A star is born
"What's that?" asked her companion. She was not too pleased that Ser Kay had been chosen to accompany her on this trip. He wasn't the brightest spark in the fire, virtues bless him. To be fair, the man would jump in front of a dragon to save her at the first opportunity, but if wits were coins, this one would be a pauper.
"The wall - I'm trying to work out why they've built it so high. It doesn't make any sense," she explained patiently.
"It's a sea-wall," answered Ser Kay. "It's to protect the port against storms and the like," he said sagely nodding his head as if to agree with himself.
Iñes ground her teeth together and for a moment she contemplated pushing the knight overboard. One quick shove and with all that armour on, he'd be on the bottom in a heartbeart. If she was quick, nobody would see her and she could claim he'd been carried off by a giant roc. Then she noticed he was staring at her - just smart enough to know he had annoyed her, but not remotely smart enough to know why.
"Yes - it's a sea wall," she said smiling sweetly. "But look..." she pointed at the headlands that encircled the bay - the high cliffs soaring up to meet the sky. "Those are nature's sea walls - the cliffs will protect the bay, cutting out the worst of the winds and the waves. It's high tide now, you can see from the water marks on the stone that it never gets more than a hand higher than this. A well-protected bay like this doesn't need a sea-wall nearly twenty foot above the high-tide mark. So what's it for? And for that matter, why it is so thick? Something is not right."
Ser Kay looked at the wall and then the cliffs and then back at Iñes. "Its just a wall," he finally responded, shrugging his shoulders as if to cast off the unwelcome burden of thinking too deeply.
Iñes closed her eyes and imagined a roc, the fabled giant bird of legend, swooping out of the sky and flying off with the knight in its claws. No-one would ever need to know she thought to herself. She took a deep breath and then smiled again. Just a few minutes before they reached the shoreline. Perhaps she could find a a way to persuade their hosts to explain what in the Labyrinth had possessed them to build such a fantastically expensive sea wall. Assuming she could find a way to communicate with them at all of course...
Overview
At the Winter Solstice, the Prosperity Assembly passed a judgement by Creighton Blackewater calling "for the Empire to help the former slaves of Rachensgrab". This followed a judgement by Hembeneth i Guerra passed a year earlier which sought to "help those left behind to follow the way and rebuild their futures." Helping people who live thousands of miles away is no easy task, but the civil service confirmed it was possible to send ships to explore the area to see what lay out there. In theory the Military Council could have applied the guerdon to the vessels making the journey but absent that, it required a deep sacrifice from those who committed to reaching the Sea of Steel.
In all, fifteen virtuous military captains and seventy one fleet owners were prepared to sacrifice their own Prosperity to commit themselves to the expedition to bring Prosperity to the region. A vast flotilla of ships far outweighing what was needed set sail for the Sea of Steel. The civil service estimated the Empire would need a force with a military strength of a thousand, in the end the expedition had ten times that strength. This additional force did not alter the outcome - but it was a huge testament to the virtue of all involved.
The group weren't able to locate any former slaves in need of help, but as it turns out the expedition was far from a wasted endeavour.
Across the Sea of Steel
- The slaves who were freed in the raid on Rachensgrab are prospering in their new homes in the Commonwealth
- Rachensgrab remains, a shadow of its former strength, the survivors ruined by the destruction of the slave trade
What remains of Rachensgrab lies in a vast archipelago in northern Sea of Steel, far from the Empire and close to the Commonwealth and the Principalities of Jarm. There are countless islands in this chain, many of which are too small to be inhabitable, but all of which make navigation through the area a dangerous endeavour. There are people living on many of the larger islands; indeed almost all of those that have sufficient fresh water to make life bearable are home to isolated communities. It would take an age to catalogue all the islands and there would be no benefit in it - the majority of people living here have little interest in talking with the Empire and little to offer.
