Empire - User contributions [en]

Empress Lisabetta

2018-09-18T17:58:25Z

GregW:

{{CaptionedImage|file=ImperatrixCourt.jpg|caption=Imperatrix Lisabetta and members of her Guild at the Pledge Ball 380YE.|align=left|width=400}}
===Reign: 380 YE - ??? YE ===

===Called: of Flowers===

====Early Life and Election====
The eldest child of Elise Giacomi of Tassato, and Gyorgy Yakovitch of Temeschwar, the young Empress-to-be excelled at the study of music and philosophy at the prestigious University of [[Tassato]]. After completing her studies, she was reluctantly drawn back into her family’s long-established [[Temeschwar|Temeschwari]] business, the Hearthfire Guild of Arms and Artisans, and six years ago set up a new branch in [[Holberg]] after succeeding her mother as [[The_League_leadership|Prince]] of that guild.

Her rise in the political sphere has been remarkable. Shortly after arriving at her first Anvil Summit in the Winter of 378YE, she was appointed [[Conscience of the Senate]] by the then Cardinal of the Way Beodun Snowlock. She served her year’s term with distinction and immediately afterwards took on the role of proxy to the [[Warmage]], carrying out the full responsibility of that role during the storm-wracked summit of Winter 379YE. She announced her candidacy for the Throne shortly before the Summer Solstice of 379YE and it took nearly a year of hard work to achieved the support of the Senate.

Finally, during the Spring Equinox 380YE, Lisabetta von Holberg was elected as the twentieth Empress.

====Reign====
At her coronation during the Summer Solstice 380YE, Lisabetta was crowned with a coronet of summer flowers woven by the young heroes of the Academy, rather than with the Imperial Crown. During the Spring Equinox 381YE, Lisabetta became the first Throne since [[Empress Brannan]] to be crowned [[Dawn monarchy|monarch of Dawn]].

One of her first actions after taking the Throne was to establish the [[Imperial Offices]], an [[Imperial sodality]] dedicated to supporting the Throne in the performance of their duties and the furtherance of the Imperial agenda.

At the Autumn Equinox of 382, following an announcement earlier in the year of her intention to marry, Empress Lisabetta married Juha the Cave Spider of Varushka, Ambassador to the Thule, in a private ceremony held in the Senate building during the Anvil summit.

====Death and Legacy====
At the time of this writing Empress Lisabetta is still alive.

<quote>*The coronation of Oor Betty.*

5pm - The coronation procession, wherein the Empress progresses through all ten nations commencing with a ritual handwashing at the Highguard camp - directed by Yael of Felix’s Watch

5.30pm - the procession reaches the Glory Square. Seats will be un-reserved, save for the coronation party, to number 10 at maximum.

5.30pm - the coronation dance of the Brackensong of the Navarr

Runedance: A spoken word performance, with musical and dance support.
Blood of the Empire: A song with dance and a gift presentation

5.40 - the singing of the Coronation anthem, led by the Volchitrava Stzena of Varushka.

5.45 The ceremony proper

The Dedication to Wisdom, by Friar Edward of King’s Stoke, called ‘Watcher’, of the Marches

The Presentation of the Shield, by Imperial Orcs

The taking of the Ring, by Severin von Holberg of the House of Seven Mirrors of the League

The presentation of the crown, by Athelstan of Wintermark.

The crowning, by the Cardinal Of Wisdom, assumed to be Agnetha de Rondell of Dawn

6pm The ceremony ends with the Imperial Anthem, led by Sister Meredith and the singers of the High Courage Chorus of the Marches.

(Notes provided by John of Meade, a Speaker of the Senate at the time.)</quote>

==Lisabetta in play==
It is important to bear in mind that Empress Lisabetta is a player, and not a member of our NPC crew.

[[Category:History]]
[[Category:The Throne]]

Auditor of Senatorial Accountability

2017-07-24T10:04:59Z

GregW: /* Overview */ its->their as that sentence appears to be referring to the Auditor, who is a person

==Overview==
The ''Auditor of Senatorial Accountability'' is an Imperial ceremonial title [[Create_title_of_Auditor_of_Senatorial_Accountability|created]] by the [[Imperial Senate]] in Spring 377YE with responsibility to investigate the use of Imperial funds by Senators.

The Imperial Senate has responsibility for allocating and spending the treasury. They do this by appointing individual Senators to oversee projects from [[Construct Madruga shipyard|building a shipyard]] to [[Create Highguard army|raising an army]]. They also disburse funds to worthy causes such as the [[Support medical school and Anvil hospital|Anvil hospital]] or toward the creation of valuable tools for the Empire. In all such cases, it is the responsibility of the chosen individual to ensure that the funds are used wisely and for the purpose they are intended.

In Spring 377YE, the Senate chose to create an auditor to oversee these activities. Given responsibility for ensuring funds were being spent for the purposes for which they had been disbursed, the Auditor is expected to report back to the Senate with their findings.

==Responsibilities==
The Auditor of Senatorial Accountability is charged with ensuring that funds allocated to Senators by the Imperial Senate are spent wisely and for the purpose for which they were intended. The findings of the Auditor should be reported to the Senate.

==Powers==
===Right of Address===
The Auditor has the right to make an [[Senate address|address to the Senate]] once per summit. This is intended to allow them to present important information for the Senators consideration. To use this power, the Auditor informs the civil service that they wish to address the Senate. Their address will be added to the agenda for the next [[Senate session]].

===Inquisit Member of the Senate===
Once per summit, the Auditor may call an [[inquisition]] against any Member of the Senate (including the Throne) without the need for a vote in the Synod. This is in addition to any existing judgements they have raised normally. This use of the power may be escalated to a [[Condemnation]] just like any other [[inquisition]]. To use this power, the Auditor must still place a judgement before the Synod, but it is considered to pass automatically at the point it is presented.

==Selection==
The Auditor is appointed by judgement of the Assembly of Nine, during the Spring Equinox. They serve a term of one year.

==Removal==
The Auditor serves for one year. They can be revoked by the Assembly of Nine and the General Assembly.

==History==
* The first holder of this title was Nadezhda Darva of Varushka, as of Spring 377YE.
* They were succeeded by Autocephalous Patriarch L. Tolya Orbardenko of Temeschwar.
* Tolya died during Winter 378YE and was succeeded by the Highborn [[magister]] Sargon of Felix's Watch.

The powers of the Auditor were [[Amend_powers_of_the_Auditor_of_Senatorial_Accountability#Campaign_Outcome|amended at the Spring Equinox 381YE]] and Zeno, Stallion's Sibling of Urizen was appointed following reports of the death of Sargon of Felix's Watch.

[[Category:Senate]]
[[Category:Synod]]
[[Category:Imperial Titles]]

Mountain Remembers Its Youth

2017-06-23T15:21:01Z

GregW: /* Effects */ grammar - the effect affects a territory. who designed this language.

==Rules==
{{Season|Spring|60}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|10}} {{Regio|Spring}} {{Target Territory}}

During the performance of the ritual the casters must name a [[Territory#Regions|region]] within the target territory which has the rugged or hills keyword.

{{Curse}}

===Effects===
The ritual affects a single [[territory]]. Over the course of the next few days a powerful [[curse]] settles over the area. The ground shakes and the earth cracks, releasing hot, sulphurous gasses from beneath the ground. These cracks are more likely to appear near large concentrations of people, especially [[Imperial army|campaign armies]].

Every season, 500 [[Campaign_outcome#Casualties|casualties]] are spread out over all campaign armies in the territory, or that [[Army_orders#Movement|move through it]] during that downtime. An army that moves through or out of the territory, rather than remaining there for the entire season, suffers half damage.

[[Fortification|Fortifications]] are less impacted by this effect, and thus casualties inflicted on fortifications are decreased by 20%.

Any [[farm]] based in the target territory has its production reduced by a quarter for the coming season.

The civilian population of a territory will certainly be affected by this ritual.

{{Season Duration}}

===Options===
{{Ritual Substitution|[[Materials#Beggar's Lye|beggar's lye]]|measures}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Mountain Remembers.png|caption=This memories of the mountains bring choking death.|align=right|width=600}}
==Description==
This ritual was developed at the [[Madruga#The_Lyceum|Lyceum]] under the auspices of [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum|Dean]] Simargl of the Circle of Zulgan-Tash, and completed shortly before the Spring Equinox 381YE. The original design was undertaken by the well-traveled [[Urizen]], Mercurio Ankarien.

During the process of [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#Guiding_the_magicians_of_the_Lyceum|concluding the forumlation]], there were additional opportunities to project the likely results of performing the ritual. The potential danger to civilian populations was outlined, as was the likely effect on farms in the area. The fact that the cracks created by the curse are more likely to appear around concentrations of people than not was also determined. There were some questions about the ethical implications of unleashing unrestrained clouds of poison gas, but on the whole, the magicians working on the ritual focused primarily on the theoretical underpinnings and on solving magical problems with shaping the magic effectively.

The cracks that open with the ritual are dangerous, certainly, but they are the harbinger of destruction rather than the cause of it. They are unlikely to open under structures – the larger the structure the less likely they are to appear close to it. The focus of the ritual is on killing living creatures, not on destroying structures.

The cracks will open in different places at different times over the season, releasing their lethal bounty of choking air. The more armies and fortifications there are in an area, the less each one suffers from the effect of the curse. As a consequence of the way the ritual is designed, the fewer the number of armies there are in the area, the fewer cracks open and the less widespread the foul air becomes. The number of civilian casualties is likely to be tied to the number of armies in the territory.

This ritual does not draw on the power of an [[eternal]], nor does it draw spirits from the Spring realm. Rather, it creates a conduit between pockets of naturally occurring foul air that lies beneath the earth. Many miners are familiar with the concept of firedamp and similar choking or flammable gases. Those with experience of volcanos, in particular, know that there are winds in the earth that are inimical to life on the surface.

The [[curse]] opens these conduits, allowing the volatile gases deep in the earth to spew out. Rather than being flammable, these stinking clouds choke and strangle living creatures. Humans and orcs are not the only beings affected – birds, animals, and plants are all affected to some degree. Trees wither and die, as do crops in the field, and even the grass itself where the destructive poison touches. Standing water in the area may be poisoned as well, killing fish and aquatic plants with equal facility. Where one of these cracks opens, the land is marked with death.
It is possible to avoid the worst effects of this killing cloud by moving quickly out of the area. Anyone who is unable to physically escape the poisonous air, like the wounded, penned animals, the young, and the physically infirm, are much more likely to succumb to the choking death.

The poison gas is quite dense and moves only slowly except in particularly strong winds which may cause the clouds to dissipate more quickly. Rain may also dissipate the clouds, but unfortunately, this will actually spread the poison a little wider – albeit more slowly – by causing it to sink into the surface soil or form poisonous puddles.

Even those who act quickly may not entirely avoid the effects – some exposed to the gas will be envenomed, making them more likely to [[Calls#VENOM|succumb to injuries]] they sustain shortly afterwards.

Finally, the ability to spread panic should not be underestimated – an army whose flank is scattering to avoid the threat of a spreading cloud of sulphurous venom is much more vulnerable to attacks from an organised force.

One word of caution regarding this ritual relates to performing it in territories where there are cities – in the Empire this would likely include [[the League]] [[The_League_territories|territories]], [[Madruga]] (site of [[Madruga#Siroc|Siroc]]), [[Upwold]] (site of [[Upwold#Mead|Mead]]), [[Bastion]] (site of the [[Bastion#Bastion.2C_the_White_City|White City]]), and potentially also [[Hahnmark]] (site of [[Hahnmark#Kalpaheim|Kalpaheim]]). The intense concentration of people in these areas is likely to attract several poison-spewing cracks, and the confined nature of these environments, may potentially cause increased loss of civilian life.

==Common Elements==
A map of the target territory is often a focus for performing this ritual. A physical mapmay be burned, or buried under ash or dust, or washed away with beggar's lye. A map drawn or traced on the ground may be damaged in a way to suggest cracks opening in the ground.

The original ritual, as heavily guided by the Dean, is intended to remind the mountains and hills of the territory of their youth – when the world was young. He recommends that the ritual be accompanied by pounding drums (perhaps in the [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] style), with wild dancing (especially fire dancing), and loud ullullations from all who are present. By recalling this primordial time, the earth can be persuaded to let loose its poison breath. Several [[Varushka|Varushkan]] and [[Wintermark]] magicians familiar with [[Otkodov]] comment that there are elements in the ritual that remind them of stories they have heard of the [[Thule]] territory of [[Otkodov#Nithoggir|Nithoggir]].

The rune [[Mawrig]] is commonly used during this ritual. The [[astronomancy|astronomantic]] sign of [[the Drowned Man]], or possibly [[the Wanderer]]. Destructive legendary beasts – [[Legendary_beasts#Dragons.2C_Wyverns_and_Wyrms|dragons]], [[Legendary_beasts#Sphinxes_and_Manticores|manticores]], and even [[Mundane_beasts#Kraken|kraken]] – resonate with the ritual. A [[Totem_magic#Goetia|goetic]] might call on [[Siakha]], the devouring shark-eternal whose resonance is unrestrained destruction but it might also resonate with [[Llofir]] or [[Arhallogen]]. A [[Totem_magic#Theurgy|theurgist]] may struggle to find a [[Paragons_and_exemplars|paragon or exemplar]] who resonates with the destructive power of this ritual - the closest historical figure the theoreticians at the Lyceum could come up with was [[Casinea#Casca.E2.80.99s_Doom|Casca]], and she is not recognised by the [[Imperial Synod]].

<quote by='''Dean Simargl, the Empty One'''>If you don't like it, don't cast it.</quote>

[[Category:Spring Ritual]]
[[Category:Rituals]]
[[Category:Warfare]]

Stalwart Stand on Solid Ground

2017-05-04T10:01:53Z

GregW:

==Rules==
{{Season|Summer|60}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|10}} This ritual targets a [[fortification]], and must be performed in a strong Summer [[regio]] in the [[territory]] containing the fortification. If the territory is part of the Empire, then it may instead be performed from the [[Regio#The_Imperial_Regio|Imperial regio]].

{{enchantment}}

===Effects===
While under this enchantment, the target fortification will not be destroyed unless it is reduced to 0 effective fighting force. When the effect ends, if the target fortification collapses immediately if it is below 1,000 strength.

{{Year Duration}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=BrotherLuke.jpg|caption=[[Highguard|Highborn]] [[Master_of_Ice_and_Darkness|Master]] Luke of the Shattered Tower.|title=Stalwart Stand on Solid Ground is the first ritual to be codified at the controversial Icy Crag of the Eternal Sun.|align=right|width=300}}
==Description==
This ritual was codified at the [[Miekarova#The_Icy_Crag_of_the_Eternal_Sun|Icy Crag of the Eternal Sun]] in [[Miekarova]] under the guidance of the [[Highguard|Highborn]] [[Master_of_Ice_and_Darkness|Master]] Luke of the Shattered Tower. The ritual was based on an [[Spontaneous_magic#Arcane_Projection|arcane projection]] developed in Winter 379YE by the [[Urizen]] Ioseph of the Banner of the Phoenix.

As one researcher quipped, the additional difficulties of getting to the Icy Crag – due to the [[Castle_of_wind_and_sky|perpetual blizzard]] laid over the college by the furious [[Cathan Canea]] – provides additional impetus to the codification. [[Varushka|Varushkan]] winters are bad enough, but the curse of the Queen of Ice and Darkness is an ever-present reminder of the importance of strong walls.

The ritual prevents a [[fortification]] being overwhelmed until the final moment, when the actual physical structure is so damaged, and the spirit of the defenders so eroded, that it literally cannot stand any longer. Under normal circumstances, a fortification is overrun and destroyed some time before the actual struture itself is torn down. The fortification becomes useless to the attacker, it is true, but it often provides building materials or foundations on which a new fortification can be built more easily. Not so with this ritual – if the fortification is destroyed, there is almost nothing left of value to the attacker. The walls are so tumbled, the foundations are so cracked that any new fortification must be begun again from scratch.

While much of the power of the ritual is focused on the stone of the fortification, its effect on the defenders should not be overlooked. As many stories of adamant recount, the marvelous material infuses mortals who are exposed to it – and this ritual exploits those stories and that resonance. Living defenders of the enchanted fortification are likewise imbued with the power to resist destruction. In theory, every soldier who is part of the garrison of the enchanted fortification will receive benefits similar to those granted by [[Strength of the Bull]] or [[Splendid Panoply of Knighthood]] – being able to shrug off mighty blows and continue fighting. They may also become stronger – not only in body but also in will.

There is a very small chance that some of them – especially any with changeling blood or with a strong symbolic connection to the fortification such as the garrison commander – may find that they age slightly more slowly during their time supporting the garrison. This last effect is entirely theoretical – and it would require the ritual to be in effect for a significant period of time with the same garrison to determine if there is any validity to it!

===The Nature of Adamant===
During the work formulating this ritual a great deal of additional research was performed into the resonance of adamant – not the eternal who commonly goes by the name King Adamant, but the theoretical material of which many structures in the Summer Realm are thought to be composed.

Adamant is a legendary rock, or possibly a mineral, to which many properties are attributed. The adjective adamantine is used to describe something that is so strong as to be impervious to harm. According to some scholars, adamant is a miraculous material found only in the Summer realm which is impossible to work without the most potent magic – its resistance to harm includes resistance to being smelted, or chiseled. Sometimes it is described as a type of stone like white granite, at other times it is an ore similar to silver or iron, and at other times a hard, clear mineral like diamond or tempest jade. It is possible that there are different “kinds” of adamant, or that the material naturally exists in three different states, or that the Summer realm simply uses the same word to refer to three different materials.

According to Knights of the Crossroads, a thick scholarly tome recounting the stories of the many weapons, shields, and suits of armour attributed to the eternal Barien, adamant has only one vulnerability – the mortal realm. In that book Malcolm of Meade mentioned that several metal items crafted by Barien appeared to be of no earthly material, and were extremely resistant to being damaged by fire or hammer. They could still be broken by sufficient force – but they could be repaired easily and quickly by their wielders. Fortinbras, for example, the greatsword wielded by the Dawnish questing knight Ser George the Bear, gifted to that doughty warrior by Barien as a prize for a successful Challenge of the Iron Duke, was said to cut armoured orcs in half with ease, and on the occasion that a magician or mighty opponent sundered it, Ser George restored it to full strength with a drop of his blood and a roar of righteous anger. Of course Ser Gerorge himself eventually went mad – but the troubadours say it was only after he had seen his beloved family slaughtered by the Druj while he was powerless to intervene. According to those same troubadours, Ser George still hunts Druj in the Barrens, immortal and unkillable on his vengeful rampage – as long as he still wields Fortinbras.

Malcolm theorised that in the mortal realm, adamant becomes breakable but only by the application of will, as well as force. He further theorised that a castle built of adamant stone, or a ring set with an adamant stone, would be utterly impervious to natural harm and the passage of time – that it would maintain its integrity, lustre, sharpness, or any other quality unless a willful being intentionally strove to harm it – and even then it would require a great effort of will to permanently disfigure the adamant item.

There is even some talk of adamant stones – similar to diamonds but with a tinge of blue-white to their clear crystal struture – set into jewellry such as necklaces, rings, or crowns. These stones share their resistant nature with the jewel, and sometimes with the wearer. The Saga of Odrii Svetasson talks about a ring of weltsilver and orichalcum, set with a single stone “from the realm of the Queen” that not only provided him with mastery of the magic of summer (in a manner suggesting it was a Ring of Triumph), but meant that he “aged only during winter, remaining unchanged the rest of the year round”. While some fanciful stories suggest Odrii lived to be nearly 300 years old, actual records suggest he “only” lived to the age of 150 – but that he remained hale and hearty right up until he death in 278YE at the hands of the Thule.
Almost all of this is speculation – there are few enough items that come from the Summer realm and may be composed of adamant in the first place, and few of their owners are likely to wish to see them permanently damaged in pursuit of trivial scholarship.

The Dawnish mason-witch Tria of Laroc did theorise that white granite bears a strong resonance with adamant. She posited in her scroll Unyielding Stone that it was significantly easier to imbue structures built with white granite with the unbreaking potence of adamant than it was to protect anything else in the same manner. She further theorised that the same may be true of weapons, shields, and armour made of orichalcum. Her scroll primarily concerned the development of Unbreakable Spirit, Unbreakable Blades, but it was referenced several times by the magicians working on codifying this ritual.

==Common Elements==
This ritual targets a fortification, imbuing it with supernatural resilience. A representation of the target fortification, and a map of the territory where it stands, are both suitable foci for the ritual. Ritualists may also wish to use shields or suits of armour as part of the performance – a Captain ordering soldiers to set their shields against attackers would provide a strong dramaturgy element. A Freeborn magician involved in the codification suggested striking shields rhythmically would strengthen the ritual, building on the symbolism of a fortification resisting “blows” from siege engines.

The rune [[Verys]], which represents Strength, has resonance with this ritual, especially when used alongside [[Tykonus]], which means Challenge or Struggle. [[The Mountain]] has a key [[astronomancy|astronomantic]] link to the ideas of the ritual, but [[the Oak]] is probably more thematically appropriate – the great tree that endures storms.

Two Summer eternals – Cathan Canea and [[King Adamant]] – have resonance with this ritual, and evoking their names may aid with the performance. A theurgist might evoke the name of famously strong and unyielding paragons or exemplars such as [[Inga Tarn]], but the paragon of [[Vigilance]] known as [[the Sentinel]] may also be appropriate – the structures they created have famously lasted thousands of years.

[[Category:Summer Ritual]]
[[Category:Rituals]]
[[Category:Warfare]]

Lions of Phoenix Reach

2017-05-04T09:56:26Z

GregW:

==Rules==
{{Season|Summer|24}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|2}} {{Target Resource|[[mana site]]}}

{{enchantment}}

===Effects===
This ritual calls a group of burning spirits from the Summer realm, who take on physical forms drawn from the material of a [[mana site]]. The magical flows of the mana site are used to bind the spirit and the material together.

The owner of the mana site experiences a ''roleplaying effect'': you feel an urge to destroy fragile objects, especially if those objects can be consumed by fire.

The beasts effectively form a powerful [[military unit]] under the control of the character who controls the target mana site, and fights under that character's command during the coming season. The target mana site produces no crystal mana during the coming season. At the end of the season, or if they are destroyed, the beasts return to the mana site and explosively discorporate, restoring its production to normal.

The military unit created consists of supernatural troops that can be [[Military_unit#Downtime_Options|assigned]] any of the tasks that a normal military unit can undertake. While they are effective at all these tasks, the warriors are especially well suited to [[Military_unit#Supporting_an_Army|fighting as part of a campaign army]] and receive a five rank bonus (equivalent to an additional 100 fighting force) when they do so.

{{Season Duration}}

===Additional Targets===
This ritual can affect additional mana sites in the same [[territory]]. Each additional mana site increases the magnitude by 18. The character who controls each mana site must be present throughout the ritual, and each receives control of their own military unit.

==Description==
This ritual was developed at the [[Zenith#The_Halls_of_Knowledge|Halls of Knowledge]] in [[Zenith]] under the direction of [[Provost of the Halls of Knowledge|Provost]] Octavius. The initial work on the ritual was performed by Ioseph of Phoenix Reach who created an [[Spontaneous_magic#Arcane_Projection|arcane projection]] designed to pull spirits from the Summer realm into the mortal world, clothe them in metal and stone armour, and unleash them on his enemies.

In the process of concluding the formulation, some modifications were required to the arcane projection. No prior agreement exists with any eternal or spirits of the Summer realm, so the ritual needed some redesign to allow it to lure the entities who would be armoured in fire and stone to form the supernatural warriors. The work was relatively simple to resolve, adapting some of the formulae involved in forming the [[Conclave of Trees and Shadow|shadow warriors]] and [[Carve the Crystal Guardian|crystal guardians]] in the similar – yet distinct – rituals of [[Night magic|night]] and [[Day magic|day]].

Calling up actual magma from the earth itself, especially in a controlled fashion, proved to be significantly more difficult than the arcane projection might have suggested. In the end it proved unnecessary – and might have even been counter productive – to the final intent of the ritual. Indeed, some of the scholars working on the ritual theorized that toying with volcanic forces might be easier with the [[Spring magic|Spring realm]] – but that attempts to do so in a controlled fashion were almost certainly doomed to messy and destructive failure.

This ritual does not draw on the power of an [[eternals|eternal]] – rather it reaches into the Summer realm and pulls force spirits of fire, sunlight, and destruction. They naturally take the form of potent war-beasts – lions, rams, drakes, bears, and bulls. It is possible that they could take more humanoid shapes if they wished – but so far they have resisted any attempt to make them do so as this would make them (in their own words) “far too small and heavy”.

The ritual [[enchantment|enchants]] a mana site. In a dramatic and somewhat awe inspiring display, burning golden columns of fire and light swirl into existence at the points where the flows of mana are most concentrated. Crystals and other materials are torn from the ground into these swirling columns, along with chunks of stone and any nearby metal. These materials fuse with the columns of fire, which collapse and take on the form of great beasts. So far the most common forms identified were great lions, armoured bears, massive oxen, proud rams, and more than a few great draconic shapes similar to wyverns or large drakes.

The bodies of these creatures burn constantly, providing warmth and light in a large radius. They are almost impossible to miss, but they are armoured by shaped plates of metal, crystal, and stone. When they eventually launch their suicidal charge, they flame like comets into the heart of the enemy ranks and burst with a thundering detonation that can be heard for miles around.

The Lions of Phoenix Reach are best suited to assist an army on the battlefield, although their fiery presence means they ideally need to fight by themselves a safe distance from mortal soldiers – especially soldiers who do not want to be caught in the inevitable fireball when they explode.

They can also in theory be instructed to engage in paid work. Several of the magicians working on the ritual appeared concerned about this, and argued that it should be made impossible to use them in this fashion for the safety of innocent bystanders, but even attempting to do so would have required the magnitude of the ritual to be increased ruinously. In the end, the calmer head of Gerontus of Horizon's Reach prevailed – they pointed out that the Lions were ultimately tied to the will of the one who operated the mana site, and as long as they resisted the Lions' desire to incinerate everything nearby there should be no more danger in them protecting a caravan or guarding a brothel than in assigning them to fight alongside Imperial soldiers.

===Spirits of the Summer Realm===
The spirits are immaterial in their natural state, the power of the ritual forces them to create physical – albeit powerfully energetic – bodies with which they can interact with the material world. Their exact provenance is unclear – they do not appear to belong to any specific eternal court and they are not especially communicative. As near as can be determined by brief conversations – they appear intelligent if not especially bright in human terms - they variously call themselves Sun Brothers, Burning People, Gildenfire, and Skyborn. They claim to live in the sky and in “the high places where stone dances” - possibly a reference to a Summer realm volcano.

They talk about making themselves “tiny” and “heavy” when they are summoned. Given that one of these entities is several times the size of an ox, their true size must be immense indeed. One of the magicians responsible for working on the ritual suggested that it might be that in their natural form they are composed of some magical substance part-way between cloud stuff and light, and that becoming material limits them in some fashion.

While they fight alongside an [[Imperial army]] at the command of the individual whose [[mana site]] provided their corpus, they are extremely volatile. It is difficult to prevent them from charging into the thick of the enemy lines and exploding violently in a conflagration of flame that burns everything in their path and sends pieces of their metal armour spearing outwards in a ring.

Like many such spirits, they seem largely unconcerned with the prospect of death. It appears likely that, as with the spirits called up with rituals such as Conclave to Trees and Shadow, Carve the Crystal Guardian, [[Quickening Cold Meat]], [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]], [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees]], and even [[Knights of Glory]] or [[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]], the spirits simply return to their realm when their bodies are destroyed.

==Common Elements==
The ritual may include a map of the mana site to be enchanted. [[Urizen]] scholars who worked on the ritual suggest that a map of the entire area may be useful to gather more information about the likely flows of mana that surround the site, allowing that information to be woven into the invocation itself.

Where possible the ritual should be performed using at least some crystals that come from the mana site in question although this is not a requirement. Other common features include minerals or stones from the target area; valuable metals such as [[Materials#Orichalcum|orichalcum]] or [[Materials#Weltsilver|weltsilver]]; symbols of [[Pride]] or [[Courage]]; or armour (especially pieces of magical armour rich in orichalcum).

As with many Urizen rituals, mirrors, light and careful invocations are common elements. The spirits themselves have a resonance for items such as these that capture or involve fire and light – but they have just as much resonance for weapons of war.

The runes [[Verys]] (strength) and [[Mawrig]] (destruction) are both ideal for use with this ritual.

[[Category:Summer Ritual]]
[[Category:Rituals]]
[[Category:Auras]]

Horizon's Razor Edge

2017-04-29T17:01:17Z

GregW: /* Description */

==Rules==
{{Season|Day|3}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|2}} {{Target Character}}

{{enchantment}}

===Effects===
The target may call [[Calls#CLEAVE|cleave]] once each day with any melee weapon except a [[Weapons & armour#Pike|pike]].

While under the enchantment the target experiences a [[roleplaying effect]]: you feel focused and ready, you are on the lookout for an opportunity to act decisively, achieving your goals with as little unnecessary effort as possible.

{{Season Duration}}

===Additional Targets===
This ritual can affect additional characters from the same [[Groups#Banners|banner]]. Every two additional characters increases the magnitude by 5. Additional characters must be present throughout.

==Description==
With the power of this ritual, a warrior is granted clarity of purpose, empowered to strike a single decisive blow that can cripple a limb or render a lightly- or unarmoured opponent incapacitated with one swift strike. It is also known as ''Strike of Running Water'' among the [[Navarr]] who make good use of it with spear-and-shield fighting style, and as ''The Sentinel's Poise'' in parts of [[Urizen]].

This [[enchantment]] provides similar power to that granted by [[Swan's Cruel Wing]], a Summer ritual. When the ritual was entered into [[Imperial_lore#Imperial_Lore_and_the_Ritual_List|Imperial Lore]] by the [[Dean of the Lyceum]] in 96YE there was some criticism - that there was little value in duplicating the power of Swan's Cruel Wing. At the time, the counterargument was made that while Summer magicians may excel at combative magic, their realm is not the only one that sees virtue in magic that allows warriors to strike decisive blows, and not every [[Bands#Covens|coven]] is trained in the lore of [[Summer magic|Summer]].

==Common Elements==
This ritual usually involves both the target and their armoury. A ritualist might trace matching runes on weapons and warrior, or might encourage them to run through a weapon-drill. Some magicians encourage the targets to remain absolutely still, sometimes in an uncomfortable martial pose, until the climax of the ritual when they explode into action with a single dramatic strike. A toast of fresh water or fruit juice is often drunk, especially when the ritual is performed on a band of warriors rather than a single target. Legendary warriors, especially those who fought only when neccessary, are often invoked as are [[Paragons and Exemplars]] who showed great patience

Any of the [[Rune Overview#Runes of Day|Dayrunes]] might be evoked. [[Cavul]], the rune of clarity and [[Aesh]], the rune of thought, are commonly marked on the weapon and the wielder respectively. An evocation of [[The Key]] may be appropriate with this ritual, as might evocations of creatures such as mantids or birds.

[[Category:Day Ritual]]
[[Category:Rituals]]

Horizon's Razor Edge

2017-04-29T16:09:00Z

GregW: Commented out obsolete description: HRE and Swan's Cruel Wing now identical

==Rules==
{{Season|Day|3}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|2}} {{Target Character}}

{{enchantment}}

===Effects===
The target may call [[Calls#CLEAVE|cleave]] once each day with any melee weapon except a [[Weapons & armour#Pike|pike]].

While under the enchantment the target experiences a [[roleplaying effect]]: you feel focused and ready, you are on the lookout for an opportunity to act decisively, achieving your goals with as little unnecessary effort as possible.

{{Season Duration}}

===Additional Targets===
This ritual can affect additional characters from the same [[Groups#Banners|banner]]. Every two additional characters increases the magnitude by 5. Additional characters must be present throughout.

==Description==
With the power of this ritual, a warrior is granted clarity of purpose, empowered to strike a single decisive blow that can cripple a limb or render a lightly- or unarmoured opponent incapacitated with one swift strike. It is also known as ''Strike of Running Water'' among the [[Navarr]] who make good use of it with spear-and-shield fighting style, and as ''The Sentinel's Poise'' in parts of [[Urizen]].



==Common Elements==
This ritual usually involves both the target and their armoury. A ritualist might trace matching runes on weapons and warrior, or might encourage them to run through a weapon-drill. Some magicians encourage the targets to remain absolutely still, sometimes in an uncomfortable martial pose, until the climax of the ritual when they explode into action with a single dramatic strike. A toast of fresh water or fruit juice is often drunk, especially when the ritual is performed on a band of warriors rather than a single target. Legendary warriors, especially those who fought only when neccessary, are often invoked as are [[Paragons and Exemplars]] who showed great patience

Any of the [[Rune Overview#Runes of Day|Dayrunes]] might be evoked. [[Cavul]], the rune of clarity and [[Aesh]], the rune of thought, are commonly marked on the weapon and the wielder respectively. An evocation of [[The Key]] may be appropriate with this ritual, as might evocations of creatures such as mantids or birds.

[[Category:Day Ritual]]
[[Category:Rituals]]

Gidyon's Refrain

2017-04-29T11:44:25Z

GregW:

==Rules==
{{Season|Summer|12}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|2}} {{Target Character}}

{{enchantment}}

===Effects===
The target gains the ability to respond as they wish to any [[roleplaying effect]] they are exposed to - but they must sing a stirring song loudly and enthusiastically while they do so.

They can respond to any roleplaying effect as they see fit, as long as they continue to sing. When they cease singing they are subject to the roleplaying effect as normal. A roleplaying effect is effectively suppressed for as long as the character sings - it is not removed or countered by the enchantment. Other characters still experience the roleplaying effect unchanged - this does not offer protection to a group.

As long as they are subject to the enchantment, the target also experiences a ''roleplaying effect'' they feel the urge to sing enthusiastically. This becomes an almost overpowering urge to join in when the target is around other people who are already singing.

{{Season Duration}}

===Additional Targets===
This ritual can affect additional characters from the same [[Groups#Sects|sect]]. Each additional character increases the magnitude by 9. Additional characters must be present throughout.

==Description==
This ritual was codified at the [[Madruga#The_Lyceum|Lyceum]] during Spring 380YE under the guidance of [[Dean of the Lyceum|Dean]] Simargl, the Empty One, of the Circle of Zulgan Tash. It is believed that the ritual takes its name in honour of Onni Gidyon Veromaa, a talented [[stzena]] from the Circle of Zulgan Tash dedicated to protecting their vale from external threats. It was [[Declaration#Declaration_of_Imperial_Lore|added]] to [[Imperial_lore#Imperial_Lore_and_the_Ritual_List|Imperial lore]] by the [[Imperial Conclave|Conclave]] during Winter 380YE.

There is an undeniable relationship between music and spirituality, between music and passion. Music stirs the soul. A man whistles as he passes a burial ground, gaining confidence. A child sings as she crosses a rickety bridge, taking courage from the music and conquering her fear that something dreadful might lurk beneath. Through the magic of the enchantment created by this ritual, the target is able to empower their will and their spirit with a musical recitation. As the music soars, the target becomes capable of overcoming external influences on their actions.

The relationship between music and heroism is most commonly understood in only one direction. Songs that immortalise or commemorate the actions of the brave, the mighty, the clever and the victorious are as common as songs that mourn the dead, the lost, the fallen. In both cases, the music creates a connection between the one who sings and the events they describe. The singer is ''[[Dawn_hearth_magic#Girding|girded]]'' in the memory of the deeds recounted as surely as if they were donning the armour of the hero they sing of.

The [[Urizen]] might say that technical brilliance is required to work magic with music, but the [[The Brass Coast|Freeborn]] at least would surely disagree. Gusto, enthusiasm, passion - the joyous noise dispels the darkness when even the most tone-deaf musician breaks the chains of shame and self-consciousness to raise their voice against fear and despair. Between the notes of the song flows the capacity to choose one's own path.

An important element of using the enchantment is choosing the right song - although it could be argued there are no wrong songs. The ritual grants self-determination and protects from outside influence regardless of what tune is chosen. The only requirement is that the one who is enchanted make music enthusiastically. By raising their voice, they raise the bulwarks of their spirit. They make their soul and their will adamant. They are the champion that holds back the storm with the song of the hearth and the home, they are every warrior who raises their voice in the [[Battle Anthem]] as they march to war.

Usually, though, unless one is a [[Wintermark_culture_and_customs#Art_and_history|scop]] or stzena, a simple song is best. Something that can be sung instinctively, and whose words and tune are not so complex that they will interfere with the ability to focus on other tasks - especially tasks that will end the aura that oppresses them. Singing is a physical task - the ignorant may underestimate how tiring it can be to keep a song going for a long period of time. When the voice falls silent, the oppressive aura resurges, the haunting spirit returns, the pan of the wound recurs.

A chorus can help the enchanted one - the support of other musicians can help the singer keep their tune alive. For all the power of this magic, brave comrades who will raise their voices alongside the target are worth more than all the technical expertise in the world.
==Common Elements==
The ritual draws on resonances of confidence and music. As such it is deeply appropriate for the magicians to draw on the [[Music of the Spheres]] when performing the ritual. Magicians not versed in that esoteric tradition may instead work with their target and any onlookers to create a more straightforward musical performance.

In the simplest form, a hymn, choir, or round might be performed, lead by the magicians and relying on voices raised enthusiastically. In others, musicians may participate as well. It would be deeply appropriate for magicians of the Brass Coats to include energetic dancing as well, while in [[Wintermark]] or [[Dawn]] loud horns or drums might be particularly resonant.

The target of the ritual should be at the centre of any performance - whether musical or magical. The ritualists may paint or carve the rune [[Zorech]] (for passion, a concept often associated with heroic and confident behaviour) onto the target, but [[Feresh]], the rune of majesty, has an even stronger resonance. Feresh grants a measure of protection from outside influences, especially those that might cause doubt, confusion, shame, or humility, and in this aspect is often called the Helm.

A fortifying drink, especially a mildly alcoholic beverage, is a suitable component for this ritual. Poured and ceremonially offered to the target, who wets their lips and soothes a throat parched from singing, it is then passed to the other participants. Alternatively, a single vessel might have liquid poured into it by several magicians in turn, representing the spiritual strength and mental fortitude of the group that is finally consumed by the chosen champion.

In [[dramaturgy]], [[the Captain]] is the most appropriate [[dramaturgy#The Personae|persona]] to evoke, while in [[Blood magic]] drops of blood taken from a willing participant known for their musical ability, bravery, or self-confidence may be used instead. A [[Varushka|Varushkan]] may evoke the image of [[Pride|proud]] [[Varushka_religious_beliefs#The_Virtuous_Animals|creatures]] such as deer or eagles - coincidentally creatures also associated with the rune Feresh.

The [[eternals|eternal]] [[Eleonaris]] has strong resonance with this ritual, as does the eternal [[Janon]] (for all that Janon is a denizen of the Night realm rather than the Summer realm).

For some reason the ritual has an additional resonance with bees. Bees are a Varushkan creature associated with [[Prosperity]], which makes their involvement in this ritual somewhat counter-intuitive. Still, a chorus that accompanies the ritual with droning or humming appears to help the magic flow more easily around the target.

[[Category:Summer Ritual]]
[[Category:Rituals]]

Archive:380YE Autumn Equinox Imperial titles

2017-04-15T21:47:20Z

GregW: Matching to Orc naming convention: legion first

==The [[Imperial Senate]]==

===The Throne===
* [[The Throne|The Empress]] : Lisabetta Giacomi von Holberg of the League

===The Freeborn senators of [[The Brass Coast]]===
* Senator for [[Feroz]]: Oria
* Senator for [[Kahraman]]: Qusay i Kalamar i Guerra
* Senator for [[Madruga]]: Anwar i Del-Toro i Riquezza
* Senator for [[Segura]]: Avisena i Ezmara i Guerra

===The senators of [[Dawn]]===
* Senator for [[Astolat]]: Bohemond de Rondell
* Senator for [[Semmerholm]] Escalados de Carsenere
* Senator for [[Weirwater]]: Valentin Ivarovich Orzel

===The senators of [[Highguard]]===
* Senator for [[Bastion]]: Ibrahim, the South Paw, of the Cohort of the Winter Bear
* Senator for [[Casinea]]: Barrabas
* Senator for [[Necropolis]]: Ianthe, of Raven's Watch
* Senator for [[Reikos]]: Balthasar, of the Suns of Couros

===The senators of [[The League]]===
* Senator for [[Holberg]]: Stern
* Senator for [[Sarvos]]: Alessandra Serafini
* Senator for [[Tassato]]: Cesare Sanguineo Rezia Di Tassato
* Senator for [[Temeschwar]]: Gant Archama

===The senators of [[The Marches]]===
* Senator for [[Bregasland]], the Dour Fens: Orrick
* Senator for [[Mitwold]], Pride of the Marches: Bridget Eastville
* Senator for [[Upwold]], The Silver Chase: Henry Ward

===The senators of the [[Navarr]]===
* Senator for [[Hercynia]]: Ranulf Pridestalker
* Senator for [[Miaren]]: Llewellyn Leafstalker
* Senator for [[Therunin]]: Caerwyn Summer Crow

===The senators of [[Urizen]]===
* Senator for [[Morrow]]: Ariadne
* Senator for [[Redoubt]]: Probus of Shattered Spire
* Senator for [[Zenith]]: Edmundo of Endsmeet
* Senator for [[Spiral]]: Tanwyn Ankarien

===The senators of [[Varushka]]===
* Senator for [[Karsk]]: Maarit
* Senator for [[Karov]]: Irena Arkady
* Senator for [[Miekarova]]: Yelislaveta Syrnova Vlanich
* Senator for [[Volodmartz]]: Vuk the Wolfeater

===The senators of [[Wintermark]]===
* Senator for [[Hahnmark]]: Hengest Dun
* Senator for [[Kallavesa]]: Olle Markusson
* Senator for [[Sermersuaq]]: Atte

===The senator of the [[Imperial Orcs]]===
* Senator for [[Skarsind]]: Irontide Vio

===Other [[Imperial Senate]] positions===
* The [[Conscience of the Senate]] is Maximillian of Urizen
* The [[Dean of the Academy]] is Faustina Notturno Di Sarvos
* The [[Advisor on orc affairs]] is Bloodcrow Ergot
* The [[Minister_of_Historical_Research|Minister of Historical Research]] is Ioseph of Phoenix Reach
* The [[Bursar of the Imperial Academy]] is Titus Hopkirk
* The [[Ambassador to Asavea]] is Camilia di Traviciana di Sarvos
* The [[Ambassador to Axos]] is Tarquinius of Ankarien
* The [[Ambassador to Jarm]] is Owsi Twice-burned
* The [[Ambassador to the Iron Confederacy]] is Starac Sijed Orzel
* The [[Ambassador to Faraden]] is Tal'Shar i Zabala i Erigo
* The [[Ambassador to the Commonwealth]] is Beatrix Amalia Novarion Zu Holberg
* The [[Ambassador to the Sumaah Republic]] is Vera Runova Helgrod
* The [[Ambassador to the Sarcophan Delves]] is Thanmir Hrafnar
* The [[Advisor on the Vallorn]] is Siân Eternal
* The [[Imperial Consul]] is Aureliana Perpetua Nicasia Saverio di Sarvos

===[[Commission|Commissioners]] appointed by senators===
* The [[Crystal Architect of the Spires]] is held by Tiberius Echostorm
* The [[Imperial Master of Works|Imperial Master of Works]] is Richard Lancaster
* The [[Civilian Commissioner]] of The Brass Coast is Carlos I Guerra
* The [[Civilian Commissioner]] of Dawn is Morien Stewart
* The [[Civilian Commissioner]] of The Marches is Silas Merrick
* The [[Civilian Commissioner]] of The Imperial Orcs is Bloodcrow Yargol
* The [[Civilian Commissioner]] of The League is Lorenzo La Volpe of the Bloody Butchers
* The [[Civilian Commissioner]] of Highguard is Rhesa of the Scions of Ravensfell
* The [[Civilian Commissioner]] of Navarr is Bron Foxden
* The [[Civilian Commissioner]] of Urizen is Juliana of Phoenix Reach
* The [[Civilian Commissioner]] of Varushka is Nadya Gremani
* The [[Civilian Commissioner]] of Wintermark is Tyr Brenna

===[[sinecure|Sinecures]] and [[ministry|Ministries]] selected by senators===
* The sinecure of [[Spider's Tollkeep]] is held by Rafa'eet i Contra i Guerra
* The sinecure of [[Keeper of the Spice Gardens]] is held by Reina i Shartha i Riquez
* The sinecure of [[Dredgemaster of Feverwater]] is Brennyn of Bronwyn's Rest
* The sinecure of the [[Dean of Pilgrims]] is Nina of Cantiarch's Hold
* The sinecure of [[Custodian of the Starlight Drift]] is held by Palaphon
* The sinecure of [[Keeper of the Memorial Gardens of Treji]] is held by Ceinwen
* The sinecure of [[Guardian of the Cairn]] is held by Tarqeq Icetongue
* The sinecure of [[Keeper of the Sapphire Stair]] is held by Domitila Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato
* The sinecure of [[Keeper of the Glorious Fountain]] is held by Tatiana of Auric Horizon
* The sinecure of [[Mayor of Caricomare]] is held by Aria di Notturno di Sarvos
* The sinecure of [[Custodian of the Claw]] is held by Valeria of Phoenix Reach
* The sinecure of [[Keeper of the Tower of the Fall]] is held by Elyssiathain
* The sinecure of [[Gatekeeper of Falling Snow]] is Pendraed the Maker
* The sinecure of [[Master Apothecary]] is Freya Kreftinar
* The sinecure of [[Custodian of the Storm Vault]] is Xanthius Echostorm
* The sinecure of [[Shepherd of the Great Herd]] is Sunhammer Kirrik
* The sinecure of [[Healer of Dawn]] is Isabella de Rondell
* The ministry of [[Master of the Clearing House]] is Wilhelmina Aurora Sanguineo
* The ministry of [[Steward of the Tassato Mana Exchange]] is Beatriz Sanguineo Rezia
* The sinecure of [[Master of the School of Exorcism]] is Naomi of Felix's Watch
* The sinecure of [[Keeper of Aurelie's Garden]] is Kiarten Twofeet, of Navarr
* The sinecure of [[Herbalist of the Hearth]] is Brienne-Walda Stormborn
* The sinecure of [[Preceptor of the Skarsind College of Warcasting]] is Irontide T'onk

==[[Imperial Military Council|The Military Council]]==
===The Generals of [[The Brass Coast]]===
* General Estana I Mestiere I Guerra of the [[The Brass Coast military concerns#The Red Wind Corsairs|Red Wind Corsairs]]
* General Vrael i Sol-Devorador i Erigo of the [[The Brass Coast military concerns#The Fire of the South|Fire of the South]]
* Admiral Edgardo i Ruiloba i Guerra of [[The_Brass_Coast_military_concerns#The_Freeborn_Storm|The Freeborn Storm]]

