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Swords in the Noonday Sun

2026-09-12T11:25:44Z

Rafferty:

[[Category:Rituals]][[Category:Summer Ritual]][[Category:Warfare]]
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBUrizen.jpg|caption=This ritual is part of [[Urizen magical traditions#Urizen Lore|Urizen lore]] rather than [[Imperial lore]].|align=right|width=200}}
==Rules==
{{Season|Summer|80}}
{{Urizen Lore}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|10}} {{Imperial Reduction}}

This ritual targets an [[Army|Imperial army]]. The [[Military Council|general]] responsible for the army (or the [[egregores|egregore]] if the general is not at Anvil) must be present throughout.

{{enchantment}}
===Effects===
This ritual enchants a campaign army, filling the soldiers with supernatural [[Summer_magic#Prowess|prowess]] - strengthening them, and helping them defeat their enemies with force of arms. At the same time, it fills them with a passionate fervour, a belief in themselves and in their ability to secure [[Summer magic#Triumph|victory]].

This raises the strength of the campaign army by the equivalent of 1,000 additional soldiers. {{Army Strength Ritual}}

While the enchantment persists, the general responsible for the army experiences a roleplaying effect: ''you are filled with confidence and assertiveness, and are driven both to take responsibility for others and to “get things done”. Anyone who stands between you and your goals should be dealt with swiftly and without mercy.''

{{Season Duration}}

===Options===
{{Ritual Substitution|orichalcum|ingots}}

===Additional Targets===
This ritual can affect additional armies from the same Empire. The general responsible for each army must be present throughout the ritual. Each additional target increases the magnitude by 60.
{{Army Scale|realm=Summer}}
==Description==
This ritual was one of the very first to become part of [[Urizen magical traditions#Urizen lore|Urizen lore]], following the Autumn Equinox 383YE. Contributed by Mord Thorntarry of the [[spire]] of Auric Horizon, the ritual was one of those contained in the book ''Meditations''. Written by Callus Strategos, [[Dean of the Lyceum]] during the reign of [[Empress Britta]], the book also contained [[Good Green Oak]], [[Hook of the Hoarfrost Guardian]], [[Eyes of the Hills]] and two rituals that had already become part of [[Imperial lore]] - [[Find the Best Path]] and [[Hammers of the Brilliant Shore]].

Soldiers in the army enchanted by this ritual are granted Summer gifts similar to those provided on a smaller scale by [[Strength of the Bull]] and effects such as [[Swan's Cruel Wing]] or even [[Champions Shining Resolve]] or [[Crimson Ward of Summer Stars]]. The individual benefits vary from warrior to warrior, and some magicians theorise that each soldier unconsciously shapes the form the magic will take based on what they feel they can best make use of.

It also fills the troops with a passionate fervour, smoothing away doubts and encouraging them with thoughts of what they can do to secure victory for themselves and their comrades. These powerful emotions are harnessed to their will however; they are no more likely to fight among themselves than normal, reserving their passion for defeating their enemies, but they often find themselves in touch with deep wells of [[Summer_magic#Wroth|wrathful fury]] when the situation demands it. Those with the [[changeling]] [[lineage]] in particular can find this experience a little overwhelming, given the touch of magic that already makes them prone to [[Changeling#Sovereign_Fury|bouts of wroth]].

''Meditations'' records that the eternal [[Meraud]] offered helpful advice during the formulation of the original ritual, but the magicians of the [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Lyceum|Lyceum]] chose not to directly involve any eternal in its creation reasoning that giving an eternal another method to influence the [[Army|Imperial armies]] was not ideal. When the ritual was originally codified, [[General]] Clarisse de Rhenai of the [[Golden Sun]] and Gundal of the [[Green Shield]] reportedly fought a duel for the right to be the first to be enchanted with it. The Dawnish general was the victor and the first target of the ritual. According to Callus, there was some concern among members of the [[Sevenfold Path]] that the passions inflamed by the enchantment might be seen as inspiring a [[Malign_spiritual_presences|malign spiritual presence]], and indeed the magician was eventually called to [[inquisition]] over its effects. He was acquitted however and the ritual went on to be used several times during the campaigns of Empress Brannan against the Druj.

==Common Elements==
This ritual enhances a campaign army, and the general of the target army serves as a vital focus for delivering the magic. A banner or standard that will be used by the target force makes an ideal additional focus for the ritual. The magic involves unleashing powerful emotions that urge an army to violence, and as such the general should be encouraged to maintain their [[Urizen_culture_and_customs#Poise|poise]] - to harness the destructive passions to the will so that they may be used with precision rather than risk overflowing and turning against those who experience them. As such, a form of guided meditation may be employed in which the target is inspired to view the raging will for victory that the magic inflames as a weapon to be wielded only against their enemies.

The [[astronomancy|astronomantic]] constellation of [[the Mountain]] has a strong association with this ritual, but [[The Drowned Shepherd]] also has resonance - the ultimate aim of the enchantment is to end a conflict in an absolutely decisive fashion after all. Those [[Urizen]] who make use of the [[runes]] may find [[Jotra]] and [[Tykonus]] resonate with its power, but the [[Aesh|Rune of Thought]] and the [[Zorech|Rune of Passion]] is also applicable - the one harnesses the other in pursuit of the general's goals.

While their power is not directly involved in this ritual (indeed, according to the original source the magicians of the Lyceum made a conscious decision to decline offers of direct assistance from the inhabitants of the Summer realm), the names of [[Eleonaris]] and [[Meraud]] might be evoked as part of the performance.

Phlegmatic Staff

2026-09-11T13:50:20Z

Rafferty:

==Description==
{{CaptionedImage|file=An Archmage of Winter.jpg|caption=The [[Archmage#Staff_of_the_Archmage|staff]] of the Winter [[archmage]] is a powerful phlegmatic staff.|align=right|width=450}}
The Phlegmatic Staff taps upon the power of the [[Winter|realm of Winter]] to guide the bearer to a greater understanding of the leaching of power that is involved in ritual magic. These arcane implements are employed throughout the Empire to fortify the abilities of Winter ritualists.

It is usual to see such an implement engraved with [[Naeve]], the Rune of Hunger or [[Irremais]], the Rune of Wisdom.

The [[Archmage#Staff_of_the_Archmage|staff]] of the [[Archmage]] of Winter is a version of the Phlegmatic Staff crafted to a secret pattern, and grants twice as much power to the wielder.
==Rules==
{{Ritual Staves}}
* '''Effect:''' Gain 1 rank of Winter Lore, subject to the [[Realm_Lore#Gaining_additional_ranks|normal rules for effective skill]].
* '''Materials:''' Crafting a Phlegmatic Staff requires the eleven ingots of [[Materials#Green Iron|green iron]], fourteen measures of [[Materials#Beggar's Lye|beggar's lye]] and twenty measures of [[Materials#Dragonbone|dragonbone]]. It takes one month to make one of these items.

Silent Bell (Sodality)

2026-09-10T13:57:58Z

Rafferty: /* The Order */

[[Category:Synod]]
{{Disambiguation|This page details the Vigilant association; for the magic item see [[Silent Bell]]}}
==Overview==
The Silent Bell was an [[Imperial sodality]] made up of citizens dedicated to the cause of [[Vigilance]]. Initially set up in the early years of the reign of [[Emperor Nicovar]], they were intended to serve as an investigative arm of the [[Assembly#The_Virtue_Assemblies|Vigilance Assembly]]. Unfortunately, being so closely associated with the Mad Emperor led to their short-lived order being officially disbanded in 210YE as the dust of Nicovar's rampage started to settle. They have continued to operate in an unofficial capacity ever since.

The first (and officially, only) preceptor of the Silent Bell, Esther of Sybela, responded to the instruction to disband the order with a polite note to the then [[Cardinal]] of Vigilance that read simply "''be alert to all dangers; within and without.''" Denied official sanction, the Silent Bell continued to operate in the background, occasionally bringing news of potential threats to the Empire to the attention of the Vigilance assembly.

During the reign of Emperor Nicovar, the Silent Bell were allegedly used by the Synod to suppress opposition to the increasingly extreme demands of [[the Throne]]. In the century and a half since, they remained largely in the background but are known to have helped to uncover a number of internal threats to the Empire. At various times they were accused of helping to discredit political and social movements that were threats to entrenched positions within the Empire, rather than existential threats to the empire as a whole. As such the order has had something of a mixed reputation over the years.
==Recent History==
During the reign of [[Empress Britta]], the leadership of the Silent Bell allegedly met with members of the Assembly of the Nine in secret and offered to take a more active role in the Empire. They stressed a new commitment to remain apolitical; to focus on the vigilant defence of the Empire as a whole rather than one political faction or another. At first their involvement in Imperial affairs remained limited, but throughout 380YE, they Silent Bell became significantly more active. Having undergone a clandestine period of recruitment, they began to strengthen their ties with the [[Synod]].

A resurgence of interest in the [[Paragons_and_exemplars|exemplar]] [[Berechiah]] - never a member of the Silent Bell himself but allegedly a quiet supporter of their mission - the leadership of the order decided to cement those relations officially and [[No_evil_shall_escape_our_sight|emerge from the shadows]]. Particularly in light of the [[Matter of faith|challenges faced by the Synod]] at the time, the leadership wished to be very clear in their relationship with the Assemblies, so that there would be no misunderstanding of the role they were to play or how they were to play it.

The current preceptor of the Silent Bell, '''Malachai of the Silent Bell, in [[Casinea#Casfall|Casca's Doom]]''', suggested a way that the Imperial Synod might wield the Silent Bell effectively, but with enough transparency to allay fears of a "secret militia answering only to the cardinals." During the Winter solstice 380YE, the Imperial Synod declared their support for the Silent Bell, and the Council of the Nine issued their first instruction as to where the sodality should turn its gaze. The Highborn Esau executed a mandate in support of the Silent Bell, leading to improved attendance at congregations of priests dedicated to Vigilance across the Empire.

===Fear and Endings===
In Autumn 387YE, as part of a broader investigation of [[malign spiritual presences]] the Silent Bell were Know_your_enemy#Fear|Dread|sent]] into [[the Mallum]] to investigate the [[Druj]] understanding of [[Malign spiritual presences#Fear|Fear]]. In the process, a significant number of agents [[387YE_Autumn_Equinox_winds_of_fortune#Those_Who_Are_Not_Free|died]] and the hands of the tyrants of the east. The Silent Bell was left seriously depleted in numbers.

In the Summer of the next ear, the Silent Bell were again sent outside the Empire - [[Roses_in_the_snow#Silenced_Bell|to Tsirku]] to help hunt a follower of [[Agramant]] called Wemba the Bloody, and to track down the wherabouts of a second such agent called Kaarina White-Eye. During that investigation, every member of the Silent Bell venturing into Tsirku vanished. At the same time a [[Roses_in_the_snow#Finale|wave of violence]] erupted within Imperial borders as mortal agents of the [[Whisper Gallery]] attempted to assassinate anyone associated with the Silent Bell. These latter efforts were stopped by [[Vigilance|Vigilant]] Imperial captains engaged in the [[Venture#War of Whispers|War of Whispers]], but the damage had been done.

Shortly before the Autumn Equinox 388YE, the Silent Bell formally disbanded as a sodality.

==The Order==
The sodality was small, but committed. Their goal was to gather information about internal threats to the Empire. They operate a loose, but extensive, network of informants throughout the Vigilance sects in the Empire. By drawing on that network, they can potentially track down information about specific threats. They are at their most effective, however, when they operate with a clear focus from the Imperial Synod.

They are not in a position to actually ''deal'' with threats - their members are investigators and informants, not effective combatants, but they can often suggest practical ways to deal with those threats and are adept at identifying opportunities for the Synod to use the Sentinel Gate to act on the information they have provided.

==Ringing the Bell==
Any member of the [[Assembly#The_Virtue_Assemblies|Vigilance Assembly]] is empowered to issue a [[statement of principle]] instructing the Silent Bell to pursue information relating to a specific topic. Such a statement of principle must begin with the wording "'''The Assembly of Vigilance directs the Silent Bell to investigate...'''". If the statement is supported by the lesser majority of the Assembly, then the Silent Bell will turn its attention towards investigating the designated topic. In the event that multiple such statements are issued in a single summit, the Silent Bell will take instruction from the judgement that achieves the highest margin.

Sometimes, a representative of the sodality might need to speak with the priest who raised the statement, looking for as many details as possible about the threat. Regardless, they will then direct their attentions to finding any leads they can, and make them available to the priest at the next summit. In the past, this has often taken the form of a verbal or written report, but in past years the order's commitment to transparency, and being seen to serve the Empire as a whole, has often seen them making their findings public rather than restricted them to any one individual.

Previously, the sodality took instruction from the Assembly of Nine. This [[Know_your_enemy#War_Within_a_Breath|changed]] shortly before the Summer Solstice 387YE, following the actions of some members of the Assembly of Nine. There was some concern when this method was agreed on that while it openly encourages the faithful to look into a specific topic, it might also potentially provide a warning to the enemies of the Empire. A more secretive method was also proposed, but ultimately declined, in which the Silent Bell answered directly to the [[Cardinal of Vigilance]] rather than the Council of the Nine as a whole. In the event, it became pretty clear that most of the people the Silent Bell were likely to end up investigating remained broadly oblivious to the statements of the Synod.

Malachai, the current preceptor of the Silent Bell is keen to avoid being drawn into the complex political machinations of Anvil as has sometimes happened in the past. The sodality exists to track down and investigate threats to the Empire. While they are not so foolish to imagine that none of those threats are present during the summit, this is not their area of expertise and as such they are determined to ensure that they stay out of Anvil politics. Consequently, the one restriction they insist on is that they will only investigate threats whose primary source lies outside Anvil. They are happy to follow those leads wherever they go - but they will not investigate the affairs of an individual or band while they are at Anvil.
<box>'''The capabilities of the Silent Bell'''<br>
The Silent Bell is most effective when gathering information about threats to Imperial citizens. As such, it is only effective when it is working within the borders of the Empire. It has some ability to gather information in places that are not Imperial territories but have a significant Imperial presence - for example, they have some success operating in barbarian territories where the Imperial armies are present, especially if one of those armies contains trained [[Army qualities#Scouting|scouts]] (the Seventh Wave and the Narwhal's Spear are the obvious examples).

They are ineffective at gathering information outside Imperial borders. For example, they are rarely able to make contact with foreigners or barbarians, or infiltrate non-Imperial settlements. However, they can still investigate the influences such things may have closer to home. The Silent Bell will struggle to provide any useful intelligence about a [[Grendel]] Salt Lord, for example, but might still be able to identify someone who has that information within the Empire.

'''OOC Note:''' The Silent Bell are also significantly less effective at investigating PvP scenarios. However, regardless of their limitations, their investigations will tend to turn up ''something'' for the next event, at least tangentially related to the matter they were instructed to investigate.</box>

==Previous Investigations==
<table>
<tr><th>Topic</th><th>Investigation</th><th>Year</th><th>By</th></tr>
<tr><td>Followers of Agramant</td><td>Investigate the location of Wemba the Bloody, Kalina White-Eye, and their followers</td><td>[[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_138|388YE Summer]]</td><td>Brother Geoffrey Orchard</td></tr>
<tr><td>Grendel spy networks in the Bay of Catazar</td><td>Investigate Grendel spy networks in the Bay of Catazar</td><td>[[387YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_131|387YE Winter]]</td><td>Lady Laudine duLac</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Finding is the final act|Grendel spy networks in Sarvos]]</td><td>Investigate the presence of two Grendel spy networks in Sarvos</td><td>[[387YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_103|387YE Autumn]]</td><td>Laurencio di Sarvos</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[On the nature of fear|Fear]]</td><td>The Druj use of the malign spiritual force of Fear</td><td>[[387YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_195|387YE Summer]]</td><td>Lady Laudine of House duLac</td></tr>
<tr><td>Followers of the Falconer</td><td>The followers of the Falconer, a cult spreading across the Empire and influenced by the Claw</td><td>[[387YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_183|387YE Spring]]</td><td>Gaelen Embercast</td></tr>
<tr><td>Boons of Yaw'nagrah</td><td>Imperial farms, forests, or mana sites touched by the malign influence of Yaw'nagrah in the Marches, Varushka, Urizen, and Navarr.</td><td>[[386YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_196|386YE Winter]]</td><td>Constanza i Kalamar i Guerra</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Watching you well|The Hand of Dumon]]</td><td>The actions of the Hand of Dumon and any of their efforts around the {{Black Plateau}}.</td><td>[[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_213|386YE Autumn]]</td><td>Constanza i Kalamar i Guerra</td></tr>
<tr><td>The Warhound Assembly</td><td>The group known as the Warhound Assembly in Karsk and Karov, and the source of their support and funding.</td><td>[[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_214|386YE Summer]]</td><td>Vesna Borkovna Prochnost</td></tr>
<tr><td>The Sovereign Dho'uala</td><td>The threat that the Sovereign Dho'uala poses to Imperial citizens around the Semmerlak.</td><td>[[386YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_203|386YE Spring]]</td><td>Gaelen Embercast</td></tr>
<tr><td>The Dry Patrician Blight</td><td>The Blightheart of Madruga, its connections to the Tutamen family of the Brass Coast, and their place in the history of Highguard.</td><td>[[385YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_223|385YE Winter]]</td><td>Vesna Borkovna Prochnost</td></tr>
<tr><td>Missing artefact</td><td>Silent Bell of Brian Heathford allegedly stolen by Agramant cultists</td><td>[[385YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_196|385YE Autumn]]</td><td>Gaelen Embercast</td></tr>
<tr><td>King of the Crossroads</td><td>The whereabouts of the Labyrinth spirit, the "King of the Crossroads."</td><td>[[385YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_205|385YE Summer]]</td><td>Gaelen Embercast</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chaos fruit</td><td>Imperial forests cultivating "Chaos Fruits" and any farms where plants touched by the vallorn are grown </td><td>[[385YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_185|385YE Spring]]</td><td style="white-space: nowrap;">Gaelen Embercast</td></tr>
<tr><td>Blood-on-the-Snow</td><td>The spread of Blood-on-the-Snow cults in Sermersuaq</td><td>[[384YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_164|384YE Winter]]</td><td style="white-space: nowrap;">Gaelen Embercast</td></tr>
<tr><td>Axou Narcotics</td><td>The distribution of Axou narcotics throughout the Empire and their effects on Imperial citizens</td><td>[[384YE Autumn Equinox Synod judgements#Judgement_163|384YE Autumn]]</td><td style="white-space: nowrap;">Gaelen Embercast</td></tr>
<tr><td>Confirm Historical Research</td><td>The provenance of the historical research on the Doctrine of Human Destiny</td><td>[[384YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_153|384YE Summer]]</td><td style="white-space: nowrap;">Skywise Tulva</td></tr>
<tr><td>Vengeance</td><td>Vengeance followers in the Empire and the claims of the Modnos family, Faraden</td><td>[[383YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_60|383YE Winter]]</td><td style="white-space: nowrap;">Astrid Fjellrevening Rezia di Tassato</td></tr>
<tr><td>Hatred</td><td>The practice of Hatred in the Mournwold with the aid of the Grey Pilgrims</td><td style="white-space: nowrap;>[[383YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_125|383YE Autumn]]</td><td>Ser Ancél Watcher
<tr><td>Heirs of Terunael</td><td> Investigate the Heirs of Terunael</td>
<td style="white-space: nowrap;>[[383YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_125|383YE Summer]]</td><td>Sariel
<tr><td style="white-space: nowrap;">Trade of liao to Iron Confederacy</td><td>Search for trade of liao to the Iron Confederacy</td><td>[[382YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_91|382YE Winter]]</td><td>Veikko Bondforger
<tr><td>Heirs of Terunael</td><td>The Heirs of Terunael in Brocéliande</td><td>[[382YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_94|382YE Autumn]]</td><td>Irada von Temeschwar
<tr><td>Eater of Hope anchors</td><td>New anchors that the Eater-of-Hope may use to reform after its defeat in the {{Black Plateau}}</td><td>[[382YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_92|382YE Summer]]</td><td>Irada von Temeschwar
<tr><td>Freeborn of the Maw</td><td>The names of notable persons of the Freeborn of the Maw believed to be in Fontargenta, Feroz</td><td>[[382YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_79|382YE Spring]]</td><td>Irada von Temeschwar
<tr><td>Unvirtuous auras of cruelty</td><td>Find evidence of unvirtuous auras caused by cruel tactics alone</td><td>[[381YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements|381YE Winter #62]]</td><td>Irada Von Temeschwar
<tr><td>The lost shield of Oath-Heart</td><td>The location of “Oath-Heart”, the legendary shield of Loyalty, once borne by Drumlin the Sworn of Wintermark.</td><td>[[381YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements|381YE Autumn #75]]</td><td>Veikko Bondforger
<tr><td>Grendel in Redoubt</td><td>Details on the creation of a covert organisation in Redoubt by the Grendel</td><td>[[381YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements|381YE Summer #72]]</td><td>Irada Von Temeschwar
<tr><td>Janon cults</td><td>Janon the Eternal of Night and cults associated with them</td><td>[[381YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements|381YE Spring #90]]</td><td>Levitia Endsmeet
<tr><td>Hand of Glory</td><td>The activities of the Hand of Glory</td><td>[[380YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements|380YE Winter #66]]</td><td>Oberon Caeli Rezia di Tassato
<tr><td>Spear of Empress Teleri</td><td>The theft of the Spear of Empress Teleri from her tomb in Necropolis</td><td>[[380YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements|380YE Spring #32]]</td><td>Silas of the Suns of Couros
<tr><td>Lady Barkheart</td><td>The heretic known as Lady Barkheart, preacher of the false exemplar Mikkal of Freedom</td><td>[[379YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements|379YE Autumn #24]]</td><td>Silas of the Suns of Couros
<tr><td>Eater of Hope</td><td>The labyrinth spirit called the Eater-of-Hope</td><td style="white-space: nowrap;>[[379YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements|379YE Summer #31]]</td><td>Jared of the Suns of Couros</tr>

</table>

==Further Reading==
* [[Know your enemy]] - Summer 387YE Wind of Fortune detailing the shift in the sodality supporting the Vigilance Assembly
* [[Tend to the Flame]] - Winter 383YE Wind of Fortune detailing the Silent Bell investigation of the Whittlefolk and their sect of Hatred
* [[Rise of Terunael]] - Autumn 383YE Wind of Fortune detailing the Silent Bell investigation of the Heirs of Terunael
* [[Double_or_nothingness#The_Silent_Bell|Double or nothingness]] - Spring 383YE Wind of Fortune detailing investigation of liao smuggling to the Iron Confederacy
* [[No_evil_shall_escape_our_sight|No evil shall escape our sight]] - the Winter 380YE Wind of Fortune that determined how the Silent Bell would interact with the Assembly of the Nine

Silent Bell (Sodality)

2026-09-10T13:57:42Z

Rafferty: /* Recent History */

[[Category:Synod]]
{{Disambiguation|This page details the Vigilant association; for the magic item see [[Silent Bell]]}}
==Overview==
The Silent Bell was an [[Imperial sodality]] made up of citizens dedicated to the cause of [[Vigilance]]. Initially set up in the early years of the reign of [[Emperor Nicovar]], they were intended to serve as an investigative arm of the [[Assembly#The_Virtue_Assemblies|Vigilance Assembly]]. Unfortunately, being so closely associated with the Mad Emperor led to their short-lived order being officially disbanded in 210YE as the dust of Nicovar's rampage started to settle. They have continued to operate in an unofficial capacity ever since.

The first (and officially, only) preceptor of the Silent Bell, Esther of Sybela, responded to the instruction to disband the order with a polite note to the then [[Cardinal]] of Vigilance that read simply "''be alert to all dangers; within and without.''" Denied official sanction, the Silent Bell continued to operate in the background, occasionally bringing news of potential threats to the Empire to the attention of the Vigilance assembly.

During the reign of Emperor Nicovar, the Silent Bell were allegedly used by the Synod to suppress opposition to the increasingly extreme demands of [[the Throne]]. In the century and a half since, they remained largely in the background but are known to have helped to uncover a number of internal threats to the Empire. At various times they were accused of helping to discredit political and social movements that were threats to entrenched positions within the Empire, rather than existential threats to the empire as a whole. As such the order has had something of a mixed reputation over the years.
==Recent History==
During the reign of [[Empress Britta]], the leadership of the Silent Bell allegedly met with members of the Assembly of the Nine in secret and offered to take a more active role in the Empire. They stressed a new commitment to remain apolitical; to focus on the vigilant defence of the Empire as a whole rather than one political faction or another. At first their involvement in Imperial affairs remained limited, but throughout 380YE, they Silent Bell became significantly more active. Having undergone a clandestine period of recruitment, they began to strengthen their ties with the [[Synod]].

A resurgence of interest in the [[Paragons_and_exemplars|exemplar]] [[Berechiah]] - never a member of the Silent Bell himself but allegedly a quiet supporter of their mission - the leadership of the order decided to cement those relations officially and [[No_evil_shall_escape_our_sight|emerge from the shadows]]. Particularly in light of the [[Matter of faith|challenges faced by the Synod]] at the time, the leadership wished to be very clear in their relationship with the Assemblies, so that there would be no misunderstanding of the role they were to play or how they were to play it.

The current preceptor of the Silent Bell, '''Malachai of the Silent Bell, in [[Casinea#Casfall|Casca's Doom]]''', suggested a way that the Imperial Synod might wield the Silent Bell effectively, but with enough transparency to allay fears of a "secret militia answering only to the cardinals." During the Winter solstice 380YE, the Imperial Synod declared their support for the Silent Bell, and the Council of the Nine issued their first instruction as to where the sodality should turn its gaze. The Highborn Esau executed a mandate in support of the Silent Bell, leading to improved attendance at congregations of priests dedicated to Vigilance across the Empire.

===Fear and Endings===
In Autumn 387YE, as part of a broader investigation of [[malign spiritual presences]] the Silent Bell were Know_your_enemy#Fear|Dread|sent]] into [[the Mallum]] to investigate the [[Druj]] understanding of [[Malign spiritual presences#Fear|Fear]]. In the process, a significant number of agents [[387YE_Autumn_Equinox_winds_of_fortune#Those_Who_Are_Not_Free|died]] and the hands of the tyrants of the east. The Silent Bell was left seriously depleted in numbers.

In the Summer of the next ear, the Silent Bell were again sent outside the Empire - [[Roses_in_the_snow#Silenced_Bell|to Tsirku]] to help hunt a follower of [[Agramant]] called Wemba the Bloody, and to track down the wherabouts of a second such agent called Kaarina White-Eye. During that investigation, every member of the Silent Bell venturing into Tsirku vanished. At the same time a [[Roses_in_the_snow#Finale|wave of violence]] erupted within Imperial borders as mortal agents of the [[Whisper Gallery]] attempted to assassinate anyone associated with the Silent Bell. These latter efforts were stopped by [[Vigilance|Vigilant]] Imperial captains engaged in the [[Venture#War of Whispers|War of Whispers]], but the damage had been done.

Shortly before the Autumn Equinox 388YE, the Silent Bell formally disbanded as a sodality.

==The Order==
The sodality they represent is small, but committed. Their goal is to gather information about internal threats to the Empire. They operate a loose, but extensive, network of informants throughout the Vigilance sects in the Empire. By drawing on that network, they can potentially track down information about specific threats. They are at their most effective, however, when they operate with a clear focus from the Imperial Synod.

They are not in a position to actually ''deal'' with threats - their members are investigators and informants, not effective combatants, but they can often suggest practical ways to deal with those threats and are adept at identifying opportunities for the Synod to use the Sentinel Gate to act on the information they have provided.
==Ringing the Bell==
Any member of the [[Assembly#The_Virtue_Assemblies|Vigilance Assembly]] is empowered to issue a [[statement of principle]] instructing the Silent Bell to pursue information relating to a specific topic. Such a statement of principle must begin with the wording "'''The Assembly of Vigilance directs the Silent Bell to investigate...'''". If the statement is supported by the lesser majority of the Assembly, then the Silent Bell will turn its attention towards investigating the designated topic. In the event that multiple such statements are issued in a single summit, the Silent Bell will take instruction from the judgement that achieves the highest margin.

Sometimes, a representative of the sodality might need to speak with the priest who raised the statement, looking for as many details as possible about the threat. Regardless, they will then direct their attentions to finding any leads they can, and make them available to the priest at the next summit. In the past, this has often taken the form of a verbal or written report, but in past years the order's commitment to transparency, and being seen to serve the Empire as a whole, has often seen them making their findings public rather than restricted them to any one individual.

Previously, the sodality took instruction from the Assembly of Nine. This [[Know_your_enemy#War_Within_a_Breath|changed]] shortly before the Summer Solstice 387YE, following the actions of some members of the Assembly of Nine. There was some concern when this method was agreed on that while it openly encourages the faithful to look into a specific topic, it might also potentially provide a warning to the enemies of the Empire. A more secretive method was also proposed, but ultimately declined, in which the Silent Bell answered directly to the [[Cardinal of Vigilance]] rather than the Council of the Nine as a whole. In the event, it became pretty clear that most of the people the Silent Bell were likely to end up investigating remained broadly oblivious to the statements of the Synod.

Malachai, the current preceptor of the Silent Bell is keen to avoid being drawn into the complex political machinations of Anvil as has sometimes happened in the past. The sodality exists to track down and investigate threats to the Empire. While they are not so foolish to imagine that none of those threats are present during the summit, this is not their area of expertise and as such they are determined to ensure that they stay out of Anvil politics. Consequently, the one restriction they insist on is that they will only investigate threats whose primary source lies outside Anvil. They are happy to follow those leads wherever they go - but they will not investigate the affairs of an individual or band while they are at Anvil.
<box>'''The capabilities of the Silent Bell'''<br>
The Silent Bell is most effective when gathering information about threats to Imperial citizens. As such, it is only effective when it is working within the borders of the Empire. It has some ability to gather information in places that are not Imperial territories but have a significant Imperial presence - for example, they have some success operating in barbarian territories where the Imperial armies are present, especially if one of those armies contains trained [[Army qualities#Scouting|scouts]] (the Seventh Wave and the Narwhal's Spear are the obvious examples).

They are ineffective at gathering information outside Imperial borders. For example, they are rarely able to make contact with foreigners or barbarians, or infiltrate non-Imperial settlements. However, they can still investigate the influences such things may have closer to home. The Silent Bell will struggle to provide any useful intelligence about a [[Grendel]] Salt Lord, for example, but might still be able to identify someone who has that information within the Empire.

'''OOC Note:''' The Silent Bell are also significantly less effective at investigating PvP scenarios. However, regardless of their limitations, their investigations will tend to turn up ''something'' for the next event, at least tangentially related to the matter they were instructed to investigate.</box>

==Previous Investigations==
<table>
<tr><th>Topic</th><th>Investigation</th><th>Year</th><th>By</th></tr>
<tr><td>Followers of Agramant</td><td>Investigate the location of Wemba the Bloody, Kalina White-Eye, and their followers</td><td>[[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_138|388YE Summer]]</td><td>Brother Geoffrey Orchard</td></tr>
<tr><td>Grendel spy networks in the Bay of Catazar</td><td>Investigate Grendel spy networks in the Bay of Catazar</td><td>[[387YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_131|387YE Winter]]</td><td>Lady Laudine duLac</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Finding is the final act|Grendel spy networks in Sarvos]]</td><td>Investigate the presence of two Grendel spy networks in Sarvos</td><td>[[387YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_103|387YE Autumn]]</td><td>Laurencio di Sarvos</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[On the nature of fear|Fear]]</td><td>The Druj use of the malign spiritual force of Fear</td><td>[[387YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_195|387YE Summer]]</td><td>Lady Laudine of House duLac</td></tr>
<tr><td>Followers of the Falconer</td><td>The followers of the Falconer, a cult spreading across the Empire and influenced by the Claw</td><td>[[387YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_183|387YE Spring]]</td><td>Gaelen Embercast</td></tr>
<tr><td>Boons of Yaw'nagrah</td><td>Imperial farms, forests, or mana sites touched by the malign influence of Yaw'nagrah in the Marches, Varushka, Urizen, and Navarr.</td><td>[[386YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_196|386YE Winter]]</td><td>Constanza i Kalamar i Guerra</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Watching you well|The Hand of Dumon]]</td><td>The actions of the Hand of Dumon and any of their efforts around the {{Black Plateau}}.</td><td>[[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_213|386YE Autumn]]</td><td>Constanza i Kalamar i Guerra</td></tr>
<tr><td>The Warhound Assembly</td><td>The group known as the Warhound Assembly in Karsk and Karov, and the source of their support and funding.</td><td>[[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_214|386YE Summer]]</td><td>Vesna Borkovna Prochnost</td></tr>
<tr><td>The Sovereign Dho'uala</td><td>The threat that the Sovereign Dho'uala poses to Imperial citizens around the Semmerlak.</td><td>[[386YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_203|386YE Spring]]</td><td>Gaelen Embercast</td></tr>
<tr><td>The Dry Patrician Blight</td><td>The Blightheart of Madruga, its connections to the Tutamen family of the Brass Coast, and their place in the history of Highguard.</td><td>[[385YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_223|385YE Winter]]</td><td>Vesna Borkovna Prochnost</td></tr>
<tr><td>Missing artefact</td><td>Silent Bell of Brian Heathford allegedly stolen by Agramant cultists</td><td>[[385YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_196|385YE Autumn]]</td><td>Gaelen Embercast</td></tr>
<tr><td>King of the Crossroads</td><td>The whereabouts of the Labyrinth spirit, the "King of the Crossroads."</td><td>[[385YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_205|385YE Summer]]</td><td>Gaelen Embercast</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chaos fruit</td><td>Imperial forests cultivating "Chaos Fruits" and any farms where plants touched by the vallorn are grown </td><td>[[385YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_185|385YE Spring]]</td><td style="white-space: nowrap;">Gaelen Embercast</td></tr>
<tr><td>Blood-on-the-Snow</td><td>The spread of Blood-on-the-Snow cults in Sermersuaq</td><td>[[384YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_164|384YE Winter]]</td><td style="white-space: nowrap;">Gaelen Embercast</td></tr>
<tr><td>Axou Narcotics</td><td>The distribution of Axou narcotics throughout the Empire and their effects on Imperial citizens</td><td>[[384YE Autumn Equinox Synod judgements#Judgement_163|384YE Autumn]]</td><td style="white-space: nowrap;">Gaelen Embercast</td></tr>
<tr><td>Confirm Historical Research</td><td>The provenance of the historical research on the Doctrine of Human Destiny</td><td>[[384YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_153|384YE Summer]]</td><td style="white-space: nowrap;">Skywise Tulva</td></tr>
<tr><td>Vengeance</td><td>Vengeance followers in the Empire and the claims of the Modnos family, Faraden</td><td>[[383YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_60|383YE Winter]]</td><td style="white-space: nowrap;">Astrid Fjellrevening Rezia di Tassato</td></tr>
<tr><td>Hatred</td><td>The practice of Hatred in the Mournwold with the aid of the Grey Pilgrims</td><td style="white-space: nowrap;>[[383YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_125|383YE Autumn]]</td><td>Ser Ancél Watcher
<tr><td>Heirs of Terunael</td><td> Investigate the Heirs of Terunael</td>
<td style="white-space: nowrap;>[[383YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_125|383YE Summer]]</td><td>Sariel
<tr><td style="white-space: nowrap;">Trade of liao to Iron Confederacy</td><td>Search for trade of liao to the Iron Confederacy</td><td>[[382YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_91|382YE Winter]]</td><td>Veikko Bondforger
<tr><td>Heirs of Terunael</td><td>The Heirs of Terunael in Brocéliande</td><td>[[382YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_94|382YE Autumn]]</td><td>Irada von Temeschwar
<tr><td>Eater of Hope anchors</td><td>New anchors that the Eater-of-Hope may use to reform after its defeat in the {{Black Plateau}}</td><td>[[382YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_92|382YE Summer]]</td><td>Irada von Temeschwar
<tr><td>Freeborn of the Maw</td><td>The names of notable persons of the Freeborn of the Maw believed to be in Fontargenta, Feroz</td><td>[[382YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_79|382YE Spring]]</td><td>Irada von Temeschwar
<tr><td>Unvirtuous auras of cruelty</td><td>Find evidence of unvirtuous auras caused by cruel tactics alone</td><td>[[381YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements|381YE Winter #62]]</td><td>Irada Von Temeschwar
<tr><td>The lost shield of Oath-Heart</td><td>The location of “Oath-Heart”, the legendary shield of Loyalty, once borne by Drumlin the Sworn of Wintermark.</td><td>[[381YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements|381YE Autumn #75]]</td><td>Veikko Bondforger
<tr><td>Grendel in Redoubt</td><td>Details on the creation of a covert organisation in Redoubt by the Grendel</td><td>[[381YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements|381YE Summer #72]]</td><td>Irada Von Temeschwar
<tr><td>Janon cults</td><td>Janon the Eternal of Night and cults associated with them</td><td>[[381YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements|381YE Spring #90]]</td><td>Levitia Endsmeet
<tr><td>Hand of Glory</td><td>The activities of the Hand of Glory</td><td>[[380YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements|380YE Winter #66]]</td><td>Oberon Caeli Rezia di Tassato
<tr><td>Spear of Empress Teleri</td><td>The theft of the Spear of Empress Teleri from her tomb in Necropolis</td><td>[[380YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements|380YE Spring #32]]</td><td>Silas of the Suns of Couros
<tr><td>Lady Barkheart</td><td>The heretic known as Lady Barkheart, preacher of the false exemplar Mikkal of Freedom</td><td>[[379YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements|379YE Autumn #24]]</td><td>Silas of the Suns of Couros
<tr><td>Eater of Hope</td><td>The labyrinth spirit called the Eater-of-Hope</td><td style="white-space: nowrap;>[[379YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements|379YE Summer #31]]</td><td>Jared of the Suns of Couros</tr>

</table>

==Further Reading==
* [[Know your enemy]] - Summer 387YE Wind of Fortune detailing the shift in the sodality supporting the Vigilance Assembly
* [[Tend to the Flame]] - Winter 383YE Wind of Fortune detailing the Silent Bell investigation of the Whittlefolk and their sect of Hatred
* [[Rise of Terunael]] - Autumn 383YE Wind of Fortune detailing the Silent Bell investigation of the Heirs of Terunael
* [[Double_or_nothingness#The_Silent_Bell|Double or nothingness]] - Spring 383YE Wind of Fortune detailing investigation of liao smuggling to the Iron Confederacy
* [[No_evil_shall_escape_our_sight|No evil shall escape our sight]] - the Winter 380YE Wind of Fortune that determined how the Silent Bell would interact with the Assembly of the Nine

Roses in the snow

2026-09-10T13:51:30Z

Rafferty: /* Bell and Bella */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<ic>
"The hole makes a change."

"What?" Jorma stared at his companion like he'd gone snow-blind. "What are you talking about?"

"The hole - it sort of makes a change in a way - from all the ice and the snow and the crevasses. It's like all the danger in this area has all been balled up into one spot and buried in the ground."

Merri Third-Eye had always had something of an odd way of looking at the world. It was one of the reasons Jorma Five Arrows hung round with him. Sometimes it was useful. And... sometimes it was just odd. "Do you think we'll be ordered in there then?" he asked apprehensively.

"Nah - we haven't got the numbers for it. It's close, but we're short-handed. Too many people hunting that Wemba fella. They won't like it, but I reckon it's been for nothing. We'll have to come back and start over I reckon."

"You're wrong there," said Jorma shaking his head. "I saw them dragging that fella south. We're all better off now I reckon. In fact the the further away they take him the safer I feel." He shivered, probably because of the cold. Definitely. Definitely because of the cold.

Merri never missed a thing of course. "Hey - I've got some of that smoked fish from Atalaq. Eat this, it'll warm your bones..."
</ic>
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Watermelon Snow - King George Island.jpg|align=left|width=400}}</div>
==Overview==
The heroes of Wintermark and their allies have pressed north, exploring the mysterious and uncharted wilderness of Tsirku. [[Warriors' Gate|Last season]] they made several alarming discoveries, the worst of which was the presence of at least one of Agramant's followers in this frozen land. Long suspected, now confirmed, Wemba the Bloody is loose in Tsirku... but not for long.

However, just as everyone is finding their feet, they discover that these lands hold more surprises than just ''the Howler'' and his followers.

==The North==
* '''The explorers of Tsirku have pressed forwards, but have fallen short of being able to fully explore the new region'''
North of Warriors' Gate lies a region described as "icy, covered in snow, with vicious looking chasms". The eternal storm itself does not extend into this region, but it is one that those walking that way would pass through. Imperial explorers pressed into the unknown, but unfortunately even with the support offered by the [[Construct_Smokehouse_of_Atalaq|Smokehouse of Atalaq]], the worsening weather and all the [[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Scouts|many]], [[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Mystics|many]] problems of exploring Tsirku took their toll. While some headway was made, the explorers have not managed to get a thorough overview of the region.

A first in Imperial history, the region does not appear to have a name as such. Presumably it has a name in the language of the dire penguins and snow hares that call the place home, but it seems that no sapient beings have given the place a name that has stuck. Even use of [[Gralka's Gift to the Lost Seeker]] proves less than helpful, either providing eerie sounds of blowing winds and croaking birds, or simply confirming that someone is in "the wastes of Tsirku north of Warriors' Gate". It seems that even Day magic has its limitations when it comes to a place like this.

There are two significant features here, or at least two that have been found by scouts.

The first is a massive hole, perhaps a mile across. Plates of thick ice extend out around the edges and make exploration particularly dangerous. There is a long drop down into the depths of this hole, and a spider-work of cracks and chasms extends for several miles in all directions around it. The area itself is risky because some of the narrower crevices have been covered over with a thick crust of snow - one that is by no means strong enough to support the weight of a human or orc. Explorers who sleep near the hole report unsettling dreams - a great fire plunging down out of the clear night sky and filling them with terror. This has lead to some speculation that the hole might actually be a crater - one caused by the kind of starfall that struck [[Otkodov#Sküld|Sküld]] in recent years and brought with it a lot of [[ilium]].

The other feature is a stone settlement about a day and a half's hike east of the crater. Settlement is perhaps too strong a word. A squat three-storey hexagonal tower surrounded by a low white granite wall that also contains what seems to be a warehouse and some kind of ox stable. It takes a bit of effort to explore because the heavy doors and shuttered windows are frozen solid. Breaking through, explorers find the place eerily empty of all life, and everything coated with a thin layer of ice that glitters unpleasantly. Investigation quickly leads to the surmise that this is a [[Thule]] outpost - three are images of the five-headed dragon often used in decoration by the orcs of [[Otkodov]]. Unfortunately, the ice covering everything means that its impossible to say exactly how ''old'' this place is. It might have been build a century ago or it might have been finished last month. The question of where the inhabitants have gone is eventually answered and it is not pleasant. One of the big dogs that accompany some of the explorers dig at the snow in the open area before the tower, whining. Clearing the snow, the remains of a score of Otkodov orcs are found buried. [[An Echo of Life Remains]] discovers the name of one of the warlocks - ''Deyadloth of the High Pass''. Some bodies show signs of wounds, others no indication what caused their death. Some of them are fully armoured in leather and fur, others are wearing little more than sleeping clothes. Their discovery leads to a decision to place some markers around the outpost and retreat, and perhaps leave further investigation to specialists who are not worried about how haunted that place might be. It also seems a good idea to avoid any kind of diplomatic incident - or at least to make sure it is someone of the appropriate authority who causes that incident.

Some explorers talk of meeting a figure that a little surreptitious [[insight]] indicates is clearly a [[inhabitants of the realms|creature of the realms]]. It appears as an older orc lady, garbed in thick wool and fur and using skiis to travel. Her face is hidden by a veil formed of knotted leather thongs, each weighted with white bone beads. Her presence is unsettling because she remains at a distance, often atop a snowdrift, and merely observes explorers. Those who hail her receive no response, and anyone approaching soon finds themselves being bogged down in deep drifts of snow, or falling prone thanks to hidden ice, during which she simply disappears again. Comparing tales though it seems that either she has several sisters, or she has made a point of taking a look at most of the explorers in the region. At least one eternal has an interest in this nameless snowscape, but it is too soon to say if they are hostile to those who trespass.
===Names Matter===
* '''The region north of Warriors' Gate has no name as far as Imperials are concerned'''
* '''If the Jotun or Thule have a name for it it has not "stuck"'''
* '''The scops of Wintermark could provide a name to the region and the big hole'''
[[Wintermark_hearth_magic#Names|Names]], as folk never tire of pointing out, are important. In Wintermark, the solemn duty of granting a name to a thing more often than not lies with the [[Wintermark_culture_and_customs#Scops|scops]]. It is risky to name something before you fully understand it, but it can be useful to give something a "use name" so that people know what you are talking about rather than relying on "the snowy region north of Warriors' Gate". During the Autumn Equinox, the [[egregores]] of Wintermark will meet with the scops attending Anvil to discuss the results of the recent exploration. If they wish, the scops can decide on a name for the region itself, and for the large notable feature - the hole, crater, or whatever that gouge-mark in the snow actually is. Alternatively, if they agree that they need more information, they can wait until the place is more thoroughly explored. The egregores will inform the civil service of the scops' decision.

As more of Tsirku is uncovered, the task of naming things that do not have names will fall to the scops. They may choose to consult other explorers, but the final decision (at least for the moment) falls to the namers of Wintermark.

==Winter in Tsirku==
* '''After the Autumn Equinox, Winter will set in ''quickly'' in Tsirku'''
* '''The strength needed to map another region is ''doubled'' until the start of the Spring Equinox 389YE'''
* '''The Imperial Spymaster directs the exploration of Tsirku'''
After the Autumn Equinox, the weather in Tsirku deteriorates dramatically and with incredible speed. While the wastelands are hostile in Summer, it is nothing to [[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Tsirku_is_Barren|how bad they become]] once Winter sets it and the seasons shift here without warning. Blizzards become commonplace, and the temperature drops cold enough to kill anyone unprepared for the cold. Winter is also when the [[Sermersuaq#Major_Features|Northern Lights]] are at their most active, and according to the [[Suaq]] it is a particularly perilous time to be abroad in the wastes.

The strength required to gather any information from Tsirku via the scouting network is ''doubled'' in the period straight after the Autumn Equinox, and remains that way until the start of the Spring Equinox. This will make the challenge of [[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Tsirku_is_Big|mapping the territory]] even more arduous. Either [[opportunity|opportunities]] to deal with the abysmal weather will need to be found, or a major force of military units will need to be applied.

While the explorers have started with the region north of Warriors' Gate, there's no need for them to continue to focus their efforts there. Some progress has been made, and some key features identified, but it will still require the full total of strength to be applied to actually complete the review of the region. That is, to complete exploring any region enough to be able to establish its borders requires the full 5,000 strength (or 10,000 over winter). As such it may be more appealing to move to one of the other two regions that border Warriors' Gate and at least get a rough overview of them... but of course such things take time.

As before, the decision on where to focus exploration after the Autumn Equinox lies with the [[Imperial Spymaster]], although they may receive counsel from the people of Wintermark. At the very least, the Imperial Spymaster should let the Wintermark people know which direction to head in, and the best way to do that would be to address their muster during the Equinox. The Wintermark egregores should be able to arrange such an opportunity for them.

As indicated last season, there are three regions that can be explored in Tsirku.

* The region that has been partially explored is north of Warrior's Gate towards [[Sermersuaq#Sydanjaa|Sydanjaa]]. Finishing the exploration requires the full amount of strength - there is no benefit for having performed a partial exploration.
* Westward, toward [[Tromsa]], lies a region that preliminary exploration identifies as "''barren, windswept, with wide and unsettling skies''". It's likely that Lake Nutjuitoq extends into this area, and there may be a connection to the [[Sea of Snow]] given that there must be ''some'' way for the great sea beasts to reach the [[Sermersuaq#The_Grave_of_the_Giants|Grave of the Giants]]. The ''hylje'' have [[Beneath_a_moonless_sky#As_Semersuaq_strode|offered aid]] in exploring this region, should Wintermark wish to avail themselves of it.
* Eastward, towards [[Otkodov#Urdur|Urdur]] lies a region described as "''rocky, with scattered trees, that feels ominous''". It's possible that the region actually abuts Urdur and if it does that increases the likelihood of some kind of Thule presence there.

===The Varushkan Viewpoint===
* '''Some Varushkan explorers suggest Winter is the ideal time to focus on treasure, not exploration'''
* '''These two mandates are considered to be competing'''
Winter is a bad time for exploration, but it might still present an opportunity. Some Varushkan explorers argue that rather than worrying about where things are and how things fit together, Winter is the best time to wrap up very warm indeed and go <s>wagon raiding</s> looking for valuable resources. There's one season left to take part in the ''[[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Tsirku_is_Enticing|Adventure in Tsirku]]'' opportunity, so why not make the most of it? They're looking to their National Assembly to back them up.
{{Mandate|mandate=Tsirku is a wasteland full of dangers, but we Varushkans know well that where the danger is greatest the finest treasures can be found. We send (named priest) with 25 does of liao to encourage the explorers of Varushka to make the most of the coming Winter to gather the treasures of Tsirku.|assembly=Varushkan National Assembly}}
If this mandate is enacted, then following the Autumn Equinox any Varushkan military unit will be able to undertake the ''Adventure in Tsirku'' venture, without suffering the 2 rank penalty to their effectiveness. In addition, by focusing on gathering the resources of the wasteland, each such military unit will receive an additional "treasures of the wasteland" (a consumable representing unique resources found in Tsirku, most likely harvested from beasts of Agramant or dangerous locations) on top of the two they would normally get. A military unit that has at least 11 ranks thanks to enchantments or upgrades will also receive an additional ''wonder of the wasteland'', a much rarer consumable. There is, as so often with these things, a drawback. If the mandate is enacted every Varushkan military unit that takes the expedition will be competing for resources with the explorers of Tsirku; for every one that does so the effective strength contributed to ''explore Tsirku'' will be reduced by 50 points.

Alternatively, the Varushkans may choose to share their good sense with their friends in Wintermark and among the Imperial Orcs. They could pass this alternative mandate.
{{Mandate|mandate=Tsirku is a wasteland full of dangers, but there is enough there for everyone to seize the opportunity and embrace prosperity. We send (named priest) with 75 does of liao to encourage the explorers of the northern nations to make the most of the coming Winter to gather the treasures of Tsirku with the aid of the virtuous.|assembly=Varushkan National Assembly}}
If this mandate is enacted, in addition to the benefits above it will also remove the 2 rank penalty from Wintermark and Imperial Orcs characters undertaking the ''Adventure in Tsirku'' venture after the Autumn Equinox, and any such military unit that has at least 11 ranks will receive an extra ''treasure of the wasteland'' alongside their wonders. The Varushkans will still get the full benefit of the earlier mandate, and everyone taking the Adventure in Tsirku venture will reduce the effectiveness of those exploring the wastes.

These two mandates are [[Mandate#Competing_Mandates|in competition]].


==Wemba the Bloody==
{{SOP|statement=The servants of Agramant gather in Warriors Gate and must be dealt with. We send the Banner-bearer of Atkonaroq with 25 doses of liao to lead heroes and glory-seekers alike to face the dangers of Treachers Dagger and drive them back from whence they came.|when=Summer Solstice 388YE|by=Hildelith Kaukosdottir, Wintermark Assembly|vote=290-0 {{GM}}}}
* '''Imperial forces have captured Wemba the Bloody and are dragging the monster back to Anvil in chains to face justice'''
* '''He is expected to arrive at 21:00 on Friday at the earliest'''
<div {{float}}><box>'''What No Skirmish?'''
<p>Normally we would offer a skirmish to slay Wemba the Bloody, but on this occasion we've taken a different choice. There is no possibility of any kind under which Wemba would agree to come to Anvil - and we wanted to offer the nation a chance to get a look at this villain. We wanted the many, many players who don't play combatants and so rarely get a chance to look in the eyes of Wintermark's enemies to have an opportunity to come face to face with evil.</p>
<p>We realise some players will be disappointed, but we're keen in Empire to have plots play out differently from time to time. Not everything should go the way you expect. There is still one more of Agramant's named creatures running round Tsirku, so those who are looking for a chance to clash swords with the enemy will still get the opportunity in the future!</p></box></div>
Urged on by the Wintermark Assembly, many military units diverted from efforts to explore Tsirku to focus on hunting down and defeating Wemba the Bloody. Signs of his presence are everywhere in the far north, once the scouts pick up the trail they discover abandoned camps littering the region on the other side of the great crater. The bodies of various beasts are scattered on the ground, blood spilled, their flesh half-eaten, dire penguins, bears and rabbits. This is what Wemba the Bloody has been living on? The man who swore to eat nothing but the flesh of his enemies? Surviving on a diet of uncooked rabbit - it would be tragic if it wasn't so pathetic.

The confrontation with this enemy of the Mark is more of the same. It should have been an epic tale, one for the scops to speak of in hushed tones. A brutal fight, the heroism of the Mark against the bloody steel of Agramant's cur. But the Wintermark scouts outnumber Wemba and his followers a hundred to one and more. His terrible followers have been granted inhuman powers by Agramant, their flesh turns aside blows that would stop a bear in its tracks, but somehow they keep going...

...and it makes not the slightest bit of difference.

If this was Dawn, brave knights might have made this glorious, by calling Wemba out, fighting him one-on-one, the glory of Dawnish knighthood against the terror of Agramant's brood. But [[heroism]] has no truck with [[glory]]. Heroism is about achieving what has to be done, not how difficult or dangerous it is. Deliberately making an act more difficult than it need be impresses no-one in Wintermark. More than five thousand elite Wintermark soldiers descend on Wemba's camp where he and his thirty followers are resting and they cut them to bloody ribbons.

None of them ask for quarter, they know this is a fight to the death and it is a fight they cannot win. Utterly outnumbered, utterly outmatched, they are surrounded and slaughtered. Wemba himself is one of the first to fall, but the only one to survive. His body lies on the frozen ground, disembowled by a spear to the belly, bones in both legs shattered, chest pierced in a dozen places, and yet somehow he ''still will not die''.

Not even Agramant's power can save a man from execution, Wemba will die when the time comes. But the party take it as a sign. His weapons are taken, his hands bound, his wounds closed, and then he is dragged in chains back to Sermersuaq, from there to be sent to Anvil. Let the mighty and the powerful interrogate him and learn from him what they can - the heroes of Wintermark have done their part. This monster's story is over.

Well, almost over. Wemba the Bloody will be dragged to the Wintermark camp on Friday evening. There will be a chance for those with Courage to question him and learn what they can. He is not going to tell the Empire ''anything'' about Tsirku - that much is abundantly clear - but those who want to find out what drives a man to swear his soul to Agramant, to consume the flesh of his enemies, can speak with him if they see merit in it. Once the nation is done with him, he can be handed over to the magistrates and receive his very just desserts.

==Silenced Bell==
{{SOP|statement=The Assembly of Vigilance directs the Silent Bell to investiate the location of Wemba the Bloody, Kalina White-Eye, and their followers, last known to be in Sermersuaq. Locate them but do <u>not</u> confront them, that is work for other hands.|by=Brother Geoffrey Orchard, Vigilance Assembly|vote=Upheld 168-0|when=Summer Solstice 388YE|size=small}}
* '''Following the Summer Solstice the remaining Silent Bell members were assigned to seek out Agramant followers in the north'''
* '''They have identified that Kaarina White-Eye is also in Tsirku'''
During the Summer Solstice, '''Brother Geoffrey Orchard''' directed the Silent Bell to Tsirku to investigate the location of [[Anyone_but_you#Wemba_the_Bloody|Wemba the Bloody]], Kalina White-Eye, and their followers. These two servants of [[Agramant]] have been a thorn in the Empire's side since [[Sermersuaq]] was recovered from the [[Jotun]]. Some of the Silent Bell accompanied those scouts and raiders already heading for [[Warriors%27_Gate#Dangers_and_Hunters|Treachers Dagger]]. Others spread out to see if they could track the movements of [[Anyone_but_you#Kaarina_White-Eye|Kaarina White-Eye]], who was believed to have fled west toward the [[Jotun]] border.

The trail is cold, but it does seem that Kaarina used her superior knowledge of the ice fields of the north to strike out of [[Sermersuaq#Suaq Wastes|Suaq Wastes]] and [[Sermersuaq#Suaw Fount|Suaq Fount]] to harry the hated Jotun. She was also evidencing a keen interest in the Grave of the Giants - the bay where the majestic creatures of the Sea of Snow come to die.

About a year ago however, it looks as if she abandoned her camps in the wild places of Wintermark, and followed the same path Wemba the Bloody took into Tsirku. The Silent Bell follows, relying on the assistance of guides experienced in travelling into the unknown. Everything points to Kaarina currently being based in Tsirku, east of Warrior' Gate - although it's not clear if she is in the region ''directly'' east of there. She is clearly continuing her efforts to extract her blood-price from the orcs who slew her Thane.
===Finale===
* '''Every member of the Silent Bell that entered Tsirku has vanished'''
* '''Remaining members within Imperial borders, and those associated with them, have been attacked by servants of the Whisper Gallery'''
Brother Geoffrey Orchard was very clear that the Silent Bell should gather evidence and information and <u>not</u> engage the followers of Agramant. Unfortunately, it turns out that it is not ''Blood on the Snow'' who is their greatest threat. Between the end of Summer and the start of Autumn, every member of the Silent Bell that leaves the Empire for Tsirku... vanishes. There are wild stories - a half-dead Suaq explorer suffering severe frostbite rants about how the three members of the Silent Bell they were escorting were killed by "their own reflections" that dragged them into the smooth wall of glacial ice north of the Grave of the Giants. Other stories talk of empty tents, with clear signs of struggle that nonetheless failed to attract the attention of a single sentry.

At the same time, there is a rash of attacks across the Empire as well. Here, the attackers are more identifiable. Servants of the [[Whisper Gallery]] have targeted members of the assembly of Vigilance associated with the Bell, retired members, and those very few who [[Know_your_enemy#Fear/Dread|survived]] the expedition into [[the Mallum]] to explore the [[malign spiritual presences|malign spiritual presence]] of [[On the nature of fear|fear]]. Fortunately for the majority, there is a dedicated cadre of Imperial captains who maintain a [[Venture#War_of_Whispers|careful watch]] for the malice of these hateful eternals. The majority of the overt attacks are stopped before they start, or interrupted before their target can be slain or kidnapped (for later murder).

The overwhelming evidence is that whatever has happened to the Silent Bell members sent outside of the Empire - and the protection of the [[Conclave]]s [[Alignment#Enmity|enmity]] - have been much less fortunate than the few who remained behind. [[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Tsirku_is_Secret|Tsirku is secret]], and it seems the Whisper Gallery want to keep it that way. Or at least, prevent the Silent Bell investigating the place.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=WhisperGal001.png|align=right|caption=The agents and servants of the Whisper Gallery are usually wily, and subtle. But just occasionally, the mask slips...|width=400}}</div>

===Bell and Bella===
* '''The Whisper Gallery takes responsibility for the attack on the Silent Bell'''
* '''They claim it is in vengeance for the deaths of Bella and Heliodoro'''
While the Vigilance assembly is still reeling from the attacks, and the disappearances of so many Vigilant souls, a package is delivered by a [[Navarr]] messenger to the grave orchard in Pickham, near the famous monastery, where Major Joshua Benson rests. A [[Pruning_shears|site of pilgrimage]] for the last three years, it is not unusual for gifts to be delivered. This gift, however, is not a bequest or an offering of support. It is a quartet of [[the League|League]] masks, covered in bloodstains, and a bloody knife on which the blood is still, unaccountably, fresh. With it is a gorgeous strip of parchment, decorated with an intricate drawing of dramaturgical masks with all kinds of expressions, and the two words "''FOR BELLA AND HELIODORO''".

===Watch End===
* '''The Silent Bell sodality is no longer able to launch investigations on behalf of the Vigilance assembly'''
The expedition into the Mallum to seek to expand the Empire's understanding of fear cost the Silent Bell a great deal. Many of its bravest, and most committed members paid the ultimate price for the insight they gained there. Important information was discovered, but it [[387YE_Autumn_Equinox_winds_of_fortune#Those_Who_Are_Not_Free|left the Silent Bell weakened and vulnerable]]. It was inevitable that if many more of them were killed then that would have be the end of the sodality.

By rights, the Silent Bell should have been safe enough in Tsirku - this is a dangerous land outside the Empire and filled with enemies, but even so, few expected them to suffer in the way they have. Unfortunately they did not expect to become the victims of a concerted of murder aimed directly at them. In the Empire they would have been safe, protected by the enmity of the conclave and watched over by the Empire's heroes engaged in the War of Whispers. But out here - in the frozen north, beyond the safety of the Conclave's dominion...

The Whisper Gallery saw a chance for revenge for the deaths of it's favourites and seized it. The Empire has taken something from the Gallery that for all it's capering the ''Concilium of the Perjured Throne'' did not want to lose. Now it has struck back, not with play, but in murderous earnest. It is a brutal reminder that for all the Whisper Gallery is baroque and mysterious, it can also be terrible and deadly when given the opportunity.

The disappearances in Tsirku are the final nail in the coffin of the Vigilant sodality that has served the Empire for years. There are survivors of course - the [[Venture#War of Whispers|War of Whispers]] exists for a reason - but there are nowhere near enough of them to launch any kind of in-depth investigation into the threats that beset the Empire. But the sodality will be unable to continue now and cannot be reconstituted at this time. After a year has passed, the Empire might consider appraising the problem, to see if there was a way to bring the sodality back, but otherwise they have become a turned page in the Empire's long and storied history.

===Participation : Silent Bell===
* '''Characters associated with the Silent Bell are free to create stories about their experiences'''
Any character who has roleplaying an association with the Silent Bell is free to create a story about their encounter with agents of the Whisper Gallery. Obviously, no player character has been killed or abducted by the Whisper Gallery, but you may have had a close call. You may have been saved by characters undertaking the War of Whispers, personally fought off an assassin with your friends, or escaped their clutches with cleverness or dumb luck.

If you were in Tsirku this season, then the threat will be have been considerably worse. No mortal agents were used here, rather terrible creatures formed of billowing chromatic smoke that boiled up out of the ice and attacked.

==Would You Like Some Help?==
* '''Agramant offers to help the Empire track down Kaarina White-Eye'''

At the same time that bloody masks and a knife are being delivered to Pickham Monastary, a very different message is being delivered in Tsirku. The raiders returning from Treacher's Dagger have been victorious. Tired and injured, they are keen to get back to the warmth of Sermersuaq and the embrace of Wintermark friends. Just before they cross the border, a creature turns up in the middle of their camp and asks for parley. It's obviously a monster - a human-shaped monster wearing a coat made of tattooed skin, with a mouthful of shark teeth and lambent red eyes that are nothing like those of a draughir. It brings a message, for the ears of the Conclave, from it's master.

It is ''dreadful'' what the eternals of Night have done to the Silent Bell. Cowardly, even. Waiting until they were sent outside the protection of the Conclave and then murdering them all? Rude, to be honest. ''[[Agramant|Giver of Gifts]]'' takes affront at the ''Secret Seekers'' paddling around in ''his'' part of the world and so he offers a boon for the Assembly of Vigilance. He doesn't expect them to take it but the offer is ''genuine'' and ''sincere''. All they need to do is raise a [[statement of principle]] urging the vigilant to keep watch over the Grave of the Giants. If that statement gets a [[greater majority]], then Agramant will instruct his heralds to give Kaarina White-Eye bad advice, luring her into making a trip back to the Grave during the Winter Solstice to gather more... resources. The vigilant will surely spot her, allowing the jolly old [[Sentinel Gate]] to get some Imperial heroes in position to murder her. And, sadly, as she is inside Imperial borders, the ability of her patron to protect her will be limited.

Why is ''Blood-on-the-Snow'' doing this? The herald says that his master wants to test Kaarina, and just how powerful her hate is. Either she'll prevail over the Imperial heroes, or they'll kill her. Either way, Agramant wins. Plus for that matter he has gotten just a little tired of Kaarina's constant banging on about how awful the Jotun are. And if she's foolish enough to fall for bad advice, and weak enough to be killed by so-called Imperial champions? Well, what can be destroyed ''should'' be destroyed.

Roses in the snow

2026-09-10T13:50:05Z

Rafferty:

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<ic>
"The hole makes a change."

"What?" Jorma stared at his companion like he'd gone snow-blind. "What are you talking about?"

"The hole - it sort of makes a change in a way - from all the ice and the snow and the crevasses. It's like all the danger in this area has all been balled up into one spot and buried in the ground."

Merri Third-Eye had always had something of an odd way of looking at the world. It was one of the reasons Jorma Five Arrows hung round with him. Sometimes it was useful. And... sometimes it was just odd. "Do you think we'll be ordered in there then?" he asked apprehensively.

"Nah - we haven't got the numbers for it. It's close, but we're short-handed. Too many people hunting that Wemba fella. They won't like it, but I reckon it's been for nothing. We'll have to come back and start over I reckon."

"You're wrong there," said Jorma shaking his head. "I saw them dragging that fella south. We're all better off now I reckon. In fact the the further away they take him the safer I feel." He shivered, probably because of the cold. Definitely. Definitely because of the cold.

Merri never missed a thing of course. "Hey - I've got some of that smoked fish from Atalaq. Eat this, it'll warm your bones..."
</ic>
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Watermelon Snow - King George Island.jpg|align=left|width=400}}</div>
==Overview==
The heroes of Wintermark and their allies have pressed north, exploring the mysterious and uncharted wilderness of Tsirku. [[Warriors' Gate|Last season]] they made several alarming discoveries, the worst of which was the presence of at least one of Agramant's followers in this frozen land. Long suspected, now confirmed, Wemba the Bloody is loose in Tsirku... but not for long.

However, just as everyone is finding their feet, they discover that these lands hold more surprises than just ''the Howler'' and his followers.

==The North==
* '''The explorers of Tsirku have pressed forwards, but have fallen short of being able to fully explore the new region'''
North of Warriors' Gate lies a region described as "icy, covered in snow, with vicious looking chasms". The eternal storm itself does not extend into this region, but it is one that those walking that way would pass through. Imperial explorers pressed into the unknown, but unfortunately even with the support offered by the [[Construct_Smokehouse_of_Atalaq|Smokehouse of Atalaq]], the worsening weather and all the [[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Scouts|many]], [[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Mystics|many]] problems of exploring Tsirku took their toll. While some headway was made, the explorers have not managed to get a thorough overview of the region.

A first in Imperial history, the region does not appear to have a name as such. Presumably it has a name in the language of the dire penguins and snow hares that call the place home, but it seems that no sapient beings have given the place a name that has stuck. Even use of [[Gralka's Gift to the Lost Seeker]] proves less than helpful, either providing eerie sounds of blowing winds and croaking birds, or simply confirming that someone is in "the wastes of Tsirku north of Warriors' Gate". It seems that even Day magic has its limitations when it comes to a place like this.

There are two significant features here, or at least two that have been found by scouts.

The first is a massive hole, perhaps a mile across. Plates of thick ice extend out around the edges and make exploration particularly dangerous. There is a long drop down into the depths of this hole, and a spider-work of cracks and chasms extends for several miles in all directions around it. The area itself is risky because some of the narrower crevices have been covered over with a thick crust of snow - one that is by no means strong enough to support the weight of a human or orc. Explorers who sleep near the hole report unsettling dreams - a great fire plunging down out of the clear night sky and filling them with terror. This has lead to some speculation that the hole might actually be a crater - one caused by the kind of starfall that struck [[Otkodov#Sküld|Sküld]] in recent years and brought with it a lot of [[ilium]].

The other feature is a stone settlement about a day and a half's hike east of the crater. Settlement is perhaps too strong a word. A squat three-storey hexagonal tower surrounded by a low white granite wall that also contains what seems to be a warehouse and some kind of ox stable. It takes a bit of effort to explore because the heavy doors and shuttered windows are frozen solid. Breaking through, explorers find the place eerily empty of all life, and everything coated with a thin layer of ice that glitters unpleasantly. Investigation quickly leads to the surmise that this is a [[Thule]] outpost - three are images of the five-headed dragon often used in decoration by the orcs of [[Otkodov]]. Unfortunately, the ice covering everything means that its impossible to say exactly how ''old'' this place is. It might have been build a century ago or it might have been finished last month. The question of where the inhabitants have gone is eventually answered and it is not pleasant. One of the big dogs that accompany some of the explorers dig at the snow in the open area before the tower, whining. Clearing the snow, the remains of a score of Otkodov orcs are found buried. [[An Echo of Life Remains]] discovers the name of one of the warlocks - ''Deyadloth of the High Pass''. Some bodies show signs of wounds, others no indication what caused their death. Some of them are fully armoured in leather and fur, others are wearing little more than sleeping clothes. Their discovery leads to a decision to place some markers around the outpost and retreat, and perhaps leave further investigation to specialists who are not worried about how haunted that place might be. It also seems a good idea to avoid any kind of diplomatic incident - or at least to make sure it is someone of the appropriate authority who causes that incident.

Some explorers talk of meeting a figure that a little surreptitious [[insight]] indicates is clearly a [[inhabitants of the realms|creature of the realms]]. It appears as an older orc lady, garbed in thick wool and fur and using skiis to travel. Her face is hidden by a veil formed of knotted leather thongs, each weighted with white bone beads. Her presence is unsettling because she remains at a distance, often atop a snowdrift, and merely observes explorers. Those who hail her receive no response, and anyone approaching soon finds themselves being bogged down in deep drifts of snow, or falling prone thanks to hidden ice, during which she simply disappears again. Comparing tales though it seems that either she has several sisters, or she has made a point of taking a look at most of the explorers in the region. At least one eternal has an interest in this nameless snowscape, but it is too soon to say if they are hostile to those who trespass.
===Names Matter===
* '''The region north of Warriors' Gate has no name as far as Imperials are concerned'''
* '''If the Jotun or Thule have a name for it it has not "stuck"'''
* '''The scops of Wintermark could provide a name to the region and the big hole'''
[[Wintermark_hearth_magic#Names|Names]], as folk never tire of pointing out, are important. In Wintermark, the solemn duty of granting a name to a thing more often than not lies with the [[Wintermark_culture_and_customs#Scops|scops]]. It is risky to name something before you fully understand it, but it can be useful to give something a "use name" so that people know what you are talking about rather than relying on "the snowy region north of Warriors' Gate". During the Autumn Equinox, the [[egregores]] of Wintermark will meet with the scops attending Anvil to discuss the results of the recent exploration. If they wish, the scops can decide on a name for the region itself, and for the large notable feature - the hole, crater, or whatever that gouge-mark in the snow actually is. Alternatively, if they agree that they need more information, they can wait until the place is more thoroughly explored. The egregores will inform the civil service of the scops' decision.

As more of Tsirku is uncovered, the task of naming things that do not have names will fall to the scops. They may choose to consult other explorers, but the final decision (at least for the moment) falls to the namers of Wintermark.

==Winter in Tsirku==
* '''After the Autumn Equinox, Winter will set in ''quickly'' in Tsirku'''
* '''The strength needed to map another region is ''doubled'' until the start of the Spring Equinox 389YE'''
* '''The Imperial Spymaster directs the exploration of Tsirku'''
After the Autumn Equinox, the weather in Tsirku deteriorates dramatically and with incredible speed. While the wastelands are hostile in Summer, it is nothing to [[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Tsirku_is_Barren|how bad they become]] once Winter sets it and the seasons shift here without warning. Blizzards become commonplace, and the temperature drops cold enough to kill anyone unprepared for the cold. Winter is also when the [[Sermersuaq#Major_Features|Northern Lights]] are at their most active, and according to the [[Suaq]] it is a particularly perilous time to be abroad in the wastes.

The strength required to gather any information from Tsirku via the scouting network is ''doubled'' in the period straight after the Autumn Equinox, and remains that way until the start of the Spring Equinox. This will make the challenge of [[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Tsirku_is_Big|mapping the territory]] even more arduous. Either [[opportunity|opportunities]] to deal with the abysmal weather will need to be found, or a major force of military units will need to be applied.

While the explorers have started with the region north of Warriors' Gate, there's no need for them to continue to focus their efforts there. Some progress has been made, and some key features identified, but it will still require the full total of strength to be applied to actually complete the review of the region. That is, to complete exploring any region enough to be able to establish its borders requires the full 5,000 strength (or 10,000 over winter). As such it may be more appealing to move to one of the other two regions that border Warriors' Gate and at least get a rough overview of them... but of course such things take time.

As before, the decision on where to focus exploration after the Autumn Equinox lies with the [[Imperial Spymaster]], although they may receive counsel from the people of Wintermark. At the very least, the Imperial Spymaster should let the Wintermark people know which direction to head in, and the best way to do that would be to address their muster during the Equinox. The Wintermark egregores should be able to arrange such an opportunity for them.

As indicated last season, there are three regions that can be explored in Tsirku.

* The region that has been partially explored is north of Warrior's Gate towards [[Sermersuaq#Sydanjaa|Sydanjaa]]. Finishing the exploration requires the full amount of strength - there is no benefit for having performed a partial exploration.
* Westward, toward [[Tromsa]], lies a region that preliminary exploration identifies as "''barren, windswept, with wide and unsettling skies''". It's likely that Lake Nutjuitoq extends into this area, and there may be a connection to the [[Sea of Snow]] given that there must be ''some'' way for the great sea beasts to reach the [[Sermersuaq#The_Grave_of_the_Giants|Grave of the Giants]]. The ''hylje'' have [[Beneath_a_moonless_sky#As_Semersuaq_strode|offered aid]] in exploring this region, should Wintermark wish to avail themselves of it.
* Eastward, towards [[Otkodov#Urdur|Urdur]] lies a region described as "''rocky, with scattered trees, that feels ominous''". It's possible that the region actually abuts Urdur and if it does that increases the likelihood of some kind of Thule presence there.

===The Varushkan Viewpoint===
* '''Some Varushkan explorers suggest Winter is the ideal time to focus on treasure, not exploration'''
* '''These two mandates are considered to be competing'''
Winter is a bad time for exploration, but it might still present an opportunity. Some Varushkan explorers argue that rather than worrying about where things are and how things fit together, Winter is the best time to wrap up very warm indeed and go <s>wagon raiding</s> looking for valuable resources. There's one season left to take part in the ''[[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Tsirku_is_Enticing|Adventure in Tsirku]]'' opportunity, so why not make the most of it? They're looking to their National Assembly to back them up.
{{Mandate|mandate=Tsirku is a wasteland full of dangers, but we Varushkans know well that where the danger is greatest the finest treasures can be found. We send (named priest) with 25 does of liao to encourage the explorers of Varushka to make the most of the coming Winter to gather the treasures of Tsirku.|assembly=Varushkan National Assembly}}
If this mandate is enacted, then following the Autumn Equinox any Varushkan military unit will be able to undertake the ''Adventure in Tsirku'' venture, without suffering the 2 rank penalty to their effectiveness. In addition, by focusing on gathering the resources of the wasteland, each such military unit will receive an additional "treasures of the wasteland" (a consumable representing unique resources found in Tsirku, most likely harvested from beasts of Agramant or dangerous locations) on top of the two they would normally get. A military unit that has at least 11 ranks thanks to enchantments or upgrades will also receive an additional ''wonder of the wasteland'', a much rarer consumable. There is, as so often with these things, a drawback. If the mandate is enacted every Varushkan military unit that takes the expedition will be competing for resources with the explorers of Tsirku; for every one that does so the effective strength contributed to ''explore Tsirku'' will be reduced by 50 points.

Alternatively, the Varushkans may choose to share their good sense with their friends in Wintermark and among the Imperial Orcs. They could pass this alternative mandate.
{{Mandate|mandate=Tsirku is a wasteland full of dangers, but there is enough there for everyone to seize the opportunity and embrace prosperity. We send (named priest) with 75 does of liao to encourage the explorers of the northern nations to make the most of the coming Winter to gather the treasures of Tsirku with the aid of the virtuous.|assembly=Varushkan National Assembly}}
If this mandate is enacted, in addition to the benefits above it will also remove the 2 rank penalty from Wintermark and Imperial Orcs characters undertaking the ''Adventure in Tsirku'' venture after the Autumn Equinox, and any such military unit that has at least 11 ranks will receive an extra ''treasure of the wasteland'' alongside their wonders. The Varushkans will still get the full benefit of the earlier mandate, and everyone taking the Adventure in Tsirku venture will reduce the effectiveness of those exploring the wastes.

These two mandates are [[Mandate#Competing_Mandates|in competition]].


==Wemba the Bloody==
{{SOP|statement=The servants of Agramant gather in Warriors Gate and must be dealt with. We send the Banner-bearer of Atkonaroq with 25 doses of liao to lead heroes and glory-seekers alike to face the dangers of Treachers Dagger and drive them back from whence they came.|when=Summer Solstice 388YE|by=Hildelith Kaukosdottir, Wintermark Assembly|vote=290-0 {{GM}}}}
* '''Imperial forces have captured Wemba the Bloody and are dragging the monster back to Anvil in chains to face justice'''
* '''He is expected to arrive at 21:00 on Friday at the earliest'''
<div {{float}}><box>'''What No Skirmish?'''
<p>Normally we would offer a skirmish to slay Wemba the Bloody, but on this occasion we've taken a different choice. There is no possibility of any kind under which Wemba would agree to come to Anvil - and we wanted to offer the nation a chance to get a look at this villain. We wanted the many, many players who don't play combatants and so rarely get a chance to look in the eyes of Wintermark's enemies to have an opportunity to come face to face with evil.</p>
<p>We realise some players will be disappointed, but we're keen in Empire to have plots play out differently from time to time. Not everything should go the way you expect. There is still one more of Agramant's named creatures running round Tsirku, so those who are looking for a chance to clash swords with the enemy will still get the opportunity in the future!</p></box></div>
Urged on by the Wintermark Assembly, many military units diverted from efforts to explore Tsirku to focus on hunting down and defeating Wemba the Bloody. Signs of his presence are everywhere in the far north, once the scouts pick up the trail they discover abandoned camps littering the region on the other side of the great crater. The bodies of various beasts are scattered on the ground, blood spilled, their flesh half-eaten, dire penguins, bears and rabbits. This is what Wemba the Bloody has been living on? The man who swore to eat nothing but the flesh of his enemies? Surviving on a diet of uncooked rabbit - it would be tragic if it wasn't so pathetic.

The confrontation with this enemy of the Mark is more of the same. It should have been an epic tale, one for the scops to speak of in hushed tones. A brutal fight, the heroism of the Mark against the bloody steel of Agramant's cur. But the Wintermark scouts outnumber Wemba and his followers a hundred to one and more. His terrible followers have been granted inhuman powers by Agramant, their flesh turns aside blows that would stop a bear in its tracks, but somehow they keep going...

...and it makes not the slightest bit of difference.

If this was Dawn, brave knights might have made this glorious, by calling Wemba out, fighting him one-on-one, the glory of Dawnish knighthood against the terror of Agramant's brood. But [[heroism]] has no truck with [[glory]]. Heroism is about achieving what has to be done, not how difficult or dangerous it is. Deliberately making an act more difficult than it need be impresses no-one in Wintermark. More than five thousand elite Wintermark soldiers descend on Wemba's camp where he and his thirty followers are resting and they cut them to bloody ribbons.

None of them ask for quarter, they know this is a fight to the death and it is a fight they cannot win. Utterly outnumbered, utterly outmatched, they are surrounded and slaughtered. Wemba himself is one of the first to fall, but the only one to survive. His body lies on the frozen ground, disembowled by a spear to the belly, bones in both legs shattered, chest pierced in a dozen places, and yet somehow he ''still will not die''.

Not even Agramant's power can save a man from execution, Wemba will die when the time comes. But the party take it as a sign. His weapons are taken, his hands bound, his wounds closed, and then he is dragged in chains back to Sermersuaq, from there to be sent to Anvil. Let the mighty and the powerful interrogate him and learn from him what they can - the heroes of Wintermark have done their part. This monster's story is over.

Well, almost over. Wemba the Bloody will be dragged to the Wintermark camp on Friday evening. There will be a chance for those with Courage to question him and learn what they can. He is not going to tell the Empire ''anything'' about Tsirku - that much is abundantly clear - but those who want to find out what drives a man to swear his soul to Agramant, to consume the flesh of his enemies, can speak with him if they see merit in it. Once the nation is done with him, he can be handed over to the magistrates and receive his very just desserts.

==Silenced Bell==
{{SOP|statement=The Assembly of Vigilance directs the Silent Bell to investiate the location of Wemba the Bloody, Kalina White-Eye, and their followers, last known to be in Sermersuaq. Locate them but do <u>not</u> confront them, that is work for other hands.|by=Brother Geoffrey Orchard, Vigilance Assembly|vote=Upheld 168-0|when=Summer Solstice 388YE|size=small}}
* '''Following the Summer Solstice the remaining Silent Bell members were assigned to seek out Agramant followers in the north'''
* '''They have identified that Kaarina White-Eye is also in Tsirku'''
During the Summer Solstice, '''Brother Geoffrey Orchard''' directed the Silent Bell to Tsirku to investigate the location of [[Anyone_but_you#Wemba_the_Bloody|Wemba the Bloody]], Kalina White-Eye, and their followers. These two servants of [[Agramant]] have been a thorn in the Empire's side since [[Sermersuaq]] was recovered from the [[Jotun]]. Some of the Silent Bell accompanied those scouts and raiders already heading for [[Warriors%27_Gate#Dangers_and_Hunters|Treachers Dagger]]. Others spread out to see if they could track the movements of [[Anyone_but_you#Kaarina_White-Eye|Kaarina White-Eye]], who was believed to have fled west toward the [[Jotun]] border.

The trail is cold, but it does seem that Kaarina used her superior knowledge of the ice fields of the north to strike out of [[Sermersuaq#Suaq Wastes|Suaq Wastes]] and [[Sermersuaq#Suaw Fount|Suaq Fount]] to harry the hated Jotun. She was also evidencing a keen interest in the Grave of the Giants - the bay where the majestic creatures of the Sea of Snow come to die.

About a year ago however, it looks as if she abandoned her camps in the wild places of Wintermark, and followed the same path Wemba the Bloody took into Tsirku. The Silent Bell follows, relying on the assistance of guides experienced in travelling into the unknown. Everything points to Kaarina currently being based in Tsirku, east of Warrior' Gate - although it's not clear if she is in the region ''directly'' east of there. She is clearly continuing her efforts to extract her blood-price from the orcs who slew her Thane.
===Finale===
* '''Every member of the Silent Bell that entered Tsirku has vanished'''
* '''Remaining members within Imperial borders, and those associated with them, have been attacked by servants of the Whisper Gallery'''
Brother Geoffrey Orchard was very clear that the Silent Bell should gather evidence and information and <u>not</u> engage the followers of Agramant. Unfortunately, it turns out that it is not ''Blood on the Snow'' who is their greatest threat. Between the end of Summer and the start of Autumn, every member of the Silent Bell that leaves the Empire for Tsirku... vanishes. There are wild stories - a half-dead Suaq explorer suffering severe frostbite rants about how the three members of the Silent Bell they were escorting were killed by "their own reflections" that dragged them into the smooth wall of glacial ice north of the Grave of the Giants. Other stories talk of empty tents, with clear signs of struggle that nonetheless failed to attract the attention of a single sentry.

At the same time, there is a rash of attacks across the Empire as well. Here, the attackers are more identifiable. Servants of the [[Whisper Gallery]] have targeted members of the assembly of Vigilance associated with the Bell, retired members, and those very few who [[Know_your_enemy#Fear/Dread|survived]] the expedition into [[the Mallum]] to explore the [[malign spiritual presences|malign spiritual presence]] of [[On the nature of fear|fear]]. Fortunately for the majority, there is a dedicated cadre of Imperial captains who maintain a [[Venture#War_of_Whispers|careful watch]] for the malice of these hateful eternals. The majority of the overt attacks are stopped before they start, or interrupted before their target can be slain or kidnapped (for later murder).

The overwhelming evidence is that whatever has happened to the Silent Bell members sent outside of the Empire - and the protection of the [[Conclave]]s [[Alignment#Enmity|enmity]] - have been much less fortunate than the few who remained behind. [[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Tsirku_is_Secret|Tsirku is secret]], and it seems the Whisper Gallery want to keep it that way. Or at least, prevent the Silent Bell investigating the place.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=WhisperGal001.png|align=right|caption=The agents and servants of the Whisper Gallery are usually wily, and subtle. But just occasionally, the mask slips...|width=400}}</div>

===Bell and Bella===
* '''The Whisper Gallery takes responsibility for the attack on the Silent Bell'''
* '''They claim it is in vengeance for the deaths of Bella and Heliodoro'''
While the Vigilance assembly is still reeling from the attacks, and the disappearances of so many Vigilant souls, a package is delivered by a [[Navarr]] messenger to the grave orchard in Pickham, near the famous monastery, where Major Joshua Benson rests. A [[Pruning_shears|site of pilgrimage]] for the last three years, it is not unusual for gifts to be delivered. This gift, however, is not a bequest or an offering of support. It is a quartet of [[the League|League]] masks, covered in bloodstains, and a bloody knife on which the blood is still, unaccountably, still fresh. With it is a gorgeous strip of parchment, decorated with an intricate drawing of dramaturgical masks with all kinds of expressions, and the two words "''FOR BELLA AND HELIODORO''".

===Watch End===
* '''The Silent Bell sodality is no longer able to launch investigations on behalf of the Vigilance assembly'''
The expedition into the Mallum to seek to expand the Empire's understanding of fear cost the Silent Bell a great deal. Many of its bravest, and most committed members paid the ultimate price for the insight they gained there. Important information was discovered, but it [[387YE_Autumn_Equinox_winds_of_fortune#Those_Who_Are_Not_Free|left the Silent Bell weakened and vulnerable]]. It was inevitable that if many more of them were killed then that would have be the end of the sodality.

By rights, the Silent Bell should have been safe enough in Tsirku - this is a dangerous land outside the Empire and filled with enemies, but even so, few expected them to suffer in the way they have. Unfortunately they did not expect to become the victims of a concerted of murder aimed directly at them. In the Empire they would have been safe, protected by the enmity of the conclave and watched over by the Empire's heroes engaged in the War of Whispers. But out here - in the frozen north, beyond the safety of the Conclave's dominion...

The Whisper Gallery saw a chance for revenge for the deaths of it's favourites and seized it. The Empire has taken something from the Gallery that for all it's capering the ''Concilium of the Perjured Throne'' did not want to lose. Now it has struck back, not with play, but in murderous earnest. It is a brutal reminder that for all the Whisper Gallery is baroque and mysterious, it can also be terrible and deadly when given the opportunity.

The disappearances in Tsirku are the final nail in the coffin of the Vigilant sodality that has served the Empire for years. There are survivors of course - the [[Venture#War of Whispers|War of Whispers]] exists for a reason - but there are nowhere near enough of them to launch any kind of in-depth investigation into the threats that beset the Empire. But the sodality will be unable to continue now and cannot be reconstituted at this time. After a year has passed, the Empire might consider appraising the problem, to see if there was a way to bring the sodality back, but otherwise they have become a turned page in the Empire's long and storied history.

===Participation : Silent Bell===
* '''Characters associated with the Silent Bell are free to create stories about their experiences'''
Any character who has roleplaying an association with the Silent Bell is free to create a story about their encounter with agents of the Whisper Gallery. Obviously, no player character has been killed or abducted by the Whisper Gallery, but you may have had a close call. You may have been saved by characters undertaking the War of Whispers, personally fought off an assassin with your friends, or escaped their clutches with cleverness or dumb luck.

If you were in Tsirku this season, then the threat will be have been considerably worse. No mortal agents were used here, rather terrible creatures formed of billowing chromatic smoke that boiled up out of the ice and attacked.

==Would You Like Some Help?==
* '''Agramant offers to help the Empire track down Kaarina White-Eye'''

At the same time that bloody masks and a knife are being delivered to Pickham Monastary, a very different message is being delivered in Tsirku. The raiders returning from Treacher's Dagger have been victorious. Tired and injured, they are keen to get back to the warmth of Sermersuaq and the embrace of Wintermark friends. Just before they cross the border, a creature turns up in the middle of their camp and asks for parley. It's obviously a monster - a human-shaped monster wearing a coat made of tattooed skin, with a mouthful of shark teeth and lambent red eyes that are nothing like those of a draughir. It brings a message, for the ears of the Conclave, from it's master.

It is ''dreadful'' what the eternals of Night have done to the Silent Bell. Cowardly, even. Waiting until they were sent outside the protection of the Conclave and then murdering them all? Rude, to be honest. ''[[Agramant|Giver of Gifts]]'' takes affront at the ''Secret Seekers'' paddling around in ''his'' part of the world and so he offers a boon for the Assembly of Vigilance. He doesn't expect them to take it but the offer is ''genuine'' and ''sincere''. All they need to do is raise a [[statement of principle]] urging the vigilant to keep watch over the Grave of the Giants. If that statement gets a [[greater majority]], then Agramant will instruct his heralds to give Kaarina White-Eye bad advice, luring her into making a trip back to the Grave during the Winter Solstice to gather more... resources. The vigilant will surely spot her, allowing the jolly old [[Sentinel Gate]] to get some Imperial heroes in position to murder her. And, sadly, as she is inside Imperial borders, the ability of her patron to protect her will be limited.

Why is ''Blood-on-the-Snow'' doing this? The herald says that his master wants to test Kaarina, and just how powerful her hate is. Either she'll prevail over the Imperial heroes, or they'll kill her. Either way, Agramant wins. Plus for that matter he has gotten just a little tired of Kaarina's constant banging on about how awful the Jotun are. And if she's foolish enough to fall for bad advice, and weak enough to be killed by so-called Imperial champions? Well, what can be destroyed ''should'' be destroyed.

Roses in the snow

2026-09-10T13:49:40Z

Rafferty: /* Tsirku is Enticing */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<ic>
"The hole makes a change."

"What?" Jorma stared at his companion like he'd gone snow-blind. "What are you talking about?"

"The hole - it sort of makes a change in a way - from all the ice and the snow and the crevasses. It's like all the danger in this area has all been balled up into one spot and buried in the ground."

Merri Third-Eye had always had something of an odd way of looking at the world. It was one of the reasons Jorma Five Arrows hung round with him. Sometimes it was useful. And... sometimes it was just odd. "Do you think we'll be ordered in there then?" he asked apprehensively.

"Nah - we haven't got the numbers for it. It's close, but we're short-handed. Too many people hunting that Wemba fella. They won't like it, but I reckon it's been for nothing. We'll have to come back and start over I reckon."

"You're wrong there," said Jorma shaking his head. "I saw them dragging that fella south. We're all better off now I reckon. In fact the the further away they take him the safer I feel." He shivered, probably because of the cold. Definitely. Definitely because of the cold.

Merri never missed a thing of course. "Hey - I've got some of that smoked fish from Atalaq. Eat this, it'll warm your bones..."
</ic>
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Watermelon Snow - King George Island.jpg|align=left|width=400}}</div>
==Overview==
The heroes of Wintermark and their allies have pressed north, exploring the mysterious and uncharted wilderness of Tsirku. [[Warriors' Gate|Last season]] they made several alarming discoveries, the worst of which was the presence of at least one of Agramant's followers in this frozen land. Long suspected, now confirmed, Wemba the Bloody is loose in Tsirku... but not for long.

However, just as everyone is finding their feet, they discover that these lands hold more surprises than just ''the Howler'' and his followers.

==The North==
* '''The explorers of Tsirku have pressed forwards, but have fallen short of being able to fully explore the new region'''
North of Warriors' Gate lies a region described as "icy, covered in snow, with vicious looking chasms". The eternal storm itself does not extend into this region, but it is one that those walking that way would pass through. Imperial explorers pressed into the unknown, but unfortunately even with the support offered by the [[Construct_Smokehouse_of_Atalaq|Smokehouse of Atalaq]], the worsening weather and all the [[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Scouts|many]], [[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Mystics|many]] problems of exploring Tsirku took their toll. While some headway was made, the explorers have not managed to get a thorough overview of the region.

A first in Imperial history, the region does not appear to have a name as such. Presumably it has a name in the language of the dire penguins and snow hares that call the place home, but it seems that no sapient beings have given the place a name that has stuck. Even use of [[Gralka's Gift to the Lost Seeker]] proves less than helpful, either providing eerie sounds of blowing winds and croaking birds, or simply confirming that someone is in "the wastes of Tsirku north of Warriors' Gate". It seems that even Day magic has its limitations when it comes to a place like this.

There are two significant features here, or at least two that have been found by scouts.

The first is a massive hole, perhaps a mile across. Plates of thick ice extend out around the edges and make exploration particularly dangerous. There is a long drop down into the depths of this hole, and a spider-work of cracks and chasms extends for several miles in all directions around it. The area itself is risky because some of the narrower crevices have been covered over with a thick crust of snow - one that is by no means strong enough to support the weight of a human or orc. Explorers who sleep near the hole report unsettling dreams - a great fire plunging down out of the clear night sky and filling them with terror. This has lead to some speculation that the hole might actually be a crater - one caused by the kind of starfall that struck [[Otkodov#Sküld|Sküld]] in recent years and brought with it a lot of [[ilium]].

The other feature is a stone settlement about a day and a half's hike east of the crater. Settlement is perhaps too strong a word. A squat three-storey hexagonal tower surrounded by a low white granite wall that also contains what seems to be a warehouse and some kind of ox stable. It takes a bit of effort to explore because the heavy doors and shuttered windows are frozen solid. Breaking through, explorers find the place eerily empty of all life, and everything coated with a thin layer of ice that glitters unpleasantly. Investigation quickly leads to the surmise that this is a [[Thule]] outpost - three are images of the five-headed dragon often used in decoration by the orcs of [[Otkodov]]. Unfortunately, the ice covering everything means that its impossible to say exactly how ''old'' this place is. It might have been build a century ago or it might have been finished last month. The question of where the inhabitants have gone is eventually answered and it is not pleasant. One of the big dogs that accompany some of the explorers dig at the snow in the open area before the tower, whining. Clearing the snow, the remains of a score of Otkodov orcs are found buried. [[An Echo of Life Remains]] discovers the name of one of the warlocks - ''Deyadloth of the High Pass''. Some bodies show signs of wounds, others no indication what caused their death. Some of them are fully armoured in leather and fur, others are wearing little more than sleeping clothes. Their discovery leads to a decision to place some markers around the outpost and retreat, and perhaps leave further investigation to specialists who are not worried about how haunted that place might be. It also seems a good idea to avoid any kind of diplomatic incident - or at least to make sure it is someone of the appropriate authority who causes that incident.

Some explorers talk of meeting a figure that a little surreptitious [[insight]] indicates is clearly a [[inhabitants of the realms|creature of the realms]]. It appears as an older orc lady, garbed in thick wool and fur and using skiis to travel. Her face is hidden by a veil formed of knotted leather thongs, each weighted with white bone beads. Her presence is unsettling because she remains at a distance, often atop a snowdrift, and merely observes explorers. Those who hail her receive no response, and anyone approaching soon finds themselves being bogged down in deep drifts of snow, or falling prone thanks to hidden ice, during which she simply disappears again. Comparing tales though it seems that either she has several sisters, or she has made a point of taking a look at most of the explorers in the region. At least one eternal has an interest in this nameless snowscape, but it is too soon to say if they are hostile to those who trespass.
===Names Matter===
* '''The region north of Warriors' Gate has no name as far as Imperials are concerned'''
* '''If the Jotun or Thule have a name for it it has not "stuck"'''
* '''The scops of Wintermark could provide a name to the region and the big hole'''
[[Wintermark_hearth_magic#Names|Names]], as folk never tire of pointing out, are important. In Wintermark, the solemn duty of granting a name to a thing more often than not lies with the [[Wintermark_culture_and_customs#Scops|scops]]. It is risky to name something before you fully understand it, but it can be useful to give something a "use name" so that people know what you are talking about rather than relying on "the snowy region north of Warriors' Gate". During the Autumn Equinox, the [[egregores]] of Wintermark will meet with the scops attending Anvil to discuss the results of the recent exploration. If they wish, the scops can decide on a name for the region itself, and for the large notable feature - the hole, crater, or whatever that gouge-mark in the snow actually is. Alternatively, if they agree that they need more information, they can wait until the place is more thoroughly explored. The egregores will inform the civil service of the scops' decision.

As more of Tsirku is uncovered, the task of naming things that do not have names will fall to the scops. They may choose to consult other explorers, but the final decision (at least for the moment) falls to the namers of Wintermark.

==Winter in Tsirku==
* '''After the Autumn Equinox, Winter will set in ''quickly'' in Tsirku'''
* '''The strength needed to map another region is ''doubled'' until the start of the Spring Equinox 389YE'''
* '''The Imperial Spymaster directs the exploration of Tsirku'''
After the Autumn Equinox, the weather in Tsirku deteriorates dramatically and with incredible speed. While the wastelands are hostile in Summer, it is nothing to [[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Tsirku_is_Barren|how bad they become]] once Winter sets it and the seasons shift here without warning. Blizzards become commonplace, and the temperature drops cold enough to kill anyone unprepared for the cold. Winter is also when the [[Sermersuaq#Major_Features|Northern Lights]] are at their most active, and according to the [[Suaq]] it is a particularly perilous time to be abroad in the wastes.

The strength required to gather any information from Tsirku via the scouting network is ''doubled'' in the period straight after the Autumn Equinox, and remains that way until the start of the Spring Equinox. This will make the challenge of [[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Tsirku_is_Big|mapping the territory]] even more arduous. Either [[opportunity|opportunities]] to deal with the abysmal weather will need to be found, or a major force of military units will need to be applied.

While the explorers have started with the region north of Warriors' Gate, there's no need for them to continue to focus their efforts there. Some progress has been made, and some key features identified, but it will still require the full total of strength to be applied to actually complete the review of the region. That is, to complete exploring any region enough to be able to establish its borders requires the full 5,000 strength (or 10,000 over winter). As such it may be more appealing to move to one of the other two regions that border Warriors' Gate and at least get a rough overview of them... but of course such things take time.

As before, the decision on where to focus exploration after the Autumn Equinox lies with the [[Imperial Spymaster]], although they may receive counsel from the people of Wintermark. At the very least, the Imperial Spymaster should let the Wintermark people know which direction to head in, and the best way to do that would be to address their muster during the Equinox. The Wintermark egregores should be able to arrange such an opportunity for them.

As indicated last season, there are three regions that can be explored in Tsirku.

* The region that has been partially explored is north of Warrior's Gate towards [[Sermersuaq#Sydanjaa|Sydanjaa]]. Finishing the exploration requires the full amount of strength - there is no benefit for having performed a partial exploration.
* Westward, toward [[Tromsa]], lies a region that preliminary exploration identifies as "''barren, windswept, with wide and unsettling skies''". It's likely that Lake Nutjuitoq extends into this area, and there may be a connection to the [[Sea of Snow]] given that there must be ''some'' way for the great sea beasts to reach the [[Sermersuaq#The_Grave_of_the_Giants|Grave of the Giants]]. The ''hylje'' have [[Beneath_a_moonless_sky#As_Semersuaq_strode|offered aid]] in exploring this region, should Wintermark wish to avail themselves of it.
* Eastward, towards [[Otkodov#Urdur|Urdur]] lies a region described as "''rocky, with scattered trees, that feels ominous''". It's possible that the region actually abuts Urdur and if it does that increases the likelihood of some kind of Thule presence there.

===The Varushkan Viewpoint===
* '''Some Varushkan explorers suggest Winter is the ideal time to focus on treasure, not exploration'''
* '''These two mandates are considered to be competing'''
Winter is a bad time for exploration, but it might still present an opportunity. Some Varushkan explorers argue that rather than worrying about where things are and how things fit together, Winter is the best time to wrap up very warm indeed and go <s>wagon raiding</s> looking for valuable resources. There's one season left to take part in the ''[[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Tsirku_is_Enticing|Adventure in Tsirku]]'' opportunity, so why not make the most of it? They're looking to their National Assembly to back them up.
{{Mandate|mandate=Tsirku is a wasteland full of dangers, but we Varushkans know well that where the danger is greatest the finest treasures can be found. We send (named priest) with 25 does of liao to encourage the explorers of Varushka to make the most of the coming Winter to gather the treasures of Tsirku.|assembly=Varushkan National Assembly}}
If this mandate is enacted, then following the Autumn Equinox any Varushkan military unit will be able to undertake the ''Adventure in Tsirku'' venture, without suffering the 2 rank penalty to their effectiveness. In addition, by focusing on gathering the resources of the wasteland, each such military unit will receive an additional "treasures of the wasteland" (a consumable representing unique resources found in Tsirku, most likely harvested from beasts of Agramant or dangerous locations) on top of the two they would normally get. A military unit that has at least 11 ranks thanks to enchantments or upgrades will also receive an additional ''wonder of the wasteland'', a much rarer consumable. There is, as so often with these things, a drawback. If the mandate is enacted every Varushkan military unit that takes the expedition will be competing for resources with the explorers of Tsirku; for every one that does so the effective strength contributed to ''explore Tsirku'' will be reduced by 50 points.

Alternatively, the Varushkans may choose to share their good sense with their friends in Wintermark and among the Imperial Orcs. They could pass this alternative mandate.
{{Mandate|mandate=Tsirku is a wasteland full of dangers, but there is enough there for everyone to seize the opportunity and embrace prosperity. We send (named priest) with 75 does of liao to encourage the explorers of the northern nations to make the most of the coming Winter to gather the treasures of Tsirku with the aid of the virtuous.|assembly=Varushkan National Assembly}}
If this mandate is enacted, in addition to the benefits above it will also remove the 2 rank penalty from Wintermark and Imperial Orcs characters undertaking the ''Adventure in Tsirku'' venture after the Autumn Equinox, and any such military unit that has at least 11 ranks will receive an extra ''treasure of the wasteland'' alongside their wonders. The Varushkans will still get the full benefit of the earlier mandate, and everyone taking the Adventure in Tsirku venture will reduce the effectiveness of those exploring the wastes.

These two mandates are [[Mandate#Competing_Mandates|in competition]].



==Wemba the Bloody==
{{SOP|statement=The servants of Agramant gather in Warriors Gate and must be dealt with. We send the Banner-bearer of Atkonaroq with 25 doses of liao to lead heroes and glory-seekers alike to face the dangers of Treachers Dagger and drive them back from whence they came.|when=Summer Solstice 388YE|by=Hildelith Kaukosdottir, Wintermark Assembly|vote=290-0 {{GM}}}}
* '''Imperial forces have captured Wemba the Bloody and are dragging the monster back to Anvil in chains to face justice'''
* '''He is expected to arrive at 21:00 on Friday at the earliest'''
<div {{float}}><box>'''What No Skirmish?'''
<p>Normally we would offer a skirmish to slay Wemba the Bloody, but on this occasion we've taken a different choice. There is no possibility of any kind under which Wemba would agree to come to Anvil - and we wanted to offer the nation a chance to get a look at this villain. We wanted the many, many players who don't play combatants and so rarely get a chance to look in the eyes of Wintermark's enemies to have an opportunity to come face to face with evil.</p>
<p>We realise some players will be disappointed, but we're keen in Empire to have plots play out differently from time to time. Not everything should go the way you expect. There is still one more of Agramant's named creatures running round Tsirku, so those who are looking for a chance to clash swords with the enemy will still get the opportunity in the future!</p></box></div>
Urged on by the Wintermark Assembly, many military units diverted from efforts to explore Tsirku to focus on hunting down and defeating Wemba the Bloody. Signs of his presence are everywhere in the far north, once the scouts pick up the trail they discover abandoned camps littering the region on the other side of the great crater. The bodies of various beasts are scattered on the ground, blood spilled, their flesh half-eaten, dire penguins, bears and rabbits. This is what Wemba the Bloody has been living on? The man who swore to eat nothing but the flesh of his enemies? Surviving on a diet of uncooked rabbit - it would be tragic if it wasn't so pathetic.

The confrontation with this enemy of the Mark is more of the same. It should have been an epic tale, one for the scops to speak of in hushed tones. A brutal fight, the heroism of the Mark against the bloody steel of Agramant's cur. But the Wintermark scouts outnumber Wemba and his followers a hundred to one and more. His terrible followers have been granted inhuman powers by Agramant, their flesh turns aside blows that would stop a bear in its tracks, but somehow they keep going...

...and it makes not the slightest bit of difference.

If this was Dawn, brave knights might have made this glorious, by calling Wemba out, fighting him one-on-one, the glory of Dawnish knighthood against the terror of Agramant's brood. But [[heroism]] has no truck with [[glory]]. Heroism is about achieving what has to be done, not how difficult or dangerous it is. Deliberately making an act more difficult than it need be impresses no-one in Wintermark. More than five thousand elite Wintermark soldiers descend on Wemba's camp where he and his thirty followers are resting and they cut them to bloody ribbons.

None of them ask for quarter, they know this is a fight to the death and it is a fight they cannot win. Utterly outnumbered, utterly outmatched, they are surrounded and slaughtered. Wemba himself is one of the first to fall, but the only one to survive. His body lies on the frozen ground, disembowled by a spear to the belly, bones in both legs shattered, chest pierced in a dozen places, and yet somehow he ''still will not die''.

Not even Agramant's power can save a man from execution, Wemba will die when the time comes. But the party take it as a sign. His weapons are taken, his hands bound, his wounds closed, and then he is dragged in chains back to Sermersuaq, from there to be sent to Anvil. Let the mighty and the powerful interrogate him and learn from him what they can - the heroes of Wintermark have done their part. This monster's story is over.

Well, almost over. Wemba the Bloody will be dragged to the Wintermark camp on Friday evening. There will be a chance for those with Courage to question him and learn what they can. He is not going to tell the Empire ''anything'' about Tsirku - that much is abundantly clear - but those who want to find out what drives a man to swear his soul to Agramant, to consume the flesh of his enemies, can speak with him if they see merit in it. Once the nation is done with him, he can be handed over to the magistrates and receive his very just desserts.

==Silenced Bell==
{{SOP|statement=The Assembly of Vigilance directs the Silent Bell to investiate the location of Wemba the Bloody, Kalina White-Eye, and their followers, last known to be in Sermersuaq. Locate them but do <u>not</u> confront them, that is work for other hands.|by=Brother Geoffrey Orchard, Vigilance Assembly|vote=Upheld 168-0|when=Summer Solstice 388YE|size=small}}
* '''Following the Summer Solstice the remaining Silent Bell members were assigned to seek out Agramant followers in the north'''
* '''They have identified that Kaarina White-Eye is also in Tsirku'''
During the Summer Solstice, '''Brother Geoffrey Orchard''' directed the Silent Bell to Tsirku to investigate the location of [[Anyone_but_you#Wemba_the_Bloody|Wemba the Bloody]], Kalina White-Eye, and their followers. These two servants of [[Agramant]] have been a thorn in the Empire's side since [[Sermersuaq]] was recovered from the [[Jotun]]. Some of the Silent Bell accompanied those scouts and raiders already heading for [[Warriors%27_Gate#Dangers_and_Hunters|Treachers Dagger]]. Others spread out to see if they could track the movements of [[Anyone_but_you#Kaarina_White-Eye|Kaarina White-Eye]], who was believed to have fled west toward the [[Jotun]] border.

The trail is cold, but it does seem that Kaarina used her superior knowledge of the ice fields of the north to strike out of [[Sermersuaq#Suaq Wastes|Suaq Wastes]] and [[Sermersuaq#Suaw Fount|Suaq Fount]] to harry the hated Jotun. She was also evidencing a keen interest in the Grave of the Giants - the bay where the majestic creatures of the Sea of Snow come to die.

About a year ago however, it looks as if she abandoned her camps in the wild places of Wintermark, and followed the same path Wemba the Bloody took into Tsirku. The Silent Bell follows, relying on the assistance of guides experienced in travelling into the unknown. Everything points to Kaarina currently being based in Tsirku, east of Warrior' Gate - although it's not clear if she is in the region ''directly'' east of there. She is clearly continuing her efforts to extract her blood-price from the orcs who slew her Thane.
===Finale===
* '''Every member of the Silent Bell that entered Tsirku has vanished'''
* '''Remaining members within Imperial borders, and those associated with them, have been attacked by servants of the Whisper Gallery'''
Brother Geoffrey Orchard was very clear that the Silent Bell should gather evidence and information and <u>not</u> engage the followers of Agramant. Unfortunately, it turns out that it is not ''Blood on the Snow'' who is their greatest threat. Between the end of Summer and the start of Autumn, every member of the Silent Bell that leaves the Empire for Tsirku... vanishes. There are wild stories - a half-dead Suaq explorer suffering severe frostbite rants about how the three members of the Silent Bell they were escorting were killed by "their own reflections" that dragged them into the smooth wall of glacial ice north of the Grave of the Giants. Other stories talk of empty tents, with clear signs of struggle that nonetheless failed to attract the attention of a single sentry.

At the same time, there is a rash of attacks across the Empire as well. Here, the attackers are more identifiable. Servants of the [[Whisper Gallery]] have targeted members of the assembly of Vigilance associated with the Bell, retired members, and those very few who [[Know_your_enemy#Fear/Dread|survived]] the expedition into [[the Mallum]] to explore the [[malign spiritual presences|malign spiritual presence]] of [[On the nature of fear|fear]]. Fortunately for the majority, there is a dedicated cadre of Imperial captains who maintain a [[Venture#War_of_Whispers|careful watch]] for the malice of these hateful eternals. The majority of the overt attacks are stopped before they start, or interrupted before their target can be slain or kidnapped (for later murder).

The overwhelming evidence is that whatever has happened to the Silent Bell members sent outside of the Empire - and the protection of the [[Conclave]]s [[Alignment#Enmity|enmity]] - have been much less fortunate than the few who remained behind. [[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Tsirku_is_Secret|Tsirku is secret]], and it seems the Whisper Gallery want to keep it that way. Or at least, prevent the Silent Bell investigating the place.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=WhisperGal001.png|align=right|caption=The agents and servants of the Whisper Gallery are usually wily, and subtle. But just occasionally, the mask slips...|width=400}}</div>

===Bell and Bella===
* '''The Whisper Gallery takes responsibility for the attack on the Silent Bell'''
* '''They claim it is in vengeance for the deaths of Bella and Heliodoro'''
While the Vigilance assembly is still reeling from the attacks, and the disappearances of so many Vigilant souls, a package is delivered by a [[Navarr]] messenger to the grave orchard in Pickham, near the famous monastery, where Major Joshua Benson rests. A [[Pruning_shears|site of pilgrimage]] for the last three years, it is not unusual for gifts to be delivered. This gift, however, is not a bequest or an offering of support. It is a quartet of [[the League|League]] masks, covered in bloodstains, and a bloody knife on which the blood is still, unaccountably, still fresh. With it is a gorgeous strip of parchment, decorated with an intricate drawing of dramaturgical masks with all kinds of expressions, and the two words "''FOR BELLA AND HELIODORO''".

===Watch End===
* '''The Silent Bell sodality is no longer able to launch investigations on behalf of the Vigilance assembly'''
The expedition into the Mallum to seek to expand the Empire's understanding of fear cost the Silent Bell a great deal. Many of its bravest, and most committed members paid the ultimate price for the insight they gained there. Important information was discovered, but it [[387YE_Autumn_Equinox_winds_of_fortune#Those_Who_Are_Not_Free|left the Silent Bell weakened and vulnerable]]. It was inevitable that if many more of them were killed then that would have be the end of the sodality.

By rights, the Silent Bell should have been safe enough in Tsirku - this is a dangerous land outside the Empire and filled with enemies, but even so, few expected them to suffer in the way they have. Unfortunately they did not expect to become the victims of a concerted of murder aimed directly at them. In the Empire they would have been safe, protected by the enmity of the conclave and watched over by the Empire's heroes engaged in the War of Whispers. But out here - in the frozen north, beyond the safety of the Conclave's dominion...

The Whisper Gallery saw a chance for revenge for the deaths of it's favourites and seized it. The Empire has taken something from the Gallery that for all it's capering the ''Concilium of the Perjured Throne'' did not want to lose. Now it has struck back, not with play, but in murderous earnest. It is a brutal reminder that for all the Whisper Gallery is baroque and mysterious, it can also be terrible and deadly when given the opportunity.

The disappearances in Tsirku are the final nail in the coffin of the Vigilant sodality that has served the Empire for years. There are survivors of course - the [[Venture#War of Whispers|War of Whispers]] exists for a reason - but there are nowhere near enough of them to launch any kind of in-depth investigation into the threats that beset the Empire. But the sodality will be unable to continue now and cannot be reconstituted at this time. After a year has passed, the Empire might consider appraising the problem, to see if there was a way to bring the sodality back, but otherwise they have become a turned page in the Empire's long and storied history.

===Participation : Silent Bell===
* '''Characters associated with the Silent Bell are free to create stories about their experiences'''
Any character who has roleplaying an association with the Silent Bell is free to create a story about their encounter with agents of the Whisper Gallery. Obviously, no player character has been killed or abducted by the Whisper Gallery, but you may have had a close call. You may have been saved by characters undertaking the War of Whispers, personally fought off an assassin with your friends, or escaped their clutches with cleverness or dumb luck.

If you were in Tsirku this season, then the threat will be have been considerably worse. No mortal agents were used here, rather terrible creatures formed of billowing chromatic smoke that boiled up out of the ice and attacked.

==Would You Like Some Help?==
* '''Agramant offers to help the Empire track down Kaarina White-Eye'''

At the same time that bloody masks and a knife are being delivered to Pickham Monastary, a very different message is being delivered in Tsirku. The raiders returning from Treacher's Dagger have been victorious. Tired and injured, they are keen to get back to the warmth of Sermersuaq and the embrace of Wintermark friends. Just before they cross the border, a creature turns up in the middle of their camp and asks for parley. It's obviously a monster - a human-shaped monster wearing a coat made of tattooed skin, with a mouthful of shark teeth and lambent red eyes that are nothing like those of a draughir. It brings a message, for the ears of the Conclave, from it's master.

It is ''dreadful'' what the eternals of Night have done to the Silent Bell. Cowardly, even. Waiting until they were sent outside the protection of the Conclave and then murdering them all? Rude, to be honest. ''[[Agramant|Giver of Gifts]]'' takes affront at the ''Secret Seekers'' paddling around in ''his'' part of the world and so he offers a boon for the Assembly of Vigilance. He doesn't expect them to take it but the offer is ''genuine'' and ''sincere''. All they need to do is raise a [[statement of principle]] urging the vigilant to keep watch over the Grave of the Giants. If that statement gets a [[greater majority]], then Agramant will instruct his heralds to give Kaarina White-Eye bad advice, luring her into making a trip back to the Grave during the Winter Solstice to gather more... resources. The vigilant will surely spot her, allowing the jolly old [[Sentinel Gate]] to get some Imperial heroes in position to murder her. And, sadly, as she is inside Imperial borders, the ability of her patron to protect her will be limited.

Why is ''Blood-on-the-Snow'' doing this? The herald says that his master wants to test Kaarina, and just how powerful her hate is. Either she'll prevail over the Imperial heroes, or they'll kill her. Either way, Agramant wins. Plus for that matter he has gotten just a little tired of Kaarina's constant banging on about how awful the Jotun are. And if she's foolish enough to fall for bad advice, and weak enough to be killed by so-called Imperial champions? Well, what can be destroyed ''should'' be destroyed.

Roses in the snow

2026-09-10T13:45:36Z

Rafferty: WOUNDS! Not wolves. WOUNDS!!

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<ic>
"The hole makes a change."

"What?" Jorma stared at his companion like he'd gone snow-blind. "What are you talking about?"

"The hole - it sort of makes a change in a way - from all the ice and the snow and the crevasses. It's like all the danger in this area has all been balled up into one spot and buried in the ground."

Merri Third-Eye had always had something of an odd way of looking at the world. It was one of the reasons Jorma Five Arrows hung round with him. Sometimes it was useful. And... sometimes it was just odd. "Do you think we'll be ordered in there then?" he asked apprehensively.

"Nah - we haven't got the numbers for it. It's close, but we're short-handed. Too many people hunting that Wemba fella. They won't like it, but I reckon it's been for nothing. We'll have to come back and start over I reckon."

"You're wrong there," said Jorma shaking his head. "I saw them dragging that fella south. We're all better off now I reckon. In fact the the further away they take him the safer I feel." He shivered, probably because of the cold. Definitely. Definitely because of the cold.

Merri never missed a thing of course. "Hey - I've got some of that smoked fish from Atalaq. Eat this, it'll warm your bones..."
</ic>
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Watermelon Snow - King George Island.jpg|align=left|width=400}}</div>
==Overview==
The heroes of Wintermark and their allies have pressed north, exploring the mysterious and uncharted wilderness of Tsirku. [[Warriors' Gate|Last season]] they made several alarming discoveries, the worst of which was the presence of at least one of Agramant's followers in this frozen land. Long suspected, now confirmed, Wemba the Bloody is loose in Tsirku... but not for long.

However, just as everyone is finding their feet, they discover that these lands hold more surprises than just ''the Howler'' and his followers.

==The North==
* '''The explorers of Tsirku have pressed forwards, but have fallen short of being able to fully explore the new region'''
North of Warriors' Gate lies a region described as "icy, covered in snow, with vicious looking chasms". The eternal storm itself does not extend into this region, but it is one that those walking that way would pass through. Imperial explorers pressed into the unknown, but unfortunately even with the support offered by the [[Construct_Smokehouse_of_Atalaq|Smokehouse of Atalaq]], the worsening weather and all the [[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Scouts|many]], [[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Mystics|many]] problems of exploring Tsirku took their toll. While some headway was made, the explorers have not managed to get a thorough overview of the region.

A first in Imperial history, the region does not appear to have a name as such. Presumably it has a name in the language of the dire penguins and snow hares that call the place home, but it seems that no sapient beings have given the place a name that has stuck. Even use of [[Gralka's Gift to the Lost Seeker]] proves less than helpful, either providing eerie sounds of blowing winds and croaking birds, or simply confirming that someone is in "the wastes of Tsirku north of Warriors' Gate". It seems that even Day magic has its limitations when it comes to a place like this.

There are two significant features here, or at least two that have been found by scouts.

The first is a massive hole, perhaps a mile across. Plates of thick ice extend out around the edges and make exploration particularly dangerous. There is a long drop down into the depths of this hole, and a spider-work of cracks and chasms extends for several miles in all directions around it. The area itself is risky because some of the narrower crevices have been covered over with a thick crust of snow - one that is by no means strong enough to support the weight of a human or orc. Explorers who sleep near the hole report unsettling dreams - a great fire plunging down out of the clear night sky and filling them with terror. This has lead to some speculation that the hole might actually be a crater - one caused by the kind of starfall that struck [[Otkodov#Sküld|Sküld]] in recent years and brought with it a lot of [[ilium]].

The other feature is a stone settlement about a day and a half's hike east of the crater. Settlement is perhaps too strong a word. A squat three-storey hexagonal tower surrounded by a low white granite wall that also contains what seems to be a warehouse and some kind of ox stable. It takes a bit of effort to explore because the heavy doors and shuttered windows are frozen solid. Breaking through, explorers find the place eerily empty of all life, and everything coated with a thin layer of ice that glitters unpleasantly. Investigation quickly leads to the surmise that this is a [[Thule]] outpost - three are images of the five-headed dragon often used in decoration by the orcs of [[Otkodov]]. Unfortunately, the ice covering everything means that its impossible to say exactly how ''old'' this place is. It might have been build a century ago or it might have been finished last month. The question of where the inhabitants have gone is eventually answered and it is not pleasant. One of the big dogs that accompany some of the explorers dig at the snow in the open area before the tower, whining. Clearing the snow, the remains of a score of Otkodov orcs are found buried. [[An Echo of Life Remains]] discovers the name of one of the warlocks - ''Deyadloth of the High Pass''. Some bodies show signs of wounds, others no indication what caused their death. Some of them are fully armoured in leather and fur, others are wearing little more than sleeping clothes. Their discovery leads to a decision to place some markers around the outpost and retreat, and perhaps leave further investigation to specialists who are not worried about how haunted that place might be. It also seems a good idea to avoid any kind of diplomatic incident - or at least to make sure it is someone of the appropriate authority who causes that incident.

Some explorers talk of meeting a figure that a little surreptitious [[insight]] indicates is clearly a [[inhabitants of the realms|creature of the realms]]. It appears as an older orc lady, garbed in thick wool and fur and using skiis to travel. Her face is hidden by a veil formed of knotted leather thongs, each weighted with white bone beads. Her presence is unsettling because she remains at a distance, often atop a snowdrift, and merely observes explorers. Those who hail her receive no response, and anyone approaching soon finds themselves being bogged down in deep drifts of snow, or falling prone thanks to hidden ice, during which she simply disappears again. Comparing tales though it seems that either she has several sisters, or she has made a point of taking a look at most of the explorers in the region. At least one eternal has an interest in this nameless snowscape, but it is too soon to say if they are hostile to those who trespass.
===Names Matter===
* '''The region north of Warriors' Gate has no name as far as Imperials are concerned'''
* '''If the Jotun or Thule have a name for it it has not "stuck"'''
* '''The scops of Wintermark could provide a name to the region and the big hole'''
[[Wintermark_hearth_magic#Names|Names]], as folk never tire of pointing out, are important. In Wintermark, the solemn duty of granting a name to a thing more often than not lies with the [[Wintermark_culture_and_customs#Scops|scops]]. It is risky to name something before you fully understand it, but it can be useful to give something a "use name" so that people know what you are talking about rather than relying on "the snowy region north of Warriors' Gate". During the Autumn Equinox, the [[egregores]] of Wintermark will meet with the scops attending Anvil to discuss the results of the recent exploration. If they wish, the scops can decide on a name for the region itself, and for the large notable feature - the hole, crater, or whatever that gouge-mark in the snow actually is. Alternatively, if they agree that they need more information, they can wait until the place is more thoroughly explored. The egregores will inform the civil service of the scops' decision.

As more of Tsirku is uncovered, the task of naming things that do not have names will fall to the scops. They may choose to consult other explorers, but the final decision (at least for the moment) falls to the namers of Wintermark.

==Winter in Tsirku==
* '''After the Autumn Equinox, Winter will set in ''quickly'' in Tsirku'''
* '''The strength needed to map another region is ''doubled'' until the start of the Spring Equinox 389YE'''
* '''The Imperial Spymaster directs the exploration of Tsirku'''
After the Autumn Equinox, the weather in Tsirku deteriorates dramatically and with incredible speed. While the wastelands are hostile in Summer, it is nothing to [[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Tsirku_is_Barren|how bad they become]] once Winter sets it and the seasons shift here without warning. Blizzards become commonplace, and the temperature drops cold enough to kill anyone unprepared for the cold. Winter is also when the [[Sermersuaq#Major_Features|Northern Lights]] are at their most active, and according to the [[Suaq]] it is a particularly perilous time to be abroad in the wastes.

The strength required to gather any information from Tsirku via the scouting network is ''doubled'' in the period straight after the Autumn Equinox, and remains that way until the start of the Spring Equinox. This will make the challenge of [[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Tsirku_is_Big|mapping the territory]] even more arduous. Either [[opportunity|opportunities]] to deal with the abysmal weather will need to be found, or a major force of military units will need to be applied.

While the explorers have started with the region north of Warriors' Gate, there's no need for them to continue to focus their efforts there. Some progress has been made, and some key features identified, but it will still require the full total of strength to be applied to actually complete the review of the region. That is, to complete exploring any region enough to be able to establish its borders requires the full 5,000 strength (or 10,000 over winter). As such it may be more appealing to move to one of the other two regions that border Warriors' Gate and at least get a rough overview of them... but of course such things take time.

As before, the decision on where to focus exploration after the Autumn Equinox lies with the [[Imperial Spymaster]], although they may receive counsel from the people of Wintermark. At the very least, the Imperial Spymaster should let the Wintermark people know which direction to head in, and the best way to do that would be to address their muster during the Equinox. The Wintermark egregores should be able to arrange such an opportunity for them.

As indicated last season, there are three regions that can be explored in Tsirku.

* The region that has been partially explored is north of Warrior's Gate towards [[Sermersuaq#Sydanjaa|Sydanjaa]]. Finishing the exploration requires the full amount of strength - there is no benefit for having performed a partial exploration.
* Westward, toward [[Tromsa]], lies a region that preliminary exploration identifies as "''barren, windswept, with wide and unsettling skies''". It's likely that Lake Nutjuitoq extends into this area, and there may be a connection to the [[Sea of Snow]] given that there must be ''some'' way for the great sea beasts to reach the [[Sermersuaq#The_Grave_of_the_Giants|Grave of the Giants]]. The ''hylje'' have [[Beneath_a_moonless_sky#As_Semersuaq_strode|offered aid]] in exploring this region, should Wintermark wish to avail themselves of it.
* Eastward, towards [[Otkodov#Urdur|Urdur]] lies a region described as "''rocky, with scattered trees, that feels ominous''". It's possible that the region actually abuts Urdur and if it does that increases the likelihood of some kind of Thule presence there.

===The Varushkan Viewpoint===
* '''Some Varushkan explorers suggest Winter is the ideal time to focus on treasure, not exploration'''
* '''These two mandates are considered to be competing'''
Winter is a bad time for exploration, but it might still present an opportunity. Some Varushkan explorers argue that rather than worrying about where things are and how things fit together, Winter is the best time to wrap up very warm indeed and go <s>wagon raiding</s> looking for valuable resources. There's one season left to take part in the ''[[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Tsirku_is_Enticing|Adventure in Tsirku]]'' opportunity, so why not make the most of it? They're looking to their National Assembly to back them up.
{{Mandate|mandate=Tsirku is a wasteland full of dangers, but we Varushkans know well that where the danger is greatest the finest treasures can be found. We send (named priest) with 25 does of liao to encourage the explorers of Varushka to make the most of the coming Winter to gather the treasures of Tsirku.|assembly=Varushkan National Assembly}}
If this mandate is enacted, then following the Autumn Equinox any Varushkan military unit will be able to undertake the ''Adventure in Tsirku'' venture, without suffering the 2 rank penalty to their effectiveness. In addition, by focusing on gathering the resources of the wasteland, each such military unit will receive an additional "treasures of the wasteland" (a consumable representing unique resources found in Tsirku, most likely harvested from beasts of Agramant or dangerous locations) on top of the two they would normally get. A military unit that has at least 11 ranks thanks to enchantments or upgrades will also receive an additional ''wonder of the wasteland'', a much rarer consumable. There is, as so often with these things, a drawback. If the mandate is enacted every Varushkan military unit that takes the expedition will be competing for resources with the explorers of Tsirku; for every one that does so the effective strength contributed to ''explore Tsirku'' will be reduced by 50 points.

Alternatively, the Varushkans may choose to share their good sense with their friends in Wintermark and among the Imperial Orcs. They could pass this alternative mandate.
{{Mandate|mandate=Tsirku is a wasteland full of dangers, but there is enough there for everyone to seize the opportunity and embrace prosperity. We send (named priest) with 75 does of liao to encourage the explorers of the northern nations to make the most of the coming Winter to gather the treasures of Tsirku with the aid of the virtuous.|assembly=Varushkan National Assembly}}
If this mandate is enacted, in addition to the benefits above it will also remove the 2 rank penalty from Wintermark and Imperial Orcs characters undertaking the ''Adventure in Tsirku'' venture after the Autumn Equinox, and any such military unit that has at least 11 ranks will receive an extra ''treasure of the wasteland'' alongside their wonders. The Varushkans will still get the full benefit of the earlier mandate, and everyone taking the Adventure in Tsirku venture will reduce the effectiveness of those exploring the wastes.

These two mandates are [[Mandate#Competing_Mandates|in competition]].

===Tsirku is Enticing===
* '''For at least a year following the Spring Equinox, Wintermark military units can undertake the ''Adventure in Tsirku'' venture'''
* '''The difficulty of adventuring in Tsirku increases dramatically between the end of the Autumn Equinox and the start of the Spring Equinox'''
* '''Dawnish military units can also take this venture, but do so at the same penalty as supporting the scouting network
Scouting Tsirku is an option now that the spy network is established there. Yet the wastes are ''also'' a source of adventure. A heroic trek into Tsirku focused around exploring not the terrain but the hidden nooks where danger lies... that might be something that appeals to the folk of Wintermark as much as any mapping expedition. For a start, it's known that there are terrible creatures in the wastelands. Some are [[Inhabitants of the realms#Guardians|supernatural beasts]] of Blood-on-the-Snow, that range down from the wild places into Sermersuaq. Others are dangerous spirits of the wild places, or creatures adapted to live in the terrible frozen wastes. If the [[Voyage#Hunt_the_Monsters|beasts of the Sea of Snow]] are anything to go by, who knows what treasures might lie in Tsirku for the taking?

After the Spring Equinox, and until the start of the Winter Solstice 388YE, any Wintermark military unit may take the '''Adventure in Tsirku''' [[Military_unit#Questing|questing]] [[venture]]. A standard military unit that undertakes the expedition will receive two "treasures of the wasteland" (consumables representing unique resources found in Tsirku, most likely harvested from beasts of Agramant or dangerous locations) and 36 rings representing valuable or novel things recovered from the wasteland that can be sold to the curious. A military unit that has an effective rank of at least 11 (counting [[enchantment]] and [[military unit#Upgrades|upgrades]]) will also receive a ''wonder of the wasteland'', much rarer consumable. Both treasures and wonders are selected from a random list, and different characters will get different results.

While this expedition to the north is inspired by the Witan, it is impossible to stop the knights of Dawn finding out about it. For some, the idea of pressing into the untracked north and risking an unmarked grave in the belly of a giant bear of ''Rope-chewer'' sounds like an epic way to seek [[glory]]. As such, Dawnish characters can also take part in the '''Adventure in Tsirku''' venture, but unfortunately the hostile environment means they do so with the same three rank penalty to the effective rank of their military unit that impedes their ability to scout.

All military units attempting to adventure in Tsirku between the end of the Autumn Equinox and the start of the Spring Equinox will suffer an additional two rank penalty due to the blizzards and intense cold.

==Wemba the Bloody==
{{SOP|statement=The servants of Agramant gather in Warriors Gate and must be dealt with. We send the Banner-bearer of Atkonaroq with 25 doses of liao to lead heroes and glory-seekers alike to face the dangers of Treachers Dagger and drive them back from whence they came.|when=Summer Solstice 388YE|by=Hildelith Kaukosdottir, Wintermark Assembly|vote=290-0 {{GM}}}}
* '''Imperial forces have captured Wemba the Bloody and are dragging the monster back to Anvil in chains to face justice'''
* '''He is expected to arrive at 21:00 on Friday at the earliest'''
<div {{float}}><box>'''What No Skirmish?'''
<p>Normally we would offer a skirmish to slay Wemba the Bloody, but on this occasion we've taken a different choice. There is no possibility of any kind under which Wemba would agree to come to Anvil - and we wanted to offer the nation a chance to get a look at this villain. We wanted the many, many players who don't play combatants and so rarely get a chance to look in the eyes of Wintermark's enemies to have an opportunity to come face to face with evil.</p>
<p>We realise some players will be disappointed, but we're keen in Empire to have plots play out differently from time to time. Not everything should go the way you expect. There is still one more of Agramant's named creatures running round Tsirku, so those who are looking for a chance to clash swords with the enemy will still get the opportunity in the future!</p></box></div>
Urged on by the Wintermark Assembly, many military units diverted from efforts to explore Tsirku to focus on hunting down and defeating Wemba the Bloody. Signs of his presence are everywhere in the far north, once the scouts pick up the trail they discover abandoned camps littering the region on the other side of the great crater. The bodies of various beasts are scattered on the ground, blood spilled, their flesh half-eaten, dire penguins, bears and rabbits. This is what Wemba the Bloody has been living on? The man who swore to eat nothing but the flesh of his enemies? Surviving on a diet of uncooked rabbit - it would be tragic if it wasn't so pathetic.

The confrontation with this enemy of the Mark is more of the same. It should have been an epic tale, one for the scops to speak of in hushed tones. A brutal fight, the heroism of the Mark against the bloody steel of Agramant's cur. But the Wintermark scouts outnumber Wemba and his followers a hundred to one and more. His terrible followers have been granted inhuman powers by Agramant, their flesh turns aside blows that would stop a bear in its tracks, but somehow they keep going...

...and it makes not the slightest bit of difference.

If this was Dawn, brave knights might have made this glorious, by calling Wemba out, fighting him one-on-one, the glory of Dawnish knighthood against the terror of Agramant's brood. But [[heroism]] has no truck with [[glory]]. Heroism is about achieving what has to be done, not how difficult or dangerous it is. Deliberately making an act more difficult than it need be impresses no-one in Wintermark. More than five thousand elite Wintermark soldiers descend on Wemba's camp where he and his thirty followers are resting and they cut them to bloody ribbons.

None of them ask for quarter, they know this is a fight to the death and it is a fight they cannot win. Utterly outnumbered, utterly outmatched, they are surrounded and slaughtered. Wemba himself is one of the first to fall, but the only one to survive. His body lies on the frozen ground, disembowled by a spear to the belly, bones in both legs shattered, chest pierced in a dozen places, and yet somehow he ''still will not die''.

Not even Agramant's power can save a man from execution, Wemba will die when the time comes. But the party take it as a sign. His weapons are taken, his hands bound, his wounds closed, and then he is dragged in chains back to Sermersuaq, from there to be sent to Anvil. Let the mighty and the powerful interrogate him and learn from him what they can - the heroes of Wintermark have done their part. This monster's story is over.

Well, almost over. Wemba the Bloody will be dragged to the Wintermark camp on Friday evening. There will be a chance for those with Courage to question him and learn what they can. He is not going to tell the Empire ''anything'' about Tsirku - that much is abundantly clear - but those who want to find out what drives a man to swear his soul to Agramant, to consume the flesh of his enemies, can speak with him if they see merit in it. Once the nation is done with him, he can be handed over to the magistrates and receive his very just desserts.

==Silenced Bell==
{{SOP|statement=The Assembly of Vigilance directs the Silent Bell to investiate the location of Wemba the Bloody, Kalina White-Eye, and their followers, last known to be in Sermersuaq. Locate them but do <u>not</u> confront them, that is work for other hands.|by=Brother Geoffrey Orchard, Vigilance Assembly|vote=Upheld 168-0|when=Summer Solstice 388YE|size=small}}
* '''Following the Summer Solstice the remaining Silent Bell members were assigned to seek out Agramant followers in the north'''
* '''They have identified that Kaarina White-Eye is also in Tsirku'''
During the Summer Solstice, '''Brother Geoffrey Orchard''' directed the Silent Bell to Tsirku to investigate the location of [[Anyone_but_you#Wemba_the_Bloody|Wemba the Bloody]], Kalina White-Eye, and their followers. These two servants of [[Agramant]] have been a thorn in the Empire's side since [[Sermersuaq]] was recovered from the [[Jotun]]. Some of the Silent Bell accompanied those scouts and raiders already heading for [[Warriors%27_Gate#Dangers_and_Hunters|Treachers Dagger]]. Others spread out to see if they could track the movements of [[Anyone_but_you#Kaarina_White-Eye|Kaarina White-Eye]], who was believed to have fled west toward the [[Jotun]] border.

The trail is cold, but it does seem that Kaarina used her superior knowledge of the ice fields of the north to strike out of [[Sermersuaq#Suaq Wastes|Suaq Wastes]] and [[Sermersuaq#Suaw Fount|Suaq Fount]] to harry the hated Jotun. She was also evidencing a keen interest in the Grave of the Giants - the bay where the majestic creatures of the Sea of Snow come to die.

About a year ago however, it looks as if she abandoned her camps in the wild places of Wintermark, and followed the same path Wemba the Bloody took into Tsirku. The Silent Bell follows, relying on the assistance of guides experienced in travelling into the unknown. Everything points to Kaarina currently being based in Tsirku, east of Warrior' Gate - although it's not clear if she is in the region ''directly'' east of there. She is clearly continuing her efforts to extract her blood-price from the orcs who slew her Thane.
===Finale===
* '''Every member of the Silent Bell that entered Tsirku has vanished'''
* '''Remaining members within Imperial borders, and those associated with them, have been attacked by servants of the Whisper Gallery'''
Brother Geoffrey Orchard was very clear that the Silent Bell should gather evidence and information and <u>not</u> engage the followers of Agramant. Unfortunately, it turns out that it is not ''Blood on the Snow'' who is their greatest threat. Between the end of Summer and the start of Autumn, every member of the Silent Bell that leaves the Empire for Tsirku... vanishes. There are wild stories - a half-dead Suaq explorer suffering severe frostbite rants about how the three members of the Silent Bell they were escorting were killed by "their own reflections" that dragged them into the smooth wall of glacial ice north of the Grave of the Giants. Other stories talk of empty tents, with clear signs of struggle that nonetheless failed to attract the attention of a single sentry.

At the same time, there is a rash of attacks across the Empire as well. Here, the attackers are more identifiable. Servants of the [[Whisper Gallery]] have targeted members of the assembly of Vigilance associated with the Bell, retired members, and those very few who [[Know_your_enemy#Fear/Dread|survived]] the expedition into [[the Mallum]] to explore the [[malign spiritual presences|malign spiritual presence]] of [[On the nature of fear|fear]]. Fortunately for the majority, there is a dedicated cadre of Imperial captains who maintain a [[Venture#War_of_Whispers|careful watch]] for the malice of these hateful eternals. The majority of the overt attacks are stopped before they start, or interrupted before their target can be slain or kidnapped (for later murder).

The overwhelming evidence is that whatever has happened to the Silent Bell members sent outside of the Empire - and the protection of the [[Conclave]]s [[Alignment#Enmity|enmity]] - have been much less fortunate than the few who remained behind. [[Snap_rope_and_pass_foil#Tsirku_is_Secret|Tsirku is secret]], and it seems the Whisper Gallery want to keep it that way. Or at least, prevent the Silent Bell investigating the place.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=WhisperGal001.png|align=right|caption=The agents and servants of the Whisper Gallery are usually wily, and subtle. But just occasionally, the mask slips...|width=400}}</div>

===Bell and Bella===
* '''The Whisper Gallery takes responsibility for the attack on the Silent Bell'''
* '''They claim it is in vengeance for the deaths of Bella and Heliodoro'''
While the Vigilance assembly is still reeling from the attacks, and the disappearances of so many Vigilant souls, a package is delivered by a [[Navarr]] messenger to the grave orchard in Pickham, near the famous monastery, where Major Joshua Benson rests. A [[Pruning_shears|site of pilgrimage]] for the last three years, it is not unusual for gifts to be delivered. This gift, however, is not a bequest or an offering of support. It is a quartet of [[the League|League]] masks, covered in bloodstains, and a bloody knife on which the blood is still, unaccountably, still fresh. With it is a gorgeous strip of parchment, decorated with an intricate drawing of dramaturgical masks with all kinds of expressions, and the two words "''FOR BELLA AND HELIODORO''".

===Watch End===
* '''The Silent Bell sodality is no longer able to launch investigations on behalf of the Vigilance assembly'''
The expedition into the Mallum to seek to expand the Empire's understanding of fear cost the Silent Bell a great deal. Many of its bravest, and most committed members paid the ultimate price for the insight they gained there. Important information was discovered, but it [[387YE_Autumn_Equinox_winds_of_fortune#Those_Who_Are_Not_Free|left the Silent Bell weakened and vulnerable]]. It was inevitable that if many more of them were killed then that would have be the end of the sodality.

By rights, the Silent Bell should have been safe enough in Tsirku - this is a dangerous land outside the Empire and filled with enemies, but even so, few expected them to suffer in the way they have. Unfortunately they did not expect to become the victims of a concerted of murder aimed directly at them. In the Empire they would have been safe, protected by the enmity of the conclave and watched over by the Empire's heroes engaged in the War of Whispers. But out here - in the frozen north, beyond the safety of the Conclave's dominion...

The Whisper Gallery saw a chance for revenge for the deaths of it's favourites and seized it. The Empire has taken something from the Gallery that for all it's capering the ''Concilium of the Perjured Throne'' did not want to lose. Now it has struck back, not with play, but in murderous earnest. It is a brutal reminder that for all the Whisper Gallery is baroque and mysterious, it can also be terrible and deadly when given the opportunity.

The disappearances in Tsirku are the final nail in the coffin of the Vigilant sodality that has served the Empire for years. There are survivors of course - the [[Venture#War of Whispers|War of Whispers]] exists for a reason - but there are nowhere near enough of them to launch any kind of in-depth investigation into the threats that beset the Empire. But the sodality will be unable to continue now and cannot be reconstituted at this time. After a year has passed, the Empire might consider appraising the problem, to see if there was a way to bring the sodality back, but otherwise they have become a turned page in the Empire's long and storied history.

===Participation : Silent Bell===
* '''Characters associated with the Silent Bell are free to create stories about their experiences'''
Any character who has roleplaying an association with the Silent Bell is free to create a story about their encounter with agents of the Whisper Gallery. Obviously, no player character has been killed or abducted by the Whisper Gallery, but you may have had a close call. You may have been saved by characters undertaking the War of Whispers, personally fought off an assassin with your friends, or escaped their clutches with cleverness or dumb luck.

If you were in Tsirku this season, then the threat will be have been considerably worse. No mortal agents were used here, rather terrible creatures formed of billowing chromatic smoke that boiled up out of the ice and attacked.

==Would You Like Some Help?==
* '''Agramant offers to help the Empire track down Kaarina White-Eye'''

At the same time that bloody masks and a knife are being delivered to Pickham Monastary, a very different message is being delivered in Tsirku. The raiders returning from Treacher's Dagger have been victorious. Tired and injured, they are keen to get back to the warmth of Sermersuaq and the embrace of Wintermark friends. Just before they cross the border, a creature turns up in the middle of their camp and asks for parley. It's obviously a monster - a human-shaped monster wearing a coat made of tattooed skin, with a mouthful of shark teeth and lambent red eyes that are nothing like those of a draughir. It brings a message, for the ears of the Conclave, from it's master.

It is ''dreadful'' what the eternals of Night have done to the Silent Bell. Cowardly, even. Waiting until they were sent outside the protection of the Conclave and then murdering them all? Rude, to be honest. ''[[Agramant|Giver of Gifts]]'' takes affront at the ''Secret Seekers'' paddling around in ''his'' part of the world and so he offers a boon for the Assembly of Vigilance. He doesn't expect them to take it but the offer is ''genuine'' and ''sincere''. All they need to do is raise a [[statement of principle]] urging the vigilant to keep watch over the Grave of the Giants. If that statement gets a [[greater majority]], then Agramant will instruct his heralds to give Kaarina White-Eye bad advice, luring her into making a trip back to the Grave during the Winter Solstice to gather more... resources. The vigilant will surely spot her, allowing the jolly old [[Sentinel Gate]] to get some Imperial heroes in position to murder her. And, sadly, as she is inside Imperial borders, the ability of her patron to protect her will be limited.

Why is ''Blood-on-the-Snow'' doing this? The herald says that his master wants to test Kaarina, and just how powerful her hate is. Either she'll prevail over the Imperial heroes, or they'll kill her. Either way, Agramant wins. Plus for that matter he has gotten just a little tired of Kaarina's constant banging on about how awful the Jotun are. And if she's foolish enough to fall for bad advice, and weak enough to be killed by so-called Imperial champions? Well, what can be destroyed ''should'' be destroyed.

Wiki Updates

2026-09-10T12:53:11Z

Rafferty:

[[Category:Rules]]
==Overview==
This is a list of significant updates to the wiki. We try to keep it as up to date as possible, in the hope it will be a more useful reference than the [[Special:RecentChanges|recent changes]] page which lists every spelling correction and formatting change.

By its 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 it may be a little behind the actual updates. We tend to make an entry on this page once an update is finalised - so if something has changed and hasn't been mentioned here it's possible that the changes are not yet complete.

In early 2022, we moved all entries on this page prior to 2019 to the [[Archive:Wiki_updates_to_2018|previous wiki updates]] page in the Archive namespace as detailed in [[#Archiving Wiki Updates|Archiving wiki updates]]. We did this again in 2024, moving updates prior to 2021 to the same page.
==Rivers Run Riot==
* '''10/09/2026'''
As discussed in the [[A_habit_I_can%27t_break#Rivers_Red_and_Lively|A habit I can't break]] wind of fortune, the relationship between [[Rivers Run Red]] and [[Rivers of Life]] has permanently shifted. Instead of removing one another, they simply replace one another. It is also possible to create a similar effect with [[Winter magic]], but in each case those rituals would all replace one another. Once a ritual that changes casualties at the [[territory]] level is in play, one can only change which version is active with the other rituals not return the territory to a state of neutrality.

==Favoured Quality==
* '''08/09/2026'''
We've made a slight adjustment to the wording of the [[Eastern Sky]] special quality, [[Eastern_Sky#Army_Quality_:_Favoured|favoured]]. The restriction on issuing the same order on two consecutive seasons means that if the general issues ''Traverse the Crossroads'' at the Summer Solstice, they can't also use it at the ''Autumn Equinox'' even though their favours have refreshed. As long as they use different orders each time, they can issue a special order every event.

==Eyes of the Hills==
* '''05/09/2026'''
This ritual has been replaced with a new war ritual that is compatible with the rules for [[war magic]]. Anyone who currently has the ritual mastered who does not wish to have the new version of this enchantment mastered, can email admin@profounddecisions.co.uk to have it removed from their mastered rituals.

==Arcane Consolidation==
* '''01/09/2026'''
We have updated the rules for [[Army_qualities#Magic|arcane consolidation]] to provide 35 mana crystals for a full strength army that takes the order, with proportionately less for a depleted force. This replaces the previous rule which rounded the army's strength to the nearest thousand to calculate the mana produced.

==Shield Rules Update==
* '''28/08//2026'''
We have changed the rules for kite and heater shields to give a simpler definition of the maximum sizes. The new rules make it much easier for our weapon check team to check a shield is the right size, quickly and easily at the event and should make it easier for players to be certain whether or not their shield pass. The new rules are designed to be more permissive than the old rules to ensure that any regular shaped kite or heater shield that would have passed before will pass under the new rules.

==Clear Counsel of the Everflowing River==
* '''24/08/2026'''
We've added a clause to the [[Clear Counsel of the Everflowing River]] ritual to make clearer what happens when [[Clear_Counsel_of_the_Everflowing_River#Preparing_the_Question|preparing the question]]. If the question does not follow the format laid down by [[Sung]] (''"The named coven asks Sung why..."'') then the eternal will still respond, but is under no obligation to provide a useful answer.
==Hooded Misery==
* '''12/08/2026'''
We've removed the potion Hooded Misery from [[The Last Resort]] potion set. It is no longer possible to mix this potion, and existing potions will have no effect beyond making the drinker feel ill for a short time. We've done this for several reasons, one of which is that we're not interested in rekindling contagious disease plot.

==Herthfire's Hospitality==
* '''12/08/2026'''
We've adjusted the magnitude of [[Herthfire's Hospitality]] to match that of [[Leonine Pavilion]]. We had incorrectly set the magnitude to match [[Chamber of Pallas]] and similar rituals, which restore personal mana.
==Colour Coding==
* '''08/08/2026'''
We have been presenting opportunities in box-outs for the past few years, but we've recently added some more colours to make it easier to pick up information at a glance.
<table style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:400px;">
<tr><td style="background-color: HotPink;">'''Venture/Voyage'''</td></tr>
<tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Commission'''</tr>
<tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Title'''</tr>
<tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">'''Motion'''</tr>
<tr><td colspan="2" style="background-color:LightYellow;">'''Ministry'''</td></tr>
<tr><td style="background-color: Pink;">'''Chamber of Commerce'''</tr>
</table>
* '''Venture/Voyage:''' [[venture|Ventures]] and [[voyage|voyages]] available to military units and fleets, with entries for what Type of venture/voyage; Location (if relevant); Availability; Duration; Rewards; and Special
* '''Commission:''' A [[commission]], with entries for Commission type; Location; Cost; Time; Effect; Availability; and Special
* '''Title:''' A [[Imperial title|title]], with entries Type; Appointment; Powers; Responsibilities; and Cost
* '''Motion:''' A [[Senate motion]], with entries for Motion type; Necessary details; Cost; Effect; Availibilty; and Special
* '''Ministry:''' A [[ministry]], with the goods available and what they can be purchased for. Most commonly used with a new Imperial title
* '''Chamber of Commerce:''' When a group of [[Resource#Personal_Resource|personal resource]] holders in a territory are called on to make a decision, such as the [[farm]] owners of [[Hahnmark]] meeting to [[Petals_in_the_snow#Making_the_Choice|decide on Sarcophan merchants]] during the Spring Equinox 388YE

==Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust==
* '''17/07/2026'''
The assurance of [[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]] has been broken. The ritual no longer functions and any attempts to perform the ritual will fail. More information can be found in the "A Silenced Call" section of the '''[[Ambassadors of death#A Silenced Call|Ambassadors of death]]''' wind of fortune.

==Three Refrains==
* '''14/07/2026'''
We've dropped the page for the Three Refrains, since there are no longer any NPC members of the group and their role has been supplanted by the [[Cat's Graces]] [[Imperial sodality]].

==Grandmasters==
* '''14/07/2026'''
We have made a number of changes to the rules for challenging a [[grandmaster]], or electing a new one if they die or resign. The new rules and the reasoning for the change along with an IC justification have been added to the [[Rules update 2026]].

==Shield Shapes==
* '''12/07/2026'''
We've added a note to [[Weapons & armour]] to make provide better clarity on what is or is not a kite or heater shield. We've also removed the metric measurements, as they did not match the imperial measurements (and were slightly smaller).

==Signs and Portents==
* '''08/07/2026'''
We've added a note to [[Signs and Portents]] to make it clear that you also can't direct the ritual effect using an [[arcane projection]]. Creating "visionary divinations" is more an art than a science, but there's explicitly no way to access the big pool of Night visions in a way that controls or influences the vision you receive.

==Military Archive of Zakalwe==
* '''<s>22/06/2026</s> 24/06/2026'''
The assurance of this ritual, which is not in Imperial lore, has not been broken. The ritual continues to work as intended.

==Magnitude Changes During Codification==
* '''01/06/2026'''
We've added a note to the [[college of magic]] page laying out that it is possible for an arcane projection to result in a ritual of different magnitude, especially when the final ritual has more general application than the specific arcane projection.

==Multiple Arcane Projections==
* '''01/06/2026'''
We've updated the rules on arcane projections to make it clear that you can't create multiple copies of the same arcane projection in the same season.

==Somnolent Wanderer==
* '''21/05/2026'''
We've edited the ritual ''Somnolent Wanderer'' to make clear that it is only possible to cast the ritual on the Friday or Saturday of an event. The ritual has been adjusted on the database, and we can provide a new copy of the ritual text in return for the old one.

==Heaven's Spear Sunders the Mountain==
* '''11/05/2026'''
We've adjusted the base magnitude of the ritual ''Heaven's Spear Sunders the Mountain'' from 16 to 8, and the additional target magnitude from 12 to 6. The magnitude of this ritual was incorrect. It's been adjusted on the database, and we can provide a new copy of the ritual text in return for the old one.

==Zemress Festival==
* '''22/04/2026'''
We've added a page for the [[Zemress festival]], which is a [[The Brass Coast|Freeborn]] festival held on the Saturday of the Spring Equinox that has recently sprung up inspired by [[Zemress]], exemplar of [[Prosperity]].

==Religious Crime==
* '''08/04/2026'''
We've made some extensive changes to how [[religious crime]] is defined by the [[Synod]] and prosecuted by the magistrates. This included the creation of the new Synod [[judgement]] of [[proscription]], as well as changes to how [[castigation]], [[vindication]], and [[penance]] work. Further discussion can be found in the [[Figure of eight]] wind of fortune.

==Rewarding==
* '''06/04/2026'''
We've updated the text for [[rewarding]] to add that the Tribune has the discretion to dispose of the funds if the priest raising the judgement dies.

==Salt Council==
* '''02/04/2026'''
We've added the information from the Grendel dossier on the Salt Lords to the [[Grendel#Salt_Council|Salt Council]] section of the Grendel page. This information was originally delivered by the eternal [[Basileia]] to the [[Imperial Magus]]. More information on the origins of the dossier can be found on the '''[[Fake_empire#Basileia's_Dossier|Fake empire]]''' wind of fortune.

==Tribute==
* '''02/04/2026'''
We've changed [[Tribute to the Thrice-Cursed Court]] to adjust the calculation whereby we determine how much [[vis#Heart's Blood|Heart's Blood]] the ritual produces. You can find further discussion of this on the [[Rules_update_2026#Tribute_to_the_Thrice-Cursed_Court|Rules Update]] page. As always, anyone who has this ritual mastered and no longer wants the updated version can email admin@profounddecisions.co.uk to remove it.

==Ruining Forts==
* '''01/04/2026'''
We've added a section to the [[Limits of magic]] talking about using rituals to [[Limits_of_magic#Damaging_Fortifications|damage fortifications]]. While it may have been possible in the past to damage forts in a controlled fashion with ritual magic from a distance, that's no longer the case.

==Rivers==
* '''01/04/2026'''
We've adjusted [[Rivers of Life]] and [[Rivers Run Red]]. These [[curse|curses]] are now as effective on [[navy|navies]] and [[fortification#garrison|garrisons]] as they are on [[army|armies]].

==Golden Voyage==
* '''01/04/2026'''
We've changed the magnitude and effect of [[Golden Voyage]] to bring it more into line with the way we approach personal resource enchantments, with particular reference to the [[Laws_of_magic#The_Law_of_Scale|Law of Scale]]. It now provides only five ranks for a fleet taking a [[Fleet#Questing|questing]] [[voyage]], but in the process, the magnitude has been significantly reduced from 18 to 10.

==False Virtues==
* '''31/03/2026'''
We've made several edits to the [[malign spiritual presences]] page to add some additional clarity, especially around the concept of so-called "[[Malign_spiritual_presences#False_Virtues|false virtues]]."

==Multiple Great Works==
* '''26/03/2026'''
We've added a note to the [[Great_work#Multiple_Great_Works|great work]] page that reflects the fact that multiple great works in a territory affecting a single resource become more expensive. It's now not possible to commission a great work that affects the same resource until an existing commission is completed, abrogated, or lapses, without a specific [[opportunity]].

==Litany of the Labyrinth==
* '''26/03/2026'''
We've explicitly added [[Voice for the dead]] to the effects that the [[Litany of the Labyrinth]] will affect.

==Garden of Teth-Anon==
* '''03/03/2026'''
We have added an [[Ritual_theory#Agreement|assurance]] to the [[Garden of Teth-Anon]]. This follows the assurances added last year, which can be found in the [[#Assurances|Assurances]] entry.

==Assailing Forts==
* '''04/02/2026'''
In line with our new fortification changes we've edited the [[Highest_discipline#Technique_of_the_Transcendent_Claw|Technique of the Transcendent Claw]], and explained how the ''Onrushing Storm'' order works under the new rules. We've also made edits to the way the [[Army qualities#Siege|Storm the Walls]] and [[Army qualities#Engineer|Dig In]] orders work.

==Fortifications==
* '''03/02/2026'''
We've made some significant changes to the way [[fortification|fortifications]] work in the military campaign. The fortification page has been extensively edited; fortifications are now split into a [[fortification#bastion|bastion]] that represents the physical fortification, and a [[fortification#Garrison|garrison]] that represents the soldiers who defend it. In the process, we've removed the citadel commission. There is a [[Rules update 2026#Fortifications and Citadels|rules update]] that discusses the changes in more detail.

At the same time, we've made changes to several rituals that interact with fortifications. This includes:
* [[Hammers of the Brilliant Shore]] and [[Stalwart Stand on Solid Ground]] explicitly affects only the bastion of a fortification.
* [[Stone's Unyielding Defiance]] and [[Ramparts of Ashlar]] provide additional force to the garrison of a fortification
* [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees]] and [[Mountain Remembers Its Youth]] affect both the bastion and the garrison, and how their damage is inflicted has been adjusted slightly.
* The ''Wolves of Winter'', a ritual not in Imperial Lore, provides additional strength to the garrison of the enchanted fortification, but ''only'' for purposes of inflicting casualties.
* The four "citadel" rituals - [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]], [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]], [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]], and [[The Basalt Citadel]] have been changed significantly, and each provides different benefits.

Some of the rituals have also had their magnitude adjusted. We're currently still assessing existing fortifications, and outstanding opportunities and will update them as we go.

==Dadford Road Exit Plan==
* '''09/09/2025'''
There are new instructions for when you are [[Dadford_Road_Campsite#Departure|exiting Dadford Road campsite at the end of this final event]]. Please make sure you follow the instructions carefully to save time for you and everyone else!

==Chimes of Annulment==
* '''08/09/2025'''
We've changed the duration of effect for [[Chimes of Annulment]] from one minute to ten minutes. The previous short duration left too little margin for error to make it an appealing option on battles. The new time is designed to be difficult - but more achievable. The recent conjunctions involving the Lock and the Key provide an IC justification for the change if one is needed.

==Varushka Embroidery and Weaving==
* '''08/09/2025'''
We have updated the [[Varushka_culture_and_customs#Embroidery_and_Weaving|Varushka culture and customs]] page with an entry on embroidery and weaving, following the completion of the Great Hall of Fabric Arts in Delev.

==Sodality Limitations==
* '''05/09/2025'''
We have changed the [[Imperial_sodality#Limitations|limitations on titles appointed by Imperial sodalities]]. If they elect a national position it must be revocable by the relevant national assembly.

==Walls of Holberg==
* '''23/08/2025'''
We've fixed an error in the database for the location of the Walls of Holberg. The city of Holberg is in the region of Holfried - which is where the walls are canonically - not neighbouring Holmauer (which was once walled, but the walls were long since destroyed by the Druj).

==Detect Magic==
* '''07/08/2025'''
We've changed the Discern Arcane Mark effect of [[detect magic]] to instead be [[Detect_magic#Discern_Mark|Discern Mark]]. We have made clear that it also functions to identify when the casting magician shares a [[Mark of Fellowship]] with the target.

==Rewarding==
* '''20/07/2025'''
We've made some updates to the [[judgement]] of [[Rewarding]]. It explains how the virtue fund relates to wains of mithril, weirwood, and white granite and discusses more ways the judgement can be used.

==Rule of Risk and Reward==
* '''16/07/2025'''
As referenced in the '''[[Beat of your drum#Lyceum|Beat of your drum]]''' wind of fortune, researchers at the Lyceum have discovered a way to add additional targets to this ritual.

==Sum of the Parts==
* '''16/07/2025'''
As referenced in the '''[[Beat of your drum#Lyceum|Beat of your drum]]''' wind of fortune, it is not necessary when casting [[Sum of the Parts]] for the three additional participants to take damage. Supporting the target with words of encouragement or similar roleplaying is sufficient to power the ritual effect.

==Sun Chamber==
* '''14/07/2025'''
We have added a new sodality - the [[Sun Chamber]] to the game. This is a powerful [[Imperial sodality]] whose membership is restricted to citizens aged 14-18. The aim is to directly address the fact that Empire can be a very inaccessible game for players before they turn twenty. The new sodality exists to help members gain positions of power and influence in the Empire and encourage members to approach existing problems in new ways.

==Secrets of the Empty Heart==
* '''25/06/2025'''
We've updated the ritual [[Secrets of the Empty Heart]] to make it explicit that you can use the special ability granted by the [[enchantment]] even if you are under the effect of [[Calls#WEAKNESS|weakness]], [[Combat#Dying|dying]], or [[Combat#Terminal|terminal]]. This is a special case where an active ability can be used when in a state where it would normally not be possible.

==Navarr Wayhouse==
* '''21/06/2025'''
We have created a new page that contains all the rules for a [[Navarr wayhouse]] [[commission]]. Most of the details are based on the information we provided in the original wind of fortune, but where we have made some changes, these new rules will not affect any motions passed at the Spring Equinox or earlier. The [[387YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Construct_Wayhouse_in_Ossium|wayhouse in Ossium]] is fine to be built with [[mithril]] and produce [[Game_items#Mana_Crystals|mana crystals]]. Any new wayhouses will all have to follow the new rules and can only be built using a Senate motion or an Imperial title with the power to commission a wayhouse.

We've stubbed the new page for the next few days, while we finalise any changes for new wayhouses. We'll remove the stub once that process is complete.

==Historical Researchers==
* '''09/06/2025'''
We've added an [[Historical_research#Ser_Eddard_d'Argenteux|additional researcher]] to the list of senior historical researchers. This is to cover historical research into topics for which research into songs, stories, legends, and myth might be the most appropriate avenue of inquiry.

==Colleges and Runeforges==
* '''4/06/2025'''
We've updated the upkeep for a [[college of magic]] and for a [[runeforge]], and introduced a new rule on the maximum number of such facilities that the Empire can support. The old rules for upkeep were somewhat incomprehensible, the new rules are much easier to understand and make it much easier for us to run plot around these important commissions. There is more detail on the update on the [[Rules_update_2025#Colleges_and_Runeforges|rules update wiki page]] explaining the changes, the impacts and the reasoning for them.

==Senate==
* '''2/06/2025'''
We've updated several pages on the running of Senate. We've extended the description of [[Senate_session#Expert_Witness|expert witnesses]] to match how it is working in practice and included a copy of the Civil Service's guidance for expert witnesses. As part of this, there is a new rule that senators [[Senator#Limitations|can't act as expert witnesses]] themselves.

We also updated the page on [[Senate_session#Sunday_session |Senate sessions]], introducing stricter plans on Sunday to help the session finish promptly.

==Ritual Theory==
* '''29/05/2025'''
We've updated the [[ritual theory]] page. It was already huge, so we've split some of the content up into logical chunks on new pages, creating a page for the [[limits of magic]] as well as one on the [[laws of magic]]. We've significantly overhauled the content on [[eternals and rituals]] and created a new page for that also - there is a lot of additional information there now for players whose characters are involved with ritual magic.

We've also added a page on [[war magic]] which discusses the possibilities and potential of using the realms to enchant armies, military units and fleets. This page reflects the changes we've made earlier this year, but brings a lot of the key information together, so that it is one place.

==Herbal==
* '''16/05/2025'''
We've added the details for a [[Potion#Herbal|herbal]]; something similar to a [[Magic_items#Schema|schema]], but for one or more potions. The entry shows how they are made, how they can be added to Imperial lore, and how they can be destroyed.

==Towerjacks==
* '''14/05/2025'''
We've edited the ''dig in'' order of the [[Army qualities#Engineer|engineer]] quality to exclude the mustering of [[Army|armies]] and [[navy|navies]] from their ability to speed up a [[commission]].

==New Characters and Conquered Territories==
* '''14/05/2025'''
We've updated the system so that it is no longer possible for players to create new characters in territories that have been completely conquered - that is, territories which are receiving the [[Resource#Conquered_Territories|conquered territory]] penalty. This is partly done to ensure new players unfamiliar with the state of the campaign do not make the mistake of starting in a territory where they will face significant additional challenges.

==Citadels==
* '''13/05/2025'''
We've added a page for citadels, the new commission type from the '''[[The_war_of_thorns_and_flowers#All_Along_the_Watchtower|The war of thorns and flowers]]''' wind of fortune. (Citadels have since been replaced with new rules for fortifications).

==Vines and Symbols==
* '''03/05/2025'''
We've added a note to the [[Vine#Costume|costume]] section of the Vine page to make clear that it is not appropriate to use a square red diamond on its own as part of costume, to avoid accidentally breaching the Geneva Convention by using a symbol of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Red_Cross_and_Red_Crescent_Movement International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement].

==Arcane Projections==
* '''03/05/2025'''
We've made a change to the [[Arcane_projection#Preparing_an_Arcane_Projection|deadline for submission]] of [[arcane projection|arcane projections]]. Rather than the late booking deadline, the deadline for the Spring Equinox will be the early booking deadline, and after that the deadline will permanently shift to the close of downtime. You can read more about it in the [[387YE_Spring_Equinox_interlude#Arcane_Projections|Spring Equinox interlude]].

==Colleges and Runeforges==
* '''03/05/2025'''
We've changed the email address for players who run a [[college of magic]] or [[runeforge]] to send their submissions to. Rather than rules, they should now be sent to {{plot}}. The deadline for submissions (the end of downtime) remains unchanged.

==Glossary==
* '''11/04/2025'''
We have added a [[glossary]] page to the wiki with some more information on common terms used in Empire and LRP as a whole. We expect this to be updated on a semi-regular basis as more terms come to light. Any queries or suggestions can be sent to [mailto:wiki@profounddecisions.co.uk wiki@profounddecisions.co.uk].

==Dreamcatchers==
* '''07/04/2025'''
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreamcatcher Dreamcatchers] will be inappropriate for use in [[costume]] at Empire from event three this year onwards. We want to avoid using items that are culturally sacred in real life because it is more difficult to ignore their real world significance and we don't want to disrespect people's beliefs. We've managed to speak to some of the players affected already, and everyone has responded very positively, but we realise we haven't been able to speak to everyone about this change - hence the reason for two events' grace to allow players to make any changes needed to their costume.

==League Look and Feel==
* '''07/04/2025'''
We have rewritten [[the League look and feel]] to move beyond from the more restrictive costume options presented by the original brief. We do want the League to have a really clear visual look that defines the nation, but we want to ensure that it includes garments that everyone can feel confident wearing.

==Combat==
* '''07/04/2025'''
We have update the combat rules for Empire to say that head hits will not be allowed at any events in 2025. We are trialling the new rules, so please see the [[Rules_update_2025#Combat|rules update page]] for more details.

==Alignment==
* '''28/03/2025'''
We've added a fourth option to the [[declaration]] of [[alignment]], that of [[alignment#Acceptance|Acceptance]], as a result of opportunities created by plot over the last year or so. This allows the Conclave to accept or refuse an offer from an eternal, in a manner that the Archmage of the appropriate realm can also use.

==Army Enchantments==
* '''25/03/2025'''
We've made several changes to rituals that [[enchantment|enchant]] an [[Army|Imperial army]]. Almost every army enchantment ritual has changed in some fashion. It is no longer possible to change the [[Army qualities|quality]] of an army with magic, and the resonant effects for each realm have been much more clearly defined. You can find out more about these changes in the accompanying [[rules update]].
* [[Swords in the Noonday Sun]] ([[Urizen lore]]; Summer 80): now fills soldiers with supernatural prowess, increasing the strength of an army by the equivalent of 1000 extra warriors. It's also gained an option for additional targets. The roleplaying associated with it has also changed, meaning it is no longer considered a ritual that uses savagery to create its effect.
* [[Find the Best Path]] (Autumn 80): Now grants a campaign army the ability to move through an additional territory, rather than granting the [[Army qualities#Fast|fast]] quality. The magnitude has been lowered to 80, and an option to include additional targets has been added.
* [[Quickening Cold Meat]] (Winter 120): We've reduced the magnitude of the ritual and been significantly clearer about the unpredictable dangers associated with the ritual.
* [[Machines of Destruction]] (Autumn 135): No longer offered by [[Estavus]] and removed from the [[Mystic scrolls of Estavus]] page.
* [[Loosen the Shackles]] ([[Urizen lore]]) Winter 120): now gives an enchanted army the equivalent of 4,000 extra soldiers but only for purposes of inflicting casualties on an enemy. The magnitude has increased to 120. It still draws on the forbidden power of [[Agramant]].
* [[Why Sulemaine Walked Away From The Baker]] (Winter 80): The effects of the ritual have been increased. In addition to making the army more resistant to effects related to poison and venom, it also reduces damage suffered from other means.
* [[Bound by Common Cause]] (Autumn 80): has had its effect completely redesigned and now reduces the upkeep of an army while providing potential narrative bonuses.
* [[Fire on the Water]] and [[Eyes of the Hills]] cannot currently be cast; we are still deciding how to deal with them.

The change has also affected some non-enchantment rituals.
* [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]] (Day 14): now provides information about enchantments on armies and fortifications in the territory scried.
* [[Eye of the High Places]] (Day 14): now provides information about large-scale effects on a territory.
* [[Dreams in the Witch House]] (Night 14): has been reworked to make it better reflect the way the ritual had evolved in play and to widen the kind of information it provides. The magnitude has increased to 14, bringing it into line with similar divinations.

==Fleet Enchantments==
* '''24/03/2025'''
In conjunction with our [[#Military Unit Enchantments|changes to military units]], we've also updated the way a [[fleet]] acts in [[downtime]]. As with military units, we've streamlined the actions that can be taken by a fleet captain, and how they interact with [[enchantment]] rituals. We've introduced several new actions that any fleet captain can take, and defined others more closely. These changes will take effect in the downtime following the Winter Solstice.

The main change to rituals has been to better define which action each ritual supports. One of our goals has been to ensure that each ritual affects only one kind of action, and where possible to strengthen the themes of the individual realms as part of a wider update. The magnitudes of rituals have not changed, nor has the amount of benefit they provide; we've just defined what action that benefit applies to more clearly.

Rituals affected include [[Blood and Salt]] (supports raiding), [[Winds of Fortune]] (supports trading), [[The Lure of Distant Shores]] (supports trading), [[Sular's Promise]] (supports trading), [[Golden Voyage]] (supports questing), [[Muffled Oar]] (supports scouting), and [[Piranhas Devour the Kraken]] (supports campaigning). The ritual ''Shroud of Rolling Fog'', which is not in Imperial lore, has likewise been adjusted to support a single category of fleet action.

We've also added a new ritual to Imperial Lore: [[Wolves of the Hungry Sea]] (Winter 12) that is used to support guarding actions.

As always, if your character has mastered a ritual that has changed you can email [mailto:admin@profounddecisions.co.uk admin@profounddecisions.co.uk] and we'll free up the mastered ritual slot for you.

==Imperial Sodalities==
* '''18/03/2025'''
We've made several significant changes to the procedures and benefits of creating an [[Imperial sodality]]. Key among them is the idea that a truly Imperial sodality is capable of wielding legal powers and appointing titles; that anyone can become a voting member of an Imperial sodality simply by receiving a ritual mark; that one can only be a voting member of a single Imperial sodality; and that their creation and upkeep are now much more clearly defined. This has also involved an addition to the powers of [[The Throne#The Great Councils|the Throne]], [[Powers of the Imperial Senate#Imperial Sodalities|Powers of the Imperial Senate]], and [[New_Imperial_titles#Well_Worn_Paths|New Imperial titles]]. There's also a new ritual in Imperial Lore - [[Mark of Fellowship]] - that supports membership of an Imperial Sodality.

We've also written a [[Rules update 2025#Imperial Sodalities|Rules Update]] discussing the changes.

==Runa's Gift==
* '''14/03/2025'''
We have added a page for [[Runa's Gift]] to the wiki and the recipe list is now available for [[Surgical_skills#Apothecary|apothecaries]] to learn. These potions come as a result of the [[Yerende]] joining the [[Imperial Orcs]] and use [[realmsroot]]. Anyone who has the necessary ingredients in their inventory and has learned the recipe list can email [mailto:plot@profounddecisions.co.uk plot@profounddecisions.co.uk] before the '''1<sup>st</sup> of April''' to mix potions from this recipe list before the event.

==Military Unit Enchantments==
* '''14/03/2025 '''
We've overhauled the way [[military unit|military units]] act in [[downtime]]. The focus has been on streamlining the actions that can be taken by a player with that resource, and how they interact with [[enchantment]] rituals. We've introduced several new actions that any military unit can take (such as mercenary work or seeking glory) as well as a small number of adventures available to specific nations or archetypes. These changes will take effect in the downtime following the Winter Solstice.

The main change to rituals has been to better define which action each ritual supports, and to remove rituals that supported multiple actions. Some magnitudes have shifted up or down as well. One of our goals has been to ensure that each ritual affects only one kind of action, and where possible to strengthen the themes of the individual realms as part of a wider update.

Rituals affected include [[Merciless Wrath of the Reaver]] (supports raiding), [[Raise the Standard of War]] (supports campaigning), [[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]] (supports campaigning and has also gained an [[#Assurances|assurance]]), [[Shroud of Mist and Shadow]] (supports raiding, magnitude lowered), [[Clad in Golden Raiment]] (supports campaigning and the magnitude has increased to 6), [[Sharp Eyes of the Corsair]] (supports scouting), [[Lions of Phoenix Reach]] (supports campaigning), [[Carve the Crystal Guardian]] (supports campaigning), and [[Conclave of Trees and Shadow]] (supports scouting).

As well as rituals in Imperial Lore, there have also been changes to these [[Urizen lore]] rituals: [[Aspect of the Mountain]], [[Peregrine and Ichimos]], and [[Raise the Dragonsworn Cohort]] (all now explicitly support the guarding action), [[Unleash the Beasts Within]] (the magnitude has increased to 16, and the enchantment now supports the campaigning action).

These changes have also affected a few rituals that are not in either Imperial lore or Urizen lore. Specifically, [[Accoutrements of War]] (supports campaigning, no longer provides green iron), and ''Weaver at the Web'' (supports scouting actions).

We've also introduced a new ritual, [[Feast of Heroes]], a [[Summer magic]] enchantment that supports military units taking a [[Military unit#Questing|questing]] action.

As always, if your character has mastered a ritual that has changed you can email [mailto:admin@profounddecisions.co.uk admin@profounddecisions.co.uk] and we'll free up the mastered ritual slot for you.

==Assurances ==
* '''13/03/2025'''
* '''Updated 26/03/2025'''
We have added [[Ritual_theory#Agreement|assurances]] and [[eternal|eternals]] to the pages of a number of rituals. This is a result of the [[Unfettered Mind]] having been instructed to [[385YE_Summer_Solstice_Conclave_sessions#Concord_:_Study_Rituals|investigate]] the ritual [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]] by the Imperial Conclave, and the continuation of the order's efforts. Any member of the order can roleplay that they were part of this research; appropriate stories might involve tracking across the Empire, careful discussion with scholars, or negotiations with isolated covens for snippets of information.
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
*[[Balanced Scales of Lann]]
*[[Carve the Crystal Guardian]]
*[[Challenge the Iron Duke]]
*[[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]]
*[[Conclave of Trees and Shadow‎‎]]
*[[Crystalline Focus of Aesh]]
*[[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]]
*[[Ephisis' Scale]]
*[[Fire in the Blood]]
*[[Forge the Wooden Fastness]]
*[[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]]
*[[Gift of Knowledge]]
*[[Kimus' Glaring Eye]]
*[[Lions of Phoenix Reach]]
*[[Prowess of the Golden Magician]]
*[[Pallid Flesh of the Dead King]]
*[[Quickening Cold Meat]]
*[[Sift the Dreamscape's Sands]]
*[[Sorin's Chastising Touch]]
*[[Sorin's Rite of Agony]]
*[[Swim Leviathan's Depth]]
*[[The Basalt Citadel]]
*[[Tribute to the Thrice-Cursed Court]]
*[[Whispering Shadow Courtiers]]</div>

==Realms and their Inhabitants==
* '''25/01/2025'''
We've done an overhaul of the [[realm]] and [[eternal]] pages adding examples and further details about each of the realms and the powers and restrictions of eternals. We have also added the [[Inhabitants of the realms]] page which goes into detail about the various creatures that live in each of the realms.

==Links on the Tactical Map==
* '''29/12/2024'''
We've added links to each territory - and some important areas like the Semmerlak or the Bay of Catazar - to the [[Map - Coloured Territories|coloured territories]] map page. It is now possible to click on an area of the map to be taken to the specific territory's page.

==Names of the Chain==
* '''05/12/2024'''
We've swapped the names of star #1 and star #5 on [[the Chain]]. The writer had confused his left and right and got the anchor at the wrong end of the constellation.

==Arcane Gambit and Ilium==
* '''15/10/2024'''
We've updated [[Thief's Arcane Gambit]] and the [[Ilium#Removing_a_Permanent_Effect|ilium]] page to detail how an [[enchantment]] that has been made permanent with [[ilium]] can be moved by that Night ritual. The magnitude required is based on the total amount of ilium that could/should have been used to make the enchantment permanent without any [[opportunity]] being taken into account.

==Throne Judgement==
* '''15/10/2024'''
We've added a note to [[the Throne]], providing them explicitly with the ability to raise a [[judgement]] [[The Throne#Member of the Assembly of Nine|in the Assembly of Nine only]] in the event they do not control a [[congregation]].

==Assignment==
* '''10/09/2024'''
We have updated the power of [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Assignment|assignment]] to set down that a motion to assign a territory is always raised as an administrative motion by the Speaker for the Senate.

==Veto==
* '''31/08//2024'''
We have updated [[veto]] to remove the ambiguity about when a veto held over from the previous event ends. We have put a fixed end point, 10pm on Saturday night. The [[Rules_update_2024#Veto|rules update]] page contains the OOC reasoning and the IC justification for this edit.

==Proxies and Resigning==
* '''22/08/2024'''
We have added an entry to the [[Proxy#Restrictions|restrictions]] of what a proxy can do. It is not possible for a proxy to resign on behalf of the title holder as that is not a power of a specific Imperial title.

==Maps of Otkodov==
* '''19/08/2024'''
We have added a note that was missing to the [[Otkodov]] page making clear that the Empire only has a strategic map of [[Verthandi]]. When the first spy network was created the entirety of Otkodov was mapped in error. To gain access to strategic maps of the other territories of the Thule additional [[spy network|spy networks]] would need to be constructed and [[Military_unit#Scout_an_Area|supported]] in the normal fashion.

==Senate Voting==
* '''19/08/2024'''
We have updated the [[Senate motion]] page to remove an option for secret voting. We've removed it because it hadn't been used in years if ever, because supporting it logistically would have been a massive hassle, but mostly because it runs contrary to the major design elements of Empire around the operation of politics within the game.

==Audio recordings==
* '''09/08/2024'''
We have updated the [[photography]] rules to remove the option to make audio recordings at events. On further consideration we were convinced that audio recording was much closer to filming and should follow the same rules and guidelines. As a general rule of thumb we want to minimise intrusion: we permit people to take photographs, but that is the limit.

==Black Plateau Template==
* '''24/07/2024'''
We have changed the formatting for the Black Plateau template that we use to increase readability and in an attempt to avoid eyestrain. It has changed from black text on a grey background to white text on a black background.

==Fleet Great Work Restrictions==
* '''13/07/2024'''
We've added a note to the [[Great work]] page making clear that a great work that supports [[fleet|fleets]] can only be built in a region with the coastal [[Region qualities|quality]].

==Whispers through the Black Gate==
* '''25/06/2024'''
We've added a line to the [[Whispers_through_the_Black_Gate#OOC_Elements|OOC elements]] of [[Whispers through the Black Gate]] to add a little clarity to what happens if you want to summon the spirit of a dead NPC.

==Sung and their Counsel==
* '''22/06/2024'''
We've made a couple of tiny changes to the [[Sung]] page, to provide more context for the kind of mysteries that the eternal encourages you to probe and look into and those mysteries she prefers to stay hidden. We've coupled this with a set of updates to the main ritual that draws on Sung's power [[Clear Counsel of the Everflowing River]].

We've decided to change the way we respond to queries to Sung to try and provide more useful information going forwards. We want to keep some of the enigmatic quality of the responses, which some of those players casting the ritual currently enjoy - but we want to make it easier to get more useful insight, guidance and wisdom from the ritual.

To help us do that we've changed the way we'll be responding to the ritual going forwards. We created a set of guidelines for the style of responses that we'll give to the different kinds of questions we've been getting up to now. Hopefully this means that where we can provide some useful information or clues to players about a plot we'll be able to continue to do that, but where Sung can't or won't give an answer we'll be able to respond in a way that makes clear why that is the case.

The goal with these changes is to make the ritual more useful to players but also make it easier for us to produce the responses. We want to emphasise the roleplaying interaction with Sung - but allow the eternal more freedom to give out more useful information when it exists.
==Martial Titles==
* '''10/06/2024'''
We have added [[Captain of the Throne Guard]] to the list of martial titles because of their duties to defend the Throne. There is no requirement to pick a skilled fighter for the role - it has many other duties besides fighting - but it is acceptable for the Throne to include such considerations when picking who they want for the Throne Guard.

==Savagery and Fire on the Water==
* '''05/06/2024'''
We have updated the declaration of [[interdiction]] from [[385YE_Autumn_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Interdiction_%3A_Savagery_of_Armies|Autumn Equinox 385YE]] to include the ritual [[Fire on the Water]] and added a note to the page for the ritual. This was missed at the time as being a ritual that was covered by the interdiction.

==Endorsement==
* '''05/06/2024'''
We have updated [[endorsement]] to make clear that you cannot use it to permit a sorcerer to carry out an act of magic that is illegal for them to do. Endorsement cannot be used to undermine Conclave itself, so it Conclave has declared someone a sorcerer, it's not possible to supersede that with endorsement.

==Guiding an Order==
* '''03/06/2024'''
We have formalised how [[Concord#Guiding_an_Order|guiding an order]] using a Declaration of [[Concord]] works. It now requires 20 mana crystals directly from the [[Conclave_vault#The_Font|Font]] and can only be used as a result of an opportunity, unless specified otherwise. It continues to require the use of one of the order's two declarations.

==Territory Curses==
* '''03/06/2024'''
We've made several changes to ritual curses that work on the [[territory]] level. All such curses now explicitly have the chance to have unexpected effects depending on where and when they are cast. We've added a section to the [[curse]] page detailing this. There have also been other changes made to several specific curses.
* [[Icy Maw Devours the Spark of Essence]] has increased in magnitude to 30 (previously 15), and now inflicts a fixed penalty on mana sites. We also removed the lethargy and depression [[roleplaying effect]] element.
* [[Naeve's Twisting Blight]] has increased in magnitude to 30 (previously 15), and now inflicts a set 72 ring penalty on a farm rather than the previous 50% penalty.
* [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]] places a 2 rank penalty on fleets, and no longer harms navies moving through the target territory.
* [[Thunderous Deluge]] reduces resource production by two ranks rather than a percentage.
* [[Rivers of Life]] and [[Rivers Run Red]] have remained the same but we've added boxes discussing some of the unique peculiarities of the rituals.
* [[Winter's Ghosts]] affects all resources save [[congregation|congregations]], but inflicts a fixed amount of damage to production rather than a percentage.
* [[Mountain Remembers Its Youth]] does not harm armies that move through the territory. Its effects apply to mines and forests as well as farms, and inflict a fixed amount of damage to production rather than a percentage.
* [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees]] requires a region with the forest quality (it no longer works on marshes). It no longer affects armies passing through the territory, and reduces production of all personal resources in the territory except fleets.
* [[The Flower is Withered on the Stalk]] remains unchanged but we added a boxout laying out more clearly the limitations of the curse.

==Pronunciation Guide==
* '''29/05/2024'''
We have deleted the pronunciation guide page from the wiki. Anyone who has a query on how we pronounce something is welcome to email [mailto:plot@profounddecisions.co.uk plot@profounddecisions.co.uk] to ask.

==Fire Safety==
* '''29/05/2024'''
We have updated the [[Site_safety#Pyrotechnics|site safety]] page with updated rules for the limited use of small pyrotechnics at events.

==Dedication==
* '''28/05/2024'''
We've made a minor edit to the [[Dedication#Dreams|dreams]] section of the [[dedication]] skill to replace "priest of the Way" with "a priest who is not dedicated to a specific virtue". The former wording was a holdover from the period where dedication was linked to the assembly a priest was part of. The new wording makes in explicit that the ability to pick any Virtue for oracular dreams is for priests that are not dedicated.

==Senatorial Elections==
* '''23/05/2024'''
We have updated [[Dawn leadership]] to add confirmation that nobles must be physically present in the Glory Square unless there are any accessibility issues that make that difficult. In that case our team will make whatever accommodations are needed to support a player.

We've updated [[Wintermark_political_leadership|Wintermark leadership]] to change the duration of the election from one hour to half an hour. This is based on feedback that candidates were unduly having to wait around much longer than the election practically needed.

We've updated the [[Varushka leadership]] to better describe how it works in practice and to make clear that the right of witness does apply to the part of the meeting dedicated to picking the senator.

We've updated the [[League leadership]] to remove the requirement not to exchange bonds before the start of the election. This was unenforceable in practice and needlessly restrictive. Empire is meant to be a deeply political game and we'd like players to have the first half of the summit to engage in as much roleplaying as they want over the exchange of voting bonds.

==Warding Rituals==
* '''14/04/2024'''
We have added an OOC note to the rituals that ward an area to make clear that you must inform a ref about it before you pass through the [[Sentinel Gate]] and get the props you are planning on using checked. The affected rituals are :
* [[Hold Back Frozen Hunger]]
* [[Retreat to the White Caves]]
* [[There Is No Welcome Here]]
* [[Wardens of the Black Waste]]

==Imperial Orcs==
* '''11/04/2024'''
We've made extensive updates to the [[Imperial Orcs]] pages, primarily related to the introduction of [[sept|septs]]. This also touches on a number of other elements including the introduction of a new group archetype (the coterie) and changes to the way ancestors work. Many pages now have additional information on them, but the biggest changes are:
* Addition of the six septs: [[Ethengraw]], [[Illarawm]], [[Sannite]], [[Sunstorm]], [[Tamazi]], and [[Yerende]]
* Revision of the [[Imperial Orcs religious beliefs]] page
* Addition of [[Imperial Orcs culture and customs#Septs|septs]] to the [[Imperial Orcs culture and customs]] page.
* Addition of [[Imperial Orcs magical traditions#Spiritweaving|Spiritweaving]] to the [[Imperial Orcs magical traditions]] page.
* We've removed the Imperial Orcs lineage and species page as the information on that page was now redundant.
New characters can select their sept during character creation. Existing characters can change their sept by emailing [mailto:plot@profounddecisions.co.uk plot@profounddecisions.co.uk]. You can also change sept during play by engaging in the [[Imperial Orcs religious beliefs#The Living Bridge|appropriate ceremony]] then going to GOD.
==League Orcs==
* '''08/04/2024'''
We have updated [[the League]] brief to incorporate new material relevant to playing an [[orc]] in [[the League]], reflecting current developments. It is now possible for players creating a new character in the League to choose whether they are playing an orc or a human.

