Shallows and miseries

While Imperial armies advance on Fort Braydon, Jotun champions assault the League.

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Who and What

After the Winter Solstice, the Jotun send a host of warriors into Kahraman. They came not from the west, as they usually do, but from the north, out of Liathaven and into Braydon's Jasse. The garrison at Fort Braydon fought courageously, but they could not hold the orcs even with the aid of the Red Wind Corsairs, the Black Thorns, and the Quiet Step. The Jotun captured the fort, conquered the hills of the Jasse, and made serious inroads onto the Jade Range plains.

Immediately after the Spring Equinox, the Corsairs and the Step make preparations to withdraw from Kahraman, journeying north toward Upwold. The Black Thorns remain, and are joined by five new armies fresh from the liberation of Bregasland: Isaella's Dance, the Fire of the South and the newly-kindled Burning Falcon, the Fist of the Mountains, and the Drakes.

All six armies are supported by Imperial magic. The Drakes and both the Navarr armies fight with confident strategy while the Fist of the Mountains bears an enchantment that allows the large numbers of independent captains to quickly adapt to the heat and dust of the Cinnabar Hills, and to the mystical traditions of the Wintermark army.

At first it appears the Fire of the South have taken on the aspect of the Navarr. The Freeborn soldiers are merciless in battle, taking every opportunity to cut down and kill their Jotun adversaries. Implacable and merciless, they target baggage trains, execute the fallen, and cut down anyone attempting to flee without hesitation. Cold and calculating to the point of callousness, there is none of the easy camaraderie or joy-in-battle that often accompanies a Freeborn force. At night, the campfires created by the Fire of the South burn green and blue, and provide little heat. Several soldiers in other armies look askance at this behaviour, but it soon becomes clear that the Fire of the South are under a powerful Winter enchantment, one not familiar to Imperial magicians, that makes them adept at slaughtering their enemies. It just has some side effects some Imperials might find unpalatable.

Free born, we return home once more brining the pragmatism of winter. Once more we have unwelcome visitors in Kahraman. These Jotun have claimed fort Braydon for their own. We will bloody them as we force them to leave. With our overwhelming assault we will reclaim our home. We will show them what it means to dampen the flame of the Freeborn.

Velasco i Guerra, General of the Fire of the South

My dearest Freeborn, we have begun the story of the Burning Falcon again. We return to our home, to Kahraman, to our pride to drive the Jotun from the hills. The Empire is with us. The power of Summer swells our ranks. The heralds and eyes of Janon are welcomed to witness our fire and Virtue first hand. We will be the virtuous flame that burns our enemies to the last.

Aracelis I Erigo, General of the Burning Falcon

The contrast with the normal behaviour of soldiers from the Brass Coast, and with the other Freeborn army, could not be more marked. The newest Imperial army, and its staunch core of kohan warriors, is accompanied by a host of crimson-and-gold soldiers from the Fields of Glory. They fight under the banner of the Queen of the Pennants, and it is surely no happenstance that the majority of them bear the mien of the eagle – feathered brows, keen eyes, sharp beaks and talons. Scattered among their number are a handful of magical beastmasters who fight not only with golden spears but with trained ruby-feathered hunting hawks that strike from the open sky with pinpoint accuracy, blinding their targets before they even know they are under attack.

By themselves these magical allies would be notable enough, but the Burning Falcon are also accompanied by magical allies who are not beholden to the Lady of the Red and the Gold. At first it's hard to tell them apart from the knights of the Summer Realm, but it is soon obvious they owe allegiance to someone else. A score of warriors with midnight-blue skin and raging crimson eyes and hair battle alongside the kohan wherever the fighting is thickest. Clad in flowing scarlet robes, bound in red-iron scale, and as often as not fighting with paired swords, they are emissaries of the eternal Janon, here at the invitation of the general.

You stood with Navarr on Marcher land. You saw Imperial soldiers treated with contempt. The Marches say: All of us, or none of us. We are one Empire. Honour is inconsistent to us at Anvil, agreements clashing with Jotun priorities, and the martial traditions of the Suaq and the Kallavesi. Jotun treatment of Navarr is less complicated. We march to Kahraman. The Jotun and agents of Hayaak will hunt our Navarr siblings in the hills. Navarr are coming anyway. This is courage. Stormcrows agree, we need to discuss Honour, and who it TRULY serves. Urizen have trusted us with their vast magical prowess, we are Bound by Common Cause. See who comes..

Kindra Sure-footed, General of the Fist of the Mountains

Across the Jade Range

Almost immediately it is obvious that the Empire's armies are not here to defend Kahraman, but to drive the Jotun out and reclaim the land they have conquered. The Burning Falcon charge triumphantly into the Jade Range, ably supported by the Fist of the Mountains seeking opportunities for heroism. The latter army favours tactics that focus on meeting the Jotun in heroic combat and avoiding needless deaths, as they have done in every engagement against the Jotun since the National Assembly of Wintermark chose to eschew slaughter in favour of glorious battle against the western orcs. These armies do the bulk of the fighting to reclaim Jade Range, and while neither the orcs nor their human opponents offer much quarter to their enemies, neither do they seek opportunities for bloodshed – this is a war of conquest not slaughter.

They are also backed by the Fire of the South, and they do seek to slaughter the Jotun wherever possible, overwhelming their defences and putting anyone they can catch to the sword. No parley is accepted, no retreat allowed. The orcs seem almost taken aback by this shift in strategy from the Freeborn – it must be obvious to them that something has changed.

They expect the Navarr to use whatever means are necessary to end their lives – and while the Black Thorns are more focused on claiming the Jade Range Isaella's Dance more than makes up for them in terms of bloodlust. Using their mastery of Spring magic and the apothecary arts, the thorns of Isaella's Dance kill their foes quickly and efficiently. Everywhere Isaella's Dance and the Black Thorns go they are pursued and harried by the heralds of Hayaak that were unleashed by Alok Surefoot last season. The Navarr armies are not alone; the Fist make a valiant effort in trying to support their allies, especially being supported by so many thorns, vates, and guides, but the creatures aligned with the Knight of the Hawks still manage to bring their prey down.

Finally there are the Drakes, who form a steady foundation to the Imperial strategy, balancing their desire to engage the Jotun with the need to ensure that none are left behind to strike against poorly protected flanks or rear. Many of the soldiers clearly wish they were in the north, finishing the conquest of Bregasland, but they also understand the importance of helping their allies – and securing their own borders. “You can throw a stone from the top of Fort Braydon and hit Sarcombe Town Hall,” as one Marcher puts it. Somewhat prophetically, as it turns out.