===The Generals of [[Dawn]]===
* General Tancred de Rondell of the [[Dawn military concerns#The Hounds of Glory|Hounds of Glory]]
* General Zoran Orzel of the [[Dawn military concerns#The Golden Sun|Golden Sun]]
* General Vincent Vexille of the [[Dawn military concerns#The Eastern Sky|Eastern Sky]]
* General Soldier Akella of the [[Dawn_military_concerns#The_Gryphon.27s_Pride|Gryphon's Pride]]

===The Generals of [[Highguard]]===
* General Cuth of the [[Highguard military concerns#Seventh Wave|Seventh Wave]]
* General Mathayus of the [[Highguard military concerns#Granite Pillar|Granite Pillar]]
* General Jericho of [[Highguard military concerns#The Valiant Pegasus|The Valiant Pegasus]]

===The Generals of the [[Imperial Orcs]]===
* General Bloodcrow Morgur of the [[Imperial Orcs territories#The Winter Sun|Winter Sun]]
* General Irontide Skar of the [[Imperial Orcs territories#The Summer Storm|Summer Storm]]

===The Generals of [[The League]]===
* General Gabriel Barossa of the [[The League military concerns#The Wolves of War|Wolves of War]]
* General Dietrich Nieschteri Rezia von Temeschwar of the [[The League military concerns#TowerJacks|TowerJacks]]

===The Generals of [[The Marches]]===
* General Nedry of The Cullachs of [[The Marches military concerns#The Tusks|The Tusks]]
* General Will Talbot of the [[The Marches military concerns#The Drakes|The Drakes]]
* General Jack Flint of the [[The Marches military concerns#The Strong Reeds|Strong Reeds]]
* General Alusair Farstrider of the [[The Marches military concerns#Bounders|Bounders]]

===The Generals of [[Navarr]]===
* General Ulric Y'Basden of the [[Navarr military concerns#The Black Thorns|Black Thorns]]
* General Brennos Brackensong of the [[Navarr military concerns#The Quiet Step|Quiet step]]

===The General of [[Urizen]]===
* General Nicassia Avicia of Phoenix Reach of the [[Urizen military concerns#Citadel Guard|Citadel Guard]]

===The Generals of [[Varushka]]===
* General Sullik of the [[Varushka military concerns#The Army of the Northern Eagle|Army of the Northern Eagle]]
* General Magnus Anatolyvich Prochnost of the [[Varushka military concerns#The Army of the Golden Axe|Army of the Golden Axe]]

===The Generals of [[Wintermark]]===
* General Volk of the [[Wintermark military concerns#The Green Shield Army|Green Shield Army]]
* General Erkenbrand of the [[Wintermark military concerns#The Fist of the Mountain|Fist of the Mountain]]

===Other [[Military Council]] Positions===
* The [[Warmage]] is Barthol de Rondell
* The [[Quartermaster General of the Imperial Armies]] is Brendan Brackensong
* The [[Imperial Fleet Master]] is Zanferr i Ezmara i Erigo

==The [[Imperial Synod]]==
===[[Ambition]]===
* Cardinal Serrusto Caeli Rezia di Tassato of the League
* Gatekeeper Viviane de Coeurdefer
* Virtue Inquisitor Robin of Swindale

===[[Courage]]===
* Cardinal Levitia of Endsmeet from Urizen
* Gatekeeper Jorma Steelhail of Wintermark
* Virtue Inquisitor Rodrigo Whittington of Dawn

===[[Loyalty]]===
* Cardinal Oberon di Tassato of the League
* Gatekeeper Tess of the Marches
* Virtue Inquisitor Corwin Leafstalker of Navarr

===[[Pride]]===
* Cardinal Elka Nadayanova Gremani of Varushka
* Gatekeeper Astrid Fjellrevening Rezia di Tassato of The League
* Virtue Inquisitor Ephreal of Highguard

===[[Prosperity]]===
* Cardinal Ophelia Sanguineo Rezia Di Tassato
* Gatekeeper Wilhemina Maryenkovich Poltova
* Virtue Inquisitor Vauraus Korppitkotka

===[[Vigilance]]===
* Cardinal Irada von Temeschwar, The League
* Gatekeeper Alys of Highguard
* Virtue Inquisitor Martin Orchard

===[[Wisdom]]===
* Cardinal Agnetha De Rondell of Dawn
* Gatekeeper: Vacant
* Virtue Inquisitor Sariel of Highguard

===[[The Way]]===
* Cardinal Atla of the Imperial Orcs
* Conscience of the Senate Maximillian of Urizen
* Virtue Inquisitor Yarrick Ursan of Wintermark

===Other Synod positions===

* The post of [[High Exorcist]] is held by Solas of Urizen
* The post of [[Imperial Inquisitor]] is held by Ephron of Adina’s Charge, Highguard
* The post of [[Custodian of the Imperial War Memorial]] is held by Ira of Felix's Watch, Highguard
* The post of [[Imperial Chaplain Consular]] is held by Hywel Summercrow of Navarr
* The post of [[Seer of the Gateway]] is held by Livia of the Spire of the Celestial Cascade
* The post of [[Voice of Barbs]] is held by Corey Brackensong
* The post of [[Curator of the Printer's Guild Museum]] is held by Taddea Ginori
* The post of [[Curator of the White City Museum]] is held by Apollos of Highguard
* The post of [[Watcher of Britta's Pool]] is held by Eldeen Wulfssdottir of Wintermark
* The coordinator of the [[Limitu Principality House of the Way]] is Lord Marcus Drummond
* The post of [[Dean of the Cathedral of Courage]] is held by Lady Eleanor de Rondell of Dawn

==The [[Imperial Conclave]]==
===[[Archmage|Archmagi]]===
* Alcuin Shatterspire is [[Archmage]] of Spring
* Solomon is [[Archmage]] of Summer
* Maurice de Gauvain is [[Archmage]] of Autumn
* Syrus Skybreaker is [[Archmage]] of Winter
* Mord of Auric Horizon is [[Archmage]] of Day
* Pavel is [[Archmage]] of Night

===[[Grandmaster|Grandmasters of the Orders]]===
* Grandmaster of the [[Celestial Arch|Order of the Celestial Arch]] Catalina i Erigo, of House de Rondell
* Grandmaster of the [[Golden Pyramid|Order of the Golden Pyramid]] Faustus
* Grandmaster of the [[Rod and Shield|Order of the Rod and Shield]] Raewynn Stormwise
* Grandmaster of the [[Sevenfold Path|Order of the Sevenfold Path]] Zephaniah of [[Highguard]]
* Grandmaster of the [[Shuttered Lantern|Order of the Shuttered Lantern]] Gregor
* Grandmaster of the [[Unfettered Mind|Order of the Unfettered Mind]] Kyra of Halcyon Spire

===Other [[Conclave|Imperial Conclave]] Positions===
* Simargl, "the Empty One" of the Circle of Zulgan-Tash of [[Varushka]] serves as [[Dean of the Lyceum]]
* Abel of Reikos' Renown of [[Highguard]] serves as [[Bursar of the Conclave]]
* Cyrus, son of Felix of [[Highguard]] serves as [[Imperial Magus]]
* Finn Finnson serves as the [[Imperial_Seer|Imperial Seer]]
* Vitore Van Temeschwar serves as the [[Arcane_Architect|Arcane Architect]]
* Brother Luke of the Shattered Tower of [[Highguard]] serves as [[Master of Ice and Darkness]]

==The [[Imperial Bourse]]==

===[[Imperial Bourse#Imperial Bourse Positions|Imperial Bourse Positions]]===
* The [[Arratan Gamble]] is held by Issebel Vittoria Barossa di Tassato Regario (325 Thrones)
* The [[Brilliant Star]] is held by Vasiliy Krenyenkov Valeskai Strascovich (590 Thrones)
* The [[Canterspire Circle]] is held by Tybalt von Ungeist (385 Thrones)
* The [[Fortress of Salt]] is held by Tobias Shanks (600 Thrones)
* The [[Golden Trees of Seren]] are held by Thalia of Netherwatch (350 Thrones)
* The [[Great Forest at Reikos]] is held by Azazel of Ravensfell (150 Thrones)
* The [[Great Mine of Briante]] is vacant and due to be auctioned at the Winter Solstice 380YE for a reduced term
* The [[Great Pits of Ennerlund]] is held by Lukash Biessek von Temeschwar (590 Thrones)
* The [[Heartwood of the Great Vale]] is held by Landon of Longridge (375 Thrones)
* The [[Hunt of Alderei the Fair]] is held by Dagon of Shattered Tower (200 Thrones)
* The [[Night Quarry]] is held by Meric Freysson (406 Thrones)
* The [[Scorrero Nets]] are held by Kali of the Saker (130 Thrones)
* The [[Sutton Stone Quarries]] are held by Peter Carter (300 Thrones)
* The [[Syrene's Wisdom]] is held by Falko of the Bloody Butchers of Temeschwar ( 155 Thrones)
* The [[Weirwater Vales]] are held by Soren il Signo (400 Thrones)

* The [[Singing Caves]] are back within Imperial control and ready to be [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Allocation|allocated]] by the Imperial Senate

* The [[Damation Cliffs]] are held by the [[Jotun]]

===[[Imperial Bourse#National Bourse Positions|National Bourse Positions]]===

* The [[Broken Shore Bounty]] ([[The Brass Coast|Brass Coast]]) is held by Karlos i Shartha i Riqueza
* The [[Regario Dossier]] ([[The League|League]]) is held by Rodrigo Barrosa
* The [[Master of the Imperial Mint]] ([[The League|League]]) is Duke Fererro
* The [[Thimble]] ([[Navarr]]) is held by Idris Eternal
* The [[Steel Fist]] ([[Imperial Orcs]]) is held by Irontide Wesk
* The [[Eternal Shafts of Time]] ([[Varushka]]) are held by Tomasz
* The [[Granites of Veltsgorsk]] ([[Varushka]]) are held by Vitaly Grigorovich Dukov
* The [[Brilliant Shore]] ([[Imperial Orcs]]) is held by Gaterender Brik
* The [[Vigilant Swan]] ([[Highguard]]) is held by Azeal of Cantiarch's Hold
* The [[Legacy]] ([[Urizen]]) is held by Marcus of Endsmeet
* The [[Pride of Ikka's Tears]] ([[Wintermark]]) is vacant and due to be elected at the Winter Solstice 380YE for a reduced term

* The [[Stonefield Ice Caves]] ([[Wintermark]]) are held by the [[Thule]]

===Other Bourse Titles===
These titles are appointed through the Bourse, but do not give the holder a Seat on the Imperial Bourse.
* Errol is [[Bailiff of the Grand Market]]
* Galleo i Tazriel i Riqueza is [[Dhomiro of the Cinnabar Hills]]
* Constanza i Kalamar i Guerra is [[Mistress of the Glass Parador]]
* Marat Jaroslav is the [[Custodian of the Assayer's Guild]]
* Etseban Izmara I Erigo is the [[Vizier_of_the_Incarnadine_Satchel|Vizier of the Incarnadine Satchel]]
* Octavius of Auric Horizon is [[Provost of the Halls of Knowledge]]
* Maryc is the [[Castellan of Spiral Castle]]
* Irontide Flax is the [[Foreman of the Mines of Gulhule]]
* Sunhammer Krag is the [[Bonesetter of Torfast Trading Post]]
* Wyl Brackensong is the [[Broker of Treji Wayhouse]]
* Jan Von Schmied de Temeschwar is the [[Northbound Trademaster]]
* Following the [[Sheriff_of_Overton#History|recent loss and recovery of Overton]], the title of [[Sheriff of Overton]] is vacant and due to be re-elected a the Winter Solstice.
* Pavel Novak is the [[Overseer of the Westward Road]]

==Miscellaneous==
* The [[Miaren#Brock.27s_Toll|Operator of Brock's Toll]] is Robert Shanks of [[The Marches]]

[[Category: 380YE]]

Symposium of Revelation

2017-04-14T21:08:31Z

GregW:

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:380YE]][[Category:Recent History]]
<ic>We live in a time of Revelation.

In recent years we have learned of a Paragon soul returning from beyond the Labyrinth with a message of what lies beyond.<br>
We have seen a miracle of bodily Ascension, and will surely be called on to pass judgement on Recognition of a new Paragon.<br>
We have recovered lost ritual lore, granting us access to forgotten methods of scrying on our past lives.<br>
We have recovered the Prophecies of Abraxus, and with them the chance to understand the true extent of the gift of Imperial Liao.<br>
We have welcomed Orcs into our Human faith, and face the challenge of defining their place in doctrine.<br>
We are developing new understanding of the interactions between the human soul and the magical realms.<br>

These Revelations, and other matters of the Faith, demand debate and response through refinement of Doctrine.

As Symposiarch, I will ensure that we use this Symposium as an opportunity to pass Judgement on the most pressing of these matters. Wisdom directs us to act on what we know, this Symposium is our chance to gather as the Imperial Synod and refine our faith.

Walk with virtue.

Friar Edward of King’s Stoke, called Watcher, Symposiarch. Winter 380
</ic>

==Overview==
Upon the day of the Winter Solstice, YE 380, the Synod has declared that it shall hold a [[Symposium]]. It has invested the Marcher Ed Watcher of King's Stoke with the honorary title of Symposiarch and charged him with the organisation of a program of sermons, speeches, discussions and debate in a central location within Anvil: he has named it the Symposium of Revelation. The business of the Synod writ large, done in public, with the explicit goal of coming to an understanding of the potentially seismic shifts that the last few years have produced in the forefront of the ever-advancing Imperial Faith.

Individuals from across the Empire and beyond have been called to preach, speak or discuss at this Symposium. The Assemblies of Nation and Virtue have extended invitations to specific groups they feel would have something to learn or something to teach. Perhaps quite by accident, the Symposium promises to be something of a cultural exchange, as priests from different nations and even some foreign nations are invited to come, to mingle, to speak, to listen and to learn - and all of this under the umbrella of a Judgement of the General Assembly raised by Watcher himself: that nobody who is invited to speak at the Symposium is to be considered in a legal sense to be teaching. This Judgement has been widely understood by those who understand the Synod to be a clear statement that the Synod shall not seek to prosecute religious crimes committed at the Symposium. In other words, that this shall be a place for contention and controversy - for Courageous and Ambitious steps forward in the understanding of Virtue - a place for the development of a new and better orthodoxy, rather than the retrenchment of the old.

<quote by="Statement of Principle by Edward Watcher of the General Assembly">The Symposiarch seeks the support of the support of the Synod in declaring "''anyone invited to speak during a Symposium session should not be considered to be preaching for the purposes of the religious laws of blasphemy, idolatry, heresy, etc. during the session.''"</quote>

This step is not without controversy. There are those within the Empire who watch the direction of the Synod and compare it to the faith of their parents and grandparents and wonder openly if the Synod goes too far. There are those who look at the recognition of Thrace, at the denunciations from Sumaah, at the claims of a Paragon supposedly reborn - and wonder if it is not the Empire that is falling away from the true path. This is the time, and this is the place, for the Synod to speak to them - to itself - to the world. To take a step forward - or backward. This is the time for the Synod to demonstrate whether it represents the leadership of the Imperial Faith, or is nothing more than the weathervane of the Way.

There are no new powers granted to the attendees of the Symposium. In a technical sense, apart from the Judgement stating that the invited speakers are not considered to be teaching, apart from the assistance of the civil service in providing a place for it to be held, the Symposium is the very definition of unofficial: nothing but a gathering of interested citizens. Any conclusions that come from the Symposium - will be no more than the Synod could do at any other summit at Anvil.

But now is the hour. Speak, O priests of the Empire, for the world listens.

<quote by="Statement of Principle by Cardinal Orzen de Orzel of the Council of Nine">At the Symposium, some sessions should be open to all including the laity where discussion should be kept within normal religious laws. Others should be closed to all but Synod members and their invited guests where normally prohibited theories may be discussed. </quote>

==Significance==
The Symposium officially begins at 2pm on Saturday and ends at 8:30pm in the evening with an open session. It is divided into half-hour periods, each dedicated to a specific topic. Citizens who wish to speak on a topic or participate in some other way should make themselves known to the Symposiarch in advance of the session.

<div style="float:right; width: 400px; margin-left:10px; margin-right:10px;"><table>
<tr><th>Time</th><th>Tile</th></tr>
<tr><td>2.00pm</td><td>[[#Approaching the Way|Approaching the Way]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>2.30pm</td><td>[[#The Nature of Exemplars|The Nature of Exemplars]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>3.00pm</td><td>[[#Yael’s Revelation|Yael’s Revelation]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>3.30pm</td><td>Break</td></tr>
<tr><td>4.00pm</td><td>[[#The Realms, Eternals and the Way|The Realms, Eternals and the Way]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>4.30pm</td><td>[[#Inclusionism vs Exclusionism|Inclusionism vs Exclusionism]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>5.00pm</td><td>[[#Symposiarch’s invitational|Symposiarch’s invitational]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>5.30pm</td><td>Break</td></tr>
<tr><td>6.00pm</td><td>[[#Action against False Virtues and Idolatry|Action against False Virtues and Idolatry]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>6.30pm</td><td>[[#The Nature of False Virtues|The Nature of False Virtues]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>7.00pm</td><td>[[#The Nature of True Virtues|The Nature of True Virtues]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>7.30pm</td><td>Break</td></tr>
<tr><td>8.00pm</td><td>[[#Orcs and the Howling Abyss|Orcs and the Howling Abyss]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>8.30pm</td><td>[[#Open Session|Open Session]]</td></tr>
</table></div>

===Approaching the Way===
A speaker session featuring talks about how to approach the Way, especially where matters of faith and doctrine are challenged by new evidence or events.

===The Nature of Exemplars===
A debate on how Exemplars are recognised and their place in the faith: are they primarily recognised for themselves, or for others to learn from?

===Yael’s Revelation===
A panel discussion in which supporters and detractors of Yael will discuss questions of the revelation and its implications for the Way.

===The Realms, Eternals and the Way===
A panel discussion on matters of the Way and the realms, discussing current theory on their interaction

===Inclusionism vs Exclusionism===
A debate on the Eternal Schism, asking whether it is best to make careful contact with Eternals as a part of creation or to ultimately sever all ties in pursuit of Human Destiny

===Symposiarch’s invitational===
A speaker session featuring topics which don’t fit into other sessions. Speakers will be selected by the Symposiarch during the summit: speakers who wish to propose a talk should seek out the Symposiarch. Foreign dignitaries who wish to speak may wish to do so at this session.

===Action against False Virtues and Idolatry===
A speaker session during which approaches to recognising and combating the spread of malign influences will be discussed.

===The Nature of False Virtues===
A panel discussion on questions of the false virtues and why they are false.

===The nature of True Virtues===
A speaker session where speakers will present their approach to their virtue, focussing on the ways that they may be misunderstood.

===Orcs and the Howling Abyss===
A panel of speakers invited by Imperial Orc preachers will discuss their work to incorporate their species into the Way and the formulation of Doctrine on this.

(You can find a PDF of the timetable [[:File:Symposium agenda.pdf|here]] which you can print out for IC reference if you like)

==Sessions==
There are four types of session:

* '''Open Session''' Open to any speaker, with a judging panel to halt proceedings once a speaker becomes boring.

* '''Speaker Session''' Featured speakers will deliver a short talk on a topic of their choice related to the session. Once all speakers have given their talk the remainder of the session will be questions from the audience to the speakers, moderated by the session chair.

* '''Panel Session''' The panel of experts will be invited to debate a specified topic. The session chair will introduce the topic for the audience and guide the debate through preselected questions and questions from the audience asked to the panel.

* '''Debate Sessions''' During which a topic with two clear sides will be introduced by the session chair. Session attendees will divide into two groups, each supporting one side of the debate, to discuss their arguments. Each side will then select two speakers, one to present their arguments and one to challenge the other speaker. A short debate will take place.
{{anchor|Heretics}}
<ic>"Alright, so, yes. What do we know?" Ser Hannah looked down the list. It was not a short list. She frowned, traced one name with her finger. Skimmed lower. Turned the page. Sighed. Threw the list onto the table and stalked over to stand looking out of the window. In the garden, one of the gardeners was cutting the hedges back, trimming them back into the shape of stately peacocks.

"There is just too much to take in. Can you not just summarise?"

The advocate did not roll her eyes. She smoothed the front of her tunic - a nervous tic - and agreed that, yes, she could just summarise.

"So who have we invited?" Asked Ser Hannah.

"Invited, or confirmed they are coming?"

"Both, I suppose. Sometimes guests change their mind at the last minute."

The advocate pulled out a scroll of her own.

"We've invited several orcs. First, the Lasambrians - most likely the Hierro clan."

"Excellent! An excellent start! What do we know about them?"

"They recently embraced the virtues with the fervour of the convert. Then left the Empire to join the Jotun. They don't hate us."

"You mean they like us?" Asked Ser Hannah making a face.

"Oh dear paragons no. They embraced the virtues, not the Way. They're too proud to like us, and too courageous not to have told us. They're probably not attending the Symposium anyway, what with being at war with the Empire and allied with the Jotun. Or part of the Jotun. It's unclear."

"Oh. Alright, what about the Grendel. I understand we invited the Grendel. What do we know?"

"Barbarian orcs from the south. Heretics, or possibly blasphemers. Smug, confident, think they're clever. They're at war with us. They've accepted the invitation and are sending a delegation and apparently are looking forward to educating us about the true virtues."

"That ... could be interesting." Ser Hannah spoke slowly as if tasting each word. "Who else?"

"Axos and Faraden. Both have expressed cautious interest."

"That sounds more like it! They're humans, we're at peace with them, that sounds like it could be a good start."

"Yes. Unfortunately both nations are absolutely heretical by Imperial standards. Faraden refuse to acknowledge half the virtues and insist on 'justice'. The Axos - actually we have no idea what the Axos believe, apart from the fact that ''they'' think ''we'' think it's heresy. Which is not heartening."

Ser Hannah deflated slightly.

"Anyone else?"

"Sarcophan ... it's unclear. Signs are someone is coming but we don't know who."

"Are they heretics?"

"Oh yes. Their religion seems to be about money, cannibalism, and extremely peculiar priests. We've also invited a Commonwealth paladin. That will also be tricky."

"How so?"

"The Commonwealth ... actually I'm not sure whether they are heretics or not. They seem to acknowledge virtue but not the Way,. They might possibly be unitarianists but they are definitely Lepidians - they think all auras of virtue are wicked and spend their time expunging them wherever they find them. Also they don't really like us very much because we've made it fairly clear that we favour Jarm - but that's politics."

"Alright, politics. Luckily it's a religious meeting so we shouldn't have to worry about that.

The advocate made a face.

"Ah, maybe you are right Ser Hannah. Maybe you are right. Sadly, given we've also invited a Jarmish prince, we might not be able to avoid politics.".

"At the same time? I thought they were on the verge of open warfare?"

"I'm sure it will be fine," said the advocate diplomatically. "I am sure precautions will be taken. There are other problems of course, from an entirely different quarter."

Ser Hannah sighed again. "I assume by that you mean the Asaveans are coming?"

"Yes. I suspect it would have been hard to stop them. They're sending someone, and the response is quite diplomatically framed. Very nicely worded, I thought."

"Heretics?"

"Unapologetically so. Also blasphemers and idolators. They worship made-up deities and spirits. They've already had several fallings-out with the Synod."

"Is anyone we've invited ''not'' a heretic?"

"Yes, of course. The Sumaah Republic follows the Way, shares all the same virtues and doctrines with us, recognises a number of our paragons and exemplars. The faith infuses every level of their society, and they even produce their own liao. True liao as well if rumours are believed."

Ser Hannah turned round with a smile on her face. "Excellent! They sound like they might be just the ticket!"

The advocate shuffled her papers.

"Unfortunately, they are not coming. Apparently, they think ''we're'' heretics ..." </ic>

===Attendees===
Various [[assembly|assemblies]] of the Imperial Synod issued invitations to representatives of other nations and cultures. They are expected to attend Anvil on the Saturday afternoon, and likely to depart after the close of the Symposium. Some have confirmed their intention to attend the Symposium. Although they are representatives of foreign powers, it is likely most of them will be focused on religious affairs. On the other hand, for some of these attendees, politics and trade ''are'' religious affairs so during lulls in the Symposium they may well be seeking to speak to people outside of the Imperial Synod.

As far as the civil service has been able to ascertain, the following nations or groups have confirmed their intention to attend the Symposium:

*Following an invitation by Niccolo dos Tassatos of [[the League]] national assembly, an Imperial merchant who trades with the [[Sarcophan Delves]] has returned with several unusual passengers: a group bearing a diplomatic credential from the ''Bedelaar Huisbaas'' and an individual claiming to be their guide. It was noted that the alleged guide rapidly parted company with the diplomatic delegation the moment they believed themselves to be out of sight of the Civil Service office in Crown's Quay.
*Marcus Drummond of the Prosperity assembly invited the [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarmish]] Prince Turnin of Limitu in the northern Principalities. While the Prince has declined the invitation, he has sent several followers of the Way from northern Jarm in his stead.
*A trading vessel from the Commonwealth has identified itself to the port authorities at [[Necropolis#Crown's Quay|Crown's Quay]] as carrying a fact-finding mission from the University of Volkavaar under the name of one 'Blutsauger Wargan', claiming to have been invited by Bonewall Rek of the recently-formed Imperial Orcs national assembly.
*Julius Cavita of the League national assembly presented an invitation to the priests of Asavea to attend the Symposium, Several Asavean priests are already in the Empire working on the [[Feroz#The_Temple_of_Balo_and_the_Black_Bull|Temple of Balo and the Black Bull]] in [[Feroz]]. Several have expressed an interest in attending, but nobody has formally confirmed at this time that they will be coming to Anvil. Given [[Temple_of_the_bull#Resolution|recent friction]] between the Synod and the priests of Asavea, this is perhaps not surprising.
*Danita i Riqueza and the Brass Coast national assembly invited the priests of [[Faraden]] to attend. At least one priest from the western nation is expected to be attending the Symposium, as a representative of their priest cast. Among other things, they may well want to raise the matter of the return of the Copper Scrolls which were lent to the Empire several years ago so that they could familiarize themselves with the life of an important "paragon" of "[[Malign spiritual presences#Vengeance|Justice]]" which is believed to still be in the possession of the Imperial Synod.
*Belisarius and the Urizen national assembly issued an invitation to their "cousins" in [[Axos]]. The Axou have traditionally been extremely reticent about discussing religious matters with Imperial priests, but the civil service has had confirmation that a priest has been dispatched to the Empire and will be making a presentation during the Symposium.
*Finally, Isaac Carlino di Sarvos and the League national assembly have invited the [[Grendel]] orcs to send a representative. The Grendel have confirmed that they will absolutely be sending a spiritual representative to attend the Symposium and are very much looking forward to the opportunities it will present.
<quote by="Isaac Carlino di Sarvos, League National Assembly">We are informed that the Grendel follow Virtues and The Way. Despite our state of war, we therefore extend our invitation to priests and religious thinkers of the Grendel to attend the Synod's Symposium so that we may engage in comparative theology between our two ways of beliefs. </quote>
===Uncertain Attendees===
Several groups were invited but have not given any official response, or their response has been unclear.

*Immeldar i Ezmara i Erigo of the Freeborn assembly invited the "Lasambrian Orcs" (presumably not the Jotun who currently hold western Lasambria), while Jaylus of the Assembly of [[Pride]] invited the Hierro clan specifically - the orcs who have by all accounts [[Strange_fruit|embraced]] the Way. There has so far been no response.
*Finally, Livia Cascade of the [[Wisdom]] assembly invited the [[eternal]] [[Roshanwe]] to attend - or send a representative to - the Assembly. A birdlike entity believed to be a creature of Day was encountered by a member of the Civil Service as they were compiling the Synod judgements last season. It did not identify itself intelligibly, instead asking a large number of almost incomprehensible questions in a variety of languages, apparently attempting to establish the definitions of the words 'symposium' and 'attend' in Imperial: eventually satisfied, it departed with a promise to return 'nearer the time'. The Civil Service believe that the Archmage of Day would be the most qualified individual in the Empire to know when that might be, or what the creature was.
*The Cardinal of the Way, Atla of the [[Imperial Orcs]], issued an invitation to the priests of the [[Sumaah Republic]] to attend the Symposium. There has been no response from the distant nation. Despite their embrace of the Way, they are currently [[Price_of_prosperity#War_with_Sumaah|at war]] with the Empire.

The Little Mother

2017-04-08T16:18:48Z

GregW: Spelling of Benevolence

{{CaptionedImage|file=Little_Mother.jpg|caption=Exemplar of [[Prosperity]], who teaches the value of charity, and invests in the future.|align=right|width=500}}
==Virtue==
The Little Mother, of the League, was recognised as an Exemplar of [[Prosperity]] by the [[Highguard|Highborn]] Assembly of the Virtuous, fifty years before the formation of the Empire. Her status was later confirmed by the first [[Imperial Synod]].

==Biography==
The actual history of the Little Mother is unclear, and attempts to pin down a date for her life by scholars have proved difficult. She is usually depicted as an older woman with [[cambion]] blood, almost invariably smiling, simply dressed but with one or two discreet references to wealth. The oldest Church of the Little Mother is found in Sarvos, and there is some evidence it may date back to around 150BE, thus probably placing the life of the Little Mother some time in the second century before the foundation of the Empire. Much of what modern Imperial scholars know about her is apocryphal; the most commonly quoted source is Genevier de Sarvos' "''Life of the Little Mother''" written in 34BE and reprinted many times since.

She is believed to have begun her life as a talented [[The_League_leadership|merchant prince]] in early Sarvos, at a time when the city was still nominally part of Highguard. She made a small fortune, but did nothing with it. Several sources describe her as being "rich in wealth, but poor in joy" and living "a life full of distractions, but empty of meaning."

In early middle age, she "changed her face upon the world entirely", giving up day-to-day control of her business to a business partner and deciding to build something new from scratch. The official histories credit a visit to [[Bastion#Bastion.2C_the_White_City|Bastion]], the White City of her forebears, which she undertook initially as part of a straightforward trade agreement but which quickly became a spiritual pilgrimage. She returned to Sarvos "possessed of a surety of purpose and love for life she had never before possessed". She changed her name and began to live as a woman in the Church that she founded. As part of her new life, she began a policy of adopting those children orphaned by fate and circumstance - with no children of her own, she raised many like they were part of her family.

Having effectively abandoned her fortune, she relied on charitable donations to fund her church and her work with orphaned children. She is credited with redefining the idea of charity in the League. Rather than presenting herself as a beggar, she strode calmly through the halls of the rich and powerful presenting herself as an equal. She had an unparalleled ability to find people who, like herself, felt that their lives were lacking a spiritual dimension. She did not frame her requests for funding in terms of desperation, or overly flatter the rich people with whom she dealt, but in terms of investing in the future - not only of the children they would help but of Sarvos itself.

The children of the Little Mother - and there were many! - were not coddled. In return for their second chance in life, they worked hard and in the process learned a trade that would serve them well when the time came for them to leave her care. Younger children were taught reading, writing, and mathematics, as well as principles of hard work, probity, and prudence. Older children would spend a portion of each day in practical industry - weaving and carpentry, jewellery, brewing, and baking being most common. Several of the projects she helped to organise were deeply practical; there are foundation stones in the older parts of Sarvos that were laid by teams of young teenagers under the direction of the Little Mother.

As her charges grew older, she would use her trade contacts to find secure apprenticeships for every child under her direction, finding each of them a place in the world. Once they left to build their own destines - and here the tales get inspirational in tone - they never forgot her and the lessons she taught. They repaid her investment in kind, investing a portion of their money and time in creating a network of orphanages - the Churches of the Little Mother - spread across Sarvos, and eventually beyond - first to [[Tassato]], then to [[Bastion]], and then to [[Siroc]].

She espoused the principle of opportunity - that giving people the opportunity to work hard was the kind of charity that those who pursued Prosperity should embrace. Her view was that the true purpose of a ''priest'' of Prosperity was not to embrace those who had worked hard but rather to help those who lacked the tools or the skills to find their own virtue. Her teachings reminding those she dealt with that an investment in the orphans of the Sarvos was an investment in the future of Sarvos survived long after her death. As her charges become industrious and prosperous in their turn, and eventually had families of their own, they passed on these principles. Slowly but surely they shaped the face of Sarvos and Tassato - and by extension the League.

Her name is a matter of interest for some scholars, but most priests consider uncovering it to be unnecessary - she is the Little Mother. She was originally known as the "Little Mother of Sarvos". References to her as the "Little Mother of the League" begin from around 30YE. There is some evidence that this slow change in identity from a patron of Sarvos to a patron of the League as a whole was the work of early supporters of the new nation. Churches of the Little Mother were built in [[Temeschwar]] despite some quiet skepticism from Maria Ivanova, Boyar of Temeschwa, but within a few scant years they had been accepted as part of the political and spiritual landscape of the northern city. Missionaries from Temeschwar built further churches in [[Hahnmark#Kalpaheim|Kalpaheim]] and [[Karov#Delev|Delev]] in the same way that her missionaries had spread her renown to Highguard and the Brass Coast, and by 100YE there were churches of the Little Mother in all nations of the Empire.

==The Little Mother Today==
There are churches of the Little Mother throughout the Empire, and several in other nations including [[Sumaah]], [[Sarcophan Delves|Sarcophan]], and the [[Principalities of Jarm]]. All such churches are connected to or serve directly as orphanages and schools.

The largest concentration of her churches are unsurprisingly in the League, especially in Sarvos and Tassato. She is obviously regarded as an inspiration by many League citizens (a surprising number of whom can trace their lineage back to a child raised by her priests). Her teaching about commitment to decent work for decent pay and her keen understanding of the reckoning created when an orphan child is raised mesh well with national sensibilities. During the long war in [[Holberg]], churches in the south took in scores of displaced orphans, many of whom have now come of age and returned to the city of their birth igniting a new interest in her teachings there.

In [[the Marches]], tales including her often frame her as a steward, taking in those with nowhere to go and helping them learn how to work a field, so that they might themselves one day become successful. Several [[Monastery|monasteries]] in eastern [[Upwold]] predate the formation of the Empire, and continue to encourage her message of prosperity throughout the nation.

In [[Highguard]], she is regarded as a patron of the [[benefactor|benefactors]]. Some Highborn priests are at pains to remind their League counterparts that she would probably have described herself as a Highborn, and point to her keen understanding of how to invest in people as evidence that she understood the benefactor's art.

She is also a popular inspiration to many [[Navarr]], some of whom point out the resonance between her teachings and the philosophy of the [[Navarr_culture_and_customs#The_Great_Dance|Great Dance]]. She helped people who were in a bad place to find new lives for themselves by changing their circumstances, Likewise, she is held up in [[Urizen]] as a fine example of the [[Net of the Heavens]] in action; a single individual influencing the lives of many other people and thereby shaping a nation.

==Controversy==
Given her wide reknown, it is sometimes seen as a little strange that the Little Mother is an exemplar rather than a paragon - especially as she seems to have much more influence over the Empire than many paragons. There are certainly supporters, especially in the League, who would like to see her elevated to the status of a paragon.

While she has been recognised as having five of the [[Signs of the paragon and exemplar|signs]], she is one short of the number required to be recognised as a paragon. There are no records that she ever [[Signs_of_the_paragon_and_exemplar#Recognition|experienced a past-life vision]]. There are no credible stories of her performing any [[Signs_of_the_paragon_and_exemplar#Miracle|miracles]] - indeed many of those who honour her memory would be angered at the suggestion she achieved anything by means other than extremely hard work. Whether she has achieved [[Signs_of_the_paragon_and_exemplar#Liberation|liberation]] is a matter for debate; there is a record of a past life vision in 201YE experienced by a [[Varushka|Varushkan]] [[Varushka_leadership|boyar]] named Oksana Veroneva Trioskovar but her accounts were disputed at the time and the only known accounts of the vision were lost when the Lepidean library was destroyed by [[Emperor Nicovar]] in 209YE.

==Signs==
*The Little Mother directly '''[[Signs_of_the_paragon_and_exemplar#Inspiration|inspired]]''' generations of orphans raised in her care, who in turn spread her teachings to successive generations, as well as the priests who carried on her work looking after the desperate.
*Her '''[[Signs_of_the_paragon_and_exemplar#Benevolence|benevolence]]''' is clear. Not only did she help those who might otherwise have fallen by the wayside to find a place for themselves in society, she helped shape the meritocratic philosophies of the League and arguably the Empire.
*Her '''[[Signs_of_the_paragon_and_exemplar#Legacy|legacy]]''' lies in the many churches, orphanages, schools, and other charitable organisations that exist in the Empire today.
*The spiritual awakening she underwent at Bastion, which gave her a new outlook and direction and led directly to her virtuous acts, is an obvious '''[[Signs_of_the_paragon_and_exemplar#Pilgrimage|pilgrimage]]'''.
*Her philosophy of hard work repaid, and of the value of using wealth rather than hoarding it, lead many pre-Imperial citizens to '''[[Signs_of_the_paragon_and_exemplar#Salvation|salvation]]'''. Her heirs have continued to bring the unvirtuous to virtue.

==Further Information==
===The Little Mother In Dramaturgy===
One of the ways knowledge of the Little Mother was spread was through plays, and to this day she often appears in theatrical works and [[dramaturgy|dramaturgic]] rituals alike - sometimes by name, and sometimes as in an allegorical role. She often makes appearances in works of theatre and opera from pre-Imperial Sarvos. A common trope was to have the protagonist of the work, invariably an orphan down-on-their-luck and turned to casual theft, encounter the Little Mother in her [[The_Chamber|chambers]] or [[The_Counting_House|counting-house]]. She would catch them in the act of theft, but, instead of punishment, she would offer them forgiveness - if only they would help her with a few chores. Invariably, the tasks the wayward youngster are given teach them the value of hard work and a just reward. Once they have proven themself, she sends them on their way with a generous tithe of coin. At the end of the play - once they have spun straw into gold, bested the eternals of Autumn at a wager, or won the heart of the Prince they desire, they invariably return to the Little Mother to pay her back in kind, and more besides. In this way, she often acts a [[Dramaturgy#The_Chorus|chorus figure]], ending the play with some maxim and a cheerful smile... before another lost child falls through her window, and it all begins again.

===Inspirational Tomb of the Little Mother===
The first Church of the Little Mother still stands In Sarvos. Over the centuries it has sprawled across several connected buildings, and now stands as one of the largest orphanages and schools in the Empire. The chapel has been [[consecration|consecrated]] with [[liao#true liao|true liao]], providing pilgrims with a [[Auras_of_Prosperity#Neither_Beg_Nor_Fear|profound awareness]] of the value of hard work, and what it can achieve. The Little Mother herself is said to be interred beneath the floor of the beautiful old church where she first taught her children the power of Prosperity. It is a site of pilgrimage for followers of the Way from across the Empire and beyond, many of whom come here specifically to volunteer their time or their money in support of the charitable work done by the priests. During the recent invasion of Sarvos by the [[Grendel]], the Church of the Little Mother was left largely unmolested - it is not clear if this was intentional or if the [[orc|orcs]] were simply unaware of its significance.

===The Basilica of the Little Mother===
The Basilica of the Little Mother was built in 15YE in the [[Bastion#Bastion.2C_the_White_City|White City]] by the [[Custodes Clavium]] with extensive investment from League citizens and priests. A beautiful structure of white granite, it is much more than a place of pilgrimage and, like other churches of the Little Mother, operates as an orphanage - the largest outside of Sarvos. The prelate of the Little Mother is often a League bishop, but throughout its long history there have been prelates from every nation except the [[Imperial Orcs]].

''Prelate of the Little Mother'' is an [[Imperial title]] that provides 15 liao and 30 votes in the Imperial Synod. The current prelate is Bishop Marianne di Sarvos, who has served the people of the Empire for 32 years after stepping down as [[Cardinal]] of Prosperity to take the prelacy. She is largely disinterested in (and occasionally critical of) the politics of the Synod, spending most of her waking hours running the orphanage and offering support to priests of the Little Mother across the Empire. Born in the reign of Empress Deanne, there is a rumour that she intended to stand down on her 70th birthday but that with the death of her favoured successor - Bishop Ynez di Caricomare - she has resolved to continue until she can no longer discharge her duties, or a suitably devout and hard working candidate can win her respect.

[[Category:Inspirations]]
[[Category:The League]]

Cyclic magic

2016-04-30T15:54:59Z

GregW: Apologies if "inspiraction" was a deliberate neologism!

[[Category:Urizen]]
==Overview==
{{CaptionedImage|file=Citadel.jpg|align=right|width=300}}
This is the improved quality the Urizen [[Urizen_military_concerns#The Army of the Citadel|Citadel Guard]] developed as a consequence of the [[Unmade trove]]. It cycles through six options over the course of six events, then comes back to the start. Once set in motion, the cycle can't be interrupted and continues to run forever. The cycle was begun during the Winter Solstice 379YE, appropriately enough with the technique of the [[#Technique of the Bond of Tears|Bond of Tears]].

This quality incorprorates all the benefits of the [[Army_qualities#Magic|magic]] quality.

==Cyclic Resonance==
The [[ilium]]-infused mage armour and mage weapons have empowered the Citadel Guard with additional opportunities to bring their magic to bear during a military campaign. This is an enchantment of their existing capabilities, and does not alter the ability to use the General as conduit for delivering magic, nor their ability to gather crystal mana when undertaking [[magic|arcane consolidation]].

The energies tapped by the equipment from the unmade trove shifts and changes in a predicable cycle, one familiar to any mage who has studied the night magic ritual [[Align the Celestial Net]]. Through this cycle, Day leads to Winter, Winter leads to Spring, Spring leads to Night, Night leads to Summer, Summer leads to Autumn, and Autumn leads to Day again returning the cycle to its starting point. There seems to be nothing that can be done to impede, speed up, slow down, or interrupt the cycle once it has been set in motion, meaning that the General must think carefully about how best to employ the techniques the quality offers.

In each case, the General uses the power of the appropriate realm by issuing appropriate orders. Each technique allows a unique attacking order to be employed. There is no requirement that one of these orders be used; the army can still use arcane consolidation or any of the basic army orders.

In some cases, these techniques exceed what is achievable with ritual magic alone. This is primarily due to the skill and experience of the combat magicians and ritualists who accompany the army. They do not represent a single incidence of magic use but rather the careful and synchornised use of many magical effects over an entire season.

A word of caution – no other army in the world possesses mastery of cyclic resonance. There may be unexpected interactions between the six techniques and the power of [[enchantment|enchantments]], [[curse|curses]], or even the actions of other armies.

==Benefits==
The magicians and artisans of the Citadel Guard provide a constant benefit to the force, allowing it to help with the targetting rituals and to take the arcane consolidation order. In addition, the powerful benefits of cyclic magic mean that one additional technique is available to them each event. These techniques follow each other in strict rotation; each technique allows the army the option of issuing a unique order that season.

===Magic===
* '''[[Rituals]] that target a [[territory]] may be performed using the general of the Citadal Guard as a focus'''
* '''Can use the ''Arcane Consolidation'' order when [[army orders#Defending|defending]]'''
The Citadel Guard contains many magicians, and soldiers trained to fight alongside magicians and help with the targeting of powerful rituals. If they are defending a territory then they can provide a bounty of crystal mana to their general for use in creating helpful [[enchantment|enchantments]].

