Asavean factions

Overview

Towards the end of 386YE the magicians of the Sevenfold Path made contact with three groups of magicians who could help the Empire. Each of these groups have some connection with the Imperial faith but none of them are followers of the Way. They might be persuaded to embrace the Way more fully, though it is clear that their beliefs are a long way from what any inquisitor might call orthodox. Even so, if they could be relied on then they would be effective allies in the aim of establishing the way in Asavea.

In the following season, the Assembly of Loyalty decided emphatically that they wished to find those groups who would be interested in tearing down the corrupt rule of the Plenum. These groups would need significant support from the Empire to raise an effective rebellion, but they could help hasten the demise of the Plenum.

Supporting these rebellious groups is guaranteed to incite the furor of the Plenum. It is one thing to make contact with the curious who are keen to experiment with the Way. It is another entirely to provide military aid to groups set on rebellion. Once the Empire commits to this path then this war will go from a matter of retaliation and honour to one of survival. The Asaveans have a massive military force of navies and armies that dwarfs anything the Grendel possess. Once it becomes clear that their rule is in jeopardy they will do everything they can to ensure that it is the Empire that falls - not the Plenum.

The Curious

These are groups (of magicians) that profess to be curious about the Way. All of them appear to be potential allies, but the Empire has been warned by the Whisper Gallery that one of them is lying - one of the three groups described below are double-agents who are actually loyal to the Plenum. They will ultimately take whatever they are given, betray the Empire and get everyone dealing with them killed.

The Empire is attempting to infiltrate another nation, to insert spires, to turn agents, to establish networks of rebels and informants and covert priests attempting to spread the Way. The Sumaah have spent years making similar attempts, and the Plenum are wise to them and expend a lot of effort trying to prevent exactly this kind of action. One of the most effective ways for them to do that is to conceal double-agents of their own within their own population - individuals who will respond favourably to any approach by a foreign power, but who will then betray that power at a moment that the Plenum deem it right.

The Cerularios

The order has made contact with members of the Cerularios family
They have confirmed that at least one of the Cerularios is dedicated to Prosperity
If the Empire give the shield Glistering to Catella Cerulario then her family will embrace Prosperity
This will reduce the materials needed to Anchor the Way by 20 wains of white granite and 60 crowns
Glistening is the property of the title, it would require a senate motion to strip it from the title so that it could be legally sent to Asavea

There have been whispers for a while that one of the powerful Plenum families has dabbled with Virtue. There are claims that the Cerularios are secretly devout dedicates of Prosperity. They clearly can't be openly advocating for Virtue, not in the current climate, but their status and position in the Plenum would be enough to allow them to keep their actions hidden. They are exactly the sort of people who would represent allies in powerful places in Asavea - if they could be brought on side. Some of the Sevenfold Path have pursued this line of enquiry, and reported back that they have had a positive meeting with two members of the family, Catella Cerularios, a mercenary captain recently returned from the Empire, and her lover Rolerto, a dissolute Autumn magician whose family moved to Asavea from the Brass Coast decades ago and were adopted by the family. Thorough insight has confirmed that both these individuals are dedicated to Prosperity. Catella claims she converted to the Virtue five years ago when relations between the Empire and Asavea were better.

Rolerto is no priest, but he can at least name the seven virtues and tell you his favourite paragon (a Sumaah figure named Sjördeyr whose inspiration stresses the importance of celebrating as hard as one works). Beyond that, his knowledge of the Way is pretty shaky. Catella seems fairly disinterested in the Way itself, but appears to enjoy being a dedicate of Prosperity, claiming that the Virtue does more for her than the Black Bull ever did. It appears that Catella and an unspecified number of her family would welcome the opportunity to experience "more of what Prosperity has to offer".

The Cerularios are relatively well connected and influential in Asavean society, they are also a rarity in Asavea in that they are a coven of powerful Autumn magicians, able to cast rituals of high magnitude and wealthy enough to afford the mana crystals needed for it. Getting them onside would help to anchor the faith in Asavea, reducing the materials needed to complete the project by 20 wains of white granite and 60 crowns (OOC Note: This is not payment from the family, it is abstraction of the benefits provided by bringing this family on side).

There is a cost to this though. Catella came to the Empire, not to fight, but to search for a legendary artefact, a powerful relic of the faith that inspires those who hold it. She is talking about Glistering, one of the original Pilgrim's Shield, an artefact created in ages past that has been born by the champions of Prosperity since then.

