Where do we go from here?
Cyrus had raced up the ladders to get here as fast as possible and now he was desperately out of a breath. He bent over double breathing deeply, waving one hand in the direction of the workers in hope of communicating that they should do nothing but wait for him.
And wait they did. When he was finally able to look up, not a single koboldi have moved so much as a muscle. They remained as still as statues, some with small picks and hammers held aloft mid-swing. One of them had a huge block of stone, easily as big as him raised in both hands above his head, beads of sweat now forming on the small creatures face.
"What are you doing?" asked Cyrus in a calmer voice now that emphasised his bafflement instead of alarm.
Their foreman grinned from ear to ear as if this was the simplest question he could be asked. "We are building this tower as you instructed oh great architect." to which all the others nodded. Those with their tools aloft lowered them and held them in both hands while another helped the exhausted koboldi lower the block to the ground.
"But, you're removing the stone blocks. You've spent all morning putting this section up... now you're taking it down?"
"Ah!" the overseer beamed with renewed pleasure, as if Cyrus had found a way to banish everyone's confusion. "Yes, I fear we must. Kugl found a flaw."
"A flaw?" Cyrus queried. They couldn't afford a flaw. The work was proceeding at bewildering speed, but the deadlines were incredibly tight. If something was wrong.
"Yes! A flaw. See here." The koboldi was pointing towards a single block of white granite, that had been meticulously cut and set in place earlier that day. It looked fine. Cyrus looked again and he realised the overseer was pointing at the tiniest mark on the smooth granite. It looked like a blemish of some kind in the stone, purely aesthetic, a discolouration about the size of a 5 throne piece.
"You're going to take down everything you've spent all morning building - to swap out that one block?" Cyrus queried unable to hide his disbelief.
"Yes!" the supervisor was grinning again now, happy that he'd made Cyrus understand the magnitude of the problem they were facing. "It can't have a flaw - your Crucible must be wonderous and inspiring... It must be perfect."
Overview
Before the Winter Solstice, Naomi of Virtue's Rest presented the results of her research. Zenith was bereft of hope, but it need not remain so. If the Urizen could find a new arete for Zenith, the Pride and Ambition it fed would overcome the despair left by the desolation of the Druj. To that she proposed three significant commissions, the Radix of Truth, the Eye of the Heavens and the Crucible of Fate. Each would require six months to build, but once complete they would present an opportunity for Urizen to use a mandate to embrace a new destiny for the territory.
The Master of the Koboldi announced the commission of the new Crucible of Fate, sending the Adamant's servants to the mountains of Zenith to begin work. The Crucible is an ambitious project, involving the restoration and expansion of the forges of the Spire Calator to provide workshops and facilities for artisans and architects to master their abilities. Work on that scale would take six months to complete, even with the best efforts of Adamant's Koboldi, but the Urizen were not inclined to wait. The Concordium of Pallas and their allies created a powerful Autumn ritual to ensure the work would be ready by the time of the Spring Equinox.
Zenith is not yet safe - there are still tortured souls to be dealt with, bands of Druj marauders to be dispatched, monsters from the realms of Spring and Winter to be banished. But the Crucible of Fate is complete - all that remains for Zenith to shed the Druj's awful legacy is for the Urizen Assembly to urge everyone to embrace this new destiny.
Spire Calator
- The Urizen Assembly can pass a mandate to embrace form or function as the most important aspect of the Crucible of Fate
Calator is ancient spire built near the foot of Mount Lutum. In common with many of the spires of Urizen, the buildings are spacious, with great sweeping doors six foot wide and twice as high. It is said to be the where the secrets of ushabti production were first codified, and has long been a home to artisans and architects who came here to study and perfect the craft of these valuable magical constructs. Some of those who worked here favoured work that was beautiful in nature, seeking to perfect the form of what they did. Others created innovations that were practical and effective believing that function was the highest purpose.
The spire was renown in particular for an unceasing debate over which of these two goals was the most important which had been raging for over a century. Some mages even came here not to craft magical items but to master the art of crafting an argument. It is unlikely that this debate will ever end - but to embrace a new future for Zenith the Urizen Assembly will have to decide which of these two goals is needed most for Zenith right now.
Function
There are many who argue that what Zenith needs most right now is for the Urizen Assembly to put the emphasis on function. That which they create must serve a purpose. Artisans and architects must identify the fundamental essence of what they are trying to achieve and strive to have their creations serves that goal as perfectly as possible. Things can still be elegant, but they must be efficient, they can still be pleasing, but they must be practical. The Druj tried to bring Urizen to its knees, only by embracing the urgent need for solutions which are practical and effective can Urizen rise again as a nation of great puissance
We must strive for excellence in all things. We send {named priest} with 50 doses of liao to urge everyone who attends the Crucible of Fate to ensure that their work is practical and effective.
Synod Mandate, Urizen Assembly
Supporters of this mandate say that the Druj sought to immiserate Urizen, they wanted to impoverish them, to leave them with nothing so that simply surviving became an arduous grind. The best way to defeat the Druj is to create things that enrich people's lives making them prosperous and powerful.
