Down the cavalier road
"I am!" interrupted their companion, grinning mischievously, the mass of thin tendrils that made up her hair coiling and twisting excitedly. Enchanter Tregea smiled back, making sure to top up all three of their glasses. The second bottle of fine white wine was already nearly empty.
"Well obviously, I'm aware of the Edric du Gauvain situation and...."
"Oh, Hayaak is spitting teeth over that, let me tell you. He is beside himself. He is... he is... pure raging so he is. Imagine! Edric du Gauvain! At the table no less! Next to the Gryphon-king's own representative can you believe it!"
The herald of Rhianos nearly fell off her chair, she was so excited. Meraud's slightly more serious herald shook his golden head slowly.
"No good will come of it," he said gloomily, but then perked up. "On the other side of the river, though, everyone is talking about Jaheris' surprise showing at the Summer Tourney. The Summer Mage is obviously a little disappointed not to have secured the patronage, but it's quite the feather in the cap of the Silver Prince and no mistake."
Rhianos' herald was literally bouncing on her chair by this point.
"Which is of course another thing for Hayaak to be absolutely furious about! It's incredible! Some of the Court of the Eternal Sea are wondering if he might be so angry he's going to do himself an injury! Just... explode into a cloud of feathers and wroth!"
Enchanter Tregea nodded and smiled but internally he was significantly more worried than he was prepared to let on. He had no idea how much damage Hayaak could do in his current, reduced state. But the Vengeful One had the ear of Eleonaris, and while things may have been patched up for now it would take comparatively little to bring it all crumbling down again. He made a mental note to let Nimue know next time he saw her, and perhaps pen a few letters to other Enchanters of his acquaintance who might be able to look into it further. Right now though, the night was still young, and the two heralds seemed more than happy to keep trying to outdo each other with the gossip of the Summer Realm and who knew what else he might learn?
Crowns and Coronets
The mercurial king and queens of the Summer Realm are notoriously fickle with their affections. Quick to anger, their rage is usually mercifully brief but it can be intense and all consuming. At the recent summit, the Empire took steps to change the nature of their relationship with several of the key inhabitants of the realm and has reaped a number of rewards as a result, some of which have in turn led to further opportunities. The enchantresses of Dawn have been busy getting the lay of the land in the Summer realm over the last several months for their own reasons - of which more in a moment - but they are far from the only sources of knowledge about what is going on between the rulers of the realm, and their attitudes to the Empire. It appears most of the Summer eternals are currently well disposed to Imperial citizens - with one glaring exception.
Eleonaris
- The ire of Eleonaris has been calmed by the construction of a statue in her honour, she has moved to claim the statue
- She has indicated that she is not prepared to allow the Empire to perform Knights of Glory, but is making arrangements for a new ritual to enchant armies that will be available soon
At the recent summit, the Summer Archmage and his allies were able to corral a recalcitrant Empire to construct the statue that Eleonaris, the Lion of Summer, had demanded. The petulant eternal queen had been angered by what she perceived as slights inflicted on her by the Empire and had threatened dire retribution if Imperial magicians used ritual magic to force her servants to fight for the Empire. She insisted that the Empire construct a statue in her honour, to demonstrate their gratitude for the boons she had bestowed, but for a year the Empire resisted this blackmail.
Finally when it became clear that they had absolutely no other choice and that time had run out, the Empire begrudgingly agreed to acknowledge the thousands of knights that the Commander of the Golden Armies had sent to fight for them. The Master of the Koboldi arranged to construct the statue and the Senate passed a motion to cede it to the Lion of Summer.
With this act, the Summer Archmage has been able to calm the Lion of Summer's ire. She seems pleased with the new statue and is reported to be surprised but especially delighted to have it ceded to her. After long deliberation, she is no longer prepared to tolerate any mortal realm performing Knights of Glory, however she has sent a message to the Summer Archmage to inform him that she has instructed The Golden Magician to create a replacement for the ritual. The new ritual to enchant armies will be presented to Brother Luke at the Winter Solstice in gratitude for all his hard work in resolving the conflict.