Catella has no interest in haggling over this. She is more interested in acquiring Glistering than she is in pursuing Virtue. It is a personal quest for her, that thus far she has failed. She won't be bought off, even by something more powerful and more valuable - it is very explicitly the shield Glistering that she wants. If she is given the shield she and Rolerto will use it to encourage more of their family to embrace Prosperity. They are not about to adopt the Way anytime soon, but they could be allies in Virtue - and well connected ones at that.

Clearly this is a high price, but as Catella herself points out, the Empire are asking her and her family to take enormous risks. "All that is worthwhile is shared with those who deserve it." smirks Rolerto.

The Mikanos

The order has made contact with a powerful Winter coven called the Mikanos Covenant
The Mikanos control an island labyrinth far from the Asavean Capital
The group are prepared to convert to the Way in exchange for ten doses of true liao
This will reduce the materials needed to anchor the way by 25 wains of white granite and 75 crowns
A successful judgement of rewarding by the General Assembly would be needed to provide the true liao to the magicians

The Asavean Empire extends across a great archipelago that includes scores of islands, large and small. In addition to the islands that make up the heart of the Republic, there are dozens of subject states, called satrapies which are theoretically sovereign nations. In practice they are ruthlessly controlled by the Asavean Plenum in various different ways. The Mikanos covenant are a powerful group of Winter mages, who came together as far from the rule of the Plenum as they could get, to study magic. They built their covenant on a tiny island over the ruins of a maze of stone passageways that endlessly twist and turn in an attempt to mislead anyone who would try to navigate them. The entire labyrinth is part of a powerful Winter regio, so only the most experienced members of the coven are allowed to attempt to walk the passageways. Those who fail to meet the challenge of the maze do not return.

The Mikanos are utterly obsessed with death. They are very familiar with the Way and they are absolutely convinced that the labyrinth beneath their covenant is the actual Labyrinth into which human souls pass when they die. They have spent years studying their labyrinth, mapping parts of it (it seems to stretch for miles) and performing magical rituals to try and learn more about it. Their dream is to find a way to penetrate to the very heart of the maze - obviously anyone who does that will have mastered death itself and will become effectively immortal.

The Mikanos are open to converting to the Way. They are eager to learn from Imperial priests, and could make useful allies in the attempt to anchor the way in Asavea. They are far from the centre of power, but that makes it easier for them to operate more freely and as powerful and respected winter magicians they are often called on to deal with problems in this part of the world that require their skills. In particular, they loathe the Asavean church, which they regard as a pack of parasitical charlatans that is holding Asavea back from achieving its true destiny - every member of the covenant is a devout anti-theist; they are required to swear an oath renouncing all gods when they join. They appear to have a particular dislike for the Asavean God of the Dead - the immense kraken that some believe will ultimately drown all the world and bring an end to human civilisation.

However, the Mikanos demand a price for their help - a way to further their study of death and the Labyrinth. They know about true liao and are eager to sample its benefits. They want ten doses of true liao, one for each of the magicians in the covenant, so that each can experience a past life. Their hope is that the true liao will help them further penetrate the veil between this life and the next. They are quite clear however that they are not going to come to the Empire to experience these visions - it's far too dangerous and would likely expose their involvement with the Sevenfold Path to their enemies.

Some of the magicians who made contact with the Mikanos acknowledge that the price is high, but remind the Order of the example set by the First Empress. If one of the members of the covenant experiences a past life as someone from another land, even another empire, it could help them understand that all humanity is united under the way, which would bolster their conviction in the Way beyond what is at the moment, somewhat theoretical more than Virtuous. And of course true experience of their past lives would likely help them to see the ignorance in their belief that their labyrinth is the Labyrinth. Hopefully.

Regardless of the outcome, they would make useful allies in the attempt to anchor the Way in Asavea. Providing them the true liao they have requested will reduce the materials needed to complete the project by 25 wains of white granite and 75 crowns (OOC Note: This is not payment by the covenant, it is abstraction of the benefits provided by bringing this group on side).

Rafael Barossa di Tassato served as Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path when contact was made with the Curious.

The Bells of Becephelas

The order has built links with a group of Summer mages in Becephelas
The magicians of Becephelas despise the Plenum and would like to rebel
The group are knowledgeable in the Way having had periodic contact with Sumaah missionaries, many of their members are dedicated to Ambition, Courage or Loyalty
The magicians need access to Imperial lore to give them the power to resist the Asavean military
This will reduce the materials needed to anchor the way by 30 wains of white granite and 90 crowns
A successful Declaration of Concord would be needed to share Imperial lore with the magicians

The satrapy of Becephelas has a long and fractious relationship with the Plenum. They have rebelled twice in the last hundred years, but each time the revolt was put down. The most recent occasion was just thirty years ago; inspired by the preaching of Sumaah missionaries who spread the Way here. With the determination of the Virtuous, they attempted to assert their independence, but the Plenum sent armies to crush the rebellion. They appealed for aid from Sumaah, who sent dozens of small military units to assist them, but it was not remotely enough to turn the tide. They were defeated and the leaders of the revolt were executed.