As part of the change we've made a number of updates to several League pages:
* [[The League|Introduction]]
* [[The League people|The people]]
* [[The League culture and customs|Culture and customs]]
* [[The League look and feel|Look and feel]]
* [[The League history|History]]
* [[The League religious beliefs|Religious beliefs]]
* [[The League magical traditions|Magical traditions]]

==Cold Sun==
* '''04/03/2024'''
We've added a new wiki page for [[Cold Sun]], the cruelly impassive eternal of the Day realm whose forces are currently threatening a number of locations in the Empire. While this is mostly a campaign update, we've included it here because we have taken the winter to tinker with some of the stats of the heralds involved to try and make them more interesting and engaging to fight against, so there are some rules changes. Also, in the past there has been some confusion over the abilities of the heralds of Cold Sun. They are very much not [[Calls#Monstrous_Creatures|monstrous creatures]] so they take the effects of all calls that hit them legitimately, including the effects of [[weakness]]. There is no indication that looting heralds of Cold Sun will result in any kind of curse, nor are they able to reflect back calls. There was some confusion early on due to the way that the brief was delivered before the first block of skirmishes at E3 2023. We have taken all steps possible to try to ensure that this doesn't happen again. Part of the reason for us presenting this information here as clearly as possible is to ensure that those going on skirmishes can have some idea of what they might be up against.

==Sanctioned Events==
* '''21/02/2024'''
We've made some changes to the language around sanctioned events. Previously, "sanctioned event" included both any event taking place in the continuity of the Empire campaign world, and specifically events containing plot elements. We've explicitly renamed the kind of event with plot, NPCs, and combat as a "plot event", leaving "sanctioned event" to refer to all events not run by Profound Decisions that are considered part in the Empire campaign.

We've also added a section of additional guidance on [[Sanctioned_event_advice#Communication_Magic|Communication Magic]] at sanctioned events. While it can't be used to speak to off-stage NPCs in the wider world, it is possible for the creators of a plot event to use certain types of communication magic within the context of their plot.
==Tisanes of the Labyrinth==
* '''17/02/2024'''
We've changed [[Usher's Decoction]] and [[Tisanes of the Labyrinth#Waywalker's Suffusion|Waywalker's Suffusion]] to be [[Potion#Tonics|tonics]]. This means their effects cannot be stacked with each other.

==Aspect magic==
* '''16/02/2024'''
We've changed the name of the magical tradition formerly known as ''totem magic'' to [[aspect magic]] as it more accurately reflects the function of that tradition. We have also taken the opportunity to change the term for calling on aspects of mundane animals in magic to [[Aspect_magic#Beast_Magic|beast magic]] rather than ''spirit animals''.

==Liao Ceremony Cooperation==
* '''14/02/2024'''
We've edited the [[Religious skills#Cooperation|cooperation]] section on the [[religious skills]] page to make it clear that it is [[dedication]] and not membership of a [[Assembly#The_Virtue_Assemblies|virtue assembly]] that determines who a character can perform a ''virtue ceremony'' in cooperation with. Now that it is possible for a character to be dedicated to one virtue, but a member of a different Virtue assembly through the use of the preaching [[Congregation#Downtime options|downtime option]], the original wording was open to misinterpretation.

==Synod Votes and Lay Members==
* '''14/02/2024'''
We've removed the reference to "appropriate virtue assembly" from the [[Sinecure#Synod_Votes|Sinecure]] page, with regard to people who are not members of the [[Synod]] gaining votes. Since the introduction of [[Congregation#Downtime_Options|preaching]] as the method for determining Virtue assembly membership, there is no way for someone without a [[congregation]] to be part of a Virtue assembly, and someone with a congregation is already a member of the Synod.

==Veto==
* '''14/02/2024'''
On the [[Senate]] page, we've changed the word "exercised" for "submitted" and added a line making it clear the usual [[Veto#Timing|timing]] rules apply in the event the veto is being submitted following the Senate session on Sunday.

==Medium Armour==
* '''17/01/2024'''
We've made some changes to the names of certain [[:Category:Medium Armour|medium armour]] to avoid confusion since the [[Rules_update_2022#Armour|change]] to what counts as different types of armour. This has had no effect on the mechanical effect of the magic items.<br>

''Mithril Shirt'' is now [[Bloodamber Hauberk]]<br>
''Tombsteel Guardian'' is now [[Tombshroud Guardian]]<br>
''Wardensweave Scale'' is now [[Wardensweave]]<br>
''Runemail'' is now [[Runebound Ward]]<br>
''Splint Mail'' is now [[Cerulean Protector]]<br>
''Mediator's Mail'' is now [[Scrivener's Guard]]

In addition we have also changed ''Oathkeeper'' to [[Vowkeeper]] and ''Alderman's Edge'' to [[Alder's Edge]]

==Secrets of Skilful Artifice==
* '''11/01/2024'''
We've made some changes to [[Secrets of Skilful Artifice]]. The donor [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisan]] now chooses what skill to share via the ritual, and may choose to share nothing. This partly resolves some inconsistencies with how the knowledge the ritual shares was determined, and better defines how it works with Runesmith's Law and similar effects.

==Runesmith's Law==
* '''3/1/2023'''
We've updated both [[Wintermark_economic_interests#Runesmith.27s_Law|Runesmith's Law]] and [[Secrets of Skilful Artifice]] to make it clear that using magic to temporarily share knowledge of how to make a unique Wintermark magic item triggers the geas not to share this knowledge. The result is that the artisan donating the knowledge to someone outside their nation permanently loses access to Runesmith's Law.

==Farms and Businesses==
* '''14/12/2023'''
We've added a line to both [[Farm#Production|farm]] and [[Business#Production|busniess]] resources to make it clearer that the income they provide represents disposable income rather than being the sum total of their seasonal production. Expenses, lifestyle, and taxes all exist below the abstraction layer.
==Regalia==
* '''11/12/2023'''
We have added a section on the [[New Imperial titles]] page which explains how the Imperial Senate can add [[New_Imperial_titles#Regalia|regalia]] to a title.
==Ossium Opportunity==
* '''31/08/2023'''
We've made a slight alteration to the [[Culling_the_threat#Dripping_Echoes|Culling the threat]] wind of fortune in the section about creating a permanent magical fortress in the Drownbark Forest. We've made it clear that the "no upkeep" element of the permanent magical fortress is part of the [[opportunity]], and not a standard part of making a magical fortress permanent. The precise mechanics of creating a permanent magical fortress would be determined on case by case basis.
==Appraisal==
* '''08/08/2023'''
Now the [[Senate]] can perform ''two'' [[appraisal|appraisals]] each season, we've added [[Appraisal#The_Prognosticators_Office|a note]] to the power as to how the Imperial Auditor will proceed if both name the same researcher.
==Recognition==
* '''25/07/2023'''
We have added a new use for the judgement of [[Recognition]]; allowing the [[Assembly#General_Assembly|General Assembly]] to recognise someone as an explicitly false exemplar or paragon. A judgement of recognition used in this way can only be raised in the General Assembly and always requires a greater majority to pass.

==Spiral Strategy==
* '''24/07/2023'''
The [[Spiral]] page has been tweaked slightly, naming the [[Spiral#The_Passes|Apulian Way]] as the connection between the territory and the Grendel nation, and adding a [[Spiral#Strategic_Considerations|Strategic Considerations]] section that summarises the geographical complications in the territory. Apart from naming the southern pass, nothing has actually changed we've just made it more explicit.

==Imperial Inquisitor==
* '''0707/2023'''
We've made a slight amendment to the responsibilities of the Imperial Inquisitor to make clear that they are part of the ''inquisitorial court''.

==Thief's Arcane Gambit==
* '''04/07/2023'''
We've added a line to [[Thief's Arcane Gambit]] that specifies that the "legitimate target" for the ritual is also affected by any specific restrictions around willingness in the original enchantment. If the original enchantment can only be used on a willing target, it can only be moved to a willing target.

==Inspirational Locations==
* '''02/07/2023'''
We have replaced the old rules for inspirational tombs with some new rules for [[inspirational location|inspirational locations]]. The new rules cover using true liao to create inspirational memorials for exemplars and paragons as well as using it to consecrate a sacred sites like the Kallavesa Marshes. The new rules provide a detailed framework that lays out how characters do this - what steps are needed in-character and what the outcome will be at each stage. We've provided more explanation for the changes and why we've made them in the [[rules update 2023]] page.

==Sentinel Gate==
* '''01/07/2023'''
We have removed references to getting a traumatic wound if you travel back too late through the sentinel gate. Implementation of this rule was always spotty at best and it violated some of our core design principles in the way it confused in-character and out-of-character objectives. We don't want players to return through the gate late, because it plays havoc with the schedule that everyone, players and ourselves, are relying on. Most participants implicitly appreciate this and make the best effort possible to return to Anvil before the gate begins to close. Traumatic wounds are intended to lead to further roleplaying for the participants who receive them, they are not meant to punish participants for taking the wrong action. Empire tries as hard as possible to avoid mixing in-character and out-of-character consequences in that way.

==FIRST AID==
* '''01/07/2023'''
We've changed the MAN DOWN call to [[Calls#FIRST_AID|FIRST AID]]. We've made this change for two reasons, one is that we and many of our players are no longer comfortable with such a clearly gendered call. The other reason is that over the years, a few players have developed a bad habit of using the call in-character when someone gets wounded. We've replaced the call with FIRST AID - a clear call asking for the first aid team to provide assistance.

We understand that many of participants will continue to use MAN DOWN in emergency situations, precisely because it is the instinctive thing to shout in an emergency. That is absolutely fine, and everyone should treat the call ''exactly'' as if they had called FIRST AID. We expect it to take some years to drop the old call in favour of the new one and we would much rather participants shouted either call quickly than pause to think. The hobby has been using the man down call for decades and we do not want to compromise safety while we transition away from its use at Empire.

==Searching==
* '''29/06/2023'''
We have removed the option in the rules to carry out a real search when searching a character. Previously it was possible to do a real search, but only if both parties agreed. We've removed this option as it's not compatible with the wider system where we discourage this kind of physical contact.

==Art of the Deal==
* '''22/06/2023'''
We've changed the name of the Art of the Deal ritual to [[Winds of Fortune]]. Art of the Deal is still an alternate name for the ritual, but the main entry and all references on magic items use the new name.

==Golden Ramparts==
* '''21/06/2023'''
We've updated the [[Golden Ramparts]] with an [[Golden Ramparts#Assurance|assurance]], related to the Rod and Shield, that has been helpfully uncovered by a scholar at the Icy Crag of the Eternal Sun.

==Druj Miasma==
* '''16/06/2023'''
We've updated the [[Druj miasma]] page, especially with reference to miasma pillars, so that it is less focused on information gained after the liberation of Reikos.

==Cruelty==
* '''14/06/2023'''
Building on the commentary we added to the [[Iron Helms]] army page [[Iron_Helms#Composition|on cruelty]], we added the word "needless" to the [[Varushka#What the Varushkans are not|what the Varushkans are not]] section on the [[Varushka]] page.

==Magic Quality==
* '''04/06/2023'''
We've explicitly added a note that the ritual targeting ability of an army with the [[Army_qualities#Magic|magic quality]] can also target a region or fortification within a territory.

==Haunted Quality==
* '''03/06/2023'''
We've decided to remove the ''Haunted'' [[army qualities|army quality]]. There are no armies with this quality, and after extensive discussion we don't believe we would ever allow any future army to have it, either as a quality or an enchantment.

==Farm Diversification==
* '''31/05/2023'''
Updated the [[Farm#Diversification|diversification]] section on the [[farm]] page to make it clearer that "herb" means one of the standard five magical herbs. Any opportunity that grants "herbs" will always mean the herbs gathered from a standard [[herb garden]] unless it explicitly says otherwise.

==Wolves of Winter==
* '''26/05/2023'''
The magnitude of the ritual ''Wolves of Winter'' has been increased in line with our recent changes to rituals that affect the downtime campaign. The ritual is not in Imperial lore, but the database has been adjusted to reflect this change.

==Whispers through the Black Gate==
* '''20/05/2023'''
We've added a note to the [[Whispers_through_the_Black_Gate#Option|special liao option]] on the [[Whispers through the Black Gate]] ritual to make it explicit that the option is not available to orc casters.

==Throne Appointment==
* '''17/05/2023'''
We've edited the part of the [[The_Throne#Appointment|Throne appointment]] that talks about changing support around and when the election ends inconclusively. The previous wording was a little misleading.

==Navarr Warlocks==
* '''16/05/2023'''
We've changed the word "warlock" on the [[Navarr]] page. The word was very misleading and intended to be a synonym for "magician", which is what we have replaced it with.

==Commonwealth History==
* '''10/05/2023'''
We've changed the year of the formation of the [[Commonwealth#History|Commonwealth]] from 120YE to 105YE so that it is consistent with the background of [[Emperor Frederick]].

==Throne Election==
* '''05/05/2023'''
Appointment of a Throne is [[Senate_motion#Constitutional_Vote|constitutional vote]]. We've made it more explicit that the [[Assembly of the Nine]], as well as the [[General Assembly]], can [[veto]] the election of [[the Throne]]. We've also added that one of the first things every Throne does is ratify their own appointment.

==Marsh Commissions==
* '''19/04/2023'''
We've added a note to the [[commission]] page to indicate that the [[Commission#Marshes|problem of building on marshes]] has become permanent.

==Dreams in the Witch House==
* '''14/04/2023'''
We've added a note to [[Dreams in the Witch House]] inviting players to e-mail us before the event with information about territories they intend to scry so that we are more likely to have a response ready.

==Conjunctions==
* '''12/04/2023'''
We've updated the wiki to make it clear that characters who are nominated by the civil service to [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|oversee a conjunction]] can delegate that authority to another character and that they are not expected to go on the conjunction if they don't want to do so. Any player who doesn't want to oversee a conjunction can contact plot@profounddecisions.co.uk to have the responsibility shifted to another character.

==Endorsement==
* '''08/04/2023'''
Clarified the limits of [[endorsement|endorsing]] deals with eternals. An endorsement cannot support a deal made with an eternal that is under [[Alignment#Enmity|enmity]] ''at the time the deal is made''. Amity or Neutrality cannot be retroactively applied.

==Divination Rituals==
* '''06/04/2023'''
We've made matching updates to [[Clear Counsel of the Everflowing River]] and [[Combing the Beach]], Both rituals now require an effigy to perform, and that the question posed be submitted the previous night. The response to the ritual now comes when it is performed, rather than some time afterwards. You can find more details about the change on the [[Rules update 2023#Divination Ritual Updates|Rules update]] page.

==Shuttle Service==
* '''06/04/2023'''
We have taken the decision not to charge for the [[Dadford_Road_Campsite#Banbury_Shuttle_Service|shuttle service in 2023]]. We have no plans to charge for the shuttle in the future if the costs to run the service remain similar.

==Regio and Portals==
* '''05/04/2023'''
We made some adjustments to [[detect magic]] and [[operate portal]] to lay out their functionality when it comes to detecting and identifying [[regio]] and the portals that lie within them. We included in operate portal the mechanics of accessing the Hall of Worlds (copied from the regio page), given how commonly that spell effect is used by magicians.

==Military Rituals==
* '''31/03/2023'''
We've made several updates to rituals that involve [[Army|armies]] and [[fortification|fortifications]]. The [[Rules_update_2023#Military_Rituals|Rules Update 2023]] page goes through these changes in detail. The rituals affected are [[Knights of Glory]], [[Bound by Common Cause]], [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]], [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]], [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]], [[The Basalt Citadel]], [[Golden Ramparts]] and [[Stone's Unyielding Defiance]].

We've also modified [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]], [[Quickening Cold Meat]], and the non-Imperial ritual '''Footsteps of the Fallen''' to change the [[roleplaying effects]] experienced by the [[general]] targeted by the [[enchantment]].

==Resources and Conquered Territories==
* '''31/03/2023'''
We've changed the way [[fleet|fleets]] and [[military unit|military units]] interact with the [[Resource#Conquered_Territories|conquered territory]] rules. Previously these two resources had been exempt from the penalty for being in a conquered territory; we've removed that exemption. You can read more about this change in the [[Rules_update_2023#Military_Units_and_Fleets|rules update]].

==Venom==
* '''31/03/2023'''
We've clarified the [[Calls#VENOM|VENOM]] call to make it explicit that if you are [[Combat#Dying|dying]] and have less than thirty seconds to live when you are hit by venom, then you should continue with your current count - gaining the venom condition ''never'' increases the time remaining if you were already dying.

==Spring Rituals==
* '''23/03/2023'''
The effects of [[Fan the Flame of New Life]] have been significantly changed, and we've removed the '''Midwife's Recourse''' ritual from the game. Discussion of and explanation for these changes can be found on the [[Rules_update_2023#Spring_Rituals|Rules update 2023]]page. We also added a medicine section to the [[Technology#Medicine|Technology]] page, and a section on the [[Healing in Empire#Pregnancy and childbirth|healing in Empire]] page.

==COVID Safety==
* '''14/03/2023'''
We have updated the [[entry requirements]] and the rules for [[COVID safety]] for our events in 2023.

==Bow Safety==
* '''14/03/2023'''
We have overhauled the rules for [[bow safety]] at Empire. Please make sure you read and understand the new rules if you use a bow or crossbow at any point at the events.

==Blood of the Hydra==
* '''14/03/2023'''
[[Blood of the Hydra]] has been amended to make it explicit that it is intended for the treatment of limbs ruined by effects such as [[Calls#CLEAVE|CLEAVE]] or the like. It cannot be used to regrow internal or damaged organs, and is only useful for traumatic wounds when explicitly called out. Damaged internal organs are very much intended to be in the purview of the [[Surgical skills#Physick|physick]], and regenerating or replacing them magically is a much more significant use of magic than simply repairing a limb ruined by a sword. '''(23/03/2023)''' Further discussion of this change can be found [[Rules_update_2023#Reasoning:_Blood_of_the_Hydra|here]].

==Chimes of Annulment==
* '''14/03/2023'''
We've changed the casting time on [[Chimes of Annulment]] to be 2 minutes rather than 5, to bring it in to line with other rituals.

==Knight-protector Declination==
* '''10/03/2023'''
We've added a note to the [[Knight-protector#Appointment|Knight-protector]] [[Imperial title]] about what happens if someone wins the tourney but declines to take the title.

==Vital Strength of the Earth==
* '''09/03/2023'''
We've corrected an error in [[Vital Strength of the Earth]] which had the increased magnitude for additional targets at 5, rather than 24.

==Lineage in Play==
* '''08/03/2023'''
We added some material about gaining (and losing) lineage after character creation. There's a section on the [[lineage#Gaining_lineage_in_play|lineage]] page, and sections on each of the individual lineage pages in the ''Imperial (lineage)'' sections.

==Liao and PLV==
* '''08/03/2023'''
Additional information about [[Liao#True Liao|true liao]] has been added to the [[liao]] page. We've also added a new page laying out the procedures and mechanics involved in having a [[past life vision]].

==Card Wording==
* '''02/03/2023'''
We've added a line to the rules about [[Game_items#Cards|cards]] pointing out that when a game item card and the rules on the wiki differ, the rules take precedence. Usually this is because a card was printed during an earlier iteration of the rules.

==Auras==
* '''01/03/2023'''
We've made a few updates to the [[aura]] page. [[Aura#Durable Auras|Durable auras]] are now auras that last indefinitely unless replaced, and we've specified [[Aura#Strong Auras|strong auras]] as being auras with a strength higher than one. We've also explicitly called out that the [[insight]] skill does [[Aura#Virtue|not reveal]] which (if any) virtue or malign spiritual presence an aura is tied to. Finally, we've added a section giving some information about [[Aura#Spontaneous Auras|spontaneous auras]] to the page.

==Booking IC Spaces==
* '''28/02/2023'''
We've added the facility for characters to book IC spaces at the event - the Hub, Hall of Worlds, Military Council and Senate - when not in use for official business. We've added a section to the page on [[Anvil#Booking_Civil_Service_Spaces|Anvil]] to explain how this works and how to make a booking.

==Dreams in the Witch House==
* '''24/02/2023'''
We've edited the description of the ritual effect for [[Dreams in the Witch House]] to bring it more into line with the way the ritual is actually working in the field.

==Eye of the High Places==
* '''24/02/2023'''
We've removed the requirement for this ritual to be performed in a powerful Day [[regio]], to bring it into line with [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]] and [[Dreams in the Witch House]].

==Align the Celestial Net==
* '''24/02/2023'''
We've made a slight tweak to [[Align the Celestial Net]] to bring it into line with [[Wind of Mundane Silence]]. Neither ritual can be performed by a coven that is drawing on the power of the target [[regio]] to allow them to cast the ritual.

==Army Enchantments==
* '''23/02/2023'''
We've changed the casting time of rituals that target Imperial Armies to 10 minutes, with the new rule about using the Imperial regio to reduce the casting time to 5 minutes. So far the affected rituals are [[Bound by Common Cause]], [[Brotherhood of Tian]], [[Why Sulemaine Walked Away From The Baker]], [[Eyes of the Hills]], and [[Mystic_scrolls_of_Estavus#Machines_of_Destruction|Machines of Destruction]].This brings them into line with the other army enchantment rituals.

==Longer Rituals==
*'''23/02/2023'''
We've added an additional power to the [[Regio#The Imperial Regio|Imperial Regio]]. Any ritual with a casting time of at least 10 minutes can be cast in 5 minutes instead when using the Imperial regio. We're updating existing ritual pages to include a reminder of this effect. We've added a note to the "imperial enchantments" ([[Bright Eyes Gleam in the Depths]], [[Hallow of the Green World]], and [[Wondrous Forests of the Night]]) to indicate that they do not have their casting time reduced by the Imperial regio.

==Phial of the Sun / Bloodcloak==
* '''22/02/2023'''
We've updated the rules text for the [[Phial of the Sun]] and [[Bloodcloak]] [[magic items]] to make it explicit that they only duplicate the effect of the five traditional magical [[herb|herbs]]; [[Bladeroot]], [[Cerulean Mazzarine]], [[Imperial Roseweald]], [[Marrowort]], and [[True Vervain]]. While other substances might be described as herbs, they are distinct from the five herbs used by [[Surgical skills#Physick|physicks]] that these magic items can replicate.

==Navarr Are Not...==
* '''15/02/2023'''
We've added a new bullet point to [[Navarr#What_the_Navarr_are_not|What the Navarr are not]] making it clear that while the [[Navarr]] are merciless toward their enemies, they are just as law abiding as any other Imperial nation.

==Conclave Changes==
* '''11/02/2023'''
We've made extensive changes to the [[Conclave]]. This touches on the way a [[Conclave session]] is organised, all the [[declaration|declarations]], and almost all of the [[Imperial title|titles]] associated with the Conclave, as well as [[the Throne]]. Rather than repeat them here, you can find a summary of the changes on the [[Rules_update_2023#Conclave_Changes|Rules update 2023]] page.

==Advisor on the Vallorn==
* '''11/02/2023'''
As part of the updates to the [[Conclave]], we've removed the power of the [[Advisor on the Vallorn]] to raise a free [[Declaration]] of [[Interdiction]].

==Unstoppable and Pretending to be Dead==
* '''19/01/2023'''
We've edited the rules for [[Heroic_skills#Unstoppable|Unstoppable]]. We haven't change the rules, but we've tried to make the intent behind the skill use clearer. We've also rolled in some points from the [[Rules FAQ]] as having information about a skill in two places can be unhelpful.

At the same time, we've made the rule about pretending to be dead or dying more prominent by moving it to the section of the rules dealing with [[Combat#Dying|dying]].

==Operating Portals==
* '''11/01/2023'''
We've made a few minor edits to [[operate portal]] and related effects (specifically the [[Ambassadorial Gatekeeper]] ritual) to make it clearer that you can't bring along additional living creatures even if they are [[combat#Dying|dying]] or [[Combat#Terminal|terminal]].

We've also added a note to the [[Knight-protector#Banner_of_the_Season|Banner of the Season]] power of the [[Knight-protector]] [[Imperial title]] that the Summer Banner is specifically more potent than the others, as there had been some confusion around the fact the item is notably different to the other three.

==Necessary Details==
* '''27/09/2022'''
We added a note to the [[Commission#Necessary_Details|necessary details]] section on the [[commission]] page making it explicit that in the absence of details about the cost of a commission, the civil service will always assume it is the minimum size allowed for such a commission.

==Accoutrements of War==
* '''16/08/2022'''
We've added a boxout to the [[Mystic_scrolls_of_Estavus#Accoutrements_of_War|Accoutrements of War]] ritual making it clearer that the special production granted by the [[enchantment]] ''only'' applies to paid work, not to every action under the independent action dropdown.

==Cardinals and Assemblies==
* '''15/09/2022'''
We've added a note to the [[cardinal]] page in the [[Cardinal#Appointment|appointment]] section reinforcing the idea that a cardinal must be a member of the [[Assembly#The_Virtue_Assemblies|assembly]] they lead. Changing assembly (perhaps through [[Congregation#Downtime_Options|preaching]] in downtime) means the cardinal forfeits their title. Likewise, someone without a [[congregation]] who gains membership of an assembly through the votes granted by a [[sinecure]] cannot become cardinal because as soon as they do, they lose their former [[Imperial title]] and no longer meet the criteria to be cardinal. Both are very edge cases, but are worth bearing in mind.

==Imperial Enchantments==
* '''15/09/2022'''
We've adjusted the magnitude of the three [[:Category:Imperial Enchantment|Imperial enchantments]] up from 160 to 200. In-character magical scholars believe this is due to the increasing size of the Empire, and might have been heralded by a [[A_yellow_star_hung#A_Light_that_Never_Goes_Out|subtle conjunction]] of the esoteric [[Astronomancy#Constellations|constellations]] of [[the Key]] and [[the Lock]] during the Autumn Equinox. Out-of-character this is because we want to keep these rituals challenging, and the former magnitude is no longer as difficult to achieve as it was when the game began.

We also took the opportunity to change how [[Hallow of the Green World]] works. Previously the coven had to choose which herb the herb gardens would create. This is because when we first created these rituals we didn't have the ability to add random herbs to resources. Now that we do, we've update the ritual to work a little bit more like [[Bright Eyes Gleam in the Depths]] and [[Wondrous Forests of the Night]] whose bonus production is set by the base resource rather than being chosen.

==Cruel Quality==
* '''06/09/2022'''
In July, we made a change to the [[Army qualities#Cruel|Cruel]] quality which we forgot to document at the time. Rather than an army with this quality automatically revealing it to everyone in a territory, it is only noticeable when it actively takes the [[Army_qualities#Cruel|Merciless Assault]] order. This change was made to bring the description of the quality into line with how it was actually working in terms of the downtime campaign.

==Clear Lens and Shadowed Glass==
* '''04/09/2022'''
We've removed the line "''A detect magic spell may occasionally reveal if there is specific, additional information in a specific location''" from both [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River]] and [[Shadowed Glass of Sung]] because it was misleading; our intention was to allow some space for plot writers to create specific results from these rituals for their plots taking place on Anvil, but this has proved to be impractical.

==Parliament of Owls==
* '''04/09/2022'''
We've updates the [[Raven_Seer#Parliament_of_Owls|Parliament of Owls]] power of the [[Raven Seer]] to make it clear there is only one copy of this ritual text and the Raven Seer is expected to hand it to their successor.

==Briar Bark==
* '''04/09/2022'''
We've made a slight update to [[Briar#Patches_of_bark|patches of bark]] on the [[briar]] page. "While tree bark can come in a variety of colours and textures, briar bark is rough, and predominantly brown."

==Shroud of Fog and Ravens==
* '''19/08/2022'''
As noted in the '''[[Of_earth_and_sky#Game_Information|Of earth and sky]]''' wind of war, we're removing the ritual ''Shroud of Fog and Ravens'' from the game. Unfortunately, this ritual is completely incompatible with Empire's magic theory and was a remnant from the very first years of the game before we had nailed down all these elements. As a consequence we are removing this ritual. Any character who has it mastered will now have an empty "slot" for mastering new rituals. The in-character explanation is that the recent conjunction of the Lock has rendered the ritual unworkable, taking away whatever strange power it relied on. We will continue to reject attempts to create similar effects in this realm using arcane projections; it is not possible to enchant armies in this way with [[Night magic]].

==Bright Lantern of Ophis==
* '''11/08/2022'''
We've added an additional line to the [[Bright_Lantern_of_Ophis#Performing_the_Ritual|performing the ritual]] section of [[Bright Lantern of Ophis]] to make it more clear that the ritual cannot be used to target other territories using the Anvil regio.

==Castellan of Spiral Castle==
* '''10/08/2022'''
We've corrected an error around the election of [[Castellan of Spiral Castle]] which suggested it would be appointed in Winter when the text indicates the appointment is (correctly) Autumn.

==Improving Opportunities==
* '''07/08/2022'''
We added a section to the page on [[opportunity|opportunities]] explaining that it's rarely possible to simply [[Opportunity#Amending._Improving.2C_and_Upgrading|improve a commission]] gained via an opportunity.

==Visions==
* '''03/08/2022'''
We've made it explicit that the visions received from [[Infusions_of_Feathers#Goosewhisper_Infusion|Goosewhisper Infusion]] and [[Signs and Portents]] are the same. If you experience one, you get the same vision from all other incidences of these kinds of visions for the rest of the event.

==Concedence==
* '''29/7/2022'''
The Constitutional Court have issued new guidance on the use of [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Concedence|concedence]] by the Imperial Senate. The new guidance grants national assemblies the right to veto a motion that cedes a region or territory assigned to that nation. This new guidance does not cover any concedence already passed by the Imperial Senate, it is not a retrospective change, it applies to any motion of Concedence passed by the Imperial Senate from Summer 384YE and onwards.

==Raising an Army==
* '''29/07/2022'''
We've amended the rules to make clear that you can only raise an army in a territory of that nation. Nobody has ever tried to raise an army somewhere else, but we wanted to be clear that that is not possible.

==Consecration==
* '''20/07/2022'''
We've updated the [[Consecration#Performance|performance]] section of the [[consecration]] skill to make it clearer that "letting a referee know in advance" means "during an event" rather than "prior to the event."

==Challenge the Iron Duke==
* '''14/07/2022'''
We've added a paragraph to the [[Challenge_the_Iron_Duke#OOC_Elements|out-of-character section]] of [[Challenge the Iron Duke]] to help players better manage their expectation of the kind of challenge or boon the ritual might provide.

==Abrogation==
* '''13/07/2022'''
We've updated the [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Abrogation|abrogation]] power of the Senate to make it clearer that when a [[commission]] is abrogated the exact effects depend on the nature of the structure affected, but generally result in the loss of any production following the summit where the motion is passed.

==Preaching and Virtue==
* '''13/07/2022'''
The Imperial Senate [[384YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Amend_membership_of_virtue_assemblies|voted]] during the Spring Equinox to change how membership of a [[Assembly#The_Virtue_Assemblies|Virtue Assembly]] was determined from relying solely on [[dedication]] to use of the new ''[[Congregation#Downtime Options|preach]]'' downtime option. We've updated the [[congregation]] and [[Assembly]] pages appropriately, as well as adding additional information to [[Synod#History|history of the Imperial Synod]], [[Imperial_Orcs_religious_beliefs#Membership_of_the_Virtue_Assemblies|Imperial Orcs religious beliefs]] and [[preachers]] pages. There are also a number of minor edits to other pages talking about the Virtue assemblies to reflect the changes.

==IC Tents==
* '''12/07/2022'''
We have discovered that the range of tents marketed as Oxford Canvas has grown to include a small number of tents that don't meet our minimum requirements for the in-character field because the colour and thickness of the material they are made from looks too much like plastic. We've clarified the [[Costume|rules]] to make clear that these types of tent are not allowed because of this.

We do understand that the tents are appealing because they are cheap and light, but we have to have a cut-off at some point otherwise we would have to allow any tent in the IC area.

We've created an amnesty to allow these ultra-light sandstone bell tents to be used for the remainder of 2022 to remove any immediate need to change.

==Naga Scales==
* '''06/07/2022'''
We've added a line to [[Naga#Scaled_Skin|scaled skin]] under naga reminding players to be sensitive to real-world considerations when choosing the colour scheme for their scales.

==Artisan's Oil==
* '''05/07/2022'''
We've changed the time required to use [[Artisan's Oil]] to ten seconds on the wiki, to bring it in line with what the majority of the item cards say.

==Ephisis' Scale==
* '''24/06/2022'''
We've made a few tweaks to [[Ephisis' Scale]], primarily around managing expectations and being more explicit about what will, and will not, be considered by the ritual effect.

==Mage Armour Masks==
* '''22/06/2022'''
We've added "''mask''" to the standard pieces that count toward a suit of [[Weapons_%26_armour#Mage_Armour|mage armour]].

==Plenipotentiary==
* '''22/06/2022'''
We've added a line to the [[archmage]] power of [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] to make it clearer that the more specific a message is, the more likely it is to result in [[Archmage#Parley|parley]].

==Drawing the Penumbral Veil==
* '''10/06/2022'''
We've updated the [[Piercing Light of Revelation]] ritual to make it explicit that the ritual does not automatically reveal the magnitude of a shroud on a territory.

==Fane==
* '''03/06/2022'''
We added a note that the new [[fane]] commission can currently be built only by the [[Senate]] or a title that can commission ''anything''. This is both because it is a specific, new kind of commission, and because it uses the Senate power of [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Concedence|concedence]].

==Penumbral Watcher==
* '''03/06/2022'''
We've changed the [[Penumbral_Watcher#Shadow_Well|Shadow Well]] power of the [[Penumbral Watcher]] so that it is a "magical effect" that targets an allied [[spy network]] rather than a "territory enchantment" to better reflect how it actually works. If it ''was'' an enchantment on the territory, it would be obvious to the Empire's enemies, and could be removed with any territory enchantment they cared to place themselves.

==Brass Coast Tally==
* '''01/06/2022'''
Following on from a statement of principle in the Brass Coast National Assembly, we've [[384YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_fortune#Sails_of_Fire|changed]] how the [[Tally of the Votes]] is done for Brass Coast national positions appointed through the Bourse. It's no longer required that a character engage in privateering to vote for such titles; ownership of a [[fleet]] resource is sufficient.

==Anointing and informed consent==
* '''01/06/2022'''
We've (again) updated [[anointing]]. A target does not need to be aware of what virtue they are being anointed with, but they ''must'' be aware that your ceremony is an anointing that will create a personal aura on them.

==Vallornspawn Husk Insight==
* '''29/05/2022'''
We've added a section to the [[vallornspawn husk]] page relating to use of the [[insight]] ceremony. It talks about the [[Vallornspawn_husk#Insight|contradictory results]] received when using the ceremony on bodies animated by the vallorn.

==Election Schedule==
* '''25/05/2022'''
We've [[New_Imperial_titles#Term|updated the wiki]] to make clear that the civil service set what event a title is elected on, if the title is reappointed each year. In practice titles have usually worked this way anyway - for example Bourse seats are all done together and so forth, but we have made clear that new Imperial titles are subject to this rule in all cases. We've done this because we need to be able to spread elections out through the year for the smooth running of the game.

==Sinecure==
* '''13/05/2022'''
Added a small section to the [[sinecure]] page explaining how [[sinecure#production|production]] of resources works.

==Titles, Tenure, and Ownership==
* '''12/05/2022'''
We've made some edits to the way [[tenure]] works for [[Imperial title|Imperial titles]], along with a short box-out explaining the reasons for the change. We've also added a new section called [[Imperial_title#Ownership|ownership]] which is intended to help manage the expectation of players who gain Imperial titles during the game.

==Dedication==
* '''11/05/2022'''
We've updated the overview of the [[Dedication#Overview|dedication]] page to remove an incorrect reference to only priests who are undedicated being able to remove a dedication.


==Imperial Orc Wayleave==
* '''18/04/2022'''
Fixed the error on the Imperial Orc Wayleave that had them only able to commission once a year. While the title is appointed in the Autumn Equinox it can announce one commission each season.

==Foam and Trees==
* '''17/04/2022'''
We've added the line "The civilian population of a territory will certainly be affected by this ritual" to both [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]] and [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees]].

==Mountain Remembers Its Youth==
* '''17/04/2022'''
We've made it clearer that [[Mountain Remembers Its Youth]] affects fortifications alongside Imperial armies as this wasn't clear from the effect text.

==Rivers Run Red / Rivers of Life==
* '''14/04/2022'''
We've added a line "''The civilian population of a territory will certainly be affected by this ritual.''" to the [[Rivers Run Red]] and [[Rivers of Life]] rituals to make it clear that these rituals will have an effect on the civilian population of a territory, not only the Imperial armies there.

==Hand of the Maker and Stamps==
* '''13/04/2022'''
We've updated [[Hand of the Maker]] to make it explicit that the special message used with [[Call Winged Messenger]] can be evaluated with this ritual as it has a Profound Decisions ID number.

==COVID Safety==
* '''24/03/2022'''
We've updated the wiki with our [[COVID safety]] measures for our events this year. Our plan is to review these measures and update many of them on the run up to each event on the basis of current conditions.

==Sinecure Production==
* '''23/03/2022'''
We've updated the [[sinecure]] page to make it clear that you still gain the production even if you didn't attend the event.

==Conduct Overhaul==
* '''20/03/2022'''
We have rewritten the Profound Decisions [[conduct]] policy. The page on [[conduct]] defines the rules that we expect all participants to follow, [[reporting a conduct problem]] provides information on the process for reporting any issue you have, and [[sanctions]] describes the steps we can take in response. We have also updated the text for the [[must-avoid policy]] to reflect the new changes. There is a description of the key changes and some of the reasoning on our [[Rules_update_2021#Conduct_Overhaul|rules update 2022]] page.

==Sutannir==
* '''17/03/2022'''
We have added a new wiki page devoted to the [[sutannir]], [[archetype|archetypal]] Freeborn priest who focuses on encouraging celebration and festivities. We've also updated [[the Brass Coast religious beliefs]] page with new information to complement the updates to the sutannir page.

==Public Auction==
* '''24/02/2022'''
We've significantly reduced the scale and scope of the public auctions carried out by civil servants at events. From now on, the auction will be restricted to lots of bourse resources, the bourse seats themselves, and a dose of true liao. A more detailed explanation of the changes and reasoning are [[Rules update 2021|presented here]].

==Sanctioned Events==
* '''07/02/2022'''
We've made several edits to our [[sanctioned events]] page, splitting some of the information onto a separate [[Sanctioned event advice]] page aimed at organisers. The main changes are around the definitions of sanctioned event styles, and the rule that all sanctioned events take place in the same chronological order in-character that they do out-of-character.

==Downtime Roleplaying and Coronavirus==
* '''27/01/2022'''
We removed the relaxed rules about online roleplaying during lockdown from the wiki, and edited references to them. The normal rules about roleplaying [[online]] and in [[downtime]] are now back in full effect.

==Wind of Mundane Silence==
* '''26/01/2022'''
We've removed the idea that the [[Wind of Mundane Silence]] can only be used to affect a powerful [[regio]]. The ritual will destroy ''any'' regio it is performed at.

==Fish People==
* '''16/01/2022'''
We've added a note to the [[Merrow]] page under "[[Merrow#What they are not|what they are not]]" to indicate that they are not fish people.

==Emphasising Agramant==
* '''13/01/2022'''
We’ve made a change to the setting we want to let you know about. From this point forward, the eternal who has been primarily known by the name Wendigo will be more commonly known as [[Agramant]]. Likewise we're changing the name of the Wendigo's Bargain item to [[Agramant's Bargain]].

We are not changing anything else about the character or tendencies of this eternal, but we are de-emphasising the name Wendigo. Agramant has always been one of Wendigo's names - so we've chosen to emphasise it as the "preferred" name for the eternal on the wiki from now on.

We've done this for several reasons. We've been aware for a while of some concerns about the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendigo origin of the name], and what that implies for our use of the eternal. We’ve reflected on that feedback and noted that while many of the other eternals make references (at variable subtlety levels) to literary, mythological, or gaming sources, Wendigo was the only one we know of with a name that is directly featured in a real-world belief system. There are no eternals called Hades, Hel, or Balor for example.

For the time being, the name Wendigo will remain one of Agramant’s less-widely used sobriquets. We'd like people to adopt this de-emphasising approach over time rather than treating this as a retcon or sudden break - for example, we know that many characters have written a lot of material about this eternal. It isn't suddenly off brief or wrong to use the original name, and there's no need to reprint IC booklets that use the name Wendigo. The name will remain one of Agramant's less widely used soubriquets. From this point forward, the eternal who has been primarily known by the name Wendigo will be more commonly known as Agramant.

==Archiving Wiki Updates==
* '''12/02/2022'''
We archived wiki updates prior to 2019. The page had long since become unwieldy due to the sheer volume of entries, and in several cases the page listed updates that were out of date or superseded by later updates. Wiki updates prior to 2019 are now held on the [[Archive:Wiki_updates_to_2018|previous wiki updates]] page in the Archive namespace.

==Frequently Asked Questions==
* '''11/01/2022'''
We've made some edits to the [[General FAQ]], and deleted both the ''obscure questions'' and ''new player FAQ'' pages. Most of the questions covered by those pages have been folded into the remaining sections.

==Calls and Blows==
* '''03/11/2021'''
We've added some words to [[Calls]] to make it clear that you can only make one call with each blow you strike.

==Iron Qanat==
* '''26/10/2021'''
We've updated the [[Segura]] page to include the presence of the Iron Qanat; this has also required a note on the [[Construct Iron Qanat II]] Senate motion that the [[great work]] is in Sobral Grasses not Yellow Chase.

==Battle Safety==
* '''22/10/2021'''
We've made some edits to streamline the [[Combat safety#Battle Safety|Battle Safety]] section on the [[combat safety]] page.

==Heroic Skills==
* '''22/10/2021'''
We've added a line to the [[heroic skills]] overview reiterating that skills such as [[Heroic skills#Cleaving Strike|cleaving strike]], [[Heroic skills#Mortal Blow|mortal blow]] or [[Heroic skills#Mighty Strikedown|mighty strikedown]] cannot be used with [[Weapons_%26_armour#Implements|mage implements]].

==Illegal Orders==
* '''22/10/2021'''
We've added a short section to the [[general]] page about [[army orders]] that are in-character illegal and how they are handled.

==Orders that Break the Rules==
* '''22/10/2021'''
We've added a clarification to the [[army orders]] page about what happens if a general accidentally submits a set of orders that break the rules on war.

==Imperial Enchantments==
* '''13/10/2021'''
We've made some adjustments to the [[:Category:Imperial Enchantment|Imperial enchantments]] - [[Wondrous Forests of the Night]], [[Hallow of the Green World]], and [[Bright Eyes Gleam in the Depths]]. The main change is to modify the ''effect'' of these rituals to better reflect how they actually operate - that they create powerful but unpredictable secondary effects as well as the more predictable effect on production of resources. We've also expanded their history a little in the ''description'' sections in the wake of the recent [[#Finalized Urizen Update|Urizen update]].

==Finalised Urizen Update==
* '''28/09/2021'''
We've finalised the Urizen update. Mostly this has meant removing the stubs from the pages but we've made a small number of changes to the content based on player feedback.
* The [[sword scholar]] section about [[Sword scholar#Costume|costume]] has been edited to remove unnecessary references and make it clearer what kind of weapons and armour the sword scholars favour.
* We modified some of the wording on the [[Urizen look and feel]] page to hopefully make it clearer
* We updated the [[costume]] page to make the wording around [[costume#Less Appropriate Costume|less appropriate]] and [[Costume#Inappropriate Costume|inappropriate]] costume clearer.
* We clarified the rules on guy ropes in the [[Costume#In-Character Tents|In-Character Tents]] section of the [[costume]] page.
* We modified the details of the [[Some_heavenly_music#Net_of_Gossamer_Chains|Net of Gossamer Chains]] ritual in the [[Some heavenly music]] wind of fortune
* We've moved the content regarding the Urizen Spring Festival to the [[Urizen culture and customs#Spring Flower Festival|culture and customs]] page.

==Privateering and Piracy==
* '''09/09/2021'''
We have added a note to the box-out about the privateering action on the [[fleet]] page to remind players that they cannot use this action to commit piracy against people the Empire is not at war with due to the [[Employ_Civil_Service_to_observe_Fleets|Civil Service observers]].

==Armour Coverage==
* '''09/09/2021'''
We have updated the armour rules to make clear that a full breastplate that covers the front only is sufficient to be classed as "covering the majority of the torso". This means it will provide extra hits provided your armour also covers one other location.

==Urizen Politics Update==
* '''07/09/2021'''
As part of our review of Urizen, we've changed the way the nation appoints [[senator|senators]]. You can read about the changes [[Urizen leadership#Leading a territory|here]] and a discussion of the reasons and in-character explanation for them can be found [[Rules_update_2021#Urizen_Elections|here]].

==Urizen Culture Update==
* '''07/09/2021'''
We've undertaken an extensive review of the Urizen pages on the wiki. Almost all the pages that form part of the Urizen brief have been updated. You can learn more about the reasoning for this and the way the changes are being handled in the [[Rules_update_2021#Urizen_Culture|Rules Update]]. A brief summary of the changes follows here.
* We've updated [[Urizen]], [[Urizen people]], [[Urizen culture and customs]], [[Urizen leadership]], [[Urizen economic interests]], [[Urizen religious beliefs]], [[Urizen military concerns]] and [[Urizen magical traditions]]
* We've greatly expanded the [[Urizen history]] page
* We've added significantly to the [[spire]] page and created an [[Urizen groups]] page (which will also serve as a template for similar pages in other nations)
* We've extensively overhauled [[Urizen look and feel]] in line with our new [[costume]] guidelines
* We've added or updated pages for all the Urizen archetypes: [[arbiter]], [[architect]], [[illuminate]], [[mage]], [[seer]], [[sentinel]], [[stargazer]], [[sword scholar]], [[torchbearer]], [[questor]]
* We've added the rituals placed into [[Urizen magical traditions#urizen lore|Urizen lore]]
* We've added a page for the historical figure [[Sulemaine]]
Some tweaks have been made (or are in the process of being made) to various pages that are connected to these changes.

==Costume==
* '''07/09/2021'''
We've completed rewritten the [[costume]] page to lay out clearer guidelines for the various ways costume is used at Empire.

==Vallorn Miasma==
* '''20/08/2021'''
Added a line of OOC explanation to the [[Vallorn#Vallorn miasma|vallorn miasma]] section of the [[vallorn]] page to make it explicit how exposure to the miasma works.

==Armour==
*'''2/7/2021'''
We have changed the [[Weapons & armour#Armour|classification and benefits provided by armour]] and introduced the [[Combat skills#Dreadnought|dreadnought]] skill. Please see the [[Rules_update_2021|2021 rules update]] for the explanation and reasoning behind the changes.

==Others Languages==
*'''28/06/2021'''
We've added a section to [[languages]] giving guidance on languages other than those currently placed in the setting which you can find [[Languages#Other_Languages|here]].

==Regio at Sanctioned Events==
* '''28/06/2021'''
We've added a section to the [[Sanctioned events]] guidance about [[regio]] which you can find [[Sanctioned_events#Regio|here]].

==Lineage Review==
* '''06/05/2021'''
We've completed the first stage of a review of the [[lineage]] pages. This stage has been largely cosmetic, removing bullet points and replacing them with linkable headings on the [[briar]], [[cambion]], [[changeling]], [[draughir]], [[merrow]] and [[naga]] pages.

One more significant change is that we have moved the "demeanour" trappings from the "physical trappings" section of each of the pages to the roleplaying section. This is in line with the requirement that to have lineage you must have a physical trapping.

In the case of merrow, we have also moved [[Merrow#Blue-green Hair|blue-green hair]] from being a minor trapping to being an "[[Merrow#Other_trappings|other trapping]]".

==Distil the Serpent's Stone==
* '''21/04/2021'''
We've corrected the magnitude on the [[Distil the Serpent's Stone]] page to match the correct magnitude on the database and in the rituals list. It should have been magnitude 100 rather than magnitude 70.

==Icons and Artistry==
* '''01/03/2021'''
We've removed the "Icons and Artistry" pages for each nation, and rolled that information into the individual Culture and Customs pages. In some cases this has meant moving some information from Look and Feel as well, or altering the layout of the page (for example we've reordered the information about art and history on the [[Wintermark culture and customs]] page to create two new subsections of [[Wintermark culture and customs|Scops]] and [[Wintermark culture and customs|Riddles]] while moving the discussion of music to the new [[Wintermark culture and customs|Icons and Artistry]] section).
* [[The_Brass_Coast_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|The Brass Coast]]
* [[Dawn_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Dawn]]
* [[Highguard_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Highguard]]
* [[Imperial_Orcs_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Imperial Orcs]]
* [[The_League_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|The League]]
* [[The_Marches_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|The Marches]]
* [[Navarr_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Navarr]]
* [[Urizen_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Urizen]]
* [[Varushka_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Varushka]]
* [[Wintermark_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Wintermark]]

==Erawayugot and Skaftafell==
* '''23/02/2021'''
We've corrected an error with the regions of Otkodov where we'd erroneously labelled both a region of [[Verthandi]] and a region of Nithoggir as "Erawayugot". Bringing the wiki into line with the database, we've changed the name of the Erawayugot in Verthandi to Skaftafell and will update the maps appropriately.

==Military Units, Army Orders, and Enchantments==
* '''17/02/2021'''
We've added a line to [[Military_unit#Support_Army|Military units]] to make it more obvious how their strength interacts with orders given to, and enchantments placed on, the [[Army|armies]] they support.

==Still Waters, Running Deep==
* '''10/02/2021'''
We've adjusted the magnitude of the [[Still Waters, Running Deep]] ritual to be correct as near as we can tell. We have no idea why the magnitude was recorded in error.

==Burning Falcon==
* '''05/02/2021'''
We've adjusted the date of the destruction of the [[Burning Falcon]] army from 247YE to 248YE to remove a conflict with details of the [[campaigns of Emperor Guntherm]]. In-character this correction comes as result of some research performed by [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] scholar Bakar i Erigo (Tomas Marchington).

Rivers of Life

2026-09-10T12:44:17Z

Rafferty: /* Description */

==Rules==
{{Season|Spring|50}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|10}} {{Imperial Reduction}}

{{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 [[army|armies]], [[navy|navies]], and [[fortification#Garrison|garrisons]] fighting in the targeted territory are halved.

{{Territory Effects}}

This ritual removes the [[Rivers Run Red]] [[curse]], and is in turn removed by that ritual.

{{Season Duration}}

===Rivers Run Riot===
Rivers of Life replaces [[Rivers Run Red]], and also is replaced by it. Note that, since the start of the Autumn Equinox 388YE, each curse no longer simply removes the other, instead replacing it.

==Description==
''Rivers of Life'' fills the rivers, streams and lakes of a territory with healing power and invigorating energies that refresh and restore those who bathe in or drink from them. Inhabitants of the area will benefit from hale and hearty health, but it is of most use to the commanders of armies as any wounded and injured soldiers who use the waters will heal far more quickly than normal. It is the obvious counterpart of, and counter to, [[Rivers Run Red]] and some magicians call it ''Rivers Run Green'' as a consequence.

This [[curse]] supports any army with the wit and awareness to make use of the enchanted rivers, not just Imperial armies. Even a large enough force of wild beasts to qualify as an 'army' could well benefit as they naturally seek out such water sources. The ritual can occasionally backfire; it is at its most effective when allied troops are significantly outnumbered in the targeted area - the casualties they inflict on their enemies will be reduced, but the more beleaguered they are the more effective the reduction in their own casualties becomes.

As with ''Rivers Run Red'', the ritual is sometimes mired in controversy. [[Navarr]] magicians for example are concerned that using it on any territory containing a [[vallorn]] may be disastrous; they argue that the last thing that fecund horror needs is a massive infusion of [[Spring magic]] specifically designed to promote [[Spring_magic#Fertility|fertility]]. Indeed, there is real concern that exposing the vallorn to this ritual might promote its growth, so much so that there are no recorded incidents of the magic being used in [[Liathaven]], [[Hercynia]], or [[Brocéliande]] - and not even in [[Miaren]] despite the fact the vallorn has been neutralised there - without it being swiftly countered. There is one instance of the ritual being cast in [[Therunin]] during the Spring Equinox 377YE by the '''Spire of Shattered Art Reforged''' of [[Urizen]] to no noticeable effect on the vallorn; researchers point to a rare conjunction of [[the Door]] and [[the Wanderer]] that season as to why the situation might not be trustworthy for potential further applications of the ritual. Furthermore, the [[orc|orcs]] of [[the Mallum]] are known to make use of this ritual, or one very like it, meaning that it is sometimes seen as a "[[Druj]] trick", especially in nations that border that benighted eastern nation.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><box>'''A Very Peculiar Curse'''<br>
Rivers of Life is peculiar because it is a curse that has effects that can be beneficial, which is at odds with the way curses usually operate. In practice, it is a curse for game design reasons - it needs to parallel [[Rivers Run Red]] which is certainly malign in its effect. If it were an enchantment it would be much easier to remove, due to the restrictions of a single enchantment per target, both for the Empire and their enemies. In practice, while the effects are often described as positive, there are plenty of circumstances where Imperial strategy does not ''want'' reduced casualties on both sides of a conflict. Furthermore, the power of the curse is indiscriminate, and unlike a purely beneficial enchantment there is potential for the magic to cause very unpleasant side effects - such as if it were cast in a [[vallorn]] territory for example.<br><br>Furthermore, Rivers of Life does something that only one other ritual in Imperial lore does - directly impact the outcome of a campaign battle by changing the way casualties are calculated. In the past there have been efforts to replicate this effect with [[arcane projection|arcane projections]] to varying degrees of success. Going forward, it's worth noting that unlike other magical effects from multiple sources, it is ''not'' possible to "stack" several effects that change casualties in a territory. Only the most powerful applies a reduction (or increase) to a campaign battle.<br><br>For these reasons alone, Rivers of Life is a very bad ritual to use as the basis for an arcane projection; it doesn't work quite the same way as other large-scale magics do and anything that draws on it for inspiration has a high risk of failure. Sometimes magic is just like that.</box></div>
The [[Thule]] are apparently great proponents of this effect; it preserves life and promotes growth and there is every indication it is regularly used in [[Otkodov]]. Indeed, they seem to have maintained a shroud of "beneficial" Spring magic uninterrupted over [[Sermersuaq]] ever since they [[Accept_Thule_peace_treaty|took custody]] of the [[Sermersuaq#Silver Peaks|Silver Peaks]] in 379YE. There is evidence this has greatly expanded the herds and fisheries of that northern [[Wintermark]] nation - but also highlighted one of the potential dangers of over-reliance on ''Rivers of Life''. The fecundity of the animals in Sermersuaq is tied to the bountiful power of the magic, and if it were discontinued it is likely there would be massive die-off of creatures no longer sustained by the life-giving power. It's also been noted by some critics of the Thule that they are not using the curse in other Imperial territories where they have a presence. Is there a reason for this, they ask? So far, the Thule have remained silent on the matter.

The ritual is known to be a favourite of [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]]. Indeed, it appears that the [[Conclave]] originally placed him under [[alignment#enmity|enmity]] due to his enthusiasm for ensuring every battle in the Empire took place under its aegis. Since his [[Ossegrahn#Enmity|reconciliation with the Empire]] in 383YE he has offered [[Rain_king|several boons]] that make performing the ritual easier. Those who are still suspicious of Ossegrahn see this as just another reason to be cautious of this ritual curse.

At the end of the day, the mystery surrounding ''Rivers of Life'' are compounded by the fact it is a curse and not an [[enchantment]]. The indiscriminate nature of the Spring magic it invokes means that, in theory at least, the effects could be disruptive and dangerous as those of ''Rivers Run Red'' - if the circumstances were right.

The ritual underwent a [[A_habit_I_can%27t_break#Rivers_Red_and_Lively|significant change]] that was noted at the start of the Autumn Equinox 388YE. Rivers Run Red and Rivers of Life no longer simply removed each other, instead ''replacing'' each other. The existing ritual fails and the second takes full effect. Once one of them is in effect, it isn't possible to just remove it - only shift whether it is keeping death at bay or attracting it. At the same time it seems that the generally held belief that there is no way to replicate Rivers of Life or Rivers Run Red with another realm of magic is no longer the case. The [[Unfettered Mind]] in particular are of the opinion that [[Winter magic]] can create similar effects - but that they would have the same relationship to each other and to the Spring rituals. That is, if a notional Winter "Rivers of Life" were cast on a territory under one of the Spring curses, it would replace that curse, and vice versa. The theory is that the effects of the two Rivers spells (and their Winter equivalents) somehow occupy the same "space" in the magical make-up of a territory, and that "space" can only hold one ritual at a time.

==Common Elements==
Pure water, or other wholesome liquid, usually takes a central role in the performance of this ritual. Many magicians, especially those from [[the Brass Coast]], favour rain water - the fresher the better. In [[the League]] and [[Dawn]] magicians may favour fine wine over water, the finer the better. Saltwater is rarely used except in an emergency; the dangers of drinking it mean it resonates poorly with the magic of the ritual. A [[blood magic|blood magician]] will often mix in blood donated by [[Surgical skills#Physick|physick]], especially one who has experience of healing on a battlefield. The container for the liquid may also be significant; a cauldron, chalice, or ewer is most common, often made of simple materials and unadorned.

A map that depicts the target territory, or an object symbolic of it, is often used as a focus for the ritual. It is often drenched during the casting, although sometimes the map itself is created by pouring liquid onto dry sand, quickly tracing the rough contours of the rivers and lakes that are part of the target territory. In [[Highguard]] it is more common to eschew a focus on the territory, and instead focus on the act of [[Highguard_culture_and_customs#Washing_and_cleanliness|washing and purifying]], especially where someone born in the target territory can be included in the ceremony.

The runes [[Bravash]] and [[Hirmok]] are commonly used during this ritual, and the constellation of [[The Chalice]] is often invoked. A [[dramaturgy|dramaturgist]] will likely evoke [[the Garden]], although the question of whether they include [[the Doctor]], [[the Witch]], or [[the Mountebank]] is said to reveal much about the inner nature of the coven involved. A master of [[Aspect magic#Heraldic Magic|heraldic magician]] might evoke the [[Legendary_beasts#Firebird|firebird]] or [[Legendary_beasts#Hydra|hydra]], depending on how they feel about the nature of the ritual; a [[Aspect_magic#Goetia|goeticist]] traditionally evokes [[Yaw'nagrah]], although with the reconciliation between the [[Conclave]] and [[Ossegrahn]], some of that eternal's many names might be substituted instead.

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

Rivers Run Red

2026-09-10T12:44:04Z

Rafferty: /* Description */

{{Interdicted|ritual|[[381YE_Autumn_Equinox_Conclave_sessions|Autumn 381YE]]}}
==Rules==
{{Season|Spring|50}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|10}} {{Imperial Reduction}}

{{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 [[army|armies]], [[navy|navies]], and [[Fortification#Garrison|garrisons]] fighting in the targeted territory are doubled.

{{Territory Effects}}

{{Season Duration}}
===Rivers Run Riot===
Rivers Run Red replaces [[Rivers of Life]], and also is replaced by it. Note that, since the [[A_habit_I_can%27t_break#Rivers_Red_and_Lively|start of the Autumn Equinox 388YE]], each curse no longer simply removes the other, instead replacing it. The existing ritual fails and the second takes full effect. Once one of them is in effect, it isn't possible to just remove it - only shift whether it is keeping death at bay or attracting it.

==Description==
Where [[Rivers of Life]] fills the water in a territory with potent life-giving power, ''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.

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. The [[Druj]] in particular are known to make regular use of magic similar to this ritual, ensuring that those who dare to engage them in battle pay a terrible price for doing so, even as their own warriors die in their droves.

For the common inhabitants, this means a miserable time. Death is significantly more likely from otherwise preventable causes, and sickness runs rampant. Its effects are of particular worry to the commanders of armies. The stinking mud and noisome rivers drain energy and slowly poison soldiers in the area. Even bottles of wine, barrels of beer, or fresh water in waterskins may be slowly influenced by this [[curse]]. Warriors who receive severe, but not life-threatening, injuries often succumb to them rather than recovering. Even relatively minor wounds can become infected, leading to fever, delirium, and death. There are cases of simple insect bites that lead to a doughty warrior taking ill in the evening and being dead by the next morning.

Much as with Rivers of Life, the ritual has fascinated Imperial magicians for centuries. It has a dramatic impact, but creating similar magical effects in other realms or which impact different elements of a [[Campaign outcome|military campaign]] have proved impossible without peculiar and unpredictable [[astronomancy|conjunctions]]. Attempts to codify magic such as the Winter wind that exacerbated the situation in the Mournwold, for example, have been fruitless. Likewise, efforts to create similar curses or [[enchantment|enchantments]] that fill a [[territory]] with magic in the hope of influencing the effectiveness of [[Army|armies]] have ended in failure. It is possible there is an [[eternal]] involved, but unlike rituals such as [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] there has never been any hint that this is the case. Perhaps, like the peculiar properties of [[Traitor's Fate]] that allow its effects to be [[Traitor%27s_Fate#Option|made permanent]] for a single ring of [[ilium]], this is simply an example of a deeper mystery that will never be solved.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><box>'''A Poor Template'''<br>
Rivers Run Red parallels [[Rivers of Life]], although it is much clearer that it is a curse. Like that ritual, it directly impacts the outcome of a campaign battle by changing the way casualties are calculated, and some of the commentary around that ritual also applies here. Going forward, it's worth noting that unlike other magical effects from multiple sources, it is ''not'' possible to "stack" several effects that change casualties in a territory. Only the most powerful applies a reduction (or increase) to a campaign battle. Like Rivers of Life, it doesn't work quite the same way as other large-scale magics do and anything that draws on it for inspiration has a high risk of failure. Sometimes magic is just like that.</box></div>
In Winter 380YE, Rivers Run Red was one of two rituals cast on the [[Mournwold]] during the [[381YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Let_That_Be_Your_Last_Battlefield_.28Mournwold.29|bloody battle]] with the [[Jotun]]. An absolutely ''astonishing'' number of people - [[orc|orcs]] and humans alike - died as a direct consequence. The combination of Rivers Run Red and an eerie, sighing [[Winter magic|Winter]] wind killed a sixth of the civilian population across the Mournwold as well as more than half of the remaining population of the [[Mournwold#Greensward|Greensward]] where most of the fighting took place. There was [[All along the watchtower|extensive backlash]] from the Marches, and [[Empress Lisabetta]] herself became involved. Ultimately the Conclave chose to interdict the ritual, which helped to salve some of the anger from the Mournwold, but it quickly became clear that if that interdiction were removed any time soon there will be significant consequences. Indeed, questions about the Conclave's commitment to the interdiction arguably led to [[Tend_to_the_Flame#What_We_Need_Most|renewed calls]] for the creation of the [[Interdiction#Remorse|Declaration of Remorse]] as a way to permanently remove the ritual and similar curses from [[Formulaic_ritual#Imperial_Lore_and_the_Ritual_List|Imperial lore]]. One positive consequence of the enduring interdiction, at least in the Marches, is that it encouraged some [[landskeeper|landskeepers]] to offer to help [[farm]] owners there [[Honey and vinegar|augment their land]] with specially crafted menhirs. These allowed them to [[farm#Diversification|diversify]] their farms so that they could produce small amounts of crystal mana to support magicians who worked to keep the ritual from ever being performed again.

The ritual underwent a [[A_habit_I_can%27t_break#Rivers_Red_and_Lively|significant change]] that was noted at the start of the Autumn Equinox 388YE. Rivers Run Red and Rivers of Life no longer simply removed each other, instead ''replacing'' each other. The existing ritual fails and the second takes full effect. Once one of them is in effect, it isn't possible to just remove it - only shift whether it is keeping death at bay or attracting it. At the same time it seems that the generally held belief that there is no way to replicate Rivers of Life or Rivers Run Red with another realm of magic is no longer the case. The [[Unfettered Mind]] in particular are of the opinion that [[Winter magic]] can create similar effects - but that they would have the same relationship to each other and to the Spring rituals. That is, if a notional Winter "Rivers of Life" were cast on a territory under one of the Spring curses, it would replace that curse, and vice versa. The theory is that the effects of the two Rivers spells (and their Winter equivalents) somehow occupy the same "space" in the magical make-up of a territory, and that "space" can only hold one ritual at a time.

==Common Elements==
Liquid of some kind often serves as a focus for this ritual. Pure water or fine wine that is befouled with mud or blood during the performance is especially popular. Symbols of death and sickness may be used, especially invocations of flies, mosquitos and other vermin. A map or symbol of the target territory may be employed, ultimately drenched or destroyed with filthy liquid or blood. The malign nature of the ritual often sees magicians wearing masks or cowls - which serve the dual purpose of guarding them from any potential for stray strands of magic that might sicken them, and protecting them from identification by those who might oppose the casting.

The runes [[Rhyv]], [[Kyrop]] and [[Mawrig]] are commonly used during this ritual, and the constellation of [[The Drowned Shepherd]] is often evoked. A [[Aspect magic#Heraldic Magic|heraldic magician]] might evoke the [[Legendary_beasts#Hydra|hydra]] or the [[Legendary_beasts#Sphinxes_and_Manticores|manticore]], while a master of [[Aspect_magic#Beast_Magic|beast magic]] would invoke venomous beasts (although [[the Marches|Marcher]] magicians also include those vermin dangerous to crops such as crows and rats). A [[dramaturgy|dramaturge]] likely evokes [[the Garden]], subverting it with sickness and poison and perhaps ultimately transforming it into [[the Tomb]] with the use of [[the Cup]]. While a [[Aspect_magic#Goetia|goetic]] magician most likely evokes [[Arhallogen]], or perhaps [[Llofir]], the malign nature of the ritual means that [[the Thrice-cursed Court]] or [[Agramant]] might also be evoked despite the ritual being firmly part of [[Spring magic]].

==Further Reading==
* [[Honey_and_vinegar#Rolling_Stones|Honey and vinegar]] - 383YE Spring Wind of Fortune detailing landskeeper aid to the Marches
* [[All along the watchtower]] - 381YE Summer Wind of Fortune about the backlash against Rivers Run Red and the Empire
* [[Watered with fears]] - 381YE Spring Wind of Fortune about the consequences in the Mournwold
* [[381YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Let_That_Be_Your_Last_Battlefield_.28Mournwold.29|Let that be your last battlefield]] - 381YE Spring Wind of Fortune in the Mournwold
[[Category:Spring Ritual]]
[[Category:Rituals]]
[[Category:Warfare]]

Rivers Run Red

2026-09-10T12:41:58Z

Rafferty: /* Rivers Run Riot */

{{Interdicted|ritual|[[381YE_Autumn_Equinox_Conclave_sessions|Autumn 381YE]]}}
==Rules==
{{Season|Spring|50}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|10}} {{Imperial Reduction}}

{{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 [[army|armies]], [[navy|navies]], and [[Fortification#Garrison|garrisons]] fighting in the targeted territory are doubled.

{{Territory Effects}}

{{Season Duration}}
===Rivers Run Riot===
Rivers Run Red replaces [[Rivers of Life]], and also is replaced by it. Note that, since the [[A_habit_I_can%27t_break#Rivers_Red_and_Lively|start of the Autumn Equinox 388YE]], each curse no longer simply removes the other, instead replacing it. The existing ritual fails and the second takes full effect. Once one of them is in effect, it isn't possible to just remove it - only shift whether it is keeping death at bay or attracting it.

==Description==
Where [[Rivers of Life]] fills the water in a territory with potent life-giving power, ''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.

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. The [[Druj]] in particular are known to make regular use of magic similar to this ritual, ensuring that those who dare to engage them in battle pay a terrible price for doing so, even as their own warriors die in their droves.

For the common inhabitants, this means a miserable time. Death is significantly more likely from otherwise preventable causes, and sickness runs rampant. Its effects are of particular worry to the commanders of armies. The stinking mud and noisome rivers drain energy and slowly poison soldiers in the area. Even bottles of wine, barrels of beer, or fresh water in waterskins may be slowly influenced by this [[curse]]. Warriors who receive severe, but not life-threatening, injuries often succumb to them rather than recovering. Even relatively minor wounds can become infected, leading to fever, delirium, and death. There are cases of simple insect bites that lead to a doughty warrior taking ill in the evening and being dead by the next morning.

Much as with Rivers of Life, the ritual has fascinated Imperial magicians for centuries. It has a dramatic impact, but creating similar magical effects in other realms or which impact different elements of a [[Campaign outcome|military campaign]] have proved impossible without peculiar and unpredictable [[astronomancy|conjunctions]]. Attempts to codify magic such as the Winter wind that exacerbated the situation in the Mournwold, for example, have been fruitless. Likewise, efforts to create similar curses or [[enchantment|enchantments]] that fill a [[territory]] with magic in the hope of influencing the effectiveness of [[Army|armies]] have ended in failure. It is possible there is an [[eternal]] involved, but unlike rituals such as [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] there has never been any hint that this is the case. Perhaps, like the peculiar properties of [[Traitor's Fate]] that allow its effects to be [[Traitor%27s_Fate#Option|made permanent]] for a single ring of [[ilium]], this is simply an example of a deeper mystery that will never be solved.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><box>'''A Poor Template'''<br>
Rivers Run Red parallels [[Rivers of Life]], although it is much clearer that it is a curse. Like that ritual, it directly impacts the outcome of a campaign battle by changing the way casualties are calculated, and some of the commentary around that ritual also applies here. Going forward, it's worth noting that unlike other magical effects from multiple sources, it is ''not'' possible to "stack" several effects that change casualties in a territory. Only the most powerful applies a reduction (or increase) to a campaign battle. Like Rivers of Life, it doesn't work quite the same way as other large-scale magics do and anything that draws on it for inspiration has a high risk of failure. Sometimes magic is just like that.</box></div>
In Winter 380YE, Rivers Run Red was one of two rituals cast on the [[Mournwold]] during the [[381YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Let_That_Be_Your_Last_Battlefield_.28Mournwold.29|bloody battle]] with the [[Jotun]]. An absolutely ''astonishing'' number of people - [[orc|orcs]] and humans alike - died as a direct consequence. The combination of Rivers Run Red and an eerie, sighing [[Winter magic|Winter]] wind killed a sixth of the civilian population across the Mournwold as well as more than half of the remaining population of the [[Mournwold#Greensward|Greensward]] where most of the fighting took place. There was [[All along the watchtower|extensive backlash]] from the Marches, and [[Empress Lisabetta]] herself became involved. Ultimately the Conclave chose to interdict the ritual, which helped to salve some of the anger from the Mournwold, but it quickly became clear that if that interdiction were removed any time soon there will be significant consequences. Indeed, questions about the Conclave's commitment to the interdiction arguably led to [[Tend_to_the_Flame#What_We_Need_Most|renewed calls]] for the creation of the [[Interdiction#Remorse|Declaration of Remorse]] as a way to permanently remove the ritual and similar curses from [[Formulaic_ritual#Imperial_Lore_and_the_Ritual_List|Imperial lore]]. One positive consequence of the enduring interdiction, at least in the Marches, is that it encouraged some [[landskeeper|landskeepers]] to offer to help [[farm]] owners there [[Honey and vinegar|augment their land]] with specially crafted menhirs. These allowed them to [[farm#Diversification|diversify]] their farms so that they could produce small amounts of crystal mana to support magicians who worked to keep the ritual from ever being performed again.

==Common Elements==
Liquid of some kind often serves as a focus for this ritual. Pure water or fine wine that is befouled with mud or blood during the performance is especially popular. Symbols of death and sickness may be used, especially invocations of flies, mosquitos and other vermin. A map or symbol of the target territory may be employed, ultimately drenched or destroyed with filthy liquid or blood. The malign nature of the ritual often sees magicians wearing masks or cowls - which serve the dual purpose of guarding them from any potential for stray strands of magic that might sicken them, and protecting them from identification by those who might oppose the casting.

The runes [[Rhyv]], [[Kyrop]] and [[Mawrig]] are commonly used during this ritual, and the constellation of [[The Drowned Shepherd]] is often evoked. A [[Aspect magic#Heraldic Magic|heraldic magician]] might evoke the [[Legendary_beasts#Hydra|hydra]] or the [[Legendary_beasts#Sphinxes_and_Manticores|manticore]], while a master of [[Aspect_magic#Beast_Magic|beast magic]] would invoke venomous beasts (although [[the Marches|Marcher]] magicians also include those vermin dangerous to crops such as crows and rats). A [[dramaturgy|dramaturge]] likely evokes [[the Garden]], subverting it with sickness and poison and perhaps ultimately transforming it into [[the Tomb]] with the use of [[the Cup]]. While a [[Aspect_magic#Goetia|goetic]] magician most likely evokes [[Arhallogen]], or perhaps [[Llofir]], the malign nature of the ritual means that [[the Thrice-cursed Court]] or [[Agramant]] might also be evoked despite the ritual being firmly part of [[Spring magic]].

==Further Reading==
* [[Honey_and_vinegar#Rolling_Stones|Honey and vinegar]] - 383YE Spring Wind of Fortune detailing landskeeper aid to the Marches
* [[All along the watchtower]] - 381YE Summer Wind of Fortune about the backlash against Rivers Run Red and the Empire
* [[Watered with fears]] - 381YE Spring Wind of Fortune about the consequences in the Mournwold
* [[381YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Let_That_Be_Your_Last_Battlefield_.28Mournwold.29|Let that be your last battlefield]] - 381YE Spring Wind of Fortune in the Mournwold
[[Category:Spring Ritual]]
[[Category:Rituals]]
[[Category:Warfare]]

The bargain store

2026-09-09T19:22:32Z

Rafferty:

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<ic>"What even is a bargain!" The mountebank's question was clearly rhetorical. "In Doctor Samiana di Holberg's ''Big Book of All the Words'' it is defined as "something sold at a price that advantages the purchaser, while still providing advantages to the vendor that are all too often invisible."

There was muttering and nodding from the crowd.

"I however have a different definition, and after today, friends and strangers, I think you will share my understanding." Leia was really getting into her role now, feeling the spirit of ''the'' Mountebank grabbing her tongue and set her words aflame. She had the crowd in the palm of her hand. "For me - and for you folk lucky enough to be here in the markets today - a bargain is a ''once in a lifetime opportunity''! A ''unique and never to be repeated chance'' for ''you'' to acquire the finest jewels of the far west! Magical treasures the like of which no Imperial artisan can hope to replicate! Spices that transform even the most mundane of street-food into a feast for the senses! And now... do I have a volunteeer to demonstrate the amazing properties of the merchandise I have to sell you today?"

She resisted winking at Mecuto, as he stepped up with a pugnacious expression and began his spiel about how he didn't believe any of this. Before he could really get into the swing of it however, a heavy hand fell on his shoulder and he was jerked back into the crowd. In his place stepped out one of the Lantern Wolf's agents, grinning from ear to ear.

"This sounds amazing!" she said, eyes wide with practiced innocence. "I'd be more than happy to volunteer to show these good people the true worth of your goods!"

''Bugger'', thought Leia, feeling the Mountebank's inspiration drain out through her feet like water from a bathtub when the plug was pulled. This was ''not'' going to go well.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=EphisisArt.jpg|align=left|width=300}} </div>
==Overview==
* '''In addition to deals and serives, certain specific goods are available from the City of Gold and Lead during the Autumn Equinox'''
The [[Ephisis|City of Gold and Lead]] deals with the Empire through the use of a unique ritual - [[Ephisis' Scale]] - that allows trade in all kinds of valuable items drawn from all over the world. As well as general deals for familiar goods, the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] of the eternal market sometimes serve as go-betweens for specific offers. These offers often come from mortal magicians looking to smooth over the challenges of transporting valuable goods over distances, but the ''Eternal Bazaar'' is equally happy to represent the other cities of the [[Realms#Autumn|Iron Labyrinth]].

Some arrangements have already been discussed in the [[Not from the benevolence]] wind of fortune which is a counterpart to this one. Here, we lay out some specific deals for Imperial traders to purchase specific goods from named buyers. Each is only available during the Autumn Equinox, and each requires the casters of ''Ephisis' Scale'' to clearly indicate the deal they wish to take advantage of.
==Bonds and Bars==
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Lictors001a.webp|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''The lictors have arranged for Imperial magicians to gain access to objects from the City of Bar and Bond
* '''These items will be delivered before the Winter Solstice 388YE
The [[Archmage of Autumn]], '''Ashborn Trosk''' has apparently invited the [[Lictors|City of Bar and Bond]] to arrange an Autumn market. The ''Brass Magistrates'' themselves have [[Here_you_come_again#Bonds|organised a bond auction]] in the Hall of Worlds, but they have also engaged with the City of Gold and Lead. While they are creatures of the [[realms#Autumn|Iron Labyrinth]] the ''Steel Judges'' are not merchants; but they see no reason not to make use of those who are. During the Autumn Equinox the ''Infinite Market'' will serve as go-betweens to sell goods provided by the ''Gaolers'' for use by Imperial citizens.

During the Autumn Equinox, any number of these deals can be secured with a single box. During the Equinox, any box that contains a 6" by 6" [[Hirmok]] rune will be processed by the brokers representing the Lictors. The rune must be included along with a list of which items it is that the magicians hope to purchase. The details will be checked during the Sunday meeting, and assuming everything is satisfactory, the goods will be provided before the Winter Solstice.

The following deals are on offer from the ''Masters of the Green Iron Prison''.
===Rod of the Gaoler===
* '''A Rod of the Gaoler allows the wielder to cast the entangle spell and to do so three times a day without spending personal mana'''
* '''This item can be acquired for 25 Green Iron'''
This [[:Category:Rods|magical rod]] is used by servants of the Lictors to prevent prisoners from fleeing. The wielder - who must be a [[magical skills#Magician|magician]] - can always cast the [[entangle]] spell as if they knew it, and three times each day they can do so without expending any personal mana. Usually made of heavy-duty metal, the rod can obviously be used as a bludgeon as well should it prove needful to perform a beat-down on a particularly recalcitrant prisoner. As with most items crafted by the Lictors, it also has a subtle [[roleplaying effect|aura]] that gently urges those wielding it to capture those who they suspect of breaking the law and hand them over to the appropriate authorities.

===Lawkeeper's Truncheon===
* '''A Lawkeepers Truncheon allows the wielder to call ENTANGLE once per day while wielding the weapon'''
* '''This item can be acquired for 7 Ambergelt'''
A counterpart to the [[#Rod of the Gaoler|Rod of the Gaoler]], this [[:Category:One-handed Weapons|one-handed weapon]] can be used to call [[entangle]] once per day. It follows the rules for a [[Calls#Heroic_Calls|heroic call]] rather than a spell, meaning it can be employed by a wielder who is not versed in magic or indeed one wearing full armour. The item bears a similar aura to the Rod of the Gaoler, urging the bearer to keep the peace and defend the law.

===Binding Chains===
* '''Binding Chains allow the wearer to cast entangle twice per day without expending personal mana, provided they already know how to cast the spell'''
* '''This item can be acquired for 9 Green Iron'''
A set of ''Entangling Chains'' are a [[:Category:Mage Armour|mage armour]] component that is generally crafted in the form of literal chains, often with locks, worn crossed over the torso or bound around the arms and wrists. They function in a similar manner to a [[Splintering Gorget]] or [[Wyvernsting Spaulders]], allowing a [[Magical_skills#Battle_Mage|battle mage]] vesed in the [[entangle]] spell to cast it twice a day without expending personal mana. This is apparently the "least" of the mage armour sets the Lictors create in the Green Iron Prison, but they have not made any of their more powerful pieces available this season. It also comes with an aura that urges the wearer to actively encourage others to obey the law and abide by the strictures of society.

===Mask of the Magistrate===
* '''A Mask of the Magistrate provides a 2 rank bonus to perform Stance of the Constricting Scourge, Brazen Claws of the Lictor, and Inescapable Chains of Bitter Glass'''
* '''In addition the wearer can spend a point of personal mana to gain a source of spiritual strength to overcome roleplaying effects that cause them to doubt their judgement or abandon their duty'''
* '''This item can be acquired for 25 Green Iron'''
The ''Mask of the Magistrate'' is usually a full-face covering affair made of metal or leather, featureless save for eye holes. It is generally created to be as unsettling and intimidating as possible. A [[:Category:Foci|magical focus]], it allows a ritual magician adept in [[Autumn magic]] to wield additional power when contributing to [[Stance of the Constricting Scourge]], [[Brazen Claws of the Lictor]], and [[Inescapable Chains of Bitter Glass]]. More subtly, the mask bears an influential aura that can be called on (through the expenditure of a point of personal mana) as a source of spiritual strength to resist [[roleplaying effects]] that would cause the wearer to doubt their judgement or abandon their duty.

===Ritual Scroll===
* '''The Lictors offer two ritual scrolls to Imperial citizens'''
* '''The first is a curse that weakens a target for a year but can be removed easily by the caster'''
* '''The second is an enchantment that allows a warrior to entangle opponents'''
* '''Any number of these can be purchased by people prepared to pay the price'''
The lictors are not only about [[magic items]]; they also have an interest in magic, especially that dealing with binding. They are already offering a mystic scroll [[Here_you_come_again#Bonds|that summons Furious Warders]] as a reward for capturing the fugitive ''Ringsnap '' who attempted to break into the Green Iron Prison. In addition they are offering two other ritual scrolls during the Autumn Equinox to magicians interested in purchasing their aid.

Ritual scrolls are a rare type of arcane document similar to a [[ritual text]] but much more limited. They can't be placed in lore or used directly to perform any magic - instead they are activated items that contain the knowledge of a ritual. When activated, up to a dozen magicians who are able to master a new ritual (have an empty ritual slot) can master the ritual they contain. The magicians don't have to be from the same coven, or even the same nation, but all must be present when the scroll is activated and the item generally has a limited shelf life before losing its effectiveness.

Claiming one of the scrolls requires an amount of material be placed in an Ephisis box, along with a request for the specific scroll. As with many such arrangements, if the box contains anything else it will be ignored by the heralds of the City of Gold and Lead. The box will be reviewed as normal and the magician will receive the scroll if they remain happy to make the trade.

The first ritual is '''Chains of the Guilty'''. This is a [[curse]] that was created by the Lictors for use on those suspected of a crime who are still being investigated. It causes the target to become [[Weakness|weak]], limiting their ability to resist capture or imprisonment. While under the effect of the curse, they feel chains around them that remind them they have been judged. The curse lasts for a year, but has an interesting removal method - anyone who contributed to the ritual can touch the target and verbally release them from its effects. The ritual is Autumn magic, obviously, and is of magnitude 52. To claim a copy of this arcane scroll requires the investiture of 200 ingots of green iron, and it will retain its properties until the end of the Winter Solstice 388YE.

The other ritual is '''Brass Magistrate's Arrest'''. This is a potent personal [[enchantment]] of magnitude 20 that allows the target to use a [[heroic skills#hero point|hero point]] to call [[Calls#ENTANGLE|entangle]] while wielding a [[Weapons_%26_armour#One-handed_Spear|one-handed spear]] or [[Weapons_%26_armour#Polearms|polearm]] they are proficient with. To claim a copy of this ritual scroll costs 200 measures of ambergelt, and it will likewise retain its properties until the end of the Winter Solstice 388YE.

What ''isn't'' clear, and perhaps reflects something that will influence whether the magician chooses to complete the trade or not, is what assurance is associated with the rituals. The Lictors are not averse to sharing the two rituals more widely, but any such discussion would require a [[archmage#plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] before the costs involved could be discussed.
===Runesmith Law===
* '''The Runesmiths of Wintermark'''
The items offered for sale here are just some of those created at the City of Bar and Bond. They do not produce items on the same kind of scale that they do in the [[Estavus|City of Fire and Stone]], and they are currently quite pleased with the way Imperial Citizens are exploring new legal procedures such as the [[judgement]] or [[proscription]]. As such they are prepared to offer a rare boon, specifically to the [[crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]] of [[Wintermark]]. They model their offer on that which the ''Forgemistress'' [[Inkpot_gods#The_Mediators_Bargain|presented]] three years ago. There are four schema available, and the smiths of Wintermark may choose to acquire any, all, or none of them; each will cost 12 rings of ilium. The items avaulable are:
* [[#Rod of the Gaoler|Rod of the Gaoler]]
* [[#Lawkeeper's Truncheon|Lawkeeper's Truncheon]]
* [[#Binding Chains|Binding Chains]]
* [[#Magistrate's Mask|Magistrate's Mask]]
If more than one magician pays for a schema, then half of the contents of all such boxes will be returned and the heralds of the ''Infinite Market'' will negotiate other deals for the remaining contents. '''SOMETHING SOMETHING'''
===Imperial Guild of Artisans===
* '''If the Senate recognises the Imperial Guild of Artisans (by whatever name) before the end of Saturday they can secure schema for Imperial artisans'''
* '''The Speaker of the Guild, Xanthius Storm's End, will be empowered to send a single Ephisis box to acquire all four schema'''
The Lictors are aware that full recognition of the Imperial Guild of Artisans is being [[Fair share of labour|Discussed by the Senate]]. As with many of the eternals of the Autumn realm, the Lictors are... keen would be the wrong word for such phlegmatic beings. "In favour" is probably closer. In the event that the Senate chooses to recognise the Imperial Guild of Artisans (by whatever name) before the end of Saturday Night during the Autumn Equinox, the Lictors have arranged a special deal with the City of Gold and Lead.

The current [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]], '''Xanthius Storm's End''' is empowered to send a single box using [[Ephisis' Scale]] containing 48 rings of ilium, along with a signed statement that they will do their best to ensure that the Guild operates within Imperial law at all times. In return, the ''Brass Magistrates'' will provide Xanthius with a complete set of the four schema for use by the Guild - or the Empire if they decide to give up their monopoly on such things.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Indian Spices.jpg|align=right|caption=Jarms is known for magical items and unique spices, as well as for the touchiness of its leaders.|width=400}}</div>
==The Mila Offers==
* '''Prince Mila offers three particular deals from the Principalities of Jarm'''
* '''Each deal involves exchanging Imperial currency for items from the Principalities'''
* '''A single box can purchase from any or all of these opportunities but must include a scroll that details exactly what is wanted'''
* '''These offers cannot be combined with any other offer'''
Prince Mila of the Violetinu Mishkas is by all accounts an ambitious and energetic [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarmish]] Magician-Prince. THey were involved in the recent arrangements around [[My_passions_from_a_common_spring#Free_Ports_And_Free_People|Radosmo]] that allowed Imperial traders to visit the Jarmish satellite state and trade with merchants there. The Senate has since embargoed that trade, as they have trade with Jarm as a whole. Inspired apparently by the words of '''Ibiss Briarheart''', Prince Mila has reached out to the City of Gold and Lead to provide evidence that Imperial merchants are eager for Jarmish goods. Their hope is that if the deal with the ''Eternal Markets'' goes well, it will convince the Senate and the House of Princes to bring their ongoing disagreement over trade to an end.

===Star Jewels===
* '''Jarmish Star Jewels allow a magician to perform spells they already know more often'''
* '''Prince Mila has secured promises to produce some common star jewels for sale to Imperial magicians'''
* '''Each star jewel can be bought for 16 crowns apiece but the purchaser must specify which jewels are wanted'''
The [[crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]] of Jarm focus most of their efforts on making things that empower magicians, both ritual masters and those who favour the use of spells. Among the best known of their particular tools are the ''star jewels'' - magical [[:Category:Foci|foci]] that allow a magician who has mastered a given spell to perform it many more times each day. There are a great many variants of star jewels, with rival guilds and Magician-Princes having their own proprietary models, but there are also items that are more commonly available - some of which have been granted to Imperial traders visiting Radosmo or the [[Those_memories_of_you#Jakhalsmarkt|Jakhalsmart]] in the [[Sarcophan Delves]].

During the Autumn Equinox, Imperial magicians can choose to purchase star jewels directly from their crafters, supplied to the City of Gold and Lead by Mila's contacts. In return, Mila wants Imperial coinage. To take advantage of the offer, a box must contain ''only'' Imperial coinage, and a scroll detailing which specific jewels are desired. There is no limit to how many jewels can be acquired, but each one costs 16 crowns.
* '''Jewel of the Cup''' - Three times per day when you cast, but not swift cast, the heal spell you may do so without spending any mana
* '''Jewel of the White Palm''' - Three times per day when you cast, but not swift cast, the purify spell you may do so without spending any mana.
* '''Jewel of the Three''' - Three times per day when you cast, but not swift cast, the repair limb spell you may do so without spending any mana.
* '''Jewel of Wyrmscale''' - Three times per day when you cast, but not swift cast, the mend spell you may do so without spending any mana.
* '''Jewel of the Fire Bird''' - Three times per day when you cast the Empower spell you may do so without spending any mana
* '''Jewel of the Heights''' - Three times per day when you cast the Repel spell you may do so without spending any mana
* '''Jewel of the Shackle''' - Three times per day when you cast the Entangle spell you may do so without spending any mana
In each case, the freshly crafted jewels will be delivered shortly before the Winter Solstice by heralds of the Autumn realm.
===Spices===
* '''Prince Mila is providing a melange of Jarmish spices to Imperial buyers'''
* '''Every 2 crowns secures a random dose of one Jarmish spices, delivered at the Winter Solstice'''
As well as star jewels, Jarm is known for its magical spices. These consumables are a special kind of [[potion]] that are used by mixing them with a warm drink or hot food as it is consumed. Not only do they provide bold and vibrant flavours, the rarest are known to provide benefits to magicians such as filling them with energy, restoring their personal mana, providing remarkable healing, enhancing senses, and the like. Unlike potions they are not designed to be used on a battlefield - they require a little time to work their subtle magic but that is rarely seen as a drawback as they are intended to be used in a social setting. Indeed, some have relaxing drug-like effects that make them popular despite their limited power. Their only real drawback is that they can sometimes have negative side-effects on people who are not magicians, but that isn't seen as a drawback in the Principalities of Jarm.

There are a lot of different kinds of Jarmish spice, and rather than focus on specifics Prince Mila instead offers Imperial buyers to purchase samples of different kinds. For every 2 crowns, Mila will arrange for the buyer to take custody of a pouch of one of the Jarmish spices at the Winter Solstice. Once they have experienced the variety of magical spices available, Mila is certain that Imperial merchants will be eager to acquire more.

===Crystal Mana===
* '''Prince Mila can arrange for almost unlimited amounts of crystal mana'''
* '''Mana must be purchased in ''sacks'' which is a Jarmish unit of ten mana'''
* '''The box must contain the money and an indication of how much is desired'''
* '''Mana will be delivered before the Winter Solstice'''
Jarm is a nation of magicians, and magicians need crystal mana. A combination of [[great work|great works]], ready access to [[mithril]], and of course ''[[Better_world#The_White_Seed|Beloye zerno]]'' (pronounced very roughly as BYEE-el-o-yay zerr-NO, also known as "white seed"') means that they literally have mana to burn. Prince Mila offers some of the great wealth of Jarm's mana sites to Imperial buyers.

During the Autumn Equinox, crystal mana can be purchased from the Jarmish at the rate of 12 crowns for every 10 mana (a price of 24 rings per crystal). Prince Mila is not prepared to deal in "fiddly" amounts of mana and is only selling in "''sacks''" (an official Jarmish measurement apparently). As with the other two offers, a given box can be used to purchase sacks of mana from Jarm alongside spices and star jewels. Again though, the scroll included with the coinage must indicate exactly how much mana is required. The ''sacks'' of mana will be delivered before the Winter Solstice.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Coloured cloth.jpg|align=right|caption=The artisans and wizards who work with the Blue Silk Scarf guild are masters of creating magical garb.|width=400}}</div>
==Blue Silk Scarves==
* '''The ''Blue Silk Scarf'' guild of Faraden provides access to unique magical coats'''
The [[Winds_and_flames#Silken_Butterflies|Blue Silken Scarf]] is a guild of Faraden [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]] and [[Magical skills#Magician|wizards]] who specialise in the creation of find quality garb. They have done [[Where_five_winds_meet#Butterflies_and_Boxes|business with the Empire]] on [[All_the_wind#Blue_Silk_Scarves|multiple occasions]], often in pursuit of the Iridescent Gloaming they need to create their finest pieces of clothing. Building on past successes, they offer another trade deal to Imperial magicians to purchase some of their magically-infused coats. This time however they are more interested in acquiring Imperial coinage - which reflects an interesting shift in their priorities.

Purchasing one or more of the coats the Blue Silk Scarf offer during the Autumn Equinox requires a box contain only money and a sheet of paper with a butterfly or moth drawn on it. On the paper the buyer must specify which coats they wish to buy. Assuming everything is in order, the clothes will be delivered to the trader in time for the Winter Solstice. They are currently offering the following items, each of which is an enchanted [[:Category:Mage_Robes|mage robe]].
* A '''Moonmoth Coat''' costs 22 crowns. This is a deep blue jacket with moonsilver embroidery. It can be invoked once each day by a magician to allow them to increase their ranks of Night lore by one (subject to the usual limits) for the performance of one ritual.
* A '''Windwing Cowl''' costs 24 crowns. This is a bright yellow hood with sungold embroidery. It can be invoked once each day by a magician to allow them to increase their ranks of Day lore by one (subject to the usual limits) for the performance of one ritual.
* A '''Nightfire Sash''' is more expensive, at 35 Crowns. It takes the form of a multicoloured silken sash that absorbs and stores magical energies. It functions much like an [[Ashen Mantle]], but the enchantment also imbues the wearer with a particular appreciation for music, fire, and dancing.
* A '''Wildwind Coat''' can be acquired for the princely sum of 50 crowns. This padded coat is decorated with fragments of tempest jade and embroidered weltsilver thread that allows a wearer versed in its use to [[Spellcasting#Swift_casting|swift cast]] the [[purify]] spell at the cost of only a single mana rather than two. It also provides a source of spiritual strength for overcoming any [[roleplaying effect]] that relies on fear and despair.
The Blue Silk Scarf guild are confident they will be able to fill any orders sent by Imperial magicians with the aid of their contacts in the ''Silent Market''. The Autumn herald will still need to confirm the order with the box-holder, and confirm any details as to where the garb should be delivered. They have however been instructed ''not'' to gossip about why the Blue Silk Scarf are looking for hard Imperial cash rather than iridescent gloaming.

'''OOC Note:''' Much as we'd like to we can't provide physreps for these magical coats, sashes, and cowls. They will be delivered as ribbons in the inventory of the appropriate character at the Winter Solstice.
==Vallorn Exports==
{{:Those_memories_of_you}}

==Further Reading==
* [[Ephisis]]
* [[Ephisis' Scale]]

Those memories of you

2026-09-09T19:22:09Z

Rafferty:

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]][[Category:Foreign Nations]]
<ic>Caleb of Crown's Quay stood his ground, feet firmly planted as if he was about to do battle against some Pakkad bruiser. He wished he had any of the wargear he would be bearing if he ''was'' facing a rampaging Druj warrior. Or at least a massive two-hander. Instead he had a quill pen behind one finned ear, a book of lists, and some paperwork.

The ship captain before him radiated anger like a fireplace at midwinter. Her pale draughir features had darkened in a way Caleb found he really didn't like. Narrowed red eyes literally blazed with fury. She dragged her sharp upper teeth across her lower lip in a way that caused it to blush an equally unpalatable shade of crimson.

"There is surely some mistake here," she said, slurring her Imperial slightly in that way the Delvesfolk so often did. She knew there was no mistake. He knew she knew there was no mistake. She knew he-

"I'm afraid not," he said. "Giuseppe Sanguineo von Temeschwar, Senator for Temeschwar, proposed the matter to the Senate during the Summer Solstice, and it was agreed by those there present. Civil service records indicate that you were made aware that this was coming, as per the records after the Spring Equinox 387YE. The Consul..."

She slapped her hands together, decisively. She furrowed her heavy brows. For a moment Caleb thought he was going to get bitten, or raked with her nasty looking claws. He braced himself, but she did not attack.

"Fine then," she snarled through gritted fangs. "We will take our medicinal herbs elsewhere then."

"I'm afraid you're going to have the pay the approved duty on them wherever you take them," said Caleb. "Sorry."

"Not at Alivetti we are not," she said. She spun on her heel and marched back down the quay to where her crew lounged against the half a dozen or so crates they had already unloaded. They were trading tobacco and sips with the Highborn stevedores. When they saw their captain, and the expression on her face, they straightened up and started to load the boxes back onto the ''Duizendjaarvalk''.

"Even if you do," Caleb called after her. "There'll still be a duty to pay before your goods can cross the border into the Empire, even if its not payable on the docks!"

"Not my problem!" the captain shouted back toward him without turning, making one of the universal gestures that indicated displeasure with an official just doing his job.

Caleb considered chasing after the captain and trying to reason with her, but he decided in the end to wisely conserve his energy. There were two other Sarcophan vessels approaching Crown's Quay and he knew in his bones they'd be no more happy to discover that ''everyone'' had to pay the new fees, yes even them, yes even though their families were very important. And, as the captain pointed out, what happened in Sarvos wasn't really his problem.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Buidelrats.jpg|align=left|caption=Sarcophan and Axos aren't exactly close but they are both used to living packed together in old, moribund cities.|width=400}}</div>
==Overview==
The [[Sarcophan Delves]] are a great power, a cosmopolitan nation centred around an immense city that sprawls out across the banks of the Umshalla river. They have holdings all over the world, trading with nations great and small all over the Known World. Their recent announcement of the Pax Sarcophan, a commitment to keep the trade routes open in spite of the political machinations of other nations, has begun a slow reassessment of how much power these smiling, mercantile tomb-robbers wield on the grand stage. The [[Axos|Citadels of Axos]] by contrast are a tiny nation on the outskirts of the Empire, controlling a little over two territories. They are a people of cities, it's true, with nine-tenths of their people dwelling in the five massive citadels built in the time of the semi-mythical sorcerer kings. Yet they wield an influence larger than their size might suggest, being founding signatories to the [[Liberty Pact]], and thanks in part to Imperial support welcoming traders from all the great nations to their docks.

Yet for all their differences, there are some similarities. They are both nations with an uneasy relationship to death, for example. The Axou ''necromantia'' are acknowledged masters of the cold magic of the grave, while the Sarcophan base much of their industry on the use of the ''ongelukkig'' living-corpses. They are both nations made more powerful through trade, and both would like to see themselves as friends to the Empire... and in both cases that friendship can prove to be something of a mixed blessing.

==Sarcophan Delves==
{{Nation|nation=[[Sarcophan Delves]]|status=Foreigner|port=[[Sarcophan_Delves_ports#Sarcophan|Sarcophan]], [[Sarcophan_Delves_ports#Betovering|Betovering]], and (temporarily) [[All_the_night-tide#Jakhalsmarkt|Jakhalsmarkt]].|ambassador= Dino i Riqueza of [[the Brass Coast]]|counterpart=[[Ambassador_to_the_Sarcophan_Delves#Sarcophan_Ambassador|Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike]]}}
* '''The Sarcophan Delves remain friendly to the Empire and enthusiastic about continued Imperial trade'''
* '''They are disappointed by the imposition of mercantilist tariffs on their merchants'''
The merchant-princes of the [[Sarcophan Delves]] strive for neutrality. They are enthusiastic about trade, not only with the Empire but with everyone else in the known world. They hold it a mark of pride that they will deal with anyone who has goods, services, or money. While they have given up the practice of slavery with few regrets, they refuse to pick a side between the [[Liberty Pact]] and the so-called [[Thrones_and_principalities#The_Freedom_Accord|Freedom Accord]].

Their primary goal is to ensure the ports of the world remain open to their ships, ideally with [[Tariffs#Free_Trade|free trade]] agreements that allow their merchants to operate without onerous [[tariffs]]. A recent decision by the [[Senate]] to [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Amend_tariffs_of_Sarcophan_Delves|end free trade]] and impose [[Tariffs#Mercantilist|mercantilist]] tariffs on vessels visiting the Empire has clearly caused some dissatisfaction. It remains to be seen precisely how that will affect the assorted [[ministry|ministries]] that deal directly in Sarcophan goods.
{{CaptionedImage|file=AmbassadorSarcophanDelves.jpg|caption='''Dino i Riqueza''', Ambassador to the Sarcophan Delves|align=right|width=300}}
They recently declared the ''Pax Sarcophan'' - a commitment to combat piracy and ensure that independent traders are free to sail [[the seven seas]] regardless of the politics of the great powers. Perhaps as part of this increased involvement in political affairs, they have also extended their protection to the independent city-state of [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] in [[Mareave]], ostensibly to help guarantee its neutrality.

The main locus of Sarcophan influence in the Empire is the [[Sarvos#Sarcophan_Enclave|Alivetti estates]] in [[Sarvos]], where ''Burgemeester Vandersaar'' oversees an enclave ceded to the Delves by the Senate. The estates have become a matter of concern for the Imperial magistrates due to the fact that Sarcophan merchants do not restrict the goods and services they offer in line with Imperial law. The change in the tariff structure for Sarcophan merchants also has some potential to create an additional headache. Goods coming to the Alivetti estates will not be evaluated by custom officials until they pass into Sarvos proper - and it is much easier for an Imperial or Sarcophan who wishes to do so to slip past anyone trying to inspect their goods when they are using a land border.

Some of their number have taken part in agricultural enterprises in [[Wintermark]], and they have made inroads into [[Varushka]] in recent years, and the [[Prime_Factor_of_the_deBruin_Docks#deBruin_Docks|deBruin family]] have recently entered into a lucrative agreement to provide [[weirwood]] to [[Urizen]]. There are also a number of warehouses and ''[[Kruidenkenner_Trademaster#The_Kruidenkenner_Magazijn|Magazijn]]'' built to allow [[Kruidenkenner_Trademaster#The_Kruidenkenner|the Kruidenkenner]], an influential [[surgical skills#Apothecary|apothecary]] guild to supply herbs to Imperial citizens at a bargain price. The Delves, in short, are quite invested in the Empire.
===Kraft Brothers===
* '''Wintermark farmers voted to end their association with the Kraft brothers
* '''Brenna's Gift returns to providing the standard benefit of 36 rings to each farm in Hahnmark
* '''Hahnmark farmers can no longer purchase doses of viezesmaak from the Kraft brothers
At the Spring Equinox, the farmers of Hahnmark [[Petals_in_the_snow#Making_the_Choice|voted nine to two]] to end their association with the Kraft brothers. These Sarcophan entrepreneurs had been involved in a mutually lucrative business arrangement for some time now, taking advantage of the alpine climate of central Wintermark to cultivate plants that don't prosper in the warm, marshy climate of the Delves. The brothers are philosophical about the decision; they have made a profit on their time being involved in the Wintermark ''viezesmaak'' trade, and there are apparently no hard feelings.

Following the Summer Solstice, [[Hahnmark#Brenna's_Gift|Brenna's Gift]] no longer provides doses of [[Hyenas_and_herbs#Flowers_in_Frost|viezesmaak]]. Instead it returned to its original purpose, providing 36 additional rings to each [[farm]] in Hahnmark. This also ended the ability of Hahnmark farmers to purchase viezesmaak from the Kraft Brothers.

The brothers have spent the last six months winding up their interests in Hahnmark, but they are apparently still keen to explore investment opportunities in the Empire. It remains to be seen what hare-brained scheme they will come up with next.

===Jakhalsmarkt===
* '''The House of the Jakhal want 70 thrones to enable Imperial fleets to continue to access the Jakhalsmarkt'''
For the better part of a year Imperial [[fleet|ship captains]] have been able to trade with the [[All_the_night-tide#Jakhalsmarkt|Jakhalsmarkt]]. The opportunity was arranged by ''Annabel de Gouden'' of the [[Founders_of_the_Delves#The_Jackal|House of the Jackal]], responding to the Imperial need for luxury goods and substances of use to ritual magicians. It seems that de Gouden and her House have made a canny investment; the number of traders from the Empire visiting the Jakhalsmarkt has only increased over the last four seasons.

It isn't clear what is the greater draw; the [[Vis#Golden_Apples|golden apples]], [[Vis#Warm Ashes|warm ashes]], and [[Vis#Prismatic Ink|prismatic ink]] ("Triumph Vis" in the parlance of some Urizen traders), the flawless [[tempest jade]] and fine jewellery, or the rare ''[[Trade_goods#Star_Jewels|star jewels]]'', [[magic items]] normally available only from the [[Principalities of Jarm]]. With [[Imperial Consul]] '''Slawomir Rabovich Bolotstrazh''' having [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Embargo_Zemelslo|announced an embargo]] on trade with the "independent" nation of [[My_passions_from_a_common_spring#Free_Ports_And_Free_People|Zemelslo]], the Jakhalsmarkt is the only place Imperial captains can legally purchase Jarmish goods.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Slawomir Rabovich Bolotstrazh.jpg|caption='''Slawomir Rabovich Bolotstrazh''', Imperial Consul|align=right|width=250}}
Of course this was never meant to be a permanent arrangement. As mentioned during the Spring Equinox, access to the markets of the Jackal is a premium commodity, and continuing to benefit from the trade will require [[Chain_and_anchor#The_Business_of_Diplomacy|some investment]] from the Empire if the opportunity is to continue. ''Annabel de Gouden'' took a chance that Imperial merchants would want the valuable goods the Jackal are offering, but those goods still need to be sourced and brought to market.

''Mistress de Gouden'' has assessed the situation and puts forward an offer. She and her people will continue to keep Jakhalsmarkt open to Imperial traders, and commit to ensuring there are valuable goods for them to buy - [[vis]] and ''star jewels''. Nothing needs to change in that regard. However, to secure sources for these goods for the next year will require an up-front investment of 70 thrones from the Empire. She would prefer to receive that investment from the [[Senate|Imperial Senate]], but is equally happy to do business with Ambassador Dino (although actually she'd ''really'' prefer to work with a group like the [[In_the_Court_of_Far_Horizons|Court of Far Horizons]], with whom she imagines it would be possible to make a much better deal, but she understands politics do not always give one what one wants).

If the investment is forthcoming, the House of the Jackal will keep ''Jakhalsmarkt'' open for another year allowing Imperial fleet captains to visit and take advantage of the services on offer until the start of the Autumn Equinox 389YE. Without it, regretfully, access to the port will be lost as de Gouden will not be able to provide the volume of goods needed to make the arrangement profitable. One matter to bear in mind however is that ''de Gouden'' operates a no-refunds policy; if the Senate interferes in trade with the Jakhalsmarkt, the Empire will simply lose out.

===Draaikolkbloem===
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NBWintermark.jpg|align=right|width=300}}</div>
* '''The Zuredruiven vintners are pleased to learn Hahnmark has given the Kraft Brothers the elbow
* '''They're still excited about encouraging cultivation of draaikolkbloem in Hahnmark
* '''Every Wintermark herb garden owner has received a dose of draaikolkbloem as a gift from the vintners
* '''Hahnmark herb garden owners can choose to cultivate draaikolkbloem
While Hahnmark has ended their association with the Kraft brothers, the ''Zuredruiven'' vintners remain interested in working with Hahnmark's herbalists to cultivate ''draaikolkbloem'', a fragile herb that also requires a cool alpine climate. As [[Petals_in_the_snow#The_Vintners_Option|mentioned]] recently, they have "cracked the puzzle of cultivating ''draaikolkbloem'' on a large scale". The opportunity to [[Petals_in_the_snow#The_Vintners_Option|build the Zuredruiven Benefice]] is still available (and will be until the end of the Winter Solstice 388YE, or until a different [[great work]] supporting [[herb garden|herb gardens]] is built in Hahnmark).

With the Kraft brothers out of the picture, the vintners have cheerfully shared their techniques for cultivating the sensitive plant with anyone in Hahnmark who is interested in learning how to do so. They're also making seeds available, although the crops they yield seem to be sterile meaning that continued cultivation of ''draaikolkbloem'' is dependent on continued good relations with the vintners.

The vintners themselves are keen to continue their good relations with the people of Hahnmark. With that in mind, they have made a point of gifting a dose of prepared draaikolkbloem to everyone they can find with a herb garden in the alpine territory. ('''OOC Note:''' Every herb garden owner in Hahnmark who has booked for the Autumn Equinox will receive a dose of draaikolkbloem. If your character would not have accepted the gift of the Sarcophan herbalists, you can hand it back in to GOD when you pick up your pack.)

Following the Autumn Equinox, every Hahnmark [[herb garden]] owner has the ability to choose in downtime to ''Cultivate Draaikolkbloem''. This means their herb garden will produce two drams of draaikolkbloem that season, but lose production of three drams of [[true vervain]], and one dram of each of the other four herbs. This option is chosen in downtime in the same way that a [[military unit]] might choose a [[venture]], or a [[congregation]] choose to [[Congregation#Downtime Options|preach or lecture]].

As part of the arrangement, the ''Zuredruiven'' vintners claim a portion of every crop of ''draaikolkbloem'' for themselves. As well as using it to create herbal preparations, they use it extensively in the brewing of a particularly sought after wine back in the Delves. As far as they are concerned, this arrangement with the Winterfolk has the potential to make everyone rich.

===Using Draaikolkbloem===
* '''Draaikolkbloem can be used to brew variations of potions that are part of the Infusions of Feathers recipe sets
The ''Zuredruiven'' have also provided notes as to how draaikolkbloem can be refined and used in the creation of preparations. So far they have only shared this information with the apothecaries of Wintermark.

Any Wintermark apothecary who knows how to brew the [[Infusions of Feathers]] can now create two additional preparations.

* ''Blacksmoke Recall'' is similar in effect to [[Infusions_of_Feathers#Magpie Infusion|Magpie Infusion]], but creates lingering hallucinations that some find enjoyable. It requires one draaikolkbloem and one cerulean mazzarine.
* ''Whispered Quill'' provides visions in the same manner as [[Infusions_of_Feathers#Goosewhisper Infusion|Goosewhisper Infusion]], but the visions it provides seem particularly portentous and serve as a source of insight or entertainment depending on how one engages with the effects. It requires a dose of draaikolkbloem, one bladeroot, and one marrowort.

Interestingly, it is not possible to recover draaikolkbloem from a preparation using [[Distillation of Diverse Parts]], just as that ritual will not recover [[liao]] or mana crystals from a potion. There is also no interest in these preparations from the [[Ephisis|City of Gold and Lead]] - they are treated as [[Propensity_to_truck,_barter,_and_exchange#Common_Trade_Goods|common trade goods]] when submitted to [[Ephisis' Scale]].

The skill to make these new preparations have been added to Wintermark characters with knowledge of the [[Infusions of Feathers]] potion set who has booked for the Autumn Equinox. Following the event, any Wintermark character with the appropriate skill can email {{plot}} and ask to learn the recipes, as long as the ''Zuredruiven'' remain well disposed to the people of that nation. It isn't possible for anyone from another nation to learn these recipes without access to a [[Potion#Herbal|herbal]] - the vintners simply won't share the information. Unlike [[Runesmith's Law]] or [[Urizen_magical_traditions#Urizen_Lore|Urizen Lore]], knowledge of the recipes won't magically disappear if someone leaves Wintermark, but retraining the Infusions of Feathers recipe set will remove the recipes and they will not be automatically restored to a character who later learns how to make them.

===Questions of Virtue===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|title=Imperial Apothecaries' Guild|align=right|width=240}}
* '''Some people are concerned about whether draaikolkbloem is a good idea or not
* '''They've asked the Apothecary's Guild to take a look at the substance and the potions it creates
Not everyone is entirely happy with the cultivation of this foreign herb in Hahnmark. There is some concern as to the exact effects of these new preparations. Are they as innocent as they appear? For that matter, it strikes some students of herb lore as a little fishy that this herb that helps create potions that enhance perception ''doesn't'' seem to produce anything similar to [[Infusions_of_Feathers#Ravenwing Infusion|Ravenwing Infusion]] - or if it does that the ''Zuredruiven'' vintners have chosen to conceal that fact from their "friends" in Wintermark.

Insipred by a recent [[Lean_and_athirst#Elder's_Gift|Varushkan example]], those with a concern about ''draaikolkbloem'' look to the [[Imperial Apothecaries Guild]]. Just as the Guild assessed ''Elder's Gift'' and [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Caution_On_Elder's_Gift|uncovered]] both its grim provenance and vile ingredients, so they could make an assessment of the Sarcophan herb and the preparations it makes. As before, the [[Imperial_Apothecaries_Guild#Guild_Leader|Speaker]] can use their ability to make an [[Senate_announcement|announcement]] before the Senate to declare the findings of the Guild instead of [[Imperial_Apothecaries_Guild#Dissemination|disseminating]] a [[Potion#Herbal|herbal]]. If the herb and the preparations are innocuous, then it will set these concerns to rest. If they aren't, then forewarned is forearmed and presumably the Senate can then take steps to make the material illegal.

As soon as they get wind of this concern the ''Zuredruiven'' vintners, never ones to miss a trick, have responded by endorsing the request for examination. They even make an offer to the Imperial Apothecaries Guild. They know for a ''fact'' that ''draaikolkbloem'' is safe to use, and that the preparations they have shared with the Empire are fundamentally harmless.

If the Imperial Apothecaries Guild confirms this, and ''endorses'' the ''Zuredruiven'' vintners, the Sarcophan will show their appreciation by providing them with a [[Potion#Herbal|herbal]] detailing the potion recipes, and discuss the opportunity for the [[Imperial Sodality]] to acquire draaikolkbloem for its members.

If the Guild declares draaikolkbloem and the potions brewed from it to be ''safe'', but doesn't endorse the vintners, it will have no impact either way. They will not receive the herbal, but the ''Zuredruiven'' will still be satisfied and remain enthusiastic about dealing with the Empire. Hahnmark herb gardens will continue to have the option to produce draaikolkbloem.

If the Apothecaries Guild gives a ''neutral'' response, then there will be no herbal but Winterfolk apothecaries and herb garden owners will treat the drug cautiously. It will not impact the ability for Hahnmark herb gardens to produce draaikolkbloem, and while the vintners will likely lose interest in dealing with the Guild they will continue to work with the people of Wintermark.

If the Apothecaries Guild declares draaikolkbloem ''unsafe'', then the ''Zuredruiven'' will be annoyed. They'll withdraw from the Empire, and look elsewhere for opportunities to cultivate the drug. The option to plant draaikolkbloem will be lost.

Obviously with multiple substances under discussion its impossible to offer advice on every permutation of what the Apothecaries Guild might say, but these responses should be enough to provide some guidance at least. Presumably any Wintermark apothecary with an opinion on ''draaikolkbloem'' and its preparations will work with the Imperial sodality to provide samples of the herb and the potions.

===Vallorn Exports===
<onlyinclude>
{{CaptionedImage|file=Ephisis001.webp|align=right|width=240}}
* '''A Sarcophan scholar is interested in acquiring consumables and magic items related to the vallorn
* '''She has made an arrangement with the City of Gold and Lead to trade these goods safely
''Catharina Gjullit'', a scholar from the influential [[The_mathematics_of_tears#The_Gjullit_Opportunity|Gjullit family]], has developed an interest in the [[vallorn]] and its creatures, especially the [[ettercap|ettercaps]]. They have corresponded with some of the scholars who attended the [[Great Library of Hacynian]], and developed a burning interest in the "fruits of the vallorn" but their poor health makes it impossible for them to visit the Empire. Having made an agreement with the [[Ephisis|City of Gold and Lead]], they present an opportunity for those with access to such "fruits" to sell them for a reasonable price.

During the Autumn Equinox, anyone casting [[Ephisis' Scale]] can include a note indicating that the contents are intended for Catharina Gjullit. If they do so, the entire box will be evaluated ''only'' on its connection to the vallorn and its spawn. Offers will be made with that in mind. Catharina has laid out a basic list of the prices she is prepared to offer, but wishes to ensure that people know she is also prepared to make an offer on anything more esoteric. The known prices are:
* For a ''corpseblossom'', a plant associated with ettercaps, she offers 4 crowns or two doses of [[Apothecary_Potions#Feverfail_Elixir|Feverfail Elixir]]
* For each ''unique'' [[chaos fruit]] included in a box she offers 2 crowns, a single [[vis#golden apples|golden apple]], or a vial of [[vis#prismatic ink|primsatic ink]]. She is cautious about receiving too many chaos fruit of the same type and believes this is one way to ensure she gets a representative sample.
* She is also interested in any unique items with a clear connection to the vallorn, but given she doesn't know what they are it is hard for her to offer a price up-front
The offer is only available during the Autumn Equinox, after which Catharina will have secured everything she wants.</onlyinclude>

==Axos==
<div style="float:right; width: 350px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Alikos Helio.jpg|caption=The Victorious Axis continue to go from strength to strength.|align=right|width=500}}</div>
* '''Axos remains allied to the Empire through treaty and through the Liberty Pact
* '''They have taken ownership of the region of Thornfen in Sarangrave
* '''The Imperial ambassador to Axos is Thanmir Hrafnar of Wintermark
Axos is enjoying a period of prosperity and even growth following the [[Victory_and_unity#Times_Change|upheaval]] prompted by the ambitious ''Grand Ilarch Kyther''. A formal Grand Council guides the nation, and the [[A_better_future#Unified_Convocation|Unified Convocation]] works to bring Axos' disparate religious [[Bands#Sects|sects]] together under one roof. Imperial relations with the [[Axos|Citadels of Axos]] remain steady. [[Synod]] efforts during the [[It_never_happened#Solokha|reclamation of Solokha]], and the loose alliance with the Empire in [[Sarangrave]], continue to bear dividends.

It would be dangerous to take these kinds of thing for granted however. Axos remains sensitive to anything it sees as a threat to its sovereignty, and relations could sour again very easily. There are a number of potential cracks in the relationship with the Axou. The [[Liberty Pact]] (which Axos relies on to cement its status on the world stage) continues to fracture. The exaltation of the disgraced former Ambassador Fintan, traitor and heretic, offends those who found his crimes unforgivable. The Unified Convocation continues to bring together priests whose entire religion paints the Empire as footsoldiers of the hated Creator. There is still fear that the Empire plans to doom the entire nation by rousing the [[vallorn]] of [[Axos#Axou_Territories|Visokuma]]. But for now at least, things appear to be going well between the two nations. Mostly.
{{Diplomacy|nation=[[Axos]]|status=Foreigner|port=[[Foreign_ports#Towers_of_Kantor|Towers of Kantor]] and [[Foreign_ports#Chambers_of_Issyk|Chambers of Issyk]]|ambassador='Shacklebreaker' Thanmir Hrafnar of [[Wintermark]]|counterpart=[[Ambassador_to_Axos#Axou_Ambassador|Ilarch Kario Skopos of Solokha]]}}
===Thornfen===
* '''Axos controls the region of Thornfen in Sarangrave but Imperial armies may move through it freely
* '''They have removed the former Druj subjects who lived there
* '''The Axou are preparing to rebuild the Tower of the Skink
The Axou have claimed the region of [[Sarangrave#Thornfen|Thornfen]] in [[Sarangrave]], and command the [[Sarangrave#Tower of the Skink|Tower of the Skink]]. This season, their forces there have been deployed to protect the northern regions of the territory against Winter spirits (as discussed in the '''[[Skull beneath the skin]]''' wind of war). Their efforts here were made possible by the [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Permit_Axos_Movement_in_Sarangrave|decision]] of the Senate to grant the Axou free movement across the Sarangrave. Meanwhile, the [[bastion#garrison|garrison]] of their newest citadel continues to grow slowly. Ilarch Skopos remains keen for the Empire to [[Seeds_of_discord#Armies_of_the_Dead|provide mithril]] to support the establishment of the garrison. There was fighting in the territory this season, so the only new soldiers defending the fortification are down to the effects of the Imperial [[enchantment]].
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Thane Thanmir Hrafnar.jpg|caption=Thane Thanmir Hrafnar is Ambassador to Axos.|align=left|width=300}}</div>

While the [[army]] of the ''Shield of Ipotavo'' fights in the north, efforts to rebuild and redesign the Tower of the Skink continue. The Axou are moving large amounts of [[white granite]] into the region through the pass that links [[the Mallum]] with Axos (the [[Sarangrave#Path_of_the_Eye|Path of the Eye]]). They are also apparently involved in tearing apart the wrecked city of Sephals, both to loot it and to provide additional building materials.

It is notable that unlike the [[Urizen]] - most of whom still find the idea of establishing homes in Sarangrave [[Everything_is_trying_to_kill_us#A_Gift_Horse|deeply unappealing]], the Axou are showing no such reticence. Along with labourers and caravans of white granite, a steadily growing trickle of citizens from all five citadels travel up the Path of the Eye with the intent of settling in the shadow of the Tower of the Skink. The civil service estimate that the transformation of the Tower of the Skink makes it more appealing for Axou to settle in the marshes of Sarangrave. If it continues in the current vein, there may eventually be more Axou in Sarangrave than there are Urizen.

===Armies of the Dead===
* '''The Axou continue to struggle to establish a garrison at the Tower of the Skink'''
Ilarch Skopos indicates that the Grand Council is not entirely happy with the situation in Sarangrave. They agreed to help defend the territory but they are disappointed that in the face of a known threat - the [[Thorn_and_bone#Objective:_Trap_the_Spirits|unbound spirits]] drawn from the [[Realms#Winter|Winter realms]] by the [[Druj]] - the Empire chose to desert the territory to continue their war of conquest elsewhere. It seems that some of the Grand Ilarchs had assumed the defence of Sarangrave would be significantly more of a joint effort.

They will keep to their agreement with the Empire, of course, but the Winter spirits have not gone away and it seems clear they will be expected to squander yet more Axou lives in the defence of a tiny number of Imperial citizens. Given their [[Axos_religion#The_Eternal_Torture_Chamber|spiritual beliefs]] it is not surprising that they find the idea of "throwing away" the lives of their people to protect a rabble of orcs and Druj deeply unappealing.

One thing is clear - the Axou seem to have no interest in supporting the Imperial venture into the [[Salt Flats of Sanath]] - or at least not with their armies.
===Trade Matters===
* '''Navarr fleets visiting Axos continue to experience suspicion
* '''Blackened Key is no longer available from Kantor
[[Death_leaves_us_homesick#The_Navarr_Threat|Worries about the Navarr]], and the likelihood that they are planning to unleash the [[vallorn]] in Axos, are fading. After the Autumn Equinox Navarr [[fleet|ship captains]] visiting the ports of Axos will still encounter some suspicion (experience a -1 rank penalty to trade), but unless something dreadful happens in the meantime, things should be back to normal in time for the Winter Solstice.

There is also news of some shifting priorities on the docks at Kantor. Following the Autumn equinox, [[Trade_goods#Blackened_Key|Blackened Key]] will no longer be available to Imperial fleet captains visiting that port; instead they will receive additional [[Trade_goods#Axou_Luxuries|luxury goods]] (increasing the amount of money gained by a standard fleet from 24 to 36 rings). There's no indication as to why this change has taken place, but it seems to be an economic consideration rather than anything political.

{{Sarcophan Links}}
{{Axos Links}}

The bargain store

2026-09-09T19:21:50Z

Rafferty: /* Sarcophan Vallorn Stuff */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<ic>"What even is a bargain!" The mountebank's question was clearly rhetorical. "In Doctor Samiana di Holberg's ''Big Book of All the Words'' it is defined as "something sold at a price that advantages the purchaser, while still providing advantages to the vendor that are all too often invisible."

There was muttering and nodding from the crowd.

"I however have a different definition, and after today, friends and strangers, I think you will share my understanding." Leia was really getting into her role now, feeling the spirit of ''the'' Mountebank grabbing her tongue and set her words aflame. She had the crowd in the palm of her hand. "For me - and for you folk lucky enough to be here in the markets today - a bargain is a ''once in a lifetime opportunity''! A ''unique and never to be repeated chance'' for ''you'' to acquire the finest jewels of the far west! Magical treasures the like of which no Imperial artisan can hope to replicate! Spices that transform even the most mundane of street-food into a feast for the senses! And now... do I have a volunteeer to demonstrate the amazing properties of the merchandise I have to sell you today?"

She resisted winking at Mecuto, as he stepped up with a pugnacious expression and began his spiel about how he didn't believe any of this. Before he could really get into the swing of it however, a heavy hand fell on his shoulder and he was jerked back into the crowd. In his place stepped out one of the Lantern Wolf's agents, grinning from ear to ear.

"This sounds amazing!" she said, eyes wide with practiced innocence. "I'd be more than happy to volunteer to show these good people the true worth of your goods!"

''Bugger'', thought Leia, feeling the Mountebank's inspiration drain out through her feet like water from a bathtub when the plug was pulled. This was ''not'' going to go well.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=EphisisArt.jpg|align=left|width=300}} </div>
==Overview==
* '''In addition to deals and serives, certain specific goods are available from the City of Gold and Lead during the Autumn Equinox'''
The [[Ephisis|City of Gold and Lead]] deals with the Empire through the use of a unique ritual - [[Ephisis' Scale]] - that allows trade in all kinds of valuable items drawn from all over the world. As well as general deals for familiar goods, the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] of the eternal market sometimes serve as go-betweens for specific offers. These offers often come from mortal magicians looking to smooth over the challenges of transporting valuable goods over distances, but the ''Eternal Bazaar'' is equally happy to represent the other cities of the [[Realms#Autumn|Iron Labyrinth]].

Some arrangements have already been discussed in the [[Not from the benevolence]] wind of fortune which is a counterpart to this one. Here, we lay out some specific deals for Imperial traders to purchase specific goods from named buyers. Each is only available during the Autumn Equinox, and each requires the casters of ''Ephisis' Scale'' to clearly indicate the deal they wish to take advantage of.
==Bonds and Bars==
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Lictors001a.webp|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''The lictors have arranged for Imperial magicians to gain access to objects from the City of Bar and Bond
* '''These items will be delivered before the Winter Solstice 388YE
The [[Archmage of Autumn]], '''Ashborn Trosk''' has apparently invited the [[Lictors|City of Bar and Bond]] to arrange an Autumn market. The ''Brass Magistrates'' themselves have [[Here_you_come_again#Bonds|organised a bond auction]] in the Hall of Worlds, but they have also engaged with the City of Gold and Lead. While they are creatures of the [[realms#Autumn|Iron Labyrinth]] the ''Steel Judges'' are not merchants; but they see no reason not to make use of those who are. During the Autumn Equinox the ''Infinite Market'' will serve as go-betweens to sell goods provided by the ''Gaolers'' for use by Imperial citizens.

During the Autumn Equinox, any number of these deals can be secured with a single box. During the Equinox, any box that contains a 6" by 6" [[Hirmok]] rune will be processed by the brokers representing the Lictors. The rune must be included along with a list of which items it is that the magicians hope to purchase. The details will be checked during the Sunday meeting, and assuming everything is satisfactory, the goods will be provided before the Winter Solstice.

The following deals are on offer from the ''Masters of the Green Iron Prison''.
===Rod of the Gaoler===
* '''A Rod of the Gaoler allows the wielder to cast the entangle spell and to do so three times a day without spending personal mana'''
* '''This item can be acquired for 25 Green Iron'''
This [[:Category:Rods|magical rod]] is used by servants of the Lictors to prevent prisoners from fleeing. The wielder - who must be a [[magical skills#Magician|magician]] - can always cast the [[entangle]] spell as if they knew it, and three times each day they can do so without expending any personal mana. Usually made of heavy-duty metal, the rod can obviously be used as a bludgeon as well should it prove needful to perform a beat-down on a particularly recalcitrant prisoner. As with most items crafted by the Lictors, it also has a subtle [[roleplaying effect|aura]] that gently urges those wielding it to capture those who they suspect of breaking the law and hand them over to the appropriate authorities.

===Lawkeeper's Truncheon===
* '''A Lawkeepers Truncheon allows the wielder to call ENTANGLE once per day while wielding the weapon'''
* '''This item can be acquired for 7 Ambergelt'''
A counterpart to the [[#Rod of the Gaoler|Rod of the Gaoler]], this [[:Category:One-handed Weapons|one-handed weapon]] can be used to call [[entangle]] once per day. It follows the rules for a [[Calls#Heroic_Calls|heroic call]] rather than a spell, meaning it can be employed by a wielder who is not versed in magic or indeed one wearing full armour. The item bears a similar aura to the Rod of the Gaoler, urging the bearer to keep the peace and defend the law.

===Binding Chains===
* '''Binding Chains allow the wearer to cast entangle twice per day without expending personal mana, provided they already know how to cast the spell'''
* '''This item can be acquired for 9 Green Iron'''
A set of ''Entangling Chains'' are a [[:Category:Mage Armour|mage armour]] component that is generally crafted in the form of literal chains, often with locks, worn crossed over the torso or bound around the arms and wrists. They function in a similar manner to a [[Splintering Gorget]] or [[Wyvernsting Spaulders]], allowing a [[Magical_skills#Battle_Mage|battle mage]] vesed in the [[entangle]] spell to cast it twice a day without expending personal mana. This is apparently the "least" of the mage armour sets the Lictors create in the Green Iron Prison, but they have not made any of their more powerful pieces available this season. It also comes with an aura that urges the wearer to actively encourage others to obey the law and abide by the strictures of society.

===Mask of the Magistrate===
* '''A Mask of the Magistrate provides a 2 rank bonus to perform Stance of the Constricting Scourge, Brazen Claws of the Lictor, and Inescapable Chains of Bitter Glass'''
* '''In addition the wearer can spend a point of personal mana to gain a source of spiritual strength to overcome roleplaying effects that cause them to doubt their judgement or abandon their duty'''
* '''This item can be acquired for 25 Green Iron'''
The ''Mask of the Magistrate'' is usually a full-face covering affair made of metal or leather, featureless save for eye holes. It is generally created to be as unsettling and intimidating as possible. A [[:Category:Foci|magical focus]], it allows a ritual magician adept in [[Autumn magic]] to wield additional power when contributing to [[Stance of the Constricting Scourge]], [[Brazen Claws of the Lictor]], and [[Inescapable Chains of Bitter Glass]]. More subtly, the mask bears an influential aura that can be called on (through the expenditure of a point of personal mana) as a source of spiritual strength to resist [[roleplaying effects]] that would cause the wearer to doubt their judgement or abandon their duty.

===Ritual Scroll===
* '''The Lictors offer two ritual scrolls to Imperial citizens'''
* '''The first is a curse that weakens a target for a year but can be removed easily by the caster'''
* '''The second is an enchantment that allows a warrior to entangle opponents'''
* '''Any number of these can be purchased by people prepared to pay the price'''
The lictors are not only about [[magic items]]; they also have an interest in magic, especially that dealing with binding. They are already offering a mystic scroll [[Here_you_come_again#Bonds|that summons Furious Warders]] as a reward for capturing the fugitive ''Ringsnap '' who attempted to break into the Green Iron Prison. In addition they are offering two other ritual scrolls during the Autumn Equinox to magicians interested in purchasing their aid.

Ritual scrolls are a rare type of arcane document similar to a [[ritual text]] but much more limited. They can't be placed in lore or used directly to perform any magic - instead they are activated items that contain the knowledge of a ritual. When activated, up to a dozen magicians who are able to master a new ritual (have an empty ritual slot) can master the ritual they contain. The magicians don't have to be from the same coven, or even the same nation, but all must be present when the scroll is activated and the item generally has a limited shelf life before losing its effectiveness.

Claiming one of the scrolls requires an amount of material be placed in an Ephisis box, along with a request for the specific scroll. As with many such arrangements, if the box contains anything else it will be ignored by the heralds of the City of Gold and Lead. The box will be reviewed as normal and the magician will receive the scroll if they remain happy to make the trade.

The first ritual is '''Chains of the Guilty'''. This is a [[curse]] that was created by the Lictors for use on those suspected of a crime who are still being investigated. It causes the target to become [[Weakness|weak]], limiting their ability to resist capture or imprisonment. While under the effect of the curse, they feel chains around them that remind them they have been judged. The curse lasts for a year, but has an interesting removal method - anyone who contributed to the ritual can touch the target and verbally release them from its effects. The ritual is Autumn magic, obviously, and is of magnitude 52. To claim a copy of this arcane scroll requires the investiture of 200 ingots of green iron, and it will retain its properties until the end of the Winter Solstice 388YE.

The other ritual is '''Brass Magistrate's Arrest'''. This is a potent personal [[enchantment]] of magnitude 20 that allows the target to use a [[heroic skills#hero point|hero point]] to call [[Calls#ENTANGLE|entangle]] while wielding a [[Weapons_%26_armour#One-handed_Spear|one-handed spear]] or [[Weapons_%26_armour#Polearms|polearm]] they are proficient with. To claim a copy of this ritual scroll costs 200 measures of ambergelt, and it will likewise retain its properties until the end of the Winter Solstice 388YE.

What ''isn't'' clear, and perhaps reflects something that will influence whether the magician chooses to complete the trade or not, is what assurance is associated with the rituals. The Lictors are not averse to sharing the two rituals more widely, but any such discussion would require a [[archmage#plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] before the costs involved could be discussed.
===Runesmith Law===
* '''The Runesmiths of Wintermark'''
The items offered for sale here are just some of those created at the City of Bar and Bond. They do not produce items on the same kind of scale that they do in the [[Estavus|City of Fire and Stone]], and they are currently quite pleased with the way Imperial Citizens are exploring new legal procedures such as the [[judgement]] or [[proscription]]. As such they are prepared to offer a rare boon, specifically to the [[crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]] of [[Wintermark]]. They model their offer on that which the ''Forgemistress'' [[Inkpot_gods#The_Mediators_Bargain|presented]] three years ago. There are four schema available, and the smiths of Wintermark may choose to acquire any, all, or none of them; each will cost 12 rings of ilium. The items avaulable are:
* [[#Rod of the Gaoler|Rod of the Gaoler]]
* [[#Lawkeeper's Truncheon|Lawkeeper's Truncheon]]
* [[#Binding Chains|Binding Chains]]
* [[#Magistrate's Mask|Magistrate's Mask]]
If more than one magician pays for a schema, then half of the contents of all such boxes will be returned and the heralds of the ''Infinite Market'' will negotiate other deals for the remaining contents. '''SOMETHING SOMETHING'''
===Imperial Guild of Artisans===
* '''If the Senate recognises the Imperial Guild of Artisans (by whatever name) before the end of Saturday they can secure schema for Imperial artisans'''
* '''The Speaker of the Guild, Xanthius Storm's End, will be empowered to send a single Ephisis box to acquire all four schema'''
The Lictors are aware that full recognition of the Imperial Guild of Artisans is being [[Fair share of labour|Discussed by the Senate]]. As with many of the eternals of the Autumn realm, the Lictors are... keen would be the wrong word for such phlegmatic beings. "In favour" is probably closer. In the event that the Senate chooses to recognise the Imperial Guild of Artisans (by whatever name) before the end of Saturday Night during the Autumn Equinox, the Lictors have arranged a special deal with the City of Gold and Lead.

The current [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]], '''Xanthius Storm's End''' is empowered to send a single box using [[Ephisis' Scale]] containing 48 rings of ilium, along with a signed statement that they will do their best to ensure that the Guild operates within Imperial law at all times. In return, the ''Brass Magistrates'' will provide Xanthius with a complete set of the four schema for use by the Guild - or the Empire if they decide to give up their monopoly on such things.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Indian Spices.jpg|align=right|caption=Jarms is known for magical items and unique spices, as well as for the touchiness of its leaders.|width=400}}</div>
==The Mila Offers==
* '''Prince Mila offers three particular deals from the Principalities of Jarm'''
* '''Each deal involves exchanging Imperial currency for items from the Principalities'''
* '''A single box can purchase from any or all of these opportunities but must include a scroll that details exactly what is wanted'''
* '''These offers cannot be combined with any other offer'''
Prince Mila of the Violetinu Mishkas is by all accounts an ambitious and energetic [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarmish]] Magician-Prince. THey were involved in the recent arrangements around [[My_passions_from_a_common_spring#Free_Ports_And_Free_People|Radosmo]] that allowed Imperial traders to visit the Jarmish satellite state and trade with merchants there. The Senate has since embargoed that trade, as they have trade with Jarm as a whole. Inspired apparently by the words of '''Ibiss Briarheart''', Prince Mila has reached out to the City of Gold and Lead to provide evidence that Imperial merchants are eager for Jarmish goods. Their hope is that if the deal with the ''Eternal Markets'' goes well, it will convince the Senate and the House of Princes to bring their ongoing disagreement over trade to an end.

===Star Jewels===
* '''Jarmish Star Jewels allow a magician to perform spells they already know more often'''
* '''Prince Mila has secured promises to produce some common star jewels for sale to Imperial magicians'''
* '''Each star jewel can be bought for 16 crowns apiece but the purchaser must specify which jewels are wanted'''
The [[crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]] of Jarm focus most of their efforts on making things that empower magicians, both ritual masters and those who favour the use of spells. Among the best known of their particular tools are the ''star jewels'' - magical [[:Category:Foci|foci]] that allow a magician who has mastered a given spell to perform it many more times each day. There are a great many variants of star jewels, with rival guilds and Magician-Princes having their own proprietary models, but there are also items that are more commonly available - some of which have been granted to Imperial traders visiting Radosmo or the [[Those_memories_of_you#Jakhalsmarkt|Jakhalsmart]] in the [[Sarcophan Delves]].

During the Autumn Equinox, Imperial magicians can choose to purchase star jewels directly from their crafters, supplied to the City of Gold and Lead by Mila's contacts. In return, Mila wants Imperial coinage. To take advantage of the offer, a box must contain ''only'' Imperial coinage, and a scroll detailing which specific jewels are desired. There is no limit to how many jewels can be acquired, but each one costs 16 crowns.
* '''Jewel of the Cup''' - Three times per day when you cast, but not swift cast, the heal spell you may do so without spending any mana
* '''Jewel of the White Palm''' - Three times per day when you cast, but not swift cast, the purify spell you may do so without spending any mana.
* '''Jewel of the Three''' - Three times per day when you cast, but not swift cast, the repair limb spell you may do so without spending any mana.
* '''Jewel of Wyrmscale''' - Three times per day when you cast, but not swift cast, the mend spell you may do so without spending any mana.
* '''Jewel of the Fire Bird''' - Three times per day when you cast the Empower spell you may do so without spending any mana
* '''Jewel of the Heights''' - Three times per day when you cast the Repel spell you may do so without spending any mana
* '''Jewel of the Shackle''' - Three times per day when you cast the Entangle spell you may do so without spending any mana
In each case, the freshly crafted jewels will be delivered shortly before the Winter Solstice by heralds of the Autumn realm.
===Spices===
* '''Prince Mila is providing a melange of Jarmish spices to Imperial buyers'''
* '''Every 2 crowns secures a random dose of one Jarmish spices, delivered at the Winter Solstice'''
As well as star jewels, Jarm is known for its magical spices. These consumables are a special kind of [[potion]] that are used by mixing them with a warm drink or hot food as it is consumed. Not only do they provide bold and vibrant flavours, the rarest are known to provide benefits to magicians such as filling them with energy, restoring their personal mana, providing remarkable healing, enhancing senses, and the like. Unlike potions they are not designed to be used on a battlefield - they require a little time to work their subtle magic but that is rarely seen as a drawback as they are intended to be used in a social setting. Indeed, some have relaxing drug-like effects that make them popular despite their limited power. Their only real drawback is that they can sometimes have negative side-effects on people who are not magicians, but that isn't seen as a drawback in the Principalities of Jarm.

There are a lot of different kinds of Jarmish spice, and rather than focus on specifics Prince Mila instead offers Imperial buyers to purchase samples of different kinds. For every 2 crowns, Mila will arrange for the buyer to take custody of a pouch of one of the Jarmish spices at the Winter Solstice. Once they have experienced the variety of magical spices available, Mila is certain that Imperial merchants will be eager to acquire more.

===Crystal Mana===
* '''Prince Mila can arrange for almost unlimited amounts of crystal mana'''
* '''Mana must be purchased in ''sacks'' which is a Jarmish unit of ten mana'''
* '''The box must contain the money and an indication of how much is desired'''
* '''Mana will be delivered before the Winter Solstice'''
Jarm is a nation of magicians, and magicians need crystal mana. A combination of [[great work|great works]], ready access to [[mithril]], and of course ''[[Better_world#The_White_Seed|Beloye zerno]]'' (pronounced very roughly as BYEE-el-o-yay zerr-NO, also known as "white seed"') means that they literally have mana to burn. Prince Mila offers some of the great wealth of Jarm's mana sites to Imperial buyers.

During the Autumn Equinox, crystal mana can be purchased from the Jarmish at the rate of 12 crowns for every 10 mana (a price of 24 rings per crystal). Prince Mila is not prepared to deal in "fiddly" amounts of mana and is only selling in "''sacks''" (an official Jarmish measurement apparently). As with the other two offers, a given box can be used to purchase sacks of mana from Jarm alongside spices and star jewels. Again though, the scroll included with the coinage must indicate exactly how much mana is required. The ''sacks'' of mana will be delivered before the Winter Solstice.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Coloured cloth.jpg|align=right|caption=The artisans and wizards who work with the Blue Silk Scarf guild are masters of creating magical garb.|width=400}}</div>
==Blue Silk Scarves==
* '''The ''Blue Silk Scarf'' guild of Faraden provides access to unique magical coats'''
The [[Winds_and_flames#Silken_Butterflies|Blue Silken Scarf]] is a guild of Faraden [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]] and [[Magical skills#Magician|wizards]] who specialise in the creation of find quality garb. They have done [[Where_five_winds_meet#Butterflies_and_Boxes|business with the Empire]] on [[All_the_wind#Blue_Silk_Scarves|multiple occasions]], often in pursuit of the Iridescent Gloaming they need to create their finest pieces of clothing. Building on past successes, they offer another trade deal to Imperial magicians to purchase some of their magically-infused coats. This time however they are more interested in acquiring Imperial coinage - which reflects an interesting shift in their priorities.

Purchasing one or more of the coats the Blue Silk Scarf offer during the Autumn Equinox requires a box contain only money and a sheet of paper with a butterfly or moth drawn on it. On the paper the buyer must specify which coats they wish to buy. Assuming everything is in order, the clothes will be delivered to the trader in time for the Winter Solstice. They are currently offering the following items, each of which is an enchanted [[:Category:Mage_Robes|mage robe]].
* A '''Moonmoth Coat''' costs 22 crowns. This is a deep blue jacket with moonsilver embroidery. It can be invoked once each day by a magician to allow them to increase their ranks of Night lore by one (subject to the usual limits) for the performance of one ritual.
* A '''Windwing Cowl''' costs 24 crowns. This is a bright yellow hood with sungold embroidery. It can be invoked once each day by a magician to allow them to increase their ranks of Day lore by one (subject to the usual limits) for the performance of one ritual.
* A '''Nightfire Sash''' is more expensive, at 35 Crowns. It takes the form of a multicoloured silken sash that absorbs and stores magical energies. It functions much like an [[Ashen Mantle]], but the enchantment also imbues the wearer with a particular appreciation for music, fire, and dancing.
* A '''Wildwind Coat''' can be acquired for the princely sum of 50 crowns. This padded coat is decorated with fragments of tempest jade and embroidered weltsilver thread that allows a wearer versed in its use to [[Spellcasting#Swift_casting|swift cast]] the [[purify]] spell at the cost of only a single mana rather than two. It also provides a source of spiritual strength for overcoming any [[roleplaying effect]] that relies on fear and despair.
The Blue Silk Scarf guild are confident they will be able to fill any orders sent by Imperial magicians with the aid of their contacts in the ''Silent Market''. The Autumn herald will still need to confirm the order with the box-holder, and confirm any details as to where the garb should be delivered. They have however been instructed ''not'' to gossip about why the Blue Silk Scarf are looking for hard Imperial cash rather than iridescent gloaming.

'''OOC Note:''' Much as we'd like to we can't provide physreps for these magical coats, sashes, and cowls. They will be delivered as ribbons in the inventory of the appropriate character at the Winter Solstice.

{{:Those_memories_of_you}}

==Further Reading==
* [[Ephisis]]
* [[Ephisis' Scale]]

The bargain store

2026-09-09T19:21:29Z

Rafferty:

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<ic>"What even is a bargain!" The mountebank's question was clearly rhetorical. "In Doctor Samiana di Holberg's ''Big Book of All the Words'' it is defined as "something sold at a price that advantages the purchaser, while still providing advantages to the vendor that are all too often invisible."

There was muttering and nodding from the crowd.

"I however have a different definition, and after today, friends and strangers, I think you will share my understanding." Leia was really getting into her role now, feeling the spirit of ''the'' Mountebank grabbing her tongue and set her words aflame. She had the crowd in the palm of her hand. "For me - and for you folk lucky enough to be here in the markets today - a bargain is a ''once in a lifetime opportunity''! A ''unique and never to be repeated chance'' for ''you'' to acquire the finest jewels of the far west! Magical treasures the like of which no Imperial artisan can hope to replicate! Spices that transform even the most mundane of street-food into a feast for the senses! And now... do I have a volunteeer to demonstrate the amazing properties of the merchandise I have to sell you today?"

She resisted winking at Mecuto, as he stepped up with a pugnacious expression and began his spiel about how he didn't believe any of this. Before he could really get into the swing of it however, a heavy hand fell on his shoulder and he was jerked back into the crowd. In his place stepped out one of the Lantern Wolf's agents, grinning from ear to ear.

"This sounds amazing!" she said, eyes wide with practiced innocence. "I'd be more than happy to volunteer to show these good people the true worth of your goods!"

''Bugger'', thought Leia, feeling the Mountebank's inspiration drain out through her feet like water from a bathtub when the plug was pulled. This was ''not'' going to go well.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=EphisisArt.jpg|align=left|width=300}} </div>
==Overview==
* '''In addition to deals and serives, certain specific goods are available from the City of Gold and Lead during the Autumn Equinox'''
The [[Ephisis|City of Gold and Lead]] deals with the Empire through the use of a unique ritual - [[Ephisis' Scale]] - that allows trade in all kinds of valuable items drawn from all over the world. As well as general deals for familiar goods, the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] of the eternal market sometimes serve as go-betweens for specific offers. These offers often come from mortal magicians looking to smooth over the challenges of transporting valuable goods over distances, but the ''Eternal Bazaar'' is equally happy to represent the other cities of the [[Realms#Autumn|Iron Labyrinth]].

Some arrangements have already been discussed in the [[Not from the benevolence]] wind of fortune which is a counterpart to this one. Here, we lay out some specific deals for Imperial traders to purchase specific goods from named buyers. Each is only available during the Autumn Equinox, and each requires the casters of ''Ephisis' Scale'' to clearly indicate the deal they wish to take advantage of.
==Bonds and Bars==
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Lictors001a.webp|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''The lictors have arranged for Imperial magicians to gain access to objects from the City of Bar and Bond
* '''These items will be delivered before the Winter Solstice 388YE
The [[Archmage of Autumn]], '''Ashborn Trosk''' has apparently invited the [[Lictors|City of Bar and Bond]] to arrange an Autumn market. The ''Brass Magistrates'' themselves have [[Here_you_come_again#Bonds|organised a bond auction]] in the Hall of Worlds, but they have also engaged with the City of Gold and Lead. While they are creatures of the [[realms#Autumn|Iron Labyrinth]] the ''Steel Judges'' are not merchants; but they see no reason not to make use of those who are. During the Autumn Equinox the ''Infinite Market'' will serve as go-betweens to sell goods provided by the ''Gaolers'' for use by Imperial citizens.

During the Autumn Equinox, any number of these deals can be secured with a single box. During the Equinox, any box that contains a 6" by 6" [[Hirmok]] rune will be processed by the brokers representing the Lictors. The rune must be included along with a list of which items it is that the magicians hope to purchase. The details will be checked during the Sunday meeting, and assuming everything is satisfactory, the goods will be provided before the Winter Solstice.

The following deals are on offer from the ''Masters of the Green Iron Prison''.
===Rod of the Gaoler===
* '''A Rod of the Gaoler allows the wielder to cast the entangle spell and to do so three times a day without spending personal mana'''
* '''This item can be acquired for 25 Green Iron'''
This [[:Category:Rods|magical rod]] is used by servants of the Lictors to prevent prisoners from fleeing. The wielder - who must be a [[magical skills#Magician|magician]] - can always cast the [[entangle]] spell as if they knew it, and three times each day they can do so without expending any personal mana. Usually made of heavy-duty metal, the rod can obviously be used as a bludgeon as well should it prove needful to perform a beat-down on a particularly recalcitrant prisoner. As with most items crafted by the Lictors, it also has a subtle [[roleplaying effect|aura]] that gently urges those wielding it to capture those who they suspect of breaking the law and hand them over to the appropriate authorities.

===Lawkeeper's Truncheon===
* '''A Lawkeepers Truncheon allows the wielder to call ENTANGLE once per day while wielding the weapon'''
* '''This item can be acquired for 7 Ambergelt'''
A counterpart to the [[#Rod of the Gaoler|Rod of the Gaoler]], this [[:Category:One-handed Weapons|one-handed weapon]] can be used to call [[entangle]] once per day. It follows the rules for a [[Calls#Heroic_Calls|heroic call]] rather than a spell, meaning it can be employed by a wielder who is not versed in magic or indeed one wearing full armour. The item bears a similar aura to the Rod of the Gaoler, urging the bearer to keep the peace and defend the law.

===Binding Chains===
* '''Binding Chains allow the wearer to cast entangle twice per day without expending personal mana, provided they already know how to cast the spell'''
* '''This item can be acquired for 9 Green Iron'''
A set of ''Entangling Chains'' are a [[:Category:Mage Armour|mage armour]] component that is generally crafted in the form of literal chains, often with locks, worn crossed over the torso or bound around the arms and wrists. They function in a similar manner to a [[Splintering Gorget]] or [[Wyvernsting Spaulders]], allowing a [[Magical_skills#Battle_Mage|battle mage]] vesed in the [[entangle]] spell to cast it twice a day without expending personal mana. This is apparently the "least" of the mage armour sets the Lictors create in the Green Iron Prison, but they have not made any of their more powerful pieces available this season. It also comes with an aura that urges the wearer to actively encourage others to obey the law and abide by the strictures of society.

===Mask of the Magistrate===
* '''A Mask of the Magistrate provides a 2 rank bonus to perform Stance of the Constricting Scourge, Brazen Claws of the Lictor, and Inescapable Chains of Bitter Glass'''
* '''In addition the wearer can spend a point of personal mana to gain a source of spiritual strength to overcome roleplaying effects that cause them to doubt their judgement or abandon their duty'''
* '''This item can be acquired for 25 Green Iron'''
The ''Mask of the Magistrate'' is usually a full-face covering affair made of metal or leather, featureless save for eye holes. It is generally created to be as unsettling and intimidating as possible. A [[:Category:Foci|magical focus]], it allows a ritual magician adept in [[Autumn magic]] to wield additional power when contributing to [[Stance of the Constricting Scourge]], [[Brazen Claws of the Lictor]], and [[Inescapable Chains of Bitter Glass]]. More subtly, the mask bears an influential aura that can be called on (through the expenditure of a point of personal mana) as a source of spiritual strength to resist [[roleplaying effects]] that would cause the wearer to doubt their judgement or abandon their duty.

===Ritual Scroll===
* '''The Lictors offer two ritual scrolls to Imperial citizens'''
* '''The first is a curse that weakens a target for a year but can be removed easily by the caster'''
* '''The second is an enchantment that allows a warrior to entangle opponents'''
* '''Any number of these can be purchased by people prepared to pay the price'''
The lictors are not only about [[magic items]]; they also have an interest in magic, especially that dealing with binding. They are already offering a mystic scroll [[Here_you_come_again#Bonds|that summons Furious Warders]] as a reward for capturing the fugitive ''Ringsnap '' who attempted to break into the Green Iron Prison. In addition they are offering two other ritual scrolls during the Autumn Equinox to magicians interested in purchasing their aid.

Ritual scrolls are a rare type of arcane document similar to a [[ritual text]] but much more limited. They can't be placed in lore or used directly to perform any magic - instead they are activated items that contain the knowledge of a ritual. When activated, up to a dozen magicians who are able to master a new ritual (have an empty ritual slot) can master the ritual they contain. The magicians don't have to be from the same coven, or even the same nation, but all must be present when the scroll is activated and the item generally has a limited shelf life before losing its effectiveness.

Claiming one of the scrolls requires an amount of material be placed in an Ephisis box, along with a request for the specific scroll. As with many such arrangements, if the box contains anything else it will be ignored by the heralds of the City of Gold and Lead. The box will be reviewed as normal and the magician will receive the scroll if they remain happy to make the trade.

The first ritual is '''Chains of the Guilty'''. This is a [[curse]] that was created by the Lictors for use on those suspected of a crime who are still being investigated. It causes the target to become [[Weakness|weak]], limiting their ability to resist capture or imprisonment. While under the effect of the curse, they feel chains around them that remind them they have been judged. The curse lasts for a year, but has an interesting removal method - anyone who contributed to the ritual can touch the target and verbally release them from its effects. The ritual is Autumn magic, obviously, and is of magnitude 52. To claim a copy of this arcane scroll requires the investiture of 200 ingots of green iron, and it will retain its properties until the end of the Winter Solstice 388YE.

The other ritual is '''Brass Magistrate's Arrest'''. This is a potent personal [[enchantment]] of magnitude 20 that allows the target to use a [[heroic skills#hero point|hero point]] to call [[Calls#ENTANGLE|entangle]] while wielding a [[Weapons_%26_armour#One-handed_Spear|one-handed spear]] or [[Weapons_%26_armour#Polearms|polearm]] they are proficient with. To claim a copy of this ritual scroll costs 200 measures of ambergelt, and it will likewise retain its properties until the end of the Winter Solstice 388YE.

What ''isn't'' clear, and perhaps reflects something that will influence whether the magician chooses to complete the trade or not, is what assurance is associated with the rituals. The Lictors are not averse to sharing the two rituals more widely, but any such discussion would require a [[archmage#plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] before the costs involved could be discussed.
===Runesmith Law===
* '''The Runesmiths of Wintermark'''
The items offered for sale here are just some of those created at the City of Bar and Bond. They do not produce items on the same kind of scale that they do in the [[Estavus|City of Fire and Stone]], and they are currently quite pleased with the way Imperial Citizens are exploring new legal procedures such as the [[judgement]] or [[proscription]]. As such they are prepared to offer a rare boon, specifically to the [[crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]] of [[Wintermark]]. They model their offer on that which the ''Forgemistress'' [[Inkpot_gods#The_Mediators_Bargain|presented]] three years ago. There are four schema available, and the smiths of Wintermark may choose to acquire any, all, or none of them; each will cost 12 rings of ilium. The items avaulable are:
* [[#Rod of the Gaoler|Rod of the Gaoler]]
* [[#Lawkeeper's Truncheon|Lawkeeper's Truncheon]]
* [[#Binding Chains|Binding Chains]]
* [[#Magistrate's Mask|Magistrate's Mask]]
If more than one magician pays for a schema, then half of the contents of all such boxes will be returned and the heralds of the ''Infinite Market'' will negotiate other deals for the remaining contents. '''SOMETHING SOMETHING'''
===Imperial Guild of Artisans===
* '''If the Senate recognises the Imperial Guild of Artisans (by whatever name) before the end of Saturday they can secure schema for Imperial artisans'''
* '''The Speaker of the Guild, Xanthius Storm's End, will be empowered to send a single Ephisis box to acquire all four schema'''
The Lictors are aware that full recognition of the Imperial Guild of Artisans is being [[Fair share of labour|Discussed by the Senate]]. As with many of the eternals of the Autumn realm, the Lictors are... keen would be the wrong word for such phlegmatic beings. "In favour" is probably closer. In the event that the Senate chooses to recognise the Imperial Guild of Artisans (by whatever name) before the end of Saturday Night during the Autumn Equinox, the Lictors have arranged a special deal with the City of Gold and Lead.

The current [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]], '''Xanthius Storm's End''' is empowered to send a single box using [[Ephisis' Scale]] containing 48 rings of ilium, along with a signed statement that they will do their best to ensure that the Guild operates within Imperial law at all times. In return, the ''Brass Magistrates'' will provide Xanthius with a complete set of the four schema for use by the Guild - or the Empire if they decide to give up their monopoly on such things.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Indian Spices.jpg|align=right|caption=Jarms is known for magical items and unique spices, as well as for the touchiness of its leaders.|width=400}}</div>
==The Mila Offers==
* '''Prince Mila offers three particular deals from the Principalities of Jarm'''
* '''Each deal involves exchanging Imperial currency for items from the Principalities'''
* '''A single box can purchase from any or all of these opportunities but must include a scroll that details exactly what is wanted'''
* '''These offers cannot be combined with any other offer'''
Prince Mila of the Violetinu Mishkas is by all accounts an ambitious and energetic [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarmish]] Magician-Prince. THey were involved in the recent arrangements around [[My_passions_from_a_common_spring#Free_Ports_And_Free_People|Radosmo]] that allowed Imperial traders to visit the Jarmish satellite state and trade with merchants there. The Senate has since embargoed that trade, as they have trade with Jarm as a whole. Inspired apparently by the words of '''Ibiss Briarheart''', Prince Mila has reached out to the City of Gold and Lead to provide evidence that Imperial merchants are eager for Jarmish goods. Their hope is that if the deal with the ''Eternal Markets'' goes well, it will convince the Senate and the House of Princes to bring their ongoing disagreement over trade to an end.

===Star Jewels===
* '''Jarmish Star Jewels allow a magician to perform spells they already know more often'''
* '''Prince Mila has secured promises to produce some common star jewels for sale to Imperial magicians'''
* '''Each star jewel can be bought for 16 crowns apiece but the purchaser must specify which jewels are wanted'''
The [[crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]] of Jarm focus most of their efforts on making things that empower magicians, both ritual masters and those who favour the use of spells. Among the best known of their particular tools are the ''star jewels'' - magical [[:Category:Foci|foci]] that allow a magician who has mastered a given spell to perform it many more times each day. There are a great many variants of star jewels, with rival guilds and Magician-Princes having their own proprietary models, but there are also items that are more commonly available - some of which have been granted to Imperial traders visiting Radosmo or the [[Those_memories_of_you#Jakhalsmarkt|Jakhalsmart]] in the [[Sarcophan Delves]].

During the Autumn Equinox, Imperial magicians can choose to purchase star jewels directly from their crafters, supplied to the City of Gold and Lead by Mila's contacts. In return, Mila wants Imperial coinage. To take advantage of the offer, a box must contain ''only'' Imperial coinage, and a scroll detailing which specific jewels are desired. There is no limit to how many jewels can be acquired, but each one costs 16 crowns.
* '''Jewel of the Cup''' - Three times per day when you cast, but not swift cast, the heal spell you may do so without spending any mana
* '''Jewel of the White Palm''' - Three times per day when you cast, but not swift cast, the purify spell you may do so without spending any mana.
* '''Jewel of the Three''' - Three times per day when you cast, but not swift cast, the repair limb spell you may do so without spending any mana.
* '''Jewel of Wyrmscale''' - Three times per day when you cast, but not swift cast, the mend spell you may do so without spending any mana.
* '''Jewel of the Fire Bird''' - Three times per day when you cast the Empower spell you may do so without spending any mana
* '''Jewel of the Heights''' - Three times per day when you cast the Repel spell you may do so without spending any mana
* '''Jewel of the Shackle''' - Three times per day when you cast the Entangle spell you may do so without spending any mana
In each case, the freshly crafted jewels will be delivered shortly before the Winter Solstice by heralds of the Autumn realm.
===Spices===
* '''Prince Mila is providing a melange of Jarmish spices to Imperial buyers'''
* '''Every 2 crowns secures a random dose of one Jarmish spices, delivered at the Winter Solstice'''
As well as star jewels, Jarm is known for its magical spices. These consumables are a special kind of [[potion]] that are used by mixing them with a warm drink or hot food as it is consumed. Not only do they provide bold and vibrant flavours, the rarest are known to provide benefits to magicians such as filling them with energy, restoring their personal mana, providing remarkable healing, enhancing senses, and the like. Unlike potions they are not designed to be used on a battlefield - they require a little time to work their subtle magic but that is rarely seen as a drawback as they are intended to be used in a social setting. Indeed, some have relaxing drug-like effects that make them popular despite their limited power. Their only real drawback is that they can sometimes have negative side-effects on people who are not magicians, but that isn't seen as a drawback in the Principalities of Jarm.

There are a lot of different kinds of Jarmish spice, and rather than focus on specifics Prince Mila instead offers Imperial buyers to purchase samples of different kinds. For every 2 crowns, Mila will arrange for the buyer to take custody of a pouch of one of the Jarmish spices at the Winter Solstice. Once they have experienced the variety of magical spices available, Mila is certain that Imperial merchants will be eager to acquire more.

===Crystal Mana===
* '''Prince Mila can arrange for almost unlimited amounts of crystal mana'''
* '''Mana must be purchased in ''sacks'' which is a Jarmish unit of ten mana'''
* '''The box must contain the money and an indication of how much is desired'''
* '''Mana will be delivered before the Winter Solstice'''
Jarm is a nation of magicians, and magicians need crystal mana. A combination of [[great work|great works]], ready access to [[mithril]], and of course ''[[Better_world#The_White_Seed|Beloye zerno]]'' (pronounced very roughly as BYEE-el-o-yay zerr-NO, also known as "white seed"') means that they literally have mana to burn. Prince Mila offers some of the great wealth of Jarm's mana sites to Imperial buyers.

During the Autumn Equinox, crystal mana can be purchased from the Jarmish at the rate of 12 crowns for every 10 mana (a price of 24 rings per crystal). Prince Mila is not prepared to deal in "fiddly" amounts of mana and is only selling in "''sacks''" (an official Jarmish measurement apparently). As with the other two offers, a given box can be used to purchase sacks of mana from Jarm alongside spices and star jewels. Again though, the scroll included with the coinage must indicate exactly how much mana is required. The ''sacks'' of mana will be delivered before the Winter Solstice.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Coloured cloth.jpg|align=right|caption=The artisans and wizards who work with the Blue Silk Scarf guild are masters of creating magical garb.|width=400}}</div>
==Blue Silk Scarves==
* '''The ''Blue Silk Scarf'' guild of Faraden provides access to unique magical coats'''
The [[Winds_and_flames#Silken_Butterflies|Blue Silken Scarf]] is a guild of Faraden [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]] and [[Magical skills#Magician|wizards]] who specialise in the creation of find quality garb. They have done [[Where_five_winds_meet#Butterflies_and_Boxes|business with the Empire]] on [[All_the_wind#Blue_Silk_Scarves|multiple occasions]], often in pursuit of the Iridescent Gloaming they need to create their finest pieces of clothing. Building on past successes, they offer another trade deal to Imperial magicians to purchase some of their magically-infused coats. This time however they are more interested in acquiring Imperial coinage - which reflects an interesting shift in their priorities.

Purchasing one or more of the coats the Blue Silk Scarf offer during the Autumn Equinox requires a box contain only money and a sheet of paper with a butterfly or moth drawn on it. On the paper the buyer must specify which coats they wish to buy. Assuming everything is in order, the clothes will be delivered to the trader in time for the Winter Solstice. They are currently offering the following items, each of which is an enchanted [[:Category:Mage_Robes|mage robe]].
* A '''Moonmoth Coat''' costs 22 crowns. This is a deep blue jacket with moonsilver embroidery. It can be invoked once each day by a magician to allow them to increase their ranks of Night lore by one (subject to the usual limits) for the performance of one ritual.
* A '''Windwing Cowl''' costs 24 crowns. This is a bright yellow hood with sungold embroidery. It can be invoked once each day by a magician to allow them to increase their ranks of Day lore by one (subject to the usual limits) for the performance of one ritual.
* A '''Nightfire Sash''' is more expensive, at 35 Crowns. It takes the form of a multicoloured silken sash that absorbs and stores magical energies. It functions much like an [[Ashen Mantle]], but the enchantment also imbues the wearer with a particular appreciation for music, fire, and dancing.
* A '''Wildwind Coat''' can be acquired for the princely sum of 50 crowns. This padded coat is decorated with fragments of tempest jade and embroidered weltsilver thread that allows a wearer versed in its use to [[Spellcasting#Swift_casting|swift cast]] the [[purify]] spell at the cost of only a single mana rather than two. It also provides a source of spiritual strength for overcoming any [[roleplaying effect]] that relies on fear and despair.
The Blue Silk Scarf guild are confident they will be able to fill any orders sent by Imperial magicians with the aid of their contacts in the ''Silent Market''. The Autumn herald will still need to confirm the order with the box-holder, and confirm any details as to where the garb should be delivered. They have however been instructed ''not'' to gossip about why the Blue Silk Scarf are looking for hard Imperial cash rather than iridescent gloaming.

'''OOC Note:''' Much as we'd like to we can't provide physreps for these magical coats, sashes, and cowls. They will be delivered as ribbons in the inventory of the appropriate character at the Winter Solstice.

==Sarcophan Vallorn Stuff==
{{:Those_memories_of_you}}
==Further Reading==
* [[Ephisis]]
* [[Ephisis' Scale]]

The bargain store

2026-09-09T19:21:07Z

Rafferty:

<ic>"What even is a bargain!" The mountebank's question was clearly rhetorical. "In Doctor Samiana di Holberg's ''Big Book of All the Words'' it is defined as "something sold at a price that advantages the purchaser, while still providing advantages to the vendor that are all too often invisible."

There was muttering and nodding from the crowd.

"I however have a different definition, and after today, friends and strangers, I think you will share my understanding." Leia was really getting into her role now, feeling the spirit of ''the'' Mountebank grabbing her tongue and set her words aflame. She had the crowd in the palm of her hand. "For me - and for you folk lucky enough to be here in the markets today - a bargain is a ''once in a lifetime opportunity''! A ''unique and never to be repeated chance'' for ''you'' to acquire the finest jewels of the far west! Magical treasures the like of which no Imperial artisan can hope to replicate! Spices that transform even the most mundane of street-food into a feast for the senses! And now... do I have a volunteeer to demonstrate the amazing properties of the merchandise I have to sell you today?"

She resisted winking at Mecuto, as he stepped up with a pugnacious expression and began his spiel about how he didn't believe any of this. Before he could really get into the swing of it however, a heavy hand fell on his shoulder and he was jerked back into the crowd. In his place stepped out one of the Lantern Wolf's agents, grinning from ear to ear.

"This sounds amazing!" she said, eyes wide with practiced innocence. "I'd be more than happy to volunteer to show these good people the true worth of your goods!"

''Bugger'', thought Leia, feeling the Mountebank's inspiration drain out through her feet like water from a bathtub when the plug was pulled. This was ''not'' going to go well.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=EphisisArt.jpg|align=left|width=300}} </div>
==Overview==
* '''In addition to deals and serives, certain specific goods are available from the City of Gold and Lead during the Autumn Equinox'''
The [[Ephisis|City of Gold and Lead]] deals with the Empire through the use of a unique ritual - [[Ephisis' Scale]] - that allows trade in all kinds of valuable items drawn from all over the world. As well as general deals for familiar goods, the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] of the eternal market sometimes serve as go-betweens for specific offers. These offers often come from mortal magicians looking to smooth over the challenges of transporting valuable goods over distances, but the ''Eternal Bazaar'' is equally happy to represent the other cities of the [[Realms#Autumn|Iron Labyrinth]].

Some arrangements have already been discussed in the [[Not from the benevolence]] wind of fortune which is a counterpart to this one. Here, we lay out some specific deals for Imperial traders to purchase specific goods from named buyers. Each is only available during the Autumn Equinox, and each requires the casters of ''Ephisis' Scale'' to clearly indicate the deal they wish to take advantage of.
==Bonds and Bars==
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Lictors001a.webp|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''The lictors have arranged for Imperial magicians to gain access to objects from the City of Bar and Bond
* '''These items will be delivered before the Winter Solstice 388YE
The [[Archmage of Autumn]], '''Ashborn Trosk''' has apparently invited the [[Lictors|City of Bar and Bond]] to arrange an Autumn market. The ''Brass Magistrates'' themselves have [[Here_you_come_again#Bonds|organised a bond auction]] in the Hall of Worlds, but they have also engaged with the City of Gold and Lead. While they are creatures of the [[realms#Autumn|Iron Labyrinth]] the ''Steel Judges'' are not merchants; but they see no reason not to make use of those who are. During the Autumn Equinox the ''Infinite Market'' will serve as go-betweens to sell goods provided by the ''Gaolers'' for use by Imperial citizens.

During the Autumn Equinox, any number of these deals can be secured with a single box. During the Equinox, any box that contains a 6" by 6" [[Hirmok]] rune will be processed by the brokers representing the Lictors. The rune must be included along with a list of which items it is that the magicians hope to purchase. The details will be checked during the Sunday meeting, and assuming everything is satisfactory, the goods will be provided before the Winter Solstice.

The following deals are on offer from the ''Masters of the Green Iron Prison''.
===Rod of the Gaoler===
* '''A Rod of the Gaoler allows the wielder to cast the entangle spell and to do so three times a day without spending personal mana'''
* '''This item can be acquired for 25 Green Iron'''
This [[:Category:Rods|magical rod]] is used by servants of the Lictors to prevent prisoners from fleeing. The wielder - who must be a [[magical skills#Magician|magician]] - can always cast the [[entangle]] spell as if they knew it, and three times each day they can do so without expending any personal mana. Usually made of heavy-duty metal, the rod can obviously be used as a bludgeon as well should it prove needful to perform a beat-down on a particularly recalcitrant prisoner. As with most items crafted by the Lictors, it also has a subtle [[roleplaying effect|aura]] that gently urges those wielding it to capture those who they suspect of breaking the law and hand them over to the appropriate authorities.

===Lawkeeper's Truncheon===
* '''A Lawkeepers Truncheon allows the wielder to call ENTANGLE once per day while wielding the weapon'''
* '''This item can be acquired for 7 Ambergelt'''
A counterpart to the [[#Rod of the Gaoler|Rod of the Gaoler]], this [[:Category:One-handed Weapons|one-handed weapon]] can be used to call [[entangle]] once per day. It follows the rules for a [[Calls#Heroic_Calls|heroic call]] rather than a spell, meaning it can be employed by a wielder who is not versed in magic or indeed one wearing full armour. The item bears a similar aura to the Rod of the Gaoler, urging the bearer to keep the peace and defend the law.

===Binding Chains===
* '''Binding Chains allow the wearer to cast entangle twice per day without expending personal mana, provided they already know how to cast the spell'''
* '''This item can be acquired for 9 Green Iron'''
A set of ''Entangling Chains'' are a [[:Category:Mage Armour|mage armour]] component that is generally crafted in the form of literal chains, often with locks, worn crossed over the torso or bound around the arms and wrists. They function in a similar manner to a [[Splintering Gorget]] or [[Wyvernsting Spaulders]], allowing a [[Magical_skills#Battle_Mage|battle mage]] vesed in the [[entangle]] spell to cast it twice a day without expending personal mana. This is apparently the "least" of the mage armour sets the Lictors create in the Green Iron Prison, but they have not made any of their more powerful pieces available this season. It also comes with an aura that urges the wearer to actively encourage others to obey the law and abide by the strictures of society.

===Mask of the Magistrate===
* '''A Mask of the Magistrate provides a 2 rank bonus to perform Stance of the Constricting Scourge, Brazen Claws of the Lictor, and Inescapable Chains of Bitter Glass'''
* '''In addition the wearer can spend a point of personal mana to gain a source of spiritual strength to overcome roleplaying effects that cause them to doubt their judgement or abandon their duty'''
* '''This item can be acquired for 25 Green Iron'''
The ''Mask of the Magistrate'' is usually a full-face covering affair made of metal or leather, featureless save for eye holes. It is generally created to be as unsettling and intimidating as possible. A [[:Category:Foci|magical focus]], it allows a ritual magician adept in [[Autumn magic]] to wield additional power when contributing to [[Stance of the Constricting Scourge]], [[Brazen Claws of the Lictor]], and [[Inescapable Chains of Bitter Glass]]. More subtly, the mask bears an influential aura that can be called on (through the expenditure of a point of personal mana) as a source of spiritual strength to resist [[roleplaying effects]] that would cause the wearer to doubt their judgement or abandon their duty.

===Ritual Scroll===
* '''The Lictors offer two ritual scrolls to Imperial citizens'''
* '''The first is a curse that weakens a target for a year but can be removed easily by the caster'''
* '''The second is an enchantment that allows a warrior to entangle opponents'''
* '''Any number of these can be purchased by people prepared to pay the price'''
The lictors are not only about [[magic items]]; they also have an interest in magic, especially that dealing with binding. They are already offering a mystic scroll [[Here_you_come_again#Bonds|that summons Furious Warders]] as a reward for capturing the fugitive ''Ringsnap '' who attempted to break into the Green Iron Prison. In addition they are offering two other ritual scrolls during the Autumn Equinox to magicians interested in purchasing their aid.

Ritual scrolls are a rare type of arcane document similar to a [[ritual text]] but much more limited. They can't be placed in lore or used directly to perform any magic - instead they are activated items that contain the knowledge of a ritual. When activated, up to a dozen magicians who are able to master a new ritual (have an empty ritual slot) can master the ritual they contain. The magicians don't have to be from the same coven, or even the same nation, but all must be present when the scroll is activated and the item generally has a limited shelf life before losing its effectiveness.

Claiming one of the scrolls requires an amount of material be placed in an Ephisis box, along with a request for the specific scroll. As with many such arrangements, if the box contains anything else it will be ignored by the heralds of the City of Gold and Lead. The box will be reviewed as normal and the magician will receive the scroll if they remain happy to make the trade.

The first ritual is '''Chains of the Guilty'''. This is a [[curse]] that was created by the Lictors for use on those suspected of a crime who are still being investigated. It causes the target to become [[Weakness|weak]], limiting their ability to resist capture or imprisonment. While under the effect of the curse, they feel chains around them that remind them they have been judged. The curse lasts for a year, but has an interesting removal method - anyone who contributed to the ritual can touch the target and verbally release them from its effects. The ritual is Autumn magic, obviously, and is of magnitude 52. To claim a copy of this arcane scroll requires the investiture of 200 ingots of green iron, and it will retain its properties until the end of the Winter Solstice 388YE.

The other ritual is '''Brass Magistrate's Arrest'''. This is a potent personal [[enchantment]] of magnitude 20 that allows the target to use a [[heroic skills#hero point|hero point]] to call [[Calls#ENTANGLE|entangle]] while wielding a [[Weapons_%26_armour#One-handed_Spear|one-handed spear]] or [[Weapons_%26_armour#Polearms|polearm]] they are proficient with. To claim a copy of this ritual scroll costs 200 measures of ambergelt, and it will likewise retain its properties until the end of the Winter Solstice 388YE.

What ''isn't'' clear, and perhaps reflects something that will influence whether the magician chooses to complete the trade or not, is what assurance is associated with the rituals. The Lictors are not averse to sharing the two rituals more widely, but any such discussion would require a [[archmage#plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] before the costs involved could be discussed.
===Runesmith Law===
* '''The Runesmiths of Wintermark'''
The items offered for sale here are just some of those created at the City of Bar and Bond. They do not produce items on the same kind of scale that they do in the [[Estavus|City of Fire and Stone]], and they are currently quite pleased with the way Imperial Citizens are exploring new legal procedures such as the [[judgement]] or [[proscription]]. As such they are prepared to offer a rare boon, specifically to the [[crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]] of [[Wintermark]]. They model their offer on that which the ''Forgemistress'' [[Inkpot_gods#The_Mediators_Bargain|presented]] three years ago. There are four schema available, and the smiths of Wintermark may choose to acquire any, all, or none of them; each will cost 12 rings of ilium. The items avaulable are:
* [[#Rod of the Gaoler|Rod of the Gaoler]]
* [[#Lawkeeper's Truncheon|Lawkeeper's Truncheon]]
* [[#Binding Chains|Binding Chains]]
* [[#Magistrate's Mask|Magistrate's Mask]]
If more than one magician pays for a schema, then half of the contents of all such boxes will be returned and the heralds of the ''Infinite Market'' will negotiate other deals for the remaining contents. '''SOMETHING SOMETHING'''
===Imperial Guild of Artisans===
* '''If the Senate recognises the Imperial Guild of Artisans (by whatever name) before the end of Saturday they can secure schema for Imperial artisans'''
* '''The Speaker of the Guild, Xanthius Storm's End, will be empowered to send a single Ephisis box to acquire all four schema'''
The Lictors are aware that full recognition of the Imperial Guild of Artisans is being [[Fair share of labour|Discussed by the Senate]]. As with many of the eternals of the Autumn realm, the Lictors are... keen would be the wrong word for such phlegmatic beings. "In favour" is probably closer. In the event that the Senate chooses to recognise the Imperial Guild of Artisans (by whatever name) before the end of Saturday Night during the Autumn Equinox, the Lictors have arranged a special deal with the City of Gold and Lead.

The current [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]], '''Xanthius Storm's End''' is empowered to send a single box using [[Ephisis' Scale]] containing 48 rings of ilium, along with a signed statement that they will do their best to ensure that the Guild operates within Imperial law at all times. In return, the ''Brass Magistrates'' will provide Xanthius with a complete set of the four schema for use by the Guild - or the Empire if they decide to give up their monopoly on such things.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Indian Spices.jpg|align=right|caption=Jarms is known for magical items and unique spices, as well as for the touchiness of its leaders.|width=400}}</div>
==The Mila Offers==
* '''Prince Mila offers three particular deals from the Principalities of Jarm'''
* '''Each deal involves exchanging Imperial currency for items from the Principalities'''
* '''A single box can purchase from any or all of these opportunities but must include a scroll that details exactly what is wanted'''
* '''These offers cannot be combined with any other offer'''
Prince Mila of the Violetinu Mishkas is by all accounts an ambitious and energetic [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarmish]] Magician-Prince. THey were involved in the recent arrangements around [[My_passions_from_a_common_spring#Free_Ports_And_Free_People|Radosmo]] that allowed Imperial traders to visit the Jarmish satellite state and trade with merchants there. The Senate has since embargoed that trade, as they have trade with Jarm as a whole. Inspired apparently by the words of '''Ibiss Briarheart''', Prince Mila has reached out to the City of Gold and Lead to provide evidence that Imperial merchants are eager for Jarmish goods. Their hope is that if the deal with the ''Eternal Markets'' goes well, it will convince the Senate and the House of Princes to bring their ongoing disagreement over trade to an end.

===Star Jewels===
* '''Jarmish Star Jewels allow a magician to perform spells they already know more often'''
* '''Prince Mila has secured promises to produce some common star jewels for sale to Imperial magicians'''
* '''Each star jewel can be bought for 16 crowns apiece but the purchaser must specify which jewels are wanted'''
The [[crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]] of Jarm focus most of their efforts on making things that empower magicians, both ritual masters and those who favour the use of spells. Among the best known of their particular tools are the ''star jewels'' - magical [[:Category:Foci|foci]] that allow a magician who has mastered a given spell to perform it many more times each day. There are a great many variants of star jewels, with rival guilds and Magician-Princes having their own proprietary models, but there are also items that are more commonly available - some of which have been granted to Imperial traders visiting Radosmo or the [[Those_memories_of_you#Jakhalsmarkt|Jakhalsmart]] in the [[Sarcophan Delves]].

During the Autumn Equinox, Imperial magicians can choose to purchase star jewels directly from their crafters, supplied to the City of Gold and Lead by Mila's contacts. In return, Mila wants Imperial coinage. To take advantage of the offer, a box must contain ''only'' Imperial coinage, and a scroll detailing which specific jewels are desired. There is no limit to how many jewels can be acquired, but each one costs 16 crowns.
* '''Jewel of the Cup''' - Three times per day when you cast, but not swift cast, the heal spell you may do so without spending any mana
* '''Jewel of the White Palm''' - Three times per day when you cast, but not swift cast, the purify spell you may do so without spending any mana.
* '''Jewel of the Three''' - Three times per day when you cast, but not swift cast, the repair limb spell you may do so without spending any mana.
* '''Jewel of Wyrmscale''' - Three times per day when you cast, but not swift cast, the mend spell you may do so without spending any mana.
* '''Jewel of the Fire Bird''' - Three times per day when you cast the Empower spell you may do so without spending any mana
* '''Jewel of the Heights''' - Three times per day when you cast the Repel spell you may do so without spending any mana
* '''Jewel of the Shackle''' - Three times per day when you cast the Entangle spell you may do so without spending any mana
In each case, the freshly crafted jewels will be delivered shortly before the Winter Solstice by heralds of the Autumn realm.
===Spices===
* '''Prince Mila is providing a melange of Jarmish spices to Imperial buyers'''
* '''Every 2 crowns secures a random dose of one Jarmish spices, delivered at the Winter Solstice'''
As well as star jewels, Jarm is known for its magical spices. These consumables are a special kind of [[potion]] that are used by mixing them with a warm drink or hot food as it is consumed. Not only do they provide bold and vibrant flavours, the rarest are known to provide benefits to magicians such as filling them with energy, restoring their personal mana, providing remarkable healing, enhancing senses, and the like. Unlike potions they are not designed to be used on a battlefield - they require a little time to work their subtle magic but that is rarely seen as a drawback as they are intended to be used in a social setting. Indeed, some have relaxing drug-like effects that make them popular despite their limited power. Their only real drawback is that they can sometimes have negative side-effects on people who are not magicians, but that isn't seen as a drawback in the Principalities of Jarm.

There are a lot of different kinds of Jarmish spice, and rather than focus on specifics Prince Mila instead offers Imperial buyers to purchase samples of different kinds. For every 2 crowns, Mila will arrange for the buyer to take custody of a pouch of one of the Jarmish spices at the Winter Solstice. Once they have experienced the variety of magical spices available, Mila is certain that Imperial merchants will be eager to acquire more.

===Crystal Mana===
* '''Prince Mila can arrange for almost unlimited amounts of crystal mana'''
* '''Mana must be purchased in ''sacks'' which is a Jarmish unit of ten mana'''
* '''The box must contain the money and an indication of how much is desired'''
* '''Mana will be delivered before the Winter Solstice'''
Jarm is a nation of magicians, and magicians need crystal mana. A combination of [[great work|great works]], ready access to [[mithril]], and of course ''[[Better_world#The_White_Seed|Beloye zerno]]'' (pronounced very roughly as BYEE-el-o-yay zerr-NO, also known as "white seed"') means that they literally have mana to burn. Prince Mila offers some of the great wealth of Jarm's mana sites to Imperial buyers.

During the Autumn Equinox, crystal mana can be purchased from the Jarmish at the rate of 12 crowns for every 10 mana (a price of 24 rings per crystal). Prince Mila is not prepared to deal in "fiddly" amounts of mana and is only selling in "''sacks''" (an official Jarmish measurement apparently). As with the other two offers, a given box can be used to purchase sacks of mana from Jarm alongside spices and star jewels. Again though, the scroll included with the coinage must indicate exactly how much mana is required. The ''sacks'' of mana will be delivered before the Winter Solstice.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Coloured cloth.jpg|align=right|caption=The artisans and wizards who work with the Blue Silk Scarf guild are masters of creating magical garb.|width=400}}</div>
==Blue Silk Scarves==
* '''The ''Blue Silk Scarf'' guild of Faraden provides access to unique magical coats'''
The [[Winds_and_flames#Silken_Butterflies|Blue Silken Scarf]] is a guild of Faraden [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]] and [[Magical skills#Magician|wizards]] who specialise in the creation of find quality garb. They have done [[Where_five_winds_meet#Butterflies_and_Boxes|business with the Empire]] on [[All_the_wind#Blue_Silk_Scarves|multiple occasions]], often in pursuit of the Iridescent Gloaming they need to create their finest pieces of clothing. Building on past successes, they offer another trade deal to Imperial magicians to purchase some of their magically-infused coats. This time however they are more interested in acquiring Imperial coinage - which reflects an interesting shift in their priorities.

Purchasing one or more of the coats the Blue Silk Scarf offer during the Autumn Equinox requires a box contain only money and a sheet of paper with a butterfly or moth drawn on it. On the paper the buyer must specify which coats they wish to buy. Assuming everything is in order, the clothes will be delivered to the trader in time for the Winter Solstice. They are currently offering the following items, each of which is an enchanted [[:Category:Mage_Robes|mage robe]].
* A '''Moonmoth Coat''' costs 22 crowns. This is a deep blue jacket with moonsilver embroidery. It can be invoked once each day by a magician to allow them to increase their ranks of Night lore by one (subject to the usual limits) for the performance of one ritual.
* A '''Windwing Cowl''' costs 24 crowns. This is a bright yellow hood with sungold embroidery. It can be invoked once each day by a magician to allow them to increase their ranks of Day lore by one (subject to the usual limits) for the performance of one ritual.
* A '''Nightfire Sash''' is more expensive, at 35 Crowns. It takes the form of a multicoloured silken sash that absorbs and stores magical energies. It functions much like an [[Ashen Mantle]], but the enchantment also imbues the wearer with a particular appreciation for music, fire, and dancing.
* A '''Wildwind Coat''' can be acquired for the princely sum of 50 crowns. This padded coat is decorated with fragments of tempest jade and embroidered weltsilver thread that allows a wearer versed in its use to [[Spellcasting#Swift_casting|swift cast]] the [[purify]] spell at the cost of only a single mana rather than two. It also provides a source of spiritual strength for overcoming any [[roleplaying effect]] that relies on fear and despair.
The Blue Silk Scarf guild are confident they will be able to fill any orders sent by Imperial magicians with the aid of their contacts in the ''Silent Market''. The Autumn herald will still need to confirm the order with the box-holder, and confirm any details as to where the garb should be delivered. They have however been instructed ''not'' to gossip about why the Blue Silk Scarf are looking for hard Imperial cash rather than iridescent gloaming.