| Military Units | Nation |
|---|---|
| Thomas | Highguard |
| Farren Silver Streams | Navarr |
| Guillermo i Ezmara i Erigo | The Brass Coast |
| Othello di Severio von Holberg | The League |
| Tom Appleseed | The Marches |
| Hugh Ravenspire | Urizen |
| Fania Vessely-Vanek | Varushka |
| Aegil | Wintermark |
| Fedelmidd Sydanjaa's Heart Floer | Wintermark |
| Gísli Baerson | Wintermark |
| Kaisa Denmother | Wintermark |
| Ragnhild "Honeytongue" "Thrice-Passed" Skaersdottir | Wintermark |
| Torben Ukkosson | Wintermark |
| Trencher | Wintermark |
| Tylian | Wintermark |
| Fleets | Nation |
|---|---|
| Caspian Du Marin | Dawn |
| Decimus Quayward | Dawn |
| Leonel Dancebringer | Dawn |
| Percival Uther Bomound Caerleon | Dawn |
| Purnelle | Dawn |
| Creed | Highguard |
| Cadfael Silentwatch | Navarr |
| Cuinn-Gael Winterbuilt | Navarr |
| J'zarr | Navarr |
| Llŷr | Navarr |
| Rhys Nighthaven | Navarr |
| Wyllen Blood Oak | Navarr |
| Arcelia i Garza i Guerra | The Brass Coast |
| Arlo i Durán i Erigo | The Brass Coast |
| Cisco i Duendez i Erigo | The Brass Coast |
| Kirenna i Veruna i Riqueza | The Brass Coast |
| Manolo i Erigo | The Brass Coast |
| Matiaz i Riqueza | The Brass Coast |
| Quiberon i Caballo i Erigo | The Brass Coast |
| Rafaela i Simar i Riqueza | The Brass Coast |
| Sahir i Projimo i Erigo | The Brass Coast |
| Tavia i Morada i Riqueza | The Brass Coast |
| Tethros i Zuhri i Erigo | The Brass Coast |
| Thoraya i Zuhri i Erigo | The Brass Coast |
| Vanamo i Perez i Riqueza | The Brass Coast |
| Achille di Sarvos | The League |
| Draven von Apulian | The League |
| Grimandi Vascello di Sarvos | The League |
| Gustavus Tolski van Temeschwar | The League |
| Lorelan Thoress | The League |
| Narciso Sybilo di Sarvos | The League |
| Richardo Glostari di Sarvos | The League |
| Valentino Crass | The League |
| Creighton Blackewater | The Marches |
| Jeb of the Sails | The Marches |
| Misha Kemi | The Marches |
| Quay Stone | The Marches |
| Widow Nel Beskil | The Marches |
| Bacauda Netherwatch | Urizen |
| Catena | Urizen |
| Octavious | Urizen |
| Xenia | Urizen |
| Darien i Sirena i Riqueza | Varushka |
| Dima Vasilyevna Novosad | Varushka |
| Ivaniva Metsavna | Varushka |
| Kazimir Kirovich Aristov | Varushka |
| Kostjya | Varushka |
| Mateja Vedranovik Zoryn | Varushka |
| Nikolai Desovich Patazca | Varushka |
| Pavel Novak | Varushka |
| Triska Markova | Varushka |
| savva lejavich velky | Varushka |
| “Yasha” Jackov Jackeslav Pesovna | Varushka |
| Corvid Crowson | Wintermark |
| Czernobog Ollovich Borislav | Wintermark |
| Einar | Wintermark |
| Eluard Graves | Wintermark |
| Finn Pridetalker | Wintermark |
| Halvar Sten | Wintermark |
| Havngar Oaken Legs | Wintermark |
| Ilthramar Vimak | Wintermark |
| Isern Slean | Wintermark |
| Jaeger Crowe | Wintermark |
| Káre Markusdottir | Wintermark |
| Raal Dunn | Wintermark |
| Seardar | Wintermark |
| Sidgar Lotharsson | Wintermark |
| Sigeferth Masinen | Wintermark |
| Theodric Sandys | Wintermark |
| Vegard Veryson | Wintermark |
| Æðelric Dagursson | Wintermark |
One thing the expedition is able to do is to confirm that there are no former slaves here in desperate need of aid and support. The majority of the slaves who were freed in the raid on Rachensgrab settled in the Commonwealth. The expedition stops in Leerdam to resupply before setting sail for the slave lord's ruined eyrie. There they have a chance to meet with many of those who were freed in the attack on the island stronghold - as many of them who came to the Commonwealth never got further than Leerdam.
The freed slaves express a deep well of gratitude to the Imperial citizens they talk to, or at least those they assume took part in the destruction of Rachensgrab, but they are somewhat bemused by the idea that they need aid or help. The Commonwealth is an industrious and prosperous land, there is work for everyone and few idle hands here. Almost everyone the Empire speaks to has made a new life here and embraced the opportunities that the Commonwealth offers. Those who are hard-working have done well for themselves. Not everyone has been so successful of course; there are some who have struggled to get on in the Commonwealth, but they have largely scattered to the five corners of the world. Leerdam is a bustling port and there are always opportunities to take passage to another land for anyone prepared to work the trip.
