Watcher of the Semmerlak
Overview
The Watcher of the Semmerlak is an Imperial title created by the Imperial Senate in Autumn 386YE. The Watcher of the Semmerlak is responsible for ensuring that the nations surrounding the Semmerlak ensure they act with Vigilance and to act to counter threats from the Semmerlak and they receive bequests from volhovs of Varushka, guisers of Dawn, and mountebanks of Holberg to support their work. The title was created as a result of an opportunity presented in the Less welcome tenants wind of fortune.
Responsibilities
The Watcher of the Semmerlak is responsible for ensuring that the nations surrounding the Semmerlak ensure they act with Vigilance and counter threats from the Semmerlak. If a threat from the Semmerlak were to threaten Imperial citizens it would likely be the responsibility of the Watcher of the Semmerlak to deal with the threat.
Powers
The Watcher of the Semmerlak is intended to be held by a magician who is either a volhov, guiser, or mountebank; the Wavewatchers sodality is formed of these and they are reluctant to trade with someone who is not of the same tradition. If the title is held by a character who is not a magician and one of these archetypes, or they change their archetype or lose the magician skill whilst they have the title, then the player must email admin@profounddecisions.co.uk to let us know.
Gifts of Crystal
The Wavewatchers sodality has committed to providing the Watcher of the Semmerlak with seven mana crystals a season from donations made by Varushkans merchants, Dawnish yeofolk, and Holberg sailors for as long as the Watcher maintains their watch of the Semmerlak.
Gifts of Potions
The Holberg mountebanks of the Wavewatchers have pledged to provide three potions to the Watcher of the Semmerlak each season; a Mageblood, a Barren Watchtower, and a Decoction of the Hungry Moon (or their equivalent for another realm). The title holder can email plot@profounddecisions.co.uk to change the realm before downtime closes.)
Gifts of Ring and Robe
The Varushkan volhovs have pledged to provide a Ring of Warding (a magical focus that significantly increases the power of a ritualist to perform warding magic) to the Watcher of the Semmerlak at the Winter Solstice each year.
The guisers of Dawn have pledged to provide an Opaline Coat to help the Watcher perform personal magic in pursuit of maintaining their watch over the Semmerlak. The Opaline Coat is also delivered in time for the Winter Solstice each year.
Appointment
The Watcher of the Semmerlak is a virtue position which is appointed by judgement of the Vigilance Assembly each Autumn Equinox.
The title can be held by any Imperial citizen. They can be revoked by the General Assembly, the Assembly of Vigilance, and the Assembly of the Nine.
| Summit | Nation | Elected | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn Equinox 386YE | Varushka | Romand Reinetova Remislav | 74 Votes |
Recent Elections
This title is currently held by Romand Reinetova Remislav; it will be reelected at Autumn Equinox 387YE. The table to the right shows the citizens who have been elected to hold this title in the years since Empress Britta died.
The Title in Play
The role does not provide additional information about events in the Empire, nor allow the player holding it to request special reports or downtime actions. These details are assumed to be below the abstraction layer. The title holder is encouraged to create their own stories about their activities within reasonable limits and to get involved in events appropriate to their title during the game, but they do not have any powers beyond those explicitly listed in the section on powers.
These details exist partly to provide context and character to the role - and partly to allow our writers to use the title as a plot hook. Plot that involves the position will be rare - but all the campaign positions in Empire have these details to create the potential for it to happen.