<box>'''Arcane Consolidation'''
* '''The Citadel Guard generates mana crystals based on the number of victory points generated.'''
* '''Does not change army strength, casualties inflicted or casualties suffered.'''
The army concentrates on making magical preparations, shoring up their reserves of mana crystals and seeking out nearby sources of magic. A portion of this bounty in the form of mana crystals is passed to the army general so that they can make the most appropriate use of it.</box>

<box>'''Ritual targeting'''<br>
The Citadel Guard contains many specialized magicians and magical experts. The general of the army can serve as a focus for any ritual that targets a territory, replacing the requirement for that ritual to be performed at a [[regio]] in the target territory. This only works for rituals targeting the territory where the army is currently on campaign. The general must be present throughout the ritual. Examples of rituals that can be empowered in this way might include [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]] (although the target territory must still contain a suitable region), or a [[curse]] such as [[Rivers Run Red]] or [[Naeve's Twisting Blight]].</box>

===Technique of the Celestial Key===
* Resonance of the Day Realm
* Preceded by: Autumn; Succeeded by: Winter
* Allows use of the Enlightened Scrying attacking order
Day resonates strongly with the symbols of divination and revelation. Even the merest apprentice beginning their journey to magical masters learns first how to divine the nature of magic before ever they touch it. There are few secrets hidden to the great masters of the Day realm. With this technique, binding the resonance of day to support the art of gathering and sorting information, the magi of the army can accumulate an awe-inspiring amount of intelligence in a short time.
<box>'''Enlightened Scrying'''
*'''The army generates a map of the territory they are in.'''<br>
*'''Casualties inflicted by this army are decreased by two fifths.'''<br>
*'''The ability of this army to capture territory is decreased by a fifth.'''
This attacking order uses divination magic to discover extensive details about the territory within which the army is campaigning. In addition to the map of the territory, it provides details similar to those acquired by a spy network including the location and size of fortifications, details of regions, and the presence of any actively operated bourse resource. </box>

===Technique of the Bond of Tears===
* Resonance of the Winter Realm
* Preceded by: Day; Succeeded by: Spring
* Allows use of the Winter's Mantle attacking order.
Winter resonates with symbols of cruelty and survival. It preserves, but for all great powers of the winter magic there is a cost to be paid. At the same time that magic averts harm to the Citadel guard and allows them to press forward, their suffering falls on the allies of the army who take the injuries that might otherwise have crippled Urizen magicians. The technique is of limited value unless there is another allied army present to take any losses the Citadel Guard might otherwise suffer.
<box>'''Winter's mantle'''
*''' The ability of this army to conquer territory is increased by a fifth.'''
*''' If the army is fighting alongside any allied army, then all casualties received by this army are divided up between the other allied armies'''
Winter preserves, but not without a cost. With powerful enchantments, crippling injuries are averted – but must be suffered somewhere. The army can afford to press forward to victory, secure in the knowledge that for a short time at least any losses will fall on their allies rather than themselves.</box>

===Technique of the Transcendent Claw===
* Resonance of the Spring Realm
* Preceded by: Winter; Succeeded by: Night
* Allows use of the Onrushing Storm attacking order.
Spring resonates with symbols of destructive energy unleashed, with both storms and natural erosion by plants and weather. By channelling this resonance, the walls of a fortification can be overwhelmed either by a slow green tide or with devastating weather phenomenon.
<box>'''Onrushing Storm'''
*'''The army must be attacking a region in a territory containing a named fortification or else the order defaults to cautious advance. The fortification need not be in the region being attacked, and this order will not cause it to be involved directly in the campaign.'''
*'''All casualties inflicted by this army are directed at the named fortification.'''
This order damages and potentially destroys a fortification; it is especially powerful in that it can be used from a distance – the Citadel Guard do not need to engage the fortification and can indeed be involved in a campaign in an entirely different part of the territory.</box>

===Technique of the Shadowed Threshold===
* Resonance of the Night Realm
* Preceded by: Spring; Succeeded by: Summer
* Allows use of the Walk hidden paths attacking order.
Night resonates with symbols of mysteries, secrecy, obfuscation, and inspiration. Binding the resonance and weaving night magic, the army can evade sight in a limited way, and take advantage of hidden or perilous routes through dangerous territory. One use for this power might be to pass through an area infested with vallorn without attracting it's attention.
<box>'''Walk Hidden Paths'''
*''' During this season, the army can move through one territory, regardless of whether it is in Imperial control, without stopping.'''
*''' If the army uses this ability to pass through a territory containing an enemy force then the ability of this army to capture territory is increased by one-fifth.'''
Any effect that would harm or impede travel through the chosen territory is greatly reduced in effect and may be nullified. This attacking order allows the army to move through a named territory as part of their normal movement while avoiding dangers such as enemy armies.</box>

===Technique of the Mountainous Ascent===
* Resonance of the Summer Realm
* Preceded by: Night; Succeeded by: Autumn
* Allows the use of the Irresistible Spear attacking order.
Summer resonates with symbols of prowess and triumph. This technique allows the army to identify key strategic objectives, and helps to secure those objectives, allowing the army to quickly establish safe camps. At the same time, summer magic is used to infuse temporary fortifications to grant them extra strength, providing tactically significant locations which can serve as centres from which the army to expand outwards.
<box>'''Irresistible Spear'''
* '''The army suffers no penalty to victory points generated to capture a region which is not adjacent to a controlled region in the same territory.'''
Summer magic strengthens and supports the army allowing it to swiftly establish a beachhead in a new territory, or to make an unexpected strike deep into enemy controlled areas.</box>

===Technique of the Coiling Chain===
* Resonance of the Autumn Realm
* Preceded by: Summer; Succeeded by: Day
* Allows use of the raise the glass labyrinth attacking order
Autumn resonates with symbols of travel, communication, and binding. Channelled and focused, magicians warp synchronicity and serendipity to interfere with the command structure of opposing armies, impeding their ability to coordinate. The lingering effects of the magic warp the ability of enemy soldiers to move away.
<box>'''Raise the Glass Labyrinth'''
* '''Opposing armies or navies may only move one territory in the season following the one in which this order is taken.'''
This attacking order weaves autumn magic around opposing armies, entangling them with a barrage of curses that interfere with the chain of command in subtle ways. It also creates a cumulative warping of chance that makes it difficult for them to withdraw or advance.</box>

Regario Dossier

2016-01-13T17:55:50Z

GregW: capital letter and spelling error

{{stub}}
==Overview==
The Regario Dossier is an Imperial title. It is a nation title, and can be held only by a citizen of [[the League]].
==Powers==
===Seat on the Bourse===
Custodianship of the Regario Dossier comes with a seat on the [[Imperial Bourse]]. For the most part, this Seat comes with no additional responsibilities. it is an Imperial title that allows access to the private auction, and grants the right to participate on the rare occasion when the Imperial Bourse as a body is required to make a decision.
===Bounty of ilium===
The Seat has control of a source of [[ilium]], and receives ingots of this precious metal which they can dispense as they choose. Production is 4 rings of ilium every season.
===Annual Report===
In Spring, the holder of the Seat receives an annual report regarding the state of the Empire's relations with foreign powers. Prior to Autumn 379YE, the report covered Imperial relations with the [[Asavean Archipelago]], the [[Commonwealth]], the [[Principalities of Jarm]], the [[Sarcophan Delves]], and the [[Sumaah Republic]]. The reports tend to focus almost exclusively on matters relating to international trade that might effect the Empire. The holder of the Seat cannot give instructions to these agents, and communication between the Seat and the agents is generally limited to the receipt of the annual report.

In Autumn 379YE, the [[Imperial Senate]] passed a motion to [[Expand the Regario Dossier]], allocating funds to allow recruitment of agents to be sent to include the [[Axos]], the [[Iron Confederacy]] and the [[Faraden]]. Even with the increased funding, gathering information from some of these nations will almost certainly prove difficult, as the Empire has few existing trade ties with Axos or the Iron Confederacy.
<box>'''Agents of the Regario Dossier'''
There are, very roughly, two varieties of agent associated with the Regario dossier. The first and largest groups are the informal diplomats and emissaries of the Empire, the majority of them citizens of the League, who represent their nation in foreign parts. They are largely independent, and their agenda is simply to improve relations between foreign nation and the Empire.

The second group is much smaller - perhaps no more than a dozen as of 379YE - and are more actively involved in espionage and the active gathering of information. The custodian of the Regario Dossier invariably receives reports from both groups of agents, although the reports of the former group are invariably filtered through the documents of the latter.

Espionage Agents of the Regario Dossier are always referred to by pseudonyms, each named after a significant river. Agent Couros is based in Nemoria in the Asavean Archipelago; Agent Vassa based in Zemeh and the Sumaah Republic; Agent Scorrero based in the city of Jarm in the Jarmish Principalities; Agent Gancio based in the port-city of Leerdam in the Commonwealth; and agent Umshalla based in the Sarcophan Delves in Sarcophan. In reality, these Agents tend to be figureheads responsible for collecting and compiling reports from one or more other agents active in the foreign nation.

These agents are largely able to avoid detection because residents of the nations where they are active are used to seeing Imperial merchants. Consequently, while the Regarrio Dossier is unlikely to have much difficulty integrating it's agents into Faraden, they may encounter additional problems in the Iron Confederacy and in Axos.

The holder of the Seat never knows the identity of these agents, and is absolutely discouraged from interfering in their affairs. All communication takes place through an office of the civil service (referred to as ''Agent Catazar'' on the occasion that they provide any documents themselves), allowing for the security of the agents to be preserved in the face of regularly changing Seat holder. The autonomy the Agents possess is generally considered to be a key to their success, and endangering it would almost certainly reduce their usefulness.</box>
{{CaptionedImage|file=RodrigoBarossa.jpg|caption=Rodrigo Barossa de Tassato Regario of the Company of the Red <br/>Fox,who took the Seat in Summer 378YE|align=right|width=300}}
==Selection==
Custodianship of the Regarrio Dossier is a League Bourse position. Election is by open auction at the Spring Equinox each year. Any League citizen may bid for the title.
==Removal==
The position of custodian of the Regarrio Dossier is re-selected at the Spring Equinox each year. They cannot be revoked by the [[Imperial Synod]].
==History==
Established in 173YE, during the reign of [[Emperor Frederick]], the Regario Dossier serves to support the League diplomats active all over the world, making contacts with foreign powers and attempting to sway them to the Empire's side. Such activities require considerable funds but the gains for the Empire are difficult to overstate. If too many foreign powers were to ally with the barbarians, the fate of the Empire would surely be lost.

This Bourse position is reserved for a citizen of The League who presents the largest bid. It is widely claimed that the payment is used to pay for bribes and other diplomatic arrangements. In fact this is [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypothecated_tax hypothecation], the costs of operating the dossier are fixed and the money from the auction goes to the Senate as with other Bourse seats.

<box>'''What do foreign powers know?'''<br>
It is likely that the foreign nations active on the world stage know the Empire maintains agents in the midst of more legitimate merchants. Indeed, these powerful nations would ''expect'' the Empire to do so. It is almost certain that those nations maintain agents of their own within the Empire to keep abreast of the broad strokes of Imperial policy, especially as it relates to trade relations. A common understanding is that while the Regario Dossier agents are involved purely in observation relating to trade, they are unlikely to be a big enough concern to cause their hosts to remove them - which is another reason why the Seat holder is unable to issue specific instructions to them. There have been incidents in the past where agents have been arrested, or have disappeared, but they are few and far between.</box>

[[Category:Imperial Titles]]
[[Category:Bourse]]
[[Category:The League]]

Wolf in summer

2015-07-15T17:32:21Z

GregW: /* Significance */ Grammar!

<ic>Lucinda lifted her spectacles and squeezed the bridge of her nose. From the direction of the stage came a muffled clatter and the sound of raised voices.

"You imbecile Frederick! You're meant to be the Witch as Gancio and you have all the enigma and allure of a horse apple!"

"And you're meant to be a sophisticated urbanite and not some Tassatan arsehole who has just slid off the back of a wagon from the Marches!"

There were more raised voices, and the sound of something breaking. Lucinda hoped it was nothing expensive. From the sounds of it, the two leads were attempting to stab each other for the third time in four days. She hoped they were using prop daggers for a change; they opened before the Prince in two nights and if the Witch and the Doctor were in the hospital - or worse, under arrest - it could mean a lost patron. Or - unthinkably bad! - an offended one ...

She needed a drink badly, and looked longingly towards the bottle of Amontillado on top of the cabinet. It was probably too early ... but given she had not been to sleep in some time, she thought she could convince herself it was actually very late.

She stood up, grabbing a cup and checking it for spiders, and picked up the bottle.

Someone cleared their throat behind her.

She turned, feeling guilty, until she saw that it was just Amelia. Or "the Black Spot" as she preferred to be called when working.

"It's a little early, isn't it? Even for an actor."

Lucinda put the Amontillado down and scrounged up a second cup. She grabbed a different bottle - an acceptable Black Unicorn vintage from Dawn. She poured them both a generous measure of white wine.

"I assume you've brought my crystals?" asked Lucinda, sipping.

Her guest made a face behind her sable mask. An expensive face, if Lucinda was any judge.

"There's a problem ..." Amelia had the grace to pretend to look uncomfortable.

"Of ''course'' there is," said Lucinda. "How much?"

"Even at the cheapest price I can find it, It's nearly double what we agreed I'm afraid. First there was that business after Winter with the peculiar crystals, but now ... it seems that whatever it is that has hit your sources has hit ''everyone''. I even tried old Rigo from up north - he says the same thing is happening in Temeschwar. There's talk down at the Oloroso that it's in both Tassatos, and in Holberg too. Nowhere else though."

Lucinda hid her desperation behind an actors blank face. Her troupe were short - badly short - and she had been relying on Amelia to provide the rest of the mana she needed.

"Have you any contacts on the other side of the bridge? Someone on the Coast who might have the merchandise at a reasonable price?"

Amelia looked thoughtful.

"Not for crystals ... but how does your troupe feel about mixing something up with your slap?" She mimed slapping makeup on her face. "It might be the only way to do it in time, with the money you have ..."

Lucinda finished her wine in a single long gulp. She imagined how much fun it was going to be trying to control Frederick and Alo during a leaden quicksilver rush - especially given the bad mood everyone seemed to be in. But the alternative was disappointing the Prince ... and failing to perform the magic he was paying for was not an option.

She could feel her headache starting again.

"Do it. I'll explain to the troupe what is happening. If nothing else, it will separate those who can act from those who have merely made a profession of moving in an interesting way while looking pretty."</ic>

==Overview==
Shortly after the Spring Equinox, a vicious malaise crept over the cities of [[the League]]. Despite their geographical separation, it hit [[Sarvos]], [[Temeschwar]], [[Tassato#Tassato Mestra|Tassato]] and [[Tassato#Tassato Regario|Tassato]], and [[Holberg]] simultaneously.

Most citizens seemed oblivious but the [[Magical skills#Magician|magicians]] of the League - whether troupe dramaturgist at the height of their career, or the lowest street mage [[create bond|creating bonds]] for a handful of rings - were all too aware of it.

The malaise made some lethargic and restless, while others became short-tempered and aggressive - leading unfortunately to several deaths both in common brawls and ill-considered duels. Even those with enough self control to avoid the extremes feel restless, unsettled and short of concentration. Headaches are rife, as are sleepless nights.

The weather does not help - and that is something the mundane population does notice. It is too warm. Even in Temeschwar, where Summers tend to be short and barely distinguishable from the Spring and Autumn that bracket them, the temperatures are soaring. There is no wind to take the edge off; and precious little rain to clear the air. Even with the modern conveniences of the League, a great city is not the best place to be when the weather is too hot. Worse, there is the threat of fire...

The situation is especially bad in Holberg of course - too many years of fighting against the Druj have left the sewers in a dreadful state of repair. Years of bloody rivers have not helped - when the wind is from the south they say you can smell the rot of the Morass from the walls. Those who can are getting out of Holfried for the Summer, looking for cooler climates.

In Sarvos where the Summers are ''usually'' hot, this year is one of the worst on record. There have been incidents where people fall down in the street, insensible. People are actually paying for drinking water. Layers are shed left and right, and every eating-house or drinking-den is putting tables and chairs on the streets - which has lead to congestion and arguments about right-of-way, and perhaps inevitably to brawls.

It is only the river that has prevented Tassato exploding in a riot - and that's at it's lowest ebb since the dreadful Summer of 296YE. In some places, things that might better have been left submerged have started poking out of the water. There is a constant worry about what will happen if there is a fire - with the water levels low, there might not be enough accessible to fight a major fire. Coupled with the [[Shadow in the west|raids from the Jotun]]...

While short tempers and poor sleep and the heat can all be endured, there is a more sinister aspect to this malaise - one that hits the troupe magicians especially badly. All the [[mana site|mana sources]] in the League territories have without warning slackened off and produced only half the normal crystalline mana. It does not matter whether the site was on a well-maintained estate in the forests around Temeschwar or a mean little cellar in Tassato Mestra.

==Significance==
While the hot weather is a problem for everyone in the cities, the magicians of the League find themselves particularly affected. You may wish to role-play being more short-tempered and aggressive - or more lethargic and despondent. Regardless, your personal mana is not affected. The effects are likely to be muted in Anvil, but may take some time to fade completely.

The decline in magical energies has also caused several weak [[regio]] to collapse completely. In one case, the regio was in use at the time and lead to several severe injuries.

After a few days of confusion, the mystery about what is happening is quickly dispelled. Divinations reveal that all four League cities are labouring beneath the effect of the ritual curse known by the voluminous title of [[Icy Maw Devours the Spark of Essence]]. The worst of the effect ''should'' fade over the Summer Solstice... but until then every magician based in the League will suffer.

The real mystery lies in ''who has done this''. Rituals do not cast themselves, after all. More to the point, the curses must have originated within the Empire - either through the Anvil regio or by a ritual performed in a Winter regio in each of the League territories during the Spring Equinox.

This is not the first time that the League has encountered this kind of problem - several historians in Sarvos have pointed to an incident involving a dispute between magicians in the City of Jewels and neighbouring Siroc which resulted in an almost identical situation - but one restricted to the southern city alone rather than effecting all four great cities.

Others mutter about Agramant, and his cultists but they are generally dismissed as a paranoid ...

[[Category:History]]
[[Category:Recent History]]
[[Category:379YE]]

The Academy

2015-07-13T09:15:08Z

GregW: /* Academy Staff */

<quote by="Chancellor Eldenheart of the Imperial Academy">Heroes are not born. They are forged in the fires of experience, and tempered in the waters of wisdom. It is my duty and my honour to help forge the heroes of tomorrow.</quote>

==Overview==
The Academy is an in-character school run by NPCs which focuses on providing activities for young role-players. It aims to give them a fun and interesting role-playing experience while also helping them learn about the game world and, of course, how to play the game. The sessions provided by the Academy cover as far as possible all aspects of the game, including Combat, Magic, Alchemy, Physick, and the Virtues. In addition the Academy provides "field trips" and other adventures for its students.

Our aim is to prepare young role-players to be fully-fledged characters in the game, which can be achieved by them passing their [[Test of Citizenship]]. The Academy has a prize-giving at the end of each event to reward students for their hard work!

===IC History===

The Imperial Academy at Anvil is an educational institution and [[Imperial Sodality]] which is concerned with training the next generation of Imperial Heroes. They are overseen by the Canterspire Academy in Urizen, whose Chancellor acts as its administrative and academic leader. Although the core members of the Faculty are Urizen scholars from Canterspire, they employ teachers from many other Nations, and have a notable relationship with a number of Navarr Stridings, whose view of the Great Dance resonates with the Academy's mission of bringing future heroes to their full potential. The Academy offers free tuition to any Imperial child.

==Attendance==
* '''Children attending Academy activities must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times'''
* '''Children cannot be left at the academy unattended'''

As the Academy is run by volunteer NPC crew, they cannot be left ''in loco parentis'' at any time. Children attending the Academy must be accompanied by an appropriate parent/ guardian at all times; this is for the safety and protection of both the Academy crew and the children.

==Academy Staff==
The Academy is run by a core team of NPCs known as the Faculty. These are dedicated members of crew who are entirely focused on helping young players integrate into the game while providing fun and often challenging activities. In addition many adult players offer visiting lectures, classes and activities, and the Academy crew encourage players interested in getting involved to talk to them. A full list of the current Faculty is given below.

<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;" width="25%">Character</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;" width="25%">OOC Name</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;" width="50%">Role and responsibilities</td></tr>
<tr><td> Chancellor Abronsius Eldenheart </td><td>Tom Francis </td><td> Head of the Academy, responsible for oversight of all activities and appointment of all staff </td></tr>
<tr><td> Kythanus Everwatch </td><td> James Littlewood </td><td> Vice-Chancellor and Lecturer in Arcane Studies</td></tr>
<tr><td> Titus Hopkirk </td><td> Jerry Ferley </td><td> Senior Lecturer in Alchemy and [[Bursar of the Imperial Academy]], responsible for overseeing Academy finances </td></tr>
<tr><td> Iestyn Tair Leidr</td><td> Marc Fothergill </td><td>Dean of the Academy; oversees the Academy Student Council</td></tr>
<tr><td>Glesny</td><td>Amanda Leeds</td><td>Matron</td></tr>
<tr><td>Baba Ana</td><td>Lucy Hodgson</td><td>Senior Lecturer in Arcane Sudies</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mr Scrib</td><td>Rick Clarke</td><td>Lecturer in Physical Education; oversees preparation for the [[Test of Arms]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>Roberto Barossa</td><td>Oliver Busby</td><td>Junior Lecturer in Physical Education</td></tr>
<tr><td>Emme</td><td>Charlotte Pardy</td><td>Lecturer in Religious Studies</td></tr>
<tr><td>Jotret</td><td>Andy Pardy</td><td>Lecturer in Advanced Surgical Skills</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cedric Harrow</td><td>Thomas Twissell</td><td>Master of the Boathouse</td></tr>
<tr><td>Kyla</td><td>Laura Henderson</td><td>Lecturer in Imperial Geography and History</td></tr>
<tr><td>Braidon</td><td>Beermat Leigh</td><td>Quadwrangler; responsible for maintenance and safety of Academy camp and grounds</td></tr>
<tr><td>Karnek</td><td>Squall Lee Loire</td><td>Assistant Quadwrangler</td></tr>
</table>

==Opening times==
The Academy offers a variety of activities over the course of an event. Some activities, such as the Test of Citizenship and Test of Arms, Academy Student Council Meeting, and Field Trips, are given regular time-tabled slots. The Academy's regular "classtimes" are 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm, although the precise content of these sessions is highly fluid and generally responds to what the students are most interested in. In addition there will be many additional opportunities for other interesting trips both in and out of Anvil, but the timings for these will vary from event to event. An exact timetable of scheduled activities will be made available prior to each event.

==Academy Rules==
These are the IC rules for children (and adults) attending the Academy. They are intended to reflect the game world as well as providing a sensible, fair and enjoyable setting for young role-players.

* No-one is forced to come to the Academy – you should only attend if you have a desire to learn and better yourself
* We treat one another with respect, regardless of age or nationality
* Train hard and with spirit
* All students must bring a responsible adult who is happy to stay with them for the duration of the classes
* If any student causes harm to another they may be barred from the Academy
* Students are encouraged keep a well presented and accurate record of their studies to assist the Chancellor in judging and distributing awards and certificates

==Administering Tests==
Children in the Empire are legally considered to be Citizens when they are able to pass the [[Test of Citizenship]]. This allows them to own property in the Empire, vote in elections, hold a title, etc. There is a second test, the [[Test of Arms]] which allows a young citizen to prove that they are strong and fit enough to take the battlefield against the Empire's enemies. Members of the Academy staff who are also civil servants carry out the tests as part of the Imperial duties.

The Academy helps attendees pass the test in two ways. The lessons prepare young people to take the exams, giving them the education they need to pass. But it also allows the civil servants to get to know the applicants so that they can better judge their suitability. The best way for Imperial who is under sixteen years of age to become recognized as a Citizen is to attend the Academy.

==Further Reading==
* [[Test of Citizenship]]
* [[Test of Arms]]
* [[Bursar of the Imperial Academy]]

<quote by="Charter of the Canterspire Academy">I, Empress Mariika, extend my patronage to the Academy at Canterspire in Urizen, in recognition of the work undertaken by them to preparate and educate the children of all nations of our great Empire.

To ensure the future greatness of the Empire the best of all the Empire's children must be afforded instruction unparalleled in the Way, the arts of war, the weaving of magics, the grimnir's craft and all other such disciplines as are required to produce generations of heroes to defend this land. With this endowment, the Academy at Canterspire shall be ready to meet this challenge.

To the most civil servants of the Throne I give encouragement to seek out the best of the Academy's teachers and accept them as your own that they might administer the Test of Citizenship, so that future leaders of the Empire may commence their service to the Empire as soon as they are fit to be called Citizens.

Let all the citizens of this Empire hear my words and render to this Acamdey what aid they have within their means, that it might prosper.

Let all those who teach here do so in the knowledge that their work will secure the centuries to come.
</quote>
[[Category:The Empire]]
[[Category:Sodality]]
[[Category:Children]]

Retreat to the White Caves

2015-05-15T21:34:04Z

GregW: SPAG

==Rules==
{{Season|Winter|23}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|2}} The area to be enchanted with this ward must be clearly apparent to those within, and without, it's bounds.

{{enchantment}}

===Effects===
This ritual targets a building or well defined, walled area. It must be performed inside that location.

At the completion, the area is warded against heralds of the [[eternals]]. Such a creature approaching the boundary is always aware that the area is warded; if it enters it is immediately [[Calls#WEAKNESS|weakened]] for as long as it remains in the area. Even creatures that are larger-than-man-sized will be weakened by the power of the ward if they enter it.

The ward creates a powerful roleplaying effect: mortals within the warded area feel cold and miserable, unless they are actively warming themselves. Those who sleep within the ward experience nightmares of being trapped within a cave whilst an unknown lurking evil sits brooding outside, waiting for the cold or hunger to drive them from safety. These effects are particularily pronounced for those with strong [[lineage]].

When used inside a building, the ward protects the entire structure. Any openings in the structure - doors and windows especially - must be clearly marked with runes or symbols of warding. The building must be a reasonably permanent structure, preferably of wood or stone; the ritual will not work on a tent or other entirely similar structure.

{{Warding an Area|Heralds}}

{{Season Duration}}

<quote by="Traditional Varushkan Tale>When the fierce Vard, with their iron swords, came to Mieriada, the frightened Ushkans hid themselves deep in the Painted Caves and waited for the cold outside to drive the Vard away.</quote>

==Description==
This ritual was presented to the [[Imperial Conclave]] in the Winter of 378YE by Simarghl, called the Empty One of the Circle of Zulgan-Tash, the [[Varushka|Varushkan]] [[Dean of the Lyceum]]. It was entered into [[Imperial Lore]] shortly before Simarghl surrendered his title as Dean. It is an extrapolation of the principles involved in common warding rituals, specifically [[There Is No Welcome Here]]. It [[enchantment|enchants]] an area to make it hostile to heralds, eternals and other beings from the realms.

Winter magic is, at its heart, a grim undertaking even when it can be seen as beneficial; [[Varushka|Varushkan]] [[Varushka_magical_traditions#Cabalists|cabalists]] know that magic always comes with a price. In this case, those who shelter within the warded area feel cold almost all the time, unless they are actively warming themselves. Conversation quickly falters, and it is easy for a brooding silence to settle on all those within the warded area. Worse, those who sleep within the ward experience terrible dreams of being trapped within a cave whilst an unknown lurking evil sits brooding outside, waiting for the cold or the hunger or the madness that comes from long periods of being cooped up in an enclosed space to drive them from safety.

Some of the [[Highguard|Highborn]] involved in codifying this ritual remarked that the dream cave appeared to be an actual place – there were reported similarities between the layout and the paintings on the walls of the cave which appears to be one of the famous painted caves of [[Miekarova]]. When questioned, Dean Simarghl reportedly grunted non-commitally and mocked the researchers until they went away.

Like other wards, Retreat to the White Caves does not prevent a herald (or, in theory, an [[eternal]]) from entering the protected area. Rather, it robs them of their ability to use their supernatural abilities while they are within the wards. It will, for example, prevent a herald from delivering a curse or performing any of their innate abilities. If it were performed in the Hall of Worlds, it is theorised that it would prevent any herald from entering the mortal world via the [[Regio#The_Imperial_Regio|regio]] at [[Casinea#Anvil|Anvil]]. Such a herald would require the active assistance of an Imperial magician to “lead them through.” The ward would not prevent the herald entering the Hall of Worlds from the eternal realms, and it is believed it would not stop them departing for their own realm – but fascinatingly it clarifies that the ability to enter the mortal realm is considered an active ability that can be robbed by magical [[Calls#WEAKNESS|weakness]].

The ward created by this ritual will last for an entire season - assuming the warding marks are not disturbed, In practice, if the area sees much use it is likely to be disrupted before the full three months has passed. No herald or direct emissary of an eternal can disturb the ward directly. Due to the duration, several researchers pointed out that it would be possible to [[Ilium#Using_Ilium_in_Rituals|make this ritual ward permanent]] with sufficient [[ilium]] (sixty-nine rings in fact) but suggested that doing so might be a mistake – the ritual would still collapse if the warding runes were disturbed, taking the ilium with it.

The crotchety [[Urizen]] [[Urizen_magical_traditions#Magi|magus]] Lucien of the [[Zenith#The_Halls_of_Knowledge|Halls of Knowledge]] (visiting the [[Madruga#The_Lyceum|Lyceum]] to take advantage of the excellent climate during a particularly cold winter) gave an impromptu lecture regarding reliable methods of creating permanent wards. His suggestion was simply to craft the posts from stone – possibly white granite – and carve the runes of warding into them permanently. While this would not be foolproof it would mean that the disruption of the ward would require “malice rather than incompetence – which is always preferable.” He further went on to point out that, with crystal mana being considerably more common than ilium, permanent warding posts would be just as effective at anchoring this ritual in it's existing form – it would simply need to be performed once each season. This would make these posts ideal for protecting any area for a long period of time.

==Common Elements==
As with the [[There Is No Welcome Here#Common Elements|original ritual]], the warding posts can be marked with the [[Wintermark]] [[rune Overview|runes]] [[Yoorn]] and [[Kyrop]] or the common tower symbol associated with [[Vigilance]]. The original framework of the ritual made repeated use of the Varushkan tradition of using staring humanoid faces or the heads of geese (traditionally associated with vigilance) and suggested supplementing these symbols with intricate swirling patterns of green, red and blue paint following very precise instructions.

When performing any warding ritual, the ritualists often walk the boundaries of the warded area, invoking protective talismans. They often burn incense, or scatter ashes, and check that all the warding symbols are intact. Some ritualists place bowls of milk or honey at each entry point. Fire is often used as well, especially when the ritual is performed at night.

[[Category:Winter Ritual]]
[[Category:Rituals]]

Dreams in the Witch House

2015-05-15T21:30:57Z

GregW: /* Common Elements */ SPAG fix - added some more words so that syntax

==Rules==
{{Season|Night|12}}

===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|2}} This ritual requires a map of the target territory.

===Effects===
At the completion of the ritual the contributors receive images that reveal information about the military campaign in a territory. It provides impressions and intuitions as to the current objectives of enemy armies.

Each contributor receives a similar vision. These visions often contain symbolic elements, but will usually give a clear, general idea of the current objectives of enemy forces in the territory. This information is not completely reliable; the actions of player characters during an event may cause this information to become obsolete.

The spell is most reliable where there are only two sides in a conflict; if it targets a territory where there are forces from more than two sides, the information may become confusing.

If a campaign army or a region within the target territory is under an effect that obscures information such as Drawing the Penumbral Veil, this spell can only penetrate it if it has been performed with a magnitude at least equal to that of the enchantment. Otherwise only the presence, Realm and magnitude of the effect are revealed.

===Additional Magnitude===
You may increase the magnitude of the ritual in order to pierce more powerful rituals of concealment.

===OOC Elements===
It is very important to understand that the information derived from this ritual may be subject to change based on what player characters do during an event.

Letting a referee know at least an hour in advance that you plan to perform this ritual and what the target territory will be will make it easier to ensure that the information is ready and will prevent delays.

==Description==
The ritual was developed under the guidance of the Dean of the Lyceum, Simargl the Empty One of the Circle of Zulgan-Tash. It continues the Dean's fascination with dreams, impressions and invading the thoughts of other living beings.

This ritual is likely to be useful in helping Imperial Generals to determine their strategy for the coming season. The information is subject to change, but it will be reliable at the point the ritual is cast. It is designed to focus on strategic goals and objectives with a wide scope, rather than narrow or immediate agendas.

Some scholars at the Lyceum questioned the usefulness of this ritual when compared to Eyes of the Sun and Moon. They were largely ignored as the applications are obvious – while the information is transient it is reliable at the point it is received and may also potentially give insight into longer-term goals of enemy nations.

Ophelia von Tassato Regario, who helped adapt the methods of targeting the ritual's magic using a map of the territory, expressed some interest in seeing what would happen if the ritual were performed on Broceliande or one of the other Navarr territories – this experiment has yet to be performed.

==Common Elements==
This is a divination ritual, and often involves [[Runes|runestones]] or cards as well as the map which serves to target the magic. Mirrors, crystals and other reflective surfaces are often involved, set up around the map and used to focus the attention of the contributors.

As a night ritual, it is also appropriate to include the consumption of specially prepared food, drink or mild narcotics allowing the contributors to more easily achieve a trance-like state.

Symbols connected to the enemy armies, or to the territory, are also helpful as would be tokens that represent various emotional states or military goals. The ritual is often performed in doors.

The rune [[Diras]] is a classic complement to this ritual, being connected as it is with secrets. It is also appropriate to evoke [[Gralm]] or [[Ull]] to represent the influence of chance and destiny. In dramaturgy, the character of the Witch is very appropriate (in an early casting, Ophelia Von Tassato Regario [[Dramaturgy|portrayed]] the witch as courtesan who seduced secrets from an enemy general). The evocation of the virtues of [[Wisdom]] or [[Vigilance]] is sometimes used (especially, given the Varushkan inspiration for the ritual, in the shape of virtuous animals).

[[Category:Night Ritual]]
[[Category:Rituals]]
[[Category:Warfare]]

Rivers Run Red

2015-05-10T18:29:51Z

GregW:

==Rules==
{{Season|Spring|50}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|10}} {{Regio|Spring}} {{Target Territory}}

{{curse}}

===Effects===

The ritual targets a single territory. Over the course of the next few days a powerful [[curse]] settles over the territory. All casualties suffered by campaign-level armies fighting in the targeted territory are doubled.

This ritual removes the [[Rivers of Life]] [[enchantment]], and is in turn removed by that ritual.

{{Season Duration}}

==Description==
Where [[Rivers of Life]] fills the water in a territory with life-giving potence, ''Rivers Run Red'' poisons the water. Worse, it encourages rivers, streams and lakes to break their banks, causing widespread flooding. The watercourses rush fast and strong, overwhelming simple fords and threatening to sweep away bridges. Lowlands become mired with mud and marshes swell. Worse, the water itself encourages minor pestilence, the birth of venomous insects, and wounds that fester or become infected.

For the common inhabitants, this means a miserable time, but it is of most worry to the commanders of armies. The stinking mud and noisome rivers that drain energy and slowly poison soldiers in the area. Even bottled of wine, barrels of beer, or fresh water in waterskins may be slowly influenced by this [[curse]].

Like many similar rituals from the Spring Realm, ''Rivers Run Red'' must be used carefully. It is most effective when the allied armies greatly outnumber their enemies; while the ritualists' allies will suffer a little from the ritual, the enemies may be effectively devastated by the increased casualties.

==Common Elements==
A map of the target territory often forms the focus of this ritual. It is often drenched during the casting in a mixutre of muddy water or blood-and-wine. The runes [[Rhyv]], [[Kyrop]] and [[Mawrig]] are commonly used during this ritual, and the constellation of [[The Drowned Man]] is often invoked.



[[Category:Spring Ritual]]
[[Category:Rituals]]
[[Category:IC Text Required]]
[[Category:Warfare]]

Emperor Nicovar

2015-04-30T23:07:04Z

GregW: /* Reign */

===Reign: 200 YE to 209 YE===

===Called: ''the Mad''===

====Early life and Election====
The [[Urizen]] [[draughir]] who would grow up to be one of the most infamous figures in the history of the Empire was born in [[Spiral#Ankarien|Ankarien]], a great library in [[Spiral]]. For much of his early career Nicovar was a dedicated [[Urizen]] philosopher, as well as a skillful [[Urizen magical traditions#Magi|magus]] and a clever speaker. He served with distinction as an [[archmage]] of the [[Imperial Conclave|Conclave]], and was an acknowledged expert in the use of the rituals of the realm of [[Day]].

Following the external-focus of the rule of [[Emperor Barabbas]], the [[Imperial Senate|Senate]] was actively looking for someone more internally-focused to take the [[The Throne|throne]]. Nicovar was a strong candidate, and was elected with the notable support of a number of his fellow magicians from other nations (along, obviously, with many others). In retrospect, there were accusations that some magical conspiracy had been responsible for his appointment, but there was never any hint of inappropriate behaviour.

====Reign====
In the early years of his reign it was clear that Nicovar was a brilliant administrator. He expanded the role of the civil service in support of the Empire, founding several academies for the training of aides and secretaries to help run the day-to-day business of the Empire. His court was hailed as a place of learning, and he surrounded himself with experts in dozens of subjects from all across the Empire. He spent three years working with the civil service and the [[Imperial Military Council|generals]] of the Empire in overhauling and improving the efficiency and scope of the logistical support received by Imperial armies, and he instituted dozens of well-planned and well-thought-out programs to improve the life of people from all walks of life.

Optimists believed he would usher in a new golden age of reason and expansion for the Empire.

Unfortunately, as every school child learns, it was not to be. A decade of attempting to micromanage every element of the Empire, as well as a reliance on the magic of Day to gather and interpret ever greater amounts of information, eventually triggered a descent into madness.
The early signs were generally dismissed as overwork; it was only when some of his advisers began to compare notes that they spotted a dreadful pattern. He began to demand extreme amounts of record keeping and it became increasingly clear that he was not in his right mind.

The genius Emperor had begun to see patterns in events that appeared increasingly paranoid. He began to put into operation controlling policies that divided the Senate and the [[Imperial Synod|Synod]]. The priests of the [[Virtue Assembly|Assembly]] of [[Vigilance]] were encouraged to actively pursue internal and external threats, while those of [[Loyalty]] were given a wide remit by Nicovar to ensure and bind those closest to the Emperor with [[Religious skills#Anointing|blessings]] to encourage their dutiful nature.

Nicovar himself demanding increasingly large amounts of crystal mana and the performance of increasingly esoteric divinations in pursuit of some conspiracy that made sense only to the draughir's crazed mind.

Things came to a head in 209 when without warning the Emperor began to send our loyal troops to burn down the Empire's libraries. There was a revolt, which culminated in the destruction of the central repository of records in Highguard and several key spires in Urizen - even his home spire of Ankarien was not spared. Thousands of volumes of history, philosophy, magic and science were burned - in many cases along with the scholars who fought desperately to protect them. Civil war threatened.

It was while the mad emperor was overseeing the siege of the [[Avigliana di Sarvos#Biography|School of Epistemology]] in [[Tassato]] that he was executed by the captain of his own guard, the [[Navarr]] [[Thorn]] Isaella. Despite appeals for clemency from the Synod, Isaella took full responsibility, and was convicted as a traitor, while simultaneously being lauded as an Exemplar of Courage and duty and a hero of the Empire.

====Death and Legacy====
Despite his madness, Nicovar was still Emperor. His body was entombed in a small three-sided pyramid in the [[Necropolis]], without ceremony. A trio of Urizen [[Urizen military concerns#Sentinels|sentinels]] stand guard outside the pyramid to this day; it is an honour to be chosen to join the guard. The Urizen are quick to point out that they do not do so for fear of Nicovar's return - they are quite confident he is gone, and his spirit moved along the great wheel - but as a penance for not having spotted his insanity earlier. Several of the [[Highguard|Highborn]] [[Highguard#Stewards of the dead|Stewards of the dead]] have put forward a theory that the vigil is actually concerned with ensuring that the Emperor never reincarnates; the magi of Urizen deny this suggestion. Privately more than a few priests have suggested it might not be a bad thing if Nicovar is never reborn.

Nicovar is gone, but his legacy endures to this day. The destruction of the libraries left a big hole in the history of the Empire - centuries of wisdom lost to the flames. The history of the Empire prior to this point had been almost fatally damaged; when men and women speak of [[Empress Richilde]] or the founding of [[Highguard]], there are holes in their knowledge that may never be filled. Even the truth about Nicovar himself has been obscured; [[Troupes|playwrights]] of the [[The League|League]] particularly have spared no effort to paint him as a hateful, insane, spiteful caricature of a draughir plagued by unwholesome appetites and seething insanity. The truth is more likely that he was a clever man undone by his own ambition, by his inability to leave the details alone.

Still ... there are rumours. The most common concerns a series of journals kept by the Emperor both before and after his ascension of the Throne. Allegedly the later volumes are so infused with his mad insights into the imaginary conspiracy he was convinced threatened the Empire that they will slowly drive insane any scholar who studies them. If they exist their whereabouts are unknown.

Perhaps more worryingly, Nicovar's [[Staff of the Magi]] has never been accounted for. He almost certainly had it with him when he met his death at the end of Isaella's spear-point ... but what happened to it afterward, only the Thorn herself is likely to have known, and she never spoke of it.

[[Category:History]]
[[Category:The Throne]]

Emperor Nicovar

2015-04-30T23:03:39Z

GregW: /* Death and Legacy */

===Reign: 200 YE to 209 YE===

===Called: ''the Mad''===

====Early life and Election====
The [[Urizen]] [[draughir]] who would grow up to be one of the most infamous figures in the history of the Empire was born in [[Spiral#Ankarien|Ankarien]], a great library in [[Spiral]]. For much of his early career Nicovar was a dedicated [[Urizen]] philosopher, as well as a skillful [[Urizen magical traditions#Magi|magus]] and a clever speaker. He served with distinction as an [[archmage]] of the [[Imperial Conclave|Conclave]], and was an acknowledged expert in the use of the rituals of the realm of [[Day]].

Following the external-focus of the rule of [[Emperor Barabbas]], the [[Imperial Senate|Senate]] was actively looking for someone more internally-focused to take the [[The Throne|throne]]. Nicovar was a strong candidate, and was elected with the notable support of a number of his fellow magicians from other nations (along, obviously, with many others). In retrospect, there were accusations that some magical conspiracy had been responsible for his appointment, but there was never any hint of inappropriate behaviour.

====Reign====
In the early years of his reign it was clear that Nicovar was a brilliant administrator. He expanded the role of the civil service in support of the Empire, founding several academies for the training of aides and secretaries to help run the day-to-day business of the Empire. His court was hailed as a place of learning, and he surrounded himself with experts in dozens of subjects from all across the Empire. He spent three years working with the civil service and the [[Imperial Military Council|generals]] of the Empire in overhauling and improving the efficiency and scope of the logistical support received by Imperial armies, and he instituted dozens of well-planned and well-thought-out programs to improve the life of people from all walks of life.

Optimists believed he would usher in a new golden age of reason and expansion for the Empire.

Unfortunately, as every school child learns, it was not to be. A decade of attempting to micromanage every element of the Empire, as well as a reliance on the magic of Day to gather and interpret ever greater amounts of information, eventually triggered a descent into madness.
The early signs were generally dismissed as overwork; it was only when some of his advisers began to compare notes that they spotted a dreadful pattern. He began to demand extreme amounts of record keeping and it became increasingly clear that he was not in his right mind.

The genius Emperor had begun to see patterns in events that appeared increasingly paranoid. He began to put into operation controlling policies that divided the Senate and the [[Imperial Synod|Synod]]. The priests of the [[Virtue Assembly|Assembly]] of [[Vigilance]] were encouraged to actively pursue internal and external threats, while those of [[Loyalty]] were given a wide remit by Nicovar to ensure and bind those closest to the Emperor with [[Religious skills#Anointing|blessings]] to encourage their dutiful nature.

Nicovar himself demanding increasingly large amounts of crystal mana and the performance of increasingly esoteric divinations in pursuit of some conspiracy that made sense only to the draughir's crazed mind.

Things came to a head in 209 when without warning the Emperor began to send our loyal troops to burn down the Empire's libraries. There was a revolt, which culminated in the destruction of the central repository of records in Highguard and several key spires in Urizen - even his home spire of Ankarien was not spared. Thousands of volumes of history, philosophy, magic and science were burned - in many cases along with the scholars who fought desperately to protect them. Civil war threatened.

It was while the mad emperor was overseeing the siege of the [[Avigliana di Sarvos#Biography|School of Epistemology]] in [[Tassato]] that he was executed by the captain of his own guard, the [[Navarr]] [[Thorn]] Isaella. Despite appeals for clemency from the Synod, Isaella took full responsibility, and was convicted as a traitor, while simultaneously being lauded as an exemplar of courage and duty and a hero of the Empire.

====Death and Legacy====
Despite his madness, Nicovar was still Emperor. His body was entombed in a small three-sided pyramid in the [[Necropolis]], without ceremony. A trio of Urizen [[Urizen military concerns#Sentinels|sentinels]] stand guard outside the pyramid to this day; it is an honour to be chosen to join the guard. The Urizen are quick to point out that they do not do so for fear of Nicovar's return - they are quite confident he is gone, and his spirit moved along the great wheel - but as a penance for not having spotted his insanity earlier. Several of the [[Highguard|Highborn]] [[Highguard#Stewards of the dead|Stewards of the dead]] have put forward a theory that the vigil is actually concerned with ensuring that the Emperor never reincarnates; the magi of Urizen deny this suggestion. Privately more than a few priests have suggested it might not be a bad thing if Nicovar is never reborn.

Nicovar is gone, but his legacy endures to this day. The destruction of the libraries left a big hole in the history of the Empire - centuries of wisdom lost to the flames. The history of the Empire prior to this point had been almost fatally damaged; when men and women speak of [[Empress Richilde]] or the founding of [[Highguard]], there are holes in their knowledge that may never be filled. Even the truth about Nicovar himself has been obscured; [[Troupes|playwrights]] of the [[The League|League]] particularly have spared no effort to paint him as a hateful, insane, spiteful caricature of a draughir plagued by unwholesome appetites and seething insanity. The truth is more likely that he was a clever man undone by his own ambition, by his inability to leave the details alone.

Still ... there are rumours. The most common concerns a series of journals kept by the Emperor both before and after his ascension of the Throne. Allegedly the later volumes are so infused with his mad insights into the imaginary conspiracy he was convinced threatened the Empire that they will slowly drive insane any scholar who studies them. If they exist their whereabouts are unknown.

Perhaps more worryingly, Nicovar's [[Staff of the Magi]] has never been accounted for. He almost certainly had it with him when he met his death at the end of Isaella's spear-point ... but what happened to it afterward, only the Thorn herself is likely to have known, and she never spoke of it.

[[Category:History]]
[[Category:The Throne]]

Leviathan

2015-04-17T22:49:21Z

GregW: /* Sobriquets */

==Eternal of Day==
===Sobriquets===
Leviathan is, by all accounts, one of the most ancient of the Eternals of the Realm of Day.

Many of its titles refer to its home in the very deepest parts of the Realm-ocean. It is sometimes called ''The Deepest One'' or ''The Foundation''; it may be called ''The Dweller in the Depths'' or ''The Abyssal Lord''.

It is also said to be a being that exists to observe events and explore how they happen, and how they spawn other events - in this guise it is also called ''The Watcher Beneath the Waters''. The [[Faraden]] are known to refer to it by the slightly poetical name of ''She-Who-Counts-The-Ripples'', in reference to its fascination with the root cause of events (and also ''The Unspeakable One Who Lies Beneath The Eternal Ocean'' in reference to their fear of the sea).

===Appearance===
No mortal has ever seen Leviathan. According to its Heralds and the other Eternals of Day, it is a creature of such titanic size that it cannot be seen all in one go. It is said to have the aspect of a gargantuan whale and a serpent of colossal size, with immense faintly glowing eyes and thousands of sail-like fins that extend across its tremendous frame. It dwells at the point where the light of the Upper Realm fades to twilight, but the Realm is never truly dark; Leviathan's scales, fins and hides are said to be colourful, almost hypnotically so.

Its voice is usually described as a rumbling, faintly amused whisper by those who have heard it - while it has never been seen there are those who have spoken to it through one of the hollow glass spheres said to serve as conduits to the part of the Realm it calls its home. In all recorded history, there are no known incidents of Leviathan being anything other than calm, reasonable and pleasant regardless of who or what it is talking to. It is much more likely to terminate an interview than to become angry.

The Heralds of Leviathan appear very much like extremely high-lineage [[merrow]]. These creatures, like their patron, are almost insanely calm at all times. They also claim to be quite 'young' - the Heralds of Leviathan apparently continue to grow larger and larger throughout their existences until they become "''too big to fit through the doors''", in the words of one Herald. It is unclear whether it was joking.

===Concerns===

Leviathan is concerned with two philosophical areas: the past, and the way it serves as the foundation of the present and future; and the way that actions have consequences both here and now, and in other places and times.

It is fascinated with the way that events spawn other events, and the way they can be traced further and further back; it is known to be engrossed by the question of whether any event can truly be said to have a "root cause" or whether everything is simply a development of something else. If the smallest decision can have repercussions that effect the fate of Empires, can any decision or any event, no matter how minor, really be said to be insignificant?

The Deepest One claims to have been pondering these questions since it first achieved awareness ''a very long time ago'' and has not yet reached any conclusions, or even built a durable thesis. It has said many times that it expects the questions that fascinate it to be unanswerable until after creation ends, assuming it ever does.

If Leviathan has a blind-spot it is that clever as it is, it cannot entirely understand motivations. It can observe actions, but sometimes those actions make no sense and cannot be predicted. Leviathan and its agents can only perceive events, they cannot look inside the minds of others no matter how much they desire to do so, so in the end they can only make (extremely) educated guesses about ''why'' people do the things they do. This is one of the reasons Leviathan loves to speak to mortals, or send its Heralds to do so; it finds the endless motivations for mortal action fascinating, if slightly incomprehensible.

