Towards a common good

Henrik took up her blade and deftly slashed at the oncoming sorcerers. First one, then three, then seven fell to her mighty blade. "Hah, you'll have to do better than that to defeat the Hexenjager" she said, with a confident laugh. The last one downed, still barely alive, went to throw a knife at her, but she sidestepped it easily and crushed the auran worshippers throat with her boot.

"This, this is nonsense my exarch. She has already killed fourteen people and hasn't even been hit once. How are we to learn anything from this drivel?"

She rooted around in the pockets of the foolish aurans and found what she had come here for... warhliao! She sneered at the dying aurans and said out loud "Hah, now I know you have been working for the Imperial scum."

"No, seriously. Exarch, please. Stop reading. I just. Can't."

"Ah, my young friend. Do you not see the benefit of this?"

"It's drivel! It's worse than the two-rings that Elsbeth reads!"

The Highborn are the older sibling of the Empire.

Overview

At the Winter Solstice Paulk Thornweaver won the patronage of the Beurteilung at auction for twenty-six thrones. This gave them the right to request that the scholars of the Commonwealth appraise a pressing matter, much as if it were an appraisal being carried out by the prognosticator's office. The work is led by Professor Immanuel Gelberg, a studious Commonwealth scholar whose work emphasizes the Common Good. This season, Die Beurteilung is set the task of assessing "how Highguard and the Commonwealth can secure stronger ties in matters of military doctrine, trade, and philosophy. Through new dialogue and the fostering of good relations, what can we learn from each other for the greater good and ambitions of our peoples" on behalf of Solomon of the Shattered Tower

In truth, Highguard and the Commonwealth are more closely aligned that one might realise. They are both systematic in their approach to religion, even if their philosophies differ. But the professor has managed to identify three key ways that Highguard and the Commonwealth could grow closer.

Doctrine

Any of the Highborn generals could send officers and experts to the Commonwealth to help their counterparts this season
Any Highborn general who did this would receive an array of rewards in return for their aid
An army would need to be on defensive orders to offer aid in this way, and would be eligible for natural resupply
Key individuals from newly raised army could be sent to the Commonwealth for six months to gain a starting quality from those available to the Commonwealth armies

The Commonwealth is a young nation, albeit with a longer history owed to its predecessors. The Highborn could help the Commonwealth in the most simplest of ways, by sending officers and experts from its armies to help their counterparts. Professor Gelberg has presented countless opportunities to the Council of Generals and has built up something of a rapport with some of them. The professor believes that there are many generals who would welcome the chance to pick the brains of Highborn military experts, especially on the concept of the vigilant war, or the specialities of the army.

Professor Gelberg suggests that any Highborn general could send advisors to the Commonwealth this season by issuing appropriate orders. The Commonwealth general who received the advisors would no doubt respond with a gift - nothing too extravagant - appropriate to the army's strengths. Any army that sent advisors in such a manner would need to take a defensive order, but would be eligible for natural resupply assuming they weren't engaged during the season.

One alternative, rather than sending an Imperial army to the Commonwealth to demonstrate Imperial fighting techniques and Highguard's approach to war would be to send key individuals from a newly raised Imperial army to the Commonwealth so that their ranking officers could study at one of the six Commonwealth Colleges of War, and their best soldiers could undergo basic Commonwealth training.

Such an approach would create an opportunity for the army to learn from the Commonwealth's experience and mastery of war. It would allow a newly raised army to embrace the Commonwealth approach to war and develop an appropriate quality. The most obvious drawback would be the time and costs involved, it would mean taking a brand new Imperial army out of service for two seasons, while their ranking officers trained and studied with the Commonwealth military instructors - but of course the army would still have to be fed and quartered.