Having satisfied themselves that none of the former slaves the Empire freed have been left destitute, the expedition moves on, setting sail for the archipelago itself. The first destination is Rachensgrab itself - the former stronghold of the slave lords - to see what has become of the place. There was a bustling port here when the Empire attacked, and while many buildings were fired, the place was not razed to the ground. It seems more than likely that there are people living here still.
And so it transpires - though the result is somewhat underwhelming. The flotilla discover a small squalid port, easily big enough to house five thousand people or more, but occupied by less than half that number. These are the survivors of Rachensgrab, not the slavers who were killed by the Empire and their allies, nor the slaves they freed who were taken in by the Commonwealth. What remains are just the common folk who lived here at the time of the attack. Some of them are the families of those who died serving the slave lords, but there are potters, weavers, and people of every trade imaginable, just like one might find in any port in any nation in any land.
What is immediately noticeable is how miserably impoverished the people are. When the castle fell, the attackers took everything of value and it left the settlement with next to nothing. More than half the inhabitants of working age are fisherfolk, living off the bounty of the sea, but there are no large boats or vessels capable of traversing open waters. The richest occupants have nets and tiny boats, canoes or small wooden rafts - the poorest use a rod and line to fish off the jetty. Food commands a high price, or it would if people had anything to sell for it. Most people are living hand to mouth and the comparison between them and the now prosperous and well-to-do former slaves living in Rachensgrab is striking.
There is some discussion of what to do about the obvious poverty of the people living here. They are clearly Prosperous - they are working long hours to provide for their families, but with the settlement ruined just surviving is a daily challenge. Eventually these people will get back on their feet, but it will take years. If anyone needs charity, it is these people. On the other hand - these are the citizens of Rachensgrab. These are the people who supported the slave lords and worked the slave trade. They once lived well on the ill-gotten gains of their moral turpitude - now they are dirt poor because the Empire and their allies took away the islands primary source of wealth - the trade in living beings.
The one thing that might restore the wealth of Rachensgrab quickly would be to resume the slave trade. However a Commonwealth ship, the Fernsicht, makes periodic inspections and the captain has been painfully clear to the survivors - if they return to their old ways then the Commonwealth will put an end to it and this time there won't be any survivors.
The Viyerda
- The people who once lived in the shadow of the slave lords of Rachensgrab are the Viyerda
There are still weeks to go before vessels must begin the long trip back to the Empire, so the flotilla uses the time to slowly explore some of the surrounding islands. Many of them are small and uninhabitable, but after a careful and meticulous search the Empire locate the island kingdom of the Viyerda. This tiny nation, made up of roughly equal numbers of humans and orcs, occupies an island half the size of the territory of Sarvos. However they lay claim to several of the surrounding isles, both large and small, and they are actively working to establish a new settlement on the largest of them, Alfoss.
When working on the Viyerda, this image from the television show "Grendel and Beowulf" served as an inspiration for their general look and feel. Both humans and orcs favour hard-wearing fabrics, especially wool, with fur trimming.
Contact with the Viyerda is extremely difficult because nobody on the expedition speaks their native language. Fortunately they do speak a smattering of Gemeinsamesprache (the language of the Commonwealth), enough that those who speak the language well are able to converse with them in the simplest most halting terms. That is fortunate because the Viyerda are incredibly wary of the expedition - they can't stop the Empire anchoring in Sternafloy, the large bay that houses their main port, but they refuse to let more than two or three Imperials come ashore at once. It is clear that they consider the expedition to be a major military force and they are distinctly alarmed by its sudden appearance. Forcing the issue is out of the question, not least because despite how well sheltered the bay is, the settlement is protected by a thick stone sea-wall that would make a direct assault difficult, in addition to keeping storms at bay.
The Empire does their best to calm the fears of the inhabitants and eventually they are able to discover a little about them. It seems the Viyerda have lived here for years. They rule themselves, they have a monarch, a Winter Queen, who rules the land in perpetuity - or so they believe. Until recently they were forced to pay heavy tribute to Rachensgrab and their lands have flourished now that that power is no more.