The magicians of Becephelas remain committed to Virtue and the Way. They still believe in the inspirational power of the six Virtues (they appear to have no working knowledge of the Virtue of Prosperty) but they have severed all contact with Sumaah, who they believe encouraged them to rise up and then abandoned them. The Dawnish yeofolk who spoke with two of them was able to confirm that both were dedicated to Courage, but they claim that there are followers of Ambition and Loyalty among their numbers also. Getting their support would be one of the most effective ways to anchor the Way in Asavea and help foster rebellions against the rule of the Plenum. However there is a significant cost - the people of Becephelas feel that they have been betrayed by followers of the Way once already - they're not such fools as to try it again unless they can be confident of success. They want to have the means to defend themselves this time, a way to ensure that they can raise an army against the Plenum and have some hope of victory.

After the last time the magicians declared their independence, the Plenum forcibly destroyed every ritual text they could find in the Satrapy. They left a handful of rituals that can be used to enchant farms and businesses, everything else was burned. The intention was not just to send a clear signal to any other Satrapy that might consider rebellion, but to ensure that the magicians themselves were left powerless.

What they want, what they need, they say - is access to Imperial lore. If Becephelas magicians could study Imperial lore, if they create new ritual texts and smuggle them into Becephelas, they could rebuild their lore, rebuild their power, and when the time came they would be able to raise an army and back it with their own magic.

Having the magicians on side would be important if the Empire wants to try and overthrow the Plenum. Even if they stop short of that goal, they will be useful allies in the attempt to anchor the Way in Asavea. Providing them with access to Imperial lore will reduce the materials needed to complete the project by 30 wains of white granite and 90 crowns (OOC Note: This is not payment to the covenant, it is abstraction of the benefits provided by bringing this group on side).

The Rebellious

The Way tells us that no-one may demand your loyalty and obedience to their rule. We send Sufyan i Zuhri i Guerra with 25 doses of liao to teach the Asaveans to abandon those who have done nothing to deserve their Loyalty

Sufyan i Zuhri i Guerra, Loyalty Assembly, Winter Solstice 386YE, Vote: 364-32

The mandate enacted by Sufyan i Zuhri i Guerra has sent a clear signal from the Assembly of Loyalty to the faithful that they should try to start a revolution in Asavea. This will not be simple - it is no easier for the Synod to tear down the Plenum than it would be for the Plenum to start a successful revolution in the Empire. This will be expensive and dangerous and take years. Uprisings are not unknown in Asavea - in fact they are not even uncommon - which is precisely why the Plenum are so experinced at dealing with them.

The Satrapy of Ibaria

Ibaria is a poor satrapy on the edge of the Archipelago whose rebellion was ruthlessly crushed
They are a martial people who would rise again, if they had the means and there was a chance of victory
They could raise up to three armies if supplied with mithril

On the near edge of the vast Asavean Archipelago, lies the island satrapy of Ibaria. Though a peripheral and comparatively poor satrapy, Ibaria has a proud martial tradition with soldiers serving in more than one Asavean army. The Satrapy is known to some League merchants who have unofficially been docking there for years, buying wines, oils, and fine metalwork. Maybe it was that contact that inspired these people to try and rise up and overthrow their satrap, it's hard to say. Either way, a few years back, their attempt at rebellion was crushed by the Plenum. Those rebels who survived fled, and some came to the Empire, helped by the same League merchants who had once prospered from the trade.

To the best of anyone's knowledge the refugees settled somewhere in the League, the egregore has even confirmed that they took League citizenship and at least some of them have attended Anvil recently, so they shouldn't be too hard to find. It may be that they have turned their back on their former homeland, and are happy to embrace their new lives in the Empire. Even if that is true, they may be able to help Ibaria raise again.

Doing so will be expensive. Rebellions need armies and armies need mithril, and huge quantities of it. The Ibarians have an intense martial spirit and the will to fight. They are eager to rise up, if the opportunity presents itself. But they are poor and the Plenum ensures they stay that way, as punishment for their last revolt. The Empire could raise up to three armies here. The Imperial Senate could pass a motion instructing the civil service to make the relevant arrangements or the Loyalty Assembly could use an appropriately statement of principle calling on those who are already involved in these efforts to make the relevant arrangements.