As for the statue itself, that has a curious end. Within days of its completion, on a promontory facing the Golden Causeway, the water level around the statue begins to rise. The effect seems peculiarly localised, as slowly but surely the surrounding rock is drowned beneath the onrushing waters of the Semmerlak. The promontory quickly becomes an island, close enough to the shore that it can still be seen, but dangerous to reach, either by boat or swimming, due to the presence of sharp rocks below the lake's surface. On most days the island is obscured by mist and fog, even when the sun is high, making its presence even more mysterious.
Jaheris
- The Moonsilver Prince is delighted by his victory in the contest for the Icy Crag and has sent servants to aid the college
- With this aid, the Master of Ice and Darkness can now research curses of any realm at the same speed they can research Summer magic
The Moonsilver Prince is delighted by the victory of his three chosen champions in the recent tourney. Together Bohemond de Rondell, Zadkiel de Coeurdefer, and the highly respected war-witch Corvyn de Coeurdefer were able to overcome all obstacles to claim the prize for Jaheris. In recognition of their victory, the Lord of Despite has sent a pair of heralds, Mahine and Esmeray, to assist the researchers at the Icy Crag. The arrival of these pale skinned elves dressed in heavy all-covering robes causes confusion at first, but it is soon clear that their magical skills are a valuable addition to the college.
As a result, when the Master of the Ice and Darkness directs research towards any project that is a curse, the work proceeds at the rate of 15 ranks of magnitude each season. The Master can increase the rate at which a curse researched by spending money to purchase rare materials, esoteric tomes, and exceptional equipment. The first five ranks of additional research in a season cost 2 thrones. The next five ranks cost a further 5 thrones. The next five ranks cost a further 10 thrones, and so on doubling the price for each additional five ranks of research within the same season.
Cathan Canae
- The Queen of Ice and Darkness remains concerned about the Empire's willingness to trade land for peace
Cathan Canae remains concerned about the Empire's willingness to trade land for peace. Her heralds are at pains to stress that she is not concerned with the Empire ceding small areas of land to allies in exchange for useful benefits, nor is she bothered by them ceding a fane to an eternal. What concerns her is major losses of territory, such as the ceding of two territories to the Grendel, or entire regions of Varushka given up to buy the support of the Thule. Cathan Canae respects only two things: might and resilience, it is the failure of the Empire to defend that which is theirs that has raised her anger.
Adamant
- Adamant is pleased by the Master of the Koboldi's use of his diligent servants
Despite some concerns expressed that Adamant might be offended by the use of his little koboldi to construct a statue of his rival Eleonaris, Stone Face seems very pleased with the actions of the Master of the Koboldi. His heralds at the College of Engineering in Temeschwar continue to work with Imperial citizens, and if he is annoyed about losing the chance to serve as patron of the Icy Crag of the Eternal Sun he has not given any indication of it.
Barien
- Barien remains favourably inclined towards Dawn and the Empire
Barien is one of the few Summer eternals who is not quick to anger. He continues to look on the Empire with approval and favours Dawn as a land where personal glory is recognised and celebrated. During the coming Autumn Equinox, he will again be hosting a gathering for those champions who have completed one of his challenges to come forward, announce their success, and claim their rewards (as detailed in the A yellow star hung wind of fortune). His heralds will be on the field during Friday evening as usual, eager to speak with those undergoing a challenge.
Meraud
- Meraud remains favourably inclined towards Dawn and the Empire
The Summer Enchanter remains pleased with Dawn and the Empire as a whole, and remains interested in supporting her endeavours. Unlike most of the other Summer eternals, he seems to have little interest in the orc nations except perhaps for the Thule - while he's not hostile to them neither does he seem to offer them much in the way of patronage. He is disappointed that he failed to become patron of the Icy Crag during the Summer, but appears more than happy to await the next chance to defeat his rivals in a tourney. He is also apparently quite enthusiastic about his upcoming parley with the Archmage of Summer.
Rhianos
- Rhianos is delighted with the adventurous spirit of the Empire and is keen to present them with more such opportunities
Rhianos is delighted with Dawn and the Empire. The adventurous spirit of the Empire pleases the eternal greatly and he has been delighted by their spectacular results achieved by the recent raids on Skallahn and Chalonsio as well as the successful attempt to install the Red Iron Door. Such bold adventures warm the eternal's spirit and he longs to see the Empire engage in more such challenges. Indeed, he is offering a chance for a particularly grand adventure of his own as detailed in the The city asleep Wind of Fortune.
