realized the map was that big.

>>25773331
We should go see siegfried and ask him about what we did with the pistol

>>25773523
walk right in and go "yo siegfriend, apparently im magic n shit." would be hilarious to see his reaction

>>25773366
Well lets see here, I remember and support from previus discussions the need for Pz II's, the 20 mm gun will wreck anything just as good as a 75 mm one, not to mention the machinegun. Not to mention the more of them we have, the less vulnerable we are to "suddenly magic"

That, and they should be very low-priority. Command would hardly mind throwing them at us, while the heavier versions are needed elsewhere

File: 1372772707116.jpg-(64 KB, 458x582, 1364419929955.jpg)

64 KB JPG

>>25773366
We need a lot of artillery to flatten that fort. We will need more ammo.
I'm not from /k/ and I don't really know which one we should pick

File: 1372772959052.jpg-(75 KB, 800x568, Reichsautobahnbau bei Berlin.jpg)

75 KB JPG

>>25773427

Well that's one things we need to focus on when we pacified the area.

>>25773738
For artillery, its quite simple. The standard leFH18 105 mm howitzer is more then adequate, and seeing as we have 3 of those already it makes sense to simply bring out more to keep the supply simple, wouldnt you agree?,

>>25773799
take the older and larger calibre 15cm sFH 13's

>>25773830
Given that our supply lines all go through the portal, I think sticking to standardised guns is a good idea for the time. If we can establish a proper industrial presence on this side, then we can start to diversify our munitions.

>>25773830
I'm thinking more about ammo here, I cant see stone castles being able to stand up to the 105, I cant see infantry standing up to it any better then the 150, I cant see magic being less effective against the 150.

I can see our supplies being worse off as we need to bring in 2 kinds of howitzer munitions rather then just 1. But it looks to me a pretty good gun, so I say we put it to a vote!

LeFH 18: longer range, smaller calibre, ease of supply

sFH 13, shorter range, bigger boom, we dont have any ammo stockpiled

Mental note : modernize the Keep and search secrets passages, or build a new HQ designed to make assassination attempts really hard.

>>25773366
Three squads of elite SS Commandos are a must in my opinion as we will be able to do a lot more scouting/ commando activity.

>>25773899

>LeFH 18: longer range, smaller calibre, ease of supply

Unless Obersturmbannführer starts bringing out hax magic like 'protection from bullets' and 'protection from artillery' we don't really need artillery with a bigger boom.

However what we will be facing will be large amounts of soft targets, at least until the empire gets an idea of what we are capable of, long range and the ability to keep a sustained barrage should be the priority.

The bloodbath that the night arrests turns into shows that Gunther is lacking restraint and police duties are not his thing. He should be reassigned for more front line work and another person should be brought in to oversee peacekeeping duties.

I support getting the Pioneers, the build queue is not getting shorter and we need to reduce the pressure on our existing base.

Not sure about getting heavy construction materials though. Perhaps we should postpone heavy construction until we get Swordhenge.

Same for the science team.

>>25774051
But we already have Gunthers little trainees, not to mention the Gebirsjaeger, who make excellent scouts. I would be more interested in sheer manpower at this point. 200 able men vs 25 very able, especially since we have 90-ish very well trained scouts/infiltrators

>>25774168
This is a fairly good point. No matter how many vehicles and specialists we have, there are going to be some major conflicts in the future that'll require a ton of standard grunts.

>>25773447
You have, in previous openings, had the opportunity for anywhere from getting four of these choices through to eight. With Siegfried's ritual, you may get as much as twice that-- perhaps even more, depending on the results of the sacrifices.

>>25773523
>>25773550
You could, if you wish, attempt to locate Siegfried to talk with him. As it is, the Thule Society spellcaster is likely at the Gate itself, making preparations for the ritual to be performed.

You also have the Stuka components that are to be coming through, in order to complete the construct that Hans and Siegfried have been colluding on thus far.

>>25774723
OK, lets organise things into groups of 4 then.

st. Group (nessesary)
4 Panzer II tanks, no fuel trucks
leFH 18 Battery (specific request)
2 Company of Wermacht Infantrymen, 400 soldiers

that should fill out the things needed at the moment, allowing us to enjoy something like this for a second 4th

Additional 6 blitzes with ammo, medical etc etc
3 squads of SS commandos (as it was requested)
another 4 Pz II
Skdfz 251 (troop transport halftracks, specific)
Extra pair of Pz IV tanks, with fuel

with those 8, totalling 10 tanks, 425 men, artillery, ammo and halftracks for swift movement.

Any arguments for or against?

>>25774888
(Before I forget, we would do well with adding more ammo if we can, as we will need it soon enough. but ammo on a pile doesnt help if theres nobody to shoot)

>>25774888
Do we honestly need ten tanks sucking fuel? I doubt they're going to be firing armour piercing arrows at us.

>>25774927
Dear gods no, we dont really need it.
But I'm seeing the tanks as basically the guarantee that if an army shows up, we can fuck them.
if a ship shows up, 20mm cannon says bye bye.

If damn near anything overly threatening shows up, bye bye. Using them doing patrols would be dumb, I agree with that.
We also have very good fuel supplies, and 8 of those are light tanks after all

>>25774888

Oh yea, remember we asked for timed and/or proximity fuses.

>>25774927
Also, that also follows the great plan for our expeditionary forces (shown here: http://emlia.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php?n=TheFourthEmpire.ExpeditionForces)

Which basically says that our planned panzer forces = 4 pz IV, 8 pz II.

>>25775001
Alright, as long as they're strictly on reserve and HQ can spare any panzers, objection withdrawn.

>>25775027
Jawohl! shall we build a 3rd group then?

the Pz IV (as I seem to have made 5 in the last one, whops)
6 Opel blitz, proximity fuses and extra fuel please
Stuka parts, must not forget
And here I do not know, more ammo/fuel? artillery? men? Skdfz 251? something else entirely?

>>25774888
This has my support, as long as the commandos com with some bad-ass yet logical motherfucker who can replace Gunther.

We also need those Stuka parts, as we promised Hans we'd get them.

Ofcourse, things do add into consideration:
We may need heavy construction materiel, for the starfort or reinforcing other structures.

the aircraft that was mentioned in other threads
Flamethrowers has also been mentioned at some point
machinery for setting up an industrial base
Thule society "gentlemen"
more gestapo
anything else our wicked minds may come up with

>>25775143
The list never ends...

But no fixed-wing aircraft yet, lets keep that in reserve, like our chemical/biological weapons.

Also, we have to remember to send some mithril and a bunch if go,d back to appease High Command.

Revised list for ease of reading

1st group, high priority
*4 Panzer II
*specific request, leFH 18 battery
*Wermacht company, 100 men.
*Wermacht company, 100 men

Group 2, lower priority
*6 Opel blitzwagens, proximity fuses please
*Stuka parts (specific request)
* 4 Panzer II
*Reserved for sending things through (?)

Group 3, incase we get lucky
*2 Panzer IV, with fuel truck
* Skdfz 251, specific request
*6 opel blitzwagens as we could always use more things
*3 squads of SS commandos

Agreements, insults, general oppinions?

>>25775237
Personally I'd switch the second batch of Panzer IIs with the 3 squads of SS commandos. Gunther needs to be replaced sooner rather than later.