Against them are bands of Jotun defenders; but the Jotun strategy has changed. They are no longer pushing to conquer Kahraman. Indeed, they are barely fighting to hold what they have already taken. Wherever possible – and where the merciless bloodthirst of the Fire of the South allows – they retreat back towards the Jasse hills. None of the familiar banners of the Jotun heroes are spotted; indeed there are few enough standards of the Jotun armies on display.

A ripple of unease goes through the Imperial armies, especially those enchanted with an appreciation of wider strategy. Something is amiss. Could this be related to events at Braydon's Jasse during the Spring Equinox?

Eisa Winterborn, daughter of Fisk, She who bears the banner of the Walrus. The omens are clear that you should continue in your journey and show the southern Empire what the people of Skallahn can bring to them. The banner obscured the fish and the apple tree surmounted the unnamed whilst the rest were lost. I saw an eagle decline to hunt a hare but instead take a gull. Demonstrate your honour and claim the wealth of the Sapphire Stair and offer the Choice to the people of Cevia. Take only your warband and then regroup with the armies. Do this and the ancestors will smile upon you.

Omen of the Walrus

Meanwhile in Tassato

At the same time the Imperial armies are liberating Jade Range, a large force of Jotun raiders strikes east from Braydon's Jasse into Tassato. They move under the walrus banner of the draughir hero Eisa Winterborn, the yegarra champion, far from their northern home. Eisa is one of those who helped bring down the western end of Pakaanan's Pass last year, and her successes in Sermersuaq have seen her warband grow mighty indeed.

Their target is not Tassato itself; the walrus banner is mighty but not mighty enough to threaten an entire city. Divided as it so often is, striking against one side or the other would immediately unite the entire populace against the outsider, at least for as long as the threat remained. Instead, they launch a lightning raid into Cascatas, targeting the rich town of Cevia, and the marvellous locks of the Sapphire Stair.

There is only a small garrison at Cevia, and even with the support of local militia and guards employed by merchants, the town is quickly overwhelmed. Most of the raiders set to work stripping the town of any easily portable valuables – and offering the Choice to anyone unable to flee. Perhaps a hundred and fifty Imperial citizens are taken as thralls. They are primarily from the League, but some traders from other nations are also captured.

While this is going on Eisa Winterborn herself turns her attention to the Sapphire Stair. The masterwork locks are almost as old as the Empire itself, having been constructed under the auspices of the Tassatan engineer Marco di Paraiso for Emperor Giovanni himself. They have stood for nearly four centuries, but Eisa undoes the work of the League engineers in less than a day.

At her command, Jotun siege engineers turn loose their wrath against the lock gates. With block and chain, with fire, with picks and axes, and with brute force, the balance of the locks is undone. The water starts to flow freely, aiding the Jotun's ruinous design. They continue their wreckers work through the night, lit by great bonfires made of wood torn from the town of Cevia itself.

These fires that serve as beacons for the defenders of Tassato, for the soldiers from La Redotta Rezia in the city itself. Unfortunately, they arrive just a few hours too late. Eisa and her warriors are already retreating west, and even as the first League soldiers reach Cevia, the last gates of the Sapphire Stair are overwhelmed, and a wave of unleashed river water cascades down the Vassa toward the sea.

The final insult – on top of the destruction of the locks, on top of the theft, on top of the kidnap of Imperial citizens into slavery – is that while the Jotun did their work some of their number went up to the Red Rock. The wall of red stone is visible to all in the town, and all travelling along the Vassa near Tassato. Previously it held a mural commissioned by the Gilded Horn Carta, celebrating what it meant to be a Tassatan. Now, it has been completely defaced. The rock is gouged and daubed with white and red paint, and in place of the inspirational art, there is a crude depiction of a walrus and the Rune of Victory.

Yanya Uranduin, child of Veerkarsa, They who bear the banner of the Howling Bear. The omens are clear that you should prove yourself as greater than the hero of Fisk. The scythe touched the swords as the road led to the eagle while I saw five ravens slay a boar, beaks dripping with the blood of the fallen beast. Strike deep into the rich heartlands of the Mourn. Remind the people who abandoned their oaths that we came and that we will come again. Claim the mithril from the Singing Caves and offer the Choice to the people of Sarcombe. Take only your warband and then regroup with the armies. Do this and the ancestors will smile upon you.

Omen of the Bear

Meanwhile in Mournwold

While Eisa Winterborn raids east, her bosom ally and bitter rival Yanya Uranduin, strikes north into the Mournwold. Under the banner of the Howling Bear, a force of over a thousand Jotun spill across the peaceful grasslands of the Greensward. They seem to be intent on two things; raiding the wealth of the Mourn and carrying away its people as thralls.

The main group strides northward, clearly intent on attacking the Singing Caves. Most avoid the ruins of Overton, but by all accounts a small group of warriors and ghodi travelling with the warband split off here to visit the burial mound and apple trees near the site of the climactic battle that took place at Overton during the liberation of the Mournwold.

The rest travel with such speed that the warning of their presence has barely reached Sarcombe before they hit the Singing Caves. Shortly before dusk they attack, and if they imagined it would be an easy matter to claim the mines they have failed to take into account the bone-deep stubbornness of the Marches. To their credit, the miners refuse to cede the mines to the orc attackers, fighting bitterly to hold the orcs at bay. They are joined by labourers busy building Lowther's Lift – the mine elevator recently commissioned by the Senate to allow deeper veins of mithril ore to be reached.

The fight is desperate and vicious; the Jotun have the weight of numbers but the miners and labourers are able to use the confined tunnels and narrow galleries of the mine to their advantage. The Druj might simply have collapsed the mine-workings or flooded the place; the Jotun are more interested in claiming the mithril than committing an atrocity.

The Marchers refuse to bow down to bullies, especially those that target their neighbours.

As the first soldiers from the garrison at Farstrider's Watch arrive, the Jotun under the Howling Bear banner turn their full attention to the soldiers, revelling in the chance for an open fight rather than a battle in the rat runs of the mine. They don't hold long; now that the Marchers know the danger more and more soldiers arrive to protect the Singing Caves.

The Jotun quickly retreat, only partially successful in their goals. While they are only able to claim a portion of the mithril that has already been mined, the ingots and ore waiting to be transported east toward Tassato, they do not penetrate far into the mine itself. They're also unable to claim any thralls; everyone they might have wished to take retreated into the mine at the first sign of their approach. Unfortunately, they are able to steal the weirwood that had been brought here to build Lowther's Lift. Only a portion was already in place, but what there was they were able to steal.

While the bulk of Yanya Uranduin's forces attempts to capture the Singing Caves, the rest range across the Greensward and into Southmoor, attacking farms, villages, and caravans wherever they can. They seem to know the area well; indeed there are indications that some of them have been equipped with crudely drawn maps, possibly provided by the traitor Little Robbie Erskine.