Hayaak
- The Brother of Lions is furious with the Empire, blaming them for his fall from power
- He has demanded the head of Edric du Gauvain in recompense for this and the most recent slights by the Dawnishman
- He is attempting to turn the Lion of Summer against the Empire and is now backing the Jotun in force
- He has sent gryphons and other monsters to stalk the forests of Coombe
Hayaak, the Brother of Lions is furious with the Empire. This proud eternal blames the Empire for his recent troubles, during which he lost control of the Forest of Arden to Jaheris. His heralds claim that Edric du Gauvain led a group of Dawnish knights to cast him down. Though they did not succeed in killing him, he was badly weakened allowing Jaheris to seize his lands and drive him out. He has since taken refuge with Eleonaris, the Lion of Summer, who has had her courtiers nurse him back to health.
To add insult to injury, at a banquet organised to honour the Lady of Pennants, the hosts chose to seat Hayaak's representative directly adjacent to Edric du Gauvain himself! Only the iron laws of hospitality constrained the Gryphon-king's herald from drawing his weapon and slaughtering everyone present. Now that the banquet is done, his fury has boiled over.
Seeking revenge, he has thrown his support behind the Jotun backing them with those servants he still commands. Feathered and beaked heralds have been spotted by keen-eyed Imperial scouts, scattered through the Jotun forces. It is hard to say how many yet, but it is clear the Jotun have gained significant reinforcements and a powerful new ally who can help them oppose the Empire. He has also sent monsters, gryphons and other terrible beasts, to stalk the forests of Coombe in Astolat. Travellers seeking to reach the settlement of Caer Faucon risk being attacked and armed patrols have had to be sent out into the woods to try to drive the monsters away.
Perhaps worst of all, the Gryphon-King is trying to turn his host, Eleonaris, against the Empire. He is openly claiming that the Empire has only built a statue of the Queen of the Fields of Glory so that they can regain access to Knights of Glory, bitterly deriding the Imperial Senate for the time taken to provide the Lady of Pennants with her due and arguing that it only happened at all once it became clear that there was absolutely no other way for them to regain access to her armies. He claims that such are not the actions of an Empire that respects the Sovereign in Scarlet and Gold, and pointedly suggests they indicate neither gratitude nor friendship.
Thus far, Eleonaris has refused to be drawn into his argument with the Empire, but it's notable that rather than lift her injunction on the prized ritual of war, she has instead indicated that she will provide the Empire with a different ritual in its place. The Queen of the Fields of Glory is said to be somewhat enamoured of the Gryphon-King - and is watching how his patronage of the Jotun plays out with interest. It remains to be seen if she will continue to look favourably on the Empire with the Prince-in-Exile dripping furious venom into her ear.
For his part, Hayaak's heralds have demanded the head of Edric du Gauvain in payment for the attack upon their King and for the slight of being forced to sit next to his attacker at the feast Solstice organized by the Empire at the Summer. The heralds have let it be known that Hayaak will support the Jotun on every battlefield where they fight the Empire until his enemy is executed and his decapitated head delivered to the Gryphon-King.
The civil service indicate that Edric du Gauvain passed away three years ago at the 381YE Spring Equinox summit.
Swords and Sorcery
- Lady Nimue de Moraine proposes that the enchanters of Dawn petition up to five eternals to act as patrons of the Eastern Sky
- Each eternal would provide access to a specific army order that could be used by the general of the army once a year
- Dawn has until the end of the summit at the Summer Solstice 385YE to convince enough eternals to offer their favour
- Eleonaris has already agreed to act as patron if requested, an acknowledgement of the statue constructed in her honour
- Each of the other eternals could be persuaded by a similar statue in their honour or by careful negotiation by one or more of Dawn's enchantresses
One reason the enchanters of Dawn have been so busy speaking with heralds of the Summer eternals relates to a discussion that took place during the Summer Solstice. Returning to Spiral Castle from Anvil, a representative of House deCassilon brought an interesting snippet of news. Two years ago, a group of Dawnish enchanters worked to convince five Summer eternals to offer their favours to the Eastern Sky. Their goal was to grant the army an impressive range of powers when such patronage was agreed but there were disagreements at the time about whose favour should be courted and the opportunity was lost. Urged on by the deCassilon, who believe that there may now be more interest in the opportunity, Lady Nimue de Moraine has taken advantage of the changing mood of Eleonaris to reopen negotiations. She and her fellow enchanters have worked tirelessly with the civil service to survey the mood of each of the summer eternals, presenting information that could be useful to the entire Empire and providing options for Dawn to consider if it wishes to deepen its relationship with the realm of Summer.