They don't follow the Way, but nor do they worship false gods like the Asaveans. Instead, the Viyerda believe that when they die, their soul goes to heaven - or to the heavens to be precise. They believe their souls come from the stars - and that they return there when they die. They believe each shooting star that lands in the world brings souls back from the heavens to be born again. It's clearly nonsense, but its not so far from the truth of the Labyrinth that it's easy to understand why people might believe it. What is more challenging is that they believe the orcs in the settlement reincarnate in exactly the same way as the humans do.
More strange still, the Viyerda's believe that they can work out who a person was in a previous life. When the Winter Queen dies, she is replaced by the Summer King, currently a young orc. But when the Queen does die the Viyerda's priests will search the islands looking for her reborn soul. When they find her - and they've been doing this for generations - then whoever they find becomes the Winter Queen after the Summer King dies. As far as the Viyerda are concerned they've had the same Summer King and Winter Queen for as far back as their records go - hundreds of years at least.
Sternafloy Bay
The islands the Viyerda occupy are jagged and mountainous. Steep inclines rise vertiginously out of the ocean with the sides worn away to jagged cliff edges and bluffs. The ground appears fertile, but rather than farm, they keep herds of cattle and sheep and supplement that with fruit from their orchards and fish from the sea. They also mine the hills, they have significant wealth in green iron, orichalcum, weltsilver and other metals. It seems they use these to create magical items; there are a handful of Viyerda who seem to possess skills to rival those of the best artisans in the Empire and there are some suggestions that they know how to craft magical items the Empire does not, but it's impossible to be certain.
Previously much of what they made was taken by Rachensgrab, but that has changed now. Their real wealth however comes from the bay itself. According to the Viyerda every nine years a star falls, directly into the centre of the bay. They claim this is as regular as the seasons, though the size of the star varies and it has been many generations since a large one hit the water. It is not clear how such a thing could be even remotely possible, but the Viyerda have little reason to lie and there is plenty of evidence that there must be at least some truth in the story. They possess ilium in relative abundance, all of it apparently reclaimed from the shallow waters of the Bay.
The Viyerda are understandably coy about how much ilium they possess and they are not willing to discuss the possibility of trade - for ilium or any of the other metals they possess. There is a polite but firm desire for the Empire to leave - only some of which can be attributed to the fact that the Empire has assembled a fighting force and anchored it in their bay without warning. They are not completely without contact with the outside world - they don't deny that the limited Gemeinsamesprache they have learned has come from contact with then - but they claim the Commonwealth has not been seen here for almost a year now.
Either way, they remain guarded and vigilant throughout, as if convinced that the Empire might attack them at any moment.
The Sternefriedinger
The Viyerda call their priests Sternefriedinger but they also use this word to describe their magicians, so it's not clear if the two castes are one and the same, or they don't distinguish in some way. Most of the Sternefriedinger dwell in a large stone tower on the far side of the main settlement, and no Imperial citizens are allowed to visit.
In fact, from the way they are described, there is a suggestion that the Sternefriedinger may be more than just priests or magicians. They are the ones who use their "magic" to locate the souls of those who have been reborn and help to reunite them with their loved ones. However they are also responsible for the administration of Viyerda society, tracking times and dates, including the crucial count to when the next star will fall. They collect taxes on behalf of the Winter Queen, and operate the salt houses where the Viyerda preserve fish and game.
The tower that houses the Sternefriedinger is four stories high. It is much smaller than the Queen's keep, but it towers over it, easily the tallest building in the port. No-one who is not Sternefriedinger, other than the king or queen, is allowed to visit the tower. Apparently their priest magicians conjure powerful magical spirits, attempting to persuade them to serve the Viyerda. It seems possible that the tower is similar to a fane of some kind, but without going inside it is impossible to be sure. Whatever the truth it is clear that none of the visitors will be allowed into the tower at this time.
Further Contact
- The Viyerda do not currently welcome contact with the Empire
- Opening diplomatic relations with the Viyerda will be challenging
Despite the best efforts of everyone in the expedition, it is clear that the Viyerda are not going to welcome the Empire ashore. Given how guarded they are, it seems likely they would have refused to open their settlement to the Empire even if the expedition had been most in size. They are wary and distrustful of foreigners - if the Commonwealth have managed to win their trust in some way, they have clearly had to work hard to manage it.
The ships in the flotilla spend a few weeks searching for other signs of civilisation on the islands around Rachensgrab but they don't discover anything else of note. It appears there is nothing else substantial or important in this area. With little time remaining there is no other option but to return to the Empire.