'''OOC Note:''' Much as we'd like to we can't provide physreps for these magical coats, sashes, and cowls. They will be delivered as ribbons in the inventory of the appropriate character at the Winter Solstice.

==Sarcophan Vallorn Stuff==
{{:Those_memories_of_you}}
==Further Reading==
* [[Ephisis]]
* [[Ephisis' Scale]]

Those memories of you

2026-09-09T19:20:44Z

Rafferty:

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]][[Category:Foreign Nations]]
<ic>Caleb of Crown's Quay stood his ground, feet firmly planted as if he was about to do battle against some Pakkad bruiser. He wished he had any of the wargear he would be bearing if he ''was'' facing a rampaging Druj warrior. Or at least a massive two-hander. Instead he had a quill pen behind one finned ear, a book of lists, and some paperwork.

The ship captain before him radiated anger like a fireplace at midwinter. Her pale draughir features had darkened in a way Caleb found he really didn't like. Narrowed red eyes literally blazed with fury. She dragged her sharp upper teeth across her lower lip in a way that caused it to blush an equally unpalatable shade of crimson.

"There is surely some mistake here," she said, slurring her Imperial slightly in that way the Delvesfolk so often did. She knew there was no mistake. He knew she knew there was no mistake. She knew he-

"I'm afraid not," he said. "Giuseppe Sanguineo von Temeschwar, Senator for Temeschwar, proposed the matter to the Senate during the Summer Solstice, and it was agreed by those there present. Civil service records indicate that you were made aware that this was coming, as per the records after the Spring Equinox 387YE. The Consul..."

She slapped her hands together, decisively. She furrowed her heavy brows. For a moment Caleb thought he was going to get bitten, or raked with her nasty looking claws. He braced himself, but she did not attack.

"Fine then," she snarled through gritted fangs. "We will take our medicinal herbs elsewhere then."

"I'm afraid you're going to have the pay the approved duty on them wherever you take them," said Caleb. "Sorry."

"Not at Alivetti we are not," she said. She spun on her heel and marched back down the quay to where her crew lounged against the half a dozen or so crates they had already unloaded. They were trading tobacco and sips with the Highborn stevedores. When they saw their captain, and the expression on her face, they straightened up and started to load the boxes back onto the ''Duizendjaarvalk''.

"Even if you do," Caleb called after her. "There'll still be a duty to pay before your goods can cross the border into the Empire, even if its not payable on the docks!"

"Not my problem!" the captain shouted back toward him without turning, making one of the universal gestures that indicated displeasure with an official just doing his job.

Caleb considered chasing after the captain and trying to reason with her, but he decided in the end to wisely conserve his energy. There were two other Sarcophan vessels approaching Crown's Quay and he knew in his bones they'd be no more happy to discover that ''everyone'' had to pay the new fees, yes even them, yes even though their families were very important. And, as the captain pointed out, what happened in Sarvos wasn't really his problem.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Buidelrats.jpg|align=left|caption=Sarcophan and Axos aren't exactly close but they are both used to living packed together in old, moribund cities.|width=400}}</div>
==Overview==
The [[Sarcophan Delves]] are a great power, a cosmopolitan nation centred around an immense city that sprawls out across the banks of the Umshalla river. They have holdings all over the world, trading with nations great and small all over the Known World. Their recent announcement of the Pax Sarcophan, a commitment to keep the trade routes open in spite of the political machinations of other nations, has begun a slow reassessment of how much power these smiling, mercantile tomb-robbers wield on the grand stage. The [[Axos|Citadels of Axos]] by contrast are a tiny nation on the outskirts of the Empire, controlling a little over two territories. They are a people of cities, it's true, with nine-tenths of their people dwelling in the five massive citadels built in the time of the semi-mythical sorcerer kings. Yet they wield an influence larger than their size might suggest, being founding signatories to the [[Liberty Pact]], and thanks in part to Imperial support welcoming traders from all the great nations to their docks.

Yet for all their differences, there are some similarities. They are both nations with an uneasy relationship to death, for example. The Axou ''necromantia'' are acknowledged masters of the cold magic of the grave, while the Sarcophan base much of their industry on the use of the ''ongelukkig'' living-corpses. They are both nations made more powerful through trade, and both would like to see themselves as friends to the Empire... and in both cases that friendship can prove to be something of a mixed blessing.

==Sarcophan Delves==
{{Nation|nation=[[Sarcophan Delves]]|status=Foreigner|port=[[Sarcophan_Delves_ports#Sarcophan|Sarcophan]], [[Sarcophan_Delves_ports#Betovering|Betovering]], and (temporarily) [[All_the_night-tide#Jakhalsmarkt|Jakhalsmarkt]].|ambassador= Dino i Riqueza of [[the Brass Coast]]|counterpart=[[Ambassador_to_the_Sarcophan_Delves#Sarcophan_Ambassador|Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike]]}}
* '''The Sarcophan Delves remain friendly to the Empire and enthusiastic about continued Imperial trade'''
* '''They are disappointed by the imposition of mercantilist tariffs on their merchants'''
The merchant-princes of the [[Sarcophan Delves]] strive for neutrality. They are enthusiastic about trade, not only with the Empire but with everyone else in the known world. They hold it a mark of pride that they will deal with anyone who has goods, services, or money. While they have given up the practice of slavery with few regrets, they refuse to pick a side between the [[Liberty Pact]] and the so-called [[Thrones_and_principalities#The_Freedom_Accord|Freedom Accord]].

Their primary goal is to ensure the ports of the world remain open to their ships, ideally with [[Tariffs#Free_Trade|free trade]] agreements that allow their merchants to operate without onerous [[tariffs]]. A recent decision by the [[Senate]] to [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Amend_tariffs_of_Sarcophan_Delves|end free trade]] and impose [[Tariffs#Mercantilist|mercantilist]] tariffs on vessels visiting the Empire has clearly caused some dissatisfaction. It remains to be seen precisely how that will affect the assorted [[ministry|ministries]] that deal directly in Sarcophan goods.
{{CaptionedImage|file=AmbassadorSarcophanDelves.jpg|caption='''Dino i Riqueza''', Ambassador to the Sarcophan Delves|align=right|width=300}}
They recently declared the ''Pax Sarcophan'' - a commitment to combat piracy and ensure that independent traders are free to sail [[the seven seas]] regardless of the politics of the great powers. Perhaps as part of this increased involvement in political affairs, they have also extended their protection to the independent city-state of [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] in [[Mareave]], ostensibly to help guarantee its neutrality.

The main locus of Sarcophan influence in the Empire is the [[Sarvos#Sarcophan_Enclave|Alivetti estates]] in [[Sarvos]], where ''Burgemeester Vandersaar'' oversees an enclave ceded to the Delves by the Senate. The estates have become a matter of concern for the Imperial magistrates due to the fact that Sarcophan merchants do not restrict the goods and services they offer in line with Imperial law. The change in the tariff structure for Sarcophan merchants also has some potential to create an additional headache. Goods coming to the Alivetti estates will not be evaluated by custom officials until they pass into Sarvos proper - and it is much easier for an Imperial or Sarcophan who wishes to do so to slip past anyone trying to inspect their goods when they are using a land border.

Some of their number have taken part in agricultural enterprises in [[Wintermark]], and they have made inroads into [[Varushka]] in recent years, and the [[Prime_Factor_of_the_deBruin_Docks#deBruin_Docks|deBruin family]] have recently entered into a lucrative agreement to provide [[weirwood]] to [[Urizen]]. There are also a number of warehouses and ''[[Kruidenkenner_Trademaster#The_Kruidenkenner_Magazijn|Magazijn]]'' built to allow [[Kruidenkenner_Trademaster#The_Kruidenkenner|the Kruidenkenner]], an influential [[surgical skills#Apothecary|apothecary]] guild to supply herbs to Imperial citizens at a bargain price. The Delves, in short, are quite invested in the Empire.
===Kraft Brothers===
* '''Wintermark farmers voted to end their association with the Kraft brothers
* '''Brenna's Gift returns to providing the standard benefit of 36 rings to each farm in Hahnmark
* '''Hahnmark farmers can no longer purchase doses of viezesmaak from the Kraft brothers
At the Spring Equinox, the farmers of Hahnmark [[Petals_in_the_snow#Making_the_Choice|voted nine to two]] to end their association with the Kraft brothers. These Sarcophan entrepreneurs had been involved in a mutually lucrative business arrangement for some time now, taking advantage of the alpine climate of central Wintermark to cultivate plants that don't prosper in the warm, marshy climate of the Delves. The brothers are philosophical about the decision; they have made a profit on their time being involved in the Wintermark ''viezesmaak'' trade, and there are apparently no hard feelings.

Following the Summer Solstice, [[Hahnmark#Brenna's_Gift|Brenna's Gift]] no longer provides doses of [[Hyenas_and_herbs#Flowers_in_Frost|viezesmaak]]. Instead it returned to its original purpose, providing 36 additional rings to each [[farm]] in Hahnmark. This also ended the ability of Hahnmark farmers to purchase viezesmaak from the Kraft Brothers.

The brothers have spent the last six months winding up their interests in Hahnmark, but they are apparently still keen to explore investment opportunities in the Empire. It remains to be seen what hare-brained scheme they will come up with next.

===Jakhalsmarkt===
* '''The House of the Jakhal want 70 thrones to enable Imperial fleets to continue to access the Jakhalsmarkt'''
For the better part of a year Imperial [[fleet|ship captains]] have been able to trade with the [[All_the_night-tide#Jakhalsmarkt|Jakhalsmarkt]]. The opportunity was arranged by ''Annabel de Gouden'' of the [[Founders_of_the_Delves#The_Jackal|House of the Jackal]], responding to the Imperial need for luxury goods and substances of use to ritual magicians. It seems that de Gouden and her House have made a canny investment; the number of traders from the Empire visiting the Jakhalsmarkt has only increased over the last four seasons.

It isn't clear what is the greater draw; the [[Vis#Golden_Apples|golden apples]], [[Vis#Warm Ashes|warm ashes]], and [[Vis#Prismatic Ink|prismatic ink]] ("Triumph Vis" in the parlance of some Urizen traders), the flawless [[tempest jade]] and fine jewellery, or the rare ''[[Trade_goods#Star_Jewels|star jewels]]'', [[magic items]] normally available only from the [[Principalities of Jarm]]. With [[Imperial Consul]] '''Slawomir Rabovich Bolotstrazh''' having [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Embargo_Zemelslo|announced an embargo]] on trade with the "independent" nation of [[My_passions_from_a_common_spring#Free_Ports_And_Free_People|Zemelslo]], the Jakhalsmarkt is the only place Imperial captains can legally purchase Jarmish goods.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Slawomir Rabovich Bolotstrazh.jpg|caption='''Slawomir Rabovich Bolotstrazh''', Imperial Consul|align=right|width=250}}
Of course this was never meant to be a permanent arrangement. As mentioned during the Spring Equinox, access to the markets of the Jackal is a premium commodity, and continuing to benefit from the trade will require [[Chain_and_anchor#The_Business_of_Diplomacy|some investment]] from the Empire if the opportunity is to continue. ''Annabel de Gouden'' took a chance that Imperial merchants would want the valuable goods the Jackal are offering, but those goods still need to be sourced and brought to market.

''Mistress de Gouden'' has assessed the situation and puts forward an offer. She and her people will continue to keep Jakhalsmarkt open to Imperial traders, and commit to ensuring there are valuable goods for them to buy - [[vis]] and ''star jewels''. Nothing needs to change in that regard. However, to secure sources for these goods for the next year will require an up-front investment of 70 thrones from the Empire. She would prefer to receive that investment from the [[Senate|Imperial Senate]], but is equally happy to do business with Ambassador Dino (although actually she'd ''really'' prefer to work with a group like the [[In_the_Court_of_Far_Horizons|Court of Far Horizons]], with whom she imagines it would be possible to make a much better deal, but she understands politics do not always give one what one wants).

If the investment is forthcoming, the House of the Jackal will keep ''Jakhalsmarkt'' open for another year allowing Imperial fleet captains to visit and take advantage of the services on offer until the start of the Autumn Equinox 389YE. Without it, regretfully, access to the port will be lost as de Gouden will not be able to provide the volume of goods needed to make the arrangement profitable. One matter to bear in mind however is that ''de Gouden'' operates a no-refunds policy; if the Senate interferes in trade with the Jakhalsmarkt, the Empire will simply lose out.

===Draaikolkbloem===
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NBWintermark.jpg|align=right|width=300}}</div>
* '''The Zuredruiven vintners are pleased to learn Hahnmark has given the Kraft Brothers the elbow
* '''They're still excited about encouraging cultivation of draaikolkbloem in Hahnmark
* '''Every Wintermark herb garden owner has received a dose of draaikolkbloem as a gift from the vintners
* '''Hahnmark herb garden owners can choose to cultivate draaikolkbloem
While Hahnmark has ended their association with the Kraft brothers, the ''Zuredruiven'' vintners remain interested in working with Hahnmark's herbalists to cultivate ''draaikolkbloem'', a fragile herb that also requires a cool alpine climate. As [[Petals_in_the_snow#The_Vintners_Option|mentioned]] recently, they have "cracked the puzzle of cultivating ''draaikolkbloem'' on a large scale". The opportunity to [[Petals_in_the_snow#The_Vintners_Option|build the Zuredruiven Benefice]] is still available (and will be until the end of the Winter Solstice 388YE, or until a different [[great work]] supporting [[herb garden|herb gardens]] is built in Hahnmark).

With the Kraft brothers out of the picture, the vintners have cheerfully shared their techniques for cultivating the sensitive plant with anyone in Hahnmark who is interested in learning how to do so. They're also making seeds available, although the crops they yield seem to be sterile meaning that continued cultivation of ''draaikolkbloem'' is dependent on continued good relations with the vintners.

The vintners themselves are keen to continue their good relations with the people of Hahnmark. With that in mind, they have made a point of gifting a dose of prepared draaikolkbloem to everyone they can find with a herb garden in the alpine territory. ('''OOC Note:''' Every herb garden owner in Hahnmark who has booked for the Autumn Equinox will receive a dose of draaikolkbloem. If your character would not have accepted the gift of the Sarcophan herbalists, you can hand it back in to GOD when you pick up your pack.)

Following the Autumn Equinox, every Hahnmark [[herb garden]] owner has the ability to choose in downtime to ''Cultivate Draaikolkbloem''. This means their herb garden will produce two drams of draaikolkbloem that season, but lose production of three drams of [[true vervain]], and one dram of each of the other four herbs. This option is chosen in downtime in the same way that a [[military unit]] might choose a [[venture]], or a [[congregation]] choose to [[Congregation#Downtime Options|preach or lecture]].

As part of the arrangement, the ''Zuredruiven'' vintners claim a portion of every crop of ''draaikolkbloem'' for themselves. As well as using it to create herbal preparations, they use it extensively in the brewing of a particularly sought after wine back in the Delves. As far as they are concerned, this arrangement with the Winterfolk has the potential to make everyone rich.

===Using Draaikolkbloem===
* '''Draaikolkbloem can be used to brew variations of potions that are part of the Infusions of Feathers recipe sets
The ''Zuredruiven'' have also provided notes as to how draaikolkbloem can be refined and used in the creation of preparations. So far they have only shared this information with the apothecaries of Wintermark.

Any Wintermark apothecary who knows how to brew the [[Infusions of Feathers]] can now create two additional preparations.

* ''Blacksmoke Recall'' is similar in effect to [[Infusions_of_Feathers#Magpie Infusion|Magpie Infusion]], but creates lingering hallucinations that some find enjoyable. It requires one draaikolkbloem and one cerulean mazzarine.
* ''Whispered Quill'' provides visions in the same manner as [[Infusions_of_Feathers#Goosewhisper Infusion|Goosewhisper Infusion]], but the visions it provides seem particularly portentous and serve as a source of insight or entertainment depending on how one engages with the effects. It requires a dose of draaikolkbloem, one bladeroot, and one marrowort.

Interestingly, it is not possible to recover draaikolkbloem from a preparation using [[Distillation of Diverse Parts]], just as that ritual will not recover [[liao]] or mana crystals from a potion. There is also no interest in these preparations from the [[Ephisis|City of Gold and Lead]] - they are treated as [[Propensity_to_truck,_barter,_and_exchange#Common_Trade_Goods|common trade goods]] when submitted to [[Ephisis' Scale]].

The skill to make these new preparations have been added to Wintermark characters with knowledge of the [[Infusions of Feathers]] potion set who has booked for the Autumn Equinox. Following the event, any Wintermark character with the appropriate skill can email {{plot}} and ask to learn the recipes, as long as the ''Zuredruiven'' remain well disposed to the people of that nation. It isn't possible for anyone from another nation to learn these recipes without access to a [[Potion#Herbal|herbal]] - the vintners simply won't share the information. Unlike [[Runesmith's Law]] or [[Urizen_magical_traditions#Urizen_Lore|Urizen Lore]], knowledge of the recipes won't magically disappear if someone leaves Wintermark, but retraining the Infusions of Feathers recipe set will remove the recipes and they will not be automatically restored to a character who later learns how to make them.

===Questions of Virtue===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|title=Imperial Apothecaries' Guild|align=right|width=240}}
* '''Some people are concerned about whether draaikolkbloem is a good idea or not
* '''They've asked the Apothecary's Guild to take a look at the substance and the potions it creates
Not everyone is entirely happy with the cultivation of this foreign herb in Hahnmark. There is some concern as to the exact effects of these new preparations. Are they as innocent as they appear? For that matter, it strikes some students of herb lore as a little fishy that this herb that helps create potions that enhance perception ''doesn't'' seem to produce anything similar to [[Infusions_of_Feathers#Ravenwing Infusion|Ravenwing Infusion]] - or if it does that the ''Zuredruiven'' vintners have chosen to conceal that fact from their "friends" in Wintermark.

Insipred by a recent [[Lean_and_athirst#Elder's_Gift|Varushkan example]], those with a concern about ''draaikolkbloem'' look to the [[Imperial Apothecaries Guild]]. Just as the Guild assessed ''Elder's Gift'' and [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Caution_On_Elder's_Gift|uncovered]] both its grim provenance and vile ingredients, so they could make an assessment of the Sarcophan herb and the preparations it makes. As before, the [[Imperial_Apothecaries_Guild#Guild_Leader|Speaker]] can use their ability to make an [[Senate_announcement|announcement]] before the Senate to declare the findings of the Guild instead of [[Imperial_Apothecaries_Guild#Dissemination|disseminating]] a [[Potion#Herbal|herbal]]. If the herb and the preparations are innocuous, then it will set these concerns to rest. If they aren't, then forewarned is forearmed and presumably the Senate can then take steps to make the material illegal.

As soon as they get wind of this concern the ''Zuredruiven'' vintners, never ones to miss a trick, have responded by endorsing the request for examination. They even make an offer to the Imperial Apothecaries Guild. They know for a ''fact'' that ''draaikolkbloem'' is safe to use, and that the preparations they have shared with the Empire are fundamentally harmless.

If the Imperial Apothecaries Guild confirms this, and ''endorses'' the ''Zuredruiven'' vintners, the Sarcophan will show their appreciation by providing them with a [[Potion#Herbal|herbal]] detailing the potion recipes, and discuss the opportunity for the [[Imperial Sodality]] to acquire draaikolkbloem for its members.

If the Guild declares draaikolkbloem and the potions brewed from it to be ''safe'', but doesn't endorse the vintners, it will have no impact either way. They will not receive the herbal, but the ''Zuredruiven'' will still be satisfied and remain enthusiastic about dealing with the Empire. Hahnmark herb gardens will continue to have the option to produce draaikolkbloem.

If the Apothecaries Guild gives a ''neutral'' response, then there will be no herbal but Winterfolk apothecaries and herb garden owners will treat the drug cautiously. It will not impact the ability for Hahnmark herb gardens to produce draaikolkbloem, and while the vintners will likely lose interest in dealing with the Guild they will continue to work with the people of Wintermark.

If the Apothecaries Guild declares draaikolkbloem ''unsafe'', then the ''Zuredruiven'' will be annoyed. They'll withdraw from the Empire, and look elsewhere for opportunities to cultivate the drug. The option to plant draaikolkbloem will be lost.

Obviously with multiple substances under discussion its impossible to offer advice on every permutation of what the Apothecaries Guild might say, but these responses should be enough to provide some guidance at least. Presumably any Wintermark apothecary with an opinion on ''draaikolkbloem'' and its preparations will work with the Imperial sodality to provide samples of the herb and the potions.
<onlyinclude>
===Vallorn Exports===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Ephisis001.webp|align=right|width=240}}
* '''A Sarcophan scholar is interested in acquiring consumables and magic items related to the vallorn
* '''She has made an arrangement with the City of Gold and Lead to trade these goods safely
''Catharina Gjullit'', a scholar from the influential [[The_mathematics_of_tears#The_Gjullit_Opportunity|Gjullit family]], has developed an interest in the [[vallorn]] and its creatures, especially the [[ettercap|ettercaps]]. They have corresponded with some of the scholars who attended the [[Great Library of Hacynian]], and developed a burning interest in the "fruits of the vallorn" but their poor health makes it impossible for them to visit the Empire. Having made an agreement with the [[Ephisis|City of Gold and Lead]], they present an opportunity for those with access to such "fruits" to sell them for a reasonable price.

During the Autumn Equinox, anyone casting [[Ephisis' Scale]] can include a note indicating that the contents are intended for Catharina Gjullit. If they do so, the entire box will be evaluated ''only'' on its connection to the vallorn and its spawn. Offers will be made with that in mind. Catharina has laid out a basic list of the prices she is prepared to offer, but wishes to ensure that people know she is also prepared to make an offer on anything more esoteric. The known prices are:
* For a ''corpseblossom'', a plant associated with ettercaps, she offers 4 crowns or two doses of [[Apothecary_Potions#Feverfail_Elixir|Feverfail Elixir]]
* For each ''unique'' [[chaos fruit]] included in a box she offers 2 crowns, a single [[vis#golden apples|golden apple]], or a vial of [[vis#prismatic ink|primsatic ink]]. She is cautious about receiving too many chaos fruit of the same type and believes this is one way to ensure she gets a representative sample.
* She is also interested in any unique items with a clear connection to the vallorn, but given she doesn't know what they are it is hard for her to offer a price up-front
The offer is only available during the Autumn Equinox, after which Catharina will have secured everything she wants.</onlyinclude>

==Axos==
<div style="float:right; width: 350px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Alikos Helio.jpg|caption=The Victorious Axis continue to go from strength to strength.|align=right|width=500}}</div>
* '''Axos remains allied to the Empire through treaty and through the Liberty Pact
* '''They have taken ownership of the region of Thornfen in Sarangrave
* '''The Imperial ambassador to Axos is Thanmir Hrafnar of Wintermark
Axos is enjoying a period of prosperity and even growth following the [[Victory_and_unity#Times_Change|upheaval]] prompted by the ambitious ''Grand Ilarch Kyther''. A formal Grand Council guides the nation, and the [[A_better_future#Unified_Convocation|Unified Convocation]] works to bring Axos' disparate religious [[Bands#Sects|sects]] together under one roof. Imperial relations with the [[Axos|Citadels of Axos]] remain steady. [[Synod]] efforts during the [[It_never_happened#Solokha|reclamation of Solokha]], and the loose alliance with the Empire in [[Sarangrave]], continue to bear dividends.

It would be dangerous to take these kinds of thing for granted however. Axos remains sensitive to anything it sees as a threat to its sovereignty, and relations could sour again very easily. There are a number of potential cracks in the relationship with the Axou. The [[Liberty Pact]] (which Axos relies on to cement its status on the world stage) continues to fracture. The exaltation of the disgraced former Ambassador Fintan, traitor and heretic, offends those who found his crimes unforgivable. The Unified Convocation continues to bring together priests whose entire religion paints the Empire as footsoldiers of the hated Creator. There is still fear that the Empire plans to doom the entire nation by rousing the [[vallorn]] of [[Axos#Axou_Territories|Visokuma]]. But for now at least, things appear to be going well between the two nations. Mostly.
{{Diplomacy|nation=[[Axos]]|status=Foreigner|port=[[Foreign_ports#Towers_of_Kantor|Towers of Kantor]] and [[Foreign_ports#Chambers_of_Issyk|Chambers of Issyk]]|ambassador='Shacklebreaker' Thanmir Hrafnar of [[Wintermark]]|counterpart=[[Ambassador_to_Axos#Axou_Ambassador|Ilarch Kario Skopos of Solokha]]}}
===Thornfen===
* '''Axos controls the region of Thornfen in Sarangrave but Imperial armies may move through it freely
* '''They have removed the former Druj subjects who lived there
* '''The Axou are preparing to rebuild the Tower of the Skink
The Axou have claimed the region of [[Sarangrave#Thornfen|Thornfen]] in [[Sarangrave]], and command the [[Sarangrave#Tower of the Skink|Tower of the Skink]]. This season, their forces there have been deployed to protect the northern regions of the territory against Winter spirits (as discussed in the '''[[Skull beneath the skin]]''' wind of war). Their efforts here were made possible by the [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Permit_Axos_Movement_in_Sarangrave|decision]] of the Senate to grant the Axou free movement across the Sarangrave. Meanwhile, the [[bastion#garrison|garrison]] of their newest citadel continues to grow slowly. Ilarch Skopos remains keen for the Empire to [[Seeds_of_discord#Armies_of_the_Dead|provide mithril]] to support the establishment of the garrison. There was fighting in the territory this season, so the only new soldiers defending the fortification are down to the effects of the Imperial [[enchantment]].
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Thane Thanmir Hrafnar.jpg|caption=Thane Thanmir Hrafnar is Ambassador to Axos.|align=left|width=300}}</div>

While the [[army]] of the ''Shield of Ipotavo'' fights in the north, efforts to rebuild and redesign the Tower of the Skink continue. The Axou are moving large amounts of [[white granite]] into the region through the pass that links [[the Mallum]] with Axos (the [[Sarangrave#Path_of_the_Eye|Path of the Eye]]). They are also apparently involved in tearing apart the wrecked city of Sephals, both to loot it and to provide additional building materials.

It is notable that unlike the [[Urizen]] - most of whom still find the idea of establishing homes in Sarangrave [[Everything_is_trying_to_kill_us#A_Gift_Horse|deeply unappealing]], the Axou are showing no such reticence. Along with labourers and caravans of white granite, a steadily growing trickle of citizens from all five citadels travel up the Path of the Eye with the intent of settling in the shadow of the Tower of the Skink. The civil service estimate that the transformation of the Tower of the Skink makes it more appealing for Axou to settle in the marshes of Sarangrave. If it continues in the current vein, there may eventually be more Axou in Sarangrave than there are Urizen.

===Armies of the Dead===
* '''The Axou continue to struggle to establish a garrison at the Tower of the Skink'''
Ilarch Skopos indicates that the Grand Council is not entirely happy with the situation in Sarangrave. They agreed to help defend the territory but they are disappointed that in the face of a known threat - the [[Thorn_and_bone#Objective:_Trap_the_Spirits|unbound spirits]] drawn from the [[Realms#Winter|Winter realms]] by the [[Druj]] - the Empire chose to desert the territory to continue their war of conquest elsewhere. It seems that some of the Grand Ilarchs had assumed the defence of Sarangrave would be significantly more of a joint effort.

They will keep to their agreement with the Empire, of course, but the Winter spirits have not gone away and it seems clear they will be expected to squander yet more Axou lives in the defence of a tiny number of Imperial citizens. Given their [[Axos_religion#The_Eternal_Torture_Chamber|spiritual beliefs]] it is not surprising that they find the idea of "throwing away" the lives of their people to protect a rabble of orcs and Druj deeply unappealing.

One thing is clear - the Axou seem to have no interest in supporting the Imperial venture into the [[Salt Flats of Sanath]] - or at least not with their armies.
===Trade Matters===
* '''Navarr fleets visiting Axos continue to experience suspicion
* '''Blackened Key is no longer available from Kantor
[[Death_leaves_us_homesick#The_Navarr_Threat|Worries about the Navarr]], and the likelihood that they are planning to unleash the [[vallorn]] in Axos, are fading. After the Autumn Equinox Navarr [[fleet|ship captains]] visiting the ports of Axos will still encounter some suspicion (experience a -1 rank penalty to trade), but unless something dreadful happens in the meantime, things should be back to normal in time for the Winter Solstice.

There is also news of some shifting priorities on the docks at Kantor. Following the Autumn equinox, [[Trade_goods#Blackened_Key|Blackened Key]] will no longer be available to Imperial fleet captains visiting that port; instead they will receive additional [[Trade_goods#Axou_Luxuries|luxury goods]] (increasing the amount of money gained by a standard fleet from 24 to 36 rings). There's no indication as to why this change has taken place, but it seems to be an economic consideration rather than anything political.

{{Sarcophan Links}}
{{Axos Links}}

The bargain store

2026-09-09T19:20:21Z

Rafferty: Created page with "<ic>"What even is a bargain!" The mountebank's question was clearly rhetorical. "In Doctor Samiana di Holberg's ''Big Book of All the Words'' it is defined as "something sold at a price that advantages the purchaser, while still providing advantages to the vendor that are all too often invisible." There was muttering and nodding from the crowd. "I however have a different definition, and after today, friends and strangers, I think you will share my understanding." Leia..."

<ic>"What even is a bargain!" The mountebank's question was clearly rhetorical. "In Doctor Samiana di Holberg's ''Big Book of All the Words'' it is defined as "something sold at a price that advantages the purchaser, while still providing advantages to the vendor that are all too often invisible."

There was muttering and nodding from the crowd.

"I however have a different definition, and after today, friends and strangers, I think you will share my understanding." Leia was really getting into her role now, feeling the spirit of ''the'' Mountebank grabbing her tongue and set her words aflame. She had the crowd in the palm of her hand. "For me - and for you folk lucky enough to be here in the markets today - a bargain is a ''once in a lifetime opportunity''! A ''unique and never to be repeated chance'' for ''you'' to acquire the finest jewels of the far west! Magical treasures the like of which no Imperial artisan can hope to replicate! Spices that transform even the most mundane of street-food into a feast for the senses! And now... do I have a volunteeer to demonstrate the amazing properties of the merchandise I have to sell you today?"

She resisted winking at Mecuto, as he stepped up with a pugnacious expression and began his spiel about how he didn't believe any of this. Before he could really get into the swing of it however, a heavy hand fell on his shoulder and he was jerked back into the crowd. In his place stepped out one of the Lantern Wolf's agents, grinning from ear to ear.

"This sounds amazing!" she said, eyes wide with practiced innocence. "I'd be more than happy to volunteer to show these good people the true worth of your goods!"

''Bugger'', thought Leia, feeling the Mountebank's inspiration drain out through her feet like water from a bathtub when the plug was pulled. This was ''not'' going to go well.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=EphisisArt.jpg|align=left|width=300}} </div>
==Overview==
* '''In addition to deals and serives, certain specific goods are available from the City of Gold and Lead during the Autumn Equinox'''
The [[Ephisis|City of Gold and Lead]] deals with the Empire through the use of a unique ritual - [[Ephisis' Scale]] - that allows trade in all kinds of valuable items drawn from all over the world. As well as general deals for familiar goods, the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] of the eternal market sometimes serve as go-betweens for specific offers. These offers often come from mortal magicians looking to smooth over the challenges of transporting valuable goods over distances, but the ''Eternal Bazaar'' is equally happy to represent the other cities of the [[Realms#Autumn|Iron Labyrinth]].

Some arrangements have already been discussed in the [[Not from the benevolence]] wind of fortune which is a counterpart to this one. Here, we lay out some specific deals for Imperial traders to purchase specific goods from named buyers. Each is only available during the Autumn Equinox, and each requires the casters of ''Ephisis' Scale'' to clearly indicate the deal they wish to take advantage of.
==Bonds and Bars==
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Lictors001a.webp|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''The lictors have arranged for Imperial magicians to gain access to objects from the City of Bar and Bond
* '''These items will be delivered before the Winter Solstice 388YE
The [[Archmage of Autumn]], '''Ashborn Trosk''' has apparently invited the [[Lictors|City of Bar and Bond]] to arrange an Autumn market. The ''Brass Magistrates'' themselves have [[Here_you_come_again#Bonds|organised a bond auction]] in the Hall of Worlds, but they have also engaged with the City of Gold and Lead. While they are creatures of the [[realms#Autumn|Iron Labyrinth]] the ''Steel Judges'' are not merchants; but they see no reason not to make use of those who are. During the Autumn Equinox the ''Infinite Market'' will serve as go-betweens to sell goods provided by the ''Gaolers'' for use by Imperial citizens.

During the Autumn Equinox, any number of these deals can be secured with a single box. During the Equinox, any box that contains a 6" by 6" [[Hirmok]] rune will be processed by the brokers representing the Lictors. The rune must be included along with a list of which items it is that the magicians hope to purchase. The details will be checked during the Sunday meeting, and assuming everything is satisfactory, the goods will be provided before the Winter Solstice.

The following deals are on offer from the ''Masters of the Green Iron Prison''.
===Rod of the Gaoler===
* '''A Rod of the Gaoler allows the wielder to cast the entangle spell and to do so three times a day without spending personal mana'''
* '''This item can be acquired for 25 Green Iron'''
This [[:Category:Rods|magical rod]] is used by servants of the Lictors to prevent prisoners from fleeing. The wielder - who must be a [[magical skills#Magician|magician]] - can always cast the [[entangle]] spell as if they knew it, and three times each day they can do so without expending any personal mana. Usually made of heavy-duty metal, the rod can obviously be used as a bludgeon as well should it prove needful to perform a beat-down on a particularly recalcitrant prisoner. As with most items crafted by the Lictors, it also has a subtle [[roleplaying effect|aura]] that gently urges those wielding it to capture those who they suspect of breaking the law and hand them over to the appropriate authorities.

===Lawkeeper's Truncheon===
* '''A Lawkeepers Truncheon allows the wielder to call ENTANGLE once per day while wielding the weapon'''
* '''This item can be acquired for 7 Ambergelt'''
A counterpart to the [[#Rod of the Gaoler|Rod of the Gaoler]], this [[Category:One-handed Weapons|one-handed weapon]] can be used to call [[entangle]] once per day. It follows the rules for a [[Calls#Heroic_Calls|heroic call]] rather than a spell, meaning it can be employed by a wielder who is not versed in magic or indeed one wearing full armour. The item bears a similar aura to the Rod of the Gaoler, urging the bearer to keep the peace and defend the law.

===Binding Chains===
* '''Binding Chains allow the wearer to cast entangle twice per day without expending personal mana, provided they already know how to cast the spell'''
* '''This item can be acquired for 9 Green Iron'''
A set of ''Entangling Chains'' are a [[:Category:Mage Armour|mage armour]] component that is generally crafted in the form of literal chains, often with locks, worn crossed over the torso or bound around the arms and wrists. They function in a similar manner to a [[Splintering Gorget]] or [[Wyvernsting Spaulders]], allowing a [[Magical_skills#Battle_Mage|battle mage]] vesed in the [[entangle]] spell to cast it twice a day without expending personal mana. This is apparently the "least" of the mage armour sets the Lictors create in the Green Iron Prison, but they have not made any of their more powerful pieces available this season. It also comes with an aura that urges the wearer to actively encourage others to obey the law and abide by the strictures of society.

===Mask of the Magistrate===
* '''A Mask of the Magistrate provides a 2 rank bonus to perform Stance of the Constricting Scourge, Brazen Claws of the Lictor, and Inescapable Chains of Bitter Glass'''
* '''In addition the wearer can spend a point of personal mana to gain a source of spiritual strength to overcome roleplaying effects that cause them to doubt their judgement or abandon their duty'''
* '''This item can be acquired for 25 Green Iron'''
The ''Mask of the Magistrate'' is usually a full-face covering affair made of metal or leather, featureless save for eye holes. It is generally created to be as unsettling and intimidating as possible. A [[:Category:Foci|magical focus]], it allows a ritual magician adept in [[Autumn magic]] to wield additional power when contributing to [[Stance of the Constricting Scourge]], [[Brazen Claws of the Lictor]], and [[Inescapable Chains of Bitter Glass]]. More subtly, the mask bears an influential aura that can be called on (through the expenditure of a point of personal mana) as a source of spiritual strength to resist [[roleplaying effects]] that would cause the wearer to doubt their judgement or abandon their duty.

===Ritual Scroll===
* '''The Lictors offer two ritual scrolls to Imperial citizens'''
* '''The first is a curse that weakens a target for a year but can be removed easily by the caster'''
* '''The second is an enchantment that allows a warrior to entangle opponents'''
* '''Any number of these can be purchased by people prepared to pay the price'''
The lictors are not only about [[magic items]]; they also have an interest in magic, especially that dealing with binding. They are already offering a mystic scroll [[Here_you_come_again#Bonds|that summons Furious Warders]] as a reward for capturing the fugitive ''Ringsnap '' who attempted to break into the Green Iron Prison. In addition they are offering two other ritual scrolls during the Autumn Equinox to magicians interested in purchasing their aid.

Ritual scrolls are a rare type of arcane document similar to a [[ritual text]] but much more limited. They can't be placed in lore or used directly to perform any magic - instead they are activated items that contain the knowledge of a ritual. When activated, up to a dozen magicians who are able to master a new ritual (have an empty ritual slot) can master the ritual they contain. The magicians don't have to be from the same coven, or even the same nation, but all must be present when the scroll is activated and the item generally has a limited shelf life before losing its effectiveness.

Claiming one of the scrolls requires an amount of material be placed in an Ephisis box, along with a request for the specific scroll. As with many such arrangements, if the box contains anything else it will be ignored by the heralds of the City of Gold and Lead. The box will be reviewed as normal and the magician will receive the scroll if they remain happy to make the trade.

The first ritual is '''Chains of the Guilty'''. This is a [[curse]] that was created by the Lictors for use on those suspected of a crime who are still being investigated. It causes the target to become [[Weakness|weak]], limiting their ability to resist capture or imprisonment. While under the effect of the curse, they feel chains around them that remind them they have been judged. The curse lasts for a year, but has an interesting removal method - anyone who contributed to the ritual can touch the target and verbally release them from its effects. The ritual is Autumn magic, obviously, and is of magnitude 52. To claim a copy of this arcane scroll requires the investiture of 200 ingots of green iron, and it will retain its properties until the end of the Winter Solstice 388YE.

The other ritual is '''Brass Magistrate's Arrest'''. This is a potent personal [[enchantment]] of magnitude 20 that allows the target to use a [[heroic skills#hero point|hero point]] to call [[Calls#ENTANGLE|entangle]] while wielding a [[Weapons_%26_armour#One-handed_Spear|one-handed spear]] or [[Weapons_%26_armour#Polearms|polearm]] they are proficient with. To claim a copy of this ritual scroll costs 200 measures of ambergelt, and it will likewise retain its properties until the end of the Winter Solstice 388YE.

What ''isn't'' clear, and perhaps reflects something that will influence whether the magician chooses to complete the trade or not, is what assurance is associated with the rituals. The Lictors are not averse to sharing the two rituals more widely, but any such discussion would require a [[archmage#plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] before the costs involved could be discussed.
===Runesmith Law===
* '''The Runesmiths of Wintermark'''
The items offered for sale here are just some of those created at the City of Bar and Bond. They do not produce items on the same kind of scale that they do in the [[Estavus|City of Fire and Stone]], and they are currently quite pleased with the way Imperial Citizens are exploring new legal procedures such as the [[judgement]] or [[proscription]]. As such they are prepared to offer a rare boon, specifically to the [[crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]] of [[Wintermark]]. They model their offer on that which the ''Forgemistress'' [[Inkpot_gods#The_Mediators_Bargain|presented]] three years ago. There are four schema available, and the smiths of Wintermark may choose to acquire any, all, or none of them; each will cost 12 rings of ilium. The items avaulable are:
* [[#Rod of the Gaoler|Rod of the Gaoler]]
* [[#Lawkeeper's Truncheon|Lawkeeper's Truncheon]]
* [[#Binding Chains|Binding Chains]]
* [[#Magistrate's Mask|Magistrate's Mask]]
If more than one magician pays for a schema, then half of the contents of all such boxes will be returned and the heralds of the ''Infinite Market'' will negotiate other deals for the remaining contents. '''SOMETHING SOMETHING'''
===Imperial Guild of Artisans===
* '''If the Senate recognises the Imperial Guild of Artisans (by whatever name) before the end of Saturday they can secure schema for Imperial artisans'''
* '''The Speaker of the Guild, Xanthius Storm's End, will be empowered to send a single Ephisis box to acquire all four schema'''
The Lictors are aware that full recognition of the Imperial Guild of Artisans is being [[Fair share of labour|Discussed by the Senate]]. As with many of the eternals of the Autumn realm, the Lictors are... keen would be the wrong word for such phlegmatic beings. "In favour" is probably closer. In the event that the Senate chooses to recognise the Imperial Guild of Artisans (by whatever name) before the end of Saturday Night during the Autumn Equinox, the Lictors have arranged a special deal with the City of Gold and Lead.

The current [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]], '''Xanthius Storm's End''' is empowered to send a single box using [[Ephisis' Scale]] containing 48 rings of ilium, along with a signed statement that they will do their best to ensure that the Guild operates within Imperial law at all times. In return, the ''Brass Magistrates'' will provide Xanthius with a complete set of the four schema for use by the Guild - or the Empire if they decide to give up their monopoly on such things.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Indian Spices.jpg|align=right|caption=Jarms is known for magical items and unique spices, as well as for the touchiness of its leaders.|width=400}}</div>
==The Mila Offers==
* '''Prince Mila offers three particular deals from the Principalities of Jarm'''
* '''Each deal involves exchanging Imperial currency for items from the Principalities'''
* '''A single box can purchase from any or all of these opportunities but must include a scroll that details exactly what is wanted'''
* '''These offers cannot be combined with any other offer'''
Prince Mila of the Violetinu Mishkas is by all accounts an ambitious and energetic [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarmish]] Magician-Prince. THey were involved in the recent arrangements around [[My_passions_from_a_common_spring#Free_Ports_And_Free_People|Radosmo]] that allowed Imperial traders to visit the Jarmish satellite state and trade with merchants there. The Senate has since embargoed that trade, as they have trade with Jarm as a whole. Inspired apparently by the words of '''Ibiss Briarheart''', Prince Mila has reached out to the City of Gold and Lead to provide evidence that Imperial merchants are eager for Jarmish goods. Their hope is that if the deal with the ''Eternal Markets'' goes well, it will convince the Senate and the House of Princes to bring their ongoing disagreement over trade to an end.

===Star Jewels===
* '''Jarmish Star Jewels allow a magician to perform spells they already know more often'''
* '''Prince Mila has secured promises to produce some common star jewels for sale to Imperial magicians'''
* '''Each star jewel can be bought for 16 crowns apiece but the purchaser must specify which jewels are wanted'''
The [[crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]] of Jarm focus most of their efforts on making things that empower magicians, both ritual masters and those who favour the use of spells. Among the best known of their particular tools are the ''star jewels'' - magical [[:Category:Foci|foci]] that allow a magician who has mastered a given spell to perform it many more times each day. There are a great many variants of star jewels, with rival guilds and Magician-Princes having their own proprietary models, but there are also items that are more commonly available - some of which have been granted to Imperial traders visiting Radosmo or the [[Those_memories_of_you#Jakhalsmarkt|Jakhalsmart]] in the [[Sarcophan Delves]].

During the Autumn Equinox, Imperial magicians can choose to purchase star jewels directly from their crafters, supplied to the City of Gold and Lead by Mila's contacts. In return, Mila wants Imperial coinage. To take advantage of the offer, a box must contain ''only'' Imperial coinage, and a scroll detailing which specific jewels are desired. There is no limit to how many jewels can be acquired, but each one costs 16 crowns.
* '''Jewel of the Cup''' - Three times per day when you cast, but not swift cast, the heal spell you may do so without spending any mana
* '''Jewel of the White Palm''' - Three times per day when you cast, but not swift cast, the purify spell you may do so without spending any mana.
* '''Jewel of the Three''' - Three times per day when you cast, but not swift cast, the repair limb spell you may do so without spending any mana.
* '''Jewel of Wyrmscale''' - Three times per day when you cast, but not swift cast, the mend spell you may do so without spending any mana.
* '''Jewel of the Fire Bird''' - Three times per day when you cast the Empower spell you may do so without spending any mana
* '''Jewel of the Heights''' - Three times per day when you cast the Repel spell you may do so without spending any mana
* '''Jewel of the Shackle''' - Three times per day when you cast the Entangle spell you may do so without spending any mana
In each case, the freshly crafted jewels will be delivered shortly before the Winter Solstice by heralds of the Autumn realm.
===Spices===
* '''Prince Mila is providing a melange of Jarmish spices to Imperial buyers'''
* '''Every 2 crowns secures a random dose of one Jarmish spices, delivered at the Winter Solstice'''
As well as star jewels, Jarm is known for its magical spices. These consumables are a special kind of [[potion]] that are used by mixing them with a warm drink or hot food as it is consumed. Not only do they provide bold and vibrant flavours, the rarest are known to provide benefits to magicians such as filling them with energy, restoring their personal mana, providing remarkable healing, enhancing senses, and the like. Unlike potions they are not designed to be used on a battlefield - they require a little time to work their subtle magic but that is rarely seen as a drawback as they are intended to be used in a social setting. Indeed, some have relaxing drug-like effects that make them popular despite their limited power. Their only real drawback is that they can sometimes have negative side-effects on people who are not magicians, but that isn't seen as a drawback in the Principalities of Jarm.

There are a lot of different kinds of Jarmish spice, and rather than focus on specifics Prince Mila instead offers Imperial buyers to purchase samples of different kinds. For every 2 crowns, Mila will arrange for the buyer to take custody of a pouch of one of the Jarmish spices at the Winter Solstice. Once they have experienced the variety of magical spices available, Mila is certain that Imperial merchants will be eager to acquire more.

===Crystal Mana===
* '''Prince Mila can arrange for almost unlimited amounts of crystal mana'''
* '''Mana must be purchased in ''sacks'' which is a Jarmish unit of ten mana'''
* '''The box must contain the money and an indication of how much is desired'''
* '''Mana will be delivered before the Winter Solstice'''
Jarm is a nation of magicians, and magicians need crystal mana. A combination of [[great work|great works]], ready access to [[mithril]], and of course ''[[Better_world#The_White_Seed|Beloye zerno]]'' (pronounced very roughly as BYEE-el-o-yay zerr-NO, also known as "white seed"') means that they literally have mana to burn. Prince Mila offers some of the great wealth of Jarm's mana sites to Imperial buyers.

During the Autumn Equinox, crystal mana can be purchased from the Jarmish at the rate of 12 crowns for every 10 mana (a price of 24 rings per crystal). Prince Mila is not prepared to deal in "fiddly" amounts of mana and is only selling in "''sacks''" (an official Jarmish measurement apparently). As with the other two offers, a given box can be used to purchase sacks of mana from Jarm alongside spices and star jewels. Again though, the scroll included with the coinage must indicate exactly how much mana is required. The ''sacks'' of mana will be delivered before the Winter Solstice.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Coloured cloth.jpg|align=right|caption=The artisans and wizards who work with the Blue Silk Scarf guild are masters of creating magical garb.|width=400}}</div>
==Blue Silk Scarves==
* '''The ''Blue Silk Scarf'' guild of Faraden provides access to unique magical coats'''
The [[Winds_and_flames#Silken_Butterflies|Blue Silken Scarf]] is a guild of Faraden [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]] and [[Magical skills#Magician|wizards]] who specialise in the creation of find quality garb. They have done [[Where_five_winds_meet#Butterflies_and_Boxes|business with the Empire]] on [[All_the_wind#Blue_Silk_Scarves|multiple occasions]], often in pursuit of the Iridescent Gloaming they need to create their finest pieces of clothing. Building on past successes, they offer another trade deal to Imperial magicians to purchase some of their magically-infused coats. This time however they are more interested in acquiring Imperial coinage - which reflects an interesting shift in their priorities.

Purchasing one or more of the coats the Blue Silk Scarf offer during the Autumn Equinox requires a box contain only money and a sheet of paper with a butterfly or moth drawn on it. On the paper the buyer must specify which coats they wish to buy. Assuming everything is in order, the clothes will be delivered to the trader in time for the Winter Solstice. They are currently offering the following items, each of which is an enchanted [[:Category:Mage_Robes|mage robe]].
* A '''Moonmoth Coat''' costs 22 crowns. This is a deep blue jacket with moonsilver embroidery. It can be invoked once each day by a magician to allow them to increase their ranks of Night lore by one (subject to the usual limits) for the performance of one ritual.
* A '''Windwing Cowl''' costs 24 crowns. This is a bright yellow hood with sungold embroidery. It can be invoked once each day by a magician to allow them to increase their ranks of Day lore by one (subject to the usual limits) for the performance of one ritual.
* A '''Nightfire Sash''' is more expensive, at 35 Crowns. It takes the form of a multicoloured silken sash that absorbs and stores magical energies. It functions much like an [[Ashen Mantle]], but the enchantment also imbues the wearer with a particular appreciation for music, fire, and dancing.
* A '''Wildwind Coat''' can be acquired for the princely sum of 50 crowns. This padded coat is decorated with fragments of tempest jade and embroidered weltsilver thread that allows a wearer versed in its use to [[Spellcasting#Swift_casting|swift cast]] the [[purify]] spell at the cost of only a single mana rather than two. It also provides a source of spiritual strength for overcoming any [[roleplaying effect]] that relies on fear and despair.
The Blue Silk Scarf guild are confident they will be able to fill any orders sent by Imperial magicians with the aid of their contacts in the ''Silent Market''. The Autumn herald will still need to confirm the order with the box-holder, and confirm any details as to where the garb should be delivered. They have however been instructed ''not'' to gossip about why the Blue Silk Scarf are looking for hard Imperial cash rather than iridescent gloaming.

'''OOC Note:''' Much as we'd like to we can't provide physreps for these magical coats, sashes, and cowls. They will be delivered as ribbons in the inventory of the appropriate character at the Winter Solstice.

==Sarcophan Vallorn Stuff==
{{:Those_memories_of_you}}
==Further Reading==
* [[Ephisis]]
* [[Ephisis' Scale]]

File:Indian Spices.jpg

2026-09-09T19:16:40Z

Rafferty: Maulpatel, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons {{Wikimedia}}

== Summary ==
Maulpatel, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

{{Wikimedia}}

388YE Autumn Equinox winds of fortune

2026-09-09T19:08:28Z

Rafferty: /* The Bargain Store */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Lights in the Dark.jpg|align=left|caption=Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. |width=2000}}</div>
==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Wind of Fortune !! Order Released !! Last Updated || Note
|-
| [[The wolves tempt you]] || 1 || data-sort-value="2026/08/15"| 15/08 || Imperial Address
|-
| [[Dream on]] || 2 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Seren
|-
| [[Come together]] || 3 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Apothecary college
|-
| [[Fair share of labour]] || 4 || data-sort-value="2026/08/19"| 19/08 || Artisans Guild
|-
| [[Hidden inventory]] || 5 || data-sort-value="2026/08/29"| 29/08 || Banner-bearers
|-
| [[A fork in the path]] || 6 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Mystics
|-
| [[Outreach across the marshes]] || 7 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Sand Fishers & League highest calling
|-
| [[Stand proud, you're strong]] || 8 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Brass Coast highest calling
|-
| [[Here you come again]] || 9 || data-sort-value="2026/08/31"| 06/09 || Plenipotentiary
|-
| [[Accomplices]] || 10 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Agramant is still in Therunin
|-
| [[Metamorphosis]] || 11 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Dealing with Kroll
|-
| [[Out of these convertites]] || 12 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || League visit to the Marches
|-
| [[Goodwill]] || 13 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Dawn, Navarr, Highguard, Vallornguard
|-
| [[Not from the benevolence]] || 14 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Offers from Ephisis
|-
| [[Wayfaring strangers]] || 15 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Visitors
|-
| [[Value beneath the mountain]] || 16 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Kespoena's Reach
|-
| [[Domain expansion]] || 17 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Imperial Breadbasket
|-
| [[Islands in the dream]] || 18 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Imperial Orc Highest Calling
|-
| [[Shadowed boughs of twilight]] || 19 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Ossium
|-
| [[When something is lost]] || 20 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Madruga
|-
| [[A friend like you]] || 21 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Eternal Winds of Magic
|-
|}</div>
Over the past three months, events have taken place which are of significance to the Empire and may require a response from her champions. These are the winds of fortune, counterparts to the winds of war that detail the Empire's military campaigns. They lay out situations and usually include things that characters can do to take advantage of [[opportunity|opportunities]] or to resolve problems. In almost every case, they start with a piece of flavour text. This fiction helps introduce the wind of fortune or draws out a particular theme or element. Often, it represents a viewpoint that one or more NPCs might have in-character. In all cases, these pieces are intended to help create an atmosphere and provide a little entertainment. Where they contain opinions, those are the opinions of the fictional people depicted - and where they contain information or rumours, the assumption is that the reader will create their own context for that information or gossip if they want to use it in character.

The body of the wind of fortune describes situations and lays out ways players can engage with them. Except where we explicitly talk about something being "rumoured" or use a phrase like "some might say..." the details of a wind of fortune are factual. They represent briefing material presented by the civil service or similar authoritative sources and represent something the average educated citizen would acknowledge as a reliable truth. Unless we specify otherwise, we're also being as thorough as possible. This information doesn't need further checking in-character. It's not an opinion, and we're not trying to trick you.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:350px; float: left; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Diplomacy Wind
|-
| General Diplomacy || [[So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavea]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Asavean_Archipelago|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Axos]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Axos|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] || [[All I can do]]
|-
| [[Commonwealth]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Commonwealth|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Marracossa]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Marracossa|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Faraden]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Faraden|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Grendel]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Grendel|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Iron Confederacy]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Iron Confederacy|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Otkodov]] || [[The little things]]
|-
| [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarm]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Principalities_of_Jarm|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Sarcophan Delves]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Sarcophan Delves|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Sumaah Republic]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Sumaah_Republic|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
|}

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of Fortune is to maintain the illusion of the Empire as a living, breathing place where things happen - and to make players aware of things their characters could know based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing for the past three months. It's perfectly acceptable to turn up to Empire having read only a few Winds of Fortune that directly interest your character; part of the fun on the field can come from learning about situations and opportunities in other parts of the game.
__TOC__
In each case, we've tried to tag the Winds of Fortune entry with the nations or political bodies to which it is most relevant. We've done this to help people who are interested only in events that are especially relevant to them. In no way are these tags intended to be exhaustive; the Empire is a complex place, and very little happens in isolation. We are also adding the dates that they were last updated (other than typos and correcting [[red links]]) in an attempt to make it easier to keep track of the newest releases.

==Winds of Fortune==
===The Wolves Tempt You (Imperial Address)===
* '''Imperial citizens; Navarr;'''
[[Emperor Vesna]] has used their power to [[The_Throne#Address_the_Empire|address the Empire]] to present a personal reminder to all citizens that the road to salvation is hard, but everyone is walking it together.

The message has been distributed across the Empire by the civil service, and you can read it in the '''[[The wolves tempt you]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:left; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Navarr.png|align=left|width=150}}</div>
===Dream On===
* '''Navarr'''
In [[Miaren]], [[Miaren#Seren|Seren]] is now become the ''City of Dreams'' in truth. People with hopes and aspirations, with the imagination to perceive what is needed to achieve them and the determination to try, have flocked to Miaren. With the completion of the Temple of the Waking Dream, the [[dreamspeaker]] calling has coalesced as a distinct [[archetype]] among the [[Navarr]] people, one dedicated to making dreams become reality. This has perhaps predictably amplified arguments about what exactly that means, and which dreams should be pursued, and how.

You can learn about competing arguments, and the changes to the city of Seren, in the '''[[Dream on]]''' wind of fortune.
===Come Together===
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBNavarr.jpg|align=right|width=100}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Imperial Apothecaries Guild; Navarr; Benefactor of High Chalcis; Highguard, the League, Imperial Orcs, and Varushka; Senate
When [[Therunin]] fell to the [[Druj]] [[Thornsinger#Thornsong_House|Thornsong House]] was lost. Despite the valiant efforts of the Navarr and the aid of [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]], the college of herb mastery could not be saved. While the house itself burned, many of those who studied there were able to escape to the safety of [[Reikos]]. Some stayed behind on [[Reikos#Chalcis Mount|Chalcis Mount]], but others chose to put as much distance between themselves and the horrors of the Druj as possible. Drawn to the Temple of the Waking Dream, some of these apothecaries and physicks have taken the path of the dreamspeaker themselves, and inspired by the City of Dreams, they have put their ambition to rebuild what was lost into words.

A proposal for a new college of the apothecary arts, and ways various nations may be involved, can be found in the '''[[Come together]]''' wind of fortune.
===Fair Share of Labour===
* '''Artisan's Guild; Throne; Senate; Artisans of all kinds; Golden Pyramid; Pride Assembly; Navarr; Guildmaster of the Artisans, Dean of Runesmith's Caution, Keeper of the Runegrott, Seer of the Spiral Sword, and potentially several other titles associated with magic item crafting'''
At the recent summit, [[Emperor Vesna]], requested that the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] [[Forever_is_composed_of_nows#The_Abraham_Gambit|appraise the implications]] of a new [[Imperial sodality]], the ''Imperial Guild of Artisans''. The Artisans Guild has technically been in existence for some time, with the Senate [[Construct_Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|ordering the construction of Guildhouse]] in 385YE, creating the position of [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]]. Now the Senate is in a position to consider the full implications of making the Guild into an official Imperial sodality.

You can learn more about the potential Imperial Sodality, as well as proposals from some people very excited by the opportunity it represents, in the '''[[Fair share of labour]]''' wind of fortune.
===Hidden Inventory===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Cat's Graces Sodality.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBWintermark.jpg|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Wintermark, especially banner bearers; Cat's Graces; Minister of Historical Research; Mediator of Hyljehal; Senate
When the tides of fate seem to turn against the Empire, to be able to look and see over the battle lines, the colours of your warband or your nation still [[Pride|Proudly]] flying can help to rally the [[Courage]] and turn the tide. In [[Wintermark]] the [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Banner-bearers|position of banner-bearer]] is seen as vital to the success of any battle. [[Empress Britta]] was a banner-bearer, and bore [[Three Tears|Foe-Slayer]], the legendary war-banner of [[Emperor Guntherm]] onto the field. The great flag was lost when Britta died and it has been near two decades since Wintermark could bear its equal into battle. The artisans and craftspeople of [[Hahnmark#Runegrott|Runegrott]] have a proposal to try to remedy this shortfall, involving the construction of a grand [[edifice]] to house banners and paintings of the great banners of the Empire as well as the creation of a new [[Magic_items#Artefacts|artefact]] [[:Category:Magic Standards|banner]] for Wintermark.

You can read more about this plan, and learn a little of the mighty banner Foe-Slayer, in the '''[[Hidden inventory]]''' wind of fortune.
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===A Fork in the Path===
* '''Wintermark, especially the Mystics; Raven Seer of Ishal; would-be champions; Keeper of Oaths; friends of Sung
The [[mystic|Mystics]] of Ishal sought to work more closely with the wider nation of Wintermark. They have since decided [[Flight_of_birds#The_Witan|to approach the Witan]] directly, and do what they can to support the goals of the nation itself. The decision to help with the [[Warriors' Gate|exploration of Tsirku]] has made it impossible for the Mystics of Ishal to offer their usual council and support to the [[Raven Seer]] and to that end they have made several changes to the Aviary, and to the support they offer the Raven Seer and the nation. At the same time, there has been a great deal of discussion of the [[Crown of Three Tears]] and the role of the ''Champion of Wintermark'' within the nation - the appointment of who has traditionally been the responsibility of the mystics.

You can read about the changes at Ishal, and the situation of the Crown of Three Tears, in the '''[[A fork in the path]]''' wind of fortune.
===Outreach Across the Marshes===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
* '''The League, especially the Bishops and Princes; Merchant Prince of Misericorde Market; Senate
[[The League]] Assembly [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_57|has declared]] that their [[The_highest_calling#The_Highest_Calling|highest calling]] is to bring new peoples to join the Empire. A Virtuous endeavour to be sure, but even the League cannot move the whole world at once. To be effective the nation needs to [[Any_dream_will_do#Partners_within|focus their efforts]] on one group at a time. Diplomacy is a complicated matter, so they also need to decide who among them would be best to take the lead with each such group. This past season the Princes of the League have reached out to the [[Holberg#Misericorde|Sand Fishers]] of [[Holberg#Misericorde|Misericorde]], the [[orc|orcs]] who once lived on the southern shores of [[Ossium]] as slaves of the [[Druj]] but who have found a new lease of life on the northern shores of [[Holberg]].

Ultimately, the egregore decides who can or cannot join a nation - the nature of the bond is that it can only be formed with someone an egregores recognises as having the potential to be a member of the nation. But the League has already embraced the Apulian Orcs, why not the Holberg Orcs as well?

You can read about how the outreach is going, and what it might take to bring the Sand Fishers into the Empire, in the '''[[Outreach across the marshes]]''' wind of fortune.
===Stand Proud, You're Strong===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Freeborn.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
* '''The Brass Coast, especially the Freeborn assembly;
After several seasons of deliberation (and funding a [[Construct_City_of_Wonders|whole new city]]), the Freeborn National Assembly has decided that the [[the highest calling|highest calling]] of their people should be on defending their lands. The sentiment resonates with people across [[the Brass Coast]]. It was not long ago that both [[Madruga]] and [[Feroz]] fell under barbarian control, [[Kahraman]] has faced constant invasion from the Lasambrians over the past few years and [[Segura]] has only recently enjoyed a prolonged period of quiet after nearly two decades of constant warfare. Is it a surprise that the people of the Brass coast feel a little vulnerable, given recent history?

There is so much work that could be done, people are at a loss to know where to start. The Assembly will have to consider the options carefully - they have a year to take advantage of the nation's highest calling, but that won't be enough time to pursue every possibility raised by a people as inventive as the Freeborn...

You can find out how the nation can begin to defend its lands, and the proposals put forward toward that aim, in the '''[[Stand proud, you're strong]]''' wind of fortune.
===Here You Come Again (Plenipotentiary)===
* '''Imperial Conclave; magicians; Synod; Brass Coast especially Sutannir; ''Alazhar i Taziel i Erigo'', ''Velasco i Guerra'', the Imperial Warcaster; Marcher beaters, Unshackled thief-takers, Varushkan wardens; ''Berilo i Erigo''; ''Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka'' and some dead generals'''
* This wind was updated on 06/09/2026 to add some additional paragraphs to the end of the [[Here_you_come_again#End_of_Empire|End of Empire]] section
Each [[archmage]] is empowered to send a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] message to a single [[eternal]] of their [[Realms|realm]] each season. Bound to respond, the recipients are however free to choose precisely what form that response takes. Following the Summer Solstice, six eternals have responded to what are presumed to be missives from the respective archmages. Some have agreed to [[archmage#Parley|parley]], but not all of them.

You can find out about the eternals, and the nature of their responses, in the '''[[Here you come again]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=BarienArt.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>

===Arrows and Clay (Challenge)===
* '''Challengers of the Iron Duke'''
Each season, the eternal ''[[Barien]]'' presents opportunities to those prepared to [[Challenge the Iron Duke]]. For the Autumn Equinox he offers two challenges: a game of speed and grace, and a game of creativity and imagination. As ever, the rules of the ritual apply. Each person who receives the ritual will be ''guaranteed'' entry to a challenge. Depending on the challenge, they ''may'' be able to bring a certain number of attendants with them to assist. The exact number will depend on the nature of the challenge and the number of challengers. The [[civil service]] will publish exact numbers in [[Anvil#The_Hub|the Hub]] on Saturday morning for all to see.

You can find details of the challenges issued by Barien this season in the '''[[Arrows and clay]]''' wind of fortune.
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===Accomplices===
* '''Navarr; Military Council; Military unit captains; ''Eskah Swift Hart, Vosjuli Cherenkov, Towlen Nighthaven'' and ''Mirella of the Twisted Rose'''''
Another season, another message from [[Agramant]], delivered by his heralds from the depths of [[Therunin]]. The eternal's efforts were roundly refuted last season, with the [[Golden Axe]] reclaiming Lower Tarn Valley. This season, Twigsnapper has a much more pointed offer to make to aid the reconquest of Therunin.

You can find out what Agramant and his heralds are up to in the '''[[Accomplices]]''' wind of fortune.

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===Metamorphosis===
* '''Urizen, particularly the captains of military units or residents of Sarangrave; Keeper of the Breadbasket and farm owners of the Marches; Imperial Consul; ''Frith, Ser Guy of the Twisted Rose, Fausta Ankarien,'' and people interested in the rebel septs; ''Solas of the Spire of the First Light'' and the Warmage'''
It has been a tumultuous time in the Sarangrave. First the Druj, then the vallorn, and now husks. All while the Empire has been endeavouring to make diplomatic inroads with the rebels of Nesustak Forest. Sadly, troubles abound; the eviction of so many from Thornfen by the Axou has raised the spectre of famine in the territory. And now the Druj scattered through the territory, alongside the rampaging husks, threaten to raise a third dark spectre - the beast that lurks beneath the waters of the Sarangrave, the dark and terrible Kroll.

You can find out what's happening in Sarangrave this season in the '''[[Metamorphosis]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly General.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
===A Little at a Time===
* '''Members of the Synod, especially Cardinals; Members of the Senate; Members of the Vallornguard and people interested in the fate of Pilgrim's Defiance'''
Last season, eight judgements of [[proscription]] were raised, and half of them were upheld by the General Assembly. Similar to their previous efforts, the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] has asked the civil service to publish not just guidance on the outcome of these proscriptions, but also details from the minutes of their discussions in the hopes of providing clarity to interested citizens. This includes detailed guidance on the three changes to religious law enacted by the Senate.

You can find out the outcome of the Constitutional Court's meeting on the proscriptions and changes to religious law last season, in the '''[[A little at a time]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Marcher.png|align=right|width=150}}
===Out of These Convertites===
* '''The League, particularly orcs and members of the Synod; The Marches; People with an interest in foot-the-ball or duelling'''
* This wind was updated on 07/09/2026 to change the time of the [[Out_of_these_convertites#And_So_Am_Come_Abroad|Am So Am Come Abroad]] encounter to 18:30 on Saturday
Last season, the [[The League|League]] and [[The Marches|Marcher]] Assemblies both passed statements of principle encouraging a pilgrimage of Apulian orcs and League members of the Synod to the [[Mournwold]]. Citizens from all five cities of the League have taken up the call to travel, and the orcs of the Mourn have welcomed them with open arms and farm tools. It's not just the harvest that's discussed, but ancestors and sports.

You can find out what happened when the League visited the Marches this season in the '''[[Out of these convertites]]''' wind of fortune.

===Goodwill===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Vallornguard sodality.png|title=Vallornguard|align=right|width=100}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Dawn.png||align=right|width=180}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Highborn.png||align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Navarr.png||align=right|width=150}}
* '''Dawn, Navarr; Highguard; Vallornguard'''
Two nations have chosen to use their [[The highest calling|highest calling]] to focus their people on the coming final war against the [[vallorn]]. The [[Dawn|Dawnish]] are developing the skills and resources to prepare themselves, while [[Navarr]] are looking for ways to support the nascent [[Vallornguard]] by sharing centuries of accumulated wisdom with other nations. Surprising progress has been made: the Dawnish have chosen to [[Love_and_monsters#Unicorns|throw open the doors of Greenwood Manor]] to all comers. The Navarr have spent the last year offering their unique expertise to their Imperial cousins, their eye turned at last to their allies in [[Highguard]]. Even the denizens of the [[eternal]] [[realms]] have heard the call to war, and have been encouraged to offer their aid as the Empire prepares for the war that will, if it is successful, bring to an end the Doom of Terunael.

You can find out about the highest callings of Navarr and Dawn, and the opportunities they provide, in the '''[[Goodwill]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Ephisis.jpg|align=left|width=300}}</div>
===Not From the Benevolence===
* '''Entrepreneurs and traders; Members of the Senate, particularly the Senators for Reikos and Bastion; People interested in contracts available, particularly ''Dorys Delgorokov'', ''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo'' and ''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged''; Citizens of Kallavesa, the Barrens, and Hercynia; and the ''Freeborn Flame Cartel'''''
Following the relative success of the new scheme to offer large contracts for fulfilment, the heralds of the [[Ephisis|Sovereign Lady of the City of Gold and Lead]] have returned with new offers for the coming summit. As always, the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] will set up shop in the [[Hall of Worlds]] on the final day of the summit, where they will look to settle any sales offered to the City via the [[Ephisis' Scale]] ritual.

You can learn about the offer for a fortification, the contracts available from the City of Gold and Lead, and the counting houses requested by the Conclave, in the '''[[Not from the benevolence]]''' wind of fortune.

===Wayfaring Strangers (Visitors)===
* '''Senators for Tassato and Holberg, and the League Assembly; Envoy to the Karass; Magpies;'''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
People visit Anvil for all kinds of reasons. Trade, wonderment, and a chance to meet with the movers and shakers of the Empire. It is no surprise that Anvil is seen as the place to be if you want to get anything of importance done.

You can find out more about some of the folk coming to Anvil this season in the '''[[Wayfaring strangers]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=ArgentSword_Colour.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
===Value Beneath the Mountain===
* '''General of the Argent Sword; ''Kespoena Archsky''; Members of the Senate and those able to announce commissions; people who like mithril; ''Herminius of the House of the Wanderer''; Architect of Illumination; Gardener of Pallas; Arbiter of the Four Winds; Oblivion Sentinel; and people who like the idea of fighting in caves'''
Almost eighteen months ago, an arcane projection raised Kespoena's Reach (formerly known as Mount Polus) to be the highest mountain in the Empire. This, unexpectedly, led to a crevasse opening at the base of the mountain. Last season, the [[Argent Sword|General of the Argent Sword]], '''Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer''', ordered the heralds of her army to "''sniff out the value beneath the mountain''".

You can find out what they found, and what lies beneath Kespoena's Reach, in the '''[[Value beneath the mountain]]''' wind of fortune.
===Domain Expansion===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Marcher.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''The Marches; Imperial Orcs; Senate and Military Council; Singing Caves seat; and Quartermaster of the Imperial Armies; Imperial diviners and cartographers; anyone with an interest in Liathaven/Ashvale'''
While other nations struggle on, the [[the Marches|Marchers]] have got their harvest in. Their assembly has completed their [[The highest calling#Highest calling|highest calling]] and successfully [[Expand_Breadbasket_into_Mournwold|expanded]] the [[The_Marches_economic_interests#The_Imperial_Breadbasket|Imperial Breadbasket]] into [[Mournwold]]. There's no time for rest however... as ever Marcher knows, the reward for a good job is more work. Keen not to let the grass grow under anyone's feet, Marchers look to make good use of the remaining time now the Breadbasket is properly sorted. There are a few ideas knocking around about what Marchers could be doing next, as a tidal wave of Imperial Steel sweeps through [[Mitwold]] and into [[Bregasland]] - time to build on that success. After-all - you don't own it unless you can defend it...

You can learn about suggestions for how the Marches can own and defend land, and a mildly irritating development with a former Imperial territory, in the '''[[Domain expansion]]''' wind of fortune.
===Islands in the Dream===
<div style="float: right; max-width: 150px; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:Illarawm.png]]</div>
* '''Imperial Orcs, Varushka, Highguard; Military Council'''
Bloodcrow Knott declared the [[the highest calling#Highest Calling|highest calling]] of the [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]] assembly to be [[Every_day_of_your_life#Spanning_the_Abyss|seeking the ancestors of other septs]], and at the Summer Solstice, Bloodcrow Meep was chosen to [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_93|lead an approach]] to the [[Culling_the_threat#The_Dreamers_of_the_Dark_Forest|Dreamers of the Dark Forest]] in eastern [[Ossium]]. This time the [[orc|orcs]] have additional support in the form of advisors from [[Varushka]] and [[Highguard]] familiar with the sept, who helped arm and train the orcs to fight the [[Druj]] a few years back. The delegation of [[shamans]] and [[Illarawm|mystagogues]] braves the haunted woods and finds a guarded welcome, some mystical beliefs about spirits, and another dilemma for the Empire...

You can learn about the Dreamers of the Dark Forest, their spiritual beliefs, and their pressing concerns, in the '''[[Islands in the dream]]''' wind of fortune.
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{{CaptionedImage|file=NBVarushka.jpg|align=right|width=300}}
===Shadowed Boughs of Twilight===
* '''Citizens of Ossium, Navarr and Varushkan alike; Ossium forest owners; Senate, Military Council; Varushkan and Dawnish military units; Grieftender of the Forgotten, Map to the City Below, Singer of Silence, Ceslev of the Circle of ZUlgan Tash; People who like having a fortification in Ossium; Apothecary of Orieb; people angry about idolatry; Agramant watchers; Watcher of the Semmerlak; Guardian of the Maze of Zoria; Dedicates of Wisdom; Ambassador to Otkodov'''
[[Ossium]] has been part of [[Varushka]] for six years now, and what was once a wretched place clenched in the iron fist of the [[Druj]] is rapidly becoming one of the most prosperous territories in the Empire. Alongside the Varushkans live a few scattered septs of [[orc|orcs]], while the [[Thule]] control the northern forests in uneasy alliance. For the last few years it has also been home to families of Navarr drawn by Awstin's Rest. After the Summer Solstice, though, magic drawn from the [[Realms#Night|Wondrous Forest]] washes over the territory, bringing with it the unmistakable blessings of Night magic - blessings that have a regrettable tendency to be somewhat mixed. Especially given the presence of the monsters that have been here since well before the Empire drove the Druj out, who still lurk in the depths of the wild forests.

You can learn about the effects the Night magic has had, on dreams and on the forest, as well as details about eternals and monsters, in the '''[[Shadowed boughs of twilight]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Drakes_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Star Forged colour.webp|align=right|width=200}}
===When Something Is Lost===
* '''Inhabitants of Madruga; Generals of the Drakes and Star Forged; military units; Marcher folk; Conclave orders; Military Council; magicians interested in ill-advised experiments; Archmages of Night, Spring, and Winter; Stone Smith'''
Once [[Madruga]] was grassy plains, rich coastline, and prosperous islands. Now it is something else, thanks in part to the transfiguration of its southern coast by magically-infused river waters. This is [[the Brass Coast]] and there are plenty of Freeborn who welcome the excitement, unpredictability, and wonder each day promises. After the Summer Solstice, magic started to settle over Madruga, bringing with it vibrant dreams of vanished forests and heralds of the [[Realms#Night|Night realm]]. At first it seemed to be just a gentle piece of [[Night magic]]... but as the Autumn got closer it became clear it had done more than just evoke dreams. Two Imperial armies were also in Madruga, busy claiming the wild marshes of the Siroc Bayou and Crucible for the Empire. ''One'' of these two armies has come back out of the marshes and the other one... has not.

You can learn about the gentle enchantment, and the disappearance of an entire Imperial army, in the '''[[When something is lost]]''' wind of fortune.

===A Friend Like You (Eternals)===
* '''Knight-protector of Summer; Captain of the Throne Guard; Dauntless Warrior; ''William Guildenstern''; Architect of the Hammers; Arch of the Sky; Business owners in Zenith; Quartermaster of the Hanuri Garrison; General of the Burning Falcon; Maestro of the Cat's Graces; Azure Sutannir; Dawnish magicians; ''Lady Aletheia of the Twisted Rose'', ''Catena'', and magicians who perform curses; ''Claudia Varkulova Remislav, Eevi of the Gadrai'', and the Conclave; ''Artreus D'Fauntine, Catrina Words The Unbelievably Magical, Leo the Rainbow Sage,'' the <s>Order of the</s> Golden Chalice, the Tender of the Phoenix Flame, and the Churnspire Adjutor; those who met with Argent Preceptor; Night ritualists, and those who like the Whisper Gallery; '''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
Some magic comes from outside the Empire, from the creatures of the [[Realm|realms]], the [[eternal|eternals]] and their [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]]. Sometimes they have boons to offer, sometimes they have demands to make. Here we learn of the doings of the realms, with something that could be relevant to any number of folk, including some meetings, some odd opportunities, and eerie happenings.

You can learn about the doings of various eternals, and the repercussions of their former doings, in the '''[[A friend like you]]''' wind of fortune.

===Spreading the Way (Appraisal)===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">[[file:Labyrinth.jpg]]</div>
* '''Members of the Senate; People interested in spreading the Way'''
Last season, the Senate called for an appraisal on how non-Wayist cultures and communities residing within the Empire can be brought into the [[The Way|Way of Virtue]]. Naomi of Virtue's Rest was assigned, and her [[appraisal]] of the situation has been submitted. Naomi has had to rely on a very broad-strokes approach to the question, but she is confident that it will leave the Empire as a whole better off with the understanding that it brings.

You can learn about the results of Naomi's work in the '''[[Spreading the Way]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">[[file:Assembly Prosperity.png]]</div>
===This Old House===
* '''Prosperity Assembly; Inhabitants of Feroz; General Assembly; Members of Senate; People interested in commissions'''
During the Spring Equinox, the Prosperity Assembly upheld a [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement 138|judgement]] that made clear their highest calling: to look for opportunities that will help to bring Prosperity to the damaged territories of the Empire and the people within them. The first territory chosen by the assembly was [[Feroz]], still suffering from the ravages it suffered under Governor Rahab. The Prosperous have identified what they consider the best option for helping the people of Feroz, and one Freeborn architect has a pitch for how it might potentially help the rest of the Empire.

You can learn about how the Prosperity Assembly might help the people of Feroz feel less [[Region_qualities#Abandoned|abandoned]] in the '''[[This old house]]''' wind of fortune.

===Rebellion's Ridge===
* '''General Assembly; Inhabitants of the Mournwold, particularly farm and mine owners'''
During the Spring Equinox, the Pride Assembly upheld a [[388YE Spring Equinox Synod judgements#Judgement 13|writ of consecration]] to consecrate [[Mournwold#Rebellion's Ridge|Rebellion's Ridge]] as a memorial to the exemplars of Pride, the [[Known_exemplars#Leaders_of_the_Ore_Hills_Rebellion|Leaders of the Ore Hills Rebellion]]. The writ has brought things to a head in the Mourn, and now it comes down to the decision of the General Assembly.

You can learn about the potential consecration of Rebellion's Ridge as a memorial to the Ore Hills Rebels in the '''[[Rebellion's Ridge]]''' wind of fortune.

===A Habit I Can't Break (Mortal Magic)===
* '''Keeper of the Imperial Menagerie, Financier of Holberg's Phantasmagorical Mementoes, and Conclave; Freeborn ritualists; Navarr;'''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
Not all magic is performed by the denizens of the realms; mortals are just as, if not more, capable of causing all kinds of trouble when left alone with too much free time and mana crystals.

You can read about goings-on across the Empire in the '''[[A habit I can't break]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">[[file:Meraud001a.png|align=right|width=200]]</div>
===Towers of the Sun===
* '''Conclave, Senate; Imperial magicians; Churnspire Adjutor; Francisco i Alvera i Riqueza, Olivier, Ioseph of Summer's Apex, Carlos of Phoenix Reach, Mercurio Ankarien, Lord Tobias De Gauvain, Enchanter Vesper Lucentia, Kaapo Kingfishering, Lord Morgann de Vere, Beatrice Keeper, Ibiss Briarheart, Enchantress Areloe Larmallevés, Catrina Words The Unbelievably Magical'''
The ''[[Meraud|Summer Enchanter]]'' has been through some things recently, but it seems he is [[Ambassadors_of_death#Apples_and_Oranges_(Summer)|even more enthusiastic]] about helping out his friends in the Empire than usual. As Summer fades, his messengers are dispatched to various points around the Empire with boons and plans and proposals a plenty. Whether it is wizards towers, appreciation for the [[Churnspire Adjutor]], or final decisions regarding communication with the ''Lord of the Lake'', they have been full of the fire of enthusiasm and relentlessly upbeat. Only when the ''[[Sadogua|Toad King]]'' is brought up in polite conversation does their eager demeanour slip a little and a few choice words of criticism get voiced.

You can learn about offers from Meraud, and an opportunity to restore channels of communication, in the '''[[Towers of the sun]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">[[file:Sadogua001d.webp|align=right|width=150]]</div>

===Towers of the Moon===
* '''Conclave; People of Kallavesa; Brat Umbral Path; anyone who wants a stab at running the Well of Shadows; Vigilance Assembly; Arcane Architect, Dean of the Lyceum; Marcher magicians and wassailers; Varushkans who are not the Circle of Zulgan bloody Tash'''
The [[Sadogua|Brother of Wizards]] has become a little more active of late, after a period of somnolence. His heralds have enthusiastically accepted invitations to [[When something is lost|visit Madruga]] and while they deny it, they've also been actively [[Shadowed boughs of twilight|fighting spider monsters in Ossium]]. Following an unexpected appearance in the [[Hall of Worlds]] during the Summer Solstice in which Imperial magicians apparently helped him "get a spider out of his ear" (whatever ''that'' means), he has also apparently made a concerted effort to [[Missive for Sadogua|answer all this mail]]. But it doesn't stop there! It seems someone has lit a fire under the backside of the perennially slothful ''Toad King'', and he is busily trying to catch up on his obligations to his friends in the Empire.

You can learn about his meandering offers to assorted Imperial magicians, and what he ''really'' thinks of the Circle of Zulgan Tash, in the '''[[Towers of the moon]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Ephisis001.webp|align=right|width=150}}

===The Bargain Store===
* '''Ephisis' Scale practitioners'''
The [[Ephisis|City of Gold and Lead]] deals with the Empire through the use of a unique ritual - [[Ephisis' Scale]] - that allows trade in all kinds of valuable items drawn from all over the world. As well as general deals for familiar goods, the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] of the eternal market sometimes serve as go-betweens for specific offers. These often come from mortal magicians, but the ''Eternal Bazaar'' is equally happy to represent the other cities of the [[Realms#Autumn|Iron Labyrinth]]. This season there are four distinct sets of "bargains" offered to the Empire's traders - from the [[Lictors|City of Bar and Bond]]; from Prince Mila of [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarm]]; from the tailors of [[Faraden]]; and from a scholar with dangerous intersts the [[Sarcophan Delves]].

You can learn about the bargains offered, and how to claim any that interest you, in the '''[[The bargain store]]''' wind of fortune.

==Diplomatic Winds==
Each season, the Civil Service prepares a summary of the Empire's relationship with the foreign nations. This is usually based on communications received from their ambassador, along with any useful intelligence gathered from other sources. While the [[Senate]] and the other houses of Imperial power may respond to these offers, it is important to note that it is the appropriate [[ambassador]] that the foreign power will expect to hear from. Their communication with the foreign power is the primary element that will determine the tenor of any response. While these winds revolve around international matters, their focus is still on the Empire and what its citizens can do to influence diplomatic matters, so they're as likely as any other wind to contain something of interest to characters from all walks of life.

===All I Can Do (Beoraidh)===
* '''Ambassador to Beoraidh; Cat's Graces; Benefactors Council; Steward of the Ossuary; Members of Senate; Apothecaries Guild; Regario Dossier'''
[[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] was once the stronghold of the [[Grendel]] ''Salt-Lord Ehsan'' and his supporters. When the Empire moved to invade Mareave, Ehsan declared independence and sued for peace with the Empire. The city itself and the neighbouring region of [[Mareave#Sinfoyard|Sinfoyard]] are recognised as a neutral state by the Senate; a free port where both merchants of all nations are welcome. They actively seek investment from both Imperial and Grendel sources, and have allied themselves with the powerful [[Sarcophan Delves]]. One opportunity that has been under discussion for a while now is the creation of a temple dedicated to the Way, a monument to cooperation welcomed by the former Grendel. After the Summer Solstice it appears that some movement has been made towards making intention into reality.

You can learn about diplomatic relations with Beoraidh, and the opportunity to build a temple there, in the '''[[All I can do]]''' wind of fortune.

===It's All Wrong, But It's All Right===
* '''Ambassador to Faraden; Ambassador to the Iron Confederacy; Synod, Senate; fleet captains; Alder of Meade, Mediator of Fisk, Azure Sutannir, Cat's Graces; military unit commanders, especially mercenaries'''
The merchants of [[Faraden]] and the militarist [[Iron Confederacy]] lie to the west and south of the Empire respectively - to the west and south of [[the Brass Coast]] more specifically. Relations with the two nations have been tumultuous in the past but in the last year or two there has been a slow sanding-off of harsh edges. A feeling that lasting détente may be possible, although what it might cost is another matter entirely...

You can learn about diplomatic affairs regarding Faraden and the Suranni, and some pressing problems regarding both, in the '''[[It's all wrong, but it's all right]]''' wind of fortune.

===So Little I Wanted, So Little I Got===
* '''Ambassador to Asavea; Ambassador to Sumaah; Ambassador to the Grendel; Marracossa Sendito; Members of the Senate; fleet captains; Ambassadors in general; Loyalty Assembly, particularly ''Dagon Barossa'''''
The orthodox [[Sumaah Republic]] and the declining [[Asavean Archipelago]] lie far to the west of the Empire. The two great nations remain locked in war. Closer to home, the [[Grendel]] compete with the Empire for dominance of the Bay of Catazar. Even closer to home, the Marracossan exiles live in their town of [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Trajadoz]], Madruga. The [[ambassador|ambassadors]], the [[Imperial Consul]], and other individuals invested in diplomacy have their work cut out keeping abreast of what is happening, as each nation has agendas no less complex than those of the nations that make up the Empire.

You can learn about the ongoing diplomatic situation with the Asavean Archipelago, the Sumaah Republic, the Marracossans of Trajadoz, and the Grendel in '''[[So little I wanted, so little I got]]''' wind of fortune.

===Those Memories of You===
* '''Ambassador to the Sarcophan Delves; Ambassador to Axos; Senate; Wintermark farmers, herb garden owners, and apothecaries; Imperial Apothecaries Guild; collectors of vallorn relics; fleet captains trading with Issyk; Navarr traders'''
The [[Sarcophan Delves]] are a great power, a cosmopolitan nation centred around an immense city that sprawls out across the banks of the Umshalla river. [[Axos]] is tiny nation on the outskirts of the Empire, controlling a little over two territories. For all their differences they have similarities, though. Both are a people of cities, and both have an uneasy relationship to death. The Axou ''necromantia'' are acknowledged masters of the cold magic of the grave, while the Sarcophan base much of their industry on the use of the ''ongelukkig'' living-corpses. They are both nations made more powerful through trade, and both would like to see themselves as friends to the Empire... and in both cases that friendship can prove to be something of a mixed blessing.

You can learn about Sarcophan and Axou diplomacy, and some trade opportunities, in the '''[[Those memories of you]]''' wind of fortune.
===If We Never Meet Again===
* '''Ambassador to Jarm; Ambassador to the Commonwealth; Senate; Imperial mercenary soldiers (especially the League, Dawn, Urizen, and Highguard); Imperial fleet captains; Celestial Arch and Sevenfold Path; Rod and Shield and Golden Pyramid; Granite Pillar; friends of Professor Emmanuel Gelberg'''
The [[Commonwealth]] and the [[Principalities of Jarm]] had been at war, fighting for control of the borderlands between their two great nations. When the tiny country of Lantir was annihilated by [[Cold Sun]], a major incursion began that saw armies of [[Cold_Sun#Heralds|scions]] pouring through a breach in what remained of the capital city. Now they have a common enemy, but it has given them little ''else'' in common. Revelations as to the cause of the incursion have set the balance of power in the east swinging wildly - and not just between the two nations. The Empire is in the middle of a war of words and recriminations, and a long-term friendship seems to be on the verge of collapse while the attitude of bitter rivals appear to be improving.

You can learn about the chaos in the east, and its significant to Imperial citizens, in the '''[[If we never meet again]]''' wind of fortune.
===The Little Things===
* '''Ambassador to Otkodov; Senate; Military Council; Folk of Ossium'''
The [[Thule]] of [[Otkodov]] share a long mountainous border with [[Wintermark]], the [[Imperial Orcs|the Unshackled]], and [[Varushka]]. A magocratic nation is ruled by five allegedly immortal orc wizards called the Dragons they were at war with the Empire for much of its history. Now though, they are at peace. An uneasy peace to be sure, secured with the concedence of northern regions claimed as part of Otkodov. But peace nonetheless. For the last year or so, the Thule have been waging war on [[the Mallum]], conquering western [[Forest of Ulnak|Ulnak]] and occupying the northern Druj. They have also been engaging in active negotiations with the representatives of the Empire, arranging deals and agreements that might against all the odds so this peace last longer than perhaps it has any right to.

You can read about recent diplomatic developments, and in particular some upcoming events in [[Ossium]], in the '''[[The little things]]''' wind of fortune.

==Other Events==
===Strange Currencies===
* '''The Silver Flame ask for ritual texts for ''Strong Ox, Golden Sun'' and ''Gathering the Harvest'''''
* '''In return, they pledge their sentinels to defend Spiral as needed'''
The [[A_question_of_loyalty#Spiral|Tribunal of the Silver Flame]] controls the region of [[Spiral#Cinion|Cinion]], in [[Spiral]] - and is home to several hundred former Urizeni mages at most. Nearly a [[Mirror_and_the_flame|year ago]], they announced grand plans to make a formal alliance with the [[eternal]] [[Sinokenon]], declaring their intent to build a [[fane]] in their territory so as to allow the eternal to give them more extensive support. Aware that the risks would be shared by the Empire, they wrote to inform them of their intentions, and tried to sweeten the deal with two powerful rituals in exchange for access to Imperial Lore, assuming that the offer would land favourably.

It did not. The [[Conclave]] rejected the offer outright, seemingly incensed at the repeated request for access to Lore and having deep misgivings about the nature of ''Diamondmind's'' offer. The Flame sent a delegation to Anvil to try and understand why their strategy had landed so badly. Eager to demonstrate their worth to their neighbours, they sent their sentinels to aid in the [[This_is_the_end#Never_follow_me|quixotic but ultimately successful effort to free Apulian]] from the [[Whisper Gallery|Whisper Gallery's]] grasp. Last season, the Conclave agreed to disseminate [[Blessing of New Spring]] to them - a sign that there is diplomatic willing there, yet.

Now the [[civil service]] have been sent word from Alexius, who acts as the representative of the Tribunal to the Empire. His missive strikes a somewhat contrite note. The Tribunal have abandoned their plans to build a fane for Sinokenon - for now. It seems that someone made a generous donation of liao to the faction within the Tribunal who were most opposed towards any form of eternal alliance, and they have spent the last three months pressing their point. They have convinced many, but in particular they have convinced Caela, the Grand Arbiter of the Tribunal, who has asked the heralds of Sinokenon to leave.

This has not come without cost, it seems. While they have the stocks and stores to get through winter, it will be hard without outside assistance. Their need is pressing, and so they write to ask if their friends in Anvil could see to the dissemination of the other two rituals in the cycle of farm rituals. This would aid the rebels greatly - especially if this happens in time for the rituals to be cast in the Summer and Autumn of next year. Beyond that, the Flame would benefit from any personal enchantments, especially ones like [[Gift of the Wily Broker]] which allow for careful economic stewardship. In return, the Tribunal are prepared to guarantee that their sentinels will continue to support efforts in Apulian or be sent to assist in Spiral's defence in any way they can - whether it is simply to act as swords against the darkness of the wilds or to defend some fortification. They have four groups of sentinels with a combined military strength of a little under five hundred.

===All the Right Friends===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Prosperity.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''Efforts to share the virtue of Prosperity with the people of Tsark have met with some success.'''
* '''There is an opportunity to bring word of inspirational figures of Prosperity to Tsark.'''
* '''Eleven Imperials have been invited at 18:35 on the Saturday of the equinox to visit the Tsarkoi in Zenith.'''
The isolated nation of [[Tsark]] is famously slow to change and resistant to outside influence or visitors of any kind. In the last decade, as the Empire has become aware of Tsark's existence yet remained neutral, even friendly towards the tiny sagocracy, there has been a slow but perceptible thawing of relations on behalf of the Sage's Council. [[Seeds_of_discord#Tsark|Last season]] they sent ''Camilla'', one of the adepts who play some kind of role in day-to-day spiritual guidance of the lives of the Tsarkoi, to visit the Empire to learn more about the virtue of [[Prosperity]]. It seems that the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]] made the case that there could be a place for Prosperity within the worldview of the sages, and they were not so horrified at the suggestion as to refuse it out of hand.

Camilla solicited letters on the subject of Prosperity and has made herself and her fellow adepts available this last season for members of the Urizen Assembly to discuss Prosperity with her. As the equinox approaches, the Imperial diplomatic corps, through the office of the Seeker of the Perfect World, receive word that the initiative has been a success: at least from Camilla's point of view. She has learned much about Prosperity from all she has read and heard - yet she feels there is yet more to learn. In particular, she understands that the Empire set great stock by inspirational figures of the past who exemplify their virtues - a practice the people of Tsark understand well. The great sages and adepts of the past all have shrines built into the [[Mountains_of_the_Moon#Wall_of_the_Luge_and_the_East_and_West_Rising|Wall of the Luge]], the mighty fortified wall that surrounds the sacred plateau of Visoko. She would like to learn more about the inspirational prosperous figures that the Empire holds dear to its heart. If the Empire's representatives can impressively preach of an inspirational figure of Prosperity in a way that resonates with the spirituality of Tsark, then it could well lead to further such opportunities, as the Tsarkoi believe that inspirational figures are the ''most'' important way to find spiritual enlightenment.

She has asked Sage Kristoph, the well-established representative of the Sage's Council to the "People of the Horse", to make the trip to Zenith. She would like to host a discussion on the premises of the Garden of the Perfect World, with Sage Kristoph to attend, and an invitation is extended to each person who wrote to her or visited. These are, in no particular order: '''Farren Silver Streams, Abel the Rounder, Isaac of the Reaching Vine, Berilo i Erigo, Heilyn Bronwen's Rest, Catena of Tropaion, Galene Netherwatch, Able the Taller, Lord Augur Gryphontale, Eleri Bronwen's Rest''', and '''Solas of the First Light'''. They are invited to speak about three inspirational figures of Prosperity, with ten minutes (allowing time for questions) allocated for each figure. Who actually presents and on which figures Camilla defers to the visitors - she trusts them to collectively come to an understanding in an efficient manner that respects the time of others, as - she has learnt - the Prosperous are wont to do.

This is clearly a fateful occasion, and on such occasions the Sentinel Gate obliges. There is a conjunction for eleven people at 18:35 on the Saturday of the Equinox, to attend the Gardens of the Perfect World, Occursion, Zenith. The civil service has asked the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]], '''Abel the Rounder of Sarangrave Reforged''', to be responsible for the conjunction and for the other arrangements Camilla has mentioned.

===Blades of the Semmerlak (reprise)===
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Blades of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' [[Edifice]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:'''
*Sandling in Weirwater ''or'' Lacuve in Semmerholm
'''and'''
*Malimorzi in Karov ''or'' Bittershore in Ossium
</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 24 weirwood and 72 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' Three months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the start of Autumn Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Creates title of ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak''
* Creates the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''' venture for questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens
* Removes the threat to ships on the Semmerlak and establishes a sodality to deal with threats from Dho'uala</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Counts as a single commission</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Dawnish and Varushkan</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Senate or Test of Arms </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' This is a [[martial title]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:'''
* Receives 10 crowns a season
* Receives a [[Duelist's Scales]], a [[Troubadour's Ring]], and a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] once a year</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To counter the influence of Dho'uala and deal with threats coming from the Semmerlak</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<tr><td style="background-color: HotPink;">'''Blades in the Semmerlak'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Venture Type:''' Guarding</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Territories bordering the Semmerlak</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Duration:''' Open-ended</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Rewards:''' Six crowns and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]]</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''''Tristan Ramson von Holberg'', the Master of the Mint, announced the reappraisal of the Blades of the Semmerlak'''
* '''A wardenhouse in Varushka and a knightly estate in Dawn would provide a base of operations for heroes to protect the Semmerlak'''
Last season, the [[Master of the Mint]], '''Tristan Ramson von Holberg''', announced the [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Reappraise_Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|reappraisal]] of the Blades of the Semmerlak in Dawnish and Varushkan territories surrounding the [[the Semmerlak|Semmerlak]]. Originally [[Less_welcome_tenants#Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|suggested]] shortly before the Summer Solstice 386YE, the wardenhouse and knightly estate were part of a larger appraisal into the problem of [[Dho'uala]] killing Imperial citizens and interfering with matters on and around the Semmerlak.

A motion to construct the [[Less_welcome_tenants#Wards_and_Bargains|Journeymage Towers]] was [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Construct_Journeymage_Towers|proposed]] by '''Amicia of the Semmerlak''', as Senator for Semmerholm, and the [[Watcher of the Semmerlak]] has been active, appointed by the Assembly of Vigilance, and tasked with ensuring the nations surrounding the Semmerlak act with Vigilance and countering threats from the Semmerlak.

Lutomysla's suggestion that the Senate establish a small sodality dedicated to protecting the people around the Semmerlak still holds true, and has the same enthusiastic support from the merchant-boyars, earls, and merchant-princes keen to see people protected from the depredations of the sovereign. A knightly order focused on protecting the communities along the lake, and a warden fellowship to travel on ships crossing the Semmerlak to protect the crew; both would actively seek out the creatures of Dho'uala and fight them. Supported by Imperial heroes, the sodality would remove the threat to the people living along the edge of the lake. Instead, it would fall to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens to serve as the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''',

They will need places to operate from - an estate in Dawn for the knights and a wardenhouse in Varushka for the wardens. Lutomysla identified that the best locations would be either [[Weirwater#Sandling|Sandling]], in the vicinity of [[Weirwater#Culwich|Culwich]], or [[Semmerholm#Lacuve|Lacuve]] in [[Semmerholm]] near the bustling port of [[Semmerholm#Lacre|Lacre]] for the knights, and the port of Korotny in [[Karov#Malimorzi|Malimorzi]] in [[Karov]] and the [[Merchant_Boyar_of_the_Bittershore#Kostjyas_Respite|Kostjyas Respite]] in [[Ossium#Bittershore|Bittershore]] in [[Ossium]] and those still hold true. Although they involve work in two regions, the actual project itself requires only a single commission, and the building of the wardenhouse and the estates will take place in parallel. Once construction is complete, any threat to the people who live along the banks of the lake will be met by enthusiastic warriors. It will also create a new guarding [[venture]] available to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens - '''Blades in the Semmerlak'''. This will allow a [[military unit]] to spend their time actively defending the Semmerlak and the ships that traverse it. A starting military unit undertaking the venture would receive 120 rings and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]].

There would need to be a title to oversee the efforts and support the sodality; the ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'' would be a [[martial title]] of Dawn and Varushka who was appointed by either unanimous agreement of the senators of those two nations, or a [[Martial_title#Creating_Martial_Titles|test of arms]] between members of those two nations. The title-holder would be responsible for protecting the communities around the Semmerlak from threats mundane and magical, and to stand ready to oppose the depredations of Dho'uala whenever they raise their head. In return, they would receive an income of 10 crowns each season with which to equip allies and maintain their sodality.

They would also be the beneficiaries of several magic items provided by Dawnish, Varushkan, and League donors. A [[Duelist's Scales|Duelist's Scales]] weapon from the Varushkan merchant-boyars to weaken corrupt horrors; a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] from League merchant-princes to protect them from venom; and a [[Troubadour's Ring]] from Dawnish earls to help them support their allies. These items would be received once each year, and while the expectation is that the Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak would use them themselves, there is no reason they could not pass them to other warriors fighting against Dho'uala or similar monstrous threats.

===Dusk===
{{:Autumn Equinox 2026}}

===Husky Business (Volunteers)===
* '''There is an opportunity for player volunteers to portray their characters who died during the Saturday battle at the last event'''
* '''Eligible characters must have died during the battle, but not have been killed as a husk'''
* '''Volunteers will need to have their own costume and appropriate weapons'''
* '''The role will last around twenty minutes, starting at 18:30 on Friday'''
* '''The role will involve fighting alongside the skirmish team in an encounter against player characters'''
* '''Please email before 18:00 on Wednesday 26th of August if you are interested in volunteering'''

There is an opportunity for players to portray the husk of their fallen characters at the upcoming event. Anyone whose character died during the battle of the [[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Fens of Varreth]], raised as a husk but was not subsequently killed again as that husk is welcome to email to register interest in volunteering for an encounter on the Friday. This will be a combat [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|highly likely]] encounter through the Sentinel Gate and will involve fighting against player characters alongside members of our [[Plot_crew#Skirmish|skirmish team]].

If you are interested and would like more information, please email {{plot}} with your PID and the subject line "Husk Volunteer E4", and you will be given more details.

==Summer Conjunctions==

===Major Conjunctions===
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Link'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Outcome'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Sarangrave|Sarangrave, Turan Flats, ''Fens of Varreth'']]</td><td>Contain the dead</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Harvester of Graves]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Sigismund Vladislav Kestovia''' of [[Varushka]]; The spirits were not trapped and the husks remain a problem in eastern Sarangrave; The tortured souls of Het Trakaa remain in Turan Flats; Het Trakaa and Sul Maggotgnaw remain alive</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Mareave|Mareave, Clisearn, ''Ruins of Sinat'']]</td><td>Open the Vaults</td><td>Grendel</td><td>[[Mithril_and_rope#Battle:_Salt_and_Stone|Salt and Stone]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Joaquim i Erigo''' of [[the Brass Coast]]; Saltbound Stone recovered and claimed by '''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged'''; Ilium Jackals negotiated with and readying support of [[Boyar's Hasta]]; Iontach Leagsaidh remains in possession of their [[Grimnir's Hearthfire]]; Maistir Guaidre remains in possession of the Spiteri necklace</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Forest of Ulnak|Forest of Ulnak, Ghul'thak Forest, ''Fetid Heart'']]</td><td>Raid the Druj</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Battle:_Claim_the_Prize|Claim the Prize]]</td><td>Not taken; Status of the black lotus unclear; Status of the treasures of Taramid Skinwreath unclear</td></tr>

</table>

===Minor Conjunctions===
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! # !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview !! Result
|-
| 1 || Sarangrave, Whisperwood, Halfweir Grove || [[Fingers of the Devourer|Custodian of the Fingers of the Devourer]] || [[Thorn_and_bone#A_Testing_(Conjunction)|Destroy the heralds of Surut]] || Heralds of Surut killed; production of Fingers of Devourer has increased by two wains per season for as long as the Great Forest Orcs remain foreigners
|-
| 2 || Astolat, Withy, Igraine's Regio || [[Astolat|Senator for Astolat]] || [[A_wizard_did_it#Rants_and_Roses|Find out why the regio keeps shifting back to Spring, and resolve it]] || Unclear, but '''Éamon Ashenmourn de Cordraco''' might know more
|-
| 3 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Maiden Stone || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#Apples_First_(Mitwold)|Stop Jyll Longleys from cursing the Maiden Stone]] || ''Jyll Longleys'' and allies killed
|-
| 4 || The Barrens, Dawnguard, Troubadour's Glade || [[Knight of Dawnguard]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Vow (The Barrens)|Kill ''Prilak Gutdredger'']] || ''Prilak Gutdredger'' and almost all allies were killed
|-
| 5 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Golden Fields || [[Keeper of the Golden Fields]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#The_Right_Thing_(Mitwold)|Stop Dusty Cobb setting Golden Fields alight]] || ''Dusty Cobb'' and rebels killed
|-
| 6 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, The Dredging Flats || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Call to Stand (The Barrens)|Kill the Servants of the Burnt]] || All but one ''Servants of the Burnt'' survived
|-
| 7 || Ossium, Echofell, Burned Glade || [[Shadowed Torchbearer]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Fire_The_Forests_(Ossium)|Prevent the cursing of Ossium]] || Heralds killed and Ossium was not cursed
|-
| 8 || Therunin, Lower Tarn Valley, Rotwood Croft || '''Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#After the Taint (Therunin)|Destroy the miasma pillar]] || Miasma pillar successfully consecrated
|-
| 9 || Madruga, Free Landing, Hart's Cove || [[Hand of Guerra]] || [[Keys_of_Enlightenment#Barren_Waters_(Conjunction)|Aid the stranded ship from Sumaah]] || Unclear, but Hand of Guerra should know more
|-
| 10 || Sarangrave, Kroll, Slow Worm's Hill || [[Sevenfold Path|Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Boil The Swamps (Sarangrave)|Prevent the cursing of Sarangrave]] || Heralds killed and Sarangrave was not cursed
|-
| 11 || Sarangrave, Turan Flats, The Breakteeth dais || [[Eastern Sky|General of the Eastern Sky]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#The_Greatest_Prize_(Rhianos)|Recover the treasure]] || Treasure successfully recovered
|-
| 12 || The Barrens, Bitter Strand, Saltshore || [[Merchant of the Fangs]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Fangs_for_the_Memories_(Conjunction)|Answer General Utmar's call for aid]] || Vassals of the manticore killed
|-
| 13 || Madruga, The Crucible, Talpses Plat || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#A_Terrible_Feeling_(Madruga)|Claim the ''Snapping Face'']] || Snapping Face retrieved and heralds killed
|-
| 14 || The Barrens, Carmine Fields, Trading Way || '''Rhydian de Rondell''' || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Taste_of_Mettle_(Conjunction)|Remove the failed knights-errant of House Courcillion as a threat]] || Named knights have accepted justice from local magistrates
|-
| 15 || Necropolis, Coursmouth, The Veiled Garden || [[Guardian of Britta's Memorial]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#The_Strength_of_This_Place_(Necropolis)|Spill the waters of Siakha]] || Bucket recovered and returned to Anvil
|-
| 16 || The Barrens, The Untrod Groves, Glade of the Good Knight || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#A_Hearty_Meal_(Conjunction)|Thwart the schemes of Ser Gawain Amboise]] || Schemes of ''Ser Gawain Amboise'' thwarted
|-
| 17 || Mareave, Fleisardh, Spring Regio near Golden Wind's Encampment || [[Silver Chalice|Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Do_Some_Harm_(Arhallogen)|Poison the Grendel]] || Grendel poisoned, Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice should know more
|-
| 18 || Tassato, Cascatas, Campo Verdenta || [[Keeper of the Sapphire Stair]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#For_What_Has_Been_Wrought_(Tassato)|Kill the heralds of Siakha]] || Heralds of Siakha and wreckers killed
|-
| 19 || Spiral, Apstrus, Alba's Lea || [[Legacy|Custodian of the Legacy]] ||[[Mithril_and_rope#A_Backhanded_Request_(Spiral)|Intercept the mercenaries pay]] || Raid launched on the Legacy and ten wains of mithril claimed by the Haurlatch Iron Consortium
|-
| 20 || Reikos, Haros Water, Couros Field || '''Nekoda of the Shattered Tower''' || [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_fortune#A_Sudden_Threat_(Reikos)|Save Professor Gelberg from Grendel assassins]] || Imperials pushed out by Grendel; Professor Gelberg has been kidnapped
|-
| 21 || Redoubt, Naris, Isaac's End || '''Telemachus of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[Seeds_of_discord#An_Empty_Bottle_(Conjunction)|Leave no more than a dozen Grendel alive]] || All Grendel killed
|-
| 22 || Kallavesa, West Marsh, The Meeting Place || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_32|Erlend]]''' || [[Myth_makers#The_Unity_Of_Deed_And_Word|Consecrate the Meeting Place]] || The Meeting Place successfully consecrated with true liao
|-
| 23 || Kallavesa, Wittal Grove, Frithstan's Fen || [[Grimnir of Wittal Grove]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#An_Unexpected_Ally_(Basileia)|Defeat the Grendel (and potentially rescue the Iontach)]] || Ionatch Meddool Miniog successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 24 || Forest of Ulnak, Grimfen Mire, Moss End || [[Warmage]] || [[All_I_ask_of_you#Wild_Things_Run_Fast|Take advantage of a recent scouting discovery]] || [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] successfully cast with eight rings of [[ilium]]
|-
| 25 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Eastern Ward || '''Theodora''' || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 26 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, Gardenway || [[Envoy to the Karass]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Protect_Lenna_Karass_%28The_Barrens%29|Prevent Druj raiders from kidnapping Lenna Karass]] || Lenna Karass was successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 27 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Western Ward || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 28 & 29 || Forest of Ulnak, Gloomsea, Islet of Calm || [[Archmage of Day]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Who's_the_Thief?_(Forest_of_Ulnak)|Prevent the Eyes of the Dragon from using a boon of Kimus]] || [[Wind of Mundane Silence]] performed on regio and bodies successfully destroyed
|-
| 30 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Warmage]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Drive the vallorn from the regio]] || Imperial casualties suffered, vallornspawn remain around the regio
|-
| 31 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Archmage of Spring]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Cast Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] || [[Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] was not performed
|-
| 32 || Sarangrave, the Whisperwood, Depths of the Hungry Earth || [[Counsel of the Sun Chamber]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#The_Caves_of_the_Hungry_Earth|Investigate the Hungry Earth]] || Depths investigated, Counsel of the Sun Chamber should know more
|-
| 33 || Volodmartz, Livardz, Sumisev Peegel || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_167|Auntie Armand Mariyavich Remislav]]''' || [[Sunrise_over_Livardz#Blow_It_Up|Destroy the Sumisev Peegel]] || Sumisev Peegel was successfully destroyed by [[Wind of Mundane Silence]]
|-
|}

388YE Autumn Equinox winds of fortune

2026-09-09T19:08:18Z

Rafferty: /* Towers of the Moon */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Lights in the Dark.jpg|align=left|caption=Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. |width=2000}}</div>
==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Wind of Fortune !! Order Released !! Last Updated || Note
|-
| [[The wolves tempt you]] || 1 || data-sort-value="2026/08/15"| 15/08 || Imperial Address
|-
| [[Dream on]] || 2 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Seren
|-
| [[Come together]] || 3 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Apothecary college
|-
| [[Fair share of labour]] || 4 || data-sort-value="2026/08/19"| 19/08 || Artisans Guild
|-
| [[Hidden inventory]] || 5 || data-sort-value="2026/08/29"| 29/08 || Banner-bearers
|-
| [[A fork in the path]] || 6 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Mystics
|-
| [[Outreach across the marshes]] || 7 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Sand Fishers & League highest calling
|-
| [[Stand proud, you're strong]] || 8 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Brass Coast highest calling
|-
| [[Here you come again]] || 9 || data-sort-value="2026/08/31"| 06/09 || Plenipotentiary
|-
| [[Accomplices]] || 10 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Agramant is still in Therunin
|-
| [[Metamorphosis]] || 11 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Dealing with Kroll
|-
| [[Out of these convertites]] || 12 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || League visit to the Marches
|-
| [[Goodwill]] || 13 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Dawn, Navarr, Highguard, Vallornguard
|-
| [[Not from the benevolence]] || 14 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Offers from Ephisis
|-
| [[Wayfaring strangers]] || 15 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Visitors
|-
| [[Value beneath the mountain]] || 16 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Kespoena's Reach
|-
| [[Domain expansion]] || 17 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Imperial Breadbasket
|-
| [[Islands in the dream]] || 18 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Imperial Orc Highest Calling
|-
| [[Shadowed boughs of twilight]] || 19 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Ossium
|-
| [[When something is lost]] || 20 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Madruga
|-
| [[A friend like you]] || 21 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Eternal Winds of Magic
|-
|}</div>
Over the past three months, events have taken place which are of significance to the Empire and may require a response from her champions. These are the winds of fortune, counterparts to the winds of war that detail the Empire's military campaigns. They lay out situations and usually include things that characters can do to take advantage of [[opportunity|opportunities]] or to resolve problems. In almost every case, they start with a piece of flavour text. This fiction helps introduce the wind of fortune or draws out a particular theme or element. Often, it represents a viewpoint that one or more NPCs might have in-character. In all cases, these pieces are intended to help create an atmosphere and provide a little entertainment. Where they contain opinions, those are the opinions of the fictional people depicted - and where they contain information or rumours, the assumption is that the reader will create their own context for that information or gossip if they want to use it in character.

The body of the wind of fortune describes situations and lays out ways players can engage with them. Except where we explicitly talk about something being "rumoured" or use a phrase like "some might say..." the details of a wind of fortune are factual. They represent briefing material presented by the civil service or similar authoritative sources and represent something the average educated citizen would acknowledge as a reliable truth. Unless we specify otherwise, we're also being as thorough as possible. This information doesn't need further checking in-character. It's not an opinion, and we're not trying to trick you.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:350px; float: left; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Diplomacy Wind
|-
| General Diplomacy || [[So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavea]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Asavean_Archipelago|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Axos]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Axos|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] || [[All I can do]]
|-
| [[Commonwealth]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Commonwealth|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Marracossa]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Marracossa|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Faraden]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Faraden|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Grendel]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Grendel|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Iron Confederacy]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Iron Confederacy|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Otkodov]] || [[The little things]]
|-
| [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarm]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Principalities_of_Jarm|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Sarcophan Delves]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Sarcophan Delves|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Sumaah Republic]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Sumaah_Republic|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
|}

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of Fortune is to maintain the illusion of the Empire as a living, breathing place where things happen - and to make players aware of things their characters could know based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing for the past three months. It's perfectly acceptable to turn up to Empire having read only a few Winds of Fortune that directly interest your character; part of the fun on the field can come from learning about situations and opportunities in other parts of the game.
__TOC__
In each case, we've tried to tag the Winds of Fortune entry with the nations or political bodies to which it is most relevant. We've done this to help people who are interested only in events that are especially relevant to them. In no way are these tags intended to be exhaustive; the Empire is a complex place, and very little happens in isolation. We are also adding the dates that they were last updated (other than typos and correcting [[red links]]) in an attempt to make it easier to keep track of the newest releases.

==Winds of Fortune==
===The Wolves Tempt You (Imperial Address)===
* '''Imperial citizens; Navarr;'''
[[Emperor Vesna]] has used their power to [[The_Throne#Address_the_Empire|address the Empire]] to present a personal reminder to all citizens that the road to salvation is hard, but everyone is walking it together.

The message has been distributed across the Empire by the civil service, and you can read it in the '''[[The wolves tempt you]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:left; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Navarr.png|align=left|width=150}}</div>
===Dream On===
* '''Navarr'''
In [[Miaren]], [[Miaren#Seren|Seren]] is now become the ''City of Dreams'' in truth. People with hopes and aspirations, with the imagination to perceive what is needed to achieve them and the determination to try, have flocked to Miaren. With the completion of the Temple of the Waking Dream, the [[dreamspeaker]] calling has coalesced as a distinct [[archetype]] among the [[Navarr]] people, one dedicated to making dreams become reality. This has perhaps predictably amplified arguments about what exactly that means, and which dreams should be pursued, and how.

You can learn about competing arguments, and the changes to the city of Seren, in the '''[[Dream on]]''' wind of fortune.
===Come Together===
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBNavarr.jpg|align=right|width=100}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Imperial Apothecaries Guild; Navarr; Benefactor of High Chalcis; Highguard, the League, Imperial Orcs, and Varushka; Senate
When [[Therunin]] fell to the [[Druj]] [[Thornsinger#Thornsong_House|Thornsong House]] was lost. Despite the valiant efforts of the Navarr and the aid of [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]], the college of herb mastery could not be saved. While the house itself burned, many of those who studied there were able to escape to the safety of [[Reikos]]. Some stayed behind on [[Reikos#Chalcis Mount|Chalcis Mount]], but others chose to put as much distance between themselves and the horrors of the Druj as possible. Drawn to the Temple of the Waking Dream, some of these apothecaries and physicks have taken the path of the dreamspeaker themselves, and inspired by the City of Dreams, they have put their ambition to rebuild what was lost into words.

A proposal for a new college of the apothecary arts, and ways various nations may be involved, can be found in the '''[[Come together]]''' wind of fortune.
===Fair Share of Labour===
* '''Artisan's Guild; Throne; Senate; Artisans of all kinds; Golden Pyramid; Pride Assembly; Navarr; Guildmaster of the Artisans, Dean of Runesmith's Caution, Keeper of the Runegrott, Seer of the Spiral Sword, and potentially several other titles associated with magic item crafting'''
At the recent summit, [[Emperor Vesna]], requested that the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] [[Forever_is_composed_of_nows#The_Abraham_Gambit|appraise the implications]] of a new [[Imperial sodality]], the ''Imperial Guild of Artisans''. The Artisans Guild has technically been in existence for some time, with the Senate [[Construct_Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|ordering the construction of Guildhouse]] in 385YE, creating the position of [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]]. Now the Senate is in a position to consider the full implications of making the Guild into an official Imperial sodality.

You can learn more about the potential Imperial Sodality, as well as proposals from some people very excited by the opportunity it represents, in the '''[[Fair share of labour]]''' wind of fortune.
===Hidden Inventory===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Cat's Graces Sodality.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBWintermark.jpg|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Wintermark, especially banner bearers; Cat's Graces; Minister of Historical Research; Mediator of Hyljehal; Senate
When the tides of fate seem to turn against the Empire, to be able to look and see over the battle lines, the colours of your warband or your nation still [[Pride|Proudly]] flying can help to rally the [[Courage]] and turn the tide. In [[Wintermark]] the [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Banner-bearers|position of banner-bearer]] is seen as vital to the success of any battle. [[Empress Britta]] was a banner-bearer, and bore [[Three Tears|Foe-Slayer]], the legendary war-banner of [[Emperor Guntherm]] onto the field. The great flag was lost when Britta died and it has been near two decades since Wintermark could bear its equal into battle. The artisans and craftspeople of [[Hahnmark#Runegrott|Runegrott]] have a proposal to try to remedy this shortfall, involving the construction of a grand [[edifice]] to house banners and paintings of the great banners of the Empire as well as the creation of a new [[Magic_items#Artefacts|artefact]] [[:Category:Magic Standards|banner]] for Wintermark.

You can read more about this plan, and learn a little of the mighty banner Foe-Slayer, in the '''[[Hidden inventory]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=KallevesiMystic.jpg|align=right|width=200}}
===A Fork in the Path===
* '''Wintermark, especially the Mystics; Raven Seer of Ishal; would-be champions; Keeper of Oaths; friends of Sung
The [[mystic|Mystics]] of Ishal sought to work more closely with the wider nation of Wintermark. They have since decided [[Flight_of_birds#The_Witan|to approach the Witan]] directly, and do what they can to support the goals of the nation itself. The decision to help with the [[Warriors' Gate|exploration of Tsirku]] has made it impossible for the Mystics of Ishal to offer their usual council and support to the [[Raven Seer]] and to that end they have made several changes to the Aviary, and to the support they offer the Raven Seer and the nation. At the same time, there has been a great deal of discussion of the [[Crown of Three Tears]] and the role of the ''Champion of Wintermark'' within the nation - the appointment of who has traditionally been the responsibility of the mystics.

You can read about the changes at Ishal, and the situation of the Crown of Three Tears, in the '''[[A fork in the path]]''' wind of fortune.
===Outreach Across the Marshes===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
* '''The League, especially the Bishops and Princes; Merchant Prince of Misericorde Market; Senate
[[The League]] Assembly [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_57|has declared]] that their [[The_highest_calling#The_Highest_Calling|highest calling]] is to bring new peoples to join the Empire. A Virtuous endeavour to be sure, but even the League cannot move the whole world at once. To be effective the nation needs to [[Any_dream_will_do#Partners_within|focus their efforts]] on one group at a time. Diplomacy is a complicated matter, so they also need to decide who among them would be best to take the lead with each such group. This past season the Princes of the League have reached out to the [[Holberg#Misericorde|Sand Fishers]] of [[Holberg#Misericorde|Misericorde]], the [[orc|orcs]] who once lived on the southern shores of [[Ossium]] as slaves of the [[Druj]] but who have found a new lease of life on the northern shores of [[Holberg]].

Ultimately, the egregore decides who can or cannot join a nation - the nature of the bond is that it can only be formed with someone an egregores recognises as having the potential to be a member of the nation. But the League has already embraced the Apulian Orcs, why not the Holberg Orcs as well?

You can read about how the outreach is going, and what it might take to bring the Sand Fishers into the Empire, in the '''[[Outreach across the marshes]]''' wind of fortune.
===Stand Proud, You're Strong===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Freeborn.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
* '''The Brass Coast, especially the Freeborn assembly;
After several seasons of deliberation (and funding a [[Construct_City_of_Wonders|whole new city]]), the Freeborn National Assembly has decided that the [[the highest calling|highest calling]] of their people should be on defending their lands. The sentiment resonates with people across [[the Brass Coast]]. It was not long ago that both [[Madruga]] and [[Feroz]] fell under barbarian control, [[Kahraman]] has faced constant invasion from the Lasambrians over the past few years and [[Segura]] has only recently enjoyed a prolonged period of quiet after nearly two decades of constant warfare. Is it a surprise that the people of the Brass coast feel a little vulnerable, given recent history?

There is so much work that could be done, people are at a loss to know where to start. The Assembly will have to consider the options carefully - they have a year to take advantage of the nation's highest calling, but that won't be enough time to pursue every possibility raised by a people as inventive as the Freeborn...

You can find out how the nation can begin to defend its lands, and the proposals put forward toward that aim, in the '''[[Stand proud, you're strong]]''' wind of fortune.
===Here You Come Again (Plenipotentiary)===
* '''Imperial Conclave; magicians; Synod; Brass Coast especially Sutannir; ''Alazhar i Taziel i Erigo'', ''Velasco i Guerra'', the Imperial Warcaster; Marcher beaters, Unshackled thief-takers, Varushkan wardens; ''Berilo i Erigo''; ''Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka'' and some dead generals'''
* This wind was updated on 06/09/2026 to add some additional paragraphs to the end of the [[Here_you_come_again#End_of_Empire|End of Empire]] section
Each [[archmage]] is empowered to send a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] message to a single [[eternal]] of their [[Realms|realm]] each season. Bound to respond, the recipients are however free to choose precisely what form that response takes. Following the Summer Solstice, six eternals have responded to what are presumed to be missives from the respective archmages. Some have agreed to [[archmage#Parley|parley]], but not all of them.

You can find out about the eternals, and the nature of their responses, in the '''[[Here you come again]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=BarienArt.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>

===Arrows and Clay (Challenge)===
* '''Challengers of the Iron Duke'''
Each season, the eternal ''[[Barien]]'' presents opportunities to those prepared to [[Challenge the Iron Duke]]. For the Autumn Equinox he offers two challenges: a game of speed and grace, and a game of creativity and imagination. As ever, the rules of the ritual apply. Each person who receives the ritual will be ''guaranteed'' entry to a challenge. Depending on the challenge, they ''may'' be able to bring a certain number of attendants with them to assist. The exact number will depend on the nature of the challenge and the number of challengers. The [[civil service]] will publish exact numbers in [[Anvil#The_Hub|the Hub]] on Saturday morning for all to see.

You can find details of the challenges issued by Barien this season in the '''[[Arrows and clay]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=AgramantArt.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>
===Accomplices===
* '''Navarr; Military Council; Military unit captains; ''Eskah Swift Hart, Vosjuli Cherenkov, Towlen Nighthaven'' and ''Mirella of the Twisted Rose'''''
Another season, another message from [[Agramant]], delivered by his heralds from the depths of [[Therunin]]. The eternal's efforts were roundly refuted last season, with the [[Golden Axe]] reclaiming Lower Tarn Valley. This season, Twigsnapper has a much more pointed offer to make to aid the reconquest of Therunin.

You can find out what Agramant and his heralds are up to in the '''[[Accomplices]]''' wind of fortune.

<div style="float:left; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NBUrizen.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>
===Metamorphosis===
* '''Urizen, particularly the captains of military units or residents of Sarangrave; Keeper of the Breadbasket and farm owners of the Marches; Imperial Consul; ''Frith, Ser Guy of the Twisted Rose, Fausta Ankarien,'' and people interested in the rebel septs; ''Solas of the Spire of the First Light'' and the Warmage'''
It has been a tumultuous time in the Sarangrave. First the Druj, then the vallorn, and now husks. All while the Empire has been endeavouring to make diplomatic inroads with the rebels of Nesustak Forest. Sadly, troubles abound; the eviction of so many from Thornfen by the Axou has raised the spectre of famine in the territory. And now the Druj scattered through the territory, alongside the rampaging husks, threaten to raise a third dark spectre - the beast that lurks beneath the waters of the Sarangrave, the dark and terrible Kroll.

You can find out what's happening in Sarangrave this season in the '''[[Metamorphosis]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly General.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
===A Little at a Time===
* '''Members of the Synod, especially Cardinals; Members of the Senate; Members of the Vallornguard and people interested in the fate of Pilgrim's Defiance'''
Last season, eight judgements of [[proscription]] were raised, and half of them were upheld by the General Assembly. Similar to their previous efforts, the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] has asked the civil service to publish not just guidance on the outcome of these proscriptions, but also details from the minutes of their discussions in the hopes of providing clarity to interested citizens. This includes detailed guidance on the three changes to religious law enacted by the Senate.

You can find out the outcome of the Constitutional Court's meeting on the proscriptions and changes to religious law last season, in the '''[[A little at a time]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Marcher.png|align=right|width=150}}
===Out of These Convertites===
* '''The League, particularly orcs and members of the Synod; The Marches; People with an interest in foot-the-ball or duelling'''
* This wind was updated on 07/09/2026 to change the time of the [[Out_of_these_convertites#And_So_Am_Come_Abroad|Am So Am Come Abroad]] encounter to 18:30 on Saturday
Last season, the [[The League|League]] and [[The Marches|Marcher]] Assemblies both passed statements of principle encouraging a pilgrimage of Apulian orcs and League members of the Synod to the [[Mournwold]]. Citizens from all five cities of the League have taken up the call to travel, and the orcs of the Mourn have welcomed them with open arms and farm tools. It's not just the harvest that's discussed, but ancestors and sports.

You can find out what happened when the League visited the Marches this season in the '''[[Out of these convertites]]''' wind of fortune.

===Goodwill===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Vallornguard sodality.png|title=Vallornguard|align=right|width=100}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Dawn.png||align=right|width=180}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Highborn.png||align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Navarr.png||align=right|width=150}}
* '''Dawn, Navarr; Highguard; Vallornguard'''
Two nations have chosen to use their [[The highest calling|highest calling]] to focus their people on the coming final war against the [[vallorn]]. The [[Dawn|Dawnish]] are developing the skills and resources to prepare themselves, while [[Navarr]] are looking for ways to support the nascent [[Vallornguard]] by sharing centuries of accumulated wisdom with other nations. Surprising progress has been made: the Dawnish have chosen to [[Love_and_monsters#Unicorns|throw open the doors of Greenwood Manor]] to all comers. The Navarr have spent the last year offering their unique expertise to their Imperial cousins, their eye turned at last to their allies in [[Highguard]]. Even the denizens of the [[eternal]] [[realms]] have heard the call to war, and have been encouraged to offer their aid as the Empire prepares for the war that will, if it is successful, bring to an end the Doom of Terunael.

You can find out about the highest callings of Navarr and Dawn, and the opportunities they provide, in the '''[[Goodwill]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Ephisis.jpg|align=left|width=300}}</div>
===Not From the Benevolence===
* '''Entrepreneurs and traders; Members of the Senate, particularly the Senators for Reikos and Bastion; People interested in contracts available, particularly ''Dorys Delgorokov'', ''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo'' and ''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged''; Citizens of Kallavesa, the Barrens, and Hercynia; and the ''Freeborn Flame Cartel'''''
Following the relative success of the new scheme to offer large contracts for fulfilment, the heralds of the [[Ephisis|Sovereign Lady of the City of Gold and Lead]] have returned with new offers for the coming summit. As always, the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] will set up shop in the [[Hall of Worlds]] on the final day of the summit, where they will look to settle any sales offered to the City via the [[Ephisis' Scale]] ritual.

You can learn about the offer for a fortification, the contracts available from the City of Gold and Lead, and the counting houses requested by the Conclave, in the '''[[Not from the benevolence]]''' wind of fortune.

===Wayfaring Strangers (Visitors)===
* '''Senators for Tassato and Holberg, and the League Assembly; Envoy to the Karass; Magpies;'''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
People visit Anvil for all kinds of reasons. Trade, wonderment, and a chance to meet with the movers and shakers of the Empire. It is no surprise that Anvil is seen as the place to be if you want to get anything of importance done.

You can find out more about some of the folk coming to Anvil this season in the '''[[Wayfaring strangers]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=ArgentSword_Colour.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
===Value Beneath the Mountain===
* '''General of the Argent Sword; ''Kespoena Archsky''; Members of the Senate and those able to announce commissions; people who like mithril; ''Herminius of the House of the Wanderer''; Architect of Illumination; Gardener of Pallas; Arbiter of the Four Winds; Oblivion Sentinel; and people who like the idea of fighting in caves'''
Almost eighteen months ago, an arcane projection raised Kespoena's Reach (formerly known as Mount Polus) to be the highest mountain in the Empire. This, unexpectedly, led to a crevasse opening at the base of the mountain. Last season, the [[Argent Sword|General of the Argent Sword]], '''Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer''', ordered the heralds of her army to "''sniff out the value beneath the mountain''".

You can find out what they found, and what lies beneath Kespoena's Reach, in the '''[[Value beneath the mountain]]''' wind of fortune.
===Domain Expansion===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Marcher.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''The Marches; Imperial Orcs; Senate and Military Council; Singing Caves seat; and Quartermaster of the Imperial Armies; Imperial diviners and cartographers; anyone with an interest in Liathaven/Ashvale'''
While other nations struggle on, the [[the Marches|Marchers]] have got their harvest in. Their assembly has completed their [[The highest calling#Highest calling|highest calling]] and successfully [[Expand_Breadbasket_into_Mournwold|expanded]] the [[The_Marches_economic_interests#The_Imperial_Breadbasket|Imperial Breadbasket]] into [[Mournwold]]. There's no time for rest however... as ever Marcher knows, the reward for a good job is more work. Keen not to let the grass grow under anyone's feet, Marchers look to make good use of the remaining time now the Breadbasket is properly sorted. There are a few ideas knocking around about what Marchers could be doing next, as a tidal wave of Imperial Steel sweeps through [[Mitwold]] and into [[Bregasland]] - time to build on that success. After-all - you don't own it unless you can defend it...

You can learn about suggestions for how the Marches can own and defend land, and a mildly irritating development with a former Imperial territory, in the '''[[Domain expansion]]''' wind of fortune.
===Islands in the Dream===
<div style="float: right; max-width: 150px; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:Illarawm.png]]</div>
* '''Imperial Orcs, Varushka, Highguard; Military Council'''
Bloodcrow Knott declared the [[the highest calling#Highest Calling|highest calling]] of the [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]] assembly to be [[Every_day_of_your_life#Spanning_the_Abyss|seeking the ancestors of other septs]], and at the Summer Solstice, Bloodcrow Meep was chosen to [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_93|lead an approach]] to the [[Culling_the_threat#The_Dreamers_of_the_Dark_Forest|Dreamers of the Dark Forest]] in eastern [[Ossium]]. This time the [[orc|orcs]] have additional support in the form of advisors from [[Varushka]] and [[Highguard]] familiar with the sept, who helped arm and train the orcs to fight the [[Druj]] a few years back. The delegation of [[shamans]] and [[Illarawm|mystagogues]] braves the haunted woods and finds a guarded welcome, some mystical beliefs about spirits, and another dilemma for the Empire...

You can learn about the Dreamers of the Dark Forest, their spiritual beliefs, and their pressing concerns, in the '''[[Islands in the dream]]''' wind of fortune.
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{{CaptionedImage|file=NBVarushka.jpg|align=right|width=300}}
===Shadowed Boughs of Twilight===
* '''Citizens of Ossium, Navarr and Varushkan alike; Ossium forest owners; Senate, Military Council; Varushkan and Dawnish military units; Grieftender of the Forgotten, Map to the City Below, Singer of Silence, Ceslev of the Circle of ZUlgan Tash; People who like having a fortification in Ossium; Apothecary of Orieb; people angry about idolatry; Agramant watchers; Watcher of the Semmerlak; Guardian of the Maze of Zoria; Dedicates of Wisdom; Ambassador to Otkodov'''
[[Ossium]] has been part of [[Varushka]] for six years now, and what was once a wretched place clenched in the iron fist of the [[Druj]] is rapidly becoming one of the most prosperous territories in the Empire. Alongside the Varushkans live a few scattered septs of [[orc|orcs]], while the [[Thule]] control the northern forests in uneasy alliance. For the last few years it has also been home to families of Navarr drawn by Awstin's Rest. After the Summer Solstice, though, magic drawn from the [[Realms#Night|Wondrous Forest]] washes over the territory, bringing with it the unmistakable blessings of Night magic - blessings that have a regrettable tendency to be somewhat mixed. Especially given the presence of the monsters that have been here since well before the Empire drove the Druj out, who still lurk in the depths of the wild forests.

You can learn about the effects the Night magic has had, on dreams and on the forest, as well as details about eternals and monsters, in the '''[[Shadowed boughs of twilight]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Drakes_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Star Forged colour.webp|align=right|width=200}}
===When Something Is Lost===
* '''Inhabitants of Madruga; Generals of the Drakes and Star Forged; military units; Marcher folk; Conclave orders; Military Council; magicians interested in ill-advised experiments; Archmages of Night, Spring, and Winter; Stone Smith'''
Once [[Madruga]] was grassy plains, rich coastline, and prosperous islands. Now it is something else, thanks in part to the transfiguration of its southern coast by magically-infused river waters. This is [[the Brass Coast]] and there are plenty of Freeborn who welcome the excitement, unpredictability, and wonder each day promises. After the Summer Solstice, magic started to settle over Madruga, bringing with it vibrant dreams of vanished forests and heralds of the [[Realms#Night|Night realm]]. At first it seemed to be just a gentle piece of [[Night magic]]... but as the Autumn got closer it became clear it had done more than just evoke dreams. Two Imperial armies were also in Madruga, busy claiming the wild marshes of the Siroc Bayou and Crucible for the Empire. ''One'' of these two armies has come back out of the marshes and the other one... has not.

You can learn about the gentle enchantment, and the disappearance of an entire Imperial army, in the '''[[When something is lost]]''' wind of fortune.

===A Friend Like You (Eternals)===
* '''Knight-protector of Summer; Captain of the Throne Guard; Dauntless Warrior; ''William Guildenstern''; Architect of the Hammers; Arch of the Sky; Business owners in Zenith; Quartermaster of the Hanuri Garrison; General of the Burning Falcon; Maestro of the Cat's Graces; Azure Sutannir; Dawnish magicians; ''Lady Aletheia of the Twisted Rose'', ''Catena'', and magicians who perform curses; ''Claudia Varkulova Remislav, Eevi of the Gadrai'', and the Conclave; ''Artreus D'Fauntine, Catrina Words The Unbelievably Magical, Leo the Rainbow Sage,'' the <s>Order of the</s> Golden Chalice, the Tender of the Phoenix Flame, and the Churnspire Adjutor; those who met with Argent Preceptor; Night ritualists, and those who like the Whisper Gallery; '''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
Some magic comes from outside the Empire, from the creatures of the [[Realm|realms]], the [[eternal|eternals]] and their [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]]. Sometimes they have boons to offer, sometimes they have demands to make. Here we learn of the doings of the realms, with something that could be relevant to any number of folk, including some meetings, some odd opportunities, and eerie happenings.

You can learn about the doings of various eternals, and the repercussions of their former doings, in the '''[[A friend like you]]''' wind of fortune.

===Spreading the Way (Appraisal)===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">[[file:Labyrinth.jpg]]</div>
* '''Members of the Senate; People interested in spreading the Way'''
Last season, the Senate called for an appraisal on how non-Wayist cultures and communities residing within the Empire can be brought into the [[The Way|Way of Virtue]]. Naomi of Virtue's Rest was assigned, and her [[appraisal]] of the situation has been submitted. Naomi has had to rely on a very broad-strokes approach to the question, but she is confident that it will leave the Empire as a whole better off with the understanding that it brings.

You can learn about the results of Naomi's work in the '''[[Spreading the Way]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">[[file:Assembly Prosperity.png]]</div>
===This Old House===
* '''Prosperity Assembly; Inhabitants of Feroz; General Assembly; Members of Senate; People interested in commissions'''
During the Spring Equinox, the Prosperity Assembly upheld a [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement 138|judgement]] that made clear their highest calling: to look for opportunities that will help to bring Prosperity to the damaged territories of the Empire and the people within them. The first territory chosen by the assembly was [[Feroz]], still suffering from the ravages it suffered under Governor Rahab. The Prosperous have identified what they consider the best option for helping the people of Feroz, and one Freeborn architect has a pitch for how it might potentially help the rest of the Empire.

You can learn about how the Prosperity Assembly might help the people of Feroz feel less [[Region_qualities#Abandoned|abandoned]] in the '''[[This old house]]''' wind of fortune.

===Rebellion's Ridge===
* '''General Assembly; Inhabitants of the Mournwold, particularly farm and mine owners'''
During the Spring Equinox, the Pride Assembly upheld a [[388YE Spring Equinox Synod judgements#Judgement 13|writ of consecration]] to consecrate [[Mournwold#Rebellion's Ridge|Rebellion's Ridge]] as a memorial to the exemplars of Pride, the [[Known_exemplars#Leaders_of_the_Ore_Hills_Rebellion|Leaders of the Ore Hills Rebellion]]. The writ has brought things to a head in the Mourn, and now it comes down to the decision of the General Assembly.

You can learn about the potential consecration of Rebellion's Ridge as a memorial to the Ore Hills Rebels in the '''[[Rebellion's Ridge]]''' wind of fortune.

===A Habit I Can't Break (Mortal Magic)===
* '''Keeper of the Imperial Menagerie, Financier of Holberg's Phantasmagorical Mementoes, and Conclave; Freeborn ritualists; Navarr;'''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
Not all magic is performed by the denizens of the realms; mortals are just as, if not more, capable of causing all kinds of trouble when left alone with too much free time and mana crystals.

You can read about goings-on across the Empire in the '''[[A habit I can't break]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">[[file:Meraud001a.png|align=right|width=200]]</div>
===Towers of the Sun===
* '''Conclave, Senate; Imperial magicians; Churnspire Adjutor; Francisco i Alvera i Riqueza, Olivier, Ioseph of Summer's Apex, Carlos of Phoenix Reach, Mercurio Ankarien, Lord Tobias De Gauvain, Enchanter Vesper Lucentia, Kaapo Kingfishering, Lord Morgann de Vere, Beatrice Keeper, Ibiss Briarheart, Enchantress Areloe Larmallevés, Catrina Words The Unbelievably Magical'''
The ''[[Meraud|Summer Enchanter]]'' has been through some things recently, but it seems he is [[Ambassadors_of_death#Apples_and_Oranges_(Summer)|even more enthusiastic]] about helping out his friends in the Empire than usual. As Summer fades, his messengers are dispatched to various points around the Empire with boons and plans and proposals a plenty. Whether it is wizards towers, appreciation for the [[Churnspire Adjutor]], or final decisions regarding communication with the ''Lord of the Lake'', they have been full of the fire of enthusiasm and relentlessly upbeat. Only when the ''[[Sadogua|Toad King]]'' is brought up in polite conversation does their eager demeanour slip a little and a few choice words of criticism get voiced.

You can learn about offers from Meraud, and an opportunity to restore channels of communication, in the '''[[Towers of the sun]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">[[file:Sadogua001d.webp|align=right|width=150]]</div>

===Towers of the Moon===
* '''Conclave; People of Kallavesa; Brat Umbral Path; anyone who wants a stab at running the Well of Shadows; Vigilance Assembly; Arcane Architect, Dean of the Lyceum; Marcher magicians and wassailers; Varushkans who are not the Circle of Zulgan bloody Tash'''
The [[Sadogua|Brother of Wizards]] has become a little more active of late, after a period of somnolence. His heralds have enthusiastically accepted invitations to [[When something is lost|visit Madruga]] and while they deny it, they've also been actively [[Shadowed boughs of twilight|fighting spider monsters in Ossium]]. Following an unexpected appearance in the [[Hall of Worlds]] during the Summer Solstice in which Imperial magicians apparently helped him "get a spider out of his ear" (whatever ''that'' means), he has also apparently made a concerted effort to [[Missive for Sadogua|answer all this mail]]. But it doesn't stop there! It seems someone has lit a fire under the backside of the perennially slothful ''Toad King'', and he is busily trying to catch up on his obligations to his friends in the Empire.

You can learn about his meandering offers to assorted Imperial magicians, and what he ''really'' thinks of the Circle of Zulgan Tash, in the '''[[Towers of the moon]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Ephisis001.webp|align=right|width=150}}

===The Bargain Store===
* '''Ephisis' Scale practitioners'''
The [[Ephisis|City of Gold and Lead]] deals with the Empire through the use of a unique ritual - [[Ephisis' Scale]] - that allows trade in all kinds of valuable items drawn from all over the world. As well as general deals for familiar goods, the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] of the eternal market sometimes serve as go-betweens for specific offers. These often come from mortal magicians, but the ''Eternal Bazaar'' is equally happy to represent the other cities of the [[Realms#Autumn|Iron Labyrinth]]. This season there are four distinct sets of "bargains" offered to the Empire's traders - from the [[Lictors|City of Bar and Bond]]; from Prince Mila of [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarm]]; from the tailors of [[Faraden]]; and from a scholar with dangerous intersts the [[Sarcophan Delves]].

You can learn about the bargains offered, and how to claim any that interest you, in the ''[[The bargain store]]''' wind of fortune.

==Diplomatic Winds==
Each season, the Civil Service prepares a summary of the Empire's relationship with the foreign nations. This is usually based on communications received from their ambassador, along with any useful intelligence gathered from other sources. While the [[Senate]] and the other houses of Imperial power may respond to these offers, it is important to note that it is the appropriate [[ambassador]] that the foreign power will expect to hear from. Their communication with the foreign power is the primary element that will determine the tenor of any response. While these winds revolve around international matters, their focus is still on the Empire and what its citizens can do to influence diplomatic matters, so they're as likely as any other wind to contain something of interest to characters from all walks of life.

===All I Can Do (Beoraidh)===
* '''Ambassador to Beoraidh; Cat's Graces; Benefactors Council; Steward of the Ossuary; Members of Senate; Apothecaries Guild; Regario Dossier'''
[[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] was once the stronghold of the [[Grendel]] ''Salt-Lord Ehsan'' and his supporters. When the Empire moved to invade Mareave, Ehsan declared independence and sued for peace with the Empire. The city itself and the neighbouring region of [[Mareave#Sinfoyard|Sinfoyard]] are recognised as a neutral state by the Senate; a free port where both merchants of all nations are welcome. They actively seek investment from both Imperial and Grendel sources, and have allied themselves with the powerful [[Sarcophan Delves]]. One opportunity that has been under discussion for a while now is the creation of a temple dedicated to the Way, a monument to cooperation welcomed by the former Grendel. After the Summer Solstice it appears that some movement has been made towards making intention into reality.

You can learn about diplomatic relations with Beoraidh, and the opportunity to build a temple there, in the '''[[All I can do]]''' wind of fortune.

===It's All Wrong, But It's All Right===
* '''Ambassador to Faraden; Ambassador to the Iron Confederacy; Synod, Senate; fleet captains; Alder of Meade, Mediator of Fisk, Azure Sutannir, Cat's Graces; military unit commanders, especially mercenaries'''
The merchants of [[Faraden]] and the militarist [[Iron Confederacy]] lie to the west and south of the Empire respectively - to the west and south of [[the Brass Coast]] more specifically. Relations with the two nations have been tumultuous in the past but in the last year or two there has been a slow sanding-off of harsh edges. A feeling that lasting détente may be possible, although what it might cost is another matter entirely...

You can learn about diplomatic affairs regarding Faraden and the Suranni, and some pressing problems regarding both, in the '''[[It's all wrong, but it's all right]]''' wind of fortune.

===So Little I Wanted, So Little I Got===
* '''Ambassador to Asavea; Ambassador to Sumaah; Ambassador to the Grendel; Marracossa Sendito; Members of the Senate; fleet captains; Ambassadors in general; Loyalty Assembly, particularly ''Dagon Barossa'''''
The orthodox [[Sumaah Republic]] and the declining [[Asavean Archipelago]] lie far to the west of the Empire. The two great nations remain locked in war. Closer to home, the [[Grendel]] compete with the Empire for dominance of the Bay of Catazar. Even closer to home, the Marracossan exiles live in their town of [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Trajadoz]], Madruga. The [[ambassador|ambassadors]], the [[Imperial Consul]], and other individuals invested in diplomacy have their work cut out keeping abreast of what is happening, as each nation has agendas no less complex than those of the nations that make up the Empire.

You can learn about the ongoing diplomatic situation with the Asavean Archipelago, the Sumaah Republic, the Marracossans of Trajadoz, and the Grendel in '''[[So little I wanted, so little I got]]''' wind of fortune.

===Those Memories of You===
* '''Ambassador to the Sarcophan Delves; Ambassador to Axos; Senate; Wintermark farmers, herb garden owners, and apothecaries; Imperial Apothecaries Guild; collectors of vallorn relics; fleet captains trading with Issyk; Navarr traders'''
The [[Sarcophan Delves]] are a great power, a cosmopolitan nation centred around an immense city that sprawls out across the banks of the Umshalla river. [[Axos]] is tiny nation on the outskirts of the Empire, controlling a little over two territories. For all their differences they have similarities, though. Both are a people of cities, and both have an uneasy relationship to death. The Axou ''necromantia'' are acknowledged masters of the cold magic of the grave, while the Sarcophan base much of their industry on the use of the ''ongelukkig'' living-corpses. They are both nations made more powerful through trade, and both would like to see themselves as friends to the Empire... and in both cases that friendship can prove to be something of a mixed blessing.

You can learn about Sarcophan and Axou diplomacy, and some trade opportunities, in the '''[[Those memories of you]]''' wind of fortune.
===If We Never Meet Again===
* '''Ambassador to Jarm; Ambassador to the Commonwealth; Senate; Imperial mercenary soldiers (especially the League, Dawn, Urizen, and Highguard); Imperial fleet captains; Celestial Arch and Sevenfold Path; Rod and Shield and Golden Pyramid; Granite Pillar; friends of Professor Emmanuel Gelberg'''
The [[Commonwealth]] and the [[Principalities of Jarm]] had been at war, fighting for control of the borderlands between their two great nations. When the tiny country of Lantir was annihilated by [[Cold Sun]], a major incursion began that saw armies of [[Cold_Sun#Heralds|scions]] pouring through a breach in what remained of the capital city. Now they have a common enemy, but it has given them little ''else'' in common. Revelations as to the cause of the incursion have set the balance of power in the east swinging wildly - and not just between the two nations. The Empire is in the middle of a war of words and recriminations, and a long-term friendship seems to be on the verge of collapse while the attitude of bitter rivals appear to be improving.

You can learn about the chaos in the east, and its significant to Imperial citizens, in the '''[[If we never meet again]]''' wind of fortune.
===The Little Things===
* '''Ambassador to Otkodov; Senate; Military Council; Folk of Ossium'''
The [[Thule]] of [[Otkodov]] share a long mountainous border with [[Wintermark]], the [[Imperial Orcs|the Unshackled]], and [[Varushka]]. A magocratic nation is ruled by five allegedly immortal orc wizards called the Dragons they were at war with the Empire for much of its history. Now though, they are at peace. An uneasy peace to be sure, secured with the concedence of northern regions claimed as part of Otkodov. But peace nonetheless. For the last year or so, the Thule have been waging war on [[the Mallum]], conquering western [[Forest of Ulnak|Ulnak]] and occupying the northern Druj. They have also been engaging in active negotiations with the representatives of the Empire, arranging deals and agreements that might against all the odds so this peace last longer than perhaps it has any right to.

You can read about recent diplomatic developments, and in particular some upcoming events in [[Ossium]], in the '''[[The little things]]''' wind of fortune.

==Other Events==
===Strange Currencies===
* '''The Silver Flame ask for ritual texts for ''Strong Ox, Golden Sun'' and ''Gathering the Harvest'''''
* '''In return, they pledge their sentinels to defend Spiral as needed'''
The [[A_question_of_loyalty#Spiral|Tribunal of the Silver Flame]] controls the region of [[Spiral#Cinion|Cinion]], in [[Spiral]] - and is home to several hundred former Urizeni mages at most. Nearly a [[Mirror_and_the_flame|year ago]], they announced grand plans to make a formal alliance with the [[eternal]] [[Sinokenon]], declaring their intent to build a [[fane]] in their territory so as to allow the eternal to give them more extensive support. Aware that the risks would be shared by the Empire, they wrote to inform them of their intentions, and tried to sweeten the deal with two powerful rituals in exchange for access to Imperial Lore, assuming that the offer would land favourably.

It did not. The [[Conclave]] rejected the offer outright, seemingly incensed at the repeated request for access to Lore and having deep misgivings about the nature of ''Diamondmind's'' offer. The Flame sent a delegation to Anvil to try and understand why their strategy had landed so badly. Eager to demonstrate their worth to their neighbours, they sent their sentinels to aid in the [[This_is_the_end#Never_follow_me|quixotic but ultimately successful effort to free Apulian]] from the [[Whisper Gallery|Whisper Gallery's]] grasp. Last season, the Conclave agreed to disseminate [[Blessing of New Spring]] to them - a sign that there is diplomatic willing there, yet.

Now the [[civil service]] have been sent word from Alexius, who acts as the representative of the Tribunal to the Empire. His missive strikes a somewhat contrite note. The Tribunal have abandoned their plans to build a fane for Sinokenon - for now. It seems that someone made a generous donation of liao to the faction within the Tribunal who were most opposed towards any form of eternal alliance, and they have spent the last three months pressing their point. They have convinced many, but in particular they have convinced Caela, the Grand Arbiter of the Tribunal, who has asked the heralds of Sinokenon to leave.

This has not come without cost, it seems. While they have the stocks and stores to get through winter, it will be hard without outside assistance. Their need is pressing, and so they write to ask if their friends in Anvil could see to the dissemination of the other two rituals in the cycle of farm rituals. This would aid the rebels greatly - especially if this happens in time for the rituals to be cast in the Summer and Autumn of next year. Beyond that, the Flame would benefit from any personal enchantments, especially ones like [[Gift of the Wily Broker]] which allow for careful economic stewardship. In return, the Tribunal are prepared to guarantee that their sentinels will continue to support efforts in Apulian or be sent to assist in Spiral's defence in any way they can - whether it is simply to act as swords against the darkness of the wilds or to defend some fortification. They have four groups of sentinels with a combined military strength of a little under five hundred.

===All the Right Friends===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Prosperity.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''Efforts to share the virtue of Prosperity with the people of Tsark have met with some success.'''
* '''There is an opportunity to bring word of inspirational figures of Prosperity to Tsark.'''
* '''Eleven Imperials have been invited at 18:35 on the Saturday of the equinox to visit the Tsarkoi in Zenith.'''
The isolated nation of [[Tsark]] is famously slow to change and resistant to outside influence or visitors of any kind. In the last decade, as the Empire has become aware of Tsark's existence yet remained neutral, even friendly towards the tiny sagocracy, there has been a slow but perceptible thawing of relations on behalf of the Sage's Council. [[Seeds_of_discord#Tsark|Last season]] they sent ''Camilla'', one of the adepts who play some kind of role in day-to-day spiritual guidance of the lives of the Tsarkoi, to visit the Empire to learn more about the virtue of [[Prosperity]]. It seems that the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]] made the case that there could be a place for Prosperity within the worldview of the sages, and they were not so horrified at the suggestion as to refuse it out of hand.

Camilla solicited letters on the subject of Prosperity and has made herself and her fellow adepts available this last season for members of the Urizen Assembly to discuss Prosperity with her. As the equinox approaches, the Imperial diplomatic corps, through the office of the Seeker of the Perfect World, receive word that the initiative has been a success: at least from Camilla's point of view. She has learned much about Prosperity from all she has read and heard - yet she feels there is yet more to learn. In particular, she understands that the Empire set great stock by inspirational figures of the past who exemplify their virtues - a practice the people of Tsark understand well. The great sages and adepts of the past all have shrines built into the [[Mountains_of_the_Moon#Wall_of_the_Luge_and_the_East_and_West_Rising|Wall of the Luge]], the mighty fortified wall that surrounds the sacred plateau of Visoko. She would like to learn more about the inspirational prosperous figures that the Empire holds dear to its heart. If the Empire's representatives can impressively preach of an inspirational figure of Prosperity in a way that resonates with the spirituality of Tsark, then it could well lead to further such opportunities, as the Tsarkoi believe that inspirational figures are the ''most'' important way to find spiritual enlightenment.

She has asked Sage Kristoph, the well-established representative of the Sage's Council to the "People of the Horse", to make the trip to Zenith. She would like to host a discussion on the premises of the Garden of the Perfect World, with Sage Kristoph to attend, and an invitation is extended to each person who wrote to her or visited. These are, in no particular order: '''Farren Silver Streams, Abel the Rounder, Isaac of the Reaching Vine, Berilo i Erigo, Heilyn Bronwen's Rest, Catena of Tropaion, Galene Netherwatch, Able the Taller, Lord Augur Gryphontale, Eleri Bronwen's Rest''', and '''Solas of the First Light'''. They are invited to speak about three inspirational figures of Prosperity, with ten minutes (allowing time for questions) allocated for each figure. Who actually presents and on which figures Camilla defers to the visitors - she trusts them to collectively come to an understanding in an efficient manner that respects the time of others, as - she has learnt - the Prosperous are wont to do.

This is clearly a fateful occasion, and on such occasions the Sentinel Gate obliges. There is a conjunction for eleven people at 18:35 on the Saturday of the Equinox, to attend the Gardens of the Perfect World, Occursion, Zenith. The civil service has asked the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]], '''Abel the Rounder of Sarangrave Reforged''', to be responsible for the conjunction and for the other arrangements Camilla has mentioned.

===Blades of the Semmerlak (reprise)===
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Blades of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' [[Edifice]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:'''
*Sandling in Weirwater ''or'' Lacuve in Semmerholm
'''and'''
*Malimorzi in Karov ''or'' Bittershore in Ossium
</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 24 weirwood and 72 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' Three months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the start of Autumn Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Creates title of ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak''
* Creates the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''' venture for questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens
* Removes the threat to ships on the Semmerlak and establishes a sodality to deal with threats from Dho'uala</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Counts as a single commission</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Dawnish and Varushkan</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Senate or Test of Arms </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' This is a [[martial title]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:'''
* Receives 10 crowns a season
* Receives a [[Duelist's Scales]], a [[Troubadour's Ring]], and a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] once a year</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To counter the influence of Dho'uala and deal with threats coming from the Semmerlak</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<tr><td style="background-color: HotPink;">'''Blades in the Semmerlak'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Venture Type:''' Guarding</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Territories bordering the Semmerlak</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Duration:''' Open-ended</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Rewards:''' Six crowns and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]]</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''''Tristan Ramson von Holberg'', the Master of the Mint, announced the reappraisal of the Blades of the Semmerlak'''
* '''A wardenhouse in Varushka and a knightly estate in Dawn would provide a base of operations for heroes to protect the Semmerlak'''
Last season, the [[Master of the Mint]], '''Tristan Ramson von Holberg''', announced the [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Reappraise_Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|reappraisal]] of the Blades of the Semmerlak in Dawnish and Varushkan territories surrounding the [[the Semmerlak|Semmerlak]]. Originally [[Less_welcome_tenants#Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|suggested]] shortly before the Summer Solstice 386YE, the wardenhouse and knightly estate were part of a larger appraisal into the problem of [[Dho'uala]] killing Imperial citizens and interfering with matters on and around the Semmerlak.

A motion to construct the [[Less_welcome_tenants#Wards_and_Bargains|Journeymage Towers]] was [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Construct_Journeymage_Towers|proposed]] by '''Amicia of the Semmerlak''', as Senator for Semmerholm, and the [[Watcher of the Semmerlak]] has been active, appointed by the Assembly of Vigilance, and tasked with ensuring the nations surrounding the Semmerlak act with Vigilance and countering threats from the Semmerlak.

Lutomysla's suggestion that the Senate establish a small sodality dedicated to protecting the people around the Semmerlak still holds true, and has the same enthusiastic support from the merchant-boyars, earls, and merchant-princes keen to see people protected from the depredations of the sovereign. A knightly order focused on protecting the communities along the lake, and a warden fellowship to travel on ships crossing the Semmerlak to protect the crew; both would actively seek out the creatures of Dho'uala and fight them. Supported by Imperial heroes, the sodality would remove the threat to the people living along the edge of the lake. Instead, it would fall to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens to serve as the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''',

They will need places to operate from - an estate in Dawn for the knights and a wardenhouse in Varushka for the wardens. Lutomysla identified that the best locations would be either [[Weirwater#Sandling|Sandling]], in the vicinity of [[Weirwater#Culwich|Culwich]], or [[Semmerholm#Lacuve|Lacuve]] in [[Semmerholm]] near the bustling port of [[Semmerholm#Lacre|Lacre]] for the knights, and the port of Korotny in [[Karov#Malimorzi|Malimorzi]] in [[Karov]] and the [[Merchant_Boyar_of_the_Bittershore#Kostjyas_Respite|Kostjyas Respite]] in [[Ossium#Bittershore|Bittershore]] in [[Ossium]] and those still hold true. Although they involve work in two regions, the actual project itself requires only a single commission, and the building of the wardenhouse and the estates will take place in parallel. Once construction is complete, any threat to the people who live along the banks of the lake will be met by enthusiastic warriors. It will also create a new guarding [[venture]] available to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens - '''Blades in the Semmerlak'''. This will allow a [[military unit]] to spend their time actively defending the Semmerlak and the ships that traverse it. A starting military unit undertaking the venture would receive 120 rings and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]].

There would need to be a title to oversee the efforts and support the sodality; the ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'' would be a [[martial title]] of Dawn and Varushka who was appointed by either unanimous agreement of the senators of those two nations, or a [[Martial_title#Creating_Martial_Titles|test of arms]] between members of those two nations. The title-holder would be responsible for protecting the communities around the Semmerlak from threats mundane and magical, and to stand ready to oppose the depredations of Dho'uala whenever they raise their head. In return, they would receive an income of 10 crowns each season with which to equip allies and maintain their sodality.

They would also be the beneficiaries of several magic items provided by Dawnish, Varushkan, and League donors. A [[Duelist's Scales|Duelist's Scales]] weapon from the Varushkan merchant-boyars to weaken corrupt horrors; a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] from League merchant-princes to protect them from venom; and a [[Troubadour's Ring]] from Dawnish earls to help them support their allies. These items would be received once each year, and while the expectation is that the Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak would use them themselves, there is no reason they could not pass them to other warriors fighting against Dho'uala or similar monstrous threats.

===Dusk===
{{:Autumn Equinox 2026}}

===Husky Business (Volunteers)===
* '''There is an opportunity for player volunteers to portray their characters who died during the Saturday battle at the last event'''
* '''Eligible characters must have died during the battle, but not have been killed as a husk'''
* '''Volunteers will need to have their own costume and appropriate weapons'''
* '''The role will last around twenty minutes, starting at 18:30 on Friday'''
* '''The role will involve fighting alongside the skirmish team in an encounter against player characters'''
* '''Please email before 18:00 on Wednesday 26th of August if you are interested in volunteering'''

There is an opportunity for players to portray the husk of their fallen characters at the upcoming event. Anyone whose character died during the battle of the [[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Fens of Varreth]], raised as a husk but was not subsequently killed again as that husk is welcome to email to register interest in volunteering for an encounter on the Friday. This will be a combat [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|highly likely]] encounter through the Sentinel Gate and will involve fighting against player characters alongside members of our [[Plot_crew#Skirmish|skirmish team]].

If you are interested and would like more information, please email {{plot}} with your PID and the subject line "Husk Volunteer E4", and you will be given more details.

==Summer Conjunctions==

===Major Conjunctions===
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Link'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Outcome'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Sarangrave|Sarangrave, Turan Flats, ''Fens of Varreth'']]</td><td>Contain the dead</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Harvester of Graves]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Sigismund Vladislav Kestovia''' of [[Varushka]]; The spirits were not trapped and the husks remain a problem in eastern Sarangrave; The tortured souls of Het Trakaa remain in Turan Flats; Het Trakaa and Sul Maggotgnaw remain alive</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Mareave|Mareave, Clisearn, ''Ruins of Sinat'']]</td><td>Open the Vaults</td><td>Grendel</td><td>[[Mithril_and_rope#Battle:_Salt_and_Stone|Salt and Stone]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Joaquim i Erigo''' of [[the Brass Coast]]; Saltbound Stone recovered and claimed by '''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged'''; Ilium Jackals negotiated with and readying support of [[Boyar's Hasta]]; Iontach Leagsaidh remains in possession of their [[Grimnir's Hearthfire]]; Maistir Guaidre remains in possession of the Spiteri necklace</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Forest of Ulnak|Forest of Ulnak, Ghul'thak Forest, ''Fetid Heart'']]</td><td>Raid the Druj</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Battle:_Claim_the_Prize|Claim the Prize]]</td><td>Not taken; Status of the black lotus unclear; Status of the treasures of Taramid Skinwreath unclear</td></tr>

</table>

===Minor Conjunctions===
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! # !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview !! Result
|-
| 1 || Sarangrave, Whisperwood, Halfweir Grove || [[Fingers of the Devourer|Custodian of the Fingers of the Devourer]] || [[Thorn_and_bone#A_Testing_(Conjunction)|Destroy the heralds of Surut]] || Heralds of Surut killed; production of Fingers of Devourer has increased by two wains per season for as long as the Great Forest Orcs remain foreigners
|-
| 2 || Astolat, Withy, Igraine's Regio || [[Astolat|Senator for Astolat]] || [[A_wizard_did_it#Rants_and_Roses|Find out why the regio keeps shifting back to Spring, and resolve it]] || Unclear, but '''Éamon Ashenmourn de Cordraco''' might know more
|-
| 3 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Maiden Stone || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#Apples_First_(Mitwold)|Stop Jyll Longleys from cursing the Maiden Stone]] || ''Jyll Longleys'' and allies killed
|-
| 4 || The Barrens, Dawnguard, Troubadour's Glade || [[Knight of Dawnguard]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Vow (The Barrens)|Kill ''Prilak Gutdredger'']] || ''Prilak Gutdredger'' and almost all allies were killed
|-
| 5 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Golden Fields || [[Keeper of the Golden Fields]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#The_Right_Thing_(Mitwold)|Stop Dusty Cobb setting Golden Fields alight]] || ''Dusty Cobb'' and rebels killed
|-
| 6 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, The Dredging Flats || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Call to Stand (The Barrens)|Kill the Servants of the Burnt]] || All but one ''Servants of the Burnt'' survived
|-
| 7 || Ossium, Echofell, Burned Glade || [[Shadowed Torchbearer]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Fire_The_Forests_(Ossium)|Prevent the cursing of Ossium]] || Heralds killed and Ossium was not cursed
|-
| 8 || Therunin, Lower Tarn Valley, Rotwood Croft || '''Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#After the Taint (Therunin)|Destroy the miasma pillar]] || Miasma pillar successfully consecrated
|-
| 9 || Madruga, Free Landing, Hart's Cove || [[Hand of Guerra]] || [[Keys_of_Enlightenment#Barren_Waters_(Conjunction)|Aid the stranded ship from Sumaah]] || Unclear, but Hand of Guerra should know more
|-
| 10 || Sarangrave, Kroll, Slow Worm's Hill || [[Sevenfold Path|Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Boil The Swamps (Sarangrave)|Prevent the cursing of Sarangrave]] || Heralds killed and Sarangrave was not cursed
|-
| 11 || Sarangrave, Turan Flats, The Breakteeth dais || [[Eastern Sky|General of the Eastern Sky]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#The_Greatest_Prize_(Rhianos)|Recover the treasure]] || Treasure successfully recovered
|-
| 12 || The Barrens, Bitter Strand, Saltshore || [[Merchant of the Fangs]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Fangs_for_the_Memories_(Conjunction)|Answer General Utmar's call for aid]] || Vassals of the manticore killed
|-
| 13 || Madruga, The Crucible, Talpses Plat || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#A_Terrible_Feeling_(Madruga)|Claim the ''Snapping Face'']] || Snapping Face retrieved and heralds killed
|-
| 14 || The Barrens, Carmine Fields, Trading Way || '''Rhydian de Rondell''' || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Taste_of_Mettle_(Conjunction)|Remove the failed knights-errant of House Courcillion as a threat]] || Named knights have accepted justice from local magistrates
|-
| 15 || Necropolis, Coursmouth, The Veiled Garden || [[Guardian of Britta's Memorial]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#The_Strength_of_This_Place_(Necropolis)|Spill the waters of Siakha]] || Bucket recovered and returned to Anvil
|-
| 16 || The Barrens, The Untrod Groves, Glade of the Good Knight || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#A_Hearty_Meal_(Conjunction)|Thwart the schemes of Ser Gawain Amboise]] || Schemes of ''Ser Gawain Amboise'' thwarted
|-
| 17 || Mareave, Fleisardh, Spring Regio near Golden Wind's Encampment || [[Silver Chalice|Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Do_Some_Harm_(Arhallogen)|Poison the Grendel]] || Grendel poisoned, Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice should know more
|-
| 18 || Tassato, Cascatas, Campo Verdenta || [[Keeper of the Sapphire Stair]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#For_What_Has_Been_Wrought_(Tassato)|Kill the heralds of Siakha]] || Heralds of Siakha and wreckers killed
|-
| 19 || Spiral, Apstrus, Alba's Lea || [[Legacy|Custodian of the Legacy]] ||[[Mithril_and_rope#A_Backhanded_Request_(Spiral)|Intercept the mercenaries pay]] || Raid launched on the Legacy and ten wains of mithril claimed by the Haurlatch Iron Consortium
|-
| 20 || Reikos, Haros Water, Couros Field || '''Nekoda of the Shattered Tower''' || [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_fortune#A_Sudden_Threat_(Reikos)|Save Professor Gelberg from Grendel assassins]] || Imperials pushed out by Grendel; Professor Gelberg has been kidnapped
|-
| 21 || Redoubt, Naris, Isaac's End || '''Telemachus of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[Seeds_of_discord#An_Empty_Bottle_(Conjunction)|Leave no more than a dozen Grendel alive]] || All Grendel killed
|-
| 22 || Kallavesa, West Marsh, The Meeting Place || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_32|Erlend]]''' || [[Myth_makers#The_Unity_Of_Deed_And_Word|Consecrate the Meeting Place]] || The Meeting Place successfully consecrated with true liao
|-
| 23 || Kallavesa, Wittal Grove, Frithstan's Fen || [[Grimnir of Wittal Grove]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#An_Unexpected_Ally_(Basileia)|Defeat the Grendel (and potentially rescue the Iontach)]] || Ionatch Meddool Miniog successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 24 || Forest of Ulnak, Grimfen Mire, Moss End || [[Warmage]] || [[All_I_ask_of_you#Wild_Things_Run_Fast|Take advantage of a recent scouting discovery]] || [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] successfully cast with eight rings of [[ilium]]
|-
| 25 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Eastern Ward || '''Theodora''' || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 26 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, Gardenway || [[Envoy to the Karass]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Protect_Lenna_Karass_%28The_Barrens%29|Prevent Druj raiders from kidnapping Lenna Karass]] || Lenna Karass was successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 27 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Western Ward || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 28 & 29 || Forest of Ulnak, Gloomsea, Islet of Calm || [[Archmage of Day]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Who's_the_Thief?_(Forest_of_Ulnak)|Prevent the Eyes of the Dragon from using a boon of Kimus]] || [[Wind of Mundane Silence]] performed on regio and bodies successfully destroyed
|-
| 30 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Warmage]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Drive the vallorn from the regio]] || Imperial casualties suffered, vallornspawn remain around the regio
|-
| 31 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Archmage of Spring]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Cast Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] || [[Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] was not performed
|-
| 32 || Sarangrave, the Whisperwood, Depths of the Hungry Earth || [[Counsel of the Sun Chamber]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#The_Caves_of_the_Hungry_Earth|Investigate the Hungry Earth]] || Depths investigated, Counsel of the Sun Chamber should know more
|-
| 33 || Volodmartz, Livardz, Sumisev Peegel || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_167|Auntie Armand Mariyavich Remislav]]''' || [[Sunrise_over_Livardz#Blow_It_Up|Destroy the Sumisev Peegel]] || Sumisev Peegel was successfully destroyed by [[Wind of Mundane Silence]]
|-
|}

388YE Autumn Equinox winds of fortune

2026-09-09T19:07:50Z

Rafferty: /* The Bargain Store */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Lights in the Dark.jpg|align=left|caption=Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. |width=2000}}</div>
==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Wind of Fortune !! Order Released !! Last Updated || Note
|-
| [[The wolves tempt you]] || 1 || data-sort-value="2026/08/15"| 15/08 || Imperial Address
|-
| [[Dream on]] || 2 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Seren
|-
| [[Come together]] || 3 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Apothecary college
|-
| [[Fair share of labour]] || 4 || data-sort-value="2026/08/19"| 19/08 || Artisans Guild
|-
| [[Hidden inventory]] || 5 || data-sort-value="2026/08/29"| 29/08 || Banner-bearers
|-
| [[A fork in the path]] || 6 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Mystics
|-
| [[Outreach across the marshes]] || 7 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Sand Fishers & League highest calling
|-
| [[Stand proud, you're strong]] || 8 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Brass Coast highest calling
|-
| [[Here you come again]] || 9 || data-sort-value="2026/08/31"| 06/09 || Plenipotentiary
|-
| [[Accomplices]] || 10 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Agramant is still in Therunin
|-
| [[Metamorphosis]] || 11 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Dealing with Kroll
|-
| [[Out of these convertites]] || 12 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || League visit to the Marches
|-
| [[Goodwill]] || 13 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Dawn, Navarr, Highguard, Vallornguard
|-
| [[Not from the benevolence]] || 14 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Offers from Ephisis
|-
| [[Wayfaring strangers]] || 15 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Visitors
|-
| [[Value beneath the mountain]] || 16 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Kespoena's Reach
|-
| [[Domain expansion]] || 17 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Imperial Breadbasket
|-
| [[Islands in the dream]] || 18 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Imperial Orc Highest Calling
|-
| [[Shadowed boughs of twilight]] || 19 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Ossium
|-
| [[When something is lost]] || 20 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Madruga
|-
| [[A friend like you]] || 21 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Eternal Winds of Magic
|-
|}</div>
Over the past three months, events have taken place which are of significance to the Empire and may require a response from her champions. These are the winds of fortune, counterparts to the winds of war that detail the Empire's military campaigns. They lay out situations and usually include things that characters can do to take advantage of [[opportunity|opportunities]] or to resolve problems. In almost every case, they start with a piece of flavour text. This fiction helps introduce the wind of fortune or draws out a particular theme or element. Often, it represents a viewpoint that one or more NPCs might have in-character. In all cases, these pieces are intended to help create an atmosphere and provide a little entertainment. Where they contain opinions, those are the opinions of the fictional people depicted - and where they contain information or rumours, the assumption is that the reader will create their own context for that information or gossip if they want to use it in character.

The body of the wind of fortune describes situations and lays out ways players can engage with them. Except where we explicitly talk about something being "rumoured" or use a phrase like "some might say..." the details of a wind of fortune are factual. They represent briefing material presented by the civil service or similar authoritative sources and represent something the average educated citizen would acknowledge as a reliable truth. Unless we specify otherwise, we're also being as thorough as possible. This information doesn't need further checking in-character. It's not an opinion, and we're not trying to trick you.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:350px; float: left; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Diplomacy Wind
|-
| General Diplomacy || [[So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavea]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Asavean_Archipelago|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Axos]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Axos|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] || [[All I can do]]
|-
| [[Commonwealth]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Commonwealth|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Marracossa]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Marracossa|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Faraden]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Faraden|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Grendel]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Grendel|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Iron Confederacy]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Iron Confederacy|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Otkodov]] || [[The little things]]
|-
| [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarm]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Principalities_of_Jarm|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Sarcophan Delves]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Sarcophan Delves|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Sumaah Republic]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Sumaah_Republic|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
|}

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of Fortune is to maintain the illusion of the Empire as a living, breathing place where things happen - and to make players aware of things their characters could know based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing for the past three months. It's perfectly acceptable to turn up to Empire having read only a few Winds of Fortune that directly interest your character; part of the fun on the field can come from learning about situations and opportunities in other parts of the game.
__TOC__
In each case, we've tried to tag the Winds of Fortune entry with the nations or political bodies to which it is most relevant. We've done this to help people who are interested only in events that are especially relevant to them. In no way are these tags intended to be exhaustive; the Empire is a complex place, and very little happens in isolation. We are also adding the dates that they were last updated (other than typos and correcting [[red links]]) in an attempt to make it easier to keep track of the newest releases.

==Winds of Fortune==
===The Wolves Tempt You (Imperial Address)===
* '''Imperial citizens; Navarr;'''
[[Emperor Vesna]] has used their power to [[The_Throne#Address_the_Empire|address the Empire]] to present a personal reminder to all citizens that the road to salvation is hard, but everyone is walking it together.

The message has been distributed across the Empire by the civil service, and you can read it in the '''[[The wolves tempt you]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:left; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Navarr.png|align=left|width=150}}</div>
===Dream On===
* '''Navarr'''
In [[Miaren]], [[Miaren#Seren|Seren]] is now become the ''City of Dreams'' in truth. People with hopes and aspirations, with the imagination to perceive what is needed to achieve them and the determination to try, have flocked to Miaren. With the completion of the Temple of the Waking Dream, the [[dreamspeaker]] calling has coalesced as a distinct [[archetype]] among the [[Navarr]] people, one dedicated to making dreams become reality. This has perhaps predictably amplified arguments about what exactly that means, and which dreams should be pursued, and how.

You can learn about competing arguments, and the changes to the city of Seren, in the '''[[Dream on]]''' wind of fortune.
===Come Together===
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBNavarr.jpg|align=right|width=100}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Imperial Apothecaries Guild; Navarr; Benefactor of High Chalcis; Highguard, the League, Imperial Orcs, and Varushka; Senate
When [[Therunin]] fell to the [[Druj]] [[Thornsinger#Thornsong_House|Thornsong House]] was lost. Despite the valiant efforts of the Navarr and the aid of [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]], the college of herb mastery could not be saved. While the house itself burned, many of those who studied there were able to escape to the safety of [[Reikos]]. Some stayed behind on [[Reikos#Chalcis Mount|Chalcis Mount]], but others chose to put as much distance between themselves and the horrors of the Druj as possible. Drawn to the Temple of the Waking Dream, some of these apothecaries and physicks have taken the path of the dreamspeaker themselves, and inspired by the City of Dreams, they have put their ambition to rebuild what was lost into words.

A proposal for a new college of the apothecary arts, and ways various nations may be involved, can be found in the '''[[Come together]]''' wind of fortune.
===Fair Share of Labour===
* '''Artisan's Guild; Throne; Senate; Artisans of all kinds; Golden Pyramid; Pride Assembly; Navarr; Guildmaster of the Artisans, Dean of Runesmith's Caution, Keeper of the Runegrott, Seer of the Spiral Sword, and potentially several other titles associated with magic item crafting'''
At the recent summit, [[Emperor Vesna]], requested that the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] [[Forever_is_composed_of_nows#The_Abraham_Gambit|appraise the implications]] of a new [[Imperial sodality]], the ''Imperial Guild of Artisans''. The Artisans Guild has technically been in existence for some time, with the Senate [[Construct_Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|ordering the construction of Guildhouse]] in 385YE, creating the position of [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]]. Now the Senate is in a position to consider the full implications of making the Guild into an official Imperial sodality.

You can learn more about the potential Imperial Sodality, as well as proposals from some people very excited by the opportunity it represents, in the '''[[Fair share of labour]]''' wind of fortune.
===Hidden Inventory===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Cat's Graces Sodality.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBWintermark.jpg|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Wintermark, especially banner bearers; Cat's Graces; Minister of Historical Research; Mediator of Hyljehal; Senate
When the tides of fate seem to turn against the Empire, to be able to look and see over the battle lines, the colours of your warband or your nation still [[Pride|Proudly]] flying can help to rally the [[Courage]] and turn the tide. In [[Wintermark]] the [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Banner-bearers|position of banner-bearer]] is seen as vital to the success of any battle. [[Empress Britta]] was a banner-bearer, and bore [[Three Tears|Foe-Slayer]], the legendary war-banner of [[Emperor Guntherm]] onto the field. The great flag was lost when Britta died and it has been near two decades since Wintermark could bear its equal into battle. The artisans and craftspeople of [[Hahnmark#Runegrott|Runegrott]] have a proposal to try to remedy this shortfall, involving the construction of a grand [[edifice]] to house banners and paintings of the great banners of the Empire as well as the creation of a new [[Magic_items#Artefacts|artefact]] [[:Category:Magic Standards|banner]] for Wintermark.

You can read more about this plan, and learn a little of the mighty banner Foe-Slayer, in the '''[[Hidden inventory]]''' wind of fortune.
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===A Fork in the Path===
* '''Wintermark, especially the Mystics; Raven Seer of Ishal; would-be champions; Keeper of Oaths; friends of Sung
The [[mystic|Mystics]] of Ishal sought to work more closely with the wider nation of Wintermark. They have since decided [[Flight_of_birds#The_Witan|to approach the Witan]] directly, and do what they can to support the goals of the nation itself. The decision to help with the [[Warriors' Gate|exploration of Tsirku]] has made it impossible for the Mystics of Ishal to offer their usual council and support to the [[Raven Seer]] and to that end they have made several changes to the Aviary, and to the support they offer the Raven Seer and the nation. At the same time, there has been a great deal of discussion of the [[Crown of Three Tears]] and the role of the ''Champion of Wintermark'' within the nation - the appointment of who has traditionally been the responsibility of the mystics.

You can read about the changes at Ishal, and the situation of the Crown of Three Tears, in the '''[[A fork in the path]]''' wind of fortune.
===Outreach Across the Marshes===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
* '''The League, especially the Bishops and Princes; Merchant Prince of Misericorde Market; Senate
[[The League]] Assembly [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_57|has declared]] that their [[The_highest_calling#The_Highest_Calling|highest calling]] is to bring new peoples to join the Empire. A Virtuous endeavour to be sure, but even the League cannot move the whole world at once. To be effective the nation needs to [[Any_dream_will_do#Partners_within|focus their efforts]] on one group at a time. Diplomacy is a complicated matter, so they also need to decide who among them would be best to take the lead with each such group. This past season the Princes of the League have reached out to the [[Holberg#Misericorde|Sand Fishers]] of [[Holberg#Misericorde|Misericorde]], the [[orc|orcs]] who once lived on the southern shores of [[Ossium]] as slaves of the [[Druj]] but who have found a new lease of life on the northern shores of [[Holberg]].

Ultimately, the egregore decides who can or cannot join a nation - the nature of the bond is that it can only be formed with someone an egregores recognises as having the potential to be a member of the nation. But the League has already embraced the Apulian Orcs, why not the Holberg Orcs as well?

You can read about how the outreach is going, and what it might take to bring the Sand Fishers into the Empire, in the '''[[Outreach across the marshes]]''' wind of fortune.
===Stand Proud, You're Strong===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Freeborn.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
* '''The Brass Coast, especially the Freeborn assembly;
After several seasons of deliberation (and funding a [[Construct_City_of_Wonders|whole new city]]), the Freeborn National Assembly has decided that the [[the highest calling|highest calling]] of their people should be on defending their lands. The sentiment resonates with people across [[the Brass Coast]]. It was not long ago that both [[Madruga]] and [[Feroz]] fell under barbarian control, [[Kahraman]] has faced constant invasion from the Lasambrians over the past few years and [[Segura]] has only recently enjoyed a prolonged period of quiet after nearly two decades of constant warfare. Is it a surprise that the people of the Brass coast feel a little vulnerable, given recent history?

There is so much work that could be done, people are at a loss to know where to start. The Assembly will have to consider the options carefully - they have a year to take advantage of the nation's highest calling, but that won't be enough time to pursue every possibility raised by a people as inventive as the Freeborn...

You can find out how the nation can begin to defend its lands, and the proposals put forward toward that aim, in the '''[[Stand proud, you're strong]]''' wind of fortune.
===Here You Come Again (Plenipotentiary)===
* '''Imperial Conclave; magicians; Synod; Brass Coast especially Sutannir; ''Alazhar i Taziel i Erigo'', ''Velasco i Guerra'', the Imperial Warcaster; Marcher beaters, Unshackled thief-takers, Varushkan wardens; ''Berilo i Erigo''; ''Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka'' and some dead generals'''
* This wind was updated on 06/09/2026 to add some additional paragraphs to the end of the [[Here_you_come_again#End_of_Empire|End of Empire]] section
Each [[archmage]] is empowered to send a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] message to a single [[eternal]] of their [[Realms|realm]] each season. Bound to respond, the recipients are however free to choose precisely what form that response takes. Following the Summer Solstice, six eternals have responded to what are presumed to be missives from the respective archmages. Some have agreed to [[archmage#Parley|parley]], but not all of them.

You can find out about the eternals, and the nature of their responses, in the '''[[Here you come again]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=BarienArt.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>

===Arrows and Clay (Challenge)===
* '''Challengers of the Iron Duke'''
Each season, the eternal ''[[Barien]]'' presents opportunities to those prepared to [[Challenge the Iron Duke]]. For the Autumn Equinox he offers two challenges: a game of speed and grace, and a game of creativity and imagination. As ever, the rules of the ritual apply. Each person who receives the ritual will be ''guaranteed'' entry to a challenge. Depending on the challenge, they ''may'' be able to bring a certain number of attendants with them to assist. The exact number will depend on the nature of the challenge and the number of challengers. The [[civil service]] will publish exact numbers in [[Anvil#The_Hub|the Hub]] on Saturday morning for all to see.

You can find details of the challenges issued by Barien this season in the '''[[Arrows and clay]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=AgramantArt.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>
===Accomplices===
* '''Navarr; Military Council; Military unit captains; ''Eskah Swift Hart, Vosjuli Cherenkov, Towlen Nighthaven'' and ''Mirella of the Twisted Rose'''''
Another season, another message from [[Agramant]], delivered by his heralds from the depths of [[Therunin]]. The eternal's efforts were roundly refuted last season, with the [[Golden Axe]] reclaiming Lower Tarn Valley. This season, Twigsnapper has a much more pointed offer to make to aid the reconquest of Therunin.

You can find out what Agramant and his heralds are up to in the '''[[Accomplices]]''' wind of fortune.

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===Metamorphosis===
* '''Urizen, particularly the captains of military units or residents of Sarangrave; Keeper of the Breadbasket and farm owners of the Marches; Imperial Consul; ''Frith, Ser Guy of the Twisted Rose, Fausta Ankarien,'' and people interested in the rebel septs; ''Solas of the Spire of the First Light'' and the Warmage'''
It has been a tumultuous time in the Sarangrave. First the Druj, then the vallorn, and now husks. All while the Empire has been endeavouring to make diplomatic inroads with the rebels of Nesustak Forest. Sadly, troubles abound; the eviction of so many from Thornfen by the Axou has raised the spectre of famine in the territory. And now the Druj scattered through the territory, alongside the rampaging husks, threaten to raise a third dark spectre - the beast that lurks beneath the waters of the Sarangrave, the dark and terrible Kroll.

You can find out what's happening in Sarangrave this season in the '''[[Metamorphosis]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly General.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
===A Little at a Time===
* '''Members of the Synod, especially Cardinals; Members of the Senate; Members of the Vallornguard and people interested in the fate of Pilgrim's Defiance'''
Last season, eight judgements of [[proscription]] were raised, and half of them were upheld by the General Assembly. Similar to their previous efforts, the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] has asked the civil service to publish not just guidance on the outcome of these proscriptions, but also details from the minutes of their discussions in the hopes of providing clarity to interested citizens. This includes detailed guidance on the three changes to religious law enacted by the Senate.

You can find out the outcome of the Constitutional Court's meeting on the proscriptions and changes to religious law last season, in the '''[[A little at a time]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Marcher.png|align=right|width=150}}
===Out of These Convertites===
* '''The League, particularly orcs and members of the Synod; The Marches; People with an interest in foot-the-ball or duelling'''
* This wind was updated on 07/09/2026 to change the time of the [[Out_of_these_convertites#And_So_Am_Come_Abroad|Am So Am Come Abroad]] encounter to 18:30 on Saturday
Last season, the [[The League|League]] and [[The Marches|Marcher]] Assemblies both passed statements of principle encouraging a pilgrimage of Apulian orcs and League members of the Synod to the [[Mournwold]]. Citizens from all five cities of the League have taken up the call to travel, and the orcs of the Mourn have welcomed them with open arms and farm tools. It's not just the harvest that's discussed, but ancestors and sports.

You can find out what happened when the League visited the Marches this season in the '''[[Out of these convertites]]''' wind of fortune.