Other than that, I agree.

>>25775401
That is a very good point, I agree.

>>25775237
Why are we cutting down the troop numbers from 400 to 200?

I would also recommend having the Stuka parts carried in in the first group as high priority equipment, considering they'll make up our flying daemon bird.

>>25775460
Oh gods, I'm sorry. Misstyped, each pick is 200 men, not 100. Mea culpa

Rolled 20

>>25775460
I agree we need those parts as a high priority

>>25775460
>>25775556
I have made the change, wont post to avoid cluttering the thread until we have some other changes to add in, or we have reached a final list (swapped places with one of the infantry companies)

>>25775460
Command whats that bird built, if we didn't get those parts our head would be on the line.

Ok, there has been some time and nobody has argued for major changes, potentially final revision:

1st group, high priority
*4 Panzer II
*specific request, leFH 18 battery
*Wermacht company, 200 men.
*Stuka parts (specific request)

Group 2, lower priority
*6 Opel blitzwagens+Protze, proximity fuses please
*3 squads of SS commandos
*Wermacht company, 200 men
*Reserved for sending things back to Germany

Group 3, incase we get lucky
*2 Panzer IV, with fuel truck*
*6 Skdfz 251/1, specific request
*6 opel blitzwagens+Protze
*4 Panzer II

>>25775643
Sounds good to me, let's get this supply train rolling.

>>25776234
Now all we have to do is wait for OP...

File: 1372789557614.jpg-(199 KB, 1024x1042, The Great Circle.jpg)

199 KB JPG

>>25775643
>>25775460
>>25775401
>>25775443
You already have the specific order of arrival laid out. Though you place much faith on Siegfried's abilities, you know-- at the very least-- that you will have an abundance of forces on this side of the Gate should the ritual pan out according to your wishes.

Which, with any luck, it shall. You elect to hunt down Siegfried, Knight Commander Beregen following after you, the man obviously well out of his element. As such, he simply stares in obvious wonder of the huge (in comparison to the city) structures littering your base. Though the base is running on a skeleton staff, it is clear that you have enough room for an army. Ten armies, in fact, though this batch of reinforcements may yet take time.

Which is right when you run across Siegfried. He's currently standing at the outskirts of what looks like a massive circle. A massive ritual circle painted in... What you can only think of, or hope to think of, as red paint. The Thule Society mage is dressed in his usual formal robes, his bald head inclined towards the ground as he inks words upon the outermost rings, murmuring to himself as you approach.

You hear a gasp from the Knight Commander. "Krondor's balls..." You hear him curse, but you simply ignore it for now, listening to Siegfried's murmuring.

"Five pivotal points for five elements." Siegfried states simply, "Forty sacrifices divided across five elements-- plus the central point for resonance." He mumbles to himself. He suddenly stands upright, looking over to you directly.

"Greetings, Oberst." He states by way of welcome. "I am nearly finished with preparations. The Gate will be opening in approximately an hour, and I will enact the ritual then. Do you have anything you wish to discuss or attend to in the interim?"

>>25776367
speak to Siegfried in german about checking us for the gift of magic

>>25776413
We're already speaking German. Beregen understands us no matter what we speak because of the translation rings.

>>25776367
*take off the ring first*
"Indeed Siegfried. A few matters have come up since your departure that require your expertise. Firstly an assassin was able to sneak into our headquarters in Redding and kill a large number of our staff and soldiers there. This thing was not human, and wielded items of a magical craft. I only survived due to the second issue. I seem to have some aptitude in magic, either that or blind luck made my pistol fire a bolt of lightning.

>>25776462
>take off the ring first
But discreetly. Yanking off the ring in view of non-German speakers is a big flashing sign that we don't want what we're saying to be understood.

As would be suddenly changing languages in any case.

>>25776519
Good point. Wave Siegfried into a tent/building to have a sotto-voice chat?

>>25776539
I'm concerned regarding our ally's potential burn-the-witch reaction.
We should make clear our personal distaste for this sorcery for the benefit of our ally.

Then we can discuss in private, once our allies aren't wondering if we're consorting with dark forces.

>>25776539
Still suspicious, especially considering we just lead a holy man to an obvious ritual site where we intend to sacrifice people.

It's like saying "Hey, check out this freezer full of human limbs! Hang on, let me go chat with my pal here in the other room. Don't do anything silly, now."

>>25776367
Aw shit.

Knight commander Beregen may have already realized we are planning on sacrificing people.

Lets see if we can avoid or distract him with other stuff.

This is a display of our military strength; let's not ruin our reputation while making ourselves a massive threat, shall we?

>>25776632
Personally I would prefer the exigencies-of-war approach. Ugly truth now will serve us better than an ugly secret later.

>>25776632
And what can Beregen do about it? and besides the opening of the gate is not going to be a very subtle act.

>>25776669
Who are the people we're sacrificing?

>>25776683
The guys who conspired to kill us.

Rolled 8

>>25776413
>>25776444
>>25776462
>>25776493
>>25776519
>>25776539
>>25776604
>>25776615
>>25776632
>>25776640
You look to Siegfried, then to Beregen, then back to Siegfried. You quietly move to remove the ring on your finger, moving as if to toy with the item in question. The Knight Commander's expression is stern, as if attempting to read the German words inscribed upon the circle. Entire phrases, in fact.

>>25776683
You currently are sacrificing a number of nobles that were plotting to sow dissent and otherwise form a rebellion against the Reich in Redding. As such, you had Gunther abduct them in the middle of the night and bring them here for sacrifice.

>>25776693
Who are Siegfried and Beregen?
> I'm new and this seems interesting. Apologies if I'm asking for information everyone knows by now.

>>25776753
Siegfried is the leader of the thule society, the riech's magic reserch and development group.

Beregen is a paladin (or close enough to one) of Redding.

>>25776693
And... you do manage to remove the ring, right before dropping it on the ground with a notable thud.

Sauerkraut.

Siegfried quirks an eyebrow at you before speaking, "Something private, Oberst?" He asks.

"Quite." You reply. Beregen quirks an eyebrow now, perhaps as much expression as you've seen him deliver thus far. He obviously recognizes that you're speaking something not meant for his ears, though he now reaches down to inspect the fallen ring.

"A few matters have come up since your departure that require your expertise. Firstly, an assassin was able to sneak into our headquarters in Redding and kill a large number of our staff and soldiers there. This thing was not human, and wielded items of a magical craft. I only survived due to the second issue. I seem to have some aptitude in magic, either that or blind luck made my pistol fire a bolt of lightning."

Your memories erupt into vivid images of what had transpired as you retell them to Siegfried, the Thule Society sorcerer offering you an increasingly wide and predatory smile as you tell him all of this. At the end of it, he offers you a sharp bark of laughter, his teeth almost looking pointed in the light of the setting sun.

Beregen looks over to Siegfried as he picks up the ring. He says something questioning in his native tongue.

Siegfried looks at you, his eyes wide and practically burning with glee. "You felt fear." Siegfried remarked, looking you up and down. "I was wondering when that composed, thoughtful demeanor would finally be struck by emotion." He stated, "I am surprised that it took so long, but it is suitable that the promise of death by the hands of something so alien would finally evoke those feelings." He remarked, laughing again.