It is notable that the Viyerda refused to give out the names of their Winter Queen, which would make it impossible to send a winged messenger. These people are clearly not interested in exchanging goods or information with the Empire or anyone else. However the Empire could still find a way to open diplomatic channels if they were prepared to invest in it. The civil service identify two possible courses of action.
Virtues Rest
- The Imperial Senate could use an appraisal to send Naomi of Virtue's Rest to open diplomatic channels with the Viyerda
- It would take two seasons to complete, and cost 60 thrones
Appraisals are traditionally conducted in Imperial territory - the prognosticators who conduct the investigations are academics not heroes. It would be far too risky to try to send them into danger, and the conditions would make working impossible. However it is sometimes possible for civil servants to conduct their work abroad - the Department of Historical Research recently travelled to the Sarcophan Delves to research the founders of the city, for example.
After discussing the matter with Naomi of Virtue's Rest, Gerard La Salle confirms that she could undertake a follow-up expedition to the Sea of Steel with a view to attempting to open diplomatic relations with them. It would require the Senate to authorise the work and would use one of the available opportunities to commission an appraisal for the season. The work would be long and arduous - it would only require the one appraisal, but it would need six months to complete, cost 60 thrones from the Imperial treasury, and mean Naomi could do no other work during that time. Rachensgrab is a long way away, the trip would be expensive, and the work would take time to complete.
But Gerard is confident that at the end of that time, Naomi will identify an opportunity to convince the Viyerda to open their port to visitors from the Empire and to engage in diplomacy with them.
Celestial Arch
- The Celestial Arch could use a declaration to ask members of the Order to open diplomatic channels with the Viyerda
- It would take two seasons to complete, and cost 100 mana
Instead of the Imperial Senate instructing Naomi to appraise ways to open the port, the Grandmaster of the Celestial Arch could use a declaration of Concord in Conclave to ask the magicians of their order to make the attempt. The magicians of the Arch believe that "negotiation with eternals and diplomacy with foreign powers are comparable skills" and the Order includes many insightful and competent diplomats, mediators and negotiators in their ranks. If one of the Order's two declarations were used to ask these magicians to make the attempt they would do so (assuming the Conclave concurred).
As with Naomi, the attempt would be expensive and time-consuming. It would only require a single declaration, but it would take six months to complete, and cost 100 mana, rather than the normal 20. The Celestial Arch could not issue new guidance to their Order until this was complete.
As with an appraisal, the magicians on the Celestial Arch would identify an opportunity to convince the Viyerda to open their port to visitors from the Empire and to engage in diplomacy with them.
Too Many Cooks
- Sending both an appraisal, and the Celestial Arch, will be counterproductive
It is not possible to send both Naomi and the Celestial Arch to speak with the Viyerda. They were clearly intimidated by the size of the flotilla sent to explore the area - the best possible approach is to send a small delegation. The more people are sent, the worse the chances of success. For that reason, if the Senate instructs Naomi to carry out an appraisal and Conclave asks the Celestial Arch to investigate, then neither action will take place.
Prosperity is Not Its Own Reward
- The judgement of rewarding could be used to provide recompense to those who took part in the expedition
As it stands, those who took part in the expedition to the Sea of Steel, to bring prosperity to the slaves of Rachensgrab and travelled to Viyerda, have received no reward for their virtuous Prosperity - no real opportunity to trade and no Guerdon shares. Several statements of principle have been passed encouraging people to participate in the expedition, beyond those specifically calling out the need to provide prosperity to the former slaves of Rachensgrab. With that in mind, and given that the civil service knows exactly who took part in the expedition, the Imperial Synod could choose to use a judgement of rewarding to provide recompense to the participants, to recognise their prosperity. Eighty-six citizens participated in the expedition. A judgement of rewarding could be placed intending to reward all those who took part, without needing to name them individually. The civil service can take care of the rest, ensuring that the moneys are distributed as evenly as possible to everyone who went to the northern Sea of Steel.
Some priests point out that what the civil service could do to support a judgement of rewarding could also be done to support a disbursement of funds by the Imperial senate, provided the same restrictions were observed.
The Sting In The Tail
- The Commonwealth ambassador is concerned that the Empire is investigating lands that lie uncomfortably close to them
- An attempt to open diplomatic channels with the Viyerda risks upsetting the Commonwealth
The Commonwealth ambassador, Ludkhannah Schöningen, has expressed concern about Imperial efforts to investigate the Sea of Steel. They can see no legitimate reason for the Empire to be active in these parts - there are no slaves to free to the best of anyone's knowledge. It seems that the Commonwealth consider the Sea of Steel to be part of their domain, even though there is no sign that they control any of the islands the Imperial flotilla visited. Their view is that the Empire should respect the Commonwealth's interests and keep their ships away.