They don't attack the market town itself, and as news of their attacks spreads, human Marchers and former orc thralls alike seek the safety of its walls. Not everyone is fortunate enough to live within reach of Sarcombe, however.

Yet even so the Jotun don't have things entirely their own way. The stewards of the larger farms welcome those who seek shelter from them. Knots of yeoman soldiers form across the southern Mournwold, prepared to sell their lives to protect their kin and their neighbours. This includes the Mournwold orcs as well – the magician Casta the Black in particular welcomes human and orc alike to the relative safety of Black Hill Mine. The vast majority of the orcs won't fight themselves of course – they still adhere to their peculiar pacifist philosophy – but there are stories in the wake of the Jotun attack of a few younger orcs fighting alongside the human defenders. The Jotun raiders for their part seem very surprised indeed by the fact that not only do their former thralls not welcome their return, they actively support the Marchers fighting against them in the same way they once supported their Jotun rules - with herbs, and with magic.

As the defenders of the Mournwold gather – the garrisons at Farstrider's Watch and Bulwark, the forces of the Bailiff of the Downs, and the yeomanry itself – the Jotun pull back westwards. Within a week or so of their first attack, the majority of Yanya Uranduin's raiders have retreated back into the forests of Liathaven, taking with them a fair amount of Marcher wealth but only a few score Marcher thralls. Not that that is much consolation to those who have been carried away to thralldom, or to the families they have left behind.

Stephen, son of Sarcombe, He who bears the standard of the Burning Oak. The omens are clear that you should demonstrate your prowess once again. The crossroads led to the lion and the fang as the torrent straddled them all. I saw a rock fall down a scree, and uproot an oak. Strike south into the wealthy lands of the Freeborn. Destroy the Spider's Dream bridge and cut off the people of the Brass Coast from the rest of their Empire. Offer the Choice to the people of Calvos. Take only your warband and then regroup with the armies. Do this and the ancestors will smile upon you.

Omen of the Burning Oak

Meanwhile in Madruga

A third Jotun warband strikes south from Braydon's Jasse into Madruga. This band of yegarra raids under the burning oak banner of Stephen of Sarcombe, the hated traitor to the Marches. Over a thousand strong, it's perhaps surprising that the man born in the Mournwold isn't overseeing the attack against his former home. Or perhaps not; perhaps even the Jotun realise that it might be a mistake to send Stephen into the Mournwold and expect him to keep his head.

As it is, the primarily human force wastes comparatively little time actually raiding after they enter the rugged Torres plains. They move quickly and with purpose, arrow-straight toward the Vassa, and the great bridge that crosses its tumultuous flow. There are a few orcs fighting alongside them, but reports suggest as many as a dozen much larger shapes; ice giants loyal to the Queen of Ice and Darkness.

They reach the Spider's Dream at around the same time that news of their raid reaches the Salt Guard in southern Siroc and Our Lady of Pride in Sarvos.

A few raiders press across to attack Trivento on the other side of the Vassa, while others capture Freeborn and League caravans looking to cross the bridge. Fortunately the limited garrison there is able to turn the raiders back – but not before they have inflicted some damage, raided a number of businesses, and taken a score or more of League citizens as thralls, dragging them back across the Bridge into Madruga.

The Spider's Dream is unique, linking the Brass Coast and the League, and both nations are called upon to defend it from Stephen of Sarcombe.

Sarvos is not their ambition, however. Rather it is the bridge itself. The attack on Trivento turns out to have been a feint as much as anything else, tricking the League defenders into imagining a much larger force is imminently due. This gives Stephen much-needed time to secure the bridge.

Well ware that it is only a matter of time before Imperial garrisons rally to stop him, Stephen sets lose the ice giants while his own yegarra attack the surprisingly robust cables that support the spiderweb-like structure.

This is the second time in recent memory that barbarian forces have attacked the bridge – the Grendel tried to destroy it five years ago but were prevented by Imperial heroes. This time, though, the Mournwold betrayer's plan is both less ambitious and more successful. Rather than collapse the entire bridge, Stephen seems to want to ruin only part of it – the cables and supports that hold up the western half.

The former Mournwold yegarra have demonstrated their cleverness when it comes to ruining the roads and bridges of the Empire in the past – Stephen was behind the devastating attacks in Kahraman that saw the three northern regions of the Cinnabar Hills isolated from one another. It takes him a little over a day to send the middle-west span of the Spider's Dream plunging into the Vassa, and weaken the supports holding the remaining sections on the Madrugan shore.

If he had more time, or a larger force, he could perhaps do much more damage but as soon as the first cables snap and the bridge starts to break, his banner bearers sound the retreat. The raiders sniping at Trivento hare back across the bridge, with League soldiers in hot pursuit. Some are caught in the collapse; most are able to see what is happening and get back across the bridge before the section falls. A small number of both soldiers and yegarra are unfortunate enough to be trapped on the wrong side, and both are made short work of by their enemies.

The Spider's Dream teeters and groans for the next three days and there is significant concern it will collapse entirely. Several more cables snap. A wave of water unleashed by the destruction of the Sapphire Stair threatens to wash away one of the supports, but the stout white granite pillars hold.

By the time the yegarra of the Burning Oak have returned to Braydon's Jasse, the bridge has settled down. The majority of the structure still holds, but the central section is gone rendering it useless for traders – or for armies seeking to enter the Brass Coast.

I know little of omens, but I know what while Freeborn eyes are on the Jasse, there is an opportunity for us to strike elsewhere. Few know the mountains like we do, and if we ignore what fortune has offered us, our ancestors will mock us when we die. Go west, I say, and let us seize whatever we can hold!

Geht Aran, to the warriors of the Red Mountain

Meanwhile in Kahraman

One final series of attacks takes place while the Empire and the Jotun clash in Kahraman. The orcs under the mountain banner of the Kahraman Peaks, who fight for the warlord Geht Aran, seem to have more in common with the Lasambrians than with their Jotun cousins from Narkyst and Kalsea. They are quick-moving raiders, first and foremost. Last season they raided the mines of Serra Briante and the caravans out of Serra Damata, but their main focus was on supporting their Jotun allies. Not so in the wake of the Spring Equinox. Geht Aran, it seems, is off the chain.

The orcs under the mountain warbanner are primarily made up of former brigands and bandits who haunted the high peaks above Kahraman before being recruited by the Jotun. They know the northern hills well, and they know how to move across them safely even with the damage caused by Stephen of Sarcombe. They also know where many of the richest targets are to be found.