>>25776789

"Yes... I thought that the natives would use such assassins. Indeed, it was something of a mystery why they had not tried to employ arcane agents beforehand to stop us." He waves a dismissive hand as Beregen stares at the ring intently. "Worry not, Oberst. You have awoken your spark. In time, that spark will grow stronger. Now then-- do you have anything further you wish to bring to my attention?"

Nothing said of the officers and soldiers lost. No sympathy-- just a dismissive wave of the hand and a focus upon his work. Not for the first time, you wonder if Siegfried is human.

>>25776776
>Close, but not quite.

>>25776753
Siegfried is a liaison with the Thule Society, one of its members, who has apparently gained a fair deal of magical ability from his studies of the local craft and association with the mages of Redding.

Knight Commander Beregen was the former commander of Redding's armed forces, and protector of the city. It was by his surrender, in the face of your overwhelming firepower, that you gained Redding peacefully. The Knight Commander has yet to be seen without his mithril plate armor on, and is apparently a warrior-priest of the gods of this land. You have promised him that you will leave the Temple District alone in exchange for the peaceful conquest of the city. A deal both sides have honored thus far.

We must make sure to inform the knight commander that we are executing condemned criminals, and it is our belief that a wasted death is wrong. So in the end they serve a greater purpose.

Rather then "BLOOD! EVIL! NATZ...ok, scratch that last one.
But still

>>25777046
Ok I have an idea of how to spin this. If he comments on the ritual or otherwise indicates that he has a clue of what is being set up we explain that the Reich does not normally resort to such measures but in light of the highly effective Assassin it seems prudent to further strengthen our presence here. Of course the most effective way of doing that is executing the prisoners.

>>25777396
Good thinking, very good.

it includes "desperate move" "We know its wrong" and "wierd foreigners" excellent

>>25777457
>>25777396
>>25777046
You look to Beregen, who has since taken the ring, putting it upon his mailed index finger on his right hand. You note with a bit of interest that the ring has, apparently, resized itself to fit around his finger.

"This ritual reeks of dark magic." Beregen comments to you, to which you shake your head.

"A wasted death is wrong-- we are only executing condemned criminals." You remark.

Beregen stares down at you, "I have heard nothing from the magistrates of prisoners to be put to death." He states. "In what court were they tried?"

"We do not normally go to such measures," You explain hastily, holding your hands up, "In life of this assassin's effectiveness, however, it is only prudent to strengthen our presence here." You suggest.

"I had a suspicion that you might expand from here." The Knight Commander remarks, looking to Siegfried now, then back to you, "Do you feel righteous, executing prisoners to fuel your magic?" He inquires.

"No-- but necessity dictates--"

"Necessity dictates that you fight to the best of your abilities. To invoke magic that relies on death is a beginning step on the path of dark wizardry." Beregen states simply, staring at you unwaveringly. Siegfried speaks up in mild exasperation.

"The time is almost upon us. The sun will be setting in only a few moments." Siegfried gestures to a few men on patrol, "Go over to the prison encampment and have the new arrivals brought over. Oberst-- May I include the current prisoners as well? Their usefulness as workers means little to the forces we stand to gain." He remarks, before murmuring, "One hundred and forty by five-- Twenty eight. Much more to offer." He seems to muse aloud, Knight Commander Beregen now beginning to scowl.

>>25778230
>Additionally, Oberst will be gone until about 9 o'clock, pending a status check on exhaustion after martial arts.
>Updates upon return will either be of the ritual and opening itself, or that will commence on next thread, seeing how things unfold.

>>25778230
So, bad rep with friendly local vs more troops. While I have no doubt this will complicate things with the locals, we do need those troops.

>>25778230
I say we return those prisoners to Beregen, they are POWs from the fight with the kid they don't like us personally unless we mistreated them, they where forced into the fight by the kid, additionally the sign of goodwill to Beregen would help in making him like us again.

>>25778230
No, I do not feel righteous. I feel shame, that we need to enforce the law to this extreme, but at the very least these deaths are being granted a meaning, a reason. They are dead, no matter what these people would be executed for treason and I regret that.

But I do not regret this, allowing their death to serve rather then be tossed into oblivion.
Men search their whole lives for a cause worthy of giving their blood for, and at the end we give these people just that. Something to die for.

If you dislike this Knight commander, I do profoundly apologize for the inconvenience but the truth is: I am responsible for the well being of my men and those under my protection, and I am willing to go to whatever lengths to see that they can return home again.

How do you call this evil? Lives wasted for nothing, people, good men, dying simply because I failed to do what was needed.

I do not feel righteous Knight commander.
I am sad. But it is my job to do things I do not like in order to ensure the success of this expedition. I believe it is called duty.

(I vote against using the PoW's, just the traitors and those who would be executed anyhow)

Just posting what I planned for the interrogation of the old man. I fear it can't be done exactly the way I planned, but it would be a waste to drop it without thinking about using it:

(It is rather obvious that the old noble fears neither death nor torture, and will not tell us anything, willing to endure for the Empire's and his family's sake. Thus, we will have to use dirtier tactics. I suggest we sit in front of a fireplace in a rather dark room, on a simple chair, with another one next to it on which he will take place. The guards should step back into the shadows. I want to create a sad atmosphere, showing regret of what we will seemingly be forced to do)

"Come here, old man, and let me tell you a part of the history of my world. A long time ago, there was a devastating war, in which almost every nation was involved, each of them sending, and sacrificing, hundreds of soldiers to take or hold a mere step of barren land. Soon, they saw how useless this waste of men was, but they did not start negotiations or even make peace. No. They did not seek a way to protect their men from those useless deaths, but to make the enemy lose more than they did. As the numbers of dead and crippled rose into the hundreds of thousands, they started to use artillery day and night, first intending to weaken the enemies positions in preparation for an infantry assault. Later to crush their morale by denying them sleep, silence and what little safety they had. Then, to kill as many as they could hit. On all sides, the losses increased. Soldiers ran into enemy fortifications only to be mowed down by the defenders or teared to shreds by artillery barrages. Soon, they decided they needed units that cannot be killed as easily. They invented mighty armored vehicles, mounting terrifying amounts of firepower, and sent them towards the enemy.

Cont.

>>25778612

They tore through the lines, nigh-unstoppable, while killing everyone they could find, with guns, cannons or simply crushing them beneath the weight of their armor. Those tanks, as they called them, proved to be highly efficient, and once again, the numbers of dead exceeded the most sinister expectations. 'What do?`, the strategists asked, 'How can we stop their armored advance?'. They soon found their solution. The most terrifying weapon to ever be created. Whereever it could be produced, it was, and every worker doubled the time they spent at the massive facilities. They felt victory was near, and used it whenever they could, themselves surprised by its effectiveness. Clouds of this most deadly gas spread across the lands, reducing proud armies of hardened veterans to heaps of flesh, covered in burns and blisters, screaming in agony for days before finding salvation in death. Millions of corpses stained the blackened land, between dead trees, in abandoned trenches, on intoxicated earth that used to be farms and cities, now not even hosting ravens anymore. But they could not stop, atrocities demanded retaliation and the enemy used it too, why should they risk doing the first step?
After years, when one of the alliances had been destroyed, surrendering to internal treason and external pressure, the war finally ended. Tens of millions of soldiers had been sent to the war, most of them never returning, and of those who did, many lacked limbs, and their souls were equally scarred. There were talks and negotiations how to avoid another war so devastating as this. Most of the outcomes were false promises, given while knowing they could not be fulfilled. Some were kept for a while. One of them has been until now, and nobody in their right mind would dare to break it.
You have seen our artillery, as impressive as it is murderous. You saw our tanks, that can crush a thousand footsoldiers without being harmed themselves.