===Goodwill===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Vallornguard sodality.png|title=Vallornguard|align=right|width=100}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Dawn.png||align=right|width=180}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Highborn.png||align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Navarr.png||align=right|width=150}}
* '''Dawn, Navarr; Highguard; Vallornguard'''
Two nations have chosen to use their [[The highest calling|highest calling]] to focus their people on the coming final war against the [[vallorn]]. The [[Dawn|Dawnish]] are developing the skills and resources to prepare themselves, while [[Navarr]] are looking for ways to support the nascent [[Vallornguard]] by sharing centuries of accumulated wisdom with other nations. Surprising progress has been made: the Dawnish have chosen to [[Love_and_monsters#Unicorns|throw open the doors of Greenwood Manor]] to all comers. The Navarr have spent the last year offering their unique expertise to their Imperial cousins, their eye turned at last to their allies in [[Highguard]]. Even the denizens of the [[eternal]] [[realms]] have heard the call to war, and have been encouraged to offer their aid as the Empire prepares for the war that will, if it is successful, bring to an end the Doom of Terunael.

You can find out about the highest callings of Navarr and Dawn, and the opportunities they provide, in the '''[[Goodwill]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Ephisis.jpg|align=left|width=300}}</div>
===Not From the Benevolence===
* '''Entrepreneurs and traders; Members of the Senate, particularly the Senators for Reikos and Bastion; People interested in contracts available, particularly ''Dorys Delgorokov'', ''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo'' and ''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged''; Citizens of Kallavesa, the Barrens, and Hercynia; and the ''Freeborn Flame Cartel'''''
Following the relative success of the new scheme to offer large contracts for fulfilment, the heralds of the [[Ephisis|Sovereign Lady of the City of Gold and Lead]] have returned with new offers for the coming summit. As always, the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] will set up shop in the [[Hall of Worlds]] on the final day of the summit, where they will look to settle any sales offered to the City via the [[Ephisis' Scale]] ritual.

You can learn about the offer for a fortification, the contracts available from the City of Gold and Lead, and the counting houses requested by the Conclave, in the '''[[Not from the benevolence]]''' wind of fortune.

===Wayfaring Strangers (Visitors)===
* '''Senators for Tassato and Holberg, and the League Assembly; Envoy to the Karass; Magpies;'''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
People visit Anvil for all kinds of reasons. Trade, wonderment, and a chance to meet with the movers and shakers of the Empire. It is no surprise that Anvil is seen as the place to be if you want to get anything of importance done.

You can find out more about some of the folk coming to Anvil this season in the '''[[Wayfaring strangers]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=ArgentSword_Colour.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
===Value Beneath the Mountain===
* '''General of the Argent Sword; ''Kespoena Archsky''; Members of the Senate and those able to announce commissions; people who like mithril; ''Herminius of the House of the Wanderer''; Architect of Illumination; Gardener of Pallas; Arbiter of the Four Winds; Oblivion Sentinel; and people who like the idea of fighting in caves'''
Almost eighteen months ago, an arcane projection raised Kespoena's Reach (formerly known as Mount Polus) to be the highest mountain in the Empire. This, unexpectedly, led to a crevasse opening at the base of the mountain. Last season, the [[Argent Sword|General of the Argent Sword]], '''Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer''', ordered the heralds of her army to "''sniff out the value beneath the mountain''".

You can find out what they found, and what lies beneath Kespoena's Reach, in the '''[[Value beneath the mountain]]''' wind of fortune.
===Domain Expansion===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Marcher.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''The Marches; Imperial Orcs; Senate and Military Council; Singing Caves seat; and Quartermaster of the Imperial Armies; Imperial diviners and cartographers; anyone with an interest in Liathaven/Ashvale'''
While other nations struggle on, the [[the Marches|Marchers]] have got their harvest in. Their assembly has completed their [[The highest calling#Highest calling|highest calling]] and successfully [[Expand_Breadbasket_into_Mournwold|expanded]] the [[The_Marches_economic_interests#The_Imperial_Breadbasket|Imperial Breadbasket]] into [[Mournwold]]. There's no time for rest however... as ever Marcher knows, the reward for a good job is more work. Keen not to let the grass grow under anyone's feet, Marchers look to make good use of the remaining time now the Breadbasket is properly sorted. There are a few ideas knocking around about what Marchers could be doing next, as a tidal wave of Imperial Steel sweeps through [[Mitwold]] and into [[Bregasland]] - time to build on that success. After-all - you don't own it unless you can defend it...

You can learn about suggestions for how the Marches can own and defend land, and a mildly irritating development with a former Imperial territory, in the '''[[Domain expansion]]''' wind of fortune.
===Islands in the Dream===
<div style="float: right; max-width: 150px; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:Illarawm.png]]</div>
* '''Imperial Orcs, Varushka, Highguard; Military Council'''
Bloodcrow Knott declared the [[the highest calling#Highest Calling|highest calling]] of the [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]] assembly to be [[Every_day_of_your_life#Spanning_the_Abyss|seeking the ancestors of other septs]], and at the Summer Solstice, Bloodcrow Meep was chosen to [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_93|lead an approach]] to the [[Culling_the_threat#The_Dreamers_of_the_Dark_Forest|Dreamers of the Dark Forest]] in eastern [[Ossium]]. This time the [[orc|orcs]] have additional support in the form of advisors from [[Varushka]] and [[Highguard]] familiar with the sept, who helped arm and train the orcs to fight the [[Druj]] a few years back. The delegation of [[shamans]] and [[Illarawm|mystagogues]] braves the haunted woods and finds a guarded welcome, some mystical beliefs about spirits, and another dilemma for the Empire...

You can learn about the Dreamers of the Dark Forest, their spiritual beliefs, and their pressing concerns, in the '''[[Islands in the dream]]''' wind of fortune.
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{{CaptionedImage|file=NBVarushka.jpg|align=right|width=300}}
===Shadowed Boughs of Twilight===
* '''Citizens of Ossium, Navarr and Varushkan alike; Ossium forest owners; Senate, Military Council; Varushkan and Dawnish military units; Grieftender of the Forgotten, Map to the City Below, Singer of Silence, Ceslev of the Circle of ZUlgan Tash; People who like having a fortification in Ossium; Apothecary of Orieb; people angry about idolatry; Agramant watchers; Watcher of the Semmerlak; Guardian of the Maze of Zoria; Dedicates of Wisdom; Ambassador to Otkodov'''
[[Ossium]] has been part of [[Varushka]] for six years now, and what was once a wretched place clenched in the iron fist of the [[Druj]] is rapidly becoming one of the most prosperous territories in the Empire. Alongside the Varushkans live a few scattered septs of [[orc|orcs]], while the [[Thule]] control the northern forests in uneasy alliance. For the last few years it has also been home to families of Navarr drawn by Awstin's Rest. After the Summer Solstice, though, magic drawn from the [[Realms#Night|Wondrous Forest]] washes over the territory, bringing with it the unmistakable blessings of Night magic - blessings that have a regrettable tendency to be somewhat mixed. Especially given the presence of the monsters that have been here since well before the Empire drove the Druj out, who still lurk in the depths of the wild forests.

You can learn about the effects the Night magic has had, on dreams and on the forest, as well as details about eternals and monsters, in the '''[[Shadowed boughs of twilight]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Drakes_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Star Forged colour.webp|align=right|width=200}}
===When Something Is Lost===
* '''Inhabitants of Madruga; Generals of the Drakes and Star Forged; military units; Marcher folk; Conclave orders; Military Council; magicians interested in ill-advised experiments; Archmages of Night, Spring, and Winter; Stone Smith'''
Once [[Madruga]] was grassy plains, rich coastline, and prosperous islands. Now it is something else, thanks in part to the transfiguration of its southern coast by magically-infused river waters. This is [[the Brass Coast]] and there are plenty of Freeborn who welcome the excitement, unpredictability, and wonder each day promises. After the Summer Solstice, magic started to settle over Madruga, bringing with it vibrant dreams of vanished forests and heralds of the [[Realms#Night|Night realm]]. At first it seemed to be just a gentle piece of [[Night magic]]... but as the Autumn got closer it became clear it had done more than just evoke dreams. Two Imperial armies were also in Madruga, busy claiming the wild marshes of the Siroc Bayou and Crucible for the Empire. ''One'' of these two armies has come back out of the marshes and the other one... has not.

You can learn about the gentle enchantment, and the disappearance of an entire Imperial army, in the '''[[When something is lost]]''' wind of fortune.

===A Friend Like You (Eternals)===
* '''Knight-protector of Summer; Captain of the Throne Guard; Dauntless Warrior; ''William Guildenstern''; Architect of the Hammers; Arch of the Sky; Business owners in Zenith; Quartermaster of the Hanuri Garrison; General of the Burning Falcon; Maestro of the Cat's Graces; Azure Sutannir; Dawnish magicians; ''Lady Aletheia of the Twisted Rose'', ''Catena'', and magicians who perform curses; ''Claudia Varkulova Remislav, Eevi of the Gadrai'', and the Conclave; ''Artreus D'Fauntine, Catrina Words The Unbelievably Magical, Leo the Rainbow Sage,'' the <s>Order of the</s> Golden Chalice, the Tender of the Phoenix Flame, and the Churnspire Adjutor; those who met with Argent Preceptor; Night ritualists, and those who like the Whisper Gallery; '''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
Some magic comes from outside the Empire, from the creatures of the [[Realm|realms]], the [[eternal|eternals]] and their [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]]. Sometimes they have boons to offer, sometimes they have demands to make. Here we learn of the doings of the realms, with something that could be relevant to any number of folk, including some meetings, some odd opportunities, and eerie happenings.

You can learn about the doings of various eternals, and the repercussions of their former doings, in the '''[[A friend like you]]''' wind of fortune.

===Spreading the Way (Appraisal)===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">[[file:Labyrinth.jpg]]</div>
* '''Members of the Senate; People interested in spreading the Way'''
Last season, the Senate called for an appraisal on how non-Wayist cultures and communities residing within the Empire can be brought into the [[The Way|Way of Virtue]]. Naomi of Virtue's Rest was assigned, and her [[appraisal]] of the situation has been submitted. Naomi has had to rely on a very broad-strokes approach to the question, but she is confident that it will leave the Empire as a whole better off with the understanding that it brings.

You can learn about the results of Naomi's work in the '''[[Spreading the Way]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">[[file:Assembly Prosperity.png]]</div>
===This Old House===
* '''Prosperity Assembly; Inhabitants of Feroz; General Assembly; Members of Senate; People interested in commissions'''
During the Spring Equinox, the Prosperity Assembly upheld a [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement 138|judgement]] that made clear their highest calling: to look for opportunities that will help to bring Prosperity to the damaged territories of the Empire and the people within them. The first territory chosen by the assembly was [[Feroz]], still suffering from the ravages it suffered under Governor Rahab. The Prosperous have identified what they consider the best option for helping the people of Feroz, and one Freeborn architect has a pitch for how it might potentially help the rest of the Empire.

You can learn about how the Prosperity Assembly might help the people of Feroz feel less [[Region_qualities#Abandoned|abandoned]] in the '''[[This old house]]''' wind of fortune.

===Rebellion's Ridge===
* '''General Assembly; Inhabitants of the Mournwold, particularly farm and mine owners'''
During the Spring Equinox, the Pride Assembly upheld a [[388YE Spring Equinox Synod judgements#Judgement 13|writ of consecration]] to consecrate [[Mournwold#Rebellion's Ridge|Rebellion's Ridge]] as a memorial to the exemplars of Pride, the [[Known_exemplars#Leaders_of_the_Ore_Hills_Rebellion|Leaders of the Ore Hills Rebellion]]. The writ has brought things to a head in the Mourn, and now it comes down to the decision of the General Assembly.

You can learn about the potential consecration of Rebellion's Ridge as a memorial to the Ore Hills Rebels in the '''[[Rebellion's Ridge]]''' wind of fortune.

===A Habit I Can't Break (Mortal Magic)===
* '''Keeper of the Imperial Menagerie, Financier of Holberg's Phantasmagorical Mementoes, and Conclave; Freeborn ritualists; Navarr;'''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
Not all magic is performed by the denizens of the realms; mortals are just as, if not more, capable of causing all kinds of trouble when left alone with too much free time and mana crystals.

You can read about goings-on across the Empire in the '''[[A habit I can't break]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">[[file:Meraud001a.png|align=right|width=200]]</div>
===Towers of the Sun===
* '''Conclave, Senate; Imperial magicians; Churnspire Adjutor; Francisco i Alvera i Riqueza, Olivier, Ioseph of Summer's Apex, Carlos of Phoenix Reach, Mercurio Ankarien, Lord Tobias De Gauvain, Enchanter Vesper Lucentia, Kaapo Kingfishering, Lord Morgann de Vere, Beatrice Keeper, Ibiss Briarheart, Enchantress Areloe Larmallevés, Catrina Words The Unbelievably Magical'''
The ''[[Meraud|Summer Enchanter]]'' has been through some things recently, but it seems he is [[Ambassadors_of_death#Apples_and_Oranges_(Summer)|even more enthusiastic]] about helping out his friends in the Empire than usual. As Summer fades, his messengers are dispatched to various points around the Empire with boons and plans and proposals a plenty. Whether it is wizards towers, appreciation for the [[Churnspire Adjutor]], or final decisions regarding communication with the ''Lord of the Lake'', they have been full of the fire of enthusiasm and relentlessly upbeat. Only when the ''[[Sadogua|Toad King]]'' is brought up in polite conversation does their eager demeanour slip a little and a few choice words of criticism get voiced.

You can learn about offers from Meraud, and an opportunity to restore channels of communication, in the '''[[Towers of the sun]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">[[file:Sadogua001d.webp|align=right|width=150]]</div>

===Towers of the Moon===
* '''Conclave; People of Kallavesa; Brat Umbral Path; anyone who wants a stab at running the Well of Shadows; Vigilance Assembly; Arcane Architect, Dean of the Lyceum; Marcher magicians and wassailers; Varushkans who are not the Circle of Zulgan bloody Tash'''
The [[Sadogua|Brother of Wizards]] has become a little more active of late, after a period of somnolence. His heralds have enthusiastically accepted invitations to [[When something is lost|visit Madruga]] and while they deny it, they've also been actively [[Shadowed boughs of twilight|fighting spider monsters in Ossium]]. Following an unexpected appearance in the [[Hall of Worlds]] during the Summer Solstice in which Imperial magicians apparently helped him "get a spider out of his ear" (whatever ''that'' means), he has also apparently made a concerted effort to [[Missive for Sadogua|answer all this mail]]. But it doesn't stop there! It seems someone has lit a fire under the backside of the perennially slothful ''Toad King'', and he is busily trying to catch up on his obligations to his friends in the Empire.

You can learn about his meandering offers to assorted Imperial magicians, and what he ''really'' thinks of the Circle of Zulgan Tash, in the '''[[Towers of the moon]]''' wind of fortune.
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===The Bargain Store===
* '''Ephisis' Scale practitioners'''
The [[Ephisis|City of Gold and Lead]] deals with the Empire through the use of a unique ritual - [[Ephisis' Scale]] - that allows trade in all kinds of valuable items drawn from all over the world. As well as general deals for familiar goods, the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] of the eternal market sometimes serve as go-betweens for specific offers. These often come from mortal magicians, but the ''Eternal Bazaar'' is equally happy to represent the other cities of the [[Realms#Autumn|Iron Labyrinth]]. This season there are four distinct sets of "bargains" offered to the Empire's traders - from the [[Lictors|City of Bar and Bond]]; from Prince Mila of [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarm]]; from the tailors of [[Faraden]]; and from a scholar with dangerous intersts the [[Sarcophan Delves]].

You can learn about the bargains offered, and how to claim any that interest you, in the ''[[The bargain store]]''' wind of fortune.

==Diplomatic Winds==
Each season, the Civil Service prepares a summary of the Empire's relationship with the foreign nations. This is usually based on communications received from their ambassador, along with any useful intelligence gathered from other sources. While the [[Senate]] and the other houses of Imperial power may respond to these offers, it is important to note that it is the appropriate [[ambassador]] that the foreign power will expect to hear from. Their communication with the foreign power is the primary element that will determine the tenor of any response. While these winds revolve around international matters, their focus is still on the Empire and what its citizens can do to influence diplomatic matters, so they're as likely as any other wind to contain something of interest to characters from all walks of life.

===All I Can Do (Beoraidh)===
* '''Ambassador to Beoraidh; Cat's Graces; Benefactors Council; Steward of the Ossuary; Members of Senate; Apothecaries Guild; Regario Dossier'''
[[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] was once the stronghold of the [[Grendel]] ''Salt-Lord Ehsan'' and his supporters. When the Empire moved to invade Mareave, Ehsan declared independence and sued for peace with the Empire. The city itself and the neighbouring region of [[Mareave#Sinfoyard|Sinfoyard]] are recognised as a neutral state by the Senate; a free port where both merchants of all nations are welcome. They actively seek investment from both Imperial and Grendel sources, and have allied themselves with the powerful [[Sarcophan Delves]]. One opportunity that has been under discussion for a while now is the creation of a temple dedicated to the Way, a monument to cooperation welcomed by the former Grendel. After the Summer Solstice it appears that some movement has been made towards making intention into reality.

You can learn about diplomatic relations with Beoraidh, and the opportunity to build a temple there, in the '''[[All I can do]]''' wind of fortune.

===It's All Wrong, But It's All Right===
* '''Ambassador to Faraden; Ambassador to the Iron Confederacy; Synod, Senate; fleet captains; Alder of Meade, Mediator of Fisk, Azure Sutannir, Cat's Graces; military unit commanders, especially mercenaries'''
The merchants of [[Faraden]] and the militarist [[Iron Confederacy]] lie to the west and south of the Empire respectively - to the west and south of [[the Brass Coast]] more specifically. Relations with the two nations have been tumultuous in the past but in the last year or two there has been a slow sanding-off of harsh edges. A feeling that lasting détente may be possible, although what it might cost is another matter entirely...

You can learn about diplomatic affairs regarding Faraden and the Suranni, and some pressing problems regarding both, in the '''[[It's all wrong, but it's all right]]''' wind of fortune.

===So Little I Wanted, So Little I Got===
* '''Ambassador to Asavea; Ambassador to Sumaah; Ambassador to the Grendel; Marracossa Sendito; Members of the Senate; fleet captains; Ambassadors in general; Loyalty Assembly, particularly ''Dagon Barossa'''''
The orthodox [[Sumaah Republic]] and the declining [[Asavean Archipelago]] lie far to the west of the Empire. The two great nations remain locked in war. Closer to home, the [[Grendel]] compete with the Empire for dominance of the Bay of Catazar. Even closer to home, the Marracossan exiles live in their town of [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Trajadoz]], Madruga. The [[ambassador|ambassadors]], the [[Imperial Consul]], and other individuals invested in diplomacy have their work cut out keeping abreast of what is happening, as each nation has agendas no less complex than those of the nations that make up the Empire.

You can learn about the ongoing diplomatic situation with the Asavean Archipelago, the Sumaah Republic, the Marracossans of Trajadoz, and the Grendel in '''[[So little I wanted, so little I got]]''' wind of fortune.

===Those Memories of You===
* '''Ambassador to the Sarcophan Delves; Ambassador to Axos; Senate; Wintermark farmers, herb garden owners, and apothecaries; Imperial Apothecaries Guild; collectors of vallorn relics; fleet captains trading with Issyk; Navarr traders'''
The [[Sarcophan Delves]] are a great power, a cosmopolitan nation centred around an immense city that sprawls out across the banks of the Umshalla river. [[Axos]] is tiny nation on the outskirts of the Empire, controlling a little over two territories. For all their differences they have similarities, though. Both are a people of cities, and both have an uneasy relationship to death. The Axou ''necromantia'' are acknowledged masters of the cold magic of the grave, while the Sarcophan base much of their industry on the use of the ''ongelukkig'' living-corpses. They are both nations made more powerful through trade, and both would like to see themselves as friends to the Empire... and in both cases that friendship can prove to be something of a mixed blessing.

You can learn about Sarcophan and Axou diplomacy, and some trade opportunities, in the '''[[Those memories of you]]''' wind of fortune.
===If We Never Meet Again===
* '''Ambassador to Jarm; Ambassador to the Commonwealth; Senate; Imperial mercenary soldiers (especially the League, Dawn, Urizen, and Highguard); Imperial fleet captains; Celestial Arch and Sevenfold Path; Rod and Shield and Golden Pyramid; Granite Pillar; friends of Professor Emmanuel Gelberg'''
The [[Commonwealth]] and the [[Principalities of Jarm]] had been at war, fighting for control of the borderlands between their two great nations. When the tiny country of Lantir was annihilated by [[Cold Sun]], a major incursion began that saw armies of [[Cold_Sun#Heralds|scions]] pouring through a breach in what remained of the capital city. Now they have a common enemy, but it has given them little ''else'' in common. Revelations as to the cause of the incursion have set the balance of power in the east swinging wildly - and not just between the two nations. The Empire is in the middle of a war of words and recriminations, and a long-term friendship seems to be on the verge of collapse while the attitude of bitter rivals appear to be improving.

You can learn about the chaos in the east, and its significant to Imperial citizens, in the '''[[If we never meet again]]''' wind of fortune.
===The Little Things===
* '''Ambassador to Otkodov; Senate; Military Council; Folk of Ossium'''
The [[Thule]] of [[Otkodov]] share a long mountainous border with [[Wintermark]], the [[Imperial Orcs|the Unshackled]], and [[Varushka]]. A magocratic nation is ruled by five allegedly immortal orc wizards called the Dragons they were at war with the Empire for much of its history. Now though, they are at peace. An uneasy peace to be sure, secured with the concedence of northern regions claimed as part of Otkodov. But peace nonetheless. For the last year or so, the Thule have been waging war on [[the Mallum]], conquering western [[Forest of Ulnak|Ulnak]] and occupying the northern Druj. They have also been engaging in active negotiations with the representatives of the Empire, arranging deals and agreements that might against all the odds so this peace last longer than perhaps it has any right to.

You can read about recent diplomatic developments, and in particular some upcoming events in [[Ossium]], in the '''[[The little things]]''' wind of fortune.

==Other Events==
===Strange Currencies===
* '''The Silver Flame ask for ritual texts for ''Strong Ox, Golden Sun'' and ''Gathering the Harvest'''''
* '''In return, they pledge their sentinels to defend Spiral as needed'''
The [[A_question_of_loyalty#Spiral|Tribunal of the Silver Flame]] controls the region of [[Spiral#Cinion|Cinion]], in [[Spiral]] - and is home to several hundred former Urizeni mages at most. Nearly a [[Mirror_and_the_flame|year ago]], they announced grand plans to make a formal alliance with the [[eternal]] [[Sinokenon]], declaring their intent to build a [[fane]] in their territory so as to allow the eternal to give them more extensive support. Aware that the risks would be shared by the Empire, they wrote to inform them of their intentions, and tried to sweeten the deal with two powerful rituals in exchange for access to Imperial Lore, assuming that the offer would land favourably.

It did not. The [[Conclave]] rejected the offer outright, seemingly incensed at the repeated request for access to Lore and having deep misgivings about the nature of ''Diamondmind's'' offer. The Flame sent a delegation to Anvil to try and understand why their strategy had landed so badly. Eager to demonstrate their worth to their neighbours, they sent their sentinels to aid in the [[This_is_the_end#Never_follow_me|quixotic but ultimately successful effort to free Apulian]] from the [[Whisper Gallery|Whisper Gallery's]] grasp. Last season, the Conclave agreed to disseminate [[Blessing of New Spring]] to them - a sign that there is diplomatic willing there, yet.

Now the [[civil service]] have been sent word from Alexius, who acts as the representative of the Tribunal to the Empire. His missive strikes a somewhat contrite note. The Tribunal have abandoned their plans to build a fane for Sinokenon - for now. It seems that someone made a generous donation of liao to the faction within the Tribunal who were most opposed towards any form of eternal alliance, and they have spent the last three months pressing their point. They have convinced many, but in particular they have convinced Caela, the Grand Arbiter of the Tribunal, who has asked the heralds of Sinokenon to leave.

This has not come without cost, it seems. While they have the stocks and stores to get through winter, it will be hard without outside assistance. Their need is pressing, and so they write to ask if their friends in Anvil could see to the dissemination of the other two rituals in the cycle of farm rituals. This would aid the rebels greatly - especially if this happens in time for the rituals to be cast in the Summer and Autumn of next year. Beyond that, the Flame would benefit from any personal enchantments, especially ones like [[Gift of the Wily Broker]] which allow for careful economic stewardship. In return, the Tribunal are prepared to guarantee that their sentinels will continue to support efforts in Apulian or be sent to assist in Spiral's defence in any way they can - whether it is simply to act as swords against the darkness of the wilds or to defend some fortification. They have four groups of sentinels with a combined military strength of a little under five hundred.

===All the Right Friends===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Prosperity.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''Efforts to share the virtue of Prosperity with the people of Tsark have met with some success.'''
* '''There is an opportunity to bring word of inspirational figures of Prosperity to Tsark.'''
* '''Eleven Imperials have been invited at 18:35 on the Saturday of the equinox to visit the Tsarkoi in Zenith.'''
The isolated nation of [[Tsark]] is famously slow to change and resistant to outside influence or visitors of any kind. In the last decade, as the Empire has become aware of Tsark's existence yet remained neutral, even friendly towards the tiny sagocracy, there has been a slow but perceptible thawing of relations on behalf of the Sage's Council. [[Seeds_of_discord#Tsark|Last season]] they sent ''Camilla'', one of the adepts who play some kind of role in day-to-day spiritual guidance of the lives of the Tsarkoi, to visit the Empire to learn more about the virtue of [[Prosperity]]. It seems that the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]] made the case that there could be a place for Prosperity within the worldview of the sages, and they were not so horrified at the suggestion as to refuse it out of hand.

Camilla solicited letters on the subject of Prosperity and has made herself and her fellow adepts available this last season for members of the Urizen Assembly to discuss Prosperity with her. As the equinox approaches, the Imperial diplomatic corps, through the office of the Seeker of the Perfect World, receive word that the initiative has been a success: at least from Camilla's point of view. She has learned much about Prosperity from all she has read and heard - yet she feels there is yet more to learn. In particular, she understands that the Empire set great stock by inspirational figures of the past who exemplify their virtues - a practice the people of Tsark understand well. The great sages and adepts of the past all have shrines built into the [[Mountains_of_the_Moon#Wall_of_the_Luge_and_the_East_and_West_Rising|Wall of the Luge]], the mighty fortified wall that surrounds the sacred plateau of Visoko. She would like to learn more about the inspirational prosperous figures that the Empire holds dear to its heart. If the Empire's representatives can impressively preach of an inspirational figure of Prosperity in a way that resonates with the spirituality of Tsark, then it could well lead to further such opportunities, as the Tsarkoi believe that inspirational figures are the ''most'' important way to find spiritual enlightenment.

She has asked Sage Kristoph, the well-established representative of the Sage's Council to the "People of the Horse", to make the trip to Zenith. She would like to host a discussion on the premises of the Garden of the Perfect World, with Sage Kristoph to attend, and an invitation is extended to each person who wrote to her or visited. These are, in no particular order: '''Farren Silver Streams, Abel the Rounder, Isaac of the Reaching Vine, Berilo i Erigo, Heilyn Bronwen's Rest, Catena of Tropaion, Galene Netherwatch, Able the Taller, Lord Augur Gryphontale, Eleri Bronwen's Rest''', and '''Solas of the First Light'''. They are invited to speak about three inspirational figures of Prosperity, with ten minutes (allowing time for questions) allocated for each figure. Who actually presents and on which figures Camilla defers to the visitors - she trusts them to collectively come to an understanding in an efficient manner that respects the time of others, as - she has learnt - the Prosperous are wont to do.

This is clearly a fateful occasion, and on such occasions the Sentinel Gate obliges. There is a conjunction for eleven people at 18:35 on the Saturday of the Equinox, to attend the Gardens of the Perfect World, Occursion, Zenith. The civil service has asked the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]], '''Abel the Rounder of Sarangrave Reforged''', to be responsible for the conjunction and for the other arrangements Camilla has mentioned.

===Blades of the Semmerlak (reprise)===
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Blades of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' [[Edifice]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:'''
*Sandling in Weirwater ''or'' Lacuve in Semmerholm
'''and'''
*Malimorzi in Karov ''or'' Bittershore in Ossium
</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 24 weirwood and 72 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' Three months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the start of Autumn Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Creates title of ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak''
* Creates the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''' venture for questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens
* Removes the threat to ships on the Semmerlak and establishes a sodality to deal with threats from Dho'uala</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Counts as a single commission</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Dawnish and Varushkan</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Senate or Test of Arms </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' This is a [[martial title]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:'''
* Receives 10 crowns a season
* Receives a [[Duelist's Scales]], a [[Troubadour's Ring]], and a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] once a year</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To counter the influence of Dho'uala and deal with threats coming from the Semmerlak</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<tr><td style="background-color: HotPink;">'''Blades in the Semmerlak'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Venture Type:''' Guarding</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Territories bordering the Semmerlak</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Duration:''' Open-ended</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Rewards:''' Six crowns and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]]</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''''Tristan Ramson von Holberg'', the Master of the Mint, announced the reappraisal of the Blades of the Semmerlak'''
* '''A wardenhouse in Varushka and a knightly estate in Dawn would provide a base of operations for heroes to protect the Semmerlak'''
Last season, the [[Master of the Mint]], '''Tristan Ramson von Holberg''', announced the [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Reappraise_Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|reappraisal]] of the Blades of the Semmerlak in Dawnish and Varushkan territories surrounding the [[the Semmerlak|Semmerlak]]. Originally [[Less_welcome_tenants#Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|suggested]] shortly before the Summer Solstice 386YE, the wardenhouse and knightly estate were part of a larger appraisal into the problem of [[Dho'uala]] killing Imperial citizens and interfering with matters on and around the Semmerlak.

A motion to construct the [[Less_welcome_tenants#Wards_and_Bargains|Journeymage Towers]] was [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Construct_Journeymage_Towers|proposed]] by '''Amicia of the Semmerlak''', as Senator for Semmerholm, and the [[Watcher of the Semmerlak]] has been active, appointed by the Assembly of Vigilance, and tasked with ensuring the nations surrounding the Semmerlak act with Vigilance and countering threats from the Semmerlak.

Lutomysla's suggestion that the Senate establish a small sodality dedicated to protecting the people around the Semmerlak still holds true, and has the same enthusiastic support from the merchant-boyars, earls, and merchant-princes keen to see people protected from the depredations of the sovereign. A knightly order focused on protecting the communities along the lake, and a warden fellowship to travel on ships crossing the Semmerlak to protect the crew; both would actively seek out the creatures of Dho'uala and fight them. Supported by Imperial heroes, the sodality would remove the threat to the people living along the edge of the lake. Instead, it would fall to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens to serve as the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''',

They will need places to operate from - an estate in Dawn for the knights and a wardenhouse in Varushka for the wardens. Lutomysla identified that the best locations would be either [[Weirwater#Sandling|Sandling]], in the vicinity of [[Weirwater#Culwich|Culwich]], or [[Semmerholm#Lacuve|Lacuve]] in [[Semmerholm]] near the bustling port of [[Semmerholm#Lacre|Lacre]] for the knights, and the port of Korotny in [[Karov#Malimorzi|Malimorzi]] in [[Karov]] and the [[Merchant_Boyar_of_the_Bittershore#Kostjyas_Respite|Kostjyas Respite]] in [[Ossium#Bittershore|Bittershore]] in [[Ossium]] and those still hold true. Although they involve work in two regions, the actual project itself requires only a single commission, and the building of the wardenhouse and the estates will take place in parallel. Once construction is complete, any threat to the people who live along the banks of the lake will be met by enthusiastic warriors. It will also create a new guarding [[venture]] available to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens - '''Blades in the Semmerlak'''. This will allow a [[military unit]] to spend their time actively defending the Semmerlak and the ships that traverse it. A starting military unit undertaking the venture would receive 120 rings and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]].

There would need to be a title to oversee the efforts and support the sodality; the ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'' would be a [[martial title]] of Dawn and Varushka who was appointed by either unanimous agreement of the senators of those two nations, or a [[Martial_title#Creating_Martial_Titles|test of arms]] between members of those two nations. The title-holder would be responsible for protecting the communities around the Semmerlak from threats mundane and magical, and to stand ready to oppose the depredations of Dho'uala whenever they raise their head. In return, they would receive an income of 10 crowns each season with which to equip allies and maintain their sodality.

They would also be the beneficiaries of several magic items provided by Dawnish, Varushkan, and League donors. A [[Duelist's Scales|Duelist's Scales]] weapon from the Varushkan merchant-boyars to weaken corrupt horrors; a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] from League merchant-princes to protect them from venom; and a [[Troubadour's Ring]] from Dawnish earls to help them support their allies. These items would be received once each year, and while the expectation is that the Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak would use them themselves, there is no reason they could not pass them to other warriors fighting against Dho'uala or similar monstrous threats.

===Dusk===
{{:Autumn Equinox 2026}}

===Husky Business (Volunteers)===
* '''There is an opportunity for player volunteers to portray their characters who died during the Saturday battle at the last event'''
* '''Eligible characters must have died during the battle, but not have been killed as a husk'''
* '''Volunteers will need to have their own costume and appropriate weapons'''
* '''The role will last around twenty minutes, starting at 18:30 on Friday'''
* '''The role will involve fighting alongside the skirmish team in an encounter against player characters'''
* '''Please email before 18:00 on Wednesday 26th of August if you are interested in volunteering'''

There is an opportunity for players to portray the husk of their fallen characters at the upcoming event. Anyone whose character died during the battle of the [[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Fens of Varreth]], raised as a husk but was not subsequently killed again as that husk is welcome to email to register interest in volunteering for an encounter on the Friday. This will be a combat [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|highly likely]] encounter through the Sentinel Gate and will involve fighting against player characters alongside members of our [[Plot_crew#Skirmish|skirmish team]].

If you are interested and would like more information, please email {{plot}} with your PID and the subject line "Husk Volunteer E4", and you will be given more details.

==Summer Conjunctions==

===Major Conjunctions===
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Link'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Outcome'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Sarangrave|Sarangrave, Turan Flats, ''Fens of Varreth'']]</td><td>Contain the dead</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Harvester of Graves]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Sigismund Vladislav Kestovia''' of [[Varushka]]; The spirits were not trapped and the husks remain a problem in eastern Sarangrave; The tortured souls of Het Trakaa remain in Turan Flats; Het Trakaa and Sul Maggotgnaw remain alive</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Mareave|Mareave, Clisearn, ''Ruins of Sinat'']]</td><td>Open the Vaults</td><td>Grendel</td><td>[[Mithril_and_rope#Battle:_Salt_and_Stone|Salt and Stone]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Joaquim i Erigo''' of [[the Brass Coast]]; Saltbound Stone recovered and claimed by '''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged'''; Ilium Jackals negotiated with and readying support of [[Boyar's Hasta]]; Iontach Leagsaidh remains in possession of their [[Grimnir's Hearthfire]]; Maistir Guaidre remains in possession of the Spiteri necklace</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Forest of Ulnak|Forest of Ulnak, Ghul'thak Forest, ''Fetid Heart'']]</td><td>Raid the Druj</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Battle:_Claim_the_Prize|Claim the Prize]]</td><td>Not taken; Status of the black lotus unclear; Status of the treasures of Taramid Skinwreath unclear</td></tr>

</table>

===Minor Conjunctions===
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! # !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview !! Result
|-
| 1 || Sarangrave, Whisperwood, Halfweir Grove || [[Fingers of the Devourer|Custodian of the Fingers of the Devourer]] || [[Thorn_and_bone#A_Testing_(Conjunction)|Destroy the heralds of Surut]] || Heralds of Surut killed; production of Fingers of Devourer has increased by two wains per season for as long as the Great Forest Orcs remain foreigners
|-
| 2 || Astolat, Withy, Igraine's Regio || [[Astolat|Senator for Astolat]] || [[A_wizard_did_it#Rants_and_Roses|Find out why the regio keeps shifting back to Spring, and resolve it]] || Unclear, but '''Éamon Ashenmourn de Cordraco''' might know more
|-
| 3 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Maiden Stone || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#Apples_First_(Mitwold)|Stop Jyll Longleys from cursing the Maiden Stone]] || ''Jyll Longleys'' and allies killed
|-
| 4 || The Barrens, Dawnguard, Troubadour's Glade || [[Knight of Dawnguard]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Vow (The Barrens)|Kill ''Prilak Gutdredger'']] || ''Prilak Gutdredger'' and almost all allies were killed
|-
| 5 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Golden Fields || [[Keeper of the Golden Fields]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#The_Right_Thing_(Mitwold)|Stop Dusty Cobb setting Golden Fields alight]] || ''Dusty Cobb'' and rebels killed
|-
| 6 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, The Dredging Flats || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Call to Stand (The Barrens)|Kill the Servants of the Burnt]] || All but one ''Servants of the Burnt'' survived
|-
| 7 || Ossium, Echofell, Burned Glade || [[Shadowed Torchbearer]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Fire_The_Forests_(Ossium)|Prevent the cursing of Ossium]] || Heralds killed and Ossium was not cursed
|-
| 8 || Therunin, Lower Tarn Valley, Rotwood Croft || '''Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#After the Taint (Therunin)|Destroy the miasma pillar]] || Miasma pillar successfully consecrated
|-
| 9 || Madruga, Free Landing, Hart's Cove || [[Hand of Guerra]] || [[Keys_of_Enlightenment#Barren_Waters_(Conjunction)|Aid the stranded ship from Sumaah]] || Unclear, but Hand of Guerra should know more
|-
| 10 || Sarangrave, Kroll, Slow Worm's Hill || [[Sevenfold Path|Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Boil The Swamps (Sarangrave)|Prevent the cursing of Sarangrave]] || Heralds killed and Sarangrave was not cursed
|-
| 11 || Sarangrave, Turan Flats, The Breakteeth dais || [[Eastern Sky|General of the Eastern Sky]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#The_Greatest_Prize_(Rhianos)|Recover the treasure]] || Treasure successfully recovered
|-
| 12 || The Barrens, Bitter Strand, Saltshore || [[Merchant of the Fangs]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Fangs_for_the_Memories_(Conjunction)|Answer General Utmar's call for aid]] || Vassals of the manticore killed
|-
| 13 || Madruga, The Crucible, Talpses Plat || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#A_Terrible_Feeling_(Madruga)|Claim the ''Snapping Face'']] || Snapping Face retrieved and heralds killed
|-
| 14 || The Barrens, Carmine Fields, Trading Way || '''Rhydian de Rondell''' || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Taste_of_Mettle_(Conjunction)|Remove the failed knights-errant of House Courcillion as a threat]] || Named knights have accepted justice from local magistrates
|-
| 15 || Necropolis, Coursmouth, The Veiled Garden || [[Guardian of Britta's Memorial]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#The_Strength_of_This_Place_(Necropolis)|Spill the waters of Siakha]] || Bucket recovered and returned to Anvil
|-
| 16 || The Barrens, The Untrod Groves, Glade of the Good Knight || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#A_Hearty_Meal_(Conjunction)|Thwart the schemes of Ser Gawain Amboise]] || Schemes of ''Ser Gawain Amboise'' thwarted
|-
| 17 || Mareave, Fleisardh, Spring Regio near Golden Wind's Encampment || [[Silver Chalice|Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Do_Some_Harm_(Arhallogen)|Poison the Grendel]] || Grendel poisoned, Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice should know more
|-
| 18 || Tassato, Cascatas, Campo Verdenta || [[Keeper of the Sapphire Stair]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#For_What_Has_Been_Wrought_(Tassato)|Kill the heralds of Siakha]] || Heralds of Siakha and wreckers killed
|-
| 19 || Spiral, Apstrus, Alba's Lea || [[Legacy|Custodian of the Legacy]] ||[[Mithril_and_rope#A_Backhanded_Request_(Spiral)|Intercept the mercenaries pay]] || Raid launched on the Legacy and ten wains of mithril claimed by the Haurlatch Iron Consortium
|-
| 20 || Reikos, Haros Water, Couros Field || '''Nekoda of the Shattered Tower''' || [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_fortune#A_Sudden_Threat_(Reikos)|Save Professor Gelberg from Grendel assassins]] || Imperials pushed out by Grendel; Professor Gelberg has been kidnapped
|-
| 21 || Redoubt, Naris, Isaac's End || '''Telemachus of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[Seeds_of_discord#An_Empty_Bottle_(Conjunction)|Leave no more than a dozen Grendel alive]] || All Grendel killed
|-
| 22 || Kallavesa, West Marsh, The Meeting Place || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_32|Erlend]]''' || [[Myth_makers#The_Unity_Of_Deed_And_Word|Consecrate the Meeting Place]] || The Meeting Place successfully consecrated with true liao
|-
| 23 || Kallavesa, Wittal Grove, Frithstan's Fen || [[Grimnir of Wittal Grove]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#An_Unexpected_Ally_(Basileia)|Defeat the Grendel (and potentially rescue the Iontach)]] || Ionatch Meddool Miniog successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 24 || Forest of Ulnak, Grimfen Mire, Moss End || [[Warmage]] || [[All_I_ask_of_you#Wild_Things_Run_Fast|Take advantage of a recent scouting discovery]] || [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] successfully cast with eight rings of [[ilium]]
|-
| 25 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Eastern Ward || '''Theodora''' || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 26 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, Gardenway || [[Envoy to the Karass]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Protect_Lenna_Karass_%28The_Barrens%29|Prevent Druj raiders from kidnapping Lenna Karass]] || Lenna Karass was successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 27 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Western Ward || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 28 & 29 || Forest of Ulnak, Gloomsea, Islet of Calm || [[Archmage of Day]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Who's_the_Thief?_(Forest_of_Ulnak)|Prevent the Eyes of the Dragon from using a boon of Kimus]] || [[Wind of Mundane Silence]] performed on regio and bodies successfully destroyed
|-
| 30 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Warmage]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Drive the vallorn from the regio]] || Imperial casualties suffered, vallornspawn remain around the regio
|-
| 31 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Archmage of Spring]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Cast Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] || [[Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] was not performed
|-
| 32 || Sarangrave, the Whisperwood, Depths of the Hungry Earth || [[Counsel of the Sun Chamber]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#The_Caves_of_the_Hungry_Earth|Investigate the Hungry Earth]] || Depths investigated, Counsel of the Sun Chamber should know more
|-
| 33 || Volodmartz, Livardz, Sumisev Peegel || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_167|Auntie Armand Mariyavich Remislav]]''' || [[Sunrise_over_Livardz#Blow_It_Up|Destroy the Sumisev Peegel]] || Sumisev Peegel was successfully destroyed by [[Wind of Mundane Silence]]
|-
|}

388YE Autumn Equinox winds of fortune

2026-09-09T19:05:06Z

Rafferty: /* Towers of the Moon */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Lights in the Dark.jpg|align=left|caption=Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. |width=2000}}</div>
==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Wind of Fortune !! Order Released !! Last Updated || Note
|-
| [[The wolves tempt you]] || 1 || data-sort-value="2026/08/15"| 15/08 || Imperial Address
|-
| [[Dream on]] || 2 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Seren
|-
| [[Come together]] || 3 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Apothecary college
|-
| [[Fair share of labour]] || 4 || data-sort-value="2026/08/19"| 19/08 || Artisans Guild
|-
| [[Hidden inventory]] || 5 || data-sort-value="2026/08/29"| 29/08 || Banner-bearers
|-
| [[A fork in the path]] || 6 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Mystics
|-
| [[Outreach across the marshes]] || 7 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Sand Fishers & League highest calling
|-
| [[Stand proud, you're strong]] || 8 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Brass Coast highest calling
|-
| [[Here you come again]] || 9 || data-sort-value="2026/08/31"| 06/09 || Plenipotentiary
|-
| [[Accomplices]] || 10 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Agramant is still in Therunin
|-
| [[Metamorphosis]] || 11 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Dealing with Kroll
|-
| [[Out of these convertites]] || 12 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || League visit to the Marches
|-
| [[Goodwill]] || 13 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Dawn, Navarr, Highguard, Vallornguard
|-
| [[Not from the benevolence]] || 14 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Offers from Ephisis
|-
| [[Wayfaring strangers]] || 15 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Visitors
|-
| [[Value beneath the mountain]] || 16 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Kespoena's Reach
|-
| [[Domain expansion]] || 17 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Imperial Breadbasket
|-
| [[Islands in the dream]] || 18 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Imperial Orc Highest Calling
|-
| [[Shadowed boughs of twilight]] || 19 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Ossium
|-
| [[When something is lost]] || 20 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Madruga
|-
| [[A friend like you]] || 21 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Eternal Winds of Magic
|-
|}</div>
Over the past three months, events have taken place which are of significance to the Empire and may require a response from her champions. These are the winds of fortune, counterparts to the winds of war that detail the Empire's military campaigns. They lay out situations and usually include things that characters can do to take advantage of [[opportunity|opportunities]] or to resolve problems. In almost every case, they start with a piece of flavour text. This fiction helps introduce the wind of fortune or draws out a particular theme or element. Often, it represents a viewpoint that one or more NPCs might have in-character. In all cases, these pieces are intended to help create an atmosphere and provide a little entertainment. Where they contain opinions, those are the opinions of the fictional people depicted - and where they contain information or rumours, the assumption is that the reader will create their own context for that information or gossip if they want to use it in character.

The body of the wind of fortune describes situations and lays out ways players can engage with them. Except where we explicitly talk about something being "rumoured" or use a phrase like "some might say..." the details of a wind of fortune are factual. They represent briefing material presented by the civil service or similar authoritative sources and represent something the average educated citizen would acknowledge as a reliable truth. Unless we specify otherwise, we're also being as thorough as possible. This information doesn't need further checking in-character. It's not an opinion, and we're not trying to trick you.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:350px; float: left; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Diplomacy Wind
|-
| General Diplomacy || [[So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavea]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Asavean_Archipelago|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Axos]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Axos|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] || [[All I can do]]
|-
| [[Commonwealth]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Commonwealth|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Marracossa]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Marracossa|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Faraden]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Faraden|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Grendel]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Grendel|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Iron Confederacy]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Iron Confederacy|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Otkodov]] || [[The little things]]
|-
| [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarm]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Principalities_of_Jarm|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Sarcophan Delves]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Sarcophan Delves|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Sumaah Republic]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Sumaah_Republic|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
|}

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of Fortune is to maintain the illusion of the Empire as a living, breathing place where things happen - and to make players aware of things their characters could know based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing for the past three months. It's perfectly acceptable to turn up to Empire having read only a few Winds of Fortune that directly interest your character; part of the fun on the field can come from learning about situations and opportunities in other parts of the game.
__TOC__
In each case, we've tried to tag the Winds of Fortune entry with the nations or political bodies to which it is most relevant. We've done this to help people who are interested only in events that are especially relevant to them. In no way are these tags intended to be exhaustive; the Empire is a complex place, and very little happens in isolation. We are also adding the dates that they were last updated (other than typos and correcting [[red links]]) in an attempt to make it easier to keep track of the newest releases.

==Winds of Fortune==
===The Wolves Tempt You (Imperial Address)===
* '''Imperial citizens; Navarr;'''
[[Emperor Vesna]] has used their power to [[The_Throne#Address_the_Empire|address the Empire]] to present a personal reminder to all citizens that the road to salvation is hard, but everyone is walking it together.

The message has been distributed across the Empire by the civil service, and you can read it in the '''[[The wolves tempt you]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:left; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Navarr.png|align=left|width=150}}</div>
===Dream On===
* '''Navarr'''
In [[Miaren]], [[Miaren#Seren|Seren]] is now become the ''City of Dreams'' in truth. People with hopes and aspirations, with the imagination to perceive what is needed to achieve them and the determination to try, have flocked to Miaren. With the completion of the Temple of the Waking Dream, the [[dreamspeaker]] calling has coalesced as a distinct [[archetype]] among the [[Navarr]] people, one dedicated to making dreams become reality. This has perhaps predictably amplified arguments about what exactly that means, and which dreams should be pursued, and how.

You can learn about competing arguments, and the changes to the city of Seren, in the '''[[Dream on]]''' wind of fortune.
===Come Together===
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBNavarr.jpg|align=right|width=100}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Imperial Apothecaries Guild; Navarr; Benefactor of High Chalcis; Highguard, the League, Imperial Orcs, and Varushka; Senate
When [[Therunin]] fell to the [[Druj]] [[Thornsinger#Thornsong_House|Thornsong House]] was lost. Despite the valiant efforts of the Navarr and the aid of [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]], the college of herb mastery could not be saved. While the house itself burned, many of those who studied there were able to escape to the safety of [[Reikos]]. Some stayed behind on [[Reikos#Chalcis Mount|Chalcis Mount]], but others chose to put as much distance between themselves and the horrors of the Druj as possible. Drawn to the Temple of the Waking Dream, some of these apothecaries and physicks have taken the path of the dreamspeaker themselves, and inspired by the City of Dreams, they have put their ambition to rebuild what was lost into words.

A proposal for a new college of the apothecary arts, and ways various nations may be involved, can be found in the '''[[Come together]]''' wind of fortune.
===Fair Share of Labour===
* '''Artisan's Guild; Throne; Senate; Artisans of all kinds; Golden Pyramid; Pride Assembly; Navarr; Guildmaster of the Artisans, Dean of Runesmith's Caution, Keeper of the Runegrott, Seer of the Spiral Sword, and potentially several other titles associated with magic item crafting'''
At the recent summit, [[Emperor Vesna]], requested that the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] [[Forever_is_composed_of_nows#The_Abraham_Gambit|appraise the implications]] of a new [[Imperial sodality]], the ''Imperial Guild of Artisans''. The Artisans Guild has technically been in existence for some time, with the Senate [[Construct_Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|ordering the construction of Guildhouse]] in 385YE, creating the position of [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]]. Now the Senate is in a position to consider the full implications of making the Guild into an official Imperial sodality.

You can learn more about the potential Imperial Sodality, as well as proposals from some people very excited by the opportunity it represents, in the '''[[Fair share of labour]]''' wind of fortune.
===Hidden Inventory===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Cat's Graces Sodality.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBWintermark.jpg|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Wintermark, especially banner bearers; Cat's Graces; Minister of Historical Research; Mediator of Hyljehal; Senate
When the tides of fate seem to turn against the Empire, to be able to look and see over the battle lines, the colours of your warband or your nation still [[Pride|Proudly]] flying can help to rally the [[Courage]] and turn the tide. In [[Wintermark]] the [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Banner-bearers|position of banner-bearer]] is seen as vital to the success of any battle. [[Empress Britta]] was a banner-bearer, and bore [[Three Tears|Foe-Slayer]], the legendary war-banner of [[Emperor Guntherm]] onto the field. The great flag was lost when Britta died and it has been near two decades since Wintermark could bear its equal into battle. The artisans and craftspeople of [[Hahnmark#Runegrott|Runegrott]] have a proposal to try to remedy this shortfall, involving the construction of a grand [[edifice]] to house banners and paintings of the great banners of the Empire as well as the creation of a new [[Magic_items#Artefacts|artefact]] [[:Category:Magic Standards|banner]] for Wintermark.

You can read more about this plan, and learn a little of the mighty banner Foe-Slayer, in the '''[[Hidden inventory]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=KallevesiMystic.jpg|align=right|width=200}}
===A Fork in the Path===
* '''Wintermark, especially the Mystics; Raven Seer of Ishal; would-be champions; Keeper of Oaths; friends of Sung
The [[mystic|Mystics]] of Ishal sought to work more closely with the wider nation of Wintermark. They have since decided [[Flight_of_birds#The_Witan|to approach the Witan]] directly, and do what they can to support the goals of the nation itself. The decision to help with the [[Warriors' Gate|exploration of Tsirku]] has made it impossible for the Mystics of Ishal to offer their usual council and support to the [[Raven Seer]] and to that end they have made several changes to the Aviary, and to the support they offer the Raven Seer and the nation. At the same time, there has been a great deal of discussion of the [[Crown of Three Tears]] and the role of the ''Champion of Wintermark'' within the nation - the appointment of who has traditionally been the responsibility of the mystics.

You can read about the changes at Ishal, and the situation of the Crown of Three Tears, in the '''[[A fork in the path]]''' wind of fortune.
===Outreach Across the Marshes===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
* '''The League, especially the Bishops and Princes; Merchant Prince of Misericorde Market; Senate
[[The League]] Assembly [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_57|has declared]] that their [[The_highest_calling#The_Highest_Calling|highest calling]] is to bring new peoples to join the Empire. A Virtuous endeavour to be sure, but even the League cannot move the whole world at once. To be effective the nation needs to [[Any_dream_will_do#Partners_within|focus their efforts]] on one group at a time. Diplomacy is a complicated matter, so they also need to decide who among them would be best to take the lead with each such group. This past season the Princes of the League have reached out to the [[Holberg#Misericorde|Sand Fishers]] of [[Holberg#Misericorde|Misericorde]], the [[orc|orcs]] who once lived on the southern shores of [[Ossium]] as slaves of the [[Druj]] but who have found a new lease of life on the northern shores of [[Holberg]].

Ultimately, the egregore decides who can or cannot join a nation - the nature of the bond is that it can only be formed with someone an egregores recognises as having the potential to be a member of the nation. But the League has already embraced the Apulian Orcs, why not the Holberg Orcs as well?

You can read about how the outreach is going, and what it might take to bring the Sand Fishers into the Empire, in the '''[[Outreach across the marshes]]''' wind of fortune.
===Stand Proud, You're Strong===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Freeborn.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
* '''The Brass Coast, especially the Freeborn assembly;
After several seasons of deliberation (and funding a [[Construct_City_of_Wonders|whole new city]]), the Freeborn National Assembly has decided that the [[the highest calling|highest calling]] of their people should be on defending their lands. The sentiment resonates with people across [[the Brass Coast]]. It was not long ago that both [[Madruga]] and [[Feroz]] fell under barbarian control, [[Kahraman]] has faced constant invasion from the Lasambrians over the past few years and [[Segura]] has only recently enjoyed a prolonged period of quiet after nearly two decades of constant warfare. Is it a surprise that the people of the Brass coast feel a little vulnerable, given recent history?

There is so much work that could be done, people are at a loss to know where to start. The Assembly will have to consider the options carefully - they have a year to take advantage of the nation's highest calling, but that won't be enough time to pursue every possibility raised by a people as inventive as the Freeborn...

You can find out how the nation can begin to defend its lands, and the proposals put forward toward that aim, in the '''[[Stand proud, you're strong]]''' wind of fortune.
===Here You Come Again (Plenipotentiary)===
* '''Imperial Conclave; magicians; Synod; Brass Coast especially Sutannir; ''Alazhar i Taziel i Erigo'', ''Velasco i Guerra'', the Imperial Warcaster; Marcher beaters, Unshackled thief-takers, Varushkan wardens; ''Berilo i Erigo''; ''Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka'' and some dead generals'''
* This wind was updated on 06/09/2026 to add some additional paragraphs to the end of the [[Here_you_come_again#End_of_Empire|End of Empire]] section
Each [[archmage]] is empowered to send a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] message to a single [[eternal]] of their [[Realms|realm]] each season. Bound to respond, the recipients are however free to choose precisely what form that response takes. Following the Summer Solstice, six eternals have responded to what are presumed to be missives from the respective archmages. Some have agreed to [[archmage#Parley|parley]], but not all of them.

You can find out about the eternals, and the nature of their responses, in the '''[[Here you come again]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=BarienArt.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>

===Arrows and Clay (Challenge)===
* '''Challengers of the Iron Duke'''
Each season, the eternal ''[[Barien]]'' presents opportunities to those prepared to [[Challenge the Iron Duke]]. For the Autumn Equinox he offers two challenges: a game of speed and grace, and a game of creativity and imagination. As ever, the rules of the ritual apply. Each person who receives the ritual will be ''guaranteed'' entry to a challenge. Depending on the challenge, they ''may'' be able to bring a certain number of attendants with them to assist. The exact number will depend on the nature of the challenge and the number of challengers. The [[civil service]] will publish exact numbers in [[Anvil#The_Hub|the Hub]] on Saturday morning for all to see.

You can find details of the challenges issued by Barien this season in the '''[[Arrows and clay]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=AgramantArt.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>
===Accomplices===
* '''Navarr; Military Council; Military unit captains; ''Eskah Swift Hart, Vosjuli Cherenkov, Towlen Nighthaven'' and ''Mirella of the Twisted Rose'''''
Another season, another message from [[Agramant]], delivered by his heralds from the depths of [[Therunin]]. The eternal's efforts were roundly refuted last season, with the [[Golden Axe]] reclaiming Lower Tarn Valley. This season, Twigsnapper has a much more pointed offer to make to aid the reconquest of Therunin.

You can find out what Agramant and his heralds are up to in the '''[[Accomplices]]''' wind of fortune.

<div style="float:left; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NBUrizen.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>
===Metamorphosis===
* '''Urizen, particularly the captains of military units or residents of Sarangrave; Keeper of the Breadbasket and farm owners of the Marches; Imperial Consul; ''Frith, Ser Guy of the Twisted Rose, Fausta Ankarien,'' and people interested in the rebel septs; ''Solas of the Spire of the First Light'' and the Warmage'''
It has been a tumultuous time in the Sarangrave. First the Druj, then the vallorn, and now husks. All while the Empire has been endeavouring to make diplomatic inroads with the rebels of Nesustak Forest. Sadly, troubles abound; the eviction of so many from Thornfen by the Axou has raised the spectre of famine in the territory. And now the Druj scattered through the territory, alongside the rampaging husks, threaten to raise a third dark spectre - the beast that lurks beneath the waters of the Sarangrave, the dark and terrible Kroll.

You can find out what's happening in Sarangrave this season in the '''[[Metamorphosis]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly General.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
===A Little at a Time===
* '''Members of the Synod, especially Cardinals; Members of the Senate; Members of the Vallornguard and people interested in the fate of Pilgrim's Defiance'''
Last season, eight judgements of [[proscription]] were raised, and half of them were upheld by the General Assembly. Similar to their previous efforts, the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] has asked the civil service to publish not just guidance on the outcome of these proscriptions, but also details from the minutes of their discussions in the hopes of providing clarity to interested citizens. This includes detailed guidance on the three changes to religious law enacted by the Senate.

You can find out the outcome of the Constitutional Court's meeting on the proscriptions and changes to religious law last season, in the '''[[A little at a time]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Marcher.png|align=right|width=150}}
===Out of These Convertites===
* '''The League, particularly orcs and members of the Synod; The Marches; People with an interest in foot-the-ball or duelling'''
* This wind was updated on 07/09/2026 to change the time of the [[Out_of_these_convertites#And_So_Am_Come_Abroad|Am So Am Come Abroad]] encounter to 18:30 on Saturday
Last season, the [[The League|League]] and [[The Marches|Marcher]] Assemblies both passed statements of principle encouraging a pilgrimage of Apulian orcs and League members of the Synod to the [[Mournwold]]. Citizens from all five cities of the League have taken up the call to travel, and the orcs of the Mourn have welcomed them with open arms and farm tools. It's not just the harvest that's discussed, but ancestors and sports.

You can find out what happened when the League visited the Marches this season in the '''[[Out of these convertites]]''' wind of fortune.

===Goodwill===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Vallornguard sodality.png|title=Vallornguard|align=right|width=100}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Dawn.png||align=right|width=180}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Highborn.png||align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Navarr.png||align=right|width=150}}
* '''Dawn, Navarr; Highguard; Vallornguard'''
Two nations have chosen to use their [[The highest calling|highest calling]] to focus their people on the coming final war against the [[vallorn]]. The [[Dawn|Dawnish]] are developing the skills and resources to prepare themselves, while [[Navarr]] are looking for ways to support the nascent [[Vallornguard]] by sharing centuries of accumulated wisdom with other nations. Surprising progress has been made: the Dawnish have chosen to [[Love_and_monsters#Unicorns|throw open the doors of Greenwood Manor]] to all comers. The Navarr have spent the last year offering their unique expertise to their Imperial cousins, their eye turned at last to their allies in [[Highguard]]. Even the denizens of the [[eternal]] [[realms]] have heard the call to war, and have been encouraged to offer their aid as the Empire prepares for the war that will, if it is successful, bring to an end the Doom of Terunael.

You can find out about the highest callings of Navarr and Dawn, and the opportunities they provide, in the '''[[Goodwill]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Ephisis.jpg|align=left|width=300}}</div>
===Not From the Benevolence===
* '''Entrepreneurs and traders; Members of the Senate, particularly the Senators for Reikos and Bastion; People interested in contracts available, particularly ''Dorys Delgorokov'', ''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo'' and ''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged''; Citizens of Kallavesa, the Barrens, and Hercynia; and the ''Freeborn Flame Cartel'''''
Following the relative success of the new scheme to offer large contracts for fulfilment, the heralds of the [[Ephisis|Sovereign Lady of the City of Gold and Lead]] have returned with new offers for the coming summit. As always, the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] will set up shop in the [[Hall of Worlds]] on the final day of the summit, where they will look to settle any sales offered to the City via the [[Ephisis' Scale]] ritual.

You can learn about the offer for a fortification, the contracts available from the City of Gold and Lead, and the counting houses requested by the Conclave, in the '''[[Not from the benevolence]]''' wind of fortune.

===Wayfaring Strangers (Visitors)===
* '''Senators for Tassato and Holberg, and the League Assembly; Envoy to the Karass; Magpies;'''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
People visit Anvil for all kinds of reasons. Trade, wonderment, and a chance to meet with the movers and shakers of the Empire. It is no surprise that Anvil is seen as the place to be if you want to get anything of importance done.

You can find out more about some of the folk coming to Anvil this season in the '''[[Wayfaring strangers]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=ArgentSword_Colour.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
===Value Beneath the Mountain===
* '''General of the Argent Sword; ''Kespoena Archsky''; Members of the Senate and those able to announce commissions; people who like mithril; ''Herminius of the House of the Wanderer''; Architect of Illumination; Gardener of Pallas; Arbiter of the Four Winds; Oblivion Sentinel; and people who like the idea of fighting in caves'''
Almost eighteen months ago, an arcane projection raised Kespoena's Reach (formerly known as Mount Polus) to be the highest mountain in the Empire. This, unexpectedly, led to a crevasse opening at the base of the mountain. Last season, the [[Argent Sword|General of the Argent Sword]], '''Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer''', ordered the heralds of her army to "''sniff out the value beneath the mountain''".

You can find out what they found, and what lies beneath Kespoena's Reach, in the '''[[Value beneath the mountain]]''' wind of fortune.
===Domain Expansion===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Marcher.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''The Marches; Imperial Orcs; Senate and Military Council; Singing Caves seat; and Quartermaster of the Imperial Armies; Imperial diviners and cartographers; anyone with an interest in Liathaven/Ashvale'''
While other nations struggle on, the [[the Marches|Marchers]] have got their harvest in. Their assembly has completed their [[The highest calling#Highest calling|highest calling]] and successfully [[Expand_Breadbasket_into_Mournwold|expanded]] the [[The_Marches_economic_interests#The_Imperial_Breadbasket|Imperial Breadbasket]] into [[Mournwold]]. There's no time for rest however... as ever Marcher knows, the reward for a good job is more work. Keen not to let the grass grow under anyone's feet, Marchers look to make good use of the remaining time now the Breadbasket is properly sorted. There are a few ideas knocking around about what Marchers could be doing next, as a tidal wave of Imperial Steel sweeps through [[Mitwold]] and into [[Bregasland]] - time to build on that success. After-all - you don't own it unless you can defend it...

You can learn about suggestions for how the Marches can own and defend land, and a mildly irritating development with a former Imperial territory, in the '''[[Domain expansion]]''' wind of fortune.
===Islands in the Dream===
<div style="float: right; max-width: 150px; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:Illarawm.png]]</div>
* '''Imperial Orcs, Varushka, Highguard; Military Council'''
Bloodcrow Knott declared the [[the highest calling#Highest Calling|highest calling]] of the [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]] assembly to be [[Every_day_of_your_life#Spanning_the_Abyss|seeking the ancestors of other septs]], and at the Summer Solstice, Bloodcrow Meep was chosen to [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_93|lead an approach]] to the [[Culling_the_threat#The_Dreamers_of_the_Dark_Forest|Dreamers of the Dark Forest]] in eastern [[Ossium]]. This time the [[orc|orcs]] have additional support in the form of advisors from [[Varushka]] and [[Highguard]] familiar with the sept, who helped arm and train the orcs to fight the [[Druj]] a few years back. The delegation of [[shamans]] and [[Illarawm|mystagogues]] braves the haunted woods and finds a guarded welcome, some mystical beliefs about spirits, and another dilemma for the Empire...

You can learn about the Dreamers of the Dark Forest, their spiritual beliefs, and their pressing concerns, in the '''[[Islands in the dream]]''' wind of fortune.
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{{CaptionedImage|file=NBVarushka.jpg|align=right|width=300}}
===Shadowed Boughs of Twilight===
* '''Citizens of Ossium, Navarr and Varushkan alike; Ossium forest owners; Senate, Military Council; Varushkan and Dawnish military units; Grieftender of the Forgotten, Map to the City Below, Singer of Silence, Ceslev of the Circle of ZUlgan Tash; People who like having a fortification in Ossium; Apothecary of Orieb; people angry about idolatry; Agramant watchers; Watcher of the Semmerlak; Guardian of the Maze of Zoria; Dedicates of Wisdom; Ambassador to Otkodov'''
[[Ossium]] has been part of [[Varushka]] for six years now, and what was once a wretched place clenched in the iron fist of the [[Druj]] is rapidly becoming one of the most prosperous territories in the Empire. Alongside the Varushkans live a few scattered septs of [[orc|orcs]], while the [[Thule]] control the northern forests in uneasy alliance. For the last few years it has also been home to families of Navarr drawn by Awstin's Rest. After the Summer Solstice, though, magic drawn from the [[Realms#Night|Wondrous Forest]] washes over the territory, bringing with it the unmistakable blessings of Night magic - blessings that have a regrettable tendency to be somewhat mixed. Especially given the presence of the monsters that have been here since well before the Empire drove the Druj out, who still lurk in the depths of the wild forests.

You can learn about the effects the Night magic has had, on dreams and on the forest, as well as details about eternals and monsters, in the '''[[Shadowed boughs of twilight]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Drakes_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Star Forged colour.webp|align=right|width=200}}
===When Something Is Lost===
* '''Inhabitants of Madruga; Generals of the Drakes and Star Forged; military units; Marcher folk; Conclave orders; Military Council; magicians interested in ill-advised experiments; Archmages of Night, Spring, and Winter; Stone Smith'''
Once [[Madruga]] was grassy plains, rich coastline, and prosperous islands. Now it is something else, thanks in part to the transfiguration of its southern coast by magically-infused river waters. This is [[the Brass Coast]] and there are plenty of Freeborn who welcome the excitement, unpredictability, and wonder each day promises. After the Summer Solstice, magic started to settle over Madruga, bringing with it vibrant dreams of vanished forests and heralds of the [[Realms#Night|Night realm]]. At first it seemed to be just a gentle piece of [[Night magic]]... but as the Autumn got closer it became clear it had done more than just evoke dreams. Two Imperial armies were also in Madruga, busy claiming the wild marshes of the Siroc Bayou and Crucible for the Empire. ''One'' of these two armies has come back out of the marshes and the other one... has not.

You can learn about the gentle enchantment, and the disappearance of an entire Imperial army, in the '''[[When something is lost]]''' wind of fortune.

===A Friend Like You (Eternals)===
* '''Knight-protector of Summer; Captain of the Throne Guard; Dauntless Warrior; ''William Guildenstern''; Architect of the Hammers; Arch of the Sky; Business owners in Zenith; Quartermaster of the Hanuri Garrison; General of the Burning Falcon; Maestro of the Cat's Graces; Azure Sutannir; Dawnish magicians; ''Lady Aletheia of the Twisted Rose'', ''Catena'', and magicians who perform curses; ''Claudia Varkulova Remislav, Eevi of the Gadrai'', and the Conclave; ''Artreus D'Fauntine, Catrina Words The Unbelievably Magical, Leo the Rainbow Sage,'' the <s>Order of the</s> Golden Chalice, the Tender of the Phoenix Flame, and the Churnspire Adjutor; those who met with Argent Preceptor; Night ritualists, and those who like the Whisper Gallery; '''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
Some magic comes from outside the Empire, from the creatures of the [[Realm|realms]], the [[eternal|eternals]] and their [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]]. Sometimes they have boons to offer, sometimes they have demands to make. Here we learn of the doings of the realms, with something that could be relevant to any number of folk, including some meetings, some odd opportunities, and eerie happenings.

You can learn about the doings of various eternals, and the repercussions of their former doings, in the '''[[A friend like you]]''' wind of fortune.

===Spreading the Way (Appraisal)===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">[[file:Labyrinth.jpg]]</div>
* '''Members of the Senate; People interested in spreading the Way'''
Last season, the Senate called for an appraisal on how non-Wayist cultures and communities residing within the Empire can be brought into the [[The Way|Way of Virtue]]. Naomi of Virtue's Rest was assigned, and her [[appraisal]] of the situation has been submitted. Naomi has had to rely on a very broad-strokes approach to the question, but she is confident that it will leave the Empire as a whole better off with the understanding that it brings.

You can learn about the results of Naomi's work in the '''[[Spreading the Way]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">[[file:Assembly Prosperity.png]]</div>
===This Old House===
* '''Prosperity Assembly; Inhabitants of Feroz; General Assembly; Members of Senate; People interested in commissions'''
During the Spring Equinox, the Prosperity Assembly upheld a [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement 138|judgement]] that made clear their highest calling: to look for opportunities that will help to bring Prosperity to the damaged territories of the Empire and the people within them. The first territory chosen by the assembly was [[Feroz]], still suffering from the ravages it suffered under Governor Rahab. The Prosperous have identified what they consider the best option for helping the people of Feroz, and one Freeborn architect has a pitch for how it might potentially help the rest of the Empire.

You can learn about how the Prosperity Assembly might help the people of Feroz feel less [[Region_qualities#Abandoned|abandoned]] in the '''[[This old house]]''' wind of fortune.

===Rebellion's Ridge===
* '''General Assembly; Inhabitants of the Mournwold, particularly farm and mine owners'''
During the Spring Equinox, the Pride Assembly upheld a [[388YE Spring Equinox Synod judgements#Judgement 13|writ of consecration]] to consecrate [[Mournwold#Rebellion's Ridge|Rebellion's Ridge]] as a memorial to the exemplars of Pride, the [[Known_exemplars#Leaders_of_the_Ore_Hills_Rebellion|Leaders of the Ore Hills Rebellion]]. The writ has brought things to a head in the Mourn, and now it comes down to the decision of the General Assembly.

You can learn about the potential consecration of Rebellion's Ridge as a memorial to the Ore Hills Rebels in the '''[[Rebellion's Ridge]]''' wind of fortune.

===A Habit I Can't Break (Mortal Magic)===
* '''Keeper of the Imperial Menagerie, Financier of Holberg's Phantasmagorical Mementoes, and Conclave; Freeborn ritualists; Navarr;'''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
Not all magic is performed by the denizens of the realms; mortals are just as, if not more, capable of causing all kinds of trouble when left alone with too much free time and mana crystals.

You can read about goings-on across the Empire in the '''[[A habit I can't break]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">[[file:Meraud001a.png|align=right|width=200]]</div>
===Towers of the Sun===
* '''Conclave, Senate; Imperial magicians; Churnspire Adjutor; Francisco i Alvera i Riqueza, Olivier, Ioseph of Summer's Apex, Carlos of Phoenix Reach, Mercurio Ankarien, Lord Tobias De Gauvain, Enchanter Vesper Lucentia, Kaapo Kingfishering, Lord Morgann de Vere, Beatrice Keeper, Ibiss Briarheart, Enchantress Areloe Larmallevés, Catrina Words The Unbelievably Magical'''
The ''[[Meraud|Summer Enchanter]]'' has been through some things recently, but it seems he is [[Ambassadors_of_death#Apples_and_Oranges_(Summer)|even more enthusiastic]] about helping out his friends in the Empire than usual. As Summer fades, his messengers are dispatched to various points around the Empire with boons and plans and proposals a plenty. Whether it is wizards towers, appreciation for the [[Churnspire Adjutor]], or final decisions regarding communication with the ''Lord of the Lake'', they have been full of the fire of enthusiasm and relentlessly upbeat. Only when the ''[[Sadogua|Toad King]]'' is brought up in polite conversation does their eager demeanour slip a little and a few choice words of criticism get voiced.

You can learn about offers from Meraud, and an opportunity to restore channels of communication, in the '''[[Towers of the sun]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">[[file:Sadogua001d.webp|align=right|width=150]]</div>

===Towers of the Moon===
* '''Conclave; People of Kallavesa; Brat Umbral Path; anyone who wants a stab at running the Well of Shadows; Vigilance Assembly; Arcane Architect, Dean of the Lyceum; Marcher magicians and wassailers; Varushkans who are not the Circle of Zulgan bloody Tash'''
The [[Sadogua|Brother of Wizards]] has become a little more active of late, after a period of somnolence. His heralds have enthusiastically accepted invitations to [[When something is lost|visit Madruga]] and while they deny it, they've also been actively [[Shadowed boughs of twilight|fighting spider monsters in Ossium]]. Following an unexpected appearance in the [[Hall of Worlds]] during the Summer Solstice in which Imperial magicians apparently helped him "get a spider out of his ear" (whatever ''that'' means), he has also apparently made a concerted effort to [[Missive for Sadogua|answer all this mail]]. But it doesn't stop there! It seems someone has lit a fire under the backside of the perennially slothful ''Toad King'', and he is busily trying to catch up on his obligations to his friends in the Empire.

You can learn about his meandering offers to assorted Imperial magicians, and what he ''really'' thinks of the Circle of Zulgan Tash, in the '''[[Towers of the moon]]''' wind of fortune.
===The Bargain Store===

==Diplomatic Winds==
Each season, the Civil Service prepares a summary of the Empire's relationship with the foreign nations. This is usually based on communications received from their ambassador, along with any useful intelligence gathered from other sources. While the [[Senate]] and the other houses of Imperial power may respond to these offers, it is important to note that it is the appropriate [[ambassador]] that the foreign power will expect to hear from. Their communication with the foreign power is the primary element that will determine the tenor of any response. While these winds revolve around international matters, their focus is still on the Empire and what its citizens can do to influence diplomatic matters, so they're as likely as any other wind to contain something of interest to characters from all walks of life.

===All I Can Do (Beoraidh)===
* '''Ambassador to Beoraidh; Cat's Graces; Benefactors Council; Steward of the Ossuary; Members of Senate; Apothecaries Guild; Regario Dossier'''
[[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] was once the stronghold of the [[Grendel]] ''Salt-Lord Ehsan'' and his supporters. When the Empire moved to invade Mareave, Ehsan declared independence and sued for peace with the Empire. The city itself and the neighbouring region of [[Mareave#Sinfoyard|Sinfoyard]] are recognised as a neutral state by the Senate; a free port where both merchants of all nations are welcome. They actively seek investment from both Imperial and Grendel sources, and have allied themselves with the powerful [[Sarcophan Delves]]. One opportunity that has been under discussion for a while now is the creation of a temple dedicated to the Way, a monument to cooperation welcomed by the former Grendel. After the Summer Solstice it appears that some movement has been made towards making intention into reality.

You can learn about diplomatic relations with Beoraidh, and the opportunity to build a temple there, in the '''[[All I can do]]''' wind of fortune.

===It's All Wrong, But It's All Right===
* '''Ambassador to Faraden; Ambassador to the Iron Confederacy; Synod, Senate; fleet captains; Alder of Meade, Mediator of Fisk, Azure Sutannir, Cat's Graces; military unit commanders, especially mercenaries'''
The merchants of [[Faraden]] and the militarist [[Iron Confederacy]] lie to the west and south of the Empire respectively - to the west and south of [[the Brass Coast]] more specifically. Relations with the two nations have been tumultuous in the past but in the last year or two there has been a slow sanding-off of harsh edges. A feeling that lasting détente may be possible, although what it might cost is another matter entirely...

You can learn about diplomatic affairs regarding Faraden and the Suranni, and some pressing problems regarding both, in the '''[[It's all wrong, but it's all right]]''' wind of fortune.

===So Little I Wanted, So Little I Got===
* '''Ambassador to Asavea; Ambassador to Sumaah; Ambassador to the Grendel; Marracossa Sendito; Members of the Senate; fleet captains; Ambassadors in general; Loyalty Assembly, particularly ''Dagon Barossa'''''
The orthodox [[Sumaah Republic]] and the declining [[Asavean Archipelago]] lie far to the west of the Empire. The two great nations remain locked in war. Closer to home, the [[Grendel]] compete with the Empire for dominance of the Bay of Catazar. Even closer to home, the Marracossan exiles live in their town of [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Trajadoz]], Madruga. The [[ambassador|ambassadors]], the [[Imperial Consul]], and other individuals invested in diplomacy have their work cut out keeping abreast of what is happening, as each nation has agendas no less complex than those of the nations that make up the Empire.

You can learn about the ongoing diplomatic situation with the Asavean Archipelago, the Sumaah Republic, the Marracossans of Trajadoz, and the Grendel in '''[[So little I wanted, so little I got]]''' wind of fortune.

===Those Memories of You===
* '''Ambassador to the Sarcophan Delves; Ambassador to Axos; Senate; Wintermark farmers, herb garden owners, and apothecaries; Imperial Apothecaries Guild; collectors of vallorn relics; fleet captains trading with Issyk; Navarr traders'''
The [[Sarcophan Delves]] are a great power, a cosmopolitan nation centred around an immense city that sprawls out across the banks of the Umshalla river. [[Axos]] is tiny nation on the outskirts of the Empire, controlling a little over two territories. For all their differences they have similarities, though. Both are a people of cities, and both have an uneasy relationship to death. The Axou ''necromantia'' are acknowledged masters of the cold magic of the grave, while the Sarcophan base much of their industry on the use of the ''ongelukkig'' living-corpses. They are both nations made more powerful through trade, and both would like to see themselves as friends to the Empire... and in both cases that friendship can prove to be something of a mixed blessing.

You can learn about Sarcophan and Axou diplomacy, and some trade opportunities, in the '''[[Those memories of you]]''' wind of fortune.
===If We Never Meet Again===
* '''Ambassador to Jarm; Ambassador to the Commonwealth; Senate; Imperial mercenary soldiers (especially the League, Dawn, Urizen, and Highguard); Imperial fleet captains; Celestial Arch and Sevenfold Path; Rod and Shield and Golden Pyramid; Granite Pillar; friends of Professor Emmanuel Gelberg'''
The [[Commonwealth]] and the [[Principalities of Jarm]] had been at war, fighting for control of the borderlands between their two great nations. When the tiny country of Lantir was annihilated by [[Cold Sun]], a major incursion began that saw armies of [[Cold_Sun#Heralds|scions]] pouring through a breach in what remained of the capital city. Now they have a common enemy, but it has given them little ''else'' in common. Revelations as to the cause of the incursion have set the balance of power in the east swinging wildly - and not just between the two nations. The Empire is in the middle of a war of words and recriminations, and a long-term friendship seems to be on the verge of collapse while the attitude of bitter rivals appear to be improving.

You can learn about the chaos in the east, and its significant to Imperial citizens, in the '''[[If we never meet again]]''' wind of fortune.
===The Little Things===
* '''Ambassador to Otkodov; Senate; Military Council; Folk of Ossium'''
The [[Thule]] of [[Otkodov]] share a long mountainous border with [[Wintermark]], the [[Imperial Orcs|the Unshackled]], and [[Varushka]]. A magocratic nation is ruled by five allegedly immortal orc wizards called the Dragons they were at war with the Empire for much of its history. Now though, they are at peace. An uneasy peace to be sure, secured with the concedence of northern regions claimed as part of Otkodov. But peace nonetheless. For the last year or so, the Thule have been waging war on [[the Mallum]], conquering western [[Forest of Ulnak|Ulnak]] and occupying the northern Druj. They have also been engaging in active negotiations with the representatives of the Empire, arranging deals and agreements that might against all the odds so this peace last longer than perhaps it has any right to.

You can read about recent diplomatic developments, and in particular some upcoming events in [[Ossium]], in the '''[[The little things]]''' wind of fortune.

==Other Events==
===Strange Currencies===
* '''The Silver Flame ask for ritual texts for ''Strong Ox, Golden Sun'' and ''Gathering the Harvest'''''
* '''In return, they pledge their sentinels to defend Spiral as needed'''
The [[A_question_of_loyalty#Spiral|Tribunal of the Silver Flame]] controls the region of [[Spiral#Cinion|Cinion]], in [[Spiral]] - and is home to several hundred former Urizeni mages at most. Nearly a [[Mirror_and_the_flame|year ago]], they announced grand plans to make a formal alliance with the [[eternal]] [[Sinokenon]], declaring their intent to build a [[fane]] in their territory so as to allow the eternal to give them more extensive support. Aware that the risks would be shared by the Empire, they wrote to inform them of their intentions, and tried to sweeten the deal with two powerful rituals in exchange for access to Imperial Lore, assuming that the offer would land favourably.

It did not. The [[Conclave]] rejected the offer outright, seemingly incensed at the repeated request for access to Lore and having deep misgivings about the nature of ''Diamondmind's'' offer. The Flame sent a delegation to Anvil to try and understand why their strategy had landed so badly. Eager to demonstrate their worth to their neighbours, they sent their sentinels to aid in the [[This_is_the_end#Never_follow_me|quixotic but ultimately successful effort to free Apulian]] from the [[Whisper Gallery|Whisper Gallery's]] grasp. Last season, the Conclave agreed to disseminate [[Blessing of New Spring]] to them - a sign that there is diplomatic willing there, yet.

Now the [[civil service]] have been sent word from Alexius, who acts as the representative of the Tribunal to the Empire. His missive strikes a somewhat contrite note. The Tribunal have abandoned their plans to build a fane for Sinokenon - for now. It seems that someone made a generous donation of liao to the faction within the Tribunal who were most opposed towards any form of eternal alliance, and they have spent the last three months pressing their point. They have convinced many, but in particular they have convinced Caela, the Grand Arbiter of the Tribunal, who has asked the heralds of Sinokenon to leave.

This has not come without cost, it seems. While they have the stocks and stores to get through winter, it will be hard without outside assistance. Their need is pressing, and so they write to ask if their friends in Anvil could see to the dissemination of the other two rituals in the cycle of farm rituals. This would aid the rebels greatly - especially if this happens in time for the rituals to be cast in the Summer and Autumn of next year. Beyond that, the Flame would benefit from any personal enchantments, especially ones like [[Gift of the Wily Broker]] which allow for careful economic stewardship. In return, the Tribunal are prepared to guarantee that their sentinels will continue to support efforts in Apulian or be sent to assist in Spiral's defence in any way they can - whether it is simply to act as swords against the darkness of the wilds or to defend some fortification. They have four groups of sentinels with a combined military strength of a little under five hundred.

===All the Right Friends===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Prosperity.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''Efforts to share the virtue of Prosperity with the people of Tsark have met with some success.'''
* '''There is an opportunity to bring word of inspirational figures of Prosperity to Tsark.'''
* '''Eleven Imperials have been invited at 18:35 on the Saturday of the equinox to visit the Tsarkoi in Zenith.'''
The isolated nation of [[Tsark]] is famously slow to change and resistant to outside influence or visitors of any kind. In the last decade, as the Empire has become aware of Tsark's existence yet remained neutral, even friendly towards the tiny sagocracy, there has been a slow but perceptible thawing of relations on behalf of the Sage's Council. [[Seeds_of_discord#Tsark|Last season]] they sent ''Camilla'', one of the adepts who play some kind of role in day-to-day spiritual guidance of the lives of the Tsarkoi, to visit the Empire to learn more about the virtue of [[Prosperity]]. It seems that the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]] made the case that there could be a place for Prosperity within the worldview of the sages, and they were not so horrified at the suggestion as to refuse it out of hand.

Camilla solicited letters on the subject of Prosperity and has made herself and her fellow adepts available this last season for members of the Urizen Assembly to discuss Prosperity with her. As the equinox approaches, the Imperial diplomatic corps, through the office of the Seeker of the Perfect World, receive word that the initiative has been a success: at least from Camilla's point of view. She has learned much about Prosperity from all she has read and heard - yet she feels there is yet more to learn. In particular, she understands that the Empire set great stock by inspirational figures of the past who exemplify their virtues - a practice the people of Tsark understand well. The great sages and adepts of the past all have shrines built into the [[Mountains_of_the_Moon#Wall_of_the_Luge_and_the_East_and_West_Rising|Wall of the Luge]], the mighty fortified wall that surrounds the sacred plateau of Visoko. She would like to learn more about the inspirational prosperous figures that the Empire holds dear to its heart. If the Empire's representatives can impressively preach of an inspirational figure of Prosperity in a way that resonates with the spirituality of Tsark, then it could well lead to further such opportunities, as the Tsarkoi believe that inspirational figures are the ''most'' important way to find spiritual enlightenment.

She has asked Sage Kristoph, the well-established representative of the Sage's Council to the "People of the Horse", to make the trip to Zenith. She would like to host a discussion on the premises of the Garden of the Perfect World, with Sage Kristoph to attend, and an invitation is extended to each person who wrote to her or visited. These are, in no particular order: '''Farren Silver Streams, Abel the Rounder, Isaac of the Reaching Vine, Berilo i Erigo, Heilyn Bronwen's Rest, Catena of Tropaion, Galene Netherwatch, Able the Taller, Lord Augur Gryphontale, Eleri Bronwen's Rest''', and '''Solas of the First Light'''. They are invited to speak about three inspirational figures of Prosperity, with ten minutes (allowing time for questions) allocated for each figure. Who actually presents and on which figures Camilla defers to the visitors - she trusts them to collectively come to an understanding in an efficient manner that respects the time of others, as - she has learnt - the Prosperous are wont to do.

This is clearly a fateful occasion, and on such occasions the Sentinel Gate obliges. There is a conjunction for eleven people at 18:35 on the Saturday of the Equinox, to attend the Gardens of the Perfect World, Occursion, Zenith. The civil service has asked the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]], '''Abel the Rounder of Sarangrave Reforged''', to be responsible for the conjunction and for the other arrangements Camilla has mentioned.

===Blades of the Semmerlak (reprise)===
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Blades of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' [[Edifice]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:'''
*Sandling in Weirwater ''or'' Lacuve in Semmerholm
'''and'''
*Malimorzi in Karov ''or'' Bittershore in Ossium
</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 24 weirwood and 72 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' Three months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the start of Autumn Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Creates title of ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak''
* Creates the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''' venture for questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens
* Removes the threat to ships on the Semmerlak and establishes a sodality to deal with threats from Dho'uala</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Counts as a single commission</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Dawnish and Varushkan</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Senate or Test of Arms </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' This is a [[martial title]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:'''
* Receives 10 crowns a season
* Receives a [[Duelist's Scales]], a [[Troubadour's Ring]], and a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] once a year</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To counter the influence of Dho'uala and deal with threats coming from the Semmerlak</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<tr><td style="background-color: HotPink;">'''Blades in the Semmerlak'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Venture Type:''' Guarding</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Territories bordering the Semmerlak</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Duration:''' Open-ended</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Rewards:''' Six crowns and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]]</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''''Tristan Ramson von Holberg'', the Master of the Mint, announced the reappraisal of the Blades of the Semmerlak'''
* '''A wardenhouse in Varushka and a knightly estate in Dawn would provide a base of operations for heroes to protect the Semmerlak'''
Last season, the [[Master of the Mint]], '''Tristan Ramson von Holberg''', announced the [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Reappraise_Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|reappraisal]] of the Blades of the Semmerlak in Dawnish and Varushkan territories surrounding the [[the Semmerlak|Semmerlak]]. Originally [[Less_welcome_tenants#Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|suggested]] shortly before the Summer Solstice 386YE, the wardenhouse and knightly estate were part of a larger appraisal into the problem of [[Dho'uala]] killing Imperial citizens and interfering with matters on and around the Semmerlak.

A motion to construct the [[Less_welcome_tenants#Wards_and_Bargains|Journeymage Towers]] was [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Construct_Journeymage_Towers|proposed]] by '''Amicia of the Semmerlak''', as Senator for Semmerholm, and the [[Watcher of the Semmerlak]] has been active, appointed by the Assembly of Vigilance, and tasked with ensuring the nations surrounding the Semmerlak act with Vigilance and countering threats from the Semmerlak.

Lutomysla's suggestion that the Senate establish a small sodality dedicated to protecting the people around the Semmerlak still holds true, and has the same enthusiastic support from the merchant-boyars, earls, and merchant-princes keen to see people protected from the depredations of the sovereign. A knightly order focused on protecting the communities along the lake, and a warden fellowship to travel on ships crossing the Semmerlak to protect the crew; both would actively seek out the creatures of Dho'uala and fight them. Supported by Imperial heroes, the sodality would remove the threat to the people living along the edge of the lake. Instead, it would fall to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens to serve as the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''',

They will need places to operate from - an estate in Dawn for the knights and a wardenhouse in Varushka for the wardens. Lutomysla identified that the best locations would be either [[Weirwater#Sandling|Sandling]], in the vicinity of [[Weirwater#Culwich|Culwich]], or [[Semmerholm#Lacuve|Lacuve]] in [[Semmerholm]] near the bustling port of [[Semmerholm#Lacre|Lacre]] for the knights, and the port of Korotny in [[Karov#Malimorzi|Malimorzi]] in [[Karov]] and the [[Merchant_Boyar_of_the_Bittershore#Kostjyas_Respite|Kostjyas Respite]] in [[Ossium#Bittershore|Bittershore]] in [[Ossium]] and those still hold true. Although they involve work in two regions, the actual project itself requires only a single commission, and the building of the wardenhouse and the estates will take place in parallel. Once construction is complete, any threat to the people who live along the banks of the lake will be met by enthusiastic warriors. It will also create a new guarding [[venture]] available to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens - '''Blades in the Semmerlak'''. This will allow a [[military unit]] to spend their time actively defending the Semmerlak and the ships that traverse it. A starting military unit undertaking the venture would receive 120 rings and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]].

There would need to be a title to oversee the efforts and support the sodality; the ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'' would be a [[martial title]] of Dawn and Varushka who was appointed by either unanimous agreement of the senators of those two nations, or a [[Martial_title#Creating_Martial_Titles|test of arms]] between members of those two nations. The title-holder would be responsible for protecting the communities around the Semmerlak from threats mundane and magical, and to stand ready to oppose the depredations of Dho'uala whenever they raise their head. In return, they would receive an income of 10 crowns each season with which to equip allies and maintain their sodality.

They would also be the beneficiaries of several magic items provided by Dawnish, Varushkan, and League donors. A [[Duelist's Scales|Duelist's Scales]] weapon from the Varushkan merchant-boyars to weaken corrupt horrors; a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] from League merchant-princes to protect them from venom; and a [[Troubadour's Ring]] from Dawnish earls to help them support their allies. These items would be received once each year, and while the expectation is that the Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak would use them themselves, there is no reason they could not pass them to other warriors fighting against Dho'uala or similar monstrous threats.

===Dusk===
{{:Autumn Equinox 2026}}

===Husky Business (Volunteers)===
* '''There is an opportunity for player volunteers to portray their characters who died during the Saturday battle at the last event'''
* '''Eligible characters must have died during the battle, but not have been killed as a husk'''
* '''Volunteers will need to have their own costume and appropriate weapons'''
* '''The role will last around twenty minutes, starting at 18:30 on Friday'''
* '''The role will involve fighting alongside the skirmish team in an encounter against player characters'''
* '''Please email before 18:00 on Wednesday 26th of August if you are interested in volunteering'''

There is an opportunity for players to portray the husk of their fallen characters at the upcoming event. Anyone whose character died during the battle of the [[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Fens of Varreth]], raised as a husk but was not subsequently killed again as that husk is welcome to email to register interest in volunteering for an encounter on the Friday. This will be a combat [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|highly likely]] encounter through the Sentinel Gate and will involve fighting against player characters alongside members of our [[Plot_crew#Skirmish|skirmish team]].

If you are interested and would like more information, please email {{plot}} with your PID and the subject line "Husk Volunteer E4", and you will be given more details.

==Summer Conjunctions==

===Major Conjunctions===
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Link'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Outcome'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Sarangrave|Sarangrave, Turan Flats, ''Fens of Varreth'']]</td><td>Contain the dead</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Harvester of Graves]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Sigismund Vladislav Kestovia''' of [[Varushka]]; The spirits were not trapped and the husks remain a problem in eastern Sarangrave; The tortured souls of Het Trakaa remain in Turan Flats; Het Trakaa and Sul Maggotgnaw remain alive</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Mareave|Mareave, Clisearn, ''Ruins of Sinat'']]</td><td>Open the Vaults</td><td>Grendel</td><td>[[Mithril_and_rope#Battle:_Salt_and_Stone|Salt and Stone]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Joaquim i Erigo''' of [[the Brass Coast]]; Saltbound Stone recovered and claimed by '''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged'''; Ilium Jackals negotiated with and readying support of [[Boyar's Hasta]]; Iontach Leagsaidh remains in possession of their [[Grimnir's Hearthfire]]; Maistir Guaidre remains in possession of the Spiteri necklace</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Forest of Ulnak|Forest of Ulnak, Ghul'thak Forest, ''Fetid Heart'']]</td><td>Raid the Druj</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Battle:_Claim_the_Prize|Claim the Prize]]</td><td>Not taken; Status of the black lotus unclear; Status of the treasures of Taramid Skinwreath unclear</td></tr>

</table>

===Minor Conjunctions===
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! # !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview !! Result
|-
| 1 || Sarangrave, Whisperwood, Halfweir Grove || [[Fingers of the Devourer|Custodian of the Fingers of the Devourer]] || [[Thorn_and_bone#A_Testing_(Conjunction)|Destroy the heralds of Surut]] || Heralds of Surut killed; production of Fingers of Devourer has increased by two wains per season for as long as the Great Forest Orcs remain foreigners
|-
| 2 || Astolat, Withy, Igraine's Regio || [[Astolat|Senator for Astolat]] || [[A_wizard_did_it#Rants_and_Roses|Find out why the regio keeps shifting back to Spring, and resolve it]] || Unclear, but '''Éamon Ashenmourn de Cordraco''' might know more
|-
| 3 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Maiden Stone || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#Apples_First_(Mitwold)|Stop Jyll Longleys from cursing the Maiden Stone]] || ''Jyll Longleys'' and allies killed
|-
| 4 || The Barrens, Dawnguard, Troubadour's Glade || [[Knight of Dawnguard]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Vow (The Barrens)|Kill ''Prilak Gutdredger'']] || ''Prilak Gutdredger'' and almost all allies were killed
|-
| 5 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Golden Fields || [[Keeper of the Golden Fields]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#The_Right_Thing_(Mitwold)|Stop Dusty Cobb setting Golden Fields alight]] || ''Dusty Cobb'' and rebels killed
|-
| 6 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, The Dredging Flats || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Call to Stand (The Barrens)|Kill the Servants of the Burnt]] || All but one ''Servants of the Burnt'' survived
|-
| 7 || Ossium, Echofell, Burned Glade || [[Shadowed Torchbearer]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Fire_The_Forests_(Ossium)|Prevent the cursing of Ossium]] || Heralds killed and Ossium was not cursed
|-
| 8 || Therunin, Lower Tarn Valley, Rotwood Croft || '''Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#After the Taint (Therunin)|Destroy the miasma pillar]] || Miasma pillar successfully consecrated
|-
| 9 || Madruga, Free Landing, Hart's Cove || [[Hand of Guerra]] || [[Keys_of_Enlightenment#Barren_Waters_(Conjunction)|Aid the stranded ship from Sumaah]] || Unclear, but Hand of Guerra should know more
|-
| 10 || Sarangrave, Kroll, Slow Worm's Hill || [[Sevenfold Path|Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Boil The Swamps (Sarangrave)|Prevent the cursing of Sarangrave]] || Heralds killed and Sarangrave was not cursed
|-
| 11 || Sarangrave, Turan Flats, The Breakteeth dais || [[Eastern Sky|General of the Eastern Sky]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#The_Greatest_Prize_(Rhianos)|Recover the treasure]] || Treasure successfully recovered
|-
| 12 || The Barrens, Bitter Strand, Saltshore || [[Merchant of the Fangs]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Fangs_for_the_Memories_(Conjunction)|Answer General Utmar's call for aid]] || Vassals of the manticore killed
|-
| 13 || Madruga, The Crucible, Talpses Plat || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#A_Terrible_Feeling_(Madruga)|Claim the ''Snapping Face'']] || Snapping Face retrieved and heralds killed
|-
| 14 || The Barrens, Carmine Fields, Trading Way || '''Rhydian de Rondell''' || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Taste_of_Mettle_(Conjunction)|Remove the failed knights-errant of House Courcillion as a threat]] || Named knights have accepted justice from local magistrates
|-
| 15 || Necropolis, Coursmouth, The Veiled Garden || [[Guardian of Britta's Memorial]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#The_Strength_of_This_Place_(Necropolis)|Spill the waters of Siakha]] || Bucket recovered and returned to Anvil
|-
| 16 || The Barrens, The Untrod Groves, Glade of the Good Knight || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#A_Hearty_Meal_(Conjunction)|Thwart the schemes of Ser Gawain Amboise]] || Schemes of ''Ser Gawain Amboise'' thwarted
|-
| 17 || Mareave, Fleisardh, Spring Regio near Golden Wind's Encampment || [[Silver Chalice|Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Do_Some_Harm_(Arhallogen)|Poison the Grendel]] || Grendel poisoned, Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice should know more
|-
| 18 || Tassato, Cascatas, Campo Verdenta || [[Keeper of the Sapphire Stair]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#For_What_Has_Been_Wrought_(Tassato)|Kill the heralds of Siakha]] || Heralds of Siakha and wreckers killed
|-
| 19 || Spiral, Apstrus, Alba's Lea || [[Legacy|Custodian of the Legacy]] ||[[Mithril_and_rope#A_Backhanded_Request_(Spiral)|Intercept the mercenaries pay]] || Raid launched on the Legacy and ten wains of mithril claimed by the Haurlatch Iron Consortium
|-
| 20 || Reikos, Haros Water, Couros Field || '''Nekoda of the Shattered Tower''' || [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_fortune#A_Sudden_Threat_(Reikos)|Save Professor Gelberg from Grendel assassins]] || Imperials pushed out by Grendel; Professor Gelberg has been kidnapped
|-
| 21 || Redoubt, Naris, Isaac's End || '''Telemachus of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[Seeds_of_discord#An_Empty_Bottle_(Conjunction)|Leave no more than a dozen Grendel alive]] || All Grendel killed
|-
| 22 || Kallavesa, West Marsh, The Meeting Place || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_32|Erlend]]''' || [[Myth_makers#The_Unity_Of_Deed_And_Word|Consecrate the Meeting Place]] || The Meeting Place successfully consecrated with true liao
|-
| 23 || Kallavesa, Wittal Grove, Frithstan's Fen || [[Grimnir of Wittal Grove]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#An_Unexpected_Ally_(Basileia)|Defeat the Grendel (and potentially rescue the Iontach)]] || Ionatch Meddool Miniog successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 24 || Forest of Ulnak, Grimfen Mire, Moss End || [[Warmage]] || [[All_I_ask_of_you#Wild_Things_Run_Fast|Take advantage of a recent scouting discovery]] || [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] successfully cast with eight rings of [[ilium]]
|-
| 25 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Eastern Ward || '''Theodora''' || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 26 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, Gardenway || [[Envoy to the Karass]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Protect_Lenna_Karass_%28The_Barrens%29|Prevent Druj raiders from kidnapping Lenna Karass]] || Lenna Karass was successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 27 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Western Ward || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 28 & 29 || Forest of Ulnak, Gloomsea, Islet of Calm || [[Archmage of Day]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Who's_the_Thief?_(Forest_of_Ulnak)|Prevent the Eyes of the Dragon from using a boon of Kimus]] || [[Wind of Mundane Silence]] performed on regio and bodies successfully destroyed
|-
| 30 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Warmage]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Drive the vallorn from the regio]] || Imperial casualties suffered, vallornspawn remain around the regio
|-
| 31 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Archmage of Spring]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Cast Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] || [[Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] was not performed
|-
| 32 || Sarangrave, the Whisperwood, Depths of the Hungry Earth || [[Counsel of the Sun Chamber]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#The_Caves_of_the_Hungry_Earth|Investigate the Hungry Earth]] || Depths investigated, Counsel of the Sun Chamber should know more
|-
| 33 || Volodmartz, Livardz, Sumisev Peegel || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_167|Auntie Armand Mariyavich Remislav]]''' || [[Sunrise_over_Livardz#Blow_It_Up|Destroy the Sumisev Peegel]] || Sumisev Peegel was successfully destroyed by [[Wind of Mundane Silence]]
|-
|}

Towers of the moon

2026-09-09T18:01:41Z

Rafferty: Created page with "Category:Winds of FortuneCategory:388YE Autumn <ic>"What about a tower?" The suggestion was mulled over for a few moments while the bowl of blue smoke went one way and the bowl of glutinously buttered rum went the other way. "Well, we could," said the herald at last. "But don't you think towers are a bit... I don't know... vulgar?" This too was considered by the little circle of magicians relaxing in the warm night air. "Didn't your ''dhomiro'' have something..."

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<ic>"What about a tower?" The suggestion was mulled over for a few moments while the bowl of blue smoke went one way and the bowl of glutinously buttered rum went the other way.

"Well, we could," said the herald at last. "But don't you think towers are a bit... I don't know... vulgar?"

This too was considered by the little circle of magicians relaxing in the warm night air.

"Didn't your ''dhomiro'' have something to do with Pakanaan's Tower?" Asked one of the Freeborn revellers after due consideration. "That was a tower."

"Yes, and there were a lot of ribald comments made about it at the time. Not something we want to repeat. What sort of wizard needs a tower anyway? It's not the tower that makes the wizard..."

There was some "sober" nodding at this obvious insight. The herald gave a wide grim and reached up to poke the pointed red hat perched firmly atop its wide-eyed head.

"Everyone knows it's the ''hat'' that makes a wizard!"

It expected laughter, but the statement was met with the same consideration as everything else.

"Isn't that a Varushkan volhov hat though?" Asked another one of the Freeborn. "Isn't your ''dhomiro'' pissed off with the Varushkans at the moment?"

The herald looked pained, then angry, then embarrassed, then clearly made up its mind to ignore the question and claimed they heard one of the other wizards calling for them, and scuttled off, muttering, into the dark.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Toad Buddies.jpg|caption=Sadogua has been neglecting his friends of late and might just be overcompensating.|align=left|width=450}}</div>
==Overview==
The [[Sadogua|Brother of Wizards]] has been a little more active of late, after a period of somnolence. His heralds have enthusiastically accepted invitations to [[When something is lost|visit Madruga]] and while they deny it, they've also been actively [[Shadowed boughs of twilight|fighting spider monsters in Ossium]]. Following an unexpected appearance in the [[Hall of Worlds]] during the Summer Solstice in which Imperial magicians apparently helped him "get a spider out of his ear" (whatever ''that'' means), he has also apparently made a concerted effort to [[Missive for Sadogua|answer all this mail]].

But it doesn't stop there. It seems the perennially slothful ''Toad King'' is busily trying to catch up on his obligations to his friends in the Empire.
==Marshes of Kallavesa==
* '''The Brother of Wizard has vowed to help protect the marshes of Kallavesa'''
* '''He has solicited suggestions about how best to do so from Wintermark magicians'''
* '''Some of the suggestions are very impractical'''
* '''Sir Dog sounds like an absolutely fine fellow however'''
Did the ''Brother of Wizards'' know what he was doing when he opened the floodgates to the magicians of Wintermark to make suggestions as to how he might help them protect Kallavesa from the various threats it faces? Perhaps - he has met magicians after all. But he was apparently deluged by suggestions for magic that would help protect the marshes including;

<ic>''...filling the ponds with tiny dragon tongue to hurt invaders; making the marshes deep as mines, the shadows dense as soup, and the beasts as savage as vallorn so that those with ill intent are drowned and savaged; haunting invaders with ghosts; making invaders much smaller; a "fart fort" that uses putrid smelly gas clouds to engulf and choke enemies; an apparition of Sadogua that beats enemies up with rippling muscles; terrifying hallucinatory games that cause losers to forfeit limbs; a plague of bats, toads, and snakes with fog that confuses people and also dire penguins ae involved; empowering someone or something called "Dag Kinnad" to fight all his enemies which also include the enemies of Wintermark probably; bees; nagging feelings that cause invaders to go home for fear their houses are on fire; a slightly different feeling of there being someone behind you all the time; angry geese following people and stepping on their shoes; pointy branches at eye level with angry tree that slap some sense into intruders; lots of pollen; ground that transforms into slime pool mud and becomes fast acting quicksand capturing all invading forces; sinkholes or swampholes where enemies stepp into a deep hole of aater and disappear; a big bat that deafens enemies; foes being unable to recognise one another and tell friend from foe; forgetting why you came into Kallavesa and losing interest in fighting; floods of shadowy frogs; and impenetrable fortress created using thousands of frogs instead of bricks that ripples with ribbets and instills terror and awe in the enemy; a delicious free buffet but every tasty treat is a disguised poisonous frog; instead of an army of frogs, just one massive frog that eats the invading army with its long tongue; and a very big dog that barks at anyone who approaches, called Sir Dog. There were many others as well, a surprising number of which involved frogs...''</ic>

''Rook's Feather'' has considered all these possibilities, and tried to work out which ones are feasible, which ones are impossible, and which ones blatantly rely on dangerous levels of Spring magic which he is not prepared to touch with a barge pole thank you very much given what happened ''last time''. But he ''has'' come up with some [[arcane projection]]s for Wintermark, and intends to provide them to his friends ''Tarqeq Icetongue'' and ''Sigebryht'' at the Autumn Equinox. They can be codified and used, or thrown in the back of a cupboard for later, whichever the magicians of Wintermark think is a best bet.

However he's also been reminded of the request [[Nightcall|a couple of years ago]] from the mystics to offer more "concrete" aid, so he's taken a look at that as well.
===Toadstool Palace===
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Toadstool Palace'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' <s>Manse</s> Fane</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' West Marsh, Kallavesa</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 20 weirwood, 10 ilium, and 60 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 3 months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Creates a garden that can be ceded to Sadogua, and the title ''Toadstool Wizard''
* If ceded grants the nightwoven quality to West Marsh</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the end of the Summer Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Must be conceded to Sadogua, which can be done as part of the commission or at a later date</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Toadstool Wizard'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' National Campaign Title</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Sadogua</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Receives magical mushrooms from the Toadstool Palace </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' Use Night magic to protect and enrich the people of Wintermark, especially their magicians; do any odd jobs Sadogua needs doing in Wintermark</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Restrictions:''' Sadogua will decide who the Toadstool Wizard is, but agrees it will always be a Wintermark magician and one that does not have an Imperial title</td></tr>
</table></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Sadogua001d.webp|caption=The ''Father of Bats'' also likes frogs and toads, and likes giving them places to sit.|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''Following on from a previous discussion, Sadogua has committed to the creation of a "manse" in Kallavesa'''
* '''Once complete, it would be easier for Wintermark to call on the eternal for aid to protect Kallavesa'''
* '''It would also establish a garden of magical plants and mushrooms'''
The original proposal involved turning the "Toadstone" - a large sculpture of a toad less than a mile from Westerhal in [[Kallavesa#West_Marsh|West Marsh]] - into a [[fane]] that would presumably flatter ''Rook's Feather'' enough to help. This rough hewn block of stone is a huge piece of black onyx, that has been carved to resemble the shape of a squatting toad. It was apparently made by a sculptor called ''Tarja the Foolish'' in 222YE during the reign of [[Empress Mariika]]. What possessed him to do such a thing or who paid for the work is lost to time - only the Toadstone remains. The suggestion was to put the fane on or near the toad, in the convenient [[regio]] connected to the [[Realms#Night|Night realm]] and cede the place to Sadogua in return for his support.

The heralds of the ''Father of Bats'' have taken a look at the stone and the regio, and conveyed the words of the ''Wyrm King'' to his friends in Wintermark. He is ''more'' than happy to see the massive onyx toad statue transformed into what he calls a ''manse''. Indeed, he's presented some plans - a collection of drawings of a big garden with torches and a celebration or ritual space around the toad that seem so suggest a lot of enthusiasm but absolutely no artistic skill at all. The plans don't incorporate any [[mithril]] but need a chunk of [[weirwood]] and some [[ilium]], and would still need to be [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Concedence|conceded]] to the ''Father of Bats''. If all this is done, it will create what he dubs the ''Toadstool Palace'', and create a title he wants to call the ''Toadstool Wizard''. This latter will be what the Empire has recently determined to be a "chosen" - a position picked by the Eternal that is not in any way influenced by Imperial law. Not, in short, an Imperial title.

Sadogua promises that the Toadstool Wizard will always be a Wintermark citizen, and a magician. He further specifies that he will always pick someone who does not already have an [[Imperial title]], because he doesn't want them to struggle with "split loyalties" or "have so much to do they never get time to sit down to a proper meal, and sleep in the next morning". They will be responsible for using Night magic to protect and enrich the people of Wintermark (especially its wizards), and doing any odd jobs Sadogua needs doing in or around Wintermark. He also promises he won't change his mind about who has the title more than once a season, and he'll give plenty of advance warning when he does so ('''OOC Note:''' His intention to change who the Toadstool Wizard is will likely be mentioned in the Winds of Fortune even if he doesn't necessarily say who is getting it. As a "chosen" title controlled by an NPC, it is important to note that none of the Imperial houses of power - Senate, SYnod, Conclave for example - have any ability to alter the title).

In return they'll be able to collect the toadstools and mushrooms that grow around the Toadstool Palace. Familar to some farmers in the Marches, as long as they are collected on the night of the new moon and squeezed dry, they produce one of a pair of black elixirs Sadogua calls ''Shinemoon''. ''Pale Shinemoon'' can be used to provide a ritual magician with a little inspiration when performing a ritual using [[Day]], [[Summer]], or [[Autumn]] magic while ''Dark Shinemoon'' does the same but for a ritual using [[Night]], [[Winter]], or [[Spring]] magic. The Toadstool Prince will be able to collect three Pale Shinemoon in Summer and Autumn, and two Dark Shinemoon in Winter and Spring. He might throw other boons into the mix as well depending on how the Toadstool Wizard does, but that will be between him and the Wizard.

Perhaps more relevantly the Toadstool Palace will have far-reaching effects. It will grant West Marsh the ''Froghaven'' [[Region_qualities|quality]]. This will cause the frogs of Kallavesa to prosper and grow big and wise, which Sadogua thinks is a good thing. It will also mean that Sadogua has the opportunity to make any performance of Night magic enchantments or curses targetting Kallavesa "better" - which is a little worrying given that Sadogua is an eternal and has odd ideas about what "better" means.

What is more reassuring is that the eternal commits to support any performance of [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]] targeting any region of Kallavesa. Not only will each casting increase the number of victory points needed to take the region from 10 to 15, but any army attempting to conquer a protected region will discover the enchanted fort also inflicts casualties as if it had a garrison with a strength of 2,000. This won't actually be soldiers or anything as gauche as that - instead it represents the effects of confusing mists, weird lights, angry frogs, giant bats, and if possible the loud barking of Sir Dog.

The civil service make a point of noting that ceding the Toadstool Palace to Sadogua is a little risky, as with any such structure. Sadogua is a wizard, and has demonstrated in the past the ability to work large-scale magic when motivated sufficiently. Any attempt to take the Palace away from him again will be resisted, and the ability to add his personal "special sauce" to Night magic enchantments or curses targetting the territory is under ''his'' control alone. Plus, it is entirely possible that if he put his mind to it, he could easily throw his ''own'' curses and enchantments on Kallavesa while the Toadstool Palace stood. [[Alignment#Enmity|Enmity]] would not be enough to stop him - not while he controls the Toadstone.

<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Brat Umbral Path.jpg|caption='''Brat Umbral Path''', Archmage of Night. At least one eternal of the Wondrous Forests thinks he's pretty neat, apparently.|align=right|width=200}}</div>
==Well of Shadows==
<div {{float}}><box>'''The Well of Shadows'''<br>Whoever is chosen to use the Well can submit and [[arcane projection]] after the Autumn Equinox, following the normal rules for a [[College_of_magic#Benefits|college]]. The Well can codify a projection from any well in one season for every 10 ranks of magnitue; or for every 15 ranks of magnitude if it is a Night ritual. This can be speeded up by spending measures of [[Materials#Iridescent_Gloaming|Iridescent Gloaming]]; the first five ranks of additional research in a season cost 18 measures. The next five ranks cost a further 44 measures. The next five ranks cost a further 88 measures, and so on doubling the cost for each additional five ranks of research within the same season.</box></div>
* '''The Well of Shadows is a College of Magic in Mitwold that belongs to Sadogua'''
* '''It is reached through a mysterious door in a peculiar oak tree'''
* '''The Well belongs to Sadogua but he allows Imperial magicians who win his favour to use it'''
Over the last year, the [[Unfettered Mind]] have been making use of the [[Upwold#Well_of_Shadows|Well of Shadows]] in [[the Marches]]. This special location, apparently contained entirely inside an oak tree near [[Upwold#Tower March|King's Stoke]] is some sort of unique [[college of magic]] that belongs entirely to the ''Wyrm King''. The ''Globbersnotch'' has been watching recent developments with the [[Synod]] - their [[proscription|proscriptions]] relating to [[eternal|eternals]] and "chosen" in particular - and with a characteristic laziness has decided to just not worry about them and see how things work out.

With that in mind, following the Autumn Equinox Sadogua offers the use of the Well of Shadows to '''Brat Umbral Path''', the new [[Archmage of Night]]. This isn't because they are friends, the herald is quick to point out, but because Brat and several other Imperial magicians were able to help ''Oracle Pig'' overcome an unpleasant [[curse]] he was labouring under and its the best way the eternal can think of to offer his thanks. Obviously, it's also not ''not'' because they are friends; for all that Brat is often wrong about things the ''Eater of Secrets'' thinks his heart is in the right place.

Brat is free to either use the well himself, or pass the opportunity to do so on to anyone else he likes using the traditional method - letting Sadogua know via his [[Missive for Sadogua|missive]] spell.

===Looking to the Future===
* '''At the Winter Solstice, Sadogua will pick someone else to use the well'''
Some of the friends of the ''Black Wyrm'' have been talking with the eternal about the [[Tithe of Bats]] ritual and how it is "not good". The ''Father of Bats'' disagrees and says it is a splendid ritual because it allows magicians to get [[vis#Crystal Fire|crystal fire]] (which they want) in return for giving the ''Slothful One'' what he wants ([[Materials#Iridescent Gloaming|iridescent gloaming]] and [[Materials#Dragonbone|dragonbone]]). But never let it be said that he doesn't listen to his friends, so this summit there will be an additional garnish to the crystal fire.

Whoever uses Tithe of Bats to send the largest number of measures to the ''Toad King'' during the Autumn Equinox in a single casting will be given access to the Well of Shadows following the Winter Solstice, Spring Equinox, and Summer Solstice. Three seasons of access to the Well has got to be good, right? When his heralds are asked what will happen if more than one caster or coven sends the same amount, they seem startled that this is something people worry about. The general consensus is that if this happens "''Wise Sadogua will sort something out that leaves everyone feeling equally happy.''"
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Vigilance.png|align=right|width=200}}
An easily identifiable wrinkle with this arrangement is that Tithe of Bats, like many similar rituals, must be cast at a higher magnitude to send more measures and receive more crystal fire. This means more mana and more Night realm mastery is required to send a large shipment of gloaming or dragonbone. Again the heralds don't see why this is a problem - it's a contest for wizards is it not?
===Who Exactly Are These People?===
* '''The Vigilance assembly could keep an eye on who is coming and going from the Well of Shadows'''
One thing the ''Brother of Wizards'' has been singularly unconcerned about is telling anyone who he is allowing into his Well of Shadows. He may be prepared to just not worry about the Synod's very real concerns about virtuous people taking boons from eternals, but that does not mean the Synod are. During the Autumn equinox, the [[Vigilance]] assembly may enact the following [[mandate]].

{{Mandate|mandate=The well of shadows represents an intrusion into the Empire of an eternal, who controls access to that place without the guidance of the Conclave. Inspired by Major Benson, we dispatch (named priest) with 25 doses of liao to establish a watch over the door to that place, so that we may be forewarned if any with dark intentions seeks to use it to harm the Empire.|assembly=Vigilance Assembly}}

If the mandate is passed, information about who uses the Well each season will be appended to the page for the Well of Shadows. The only risks are that it might nark the ''Brother of Wizards'' a little; it might annoy the Marcher assembly; and it won't necessarily be able to identify anyone who isn't an Imperial citizen given access to the Well.

==The Lyceum and the Twilight Pier==
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Twilight Pier'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Edifice (technically)</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Isle of the Lyceum, Madruga</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 12 weirwood, 5 ilium, and 36 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 3 months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Allows the Twilight Barque to reach the Isle of the Lyceum through the mists
* Either creates the title ''Parador Keeper of Mist and Twilight'' or grants additional powers to the Dean of the Lyceum or the Arcane Architect at the option of the Arcane Architect when the commission is announced</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year; until the end of the Summer Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' The Twiight Pier can only be commissioned by the Arcane Architect</td></tr>
</table></div>
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Parador Keeper of Mist and Twilight'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Imperial</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Declaration of Candidacy </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Receives control of the Twilight Barque market </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' Maintain good relations with the Twilight Barque, ensure everyone knows what a good friend to the Empire Sadogua is</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:'''
* Instead of creating a new title, the Dean of the Lyceum or the Arcane Architect could be given oversight of the pier, adding the above responsibilities to those they already have
* The goods provided by the ministry may change or be removed by the crew of the Barque, and are reliant on good relations with the Barque and (presumably) Sadogua</td></tr>
</table></div>
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td colspan="2" style="background-color:LightYellow;">'''Rings of Night'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>20 Dragonbone</td><td>1 Ring of Night</td></tr>
<tr><td>40 Dragonbone</td><td>2 Rings of Night</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td colspan="2" style="background-color:LightYellow;">'''Rainbow Scarves'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>22 Iridescent Gloaming</td><td>1 Rainbow Scarf</td></tr>
<tr><td>44 Iridescent Gloaming</td><td>2 Rainbow Scarves</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td colspan="2" style="background-color:LightYellow;">'''Crystal Fire'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>7 Iridescent gloaming</td><td>2 Crystal Fire</td></tr>
<tr><td>17 Iridescent gloaming</td><td>5 Crystal Fire</td></tr>
<tr><td>30 iridescent gloaming</td><td>9 Crystal Fire</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
* '''Sadogua claims dominion over the isle of the Lyceum'''
* '''They offer to arrange regular visits from something called the Twilight Barque'''
* '''This opportunity is specifically for the Arcane Architect who is currently Amalia da Regario'''
* '''It also involves the Dean of the Lyceum, Syl'''
Sadogua claims dominion over [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Lyceum|the Lyceum]] island. Whether he actually ''has'' dominion or not is a thorny subject, but the eternal is certainly acting like he has. He still provides his [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Boon_of_the_Black_Sloth|Boon of the Black Sloth]] allowing the [[Dean of the Lyceum]] to speed the research of a ritual in return for donations of iridescent gloaming. He was also involved in permanently fixing the [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Wards|wards of mist]] that surround the place and protect it from raids or invastion. Indeed, the island can only be reached through the use of the ''[[Madruga#The_Lyceum_(Hidden)|Gates of Shadow]]'', built by the [[Arcane Architect]] '''Amalia Vicente''', that let boats sail to and from a specific quay on the coast of [[Madruga]].

To celebrate the completion of the ''Gates of Shadow'', the ''Long-eared Loremaster'' offers another boon to show his love and appreciation for the premier college of magic in the Empire. There is already a small quay on the island itself that allows magicians and supplies to pass too and from the shrouded island. He proposes the construction of a second quayside - more a single pier really - on the opposite side of the island to serve as a berth for a very specific ship. "''Build it and they will come,''" say the heralds of Sadogua cheerfully.

"They" in this case would be the Twilight Barque, a vessel of night-dark wood with sails of rainbow cloth that apparently sails the seas of the [[Realms#Night realm|Night realm]]. They aren't servants of Sadogua - in fact the heralds are quite vaguue about whether they serve any eternal at all or are true independent creatures of the realm. But they love to visit new places and offer their wares in trade to the people they meet there. They have agreed to make these wares available to the magicians of the Empire in return for an undisclosed favour from the ''Hoarder of Empty Bottles''.

The opportunity to [[commission]] the Twilight Pier is ''only'' offered to the Arcane Architect. If it is built however, they will have the choice as to whether to create a new title, appointed by the Conclave of course, or to let the Dean of the Lyceum deal with the Twilight Barque. Or, if they like, put ''themselves'' in charge - and provide a handy source of valuable magical trinkets and vis to the Arcane Architect going forward. Sadogua doesn't mind which one they choose - he believes the Lyceum island is ultimately under his dominion after all. Whoever gets control of the pier will have responsibilities to deal with the crew of the Twilight Barque if they need anything, keep good relations with them, and occasionally remind people what a good friend to the Empire Sadogua is. This latter sounds at first like a joke but it is deadly serious. Sadogua is apparently aware that [[Meraud|"King Goldilocks"]] is trying to "cosy up to the Empire" and he is having none of it. Realistically, the commission is actually an [[edifice]], but given it provides [[vis]] it is within the legal power of the Architect to build it.

If it is built, the Twilight Barque will provide ''Rings of Twilight'' (a [[:Category:Foci|magical focus]] that allows a magician to improve their Night lore by one rank for the purposes of performing a single ritual a day, subject to the normal rules for effective ranks); ''Rainbow Scarves'' (a [[:Category:Mage Robes|Mage Robe]] that lets a magician increase their night lore by one rank for the purpose of a single ritual), and pawns of [[vix#Crystal Fire|crystal fire]]. The heralds of Sadogua do caution that what the Barque offers is up to its crew - and that neither the ''Brother of Wizards'' nor anyone else has any particular control over that.
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBMarches.jpg|align=right|width=250}}
==Marcher Wassail==
* '''Sadogua continues to celebrate his relationshop with the Marchers'''
* '''He hopes to send some of his heralds to take part in the wassail'''
* '''He again offers them the chance to harvest his odd black mushrooms'''
And finally, the ''Brother of Wizards'' has been made welcome in the Marches and for the last few years has made a point of sending his heralds to participate in the [[wassail]] celebration. This year he again promises to try and send some of his folk to join the grand wassail at Anvil, assuming they can drag themselves away from fighting memory-thieving spiders.

In the past he has offered his wassail boon at the Winter Solstice, but has become grumpy that whenever he does so a Spring eternal seems to be offering their own substandard boons at the same time. This year he plans to try something different and arrange the boon ''before'' the wassail. As such, during the Autumn Equinox any casting of [[Fallow Fields and Dried Meat]] that includes as an additional component, a single pawn of [[Vis#Crystal Fire|Crystal Fire]] and an invocation of Sadogua by one of his three names will find the enchantment has a different effect. Instead of providing the usual benefits, for the following season, the farm will grow a circle of black mushrooms somewhere within its bounds. Presuming they are collected on the night of the new moon and squeezed dry, they'll produce one of two black elixirs he calls ''Shinemoon''. As [[#Toadstool palace|mentioned above]], these elixirs help magicians perform rituals of different lores depending on whether they are pale or dark.
==Arcane Architecture==
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">'''Appraise Magical Works'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Motion Type:''' Appraisal </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Necessary Details:''' Must name three Imperial territories or existing sinecures or ministries that provide mana or vis, and directly reference Sadogua's offer</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Provide opportunities for the Arcane Architect to commission great works, or improve existing sinecures or ministries</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Autumn Equinox only</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:'''
* Requires Sadogua to have amity
* Sadogua will be angered if Miekarova or Ossium are chosen
</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''The Imperial Senate could use an appraisal to allow the Archine Arcitect to improve the arcane abilities of the Empire'''
And finally, again to show his thanks for his friends in the Empire, Sadogua presents a proposal for the [[Arcane Architect]]. If the Senate wishes, they could declare an [[appraisal]] instructing the [[Appraisal#The_Prognosticators_Office|Prognosticator's Office]] to work with his heralds to locate [[opportunity|opportunities]] to create [[great work|great works]] intended to increase the arcane abilities of the Empire. He puts one restriction on the matter - he is not prepared to send heralds to Miekarova or Ossium at this time for "reasons".

If the Senate wishes to take up his offer, they will be able to pick up to three Imperial territories and Sadogua's heralds will work to come up with one opportunity in each territory for the Arcane Architect to build something that provides additional mana, or even vis. If the territory already has such a great work, the heralds will find ways to improve it. Alternatively, in place of a territory the senate could name a specific sinecure or ministry that provides mana or vis, and the heralds would work with the prognosticators to find a way to improve it.

This opportunity is available at the Autumn Equinox only.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Forest of the White Caves.jpg|align=right|caption=Forest of the White Caves|width=175}}
==Not An Apology==
* '''Sadogua thanks Conclave for declaring enmity against Apeiron of the Sixth Eye'''
* '''He continues to feud with the Circle of Zulgan Tash'''
* '''He hopes other magicians of Varushka will forgive him for his bad temper this last year or two'''
Finally... for most of the last year Sadogua has not been responding to his missives. He's very concerned because ''someone'' has been reading his mail, and he believes it is the creature known as "Apeiron". By [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Conclave_sessions#Enmity:_Apeiron_the_Sixth_Eye|placing it under enmity]], the Conclave have apparently done him something of a favour. He thanks '''Fausta Ankarien''', and the [[Silver Chalice]], and hopes it won't cause them undue trouble going forward. He's reiterated the warning he gave during the Summer Solstice - the creature is a dangerous parasite that consumes memories and that has been glutted by wizards feeding it choice morsels of memory. He's confident enmity will be enough to prevent it infiltrating the Imperial realm more deeply but warns that ritual magic still can still provide avenues for it or its spawn to enter the world and trick the gullible into handing over parts of their identity.

Right now the ''Brother of Wizards'' is having problems of his own with Apeiron. His heralds claim these problems were apparently caused in part by the perfidious cabalists of the [[Varushka groups#Forest of the White Caves|Circle of Zulgan Tash]] ''stealing'' the fortress that protected his western woods. Yes, the Circle are masters of magic. Yes, they are inventive, cunning, clever, and enigmatic. Yes, they wield Night magic in particular with both finesse and brutality that is breathtaking to observe. Sure, they are as capable of planting their feet and refusing to back down to bullies as they are of fading into the background when it suits them. Obviously, they are well respected by the eternals of the [[Realms#Night|Wondrous Forests]], even those who dislike or fear them like the ''[[Whisper Gallery|Clown Cavalcade]]''. But that doesn't mean they aren't thieves and traitors who COULD HAVE ASKED!

However, the ''Brother of Wizards'' imagines he might owe an apology to the ''rest'' of the magicians of [[Varushka]]. It might be argued that it was wrong of him to take his anger out on them, when it should be directed solely at the pernicious master cabalists of the White Forest. As such, he offers reassurance that any Varushkan wizard who is ''not'' a member of the Circle can expect a return to the usual friendly, helpful advice the eternal offers if they send him a [[Missive for Sadogua|Missive]]. He hopes they'll accept his acceptance that it might have been wrong of him to tar them all with the same brush.

The Circle of Zulgan-Tash however can get stuffed.
==Further Reading==
* [[Sadogua]]
* [[Well of Shadows]] - coming soon!

File:Toad Buddies.jpg

2026-09-09T17:39:54Z

Rafferty: {{Wikimedia}} By Bernie - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14521218

== Summary ==
{{Wikimedia}}

By Bernie - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14521218

388YE Autumn Equinox winds of fortune

2026-09-09T17:36:35Z

Rafferty: /* Towers of the Moon */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Lights in the Dark.jpg|align=left|caption=Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. |width=2000}}</div>
==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Wind of Fortune !! Order Released !! Last Updated || Note
|-
| [[The wolves tempt you]] || 1 || data-sort-value="2026/08/15"| 15/08 || Imperial Address
|-
| [[Dream on]] || 2 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Seren
|-
| [[Come together]] || 3 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Apothecary college
|-
| [[Fair share of labour]] || 4 || data-sort-value="2026/08/19"| 19/08 || Artisans Guild
|-
| [[Hidden inventory]] || 5 || data-sort-value="2026/08/29"| 29/08 || Banner-bearers
|-
| [[A fork in the path]] || 6 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Mystics
|-
| [[Outreach across the marshes]] || 7 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Sand Fishers & League highest calling
|-
| [[Stand proud, you're strong]] || 8 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Brass Coast highest calling
|-
| [[Here you come again]] || 9 || data-sort-value="2026/08/31"| 06/09 || Plenipotentiary
|-
| [[Accomplices]] || 10 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Agramant is still in Therunin
|-
| [[Metamorphosis]] || 11 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Dealing with Kroll
|-
| [[Out of these convertites]] || 12 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || League visit to the Marches
|-
| [[Goodwill]] || 13 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Dawn, Navarr, Highguard, Vallornguard
|-
| [[Not from the benevolence]] || 14 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Offers from Ephisis
|-
| [[Wayfaring strangers]] || 15 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Visitors
|-
| [[Value beneath the mountain]] || 16 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Kespoena's Reach
|-
| [[Domain expansion]] || 17 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Imperial Breadbasket
|-
| [[Islands in the dream]] || 18 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Imperial Orc Highest Calling
|-
| [[Shadowed boughs of twilight]] || 19 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Ossium
|-
| [[When something is lost]] || 20 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Madruga
|-
| [[A friend like you]] || 21 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Eternal Winds of Magic
|-
|}</div>
Over the past three months, events have taken place which are of significance to the Empire and may require a response from her champions. These are the winds of fortune, counterparts to the winds of war that detail the Empire's military campaigns. They lay out situations and usually include things that characters can do to take advantage of [[opportunity|opportunities]] or to resolve problems. In almost every case, they start with a piece of flavour text. This fiction helps introduce the wind of fortune or draws out a particular theme or element. Often, it represents a viewpoint that one or more NPCs might have in-character. In all cases, these pieces are intended to help create an atmosphere and provide a little entertainment. Where they contain opinions, those are the opinions of the fictional people depicted - and where they contain information or rumours, the assumption is that the reader will create their own context for that information or gossip if they want to use it in character.

The body of the wind of fortune describes situations and lays out ways players can engage with them. Except where we explicitly talk about something being "rumoured" or use a phrase like "some might say..." the details of a wind of fortune are factual. They represent briefing material presented by the civil service or similar authoritative sources and represent something the average educated citizen would acknowledge as a reliable truth. Unless we specify otherwise, we're also being as thorough as possible. This information doesn't need further checking in-character. It's not an opinion, and we're not trying to trick you.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:350px; float: left; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Diplomacy Wind
|-
| General Diplomacy || [[So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavea]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Asavean_Archipelago|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Axos]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Axos|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] || [[All I can do]]
|-
| [[Commonwealth]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Commonwealth|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Marracossa]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Marracossa|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Faraden]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Faraden|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Grendel]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Grendel|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Iron Confederacy]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Iron Confederacy|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Otkodov]] || [[The little things]]
|-
| [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarm]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Principalities_of_Jarm|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Sarcophan Delves]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Sarcophan Delves|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Sumaah Republic]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Sumaah_Republic|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
|}

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of Fortune is to maintain the illusion of the Empire as a living, breathing place where things happen - and to make players aware of things their characters could know based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing for the past three months. It's perfectly acceptable to turn up to Empire having read only a few Winds of Fortune that directly interest your character; part of the fun on the field can come from learning about situations and opportunities in other parts of the game.
__TOC__
In each case, we've tried to tag the Winds of Fortune entry with the nations or political bodies to which it is most relevant. We've done this to help people who are interested only in events that are especially relevant to them. In no way are these tags intended to be exhaustive; the Empire is a complex place, and very little happens in isolation. We are also adding the dates that they were last updated (other than typos and correcting [[red links]]) in an attempt to make it easier to keep track of the newest releases.

==Winds of Fortune==
===The Wolves Tempt You (Imperial Address)===
* '''Imperial citizens; Navarr;'''
[[Emperor Vesna]] has used their power to [[The_Throne#Address_the_Empire|address the Empire]] to present a personal reminder to all citizens that the road to salvation is hard, but everyone is walking it together.

The message has been distributed across the Empire by the civil service, and you can read it in the '''[[The wolves tempt you]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:left; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Navarr.png|align=left|width=150}}</div>
===Dream On===
* '''Navarr'''
In [[Miaren]], [[Miaren#Seren|Seren]] is now become the ''City of Dreams'' in truth. People with hopes and aspirations, with the imagination to perceive what is needed to achieve them and the determination to try, have flocked to Miaren. With the completion of the Temple of the Waking Dream, the [[dreamspeaker]] calling has coalesced as a distinct [[archetype]] among the [[Navarr]] people, one dedicated to making dreams become reality. This has perhaps predictably amplified arguments about what exactly that means, and which dreams should be pursued, and how.

You can learn about competing arguments, and the changes to the city of Seren, in the '''[[Dream on]]''' wind of fortune.
===Come Together===
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBNavarr.jpg|align=right|width=100}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Imperial Apothecaries Guild; Navarr; Benefactor of High Chalcis; Highguard, the League, Imperial Orcs, and Varushka; Senate
When [[Therunin]] fell to the [[Druj]] [[Thornsinger#Thornsong_House|Thornsong House]] was lost. Despite the valiant efforts of the Navarr and the aid of [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]], the college of herb mastery could not be saved. While the house itself burned, many of those who studied there were able to escape to the safety of [[Reikos]]. Some stayed behind on [[Reikos#Chalcis Mount|Chalcis Mount]], but others chose to put as much distance between themselves and the horrors of the Druj as possible. Drawn to the Temple of the Waking Dream, some of these apothecaries and physicks have taken the path of the dreamspeaker themselves, and inspired by the City of Dreams, they have put their ambition to rebuild what was lost into words.

A proposal for a new college of the apothecary arts, and ways various nations may be involved, can be found in the '''[[Come together]]''' wind of fortune.
===Fair Share of Labour===
* '''Artisan's Guild; Throne; Senate; Artisans of all kinds; Golden Pyramid; Pride Assembly; Navarr; Guildmaster of the Artisans, Dean of Runesmith's Caution, Keeper of the Runegrott, Seer of the Spiral Sword, and potentially several other titles associated with magic item crafting'''
At the recent summit, [[Emperor Vesna]], requested that the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] [[Forever_is_composed_of_nows#The_Abraham_Gambit|appraise the implications]] of a new [[Imperial sodality]], the ''Imperial Guild of Artisans''. The Artisans Guild has technically been in existence for some time, with the Senate [[Construct_Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|ordering the construction of Guildhouse]] in 385YE, creating the position of [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]]. Now the Senate is in a position to consider the full implications of making the Guild into an official Imperial sodality.

You can learn more about the potential Imperial Sodality, as well as proposals from some people very excited by the opportunity it represents, in the '''[[Fair share of labour]]''' wind of fortune.
===Hidden Inventory===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Cat's Graces Sodality.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBWintermark.jpg|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Wintermark, especially banner bearers; Cat's Graces; Minister of Historical Research; Mediator of Hyljehal; Senate
When the tides of fate seem to turn against the Empire, to be able to look and see over the battle lines, the colours of your warband or your nation still [[Pride|Proudly]] flying can help to rally the [[Courage]] and turn the tide. In [[Wintermark]] the [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Banner-bearers|position of banner-bearer]] is seen as vital to the success of any battle. [[Empress Britta]] was a banner-bearer, and bore [[Three Tears|Foe-Slayer]], the legendary war-banner of [[Emperor Guntherm]] onto the field. The great flag was lost when Britta died and it has been near two decades since Wintermark could bear its equal into battle. The artisans and craftspeople of [[Hahnmark#Runegrott|Runegrott]] have a proposal to try to remedy this shortfall, involving the construction of a grand [[edifice]] to house banners and paintings of the great banners of the Empire as well as the creation of a new [[Magic_items#Artefacts|artefact]] [[:Category:Magic Standards|banner]] for Wintermark.

You can read more about this plan, and learn a little of the mighty banner Foe-Slayer, in the '''[[Hidden inventory]]''' wind of fortune.
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===A Fork in the Path===
* '''Wintermark, especially the Mystics; Raven Seer of Ishal; would-be champions; Keeper of Oaths; friends of Sung
The [[mystic|Mystics]] of Ishal sought to work more closely with the wider nation of Wintermark. They have since decided [[Flight_of_birds#The_Witan|to approach the Witan]] directly, and do what they can to support the goals of the nation itself. The decision to help with the [[Warriors' Gate|exploration of Tsirku]] has made it impossible for the Mystics of Ishal to offer their usual council and support to the [[Raven Seer]] and to that end they have made several changes to the Aviary, and to the support they offer the Raven Seer and the nation. At the same time, there has been a great deal of discussion of the [[Crown of Three Tears]] and the role of the ''Champion of Wintermark'' within the nation - the appointment of who has traditionally been the responsibility of the mystics.

You can read about the changes at Ishal, and the situation of the Crown of Three Tears, in the '''[[A fork in the path]]''' wind of fortune.
===Outreach Across the Marshes===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
* '''The League, especially the Bishops and Princes; Merchant Prince of Misericorde Market; Senate
[[The League]] Assembly [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_57|has declared]] that their [[The_highest_calling#The_Highest_Calling|highest calling]] is to bring new peoples to join the Empire. A Virtuous endeavour to be sure, but even the League cannot move the whole world at once. To be effective the nation needs to [[Any_dream_will_do#Partners_within|focus their efforts]] on one group at a time. Diplomacy is a complicated matter, so they also need to decide who among them would be best to take the lead with each such group. This past season the Princes of the League have reached out to the [[Holberg#Misericorde|Sand Fishers]] of [[Holberg#Misericorde|Misericorde]], the [[orc|orcs]] who once lived on the southern shores of [[Ossium]] as slaves of the [[Druj]] but who have found a new lease of life on the northern shores of [[Holberg]].

Ultimately, the egregore decides who can or cannot join a nation - the nature of the bond is that it can only be formed with someone an egregores recognises as having the potential to be a member of the nation. But the League has already embraced the Apulian Orcs, why not the Holberg Orcs as well?

You can read about how the outreach is going, and what it might take to bring the Sand Fishers into the Empire, in the '''[[Outreach across the marshes]]''' wind of fortune.
===Stand Proud, You're Strong===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Freeborn.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
* '''The Brass Coast, especially the Freeborn assembly;
After several seasons of deliberation (and funding a [[Construct_City_of_Wonders|whole new city]]), the Freeborn National Assembly has decided that the [[the highest calling|highest calling]] of their people should be on defending their lands. The sentiment resonates with people across [[the Brass Coast]]. It was not long ago that both [[Madruga]] and [[Feroz]] fell under barbarian control, [[Kahraman]] has faced constant invasion from the Lasambrians over the past few years and [[Segura]] has only recently enjoyed a prolonged period of quiet after nearly two decades of constant warfare. Is it a surprise that the people of the Brass coast feel a little vulnerable, given recent history?

There is so much work that could be done, people are at a loss to know where to start. The Assembly will have to consider the options carefully - they have a year to take advantage of the nation's highest calling, but that won't be enough time to pursue every possibility raised by a people as inventive as the Freeborn...

You can find out how the nation can begin to defend its lands, and the proposals put forward toward that aim, in the '''[[Stand proud, you're strong]]''' wind of fortune.
===Here You Come Again (Plenipotentiary)===
* '''Imperial Conclave; magicians; Synod; Brass Coast especially Sutannir; ''Alazhar i Taziel i Erigo'', ''Velasco i Guerra'', the Imperial Warcaster; Marcher beaters, Unshackled thief-takers, Varushkan wardens; ''Berilo i Erigo''; ''Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka'' and some dead generals'''
* This wind was updated on 06/09/2026 to add some additional paragraphs to the end of the [[Here_you_come_again#End_of_Empire|End of Empire]] section
Each [[archmage]] is empowered to send a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] message to a single [[eternal]] of their [[Realms|realm]] each season. Bound to respond, the recipients are however free to choose precisely what form that response takes. Following the Summer Solstice, six eternals have responded to what are presumed to be missives from the respective archmages. Some have agreed to [[archmage#Parley|parley]], but not all of them.

You can find out about the eternals, and the nature of their responses, in the '''[[Here you come again]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=BarienArt.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>

===Arrows and Clay (Challenge)===
* '''Challengers of the Iron Duke'''
Each season, the eternal ''[[Barien]]'' presents opportunities to those prepared to [[Challenge the Iron Duke]]. For the Autumn Equinox he offers two challenges: a game of speed and grace, and a game of creativity and imagination. As ever, the rules of the ritual apply. Each person who receives the ritual will be ''guaranteed'' entry to a challenge. Depending on the challenge, they ''may'' be able to bring a certain number of attendants with them to assist. The exact number will depend on the nature of the challenge and the number of challengers. The [[civil service]] will publish exact numbers in [[Anvil#The_Hub|the Hub]] on Saturday morning for all to see.

You can find details of the challenges issued by Barien this season in the '''[[Arrows and clay]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=AgramantArt.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>
===Accomplices===
* '''Navarr; Military Council; Military unit captains; ''Eskah Swift Hart, Vosjuli Cherenkov, Towlen Nighthaven'' and ''Mirella of the Twisted Rose'''''
Another season, another message from [[Agramant]], delivered by his heralds from the depths of [[Therunin]]. The eternal's efforts were roundly refuted last season, with the [[Golden Axe]] reclaiming Lower Tarn Valley. This season, Twigsnapper has a much more pointed offer to make to aid the reconquest of Therunin.

You can find out what Agramant and his heralds are up to in the '''[[Accomplices]]''' wind of fortune.

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===Metamorphosis===
* '''Urizen, particularly the captains of military units or residents of Sarangrave; Keeper of the Breadbasket and farm owners of the Marches; Imperial Consul; ''Frith, Ser Guy of the Twisted Rose, Fausta Ankarien,'' and people interested in the rebel septs; ''Solas of the Spire of the First Light'' and the Warmage'''
It has been a tumultuous time in the Sarangrave. First the Druj, then the vallorn, and now husks. All while the Empire has been endeavouring to make diplomatic inroads with the rebels of Nesustak Forest. Sadly, troubles abound; the eviction of so many from Thornfen by the Axou has raised the spectre of famine in the territory. And now the Druj scattered through the territory, alongside the rampaging husks, threaten to raise a third dark spectre - the beast that lurks beneath the waters of the Sarangrave, the dark and terrible Kroll.

You can find out what's happening in Sarangrave this season in the '''[[Metamorphosis]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly General.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
===A Little at a Time===
* '''Members of the Synod, especially Cardinals; Members of the Senate; Members of the Vallornguard and people interested in the fate of Pilgrim's Defiance'''
Last season, eight judgements of [[proscription]] were raised, and half of them were upheld by the General Assembly. Similar to their previous efforts, the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] has asked the civil service to publish not just guidance on the outcome of these proscriptions, but also details from the minutes of their discussions in the hopes of providing clarity to interested citizens. This includes detailed guidance on the three changes to religious law enacted by the Senate.

You can find out the outcome of the Constitutional Court's meeting on the proscriptions and changes to religious law last season, in the '''[[A little at a time]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Marcher.png|align=right|width=150}}
===Out of These Convertites===
* '''The League, particularly orcs and members of the Synod; The Marches; People with an interest in foot-the-ball or duelling'''
* This wind was updated on 07/09/2026 to change the time of the [[Out_of_these_convertites#And_So_Am_Come_Abroad|Am So Am Come Abroad]] encounter to 18:30 on Saturday
Last season, the [[The League|League]] and [[The Marches|Marcher]] Assemblies both passed statements of principle encouraging a pilgrimage of Apulian orcs and League members of the Synod to the [[Mournwold]]. Citizens from all five cities of the League have taken up the call to travel, and the orcs of the Mourn have welcomed them with open arms and farm tools. It's not just the harvest that's discussed, but ancestors and sports.

You can find out what happened when the League visited the Marches this season in the '''[[Out of these convertites]]''' wind of fortune.

===Goodwill===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Vallornguard sodality.png|title=Vallornguard|align=right|width=100}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Dawn.png||align=right|width=180}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Highborn.png||align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Navarr.png||align=right|width=150}}
* '''Dawn, Navarr; Highguard; Vallornguard'''
Two nations have chosen to use their [[The highest calling|highest calling]] to focus their people on the coming final war against the [[vallorn]]. The [[Dawn|Dawnish]] are developing the skills and resources to prepare themselves, while [[Navarr]] are looking for ways to support the nascent [[Vallornguard]] by sharing centuries of accumulated wisdom with other nations. Surprising progress has been made: the Dawnish have chosen to [[Love_and_monsters#Unicorns|throw open the doors of Greenwood Manor]] to all comers. The Navarr have spent the last year offering their unique expertise to their Imperial cousins, their eye turned at last to their allies in [[Highguard]]. Even the denizens of the [[eternal]] [[realms]] have heard the call to war, and have been encouraged to offer their aid as the Empire prepares for the war that will, if it is successful, bring to an end the Doom of Terunael.

You can find out about the highest callings of Navarr and Dawn, and the opportunities they provide, in the '''[[Goodwill]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Ephisis.jpg|align=left|width=300}}</div>
===Not From the Benevolence===
* '''Entrepreneurs and traders; Members of the Senate, particularly the Senators for Reikos and Bastion; People interested in contracts available, particularly ''Dorys Delgorokov'', ''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo'' and ''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged''; Citizens of Kallavesa, the Barrens, and Hercynia; and the ''Freeborn Flame Cartel'''''
Following the relative success of the new scheme to offer large contracts for fulfilment, the heralds of the [[Ephisis|Sovereign Lady of the City of Gold and Lead]] have returned with new offers for the coming summit. As always, the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] will set up shop in the [[Hall of Worlds]] on the final day of the summit, where they will look to settle any sales offered to the City via the [[Ephisis' Scale]] ritual.

You can learn about the offer for a fortification, the contracts available from the City of Gold and Lead, and the counting houses requested by the Conclave, in the '''[[Not from the benevolence]]''' wind of fortune.

===Wayfaring Strangers (Visitors)===
* '''Senators for Tassato and Holberg, and the League Assembly; Envoy to the Karass; Magpies;'''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
People visit Anvil for all kinds of reasons. Trade, wonderment, and a chance to meet with the movers and shakers of the Empire. It is no surprise that Anvil is seen as the place to be if you want to get anything of importance done.

You can find out more about some of the folk coming to Anvil this season in the '''[[Wayfaring strangers]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=ArgentSword_Colour.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
===Value Beneath the Mountain===
* '''General of the Argent Sword; ''Kespoena Archsky''; Members of the Senate and those able to announce commissions; people who like mithril; ''Herminius of the House of the Wanderer''; Architect of Illumination; Gardener of Pallas; Arbiter of the Four Winds; Oblivion Sentinel; and people who like the idea of fighting in caves'''
Almost eighteen months ago, an arcane projection raised Kespoena's Reach (formerly known as Mount Polus) to be the highest mountain in the Empire. This, unexpectedly, led to a crevasse opening at the base of the mountain. Last season, the [[Argent Sword|General of the Argent Sword]], '''Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer''', ordered the heralds of her army to "''sniff out the value beneath the mountain''".

You can find out what they found, and what lies beneath Kespoena's Reach, in the '''[[Value beneath the mountain]]''' wind of fortune.
===Domain Expansion===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Marcher.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''The Marches; Imperial Orcs; Senate and Military Council; Singing Caves seat; and Quartermaster of the Imperial Armies; Imperial diviners and cartographers; anyone with an interest in Liathaven/Ashvale'''
While other nations struggle on, the [[the Marches|Marchers]] have got their harvest in. Their assembly has completed their [[The highest calling#Highest calling|highest calling]] and successfully [[Expand_Breadbasket_into_Mournwold|expanded]] the [[The_Marches_economic_interests#The_Imperial_Breadbasket|Imperial Breadbasket]] into [[Mournwold]]. There's no time for rest however... as ever Marcher knows, the reward for a good job is more work. Keen not to let the grass grow under anyone's feet, Marchers look to make good use of the remaining time now the Breadbasket is properly sorted. There are a few ideas knocking around about what Marchers could be doing next, as a tidal wave of Imperial Steel sweeps through [[Mitwold]] and into [[Bregasland]] - time to build on that success. After-all - you don't own it unless you can defend it...

You can learn about suggestions for how the Marches can own and defend land, and a mildly irritating development with a former Imperial territory, in the '''[[Domain expansion]]''' wind of fortune.
===Islands in the Dream===
<div style="float: right; max-width: 150px; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:Illarawm.png]]</div>
* '''Imperial Orcs, Varushka, Highguard; Military Council'''
Bloodcrow Knott declared the [[the highest calling#Highest Calling|highest calling]] of the [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]] assembly to be [[Every_day_of_your_life#Spanning_the_Abyss|seeking the ancestors of other septs]], and at the Summer Solstice, Bloodcrow Meep was chosen to [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_93|lead an approach]] to the [[Culling_the_threat#The_Dreamers_of_the_Dark_Forest|Dreamers of the Dark Forest]] in eastern [[Ossium]]. This time the [[orc|orcs]] have additional support in the form of advisors from [[Varushka]] and [[Highguard]] familiar with the sept, who helped arm and train the orcs to fight the [[Druj]] a few years back. The delegation of [[shamans]] and [[Illarawm|mystagogues]] braves the haunted woods and finds a guarded welcome, some mystical beliefs about spirits, and another dilemma for the Empire...

You can learn about the Dreamers of the Dark Forest, their spiritual beliefs, and their pressing concerns, in the '''[[Islands in the dream]]''' wind of fortune.
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{{CaptionedImage|file=NBVarushka.jpg|align=right|width=300}}
===Shadowed Boughs of Twilight===
* '''Citizens of Ossium, Navarr and Varushkan alike; Ossium forest owners; Senate, Military Council; Varushkan and Dawnish military units; Grieftender of the Forgotten, Map to the City Below, Singer of Silence, Ceslev of the Circle of ZUlgan Tash; People who like having a fortification in Ossium; Apothecary of Orieb; people angry about idolatry; Agramant watchers; Watcher of the Semmerlak; Guardian of the Maze of Zoria; Dedicates of Wisdom; Ambassador to Otkodov'''
[[Ossium]] has been part of [[Varushka]] for six years now, and what was once a wretched place clenched in the iron fist of the [[Druj]] is rapidly becoming one of the most prosperous territories in the Empire. Alongside the Varushkans live a few scattered septs of [[orc|orcs]], while the [[Thule]] control the northern forests in uneasy alliance. For the last few years it has also been home to families of Navarr drawn by Awstin's Rest. After the Summer Solstice, though, magic drawn from the [[Realms#Night|Wondrous Forest]] washes over the territory, bringing with it the unmistakable blessings of Night magic - blessings that have a regrettable tendency to be somewhat mixed. Especially given the presence of the monsters that have been here since well before the Empire drove the Druj out, who still lurk in the depths of the wild forests.

You can learn about the effects the Night magic has had, on dreams and on the forest, as well as details about eternals and monsters, in the '''[[Shadowed boughs of twilight]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Drakes_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Star Forged colour.webp|align=right|width=200}}
===When Something Is Lost===
* '''Inhabitants of Madruga; Generals of the Drakes and Star Forged; military units; Marcher folk; Conclave orders; Military Council; magicians interested in ill-advised experiments; Archmages of Night, Spring, and Winter; Stone Smith'''
Once [[Madruga]] was grassy plains, rich coastline, and prosperous islands. Now it is something else, thanks in part to the transfiguration of its southern coast by magically-infused river waters. This is [[the Brass Coast]] and there are plenty of Freeborn who welcome the excitement, unpredictability, and wonder each day promises. After the Summer Solstice, magic started to settle over Madruga, bringing with it vibrant dreams of vanished forests and heralds of the [[Realms#Night|Night realm]]. At first it seemed to be just a gentle piece of [[Night magic]]... but as the Autumn got closer it became clear it had done more than just evoke dreams. Two Imperial armies were also in Madruga, busy claiming the wild marshes of the Siroc Bayou and Crucible for the Empire. ''One'' of these two armies has come back out of the marshes and the other one... has not.

You can learn about the gentle enchantment, and the disappearance of an entire Imperial army, in the '''[[When something is lost]]''' wind of fortune.

===A Friend Like You (Eternals)===
* '''Knight-protector of Summer; Captain of the Throne Guard; Dauntless Warrior; ''William Guildenstern''; Architect of the Hammers; Arch of the Sky; Business owners in Zenith; Quartermaster of the Hanuri Garrison; General of the Burning Falcon; Maestro of the Cat's Graces; Azure Sutannir; Dawnish magicians; ''Lady Aletheia of the Twisted Rose'', ''Catena'', and magicians who perform curses; ''Claudia Varkulova Remislav, Eevi of the Gadrai'', and the Conclave; ''Artreus D'Fauntine, Catrina Words The Unbelievably Magical, Leo the Rainbow Sage,'' the <s>Order of the</s> Golden Chalice, the Tender of the Phoenix Flame, and the Churnspire Adjutor; those who met with Argent Preceptor; Night ritualists, and those who like the Whisper Gallery; '''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
Some magic comes from outside the Empire, from the creatures of the [[Realm|realms]], the [[eternal|eternals]] and their [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]]. Sometimes they have boons to offer, sometimes they have demands to make. Here we learn of the doings of the realms, with something that could be relevant to any number of folk, including some meetings, some odd opportunities, and eerie happenings.

You can learn about the doings of various eternals, and the repercussions of their former doings, in the '''[[A friend like you]]''' wind of fortune.

===Spreading the Way (Appraisal)===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">[[file:Labyrinth.jpg]]</div>
* '''Members of the Senate; People interested in spreading the Way'''
Last season, the Senate called for an appraisal on how non-Wayist cultures and communities residing within the Empire can be brought into the [[The Way|Way of Virtue]]. Naomi of Virtue's Rest was assigned, and her [[appraisal]] of the situation has been submitted. Naomi has had to rely on a very broad-strokes approach to the question, but she is confident that it will leave the Empire as a whole better off with the understanding that it brings.

You can learn about the results of Naomi's work in the '''[[Spreading the Way]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">[[file:Assembly Prosperity.png]]</div>
===This Old House===
* '''Prosperity Assembly; Inhabitants of Feroz; General Assembly; Members of Senate; People interested in commissions'''
During the Spring Equinox, the Prosperity Assembly upheld a [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement 138|judgement]] that made clear their highest calling: to look for opportunities that will help to bring Prosperity to the damaged territories of the Empire and the people within them. The first territory chosen by the assembly was [[Feroz]], still suffering from the ravages it suffered under Governor Rahab. The Prosperous have identified what they consider the best option for helping the people of Feroz, and one Freeborn architect has a pitch for how it might potentially help the rest of the Empire.

You can learn about how the Prosperity Assembly might help the people of Feroz feel less [[Region_qualities#Abandoned|abandoned]] in the '''[[This old house]]''' wind of fortune.

===Rebellion's Ridge===
* '''General Assembly; Inhabitants of the Mournwold, particularly farm and mine owners'''
During the Spring Equinox, the Pride Assembly upheld a [[388YE Spring Equinox Synod judgements#Judgement 13|writ of consecration]] to consecrate [[Mournwold#Rebellion's Ridge|Rebellion's Ridge]] as a memorial to the exemplars of Pride, the [[Known_exemplars#Leaders_of_the_Ore_Hills_Rebellion|Leaders of the Ore Hills Rebellion]]. The writ has brought things to a head in the Mourn, and now it comes down to the decision of the General Assembly.

You can learn about the potential consecration of Rebellion's Ridge as a memorial to the Ore Hills Rebels in the '''[[Rebellion's Ridge]]''' wind of fortune.

===A Habit I Can't Break (Mortal Magic)===
* '''Keeper of the Imperial Menagerie, Financier of Holberg's Phantasmagorical Mementoes, and Conclave; Freeborn ritualists; Navarr;'''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
Not all magic is performed by the denizens of the realms; mortals are just as, if not more, capable of causing all kinds of trouble when left alone with too much free time and mana crystals.

You can read about goings-on across the Empire in the '''[[A habit I can't break]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">[[file:Meraud001a.png|align=right|width=200]]</div>
===Towers of the Sun===
* '''Conclave, Senate; Imperial magicians; Churnspire Adjutor; Francisco i Alvera i Riqueza, Olivier, Ioseph of Summer's Apex, Carlos of Phoenix Reach, Mercurio Ankarien, Lord Tobias De Gauvain, Enchanter Vesper Lucentia, Kaapo Kingfishering, Lord Morgann de Vere, Beatrice Keeper, Ibiss Briarheart, Enchantress Areloe Larmallevés, Catrina Words The Unbelievably Magical'''
The ''[[Meraud|Summer Enchanter]]'' has been through some things recently, but it seems he is [[Ambassadors_of_death#Apples_and_Oranges_(Summer)|even more enthusiastic]] about helping out his friends in the Empire than usual. As Summer fades, his messengers are dispatched to various points around the Empire with boons and plans and proposals a plenty. Whether it is wizards towers, appreciation for the [[Churnspire Adjutor]], or final decisions regarding communication with the ''Lord of the Lake'', they have been full of the fire of enthusiasm and relentlessly upbeat. Only when the ''[[Sadogua|Toad King]]'' is brought up in polite conversation does their eager demeanour slip a little and a few choice words of criticism get voiced.

You can learn about offers from Meraud, and an opportunity to restore channels of communication, in the '''[[Towers of the sun]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">[[file:Sadogua001d.webp|align=right|width=150]]</div>

===Towers of the Moon===
* '''Conclave; People of Kallavesa; Brat Umbral Path; anyone who wants a stab at running the Well of Shadows; Vigilance Assembly; Arcane Architect, Dean of the Lyceum; Marcher magicians and wassailers; Varushkans who are not the Circle of Zulgan bloody Tash'''
The [[Sadogua|Brother of Wizards]] has become a little more active of late, after a period of somnolence. His heralds have enthusiastically accepted invitations to [[When something is lost|visit Madruga]] and while they deny it, they've also been actively [[Shadowed boughs of twilight|fighting spider monsters in Ossium]]. Following an unexpected appearance in the [[Hall of Worlds]] during the Summer Solstice in which Imperial magicians apparently helped him "get a spider out of his ear" (whatever ''that'' means), he has also apparently made a concerted effort to [[Missive for Sadogua|answer all this mail]]. But it doesn't stop there! It seems someone has lit a fire under the backside of the perennially slothful ''Toad King'', and he is busily trying to catch up on his obligations to his friends in the Empire.

You can learn about his meandering offers to assorted Imperial magicians, and what he ''really'' thinks of the Circle of Zulgan Tash, in the '''[[Towers of the moon]]''' wind of fortune.

==Diplomatic Winds==
Each season, the Civil Service prepares a summary of the Empire's relationship with the foreign nations. This is usually based on communications received from their ambassador, along with any useful intelligence gathered from other sources. While the [[Senate]] and the other houses of Imperial power may respond to these offers, it is important to note that it is the appropriate [[ambassador]] that the foreign power will expect to hear from. Their communication with the foreign power is the primary element that will determine the tenor of any response. While these winds revolve around international matters, their focus is still on the Empire and what its citizens can do to influence diplomatic matters, so they're as likely as any other wind to contain something of interest to characters from all walks of life.

===All I Can Do (Beoraidh)===
* '''Ambassador to Beoraidh; Cat's Graces; Benefactors Council; Steward of the Ossuary; Members of Senate; Apothecaries Guild; Regario Dossier'''
[[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] was once the stronghold of the [[Grendel]] ''Salt-Lord Ehsan'' and his supporters. When the Empire moved to invade Mareave, Ehsan declared independence and sued for peace with the Empire. The city itself and the neighbouring region of [[Mareave#Sinfoyard|Sinfoyard]] are recognised as a neutral state by the Senate; a free port where both merchants of all nations are welcome. They actively seek investment from both Imperial and Grendel sources, and have allied themselves with the powerful [[Sarcophan Delves]]. One opportunity that has been under discussion for a while now is the creation of a temple dedicated to the Way, a monument to cooperation welcomed by the former Grendel. After the Summer Solstice it appears that some movement has been made towards making intention into reality.

You can learn about diplomatic relations with Beoraidh, and the opportunity to build a temple there, in the '''[[All I can do]]''' wind of fortune.

===It's All Wrong, But It's All Right===
* '''Ambassador to Faraden; Ambassador to the Iron Confederacy; Synod, Senate; fleet captains; Alder of Meade, Mediator of Fisk, Azure Sutannir, Cat's Graces; military unit commanders, especially mercenaries'''
The merchants of [[Faraden]] and the militarist [[Iron Confederacy]] lie to the west and south of the Empire respectively - to the west and south of [[the Brass Coast]] more specifically. Relations with the two nations have been tumultuous in the past but in the last year or two there has been a slow sanding-off of harsh edges. A feeling that lasting détente may be possible, although what it might cost is another matter entirely...

You can learn about diplomatic affairs regarding Faraden and the Suranni, and some pressing problems regarding both, in the '''[[It's all wrong, but it's all right]]''' wind of fortune.

===So Little I Wanted, So Little I Got===
* '''Ambassador to Asavea; Ambassador to Sumaah; Ambassador to the Grendel; Marracossa Sendito; Members of the Senate; fleet captains; Ambassadors in general; Loyalty Assembly, particularly ''Dagon Barossa'''''
The orthodox [[Sumaah Republic]] and the declining [[Asavean Archipelago]] lie far to the west of the Empire. The two great nations remain locked in war. Closer to home, the [[Grendel]] compete with the Empire for dominance of the Bay of Catazar. Even closer to home, the Marracossan exiles live in their town of [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Trajadoz]], Madruga. The [[ambassador|ambassadors]], the [[Imperial Consul]], and other individuals invested in diplomacy have their work cut out keeping abreast of what is happening, as each nation has agendas no less complex than those of the nations that make up the Empire.

You can learn about the ongoing diplomatic situation with the Asavean Archipelago, the Sumaah Republic, the Marracossans of Trajadoz, and the Grendel in '''[[So little I wanted, so little I got]]''' wind of fortune.

===Those Memories of You===
* '''Ambassador to the Sarcophan Delves; Ambassador to Axos; Senate; Wintermark farmers, herb garden owners, and apothecaries; Imperial Apothecaries Guild; collectors of vallorn relics; fleet captains trading with Issyk; Navarr traders'''
The [[Sarcophan Delves]] are a great power, a cosmopolitan nation centred around an immense city that sprawls out across the banks of the Umshalla river. [[Axos]] is tiny nation on the outskirts of the Empire, controlling a little over two territories. For all their differences they have similarities, though. Both are a people of cities, and both have an uneasy relationship to death. The Axou ''necromantia'' are acknowledged masters of the cold magic of the grave, while the Sarcophan base much of their industry on the use of the ''ongelukkig'' living-corpses. They are both nations made more powerful through trade, and both would like to see themselves as friends to the Empire... and in both cases that friendship can prove to be something of a mixed blessing.

You can learn about Sarcophan and Axou diplomacy, and some trade opportunities, in the '''[[Those memories of you]]''' wind of fortune.
===If We Never Meet Again===
* '''Ambassador to Jarm; Ambassador to the Commonwealth; Senate; Imperial mercenary soldiers (especially the League, Dawn, Urizen, and Highguard); Imperial fleet captains; Celestial Arch and Sevenfold Path; Rod and Shield and Golden Pyramid; Granite Pillar; friends of Professor Emmanuel Gelberg'''
The [[Commonwealth]] and the [[Principalities of Jarm]] had been at war, fighting for control of the borderlands between their two great nations. When the tiny country of Lantir was annihilated by [[Cold Sun]], a major incursion began that saw armies of [[Cold_Sun#Heralds|scions]] pouring through a breach in what remained of the capital city. Now they have a common enemy, but it has given them little ''else'' in common. Revelations as to the cause of the incursion have set the balance of power in the east swinging wildly - and not just between the two nations. The Empire is in the middle of a war of words and recriminations, and a long-term friendship seems to be on the verge of collapse while the attitude of bitter rivals appear to be improving.

You can learn about the chaos in the east, and its significant to Imperial citizens, in the '''[[If we never meet again]]''' wind of fortune.
===The Little Things===
* '''Ambassador to Otkodov; Senate; Military Council; Folk of Ossium'''
The [[Thule]] of [[Otkodov]] share a long mountainous border with [[Wintermark]], the [[Imperial Orcs|the Unshackled]], and [[Varushka]]. A magocratic nation is ruled by five allegedly immortal orc wizards called the Dragons they were at war with the Empire for much of its history. Now though, they are at peace. An uneasy peace to be sure, secured with the concedence of northern regions claimed as part of Otkodov. But peace nonetheless. For the last year or so, the Thule have been waging war on [[the Mallum]], conquering western [[Forest of Ulnak|Ulnak]] and occupying the northern Druj. They have also been engaging in active negotiations with the representatives of the Empire, arranging deals and agreements that might against all the odds so this peace last longer than perhaps it has any right to.

You can read about recent diplomatic developments, and in particular some upcoming events in [[Ossium]], in the '''[[The little things]]''' wind of fortune.

==Other Events==
===Strange Currencies===
* '''The Silver Flame ask for ritual texts for ''Strong Ox, Golden Sun'' and ''Gathering the Harvest'''''
* '''In return, they pledge their sentinels to defend Spiral as needed'''
The [[A_question_of_loyalty#Spiral|Tribunal of the Silver Flame]] controls the region of [[Spiral#Cinion|Cinion]], in [[Spiral]] - and is home to several hundred former Urizeni mages at most. Nearly a [[Mirror_and_the_flame|year ago]], they announced grand plans to make a formal alliance with the [[eternal]] [[Sinokenon]], declaring their intent to build a [[fane]] in their territory so as to allow the eternal to give them more extensive support. Aware that the risks would be shared by the Empire, they wrote to inform them of their intentions, and tried to sweeten the deal with two powerful rituals in exchange for access to Imperial Lore, assuming that the offer would land favourably.

It did not. The [[Conclave]] rejected the offer outright, seemingly incensed at the repeated request for access to Lore and having deep misgivings about the nature of ''Diamondmind's'' offer. The Flame sent a delegation to Anvil to try and understand why their strategy had landed so badly. Eager to demonstrate their worth to their neighbours, they sent their sentinels to aid in the [[This_is_the_end#Never_follow_me|quixotic but ultimately successful effort to free Apulian]] from the [[Whisper Gallery|Whisper Gallery's]] grasp. Last season, the Conclave agreed to disseminate [[Blessing of New Spring]] to them - a sign that there is diplomatic willing there, yet.

Now the [[civil service]] have been sent word from Alexius, who acts as the representative of the Tribunal to the Empire. His missive strikes a somewhat contrite note. The Tribunal have abandoned their plans to build a fane for Sinokenon - for now. It seems that someone made a generous donation of liao to the faction within the Tribunal who were most opposed towards any form of eternal alliance, and they have spent the last three months pressing their point. They have convinced many, but in particular they have convinced Caela, the Grand Arbiter of the Tribunal, who has asked the heralds of Sinokenon to leave.

This has not come without cost, it seems. While they have the stocks and stores to get through winter, it will be hard without outside assistance. Their need is pressing, and so they write to ask if their friends in Anvil could see to the dissemination of the other two rituals in the cycle of farm rituals. This would aid the rebels greatly - especially if this happens in time for the rituals to be cast in the Summer and Autumn of next year. Beyond that, the Flame would benefit from any personal enchantments, especially ones like [[Gift of the Wily Broker]] which allow for careful economic stewardship. In return, the Tribunal are prepared to guarantee that their sentinels will continue to support efforts in Apulian or be sent to assist in Spiral's defence in any way they can - whether it is simply to act as swords against the darkness of the wilds or to defend some fortification. They have four groups of sentinels with a combined military strength of a little under five hundred.

===All the Right Friends===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Prosperity.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''Efforts to share the virtue of Prosperity with the people of Tsark have met with some success.'''
* '''There is an opportunity to bring word of inspirational figures of Prosperity to Tsark.'''
* '''Eleven Imperials have been invited at 18:35 on the Saturday of the equinox to visit the Tsarkoi in Zenith.'''
The isolated nation of [[Tsark]] is famously slow to change and resistant to outside influence or visitors of any kind. In the last decade, as the Empire has become aware of Tsark's existence yet remained neutral, even friendly towards the tiny sagocracy, there has been a slow but perceptible thawing of relations on behalf of the Sage's Council. [[Seeds_of_discord#Tsark|Last season]] they sent ''Camilla'', one of the adepts who play some kind of role in day-to-day spiritual guidance of the lives of the Tsarkoi, to visit the Empire to learn more about the virtue of [[Prosperity]]. It seems that the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]] made the case that there could be a place for Prosperity within the worldview of the sages, and they were not so horrified at the suggestion as to refuse it out of hand.

Camilla solicited letters on the subject of Prosperity and has made herself and her fellow adepts available this last season for members of the Urizen Assembly to discuss Prosperity with her. As the equinox approaches, the Imperial diplomatic corps, through the office of the Seeker of the Perfect World, receive word that the initiative has been a success: at least from Camilla's point of view. She has learned much about Prosperity from all she has read and heard - yet she feels there is yet more to learn. In particular, she understands that the Empire set great stock by inspirational figures of the past who exemplify their virtues - a practice the people of Tsark understand well. The great sages and adepts of the past all have shrines built into the [[Mountains_of_the_Moon#Wall_of_the_Luge_and_the_East_and_West_Rising|Wall of the Luge]], the mighty fortified wall that surrounds the sacred plateau of Visoko. She would like to learn more about the inspirational prosperous figures that the Empire holds dear to its heart. If the Empire's representatives can impressively preach of an inspirational figure of Prosperity in a way that resonates with the spirituality of Tsark, then it could well lead to further such opportunities, as the Tsarkoi believe that inspirational figures are the ''most'' important way to find spiritual enlightenment.

She has asked Sage Kristoph, the well-established representative of the Sage's Council to the "People of the Horse", to make the trip to Zenith. She would like to host a discussion on the premises of the Garden of the Perfect World, with Sage Kristoph to attend, and an invitation is extended to each person who wrote to her or visited. These are, in no particular order: '''Farren Silver Streams, Abel the Rounder, Isaac of the Reaching Vine, Berilo i Erigo, Heilyn Bronwen's Rest, Catena of Tropaion, Galene Netherwatch, Able the Taller, Lord Augur Gryphontale, Eleri Bronwen's Rest''', and '''Solas of the First Light'''. They are invited to speak about three inspirational figures of Prosperity, with ten minutes (allowing time for questions) allocated for each figure. Who actually presents and on which figures Camilla defers to the visitors - she trusts them to collectively come to an understanding in an efficient manner that respects the time of others, as - she has learnt - the Prosperous are wont to do.

This is clearly a fateful occasion, and on such occasions the Sentinel Gate obliges. There is a conjunction for eleven people at 18:35 on the Saturday of the Equinox, to attend the Gardens of the Perfect World, Occursion, Zenith. The civil service has asked the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]], '''Abel the Rounder of Sarangrave Reforged''', to be responsible for the conjunction and for the other arrangements Camilla has mentioned.

===Blades of the Semmerlak (reprise)===
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Blades of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' [[Edifice]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:'''
*Sandling in Weirwater ''or'' Lacuve in Semmerholm
'''and'''
*Malimorzi in Karov ''or'' Bittershore in Ossium
</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 24 weirwood and 72 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' Three months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the start of Autumn Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Creates title of ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak''
* Creates the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''' venture for questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens
* Removes the threat to ships on the Semmerlak and establishes a sodality to deal with threats from Dho'uala</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Counts as a single commission</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Dawnish and Varushkan</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Senate or Test of Arms </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' This is a [[martial title]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:'''
* Receives 10 crowns a season
* Receives a [[Duelist's Scales]], a [[Troubadour's Ring]], and a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] once a year</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To counter the influence of Dho'uala and deal with threats coming from the Semmerlak</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<tr><td style="background-color: HotPink;">'''Blades in the Semmerlak'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Venture Type:''' Guarding</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Territories bordering the Semmerlak</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Duration:''' Open-ended</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Rewards:''' Six crowns and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]]</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''''Tristan Ramson von Holberg'', the Master of the Mint, announced the reappraisal of the Blades of the Semmerlak'''
* '''A wardenhouse in Varushka and a knightly estate in Dawn would provide a base of operations for heroes to protect the Semmerlak'''
Last season, the [[Master of the Mint]], '''Tristan Ramson von Holberg''', announced the [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Reappraise_Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|reappraisal]] of the Blades of the Semmerlak in Dawnish and Varushkan territories surrounding the [[the Semmerlak|Semmerlak]]. Originally [[Less_welcome_tenants#Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|suggested]] shortly before the Summer Solstice 386YE, the wardenhouse and knightly estate were part of a larger appraisal into the problem of [[Dho'uala]] killing Imperial citizens and interfering with matters on and around the Semmerlak.

A motion to construct the [[Less_welcome_tenants#Wards_and_Bargains|Journeymage Towers]] was [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Construct_Journeymage_Towers|proposed]] by '''Amicia of the Semmerlak''', as Senator for Semmerholm, and the [[Watcher of the Semmerlak]] has been active, appointed by the Assembly of Vigilance, and tasked with ensuring the nations surrounding the Semmerlak act with Vigilance and countering threats from the Semmerlak.

Lutomysla's suggestion that the Senate establish a small sodality dedicated to protecting the people around the Semmerlak still holds true, and has the same enthusiastic support from the merchant-boyars, earls, and merchant-princes keen to see people protected from the depredations of the sovereign. A knightly order focused on protecting the communities along the lake, and a warden fellowship to travel on ships crossing the Semmerlak to protect the crew; both would actively seek out the creatures of Dho'uala and fight them. Supported by Imperial heroes, the sodality would remove the threat to the people living along the edge of the lake. Instead, it would fall to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens to serve as the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''',

They will need places to operate from - an estate in Dawn for the knights and a wardenhouse in Varushka for the wardens. Lutomysla identified that the best locations would be either [[Weirwater#Sandling|Sandling]], in the vicinity of [[Weirwater#Culwich|Culwich]], or [[Semmerholm#Lacuve|Lacuve]] in [[Semmerholm]] near the bustling port of [[Semmerholm#Lacre|Lacre]] for the knights, and the port of Korotny in [[Karov#Malimorzi|Malimorzi]] in [[Karov]] and the [[Merchant_Boyar_of_the_Bittershore#Kostjyas_Respite|Kostjyas Respite]] in [[Ossium#Bittershore|Bittershore]] in [[Ossium]] and those still hold true. Although they involve work in two regions, the actual project itself requires only a single commission, and the building of the wardenhouse and the estates will take place in parallel. Once construction is complete, any threat to the people who live along the banks of the lake will be met by enthusiastic warriors. It will also create a new guarding [[venture]] available to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens - '''Blades in the Semmerlak'''. This will allow a [[military unit]] to spend their time actively defending the Semmerlak and the ships that traverse it. A starting military unit undertaking the venture would receive 120 rings and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]].

There would need to be a title to oversee the efforts and support the sodality; the ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'' would be a [[martial title]] of Dawn and Varushka who was appointed by either unanimous agreement of the senators of those two nations, or a [[Martial_title#Creating_Martial_Titles|test of arms]] between members of those two nations. The title-holder would be responsible for protecting the communities around the Semmerlak from threats mundane and magical, and to stand ready to oppose the depredations of Dho'uala whenever they raise their head. In return, they would receive an income of 10 crowns each season with which to equip allies and maintain their sodality.

They would also be the beneficiaries of several magic items provided by Dawnish, Varushkan, and League donors. A [[Duelist's Scales|Duelist's Scales]] weapon from the Varushkan merchant-boyars to weaken corrupt horrors; a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] from League merchant-princes to protect them from venom; and a [[Troubadour's Ring]] from Dawnish earls to help them support their allies. These items would be received once each year, and while the expectation is that the Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak would use them themselves, there is no reason they could not pass them to other warriors fighting against Dho'uala or similar monstrous threats.

===Dusk===
{{:Autumn Equinox 2026}}

===Husky Business (Volunteers)===
* '''There is an opportunity for player volunteers to portray their characters who died during the Saturday battle at the last event'''
* '''Eligible characters must have died during the battle, but not have been killed as a husk'''
* '''Volunteers will need to have their own costume and appropriate weapons'''
* '''The role will last around twenty minutes, starting at 18:30 on Friday'''
* '''The role will involve fighting alongside the skirmish team in an encounter against player characters'''
* '''Please email before 18:00 on Wednesday 26th of August if you are interested in volunteering'''

There is an opportunity for players to portray the husk of their fallen characters at the upcoming event. Anyone whose character died during the battle of the [[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Fens of Varreth]], raised as a husk but was not subsequently killed again as that husk is welcome to email to register interest in volunteering for an encounter on the Friday. This will be a combat [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|highly likely]] encounter through the Sentinel Gate and will involve fighting against player characters alongside members of our [[Plot_crew#Skirmish|skirmish team]].

If you are interested and would like more information, please email {{plot}} with your PID and the subject line "Husk Volunteer E4", and you will be given more details.

==Summer Conjunctions==

===Major Conjunctions===
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Link'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Outcome'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Sarangrave|Sarangrave, Turan Flats, ''Fens of Varreth'']]</td><td>Contain the dead</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Harvester of Graves]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Sigismund Vladislav Kestovia''' of [[Varushka]]; The spirits were not trapped and the husks remain a problem in eastern Sarangrave; The tortured souls of Het Trakaa remain in Turan Flats; Het Trakaa and Sul Maggotgnaw remain alive</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Mareave|Mareave, Clisearn, ''Ruins of Sinat'']]</td><td>Open the Vaults</td><td>Grendel</td><td>[[Mithril_and_rope#Battle:_Salt_and_Stone|Salt and Stone]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Joaquim i Erigo''' of [[the Brass Coast]]; Saltbound Stone recovered and claimed by '''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged'''; Ilium Jackals negotiated with and readying support of [[Boyar's Hasta]]; Iontach Leagsaidh remains in possession of their [[Grimnir's Hearthfire]]; Maistir Guaidre remains in possession of the Spiteri necklace</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Forest of Ulnak|Forest of Ulnak, Ghul'thak Forest, ''Fetid Heart'']]</td><td>Raid the Druj</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Battle:_Claim_the_Prize|Claim the Prize]]</td><td>Not taken; Status of the black lotus unclear; Status of the treasures of Taramid Skinwreath unclear</td></tr>

</table>

===Minor Conjunctions===
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! # !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview !! Result
|-
| 1 || Sarangrave, Whisperwood, Halfweir Grove || [[Fingers of the Devourer|Custodian of the Fingers of the Devourer]] || [[Thorn_and_bone#A_Testing_(Conjunction)|Destroy the heralds of Surut]] || Heralds of Surut killed; production of Fingers of Devourer has increased by two wains per season for as long as the Great Forest Orcs remain foreigners
|-
| 2 || Astolat, Withy, Igraine's Regio || [[Astolat|Senator for Astolat]] || [[A_wizard_did_it#Rants_and_Roses|Find out why the regio keeps shifting back to Spring, and resolve it]] || Unclear, but '''Éamon Ashenmourn de Cordraco''' might know more
|-
| 3 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Maiden Stone || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#Apples_First_(Mitwold)|Stop Jyll Longleys from cursing the Maiden Stone]] || ''Jyll Longleys'' and allies killed
|-
| 4 || The Barrens, Dawnguard, Troubadour's Glade || [[Knight of Dawnguard]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Vow (The Barrens)|Kill ''Prilak Gutdredger'']] || ''Prilak Gutdredger'' and almost all allies were killed
|-
| 5 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Golden Fields || [[Keeper of the Golden Fields]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#The_Right_Thing_(Mitwold)|Stop Dusty Cobb setting Golden Fields alight]] || ''Dusty Cobb'' and rebels killed
|-
| 6 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, The Dredging Flats || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Call to Stand (The Barrens)|Kill the Servants of the Burnt]] || All but one ''Servants of the Burnt'' survived
|-
| 7 || Ossium, Echofell, Burned Glade || [[Shadowed Torchbearer]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Fire_The_Forests_(Ossium)|Prevent the cursing of Ossium]] || Heralds killed and Ossium was not cursed
|-
| 8 || Therunin, Lower Tarn Valley, Rotwood Croft || '''Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#After the Taint (Therunin)|Destroy the miasma pillar]] || Miasma pillar successfully consecrated
|-
| 9 || Madruga, Free Landing, Hart's Cove || [[Hand of Guerra]] || [[Keys_of_Enlightenment#Barren_Waters_(Conjunction)|Aid the stranded ship from Sumaah]] || Unclear, but Hand of Guerra should know more
|-
| 10 || Sarangrave, Kroll, Slow Worm's Hill || [[Sevenfold Path|Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Boil The Swamps (Sarangrave)|Prevent the cursing of Sarangrave]] || Heralds killed and Sarangrave was not cursed
|-
| 11 || Sarangrave, Turan Flats, The Breakteeth dais || [[Eastern Sky|General of the Eastern Sky]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#The_Greatest_Prize_(Rhianos)|Recover the treasure]] || Treasure successfully recovered
|-
| 12 || The Barrens, Bitter Strand, Saltshore || [[Merchant of the Fangs]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Fangs_for_the_Memories_(Conjunction)|Answer General Utmar's call for aid]] || Vassals of the manticore killed
|-
| 13 || Madruga, The Crucible, Talpses Plat || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#A_Terrible_Feeling_(Madruga)|Claim the ''Snapping Face'']] || Snapping Face retrieved and heralds killed
|-
| 14 || The Barrens, Carmine Fields, Trading Way || '''Rhydian de Rondell''' || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Taste_of_Mettle_(Conjunction)|Remove the failed knights-errant of House Courcillion as a threat]] || Named knights have accepted justice from local magistrates
|-
| 15 || Necropolis, Coursmouth, The Veiled Garden || [[Guardian of Britta's Memorial]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#The_Strength_of_This_Place_(Necropolis)|Spill the waters of Siakha]] || Bucket recovered and returned to Anvil
|-
| 16 || The Barrens, The Untrod Groves, Glade of the Good Knight || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#A_Hearty_Meal_(Conjunction)|Thwart the schemes of Ser Gawain Amboise]] || Schemes of ''Ser Gawain Amboise'' thwarted
|-
| 17 || Mareave, Fleisardh, Spring Regio near Golden Wind's Encampment || [[Silver Chalice|Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Do_Some_Harm_(Arhallogen)|Poison the Grendel]] || Grendel poisoned, Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice should know more
|-
| 18 || Tassato, Cascatas, Campo Verdenta || [[Keeper of the Sapphire Stair]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#For_What_Has_Been_Wrought_(Tassato)|Kill the heralds of Siakha]] || Heralds of Siakha and wreckers killed
|-
| 19 || Spiral, Apstrus, Alba's Lea || [[Legacy|Custodian of the Legacy]] ||[[Mithril_and_rope#A_Backhanded_Request_(Spiral)|Intercept the mercenaries pay]] || Raid launched on the Legacy and ten wains of mithril claimed by the Haurlatch Iron Consortium
|-
| 20 || Reikos, Haros Water, Couros Field || '''Nekoda of the Shattered Tower''' || [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_fortune#A_Sudden_Threat_(Reikos)|Save Professor Gelberg from Grendel assassins]] || Imperials pushed out by Grendel; Professor Gelberg has been kidnapped
|-
| 21 || Redoubt, Naris, Isaac's End || '''Telemachus of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[Seeds_of_discord#An_Empty_Bottle_(Conjunction)|Leave no more than a dozen Grendel alive]] || All Grendel killed
|-
| 22 || Kallavesa, West Marsh, The Meeting Place || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_32|Erlend]]''' || [[Myth_makers#The_Unity_Of_Deed_And_Word|Consecrate the Meeting Place]] || The Meeting Place successfully consecrated with true liao
|-
| 23 || Kallavesa, Wittal Grove, Frithstan's Fen || [[Grimnir of Wittal Grove]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#An_Unexpected_Ally_(Basileia)|Defeat the Grendel (and potentially rescue the Iontach)]] || Ionatch Meddool Miniog successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 24 || Forest of Ulnak, Grimfen Mire, Moss End || [[Warmage]] || [[All_I_ask_of_you#Wild_Things_Run_Fast|Take advantage of a recent scouting discovery]] || [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] successfully cast with eight rings of [[ilium]]
|-
| 25 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Eastern Ward || '''Theodora''' || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 26 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, Gardenway || [[Envoy to the Karass]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Protect_Lenna_Karass_%28The_Barrens%29|Prevent Druj raiders from kidnapping Lenna Karass]] || Lenna Karass was successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 27 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Western Ward || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 28 & 29 || Forest of Ulnak, Gloomsea, Islet of Calm || [[Archmage of Day]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Who's_the_Thief?_(Forest_of_Ulnak)|Prevent the Eyes of the Dragon from using a boon of Kimus]] || [[Wind of Mundane Silence]] performed on regio and bodies successfully destroyed
|-
| 30 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Warmage]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Drive the vallorn from the regio]] || Imperial casualties suffered, vallornspawn remain around the regio
|-
| 31 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Archmage of Spring]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Cast Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] || [[Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] was not performed
|-
| 32 || Sarangrave, the Whisperwood, Depths of the Hungry Earth || [[Counsel of the Sun Chamber]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#The_Caves_of_the_Hungry_Earth|Investigate the Hungry Earth]] || Depths investigated, Counsel of the Sun Chamber should know more
|-
| 33 || Volodmartz, Livardz, Sumisev Peegel || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_167|Auntie Armand Mariyavich Remislav]]''' || [[Sunrise_over_Livardz#Blow_It_Up|Destroy the Sumisev Peegel]] || Sumisev Peegel was successfully destroyed by [[Wind of Mundane Silence]]
|-
|}

388YE Autumn Equinox winds of fortune

2026-09-09T17:35:49Z

Rafferty: /* Towers of the Sun */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Lights in the Dark.jpg|align=left|caption=Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. |width=2000}}</div>
==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Wind of Fortune !! Order Released !! Last Updated || Note
|-
| [[The wolves tempt you]] || 1 || data-sort-value="2026/08/15"| 15/08 || Imperial Address
|-
| [[Dream on]] || 2 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Seren
|-
| [[Come together]] || 3 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Apothecary college
|-
| [[Fair share of labour]] || 4 || data-sort-value="2026/08/19"| 19/08 || Artisans Guild
|-
| [[Hidden inventory]] || 5 || data-sort-value="2026/08/29"| 29/08 || Banner-bearers
|-
| [[A fork in the path]] || 6 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Mystics
|-
| [[Outreach across the marshes]] || 7 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Sand Fishers & League highest calling
|-
| [[Stand proud, you're strong]] || 8 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Brass Coast highest calling
|-
| [[Here you come again]] || 9 || data-sort-value="2026/08/31"| 06/09 || Plenipotentiary
|-
| [[Accomplices]] || 10 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Agramant is still in Therunin
|-
| [[Metamorphosis]] || 11 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Dealing with Kroll
|-
| [[Out of these convertites]] || 12 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || League visit to the Marches
|-
| [[Goodwill]] || 13 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Dawn, Navarr, Highguard, Vallornguard
|-
| [[Not from the benevolence]] || 14 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Offers from Ephisis
|-
| [[Wayfaring strangers]] || 15 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Visitors
|-
| [[Value beneath the mountain]] || 16 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Kespoena's Reach
|-
| [[Domain expansion]] || 17 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Imperial Breadbasket
|-
| [[Islands in the dream]] || 18 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Imperial Orc Highest Calling
|-
| [[Shadowed boughs of twilight]] || 19 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Ossium
|-
| [[When something is lost]] || 20 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Madruga
|-
| [[A friend like you]] || 21 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Eternal Winds of Magic
|-
|}</div>
Over the past three months, events have taken place which are of significance to the Empire and may require a response from her champions. These are the winds of fortune, counterparts to the winds of war that detail the Empire's military campaigns. They lay out situations and usually include things that characters can do to take advantage of [[opportunity|opportunities]] or to resolve problems. In almost every case, they start with a piece of flavour text. This fiction helps introduce the wind of fortune or draws out a particular theme or element. Often, it represents a viewpoint that one or more NPCs might have in-character. In all cases, these pieces are intended to help create an atmosphere and provide a little entertainment. Where they contain opinions, those are the opinions of the fictional people depicted - and where they contain information or rumours, the assumption is that the reader will create their own context for that information or gossip if they want to use it in character.