Rather than present a fait accompli, this time Lady Nimue has got all but one of the Summer eternals to agree in principle to the idea of up to five of their number acting as patrons of the Eastern Sky. She has also identified which ability each of these eternals might lend to the Dawnish armies if asked. As a result, Dawn has three seasons to decide which eternals they want to approach to request their favour.
| Enchanters and Enchantresses of Dawn |
| Areloe Larmallevés |
| Baldwin |
| Creasy Willowhistle |
| Enchantress Olivia Sepulchre |
| Guissart Vexille |
| Kym, Enchanter of the Twisted Rose |
| Kyriel Asterion |
| Lanval Van Narood |
| Leviticus Cagliostro |
| Lord Edmund the Enchanter of House Torawyr |
| Madeline Usher |
| Mal` Lassal Scethos of House Cordraco |
| Morgana |
| Morien de Carsenere |
| Morrigan Mortére |
| Pelleas Montrose |
| Pellinore Goldvein |
| Roderick Usher |
| Sophia Ivarovich Orzel |
The Enchantress is at great pains to stress that at present, only one eternal, Eleonaris, has been sufficiently flattered to accept the bargain and offer her favour - the other eternals have only agreed in principle to the compact. Impressed by the construction of a statue in honour of the Lion of Summer, they have all indicated that a similar sized (or larger!) statue constructed in their honour would be enough to convince them that Dawn was worthy of their favour.
However the eternals are prepared to negotiate with any one of the prominent enchanters of Dawn to see if other terms can be be agreed. The prestige of these individuals' position means that they are well placed to deal with the eternals on this matter. This means that at the Summer Solstice when Dawn decides whose favours to accept, they can chose from any Summer eternal whose favour has been won by a Dawnish enchantress, provided they are prepared to meet whatever terms have been agreed.
Nimue has drawn up a list of a score of Dawnish citizens known to be active at Anvil, any of whom the Summer eternals are happy to recognise as worthy intermediates. They would be prepared to negotiate with any of the listed individuals, if they can find a way to contact the eternal and they can make a suitable offer. Nimue is certain that the list of names the eternals have provided her with is not definitiv; any enchanter or enchantress who is recognized as such by their peers has a chance to gain the favour of an eternal, even if their name is not on the list of those the eternals have already acknowledged as having the appropriate stature.
To help facilitate negotiations, Nimue has worked with the civil service to provide an assessment of the current status of relations and what each eternal might offer as detailed under favour below. Any eternal who agreed to act as patron of the Eastern Sky would be bound by their word, if the Empire took them up on their offer. They would not be able to withdraw their support, although as Eleonaris has demonstrated, they could make life very difficult if the Dawnish found themselves in opposition to the eternal.
Any power gained from the favour of a specific eternal would be unavailable if the eternal were subject to enmity, though in theory the eternal in question might try to find other ways to support the Eastern Sky, assuming they were still favourably inclined towards Dawn.
Making a Decision
- The enchanters of Dawn have until the Summer Solstice 385YE to make up their mind about which eternals to approach - if any
- Changing the order of the Eastern Sky requires the assent of the general
Nimue indicates that the enchantresses of Dawn have until the Summer Solstice 385YE to make up their mind about which, if any, eternals to ask to offer their favour to the Eastern Sky. The statues that will certainly gain the support of each eternal would be a folly that would require a separate commission and require at least 30 wains of white granite each, which alone is a good reason that the Dawnish enchanters may wish to negotiate with their chosen eternals. Any that needed to be conceded could only be created by a Senate motion.
Assuming that the enchanters of Dawn and the general of the Eastern Sky want to grant the army the favoured quality in place of the current resourceful quality, Lady Nimue and her allies will arrange to gather the heralds of any eternal who has agreed to offer their favour together at the Summer Solstice next year. There is no requirement that only five eternals be approached, either. If more than five are represented, the final decision about which favours to accept would lie with the general.
