Inkpot End Advice

[TwoBits]

Got Inkpot End in a game as Lanka, and I'm looking for some advice on how to get some use out of the province it's in.

Since it already has an unrest issue, I wouldn't mind blood hunting there, but not if it kills my hunters. Are there any summonable undead units with blood skill? Spectres? I believe undead are immune to disease (right?), but what about demons? Are they safe? Or can a ring of regeneration keep a diseased blood hunter alive? And can he still hunt while crippled and blind and such? Any other thoughts on how to safely extract succulent young virgins from that place?

Any recommendations for defending the place? I've got easy access to reanimated undead, but they're only useful as fodder. But seeing as how Lanka's PD is rotten, are undead the only way to go? I haven't found any other decent magic sites there yet, so it's not a huge (as in "build a fortress") priority, but I'd prefer not to leave it looking like an open invitation...

[Cor]

First does the province have a population around 5000? Because if its too much under that i would not waste my time.

Undead are immune kinda, they get the disease but the disease has no effect.
from what i have read Regeneration will keep a diseased person alive.
Yes, they can hunt while crippled or blinded, but mute, and feeble mind would hurt because they drop the blood magic.

As for defence, try bane bow archers, or try constructs.
Buliding a fortress could be really nasty. because they would have to siege...

[PDF]

I won't use an Inkpot province for anything except a trap for the enemy to send there valuable units.

The only Blood undead I know are Vampires, but it's kinda waste to use them to bloodhunt ! .

[Taqwus]

Spectres can't start with Blood magic. Randoms are both restricted to WESD, if memory serves.

Regeneration will, indeed, prevent the 1hp/turn loss that kills the Diseased, but not the afflictions. A *really* sadistic trapper might have a mage ready to cast Dome of Corruption and flee.

Personally, I'd be tempted to keep it as an invitation, if the map is suitably constricted so that you may be able to trap an enemy force there (or if you have enough assassins or leader-killing magic available to kill the leaders, heh heh...). But if you wanted to HOLD it, for some strategic value, a fortress staffed by undead would be the obvious way to go.

[Wish]

mindfull undead, so ghouls or the like (mindless undead suck at rebuilding walls)

[Manuk]

Just blood hunt with scouts.

[TwoBits]

Thanks for the advice so far. The population is above 5000, so it is a viable blood hunting province. And unfortunately, it is more suitable as an avenue for enemy attacks than it is for a trap. And demons are NOT disease immune, I take it?

Does anyone know how a Sanguine Dousing Rod works? Does it increase the blood magic level for hunting purposes? Or just add a percentage to the chance of successful hunting (and if so, how much)?

What I'm wondering is, can a non-blood unit use it? Maybe a Mound King or other cheapo undead-leader unit?

[Taqwus]

SDRs haven't boosted hunting for non-blood mages since late D2.

As it is, if memory serves (the manual has this detail), the SDR effectively raises blood level by 1 for hunting purposes only, for a mage who already has B1+.

[Nick_K]

Is the SDR +1? I was under the impression it was +2.
The manual doesn't seem to say - it just says 'blood hunt bonus for blood mages'.
It's definitely a bonus to effective magic level though, so it affects both the chance of success and the number of slaves captured.

I think that demons are immune to disease, anyone know for sure?

[Cor]

I also think demons are immune, but cannot say for sure.

The manual is not helpul on the SDR. It just says "gives bonus". Unless its somewhere besides item descrip and "blood hunt pg 69"