The ambassador has been asking several pointed questions about the presence of the expedition - eager to know what the Empire is trying to achieve. Thus far, no damage has been done, but if the Empire presses ahead with attempting to open diplomatic relations with the Viyerda then it is going to negatively impact the Empire's relationship with the Commonwealth. They clearly don't want Imperial fleets operating in that part of the Sea of Steel, if the Empire starts trying to develop an ally there without explaining to the Commonwealth exactly what they are doing then relations with the Commonwealth will suffer as a result.
The Empire might be able to mitigate this by asking the Commonwealth for permission to attempt to open relations with the Viyerda. The Ambassador to the Commonwealth would need to write to them to make the request, so that would take time, at least a season, but if they acquiesced to the Empire's request then they couldn't then, in good conscience, be offended by it. To get the best possible chance of success, the Ambassador would need to make a persuasive argument to convince the Commonwealth that they should agree to it. At a minimum, the Empire would need to explain exactly what the Empire was hoping to get from such efforts.
The problem with this approach is that if the Empire asks the Commonwealth for permission and is told no - and then goes ahead and does it anyway - then the Commonwealth will be significantly more offended. It is one thing to go behind an ally's back - it is another to do something they have explicitly asked you not to do. The diplomatic consequences would be much worse if that happened. Ultimately it might be better to ask for forgiveness, not permission.
Of course, the Empire could just choose not to get involved. The founding purpose of the expedition was to find the former slaves of Rachensgrab who were in need of help - making contact with the Viyerda was never part of the plan. Is it really work risking damaging the Empire's friendship with the vast and powerful Commonwealth to try to open a single tiny port in a broken chain of islands on the other side of the world?
Sometimes the best fruit are left on the tree, as the Marcher proverb goes.
Participation
Anyone who took part in the expedition - who assigned their military unit or fleet - is encouraged to create stories about their voyage to the east. The Sea of Steel is much larger than most of the other maritime bodies, verging on the oceanic. It takes its name from the large number of warships that cluster along its shores and ply its waves; while the Commonwealth controls much of southern waters, the Principalities of Jarm dominate the eastern shores. It is a cold ocean, and in the north (where characters are sailing), snow and hail are a distinct possibility even during the Summer months.
The Commonwealth ports page contains information about Volkavaar and Kavor, which characters may have spent time in resupplying for the second leg of their journey to the northern archipelago. Encounters with former slaves are certainly possible, and you may want to take a look at the For the Common Good wind of fortune for some ideas as to the kinds of things Commonwealth citizens might talk about.
One thing to remember is that the Viyerda are an integrated community of humans and orcs. They live in communities together, share a language, and while the Winter Queen is human, the Summer King is an orc. The Viyerda don't find this especially strange; it's normal for them.
In addition to the information about Rachensgrab (The Burning wind of war contains enough information to be able to sketch up some idea of what the city once looked like) and Viyerda, adventures in the north might have involved encounters or sightings of whales and massive sea-birds. Some of the deserted islands are also home to small colonies of white-feathered gryphons who sometimes prey on the Viyerda herds and are not above attempting to pluck a sailor from the deck of a sailing ship. You may also have sighted a rare creature in the deeper waters away from civilisation; the Viyerda call them syolvur. They are somewhat reminiscent of the leomarids of distant Asavean, but whereas those creatures resemble a combination of lion and fish (or sea serpent), the syolvur are similar to large wolves with thick dolphin-like tails. They are shy creatures that flee before Imperial vessels, but the sight of a pack of two dozen syolvur swimming swiftly through the water may be truly inspiring.
As always, be inspired by the information here but be cautious about creating too many additional details as later developments may contradict them.
Early Completion
- The Provide Prosperity to Rachensgrab expedition is no longer available
The original Wind of Fortune indicated that the Provide Prosperity to Rachensgrab expedition would be available for two seasons. In the end, however, the response from Imperial military and fleet captains was so overwhelming that it has been completed early. It's no longer possible to send fleets or military units to Rachensgrab; this particular opportunity has achieved all it is going to achieve.
Further Reading
- Say her name - 386YE Spring wind of fortune detailing the expedition opportunity
- Burning - 384YE Winter wind of war concerning the destruction of Rachensgrab