Fortunately for the Freeborn of the Cinnabar Hills, steps have been taken to counter such underhand tactics. The magicians of the DelTorro family have woven a complex shawl of Autumn magic and laid it over the territory. This is not the first time the Hand of the Dhomiro – or an effect like it – has been brought to bear in the Brass Coast. Its magic is subtle, shifting probability and coincidence in pursuit of protecting the wealth and fortune of a territory's citizens from thieves. Those who try to flee from or travel across Kahraman find their paths eased, while those who try to steal or rob from others find all kinds of little annoyances placed in their way. The main thrust of the magic is to defend against a plundering army but it is still able to stymie most of the the efforts of Geht Aran and his warriors.

Unfortunately, the subtle magic is not enough to stop the mountain banner attacking the caravans transporting mithril and white granite from the Great Mine of Briante and the Damatian Cliffs. As the orcs move west, they attack first one and then the other, seizing the valuable Bourse materials. Obviously the Freeborn do not give up their valuables without a fight, but they can't hold back the orcs by themselves.

Work is well under way rebuilding the roads and providing the essential defences that will protect caravans in Kahraman in the furture, but in the short term the orcs are able to attack western Kahraman with relative impunity.

They are only interested in immediate benefits themselves, however, and unlike the other raiders, they seem disinterested in claiming thralls – they don't offer the Choice preferring to simply ignore anyone who doesn't actively stand against them. They strike, seize what they can, and continue westward. As the Battle for Fort Braydon begins, the orcs of the mountain banner leave Kahraman for Liathaven, passing through Redgate Pass.

Drakes, we have liberated Bregasland and while fisher has escaped justice, the war goes on. Other Marcher armies will continue the liberation. But our strength is needed in the south. Our freeborn allies have been attacked. They have helped us now we will demonstrate our loyalty and come to their aid.

Hal Talbot, General of the Drakes

Join me, your new general of Isaella's Dance, in annointing our poison thorns as we move to Kahraman and fight with the warriors of the Fist of the Mountains against the Jotun. The Brass Coast military units, and our fellow Black Thorns aid us in our endeavour. Remember your oaths, remember your training and give the Jotun the "good Death" the seek.

Ioan Longshadow, General of Isaella's Dance

Black Thorns! Once more I ask you to fight for Kahraman, we move to Braydon's Jasse in steady conquest to drive back the Jotun forces. Seek them out, find their weak points and strike! Take back the land that they have no rights to.

Karrow Strangers Song, General of the Black Thorns

The Flames of Fort Braydon

With raiders striking out in all four cardinal directions, the Imperial armies push into Braydon's Jasse. There they discover the truth; the Jotun have almost entirely abandoned Kahraman. The great armies that swept out of Liaven's Glen have retreated the way they came, in good order. Perhaps this was always their intention; perhaps it is news of the invasion far to the north that has caused them to abandon their ambitions in the Cinnabar Hills. Either way, the majority of the orc forces have already left the territory.

Those who remain are camped around Fort Braydon, and it becomes clear they do not intend to surrender without a fight. They fight under empty red banners – no designs on them – and they neither offer nor ask for quarter. There is absolutely no chance that they can win, but they don't seem to care. They seem intent on forcing the Empire to buy every inch of the Jasse hills with blood – whether orc or human it matters not.

Against the lone garrison of the formerly Imperial fortification, the Imperial armies strike like a thunderous hammer. There is no siege – the gates of the fortification have barely been repaired and fall almost immediately. The fighting inside the tower is twice as bloody as it was when the Jotun took the place less than three months ago. The bloodthirsty magic laid over the Fire of the South means that even if their allies were minded to do so, they cannot be stopped from putting every Jotun defender to the sword. The triumphant and overwhelming assault of the Fire, the Fist, and the Falcon sees the walls teeter and break. The ramparts are shattered, the towers burn. Almost all the serious casualties suffered by the Empire are taken in the Battle of Fort Braydon. The defenders are wiped out almost to the last orc.

It's here a portion of the truth becomes apparent. These orcs – many of them grizzled veterans – are some of those who fought the Empire in the Mournwold, who survived the battle of Orchard's Watch four years ago. This band have been handpicked from amongst those who survived that terrible battle. Some Wintermarkers recall the echo of the Jarl of Keirheim's words, that the Jotun have been fundamentally shamed by their inability to protect the thralls from the magic of the twin curses that ravaged the Mournwold, and that war would never end until every one of those who failed in their sacred task was dead. It seems the garrison of Fort Braydon knew that only death awaited them, and chose it on their own terms.

The Glass Miracle

The tower itself has seen generations of Jotun and Lasambrian raids and attacks, often the only defender against the orcs of the west. Now it teeters on the brink of destruction... in fact it is not clear why it is still standing. Between the attack of the Jotun last season, and the overwhelming assault of the Imperial forces it should by right have been reduced to rubble. Yet it still stands – battered but not yet ruined. Damaged, but still somehow, miraculously, unfallen.

At first it seems apparent that there is a magical explanation for this wonder. The stones thrum with the echo of Summer magic; while the wood and the tile burned and broke the stones themselves cannot even be cracked. Perhaps predicting the potential outcome of the Imperial attack into Braydon's Jasse, the hakima of the Glass Mantle coven have placed the Stalwart Stand on Solid Ground over Fort Braydon. It is almost impossible for a fortification protected by this enchantment to fall; only a force strong enough to completely break the defenders can completely destroy it.

Unfortunately... that is exactly what has happened here. The force brought against the citadel is so overwhelming that it is way beyond the power of even the most powerful magic conceivable to preserve the stone edifice. And yet somehow the tower still stands. It is as if some kind of miracle has taken place.

Astonishing as this wonder is, it will not last long. In part, Fort Braydon is hanging only by dint of the hakima's magic and that force is fading. Technically it is not even a fortification any more; when the last rays of sun touch it on the last day of the Summer Solstice, the last fragments of magic still infusing it will fade and the old castle will be no more. Even a miracle will not save it then.

Yet it seems there may still be an opportunity to prevent that, if the Empire's heroes can move quickly enough. Perhaps Fort Braydon might be saved after all.

The Dust Settles

The raiders who have struck Kahraman and its neighbours retreat back into Jotun lands; in some cases there are lingering warbands but the majority have already crossed the borders into Liathaven. Kahraman has been liberated, although not without cost. Perhaps as many as a thousand Jotun died, mostly in the defence of Fort Braydon, but no more than two hundred Imperial soldiers have fallen. The castle itself teeters on the edge of oblivion; the damage it has suffered will claim the ultimate toll soon if the Empire cannot avert this fate.