Philosophy

Hexenjäger Academy

Commission Type: Edifice

Location: Any Highborn region

Cost: 20 white granite and 60 crowns in labour

Time: Three months

Effect: Creates the title of Bursar of the Hexenjäger

Availability: Until the start of the Spring Equinox 389YE

Bursar of the Hexenjäger

Type: Highborn

Appointment: Assembly or Tally of the Votes

Powers: Receives seven crowns, three doses of Draught of Clear Headedness, and two doses of Soul Honey a season

Responsibilities: To destroy auras that inhibit people's action and protect the students and staff of the Hexenjager Academy

Restrictions:

Title can only be sustained while the Commonwealth is not at war with, or under embargo by, the Empire or vice versa
If the Lucidian Blasphemy were to be proscribed, this title would cease to function

A noted witch hunter has requested that Highguard constructs an academy for paladins
Henrik Hexenjäger believes that the close proximity to Highborn would be good for potential witch hunters

Henrik Hexenjäger is a well-respected witch hunter of the Commonwealth. Stories of her tales and exploits account for dozens of tales told throughout the Commonwealth. At least a third of all would-be paladins list Henrik as their main inspiration when applying to join the myriad of colleges and academies dedicated to readying paladins for the world. Henrik has apparently destroyed "cults of the thought" across the nation and in countless bordering states. Now, in her twilight years, she wants to ready the world for the next generation of witch hunters who might serve the Commonwealth.

What she proposes is a place of learning, the Hexenjäger Academy, where young adults of the Commonwealth with an affinity for destroying auras could come and learn about them to better prepare themselves for the future. The guardians of the young adults would send gifts that would cover the running of the school, with enough left over for a handsome stipend to the Imperial responsible for overseeing the place. The Bursar of the Hexenjäger would be responsible for setting a good example for the students, and would have the responsibility to destroy auras that inhibited people's actions. Henrik Hexenjäger insists that the title would need to be a national position within Highguard, and would be comfortable with it being appointed by either Tally of the Votes or by the National Assembly.

Legality

The Synod could permit preaching the Common Good by clearly stating it was not proscribed in a judgement of proscription
It would have consequences within the Empire, but the Commonwealth would appreciate a chance to lecture

One simple tool that the Empire could use to improve relations between the Commonwealth and Highguard would be to make it explicitly clear that preaching of the Common Good within the Empire was legal. If the General Assembly were to uphold a judgement of proscription clearly stating that the act of preaching the Common Good was not an act of heresy, then it would encourage adherents of that philosophy to journey to the Empire and lecture Imperials.

There would be consequences, though exactly what is unclear at this point. Professor Immanuel Gelberg believes that there could be a drop in attendance at congregations across the Empire as citizens flock to the lecturers on the Common Good, but one of his aides suggests that might be wishful thinking. More likely would be an increase in interest from the Commonwealth, with opportunities for National Assemblies to respond to the teachings of Leonitz Altmann.

Die Beurtilung is conducted by Professor Gelberg and his team who then pass the results to the civil service to publish. On reviewing the Professor's report, Naomi of Virtue's Rest has seen fit to append this additional information. She notes that faith in the Way has been the single unifying thread that is woven through nearly four hundred years of Imperial history. Whilst it might be appealing to imagine the benefits of closer relations with the Commonwealth, she wishes to be on record noting that permitting the spread of the "Common Good" in the Empire runs a clear risk of weakening the faith, weakening the Synod and weakening the Empire. She has not, she confesses, conducted a full appraisal of this matter, she has been engaged with matters in the Sarangrave, however she implores the Synod to carefully consider how Professor Gelberg's perspective may have impacted his team's ability to fully assess the potential downsides of permitting their religion to spread throughout the Empire.

Going Home

Professor Gelberg has enjoyed his time in the Empire, but has made plans to return to the Commonwealth shortly before the Summer Solstice 388YE
He will accept one more assignment by the Patron of the Beurteilung, but he has already confirmed his return with his university

It was a year ago, that the Senate passed a motion to endorse Professor Gelberg and created the title of Patron of the Beurteilung. The professor is grateful for the chance to challenge himself with new and unexpected over the past twelve months. However, his last year working as an "unofficial" advisor has not yielded the returns he hoped for in the war effort, and with the expansion of Cold Sun he has decided to return home along with his staff. The Patron of the Beurteilung title will be available for auction as standard at the Spring Equinox, and Professor Gelberg will complete the appraisal as promised, but he will return home to the Commonwealth once the work has been done, shortly before the Summer Solstice.

Towards a common good

Contents

Overview

Doctrine

Philosophy

Legality

Going Home

Further Reading

Profound Decisions[edit | | ]

Community[edit | | ]

Wiki Editors[edit | | ]