===Boons===

Magicians consort with Leviathan and its Heralds for two main reasons. It is fascinated by the past, and so has access to unspeakably detailed, inimaginably vast archives of information about past events; it is fascinated by the philosophy of cause-and-effect, and the question of whether free will can truly be said to exist, and finds discussions about these questions endlessly entertaining. It can grant boons that enhance the ability of diviners and seers to gather information about the present, as well as providing access to the great vaults of artefacts and trinkets that have been given to it in return for its assistance over the centuries. It is known to desire ownership of physical items that were present at, or the cause of, important events.

Unfortunately, Leviathan is very careful about sharing what it knows because the act of sharing information can have vastly unforseen repercussions. But then, as it sometimes observes with a wry tone, so can the act of ''not'' sharing information. Those who can convince Leviathan that sharing information will have more (or less) profound impact than not sharing it can learn all sorts of fascinating facts about the past.

[[Category:Eternals]]

Tassato

2015-04-17T16:30:53Z

GregW: /* The School of Epistemology */

{{CaptionedImage|file=RegionsofTassato.png|title=The Twin City straddles the Vassa like a colossus|caption=Regions of Tassato|align=left|width=500}}
==Overview==
Peering at each other across the fast-flowing Vassa, Tassato is called the Twin City or the Split City. Providing the only easy way to cross the wide and dangerous river, Tassato is a city divided against itself. Tassato was originally two towns, Mestra and Regario, named for the feuding siblings who historically founded them on either bank of the Vassa. Over time, both towns grew on each bank and the river formed a natural boundary between them. Attempts to build bridges between the cities have always foundered and the people rely on boats and barges to cross the river.

The western part of the city is called Tassato Mestra, and the eastern is Tassato Regario. The people on either side of the river are historically rivals, and that historical rivallry occasionally boils up into open conflict. The two cities were unified under the control of Anabela di Regario, a merchant prince who ruled over a century before the creation of the Empire. Anabela was forced to contend with the constant rivalry between the two cities- open battles in the streets between bravos were causing widespread lawlessness and in the end the prince declared a ban on the open carrying of weapons. The ban had the desired effect, damping down the bloodshed although and the rivalry was slowly transformed to verbal banter between the two sides. The ban endured until Tassato joined the Empire and in that time the people became famous for their wordplay, launching quips and insults at each other like arrows.

Citizens of Tassato generally refer to Regario and Mestra as separate places, while everyone else refers to them as wards or parts of the same city.
Today Tassato enjoys an unrivalled reputation as a city where the spoken word is an art-form. Tassatans take a delight in layered meanings, subtexts and unspoken communication. The city has provided several senators famous for their brilliant oratory and representatives from the city are usually regarded as the finest diplomats in the Empire. Of all the people of the League, Tassatans are most likely to view life as a game and they are notorious for their love of intrigue, not just for the sake of advancement but for the sheer pleasure to be had thereby. They regard cunning diplomacy more highly than armed conflict, not because they are peace-loving, but instead because they regard words as a more effective tool than weapons in destroying their enemies - better to set enemies against enemies than to face them yourself. Manipulation is high art here - no surprise that some of the finest [[mountebanks]] hail from Tassato.

Tassato chooses a [[senator]] each Autumn equinox, and as might be imagined the election is often bitterly contested. Traditionally, being senator for Tassato is regarded as one of the worst seats in the Imperial Senate. If the senator is from the city itself, then they often encounter resistance and hostility from the folk from the other side of the river. If they are not from the city proper - if they refuse to pick a side - they are generally treated as interlopers and encounter harassment from citizens from both sides of the river. A few wealthy guilds that live outside the city proper maintain a discreet distance from the intrigues of their more urban cousins - the votes of these guilds are much sought after by candidates regardless of where they live.
{{CaptionedImage|file=The Foxes.jpg|title=Tassato is home to bold bravos, master merchants, divine dramaturges and princes of the League|caption=From Tassato Regario, the Camorra Barossa, Guild of the Crimson Fox|align=right|width=500}}

==Recent History==
== Major Features ==
=== The Sapphire Stair ===
A masterwork of locks built by the Tassatan engineer Marco Di Paraiso for Emperor Giovanni in the early days of the empire, replacing the old system of portage. Tassato relies on the Sapphire Stair for all its boat trade, and due to this, the village of Cevia is fortified, and watchmen constantly guard the Stair. Control of the Sapphire Stair is hotly contested between the folk of Regario and Mestra. It represents a valuable [[sinecure]], and the [[Keeper of the Sapphire Stair]] receives a portion of all tolls levied for the use of the river.

=== The Arratan Gamble ===
The Gamble is a large quarry in northern [[#Enterio|Enterio]]. It has a singularly bad reputation, and several previous holders of the seat have been ruined. Some claim that the quarry is cursed, while others claim that the real problem is the people of Tassato Regario who resent anyone other than a fellow Regario citizen claiming it. In addition to the white granite produced in the Gamble, the quarries are known for their fine stone using in construction throughout Tassato and the central Empire.

The Arratan Gamble is an Imperial [[Bourse#The_Arratan_Gamble|Bourse position]] which produces white granite. It is allocated to any Imperial citizen by open auction during the Summer solstice. This Bourse position produces 25 Imperial wains of white granite each season.

===The Imperial Mint===
In the centre of the Vassa towers the Imperial Mint where [[Game_items#Coins|Imperial coinage]] is produced. While this fortified building itself is operated by the civil service, its protection falls to the people of the League. The [[Master of the Imperial Mint]] has the use of sumptuous apartments on the small island where the Mint stands, and access to a number of well-maintained boats with which to cross the Vassa. Founded by [[Emperor Giovanni]],

The Master of the Imperial Mint is a national [[Bourse#The_Master_of_The_Imperial_Mint|Bourse position]] which provides several [[Master of the Imperial Mint|political and economic advantages]]. The title is auctioned to the citizens of the League each Winter.

===The School of Epistemology===
Established by the [[Paragons_and_Exemplars|Exemplar]] of [[Wisdom]] [[Avigliana di Sarvos|Avigliana]] in [[#Tassato Regario|Tassato Regario]], the School of Epistemology is a well-respected centre of higher education. It is dedicated to encouraging citizens of the League (and indeed the Empire as a whole) to take note of the world they live in and put the truth of it in writing. The school continues to teach spies, diplomats and cartographers, alongside the the more traditional accountants, priests and poets. While it is much smaller than the University of Tassato, and lacks that establishment's depth of curriculum, it is still a prestigious educational establishment. Relations with the University remain cordial, although marked by occasional outbursts of "student hijinks" on both sides.

It also has greater historical and cultural significance than its comparatively small size and focus might suggest, even leaving aside the fact that it was founded by a woman that the [[Imperial Synod]] recognised as a reincarnation of the [[Paragons_and_Exemplars|Exemplar]] [[Kala]]. It was while besieging the school in 209YE that the crazed [[Emperor Nicovar]] met his end at the hands of the captain of his own guard. The school was badly damaged during the attack, but was quickly rebuilt and somewhat expanded in the years following, including the creation of a new chapel to house the reliquary of Avigliana which serves as a place of pilgrimage to this day.

==Regions==
===Cascatas===
On the western banks of the Vassa stands the fortified village of '''Cevia''' which guards a river crossing where two [[Trods]] meet and cross the Vassa. It is best known outside of the League as the place where the famous traveller's inn, the Caduta, stands. It is built next to the [[#The Sapphire Stair|Sapphire Stair]], a masterwork of locks, and many trading barges pass through every day. While Cascatas claims to be neutral in the age-old conflicts between Mestra and Regario, the simple fact of geography that sees it on the western bank means it's citizens are much more welcoming to travellers from the western city than the eastern, which has been a point of some contention. The [[Keeper of the Sapphire Stair]] has a comfortable house here, but it is rarely used - especially when the keeper is not from Tassato Mestra.

===Enterio===
The plains of Enterio are home to a number of [[farm|farms, orchards and vinyards]] as well as a fair number of [[business|wineries]]. Tassato imports much of it's food - there is no way the farms here could support the multitudes who call the city home - and so the farms have tended to focus on specialised crops. They compete among themselves to ensure the name of their particular breed of apple or grape, or the flesh, hide or wool of their particular herd, is considered the ''best''. Enterio is also the location of the [[#The Arratan Gamble|Arratan Gamble]] and there are several small settlements in that area that provide housing and services for the quarry labourers.

===Tassato Mestra===
Tassato Mestra is famous both for its boatyards - it is the primary source of the riverboats that ply their trade from [[Sarvos]] deep into [[Dawn]] - and for the boldness of its brothels. The west bank of the river is almost entirely given over to a gaudy display of brazenness, the so-called Street of Pleasures where anyone with the purse for it can buy company, narcotics and other goods of dubious virtue. The [[The_League_culture_and_customs#Relationships|ciciscbeo]] of Mestra, while generally seen as lacking the refined manner of those hailing from Sarvos, are known both for their quick tongues and physical skills.

Mestra tends to be more cramped and "dirtier" than Regario across the river. Built at the foot of steep hills, restrictions on space have lead to the buildings being much taller than those of their neighbouring citizens. Some buildings, especially along the riverfront, stretch to four or even five stories. Architects in Regario may be more technically adept, but builders in Mestra are certainly masters at improvisation and practical application of their skills.

The hills above the city proper are also the site of several old [[mine|mines]]. While the mineral wealth of Tassato Mestra is piddling next to that of places like [[Temeschwar]], the [[guild|guilds]] who control these mines are old and reasonably influential in the city and the League as a whole.<br><br>In Autumn 378YE, the Senate [[Fortify_Tassato|approved the construction]] of heavy [[fortification]] along the western walls of the city along with a small keep and several watch towers. When complete (construction will take a year), '''La Redotta Rezia''' will protect the western approaches into Tassato proper from potential [[Jotun]] aggression.<br>
'''Keywords:''' City

===Tassato Regario===
The east part of the city, Tassato Regario, is best known for its workshops and magicians. According to legend, the printing press was designed in Tassato Regario and the first presses were employed here printing religious tracts, scholarly treatises and political manifestos. There are several printers in Regario, and while they may occasionally vie with each other for the right to print a particularly important - or slacious - document there is more than enough work to go round. The eastern part of the city is home to philosophers, agitators, demagogues, poets and scholars from across the Empire who come here to have their work printed and add a distinctly cosmopolitan feel to the city. The University of Tassato can be found here (although it accepts students from both sides of the river and from across the Empire). It is also the site of the prestigious [[#the School of Epistemology|School of Epistemology]], founded by the [[Paragons_and_Exemplars|Exemplar]] [[Avigliana di Sarvos|Avigliana]], combining a centre of learning with a place of worship dedicated to the embrace of [[Wisdom]].

The eastern city is much less cramped than the western city - it is also surrounded to the east and south by wide parklands often referred to as the ''Regarian Walls''. This public park is tended by a cadre of professional gardeners, and is also home to several fine orchards and vinyards. Once one gets beyond the public areas, there are several jealously guarded [[forest|preserves]] where the [[Mundane_beasts#Iridescent_Butterfly|iridescent butterfly]] is cultivated. The guilds who control these private preserves are very fond of their privacy and do not appreciate unexpected guests. Several of them have divorced themselves entirely from the politics of the city, barely pay attention to the politics of the League, and have a reputation for being ... odd. At least one of the guilds here is composed entirely of [[naga]], descended from some of the original [[The_League_lineage_and_species_attitudes#Reckoners|reckoners]] and rumoured to egage in [[Idolatry,_Blasphemy_and_Heresy#Idolatry|idolatrous]] worship of [[Eternals|one or more Night eternals]].<br>
'''Keywords:''' City

===Madeiras===
A sprawling forest that extends northward to [[Miaren]]. Long before the Empire was founded, there was conflict across the borders here with the [[Navarr]], and several battlegrounds litter the land to the north. The woodcutting settlement of '''Tagliona''' is found in southern Madeiras. A small town, it supplies much of the wood required by Tassato's boat-builders and (along with stone from the quarries) it's building materials.<br>
'''Keywords:''' Forested

==OOC Notes==
* All the regions of Tassato are in the hands of the League (and by extension the Empire) making this a completely Imperial territory.
* The [[senator]] for Tassato is elected during the Autumn equinox each year.
* The woods around Tassato Regario are sprawling well maintained orchards - they do not amount to the forested keyword.
* This page is still under development - the next stage is to review approved backgrounds for details that would enrich the description of the territory.

[[Category:The League]]
[[Category:Gazetteer]]

Churning Cauldron of Bravash

2015-04-15T13:18:49Z

GregW: Fixing spelling error, or possibly inappropriate colloquialism.

==Rules==
{{Season|Spring|8}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|2}} The ritual requires a receptacle such as a bowl or cauldron into which the target herbs are placed.

===Effects===

This ritual requires up to five drams herbs ([[Imperial Roseweald]], [[Bladeroot]], [[True Vervain]], [[Cerulean Mazzarine]] or [[Marrowort]]), which are placed into a container such as a bowl or cauldron. All the herbs must be of the same type.

The ritual creates one dram of herbs for each herb placed in the container during the ritual.

The referee will put the additional herbs into the container. It may take up to an hour for the additional herbs to form, and the referee may offer a prompt when the cauldron has finished ''churning''. If the herbs are removed prematurely the ritual may fail, or result in less herbs being created.

The ritual may be performed using drams of herbs not common to the Empire, but the results are likely to be unpredictable.

==Description==

The Spring realm is nothing if not fecund; through this magic, even dried or prepared herbs can be made supernaturally fruitful. The ritual uses existing herbs to create new herbs of the same type, and is especially popular with [[Surgical skills#Apothecary|apothecaries]] and [[Surgical skills#Physik|physicians]] who do not themselves own a [[herb garden]]. The rich [[The League|League]] [[The League economic interests#Doctors|doctor]]; the itinerant [[Varushka|Varushkan]] herbalist; or the [[Urizen]] [[Urizen magical traditions#Magi|mage]] seeking additional herbs to brew a ritual potion, can all benefit from the ability to effectively transform crystals of mana into valuable herbs.

This ritual is effective with the five herbs found commonly in the Empire. It specifically works with herbs, and experiments using other mundane or supernatural vegetable matter have had little success. It ''may'' work to create additional drams of herbs found outside the Empire, but the results are likely to be uncertain.

The ''Churning Cauldron of Bravash'' has no effect on potions, or on herbs that have already been combined to make a preparation - for example, it cannot be used to create additional doses of [[liao]] despite the fact that that valuable substance has a herbal basis.

It is important to note that the herbs used in this ritual are not consumed; they serve as the 'seeds' from which the new herbs are created, rather than as components.

==Common Elements==
The most obvious element included in this ritual is the cauldron or bowl used to hold the herbs. [[Bands#Covens|Covens]] and individual magicians who perform the ritual regularly tend to have a specific receptacle that they prefer to use. Often this container has a lid or cover that can be closed to prevent accidental removal of the herbs before they are ready. It may be made of precious materials, and is commonly marked with the [[Bravash|rune of fertility]].

Water is another common element used in the ritual - the receptacle is often filled with a little fresh water to encourage the growth of new herbs. In the same manner, agricultural symbols and images may be evoked; some [[The Marches|Marcher]] and [[Varushka|Varushkan]] ritualists include a handful of soil from a prosperous farm along with the herbs, while [[Navarr]] [[Navarr magical traditions#Vates|vates]] may sprinkle a few drops of their blood over the herbs to encourage them to quicken with new life.



[[Category:Spring Ritual]]
[[Category:Rituals]]
[[Category:IC Text Required]]

The Bourse

2015-04-01T19:04:51Z

GregW: Fixing double redirect

#REDIRECT [[Imperial Bourse]]

Emperor Ahraz

2015-03-29T20:12:58Z

GregW:

===Reign: 324 YE - 329 YE <label type="info">TBC</label>===
===Called:The Liberator===

====Early Life and Election====
In 322YE, [[The Orc Rebellion]] began in [[Varushka]], By 324YE, the [[Imperial Senate|Senate]] was desperate to end the rebellion. Following very public promises by the [[The Brass Coast|Freeborn]] senators that they would end the rebellion, they elected a [[Scrivener]] named Ahraz i Tamerlin i Guerra to the throne. The only Freeborn emperor to date his reign would be short and unhappy and marked by violence and internal conflict.

====Reign====
The Emperor led a force of Brass Coast forces and troops from other nations that had supported his election in pursuit of the rag-tag orc armies. Unknown to those outside his immediate circle, he had already begun negotiations with the orcs using contacts established earlier in the rebellion by Freeborn merchants. Several meetings took place, where Ahraz reiterated his people’s antipathy for slavery and desire to see the orcs freed. The Emperor offered full citizenship to any orc who would swear to serve the Empire and committed to achieving freedom for all orcs enslaved by the Empire. After weeks of protracted talks, Ahraz was able to convince the orcs of his sincerity and extracted from them an oath to serve the Imperial throne. Marching to Anvil in a calculated show of strength, the Emperor presented the agreement to the Senate. Partly through his own personal charisma, but mostly through the hard work of his allies, Ahraz was able to get his proposals ratified by the Senate.

After the end of the Orc Rebellion, Ahraz was called before the [[Imperial Synod|Synod]] and questioned about his actions and the motivation therof. In a passionate speech he expressed the shame he felt that so much of the Empire he loved had been built on the back of slavery. He argued that every coin in the Imperial Treasury had been paid for with orc blood, and successfully defended his actions in the name of each of the [[The Way#The Paths of Virtue|virtues]] in turn.

Ahraz' reign was marked by upheaval and rebellion. He survived three assassination attempts from those ruined by the loss of the orc slaves, one of which claimed the life of his beloved daughter. His actions were openly criticized as having lead to the [[Freedom Heresy|Freedom Heresy]] that began during his second year on the throne, despite his protestations. His decision, supported principally by the [[Navarr]] to refuse to send the army after the secessionists was seen as a sign of weakness, despite his repeated claims that the anarchists would prove their own worst enemies.

====Death and Legacy====
After the barbarians sacked the secessionist stronghold, Ahraz stepped down from the throne and lived out the rest of his life in seclusion in mountains of [[Kahraman]]. He died shortly afterwards, and reports at the time say that he looked like a man easily twice his actual age of forty-seven. His body was interred in the [[Necropolis]] in an understated black marble tower.

In 342 YE, a legion of [[Imperial Orcs]] were apprehended attempting to break into the tomb of Emperor Ahraz. While initially mistaken for tomb robbers, they made no effort to resist arrest. Investigation of the tomb indicated they had touched nothing, but had left behind the body of three dead orcs wrapped in shrouds. The dead orcs had been among the negotiators who had first met with the Emperor and been swayed by his arguments. Having recently died, the legion had decided to inter them alongside the Emperor who had brought them into the Empire, When questioned further, they simply maintained that they felt it was [[Imperial Orcs culture and customs#Funerals|inappropriate for Emperor Ahraz to be alone in death]]. Despite some initial resistance, the appropriateness of the move found supporters in both the Synod and the Senate, and over the next twenty years the tomb was re-opened another seven times. Emperor Ahraz' tomb now has an honour guard of ten dead orc heroes.

At the Summer Solstice of 378YE, a priest of the League, Isaac di Sarvos, [[378YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_Judgements#Synod_Judgments|called for the Synod]] to [[Emperor Ahraz (Exemplar)|recognise]] Ahraz as an Exemplar of [[Courage]], which was done by both the Virtue and General Assemblies.


<ic>"What price their freedom? Better to ask what price their slavery! What price for the spread of contempt from those who lead to those who follow? What price for indolence and opposition to innovation becoming commonplace in the halls of power? What price to the suffering of those innocent-born for the unjust gain of another? You speak of price, and Freeborn though I be, I will put no price on these things. I cannot, I will not sell the Empire's ideals so cheaply.<br><br>
Have we learned, I say, have we learned nothing from the fall of the Highborn patricians? Any system predicated on corrupt practices is inherently unstable and doomed to fall. And furthermore, I might add, slavery itself is totally antithetical to the founding principles of our Empire, where from the earliest days we saw the virtue of anyone being able to achieve even the highest offices in the land solely based upon their own merit and determination."</ic>..

[[Category:History]]
[[Category:The Throne]]

Wiki Updates

2015-03-27T01:49:28Z

GregW: /* Ritual Changes */

This is a list of significant updates to the wiki which we will try and keep as up to date as possible. Hopefully this will be a more useful document than the recent changes page which lists every spelling correction and formatting change.

By it's nature this page will be regularly updated so when you visit the wiki try checking here first. However please keep in mind this is a manually updated page so at times maybe a little behind the actual updates.

==Winter 2015 Rules Update==
Over winter we carried out a review of the rules from the second year. As a result of that review we have changed a number of rules. We are in the process of updating the wiki to reflect these [[Rules update 2015|rules changes]]. We will continue to carry out reviews of rules each winter. The most recent updates are to magic, particularly spontaneous magic and battle magic.

==Magic Item modifications==
The [[Healer's Harness]] and [[Warcaster's Oath]] were rendered useless by our change to [[spellcasting]]. We have modified the effect of both, and raised the cost of the Healer's Harness to reflect these changes.

Magic standards must be carried (wording strengthened from "should"); back banners, tabards and especially flamboyant bandanas are not appropriate phys-reps for magic standards, and this was not clearly communicated by the previous wording.

==Otkodov Spy Network==
The [[Construct Otkodov spy network|Otkodov spy network]] was initially set up before more detailed information about how they worked was available. A single spy network cannot provide information about an entire nation, only a single territory. We have clarified this, and future reports from this spy network will focus on the [[Thule]] territory of Verthandi.

==Ritual Theory==
We've created a series of pages relating to [[ritual theory]] that provide background, setting and rules information for players. It is primarily of use to players who want to create new [[spontaneous magic]] effects, or explore the theories of how ritual magic work. This is somewhat of a work in progress - we intend to expand it to cover more setting-related information such as what crystal mana is or how it differs from personal mana (for example), but the information given here should serve as a good foundation for players who want to discuss magical theories in the field.

==Brass Coast Army Support==
Following the re-integration of [[Segura]] into the Empire, [[the Brass Coast]] now has the ability to support three armies rather than two.

==Senate Commissions==
We added details of three new civillian [[Commission|commissions]] available to the [[Imperial Senate]].
* The [[College of Magic]].
* The [[Runeforge]].
* The [[Embassy]].
* The [[Imperial navy]].

==Remote Navarr==
We've clarified a few design concepts around the [[Navarr]] on the [[Remote Navarr]] page. To accompany this, we've made a few edits to [[Navarr_look_and_feel|look and feel]] to reflect those clarifications.

==Military Council Overhaul==
We have done a major redesign of the way the [[Imperial Military Council]] works. This has included clarification on the events at the [[muster]] and [[Council session]], as well as expanded and clarified material regarding the role of a [[general]], the [[Field Marshal]] and the civil servant role of the [[herald of the Council]]. We've also given the right of [[Council address]] to the [[High Exorcist]] and [[Quartermaster General of the Imperial Armies]].

At the same time, we've clarified and streamlined some of the factors to do with [[war]], including the way that generals submit their [[orders]]. We've also included a [[campaign outcome]] page that details the mathematics that underlie the campaign resolution system.

Finally, we've removed the idea of ''keywords'' from armies - each [[imperial army]] now has a singular [[army qualities|quality]] that reflects the way that army operates. This means that we have also overhauled all the existing armies with new abilities. The individual armies will be updated over the next day or so, but for the moment the changes are detailed on the table [[Military_Council_design#Army_Quality|here]].

You can find details of some of our reasons for these changes [[Military_Council_design#A_Conjunction_did_it|here]].

===FIeld Marshall===
Following discussion with our magistrates, we have removed the idea that it is a legal requirement for the [[Field Marhsall]] to address the [[Imperial Senate]]. It is still a responsibility of the role, but it is up to the [[Imperial Synod]] to deal with Field Mashalls who neglect to do so, rather than the Magistrates.

==Clemency==
We removed the idea that characters with Imperial Titles were given additional weight by a magistrate. This was simply not the case in practice, and undermined the idea of virtuous defence. A virtuous argument from a priest should hold more weight than a poor speech from the Throne.

==Legacy of Thorns==
We've clarified that the [[Legacy_of_Thorns#Blade_Venoms|blade venoms]] (specifically [[Legacy_of_Thorns#Oil_of_Blackthorn|oil of blackthorn]] and [[Legacy_of_Thorns#Redwillow_Paste|Redwillow Paste]] cannot be applied to [[Weapons & armour#Implements|implements]]).

==Ritual Changes==
Several rituals are receiving clarifications and tweaks.
* [[Whispering Shadow Courtiers]] no longer references the idea of providing visions of "nearby" things. It functions like [[Signs and Portents]], drawing from a pool of visions including "important" or "relevant" secrets, no matter where in the Empire it is cast.
* [[Wisdom of the Balanced Blade]] no longer gains a bonus to penetrate magical obscuring effects. As with [[Bright Lantern of Ophis]] it must overcome the full strength of an effect designed to obscure information about a curse.
* [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]] has been tweaked to specifically provide military information about armies and fortifications. We've also removed the "hour's notice" requirement from the ritual as the information it delivers is now prepared for each potential target territory before an event.
* [[The Eye of the High Places]] has been tweaked to clarify that it determines any large scale effects on the target territory, and to remove reference to detecting small-scale effects such as resource enchantments which were proving difficult to collate information about.
* [[Reading the Weave]] has been clarified to remove reference to information that was proving difficult to uncover in a timely fashion.
* [[Bright Lantern of Ophis]] has had its ability to divine large-scale effects from a distance removed - this is now the purview of [[The Eye of the High Places]].
* [[Wisdom of the Balanced Blade]] no longer requires a regio to analyse an area curse, but the ritualists must be in the presence of the curse in some fashion.
* [[Sum of the Parts]] has had its magnitude increased, correcting a significant rounding error


==The Brass Coast Brief==
We have updated the Brass Coast brief on the [[the Brass Coast magical traditions|Brass Coast magical traditions]] and the [[Hakima]] to clarify their political niche and to modify their role slightly. The Hakima are now dedicated to aiding (and meddling in the affairs of) the entire nation rather than an individual tribe. The old brief was too focused, and too limited in scope and we think these changes will help address that. We've also made a minor change to the way [[the Brass Coast military concerns#Kohan|kohan]] are organised, primarily to remove the restriction that the members of a group belong to a single tribe.

We've also expanded on the material on [[corsair|corsairs]] that was originally scattered around the Brass Coast section. The new brief contains some new elements and advice on creating corsair characters and groups.

==Marcher Brief==
We have updated the Marcher brief on the [[the Marches magical traditions]] and [[Landskeeper|Landskeepers]] to clarify their political niche and how they usually organize themselves. We have corrected the old text to make clear that Landskeepers make frequent use of curses against those they believe have transgressed against Marcher traditions and Marcher interests. The old brief was restricting the ability of existing Landskeepers to access the full range of magical powers at events and the previous Landskeeper political structure was too complex and fine-grained to be workable in play.

==Wintermark Brief==
We have updated the Wintermark brief on the [[Wintermark_culture_and_customs#Age.2C_infirmity_and_the_good_death|good death]] to remove any mention of how Wintermark treats individuals who are maimed or crippled. Any form of discrimination on the grounds of disability is against our game rules on equality and diversity and does not fit the setting. Many of the heroes of the Empire come from hard lands - but the Wintermark brief stood out as none of the other briefs single out individuals who are disabled in anyway for special note. The people of the Empire do not discriminate on grounds of infirmity.

==Commissions Updated==
We have updated the page on [[commission]] to lay out the essential details needed for any new commission.

==New Map Viewer==
Racheet Dave has produced [http://empire.racheet.me/ a cool new map viewer] for the Empire. The [[maps]] page has been updated with a link to the new map viewer.

There are also new maps showing the tactical/political features of the Empire, and two maps showing Barbarian lands (Otkodov and the Barrens).

==Senate Update==
We have updated the rules for mercantile commissions, and added a page each for a [[sinecure]], [[ministry]], and [[great work]]. The costs to make new mercantile commissions has been altered and reduced for play balance reasons. We have increased the effective output of the Madruga Shipyard, but all other existing sinecures, ministries and great works are unaffected.

==Rules Update==
We have removed Spider Folds the Net from the list of available rituals. The ritual had major problems and after several attempts to fix it, we have abandoned the attempt and simply deleted it. Everyone who had the ritual now has a free slot that they can fill at any time instead. If anyone requires an IC explanation for the change, it is because recent movements of the constellations have rendered the ritual unworkable.

Rules for [[Battlefield Ritual|Battlefield Rituals]] written up.

Regio rules changed: using a regio does not automatically make the ritual take ten minutes. Some rituals intrinsically take ten minutes, and some rituals require a regio. There is some overlap between these groups.

==Sanctioned Event Update==
We have added some guidelines for using [[Imperial Law at sanctioned events]].

==Senate Pages Overhauled==
We have overhauled the Senate wiki pages, mostly to improve the presentation and make the processes clearer. The overhaul includes a few changes to the political rules and powers of some positions. As with other recent updates we have included some OOC design notes about the changes and this part of the game.

Key changes or clarifications are:
* Procedural motions are eliminated, allocation and assignment are done by normal motions. [[Senate motion|Administrative motions]] covering minor matters by civil service remain.
* [[The Throne]] can talk in the Senate but cannot propose a motion or vote in the Senate.
* The Throne can [[Senate address|address]] the senate.
* The Throne gains the [[The_Throne#Custodian_of_Virtue|Custodian of Virtue]] power to change a vote in the Synod.
* The Throne gains the [[The_Throne#Order_of_The_Throne|Order of the Throne]] power to nominate speakers in the Conclave.
* We have removed the deadline for the Senate to [[Appointments_by_the_Senate#National_Position|appoint a national position]] but given the wider Senate freedom to act earlier if they choose.

==Field Marshal==
A page for the [[Field Marshal]], the official name for the Field Commander chosen by the Military Council has been added to the wiki. This page expands on this position, how it works, the powers, limitations and responsibilities. It includes some OOC design notes about why the position works the way it does.

==Nations and Territories==
The [[Wintermark Territories]] have been extensively expanded. A note was added to [[Wintermark history]] to make it clear that the position of king or queen of Wintermark was not a ''hereditary'' position.

(09/10/14) Extensive updates to [[Varushka Territories]]; to [[Redoubt]] in [[Urizen]]; and to [[Tassato]] and [[Sarvos]] in [[The League]] (including the creation of the [[Keeper of the Sapphire Stair]] [[sinecure]])

==Ritual Corrections==
The following rituals had incorrect costs listed on the wiki. These have now been corrected.
* [[Blood and Salt]]
* [[Revelation of the Jewel%27s Sparkling Heart]]
* [[Unending Cascade of Blood%27s Fire]]

The last ritual was incorrectly reduced in magnitude shortly before the last event. This error has been fixed and the original correct magnitude restored.

The following ritual had an incorrect casting time listed on the wiki. This has now been corrected.
* [[Rising_Roots_that_Rend_Stone]]

The following rituals have been overhauled to bring them into line with each other and changes to the Campaign Battles.
* [[Knights of Glory]]
* [[Quickening Cold Meat]]
* [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]]
* [[Bound by Common Cause]]
* [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees]]
* [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]]
* [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]]
* [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canea]]

==Anvil Hospital==
We have added information about the [[Anvil Hospital & Imperial School of Medicine]] to the wiki. Thanks to all the players involved for creating this great institution.

==Map Update==
There is a new strategic-and-political map of the Empire [[Gazetteer|here]], and each of the Imperial (or formerly Imperial) territories now has a territory map. Over the next few days, each territory page will be overhauled and updated to include more information about regions and points of interest.

==Military Council Update==
We have updated the [[Imperial Military Council]], streamlining the processes which we will use going forwards to calculate the outcomes of military campaigns, and giving player generals more freedom and control over what happens to their armies. We have also modified the upkeep costs for fortifications to ensure that powerful fortifications remain tenable. We have overhauled the presentation of the section to bring it into line with the new pages for the Imperial Conclave and added extra [[Military Council design|design notes and an explanation for the change]].

==Senate Update==
We've reorganised several pages, as well as creating separate pages for titles such as [[senator]]. We've also done some work clarifying some of the powers of [[The Throne]] where their function was either unclear, or would work poorly.

==Bourse Update==
Several new [[Imperial title|Imperial Bourse titles]] have been added to the wiki.
* [[Bailiff of the Grand Market]] (Marcher position)
* [[Vizier of the Incarnadine Satchel]] (Freeborn position)
* [[Dhomiro of the Cinnabar Hills]] (Freeborn position)
* [[Mistress of the Glass Parador]] (Freeborn position)
* [[Custodian of the Assayer's Guild]] (League position)
* [[Provost of the Halls of Knowledge]] (Urizen position)
* [[Castellan of Spiral Castle]] (Dawn position)

The method by which national bourse positions are assigned has been updated for the Marches and the League.

==Monstering==
Information about [[monstering]] and making your own [[barbarian]] tribe has been added to the wiki. Everyone who is keen is welcome to join us for big kit making session on Friday before the Easter event starts. Whatever you make is yours to keep! We'll hope to find time to add more detail to these pages later in the year.

===Conclave Update===
Players have asked us to provide an [[Conclave_design#A_WizardCivil_Servant_Did_It| IC explanation for the change in the Conclave rules]], rather than simply retcon it, so we have done as requested.

==Winter 2014 Rules Update==
Over winter we carried out a review of the rules from the first year. As a result of that review we have changed a few rules. We are in the process of updating the wiki to reflect these [[Rules changes 2014|rules changes]]. We will continue to carry out reviews of rules each winter, but do not envisage making many other significant changes in the future.

The rules update has been updated... please note that you need to have the relevant skill to participate in a ceremony as part of a sect.

==Updates April 2014 ==
Finally wrote up [[Riddle Hides the Reward]].

Clarified power of [[The Throne]] to ratify constitutional votes.

Added [[Highguard_culture_and_customs#Day_of_the_Dead|details of a Highborn celebration]] to the Customs and Culture section of Highguard.

Changed [[Warmage]] again in line with constitutional note.

Clarified ability of Senator to resupply army on [[Casualties#Emergency_Resupply|Casualties]] page

Completed motions outstanding from [[377YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_Session]]

Updates and maps for [[Semmerholm]], [[Liathaven]], [[Therunin]], [[Mournwold]], [[Brocéliande]] and [[Spiral]] are up, but still stubbed until I have time to check all the backgrounds in the world.

===Conclave Overhaul===
A number of pages have been changed to reflect changes to the way the [[Imperial Conclave]] will function at future events. You can read about the changes in more detail [[Conclave_design|here]]
* Updated the [[Imperial Conclave]] page to lay out the new Conclave in more detail
* Created pages for the three principles of the Conclave [[Principle of Precedence]], [[Principle of Proportions]] and [[Principle of Presence]].
* Updated the [[Conclave order]] page with details of joining an order and the powers of membership.
* Updated the ''Membership of the Order'' section of each conclave order page, and included details of the base materials that go into their [[Conclave vault]] each season. The orders are [[Celestial Arch#Membership_of_the_Order|Celestial Arch]], [[Sevenfold Path#Membership_of_the_Order|Sevenfold Path]], [[Shuttered_Lantern#Membership_of_the_Order|Shuttered Lantern]], [[Rod and Shield#Membership_of_the_Order|Rod and Shield]], [[Golden Pyramid#Membership_of_the_Order|Golden Pyramid]] and [[Unfettered Mind#Membership_of_the_Order|Unfettered Mind]].
* Updated [[detect magic]] with regard to Arcane Mark.
* Updated Imperial title pages for [[Archmage]], [[Grandmaster]], [[Dean of the Lyceum]], [[Warmage]] and created a page for the [[Bursar of the Conclave]].
* Updated [[Conclave session]] and created pages explaining [[Conclave address]], [[declaration]], [[gambit]] and [[amity and enmity]]
* Included the ritual [[Arcane Mark]]
* Updated [[Powers of the Senate]] to reference creation and dissolution of Conclave order and to remove references to Imperial Lore.

==Updates March 2014 ==
Ongoing changes to ritual text durations and targeting guidelines; most of these are just clarifications. Specific changes include:
* [[Rot's Rightful Claim]] is no longer an enchantment
* Added a section about ilium use to [[Mark of Ownership]]
* Added a section to [[Black Iron Blade]] allowing it's magnitude to be increased when cast on a single target to allow removal of protected bonds.
* [[Icy Maw Devours the Spark of Essence]], [[Naeve's Twisting Blight]], [[Winter's Ghosts]] and [[Drawing the Penumbral Veil]] now target a territory rather than a region
* [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]] now requires a Day regio to bring it into line with other campaign army rituals
* [[Transmogrification of the Soul's Echo]] is now clearer on who makes the changes - it is not a brainwashing ritual

Sanctioned event guidelines have been updated to give advice on how to apply Profound Decisions [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/equalityanddiversity?1 equality and diversity] rules to your event.

Tidied up information about several Bourse seats, and linked the physical locations of the seat resources to the territory sections.

Clarified [[military unit#Downtime options|military unit]] downtime options relating to assigning to Imperial armies or special projects and the production from doing so.

Overhauled and updated [[Skarsind]] page, with smaller updates elsewhere especially to [[Miekarova]] and [[Hercynia]] territory pages

Overhauled and updated [[Reikos]] page, with smaller updates elsewhere

Updated the [[Titles Autumn 377]] page to indicate who has what title as of the end of 2013

Overhauled and updated [[Hercynia]] page, with smaller updates elsewhere

Made some changes to the with reference to [[operate portal]] and [[detect magic]]

Several changes to [[enchantment]] effects, as well as a slight change to the way an enchantment made permanent with [[ilium]] can be removed

Changed duration of [[Mark of Ownership]] to "as long as the item lasts"

===Minor updates===
Corrected an error where [[Enfeebling Echo]] was referred to as ''Hand of Time'' on the staffs category page, and corrected an error in the materials (it costs seven beggar's lye, not seven beggar's lye ''and'' seven green iron. Matt to change on database.

Clarified the way that [[Witness]] works for priests in the Imperial Conclave.

==Updates February 2014 ==
The senate powers to create [[new Imperial titles]] have been overhauled with additional content and clarification.

Update about changing a [[resource]]

LaTeX download added to [[Rune_Overview|runes]]

Update to [[Spider's Tollkeep]] and [[Advisor on orc affairs]] to correct error in who can hold these titles; as National positions, they can be held only by characters from those nations.

Slight change to [[Vallorn]] interconnectivity; Vallorn are not believed to be interconnected, allowing more plot options.

Ongoing changes to ritual text durations and targetting guidelines; most of these are just clarifications. Specific changes include:
* [[Touch of Vile Humours]] has changed to bring it into line with the new rules on Day duration enchantments
* [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]], [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]] and similar rituals are undergoing a revision to bring them into line with out rules on [[fortifications]]. Watch this space.

Changed the election process for [[Keeper of the Spice Gardens]] has been adjusted to bring it into line with the section on the [[New_Imperial_titles#Appointment|appointment]] of titles; added a page about the Keeper title; made some edits to the [[Feroz#The_Spice-Gardens_of_Feroz|Feroz]] section about the gardens.

Rules about what happens with personal resources in conquered territories added [[Resource#Conquered_Territories|here]].

Change to [[Orc#Rules|orc rules]] about liao and religious skills, to make the situation very clear

Additional page [[Languages]] added to wiki

Details of the Eternals [[Sung]] and [[Janon]] laid out.

===Minor updates===
Recordings of songs added for Brass Coast (Lost Segura, Wagon Song, Without You) and Marches (Marcher Battle Song, Apple Wassail).

An option to retire a character using [[Sift the Dreamscape's Sands]] added

==Updates January 2014 ==

More details added to the [[Sanctioned_events|sanctioned events]] page including [[Sanctioned_event_rules|rules]].

The Play one, Crew one rule added to the [[Battles]] page

[[Traders]] page updated

[[Events]] page updated with details of 2014 events

[[Facebook_%26_Forums|Facebook and Forums]] page with links for the various social media resources that exist for Empire.

[[Profound_Decisions_management_team|PD management team ]] page updated to show Alison and Matt's current event roles.

=== Minor additions ===
A new minor trapping added to the [[Naga]] page.

New song "For Once I Was A Young Man" added to [[Highguard_music|Highguard music]]

New costume diary added to [[Costume_advice|costume advice]] - high status Marchers doublet.

==Updates after Event 4, Sept 2013 ==

[[Synod Results, Autumn Summit, 377 YE]]

==Updates between Event 3 and Event 4 2013 ==
All updates up to Event 4 are grouped here under appropriate heading.

Details of event 4 [[Autumn Equinox 2013]]

===Ring of Triumph===
An error on the summary page for the Ring of Triumph has been corrected. The correct materials for this item are include six ingots of [[Materials#Green Iron|green iron]] '''not''' six ingots of [[Materials#Tempest Jade|tempest jade]]

===Rules and OOC info===
Update on the [[Frequently Asked Questions|FAQ]]
*Question added - Can I email a longer background?
*Clarification about using using a one handed spear as a two handed pole weapon.
*Clarification about using hero skills at range.

A section added to [[playing the game]] about stealing IC items and what to do with the phys reps.

[[Traders]] info updated with details of Jolly Dicey, Twisted Flax, Grimm & Grizzly and a new website for Mandala Studios.

=== World information===
A [[Current Affairs|current affairs]] page added to pull together various reports including elections, senate and synod decisions from the first three events. This page and the various other pages it leads to should be updated each event. There is also a page which details the [[Titles Autumn 377|planned elections at E4]] .

Addition of [[Damaris|Damaris of Cantiarch's Hold]] as a [[ Paragons and Exemplars|examplar]]

Pages about [[Trogoni]] and [[Plaguewulf]] added.

The section on [[Madruga]] has been updated to show the current situation with the [[Repair the Spider's Dream|now repaired]] Spider's Dream bridge and the [[Imperial Title|Imperial title]] [[Spider's Tollkeep]] which is funded from the tolls is now available for election again.

Section on [[ List of Criminal Offences|criminal offences]] updated with more links to the [[ Religious Crimes|religious crimes]] section. New crime of desecration added.
Several new [[Imperial Title|Imperial titles]] have been created they will be added to the [[Current Imperial Titles]] list in due course.

More information added to some [[Foreign nations|foreign nations]] including a new page on [[Iron Confederacy]]

Updated information on the [[Imperial Bourse]] about elections and titles.

More [[Eternals]] detailed

Details added about [[Fortifications]] and existing ones added to relevant territory pages.

On going - Details of senate decisions and the resulting actions being added as the scribes have time, check the [[Recent History (Senate)| Senate sessions]] for details.

===Magic===
*Ritual [[Cold Water from the Mountain]] changed from Spring to Day
*Autumn ritual [[Sum of the Parts]] added.

Updates to [[Dean of the Lyceum]] and [[Conclave session]] about adding new rituals available to Imperial citizens.

===Music===

[[Highguard Go To War]] added to [[Highguard music]]

Extra information about music added to [[Urizen music|Urizen]] including three new songs.

Also a whole bunch of song pdfs have been updated.

Wiki Updates

2015-03-27T00:57:08Z

GregW:

This is a list of significant updates to the wiki which we will try and keep as up to date as possible. Hopefully this will be a more useful document than the recent changes page which lists every spelling correction and formatting change.

By it's nature this page will be regularly updated so when you visit the wiki try checking here first. However please keep in mind this is a manually updated page so at times maybe a little behind the actual updates.

==Winter 2015 Rules Update==
Over winter we carried out a review of the rules from the second year. As a result of that review we have changed a number of rules. We are in the process of updating the wiki to reflect these [[Rules update 2015|rules changes]]. We will continue to carry out reviews of rules each winter. The most recent updates are to magic, particularly spontaneous magic and battle magic.

==Magic Item modifications==
The [[Healer's Harness]] and [[Warcaster's Oath]] were rendered useless by our change to [[spellcasting]]. We have modified the effect of both, and raised the cost of the Healer's Harness to reflect these changes.

Magic standards must be carried (wording strengthened from "should"); back banners, tabards and especially flamboyant bandanas are not appropriate phys-reps for magic standards, and this was not clearly communicated by the previous wording.

==Otkodov Spy Network==
The [[Construct Otkodov spy network|Otkodov spy network]] was initially set up before more detailed information about how they worked was available. A single spy network cannot provide information about an entire nation, only a single territory. We have clarified this, and future reports from this spy network will focus on the [[Thule]] territory of Verthandi.

==Ritual Theory==
We've created a series of pages relating to [[ritual theory]] that provide background, setting and rules information for players. It is primarily of use to players who want to create new [[spontaneous magic]] effects, or explore the theories of how ritual magic work. This is somewhat of a work in progress - we intend to expand it to cover more setting-related information such as what crystal mana is or how it differs from personal mana (for example), but the information given here should serve as a good foundation for players who want to discuss magical theories in the field.

==Brass Coast Army Support==
Following the re-integration of [[Segura]] into the Empire, [[the Brass Coast]] now has the ability to support three armies rather than two.

==Senate Commissions==
We added details of three new civillian [[Commission|commissions]] available to the [[Imperial Senate]].
* The [[College of Magic]].
* The [[Runeforge]].
* The [[Embassy]].
* The [[Imperial navy]].

==Remote Navarr==
We've clarified a few design concepts around the [[Navarr]] on the [[Remote Navarr]] page. To accompany this, we've made a few edits to [[Navarr_look_and_feel|look and feel]] to reflect those clarifications.

==Military Council Overhaul==
We have done a major redesign of the way the [[Imperial Military Council]] works. This has included clarification on the events at the [[muster]] and [[Council session]], as well as expanded and clarified material regarding the role of a [[general]], the [[Field Marshal]] and the civil servant role of the [[herald of the Council]]. We've also given the right of [[Council address]] to the [[High Exorcist]] and [[Quartermaster General of the Imperial Armies]].

At the same time, we've clarified and streamlined some of the factors to do with [[war]], including the way that generals submit their [[orders]]. We've also included a [[campaign outcome]] page that details the mathematics that underlie the campaign resolution system.

Finally, we've removed the idea of ''keywords'' from armies - each [[imperial army]] now has a singular [[army qualities|quality]] that reflects the way that army operates. This means that we have also overhauled all the existing armies with new abilities. The individual armies will be updated over the next day or so, but for the moment the changes are detailed on the table [[Military_Council_design#Army_Quality|here]].

You can find details of some of our reasons for these changes [[Military_Council_design#A_Conjunction_did_it|here]].

===FIeld Marshall===
Following discussion with our magistrates, we have removed the idea that it is a legal requirement for the [[Field Marhsall]] to address the [[Imperial Senate]]. It is still a responsibility of the role, but it is up to the [[Imperial Synod]] to deal with Field Mashalls who neglect to do so, rather than the Magistrates.

==Clemency==
We removed the idea that characters with Imperial Titles were given additional weight by a magistrate. This was simply not the case in practice, and undermined the idea of virtuous defence. A virtuous argument from a priest should hold more weight than a poor speech from the Throne.