Cont.

>>25778636

But the gas we produced has been locked in the deepest storages, and no one even thinks about using it, knowing that the enemy has orders to do the same if it happens.

Maybe you ask yourself why I told you this story, but despite your actions, you do not seem to be a fool, and you should already know what your assassin did to cause it. The moment high command hears about this attack, they will demand a full-scale retaliation. It is saddening to know what has to happen."

If he wants to say something at this point, we can give him some time now. If not, proceed to the next step.

After a secret signal, let's say stoking the fire, an adjutant with some comes in with the message for the OKH, salutes, and gives it to us after a short report, then stepping back to wait. With an increasingly grim expression, we read through the pages, shaking our head at the end, but still giving it back to him, stating that we have to follow our orders, even if they do not please us. At this point, he should have broken and tell us every secret he knows, hoping that we will spare his people. Obviously, the ajutant does not leave while he does so, and at the end, we take the report back and throw it into the flames. If he does not tell us anything, he is highly unlikely to do so in future, and worthless.
Still, whatever the outcome, he has to be executed with the rest of the captives from the raid. Even if his information is so detailled that we might consider otherwise, what I highly doubt, we cannot let a former traitor leader with knowledge over our most devastating weapon live.

>>25778230
"We shall have to discuss this further, Knight-Commander - there seem to be aspects of magic that I have not been informed of. Time is short however, so tell me this: do the lives of the handful whom conspired with the Empire to send an assassin outweigh the value of reinforcements for an inevitable war against the Empire? I do not like this action, but we all must make distasteful decisions because our duty demands it."

Can anyone recap where the bigger group of prisoners came from, and why we are keeping them? Are they more/less magically powerful than the current group of 40?

>>25778673
One group are survivors from an army led by the dickish child-baron and the others prisoners from a Gunther lead raid on local nobles who were stiring up dissent.

>>25778673
They are POWs from the baron kid's army, commoners, forced to take up arms, the goodwill we get from freeing them is one of the reasons i suggested this >>25778475

>>25778646
if we do this then he should bring in masks for us or take us to a room behind glass with a son, daughter, or grandchild of the old man use some gas and state that we have protection they don't and that as we said this can take care of whole armys.

>>25778725
>>25778757
As prisoners with full POW status, they're protected by the Geneva Conventions. We'll want to start working on a way to offload them as their labor will become less necessary, but for now we should keep them alive. Siegfried might want them, but we can't all get what we want.

So long as we can manage two of the three groups someone listed earlier, I think we'll be doing fine. If we can manage to keep Bergen on our side, even better - magical healing will act as a significant asset in the long-term. We don't want to resort to fighting with children and the elderly because the Fatherland is running out of men. Explain to Bergen the Geneva Conventions to repair some of that rep hit (I'm sure he'll be impressed by them).

If we're going to stick to the Geneva Conventions though, we would have to keep in mind the Hague Conventions and Geneva Protocols. That means no bioweapons, at least until the Empire uses them first.

>>25778984
first we're a secret mission in a land that doesn't know about the Geneva Conventions. as much as you don't want to go full nazi some times to prevent having to go full nazi later it would be best to use them now.

secondly whats our definition of biowepons for them. magical construct assassinations, magic plagues, elementals, demons, most of these by the time we recognize these it will be too late we don't have the magical defenses for their kind of bio-weapons.

>>25778984
(The empires assassin used a gas-bomb, so thats OK by the rules if not by conscious)

not that we SHOULD, but I just felt like pointing that out

>>25779170
My concern would be getting out-Nazi'ed by the Empire. We have zero intel on them, and that assassin construct implies they're pretty good at the whole amoral advancement business.

Besides, I doubt the bioweapons we have will be good for more than a few surprise attacks. Constructs won't give a shit, undead won't give a shit, non-humans will be a crapshoot, and who knows what kind of protection magic can provide.

Magic is their game, not ours. We're working on learning as much as we can, but that still takes time. We need allies that can support us until we can manage on our own.

>>25779280
I think the best thing to do then, because i think that your thoughts are fair, is when we have these new units is to hit their main army they have had time to study our tech they may have magic defenses against our small arms and vehicles. we have a fortress city, we have a mage we can buy off, and once we destroy the main army then the rest of the area should be easy to hold.

>>25779493
We just have to be careful about this, a squad of 20 of the assassins could easily kill many of our soldiers and/or officers. Is it possible to research the assassin thing and more magic research? I've missed quiet a bit of this campaign.

>>25779851
Probably, but to reverse engineer them we'd probably need more experienced mages/wizards/magical people and possibly a few more assassin carcasses. Considering our general plans for conquest involve "find the enemy and shell them into the stone age," that may be difficult. But I imagine that if we give Siegfried and our engineers enough time, we could cobble something together.

Also, we've got a few hours. Skim through the archives a bit to get up to speed.

>>25780113
Thanks gent. I do kinda like the krieger style to warfare though.

>>25779493
>>25779280
>>25779170
>>25778673
>>25778475
You contemplate releasing the prisoners from the Baron's original army. It would be, in a sense, the morally righteous thing to do.

Then again, aren't you about to condemn the servants and staff of the nobles in question as well? No in-depth inquiry. No grand tribunal. A simple execution.

"We shall have to discuss this further, Knight-Commander - there seem to be aspects of magic that I have not been informed of. Time is short however, so tell me this: Do the lives of the handful whom conspired with the Empire to send an assassin outweigh the value of reinforcements for an inevitable war against the Empire? I do not like this action, but we all must make distasteful decisions because our duty demands it."

The Knight Commander simply stares at the large ritual circle, Siegfried remaining notably quiet as this all goes on.

In the distance, you can see the entirety of your prisoner stockpile, including a group of men and women in rather lavish (and torn) clothing being escorted forward. Gunther stands at the head of the pack, some kind of sword scabbard strapped across his back, betwixt his bandoliers of munitions.

Siegfried speaks up. "It is nearing the time." He remarks simply, heading towards the circle that stands directly at the forefront of the Gate, besides all of the lesser circles that are closer to it. He turns his back to Beregen, who looks at you rather sternly.

"You are headed down a dark path." He tells you plainly, "Do not sacrifice these people. This ritual is black magic. Darker than black, even. You will be utterly destroying what these people are-- sacrificing them to whatever this," He gestures to the Gate, "is. If they are traitors, give them a traitor's death, but do not bestow a fate worse than death for--"

Beregen is cut off as Gunther gives a chortle of laughter, two more squads of Wehrmacht infantry keeping an eye on the nearly two hundred prisoners being marched towards the Gate.

>>25782486
"I heard the reports of what that assassin did. Nearly killed one of my Hauptmanns." Gunther interjects. Siegfried begins to walk towards the apex of the circle. "I lost some good men taking these nobles captive-- alive, as you ordered." He remarks to you, flashing a grin. "They tried their hand. They lost. Simple as that." He states, Beregen looking to Gunther now, staring the commando down.

