TheEmptyRoad

So, I’m still confused as to what purpose the Cryptologists serve in a Wastrel Crew. I know that Ancient Technology is a big part of it but I can’t for the life of me figure out how it’s supposed to benefit/synergize with the crew. Any thoughts or help would be appreciated.

Per the description blurb at Wayland Games for the Explorer's Society Faction Book.

"Originally established as a means to reinvigorate the long-dulled sense of adventure of its founder, the Explorer’s Society has since expanded to focus on unfurling the mysteries of Malifaux and beyond. These aristocrats, dark tourists, and pioneers venture into the unknown corners of this world to seek knowledge, discover new locations, and hunt big game. While their motivations are unclear, their recent push to amass rare artefacts is not.

In Search of Greatness in the vast unknown, the Explorer's Society has masqueraded under the guise of curious adventurers for the better part of a decade. Recently, the keys to the society have been passed on to someone far more interested - and conniving than it's founder, and with the new leadership comes new ambitions. Their rapid expansion has drawn attention from every corner of Malifaux. Each new discovery is a victory for the Society, and to the victor go the spoils."

So while Cooper was the Founder, he is no longer the Leader. This makes things far more interesting going forward in my opinion.

Heh, best so far. Can't say more due to an NDA but hoo boy, y'all ain't seen nothin' yet.

Here is our mysterious Master of the Spelleaters(?). 

Discuss!

Called it. Instead of Dual-Faction shenanigans, ES is showcasing dual-keyword shenanigans. Between the Malasaurus Rex and these new Spelleater guys, we’re seeing a pattern begin to emerge as the Explorer’s Society also reinforces other keywords.

Yeah, I think this guy could be either the Umbra's Master or Henchman, if Brocken Spectre is the Totem.

Core Box.

Master: Lord Jason Cooper

Totem: Hunting Hounds

Henchman(?): Model 9

Minions: Runaways

Supplementary Box

Vatagi Huntsmen - Minions most likely

Crypsis Corps - Expensive, Rare (2) Minions most likely

MALISAURUS REX Box

MALISAURUS REX - Expensive Grootslang-sized Enforcer most likely

So, what do we think all these folks are gonna do and be about?

The unit I’m most looking forward to is the Crypsis Corps. From their description and some educated guesswork, I’m gonna say they have either/both Stealth and Disguised and will likely be our designated Scheme Runners.

So, I predict our initial release will be: Apex, Umbra, and the fleshing out of Frontier and Wastrel, plus some upgrades.

Also, Raptor Riders anyone? 

Aaaaaaaah yeeeeeah. 

Great White Safari Hunter + Jurassic Park = WIN.

I highly doubt the Bayou will cross over with Explorer’s Society. Read Ulix’s story to find out why.

The reason I say Half-Blood is because of the newly introduced character of Gretchen Janus, I won’t spoil any specifics but she’ll likely have the Half-Blood Keyword, I doubt we’re going to see Asylum in ES, it doesn’t really make mich sense. ES’s ties to the Guild are going to be through Basse. So with: Frontier, Wastrel, Apex, Umbra, and Half-Blood, that leaves 3. One of which I think will be some type of Captain Ahab-esque Sea Captain hunting down Meridion and the Gibbering Hordes.

Well if you read the McCabe story in the TT book you’ll find out just what the Society is up to, at least some of them. 

As well, the poem kind of explains what Umbra-guy did: “Who went into the darkness,
And lived where shadows do?“

From Wikipedia: A Brocken spectre (German: Brockengespenst), also called Brocken bow or mountain spectre, is the magnified (and apparently enormous) shadow of an observer cast upon clouds opposite the Sun's direction. The figure's head is often surrounded by the halo-like rings of coloured light forming a glory, which appears opposite the Sun's direction when uniformly-sized water droplets in clouds refract and backscatter sunlight.

Umbra means Shadow, and the poem mentions using light and tech to bind and fight ghosts. Hopefully not too much thematic overlap with Kirai.

Welp, with the revelation of this guy in the new Waldo’s Weekly, it looks like Daeva are in fact Explorer’s Society, hm.

So Daeva are Explorer’s Society after all then...hrmmmmm. 

‘Shadow locked within his tech’. That sounds interesting.

The discussion in Daeva turned more towards Keyword discussion so I thought I'd give that its own thread.

My Keyword related thoughts for the Explorer's Society:

What I expect to see for our Frontier boys and girls will be some more beasties in both ES and Arcanists. Some 'Hunting Hound'-type things like the Guild Hounds and Canine Remains in ES, with either Frontier/Apex or Apex/Versatile, or just plain Versatile, and some more dual-keyword Chimera/Frontier Beasties in Arcanists. Paul would get some more critters to play with in all of his crews, Arcanist and Neverborn Marcus, as well as Guild and Explorer's Society Basse.

Another example I can see Wyrd doing more of is things like the Foundry Keyword. Foundry covers three factions, each with at least three different models. Some of our keywords'll get models in other factions and vice-versa, ES will get factions models of other keywords, likely as secondary keywords.

It's stuff like this I expect to see more of.

Some secondary keywords I can see joining our illustrious bands of adventurers are: Half-Blood, Academic, Kin, Mercenary.

New thread detailing and discussing keywords to be posted shortly.

Gretchen is one of the Society’s characters introduced in the McCabe story in the TT book.  

I’m inclined to think it’ll be Gretchen Janus. And I think one of her keywords will be Half-Blood.

Yeah, I think we’ll see some cross-keyword stuff instead of cross-faction stuff. I’ve got a hunch about Gretchen.

Well all the effigies follow the same format, so we’ll see probably a ranged attack similar to Brutal with either another attack or a Tactical Action and a Bonus Action Aura of some kind. What other Action and Aura do we think our ‘Adventurous Effigy’ will have? Also, what type of Emissary will we get? A Big Ol’ Beater like Arcane and Brutal? A mix of Beater and Support like Carrion? More Support Focused like Hodgepodge and Shadow?

Throwing in another mention for a Captain Nemo and/or Captain Ahab who’s specifically hunting Meridion. 

I’m also hoping that Gretchen comes in with Half-Blood as a secondary keyword. Angel Eyes anyone?

While I doubt we’ll see any more Dual-Faction Masters, what I do think we’ll see is crossover via Keywords like you see with Keywords like Foundry, which crosses three different factions. 

I’ve noticed that this particular spelling of Daeva - as opposed to the Vedic Deva - indicates a Persian/Zoroastrian origin. Roughly the equivalent to the Oni of Japanese folklore (and coincidentally another Master). Could these guys be minions of Explorer’s Society’s Summoner perhaps?