==Legacy of Thorns==
We've clarified that the [[Legacy_of_Thorns#Blade_Venoms|blade venoms]] (specifically [[Legacy_of_Thorns#Oil_of_Blackthorn|oil of blackthorn]] and [[Legacy_of_Thorns#Redwillow_Paste|Redwillow Paste]] cannot be applied to [[Weapons & armour#Implements|implements]]).

==Ritual Changes==
Several rituals are receiving clarifications and tweaks.
* [[Whispering Shadow Courtiers]] no longer references the idea of providing visions of "nearby" things. It functions like [[Signs and Portents]], drawing from a pool of visions including "important" or "relevant" secrets, no matter where in the Empire it is cast.
* [[Wisdom of the Balanced Blade]] no longer gains a bonus to penetrate magical obscuring effects. As with [[Bright Lantern of Ophis]] it must overcome the full strength of an effect designed to obscure information about a curse.
* [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]] has been tweaked to specifically provide military information about armies and fortifications. We've also removed the "hour's notice" requirement from the ritual as the information it delivers is now prepared for each potential target territory before an event.
* [[The Eye of the High Places]] has been tweaked to clarify that it determines any large scale effects on the target territory, and to remove reference to detcting small-scale effects such as resrouce enchantments which were proving difficult to collate information about.
* [[Reading the Weave]] has been clarified to remove reference to information that was proving difficult to uncover in a timely fashion.
* [[Bright Lantern of Ophis]] has had it's ability to divine large-scale effects from a distance removed - this is now the purview of [[The Eye of the High Places]].
* [[Wisdom of the Balanced Blade]] no longer requires a regio to analyse an area curse, but the ritualists must be in the presence of the curse in some fashion.
* [[Sum of the Parts]] has had it's mangitude increased, correcting a significant rounding error


==The Brass Coast Brief==
We have updated the Brass Coast brief on the [[the Brass Coast magical traditions|Brass Coast magical traditions]] and the [[Hakima]] to clarify their political niche and to modify their role slightly. The Hakima are now dedicated to aiding (and meddling in the affairs of) the entire nation rather than an individual tribe. The old brief was too focused, and too limited in scope and we think these changes will help address that. We've also made a minor change to the way [[the Brass Coast military concerns#Kohan|kohan]] are organised, primarily to remove the restriction that the members of a group belong to a single tribe.

We've also expanded on the material on [[corsair|corsairs]] that was originally scattered around the Brass Coast section. The new brief contains some new elements and advice on creating corsair characters and groups.

==Marcher Brief==
We have updated the Marcher brief on the [[the Marches magical traditions]] and [[Landskeeper|Landskeepers]] to clarify their political niche and how they usually organize themselves. We have corrected the old text to make clear that Landskeepers make frequent use of curses against those they believe have transgressed against Marcher traditions and Marcher interests. The old brief was restricting the ability of existing Landskeepers to access the full range of magical powers at events and the previous Landskeeper political structure was too complex and fine-grained to be workable in play.

==Wintermark Brief==
We have updated the Wintermark brief on the [[Wintermark_culture_and_customs#Age.2C_infirmity_and_the_good_death|good death]] to remove any mention of how Wintermark treats individuals who are maimed or crippled. Any form of discrimination on the grounds of disability is against our game rules on equality and diversity and does not fit the setting. Many of the heroes of the Empire come from hard lands - but the Wintermark brief stood out as none of the other briefs single out individuals who are disabled in anyway for special note. The people of the Empire do not discriminate on grounds of infirmity.

==Commissions Updated==
We have updated the page on [[commission]] to lay out the essential details needed for any new commission.

==New Map Viewer==
Racheet Dave has produced [http://empire.racheet.me/ a cool new map viewer] for the Empire. The [[maps]] page has been updated with a link to the new map viewer.

There are also new maps showing the tactical/political features of the Empire, and two maps showing Barbarian lands (Otkodov and the Barrens).

==Senate Update==
We have updated the rules for mercantile commissions, and added a page each for a [[sinecure]], [[ministry]], and [[great work]]. The costs to make new mercantile commissions has been altered and reduced for play balance reasons. We have increased the effective output of the Madruga Shipyard, but all other existing sinecures, ministries and great works are unaffected.

==Rules Update==
We have removed Spider Folds the Net from the list of available rituals. The ritual had major problems and after several attempts to fix it, we have abandoned the attempt and simply deleted it. Everyone who had the ritual now has a free slot that they can fill at any time instead. If anyone requires an IC explanation for the change, it is because recent movements of the constellations have rendered the ritual unworkable.

Rules for [[Battlefield Ritual|Battlefield Rituals]] written up.

Regio rules changed: using a regio does not automatically make the ritual take ten minutes. Some rituals intrinsically take ten minutes, and some rituals require a regio. There is some overlap between these groups.

==Sanctioned Event Update==
We have added some guidelines for using [[Imperial Law at sanctioned events]].

==Senate Pages Overhauled==
We have overhauled the Senate wiki pages, mostly to improve the presentation and make the processes clearer. The overhaul includes a few changes to the political rules and powers of some positions. As with other recent updates we have included some OOC design notes about the changes and this part of the game.

Key changes or clarifications are:
* Procedural motions are eliminated, allocation and assignment are done by normal motions. [[Senate motion|Administrative motions]] covering minor matters by civil service remain.
* [[The Throne]] can talk in the Senate but cannot propose a motion or vote in the Senate.
* The Throne can [[Senate address|address]] the senate.
* The Throne gains the [[The_Throne#Custodian_of_Virtue|Custodian of Virtue]] power to change a vote in the Synod.
* The Throne gains the [[The_Throne#Order_of_The_Throne|Order of the Throne]] power to nominate speakers in the Conclave.
* We have removed the deadline for the Senate to [[Appointments_by_the_Senate#National_Position|appoint a national position]] but given the wider Senate freedom to act earlier if they choose.

==Field Marshal==
A page for the [[Field Marshal]], the official name for the Field Commander chosen by the Military Council has been added to the wiki. This page expands on this position, how it works, the powers, limitations and responsibilities. It includes some OOC design notes about why the position works the way it does.

==Nations and Territories==
The [[Wintermark Territories]] have been extensively expanded. A note was added to [[Wintermark history]] to make it clear that the position of king or queen of Wintermark was not a ''hereditary'' position.

(09/10/14) Extensive updates to [[Varushka Territories]]; to [[Redoubt]] in [[Urizen]]; and to [[Tassato]] and [[Sarvos]] in [[The League]] (including the creation of the [[Keeper of the Sapphire Stair]] [[sinecure]])

==Ritual Corrections==
The following rituals had incorrect costs listed on the wiki. These have now been corrected.
* [[Blood and Salt]]
* [[Revelation of the Jewel%27s Sparkling Heart]]
* [[Unending Cascade of Blood%27s Fire]]

The last ritual was incorrectly reduced in magnitude shortly before the last event. This error has been fixed and the original correct magnitude restored.

The following ritual had an incorrect casting time listed on the wiki. This has now been corrected.
* [[Rising_Roots_that_Rend_Stone]]

The following rituals have been overhauled to bring them into line with each other and changes to the Campaign Battles.
* [[Knights of Glory]]
* [[Quickening Cold Meat]]
* [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]]
* [[Bound by Common Cause]]
* [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees]]
* [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]]
* [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]]
* [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canea]]

==Anvil Hospital==
We have added information about the [[Anvil Hospital & Imperial School of Medicine]] to the wiki. Thanks to all the players involved for creating this great institution.

==Map Update==
There is a new strategic-and-political map of the Empire [[Gazetteer|here]], and each of the Imperial (or formerly Imperial) territories now has a territory map. Over the next few days, each territory page will be overhauled and updated to include more information about regions and points of interest.

==Military Council Update==
We have updated the [[Imperial Military Council]], streamlining the processes which we will use going forwards to calculate the outcomes of military campaigns, and giving player generals more freedom and control over what happens to their armies. We have also modified the upkeep costs for fortifications to ensure that powerful fortifications remain tenable. We have overhauled the presentation of the section to bring it into line with the new pages for the Imperial Conclave and added extra [[Military Council design|design notes and an explanation for the change]].

==Senate Update==
We've reorganised several pages, as well as creating separate pages for titles such as [[senator]]. We've also done some work clarifying some of the powers of [[The Throne]] where their function was either unclear, or would work poorly.

==Bourse Update==
Several new [[Imperial title|Imperial Bourse titles]] have been added to the wiki.
* [[Bailiff of the Grand Market]] (Marcher position)
* [[Vizier of the Incarnadine Satchel]] (Freeborn position)
* [[Dhomiro of the Cinnabar Hills]] (Freeborn position)
* [[Mistress of the Glass Parador]] (Freeborn position)
* [[Custodian of the Assayer's Guild]] (League position)
* [[Provost of the Halls of Knowledge]] (Urizen position)
* [[Castellan of Spiral Castle]] (Dawn position)

The method by which national bourse positions are assigned has been updated for the Marches and the League.

==Monstering==
Information about [[monstering]] and making your own [[barbarian]] tribe has been added to the wiki. Everyone who is keen is welcome to join us for big kit making session on Friday before the Easter event starts. Whatever you make is yours to keep! We'll hope to find time to add more detail to these pages later in the year.

===Conclave Update===
Players have asked us to provide an [[Conclave_design#A_WizardCivil_Servant_Did_It| IC explanation for the change in the Conclave rules]], rather than simply retcon it, so we have done as requested.

==Winter 2014 Rules Update==
Over winter we carried out a review of the rules from the first year. As a result of that review we have changed a few rules. We are in the process of updating the wiki to reflect these [[Rules changes 2014|rules changes]]. We will continue to carry out reviews of rules each winter, but do not envisage making many other significant changes in the future.

The rules update has been updated... please note that you need to have the relevant skill to participate in a ceremony as part of a sect.

==Updates April 2014 ==
Finally wrote up [[Riddle Hides the Reward]].

Clarified power of [[The Throne]] to ratify constitutional votes.

Added [[Highguard_culture_and_customs#Day_of_the_Dead|details of a Highborn celebration]] to the Customs and Culture section of Highguard.

Changed [[Warmage]] again in line with constitutional note.

Clarified ability of Senator to resupply army on [[Casualties#Emergency_Resupply|Casualties]] page

Completed motions outstanding from [[377YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_Session]]

Updates and maps for [[Semmerholm]], [[Liathaven]], [[Therunin]], [[Mournwold]], [[Brocéliande]] and [[Spiral]] are up, but still stubbed until I have time to check all the backgrounds in the world.

===Conclave Overhaul===
A number of pages have been changed to reflect changes to the way the [[Imperial Conclave]] will function at future events. You can read about the changes in more detail [[Conclave_design|here]]
* Updated the [[Imperial Conclave]] page to lay out the new Conclave in more detail
* Created pages for the three principles of the Conclave [[Principle of Precedence]], [[Principle of Proportions]] and [[Principle of Presence]].
* Updated the [[Conclave order]] page with details of joining an order and the powers of membership.
* Updated the ''Membership of the Order'' section of each conclave order page, and included details of the base materials that go into their [[Conclave vault]] each season. The orders are [[Celestial Arch#Membership_of_the_Order|Celestial Arch]], [[Sevenfold Path#Membership_of_the_Order|Sevenfold Path]], [[Shuttered_Lantern#Membership_of_the_Order|Shuttered Lantern]], [[Rod and Shield#Membership_of_the_Order|Rod and Shield]], [[Golden Pyramid#Membership_of_the_Order|Golden Pyramid]] and [[Unfettered Mind#Membership_of_the_Order|Unfettered Mind]].
* Updated [[detect magic]] with regard to Arcane Mark.
* Updated Imperial title pages for [[Archmage]], [[Grandmaster]], [[Dean of the Lyceum]], [[Warmage]] and created a page for the [[Bursar of the Conclave]].
* Updated [[Conclave session]] and created pages explaining [[Conclave address]], [[declaration]], [[gambit]] and [[amity and enmity]]
* Included the ritual [[Arcane Mark]]
* Updated [[Powers of the Senate]] to reference creation and dissolution of Conclave order and to remove references to Imperial Lore.

==Updates March 2014 ==
Ongoing changes to ritual text durations and targeting guidelines; most of these are just clarifications. Specific changes include:
* [[Rot's Rightful Claim]] is no longer an enchantment
* Added a section about ilium use to [[Mark of Ownership]]
* Added a section to [[Black Iron Blade]] allowing it's magnitude to be increased when cast on a single target to allow removal of protected bonds.
* [[Icy Maw Devours the Spark of Essence]], [[Naeve's Twisting Blight]], [[Winter's Ghosts]] and [[Drawing the Penumbral Veil]] now target a territory rather than a region
* [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]] now requires a Day regio to bring it into line with other campaign army rituals
* [[Transmogrification of the Soul's Echo]] is now clearer on who makes the changes - it is not a brainwashing ritual

Sanctioned event guidelines have been updated to give advice on how to apply Profound Decisions [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/equalityanddiversity?1 equality and diversity] rules to your event.

Tidied up information about several Bourse seats, and linked the physical locations of the seat resources to the territory sections.

Clarified [[military unit#Downtime options|military unit]] downtime options relating to assigning to Imperial armies or special projects and the production from doing so.

Overhauled and updated [[Skarsind]] page, with smaller updates elsewhere especially to [[Miekarova]] and [[Hercynia]] territory pages

Overhauled and updated [[Reikos]] page, with smaller updates elsewhere

Updated the [[Titles Autumn 377]] page to indicate who has what title as of the end of 2013

Overhauled and updated [[Hercynia]] page, with smaller updates elsewhere

Made some changes to the with reference to [[operate portal]] and [[detect magic]]

Several changes to [[enchantment]] effects, as well as a slight change to the way an enchantment made permanent with [[ilium]] can be removed

Changed duration of [[Mark of Ownership]] to "as long as the item lasts"

===Minor updates===
Corrected an error where [[Enfeebling Echo]] was referred to as ''Hand of Time'' on the staffs category page, and corrected an error in the materials (it costs seven beggar's lye, not seven beggar's lye ''and'' seven green iron. Matt to change on database.

Clarified the way that [[Witness]] works for priests in the Imperial Conclave.

==Updates February 2014 ==
The senate powers to create [[new Imperial titles]] have been overhauled with additional content and clarification.

Update about changing a [[resource]]

LaTeX download added to [[Rune_Overview|runes]]

Update to [[Spider's Tollkeep]] and [[Advisor on orc affairs]] to correct error in who can hold these titles; as National positions, they can be held only by characters from those nations.

Slight change to [[Vallorn]] interconnectivity; Vallorn are not believed to be interconnected, allowing more plot options.

Ongoing changes to ritual text durations and targetting guidelines; most of these are just clarifications. Specific changes include:
* [[Touch of Vile Humours]] has changed to bring it into line with the new rules on Day duration enchantments
* [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]], [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]] and similar rituals are undergoing a revision to bring them into line with out rules on [[fortifications]]. Watch this space.

Changed the election process for [[Keeper of the Spice Gardens]] has been adjusted to bring it into line with the section on the [[New_Imperial_titles#Appointment|appointment]] of titles; added a page about the Keeper title; made some edits to the [[Feroz#The_Spice-Gardens_of_Feroz|Feroz]] section about the gardens.

Rules about what happens with personal resources in conquered territories added [[Resource#Conquered_Territories|here]].

Change to [[Orc#Rules|orc rules]] about liao and religious skills, to make the situation very clear

Additional page [[Languages]] added to wiki

Details of the Eternals [[Sung]] and [[Janon]] laid out.

===Minor updates===
Recordings of songs added for Brass Coast (Lost Segura, Wagon Song, Without You) and Marches (Marcher Battle Song, Apple Wassail).

An option to retire a character using [[Sift the Dreamscape's Sands]] added

==Updates January 2014 ==

More details added to the [[Sanctioned_events|sanctioned events]] page including [[Sanctioned_event_rules|rules]].

The Play one, Crew one rule added to the [[Battles]] page

[[Traders]] page updated

[[Events]] page updated with details of 2014 events

[[Facebook_%26_Forums|Facebook and Forums]] page with links for the various social media resources that exist for Empire.

[[Profound_Decisions_management_team|PD management team ]] page updated to show Alison and Matt's current event roles.

=== Minor additions ===
A new minor trapping added to the [[Naga]] page.

New song "For Once I Was A Young Man" added to [[Highguard_music|Highguard music]]

New costume diary added to [[Costume_advice|costume advice]] - high status Marchers doublet.

==Updates after Event 4, Sept 2013 ==

[[Synod Results, Autumn Summit, 377 YE]]

==Updates between Event 3 and Event 4 2013 ==
All updates up to Event 4 are grouped here under appropriate heading.

Details of event 4 [[Autumn Equinox 2013]]

===Ring of Triumph===
An error on the summary page for the Ring of Triumph has been corrected. The correct materials for this item are include six ingots of [[Materials#Green Iron|green iron]] '''not''' six ingots of [[Materials#Tempest Jade|tempest jade]]

===Rules and OOC info===
Update on the [[Frequently Asked Questions|FAQ]]
*Question added - Can I email a longer background?
*Clarification about using using a one handed spear as a two handed pole weapon.
*Clarification about using hero skills at range.

A section added to [[playing the game]] about stealing IC items and what to do with the phys reps.

[[Traders]] info updated with details of Jolly Dicey, Twisted Flax, Grimm & Grizzly and a new website for Mandala Studios.

=== World information===
A [[Current Affairs|current affairs]] page added to pull together various reports including elections, senate and synod decisions from the first three events. This page and the various other pages it leads to should be updated each event. There is also a page which details the [[Titles Autumn 377|planned elections at E4]] .

Addition of [[Damaris|Damaris of Cantiarch's Hold]] as a [[ Paragons and Exemplars|examplar]]

Pages about [[Trogoni]] and [[Plaguewulf]] added.

The section on [[Madruga]] has been updated to show the current situation with the [[Repair the Spider's Dream|now repaired]] Spider's Dream bridge and the [[Imperial Title|Imperial title]] [[Spider's Tollkeep]] which is funded from the tolls is now available for election again.

Section on [[ List of Criminal Offences|criminal offences]] updated with more links to the [[ Religious Crimes|religious crimes]] section. New crime of desecration added.
Several new [[Imperial Title|Imperial titles]] have been created they will be added to the [[Current Imperial Titles]] list in due course.

More information added to some [[Foreign nations|foreign nations]] including a new page on [[Iron Confederacy]]

Updated information on the [[Imperial Bourse]] about elections and titles.

More [[Eternals]] detailed

Details added about [[Fortifications]] and existing ones added to relevant territory pages.

On going - Details of senate decisions and the resulting actions being added as the scribes have time, check the [[Recent History (Senate)| Senate sessions]] for details.

===Magic===
*Ritual [[Cold Water from the Mountain]] changed from Spring to Day
*Autumn ritual [[Sum of the Parts]] added.

Updates to [[Dean of the Lyceum]] and [[Conclave session]] about adding new rituals available to Imperial citizens.

===Music===

[[Highguard Go To War]] added to [[Highguard music]]

Extra information about music added to [[Urizen music|Urizen]] including three new songs.

Also a whole bunch of song pdfs have been updated.

The Masquerade of the Reaper

2015-03-26T12:44:25Z

GregW:

{{CaptionedImage|file=TheReaper.jpg|caption=The Scholar and the Reaper.|title=Two egregores for the Masquerade of the Reaper - the scholar on the left, the Reaper incarnated on the right.|align=left|width=500}}
==Celebration==
Even in mourning, the League cannot help but make a grand show. Each year at the Winter solstice, the ''Masquerade of the Reaper'' offers citizens of all four cities a chance to celebrate the lives of those they have lost, which they do with great style.

The festival has its roots in [[dramaturgy]] and the League's love affair with masks - although some scholars point out semantic similarities with the [[Highguard|Highborn]] - [[Highguard_culture_and_customs#Day_of_the_Dead|Day of the Dead]] which also takes place at the Winter Solstice .

At [[Casinea#Anvil|Anvil]], a central role is played by the nation's egregore, who dons the mask of the Reaper, bringing back the shades of the recently deceased from the Labyrinth in a grand procession through the streets. In many ways, the egregore becomes a cultural ''death guiser'', touring the camp, visiting every guild and being given a small gift. Anyone who has died in the last year might be represented by a death guiser, who will then follow the Reaper in their procession, ending at the grand plaza. There, any of the citizens of the League who attend Anvil may speak with them and make a (symbollic) public presentation to the spirits of the dead.

Being asked to take on the death guise at any time implies a great deal of trust and respect, but this is especially true at this grand memorial performance. Any words said to the masked figure are, as far as Leaguers are concerned, spoken to the dead and thus to be taken to the Labyrinth. The role is taken very seriously - significant [[The League culture and customs#Dead Reckoning|Dead Reckoning]] may be recorded for the favour of taking on a guise, or the honour of being asked.

Powerful [[The League hearth magic|hearth magic]] is associated with this festival. It is considered the worst possible luck to let the Reaper see your own face, as then they will know what to look for during the year to come. Any Leaguer thus knows the importance of wearing a mask for protection, while many have tales of someone who flaunted this tradition and came to an unfortunate end soon after. Scholars often compare this dramaturgic personification of Death to that of the [[The Brass Coast|Freeborn]]. On the Brass Coast, Death is often portrayed as a foolish figure of fun; while there is an air of festivity to the role of the Reaper, the traditions that surround its celebratory incarnation are deadly serious. It is unsurprising that the two nations have similar customs relating to the personification of death - some scholars see this as a reaction to their shared historical connection to the [[Highguard|Highborn]].

Festivities will continue long after dark, with the guilds remaining open for business as the central Plaza transforms into the night market. A visitor to The League camp at this time might be forgiven for thinking the whole area was reminiscent of a stage, with every citizen performing. They would not be far wrong.

==Traditions==
===Entertainments===
The festival includes a great many entertainments; and as in all things, the League cannot help but be competitive about them. No-one officially judges who performs the finest play or hosts the finest gathering, but be in no doubt that citizens keep score of who and what has impressed or offended them. Leading theatre [[troupe|troupes]] and musicians will be sure to perform publically and many of the more fashion conscious will choose this time to reveal their new outfits.

===Bridge Duelling===
Some of the competition is more obvious to an outsider. ''Bridge Duelling'' is a popular sport between [[bravo|bravos]], a sport often credited as a satire of the relations between the twin cities of [[Tassato]]. One team will stake out an area as their 'bridge' and challenge all comers who wish to cross it. This culminates in a grand series of [[#Duelling|duels]] where competitors fight for ribbons. Duellists can choose to stake a number of ribbons from their collection against each other, but a greater number are often won from admirers in the crowd who applaud showmanship, wit and style as much as combat prowess. In keeping with the masked nature of the festival, it is common for combatants to adopt a persona and announce themselves under a name chosen for the occasion, rather than their own.
===Gifts===
The giving of gifts to loved ones is very common during the festival, although individual guilds have very varied traditions; outsiders would be well warned to subtly find out what is normal for any guild they have regular dealings with. For some, the gift of food and drink is the norm, while others take pride in giving small but much more personal trinkets.

===Mountebanks and Tricksters===
Amongst the [[Mountebank|street magicians]] the festival has a gained a slightly different flavour. It is known unofficially as the ''Masquerade of the Red Dancer''. Daring acts of sabotage and infiltration are commited under heavy masks, and it is said the greatest long cons have reached their climax on this night. The knowledge of this tradition adds an extra frisson of danger to the celebration - at the back of the mind of each [[The_League_leadership|prince]] and [[bishop]] is the vague suspicion that ''this'' might be the night where some unscrupulous trickster, grifter or thief unravels their carefuly laid plans.

<ic>
The orphans lined up on the marble steps, ready in their best clothes and every face covered with a mask - all except one small petulant blue face in the middle ranks. One of the guardians of the Little Mother soon swooped forward.<br><br>
"Giovanna, put your mask on!"<br><br>
"But Mother, it is uncomfortable, and the ribbon makes my gills itch."<br><br>
"It's terrible luck if the Reaper sees you! Do you want him to know your face?"<br><br>
"But Mother, in lessons they said luck is a heretical idea and not real."<br><br>
"Hearth Magic is very real though, and very powerful." The guardian helped the little girl tie her mask back on. "Besides, if Mother Bishop catches you showing up our Church without a mask he will make you wish the Reaper would take you..."</ic>

Wyvernsting Spaulders

2015-03-25T19:16:44Z

GregW:

==Description==
Where possible a set of wyvernsting spaulders is crafted from leather taken from an actual [[Legendary beasts#Dragons, Wyverns and Wyrms|wyvern]]; when this is not available, [[Mundane beasts#Drake|drake]] hide is substituted. In a few cases leather is covered with a layer of snakeskin, or leather taken from lizards such as alligators, is used instead. The spaulders are usually combined with vambraces of similar material and design, often with a belt or pectoral to match.

Wyvernskin spaulders are occasionally called ''wyrmhide pauldrons'', although the name is a misleading reference to legends of poisonous reptillian creatures rather than to the [[Eternals]] of [[Night]]. The [[Navarr]] and those who live in certain areas threatened by massive insects call them ''venomskin chitin'' and make them from insect shells. In the same fashion, [[The Brass Coast|Freeborn]] and [[The League|League]] magicians with access to the shells of great crabs often use them in the creation of the mage armour - while there are few [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xanthidae poisonous crabs], those few that do exist have lead to this mage armour being called ''mudpebble carapace'' or sometimes, when fancifully decorated, ''pufferfish stingmail''.

Much like the [[Mountainfall Bracers]] and [[Splintering Gorget]] this mage armour allows a magician to channel the power of a spell - in this case the [[venom]] incantation - much more efficiently, allowing them to poison many more opponents during a day.

==Rules==
{{Mage Armour}}
* '''Effect:''' Twice per day when you cast the [[venom]] spell, you may do so without spending any mana.
* '''Materials:''' Crafting wyvernsting spaulders requires nine measures of [[Materials#Beggar's Lye|beggar's lye]], five measures of [[Materials#iridescent Gloaming|iridescent gloaming]], and five measures of [[Materials#Orichalcum|orichalcum]]. It takes one month to make one of these items.


<ic>Gnaeus shook the rain from his face and, with a heroic effort, heaved his shield from the sucking mud of the landslide that had half-buried his band of Sentinels. It was weighed down with clinging earth, but the gryphon facing off against his comrades would not extend him any courtesy for that. He brushed what he could off it and raised it to defend himself. His sword, though, was lost, and on the dark and rain-swept hillside he might not see it next to his own feet. The calculated decision was to spend no longer with his back to the gryphon, and though the Merrow didn't like the idea of facing it with only his wand and his dagger, Katerina needed his shield as quickly as possible.

The creature was small for a gryphon, perhaps six feet from beak to haunches. It must have been an adolescent, an outcast from its pack, which explained its desperate behaviour, attacking humans during a storm. Katerina, shivering violently, was holding it off with her long spear, and Castor, the older Merrow physick with the Healer's Harness, stood uncertainly by her side. Gnaeus trudged through the mud to cover Katerina's side, giving her spear some defence, and looking for any chance to help her.

"Gnaeus, if I can knock it down with the spear, do you think you can get close to it?" Katerina asked.

"I've only got a dagger!"

She only took her eyes off the gryphon for a second, but it was long enough to give him a withering look. "You're <i>wearing</i>-" she began.

The gryphon batted the tip of her spear away, its blows surprisingly strong for its size, and Katerina lurched as her centre of balance shifted. It hurled itself at the group, and Gnaeus felt claws rake his shield.

"Envenom it!" Katerina shouted, trying to back off while keeping it at bay. She was freshly injured, and still too close to defend herself adequately. It looked between the two, choosing which foe to face, and then leapt at Katerina.

"Isn't it too big?" Gnaeus asked. Katerina didn't reply; she was too busy trying to hold it off her. He heard Castor go down behind her, and hoped he had enough mana to keep healing them both.

"Do you have... any... better ideas?" she growled eventually, her voice full of pain. He looked up from his fumblings with his wand to see her <i>wrestling</i> with the beast, holding its forelimbs to keep its talons from her face. Its powerful back legs raked her.

It was a terrible gamble. Combat magic didn't work on creatures bigger than humans. It was just how the spells worked; they hadn't been designed for non-human enemies. Still, there was nothing that said that they <i>mustn't</i> work. It was just a question of... dose. Gnaeus swallowed hard, knowing very well that he was all-but signing his own death warrant, and began the casting. It wasn't his best spell, but the Wyvernskin Spaulders made it so much easier, and would leave him with more to heal the others when they dug them out.

He lurched forward, keeping his shield high, and the gryphon didn't seem to notice him. He got close enough to see the hipbones poking out through its fur. It was starving; that must have made it desperate. Katerina got a blow in with her spear, and Castor kept shouting at it, keeping its attention on the two of them. Gnaeus dodged past its lashing feline tail and jabbed his wand into its flank.

It reared back as the venom entered it, and Gnaeus threw himself back into the mud to get as far away from it as fast as he could. Panting and coughing out rainwater, his veins filling with the same ice-cold venom, he crawled backwards with the desperation of the near-dead. He was certain he must now die, giving Katerina the chance to kill it while it ate him alive.

It didn't. The gryphon spread its wings and lifted off with a great blast of wind. It turned and glided away, heading down the valley, and did not settle within sight.

Castor squelched over to him, shaking violently in terror on the ground, and purified his blood with a word. The older Merrow held out a hand to help him to his feet. "That was a young one, probably the runt of the pride. It fled because you hurt it worse than we did. Any animal will flee if envenomed – it places them far too close to death for their comfort.

“Come now. We must rescue the others quickly. We don't know how badly injured they are, and if a pride takes an interest in us, we'll need everyone to frighten them off."

Gnaeus nodded, swallowed, and followed Castor to where the other three Sentinels lay injured and part-buried. Together, glancing over their shoulders, the three free began to unearth the three trapped.</ic>

Category:Mage Armour

2015-03-25T19:16:27Z

GregW: Correcting Splintering Gorget and Wyvernsting Spaulders per removal of sympathetic spells.

<table class="wikitable"><tr><th>Item</th><th>Power</th><th style="font-size: 50%;">Months</th><th style="font-size: 50%;">Orichalcum</th><th style="font-size: 50%;">Tempest Jade</th><th style="font-size: 50%;">Green Iron</th><th style="font-size: 50%;">Weltsilver</th><th style="font-size: 50%;">Ambergelt</th><th style="font-size: 50%;">Beggars Lye</th><th style="font-size: 50%;">Dragon Bone</th><th style="font-size: 50%;">Irridescent Gloaming</th></tr>
<tr><td>[[Hero's Girdle]]</td><td>Gain 1 rank of the endurance skill</td><td style="text-align: center;">2</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Warmage's Belt]]</td><td>1/day may use Second Wind</td><td style="text-align: center;">1</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">5</td><td style="text-align: center;">4</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Healer's Harness]]</td><td>Damage taken by you or your target does not interrupt spells you are casting (for spells such as heal, create bond or night pouch).</td><td style="text-align: center;">1</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">7</td><td style="text-align: center;">4</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">5</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Vambraces of Regeneration]]</td><td>Twice per day you may spend ten seconds of appropriate roleplaying to repair one of your limbs that has been ruined by the cleave or impale call.</td><td style="text-align: center;">1</td><td style="text-align: center;">8</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">3</td><td style="text-align: center;">5</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Splintering Gorget]]</td><td>Twice per day when you cast the [[weakness]] spell, you may do so without spending any mana.</td><td style="text-align: center;">1</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">5</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">3</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">5</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">5</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Wyvernsting Spaulders]]</td><td>Twice per day when you cast the [[venom]] spell, you may do so without spending any mana.</td><td style="text-align: center;">1</td><td style="text-align: center;">5</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">3</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">5</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">5</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Sunfire Pectoral]]</td><td>Gain 1 personal mana, Gain 1 rank of the endurance skill</td><td style="text-align: center;">1</td><td style="text-align: center;">5</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">11</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">5</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Bloodfeather Harness]]</td><td>Gain 3 ranks of the Fortitude skill</td><td style="text-align: center;">1</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">12</td><td style="text-align: center;">5</td><td style="text-align: center;">5</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Twilight Pauldrons]]</td><td>Gain 2 personal mana</td><td style="text-align: center;">1</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">5</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">3</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">5</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">11</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Forge of Isenbrad]]</td><td>You may cast the Mending spell in 5 seconds instead of 10. 2/day you can cast mend on any item you are bonded to without spending any mana.</td><td style="text-align: center;">1</td><td style="text-align: center;">12</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">9</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">4</td><td style="text-align: center;">5</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Gravedigger's Vest]]</td><td>1/day regain all lost hits when you use Unstoppable</td><td style="text-align: center;">1</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">9</td><td style="text-align: center;">9</td><td style="text-align: center;">11</td><td style="text-align: center;">7</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">5</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Mountainfall Bracers]]</td><td>You may cast the Paralyse spell for 1 mana instead of 2</td><td style="text-align: center;">1</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">7</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">13</td><td style="text-align: center;">9</td><td style="text-align: center;">7</td><td style="text-align: center;">5</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Battlesmith's Panoply]]</td><td>Gain 2 personal mana, gain 2 ranks of the endurance skill</td><td style="text-align: center;">1</td><td style="text-align: center;">11</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">8</td><td style="text-align: center;">9</td><td style="text-align: center;">9</td><td style="text-align: center;">5</td><td style="text-align: center;">0</td><td style="text-align: center;">11</td></tr>
</table>

Transmogrification of the Soul's Echo

2015-03-25T16:33:10Z

GregW:

==Rules==
{{Season|Night|60}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|2}} {{Target Character}} This target must be willing. If they are unwilling or unaware of the general nature of the ritual, their mind remains closed and the ritual fails.

===Effects===
This ritual permanently changes the personality of the target character.

* This can be a subtle alteration or a full 'rewrite' of their nature, goals, aims, beliefs and behaviour.
* The changes may be as sweeping or minor as the target desires, and seem perfectly natural to the target from that point onwards.
* The character still remembers who they are and what they did before; memories do not change.
* They remain physically the same person; their lineage, gender and appearance do not change.
* Their abilities do not change.
* Everything else from the kind of food they like or dislike to their core beliefs can be changed with immediate effect.

The decision about what elements of personality are changed and in what way is left in the hands of the target; the coven performing the ritual may try to influence these changes, but the final decision is up to the target.

In addition to giving the target character a new personality, this ritual is effective at permanently removing lower-magnitude curses that effect the emotions or mind of the target.

==Description==

The apogee of alchemy - the 'Great Work' - is often said to be more than the process of turning [[Materials#Orichalcum|orichalcum]] into [[Materials#Green Iron|green iron]]. Rather it is sometimes seen as being the same transformative effect rendered on the very soul, transmuting the fabric of the person into something new. This ritual can be compared to an alchemical change wrought upon a living mind, rather than gross materials.

Characters who undergo this ritual sometimes take a new name, but it is not mandatory. Those who have experienced the change describe their earlier life as being like a dream, from which they have suddenly awoken. Many students of Night lore claim that the new personality is the character a person might have had if they had made different choices at key points, or chosen to unravel their [[Wintermark culture and customs#Skein|skein]] in a different way. Others say that the person who undergoes it becomes essentially a new person, and treat them as such - although it must be noted that Imperial law makes no distinction between the identity of a person before and after this ritual and claims that the old person no longer exists are generally dismissed out of hand.

Some people react quite badly on discovering the new identity of someone they thought they knew; on one occasion a woman attempted to bring a [[Groups#Covens|coven]] before magistrates on charges of having murdered her brother and replaced him with some sort of Night-spawned doppelganger. The case was dismissed, but the ritual continues to have a slightly shady reputation. Occasionally friends and relatives claim that the ritual has been used as a form of brainwashing, to force changes on a loved one; magical scholars are usually called on to give evidence that the ritual affects only ''willing'' targets.

Some theologians have questioned how the ritual works, and what implications it might have for one's soul; how one's past deeds effect one's path through the Labyrinth if the person who performed them no longer exists; and whether someone who has chosen their identity can be truly virtuous. There are even those who go so far as to suggest the 'new' personality is nothing more than a spirit from the Night realm possessing the body of someone whose spirit has been displaced during the ritual.

This ritual is quite expensive to perform, and is rarely used simply to change someone's mind. It sees much more use as a method of treating curses that disturb the thoughts or passions of a victim; even then it is much more likely to be used to counter a devastating effect such as [[All the World in a Grain of Sand]] than a comparatively mild curse such as [[Unfettered Anarchy]]. When used in this way, the ritualists focus on the nature of the curse, and the target leaves the rest of their personality as-is. On some occasions when the ritual is used to end a curse, the target still awakens to find that not only has the curse gone but some minor element of their personality has changed as well; they like a type of food they disliked before, or now find a piece of music they previously enjoyed to be intolerable. Most Night ritualists just shrug and point out that the ritual only changes things that the target ''wants'' to change; sometimes people don't realise how much they want to change things.

==Common Elements==

The ritual often involves the target symbolically dying, so that a new personality can be born. Funereal elements appropriate to culture might be used, especially shrouds and clothing associated with the dead. Many rituals make use of narcotics, sedatives or mild poisons to relax the target. The target is often encouraged to consider their previous identity to be a dream, and that when they awaken they will have changed. Sometimes the ritualists describe the changes the character will undergo (although they are doing this to help the target change, not dictating what those changes will be). Butterflies and frogs are a common image used, as is the profound ability of fire to change things from one state to another.

Masks or items that represent the personality or identity are often used, and may be shattered during the ritual. Sometimes multiple mirrors are used to capture the reflection of the target as they describe the person they wish to be. The name of the [[Eternals|Eternal]] [[Soghter]] is sometimes evoked during this ritual, although there is an unproven superstition that doing so increases the chance that the target's children will become [[naga]].

The [[Xun]] rune is often invoked with this ritual, as is the [[Zorech|rune of passion]].

[[Category:Night Ritual]]
[[Category:Rituals]]
[[Category:IC Text Required]]

378YE Winter Solstice winds of fortune

2015-03-24T00:20:33Z

GregW: /* Prosperity in Miaren */ SPAG

Over the past three months, the following events have occurred which are of significance to the Empire and may require a response from her champions:

==The Winds of War==
The wars with the barbarian orcs continue. More will be reported soon.

==Boggarts in Morrow==
Vermin from the Realm of Night have been sighted in Morrow and could have an impact on the production of mana and herbs in this territory and potentially surrounding territories. There is more information regarding this infestation [[Boggarts in Morrow|here]].

==Celebrations in Segura==
With the Empire having fully restored Segura to the fold, there have been many celebrations. Imperial prognosticators have identified that the Synod, Senate and Bourse have the potential to capitalise on this sentiment. There is more information regarding this opportunity [[The Glorious Advance|here]]

==Anarchy in Miekarova==
Reports are coming in of acts of sabotage and disruption across Miekarova that appear to be the actions of a coordinated cult of Anarchists. This sabotage appears to be primarily directed at military units in an effort to disrupt the Imperial war effort. There is more information regarding this threat [[Anarchy in Miekarova|here]].

==Friendly Rivalry==
Owing to the deployment of military units from the two orc legions to the same location, there has been more contact between rank and file soldiers from each of the legions. This has generated a spirit of friendly rivalry and competition that the Imperial Synod could potentially capitalize on. There is more information regarding this opportunity [[Friendly Rivalry|here]].

==Prosperity in Miaren==
As the days start to lengthen and Autumn turns inexorably into Winter, a subtle shroud of magic settles over the [[Navarr]] territory of [[Miaren]]. The first signs come when the [[herb garden|herb gardens]] produce an unexpected bounty of [[bladeroot]]. Then the workers in the [[mine|mines]] and [[forest|forests]] enjoy unexpected prosperity; this extra prosperity means there is more money being spent in the [[business|businesses]]. Crops in the [[farm|fields]] last longer both before and after harvest; meat smokes and salts easier. Some citizens turn to their [[congregation|guides]] to offer thanks for their unlooked-for comfort in the late-Autumn, while more suspicious individuals seek the advice of the priests to explain these events. Even [[military unit|soldiers]] whose home barracks are in Miaren enjoy additional success. Finally, the [[Navarr_magical_traditions|vates]] who tend the [[mana site|mana sites]] discover a small number of additional crystals to harvest.

While the majority of effects are positive, it is noticable that there is a cruel edge to the season as well as some unlooked for fortune. Weak animals and plants die in noticably greater numbers; young children suffer from sleepless nights, complaining of nightmares; the eldest Navarr, those in their final years before they go to their final rest in the funeral groves, find it almost impossible to get to sleep, spending their days in tired exhaustion. The [[draughir]] suffer worst of all - those who dwell in the [[steading|steadings]] of Miaren, or pass through with [[striding|stridngs]] find it increasingly difficult to connect emotionally to anyone outside their immediate circle of friends and family. There are a few unfortunate incidents in which a draughir lashes out at someone they see as encroaching on their territory - but the majority of the Navarr ''ghul'' manage to keep their instincts under control.

'''Game Effect:''' Every personal resource owned by a Navarr character in Miaren gained an additional rank during the Autumn 378YE downtime. This resulted in additional production, and in the case of congregations will show as additional votes in the [[Imperial Synod]]. The vates have identified that for the three months following the Autumn Equinox, Miaren was subject to a Winter [[enchantment]] of magnitude 50. As the Winter Solstice draws closer, the magic started to weaken and fade.

[[Category:Recent History]]
[[Category:History]]
[[Category:378YE]]

The Glorious Advance

2015-03-23T10:44:01Z

GregW: /* Victory in Segura */

[[Category:WoF E1-2015]]
==Victory in Segura==
<ic>
Carlos applauded as Trystane's song ended. "Its a good song," he said, "but so typical of the Dawnish Troubadour to sing of the glories of their own people. You should sing more of the Red Wind Corsairs for the Empire's victory in Segura was truly their doing. What is more Virtuous than a people fighting for their homeland?"

Trystane's smile did not go much beyond his lips. "You'll find my song is accurate, Sutannir. Without the Eastern Sky and the Hounds of Glory, Segura would be the homeland of the Lasambrians. Two Dawnish armies to the Brass Coast's one. The victory in Segura was ours."

Carlos shrugged, "You needed two Dawnish armies to keep up with the Red Wind Corsairs. It was the Red Wind that drove the Lasambrians off the Iron Plains. You had your hands full of Summer Realm soldiers. Anyway, what say you, Harald? You follow the Path of Pride, which of us has the right of it?"

Harald shifted in his seat uncomfortably, taking a drink before saying, "Clearly the victory belongs to the Empire. We should celebrate together, should we not?"

Harald raised his drink. After a moment's pause, Carlos and Trystane followed suit.
</ic>

Segura is now fully under the control of the Empire again. The victories of the Red Wind Corsairs, Eastern Sky and Hounds of Glory removed the Lasambrians' appetite for battle, pushing them to the negotiating table - and then off Imperial land.

Celebrations across the Empire are strongest within the Brass Coast and Dawn where the soldiers that gave their lives to restore this territory are remembered. This victory has stirred a spirit of military patriotism in these nations. Based on similar events in the past, Imperial prognosticators know that applying the right form of encouragement, whilst passions are riding high, can aid enlistment and the preparation of a new army.

From past experience, the most effective way to provide this encouragement is through Statements of Principle made within the Imperial Synod. Specifically, if the Assembly of Pride chooses to validate a nation, then the citizens of that nation respond. Prognosticators observe that attempts to validate multiple nations, or the Empire, whilst generally positive, do not elicit the same response from the populace.

With specific reference to Segura:

* If the Assembly of Pride makes a Statement of Principle celebrating Dawn's efforts in reclaiming Segura, and the Senate approves the founding of an army in that nation, then the civil service estimates it will require 50 less mithril to raise that army than it normally would owing to the fervor raised in Dawnish yeomen.

* If the Assembly of Pride makes a Statement of Principle celebrating the Brass Coast's efforts in reclaiming Segura, and the Senate approves the founding of a navy in that nation, then the civil service estimates it will require 50 less weirwood to raise that navy than it normally would owing to the zeal raised in Freeborn corsairs.

* If both nations are celebrated in the same, or different, Statements, then the impact on the citizens is diluted and the benefit is lost.

* It is noted that the General Assembly is regarded as having greater weight and authority than Virtue Assembles. Consequently, a Statement of Principle by the General Assembly could supercede that of the Assembly of Pride, but only after the Assembly of Pride had first made a judgment.

'''Note:''' This opportunity is only available in the aftermath of this victory, which is to say that the Senate Motion must be passed at the Winter Solstice, 378YE. If construction commences after this time, then it would be at full cost.

Boggarts in Morrow

2015-03-23T10:41:50Z

GregW: /* Civil Service Report */

===Unwelcome Discovery===
<ic>The rocks were slick and slippery with rainwater, but Clytemnestra stepped lightly and her balance never faltered. She paused momentarily, eyes closed, to feel the moisture against her skin, before shaking her head to dislodge droplets from her barbels.

The route was well-worn as Clytemnestra - and many before her - had walked it to the location of the Spire's mana site. A perfect spot that, almost like a rockpool on the coast, gathered flows of magic to the point they crystallise.

Cresting the rise, Clytemnestra paused again, this time eyes open and alert. Figures were gathered by the small stone shallow where the mana gathered; three of them, on their hands and knees. They had the look of naga yeoman about them, but they were many miles from Dawn or the Marches. Clytemnestra reached behind her back and pulled forth two ornately carved, and yet visibly well-used, rods. Adopting a battle-ready stance, weapon in either hand, Clytemnestra advanced. "Identify yourselves," she called out, without any waver in her voice.

The three figures jumped to their feet immediately, faced Clytemnestra and hissed, before fleeing.

Clytemnestra advanced on the mana site carefully, but also resigned to what she would find. Fragments of broken crystal lay scattered about the bowl, and in smaller number than usual.

"Boggarts," hissed Clytemnestra .
</ic>

===Civil Service Report===
Citizens across the Urizen territory of [[Morrow]] are reporting sightings of [[Boggarts|boggarts]]. These vermin, believed to have originated from the Realm of Night, are manavores and deliberately seek out flows of magic, and the places they pool, to feed upon. Possessing an inherent magic akin to the ritual [[The Twilight Masquerade]], their primary defence is camouflage, and they rarely approach or attack citizens.

Past experience has shown that territories infested with boggarts experience a significant decline in mana production. Conversely, in more positive news, boggart faeces are also known to enrich - or perhaps transform - soils and enhance their fertility. Consequently, this rarified manure is sought after by citizens who can use it to enhance production of herb gardens or farms in the territory. These faeces sadly cannot be stored or transported well, as their potency swiftly fades.

Swarms of Boggarts are a known phenomenon and across the Empire's history; a number of responses have been tried to varying degrees of effect:

* The civil service estimates that the consequences of doing nothing about this boggart infestation will be a ''massive''[1] reduction in Morrow's mana site supply, accompanied by a ''moderate'' increase in herb garden[2] and farm productivity[3] in Morrow.