"Release the prisoners. Give them a fair trial before the magistrate, and see them hung, should their crimes be true." Beregen replies in perfect German, the ring serving to help him translate for now.

"Only think I'm ordering is for them to get in their places." Gunther retorts.

You seem to have a dilemma on your hands.

>>25782564
We MIGHT have to kill Beregen. Or at least put him under a mind-control hex. We CANNOT let word of this get out.

>>25782635
>>25782652

On the other hand it would be interesting to show mercy just this once.

Stop the sacrifice. Most of these people are innocent.

>>25782564
kill them

>>25782564
We should not have fucking brought Beregen along for a ritual to TEH EVOLZ!!!!!!!!oneone. Seriously whose bright idea was this again? Yknow bringing along a paladin, whom is trained to recognize signs of PURE EVIL magic, to what is basically a C'thulu summoning ritual?

>>25782486
I feel like we shouldnt, summoning Cthulu when we dont know if we can control it seems a bit retarded as fuck to me.

>>25782706
We dont do shit because its "interesting". We are a military commandant for the Third Reich. We do what is necessary for the Fatherland.

>>25782670
People know he went with us. We CANT just kill him off now. Can we see if Siegfried can rewrite his brain? So that we can conveniently have him murdered later?

>>25782564
Spare the serfs, but not the nobles.

>>25782814
We CANT SPARE ANYONE! We will be removed from command of the mission and lose ALL respect from our fellows and superior officers. There is NO WHITE KNIGHTING here, we have to kill all of them to continue the Quest.

>>25782804
It would be better to not be completely hated by everyone in this new land. Give and take. Beregen helped us so we will return the favor.

>>25782895
Which is why we abided by his wishes and did not set foot in the temple. We have a duty and we have our orders. To go against them is to betray the fatherland and the fuhrer.

Btw how old is Landa roughly?

>>25782895
We did not dismantle his religion and impose our own upon the peasants. That is favor enough to him. We have our orders. THEY DO NOT CHANGE!

Is it possible to act like we're going to have them looked over by a Reich council, escort Beregen out of the fort, and then go ahead and sacrifice the lot anyway?

>>25782878
just shut up

>>25782706
>>25782804
>>25782878
>>25782635
>>25782730
>>25782732
>>25782800
>>25782895
>>25782814
>>25782969
>>25783067
>Landa is roughly in his late twenties, early thirties.

Hundreds of thoughts whir through your mind. Through everyone's minds. You can practically taste the terror of the prisoners as they're led, at gunpoint, to the ritual circle. Siegfried remains standing in his foremost position, the man standing perfectly still as the prisoners are moved forward. The large group is divided up into five smaller groupings of approximately thirty.

Siegfried can be heard calling out as you look between Beregen and Gunther.

"Infantry-- stand outside of the circle's perimeter. Allow none of them to move away." He states simply, seemingly ignorant of the conflict unfolding behind him.

Beregen's hand rests upon the pommel of his sword.

Gunther's hand rests upon his rifle.

Mercy. Duty. War. Necessity. So many phrases, some of them unfamiliar, some of them quite familiar to you, rush through your head. The fear from the prisoners intensifies-- and you cannot help but feel enervated from it. As if their terror and impending agony were a wine glass from which you could sip.

The two squads escorting the prisoners fan out. You see many of the wounded soldiers, but you also see a number of men, women, and-- indeed-- children gathered up, some of them in royal garb, others in simple clothes you've seen the peasantry wear.

Beregen's words are as sharp as steel. "Stop this, or I shall stop it." He states plainly, to which Gunther's usually restrained expression lights up into psychotic surprise, his lips pursing together in an "O" shape.

"Is that so?" Gunther asks in return, his own hand going for the new sword across his back.

You could attempt to fake out Beregen if you wish, considering your soldiers are nearby, and could likely move him away at gunpoint. If you want to offer a fake excuse to try and keep him calm, you could also do so.

>>25782564
We should have someone inform the captives over the situation they are in, and then interrogate them. If they give us valuable information the are given a normal traitors death. If not, they will serve us in another way.

>>25783067
If we do that the very same day he will probably see through it. Doing it a month later will slow our plans, but we should keep it in mind.

>>25783067
Nope because he KNOWS how evil magic works. He doesnt know the specifics, but he recognizes a summoning circle when he sees one.

>>25783129
Did you mean "take out?"

He gives us no choice. Any who resist the Reich die.

Feign acquiescence then have him shot in the legs and restrained. He'll make a fine sacrifice.

>>25783129
Commander Bergen as much as I value your opinion, do not presume to tell me what to do. I have my orders, and I have my duty. I do not know about this world but there is an ancient saying going back to the days when we were no different than you in life style and thinking. For king and country. Although we no longer have a king we still have a leader, and we have our country, for which I will do my duty. Now I respect you as an individual and a leader, and for that I will give you the chance to stand down. You cannot stop this, and the people of Redding will surely need you. Do not become another foot note in history and a pebble in our path.

>>25783227
Sacrificing him is not necessary.

>>25783227
There's obviously some sort of ambient magic that reacts to negative emotions. It's already screwed over Gunther. We think like that, we're going to end up being Nazi Sauron.

>>25783129
If we toss Beregen in with the other sacrifices I think we might be able to get away with it. Claim there was another lesser assassin and that they missed and slew Him instead of us.

>Mainly for sacrificing just to see where it takes us
>also we better have a cleanup crew ready, we don't want speer to walk through the aftermath

>>25783372
He's a Paladin that clearly follows the standard set up. Who's to say he doesn't have Smite Evil and ends up sending our arse to medical again or worse?

The civilian populace is going to notice when their Knight-Commander goes missing, especially when he was taken to your base, and is probably going to cause some unrest.

And it's just plain fucking rude to kill someone when you invited them to your home.

>>25783427
It's rude to threaten someone in their home, which he just did. He gave up his safety when he second guessed us.

Sacrifice him, he is powerful.

a thought, we could import undesirables from the fatherland and instead of useing them to power the gate we could put them to work at skilled labor that the locals are ill suited for.

>>25783490
Look, let's just put the sacrifice off until next month and make do with whatever we get through the gate in time. We keep Beregen's support for a while longer, get the rest of our troops in a relatively short time, and can interrogate the prisoners for anything remotely useful in the meantime. If the Paladin ever figures it out, we have him killed with a local weapon to avoid suspicion as long as he isn't in our base.

To emphasize: this isn't about killing or not killing Beregen, it's about making sure the civilians don't think we murdered him, and that's going to be a damn sight harder to do if we shoot him here.

>>25783372
>>25783129

I just thought about >>25783150 again. Why not give Beregen himself the chance to talk to convince those people? If he succeeds, he can be proud of his archievements and we get invaluable intel, if not, he should realize that those people have no interest in saving themselves, and it is utterly frustrating to try and save people having no interest in it themselves.

>>25783535
If we do that, we will have to be very careful. Polish resistance was able to develop their own SMG, if some of the undesirables can flee and help the Empire we're in bad trouble.

Whose idea was it to take him with us, anyway? That was stupid.