Either approach would work - but neither approach will supply the huge quantities of mithril needed. That will be up to the people of the Empire.

The Children of Asav

The Children of Asav are a reactionary movement in Asavea who want to return the Archipelago to its glory days
They lionise the nation's martial spirit, and decry the corruption and venality of the Plenum
They are an influential cult, whose influence would grow if they were backed with Imperial funds

The Plenum is a hotbed of corruption - bribery, nepotism, and graft are commonplace at every level and there is a wide-spread understanding that the powerful families that run the Archipelago act largely in their own best interests. There is a natural suspicion amongst many members of the Plenum towards anyone who claims to be serving the common good. Plenum members who speak openly of how their ideas will benefit themselves are seen as more honest than those who decry self-interest. Idealists are viewed as dangerous demagogues, the kind of people who might whip up the mob to claim a mandate from the people - deluded at best, deceitful at worst. As a result, the Plenum does not tolerate idealists for very long. In theory, the head of each major household has a seat on the Plenum but those who don't share the general philosophy quickly find themselves on the out, regardless of the circumstances of their birth. In practice, most households deal with this matter themselves - family members with dangerous ideas of change are encouraged to get themselves killed fighting the Sumaah or otherwise pushed out or ignored. There is little place in Asavean society for people hungry to improve the lot of their fellow human beings.

One such group is the Children of Asav. Largely compromised of well-educated members of households who have found themselves ostracised for their political views, the Children are opposed to the rule of the Plenum and would like nothing more than to see it torn down. They dream of a return to a supposed golden age, when Asavea was the most powerful empire in the world, under the rule of warriors forged in battle. Many of them are members of the Asavean armies, and are open about their desire to replace the Plenum and the priesthood with military rule.

The Plenum doesn't waste a lot of time on the Children of Asav, partly because they are fiercely loyal to Asavea, if not the Plenum, but mostly because they are largely powerless. Any who speak openly are thrown out of their families for their idealism so they have little in the way of open political connections. What they do have is a loose network of connections spread right across Asavea that could grow into a genuine political movement. The one question the Loyalty assembly are unable to answer is how many other Children of Asav there might be, quietly toeing the Plenum line - and how committed they would be to tearing down their society if push came to shove.

To threaten the Plenum would require vast resources though, the Empire would need to set up arrangements to fund the Children of Asav directly. If they had large sums of money flowing to them, they could parlay that into growing influence in Asavean society. All it would take is the said large sums of money to come from somewhere... The Senate could do it of course, they could even use a Senate motion to set up regular payments from the Imperial treasury if they could find the money from somewhere. Or the Loyalty Assembly could make arrangements, perhaps by drawing on the Virtue fund and collecting sizable donations.

It would need to be at least 75 thrones a season to have a noticeable impact - and it would take years to build a movement. The Children of Asav want to throw down the Plenum and return Asavea to its heyday, but that can't happen overnight - even with the Empire's backing.

The Lost Weepers

The Lost Weepers are a group of rebels who have turned to dark powers
They worship all the gods of the Asavean pantheon and more
They are a dangerous cult, whose influence would grow if they were backed with ritual texts

The Lost Weepers were once part of an influential band of rebels who managed to raise a rag-tag army, the Pride of Aracossa. After the fall of Fort Maragladia to the vicious Plenum forces four years ago, the rebels who would become the Lost Weepers scattered. Left behind by the Sumaah and the Empire they hardened, reaching out for anything that would help them survive, calling to all the gods of the Asavean pantheon. And in their darkest moments, something answered them. Now, the Lost Weepers act as ruthless soldiers, wholly committed to their cause of hurting the Asavean Plenum. They could be a dangerous weapon, double-edged and liable to nick the throat of the one trying to wield them, but potentially deadly if used correctly. If the Empire can stomach allying with those who think nothing of murder and butchery and can ignore the fell powers that the Lost Weepers have thrown in their lot with, then this group could inflict significant damage on the Plenum.

What the cult really need is access to ritual texts and large volumes of mana. If the Imperial Conclave were able to disseminate Thunderous Tread of the Trees, Rivers Run Red, Mountain Remembers Its Youth, and Wither the Seed, then they would start wreaking havoc on satrapies across Asavea. They know exactly what Mountain Remembers Its Youth does and are eager to use weapons like these on their enemies.

They have some small stores of mana, so initially the rituals text alone would be sufficient to allow them to exact revenge on the Plenum. Beyond that, they would need supplies of mana or else any rebellion will quickly peter out.