* As manavores, boggarts pose little threat to the lives of citizens and only threaten Imperial resources. Consequently, the Academy has, in the past, taken the opportunity to arrange boggart hunts for younger citzens keen to practice their martial skills. The outcome of a successful boggart hunt would mean less mana would be lost to the vermin[4]. This would have no impact on the benefit to farms and herb gardens.

* The Senate during the reign of Empress Mariika hit upon a scheme where - using scares, lures, and mana as bait - boggarts could be coaxed from one territory into another. In this way, the boggarts were relocated from Astolat to Miaren, which benefitted from the increased herb production and was mana poor at the time. This action could be carried out by the Senate for a cost of 10 Thrones or by a Conclave Gambit of 21 Mana. The motion or gambit must specify a single territory adjacent to Morrow the boggarts were being relocated to, otherwise it could not succeed.

* Before becoming Emperor, Nicovar proposed to the Senate that boggart lures could be improved upon to become boggart traps so that the mana supply could be protected, and the boggart faeces harvested for the enhancement of herb gardens. This proved very popular. This action could be carried out by the Senate for a cost of 25 Thrones or by a Conclave Gambit of 40 Mana. This would significantly reduce the mana lost to vermin[5] and, if the Academy completed a successful boggart hunt, would ensure no mana was lost.

* There is also the belief that as manivorous Night-creatures, the boggart population could be directly affected by the intervention of [[Sadogua]]. There is a story from the First Interregnum that the then Archmage of Night demanded Sadogua remove boggarts from Kahraman, and whilst Sadogua agreed, the outcome was that they were relocated to Madruga with their numbers swollen. It is unclear what price Sadogua sought for his aid on that occasion, or even if the story is true.

The above options are the lessons learned across the history of the Empire. The civil service does not expect that this is an exhaustive or absolute list. Costings for Senate Motions, Conclave Gambits or Synod Rewardings can be requested from the civil service at the Hub.

===Footnotes===
* [1] -4 mana production per mana site
* [2] +2 random herbs per herb garden
* [3] +36 rings of income per farm
* [4] 1 less mana lost per mana site
* [5] 3 less mana lost per mana site

Tassato

2015-03-21T20:00:41Z

GregW: /* The School of Epistemology */ She's an Exemplar on other pages and reincarnation implies not Paragon

{{CaptionedImage|file=RegionsofTassato.png|title=The Twin City straddles the Vassa like a colossus|caption=Regions of Tassato|align=left|width=500}}
==Overview==
Peering at each other across the fast-flowing Vassa, Tassato is called the Twin City or the Split City. Providing the only easy way to cross the wide and dangerous river, Tassato is a city divided against itself. Tassato was originally two towns, Mestra and Regario, named for the feuding siblings who historically founded them on either bank of the Vassa. Over time, both towns grew on each bank and the river formed a natural boundary between them. Attempts to build bridges between the cities have always foundered and the people rely on boats and barges to cross the river.

The western part of the city is called Tassato Mestra, and the eastern is Tassato Regario. The people on either side of the river are historically rivals, and that historical rivallry occasionally boils up into open conflict. The two cities were unified under the control of Anabela di Regario, a merchant prince who ruled over a century before the creation of the Empire. Anabela was forced to contend with the constant rivalry between the two cities- open battles in the streets between bravos were causing widespread lawlessness and in the end the prince declared a ban on the open carrying of weapons. The ban had the desired effect, damping down the bloodshed although and the rivalry was slowly transformed to verbal banter between the two sides. The ban endured until Tassato joined the Empire and in that time the people became famous for their wordplay, launching quips and insults at each other like arrows.

Citizens of Tassato generally refer to Regario and Mestra as separate places, while everyone else refers to them as wards or parts of the same city.
Today Tassato enjoys an unrivalled reputation as a city where the spoken word is an art-form. Tassatans take a delight in layered meanings, subtexts and unspoken communication. The city has provided several senators famous for their brilliant oratory and representatives from the city are usually regarded as the finest diplomats in the Empire. Of all the people of the League, Tassatans are most likely to view life as a game and they are notorious for their love of intrigue, not just for the sake of advancement but for the sheer pleasure to be had thereby. They regard cunning diplomacy more highly than armed conflict, not because they are peace-loving, but instead because they regard words as a more effective tool than weapons in destroying their enemies - better to set enemies against enemies than to face them yourself. Manipulation is high art here - no surprise that some of the finest [[mountebanks]] hail from Tassato.

Tassato chooses a [[senator]] each Autumn equinox, and as might be imagined the election is often bitterly contested. Traditionally, being senator for Tassato is regarded as one of the worst seats in the Imperial Senate. If the senator is from the city itself, then they often encounter resistance and hostility from the folk from the other side of the river. If they are not from the city proper - if they refuse to pick a side - they are generally treated as interlopers and encounter harassment from citizens from both sides of the river. A few wealthy guilds that live outside the city proper maintain a discreet distance from the intrigues of their more urban cousins - the votes of these guilds are much sought after by candidates regardless of where they live.
{{CaptionedImage|file=The Foxes.jpg|title=Tassato is home to bold bravos, master merchants, divine dramaturges and princes of the League|caption=From Tassato Regario, the Camorra Barossa, Guild of the Crimson Fox|align=right|width=500}}

==Recent History==
== Major Features ==
=== The Sapphire Stair ===
A masterwork of locks built by the Tassatan engineer Marco Di Paraiso for Emperor Giovanni in the early days of the empire, replacing the old system of portage. Tassato relies on the Sapphire Stair for all its boat trade, and due to this, the village of Cevia is fortified, and watchmen constantly guard the Stair. Control of the Sapphire Stair is hotly contested between the folk of Regario and Mestra. It represents a valuable [[sinecure]], and the [[Keeper of the Sapphire Stair]] receives a portion of all tolls levied for the use of the river.

=== The Arratan Gamble ===
The Gamble is a large quarry in northern [[#Enterio|Enterio]]. It has a singularly bad reputation, and several previous holders of the seat have been ruined. Some claim that the quarry is cursed, while others claim that the real problem is the people of Tassato Regario who resent anyone other than a fellow Regario citizen claiming it. In addition to the white granite produced in the Gamble, the quarries are known for their fine stone using in construction throughout Tassato and the central Empire.

The Arratan Gamble is an Imperial [[Bourse#The_Arratan_Gamble|Bourse position]] which produces white granite. It is allocated to any Imperial citizen by open auction during the Summer solstice. This Bourse position produces 25 Imperial wains of white granite each season.

===The Imperial Mint===
In the centre of the Vassa towers the Imperial Mint where [[Game_items#Coins|Imperial coinage]] is produced. While this fortified building itself is operated by the civil service, its protection falls to the people of the League. The [[Master of the Imperial Mint]] has the use of sumptuous apartments on the small island where the Mint stands, and access to a number of well-maintained boats with which to cross the Vassa. Founded by [[Emperor Giovanni]],

The Master of the Imperial Mint is a national [[Bourse#The_Master_of_The_Imperial_Mint|Bourse position]] which provides several [[Master of the Imperial Mint|political and economic advantages]]. The title is auctioned to the citizens of the League each Winter.

===The School of Epistemology===
Established by the [[Paragons_and_Exemplars|Exemplar]] of [[Wisdom]] [[Avigliana di Sarvos|Avigliana]] in [[#Tassato Regario|Tassato Regario]], the School of Epistemology is a well-respected centre of higher education. It is dedicated to encouraging citizens of the League (and indeed the Empire as a whole) to take note of the world they live in and put the truth of it in writing. The school continues to teach spies, diplomats and cartographers, alongside the the more traditional accountants, priests and poets. While it is much smaller than the University of Tassato, and lacks that establishment's depth of cirriculum, it is still a prestigious educational establishment. Relations with the University remain cordial, although marked by occasional outbursts of "student hijinks" on both sides.

It also has greater historical and cultural significance than its comparatively small size and focus might suggest, even leaving aside the fact that it was founded by a woman that the [[Imperial Synod]] recognised as a reincarnation of the [[Paragons_and_Exemplars|Exemplar]] [[Kala]]. It was while besieging the school in 209YE that the crazed [[Emperor Nicovar]] met his end at the hands of the captain of his own guard. The school was badly damaged during the attack, but was quickly rebuilt and somewhat expanded in the years following, including the creation of a new chapel to house the reliquary of Avigliana which serves as a place of pilgrimage to this day.

==Regions==
===Cascatas===
On the western banks of the Vassa stands the fortified village of '''Cevia''' which guards a river crossing where two [[Trods]] meet and cross the Vassa. It is best known outside of the League as the place where the famous traveller's inn, the Caduta, stands. It is built next to the [[#The Sapphire Stair|Sapphire Stair]], a masterwork of locks, and many trading barges pass through every day. While Cascatas claims to be neutral in the age-old conflicts between Mestra and Regario, the simple fact of geography that sees it on the western bank means it's citizens are much more welcoming to travellers from the western city than the eastern, which has been a point of some contention. The [[Keeper of the Sapphire Stair]] has a comfortable house here, but it is rarely used - especially when the keeper is not from Tassato Mestra.

===Enterio===
The plains of Enterio are home to a number of [[farm|farms, orchards and vinyards]] as well as a fair number of [[business|wineries]]. Tassato imports much of it's food - there is no way the farms here could support the multitudes who call the city home - and so the farms have tended to focus on specialised crops. They compete among themselves to ensure the name of their particular breed of apple or grape, or the flesh, hide or wool of their particular herd, is considered the ''best''. Enterio is also the location of the [[#The Arratan Gamble|Arratan Gamble]] and there are several small settlements in that area that provide housing and services for the quarry labourers.

===Tassato Mestra===
Tassato Mestra is famous both for its boatyards - it is the primary source of the riverboats that ply their trade from [[Sarvos]] deep into [[Dawn]] - and for the boldness of its brothels. The west bank of the river is almost entirely given over to a gaudy display of brazenness, the so-called Street of Pleasures where anyone with the purse for it can buy company, narcotics and other goods of dubious virtue. The [[The_League_culture_and_customs#Relationships|ciciscbeo]] of Mestra, while generally seen as lacking the refined manner of those hailing from Sarvos, are known both for their quick tongues and physical skills.

Mestra tends to be more cramped and "dirtier" than Regario across the river. Built at the foot of steep hills, restrictions on space have lead to the buildings being much taller than those of their neighbouring citizens. Some buildings, especially along the riverfront, stretch to four or even five stories. Architects in Regario may be more technically adept, but builders in Mestra are certainly masters at improvisation and practical application of their skills.

The hills above the city proper are also the site of several old [[mine|mines]]. While the mineral wealth of Tassato Mestra is piddling next to that of places like [[Temeschwar]], the [[guild|guilds]] who control these mines are old and reasonably influential in the city and the League as a whole.<br><br>In Autumn 378YE, the Senate [[Fortify_Tassato|approved the construction]] of heavy [[fortification]] along the western walls of the city along with a small keep and several watch towers. When complete (construction will take a year), '''La Redotta Rezia''' will protect the western approaches into Tassato proper from potential [[Jotun]] aggression.<br>
'''Keywords:''' City

===Tassato Regario===
The east part of the city, Tassato Regario, is best known for its workshops and magicians. According to legend, the printing press was designed in Tassato Regario and the first presses were employed here printing religious tracts, scholarly treatises and political manifestos. There are several printers in Regario, and while they may occasionally vie with each other for the right to print a particularly important - or slacious - document there is more than enough work to go round. The eastern part of the city is home to philosophers, agitators, demagogue|s, poets and scholars from across the Empire who come here to have their work printed and add a distinctly cosmopolitan feel to the city. The University of Tassato can be found here (although it accepts students from both sides of the river and from across the Empire). It is also the site of the prestigious [[#the School of Epistemology|School of Epistemology]], founded by the [[Paragons_and_Exemplars|Exemplar]] [[Avigliana di Sarvos|Avigliana]], combining a centre of learning with a place of worship dedicated to the embrace of [[Wisdom]].

The eastern city is much less cramped than the western city - it is also surrounded to the east and south by wide parklands often referred to as the ''Regarian Walls''. This public park is tended by a cadre of professional gardeners, and is also home to several fine orchards and vinyards. Once one gets beyond the public areas, there are several jealously guarded [[forest|preserves]] where the [[Mundane_beasts#Iridescent_Butterfly|iridescent butterfly]] is cultivated. The guilds who control these private preserves are very fond of their privacy and do not appreciate unexpected guests. Several of them have divorced themselves entirely from the politics of the city, barely pay attention to the politics of the League, and have a reputation for being ... odd. At least one of the guilds here is composed entirely of [[naga]], descended from some of the original [[The_League_lineage_and_species_attitudes#Reckoners|reckoners]] and rumoured to egage in [[Idolatry,_Blasphemy_and_Heresy#Idolatry|idolatrous]] worship of [[Eternals|one or more Night eternals]].<br>
'''Keywords:''' City

===Madeiras===
A sprawling forest that extends northward to [[Miaren]]. Long before the Empire was founded, there was conflict across the borders here with the [[Navarr]], and several battlegrounds litter the land to the north. The woodcutting settlement of '''Tagliona''' is found in southern Madeiras. A small town, it supplies much of the wood required by Tassato's boat-builders and (along with stone from the quarries) it's building materials.<br>
'''Keywords:''' Forested

==OOC Notes==
* All the regions of Tassato are in the hands of the League (and by extension the Empire) making this a completely Imperial territory.
* The [[senator]] for Tassato is elected during the Autumn equinox each year.
* The woods around Tassato Regario are sprawling well maintained orchards - they do not amount to the forested keyword.
* This page is still under development - the next stage is to review approved backgrounds for details that would enrich the description of the territory.

[[Category:The League]]
[[Category:Gazetteer]]

Basileia

2015-03-21T17:43:38Z

GregW:

{{CaptionedImage|file=IconBasilius.png |caption=Triptych showing the three faces of Basileus Kade, intended for use in ritual magic.|title=Items such as these have been tied to sinister cults that revere Basilieus Kade as a deity, although they are also a legitimate tool for use in ritual magic.|align=left|width=500}}
==Eternal of Autumn==
===Sobriquets===
Known as the ''Sovereign Lord of Locks'', Basileus Kade is the master of intrigue, espionage and brutal power plays.

While he sometimes appears in female or monstrous guise, Basileus Kade is generally referred to with masculine pronouns, He is sometimes known as the ''Patron of Spies and Traitors'' due to his role in keeping people's secrets. Kade is dubbed ''Prince of the Black Vaults'', in recognition of the role that espionage and military defence play in his realm - and of the oubliettes to which those who fail or displease him are consigned.

He is also known as the ''Keeper of the Weir'', due to his interest in fleets and sea trade and to the great canals that run like a web through his Eternal city. A mistake over the nature of Eternal politics had him known as ''Nightbane'' due to the belief that his role in keeping secrets secure put him in direct opposition to the eternals of Night and [[Sadogua]] in particular; more correctly he has a great deal of interest in extending his influence to include the Eternals of other Realms, especially those of the [[Whisper Gallery]].

===Appearance===
Basileus Kade has three distinct forms, and swaps between them as he wishes. Most commonly he appears to be a powerfully built man dressed in the well-tailored clothes of a professional of some kind. He also appears as a striking woman, dressed in less formal attire, and sometimes presenting himself as Basileus Cadence, the wife of Basileus Kade. Those who go along with this charade often find the Eternal to be a more generous and gregarious host - although whether this is an act or a consequence of the supernatural bonds involved in taking on a role, scholars are unclear.

The also appears as the Beast of the Locks; a monstrous horned creature reserved for the darkest of Kade's moods. He often wears the tattered remains of a fine suit of clothing, and while he rarely carries a weapon in his other guises, as the Beast he may wield a brutal double-edged gladius and a main gauche. When he is encountered in this form Kade is at his most dangerous. All pretence of civilisation is abandoned, and he appears entirely consumed with the ruthless application of power to achieve one's goals. All the scholars agree - deal with the Beast of Locks ''extremely carefully''.

Regardless of form, he wears discreet yet obviously valuable jewelery to reinforce his appearance as a man of station. Regardless of his attire, he always wears a belt with a lock and set of chains chains worn over the buckle. His demeanour is that of a stern disciplinarian, direct talking, decisive and intimidating. However else he appears, Kade is always wealthy, powerful and in control.

It is not common for an Autumn Eternal to change shape so freely, and scholars of the Eternals theorize that he has access to an item of power, possibly a mask or the belt of locks he wears at all times - a tool that helps to keep those he deals with uncertain and off-balance.

Kade never appears alone. He may remain aloof, allowing his heralds to do the talking for him (especially when he is in the guise of the Beast of the Locks). Other times he plays the gracious host, entertaining his guests with conversation and fine food - but a guest should never forget that this creature is a being of intrigue and power, and that very little he says or does should be taken at face value.

===Concerns===
Ultimately, Kade is manifestation of raw, naked ambition and control, He is a power-monger, a figure who decides who will prosper and who will be ruined within his domain. Everything has a place within his grand scheme, and the world is divided into those who support him, and those who are yet to support him.

In his own realm, Kade is concerned with the never ending politics of the charter houses of the City of Locks. These brutal displays of dog-eat-dog politics are continuous and never ending, as the citizens constantly vie for the blessing of their Lord Sovereign. These concerns inevitably spill over into the temporal realm and into the Empire. Kade encourages the charter houses to look for sources of power and influence outside of the Realm of Autumn to give them an advantage in their constant competition against each other.

Kade is always reaching outwards, looking to extend his influence from his centre of power to envelop and encompass everything else. In this regard, he embodies the idea of trade as a tool of control, and many of his Heralds function as both traders and spies; gathering intelligence that can be used to extend the power of both Kade and the City of Locks.

While the enmity between Kade and the Night Eternal [[Sadogua]] is a myth, the Lord of Locks has spent an eternity attempting to master and harness the Eternals of the [[Whisper Gallery]]. Unfortunately, he believes that every action taken to achieve this goal increases the chances of Basileus' own secrets being used against him by the Whisper Gallery. He engages in convoluted schemes to bring them under his control, but dearly wishes to know precisely what ''they'' know about ''him''. His goals are further hampered by the various problems that trying to exert influence over the Eternals of another Realm present to the Autumnal lord; not least the fact that while he understands the power of secrets to blackmail and influence others, he cannot really comprehend the more mystical and philosophical concepts in the way the Night eternals do. For their part, the Night eternals pretend to neither know nor care about Basileus Kade, and this drives him to distraction - he cannot fathom their wider plans, and until he can understand them he cannot influence them.

===Boons===
Kade gathers secrets; not mystical secrets like the Eternals of Night, but the secrets gathered by spies and agents who watch and record what the people around them are doing. He spreads his influence by influencing those who seek influence and control over those around them - anyone could become a node in his web of power and control. He helps those who want to protect their investments, build on the assets and alliances and increase their share of whatever market they are competing in - all the time ensuring that he increases his own share of that market through the person he is aiding. Magicians prepared to make a strong deal, and willing to accept the risks of a continuously changing foreign and possibly alien market can get access to the incredible resources and assets in the halls and vaults of the City of Locks.

Kade encourages his Heralds to make deals with magicians, and those who are clever enough can reap great rewards; but they must be careful not be crushed by the rapidly changing politics of the city. This is especially true when you consider that the magician will not be able to directly get involved in the management of any assets they gain in the city and will have to trust that the Charter House will protect their interests. The most common way of achieving this goal is to have plenty of resources to draw on in the Empire to be used as capital, and to ensure that any agreements are carefully worded. The representatives of the Charter Houses will never break the word of a contract, but they have no regard for the 'spirit' of an agreement - only the actual words on the paper.

Those dealing with Kade should take care to remember that trade is not his primary goal; it is a means to increasing his power and control over the world. While some Autumn Eternals engage in trade for the love of the deal and its subtleties, ultimately Kade is concerned only with power over others. Playing the game with the Sovereign Lord of Locks is not for the faint hearted, and although the rewards are great, the possibility of the Lictors - or worse - collecting on debts owed cannot be ignored.

[[Category:Eternals]]

Night magic

2015-03-21T13:58:29Z

GregW: /* Intuition */

==Overview==
The magic of night is subtle, intuitive, deceptive and secretive. It is never direct, and never the same twice - it is the essence of transformation and mystery. Where Day magic is focused by the conscious mind, Night magic lives in the unconscious and the subconscious. There is a dream-like quality to Night, and it defies easy categorization or definition.

Night magic excels at concealment. While no other realm can match its power to obfscuate or deceive, the magic of Night is often directly opposed by the revelatory magic of the realm of Day. A paradox of Night is that it does not make things ''invisible'' - the magic itself can always be detected, and while it may conceal the composition and exact location of a band of soldiers an observer will still be able to see the swirling magical mists that surround them.

What Night can hide, it can also uncover. The divinatory powers of Night magic are always somewhat dreamlike in nature, however, being full of symbols and metaphors that must be interpreted - unlike Day magic, which deals with cold facts. This is also the realm that most exemplifies the power of transformation, and excels at transforming thoughts and ideas even more than it does solid objects. Magicians who make extensive use of Night magic often talk about its elusive, mercurial nature. The magic resists being used, and magicians variously describe the experience as needing to hunt it, coerce it, lure it or tease it out before a ritual can be completed. The magic itself is difficult to pin down - powerful rituals often leave the magicians feeling dazed or in some cases even cause phantasmagoric hallucinations.

It is the most powerful realm because it transforms everything it touches - even the act of divining can uncover truths that prompt unexpected changes in the attitudes or beliefs of the magician wielding it. There is a danger to Night magic. It can lead to selfishness and introspection, and encourage the magician to spend more time considering their own thoughts than the world around them. It encourages the magician to explore ever inward, forsaking the outside world in pursuit of understanding that is difficult or impossible for others to understand.

==Resonance==
===Obfuscation===
The Night Realm delights in secrets and mysteries, it loves riddles and puzzles, and it resonates strongly with any ritual that obfuscates things, making them harder to fathom. The realm is perfectly suited for concealing or disguising the true nature of things; it cannot make things invisible, but it can cloak them with magic to provide a screen that baffles the senses. Night magic is uniquely capable of thwarting divinations; it is possible to ward almost anything against divination, especially those of the Day Realm. This resonance can be used in many subtle ways, such as concealing memories from someone.

Night magic does not hide what it has done. Magicians can easily detect the presence of the Night Realm when it is used to baffle their divinations, but the more powerful the concealing Night ritual, the harder it is to pierce the resulting shroud.

Examples [[Cast Off The Chain of Memory]], [[Incantation's Mystic Mask]], [[Masque of the Blinded Weaver]], [[Secrets for the Shadow Courier]], [[Secrets of the Empty Heart]], [[Riddle Hides the Reward]], [[The Cuckoo's Egg]], [[Drawing the Penumbral Veil]], [[Shroud of Mist and Shadow]], and [[Vale of Shadows]]

===Transformation===
Things are fluid in the Night Realm, constantly changing and in flux. This powerful resonance can be used in many different Night rituals that seek to transform objects and even living beings. Although Night magic may appear chaotic, the truth is that such transformations follow subtle but definite rules - living things in particular cannot be transformed against their will or against their nature.

Night rarely allows anything to be turned into anything - there will often be a pattern than must be adhered to, or a ritual will turn one specific thing into another specific thing. For instance, Night magic can't turn an apple into an elephant, but the more similar the essential qualities of two things are, the easier the transformation from one to the other can be. The essential qualities that Night concerns itself with are the ideals and "inner" qualities of something. A brave knight has more in common with a lion than with a cowardly merchant. The physical similarities are usually irrelevant to Night.

Some transformations are linked to deceptions or tricks. The idea of substitution, of exchanging one thing for another similar thing, is linked to the resonance of transformation in the Night Realm.

Examples: [[Thief's Arcane Gambit]], [[The Eight-spoked Wheel]], [[The Retrograde Wheel]], [[The Twilight Masquerade]], [[Conclave of Trees and Shadow]], [[Align the Celestial Net]], [[Transmogrification of the Soul's Echo]], [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]], [[Distill the Serpent's Stone]]

===Intuition===
Like Day magic, Night magic includes many powerful divination rituals. But where Day concentrates on quantities, facts, and numbers, the divinations of Night magic are only concerned with intangible elements - emotions, feelings, and ideas are all susceptible to Night magic. Such divinations are valuable but always uncertain - the answers often come in the form of riddles, puzzles, or visions and require wisdom and experience to interpret them.

The Night Realm delights in conjecture and speculation, the more imaginative and original the better. These inferences are not mere guesses; the Realm excels at bringing together disparate information allowing magicians rare insights. Skilled mages can use Night magic to make predictions and examine mysteries. Forest resources in particular can benefit from these kind of auguries, enhancing their production.

Examples [[Signs and Portents]], [[Verdant Bounty of the Twilight Bayou]], [[The Ebb and Flow of Battle]], [[Whispering Shadow Courtiers]], [[Shadowed Glass of Sung]], and [[Wondrous Forests of the Night]]

===Inspiration===
The Night Realm prizes imagination and creativity, especially thoughts and ideas dredged up from the subconscious mind. Ideas are not weighed by their practicality or usefulness but by their originality and inherent aesthetic qualities. It is easy to criticize the unworldly nature of the Night Realm, but no other realm possesses this essential resonance, the capacity to create something genuinely new.

Examples [[Secrets of Skillful Artifice]] and [[Sift the Dreamscape's Sands]].

===Emotions===
The Night revels in powerful emotions and passions. It shares some of the intensity and wild energy of the Spring Realm, but it is the emotions themselves that resonate within the Night Realm. Rituals of the realm can enhance sensations and feelings but they are not without risk - the passions unleashed can be so intense they lead to madness.

Examples [[Freedom of the Soul]], [[The Chamber of Delights]], [[Embrace the Living Flame]], [[Unfettered Anarchy]], and [[Still Waters, Running Deep]].

==Dissonance==
===Destruction===
Night transforms and conceals but abhors destruction. Destroying something makes creation less diverse, and reduces possibilities. Night even balks at killing people, especially wholesale slaughter. While the ability to strike from concealment can be deadly, it is dissonant to use night magic to directly harm someone physically,

===Clarity===
The Night Realm seems to regard clarity as a flaw, an imperfection that must be remedied. It always presents information in a way that needs interpretation, striving to be clever or subtle even when that's detrimental to the broader goals. Attempts to gain clarity and precision using the Night Realm are doomed to failure.

===Strength===
The Night Realm is a realm of smoke and shadows; it excels at transforming and concealing things, but this emphasis on the intangible makes it difficult to use Night magic to create rituals that strengthen or empower the target. There is an insubstantial quality to the Night Realm that makes it dissonant for rituals that attempt to grant increased physical power.

===Predictability===
Like the Spring Realm, there is an unpredictable tendency to Night magic that is difficult to avoid. It is as if the Realm itself takes delight in surprising those who use it, making it difficult to entirely predict what the outcome will be. Rituals that require order and rigour are often dissonant with the Night Realm because of this essential flaw.

===Discipline===
Night encourages individuality - it resolutely puts individual needs ahead of collective needs. Night magic never encourages people to obey or respect anyone else, to abide by hierarchies or regimented rules, or to all act in a certain way. Attempts to empower a group of mortals with Night magic always tends to result in a significant loss of discipline, because they cause an inevitable increase in passion. Passion is deeply personal in nature; while some soldiers might be motivated by a passionate patriotism or hatred of the enemy, just as many are actually passionate about going home (and desert) or nurture a deep dislike for an unpopular captain - unleashing those passions with Night magic can end in disaster.

As a result, there are only a few Night magic rituals that are useful in war. Not only are rituals that try to enhance discipline impossible with Night magic, this dissonance actively ruins attempts to use Night magic to make an army or military unit stronger.

===Commerce===
Although it is possible for a skilled Night mage to profit from their rituals, the idea of profit, particularly notions of commerce, profits and loss, ledgers and coins, are strongly dissonant in Night. In part this reflects the realm's disinterest in facts and figures, but the lack of discipline and predictability are also factors. Rituals that attempt to enhance the produce of coin are impossible in the Night Realm.

When night magic is brought to bear on a personal resource, the outcome is often unpredictable. A ritual that causes a farm to produce herbs or forest resources, or one that makes mines produce random metals and gems is resonant; a ritual that causes a business to produce more money is dissonant. Night magic encurages diversification and unpredictability.

===Health===
While Night magic can help deal with negative thoughts or mental afflictions, it is useless for healing wounds or regrowing limbs. The body is just a vessel for containing the spirit; a way to provide sensory input for the consciousness.

===Manufacture===
Night magic loves comforts, but it finds objects boring. Night magic often works through food or drink - transient pleasures that are consumed and enjoyed then gone for good. It can't mend broken objects, nor grant peristent objects special properties in the way Autumn might. This tendency is easy to see in the actions of the Eternal [[Murit]] - that creature cares about the art and inspiration that goes into making something much more than it does the item itself, and quickly grows tired of it's creations and moves on to something else. Night magic cannot [[mend]] items, for example.

{{Ritual Theory Further Reading}}

[[Category:Magic Theory]]
[[Category:Magic]]
[[Category:Rules]]

Night magic

2015-03-21T13:57:38Z

GregW: /* Transformation */

==Overview==
The magic of night is subtle, intuitive, deceptive and secretive. It is never direct, and never the same twice - it is the essence of transformation and mystery. Where Day magic is focused by the conscious mind, Night magic lives in the unconscious and the subconscious. There is a dream-like quality to Night, and it defies easy categorization or definition.

Night magic excels at concealment. While no other realm can match its power to obfscuate or deceive, the magic of Night is often directly opposed by the revelatory magic of the realm of Day. A paradox of Night is that it does not make things ''invisible'' - the magic itself can always be detected, and while it may conceal the composition and exact location of a band of soldiers an observer will still be able to see the swirling magical mists that surround them.

What Night can hide, it can also uncover. The divinatory powers of Night magic are always somewhat dreamlike in nature, however, being full of symbols and metaphors that must be interpreted - unlike Day magic, which deals with cold facts. This is also the realm that most exemplifies the power of transformation, and excels at transforming thoughts and ideas even more than it does solid objects. Magicians who make extensive use of Night magic often talk about its elusive, mercurial nature. The magic resists being used, and magicians variously describe the experience as needing to hunt it, coerce it, lure it or tease it out before a ritual can be completed. The magic itself is difficult to pin down - powerful rituals often leave the magicians feeling dazed or in some cases even cause phantasmagoric hallucinations.

It is the most powerful realm because it transforms everything it touches - even the act of divining can uncover truths that prompt unexpected changes in the attitudes or beliefs of the magician wielding it. There is a danger to Night magic. It can lead to selfishness and introspection, and encourage the magician to spend more time considering their own thoughts than the world around them. It encourages the magician to explore ever inward, forsaking the outside world in pursuit of understanding that is difficult or impossible for others to understand.

==Resonance==
===Obfuscation===
The Night Realm delights in secrets and mysteries, it loves riddles and puzzles, and it resonates strongly with any ritual that obfuscates things, making them harder to fathom. The realm is perfectly suited for concealing or disguising the true nature of things; it cannot make things invisible, but it can cloak them with magic to provide a screen that baffles the senses. Night magic is uniquely capable of thwarting divinations; it is possible to ward almost anything against divination, especially those of the Day Realm. This resonance can be used in many subtle ways, such as concealing memories from someone.

Night magic does not hide what it has done. Magicians can easily detect the presence of the Night Realm when it is used to baffle their divinations, but the more powerful the concealing Night ritual, the harder it is to pierce the resulting shroud.

Examples [[Cast Off The Chain of Memory]], [[Incantation's Mystic Mask]], [[Masque of the Blinded Weaver]], [[Secrets for the Shadow Courier]], [[Secrets of the Empty Heart]], [[Riddle Hides the Reward]], [[The Cuckoo's Egg]], [[Drawing the Penumbral Veil]], [[Shroud of Mist and Shadow]], and [[Vale of Shadows]]

===Transformation===
Things are fluid in the Night Realm, constantly changing and in flux. This powerful resonance can be used in many different Night rituals that seek to transform objects and even living beings. Although Night magic may appear chaotic, the truth is that such transformations follow subtle but definite rules - living things in particular cannot be transformed against their will or against their nature.

Night rarely allows anything to be turned into anything - there will often be a pattern than must be adhered to, or a ritual will turn one specific thing into another specific thing. For instance, Night magic can't turn an apple into an elephant, but the more similar the essential qualities of two things are, the easier the transformation from one to the other can be. The essential qualities that Night concerns itself with are the ideals and "inner" qualities of something. A brave knight has more in common with a lion than with a cowardly merchant. The physical similarities are usually irrelevant to Night.

Some transformations are linked to deceptions or tricks. The idea of substitution, of exchanging one thing for another similar thing, is linked to the resonance of transformation in the Night Realm.

Examples: [[Thief's Arcane Gambit]], [[The Eight-spoked Wheel]], [[The Retrograde Wheel]], [[The Twilight Masquerade]], [[Conclave of Trees and Shadow]], [[Align the Celestial Net]], [[Transmogrification of the Soul's Echo]], [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]], [[Distill the Serpent's Stone]]

===Intuition===
Like Day magic, Night magic includes many powerful divination rituals. But where Day concentrates on quantities, facts, and numbers, the divinations of Night magic are only concerned with intangible elements, emotions, feelings, and ideas are all susceptible to Night magic. Such divinations are valuable but always uncertain - the answers often come in the form of riddles, puzzles, or visions and require wisdom and experience to interpret them.

The Night Realm delights in conjecture and speculation, the more imaginative and original the better. These inferences are not mere guesses; the Realm excels at bringing together disparate information allowing magicians rare insights. Skilled mages can use Night magic to make predictions and examine mysteries. Forest resources in particular can benefit from these kind of auguries, enhancing their production.

Examples [[Signs and Portents]], [[Verdant Bounty of the Twilight Bayou]], [[The Ebb and Flow of Battle]], [[Whispering Shadow Courtiers]], [[Shadowed Glass of Sung]], and [[Wondrous Forests of the Night]]

===Inspiration===
The Night Realm prizes imagination and creativity, especially thoughts and ideas dredged up from the subconscious mind. Ideas are not weighed by their practicality or usefulness but by their originality and inherent aesthetic qualities. It is easy to criticize the unworldly nature of the Night Realm, but no other realm possesses this essential resonance, the capacity to create something genuinely new.

Examples [[Secrets of Skillful Artifice]] and [[Sift the Dreamscape's Sands]].

===Emotions===
The Night revels in powerful emotions and passions. It shares some of the intensity and wild energy of the Spring Realm, but it is the emotions themselves that resonate within the Night Realm. Rituals of the realm can enhance sensations and feelings but they are not without risk - the passions unleashed can be so intense they lead to madness.

Examples [[Freedom of the Soul]], [[The Chamber of Delights]], [[Embrace the Living Flame]], [[Unfettered Anarchy]], and [[Still Waters, Running Deep]].

==Dissonance==
===Destruction===
Night transforms and conceals but abhors destruction. Destroying something makes creation less diverse, and reduces possibilities. Night even balks at killing people, especially wholesale slaughter. While the ability to strike from concealment can be deadly, it is dissonant to use night magic to directly harm someone physically,

===Clarity===
The Night Realm seems to regard clarity as a flaw, an imperfection that must be remedied. It always presents information in a way that needs interpretation, striving to be clever or subtle even when that's detrimental to the broader goals. Attempts to gain clarity and precision using the Night Realm are doomed to failure.

===Strength===
The Night Realm is a realm of smoke and shadows; it excels at transforming and concealing things, but this emphasis on the intangible makes it difficult to use Night magic to create rituals that strengthen or empower the target. There is an insubstantial quality to the Night Realm that makes it dissonant for rituals that attempt to grant increased physical power.

===Predictability===
Like the Spring Realm, there is an unpredictable tendency to Night magic that is difficult to avoid. It is as if the Realm itself takes delight in surprising those who use it, making it difficult to entirely predict what the outcome will be. Rituals that require order and rigour are often dissonant with the Night Realm because of this essential flaw.

===Discipline===
Night encourages individuality - it resolutely puts individual needs ahead of collective needs. Night magic never encourages people to obey or respect anyone else, to abide by hierarchies or regimented rules, or to all act in a certain way. Attempts to empower a group of mortals with Night magic always tends to result in a significant loss of discipline, because they cause an inevitable increase in passion. Passion is deeply personal in nature; while some soldiers might be motivated by a passionate patriotism or hatred of the enemy, just as many are actually passionate about going home (and desert) or nurture a deep dislike for an unpopular captain - unleashing those passions with Night magic can end in disaster.

As a result, there are only a few Night magic rituals that are useful in war. Not only are rituals that try to enhance discipline impossible with Night magic, this dissonance actively ruins attempts to use Night magic to make an army or military unit stronger.

===Commerce===
Although it is possible for a skilled Night mage to profit from their rituals, the idea of profit, particularly notions of commerce, profits and loss, ledgers and coins, are strongly dissonant in Night. In part this reflects the realm's disinterest in facts and figures, but the lack of discipline and predictability are also factors. Rituals that attempt to enhance the produce of coin are impossible in the Night Realm.

When night magic is brought to bear on a personal resource, the outcome is often unpredictable. A ritual that causes a farm to produce herbs or forest resources, or one that makes mines produce random metals and gems is resonant; a ritual that causes a business to produce more money is dissonant. Night magic encurages diversification and unpredictability.

===Health===
While Night magic can help deal with negative thoughts or mental afflictions, it is useless for healing wounds or regrowing limbs. The body is just a vessel for containing the spirit; a way to provide sensory input for the consciousness.

===Manufacture===
Night magic loves comforts, but it finds objects boring. Night magic often works through food or drink - transient pleasures that are consumed and enjoyed then gone for good. It can't mend broken objects, nor grant peristent objects special properties in the way Autumn might. This tendency is easy to see in the actions of the Eternal [[Murit]] - that creature cares about the art and inspiration that goes into making something much more than it does the item itself, and quickly grows tired of it's creations and moves on to something else. Night magic cannot [[mend]] items, for example.

{{Ritual Theory Further Reading}}

[[Category:Magic Theory]]
[[Category:Magic]]
[[Category:Rules]]

Night magic

2015-03-21T13:54:35Z

GregW: /* Obfuscation */

==Overview==
The magic of night is subtle, intuitive, deceptive and secretive. It is never direct, and never the same twice - it is the essence of transformation and mystery. Where Day magic is focused by the conscious mind, Night magic lives in the unconscious and the subconscious. There is a dream-like quality to Night, and it defies easy categorization or definition.

Night magic excels at concealment. While no other realm can match its power to obfscuate or deceive, the magic of Night is often directly opposed by the revelatory magic of the realm of Day. A paradox of Night is that it does not make things ''invisible'' - the magic itself can always be detected, and while it may conceal the composition and exact location of a band of soldiers an observer will still be able to see the swirling magical mists that surround them.

What Night can hide, it can also uncover. The divinatory powers of Night magic are always somewhat dreamlike in nature, however, being full of symbols and metaphors that must be interpreted - unlike Day magic, which deals with cold facts. This is also the realm that most exemplifies the power of transformation, and excels at transforming thoughts and ideas even more than it does solid objects. Magicians who make extensive use of Night magic often talk about its elusive, mercurial nature. The magic resists being used, and magicians variously describe the experience as needing to hunt it, coerce it, lure it or tease it out before a ritual can be completed. The magic itself is difficult to pin down - powerful rituals often leave the magicians feeling dazed or in some cases even cause phantasmagoric hallucinations.

It is the most powerful realm because it transforms everything it touches - even the act of divining can uncover truths that prompt unexpected changes in the attitudes or beliefs of the magician wielding it. There is a danger to Night magic. It can lead to selfishness and introspection, and encourage the magician to spend more time considering their own thoughts than the world around them. It encourages the magician to explore ever inward, forsaking the outside world in pursuit of understanding that is difficult or impossible for others to understand.

==Resonance==
===Obfuscation===
The Night Realm delights in secrets and mysteries, it loves riddles and puzzles, and it resonates strongly with any ritual that obfuscates things, making them harder to fathom. The realm is perfectly suited for concealing or disguising the true nature of things; it cannot make things invisible, but it can cloak them with magic to provide a screen that baffles the senses. Night magic is uniquely capable of thwarting divinations; it is possible to ward almost anything against divination, especially those of the Day Realm. This resonance can be used in many subtle ways, such as concealing memories from someone.

Night magic does not hide what it has done. Magicians can easily detect the presence of the Night Realm when it is used to baffle their divinations, but the more powerful the concealing Night ritual, the harder it is to pierce the resulting shroud.

Examples [[Cast Off The Chain of Memory]], [[Incantation's Mystic Mask]], [[Masque of the Blinded Weaver]], [[Secrets for the Shadow Courier]], [[Secrets of the Empty Heart]], [[Riddle Hides the Reward]], [[The Cuckoo's Egg]], [[Drawing the Penumbral Veil]], [[Shroud of Mist and Shadow]], and [[Vale of Shadows]]

===Transformation===
Things are fluid in the Night Realm, constantly changing and in flux. This powerful resonance can be used in many different Night rituals that seek to transform objects and even living beings. Although Night magic may appear chaotic, the truth is that such transformations follow subtle but definite rules, living things in particular cannot be transformed against their will or against their nature.

Night rarely allows anything to be turned into anything - there will often be a pattern than must be adhered to, or a ritual will turn one specific thing into another specific thing. For instance, Night magic can't turn an apple into an elephant, but the more similar the essential qualities of two things are, the easier the transformation from one to the other can be. The essential qualities that Night concerns itself with are the ideals and "inner" qualities of something. A brave knight has more in common with a lion than with a cowardly merchant. The physical similarities are usually irrelevant to Night.

Some transformations are linked to deceptions or tricks. The idea of substitution, of exchanging one thing for another similar thing is linked to the resonance of transformation in the Night Realm.

Examples: [[Thief's Arcane Gambit]], [[The Eight-spoked Wheel]], [[The Retrograde Wheel]], [[The Twilight Masquerade]], [[Conclave of Trees and Shadow]], [[Align the Celestial Net]], [[Transmogrification of the Soul's Echo]], [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]], [[Distill the Serpent's Stone]]

===Intuition===
Like Day magic, Night magic includes many powerful divination rituals. But where Day concentrates on quantities, facts, and numbers, the divinations of Night magic are only concerned with intangible elements, emotions, feelings, and ideas are all susceptible to Night magic. Such divinations are valuable but always uncertain - the answers often come in the form of riddles, puzzles, or visions and require wisdom and experience to interpret them.

The Night Realm delights in conjecture and speculation, the more imaginative and original the better. These inferences are not mere guesses; the Realm excels at bringing together disparate information allowing magicians rare insights. Skilled mages can use Night magic to make predictions and examine mysteries. Forest resources in particular can benefit from these kind of auguries, enhancing their production.

Examples [[Signs and Portents]], [[Verdant Bounty of the Twilight Bayou]], [[The Ebb and Flow of Battle]], [[Whispering Shadow Courtiers]], [[Shadowed Glass of Sung]], and [[Wondrous Forests of the Night]]

===Inspiration===
The Night Realm prizes imagination and creativity, especially thoughts and ideas dredged up from the subconscious mind. Ideas are not weighed by their practicality or usefulness but by their originality and inherent aesthetic qualities. It is easy to criticize the unworldly nature of the Night Realm, but no other realm possesses this essential resonance, the capacity to create something genuinely new.

Examples [[Secrets of Skillful Artifice]] and [[Sift the Dreamscape's Sands]].

===Emotions===
The Night revels in powerful emotions and passions. It shares some of the intensity and wild energy of the Spring Realm, but it is the emotions themselves that resonate within the Night Realm. Rituals of the realm can enhance sensations and feelings but they are not without risk - the passions unleashed can be so intense they lead to madness.

Examples [[Freedom of the Soul]], [[The Chamber of Delights]], [[Embrace the Living Flame]], [[Unfettered Anarchy]], and [[Still Waters, Running Deep]].

==Dissonance==
===Destruction===
Night transforms and conceals but abhors destruction. Destroying something makes creation less diverse, and reduces possibilities. Night even balks at killing people, especially wholesale slaughter. While the ability to strike from concealment can be deadly, it is dissonant to use night magic to directly harm someone physically,

===Clarity===
The Night Realm seems to regard clarity as a flaw, an imperfection that must be remedied. It always presents information in a way that needs interpretation, striving to be clever or subtle even when that's detrimental to the broader goals. Attempts to gain clarity and precision using the Night Realm are doomed to failure.

===Strength===
The Night Realm is a realm of smoke and shadows; it excels at transforming and concealing things, but this emphasis on the intangible makes it difficult to use Night magic to create rituals that strengthen or empower the target. There is an insubstantial quality to the Night Realm that makes it dissonant for rituals that attempt to grant increased physical power.

===Predictability===
Like the Spring Realm, there is an unpredictable tendency to Night magic that is difficult to avoid. It is as if the Realm itself takes delight in surprising those who use it, making it difficult to entirely predict what the outcome will be. Rituals that require order and rigour are often dissonant with the Night Realm because of this essential flaw.

===Discipline===
Night encourages individuality - it resolutely puts individual needs ahead of collective needs. Night magic never encourages people to obey or respect anyone else, to abide by hierarchies or regimented rules, or to all act in a certain way. Attempts to empower a group of mortals with Night magic always tends to result in a significant loss of discipline, because they cause an inevitable increase in passion. Passion is deeply personal in nature; while some soldiers might be motivated by a passionate patriotism or hatred of the enemy, just as many are actually passionate about going home (and desert) or nurture a deep dislike for an unpopular captain - unleashing those passions with Night magic can end in disaster.

As a result, there are only a few Night magic rituals that are useful in war. Not only are rituals that try to enhance discipline impossible with Night magic, this dissonance actively ruins attempts to use Night magic to make an army or military unit stronger.

===Commerce===
Although it is possible for a skilled Night mage to profit from their rituals, the idea of profit, particularly notions of commerce, profits and loss, ledgers and coins, are strongly dissonant in Night. In part this reflects the realm's disinterest in facts and figures, but the lack of discipline and predictability are also factors. Rituals that attempt to enhance the produce of coin are impossible in the Night Realm.

When night magic is brought to bear on a personal resource, the outcome is often unpredictable. A ritual that causes a farm to produce herbs or forest resources, or one that makes mines produce random metals and gems is resonant; a ritual that causes a business to produce more money is dissonant. Night magic encurages diversification and unpredictability.

===Health===
While Night magic can help deal with negative thoughts or mental afflictions, it is useless for healing wounds or regrowing limbs. The body is just a vessel for containing the spirit; a way to provide sensory input for the consciousness.

===Manufacture===
Night magic loves comforts, but it finds objects boring. Night magic often works through food or drink - transient pleasures that are consumed and enjoyed then gone for good. It can't mend broken objects, nor grant peristent objects special properties in the way Autumn might. This tendency is easy to see in the actions of the Eternal [[Murit]] - that creature cares about the art and inspiration that goes into making something much more than it does the item itself, and quickly grows tired of it's creations and moves on to something else. Night magic cannot [[mend]] items, for example.