The body of the wind of fortune describes situations and lays out ways players can engage with them. Except where we explicitly talk about something being "rumoured" or use a phrase like "some might say..." the details of a wind of fortune are factual. They represent briefing material presented by the civil service or similar authoritative sources and represent something the average educated citizen would acknowledge as a reliable truth. Unless we specify otherwise, we're also being as thorough as possible. This information doesn't need further checking in-character. It's not an opinion, and we're not trying to trick you.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:350px; float: left; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Diplomacy Wind
|-
| General Diplomacy || [[So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavea]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Asavean_Archipelago|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Axos]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Axos|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] || [[All I can do]]
|-
| [[Commonwealth]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Commonwealth|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Marracossa]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Marracossa|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Faraden]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Faraden|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Grendel]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Grendel|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Iron Confederacy]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Iron Confederacy|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Otkodov]] || [[The little things]]
|-
| [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarm]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Principalities_of_Jarm|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Sarcophan Delves]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Sarcophan Delves|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Sumaah Republic]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Sumaah_Republic|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
|}

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of Fortune is to maintain the illusion of the Empire as a living, breathing place where things happen - and to make players aware of things their characters could know based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing for the past three months. It's perfectly acceptable to turn up to Empire having read only a few Winds of Fortune that directly interest your character; part of the fun on the field can come from learning about situations and opportunities in other parts of the game.
__TOC__
In each case, we've tried to tag the Winds of Fortune entry with the nations or political bodies to which it is most relevant. We've done this to help people who are interested only in events that are especially relevant to them. In no way are these tags intended to be exhaustive; the Empire is a complex place, and very little happens in isolation. We are also adding the dates that they were last updated (other than typos and correcting [[red links]]) in an attempt to make it easier to keep track of the newest releases.

==Winds of Fortune==
===The Wolves Tempt You (Imperial Address)===
* '''Imperial citizens; Navarr;'''
[[Emperor Vesna]] has used their power to [[The_Throne#Address_the_Empire|address the Empire]] to present a personal reminder to all citizens that the road to salvation is hard, but everyone is walking it together.

The message has been distributed across the Empire by the civil service, and you can read it in the '''[[The wolves tempt you]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:left; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Navarr.png|align=left|width=150}}</div>
===Dream On===
* '''Navarr'''
In [[Miaren]], [[Miaren#Seren|Seren]] is now become the ''City of Dreams'' in truth. People with hopes and aspirations, with the imagination to perceive what is needed to achieve them and the determination to try, have flocked to Miaren. With the completion of the Temple of the Waking Dream, the [[dreamspeaker]] calling has coalesced as a distinct [[archetype]] among the [[Navarr]] people, one dedicated to making dreams become reality. This has perhaps predictably amplified arguments about what exactly that means, and which dreams should be pursued, and how.

You can learn about competing arguments, and the changes to the city of Seren, in the '''[[Dream on]]''' wind of fortune.
===Come Together===
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBNavarr.jpg|align=right|width=100}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Imperial Apothecaries Guild; Navarr; Benefactor of High Chalcis; Highguard, the League, Imperial Orcs, and Varushka; Senate
When [[Therunin]] fell to the [[Druj]] [[Thornsinger#Thornsong_House|Thornsong House]] was lost. Despite the valiant efforts of the Navarr and the aid of [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]], the college of herb mastery could not be saved. While the house itself burned, many of those who studied there were able to escape to the safety of [[Reikos]]. Some stayed behind on [[Reikos#Chalcis Mount|Chalcis Mount]], but others chose to put as much distance between themselves and the horrors of the Druj as possible. Drawn to the Temple of the Waking Dream, some of these apothecaries and physicks have taken the path of the dreamspeaker themselves, and inspired by the City of Dreams, they have put their ambition to rebuild what was lost into words.

A proposal for a new college of the apothecary arts, and ways various nations may be involved, can be found in the '''[[Come together]]''' wind of fortune.
===Fair Share of Labour===
* '''Artisan's Guild; Throne; Senate; Artisans of all kinds; Golden Pyramid; Pride Assembly; Navarr; Guildmaster of the Artisans, Dean of Runesmith's Caution, Keeper of the Runegrott, Seer of the Spiral Sword, and potentially several other titles associated with magic item crafting'''
At the recent summit, [[Emperor Vesna]], requested that the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] [[Forever_is_composed_of_nows#The_Abraham_Gambit|appraise the implications]] of a new [[Imperial sodality]], the ''Imperial Guild of Artisans''. The Artisans Guild has technically been in existence for some time, with the Senate [[Construct_Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|ordering the construction of Guildhouse]] in 385YE, creating the position of [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]]. Now the Senate is in a position to consider the full implications of making the Guild into an official Imperial sodality.

You can learn more about the potential Imperial Sodality, as well as proposals from some people very excited by the opportunity it represents, in the '''[[Fair share of labour]]''' wind of fortune.
===Hidden Inventory===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Cat's Graces Sodality.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBWintermark.jpg|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Wintermark, especially banner bearers; Cat's Graces; Minister of Historical Research; Mediator of Hyljehal; Senate
When the tides of fate seem to turn against the Empire, to be able to look and see over the battle lines, the colours of your warband or your nation still [[Pride|Proudly]] flying can help to rally the [[Courage]] and turn the tide. In [[Wintermark]] the [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Banner-bearers|position of banner-bearer]] is seen as vital to the success of any battle. [[Empress Britta]] was a banner-bearer, and bore [[Three Tears|Foe-Slayer]], the legendary war-banner of [[Emperor Guntherm]] onto the field. The great flag was lost when Britta died and it has been near two decades since Wintermark could bear its equal into battle. The artisans and craftspeople of [[Hahnmark#Runegrott|Runegrott]] have a proposal to try to remedy this shortfall, involving the construction of a grand [[edifice]] to house banners and paintings of the great banners of the Empire as well as the creation of a new [[Magic_items#Artefacts|artefact]] [[:Category:Magic Standards|banner]] for Wintermark.

You can read more about this plan, and learn a little of the mighty banner Foe-Slayer, in the '''[[Hidden inventory]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=KallevesiMystic.jpg|align=right|width=200}}
===A Fork in the Path===
* '''Wintermark, especially the Mystics; Raven Seer of Ishal; would-be champions; Keeper of Oaths; friends of Sung
The [[mystic|Mystics]] of Ishal sought to work more closely with the wider nation of Wintermark. They have since decided [[Flight_of_birds#The_Witan|to approach the Witan]] directly, and do what they can to support the goals of the nation itself. The decision to help with the [[Warriors' Gate|exploration of Tsirku]] has made it impossible for the Mystics of Ishal to offer their usual council and support to the [[Raven Seer]] and to that end they have made several changes to the Aviary, and to the support they offer the Raven Seer and the nation. At the same time, there has been a great deal of discussion of the [[Crown of Three Tears]] and the role of the ''Champion of Wintermark'' within the nation - the appointment of who has traditionally been the responsibility of the mystics.

You can read about the changes at Ishal, and the situation of the Crown of Three Tears, in the '''[[A fork in the path]]''' wind of fortune.
===Outreach Across the Marshes===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
* '''The League, especially the Bishops and Princes; Merchant Prince of Misericorde Market; Senate
[[The League]] Assembly [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_57|has declared]] that their [[The_highest_calling#The_Highest_Calling|highest calling]] is to bring new peoples to join the Empire. A Virtuous endeavour to be sure, but even the League cannot move the whole world at once. To be effective the nation needs to [[Any_dream_will_do#Partners_within|focus their efforts]] on one group at a time. Diplomacy is a complicated matter, so they also need to decide who among them would be best to take the lead with each such group. This past season the Princes of the League have reached out to the [[Holberg#Misericorde|Sand Fishers]] of [[Holberg#Misericorde|Misericorde]], the [[orc|orcs]] who once lived on the southern shores of [[Ossium]] as slaves of the [[Druj]] but who have found a new lease of life on the northern shores of [[Holberg]].

Ultimately, the egregore decides who can or cannot join a nation - the nature of the bond is that it can only be formed with someone an egregores recognises as having the potential to be a member of the nation. But the League has already embraced the Apulian Orcs, why not the Holberg Orcs as well?

You can read about how the outreach is going, and what it might take to bring the Sand Fishers into the Empire, in the '''[[Outreach across the marshes]]''' wind of fortune.
===Stand Proud, You're Strong===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Freeborn.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
* '''The Brass Coast, especially the Freeborn assembly;
After several seasons of deliberation (and funding a [[Construct_City_of_Wonders|whole new city]]), the Freeborn National Assembly has decided that the [[the highest calling|highest calling]] of their people should be on defending their lands. The sentiment resonates with people across [[the Brass Coast]]. It was not long ago that both [[Madruga]] and [[Feroz]] fell under barbarian control, [[Kahraman]] has faced constant invasion from the Lasambrians over the past few years and [[Segura]] has only recently enjoyed a prolonged period of quiet after nearly two decades of constant warfare. Is it a surprise that the people of the Brass coast feel a little vulnerable, given recent history?

There is so much work that could be done, people are at a loss to know where to start. The Assembly will have to consider the options carefully - they have a year to take advantage of the nation's highest calling, but that won't be enough time to pursue every possibility raised by a people as inventive as the Freeborn...

You can find out how the nation can begin to defend its lands, and the proposals put forward toward that aim, in the '''[[Stand proud, you're strong]]''' wind of fortune.
===Here You Come Again (Plenipotentiary)===
* '''Imperial Conclave; magicians; Synod; Brass Coast especially Sutannir; ''Alazhar i Taziel i Erigo'', ''Velasco i Guerra'', the Imperial Warcaster; Marcher beaters, Unshackled thief-takers, Varushkan wardens; ''Berilo i Erigo''; ''Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka'' and some dead generals'''
* This wind was updated on 06/09/2026 to add some additional paragraphs to the end of the [[Here_you_come_again#End_of_Empire|End of Empire]] section
Each [[archmage]] is empowered to send a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] message to a single [[eternal]] of their [[Realms|realm]] each season. Bound to respond, the recipients are however free to choose precisely what form that response takes. Following the Summer Solstice, six eternals have responded to what are presumed to be missives from the respective archmages. Some have agreed to [[archmage#Parley|parley]], but not all of them.

You can find out about the eternals, and the nature of their responses, in the '''[[Here you come again]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=BarienArt.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>

===Arrows and Clay (Challenge)===
* '''Challengers of the Iron Duke'''
Each season, the eternal ''[[Barien]]'' presents opportunities to those prepared to [[Challenge the Iron Duke]]. For the Autumn Equinox he offers two challenges: a game of speed and grace, and a game of creativity and imagination. As ever, the rules of the ritual apply. Each person who receives the ritual will be ''guaranteed'' entry to a challenge. Depending on the challenge, they ''may'' be able to bring a certain number of attendants with them to assist. The exact number will depend on the nature of the challenge and the number of challengers. The [[civil service]] will publish exact numbers in [[Anvil#The_Hub|the Hub]] on Saturday morning for all to see.

You can find details of the challenges issued by Barien this season in the '''[[Arrows and clay]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=AgramantArt.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>
===Accomplices===
* '''Navarr; Military Council; Military unit captains; ''Eskah Swift Hart, Vosjuli Cherenkov, Towlen Nighthaven'' and ''Mirella of the Twisted Rose'''''
Another season, another message from [[Agramant]], delivered by his heralds from the depths of [[Therunin]]. The eternal's efforts were roundly refuted last season, with the [[Golden Axe]] reclaiming Lower Tarn Valley. This season, Twigsnapper has a much more pointed offer to make to aid the reconquest of Therunin.

You can find out what Agramant and his heralds are up to in the '''[[Accomplices]]''' wind of fortune.

<div style="float:left; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NBUrizen.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>
===Metamorphosis===
* '''Urizen, particularly the captains of military units or residents of Sarangrave; Keeper of the Breadbasket and farm owners of the Marches; Imperial Consul; ''Frith, Ser Guy of the Twisted Rose, Fausta Ankarien,'' and people interested in the rebel septs; ''Solas of the Spire of the First Light'' and the Warmage'''
It has been a tumultuous time in the Sarangrave. First the Druj, then the vallorn, and now husks. All while the Empire has been endeavouring to make diplomatic inroads with the rebels of Nesustak Forest. Sadly, troubles abound; the eviction of so many from Thornfen by the Axou has raised the spectre of famine in the territory. And now the Druj scattered through the territory, alongside the rampaging husks, threaten to raise a third dark spectre - the beast that lurks beneath the waters of the Sarangrave, the dark and terrible Kroll.

You can find out what's happening in Sarangrave this season in the '''[[Metamorphosis]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly General.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
===A Little at a Time===
* '''Members of the Synod, especially Cardinals; Members of the Senate; Members of the Vallornguard and people interested in the fate of Pilgrim's Defiance'''
Last season, eight judgements of [[proscription]] were raised, and half of them were upheld by the General Assembly. Similar to their previous efforts, the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] has asked the civil service to publish not just guidance on the outcome of these proscriptions, but also details from the minutes of their discussions in the hopes of providing clarity to interested citizens. This includes detailed guidance on the three changes to religious law enacted by the Senate.

You can find out the outcome of the Constitutional Court's meeting on the proscriptions and changes to religious law last season, in the '''[[A little at a time]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Marcher.png|align=right|width=150}}
===Out of These Convertites===
* '''The League, particularly orcs and members of the Synod; The Marches; People with an interest in foot-the-ball or duelling'''
* This wind was updated on 07/09/2026 to change the time of the [[Out_of_these_convertites#And_So_Am_Come_Abroad|Am So Am Come Abroad]] encounter to 18:30 on Saturday
Last season, the [[The League|League]] and [[The Marches|Marcher]] Assemblies both passed statements of principle encouraging a pilgrimage of Apulian orcs and League members of the Synod to the [[Mournwold]]. Citizens from all five cities of the League have taken up the call to travel, and the orcs of the Mourn have welcomed them with open arms and farm tools. It's not just the harvest that's discussed, but ancestors and sports.

You can find out what happened when the League visited the Marches this season in the '''[[Out of these convertites]]''' wind of fortune.

===Goodwill===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Vallornguard sodality.png|title=Vallornguard|align=right|width=100}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Dawn.png||align=right|width=180}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Highborn.png||align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Navarr.png||align=right|width=150}}
* '''Dawn, Navarr; Highguard; Vallornguard'''
Two nations have chosen to use their [[The highest calling|highest calling]] to focus their people on the coming final war against the [[vallorn]]. The [[Dawn|Dawnish]] are developing the skills and resources to prepare themselves, while [[Navarr]] are looking for ways to support the nascent [[Vallornguard]] by sharing centuries of accumulated wisdom with other nations. Surprising progress has been made: the Dawnish have chosen to [[Love_and_monsters#Unicorns|throw open the doors of Greenwood Manor]] to all comers. The Navarr have spent the last year offering their unique expertise to their Imperial cousins, their eye turned at last to their allies in [[Highguard]]. Even the denizens of the [[eternal]] [[realms]] have heard the call to war, and have been encouraged to offer their aid as the Empire prepares for the war that will, if it is successful, bring to an end the Doom of Terunael.

You can find out about the highest callings of Navarr and Dawn, and the opportunities they provide, in the '''[[Goodwill]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Ephisis.jpg|align=left|width=300}}</div>
===Not From the Benevolence===
* '''Entrepreneurs and traders; Members of the Senate, particularly the Senators for Reikos and Bastion; People interested in contracts available, particularly ''Dorys Delgorokov'', ''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo'' and ''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged''; Citizens of Kallavesa, the Barrens, and Hercynia; and the ''Freeborn Flame Cartel'''''
Following the relative success of the new scheme to offer large contracts for fulfilment, the heralds of the [[Ephisis|Sovereign Lady of the City of Gold and Lead]] have returned with new offers for the coming summit. As always, the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] will set up shop in the [[Hall of Worlds]] on the final day of the summit, where they will look to settle any sales offered to the City via the [[Ephisis' Scale]] ritual.

You can learn about the offer for a fortification, the contracts available from the City of Gold and Lead, and the counting houses requested by the Conclave, in the '''[[Not from the benevolence]]''' wind of fortune.

===Wayfaring Strangers (Visitors)===
* '''Senators for Tassato and Holberg, and the League Assembly; Envoy to the Karass; Magpies;'''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
People visit Anvil for all kinds of reasons. Trade, wonderment, and a chance to meet with the movers and shakers of the Empire. It is no surprise that Anvil is seen as the place to be if you want to get anything of importance done.

You can find out more about some of the folk coming to Anvil this season in the '''[[Wayfaring strangers]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=ArgentSword_Colour.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
===Value Beneath the Mountain===
* '''General of the Argent Sword; ''Kespoena Archsky''; Members of the Senate and those able to announce commissions; people who like mithril; ''Herminius of the House of the Wanderer''; Architect of Illumination; Gardener of Pallas; Arbiter of the Four Winds; Oblivion Sentinel; and people who like the idea of fighting in caves'''
Almost eighteen months ago, an arcane projection raised Kespoena's Reach (formerly known as Mount Polus) to be the highest mountain in the Empire. This, unexpectedly, led to a crevasse opening at the base of the mountain. Last season, the [[Argent Sword|General of the Argent Sword]], '''Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer''', ordered the heralds of her army to "''sniff out the value beneath the mountain''".

You can find out what they found, and what lies beneath Kespoena's Reach, in the '''[[Value beneath the mountain]]''' wind of fortune.
===Domain Expansion===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Marcher.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''The Marches; Imperial Orcs; Senate and Military Council; Singing Caves seat; and Quartermaster of the Imperial Armies; Imperial diviners and cartographers; anyone with an interest in Liathaven/Ashvale'''
While other nations struggle on, the [[the Marches|Marchers]] have got their harvest in. Their assembly has completed their [[The highest calling#Highest calling|highest calling]] and successfully [[Expand_Breadbasket_into_Mournwold|expanded]] the [[The_Marches_economic_interests#The_Imperial_Breadbasket|Imperial Breadbasket]] into [[Mournwold]]. There's no time for rest however... as ever Marcher knows, the reward for a good job is more work. Keen not to let the grass grow under anyone's feet, Marchers look to make good use of the remaining time now the Breadbasket is properly sorted. There are a few ideas knocking around about what Marchers could be doing next, as a tidal wave of Imperial Steel sweeps through [[Mitwold]] and into [[Bregasland]] - time to build on that success. After-all - you don't own it unless you can defend it...

You can learn about suggestions for how the Marches can own and defend land, and a mildly irritating development with a former Imperial territory, in the '''[[Domain expansion]]''' wind of fortune.
===Islands in the Dream===
<div style="float: right; max-width: 150px; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:Illarawm.png]]</div>
* '''Imperial Orcs, Varushka, Highguard; Military Council'''
Bloodcrow Knott declared the [[the highest calling#Highest Calling|highest calling]] of the [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]] assembly to be [[Every_day_of_your_life#Spanning_the_Abyss|seeking the ancestors of other septs]], and at the Summer Solstice, Bloodcrow Meep was chosen to [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_93|lead an approach]] to the [[Culling_the_threat#The_Dreamers_of_the_Dark_Forest|Dreamers of the Dark Forest]] in eastern [[Ossium]]. This time the [[orc|orcs]] have additional support in the form of advisors from [[Varushka]] and [[Highguard]] familiar with the sept, who helped arm and train the orcs to fight the [[Druj]] a few years back. The delegation of [[shamans]] and [[Illarawm|mystagogues]] braves the haunted woods and finds a guarded welcome, some mystical beliefs about spirits, and another dilemma for the Empire...

You can learn about the Dreamers of the Dark Forest, their spiritual beliefs, and their pressing concerns, in the '''[[Islands in the dream]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBNavarr.jpg|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBVarushka.jpg|align=right|width=300}}
===Shadowed Boughs of Twilight===
* '''Citizens of Ossium, Navarr and Varushkan alike; Ossium forest owners; Senate, Military Council; Varushkan and Dawnish military units; Grieftender of the Forgotten, Map to the City Below, Singer of Silence, Ceslev of the Circle of ZUlgan Tash; People who like having a fortification in Ossium; Apothecary of Orieb; people angry about idolatry; Agramant watchers; Watcher of the Semmerlak; Guardian of the Maze of Zoria; Dedicates of Wisdom; Ambassador to Otkodov'''
[[Ossium]] has been part of [[Varushka]] for six years now, and what was once a wretched place clenched in the iron fist of the [[Druj]] is rapidly becoming one of the most prosperous territories in the Empire. Alongside the Varushkans live a few scattered septs of [[orc|orcs]], while the [[Thule]] control the northern forests in uneasy alliance. For the last few years it has also been home to families of Navarr drawn by Awstin's Rest. After the Summer Solstice, though, magic drawn from the [[Realms#Night|Wondrous Forest]] washes over the territory, bringing with it the unmistakable blessings of Night magic - blessings that have a regrettable tendency to be somewhat mixed. Especially given the presence of the monsters that have been here since well before the Empire drove the Druj out, who still lurk in the depths of the wild forests.

You can learn about the effects the Night magic has had, on dreams and on the forest, as well as details about eternals and monsters, in the '''[[Shadowed boughs of twilight]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Drakes_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Star Forged colour.webp|align=right|width=200}}
===When Something Is Lost===
* '''Inhabitants of Madruga; Generals of the Drakes and Star Forged; military units; Marcher folk; Conclave orders; Military Council; magicians interested in ill-advised experiments; Archmages of Night, Spring, and Winter; Stone Smith'''
Once [[Madruga]] was grassy plains, rich coastline, and prosperous islands. Now it is something else, thanks in part to the transfiguration of its southern coast by magically-infused river waters. This is [[the Brass Coast]] and there are plenty of Freeborn who welcome the excitement, unpredictability, and wonder each day promises. After the Summer Solstice, magic started to settle over Madruga, bringing with it vibrant dreams of vanished forests and heralds of the [[Realms#Night|Night realm]]. At first it seemed to be just a gentle piece of [[Night magic]]... but as the Autumn got closer it became clear it had done more than just evoke dreams. Two Imperial armies were also in Madruga, busy claiming the wild marshes of the Siroc Bayou and Crucible for the Empire. ''One'' of these two armies has come back out of the marshes and the other one... has not.

You can learn about the gentle enchantment, and the disappearance of an entire Imperial army, in the '''[[When something is lost]]''' wind of fortune.

===A Friend Like You (Eternals)===
* '''Knight-protector of Summer; Captain of the Throne Guard; Dauntless Warrior; ''William Guildenstern''; Architect of the Hammers; Arch of the Sky; Business owners in Zenith; Quartermaster of the Hanuri Garrison; General of the Burning Falcon; Maestro of the Cat's Graces; Azure Sutannir; Dawnish magicians; ''Lady Aletheia of the Twisted Rose'', ''Catena'', and magicians who perform curses; ''Claudia Varkulova Remislav, Eevi of the Gadrai'', and the Conclave; ''Artreus D'Fauntine, Catrina Words The Unbelievably Magical, Leo the Rainbow Sage,'' the <s>Order of the</s> Golden Chalice, the Tender of the Phoenix Flame, and the Churnspire Adjutor; those who met with Argent Preceptor; Night ritualists, and those who like the Whisper Gallery; '''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
Some magic comes from outside the Empire, from the creatures of the [[Realm|realms]], the [[eternal|eternals]] and their [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]]. Sometimes they have boons to offer, sometimes they have demands to make. Here we learn of the doings of the realms, with something that could be relevant to any number of folk, including some meetings, some odd opportunities, and eerie happenings.

You can learn about the doings of various eternals, and the repercussions of their former doings, in the '''[[A friend like you]]''' wind of fortune.

===Spreading the Way (Appraisal)===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">[[file:Labyrinth.jpg]]</div>
* '''Members of the Senate; People interested in spreading the Way'''
Last season, the Senate called for an appraisal on how non-Wayist cultures and communities residing within the Empire can be brought into the [[The Way|Way of Virtue]]. Naomi of Virtue's Rest was assigned, and her [[appraisal]] of the situation has been submitted. Naomi has had to rely on a very broad-strokes approach to the question, but she is confident that it will leave the Empire as a whole better off with the understanding that it brings.

You can learn about the results of Naomi's work in the '''[[Spreading the Way]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">[[file:Assembly Prosperity.png]]</div>
===This Old House===
* '''Prosperity Assembly; Inhabitants of Feroz; General Assembly; Members of Senate; People interested in commissions'''
During the Spring Equinox, the Prosperity Assembly upheld a [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement 138|judgement]] that made clear their highest calling: to look for opportunities that will help to bring Prosperity to the damaged territories of the Empire and the people within them. The first territory chosen by the assembly was [[Feroz]], still suffering from the ravages it suffered under Governor Rahab. The Prosperous have identified what they consider the best option for helping the people of Feroz, and one Freeborn architect has a pitch for how it might potentially help the rest of the Empire.

You can learn about how the Prosperity Assembly might help the people of Feroz feel less [[Region_qualities#Abandoned|abandoned]] in the '''[[This old house]]''' wind of fortune.

===Rebellion's Ridge===
* '''General Assembly; Inhabitants of the Mournwold, particularly farm and mine owners'''
During the Spring Equinox, the Pride Assembly upheld a [[388YE Spring Equinox Synod judgements#Judgement 13|writ of consecration]] to consecrate [[Mournwold#Rebellion's Ridge|Rebellion's Ridge]] as a memorial to the exemplars of Pride, the [[Known_exemplars#Leaders_of_the_Ore_Hills_Rebellion|Leaders of the Ore Hills Rebellion]]. The writ has brought things to a head in the Mourn, and now it comes down to the decision of the General Assembly.

You can learn about the potential consecration of Rebellion's Ridge as a memorial to the Ore Hills Rebels in the '''[[Rebellion's Ridge]]''' wind of fortune.

===A Habit I Can't Break (Mortal Magic)===
* '''Keeper of the Imperial Menagerie, Financier of Holberg's Phantasmagorical Mementoes, and Conclave; Freeborn ritualists; Navarr;'''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
Not all magic is performed by the denizens of the realms; mortals are just as, if not more, capable of causing all kinds of trouble when left alone with too much free time and mana crystals.

You can read about goings-on across the Empire in the '''[[A habit I can't break]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">[[file:Meraud001a.png|align=right|width=200]]</div>
===Towers of the Sun===
* '''Conclave, Senate; Imperial magicians; Churnspire Adjutor; Francisco i Alvera i Riqueza, Olivier, Ioseph of Summer's Apex, Carlos of Phoenix Reach, Mercurio Ankarien, Lord Tobias De Gauvain, Enchanter Vesper Lucentia, Kaapo Kingfishering, Lord Morgann de Vere, Beatrice Keeper, Ibiss Briarheart, Enchantress Areloe Larmallevés, Catrina Words The Unbelievably Magical'''
The ''[[Meraud|Summer Enchanter]]'' has been through some things recently, but it seems he is [[Ambassadors_of_death#Apples_and_Oranges_(Summer)|even more enthusiastic]] about helping out his friends in the Empire than usual. As Summer fades, his messengers are dispatched to various points around the Empire with boons and plans and proposals a plenty. Whether it is wizards towers, appreciation for the [[Churnspire Adjutor]], or final decisions regarding communication with the ''Lord of the Lake'', they have been full of the fire of enthusiasm and relentlessly upbeat. Only when the ''[[Sadogua|Toad King]]'' is brought up in polite conversation does their eager demeanour slip a little and a few choice words of criticism get voiced.

You can learn about offers from Meraud, and an opportunity to restore channels of communication, in the '''[[Towers of the sun]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">[[file:Sadogua001d.webp|align=right|width=150]]</div>

===Towers of the Moon===
* '''Conclave; People of Kallavesa; Brat Umbral Path; anyone who wants a stab at running the Well of Shadows; Vigilance Assembly; Arcane Architect, Dean of the Lyceum; Marcher magicians and wassailers; Varushkans who are not the Circle of Zulgan bloody Tash'''
The [[Sadogua|Brother of Wizards]] has become a little more active of late, after a period of somnolence. His heralds have enthusiastically accepted invitations to [[What is lost?|visit Madruga]] and while they deny it, they've also been actively [[Shadowed boughs of twilight|fighting spider monsters in Ossium]]. Following an unexpected appearance in the [[Hall of Worlds]] during the Summer Solstice in which Imperial magicians apparently helped him "get a spider out of his ear" (whatever ''that'' means), he has also apparently made a concerted effort to [[Missive for Sadogua|answer all this mail]]. But it doesn't stop there! It seems someone has lit a fire under the backside of the perennially slothful ''Toad King'', and he is busily trying to catch up on his obligations to his friends in the Empire.

You can learn about his meandering offers to assorted Imperial magicians, and what he ''really'' thinks of the Circle of Zulgan Tash, in the '''[[Towers of the moon]]''' wind of fortune.

==Diplomatic Winds==
Each season, the Civil Service prepares a summary of the Empire's relationship with the foreign nations. This is usually based on communications received from their ambassador, along with any useful intelligence gathered from other sources. While the [[Senate]] and the other houses of Imperial power may respond to these offers, it is important to note that it is the appropriate [[ambassador]] that the foreign power will expect to hear from. Their communication with the foreign power is the primary element that will determine the tenor of any response. While these winds revolve around international matters, their focus is still on the Empire and what its citizens can do to influence diplomatic matters, so they're as likely as any other wind to contain something of interest to characters from all walks of life.

===All I Can Do (Beoraidh)===
* '''Ambassador to Beoraidh; Cat's Graces; Benefactors Council; Steward of the Ossuary; Members of Senate; Apothecaries Guild; Regario Dossier'''
[[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] was once the stronghold of the [[Grendel]] ''Salt-Lord Ehsan'' and his supporters. When the Empire moved to invade Mareave, Ehsan declared independence and sued for peace with the Empire. The city itself and the neighbouring region of [[Mareave#Sinfoyard|Sinfoyard]] are recognised as a neutral state by the Senate; a free port where both merchants of all nations are welcome. They actively seek investment from both Imperial and Grendel sources, and have allied themselves with the powerful [[Sarcophan Delves]]. One opportunity that has been under discussion for a while now is the creation of a temple dedicated to the Way, a monument to cooperation welcomed by the former Grendel. After the Summer Solstice it appears that some movement has been made towards making intention into reality.

You can learn about diplomatic relations with Beoraidh, and the opportunity to build a temple there, in the '''[[All I can do]]''' wind of fortune.

===It's All Wrong, But It's All Right===
* '''Ambassador to Faraden; Ambassador to the Iron Confederacy; Synod, Senate; fleet captains; Alder of Meade, Mediator of Fisk, Azure Sutannir, Cat's Graces; military unit commanders, especially mercenaries'''
The merchants of [[Faraden]] and the militarist [[Iron Confederacy]] lie to the west and south of the Empire respectively - to the west and south of [[the Brass Coast]] more specifically. Relations with the two nations have been tumultuous in the past but in the last year or two there has been a slow sanding-off of harsh edges. A feeling that lasting détente may be possible, although what it might cost is another matter entirely...

You can learn about diplomatic affairs regarding Faraden and the Suranni, and some pressing problems regarding both, in the '''[[It's all wrong, but it's all right]]''' wind of fortune.

===So Little I Wanted, So Little I Got===
* '''Ambassador to Asavea; Ambassador to Sumaah; Ambassador to the Grendel; Marracossa Sendito; Members of the Senate; fleet captains; Ambassadors in general; Loyalty Assembly, particularly ''Dagon Barossa'''''
The orthodox [[Sumaah Republic]] and the declining [[Asavean Archipelago]] lie far to the west of the Empire. The two great nations remain locked in war. Closer to home, the [[Grendel]] compete with the Empire for dominance of the Bay of Catazar. Even closer to home, the Marracossan exiles live in their town of [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Trajadoz]], Madruga. The [[ambassador|ambassadors]], the [[Imperial Consul]], and other individuals invested in diplomacy have their work cut out keeping abreast of what is happening, as each nation has agendas no less complex than those of the nations that make up the Empire.

You can learn about the ongoing diplomatic situation with the Asavean Archipelago, the Sumaah Republic, the Marracossans of Trajadoz, and the Grendel in '''[[So little I wanted, so little I got]]''' wind of fortune.

===Those Memories of You===
* '''Ambassador to the Sarcophan Delves; Ambassador to Axos; Senate; Wintermark farmers, herb garden owners, and apothecaries; Imperial Apothecaries Guild; collectors of vallorn relics; fleet captains trading with Issyk; Navarr traders'''
The [[Sarcophan Delves]] are a great power, a cosmopolitan nation centred around an immense city that sprawls out across the banks of the Umshalla river. [[Axos]] is tiny nation on the outskirts of the Empire, controlling a little over two territories. For all their differences they have similarities, though. Both are a people of cities, and both have an uneasy relationship to death. The Axou ''necromantia'' are acknowledged masters of the cold magic of the grave, while the Sarcophan base much of their industry on the use of the ''ongelukkig'' living-corpses. They are both nations made more powerful through trade, and both would like to see themselves as friends to the Empire... and in both cases that friendship can prove to be something of a mixed blessing.

You can learn about Sarcophan and Axou diplomacy, and some trade opportunities, in the '''[[Those memories of you]]''' wind of fortune.
===If We Never Meet Again===
* '''Ambassador to Jarm; Ambassador to the Commonwealth; Senate; Imperial mercenary soldiers (especially the League, Dawn, Urizen, and Highguard); Imperial fleet captains; Celestial Arch and Sevenfold Path; Rod and Shield and Golden Pyramid; Granite Pillar; friends of Professor Emmanuel Gelberg'''
The [[Commonwealth]] and the [[Principalities of Jarm]] had been at war, fighting for control of the borderlands between their two great nations. When the tiny country of Lantir was annihilated by [[Cold Sun]], a major incursion began that saw armies of [[Cold_Sun#Heralds|scions]] pouring through a breach in what remained of the capital city. Now they have a common enemy, but it has given them little ''else'' in common. Revelations as to the cause of the incursion have set the balance of power in the east swinging wildly - and not just between the two nations. The Empire is in the middle of a war of words and recriminations, and a long-term friendship seems to be on the verge of collapse while the attitude of bitter rivals appear to be improving.

You can learn about the chaos in the east, and its significant to Imperial citizens, in the '''[[If we never meet again]]''' wind of fortune.
===The Little Things===
* '''Ambassador to Otkodov; Senate; Military Council; Folk of Ossium'''
The [[Thule]] of [[Otkodov]] share a long mountainous border with [[Wintermark]], the [[Imperial Orcs|the Unshackled]], and [[Varushka]]. A magocratic nation is ruled by five allegedly immortal orc wizards called the Dragons they were at war with the Empire for much of its history. Now though, they are at peace. An uneasy peace to be sure, secured with the concedence of northern regions claimed as part of Otkodov. But peace nonetheless. For the last year or so, the Thule have been waging war on [[the Mallum]], conquering western [[Forest of Ulnak|Ulnak]] and occupying the northern Druj. They have also been engaging in active negotiations with the representatives of the Empire, arranging deals and agreements that might against all the odds so this peace last longer than perhaps it has any right to.

You can read about recent diplomatic developments, and in particular some upcoming events in [[Ossium]], in the '''[[The little things]]''' wind of fortune.

==Other Events==
===Strange Currencies===
* '''The Silver Flame ask for ritual texts for ''Strong Ox, Golden Sun'' and ''Gathering the Harvest'''''
* '''In return, they pledge their sentinels to defend Spiral as needed'''
The [[A_question_of_loyalty#Spiral|Tribunal of the Silver Flame]] controls the region of [[Spiral#Cinion|Cinion]], in [[Spiral]] - and is home to several hundred former Urizeni mages at most. Nearly a [[Mirror_and_the_flame|year ago]], they announced grand plans to make a formal alliance with the [[eternal]] [[Sinokenon]], declaring their intent to build a [[fane]] in their territory so as to allow the eternal to give them more extensive support. Aware that the risks would be shared by the Empire, they wrote to inform them of their intentions, and tried to sweeten the deal with two powerful rituals in exchange for access to Imperial Lore, assuming that the offer would land favourably.

It did not. The [[Conclave]] rejected the offer outright, seemingly incensed at the repeated request for access to Lore and having deep misgivings about the nature of ''Diamondmind's'' offer. The Flame sent a delegation to Anvil to try and understand why their strategy had landed so badly. Eager to demonstrate their worth to their neighbours, they sent their sentinels to aid in the [[This_is_the_end#Never_follow_me|quixotic but ultimately successful effort to free Apulian]] from the [[Whisper Gallery|Whisper Gallery's]] grasp. Last season, the Conclave agreed to disseminate [[Blessing of New Spring]] to them - a sign that there is diplomatic willing there, yet.

Now the [[civil service]] have been sent word from Alexius, who acts as the representative of the Tribunal to the Empire. His missive strikes a somewhat contrite note. The Tribunal have abandoned their plans to build a fane for Sinokenon - for now. It seems that someone made a generous donation of liao to the faction within the Tribunal who were most opposed towards any form of eternal alliance, and they have spent the last three months pressing their point. They have convinced many, but in particular they have convinced Caela, the Grand Arbiter of the Tribunal, who has asked the heralds of Sinokenon to leave.

This has not come without cost, it seems. While they have the stocks and stores to get through winter, it will be hard without outside assistance. Their need is pressing, and so they write to ask if their friends in Anvil could see to the dissemination of the other two rituals in the cycle of farm rituals. This would aid the rebels greatly - especially if this happens in time for the rituals to be cast in the Summer and Autumn of next year. Beyond that, the Flame would benefit from any personal enchantments, especially ones like [[Gift of the Wily Broker]] which allow for careful economic stewardship. In return, the Tribunal are prepared to guarantee that their sentinels will continue to support efforts in Apulian or be sent to assist in Spiral's defence in any way they can - whether it is simply to act as swords against the darkness of the wilds or to defend some fortification. They have four groups of sentinels with a combined military strength of a little under five hundred.

===All the Right Friends===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Prosperity.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''Efforts to share the virtue of Prosperity with the people of Tsark have met with some success.'''
* '''There is an opportunity to bring word of inspirational figures of Prosperity to Tsark.'''
* '''Eleven Imperials have been invited at 18:35 on the Saturday of the equinox to visit the Tsarkoi in Zenith.'''
The isolated nation of [[Tsark]] is famously slow to change and resistant to outside influence or visitors of any kind. In the last decade, as the Empire has become aware of Tsark's existence yet remained neutral, even friendly towards the tiny sagocracy, there has been a slow but perceptible thawing of relations on behalf of the Sage's Council. [[Seeds_of_discord#Tsark|Last season]] they sent ''Camilla'', one of the adepts who play some kind of role in day-to-day spiritual guidance of the lives of the Tsarkoi, to visit the Empire to learn more about the virtue of [[Prosperity]]. It seems that the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]] made the case that there could be a place for Prosperity within the worldview of the sages, and they were not so horrified at the suggestion as to refuse it out of hand.

Camilla solicited letters on the subject of Prosperity and has made herself and her fellow adepts available this last season for members of the Urizen Assembly to discuss Prosperity with her. As the equinox approaches, the Imperial diplomatic corps, through the office of the Seeker of the Perfect World, receive word that the initiative has been a success: at least from Camilla's point of view. She has learned much about Prosperity from all she has read and heard - yet she feels there is yet more to learn. In particular, she understands that the Empire set great stock by inspirational figures of the past who exemplify their virtues - a practice the people of Tsark understand well. The great sages and adepts of the past all have shrines built into the [[Mountains_of_the_Moon#Wall_of_the_Luge_and_the_East_and_West_Rising|Wall of the Luge]], the mighty fortified wall that surrounds the sacred plateau of Visoko. She would like to learn more about the inspirational prosperous figures that the Empire holds dear to its heart. If the Empire's representatives can impressively preach of an inspirational figure of Prosperity in a way that resonates with the spirituality of Tsark, then it could well lead to further such opportunities, as the Tsarkoi believe that inspirational figures are the ''most'' important way to find spiritual enlightenment.

She has asked Sage Kristoph, the well-established representative of the Sage's Council to the "People of the Horse", to make the trip to Zenith. She would like to host a discussion on the premises of the Garden of the Perfect World, with Sage Kristoph to attend, and an invitation is extended to each person who wrote to her or visited. These are, in no particular order: '''Farren Silver Streams, Abel the Rounder, Isaac of the Reaching Vine, Berilo i Erigo, Heilyn Bronwen's Rest, Catena of Tropaion, Galene Netherwatch, Able the Taller, Lord Augur Gryphontale, Eleri Bronwen's Rest''', and '''Solas of the First Light'''. They are invited to speak about three inspirational figures of Prosperity, with ten minutes (allowing time for questions) allocated for each figure. Who actually presents and on which figures Camilla defers to the visitors - she trusts them to collectively come to an understanding in an efficient manner that respects the time of others, as - she has learnt - the Prosperous are wont to do.

This is clearly a fateful occasion, and on such occasions the Sentinel Gate obliges. There is a conjunction for eleven people at 18:35 on the Saturday of the Equinox, to attend the Gardens of the Perfect World, Occursion, Zenith. The civil service has asked the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]], '''Abel the Rounder of Sarangrave Reforged''', to be responsible for the conjunction and for the other arrangements Camilla has mentioned.

===Blades of the Semmerlak (reprise)===
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Blades of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' [[Edifice]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:'''
*Sandling in Weirwater ''or'' Lacuve in Semmerholm
'''and'''
*Malimorzi in Karov ''or'' Bittershore in Ossium
</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 24 weirwood and 72 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' Three months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the start of Autumn Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Creates title of ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak''
* Creates the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''' venture for questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens
* Removes the threat to ships on the Semmerlak and establishes a sodality to deal with threats from Dho'uala</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Counts as a single commission</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Dawnish and Varushkan</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Senate or Test of Arms </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' This is a [[martial title]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:'''
* Receives 10 crowns a season
* Receives a [[Duelist's Scales]], a [[Troubadour's Ring]], and a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] once a year</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To counter the influence of Dho'uala and deal with threats coming from the Semmerlak</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<tr><td style="background-color: HotPink;">'''Blades in the Semmerlak'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Venture Type:''' Guarding</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Territories bordering the Semmerlak</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Duration:''' Open-ended</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Rewards:''' Six crowns and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]]</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''''Tristan Ramson von Holberg'', the Master of the Mint, announced the reappraisal of the Blades of the Semmerlak'''
* '''A wardenhouse in Varushka and a knightly estate in Dawn would provide a base of operations for heroes to protect the Semmerlak'''
Last season, the [[Master of the Mint]], '''Tristan Ramson von Holberg''', announced the [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Reappraise_Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|reappraisal]] of the Blades of the Semmerlak in Dawnish and Varushkan territories surrounding the [[the Semmerlak|Semmerlak]]. Originally [[Less_welcome_tenants#Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|suggested]] shortly before the Summer Solstice 386YE, the wardenhouse and knightly estate were part of a larger appraisal into the problem of [[Dho'uala]] killing Imperial citizens and interfering with matters on and around the Semmerlak.

A motion to construct the [[Less_welcome_tenants#Wards_and_Bargains|Journeymage Towers]] was [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Construct_Journeymage_Towers|proposed]] by '''Amicia of the Semmerlak''', as Senator for Semmerholm, and the [[Watcher of the Semmerlak]] has been active, appointed by the Assembly of Vigilance, and tasked with ensuring the nations surrounding the Semmerlak act with Vigilance and countering threats from the Semmerlak.

Lutomysla's suggestion that the Senate establish a small sodality dedicated to protecting the people around the Semmerlak still holds true, and has the same enthusiastic support from the merchant-boyars, earls, and merchant-princes keen to see people protected from the depredations of the sovereign. A knightly order focused on protecting the communities along the lake, and a warden fellowship to travel on ships crossing the Semmerlak to protect the crew; both would actively seek out the creatures of Dho'uala and fight them. Supported by Imperial heroes, the sodality would remove the threat to the people living along the edge of the lake. Instead, it would fall to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens to serve as the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''',

They will need places to operate from - an estate in Dawn for the knights and a wardenhouse in Varushka for the wardens. Lutomysla identified that the best locations would be either [[Weirwater#Sandling|Sandling]], in the vicinity of [[Weirwater#Culwich|Culwich]], or [[Semmerholm#Lacuve|Lacuve]] in [[Semmerholm]] near the bustling port of [[Semmerholm#Lacre|Lacre]] for the knights, and the port of Korotny in [[Karov#Malimorzi|Malimorzi]] in [[Karov]] and the [[Merchant_Boyar_of_the_Bittershore#Kostjyas_Respite|Kostjyas Respite]] in [[Ossium#Bittershore|Bittershore]] in [[Ossium]] and those still hold true. Although they involve work in two regions, the actual project itself requires only a single commission, and the building of the wardenhouse and the estates will take place in parallel. Once construction is complete, any threat to the people who live along the banks of the lake will be met by enthusiastic warriors. It will also create a new guarding [[venture]] available to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens - '''Blades in the Semmerlak'''. This will allow a [[military unit]] to spend their time actively defending the Semmerlak and the ships that traverse it. A starting military unit undertaking the venture would receive 120 rings and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]].

There would need to be a title to oversee the efforts and support the sodality; the ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'' would be a [[martial title]] of Dawn and Varushka who was appointed by either unanimous agreement of the senators of those two nations, or a [[Martial_title#Creating_Martial_Titles|test of arms]] between members of those two nations. The title-holder would be responsible for protecting the communities around the Semmerlak from threats mundane and magical, and to stand ready to oppose the depredations of Dho'uala whenever they raise their head. In return, they would receive an income of 10 crowns each season with which to equip allies and maintain their sodality.

They would also be the beneficiaries of several magic items provided by Dawnish, Varushkan, and League donors. A [[Duelist's Scales|Duelist's Scales]] weapon from the Varushkan merchant-boyars to weaken corrupt horrors; a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] from League merchant-princes to protect them from venom; and a [[Troubadour's Ring]] from Dawnish earls to help them support their allies. These items would be received once each year, and while the expectation is that the Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak would use them themselves, there is no reason they could not pass them to other warriors fighting against Dho'uala or similar monstrous threats.

===Dusk===
{{:Autumn Equinox 2026}}

===Husky Business (Volunteers)===
* '''There is an opportunity for player volunteers to portray their characters who died during the Saturday battle at the last event'''
* '''Eligible characters must have died during the battle, but not have been killed as a husk'''
* '''Volunteers will need to have their own costume and appropriate weapons'''
* '''The role will last around twenty minutes, starting at 18:30 on Friday'''
* '''The role will involve fighting alongside the skirmish team in an encounter against player characters'''
* '''Please email before 18:00 on Wednesday 26th of August if you are interested in volunteering'''

There is an opportunity for players to portray the husk of their fallen characters at the upcoming event. Anyone whose character died during the battle of the [[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Fens of Varreth]], raised as a husk but was not subsequently killed again as that husk is welcome to email to register interest in volunteering for an encounter on the Friday. This will be a combat [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|highly likely]] encounter through the Sentinel Gate and will involve fighting against player characters alongside members of our [[Plot_crew#Skirmish|skirmish team]].

If you are interested and would like more information, please email {{plot}} with your PID and the subject line "Husk Volunteer E4", and you will be given more details.

==Summer Conjunctions==

===Major Conjunctions===
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Link'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Outcome'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Sarangrave|Sarangrave, Turan Flats, ''Fens of Varreth'']]</td><td>Contain the dead</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Harvester of Graves]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Sigismund Vladislav Kestovia''' of [[Varushka]]; The spirits were not trapped and the husks remain a problem in eastern Sarangrave; The tortured souls of Het Trakaa remain in Turan Flats; Het Trakaa and Sul Maggotgnaw remain alive</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Mareave|Mareave, Clisearn, ''Ruins of Sinat'']]</td><td>Open the Vaults</td><td>Grendel</td><td>[[Mithril_and_rope#Battle:_Salt_and_Stone|Salt and Stone]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Joaquim i Erigo''' of [[the Brass Coast]]; Saltbound Stone recovered and claimed by '''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged'''; Ilium Jackals negotiated with and readying support of [[Boyar's Hasta]]; Iontach Leagsaidh remains in possession of their [[Grimnir's Hearthfire]]; Maistir Guaidre remains in possession of the Spiteri necklace</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Forest of Ulnak|Forest of Ulnak, Ghul'thak Forest, ''Fetid Heart'']]</td><td>Raid the Druj</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Battle:_Claim_the_Prize|Claim the Prize]]</td><td>Not taken; Status of the black lotus unclear; Status of the treasures of Taramid Skinwreath unclear</td></tr>

</table>

===Minor Conjunctions===
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! # !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview !! Result
|-
| 1 || Sarangrave, Whisperwood, Halfweir Grove || [[Fingers of the Devourer|Custodian of the Fingers of the Devourer]] || [[Thorn_and_bone#A_Testing_(Conjunction)|Destroy the heralds of Surut]] || Heralds of Surut killed; production of Fingers of Devourer has increased by two wains per season for as long as the Great Forest Orcs remain foreigners
|-
| 2 || Astolat, Withy, Igraine's Regio || [[Astolat|Senator for Astolat]] || [[A_wizard_did_it#Rants_and_Roses|Find out why the regio keeps shifting back to Spring, and resolve it]] || Unclear, but '''Éamon Ashenmourn de Cordraco''' might know more
|-
| 3 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Maiden Stone || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#Apples_First_(Mitwold)|Stop Jyll Longleys from cursing the Maiden Stone]] || ''Jyll Longleys'' and allies killed
|-
| 4 || The Barrens, Dawnguard, Troubadour's Glade || [[Knight of Dawnguard]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Vow (The Barrens)|Kill ''Prilak Gutdredger'']] || ''Prilak Gutdredger'' and almost all allies were killed
|-
| 5 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Golden Fields || [[Keeper of the Golden Fields]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#The_Right_Thing_(Mitwold)|Stop Dusty Cobb setting Golden Fields alight]] || ''Dusty Cobb'' and rebels killed
|-
| 6 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, The Dredging Flats || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Call to Stand (The Barrens)|Kill the Servants of the Burnt]] || All but one ''Servants of the Burnt'' survived
|-
| 7 || Ossium, Echofell, Burned Glade || [[Shadowed Torchbearer]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Fire_The_Forests_(Ossium)|Prevent the cursing of Ossium]] || Heralds killed and Ossium was not cursed
|-
| 8 || Therunin, Lower Tarn Valley, Rotwood Croft || '''Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#After the Taint (Therunin)|Destroy the miasma pillar]] || Miasma pillar successfully consecrated
|-
| 9 || Madruga, Free Landing, Hart's Cove || [[Hand of Guerra]] || [[Keys_of_Enlightenment#Barren_Waters_(Conjunction)|Aid the stranded ship from Sumaah]] || Unclear, but Hand of Guerra should know more
|-
| 10 || Sarangrave, Kroll, Slow Worm's Hill || [[Sevenfold Path|Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Boil The Swamps (Sarangrave)|Prevent the cursing of Sarangrave]] || Heralds killed and Sarangrave was not cursed
|-
| 11 || Sarangrave, Turan Flats, The Breakteeth dais || [[Eastern Sky|General of the Eastern Sky]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#The_Greatest_Prize_(Rhianos)|Recover the treasure]] || Treasure successfully recovered
|-
| 12 || The Barrens, Bitter Strand, Saltshore || [[Merchant of the Fangs]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Fangs_for_the_Memories_(Conjunction)|Answer General Utmar's call for aid]] || Vassals of the manticore killed
|-
| 13 || Madruga, The Crucible, Talpses Plat || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#A_Terrible_Feeling_(Madruga)|Claim the ''Snapping Face'']] || Snapping Face retrieved and heralds killed
|-
| 14 || The Barrens, Carmine Fields, Trading Way || '''Rhydian de Rondell''' || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Taste_of_Mettle_(Conjunction)|Remove the failed knights-errant of House Courcillion as a threat]] || Named knights have accepted justice from local magistrates
|-
| 15 || Necropolis, Coursmouth, The Veiled Garden || [[Guardian of Britta's Memorial]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#The_Strength_of_This_Place_(Necropolis)|Spill the waters of Siakha]] || Bucket recovered and returned to Anvil
|-
| 16 || The Barrens, The Untrod Groves, Glade of the Good Knight || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#A_Hearty_Meal_(Conjunction)|Thwart the schemes of Ser Gawain Amboise]] || Schemes of ''Ser Gawain Amboise'' thwarted
|-
| 17 || Mareave, Fleisardh, Spring Regio near Golden Wind's Encampment || [[Silver Chalice|Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Do_Some_Harm_(Arhallogen)|Poison the Grendel]] || Grendel poisoned, Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice should know more
|-
| 18 || Tassato, Cascatas, Campo Verdenta || [[Keeper of the Sapphire Stair]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#For_What_Has_Been_Wrought_(Tassato)|Kill the heralds of Siakha]] || Heralds of Siakha and wreckers killed
|-
| 19 || Spiral, Apstrus, Alba's Lea || [[Legacy|Custodian of the Legacy]] ||[[Mithril_and_rope#A_Backhanded_Request_(Spiral)|Intercept the mercenaries pay]] || Raid launched on the Legacy and ten wains of mithril claimed by the Haurlatch Iron Consortium
|-
| 20 || Reikos, Haros Water, Couros Field || '''Nekoda of the Shattered Tower''' || [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_fortune#A_Sudden_Threat_(Reikos)|Save Professor Gelberg from Grendel assassins]] || Imperials pushed out by Grendel; Professor Gelberg has been kidnapped
|-
| 21 || Redoubt, Naris, Isaac's End || '''Telemachus of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[Seeds_of_discord#An_Empty_Bottle_(Conjunction)|Leave no more than a dozen Grendel alive]] || All Grendel killed
|-
| 22 || Kallavesa, West Marsh, The Meeting Place || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_32|Erlend]]''' || [[Myth_makers#The_Unity_Of_Deed_And_Word|Consecrate the Meeting Place]] || The Meeting Place successfully consecrated with true liao
|-
| 23 || Kallavesa, Wittal Grove, Frithstan's Fen || [[Grimnir of Wittal Grove]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#An_Unexpected_Ally_(Basileia)|Defeat the Grendel (and potentially rescue the Iontach)]] || Ionatch Meddool Miniog successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 24 || Forest of Ulnak, Grimfen Mire, Moss End || [[Warmage]] || [[All_I_ask_of_you#Wild_Things_Run_Fast|Take advantage of a recent scouting discovery]] || [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] successfully cast with eight rings of [[ilium]]
|-
| 25 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Eastern Ward || '''Theodora''' || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 26 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, Gardenway || [[Envoy to the Karass]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Protect_Lenna_Karass_%28The_Barrens%29|Prevent Druj raiders from kidnapping Lenna Karass]] || Lenna Karass was successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 27 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Western Ward || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 28 & 29 || Forest of Ulnak, Gloomsea, Islet of Calm || [[Archmage of Day]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Who's_the_Thief?_(Forest_of_Ulnak)|Prevent the Eyes of the Dragon from using a boon of Kimus]] || [[Wind of Mundane Silence]] performed on regio and bodies successfully destroyed
|-
| 30 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Warmage]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Drive the vallorn from the regio]] || Imperial casualties suffered, vallornspawn remain around the regio
|-
| 31 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Archmage of Spring]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Cast Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] || [[Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] was not performed
|-
| 32 || Sarangrave, the Whisperwood, Depths of the Hungry Earth || [[Counsel of the Sun Chamber]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#The_Caves_of_the_Hungry_Earth|Investigate the Hungry Earth]] || Depths investigated, Counsel of the Sun Chamber should know more
|-
| 33 || Volodmartz, Livardz, Sumisev Peegel || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_167|Auntie Armand Mariyavich Remislav]]''' || [[Sunrise_over_Livardz#Blow_It_Up|Destroy the Sumisev Peegel]] || Sumisev Peegel was successfully destroyed by [[Wind of Mundane Silence]]
|-
|}

388YE Autumn Equinox winds of fortune

2026-09-09T17:35:34Z

Rafferty: /* Towers of the Sun */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Lights in the Dark.jpg|align=left|caption=Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. |width=2000}}</div>
==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Wind of Fortune !! Order Released !! Last Updated || Note
|-
| [[The wolves tempt you]] || 1 || data-sort-value="2026/08/15"| 15/08 || Imperial Address
|-
| [[Dream on]] || 2 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Seren
|-
| [[Come together]] || 3 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Apothecary college
|-
| [[Fair share of labour]] || 4 || data-sort-value="2026/08/19"| 19/08 || Artisans Guild
|-
| [[Hidden inventory]] || 5 || data-sort-value="2026/08/29"| 29/08 || Banner-bearers
|-
| [[A fork in the path]] || 6 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Mystics
|-
| [[Outreach across the marshes]] || 7 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Sand Fishers & League highest calling
|-
| [[Stand proud, you're strong]] || 8 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Brass Coast highest calling
|-
| [[Here you come again]] || 9 || data-sort-value="2026/08/31"| 06/09 || Plenipotentiary
|-
| [[Accomplices]] || 10 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Agramant is still in Therunin
|-
| [[Metamorphosis]] || 11 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Dealing with Kroll
|-
| [[Out of these convertites]] || 12 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || League visit to the Marches
|-
| [[Goodwill]] || 13 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Dawn, Navarr, Highguard, Vallornguard
|-
| [[Not from the benevolence]] || 14 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Offers from Ephisis
|-
| [[Wayfaring strangers]] || 15 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Visitors
|-
| [[Value beneath the mountain]] || 16 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Kespoena's Reach
|-
| [[Domain expansion]] || 17 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Imperial Breadbasket
|-
| [[Islands in the dream]] || 18 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Imperial Orc Highest Calling
|-
| [[Shadowed boughs of twilight]] || 19 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Ossium
|-
| [[When something is lost]] || 20 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Madruga
|-
| [[A friend like you]] || 21 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Eternal Winds of Magic
|-
|}</div>
Over the past three months, events have taken place which are of significance to the Empire and may require a response from her champions. These are the winds of fortune, counterparts to the winds of war that detail the Empire's military campaigns. They lay out situations and usually include things that characters can do to take advantage of [[opportunity|opportunities]] or to resolve problems. In almost every case, they start with a piece of flavour text. This fiction helps introduce the wind of fortune or draws out a particular theme or element. Often, it represents a viewpoint that one or more NPCs might have in-character. In all cases, these pieces are intended to help create an atmosphere and provide a little entertainment. Where they contain opinions, those are the opinions of the fictional people depicted - and where they contain information or rumours, the assumption is that the reader will create their own context for that information or gossip if they want to use it in character.

The body of the wind of fortune describes situations and lays out ways players can engage with them. Except where we explicitly talk about something being "rumoured" or use a phrase like "some might say..." the details of a wind of fortune are factual. They represent briefing material presented by the civil service or similar authoritative sources and represent something the average educated citizen would acknowledge as a reliable truth. Unless we specify otherwise, we're also being as thorough as possible. This information doesn't need further checking in-character. It's not an opinion, and we're not trying to trick you.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:350px; float: left; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Diplomacy Wind
|-
| General Diplomacy || [[So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavea]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Asavean_Archipelago|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Axos]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Axos|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] || [[All I can do]]
|-
| [[Commonwealth]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Commonwealth|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Marracossa]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Marracossa|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Faraden]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Faraden|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Grendel]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Grendel|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Iron Confederacy]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Iron Confederacy|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Otkodov]] || [[The little things]]
|-
| [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarm]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Principalities_of_Jarm|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Sarcophan Delves]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Sarcophan Delves|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Sumaah Republic]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Sumaah_Republic|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
|}

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of Fortune is to maintain the illusion of the Empire as a living, breathing place where things happen - and to make players aware of things their characters could know based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing for the past three months. It's perfectly acceptable to turn up to Empire having read only a few Winds of Fortune that directly interest your character; part of the fun on the field can come from learning about situations and opportunities in other parts of the game.
__TOC__
In each case, we've tried to tag the Winds of Fortune entry with the nations or political bodies to which it is most relevant. We've done this to help people who are interested only in events that are especially relevant to them. In no way are these tags intended to be exhaustive; the Empire is a complex place, and very little happens in isolation. We are also adding the dates that they were last updated (other than typos and correcting [[red links]]) in an attempt to make it easier to keep track of the newest releases.

==Winds of Fortune==
===The Wolves Tempt You (Imperial Address)===
* '''Imperial citizens; Navarr;'''
[[Emperor Vesna]] has used their power to [[The_Throne#Address_the_Empire|address the Empire]] to present a personal reminder to all citizens that the road to salvation is hard, but everyone is walking it together.

The message has been distributed across the Empire by the civil service, and you can read it in the '''[[The wolves tempt you]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:left; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Navarr.png|align=left|width=150}}</div>
===Dream On===
* '''Navarr'''
In [[Miaren]], [[Miaren#Seren|Seren]] is now become the ''City of Dreams'' in truth. People with hopes and aspirations, with the imagination to perceive what is needed to achieve them and the determination to try, have flocked to Miaren. With the completion of the Temple of the Waking Dream, the [[dreamspeaker]] calling has coalesced as a distinct [[archetype]] among the [[Navarr]] people, one dedicated to making dreams become reality. This has perhaps predictably amplified arguments about what exactly that means, and which dreams should be pursued, and how.

You can learn about competing arguments, and the changes to the city of Seren, in the '''[[Dream on]]''' wind of fortune.
===Come Together===
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBNavarr.jpg|align=right|width=100}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Imperial Apothecaries Guild; Navarr; Benefactor of High Chalcis; Highguard, the League, Imperial Orcs, and Varushka; Senate
When [[Therunin]] fell to the [[Druj]] [[Thornsinger#Thornsong_House|Thornsong House]] was lost. Despite the valiant efforts of the Navarr and the aid of [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]], the college of herb mastery could not be saved. While the house itself burned, many of those who studied there were able to escape to the safety of [[Reikos]]. Some stayed behind on [[Reikos#Chalcis Mount|Chalcis Mount]], but others chose to put as much distance between themselves and the horrors of the Druj as possible. Drawn to the Temple of the Waking Dream, some of these apothecaries and physicks have taken the path of the dreamspeaker themselves, and inspired by the City of Dreams, they have put their ambition to rebuild what was lost into words.

A proposal for a new college of the apothecary arts, and ways various nations may be involved, can be found in the '''[[Come together]]''' wind of fortune.
===Fair Share of Labour===
* '''Artisan's Guild; Throne; Senate; Artisans of all kinds; Golden Pyramid; Pride Assembly; Navarr; Guildmaster of the Artisans, Dean of Runesmith's Caution, Keeper of the Runegrott, Seer of the Spiral Sword, and potentially several other titles associated with magic item crafting'''
At the recent summit, [[Emperor Vesna]], requested that the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] [[Forever_is_composed_of_nows#The_Abraham_Gambit|appraise the implications]] of a new [[Imperial sodality]], the ''Imperial Guild of Artisans''. The Artisans Guild has technically been in existence for some time, with the Senate [[Construct_Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|ordering the construction of Guildhouse]] in 385YE, creating the position of [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]]. Now the Senate is in a position to consider the full implications of making the Guild into an official Imperial sodality.

You can learn more about the potential Imperial Sodality, as well as proposals from some people very excited by the opportunity it represents, in the '''[[Fair share of labour]]''' wind of fortune.
===Hidden Inventory===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Cat's Graces Sodality.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBWintermark.jpg|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Wintermark, especially banner bearers; Cat's Graces; Minister of Historical Research; Mediator of Hyljehal; Senate
When the tides of fate seem to turn against the Empire, to be able to look and see over the battle lines, the colours of your warband or your nation still [[Pride|Proudly]] flying can help to rally the [[Courage]] and turn the tide. In [[Wintermark]] the [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Banner-bearers|position of banner-bearer]] is seen as vital to the success of any battle. [[Empress Britta]] was a banner-bearer, and bore [[Three Tears|Foe-Slayer]], the legendary war-banner of [[Emperor Guntherm]] onto the field. The great flag was lost when Britta died and it has been near two decades since Wintermark could bear its equal into battle. The artisans and craftspeople of [[Hahnmark#Runegrott|Runegrott]] have a proposal to try to remedy this shortfall, involving the construction of a grand [[edifice]] to house banners and paintings of the great banners of the Empire as well as the creation of a new [[Magic_items#Artefacts|artefact]] [[:Category:Magic Standards|banner]] for Wintermark.

You can read more about this plan, and learn a little of the mighty banner Foe-Slayer, in the '''[[Hidden inventory]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=KallevesiMystic.jpg|align=right|width=200}}
===A Fork in the Path===
* '''Wintermark, especially the Mystics; Raven Seer of Ishal; would-be champions; Keeper of Oaths; friends of Sung
The [[mystic|Mystics]] of Ishal sought to work more closely with the wider nation of Wintermark. They have since decided [[Flight_of_birds#The_Witan|to approach the Witan]] directly, and do what they can to support the goals of the nation itself. The decision to help with the [[Warriors' Gate|exploration of Tsirku]] has made it impossible for the Mystics of Ishal to offer their usual council and support to the [[Raven Seer]] and to that end they have made several changes to the Aviary, and to the support they offer the Raven Seer and the nation. At the same time, there has been a great deal of discussion of the [[Crown of Three Tears]] and the role of the ''Champion of Wintermark'' within the nation - the appointment of who has traditionally been the responsibility of the mystics.

You can read about the changes at Ishal, and the situation of the Crown of Three Tears, in the '''[[A fork in the path]]''' wind of fortune.
===Outreach Across the Marshes===
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* '''The League, especially the Bishops and Princes; Merchant Prince of Misericorde Market; Senate
[[The League]] Assembly [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_57|has declared]] that their [[The_highest_calling#The_Highest_Calling|highest calling]] is to bring new peoples to join the Empire. A Virtuous endeavour to be sure, but even the League cannot move the whole world at once. To be effective the nation needs to [[Any_dream_will_do#Partners_within|focus their efforts]] on one group at a time. Diplomacy is a complicated matter, so they also need to decide who among them would be best to take the lead with each such group. This past season the Princes of the League have reached out to the [[Holberg#Misericorde|Sand Fishers]] of [[Holberg#Misericorde|Misericorde]], the [[orc|orcs]] who once lived on the southern shores of [[Ossium]] as slaves of the [[Druj]] but who have found a new lease of life on the northern shores of [[Holberg]].

Ultimately, the egregore decides who can or cannot join a nation - the nature of the bond is that it can only be formed with someone an egregores recognises as having the potential to be a member of the nation. But the League has already embraced the Apulian Orcs, why not the Holberg Orcs as well?

You can read about how the outreach is going, and what it might take to bring the Sand Fishers into the Empire, in the '''[[Outreach across the marshes]]''' wind of fortune.
===Stand Proud, You're Strong===
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* '''The Brass Coast, especially the Freeborn assembly;
After several seasons of deliberation (and funding a [[Construct_City_of_Wonders|whole new city]]), the Freeborn National Assembly has decided that the [[the highest calling|highest calling]] of their people should be on defending their lands. The sentiment resonates with people across [[the Brass Coast]]. It was not long ago that both [[Madruga]] and [[Feroz]] fell under barbarian control, [[Kahraman]] has faced constant invasion from the Lasambrians over the past few years and [[Segura]] has only recently enjoyed a prolonged period of quiet after nearly two decades of constant warfare. Is it a surprise that the people of the Brass coast feel a little vulnerable, given recent history?

There is so much work that could be done, people are at a loss to know where to start. The Assembly will have to consider the options carefully - they have a year to take advantage of the nation's highest calling, but that won't be enough time to pursue every possibility raised by a people as inventive as the Freeborn...

You can find out how the nation can begin to defend its lands, and the proposals put forward toward that aim, in the '''[[Stand proud, you're strong]]''' wind of fortune.
===Here You Come Again (Plenipotentiary)===
* '''Imperial Conclave; magicians; Synod; Brass Coast especially Sutannir; ''Alazhar i Taziel i Erigo'', ''Velasco i Guerra'', the Imperial Warcaster; Marcher beaters, Unshackled thief-takers, Varushkan wardens; ''Berilo i Erigo''; ''Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka'' and some dead generals'''
* This wind was updated on 06/09/2026 to add some additional paragraphs to the end of the [[Here_you_come_again#End_of_Empire|End of Empire]] section
Each [[archmage]] is empowered to send a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] message to a single [[eternal]] of their [[Realms|realm]] each season. Bound to respond, the recipients are however free to choose precisely what form that response takes. Following the Summer Solstice, six eternals have responded to what are presumed to be missives from the respective archmages. Some have agreed to [[archmage#Parley|parley]], but not all of them.

You can find out about the eternals, and the nature of their responses, in the '''[[Here you come again]]''' wind of fortune.
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===Arrows and Clay (Challenge)===
* '''Challengers of the Iron Duke'''
Each season, the eternal ''[[Barien]]'' presents opportunities to those prepared to [[Challenge the Iron Duke]]. For the Autumn Equinox he offers two challenges: a game of speed and grace, and a game of creativity and imagination. As ever, the rules of the ritual apply. Each person who receives the ritual will be ''guaranteed'' entry to a challenge. Depending on the challenge, they ''may'' be able to bring a certain number of attendants with them to assist. The exact number will depend on the nature of the challenge and the number of challengers. The [[civil service]] will publish exact numbers in [[Anvil#The_Hub|the Hub]] on Saturday morning for all to see.

You can find details of the challenges issued by Barien this season in the '''[[Arrows and clay]]''' wind of fortune.
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===Accomplices===
* '''Navarr; Military Council; Military unit captains; ''Eskah Swift Hart, Vosjuli Cherenkov, Towlen Nighthaven'' and ''Mirella of the Twisted Rose'''''
Another season, another message from [[Agramant]], delivered by his heralds from the depths of [[Therunin]]. The eternal's efforts were roundly refuted last season, with the [[Golden Axe]] reclaiming Lower Tarn Valley. This season, Twigsnapper has a much more pointed offer to make to aid the reconquest of Therunin.

You can find out what Agramant and his heralds are up to in the '''[[Accomplices]]''' wind of fortune.

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===Metamorphosis===
* '''Urizen, particularly the captains of military units or residents of Sarangrave; Keeper of the Breadbasket and farm owners of the Marches; Imperial Consul; ''Frith, Ser Guy of the Twisted Rose, Fausta Ankarien,'' and people interested in the rebel septs; ''Solas of the Spire of the First Light'' and the Warmage'''
It has been a tumultuous time in the Sarangrave. First the Druj, then the vallorn, and now husks. All while the Empire has been endeavouring to make diplomatic inroads with the rebels of Nesustak Forest. Sadly, troubles abound; the eviction of so many from Thornfen by the Axou has raised the spectre of famine in the territory. And now the Druj scattered through the territory, alongside the rampaging husks, threaten to raise a third dark spectre - the beast that lurks beneath the waters of the Sarangrave, the dark and terrible Kroll.

You can find out what's happening in Sarangrave this season in the '''[[Metamorphosis]]''' wind of fortune.
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===A Little at a Time===
* '''Members of the Synod, especially Cardinals; Members of the Senate; Members of the Vallornguard and people interested in the fate of Pilgrim's Defiance'''
Last season, eight judgements of [[proscription]] were raised, and half of them were upheld by the General Assembly. Similar to their previous efforts, the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] has asked the civil service to publish not just guidance on the outcome of these proscriptions, but also details from the minutes of their discussions in the hopes of providing clarity to interested citizens. This includes detailed guidance on the three changes to religious law enacted by the Senate.

You can find out the outcome of the Constitutional Court's meeting on the proscriptions and changes to religious law last season, in the '''[[A little at a time]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Marcher.png|align=right|width=150}}
===Out of These Convertites===
* '''The League, particularly orcs and members of the Synod; The Marches; People with an interest in foot-the-ball or duelling'''
* This wind was updated on 07/09/2026 to change the time of the [[Out_of_these_convertites#And_So_Am_Come_Abroad|Am So Am Come Abroad]] encounter to 18:30 on Saturday
Last season, the [[The League|League]] and [[The Marches|Marcher]] Assemblies both passed statements of principle encouraging a pilgrimage of Apulian orcs and League members of the Synod to the [[Mournwold]]. Citizens from all five cities of the League have taken up the call to travel, and the orcs of the Mourn have welcomed them with open arms and farm tools. It's not just the harvest that's discussed, but ancestors and sports.

You can find out what happened when the League visited the Marches this season in the '''[[Out of these convertites]]''' wind of fortune.

===Goodwill===
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* '''Dawn, Navarr; Highguard; Vallornguard'''
Two nations have chosen to use their [[The highest calling|highest calling]] to focus their people on the coming final war against the [[vallorn]]. The [[Dawn|Dawnish]] are developing the skills and resources to prepare themselves, while [[Navarr]] are looking for ways to support the nascent [[Vallornguard]] by sharing centuries of accumulated wisdom with other nations. Surprising progress has been made: the Dawnish have chosen to [[Love_and_monsters#Unicorns|throw open the doors of Greenwood Manor]] to all comers. The Navarr have spent the last year offering their unique expertise to their Imperial cousins, their eye turned at last to their allies in [[Highguard]]. Even the denizens of the [[eternal]] [[realms]] have heard the call to war, and have been encouraged to offer their aid as the Empire prepares for the war that will, if it is successful, bring to an end the Doom of Terunael.

You can find out about the highest callings of Navarr and Dawn, and the opportunities they provide, in the '''[[Goodwill]]''' wind of fortune.
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===Not From the Benevolence===
* '''Entrepreneurs and traders; Members of the Senate, particularly the Senators for Reikos and Bastion; People interested in contracts available, particularly ''Dorys Delgorokov'', ''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo'' and ''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged''; Citizens of Kallavesa, the Barrens, and Hercynia; and the ''Freeborn Flame Cartel'''''
Following the relative success of the new scheme to offer large contracts for fulfilment, the heralds of the [[Ephisis|Sovereign Lady of the City of Gold and Lead]] have returned with new offers for the coming summit. As always, the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] will set up shop in the [[Hall of Worlds]] on the final day of the summit, where they will look to settle any sales offered to the City via the [[Ephisis' Scale]] ritual.

You can learn about the offer for a fortification, the contracts available from the City of Gold and Lead, and the counting houses requested by the Conclave, in the '''[[Not from the benevolence]]''' wind of fortune.

===Wayfaring Strangers (Visitors)===
* '''Senators for Tassato and Holberg, and the League Assembly; Envoy to the Karass; Magpies;'''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
People visit Anvil for all kinds of reasons. Trade, wonderment, and a chance to meet with the movers and shakers of the Empire. It is no surprise that Anvil is seen as the place to be if you want to get anything of importance done.

You can find out more about some of the folk coming to Anvil this season in the '''[[Wayfaring strangers]]''' wind of fortune.
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===Value Beneath the Mountain===
* '''General of the Argent Sword; ''Kespoena Archsky''; Members of the Senate and those able to announce commissions; people who like mithril; ''Herminius of the House of the Wanderer''; Architect of Illumination; Gardener of Pallas; Arbiter of the Four Winds; Oblivion Sentinel; and people who like the idea of fighting in caves'''
Almost eighteen months ago, an arcane projection raised Kespoena's Reach (formerly known as Mount Polus) to be the highest mountain in the Empire. This, unexpectedly, led to a crevasse opening at the base of the mountain. Last season, the [[Argent Sword|General of the Argent Sword]], '''Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer''', ordered the heralds of her army to "''sniff out the value beneath the mountain''".

You can find out what they found, and what lies beneath Kespoena's Reach, in the '''[[Value beneath the mountain]]''' wind of fortune.
===Domain Expansion===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Marcher.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''The Marches; Imperial Orcs; Senate and Military Council; Singing Caves seat; and Quartermaster of the Imperial Armies; Imperial diviners and cartographers; anyone with an interest in Liathaven/Ashvale'''
While other nations struggle on, the [[the Marches|Marchers]] have got their harvest in. Their assembly has completed their [[The highest calling#Highest calling|highest calling]] and successfully [[Expand_Breadbasket_into_Mournwold|expanded]] the [[The_Marches_economic_interests#The_Imperial_Breadbasket|Imperial Breadbasket]] into [[Mournwold]]. There's no time for rest however... as ever Marcher knows, the reward for a good job is more work. Keen not to let the grass grow under anyone's feet, Marchers look to make good use of the remaining time now the Breadbasket is properly sorted. There are a few ideas knocking around about what Marchers could be doing next, as a tidal wave of Imperial Steel sweeps through [[Mitwold]] and into [[Bregasland]] - time to build on that success. After-all - you don't own it unless you can defend it...

You can learn about suggestions for how the Marches can own and defend land, and a mildly irritating development with a former Imperial territory, in the '''[[Domain expansion]]''' wind of fortune.
===Islands in the Dream===
<div style="float: right; max-width: 150px; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:Illarawm.png]]</div>
* '''Imperial Orcs, Varushka, Highguard; Military Council'''
Bloodcrow Knott declared the [[the highest calling#Highest Calling|highest calling]] of the [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]] assembly to be [[Every_day_of_your_life#Spanning_the_Abyss|seeking the ancestors of other septs]], and at the Summer Solstice, Bloodcrow Meep was chosen to [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_93|lead an approach]] to the [[Culling_the_threat#The_Dreamers_of_the_Dark_Forest|Dreamers of the Dark Forest]] in eastern [[Ossium]]. This time the [[orc|orcs]] have additional support in the form of advisors from [[Varushka]] and [[Highguard]] familiar with the sept, who helped arm and train the orcs to fight the [[Druj]] a few years back. The delegation of [[shamans]] and [[Illarawm|mystagogues]] braves the haunted woods and finds a guarded welcome, some mystical beliefs about spirits, and another dilemma for the Empire...

You can learn about the Dreamers of the Dark Forest, their spiritual beliefs, and their pressing concerns, in the '''[[Islands in the dream]]''' wind of fortune.
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{{CaptionedImage|file=NBVarushka.jpg|align=right|width=300}}
===Shadowed Boughs of Twilight===
* '''Citizens of Ossium, Navarr and Varushkan alike; Ossium forest owners; Senate, Military Council; Varushkan and Dawnish military units; Grieftender of the Forgotten, Map to the City Below, Singer of Silence, Ceslev of the Circle of ZUlgan Tash; People who like having a fortification in Ossium; Apothecary of Orieb; people angry about idolatry; Agramant watchers; Watcher of the Semmerlak; Guardian of the Maze of Zoria; Dedicates of Wisdom; Ambassador to Otkodov'''
[[Ossium]] has been part of [[Varushka]] for six years now, and what was once a wretched place clenched in the iron fist of the [[Druj]] is rapidly becoming one of the most prosperous territories in the Empire. Alongside the Varushkans live a few scattered septs of [[orc|orcs]], while the [[Thule]] control the northern forests in uneasy alliance. For the last few years it has also been home to families of Navarr drawn by Awstin's Rest. After the Summer Solstice, though, magic drawn from the [[Realms#Night|Wondrous Forest]] washes over the territory, bringing with it the unmistakable blessings of Night magic - blessings that have a regrettable tendency to be somewhat mixed. Especially given the presence of the monsters that have been here since well before the Empire drove the Druj out, who still lurk in the depths of the wild forests.

You can learn about the effects the Night magic has had, on dreams and on the forest, as well as details about eternals and monsters, in the '''[[Shadowed boughs of twilight]]''' wind of fortune.
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===When Something Is Lost===
* '''Inhabitants of Madruga; Generals of the Drakes and Star Forged; military units; Marcher folk; Conclave orders; Military Council; magicians interested in ill-advised experiments; Archmages of Night, Spring, and Winter; Stone Smith'''
Once [[Madruga]] was grassy plains, rich coastline, and prosperous islands. Now it is something else, thanks in part to the transfiguration of its southern coast by magically-infused river waters. This is [[the Brass Coast]] and there are plenty of Freeborn who welcome the excitement, unpredictability, and wonder each day promises. After the Summer Solstice, magic started to settle over Madruga, bringing with it vibrant dreams of vanished forests and heralds of the [[Realms#Night|Night realm]]. At first it seemed to be just a gentle piece of [[Night magic]]... but as the Autumn got closer it became clear it had done more than just evoke dreams. Two Imperial armies were also in Madruga, busy claiming the wild marshes of the Siroc Bayou and Crucible for the Empire. ''One'' of these two armies has come back out of the marshes and the other one... has not.

You can learn about the gentle enchantment, and the disappearance of an entire Imperial army, in the '''[[When something is lost]]''' wind of fortune.

===A Friend Like You (Eternals)===
* '''Knight-protector of Summer; Captain of the Throne Guard; Dauntless Warrior; ''William Guildenstern''; Architect of the Hammers; Arch of the Sky; Business owners in Zenith; Quartermaster of the Hanuri Garrison; General of the Burning Falcon; Maestro of the Cat's Graces; Azure Sutannir; Dawnish magicians; ''Lady Aletheia of the Twisted Rose'', ''Catena'', and magicians who perform curses; ''Claudia Varkulova Remislav, Eevi of the Gadrai'', and the Conclave; ''Artreus D'Fauntine, Catrina Words The Unbelievably Magical, Leo the Rainbow Sage,'' the <s>Order of the</s> Golden Chalice, the Tender of the Phoenix Flame, and the Churnspire Adjutor; those who met with Argent Preceptor; Night ritualists, and those who like the Whisper Gallery; '''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
Some magic comes from outside the Empire, from the creatures of the [[Realm|realms]], the [[eternal|eternals]] and their [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]]. Sometimes they have boons to offer, sometimes they have demands to make. Here we learn of the doings of the realms, with something that could be relevant to any number of folk, including some meetings, some odd opportunities, and eerie happenings.

You can learn about the doings of various eternals, and the repercussions of their former doings, in the '''[[A friend like you]]''' wind of fortune.

===Spreading the Way (Appraisal)===
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* '''Members of the Senate; People interested in spreading the Way'''
Last season, the Senate called for an appraisal on how non-Wayist cultures and communities residing within the Empire can be brought into the [[The Way|Way of Virtue]]. Naomi of Virtue's Rest was assigned, and her [[appraisal]] of the situation has been submitted. Naomi has had to rely on a very broad-strokes approach to the question, but she is confident that it will leave the Empire as a whole better off with the understanding that it brings.

You can learn about the results of Naomi's work in the '''[[Spreading the Way]]''' wind of fortune.
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===This Old House===
* '''Prosperity Assembly; Inhabitants of Feroz; General Assembly; Members of Senate; People interested in commissions'''
During the Spring Equinox, the Prosperity Assembly upheld a [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement 138|judgement]] that made clear their highest calling: to look for opportunities that will help to bring Prosperity to the damaged territories of the Empire and the people within them. The first territory chosen by the assembly was [[Feroz]], still suffering from the ravages it suffered under Governor Rahab. The Prosperous have identified what they consider the best option for helping the people of Feroz, and one Freeborn architect has a pitch for how it might potentially help the rest of the Empire.

You can learn about how the Prosperity Assembly might help the people of Feroz feel less [[Region_qualities#Abandoned|abandoned]] in the '''[[This old house]]''' wind of fortune.

===Rebellion's Ridge===
* '''General Assembly; Inhabitants of the Mournwold, particularly farm and mine owners'''
During the Spring Equinox, the Pride Assembly upheld a [[388YE Spring Equinox Synod judgements#Judgement 13|writ of consecration]] to consecrate [[Mournwold#Rebellion's Ridge|Rebellion's Ridge]] as a memorial to the exemplars of Pride, the [[Known_exemplars#Leaders_of_the_Ore_Hills_Rebellion|Leaders of the Ore Hills Rebellion]]. The writ has brought things to a head in the Mourn, and now it comes down to the decision of the General Assembly.

You can learn about the potential consecration of Rebellion's Ridge as a memorial to the Ore Hills Rebels in the '''[[Rebellion's Ridge]]''' wind of fortune.

===A Habit I Can't Break (Mortal Magic)===
* '''Keeper of the Imperial Menagerie, Financier of Holberg's Phantasmagorical Mementoes, and Conclave; Freeborn ritualists; Navarr;'''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
Not all magic is performed by the denizens of the realms; mortals are just as, if not more, capable of causing all kinds of trouble when left alone with too much free time and mana crystals.

You can read about goings-on across the Empire in the '''[[A habit I can't break]]''' wind of fortune.
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===Towers of the Sun===
* '''Conclave, Senate; Imperial magicians; Churnspire Adjutor; Francisco i Alvera i Riqueza, Olivier, Ioseph of Summer's Apex, Carlos of Phoenix Reach, Mercurio Ankarien, Lord Tobias De Gauvain, Enchanter Vesper Lucentia, Kaapo Kingfishering, Lord Morgann de Vere, Beatrice Keeper, Ibiss Briarheart, Enchantress Areloe Larmallevés, Catrina Words The Unbelievably Magical'''
The ''[[Meraud|Summer Enchanter]]'' has been through some things recently, but it seems he is [[Ambassadors_of_death#Apples_and_Oranges_(Summer)|even more enthusiastic]] about helping out his friends in the Empire than usual. As Summer fades, his messengers are dispatched to various points around the Empire with boons and plans and proposals a plenty. Whether it is wizards towers, appreciation for the [[Churnspire Adjutor]], or final decisions regarding communication with the ''Lord of the Lake'', they have been full of the fire of enthusiasm and relentlessly upbeat. Only when the ''[[Sadogua|Toad King]]'' is brought up in polite conversation does their eager demeanour slip a little and a few choice words of criticism get voiced.

You can learn about offers from Meraud, and an opportunity to restore channels of communication, in the '''[[Towers of the sun]]''' wind of fortune.
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===Towers of the Moon===
* '''Conclave; People of Kallavesa; Brat Umbral Path; anyone who wants a stab at running the Well of Shadows; Vigilance Assembly; Arcane Architect, Dean of the Lyceum; Marcher magicians and wassailers; Varushkans who are not the Circle of Zulgan bloody Tash'''
The [[Sadogua|Brother of Wizards]] has become a little more active of late, after a period of somnolence. His heralds have enthusiastically accepted invitations to [[What is lost?|visit Madruga]] and while they deny it, they've also been actively [[Shadowed boughs of twilight|fighting spider monsters in Ossium]]. Following an unexpected appearance in the [[Hall of Worlds]] during the Summer Solstice in which Imperial magicians apparently helped him "get a spider out of his ear" (whatever ''that'' means), he has also apparently made a concerted effort to [[Missive for Sadogua|answer all this mail]]. But it doesn't stop there! It seems someone has lit a fire under the backside of the perennially slothful ''Toad King'', and he is busily trying to catch up on his obligations to his friends in the Empire.

You can learn about his meandering offers to assorted Imperial magicians, and what he ''really'' thinks of the Circle of Zulgan Tash, in the '''[[Towers of the moon]]''' wind of fortune.

==Diplomatic Winds==
Each season, the Civil Service prepares a summary of the Empire's relationship with the foreign nations. This is usually based on communications received from their ambassador, along with any useful intelligence gathered from other sources. While the [[Senate]] and the other houses of Imperial power may respond to these offers, it is important to note that it is the appropriate [[ambassador]] that the foreign power will expect to hear from. Their communication with the foreign power is the primary element that will determine the tenor of any response. While these winds revolve around international matters, their focus is still on the Empire and what its citizens can do to influence diplomatic matters, so they're as likely as any other wind to contain something of interest to characters from all walks of life.

===All I Can Do (Beoraidh)===
* '''Ambassador to Beoraidh; Cat's Graces; Benefactors Council; Steward of the Ossuary; Members of Senate; Apothecaries Guild; Regario Dossier'''
[[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] was once the stronghold of the [[Grendel]] ''Salt-Lord Ehsan'' and his supporters. When the Empire moved to invade Mareave, Ehsan declared independence and sued for peace with the Empire. The city itself and the neighbouring region of [[Mareave#Sinfoyard|Sinfoyard]] are recognised as a neutral state by the Senate; a free port where both merchants of all nations are welcome. They actively seek investment from both Imperial and Grendel sources, and have allied themselves with the powerful [[Sarcophan Delves]]. One opportunity that has been under discussion for a while now is the creation of a temple dedicated to the Way, a monument to cooperation welcomed by the former Grendel. After the Summer Solstice it appears that some movement has been made towards making intention into reality.

You can learn about diplomatic relations with Beoraidh, and the opportunity to build a temple there, in the '''[[All I can do]]''' wind of fortune.

===It's All Wrong, But It's All Right===
* '''Ambassador to Faraden; Ambassador to the Iron Confederacy; Synod, Senate; fleet captains; Alder of Meade, Mediator of Fisk, Azure Sutannir, Cat's Graces; military unit commanders, especially mercenaries'''
The merchants of [[Faraden]] and the militarist [[Iron Confederacy]] lie to the west and south of the Empire respectively - to the west and south of [[the Brass Coast]] more specifically. Relations with the two nations have been tumultuous in the past but in the last year or two there has been a slow sanding-off of harsh edges. A feeling that lasting détente may be possible, although what it might cost is another matter entirely...

You can learn about diplomatic affairs regarding Faraden and the Suranni, and some pressing problems regarding both, in the '''[[It's all wrong, but it's all right]]''' wind of fortune.

===So Little I Wanted, So Little I Got===
* '''Ambassador to Asavea; Ambassador to Sumaah; Ambassador to the Grendel; Marracossa Sendito; Members of the Senate; fleet captains; Ambassadors in general; Loyalty Assembly, particularly ''Dagon Barossa'''''
The orthodox [[Sumaah Republic]] and the declining [[Asavean Archipelago]] lie far to the west of the Empire. The two great nations remain locked in war. Closer to home, the [[Grendel]] compete with the Empire for dominance of the Bay of Catazar. Even closer to home, the Marracossan exiles live in their town of [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Trajadoz]], Madruga. The [[ambassador|ambassadors]], the [[Imperial Consul]], and other individuals invested in diplomacy have their work cut out keeping abreast of what is happening, as each nation has agendas no less complex than those of the nations that make up the Empire.

You can learn about the ongoing diplomatic situation with the Asavean Archipelago, the Sumaah Republic, the Marracossans of Trajadoz, and the Grendel in '''[[So little I wanted, so little I got]]''' wind of fortune.

===Those Memories of You===
* '''Ambassador to the Sarcophan Delves; Ambassador to Axos; Senate; Wintermark farmers, herb garden owners, and apothecaries; Imperial Apothecaries Guild; collectors of vallorn relics; fleet captains trading with Issyk; Navarr traders'''
The [[Sarcophan Delves]] are a great power, a cosmopolitan nation centred around an immense city that sprawls out across the banks of the Umshalla river. [[Axos]] is tiny nation on the outskirts of the Empire, controlling a little over two territories. For all their differences they have similarities, though. Both are a people of cities, and both have an uneasy relationship to death. The Axou ''necromantia'' are acknowledged masters of the cold magic of the grave, while the Sarcophan base much of their industry on the use of the ''ongelukkig'' living-corpses. They are both nations made more powerful through trade, and both would like to see themselves as friends to the Empire... and in both cases that friendship can prove to be something of a mixed blessing.

You can learn about Sarcophan and Axou diplomacy, and some trade opportunities, in the '''[[Those memories of you]]''' wind of fortune.
===If We Never Meet Again===
* '''Ambassador to Jarm; Ambassador to the Commonwealth; Senate; Imperial mercenary soldiers (especially the League, Dawn, Urizen, and Highguard); Imperial fleet captains; Celestial Arch and Sevenfold Path; Rod and Shield and Golden Pyramid; Granite Pillar; friends of Professor Emmanuel Gelberg'''
The [[Commonwealth]] and the [[Principalities of Jarm]] had been at war, fighting for control of the borderlands between their two great nations. When the tiny country of Lantir was annihilated by [[Cold Sun]], a major incursion began that saw armies of [[Cold_Sun#Heralds|scions]] pouring through a breach in what remained of the capital city. Now they have a common enemy, but it has given them little ''else'' in common. Revelations as to the cause of the incursion have set the balance of power in the east swinging wildly - and not just between the two nations. The Empire is in the middle of a war of words and recriminations, and a long-term friendship seems to be on the verge of collapse while the attitude of bitter rivals appear to be improving.

You can learn about the chaos in the east, and its significant to Imperial citizens, in the '''[[If we never meet again]]''' wind of fortune.
===The Little Things===
* '''Ambassador to Otkodov; Senate; Military Council; Folk of Ossium'''
The [[Thule]] of [[Otkodov]] share a long mountainous border with [[Wintermark]], the [[Imperial Orcs|the Unshackled]], and [[Varushka]]. A magocratic nation is ruled by five allegedly immortal orc wizards called the Dragons they were at war with the Empire for much of its history. Now though, they are at peace. An uneasy peace to be sure, secured with the concedence of northern regions claimed as part of Otkodov. But peace nonetheless. For the last year or so, the Thule have been waging war on [[the Mallum]], conquering western [[Forest of Ulnak|Ulnak]] and occupying the northern Druj. They have also been engaging in active negotiations with the representatives of the Empire, arranging deals and agreements that might against all the odds so this peace last longer than perhaps it has any right to.

You can read about recent diplomatic developments, and in particular some upcoming events in [[Ossium]], in the '''[[The little things]]''' wind of fortune.

==Other Events==
===Strange Currencies===
* '''The Silver Flame ask for ritual texts for ''Strong Ox, Golden Sun'' and ''Gathering the Harvest'''''
* '''In return, they pledge their sentinels to defend Spiral as needed'''
The [[A_question_of_loyalty#Spiral|Tribunal of the Silver Flame]] controls the region of [[Spiral#Cinion|Cinion]], in [[Spiral]] - and is home to several hundred former Urizeni mages at most. Nearly a [[Mirror_and_the_flame|year ago]], they announced grand plans to make a formal alliance with the [[eternal]] [[Sinokenon]], declaring their intent to build a [[fane]] in their territory so as to allow the eternal to give them more extensive support. Aware that the risks would be shared by the Empire, they wrote to inform them of their intentions, and tried to sweeten the deal with two powerful rituals in exchange for access to Imperial Lore, assuming that the offer would land favourably.

It did not. The [[Conclave]] rejected the offer outright, seemingly incensed at the repeated request for access to Lore and having deep misgivings about the nature of ''Diamondmind's'' offer. The Flame sent a delegation to Anvil to try and understand why their strategy had landed so badly. Eager to demonstrate their worth to their neighbours, they sent their sentinels to aid in the [[This_is_the_end#Never_follow_me|quixotic but ultimately successful effort to free Apulian]] from the [[Whisper Gallery|Whisper Gallery's]] grasp. Last season, the Conclave agreed to disseminate [[Blessing of New Spring]] to them - a sign that there is diplomatic willing there, yet.

Now the [[civil service]] have been sent word from Alexius, who acts as the representative of the Tribunal to the Empire. His missive strikes a somewhat contrite note. The Tribunal have abandoned their plans to build a fane for Sinokenon - for now. It seems that someone made a generous donation of liao to the faction within the Tribunal who were most opposed towards any form of eternal alliance, and they have spent the last three months pressing their point. They have convinced many, but in particular they have convinced Caela, the Grand Arbiter of the Tribunal, who has asked the heralds of Sinokenon to leave.

This has not come without cost, it seems. While they have the stocks and stores to get through winter, it will be hard without outside assistance. Their need is pressing, and so they write to ask if their friends in Anvil could see to the dissemination of the other two rituals in the cycle of farm rituals. This would aid the rebels greatly - especially if this happens in time for the rituals to be cast in the Summer and Autumn of next year. Beyond that, the Flame would benefit from any personal enchantments, especially ones like [[Gift of the Wily Broker]] which allow for careful economic stewardship. In return, the Tribunal are prepared to guarantee that their sentinels will continue to support efforts in Apulian or be sent to assist in Spiral's defence in any way they can - whether it is simply to act as swords against the darkness of the wilds or to defend some fortification. They have four groups of sentinels with a combined military strength of a little under five hundred.

===All the Right Friends===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Prosperity.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''Efforts to share the virtue of Prosperity with the people of Tsark have met with some success.'''
* '''There is an opportunity to bring word of inspirational figures of Prosperity to Tsark.'''
* '''Eleven Imperials have been invited at 18:35 on the Saturday of the equinox to visit the Tsarkoi in Zenith.'''
The isolated nation of [[Tsark]] is famously slow to change and resistant to outside influence or visitors of any kind. In the last decade, as the Empire has become aware of Tsark's existence yet remained neutral, even friendly towards the tiny sagocracy, there has been a slow but perceptible thawing of relations on behalf of the Sage's Council. [[Seeds_of_discord#Tsark|Last season]] they sent ''Camilla'', one of the adepts who play some kind of role in day-to-day spiritual guidance of the lives of the Tsarkoi, to visit the Empire to learn more about the virtue of [[Prosperity]]. It seems that the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]] made the case that there could be a place for Prosperity within the worldview of the sages, and they were not so horrified at the suggestion as to refuse it out of hand.

Camilla solicited letters on the subject of Prosperity and has made herself and her fellow adepts available this last season for members of the Urizen Assembly to discuss Prosperity with her. As the equinox approaches, the Imperial diplomatic corps, through the office of the Seeker of the Perfect World, receive word that the initiative has been a success: at least from Camilla's point of view. She has learned much about Prosperity from all she has read and heard - yet she feels there is yet more to learn. In particular, she understands that the Empire set great stock by inspirational figures of the past who exemplify their virtues - a practice the people of Tsark understand well. The great sages and adepts of the past all have shrines built into the [[Mountains_of_the_Moon#Wall_of_the_Luge_and_the_East_and_West_Rising|Wall of the Luge]], the mighty fortified wall that surrounds the sacred plateau of Visoko. She would like to learn more about the inspirational prosperous figures that the Empire holds dear to its heart. If the Empire's representatives can impressively preach of an inspirational figure of Prosperity in a way that resonates with the spirituality of Tsark, then it could well lead to further such opportunities, as the Tsarkoi believe that inspirational figures are the ''most'' important way to find spiritual enlightenment.

She has asked Sage Kristoph, the well-established representative of the Sage's Council to the "People of the Horse", to make the trip to Zenith. She would like to host a discussion on the premises of the Garden of the Perfect World, with Sage Kristoph to attend, and an invitation is extended to each person who wrote to her or visited. These are, in no particular order: '''Farren Silver Streams, Abel the Rounder, Isaac of the Reaching Vine, Berilo i Erigo, Heilyn Bronwen's Rest, Catena of Tropaion, Galene Netherwatch, Able the Taller, Lord Augur Gryphontale, Eleri Bronwen's Rest''', and '''Solas of the First Light'''. They are invited to speak about three inspirational figures of Prosperity, with ten minutes (allowing time for questions) allocated for each figure. Who actually presents and on which figures Camilla defers to the visitors - she trusts them to collectively come to an understanding in an efficient manner that respects the time of others, as - she has learnt - the Prosperous are wont to do.

This is clearly a fateful occasion, and on such occasions the Sentinel Gate obliges. There is a conjunction for eleven people at 18:35 on the Saturday of the Equinox, to attend the Gardens of the Perfect World, Occursion, Zenith. The civil service has asked the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]], '''Abel the Rounder of Sarangrave Reforged''', to be responsible for the conjunction and for the other arrangements Camilla has mentioned.

===Blades of the Semmerlak (reprise)===
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Blades of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' [[Edifice]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:'''
*Sandling in Weirwater ''or'' Lacuve in Semmerholm
'''and'''
*Malimorzi in Karov ''or'' Bittershore in Ossium
</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 24 weirwood and 72 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' Three months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the start of Autumn Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Creates title of ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak''
* Creates the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''' venture for questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens
* Removes the threat to ships on the Semmerlak and establishes a sodality to deal with threats from Dho'uala</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Counts as a single commission</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Dawnish and Varushkan</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Senate or Test of Arms </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' This is a [[martial title]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:'''
* Receives 10 crowns a season
* Receives a [[Duelist's Scales]], a [[Troubadour's Ring]], and a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] once a year</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To counter the influence of Dho'uala and deal with threats coming from the Semmerlak</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<tr><td style="background-color: HotPink;">'''Blades in the Semmerlak'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Venture Type:''' Guarding</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Territories bordering the Semmerlak</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Duration:''' Open-ended</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Rewards:''' Six crowns and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]]</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''''Tristan Ramson von Holberg'', the Master of the Mint, announced the reappraisal of the Blades of the Semmerlak'''
* '''A wardenhouse in Varushka and a knightly estate in Dawn would provide a base of operations for heroes to protect the Semmerlak'''
Last season, the [[Master of the Mint]], '''Tristan Ramson von Holberg''', announced the [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Reappraise_Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|reappraisal]] of the Blades of the Semmerlak in Dawnish and Varushkan territories surrounding the [[the Semmerlak|Semmerlak]]. Originally [[Less_welcome_tenants#Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|suggested]] shortly before the Summer Solstice 386YE, the wardenhouse and knightly estate were part of a larger appraisal into the problem of [[Dho'uala]] killing Imperial citizens and interfering with matters on and around the Semmerlak.

A motion to construct the [[Less_welcome_tenants#Wards_and_Bargains|Journeymage Towers]] was [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Construct_Journeymage_Towers|proposed]] by '''Amicia of the Semmerlak''', as Senator for Semmerholm, and the [[Watcher of the Semmerlak]] has been active, appointed by the Assembly of Vigilance, and tasked with ensuring the nations surrounding the Semmerlak act with Vigilance and countering threats from the Semmerlak.

Lutomysla's suggestion that the Senate establish a small sodality dedicated to protecting the people around the Semmerlak still holds true, and has the same enthusiastic support from the merchant-boyars, earls, and merchant-princes keen to see people protected from the depredations of the sovereign. A knightly order focused on protecting the communities along the lake, and a warden fellowship to travel on ships crossing the Semmerlak to protect the crew; both would actively seek out the creatures of Dho'uala and fight them. Supported by Imperial heroes, the sodality would remove the threat to the people living along the edge of the lake. Instead, it would fall to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens to serve as the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''',

They will need places to operate from - an estate in Dawn for the knights and a wardenhouse in Varushka for the wardens. Lutomysla identified that the best locations would be either [[Weirwater#Sandling|Sandling]], in the vicinity of [[Weirwater#Culwich|Culwich]], or [[Semmerholm#Lacuve|Lacuve]] in [[Semmerholm]] near the bustling port of [[Semmerholm#Lacre|Lacre]] for the knights, and the port of Korotny in [[Karov#Malimorzi|Malimorzi]] in [[Karov]] and the [[Merchant_Boyar_of_the_Bittershore#Kostjyas_Respite|Kostjyas Respite]] in [[Ossium#Bittershore|Bittershore]] in [[Ossium]] and those still hold true. Although they involve work in two regions, the actual project itself requires only a single commission, and the building of the wardenhouse and the estates will take place in parallel. Once construction is complete, any threat to the people who live along the banks of the lake will be met by enthusiastic warriors. It will also create a new guarding [[venture]] available to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens - '''Blades in the Semmerlak'''. This will allow a [[military unit]] to spend their time actively defending the Semmerlak and the ships that traverse it. A starting military unit undertaking the venture would receive 120 rings and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]].

There would need to be a title to oversee the efforts and support the sodality; the ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'' would be a [[martial title]] of Dawn and Varushka who was appointed by either unanimous agreement of the senators of those two nations, or a [[Martial_title#Creating_Martial_Titles|test of arms]] between members of those two nations. The title-holder would be responsible for protecting the communities around the Semmerlak from threats mundane and magical, and to stand ready to oppose the depredations of Dho'uala whenever they raise their head. In return, they would receive an income of 10 crowns each season with which to equip allies and maintain their sodality.

They would also be the beneficiaries of several magic items provided by Dawnish, Varushkan, and League donors. A [[Duelist's Scales|Duelist's Scales]] weapon from the Varushkan merchant-boyars to weaken corrupt horrors; a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] from League merchant-princes to protect them from venom; and a [[Troubadour's Ring]] from Dawnish earls to help them support their allies. These items would be received once each year, and while the expectation is that the Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak would use them themselves, there is no reason they could not pass them to other warriors fighting against Dho'uala or similar monstrous threats.

===Dusk===
{{:Autumn Equinox 2026}}

===Husky Business (Volunteers)===
* '''There is an opportunity for player volunteers to portray their characters who died during the Saturday battle at the last event'''
* '''Eligible characters must have died during the battle, but not have been killed as a husk'''
* '''Volunteers will need to have their own costume and appropriate weapons'''
* '''The role will last around twenty minutes, starting at 18:30 on Friday'''
* '''The role will involve fighting alongside the skirmish team in an encounter against player characters'''
* '''Please email before 18:00 on Wednesday 26th of August if you are interested in volunteering'''

There is an opportunity for players to portray the husk of their fallen characters at the upcoming event. Anyone whose character died during the battle of the [[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Fens of Varreth]], raised as a husk but was not subsequently killed again as that husk is welcome to email to register interest in volunteering for an encounter on the Friday. This will be a combat [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|highly likely]] encounter through the Sentinel Gate and will involve fighting against player characters alongside members of our [[Plot_crew#Skirmish|skirmish team]].

If you are interested and would like more information, please email {{plot}} with your PID and the subject line "Husk Volunteer E4", and you will be given more details.

==Summer Conjunctions==

===Major Conjunctions===
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Link'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Outcome'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Sarangrave|Sarangrave, Turan Flats, ''Fens of Varreth'']]</td><td>Contain the dead</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Harvester of Graves]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Sigismund Vladislav Kestovia''' of [[Varushka]]; The spirits were not trapped and the husks remain a problem in eastern Sarangrave; The tortured souls of Het Trakaa remain in Turan Flats; Het Trakaa and Sul Maggotgnaw remain alive</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Mareave|Mareave, Clisearn, ''Ruins of Sinat'']]</td><td>Open the Vaults</td><td>Grendel</td><td>[[Mithril_and_rope#Battle:_Salt_and_Stone|Salt and Stone]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Joaquim i Erigo''' of [[the Brass Coast]]; Saltbound Stone recovered and claimed by '''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged'''; Ilium Jackals negotiated with and readying support of [[Boyar's Hasta]]; Iontach Leagsaidh remains in possession of their [[Grimnir's Hearthfire]]; Maistir Guaidre remains in possession of the Spiteri necklace</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Forest of Ulnak|Forest of Ulnak, Ghul'thak Forest, ''Fetid Heart'']]</td><td>Raid the Druj</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Battle:_Claim_the_Prize|Claim the Prize]]</td><td>Not taken; Status of the black lotus unclear; Status of the treasures of Taramid Skinwreath unclear</td></tr>

</table>

===Minor Conjunctions===
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! # !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview !! Result
|-
| 1 || Sarangrave, Whisperwood, Halfweir Grove || [[Fingers of the Devourer|Custodian of the Fingers of the Devourer]] || [[Thorn_and_bone#A_Testing_(Conjunction)|Destroy the heralds of Surut]] || Heralds of Surut killed; production of Fingers of Devourer has increased by two wains per season for as long as the Great Forest Orcs remain foreigners
|-
| 2 || Astolat, Withy, Igraine's Regio || [[Astolat|Senator for Astolat]] || [[A_wizard_did_it#Rants_and_Roses|Find out why the regio keeps shifting back to Spring, and resolve it]] || Unclear, but '''Éamon Ashenmourn de Cordraco''' might know more
|-
| 3 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Maiden Stone || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#Apples_First_(Mitwold)|Stop Jyll Longleys from cursing the Maiden Stone]] || ''Jyll Longleys'' and allies killed
|-
| 4 || The Barrens, Dawnguard, Troubadour's Glade || [[Knight of Dawnguard]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Vow (The Barrens)|Kill ''Prilak Gutdredger'']] || ''Prilak Gutdredger'' and almost all allies were killed
|-
| 5 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Golden Fields || [[Keeper of the Golden Fields]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#The_Right_Thing_(Mitwold)|Stop Dusty Cobb setting Golden Fields alight]] || ''Dusty Cobb'' and rebels killed
|-
| 6 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, The Dredging Flats || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Call to Stand (The Barrens)|Kill the Servants of the Burnt]] || All but one ''Servants of the Burnt'' survived
|-
| 7 || Ossium, Echofell, Burned Glade || [[Shadowed Torchbearer]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Fire_The_Forests_(Ossium)|Prevent the cursing of Ossium]] || Heralds killed and Ossium was not cursed
|-
| 8 || Therunin, Lower Tarn Valley, Rotwood Croft || '''Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#After the Taint (Therunin)|Destroy the miasma pillar]] || Miasma pillar successfully consecrated
|-
| 9 || Madruga, Free Landing, Hart's Cove || [[Hand of Guerra]] || [[Keys_of_Enlightenment#Barren_Waters_(Conjunction)|Aid the stranded ship from Sumaah]] || Unclear, but Hand of Guerra should know more
|-
| 10 || Sarangrave, Kroll, Slow Worm's Hill || [[Sevenfold Path|Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Boil The Swamps (Sarangrave)|Prevent the cursing of Sarangrave]] || Heralds killed and Sarangrave was not cursed
|-
| 11 || Sarangrave, Turan Flats, The Breakteeth dais || [[Eastern Sky|General of the Eastern Sky]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#The_Greatest_Prize_(Rhianos)|Recover the treasure]] || Treasure successfully recovered
|-
| 12 || The Barrens, Bitter Strand, Saltshore || [[Merchant of the Fangs]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Fangs_for_the_Memories_(Conjunction)|Answer General Utmar's call for aid]] || Vassals of the manticore killed
|-
| 13 || Madruga, The Crucible, Talpses Plat || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#A_Terrible_Feeling_(Madruga)|Claim the ''Snapping Face'']] || Snapping Face retrieved and heralds killed
|-
| 14 || The Barrens, Carmine Fields, Trading Way || '''Rhydian de Rondell''' || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Taste_of_Mettle_(Conjunction)|Remove the failed knights-errant of House Courcillion as a threat]] || Named knights have accepted justice from local magistrates
|-
| 15 || Necropolis, Coursmouth, The Veiled Garden || [[Guardian of Britta's Memorial]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#The_Strength_of_This_Place_(Necropolis)|Spill the waters of Siakha]] || Bucket recovered and returned to Anvil
|-
| 16 || The Barrens, The Untrod Groves, Glade of the Good Knight || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#A_Hearty_Meal_(Conjunction)|Thwart the schemes of Ser Gawain Amboise]] || Schemes of ''Ser Gawain Amboise'' thwarted
|-
| 17 || Mareave, Fleisardh, Spring Regio near Golden Wind's Encampment || [[Silver Chalice|Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Do_Some_Harm_(Arhallogen)|Poison the Grendel]] || Grendel poisoned, Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice should know more
|-
| 18 || Tassato, Cascatas, Campo Verdenta || [[Keeper of the Sapphire Stair]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#For_What_Has_Been_Wrought_(Tassato)|Kill the heralds of Siakha]] || Heralds of Siakha and wreckers killed
|-
| 19 || Spiral, Apstrus, Alba's Lea || [[Legacy|Custodian of the Legacy]] ||[[Mithril_and_rope#A_Backhanded_Request_(Spiral)|Intercept the mercenaries pay]] || Raid launched on the Legacy and ten wains of mithril claimed by the Haurlatch Iron Consortium
|-
| 20 || Reikos, Haros Water, Couros Field || '''Nekoda of the Shattered Tower''' || [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_fortune#A_Sudden_Threat_(Reikos)|Save Professor Gelberg from Grendel assassins]] || Imperials pushed out by Grendel; Professor Gelberg has been kidnapped
|-
| 21 || Redoubt, Naris, Isaac's End || '''Telemachus of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[Seeds_of_discord#An_Empty_Bottle_(Conjunction)|Leave no more than a dozen Grendel alive]] || All Grendel killed
|-
| 22 || Kallavesa, West Marsh, The Meeting Place || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_32|Erlend]]''' || [[Myth_makers#The_Unity_Of_Deed_And_Word|Consecrate the Meeting Place]] || The Meeting Place successfully consecrated with true liao
|-
| 23 || Kallavesa, Wittal Grove, Frithstan's Fen || [[Grimnir of Wittal Grove]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#An_Unexpected_Ally_(Basileia)|Defeat the Grendel (and potentially rescue the Iontach)]] || Ionatch Meddool Miniog successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 24 || Forest of Ulnak, Grimfen Mire, Moss End || [[Warmage]] || [[All_I_ask_of_you#Wild_Things_Run_Fast|Take advantage of a recent scouting discovery]] || [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] successfully cast with eight rings of [[ilium]]
|-
| 25 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Eastern Ward || '''Theodora''' || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 26 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, Gardenway || [[Envoy to the Karass]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Protect_Lenna_Karass_%28The_Barrens%29|Prevent Druj raiders from kidnapping Lenna Karass]] || Lenna Karass was successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 27 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Western Ward || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 28 & 29 || Forest of Ulnak, Gloomsea, Islet of Calm || [[Archmage of Day]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Who's_the_Thief?_(Forest_of_Ulnak)|Prevent the Eyes of the Dragon from using a boon of Kimus]] || [[Wind of Mundane Silence]] performed on regio and bodies successfully destroyed
|-
| 30 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Warmage]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Drive the vallorn from the regio]] || Imperial casualties suffered, vallornspawn remain around the regio
|-
| 31 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Archmage of Spring]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Cast Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] || [[Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] was not performed
|-
| 32 || Sarangrave, the Whisperwood, Depths of the Hungry Earth || [[Counsel of the Sun Chamber]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#The_Caves_of_the_Hungry_Earth|Investigate the Hungry Earth]] || Depths investigated, Counsel of the Sun Chamber should know more
|-
| 33 || Volodmartz, Livardz, Sumisev Peegel || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_167|Auntie Armand Mariyavich Remislav]]''' || [[Sunrise_over_Livardz#Blow_It_Up|Destroy the Sumisev Peegel]] || Sumisev Peegel was successfully destroyed by [[Wind of Mundane Silence]]
|-
|}

Towers of the sun

2026-09-09T17:26:46Z

Rafferty: Created page with "Category:388YE AutumnCategory:Winds of Fortune <div style="float:left; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Wizard Tower.png|caption=Meraud proposes building wizardly towers across the Empire!|align=left|width=450}}</div> ==Overview== The ''Summer Enchanter'' has been through some things recently, but it seems he is even more enthusiastic about helping out his friends in the Empire than..."

[[Category:388YE Autumn]][[Category:Winds of Fortune]]
<div style="float:left; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Wizard Tower.png|caption=Meraud proposes building wizardly towers across the Empire!|align=left|width=450}}</div>
==Overview==
The ''[[Meraud|Summer Enchanter]]'' has been through some things recently, but it seems he is [[Ambassadors_of_death#Apples_and_Oranges_(Summer)|even more enthusiastic]] about helping out his friends in the Empire than usual. As Summer fades, his messengers are dispatched to various points around the Empire with boons and plans and proposals a plenty. Whether it is wizards towers, appreciation for the [[Churnspire Adjutor]], or final decisions regarding communication with the ''Lord of the Lake'', they have been full of the fire of enthusiasm and relentlessly upbeat. Only when the ''[[Sadogua|Toad King]]'' is brought up in polite conversation does their eager demeanour slip a little and a few choice words of criticism get voiced.
==Towers==
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Summer Towers'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' <s>Wizard tower</s> Fane</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Any</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' minimum of 15 white granite, 10 mithril, 10 ilium, and 75 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' three months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Creates a title and a structure similar to a fane
* Provides 4 golden apples each season
</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the end of the Summer Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' The Senate must concede the tower and the regio where it is built to Meraud</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''The heralds of Meraud offer plans for wizard towers'''
Meraud has been through some things, recently. But it seems he is [[Ambassadors_of_death#Apples_and_Oranges_(Summer)|even more enthusiastic]] about helping out his friends in the Empire than usual. The heralds bring with them plans that they enthusiastically explain to the civil service. They allow the creation of towers - wizard towers - designed to harness the power of [[Regio|Summer regio]] in any [[territory]] where they are built. Whoever commissions one need only specify the territory where they wish to build it - the heralds will find a suitable regio. They're certain one can be secured. The tower and the regio would need to be conceded to the eternal - which only the Senate can do - but that could be done at the same time the commission were announced (if it comes via the Senate), or by a later Senate motion if needed. Or the Senate could simply let anyone who can build a fane concede it to the eternal involved if they wanted to make things easier for themselves (say the heralds).

The towers would serve as places that Imperial magicians could meet with heralds of Meraud to discuss magic, and the eternal would extend some of his presence into the area surrounding them. A title would be created to oversee the tower, and receive some of Meraud's largesse. Specifically this would mean that a small amount of [[golden apples]] could be harvested from the orchards each season, providing the title holder with four golden apples each as long as the tower stood. The heralds are clear that this is just the basic benefit of Meraud's patronage - anything further would be the result of a discussion with the first mistress of the tower. Or the result of the competition (for which see the next section).

In addition, whenever a ritual of Summer magic were performed targeting that specific territory, or even the Empire as a whole, its majesty and grandeur would be significantly enhanced by the might of the ''Summmer Mage''. The heralds are vague about precisely what that means and its possible they don't know themselves. Members of the [[Unfettered Mind]] are somewhat unconcerned - every enchantment or curse that takes effect over a large area, territory or Empire, might have additional unpredictable effects based on the situation in that territory. It seems that Meraud's presence here would simply have a chance of influencing the form such effects might take.

===The Tallest Tower===
* '''Meraud proposes a contest to see who can build the most impressive wizard tower'''
* '''The contest will be judged before the start of the WInter Solstice 389YE'''
* '''The largest most impressive tower will win Merauds boon'''
* '''Other towers that exceed the minimum requirements by a significant margin may be offered additional boons'''
Like many eternals, the ''Regent of the Summer Skies'' enjoys challenges. In the past, he has encouraged magicians to compete in duels of battle-magic or to outdo one another with grand workings of ritual magic. It shouldn't be a surprise then that he sees the chance for the Empire to build wizard towers as another opportunity for a contest.

The designs the heralds presented are complete, but also open ended. They allow for any number of additional wains to be incorporated into the final structure, wains that will serve to increase the [[edifice#grandeur|grandeur]] of the finished construction. [[White granite]] might be used to physically increase the height or girth of the tower; [[weirwood]] can be used to create impressive gardens; [[mithril]] could be incorporated to produce fabulous interior designs or decorations. Even additional rings of [[ilium]] could be used, anchoring minor enchantments to the structure that would enhance the quality of life of those within. Using extra wains will of course increase labour costs, and might increase the amount of time the tower takes to complete, but the heralds of Meraud wave such considerations away.

The first towers will be available to start construction after the Autumn Equinox, provided commissions are presented quickly. At the start of the Winter Solstice 389YE, Meraud intends to send heralds to the Empire to explore the many towers he predicts will have been constructed. in that time, and pick the one that most captures the "spirit of majesty" he finds so appealing. Which is Summer eternal-speak for "the biggest one with the most wains involved". That tower will win the contest and receive a boon reflecting its splendour, as negotiated by the eternal and the mistress of the tower.

The other, slightly less impressive, towers will not lose out! His heralds will also make recommendations for the finest structures that may improve the quality of the golden apples they offer, or otherwise incorporate the power of Meraud in ways befitting their architectural splendor. Those who do the bare minimum will still have wonderful towers; those who go further will benefit in line with the amount of effort they put in, and Meraud will show everyone that he and the Empire have a close bond that benefis them both! Everyone wins!

===It's Blatantly A Fane===
* '''While there are significant aesthetic and functional differences, the civil service assess Meraud towers are a form of fane'''
* '''Ceding a regio and surrounding tower to Meraud gives the eternal freedom to involve himself in Imperial affairs'''

The [[civil service]] have looked at Meraud's plans and confirmed what anyone who has so much as glanced at them suspects. This is a [[fane]], albeit with a somewhat idiosyncratic design. It needs to be conceded to Meraud to have any effect at all - otherwise it is just an [[edifice]] - and that comes with all the baggage such arrangements always produce. The ''Lord of the Lake'' could use the tower to extend his power into the Empire whenever it took his fancy to do so. He's unlikely to send armies in the manner of [[Cold Sun]] (or even [[Eleonaris]]), since as far as anyone knows he doesn't have any armies... he is a ''wizard'' after-all. But he is known to have access to some very potent [[Inhabitants of the realms#Guardians|guardians]] and his entire nature is about unleashing powerful magic. Even the [[alignment#enmity|enmity]] of the Conclave is not enough to reign in the power of an eternal who has been given the kind of access a fane, or one of these wizard towers, can provide.

Ultimately ceding a fane to an [[eternal]] comes down to how much the Empire trusts them and what the benefits will be. Provided the Empire is right to trust an eternal, it's hard to imagine what can go wrong. Surely someone like [[Zakalwe]] would never turn on the Empire? But anyone suggesting building a fane for [[Agramant]] should probably be drowned in the nearest body of water. It's hard to imagine him ''not'' turning on the Empire. In return though, the Empire empowers a potentially useful ally - someone who can provide them with aid. The Jotun don't have many powerful ritualists, instead they build impressive palaces for the Regents of Summer, from which armies of heralds march forth to fight alongside their armies. Fanes can be very useful.

If trust should break down, the Empire could ''try'' asking for a commission to be ceded back to them. That is unlikely to be successful if relations have soured however - and the Empire might be forced to use armies to take it back - as they did with [[Llofir]]'s garden in Reikos many years ago. As mentioned, Meraud doesn't have any armies to speak of, but he is a very powerful wizard.... in a tower. That is not a decision to be taken lightly.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=MeraudArt.jpg|caption=The Churnspire is ceded to Meraud, and overseen by the Adjutor.|align=right|width=300}}</div>
==Churnspire Adjutor==
* '''Meraud proposes that in the future he chooses who will be the Churnspire Adjutor rather than the Conclave'''
* '''This is a significant change - Meraud would chose someone to further his agenda'''
* '''If the Senate adjusts the appointment method he will provide magical rings for the Adjutor to distribute'''

The [[Churnspire_Adjutor#Churnspire|Churnspire]] came about in part so that Meraud could show his appreciation for his friends in [[Urizen]]. The newly-[[Churnspire_Adjutor#Appointment|appointed]] '''Artemis Grey''' should have taken custody of their [[Churnspire Adjutor#Regalia of the Adjutor|regalia]] by now, and heralds of Meraud have been sent to the tower to offer a welcome and "check in". The tower itself was ceded to Meraud by the Senate, so in many ways it already functions a little bit like a fane.

For the last few years, the ''Summer Mage'' hasn't particularly asked anything of the Churnspire Adjutor, but now he has a proposal to make, partially inspired by the way Artemis helped fellow magicians send messages to the ''Chatelaine of Sunrise and Sunset'' during the Summer Solstice. If the Conclave is prepared to [[Alignment#Acceptance|accept]] the proposal, then Meraud would like to choose who fills the role of ''Adjutor'' in the future.

The Summer Enchanter is at pains to stress that they are very happy with the current Adjutor - indeed they hope they will continue in the role if it is changed. But having the title be appointed by Meraud is ''significant''. Having a title chosen by the eternal instead of the Empire would mean that it was no longer an Imperial position (so in theory it could be held by someone with another Imperial title). And more importantly it comes with a set of expectations that as someone hand-picked by the eternal, Meraud might reasonably expect the Adjutor to put their interests first. At the point where the occupant of a title is chosen by an eternal not by the Empire, then implicitly that title serves them - not the Empire. That doesn't mean they can't act in the best interests of the Empire, but it does mean that any conflicts of interest are likely to become much more painful for whoever occupies the position.

Meraud wants the adjutor to be their representative and intermediary to the people of Urizen. The Churnspire Adjutor is a legal title, it can't be changed without the approval of the Senate, so the ''Wizard King'' is ''asking'' the Senate to cede the title to him - to change the method of appointment so that it is chosen by Meraud. The Churnspire itself has ''already'' been ceded to Meraud, so as far as he is concerned, this is simply a way to formalise the role.

If the Senate choose to use a [[Senate motion]] to accede to the request from ''the King of the Twilight Sun'' then he will provide a way for the Churnspire Adjutor to send a single missive to him, personally, each year. He expects them to use it to tell him of matters they think might require his attention in Urizen (or the Empire as a whole), but it could also be used to ask for his aid or advice regarding magical matters effecting the nation of clever [[mage|magi]] and wise [[stargazer]]s. They would be expected to represent Meraud to Urizen and to act on his behalf as needed. Meraud would communicate with the adjutor when required to further his goals.
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td colspan="2" style="background-color:LightYellow;">'''Churnspire Majesty'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>20 Tempest Jade</td><td>1 Ring of Majesty</td></tr>
<tr><td>40 Tempest Jade</td><td>2 Rings of Majesty</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
In addition Meraud will provide the Urizen with access to magical rings to enhance their prowess. He is aware that there are problems with the [[regio#Imperial Regio|Imperial regio]] and that greatly concerns him. In the past the Imperial regio has been a valuable tool for allowing magicians to unleash potent, majestic, glorious magic. He's concerned that recent developments might mean that the Empire is less able to do the kind of magic he likes.

If Senate amends the title - then Artemis Grey will obviously continue in the post until Meraud picks someone else (which he has no interest in doing right now being perfectly happy with the incumbent). As soon as the Senate changes the appointment, Meraud will start providing the Adjutor with a gift, a ''Ring of Majesty'' crafted by his heralds. One ring will be given to the Adjutor each year to use as they see fit - keep it themselves or provide it to other magicians for their use. And Meraud's heralds will provide additional foci if the Adjutor can give them the Tempest Jade needed to make them.
<br><br><span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Ring of Majesty</span>
* '''Form:''' Talisman. Takes the form of a ritual focus. You must be wearing this item or holding it in hand to use its magical properties.
* '''Requirement:''' You must have the magician skill to bond to this item.
Effect: Once per day you may use this ring to gain one additional rank of Summer lore for the purposes of performing a single ritual, subject to the normal rules for effective skill. Alternatively it can be used to gain two effective ranks (total) to the appropriate ritual lore if they are contributing to the performance of any ritual of magnitude 100 or greater. The ritual does not need to be part of Summer lore, but the normal rules for effective skill still apply. The additional power cannot be used if another effect such as a Chain of Aesh is used to reduce the magnitude of a ritual below 100.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Meraud001a.png|caption=Meraud has undergone changes, but still seems keen to hear from his Imperial friends.|align=right|width=300}}</div>
==Words, Words, Words==
* '''Meraud seeks to change the agreement of a ritual that allows Imperial Magicians to send him a message'''
* '''He asks to change From the Mouth of Babes to Orchard Tender's Tribute'''
* '''He cannot change the ritual without the agreement of Conclave - it requires a declaration of accpetance to go ahead'''
Meraud also has a request for the Conclave. As he [[Ambassadors_of_death#Speak_Up_A_Storm|explained last season]], the ''Summer Enchanter'' can no longer support [[From the Mouths of Babes]]. As he said at that time, he does not really have the luxury of free time that he can spend "''lounging around reading [[Missive for Sadogua|endless missives]] from the mortal realm in a pathetic attempt to get people to like him''." (A clear dig at [[Sadogua|his rival in the Night realm]]) He did however create an opportunity for magicians to perform the ritual at the Summer Solstice and promised he would review matters of communication afterward. He has now done so.

It seems that his "last hurrah" for the ritual has yielded positive results. The heralds of the orchards have very much appreciated the gitfs of [[tempest jade]] sent them by Imperial magicians. So much so in fact that they are keen to see the gifts continue! As such he is asking the Conclave to allow him to permanently change the contract for the ritual to this new form. Meraud proposes to change the name of the ritual so that people are aware that it will work differently. ''Orchard Tender's Tribute'' would be a magnitude 4 Summer ritual, with the same assurance as currenlty, but it would allow the caster to send 5 ingots of tempest jade to the orchard tenders of Meraud, along with a message of up to 50 words telling the eternal how he can help their magical ambitions. The message must also be accompanied by an image - a device representing the magician who penned the message.

The orchard tenders will keep the tempest jade and the message, and in return provide a single [[vis#Golden Apple|Golden Apple]]. They will take the message to Meraud and he vows that he will read it and create some kind of response even if it just an explanation as to why he cannot offer his aid. He's clear the ritual is ''not'' for casual chit-chat but for serious messages about ways he can help Imperial magicians work amazing magic. Casual chit-chat is what a parley is for after all!

However, even the most powerful eternal, cannot escape the bonds of their contract with the Conclave - not without the agreement of the magicians of the Empire to release them. To allow him to make the changes the Conclave would need to use a Declaration of Acceptance to agree to the new terms of ''Orchard Tender's Tribute'' to replce the From the Mouth of Babes. If that happens, then Meraud will be able to respond to the new ritual in the way he has outlined.

Clearly the Conclave does not have to agree to Meraud's terms, they may not accept them, or they may simply be too busy. The Conclave is always short of time and declarations at the end of the day. Meraud will not be unhappy if that happens, he will accept the wishes of the Conclave, but it does mean that going forwards there would be no way to communicate with the eternal, Meraud will not receive or reply to From the Mouth of Babes again.

==Golden Missives==
* '''Meraud plans to send a herald with replies to the missives he received last season'''
* '''The herald will attend the Arcane Colloquium at 15.30 in the Hall of Worlds'''
* '''Thirteen very specific people are invited along'''
Last season, Meraud supported one last performance of ''From the Mouth of Babes''. Imperial magicians sent him messages about their ambitions, the magic they sought to work, and suggested aid he might offer them or advice he might deliver. During the Autumn Equinox, a herald of Meraud will visit the Hall of Worlds during the [[Arcane Colloquium]] to deliver golden missives in response. The herald expects to be there around half past four, after the Summer session of the Colloquium ends, and asks that those magicians who sent missives come visit them then. Or, send a reputable representative who can definitely identify they are who they say they are.

Specifically the herald hopes to see '''Francisco i Alvera i Riqueza''', would-be maestro of naval magic; '''Olivier''' the golden apple enthusiast; '''Ioseph of Summer's Apex''' of the empyrean ambitions; '''Carlos of Phoenix Reach''', seeker after raw magical potence; '''Mercurio Ankarien''', bringer of earthquakes; '''Lord Tobias De Gauvain''' the flaming beacon; '''Enchanter Vesper Lucentia''' witch-warden of Weirwater; '''Kaapo Kingfishering''', magnate of the Iron Labyrinth; '''Lord Morgann de Vere''', glorious face of the sun; '''Beatrice Keeper''', honey-seeker; '''Ibiss Briarheart''', architect of the heavens; and of course '''Enchantress Areloe Larmallevés''', tender of the phoenix flame; and '''Catrina Words The Unbelievably Magical''', perhaps the proudest of the Empire's magicians.

Meraud can't attend in person, but hopes his words and gifts will be suitable inspiring. His herald would be pleased if '''Mirella of the Twisted Rose''', the [[Archmage of Summer]], and the helpful [[Churnspire Adjutor]] '''Artemis Grey''' were there as well to help smooth over and problems but they certainly don't need to be. The herald will ''not'' be taking messages back to Meraud, however. A channel for the Empire to speak to Meraud has been created, and of course [[Archmage#Parley|parley]] already exists. The representative of the golden orchards is there to deliver and enthuse, not to pick things up and take them back to the island on the lake.
==Further Reading==
* [[Meraud]]

File:Wizard Tower.png

2026-09-09T17:22:35Z

Rafferty: {{Wikimedia}} Michael Hicks, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

== Summary ==
{{Wikimedia}}
Michael Hicks, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

388YE Autumn Equinox winds of fortune

2026-09-09T17:16:33Z

Rafferty: /* Towers of the Sun */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Lights in the Dark.jpg|align=left|caption=Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. |width=2000}}</div>
==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Wind of Fortune !! Order Released !! Last Updated || Note
|-
| [[The wolves tempt you]] || 1 || data-sort-value="2026/08/15"| 15/08 || Imperial Address
|-
| [[Dream on]] || 2 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Seren
|-
| [[Come together]] || 3 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Apothecary college
|-
| [[Fair share of labour]] || 4 || data-sort-value="2026/08/19"| 19/08 || Artisans Guild
|-
| [[Hidden inventory]] || 5 || data-sort-value="2026/08/29"| 29/08 || Banner-bearers
|-
| [[A fork in the path]] || 6 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Mystics
|-
| [[Outreach across the marshes]] || 7 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Sand Fishers & League highest calling
|-
| [[Stand proud, you're strong]] || 8 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Brass Coast highest calling
|-
| [[Here you come again]] || 9 || data-sort-value="2026/08/31"| 06/09 || Plenipotentiary
|-
| [[Accomplices]] || 10 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Agramant is still in Therunin
|-
| [[Metamorphosis]] || 11 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Dealing with Kroll
|-
| [[Out of these convertites]] || 12 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || League visit to the Marches
|-
| [[Goodwill]] || 13 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Dawn, Navarr, Highguard, Vallornguard
|-
| [[Not from the benevolence]] || 14 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Offers from Ephisis
|-
| [[Wayfaring strangers]] || 15 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Visitors
|-
| [[Value beneath the mountain]] || 16 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Kespoena's Reach
|-
| [[Domain expansion]] || 17 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Imperial Breadbasket
|-
| [[Islands in the dream]] || 18 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Imperial Orc Highest Calling
|-
| [[Shadowed boughs of twilight]] || 19 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Ossium
|-
| [[When something is lost]] || 20 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Madruga
|-
| [[A friend like you]] || 21 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Eternal Winds of Magic
|-
|}</div>
Over the past three months, events have taken place which are of significance to the Empire and may require a response from her champions. These are the winds of fortune, counterparts to the winds of war that detail the Empire's military campaigns. They lay out situations and usually include things that characters can do to take advantage of [[opportunity|opportunities]] or to resolve problems. In almost every case, they start with a piece of flavour text. This fiction helps introduce the wind of fortune or draws out a particular theme or element. Often, it represents a viewpoint that one or more NPCs might have in-character. In all cases, these pieces are intended to help create an atmosphere and provide a little entertainment. Where they contain opinions, those are the opinions of the fictional people depicted - and where they contain information or rumours, the assumption is that the reader will create their own context for that information or gossip if they want to use it in character.

The body of the wind of fortune describes situations and lays out ways players can engage with them. Except where we explicitly talk about something being "rumoured" or use a phrase like "some might say..." the details of a wind of fortune are factual. They represent briefing material presented by the civil service or similar authoritative sources and represent something the average educated citizen would acknowledge as a reliable truth. Unless we specify otherwise, we're also being as thorough as possible. This information doesn't need further checking in-character. It's not an opinion, and we're not trying to trick you.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:350px; float: left; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Diplomacy Wind
|-
| General Diplomacy || [[So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavea]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Asavean_Archipelago|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Axos]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Axos|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] || [[All I can do]]
|-
| [[Commonwealth]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Commonwealth|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Marracossa]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Marracossa|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Faraden]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Faraden|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Grendel]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Grendel|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Iron Confederacy]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Iron Confederacy|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Otkodov]] || [[The little things]]
|-
| [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarm]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Principalities_of_Jarm|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Sarcophan Delves]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Sarcophan Delves|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Sumaah Republic]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Sumaah_Republic|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
|}

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of Fortune is to maintain the illusion of the Empire as a living, breathing place where things happen - and to make players aware of things their characters could know based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing for the past three months. It's perfectly acceptable to turn up to Empire having read only a few Winds of Fortune that directly interest your character; part of the fun on the field can come from learning about situations and opportunities in other parts of the game.
__TOC__
In each case, we've tried to tag the Winds of Fortune entry with the nations or political bodies to which it is most relevant. We've done this to help people who are interested only in events that are especially relevant to them. In no way are these tags intended to be exhaustive; the Empire is a complex place, and very little happens in isolation. We are also adding the dates that they were last updated (other than typos and correcting [[red links]]) in an attempt to make it easier to keep track of the newest releases.

==Winds of Fortune==
===The Wolves Tempt You (Imperial Address)===
* '''Imperial citizens; Navarr;'''
[[Emperor Vesna]] has used their power to [[The_Throne#Address_the_Empire|address the Empire]] to present a personal reminder to all citizens that the road to salvation is hard, but everyone is walking it together.

The message has been distributed across the Empire by the civil service, and you can read it in the '''[[The wolves tempt you]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:left; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Navarr.png|align=left|width=150}}</div>
===Dream On===
* '''Navarr'''
In [[Miaren]], [[Miaren#Seren|Seren]] is now become the ''City of Dreams'' in truth. People with hopes and aspirations, with the imagination to perceive what is needed to achieve them and the determination to try, have flocked to Miaren. With the completion of the Temple of the Waking Dream, the [[dreamspeaker]] calling has coalesced as a distinct [[archetype]] among the [[Navarr]] people, one dedicated to making dreams become reality. This has perhaps predictably amplified arguments about what exactly that means, and which dreams should be pursued, and how.

You can learn about competing arguments, and the changes to the city of Seren, in the '''[[Dream on]]''' wind of fortune.
===Come Together===
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBNavarr.jpg|align=right|width=100}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Imperial Apothecaries Guild; Navarr; Benefactor of High Chalcis; Highguard, the League, Imperial Orcs, and Varushka; Senate
When [[Therunin]] fell to the [[Druj]] [[Thornsinger#Thornsong_House|Thornsong House]] was lost. Despite the valiant efforts of the Navarr and the aid of [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]], the college of herb mastery could not be saved. While the house itself burned, many of those who studied there were able to escape to the safety of [[Reikos]]. Some stayed behind on [[Reikos#Chalcis Mount|Chalcis Mount]], but others chose to put as much distance between themselves and the horrors of the Druj as possible. Drawn to the Temple of the Waking Dream, some of these apothecaries and physicks have taken the path of the dreamspeaker themselves, and inspired by the City of Dreams, they have put their ambition to rebuild what was lost into words.

A proposal for a new college of the apothecary arts, and ways various nations may be involved, can be found in the '''[[Come together]]''' wind of fortune.
===Fair Share of Labour===
* '''Artisan's Guild; Throne; Senate; Artisans of all kinds; Golden Pyramid; Pride Assembly; Navarr; Guildmaster of the Artisans, Dean of Runesmith's Caution, Keeper of the Runegrott, Seer of the Spiral Sword, and potentially several other titles associated with magic item crafting'''
At the recent summit, [[Emperor Vesna]], requested that the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] [[Forever_is_composed_of_nows#The_Abraham_Gambit|appraise the implications]] of a new [[Imperial sodality]], the ''Imperial Guild of Artisans''. The Artisans Guild has technically been in existence for some time, with the Senate [[Construct_Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|ordering the construction of Guildhouse]] in 385YE, creating the position of [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]]. Now the Senate is in a position to consider the full implications of making the Guild into an official Imperial sodality.

You can learn more about the potential Imperial Sodality, as well as proposals from some people very excited by the opportunity it represents, in the '''[[Fair share of labour]]''' wind of fortune.
===Hidden Inventory===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Cat's Graces Sodality.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBWintermark.jpg|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Wintermark, especially banner bearers; Cat's Graces; Minister of Historical Research; Mediator of Hyljehal; Senate
When the tides of fate seem to turn against the Empire, to be able to look and see over the battle lines, the colours of your warband or your nation still [[Pride|Proudly]] flying can help to rally the [[Courage]] and turn the tide. In [[Wintermark]] the [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Banner-bearers|position of banner-bearer]] is seen as vital to the success of any battle. [[Empress Britta]] was a banner-bearer, and bore [[Three Tears|Foe-Slayer]], the legendary war-banner of [[Emperor Guntherm]] onto the field. The great flag was lost when Britta died and it has been near two decades since Wintermark could bear its equal into battle. The artisans and craftspeople of [[Hahnmark#Runegrott|Runegrott]] have a proposal to try to remedy this shortfall, involving the construction of a grand [[edifice]] to house banners and paintings of the great banners of the Empire as well as the creation of a new [[Magic_items#Artefacts|artefact]] [[:Category:Magic Standards|banner]] for Wintermark.

You can read more about this plan, and learn a little of the mighty banner Foe-Slayer, in the '''[[Hidden inventory]]''' wind of fortune.
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===A Fork in the Path===
* '''Wintermark, especially the Mystics; Raven Seer of Ishal; would-be champions; Keeper of Oaths; friends of Sung
The [[mystic|Mystics]] of Ishal sought to work more closely with the wider nation of Wintermark. They have since decided [[Flight_of_birds#The_Witan|to approach the Witan]] directly, and do what they can to support the goals of the nation itself. The decision to help with the [[Warriors' Gate|exploration of Tsirku]] has made it impossible for the Mystics of Ishal to offer their usual council and support to the [[Raven Seer]] and to that end they have made several changes to the Aviary, and to the support they offer the Raven Seer and the nation. At the same time, there has been a great deal of discussion of the [[Crown of Three Tears]] and the role of the ''Champion of Wintermark'' within the nation - the appointment of who has traditionally been the responsibility of the mystics.

You can read about the changes at Ishal, and the situation of the Crown of Three Tears, in the '''[[A fork in the path]]''' wind of fortune.
===Outreach Across the Marshes===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
* '''The League, especially the Bishops and Princes; Merchant Prince of Misericorde Market; Senate
[[The League]] Assembly [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_57|has declared]] that their [[The_highest_calling#The_Highest_Calling|highest calling]] is to bring new peoples to join the Empire. A Virtuous endeavour to be sure, but even the League cannot move the whole world at once. To be effective the nation needs to [[Any_dream_will_do#Partners_within|focus their efforts]] on one group at a time. Diplomacy is a complicated matter, so they also need to decide who among them would be best to take the lead with each such group. This past season the Princes of the League have reached out to the [[Holberg#Misericorde|Sand Fishers]] of [[Holberg#Misericorde|Misericorde]], the [[orc|orcs]] who once lived on the southern shores of [[Ossium]] as slaves of the [[Druj]] but who have found a new lease of life on the northern shores of [[Holberg]].

Ultimately, the egregore decides who can or cannot join a nation - the nature of the bond is that it can only be formed with someone an egregores recognises as having the potential to be a member of the nation. But the League has already embraced the Apulian Orcs, why not the Holberg Orcs as well?

You can read about how the outreach is going, and what it might take to bring the Sand Fishers into the Empire, in the '''[[Outreach across the marshes]]''' wind of fortune.
===Stand Proud, You're Strong===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Freeborn.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
* '''The Brass Coast, especially the Freeborn assembly;
After several seasons of deliberation (and funding a [[Construct_City_of_Wonders|whole new city]]), the Freeborn National Assembly has decided that the [[the highest calling|highest calling]] of their people should be on defending their lands. The sentiment resonates with people across [[the Brass Coast]]. It was not long ago that both [[Madruga]] and [[Feroz]] fell under barbarian control, [[Kahraman]] has faced constant invasion from the Lasambrians over the past few years and [[Segura]] has only recently enjoyed a prolonged period of quiet after nearly two decades of constant warfare. Is it a surprise that the people of the Brass coast feel a little vulnerable, given recent history?

There is so much work that could be done, people are at a loss to know where to start. The Assembly will have to consider the options carefully - they have a year to take advantage of the nation's highest calling, but that won't be enough time to pursue every possibility raised by a people as inventive as the Freeborn...

You can find out how the nation can begin to defend its lands, and the proposals put forward toward that aim, in the '''[[Stand proud, you're strong]]''' wind of fortune.
===Here You Come Again (Plenipotentiary)===
* '''Imperial Conclave; magicians; Synod; Brass Coast especially Sutannir; ''Alazhar i Taziel i Erigo'', ''Velasco i Guerra'', the Imperial Warcaster; Marcher beaters, Unshackled thief-takers, Varushkan wardens; ''Berilo i Erigo''; ''Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka'' and some dead generals'''
* This wind was updated on 06/09/2026 to add some additional paragraphs to the end of the [[Here_you_come_again#End_of_Empire|End of Empire]] section
Each [[archmage]] is empowered to send a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] message to a single [[eternal]] of their [[Realms|realm]] each season. Bound to respond, the recipients are however free to choose precisely what form that response takes. Following the Summer Solstice, six eternals have responded to what are presumed to be missives from the respective archmages. Some have agreed to [[archmage#Parley|parley]], but not all of them.

You can find out about the eternals, and the nature of their responses, in the '''[[Here you come again]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=BarienArt.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>

===Arrows and Clay (Challenge)===
* '''Challengers of the Iron Duke'''
Each season, the eternal ''[[Barien]]'' presents opportunities to those prepared to [[Challenge the Iron Duke]]. For the Autumn Equinox he offers two challenges: a game of speed and grace, and a game of creativity and imagination. As ever, the rules of the ritual apply. Each person who receives the ritual will be ''guaranteed'' entry to a challenge. Depending on the challenge, they ''may'' be able to bring a certain number of attendants with them to assist. The exact number will depend on the nature of the challenge and the number of challengers. The [[civil service]] will publish exact numbers in [[Anvil#The_Hub|the Hub]] on Saturday morning for all to see.

You can find details of the challenges issued by Barien this season in the '''[[Arrows and clay]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=AgramantArt.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>
===Accomplices===
* '''Navarr; Military Council; Military unit captains; ''Eskah Swift Hart, Vosjuli Cherenkov, Towlen Nighthaven'' and ''Mirella of the Twisted Rose'''''
Another season, another message from [[Agramant]], delivered by his heralds from the depths of [[Therunin]]. The eternal's efforts were roundly refuted last season, with the [[Golden Axe]] reclaiming Lower Tarn Valley. This season, Twigsnapper has a much more pointed offer to make to aid the reconquest of Therunin.

You can find out what Agramant and his heralds are up to in the '''[[Accomplices]]''' wind of fortune.

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===Metamorphosis===
* '''Urizen, particularly the captains of military units or residents of Sarangrave; Keeper of the Breadbasket and farm owners of the Marches; Imperial Consul; ''Frith, Ser Guy of the Twisted Rose, Fausta Ankarien,'' and people interested in the rebel septs; ''Solas of the Spire of the First Light'' and the Warmage'''
It has been a tumultuous time in the Sarangrave. First the Druj, then the vallorn, and now husks. All while the Empire has been endeavouring to make diplomatic inroads with the rebels of Nesustak Forest. Sadly, troubles abound; the eviction of so many from Thornfen by the Axou has raised the spectre of famine in the territory. And now the Druj scattered through the territory, alongside the rampaging husks, threaten to raise a third dark spectre - the beast that lurks beneath the waters of the Sarangrave, the dark and terrible Kroll.

You can find out what's happening in Sarangrave this season in the '''[[Metamorphosis]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly General.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
===A Little at a Time===
* '''Members of the Synod, especially Cardinals; Members of the Senate; Members of the Vallornguard and people interested in the fate of Pilgrim's Defiance'''
Last season, eight judgements of [[proscription]] were raised, and half of them were upheld by the General Assembly. Similar to their previous efforts, the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] has asked the civil service to publish not just guidance on the outcome of these proscriptions, but also details from the minutes of their discussions in the hopes of providing clarity to interested citizens. This includes detailed guidance on the three changes to religious law enacted by the Senate.

You can find out the outcome of the Constitutional Court's meeting on the proscriptions and changes to religious law last season, in the '''[[A little at a time]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Marcher.png|align=right|width=150}}
===Out of These Convertites===
* '''The League, particularly orcs and members of the Synod; The Marches; People with an interest in foot-the-ball or duelling'''
* This wind was updated on 07/09/2026 to change the time of the [[Out_of_these_convertites#And_So_Am_Come_Abroad|Am So Am Come Abroad]] encounter to 18:30 on Saturday
Last season, the [[The League|League]] and [[The Marches|Marcher]] Assemblies both passed statements of principle encouraging a pilgrimage of Apulian orcs and League members of the Synod to the [[Mournwold]]. Citizens from all five cities of the League have taken up the call to travel, and the orcs of the Mourn have welcomed them with open arms and farm tools. It's not just the harvest that's discussed, but ancestors and sports.

You can find out what happened when the League visited the Marches this season in the '''[[Out of these convertites]]''' wind of fortune.

===Goodwill===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Vallornguard sodality.png|title=Vallornguard|align=right|width=100}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Dawn.png||align=right|width=180}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Highborn.png||align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Navarr.png||align=right|width=150}}
* '''Dawn, Navarr; Highguard; Vallornguard'''
Two nations have chosen to use their [[The highest calling|highest calling]] to focus their people on the coming final war against the [[vallorn]]. The [[Dawn|Dawnish]] are developing the skills and resources to prepare themselves, while [[Navarr]] are looking for ways to support the nascent [[Vallornguard]] by sharing centuries of accumulated wisdom with other nations. Surprising progress has been made: the Dawnish have chosen to [[Love_and_monsters#Unicorns|throw open the doors of Greenwood Manor]] to all comers. The Navarr have spent the last year offering their unique expertise to their Imperial cousins, their eye turned at last to their allies in [[Highguard]]. Even the denizens of the [[eternal]] [[realms]] have heard the call to war, and have been encouraged to offer their aid as the Empire prepares for the war that will, if it is successful, bring to an end the Doom of Terunael.

You can find out about the highest callings of Navarr and Dawn, and the opportunities they provide, in the '''[[Goodwill]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Ephisis.jpg|align=left|width=300}}</div>
===Not From the Benevolence===
* '''Entrepreneurs and traders; Members of the Senate, particularly the Senators for Reikos and Bastion; People interested in contracts available, particularly ''Dorys Delgorokov'', ''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo'' and ''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged''; Citizens of Kallavesa, the Barrens, and Hercynia; and the ''Freeborn Flame Cartel'''''
Following the relative success of the new scheme to offer large contracts for fulfilment, the heralds of the [[Ephisis|Sovereign Lady of the City of Gold and Lead]] have returned with new offers for the coming summit. As always, the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] will set up shop in the [[Hall of Worlds]] on the final day of the summit, where they will look to settle any sales offered to the City via the [[Ephisis' Scale]] ritual.

You can learn about the offer for a fortification, the contracts available from the City of Gold and Lead, and the counting houses requested by the Conclave, in the '''[[Not from the benevolence]]''' wind of fortune.

===Wayfaring Strangers (Visitors)===
* '''Senators for Tassato and Holberg, and the League Assembly; Envoy to the Karass; Magpies;'''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
People visit Anvil for all kinds of reasons. Trade, wonderment, and a chance to meet with the movers and shakers of the Empire. It is no surprise that Anvil is seen as the place to be if you want to get anything of importance done.

You can find out more about some of the folk coming to Anvil this season in the '''[[Wayfaring strangers]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=ArgentSword_Colour.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
===Value Beneath the Mountain===
* '''General of the Argent Sword; ''Kespoena Archsky''; Members of the Senate and those able to announce commissions; people who like mithril; ''Herminius of the House of the Wanderer''; Architect of Illumination; Gardener of Pallas; Arbiter of the Four Winds; Oblivion Sentinel; and people who like the idea of fighting in caves'''
Almost eighteen months ago, an arcane projection raised Kespoena's Reach (formerly known as Mount Polus) to be the highest mountain in the Empire. This, unexpectedly, led to a crevasse opening at the base of the mountain. Last season, the [[Argent Sword|General of the Argent Sword]], '''Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer''', ordered the heralds of her army to "''sniff out the value beneath the mountain''".

You can find out what they found, and what lies beneath Kespoena's Reach, in the '''[[Value beneath the mountain]]''' wind of fortune.
===Domain Expansion===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Marcher.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''The Marches; Imperial Orcs; Senate and Military Council; Singing Caves seat; and Quartermaster of the Imperial Armies; Imperial diviners and cartographers; anyone with an interest in Liathaven/Ashvale'''
While other nations struggle on, the [[the Marches|Marchers]] have got their harvest in. Their assembly has completed their [[The highest calling#Highest calling|highest calling]] and successfully [[Expand_Breadbasket_into_Mournwold|expanded]] the [[The_Marches_economic_interests#The_Imperial_Breadbasket|Imperial Breadbasket]] into [[Mournwold]]. There's no time for rest however... as ever Marcher knows, the reward for a good job is more work. Keen not to let the grass grow under anyone's feet, Marchers look to make good use of the remaining time now the Breadbasket is properly sorted. There are a few ideas knocking around about what Marchers could be doing next, as a tidal wave of Imperial Steel sweeps through [[Mitwold]] and into [[Bregasland]] - time to build on that success. After-all - you don't own it unless you can defend it...

You can learn about suggestions for how the Marches can own and defend land, and a mildly irritating development with a former Imperial territory, in the '''[[Domain expansion]]''' wind of fortune.
===Islands in the Dream===
<div style="float: right; max-width: 150px; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:Illarawm.png]]</div>
* '''Imperial Orcs, Varushka, Highguard; Military Council'''
Bloodcrow Knott declared the [[the highest calling#Highest Calling|highest calling]] of the [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]] assembly to be [[Every_day_of_your_life#Spanning_the_Abyss|seeking the ancestors of other septs]], and at the Summer Solstice, Bloodcrow Meep was chosen to [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_93|lead an approach]] to the [[Culling_the_threat#The_Dreamers_of_the_Dark_Forest|Dreamers of the Dark Forest]] in eastern [[Ossium]]. This time the [[orc|orcs]] have additional support in the form of advisors from [[Varushka]] and [[Highguard]] familiar with the sept, who helped arm and train the orcs to fight the [[Druj]] a few years back. The delegation of [[shamans]] and [[Illarawm|mystagogues]] braves the haunted woods and finds a guarded welcome, some mystical beliefs about spirits, and another dilemma for the Empire...

You can learn about the Dreamers of the Dark Forest, their spiritual beliefs, and their pressing concerns, in the '''[[Islands in the dream]]''' wind of fortune.
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{{CaptionedImage|file=NBVarushka.jpg|align=right|width=300}}
===Shadowed Boughs of Twilight===
* '''Citizens of Ossium, Navarr and Varushkan alike; Ossium forest owners; Senate, Military Council; Varushkan and Dawnish military units; Grieftender of the Forgotten, Map to the City Below, Singer of Silence, Ceslev of the Circle of ZUlgan Tash; People who like having a fortification in Ossium; Apothecary of Orieb; people angry about idolatry; Agramant watchers; Watcher of the Semmerlak; Guardian of the Maze of Zoria; Dedicates of Wisdom; Ambassador to Otkodov'''
[[Ossium]] has been part of [[Varushka]] for six years now, and what was once a wretched place clenched in the iron fist of the [[Druj]] is rapidly becoming one of the most prosperous territories in the Empire. Alongside the Varushkans live a few scattered septs of [[orc|orcs]], while the [[Thule]] control the northern forests in uneasy alliance. For the last few years it has also been home to families of Navarr drawn by Awstin's Rest. After the Summer Solstice, though, magic drawn from the [[Realms#Night|Wondrous Forest]] washes over the territory, bringing with it the unmistakable blessings of Night magic - blessings that have a regrettable tendency to be somewhat mixed. Especially given the presence of the monsters that have been here since well before the Empire drove the Druj out, who still lurk in the depths of the wild forests.

You can learn about the effects the Night magic has had, on dreams and on the forest, as well as details about eternals and monsters, in the '''[[Shadowed boughs of twilight]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Drakes_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Star Forged colour.webp|align=right|width=200}}
===When Something Is Lost===
* '''Inhabitants of Madruga; Generals of the Drakes and Star Forged; military units; Marcher folk; Conclave orders; Military Council; magicians interested in ill-advised experiments; Archmages of Night, Spring, and Winter; Stone Smith'''
Once [[Madruga]] was grassy plains, rich coastline, and prosperous islands. Now it is something else, thanks in part to the transfiguration of its southern coast by magically-infused river waters. This is [[the Brass Coast]] and there are plenty of Freeborn who welcome the excitement, unpredictability, and wonder each day promises. After the Summer Solstice, magic started to settle over Madruga, bringing with it vibrant dreams of vanished forests and heralds of the [[Realms#Night|Night realm]]. At first it seemed to be just a gentle piece of [[Night magic]]... but as the Autumn got closer it became clear it had done more than just evoke dreams. Two Imperial armies were also in Madruga, busy claiming the wild marshes of the Siroc Bayou and Crucible for the Empire. ''One'' of these two armies has come back out of the marshes and the other one... has not.

You can learn about the gentle enchantment, and the disappearance of an entire Imperial army, in the '''[[When something is lost]]''' wind of fortune.

===A Friend Like You (Eternals)===
* '''Knight-protector of Summer; Captain of the Throne Guard; Dauntless Warrior; ''William Guildenstern''; Architect of the Hammers; Arch of the Sky; Business owners in Zenith; Quartermaster of the Hanuri Garrison; General of the Burning Falcon; Maestro of the Cat's Graces; Azure Sutannir; Dawnish magicians; ''Lady Aletheia of the Twisted Rose'', ''Catena'', and magicians who perform curses; ''Claudia Varkulova Remislav, Eevi of the Gadrai'', and the Conclave; ''Artreus D'Fauntine, Catrina Words The Unbelievably Magical, Leo the Rainbow Sage,'' the <s>Order of the</s> Golden Chalice, the Tender of the Phoenix Flame, and the Churnspire Adjutor; those who met with Argent Preceptor; Night ritualists, and those who like the Whisper Gallery; '''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
Some magic comes from outside the Empire, from the creatures of the [[Realm|realms]], the [[eternal|eternals]] and their [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]]. Sometimes they have boons to offer, sometimes they have demands to make. Here we learn of the doings of the realms, with something that could be relevant to any number of folk, including some meetings, some odd opportunities, and eerie happenings.

You can learn about the doings of various eternals, and the repercussions of their former doings, in the '''[[A friend like you]]''' wind of fortune.

===Spreading the Way (Appraisal)===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">[[file:Labyrinth.jpg]]</div>
* '''Members of the Senate; People interested in spreading the Way'''
Last season, the Senate called for an appraisal on how non-Wayist cultures and communities residing within the Empire can be brought into the [[The Way|Way of Virtue]]. Naomi of Virtue's Rest was assigned, and her [[appraisal]] of the situation has been submitted. Naomi has had to rely on a very broad-strokes approach to the question, but she is confident that it will leave the Empire as a whole better off with the understanding that it brings.

You can learn about the results of Naomi's work in the '''[[Spreading the Way]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">[[file:Assembly Prosperity.png]]</div>
===This Old House===
* '''Prosperity Assembly; Inhabitants of Feroz; General Assembly; Members of Senate; People interested in commissions'''
During the Spring Equinox, the Prosperity Assembly upheld a [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement 138|judgement]] that made clear their highest calling: to look for opportunities that will help to bring Prosperity to the damaged territories of the Empire and the people within them. The first territory chosen by the assembly was [[Feroz]], still suffering from the ravages it suffered under Governor Rahab. The Prosperous have identified what they consider the best option for helping the people of Feroz, and one Freeborn architect has a pitch for how it might potentially help the rest of the Empire.

You can learn about how the Prosperity Assembly might help the people of Feroz feel less [[Region_qualities#Abandoned|abandoned]] in the '''[[This old house]]''' wind of fortune.

===Rebellion's Ridge===
* '''General Assembly; Inhabitants of the Mournwold, particularly farm and mine owners'''
During the Spring Equinox, the Pride Assembly upheld a [[388YE Spring Equinox Synod judgements#Judgement 13|writ of consecration]] to consecrate [[Mournwold#Rebellion's Ridge|Rebellion's Ridge]] as a memorial to the exemplars of Pride, the [[Known_exemplars#Leaders_of_the_Ore_Hills_Rebellion|Leaders of the Ore Hills Rebellion]]. The writ has brought things to a head in the Mourn, and now it comes down to the decision of the General Assembly.

You can learn about the potential consecration of Rebellion's Ridge as a memorial to the Ore Hills Rebels in the '''[[Rebellion's Ridge]]''' wind of fortune.

===A Habit I Can't Break (Mortal Magic)===
* '''Keeper of the Imperial Menagerie, Financier of Holberg's Phantasmagorical Mementoes, and Conclave; Freeborn ritualists; Navarr;'''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
Not all magic is performed by the denizens of the realms; mortals are just as, if not more, capable of causing all kinds of trouble when left alone with too much free time and mana crystals.

You can read about goings-on across the Empire in the '''[[A habit I can't break]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">[[file:Meraud001a.png|align=right|width=200]]</div>
===Towers of the Sun===
* '''Conclave, Senate; Imperial magicians; Churnspire Adjutor; Francisco i Alvera i Riqueza, Olivier, Ioseph of Summer's Apex, Carlos of Phoenix Reach, Mercurio Ankarien, Lord Tobias De Gauvain, Enchanter Vesper Lucentia, Kaapo Kingfishering, Lord Morgann de Vere, Beatrice Keeper, Ibiss Briarheart, Enchantress Areloe Larmallevés, Catrina Words The Unbelievably Magical'''
The ''[[Meraud|Summer Enchanter]]'' has been through some things recently, but it seems he is [[Ambassadors_of_death#Apples_and_Oranges_(Summer)|even more enthusiastic]] about helping out his friends in the Empire than usual. As Summer fades, his messengers are dispatched to various points around the Empire with boons and plans and proposals a plenty. Whether it is wizards towers, appreciation for the [[Churnspire Adjutor]], or final decisions regarding communication with the ''Lord of the Lake'', they have been full of the fire of enthusiasm and relentlessly upbeat. Only when the ''[[Sadogua|Toad King]]'' is brought up in polite conversation does their eager demeanour slip a little and a few choice words of criticism get voiced.

You can learn about offers from Meraud, and an opportunity to restore channels of communication, in the '''[[Towers of the sun]]''' wind of fortune.

==Diplomatic Winds==
Each season, the Civil Service prepares a summary of the Empire's relationship with the foreign nations. This is usually based on communications received from their ambassador, along with any useful intelligence gathered from other sources. While the [[Senate]] and the other houses of Imperial power may respond to these offers, it is important to note that it is the appropriate [[ambassador]] that the foreign power will expect to hear from. Their communication with the foreign power is the primary element that will determine the tenor of any response. While these winds revolve around international matters, their focus is still on the Empire and what its citizens can do to influence diplomatic matters, so they're as likely as any other wind to contain something of interest to characters from all walks of life.

===All I Can Do (Beoraidh)===
* '''Ambassador to Beoraidh; Cat's Graces; Benefactors Council; Steward of the Ossuary; Members of Senate; Apothecaries Guild; Regario Dossier'''
[[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] was once the stronghold of the [[Grendel]] ''Salt-Lord Ehsan'' and his supporters. When the Empire moved to invade Mareave, Ehsan declared independence and sued for peace with the Empire. The city itself and the neighbouring region of [[Mareave#Sinfoyard|Sinfoyard]] are recognised as a neutral state by the Senate; a free port where both merchants of all nations are welcome. They actively seek investment from both Imperial and Grendel sources, and have allied themselves with the powerful [[Sarcophan Delves]]. One opportunity that has been under discussion for a while now is the creation of a temple dedicated to the Way, a monument to cooperation welcomed by the former Grendel. After the Summer Solstice it appears that some movement has been made towards making intention into reality.

You can learn about diplomatic relations with Beoraidh, and the opportunity to build a temple there, in the '''[[All I can do]]''' wind of fortune.

===It's All Wrong, But It's All Right===
* '''Ambassador to Faraden; Ambassador to the Iron Confederacy; Synod, Senate; fleet captains; Alder of Meade, Mediator of Fisk, Azure Sutannir, Cat's Graces; military unit commanders, especially mercenaries'''
The merchants of [[Faraden]] and the militarist [[Iron Confederacy]] lie to the west and south of the Empire respectively - to the west and south of [[the Brass Coast]] more specifically. Relations with the two nations have been tumultuous in the past but in the last year or two there has been a slow sanding-off of harsh edges. A feeling that lasting détente may be possible, although what it might cost is another matter entirely...

You can learn about diplomatic affairs regarding Faraden and the Suranni, and some pressing problems regarding both, in the '''[[It's all wrong, but it's all right]]''' wind of fortune.

===So Little I Wanted, So Little I Got===
* '''Ambassador to Asavea; Ambassador to Sumaah; Ambassador to the Grendel; Marracossa Sendito; Members of the Senate; fleet captains; Ambassadors in general; Loyalty Assembly, particularly ''Dagon Barossa'''''
The orthodox [[Sumaah Republic]] and the declining [[Asavean Archipelago]] lie far to the west of the Empire. The two great nations remain locked in war. Closer to home, the [[Grendel]] compete with the Empire for dominance of the Bay of Catazar. Even closer to home, the Marracossan exiles live in their town of [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Trajadoz]], Madruga. The [[ambassador|ambassadors]], the [[Imperial Consul]], and other individuals invested in diplomacy have their work cut out keeping abreast of what is happening, as each nation has agendas no less complex than those of the nations that make up the Empire.

You can learn about the ongoing diplomatic situation with the Asavean Archipelago, the Sumaah Republic, the Marracossans of Trajadoz, and the Grendel in '''[[So little I wanted, so little I got]]''' wind of fortune.

===Those Memories of You===
* '''Ambassador to the Sarcophan Delves; Ambassador to Axos; Senate; Wintermark farmers, herb garden owners, and apothecaries; Imperial Apothecaries Guild; collectors of vallorn relics; fleet captains trading with Issyk; Navarr traders'''
The [[Sarcophan Delves]] are a great power, a cosmopolitan nation centred around an immense city that sprawls out across the banks of the Umshalla river. [[Axos]] is tiny nation on the outskirts of the Empire, controlling a little over two territories. For all their differences they have similarities, though. Both are a people of cities, and both have an uneasy relationship to death. The Axou ''necromantia'' are acknowledged masters of the cold magic of the grave, while the Sarcophan base much of their industry on the use of the ''ongelukkig'' living-corpses. They are both nations made more powerful through trade, and both would like to see themselves as friends to the Empire... and in both cases that friendship can prove to be something of a mixed blessing.

You can learn about Sarcophan and Axou diplomacy, and some trade opportunities, in the '''[[Those memories of you]]''' wind of fortune.
===If We Never Meet Again===
* '''Ambassador to Jarm; Ambassador to the Commonwealth; Senate; Imperial mercenary soldiers (especially the League, Dawn, Urizen, and Highguard); Imperial fleet captains; Celestial Arch and Sevenfold Path; Rod and Shield and Golden Pyramid; Granite Pillar; friends of Professor Emmanuel Gelberg'''
The [[Commonwealth]] and the [[Principalities of Jarm]] had been at war, fighting for control of the borderlands between their two great nations. When the tiny country of Lantir was annihilated by [[Cold Sun]], a major incursion began that saw armies of [[Cold_Sun#Heralds|scions]] pouring through a breach in what remained of the capital city. Now they have a common enemy, but it has given them little ''else'' in common. Revelations as to the cause of the incursion have set the balance of power in the east swinging wildly - and not just between the two nations. The Empire is in the middle of a war of words and recriminations, and a long-term friendship seems to be on the verge of collapse while the attitude of bitter rivals appear to be improving.

You can learn about the chaos in the east, and its significant to Imperial citizens, in the '''[[If we never meet again]]''' wind of fortune.
===The Little Things===
* '''Ambassador to Otkodov; Senate; Military Council; Folk of Ossium'''
The [[Thule]] of [[Otkodov]] share a long mountainous border with [[Wintermark]], the [[Imperial Orcs|the Unshackled]], and [[Varushka]]. A magocratic nation is ruled by five allegedly immortal orc wizards called the Dragons they were at war with the Empire for much of its history. Now though, they are at peace. An uneasy peace to be sure, secured with the concedence of northern regions claimed as part of Otkodov. But peace nonetheless. For the last year or so, the Thule have been waging war on [[the Mallum]], conquering western [[Forest of Ulnak|Ulnak]] and occupying the northern Druj. They have also been engaging in active negotiations with the representatives of the Empire, arranging deals and agreements that might against all the odds so this peace last longer than perhaps it has any right to.

You can read about recent diplomatic developments, and in particular some upcoming events in [[Ossium]], in the '''[[The little things]]''' wind of fortune.

==Other Events==
===Strange Currencies===
* '''The Silver Flame ask for ritual texts for ''Strong Ox, Golden Sun'' and ''Gathering the Harvest'''''
* '''In return, they pledge their sentinels to defend Spiral as needed'''
The [[A_question_of_loyalty#Spiral|Tribunal of the Silver Flame]] controls the region of [[Spiral#Cinion|Cinion]], in [[Spiral]] - and is home to several hundred former Urizeni mages at most. Nearly a [[Mirror_and_the_flame|year ago]], they announced grand plans to make a formal alliance with the [[eternal]] [[Sinokenon]], declaring their intent to build a [[fane]] in their territory so as to allow the eternal to give them more extensive support. Aware that the risks would be shared by the Empire, they wrote to inform them of their intentions, and tried to sweeten the deal with two powerful rituals in exchange for access to Imperial Lore, assuming that the offer would land favourably.

It did not. The [[Conclave]] rejected the offer outright, seemingly incensed at the repeated request for access to Lore and having deep misgivings about the nature of ''Diamondmind's'' offer. The Flame sent a delegation to Anvil to try and understand why their strategy had landed so badly. Eager to demonstrate their worth to their neighbours, they sent their sentinels to aid in the [[This_is_the_end#Never_follow_me|quixotic but ultimately successful effort to free Apulian]] from the [[Whisper Gallery|Whisper Gallery's]] grasp. Last season, the Conclave agreed to disseminate [[Blessing of New Spring]] to them - a sign that there is diplomatic willing there, yet.

Now the [[civil service]] have been sent word from Alexius, who acts as the representative of the Tribunal to the Empire. His missive strikes a somewhat contrite note. The Tribunal have abandoned their plans to build a fane for Sinokenon - for now. It seems that someone made a generous donation of liao to the faction within the Tribunal who were most opposed towards any form of eternal alliance, and they have spent the last three months pressing their point. They have convinced many, but in particular they have convinced Caela, the Grand Arbiter of the Tribunal, who has asked the heralds of Sinokenon to leave.

This has not come without cost, it seems. While they have the stocks and stores to get through winter, it will be hard without outside assistance. Their need is pressing, and so they write to ask if their friends in Anvil could see to the dissemination of the other two rituals in the cycle of farm rituals. This would aid the rebels greatly - especially if this happens in time for the rituals to be cast in the Summer and Autumn of next year. Beyond that, the Flame would benefit from any personal enchantments, especially ones like [[Gift of the Wily Broker]] which allow for careful economic stewardship. In return, the Tribunal are prepared to guarantee that their sentinels will continue to support efforts in Apulian or be sent to assist in Spiral's defence in any way they can - whether it is simply to act as swords against the darkness of the wilds or to defend some fortification. They have four groups of sentinels with a combined military strength of a little under five hundred.

===All the Right Friends===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Prosperity.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''Efforts to share the virtue of Prosperity with the people of Tsark have met with some success.'''
* '''There is an opportunity to bring word of inspirational figures of Prosperity to Tsark.'''
* '''Eleven Imperials have been invited at 18:35 on the Saturday of the equinox to visit the Tsarkoi in Zenith.'''
The isolated nation of [[Tsark]] is famously slow to change and resistant to outside influence or visitors of any kind. In the last decade, as the Empire has become aware of Tsark's existence yet remained neutral, even friendly towards the tiny sagocracy, there has been a slow but perceptible thawing of relations on behalf of the Sage's Council. [[Seeds_of_discord#Tsark|Last season]] they sent ''Camilla'', one of the adepts who play some kind of role in day-to-day spiritual guidance of the lives of the Tsarkoi, to visit the Empire to learn more about the virtue of [[Prosperity]]. It seems that the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]] made the case that there could be a place for Prosperity within the worldview of the sages, and they were not so horrified at the suggestion as to refuse it out of hand.

Camilla solicited letters on the subject of Prosperity and has made herself and her fellow adepts available this last season for members of the Urizen Assembly to discuss Prosperity with her. As the equinox approaches, the Imperial diplomatic corps, through the office of the Seeker of the Perfect World, receive word that the initiative has been a success: at least from Camilla's point of view. She has learned much about Prosperity from all she has read and heard - yet she feels there is yet more to learn. In particular, she understands that the Empire set great stock by inspirational figures of the past who exemplify their virtues - a practice the people of Tsark understand well. The great sages and adepts of the past all have shrines built into the [[Mountains_of_the_Moon#Wall_of_the_Luge_and_the_East_and_West_Rising|Wall of the Luge]], the mighty fortified wall that surrounds the sacred plateau of Visoko. She would like to learn more about the inspirational prosperous figures that the Empire holds dear to its heart. If the Empire's representatives can impressively preach of an inspirational figure of Prosperity in a way that resonates with the spirituality of Tsark, then it could well lead to further such opportunities, as the Tsarkoi believe that inspirational figures are the ''most'' important way to find spiritual enlightenment.

She has asked Sage Kristoph, the well-established representative of the Sage's Council to the "People of the Horse", to make the trip to Zenith. She would like to host a discussion on the premises of the Garden of the Perfect World, with Sage Kristoph to attend, and an invitation is extended to each person who wrote to her or visited. These are, in no particular order: '''Farren Silver Streams, Abel the Rounder, Isaac of the Reaching Vine, Berilo i Erigo, Heilyn Bronwen's Rest, Catena of Tropaion, Galene Netherwatch, Able the Taller, Lord Augur Gryphontale, Eleri Bronwen's Rest''', and '''Solas of the First Light'''. They are invited to speak about three inspirational figures of Prosperity, with ten minutes (allowing time for questions) allocated for each figure. Who actually presents and on which figures Camilla defers to the visitors - she trusts them to collectively come to an understanding in an efficient manner that respects the time of others, as - she has learnt - the Prosperous are wont to do.

This is clearly a fateful occasion, and on such occasions the Sentinel Gate obliges. There is a conjunction for eleven people at 18:35 on the Saturday of the Equinox, to attend the Gardens of the Perfect World, Occursion, Zenith. The civil service has asked the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]], '''Abel the Rounder of Sarangrave Reforged''', to be responsible for the conjunction and for the other arrangements Camilla has mentioned.

===Blades of the Semmerlak (reprise)===
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Blades of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' [[Edifice]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:'''
*Sandling in Weirwater ''or'' Lacuve in Semmerholm
'''and'''
*Malimorzi in Karov ''or'' Bittershore in Ossium
</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 24 weirwood and 72 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' Three months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the start of Autumn Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Creates title of ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak''
* Creates the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''' venture for questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens
* Removes the threat to ships on the Semmerlak and establishes a sodality to deal with threats from Dho'uala</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Counts as a single commission</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Dawnish and Varushkan</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Senate or Test of Arms </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' This is a [[martial title]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:'''
* Receives 10 crowns a season
* Receives a [[Duelist's Scales]], a [[Troubadour's Ring]], and a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] once a year</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To counter the influence of Dho'uala and deal with threats coming from the Semmerlak</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<tr><td style="background-color: HotPink;">'''Blades in the Semmerlak'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Venture Type:''' Guarding</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Territories bordering the Semmerlak</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Duration:''' Open-ended</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Rewards:''' Six crowns and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]]</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''''Tristan Ramson von Holberg'', the Master of the Mint, announced the reappraisal of the Blades of the Semmerlak'''
* '''A wardenhouse in Varushka and a knightly estate in Dawn would provide a base of operations for heroes to protect the Semmerlak'''
Last season, the [[Master of the Mint]], '''Tristan Ramson von Holberg''', announced the [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Reappraise_Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|reappraisal]] of the Blades of the Semmerlak in Dawnish and Varushkan territories surrounding the [[the Semmerlak|Semmerlak]]. Originally [[Less_welcome_tenants#Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|suggested]] shortly before the Summer Solstice 386YE, the wardenhouse and knightly estate were part of a larger appraisal into the problem of [[Dho'uala]] killing Imperial citizens and interfering with matters on and around the Semmerlak.

A motion to construct the [[Less_welcome_tenants#Wards_and_Bargains|Journeymage Towers]] was [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Construct_Journeymage_Towers|proposed]] by '''Amicia of the Semmerlak''', as Senator for Semmerholm, and the [[Watcher of the Semmerlak]] has been active, appointed by the Assembly of Vigilance, and tasked with ensuring the nations surrounding the Semmerlak act with Vigilance and countering threats from the Semmerlak.

Lutomysla's suggestion that the Senate establish a small sodality dedicated to protecting the people around the Semmerlak still holds true, and has the same enthusiastic support from the merchant-boyars, earls, and merchant-princes keen to see people protected from the depredations of the sovereign. A knightly order focused on protecting the communities along the lake, and a warden fellowship to travel on ships crossing the Semmerlak to protect the crew; both would actively seek out the creatures of Dho'uala and fight them. Supported by Imperial heroes, the sodality would remove the threat to the people living along the edge of the lake. Instead, it would fall to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens to serve as the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''',

They will need places to operate from - an estate in Dawn for the knights and a wardenhouse in Varushka for the wardens. Lutomysla identified that the best locations would be either [[Weirwater#Sandling|Sandling]], in the vicinity of [[Weirwater#Culwich|Culwich]], or [[Semmerholm#Lacuve|Lacuve]] in [[Semmerholm]] near the bustling port of [[Semmerholm#Lacre|Lacre]] for the knights, and the port of Korotny in [[Karov#Malimorzi|Malimorzi]] in [[Karov]] and the [[Merchant_Boyar_of_the_Bittershore#Kostjyas_Respite|Kostjyas Respite]] in [[Ossium#Bittershore|Bittershore]] in [[Ossium]] and those still hold true. Although they involve work in two regions, the actual project itself requires only a single commission, and the building of the wardenhouse and the estates will take place in parallel. Once construction is complete, any threat to the people who live along the banks of the lake will be met by enthusiastic warriors. It will also create a new guarding [[venture]] available to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens - '''Blades in the Semmerlak'''. This will allow a [[military unit]] to spend their time actively defending the Semmerlak and the ships that traverse it. A starting military unit undertaking the venture would receive 120 rings and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]].

There would need to be a title to oversee the efforts and support the sodality; the ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'' would be a [[martial title]] of Dawn and Varushka who was appointed by either unanimous agreement of the senators of those two nations, or a [[Martial_title#Creating_Martial_Titles|test of arms]] between members of those two nations. The title-holder would be responsible for protecting the communities around the Semmerlak from threats mundane and magical, and to stand ready to oppose the depredations of Dho'uala whenever they raise their head. In return, they would receive an income of 10 crowns each season with which to equip allies and maintain their sodality.

They would also be the beneficiaries of several magic items provided by Dawnish, Varushkan, and League donors. A [[Duelist's Scales|Duelist's Scales]] weapon from the Varushkan merchant-boyars to weaken corrupt horrors; a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] from League merchant-princes to protect them from venom; and a [[Troubadour's Ring]] from Dawnish earls to help them support their allies. These items would be received once each year, and while the expectation is that the Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak would use them themselves, there is no reason they could not pass them to other warriors fighting against Dho'uala or similar monstrous threats.

===Dusk===
{{:Autumn Equinox 2026}}

===Husky Business (Volunteers)===
* '''There is an opportunity for player volunteers to portray their characters who died during the Saturday battle at the last event'''
* '''Eligible characters must have died during the battle, but not have been killed as a husk'''
* '''Volunteers will need to have their own costume and appropriate weapons'''
* '''The role will last around twenty minutes, starting at 18:30 on Friday'''
* '''The role will involve fighting alongside the skirmish team in an encounter against player characters'''
* '''Please email before 18:00 on Wednesday 26th of August if you are interested in volunteering'''

There is an opportunity for players to portray the husk of their fallen characters at the upcoming event. Anyone whose character died during the battle of the [[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Fens of Varreth]], raised as a husk but was not subsequently killed again as that husk is welcome to email to register interest in volunteering for an encounter on the Friday. This will be a combat [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|highly likely]] encounter through the Sentinel Gate and will involve fighting against player characters alongside members of our [[Plot_crew#Skirmish|skirmish team]].

If you are interested and would like more information, please email {{plot}} with your PID and the subject line "Husk Volunteer E4", and you will be given more details.