But the Empire is victorious. The Jotun are gone, Kahraman is once again Imperial, the people are once again safe from the barbarian orcs. For now, at least.

Game Information

The territory of Kahraman is entirely Imperial again. Fort Braydon is technically destroyed – it cannot be targeted by enchantments or other effects that work on fortifications such as Hammers of the Brilliant Shore. However, by some miracle, the last fading echoes of the magic used to preserve it still remain and there is an opportunity for Imperial heroes to prevent its fall, should the Military Council wish to take it.

The Singing Caves, Great Mine of Briante, and Damatian Cliffs have been raided and precious Bourse materials stolen, but they are themselves undamaged. Unfortunately a portion of the weirwood contributed to the construction of Lowther's Lift in Mournwold has also been stolen, delaying completion of the project. The weirwood will need to be replaced.

The Sapphire Stair in Tassato has been all but destroyed. The Keeper of the Sapphire Stair no longer receives tolls from merchants using the locks; indeed any citizen from Tassato with a fleet will suffer a -1 penalty to production until the locks are replaced. Doing so is relatively straightforward; the project is a sinecure requiring 10 wains each of white granite, weirwood, and mithril, 60 crowns in labour, and taking three months to complete. The damage to the Red Rock can be dealt with by the Keeper as part of their normal duties; even though the stairs are gone, they do not automatically lose their title and would resume custodianship if the locks were replaced.

The damage to the Spider's Dream is more significant however. Until it is repaired, the Spider's Tollkeep receives no money from merchants passing between the Brass Coast and the League. More importantly, the damage presents significant difficulties to campaign armies trying to move between Madruga and either Tassato or Sarvos (or vice versa). Any army that does so must immediately stop in the other territory, even if they still have movement remaining. Repairing the Spider's Tollkeep is not as straightforward as restoring the Sapphire Stair; the Senate will need an appraisal to determine how best to replicate the genius of the suspension bridge's original architect without damaging its integrity.

Participation

The Raids

Any character from Kahraman, Madruga, Sarvos, Tassato, or Mournwold, or who was visiting those territories, may have been impacted by the raids. No personal resources are affected thanks to a combination of enchantments, local garrisons, and the focused intent of the raiders. However it is entirely possible that friends or family members might have been taken by those raids interested in capturing thralls – essentially all those except the raid into western Kahraman.

It's also appropriate for anyone from those territories, especially with a link to the areas attacked, to have been involved in trying to fight against the raids. The titles mentioned in particular might given some thought as to how they were involved in the fight. Any character from the four target territories, Sarvos, or who holds a title associated with one of the areas attacked such as Bailiff of the Downs, Keeper of the Sapphire Stair, Spider's Tollkeep, or holder of one of the Bourse seats attacked, can email plot@profounddecisions.co.uk with your CID before 19th of July to begin play with a lingering traumatic incurred while trying to defend against the raiders. Stories created should be in line with those mentioned in the text.

With the Armies

Any character whose military unit was assigned to fight alongside the Burning Falcon this downtime may choose to have been impacted by the experience of battling in close proximity to heralds of both Eleonaris and Janon. If you possess hero points, you may choose to gain an additional temporary hero point which, once spent, is permanently gone. It will have faded entirely by the end of the Summer Solstice regardless.

The cruel Winter magic on the Fire of the South will have faded by the start of the Summer Solstice, but a faint echo might remain. Any character whose military unit supported the army may choose to be affected by a roleplaying effect: they become cold and calculating to the point of callousness, and value only results as opposed to methods. This effect is particularly strong on any character of the draughir lineage.

Fort Braydon (Battle)

The Jotun have been all but driven from Kahraman once again and the Empire lays claim to the territory. The land of high peaks and deep mines is now once again free from major Jotun presence. A few scattered warbands of orcs are remain, but they are being tracked by the Civil Service's war scouts, or being hunted down by the local forces. There are scattered reports of the larger formations that raided into Tassato and Madruga making their way back north into Liathaven and the evidence suggests that the Jotun's retreat out of Kahraman, whilst not finished yet, will soon be complete. In the east, one remaining warband is currently camped at Destrillo Kahras, a small valley that lies near Fort Braydon, or what remains of that defence. The prognosticators have identified a conjunction that will allow travel to this location on either the Saturday or Sunday of the solstice.

Objective: Prevent the collapse of Fort Braydon

• Cast Hammer of the Brilliant Shore at Destrillo Kahras to prevent the destruction of Fort Braydon
• Success will make it possible to save the structure

Fort Braydon should be a pile of rubble. By all rights, the potent summer enchantment protecting the fort should have ended when the fortress was completely overrun and the defenders out to the sword. The damage that the fortification has suffered goes way beyond what the enchantment could possibly resist and it should lie in ruins. And yet, somehow the physical structure still endures. For now...

The Stalwart Stand on Solid Ground ritual is fast unravelling, with the target of the enchantment cracked and fatigued the magic has nothing to truly empower. The damage done was so extensive that it would have led to the collapse of a stronger fortification, yet somehow the enchantment continues to persist longer than expected. Such windfalls are rare, but not unknown with magic. The winds of magic blow, and sometimes good fortune witll create an opportunity that would otherwise not exist.

None-the-less, the calculations by the prognosticators indicate that the magic will have collapased by the end of the Summer solstice, and Fort Braydon with it. Losing the fortification would be a significant blow to the defences of Kahraman which have come under regular attack from the Jotun in recent years. If the fortification fails then they will be emboldened to plan new raids on Kahraman in the future, taking advantage of the broken terrain and limited infrastructure to the west. Their armies would be able to invade unopposed, unless the Empire permanently stationed an army of their own in the territory. It also represents a blow to the pride of the Brass Coast, the destruction of an ancient structure by the very nation who built it, who garrisoned it.

The fortification is now so far gone, that it is not possible to save it by casting a ritual through the Imperial regio at Anvil. Hammers of the Brilliant Shore works its enchantment over weeks and months and the crumbling fortification does not have that long. No ritual performed at Anvil can save the fortification now - it is already too late for that.

However Imperial auguries have determined that it is possible to use the Summer regio at Destrillo Kahras to try to save the Fort Braydon. The regio is known to have unique magical properties tied somehow to the mountains of Kahraman themselves, and has often been linked with Fort Braydon in the past. Casting Hammers of the Brilliant Short at the adjacent regio, would offer a way to prevent the collapse of the defences before the existing magic dissipates at the end of the solstice.