Form
The opposing view is that the Urizen Assembly must put the emphasis on form. Things can fulfil their purpose, but to create something inspiring, something wonderful, it must be beautiful. Artisans and architects must identify the fundamental truth of what they are trying to create and seek to have their creations embody this truth as perfectly as possible. Things can still be functional but they must have finesse, they can still be workable, but they must be wondrous. The Druj tried to crush the spirit of the people of Urizen, only by creating works that lift people's spirit can Urizen rise again as a nation of wonderous beauty.
We must inspire others to greatness. We send {named priest} with 50 doses of liao to urge everyone who attends the Crucible of Fate to ensure that their work is exquisite and sublime.
Synod Mandate, Urizen Assembly
Supporters of this mandate say that the Druj sought to destroy everything that was beautiful in Urizen, they wanted to banish wonder so that life held no purpose beyond survival. The best way to defeat the Druj is to create things that enrich people's lives making them proud and dignified.
Competing Mandates
The two mandates presented here are in direct competition with each other. When Urizen embraces the Crucible of Fate they must pick one or the other approach, they cannot choose both at this time. As always, if multiple competing mandates are raised successfully, the one that achieved the highest margin of success will be the one that is considered to have been enacted.
Once either mandate is enacted, it will ensure that Zenith ceases to be bereft of hope and usher in a new era for the territory. There will be additional unlooked for benefits, but the civil service advise that matters of faith are hard for the civil service to predict, because they are complex, nuanced, and can be heavily influenced by changing conditions.
The mandates presented here include the current effects of "Bereft of Hope" that increases the liao needed to affect Zenith with a mandate.
A Bold Assumption
- The koboldi constructing the Crucible of Fate have constructed some quarters for themselves in the new building
- Adamant has asked the Conclave to pass a declaration of Concord inviting some of his servants to dwell in the Crucible permanently
Adamant's koboldi approach almost every commission with an infectious enthusiasm, but they seem to have especially enjoyed their work on the Crucible of Fate. Although it is not the largest commission they have worked on, it is a particularly grand edifice and its lofty purpose seems to bring them joy. They become even more excited when they discover that the Crucible will be used to produce ushabti.
Towards the end of the work, the architects overseeing the commission discover that the koboldi have "included" a series of small tunnels underneath the newly refurbished Spire. These tunnels are incredibly small and tight for a human to squeeze down, but they are the perfect size for the diminutive koboldi. It quickly transpires that these tunnels lead to a series of small rooms - which are very clearly intended as living quarters for the koboldi. Part of the work on the Spire has been to expand the living quarters so that it can house hundreds of mages, architects, and artisans, whoever might want to move here to work and study. The koboldi have just assumed that this invitation extended to them as well...
Nobody is quite sure of the best way to handle this. Eventually an arbiter is dispatched to discuss the matter with the most senior koboldi overseer. They are frank about their wishes, some of their number are very excited about the Crucible of Fate and wish to live here permanently after the work is complete. Given the wider ramifications for Urizen and potentially the whole Empire, it is agreed that the most effective way to settle this is for the whole Conclave to use a declaration of concord to decide whether they can dwell there or not.
Whatever decision the Conclave makes won't have any effect on the Imperial title of Master of the Koboldi. Adamant has more than enough servants to ensure that the Master can work unimpeded. A herald for Adamant confirms that he won't be angry or offended if Urizen and the Conclave refuse, he doesn't appear to overly care if if some of the koboldi are disappointed. Opinions in Spire Calator are somewhat divided; one the one hand, who knows what benefits the koboldi might one day provide? On the other hand, the future of Zenith is being forged in the Crucible, perhaps it would be better not to take the risk.
Heavenly Truth
- Opportunities to build the Radix of Truth and the Eye of the Heavens still exist
As part of her appraisal Naomi presented three possible commissions. The first of those has now been completed, and enthusiasm for the Crucible of Fate is already rising, but it is not a fait accompli until the mandate is enacted. The Radix of Truth or the Eye of the Heavens could still provide a way for Zenith to gain new hope. The Empire could still decide to commission and build one of them and then enact an appropriate mandate the season after it was completed.
Even if this mandate to embrace the Crucible of Fate is enacted, the potential to construct the Eye of the Heavens will remain indefinitely. A passion for the stars is woven through Urizen's spirit and there will never be a better site for a great observatory than the one Naomi found. The potential to construct the Radix of Truth will fade a year after a mandate to embrace a different commission is enacted. Philosophy and truth are every bit as important as the study of the starts, but such ambitions could be pursued anywhere in Urizen.
Getting the Parts
- Many of the parts for the Crucible of Fate had to be imported from the League
The designs for the Crucible of Fate require a number of critical components that can't be produced in Urizen. They include countless tiny cogs and gears, each manufactured to the highest standards. This is the kind of work that the Wunderkind in Holberg excels in, but such skills are found in workshops across the League. Urizeni artisans are prepared to pay for the instruments and devices using supplies of precious metals, so the civil service arranged provisional contracts with the leading guilds. As a result of these transactions, every League citizen who owns a business has received a share of a one-off payment of 140 ingots.
Participation: If you are a League business owner, you're encouraged to explain how your particular endeavour helped support the construction of the Crucible of Fate. In addition to the actual tiny parts, the building required delicately calibrated instruments, and rare tools that even the koboldi could not simply produce from thin air. .