==Summer Conjunctions==

===Major Conjunctions===
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Link'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Outcome'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Sarangrave|Sarangrave, Turan Flats, ''Fens of Varreth'']]</td><td>Contain the dead</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Harvester of Graves]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Sigismund Vladislav Kestovia''' of [[Varushka]]; The spirits were not trapped and the husks remain a problem in eastern Sarangrave; The tortured souls of Het Trakaa remain in Turan Flats; Het Trakaa and Sul Maggotgnaw remain alive</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Mareave|Mareave, Clisearn, ''Ruins of Sinat'']]</td><td>Open the Vaults</td><td>Grendel</td><td>[[Mithril_and_rope#Battle:_Salt_and_Stone|Salt and Stone]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Joaquim i Erigo''' of [[the Brass Coast]]; Saltbound Stone recovered and claimed by '''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged'''; Ilium Jackals negotiated with and readying support of [[Boyar's Hasta]]; Iontach Leagsaidh remains in possession of their [[Grimnir's Hearthfire]]; Maistir Guaidre remains in possession of the Spiteri necklace</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Forest of Ulnak|Forest of Ulnak, Ghul'thak Forest, ''Fetid Heart'']]</td><td>Raid the Druj</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Battle:_Claim_the_Prize|Claim the Prize]]</td><td>Not taken; Status of the black lotus unclear; Status of the treasures of Taramid Skinwreath unclear</td></tr>

</table>

===Minor Conjunctions===
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! # !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview !! Result
|-
| 1 || Sarangrave, Whisperwood, Halfweir Grove || [[Fingers of the Devourer|Custodian of the Fingers of the Devourer]] || [[Thorn_and_bone#A_Testing_(Conjunction)|Destroy the heralds of Surut]] || Heralds of Surut killed; production of Fingers of Devourer has increased by two wains per season for as long as the Great Forest Orcs remain foreigners
|-
| 2 || Astolat, Withy, Igraine's Regio || [[Astolat|Senator for Astolat]] || [[A_wizard_did_it#Rants_and_Roses|Find out why the regio keeps shifting back to Spring, and resolve it]] || Unclear, but '''Éamon Ashenmourn de Cordraco''' might know more
|-
| 3 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Maiden Stone || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#Apples_First_(Mitwold)|Stop Jyll Longleys from cursing the Maiden Stone]] || ''Jyll Longleys'' and allies killed
|-
| 4 || The Barrens, Dawnguard, Troubadour's Glade || [[Knight of Dawnguard]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Vow (The Barrens)|Kill ''Prilak Gutdredger'']] || ''Prilak Gutdredger'' and almost all allies were killed
|-
| 5 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Golden Fields || [[Keeper of the Golden Fields]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#The_Right_Thing_(Mitwold)|Stop Dusty Cobb setting Golden Fields alight]] || ''Dusty Cobb'' and rebels killed
|-
| 6 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, The Dredging Flats || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Call to Stand (The Barrens)|Kill the Servants of the Burnt]] || All but one ''Servants of the Burnt'' survived
|-
| 7 || Ossium, Echofell, Burned Glade || [[Shadowed Torchbearer]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Fire_The_Forests_(Ossium)|Prevent the cursing of Ossium]] || Heralds killed and Ossium was not cursed
|-
| 8 || Therunin, Lower Tarn Valley, Rotwood Croft || '''Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#After the Taint (Therunin)|Destroy the miasma pillar]] || Miasma pillar successfully consecrated
|-
| 9 || Madruga, Free Landing, Hart's Cove || [[Hand of Guerra]] || [[Keys_of_Enlightenment#Barren_Waters_(Conjunction)|Aid the stranded ship from Sumaah]] || Unclear, but Hand of Guerra should know more
|-
| 10 || Sarangrave, Kroll, Slow Worm's Hill || [[Sevenfold Path|Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Boil The Swamps (Sarangrave)|Prevent the cursing of Sarangrave]] || Heralds killed and Sarangrave was not cursed
|-
| 11 || Sarangrave, Turan Flats, The Breakteeth dais || [[Eastern Sky|General of the Eastern Sky]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#The_Greatest_Prize_(Rhianos)|Recover the treasure]] || Treasure successfully recovered
|-
| 12 || The Barrens, Bitter Strand, Saltshore || [[Merchant of the Fangs]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Fangs_for_the_Memories_(Conjunction)|Answer General Utmar's call for aid]] || Vassals of the manticore killed
|-
| 13 || Madruga, The Crucible, Talpses Plat || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#A_Terrible_Feeling_(Madruga)|Claim the ''Snapping Face'']] || Snapping Face retrieved and heralds killed
|-
| 14 || The Barrens, Carmine Fields, Trading Way || '''Rhydian de Rondell''' || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Taste_of_Mettle_(Conjunction)|Remove the failed knights-errant of House Courcillion as a threat]] || Named knights have accepted justice from local magistrates
|-
| 15 || Necropolis, Coursmouth, The Veiled Garden || [[Guardian of Britta's Memorial]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#The_Strength_of_This_Place_(Necropolis)|Spill the waters of Siakha]] || Bucket recovered and returned to Anvil
|-
| 16 || The Barrens, The Untrod Groves, Glade of the Good Knight || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#A_Hearty_Meal_(Conjunction)|Thwart the schemes of Ser Gawain Amboise]] || Schemes of ''Ser Gawain Amboise'' thwarted
|-
| 17 || Mareave, Fleisardh, Spring Regio near Golden Wind's Encampment || [[Silver Chalice|Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Do_Some_Harm_(Arhallogen)|Poison the Grendel]] || Grendel poisoned, Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice should know more
|-
| 18 || Tassato, Cascatas, Campo Verdenta || [[Keeper of the Sapphire Stair]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#For_What_Has_Been_Wrought_(Tassato)|Kill the heralds of Siakha]] || Heralds of Siakha and wreckers killed
|-
| 19 || Spiral, Apstrus, Alba's Lea || [[Legacy|Custodian of the Legacy]] ||[[Mithril_and_rope#A_Backhanded_Request_(Spiral)|Intercept the mercenaries pay]] || Raid launched on the Legacy and ten wains of mithril claimed by the Haurlatch Iron Consortium
|-
| 20 || Reikos, Haros Water, Couros Field || '''Nekoda of the Shattered Tower''' || [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_fortune#A_Sudden_Threat_(Reikos)|Save Professor Gelberg from Grendel assassins]] || Imperials pushed out by Grendel; Professor Gelberg has been kidnapped
|-
| 21 || Redoubt, Naris, Isaac's End || '''Telemachus of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[Seeds_of_discord#An_Empty_Bottle_(Conjunction)|Leave no more than a dozen Grendel alive]] || All Grendel killed
|-
| 22 || Kallavesa, West Marsh, The Meeting Place || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_32|Erlend]]''' || [[Myth_makers#The_Unity_Of_Deed_And_Word|Consecrate the Meeting Place]] || The Meeting Place successfully consecrated with true liao
|-
| 23 || Kallavesa, Wittal Grove, Frithstan's Fen || [[Grimnir of Wittal Grove]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#An_Unexpected_Ally_(Basileia)|Defeat the Grendel (and potentially rescue the Iontach)]] || Ionatch Meddool Miniog successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 24 || Forest of Ulnak, Grimfen Mire, Moss End || [[Warmage]] || [[All_I_ask_of_you#Wild_Things_Run_Fast|Take advantage of a recent scouting discovery]] || [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] successfully cast with eight rings of [[ilium]]
|-
| 25 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Eastern Ward || '''Theodora''' || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 26 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, Gardenway || [[Envoy to the Karass]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Protect_Lenna_Karass_%28The_Barrens%29|Prevent Druj raiders from kidnapping Lenna Karass]] || Lenna Karass was successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 27 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Western Ward || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 28 & 29 || Forest of Ulnak, Gloomsea, Islet of Calm || [[Archmage of Day]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Who's_the_Thief?_(Forest_of_Ulnak)|Prevent the Eyes of the Dragon from using a boon of Kimus]] || [[Wind of Mundane Silence]] performed on regio and bodies successfully destroyed
|-
| 30 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Warmage]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Drive the vallorn from the regio]] || Imperial casualties suffered, vallornspawn remain around the regio
|-
| 31 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Archmage of Spring]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Cast Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] || [[Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] was not performed
|-
| 32 || Sarangrave, the Whisperwood, Depths of the Hungry Earth || [[Counsel of the Sun Chamber]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#The_Caves_of_the_Hungry_Earth|Investigate the Hungry Earth]] || Depths investigated, Counsel of the Sun Chamber should know more
|-
| 33 || Volodmartz, Livardz, Sumisev Peegel || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_167|Auntie Armand Mariyavich Remislav]]''' || [[Sunrise_over_Livardz#Blow_It_Up|Destroy the Sumisev Peegel]] || Sumisev Peegel was successfully destroyed by [[Wind of Mundane Silence]]
|-
|}

388YE Autumn Equinox winds of fortune

2026-09-09T17:10:54Z

Rafferty: /* A Habit I Can't Break (Mortal Magic) */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Lights in the Dark.jpg|align=left|caption=Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. |width=2000}}</div>
==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Wind of Fortune !! Order Released !! Last Updated || Note
|-
| [[The wolves tempt you]] || 1 || data-sort-value="2026/08/15"| 15/08 || Imperial Address
|-
| [[Dream on]] || 2 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Seren
|-
| [[Come together]] || 3 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Apothecary college
|-
| [[Fair share of labour]] || 4 || data-sort-value="2026/08/19"| 19/08 || Artisans Guild
|-
| [[Hidden inventory]] || 5 || data-sort-value="2026/08/29"| 29/08 || Banner-bearers
|-
| [[A fork in the path]] || 6 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Mystics
|-
| [[Outreach across the marshes]] || 7 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Sand Fishers & League highest calling
|-
| [[Stand proud, you're strong]] || 8 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Brass Coast highest calling
|-
| [[Here you come again]] || 9 || data-sort-value="2026/08/31"| 06/09 || Plenipotentiary
|-
| [[Accomplices]] || 10 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Agramant is still in Therunin
|-
| [[Metamorphosis]] || 11 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Dealing with Kroll
|-
| [[Out of these convertites]] || 12 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || League visit to the Marches
|-
| [[Goodwill]] || 13 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Dawn, Navarr, Highguard, Vallornguard
|-
| [[Not from the benevolence]] || 14 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Offers from Ephisis
|-
| [[Wayfaring strangers]] || 15 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Visitors
|-
| [[Value beneath the mountain]] || 16 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Kespoena's Reach
|-
| [[Domain expansion]] || 17 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Imperial Breadbasket
|-
| [[Islands in the dream]] || 18 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Imperial Orc Highest Calling
|-
| [[Shadowed boughs of twilight]] || 19 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Ossium
|-
| [[When something is lost]] || 20 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Madruga
|-
| [[A friend like you]] || 21 || data-sort-value="2026/09/08"| 08/09 || Eternal Winds of Magic
|-
|}</div>
Over the past three months, events have taken place which are of significance to the Empire and may require a response from her champions. These are the winds of fortune, counterparts to the winds of war that detail the Empire's military campaigns. They lay out situations and usually include things that characters can do to take advantage of [[opportunity|opportunities]] or to resolve problems. In almost every case, they start with a piece of flavour text. This fiction helps introduce the wind of fortune or draws out a particular theme or element. Often, it represents a viewpoint that one or more NPCs might have in-character. In all cases, these pieces are intended to help create an atmosphere and provide a little entertainment. Where they contain opinions, those are the opinions of the fictional people depicted - and where they contain information or rumours, the assumption is that the reader will create their own context for that information or gossip if they want to use it in character.

The body of the wind of fortune describes situations and lays out ways players can engage with them. Except where we explicitly talk about something being "rumoured" or use a phrase like "some might say..." the details of a wind of fortune are factual. They represent briefing material presented by the civil service or similar authoritative sources and represent something the average educated citizen would acknowledge as a reliable truth. Unless we specify otherwise, we're also being as thorough as possible. This information doesn't need further checking in-character. It's not an opinion, and we're not trying to trick you.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:350px; float: left; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Diplomacy Wind
|-
| General Diplomacy || [[So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavea]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Asavean_Archipelago|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Axos]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Axos|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] || [[All I can do]]
|-
| [[Commonwealth]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Commonwealth|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Marracossa]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Marracossa|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Faraden]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Faraden|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Grendel]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Grendel|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Iron Confederacy]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Iron Confederacy|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Otkodov]] || [[The little things]]
|-
| [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarm]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Principalities_of_Jarm|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Sarcophan Delves]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Sarcophan Delves|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Sumaah Republic]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Sumaah_Republic|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
|}

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of Fortune is to maintain the illusion of the Empire as a living, breathing place where things happen - and to make players aware of things their characters could know based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing for the past three months. It's perfectly acceptable to turn up to Empire having read only a few Winds of Fortune that directly interest your character; part of the fun on the field can come from learning about situations and opportunities in other parts of the game.
__TOC__
In each case, we've tried to tag the Winds of Fortune entry with the nations or political bodies to which it is most relevant. We've done this to help people who are interested only in events that are especially relevant to them. In no way are these tags intended to be exhaustive; the Empire is a complex place, and very little happens in isolation. We are also adding the dates that they were last updated (other than typos and correcting [[red links]]) in an attempt to make it easier to keep track of the newest releases.

==Winds of Fortune==
===The Wolves Tempt You (Imperial Address)===
* '''Imperial citizens; Navarr;'''
[[Emperor Vesna]] has used their power to [[The_Throne#Address_the_Empire|address the Empire]] to present a personal reminder to all citizens that the road to salvation is hard, but everyone is walking it together.

The message has been distributed across the Empire by the civil service, and you can read it in the '''[[The wolves tempt you]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:left; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Navarr.png|align=left|width=150}}</div>
===Dream On===
* '''Navarr'''
In [[Miaren]], [[Miaren#Seren|Seren]] is now become the ''City of Dreams'' in truth. People with hopes and aspirations, with the imagination to perceive what is needed to achieve them and the determination to try, have flocked to Miaren. With the completion of the Temple of the Waking Dream, the [[dreamspeaker]] calling has coalesced as a distinct [[archetype]] among the [[Navarr]] people, one dedicated to making dreams become reality. This has perhaps predictably amplified arguments about what exactly that means, and which dreams should be pursued, and how.

You can learn about competing arguments, and the changes to the city of Seren, in the '''[[Dream on]]''' wind of fortune.
===Come Together===
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBNavarr.jpg|align=right|width=100}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Imperial Apothecaries Guild; Navarr; Benefactor of High Chalcis; Highguard, the League, Imperial Orcs, and Varushka; Senate
When [[Therunin]] fell to the [[Druj]] [[Thornsinger#Thornsong_House|Thornsong House]] was lost. Despite the valiant efforts of the Navarr and the aid of [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]], the college of herb mastery could not be saved. While the house itself burned, many of those who studied there were able to escape to the safety of [[Reikos]]. Some stayed behind on [[Reikos#Chalcis Mount|Chalcis Mount]], but others chose to put as much distance between themselves and the horrors of the Druj as possible. Drawn to the Temple of the Waking Dream, some of these apothecaries and physicks have taken the path of the dreamspeaker themselves, and inspired by the City of Dreams, they have put their ambition to rebuild what was lost into words.

A proposal for a new college of the apothecary arts, and ways various nations may be involved, can be found in the '''[[Come together]]''' wind of fortune.
===Fair Share of Labour===
* '''Artisan's Guild; Throne; Senate; Artisans of all kinds; Golden Pyramid; Pride Assembly; Navarr; Guildmaster of the Artisans, Dean of Runesmith's Caution, Keeper of the Runegrott, Seer of the Spiral Sword, and potentially several other titles associated with magic item crafting'''
At the recent summit, [[Emperor Vesna]], requested that the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] [[Forever_is_composed_of_nows#The_Abraham_Gambit|appraise the implications]] of a new [[Imperial sodality]], the ''Imperial Guild of Artisans''. The Artisans Guild has technically been in existence for some time, with the Senate [[Construct_Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|ordering the construction of Guildhouse]] in 385YE, creating the position of [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]]. Now the Senate is in a position to consider the full implications of making the Guild into an official Imperial sodality.

You can learn more about the potential Imperial Sodality, as well as proposals from some people very excited by the opportunity it represents, in the '''[[Fair share of labour]]''' wind of fortune.
===Hidden Inventory===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Cat's Graces Sodality.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBWintermark.jpg|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Wintermark, especially banner bearers; Cat's Graces; Minister of Historical Research; Mediator of Hyljehal; Senate
When the tides of fate seem to turn against the Empire, to be able to look and see over the battle lines, the colours of your warband or your nation still [[Pride|Proudly]] flying can help to rally the [[Courage]] and turn the tide. In [[Wintermark]] the [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Banner-bearers|position of banner-bearer]] is seen as vital to the success of any battle. [[Empress Britta]] was a banner-bearer, and bore [[Three Tears|Foe-Slayer]], the legendary war-banner of [[Emperor Guntherm]] onto the field. The great flag was lost when Britta died and it has been near two decades since Wintermark could bear its equal into battle. The artisans and craftspeople of [[Hahnmark#Runegrott|Runegrott]] have a proposal to try to remedy this shortfall, involving the construction of a grand [[edifice]] to house banners and paintings of the great banners of the Empire as well as the creation of a new [[Magic_items#Artefacts|artefact]] [[:Category:Magic Standards|banner]] for Wintermark.

You can read more about this plan, and learn a little of the mighty banner Foe-Slayer, in the '''[[Hidden inventory]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=KallevesiMystic.jpg|align=right|width=200}}
===A Fork in the Path===
* '''Wintermark, especially the Mystics; Raven Seer of Ishal; would-be champions; Keeper of Oaths; friends of Sung
The [[mystic|Mystics]] of Ishal sought to work more closely with the wider nation of Wintermark. They have since decided [[Flight_of_birds#The_Witan|to approach the Witan]] directly, and do what they can to support the goals of the nation itself. The decision to help with the [[Warriors' Gate|exploration of Tsirku]] has made it impossible for the Mystics of Ishal to offer their usual council and support to the [[Raven Seer]] and to that end they have made several changes to the Aviary, and to the support they offer the Raven Seer and the nation. At the same time, there has been a great deal of discussion of the [[Crown of Three Tears]] and the role of the ''Champion of Wintermark'' within the nation - the appointment of who has traditionally been the responsibility of the mystics.

You can read about the changes at Ishal, and the situation of the Crown of Three Tears, in the '''[[A fork in the path]]''' wind of fortune.
===Outreach Across the Marshes===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
* '''The League, especially the Bishops and Princes; Merchant Prince of Misericorde Market; Senate
[[The League]] Assembly [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_57|has declared]] that their [[The_highest_calling#The_Highest_Calling|highest calling]] is to bring new peoples to join the Empire. A Virtuous endeavour to be sure, but even the League cannot move the whole world at once. To be effective the nation needs to [[Any_dream_will_do#Partners_within|focus their efforts]] on one group at a time. Diplomacy is a complicated matter, so they also need to decide who among them would be best to take the lead with each such group. This past season the Princes of the League have reached out to the [[Holberg#Misericorde|Sand Fishers]] of [[Holberg#Misericorde|Misericorde]], the [[orc|orcs]] who once lived on the southern shores of [[Ossium]] as slaves of the [[Druj]] but who have found a new lease of life on the northern shores of [[Holberg]].

Ultimately, the egregore decides who can or cannot join a nation - the nature of the bond is that it can only be formed with someone an egregores recognises as having the potential to be a member of the nation. But the League has already embraced the Apulian Orcs, why not the Holberg Orcs as well?

You can read about how the outreach is going, and what it might take to bring the Sand Fishers into the Empire, in the '''[[Outreach across the marshes]]''' wind of fortune.
===Stand Proud, You're Strong===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Freeborn.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
* '''The Brass Coast, especially the Freeborn assembly;
After several seasons of deliberation (and funding a [[Construct_City_of_Wonders|whole new city]]), the Freeborn National Assembly has decided that the [[the highest calling|highest calling]] of their people should be on defending their lands. The sentiment resonates with people across [[the Brass Coast]]. It was not long ago that both [[Madruga]] and [[Feroz]] fell under barbarian control, [[Kahraman]] has faced constant invasion from the Lasambrians over the past few years and [[Segura]] has only recently enjoyed a prolonged period of quiet after nearly two decades of constant warfare. Is it a surprise that the people of the Brass coast feel a little vulnerable, given recent history?

There is so much work that could be done, people are at a loss to know where to start. The Assembly will have to consider the options carefully - they have a year to take advantage of the nation's highest calling, but that won't be enough time to pursue every possibility raised by a people as inventive as the Freeborn...

You can find out how the nation can begin to defend its lands, and the proposals put forward toward that aim, in the '''[[Stand proud, you're strong]]''' wind of fortune.
===Here You Come Again (Plenipotentiary)===
* '''Imperial Conclave; magicians; Synod; Brass Coast especially Sutannir; ''Alazhar i Taziel i Erigo'', ''Velasco i Guerra'', the Imperial Warcaster; Marcher beaters, Unshackled thief-takers, Varushkan wardens; ''Berilo i Erigo''; ''Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka'' and some dead generals'''
* This wind was updated on 06/09/2026 to add some additional paragraphs to the end of the [[Here_you_come_again#End_of_Empire|End of Empire]] section
Each [[archmage]] is empowered to send a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] message to a single [[eternal]] of their [[Realms|realm]] each season. Bound to respond, the recipients are however free to choose precisely what form that response takes. Following the Summer Solstice, six eternals have responded to what are presumed to be missives from the respective archmages. Some have agreed to [[archmage#Parley|parley]], but not all of them.

You can find out about the eternals, and the nature of their responses, in the '''[[Here you come again]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=BarienArt.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>

===Arrows and Clay (Challenge)===
* '''Challengers of the Iron Duke'''
Each season, the eternal ''[[Barien]]'' presents opportunities to those prepared to [[Challenge the Iron Duke]]. For the Autumn Equinox he offers two challenges: a game of speed and grace, and a game of creativity and imagination. As ever, the rules of the ritual apply. Each person who receives the ritual will be ''guaranteed'' entry to a challenge. Depending on the challenge, they ''may'' be able to bring a certain number of attendants with them to assist. The exact number will depend on the nature of the challenge and the number of challengers. The [[civil service]] will publish exact numbers in [[Anvil#The_Hub|the Hub]] on Saturday morning for all to see.

You can find details of the challenges issued by Barien this season in the '''[[Arrows and clay]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=AgramantArt.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>
===Accomplices===
* '''Navarr; Military Council; Military unit captains; ''Eskah Swift Hart, Vosjuli Cherenkov, Towlen Nighthaven'' and ''Mirella of the Twisted Rose'''''
Another season, another message from [[Agramant]], delivered by his heralds from the depths of [[Therunin]]. The eternal's efforts were roundly refuted last season, with the [[Golden Axe]] reclaiming Lower Tarn Valley. This season, Twigsnapper has a much more pointed offer to make to aid the reconquest of Therunin.

You can find out what Agramant and his heralds are up to in the '''[[Accomplices]]''' wind of fortune.

<div style="float:left; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NBUrizen.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>
===Metamorphosis===
* '''Urizen, particularly the captains of military units or residents of Sarangrave; Keeper of the Breadbasket and farm owners of the Marches; Imperial Consul; ''Frith, Ser Guy of the Twisted Rose, Fausta Ankarien,'' and people interested in the rebel septs; ''Solas of the Spire of the First Light'' and the Warmage'''
It has been a tumultuous time in the Sarangrave. First the Druj, then the vallorn, and now husks. All while the Empire has been endeavouring to make diplomatic inroads with the rebels of Nesustak Forest. Sadly, troubles abound; the eviction of so many from Thornfen by the Axou has raised the spectre of famine in the territory. And now the Druj scattered through the territory, alongside the rampaging husks, threaten to raise a third dark spectre - the beast that lurks beneath the waters of the Sarangrave, the dark and terrible Kroll.

You can find out what's happening in Sarangrave this season in the '''[[Metamorphosis]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly General.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
===A Little at a Time===
* '''Members of the Synod, especially Cardinals; Members of the Senate; Members of the Vallornguard and people interested in the fate of Pilgrim's Defiance'''
Last season, eight judgements of [[proscription]] were raised, and half of them were upheld by the General Assembly. Similar to their previous efforts, the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] has asked the civil service to publish not just guidance on the outcome of these proscriptions, but also details from the minutes of their discussions in the hopes of providing clarity to interested citizens. This includes detailed guidance on the three changes to religious law enacted by the Senate.

You can find out the outcome of the Constitutional Court's meeting on the proscriptions and changes to religious law last season, in the '''[[A little at a time]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Marcher.png|align=right|width=150}}
===Out of These Convertites===
* '''The League, particularly orcs and members of the Synod; The Marches; People with an interest in foot-the-ball or duelling'''
* This wind was updated on 07/09/2026 to change the time of the [[Out_of_these_convertites#And_So_Am_Come_Abroad|Am So Am Come Abroad]] encounter to 18:30 on Saturday
Last season, the [[The League|League]] and [[The Marches|Marcher]] Assemblies both passed statements of principle encouraging a pilgrimage of Apulian orcs and League members of the Synod to the [[Mournwold]]. Citizens from all five cities of the League have taken up the call to travel, and the orcs of the Mourn have welcomed them with open arms and farm tools. It's not just the harvest that's discussed, but ancestors and sports.

You can find out what happened when the League visited the Marches this season in the '''[[Out of these convertites]]''' wind of fortune.

===Goodwill===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Vallornguard sodality.png|title=Vallornguard|align=right|width=100}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Dawn.png||align=right|width=180}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Highborn.png||align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Navarr.png||align=right|width=150}}
* '''Dawn, Navarr; Highguard; Vallornguard'''
Two nations have chosen to use their [[The highest calling|highest calling]] to focus their people on the coming final war against the [[vallorn]]. The [[Dawn|Dawnish]] are developing the skills and resources to prepare themselves, while [[Navarr]] are looking for ways to support the nascent [[Vallornguard]] by sharing centuries of accumulated wisdom with other nations. Surprising progress has been made: the Dawnish have chosen to [[Love_and_monsters#Unicorns|throw open the doors of Greenwood Manor]] to all comers. The Navarr have spent the last year offering their unique expertise to their Imperial cousins, their eye turned at last to their allies in [[Highguard]]. Even the denizens of the [[eternal]] [[realms]] have heard the call to war, and have been encouraged to offer their aid as the Empire prepares for the war that will, if it is successful, bring to an end the Doom of Terunael.

You can find out about the highest callings of Navarr and Dawn, and the opportunities they provide, in the '''[[Goodwill]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Ephisis.jpg|align=left|width=300}}</div>
===Not From the Benevolence===
* '''Entrepreneurs and traders; Members of the Senate, particularly the Senators for Reikos and Bastion; People interested in contracts available, particularly ''Dorys Delgorokov'', ''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo'' and ''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged''; Citizens of Kallavesa, the Barrens, and Hercynia; and the ''Freeborn Flame Cartel'''''
Following the relative success of the new scheme to offer large contracts for fulfilment, the heralds of the [[Ephisis|Sovereign Lady of the City of Gold and Lead]] have returned with new offers for the coming summit. As always, the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] will set up shop in the [[Hall of Worlds]] on the final day of the summit, where they will look to settle any sales offered to the City via the [[Ephisis' Scale]] ritual.

You can learn about the offer for a fortification, the contracts available from the City of Gold and Lead, and the counting houses requested by the Conclave, in the '''[[Not from the benevolence]]''' wind of fortune.

===Wayfaring Strangers (Visitors)===
* '''Senators for Tassato and Holberg, and the League Assembly; Envoy to the Karass; Magpies;'''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
People visit Anvil for all kinds of reasons. Trade, wonderment, and a chance to meet with the movers and shakers of the Empire. It is no surprise that Anvil is seen as the place to be if you want to get anything of importance done.

You can find out more about some of the folk coming to Anvil this season in the '''[[Wayfaring strangers]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=ArgentSword_Colour.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
===Value Beneath the Mountain===
* '''General of the Argent Sword; ''Kespoena Archsky''; Members of the Senate and those able to announce commissions; people who like mithril; ''Herminius of the House of the Wanderer''; Architect of Illumination; Gardener of Pallas; Arbiter of the Four Winds; Oblivion Sentinel; and people who like the idea of fighting in caves'''
Almost eighteen months ago, an arcane projection raised Kespoena's Reach (formerly known as Mount Polus) to be the highest mountain in the Empire. This, unexpectedly, led to a crevasse opening at the base of the mountain. Last season, the [[Argent Sword|General of the Argent Sword]], '''Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer''', ordered the heralds of her army to "''sniff out the value beneath the mountain''".

You can find out what they found, and what lies beneath Kespoena's Reach, in the '''[[Value beneath the mountain]]''' wind of fortune.
===Domain Expansion===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Marcher.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''The Marches; Imperial Orcs; Senate and Military Council; Singing Caves seat; and Quartermaster of the Imperial Armies; Imperial diviners and cartographers; anyone with an interest in Liathaven/Ashvale'''
While other nations struggle on, the [[the Marches|Marchers]] have got their harvest in. Their assembly has completed their [[The highest calling#Highest calling|highest calling]] and successfully [[Expand_Breadbasket_into_Mournwold|expanded]] the [[The_Marches_economic_interests#The_Imperial_Breadbasket|Imperial Breadbasket]] into [[Mournwold]]. There's no time for rest however... as ever Marcher knows, the reward for a good job is more work. Keen not to let the grass grow under anyone's feet, Marchers look to make good use of the remaining time now the Breadbasket is properly sorted. There are a few ideas knocking around about what Marchers could be doing next, as a tidal wave of Imperial Steel sweeps through [[Mitwold]] and into [[Bregasland]] - time to build on that success. After-all - you don't own it unless you can defend it...

You can learn about suggestions for how the Marches can own and defend land, and a mildly irritating development with a former Imperial territory, in the '''[[Domain expansion]]''' wind of fortune.
===Islands in the Dream===
<div style="float: right; max-width: 150px; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:Illarawm.png]]</div>
* '''Imperial Orcs, Varushka, Highguard; Military Council'''
Bloodcrow Knott declared the [[the highest calling#Highest Calling|highest calling]] of the [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]] assembly to be [[Every_day_of_your_life#Spanning_the_Abyss|seeking the ancestors of other septs]], and at the Summer Solstice, Bloodcrow Meep was chosen to [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_93|lead an approach]] to the [[Culling_the_threat#The_Dreamers_of_the_Dark_Forest|Dreamers of the Dark Forest]] in eastern [[Ossium]]. This time the [[orc|orcs]] have additional support in the form of advisors from [[Varushka]] and [[Highguard]] familiar with the sept, who helped arm and train the orcs to fight the [[Druj]] a few years back. The delegation of [[shamans]] and [[Illarawm|mystagogues]] braves the haunted woods and finds a guarded welcome, some mystical beliefs about spirits, and another dilemma for the Empire...

You can learn about the Dreamers of the Dark Forest, their spiritual beliefs, and their pressing concerns, in the '''[[Islands in the dream]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBNavarr.jpg|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBVarushka.jpg|align=right|width=300}}
===Shadowed Boughs of Twilight===
* '''Citizens of Ossium, Navarr and Varushkan alike; Ossium forest owners; Senate, Military Council; Varushkan and Dawnish military units; Grieftender of the Forgotten, Map to the City Below, Singer of Silence, Ceslev of the Circle of ZUlgan Tash; People who like having a fortification in Ossium; Apothecary of Orieb; people angry about idolatry; Agramant watchers; Watcher of the Semmerlak; Guardian of the Maze of Zoria; Dedicates of Wisdom; Ambassador to Otkodov'''
[[Ossium]] has been part of [[Varushka]] for six years now, and what was once a wretched place clenched in the iron fist of the [[Druj]] is rapidly becoming one of the most prosperous territories in the Empire. Alongside the Varushkans live a few scattered septs of [[orc|orcs]], while the [[Thule]] control the northern forests in uneasy alliance. For the last few years it has also been home to families of Navarr drawn by Awstin's Rest. After the Summer Solstice, though, magic drawn from the [[Realms#Night|Wondrous Forest]] washes over the territory, bringing with it the unmistakable blessings of Night magic - blessings that have a regrettable tendency to be somewhat mixed. Especially given the presence of the monsters that have been here since well before the Empire drove the Druj out, who still lurk in the depths of the wild forests.

You can learn about the effects the Night magic has had, on dreams and on the forest, as well as details about eternals and monsters, in the '''[[Shadowed boughs of twilight]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Drakes_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Star Forged colour.webp|align=right|width=200}}
===When Something Is Lost===
* '''Inhabitants of Madruga; Generals of the Drakes and Star Forged; military units; Marcher folk; Conclave orders; Military Council; magicians interested in ill-advised experiments; Archmages of Night, Spring, and Winter; Stone Smith'''
Once [[Madruga]] was grassy plains, rich coastline, and prosperous islands. Now it is something else, thanks in part to the transfiguration of its southern coast by magically-infused river waters. This is [[the Brass Coast]] and there are plenty of Freeborn who welcome the excitement, unpredictability, and wonder each day promises. After the Summer Solstice, magic started to settle over Madruga, bringing with it vibrant dreams of vanished forests and heralds of the [[Realms#Night|Night realm]]. At first it seemed to be just a gentle piece of [[Night magic]]... but as the Autumn got closer it became clear it had done more than just evoke dreams. Two Imperial armies were also in Madruga, busy claiming the wild marshes of the Siroc Bayou and Crucible for the Empire. ''One'' of these two armies has come back out of the marshes and the other one... has not.

You can learn about the gentle enchantment, and the disappearance of an entire Imperial army, in the '''[[When something is lost]]''' wind of fortune.

===A Friend Like You (Eternals)===
* '''Knight-protector of Summer; Captain of the Throne Guard; Dauntless Warrior; ''William Guildenstern''; Architect of the Hammers; Arch of the Sky; Business owners in Zenith; Quartermaster of the Hanuri Garrison; General of the Burning Falcon; Maestro of the Cat's Graces; Azure Sutannir; Dawnish magicians; ''Lady Aletheia of the Twisted Rose'', ''Catena'', and magicians who perform curses; ''Claudia Varkulova Remislav, Eevi of the Gadrai'', and the Conclave; ''Artreus D'Fauntine, Catrina Words The Unbelievably Magical, Leo the Rainbow Sage,'' the <s>Order of the</s> Golden Chalice, the Tender of the Phoenix Flame, and the Churnspire Adjutor; those who met with Argent Preceptor; Night ritualists, and those who like the Whisper Gallery; '''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
Some magic comes from outside the Empire, from the creatures of the [[Realm|realms]], the [[eternal|eternals]] and their [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]]. Sometimes they have boons to offer, sometimes they have demands to make. Here we learn of the doings of the realms, with something that could be relevant to any number of folk, including some meetings, some odd opportunities, and eerie happenings.

You can learn about the doings of various eternals, and the repercussions of their former doings, in the '''[[A friend like you]]''' wind of fortune.

===Spreading the Way (Appraisal)===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">[[file:Labyrinth.jpg]]</div>
* '''Members of the Senate; People interested in spreading the Way'''
Last season, the Senate called for an appraisal on how non-Wayist cultures and communities residing within the Empire can be brought into the [[The Way|Way of Virtue]]. Naomi of Virtue's Rest was assigned, and her [[appraisal]] of the situation has been submitted. Naomi has had to rely on a very broad-strokes approach to the question, but she is confident that it will leave the Empire as a whole better off with the understanding that it brings.

You can learn about the results of Naomi's work in the '''[[Spreading the Way]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">[[file:Assembly Prosperity.png]]</div>
===This Old House===
* '''Prosperity Assembly; Inhabitants of Feroz; General Assembly; Members of Senate; People interested in commissions'''
During the Spring Equinox, the Prosperity Assembly upheld a [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement 138|judgement]] that made clear their highest calling: to look for opportunities that will help to bring Prosperity to the damaged territories of the Empire and the people within them. The first territory chosen by the assembly was [[Feroz]], still suffering from the ravages it suffered under Governor Rahab. The Prosperous have identified what they consider the best option for helping the people of Feroz, and one Freeborn architect has a pitch for how it might potentially help the rest of the Empire.

You can learn about how the Prosperity Assembly might help the people of Feroz feel less [[Region_qualities#Abandoned|abandoned]] in the '''[[This old house]]''' wind of fortune.

===Rebellion's Ridge===
* '''General Assembly; Inhabitants of the Mournwold, particularly farm and mine owners'''
During the Spring Equinox, the Pride Assembly upheld a [[388YE Spring Equinox Synod judgements#Judgement 13|writ of consecration]] to consecrate [[Mournwold#Rebellion's Ridge|Rebellion's Ridge]] as a memorial to the exemplars of Pride, the [[Known_exemplars#Leaders_of_the_Ore_Hills_Rebellion|Leaders of the Ore Hills Rebellion]]. The writ has brought things to a head in the Mourn, and now it comes down to the decision of the General Assembly.

You can learn about the potential consecration of Rebellion's Ridge as a memorial to the Ore Hills Rebels in the '''[[Rebellion's Ridge]]''' wind of fortune.

===A Habit I Can't Break (Mortal Magic)===
* '''Keeper of the Imperial Menagerie, Financier of Holberg's Phantasmagorical Mementoes, and Conclave; Freeborn ritualists; Navarr;'''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
Not all magic is performed by the denizens of the realms; mortals are just as, if not more, capable of causing all kinds of trouble when left alone with too much free time and mana crystals.

You can read about goings-on across the Empire in the '''[[A habit I can't break]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">[[file:Meraud001a.png|align=right|width=200]]</div>
===Towers of the Sun===
* '''Conclave, Senate; Imperial magicians; Churnspire Adjutor; Francisco i Alvera i Riqueza, Olivier, Ioseph of Summer's Apex, Carlos of Phoenix Reach, Mercurio Ankarien, Lord Tobias De Gauvain, Enchanter Vesper Lucentia, Kaapo Kingfishering, Lord Morgann de Vere, Beatrice Keeper, Ibiss Briarheart, Enchantress Areloe Larmallevés, Catrina Words The Unbelievably Magical'''
The ''[[Meraud|Summer Enchanter]] has been through some things recently, but it seems he is [[Ambassadors_of_death#Apples_and_Oranges_(Summer)|even more enthusiastic]] about helping out his friends in the Empire than usual. As Summer fades, his messengers are dispatched to various points around the Empire with boons and plans and proposals a plenty. Whether it is wizards towers, appreciation for the [[Churnspire Adjutor]], or final decisions regarding communication with the ''Lord of the Lake'', they have been full of the fire of enthusiasm and relentlessly upbeat. Only when the ''[[Sadogua|Toad King]]'' is brought up in polite conversation does their eager demeanour slip a little and a few choice words of criticism get voiced.

You can learn about offers from Meraud, and an opportunity to restore channels of communication, in the '''[[Towers of the sun]]''' wind of fortune.

==Diplomatic Winds==
Each season, the Civil Service prepares a summary of the Empire's relationship with the foreign nations. This is usually based on communications received from their ambassador, along with any useful intelligence gathered from other sources. While the [[Senate]] and the other houses of Imperial power may respond to these offers, it is important to note that it is the appropriate [[ambassador]] that the foreign power will expect to hear from. Their communication with the foreign power is the primary element that will determine the tenor of any response. While these winds revolve around international matters, their focus is still on the Empire and what its citizens can do to influence diplomatic matters, so they're as likely as any other wind to contain something of interest to characters from all walks of life.

===All I Can Do (Beoraidh)===
* '''Ambassador to Beoraidh; Cat's Graces; Benefactors Council; Steward of the Ossuary; Members of Senate; Apothecaries Guild; Regario Dossier'''
[[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] was once the stronghold of the [[Grendel]] ''Salt-Lord Ehsan'' and his supporters. When the Empire moved to invade Mareave, Ehsan declared independence and sued for peace with the Empire. The city itself and the neighbouring region of [[Mareave#Sinfoyard|Sinfoyard]] are recognised as a neutral state by the Senate; a free port where both merchants of all nations are welcome. They actively seek investment from both Imperial and Grendel sources, and have allied themselves with the powerful [[Sarcophan Delves]]. One opportunity that has been under discussion for a while now is the creation of a temple dedicated to the Way, a monument to cooperation welcomed by the former Grendel. After the Summer Solstice it appears that some movement has been made towards making intention into reality.

You can learn about diplomatic relations with Beoraidh, and the opportunity to build a temple there, in the '''[[All I can do]]''' wind of fortune.

===It's All Wrong, But It's All Right===
* '''Ambassador to Faraden; Ambassador to the Iron Confederacy; Synod, Senate; fleet captains; Alder of Meade, Mediator of Fisk, Azure Sutannir, Cat's Graces; military unit commanders, especially mercenaries'''
The merchants of [[Faraden]] and the militarist [[Iron Confederacy]] lie to the west and south of the Empire respectively - to the west and south of [[the Brass Coast]] more specifically. Relations with the two nations have been tumultuous in the past but in the last year or two there has been a slow sanding-off of harsh edges. A feeling that lasting détente may be possible, although what it might cost is another matter entirely...

You can learn about diplomatic affairs regarding Faraden and the Suranni, and some pressing problems regarding both, in the '''[[It's all wrong, but it's all right]]''' wind of fortune.

===So Little I Wanted, So Little I Got===
* '''Ambassador to Asavea; Ambassador to Sumaah; Ambassador to the Grendel; Marracossa Sendito; Members of the Senate; fleet captains; Ambassadors in general; Loyalty Assembly, particularly ''Dagon Barossa'''''
The orthodox [[Sumaah Republic]] and the declining [[Asavean Archipelago]] lie far to the west of the Empire. The two great nations remain locked in war. Closer to home, the [[Grendel]] compete with the Empire for dominance of the Bay of Catazar. Even closer to home, the Marracossan exiles live in their town of [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Trajadoz]], Madruga. The [[ambassador|ambassadors]], the [[Imperial Consul]], and other individuals invested in diplomacy have their work cut out keeping abreast of what is happening, as each nation has agendas no less complex than those of the nations that make up the Empire.

You can learn about the ongoing diplomatic situation with the Asavean Archipelago, the Sumaah Republic, the Marracossans of Trajadoz, and the Grendel in '''[[So little I wanted, so little I got]]''' wind of fortune.

===Those Memories of You===
* '''Ambassador to the Sarcophan Delves; Ambassador to Axos; Senate; Wintermark farmers, herb garden owners, and apothecaries; Imperial Apothecaries Guild; collectors of vallorn relics; fleet captains trading with Issyk; Navarr traders'''
The [[Sarcophan Delves]] are a great power, a cosmopolitan nation centred around an immense city that sprawls out across the banks of the Umshalla river. [[Axos]] is tiny nation on the outskirts of the Empire, controlling a little over two territories. For all their differences they have similarities, though. Both are a people of cities, and both have an uneasy relationship to death. The Axou ''necromantia'' are acknowledged masters of the cold magic of the grave, while the Sarcophan base much of their industry on the use of the ''ongelukkig'' living-corpses. They are both nations made more powerful through trade, and both would like to see themselves as friends to the Empire... and in both cases that friendship can prove to be something of a mixed blessing.

You can learn about Sarcophan and Axou diplomacy, and some trade opportunities, in the '''[[Those memories of you]]''' wind of fortune.
===If We Never Meet Again===
* '''Ambassador to Jarm; Ambassador to the Commonwealth; Senate; Imperial mercenary soldiers (especially the League, Dawn, Urizen, and Highguard); Imperial fleet captains; Celestial Arch and Sevenfold Path; Rod and Shield and Golden Pyramid; Granite Pillar; friends of Professor Emmanuel Gelberg'''
The [[Commonwealth]] and the [[Principalities of Jarm]] had been at war, fighting for control of the borderlands between their two great nations. When the tiny country of Lantir was annihilated by [[Cold Sun]], a major incursion began that saw armies of [[Cold_Sun#Heralds|scions]] pouring through a breach in what remained of the capital city. Now they have a common enemy, but it has given them little ''else'' in common. Revelations as to the cause of the incursion have set the balance of power in the east swinging wildly - and not just between the two nations. The Empire is in the middle of a war of words and recriminations, and a long-term friendship seems to be on the verge of collapse while the attitude of bitter rivals appear to be improving.

You can learn about the chaos in the east, and its significant to Imperial citizens, in the '''[[If we never meet again]]''' wind of fortune.
===The Little Things===
* '''Ambassador to Otkodov; Senate; Military Council; Folk of Ossium'''
The [[Thule]] of [[Otkodov]] share a long mountainous border with [[Wintermark]], the [[Imperial Orcs|the Unshackled]], and [[Varushka]]. A magocratic nation is ruled by five allegedly immortal orc wizards called the Dragons they were at war with the Empire for much of its history. Now though, they are at peace. An uneasy peace to be sure, secured with the concedence of northern regions claimed as part of Otkodov. But peace nonetheless. For the last year or so, the Thule have been waging war on [[the Mallum]], conquering western [[Forest of Ulnak|Ulnak]] and occupying the northern Druj. They have also been engaging in active negotiations with the representatives of the Empire, arranging deals and agreements that might against all the odds so this peace last longer than perhaps it has any right to.

You can read about recent diplomatic developments, and in particular some upcoming events in [[Ossium]], in the '''[[The little things]]''' wind of fortune.

==Other Events==
===Strange Currencies===
* '''The Silver Flame ask for ritual texts for ''Strong Ox, Golden Sun'' and ''Gathering the Harvest'''''
* '''In return, they pledge their sentinels to defend Spiral as needed'''
The [[A_question_of_loyalty#Spiral|Tribunal of the Silver Flame]] controls the region of [[Spiral#Cinion|Cinion]], in [[Spiral]] - and is home to several hundred former Urizeni mages at most. Nearly a [[Mirror_and_the_flame|year ago]], they announced grand plans to make a formal alliance with the [[eternal]] [[Sinokenon]], declaring their intent to build a [[fane]] in their territory so as to allow the eternal to give them more extensive support. Aware that the risks would be shared by the Empire, they wrote to inform them of their intentions, and tried to sweeten the deal with two powerful rituals in exchange for access to Imperial Lore, assuming that the offer would land favourably.

It did not. The [[Conclave]] rejected the offer outright, seemingly incensed at the repeated request for access to Lore and having deep misgivings about the nature of ''Diamondmind's'' offer. The Flame sent a delegation to Anvil to try and understand why their strategy had landed so badly. Eager to demonstrate their worth to their neighbours, they sent their sentinels to aid in the [[This_is_the_end#Never_follow_me|quixotic but ultimately successful effort to free Apulian]] from the [[Whisper Gallery|Whisper Gallery's]] grasp. Last season, the Conclave agreed to disseminate [[Blessing of New Spring]] to them - a sign that there is diplomatic willing there, yet.

Now the [[civil service]] have been sent word from Alexius, who acts as the representative of the Tribunal to the Empire. His missive strikes a somewhat contrite note. The Tribunal have abandoned their plans to build a fane for Sinokenon - for now. It seems that someone made a generous donation of liao to the faction within the Tribunal who were most opposed towards any form of eternal alliance, and they have spent the last three months pressing their point. They have convinced many, but in particular they have convinced Caela, the Grand Arbiter of the Tribunal, who has asked the heralds of Sinokenon to leave.

This has not come without cost, it seems. While they have the stocks and stores to get through winter, it will be hard without outside assistance. Their need is pressing, and so they write to ask if their friends in Anvil could see to the dissemination of the other two rituals in the cycle of farm rituals. This would aid the rebels greatly - especially if this happens in time for the rituals to be cast in the Summer and Autumn of next year. Beyond that, the Flame would benefit from any personal enchantments, especially ones like [[Gift of the Wily Broker]] which allow for careful economic stewardship. In return, the Tribunal are prepared to guarantee that their sentinels will continue to support efforts in Apulian or be sent to assist in Spiral's defence in any way they can - whether it is simply to act as swords against the darkness of the wilds or to defend some fortification. They have four groups of sentinels with a combined military strength of a little under five hundred.

===All the Right Friends===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Prosperity.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''Efforts to share the virtue of Prosperity with the people of Tsark have met with some success.'''
* '''There is an opportunity to bring word of inspirational figures of Prosperity to Tsark.'''
* '''Eleven Imperials have been invited at 18:35 on the Saturday of the equinox to visit the Tsarkoi in Zenith.'''
The isolated nation of [[Tsark]] is famously slow to change and resistant to outside influence or visitors of any kind. In the last decade, as the Empire has become aware of Tsark's existence yet remained neutral, even friendly towards the tiny sagocracy, there has been a slow but perceptible thawing of relations on behalf of the Sage's Council. [[Seeds_of_discord#Tsark|Last season]] they sent ''Camilla'', one of the adepts who play some kind of role in day-to-day spiritual guidance of the lives of the Tsarkoi, to visit the Empire to learn more about the virtue of [[Prosperity]]. It seems that the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]] made the case that there could be a place for Prosperity within the worldview of the sages, and they were not so horrified at the suggestion as to refuse it out of hand.

Camilla solicited letters on the subject of Prosperity and has made herself and her fellow adepts available this last season for members of the Urizen Assembly to discuss Prosperity with her. As the equinox approaches, the Imperial diplomatic corps, through the office of the Seeker of the Perfect World, receive word that the initiative has been a success: at least from Camilla's point of view. She has learned much about Prosperity from all she has read and heard - yet she feels there is yet more to learn. In particular, she understands that the Empire set great stock by inspirational figures of the past who exemplify their virtues - a practice the people of Tsark understand well. The great sages and adepts of the past all have shrines built into the [[Mountains_of_the_Moon#Wall_of_the_Luge_and_the_East_and_West_Rising|Wall of the Luge]], the mighty fortified wall that surrounds the sacred plateau of Visoko. She would like to learn more about the inspirational prosperous figures that the Empire holds dear to its heart. If the Empire's representatives can impressively preach of an inspirational figure of Prosperity in a way that resonates with the spirituality of Tsark, then it could well lead to further such opportunities, as the Tsarkoi believe that inspirational figures are the ''most'' important way to find spiritual enlightenment.

She has asked Sage Kristoph, the well-established representative of the Sage's Council to the "People of the Horse", to make the trip to Zenith. She would like to host a discussion on the premises of the Garden of the Perfect World, with Sage Kristoph to attend, and an invitation is extended to each person who wrote to her or visited. These are, in no particular order: '''Farren Silver Streams, Abel the Rounder, Isaac of the Reaching Vine, Berilo i Erigo, Heilyn Bronwen's Rest, Catena of Tropaion, Galene Netherwatch, Able the Taller, Lord Augur Gryphontale, Eleri Bronwen's Rest''', and '''Solas of the First Light'''. They are invited to speak about three inspirational figures of Prosperity, with ten minutes (allowing time for questions) allocated for each figure. Who actually presents and on which figures Camilla defers to the visitors - she trusts them to collectively come to an understanding in an efficient manner that respects the time of others, as - she has learnt - the Prosperous are wont to do.

This is clearly a fateful occasion, and on such occasions the Sentinel Gate obliges. There is a conjunction for eleven people at 18:35 on the Saturday of the Equinox, to attend the Gardens of the Perfect World, Occursion, Zenith. The civil service has asked the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]], '''Abel the Rounder of Sarangrave Reforged''', to be responsible for the conjunction and for the other arrangements Camilla has mentioned.

===Blades of the Semmerlak (reprise)===
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Blades of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' [[Edifice]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:'''
*Sandling in Weirwater ''or'' Lacuve in Semmerholm
'''and'''
*Malimorzi in Karov ''or'' Bittershore in Ossium
</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 24 weirwood and 72 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' Three months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the start of Autumn Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Creates title of ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak''
* Creates the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''' venture for questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens
* Removes the threat to ships on the Semmerlak and establishes a sodality to deal with threats from Dho'uala</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Counts as a single commission</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Dawnish and Varushkan</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Senate or Test of Arms </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' This is a [[martial title]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:'''
* Receives 10 crowns a season
* Receives a [[Duelist's Scales]], a [[Troubadour's Ring]], and a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] once a year</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To counter the influence of Dho'uala and deal with threats coming from the Semmerlak</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<tr><td style="background-color: HotPink;">'''Blades in the Semmerlak'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Venture Type:''' Guarding</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Territories bordering the Semmerlak</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Duration:''' Open-ended</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Rewards:''' Six crowns and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]]</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''''Tristan Ramson von Holberg'', the Master of the Mint, announced the reappraisal of the Blades of the Semmerlak'''
* '''A wardenhouse in Varushka and a knightly estate in Dawn would provide a base of operations for heroes to protect the Semmerlak'''
Last season, the [[Master of the Mint]], '''Tristan Ramson von Holberg''', announced the [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Reappraise_Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|reappraisal]] of the Blades of the Semmerlak in Dawnish and Varushkan territories surrounding the [[the Semmerlak|Semmerlak]]. Originally [[Less_welcome_tenants#Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|suggested]] shortly before the Summer Solstice 386YE, the wardenhouse and knightly estate were part of a larger appraisal into the problem of [[Dho'uala]] killing Imperial citizens and interfering with matters on and around the Semmerlak.

A motion to construct the [[Less_welcome_tenants#Wards_and_Bargains|Journeymage Towers]] was [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Construct_Journeymage_Towers|proposed]] by '''Amicia of the Semmerlak''', as Senator for Semmerholm, and the [[Watcher of the Semmerlak]] has been active, appointed by the Assembly of Vigilance, and tasked with ensuring the nations surrounding the Semmerlak act with Vigilance and countering threats from the Semmerlak.

Lutomysla's suggestion that the Senate establish a small sodality dedicated to protecting the people around the Semmerlak still holds true, and has the same enthusiastic support from the merchant-boyars, earls, and merchant-princes keen to see people protected from the depredations of the sovereign. A knightly order focused on protecting the communities along the lake, and a warden fellowship to travel on ships crossing the Semmerlak to protect the crew; both would actively seek out the creatures of Dho'uala and fight them. Supported by Imperial heroes, the sodality would remove the threat to the people living along the edge of the lake. Instead, it would fall to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens to serve as the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''',

They will need places to operate from - an estate in Dawn for the knights and a wardenhouse in Varushka for the wardens. Lutomysla identified that the best locations would be either [[Weirwater#Sandling|Sandling]], in the vicinity of [[Weirwater#Culwich|Culwich]], or [[Semmerholm#Lacuve|Lacuve]] in [[Semmerholm]] near the bustling port of [[Semmerholm#Lacre|Lacre]] for the knights, and the port of Korotny in [[Karov#Malimorzi|Malimorzi]] in [[Karov]] and the [[Merchant_Boyar_of_the_Bittershore#Kostjyas_Respite|Kostjyas Respite]] in [[Ossium#Bittershore|Bittershore]] in [[Ossium]] and those still hold true. Although they involve work in two regions, the actual project itself requires only a single commission, and the building of the wardenhouse and the estates will take place in parallel. Once construction is complete, any threat to the people who live along the banks of the lake will be met by enthusiastic warriors. It will also create a new guarding [[venture]] available to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens - '''Blades in the Semmerlak'''. This will allow a [[military unit]] to spend their time actively defending the Semmerlak and the ships that traverse it. A starting military unit undertaking the venture would receive 120 rings and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]].

There would need to be a title to oversee the efforts and support the sodality; the ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'' would be a [[martial title]] of Dawn and Varushka who was appointed by either unanimous agreement of the senators of those two nations, or a [[Martial_title#Creating_Martial_Titles|test of arms]] between members of those two nations. The title-holder would be responsible for protecting the communities around the Semmerlak from threats mundane and magical, and to stand ready to oppose the depredations of Dho'uala whenever they raise their head. In return, they would receive an income of 10 crowns each season with which to equip allies and maintain their sodality.

They would also be the beneficiaries of several magic items provided by Dawnish, Varushkan, and League donors. A [[Duelist's Scales|Duelist's Scales]] weapon from the Varushkan merchant-boyars to weaken corrupt horrors; a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] from League merchant-princes to protect them from venom; and a [[Troubadour's Ring]] from Dawnish earls to help them support their allies. These items would be received once each year, and while the expectation is that the Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak would use them themselves, there is no reason they could not pass them to other warriors fighting against Dho'uala or similar monstrous threats.

===Dusk===
{{:Autumn Equinox 2026}}

===Husky Business (Volunteers)===
* '''There is an opportunity for player volunteers to portray their characters who died during the Saturday battle at the last event'''
* '''Eligible characters must have died during the battle, but not have been killed as a husk'''
* '''Volunteers will need to have their own costume and appropriate weapons'''
* '''The role will last around twenty minutes, starting at 18:30 on Friday'''
* '''The role will involve fighting alongside the skirmish team in an encounter against player characters'''
* '''Please email before 18:00 on Wednesday 26th of August if you are interested in volunteering'''

There is an opportunity for players to portray the husk of their fallen characters at the upcoming event. Anyone whose character died during the battle of the [[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Fens of Varreth]], raised as a husk but was not subsequently killed again as that husk is welcome to email to register interest in volunteering for an encounter on the Friday. This will be a combat [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|highly likely]] encounter through the Sentinel Gate and will involve fighting against player characters alongside members of our [[Plot_crew#Skirmish|skirmish team]].

If you are interested and would like more information, please email {{plot}} with your PID and the subject line "Husk Volunteer E4", and you will be given more details.

==Summer Conjunctions==

===Major Conjunctions===
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Link'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Outcome'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Sarangrave|Sarangrave, Turan Flats, ''Fens of Varreth'']]</td><td>Contain the dead</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Harvester of Graves]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Sigismund Vladislav Kestovia''' of [[Varushka]]; The spirits were not trapped and the husks remain a problem in eastern Sarangrave; The tortured souls of Het Trakaa remain in Turan Flats; Het Trakaa and Sul Maggotgnaw remain alive</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Mareave|Mareave, Clisearn, ''Ruins of Sinat'']]</td><td>Open the Vaults</td><td>Grendel</td><td>[[Mithril_and_rope#Battle:_Salt_and_Stone|Salt and Stone]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Joaquim i Erigo''' of [[the Brass Coast]]; Saltbound Stone recovered and claimed by '''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged'''; Ilium Jackals negotiated with and readying support of [[Boyar's Hasta]]; Iontach Leagsaidh remains in possession of their [[Grimnir's Hearthfire]]; Maistir Guaidre remains in possession of the Spiteri necklace</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Forest of Ulnak|Forest of Ulnak, Ghul'thak Forest, ''Fetid Heart'']]</td><td>Raid the Druj</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Battle:_Claim_the_Prize|Claim the Prize]]</td><td>Not taken; Status of the black lotus unclear; Status of the treasures of Taramid Skinwreath unclear</td></tr>

</table>

===Minor Conjunctions===
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! # !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview !! Result
|-
| 1 || Sarangrave, Whisperwood, Halfweir Grove || [[Fingers of the Devourer|Custodian of the Fingers of the Devourer]] || [[Thorn_and_bone#A_Testing_(Conjunction)|Destroy the heralds of Surut]] || Heralds of Surut killed; production of Fingers of Devourer has increased by two wains per season for as long as the Great Forest Orcs remain foreigners
|-
| 2 || Astolat, Withy, Igraine's Regio || [[Astolat|Senator for Astolat]] || [[A_wizard_did_it#Rants_and_Roses|Find out why the regio keeps shifting back to Spring, and resolve it]] || Unclear, but '''Éamon Ashenmourn de Cordraco''' might know more
|-
| 3 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Maiden Stone || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#Apples_First_(Mitwold)|Stop Jyll Longleys from cursing the Maiden Stone]] || ''Jyll Longleys'' and allies killed
|-
| 4 || The Barrens, Dawnguard, Troubadour's Glade || [[Knight of Dawnguard]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Vow (The Barrens)|Kill ''Prilak Gutdredger'']] || ''Prilak Gutdredger'' and almost all allies were killed
|-
| 5 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Golden Fields || [[Keeper of the Golden Fields]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#The_Right_Thing_(Mitwold)|Stop Dusty Cobb setting Golden Fields alight]] || ''Dusty Cobb'' and rebels killed
|-
| 6 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, The Dredging Flats || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Call to Stand (The Barrens)|Kill the Servants of the Burnt]] || All but one ''Servants of the Burnt'' survived
|-
| 7 || Ossium, Echofell, Burned Glade || [[Shadowed Torchbearer]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Fire_The_Forests_(Ossium)|Prevent the cursing of Ossium]] || Heralds killed and Ossium was not cursed
|-
| 8 || Therunin, Lower Tarn Valley, Rotwood Croft || '''Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#After the Taint (Therunin)|Destroy the miasma pillar]] || Miasma pillar successfully consecrated
|-
| 9 || Madruga, Free Landing, Hart's Cove || [[Hand of Guerra]] || [[Keys_of_Enlightenment#Barren_Waters_(Conjunction)|Aid the stranded ship from Sumaah]] || Unclear, but Hand of Guerra should know more
|-
| 10 || Sarangrave, Kroll, Slow Worm's Hill || [[Sevenfold Path|Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Boil The Swamps (Sarangrave)|Prevent the cursing of Sarangrave]] || Heralds killed and Sarangrave was not cursed
|-
| 11 || Sarangrave, Turan Flats, The Breakteeth dais || [[Eastern Sky|General of the Eastern Sky]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#The_Greatest_Prize_(Rhianos)|Recover the treasure]] || Treasure successfully recovered
|-
| 12 || The Barrens, Bitter Strand, Saltshore || [[Merchant of the Fangs]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Fangs_for_the_Memories_(Conjunction)|Answer General Utmar's call for aid]] || Vassals of the manticore killed
|-
| 13 || Madruga, The Crucible, Talpses Plat || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#A_Terrible_Feeling_(Madruga)|Claim the ''Snapping Face'']] || Snapping Face retrieved and heralds killed
|-
| 14 || The Barrens, Carmine Fields, Trading Way || '''Rhydian de Rondell''' || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Taste_of_Mettle_(Conjunction)|Remove the failed knights-errant of House Courcillion as a threat]] || Named knights have accepted justice from local magistrates
|-
| 15 || Necropolis, Coursmouth, The Veiled Garden || [[Guardian of Britta's Memorial]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#The_Strength_of_This_Place_(Necropolis)|Spill the waters of Siakha]] || Bucket recovered and returned to Anvil
|-
| 16 || The Barrens, The Untrod Groves, Glade of the Good Knight || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#A_Hearty_Meal_(Conjunction)|Thwart the schemes of Ser Gawain Amboise]] || Schemes of ''Ser Gawain Amboise'' thwarted
|-
| 17 || Mareave, Fleisardh, Spring Regio near Golden Wind's Encampment || [[Silver Chalice|Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Do_Some_Harm_(Arhallogen)|Poison the Grendel]] || Grendel poisoned, Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice should know more
|-
| 18 || Tassato, Cascatas, Campo Verdenta || [[Keeper of the Sapphire Stair]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#For_What_Has_Been_Wrought_(Tassato)|Kill the heralds of Siakha]] || Heralds of Siakha and wreckers killed
|-
| 19 || Spiral, Apstrus, Alba's Lea || [[Legacy|Custodian of the Legacy]] ||[[Mithril_and_rope#A_Backhanded_Request_(Spiral)|Intercept the mercenaries pay]] || Raid launched on the Legacy and ten wains of mithril claimed by the Haurlatch Iron Consortium
|-
| 20 || Reikos, Haros Water, Couros Field || '''Nekoda of the Shattered Tower''' || [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_fortune#A_Sudden_Threat_(Reikos)|Save Professor Gelberg from Grendel assassins]] || Imperials pushed out by Grendel; Professor Gelberg has been kidnapped
|-
| 21 || Redoubt, Naris, Isaac's End || '''Telemachus of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[Seeds_of_discord#An_Empty_Bottle_(Conjunction)|Leave no more than a dozen Grendel alive]] || All Grendel killed
|-
| 22 || Kallavesa, West Marsh, The Meeting Place || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_32|Erlend]]''' || [[Myth_makers#The_Unity_Of_Deed_And_Word|Consecrate the Meeting Place]] || The Meeting Place successfully consecrated with true liao
|-
| 23 || Kallavesa, Wittal Grove, Frithstan's Fen || [[Grimnir of Wittal Grove]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#An_Unexpected_Ally_(Basileia)|Defeat the Grendel (and potentially rescue the Iontach)]] || Ionatch Meddool Miniog successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 24 || Forest of Ulnak, Grimfen Mire, Moss End || [[Warmage]] || [[All_I_ask_of_you#Wild_Things_Run_Fast|Take advantage of a recent scouting discovery]] || [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] successfully cast with eight rings of [[ilium]]
|-
| 25 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Eastern Ward || '''Theodora''' || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 26 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, Gardenway || [[Envoy to the Karass]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Protect_Lenna_Karass_%28The_Barrens%29|Prevent Druj raiders from kidnapping Lenna Karass]] || Lenna Karass was successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 27 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Western Ward || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 28 & 29 || Forest of Ulnak, Gloomsea, Islet of Calm || [[Archmage of Day]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Who's_the_Thief?_(Forest_of_Ulnak)|Prevent the Eyes of the Dragon from using a boon of Kimus]] || [[Wind of Mundane Silence]] performed on regio and bodies successfully destroyed
|-
| 30 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Warmage]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Drive the vallorn from the regio]] || Imperial casualties suffered, vallornspawn remain around the regio
|-
| 31 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Archmage of Spring]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Cast Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] || [[Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] was not performed
|-
| 32 || Sarangrave, the Whisperwood, Depths of the Hungry Earth || [[Counsel of the Sun Chamber]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#The_Caves_of_the_Hungry_Earth|Investigate the Hungry Earth]] || Depths investigated, Counsel of the Sun Chamber should know more
|-
| 33 || Volodmartz, Livardz, Sumisev Peegel || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_167|Auntie Armand Mariyavich Remislav]]''' || [[Sunrise_over_Livardz#Blow_It_Up|Destroy the Sumisev Peegel]] || Sumisev Peegel was successfully destroyed by [[Wind of Mundane Silence]]
|-
|}

Hook of the Hoarfrost Guardian

2026-09-09T13:18:22Z

Rafferty:

[[Category:Summer Ritual]] [[Category:Rituals]]
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBUrizen.jpg|caption=This ritual is part of [[Urizen magical traditions#Urizen Lore|Urizen lore]] rather than [[Imperial lore]].|align=right|width=200}}
==Rules==
{{Season|Summer|40}}
{{Urizen Lore}}

===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|2}} {{Target Character}} The target character must possess the [[Combat_skills#Weapon_Master|weapon master]] skill.

{{enchantment}}

===Effects===
The target of the ritual may call [[Calls#STRIKEDOWN|STRIKEDOWN]] four times each day while wielding a [[Weapons_%26_armour#Polearms|pole-arm]] with which they are proficient.

In addition, the target experiences a roleplaying effect: ''whenever you feel you are being thwarted, belittled or insulted you feel an urge to batter the source of your irritation until it stops moving. You find it easier to endure cold climates (within the bounds of OOC safety considerations), and find the idea of spending time in snowy wastelands or high mountains appealing.''

As long as the enchantment lasts you may [[Roleplaying_effects#Overcoming_Roleplaying_Effects|respond]] to any [[roleplaying effect]] that would make you calm or placid by becoming incredibly angry instead.

{{regain heroics}}

{{Season Duration}}

===Additional Targets===
This ritual can affect additional characters from the same [[banner]]. Each additional character increases the magnitude by 25. Additional characters must be present throughout.
===Options===
{{Ritual Substitution|tempest jade|ingots}}
===Assurance===
This ritual draws on the power of the ice giants who attend the court of [[Cathan Canae]]. As part of the [[Eternals_and_rituals#Assurance_and_Stipulation|agreement]] with the heralds, the ritual will lose all potency and ceases to function if "''the spear of Heyrrokyn should ever be destroyed.''" This information was hidden in the wording of the ritual text and uncovered quite by chance by a librarian at the [[Morrow#Grand_Library_of_Canterspire|Grand Library of Canterspire]] after the ritual entered Urizen lore. Unfortunately, there are no notes in the original text as to what the spear of Heyrrokyn is, where it may be found, nor why the ice giants would care about its destruction. While it is certainly possible for the ice giants to empower the ritual again should the assurance be broken, it would require a new set of negotiations and there is no guarantee that it will work the same way it did previously.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Ice Giant.png|caption=This ritual draws on the power of the ice giants - heralds of [[Cathan Canae]] who lead her armies and regularly garrison her [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae|frozen citadels]].|align=right|width=400}}</div>

==Description==
This ritual was one of the very first to become part of [[Urizen magical traditions#Urizen lore|Urizen lore]], following the Autumn Equinox 383YE. Contributed by Mord Thorntarry of the [[spire]] of Auric Horizon, the ritual was one of those contained in the book ''Meditations''. Written by Callus Strategos, [[Dean of the Lyceum]] during the reign of [[Empress Britta]], the book also contained [[Swords in the Noonday Sun]], [[Good Green Oak]], [[Eyes of the Hills]] and two rituals that had already become part of [[Imperial lore]] - [[Find the Best Path]] and [[Hammers of the Brilliant Shore]].

The ritual draws on the "''strength and viciousness of the “ice giants” that accompany Cathan Canae, and evokes the image of their hooked pole-arms''". The [[eternal]] commonly known as the ''Queen of Ice and Darkness'' or the ''Lady of the Frost'' is not ''directly'' involved, but from a legal standpoint there is no difference between drawing on the power of the heralds of an eternal and drawing directly on Cathan Canae herself. This judgement has been further supported by recent discoveries around the way heralds and eternals respond to the [[Declaration|declarations]] of [[amity and enmity]]. As such, performing the ritual while Cathan Canae is under enmity would still be a crime.
Codified in the reign of [[Emperor Guntherm]], it was formulated at a time where the ''Mistress of Blizzards'' had only recently ceased to be considered an [[Amity and enmity#Declaration of Enmity|enemy]] of the Empire; her open support for the [[Jotun]] [[orc|orcs]] has long complicated her relationship with the [[Conclave]]. According to ''Meditations'', the ritual was formulated during the peace with the Jotun secured by the Emperor so that he could focus his attention on the [[Druj]] in the east. However it allegedly saw little use before Cathan Canae was again placed under enmity by the Conclave for her alleged role in the death of the Wintermark [[the Throne|Throne]].
<div style="float:right; width: 450px;"><quote by="''Meditations'', Callus Strategos">The Marchers in particular seem to appreciate this ritual, although I understand that there have been some problems with their friars. They dislike the anger the ritual brings with it, apparently. On the few occasions I was able to perform it on one of them I must confess I saw very little difference in their dour exteriors.</quote></div>
The western barbarians are certainly aware of this ritual, or at least possess a common [[Cathan_Canae#Boons|boon]] from Cathan Canae that works very similarly. Callus wrote of encountering a Jotun warband whose warriors appeared to employ a similar enchantment that involved great spears marked with the [[rune|runes]] [[Tykonus]] and [[Verys]] on their hafts. It led him to express a suspicion that "''sneaky Heftan the Fox – who did much of the work on the foundation of this ritual – might have been a better thief, or a better diplomat, than he was a magical researcher.''"

Employing Hook of the Hoarfrost Guardian can be a little daunting; it fills the recipient with barely controlled fury as well as with savage combat mastery. Obviously a warrior whose [[Urizen_culture_and_customs#Poise|poise]] is without question can control and channel this rage into even greater effectiveness of the battlefield, but less sophisticated recipients of the ritual might end up being overwhelmed by the anger it creates. As such, Urizen magicians are advised to take care as to where and upon whom they employ this powerful enchantment.

==Common Elements==
As a personal [[enchantment]], the ritual often includes anointing or girding the recipients in some manner as a symbol for the bestowing of power. Pure, cold water poured or dabbed on the forehead, shoulders, and hands has a particular resonance with the ritual, especially if that water is made by melting ice or snow. Even better is actual ice or snow, although securing such material is dependent on the weather. Marking the weapon of the recipient in the same manner, or tying something indicative of strength or potency to the haft of the pole-arm, is also appropriate. Practitioners of [[blood magic]] have indicated that a little blood [[Blood_magic#The_Source|taken]] from a [[changeling]] mixed with water is especially appropriate for such anointing.

When [[materials#Tempest jade|tempest jade]] is [[#Options|employed]] in the performance of the ritual, having the recipients crush the ingots underfoot is considered the ideal way to draw on its power.

The [[astronomancy|astronomantic]] constellation of [[the Mountain]] resonates well with this ritual, as does the enduring power of [[the Oak]].

Wiki Updates

2026-09-08T19:03:08Z

Rafferty:

[[Category:Rules]]
==Overview==
This is a list of significant updates to the wiki. We try to keep it as up to date as possible, in the hope it will be a more useful reference than the [[Special:RecentChanges|recent changes]] page which lists every spelling correction and formatting change.

By its 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 it may be a little behind the actual updates. We tend to make an entry on this page once an update is finalised - so if something has changed and hasn't been mentioned here it's possible that the changes are not yet complete.

In early 2022, we moved all entries on this page prior to 2019 to the [[Archive:Wiki_updates_to_2018|previous wiki updates]] page in the Archive namespace as detailed in [[#Archiving Wiki Updates|Archiving wiki updates]]. We did this again in 2024, moving updates prior to 2021 to the same page.
==Favoured Quality==
* ''08/09/2026'''
We've made a slight adjustment to the wording of the [{Eastern Sky]] special quality, [[Eastern_Sky#Army_Quality_:_Favoured|favoured]]. The restriction on issuing the same order on two consecutive seasons means that if the general issues ''Traverse the Crossroads'' at the Summer Solstice, they can't also use it at the ''Autumn Equinox'' even though their favours have refreshed. As long as they use different orders each time, they can issue a special order every event.

==Eyes of the Hills==
* '''05/09/2026'''
This ritual has been replaced with a new war ritual that is compatible with the rules for [[war magic]]. Anyone who currently has the ritual mastered who does not wish to have the new version of this enchantment mastered, can email admin@profounddecisions.co.uk to have it removed from their mastered rituals.

==Arcane Consolidation==
* '''01/09/2026'''
We have updated the rules for [[Army_qualities#Magic|arcane consolidation]] to provide 35 mana crystals for a full strength army that takes the order, with proportionately less for a depleted force. This replaces the previous rule which rounded the army's strength to the nearest thousand to calculate the mana produced.

==Shield Rules Update==
* '''28/08//2026'''
We have changed the rules for kite and heater shields to give a simpler definition of the maximum sizes. The new rules make it much easier for our weapon check team to check a shield is the right size, quickly and easily at the event and should make it easier for players to be certain whether or not their shield pass. The new rules are designed to be more permissive than the old rules to ensure that any regular shaped kite or heater shield that would have passed before will pass under the new rules.

==Clear Counsel of the Everflowing River==
* '''24/08/2026'''
We've added a clause to the [[Clear Counsel of the Everflowing River]] ritual to make clearer what happens when [[Clear_Counsel_of_the_Everflowing_River#Preparing_the_Question|preparing the question]]. If the question does not follow the format laid down by [[Sung]] (''"The named coven asks Sung why..."'') then the eternal will still respond, but is under no obligation to provide a useful answer.
==Hooded Misery==
* '''12/08/2026'''
We've removed the potion Hooded Misery from [[The Last Resort]] potion set. It is no longer possible to mix this potion, and existing potions will have no effect beyond making the drinker feel ill for a short time. We've done this for several reasons, one of which is that we're not interested in rekindling contagious disease plot.

==Herthfire's Hospitality==
* '''12/08/2026'''
We've adjusted the magnitude of [[Herthfire's Hospitality]] to match that of [[Leonine Pavilion]]. We had incorrectly set the magnitude to match [[Chamber of Pallas]] and similar rituals, which restore personal mana.
==Colour Coding==
* '''08/08/2026'''
We have been presenting opportunities in box-outs for the past few years, but we've recently added some more colours to make it easier to pick up information at a glance.
<table style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:400px;">
<tr><td style="background-color: HotPink;">'''Venture/Voyage'''</td></tr>
<tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Commission'''</tr>
<tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Title'''</tr>
<tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">'''Motion'''</tr>
<tr><td colspan="2" style="background-color:LightYellow;">'''Ministry'''</td></tr>
<tr><td style="background-color: Pink;">'''Chamber of Commerce'''</tr>
</table>
* '''Venture/Voyage:''' [[venture|Ventures]] and [[voyage|voyages]] available to military units and fleets, with entries for what Type of venture/voyage; Location (if relevant); Availability; Duration; Rewards; and Special
* '''Commission:''' A [[commission]], with entries for Commission type; Location; Cost; Time; Effect; Availability; and Special
* '''Title:''' A [[Imperial title|title]], with entries Type; Appointment; Powers; Responsibilities; and Cost
* '''Motion:''' A [[Senate motion]], with entries for Motion type; Necessary details; Cost; Effect; Availibilty; and Special
* '''Ministry:''' A [[ministry]], with the goods available and what they can be purchased for. Most commonly used with a new Imperial title
* '''Chamber of Commerce:''' When a group of [[Resource#Personal_Resource|personal resource]] holders in a territory are called on to make a decision, such as the [[farm]] owners of [[Hahnmark]] meeting to [[Petals_in_the_snow#Making_the_Choice|decide on Sarcophan merchants]] during the Spring Equinox 388YE

==Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust==
* '''17/07/2026'''
The assurance of [[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]] has been broken. The ritual no longer functions and any attempts to perform the ritual will fail. More information can be found in the "A Silenced Call" section of the '''[[Ambassadors of death#A Silenced Call|Ambassadors of death]]''' wind of fortune.

==Three Refrains==
* '''14/07/2026'''
We've dropped the page for the Three Refrains, since there are no longer any NPC members of the group and their role has been supplanted by the [[Cat's Graces]] [[Imperial sodality]].

==Grandmasters==
* '''14/07/2026'''
We have made a number of changes to the rules for challenging a [[grandmaster]], or electing a new one if they die or resign. The new rules and the reasoning for the change along with an IC justification have been added to the [[Rules update 2026]].

==Shield Shapes==
* '''12/07/2026'''
We've added a note to [[Weapons & armour]] to make provide better clarity on what is or is not a kite or heater shield. We've also removed the metric measurements, as they did not match the imperial measurements (and were slightly smaller).

==Signs and Portents==
* '''08/07/2026'''
We've added a note to [[Signs and Portents]] to make it clear that you also can't direct the ritual effect using an [[arcane projection]]. Creating "visionary divinations" is more an art than a science, but there's explicitly no way to access the big pool of Night visions in a way that controls or influences the vision you receive.

==Military Archive of Zakalwe==
* '''<s>22/06/2026</s> 24/06/2026'''
The assurance of this ritual, which is not in Imperial lore, has not been broken. The ritual continues to work as intended.

==Magnitude Changes During Codification==
* '''01/06/2026'''
We've added a note to the [[college of magic]] page laying out that it is possible for an arcane projection to result in a ritual of different magnitude, especially when the final ritual has more general application than the specific arcane projection.

==Multiple Arcane Projections==
* '''01/06/2026'''
We've updated the rules on arcane projections to make it clear that you can't create multiple copies of the same arcane projection in the same season.

==Somnolent Wanderer==
* '''21/05/2026'''
We've edited the ritual ''Somnolent Wanderer'' to make clear that it is only possible to cast the ritual on the Friday or Saturday of an event. The ritual has been adjusted on the database, and we can provide a new copy of the ritual text in return for the old one.

==Heaven's Spear Sunders the Mountain==
* '''11/05/2026'''
We've adjusted the base magnitude of the ritual ''Heaven's Spear Sunders the Mountain'' from 16 to 8, and the additional target magnitude from 12 to 6. The magnitude of this ritual was incorrect. It's been adjusted on the database, and we can provide a new copy of the ritual text in return for the old one.

==Zemress Festival==
* '''22/04/2026'''
We've added a page for the [[Zemress festival]], which is a [[The Brass Coast|Freeborn]] festival held on the Saturday of the Spring Equinox that has recently sprung up inspired by [[Zemress]], exemplar of [[Prosperity]].

==Religious Crime==
* '''08/04/2026'''
We've made some extensive changes to how [[religious crime]] is defined by the [[Synod]] and prosecuted by the magistrates. This included the creation of the new Synod [[judgement]] of [[proscription]], as well as changes to how [[castigation]], [[vindication]], and [[penance]] work. Further discussion can be found in the [[Figure of eight]] wind of fortune.

==Rewarding==
* '''06/04/2026'''
We've updated the text for [[rewarding]] to add that the Tribune has the discretion to dispose of the funds if the priest raising the judgement dies.

==Salt Council==
* '''02/04/2026'''
We've added the information from the Grendel dossier on the Salt Lords to the [[Grendel#Salt_Council|Salt Council]] section of the Grendel page. This information was originally delivered by the eternal [[Basileia]] to the [[Imperial Magus]]. More information on the origins of the dossier can be found on the '''[[Fake_empire#Basileia's_Dossier|Fake empire]]''' wind of fortune.

==Tribute==
* '''02/04/2026'''
We've changed [[Tribute to the Thrice-Cursed Court]] to adjust the calculation whereby we determine how much [[vis#Heart's Blood|Heart's Blood]] the ritual produces. You can find further discussion of this on the [[Rules_update_2026#Tribute_to_the_Thrice-Cursed_Court|Rules Update]] page. As always, anyone who has this ritual mastered and no longer wants the updated version can email admin@profounddecisions.co.uk to remove it.

==Ruining Forts==
* '''01/04/2026'''
We've added a section to the [[Limits of magic]] talking about using rituals to [[Limits_of_magic#Damaging_Fortifications|damage fortifications]]. While it may have been possible in the past to damage forts in a controlled fashion with ritual magic from a distance, that's no longer the case.

==Rivers==
* '''01/04/2026'''
We've adjusted [[Rivers of Life]] and [[Rivers Run Red]]. These [[curse|curses]] are now as effective on [[navy|navies]] and [[fortification#garrison|garrisons]] as they are on [[army|armies]].

==Golden Voyage==
* '''01/04/2026'''
We've changed the magnitude and effect of [[Golden Voyage]] to bring it more into line with the way we approach personal resource enchantments, with particular reference to the [[Laws_of_magic#The_Law_of_Scale|Law of Scale]]. It now provides only five ranks for a fleet taking a [[Fleet#Questing|questing]] [[voyage]], but in the process, the magnitude has been significantly reduced from 18 to 10.

==False Virtues==
* '''31/03/2026'''
We've made several edits to the [[malign spiritual presences]] page to add some additional clarity, especially around the concept of so-called "[[Malign_spiritual_presences#False_Virtues|false virtues]]."

==Multiple Great Works==
* '''26/03/2026'''
We've added a note to the [[Great_work#Multiple_Great_Works|great work]] page that reflects the fact that multiple great works in a territory affecting a single resource become more expensive. It's now not possible to commission a great work that affects the same resource until an existing commission is completed, abrogated, or lapses, without a specific [[opportunity]].

==Litany of the Labyrinth==
* '''26/03/2026'''
We've explicitly added [[Voice for the dead]] to the effects that the [[Litany of the Labyrinth]] will affect.

==Garden of Teth-Anon==
* '''03/03/2026'''
We have added an [[Ritual_theory#Agreement|assurance]] to the [[Garden of Teth-Anon]]. This follows the assurances added last year, which can be found in the [[#Assurances|Assurances]] entry.

==Assailing Forts==
* '''04/02/2026'''
In line with our new fortification changes we've edited the [[Highest_discipline#Technique_of_the_Transcendent_Claw|Technique of the Transcendent Claw]], and explained how the ''Onrushing Storm'' order works under the new rules. We've also made edits to the way the [[Army qualities#Siege|Storm the Walls]] and [[Army qualities#Engineer|Dig In]] orders work.

==Fortifications==
* '''03/02/2026'''
We've made some significant changes to the way [[fortification|fortifications]] work in the military campaign. The fortification page has been extensively edited; fortifications are now split into a [[fortification#bastion|bastion]] that represents the physical fortification, and a [[fortification#Garrison|garrison]] that represents the soldiers who defend it. In the process, we've removed the citadel commission. There is a [[Rules update 2026#Fortifications and Citadels|rules update]] that discusses the changes in more detail.

At the same time, we've made changes to several rituals that interact with fortifications. This includes:
* [[Hammers of the Brilliant Shore]] and [[Stalwart Stand on Solid Ground]] explicitly affects only the bastion of a fortification.
* [[Stone's Unyielding Defiance]] and [[Ramparts of Ashlar]] provide additional force to the garrison of a fortification
* [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees]] and [[Mountain Remembers Its Youth]] affect both the bastion and the garrison, and how their damage is inflicted has been adjusted slightly.
* The ''Wolves of Winter'', a ritual not in Imperial Lore, provides additional strength to the garrison of the enchanted fortification, but ''only'' for purposes of inflicting casualties.
* The four "citadel" rituals - [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]], [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]], [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]], and [[The Basalt Citadel]] have been changed significantly, and each provides different benefits.

Some of the rituals have also had their magnitude adjusted. We're currently still assessing existing fortifications, and outstanding opportunities and will update them as we go.

==Dadford Road Exit Plan==
* '''09/09/2025'''
There are new instructions for when you are [[Dadford_Road_Campsite#Departure|exiting Dadford Road campsite at the end of this final event]]. Please make sure you follow the instructions carefully to save time for you and everyone else!

==Chimes of Annulment==
* '''08/09/2025'''
We've changed the duration of effect for [[Chimes of Annulment]] from one minute to ten minutes. The previous short duration left too little margin for error to make it an appealing option on battles. The new time is designed to be difficult - but more achievable. The recent conjunctions involving the Lock and the Key provide an IC justification for the change if one is needed.

==Varushka Embroidery and Weaving==
* '''08/09/2025'''
We have updated the [[Varushka_culture_and_customs#Embroidery_and_Weaving|Varushka culture and customs]] page with an entry on embroidery and weaving, following the completion of the Great Hall of Fabric Arts in Delev.

==Sodality Limitations==
* '''05/09/2025'''
We have changed the [[Imperial_sodality#Limitations|limitations on titles appointed by Imperial sodalities]]. If they elect a national position it must be revocable by the relevant national assembly.

==Walls of Holberg==
* '''23/08/2025'''
We've fixed an error in the database for the location of the Walls of Holberg. The city of Holberg is in the region of Holfried - which is where the walls are canonically - not neighbouring Holmauer (which was once walled, but the walls were long since destroyed by the Druj).

==Detect Magic==
* '''07/08/2025'''
We've changed the Discern Arcane Mark effect of [[detect magic]] to instead be [[Detect_magic#Discern_Mark|Discern Mark]]. We have made clear that it also functions to identify when the casting magician shares a [[Mark of Fellowship]] with the target.

==Rewarding==
* '''20/07/2025'''
We've made some updates to the [[judgement]] of [[Rewarding]]. It explains how the virtue fund relates to wains of mithril, weirwood, and white granite and discusses more ways the judgement can be used.

==Rule of Risk and Reward==
* '''16/07/2025'''
As referenced in the '''[[Beat of your drum#Lyceum|Beat of your drum]]''' wind of fortune, researchers at the Lyceum have discovered a way to add additional targets to this ritual.

==Sum of the Parts==
* '''16/07/2025'''
As referenced in the '''[[Beat of your drum#Lyceum|Beat of your drum]]''' wind of fortune, it is not necessary when casting [[Sum of the Parts]] for the three additional participants to take damage. Supporting the target with words of encouragement or similar roleplaying is sufficient to power the ritual effect.

==Sun Chamber==
* '''14/07/2025'''
We have added a new sodality - the [[Sun Chamber]] to the game. This is a powerful [[Imperial sodality]] whose membership is restricted to citizens aged 14-18. The aim is to directly address the fact that Empire can be a very inaccessible game for players before they turn twenty. The new sodality exists to help members gain positions of power and influence in the Empire and encourage members to approach existing problems in new ways.

==Secrets of the Empty Heart==
* '''25/06/2025'''
We've updated the ritual [[Secrets of the Empty Heart]] to make it explicit that you can use the special ability granted by the [[enchantment]] even if you are under the effect of [[Calls#WEAKNESS|weakness]], [[Combat#Dying|dying]], or [[Combat#Terminal|terminal]]. This is a special case where an active ability can be used when in a state where it would normally not be possible.

==Navarr Wayhouse==
* '''21/06/2025'''
We have created a new page that contains all the rules for a [[Navarr wayhouse]] [[commission]]. Most of the details are based on the information we provided in the original wind of fortune, but where we have made some changes, these new rules will not affect any motions passed at the Spring Equinox or earlier. The [[387YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Construct_Wayhouse_in_Ossium|wayhouse in Ossium]] is fine to be built with [[mithril]] and produce [[Game_items#Mana_Crystals|mana crystals]]. Any new wayhouses will all have to follow the new rules and can only be built using a Senate motion or an Imperial title with the power to commission a wayhouse.

We've stubbed the new page for the next few days, while we finalise any changes for new wayhouses. We'll remove the stub once that process is complete.

==Historical Researchers==
* '''09/06/2025'''
We've added an [[Historical_research#Ser_Eddard_d'Argenteux|additional researcher]] to the list of senior historical researchers. This is to cover historical research into topics for which research into songs, stories, legends, and myth might be the most appropriate avenue of inquiry.

==Colleges and Runeforges==
* '''4/06/2025'''
We've updated the upkeep for a [[college of magic]] and for a [[runeforge]], and introduced a new rule on the maximum number of such facilities that the Empire can support. The old rules for upkeep were somewhat incomprehensible, the new rules are much easier to understand and make it much easier for us to run plot around these important commissions. There is more detail on the update on the [[Rules_update_2025#Colleges_and_Runeforges|rules update wiki page]] explaining the changes, the impacts and the reasoning for them.

==Senate==
* '''2/06/2025'''
We've updated several pages on the running of Senate. We've extended the description of [[Senate_session#Expert_Witness|expert witnesses]] to match how it is working in practice and included a copy of the Civil Service's guidance for expert witnesses. As part of this, there is a new rule that senators [[Senator#Limitations|can't act as expert witnesses]] themselves.

We also updated the page on [[Senate_session#Sunday_session |Senate sessions]], introducing stricter plans on Sunday to help the session finish promptly.

==Ritual Theory==
* '''29/05/2025'''
We've updated the [[ritual theory]] page. It was already huge, so we've split some of the content up into logical chunks on new pages, creating a page for the [[limits of magic]] as well as one on the [[laws of magic]]. We've significantly overhauled the content on [[eternals and rituals]] and created a new page for that also - there is a lot of additional information there now for players whose characters are involved with ritual magic.

We've also added a page on [[war magic]] which discusses the possibilities and potential of using the realms to enchant armies, military units and fleets. This page reflects the changes we've made earlier this year, but brings a lot of the key information together, so that it is one place.

==Herbal==
* '''16/05/2025'''
We've added the details for a [[Potion#Herbal|herbal]]; something similar to a [[Magic_items#Schema|schema]], but for one or more potions. The entry shows how they are made, how they can be added to Imperial lore, and how they can be destroyed.

==Towerjacks==
* '''14/05/2025'''
We've edited the ''dig in'' order of the [[Army qualities#Engineer|engineer]] quality to exclude the mustering of [[Army|armies]] and [[navy|navies]] from their ability to speed up a [[commission]].

==New Characters and Conquered Territories==
* '''14/05/2025'''
We've updated the system so that it is no longer possible for players to create new characters in territories that have been completely conquered - that is, territories which are receiving the [[Resource#Conquered_Territories|conquered territory]] penalty. This is partly done to ensure new players unfamiliar with the state of the campaign do not make the mistake of starting in a territory where they will face significant additional challenges.

==Citadels==
* '''13/05/2025'''
We've added a page for citadels, the new commission type from the '''[[The_war_of_thorns_and_flowers#All_Along_the_Watchtower|The war of thorns and flowers]]''' wind of fortune. (Citadels have since been replaced with new rules for fortifications).

==Vines and Symbols==
* '''03/05/2025'''
We've added a note to the [[Vine#Costume|costume]] section of the Vine page to make clear that it is not appropriate to use a square red diamond on its own as part of costume, to avoid accidentally breaching the Geneva Convention by using a symbol of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Red_Cross_and_Red_Crescent_Movement International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement].

==Arcane Projections==
* '''03/05/2025'''
We've made a change to the [[Arcane_projection#Preparing_an_Arcane_Projection|deadline for submission]] of [[arcane projection|arcane projections]]. Rather than the late booking deadline, the deadline for the Spring Equinox will be the early booking deadline, and after that the deadline will permanently shift to the close of downtime. You can read more about it in the [[387YE_Spring_Equinox_interlude#Arcane_Projections|Spring Equinox interlude]].

==Colleges and Runeforges==
* '''03/05/2025'''
We've changed the email address for players who run a [[college of magic]] or [[runeforge]] to send their submissions to. Rather than rules, they should now be sent to {{plot}}. The deadline for submissions (the end of downtime) remains unchanged.

==Glossary==
* '''11/04/2025'''
We have added a [[glossary]] page to the wiki with some more information on common terms used in Empire and LRP as a whole. We expect this to be updated on a semi-regular basis as more terms come to light. Any queries or suggestions can be sent to [mailto:wiki@profounddecisions.co.uk wiki@profounddecisions.co.uk].

==Dreamcatchers==
* '''07/04/2025'''
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreamcatcher Dreamcatchers] will be inappropriate for use in [[costume]] at Empire from event three this year onwards. We want to avoid using items that are culturally sacred in real life because it is more difficult to ignore their real world significance and we don't want to disrespect people's beliefs. We've managed to speak to some of the players affected already, and everyone has responded very positively, but we realise we haven't been able to speak to everyone about this change - hence the reason for two events' grace to allow players to make any changes needed to their costume.

==League Look and Feel==
* '''07/04/2025'''
We have rewritten [[the League look and feel]] to move beyond from the more restrictive costume options presented by the original brief. We do want the League to have a really clear visual look that defines the nation, but we want to ensure that it includes garments that everyone can feel confident wearing.

==Combat==
* '''07/04/2025'''
We have update the combat rules for Empire to say that head hits will not be allowed at any events in 2025. We are trialling the new rules, so please see the [[Rules_update_2025#Combat|rules update page]] for more details.

==Alignment==
* '''28/03/2025'''
We've added a fourth option to the [[declaration]] of [[alignment]], that of [[alignment#Acceptance|Acceptance]], as a result of opportunities created by plot over the last year or so. This allows the Conclave to accept or refuse an offer from an eternal, in a manner that the Archmage of the appropriate realm can also use.

==Army Enchantments==
* '''25/03/2025'''
We've made several changes to rituals that [[enchantment|enchant]] an [[Army|Imperial army]]. Almost every army enchantment ritual has changed in some fashion. It is no longer possible to change the [[Army qualities|quality]] of an army with magic, and the resonant effects for each realm have been much more clearly defined. You can find out more about these changes in the accompanying [[rules update]].
* [[Swords in the Noonday Sun]] ([[Urizen lore]]; Summer 80): now fills soldiers with supernatural prowess, increasing the strength of an army by the equivalent of 1000 extra warriors. It's also gained an option for additional targets. The roleplaying associated with it has also changed, meaning it is no longer considered a ritual that uses savagery to create its effect.
* [[Find the Best Path]] (Autumn 80): Now grants a campaign army the ability to move through an additional territory, rather than granting the [[Army qualities#Fast|fast]] quality. The magnitude has been lowered to 80, and an option to include additional targets has been added.
* [[Quickening Cold Meat]] (Winter 120): We've reduced the magnitude of the ritual and been significantly clearer about the unpredictable dangers associated with the ritual.
* [[Machines of Destruction]] (Autumn 135): No longer offered by [[Estavus]] and removed from the [[Mystic scrolls of Estavus]] page.
* [[Loosen the Shackles]] ([[Urizen lore]]) Winter 120): now gives an enchanted army the equivalent of 4,000 extra soldiers but only for purposes of inflicting casualties on an enemy. The magnitude has increased to 120. It still draws on the forbidden power of [[Agramant]].
* [[Why Sulemaine Walked Away From The Baker]] (Winter 80): The effects of the ritual have been increased. In addition to making the army more resistant to effects related to poison and venom, it also reduces damage suffered from other means.
* [[Bound by Common Cause]] (Autumn 80): has had its effect completely redesigned and now reduces the upkeep of an army while providing potential narrative bonuses.
* [[Fire on the Water]] and [[Eyes of the Hills]] cannot currently be cast; we are still deciding how to deal with them.

The change has also affected some non-enchantment rituals.
* [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]] (Day 14): now provides information about enchantments on armies and fortifications in the territory scried.
* [[Eye of the High Places]] (Day 14): now provides information about large-scale effects on a territory.
* [[Dreams in the Witch House]] (Night 14): has been reworked to make it better reflect the way the ritual had evolved in play and to widen the kind of information it provides. The magnitude has increased to 14, bringing it into line with similar divinations.

==Fleet Enchantments==
* '''24/03/2025'''
In conjunction with our [[#Military Unit Enchantments|changes to military units]], we've also updated the way a [[fleet]] acts in [[downtime]]. As with military units, we've streamlined the actions that can be taken by a fleet captain, and how they interact with [[enchantment]] rituals. We've introduced several new actions that any fleet captain can take, and defined others more closely. These changes will take effect in the downtime following the Winter Solstice.

The main change to rituals has been to better define which action each ritual supports. One of our goals has been to ensure that each ritual affects only one kind of action, and where possible to strengthen the themes of the individual realms as part of a wider update. The magnitudes of rituals have not changed, nor has the amount of benefit they provide; we've just defined what action that benefit applies to more clearly.

Rituals affected include [[Blood and Salt]] (supports raiding), [[Winds of Fortune]] (supports trading), [[The Lure of Distant Shores]] (supports trading), [[Sular's Promise]] (supports trading), [[Golden Voyage]] (supports questing), [[Muffled Oar]] (supports scouting), and [[Piranhas Devour the Kraken]] (supports campaigning). The ritual ''Shroud of Rolling Fog'', which is not in Imperial lore, has likewise been adjusted to support a single category of fleet action.

We've also added a new ritual to Imperial Lore: [[Wolves of the Hungry Sea]] (Winter 12) that is used to support guarding actions.

As always, if your character has mastered a ritual that has changed you can email [mailto:admin@profounddecisions.co.uk admin@profounddecisions.co.uk] and we'll free up the mastered ritual slot for you.

==Imperial Sodalities==
* '''18/03/2025'''
We've made several significant changes to the procedures and benefits of creating an [[Imperial sodality]]. Key among them is the idea that a truly Imperial sodality is capable of wielding legal powers and appointing titles; that anyone can become a voting member of an Imperial sodality simply by receiving a ritual mark; that one can only be a voting member of a single Imperial sodality; and that their creation and upkeep are now much more clearly defined. This has also involved an addition to the powers of [[The Throne#The Great Councils|the Throne]], [[Powers of the Imperial Senate#Imperial Sodalities|Powers of the Imperial Senate]], and [[New_Imperial_titles#Well_Worn_Paths|New Imperial titles]]. There's also a new ritual in Imperial Lore - [[Mark of Fellowship]] - that supports membership of an Imperial Sodality.

We've also written a [[Rules update 2025#Imperial Sodalities|Rules Update]] discussing the changes.

==Runa's Gift==
* '''14/03/2025'''
We have added a page for [[Runa's Gift]] to the wiki and the recipe list is now available for [[Surgical_skills#Apothecary|apothecaries]] to learn. These potions come as a result of the [[Yerende]] joining the [[Imperial Orcs]] and use [[realmsroot]]. Anyone who has the necessary ingredients in their inventory and has learned the recipe list can email [mailto:plot@profounddecisions.co.uk plot@profounddecisions.co.uk] before the '''1<sup>st</sup> of April''' to mix potions from this recipe list before the event.

==Military Unit Enchantments==
* '''14/03/2025 '''
We've overhauled the way [[military unit|military units]] act in [[downtime]]. The focus has been on streamlining the actions that can be taken by a player with that resource, and how they interact with [[enchantment]] rituals. We've introduced several new actions that any military unit can take (such as mercenary work or seeking glory) as well as a small number of adventures available to specific nations or archetypes. These changes will take effect in the downtime following the Winter Solstice.

The main change to rituals has been to better define which action each ritual supports, and to remove rituals that supported multiple actions. Some magnitudes have shifted up or down as well. One of our goals has been to ensure that each ritual affects only one kind of action, and where possible to strengthen the themes of the individual realms as part of a wider update.

Rituals affected include [[Merciless Wrath of the Reaver]] (supports raiding), [[Raise the Standard of War]] (supports campaigning), [[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]] (supports campaigning and has also gained an [[#Assurances|assurance]]), [[Shroud of Mist and Shadow]] (supports raiding, magnitude lowered), [[Clad in Golden Raiment]] (supports campaigning and the magnitude has increased to 6), [[Sharp Eyes of the Corsair]] (supports scouting), [[Lions of Phoenix Reach]] (supports campaigning), [[Carve the Crystal Guardian]] (supports campaigning), and [[Conclave of Trees and Shadow]] (supports scouting).

As well as rituals in Imperial Lore, there have also been changes to these [[Urizen lore]] rituals: [[Aspect of the Mountain]], [[Peregrine and Ichimos]], and [[Raise the Dragonsworn Cohort]] (all now explicitly support the guarding action), [[Unleash the Beasts Within]] (the magnitude has increased to 16, and the enchantment now supports the campaigning action).

These changes have also affected a few rituals that are not in either Imperial lore or Urizen lore. Specifically, [[Accoutrements of War]] (supports campaigning, no longer provides green iron), and ''Weaver at the Web'' (supports scouting actions).

We've also introduced a new ritual, [[Feast of Heroes]], a [[Summer magic]] enchantment that supports military units taking a [[Military unit#Questing|questing]] action.

As always, if your character has mastered a ritual that has changed you can email [mailto:admin@profounddecisions.co.uk admin@profounddecisions.co.uk] and we'll free up the mastered ritual slot for you.

==Assurances ==
* '''13/03/2025'''
* '''Updated 26/03/2025'''
We have added [[Ritual_theory#Agreement|assurances]] and [[eternal|eternals]] to the pages of a number of rituals. This is a result of the [[Unfettered Mind]] having been instructed to [[385YE_Summer_Solstice_Conclave_sessions#Concord_:_Study_Rituals|investigate]] the ritual [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]] by the Imperial Conclave, and the continuation of the order's efforts. Any member of the order can roleplay that they were part of this research; appropriate stories might involve tracking across the Empire, careful discussion with scholars, or negotiations with isolated covens for snippets of information.
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
*[[Balanced Scales of Lann]]
*[[Carve the Crystal Guardian]]
*[[Challenge the Iron Duke]]
*[[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]]
*[[Conclave of Trees and Shadow‎‎]]
*[[Crystalline Focus of Aesh]]
*[[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]]
*[[Ephisis' Scale]]
*[[Fire in the Blood]]
*[[Forge the Wooden Fastness]]
*[[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]]
*[[Gift of Knowledge]]
*[[Kimus' Glaring Eye]]
*[[Lions of Phoenix Reach]]
*[[Prowess of the Golden Magician]]
*[[Pallid Flesh of the Dead King]]
*[[Quickening Cold Meat]]
*[[Sift the Dreamscape's Sands]]
*[[Sorin's Chastising Touch]]
*[[Sorin's Rite of Agony]]
*[[Swim Leviathan's Depth]]
*[[The Basalt Citadel]]
*[[Tribute to the Thrice-Cursed Court]]
*[[Whispering Shadow Courtiers]]</div>

==Realms and their Inhabitants==
* '''25/01/2025'''
We've done an overhaul of the [[realm]] and [[eternal]] pages adding examples and further details about each of the realms and the powers and restrictions of eternals. We have also added the [[Inhabitants of the realms]] page which goes into detail about the various creatures that live in each of the realms.

==Links on the Tactical Map==
* '''29/12/2024'''
We've added links to each territory - and some important areas like the Semmerlak or the Bay of Catazar - to the [[Map - Coloured Territories|coloured territories]] map page. It is now possible to click on an area of the map to be taken to the specific territory's page.

==Names of the Chain==
* '''05/12/2024'''
We've swapped the names of star #1 and star #5 on [[the Chain]]. The writer had confused his left and right and got the anchor at the wrong end of the constellation.

==Arcane Gambit and Ilium==
* '''15/10/2024'''
We've updated [[Thief's Arcane Gambit]] and the [[Ilium#Removing_a_Permanent_Effect|ilium]] page to detail how an [[enchantment]] that has been made permanent with [[ilium]] can be moved by that Night ritual. The magnitude required is based on the total amount of ilium that could/should have been used to make the enchantment permanent without any [[opportunity]] being taken into account.

==Throne Judgement==
* '''15/10/2024'''
We've added a note to [[the Throne]], providing them explicitly with the ability to raise a [[judgement]] [[The Throne#Member of the Assembly of Nine|in the Assembly of Nine only]] in the event they do not control a [[congregation]].

==Assignment==
* '''10/09/2024'''
We have updated the power of [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Assignment|assignment]] to set down that a motion to assign a territory is always raised as an administrative motion by the Speaker for the Senate.

==Veto==
* '''31/08//2024'''
We have updated [[veto]] to remove the ambiguity about when a veto held over from the previous event ends. We have put a fixed end point, 10pm on Saturday night. The [[Rules_update_2024#Veto|rules update]] page contains the OOC reasoning and the IC justification for this edit.

==Proxies and Resigning==
* '''22/08/2024'''
We have added an entry to the [[Proxy#Restrictions|restrictions]] of what a proxy can do. It is not possible for a proxy to resign on behalf of the title holder as that is not a power of a specific Imperial title.

==Maps of Otkodov==
* '''19/08/2024'''
We have added a note that was missing to the [[Otkodov]] page making clear that the Empire only has a strategic map of [[Verthandi]]. When the first spy network was created the entirety of Otkodov was mapped in error. To gain access to strategic maps of the other territories of the Thule additional [[spy network|spy networks]] would need to be constructed and [[Military_unit#Scout_an_Area|supported]] in the normal fashion.

==Senate Voting==
* '''19/08/2024'''
We have updated the [[Senate motion]] page to remove an option for secret voting. We've removed it because it hadn't been used in years if ever, because supporting it logistically would have been a massive hassle, but mostly because it runs contrary to the major design elements of Empire around the operation of politics within the game.

==Audio recordings==
* '''09/08/2024'''
We have updated the [[photography]] rules to remove the option to make audio recordings at events. On further consideration we were convinced that audio recording was much closer to filming and should follow the same rules and guidelines. As a general rule of thumb we want to minimise intrusion: we permit people to take photographs, but that is the limit.

==Black Plateau Template==
* '''24/07/2024'''
We have changed the formatting for the Black Plateau template that we use to increase readability and in an attempt to avoid eyestrain. It has changed from black text on a grey background to white text on a black background.

==Fleet Great Work Restrictions==
* '''13/07/2024'''
We've added a note to the [[Great work]] page making clear that a great work that supports [[fleet|fleets]] can only be built in a region with the coastal [[Region qualities|quality]].

==Whispers through the Black Gate==
* '''25/06/2024'''
We've added a line to the [[Whispers_through_the_Black_Gate#OOC_Elements|OOC elements]] of [[Whispers through the Black Gate]] to add a little clarity to what happens if you want to summon the spirit of a dead NPC.

==Sung and their Counsel==
* '''22/06/2024'''
We've made a couple of tiny changes to the [[Sung]] page, to provide more context for the kind of mysteries that the eternal encourages you to probe and look into and those mysteries she prefers to stay hidden. We've coupled this with a set of updates to the main ritual that draws on Sung's power [[Clear Counsel of the Everflowing River]].

We've decided to change the way we respond to queries to Sung to try and provide more useful information going forwards. We want to keep some of the enigmatic quality of the responses, which some of those players casting the ritual currently enjoy - but we want to make it easier to get more useful insight, guidance and wisdom from the ritual.

To help us do that we've changed the way we'll be responding to the ritual going forwards. We created a set of guidelines for the style of responses that we'll give to the different kinds of questions we've been getting up to now. Hopefully this means that where we can provide some useful information or clues to players about a plot we'll be able to continue to do that, but where Sung can't or won't give an answer we'll be able to respond in a way that makes clear why that is the case.

The goal with these changes is to make the ritual more useful to players but also make it easier for us to produce the responses. We want to emphasise the roleplaying interaction with Sung - but allow the eternal more freedom to give out more useful information when it exists.
==Martial Titles==
* '''10/06/2024'''
We have added [[Captain of the Throne Guard]] to the list of martial titles because of their duties to defend the Throne. There is no requirement to pick a skilled fighter for the role - it has many other duties besides fighting - but it is acceptable for the Throne to include such considerations when picking who they want for the Throne Guard.

==Savagery and Fire on the Water==
* '''05/06/2024'''
We have updated the declaration of [[interdiction]] from [[385YE_Autumn_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Interdiction_%3A_Savagery_of_Armies|Autumn Equinox 385YE]] to include the ritual [[Fire on the Water]] and added a note to the page for the ritual. This was missed at the time as being a ritual that was covered by the interdiction.

==Endorsement==
* '''05/06/2024'''
We have updated [[endorsement]] to make clear that you cannot use it to permit a sorcerer to carry out an act of magic that is illegal for them to do. Endorsement cannot be used to undermine Conclave itself, so it Conclave has declared someone a sorcerer, it's not possible to supersede that with endorsement.

==Guiding an Order==
* '''03/06/2024'''
We have formalised how [[Concord#Guiding_an_Order|guiding an order]] using a Declaration of [[Concord]] works. It now requires 20 mana crystals directly from the [[Conclave_vault#The_Font|Font]] and can only be used as a result of an opportunity, unless specified otherwise. It continues to require the use of one of the order's two declarations.

==Territory Curses==
* '''03/06/2024'''
We've made several changes to ritual curses that work on the [[territory]] level. All such curses now explicitly have the chance to have unexpected effects depending on where and when they are cast. We've added a section to the [[curse]] page detailing this. There have also been other changes made to several specific curses.
* [[Icy Maw Devours the Spark of Essence]] has increased in magnitude to 30 (previously 15), and now inflicts a fixed penalty on mana sites. We also removed the lethargy and depression [[roleplaying effect]] element.
* [[Naeve's Twisting Blight]] has increased in magnitude to 30 (previously 15), and now inflicts a set 72 ring penalty on a farm rather than the previous 50% penalty.
* [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]] places a 2 rank penalty on fleets, and no longer harms navies moving through the target territory.
* [[Thunderous Deluge]] reduces resource production by two ranks rather than a percentage.
* [[Rivers of Life]] and [[Rivers Run Red]] have remained the same but we've added boxes discussing some of the unique peculiarities of the rituals.
* [[Winter's Ghosts]] affects all resources save [[congregation|congregations]], but inflicts a fixed amount of damage to production rather than a percentage.
* [[Mountain Remembers Its Youth]] does not harm armies that move through the territory. Its effects apply to mines and forests as well as farms, and inflict a fixed amount of damage to production rather than a percentage.
* [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees]] requires a region with the forest quality (it no longer works on marshes). It no longer affects armies passing through the territory, and reduces production of all personal resources in the territory except fleets.
* [[The Flower is Withered on the Stalk]] remains unchanged but we added a boxout laying out more clearly the limitations of the curse.

==Pronunciation Guide==
* '''29/05/2024'''
We have deleted the pronunciation guide page from the wiki. Anyone who has a query on how we pronounce something is welcome to email [mailto:plot@profounddecisions.co.uk plot@profounddecisions.co.uk] to ask.

==Fire Safety==
* '''29/05/2024'''
We have updated the [[Site_safety#Pyrotechnics|site safety]] page with updated rules for the limited use of small pyrotechnics at events.

==Dedication==
* '''28/05/2024'''
We've made a minor edit to the [[Dedication#Dreams|dreams]] section of the [[dedication]] skill to replace "priest of the Way" with "a priest who is not dedicated to a specific virtue". The former wording was a holdover from the period where dedication was linked to the assembly a priest was part of. The new wording makes in explicit that the ability to pick any Virtue for oracular dreams is for priests that are not dedicated.

==Senatorial Elections==
* '''23/05/2024'''
We have updated [[Dawn leadership]] to add confirmation that nobles must be physically present in the Glory Square unless there are any accessibility issues that make that difficult. In that case our team will make whatever accommodations are needed to support a player.

We've updated [[Wintermark_political_leadership|Wintermark leadership]] to change the duration of the election from one hour to half an hour. This is based on feedback that candidates were unduly having to wait around much longer than the election practically needed.

We've updated the [[Varushka leadership]] to better describe how it works in practice and to make clear that the right of witness does apply to the part of the meeting dedicated to picking the senator.

We've updated the [[League leadership]] to remove the requirement not to exchange bonds before the start of the election. This was unenforceable in practice and needlessly restrictive. Empire is meant to be a deeply political game and we'd like players to have the first half of the summit to engage in as much roleplaying as they want over the exchange of voting bonds.

==Warding Rituals==
* '''14/04/2024'''
We have added an OOC note to the rituals that ward an area to make clear that you must inform a ref about it before you pass through the [[Sentinel Gate]] and get the props you are planning on using checked. The affected rituals are :
* [[Hold Back Frozen Hunger]]
* [[Retreat to the White Caves]]
* [[There Is No Welcome Here]]
* [[Wardens of the Black Waste]]

==Imperial Orcs==
* '''11/04/2024'''
We've made extensive updates to the [[Imperial Orcs]] pages, primarily related to the introduction of [[sept|septs]]. This also touches on a number of other elements including the introduction of a new group archetype (the coterie) and changes to the way ancestors work. Many pages now have additional information on them, but the biggest changes are:
* Addition of the six septs: [[Ethengraw]], [[Illarawm]], [[Sannite]], [[Sunstorm]], [[Tamazi]], and [[Yerende]]
* Revision of the [[Imperial Orcs religious beliefs]] page
* Addition of [[Imperial Orcs culture and customs#Septs|septs]] to the [[Imperial Orcs culture and customs]] page.
* Addition of [[Imperial Orcs magical traditions#Spiritweaving|Spiritweaving]] to the [[Imperial Orcs magical traditions]] page.
* We've removed the Imperial Orcs lineage and species page as the information on that page was now redundant.
New characters can select their sept during character creation. Existing characters can change their sept by emailing [mailto:plot@profounddecisions.co.uk plot@profounddecisions.co.uk]. You can also change sept during play by engaging in the [[Imperial Orcs religious beliefs#The Living Bridge|appropriate ceremony]] then going to GOD.
==League Orcs==
* '''08/04/2024'''
We have updated [[the League]] brief to incorporate new material relevant to playing an [[orc]] in [[the League]], reflecting current developments. It is now possible for players creating a new character in the League to choose whether they are playing an orc or a human.

As part of the change we've made a number of updates to several League pages:
* [[The League|Introduction]]
* [[The League people|The people]]
* [[The League culture and customs|Culture and customs]]
* [[The League look and feel|Look and feel]]
* [[The League history|History]]
* [[The League religious beliefs|Religious beliefs]]
* [[The League magical traditions|Magical traditions]]

==Cold Sun==
* '''04/03/2024'''
We've added a new wiki page for [[Cold Sun]], the cruelly impassive eternal of the Day realm whose forces are currently threatening a number of locations in the Empire. While this is mostly a campaign update, we've included it here because we have taken the winter to tinker with some of the stats of the heralds involved to try and make them more interesting and engaging to fight against, so there are some rules changes. Also, in the past there has been some confusion over the abilities of the heralds of Cold Sun. They are very much not [[Calls#Monstrous_Creatures|monstrous creatures]] so they take the effects of all calls that hit them legitimately, including the effects of [[weakness]]. There is no indication that looting heralds of Cold Sun will result in any kind of curse, nor are they able to reflect back calls. There was some confusion early on due to the way that the brief was delivered before the first block of skirmishes at E3 2023. We have taken all steps possible to try to ensure that this doesn't happen again. Part of the reason for us presenting this information here as clearly as possible is to ensure that those going on skirmishes can have some idea of what they might be up against.

==Sanctioned Events==
* '''21/02/2024'''
We've made some changes to the language around sanctioned events. Previously, "sanctioned event" included both any event taking place in the continuity of the Empire campaign world, and specifically events containing plot elements. We've explicitly renamed the kind of event with plot, NPCs, and combat as a "plot event", leaving "sanctioned event" to refer to all events not run by Profound Decisions that are considered part in the Empire campaign.

We've also added a section of additional guidance on [[Sanctioned_event_advice#Communication_Magic|Communication Magic]] at sanctioned events. While it can't be used to speak to off-stage NPCs in the wider world, it is possible for the creators of a plot event to use certain types of communication magic within the context of their plot.
==Tisanes of the Labyrinth==
* '''17/02/2024'''
We've changed [[Usher's Decoction]] and [[Tisanes of the Labyrinth#Waywalker's Suffusion|Waywalker's Suffusion]] to be [[Potion#Tonics|tonics]]. This means their effects cannot be stacked with each other.

==Aspect magic==
* '''16/02/2024'''
We've changed the name of the magical tradition formerly known as ''totem magic'' to [[aspect magic]] as it more accurately reflects the function of that tradition. We have also taken the opportunity to change the term for calling on aspects of mundane animals in magic to [[Aspect_magic#Beast_Magic|beast magic]] rather than ''spirit animals''.

==Liao Ceremony Cooperation==
* '''14/02/2024'''
We've edited the [[Religious skills#Cooperation|cooperation]] section on the [[religious skills]] page to make it clear that it is [[dedication]] and not membership of a [[Assembly#The_Virtue_Assemblies|virtue assembly]] that determines who a character can perform a ''virtue ceremony'' in cooperation with. Now that it is possible for a character to be dedicated to one virtue, but a member of a different Virtue assembly through the use of the preaching [[Congregation#Downtime options|downtime option]], the original wording was open to misinterpretation.

==Synod Votes and Lay Members==
* '''14/02/2024'''
We've removed the reference to "appropriate virtue assembly" from the [[Sinecure#Synod_Votes|Sinecure]] page, with regard to people who are not members of the [[Synod]] gaining votes. Since the introduction of [[Congregation#Downtime_Options|preaching]] as the method for determining Virtue assembly membership, there is no way for someone without a [[congregation]] to be part of a Virtue assembly, and someone with a congregation is already a member of the Synod.

==Veto==
* '''14/02/2024'''
On the [[Senate]] page, we've changed the word "exercised" for "submitted" and added a line making it clear the usual [[Veto#Timing|timing]] rules apply in the event the veto is being submitted following the Senate session on Sunday.

==Medium Armour==
* '''17/01/2024'''
We've made some changes to the names of certain [[:Category:Medium Armour|medium armour]] to avoid confusion since the [[Rules_update_2022#Armour|change]] to what counts as different types of armour. This has had no effect on the mechanical effect of the magic items.<br>

''Mithril Shirt'' is now [[Bloodamber Hauberk]]<br>
''Tombsteel Guardian'' is now [[Tombshroud Guardian]]<br>
''Wardensweave Scale'' is now [[Wardensweave]]<br>
''Runemail'' is now [[Runebound Ward]]<br>
''Splint Mail'' is now [[Cerulean Protector]]<br>
''Mediator's Mail'' is now [[Scrivener's Guard]]

In addition we have also changed ''Oathkeeper'' to [[Vowkeeper]] and ''Alderman's Edge'' to [[Alder's Edge]]

==Secrets of Skilful Artifice==
* '''11/01/2024'''
We've made some changes to [[Secrets of Skilful Artifice]]. The donor [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisan]] now chooses what skill to share via the ritual, and may choose to share nothing. This partly resolves some inconsistencies with how the knowledge the ritual shares was determined, and better defines how it works with Runesmith's Law and similar effects.

==Runesmith's Law==
* '''3/1/2023'''
We've updated both [[Wintermark_economic_interests#Runesmith.27s_Law|Runesmith's Law]] and [[Secrets of Skilful Artifice]] to make it clear that using magic to temporarily share knowledge of how to make a unique Wintermark magic item triggers the geas not to share this knowledge. The result is that the artisan donating the knowledge to someone outside their nation permanently loses access to Runesmith's Law.

==Farms and Businesses==
* '''14/12/2023'''
We've added a line to both [[Farm#Production|farm]] and [[Business#Production|busniess]] resources to make it clearer that the income they provide represents disposable income rather than being the sum total of their seasonal production. Expenses, lifestyle, and taxes all exist below the abstraction layer.
==Regalia==
* '''11/12/2023'''
We have added a section on the [[New Imperial titles]] page which explains how the Imperial Senate can add [[New_Imperial_titles#Regalia|regalia]] to a title.
==Ossium Opportunity==
* '''31/08/2023'''
We've made a slight alteration to the [[Culling_the_threat#Dripping_Echoes|Culling the threat]] wind of fortune in the section about creating a permanent magical fortress in the Drownbark Forest. We've made it clear that the "no upkeep" element of the permanent magical fortress is part of the [[opportunity]], and not a standard part of making a magical fortress permanent. The precise mechanics of creating a permanent magical fortress would be determined on case by case basis.
==Appraisal==
* '''08/08/2023'''
Now the [[Senate]] can perform ''two'' [[appraisal|appraisals]] each season, we've added [[Appraisal#The_Prognosticators_Office|a note]] to the power as to how the Imperial Auditor will proceed if both name the same researcher.
==Recognition==
* '''25/07/2023'''
We have added a new use for the judgement of [[Recognition]]; allowing the [[Assembly#General_Assembly|General Assembly]] to recognise someone as an explicitly false exemplar or paragon. A judgement of recognition used in this way can only be raised in the General Assembly and always requires a greater majority to pass.

==Spiral Strategy==
* '''24/07/2023'''
The [[Spiral]] page has been tweaked slightly, naming the [[Spiral#The_Passes|Apulian Way]] as the connection between the territory and the Grendel nation, and adding a [[Spiral#Strategic_Considerations|Strategic Considerations]] section that summarises the geographical complications in the territory. Apart from naming the southern pass, nothing has actually changed we've just made it more explicit.

==Imperial Inquisitor==
* '''0707/2023'''
We've made a slight amendment to the responsibilities of the Imperial Inquisitor to make clear that they are part of the ''inquisitorial court''.

==Thief's Arcane Gambit==
* '''04/07/2023'''
We've added a line to [[Thief's Arcane Gambit]] that specifies that the "legitimate target" for the ritual is also affected by any specific restrictions around willingness in the original enchantment. If the original enchantment can only be used on a willing target, it can only be moved to a willing target.

==Inspirational Locations==
* '''02/07/2023'''
We have replaced the old rules for inspirational tombs with some new rules for [[inspirational location|inspirational locations]]. The new rules cover using true liao to create inspirational memorials for exemplars and paragons as well as using it to consecrate a sacred sites like the Kallavesa Marshes. The new rules provide a detailed framework that lays out how characters do this - what steps are needed in-character and what the outcome will be at each stage. We've provided more explanation for the changes and why we've made them in the [[rules update 2023]] page.

==Sentinel Gate==
* '''01/07/2023'''
We have removed references to getting a traumatic wound if you travel back too late through the sentinel gate. Implementation of this rule was always spotty at best and it violated some of our core design principles in the way it confused in-character and out-of-character objectives. We don't want players to return through the gate late, because it plays havoc with the schedule that everyone, players and ourselves, are relying on. Most participants implicitly appreciate this and make the best effort possible to return to Anvil before the gate begins to close. Traumatic wounds are intended to lead to further roleplaying for the participants who receive them, they are not meant to punish participants for taking the wrong action. Empire tries as hard as possible to avoid mixing in-character and out-of-character consequences in that way.

==FIRST AID==
* '''01/07/2023'''
We've changed the MAN DOWN call to [[Calls#FIRST_AID|FIRST AID]]. We've made this change for two reasons, one is that we and many of our players are no longer comfortable with such a clearly gendered call. The other reason is that over the years, a few players have developed a bad habit of using the call in-character when someone gets wounded. We've replaced the call with FIRST AID - a clear call asking for the first aid team to provide assistance.

We understand that many of participants will continue to use MAN DOWN in emergency situations, precisely because it is the instinctive thing to shout in an emergency. That is absolutely fine, and everyone should treat the call ''exactly'' as if they had called FIRST AID. We expect it to take some years to drop the old call in favour of the new one and we would much rather participants shouted either call quickly than pause to think. The hobby has been using the man down call for decades and we do not want to compromise safety while we transition away from its use at Empire.

==Searching==
* '''29/06/2023'''
We have removed the option in the rules to carry out a real search when searching a character. Previously it was possible to do a real search, but only if both parties agreed. We've removed this option as it's not compatible with the wider system where we discourage this kind of physical contact.

==Art of the Deal==
* '''22/06/2023'''
We've changed the name of the Art of the Deal ritual to [[Winds of Fortune]]. Art of the Deal is still an alternate name for the ritual, but the main entry and all references on magic items use the new name.

==Golden Ramparts==
* '''21/06/2023'''
We've updated the [[Golden Ramparts]] with an [[Golden Ramparts#Assurance|assurance]], related to the Rod and Shield, that has been helpfully uncovered by a scholar at the Icy Crag of the Eternal Sun.

==Druj Miasma==
* '''16/06/2023'''
We've updated the [[Druj miasma]] page, especially with reference to miasma pillars, so that it is less focused on information gained after the liberation of Reikos.

==Cruelty==
* '''14/06/2023'''
Building on the commentary we added to the [[Iron Helms]] army page [[Iron_Helms#Composition|on cruelty]], we added the word "needless" to the [[Varushka#What the Varushkans are not|what the Varushkans are not]] section on the [[Varushka]] page.

==Magic Quality==
* '''04/06/2023'''
We've explicitly added a note that the ritual targeting ability of an army with the [[Army_qualities#Magic|magic quality]] can also target a region or fortification within a territory.

==Haunted Quality==
* '''03/06/2023'''
We've decided to remove the ''Haunted'' [[army qualities|army quality]]. There are no armies with this quality, and after extensive discussion we don't believe we would ever allow any future army to have it, either as a quality or an enchantment.

==Farm Diversification==
* '''31/05/2023'''
Updated the [[Farm#Diversification|diversification]] section on the [[farm]] page to make it clearer that "herb" means one of the standard five magical herbs. Any opportunity that grants "herbs" will always mean the herbs gathered from a standard [[herb garden]] unless it explicitly says otherwise.

==Wolves of Winter==
* '''26/05/2023'''
The magnitude of the ritual ''Wolves of Winter'' has been increased in line with our recent changes to rituals that affect the downtime campaign. The ritual is not in Imperial lore, but the database has been adjusted to reflect this change.

==Whispers through the Black Gate==
* '''20/05/2023'''
We've added a note to the [[Whispers_through_the_Black_Gate#Option|special liao option]] on the [[Whispers through the Black Gate]] ritual to make it explicit that the option is not available to orc casters.

==Throne Appointment==
* '''17/05/2023'''
We've edited the part of the [[The_Throne#Appointment|Throne appointment]] that talks about changing support around and when the election ends inconclusively. The previous wording was a little misleading.

==Navarr Warlocks==
* '''16/05/2023'''
We've changed the word "warlock" on the [[Navarr]] page. The word was very misleading and intended to be a synonym for "magician", which is what we have replaced it with.

==Commonwealth History==
* '''10/05/2023'''
We've changed the year of the formation of the [[Commonwealth#History|Commonwealth]] from 120YE to 105YE so that it is consistent with the background of [[Emperor Frederick]].

==Throne Election==
* '''05/05/2023'''
Appointment of a Throne is [[Senate_motion#Constitutional_Vote|constitutional vote]]. We've made it more explicit that the [[Assembly of the Nine]], as well as the [[General Assembly]], can [[veto]] the election of [[the Throne]]. We've also added that one of the first things every Throne does is ratify their own appointment.

==Marsh Commissions==
* '''19/04/2023'''
We've added a note to the [[commission]] page to indicate that the [[Commission#Marshes|problem of building on marshes]] has become permanent.

==Dreams in the Witch House==
* '''14/04/2023'''
We've added a note to [[Dreams in the Witch House]] inviting players to e-mail us before the event with information about territories they intend to scry so that we are more likely to have a response ready.

==Conjunctions==
* '''12/04/2023'''
We've updated the wiki to make it clear that characters who are nominated by the civil service to [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|oversee a conjunction]] can delegate that authority to another character and that they are not expected to go on the conjunction if they don't want to do so. Any player who doesn't want to oversee a conjunction can contact plot@profounddecisions.co.uk to have the responsibility shifted to another character.

==Endorsement==
* '''08/04/2023'''
Clarified the limits of [[endorsement|endorsing]] deals with eternals. An endorsement cannot support a deal made with an eternal that is under [[Alignment#Enmity|enmity]] ''at the time the deal is made''. Amity or Neutrality cannot be retroactively applied.

==Divination Rituals==
* '''06/04/2023'''
We've made matching updates to [[Clear Counsel of the Everflowing River]] and [[Combing the Beach]], Both rituals now require an effigy to perform, and that the question posed be submitted the previous night. The response to the ritual now comes when it is performed, rather than some time afterwards. You can find more details about the change on the [[Rules update 2023#Divination Ritual Updates|Rules update]] page.

==Shuttle Service==
* '''06/04/2023'''
We have taken the decision not to charge for the [[Dadford_Road_Campsite#Banbury_Shuttle_Service|shuttle service in 2023]]. We have no plans to charge for the shuttle in the future if the costs to run the service remain similar.

==Regio and Portals==
* '''05/04/2023'''
We made some adjustments to [[detect magic]] and [[operate portal]] to lay out their functionality when it comes to detecting and identifying [[regio]] and the portals that lie within them. We included in operate portal the mechanics of accessing the Hall of Worlds (copied from the regio page), given how commonly that spell effect is used by magicians.

==Military Rituals==
* '''31/03/2023'''
We've made several updates to rituals that involve [[Army|armies]] and [[fortification|fortifications]]. The [[Rules_update_2023#Military_Rituals|Rules Update 2023]] page goes through these changes in detail. The rituals affected are [[Knights of Glory]], [[Bound by Common Cause]], [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]], [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]], [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]], [[The Basalt Citadel]], [[Golden Ramparts]] and [[Stone's Unyielding Defiance]].

We've also modified [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]], [[Quickening Cold Meat]], and the non-Imperial ritual '''Footsteps of the Fallen''' to change the [[roleplaying effects]] experienced by the [[general]] targeted by the [[enchantment]].

==Resources and Conquered Territories==
* '''31/03/2023'''
We've changed the way [[fleet|fleets]] and [[military unit|military units]] interact with the [[Resource#Conquered_Territories|conquered territory]] rules. Previously these two resources had been exempt from the penalty for being in a conquered territory; we've removed that exemption. You can read more about this change in the [[Rules_update_2023#Military_Units_and_Fleets|rules update]].

==Venom==
* '''31/03/2023'''
We've clarified the [[Calls#VENOM|VENOM]] call to make it explicit that if you are [[Combat#Dying|dying]] and have less than thirty seconds to live when you are hit by venom, then you should continue with your current count - gaining the venom condition ''never'' increases the time remaining if you were already dying.

==Spring Rituals==
* '''23/03/2023'''
The effects of [[Fan the Flame of New Life]] have been significantly changed, and we've removed the '''Midwife's Recourse''' ritual from the game. Discussion of and explanation for these changes can be found on the [[Rules_update_2023#Spring_Rituals|Rules update 2023]]page. We also added a medicine section to the [[Technology#Medicine|Technology]] page, and a section on the [[Healing in Empire#Pregnancy and childbirth|healing in Empire]] page.

==COVID Safety==
* '''14/03/2023'''
We have updated the [[entry requirements]] and the rules for [[COVID safety]] for our events in 2023.

==Bow Safety==
* '''14/03/2023'''
We have overhauled the rules for [[bow safety]] at Empire. Please make sure you read and understand the new rules if you use a bow or crossbow at any point at the events.

==Blood of the Hydra==
* '''14/03/2023'''
[[Blood of the Hydra]] has been amended to make it explicit that it is intended for the treatment of limbs ruined by effects such as [[Calls#CLEAVE|CLEAVE]] or the like. It cannot be used to regrow internal or damaged organs, and is only useful for traumatic wounds when explicitly called out. Damaged internal organs are very much intended to be in the purview of the [[Surgical skills#Physick|physick]], and regenerating or replacing them magically is a much more significant use of magic than simply repairing a limb ruined by a sword. '''(23/03/2023)''' Further discussion of this change can be found [[Rules_update_2023#Reasoning:_Blood_of_the_Hydra|here]].

==Chimes of Annulment==
* '''14/03/2023'''
We've changed the casting time on [[Chimes of Annulment]] to be 2 minutes rather than 5, to bring it in to line with other rituals.

==Knight-protector Declination==
* '''10/03/2023'''
We've added a note to the [[Knight-protector#Appointment|Knight-protector]] [[Imperial title]] about what happens if someone wins the tourney but declines to take the title.

==Vital Strength of the Earth==
* '''09/03/2023'''
We've corrected an error in [[Vital Strength of the Earth]] which had the increased magnitude for additional targets at 5, rather than 24.

==Lineage in Play==
* '''08/03/2023'''
We added some material about gaining (and losing) lineage after character creation. There's a section on the [[lineage#Gaining_lineage_in_play|lineage]] page, and sections on each of the individual lineage pages in the ''Imperial (lineage)'' sections.

==Liao and PLV==
* '''08/03/2023'''
Additional information about [[Liao#True Liao|true liao]] has been added to the [[liao]] page. We've also added a new page laying out the procedures and mechanics involved in having a [[past life vision]].

==Card Wording==
* '''02/03/2023'''
We've added a line to the rules about [[Game_items#Cards|cards]] pointing out that when a game item card and the rules on the wiki differ, the rules take precedence. Usually this is because a card was printed during an earlier iteration of the rules.

==Auras==
* '''01/03/2023'''
We've made a few updates to the [[aura]] page. [[Aura#Durable Auras|Durable auras]] are now auras that last indefinitely unless replaced, and we've specified [[Aura#Strong Auras|strong auras]] as being auras with a strength higher than one. We've also explicitly called out that the [[insight]] skill does [[Aura#Virtue|not reveal]] which (if any) virtue or malign spiritual presence an aura is tied to. Finally, we've added a section giving some information about [[Aura#Spontaneous Auras|spontaneous auras]] to the page.

==Booking IC Spaces==
* '''28/02/2023'''
We've added the facility for characters to book IC spaces at the event - the Hub, Hall of Worlds, Military Council and Senate - when not in use for official business. We've added a section to the page on [[Anvil#Booking_Civil_Service_Spaces|Anvil]] to explain how this works and how to make a booking.

==Dreams in the Witch House==
* '''24/02/2023'''
We've edited the description of the ritual effect for [[Dreams in the Witch House]] to bring it more into line with the way the ritual is actually working in the field.

==Eye of the High Places==
* '''24/02/2023'''
We've removed the requirement for this ritual to be performed in a powerful Day [[regio]], to bring it into line with [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]] and [[Dreams in the Witch House]].

==Align the Celestial Net==
* '''24/02/2023'''
We've made a slight tweak to [[Align the Celestial Net]] to bring it into line with [[Wind of Mundane Silence]]. Neither ritual can be performed by a coven that is drawing on the power of the target [[regio]] to allow them to cast the ritual.

==Army Enchantments==
* '''23/02/2023'''
We've changed the casting time of rituals that target Imperial Armies to 10 minutes, with the new rule about using the Imperial regio to reduce the casting time to 5 minutes. So far the affected rituals are [[Bound by Common Cause]], [[Brotherhood of Tian]], [[Why Sulemaine Walked Away From The Baker]], [[Eyes of the Hills]], and [[Mystic_scrolls_of_Estavus#Machines_of_Destruction|Machines of Destruction]].This brings them into line with the other army enchantment rituals.

==Longer Rituals==
*'''23/02/2023'''
We've added an additional power to the [[Regio#The Imperial Regio|Imperial Regio]]. Any ritual with a casting time of at least 10 minutes can be cast in 5 minutes instead when using the Imperial regio. We're updating existing ritual pages to include a reminder of this effect. We've added a note to the "imperial enchantments" ([[Bright Eyes Gleam in the Depths]], [[Hallow of the Green World]], and [[Wondrous Forests of the Night]]) to indicate that they do not have their casting time reduced by the Imperial regio.

==Phial of the Sun / Bloodcloak==
* '''22/02/2023'''
We've updated the rules text for the [[Phial of the Sun]] and [[Bloodcloak]] [[magic items]] to make it explicit that they only duplicate the effect of the five traditional magical [[herb|herbs]]; [[Bladeroot]], [[Cerulean Mazzarine]], [[Imperial Roseweald]], [[Marrowort]], and [[True Vervain]]. While other substances might be described as herbs, they are distinct from the five herbs used by [[Surgical skills#Physick|physicks]] that these magic items can replicate.

==Navarr Are Not...==
* '''15/02/2023'''
We've added a new bullet point to [[Navarr#What_the_Navarr_are_not|What the Navarr are not]] making it clear that while the [[Navarr]] are merciless toward their enemies, they are just as law abiding as any other Imperial nation.

==Conclave Changes==
* '''11/02/2023'''
We've made extensive changes to the [[Conclave]]. This touches on the way a [[Conclave session]] is organised, all the [[declaration|declarations]], and almost all of the [[Imperial title|titles]] associated with the Conclave, as well as [[the Throne]]. Rather than repeat them here, you can find a summary of the changes on the [[Rules_update_2023#Conclave_Changes|Rules update 2023]] page.

==Advisor on the Vallorn==
* '''11/02/2023'''
As part of the updates to the [[Conclave]], we've removed the power of the [[Advisor on the Vallorn]] to raise a free [[Declaration]] of [[Interdiction]].

==Unstoppable and Pretending to be Dead==
* '''19/01/2023'''
We've edited the rules for [[Heroic_skills#Unstoppable|Unstoppable]]. We haven't change the rules, but we've tried to make the intent behind the skill use clearer. We've also rolled in some points from the [[Rules FAQ]] as having information about a skill in two places can be unhelpful.

At the same time, we've made the rule about pretending to be dead or dying more prominent by moving it to the section of the rules dealing with [[Combat#Dying|dying]].

==Operating Portals==
* '''11/01/2023'''
We've made a few minor edits to [[operate portal]] and related effects (specifically the [[Ambassadorial Gatekeeper]] ritual) to make it clearer that you can't bring along additional living creatures even if they are [[combat#Dying|dying]] or [[Combat#Terminal|terminal]].

We've also added a note to the [[Knight-protector#Banner_of_the_Season|Banner of the Season]] power of the [[Knight-protector]] [[Imperial title]] that the Summer Banner is specifically more potent than the others, as there had been some confusion around the fact the item is notably different to the other three.

==Necessary Details==
* '''27/09/2022'''
We added a note to the [[Commission#Necessary_Details|necessary details]] section on the [[commission]] page making it explicit that in the absence of details about the cost of a commission, the civil service will always assume it is the minimum size allowed for such a commission.

==Accoutrements of War==
* '''16/08/2022'''
We've added a boxout to the [[Mystic_scrolls_of_Estavus#Accoutrements_of_War|Accoutrements of War]] ritual making it clearer that the special production granted by the [[enchantment]] ''only'' applies to paid work, not to every action under the independent action dropdown.

==Cardinals and Assemblies==
* '''15/09/2022'''
We've added a note to the [[cardinal]] page in the [[Cardinal#Appointment|appointment]] section reinforcing the idea that a cardinal must be a member of the [[Assembly#The_Virtue_Assemblies|assembly]] they lead. Changing assembly (perhaps through [[Congregation#Downtime_Options|preaching]] in downtime) means the cardinal forfeits their title. Likewise, someone without a [[congregation]] who gains membership of an assembly through the votes granted by a [[sinecure]] cannot become cardinal because as soon as they do, they lose their former [[Imperial title]] and no longer meet the criteria to be cardinal. Both are very edge cases, but are worth bearing in mind.

==Imperial Enchantments==
* '''15/09/2022'''
We've adjusted the magnitude of the three [[:Category:Imperial Enchantment|Imperial enchantments]] up from 160 to 200. In-character magical scholars believe this is due to the increasing size of the Empire, and might have been heralded by a [[A_yellow_star_hung#A_Light_that_Never_Goes_Out|subtle conjunction]] of the esoteric [[Astronomancy#Constellations|constellations]] of [[the Key]] and [[the Lock]] during the Autumn Equinox. Out-of-character this is because we want to keep these rituals challenging, and the former magnitude is no longer as difficult to achieve as it was when the game began.

We also took the opportunity to change how [[Hallow of the Green World]] works. Previously the coven had to choose which herb the herb gardens would create. This is because when we first created these rituals we didn't have the ability to add random herbs to resources. Now that we do, we've update the ritual to work a little bit more like [[Bright Eyes Gleam in the Depths]] and [[Wondrous Forests of the Night]] whose bonus production is set by the base resource rather than being chosen.

==Cruel Quality==
* '''06/09/2022'''
In July, we made a change to the [[Army qualities#Cruel|Cruel]] quality which we forgot to document at the time. Rather than an army with this quality automatically revealing it to everyone in a territory, it is only noticeable when it actively takes the [[Army_qualities#Cruel|Merciless Assault]] order. This change was made to bring the description of the quality into line with how it was actually working in terms of the downtime campaign.

==Clear Lens and Shadowed Glass==
* '''04/09/2022'''
We've removed the line "''A detect magic spell may occasionally reveal if there is specific, additional information in a specific location''" from both [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River]] and [[Shadowed Glass of Sung]] because it was misleading; our intention was to allow some space for plot writers to create specific results from these rituals for their plots taking place on Anvil, but this has proved to be impractical.

==Parliament of Owls==
* '''04/09/2022'''
We've updates the [[Raven_Seer#Parliament_of_Owls|Parliament of Owls]] power of the [[Raven Seer]] to make it clear there is only one copy of this ritual text and the Raven Seer is expected to hand it to their successor.

==Briar Bark==
* '''04/09/2022'''
We've made a slight update to [[Briar#Patches_of_bark|patches of bark]] on the [[briar]] page. "While tree bark can come in a variety of colours and textures, briar bark is rough, and predominantly brown."

==Shroud of Fog and Ravens==
* '''19/08/2022'''
As noted in the '''[[Of_earth_and_sky#Game_Information|Of earth and sky]]''' wind of war, we're removing the ritual ''Shroud of Fog and Ravens'' from the game. Unfortunately, this ritual is completely incompatible with Empire's magic theory and was a remnant from the very first years of the game before we had nailed down all these elements. As a consequence we are removing this ritual. Any character who has it mastered will now have an empty "slot" for mastering new rituals. The in-character explanation is that the recent conjunction of the Lock has rendered the ritual unworkable, taking away whatever strange power it relied on. We will continue to reject attempts to create similar effects in this realm using arcane projections; it is not possible to enchant armies in this way with [[Night magic]].

==Bright Lantern of Ophis==
* '''11/08/2022'''
We've added an additional line to the [[Bright_Lantern_of_Ophis#Performing_the_Ritual|performing the ritual]] section of [[Bright Lantern of Ophis]] to make it more clear that the ritual cannot be used to target other territories using the Anvil regio.

==Castellan of Spiral Castle==
* '''10/08/2022'''
We've corrected an error around the election of [[Castellan of Spiral Castle]] which suggested it would be appointed in Winter when the text indicates the appointment is (correctly) Autumn.

==Improving Opportunities==
* '''07/08/2022'''
We added a section to the page on [[opportunity|opportunities]] explaining that it's rarely possible to simply [[Opportunity#Amending._Improving.2C_and_Upgrading|improve a commission]] gained via an opportunity.

==Visions==
* '''03/08/2022'''
We've made it explicit that the visions received from [[Infusions_of_Feathers#Goosewhisper_Infusion|Goosewhisper Infusion]] and [[Signs and Portents]] are the same. If you experience one, you get the same vision from all other incidences of these kinds of visions for the rest of the event.

==Concedence==
* '''29/7/2022'''
The Constitutional Court have issued new guidance on the use of [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Concedence|concedence]] by the Imperial Senate. The new guidance grants national assemblies the right to veto a motion that cedes a region or territory assigned to that nation. This new guidance does not cover any concedence already passed by the Imperial Senate, it is not a retrospective change, it applies to any motion of Concedence passed by the Imperial Senate from Summer 384YE and onwards.

==Raising an Army==
* '''29/07/2022'''
We've amended the rules to make clear that you can only raise an army in a territory of that nation. Nobody has ever tried to raise an army somewhere else, but we wanted to be clear that that is not possible.

==Consecration==
* '''20/07/2022'''
We've updated the [[Consecration#Performance|performance]] section of the [[consecration]] skill to make it clearer that "letting a referee know in advance" means "during an event" rather than "prior to the event."

==Challenge the Iron Duke==
* '''14/07/2022'''
We've added a paragraph to the [[Challenge_the_Iron_Duke#OOC_Elements|out-of-character section]] of [[Challenge the Iron Duke]] to help players better manage their expectation of the kind of challenge or boon the ritual might provide.

==Abrogation==
* '''13/07/2022'''
We've updated the [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Abrogation|abrogation]] power of the Senate to make it clearer that when a [[commission]] is abrogated the exact effects depend on the nature of the structure affected, but generally result in the loss of any production following the summit where the motion is passed.

==Preaching and Virtue==
* '''13/07/2022'''
The Imperial Senate [[384YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Amend_membership_of_virtue_assemblies|voted]] during the Spring Equinox to change how membership of a [[Assembly#The_Virtue_Assemblies|Virtue Assembly]] was determined from relying solely on [[dedication]] to use of the new ''[[Congregation#Downtime Options|preach]]'' downtime option. We've updated the [[congregation]] and [[Assembly]] pages appropriately, as well as adding additional information to [[Synod#History|history of the Imperial Synod]], [[Imperial_Orcs_religious_beliefs#Membership_of_the_Virtue_Assemblies|Imperial Orcs religious beliefs]] and [[preachers]] pages. There are also a number of minor edits to other pages talking about the Virtue assemblies to reflect the changes.

==IC Tents==
* '''12/07/2022'''
We have discovered that the range of tents marketed as Oxford Canvas has grown to include a small number of tents that don't meet our minimum requirements for the in-character field because the colour and thickness of the material they are made from looks too much like plastic. We've clarified the [[Costume|rules]] to make clear that these types of tent are not allowed because of this.

We do understand that the tents are appealing because they are cheap and light, but we have to have a cut-off at some point otherwise we would have to allow any tent in the IC area.

We've created an amnesty to allow these ultra-light sandstone bell tents to be used for the remainder of 2022 to remove any immediate need to change.

==Naga Scales==
* '''06/07/2022'''
We've added a line to [[Naga#Scaled_Skin|scaled skin]] under naga reminding players to be sensitive to real-world considerations when choosing the colour scheme for their scales.

==Artisan's Oil==
* '''05/07/2022'''
We've changed the time required to use [[Artisan's Oil]] to ten seconds on the wiki, to bring it in line with what the majority of the item cards say.

==Ephisis' Scale==
* '''24/06/2022'''
We've made a few tweaks to [[Ephisis' Scale]], primarily around managing expectations and being more explicit about what will, and will not, be considered by the ritual effect.

==Mage Armour Masks==
* '''22/06/2022'''
We've added "''mask''" to the standard pieces that count toward a suit of [[Weapons_%26_armour#Mage_Armour|mage armour]].

==Plenipotentiary==
* '''22/06/2022'''
We've added a line to the [[archmage]] power of [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] to make it clearer that the more specific a message is, the more likely it is to result in [[Archmage#Parley|parley]].

==Drawing the Penumbral Veil==
* '''10/06/2022'''
We've updated the [[Piercing Light of Revelation]] ritual to make it explicit that the ritual does not automatically reveal the magnitude of a shroud on a territory.

==Fane==
* '''03/06/2022'''
We added a note that the new [[fane]] commission can currently be built only by the [[Senate]] or a title that can commission ''anything''. This is both because it is a specific, new kind of commission, and because it uses the Senate power of [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Concedence|concedence]].

==Penumbral Watcher==
* '''03/06/2022'''
We've changed the [[Penumbral_Watcher#Shadow_Well|Shadow Well]] power of the [[Penumbral Watcher]] so that it is a "magical effect" that targets an allied [[spy network]] rather than a "territory enchantment" to better reflect how it actually works. If it ''was'' an enchantment on the territory, it would be obvious to the Empire's enemies, and could be removed with any territory enchantment they cared to place themselves.

==Brass Coast Tally==
* '''01/06/2022'''
Following on from a statement of principle in the Brass Coast National Assembly, we've [[384YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_fortune#Sails_of_Fire|changed]] how the [[Tally of the Votes]] is done for Brass Coast national positions appointed through the Bourse. It's no longer required that a character engage in privateering to vote for such titles; ownership of a [[fleet]] resource is sufficient.

==Anointing and informed consent==
* '''01/06/2022'''
We've (again) updated [[anointing]]. A target does not need to be aware of what virtue they are being anointed with, but they ''must'' be aware that your ceremony is an anointing that will create a personal aura on them.

==Vallornspawn Husk Insight==
* '''29/05/2022'''
We've added a section to the [[vallornspawn husk]] page relating to use of the [[insight]] ceremony. It talks about the [[Vallornspawn_husk#Insight|contradictory results]] received when using the ceremony on bodies animated by the vallorn.

==Election Schedule==
* '''25/05/2022'''
We've [[New_Imperial_titles#Term|updated the wiki]] to make clear that the civil service set what event a title is elected on, if the title is reappointed each year. In practice titles have usually worked this way anyway - for example Bourse seats are all done together and so forth, but we have made clear that new Imperial titles are subject to this rule in all cases. We've done this because we need to be able to spread elections out through the year for the smooth running of the game.

==Sinecure==
* '''13/05/2022'''
Added a small section to the [[sinecure]] page explaining how [[sinecure#production|production]] of resources works.

==Titles, Tenure, and Ownership==
* '''12/05/2022'''
We've made some edits to the way [[tenure]] works for [[Imperial title|Imperial titles]], along with a short box-out explaining the reasons for the change. We've also added a new section called [[Imperial_title#Ownership|ownership]] which is intended to help manage the expectation of players who gain Imperial titles during the game.

==Dedication==
* '''11/05/2022'''
We've updated the overview of the [[Dedication#Overview|dedication]] page to remove an incorrect reference to only priests who are undedicated being able to remove a dedication.


==Imperial Orc Wayleave==
* '''18/04/2022'''
Fixed the error on the Imperial Orc Wayleave that had them only able to commission once a year. While the title is appointed in the Autumn Equinox it can announce one commission each season.

==Foam and Trees==
* '''17/04/2022'''
We've added the line "The civilian population of a territory will certainly be affected by this ritual" to both [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]] and [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees]].

==Mountain Remembers Its Youth==
* '''17/04/2022'''
We've made it clearer that [[Mountain Remembers Its Youth]] affects fortifications alongside Imperial armies as this wasn't clear from the effect text.

==Rivers Run Red / Rivers of Life==
* '''14/04/2022'''
We've added a line "''The civilian population of a territory will certainly be affected by this ritual.''" to the [[Rivers Run Red]] and [[Rivers of Life]] rituals to make it clear that these rituals will have an effect on the civilian population of a territory, not only the Imperial armies there.

==Hand of the Maker and Stamps==
* '''13/04/2022'''
We've updated [[Hand of the Maker]] to make it explicit that the special message used with [[Call Winged Messenger]] can be evaluated with this ritual as it has a Profound Decisions ID number.

==COVID Safety==
* '''24/03/2022'''
We've updated the wiki with our [[COVID safety]] measures for our events this year. Our plan is to review these measures and update many of them on the run up to each event on the basis of current conditions.

==Sinecure Production==
* '''23/03/2022'''
We've updated the [[sinecure]] page to make it clear that you still gain the production even if you didn't attend the event.

==Conduct Overhaul==
* '''20/03/2022'''
We have rewritten the Profound Decisions [[conduct]] policy. The page on [[conduct]] defines the rules that we expect all participants to follow, [[reporting a conduct problem]] provides information on the process for reporting any issue you have, and [[sanctions]] describes the steps we can take in response. We have also updated the text for the [[must-avoid policy]] to reflect the new changes. There is a description of the key changes and some of the reasoning on our [[Rules_update_2021#Conduct_Overhaul|rules update 2022]] page.

==Sutannir==
* '''17/03/2022'''
We have added a new wiki page devoted to the [[sutannir]], [[archetype|archetypal]] Freeborn priest who focuses on encouraging celebration and festivities. We've also updated [[the Brass Coast religious beliefs]] page with new information to complement the updates to the sutannir page.

==Public Auction==
* '''24/02/2022'''
We've significantly reduced the scale and scope of the public auctions carried out by civil servants at events. From now on, the auction will be restricted to lots of bourse resources, the bourse seats themselves, and a dose of true liao. A more detailed explanation of the changes and reasoning are [[Rules update 2021|presented here]].

==Sanctioned Events==
* '''07/02/2022'''
We've made several edits to our [[sanctioned events]] page, splitting some of the information onto a separate [[Sanctioned event advice]] page aimed at organisers. The main changes are around the definitions of sanctioned event styles, and the rule that all sanctioned events take place in the same chronological order in-character that they do out-of-character.

==Downtime Roleplaying and Coronavirus==
* '''27/01/2022'''
We removed the relaxed rules about online roleplaying during lockdown from the wiki, and edited references to them. The normal rules about roleplaying [[online]] and in [[downtime]] are now back in full effect.

==Wind of Mundane Silence==
* '''26/01/2022'''
We've removed the idea that the [[Wind of Mundane Silence]] can only be used to affect a powerful [[regio]]. The ritual will destroy ''any'' regio it is performed at.

==Fish People==
* '''16/01/2022'''
We've added a note to the [[Merrow]] page under "[[Merrow#What they are not|what they are not]]" to indicate that they are not fish people.

==Emphasising Agramant==
* '''13/01/2022'''
We’ve made a change to the setting we want to let you know about. From this point forward, the eternal who has been primarily known by the name Wendigo will be more commonly known as [[Agramant]]. Likewise we're changing the name of the Wendigo's Bargain item to [[Agramant's Bargain]].

We are not changing anything else about the character or tendencies of this eternal, but we are de-emphasising the name Wendigo. Agramant has always been one of Wendigo's names - so we've chosen to emphasise it as the "preferred" name for the eternal on the wiki from now on.

We've done this for several reasons. We've been aware for a while of some concerns about the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendigo origin of the name], and what that implies for our use of the eternal. We’ve reflected on that feedback and noted that while many of the other eternals make references (at variable subtlety levels) to literary, mythological, or gaming sources, Wendigo was the only one we know of with a name that is directly featured in a real-world belief system. There are no eternals called Hades, Hel, or Balor for example.

For the time being, the name Wendigo will remain one of Agramant’s less-widely used sobriquets. We'd like people to adopt this de-emphasising approach over time rather than treating this as a retcon or sudden break - for example, we know that many characters have written a lot of material about this eternal. It isn't suddenly off brief or wrong to use the original name, and there's no need to reprint IC booklets that use the name Wendigo. The name will remain one of Agramant's less widely used soubriquets. From this point forward, the eternal who has been primarily known by the name Wendigo will be more commonly known as Agramant.

==Archiving Wiki Updates==
* '''12/02/2022'''
We archived wiki updates prior to 2019. The page had long since become unwieldy due to the sheer volume of entries, and in several cases the page listed updates that were out of date or superseded by later updates. Wiki updates prior to 2019 are now held on the [[Archive:Wiki_updates_to_2018|previous wiki updates]] page in the Archive namespace.

==Frequently Asked Questions==
* '''11/01/2022'''
We've made some edits to the [[General FAQ]], and deleted both the ''obscure questions'' and ''new player FAQ'' pages. Most of the questions covered by those pages have been folded into the remaining sections.

==Calls and Blows==
* '''03/11/2021'''
We've added some words to [[Calls]] to make it clear that you can only make one call with each blow you strike.

==Iron Qanat==
* '''26/10/2021'''
We've updated the [[Segura]] page to include the presence of the Iron Qanat; this has also required a note on the [[Construct Iron Qanat II]] Senate motion that the [[great work]] is in Sobral Grasses not Yellow Chase.

==Battle Safety==
* '''22/10/2021'''
We've made some edits to streamline the [[Combat safety#Battle Safety|Battle Safety]] section on the [[combat safety]] page.

==Heroic Skills==
* '''22/10/2021'''
We've added a line to the [[heroic skills]] overview reiterating that skills such as [[Heroic skills#Cleaving Strike|cleaving strike]], [[Heroic skills#Mortal Blow|mortal blow]] or [[Heroic skills#Mighty Strikedown|mighty strikedown]] cannot be used with [[Weapons_%26_armour#Implements|mage implements]].

==Illegal Orders==
* '''22/10/2021'''
We've added a short section to the [[general]] page about [[army orders]] that are in-character illegal and how they are handled.

==Orders that Break the Rules==
* '''22/10/2021'''
We've added a clarification to the [[army orders]] page about what happens if a general accidentally submits a set of orders that break the rules on war.

==Imperial Enchantments==
* '''13/10/2021'''
We've made some adjustments to the [[:Category:Imperial Enchantment|Imperial enchantments]] - [[Wondrous Forests of the Night]], [[Hallow of the Green World]], and [[Bright Eyes Gleam in the Depths]]. The main change is to modify the ''effect'' of these rituals to better reflect how they actually operate - that they create powerful but unpredictable secondary effects as well as the more predictable effect on production of resources. We've also expanded their history a little in the ''description'' sections in the wake of the recent [[#Finalized Urizen Update|Urizen update]].

==Finalised Urizen Update==
* '''28/09/2021'''
We've finalised the Urizen update. Mostly this has meant removing the stubs from the pages but we've made a small number of changes to the content based on player feedback.
* The [[sword scholar]] section about [[Sword scholar#Costume|costume]] has been edited to remove unnecessary references and make it clearer what kind of weapons and armour the sword scholars favour.
* We modified some of the wording on the [[Urizen look and feel]] page to hopefully make it clearer
* We updated the [[costume]] page to make the wording around [[costume#Less Appropriate Costume|less appropriate]] and [[Costume#Inappropriate Costume|inappropriate]] costume clearer.
* We clarified the rules on guy ropes in the [[Costume#In-Character Tents|In-Character Tents]] section of the [[costume]] page.
* We modified the details of the [[Some_heavenly_music#Net_of_Gossamer_Chains|Net of Gossamer Chains]] ritual in the [[Some heavenly music]] wind of fortune
* We've moved the content regarding the Urizen Spring Festival to the [[Urizen culture and customs#Spring Flower Festival|culture and customs]] page.

==Privateering and Piracy==
* '''09/09/2021'''
We have added a note to the box-out about the privateering action on the [[fleet]] page to remind players that they cannot use this action to commit piracy against people the Empire is not at war with due to the [[Employ_Civil_Service_to_observe_Fleets|Civil Service observers]].

==Armour Coverage==
* '''09/09/2021'''
We have updated the armour rules to make clear that a full breastplate that covers the front only is sufficient to be classed as "covering the majority of the torso". This means it will provide extra hits provided your armour also covers one other location.

==Urizen Politics Update==
* '''07/09/2021'''
As part of our review of Urizen, we've changed the way the nation appoints [[senator|senators]]. You can read about the changes [[Urizen leadership#Leading a territory|here]] and a discussion of the reasons and in-character explanation for them can be found [[Rules_update_2021#Urizen_Elections|here]].

==Urizen Culture Update==
* '''07/09/2021'''
We've undertaken an extensive review of the Urizen pages on the wiki. Almost all the pages that form part of the Urizen brief have been updated. You can learn more about the reasoning for this and the way the changes are being handled in the [[Rules_update_2021#Urizen_Culture|Rules Update]]. A brief summary of the changes follows here.
* We've updated [[Urizen]], [[Urizen people]], [[Urizen culture and customs]], [[Urizen leadership]], [[Urizen economic interests]], [[Urizen religious beliefs]], [[Urizen military concerns]] and [[Urizen magical traditions]]
* We've greatly expanded the [[Urizen history]] page
* We've added significantly to the [[spire]] page and created an [[Urizen groups]] page (which will also serve as a template for similar pages in other nations)
* We've extensively overhauled [[Urizen look and feel]] in line with our new [[costume]] guidelines
* We've added or updated pages for all the Urizen archetypes: [[arbiter]], [[architect]], [[illuminate]], [[mage]], [[seer]], [[sentinel]], [[stargazer]], [[sword scholar]], [[torchbearer]], [[questor]]
* We've added the rituals placed into [[Urizen magical traditions#urizen lore|Urizen lore]]
* We've added a page for the historical figure [[Sulemaine]]
Some tweaks have been made (or are in the process of being made) to various pages that are connected to these changes.

==Costume==
* '''07/09/2021'''
We've completed rewritten the [[costume]] page to lay out clearer guidelines for the various ways costume is used at Empire.

==Vallorn Miasma==
* '''20/08/2021'''
Added a line of OOC explanation to the [[Vallorn#Vallorn miasma|vallorn miasma]] section of the [[vallorn]] page to make it explicit how exposure to the miasma works.

==Armour==
*'''2/7/2021'''
We have changed the [[Weapons & armour#Armour|classification and benefits provided by armour]] and introduced the [[Combat skills#Dreadnought|dreadnought]] skill. Please see the [[Rules_update_2021|2021 rules update]] for the explanation and reasoning behind the changes.

==Others Languages==
*'''28/06/2021'''
We've added a section to [[languages]] giving guidance on languages other than those currently placed in the setting which you can find [[Languages#Other_Languages|here]].

==Regio at Sanctioned Events==
* '''28/06/2021'''
We've added a section to the [[Sanctioned events]] guidance about [[regio]] which you can find [[Sanctioned_events#Regio|here]].

==Lineage Review==
* '''06/05/2021'''
We've completed the first stage of a review of the [[lineage]] pages. This stage has been largely cosmetic, removing bullet points and replacing them with linkable headings on the [[briar]], [[cambion]], [[changeling]], [[draughir]], [[merrow]] and [[naga]] pages.

One more significant change is that we have moved the "demeanour" trappings from the "physical trappings" section of each of the pages to the roleplaying section. This is in line with the requirement that to have lineage you must have a physical trapping.

In the case of merrow, we have also moved [[Merrow#Blue-green Hair|blue-green hair]] from being a minor trapping to being an "[[Merrow#Other_trappings|other trapping]]".

==Distil the Serpent's Stone==
* '''21/04/2021'''
We've corrected the magnitude on the [[Distil the Serpent's Stone]] page to match the correct magnitude on the database and in the rituals list. It should have been magnitude 100 rather than magnitude 70.

==Icons and Artistry==
* '''01/03/2021'''
We've removed the "Icons and Artistry" pages for each nation, and rolled that information into the individual Culture and Customs pages. In some cases this has meant moving some information from Look and Feel as well, or altering the layout of the page (for example we've reordered the information about art and history on the [[Wintermark culture and customs]] page to create two new subsections of [[Wintermark culture and customs|Scops]] and [[Wintermark culture and customs|Riddles]] while moving the discussion of music to the new [[Wintermark culture and customs|Icons and Artistry]] section).
* [[The_Brass_Coast_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|The Brass Coast]]
* [[Dawn_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Dawn]]
* [[Highguard_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Highguard]]
* [[Imperial_Orcs_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Imperial Orcs]]
* [[The_League_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|The League]]
* [[The_Marches_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|The Marches]]
* [[Navarr_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Navarr]]
* [[Urizen_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Urizen]]
* [[Varushka_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Varushka]]
* [[Wintermark_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Wintermark]]

==Erawayugot and Skaftafell==
* '''23/02/2021'''
We've corrected an error with the regions of Otkodov where we'd erroneously labelled both a region of [[Verthandi]] and a region of Nithoggir as "Erawayugot". Bringing the wiki into line with the database, we've changed the name of the Erawayugot in Verthandi to Skaftafell and will update the maps appropriately.

==Military Units, Army Orders, and Enchantments==
* '''17/02/2021'''
We've added a line to [[Military_unit#Support_Army|Military units]] to make it more obvious how their strength interacts with orders given to, and enchantments placed on, the [[Army|armies]] they support.

==Still Waters, Running Deep==
* '''10/02/2021'''
We've adjusted the magnitude of the [[Still Waters, Running Deep]] ritual to be correct as near as we can tell. We have no idea why the magnitude was recorded in error.

==Burning Falcon==
* '''05/02/2021'''
We've adjusted the date of the destruction of the [[Burning Falcon]] army from 247YE to 248YE to remove a conflict with details of the [[campaigns of Emperor Guntherm]]. In-character this correction comes as result of some research performed by [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] scholar Bakar i Erigo (Tomas Marchington).

Eastern Sky

2026-09-08T19:01:11Z

Rafferty: /* Army Quality : Favoured */

{{Army Page}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=EasternSky_Colour.png|align=right|width=300}}
===Overview===
Fighting beneath an emerald green banner bearing the golden image of the rising sun, before the Gryphon's Pride was reformed, the Eastern Sky was the youngest of the Dawnish armies. It has a long and proud tradition of defending the Dawnish heartlands from orcish aggression. They receive regular supplies from the people of Dawn; both civilians and soldiers alike possess a great deal of pride in the Eastern Sky and the families and descendants of those who have fought beneath the banner are fierce in their support. Many of the soldiers of the Eastern Sky have a particular hatred for the [[Druj]] barbarians; traditionally they are first to see the carnage the cruel orcs leave behind when they manage to gain access to an Imperial village.

The second Dawnish general leads the Eastern Sky, and is appointed (or re-appointed) at the Autumn Equinox each year.

===History===
TBC
__TOC__
TBC
====Recent History====
TBC

===Traditions===
TBC
==Composition==
TBC
==Army Quality : [[Army_qualities#Favoured|Favoured]]==
Originally renowned for the [[Army_qualities#Resourceful|support of the people of Dawn]] the army now benefits from the patronage of several Regents of Summer. Originally [[Down_the_cavalier_road#Swords_and_Sorcery|proposed]] just before the Autumn Equinox 384YE, the [[Earl#Enchanters|enchantresses]] of Dawn opted to request the favour of the [[Eleonaris|Summer Lion]], the [[Cathan Canae|Queen of Ice and Darkness]], the [[Meraud|Lord of Summer Stars]], the [[Barien|Knight of the Crossroads]], and the [[Rhianos|Regent of the Eternal Sea]]. At present, the general can call on the favours of [[#Favour of Barien|Barien]], [[#Favour of Cathan Canae|Cathan Canae]], [[#Favour of Eleonaris|Eleonaris]], and [[#Favour of Meraud|Meraud]].

Each of these favours can only be called upon once per year, with the availability of orders resetting each Autumn Equinox. Additionally, the fsame special order cannot be called upon in two consecutive seasons (so if ''Traverse the Crossroads'' is used in Summer, it can't be used in Autumn, even though the favours have refreshed).

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
===Favour of Eleonaris===
<box><big>'''Triumphant Charge'''</big><br>
* '''The ability of this army to capture territory is increased by two-fifths.'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are increased by one fifth.'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are increased by half.'''
A general who unleashes their troops in a triumphant charge seeks great victory, but pays a great price. The army confronts the strongest enemy troops and the most defended positions, and attempts to rout them. Individual soldiers and companies engage in valiant attacks, employing risky tactics to defeat their opponents. The army will gain much more ground, but does so at the cost of increased casualties.
</box>

===Favour of Meraud===
<box><big>'''Arcane Consolidation'''</big><br>
* '''The army 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>

===Favour of Cathan Canae===
* '''The Statue of the White Bear has been completed in Dawnguard, and so Cathan Canae offers her favour to the Eastern Sky'''
<box>'''<big>Embrace the Storm</big>'''<br>
* '''Surrounded by storms and blizzards, the army can only move a single territory this season.'''
* '''The ability of this army to defend territory is increased by two fifths.'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are increased by a fifth'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are increased by a fifth'''
* '''This is a defending order.'''
With Cathan Canae's favour, the General of the Eastern Sky could order their army to embrace the storm. Hail storms and icy blizzards would greet the army wherever they went, reducing their movement to a single territory this season, but making any region they defend much more difficult to conquer, increasing their ability to defend territory by two fifths. In battle, the freezing snow and chilling winds would bring death, increasing the casualties suffered by this army and the casualties inflicted by them by a fifth.</box>
Effects and rituals that increase the number of territories that an army can move, such as [[Find the Best Path]], will not work in conjunction with this order. If the Eastern Sky takes the '''Embrace the Storm''' then they will only be able to move one territory that season.

===Favour of Barien===
* '''Dame Aurum de Castellan has completed their Challenge from the Iron Duke and so Barien happily supports the Eastern Sky'''
<box><big>'''Traverse the Crossroads'''</big><br>
* '''Can move up to five territories this season. It must still stop moving when it enters a hostile territory.'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are increased by a fifth'''
* '''This is an attacking order.'''
With Barien's favour, the General of the Eastern Sky could order their army to traverse the crossroads. The soldiers take advantage of Barien's aid to [[Army_orders#Movement|move]] swiftly with the aid of summer magic. Roads seem shorter than people remember them and they always travel in the direction the army wishes to go. Sometimes they may even make use of summer [[regio]] to gain strength for their journey, or to enjoy the hospitality of the inhabitants and wash the weariness of the road away. Such expedited travel is dangerous - the army may quickly move beyond its supply lines - but allows the army to travel with uncommon speed.</box>

===Favour of Rhianos===
* '''The Tournament Grounds of Laroc have been ceded to Rhianos, and so Rhianos happily supports the Eastern Sky'''
<box><big>'''Seek the Greatest Prize'''</big>
* '''The ability of this army to capture territory is reduced by one fifth.'''
* '''The army generates wealth based on the number of victory points generated.'''
* '''This is an attacking order'''
The army looks for and takes opportunities for risky, dangerous adventures while fighting in a territory. They strike into enemy territory, taking chances that might lead to both opportunities to secure valuable items and create glorious stories for the troubadours. The [[general]] will receive a share of the bounty they secure in the form of wains of [[mithril]], [[weirwood]], and [[white granite]], rings of [[ilium]], and more mundane loot such as money, ingots and measures, herbs, mana crystals or vis, and even potentially ribboned items.</box>
</div>
{{CaptionedImage|file=Aurum8565.png||caption='''Dame Aurum De Castellan''', General of the Eastern Sky|align=left|width=250}}
{{RecentElections|General_of_the_Eastern_Sky|the title of [[General]] of the Eastern Sky}}
[[Category:Imperial Army]][[Category:Dawn]][[Category:Military Council]]

Army qualities

2026-09-08T19:00:13Z

Rafferty: /* Favoured */

==Overview==
All Imperial [[army|armies]] and most barbarian armies possess a single unique quality that give them advantages in certain situations. These qualities represent the unique strength of each army reflecting the flavour of the army and the nation to which it belongs. The most common qualities are described below. Other qualities exist, and some such as [[highest discipline]] may even be unique to a specific army.

It is never possible for an army to have more than one quality or to diversify its abilities, but it is possible for an army to improve their essential quality if a plot [[opportunity]] presents that option.

==New Qualities==
Existing Imperial armies already have a quality representing their traditional roles and history. When a new Imperial army is raised, the senator who raised the motion can pick one of three or four starting qualities for it to receive. The options available reflect its purpose, the nation who has raised it, and the conditions under which it was mobilized. Most Imperial nations have one or two qualities that are common for their armies, but it is possible for plot developments to provide the option for to choose a different quality.

An army can only have an advanced quality as a result of an [[opportunity]]. An opportunity might allow an existing army to change their quality or improve it to something more powerful. An opportunity to raise an army may allow a nation to raise an army with an advanced quality.

==Starting Qualities==
Starting qualities are those available to newly raised armies - an army can only begin with an advanced quality as a result of an opportunity.

===Conquering===
* '''Can use the ''push the line'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Other Descriptors: Methodical, Inspired'''
A '' conquering'' army focuses on capturing territory, driving the defenders of the land before them. The newly restored '''Gryphon's Pride''' of [[Dawn]] has this quality, representative of Dawnish ambitions in [[the Barrens]].
<div style="max-width:800px;"><box>'''Push the Line'''
* '''The ability of this army to conquer territory is increased by three tenths
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are reduced by a fifth'''
The army seeks to dominate key strategic objectives, and focuses on claiming territory from the opposing army. </box></div>

===Cunning===
* '''Can use the ''whatever it takes'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
A ''cunning'' army contains soldiers adept at employing unorthodox - but effective - tactics. The force makes great use of venom and poison (both mundane and magical), as well as setting traps and luring enemies into ambushes. They take advantage of situations where an ally has engaged an enemy to launch surprise attacks against their weak spots, taking particular pains to kill enemy healers, magicians, and supply trains. Since the Winter Solstice 381YE, the [[Navarr_military_concerns#The Quiet Step|Quiet Step]] army of [[Navarr]] has the Cunning quality.
<div style="max-width:800px;"><box>'''Whatever it Takes'''<br>
* '''All casualties inflicted by this army are increased by a tenth'''
* '''All casualties suffered by this army are increased by a tenth'''
* '''All casualties inflicted by allied armies in the same territory who have issued attacking orders are increased by a tenth'''
The army employs vicious tactics to set up ambushes, lay traps, and kill high-value targets such as healers and magicians. The army takes every opportunity to punish their opponents. At the same time, they weaken and distract their enemies, so that their allies can gain the opportunity to kill front line troops.</box></div>

===Daring===
* '''Can use the ''daring raid'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Only the Red Wind Corsairs army had this quality, though it has been superseded by the Forayer quality'''
This enhanced quality was gained by the [[Red Wind Corsairs]] shortly before the Winter Solstice 381YE. It was gained as a response to an [[The mother of morality#A_Hundred_Times_Too_Short|opportunity]], the Freeborn assembly sent Gonzalo i Riqueza to spread a message that capturing and ransoming enemies was preferable to simply robbing them. Battle is a chance to seize the wealth of the enemy - war is about increasing your affluence at the expense of your foes, rather than seeing them dead. The opportunity came in the wake of a [[381YE_Autumn_Equinox_winds_of_war#Wasting_Light_.28Spiral.29|well-planned raid]] against an Grendel-controlled [[Legacy]] in [[Spiral]].

The Freeborn soldiers of the Red Wind Corsairs embraced their instinct to treat their defeated enemies with respect and take their money not their lives. Instead of the [[Army_qualities#Foraging|plunder]] order, the general can submit the ''daring raid'' order. Although some Wintermark armies find fighting alongside a ''foraging'' army distasteful - many Wintermark heroes prefer the idea of ransoming defeated enemies to butchering them and have no reason to dislike a daring army. This quality was superseded by the Forayer quality in 387YE, though the general has retained the ability to submit the daring raid order.

<box>'''Daring Raid'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are reduced by three tenths'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are reduced by a tenth'''
* '''The army generates wealth based on the number of victory points generated'''
The army concentrates on lightning attacks against the enemy forces intended to take key strategic points and capture prisoners in the process. Defeated enemies are treated with respect and healed, but kept as prisoners to be ransomed back to the enemy. By such a means members of the army will grow wealthy; a portion of this bounty in the form of [[Potion|potions]], [[magic items]], [[Game items#Coins|money]], [[Potion#Herbs|herbs]], [[Game_items#Mana_Crystals|crystal mana]], crafting [[materials]] and valuable materials such as weirwood, mithril, white granite, and [[ilium]] will be claimed by the army general.</box>

===Disciplined===
* '''Can use the ''strategic defence'' order when [[army orders#Defending|defending]]'''
* '''Other Descriptors: Strategic, Tactical, Vigilant'''
A ''disciplined'' army is well-organised and relentlessly drilled. Every soldier is a professional who knows their place in the chain of command. The [[Highguard_military_concerns#The_Granite_Pillar|Granite Pillar]] of [[Highguard]] and the [[Tusks]] of [[the Marches]] are armies known for their discipline. Several attempts have been made in the past by the [[sentinel|sentinels]] of [[Urizen]] to raise a disciplined, strategically minded army that embrace the national philosophy of [[arete]].
<box>'''Strategic Defence'''
* '''The army gains an additional victory point for each enemy army in the territory that takes an attacking order to a maximum of 5 additional victory points'''
The strategic army concentrates on orchestrating well planned defences designed to exploit flaws in the enemy strategy. The army excels at taking advantage of the slightest mistake or misjudgement by enemy commanders.
</box>

===Farsighted===
* '''Can use the ''read the signs'' order when [[army orders#Defending|defending]]'''
By leaning on the wise mystics, cunning icewalkers, and proud rune-smiths who advise the army, the general of the [[Wintermark military concerns#The Fist of the Mountains (Destroyed)|Fist of the Mountain]] could employ divination to allow them to find the perfect place to move their army. Such methods were unpredictable and difficult to make sense of, perversely they often meant less fighting rather than more, since the army was almost never where the enemy expects it to be. But the benefits of such surprising strategy could not be denied, somehow the force always seemed to be in the perfect place at the perfect time.

<box>'''Read the Signs'''
* '''The ability of this army to defend territory is increased by two fifths'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are decreased by a fifth'''
An army that reads the signs makes inspired strategic choices based on the divinations performed by the mystics who are part of the army. Many of those decisions seem risky and incomprehensible at the time, but may appear brilliant in hindsight and will often take enemy forces by surprise. The army will inflict less casualties on those attacked, for there is no wasted effort, no bloody grind of soldiers lives exchanged for no reason. The wisdom granted does not bring safety - the army may well find itself taking up positions that are exceptionally dangerous - but there are fewer of them. In essence, reading the signs allows the army to take bigger risks - but to strike only at the perfect moment - when a victory can turn a campaign.
</box>

===Fast===
* '''Can use the ''forced march'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Can use the ''desperate reinforcement'' order when [[army orders#Defending|defending]]'''
* '''Other Descriptors: Durable, Pathfinder, Organized'''<br>
A ''fast'' army is able to move quickly over long distances. This is not just a quality of speed - moving thousands of soldiers overland is a daunting logistical prospect. Within the Empire, a fast army takes advantage of the [[trods]] whenever it can, supplementing their magic with forced marches and expertly organised baggage trains. The [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] [[The_Brass_Coast_military_concerns#The_Fire_of_the_South|Fire of the South]] and the [[Navarr]] [[Navarr_military_concerns#The_Black_Thorns|Black Thorns]] are both known for their speed and mobility.

<box>'''Forced March'''
* '''Can move as far as the general wishes this season. It must still stop moving when it enters a hostile territory'''
* '''The ability of this army to capture territory is decreased by one fifth'''
A general who orders a forced march pushes their troops to move swiftly - but also takes pains to preserve their strength so that when they arrive they are in a fit state to fight. Some soldiers may fall behind, but they keep moving until they catch up with the army again. By taking advantage of roads and trods, the general ensures that when the army arrives at its destination it does so with the will to engage the enemy. Yet a forced march is not magical movement - the army will arrive late in the campaign season, meaning their ability to capture territory is reduced.
</box>
<box>'''Desperate Reinforcement'''
* '''Can move as far as the general wishes this season. It must still stop moving when it enters a hostile territory'''
* '''The ability of this army to defend territory is decreased by one fifth'''
Sometimes a situation is desperate, but additional troops may turn the tide of battle. In such cases, the general pushes their troops to move as quickly as possible, to ensure that a faltering garrison receives last minute assistance, or a failing position is reinforced just before it collapses. When time is of the essence, the general can risk exhausting some of their troops to ensure they arrive in time to support their allies.</box>

===Foraging===
* '''Can use the ''plunder'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Other Descriptors: Looter, Scavenger, Snaffler, Raider, Maggots (derogatory)'''
A ''foraging'' army excels at stripping enemy settlements and casualties of valuables. The [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] [[The_Brass_Coast_military_concerns#The_Red_Wind_Corsairs|Red Wind Corsairs]] were known for their ability to gather resources in enemy territory, prior to their embrace of the idea of ransoming their enemies rather than simply robbing them. Some [[Wintermark]] armies find fighting alongside a foraging army distasteful - the deeply ingrained cultural dislike for "[[Wintermark_economic_interests#Maggot|maggots]]" is well known.
<box>'''Plunder'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are reduced by one tenth'''
* '''The ability of this army to capture territory is reduced by one tenth'''
* '''The army generates wealth based on the number of victory points generated'''
The army concentrates on looting enemy forces. They launch attacks intended to capture baggage trains and other financial objectives. They focus on capturing [[mine|mines]], [[forest|forest preserves]], [[farm|farms]], [[business|businesses]], [[mana site|mana sites]] and [[herb garden|herb gardens]]. A portion of this bounty in the form of [[Game items#Coins|money]], [[Potion#Herbs|herbs]], [[Game_items#Mana_Crystals|crystal mana]], crafting [[materials]] and potentially even rare materials such as weirwood, mithril or white granite are claimed by the army general.</box>

===Glorious===
* '''Can use the ''triumphant charge'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Can use the ''final stand'' order when [[army orders#Defending|defending]]'''
* '''Other Descriptors: Crazed, Honourable, Righteous'''
A ''glorious'' army is full of fighting spirit, and is capable of utter commitment to the act of war. Stories are still told of the ''Burning Falcon'', a [[The Brass Coast|Freeborn]] army with many [[The Brass Coast military concerns#Kohan|kohan]] that was wiped out to the last soldier holding off a [[Jotun]] force three times its own size during the invasion of [[Kallavesa]] in 248YE; troubadours still sing of the last-ditch, foolhardy assault of the [[Dawn|Dawnish]] ''Gryphon's Pride'' against the barbarians in [[the Barrens]]. The [[Dawn|Dawnish]] [[Dawn_military_concerns#The_Hounds_of_Glory_(Destroyed)|Hounds of Glory]] were once glorious, the [[Wintermark_military_concerns#The_Green_Shield_Army|Green Shield]] of [[Wintermark]] were once glorious before committing to being [[#Heroic|heroic]] inspirations, and the [[Burning Falcon]] were once again glorious, until they were [[Various_storms_and_saints#Falcons_Ever_Brighter|committed]] to [[#True_Conviction|true conviction]] at the urging of '''Aracelis i Erigo'''.
<box>'''Triumphant Charge'''
* '''The ability of this army to capture territory is increased by two-fifths'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are increased by one fifth'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are increased by half'''
A general who unleashes their troops in a triumphant charge seeks great victory, but pays a great price. The army confronts the strongest enemy troops and the most defended positions, and attempts to rout them. Individual soldiers and companies engage in valiant attacks, employing risky tactics to defeat their opponents. The army will gain much more ground, but does so at the cost of increased casualties.
</box>
<box>'''Final Stand'''
* '''Any victory gained by the enemy converts to additional casualties taken by this army, rather than territory gained'''
* '''Every enemy victory point causes 100 additional casualties to this army until the army disbands'''
Sometimes a general needs to hold a position regardless of cost. A final stand trades Imperial lives for every inch of ground that would otherwise be lost. The order is rarely used; even if the army is not wiped out, it will almost certainly be severely weakened. When an attacking force must not be allowed to gain territory or establish a beachhead, it is incredibly effective.
</box>

===Guardian===
* '''Can use the ''steel roses'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]
Dawn is a land that understands [[Dawn_hearth_magic#Love_and_Flowers|love]] as much as it understands [[glory]]. Not just the true love that flowers from romance, but all the other forms of love as well - the love of friends, of family, of battle-comrades. The [[troubadours]] know a great deal about love, and its cousins Loyalty, Courage, and Pride. The [[Lions of Adelmar]] have embraced this ideal, and the glory that comes with selflessness and courage, and puts great stock in protecting and supporting other armies, eschewing risk and reckless behaviour, and looking to preserve the lives of companions and fellow soldiers.
<box>'''Steel Roses'''
* '''The ability of this army to capture territory is reduced by a fifth'''
* '''All casualties suffered by this army are reduced by a tenth'''
* '''All casualties suffered by allied armies in the same territory who are taking offensive orders are reduced by a tenth'''
The army takes advantage of heavy armour and shields to endure the attacks of their foes, and protect the soldiers who fight alongside them. The army includes war-witches well versed in spells of healing, physicks, and yeofolk trackers adept at locating those who are sorely pressed by foes, but at its core are knights prepared to do what it takes to keep their allies alive. These courageous warriors push to the front wherever they can, and do everything possible to save the lives of those who have fallen.</box>

===Guerrilla===
* '''Can use the ''hit and run'' order when [[army orders#Defending|defending]]'''
* '''Other Descriptors: Adaptable, Hunter, Ranger, Territorial'''
A ''guerrilla'' army is adept at fighting in difficult terrain. It is often organised into many small companies that can fight independently of each other, employing scouts and messengers to keep each element of the force appraised of the status and position of other forces. The [[Varushka_military_concerns#The_Army_of_the_Northern_Eagle|Northern Eagle]] army of [[Varushka]] has extensive experience fighting in difficult terrain; the [[Imperial_Orcs_military_concerns#The_Winter_Sun|Winter Sun]] of the [[Imperial Orcs]] incorporated hard lessons learned by the original rebels fighting the Empire in the southern territories and had this quality prior to the spiritual revelation of Autumn 381YE that gave them the [[#Freedom Fighters|freedom fighters]] advanced quality.
<box>'''Hit and Run'''
* '''Your side must control a region with the forested, hills or marsh keyword'''
* '''The ability of this army to defend territory is increased by a fifth'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are decreased by a fifth'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are decreased by a fifth'''
The army uses their mastery of wilderness survival to impede enemy advances. They set up camp in defensible locations, use hidden paths to move around, and employ natural features of the wilderness to hamper their attackers. A guerrilla army in a defensible position does everything it can to make itself hard to attack, rarely presenting the enemy with an opportunity for a pitched battle. This tactic is especially effective at slowing the advance of an enemy force while awaiting reinforcements</box>

===Hard Bitten===
* '''Can use the ''make them pay'' order when [[army orders#Defending|defending]]'''
* '''Other Descriptors: Garrison, Unyielding, Stubborn'''
A ''hard-bitten'' army refuses to give ground to invaders. When fighting from defensive positions they can inflict massive casualties on enemy forces that dare to approach them. There are currently no Imperial armies with this quality; the [[The_Marches_military_concerns#The_Strong_Reeds|Strong Reeds]] of [[the Marches]] are a notoriously stubborn army who embraced much older, [[Army_qualities#Secretive|secretive stratagems]], to make their enemies pay for every inch of Marcher soil they try to take, whilst the [[Druj]] armies with this quality are adept at using traps and treacherous tactics to slowly grind an aggressor down as they attempt to claim barbarian territory.
<box>'''Make them Pay'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are increased by two fifths'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are increased by a fifth'''
The army attempts to bleed the enemy, making them pay for every inch of ground surrendered. The army takes any chance to butcher their attackers; enemies suffer greatly increased casualties if they push forward, at the price of increased losses for the defenders. </box>

===Physick===
* '''Can use the ''tend the fallen'' order when [[army orders#Defending|defending]]'''
* '''Other Descriptors: Apothecary, Grimnir, Healer, Herbalist, Hospitaller, Support'''
A ''physick'' army contains a large number of battle-field hardened healers of various traditions, and soldiers adept at fighting alongside them. The force excels at using medical skills, establishing mobile field hospitals, and applying principles of triage to save those who can be saved. The [[Highguard_military_concerns#The_Valiant_Pegasus|Valiant Pegasus]] of [[Highguard]] has the physick quality. The newly reformed [[Wintermark]] [[Wintermark_military_concerns#The_Bloodcloaks|Bloodcloaks]], possessed this quality, as did the original Bloodcloaks who were lost to the [[Thule]] during the reign of [[Empress Brannan]].
<box>'''Tend the Fallen'''<br>
* '''All casualties suffered by this army are reduced by a fifth'''
* '''All casualties suffered by allied armies in the same territory who are taking defensive orders are reduced by a tenth'''
* '''The ability of this army to defend territory is reduced by a fifth'''
The army establishes mobile field hospitals, and supply points while ensuring allied forces are accompanied by talented physicks and soldiers trained to support them. Medicinal herbs are gathered, and healing or defensive potions distributed to officers. The army focuses on moving casualties away from battlefields, patching them up, and returning them to the front.</box>

===Relentless===
* '''Can use the ''cut them down'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Other Descriptors: Bloodthirsty, Ruthless, Savage'''
A ''relentless'' army is capable of focused, sustained attacks against their enemies. They may have superior equipment, advanced combat training, or simply possess an unquenchable thirst for the blood of their foes. Within the Empire, the [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Bounders|Bounders]] are known for their relentless pursuit of their enemies while the [[Imperial_Orcs_military_concerns#The_Summer_Storm|Summer Storm]] of the [[Imperial Orcs]] are known for their military acumen and carefully channelled bloodlust. It is also a common quality for [[Jotun]] and [[Druj]] armies.
<box>'''Cut Them Down'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are increased by three tenths'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are increased by a fifth'''
The army takes every opportunity to engage with the enemy to try and cut them down. They may claim some territory, but this is secondary to their goal of slaughtering as many of the enemy as possible. This emphasis on engaging the enemy means that the army loses more troops itself; but the commitment to fighting and preparations it takes mean that it suffers comparatively less than the opponents it engages.</box>

===Resilient===
* '''Can use the ''grinding advance'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Other Descriptors: Cautious, Defensive, Responsive'''
A ''resilient'' army fights defensively, even while advancing. It often represents an army that specialises in heavy armour and shields, but it might also represent an army of soldiers with above-average fortitude or endurance. The heavily armoured [[Dawn_military_concerns#The_Golden_Sun|Golden Sun]] of Dawn is a resilient army.
<box>'''Grinding Advance'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are reduced by three tenths'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are reduced by a fifth'''
The army slowly advances, consolidating every gain before moving forward. The army looks to avoid direct engagements with the enemy, ceasing their advance and taking defensive positions if they are engaged.</box>


===Resourceful===
* '''This army can benefit from [[Casualties#Emergency_Resupply|emergency resupply]] regardless of what territory they are in or whether they are engaged by the enemy'''
* '''This army can benefit from [[Casualties#Natural_Resupply|natural resupply]] regardless of what territory they are in as long as they are not engaged by the enemy, even if they are taking an attacking order'''
* '''Other Descriptors: Quartermasters, Superior Logistics'''
A ''resourceful'' army has expert logistical support. It can quickly distribute resources and assign new soldiers, even while under attack. It may also represent an army whose soldiers are doggedly committed to their cause, so that soldiers who are so badly hurt they would normally be decommissioned fight to be allowed to rejoin their units. Both the [[Dawn_military_concerns#The_Eastern_Sky|Eastern Sky]] and the [[The_Marches_military_concerns#The_Drakes|Drakes]] were previously known for the support they enjoyed from their nation; represented by regular investment of people and resources to keep the army at fighting strength. At present there are no Imperial armies with this quality.