>>25783625

Also, bringing him into our sanctum and then acquiescing to his demands vis-a-vis sacrifice makes him think we're perfectly reasonable people and can be turned to his way of thinking. The sacrifice can take place later.

He really shouldn't have tagged along to any event involving human sacrifice, but can't pre-emptively close that particular barn door, can we?

>>25783150
>>25783156
>>25783227
>>25783304
>>25783340
>>25783372
>>25783427
>>25783490
>>25783535
>>25783636
>>25783625
>>25783636
>>25783716
>Considering this is a rather large decision, I'll leave it open for a few more minutes of discussion before things get settled in. Keeping a tally on how much is on each side, however.

>>25783625
ok we let them off this time and state that they will have there trial but this is the last time before we do the ritual. we let them run when we first took over, these abused that trust.

but we do
>>25778612
>>25778636
>>25778646
>>25778953
these to the leaders

and tell him that in our world there is no magic and to inform us of different types of dark magic. also warn him that he has saved these men's lives so its his job to make sure there are no traitors.(i don't trust him i think that he's the leader and if he knows that next time we will not save them, hopefully making him think twice) also we need a spy in the temple district like yesterday.

>>25784018
A lot of that was just discussion though. MAybe a new vote. Something like.

>[ ] - Go on with the sacrifice
>[ ] - Stop the sacrifice
>[ ] - Go on with the sacrifice, and sacrifice Beregen as well.

>>25784018
Ill admit Oberst it was very sneaky of you to slip the tidbit with Beregen into
>>25771696
Very cunning indeed.

>>25784018

”Let me remind you Beregen, that despite the peaceful circumstances in Redding, I am the commander of an expeditionary force at war. I am also neither a prince, baron or king. I am merely a man in uniform, an extension of someone else’s will. I do however have some room for my own judgment.
So far, I have tried to initiate negotiations with the Empire, that has only yielded me one battle, that ended as an unnecessary massacre. One assassination attempt, which ended with me losing several of my staff. I have also had scouts that have been abducted, and possibly tortured. While I am not about to start senselessly punish innocents, I am running out of patience. I also have responsibility for this expedition and for every man below me in rank. I also have my superiors who will not be delighted to know that I tolerate acts of open warfare.
[1/2]

>>25784063
Alright then. We "let" Beregen talk us down, have "trials" and interrogations ultimately leading up to next month's sacrifice, and if the Paladin ever wants to show up for the executions, we hold around ten for the gallows and say they're the last ones.

Let's make sure that once Beregen is outside the base, we assure Gunther and Siegfried that it's a ruse.

>>25784203
This magistrate you talk about, is nothing that you have mentioned thus far. Is it part of the Laws of Iudex? You earlier said that you were prepared to die to uphold those laws. I know nothing about what those laws say, you speak of evil magic, I must confess that I know little about your magic. Our arts work much differently and there is no good or evil means, rather than ends.

Now, I do not doubt that you will put up a fight if it means to preserve those commandments of your god, you will probably have a clear conscience and have served Iudex in death, and I or if I happen to fall, my replacement will go on, now knowing any better.

If you want me to stop this, then tell me why! Explain why what I am about to have done is worth the life of the most reasonable man I have met in this land! Explain, because whatever action I take I must be able to defend, both to the people below me and above me. Rather than die for your convictions, live for them, I am reasonable and despise carnage. But if what I am doing is as atrocious that you are saying, then I might unknowingly be doing things in the future that might be just as wrong, without having anyone telling me so.

>>25784072
As you all can see from my text, lets find out what is so bad about what we are doing, the good Knight-Commander should be able to tell us why it is so bad, bringing him here was stupid in the first place. but we need to make lemonade out of this lemon!

>>25784072
Fuck it. We're already in the rabbit hole 'cause people thought it was a good idea to bring the goodest guy ever to human sacrifice, so we might as well go full nazi.

>[X] - Go on with the sacrifice, and sacrifice Beregen as well.

>>25784072
I'm against sacrificing or killing Beregen. We should try to get as much information as possible, and if there is no exceptional plan to allow the sacrifice this month, we shall do it next time, silently.

>>25784203
I'm pretty much okay with this. Also tell him that the alternative to having more men is using more devastating weaponry, and that sacrificing them now will save many innocent lives.

>>25784461
We're going to end up in a fucking skull fortress and be hailed as the Dark Lord and it's gonna be all your fault

>>25784622
>Best End.
I approve of this.

>>25784622
From there we can launch our UFOs and conquer fantasy space. And it'll be /awesome/.

>>25784072
>>25784622
>>25784645
>>25784782
>>25784560
>>25784461
Time is slowing, more and more. Further and further. The terror in the air is reaching a crux. A crux of anger, and fear, and terror, and delight, and bloodlust, and adrenaline. It's a massive, swirling orgy of emotions and you can feel the ground simply seethe with it.

You have two choices now. You see Beregen's hand clasp around the hilt of his sword, Gunther's own hand reciprocating the motion on his side.

>[ ] Continue the ritual.
>[ ] Stop the ritual.

>>25784870
>[X] Continue the ritual

We b nazis nao

>>25784870
continue the ritual

>>25784870
Stop the ritual.

>>25784870
>>[ ] Continue the ritual.


also try and Chanel the fear the terror have it lash around Beregen's hand and bite deep like a snake.

>>25784870
[x] Continue the ritual.

No other way forward.

>>25784870

>[X ] Stop the ritual.

>>25784870
We should have never brought Beregen along. Oberst you clever bastard you.
>[x] Continue the ritual
We cant stop this now. Lets just hope we never need to do this again.

>>25784870
>[X] Stop the ritual.

>>25784870
>Stop the ritual.

>>25784870
[ ] Continue the ritual.

>>25784870

[x] Continue the ritual.

>>25784870
>[x] Continue the ritual.
Also be prepared to murder Beregen. He is a good man. Too good for this rotten world.

>>25784870
Ok I think continue wins, we need to kill him secretly or restrain him charge him with treason, then because we charge him with treason we need to search the temple for other tratiors.

Can we just say now that there will be no more White Knighting after this thread please? I think this kills forever the "Noble Nazi" ppl were going for.

>>25784870
stop the ritual

>>25784870
>[x] Stop the ritual.

>>25784870
[x] Continue the ritual.

>>25785260
>>25785291
Just stop. We cant go forward if we dont kill them. We will be replaced by Speer if we prove unsuitable for command. As a commander we have many hard decisions to make this is one of them.

>>25785221
where has their been any white knighting

>>25785349
no we will not it is not needed

Votes for continue/stop are 9:6, we're not going anywhere. Continue has won. Let's wait for the Oberst.

>>25784870

I was an earlier "stop", and I recast my vote to "continue".

Beregen was dead the moment he set foot in here. Letting him come was the mistake. Now it plays out.

>>25784204
>[ ] Continue the ritual.

>>25785221
Aside from a few couple people, most people have been acting like a colonial power and operating according to /tg/ paranoia.

I would like to hear why what we are doing is so bad, but I agree that we need to resume with the ritual, unless the paladin can give us a really good reason.

>>25785441

And RAWR SMITE is not even a passable one.

>>25784870
[x] Continue the ritual.