Once the decision is made, the heralds and enchanters will participate in a girding ceremony, and then the army quality of the Eastern Sky will permanently be changed to Favoured. There will be no requirement for a specific Senate motion to achieve this - as long as the general offers their consent willingly.
Favoured
- The army can use the special orders granted by its patron eternals once each per year
An Imperial army that is favoured can call on one of the boons offered by its eternal allies each season, gaining access to a special order. No more than five eternals can offer their favour to an Imperial army. The general is guaranteed the right to call on each eternal once each season and never the same aid two seasons running. The eternals are bound by their word, so they are obliged to provide the aid agreed, regardless of how they feel about Dawn or the Empire at any given point, but they cannot help if the Conclave has declared them under enmity. If an eternal is under enmity, then any attempt to request their aid will automatically fail and the army will default to either solid defense or balanced attack if that order is chosen. The yearly ability to call on a boon refreshes during the Summer Solstice, when the general of the Eastern Sky is appointed, but even then it remains impossible to employ the same boon two seasons running.
The Favours
At the moment, apart from Hayaak, the Summer eternals approached by Lady Nimue and her friends have all agreed in principle to offer their favour to the Eastern Sky if a statue is built. The special ability they can provide is set - but it is up to the enchanters of Dawn to negotiate with them if they wish to agree a more achievable agreement than building several large statues of eternals at great expense all over Dawn.
Hayaak has utterly rejected any attempt to consider Nimue's compact - although in theory if his anger could be mitigated he might still be persuaded to consider it once he receives the head of Edric du Gauvain.
Eleonaris's Favour
- She has already agreed to act as a patron of the Eastern Sky if called on, she may be angered if not called on, unless dealt with respectfully
- If persuaded to act as patron of the Eastern Sky, then the army will be able to issue a triumphant charge once a year
Eleonaris is content to act as a patron of the Eastern Sky if Dawn calls on her to do so. Indeed Nimue cautions that she may be angered if she is not called on, unless such negotiations are handled decorously. If she is chosen as patron, then Eleonaris' support would enable to the general of the Eastern Sky to issue a triumphant charge once each year.
- The ability of this army to capture territory is increased by two-fifths.
- Casualties inflicted by this army are increased by one fifth.
- Casualties suffered by this army are increased by half.
A general who unleashes their troops in a triumphant charge seeks great victory, but pays a great price. The army confronts the strongest enemy troops and the most defended positions, and attempts to rout them. Individual soldiers and companies engage in valiant attacks, employing risky tactics to defeat their opponents. The army will gain much more ground, but does so at the cost of increased casualties.
Jaheris' Favor
- He would accept a statue of the Unicorn Prince built next to the Weirwater Vales in Weirwater
- If persuaded to offer his favour, then the army will be able to issue orders to pursue the Hunt of the Wild Wood once a year
Jaheris would be delighted to offer his favour to the Eastern Sky, but he will not do so unless the Empire builds a statue of him that is at least as large as the one they created for his great rival, Eleonaris. His heralds suggest a statue of the Unicorn Prince be erected next to the Weirwater Vales in Weirwater, but they indicate that due to his good mood, the Unicorn Prince would look favourably on an alternative location provided it had a suitably storied history. Unfortunately, he will not offer his favour if Eleonaris is also serving as a patron of the Eastern Sky. With the favour of Jaheris in place, the general would be able to issue orders to carry out the Hunt of the Wild Wood once a year.
- The ability of this army to capture territory is increased by one fifth.
- Casualties inflicted by this army are increased by one tenth.
- Casualties suffered by this army are increased by one fifth.
- This is an attacking order
Cathan Canae's Favour
- She would accept a statue of the White Bear built in the ruins of the Towers of the Dawn in Dawnguard in the Barrens
- If persuaded to offer her favour, then the army will be able to issue orders to Embrace the Storm once a year
Cathan Canae has made no secret of the fact that she is concerned with the Empire's lack of commitment to holding what is theirs. Perhaps this irritation is why she has obdurately chosen such an untenable position for any statue built in her honour. The Immovable One demands that any statue be built in the ruins of the Towers of the Dawn, in Dawnguard in the Barrens. Although this entire area was once part of Dawn, it was overrun by the Druj when they took the Barrens, so the Empire would have to conquer the region before any statue could be built. Cathan Canae has been explicit that her choice is not mere coincidence. She regards the Barrens as part of the rightful dominion of Dawn, and is vexed by their failure to resist the attacks of the Druj and their reluctance to retake the land. With the favour of Cathan Canae in place, the general would be able to issue orders to Embrace the Storm once a year.