===Scouting===
* '''Can use the ''gather intelligence'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Can use the ''guard the gates'' order when [[army orders#Defending|defending]]'''
* '''Other Descriptors: Astute, Farsight, Infiltration'''
A ''scouting'' army is adept at gathering information about opposing forces. While it is active in a territory, associated rangers, agents and magicians gather intelligence about opposing forces in the area. They compose a report specifically for their general, which includes information about significant forces in the area. Because this information is gathered by mundane means and by agents in the field, it is rarely impeded by magical effects such as [[Drawing the Penumbral Veil]]. The [[Highguard|Highborn]] [[unconquered]] auxiliaries of the [[Highguard_military_concerns#The_Seventh_Wave|Seventh Wave]] are excellent scouts.

In both cases, when this quality provides information about armies or fortifications, fighting strength is estimated in thousands using the terms '''low''' (between 0 and 333); '''mid''' (between 334 and 666); and '''high''' (between 667 and 999). Thus an army or fortification described as being in the "low four thousands" could mean it had between 4000 and 4,333 effective fighting strength.

<box>'''Gather Intelligence'''
* '''The general who commands the army receives a report about forces present in the same territory as the army'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are reduced by one fifth'''
A general who sends their scouts to gather information while engaged in an aggressive campaign receives a report that includes details of the enemy [[Army|campaign armies]] in the [[territory]]; their allegiance; an estimation of their strength; information about their special qualities, and occasionally the name of their general. They also receive information about significant local [[fortifications]]; and other potentially useful strategic and tactical information about the campaign and the forces involved in it.
</box>
<box>'''Guard the Gates'''
* '''The general who commands the army receives a report about forces present in the same territory as the army'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are reduced by one fifth'''
While defending, the general can send their scouts and spies out to focus their attention within the borders of the land their side controls. They receive information about any foreign [[spy network]] operating in the territory, and about any strategic or tactical opportunities related to defending the territory from outside forces. They also receive details of any enemy [[Army|campaign armies]] that undertake an [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]] order in the [[territory]] - their allegiance, an estimation of their strength, information about their special qualities., and occasionally the name of their general</box>

===Siege===
* '''Can use the ''storm the walls'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Other Descriptors: Engineer, Sappers'''
A ''siege'' army excels at attacking fortifications. The army is experienced with fighting over the walls of enemy castles, and supported by engineers and artisans who can quickly built siege engines. The [[The_League|League]] army of the [[The_League_military_concerns#Imperial Armies|Towerjacks]] were originally recommissioned with this quality before taking advantage of an opportunity to [[Watches_from_the_Wall#Apply_What_You_Have_Learned|study]] in the Holberg University for a season and gaining the [[#Engineer|Engineer]] quality.
<box>'''Storm the Walls'''
* '''The army must be attacking a region containing a [[fortification#bastion|bastion]] or else the order defaults to [[army orders#Cautious Advance|cautious advance]]'''
* '''The ability of this army to capture the fortified region is increased by half'''
* '''The ability of this army to capture a region with a temporary fort created by Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae, the Basalt Citadel, or an army with the engineer quality, is increased by half
* '''Casualties suffered by the army are increased by three tenths'''
The army unleashes hell against a region that has been [[fortification|fortified]]. While catapults and trebuchets pound the walls, siege towers and ladders are deployed to allow the soldiers to take the fight to the defenders. Meanwhile, engineers work to undermine the walls, and massive covered rams are deployed against the gates. The loss of life is likely to be severe, but the region will fall much more quickly than it might in a prolonged siege.

In addition to helping to capture a region containing a [[fortification#bastion|bastion]], the ''Storm the Walls'' order is also effective against certain effects that fortify a region. This includes [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]], [[the Basalt Citadel]], and the temporary forts that can be created by an army with the [[Army qualities#Engineer|engineer]] [[army qualities#quality|quality]]. It does ''not'' help to capture regions with other defences that are not forts or castles - it has no additional effect when attacking a region under the effect of [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]] or [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] for example.


</box>



===Skirmishing===
* '''Can use the ''outmaneuver'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Other Descriptors: Manoeuvrable, Flanking, Tactical'''
A ''skirmishing'' army specialises in outmaneuvering its opponents. The mobility and independence of the troops composing the army makes it extremely effective at exploiting situations where some or all of the enemy armies have committed to defence, rather than attack. There are currently no Imperial armies with this quality; the venerable '''Thundering Tide''', composed of the descendants of the old [[Highguard|Highborn]] light cavalry units, were disbanded during the reign of [[Empress Mariika]]. Many of the [[unconquered]] and [[Highguard_military_concerns|cataphracts]] that used to belong to this army would go on to join the [[Highguard_military_concerns#The_Seventh_Wave|Seventh Wave]]
<box>'''Outmaneuver'''
* '''The army gains an additional victory point for each enemy army in the territory that takes a defensive order, to a maximum of five additional victory points'''
* '''If there are no enemy armies in the territory using defending orders, it defaults to [[army orders#Balanced attack|Balanced attack]]'''
The army attempts to take advantage of the enemies defensive stance and lack of mobility. The army probes the enemy defences, determines where they are weak, and reconfigures its attack plan to exploit those weaknesses. The more enemy forces defending a reason, the more complex the countermeasures the army employs to strengthen its own attack.
</box>


===Venomous===
* '''Can use the ''fire in the blood'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Other Descriptors: Ambush, Assassin, Poisonous, Treacherous'''
A ''venomous'' army contains soldiers skilled in the use of poison and unorthodox tactics. The force contributes these experts to support allied attacks, luring enemies into traps or taking advantage of engagements to savagely ambush their foes. There is no Imperial army with this quality at the moment.
<box>'''Fire in the Blood'''<br>
* '''All casualties inflicted by this army are increased by a tenth'''
* '''All casualties suffered by this army are increased by a tenth'''
* '''All casualties inflicted by allied armies in the same territory who have issued attacking orders are increased by a tenth'''
The army works with their allies to set up ambushes, feints and opportunities to bypass enemy defences to kill high-value targets. Other elements of the force distribute poisoned weapons, or valuable offensive potions, to their allies.</box>

==Advanced Qualities==
Advanced qualities are rarer and usually more powerful than starting qualities - they represent expertise and unusual abilities.

===Contracted===
* '''The army can use ''[[#Siege|storm the walls]]'', ''[[#Foraging|plunder]]'', ''[[#Magic|arcane consolidation]]'', ''[[Highest_discipline#Technique_of_the_Coiling_Chain|raise the glass labyrinth]]'', and one of ''[[#Fast|desperate reinforcement]]'' or ''[[#Fast|forced march]]'' once each per year'''
The [[Autumn Hammers]] benefits from a series of contracts with several of the Cities of the Iron Labyrinth. The Boon of Bonds and Bars allows the Autumn Hammers to call on mercenaries and favours from the Autumn realm in order to achieve specific goals and aims. Each of these orders can only be called on once each year; the contracts available to call on anew at each Autumn Equinox following the election of a general. These boons require the [[Lictors]] to not be under enmity.

===Cruel===
* '''Can use the ''merciless onslaught'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Other Descriptors: Dread, Fearsome, Merciless, Monstrous, Terrifying'''
A '' cruel'' army breaks the morale of its opponents. It may employ ruthless tactics, torture of prisoners and civilians, monstrous auxiliaries or psychological tricks that cause even the most disciplined army to prefer flight over capture. Enemy forces often withdraw well before their troops are in danger of being routed, aware that overconfidence in the face of a cruel opponent could lead to the loss of their entire army. The [[Varushka_military_concerns#The_Army_of_the_Iron_Helms|Iron Helms]] of [[Varushka]] ([[Under_eastern_skies#Game_Information|destroyed by the Druj]] in 386YE) had this quality. The '''Dance of Blood''' of [[Navarr]] ([[Dance of Blood and Jotun consequences|destroyed by the Jotun]] in 245YE) also used to employ dreadful tactics against their barbarian opponents.
<box>'''Merciless Onslaught'''
* '''An enemy army that takes casualties from this army will break if their military strength falls below 1,500 (or below 2,250 if they are [[Army#Large_Armies|large]])'''
* '''The presence of an army conducting a merciless onslaught in a territory is impossible to conceal and is always obvious to other armies in the same territory'''
The army tries to break the spirit of their enemy. They ambush or overrun the enemy, leave mutilated corpses or maimed opponents to warn their comrades. Some cruel armies may employ monstrous beasts, summoned creatures, or psychological tactics designed to demoralise the opposing forces. </box>

===Devoted===
* '''Can use the ''armoured by faith'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
The army is able to draw on the pilgrims' devotion to Virtue, and their long experience facing many terrible threats as they travelled the length and breadth of the Empire. Armoured by their faith, their commitment will never waver, even in the face of terrifying monsters, overwhelming odds, or unimaginable cruelty.

This commitment will be crucial once the war against the vallorn begins in earnest. The forests controlled by the enemy are filled with miasma that poisons the lungs and weakens the spirit. The army of the vallorn contains monstrous insects and horrifying threats that can quickly break an army. Those armoured by their faith are ready to stand against this onslaught.

<box>'''Armoured by Faith'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are decreased by a tenth'''
* '''The army does not suffer additional casualties from fighting in a vallorn miasma.'''
The grey pilgrims have faced countless threats during the years of their long pilgrimage around the Empire. Now they can employ those skills to support each other, bolstering their spirits as they face the enemy. Their experience fighting the monsters of the vallorn are particularly vital when facing this ancient enemy, which relies on its ferocity and terrifying miasma to overpower the enemy and tear them apart. The malice of the vallorn is blunted when fighting against an army that is armoured by faith.</box>

===Driven===
* '''Can use the order to ''take their land'' when ''[[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]''
* '''Can use the ''grinding advance'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
A ''driven'' army is focused on seizing the land of the enemy, which is ripe for conquest. With steel in their fists and in their spirits, they will not care where they fight - they will take whatever they need from the land and the people and they will make it their own. Since the 382YE Summer Solstice the [[Varushka_military_concerns#The_Army_of_the_Golden_Axe|Golden Axe]], of [[Varushka]], has embraced the legacy of the Vard; to conquer what can be conquered, to bar their door against what cannot be defeated, and to endure what must be endured without flinching.

<box>'''Take their Land'''
* '''This army does not suffer a [[War#Supply_Lines|penalty]] when attempting to seize the first region in a territory'''
* '''This army does not suffer a [[War#Supply_Lines|penalty]] when attacking a region that is not adjacent to an existing Imperial controlled region in the same territory'''
Using this order, the Golden Axe are able to attack new territory without difficulty - twice as effectively as any normal army. They lead the way in battle, an irresistible advance across the land they have marked as their own, driving their enemies before them. The normal problems caused by having to maintain supply lines do not apply to them - what they do not carry with them they take from the land they conquer. Once the first region falls, they can turn their attention almost anywhere else in the territory without concern for its location, potentially surprising the enemy or seizing key locations of strategic importance before the enemy knows the danger.</box>

<box>'''Grinding Advance'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are reduced by three tenths'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are reduced by a fifth'''
The army slowly advances, consolidating every gain before moving forward. The army looks to avoid direct engagements with the enemy, ceasing their advance and taking defensive positions if they are engaged.</box>

===Elusive===
* '''Can use the ''infiltrate'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Can use the ''hit and run'' order when [[army orders#Defending|defending]]'''
An ''elusive'' army relies on its long experience of fighting in the mountains and forests of the northern Empire. Its many specialists in rough terrain mean that once it has established itself in a territory, it is extremely hard to dislodge. After implementing changes [[Is_there_anybody_out_there%3F#Home_to_Roost_(Sorin)|proposed]] by [[Sorin|Sorin's]] Houndmaster of Midnight Hounds, the [[Northern Eagle]] of [[Varushka]] is the only army to possess this quality.

<box>'''Infiltrate'''<br>
* '''This attacking order can only be issued in an enemy-held territory adjacent to an Imperial region and must name a region with the forest, hills, or marsh quality'''
* '''The army does not inflict any casualties, suffer any casualties or contribute any victory points towards conquering the territory'''
* '''The army will suffer casualties from territory effects such as Thunderous Tread of the Trees or Mountain Remembers Its Youth'''
* '''The general will receive a series of sabotage options each season they remain in the territory'''
* '''The presence of an army that is infiltrating a territory is known to the enemy'''
* '''The presence of an army that is infiltrating will not prevent enemy armies from resupplying'''
An army which has been ordered to infiltrate splits up and hides in some of the most inaccessible parts of a region. This order can only be used by the general of the Northern Eagle, and only in an enemy territory with a region that has the forest, hills, or marsh quality. If the order cannot be used, then it instead defaults to solid defence in the Imperial territory adjacent. The army does not inflict or receive any casualties, nor contribute any strength to a campaign in the territory, but their presence is sufficient to create options for sabotage..</box>
<box>'''Hit and Run'''
* '''Your side must control a region with the forested, hills or marsh keyword.'''
* '''The ability of this army to defend territory is increased by a fifth.'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are decreased by a fifth.'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are decreased by a fifth.'''
The army uses their mastery of wilderness survival to impede enemy advances. They set up camp in defensible locations, use hidden paths to move around, and employ natural features of the wilderness to hamper their attackers. A guerrilla army in a defensible position does everything it can to make itself hard to attack, rarely presenting the enemy with an opportunity for a pitched battle. This tactic is especially effective at slowing the advance of an enemy force while awaiting reinforcements</box>

===Engineer===
* '''Can use the ''Storm the walls'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Can use the ''Dig In'' order when [[army orders#Defending|defending]]'''
* '''Other Descriptors: Engineer, Sappers'''
An ''engineer'' army encompasses all that a siege army can achieve when attacking fortifications, however it is much more skilled in all forms of engineering, allowing the army to assist with large building projects or to just dig in, fortifying a region with ramparts, ditches, embankments and temporary camps that provide some of the benefits of a fortification. The [[Towerjacks]] of the League are the only Imperial army with this quality.

<box>'''Storm the Walls'''
* '''The army must be attacking a region containing a [[fortification]] or else the order defaults to [[army orders#Cautious Advance|cautious advance]]'''
* '''The ability of this army to capture the fortified region is increased by half'''
* '''Casualties suffered by the army are increased by three tenths'''
The army unleashes hell against the fortification. While catapults and trebuchets pound the walls, siege towers and ladders are deployed to allow the soldiers to take the fight to the defenders. Meanwhile, engineers work to undermine the walls, and massive covered rams are deployed against the gates. The loss of life is likely to be severe, but the fortification will fall much more quickly than it might in a prolonged siege.

</box>
<box>'''Dig In'''
* '''The army must be defending a region'''
* '''If the region does not already contain a [[fortification]] then the army can erect temporary defences to help protect the area'''
* '''If the region contains an ongoing commission, the army can assist with the construction, reducing the construction time by one season'''
* '''Casualties suffered by the army are decreased by a fifth'''

An army that digs in can be ordered to construct temporary defences, raising earthworks, digging ditches and erecting palisades. After a season of effort, the resulting earthworks increase the number of victory points needed to capture that region by 10. Once work is complete the temporary fort lasts for two seasons or until the region is captured by an enemy force. If there is an existing earthworks in the region, the army can prevent reset the duration and increases the number of victory points needed to take the region by an additional 10. An army cannot construct temporary fortifications in a region that has an existing fortification, nor one that has been enchanted with [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]] or [[The Basalt Citadel]]. Temporary fortifications cannot be enchanted, and military units may not be assigned to support them. If the region is attacked by an army taking the [[Army qualities#Siege|Storm the Walls]] order, the armies' ability to do so is increased just as if they were attacking a fortification.

Instead of creating temporary defences, the general can order the army to assist with the construction of a specific commission. The troops will be assigned to help with the labour, digging foundations, cutting stone and timber etc - but they also include skilled engineers who can oversee the work and ensure it is done accurately. This ability cannot help the mustering of an Imperial army or navy. An army that digs in can reduce the total time required to complete a commission by one season just once. No commission can benefit from this specific ability more than once, no matter the source.</box>

===Favoured===
* '''The army can use ''[[#Glorious|triumphant charge]]'', ''[[#Magic|arcane consolidation]]'', ''[[Eastern_Sky#Favour_of_Cathan_Canae|embrace the storm]]'', ''[[Eastern_Sky#Favour_of_Rhianos|seek the greatest prize]]'', and ''[[Eastern_Sky#Favour_of_Barien|traverse the crossroads]]'' once each per year'''
* '''The same special order cannot be used in two consecutive seasons; orders refresh at the start of the Autumn Equinox'''
The [[Eastern Sky]] benefits from the patronage of several Regents of Summer following a [[Down_the_cavalier_road#Swords_and_Sorcery|proposal]] just before the Autumn Equinox 384YE. At present, the general can call on the favours of [[Barien]], [[Cathan Canae]], [[Eleonaris]], [[Meraud]], and [[Rhianos]].

===Forayer===
* '''Can use the ''Take to the Sea'' or ''Take to the Land'' order when [[army orders#Defending|defending]] a coastal region in the Bay of Catazar'''
* '''Can use the ''Daring Raid'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Only the Red Wind Corsairs has this quality'''
A foraying army is made up of soldiers with extensive experience of fighting in naval battles, such as the corsairs of the Brass Coast. They also have access to the kind of powerful fighting ships that are needed to fight effectively at sea. This allows them to operate in either domain, switching between the two as needs must. Embarking or disembarking takes a season, and the force is vulnerable while that happens, but they can move off as normal in the following season, once the change is complete. The Red Wind Corsairs are only guaranteed to be able to use this ability in the Bay of Catazar at present, but with the mandates enacted by the Marcher and Wintermark assemblies, they can also [[387YE_Summer_Solstice_interlude#Assault_the_Kongegőr|attempt]] to do so in the Gullet.

In addition, the Red Wind Corsairs embrace their instinct to treat their defeated enemies with respect and take their money not their lives. The general can submit the daring raid order. Although some Wintermark armies find fighting alongside a foraging army distasteful - many Wintermark heroes prefer the idea of ransoming defeated enemies to butchering them and have no reason to dislike a daring army.

<box>'''Take to the Sea/Land'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are reduced by two fifths'''
* '''The ability of this army to defend territory is reduced by a fifth'''
* '''Casualties suffered by the army are increased by two fifths'''
* '''At the end of the season the army converts into a navy (or vice versa)'''

The army retains access to numerous ships and vessels that are powerful enough to make a difference in naval battles. Either vessels that are directly part of the army or aid from the Corsair families of the Brass Coast that they can call on. By spending a season in a coastal region, changing the operation and arrangement of the force, they can embark on these ships to become a navy at the start of the following season. If the force is not attacked during this time, then they can resupply as normal - if they are attacked, their ability to defend the region will be compromised and they will suffer higher casualties. The Corsairs can use the same order to return to land-based operations, spending a season to cease being a navy and become an army once more.</box>

<box>'''Daring Raid'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are reduced by three tenths'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are reduced by a tenth'''
* '''The army generates wealth based on the number of victory points generated'''
The army concentrates on lightning attacks against the enemy forces intended to take key strategic points and capture prisoners in the process. Defeated enemies are treated with respect and healed, but kept as prisoners to be ransomed back to the enemy. By such a means members of the army will grow wealthy; a portion of this bounty in the form of [[Potion|potions]], [[magic items]], [[Game items#Coins|money]], [[Potion#Herbs|herbs]], [[Game_items#Mana_Crystals|crystal mana]], crafting [[materials]] and valuable materials such as weirwood, mithril, white granite, and [[ilium]] will be claimed by the army general.</box>

===Freedom Fighters===
* '''Can use the ''break the chains'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Can use the ''hit and run'' order when [[army orders#Defending|defending]]'''
* '''Only the Winter Sun has this quality
After the Autumn Equinox 381YE the soldiers of the Winter Sun [[Chain_around_my_leg#Hammers_and_Chains|experienced a powerful revelation]] relating to the generations of their ancestors who had lived and died as slaves. Despite the turmoil and wrath, some of the soldiers of the Winter Sun gain strength from the experience, and from the voices of their enslaved ancestors. Some swore oaths to ensure that the evil of slavery - evil they have experienced first hand - is wiped from the earth. Many of these orcs wear medallions of bone or wood in the shape of hammers, in remembrance both of the tools their ancestors used to break rocks and of the hammers used ultimately to break their chains. Following the Winter Solstice the general, Bloodcrow Morg'ur, encouraged the soldiers to embrace this revelation, permanently changing the Winter Sun quality from [[#guerrilla|guerrilla]] to freedom fighters.

In the long run, soldiers of the army will be less comfortable around human armies from Varushka, Wintermark, and the League - but they are disciplined enough to ensure that there are no significant incidents if they are required to fight alongside the descendants of the people who once kept them as chattel.

<box>'''Break the Chains'''
* '''Your side must control a region with the forested, hills or marsh keyword'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are decreased by three tenths'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are decreased by a fifth'''
The army uses their mastery of wilderness survival to outmanoeuvre enemy advances, and make contact with local forces that share their enemies. They free slaves and prisoners, seek the support of rebels and bandits, and sabotage labour camps and prisons alike. Allies are helped to reach camps in defensible locations, shown hidden paths, and the like. The army avoids pitched battles, and focuses on gaining allies among subject populations, some of whom join the army as fresh recruits.</box>

<box>'''Hit and Run'''
* '''Your side must control a region with the forested, hills or marsh keyword'''
* '''The ability of this army to defend territory is increased by a fifth'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are decreased by a fifth'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are decreased by a fifth'''
The army uses their mastery of wilderness survival to impede enemy advances. They set up camp in defensible locations, use hidden paths to move around, and employ natural features of the wilderness to hamper their attackers. A guerrilla army in a defensible position does everything it can to make itself hard to attack, rarely presenting the enemy with an opportunity for a pitched battle. This tactic is especially effective at slowing the advance of an enemy force while awaiting reinforcements</box>


===Heroic===
* '''Can give the order that ''none shall pass'' when [[army orders#Defending|defending]]'''
* '''Can use the ''triumphant charge'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Can use the ''final stand'' order when [[army orders#Defending|defending]]'''
The [[Wintermark military concerns#The Green Shield Army|Green Shields]] of [[Wintermark]] are capable of impossible deeds, and their spirit is undiminished in the face of any threat. They know that the hero's tale ends with a good death and they are ready to pay with their lives if they must. Their esprit de corps is peerless and their commitment to battle means they are prepared to make any sacrifice to achieve what must be done. This allows their general to issue unique orders, taking enormous risks where necessary.

<box>'''None Shall Pass'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are decreased by one fifth'''
* '''The army protects an allied force that is taking defensive orders, taking all the casualties that force would take in their place'''
A general who gives the order that none shall pass may name a single allied force that is taking defensive orders in the campaign. Any casualties that the heroic army would suffer normally are applied less the 20% reduction listed. In addition to the normal casualties suffered, the army will also take ''all'' the casualties that would have been suffered by the army they are protecting (these casualties are not diminished in any way, they are transferred one for one).
</box>
<box>'''Triumphant Charge'''
* '''The ability of this army to capture territory is increased by two-fifths'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are increased by one fifth'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are increased by half'''
A general who unleashes their troops in a triumphant charge seeks great victory, but pays a great price. The army confronts the strongest enemy troops and the most defended positions, and attempts to rout them. Individual soldiers and companies engage in valiant attacks, employing risky tactics to defeat their opponents. The army will gain much more ground, but does so at the cost of increased casualties.
</box>
<box>'''Final Stand'''
* '''Any victory gained by the enemy converts to additional casualties taken by this army, rather than territory gained'''
* '''Every enemy victory point causes 100 additional casualties to this army until the army disbands'''
Sometimes a general needs to hold a position regardless of cost. A final stand trades Imperial lives for every inch of ground that would otherwise be lost. The order is rarely used; even if the army is not wiped out, it will almost certainly be severely weakened. When an attacking force must not be allowed to gain territory or establish a beachhead, it is incredibly effective.
</box>


===Indomitable Glory===
* '''Can give the order to take a named region ''no matter the cost'' when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Can use the ''triumphant charge'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Can use the ''final stand'' order when [[army orders#Defending|defending]]'''
Every member of an army with indomitable glory is committed to the eternal quest for glory and the need to prove that they are the greatest heroes of the Empire. Their unwavering Ambition, Courage, and Pride in the face of any danger means that they are prepared to take any chance to achieve glory. This allows their general to issue unique orders, taking enormous risks where necessary. Only the now destroyed [[Dawn_military_concerns#The_Hounds_of_Glory|Hounds of Glory]] of [[Dawn]] possessed the indomitable glory quality.

<box>'''No Matter the Cost'''
* '''The ability of this army to capture territory is increased by one-fifth'''
* '''The general names a single region when giving their orders that they will take at any price'''
* '''Provided the Imperial side is victorious, the army will gain sufficient additional victory points to take the named region. They will suffer one hundred additional casualties for each additional victory point required'''
A general who gives the order to take a region at any price is doing everything possible to ensure a glorious victory. Provided that the Imperial side is victorious, the army will succeed in taking the named region. However they will pay a significant price, suffering additional casualties as a consequence of their glorious indomitable advance. After the normal campaign outcomes are calculated, the named region will be completely conquered by the army with indomitable glory, but it will suffer one hundred additional casualties for each victory point required to take that region (and only that region).
</box>
<box>'''Triumphant Charge'''
* '''The ability of this army to capture territory is increased by two-fifths'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are increased by one fifth'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are increased by half'''
A general who unleashes their troops in a triumphant charge seeks great victory, but pays a great price. The army confronts the strongest enemy troops and the most defended positions, and attempts to rout them. Individual soldiers and companies engage in valiant attacks, employing risky tactics to defeat their opponents. The army will gain much more ground, but does so at the cost of increased casualties.
</box>
<box>'''Final Stand'''
* '''Any victory gained by the enemy converts to additional casualties taken by this army, rather than territory gained'''
* '''Every enemy victory point causes 100 additional casualties to this army until the army disbands'''
Sometimes a general needs to hold a position regardless of cost. A final stand trades Imperial lives for every inch of ground that would otherwise be lost. The order is rarely used; even if the army is not wiped out, it will almost certainly be severely weakened. When an attacking force must not be allowed to gain territory or establish a beachhead, it is incredibly effective.<br>
</box>

===Magic===
* '''[[Rituals]] that target a [[territory]] may be performed using the general of this army as a focus'''
* '''Can use the ''arcane consolidation'' order when [[army orders#Defending|defending]]'''
* '''Other Descriptors: Arcane, Necromantia, Occult, Sorcerous'''
A ''magic'' army 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]]. Rumours suggest that the native defenders of [[Karsk]] who have been assisting the [[Varushka|Varushkan]] [[general|generals]] during their fight against the Thule also possess this quality. Several [[Thule]] armies possess similar sorcerous powers. The [[Axos|Axou]] and the [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarmish]] also field several armies with this quality.

Before the use of the [[unmade trove]] granted them cyclic magic, and ultimately the [[highest discipline]], the [[Citadel Guard]] of Urizen possessed this quality.

<box>'''Arcane Consolidation'''
* '''The army 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. If the army is not attacked during the season then a regular army will generate thirty five mana crystals at full strength, or proportionally less if the army is depleted.</box>

<box>'''Ritual targeting'''<br>
This army contains many specialized magicians and magical experts. The general of the army (or the [[egregores|egregore]] if the general is [[Rules_update_2019#Army_Enchantments|not at Anvil]]) can serve as a focus for any ritual that targets a territory, region, or fortification 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), [[Stalwart Stand on Solid Ground]], or a [[curse]] such as [[Rivers Run Red]] or [[Naeve's Twisting Blight]].</box>

===Mercenary===
* '''The army can use [[#Siege|siege]], [[#Scouting|scouting]], [[#Foraging|foraging]], [[#Resilient|resilient]] or [[#Skirmishing|skirmishing]] once each per year'''
* '''Other Descriptors: Flexible, Free Company'''
A ''mercenary'' army has experience working with and integrating mercenaries and other independent military units. They may employ [[#Siege|siege engineers]], [[#Scouting|expert scouts]], [[#Foraging|wagon raiders]], [[#Skirmishing|light infantry]] or [[#Resilient|free companies]], but each group can only be employed once each year. The [[The_League_military_concerns#The_Wolves_of_War|Wolves of War]] is a [[the League|League]] army that attracts mercenary banners and free companies from across the empire.
<box>'''Mercenary Options'''<br>
A mercenary army is versatile, but can only employ each type of specialist troop once a year. For example, the general of the Wolves of War is appointed in Autumn. They might immediately employ wagon raiders (and use the ''plunder'' order), but then cannot employ those auxiliary troops again until after the next Autumn summit.</box>

===Pride of the Marches===
* '''Can use the ''drum up support'' action when [[army orders#Defending|defending]]'''
* '''This army can benefit from [[Casualties#Emergency_Resupply|emergency resupply]] regardless of what territory they are in or whether they are engaged by the enemy'''
* '''This army can benefit from [[Casualties#Natural_Resupply|natural resupply]] regardless of what territory they are in even if they are taking an attacking order, so long as they are not engaged by the enemy'''
The Drakes are beloved across the [[the Marches|Marches]], seen as exemplars of the nation's Pride and Loyalty. They have expert logistical support, able to quickly distribute resources and assign new soldiers, even while under attack. The Marchers who join the army are doggedly committed to their cause, so that soldiers who are so badly hurt they would normally be decommissioned fight to be allowed to rejoin their units. Young folk from across the Marches want to join the [[Drakes]], and with the aid of the ''Drummers'', they are given every opportunity to do so. Indeed, even while resting in other nations, the Drakes attract young people who want to fight in Tom Drake's army, and ultimately become Marchers themselves.

<box>'''Drum Up Support'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are reduced by one tenth'''
The army concentrates on recruiting local population. They recover more quickly as a consequence. Their natural resupply is increased by 50 casualties each season, or 100 casualties if they take the order in a territory that belongs to the Marches. Any other Marcher army that is taking a defending order in the same territory gains an additional 25 recovery.</box>

===Quick-Witted===
* '''Can use the ''seek the foe'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Can use the ''guard the gates'' order when [[army orders#Defending|defending]]'''
* '''Other Descriptors: Crafty, Canny, Tricksy'''
* '''Only the [[Narwhal's Spear]] army has this quality'''
The army draws on the paths of the [[mediator]] and the [[Wintermark_magical_traditions#Icewalkers|icewalker]]; working to uncover information about barbarians and ranging further afield. The army's mediators often try to encourage dealings with other nations as much as possible; it is much easier for a scout to range ahead of the main force if they can be sure of safe lodgings in foreign territories. The icewalkers use Day magic to scry their enemies, but they combine it with guile and cunning to get where they need to be.
<box>'''Seek the Foe'''
* '''The general who commands the army receives a report about forces present in the same territory as the army'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are reduced by one fifth'''
* '''This army can move through five territories instead of the usual three when taking this order'''
A general who sends their icewalkers and mediators forward to gather information while engaged in an aggressive campaign receives a report that includes details of the enemy [[Army|campaign armies]] in the [[territory]]; their allegiance; an estimation of their strength; information about their special qualities; and occasionally the name of their general. They also receive information about significant local [[fortifications]]; and other potentially useful strategic and tactical information about the campaign and the forces involved in it.</box>
<box>'''Guard the Gates'''
* '''The general who commands the army receives a report about forces present in the same territory as the army'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are reduced by one fifth'''
While defending, the general can send their icewalkers and mediators out to focus their attention within the borders of the land their side controls. They receive information about any foreign [[spy network]] operating in the territory, and about any strategic or tactical opportunities related to defending the territory from outside forces. They also receive details of any enemy [[Army|campaign armies]] that undertake an [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]] order in the [[territory]] - their allegiance; an estimation of their strength; information about their special qualities; and occasionally the name of their general.</box>

===Secretive===
* '''Can use the ''lay low'' order when [[army orders#Defending|defending]]'''
* '''Can use the ''grinding advance'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Can use the ''rise from the reeds'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
A secretive army contains many people skilled at survival in some of the most inhospitable parts of the Empire. The barren mountains of the Mournwold, the dangerous fens of Bregasland or the deep Feni woods are examples. These places are virtually impassable to a regular army, but a secretive army may lay low, splitting up into smaller bands that can spread out and hide in some of the most inaccessible parts of the region. The [[The_Marches_military_concerns#The_Strong_Reeds|Strong Reeds]] army of [[the Marches]] possesses this quality, honed by years of experience fighting in the Bregas marshes and in [[Kallavesa]].

During the Spring Equinox 387YE, '''Amberlain P. Black''', general of the Strong Reeds, led Imperial heroes through the Sentinel Gate to [[If_one_be_gone_we_carry_on#Glory_at_the_End_(Battle_Opportunity)|defeat the Jotun]] in Bregasland. The victory involved calling out the Pride and Loyalty of the Strong Reeds by beating the bounds at three dolmen scattered across the battlefield and gave the Strong Reeds the ability to "''Rise from the Reeds''".
<box>'''Lay Low'''
* '''This defensive order can only be issued in a Marcher territory or if the Empire controls a forested, mountainous, or marsh region in the territory'''
* '''The army does not inflict any casualties, suffer any casualties or contribute any victory points towards the defence of the territory'''

A general who orders their army to lay low causes them to split up and hide in some of the most inaccessible parts of a territory. This order can only be used by the general of the Strong Reeds in a Marcher territory or in a territory where the Empire controls a forested, mountainous, or marsh region. If the order cannot be used then it defaults to solid defence. The army does not inflict or receive any casualties, nor contribute any victory points to the defence of the territory, but their presence there is sufficient to ensure that any enemy generals cannot act with impunity.

Taking the order will not prevent the army from resupplying, but the presence of an offensive army in the territory will do, even though the army laying low does not take any casualties.</box>

<box>'''Rise from the Reeds'''
* '''All casualties inflicted by this army are increased by a fifth for each uninterrupted season of laying low'''
* '''The ability to capture territory is increased by a fifth for each uninterrupted season of laying low'''
The army takes advantage of the seasons of preparation to unleash a surprise assault in an attempt to overwhelm the enemy. The soldiers emerge from hiding to launch the attack, focusing on the weak points in the enemy position identified in previous seasons. For each season that this army has taken the Lay Low order without interruption in the targeted territory, the army gains 20% towards taking territory and inflicting casualties. Taking any order other than Lay Low (including this one) resets the count.
</box>

<box>'''Grinding Advance'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are reduced by three tenths'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are reduced by a fifth'''
The army slowly advances, consolidating every gain before moving forward. The army looks to avoid direct engagements with the enemy, ceasing their advance and taking defensive positions if they are engaged.</box>

===Sell Sword===
* '''The army can use [[Army qualities#Relentless|cut them down]], [[Army qualities#Foraging|plunder]], [[Army qualities#Resilient|grinding advance]], [[Army qualities#Hard Bitten|make them pay]], and one of either [[Army qualities#Scouting|gather intelligence or guard the gates]] once each per year'''
The army has experience working with and integrating mercenaries and other independent military units, mostly but not exclusively from Varushka. They take advantage of the expertise they need when they need it through carefully negotiated contracts. The general may employ [[Army qualities#Relentless|ruthless hunters]], [[Army qualities#Scouting|cunning wardens]], [[Army qualities#Foraging|experienced wagon raiders]], [[Army qualities#Hard bitten|armoured guards]] or [[Army qualities#Resilient|veteran schlacta]], but each group can only be employed once each year. The ability to use a specific quality "refreshes" in the season where the general would be elected.

===Thornbound===
* '''Can use the ''Poison thorns'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
The army is able to use their mastery of Spring magic and their expertise with herbs to create powerful poisons to apply to their weapons. These poisons are designed to kill quickly and without suffering, ensuring that the enemy do not linger in pain. Only one Imperial army has had this [[Comes_a_time#Without_Fear_or_Favour|unique quality]] - ''Isaella's Dance'' - which gained its power from the many vates and masters of herb lore that accompanied the soldiers before it was [[Under_eastern_skies#Game_Information|destroyed by the Druj]] in 386YE.
<box>'''Poison Thorns'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are increased by three tenths'''
* '''The ability of this army to conquer territory is reduced by a fifth'''
* '''The effectiveness of this army against the vallorn is improved; the army does not suffer additional casualties for fighting in a vallorn miasma'''
The army uses their mastery of Spring magic and knowledge of the apothecary's art to produce poisons and venoms that they can use in battle. These poisons cause those who succumb to them to pass swiftly and without pain and are particularly effective against the vallorn.</box>

===True Conviction===
* '''Can ''only'' use the ''triumphant charge'' or ''forced march'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Can use the ''leonine rampage'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]] if the army has been enchanted with Knights of Glory'''
* '''Can ''only'' use the ''final stand'' or ''desperate reinforcement'' order when [[army orders#Defending|defending]]'''
* '''Only the Burning Falcon army has this quality'''
The [[Burning Falcon]] is filled with passionate intensity and zeal. During battle the soldiers fight to the absolute best of their ability, and while resting they embrace everything life has to offer knowing that they may die in their next battle. They are utterly committed to the act of war, able to traverse the Empire like a blazing comet, smashing into the enemies of the Freeborn people with unquenchable fury.

However, this quality means that the general is ''only'' able to issue the [[#Glorious|triumphant charge]], [[#Glorious|final stand]], [[#Fast|forced march]], and [[#Fast|desperate reinforcement]] orders. They cannot use any of the [[Army_orders|standard orders]] normally available to a general. The only thing that will allow them to take a different order is a special [[opportunity]] that influences or temporarily changes their quality.

<box>'''Leonine Rampage'''
* '''The army must be enchanted with Knights of Glory otherwise this defaults to Triumphant Charge
* '''If available, Knights of Glory used on this army will always call forth ''Kore'' and their leonine lancers
* '''The ability of this army to capture territory is increased by a half'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are increased by one fifth'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are increased by three-fifth'''
The soldiers of the army embrace the inspiration provided by the Knights of Glory, seeking a triumphant victory over any foe that dares to stand against them. The victory comes at a cost - soldiers are much more likely to take risky actions, viewing anything save the most basic caution as a distraction or a weakness. They seek out the strongest enemy troops and the most defended positions, and do everything they can to overrun them. The army will gain much more ground, but does so at the cost of increased casualties.</box>

===Watchful===
* '''Can use the ''harry the flanks'' order when [[Army_orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
* '''Can use the ''watch the passes'' order when [[Army_orders#Defending|defending]]'''

A ''watchful'' army contains many skilled scouts and trackers who are adept at guarding the perimeter of a territory no matter how difficult as well as searching for threats and enemies in a territory. As a result it may issue the defensive order to watch the passes, if they are in a territory that is completely controlled by the Empire but the general is concerned that enemy forces may attack, or to harry the flanks, if they are engaged in a campaign where the enemy is already present. The [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Bounders|Bounders]] army of [[the Marches]] contain many [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Beaters|beaters]] and [[landskeeper|landskeepers]] who are especially concerned with protecting the borders of their lands.

<box>'''Harry the Flanks'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are decreased by three tenths'''
* '''The ability of this army to capture territory is decreased by a fifth'''

A general who orders their archers and other soldiers to harry the flanks of an enemy force will attempt to drive them back while avoiding a full on confrontation. The purpose to force the enemy to pull back to a more secure position rather than risk lives attempting to kill as many as possible. The army will try to avoid a direct engagement and focus on looking for any opportunity where the enemy is caught out of position or leaves a flank exposed.</box>

<box>'''Watch the Passes'''
* '''The ability of this army to defend territory is increased by two fifths if they are defending against an enemy attempting to take a beachhead'''
A general who sends their scouts to watch the passes will receive early warning of any incoming invasion, allowing them to manoeuvre their soldiers into the best possible position to stymie the assault. In addition the army general will receive information about any foreign spy network operating in the territory as well as any substantial criminal activity on a similar scale.</box>

===Woundbinder===
* '''Can use the ''tend the fallen'' order when [[army orders#Defending|defending]]'''
* '''Can use the ''recover the lost'' order when [[army orders#Attacking|attacking]]'''
A ''woundbinder'' army consists of a large number of trained physicks, apothecaries, and magical healers. Many of these healers follow the grimnir tradition – facing danger on the battlefield but not themselves fighting. Every healer is paired with a scildran, a warrior whose focus is on keeping their charge safe at all costs and helping them move to where the fighting is thickest so they can employ their arts to aid their fellows. The force excels at using medical skills, establishing mobile field hospitals, and applying principles of triage to save those who can be saved. After implementing changes proposed by [[Zakalwe|Zakalwe's]] Polemarch of Strategy the newly reformed [[Wintermark]] [[Wintermark_military_concerns#The_Bloodcloaks|Bloodcloaks]] is the only army known to possess this quality.

<box>'''Tend the Fallen'''<br>
* '''The ability of this army to defend territory is reduced by a fifth'''
* '''All casualties suffered by this army are reduced by a fifth'''
* '''All casualties suffered by allied armies in the same territory who are taking defensive orders are reduced by a tenth'''
The army establishes mobile field hospitals, and supply points while ensuring allied forces are accompanied by talented physicks and soldiers trained to support them. Medicinal herbs are gathered, and healing or defensive potions distributed to officers. The army focuses on moving casualties away from battlefields, patching them up, and returning them to the front.</box>

<box>'''Recover the Lost<br>
* '''The ability of this army to capture territory is reduced by a fifth
* '''All casualties suffered by this army are reduced by a tenth
* '''All casualties suffered by allied armies in the same territory who are taking offensive orders are reduced by a tenth
The army establishes mobile field hospitals, and supply points while ensuring allied forces are accompanied by talented physicks and soldiers trained to support them. These healers remain near the front lines, moving where the fighting is thickest and their skills are most in demand. The army focuses on treating casualties on the battlefield, meaning they can return to battle as quickly as possible.</box>

{{Military Council Further Reading}}

When something is lost

2026-09-08T18:57:45Z

Rafferty: /* Pride of the Marches */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<ic>John scanned the horizon, looking, desperately, anywhere for a patch of blue sky. There was nothing, of course. Just the same endless billowing green, as if the sky itself were carpeted in grass. Every time he raised his eyes to the sky, he got his hopes up, but every time they were dashed.

"It ain't natural," he said, the statement a contender for the worst understatement by a Marcher from Hay this week.

"No. As I keep telling you, we're ain't in Mitwold no more." Hatty Hay was trying not to snap but it was hard to keep a civil tongue in her mouth. "We're in some kind of regio. Some kind of enormous fucking regio. The size of Mitwold, or bigger even. Mebbe bigger than the whole Empire. Mebbe bigger than the whole world."

"I still don't see how can it be bigger than Madruga, and fit in the territory." John liked Hattie, best Landskeeper in the Drakes, as he often told people. But that was best as in "best at fixing broken bones" and the like. She was rubbish at explanations. He hadn't known that til now. Hadn't needed to mind.

Hattie bit her tongue and changed the subject. "Stop chewing teeth, we'll be fine. They'll find a way to get us out of here. And in the meantime, keep your eye on that sky. First bit of blue you see, you let me know."

John hoisted his pack. It was noticeably lighter than when they'd set out. That was definitely ''not'' reassuring.
</ic>
<div {{float-left}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Spring by Michalina.jpg|caption=What do you do when something is lost?|align=left|width=500}}</div>
==Overview==
* '''An enchantment has been cast on Madruga'''
* '''It coincides with two Imperial armies bringing the last two regions of the transfigured territory into the Empire'''
* '''One of those armies has not come back out of the marshes'''
Once [[Madruga]] was grassy plains, rich coastline, and prosperous islands. Now the islands are in the hand of the [[Iron Confederacy|Suranni]], the coastline is only just recovering from terrible storms and magical [[Spring magic#Chaos|chaos]], and much of the grassland has been transfigured into an enchanted marsh infused with the powers of the [[Realms#Night|Night]], [[Realms#Spring|Spring]], and [[Realms#Winter|Winter]] realms. Mind you, this is [[the Brass Coast]] and there are plenty of Freeborn who welcome the excitement, unpredictability, and wonder each day promises.

After the Summer Solstice, magic started to settle over Madruga. It took a little time to get going - this magic is full of the dreams of forests that have not grown in Madruga for a very long time indeed. What few woodlands there were went to build the ships the Freeborn value so highly. At the same time the magic was weaving its way across the twilit bayou and the grasslands, two Imperial armies were finally bringing the last regions of the territory back into Imperial control.

''One'' of those armies has since come back to report success. The other... has not.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=Crucible.png|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Sung001b.JPG|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Sadogua001d.webp|align=right|width=200}}</div>
==Shadows over the Bayou==
* '''A potent Night magic enchantment has settled over Madruga'''
* '''Folk living there or visiting experience vibrant dreams of nighttime forests'''
* '''Encounters with heralds of the Night realm, especially Sung, Sadogua, and Azoth, have become a little more common'''
Night magic pools in Madruga, in quiet places throughout the territory. It whispers through the dreams of the people, who are visited by visions of a strange night-time forest. A swampy, marshy forest of cypress, alder, willow, and mangrove. The forest is alive with strange creatures, rainbow-hued little beasts that switch from one shape to another. From scuttling lizard, to soaring laughing bird, to chattering monkey, to three-tailed cat, to meddlesome octopus, to surreptitious alligator, to long-legged dodo-bird with a crest of eyes. They are not threatening, but they are strange and they trail dreamers who walk or punt through the phantasmal woodlands.

Encounters with the Night Realm are noticeably more common, little sparks of unexpected magic clearly drawing on the [[Night magic#Resonances|resonances]] of the [[Realms#Night|Wondrous Forest]]. In particular, people talk of seemingly chance encounters with odd heralds of that realm especially those answering to ''[[Sung|Rainbow Serpent]]'', ''[[Sadogua|Brother of Wizards]]'', and [[Azoth|''Crucible'']] itself. The creatures tend to be friendly, interested in the people, encouraging folk in the usual manners for their kind, happy to accept hospitality. This is the Brass Coast, and they often offer little boons in return for food and drink. They also offer payment for things no Freeborn would consider deserving of recompense - conversation, answers, the chance to pet a dog.

Obviously, given the nature of this kind of magic and the territory itself (especially [[Madruga#Crucible|Crucible]]) there is a significant chance of some kind of unexpected outcome. Perhaps even permanent transformation of the territory in some way...
===An Absolutely Terrible Idea===
* '''Nobody is entirely sure who first came up with it but a daring proposal has been made'''
Everybody says they heard it from somewhere else, but there's a fascinating idea doing the rounds. It might have come from the heralds of Azoth, who everyone knows love transcendence through alchemy and learning through experience almost as much as they adore inspiration through madness. It might have been mentioned in one of the long, rambling conversations between drunk hakima and heralds of Sadogua. It might even have been whispered into the wind by some of the children of Sung. Not that the heralds of the Night realm have a monopoly on ideas of dubious good sense - it's just as likely to have come from a hakima inspired by their dreams or even a visiting citizen from another nation entirely.

The idea is straightforward enough. The magic that infuses southern and western Madruga is not drawn from a single realm. So why not follow the Night enchantment currently nestled over the territory with a Spring and a Winter enchantment - in any order - and see what happens? Obviously the Children of Wrecks were throwing potent Spring magic around during their occupation of the islands but it was very much in the form of destructive [[curse|curses]]. But it can't be denied that such magic occasionally lead to beneficial results here and there - spreading ''marsh flowers'' for example. Wouldn't an enchantment ''intended'' to be beneficial be more likely to bring good results in Siroc Bayou, Crucible, or even the [[Madruga#Quiet Grasses|Quiet Grasses]]? They wouldn't even necessarily have to be cast strictly consecutively - although the order might matter - as long as no other enchantments were inserted in between. There is a very vague attempt to name the idea the "Madrugahedron" (referencing the [[Stargazer#Resonance_and_the_Omnihedron|omnihedron]] beloved by some [[Urizen|Urizeni]]) but it doesn't really catch on.

Before anyone can do anything as organised as make a concrete proposal, however, the ''other'' effect of that this Night enchantment seems t have had a hand in becomes clear and people have other things to talk about.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Drakes_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Star Forged colour.webp|align=right|width=200}}
==Into Crucible==
* '''The Drakes and the Star Forged have entered the Bayou, but become split up'''
* '''By the end of the season the Star Forged have emerged relatively unscathed, but the Drakes have not'''
* '''There is no sign of the missing army; more than six thousand Marcher soldiers have completely disappeared'''
Since the [[Where the river rises|transfiguration]] of Madruga - since the Dry Patricians were defeated and their terrible Blight washed away by waters infused with Spring and Night and ultimately Winter magic - this has been a place of mysteries and wonders. Last season, a season of [[phantasms and foam]], the [[Red Wind Corsairs]] explored [[Madruga#Siroc Bayou|Siroc Bayou]] attempting to understand the shifting marshes and bring this magically infused geography into the Empire proper. They encounterd [[Phantasms_and_foam#Madruga|difficulties]] but still made some headway mastering two thirds of the marshlands.

After the Summer Solstice, the Corsairs set off for [[the Marches]], alongside the [[Fire of the South]], and took part in the campaign against the Jotun in [[Bregasland]]. Two armies came south to complete their work - the [[Star Forged]], the new army of [[Navarr]], and the [[Drakes]], the [[Pride|proud]] first army of [[the Marches]]. Putting subtlety to one side, both armies were ordered to undertake an [[Army orders#Overwhelming Assault|overwhelming assault]] against the strangeness of the Bayou and Crucible, and that is exactly what they did. Both armies bore enchantments - the Drakes carried the [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]], invaluable in mastering the mysteries of the marshes. The Star Forged were empowered with [[Find the Best Path]], an enchantment that improves not only speed but the logistical structures of an army allowing them to move with confidence over long distances. Remember that bit.

Elsewhere in the territory there is some commentary from the heralds of the Night realm that the approach of the two armies is all wrong, too violent, too unsubtle, but the creatures of Night often say that kind of thing. There may be a ring of truth to it all - for the first month or so there are semi-regular reports from Navarr messengers of encounters with phantasmal soldiers similar to those the Red Wind Corsairs mentioned. Sometimes human, sometimes orc, sometimes something unlike either, they seem to be drawn out of history or in from dreams. There is fighting, but amazingly no casualties are suffered. The wounds the phantoms cause seem to lie in the mind and the spirit rather than on the body. The two armies complete the work of the 'Corsairs. Siroc Bayou still contains enigmas, as befits any locale infused with the essences of both the [[Realms#Spring|Primal Forest]] and the [[Realms#Night magic|Wondrous]] ones. They proceed to the next target - to Crucible itself.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Logan Dusklight.jpg|caption='''Logan Dusklight''', General of the Star Forged|align=right|width=250}}
The first report, delivered by a cheerful Navarr messenger, is that everything is proceeding as expected. Then... nothing. The next messenger does not arrive with a status update, and neither does the one after that or... There are a handful of Freeborn explorers who brave Crucible in search of treasures and wonders to sell in the markets of [[Madruga#Calvos|Calvos]] and [[Madruga#Quzar|Quzar]]. This season when they emerge from the marshes they report encounters with the Drakes and the Star Forged, surprised that people seem so concerned about them. The last such sighting indicates that the two armies have split up to cover more ground, but are confident that by the start of the Winter Solstice they will have ensured Crucible is part of Madruga in fact as well as name.

The silence from the armies themselves, however, stretches on. A patrol of soldiers sent in to make sure everything is alright are swallowed up and disappear in their turn. Something is clearly wrong...

Then, a little over three weeks before the Autumn Equinox, the Star Forged emerge from Crucible into [[Madruga#Lightsea|Lightsea]]. They are muddied and exhausted, but triumphant. Between them, the Drakes and the Star Forged have mapped out enough of Crucible, have established outposts and encampments, that the region is now truly Imperial. They warn that the place is very confusing, that the deeper one pushes into Crucible the larger and wilder it seems to become, although that might just be the Night magic and the Spring magic playing tricks on the mind.

What they haven't brought out of Crucible with them however are the Drakes themselves. There is some confusion among the Navarr - they thought the Drakes would rendezvous with them in Lightsea. And yet there is no sign of the Marcher army. The entire six-thousand-strong force of the Marches has vanished.

The only sign of the Drakes comes when four units under the command of ''Iñez i Azul-Mar i Riqueza'' of [[the Brass Coast]], ''Fay Baker'' of [[Dawn]], and two Marcher captains - Lazarus and John of Meade. They are as confused as the Star Forged - they seem to have only jumbled recollections of the last few weeks, and believed the rest of the army was right behind them. But there continues to be no sign of the Marcher army.
===Participation : Mist Walking===
* '''Anyone whose military unit supported the Drakes or the Star Forged has jumbled recollections of their time in the marshes'''
* '''Any such character with the naga lineage might find their physical or roleplaying trappings becoming stronger'''
* '''Any human character who supported one of the armies may choose to change their lineage to naga after the Autumn Equinox'''
Any character whose military unit supported one of the armies that were exploring and cataloguing the Siroc Bayou and Crucible, you are likely to have jumbled recollections of precisely what happened. The more you try to remember the harder it is to keep a coherent thread. You are encouraged to skim over some of the other text about the marshes, such as that in [[Phantasms and foam]] last season, or the descriptions of the marshes' peculiarities in the [[Made anew]] wind of fortune.

Any character with the [[naga]] lineage who supported the Drakes or the Star Forged, or is the general of one of those armies, may use this as an opportunity to strengthen their [[Naga#Other_Trappings|lineage trappings]] or to focus on one or more of their [[Naga#Roleplaying|roleplaying trappings]] and heighten their effects.

Likewise, any human character with no lineage who supported one of the armies may choose to develop the naga lineage. Given the short gap between this wind of fortune being produced and the event, you may want to demonstrate roleplaying trappings at the Autumn Equinox and arrange your trappings afterward - meaning you can email {{plot}} after the event to get your lineage updated.
==Still In There Somewhere==
* '''Magicians and their eternal allies all agree that the Marcher army has been trapped somehow by the kaleidoscope of magic that permeates the Bayou'''
* '''The Star Forged were saved by the nature of the enchantment on them, the Drakes were not so fortunate'''
* '''To get them back, the Empire will have to go and look for them'''
The [[hakima]] from the [[Hakima_of_Salt_and_Sand#Parador_of_Salt_and_Sand|Parador of Salt and Sand]] are among some of the first to talk to those who have emerged from the marshes, and a potential explanation begins to emerge. The Night magic enchantment on Madruga has ''done something'' to the Crucible. The Drakes are, as near as anyone can tell, still exploring it. It looks as if the magic enhancing their ability to claim ground - the ''Clarity'' - may actually have worked against them in fact by encouraging them to keep seeking to understand a place that defies explanation. The Star Forged however were enchanted with an [[Autumn magic]] working that empowers armies to ''get where they are going''. While the Crucible might have drawn them in, ultimately their enchantment served to ensure they emerged unfazed.

All the reports suggest the Marcher soldiers are probably fine - but the longer they stay in Crucible the more likely they are to either get so lost they can never return, or to undergo some kind of terrible transformation, or to encounter something more dangerous than phantasmal dream soldiers.
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Conveniently. there are a few heralds of the Night realm in Madruga who are happy to offer their own particular brand of assistance when challenged. The little wizards of Sadogua concurr with the hakima assessment, and are more than happy to get into the deep and confusing weeds of a conversation about the interactions of different kinds of magic. The heralds of Azoth find the questions a little confusing, and suggest that rather than assuming the Drakes are lost, they should instead consider them to be on a bold adventure, one that might lead to exciting new insights into magic, war, and the mortal spirit. The heralds of Sung reply to all questions with questions of their own, the most common being "''What do you do when something is lost?''" which at first seems very unhelpful but provides inspiration to the hakima. What you do when something is lost is ''you go and look for it''.
==Finding the Missing Legion==
* '''The Drakes are lost in the trackless Marshes of the Crucible '''
* '''Helping to bring them back will require a concerted effort by their allies'''
* '''The Military Council could apply the guerdon to the efforts to rescue the Drakes'''
The likely explanation is that the Drakes are still in Crucible somewhere. The [[Imperial Seer]], '''Jorma Steelhail''', should be able to confirm this with a simple casting of [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]]. The Marcher [[egregore]]s should likewise know whether the soldiers of the Drakes are still alive and well or not. The heralds of Sadogua and Azoth certainly think they are, but their definition of "alive and well" is of questionable value.

Following the Autumn Equinox there will be an [[opportunity]] for [[military unit|military units]] to launch a rescue mission into the Crucible. The aim will be to find the Drakes and lead them safely out of Crucible before anything bad happens to them. Nothing is ever easy, however, and definitely not in places like Crucible after a potent Night enchantment.

After the Autumn Equinox, any [[military unit]] can take the [[venture]] ''Find the Drakes''. This is a [[Military unit#Scouting|scouting]] action that represents venturing into Crucible, helping find the missing Marcher army, convincing them that they are lost in magical marshes, and leading them back to Lightsea or Quiet Grasses (or indeed anywhere that is not Crucible). Instead of the usual production a military unit receives, a standard military unit would gain one random ''marsh flower'', and 36 rings (representing wonders of the marshes). This is a pitiful recompense, but obviously the [[Quartermaster General of the Imperial Armies|Quartermaster General]] could apply the [[Military_unit#Guerdon_Shares|Imperial Guerdon]].

As with many such situations the amount of strength applied to this venture effects the outcome.
<br><br>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Less than 5,000 Strength - Further In</span><br>
A limited response will mean the Drakes are not rescued in time for the Winter Solstice 388YE. They remain lost in the marshes, and they will have lost 2,000 strength due to missing soldiers and the dangers of the deep Crucible. There will be another attempt to rescue them at the Winter solstice.<br><br>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Between 5,000 and 10,000 Strength - Desperate Egress</span><br>
The rescue mission is a success, and the Drakes emerge from Curcible in time for the Winter Solstice. In the process however, they will have lost 1,000 strength due to soldiers who get left behind, disastrous encounters, or unrecoverable transformations.<br><br>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Between 10,000 and 20,000 Strength - Controlled Extraction</span><br>
The Drakes emerge from Crucible in time for the WInter Solstice. They have sustained some losses but their strength falls only by 500. They will also have the opportunity for a change to their quality, either related to their time in the transformative marshes or the inspirational support and outpouring of love from their people.<br><br>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">More than 20,000 Strength - Total Victory</span><br>
The Drakes emerge from crucible hale and hearty, with the opportunity for a new quality. In addition they and the other explorers of the marshes will have discovered an opportunity in the marshes that could be exploited by the Empire in the future.

To complicate matters, not every [[military unit]] is equally able to contribute to this venture. '''Freeborn''', '''Navarr''', and '''Marcher''' units provide their full effectiveness. Military units from any other nation contribute (and receive rewards) as if their strength were two ranks lower.

Some folk have an advantage here however - any military unit that supported either the Drakes or the Star Forged this season receives a 2 rank bonus to help rescue the Drakes, effecting both effective strength and rewards.
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===All Things Can Have A Price===
* '''Rather than focus solely on finding the Drakes a military unit could go looking for treasure'''
* '''These military units will gain more treasure and provide less help to find the Drakes'''
* '''All military units taking either action will appear in a single list compiled by the civil service'''
* '''If finding the drakes gets the guerdon, then everyone involved will be able to claim the rewards'''
There is another approach here, but one that might result in a little bit of... criticism. Instead of focusing ''exclusively'' on finding the Drakes, a military unit ''might'' take the opportunity to do some exploration of their own and see what they can pick up. As well as the ''Find the Drakes'' venture, the ''Take Your Time Looking For Lost Marchers'' venture is also available. This is a [[venture#questing|questing]] venture, and a standard military unit that undertakes it will receive 2 pieces of "Adversity Vis" (that is, [[Vis#Vital Honey|Vital Honey]], [[Vis#Hearts Blood|Hearts Blood]], or [[Vis#Crystal Fire|Crystal Fire]]) and two ''marsh flowers''. An upgraded or enchanted military unit will receive commensurately more treasure.

This venture is available to anyone who wants to take it. Those military units receiving a two rank bonus from supporting one of the two armies this season will still do so. ''However'' there is a drawback to this action and that is that ''regardless'' of the effective strength of the military unit, it will ''only'' contribute 50 effective strength towards finding the Drakes and guiding them out of Crucible. The actual rank of the military unit and its enchantments will have no bearing on the amount they contribute.

There isn't any way for the civil service to tell who is searching for the Drakes and who is taking their time about it, so a single list will appear with all the names on the same roll of honour. If the guerdon is applied to finding the Drakes, then everyone who takes ''either'' venture will be able to claim a share of it.

===Pride of the Marches===
* '''The General of the Drakes is still a General'''
* '''The General can still issue an order to the army though it the force can't actually leave the region or undertake an attack or defence'''
* '''Folk from the Marches can support the Drakes to help them deal with potential casualties providing a lifeline to home'''
* '''It is still possible to target the army with an enchantment but impossible to predict what if anything it will do'''
* '''There is no upkeep for the army this season'''
* '''The general of the Drakes is Alfred Houtman Fella'''
Obviously the general of the Drakes '''Alfred Houtman Fella''' is in a little bit of a bind given their army is missing in action. The civil service have confirmed that they still ''are'' a [[general]] even though their army is currently somewhere in Madruga. They can still participate freely in the [[Military Council]] until such time as proof emerges that the Drakes are never coming back. They can even still issue an order, but ''only'' the text of the order matters. The army will remain in Madruga, lost in Crucible. It also isn't possible for military units to take the [[military unit#Campaigning|campaigning]] action to support the army. It is still possible to place an enchantment on the army using the general as focus, but impossible to predict exactly what the effect will be. The ritual will still ''have'' its effect but the ability of the Drakes to benefit from it will depend entirely on what it is.

There is no upkeep for the army this season, since the civil service has no easy way to feed and billet the army.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Marcher Icons.jpg|align=left|width=300|caption=If absolutely nothing else, sending a few hundred poppets to the soldiers of the Drakes certainly can't ''hurt''.}}</div>

===Pride and Loyalty===
* '''An outpouring of Pride and Loyalty inspires the folk of the Marches'''
* '''Heralds of Sadogua and Lashonar have agreed to carry care packages and messages of support to the stranded Drakes'''
* '''''Any'' Marcher character can choose to support the rescue of the Drakes albeit with limited effect'''
There are concerns about how the soldiers on campaign, lost in the trackless marshes of Madruga will survive, but that only results in an outpouring of support from the Marches, especially [[Upwold]]. The Drakes are well loved, after all, and if [[Life of Tom Drake|Tom Drake]] taught anything else it is that you look out for your own. Obviously, this being the Marches, there has also been some recrimination from people who ought to know better who argue that a sinister Freeborn conspiracy has intentionally sacrificed the Drakes to Azoth but it is ''probably'' safe to ignore those people. Humans and orcs want to do everything they can to help, even if they can't send beaters of their own to deal with the situation.

By itself its not clear how they ''could'' help (beyond encouraging or enchanting military units), but help comes from unexpected sources. Some of the [[smith]]s and [[landskeeper]]s have spoken to servants of Sadogua and Lashonar, and both eternals have committed to offer their assistance. They are prepared to carry messages and supplies into the Crucible and make sure they get to the Drakes. In a similar manner to the way the Navarr and the Imperial Orc nations were able to support the raid against the Great Forest Orcs, the people of the Marches can show their support for the Drakes if they wish.

''Any'' Marcher character can take the action to support the venture to ''Support the Drakes''. Any character that chooses to support the action will suffer a 50% penalty to the normal production of their [[Resource#Personal_Resource|personal resource]]. A character with a [[congregation]] that supports the venture will instead receive ''no'' [[liao]], but will keep all their Synod votes. They will however not be able to undertake a [[Congregation#Lectures|lecture]] or [[Congregation#Downtime_Options|preach]] at the same time. A [[fleet]] likewise can't take a different [[voyage]], including trading or supporting an army. Instead of their normal production they'll get the same as a military unit (a marsh flower and some valuables).

Even if they aren't going to Madruga personally, they can still provide crucial supplies to support the soldiers of the Drakes themselves. The help they provide won't benefit from [[enchantment|enchantments]], but all resources of the characters that ''Support the Drakes'' will contribute ''half'' the strength of a military unit of equivalent rank.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Arwydd Clearbramble.jpg|caption='''Arwydd Clearbramble''', Archmage of Spring|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Bloodcrow Arora.jpg|caption='''Bloodcrow Arora''', Archmage of Winter|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Brat Umbral Path.jpg|caption='''Brat Umbral Path''', Archmage of Night|title=One in six Night eternals thing he's pretty neat|align=right|width=200}}</div>
Each resource that takes this action will contribute 50 strength to the ''Find the Drakes'' venture. For every 100 Marcher characters take the option, any damage suffered due to a partial success will be reduced by 500. In the event that the mission is a full success, not only will the army not suffer any casualties but they will be revitalised and receive 500 additional resupply this season.

===Eternal Aid===
* '''Plenipotentiary could be used to ask for help for the Drakes'''
* '''A poorly chosen eternal or a poorly worded request for help will do more damage than good'''
While much of the focus on the missing army revolves around the Night enchantment and the heralds of Night, Crucible is affected by ''three'' realms of magic not only one. In theory, the [[Archmage of Winter]], [[Archmage of Night]], [[Archmage of Spring]], or [[Stone Smith]] could each use their [[plenipotentiary]] at the Autumn Equinox to ask an appropriate eternal to intercede and help the Drakes. This is a risky course of action - the choice of eternal and exactly what they were asked to do will be crucial. Neither the eternals of Spring nor Night are especially fond of armies, and the aid of the eternals of Winter always comes at a price.

In the event that an eternal was asked for aid and minded to provide it, they could certainly increase the chances of the Drakes returning safe and untransformed. The civil service estimate that the aid of an eternal would ad 3,000 to the effective strength of the ''Find the Drakes'' venture. Two or more eternals would likely conflict with each other however - a second eternal would add another 2,000 effective strength, and a third only another 1,000.

Anyone attempting this should be ''very careful''. A poorly phrased request, or a request to an eternal that for whatever reason was not disposed to help, had problems with the Marches or the Drakes, or disliked the Empire, would instead ''subtract'' 5,000 from the effective strength of the ''Find the Drakes'' mission, with potentially disastrous consequences.

===Order, Order===
* '''A single Conclave Order could be guided to aid the efforts'''
* '''Only one Order can help but only if they are not currently busy elsewhere'''
Magicians are arguably the ones best placed to help, but which ones? The Conclave could choose one of the Orders and ask them to help recover the Marcher army. If that is the will of the Conclave they will need to choose a single order and give clear guidance on why they want them to help. An Order can only be [[Grandmaster#Guiding_an_Order|guided]] by their grandmaster using one of their two declarations of concord. Doing so would have the usual cost of twenty mana crystals, and would be guaranteed to contribute 1,000 strength to the efforts. Any other potential effects would depend which order was chosen.
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When something is lost

2026-09-08T18:56:31Z

Rafferty: /* Pride of the Marches */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<ic>John scanned the horizon, looking, desperately, anywhere for a patch of blue sky. There was nothing, of course. Just the same endless billowing green, as if the sky itself were carpeted in grass. Every time he raised his eyes to the sky, he got his hopes up, but every time they were dashed.

"It ain't natural," he said, the statement a contender for the worst understatement by a Marcher from Hay this week.

"No. As I keep telling you, we're ain't in Mitwold no more." Hatty Hay was trying not to snap but it was hard to keep a civil tongue in her mouth. "We're in some kind of regio. Some kind of enormous fucking regio. The size of Mitwold, or bigger even. Mebbe bigger than the whole Empire. Mebbe bigger than the whole world."

"I still don't see how can it be bigger than Madruga, and fit in the territory. John liked Hattie, best Landskeeper in the Drakes, as he often told people. But that was best as in "best at fixing broken bones" and the like. She was rubbish at explanations. He hadn't known that til now. Hadn't needed to mind.

Hattie bit her tongue and changed the subject. "Stop chewing teeth, we'll be fine. They'll find a way to get us out of here. And in the meantime, keep your eye on that sky. First bit of blue you see, you let me know."

John hoisted his pack. It was noticeably lighter than when they'd set out. That was definitely ''not'' reassuring.
</ic>
<div {{float-left}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Spring by Michalina.jpg|caption=What do you do when something is lost?|align=left|width=500}}</div>
==Overview==
* '''An enchantment has been cast on Madruga'''
* '''It coincides with two Imperial armies bringing the last two regions of the transfigured territory into the Empire'''
* '''One of those armies has not come back out of the marshes'''
Once [[Madruga]] was grassy plains, rich coastline, and prosperous islands. Now the islands are in the hand of the [[Iron Confederacy|Suranni]], the coastline is only just recovering from terrible storms and magical [[Spring magic#Chaos|chaos]], and much of the grassland has been transfigured into an enchanted marsh infused with the powers of the [[Realms#Night|Night]], [[Realms#Spring|Spring]], and [[Realms#Winter|Winter]] realms. Mind you, this is [[the Brass Coast]] and there are plenty of Freeborn who welcome the excitement, unpredictability, and wonder each day promises.

After the Summer Solstice, magic started to settle over Madruga. It took a little time to get going - this magic is full of the dreams of forests that have not grown in Madruga for a very long time indeed. What few woodlands there were went to build the ships the Freeborn value so highly. At the same time the magic was weaving its way across the twilit bayou and the grasslands, two Imperial armies were finally bringing the last regions of the territory back into Imperial control.

''One'' of those armies has since come back to report success. The other... has not.
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==Shadows over the Bayou==
* '''A potent Night magic enchantment has settled over Madruga'''
* '''Folk living there or visiting experience vibrant dreams of nighttime forests'''
* '''Encounters with heralds of the Night realm, especially Sung, Sadogua, and Azoth, have become a little more common'''
Night magic pools in Madruga, in quiet places throughout the territory. It whispers through the dreams of the people, who are visited by visions of a strange night-time forest. A swampy, marshy forest of cypress, alder, willow, and mangrove. The forest is alive with strange creatures, rainbow-hued little beasts that switch from one shape to another. From scuttling lizard, to soaring laughing bird, to chattering monkey, to three-tailed cat, to meddlesome octopus, to surreptitious alligator, to long-legged dodo-bird with a crest of eyes. They are not threatening, but they are strange and they trail dreamers who walk or punt through the phantasmal woodlands.

Encounters with the Night Realm are noticeably more common, little sparks of unexpected magic clearly drawing on the [[Night magic#Resonances|resonances]] of the [[Realms#Night|Wondrous Forest]]. In particular, people talk of seemingly chance encounters with odd heralds of that realm especially those answering to ''[[Sung|Rainbow Serpent]]'', ''[[Sadogua|Brother of Wizards]]'', and [[Azoth|''Crucible'']] itself. The creatures tend to be friendly, interested in the people, encouraging folk in the usual manners for their kind, happy to accept hospitality. This is the Brass Coast, and they often offer little boons in return for food and drink. They also offer payment for things no Freeborn would consider deserving of recompense - conversation, answers, the chance to pet a dog.

Obviously, given the nature of this kind of magic and the territory itself (especially [[Madruga#Crucible|Crucible]]) there is a significant chance of some kind of unexpected outcome. Perhaps even permanent transformation of the territory in some way...
===An Absolutely Terrible Idea===
* '''Nobody is entirely sure who first came up with it but a daring proposal has been made'''
Everybody says they heard it from somewhere else, but there's a fascinating idea doing the rounds. It might have come from the heralds of Azoth, who everyone knows love transcendence through alchemy and learning through experience almost as much as they adore inspiration through madness. It might have been mentioned in one of the long, rambling conversations between drunk hakima and heralds of Sadogua. It might even have been whispered into the wind by some of the children of Sung. Not that the heralds of the Night realm have a monopoly on ideas of dubious good sense - it's just as likely to have come from a hakima inspired by their dreams or even a visiting citizen from another nation entirely.

The idea is straightforward enough. The magic that infuses southern and western Madruga is not drawn from a single realm. So why not follow the Night enchantment currently nestled over the territory with a Spring and a Winter enchantment - in any order - and see what happens? Obviously the Children of Wrecks were throwing potent Spring magic around during their occupation of the islands but it was very much in the form of destructive [[curse|curses]]. But it can't be denied that such magic occasionally lead to beneficial results here and there - spreading ''marsh flowers'' for example. Wouldn't an enchantment ''intended'' to be beneficial be more likely to bring good results in Siroc Bayou, Crucible, or even the [[Madruga#Quiet Grasses|Quiet Grasses]]? They wouldn't even necessarily have to be cast strictly consecutively - although the order might matter - as long as no other enchantments were inserted in between. There is a very vague attempt to name the idea the "Madrugahedron" (referencing the [[Stargazer#Resonance_and_the_Omnihedron|omnihedron]] beloved by some [[Urizen|Urizeni]]) but it doesn't really catch on.

Before anyone can do anything as organised as make a concrete proposal, however, the ''other'' effect of that this Night enchantment seems t have had a hand in becomes clear and people have other things to talk about.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Drakes_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Star Forged colour.webp|align=right|width=200}}
==Into Crucible==
* '''The Drakes and the Star Forged have entered the Bayou, but become split up'''
* '''By the end of the season the Star Forged have emerged relatively unscathed, but the Drakes have not'''
* '''There is no sign of the missing army; more than six thousand Marcher soldiers have completely disappeared'''
Since the [[Where the river rises|transfiguration]] of Madruga - since the Dry Patricians were defeated and their terrible Blight washed away by waters infused with Spring and Night and ultimately Winter magic - this has been a place of mysteries and wonders. Last season, a season of [[phantasms and foam]], the [[Red Wind Corsairs]] explored [[Madruga#Siroc Bayou|Siroc Bayou]] attempting to understand the shifting marshes and bring this magically infused geography into the Empire proper. They encounterd [[Phantasms_and_foam#Madruga|difficulties]] but still made some headway mastering two thirds of the marshlands.

After the Summer Solstice, the Corsairs set off for [[the Marches]], alongside the [[Fire of the South]], and took part in the campaign against the Jotun in [[Bregasland]]. Two armies came south to complete their work - the [[Star Forged]], the new army of [[Navarr]], and the [[Drakes]], the [[Pride|proud]] first army of [[the Marches]]. Putting subtlety to one side, both armies were ordered to undertake an [[Army orders#Overwhelming Assault|overwhelming assault]] against the strangeness of the Bayou and Crucible, and that is exactly what they did. Both armies bore enchantments - the Drakes carried the [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]], invaluable in mastering the mysteries of the marshes. The Star Forged were empowered with [[Find the Best Path]], an enchantment that improves not only speed but the logistical structures of an army allowing them to move with confidence over long distances. Remember that bit.

Elsewhere in the territory there is some commentary from the heralds of the Night realm that the approach of the two armies is all wrong, too violent, too unsubtle, but the creatures of Night often say that kind of thing. There may be a ring of truth to it all - for the first month or so there are semi-regular reports from Navarr messengers of encounters with phantasmal soldiers similar to those the Red Wind Corsairs mentioned. Sometimes human, sometimes orc, sometimes something unlike either, they seem to be drawn out of history or in from dreams. There is fighting, but amazingly no casualties are suffered. The wounds the phantoms cause seem to lie in the mind and the spirit rather than on the body. The two armies complete the work of the 'Corsairs. Siroc Bayou still contains enigmas, as befits any locale infused with the essences of both the [[Realms#Spring|Primal Forest]] and the [[Realms#Night magic|Wondrous]] ones. They proceed to the next target - to Crucible itself.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Logan Dusklight.jpg|caption='''Logan Dusklight''', General of the Star Forged|align=right|width=250}}
The first report, delivered by a cheerful Navarr messenger, is that everything is proceeding as expected. Then... nothing. The next messenger does not arrive with a status update, and neither does the one after that or... There are a handful of Freeborn explorers who brave Crucible in search of treasures and wonders to sell in the markets of [[Madruga#Calvos|Calvos]] and [[Madruga#Quzar|Quzar]]. This season when they emerge from the marshes they report encounters with the Drakes and the Star Forged, surprised that people seem so concerned about them. The last such sighting indicates that the two armies have split up to cover more ground, but are confident that by the start of the Winter Solstice they will have ensured Crucible is part of Madruga in fact as well as name.

The silence from the armies themselves, however, stretches on. A patrol of soldiers sent in to make sure everything is alright are swallowed up and disappear in their turn. Something is clearly wrong...

Then, a little over three weeks before the Autumn Equinox, the Star Forged emerge from Crucible into [[Madruga#Lightsea|Lightsea]]. They are muddied and exhausted, but triumphant. Between them, the Drakes and the Star Forged have mapped out enough of Crucible, have established outposts and encampments, that the region is now truly Imperial. They warn that the place is very confusing, that the deeper one pushes into Crucible the larger and wilder it seems to become, although that might just be the Night magic and the Spring magic playing tricks on the mind.

What they haven't brought out of Crucible with them however are the Drakes themselves. There is some confusion among the Navarr - they thought the Drakes would rendezvous with them in Lightsea. And yet there is no sign of the Marcher army. The entire six-thousand-strong force of the Marches has vanished.

The only sign of the Drakes comes when four units under the command of ''Iñez i Azul-Mar i Riqueza'' of [[the Brass Coast]], ''Fay Baker'' of [[Dawn]], and two Marcher captains - Lazarus and John of Meade. They are as confused as the Star Forged - they seem to have only jumbled recollections of the last few weeks, and believed the rest of the army was right behind them. But there continues to be no sign of the Marcher army.
===Participation : Mist Walking===
* '''Anyone whose military unit supported the Drakes or the Star Forged has jumbled recollections of their time in the marshes'''
* '''Any such character with the naga lineage might find their physical or roleplaying trappings becoming stronger'''
* '''Any human character who supported one of the armies may choose to change their lineage to naga after the Autumn Equinox'''
Any character whose military unit supported one of the armies that were exploring and cataloguing the Siroc Bayou and Crucible, you are likely to have jumbled recollections of precisely what happened. The more you try to remember the harder it is to keep a coherent thread. You are encouraged to skim over some of the other text about the marshes, such as that in [[Phantasms and foam]] last season, or the descriptions of the marshes' peculiarities in the [[Made anew]] wind of fortune.

Any character with the [[naga]] lineage who supported the Drakes or the Star Forged, or is the general of one of those armies, may use this as an opportunity to strengthen their [[Naga#Other_Trappings|lineage trappings]] or to focus on one or more of their [[Naga#Roleplaying|roleplaying trappings]] and heighten their effects.

Likewise, any human character with no lineage who supported one of the armies may choose to develop the naga lineage. Given the short gap between this wind of fortune being produced and the event, you may want to demonstrate roleplaying trappings at the Autumn Equinox and arrange your trappings afterward - meaning you can email {{plot}} after the event to get your lineage updated.
==Still In There Somewhere==
* '''Magicians and their eternal allies all agree that the Marcher army has been trapped somehow by the kaleidoscope of magic that permeates the Bayou'''
* '''The Star Forged were saved by the nature of the enchantment on them, the Drakes were not so fortunate'''
* '''To get them back, the Empire will have to go and look for them'''
The [[hakima]] from the [[Hakima_of_Salt_and_Sand#Parador_of_Salt_and_Sand|Parador of Salt and Sand]] are among some of the first to talk to those who have emerged from the marshes, and a potential explanation begins to emerge. The Night magic enchantment on Madruga has ''done something'' to the Crucible. The Drakes are, as near as anyone can tell, still exploring it. It looks as if the magic enhancing their ability to claim ground - the ''Clarity'' - may actually have worked against them in fact by encouraging them to keep seeking to understand a place that defies explanation. The Star Forged however were enchanted with an [[Autumn magic]] working that empowers armies to ''get where they are going''. While the Crucible might have drawn them in, ultimately their enchantment served to ensure they emerged unfazed.

All the reports suggest the Marcher soldiers are probably fine - but the longer they stay in Crucible the more likely they are to either get so lost they can never return, or to undergo some kind of terrible transformation, or to encounter something more dangerous than phantasmal dream soldiers.
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Conveniently. there are a few heralds of the Night realm in Madruga who are happy to offer their own particular brand of assistance when challenged. The little wizards of Sadogua concurr with the hakima assessment, and are more than happy to get into the deep and confusing weeds of a conversation about the interactions of different kinds of magic. The heralds of Azoth find the questions a little confusing, and suggest that rather than assuming the Drakes are lost, they should instead consider them to be on a bold adventure, one that might lead to exciting new insights into magic, war, and the mortal spirit. The heralds of Sung reply to all questions with questions of their own, the most common being "''What do you do when something is lost?''" which at first seems very unhelpful but provides inspiration to the hakima. What you do when something is lost is ''you go and look for it''.
==Finding the Missing Legion==
* '''The Drakes are lost in the trackless Marshes of the Crucible '''
* '''Helping to bring them back will require a concerted effort by their allies'''
* '''The Military Council could apply the guerdon to the efforts to rescue the Drakes'''
The likely explanation is that the Drakes are still in Crucible somewhere. The [[Imperial Seer]], '''Jorma Steelhail''', should be able to confirm this with a simple casting of [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]]. The Marcher [[egregore]]s should likewise know whether the soldiers of the Drakes are still alive and well or not. The heralds of Sadogua and Azoth certainly think they are, but their definition of "alive and well" is of questionable value.

Following the Autumn Equinox there will be an [[opportunity]] for [[military unit|military units]] to launch a rescue mission into the Crucible. The aim will be to find the Drakes and lead them safely out of Crucible before anything bad happens to them. Nothing is ever easy, however, and definitely not in places like Crucible after a potent Night enchantment.

After the Autumn Equinox, any [[military unit]] can take the [[venture]] ''Find the Drakes''. This is a [[Military unit#Scouting|scouting]] action that represents venturing into Crucible, helping find the missing Marcher army, convincing them that they are lost in magical marshes, and leading them back to Lightsea or Quiet Grasses (or indeed anywhere that is not Crucible). Instead of the usual production a military unit receives, a standard military unit would gain one random ''marsh flower'', and 36 rings (representing wonders of the marshes). This is a pitiful recompense, but obviously the [[Quartermaster General of the Imperial Armies|Quartermaster General]] could apply the [[Military_unit#Guerdon_Shares|Imperial Guerdon]].

As with many such situations the amount of strength applied to this venture effects the outcome.
<br><br>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Less than 5,000 Strength - Further In</span><br>
A limited response will mean the Drakes are not rescued in time for the Winter Solstice 388YE. They remain lost in the marshes, and they will have lost 2,000 strength due to missing soldiers and the dangers of the deep Crucible. There will be another attempt to rescue them at the Winter solstice.<br><br>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Between 5,000 and 10,000 Strength - Desperate Egress</span><br>
The rescue mission is a success, and the Drakes emerge from Curcible in time for the Winter Solstice. In the process however, they will have lost 1,000 strength due to soldiers who get left behind, disastrous encounters, or unrecoverable transformations.<br><br>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Between 10,000 and 20,000 Strength - Controlled Extraction</span><br>
The Drakes emerge from Crucible in time for the WInter Solstice. They have sustained some losses but their strength falls only by 500. They will also have the opportunity for a change to their quality, either related to their time in the transformative marshes or the inspirational support and outpouring of love from their people.<br><br>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">More than 20,000 Strength - Total Victory</span><br>
The Drakes emerge from crucible hale and hearty, with the opportunity for a new quality. In addition they and the other explorers of the marshes will have discovered an opportunity in the marshes that could be exploited by the Empire in the future.

To complicate matters, not every [[military unit]] is equally able to contribute to this venture. '''Freeborn''', '''Navarr''', and '''Marcher''' units provide their full effectiveness. Military units from any other nation contribute (and receive rewards) as if their strength were two ranks lower.

Some folk have an advantage here however - any military unit that supported either the Drakes or the Star Forged this season receives a 2 rank bonus to help rescue the Drakes, effecting both effective strength and rewards.
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===All Things Can Have A Price===
* '''Rather than focus solely on finding the Drakes a military unit could go looking for treasure'''
* '''These military units will gain more treasure and provide less help to find the Drakes'''
* '''All military units taking either action will appear in a single list compiled by the civil service'''
* '''If finding the drakes gets the guerdon, then everyone involved will be able to claim the rewards'''
There is another approach here, but one that might result in a little bit of... criticism. Instead of focusing ''exclusively'' on finding the Drakes, a military unit ''might'' take the opportunity to do some exploration of their own and see what they can pick up. As well as the ''Find the Drakes'' venture, the ''Take Your Time Looking For Lost Marchers'' venture is also available. This is a [[venture#questing|questing]] venture, and a standard military unit that undertakes it will receive 2 pieces of "Adversity Vis" (that is, [[Vis#Vital Honey|Vital Honey]], [[Vis#Hearts Blood|Hearts Blood]], or [[Vis#Crystal Fire|Crystal Fire]]) and two ''marsh flowers''. An upgraded or enchanted military unit will receive commensurately more treasure.

This venture is available to anyone who wants to take it. Those military units receiving a two rank bonus from supporting one of the two armies this season will still do so. ''However'' there is a drawback to this action and that is that ''regardless'' of the effective strength of the military unit, it will ''only'' contribute 50 effective strength towards finding the Drakes and guiding them out of Crucible. The actual rank of the military unit and its enchantments will have no bearing on the amount they contribute.

There isn't any way for the civil service to tell who is searching for the Drakes and who is taking their time about it, so a single list will appear with all the names on the same roll of honour. If the guerdon is applied to finding the Drakes, then everyone who takes ''either'' venture will be able to claim a share of it.

===Pride of the Marches===
* '''The General of the Drakes is still a General'''
* '''The General can still issue an order to the army though it the force can't actually leave the region or undertake an attack or defence'''
* '''Folk from the Marches can support the Drakes to help them deal with potential casualties providing a lifeline to home'''
* '''It is still possible to target the army with an enchantment but impossible to predict what if anything it will do'''
* '''There is no upkeep for the army this season'''
* '''The general of the Drakes is Alfred Houtman Fella'''
Obviously the general of the Drakes '''Alfred Houtman Fella''' is in a little bit of a bind given their army is missing in action. The civil service have confirmed that they still ''are'' a [[general]] even though their army is currently somewhere in Madruga. They can still participate freely in the [[Military Council]] until such time as proof emerges that the Drakes are never coming back. They can even still issue an order, but ''only'' the text of the order matters. The army will remain in Madruga, lost in Crucible. It also isn't possible for military units to take the [[military unit#Campaigning|campaigning]] action to support the army. It is still possible to place an enchantment on the army using the general as focus, but impossible to predict exactly what the effect will be. The ritual will still ''have'' its effect but the ability of the Drakes to benefit from it will depend entirely on what it is.

There is no upkeep for the army this season, since the civil service has no easy way to feed and billet the army.

===Pride and Loyalty===
* '''An outpouring of Pride and Loyalty inspires the folk of the Marches'''
* '''Heralds of Sadogua and Lashonar have agreed to carry care packages and messages of support to the stranded Drakes'''
* '''''Any'' Marcher character can choose to support the rescue of the Drakes albeit with limited effect'''
There are concerns about how the soldiers on campaign, lost in the trackless marshes of Madruga will survive, but that only results in an outpouring of support from the Marches, especially [[Upwold]]. The Drakes are well loved, after all, and if [[Life of Tom Drake|Tom Drake]] taught anything else it is that you look out for your own. Obviously, this being the Marches, there has also been some recrimination from people who ought to know better who argue that a sinister Freeborn conspiracy has intentionally sacrificed the Drakes to Azoth but it is ''probably'' safe to ignore those people. Humans and orcs want to do everything they can to help, even if they can't send beaters of their own to deal with the situation.

By itself its not clear how they ''could'' help (beyond encouraging or enchanting military units), but help comes from unexpected sources. Some of the [[smith]]s and [[landskeeper]]s have spoken to servants of Sadogua and Lashonar, and both eternals have committed to offer their assistance. They are prepared to carry messages and supplies into the Crucible and make sure they get to the Drakes. In a similar manner to the way the Navarr and the Imperial Orc nations were able to support the raid against the Great Forest Orcs, the people of the Marches can show their support for the Drakes if they wish.

''Any'' Marcher character can take the action to support the venture to ''Support the Drakes''. Any character that chooses to support the action will suffer a 50% penalty to the normal production of their [[Resource#Personal_Resource|personal resource]]. A character with a [[congregation]] that supports the venture will instead receive ''no'' [[liao]], but will keep all their Synod votes. They will however not be able to undertake a [[Congregation#Lectures|lecture]] or [[Congregation#Downtime_Options|preach]] at the same time. A [[fleet]] likewise can't take a different [[voyage]], including trading or supporting an army. Instead of their normal production they'll get the same as a military unit (a marsh flower and some valuables).

Even if they aren't going to Madruga personally, they can still provide crucial supplies to support the soldiers of the Drakes themselves. The help they provide won't benefit from [[enchantment|enchantments]], but all resources of the characters that ''Support the Drakes'' will contribute ''half'' the strength of a military unit of equivalent rank.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Arwydd Clearbramble.jpg|caption='''Arwydd Clearbramble''', Archmage of Spring|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Bloodcrow Arora.jpg|caption='''Bloodcrow Arora''', Archmage of Winter|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Brat Umbral Path.jpg|caption='''Brat Umbral Path''', Archmage of Night|title=One in six Night eternals thing he's pretty neat|align=right|width=200}}</div>
Each resource that takes this action will contribute 50 strength to the ''Find the Drakes'' venture. For every 100 Marcher characters take the option, any damage suffered due to a partial success will be reduced by 500. In the event that the mission is a full success, not only will the army not suffer any casualties but they will be revitalised and receive 500 additional resupply this season.

===Eternal Aid===
* '''Plenipotentiary could be used to ask for help for the Drakes'''
* '''A poorly chosen eternal or a poorly worded request for help will do more damage than good'''
While much of the focus on the missing army revolves around the Night enchantment and the heralds of Night, Crucible is affected by ''three'' realms of magic not only one. In theory, the [[Archmage of Winter]], [[Archmage of Night]], [[Archmage of Spring]], or [[Stone Smith]] could each use their [[plenipotentiary]] at the Autumn Equinox to ask an appropriate eternal to intercede and help the Drakes. This is a risky course of action - the choice of eternal and exactly what they were asked to do will be crucial. Neither the eternals of Spring nor Night are especially fond of armies, and the aid of the eternals of Winter always comes at a price.

In the event that an eternal was asked for aid and minded to provide it, they could certainly increase the chances of the Drakes returning safe and untransformed. The civil service estimate that the aid of an eternal would ad 3,000 to the effective strength of the ''Find the Drakes'' venture. Two or more eternals would likely conflict with each other however - a second eternal would add another 2,000 effective strength, and a third only another 1,000.

Anyone attempting this should be ''very careful''. A poorly phrased request, or a request to an eternal that for whatever reason was not disposed to help, had problems with the Marches or the Drakes, or disliked the Empire, would instead ''subtract'' 5,000 from the effective strength of the ''Find the Drakes'' mission, with potentially disastrous consequences.

===Order, Order===
* '''A single Conclave Order could be guided to aid the efforts'''
* '''Only one Order can help but only if they are not currently busy elsewhere'''
Magicians are arguably the ones best placed to help, but which ones? The Conclave could choose one of the Orders and ask them to help recover the Marcher army. If that is the will of the Conclave they will need to choose a single order and give clear guidance on why they want them to help. An Order can only be [[Grandmaster#Guiding_an_Order|guided]] by their grandmaster using one of their two declarations of concord. Doing so would have the usual cost of twenty mana crystals, and would be guaranteed to contribute 1,000 strength to the efforts. Any other potential effects would depend which order was chosen.
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When something is lost

2026-09-08T18:55:57Z

Rafferty: /* Pride and Loyalty */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<ic>John scanned the horizon, looking, desperately, anywhere for a patch of blue sky. There was nothing, of course. Just the same endless billowing green, as if the sky itself were carpeted in grass. Every time he raised his eyes to the sky, he got his hopes up, but every time they were dashed.

"It ain't natural," he said, the statement a contender for the worst understatement by a Marcher from Hay this week.

"No. As I keep telling you, we're ain't in Mitwold no more." Hatty Hay was trying not to snap but it was hard to keep a civil tongue in her mouth. "We're in some kind of regio. Some kind of enormous fucking regio. The size of Mitwold, or bigger even. Mebbe bigger than the whole Empire. Mebbe bigger than the whole world."

"I still don't see how can it be bigger than Madruga, and fit in the territory. John liked Hattie, best Landskeeper in the Drakes, as he often told people. But that was best as in "best at fixing broken bones" and the like. She was rubbish at explanations. He hadn't known that til now. Hadn't needed to mind.

Hattie bit her tongue and changed the subject. "Stop chewing teeth, we'll be fine. They'll find a way to get us out of here. And in the meantime, keep your eye on that sky. First bit of blue you see, you let me know."

John hoisted his pack. It was noticeably lighter than when they'd set out. That was definitely ''not'' reassuring.
</ic>
<div {{float-left}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Spring by Michalina.jpg|caption=What do you do when something is lost?|align=left|width=500}}</div>
==Overview==
* '''An enchantment has been cast on Madruga'''
* '''It coincides with two Imperial armies bringing the last two regions of the transfigured territory into the Empire'''
* '''One of those armies has not come back out of the marshes'''
Once [[Madruga]] was grassy plains, rich coastline, and prosperous islands. Now the islands are in the hand of the [[Iron Confederacy|Suranni]], the coastline is only just recovering from terrible storms and magical [[Spring magic#Chaos|chaos]], and much of the grassland has been transfigured into an enchanted marsh infused with the powers of the [[Realms#Night|Night]], [[Realms#Spring|Spring]], and [[Realms#Winter|Winter]] realms. Mind you, this is [[the Brass Coast]] and there are plenty of Freeborn who welcome the excitement, unpredictability, and wonder each day promises.

After the Summer Solstice, magic started to settle over Madruga. It took a little time to get going - this magic is full of the dreams of forests that have not grown in Madruga for a very long time indeed. What few woodlands there were went to build the ships the Freeborn value so highly. At the same time the magic was weaving its way across the twilit bayou and the grasslands, two Imperial armies were finally bringing the last regions of the territory back into Imperial control.

''One'' of those armies has since come back to report success. The other... has not.
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==Shadows over the Bayou==
* '''A potent Night magic enchantment has settled over Madruga'''
* '''Folk living there or visiting experience vibrant dreams of nighttime forests'''
* '''Encounters with heralds of the Night realm, especially Sung, Sadogua, and Azoth, have become a little more common'''
Night magic pools in Madruga, in quiet places throughout the territory. It whispers through the dreams of the people, who are visited by visions of a strange night-time forest. A swampy, marshy forest of cypress, alder, willow, and mangrove. The forest is alive with strange creatures, rainbow-hued little beasts that switch from one shape to another. From scuttling lizard, to soaring laughing bird, to chattering monkey, to three-tailed cat, to meddlesome octopus, to surreptitious alligator, to long-legged dodo-bird with a crest of eyes. They are not threatening, but they are strange and they trail dreamers who walk or punt through the phantasmal woodlands.

Encounters with the Night Realm are noticeably more common, little sparks of unexpected magic clearly drawing on the [[Night magic#Resonances|resonances]] of the [[Realms#Night|Wondrous Forest]]. In particular, people talk of seemingly chance encounters with odd heralds of that realm especially those answering to ''[[Sung|Rainbow Serpent]]'', ''[[Sadogua|Brother of Wizards]]'', and [[Azoth|''Crucible'']] itself. The creatures tend to be friendly, interested in the people, encouraging folk in the usual manners for their kind, happy to accept hospitality. This is the Brass Coast, and they often offer little boons in return for food and drink. They also offer payment for things no Freeborn would consider deserving of recompense - conversation, answers, the chance to pet a dog.

Obviously, given the nature of this kind of magic and the territory itself (especially [[Madruga#Crucible|Crucible]]) there is a significant chance of some kind of unexpected outcome. Perhaps even permanent transformation of the territory in some way...
===An Absolutely Terrible Idea===
* '''Nobody is entirely sure who first came up with it but a daring proposal has been made'''
Everybody says they heard it from somewhere else, but there's a fascinating idea doing the rounds. It might have come from the heralds of Azoth, who everyone knows love transcendence through alchemy and learning through experience almost as much as they adore inspiration through madness. It might have been mentioned in one of the long, rambling conversations between drunk hakima and heralds of Sadogua. It might even have been whispered into the wind by some of the children of Sung. Not that the heralds of the Night realm have a monopoly on ideas of dubious good sense - it's just as likely to have come from a hakima inspired by their dreams or even a visiting citizen from another nation entirely.

The idea is straightforward enough. The magic that infuses southern and western Madruga is not drawn from a single realm. So why not follow the Night enchantment currently nestled over the territory with a Spring and a Winter enchantment - in any order - and see what happens? Obviously the Children of Wrecks were throwing potent Spring magic around during their occupation of the islands but it was very much in the form of destructive [[curse|curses]]. But it can't be denied that such magic occasionally lead to beneficial results here and there - spreading ''marsh flowers'' for example. Wouldn't an enchantment ''intended'' to be beneficial be more likely to bring good results in Siroc Bayou, Crucible, or even the [[Madruga#Quiet Grasses|Quiet Grasses]]? They wouldn't even necessarily have to be cast strictly consecutively - although the order might matter - as long as no other enchantments were inserted in between. There is a very vague attempt to name the idea the "Madrugahedron" (referencing the [[Stargazer#Resonance_and_the_Omnihedron|omnihedron]] beloved by some [[Urizen|Urizeni]]) but it doesn't really catch on.

Before anyone can do anything as organised as make a concrete proposal, however, the ''other'' effect of that this Night enchantment seems t have had a hand in becomes clear and people have other things to talk about.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Drakes_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Star Forged colour.webp|align=right|width=200}}
==Into Crucible==
* '''The Drakes and the Star Forged have entered the Bayou, but become split up'''
* '''By the end of the season the Star Forged have emerged relatively unscathed, but the Drakes have not'''
* '''There is no sign of the missing army; more than six thousand Marcher soldiers have completely disappeared'''
Since the [[Where the river rises|transfiguration]] of Madruga - since the Dry Patricians were defeated and their terrible Blight washed away by waters infused with Spring and Night and ultimately Winter magic - this has been a place of mysteries and wonders. Last season, a season of [[phantasms and foam]], the [[Red Wind Corsairs]] explored [[Madruga#Siroc Bayou|Siroc Bayou]] attempting to understand the shifting marshes and bring this magically infused geography into the Empire proper. They encounterd [[Phantasms_and_foam#Madruga|difficulties]] but still made some headway mastering two thirds of the marshlands.

After the Summer Solstice, the Corsairs set off for [[the Marches]], alongside the [[Fire of the South]], and took part in the campaign against the Jotun in [[Bregasland]]. Two armies came south to complete their work - the [[Star Forged]], the new army of [[Navarr]], and the [[Drakes]], the [[Pride|proud]] first army of [[the Marches]]. Putting subtlety to one side, both armies were ordered to undertake an [[Army orders#Overwhelming Assault|overwhelming assault]] against the strangeness of the Bayou and Crucible, and that is exactly what they did. Both armies bore enchantments - the Drakes carried the [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]], invaluable in mastering the mysteries of the marshes. The Star Forged were empowered with [[Find the Best Path]], an enchantment that improves not only speed but the logistical structures of an army allowing them to move with confidence over long distances. Remember that bit.

Elsewhere in the territory there is some commentary from the heralds of the Night realm that the approach of the two armies is all wrong, too violent, too unsubtle, but the creatures of Night often say that kind of thing. There may be a ring of truth to it all - for the first month or so there are semi-regular reports from Navarr messengers of encounters with phantasmal soldiers similar to those the Red Wind Corsairs mentioned. Sometimes human, sometimes orc, sometimes something unlike either, they seem to be drawn out of history or in from dreams. There is fighting, but amazingly no casualties are suffered. The wounds the phantoms cause seem to lie in the mind and the spirit rather than on the body. The two armies complete the work of the 'Corsairs. Siroc Bayou still contains enigmas, as befits any locale infused with the essences of both the [[Realms#Spring|Primal Forest]] and the [[Realms#Night magic|Wondrous]] ones. They proceed to the next target - to Crucible itself.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Logan Dusklight.jpg|caption='''Logan Dusklight''', General of the Star Forged|align=right|width=250}}
The first report, delivered by a cheerful Navarr messenger, is that everything is proceeding as expected. Then... nothing. The next messenger does not arrive with a status update, and neither does the one after that or... There are a handful of Freeborn explorers who brave Crucible in search of treasures and wonders to sell in the markets of [[Madruga#Calvos|Calvos]] and [[Madruga#Quzar|Quzar]]. This season when they emerge from the marshes they report encounters with the Drakes and the Star Forged, surprised that people seem so concerned about them. The last such sighting indicates that the two armies have split up to cover more ground, but are confident that by the start of the Winter Solstice they will have ensured Crucible is part of Madruga in fact as well as name.

The silence from the armies themselves, however, stretches on. A patrol of soldiers sent in to make sure everything is alright are swallowed up and disappear in their turn. Something is clearly wrong...

Then, a little over three weeks before the Autumn Equinox, the Star Forged emerge from Crucible into [[Madruga#Lightsea|Lightsea]]. They are muddied and exhausted, but triumphant. Between them, the Drakes and the Star Forged have mapped out enough of Crucible, have established outposts and encampments, that the region is now truly Imperial. They warn that the place is very confusing, that the deeper one pushes into Crucible the larger and wilder it seems to become, although that might just be the Night magic and the Spring magic playing tricks on the mind.

What they haven't brought out of Crucible with them however are the Drakes themselves. There is some confusion among the Navarr - they thought the Drakes would rendezvous with them in Lightsea. And yet there is no sign of the Marcher army. The entire six-thousand-strong force of the Marches has vanished.

The only sign of the Drakes comes when four units under the command of ''Iñez i Azul-Mar i Riqueza'' of [[the Brass Coast]], ''Fay Baker'' of [[Dawn]], and two Marcher captains - Lazarus and John of Meade. They are as confused as the Star Forged - they seem to have only jumbled recollections of the last few weeks, and believed the rest of the army was right behind them. But there continues to be no sign of the Marcher army.
===Participation : Mist Walking===
* '''Anyone whose military unit supported the Drakes or the Star Forged has jumbled recollections of their time in the marshes'''
* '''Any such character with the naga lineage might find their physical or roleplaying trappings becoming stronger'''
* '''Any human character who supported one of the armies may choose to change their lineage to naga after the Autumn Equinox'''
Any character whose military unit supported one of the armies that were exploring and cataloguing the Siroc Bayou and Crucible, you are likely to have jumbled recollections of precisely what happened. The more you try to remember the harder it is to keep a coherent thread. You are encouraged to skim over some of the other text about the marshes, such as that in [[Phantasms and foam]] last season, or the descriptions of the marshes' peculiarities in the [[Made anew]] wind of fortune.

Any character with the [[naga]] lineage who supported the Drakes or the Star Forged, or is the general of one of those armies, may use this as an opportunity to strengthen their [[Naga#Other_Trappings|lineage trappings]] or to focus on one or more of their [[Naga#Roleplaying|roleplaying trappings]] and heighten their effects.

Likewise, any human character with no lineage who supported one of the armies may choose to develop the naga lineage. Given the short gap between this wind of fortune being produced and the event, you may want to demonstrate roleplaying trappings at the Autumn Equinox and arrange your trappings afterward - meaning you can email {{plot}} after the event to get your lineage updated.
==Still In There Somewhere==
* '''Magicians and their eternal allies all agree that the Marcher army has been trapped somehow by the kaleidoscope of magic that permeates the Bayou'''
* '''The Star Forged were saved by the nature of the enchantment on them, the Drakes were not so fortunate'''
* '''To get them back, the Empire will have to go and look for them'''
The [[hakima]] from the [[Hakima_of_Salt_and_Sand#Parador_of_Salt_and_Sand|Parador of Salt and Sand]] are among some of the first to talk to those who have emerged from the marshes, and a potential explanation begins to emerge. The Night magic enchantment on Madruga has ''done something'' to the Crucible. The Drakes are, as near as anyone can tell, still exploring it. It looks as if the magic enhancing their ability to claim ground - the ''Clarity'' - may actually have worked against them in fact by encouraging them to keep seeking to understand a place that defies explanation. The Star Forged however were enchanted with an [[Autumn magic]] working that empowers armies to ''get where they are going''. While the Crucible might have drawn them in, ultimately their enchantment served to ensure they emerged unfazed.

All the reports suggest the Marcher soldiers are probably fine - but the longer they stay in Crucible the more likely they are to either get so lost they can never return, or to undergo some kind of terrible transformation, or to encounter something more dangerous than phantasmal dream soldiers.
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Conveniently. there are a few heralds of the Night realm in Madruga who are happy to offer their own particular brand of assistance when challenged. The little wizards of Sadogua concurr with the hakima assessment, and are more than happy to get into the deep and confusing weeds of a conversation about the interactions of different kinds of magic. The heralds of Azoth find the questions a little confusing, and suggest that rather than assuming the Drakes are lost, they should instead consider them to be on a bold adventure, one that might lead to exciting new insights into magic, war, and the mortal spirit. The heralds of Sung reply to all questions with questions of their own, the most common being "''What do you do when something is lost?''" which at first seems very unhelpful but provides inspiration to the hakima. What you do when something is lost is ''you go and look for it''.
==Finding the Missing Legion==
* '''The Drakes are lost in the trackless Marshes of the Crucible '''
* '''Helping to bring them back will require a concerted effort by their allies'''
* '''The Military Council could apply the guerdon to the efforts to rescue the Drakes'''
The likely explanation is that the Drakes are still in Crucible somewhere. The [[Imperial Seer]], '''Jorma Steelhail''', should be able to confirm this with a simple casting of [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]]. The Marcher [[egregore]]s should likewise know whether the soldiers of the Drakes are still alive and well or not. The heralds of Sadogua and Azoth certainly think they are, but their definition of "alive and well" is of questionable value.

Following the Autumn Equinox there will be an [[opportunity]] for [[military unit|military units]] to launch a rescue mission into the Crucible. The aim will be to find the Drakes and lead them safely out of Crucible before anything bad happens to them. Nothing is ever easy, however, and definitely not in places like Crucible after a potent Night enchantment.

After the Autumn Equinox, any [[military unit]] can take the [[venture]] ''Find the Drakes''. This is a [[Military unit#Scouting|scouting]] action that represents venturing into Crucible, helping find the missing Marcher army, convincing them that they are lost in magical marshes, and leading them back to Lightsea or Quiet Grasses (or indeed anywhere that is not Crucible). Instead of the usual production a military unit receives, a standard military unit would gain one random ''marsh flower'', and 36 rings (representing wonders of the marshes). This is a pitiful recompense, but obviously the [[Quartermaster General of the Imperial Armies|Quartermaster General]] could apply the [[Military_unit#Guerdon_Shares|Imperial Guerdon]].

As with many such situations the amount of strength applied to this venture effects the outcome.
<br><br>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Less than 5,000 Strength - Further In</span><br>
A limited response will mean the Drakes are not rescued in time for the Winter Solstice 388YE. They remain lost in the marshes, and they will have lost 2,000 strength due to missing soldiers and the dangers of the deep Crucible. There will be another attempt to rescue them at the Winter solstice.<br><br>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Between 5,000 and 10,000 Strength - Desperate Egress</span><br>
The rescue mission is a success, and the Drakes emerge from Curcible in time for the Winter Solstice. In the process however, they will have lost 1,000 strength due to soldiers who get left behind, disastrous encounters, or unrecoverable transformations.<br><br>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Between 10,000 and 20,000 Strength - Controlled Extraction</span><br>
The Drakes emerge from Crucible in time for the WInter Solstice. They have sustained some losses but their strength falls only by 500. They will also have the opportunity for a change to their quality, either related to their time in the transformative marshes or the inspirational support and outpouring of love from their people.<br><br>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">More than 20,000 Strength - Total Victory</span><br>
The Drakes emerge from crucible hale and hearty, with the opportunity for a new quality. In addition they and the other explorers of the marshes will have discovered an opportunity in the marshes that could be exploited by the Empire in the future.

To complicate matters, not every [[military unit]] is equally able to contribute to this venture. '''Freeborn''', '''Navarr''', and '''Marcher''' units provide their full effectiveness. Military units from any other nation contribute (and receive rewards) as if their strength were two ranks lower.

Some folk have an advantage here however - any military unit that supported either the Drakes or the Star Forged this season receives a 2 rank bonus to help rescue the Drakes, effecting both effective strength and rewards.
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===All Things Can Have A Price===
* '''Rather than focus solely on finding the Drakes a military unit could go looking for treasure'''
* '''These military units will gain more treasure and provide less help to find the Drakes'''
* '''All military units taking either action will appear in a single list compiled by the civil service'''
* '''If finding the drakes gets the guerdon, then everyone involved will be able to claim the rewards'''
There is another approach here, but one that might result in a little bit of... criticism. Instead of focusing ''exclusively'' on finding the Drakes, a military unit ''might'' take the opportunity to do some exploration of their own and see what they can pick up. As well as the ''Find the Drakes'' venture, the ''Take Your Time Looking For Lost Marchers'' venture is also available. This is a [[venture#questing|questing]] venture, and a standard military unit that undertakes it will receive 2 pieces of "Adversity Vis" (that is, [[Vis#Vital Honey|Vital Honey]], [[Vis#Hearts Blood|Hearts Blood]], or [[Vis#Crystal Fire|Crystal Fire]]) and two ''marsh flowers''. An upgraded or enchanted military unit will receive commensurately more treasure.

This venture is available to anyone who wants to take it. Those military units receiving a two rank bonus from supporting one of the two armies this season will still do so. ''However'' there is a drawback to this action and that is that ''regardless'' of the effective strength of the military unit, it will ''only'' contribute 50 effective strength towards finding the Drakes and guiding them out of Crucible. The actual rank of the military unit and its enchantments will have no bearing on the amount they contribute.

There isn't any way for the civil service to tell who is searching for the Drakes and who is taking their time about it, so a single list will appear with all the names on the same roll of honour. If the guerdon is applied to finding the Drakes, then everyone who takes ''either'' venture will be able to claim a share of it.

===Pride of the Marches===
* '''The General of the Drakes is still a General'''
* '''The General can still issue an order to the army though it the force can't actually leave the region or undertake an attack or defence'''
* '''Folk from the Marches can support the Drakes to help them deal with potential casualties providing a lifeline to home'''
* '''It is still possible to target the army with an enchantment but impossible to predict what if anything it will do'''
* '''There is no upkeep for the army this season'''
* '''The general of the Drakes is Alfred Houtman Fella'''
Obviously the general of the Drakes '''Alfred Houtman Fella''' is in a little bit of a bind given their army is missing in action. The civil service have confirmed that they still ''are'' a [[general]] even though their army is currently somewhere in Madruga. They can still participate freely in the [[Military Council]] until such time as proof emerges that the Drakes are never coming back. They can even still issue an order, but ''only'' the text of the order matters. The army will remain in Madruga, lost in Crucible. It also isn't possible for military units to take the [[campaigning]] action to support the army. It is still possible to place an enchantment on the army using the general as focus, but impossible to predict exactly what the effect will be. The ritual will still ''have'' its effect but the ability of the Drakes to benefit from it will depend entirely on what it is.

There is no upkeep for the army this season, since the civil service has no easy way to feed and billet the army.

===Pride and Loyalty===
* '''An outpouring of Pride and Loyalty inspires the folk of the Marches'''
* '''Heralds of Sadogua and Lashonar have agreed to carry care packages and messages of support to the stranded Drakes'''
* '''''Any'' Marcher character can choose to support the rescue of the Drakes albeit with limited effect'''
There are concerns about how the soldiers on campaign, lost in the trackless marshes of Madruga will survive, but that only results in an outpouring of support from the Marches, especially [[Upwold]]. The Drakes are well loved, after all, and if [[Life of Tom Drake|Tom Drake]] taught anything else it is that you look out for your own. Obviously, this being the Marches, there has also been some recrimination from people who ought to know better who argue that a sinister Freeborn conspiracy has intentionally sacrificed the Drakes to Azoth but it is ''probably'' safe to ignore those people. Humans and orcs want to do everything they can to help, even if they can't send beaters of their own to deal with the situation.

By itself its not clear how they ''could'' help (beyond encouraging or enchanting military units), but help comes from unexpected sources. Some of the [[smith]]s and [[landskeeper]]s have spoken to servants of Sadogua and Lashonar, and both eternals have committed to offer their assistance. They are prepared to carry messages and supplies into the Crucible and make sure they get to the Drakes. In a similar manner to the way the Navarr and the Imperial Orc nations were able to support the raid against the Great Forest Orcs, the people of the Marches can show their support for the Drakes if they wish.

''Any'' Marcher character can take the action to support the venture to ''Support the Drakes''. Any character that chooses to support the action will suffer a 50% penalty to the normal production of their [[Resource#Personal_Resource|personal resource]]. A character with a [[congregation]] that supports the venture will instead receive ''no'' [[liao]], but will keep all their Synod votes. They will however not be able to undertake a [[Congregation#Lectures|lecture]] or [[Congregation#Downtime_Options|preach]] at the same time. A [[fleet]] likewise can't take a different [[voyage]], including trading or supporting an army. Instead of their normal production they'll get the same as a military unit (a marsh flower and some valuables).

Even if they aren't going to Madruga personally, they can still provide crucial supplies to support the soldiers of the Drakes themselves. The help they provide won't benefit from [[enchantment|enchantments]], but all resources of the characters that ''Support the Drakes'' will contribute ''half'' the strength of a military unit of equivalent rank.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Arwydd Clearbramble.jpg|caption='''Arwydd Clearbramble''', Archmage of Spring|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Bloodcrow Arora.jpg|caption='''Bloodcrow Arora''', Archmage of Winter|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Brat Umbral Path.jpg|caption='''Brat Umbral Path''', Archmage of Night|title=One in six Night eternals thing he's pretty neat|align=right|width=200}}</div>
Each resource that takes this action will contribute 50 strength to the ''Find the Drakes'' venture. For every 100 Marcher characters take the option, any damage suffered due to a partial success will be reduced by 500. In the event that the mission is a full success, not only will the army not suffer any casualties but they will be revitalised and receive 500 additional resupply this season.

===Eternal Aid===
* '''Plenipotentiary could be used to ask for help for the Drakes'''
* '''A poorly chosen eternal or a poorly worded request for help will do more damage than good'''
While much of the focus on the missing army revolves around the Night enchantment and the heralds of Night, Crucible is affected by ''three'' realms of magic not only one. In theory, the [[Archmage of Winter]], [[Archmage of Night]], [[Archmage of Spring]], or [[Stone Smith]] could each use their [[plenipotentiary]] at the Autumn Equinox to ask an appropriate eternal to intercede and help the Drakes. This is a risky course of action - the choice of eternal and exactly what they were asked to do will be crucial. Neither the eternals of Spring nor Night are especially fond of armies, and the aid of the eternals of Winter always comes at a price.

In the event that an eternal was asked for aid and minded to provide it, they could certainly increase the chances of the Drakes returning safe and untransformed. The civil service estimate that the aid of an eternal would ad 3,000 to the effective strength of the ''Find the Drakes'' venture. Two or more eternals would likely conflict with each other however - a second eternal would add another 2,000 effective strength, and a third only another 1,000.

Anyone attempting this should be ''very careful''. A poorly phrased request, or a request to an eternal that for whatever reason was not disposed to help, had problems with the Marches or the Drakes, or disliked the Empire, would instead ''subtract'' 5,000 from the effective strength of the ''Find the Drakes'' mission, with potentially disastrous consequences.

===Order, Order===
* '''A single Conclave Order could be guided to aid the efforts'''
* '''Only one Order can help but only if they are not currently busy elsewhere'''
Magicians are arguably the ones best placed to help, but which ones? The Conclave could choose one of the Orders and ask them to help recover the Marcher army. If that is the will of the Conclave they will need to choose a single order and give clear guidance on why they want them to help. An Order can only be [[Grandmaster#Guiding_an_Order|guided]] by their grandmaster using one of their two declarations of concord. Doing so would have the usual cost of twenty mana crystals, and would be guaranteed to contribute 1,000 strength to the efforts. Any other potential effects would depend which order was chosen.
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When something is lost

2026-09-08T18:55:12Z

Rafferty: /* Pride and Loyalty */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<ic>John scanned the horizon, looking, desperately, anywhere for a patch of blue sky. There was nothing, of course. Just the same endless billowing green, as if the sky itself were carpeted in grass. Every time he raised his eyes to the sky, he got his hopes up, but every time they were dashed.

"It ain't natural," he said, the statement a contender for the worst understatement by a Marcher from Hay this week.

"No. As I keep telling you, we're ain't in Mitwold no more." Hatty Hay was trying not to snap but it was hard to keep a civil tongue in her mouth. "We're in some kind of regio. Some kind of enormous fucking regio. The size of Mitwold, or bigger even. Mebbe bigger than the whole Empire. Mebbe bigger than the whole world."

"I still don't see how can it be bigger than Madruga, and fit in the territory. John liked Hattie, best Landskeeper in the Drakes, as he often told people. But that was best as in "best at fixing broken bones" and the like. She was rubbish at explanations. He hadn't known that til now. Hadn't needed to mind.

Hattie bit her tongue and changed the subject. "Stop chewing teeth, we'll be fine. They'll find a way to get us out of here. And in the meantime, keep your eye on that sky. First bit of blue you see, you let me know."

John hoisted his pack. It was noticeably lighter than when they'd set out. That was definitely ''not'' reassuring.
</ic>
<div {{float-left}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Spring by Michalina.jpg|caption=What do you do when something is lost?|align=left|width=500}}</div>
==Overview==
* '''An enchantment has been cast on Madruga'''
* '''It coincides with two Imperial armies bringing the last two regions of the transfigured territory into the Empire'''
* '''One of those armies has not come back out of the marshes'''
Once [[Madruga]] was grassy plains, rich coastline, and prosperous islands. Now the islands are in the hand of the [[Iron Confederacy|Suranni]], the coastline is only just recovering from terrible storms and magical [[Spring magic#Chaos|chaos]], and much of the grassland has been transfigured into an enchanted marsh infused with the powers of the [[Realms#Night|Night]], [[Realms#Spring|Spring]], and [[Realms#Winter|Winter]] realms. Mind you, this is [[the Brass Coast]] and there are plenty of Freeborn who welcome the excitement, unpredictability, and wonder each day promises.

After the Summer Solstice, magic started to settle over Madruga. It took a little time to get going - this magic is full of the dreams of forests that have not grown in Madruga for a very long time indeed. What few woodlands there were went to build the ships the Freeborn value so highly. At the same time the magic was weaving its way across the twilit bayou and the grasslands, two Imperial armies were finally bringing the last regions of the territory back into Imperial control.

''One'' of those armies has since come back to report success. The other... has not.
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==Shadows over the Bayou==
* '''A potent Night magic enchantment has settled over Madruga'''
* '''Folk living there or visiting experience vibrant dreams of nighttime forests'''
* '''Encounters with heralds of the Night realm, especially Sung, Sadogua, and Azoth, have become a little more common'''
Night magic pools in Madruga, in quiet places throughout the territory. It whispers through the dreams of the people, who are visited by visions of a strange night-time forest. A swampy, marshy forest of cypress, alder, willow, and mangrove. The forest is alive with strange creatures, rainbow-hued little beasts that switch from one shape to another. From scuttling lizard, to soaring laughing bird, to chattering monkey, to three-tailed cat, to meddlesome octopus, to surreptitious alligator, to long-legged dodo-bird with a crest of eyes. They are not threatening, but they are strange and they trail dreamers who walk or punt through the phantasmal woodlands.

Encounters with the Night Realm are noticeably more common, little sparks of unexpected magic clearly drawing on the [[Night magic#Resonances|resonances]] of the [[Realms#Night|Wondrous Forest]]. In particular, people talk of seemingly chance encounters with odd heralds of that realm especially those answering to ''[[Sung|Rainbow Serpent]]'', ''[[Sadogua|Brother of Wizards]]'', and [[Azoth|''Crucible'']] itself. The creatures tend to be friendly, interested in the people, encouraging folk in the usual manners for their kind, happy to accept hospitality. This is the Brass Coast, and they often offer little boons in return for food and drink. They also offer payment for things no Freeborn would consider deserving of recompense - conversation, answers, the chance to pet a dog.

Obviously, given the nature of this kind of magic and the territory itself (especially [[Madruga#Crucible|Crucible]]) there is a significant chance of some kind of unexpected outcome. Perhaps even permanent transformation of the territory in some way...
===An Absolutely Terrible Idea===
* '''Nobody is entirely sure who first came up with it but a daring proposal has been made'''
Everybody says they heard it from somewhere else, but there's a fascinating idea doing the rounds. It might have come from the heralds of Azoth, who everyone knows love transcendence through alchemy and learning through experience almost as much as they adore inspiration through madness. It might have been mentioned in one of the long, rambling conversations between drunk hakima and heralds of Sadogua. It might even have been whispered into the wind by some of the children of Sung. Not that the heralds of the Night realm have a monopoly on ideas of dubious good sense - it's just as likely to have come from a hakima inspired by their dreams or even a visiting citizen from another nation entirely.

The idea is straightforward enough. The magic that infuses southern and western Madruga is not drawn from a single realm. So why not follow the Night enchantment currently nestled over the territory with a Spring and a Winter enchantment - in any order - and see what happens? Obviously the Children of Wrecks were throwing potent Spring magic around during their occupation of the islands but it was very much in the form of destructive [[curse|curses]]. But it can't be denied that such magic occasionally lead to beneficial results here and there - spreading ''marsh flowers'' for example. Wouldn't an enchantment ''intended'' to be beneficial be more likely to bring good results in Siroc Bayou, Crucible, or even the [[Madruga#Quiet Grasses|Quiet Grasses]]? They wouldn't even necessarily have to be cast strictly consecutively - although the order might matter - as long as no other enchantments were inserted in between. There is a very vague attempt to name the idea the "Madrugahedron" (referencing the [[Stargazer#Resonance_and_the_Omnihedron|omnihedron]] beloved by some [[Urizen|Urizeni]]) but it doesn't really catch on.

Before anyone can do anything as organised as make a concrete proposal, however, the ''other'' effect of that this Night enchantment seems t have had a hand in becomes clear and people have other things to talk about.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Drakes_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Star Forged colour.webp|align=right|width=200}}
==Into Crucible==
* '''The Drakes and the Star Forged have entered the Bayou, but become split up'''
* '''By the end of the season the Star Forged have emerged relatively unscathed, but the Drakes have not'''
* '''There is no sign of the missing army; more than six thousand Marcher soldiers have completely disappeared'''
Since the [[Where the river rises|transfiguration]] of Madruga - since the Dry Patricians were defeated and their terrible Blight washed away by waters infused with Spring and Night and ultimately Winter magic - this has been a place of mysteries and wonders. Last season, a season of [[phantasms and foam]], the [[Red Wind Corsairs]] explored [[Madruga#Siroc Bayou|Siroc Bayou]] attempting to understand the shifting marshes and bring this magically infused geography into the Empire proper. They encounterd [[Phantasms_and_foam#Madruga|difficulties]] but still made some headway mastering two thirds of the marshlands.

After the Summer Solstice, the Corsairs set off for [[the Marches]], alongside the [[Fire of the South]], and took part in the campaign against the Jotun in [[Bregasland]]. Two armies came south to complete their work - the [[Star Forged]], the new army of [[Navarr]], and the [[Drakes]], the [[Pride|proud]] first army of [[the Marches]]. Putting subtlety to one side, both armies were ordered to undertake an [[Army orders#Overwhelming Assault|overwhelming assault]] against the strangeness of the Bayou and Crucible, and that is exactly what they did. Both armies bore enchantments - the Drakes carried the [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]], invaluable in mastering the mysteries of the marshes. The Star Forged were empowered with [[Find the Best Path]], an enchantment that improves not only speed but the logistical structures of an army allowing them to move with confidence over long distances. Remember that bit.

Elsewhere in the territory there is some commentary from the heralds of the Night realm that the approach of the two armies is all wrong, too violent, too unsubtle, but the creatures of Night often say that kind of thing. There may be a ring of truth to it all - for the first month or so there are semi-regular reports from Navarr messengers of encounters with phantasmal soldiers similar to those the Red Wind Corsairs mentioned. Sometimes human, sometimes orc, sometimes something unlike either, they seem to be drawn out of history or in from dreams. There is fighting, but amazingly no casualties are suffered. The wounds the phantoms cause seem to lie in the mind and the spirit rather than on the body. The two armies complete the work of the 'Corsairs. Siroc Bayou still contains enigmas, as befits any locale infused with the essences of both the [[Realms#Spring|Primal Forest]] and the [[Realms#Night magic|Wondrous]] ones. They proceed to the next target - to Crucible itself.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Logan Dusklight.jpg|caption='''Logan Dusklight''', General of the Star Forged|align=right|width=250}}
The first report, delivered by a cheerful Navarr messenger, is that everything is proceeding as expected. Then... nothing. The next messenger does not arrive with a status update, and neither does the one after that or... There are a handful of Freeborn explorers who brave Crucible in search of treasures and wonders to sell in the markets of [[Madruga#Calvos|Calvos]] and [[Madruga#Quzar|Quzar]]. This season when they emerge from the marshes they report encounters with the Drakes and the Star Forged, surprised that people seem so concerned about them. The last such sighting indicates that the two armies have split up to cover more ground, but are confident that by the start of the Winter Solstice they will have ensured Crucible is part of Madruga in fact as well as name.

The silence from the armies themselves, however, stretches on. A patrol of soldiers sent in to make sure everything is alright are swallowed up and disappear in their turn. Something is clearly wrong...

Then, a little over three weeks before the Autumn Equinox, the Star Forged emerge from Crucible into [[Madruga#Lightsea|Lightsea]]. They are muddied and exhausted, but triumphant. Between them, the Drakes and the Star Forged have mapped out enough of Crucible, have established outposts and encampments, that the region is now truly Imperial. They warn that the place is very confusing, that the deeper one pushes into Crucible the larger and wilder it seems to become, although that might just be the Night magic and the Spring magic playing tricks on the mind.

What they haven't brought out of Crucible with them however are the Drakes themselves. There is some confusion among the Navarr - they thought the Drakes would rendezvous with them in Lightsea. And yet there is no sign of the Marcher army. The entire six-thousand-strong force of the Marches has vanished.

The only sign of the Drakes comes when four units under the command of ''Iñez i Azul-Mar i Riqueza'' of [[the Brass Coast]], ''Fay Baker'' of [[Dawn]], and two Marcher captains - Lazarus and John of Meade. They are as confused as the Star Forged - they seem to have only jumbled recollections of the last few weeks, and believed the rest of the army was right behind them. But there continues to be no sign of the Marcher army.
===Participation : Mist Walking===
* '''Anyone whose military unit supported the Drakes or the Star Forged has jumbled recollections of their time in the marshes'''
* '''Any such character with the naga lineage might find their physical or roleplaying trappings becoming stronger'''
* '''Any human character who supported one of the armies may choose to change their lineage to naga after the Autumn Equinox'''
Any character whose military unit supported one of the armies that were exploring and cataloguing the Siroc Bayou and Crucible, you are likely to have jumbled recollections of precisely what happened. The more you try to remember the harder it is to keep a coherent thread. You are encouraged to skim over some of the other text about the marshes, such as that in [[Phantasms and foam]] last season, or the descriptions of the marshes' peculiarities in the [[Made anew]] wind of fortune.

Any character with the [[naga]] lineage who supported the Drakes or the Star Forged, or is the general of one of those armies, may use this as an opportunity to strengthen their [[Naga#Other_Trappings|lineage trappings]] or to focus on one or more of their [[Naga#Roleplaying|roleplaying trappings]] and heighten their effects.

Likewise, any human character with no lineage who supported one of the armies may choose to develop the naga lineage. Given the short gap between this wind of fortune being produced and the event, you may want to demonstrate roleplaying trappings at the Autumn Equinox and arrange your trappings afterward - meaning you can email {{plot}} after the event to get your lineage updated.
==Still In There Somewhere==
* '''Magicians and their eternal allies all agree that the Marcher army has been trapped somehow by the kaleidoscope of magic that permeates the Bayou'''
* '''The Star Forged were saved by the nature of the enchantment on them, the Drakes were not so fortunate'''
* '''To get them back, the Empire will have to go and look for them'''
The [[hakima]] from the [[Hakima_of_Salt_and_Sand#Parador_of_Salt_and_Sand|Parador of Salt and Sand]] are among some of the first to talk to those who have emerged from the marshes, and a potential explanation begins to emerge. The Night magic enchantment on Madruga has ''done something'' to the Crucible. The Drakes are, as near as anyone can tell, still exploring it. It looks as if the magic enhancing their ability to claim ground - the ''Clarity'' - may actually have worked against them in fact by encouraging them to keep seeking to understand a place that defies explanation. The Star Forged however were enchanted with an [[Autumn magic]] working that empowers armies to ''get where they are going''. While the Crucible might have drawn them in, ultimately their enchantment served to ensure they emerged unfazed.

All the reports suggest the Marcher soldiers are probably fine - but the longer they stay in Crucible the more likely they are to either get so lost they can never return, or to undergo some kind of terrible transformation, or to encounter something more dangerous than phantasmal dream soldiers.
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Conveniently. there are a few heralds of the Night realm in Madruga who are happy to offer their own particular brand of assistance when challenged. The little wizards of Sadogua concurr with the hakima assessment, and are more than happy to get into the deep and confusing weeds of a conversation about the interactions of different kinds of magic. The heralds of Azoth find the questions a little confusing, and suggest that rather than assuming the Drakes are lost, they should instead consider them to be on a bold adventure, one that might lead to exciting new insights into magic, war, and the mortal spirit. The heralds of Sung reply to all questions with questions of their own, the most common being "''What do you do when something is lost?''" which at first seems very unhelpful but provides inspiration to the hakima. What you do when something is lost is ''you go and look for it''.
==Finding the Missing Legion==
* '''The Drakes are lost in the trackless Marshes of the Crucible '''
* '''Helping to bring them back will require a concerted effort by their allies'''
* '''The Military Council could apply the guerdon to the efforts to rescue the Drakes'''
The likely explanation is that the Drakes are still in Crucible somewhere. The [[Imperial Seer]], '''Jorma Steelhail''', should be able to confirm this with a simple casting of [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]]. The Marcher [[egregore]]s should likewise know whether the soldiers of the Drakes are still alive and well or not. The heralds of Sadogua and Azoth certainly think they are, but their definition of "alive and well" is of questionable value.

Following the Autumn Equinox there will be an [[opportunity]] for [[military unit|military units]] to launch a rescue mission into the Crucible. The aim will be to find the Drakes and lead them safely out of Crucible before anything bad happens to them. Nothing is ever easy, however, and definitely not in places like Crucible after a potent Night enchantment.

After the Autumn Equinox, any [[military unit]] can take the [[venture]] ''Find the Drakes''. This is a [[Military unit#Scouting|scouting]] action that represents venturing into Crucible, helping find the missing Marcher army, convincing them that they are lost in magical marshes, and leading them back to Lightsea or Quiet Grasses (or indeed anywhere that is not Crucible). Instead of the usual production a military unit receives, a standard military unit would gain one random ''marsh flower'', and 36 rings (representing wonders of the marshes). This is a pitiful recompense, but obviously the [[Quartermaster General of the Imperial Armies|Quartermaster General]] could apply the [[Military_unit#Guerdon_Shares|Imperial Guerdon]].

As with many such situations the amount of strength applied to this venture effects the outcome.
<br><br>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Less than 5,000 Strength - Further In</span><br>
A limited response will mean the Drakes are not rescued in time for the Winter Solstice 388YE. They remain lost in the marshes, and they will have lost 2,000 strength due to missing soldiers and the dangers of the deep Crucible. There will be another attempt to rescue them at the Winter solstice.<br><br>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Between 5,000 and 10,000 Strength - Desperate Egress</span><br>
The rescue mission is a success, and the Drakes emerge from Curcible in time for the Winter Solstice. In the process however, they will have lost 1,000 strength due to soldiers who get left behind, disastrous encounters, or unrecoverable transformations.<br><br>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Between 10,000 and 20,000 Strength - Controlled Extraction</span><br>
The Drakes emerge from Crucible in time for the WInter Solstice. They have sustained some losses but their strength falls only by 500. They will also have the opportunity for a change to their quality, either related to their time in the transformative marshes or the inspirational support and outpouring of love from their people.<br><br>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">More than 20,000 Strength - Total Victory</span><br>
The Drakes emerge from crucible hale and hearty, with the opportunity for a new quality. In addition they and the other explorers of the marshes will have discovered an opportunity in the marshes that could be exploited by the Empire in the future.

To complicate matters, not every [[military unit]] is equally able to contribute to this venture. '''Freeborn''', '''Navarr''', and '''Marcher''' units provide their full effectiveness. Military units from any other nation contribute (and receive rewards) as if their strength were two ranks lower.

Some folk have an advantage here however - any military unit that supported either the Drakes or the Star Forged this season receives a 2 rank bonus to help rescue the Drakes, effecting both effective strength and rewards.
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===All Things Can Have A Price===
* '''Rather than focus solely on finding the Drakes a military unit could go looking for treasure'''
* '''These military units will gain more treasure and provide less help to find the Drakes'''
* '''All military units taking either action will appear in a single list compiled by the civil service'''
* '''If finding the drakes gets the guerdon, then everyone involved will be able to claim the rewards'''
There is another approach here, but one that might result in a little bit of... criticism. Instead of focusing ''exclusively'' on finding the Drakes, a military unit ''might'' take the opportunity to do some exploration of their own and see what they can pick up. As well as the ''Find the Drakes'' venture, the ''Take Your Time Looking For Lost Marchers'' venture is also available. This is a [[venture#questing|questing]] venture, and a standard military unit that undertakes it will receive 2 pieces of "Adversity Vis" (that is, [[Vis#Vital Honey|Vital Honey]], [[Vis#Hearts Blood|Hearts Blood]], or [[Vis#Crystal Fire|Crystal Fire]]) and two ''marsh flowers''. An upgraded or enchanted military unit will receive commensurately more treasure.

This venture is available to anyone who wants to take it. Those military units receiving a two rank bonus from supporting one of the two armies this season will still do so. ''However'' there is a drawback to this action and that is that ''regardless'' of the effective strength of the military unit, it will ''only'' contribute 50 effective strength towards finding the Drakes and guiding them out of Crucible. The actual rank of the military unit and its enchantments will have no bearing on the amount they contribute.

There isn't any way for the civil service to tell who is searching for the Drakes and who is taking their time about it, so a single list will appear with all the names on the same roll of honour. If the guerdon is applied to finding the Drakes, then everyone who takes ''either'' venture will be able to claim a share of it.

===Pride of the Marches===
* '''The General of the Drakes is still a General'''
* '''The General can still issue an order to the army though it the force can't actually leave the region or undertake an attack or defence'''
* '''Folk from the Marches can support the Drakes to help them deal with potential casualties providing a lifeline to home'''
* '''It is still possible to target the army with an enchantment but impossible to predict what if anything it will do'''
* '''There is no upkeep for the army this season'''
* '''The general of the Drakes is Alfred Houtman Fella'''
Obviously the general of the Drakes '''Alfred Houtman Fella''' is in a little bit of a bind given their army is missing in action. The civil service have confirmed that they still ''are'' a [[general]] even though their army is currently somewhere in Madruga. They can still participate freely in the [[Military Council]] until such time as proof emerges that the Drakes are never coming back. They can even still issue an order, but ''only'' the text of the order matters. The army will remain in Madruga, lost in Crucible. It also isn't possible for military units to take the [[campaigning]] action to support the army. It is still possible to place an enchantment on the army using the general as focus, but impossible to predict exactly what the effect will be. The ritual will still ''have'' its effect but the ability of the Drakes to benefit from it will depend entirely on what it is.

There is no upkeep for the army this season, since the civil service has no easy way to feed and billet the army.

===Pride and Loyalty===
* '''An outpouring of Pride and Loyalty inspires the folk of the Marches'''
* '''Heralds of Sadogua and Lashonar have agreed to carry care packages and messages of support to the stranded Drakes'''
* '''''Any'' Marcher character can choose to support the rescue of the Drakes albeit with limited effect'''
There are concerns about how the soldiers on campaign, lost in the trackless marshes of Madruga will survive, but that only results in an outpouring of support from the Marches, especially [[Upwold]]. The Drakes are well loved, after all, and if [[Life of Tom Drake|Tom Drake]] taught anything else it is that you look out for your own. Obviously, this being the Marches, there has also been some recrimination from people who ought to know better who argue that a sinister Freeborn conspiracy has intentionally sacrificed the Drakes to Azoth but it is ''probably'' safe to ignore those people. Humans and orcs want to do everything they can to help, even if they can't send beaters of their own to deal with the situation.

By itself its not clear how they ''could'' help (beyond encouraging or enchanting military units), but help comes from unexpected sources. Some of the [[smith]]s and [[landskeeper]]s have spoken to servants of Sadogua and Lashonar, and both eternals have committed to offer their assistance. They are prepared to carry messages and supplies into the Crucible and make sure they get to the Drakes. In a similar manner to the way the Navarr and the Imperial Orc nations were able to support the raid against the Great Forest Orcs, the people of the Marches can show their support for the Drakes if they wish.

''Any'' Marcher character can take the action to support the venture to ''Support the Drakes''. Any character that chooses to support the action will suffer a 50% penalty to the normal production of their [[Resource#Personal_Resource|personal resource]]. A character with a [[congregation]] that supports the venture will instead receive ''no'' [[liao]], but will keep all their Synod votes. They will however not be able to undertake a [[Congregation#Lectures|lecture]] or [[Congregation#Downtime_Options|preach]] at the same time. A [[fleet]] likewise can't take a different [[voyage]], including trading or supporting an army. Instead of their normal production they'll get the same as a military unit (a marsh flower and some valuables).

Even if they aren't going to Madruga personally, they can still provide crucial supplies to support the soldiers of the Drakes themselves. The help they provide won't benefit from [[enchantment|enchantments]], but all resources of the characters that ''Support the Drakes'' will contribute ''half'' the strength of a military unit of equivalent rank.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Bloodcrow Arora.jpg|caption='''Bloodcrow Arora''', Archmage of Winter|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Brat Umbral Path.jpg|caption='''Brat Umbral Path''', Archmage of Night|title=One in six Night eternals thing he's pretty neat|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Bloodcrow Arora.jpg|caption='''Bloodcrow Arora''', Archmage of Winter|align=right|width=200}}</div>
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Each resource that takes this action will contribute 50 strength to the ''Find the Drakes'' venture. For every 100 Marcher characters take the option, any damage suffered due to a partial success will be reduced by 500. In the event that the mission is a full success, not only will the army not suffer any casualties but they will be revitalised and receive 500 additional resupply this season.

===Eternal Aid===
* '''Plenipotentiary could be used to ask for help for the Drakes'''
* '''A poorly chosen eternal or a poorly worded request for help will do more damage than good'''
While much of the focus on the missing army revolves around the Night enchantment and the heralds of Night, Crucible is affected by ''three'' realms of magic not only one. In theory, the [[Archmage of Winter]], [[Archmage of Night]], [[Archmage of Spring]], or [[Stone Smith]] could each use their [[plenipotentiary]] at the Autumn Equinox to ask an appropriate eternal to intercede and help the Drakes. This is a risky course of action - the choice of eternal and exactly what they were asked to do will be crucial. Neither the eternals of Spring nor Night are especially fond of armies, and the aid of the eternals of Winter always comes at a price.

In the event that an eternal was asked for aid and minded to provide it, they could certainly increase the chances of the Drakes returning safe and untransformed. The civil service estimate that the aid of an eternal would ad 3,000 to the effective strength of the ''Find the Drakes'' venture. Two or more eternals would likely conflict with each other however - a second eternal would add another 2,000 effective strength, and a third only another 1,000.

Anyone attempting this should be ''very careful''. A poorly phrased request, or a request to an eternal that for whatever reason was not disposed to help, had problems with the Marches or the Drakes, or disliked the Empire, would instead ''subtract'' 5,000 from the effective strength of the ''Find the Drakes'' mission, with potentially disastrous consequences.

===Order, Order===
* '''A single Conclave Order could be guided to aid the efforts'''
* '''Only one Order can help but only if they are not currently busy elsewhere'''
Magicians are arguably the ones best placed to help, but which ones? The Conclave could choose one of the Orders and ask them to help recover the Marcher army. If that is the will of the Conclave they will need to choose a single order and give clear guidance on why they want them to help. An Order can only be [[Grandmaster#Guiding_an_Order|guided]] by their grandmaster using one of their two declarations of concord. Doing so would have the usual cost of twenty mana crystals, and would be guaranteed to contribute 1,000 strength to the efforts. Any other potential effects would depend which order was chosen.
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When something is lost

2026-09-08T18:51:30Z

Rafferty: Created page with "Category:Winds of FortuneCategory:388YE Autumn <ic>John scanned the horizon, looking, desperately, anywhere for a patch of blue sky. There was nothing, of course. Just the same endless billowing green, as if the sky itself were carpeted in grass. Every time he raised his eyes to the sky, he got his hopes up, but every time they were dashed. "It ain't natural," he said, the statement a contender for the worst understatement by a Marcher from Hay this week. "No...."

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<ic>John scanned the horizon, looking, desperately, anywhere for a patch of blue sky. There was nothing, of course. Just the same endless billowing green, as if the sky itself were carpeted in grass. Every time he raised his eyes to the sky, he got his hopes up, but every time they were dashed.

"It ain't natural," he said, the statement a contender for the worst understatement by a Marcher from Hay this week.

"No. As I keep telling you, we're ain't in Mitwold no more." Hatty Hay was trying not to snap but it was hard to keep a civil tongue in her mouth. "We're in some kind of regio. Some kind of enormous fucking regio. The size of Mitwold, or bigger even. Mebbe bigger than the whole Empire. Mebbe bigger than the whole world."

"I still don't see how can it be bigger than Madruga, and fit in the territory. John liked Hattie, best Landskeeper in the Drakes, as he often told people. But that was best as in "best at fixing broken bones" and the like. She was rubbish at explanations. He hadn't known that til now. Hadn't needed to mind.

Hattie bit her tongue and changed the subject. "Stop chewing teeth, we'll be fine. They'll find a way to get us out of here. And in the meantime, keep your eye on that sky. First bit of blue you see, you let me know."

John hoisted his pack. It was noticeably lighter than when they'd set out. That was definitely ''not'' reassuring.
</ic>
<div {{float-left}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Spring by Michalina.jpg|caption=What do you do when something is lost?|align=left|width=500}}</div>
==Overview==
* '''An enchantment has been cast on Madruga'''
* '''It coincides with two Imperial armies bringing the last two regions of the transfigured territory into the Empire'''
* '''One of those armies has not come back out of the marshes'''
Once [[Madruga]] was grassy plains, rich coastline, and prosperous islands. Now the islands are in the hand of the [[Iron Confederacy|Suranni]], the coastline is only just recovering from terrible storms and magical [[Spring magic#Chaos|chaos]], and much of the grassland has been transfigured into an enchanted marsh infused with the powers of the [[Realms#Night|Night]], [[Realms#Spring|Spring]], and [[Realms#Winter|Winter]] realms. Mind you, this is [[the Brass Coast]] and there are plenty of Freeborn who welcome the excitement, unpredictability, and wonder each day promises.

After the Summer Solstice, magic started to settle over Madruga. It took a little time to get going - this magic is full of the dreams of forests that have not grown in Madruga for a very long time indeed. What few woodlands there were went to build the ships the Freeborn value so highly. At the same time the magic was weaving its way across the twilit bayou and the grasslands, two Imperial armies were finally bringing the last regions of the territory back into Imperial control.

''One'' of those armies has since come back to report success. The other... has not.
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==Shadows over the Bayou==
* '''A potent Night magic enchantment has settled over Madruga'''
* '''Folk living there or visiting experience vibrant dreams of nighttime forests'''
* '''Encounters with heralds of the Night realm, especially Sung, Sadogua, and Azoth, have become a little more common'''
Night magic pools in Madruga, in quiet places throughout the territory. It whispers through the dreams of the people, who are visited by visions of a strange night-time forest. A swampy, marshy forest of cypress, alder, willow, and mangrove. The forest is alive with strange creatures, rainbow-hued little beasts that switch from one shape to another. From scuttling lizard, to soaring laughing bird, to chattering monkey, to three-tailed cat, to meddlesome octopus, to surreptitious alligator, to long-legged dodo-bird with a crest of eyes. They are not threatening, but they are strange and they trail dreamers who walk or punt through the phantasmal woodlands.

Encounters with the Night Realm are noticeably more common, little sparks of unexpected magic clearly drawing on the [[Night magic#Resonances|resonances]] of the [[Realms#Night|Wondrous Forest]]. In particular, people talk of seemingly chance encounters with odd heralds of that realm especially those answering to ''[[Sung|Rainbow Serpent]]'', ''[[Sadogua|Brother of Wizards]]'', and [[Azoth|''Crucible'']] itself. The creatures tend to be friendly, interested in the people, encouraging folk in the usual manners for their kind, happy to accept hospitality. This is the Brass Coast, and they often offer little boons in return for food and drink. They also offer payment for things no Freeborn would consider deserving of recompense - conversation, answers, the chance to pet a dog.

Obviously, given the nature of this kind of magic and the territory itself (especially [[Madruga#Crucible|Crucible]]) there is a significant chance of some kind of unexpected outcome. Perhaps even permanent transformation of the territory in some way...
===An Absolutely Terrible Idea===
* '''Nobody is entirely sure who first came up with it but a daring proposal has been made'''
Everybody says they heard it from somewhere else, but there's a fascinating idea doing the rounds. It might have come from the heralds of Azoth, who everyone knows love transcendence through alchemy and learning through experience almost as much as they adore inspiration through madness. It might have been mentioned in one of the long, rambling conversations between drunk hakima and heralds of Sadogua. It might even have been whispered into the wind by some of the children of Sung. Not that the heralds of the Night realm have a monopoly on ideas of dubious good sense - it's just as likely to have come from a hakima inspired by their dreams or even a visiting citizen from another nation entirely.

The idea is straightforward enough. The magic that infuses southern and western Madruga is not drawn from a single realm. So why not follow the Night enchantment currently nestled over the territory with a Spring and a Winter enchantment - in any order - and see what happens? Obviously the Children of Wrecks were throwing potent Spring magic around during their occupation of the islands but it was very much in the form of destructive [[curse|curses]]. But it can't be denied that such magic occasionally lead to beneficial results here and there - spreading ''marsh flowers'' for example. Wouldn't an enchantment ''intended'' to be beneficial be more likely to bring good results in Siroc Bayou, Crucible, or even the [[Madruga#Quiet Grasses|Quiet Grasses]]? They wouldn't even necessarily have to be cast strictly consecutively - although the order might matter - as long as no other enchantments were inserted in between. There is a very vague attempt to name the idea the "Madrugahedron" (referencing the [[Stargazer#Resonance_and_the_Omnihedron|omnihedron]] beloved by some [[Urizen|Urizeni]]) but it doesn't really catch on.

Before anyone can do anything as organised as make a concrete proposal, however, the ''other'' effect of that this Night enchantment seems t have had a hand in becomes clear and people have other things to talk about.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Drakes_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}
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==Into Crucible==
* '''The Drakes and the Star Forged have entered the Bayou, but become split up'''
* '''By the end of the season the Star Forged have emerged relatively unscathed, but the Drakes have not'''
* '''There is no sign of the missing army; more than six thousand Marcher soldiers have completely disappeared'''
Since the [[Where the river rises|transfiguration]] of Madruga - since the Dry Patricians were defeated and their terrible Blight washed away by waters infused with Spring and Night and ultimately Winter magic - this has been a place of mysteries and wonders. Last season, a season of [[phantasms and foam]], the [[Red Wind Corsairs]] explored [[Madruga#Siroc Bayou|Siroc Bayou]] attempting to understand the shifting marshes and bring this magically infused geography into the Empire proper. They encounterd [[Phantasms_and_foam#Madruga|difficulties]] but still made some headway mastering two thirds of the marshlands.

After the Summer Solstice, the Corsairs set off for [[the Marches]], alongside the [[Fire of the South]], and took part in the campaign against the Jotun in [[Bregasland]]. Two armies came south to complete their work - the [[Star Forged]], the new army of [[Navarr]], and the [[Drakes]], the [[Pride|proud]] first army of [[the Marches]]. Putting subtlety to one side, both armies were ordered to undertake an [[Army orders#Overwhelming Assault|overwhelming assault]] against the strangeness of the Bayou and Crucible, and that is exactly what they did. Both armies bore enchantments - the Drakes carried the [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]], invaluable in mastering the mysteries of the marshes. The Star Forged were empowered with [[Find the Best Path]], an enchantment that improves not only speed but the logistical structures of an army allowing them to move with confidence over long distances. Remember that bit.

Elsewhere in the territory there is some commentary from the heralds of the Night realm that the approach of the two armies is all wrong, too violent, too unsubtle, but the creatures of Night often say that kind of thing. There may be a ring of truth to it all - for the first month or so there are semi-regular reports from Navarr messengers of encounters with phantasmal soldiers similar to those the Red Wind Corsairs mentioned. Sometimes human, sometimes orc, sometimes something unlike either, they seem to be drawn out of history or in from dreams. There is fighting, but amazingly no casualties are suffered. The wounds the phantoms cause seem to lie in the mind and the spirit rather than on the body. The two armies complete the work of the 'Corsairs. Siroc Bayou still contains enigmas, as befits any locale infused with the essences of both the [[Realms#Spring|Primal Forest]] and the [[Realms#Night magic|Wondrous]] ones. They proceed to the next target - to Crucible itself.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Logan Dusklight.jpg|caption='''Logan Dusklight''', General of the Star Forged|align=right|width=250}}
The first report, delivered by a cheerful Navarr messenger, is that everything is proceeding as expected. Then... nothing. The next messenger does not arrive with a status update, and neither does the one after that or... There are a handful of Freeborn explorers who brave Crucible in search of treasures and wonders to sell in the markets of [[Madruga#Calvos|Calvos]] and [[Madruga#Quzar|Quzar]]. This season when they emerge from the marshes they report encounters with the Drakes and the Star Forged, surprised that people seem so concerned about them. The last such sighting indicates that the two armies have split up to cover more ground, but are confident that by the start of the Winter Solstice they will have ensured Crucible is part of Madruga in fact as well as name.

The silence from the armies themselves, however, stretches on. A patrol of soldiers sent in to make sure everything is alright are swallowed up and disappear in their turn. Something is clearly wrong...

Then, a little over three weeks before the Autumn Equinox, the Star Forged emerge from Crucible into [[Madruga#Lightsea|Lightsea]]. They are muddied and exhausted, but triumphant. Between them, the Drakes and the Star Forged have mapped out enough of Crucible, have established outposts and encampments, that the region is now truly Imperial. They warn that the place is very confusing, that the deeper one pushes into Crucible the larger and wilder it seems to become, although that might just be the Night magic and the Spring magic playing tricks on the mind.

What they haven't brought out of Crucible with them however are the Drakes themselves. There is some confusion among the Navarr - they thought the Drakes would rendezvous with them in Lightsea. And yet there is no sign of the Marcher army. The entire six-thousand-strong force of the Marches has vanished.

The only sign of the Drakes comes when four units under the command of ''Iñez i Azul-Mar i Riqueza'' of [[the Brass Coast]], ''Fay Baker'' of [[Dawn]], and two Marcher captains - Lazarus and John of Meade. They are as confused as the Star Forged - they seem to have only jumbled recollections of the last few weeks, and believed the rest of the army was right behind them. But there continues to be no sign of the Marcher army.
===Participation : Mist Walking===
* '''Anyone whose military unit supported the Drakes or the Star Forged has jumbled recollections of their time in the marshes'''
* '''Any such character with the naga lineage might find their physical or roleplaying trappings becoming stronger'''
* '''Any human character who supported one of the armies may choose to change their lineage to naga after the Autumn Equinox'''
Any character whose military unit supported one of the armies that were exploring and cataloguing the Siroc Bayou and Crucible, you are likely to have jumbled recollections of precisely what happened. The more you try to remember the harder it is to keep a coherent thread. You are encouraged to skim over some of the other text about the marshes, such as that in [[Phantasms and foam]] last season, or the descriptions of the marshes' peculiarities in the [[Made anew]] wind of fortune.

Any character with the [[naga]] lineage who supported the Drakes or the Star Forged, or is the general of one of those armies, may use this as an opportunity to strengthen their [[Naga#Other_Trappings|lineage trappings]] or to focus on one or more of their [[Naga#Roleplaying|roleplaying trappings]] and heighten their effects.

Likewise, any human character with no lineage who supported one of the armies may choose to develop the naga lineage. Given the short gap between this wind of fortune being produced and the event, you may want to demonstrate roleplaying trappings at the Autumn Equinox and arrange your trappings afterward - meaning you can email {{plot}} after the event to get your lineage updated.
==Still In There Somewhere==
* '''Magicians and their eternal allies all agree that the Marcher army has been trapped somehow by the kaleidoscope of magic that permeates the Bayou'''
* '''The Star Forged were saved by the nature of the enchantment on them, the Drakes were not so fortunate'''
* '''To get them back, the Empire will have to go and look for them'''
The [[hakima]] from the [[Hakima_of_Salt_and_Sand#Parador_of_Salt_and_Sand|Parador of Salt and Sand]] are among some of the first to talk to those who have emerged from the marshes, and a potential explanation begins to emerge. The Night magic enchantment on Madruga has ''done something'' to the Crucible. The Drakes are, as near as anyone can tell, still exploring it. It looks as if the magic enhancing their ability to claim ground - the ''Clarity'' - may actually have worked against them in fact by encouraging them to keep seeking to understand a place that defies explanation. The Star Forged however were enchanted with an [[Autumn magic]] working that empowers armies to ''get where they are going''. While the Crucible might have drawn them in, ultimately their enchantment served to ensure they emerged unfazed.

All the reports suggest the Marcher soldiers are probably fine - but the longer they stay in Crucible the more likely they are to either get so lost they can never return, or to undergo some kind of terrible transformation, or to encounter something more dangerous than phantasmal dream soldiers.
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; margin: 15px;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=Sular.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBMarches.jpg|align=right|width=150}}
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{{CaptionedImage|file=NBBrassCoast.jpg|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Wyr.png|title=Rune: Wyr|align=right|width=150}}</div>
Conveniently. there are a few heralds of the Night realm in Madruga who are happy to offer their own particular brand of assistance when challenged. The little wizards of Sadogua concurr with the hakima assessment, and are more than happy to get into the deep and confusing weeds of a conversation about the interactions of different kinds of magic. The heralds of Azoth find the questions a little confusing, and suggest that rather than assuming the Drakes are lost, they should instead consider them to be on a bold adventure, one that might lead to exciting new insights into magic, war, and the mortal spirit. The heralds of Sung reply to all questions with questions of their own, the most common being "''What do you do when something is lost?''" which at first seems very unhelpful but provides inspiration to the hakima. What you do when something is lost is ''you go and look for it''.
==Finding the Missing Legion==
* '''The Drakes are lost in the trackless Marshes of the Crucible '''
* '''Helping to bring them back will require a concerted effort by their allies'''
* '''The Military Council could apply the guerdon to the efforts to rescue the Drakes'''
The likely explanation is that the Drakes are still in Crucible somewhere. The [[Imperial Seer]], '''Jorma Steelhail''', should be able to confirm this with a simple casting of [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]]. The Marcher [[egregore]]s should likewise know whether the soldiers of the Drakes are still alive and well or not. The heralds of Sadogua and Azoth certainly think they are, but their definition of "alive and well" is of questionable value.

Following the Autumn Equinox there will be an [[opportunity]] for [[military unit|military units]] to launch a rescue mission into the Crucible. The aim will be to find the Drakes and lead them safely out of Crucible before anything bad happens to them. Nothing is ever easy, however, and definitely not in places like Crucible after a potent Night enchantment.

After the Autumn Equinox, any [[military unit]] can take the [[venture]] ''Find the Drakes''. This is a [[Military unit#Scouting|scouting]] action that represents venturing into Crucible, helping find the missing Marcher army, convincing them that they are lost in magical marshes, and leading them back to Lightsea or Quiet Grasses (or indeed anywhere that is not Crucible). Instead of the usual production a military unit receives, a standard military unit would gain one random ''marsh flower'', and 36 rings (representing wonders of the marshes). This is a pitiful recompense, but obviously the [[Quartermaster General of the Imperial Armies|Quartermaster General]] could apply the [[Military_unit#Guerdon_Shares|Imperial Guerdon]].

As with many such situations the amount of strength applied to this venture effects the outcome.
<br><br>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Less than 5,000 Strength - Further In</span><br>
A limited response will mean the Drakes are not rescued in time for the Winter Solstice 388YE. They remain lost in the marshes, and they will have lost 2,000 strength due to missing soldiers and the dangers of the deep Crucible. There will be another attempt to rescue them at the Winter solstice.<br><br>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Between 5,000 and 10,000 Strength - Desperate Egress</span><br>
The rescue mission is a success, and the Drakes emerge from Curcible in time for the Winter Solstice. In the process however, they will have lost 1,000 strength due to soldiers who get left behind, disastrous encounters, or unrecoverable transformations.<br><br>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Between 10,000 and 20,000 Strength - Controlled Extraction</span><br>
The Drakes emerge from Crucible in time for the WInter Solstice. They have sustained some losses but their strength falls only by 500. They will also have the opportunity for a change to their quality, either related to their time in the transformative marshes or the inspirational support and outpouring of love from their people.<br><br>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">More than 20,000 Strength - Total Victory</span><br>
The Drakes emerge from crucible hale and hearty, with the opportunity for a new quality. In addition they and the other explorers of the marshes will have discovered an opportunity in the marshes that could be exploited by the Empire in the future.

To complicate matters, not every [[military unit]] is equally able to contribute to this venture. '''Freeborn''', '''Navarr''', and '''Marcher''' units provide their full effectiveness. Military units from any other nation contribute (and receive rewards) as if their strength were two ranks lower.

Some folk have an advantage here however - any military unit that supported either the Drakes or the Star Forged this season receives a 2 rank bonus to help rescue the Drakes, effecting both effective strength and rewards.
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; margin: 15px;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=Pallas.png|align=right|width=150}}</div>
===All Things Can Have A Price===
* '''Rather than focus solely on finding the Drakes a military unit could go looking for treasure'''
* '''These military units will gain more treasure and provide less help to find the Drakes'''
* '''All military units taking either action will appear in a single list compiled by the civil service'''
* '''If finding the drakes gets the guerdon, then everyone involved will be able to claim the rewards'''
There is another approach here, but one that might result in a little bit of... criticism. Instead of focusing ''exclusively'' on finding the Drakes, a military unit ''might'' take the opportunity to do some exploration of their own and see what they can pick up. As well as the ''Find the Drakes'' venture, the ''Take Your Time Looking For Lost Marchers'' venture is also available. This is a [[venture#questing|questing]] venture, and a standard military unit that undertakes it will receive 2 pieces of "Adversity Vis" (that is, [[Vis#Vital Honey|Vital Honey]], [[Vis#Hearts Blood|Hearts Blood]], or [[Vis#Crystal Fire|Crystal Fire]]) and two ''marsh flowers''. An upgraded or enchanted military unit will receive commensurately more treasure.

This venture is available to anyone who wants to take it. Those military units receiving a two rank bonus from supporting one of the two armies this season will still do so. ''However'' there is a drawback to this action and that is that ''regardless'' of the effective strength of the military unit, it will ''only'' contribute 50 effective strength towards finding the Drakes and guiding them out of Crucible. The actual rank of the military unit and its enchantments will have no bearing on the amount they contribute.

There isn't any way for the civil service to tell who is searching for the Drakes and who is taking their time about it, so a single list will appear with all the names on the same roll of honour. If the guerdon is applied to finding the Drakes, then everyone who takes ''either'' venture will be able to claim a share of it.

===Pride of the Marches===
* '''The General of the Drakes is still a General'''
* '''The General can still issue an order to the army though it the force can't actually leave the region or undertake an attack or defence'''
* '''Folk from the Marches can support the Drakes to help them deal with potential casualties providing a lifeline to home'''
* '''It is still possible to target the army with an enchantment but impossible to predict what if anything it will do'''
* '''There is no upkeep for the army this season'''
* '''The general of the Drakes is Alfred Houtman Fella'''
Obviously the general of the Drakes '''Alfred Houtman Fella''' is in a little bit of a bind given their army is missing in action. The civil service have confirmed that they still ''are'' a [[general]] even though their army is currently somewhere in Madruga. They can still participate freely in the [[Military Council]] until such time as proof emerges that the Drakes are never coming back. They can even still issue an order, but ''only'' the text of the order matters. The army will remain in Madruga, lost in Crucible. It also isn't possible for military units to take the [[campaigning]] action to support the army. It is still possible to place an enchantment on the army using the general as focus, but impossible to predict exactly what the effect will be. The ritual will still ''have'' its effect but the ability of the Drakes to benefit from it will depend entirely on what it is.

There is no upkeep for the army this season, since the civil service has no easy way to feed and billet the army.

===Pride and Loyalty===
* '''An outpouring of Pride and Loyalty inspires the folk of the Marches'''
* '''Heralds of Sadogua and Lashonar have agreed to carry care packages and messages of support to the stranded Drakes'''
* '''''Any'' Marcher character can choose to support the rescue of the Drakes albeit with limited effect'''
There are concerns about how the soldiers on campaign, lost in the trackless marshes of Madruga will survive, but that only results in an outpouring of support from the Marches, especially [[Upwold]]. The Drakes are well loved, after all, and if [[Life of Tom Drake|Tom Drake]] taught anything else it is that you look out for your own. Obviously, this being the Marches, there has also been some recrimination from people who ought to know better who argue that a sinister Freeborn conspiracy has intentionally sacrificed the Drakes to Azoth but it is ''probably'' safe to ignore those people. Humans and orcs want to do everything they can to help, even if they can't send beaters of their own to deal with the situation.

By itself its not clear how they ''could'' help (beyond encouraging or enchanting military units), but help comes from unexpected sources. Some of the [[smith]]s and [[landskeeper]]s have spoken to servants of Sadogua and Lashonar, and both eternals have committed to offer their assistance. They are prepared to carry messages and supplies into the Crucible and make sure they get to the Drakes. In a similar manner to the way the Navarr and the Imperial Orc nations were able to support the raid against the Great Forest Orcs, the people of the Marches can show their support for the Drakes if they wish.

''Any'' Marcher character can take the action to support the venture to ''Support the Drakes''. Any character that chooses to support the action will suffer a 50% penalty to the normal production of their [[Resource#Personal_Resource|personal resource]]. A character with a [[congregation]] that supports the venture will instead receive ''no'' [[liao]], but will keep all their Synod votes. They will however not be able to undertake a [[Congregation#Lectures|lecture]] or [[Congregation#Downtime_Options|preach]] at the same time. A [[fleet]] likewise can't take a different [[voyage]], including trading or supporting an army. Instead of their normal production they'll get the same as a military unit (a marsh flower and some valuables).

Even if they aren't going to Madruga personally, they can still provide crucial supplies to support the soldiers of the Drakes themselves. The help they provide won't benefit from [[enchantment|enchantments]], but all resources of the characters that ''Support the Drakes'' will contribute ''half'' the strength of a military unit of equivalent rank.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=ArchmageSummer.jpg|caption='''Mirella of the Twisted Rose''', Archmage of Summer|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Brat Umbral Path.jpg|caption='''Brat Umbral Path''', Archmage of Night|title=One in six Night eternals thing he's pretty neat|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Bloodcrow Arora.jpg|caption='''Bloodcrow Arora''', Archmage of Winter|align=right|width=200}}</div>
</div>
Each resource that takes this action will contribute 50 strength to the ''Find the Drakes'' venture. For every 100 Marcher characters take the option, any damage suffered due to a partial success will be reduced by 500. In the event that the mission is a full success, not only will the army not suffer any casualties but they will be revitalised and receive 500 additional resupply this season.
===Eternal Aid===
* '''Plenipotentiary could be used to ask for help for the Drakes'''
* '''A poorly chosen eternal or a poorly worded request for help will do more damage than good'''
While much of the focus on the missing army revolves around the Night enchantment and the heralds of Night, Crucible is affected by ''three'' realms of magic not only one. In theory, the [[Archmage of Winter]], [[Archmage of Night]], [[Archmage of Spring]], or [[Stone Smith]] could each use their [[plenipotentiary]] at the Autumn Equinox to ask an appropriate eternal to intercede and help the Drakes. This is a risky course of action - the choice of eternal and exactly what they were asked to do will be crucial. Neither the eternals of Spring nor Night are especially fond of armies, and the aid of the eternals of Winter always comes at a price.

In the event that an eternal was asked for aid and minded to provide it, they could certainly increase the chances of the Drakes returning safe and untransformed. The civil service estimate that the aid of an eternal would ad 3,000 to the effective strength of the ''Find the Drakes'' venture. Two or more eternals would likely conflict with each other however - a second eternal would add another 2,000 effective strength, and a third only another 1,000.

Anyone attempting this should be ''very careful''. A poorly phrased request, or a request to an eternal that for whatever reason was not disposed to help, had problems with the Marches or the Drakes, or disliked the Empire, would instead ''subtract'' 5,000 from the effective strength of the ''Find the Drakes'' mission, with potentially disastrous consequences.

===Order, Order===
* '''A single Conclave Order could be guided to aid the efforts'''
* '''Only one Order can help but only if they are not currently busy elsewhere'''
Magicians are arguably the ones best placed to help, but which ones? The Conclave could choose one of the Orders and ask them to help recover the Marcher army. If that is the will of the Conclave they will need to choose a single order and give clear guidance on why they want them to help. An Order can only be [[Grandmaster#Guiding_an_Order|guided]] by their grandmaster using one of their two declarations of concord. Doing so would have the usual cost of twenty mana crystals, and would be guaranteed to contribute 1,000 strength to the efforts. Any other potential effects would depend which order was chosen.
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388YE Autumn Equinox winds of fortune

2026-09-08T18:50:25Z

Rafferty: /* Something Is Lost */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Lights in the Dark.jpg|align=left|caption=Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. |width=2000}}</div>
==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Wind of Fortune !! Order Released !! Last Updated || Note
|-
| [[The wolves tempt you]] || 1 || data-sort-value="2026/08/15"| 15/08 || Imperial Address
|-
| [[Dream on]] || 2 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Seren
|-
| [[Come together]] || 3 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Apothecary college
|-
| [[Fair share of labour]] || 4 || data-sort-value="2026/08/19"| 19/08 || Artisans Guild
|-
| [[Hidden inventory]] || 5 || data-sort-value="2026/08/29"| 29/08 || Banner-bearers
|-
| [[A fork in the path]] || 6 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Mystics
|-
| [[Outreach across the marshes]] || 7 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Sand Fishers & League highest calling
|-
| [[Stand proud, you're strong]] || 8 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Brass Coast highest calling
|-
| [[Here you come again]] || 9 || data-sort-value="2026/08/31"| 06/09 || Plenipotentiary
|-
| [[Accomplices]] || 10 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Agramant is still in Therunin
|-
| [[Metamorphosis]] || 11 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Dealing with Kroll
|-
| [[Out of these convertites]] || 12 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || League visit to the Marches
|-
| [[Goodwill]] || 13 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Dawn, Navarr, Highguard, Vallornguard
|-
| [[Not from the benevolence]] || 14 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Offers from Ephisis
|-
| [[Wayfaring strangers]] || 15 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Visitors
|-
| [[Value beneath the mountain]] || 16 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Kespoena's Reach
|-
|}</div>
Over the past three months, events have taken place which are of significance to the Empire and may require a response from her champions. These are the winds of fortune, counterparts to the winds of war that detail the Empire's military campaigns. They lay out situations and usually include things that characters can do to take advantage of [[opportunity|opportunities]] or to resolve problems. In almost every case, they start with a piece of flavour text. This fiction helps introduce the wind of fortune or draws out a particular theme or element. Often, it represents a viewpoint that one or more NPCs might have in-character. In all cases, these pieces are intended to help create an atmosphere and provide a little entertainment. Where they contain opinions, those are the opinions of the fictional people depicted - and where they contain information or rumours, the assumption is that the reader will create their own context for that information or gossip if they want to use it in character.

The body of the wind of fortune describes situations and lays out ways players can engage with them. Except where we explicitly talk about something being "rumoured" or use a phrase like "some might say..." the details of a wind of fortune are factual. They represent briefing material presented by the civil service or similar authoritative sources and represent something the average educated citizen would acknowledge as a reliable truth. Unless we specify otherwise, we're also being as thorough as possible. This information doesn't need further checking in-character. It's not an opinion, and we're not trying to trick you.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:350px; float: left; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Diplomacy Wind
|-
| General Diplomacy || [[So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavea]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Asavean_Archipelago|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Axos]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Axos|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] || [[All I can do]]
|-
| [[Commonwealth]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Commonwealth|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Marracossa]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Marracossa|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Faraden]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Faraden|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Grendel]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Grendel|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Iron Confederacy]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Iron Confederacy|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarm]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Principalities_of_Jarm|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Sarcophan Delves]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Sarcophan Delves|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Sumaah Republic]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Sumaah_Republic|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
|}

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of Fortune is to maintain the illusion of the Empire as a living, breathing place where things happen - and to make players aware of things their characters could know based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing for the past three months. It's perfectly acceptable to turn up to Empire having read only a few Winds of Fortune that directly interest your character; part of the fun on the field can come from learning about situations and opportunities in other parts of the game.
__TOC__
In each case, we've tried to tag the Winds of Fortune entry with the nations or political bodies to which it is most relevant. We've done this to help people who are interested only in events that are especially relevant to them. In no way are these tags intended to be exhaustive; the Empire is a complex place, and very little happens in isolation. We are also adding the dates that they were last updated (other than typos and correcting [[red links]]) in an attempt to make it easier to keep track of the newest releases.

==Winds of Fortune==
===The Wolves Tempt You (Imperial Address)===
* '''Imperial citizens; Navarr;'''
[[Emperor Vesna]] has used their power to [[The_Throne#Address_the_Empire|address the Empire]] to present a personal reminder to all citizens that the road to salvation is hard, but everyone is walking it together.

The message has been distributed across the Empire by the civil service, and you can read it in the '''[[The wolves tempt you]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:left; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Navarr.png|align=left|width=150}}</div>
===Dream On===
* '''Navarr'''
In [[Miaren]], [[Miaren#Seren|Seren]] is now become the ''City of Dreams'' in truth. People with hopes and aspirations, with the imagination to perceive what is needed to achieve them and the determination to try, have flocked to Miaren. With the completion of the Temple of the Waking Dream, the [[dreamspeaker]] calling has coalesced as a distinct [[archetype]] among the [[Navarr]] people, one dedicated to making dreams become reality. This has perhaps predictably amplified arguments about what exactly that means, and which dreams should be pursued, and how.

You can learn about competing arguments, and the changes to the city of Seren, in the '''[[Dream on]]''' wind of fortune.
===Come Together===
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBNavarr.jpg|align=right|width=100}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Imperial Apothecaries Guild; Navarr; Benefactor of High Chalcis; Highguard, the League, Imperial Orcs, and Varushka; Senate
When [[Therunin]] fell to the [[Druj]] [[Thornsinger#Thornsong_House|Thornsong House]] was lost. Despite the valiant efforts of the Navarr and the aid of [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]], the college of herbmastery could not be saved. While the house itself burned, many of those who studied there were able to escape to the safety of [[Reikos]]. Some stayed behind on [[Reikos#Chalcis Mount|Chalcis Mount]], but others chose to put as much distance between themselves and the horrors of the Druj as possible. Drawn to the Temple of the Waking Dream, some of these apothecaries and physicks have taken the path of the dreamspeaker themselves, and inspired by the City of Dreams, they have put their ambition to rebuild what was lost into words.

A proposal for a new college of the apothecary arts, and ways various nations may be involved, can be found in the '''[[Come together]]''' wind of fortune.
===Fair Share of Labour===
* '''Artisan's Guild; Throne; Senate; Artisans of all kinds; Golden Pyramid; Pride Assembly; Navarr; Guildmaster of the Artisans, Dean of Runesmith's Caution, Keeper of the Runegrott, Seer of the Spiral Sword, and potentially several other titles associated with magic item crafting'''
At the recent summit, [[Emperor Vesna]], requested that the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] [[Forever_is_composed_of_nows#The_Abraham_Gambit|appraise the implications]] of a new [[Imperial sodality]], the ''Imperial Guild of Artisans''. The Artisans Guild has technically been in existence for some time, with the Senate [[Construct_Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|ordering the construction of Guildhouse]] in 385YE, creating the position of [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]]. Now the Senate is in a position to consider the full implications of making the Guild into an official Imperial sodality.

You can learn more about the potential Imperial Sodality, as well as proposals from some people very excited by the opportunity it represents, in the '''[[Fair share of labour]]''' wind of fortune.
===Hidden Inventory===
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* '''Wintermark, especially banner bearers; Cat's Graces; Minister of Historical Research; Mediator of Hyljehal; Senate
When the tides of fate seem to turn against the Empire, to be able to look and see over the battle lines, the colours of your warband or your nation still [[Pride|Proudly]] flying can help to rally the [[Courage]] and turn the tide. In [[Wintermark]] the [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Banner-bearers|position of banner-bearer]] is seen as vital to the success of any battle. [[Empress Britta]] was a banner-bearer, and bore [[Three Tears|Foe-Slayer]], the legendary war-banner of [[Emperor Guntherm]] onto the field. The great flag was lost when Britta died and it has been near two decades since Wintermark could bear its equal into battle. The artisans and craftspeople of [[Hahnmark#Runegrott|Runegrott]] have a proposal to try to remedy this shortfall, involving the construction of a grand [[edifice]] to house banners and paintings of the great banners of the Empire as well as the creation of a new [[Magic_items#Artefacts|artefact]] [[:Category:Magic Standards|banner]] for Wintermark.

You can read more about this plan, and learn a little of the mighty banner Foe-Slayer, in the '''[[Hidden inventory]]''' wind of fortune.
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===A Fork in the Path===
* '''Wintermark, especially the Mystics; Raven Seer of Ishal; would-be champions; Keeper of Oaths; friends of Sung
The [[mystic|Mystics]] of Ishal sought to work more closely with the wider nation of Wintermark. They have since decided [[Flight_of_birds#The_Witan|to approach the Witan]] directly, and do what they can to support the goals of the nation itself. The decision to help with the [[Warriors' Gate|exploration of Tsirku]] has made it impossible for the Mystics of Ishal to offer their usual council and support to the [[Raven Seer]] and to that end they have made several changes to the Aviary, and to the support they offer the Raven Seer and the nation. At the same time, there has been a great deal of discussion of the [[Crown of Three Tears]] and the role of the ''Champion of Wintermark'' within the nation - the appointment of who has traditionally been the responsibility of the mystics.

You can read about the changes at Ishal, and the situation of the Crown of Three Tears, in the '''[[A fork in the path]]''' wind of fortune.
===Outreach Across the Marshes===
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* '''The League, especially the Bishops and Princes; Merchant Prince of Misericorde Market; Senate
[[The League]] Assembly [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_57|has declared]] that their [[The_highest_calling#The_Highest_Calling|highest calling]] is to bring new peoples to join the Empire. A Virtuous endeavour to be sure, but even the League cannot move the whole world at once. To be effective the nation needs to [[Any_dream_will_do#Partners_within|focus their efforts]] on one group at a time. Diplomacy is a complicated matter, so they also need to decide who among them would be best to take the lead with each such group. This past season the Princes of the League have reached out to the [[Holberg#Misericorde|Sand Fishers]] of [[Holberg#Misericorde|Misericorde]], the [[orc|orcs]] who once lived on the southern shores of [[Ossium]] as slaves of the [[Druj]] but who have found a new lease of life on the northern shores of [[Holberg]].

Ultimately, the egregore decides who can or cannot join a nation - the nature of the bond is that it can only be formed with someone an egregores recognises as having the potential to be a member of the nation. But the League has already embraced the Apulian Orcs, why not the Holberg Orcs as well?

You can read about how the outreach is going, and what it might take to bring the Sand Fishers into the Empire, in the '''[[Outreach across the marshes]]''' wind of fortune.
===Stand Proud, You're Strong===
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* '''The Brass Coast, especially the Freeborn assembly;
After several seasons of deliberation (and funding a [[Construct_City_of_Wonders|whole new city]]), the Freeborn National Assembly has decided that the [[the highest calling|highest calling]] of their people should be on defending their lands. The sentiment resonates with people across [[the Brass Coast]]. It was not long ago that both [[Madruga]] and [[Feroz]] fell under barbarian control, [[Kahraman]] has faced constant invasion from the Lasambrians over the past few years and [[Segura]] has only recently enjoyed a prolonged period of quiet after nearly two decades of constant warfare. Is it a surprise that the people of the Brass coast feel a little vulnerable, given recent history?

There is so much work that could be done, people are at a loss to know where to start. The Assembly will have to consider the options carefully - they have a year to take advantage of the nation's highest calling, but that won't be enough time to pursue every possibility raised by a people as inventive as the Freeborn...

You can find out how the nation can begin to defend its lands, and the proposals put forward toward that aim, in the '''[[Stand proud, you're strong]]''' wind of fortune.
===Here You Come Again (Plenipotentiary)===
* '''Imperial Conclave; magicians; Synod; Brass Coast especially Sutannir; ''Alazhar i Taziel i Erigo'', ''Velasco i Guerra'', the Imperial Warcaster; Marcher beaters, Unshackled thief-takers, Varushkan wardens; ''Berilo i Erigo''; ''Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka'' and some dead generals'''
* This wind was updated on 06/09/2026 to add some additional paragraphs to the end of the [[Here_you_come_again#End_of_Empire|End of Empire]] section
Each [[archmage]] is empowered to send a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] message to a single [[eternal]] of their [[Realms|realm]] each season. Bound to respond, the recipients are however free to choose precisely what form that response takes. Following the Summer Solstice, six eternals have responded to what are presumed to be missives from the respective archmages. Some have agreed to [[archmage#Parley|parley]], but not all of them.

You can find out about the eternals, and the nature of their responses, in the '''[[Here you come again]]''' wind of fortune.
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===Arrows and Clay (Challenge)===
* '''Challengers of the Iron Duke'''
Each season, the eternal ''[[Barien]]'' presents opportunities to those prepared to [[Challenge the Iron Duke]]. For the Autumn Equinox he offers two challenges: a game of speed and grace, and a game of creativity and imagination. As ever, the rules of the ritual apply. Each person who receives the ritual will be ''guaranteed'' entry to a challenge. Depending on the challenge, they ''may'' be able to bring a certain number of attendants with them to assist. The exact number will depend on the nature of the challenge and the number of challengers. The [[civil service]] will publish exact numbers in [[Anvil#The_Hub|the Hub]] on Saturday morning for all to see.

You can find details of the challenges issued by Barien this season in the '''[[Arrows and clay]]''' wind of fortune.
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===Accomplices===
* '''Navarr; Military Council; Military unit captains; ''Eskah Swift Hart, Vosjuli Cherenkov, Towlen Nighthaven'' and ''Mirella of the Twisted Rose'''''
Another season, another message from [[Agramant]], delivered by his heralds from the depths of [[Therunin]]. The eternal's efforts were roundly refuted last season, with the [[Golden Axe]] reclaiming Lower Tarn Valley. This season, Twigsnapper has a much more pointed offer to make to aid the reconquest of Therunin.

You can find out what Agramant and his heralds are up to in the '''[[Accomplices]]''' wind of fortune.

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===Metamorphosis===
* '''Urizen, particularly the captains of military units or residents of Sarangrave; Keeper of the Breadbasket and farm owners of the Marches; Imperial Consul; ''Frith, Ser Guy of the Twisted Rose, Fausta Ankarien,'' and people interested in the rebel septs; ''Solas of the Spire of the First Light'' and the Warmage'''
It has been a tumultuous time in the Sarangrave. First the Druj, then the vallorn, and now husks. All while the Empire has been endeavouring to make diplomatic inroads with the rebels of Nesustak Forest. Sadly, troubles abound; the eviction of so many from Thornfen by the Axou has raised the spectre of famine in the territory. And now the Druj scattered through the territory, alongside the rampaging husks, threaten to raise a third dark spectre - the beast that lurks beneath the waters of the Sarangrave, the dark and terrible Kroll.

You can find out what's happening in Sarangrave this season in the '''[[Metamorphosis]]''' wind of fortune.
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===A Little at a Time===
* '''Members of the Synod, especially Cardinals; Members of the Senate; Members of the Vallornguard and people interested in the fate of Pilgrim's Defiance'''
Last season, eight judgements of [[proscription]] were raised, and half of them were upheld by the General Assembly. Similar to their previous efforts, the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] has asked the civil service to publish not just guidance on the outcome of these proscriptions, but also details from the minutes of their discussions in the hopes of providing clarity to interested citizens. This includes detailed guidance on the three changes to religious law enacted by the Senate.

You can find out the outcome of the Constitutional Court's meeting on the proscriptions and changes to religious law last season, in the '''[[A little at a time]]''' wind of fortune.
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===Out of These Convertites===
* '''The League, particularly orcs and members of the Synod; The Marches; People with an interest in foot-the-ball or duelling'''
* This wind was updated on 07/09/2026 to change the time of the [[Out_of_these_convertites#And_So_Am_Come_Abroad|Am So Am Come Abroad]] encounter to 18:30 on Saturday
Last season, the [[The League|League]] and [[The Marches|Marcher]] Assemblies both passed statements of principle encouraging a pilgrimage of Apulian orcs and League members of the Synod to the [[Mournwold]]. Citizens from all five cities of the League have taken up the call to travel, and the orcs of the Mourn have welcomed them with open arms and farm tools. It's not just the harvest that's discussed, but ancestors and sports.

You can find out what happened when the League visited the Marches this season in the '''[[Out of these convertites]]''' wind of fortune.

===Goodwill===
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* '''Dawn, Navarr; Highguard; Vallornguard'''
Two nations have chosen to use their [[The highest calling|highest calling]] to focus their people on the coming final war against the [[vallorn]]. The [[Dawn|Dawnish]] are developing the skills and resources to prepare themselves, while [[Navarr]] are looking for ways to support the nascent [[Vallornguard]] by sharing centuries of accumulated wisdom with other nations. Surprising progress has been made: the Dawnish have chosen to [[Love_and_monsters#Unicorns|throw open the doors of Greenwood Manor]] to all comers. The Navarr have spent the last year offering their unique expertise to their Imperial cousins, their eye turned at last to their allies in [[Highguard]]. Even the denizens of the [[eternal]] [[realms]] have heard the call to war, and have been encouraged to offer their aid as the Empire prepares for the war that will, if it is successful, bring to an end the Doom of Terunael.

You can find out about the highest callings of Navarr and Dawn, and the opportunities they provide, in the '''[[Goodwill]]''' wind of fortune.
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===Not From the Benevolence===
* '''Entrepreneurs and traders; Members of the Senate, particularly the Senators for Reikos and Bastion; People interested in contracts available, particularly ''Dorys Delgorokov'', ''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo'' and ''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged''; Citizens of Kallavesa, the Barrens, and Hercynia; and the ''Freeborn Flame Cartel'''''
Following the relative success of the new scheme to offer large contracts for fulfilment, the heralds of the [[Ephisis|Sovereign Lady of the City of Gold and Lead]] have returned with new offers for the coming summit. As always, the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] will set up shop in the [[Hall of Worlds]] on the final day of the summit, where they will look to settle any sales offered to the City via the [[Ephisis' Scale]] ritual.

You can learn about the offer for a fortification, the contracts available from the City of Gold and Lead, and the counting houses requested by the Conclave, in the '''[[Not from the benevolence]]''' wind of fortune.

===Wayfaring Strangers===
* '''Senators for Tassato and Holberg, and the League Assembly; Envoy to the Karass; Magpies;'''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
People visit Anvil for all kinds of reasons. Trade, wonderment, and a chance to meet with the movers and shakers of the Empire. It is no surprise that Anvil is seen as the place to be if you want to get anything of importance done.

You can find out more about some of the folk coming to Anvil this season in the '''[[Wayfaring strangers]]''' wind of fortune.
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===Value Beneath the Mountain===
* '''General of the Argent Sword; ''Kespoena Archsky''; Members of the Senate and those able to announce commissions; people who like mithril; ''Herminius of the House of the Wanderer''; Architect of Illumination; Gardener of Pallas; Arbiter of the Four Winds; Oblivion Sentinel; and people who like the idea of fighting in caves'''
Almost eighteen months ago, an arcane projection raised Kespoena's Reach (formerly known as Mount Polus) to be the highest mountain in the Empire. This, unexpectedly, led to a crevasse opening at the base of the mountain. Last season, the [[Argent Sword|General of the Argent Sword]], '''Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer''', ordered the heralds of her army to "''sniff out the value beneath the mountain''".