Objective: Empower the Ritual to Save Fort Braydon

• Empower the ritual's magnitude to increase the resilience of the fortification

Hammers of the Brilliant Shore is a magnitude 60 ritual that restores 250 strength to a fortificaion. Casting the ritual at Destrillo Kahras would make it possible to save the fortifiaction, it will not be enough by itself. The fortification must be brought back to an effective strength of 1000 by the start of the Autumn Equinox, otherwise it will still collapse this season. There are two ways in which this could be achieved:

• Casting Hammers of the Brilliant Shore at a higher magnitude - 210 magnitude would be enough to completely save the fortification by itself.
• The Master of Works could use their power to conduct an emergency repair on the fortification - requiring 47 wains of white granite if the ritual was done at magnitude 60.

These two methods can be combined in any ratio. The minimum magnitude for the ritual is 60 - but every two additional magnitude achieved would add an additional ten strength to the fortification. Thus the higher the magnitude of the ritual, the less white granite will be needed to repair the fortification this season. The prognosticators will be able to confirm to the Miltiary Council how much white granite is required to save the fort after the battle is complete if needed.

Opportunity: Give Tora Helmhand Death In Battle

• Seek out and kill Tora and her entourage of ghodi priests
• If the Empire kill one of Barien's Jotun allies, he will reward the Empire

The orcs present close to Fort Braydon act as an entourage and guard for the ghodi Tora Helmhand. Tora has been serving the Jotun nation far from the front lines, working as an emissary to the Summer eternal, the Lord of the Crossroads and others from the summer realms. Due to services rendered to both the Jotun nation she has been given leave to seek death in battle against the Empire. She has come to the front with a number of her fellow gohdi hoping to engage the Empire, but arrived too late to take part in the defence of Fort Braydon. If she is not successful soon, she will be ordered back to Keirheim, to continue her work negotiating with eternals for aid against the Empire.

Barien is aware that it is Tora's fervent wish to die in battle and wishes to do what he can to aid her. His heralds have explained that In her earlier days, Tora was a favoured emissary to Barien Dragonforge and once rescured one of his servants who had been captured by the Iron Confederacy. Among the chosen of the faðir, she was often honoured with the epithet Castellan's Confidant and has served as an effective go-between ever since. As a personal favour to him, the Iron Duke is requesting that the Empire give her a good death on the battlefield if the opportunity presents itself.

If it can be achieved, the Reeve of the Summer Lands will show his gratitude to the Military Council by presenting the Field Marshal with "a Key to the Door at the Crossroads". This is a powerful magical artifact that can be used a single time, to allow an entire Imperial army to travel via the Crossroads. When activated by an Imperial general it would create an enchantment that their single army to travel from any location to any other location in the Empire. Barien won't permit the Empire to use the Crossroads to travel to anywhere outside the Empire, so it could only be used to reach a territory the Empire already controls. However, Barien's herald claims that nothing can stop the power, no other magic, physical barrier or intervening force could prevent the army from reaching their destination. Provided they are travelling to somewhere in the Empire, they will reach their destination if they use the Key to the Door at the Crossroads.

Barien's heralds will also look for the champion that slays Tora - if the Empire can help him identify them, then he will provide them with a small personal reward to reflect their glory. Once Tora is slain, then Barien's obligations to the ghodi will be fulfilled.

Tora, and her fellow gohdi will be found marching under a plain crimson banner.

Opportunity: Court the Attention of the Summer Realm

• The Empire could dedicate the regio to one of the Lords of the Summer Realm, to honour them with this triumph
• Doing so would with any of the eternals is likely to flatter and please them - but risks angering their rivals in the Summer Realm
• Any legal representative (proxy) of the Summer Archmage could perform the dedication with a short rite that invokes one of the Summer eternals

While Destrillo Kahras is not that well known in the Empire, the Summer regio apparently has a long and storied history in the Summer Realm according to Barien's heralds. While discussing the battle with the civil service, they casually let slip that the Keeper of the Revels would be enormously pleased if the Empire were to dedicate the regio to the Half-hand while they are there. When pressed on the matter by the civil service they soon concede that all of the Lords of the Summer Realm feel the same - they would all be flattered and pleased to have influence over the regio and to have a glorious victory at the ritual site (or a glorious defeat) dedicated to their name.

Dedicating the regio would make it easier for an eternal to act there, to send and receive heralds and to work their magic on those who came to petition them. Such changes may appear slight to mortals, but they will influence the stories that are told of Destrillo Kahras for years to come, and that is something the Lords of the Summer Realm care deeply about.

Barien's herald does caution however there are many feuds in the Summer Realm, and picking one eternal does risk offending their rivals. Such is the nature of the Summer Realm of course, and any eternal who is chosen is going to want to reward the Empire for their magnanimous gesture of respect in ways that exceed any price their rivals might extract, if only because they will not want to be outdone by their rivals, nor see their allies suffer for backing them. But if the Empire continues to seek good relations with all the eternals of Summer, then this would complicate that.

It appears that Barien is aware of the Empire's entanglements with the Gryphon Knight and is keen to help the Empire avoid making that situation worse. Thus the herald advises strongly against dedicating the regio to Hayaak as that would create a very difficult situation. Since Hayaak is currently bound in service to Eleonaris, she would ultimately gain control of the regio as she is his liege. However, as he is her vassal and the regio was given to him, she would be obliged to give him free rein to use the regio as he chose, and he would inevitably use it send more monsters from the Summer Realm against the Empire. And while on the face of it, that does seems good, bringing as it would the possibilities for adventure and glory, it would put Eleonaris in a very difficult position of having unleashed monsters on the Empire.

Dedicating the regio to one of the Lords of the Summer Realm should be easy enough, it would simply require anyone who could wield the power of the Archmage of Summer to dedicate the regio to an eternal with a short ceremony that clearly names them. The Archmage could appoint any knight or witch or other proxy to make the announcement, they could even go themselves if they deign to do so, but whoever makes the dedication must wield one or all of the Staff of Summer, Belt of Stars, or Chain of Aesh that form part of the regalia of the Summer Archmage.

The herald has one last piece of advice or warning. On no account should the Empire attempt to try and dedicate the regio to two summer eternals. Unless they want to start a war in the Summer Realm in Kahraman of course, but assuming they don't, then they should definitely not demand two Lords of the Summer Realm to fight over the regio by dedicating it to them both.

The Empire can of course, steer well clear of the animated rivalries of the Summer realm by simply not dedicating the regio to anyone. That is surely the simplest option and arguably the safest.

Redgate Pass (Battle)

There is also an offer of assistance in the west of Kahraman that comes from an unexpected quarter. Despite the fact that The Hammer of Fire and Stone appear to be providig the Jotun with asssitance, the Bronze Artisan seems keen to offer the support to the Empire also. Heralds from the Forges of Shikaal, calling themselves the House of Fire and Flame, have an unusual offer. These servants of the Forgemistress Estavus have extensive independence and their 'house' is freed to operate outside of their eternal's direct auspices. The short time in which civil servants had to speak with them suggests that these heralds are unaware of events happening in distant Skallahn, and if they do know, they certainly don't care about the help bring provided by the Towers of Calx and Coom to the Jotun.