>>25785441
I want to have him tell us were we should stop and the way we are feeling peoples dread like wine is a pretty big tell that it is a bad idea but not gonna happen with all the samefagging

>>25785432
>>25785511
Motherfucker continue already won your votes are not helping

>>25784884
>>25784892
>>25784936
>>25784955
>>25785043
>>25785090
>>25785092
>>25785139
>>25785349
>Nine votes to continue.

"No." You say, the words almost alien to your ears. You've made many hard decisions of late, put people to death. Issued the demise of countless souls. Beregen and Gunther both turn towards you.

"This land needs Germans. More Germans than what we have. The Empire will not stop until--" You begin to rationalize, trying to instill upon Beregen the logic of the situation.

Which Beregen will have none of. His sword shrieks from the scabbard with a wail that seems to sting at your ears, though he's not aimed at you. Instead, he lashes out at Gunther, the massive commando's own sword whipping out just as fast.

The weapon in Gunther's hands looks elegant, but in a way that seems uniquely savage to him. It's clearly a weapon looted from the field, its blade covered in strange symbols, the blade itself crafted from solid, double-edged steel around a flat guard.

Beregen's sword is made of mithril, as is his plate armor, the blade unmarked, but radiating a golden glow similar to the one that encompassed your wounds. Beregen's sword whips out in a deadly figure eight, his clearly trained practice matched by the powerful, albeit untrained, blows of Gunther.

A pair of Wehrmacht soldiers level their rifles as Siegfried begins his chanting. Without the ring, you don't understand Siegfried's words, but you know just as well what they mean.

The titanic panels of the Gate begin to open. Beregen's plate armored form moves almost impossibly fast. A pair of rifles bark, and as you begin to step away from the melee, you watch as Beregen's mithril plate armor casually deflects the incoming rifle shots, the rounds ricocheting off with only the barest flinching from Beregen.

>>25785651
Take him down. He has just signed the death warrant of his entire order.

>>25785651
shoot him in the back with lightning if he lives we have a trial for a traitor, if he dies then we say that he went to our country as a diplomat. either way we send his armor and sword to be studied.

>>25785785
Agree with this.

>>25785651
Electrocute him like we did with the assassin.

>>25785767
That's a wonderful idea. I, too, take the time to have casual, logical conversations with people actively trying to kill me, especially if they're adamantly against what I'm doing and are effectively in a berserker rage. This cannot go wrong.

>>25785806
That was probably a heat of the moment type thing. We are not trained like Siegfried is.

File: 1372828208258.jpg-(1.72 MB, 1920x1080, transmutation active.jpg)

1.72 MB JPG

Rolled 23

>>25785651
This is not a dramatic battle as you've read. There's no speeches, just grunts and panting, and Beregen is clearly winning. Siegfried's hands raise up high out of the corner of your eye, and Beregen musters only a single shout:

"No!"

The entire ritual circle erupts in golden light as the Gate begins to open, hundreds of voices raising in screams. Horrific screams, as you stare at the people in the circle. The five inner circles light up in a brilliant luminescence, the bodies of the people inside seemingly bathed in bright red light, which slowly shifts to gold. The Gate itself is steadily opening the entire time, thousands of shadowy tendrils seeming to erupt from the edges of the smaller inner circles, darting towards the people standing within them, coiling around individual before ripping them apart in violent explosions of gore. You watch an infant's head get ripped clean off, the body suspended some thirty or forty feet in the air. A man attempts to charge out of his circle, only to be skewered through the stomach by another tendril.

Gunther rushes forward, his sword coming down in a mighty overhand strike. Beregen's own sword whips up, slashing into Gunther's side, the man's armored vest shattering with a noise like a cannon shot. The other Wehrmacht soldiers are now fully reacting, rifles coming up as they begin to properly sight in on the paladin.

Gunther's body goes spinning as the golden light around Beregen's sword flashes once, a thunderbolt of noise cracking across the area, crowding out the sounds of screaming, Gunther's entire side looking as if somebody had disintegrated it, bits of bone and gore spilling across the field.

Beregen makes a clear dash for Siegfried, even as a rifle shot manages to drill through his pauldron, blood spurting from the injury site.

>>25785845
Poor Gunther. Well thats one less problem we have to deal with.

>>25785881

Is it bad that my response was, "Welp, glad we shortlisted those SS Commandos."?

>>25785845
"DIE!" and point

>>25785881
I consider Gunther an asset rather than a problem.

Lets not have the /tg/ paranoia screw us over.

>>25785906
It was my response too. Its one faction effectively eliminated.

>>25785914

I consider Gunther a smoking corpse. We have immediate problems.

>>25785914
he is not human anymore

>>25785845
Marvelous. Our number one attack dog is now either dead or crippled because you people didn't have the patience to delay the sacrifice another month.

>>25785914
If Gunther survives we will do all in our power to pull him back up. If he dies, we will get a much more mailable SS chief.

>>25785950
Gunther isnt "OUR" he is a loose cannon that we have barely kept in check during this whole adventure. If we had saids yes he would have pulled his gun and shot Beregen in the face then turned on us. Its better this way.

>>25785845
>>25785806
>>25785805
>>25785785
You finally react, trying to conjure up the same feelings you had before, the air positively rife with the same emotions you had felt earlier. Stronger than that, even, your hands trying to come up in some kind of pointing gesture.

And... nothing. The emotions filling the air seem to swirl around the massive, opening surface of the Gate. The immense, inky blackness seems to come to life, even as the figures adorning the edges of the main gateway undulate. Siegfried slowly begins to rise up, the tendrils, finishing off the last of the sacrificial lambs, abruptly shooting towards the Gate's doors. You hear distant screams, though nobody is yelling, from what you can see.

Beregen's sword whips forward, its golden light crossing the barrier the same time as his armored feet do. His charge carries him into the circle that Siegfried is occupying, the man simply sidestepping as Beregen's mithril blade carves down into the air, and you watch as the circle's crimson-gold illumination turns to pure gold.

The tendrils wrapping around the doors of the Gate seem strengthened, even as Beregen's legs are abruptly swatted out from under him by a fast-acting tendril. He rolls aside as Siegfried merely steps back, exiting the perimeter of the outermost ring. Beregen's sword lashes out as a second tendrils snaps down for his torso, severing it.

>>25786019
"IUDEX! GRANT ME STREN--" He shouts, right before a third tendril skewers him from the side, his mithril crumpling like paper as his blood spills across the circle. A second tendril shoots up through his abdomen, then a third, lancing him perfectly, skewering him in a face-down position. You watch blood drip onto the ground as he's slowly carried towards the Gate itself.

The light from the ritual circle begins to die down as the Gate remains open. Siegfried's smile is practically threatening to blow his head clean off.

"Just as I thought." Siegfried remarks simply, smiling as he looks over to you. "I bid you farewell, Oberst! May the next life treat you better than this one-- until we meet again!"

And just like that, Siegfried vanishes, his robes and entire body turning into a black blur, which promptly speeds into the open mouth of the Gate...

Leaving you alone, for these few moments.

>>25785950

The mistake was bringing a paladin. It's that simple. Nobody saw it, we were lulled into security amongst allies, and we get to suffer for it. Least bad end.

>>25786019
So it was luck. Damn, oh well i guess we are not a sorceror.

>>25786032
So Siegfried was a liar? What the fuck?

>>25786032
Well that's nice.