{{Ritual Theory Further Reading}}

[[Category:Magic Theory]]
[[Category:Magic]]
[[Category:Rules]]

Night magic

2015-03-21T13:52:34Z

GregW: /* Overview */

==Overview==
The magic of night is subtle, intuitive, deceptive and secretive. It is never direct, and never the same twice - it is the essence of transformation and mystery. Where Day magic is focused by the conscious mind, Night magic lives in the unconscious and the subconscious. There is a dream-like quality to Night, and it defies easy categorization or definition.

Night magic excels at concealment. While no other realm can match its power to obfscuate or deceive, the magic of Night is often directly opposed by the revelatory magic of the realm of Day. A paradox of Night is that it does not make things ''invisible'' - the magic itself can always be detected, and while it may conceal the composition and exact location of a band of soldiers an observer will still be able to see the swirling magical mists that surround them.

What Night can hide, it can also uncover. The divinatory powers of Night magic are always somewhat dreamlike in nature, however, being full of symbols and metaphors that must be interpreted - unlike Day magic, which deals with cold facts. This is also the realm that most exemplifies the power of transformation, and excels at transforming thoughts and ideas even more than it does solid objects. Magicians who make extensive use of Night magic often talk about its elusive, mercurial nature. The magic resists being used, and magicians variously describe the experience as needing to hunt it, coerce it, lure it or tease it out before a ritual can be completed. The magic itself is difficult to pin down - powerful rituals often leave the magicians feeling dazed or in some cases even cause phantasmagoric hallucinations.

It is the most powerful realm because it transforms everything it touches - even the act of divining can uncover truths that prompt unexpected changes in the attitudes or beliefs of the magician wielding it. There is a danger to Night magic. It can lead to selfishness and introspection, and encourage the magician to spend more time considering their own thoughts than the world around them. It encourages the magician to explore ever inward, forsaking the outside world in pursuit of understanding that is difficult or impossible for others to understand.

==Resonance==
===Obfuscation===
The Night Realm delights in secrets and mysteries, it loves riddles and puzzles and it resonates strongly with any ritual that obfuscates things, making them harder to fathom. The realm is perfectly suited for concealing or disguising the true nature of things, it cannot make things invisible, but it can cloak them with magic to provide a screen that baffles the senses. Night magic is uniquely capable of thwarting divinations; it is possible to ward almost anything against divination, especially those of the Day Realm. This resonance can be used in many subtle ways, such as concealing memories from someone.

Night magic does not hide what it has done, magicians can easily detect the presence of the Night Realm when it is used to baffle their divinations, but the more powerful the concealing Night ritual, the harder it is to pierce the resulting shroud.

Examples [[Cast Off The Chain of Memory]], [[Incantation's Mystic Mask]], [[Masque of the Blinded Weaver]], [[Secrets for the Shadow Courier]], [[Secrets of the Empty Heart]], [[Riddle Hides the Reward]], [[The Cuckoo's Egg]], [[Drawing the Penumbral Veil]], [[Shroud of Mist and Shadow]], and [[Vale of Shadows]]

===Transformation===
Things are fluid in the Night Realm, constantly changing and in flux. This powerful resonance can be used in many different Night rituals that seek to transform objects and even living beings. Although Night magic may appear chaotic, the truth is that such transformations follow subtle but definite rules, living things in particular cannot be transformed against their will or against their nature.

Night rarely allows anything to be turned into anything - there will often be a pattern than must be adhered to, or a ritual will turn one specific thing into another specific thing. For instance, Night magic can't turn an apple into an elephant, but the more similar the essential qualities of two things are, the easier the transformation from one to the other can be. The essential qualities that Night concerns itself with are the ideals and "inner" qualities of something. A brave knight has more in common with a lion than with a cowardly merchant. The physical similarities are usually irrelevant to Night.

Some transformations are linked to deceptions or tricks. The idea of substitution, of exchanging one thing for another similar thing is linked to the resonance of transformation in the Night Realm.

Examples: [[Thief's Arcane Gambit]], [[The Eight-spoked Wheel]], [[The Retrograde Wheel]], [[The Twilight Masquerade]], [[Conclave of Trees and Shadow]], [[Align the Celestial Net]], [[Transmogrification of the Soul's Echo]], [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]], [[Distill the Serpent's Stone]]

===Intuition===
Like Day magic, Night magic includes many powerful divination rituals. But where Day concentrates on quantities, facts, and numbers, the divinations of Night magic are only concerned with intangible elements, emotions, feelings, and ideas are all susceptible to Night magic. Such divinations are valuable but always uncertain - the answers often come in the form of riddles, puzzles, or visions and require wisdom and experience to interpret them.

The Night Realm delights in conjecture and speculation, the more imaginative and original the better. These inferences are not mere guesses; the Realm excels at bringing together disparate information allowing magicians rare insights. Skilled mages can use Night magic to make predictions and examine mysteries. Forest resources in particular can benefit from these kind of auguries, enhancing their production.

Examples [[Signs and Portents]], [[Verdant Bounty of the Twilight Bayou]], [[The Ebb and Flow of Battle]], [[Whispering Shadow Courtiers]], [[Shadowed Glass of Sung]], and [[Wondrous Forests of the Night]]

===Inspiration===
The Night Realm prizes imagination and creativity, especially thoughts and ideas dredged up from the subconscious mind. Ideas are not weighed by their practicality or usefulness but by their originality and inherent aesthetic qualities. It is easy to criticize the unworldly nature of the Night Realm, but no other realm possesses this essential resonance, the capacity to create something genuinely new.

Examples [[Secrets of Skillful Artifice]] and [[Sift the Dreamscape's Sands]].

===Emotions===
The Night revels in powerful emotions and passions. It shares some of the intensity and wild energy of the Spring Realm, but it is the emotions themselves that resonate within the Night Realm. Rituals of the realm can enhance sensations and feelings but they are not without risk - the passions unleashed can be so intense they lead to madness.

Examples [[Freedom of the Soul]], [[The Chamber of Delights]], [[Embrace the Living Flame]], [[Unfettered Anarchy]], and [[Still Waters, Running Deep]].

==Dissonance==
===Destruction===
Night transforms and conceals but abhors destruction. Destroying something makes creation less diverse, and reduces possibilities. Night even balks at killing people, especially wholesale slaughter. While the ability to strike from concealment can be deadly, it is dissonant to use night magic to directly harm someone physically,

===Clarity===
The Night Realm seems to regard clarity as a flaw, an imperfection that must be remedied. It always presents information in a way that needs interpretation, striving to be clever or subtle even when that's detrimental to the broader goals. Attempts to gain clarity and precision using the Night Realm are doomed to failure.

===Strength===
The Night Realm is a realm of smoke and shadows; it excels at transforming and concealing things, but this emphasis on the intangible makes it difficult to use Night magic to create rituals that strengthen or empower the target. There is an insubstantial quality to the Night Realm that makes it dissonant for rituals that attempt to grant increased physical power.

===Predictability===
Like the Spring Realm, there is an unpredictable tendency to Night magic that is difficult to avoid. It is as if the Realm itself takes delight in surprising those who use it, making it difficult to entirely predict what the outcome will be. Rituals that require order and rigour are often dissonant with the Night Realm because of this essential flaw.

===Discipline===
Night encourages individuality - it resolutely puts individual needs ahead of collective needs. Night magic never encourages people to obey or respect anyone else, to abide by hierarchies or regimented rules, or to all act in a certain way. Attempts to empower a group of mortals with Night magic always tends to result in a significant loss of discipline, because they cause an inevitable increase in passion. Passion is deeply personal in nature; while some soldiers might be motivated by a passionate patriotism or hatred of the enemy, just as many are actually passionate about going home (and desert) or nurture a deep dislike for an unpopular captain - unleashing those passions with Night magic can end in disaster.

As a result, there are only a few Night magic rituals that are useful in war. Not only are rituals that try to enhance discipline impossible with Night magic, this dissonance actively ruins attempts to use Night magic to make an army or military unit stronger.

===Commerce===
Although it is possible for a skilled Night mage to profit from their rituals, the idea of profit, particularly notions of commerce, profits and loss, ledgers and coins, are strongly dissonant in Night. In part this reflects the realm's disinterest in facts and figures, but the lack of discipline and predictability are also factors. Rituals that attempt to enhance the produce of coin are impossible in the Night Realm.

When night magic is brought to bear on a personal resource, the outcome is often unpredictable. A ritual that causes a farm to produce herbs or forest resources, or one that makes mines produce random metals and gems is resonant; a ritual that causes a business to produce more money is dissonant. Night magic encurages diversification and unpredictability.

===Health===
While Night magic can help deal with negative thoughts or mental afflictions, it is useless for healing wounds or regrowing limbs. The body is just a vessel for containing the spirit; a way to provide sensory input for the consciousness.

===Manufacture===
Night magic loves comforts, but it finds objects boring. Night magic often works through food or drink - transient pleasures that are consumed and enjoyed then gone for good. It can't mend broken objects, nor grant peristent objects special properties in the way Autumn might. This tendency is easy to see in the actions of the Eternal [[Murit]] - that creature cares about the art and inspiration that goes into making something much more than it does the item itself, and quickly grows tired of it's creations and moves on to something else. Night magic cannot [[mend]] items, for example.

{{Ritual Theory Further Reading}}

[[Category:Magic Theory]]
[[Category:Magic]]
[[Category:Rules]]

Day magic

2015-03-21T13:46:22Z

GregW: /* Force */

==Overview==
The magic of day is insightful, cerebral, rational and calm. It grants crystalline clarity, and unquestionable certainty. It is the magic of the conscious mind, of logic and reason; of knowledge and understanding. It lives in the eternal quest for mastery of the self and the world; it whispers that what can be understood can ultimately be controlled. It is the unblinking light that, should a mortal stare into it for too long, brings blindness.

The most obvious use for the magic of Day is in divination. Rituals of the magic of Day are effective at scrying the present, but they might also be used to uncover details about past events and to [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/prognostication prognosticate] about the future. It is impossible to divine precisely who will survive on a battlefield, for example, because there is so much randomness and chaos; but it is possible to extrapolate the likely outcomes of actions based on past experience. Day magic excels at uncovering details - numbers of troops, for example, or the precise magnitude of an [[enchantment]]. It does not guess - it reveals or divines the truth with relentless precision.

It is a realm of cool intellect, and can be used to clear the mind or suppress unwanted passions, even to the point of cutting one off from one's emotions. Not all revelations are benign - the mortal mind and senses can be overwhelmed with information or blinding light. It is also a magic that purifies – it can be used to destroy poisons and corruptions of various sorts, and restore things to pristine, unsullied forms – although in doing so it can destroy qualities such as experience or taste. Food that is purified with the magic of Day tends to end up tasting quite bland, and alcohol is purified to the point where it is just water.

Magicians who make extensive use of Day magic often describe it as being filled with energy and clarity - to an almost painful degree. Without the precise will of the magician directing it, the magical power simply continues to build and build until the ritual magician can bear no more and the powerful sensation becomes almost painful. When performing a ritual magicians are often intensely aware of the way the magic flows through them, under the control of their will - almost as if they were living lenses focusing the unformed power of Day to achieve their goals.

It is the most powerful realm because it reveals the truth - with limitless understanding comes a limitless power to control the world.

Critics of Day magic often claim that the realm is possessed of a seductive hunger for precision and control, that it whispers to those who attempt such rituals, seducing the unwary as they attempt to master it. Most of the eternals of the realm are unified by a strong [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Determinism philosophy of determinism] and some magicians versed in the Realm come to share this view.

==Resonance==
===Divination===
Both the Day and the Night Realm resonate with divination magics, but each realm takes a radically different approach. While the Night Realm concerns itself with instincts, feelings, and qualities, the Day Realm is only resonant with measurable commodities and with rational quantifiable facts. Numbers, distances, quantities, all fall within the realm of Day and rituals that divine these pieces of information or which apply the knowledge in some way (for example, to find deposits of valuable minerals or avoid dangers during trade) are far more powerful here than with any other realm.

Although the Day Realm is pre-eminent in the divination of quantifiable information, even this realm has limits and many responses will come as estimates. However the realm despises pure conjecture and though eternals from the realm can be convinced to provide an opinion, divinations performed using Day magic never provide anything more than the facts that can be verified.

Examples: [[Bright Lantern of Ophis]], [[Reading the Weave]], [[Revelation of the Jewel's Sparkling Heart]], [[Skein of Years]], [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River]], [[Sular's Promise]], [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]], [[The Eye of the High Places]], [[Bright Eyes Gleam in the Depths]], and the [[Detect magic|detect magic]] spell.

===Revelation===
The light of the Day realm dispels illusions, reveals secrets and shatters deceptions. It is the light of revelation that seeks the essential truth of all things. Revelation can be dangerous though; too much information can overwhelm a mortal mind. Likewise, too much light can damage mortal sight.

Examples: [[Piercing Light of Revelation]], [[Ensnaring Bond of Transient Stasis]], [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]], [[All the World in a Grain of Sand]], [[Revelatory Light of the Empyrean Spheres]]

===Mastery===
The Day Realm offers the gift of lucidity to those who can appreciate it. The realm resonates with any magics that help the subject be calm, rational, and clear headed. Skilled magicians have used the power of the realm to create rituals that help provide self-control of the mind and the body, focusing the attention and meditating to unlock memories and internal strength. The Day Realm encourages all these things in search of the ultimate goal, allowing the magician mastery of the world around them.

Examples: [[The Solace of Chimes]], [[Crystal Clarity of the Rational Soul]], [[Illuminate the Higher Mind]], [[Ascendance of the Highest Mind]], [[Thought Becomes Action]], [[Transcendent Mastery]], and [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]].

===Perfection===
The Day Realm abhors impurity and weakness and seeks to remove it wherever it can. It longs for perfect, unchanging order. Crystals in particular are the favoured materials of the realm and many Day magicians make use of them in their rituals. This resonance empowers many Day rituals making them effecting at removing contaminants and poisons, or otherwise restoring things to their essential nature, as well as rituals that seek to perfect the self.

Examples: [[Ascetic Star of Atun]], [[Distillation of Diverse Parts]], and [[Cold Water from the Mountain]].

===Focus===
Day magic offers more than just information. The skilled magician can use the power of the Realm to focus their efforts, allowing them to act in the optimum way at the essential moment. Such control can allow magicians to reach beyond their normal means or use their existing abilities in superhuman ways.

Examples: [[Horizon's Razor Edge]], [[Sign of Aesh]], [[Standing at the Threshold]], [[Crystaline Focus of Aesh]], and [[Alignment of Mind and Blade]]

===Force===
The Day Realm's association with light is well known, but the true resonance goes deeper than this. In the Day Realm light exists as an outpouring of energy, that drives all things before it. This tendency of the realm - to move things under the control of the wielder allows skilled magicians to use the energy of the Day Realm to repel their enemies.

Examples: [[Kimus' Glaring Eye]], and the [[repel]] spell.

==Dissonance==
===Deception===
The Day Realm does not deceive, conceal or dissemble. While it tends to be direct rather than subtle, the Realm exists to bring the truth into the light and it cannot be used to hide information or obfuscate the facts.

===Intuition===
The Day Realm has no time for gut instincts, hunches or guesses, it deals only in quantities and facts. Some of the eternals of the realm can be cajoled into providing their view of something, based on the information they have, but this quality sets them apart from the Realm itself which provides no such conjecture.

This purity of approach can be a limitation. Divination rituals that use the Day Realm are always rigidly specific about what information they return, they are neither flexible nor adaptable.

===Physicality===
The Day Realm deals with concepts rather than materials - it divines information about them, but it doesn't manipulate physical objects. Day magic might be able to tell you why something was broken, but it cannot fix it. The realm is ethereal, and rituals that work directly on bodies and objects are often highly dissonant.

===Passion===
The Day Realm is the epitome of calm, methodical, rational thought. It might create powerful roleplaying effects, but they tend to be focused inward rather than outwards. It is much more likely to mute roleplaying effects than strengthen them and rituals that encourage passion and emotion are almost impossible to perform using Day magic.

{{Ritual Theory Further Reading}}

[[Category:Magic Theory]]
[[Category:Magic]]
[[Category:Rules]]

Day magic

2015-03-21T13:45:27Z

GregW: /* Mastery */

==Overview==
The magic of day is insightful, cerebral, rational and calm. It grants crystalline clarity, and unquestionable certainty. It is the magic of the conscious mind, of logic and reason; of knowledge and understanding. It lives in the eternal quest for mastery of the self and the world; it whispers that what can be understood can ultimately be controlled. It is the unblinking light that, should a mortal stare into it for too long, brings blindness.

The most obvious use for the magic of Day is in divination. Rituals of the magic of Day are effective at scrying the present, but they might also be used to uncover details about past events and to [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/prognostication prognosticate] about the future. It is impossible to divine precisely who will survive on a battlefield, for example, because there is so much randomness and chaos; but it is possible to extrapolate the likely outcomes of actions based on past experience. Day magic excels at uncovering details - numbers of troops, for example, or the precise magnitude of an [[enchantment]]. It does not guess - it reveals or divines the truth with relentless precision.

It is a realm of cool intellect, and can be used to clear the mind or suppress unwanted passions, even to the point of cutting one off from one's emotions. Not all revelations are benign - the mortal mind and senses can be overwhelmed with information or blinding light. It is also a magic that purifies – it can be used to destroy poisons and corruptions of various sorts, and restore things to pristine, unsullied forms – although in doing so it can destroy qualities such as experience or taste. Food that is purified with the magic of Day tends to end up tasting quite bland, and alcohol is purified to the point where it is just water.

Magicians who make extensive use of Day magic often describe it as being filled with energy and clarity - to an almost painful degree. Without the precise will of the magician directing it, the magical power simply continues to build and build until the ritual magician can bear no more and the powerful sensation becomes almost painful. When performing a ritual magicians are often intensely aware of the way the magic flows through them, under the control of their will - almost as if they were living lenses focusing the unformed power of Day to achieve their goals.

It is the most powerful realm because it reveals the truth - with limitless understanding comes a limitless power to control the world.

Critics of Day magic often claim that the realm is possessed of a seductive hunger for precision and control, that it whispers to those who attempt such rituals, seducing the unwary as they attempt to master it. Most of the eternals of the realm are unified by a strong [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Determinism philosophy of determinism] and some magicians versed in the Realm come to share this view.

==Resonance==
===Divination===
Both the Day and the Night Realm resonate with divination magics, but each realm takes a radically different approach. While the Night Realm concerns itself with instincts, feelings, and qualities, the Day Realm is only resonant with measurable commodities and with rational quantifiable facts. Numbers, distances, quantities, all fall within the realm of Day and rituals that divine these pieces of information or which apply the knowledge in some way (for example, to find deposits of valuable minerals or avoid dangers during trade) are far more powerful here than with any other realm.

Although the Day Realm is pre-eminent in the divination of quantifiable information, even this realm has limits and many responses will come as estimates. However the realm despises pure conjecture and though eternals from the realm can be convinced to provide an opinion, divinations performed using Day magic never provide anything more than the facts that can be verified.

Examples: [[Bright Lantern of Ophis]], [[Reading the Weave]], [[Revelation of the Jewel's Sparkling Heart]], [[Skein of Years]], [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River]], [[Sular's Promise]], [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]], [[The Eye of the High Places]], [[Bright Eyes Gleam in the Depths]], and the [[Detect magic|detect magic]] spell.

===Revelation===
The light of the Day realm dispels illusions, reveals secrets and shatters deceptions. It is the light of revelation that seeks the essential truth of all things. Revelation can be dangerous though; too much information can overwhelm a mortal mind. Likewise, too much light can damage mortal sight.

Examples: [[Piercing Light of Revelation]], [[Ensnaring Bond of Transient Stasis]], [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]], [[All the World in a Grain of Sand]], [[Revelatory Light of the Empyrean Spheres]]

===Mastery===
The Day Realm offers the gift of lucidity to those who can appreciate it. The realm resonates with any magics that help the subject be calm, rational, and clear headed. Skilled magicians have used the power of the realm to create rituals that help provide self-control of the mind and the body, focusing the attention and meditating to unlock memories and internal strength. The Day Realm encourages all these things in search of the ultimate goal, allowing the magician mastery of the world around them.

Examples: [[The Solace of Chimes]], [[Crystal Clarity of the Rational Soul]], [[Illuminate the Higher Mind]], [[Ascendance of the Highest Mind]], [[Thought Becomes Action]], [[Transcendent Mastery]], and [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]].

===Perfection===
The Day Realm abhors impurity and weakness and seeks to remove it wherever it can. It longs for perfect, unchanging order. Crystals in particular are the favoured materials of the realm and many Day magicians make use of them in their rituals. This resonance empowers many Day rituals making them effecting at removing contaminants and poisons, or otherwise restoring things to their essential nature, as well as rituals that seek to perfect the self.

Examples: [[Ascetic Star of Atun]], [[Distillation of Diverse Parts]], and [[Cold Water from the Mountain]].

===Focus===
Day magic offers more than just information. The skilled magician can use the power of the Realm to focus their efforts, allowing them to act in the optimum way at the essential moment. Such control can allow magicians to reach beyond their normal means or use their existing abilities in superhuman ways.

Examples: [[Horizon's Razor Edge]], [[Sign of Aesh]], [[Standing at the Threshold]], [[Crystaline Focus of Aesh]], and [[Alignment of Mind and Blade]]

===Force===
The Day Realm's association with light is well known, but the true resonance goes deeper than this. In the Day Realm light exists as an outpouring of energy, that drives all things before it. This tendency of the realm - to move things under the control of the wielder allows skilled magicians to use the energy of the Day Realm to repel their enemies.

Examples: [[Kimus' Glaring Eye]], and the [[Repel]] spell.

==Dissonance==
===Deception===
The Day Realm does not deceive, conceal or dissemble. While it tends to be direct rather than subtle, the Realm exists to bring the truth into the light and it cannot be used to hide information or obfuscate the facts.

===Intuition===
The Day Realm has no time for gut instincts, hunches or guesses, it deals only in quantities and facts. Some of the eternals of the realm can be cajoled into providing their view of something, based on the information they have, but this quality sets them apart from the Realm itself which provides no such conjecture.

This purity of approach can be a limitation. Divination rituals that use the Day Realm are always rigidly specific about what information they return, they are neither flexible nor adaptable.

===Physicality===
The Day Realm deals with concepts rather than materials - it divines information about them, but it doesn't manipulate physical objects. Day magic might be able to tell you why something was broken, but it cannot fix it. The realm is ethereal, and rituals that work directly on bodies and objects are often highly dissonant.

===Passion===
The Day Realm is the epitome of calm, methodical, rational thought. It might create powerful roleplaying effects, but they tend to be focused inward rather than outwards. It is much more likely to mute roleplaying effects than strengthen them and rituals that encourage passion and emotion are almost impossible to perform using Day magic.

{{Ritual Theory Further Reading}}

[[Category:Magic Theory]]
[[Category:Magic]]
[[Category:Rules]]

Day magic

2015-03-21T13:44:27Z

GregW: /* Revelation */

==Overview==
The magic of day is insightful, cerebral, rational and calm. It grants crystalline clarity, and unquestionable certainty. It is the magic of the conscious mind, of logic and reason; of knowledge and understanding. It lives in the eternal quest for mastery of the self and the world; it whispers that what can be understood can ultimately be controlled. It is the unblinking light that, should a mortal stare into it for too long, brings blindness.

The most obvious use for the magic of Day is in divination. Rituals of the magic of Day are effective at scrying the present, but they might also be used to uncover details about past events and to [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/prognostication prognosticate] about the future. It is impossible to divine precisely who will survive on a battlefield, for example, because there is so much randomness and chaos; but it is possible to extrapolate the likely outcomes of actions based on past experience. Day magic excels at uncovering details - numbers of troops, for example, or the precise magnitude of an [[enchantment]]. It does not guess - it reveals or divines the truth with relentless precision.

It is a realm of cool intellect, and can be used to clear the mind or suppress unwanted passions, even to the point of cutting one off from one's emotions. Not all revelations are benign - the mortal mind and senses can be overwhelmed with information or blinding light. It is also a magic that purifies – it can be used to destroy poisons and corruptions of various sorts, and restore things to pristine, unsullied forms – although in doing so it can destroy qualities such as experience or taste. Food that is purified with the magic of Day tends to end up tasting quite bland, and alcohol is purified to the point where it is just water.

Magicians who make extensive use of Day magic often describe it as being filled with energy and clarity - to an almost painful degree. Without the precise will of the magician directing it, the magical power simply continues to build and build until the ritual magician can bear no more and the powerful sensation becomes almost painful. When performing a ritual magicians are often intensely aware of the way the magic flows through them, under the control of their will - almost as if they were living lenses focusing the unformed power of Day to achieve their goals.

It is the most powerful realm because it reveals the truth - with limitless understanding comes a limitless power to control the world.

Critics of Day magic often claim that the realm is possessed of a seductive hunger for precision and control, that it whispers to those who attempt such rituals, seducing the unwary as they attempt to master it. Most of the eternals of the realm are unified by a strong [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Determinism philosophy of determinism] and some magicians versed in the Realm come to share this view.

==Resonance==
===Divination===
Both the Day and the Night Realm resonate with divination magics, but each realm takes a radically different approach. While the Night Realm concerns itself with instincts, feelings, and qualities, the Day Realm is only resonant with measurable commodities and with rational quantifiable facts. Numbers, distances, quantities, all fall within the realm of Day and rituals that divine these pieces of information or which apply the knowledge in some way (for example, to find deposits of valuable minerals or avoid dangers during trade) are far more powerful here than with any other realm.

Although the Day Realm is pre-eminent in the divination of quantifiable information, even this realm has limits and many responses will come as estimates. However the realm despises pure conjecture and though eternals from the realm can be convinced to provide an opinion, divinations performed using Day magic never provide anything more than the facts that can be verified.

Examples: [[Bright Lantern of Ophis]], [[Reading the Weave]], [[Revelation of the Jewel's Sparkling Heart]], [[Skein of Years]], [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River]], [[Sular's Promise]], [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]], [[The Eye of the High Places]], [[Bright Eyes Gleam in the Depths]], and the [[Detect magic|detect magic]] spell.

===Revelation===
The light of the Day realm dispels illusions, reveals secrets and shatters deceptions. It is the light of revelation that seeks the essential truth of all things. Revelation can be dangerous though; too much information can overwhelm a mortal mind. Likewise, too much light can damage mortal sight.

Examples: [[Piercing Light of Revelation]], [[Ensnaring Bond of Transient Stasis]], [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]], [[All the World in a Grain of Sand]], [[Revelatory Light of the Empyrean Spheres]]

===Mastery===
The Day Realm offers the gift of lucidity to those that can appreciate it. The realm resonates with any magics that help the subject be calm, rational, and clear headed. Skilled magicians have used the power of the realm to create rituals that help provide self-control of the mind and the body, focusing the attention and meditating to unlock memories and internal strength. The Day Realm encourages all these things in search of the ultimate goal, allowing the magician mastery of the world around them.

Examples: [[The Solace of Chimes]], [[Crystal Clarity of the Rational Soul]], [[Illuminate the Higher Mind]], [[Ascendance of the Highest Mind]], [[Thought Becomes Action]], [[Transcendent Mastery]], and [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]].

===Perfection===
The Day Realm abhors impurity and weakness and seeks to remove it wherever it can. It longs for perfect, unchanging order. Crystals in particular are the favoured materials of the realm and many Day magicians make use of them in their rituals. This resonance empowers many Day rituals making them effecting at removing contaminants and poisons, or otherwise restoring things to their essential nature, as well as rituals that seek to perfect the self.

Examples: [[Ascetic Star of Atun]], [[Distillation of Diverse Parts]], and [[Cold Water from the Mountain]].

===Focus===
Day magic offers more than just information. The skilled magician can use the power of the Realm to focus their efforts, allowing them to act in the optimum way at the essential moment. Such control can allow magicians to reach beyond their normal means or use their existing abilities in superhuman ways.

Examples: [[Horizon's Razor Edge]], [[Sign of Aesh]], [[Standing at the Threshold]], [[Crystaline Focus of Aesh]], and [[Alignment of Mind and Blade]]

===Force===
The Day Realm's association with light is well known, but the true resonance goes deeper than this. In the Day Realm light exists as an outpouring of energy, that drives all things before it. This tendency of the realm - to move things under the control of the wielder allows skilled magicians to use the energy of the Day Realm to repel their enemies.

Examples: [[Kimus' Glaring Eye]], and the [[Repel]] spell.

==Dissonance==
===Deception===
The Day Realm does not deceive, conceal or dissemble. While it tends to be direct rather than subtle, the Realm exists to bring the truth into the light and it cannot be used to hide information or obfuscate the facts.

===Intuition===
The Day Realm has no time for gut instincts, hunches or guesses, it deals only in quantities and facts. Some of the eternals of the realm can be cajoled into providing their view of something, based on the information they have, but this quality sets them apart from the Realm itself which provides no such conjecture.

This purity of approach can be a limitation. Divination rituals that use the Day Realm are always rigidly specific about what information they return, they are neither flexible nor adaptable.

===Physicality===
The Day Realm deals with concepts rather than materials - it divines information about them, but it doesn't manipulate physical objects. Day magic might be able to tell you why something was broken, but it cannot fix it. The realm is ethereal, and rituals that work directly on bodies and objects are often highly dissonant.

===Passion===
The Day Realm is the epitome of calm, methodical, rational thought. It might create powerful roleplaying effects, but they tend to be focused inward rather than outwards. It is much more likely to mute roleplaying effects than strengthen them and rituals that encourage passion and emotion are almost impossible to perform using Day magic.

{{Ritual Theory Further Reading}}

[[Category:Magic Theory]]
[[Category:Magic]]
[[Category:Rules]]

Day magic

2015-03-21T13:43:57Z

GregW: /* Divination */

==Overview==
The magic of day is insightful, cerebral, rational and calm. It grants crystalline clarity, and unquestionable certainty. It is the magic of the conscious mind, of logic and reason; of knowledge and understanding. It lives in the eternal quest for mastery of the self and the world; it whispers that what can be understood can ultimately be controlled. It is the unblinking light that, should a mortal stare into it for too long, brings blindness.

The most obvious use for the magic of Day is in divination. Rituals of the magic of Day are effective at scrying the present, but they might also be used to uncover details about past events and to [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/prognostication prognosticate] about the future. It is impossible to divine precisely who will survive on a battlefield, for example, because there is so much randomness and chaos; but it is possible to extrapolate the likely outcomes of actions based on past experience. Day magic excels at uncovering details - numbers of troops, for example, or the precise magnitude of an [[enchantment]]. It does not guess - it reveals or divines the truth with relentless precision.

It is a realm of cool intellect, and can be used to clear the mind or suppress unwanted passions, even to the point of cutting one off from one's emotions. Not all revelations are benign - the mortal mind and senses can be overwhelmed with information or blinding light. It is also a magic that purifies – it can be used to destroy poisons and corruptions of various sorts, and restore things to pristine, unsullied forms – although in doing so it can destroy qualities such as experience or taste. Food that is purified with the magic of Day tends to end up tasting quite bland, and alcohol is purified to the point where it is just water.

Magicians who make extensive use of Day magic often describe it as being filled with energy and clarity - to an almost painful degree. Without the precise will of the magician directing it, the magical power simply continues to build and build until the ritual magician can bear no more and the powerful sensation becomes almost painful. When performing a ritual magicians are often intensely aware of the way the magic flows through them, under the control of their will - almost as if they were living lenses focusing the unformed power of Day to achieve their goals.

It is the most powerful realm because it reveals the truth - with limitless understanding comes a limitless power to control the world.

Critics of Day magic often claim that the realm is possessed of a seductive hunger for precision and control, that it whispers to those who attempt such rituals, seducing the unwary as they attempt to master it. Most of the eternals of the realm are unified by a strong [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Determinism philosophy of determinism] and some magicians versed in the Realm come to share this view.

==Resonance==
===Divination===
Both the Day and the Night Realm resonate with divination magics, but each realm takes a radically different approach. While the Night Realm concerns itself with instincts, feelings, and qualities, the Day Realm is only resonant with measurable commodities and with rational quantifiable facts. Numbers, distances, quantities, all fall within the realm of Day and rituals that divine these pieces of information or which apply the knowledge in some way (for example, to find deposits of valuable minerals or avoid dangers during trade) are far more powerful here than with any other realm.

Although the Day Realm is pre-eminent in the divination of quantifiable information, even this realm has limits and many responses will come as estimates. However the realm despises pure conjecture and though eternals from the realm can be convinced to provide an opinion, divinations performed using Day magic never provide anything more than the facts that can be verified.

Examples: [[Bright Lantern of Ophis]], [[Reading the Weave]], [[Revelation of the Jewel's Sparkling Heart]], [[Skein of Years]], [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River]], [[Sular's Promise]], [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]], [[The Eye of the High Places]], [[Bright Eyes Gleam in the Depths]], and the [[Detect magic|detect magic]] spell.

===Revelation===
The light of the Day realm dispels illusions, reveals secrets and shatters deceptions. It is the light of revelation, that seeks the essential truth of all things. Revelation can be dangerous though; too much information can overwhelm a mortal mind. Likewise, too much light can damage mortal sight.

Examples: [[Piercing Light of Revelation]], [[Ensnaring Bond of Transient Stasis]], [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]], [[All the World in a Grain of Sand]], [[Revelatory Light of the Empyrean Spheres]]

===Mastery===
The Day Realm offers the gift of lucidity to those that can appreciate it. The realm resonates with any magics that help the subject be calm, rational, and clear headed. Skilled magicians have used the power of the realm to create rituals that help provide self-control of the mind and the body, focusing the attention and meditating to unlock memories and internal strength. The Day Realm encourages all these things in search of the ultimate goal, allowing the magician mastery of the world around them.

Examples: [[The Solace of Chimes]], [[Crystal Clarity of the Rational Soul]], [[Illuminate the Higher Mind]], [[Ascendance of the Highest Mind]], [[Thought Becomes Action]], [[Transcendent Mastery]], and [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]].

===Perfection===
The Day Realm abhors impurity and weakness and seeks to remove it wherever it can. It longs for perfect, unchanging order. Crystals in particular are the favoured materials of the realm and many Day magicians make use of them in their rituals. This resonance empowers many Day rituals making them effecting at removing contaminants and poisons, or otherwise restoring things to their essential nature, as well as rituals that seek to perfect the self.

Examples: [[Ascetic Star of Atun]], [[Distillation of Diverse Parts]], and [[Cold Water from the Mountain]].

===Focus===
Day magic offers more than just information. The skilled magician can use the power of the Realm to focus their efforts, allowing them to act in the optimum way at the essential moment. Such control can allow magicians to reach beyond their normal means or use their existing abilities in superhuman ways.

Examples: [[Horizon's Razor Edge]], [[Sign of Aesh]], [[Standing at the Threshold]], [[Crystaline Focus of Aesh]], and [[Alignment of Mind and Blade]]

===Force===
The Day Realm's association with light is well known, but the true resonance goes deeper than this. In the Day Realm light exists as an outpouring of energy, that drives all things before it. This tendency of the realm - to move things under the control of the wielder allows skilled magicians to use the energy of the Day Realm to repel their enemies.

Examples: [[Kimus' Glaring Eye]], and the [[Repel]] spell.

==Dissonance==
===Deception===
The Day Realm does not deceive, conceal or dissemble. While it tends to be direct rather than subtle, the Realm exists to bring the truth into the light and it cannot be used to hide information or obfuscate the facts.

===Intuition===
The Day Realm has no time for gut instincts, hunches or guesses, it deals only in quantities and facts. Some of the eternals of the realm can be cajoled into providing their view of something, based on the information they have, but this quality sets them apart from the Realm itself which provides no such conjecture.

This purity of approach can be a limitation. Divination rituals that use the Day Realm are always rigidly specific about what information they return, they are neither flexible nor adaptable.

===Physicality===
The Day Realm deals with concepts rather than materials - it divines information about them, but it doesn't manipulate physical objects. Day magic might be able to tell you why something was broken, but it cannot fix it. The realm is ethereal, and rituals that work directly on bodies and objects are often highly dissonant.

===Passion===
The Day Realm is the epitome of calm, methodical, rational thought. It might create powerful roleplaying effects, but they tend to be focused inward rather than outwards. It is much more likely to mute roleplaying effects than strengthen them and rituals that encourage passion and emotion are almost impossible to perform using Day magic.

{{Ritual Theory Further Reading}}

[[Category:Magic Theory]]
[[Category:Magic]]
[[Category:Rules]]

Day magic

2015-03-21T13:41:35Z

GregW: /* Overview */

==Overview==
The magic of day is insightful, cerebral, rational and calm. It grants crystalline clarity, and unquestionable certainty. It is the magic of the conscious mind, of logic and reason; of knowledge and understanding. It lives in the eternal quest for mastery of the self and the world; it whispers that what can be understood can ultimately be controlled. It is the unblinking light that, should a mortal stare into it for too long, brings blindness.

The most obvious use for the magic of Day is in divination. Rituals of the magic of Day are effective at scrying the present, but they might also be used to uncover details about past events and to [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/prognostication prognosticate] about the future. It is impossible to divine precisely who will survive on a battlefield, for example, because there is so much randomness and chaos; but it is possible to extrapolate the likely outcomes of actions based on past experience. Day magic excels at uncovering details - numbers of troops, for example, or the precise magnitude of an [[enchantment]]. It does not guess - it reveals or divines the truth with relentless precision.

It is a realm of cool intellect, and can be used to clear the mind or suppress unwanted passions, even to the point of cutting one off from one's emotions. Not all revelations are benign - the mortal mind and senses can be overwhelmed with information or blinding light. It is also a magic that purifies – it can be used to destroy poisons and corruptions of various sorts, and restore things to pristine, unsullied forms – although in doing so it can destroy qualities such as experience or taste. Food that is purified with the magic of Day tends to end up tasting quite bland, and alcohol is purified to the point where it is just water.

Magicians who make extensive use of Day magic often describe it as being filled with energy and clarity - to an almost painful degree. Without the precise will of the magician directing it, the magical power simply continues to build and build until the ritual magician can bear no more and the powerful sensation becomes almost painful. When performing a ritual magicians are often intensely aware of the way the magic flows through them, under the control of their will - almost as if they were living lenses focusing the unformed power of Day to achieve their goals.

It is the most powerful realm because it reveals the truth - with limitless understanding comes a limitless power to control the world.

Critics of Day magic often claim that the realm is possessed of a seductive hunger for precision and control, that it whispers to those who attempt such rituals, seducing the unwary as they attempt to master it. Most of the eternals of the realm are unified by a strong [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Determinism philosophy of determinism] and some magicians versed in the Realm come to share this view.

==Resonance==
===Divination===
Both the Day and the Night Realm resonate with divination magics, but each realm takes a radically different approach. While the Night Realm concerns itself with instincts, feelings, and qualities, the Day Realm is only resonant with measurable commodities and with rational quantifiable facts. Numbers, distances, quantities, all fall within the realm of Day and rituals that divine these pieces of information or which apply the knowledge in some way (for example, to find deposits of valuable minerals or avoid dangers during trade) are far more powerful here than with any other realm.

Although the Day Realm is pre-eminent in the divination of quantifiable information, even this realm has limits and many responses will come as estimates. However the realm despises pure conjecture and though eternals from the realm can be convinced to provide an opinion, divinations performed using Day magic never provide anything more than the facts that can be verified.

Examples: [[Bright Lantern of Ophis]], [[Reading the Weave]], [[Revelation of the Jewel's Sparkling Heart]], [[Skein of Years]], [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River]], [[Sular's Promise]], [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]], [[The Eye of the High Places]], [[Bright Eyes Gleam in the Depths]], and the [[Detect magic]] spell.

===Revelation===
The light of the Day realm dispels illusions, reveals secrets and shatters deceptions. It is the light of revelation, that seeks the essential truth of all things. Revelation can be dangerous though; too much information can overwhelm a mortal mind. Likewise, too much light can damage mortal sight.

Examples: [[Piercing Light of Revelation]], [[Ensnaring Bond of Transient Stasis]], [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]], [[All the World in a Grain of Sand]], [[Revelatory Light of the Empyrean Spheres]]

===Mastery===
The Day Realm offers the gift of lucidity to those that can appreciate it. The realm resonates with any magics that help the subject be calm, rational, and clear headed. Skilled magicians have used the power of the realm to create rituals that help provide self-control of the mind and the body, focusing the attention and meditating to unlock memories and internal strength. The Day Realm encourages all these things in search of the ultimate goal, allowing the magician mastery of the world around them.

Examples: [[The Solace of Chimes]], [[Crystal Clarity of the Rational Soul]], [[Illuminate the Higher Mind]], [[Ascendance of the Highest Mind]], [[Thought Becomes Action]], [[Transcendent Mastery]], and [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]].

===Perfection===
The Day Realm abhors impurity and weakness and seeks to remove it wherever it can. It longs for perfect, unchanging order. Crystals in particular are the favoured materials of the realm and many Day magicians make use of them in their rituals. This resonance empowers many Day rituals making them effecting at removing contaminants and poisons, or otherwise restoring things to their essential nature, as well as rituals that seek to perfect the self.

Examples: [[Ascetic Star of Atun]], [[Distillation of Diverse Parts]], and [[Cold Water from the Mountain]].

===Focus===
Day magic offers more than just information. The skilled magician can use the power of the Realm to focus their efforts, allowing them to act in the optimum way at the essential moment. Such control can allow magicians to reach beyond their normal means or use their existing abilities in superhuman ways.

Examples: [[Horizon's Razor Edge]], [[Sign of Aesh]], [[Standing at the Threshold]], [[Crystaline Focus of Aesh]], and [[Alignment of Mind and Blade]]

===Force===
The Day Realm's association with light is well known, but the true resonance goes deeper than this. In the Day Realm light exists as an outpouring of energy, that drives all things before it. This tendency of the realm - to move things under the control of the wielder allows skilled magicians to use the energy of the Day Realm to repel their enemies.

Examples: [[Kimus' Glaring Eye]], and the [[Repel]] spell.

==Dissonance==
===Deception===
The Day Realm does not deceive, conceal or dissemble. While it tends to be direct rather than subtle, the Realm exists to bring the truth into the light and it cannot be used to hide information or obfuscate the facts.

===Intuition===
The Day Realm has no time for gut instincts, hunches or guesses, it deals only in quantities and facts. Some of the eternals of the realm can be cajoled into providing their view of something, based on the information they have, but this quality sets them apart from the Realm itself which provides no such conjecture.

This purity of approach can be a limitation. Divination rituals that use the Day Realm are always rigidly specific about what information they return, they are neither flexible nor adaptable.

===Physicality===
The Day Realm deals with concepts rather than materials - it divines information about them, but it doesn't manipulate physical objects. Day magic might be able to tell you why something was broken, but it cannot fix it. The realm is ethereal, and rituals that work directly on bodies and objects are often highly dissonant.

===Passion===
The Day Realm is the epitome of calm, methodical, rational thought. It might create powerful roleplaying effects, but they tend to be focused inward rather than outwards. It is much more likely to mute roleplaying effects than strengthen them and rituals that encourage passion and emotion are almost impossible to perform using Day magic.

{{Ritual Theory Further Reading}}

[[Category:Magic Theory]]
[[Category:Magic]]
[[Category:Rules]]

Winter magic

2015-03-21T13:40:08Z

GregW: /* Hope */ Double-check this, it may not be quite what you aimed for.

==Overview==
The magic of Winter is old, hungry and cruel but also wise - it has seen all the horror the world has to offer, and it has triumphed over it. Winter magic is dangerous to the wielder and the world, but its power cannot be denied and it is honest about the harm it may cause. It is not evil in a human sense - it simply wells up from dark places that have little regard for the weakness of humans.

When most people think of Winter magic, they think of curses. The realm is adept at bringing harm to others, and no other realm is quite so adept at weaving ironic or unspeakable punishments. It is especially adept at delivering curses that deal with concepts of extreme age (crippling, tiredness, infirmity, withering sickness, mental degradation and even death), hunger (hunger and thirst for food and drink that cannot be allayed, robbing something of its joy or meaning, or more unpleaseant urges such as a drive to commit cannibalism) and fear (everything from full-blown feelings of crippling fear to nagging doubts and uncertainties, an infestation of nightmares, or the slow eroding of hope into despair). These curses can also become blights that affect larger areas, or they can become contagious effects that spread through a bloodline or town.

The realm is also hungry, a hunger that can manifest in the form of rituals that prey on other people or on binding ravenous spirits into mortal flesh. Stealing someone’s youth to prolong your own life, or consuming their power to gain a little of it yourself both resonate with Winter. These rituals are never an even trade – a large portion of whatever energy they deal with is bled off into winter – and they often come with other dreadful downsides (they might be addictive, for example, or need to repeated regularly to avoid a painful and messy death). There is often a sacrifice with winter magic - but it is the sacrifice of the self for others not the sacrifice of others for the self.

At its heart, this Realm is old and it understands the power that fear and death have over the living. Yet from this understanding grows wisdom - and from wisdom comes a very different form of power. No realm approaches the potency of Winter when it comes to creating wards, bindings or oaths.

There are of course mystics and scholars say that the magic of Winter is innately dangerous. They claim that each magical effect ended, each portion of energy consumed, and each incident of destruction somehow “feeds” the Wasteland. The energies it consumes are gone forever, and eventually all the magic in the world will be swallowed up by Winter, bringing an end to creation. Another group disagree – they claim that by using the magic of Winter the magician steals power from the Realm, postponing the eventual death of creation. Magicians who work powerful Winter rituals often speak of the magic as being dangerous - predatory or watchful. They must wield it without fear, without showing the slightest weakness, because if they do they can sense that the cold, cruel magic will take advantage and turn against the practitioner.

Winter magic is the most powerful because it is honest - it is power stripped of deception - and because it deals with the inevitable powers of death and decay. Those who wield Winter magic can become powerful protectors - or devastating villains.

==Resonance==
===Weakness===
The Winter Realm is preoccupied with ageing and especially with the weakness and infirmity that comes from old age and the realm resonates strongly with any rituals that produce similar effects. All manner of mortal ailments, even simple exhaustion, are likewise strongly favoured by the realm. Magics that weaken need not be limited to the body; Winter magic excels at weakening objects and structures, causing metals to corrode, wood to rot, and stone to erode. It can even be used to blight the land however the more powerful winter destruction is, the slower and more insidious it tends to be.

Examples: the [[weakness]] spell, [[Withering Touch of Frost]], [[Crumbling Flesh and Withering Limbs]], [[Hungry Grasp of Despair]], [[Naeve's Twisting Blight]], [[Inevitable Collapse into Ruin]], [[Howling Despite of the Yawning Maw]], and [[The Grave's Treacherous Edge]].

===Endings===
Winter magic likes to bring things to things to an end. For many objects and buildings this means their destruction, but Winter magic can be used in different ways to cause things to end. There is no generic "dispel magic" effect in Empire, but Winter is far and away the best the realm to use to bring magic that is ongoing and active to an end.