The emissaries are metal-skinned creatures, dressed in the garb of blacksmiths, complete with leather aprons. Beligerant, and obstinate to the point of rudeness, they begrudgingly, and at length, explain a "business proposition". Importantly, and with a small suggestion of glee, they note that when the House of Fire and Flame march in open conflict their services turn to the removal of enemy defences. It is obvious, they bluntly point out, that Kahraman has a problem with its border and despite the towering peaks all along its' northern regions, it is far too easy for enemies to move in and steal the wealth of the territory, or indeed capture the land itself. The House proposes a plan to the Empire that will see them bring down the passes into Serra Damata by utilising the abundance of material of Red Pinnacle, a towering peak of rust-coloured rock that keeps watch at the trijuncture of Reinos, Liathaven and Kahraman. This would prevent the movement of armies between the three territories until a way was found to clear the passes.

Objective: Enlist the Service of the House of Fire and Flame

• Purchase enough rondures from the House of Fire and Flame to destroy the pass
• The heralds say that five of their devices will be enough, but they could make up to a dozen if needed
• The Flasks of Fire and Fury are not volatile for long, they will need to be manufactured in situ on the battlefield

The House of Fire and Flame offer their skills, to help the Empire bring down the mountain of Red Pinnacle, blocking the Redgate Pass into Beacon Point, Liathaven, and the bordering region in Reinos. This would seal the approaches into Serra Damata from both Liathanven and Reinos, 'closing the gate' as the heralds proudly declare on any barbarian hordes. In order to do this they are offering to sell devices that the heralds term 'rondures' that can be used to collapse Red Pinnacle, bringing the peak's towering flanks down into the surrounding valleys.

They are happy to sell the devices to the Empire, the House of Fire and Flame make no secret of the fact that they are mercenaries and their skills are for hire. They can manufature up to a dozen flasks of fire and fury for the Empire, but they demand 20 beggars lye or 25 of any other material for each flask. Only five of the rondures are needed according to the heralds, but they are dangerous to transport. They are fragile and easily breached and if that happens, then the fire within will be released with deadly consequences for everyone in the vicinity. The civil service advice that it might be possible to haggle with the House merchant over these prices, once on the battlefield, but it would be unwise to rely on success.

Hence the House recommends the Empire consider buying as many as they need before the battle begins.Sadly the alchemical reagents used in the flasks are volatile and quickly goes off, so they are good only for a few hours. Although if the Military Council wanted, they could probably use one to blow up everyone in the Senate after the battle, one of the heralds "helpfully" suggests.

Objective: Transport the Rondures in Safety

• There is a weak Autumn regio on the battlefield, which the heralds will use to create the rondures
• Each rondure will need to be moved safely into position
• Once at least five rondures have been moved, they can be triggered
• If ten rondures can be moved to the target, it will create a valuable economic opportunity for the Empire next season

Each flask of fire and fury will take the heralds five minutes to empower via ritual means. Each smith will take turns to lend their magical skills to their creation of a single rondure at a time. In total, the House can craft up to a dozen rondures over the duration of the conjunction, so swiftness in setting them to work is essential.

The flasks are "rondures" - a large flexible sphere that contains the alchemical reagents and keeps them dormant. They are quite delicate once enchanted, so care needs to be taken to move them from a minor Autumn regio to the target location, some distance away. Whatever happens Hence they are unwilling to transport them across a dangerous battlefield - they pointedly explain that their highly-skilled artisans are much too important to risk fighting the Jotun.

Several fine golden slings will be provided to move the delicate objects, but their creators warn that they must be protected from harm, less they become damaged and explode prematurely with devastating results for anyone caught nearby. If at least five rondures can be safety moved to the designated site then it will be possible for one of the crafters to prepare them to bring down the mountain. Apparently, it involves a simple process that is easy enough for the heralds to undertake and will offer Imperial forces a ten-minute window to withdraw back to the Sentinel Gate portal and the safety of Anvil.

The House is eager to point out that if ten rondures can be moved into position, it will tear open the mountain, exposing the mineral wealth inside. If the Empire are able to manage that, then the House will conduct a thorough investigation of the ruins and present the Empire with a proposal on how it could be extracted in a way that was profitable for everyone.

Opportunity: Defeat Warleader Geht Aran

• Locate and kill the mountain raider, Geht Aran and his Seekers
• Geht Aran will remain at the Glade of Dead Night, he is engaged in a ritual the orcs call Twelve Breaths
• If he is allowed to complete his quest, his stature will grow and he will gather a new Jotun army to his banner

Large bands of raiders have struck from Jotun-held lands this season, with both barbarian orcs seeking to terrorise, pillage, and disrupt Imperial towns and locations of importance. Terror has been rained upon the Mourn, the road link to Madruga, and even the outskirts of Tassato itself. The mines and trading paths in Kahraman have, luckily, been spared such extreme deprivations through the timely use of a powerful Autumn enchantment in the territory, however wains of Bourse resources have been taken by the raiders.

The leader of the raiders, an orc from the Kahraman Hills, called Geht Aran commands a mixed force of Jotun, Lasambrians and other orcs. Former bandits, it seems that Geht and his people threw their lot in with the Jotun some years back. His forces do not currently constitute a major fighting force, but they are looking to expand and bring more orcs to their banner. To this end Geht has stationed himself in the Glade of Dead Night, a sacred site in some way for the Lasambrians, where he is purusing a spiritual quest the orcs call "Twelve Breaths". As a result, he will need to remain in the Glade throughout the battle, if he is pushed well back or killed, then the ceremony will fail.

The few accounts the civil service has collected from the merchants and wagon drivers that Geht's band has pillaged draws attention to a name "Hessar" that they often call to in battle. It appears that this band have taken upon a growing practice among Lasambrian Jotun called "Seeking Hessar", a shamanic approach understood to be linked to a shared orc ancestor. It may be this ancestor whose attention or support Geht is trying to obtain through the ritual.

If he is successful, if he is alive at the end of the battle and has not been forced more than a few yards from the glade at most, then his renown and influence among the Lasambrians, the orcs of the hills and other Jotun will grow. As a result he will gather many more warriors to his banner, and with the mithril the Jotun have promised him, this will allow him to lead a new Jotun army against the Empire within two seasons. Killing Geht won't stop the Jotun raising an army if they have the mithril for it, but it will prevent him from the leading the army and ensure that it takes them a year rather than two seasons.