>>25786032
SO wait Siegfried just summoned C'thulu or some shit?!?!?!?

>>25786076
That's hardly a surprise.

>>25786032
Ober, I'm wondering about that wizards tower that we entered during the beginning of the quest. Remember when we were propositioned by some spirit that bargained for us to release it? I think we should return.

>>25786076
>>25786055
>>25786091
I think we get a replacement, I am pretty sure we reasoned that Siegfried can go back home a few threads ago!

>>25786032
I said not to do it and what happens we get backstabbed

>>25786138
No this is NOT going back home. He appearently was some kind of extra-dimensional demon in disguise, lying to everybody and we just unleashed C'thulu or some shit onto both worlds for the sounds of his farewell.

>>25786032
Well, shit. There go two of our Translation rings.

>>25786191
Dohoho.

>>25786032
Our head sorcerer may very well have just been swallowed by some Eldritch monstrosity, our lead commando just got zapped by a paladin, and an Imperial assassin has killed several members of our faculty. Fuck this whole day.

>>25786191

Ladies and gentlemen, the Most Accurate Assessment.

File: 1372829326770.jpg-(29 KB, 640x477, just according to.jpg)

29 KB JPG

>>25786032

>>25786191
Ouch, forgot about that!

>>25786239

You forgot "killed an ally".

>>25786239
>>25786191
Oh, and now our ability to communicate with the local populace has been crippled. Am I forgetting anything?

>>25786239
Our head wizard WAS the Eldritch horror in disguise. And we just let him open a portal to all of the demons. AND he murdered our entire response team in one go. Damn Oberst well played.

>>25786266
While I do consider the paladin useful, he were never really an ally, but at least he could be somewhat reasoned with.

>>25786239
this is why you never trust a mage

>>25786350
EVERYTHING we had from both command and our own experiences told us that Siegfried was whom he claimed to be. We had no way of confirming any other line of thinking about this. Stop meta-gaming.

>>25786294

Fair enough. On the plus side, no incriminating evidence. He's just GONE.

File: 1372829664207.jpg-(45 KB, 429x410, everything is fucked.jpg)

45 KB JPG

>>25786350
>>25786292
>>25786266

>>25786284

>>25786397
The evidence was that he LEFT with us. We dont even have a body to display now to lie about. That is a BAD thing.

File: 1372829884125.jpg-(21 KB, 320x220, dr siegfried.jpg)

21 KB JPG

>>25786350
Siegfried was a socially awkward dick who jealously held some information from us. He was not a traitor, just a man in a dress.
>>25786457
Newfag spotted. He had already stressed that he wanted to go home, most people were for getting rid of him because of paranoia. We still don't know if he decided to go elsewhere thru the gate, but command will be able to confirm that soon.

It's not great, but not that bad. More rings are being made, Gunther was getting a little extreme in his duties, and Beregen was just a local official we had an agreement with.

The only issue is whether Siegfried is going to be a problem or an asset when he comes back, because he will be back.

>>25786457
He volunteered to visit the Fatherland as a diplomat, no telling when he will return. There.

>>25786505
Beregen is whom im talking about. Not Siegfried.

>>25786537
>Spotantiously decided to up and leave his order and city and his duties as a Paladin to the City of Redding, to become a diplomate.
>Doesnt even leave a note or anything.

Yeah thats not suspicious at ALL anon.

>>25786292
>>25786239
>>25786187
>>25786138
>>25786396
Terror is still rich around you, but you soon recognize it for what it is.

Your own fear. Your own terror. Did Siegfried just manipulate you? Is Gunther truly dead? You look over to Gunther's fallen form, the massive man laying still, his ribs still exposed to the open air.

Beregen's remains are missing as well. All of the bodies are-- the only hint of there having been people being large piles of clothing, jewelry, and armor, scattered about the massive perimeter of the ritual circle that is now seemingly tattooed into the concrete itself.

The snow drifts down from overhead as you stare into the open maw of the Gate. Siegfried is already through it, gone in the flash of a lightning bolt's hit.

No tentacles are visible, but you know that this isn't normal. The Gate doesn't stay open like this. You see Hans sprinting up with Gabriella, Alphonse, and Father Vickerson.

Hans: "What in the blood-gumming name of God is that?"
Father Vickerson: "Something unholy..."
Alphonse: "Something evil."
Gabriella: "Something -grand-!"

Which is exactly when you see something emerge from your end of the Gate. Your men, in sheer paranoia, level their rifles, seemingly expecting some Satanic entity to emerge from the doorway.

Instead, you're greeted by a fluttering red-and-black banner. The banner's bearer simply marches forward, his face hidden behind a gas mask. His white uniform, camouflaged for winter weather, flutters slightly as he leads the way for rank after rank of Wehrmacht.

... They're here. Reinforcements are finally here. You can't help but feel the clutch of terror upon your heart dissipate somewhat as your reinforcements arrive. Rank after rank of soldier, lugging their weapons in hand, troop after troop. Hundreds of men and women pouring through the Gate-- a Gate that shows no signs of closing. Indeed, its usual practice of opening and closing as swiftly as possible seems to have been entirely disabled.

>>25786032
Man, today was a shit day!!

Okay, with Gunther lost, that's one problem out of the way. The loss of Beregen is regrettable (which idiot suggested he be brought along to the BLOOD sacrifice?!?); but we can spin it that he died protecting us from another Imperial assassin. Make the second-in-command the same offer about protecting the Temple district and we should be fine.

Now Seigfried... "May the next life treat us better"? The uncaring nature he displayed towards his fellow Germans. Something is very wrong with that man. But we can't do anything about it now, we have reinforcements to request, a Fort to shell and Speer to impress.

>>25786596
Well we can start the invasion in earnest now at least. If we turned off the Gate having to close, well then we can use it for whatever we want now and are now incredibly useful to the fatherland.

>>25786596
More and more bodies pour through. Fifty men. Sixty. A hundred. Two hundred. Four hundred. Boots marching in perfect unison, banners fluttering in the winter breeze.

All of them wear their gas masks upon their faces, their winter uniforms fully donned You watch as a number of heavy trucks-- trucks in excess of your original number requested, you note-- begin to trundle through. Five... ten... fifteen. Much more than you ordered, in fact. Each truck hauls behind it a massive leFH 18 howitzer, the artillery pieces rattling along. You don't just have firepower now: You have an army.

An army that continues to roll on through, the ground of the star fort's foundations beginning to rumble with each unified step.

>>25786658
Alright finally something we can use.

File: 1372830560000.gif-(954 KB, 400x300, propane man laughing.gif)

954 KB GIF

>>25786658
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of1bvzS69hM&bpctr=1372832313

>>25786658

We're being taken VERY seriously. This is simultaneously excellent, and the Chinese Curse.

>>25786658
Order the soldiers around us to clear up the piles of clothing and Gunther's corpse.

After that, lets just start singing. It's been a /long/ day after all, but the sight of our new army has filled us with glorious Teutonic pride!

Deutschland, Deutschland über alles,
Über alles in der Welt,
Wenn es stets zu Schutz und Trutze
Brüderlich zusammenhält.
Von der Maas bis an die Memel,
Von der Etsch bis an den Belt,
Deutschland, Deutschland über alles,
Über alles in der Welt!