Examples: [[Black Iron Blade]], [[Words of Ending]], [[Ravenous Tongue of Entropy]], [[Devastating Scythe of Anguish and Loss]], [[Wind of Mundane Silence]], and [[Wither the Seed]].

===Hunger===
The physical needs of the body are a common theme of the realm, but this resonance incorporates more than just physical needs - it includes hunger in the metaphorical sense as well. Desires such as the hunger for power or for wealth are all claimed by Winter. Eating or consuming things, especially consuming something to gain strength by sating your hunger, are all powerful forces in Winter magic, as are any rituals that involve empowering yourself at the expense of others.

Examples: [[Coil of the Black Leech]], [[Icy Maw Devours the Spark of Essence]], and [[Gnawing, Endless Hunger]].

===Fear===
Fear is a powerful emotion throughout the Winter Realm and Winter rituals that create fear are especially potent. Almost any fear resonates in Winter: fear of death, fear of loss, or just fear of being hurt. This resonance also spans some of the things that help to feed fear, especially uncertainty and doubt. Strangely, fear is often seen as a positive force by many Winter eternals, who believe that it serves as a warning, helping individuals to realize when they are in danger.

Examples: [[Dreamscape of the Endless Hunt]].

===Wisdom===
Rituals that embrace wisdom and long memories, that provide the understanding that comes from experience, are all resonant with Winter magic. Traditions, especially traditional lore passed down from one generation to another, are considered precious by the realm, as is any wisdom inherited from the past. Lore about death, curses, and mortal threats are especially important, as are rituals that involve the preservation or recall of lost memories.

Examples: [[An Echo of Life Remains]], [[Wisdom of the Balanced Blade]], [[Ruthless Vigilance, Healthy Crop]] and [[Whispers through the Black Gate]].

===Oaths and Wards===
Both Autumn and Winter magic take a strong interest in statements of intent; while Autumn favours deals, pacts, and accords, Winter is most concerned with sworn oaths and geas. Winter magic wants to hold people to the words they speak, punishing those who break solemn vows. This binding nature of the Winter realm can also physically constrain people, creating wards that punish those who cross them.

Examples: [[Tribute to the Thrice-Cursed Court]], [[Pakaanan's Iron Shutters]], [[Hold Back Frozen Hunger]], [[There Is No Welcome Here]], [[Ward of the Black Waste]], and [[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]].

===Cruelty===
To mortal eyes, the Winter Realm often appears cruel or heartless. Winter magic often comes with a price to be paid; the more powerful the magic, the more terrible the price. When questioned on such matters, Winter eternals do not deny that Winter magic can exact a cruel toll on its caster, but they claim it reflects the true nature of the world - that things cannot be achieved without sacrifice.

Examples: [[Pallid Flesh of the Dead King]], [[Sorins Rite of Agony]].

===Punishment===
Winter magic deals with many rituals that administer punishment. The Realm delights in punishing those who have transgressed with suitable consequences for their actions, but magicians are advised to use such power carefully. Those who use the curses and punishments of Winter magic indiscriminately may soon find their enemies wielding the same power on them in turn.

Examples: [[Traitor's Fate]], [[Freezing Brand of Irremais]], and [[Circle of Trust]], [[Winter's Ghosts]].

===Survival===
The urge to survive is a powerful instinct of the Winter Realm, making rituals that draw on this resonance especially powerful. Winter magic can allow the beneficiary to endure pain or even resist death in the short term.

Examples: [[Hunger of the Draughir]], [[Unyielding Constitution]], [[Fight Tooth and Nail]], and [[Last Breath Echoes]].

===Preservation===
Winter magic has a predilection for preserving things. It naturally seeks to oppose change, wanting things to remain as they are, even if this leads to stagnation.

Examples: [[Fallow Fields and Dried Meat]] and [[Mark the Flesh Incorruptible]].

===Death===
Death and the bodies of the dead are an obsession for many inhabitants of the Winter realm. Winter magic can speak to those who have recently departed and the realm includes divinations that can be performed on the bodies of the dead. Although there are no magics that can bring a person back from the dead, some of the most powerful Winter rituals allow the magician to summon drudges from the Winter Realm to occupy the bodies of the fallen, making them march at their command.

Examples: [[Quickening Cold Meat]], [[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]], [[Last Breath Echoes]], [[An Echo of Life Remains]], [[Hold Back Frozen Hunger]], the [[Voice for the dead]] spell.

==Dissonance==
===Healing===
Although Winter magic can grant unnatural ability to survive, it is near powerless to heal those who have been harmed. Winter magic almost seems to prefer that the wounded suffer rather than recover swiftly. The realm takes no interest in rituals to provide good health and it would be desperately unwise to attempt to use the magic to improve fertility.

===Creation===
The Winter realm is strongly dissonant with any rituals that attempt to create. A skilled magician can use the Winter realm in constructive ways by destroying unwanted things allowing what remains to prosper, but the realm fiercely opposes any attempt to use it to construct or conceive new things.

===Hope===
There is no mercy in the Winter Realm; at best it can provide a sombre sympathy for the pain that life brings, at worst it takes a delight in the cruel and capricious nature of the mortal experience. The realm's inhabitants consider forgiveness to be foolish and weak and happiness to be the refuge of ignorant fools. Rituals cannot use WInter magic to create uplifting or positive feelings.

===Strength===
Winter does not strengthen or empower. It is extremely difficult for Winter magic to grant enhanced health, [[Combat skills#Endurance|endurance]] or [[Calls#Heroic_Calls|mighty blows]]. While a magician might shatter a shield with a touch of their rod, Winter cannot grant a warrior the strength needed to smash such a shield with their two-handed weapon. The personal enchantments that Winter creates are about resisting death through increased [[Combat skills#Fortitude|fortitude]], or about enhancing personal power with a price (in the manner of rituals such as [[Sorins Rite of Agony|Sorin's Rite of Agony]]).

===Prosperity===
Winter ends where Autumn magic begins. It does not take for granted the idea that someone will be alive tomorrow in the way Autumn does. It is concerned with survival, not wealth. Winter does not work well with enchantments that deal with wealth, trade, commerce or creature comforts. It focuses towards the bottom end of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs hierarchy of needs].

===Community===
Winter encourages selfishness. Sometimes, hard choices are needed to provide security for oneself and the people one is responsible for. Winter magic works well with small groups, but the larger a group becomes the more likely Winter is to break that community down into several smaller groups. It often promotes an "us and them" attitude that makes complex, large-scale beneficial effects increasingly difficult.

{{Ritual Theory Further Reading}}

[[Category:Magic Theory]]
[[Category:Magic]]
[[Category:Rules]]

Winter magic

2015-03-21T13:36:16Z

GregW: /* Strength */

==Overview==
The magic of Winter is old, hungry and cruel but also wise - it has seen all the horror the world has to offer, and it has triumphed over it. Winter magic is dangerous to the wielder and the world, but its power cannot be denied and it is honest about the harm it may cause. It is not evil in a human sense - it simply wells up from dark places that have little regard for the weakness of humans.

When most people think of Winter magic, they think of curses. The realm is adept at bringing harm to others, and no other realm is quite so adept at weaving ironic or unspeakable punishments. It is especially adept at delivering curses that deal with concepts of extreme age (crippling, tiredness, infirmity, withering sickness, mental degradation and even death), hunger (hunger and thirst for food and drink that cannot be allayed, robbing something of its joy or meaning, or more unpleaseant urges such as a drive to commit cannibalism) and fear (everything from full-blown feelings of crippling fear to nagging doubts and uncertainties, an infestation of nightmares, or the slow eroding of hope into despair). These curses can also become blights that affect larger areas, or they can become contagious effects that spread through a bloodline or town.

The realm is also hungry, a hunger that can manifest in the form of rituals that prey on other people or on binding ravenous spirits into mortal flesh. Stealing someone’s youth to prolong your own life, or consuming their power to gain a little of it yourself both resonate with Winter. These rituals are never an even trade – a large portion of whatever energy they deal with is bled off into winter – and they often come with other dreadful downsides (they might be addictive, for example, or need to repeated regularly to avoid a painful and messy death). There is often a sacrifice with winter magic - but it is the sacrifice of the self for others not the sacrifice of others for the self.

At its heart, this Realm is old and it understands the power that fear and death have over the living. Yet from this understanding grows wisdom - and from wisdom comes a very different form of power. No realm approaches the potency of Winter when it comes to creating wards, bindings or oaths.

There are of course mystics and scholars say that the magic of Winter is innately dangerous. They claim that each magical effect ended, each portion of energy consumed, and each incident of destruction somehow “feeds” the Wasteland. The energies it consumes are gone forever, and eventually all the magic in the world will be swallowed up by Winter, bringing an end to creation. Another group disagree – they claim that by using the magic of Winter the magician steals power from the Realm, postponing the eventual death of creation. Magicians who work powerful Winter rituals often speak of the magic as being dangerous - predatory or watchful. They must wield it without fear, without showing the slightest weakness, because if they do they can sense that the cold, cruel magic will take advantage and turn against the practitioner.

Winter magic is the most powerful because it is honest - it is power stripped of deception - and because it deals with the inevitable powers of death and decay. Those who wield Winter magic can become powerful protectors - or devastating villains.

==Resonance==
===Weakness===
The Winter Realm is preoccupied with ageing and especially with the weakness and infirmity that comes from old age and the realm resonates strongly with any rituals that produce similar effects. All manner of mortal ailments, even simple exhaustion, are likewise strongly favoured by the realm. Magics that weaken need not be limited to the body; Winter magic excels at weakening objects and structures, causing metals to corrode, wood to rot, and stone to erode. It can even be used to blight the land however the more powerful winter destruction is, the slower and more insidious it tends to be.

Examples: the [[weakness]] spell, [[Withering Touch of Frost]], [[Crumbling Flesh and Withering Limbs]], [[Hungry Grasp of Despair]], [[Naeve's Twisting Blight]], [[Inevitable Collapse into Ruin]], [[Howling Despite of the Yawning Maw]], and [[The Grave's Treacherous Edge]].

===Endings===
Winter magic likes to bring things to things to an end. For many objects and buildings this means their destruction, but Winter magic can be used in different ways to cause things to end. There is no generic "dispel magic" effect in Empire, but Winter is far and away the best the realm to use to bring magic that is ongoing and active to an end.

Examples: [[Black Iron Blade]], [[Words of Ending]], [[Ravenous Tongue of Entropy]], [[Devastating Scythe of Anguish and Loss]], [[Wind of Mundane Silence]], and [[Wither the Seed]].

===Hunger===
The physical needs of the body are a common theme of the realm, but this resonance incorporates more than just physical needs - it includes hunger in the metaphorical sense as well. Desires such as the hunger for power or for wealth are all claimed by Winter. Eating or consuming things, especially consuming something to gain strength by sating your hunger, are all powerful forces in Winter magic, as are any rituals that involve empowering yourself at the expense of others.

Examples: [[Coil of the Black Leech]], [[Icy Maw Devours the Spark of Essence]], and [[Gnawing, Endless Hunger]].

===Fear===
Fear is a powerful emotion throughout the Winter Realm and Winter rituals that create fear are especially potent. Almost any fear resonates in Winter: fear of death, fear of loss, or just fear of being hurt. This resonance also spans some of the things that help to feed fear, especially uncertainty and doubt. Strangely, fear is often seen as a positive force by many Winter eternals, who believe that it serves as a warning, helping individuals to realize when they are in danger.

Examples: [[Dreamscape of the Endless Hunt]].

===Wisdom===
Rituals that embrace wisdom and long memories, that provide the understanding that comes from experience, are all resonant with Winter magic. Traditions, especially traditional lore passed down from one generation to another, are considered precious by the realm, as is any wisdom inherited from the past. Lore about death, curses, and mortal threats are especially important, as are rituals that involve the preservation or recall of lost memories.

Examples: [[An Echo of Life Remains]], [[Wisdom of the Balanced Blade]], [[Ruthless Vigilance, Healthy Crop]] and [[Whispers through the Black Gate]].

===Oaths and Wards===
Both Autumn and Winter magic take a strong interest in statements of intent; while Autumn favours deals, pacts, and accords, Winter is most concerned with sworn oaths and geas. Winter magic wants to hold people to the words they speak, punishing those who break solemn vows. This binding nature of the Winter realm can also physically constrain people, creating wards that punish those who cross them.

Examples: [[Tribute to the Thrice-Cursed Court]], [[Pakaanan's Iron Shutters]], [[Hold Back Frozen Hunger]], [[There Is No Welcome Here]], [[Ward of the Black Waste]], and [[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]].

===Cruelty===
To mortal eyes, the Winter Realm often appears cruel or heartless. Winter magic often comes with a price to be paid; the more powerful the magic, the more terrible the price. When questioned on such matters, Winter eternals do not deny that Winter magic can exact a cruel toll on its caster, but they claim it reflects the true nature of the world - that things cannot be achieved without sacrifice.

Examples: [[Pallid Flesh of the Dead King]], [[Sorins Rite of Agony]].

===Punishment===
Winter magic deals with many rituals that administer punishment. The Realm delights in punishing those who have transgressed with suitable consequences for their actions, but magicians are advised to use such power carefully. Those who use the curses and punishments of Winter magic indiscriminately may soon find their enemies wielding the same power on them in turn.

Examples: [[Traitor's Fate]], [[Freezing Brand of Irremais]], and [[Circle of Trust]], [[Winter's Ghosts]].

===Survival===
The urge to survive is a powerful instinct of the Winter Realm, making rituals that draw on this resonance especially powerful. Winter magic can allow the beneficiary to endure pain or even resist death in the short term.

Examples: [[Hunger of the Draughir]], [[Unyielding Constitution]], [[Fight Tooth and Nail]], and [[Last Breath Echoes]].

===Preservation===
Winter magic has a predilection for preserving things. It naturally seeks to oppose change, wanting things to remain as they are, even if this leads to stagnation.

Examples: [[Fallow Fields and Dried Meat]] and [[Mark the Flesh Incorruptible]].

===Death===
Death and the bodies of the dead are an obsession for many inhabitants of the Winter realm. Winter magic can speak to those who have recently departed and the realm includes divinations that can be performed on the bodies of the dead. Although there are no magics that can bring a person back from the dead, some of the most powerful Winter rituals allow the magician to summon drudges from the Winter Realm to occupy the bodies of the fallen, making them march at their command.

Examples: [[Quickening Cold Meat]], [[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]], [[Last Breath Echoes]], [[An Echo of Life Remains]], [[Hold Back Frozen Hunger]], the [[Voice for the dead]] spell.

==Dissonance==
===Healing===
Although Winter magic can grant unnatural ability to survive, it is near powerless to heal those who have been harmed. Winter magic almost seems to prefer that the wounded suffer rather than recover swiftly. The realm takes no interest in rituals to provide good health and it would be desperately unwise to attempt to use the magic to improve fertility.

===Creation===
The Winter realm is strongly dissonant with any rituals that attempt to create. A skilled magician can use the Winter realm in constructive ways by destroying unwanted things allowing what remains to prosper, but the realm fiercely opposes any attempt to use it to construct or conceive new things.

===Hope===
There is no mercy in the Winter Realm; at best it can provide a sombre sympathy for the pain that life brings, at worst it takes a delight in the cruel and capricious nature of the mortal experience. The realm's inhabitants consider forgiveness to be foolish and weak and happiness to be recluse of ignorant fools. Rituals cannot use WInter magic to create uplifting or positive feelings.

===Strength===
Winter does not strengthen or empower. It is extremely difficult for Winter magic to grant enhanced health, [[Combat skills#Endurance|endurance]] or [[Calls#Heroic_Calls|mighty blows]]. While a magician might shatter a shield with a touch of their rod, Winter cannot grant a warrior the strength needed to smash such a shield with their two-handed weapon. The personal enchantments that Winter creates are about resisting death through increased [[Combat skills#Fortitude|fortitude]], or about enhancing personal power with a price (in the manner of rituals such as [[Sorins Rite of Agony|Sorin's Rite of Agony]]).

===Prosperity===
Winter ends where Autumn magic begins. It does not take for granted the idea that someone will be alive tomorrow in the way Autumn does. It is concerned with survival, not wealth. Winter does not work well with enchantments that deal with wealth, trade, commerce or creature comforts. It focuses towards the bottom end of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs hierarchy of needs].

===Community===
Winter encourages selfishness. Sometimes, hard choices are needed to provide security for oneself and the people one is responsible for. Winter magic works well with small groups, but the larger a group becomes the more likely Winter is to break that community down into several smaller groups. It often promotes an "us and them" attitude that makes complex, large-scale beneficial effects increasingly difficult.

{{Ritual Theory Further Reading}}

[[Category:Magic Theory]]
[[Category:Magic]]
[[Category:Rules]]

Winter magic

2015-03-21T13:35:17Z

GregW: /* Hope */

==Overview==
The magic of Winter is old, hungry and cruel but also wise - it has seen all the horror the world has to offer, and it has triumphed over it. Winter magic is dangerous to the wielder and the world, but its power cannot be denied and it is honest about the harm it may cause. It is not evil in a human sense - it simply wells up from dark places that have little regard for the weakness of humans.

When most people think of Winter magic, they think of curses. The realm is adept at bringing harm to others, and no other realm is quite so adept at weaving ironic or unspeakable punishments. It is especially adept at delivering curses that deal with concepts of extreme age (crippling, tiredness, infirmity, withering sickness, mental degradation and even death), hunger (hunger and thirst for food and drink that cannot be allayed, robbing something of its joy or meaning, or more unpleaseant urges such as a drive to commit cannibalism) and fear (everything from full-blown feelings of crippling fear to nagging doubts and uncertainties, an infestation of nightmares, or the slow eroding of hope into despair). These curses can also become blights that affect larger areas, or they can become contagious effects that spread through a bloodline or town.

The realm is also hungry, a hunger that can manifest in the form of rituals that prey on other people or on binding ravenous spirits into mortal flesh. Stealing someone’s youth to prolong your own life, or consuming their power to gain a little of it yourself both resonate with Winter. These rituals are never an even trade – a large portion of whatever energy they deal with is bled off into winter – and they often come with other dreadful downsides (they might be addictive, for example, or need to repeated regularly to avoid a painful and messy death). There is often a sacrifice with winter magic - but it is the sacrifice of the self for others not the sacrifice of others for the self.

At its heart, this Realm is old and it understands the power that fear and death have over the living. Yet from this understanding grows wisdom - and from wisdom comes a very different form of power. No realm approaches the potency of Winter when it comes to creating wards, bindings or oaths.

There are of course mystics and scholars say that the magic of Winter is innately dangerous. They claim that each magical effect ended, each portion of energy consumed, and each incident of destruction somehow “feeds” the Wasteland. The energies it consumes are gone forever, and eventually all the magic in the world will be swallowed up by Winter, bringing an end to creation. Another group disagree – they claim that by using the magic of Winter the magician steals power from the Realm, postponing the eventual death of creation. Magicians who work powerful Winter rituals often speak of the magic as being dangerous - predatory or watchful. They must wield it without fear, without showing the slightest weakness, because if they do they can sense that the cold, cruel magic will take advantage and turn against the practitioner.

Winter magic is the most powerful because it is honest - it is power stripped of deception - and because it deals with the inevitable powers of death and decay. Those who wield Winter magic can become powerful protectors - or devastating villains.

==Resonance==
===Weakness===
The Winter Realm is preoccupied with ageing and especially with the weakness and infirmity that comes from old age and the realm resonates strongly with any rituals that produce similar effects. All manner of mortal ailments, even simple exhaustion, are likewise strongly favoured by the realm. Magics that weaken need not be limited to the body; Winter magic excels at weakening objects and structures, causing metals to corrode, wood to rot, and stone to erode. It can even be used to blight the land however the more powerful winter destruction is, the slower and more insidious it tends to be.

Examples: the [[weakness]] spell, [[Withering Touch of Frost]], [[Crumbling Flesh and Withering Limbs]], [[Hungry Grasp of Despair]], [[Naeve's Twisting Blight]], [[Inevitable Collapse into Ruin]], [[Howling Despite of the Yawning Maw]], and [[The Grave's Treacherous Edge]].

===Endings===
Winter magic likes to bring things to things to an end. For many objects and buildings this means their destruction, but Winter magic can be used in different ways to cause things to end. There is no generic "dispel magic" effect in Empire, but Winter is far and away the best the realm to use to bring magic that is ongoing and active to an end.

Examples: [[Black Iron Blade]], [[Words of Ending]], [[Ravenous Tongue of Entropy]], [[Devastating Scythe of Anguish and Loss]], [[Wind of Mundane Silence]], and [[Wither the Seed]].

===Hunger===
The physical needs of the body are a common theme of the realm, but this resonance incorporates more than just physical needs - it includes hunger in the metaphorical sense as well. Desires such as the hunger for power or for wealth are all claimed by Winter. Eating or consuming things, especially consuming something to gain strength by sating your hunger, are all powerful forces in Winter magic, as are any rituals that involve empowering yourself at the expense of others.

Examples: [[Coil of the Black Leech]], [[Icy Maw Devours the Spark of Essence]], and [[Gnawing, Endless Hunger]].

===Fear===
Fear is a powerful emotion throughout the Winter Realm and Winter rituals that create fear are especially potent. Almost any fear resonates in Winter: fear of death, fear of loss, or just fear of being hurt. This resonance also spans some of the things that help to feed fear, especially uncertainty and doubt. Strangely, fear is often seen as a positive force by many Winter eternals, who believe that it serves as a warning, helping individuals to realize when they are in danger.

Examples: [[Dreamscape of the Endless Hunt]].

===Wisdom===
Rituals that embrace wisdom and long memories, that provide the understanding that comes from experience, are all resonant with Winter magic. Traditions, especially traditional lore passed down from one generation to another, are considered precious by the realm, as is any wisdom inherited from the past. Lore about death, curses, and mortal threats are especially important, as are rituals that involve the preservation or recall of lost memories.

Examples: [[An Echo of Life Remains]], [[Wisdom of the Balanced Blade]], [[Ruthless Vigilance, Healthy Crop]] and [[Whispers through the Black Gate]].

===Oaths and Wards===
Both Autumn and Winter magic take a strong interest in statements of intent; while Autumn favours deals, pacts, and accords, Winter is most concerned with sworn oaths and geas. Winter magic wants to hold people to the words they speak, punishing those who break solemn vows. This binding nature of the Winter realm can also physically constrain people, creating wards that punish those who cross them.

Examples: [[Tribute to the Thrice-Cursed Court]], [[Pakaanan's Iron Shutters]], [[Hold Back Frozen Hunger]], [[There Is No Welcome Here]], [[Ward of the Black Waste]], and [[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]].

===Cruelty===
To mortal eyes, the Winter Realm often appears cruel or heartless. Winter magic often comes with a price to be paid; the more powerful the magic, the more terrible the price. When questioned on such matters, Winter eternals do not deny that Winter magic can exact a cruel toll on its caster, but they claim it reflects the true nature of the world - that things cannot be achieved without sacrifice.

Examples: [[Pallid Flesh of the Dead King]], [[Sorins Rite of Agony]].

===Punishment===
Winter magic deals with many rituals that administer punishment. The Realm delights in punishing those who have transgressed with suitable consequences for their actions, but magicians are advised to use such power carefully. Those who use the curses and punishments of Winter magic indiscriminately may soon find their enemies wielding the same power on them in turn.

Examples: [[Traitor's Fate]], [[Freezing Brand of Irremais]], and [[Circle of Trust]], [[Winter's Ghosts]].

===Survival===
The urge to survive is a powerful instinct of the Winter Realm, making rituals that draw on this resonance especially powerful. Winter magic can allow the beneficiary to endure pain or even resist death in the short term.

Examples: [[Hunger of the Draughir]], [[Unyielding Constitution]], [[Fight Tooth and Nail]], and [[Last Breath Echoes]].

===Preservation===
Winter magic has a predilection for preserving things. It naturally seeks to oppose change, wanting things to remain as they are, even if this leads to stagnation.

Examples: [[Fallow Fields and Dried Meat]] and [[Mark the Flesh Incorruptible]].

===Death===
Death and the bodies of the dead are an obsession for many inhabitants of the Winter realm. Winter magic can speak to those who have recently departed and the realm includes divinations that can be performed on the bodies of the dead. Although there are no magics that can bring a person back from the dead, some of the most powerful Winter rituals allow the magician to summon drudges from the Winter Realm to occupy the bodies of the fallen, making them march at their command.

Examples: [[Quickening Cold Meat]], [[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]], [[Last Breath Echoes]], [[An Echo of Life Remains]], [[Hold Back Frozen Hunger]], the [[Voice for the dead]] spell.

==Dissonance==
===Healing===
Although Winter magic can grant unnatural ability to survive, it is near powerless to heal those who have been harmed. Winter magic almost seems to prefer that the wounded suffer rather than recover swiftly. The realm takes no interest in rituals to provide good health and it would be desperately unwise to attempt to use the magic to improve fertility.

===Creation===
The Winter realm is strongly dissonant with any rituals that attempt to create. A skilled magician can use the Winter realm in constructive ways by destroying unwanted things allowing what remains to prosper, but the realm fiercely opposes any attempt to use it to construct or conceive new things.

===Hope===
There is no mercy in the Winter Realm; at best it can provide a sombre sympathy for the pain that life brings, at worst it takes a delight in the cruel and capricious nature of the mortal experience. The realm's inhabitants consider forgiveness to be foolish and weak and happiness to be recluse of ignorant fools. Rituals cannot use WInter magic to create uplifting or positive feelings.

===Strength===
Winter does not strengthen or empower. It is extremely difficult for Winter magic to grant enhanced health, [[Combat skills#Endurance|endurance]] or [[Calls#Heroic_Calls|mighty blows]]. While a magician might shatter a shield with a touch of their rod, Winter cannot grant a warrior the strength needed to smash such a shield with their two-handed weapon. The personal enchantments that Winter creates are about resisting death through increased [[Combat skills#Fortitude|fortitude]], or about enhancing personal power with a price (in the manner of rituals such as Sorins Rite of Agony).

===Prosperity===
Winter ends where Autumn magic begins. It does not take for granted the idea that someone will be alive tomorrow in the way Autumn does. It is concerned with survival, not wealth. Winter does not work well with enchantments that deal with wealth, trade, commerce or creature comforts. It focuses towards the bottom end of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs hierarchy of needs].

===Community===
Winter encourages selfishness. Sometimes, hard choices are needed to provide security for oneself and the people one is responsible for. Winter magic works well with small groups, but the larger a group becomes the more likely Winter is to break that community down into several smaller groups. It often promotes an "us and them" attitude that makes complex, large-scale beneficial effects increasingly difficult.

{{Ritual Theory Further Reading}}

[[Category:Magic Theory]]
[[Category:Magic]]
[[Category:Rules]]

Winter magic

2015-03-21T13:32:47Z

GregW: /* Preservation */

==Overview==
The magic of Winter is old, hungry and cruel but also wise - it has seen all the horror the world has to offer, and it has triumphed over it. Winter magic is dangerous to the wielder and the world, but its power cannot be denied and it is honest about the harm it may cause. It is not evil in a human sense - it simply wells up from dark places that have little regard for the weakness of humans.

When most people think of Winter magic, they think of curses. The realm is adept at bringing harm to others, and no other realm is quite so adept at weaving ironic or unspeakable punishments. It is especially adept at delivering curses that deal with concepts of extreme age (crippling, tiredness, infirmity, withering sickness, mental degradation and even death), hunger (hunger and thirst for food and drink that cannot be allayed, robbing something of its joy or meaning, or more unpleaseant urges such as a drive to commit cannibalism) and fear (everything from full-blown feelings of crippling fear to nagging doubts and uncertainties, an infestation of nightmares, or the slow eroding of hope into despair). These curses can also become blights that affect larger areas, or they can become contagious effects that spread through a bloodline or town.

The realm is also hungry, a hunger that can manifest in the form of rituals that prey on other people or on binding ravenous spirits into mortal flesh. Stealing someone’s youth to prolong your own life, or consuming their power to gain a little of it yourself both resonate with Winter. These rituals are never an even trade – a large portion of whatever energy they deal with is bled off into winter – and they often come with other dreadful downsides (they might be addictive, for example, or need to repeated regularly to avoid a painful and messy death). There is often a sacrifice with winter magic - but it is the sacrifice of the self for others not the sacrifice of others for the self.

At its heart, this Realm is old and it understands the power that fear and death have over the living. Yet from this understanding grows wisdom - and from wisdom comes a very different form of power. No realm approaches the potency of Winter when it comes to creating wards, bindings or oaths.

There are of course mystics and scholars say that the magic of Winter is innately dangerous. They claim that each magical effect ended, each portion of energy consumed, and each incident of destruction somehow “feeds” the Wasteland. The energies it consumes are gone forever, and eventually all the magic in the world will be swallowed up by Winter, bringing an end to creation. Another group disagree – they claim that by using the magic of Winter the magician steals power from the Realm, postponing the eventual death of creation. Magicians who work powerful Winter rituals often speak of the magic as being dangerous - predatory or watchful. They must wield it without fear, without showing the slightest weakness, because if they do they can sense that the cold, cruel magic will take advantage and turn against the practitioner.

Winter magic is the most powerful because it is honest - it is power stripped of deception - and because it deals with the inevitable powers of death and decay. Those who wield Winter magic can become powerful protectors - or devastating villains.

==Resonance==
===Weakness===
The Winter Realm is preoccupied with ageing and especially with the weakness and infirmity that comes from old age and the realm resonates strongly with any rituals that produce similar effects. All manner of mortal ailments, even simple exhaustion, are likewise strongly favoured by the realm. Magics that weaken need not be limited to the body; Winter magic excels at weakening objects and structures, causing metals to corrode, wood to rot, and stone to erode. It can even be used to blight the land however the more powerful winter destruction is, the slower and more insidious it tends to be.

Examples: the [[weakness]] spell, [[Withering Touch of Frost]], [[Crumbling Flesh and Withering Limbs]], [[Hungry Grasp of Despair]], [[Naeve's Twisting Blight]], [[Inevitable Collapse into Ruin]], [[Howling Despite of the Yawning Maw]], and [[The Grave's Treacherous Edge]].

===Endings===
Winter magic likes to bring things to things to an end. For many objects and buildings this means their destruction, but Winter magic can be used in different ways to cause things to end. There is no generic "dispel magic" effect in Empire, but Winter is far and away the best the realm to use to bring magic that is ongoing and active to an end.

Examples: [[Black Iron Blade]], [[Words of Ending]], [[Ravenous Tongue of Entropy]], [[Devastating Scythe of Anguish and Loss]], [[Wind of Mundane Silence]], and [[Wither the Seed]].

===Hunger===
The physical needs of the body are a common theme of the realm, but this resonance incorporates more than just physical needs - it includes hunger in the metaphorical sense as well. Desires such as the hunger for power or for wealth are all claimed by Winter. Eating or consuming things, especially consuming something to gain strength by sating your hunger, are all powerful forces in Winter magic, as are any rituals that involve empowering yourself at the expense of others.

Examples: [[Coil of the Black Leech]], [[Icy Maw Devours the Spark of Essence]], and [[Gnawing, Endless Hunger]].

===Fear===
Fear is a powerful emotion throughout the Winter Realm and Winter rituals that create fear are especially potent. Almost any fear resonates in Winter: fear of death, fear of loss, or just fear of being hurt. This resonance also spans some of the things that help to feed fear, especially uncertainty and doubt. Strangely, fear is often seen as a positive force by many Winter eternals, who believe that it serves as a warning, helping individuals to realize when they are in danger.

Examples: [[Dreamscape of the Endless Hunt]].

===Wisdom===
Rituals that embrace wisdom and long memories, that provide the understanding that comes from experience, are all resonant with Winter magic. Traditions, especially traditional lore passed down from one generation to another, are considered precious by the realm, as is any wisdom inherited from the past. Lore about death, curses, and mortal threats are especially important, as are rituals that involve the preservation or recall of lost memories.

Examples: [[An Echo of Life Remains]], [[Wisdom of the Balanced Blade]], [[Ruthless Vigilance, Healthy Crop]] and [[Whispers through the Black Gate]].

===Oaths and Wards===
Both Autumn and Winter magic take a strong interest in statements of intent; while Autumn favours deals, pacts, and accords, Winter is most concerned with sworn oaths and geas. Winter magic wants to hold people to the words they speak, punishing those who break solemn vows. This binding nature of the Winter realm can also physically constrain people, creating wards that punish those who cross them.

Examples: [[Tribute to the Thrice-Cursed Court]], [[Pakaanan's Iron Shutters]], [[Hold Back Frozen Hunger]], [[There Is No Welcome Here]], [[Ward of the Black Waste]], and [[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]].

===Cruelty===
To mortal eyes, the Winter Realm often appears cruel or heartless. Winter magic often comes with a price to be paid; the more powerful the magic, the more terrible the price. When questioned on such matters, Winter eternals do not deny that Winter magic can exact a cruel toll on its caster, but they claim it reflects the true nature of the world - that things cannot be achieved without sacrifice.

Examples: [[Pallid Flesh of the Dead King]], [[Sorins Rite of Agony]].

===Punishment===
Winter magic deals with many rituals that administer punishment. The Realm delights in punishing those who have transgressed with suitable consequences for their actions, but magicians are advised to use such power carefully. Those who use the curses and punishments of Winter magic indiscriminately may soon find their enemies wielding the same power on them in turn.

Examples: [[Traitor's Fate]], [[Freezing Brand of Irremais]], and [[Circle of Trust]], [[Winter's Ghosts]].

===Survival===
The urge to survive is a powerful instinct of the Winter Realm, making rituals that draw on this resonance especially powerful. Winter magic can allow the beneficiary to endure pain or even resist death in the short term.

Examples: [[Hunger of the Draughir]], [[Unyielding Constitution]], [[Fight Tooth and Nail]], and [[Last Breath Echoes]].

===Preservation===
Winter magic has a predilection for preserving things. It naturally seeks to oppose change, wanting things to remain as they are, even if this leads to stagnation.

Examples: [[Fallow Fields and Dried Meat]] and [[Mark the Flesh Incorruptible]].

===Death===
Death and the bodies of the dead are an obsession for many inhabitants of the Winter realm. Winter magic can speak to those who have recently departed and the realm includes divinations that can be performed on the bodies of the dead. Although there are no magics that can bring a person back from the dead, some of the most powerful Winter rituals allow the magician to summon drudges from the Winter Realm to occupy the bodies of the fallen, making them march at their command.

Examples: [[Quickening Cold Meat]], [[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]], [[Last Breath Echoes]], [[An Echo of Life Remains]], [[Hold Back Frozen Hunger]], the [[Voice for the dead]] spell.

==Dissonance==
===Healing===
Although Winter magic can grant unnatural ability to survive, it is near powerless to heal those who have been harmed. Winter magic almost seems to prefer that the wounded suffer rather than recover swiftly. The realm takes no interest in rituals to provide good health and it would be desperately unwise to attempt to use the magic to improve fertility.

===Creation===
The Winter realm is strongly dissonant with any rituals that attempt to create. A skilled magician can use the Winter realm in constructive ways by destroying unwanted things allowing what remains to prosper, but the realm fiercely opposes any attempt to use it to construct or conceive new things.

===Hope===
There is no mercy in the Winter Realm, at best it can provide a sombre sympathy for the pain that life brings, at worst it takes a delight in the cruel and capricious nature of the mortal experience. The realms inhabitants consider forgiveness to be foolish and weak and happiness to be recluse of ignorant fools. Rituals cannot use WInter magic to create uplifting or positive feelings.

===Strength===
Winter does not strengthen or empower. It is extremely difficult for Winter magic to grant enhanced health, [[Combat skills#Endurance|endurance]] or [[Calls#Heroic_Calls|mighty blows]]. While a magician might shatter a shield with a touch of their rod, Winter cannot grant a warrior the strength needed to smash such a shield with their two-handed weapon. The personal enchantments that Winter creates are about resisting death through increased [[Combat skills#Fortitude|fortitude]], or about enhancing personal power with a price (in the manner of rituals such as Sorins Rite of Agony).

===Prosperity===
Winter ends where Autumn magic begins. It does not take for granted the idea that someone will be alive tomorrow in the way Autumn does. It is concerned with survival, not wealth. Winter does not work well with enchantments that deal with wealth, trade, commerce or creature comforts. It focuses towards the bottom end of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs hierarchy of needs].

===Community===
Winter encourages selfishness. Sometimes, hard choices are needed to provide security for oneself and the people one is responsible for. Winter magic works well with small groups, but the larger a group becomes the more likely Winter is to break that community down into several smaller groups. It often promotes an "us and them" attitude that makes complex, large-scale beneficial effects increasingly difficult.

{{Ritual Theory Further Reading}}

[[Category:Magic Theory]]
[[Category:Magic]]
[[Category:Rules]]

Winter magic

2015-03-21T13:32:24Z

GregW: /* Cruelty */

==Overview==
The magic of Winter is old, hungry and cruel but also wise - it has seen all the horror the world has to offer, and it has triumphed over it. Winter magic is dangerous to the wielder and the world, but its power cannot be denied and it is honest about the harm it may cause. It is not evil in a human sense - it simply wells up from dark places that have little regard for the weakness of humans.

When most people think of Winter magic, they think of curses. The realm is adept at bringing harm to others, and no other realm is quite so adept at weaving ironic or unspeakable punishments. It is especially adept at delivering curses that deal with concepts of extreme age (crippling, tiredness, infirmity, withering sickness, mental degradation and even death), hunger (hunger and thirst for food and drink that cannot be allayed, robbing something of its joy or meaning, or more unpleaseant urges such as a drive to commit cannibalism) and fear (everything from full-blown feelings of crippling fear to nagging doubts and uncertainties, an infestation of nightmares, or the slow eroding of hope into despair). These curses can also become blights that affect larger areas, or they can become contagious effects that spread through a bloodline or town.

The realm is also hungry, a hunger that can manifest in the form of rituals that prey on other people or on binding ravenous spirits into mortal flesh. Stealing someone’s youth to prolong your own life, or consuming their power to gain a little of it yourself both resonate with Winter. These rituals are never an even trade – a large portion of whatever energy they deal with is bled off into winter – and they often come with other dreadful downsides (they might be addictive, for example, or need to repeated regularly to avoid a painful and messy death). There is often a sacrifice with winter magic - but it is the sacrifice of the self for others not the sacrifice of others for the self.

At its heart, this Realm is old and it understands the power that fear and death have over the living. Yet from this understanding grows wisdom - and from wisdom comes a very different form of power. No realm approaches the potency of Winter when it comes to creating wards, bindings or oaths.

There are of course mystics and scholars say that the magic of Winter is innately dangerous. They claim that each magical effect ended, each portion of energy consumed, and each incident of destruction somehow “feeds” the Wasteland. The energies it consumes are gone forever, and eventually all the magic in the world will be swallowed up by Winter, bringing an end to creation. Another group disagree – they claim that by using the magic of Winter the magician steals power from the Realm, postponing the eventual death of creation. Magicians who work powerful Winter rituals often speak of the magic as being dangerous - predatory or watchful. They must wield it without fear, without showing the slightest weakness, because if they do they can sense that the cold, cruel magic will take advantage and turn against the practitioner.

Winter magic is the most powerful because it is honest - it is power stripped of deception - and because it deals with the inevitable powers of death and decay. Those who wield Winter magic can become powerful protectors - or devastating villains.

==Resonance==
===Weakness===
The Winter Realm is preoccupied with ageing and especially with the weakness and infirmity that comes from old age and the realm resonates strongly with any rituals that produce similar effects. All manner of mortal ailments, even simple exhaustion, are likewise strongly favoured by the realm. Magics that weaken need not be limited to the body; Winter magic excels at weakening objects and structures, causing metals to corrode, wood to rot, and stone to erode. It can even be used to blight the land however the more powerful winter destruction is, the slower and more insidious it tends to be.

Examples: the [[weakness]] spell, [[Withering Touch of Frost]], [[Crumbling Flesh and Withering Limbs]], [[Hungry Grasp of Despair]], [[Naeve's Twisting Blight]], [[Inevitable Collapse into Ruin]], [[Howling Despite of the Yawning Maw]], and [[The Grave's Treacherous Edge]].

===Endings===
Winter magic likes to bring things to things to an end. For many objects and buildings this means their destruction, but Winter magic can be used in different ways to cause things to end. There is no generic "dispel magic" effect in Empire, but Winter is far and away the best the realm to use to bring magic that is ongoing and active to an end.

Examples: [[Black Iron Blade]], [[Words of Ending]], [[Ravenous Tongue of Entropy]], [[Devastating Scythe of Anguish and Loss]], [[Wind of Mundane Silence]], and [[Wither the Seed]].

===Hunger===
The physical needs of the body are a common theme of the realm, but this resonance incorporates more than just physical needs - it includes hunger in the metaphorical sense as well. Desires such as the hunger for power or for wealth are all claimed by Winter. Eating or consuming things, especially consuming something to gain strength by sating your hunger, are all powerful forces in Winter magic, as are any rituals that involve empowering yourself at the expense of others.

Examples: [[Coil of the Black Leech]], [[Icy Maw Devours the Spark of Essence]], and [[Gnawing, Endless Hunger]].

===Fear===
Fear is a powerful emotion throughout the Winter Realm and Winter rituals that create fear are especially potent. Almost any fear resonates in Winter: fear of death, fear of loss, or just fear of being hurt. This resonance also spans some of the things that help to feed fear, especially uncertainty and doubt. Strangely, fear is often seen as a positive force by many Winter eternals, who believe that it serves as a warning, helping individuals to realize when they are in danger.

Examples: [[Dreamscape of the Endless Hunt]].

===Wisdom===
Rituals that embrace wisdom and long memories, that provide the understanding that comes from experience, are all resonant with Winter magic. Traditions, especially traditional lore passed down from one generation to another, are considered precious by the realm, as is any wisdom inherited from the past. Lore about death, curses, and mortal threats are especially important, as are rituals that involve the preservation or recall of lost memories.

Examples: [[An Echo of Life Remains]], [[Wisdom of the Balanced Blade]], [[Ruthless Vigilance, Healthy Crop]] and [[Whispers through the Black Gate]].

===Oaths and Wards===
Both Autumn and Winter magic take a strong interest in statements of intent; while Autumn favours deals, pacts, and accords, Winter is most concerned with sworn oaths and geas. Winter magic wants to hold people to the words they speak, punishing those who break solemn vows. This binding nature of the Winter realm can also physically constrain people, creating wards that punish those who cross them.

Examples: [[Tribute to the Thrice-Cursed Court]], [[Pakaanan's Iron Shutters]], [[Hold Back Frozen Hunger]], [[There Is No Welcome Here]], [[Ward of the Black Waste]], and [[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]].

===Cruelty===
To mortal eyes, the Winter Realm often appears cruel or heartless. Winter magic often comes with a price to be paid; the more powerful the magic, the more terrible the price. When questioned on such matters, Winter eternals do not deny that Winter magic can exact a cruel toll on its caster, but they claim it reflects the true nature of the world - that things cannot be achieved without sacrifice.

Examples: [[Pallid Flesh of the Dead King]], [[Sorins Rite of Agony]].

===Punishment===
Winter magic deals with many rituals that administer punishment. The Realm delights in punishing those who have transgressed with suitable consequences for their actions, but magicians are advised to use such power carefully. Those who use the curses and punishments of Winter magic indiscriminately may soon find their enemies wielding the same power on them in turn.

Examples: [[Traitor's Fate]], [[Freezing Brand of Irremais]], and [[Circle of Trust]], [[Winter's Ghosts]].

===Survival===
The urge to survive is a powerful instinct of the Winter Realm, making rituals that draw on this resonance especially powerful. Winter magic can allow the beneficiary to endure pain or even resist death in the short term.

Examples: [[Hunger of the Draughir]], [[Unyielding Constitution]], [[Fight Tooth and Nail]], and [[Last Breath Echoes]].

===Preservation===
Winter magic has a predilection for preserves things. It naturally seeks to oppose change, wanting things to remain as they are, even if this leads to stagnation.

Examples: [[Fallow Fields and Dried Meat]] and [[Mark the Flesh Incorruptible]].

===Death===
Death and the bodies of the dead are an obsession for many inhabitants of the Winter realm. Winter magic can speak to those who have recently departed and the realm includes divinations that can be performed on the bodies of the dead. Although there are no magics that can bring a person back from the dead, some of the most powerful Winter rituals allow the magician to summon drudges from the Winter Realm to occupy the bodies of the fallen, making them march at their command.

Examples: [[Quickening Cold Meat]], [[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]], [[Last Breath Echoes]], [[An Echo of Life Remains]], [[Hold Back Frozen Hunger]], the [[Voice for the dead]] spell.

==Dissonance==
===Healing===
Although Winter magic can grant unnatural ability to survive, it is near powerless to heal those who have been harmed. Winter magic almost seems to prefer that the wounded suffer rather than recover swiftly. The realm takes no interest in rituals to provide good health and it would be desperately unwise to attempt to use the magic to improve fertility.

===Creation===
The Winter realm is strongly dissonant with any rituals that attempt to create. A skilled magician can use the Winter realm in constructive ways by destroying unwanted things allowing what remains to prosper, but the realm fiercely opposes any attempt to use it to construct or conceive new things.

===Hope===
There is no mercy in the Winter Realm, at best it can provide a sombre sympathy for the pain that life brings, at worst it takes a delight in the cruel and capricious nature of the mortal experience. The realms inhabitants consider forgiveness to be foolish and weak and happiness to be recluse of ignorant fools. Rituals cannot use WInter magic to create uplifting or positive feelings.

===Strength===
Winter does not strengthen or empower. It is extremely difficult for Winter magic to grant enhanced health, [[Combat skills#Endurance|endurance]] or [[Calls#Heroic_Calls|mighty blows]]. While a magician might shatter a shield with a touch of their rod, Winter cannot grant a warrior the strength needed to smash such a shield with their two-handed weapon. The personal enchantments that Winter creates are about resisting death through increased [[Combat skills#Fortitude|fortitude]], or about enhancing personal power with a price (in the manner of rituals such as Sorins Rite of Agony).

===Prosperity===
Winter ends where Autumn magic begins. It does not take for granted the idea that someone will be alive tomorrow in the way Autumn does. It is concerned with survival, not wealth. Winter does not work well with enchantments that deal with wealth, trade, commerce or creature comforts. It focuses towards the bottom end of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs hierarchy of needs].

===Community===
Winter encourages selfishness. Sometimes, hard choices are needed to provide security for oneself and the people one is responsible for. Winter magic works well with small groups, but the larger a group becomes the more likely Winter is to break that community down into several smaller groups. It often promotes an "us and them" attitude that makes complex, large-scale beneficial effects increasingly difficult.

{{Ritual Theory Further Reading}}

[[Category:Magic Theory]]
[[Category:Magic]]
[[Category:Rules]]