Battle Participation

• There are no Jotun Yegarra forces present on either of these battles

We are now in a position where we are confident that we can supply enough orc masks for the vast majority of players for both battles. Over the last six events since the pandemic we have been unable to provide enough masks for the playrs for both battles. We believe this is no longer the case, so neither of these Jotun battles features any Yegarra, the Jotun name for the humans who fight for them. There will be no option to play yegarra warriors in service to the Jotun on these battles. If you volunteer in a low-combat role - by playing a healer, mage, artisan, or other support archetypes - then the option to not wear an orc mask will still be available.

Conjunctions

In addition to the major conjunctions, there are several opportunities during the coming Solstice for Imperial heroes to engage with the Jotun.

Leavetaking (Conjunction)

• Eisa Winterborn's warband has withdrawn from Tassato but her champion remains
• The Sentinel Gate will open at 20:30 on Friday to Duarte's Repose, Enterio, Tassato
• The Custodian of the Arratan Gamble is responsible for slaying Magnus Ironarm

A group of Eisa Winterborn's warriors have broken away from the rest of her warband. Instead of fleeing back to the relative safety of Liathaven with their ill-gotten gains, they have pressed on. They have been seen marching east, past Tassato. Eventually it becomes clear that they are aiming for the Arratan Gamble. It is near certain that they are planning to raid the Gamble, seeking to take as much white granite and thralls as they can before they are forced to retreat.

The group is led by one Eisa's champions, Magnus Ironarm, recognised by many of the Jotun as being favoured by Cathan Canae. Why Magnus and his followers have split from the rest of Eisa's warband is unknown. He might have broken with Eisa and be acting against her wishes, or he may simply be the boldest and bravest of her champions - the one to whom she entrusts this incredibly risky venture. His retinue is made up of a combined force of Raoljost, Ulvenwar, and Skjaldir.

Given that this represents a direct threat to the Arratan Gamble it is responsibility of the Custodian of the Arratan Gamble; Silvio de Tassato, to slay Magnus Ironarm and the rest of his retinue. If Magnus and the rest of his retinue are not driven back then they will seize part of the white granite, and likely a number of thralls, from the Gamble and withdraw back to the safety of Jotun lines.

Listen to the wind (Conjunction)

• A force of Jotun are still in the territory and moving towards Trajadoz
• The Sentinel Gate will open at 21:00 on Friday to Fondre's Rest, Torres, Madruga
• The Marracossa Sendito is responsible for stopping the Jotun

The force of Jotun who journeyed across the Spider's Dream bridge to attack into Sarvos are still active in Madruga. Scattered reports from across the settlements of Torres report them as moving towards the town of Trajadoz; the home of the Maracossan exiles. The inhabitants are simply not strong enough to protect themselves from this threat; if the Jotun are not stopped then they will take much wealth, and many artisans, from the people there. If at least half of the force are not killed then the ministry available to the Marracossa Sendito will have its prices increase by at least two-fifths.

The force of Jotun is made up of a combined force of Raoljost, Ulvenwar, and Skjaldir. Given that this represents a direct threat to Trajadoz it is the responsibility of the Marracossa Sendito; Karg i Estrico i Erigo, to stop the Jotun. Although the responsibility for the conjunction belongs to the Sendito it is likely that the Spider's Tollkeep, Marguerita Serafini di Sarvos, will wish to be involved too.

Choices (Conjunction)

• Jarl Haakon is working in Southmoor to create a network of supplies for future Jotun invasions
• The Sentinel Gate will open at 21:30 on Friday to Maggie's Croft, Southmoor, Mournwold
• The Bailiff of the Downs is responsible stopping the Jarl and the rest of the warband

Some years ago, Jarl Haakon was a force to be reckoned with in the Mournwold. A young but powerful Jotun leader, he ruled much of the lands in Southmoor. He was notorious for his hatred of the Feni - he led his warband into Alderly forest on three separate occasions, seeking to find and crush the heart of Feni power, but was never successful. He was a wise and just ruler by his own people at least, someone who ruled without favour or prejudice and he was considered to have a promising future. He was forced to flee when the Mournwold fell, leaving his estates and his thralls behind, a failure that has gnawed at him ever since.

Now the Jarl and a small warband have returned in secrecy. Haakon and his Jotun are deep in Southmoor working to establish stores of food, caches of weapons, and makeshift palisades ready for when the armies of the Jotun once again invade the Mourn. A number of scattered settlements of Mournwold thralls have sent word of the warband and have sent word to Sarcombe to asked for the aid of the Bailiff of the Downs. They believe that if Jarl Haakon is not stopped then the region of Southmoor will be considered under threat by the Jotun.

Jarl Haakon's band is made up of a combined force of Raoljost, Ulvenwar, and Skjaldir. Given that this is a direct request to the Bailiff of the Downs, and that if Haakon's plan is completed it would result in a direct threat to the thralls of the Mourn, it is the responsibility of the Bailiff of the Downs, Hob Cullach, to stop Jarl Haakon and the rest of the warband.

Dust on the wind (Conjunction)

• The warband of Geht Aran has passed on one of their prizes to the inhabitants of Beatriz's Field
• The Sentinel Gate will open at 16:00 on Saturday to Beatriz's Field, Bastasor, Reinos
• The General of the Red Wind Corsairs is responsible for retrieving the Overflowing Platter

One of the places looted by the orcs of the Kahraman Peaks was a small congregation overseen by the reclusive Adriana i Alayza i Guerra; a priest dedicated to Prosperity who mostly retired from Anvil shortly after he was ousted as Cardinal of Prosperity in 353YE. Adriana refused to allow the orcs to take the many relics that he had collected over the years and so was killed by the raiders. One of his few surviving niblings, Antoni, discovered the corpse of their uncle and the ransacked church. Whilst most of the "relics" were simply trinkets that Adriana had collected over the years of visiting Anvil one piece in particular stood out; an "Overflowing Platter" believed to have belonged to, or at least used by, Zemress herself.

Antoni has asked for the aid of the Red Wind Corsairs in recovering this relic. They don't want an heirloom of the Blade of the Isles to be abandoned to the orcs of Reinos; to be mishandled and lost to trade. The young sutannir asks for help from the General in recovering the relic, and suggests that they might be able to acquire for themselves a chance to turn a profit from the orcs of Reinos.

The Jotun inhabitants of Beatriz's Field is made up of a combined force of Raoljost, Ulvenwar, and Skjaldir. Given that this is a direct request to the Red Wind Corsairs it is the responsibility of whoever is elected to be the General to recover the Overflowing Platter and pass it on to one of Dust, Glass, or Flame.