- Surrounded by storms and blizzards, the army can only move a single territory this season.
- The ability of this army to defend territory is increased by two fifths.
- Casualties suffered by this army are increased by a fifth
- Casualties inflicted by this army are increased by a fifth
- This is a defending order.
Adamant's Favour
- The Empire could build a statue of the Golden Dragon in the main courtyard of the Castle of Thorns in Astolat
- If persuaded to offer his favour to the Eastern Sky, then the army will be able to issue orders to Stand the Walls once a year
Following discussions with the Dawnish enchanters, the koboldi have indicated that a statue similar to that which they built for Eleonaris would be an ideal way to secure their master's favour for the Eastern Sky. Something that portrayed his majesty as a great golden dragon could be constructed in the courtyard of the Castle of Thorns in Astolat. While enjoying the favour of Adamant, the general would be able to issue orders to Stand the Walls once a year.
- The general must name a fortification within the territory that their side controls
- The ability of this army to defend the territory is increased by a fifth
- Casualties suffered by this army are reduced by a fifth
- The army protects the fortification that it is defending, taking all the casualties in its place
- This is a defensive order
With Adamant's aid, the General of the Eastern Sky could order their army to stand the walls, taking advantage of a named fortification under Imperial control to defend the territory against all attackers. To employ the aid of the eternal, the general's side must name a fortification in the territory controlled by an allied force, otherwise this order defaults to solid defence. The order does not work with a magical fortification such as that conjured by Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae.
If the region containing the named fortification is attacked by the enemy during the campaign, then the fortification will benefit from the protection provided by the army. All casualties that the fortification would have suffered are transferred to the army up to the point where the army breaks or is destroyed (the casualties are not diminished by this transfer - they are transferred one for one - but the total casualties suffered by the army are still reduced by a fifth). The transference of casualties only happens if the fortification is directly attacked.Barien's Favour
- The Empire could build a statue of the Knight of the Long Road at the Semmerstones in Semmerholm
- If persuaded to offer his favour, then the army will be able to issue orders to Traverse the Crossroads once a year
Barien has suggested that if Dawn wants his support then they could construct a statue of the Knight of the Long Road at the Semmerstones in Semmerholm. If that happened then he would be happy to provide his favour to the Eastern Sky, allowing the general to issue orders to Traverse the Crossroads once a year.
- Can move up to five territories this season. It must still stop moving when it enters a hostile territory.
- Casualties suffered by this army are increased by a fifth
- This is an attacking order.
Meraud's Favour
- The Empire could build a statue of the Golden Magician in the centre of Weaving in Astolat
- If persuaded to offer his favour, then the army will be able to conduct Arcane Consolidation once a year
Meraud has suggested that if Dawn wants his support then they could construct a statue of the Golden Magician in the centre of Weaving in Astolat. If that happened then he would be happy to give his favour to the Eastern Sky, allowing the general to carry out arcane consolidation once each year.
- The army generates mana crystals based on the number of victory points generated.
- Does not change army strength, casualties inflicted or casualties suffered.
Rhianos' Favour
- The Empire could build a statue of Bottlenose in Racqueen in Semmerholm
- If persuaded to offer his favour, then the general can order the Eastern Sky to Seek the Greatest Prize once a year
If Dawn wishes to have his patronage for the Eastern Sky, he seeks to have a statue in his likeness erected in Racqueen in Semmerholm and he would like it ceded to him so that he can watch as brave Dawnish knights try their hands in the forests of Brocéliande. If that happened then he would be happy to grant his favour to the Eastern Sky, allowing the general to order the army to Seek the Greatest Prize once each year.
- The ability of this army to capture territory is reduced by one fifth.
- The army generates wealth based on the number of victory points generated.
- This is an attacking order