You can find out what they found, and what lies beneath Kespoena's Reach, in the '''[[Value beneath the mountain]]''' wind of fortune.
===Domain Expansion===
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* '''The Marches; Imperial Orcs; Senate and Military Council; Singing Caves seat; and Quartermaster of the Imperial Armies; Imperial diviners and cartographers; anyone with an interest in Liathaven/Ashvale'''
While other nations struggle on, the [[the Marches|Marchers]] have got their harvest in. Their assmebly has completed their [[The highest calling#Highest calling|highest calling]] and successfully [[Expand_Breadbasket_into_Mournwold|expanded]] the [[The_Marches_economic_interests#The_Imperial_Breadbasket|Imperial Breadbasket]] into [[Mournwold]]. There's no time for rest however... as ever Marcher knows, the reward for a good job is more work. Keen not to let the grass grow under anyone's feet, Marchers look to make good use of the remaining time now the Breadbasket is properly sorted. There are a few ideas knocking around about what Marchers could be doing next, as a tidal wave of Imperial Steel sweeps through [[Mitwold]] and into [[Bregasland]] - time to build on that success. After-all - you don't own it unless you can defend it...

You can learn about suggestions for how the Marches can own and defend land, and a mildly irritating development with a former Imperial territory, in the '''[[Domain expansion]]''' wind of fortune.
===Islands in the Dream===
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* '''Imperial Orcs, Varushka, Highguard; Military Council'''
Bloodcrow Knott declared the [[the highest calling#Highest Calling|highest calling]] of the [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]] assembly to be [[Every_day_of_your_life#Spanning_the_Abyss|seeking the ancestors of other septs]], and at the Summer Solstice, Bloodcrow Meep was chosen to [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_93|lead an approach]] to the [[Culling_the_threat#The_Dreamers_of_the_Dark_Forest|Dreamers of the Dark Forest]] in eastern [[Ossium]]. This time the [[orc|orcs]] have additional support in the form of advisors from [[Varushka]] and [[Highguard]] familiar with the sept, who helped arm and train the orcs to fight the [[Druj]] a few years back. The delegation of [[shamans]] and [[Illarawm|mystagogues]] braves the haunted woods and finds a guarded welcome, some mystical beliefs about spirits, and another dilemma for the Empire...

You can learn about the Dreamers of the Dark Forest, their spiritual beliefs, and their pressing concerns, in the '''[[Islands in the dream]]''' wind of fortune.
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===Shadowed Boughs of Twilight===
* '''Citizens of Ossium, Navarr and Varushkan alike; Ossium forest owners; Senate, Military Council; Varushkan and Dawnish military units; Grieftender of the Forgotten, Map to the City Below, Singer of Silence, Ceslev of the Circle of ZUlgan Tash; People who like having a fortification in Ossium; Apothecary of Orieb; people angry about idolatry; Agramant watchers; Watcher of the Semmerlak; Guardian of the Maze of Zoria; Dedicates of Wisdom; Ambassador to Otkodov'''
[[Ossium]] has been part of [[Varushka]] for six years now, and what was once a wretched place clenched in the iron fist of the [[Druj]] is rapidly becoming one of the most prosperous territories in the Empire. Alongside the Varushkans live a few scattered septs of [[orc|orcs]], while the [[Thule]] control the northern forests in uneasy alliance. For the last few years it has also been home to families of Navarr drawn by Awstin's Rest. After the Summer Solstice, though, magic drawn from the [[Realms#Night|Wondrous Forest]] washes over the territory, bringing with it the unmistakable blessings of Night magic - blessings that have a regrettable tendency to be somewhat mixed. Especially given the presence of the monsters that have been here since well before the Empire drove the Druj out, who still lurk in the depths of the wild forests.

You can learn about the effects the Night magic has had, on dreams and on the forest, as well as details about eternals and monsters, in the '''[[Shadowed boughs of twilight]]''' wind of fortune.
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===When Something Is Lost===
* '''Inhabitants of Madruga; Generals of the Drakes and Star Forged; military units; Marcher folk; Conclave orders; Military Council; magicians interested in ill-advised experiments; Archmages of Night, Spring, and Winter; Stone Smith'''
Once [[Madruga]] was grassy plains, rich coastline, and prosperous islands. Now it is something else, thanks in part to the transfiguration of its southern coast by magically-infused river waters. This is [[the Brass Coast]] and there are plenty of Freeborn who welcome the excitement, unpredictability, and wonder each day promises. After the Summer Solstice, magic started to settle over Madruga, bringing with it vibrant dreams of vanished forests and heralds of the [[Realms#Night|Night realm]]. At first it seemed to be just a gentle piece of [[Night magic]]... but as the Autumn got closer it became clear it had done more than just evoke dreams. Two Imperial armies were also in Madruga, busy claiming the wild marshes of the Siroc Bayou and Crucible for the Empire. ''One'' of these two armies has come back out of the marshes and the other one... has not.

You can learn about the gentle enchantment, and the disappearance of an entire Imperial army, in the '''[[When something is lost]]''' wind of fortune.

==Diplomatic Winds==
Each season, the Civil Service prepares a summary of the Empire's relationship with the foreign nations. This is usually based on communications received from their ambassador, along with any useful intelligence gathered from other sources. While the [[Senate]] and the other houses of Imperial power may respond to these offers, it is important to note that it is the appropriate [[ambassador]] that the foreign power will expect to hear from. Their communication with the foreign power is the primary element that will determine the tenor of any response. While these winds revolve around international matters, their focus is still on the Empire and what its citizens can do to influence diplomatic matters, so they're as likely as any other wind to contain something of interest to characters from all walks of life.

===All I Can Do (Beoraidh)===
* '''Ambassador to Beoraidh; Cat's Graces; Benefactors Council; Steward of the Ossuary; Members of Senate; Apothecaries Guild; Regario Dossier'''
[[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] was once the stronghold of the [[Grendel]] ''Salt-Lord Ehsan'' and his supporters. When the Empire moved to invade Mareave, Ehsan declared independence and sued for peace with the Empire. The city itself and the neighbouring region of [[Mareave#Sinfoyard|Sinfoyard]] are recognised as a neutral state by the Senate; a free port where both merchants of all nations are welcome. They actively seek investment from both Imperial and Grendel sources, and have allied themselves with the powerful [[Sarcophan Delves]]. One opportunity that has been under discussion for a while now is the creation of a temple dedicated to the Way, a monument to cooperation welcomed by the former Grendel. After the Summer Solstice it appears that some movement has been made towards making intention into reality.

You can learn about diplomatic relations with Beoraidh, and the opportunity to build a temple there, in the '''[[All I can do]]''' wind of fortune.

===It's All Wrong, But It's All Right===
* '''Ambassador to Faraden; Ambassador to the Iron Confederacy; Synod, Senate; fleet captains; Alder of Meade, Mediator of Fisk, Azure Sutannir, Cat's Graces; military unit commanders, especially mercenaries'''
The merchants of [[Faraden]] and the militarist [[Iron Confederacy]] lie to the west and south of the Empire respectively - to the west and south of [[the Brass Coast]] more specifically. Relation with the two nations have been tumultuous in the past but in the last year or two there has been a slow sanding-off of harsh edges. A feeling that lasting détente may be possible, although what it might cost is another matter entirely...

You can learn about diplomatic affairs regarding Faraden and the Suranni, and some pressing problems regarding both, in the '''[[It's all wrong, but it's all right]]''' wind of fortune.

===So Little I Wanted, So Little I Got===
* '''Ambassador to Asavea; Ambassador to Sumaah; Ambassador to the Grendel; Marracossa Sendito; Members of the Senate; fleet captains; Ambassadors in general; Loyalty Assembly, particularly ''Dagon Barossa'''''
The orthodox [[Sumaah Republic]] and the declining [[Asavean Archipelago]] lie far to the west of the Empire. The two great nations remain locked in war. Closer to home, the [[Grendel]] compete with the Empire for dominance of the Bay of Catazar. Even closer to home, the Marracossan exiles live in their town of [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Trajadoz]], Madruga. The [[ambassador|ambassadors]], the [[Imperial Consul]], and other individuals invested in diplomacy have their work cut out keeping abreast of what is happening, as each nation has agendas no less complex than those of the nations that make up the Empire.

You can learn about the ongoing diplomatic situation with the Asavean Archipelago, the Sumaah Republic, the Marracossans of Trajadoz, and the Grendel in '''[[So little I wanted, so little I got]]''' wind of fortune.

===Those Memories of You===
* '''Ambassador to the Sarcophan Delves; Ambassador to Axos; Senate; Wintermark farmers, herb garden owners, and apothecaries; Imperial Apothecaries Guild; collectors of vallorn relics; fleet captains trading with Issyk; Navarr traders'''
The [[Sarcophan Delves]] are a great power, a cosmopolitan nation centred around an immense city that sprawls out across the banks of the Umshalla river. [[Axos]] is tiny nation on the outskirts of the Empire, controlling a little over two territories. For all their differences they have similarities, though. Both are a people of cities, and both have an uneasy relationship to death. The Axou ''necromantia'' are acknowledged masters of the cold magic of the grave, while the Sarcophan base much of their industry on the use of the ''ongelukkig'' living-corpses. They are both nations made more powerful through trade, and both would like to see themselves as friends to the Empire... and in both cases that friendship can prove to be something of a mixed blessing.

You can learn about Sarcophan and Axou diplomacy, and some trade opportunities, in the '''[[Those memories of you]]''' wind of fortune.
===If We Never Meet Again===
* '''Ambassador to Jarm; Ambassador to the Commonwealth; Senate; Imperial mercenary soldiers (especially the League, Dawn, Urizen, and Highguard); Imperial fleet captains; Celestial Arch and Sevenfold Path; Rod and Shield and Golden Pyramid; Granite Pillar; friends of Professor Emmanuel Gelberg'''
The [[Commonwealth]] and the [[Principalities of Jarm]] had been at war, fighting for control of the borderlands between their two great nations. When the tiny country of Lantir was annihilated by [[Cold Sun]], a major incursion began that saw armies of [[Cold_Sun#Heralds|scions]] pouring through a breach in what remained of the capital city. Now they have a common enemy, but it has given them little ''else'' in common. Revelations as to the cause of the incursion have set the balance of power in the east swinging wildly - and not just between the two nations. The Empire is in the middle of a war of words and recriminations, and a long-term friendship seems to be on the verge of collapse while the attitude of bitter rivals appear to be improving.

You can learn about the chaos in the east, and its significant to Imperial citizens, in the '''[[If we never meet again]]''' wind of fortune.
===The Little Things===
* '''Ambassador to Otkodov; Senate; Military Council; Folk of Ossium'''
The [[Thule]] of [[Otkodov]] share a long mountainous border with [[Wintermark]], the [[Imperial Orcs|the Unshackled]], and [[Varushka]]. A magocratic nation is ruled by five allegedly immortal orc wizards called the Dragons they were at war with the Empire for much of its history. Now though, they are at peace. An uneasy peace to be sure, secured with the concedence of northern regions claimed as part of Otkodov. But peace nonetheless. For the last year or so, the Thule have been waging war on [[the Mallum]], conquering western [[Forest of Ulnak|Ulnak]] and occupying the northern Druj. They have also been engaging in active negotiations with the representatives of the Empire, arranging deals and agreements that might against all the odds so this peace last longer than perhaps it has any right to.

You can read about recent diplomatic developments, and in particular some upcoming events in [[Ossium]], in the '''[[The little things]]''' wind of fortune.

==Other Events==
===Strange Currencies===
* '''The Silver Flame ask for ritual texts for ''Strong Ox, Golden Sun'' and ''Gathering the Harvest'''''
* '''In return, they pledge their sentinels to defend Spiral as needed'''
The [[A_question_of_loyalty#Spiral|Tribunal of the Silver Flame]] controls the region of [[Spiral#Cinion|Cinion]], in [[Spiral]] - and is home to several hundred former Urizeni mages at most. Nearly a [[Mirror_and_the_flame|year ago]], they announced grand plans to make a formal alliance with the [[eternal]] [[Sinokenon]], declaring their intent to build a [[fane]] in their territory so as to allow the eternal to give them more extensive support. Aware that the risks would be shared by the Empire, they wrote to inform them of their intentions, and tried to sweeten the deal with two powerful rituals in exchange for access to Imperial Lore, assuming that the offer would land favourably.

It did not. The [[Conclave]] rejected the offer outright, seemingly incensed at the repeated request for access to Lore and having deep misgivings about the nature of ''Diamondmind's'' offer. The Flame sent a delegation to Anvil to try and understand why their strategy had landed so badly. Eager to demonstrate their worth to their neighbours, they sent their sentinels to aid in the [[This_is_the_end#Never_follow_me|quixotic but ultimately successful effort to free Apulian]] from the [[Whisper Gallery|Whisper Gallery's]] grasp. Last season, the Conclave agreed to disseminate [[Blessing of New Spring]] to them - a sign that there is diplomatic willing there, yet.

Now the [[civil service]] have been sent word from Alexius, who acts as the representative of the Tribunal to the Empire. His missive strikes a somewhat contrite note. The Tribunal have abandoned their plans to build a fane for Sinokenon - for now. It seems that someone made a generous donation of liao to the faction within the Tribunal who were most opposed towards any form of eternal alliance, and they have spent the last three months pressing their point. They have convinced many, but in particular they have convinced Caela, the Grand Arbiter of the Tribunal, who has asked the heralds of Sinokenon to leave.

This has not come without cost, it seems. While they have the stocks and stores to get through winter, it will be hard without outside assistance. Their need is pressing, and so they write to ask if their friends in Anvil could see to the dissemination of the other two rituals in the cycle of farm rituals. This would aid the rebels greatly - especially if this happens in time for the rituals to be cast in the Summer and Autumn of next year. Beyond that, the Flame would benefit from any personal enchantments, especially ones like [[Gift of the Wily Broker]] which allow for careful economic stewardship. In return, the Tribunal are prepared to guarantee that their sentinels will continue to support efforts in Apulian or be sent to assist in Spiral's defence in any way they can - whether it is simply to act as swords against the darkness of the wilds or to defend some fortification. They have four groups of sentinels with a combined military strength of a little under five hundred.

===All the Right Friends===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Prosperity.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''Efforts to share the virtue of Prosperity with the people of Tsark have met with some success.'''
* '''There is an opportunity to bring word of inspirational figures of Prosperity to Tsark.'''
* '''Eleven Imperials have been invited at 18:35 on the Saturday of the equinox to visit the Tsarkoi in Zenith.'''
The isolated nation of [[Tsark]] is famously slow to change and resistant to outside influence or visitors of any kind. In the last decade, as the Empire has become aware of Tsark's existence yet remained neutral, even friendly towards the tiny sagocracy, there has been a slow but perceptible thawing of relations on behalf of the Sage's Council. [[Seeds_of_discord#Tsark|Last season]] they sent ''Camilla'', one of the adepts who play some kind of role in day-to-day spiritual guidance of the lives of the Tsarkoi, to visit the Empire to learn more about the virtue of [[Prosperity]]. It seems that the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]] made the case that there could be a place for Prosperity within the worldview of the sages, and they were not so horrified at the suggestion as to refuse it out of hand.

Camilla solicited letters on the subject of Prosperity and has made herself and her fellow adepts available this last season for members of the Urizen Assembly to discuss Prosperity with her. As the equinox approaches, the Imperial diplomatic corps, through the office of the Seeker of the Perfect World, receive word that the initiative has been a success: at least from Camilla's point of view. She has learned much about Prosperity from all she has read and heard - yet she feels there is yet more to learn. In particular, she understands that the Empire set great stock by inspirational figures of the past who exemplify their virtues - a practice the people of Tsark understand well. The great sages and adepts of the past all have shrines built into the [[Mountains_of_the_Moon#Wall_of_the_Luge_and_the_East_and_West_Rising|Wall of the Luge]], the mighty fortified wall that surrounds the sacred plateau of Visoko. She would like to learn more about the inspirational prosperous figures that the Empire holds dear to its heart. If the Empire's representatives can impressively preach of an inspirational figure of Prosperity in a way that resonates with the spirituality of Tsark, then it could well lead to further such opportunities, as the Tsarkoi believe that inspirational figures are the ''most'' important way to find spiritual enlightenment.

She has asked Sage Kristoph, the well-established representative of the Sage's Council to the "People of the Horse", to make the trip to Zenith. She would like to host a discussion on the premises of the Garden of the Perfect World, with Sage Kristoph to attend, and an invitation is extended to each person who wrote to her or visited. These are, in no particular order: '''Farren Silver Streams, Abel the Rounder, Isaac of the Reaching Vine, Berilo i Erigo, Heilyn Bronwen's Rest, Catena of Tropaion, Galene Netherwatch, Able the Taller, Lord Augur Gryphontale, Eleri Bronwen's Rest''', and '''Solas of the First Light'''. They are invited to speak about three inspirational figures of Prosperity, with ten minutes (allowing time for questions) allocated for each figure. Who actually presents and on which figures Camilla defers to the visitors - she trusts them to collectively come to an understanding in an efficient manner that respects the time of others, as - she has learnt - the Prosperous are wont to do.

This is clearly a fateful occasion, and on such occasions the Sentinel Gate obliges. There is a conjunction for eleven people at 18:35 on the Saturday of the Equinox, to attend the Gardens of the Perfect World, Occursion, Zenith. The civil service has asked the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]], '''Abel the Rounder of Sarangrave Reforged''', to be responsible for the conjunction and for the other arrangements Camilla has mentioned.

===Blades of the Semmerlak (reprise)===
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Blades of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' [[Edifice]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:'''
*Sandling in Weirwater ''or'' Lacuve in Semmerholm
'''and'''
*Malimorzi in Karov ''or'' Bittershore in Ossium
</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 24 weirwood and 72 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' Three months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the start of Autumn Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Creates title of ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak''
* Creates the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''' venture for questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens
* Removes the threat to ships on the Semmerlak and establishes a sodality to deal with threats from Dho'uala</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Counts as a single commission</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Dawnish and Varushkan</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Senate or Test of Arms </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' This is a [[martial title]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:'''
* Receives 10 crowns a season
* Receives a [[Duelist's Scales]], a [[Troubadour's Ring]], and a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] once a year</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To counter the influence of Dho'uala and deal with threats coming from the Semmerlak</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<tr><td style="background-color: HotPink;">'''Blades in the Semmerlak'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Venture Type:''' Guarding</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Territories bordering the Semmerlak</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Duration:''' Open-ended</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Rewards:''' Six crowns and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]]</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''''Tristan Ramson von Holberg'', the Master of the Mint, announced the reappraisal of the Blades of the Semmerlak'''
* '''A wardenhouse in Varushka and a knightly estate in Dawn would provide a base of operations for heroes to protect the Semmerlak'''
Last season, the [[Master of the Mint]], '''Tristan Ramson von Holberg''', announced the [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Reappraise_Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|reappraisal]] of the Blades of the Semmerlak in Dawnish and Varushkan territories surrounding the [[the Semmerlak|Semmerlak]]. Originally [[Less_welcome_tenants#Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|suggested]] shortly before the Summer Solstice 386YE, the wardenhouse and knightly estate were part of a larger appraisal into the problem of [[Dho'uala]] killing Imperial citizens and interfering with matters on and around the Semmerlak.

A motion to construct the [[Less_welcome_tenants#Wards_and_Bargains|Journeymage Towers]] was [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Construct_Journeymage_Towers|proposed]] by '''Amicia of the Semmerlak''', as Senator for Semmerholm, and the [[Watcher of the Semmerlak]] has been active, appointed by the Assembly of Vigilance, and tasked with ensuring the nations surrounding the Semmerlak act with Vigilance and countering threats from the Semmerlak.

Lutomysla's suggestion that the Senate establish a small sodality dedicated to protecting the people around the Semmerlak still holds true, and has the same enthusiastic support from the merchant-boyars, earls, and merchant-princes keen to see people protected from the depredations of the sovereign. A knightly order focused on protecting the communities along the lake, and a warden fellowship to travel on ships crossing the Semmerlak to protect the crew; both would actively seek out the creatures of Dho'uala and fight them. Supported by Imperial heroes, the sodality would remove the threat to the people living along the edge of the lake. Instead, it would fall to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens to serve as the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''',

They will need places to operate from - an estate in Dawn for the knights and a wardenhouse in Varushka for the wardens. Lutomysla identified that the best locations would be either [[Weirwater#Sandling|Sandling]], in the vicinity of [[Weirwater#Culwich|Culwich]], or [[Semmerholm#Lacuve|Lacuve]] in [[Semmerholm]] near the bustling port of [[Semmerholm#Lacre|Lacre]] for the knights, and the port of Korotny in [[Karov#Malimorzi|Malimorzi]] in [[Karov]] and the [[Merchant_Boyar_of_the_Bittershore#Kostjyas_Respite|Kostjyas Respite]] in [[Ossium#Bittershore|Bittershore]] in [[Ossium]] and those still hold true. Although they involve work in two regions, the actual project itself requires only a single commission, and the building of the wardenhouse and the estates will take place in parallel. Once construction is complete, any threat to the people who live along the banks of the lake will be met by enthusiastic warriors. It will also create a new guarding [[venture]] available to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens - '''Blades in the Semmerlak'''. This will allow a [[military unit]] to spend their time actively defending the Semmerlak and the ships that traverse it. A starting military unit undertaking the venture would receive 120 rings and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]].

There would need to be a title to oversee the efforts and support the sodality; the ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'' would be a [[martial title]] of Dawn and Varushka who was appointed by either unanimous agreement of the senators of those two nations, or a [[Martial_title#Creating_Martial_Titles|test of arms]] between members of those two nations. The title-holder would be responsible for protecting the communities around the Semmerlak from threats mundane and magical, and to stand ready to oppose the depredations of Dho'uala whenever they raise their head. In return, they would receive an income of 10 crowns each season with which to equip allies and maintain their sodality.

They would also be the beneficiaries of several magic items provided by Dawnish, Varushkan, and League donors. A [[Duelist's Scales|Duelist's Scales]] weapon from the Varushkan merchant-boyars to weaken corrupt horrors; a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] from League merchant-princes to protect them from venom; and a [[Troubadour's Ring]] from Dawnish earls to help them support their allies. These items would be received once each year, and while the expectation is that the Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak would use them themselves, there is no reason they could not pass them to other warriors fighting against Dho'uala or similar monstrous threats.

===Dusk===
{{:Autumn Equinox 2026}}

===Husky Business (Volunteers)===
* '''There is an opportunity for player volunteers to portray their characters who died during the Saturday battle at the last event'''
* '''Eligible characters must have died during the battle, but not have been killed as a husk'''
* '''Volunteers will need to have their own costume and appropriate weapons'''
* '''The role will last around twenty minutes, starting at 18:30 on Friday'''
* '''The role will involve fighting alongside the skirmish team in an encounter against player characters'''
* '''Please email before 18:00 on Wednesday 26th of August if you are interested in volunteering'''

There is an opportunity for players to portray the husk of their fallen characters at the upcoming event. Anyone whose character died during the battle of the [[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Fens of Varreth]], raised as a husk but was not subsequently killed again as that husk is welcome to email to register interest in volunteering for an encounter on the Friday. This will be a combat [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|highly likely]] encounter through the Sentinel Gate and will involve fighting against player characters alongside members of our [[Plot_crew#Skirmish|skirmish team]].

If you are interested and would like more information, please email {{plot}} with your PID and the subject line "Husk Volunteer E4", and you will be given more details.

==Summer Conjunctions==

===Major Conjunctions===
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Link'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Outcome'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Sarangrave|Sarangrave, Turan Flats, ''Fens of Varreth'']]</td><td>Contain the dead</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Harvester of Graves]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Sigismund Vladislav Kestovia''' of [[Varushka]]; The spirits were not trapped and the husks remain a problem in eastern Sarangrave; The tortured souls of Het Trakaa remain in Turan Flats; Het Trakaa and Sul Maggotgnaw remain alive</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Mareave|Mareave, Clisearn, ''Ruins of Sinat'']]</td><td>Open the Vaults</td><td>Grendel</td><td>[[Mithril_and_rope#Battle:_Salt_and_Stone|Salt and Stone]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Joaquim i Erigo''' of [[the Brass Coast]]; Saltbound Stone recovered and claimed by '''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged'''; Ilium Jackals negotiated with and readying support of [[Boyar's Hasta]]; Iontach Leagsaidh remains in possession of their [[Grimnir's Hearthfire]]; Maistir Guaidre remains in possession of the Spiteri necklace</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Forest of Ulnak|Forest of Ulnak, Ghul'thark Forest, ''Fetid Heart'']]</td><td>Raid the Druj</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Battle:_Claim_the_Prize|Claim the Prize]]</td><td>Not taken; Status of the black lotus unclear; Status of the treasures of Taramid Skinwreath unclear</td></tr>

</table>

===Minor Conjunctions===
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! # !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview !! Result
|-
| 1 || Sarangrave, Whisperwood, Halfweir Grove || [[Fingers of the Devourer|Custodian of the Fingers of the Devourer]] || [[Thorn_and_bone#A_Testing_(Conjunction)|Destroy the heralds of Surut]] || Heralds of Surut killed; production of Fingers of Devourer has increased by two wains per season for as long as the Great Forest Orcs remain foreigners
|-
| 2 || Astolat, Withy, Igraine's Regio || [[Astolat|Senator for Astolat]] || [[A_wizard_did_it#Rants_and_Roses|Find out why the regio keeps shifting back to Spring, and resolve it]] || Unclear, but '''Éamon Ashenmourn de Cordraco''' might know more
|-
| 3 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Maiden Stone || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#Apples_First_(Mitwold)|Stop Jyll Longleys from cursing the Maiden Stone]] || ''Jyll Longleys'' and allies killed
|-
| 4 || The Barrens, Dawnguard, Troubadour's Glade || [[Knight of Dawnguard]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Vow (The Barrens)|Kill ''Prilak Gutdredger'']] || ''Prilak Gutdredger'' and almost all allies were killed
|-
| 5 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Golden Fields || [[Keeper of the Golden Fields]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#The_Right_Thing_(Mitwold)|Stop Dusty Cobb setting Golden Fields alight]] || ''Dusty Cobb'' and rebels killed
|-
| 6 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, The Dredging Flats || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Call to Stand (The Barrens)|Kill the Servants of the Burnt]] || All but one ''Servants of the Burnt'' survived
|-
| 7 || Ossium, Echofell, Burned Glade || [[Shadowed Torchbearer]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Fire_The_Forests_(Ossium)|Prevent the cursing of Ossium]] || Heralds killed and Ossium was not cursed
|-
| 8 || Therunin, Lower Tarn Valley, Rotwood Croft || '''Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#After the Taint (Therunin)|Destroy the miasma pillar]] || Miasma pillar successfully consecrated
|-
| 9 || Madruga, Free Landing, Hart's Cove || [[Hand of Guerra]] || [[Keys_of_Enlightenment#Barren_Waters_(Conjunction)|Aid the stranded ship from Sumaah]] || Unclear, but Hand of Guerra should know more
|-
| 10 || Sarangrave, Kroll, Slow Worm's Hill || [[Sevenfold Path|Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Boil The Swamps (Sarangrave)|Prevent the cursing of Sarangrave]] || Heralds killed and Sarangrave was not cursed
|-
| 11 || Sarangrave, Turan Flats, The Breakteeth dais || [[Eastern Sky|General of the Eastern Sky]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#The_Greatest_Prize_(Rhianos)|Recover the treasure]] || Treasure successfuly recovered
|-
| 12 || The Barrens, Bitter Strand, Saltshore || [[Merchant of the Fangs]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Fangs_for_the_Memories_(Conjunction)|Answer General Utmar's call for aid]] || Vassals of the manticore killed
|-
| 13 || Madruga, The Crucible, Talpses Plat || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#A_Terrible_Feeling_(Madruga)|Claim the ''Snapping Face'']] || Snapping Face retrieved and heralds killed
|-
| 14 || The Barrens, Carmine Fields, Trading Way || '''Rhydian de Rondell''' || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Taste_of_Mettle_(Conjunction)|Remove the failed knights-errant of House Courcillion as a threat]] || Named knights have accepted justice from local magistrates
|-
| 15 || Necropolis, Coursmouth, The Veiled Garden || [[Guardian of Britta's Memorial]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#The_Strength_of_This_Place_(Necropolis)|Spill the waters of Siakha]] || Bucket recovered and returned to Anvil
|-
| 16 || The Barrens, The Untrod Groves, Glade of the Good Knight || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#A_Hearty_Meal_(Conjunction)|Thwart the schemes of Ser Gawain Amboise]] || Schemes of ''Ser Gawain Amboise'' thwarted
|-
| 17 || Mareave, Fleisardh, Spring Regio near Golden Wind's Encampment || [[Silver Chalice|Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Do_Some_Harm_(Arhallogen)|Poison the Grendel]] || Grendel poisoned, Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice should know more
|-
| 18 || Tassato, Cascatas, Campo Verdenta || [[Keeper of the Sapphire Stair]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#For_What_Has_Been_Wrought_(Tassato)|Kill the heralds of Siakha]] || Heralds of Siakha and wreckers killed
|-
| 19 || Spiral, Apstrus, Alba's Lea || [[Legacy|Custodian of the Legacy]] ||[[Mithril_and_rope#A_Backhanded_Request_(Spiral)|Intercept the mercenaries pay]] || Raid launched on the Legacy and ten wains of mithril claimed by the Haurlatch Iron Consortium
|-
| 20 || Reikos, Haros Water, Couros Field || '''Nekoda of the Shattered Tower''' || [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_fortune#A_Sudden_Threat_(Reikos)|Save Professor Gelberg from Grendel assassins]] || Imperials pushed out by Grendel; Professor Gelberg has been kidnapped
|-
| 21 || Redoubt, Naris, Isaac's End || '''Telemachus of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[Seeds_of_discord#An_Empty_Bottle_(Conjunction)|Leave no more than a dozen Grendel alive]] || All Grendel killed
|-
| 22 || Kallavesa, West Marsh, The Meeting Place || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_32|Erlend]]''' || [[Myth_makers#The_Unity_Of_Deed_And_Word|Consecrate the Meeting Place]] || The Meeting Place successfully consecrated with true liao
|-
| 23 || Kallavesa, Wittal Grove, Frithstan's Fen || [[Grimnir of Wittal Grove]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#An_Unexpected_Ally_(Basileia)|Defeat the Grendel (and potentially rescue the Iontach)]] || Ionatch Meddool Miniog successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 24 || Forest of Ulnak, Grimfen Mire, Moss End || [[Warmage]] || [[All_I_ask_of_you#Wild_Things_Run_Fast|Take advantage of a recent scouting discovery]] || [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] successfully cast with eight rings of [[ilium]]
|-
| 25 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Eastern Ward || '''Theodora''' || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 26 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, Gardenway || [[Envoy to the Karass]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Protect_Lenna_Karass_%28The_Barrens%29|Prevent Druj raiders from kidnapping Lenna Karass]] || Lenna Karass was successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 27 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Western Ward || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 28 & 29 || Forest of Ulnak, Gloomsea, Islet of Calm || [[Archmage of Day]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Who's_the_Thief?_(Forest_of_Ulnak)|Prevent the Eyes of the Dragon from using a boon of Kimus]] || [[Wind of Mundane Silence]] performed on regio and bodies successfully destroyed
|-
| 30 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Warmage]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Drive the vallorn from the regio]] || Imperial casualties suffered, vallornspawn remain around the regio
|-
| 31 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Archmage of Spring]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Cast Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] || [[Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] was not performed
|-
| 32 || Sarangrave, the Whisperwood, Depths of the Hungry Earth || [[Counsel of the Sun Chamber]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#The_Caves_of_the_Hungry_Earth|Investigate the Hungry Earth]] || Depths investigated, Counsel of the Sun Chamber should know more
|-
| 33 || Volodmartz, Livardz, Sumisev Peegel || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_167|Auntie Armand Mariyavich Remislav]]''' || [[Sunrise_over_Livardz#Blow_It_Up|Destroy the Sumisev Peegel]] || Sumisev Peegel was successfully destroyed by [[Wind of Mundane Silence]]
|-
|}

388YE Autumn Equinox winds of fortune

2026-09-08T18:50:10Z

Rafferty: /* No More Tales */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Lights in the Dark.jpg|align=left|caption=Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. |width=2000}}</div>
==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Wind of Fortune !! Order Released !! Last Updated || Note
|-
| [[The wolves tempt you]] || 1 || data-sort-value="2026/08/15"| 15/08 || Imperial Address
|-
| [[Dream on]] || 2 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Seren
|-
| [[Come together]] || 3 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Apothecary college
|-
| [[Fair share of labour]] || 4 || data-sort-value="2026/08/19"| 19/08 || Artisans Guild
|-
| [[Hidden inventory]] || 5 || data-sort-value="2026/08/29"| 29/08 || Banner-bearers
|-
| [[A fork in the path]] || 6 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Mystics
|-
| [[Outreach across the marshes]] || 7 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Sand Fishers & League highest calling
|-
| [[Stand proud, you're strong]] || 8 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Brass Coast highest calling
|-
| [[Here you come again]] || 9 || data-sort-value="2026/08/31"| 06/09 || Plenipotentiary
|-
| [[Accomplices]] || 10 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Agramant is still in Therunin
|-
| [[Metamorphosis]] || 11 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Dealing with Kroll
|-
| [[Out of these convertites]] || 12 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || League visit to the Marches
|-
| [[Goodwill]] || 13 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Dawn, Navarr, Highguard, Vallornguard
|-
| [[Not from the benevolence]] || 14 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Offers from Ephisis
|-
| [[Wayfaring strangers]] || 15 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Visitors
|-
| [[Value beneath the mountain]] || 16 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Kespoena's Reach
|-
|}</div>
Over the past three months, events have taken place which are of significance to the Empire and may require a response from her champions. These are the winds of fortune, counterparts to the winds of war that detail the Empire's military campaigns. They lay out situations and usually include things that characters can do to take advantage of [[opportunity|opportunities]] or to resolve problems. In almost every case, they start with a piece of flavour text. This fiction helps introduce the wind of fortune or draws out a particular theme or element. Often, it represents a viewpoint that one or more NPCs might have in-character. In all cases, these pieces are intended to help create an atmosphere and provide a little entertainment. Where they contain opinions, those are the opinions of the fictional people depicted - and where they contain information or rumours, the assumption is that the reader will create their own context for that information or gossip if they want to use it in character.

The body of the wind of fortune describes situations and lays out ways players can engage with them. Except where we explicitly talk about something being "rumoured" or use a phrase like "some might say..." the details of a wind of fortune are factual. They represent briefing material presented by the civil service or similar authoritative sources and represent something the average educated citizen would acknowledge as a reliable truth. Unless we specify otherwise, we're also being as thorough as possible. This information doesn't need further checking in-character. It's not an opinion, and we're not trying to trick you.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:350px; float: left; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Diplomacy Wind
|-
| General Diplomacy || [[So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavea]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Asavean_Archipelago|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Axos]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Axos|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] || [[All I can do]]
|-
| [[Commonwealth]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Commonwealth|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Marracossa]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Marracossa|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Faraden]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Faraden|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Grendel]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Grendel|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Iron Confederacy]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Iron Confederacy|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarm]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Principalities_of_Jarm|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Sarcophan Delves]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Sarcophan Delves|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Sumaah Republic]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Sumaah_Republic|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
|}

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of Fortune is to maintain the illusion of the Empire as a living, breathing place where things happen - and to make players aware of things their characters could know based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing for the past three months. It's perfectly acceptable to turn up to Empire having read only a few Winds of Fortune that directly interest your character; part of the fun on the field can come from learning about situations and opportunities in other parts of the game.
__TOC__
In each case, we've tried to tag the Winds of Fortune entry with the nations or political bodies to which it is most relevant. We've done this to help people who are interested only in events that are especially relevant to them. In no way are these tags intended to be exhaustive; the Empire is a complex place, and very little happens in isolation. We are also adding the dates that they were last updated (other than typos and correcting [[red links]]) in an attempt to make it easier to keep track of the newest releases.

==Winds of Fortune==
===The Wolves Tempt You (Imperial Address)===
* '''Imperial citizens; Navarr;'''
[[Emperor Vesna]] has used their power to [[The_Throne#Address_the_Empire|address the Empire]] to present a personal reminder to all citizens that the road to salvation is hard, but everyone is walking it together.

The message has been distributed across the Empire by the civil service, and you can read it in the '''[[The wolves tempt you]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:left; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Navarr.png|align=left|width=150}}</div>
===Dream On===
* '''Navarr'''
In [[Miaren]], [[Miaren#Seren|Seren]] is now become the ''City of Dreams'' in truth. People with hopes and aspirations, with the imagination to perceive what is needed to achieve them and the determination to try, have flocked to Miaren. With the completion of the Temple of the Waking Dream, the [[dreamspeaker]] calling has coalesced as a distinct [[archetype]] among the [[Navarr]] people, one dedicated to making dreams become reality. This has perhaps predictably amplified arguments about what exactly that means, and which dreams should be pursued, and how.

You can learn about competing arguments, and the changes to the city of Seren, in the '''[[Dream on]]''' wind of fortune.
===Come Together===
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBNavarr.jpg|align=right|width=100}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Imperial Apothecaries Guild; Navarr; Benefactor of High Chalcis; Highguard, the League, Imperial Orcs, and Varushka; Senate
When [[Therunin]] fell to the [[Druj]] [[Thornsinger#Thornsong_House|Thornsong House]] was lost. Despite the valiant efforts of the Navarr and the aid of [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]], the college of herbmastery could not be saved. While the house itself burned, many of those who studied there were able to escape to the safety of [[Reikos]]. Some stayed behind on [[Reikos#Chalcis Mount|Chalcis Mount]], but others chose to put as much distance between themselves and the horrors of the Druj as possible. Drawn to the Temple of the Waking Dream, some of these apothecaries and physicks have taken the path of the dreamspeaker themselves, and inspired by the City of Dreams, they have put their ambition to rebuild what was lost into words.

A proposal for a new college of the apothecary arts, and ways various nations may be involved, can be found in the '''[[Come together]]''' wind of fortune.
===Fair Share of Labour===
* '''Artisan's Guild; Throne; Senate; Artisans of all kinds; Golden Pyramid; Pride Assembly; Navarr; Guildmaster of the Artisans, Dean of Runesmith's Caution, Keeper of the Runegrott, Seer of the Spiral Sword, and potentially several other titles associated with magic item crafting'''
At the recent summit, [[Emperor Vesna]], requested that the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] [[Forever_is_composed_of_nows#The_Abraham_Gambit|appraise the implications]] of a new [[Imperial sodality]], the ''Imperial Guild of Artisans''. The Artisans Guild has technically been in existence for some time, with the Senate [[Construct_Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|ordering the construction of Guildhouse]] in 385YE, creating the position of [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]]. Now the Senate is in a position to consider the full implications of making the Guild into an official Imperial sodality.

You can learn more about the potential Imperial Sodality, as well as proposals from some people very excited by the opportunity it represents, in the '''[[Fair share of labour]]''' wind of fortune.
===Hidden Inventory===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Cat's Graces Sodality.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBWintermark.jpg|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Wintermark, especially banner bearers; Cat's Graces; Minister of Historical Research; Mediator of Hyljehal; Senate
When the tides of fate seem to turn against the Empire, to be able to look and see over the battle lines, the colours of your warband or your nation still [[Pride|Proudly]] flying can help to rally the [[Courage]] and turn the tide. In [[Wintermark]] the [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Banner-bearers|position of banner-bearer]] is seen as vital to the success of any battle. [[Empress Britta]] was a banner-bearer, and bore [[Three Tears|Foe-Slayer]], the legendary war-banner of [[Emperor Guntherm]] onto the field. The great flag was lost when Britta died and it has been near two decades since Wintermark could bear its equal into battle. The artisans and craftspeople of [[Hahnmark#Runegrott|Runegrott]] have a proposal to try to remedy this shortfall, involving the construction of a grand [[edifice]] to house banners and paintings of the great banners of the Empire as well as the creation of a new [[Magic_items#Artefacts|artefact]] [[:Category:Magic Standards|banner]] for Wintermark.

You can read more about this plan, and learn a little of the mighty banner Foe-Slayer, in the '''[[Hidden inventory]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=KallevesiMystic.jpg|align=right|width=200}}
===A Fork in the Path===
* '''Wintermark, especially the Mystics; Raven Seer of Ishal; would-be champions; Keeper of Oaths; friends of Sung
The [[mystic|Mystics]] of Ishal sought to work more closely with the wider nation of Wintermark. They have since decided [[Flight_of_birds#The_Witan|to approach the Witan]] directly, and do what they can to support the goals of the nation itself. The decision to help with the [[Warriors' Gate|exploration of Tsirku]] has made it impossible for the Mystics of Ishal to offer their usual council and support to the [[Raven Seer]] and to that end they have made several changes to the Aviary, and to the support they offer the Raven Seer and the nation. At the same time, there has been a great deal of discussion of the [[Crown of Three Tears]] and the role of the ''Champion of Wintermark'' within the nation - the appointment of who has traditionally been the responsibility of the mystics.

You can read about the changes at Ishal, and the situation of the Crown of Three Tears, in the '''[[A fork in the path]]''' wind of fortune.
===Outreach Across the Marshes===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
* '''The League, especially the Bishops and Princes; Merchant Prince of Misericorde Market; Senate
[[The League]] Assembly [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_57|has declared]] that their [[The_highest_calling#The_Highest_Calling|highest calling]] is to bring new peoples to join the Empire. A Virtuous endeavour to be sure, but even the League cannot move the whole world at once. To be effective the nation needs to [[Any_dream_will_do#Partners_within|focus their efforts]] on one group at a time. Diplomacy is a complicated matter, so they also need to decide who among them would be best to take the lead with each such group. This past season the Princes of the League have reached out to the [[Holberg#Misericorde|Sand Fishers]] of [[Holberg#Misericorde|Misericorde]], the [[orc|orcs]] who once lived on the southern shores of [[Ossium]] as slaves of the [[Druj]] but who have found a new lease of life on the northern shores of [[Holberg]].

Ultimately, the egregore decides who can or cannot join a nation - the nature of the bond is that it can only be formed with someone an egregores recognises as having the potential to be a member of the nation. But the League has already embraced the Apulian Orcs, why not the Holberg Orcs as well?

You can read about how the outreach is going, and what it might take to bring the Sand Fishers into the Empire, in the '''[[Outreach across the marshes]]''' wind of fortune.
===Stand Proud, You're Strong===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Freeborn.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
* '''The Brass Coast, especially the Freeborn assembly;
After several seasons of deliberation (and funding a [[Construct_City_of_Wonders|whole new city]]), the Freeborn National Assembly has decided that the [[the highest calling|highest calling]] of their people should be on defending their lands. The sentiment resonates with people across [[the Brass Coast]]. It was not long ago that both [[Madruga]] and [[Feroz]] fell under barbarian control, [[Kahraman]] has faced constant invasion from the Lasambrians over the past few years and [[Segura]] has only recently enjoyed a prolonged period of quiet after nearly two decades of constant warfare. Is it a surprise that the people of the Brass coast feel a little vulnerable, given recent history?

There is so much work that could be done, people are at a loss to know where to start. The Assembly will have to consider the options carefully - they have a year to take advantage of the nation's highest calling, but that won't be enough time to pursue every possibility raised by a people as inventive as the Freeborn...

You can find out how the nation can begin to defend its lands, and the proposals put forward toward that aim, in the '''[[Stand proud, you're strong]]''' wind of fortune.
===Here You Come Again (Plenipotentiary)===
* '''Imperial Conclave; magicians; Synod; Brass Coast especially Sutannir; ''Alazhar i Taziel i Erigo'', ''Velasco i Guerra'', the Imperial Warcaster; Marcher beaters, Unshackled thief-takers, Varushkan wardens; ''Berilo i Erigo''; ''Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka'' and some dead generals'''
* This wind was updated on 06/09/2026 to add some additional paragraphs to the end of the [[Here_you_come_again#End_of_Empire|End of Empire]] section
Each [[archmage]] is empowered to send a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] message to a single [[eternal]] of their [[Realms|realm]] each season. Bound to respond, the recipients are however free to choose precisely what form that response takes. Following the Summer Solstice, six eternals have responded to what are presumed to be missives from the respective archmages. Some have agreed to [[archmage#Parley|parley]], but not all of them.

You can find out about the eternals, and the nature of their responses, in the '''[[Here you come again]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=BarienArt.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>

===Arrows and Clay (Challenge)===
* '''Challengers of the Iron Duke'''
Each season, the eternal ''[[Barien]]'' presents opportunities to those prepared to [[Challenge the Iron Duke]]. For the Autumn Equinox he offers two challenges: a game of speed and grace, and a game of creativity and imagination. As ever, the rules of the ritual apply. Each person who receives the ritual will be ''guaranteed'' entry to a challenge. Depending on the challenge, they ''may'' be able to bring a certain number of attendants with them to assist. The exact number will depend on the nature of the challenge and the number of challengers. The [[civil service]] will publish exact numbers in [[Anvil#The_Hub|the Hub]] on Saturday morning for all to see.

You can find details of the challenges issued by Barien this season in the '''[[Arrows and clay]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=AgramantArt.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>
===Accomplices===
* '''Navarr; Military Council; Military unit captains; ''Eskah Swift Hart, Vosjuli Cherenkov, Towlen Nighthaven'' and ''Mirella of the Twisted Rose'''''
Another season, another message from [[Agramant]], delivered by his heralds from the depths of [[Therunin]]. The eternal's efforts were roundly refuted last season, with the [[Golden Axe]] reclaiming Lower Tarn Valley. This season, Twigsnapper has a much more pointed offer to make to aid the reconquest of Therunin.

You can find out what Agramant and his heralds are up to in the '''[[Accomplices]]''' wind of fortune.

<div style="float:left; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NBUrizen.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>
===Metamorphosis===
* '''Urizen, particularly the captains of military units or residents of Sarangrave; Keeper of the Breadbasket and farm owners of the Marches; Imperial Consul; ''Frith, Ser Guy of the Twisted Rose, Fausta Ankarien,'' and people interested in the rebel septs; ''Solas of the Spire of the First Light'' and the Warmage'''
It has been a tumultuous time in the Sarangrave. First the Druj, then the vallorn, and now husks. All while the Empire has been endeavouring to make diplomatic inroads with the rebels of Nesustak Forest. Sadly, troubles abound; the eviction of so many from Thornfen by the Axou has raised the spectre of famine in the territory. And now the Druj scattered through the territory, alongside the rampaging husks, threaten to raise a third dark spectre - the beast that lurks beneath the waters of the Sarangrave, the dark and terrible Kroll.

You can find out what's happening in Sarangrave this season in the '''[[Metamorphosis]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly General.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
===A Little at a Time===
* '''Members of the Synod, especially Cardinals; Members of the Senate; Members of the Vallornguard and people interested in the fate of Pilgrim's Defiance'''
Last season, eight judgements of [[proscription]] were raised, and half of them were upheld by the General Assembly. Similar to their previous efforts, the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] has asked the civil service to publish not just guidance on the outcome of these proscriptions, but also details from the minutes of their discussions in the hopes of providing clarity to interested citizens. This includes detailed guidance on the three changes to religious law enacted by the Senate.

You can find out the outcome of the Constitutional Court's meeting on the proscriptions and changes to religious law last season, in the '''[[A little at a time]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Marcher.png|align=right|width=150}}
===Out of These Convertites===
* '''The League, particularly orcs and members of the Synod; The Marches; People with an interest in foot-the-ball or duelling'''
* This wind was updated on 07/09/2026 to change the time of the [[Out_of_these_convertites#And_So_Am_Come_Abroad|Am So Am Come Abroad]] encounter to 18:30 on Saturday
Last season, the [[The League|League]] and [[The Marches|Marcher]] Assemblies both passed statements of principle encouraging a pilgrimage of Apulian orcs and League members of the Synod to the [[Mournwold]]. Citizens from all five cities of the League have taken up the call to travel, and the orcs of the Mourn have welcomed them with open arms and farm tools. It's not just the harvest that's discussed, but ancestors and sports.

You can find out what happened when the League visited the Marches this season in the '''[[Out of these convertites]]''' wind of fortune.

===Goodwill===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Vallornguard sodality.png|title=Vallornguard|align=right|width=100}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Dawn.png||align=right|width=180}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Highborn.png||align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Navarr.png||align=right|width=150}}
* '''Dawn, Navarr; Highguard; Vallornguard'''
Two nations have chosen to use their [[The highest calling|highest calling]] to focus their people on the coming final war against the [[vallorn]]. The [[Dawn|Dawnish]] are developing the skills and resources to prepare themselves, while [[Navarr]] are looking for ways to support the nascent [[Vallornguard]] by sharing centuries of accumulated wisdom with other nations. Surprising progress has been made: the Dawnish have chosen to [[Love_and_monsters#Unicorns|throw open the doors of Greenwood Manor]] to all comers. The Navarr have spent the last year offering their unique expertise to their Imperial cousins, their eye turned at last to their allies in [[Highguard]]. Even the denizens of the [[eternal]] [[realms]] have heard the call to war, and have been encouraged to offer their aid as the Empire prepares for the war that will, if it is successful, bring to an end the Doom of Terunael.

You can find out about the highest callings of Navarr and Dawn, and the opportunities they provide, in the '''[[Goodwill]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Ephisis.jpg|align=left|width=300}}</div>
===Not From the Benevolence===
* '''Entrepreneurs and traders; Members of the Senate, particularly the Senators for Reikos and Bastion; People interested in contracts available, particularly ''Dorys Delgorokov'', ''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo'' and ''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged''; Citizens of Kallavesa, the Barrens, and Hercynia; and the ''Freeborn Flame Cartel'''''
Following the relative success of the new scheme to offer large contracts for fulfilment, the heralds of the [[Ephisis|Sovereign Lady of the City of Gold and Lead]] have returned with new offers for the coming summit. As always, the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] will set up shop in the [[Hall of Worlds]] on the final day of the summit, where they will look to settle any sales offered to the City via the [[Ephisis' Scale]] ritual.

You can learn about the offer for a fortification, the contracts available from the City of Gold and Lead, and the counting houses requested by the Conclave, in the '''[[Not from the benevolence]]''' wind of fortune.

===Wayfaring Strangers===
* '''Senators for Tassato and Holberg, and the League Assembly; Envoy to the Karass; Magpies;'''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
People visit Anvil for all kinds of reasons. Trade, wonderment, and a chance to meet with the movers and shakers of the Empire. It is no surprise that Anvil is seen as the place to be if you want to get anything of importance done.

You can find out more about some of the folk coming to Anvil this season in the '''[[Wayfaring strangers]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=ArgentSword_Colour.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
===Value Beneath the Mountain===
* '''General of the Argent Sword; ''Kespoena Archsky''; Members of the Senate and those able to announce commissions; people who like mithril; ''Herminius of the House of the Wanderer''; Architect of Illumination; Gardener of Pallas; Arbiter of the Four Winds; Oblivion Sentinel; and people who like the idea of fighting in caves'''
Almost eighteen months ago, an arcane projection raised Kespoena's Reach (formerly known as Mount Polus) to be the highest mountain in the Empire. This, unexpectedly, led to a crevasse opening at the base of the mountain. Last season, the [[Argent Sword|General of the Argent Sword]], '''Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer''', ordered the heralds of her army to "''sniff out the value beneath the mountain''".

You can find out what they found, and what lies beneath Kespoena's Reach, in the '''[[Value beneath the mountain]]''' wind of fortune.
===Domain Expansion===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Marcher.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''The Marches; Imperial Orcs; Senate and Military Council; Singing Caves seat; and Quartermaster of the Imperial Armies; Imperial diviners and cartographers; anyone with an interest in Liathaven/Ashvale'''
While other nations struggle on, the [[the Marches|Marchers]] have got their harvest in. Their assmebly has completed their [[The highest calling#Highest calling|highest calling]] and successfully [[Expand_Breadbasket_into_Mournwold|expanded]] the [[The_Marches_economic_interests#The_Imperial_Breadbasket|Imperial Breadbasket]] into [[Mournwold]]. There's no time for rest however... as ever Marcher knows, the reward for a good job is more work. Keen not to let the grass grow under anyone's feet, Marchers look to make good use of the remaining time now the Breadbasket is properly sorted. There are a few ideas knocking around about what Marchers could be doing next, as a tidal wave of Imperial Steel sweeps through [[Mitwold]] and into [[Bregasland]] - time to build on that success. After-all - you don't own it unless you can defend it...

You can learn about suggestions for how the Marches can own and defend land, and a mildly irritating development with a former Imperial territory, in the '''[[Domain expansion]]''' wind of fortune.
===Islands in the Dream===
<div style="float: right; max-width: 150px; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:Illarawm.png]]</div>
* '''Imperial Orcs, Varushka, Highguard; Military Council'''
Bloodcrow Knott declared the [[the highest calling#Highest Calling|highest calling]] of the [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]] assembly to be [[Every_day_of_your_life#Spanning_the_Abyss|seeking the ancestors of other septs]], and at the Summer Solstice, Bloodcrow Meep was chosen to [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_93|lead an approach]] to the [[Culling_the_threat#The_Dreamers_of_the_Dark_Forest|Dreamers of the Dark Forest]] in eastern [[Ossium]]. This time the [[orc|orcs]] have additional support in the form of advisors from [[Varushka]] and [[Highguard]] familiar with the sept, who helped arm and train the orcs to fight the [[Druj]] a few years back. The delegation of [[shamans]] and [[Illarawm|mystagogues]] braves the haunted woods and finds a guarded welcome, some mystical beliefs about spirits, and another dilemma for the Empire...

You can learn about the Dreamers of the Dark Forest, their spiritual beliefs, and their pressing concerns, in the '''[[Islands in the dream]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBNavarr.jpg|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBVarushka.jpg|align=right|width=300}}
===Shadowed Boughs of Twilight===
* '''Citizens of Ossium, Navarr and Varushkan alike; Ossium forest owners; Senate, Military Council; Varushkan and Dawnish military units; Grieftender of the Forgotten, Map to the City Below, Singer of Silence, Ceslev of the Circle of ZUlgan Tash; People who like having a fortification in Ossium; Apothecary of Orieb; people angry about idolatry; Agramant watchers; Watcher of the Semmerlak; Guardian of the Maze of Zoria; Dedicates of Wisdom; Ambassador to Otkodov'''
[[Ossium]] has been part of [[Varushka]] for six years now, and what was once a wretched place clenched in the iron fist of the [[Druj]] is rapidly becoming one of the most prosperous territories in the Empire. Alongside the Varushkans live a few scattered septs of [[orc|orcs]], while the [[Thule]] control the northern forests in uneasy alliance. For the last few years it has also been home to families of Navarr drawn by Awstin's Rest. After the Summer Solstice, though, magic drawn from the [[Realms#Night|Wondrous Forest]] washes over the territory, bringing with it the unmistakable blessings of Night magic - blessings that have a regrettable tendency to be somewhat mixed. Especially given the presence of the monsters that have been here since well before the Empire drove the Druj out, who still lurk in the depths of the wild forests.

You can learn about the effects the Night magic has had, on dreams and on the forest, as well as details about eternals and monsters, in the '''[[Shadowed boughs of twilight]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Drakes_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Star Forged colour.webp|align=right|width=200}}
===Something Is Lost===
* '''Inhabitants of Madruga; Generals of the Drakes and Star Forged; military units; Marcher folk; Conclave orders; Military Council; magicians interested in ill-advised experiments; Archmages of Night, Spring, and Winter; Stone Smith'''
Once [[Madruga]] was grassy plains, rich coastline, and prosperous islands. Now it is something else, thanks in part to the transfiguration of its southern coast by magically-infused river waters. This is [[the Brass Coast]] and there are plenty of Freeborn who welcome the excitement, unpredictability, and wonder each day promises. After the Summer Solstice, magic started to settle over Madruga, bringing with it vibrant dreams of vanished forests and heralds of the [[Realms#Night|Night realm]]. At first it seemed to be just a gentle piece of [[Night magic]]... but as the Autumn got closer it became clear it had done more than just evoke dreams. Two Imperial armies were also in Madruga, busy claiming the wild marshes of the Siroc Bayou and Crucible for the Empire. ''One'' of these two armies has come back out of the marshes and the other one... has not.

You can learn about the gentle enchantment, and the disappearance of an entire Imperial army, in the '''[[Something is Lost]]''' wind of fortune.

==Diplomatic Winds==
Each season, the Civil Service prepares a summary of the Empire's relationship with the foreign nations. This is usually based on communications received from their ambassador, along with any useful intelligence gathered from other sources. While the [[Senate]] and the other houses of Imperial power may respond to these offers, it is important to note that it is the appropriate [[ambassador]] that the foreign power will expect to hear from. Their communication with the foreign power is the primary element that will determine the tenor of any response. While these winds revolve around international matters, their focus is still on the Empire and what its citizens can do to influence diplomatic matters, so they're as likely as any other wind to contain something of interest to characters from all walks of life.

===All I Can Do (Beoraidh)===
* '''Ambassador to Beoraidh; Cat's Graces; Benefactors Council; Steward of the Ossuary; Members of Senate; Apothecaries Guild; Regario Dossier'''
[[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] was once the stronghold of the [[Grendel]] ''Salt-Lord Ehsan'' and his supporters. When the Empire moved to invade Mareave, Ehsan declared independence and sued for peace with the Empire. The city itself and the neighbouring region of [[Mareave#Sinfoyard|Sinfoyard]] are recognised as a neutral state by the Senate; a free port where both merchants of all nations are welcome. They actively seek investment from both Imperial and Grendel sources, and have allied themselves with the powerful [[Sarcophan Delves]]. One opportunity that has been under discussion for a while now is the creation of a temple dedicated to the Way, a monument to cooperation welcomed by the former Grendel. After the Summer Solstice it appears that some movement has been made towards making intention into reality.

You can learn about diplomatic relations with Beoraidh, and the opportunity to build a temple there, in the '''[[All I can do]]''' wind of fortune.

===It's All Wrong, But It's All Right===
* '''Ambassador to Faraden; Ambassador to the Iron Confederacy; Synod, Senate; fleet captains; Alder of Meade, Mediator of Fisk, Azure Sutannir, Cat's Graces; military unit commanders, especially mercenaries'''
The merchants of [[Faraden]] and the militarist [[Iron Confederacy]] lie to the west and south of the Empire respectively - to the west and south of [[the Brass Coast]] more specifically. Relation with the two nations have been tumultuous in the past but in the last year or two there has been a slow sanding-off of harsh edges. A feeling that lasting détente may be possible, although what it might cost is another matter entirely...

You can learn about diplomatic affairs regarding Faraden and the Suranni, and some pressing problems regarding both, in the '''[[It's all wrong, but it's all right]]''' wind of fortune.

===So Little I Wanted, So Little I Got===
* '''Ambassador to Asavea; Ambassador to Sumaah; Ambassador to the Grendel; Marracossa Sendito; Members of the Senate; fleet captains; Ambassadors in general; Loyalty Assembly, particularly ''Dagon Barossa'''''
The orthodox [[Sumaah Republic]] and the declining [[Asavean Archipelago]] lie far to the west of the Empire. The two great nations remain locked in war. Closer to home, the [[Grendel]] compete with the Empire for dominance of the Bay of Catazar. Even closer to home, the Marracossan exiles live in their town of [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Trajadoz]], Madruga. The [[ambassador|ambassadors]], the [[Imperial Consul]], and other individuals invested in diplomacy have their work cut out keeping abreast of what is happening, as each nation has agendas no less complex than those of the nations that make up the Empire.

You can learn about the ongoing diplomatic situation with the Asavean Archipelago, the Sumaah Republic, the Marracossans of Trajadoz, and the Grendel in '''[[So little I wanted, so little I got]]''' wind of fortune.

===Those Memories of You===
* '''Ambassador to the Sarcophan Delves; Ambassador to Axos; Senate; Wintermark farmers, herb garden owners, and apothecaries; Imperial Apothecaries Guild; collectors of vallorn relics; fleet captains trading with Issyk; Navarr traders'''
The [[Sarcophan Delves]] are a great power, a cosmopolitan nation centred around an immense city that sprawls out across the banks of the Umshalla river. [[Axos]] is tiny nation on the outskirts of the Empire, controlling a little over two territories. For all their differences they have similarities, though. Both are a people of cities, and both have an uneasy relationship to death. The Axou ''necromantia'' are acknowledged masters of the cold magic of the grave, while the Sarcophan base much of their industry on the use of the ''ongelukkig'' living-corpses. They are both nations made more powerful through trade, and both would like to see themselves as friends to the Empire... and in both cases that friendship can prove to be something of a mixed blessing.

You can learn about Sarcophan and Axou diplomacy, and some trade opportunities, in the '''[[Those memories of you]]''' wind of fortune.
===If We Never Meet Again===
* '''Ambassador to Jarm; Ambassador to the Commonwealth; Senate; Imperial mercenary soldiers (especially the League, Dawn, Urizen, and Highguard); Imperial fleet captains; Celestial Arch and Sevenfold Path; Rod and Shield and Golden Pyramid; Granite Pillar; friends of Professor Emmanuel Gelberg'''
The [[Commonwealth]] and the [[Principalities of Jarm]] had been at war, fighting for control of the borderlands between their two great nations. When the tiny country of Lantir was annihilated by [[Cold Sun]], a major incursion began that saw armies of [[Cold_Sun#Heralds|scions]] pouring through a breach in what remained of the capital city. Now they have a common enemy, but it has given them little ''else'' in common. Revelations as to the cause of the incursion have set the balance of power in the east swinging wildly - and not just between the two nations. The Empire is in the middle of a war of words and recriminations, and a long-term friendship seems to be on the verge of collapse while the attitude of bitter rivals appear to be improving.

You can learn about the chaos in the east, and its significant to Imperial citizens, in the '''[[If we never meet again]]''' wind of fortune.
===The Little Things===
* '''Ambassador to Otkodov; Senate; Military Council; Folk of Ossium'''
The [[Thule]] of [[Otkodov]] share a long mountainous border with [[Wintermark]], the [[Imperial Orcs|the Unshackled]], and [[Varushka]]. A magocratic nation is ruled by five allegedly immortal orc wizards called the Dragons they were at war with the Empire for much of its history. Now though, they are at peace. An uneasy peace to be sure, secured with the concedence of northern regions claimed as part of Otkodov. But peace nonetheless. For the last year or so, the Thule have been waging war on [[the Mallum]], conquering western [[Forest of Ulnak|Ulnak]] and occupying the northern Druj. They have also been engaging in active negotiations with the representatives of the Empire, arranging deals and agreements that might against all the odds so this peace last longer than perhaps it has any right to.

You can read about recent diplomatic developments, and in particular some upcoming events in [[Ossium]], in the '''[[The little things]]''' wind of fortune.

==Other Events==
===Strange Currencies===
* '''The Silver Flame ask for ritual texts for ''Strong Ox, Golden Sun'' and ''Gathering the Harvest'''''
* '''In return, they pledge their sentinels to defend Spiral as needed'''
The [[A_question_of_loyalty#Spiral|Tribunal of the Silver Flame]] controls the region of [[Spiral#Cinion|Cinion]], in [[Spiral]] - and is home to several hundred former Urizeni mages at most. Nearly a [[Mirror_and_the_flame|year ago]], they announced grand plans to make a formal alliance with the [[eternal]] [[Sinokenon]], declaring their intent to build a [[fane]] in their territory so as to allow the eternal to give them more extensive support. Aware that the risks would be shared by the Empire, they wrote to inform them of their intentions, and tried to sweeten the deal with two powerful rituals in exchange for access to Imperial Lore, assuming that the offer would land favourably.

It did not. The [[Conclave]] rejected the offer outright, seemingly incensed at the repeated request for access to Lore and having deep misgivings about the nature of ''Diamondmind's'' offer. The Flame sent a delegation to Anvil to try and understand why their strategy had landed so badly. Eager to demonstrate their worth to their neighbours, they sent their sentinels to aid in the [[This_is_the_end#Never_follow_me|quixotic but ultimately successful effort to free Apulian]] from the [[Whisper Gallery|Whisper Gallery's]] grasp. Last season, the Conclave agreed to disseminate [[Blessing of New Spring]] to them - a sign that there is diplomatic willing there, yet.

Now the [[civil service]] have been sent word from Alexius, who acts as the representative of the Tribunal to the Empire. His missive strikes a somewhat contrite note. The Tribunal have abandoned their plans to build a fane for Sinokenon - for now. It seems that someone made a generous donation of liao to the faction within the Tribunal who were most opposed towards any form of eternal alliance, and they have spent the last three months pressing their point. They have convinced many, but in particular they have convinced Caela, the Grand Arbiter of the Tribunal, who has asked the heralds of Sinokenon to leave.

This has not come without cost, it seems. While they have the stocks and stores to get through winter, it will be hard without outside assistance. Their need is pressing, and so they write to ask if their friends in Anvil could see to the dissemination of the other two rituals in the cycle of farm rituals. This would aid the rebels greatly - especially if this happens in time for the rituals to be cast in the Summer and Autumn of next year. Beyond that, the Flame would benefit from any personal enchantments, especially ones like [[Gift of the Wily Broker]] which allow for careful economic stewardship. In return, the Tribunal are prepared to guarantee that their sentinels will continue to support efforts in Apulian or be sent to assist in Spiral's defence in any way they can - whether it is simply to act as swords against the darkness of the wilds or to defend some fortification. They have four groups of sentinels with a combined military strength of a little under five hundred.

===All the Right Friends===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Prosperity.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''Efforts to share the virtue of Prosperity with the people of Tsark have met with some success.'''
* '''There is an opportunity to bring word of inspirational figures of Prosperity to Tsark.'''
* '''Eleven Imperials have been invited at 18:35 on the Saturday of the equinox to visit the Tsarkoi in Zenith.'''
The isolated nation of [[Tsark]] is famously slow to change and resistant to outside influence or visitors of any kind. In the last decade, as the Empire has become aware of Tsark's existence yet remained neutral, even friendly towards the tiny sagocracy, there has been a slow but perceptible thawing of relations on behalf of the Sage's Council. [[Seeds_of_discord#Tsark|Last season]] they sent ''Camilla'', one of the adepts who play some kind of role in day-to-day spiritual guidance of the lives of the Tsarkoi, to visit the Empire to learn more about the virtue of [[Prosperity]]. It seems that the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]] made the case that there could be a place for Prosperity within the worldview of the sages, and they were not so horrified at the suggestion as to refuse it out of hand.

Camilla solicited letters on the subject of Prosperity and has made herself and her fellow adepts available this last season for members of the Urizen Assembly to discuss Prosperity with her. As the equinox approaches, the Imperial diplomatic corps, through the office of the Seeker of the Perfect World, receive word that the initiative has been a success: at least from Camilla's point of view. She has learned much about Prosperity from all she has read and heard - yet she feels there is yet more to learn. In particular, she understands that the Empire set great stock by inspirational figures of the past who exemplify their virtues - a practice the people of Tsark understand well. The great sages and adepts of the past all have shrines built into the [[Mountains_of_the_Moon#Wall_of_the_Luge_and_the_East_and_West_Rising|Wall of the Luge]], the mighty fortified wall that surrounds the sacred plateau of Visoko. She would like to learn more about the inspirational prosperous figures that the Empire holds dear to its heart. If the Empire's representatives can impressively preach of an inspirational figure of Prosperity in a way that resonates with the spirituality of Tsark, then it could well lead to further such opportunities, as the Tsarkoi believe that inspirational figures are the ''most'' important way to find spiritual enlightenment.

She has asked Sage Kristoph, the well-established representative of the Sage's Council to the "People of the Horse", to make the trip to Zenith. She would like to host a discussion on the premises of the Garden of the Perfect World, with Sage Kristoph to attend, and an invitation is extended to each person who wrote to her or visited. These are, in no particular order: '''Farren Silver Streams, Abel the Rounder, Isaac of the Reaching Vine, Berilo i Erigo, Heilyn Bronwen's Rest, Catena of Tropaion, Galene Netherwatch, Able the Taller, Lord Augur Gryphontale, Eleri Bronwen's Rest''', and '''Solas of the First Light'''. They are invited to speak about three inspirational figures of Prosperity, with ten minutes (allowing time for questions) allocated for each figure. Who actually presents and on which figures Camilla defers to the visitors - she trusts them to collectively come to an understanding in an efficient manner that respects the time of others, as - she has learnt - the Prosperous are wont to do.

This is clearly a fateful occasion, and on such occasions the Sentinel Gate obliges. There is a conjunction for eleven people at 18:35 on the Saturday of the Equinox, to attend the Gardens of the Perfect World, Occursion, Zenith. The civil service has asked the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]], '''Abel the Rounder of Sarangrave Reforged''', to be responsible for the conjunction and for the other arrangements Camilla has mentioned.

===Blades of the Semmerlak (reprise)===
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Blades of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' [[Edifice]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:'''
*Sandling in Weirwater ''or'' Lacuve in Semmerholm
'''and'''
*Malimorzi in Karov ''or'' Bittershore in Ossium
</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 24 weirwood and 72 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' Three months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the start of Autumn Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Creates title of ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak''
* Creates the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''' venture for questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens
* Removes the threat to ships on the Semmerlak and establishes a sodality to deal with threats from Dho'uala</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Counts as a single commission</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Dawnish and Varushkan</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Senate or Test of Arms </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' This is a [[martial title]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:'''
* Receives 10 crowns a season
* Receives a [[Duelist's Scales]], a [[Troubadour's Ring]], and a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] once a year</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To counter the influence of Dho'uala and deal with threats coming from the Semmerlak</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<tr><td style="background-color: HotPink;">'''Blades in the Semmerlak'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Venture Type:''' Guarding</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Territories bordering the Semmerlak</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Duration:''' Open-ended</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Rewards:''' Six crowns and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]]</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''''Tristan Ramson von Holberg'', the Master of the Mint, announced the reappraisal of the Blades of the Semmerlak'''
* '''A wardenhouse in Varushka and a knightly estate in Dawn would provide a base of operations for heroes to protect the Semmerlak'''
Last season, the [[Master of the Mint]], '''Tristan Ramson von Holberg''', announced the [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Reappraise_Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|reappraisal]] of the Blades of the Semmerlak in Dawnish and Varushkan territories surrounding the [[the Semmerlak|Semmerlak]]. Originally [[Less_welcome_tenants#Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|suggested]] shortly before the Summer Solstice 386YE, the wardenhouse and knightly estate were part of a larger appraisal into the problem of [[Dho'uala]] killing Imperial citizens and interfering with matters on and around the Semmerlak.

A motion to construct the [[Less_welcome_tenants#Wards_and_Bargains|Journeymage Towers]] was [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Construct_Journeymage_Towers|proposed]] by '''Amicia of the Semmerlak''', as Senator for Semmerholm, and the [[Watcher of the Semmerlak]] has been active, appointed by the Assembly of Vigilance, and tasked with ensuring the nations surrounding the Semmerlak act with Vigilance and countering threats from the Semmerlak.

Lutomysla's suggestion that the Senate establish a small sodality dedicated to protecting the people around the Semmerlak still holds true, and has the same enthusiastic support from the merchant-boyars, earls, and merchant-princes keen to see people protected from the depredations of the sovereign. A knightly order focused on protecting the communities along the lake, and a warden fellowship to travel on ships crossing the Semmerlak to protect the crew; both would actively seek out the creatures of Dho'uala and fight them. Supported by Imperial heroes, the sodality would remove the threat to the people living along the edge of the lake. Instead, it would fall to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens to serve as the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''',

They will need places to operate from - an estate in Dawn for the knights and a wardenhouse in Varushka for the wardens. Lutomysla identified that the best locations would be either [[Weirwater#Sandling|Sandling]], in the vicinity of [[Weirwater#Culwich|Culwich]], or [[Semmerholm#Lacuve|Lacuve]] in [[Semmerholm]] near the bustling port of [[Semmerholm#Lacre|Lacre]] for the knights, and the port of Korotny in [[Karov#Malimorzi|Malimorzi]] in [[Karov]] and the [[Merchant_Boyar_of_the_Bittershore#Kostjyas_Respite|Kostjyas Respite]] in [[Ossium#Bittershore|Bittershore]] in [[Ossium]] and those still hold true. Although they involve work in two regions, the actual project itself requires only a single commission, and the building of the wardenhouse and the estates will take place in parallel. Once construction is complete, any threat to the people who live along the banks of the lake will be met by enthusiastic warriors. It will also create a new guarding [[venture]] available to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens - '''Blades in the Semmerlak'''. This will allow a [[military unit]] to spend their time actively defending the Semmerlak and the ships that traverse it. A starting military unit undertaking the venture would receive 120 rings and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]].

There would need to be a title to oversee the efforts and support the sodality; the ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'' would be a [[martial title]] of Dawn and Varushka who was appointed by either unanimous agreement of the senators of those two nations, or a [[Martial_title#Creating_Martial_Titles|test of arms]] between members of those two nations. The title-holder would be responsible for protecting the communities around the Semmerlak from threats mundane and magical, and to stand ready to oppose the depredations of Dho'uala whenever they raise their head. In return, they would receive an income of 10 crowns each season with which to equip allies and maintain their sodality.

They would also be the beneficiaries of several magic items provided by Dawnish, Varushkan, and League donors. A [[Duelist's Scales|Duelist's Scales]] weapon from the Varushkan merchant-boyars to weaken corrupt horrors; a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] from League merchant-princes to protect them from venom; and a [[Troubadour's Ring]] from Dawnish earls to help them support their allies. These items would be received once each year, and while the expectation is that the Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak would use them themselves, there is no reason they could not pass them to other warriors fighting against Dho'uala or similar monstrous threats.

===Dusk===
{{:Autumn Equinox 2026}}

===Husky Business (Volunteers)===
* '''There is an opportunity for player volunteers to portray their characters who died during the Saturday battle at the last event'''
* '''Eligible characters must have died during the battle, but not have been killed as a husk'''
* '''Volunteers will need to have their own costume and appropriate weapons'''
* '''The role will last around twenty minutes, starting at 18:30 on Friday'''
* '''The role will involve fighting alongside the skirmish team in an encounter against player characters'''
* '''Please email before 18:00 on Wednesday 26th of August if you are interested in volunteering'''

There is an opportunity for players to portray the husk of their fallen characters at the upcoming event. Anyone whose character died during the battle of the [[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Fens of Varreth]], raised as a husk but was not subsequently killed again as that husk is welcome to email to register interest in volunteering for an encounter on the Friday. This will be a combat [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|highly likely]] encounter through the Sentinel Gate and will involve fighting against player characters alongside members of our [[Plot_crew#Skirmish|skirmish team]].

If you are interested and would like more information, please email {{plot}} with your PID and the subject line "Husk Volunteer E4", and you will be given more details.

==Summer Conjunctions==

===Major Conjunctions===
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Link'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Outcome'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Sarangrave|Sarangrave, Turan Flats, ''Fens of Varreth'']]</td><td>Contain the dead</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Harvester of Graves]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Sigismund Vladislav Kestovia''' of [[Varushka]]; The spirits were not trapped and the husks remain a problem in eastern Sarangrave; The tortured souls of Het Trakaa remain in Turan Flats; Het Trakaa and Sul Maggotgnaw remain alive</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Mareave|Mareave, Clisearn, ''Ruins of Sinat'']]</td><td>Open the Vaults</td><td>Grendel</td><td>[[Mithril_and_rope#Battle:_Salt_and_Stone|Salt and Stone]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Joaquim i Erigo''' of [[the Brass Coast]]; Saltbound Stone recovered and claimed by '''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged'''; Ilium Jackals negotiated with and readying support of [[Boyar's Hasta]]; Iontach Leagsaidh remains in possession of their [[Grimnir's Hearthfire]]; Maistir Guaidre remains in possession of the Spiteri necklace</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Forest of Ulnak|Forest of Ulnak, Ghul'thark Forest, ''Fetid Heart'']]</td><td>Raid the Druj</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Battle:_Claim_the_Prize|Claim the Prize]]</td><td>Not taken; Status of the black lotus unclear; Status of the treasures of Taramid Skinwreath unclear</td></tr>

</table>

===Minor Conjunctions===
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! # !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview !! Result
|-
| 1 || Sarangrave, Whisperwood, Halfweir Grove || [[Fingers of the Devourer|Custodian of the Fingers of the Devourer]] || [[Thorn_and_bone#A_Testing_(Conjunction)|Destroy the heralds of Surut]] || Heralds of Surut killed; production of Fingers of Devourer has increased by two wains per season for as long as the Great Forest Orcs remain foreigners
|-
| 2 || Astolat, Withy, Igraine's Regio || [[Astolat|Senator for Astolat]] || [[A_wizard_did_it#Rants_and_Roses|Find out why the regio keeps shifting back to Spring, and resolve it]] || Unclear, but '''Éamon Ashenmourn de Cordraco''' might know more
|-
| 3 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Maiden Stone || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#Apples_First_(Mitwold)|Stop Jyll Longleys from cursing the Maiden Stone]] || ''Jyll Longleys'' and allies killed
|-
| 4 || The Barrens, Dawnguard, Troubadour's Glade || [[Knight of Dawnguard]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Vow (The Barrens)|Kill ''Prilak Gutdredger'']] || ''Prilak Gutdredger'' and almost all allies were killed
|-
| 5 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Golden Fields || [[Keeper of the Golden Fields]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#The_Right_Thing_(Mitwold)|Stop Dusty Cobb setting Golden Fields alight]] || ''Dusty Cobb'' and rebels killed
|-
| 6 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, The Dredging Flats || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Call to Stand (The Barrens)|Kill the Servants of the Burnt]] || All but one ''Servants of the Burnt'' survived
|-
| 7 || Ossium, Echofell, Burned Glade || [[Shadowed Torchbearer]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Fire_The_Forests_(Ossium)|Prevent the cursing of Ossium]] || Heralds killed and Ossium was not cursed
|-
| 8 || Therunin, Lower Tarn Valley, Rotwood Croft || '''Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#After the Taint (Therunin)|Destroy the miasma pillar]] || Miasma pillar successfully consecrated
|-
| 9 || Madruga, Free Landing, Hart's Cove || [[Hand of Guerra]] || [[Keys_of_Enlightenment#Barren_Waters_(Conjunction)|Aid the stranded ship from Sumaah]] || Unclear, but Hand of Guerra should know more
|-
| 10 || Sarangrave, Kroll, Slow Worm's Hill || [[Sevenfold Path|Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Boil The Swamps (Sarangrave)|Prevent the cursing of Sarangrave]] || Heralds killed and Sarangrave was not cursed
|-
| 11 || Sarangrave, Turan Flats, The Breakteeth dais || [[Eastern Sky|General of the Eastern Sky]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#The_Greatest_Prize_(Rhianos)|Recover the treasure]] || Treasure successfuly recovered
|-
| 12 || The Barrens, Bitter Strand, Saltshore || [[Merchant of the Fangs]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Fangs_for_the_Memories_(Conjunction)|Answer General Utmar's call for aid]] || Vassals of the manticore killed
|-
| 13 || Madruga, The Crucible, Talpses Plat || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#A_Terrible_Feeling_(Madruga)|Claim the ''Snapping Face'']] || Snapping Face retrieved and heralds killed
|-
| 14 || The Barrens, Carmine Fields, Trading Way || '''Rhydian de Rondell''' || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Taste_of_Mettle_(Conjunction)|Remove the failed knights-errant of House Courcillion as a threat]] || Named knights have accepted justice from local magistrates
|-
| 15 || Necropolis, Coursmouth, The Veiled Garden || [[Guardian of Britta's Memorial]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#The_Strength_of_This_Place_(Necropolis)|Spill the waters of Siakha]] || Bucket recovered and returned to Anvil
|-
| 16 || The Barrens, The Untrod Groves, Glade of the Good Knight || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#A_Hearty_Meal_(Conjunction)|Thwart the schemes of Ser Gawain Amboise]] || Schemes of ''Ser Gawain Amboise'' thwarted
|-
| 17 || Mareave, Fleisardh, Spring Regio near Golden Wind's Encampment || [[Silver Chalice|Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Do_Some_Harm_(Arhallogen)|Poison the Grendel]] || Grendel poisoned, Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice should know more
|-
| 18 || Tassato, Cascatas, Campo Verdenta || [[Keeper of the Sapphire Stair]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#For_What_Has_Been_Wrought_(Tassato)|Kill the heralds of Siakha]] || Heralds of Siakha and wreckers killed
|-
| 19 || Spiral, Apstrus, Alba's Lea || [[Legacy|Custodian of the Legacy]] ||[[Mithril_and_rope#A_Backhanded_Request_(Spiral)|Intercept the mercenaries pay]] || Raid launched on the Legacy and ten wains of mithril claimed by the Haurlatch Iron Consortium
|-
| 20 || Reikos, Haros Water, Couros Field || '''Nekoda of the Shattered Tower''' || [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_fortune#A_Sudden_Threat_(Reikos)|Save Professor Gelberg from Grendel assassins]] || Imperials pushed out by Grendel; Professor Gelberg has been kidnapped
|-
| 21 || Redoubt, Naris, Isaac's End || '''Telemachus of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[Seeds_of_discord#An_Empty_Bottle_(Conjunction)|Leave no more than a dozen Grendel alive]] || All Grendel killed
|-
| 22 || Kallavesa, West Marsh, The Meeting Place || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_32|Erlend]]''' || [[Myth_makers#The_Unity_Of_Deed_And_Word|Consecrate the Meeting Place]] || The Meeting Place successfully consecrated with true liao
|-
| 23 || Kallavesa, Wittal Grove, Frithstan's Fen || [[Grimnir of Wittal Grove]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#An_Unexpected_Ally_(Basileia)|Defeat the Grendel (and potentially rescue the Iontach)]] || Ionatch Meddool Miniog successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 24 || Forest of Ulnak, Grimfen Mire, Moss End || [[Warmage]] || [[All_I_ask_of_you#Wild_Things_Run_Fast|Take advantage of a recent scouting discovery]] || [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] successfully cast with eight rings of [[ilium]]
|-
| 25 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Eastern Ward || '''Theodora''' || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 26 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, Gardenway || [[Envoy to the Karass]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Protect_Lenna_Karass_%28The_Barrens%29|Prevent Druj raiders from kidnapping Lenna Karass]] || Lenna Karass was successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 27 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Western Ward || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 28 & 29 || Forest of Ulnak, Gloomsea, Islet of Calm || [[Archmage of Day]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Who's_the_Thief?_(Forest_of_Ulnak)|Prevent the Eyes of the Dragon from using a boon of Kimus]] || [[Wind of Mundane Silence]] performed on regio and bodies successfully destroyed
|-
| 30 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Warmage]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Drive the vallorn from the regio]] || Imperial casualties suffered, vallornspawn remain around the regio
|-
| 31 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Archmage of Spring]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Cast Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] || [[Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] was not performed
|-
| 32 || Sarangrave, the Whisperwood, Depths of the Hungry Earth || [[Counsel of the Sun Chamber]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#The_Caves_of_the_Hungry_Earth|Investigate the Hungry Earth]] || Depths investigated, Counsel of the Sun Chamber should know more
|-
| 33 || Volodmartz, Livardz, Sumisev Peegel || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_167|Auntie Armand Mariyavich Remislav]]''' || [[Sunrise_over_Livardz#Blow_It_Up|Destroy the Sumisev Peegel]] || Sumisev Peegel was successfully destroyed by [[Wind of Mundane Silence]]
|-
|}

Bregasland and the smiths

2026-09-08T18:41:54Z

Rafferty:

[[Category:History]][[Category:The Marches]]
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Bregas Marshes.png|align=right|caption=[[Bregasland]], home to the "Bregas" fenlanders, is primarily made up of freshwater fenland. It is a place of small islands of abundantly fertile soil, surrounded by seemingly endless marshes where eels are caught.|width=500}}</div>
==Overview==
During the Autumn Equinox 384YE, Watt of Lambrook the [[Imperial Advisor for the Feni]] [[384YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Research_Sinking_of_Bregasland|instructed]] the [[Historical_research#The_Department_of_Historical_Research|Department of Historical Research]] to research "''the history of Feni and orcs in Bregasland, their links to the Rushring Stones, and the "sinking" of the territory''." During the investigation, one of the newer members of the Department - a [[The Marches|Marcher]] named Mary Reader - came into possession of a scroll of peculiar provenance that appears only tangentially connected to the question of Bregasland's "sinking" but is included here for completeness.
==The Fall of Bregasland==
===Introduction===
There are no records in the Empire of the [[Feni]] and [[orc|orcs]] in [[Bregasland]], or the "sinking" of the [[territory]]. There have always been Feni in the marshes, tight-lipped and insular and keen to avoid [[the Marches|the Marchers]], but they were never many in number. If there was a time when their history here was important, it must have been a long time ago, before the Empire was born. The Department has checked every record and history book they can find, but there is nothing in Imperial lore that might shed new light on their presence in Bregasland.
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But there is a member of the Department who claims to know an old story that might help. Volkof is a well-travelled [[Varushka|Varushkan]] member of the Department and an experienced [[Varushka_religious_beliefs#Storytellers|storyteller]]. According to them, once of their ancestors was travelling through the forests of [[Mournwold]] over a hundred years ago, when they were attacked by Feni. The raiders took everything they had, leaving this ancestor so badly wounded she feared she might die. In desperation she promised the Feni a story fit for a king if they would spare her life.

Each night the story-teller would recount a story of the wild places of Varushka, and in return the Feni slowly nursed the woman back to strength. Eventually she was well enough to leave, and on the final day the Feni told her a story, one they claimed was their own story and told of how they fled the waters that swallowed the land and came to live in the [[Mournwold#Alderly|Forests of Alderly]].

The tales of the Varushkan story-tellers are rich and fanciful, intended to entertain as much as inform, but many learn their craft by memorizing these stories word for word. The story Volkof's ancestor told is reproduced below, exactly as Volkof learned it from their teacher. While the story itself is dense with myth and whimsy, there is little doubt that it will be an accurate recollection of the tale the Feni told themselves over a century ago in Alderly Edge.

===The Tale of the Giant of Craven Rock===
According to the oldest legends, long before the Empire was born, before the [[yeofolk of Dawn]] marched into the west, a people called the Bregas dwelled on the edge of the Sea of Gulls. These people were simple folk, hunting game in the great forests and taking fish from the sea and the rivers that flowed down to it. The hills and plains of the Bregas were filled with game, and the clear rivers were choked with fish.

The Bregas had no king, for they were surrounded by many enemies, and survived only through allegiance to greater powers than themselves, much as they do to this day. Thus it was that they lived under the protection of a giant they called The Silence that Echoes between the Stars. Each day they would bring the giant food, and once a year the wisest of their number would be sent to feed the giants hunger, and they thought themselves lucky to have such a benevolent god.

It happened that one of the Ulven came to the Bregas and demanded tribute of them, and they refused to pay for they believed the giant would protect them. The Ulven gave no choice, but slaughtered them where they stood, for their weapons were crude and their armour weak. They were no match for Ulven steel. So the Bregas went to the giant's cave and cried out to for it to save them.

On the first day the giant sent the Bregas away, saying that any victory they were given would turn to defeat. The Bregas were dismayed but not downcast and on the next day they came again to implore the giant to save them. On the second day the giant sent the Bregas away, saying that any sword they forged would turn on the wielder and slay them. The Bregas were distraught but not bereft and on the next day they came again to beseech the giant to save them. On the third day the giant sent the Bregas away, saying that any hope they gave them would turn to ashes. At this the Bregas were distraught and cried out that their doom was upon them already for their god had deserted them.

Seeing the depths of their misery, the giant relented and commanded the Bregas to build a great forge. The hall was the height of an Oak, a bed for the coals large enough to hold a pair of oxen and bellows so big they took five abreast to work them. At the centre was a great stone anvil, wide as a river and heavy as a mountain. And the giant sent the Bregas out into the hills and the woods to search for the metal that falls from the stars and to bring it to him. When the Bregas returned, he produced weapons of war, shields and helms, armour and swords and spears. The giant drew down the magic of the stars, carving it into the hammered steel with his claws, and thus the Bregas knew victory at last.

When the Ulven discovered that they could not defeat their enemies, they asked the Bregas how they had come by such riches. The Bregas only laughed and mocked the Ulven, but one among them was moved to treachery by the promise of gold. And he told them that their god had forged weapons for them in the great hall on the High Hill of Craven Rock in return for a chest of gold and one of silver.

So the chief of the Ulven and his ghodi climbed Craven Rock to speak with the god. And when they saw the giant they quailed for they knew their doom was upon them and they fled from the giants hammer.

The stars moved and the trees grew old, but the Ulven did not forget, for now more than anything they desired to possess everything the Bregas called theirs. They wanted the rich valleys and forests for their own, they hungered to own the star swords the giant had made for the Bregas and more than anything they wished for the knowledge of how to make these weapons for themselves. So they raised a great army of Ulven, with more warriors than there are leaves in the forest.

The Bregas arrayed themselves for battle without fear for they knew that no army that wielded the weapons of the gods would ever know defeat. All had forgotten the three warnings that the giant had given them and believed that they must have victory, even though the Ulven had seven sons and daughters to every one of the Bregas. The battle waged for nine days, but on the tenth day the Bregas could field no more warriors.

The Ulven claimed all the lands between the mountains and the sea, each [[Elite_Jotun_characters#Jarl|Jarl]] claiming a region for their own. And they took the accoutrements of war the giant had fashioned, they donned the mail and put on the helms, and they took up the shields, spears and swords and kept them for their own. But still it was not enough and so they climbed the High Hill on Craven Rock and the host demanded that The Silence that Echoes between the Stars give them the secret of their magic or they would send the giant to feast with the gods.

On the first day the giant sent the Ulven away, saying that any triumph they took from that place would turn to ruin. The Ulven were angry but not yet furious and on the next day they came again to insist the giant give up their secrets. On the second day the giant sent the orcs away, saying that any skills they learned on the High Hill would bring only the doom of their people. The Ulven were fearful but not cowed and on the next day they came again to threaten the giant with death if they would not yield. On the third the giant sent the orcs away, saying that the insight they gained on Craven Rock would only blind them to their fate. At this the Ulven were incensed and they fell upon the giant, wielding its own weapons against it.

And the giant's shield slipped its rim and so it splintered beneath the iron axes of the orcs. And the giant's sword turned in its hand causing an Ulven warrior's blade to strike true. And finally when the Ulven Chief stabbed the giant with his spear, the mail slipped a ring and the spear point passed through to the giant's heart.

As The Silence that Echoes between the Stars lay dying they cursed the Ulven. This was a true curse, witnessed by the space between the stars, and at the last it brought down the doom that the giant had long since prophesied. For the Sea of Gulls rose up, and all the lands of the Bregas were drowned as the waters rushed in, and the Bregas and the Ulven were swallowed up entirely by the hungry waves. The Sea claimed the land and though the waters eventually receded, they refused to give it up completely and all that was left thereafter was stagnant marsh and dead pools. The weapons of the gods were swept away into the Sea of Gulls and the High Hall at Craven Rock was cast down and the great anvil stone sank into the mud until only the very top was visible above the soft earth.

==The Hangmans Challenge==
As part of the research conducted by the Department into the Feni and the orcs of Bregasland, one of our younger researchers, a Marcher lass called Mary Reader went up to [[Mitwold#Meade|Meade]] to see if the small alder's library in the city might yield any information of use. They didn't find anything of value there, everything in the library is much too recent to shed any light on this matter, but while they were there they happened to spend an evening in the Hangmans Yard, a tavern popular with farmers bringing their wares to market from [[Mitwold#Oddmire|Oddmire]] and the roads that lead north to the marshes of [[Kallavesa]].

While there, they were challenged to a drinking contest by an oddly-dressed changeling who said their name was Riddle of the Moors. He offered a scroll he said was valuable, that he would give to Mary if she could eat a plate of food and drain a flagon of ale faster than he could. She bought the changeling dinner and a drink and the two set to downing their supper. Riddle easily won, but he told Mary that he would be staying to the end of the week if she wished to compete again. So she returned the next night with Jack Haystacker, a mountain of a man who is famous in Mead for his ability to lift two full-sized haybales above his head, one in each hand. They bought the changeling a second dinner and this time Jack beat Riddle hands down. The strange fellow seemed happy enough to be beaten - he handed the scroll over and disappeared shortly afterwards.

The provenance of the scroll is hard to prove, but it claims to written by a historian who dwelt in the city of [[Tassato#Tassato Mestra|Mestra]], called Antonia de Mestra. It is an account of Marcher history from before the time of the Empire, but after the March, some of which touches on the matters of the marshes of Bregasland and so may be relevant, if only tangentially. The one note of caution is the curious means by which it came into Mary's hands. The whole matter of a challenge that just happens to yield up some relevant information seems entirely beyond the realms of coincidence, so while it could be nothing more than a turn of fate, it certainly looks like some eternal went to great lengths to arrange the whole thing, for their own inscrutable reasons.

===The Marcher Smiths===
According to Antonia, in the days when Mestra was a young city on the banks of the fast-flowing Vassa, it was common for the people of the Marches to come to the city bringing the produce of their farms to sell in the markets there. In return the smiths of the Marchers would look to buy metals in the marketplace, iron, copper, and mithril for the blacksmiths art and gold and silver for the brightsmiths. These smiths were well respected by their fellow Marchers, they weren't yeofolk, but they weren't [[alder]] either. Instead they held a position more akin to that of the [[landskeeper|landskeepers]], respected practitioners of magic, albeit as [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]] rather than ritualists.

Where landskeepers concerned themselves with the land, smiths were more concerned with dealing with the small folk, whether that be a herald dwelling in a creek, or a swarm of boggarts infesting a barn full of hay. Smiths were expected to be experts not just with hammer and flame, but at negotiating bargains with all and sundry. As such when someone was needed to solve any problems caused by a herald or similar creature, the yeofolk would send for the local smith to come and deal with it.

These smiths were practical people, they used their magic in the simplest, most effective ways to achieve what was needed. The most famous story of their endeavours concerns the troll [[Mitwold#Recent_History|Jack-in-Chains]]. According to Antonia, it was the Blacksmiths who first dealt with Bloody Jack. The terrible monster was threatening settlements for miles around, creeping out at night to steal cattle and sheep from local herds. The locals were loathed to kill the monster, because according to local legend a terrible curse would fall on everyone if the beast was slain. To solve this impossible problem, the smiths forged a great magical chain with which they bound Bloody Jack, whereupon they threw the monster in a deep well. Not a perfect outcome given recent history, but good enough to keep folk safe until an earthquake allowed Jack-in-Chains to escape several hundred years later.

According to Antonia, one year the smiths simply vanished. The Marchers came to market after harvest time as they had always done, but this time, there were no blacksmiths or brightsmiths amongst their number. When folk asked about it, the Marchers were tight-lipped on the matter and would say only that it was a private concern that was no-one's business but their own. Still it clearly pained them for they were forced to buy much of what they needed from the Mestran smiths who soon learned to turn the situation to their advantage.

===The Deal===
The smiths were already long gone by the time Antonia was old enough to travel abroad from Tassato Mestra, but she was was determined to discover their fate and she travelled the Marchers in search of someone who could tell her what had happened. She found the folk tight-lipped, as she'd expected, but something more, it was as if many of them had already forgotten about the lost smiths. They had those who could work metals among their number still, but these folk were no different to the blacksmiths and brightsmiths of Tassato, skilled crafters who worked their wares without access to any magic at all, and certainly no interest in dealing with anything that wasn't part of the mundane world. They did their jobs, earned their living and nobody called on them for anything more than that.

Eventually though Antonia was able to find a [[friar]] in [[Mitwold#Hay|Hay]] who told them the tale of what had happened. According to the friar, it was many years earlier, the Marchers were being pressed hard by the Jotun, who had pushed them out of the Mournwold and were threatening [[Mitwold]]. A grim mood had set in after a heavy defeat by the enemy at Ashenbridge and folks had been desperate to do something to turn the tide. People were scrambling to find any way to hold the Jotun back and so three smiths struck a deal with [[Estavus|the Bronze Artisan]] to gain the creature's help. They needed a way to create new magical items, weapons and armour that might give the Marchers the advantage against the Jotun, and after a long negotiation the eternal had agreed to help. The deal was a simple one, the Forgemistress would provide the Marchers with half of all the materials they needed to build a new runic forge. In return the skilled folk of the Marchers, the masters of their craft, the blacksmiths and the brightsmiths who knew the secrets of crafting magical items, would work in the Bronze Artisan's forges fashioning items for them until the new commission was complete.

The plan was expensive, but as much as it pained the smiths to leave their homes for a year, everyone could see that the real cost would be the loss of their skills for so long. The Marchers would still have the apprentices and journeyfolk who could shape metal, but none who knew how to craft items of power, nor deal with the creatures of other realms. The enchantments they created for Marcher heroes needed replacing every year - if they were gone for so long who would provide for the countryfolk? They all agreed the new runic forge would be invaluable but the cost was too high. Finally they discovered a possible solution, there was, a great anvil stone in Bregasland, buried deep in the mud. According to legends, this anvil was crafted by trolls and had once been part of a runic forge that had long since been destroyed. If the anvil were dug up and brought to Meade where the new commission was planned to be built, then it would cut the time needed to create the new forge in half.

Thus the plans were laid. The smiths disappeared into the halls of the Forgemistress thinking to return to their homes within two seasons, once the work was done. Wagons filled with metal and stone issued forth from the Bronze Artisan's chambers, more than enough for the Marchers to build their new forge. So the townsfolk set to, the great anvil they had located in Bregasland was dug up and dragged to the city and work was soon underway on the rest of the forge that was being built to house it.

===The Disappearance===
For the best part of five months, everything proceeded at a bewildering pace. The new forge built on the edge of the city was an inspiration to everyone who saw it, and folks were eager for it to be done, so that the smiths might return and make use of it. No-one was in any doubt that their industry would benefit the whole Marches. Once the smiths returned, the new forge would begive to give them a new edge against the Jotun.

But tragedy struck, and there was a terrible storm on the last night of the construction. A bolt of lightning hit the almost complete runic forge and set the building on fire. By the time people were able to bring the fire under control, much of the new forge had burned to the ground. Only the mysterious anvil was untouched, apparently none-the-worse despite being the very spot the lightning had arced to earth. The forge itself was gone, and with it were all the materials needed to build it.

After that people fell to squabbling and arguments. Everyone blamed someone for the fire, but nobody could agree exactly whose fault it was. Then a rumour sprang up that the anvil was cursed and that spread like wildfire. Once a landskeeper was able to confirm that the anvil stone was indeed cursed, with some kind of powerful pronouncement of doom hanging over it, a mob quickly formed to deal with it. If the wicked thing had burned down the new runic forge what might it do to the rest of Meade if they left it there?

Nobody was quite sure what to do about it, but with traditional Marcher practicality they roped a pair of large boats together and put the stone on top of it, intending to float the thing away down the river. The intention, allegedly, was to put the anvil stone somewhere safe, but well away from Meade where its treacherous magic could do no harm. The plan was fine, but apparently one of the two boats supporting the anvil sprang a leak and begin to rapidly fill with water as they approached Westmere. Whereupon the ropes snapped, and the stone fell overboard into the deep waters of the Mere.

Without either the materials to begin again, or the magic anvil that would serve as the basis for the runic forge, nobody could agree on how to procced. There was no possible way to resume the work, and without anyone experienced at negotiating with the eternal involved they could not find a way to get the lost smiths back. Had it been a time of peace, then without doubt someone would have found a way, but with the Jotun massing for another attack, there was simply no time to spare to solve the problem. In the end there was no agreement and people were resigned to simply wait for the smiths to return. After-all the deal had only been to work for the Forgemistress for six months, so they would surely be home soon?

===Passing Strange===
Weeks turned to months and then months to seasons and finally to years and still there was no sign of the missing smiths. Those who were friends and family of the missing folk were distraught and begged for help. There was none left who knew how to contact the Bronze Artisan or to deal with their heralds to find out what had gone wrong. Everyone agreed that the Marchers had lost someone (and something) really important, but with folk still hard pressed by the Jotun, nobody could agree on how they could recover the lost artisans or for that matter the lost art of the Marchers.

The whole thing just seemed to become more of a mystery as the years passed. Strange things seemed to happen to folk who looked too closely into what exactly had happened to the Marcher smiths. The friar recalled that the brother of one of the missing smiths was found dead with his neck snapped after a fall down a short flight of stairs. The man had been asking questions of everyone, trying to discover what had happened to his brother and the others, when all of a sudden he turned up dead. After that folk noticed a few similar strange deaths, including one murder when the mother of one of the smiths was found strangled in her dressing room. Nobody was sure who did the deed, but witnesses said they saw a white-robed figure wearing a carnival mask running form the building.

After that, most folk decided to keep themselves to themselves. The whole thing was clearly a bad business, and something, or someone, didn't want anyone asking after the Marcher smiths. Folks who talked about it, or went poking their nose into it, all seemed to come to a bad end. Everyone agreed that what had happened was bad... but with each passing year there were less and less folk keen on trying to do something about it. According to the friar, most folks still remembered the smiths, but increasingly people preferred not to talk about them. The war with the Jotun demanded everyone's attention for years afterwards and by the time that had quietened down again, it all just seemed too late. With several years gone by and no sign of the missing smiths, most sensible folk grudgingly accepted that they must have likely ended up dead, killed by whatever unfortunate evil curse was falling on those who tried to look into it too closely.

===A Dead End===
The friars tale ends there, but that isn't quite the end of the story. With some concerns over its provenance, Mary Reader was keen to check the details of the story, so she went to Tassato to look for records of what happened to Antonia de Mestra. She found evidence that Antonia successfully returned to the city from the Marchers but she was murdered less than a month later. A pair of giggling bravos, dressed in vivid robes and wearing white masks to hide their identity broke into the woman's apartment, killed her, and set a fire to cover their traces.

Nobody ever caught the killers, and whatever other secrets she discovered in her journey across the Marches were lost when her apartments burned down. How this scroll, apparently authored by Antonia, managed to survive the fire when everything else was destroyed is not a mystery however, at least not one beyond the wit of Imperial magicians. Leontes, the Imperial Archivist, arranged payment for a [[Skein of Years]] to be performed on the scroll and the magician who cast it described a scene in which a woman, presumably Antonia, was in her apartments discussing the scroll with a silver-skinned herald when two white masked assailants appeared near the mirror over the fireplace and attacked them both. The woman was killed, but the herald escaped with his life, clutching the scroll on his person.

The link to Bregasland and the marshes is exceptionally tenuous, but the fact that this scroll has surfaced now means that there might be some link here that the Department cannot identity. Thus Leontes has had this report compiled and sent copies of it to the Imperial Advisor for the Feni, as well a copy for each of the Marcher egregores in case they find the contents useful.

Smith

2026-09-08T18:41:34Z

Rafferty:

==Overview==
<div style="float:right; width: 450px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=The Anvil Stone.jpg|align=right|width=450}}</div>
Smiths are skilled craftspeople who have used a lifetime's experience selling their wares to become canny traders and experienced negotiators who strive to get the best deal for them and their friends. They are used to dealing with powerful individuals and understand the importance of standing their ground when needed, to avoid being browbeaten. They often strive to keep typically fractious Marcher communities together, by trying to resolve disputes and settle feuds.

Many smiths see themselves as the natural folk in Marcher society to handle negotiations with the creatures of the realms, whether that is an errant member of the wee folk threatening a farmer's field, or a powerful eternal offering a boon to the Marcher nation. The best smiths study the lore of these beings, learning everything they can about them. They pride themselves on careful preparation, seeking to ensure that any deal they make will provide the best possible benefit their community.

Smiths emphasise practical solutions that serve the people they are loyal to best. They have little time for fanciful ideas that cannot be realised; they prefer down-to-earth solutions that will shrewdly resolve the problem now, even if that means storing up trouble for later. They understand the importance of compromise, not just when making a deal, but when forging a plan. They appreciate that a simple bargain that is easily implemented is a better solution than a perfect outcome that can never be achieved.
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Smiths are brokers and dealers who enjoy haggling, whether it's selling an [[Apprentice's Blade]] to a passing [[striding]], bartering their skills with the [[Ephisis|Prince of Scales]] for a much-needed boon or forging an agreement with the powerful in society. Whether wealthy or poor, they take [[Pride]] in the respect earned from [[Loyalty|loyal]] hard work in service to those who rely on them.

==History==
Much of the [[Bregasland_and_the_smiths#The_Marcher_Smiths|history of the smiths]] was lost to the Marches for centuries, a secret obscured by the machinations of the [[Whisper Gallery|Shadow Courtiers]]. Now that the past has been reclaimed, the Marchers are slowly refamiliarising themselves with the role smiths once played.

Long before the Empire was formed, smiths were respected figures in Marcher society who were trusted to handle negotiations and bargains on behalf of others. At first, these were simple matters of mortal trade as smiths were forced to buy the metals they needed for their arts and sell the items they produced. As they became experienced hagglers, they would help their fellows get the best prices for their wares. As people came to rely on their aid more and more, they came to be seen as the natural folk to call on them to make deals with creatures of the realms. They gained a role akin to that of the [[landskeeper|landskeepers]], respected practitioners of magic, albeit as [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]] rather than ritualists.

Where landskeepers concerned themselves with the land, smiths were more concerned with dealing with the small folk, whether that be a herald dwelling in a creek, or a swarm of boggarts infesting a barn full of hay. Smiths were expected to be experts not just with hammer and flame, but at negotiating bargains with all and sundry. As such, when someone was needed to solve any problems caused by a herald or similar creature, the yeofolk would send for the local smith to come and deal with it.

The smiths disappeared from Marcher lands when a deal they had brokered with [[Estavus|the Forgemistress]] turned sour. The smiths had negotiated with the Bronze Artisan for the Anvil of Silence, a powerful artefact that would help the nation construct a [[runeforge]]. In return, they agreed to provide their services to the Prince of Shikal until the work was complete, but the troll's curse on the Anvil ensured the work could never be finished, leaving the smiths trapped in an Autumn [[regio]] for centuries, labouring away in service of the Forgemistress.

With a little nudging from [[Barien|Barien Dragonforge]], Gemma Brightsmith was finally able to free the smiths from their toil. The shrewd Marcher pursued a challenge laid down by the Reeve of the Summerlands to recover the lost art of the Marches. The challenge took years to complete, but ultimately led Gemma to the cursed Anvil of Silence, a powerful troll-stone that was recovered from the Westmere when [[I_already_know_you#Block_and_Dredge|the waterway was dredged]].

While people argued over what should be done with it, the Bursar of the Conclave [[386YE_Spring_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Endowment:_Westmere_Anvil|endowed the curse stone]] to Estavus. By returning the stone, the [[Rock_and_a_hard_place#Old_Bargains|Marchers repudiated the deal]] - forcing the eternal to release the smiths. Time often runs differently in regio, and so it proved here. The smiths emerged from the dominion of the Forgemistress, without having aged a day, despite their centuries of toil. Sadly, the centuries of labour at the forges had left them confused, with only the vaguest memories about who they were, or where they have come from. It seemed that centuries of toil for the eternal had left little room for any other memories.

The lost smiths reappeared at [[Upwold#The_Woldstone|the Woldstone]], in [[Upwold#Ashbrook|Ashbrook]] in [[Upwold]]. Bewildered by their experience, they were taken in by the monks of the nearby '''Oakwood [[Monastery|monastery]]''' who tried to help them find their feet. The Marcher Assembly acted decisively, upholding a judgement that saw '''Aliss Thorn''' enact a mandate to [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_157|urge artisans to travel to Oakwood to help the smiths recover and rediscover the lost art]]. After centuries of estrangement and years of hard work by '''Gemma Brightsmith''' and her companions, the nation finally recovered the lost art of the Marches.

==Hammer and Flame==
Compromise is the crucial tool in the art of the smith. As every good blacksmith knows, making steel is always a compromise. Iron is soft, you need to add charcoal as you heat it to make a bloom that is hard and strong. But if the steel becomes too hard it becomes brittle and can shatter. There is no steel that is perfect, no answer that is perfect - both hard and unshatterable.

As in the forge, so it is in life. Smiths teach their apprentices that negotiation demands give and take, just like any attempt to bargain. You wouldn't buy ore from a miner who took your purse and gave you nothing for it. A good trade is one that benefits both parties. The most profitable deal is rarely free - to get the best out of a situation you often have to give something up.

Preparation and study are crucial to making effective bargains. When you trade, the merchants you deal with want the best price they can get and they expect to be paid in coin for their wares. But when you bargain with a herald or an eternal they could ask for anything, and it's hard to know what they will offer. To deal with anyone, you need to know what makes them tick. That is even more true of eternals than mortals.

The more you know about what a being might offer and what they might demand, the better your chances of being able to reach an understanding. If you can compromise on what you want, or what you will give up, then it becomes easier to find the common ground needed to strike a deal.

This approach can have dividends in all walks of life, especially in the notoriously truculent Marches. Sometimes, feuding neighbours will turn to a smith when they want help settling a grudge. Of course, that assumes both parties want to settle the matter - there's rarely an answer to any fight unless the smith can bang heads together and get everyone to agree to split the difference.

==Creating a Smith==
This archetype is designed to interest anyone who likes haggling and negotiation, either for money, favours or boons. The ideal of the smith is the archetypal wise member of the village who understands people and what motivates them - and who uses that insight to settle arguments and reach agreement. Smiths can be interested in trade, magic, or politics, you don't have to be a dedicated trader to be a smith. The archetype is perfect for people who like to make deals of any kind, especially the kind that can benefit everyone.

While many smiths are [[Crafting_skills#Artisan|artisans]], that isn't actually essential. Smiths are crafters, some of them make magic items, but others make mundane items and have different character skills to reflect that. The skills you have aren't essential; how you play your character is always more important than what you can do in Empire. But being an artisan will give you a need to buy materials for your art and give you items you can sell, which is a great way to get started. You can pair this with other skills as you wish, but smiths generally avoid a lot of ritual magic or ceremonial skills. Remember that you can always call on a Landskeeper when you need a powerful ritual cast or a friar if you need a testimony performed.

Don't assume that being a smith means you have to be a blacksmith! There are blacksmiths, brownsmiths (who work copper), and whitesmiths (who often work tin). One of the most famous smiths in modern times, is Gemma Brightsmith, who is a skilled jeweller. The smith archetype can cover most craftspersons, including all the above as well as tailors, bowyers, fletchers, cobblers and much more. There is a deep well of practicality in the Marches, so exotic crafts are rare, but a smith could be anyone who trades their skills for a living by making things.

If you do play an artisan then you can pick items that you can create with your skill to help you develop the idea of the things your character makes. If you don't have the magician skill then it is useful to be able to make a [[Pauper's Key]] or at least have a way to access one. While it's rarely a good idea to have all the skills you need, because it's more fun to rely on other people to help you, you either need the magician skill or a Pauper's Key, to get into the Hall of Worlds. If you plan to try to interact with eternals this will give you a chance to negotiate with some of the more powerful magical beings in the world of Empire.

If you are creating your character as part of a group, then it is worth discussing what the group needs with them. A large group might include two or more smiths in their ranks, but it would be rare for an entire group to all be smiths. Negotiating on your own behalf is great, but it's more challenging when you're negotiating on behalf of a larger group. Your group are the people most likely to trust you to defend their interests when representing them initially, so it's good to check that that will be the case before you create the character.

As a smith, you can take any resource you like, but a farm or business is a good starting point. A farm is the best choice for any Marcher who isn't sure what they want because it gets you involved in the nation's politics. You don't have to play a farmer - you can be the smith who lives on a large farm and comes to Anvil to represent your home. If you want your own premises then a business can represent that - and will stand out in the Marchers where they are less common - if only because they are less powerful than farms.

You can't play one of the smiths who was recently released from the Autumn realm, but if you are playing a smith, then you have been probably met and talked with them, and may even have been trained by one or more of their number. The old smiths are somewhat bemused by the very existence of the Empire and are very socially conservative. This can be a great reason to create a Marcher with very traditional ideas if that appeals to you.

Loyalty is an important idea for every Marcher character. "Pride in small things, Loyalty to great ones" is the nation's motto. The best smiths are trusted to negotiate on behalf of the people they are loyal to, but for that to happen, you need a good sense of where your loyalties lie. It's rarely a good idea to be entirely self-centred in Empire, few people will trust you if you are obviously only out for yourself. But your first loyalty might be to your [[Marcher household|household]] or the [[market town]] your character is from. You might be loyal to your territory or your nation - or even the Empire itself. Where your loyalties lie is an important part of defining your character. Even though you may find your loyalties evolve in play, it's a good idea to think about them when you create the character.

==Playing a Smith==
The key reason to play a smith is because you enjoy negotiating and making deals with others. There are three different aspects to the archetype that you can try to bring out in play - you don't need to pick between them, but which ones you emphasise should depend on which area interests you the most.

The simplest way to play a smith is to be a merchant and look to trade things with other characters. If you are an artisan you will need to acquire ingots and measures of precious [[materials]] like [[Materials#Green_Iron|green iron]] or [[Materials#Ambergelt|ambergelt]] to make these items. These resources are expensive, and one of the easiest ways for you to make money is to sell some of the items you create. This can create a virtuous circle, provided you don't let anyone talk you into giving your items away for free.

In Empire, the most successful merchants are the ones who become rich enough to buy bourse materials like [[white granite]] or [[mithril]] - you won't need these resources to make items, but if you find you enjoy trading and haggling then there is always more things to buy in Anvil. Crucially, [[ilium]] is a very expensive material, because it can be used to make magic items permanent. Trying to acquire enough ilium to make an artefact is a great goal to pursue for a character who is focused on trade.

The archetypal way to play a smith is to look for opportunities to negotiate with heralds, eternals and similar magical beings. According to their history, smiths use the skills they acquire from a lifetime buying and selling to deal with the inhabitants of the realms. The idea is to use your practical down-to-earth approach to negotiation to hammer out a deal that is in the interests of everyone. Remember though that there are encounters with eternals are few and far between, so it's not a good idea to concentrate on this to the exclusion of other things.

This approach is likely to work best with the inhabitants of the Autumn realm, who tend to be much more transactional than the other realms, but most eternals will respond to someone who engages with them proactively seeking to make a deal. You shouldn't shy away from talking to eternals from other realms though, just be aware that they can be less predictable. It's always worth reading the wiki page for any eternal carefully before you deal with them - the better your understand them, the more you will get out of the encounter.

The third way to play a smith is to focus on the politics of the Empire, looking to interact with the Synod, the Conclave, the Senate and the Military Council. Politics is the lifeblood of Empire and one of the best ways to enjoy the game is to throw yourself into the politics of your nation. It takes time and hard work to get a position in these august bodies, but the focus of the smith is on making deals rather than giving speeches. If you treat the senators, generals, archmages, grandmasters, and cardinals in the same way you treat an eternal - as someone to be negotiated with to see what benefits you can obtain - then your character should always have things to do.

Compromise is usually an essential part of any negotiation with NPCs. It can really help your character be more effective if you understand how to approach a negotiation to get the best chance of success. Modern ideas like a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_of_possible_agreement ZOPA], a zone of possible agreement, illustrate the idea of searching for an area of mutual compromise that is agreeable to all parties.

Do not assume that Empire is a story in which you can just demand what you want until the NPCs give it you - that will almost certainly not work. Smiths are meant to be practical people who are pragmatic about the bargains they make - they're not meant to be trying to create perfection - simply making a deal that benefits both parties is a huge success in Empire, even if it includes compromises that neither side like.

Likewise, don't assume that an agreement is always possible - it is always worth trying to negotiate to see what potential there is for either side to move their position, but it's perfectly possible that there is no common ground that you can agree on. Plenty of negotiations end in failure in Empire - you should play a smith if you think you will find the process rewarding, not the outcome. The more negotiations you enter into, in good faith, the more likely you are to strike an important deal. And remember, the fact that success is never guaranteed in Empire is the reason you can feel triumphant if you do manage to make an important bargain.

Smiths are meant to be respected and trusted by the Marchers to negotiate on their behalf. You will have to earn that trust in play, through demonstrating that you are dependable and are loyal to others. Few people will ask you to negotiate on their behalf simply because you are a smith - the archetype is a good way to communicate who your character is and what interests them. If you want people to respect your character and what they do - then you need to show them how that will benefit them.

This is especially true with [[Landskeeper|Landskeepers]] who have a complementary role. They perform magic to support the nation as a whole and Marcher traditions in particular. If you respect their role, and do what you can to help them perform magic, they are more likely to respect your role and do what they can to help you negotiate and make bargains.

The best way to play a smith is to be ambitious about what you want to achieve in the game. If you can find big things you want to achieve it will motivate you to seek opportunities to negotiate and deal with other parties, whether mortal or eternal, in service of your goals. If those goals help your group, the nation or the Empire, then can seek out other characters who will support you. Don't just talk to PCs and NPCs who can help you at the moment though - the more people you know - and the more you know about them - the easier a time you will have finding the people you need to talk to strike a bargain. This gives you the perfect reason to talk to any important character in the setting, even if it's just to find out who they are, what they want and what they are willing to offer for it.

{{The Marches Links}}

388YE Autumn Equinox winds of fortune

2026-09-08T18:26:02Z

Rafferty: /* Shadowed Boughs of Twilight */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Lights in the Dark.jpg|align=left|caption=Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. |width=2000}}</div>
==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Wind of Fortune !! Order Released !! Last Updated || Note
|-
| [[The wolves tempt you]] || 1 || data-sort-value="2026/08/15"| 15/08 || Imperial Address
|-
| [[Dream on]] || 2 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Seren
|-
| [[Come together]] || 3 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Apothecary college
|-
| [[Fair share of labour]] || 4 || data-sort-value="2026/08/19"| 19/08 || Artisans Guild
|-
| [[Hidden inventory]] || 5 || data-sort-value="2026/08/29"| 29/08 || Banner-bearers
|-
| [[A fork in the path]] || 6 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Mystics
|-
| [[Outreach across the marshes]] || 7 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Sand Fishers & League highest calling
|-
| [[Stand proud, you're strong]] || 8 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Brass Coast highest calling
|-
| [[Here you come again]] || 9 || data-sort-value="2026/08/31"| 06/09 || Plenipotentiary
|-
| [[Accomplices]] || 10 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Agramant is still in Therunin
|-
| [[Metamorphosis]] || 11 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Dealing with Kroll
|-
| [[Out of these convertites]] || 12 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || League visit to the Marches
|-
| [[Goodwill]] || 13 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Dawn, Navarr, Highguard, Vallornguard
|-
| [[Not from the benevolence]] || 14 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Offers from Ephisis
|-
| [[Wayfaring strangers]] || 15 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Visitors
|-
| [[Value beneath the mountain]] || 16 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Kespoena's Reach
|-
|}</div>
Over the past three months, events have taken place which are of significance to the Empire and may require a response from her champions. These are the winds of fortune, counterparts to the winds of war that detail the Empire's military campaigns. They lay out situations and usually include things that characters can do to take advantage of [[opportunity|opportunities]] or to resolve problems. In almost every case, they start with a piece of flavour text. This fiction helps introduce the wind of fortune or draws out a particular theme or element. Often, it represents a viewpoint that one or more NPCs might have in-character. In all cases, these pieces are intended to help create an atmosphere and provide a little entertainment. Where they contain opinions, those are the opinions of the fictional people depicted - and where they contain information or rumours, the assumption is that the reader will create their own context for that information or gossip if they want to use it in character.

The body of the wind of fortune describes situations and lays out ways players can engage with them. Except where we explicitly talk about something being "rumoured" or use a phrase like "some might say..." the details of a wind of fortune are factual. They represent briefing material presented by the civil service or similar authoritative sources and represent something the average educated citizen would acknowledge as a reliable truth. Unless we specify otherwise, we're also being as thorough as possible. This information doesn't need further checking in-character. It's not an opinion, and we're not trying to trick you.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:350px; float: left; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Diplomacy Wind
|-
| General Diplomacy || [[So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavea]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Asavean_Archipelago|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Axos]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Axos|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] || [[All I can do]]
|-
| [[Commonwealth]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Commonwealth|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Marracossa]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Marracossa|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Faraden]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Faraden|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Grendel]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Grendel|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Iron Confederacy]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Iron Confederacy|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarm]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Principalities_of_Jarm|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Sarcophan Delves]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Sarcophan Delves|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Sumaah Republic]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Sumaah_Republic|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
|}

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of Fortune is to maintain the illusion of the Empire as a living, breathing place where things happen - and to make players aware of things their characters could know based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing for the past three months. It's perfectly acceptable to turn up to Empire having read only a few Winds of Fortune that directly interest your character; part of the fun on the field can come from learning about situations and opportunities in other parts of the game.
__TOC__
In each case, we've tried to tag the Winds of Fortune entry with the nations or political bodies to which it is most relevant. We've done this to help people who are interested only in events that are especially relevant to them. In no way are these tags intended to be exhaustive; the Empire is a complex place, and very little happens in isolation. We are also adding the dates that they were last updated (other than typos and correcting [[red links]]) in an attempt to make it easier to keep track of the newest releases.

==Winds of Fortune==
===The Wolves Tempt You (Imperial Address)===
* '''Imperial citizens; Navarr;'''
[[Emperor Vesna]] has used their power to [[The_Throne#Address_the_Empire|address the Empire]] to present a personal reminder to all citizens that the road to salvation is hard, but everyone is walking it together.

The message has been distributed across the Empire by the civil service, and you can read it in the '''[[The wolves tempt you]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:left; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Navarr.png|align=left|width=150}}</div>
===Dream On===
* '''Navarr'''
In [[Miaren]], [[Miaren#Seren|Seren]] is now become the ''City of Dreams'' in truth. People with hopes and aspirations, with the imagination to perceive what is needed to achieve them and the determination to try, have flocked to Miaren. With the completion of the Temple of the Waking Dream, the [[dreamspeaker]] calling has coalesced as a distinct [[archetype]] among the [[Navarr]] people, one dedicated to making dreams become reality. This has perhaps predictably amplified arguments about what exactly that means, and which dreams should be pursued, and how.

You can learn about competing arguments, and the changes to the city of Seren, in the '''[[Dream on]]''' wind of fortune.
===Come Together===
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBNavarr.jpg|align=right|width=100}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Imperial Apothecaries Guild; Navarr; Benefactor of High Chalcis; Highguard, the League, Imperial Orcs, and Varushka; Senate
When [[Therunin]] fell to the [[Druj]] [[Thornsinger#Thornsong_House|Thornsong House]] was lost. Despite the valiant efforts of the Navarr and the aid of [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]], the college of herbmastery could not be saved. While the house itself burned, many of those who studied there were able to escape to the safety of [[Reikos]]. Some stayed behind on [[Reikos#Chalcis Mount|Chalcis Mount]], but others chose to put as much distance between themselves and the horrors of the Druj as possible. Drawn to the Temple of the Waking Dream, some of these apothecaries and physicks have taken the path of the dreamspeaker themselves, and inspired by the City of Dreams, they have put their ambition to rebuild what was lost into words.

A proposal for a new college of the apothecary arts, and ways various nations may be involved, can be found in the '''[[Come together]]''' wind of fortune.
===Fair Share of Labour===
* '''Artisan's Guild; Throne; Senate; Artisans of all kinds; Golden Pyramid; Pride Assembly; Navarr; Guildmaster of the Artisans, Dean of Runesmith's Caution, Keeper of the Runegrott, Seer of the Spiral Sword, and potentially several other titles associated with magic item crafting'''
At the recent summit, [[Emperor Vesna]], requested that the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] [[Forever_is_composed_of_nows#The_Abraham_Gambit|appraise the implications]] of a new [[Imperial sodality]], the ''Imperial Guild of Artisans''. The Artisans Guild has technically been in existence for some time, with the Senate [[Construct_Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|ordering the construction of Guildhouse]] in 385YE, creating the position of [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]]. Now the Senate is in a position to consider the full implications of making the Guild into an official Imperial sodality.

You can learn more about the potential Imperial Sodality, as well as proposals from some people very excited by the opportunity it represents, in the '''[[Fair share of labour]]''' wind of fortune.
===Hidden Inventory===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Cat's Graces Sodality.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBWintermark.jpg|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Wintermark, especially banner bearers; Cat's Graces; Minister of Historical Research; Mediator of Hyljehal; Senate
When the tides of fate seem to turn against the Empire, to be able to look and see over the battle lines, the colours of your warband or your nation still [[Pride|Proudly]] flying can help to rally the [[Courage]] and turn the tide. In [[Wintermark]] the [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Banner-bearers|position of banner-bearer]] is seen as vital to the success of any battle. [[Empress Britta]] was a banner-bearer, and bore [[Three Tears|Foe-Slayer]], the legendary war-banner of [[Emperor Guntherm]] onto the field. The great flag was lost when Britta died and it has been near two decades since Wintermark could bear its equal into battle. The artisans and craftspeople of [[Hahnmark#Runegrott|Runegrott]] have a proposal to try to remedy this shortfall, involving the construction of a grand [[edifice]] to house banners and paintings of the great banners of the Empire as well as the creation of a new [[Magic_items#Artefacts|artefact]] [[:Category:Magic Standards|banner]] for Wintermark.

You can read more about this plan, and learn a little of the mighty banner Foe-Slayer, in the '''[[Hidden inventory]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=KallevesiMystic.jpg|align=right|width=200}}
===A Fork in the Path===
* '''Wintermark, especially the Mystics; Raven Seer of Ishal; would-be champions; Keeper of Oaths; friends of Sung
The [[mystic|Mystics]] of Ishal sought to work more closely with the wider nation of Wintermark. They have since decided [[Flight_of_birds#The_Witan|to approach the Witan]] directly, and do what they can to support the goals of the nation itself. The decision to help with the [[Warriors' Gate|exploration of Tsirku]] has made it impossible for the Mystics of Ishal to offer their usual council and support to the [[Raven Seer]] and to that end they have made several changes to the Aviary, and to the support they offer the Raven Seer and the nation. At the same time, there has been a great deal of discussion of the [[Crown of Three Tears]] and the role of the ''Champion of Wintermark'' within the nation - the appointment of who has traditionally been the responsibility of the mystics.

You can read about the changes at Ishal, and the situation of the Crown of Three Tears, in the '''[[A fork in the path]]''' wind of fortune.
===Outreach Across the Marshes===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
* '''The League, especially the Bishops and Princes; Merchant Prince of Misericorde Market; Senate
[[The League]] Assembly [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_57|has declared]] that their [[The_highest_calling#The_Highest_Calling|highest calling]] is to bring new peoples to join the Empire. A Virtuous endeavour to be sure, but even the League cannot move the whole world at once. To be effective the nation needs to [[Any_dream_will_do#Partners_within|focus their efforts]] on one group at a time. Diplomacy is a complicated matter, so they also need to decide who among them would be best to take the lead with each such group. This past season the Princes of the League have reached out to the [[Holberg#Misericorde|Sand Fishers]] of [[Holberg#Misericorde|Misericorde]], the [[orc|orcs]] who once lived on the southern shores of [[Ossium]] as slaves of the [[Druj]] but who have found a new lease of life on the northern shores of [[Holberg]].

Ultimately, the egregore decides who can or cannot join a nation - the nature of the bond is that it can only be formed with someone an egregores recognises as having the potential to be a member of the nation. But the League has already embraced the Apulian Orcs, why not the Holberg Orcs as well?

You can read about how the outreach is going, and what it might take to bring the Sand Fishers into the Empire, in the '''[[Outreach across the marshes]]''' wind of fortune.
===Stand Proud, You're Strong===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Freeborn.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
* '''The Brass Coast, especially the Freeborn assembly;
After several seasons of deliberation (and funding a [[Construct_City_of_Wonders|whole new city]]), the Freeborn National Assembly has decided that the [[the highest calling|highest calling]] of their people should be on defending their lands. The sentiment resonates with people across [[the Brass Coast]]. It was not long ago that both [[Madruga]] and [[Feroz]] fell under barbarian control, [[Kahraman]] has faced constant invasion from the Lasambrians over the past few years and [[Segura]] has only recently enjoyed a prolonged period of quiet after nearly two decades of constant warfare. Is it a surprise that the people of the Brass coast feel a little vulnerable, given recent history?

There is so much work that could be done, people are at a loss to know where to start. The Assembly will have to consider the options carefully - they have a year to take advantage of the nation's highest calling, but that won't be enough time to pursue every possibility raised by a people as inventive as the Freeborn...

You can find out how the nation can begin to defend its lands, and the proposals put forward toward that aim, in the '''[[Stand proud, you're strong]]''' wind of fortune.
===Here You Come Again (Plenipotentiary)===
* '''Imperial Conclave; magicians; Synod; Brass Coast especially Sutannir; ''Alazhar i Taziel i Erigo'', ''Velasco i Guerra'', the Imperial Warcaster; Marcher beaters, Unshackled thief-takers, Varushkan wardens; ''Berilo i Erigo''; ''Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka'' and some dead generals'''
* This wind was updated on 06/09/2026 to add some additional paragraphs to the end of the [[Here_you_come_again#End_of_Empire|End of Empire]] section
Each [[archmage]] is empowered to send a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] message to a single [[eternal]] of their [[Realms|realm]] each season. Bound to respond, the recipients are however free to choose precisely what form that response takes. Following the Summer Solstice, six eternals have responded to what are presumed to be missives from the respective archmages. Some have agreed to [[archmage#Parley|parley]], but not all of them.

You can find out about the eternals, and the nature of their responses, in the '''[[Here you come again]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=BarienArt.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>

===Arrows and Clay (Challenge)===
* '''Challengers of the Iron Duke'''
Each season, the eternal ''[[Barien]]'' presents opportunities to those prepared to [[Challenge the Iron Duke]]. For the Autumn Equinox he offers two challenges: a game of speed and grace, and a game of creativity and imagination. As ever, the rules of the ritual apply. Each person who receives the ritual will be ''guaranteed'' entry to a challenge. Depending on the challenge, they ''may'' be able to bring a certain number of attendants with them to assist. The exact number will depend on the nature of the challenge and the number of challengers. The [[civil service]] will publish exact numbers in [[Anvil#The_Hub|the Hub]] on Saturday morning for all to see.

You can find details of the challenges issued by Barien this season in the '''[[Arrows and clay]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=AgramantArt.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>
===Accomplices===
* '''Navarr; Military Council; Military unit captains; ''Eskah Swift Hart, Vosjuli Cherenkov, Towlen Nighthaven'' and ''Mirella of the Twisted Rose'''''
Another season, another message from [[Agramant]], delivered by his heralds from the depths of [[Therunin]]. The eternal's efforts were roundly refuted last season, with the [[Golden Axe]] reclaiming Lower Tarn Valley. This season, Twigsnapper has a much more pointed offer to make to aid the reconquest of Therunin.

You can find out what Agramant and his heralds are up to in the '''[[Accomplices]]''' wind of fortune.

<div style="float:left; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NBUrizen.jpg|align=right|width=175}}</div>
===Metamorphosis===
* '''Urizen, particularly the captains of military units or residents of Sarangrave; Keeper of the Breadbasket and farm owners of the Marches; Imperial Consul; ''Frith, Ser Guy of the Twisted Rose, Fausta Ankarien,'' and people interested in the rebel septs; ''Solas of the Spire of the First Light'' and the Warmage'''
It has been a tumultuous time in the Sarangrave. First the Druj, then the vallorn, and now husks. All while the Empire has been endeavouring to make diplomatic inroads with the rebels of Nesustak Forest. Sadly, troubles abound; the eviction of so many from Thornfen by the Axou has raised the spectre of famine in the territory. And now the Druj scattered through the territory, alongside the rampaging husks, threaten to raise a third dark spectre - the beast that lurks beneath the waters of the Sarangrave, the dark and terrible Kroll.

You can find out what's happening in Sarangrave this season in the '''[[Metamorphosis]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly General.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
===A Little at a Time===
* '''Members of the Synod, especially Cardinals; Members of the Senate; Members of the Vallornguard and people interested in the fate of Pilgrim's Defiance'''
Last season, eight judgements of [[proscription]] were raised, and half of them were upheld by the General Assembly. Similar to their previous efforts, the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] has asked the civil service to publish not just guidance on the outcome of these proscriptions, but also details from the minutes of their discussions in the hopes of providing clarity to interested citizens. This includes detailed guidance on the three changes to religious law enacted by the Senate.

You can find out the outcome of the Constitutional Court's meeting on the proscriptions and changes to religious law last season, in the '''[[A little at a time]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Marcher.png|align=right|width=150}}
===Out of These Convertites===
* '''The League, particularly orcs and members of the Synod; The Marches; People with an interest in foot-the-ball or duelling'''
* This wind was updated on 07/09/2026 to change the time of the [[Out_of_these_convertites#And_So_Am_Come_Abroad|Am So Am Come Abroad]] encounter to 18:30 on Saturday
Last season, the [[The League|League]] and [[The Marches|Marcher]] Assemblies both passed statements of principle encouraging a pilgrimage of Apulian orcs and League members of the Synod to the [[Mournwold]]. Citizens from all five cities of the League have taken up the call to travel, and the orcs of the Mourn have welcomed them with open arms and farm tools. It's not just the harvest that's discussed, but ancestors and sports.

You can find out what happened when the League visited the Marches this season in the '''[[Out of these convertites]]''' wind of fortune.

===Goodwill===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Vallornguard sodality.png|title=Vallornguard|align=right|width=100}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Dawn.png||align=right|width=180}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Highborn.png||align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Navarr.png||align=right|width=150}}
* '''Dawn, Navarr; Highguard; Vallornguard'''
Two nations have chosen to use their [[The highest calling|highest calling]] to focus their people on the coming final war against the [[vallorn]]. The [[Dawn|Dawnish]] are developing the skills and resources to prepare themselves, while [[Navarr]] are looking for ways to support the nascent [[Vallornguard]] by sharing centuries of accumulated wisdom with other nations. Surprising progress has been made: the Dawnish have chosen to [[Love_and_monsters#Unicorns|throw open the doors of Greenwood Manor]] to all comers. The Navarr have spent the last year offering their unique expertise to their Imperial cousins, their eye turned at last to their allies in [[Highguard]]. Even the denizens of the [[eternal]] [[realms]] have heard the call to war, and have been encouraged to offer their aid as the Empire prepares for the war that will, if it is successful, bring to an end the Doom of Terunael.

You can find out about the highest callings of Navarr and Dawn, and the opportunities they provide, in the '''[[Goodwill]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Ephisis.jpg|align=left|width=300}}</div>
===Not From the Benevolence===
* '''Entrepreneurs and traders; Members of the Senate, particularly the Senators for Reikos and Bastion; People interested in contracts available, particularly ''Dorys Delgorokov'', ''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo'' and ''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged''; Citizens of Kallavesa, the Barrens, and Hercynia; and the ''Freeborn Flame Cartel'''''
Following the relative success of the new scheme to offer large contracts for fulfilment, the heralds of the [[Ephisis|Sovereign Lady of the City of Gold and Lead]] have returned with new offers for the coming summit. As always, the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] will set up shop in the [[Hall of Worlds]] on the final day of the summit, where they will look to settle any sales offered to the City via the [[Ephisis' Scale]] ritual.

You can learn about the offer for a fortification, the contracts available from the City of Gold and Lead, and the counting houses requested by the Conclave, in the '''[[Not from the benevolence]]''' wind of fortune.

===Wayfaring Strangers===
* '''Senators for Tassato and Holberg, and the League Assembly; Envoy to the Karass; Magpies;'''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
People visit Anvil for all kinds of reasons. Trade, wonderment, and a chance to meet with the movers and shakers of the Empire. It is no surprise that Anvil is seen as the place to be if you want to get anything of importance done.

You can find out more about some of the folk coming to Anvil this season in the '''[[Wayfaring strangers]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=ArgentSword_Colour.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
===Value Beneath the Mountain===
* '''General of the Argent Sword; ''Kespoena Archsky''; Members of the Senate and those able to announce commissions; people who like mithril; ''Herminius of the House of the Wanderer''; Architect of Illumination; Gardener of Pallas; Arbiter of the Four Winds; Oblivion Sentinel; and people who like the idea of fighting in caves'''
Almost eighteen months ago, an arcane projection raised Kespoena's Reach (formerly known as Mount Polus) to be the highest mountain in the Empire. This, unexpectedly, led to a crevasse opening at the base of the mountain. Last season, the [[Argent Sword|General of the Argent Sword]], '''Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer''', ordered the heralds of her army to "''sniff out the value beneath the mountain''".

You can find out what they found, and what lies beneath Kespoena's Reach, in the '''[[Value beneath the mountain]]''' wind of fortune.
===Domain Expansion===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Marcher.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''The Marches; Imperial Orcs; Senate and Military Council; Singing Caves seat; and Quartermaster of the Imperial Armies; Imperial diviners and cartographers; anyone with an interest in Liathaven/Ashvale'''
While other nations struggle on, the [[the Marches|Marchers]] have got their harvest in. Their assmebly has completed their [[The highest calling#Highest calling|highest calling]] and successfully [[Expand_Breadbasket_into_Mournwold|expanded]] the [[The_Marches_economic_interests#The_Imperial_Breadbasket|Imperial Breadbasket]] into [[Mournwold]]. There's no time for rest however... as ever Marcher knows, the reward for a good job is more work. Keen not to let the grass grow under anyone's feet, Marchers look to make good use of the remaining time now the Breadbasket is properly sorted. There are a few ideas knocking around about what Marchers could be doing next, as a tidal wave of Imperial Steel sweeps through [[Mitwold]] and into [[Bregasland]] - time to build on that success. After-all - you don't own it unless you can defend it...

You can learn about suggestions for how the Marches can own and defend land, and a mildly irritating development with a former Imperial territory, in the '''[[Domain expansion]]''' wind of fortune.
===Islands in the Dream===
<div style="float: right; max-width: 150px; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:Illarawm.png]]</div>
* '''Imperial Orcs, Varushka, Highguard; Military Council'''
Bloodcrow Knott declared the [[the highest calling#Highest Calling|highest calling]] of the [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]] assembly to be [[Every_day_of_your_life#Spanning_the_Abyss|seeking the ancestors of other septs]], and at the Summer Solstice, Bloodcrow Meep was chosen to [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_93|lead an approach]] to the [[Culling_the_threat#The_Dreamers_of_the_Dark_Forest|Dreamers of the Dark Forest]] in eastern [[Ossium]]. This time the [[orc|orcs]] have additional support in the form of advisors from [[Varushka]] and [[Highguard]] familiar with the sept, who helped arm and train the orcs to fight the [[Druj]] a few years back. The delegation of [[shamans]] and [[Illarawm|mystagogues]] braves the haunted woods and finds a guarded welcome, some mystical beliefs about spirits, and another dilemma for the Empire...

You can learn about the Dreamers of the Dark Forest, their spiritual beliefs, and their pressing concerns, in the '''[[Islands in the dream]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBNavarr.jpg|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBVarushka.jpg|align=right|width=300}}
===Shadowed Boughs of Twilight===
* '''Citizens of Ossium, Navarr and Varushkan alike; Ossium forest owners; Senate, Military Council; Varushkan and Dawnish military units; Grieftender of the Forgotten, Map to the City Below, Singer of Silence, Ceslev of the Circle of ZUlgan Tash; People who like having a fortification in Ossium; Apothecary of Orieb; people angry about idolatry; Agramant watchers; Watcher of the Semmerlak; Guardian of the Maze of Zoria; Dedicates of Wisdom; Ambassador to Otkodov'''
[[Ossium]] has been part of [[Varushka]] for six years now, and what was once a wretched place clenched in the iron fist of the [[Druj]] is rapidly becoming one of the most prosperous territories in the Empire. Alongside the Varushkans live a few scattered septs of [[orc|orcs]], while the [[Thule]] control the northern forests in uneasy alliance. For the last few years it has also been home to families of Navarr drawn by Awstin's Rest. After the Summer Solstice, though, magic drawn from the [[Realms#Night|Wondrous Forest]] washes over the territory, bringing with it the unmistakable blessings of Night magic - blessings that have a regrettable tendency to be somewhat mixed. Especially given the presence of the monsters that have been here since well before the Empire drove the Druj out, who still lurk in the depths of the wild forests.

You can learn about the effects the Night magic has had, on dreams and on the forest, as well as details about eternals and monsters, in the '''[[Shadowed boughs of twilight]]''' wind of fortune.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Drakes_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Star Forged colour.webp|align=right|width=200}}
===No More Tales===
* '''Inhabitants of Madruga; Generals of the Drakes and Star Forged; military units; Marcher folk; Conclave orders; Military Council; magicians interested in ill-advised experiments'''
Once [[Madruga]] was grassy plains, rich coastline, and prosperous islands. Now it is something else, thanks in part to the transfiguration of its southern coast by magically-infused river waters. This is [[the Brass Coast]] and there are plenty of Freeborn who welcome the excitement, unpredictability, and wonder each day promises. After the Summer Solstice, magic started to settle over Madruga, bringing with in vibrant dreams of vanished forests and heralds of the [[Realms#Night|Night realm]]. At first it seemed to be just a gentle piece of [[Night magic]]... but as the Autumn got closer it became clear it had done more than just evoke dreams. Two Imperial armies were also in Madruga, busy claiming the wild marshes of the Siroc Bayou and Crucible for the Empire. ''One'' of these two armies has come back out of the marshes and the other one... has not.

You can learn about the gentle enchantment, and the disappearance of an entire Imperial army, in the '''[[No more tales]]''' wind of fortune.

==Diplomatic Winds==
Each season, the Civil Service prepares a summary of the Empire's relationship with the foreign nations. This is usually based on communications received from their ambassador, along with any useful intelligence gathered from other sources. While the [[Senate]] and the other houses of Imperial power may respond to these offers, it is important to note that it is the appropriate [[ambassador]] that the foreign power will expect to hear from. Their communication with the foreign power is the primary element that will determine the tenor of any response. While these winds revolve around international matters, their focus is still on the Empire and what its citizens can do to influence diplomatic matters, so they're as likely as any other wind to contain something of interest to characters from all walks of life.

===All I Can Do (Beoraidh)===
* '''Ambassador to Beoraidh; Cat's Graces; Benefactors Council; Steward of the Ossuary; Members of Senate; Apothecaries Guild; Regario Dossier'''
[[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] was once the stronghold of the [[Grendel]] ''Salt-Lord Ehsan'' and his supporters. When the Empire moved to invade Mareave, Ehsan declared independence and sued for peace with the Empire. The city itself and the neighbouring region of [[Mareave#Sinfoyard|Sinfoyard]] are recognised as a neutral state by the Senate; a free port where both merchants of all nations are welcome. They actively seek investment from both Imperial and Grendel sources, and have allied themselves with the powerful [[Sarcophan Delves]]. One opportunity that has been under discussion for a while now is the creation of a temple dedicated to the Way, a monument to cooperation welcomed by the former Grendel. After the Summer Solstice it appears that some movement has been made towards making intention into reality.

You can learn about diplomatic relations with Beoraidh, and the opportunity to build a temple there, in the '''[[All I can do]]''' wind of fortune.

===It's All Wrong, But It's All Right===
* '''Ambassador to Faraden; Ambassador to the Iron Confederacy; Synod, Senate; fleet captains; Alder of Meade, Mediator of Fisk, Azure Sutannir, Cat's Graces; military unit commanders, especially mercenaries'''
The merchants of [[Faraden]] and the militarist [[Iron Confederacy]] lie to the west and south of the Empire respectively - to the west and south of [[the Brass Coast]] more specifically. Relation with the two nations have been tumultuous in the past but in the last year or two there has been a slow sanding-off of harsh edges. A feeling that lasting détente may be possible, although what it might cost is another matter entirely...

You can learn about diplomatic affairs regarding Faraden and the Suranni, and some pressing problems regarding both, in the '''[[It's all wrong, but it's all right]]''' wind of fortune.

===So Little I Wanted, So Little I Got===
* '''Ambassador to Asavea; Ambassador to Sumaah; Ambassador to the Grendel; Marracossa Sendito; Members of the Senate; fleet captains; Ambassadors in general; Loyalty Assembly, particularly ''Dagon Barossa'''''
The orthodox [[Sumaah Republic]] and the declining [[Asavean Archipelago]] lie far to the west of the Empire. The two great nations remain locked in war. Closer to home, the [[Grendel]] compete with the Empire for dominance of the Bay of Catazar. Even closer to home, the Marracossan exiles live in their town of [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Trajadoz]], Madruga. The [[ambassador|ambassadors]], the [[Imperial Consul]], and other individuals invested in diplomacy have their work cut out keeping abreast of what is happening, as each nation has agendas no less complex than those of the nations that make up the Empire.

You can learn about the ongoing diplomatic situation with the Asavean Archipelago, the Sumaah Republic, the Marracossans of Trajadoz, and the Grendel in '''[[So little I wanted, so little I got]]''' wind of fortune.

===Those Memories of You===
* '''Ambassador to the Sarcophan Delves; Ambassador to Axos; Senate; Wintermark farmers, herb garden owners, and apothecaries; Imperial Apothecaries Guild; collectors of vallorn relics; fleet captains trading with Issyk; Navarr traders'''
The [[Sarcophan Delves]] are a great power, a cosmopolitan nation centred around an immense city that sprawls out across the banks of the Umshalla river. [[Axos]] is tiny nation on the outskirts of the Empire, controlling a little over two territories. For all their differences they have similarities, though. Both are a people of cities, and both have an uneasy relationship to death. The Axou ''necromantia'' are acknowledged masters of the cold magic of the grave, while the Sarcophan base much of their industry on the use of the ''ongelukkig'' living-corpses. They are both nations made more powerful through trade, and both would like to see themselves as friends to the Empire... and in both cases that friendship can prove to be something of a mixed blessing.

You can learn about Sarcophan and Axou diplomacy, and some trade opportunities, in the '''[[Those memories of you]]''' wind of fortune.
===If We Never Meet Again===
* '''Ambassador to Jarm; Ambassador to the Commonwealth; Senate; Imperial mercenary soldiers (especially the League, Dawn, Urizen, and Highguard); Imperial fleet captains; Celestial Arch and Sevenfold Path; Rod and Shield and Golden Pyramid; Granite Pillar; friends of Professor Emmanuel Gelberg'''
The [[Commonwealth]] and the [[Principalities of Jarm]] had been at war, fighting for control of the borderlands between their two great nations. When the tiny country of Lantir was annihilated by [[Cold Sun]], a major incursion began that saw armies of [[Cold_Sun#Heralds|scions]] pouring through a breach in what remained of the capital city. Now they have a common enemy, but it has given them little ''else'' in common. Revelations as to the cause of the incursion have set the balance of power in the east swinging wildly - and not just between the two nations. The Empire is in the middle of a war of words and recriminations, and a long-term friendship seems to be on the verge of collapse while the attitude of bitter rivals appear to be improving.

You can learn about the chaos in the east, and its significant to Imperial citizens, in the '''[[If we never meet again]]''' wind of fortune.
===The Little Things===
* '''Ambassador to Otkodov; Senate; Military Council; Folk of Ossium'''
The [[Thule]] of [[Otkodov]] share a long mountainous border with [[Wintermark]], the [[Imperial Orcs|the Unshackled]], and [[Varushka]]. A magocratic nation is ruled by five allegedly immortal orc wizards called the Dragons they were at war with the Empire for much of its history. Now though, they are at peace. An uneasy peace to be sure, secured with the concedence of northern regions claimed as part of Otkodov. But peace nonetheless. For the last year or so, the Thule have been waging war on [[the Mallum]], conquering western [[Forest of Ulnak|Ulnak]] and occupying the northern Druj. They have also been engaging in active negotiations with the representatives of the Empire, arranging deals and agreements that might against all the odds so this peace last longer than perhaps it has any right to.

You can read about recent diplomatic developments, and in particular some upcoming events in [[Ossium]], in the '''[[The little things]]''' wind of fortune.

==Other Events==
===Strange Currencies===
* '''The Silver Flame ask for ritual texts for ''Strong Ox, Golden Sun'' and ''Gathering the Harvest'''''
* '''In return, they pledge their sentinels to defend Spiral as needed'''
The [[A_question_of_loyalty#Spiral|Tribunal of the Silver Flame]] controls the region of [[Spiral#Cinion|Cinion]], in [[Spiral]] - and is home to several hundred former Urizeni mages at most. Nearly a [[Mirror_and_the_flame|year ago]], they announced grand plans to make a formal alliance with the [[eternal]] [[Sinokenon]], declaring their intent to build a [[fane]] in their territory so as to allow the eternal to give them more extensive support. Aware that the risks would be shared by the Empire, they wrote to inform them of their intentions, and tried to sweeten the deal with two powerful rituals in exchange for access to Imperial Lore, assuming that the offer would land favourably.

It did not. The [[Conclave]] rejected the offer outright, seemingly incensed at the repeated request for access to Lore and having deep misgivings about the nature of ''Diamondmind's'' offer. The Flame sent a delegation to Anvil to try and understand why their strategy had landed so badly. Eager to demonstrate their worth to their neighbours, they sent their sentinels to aid in the [[This_is_the_end#Never_follow_me|quixotic but ultimately successful effort to free Apulian]] from the [[Whisper Gallery|Whisper Gallery's]] grasp. Last season, the Conclave agreed to disseminate [[Blessing of New Spring]] to them - a sign that there is diplomatic willing there, yet.

Now the [[civil service]] have been sent word from Alexius, who acts as the representative of the Tribunal to the Empire. His missive strikes a somewhat contrite note. The Tribunal have abandoned their plans to build a fane for Sinokenon - for now. It seems that someone made a generous donation of liao to the faction within the Tribunal who were most opposed towards any form of eternal alliance, and they have spent the last three months pressing their point. They have convinced many, but in particular they have convinced Caela, the Grand Arbiter of the Tribunal, who has asked the heralds of Sinokenon to leave.

This has not come without cost, it seems. While they have the stocks and stores to get through winter, it will be hard without outside assistance. Their need is pressing, and so they write to ask if their friends in Anvil could see to the dissemination of the other two rituals in the cycle of farm rituals. This would aid the rebels greatly - especially if this happens in time for the rituals to be cast in the Summer and Autumn of next year. Beyond that, the Flame would benefit from any personal enchantments, especially ones like [[Gift of the Wily Broker]] which allow for careful economic stewardship. In return, the Tribunal are prepared to guarantee that their sentinels will continue to support efforts in Apulian or be sent to assist in Spiral's defence in any way they can - whether it is simply to act as swords against the darkness of the wilds or to defend some fortification. They have four groups of sentinels with a combined military strength of a little under five hundred.

===All the Right Friends===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Prosperity.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''Efforts to share the virtue of Prosperity with the people of Tsark have met with some success.'''
* '''There is an opportunity to bring word of inspirational figures of Prosperity to Tsark.'''
* '''Eleven Imperials have been invited at 18:35 on the Saturday of the equinox to visit the Tsarkoi in Zenith.'''
The isolated nation of [[Tsark]] is famously slow to change and resistant to outside influence or visitors of any kind. In the last decade, as the Empire has become aware of Tsark's existence yet remained neutral, even friendly towards the tiny sagocracy, there has been a slow but perceptible thawing of relations on behalf of the Sage's Council. [[Seeds_of_discord#Tsark|Last season]] they sent ''Camilla'', one of the adepts who play some kind of role in day-to-day spiritual guidance of the lives of the Tsarkoi, to visit the Empire to learn more about the virtue of [[Prosperity]]. It seems that the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]] made the case that there could be a place for Prosperity within the worldview of the sages, and they were not so horrified at the suggestion as to refuse it out of hand.

Camilla solicited letters on the subject of Prosperity and has made herself and her fellow adepts available this last season for members of the Urizen Assembly to discuss Prosperity with her. As the equinox approaches, the Imperial diplomatic corps, through the office of the Seeker of the Perfect World, receive word that the initiative has been a success: at least from Camilla's point of view. She has learned much about Prosperity from all she has read and heard - yet she feels there is yet more to learn. In particular, she understands that the Empire set great stock by inspirational figures of the past who exemplify their virtues - a practice the people of Tsark understand well. The great sages and adepts of the past all have shrines built into the [[Mountains_of_the_Moon#Wall_of_the_Luge_and_the_East_and_West_Rising|Wall of the Luge]], the mighty fortified wall that surrounds the sacred plateau of Visoko. She would like to learn more about the inspirational prosperous figures that the Empire holds dear to its heart. If the Empire's representatives can impressively preach of an inspirational figure of Prosperity in a way that resonates with the spirituality of Tsark, then it could well lead to further such opportunities, as the Tsarkoi believe that inspirational figures are the ''most'' important way to find spiritual enlightenment.

She has asked Sage Kristoph, the well-established representative of the Sage's Council to the "People of the Horse", to make the trip to Zenith. She would like to host a discussion on the premises of the Garden of the Perfect World, with Sage Kristoph to attend, and an invitation is extended to each person who wrote to her or visited. These are, in no particular order: '''Farren Silver Streams, Abel the Rounder, Isaac of the Reaching Vine, Berilo i Erigo, Heilyn Bronwen's Rest, Catena of Tropaion, Galene Netherwatch, Able the Taller, Lord Augur Gryphontale, Eleri Bronwen's Rest''', and '''Solas of the First Light'''. They are invited to speak about three inspirational figures of Prosperity, with ten minutes (allowing time for questions) allocated for each figure. Who actually presents and on which figures Camilla defers to the visitors - she trusts them to collectively come to an understanding in an efficient manner that respects the time of others, as - she has learnt - the Prosperous are wont to do.

This is clearly a fateful occasion, and on such occasions the Sentinel Gate obliges. There is a conjunction for eleven people at 18:35 on the Saturday of the Equinox, to attend the Gardens of the Perfect World, Occursion, Zenith. The civil service has asked the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]], '''Abel the Rounder of Sarangrave Reforged''', to be responsible for the conjunction and for the other arrangements Camilla has mentioned.

===Blades of the Semmerlak (reprise)===
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Blades of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' [[Edifice]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:'''
*Sandling in Weirwater ''or'' Lacuve in Semmerholm
'''and'''
*Malimorzi in Karov ''or'' Bittershore in Ossium
</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 24 weirwood and 72 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' Three months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the start of Autumn Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Creates title of ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak''
* Creates the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''' venture for questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens
* Removes the threat to ships on the Semmerlak and establishes a sodality to deal with threats from Dho'uala</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Counts as a single commission</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Dawnish and Varushkan</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Senate or Test of Arms </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' This is a [[martial title]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:'''
* Receives 10 crowns a season
* Receives a [[Duelist's Scales]], a [[Troubadour's Ring]], and a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] once a year</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To counter the influence of Dho'uala and deal with threats coming from the Semmerlak</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<tr><td style="background-color: HotPink;">'''Blades in the Semmerlak'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Venture Type:''' Guarding</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Territories bordering the Semmerlak</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Duration:''' Open-ended</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Rewards:''' Six crowns and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]]</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''''Tristan Ramson von Holberg'', the Master of the Mint, announced the reappraisal of the Blades of the Semmerlak'''
* '''A wardenhouse in Varushka and a knightly estate in Dawn would provide a base of operations for heroes to protect the Semmerlak'''
Last season, the [[Master of the Mint]], '''Tristan Ramson von Holberg''', announced the [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Reappraise_Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|reappraisal]] of the Blades of the Semmerlak in Dawnish and Varushkan territories surrounding the [[the Semmerlak|Semmerlak]]. Originally [[Less_welcome_tenants#Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|suggested]] shortly before the Summer Solstice 386YE, the wardenhouse and knightly estate were part of a larger appraisal into the problem of [[Dho'uala]] killing Imperial citizens and interfering with matters on and around the Semmerlak.

A motion to construct the [[Less_welcome_tenants#Wards_and_Bargains|Journeymage Towers]] was [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Construct_Journeymage_Towers|proposed]] by '''Amicia of the Semmerlak''', as Senator for Semmerholm, and the [[Watcher of the Semmerlak]] has been active, appointed by the Assembly of Vigilance, and tasked with ensuring the nations surrounding the Semmerlak act with Vigilance and countering threats from the Semmerlak.

Lutomysla's suggestion that the Senate establish a small sodality dedicated to protecting the people around the Semmerlak still holds true, and has the same enthusiastic support from the merchant-boyars, earls, and merchant-princes keen to see people protected from the depredations of the sovereign. A knightly order focused on protecting the communities along the lake, and a warden fellowship to travel on ships crossing the Semmerlak to protect the crew; both would actively seek out the creatures of Dho'uala and fight them. Supported by Imperial heroes, the sodality would remove the threat to the people living along the edge of the lake. Instead, it would fall to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens to serve as the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''',

They will need places to operate from - an estate in Dawn for the knights and a wardenhouse in Varushka for the wardens. Lutomysla identified that the best locations would be either [[Weirwater#Sandling|Sandling]], in the vicinity of [[Weirwater#Culwich|Culwich]], or [[Semmerholm#Lacuve|Lacuve]] in [[Semmerholm]] near the bustling port of [[Semmerholm#Lacre|Lacre]] for the knights, and the port of Korotny in [[Karov#Malimorzi|Malimorzi]] in [[Karov]] and the [[Merchant_Boyar_of_the_Bittershore#Kostjyas_Respite|Kostjyas Respite]] in [[Ossium#Bittershore|Bittershore]] in [[Ossium]] and those still hold true. Although they involve work in two regions, the actual project itself requires only a single commission, and the building of the wardenhouse and the estates will take place in parallel. Once construction is complete, any threat to the people who live along the banks of the lake will be met by enthusiastic warriors. It will also create a new guarding [[venture]] available to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens - '''Blades in the Semmerlak'''. This will allow a [[military unit]] to spend their time actively defending the Semmerlak and the ships that traverse it. A starting military unit undertaking the venture would receive 120 rings and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]].

There would need to be a title to oversee the efforts and support the sodality; the ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'' would be a [[martial title]] of Dawn and Varushka who was appointed by either unanimous agreement of the senators of those two nations, or a [[Martial_title#Creating_Martial_Titles|test of arms]] between members of those two nations. The title-holder would be responsible for protecting the communities around the Semmerlak from threats mundane and magical, and to stand ready to oppose the depredations of Dho'uala whenever they raise their head. In return, they would receive an income of 10 crowns each season with which to equip allies and maintain their sodality.

They would also be the beneficiaries of several magic items provided by Dawnish, Varushkan, and League donors. A [[Duelist's Scales|Duelist's Scales]] weapon from the Varushkan merchant-boyars to weaken corrupt horrors; a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] from League merchant-princes to protect them from venom; and a [[Troubadour's Ring]] from Dawnish earls to help them support their allies. These items would be received once each year, and while the expectation is that the Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak would use them themselves, there is no reason they could not pass them to other warriors fighting against Dho'uala or similar monstrous threats.

===Dusk===
{{:Autumn Equinox 2026}}

===Husky Business (Volunteers)===
* '''There is an opportunity for player volunteers to portray their characters who died during the Saturday battle at the last event'''
* '''Eligible characters must have died during the battle, but not have been killed as a husk'''
* '''Volunteers will need to have their own costume and appropriate weapons'''
* '''The role will last around twenty minutes, starting at 18:30 on Friday'''
* '''The role will involve fighting alongside the skirmish team in an encounter against player characters'''
* '''Please email before 18:00 on Wednesday 26th of August if you are interested in volunteering'''

There is an opportunity for players to portray the husk of their fallen characters at the upcoming event. Anyone whose character died during the battle of the [[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Fens of Varreth]], raised as a husk but was not subsequently killed again as that husk is welcome to email to register interest in volunteering for an encounter on the Friday. This will be a combat [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|highly likely]] encounter through the Sentinel Gate and will involve fighting against player characters alongside members of our [[Plot_crew#Skirmish|skirmish team]].

If you are interested and would like more information, please email {{plot}} with your PID and the subject line "Husk Volunteer E4", and you will be given more details.

==Summer Conjunctions==

===Major Conjunctions===
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Link'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Outcome'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Sarangrave|Sarangrave, Turan Flats, ''Fens of Varreth'']]</td><td>Contain the dead</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Harvester of Graves]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Sigismund Vladislav Kestovia''' of [[Varushka]]; The spirits were not trapped and the husks remain a problem in eastern Sarangrave; The tortured souls of Het Trakaa remain in Turan Flats; Het Trakaa and Sul Maggotgnaw remain alive</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Mareave|Mareave, Clisearn, ''Ruins of Sinat'']]</td><td>Open the Vaults</td><td>Grendel</td><td>[[Mithril_and_rope#Battle:_Salt_and_Stone|Salt and Stone]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Joaquim i Erigo''' of [[the Brass Coast]]; Saltbound Stone recovered and claimed by '''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged'''; Ilium Jackals negotiated with and readying support of [[Boyar's Hasta]]; Iontach Leagsaidh remains in possession of their [[Grimnir's Hearthfire]]; Maistir Guaidre remains in possession of the Spiteri necklace</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Forest of Ulnak|Forest of Ulnak, Ghul'thark Forest, ''Fetid Heart'']]</td><td>Raid the Druj</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Battle:_Claim_the_Prize|Claim the Prize]]</td><td>Not taken; Status of the black lotus unclear; Status of the treasures of Taramid Skinwreath unclear</td></tr>

</table>

===Minor Conjunctions===
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! # !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview !! Result
|-
| 1 || Sarangrave, Whisperwood, Halfweir Grove || [[Fingers of the Devourer|Custodian of the Fingers of the Devourer]] || [[Thorn_and_bone#A_Testing_(Conjunction)|Destroy the heralds of Surut]] || Heralds of Surut killed; production of Fingers of Devourer has increased by two wains per season for as long as the Great Forest Orcs remain foreigners
|-
| 2 || Astolat, Withy, Igraine's Regio || [[Astolat|Senator for Astolat]] || [[A_wizard_did_it#Rants_and_Roses|Find out why the regio keeps shifting back to Spring, and resolve it]] || Unclear, but '''Éamon Ashenmourn de Cordraco''' might know more
|-
| 3 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Maiden Stone || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#Apples_First_(Mitwold)|Stop Jyll Longleys from cursing the Maiden Stone]] || ''Jyll Longleys'' and allies killed
|-
| 4 || The Barrens, Dawnguard, Troubadour's Glade || [[Knight of Dawnguard]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Vow (The Barrens)|Kill ''Prilak Gutdredger'']] || ''Prilak Gutdredger'' and almost all allies were killed
|-
| 5 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Golden Fields || [[Keeper of the Golden Fields]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#The_Right_Thing_(Mitwold)|Stop Dusty Cobb setting Golden Fields alight]] || ''Dusty Cobb'' and rebels killed
|-
| 6 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, The Dredging Flats || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Call to Stand (The Barrens)|Kill the Servants of the Burnt]] || All but one ''Servants of the Burnt'' survived
|-
| 7 || Ossium, Echofell, Burned Glade || [[Shadowed Torchbearer]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Fire_The_Forests_(Ossium)|Prevent the cursing of Ossium]] || Heralds killed and Ossium was not cursed
|-
| 8 || Therunin, Lower Tarn Valley, Rotwood Croft || '''Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#After the Taint (Therunin)|Destroy the miasma pillar]] || Miasma pillar successfully consecrated
|-
| 9 || Madruga, Free Landing, Hart's Cove || [[Hand of Guerra]] || [[Keys_of_Enlightenment#Barren_Waters_(Conjunction)|Aid the stranded ship from Sumaah]] || Unclear, but Hand of Guerra should know more
|-
| 10 || Sarangrave, Kroll, Slow Worm's Hill || [[Sevenfold Path|Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Boil The Swamps (Sarangrave)|Prevent the cursing of Sarangrave]] || Heralds killed and Sarangrave was not cursed
|-
| 11 || Sarangrave, Turan Flats, The Breakteeth dais || [[Eastern Sky|General of the Eastern Sky]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#The_Greatest_Prize_(Rhianos)|Recover the treasure]] || Treasure successfuly recovered
|-
| 12 || The Barrens, Bitter Strand, Saltshore || [[Merchant of the Fangs]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Fangs_for_the_Memories_(Conjunction)|Answer General Utmar's call for aid]] || Vassals of the manticore killed
|-
| 13 || Madruga, The Crucible, Talpses Plat || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#A_Terrible_Feeling_(Madruga)|Claim the ''Snapping Face'']] || Snapping Face retrieved and heralds killed
|-
| 14 || The Barrens, Carmine Fields, Trading Way || '''Rhydian de Rondell''' || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Taste_of_Mettle_(Conjunction)|Remove the failed knights-errant of House Courcillion as a threat]] || Named knights have accepted justice from local magistrates
|-
| 15 || Necropolis, Coursmouth, The Veiled Garden || [[Guardian of Britta's Memorial]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#The_Strength_of_This_Place_(Necropolis)|Spill the waters of Siakha]] || Bucket recovered and returned to Anvil
|-
| 16 || The Barrens, The Untrod Groves, Glade of the Good Knight || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#A_Hearty_Meal_(Conjunction)|Thwart the schemes of Ser Gawain Amboise]] || Schemes of ''Ser Gawain Amboise'' thwarted
|-
| 17 || Mareave, Fleisardh, Spring Regio near Golden Wind's Encampment || [[Silver Chalice|Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Do_Some_Harm_(Arhallogen)|Poison the Grendel]] || Grendel poisoned, Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice should know more
|-
| 18 || Tassato, Cascatas, Campo Verdenta || [[Keeper of the Sapphire Stair]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#For_What_Has_Been_Wrought_(Tassato)|Kill the heralds of Siakha]] || Heralds of Siakha and wreckers killed
|-
| 19 || Spiral, Apstrus, Alba's Lea || [[Legacy|Custodian of the Legacy]] ||[[Mithril_and_rope#A_Backhanded_Request_(Spiral)|Intercept the mercenaries pay]] || Raid launched on the Legacy and ten wains of mithril claimed by the Haurlatch Iron Consortium
|-
| 20 || Reikos, Haros Water, Couros Field || '''Nekoda of the Shattered Tower''' || [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_fortune#A_Sudden_Threat_(Reikos)|Save Professor Gelberg from Grendel assassins]] || Imperials pushed out by Grendel; Professor Gelberg has been kidnapped
|-
| 21 || Redoubt, Naris, Isaac's End || '''Telemachus of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[Seeds_of_discord#An_Empty_Bottle_(Conjunction)|Leave no more than a dozen Grendel alive]] || All Grendel killed
|-
| 22 || Kallavesa, West Marsh, The Meeting Place || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_32|Erlend]]''' || [[Myth_makers#The_Unity_Of_Deed_And_Word|Consecrate the Meeting Place]] || The Meeting Place successfully consecrated with true liao
|-
| 23 || Kallavesa, Wittal Grove, Frithstan's Fen || [[Grimnir of Wittal Grove]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#An_Unexpected_Ally_(Basileia)|Defeat the Grendel (and potentially rescue the Iontach)]] || Ionatch Meddool Miniog successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 24 || Forest of Ulnak, Grimfen Mire, Moss End || [[Warmage]] || [[All_I_ask_of_you#Wild_Things_Run_Fast|Take advantage of a recent scouting discovery]] || [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] successfully cast with eight rings of [[ilium]]
|-
| 25 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Eastern Ward || '''Theodora''' || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 26 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, Gardenway || [[Envoy to the Karass]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Protect_Lenna_Karass_%28The_Barrens%29|Prevent Druj raiders from kidnapping Lenna Karass]] || Lenna Karass was successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 27 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Western Ward || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 28 & 29 || Forest of Ulnak, Gloomsea, Islet of Calm || [[Archmage of Day]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Who's_the_Thief?_(Forest_of_Ulnak)|Prevent the Eyes of the Dragon from using a boon of Kimus]] || [[Wind of Mundane Silence]] performed on regio and bodies successfully destroyed
|-
| 30 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Warmage]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Drive the vallorn from the regio]] || Imperial casualties suffered, vallornspawn remain around the regio
|-
| 31 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Archmage of Spring]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Cast Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] || [[Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] was not performed
|-
| 32 || Sarangrave, the Whisperwood, Depths of the Hungry Earth || [[Counsel of the Sun Chamber]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#The_Caves_of_the_Hungry_Earth|Investigate the Hungry Earth]] || Depths investigated, Counsel of the Sun Chamber should know more
|-
| 33 || Volodmartz, Livardz, Sumisev Peegel || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_167|Auntie Armand Mariyavich Remislav]]''' || [[Sunrise_over_Livardz#Blow_It_Up|Destroy the Sumisev Peegel]] || Sumisev Peegel was successfully destroyed by [[Wind of Mundane Silence]]
|-
|}

Islands in the dream

2026-09-08T17:13:06Z

Rafferty:

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]][[Category:Highest Calling]]
<ic>Caston smoothed out the rough bed and then carefully lay down on it. It was midday, the sun was still shining and there was plenty of work to be done. He wasn't remotely tired, but their guests had so many questions and they wanted answers. Answers only the ancestors could provide.

There was nothing for it. He was just going to have to go and talk to them in person.

He closed his eyes, relaxed every muscle and concentrated on his breathing, feeling the air entering and leaving his lungs. Once his chest began to rise and fall more slowly, he looked around his mind for the entrance to the Dark Forest. He imagined himself in the woods near his home, searching for mottlecops for the evening feast. That was usually the easiest way to locate the doorway.

With an ease born of decades of careful practice, the dimwalker drifted off to sleep.
</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=ImperialOrc.jpg|align=right|width=350|caption=All orcs hear voices, but it is quickly becoming clear that not every orc hears them in the same way.}}</div>
==Overview==
* '''The Imperal Orc assembly seeks to learn more about the ancestors of the Dreamers of the Dark Forest'''
Since '''Bloodcrow Knott''' declared the [[the highest calling#Highest Calling|highest calling]] of the [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]] assembly to be [[Every_day_of_your_life#Spanning_the_Abyss|seeking the ancestors of other septs]], the Imperial Orcs have reached out to the [[Seeking the Karass|Karass]] of [[the Barrens]], and to the [[Beliefs_of_the_Great_Forest#From_the_Illarawm|Great Forest Orcs]]. At the Summer Solstice, '''Bloodcrow Meep''' was chosen to [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_93|lead an approach]] to the small sept in eastern [[Ossium]] known as the [[Culling_the_threat#The_Dreamers_of_the_Dark_Forest|Dreamers of the Dark Forest]].

The Dreamers are something of an unknown quantity. They ignored the opportunity to leave the former [[Druj]] territory to travel to [[Skarsind]] and like the [[Blood_makes_noise#The_Sept_of_the_Menrothat|Menrothat]] show no interest in joining the ranks of the Unshackled. Unlike the other Ossium sept, however, they have demonstrated that they are prepared to work directly with the Empire. Three years ago, when the [[Varushka|Varushkans]] strove to secure their border against [[the Mallum]], the ''Dreamers'' were enlisted to help keep the Druj at bay. A joint effort by the Varushkan and [[Highguard|Highborn]] assemblies, [[385YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Authorise_supplying_Dreamers_of_the_Dark_Forest|endorsed]] by the Senate, saw the sept armed and armoured and given license to hunt out and destroy Druj raiding bands, guerillas, and spies. Since then, they have enthusiastically discharged this duty while still maintaining a clear distance between themselves and the Varushkan rulers of their territory. Very little is known about them apart from the fact they despise the masters of the Mallum, and so Bloodcrow Meep and their allies cannot be certain of the kind of welcome they will receive.

In the end a decision is made to bring a small number of Varushkans and Highborn along who have experience dealing with the Dreamers - those initially inspired by the [[mandate|mandates]] of '''[[385YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_114|Wildfyre of Balthazar's Vineyard]]''' and '''[[385YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_163|Anatolij Paukov Zorkin]]'''. While the Unshackled mystagogues and shamans will take the lead, the humans can still provide some insight into the customs of this unfamiliar sept.
==Who Were You?==
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly ImperialOrc.png|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Varushkan.png|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Highborn.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''The Dreamers of the Dark Forest are still something of an enigma'''
* '''While guarded they are well disposed towards the people of Varushka and Highguard'''
* '''They despise both the Druj and the Thule'''
The Dreamers of the Dark forest are a sept that occupies part of the [[Ossium#Echofell|Echofell]]. Their main settlements lie near the [[Keeper_of_the_Bonehives#The_Bone_Hives|Bonehives]], where some of their number were once forced to work for Druj overlords. Since the liberation of the territory they have shown no interest in returning to those positions.

When they were first contacted by the Empire there was speculation that they have a connection with the [[Great Forest Orcs]], although they seem ignorant of any connection if one exists. The sept was relatively small and insular, but there had been some effort from the Varushkans and the Imperial Orcs both to make contact with them. It was during an [[appraisal]] by ''[[Appraisal#Naomi of Virtue's Rest|Naomi of Virtue's Rest]]'' that they first became of particular interest to the Empire. After speaking with the leaders of the Dreamers, Naomi discovered that they could be convinced to fight the Druj at their own game, if they had the means to do so.

As with many subjects of the Druj that they don't fully trust, the Dreamers had few if any weapons of war or experience in battle. They were however very eager to fight the Druj, despite their lack of weapons or training. The Highborn National Assembly had reached out to support the people of Varushka as they treated with the orcs and Naomi herself is from Highguard. It is no surprise then that when she contacted a number of [[unconquered]] of her acquaintance to discuss the issue with them, they pointed out that when the Imperial Orcs joined the Empire, Highborn soldiers supported them with gifts of weapons and armour. They suggested that it might be possible to kill two birds with one stone; help protect Echofell and encourage good relations with the independent orcs in Ossium. For the next year, the Dreamers were supplied weapons, armour, and most crucially the training to use both effectively. They took to the instruction quickly, and developed their own spin on traditional tactics by incorporating their own experience with hunting and stealth.

There was a risk of course: it was impossible to determine what the long term effects of arming the Dreamers would be. Giving them weapons and armour certainly improved relations, and made them more positively inclined to both Varushka and Highguard. But the sept expressed no interest in becoming Imperial citizens, nor in adopting the Way. They had - have - their own religion, their own leaders, and their own laws. They also had their own enemies and ambitions, it seemed. They hate the Druj, but it is clear they don't think much better of [[Thule]], and they also loathe the Menrothat although exactly ''why'' they despise them is hard to fathom. They turned the weapons they had been provided on the Druj, but they also apparently used them to keep other septs of orcs at bay as enthusiastically as they used them on the Mallum.

That is not to say that they have remained completely isolated; in the last couple of years there has been regular trade of herbs, game, and goods with their Varushkan neighbours. Twice a year in Spring and Autumn a contingent of Dreamers make the long trek through the marshes to [[Merchant-Boyar_of_the_Stinking_Market#Stinking_Market|Stinking Market]] in the [[Ossium#Drownbark Forest|Drownbark Forest]] where they sell the spoils of their ongoing raids against the Druj and purchase worked metal goods. While they are skilled at working with wood and leather, there are few smiths among the Dreamers. They have neither the ore nor the expertise needed to craft anything save the simplest metalwork, and so such items have particular [[worth]] to this small sept.
{{CaptionedImage|file=WondrousForests.jpg|title=Some magicians say this ritual calls on the mysterious forests of the Night realm themselves.|caption=The shadows beneath the boughs are deeper, and more dangerous.|align=right|width=300}}
==Who Are You?==
* '''The Dreamers of the Dark Forest are inspired by the magical dreams swirling around Ossium this season'''
* '''The Unshackled are able to meet the three ''dimwalkers'' who lead the sept'''
The trip to speak with the Dreamers almost founders before it can begin. Ossium has been [[enchantment|enchanted]] with a unique magic that [[Shadowed_boughs_of_twilight#Twisted_Paths|occludes passage through woodlands]]. Even familiar woods can turn treacherous and confusing, and the Echofall is by no means a tame forest. Less than six hours after entering the woods, the Unshackled party is hopelessly lost. [[Gralka's Gift to the Lost Seeker]] is able to pinpoint the location of the travellers, but it turns out to be no help in finding anywhere else. It would be easy to panic but level heads keep everyone calm. After a fretful night lost in the woods, however, an orc-like figure appears dressed in bright coloured clothes in the Varushkan style with a cloak of rainbow feathers and a lantern that turns out to be a glass jar full of moths. This [[inhabitants of the realms#heralds|herald]] of the ''[[Sung|Night Singer]]'' has been dispatched by her mistress to make sure that the winding paths do not delay the Unshackled in their endeavour. The ''Rainbow Serpent'', it seems, approves of the Imperial Orcs' highest calling and the same magic that confounds their journey makes it easy for her to send her herald to aid them.

A lot can change in three years, especially in a place like Ossium. When the Unshackled and their human advisors arrive, they find the Dreamers of the Dark Forest quite different to how they were in 385YE. Almost as soon as they venture into territory claimed by the Dreamers, the Imperial group is intercepted by a patrol of a dozen serious orcs. Their weapons and armaments - bows, swords, and shields bearing the sigil of the black tree and six multicoloured stars - are practically antiques but there are also relatively new Varushkan axes and segmented armour on display. They are cautious but by no means unwelcoming, carefully questioning their visitors and providing them with a small honour guard to the large village of ''Dimmorden''.

Gone are the ramshackle huts that were all the Druj allowed them. In their place stand proud new structures of hardwood and stone surrounded by the kind of defensive wall familiar to any Varushkan, needful to keep the predators of the dark woods at bay. The settlement is also easily twice as large as it was when the Empire was last here in any official capacity. The warriors escorting the Unshackled explain that a few years ago several hundred of their kin captured by the ''Iceblood'' - a disparaging term for the [[Thule]] - joined them from [[Ossium#Webwood|Webwood]]. Apparently the orc rulers of northern Ossium had tried to persuade them to stay, but when they refused had begrudgingly allowed them to leave - although it has done nothing to endear the folk of Otkodov to the Dreamers.

Dimmorden is overseen by three "dimwalkers" - respected orcs who represent the three extended families that make up the Dreamers of the Dark Forest. Between them they guide the sept, relying on the wisdom of the ancestors which they glean from their dreams. Obviously, this excites the interest of the mystagogues and shamans, and it seems the dimwalkers are equally eager to speak to the Unshackled. It seems they have been expecting their arrival, having received dream portents that warned them of the Empire's approach.

This news rouses particular interest in the magicians accompanying the expedition. Apparently the Dreamers are quite excited that over the last several weeks their dreams have been particularly vivid and powerful, and even the least insightful among them record night time visits to the Dark Forest that underpins the waking world. A few of their magicians have pointed out that this is the result of an [[enchantment]] laid over the whole of Ossium, a clever weaving of the [[Night magic|Spirit]], but where it comes from does not matter to the Dreamers as much as the way it helps them hear their ancestors.

Intrigued, the Unshackled settle down to discuss matters of ancestors and spirits with the dimwalkers.

==The Dream==
* '''The Dreamers of the Dark Forest have mystical beliefs about ancestors and the Howling Abyss'''
There are some ancestors that are particularly important to the Dreamers of the Dark Forest, called the First Dreamers. Each one was the head of a family of orcs who swore binding oaths of loyalty and support to the others at the creation of their sept. The dimwalkers don't talk about where these families came from, but explain that at first they were rivals but they were forced to work together in the face of possible destruction, and that forged bonds of community between them. The First Dreamers made those bonds real.

Their given names aren't used and aren't spoken to anyone save another dimwalker. Instead they are referred to by descriptive nickname - Redhand, the defender, who wielded two terrible blades to strike down anyone who threatened the sept; Keeneye, the watcher, who remained vigilant for enemies and struck them down with deadly arrows; and Threadsnap, the weaver, who read the ripples of future and past in his magical loom. While the voices of the First Dreamers are often the loudest, they rarely speak directly to their descendants except in times of dire need. Some young orcs mark themselves with tattoos that indicate the connection they feel to one of the First Dreamers, usually on the forearms. These are a cultural rather than metaphysical thing - such orcs are no more likely to hear a given ancestor but they use the tattoos to indicate which of the dreamers' words they find particularly compelling.

There are however an almost unlimited number of other ancestors that speak to the Dreamers when they sleep. The Dreamers believe that the waking world of solid objects and people is underpinned by the world of dreams. The two exist side by side, separated by a curtain of shadow. When someone is awake they can only see the mundane world, but when they hover on the edge of sleep they can sometimes glimpse through to the primordial world of dreams that is the foundation of reality. When people sleep, their spirits are free to explore the world of dreams and that is where the ancestors exist. They characterise it as the Dark Forest, a primordial space just out of reach of the waking world from which flow all sapient things, whether orc, human, animal, or tree. This rouses obvious interest but it appears that the Dreamers believe that human spirits come from the same place as orc spirits (and the spirits of trees and ox and what have you) and probably return there when they die). For the most part they don't worry about what human ancestors get up to - the first time they learned that humans believe they reincarnate was when they met the Highborn. It seems an odd idea to the dimwalkers, but they cheerfully point out that it would be incredibly rude for any orc to tell a human what their beliefs should be. One Varushkan casually asks if they think orcs can reincarnate and again they find the question odd. If humans can do it, orcs could probably do it (the word "better" is left unspoken). But why would they want to? And what would it even look like if an ancestor were born into the world of flesh again?

They are very clear that only those who dream are truly people; they firmly believe that creatures such as [[Varushkan Monster|mora]] or (controversially) the Thule are not really people because they do not really dream. They are no more people than rocks are. There is disagreement about heralds and creatures of the realms, but the Dreamers frankly don't have enough experience of them to have formed a strong opinion. Ghosts, incidentally, are also not people because they cannot dream - the Dreamers equate ghosts with the Nightmare or the Howling Abyss and teach their children to avoid them at all costs. There are also ways to cut people off from dreams, and doing so is a terrible crime that they believe ultimately causes anyone condemned to that state to go mad, die, and be immediately claimed by the Nightmare. This is one reason they have a deep-rooted distrust of [[Wise Rangara]] in particular, who they view with the same dread many Imperials reserve for Agramant.

Following some further exploration, the dimwalkers are clear that this world is not the [[Realms#Night|Night realm]]. They're aware of that place and the [[inhabitants of the realms|creatures]] that dwell there but it is not the Dark Forest or the world of dreams. The realms are likewise underpinned by the Dark Forest, and those closest to it in concept (the Night realm, and the realms of Spring and Winter) show that closeness with their forests. The Autumn and Day realms are furthest from the primal dreaming and that is why they are described in such unsettling and unnatural ways.

The Dark Forest is where the ancestors exist after they leave the waking world. Only a few orcs have the strength of spirit to become ancestors; other orcs become one with the forest and enjoy peaceful sleep in the shape of trees and animals of the dream. Any Dreamer of the Dark Forest might meet an ancestor when they sleep, especially when they are worried, frightened, angry, or otherwise in need of good advice. It is also clear that the Dreamers hear their ancestors when they are awake, just as other orcs do, but here the conversation takes a darker turn.

According to the dimwalkers, the thing the Imperial Orcs call the [[Imperial_Orcs_religious_beliefs#The_Howling_Abyss|Howling Abyss]] is a part of the dreaming world from which all bad things are born. Just as the Dark Forest is the ultimate source of mortal spirits, so the "Nightmare" is an endless chasm that seeks to consume those spirits. Howling Abyss is as good a word as any but the Unshackled, and most other orcs, are misled about its nature. It doesn't entirely consume the spirits that fall into it. Rather it hollows them out, consuming everything about them that is wholesome. Most spirits that fall to the Abyss are too weak to leave it and become part of its churning malignant chaos. Some however are strong enough to rise again, as ancestors that encourage their descendants to undertake selfish, self-destructive, corrupt actions.

When someone is asleep they can always tell if they are listening to a good ancestor or a bad ancestor. The dimwalkers explain that this is a simplistic way of looking at it, but that it would take far too long to explore all the metaphysical underpinnings, much more than the handful of weeks available. Dreamers are taught from a young age what signs to look for to help them understand if they are dreaming of a good ancestor who wants to help them or an ancestor that wants to drive them down the path to the Howling Abyss. When awake, though, those signs are not visible. All an orc has to go on is the voice, and that is not enough. As a consequence, the Dreamers of the Dark Forest are ''very'' careful about listening to the ancestors that speak to them when they fight or are otherwise worked up. Sometimes it's obvious that an ancestor is good or bad based on the kind of words they speak - an ancestor urging someone to strike down their sibling and take their sword is clearly a bad ancestor. One of the gifts of the three original dreamers - Redhand, Keeneye, and Threadsnap - was the framework that allows the Dreamers to judge if an ancestor is good or bad.

One of the reasons they despise the Menrothat is because the orcs of that sept believe that the waking world is a dream, and that they embrace the words of the bad ancestors fuelled by Nightmare in the same way the Druj do. They are still better than the Thule - but only just.
===Six Lights===
* '''The spiritual life of the Dreamers is guided by six precepts that help one become a "good" ancestor'''
* '''Orcs who abandon or subvert these principles are consumed by the Nightmare'''
There are six core principles that determine if an ancestor is good or bad. They are:

* '''Camaraderie:''' The Dreamers of the Dark Forest are family, bound together by bonds of blood, spirit, and oaths. When one is hurt, all are injured. When one weeps, all are sad. Always support your fellow, and believe that they in turn will support you.
* '''Insight:''' Weapons are good, but they all start with knowledge and understanding. Before you can have a spear, you must make a spear, and before you can make a spear, you have to understand how a spear is made. Learn everything you can, because the more you know the more prepared you are for whatever the world throws at you. This is the lesson of Threadsnap.
* '''Fury:''' Do not be afraid of anger, because anger is a fire that drives you forward. Anger is the way your spirit tells you something is wrong and you must do something about it. Sometimes you have to grab anger by the scruff of the neck and hold it back, but when the time comes to let it loose, the Dreamer must ride that fire and use it to do right things. This is the lesson of Redhand.
* '''Grace:''' You are a unique spirit spun out of the world of dreams into the waking world. There will never be anyone exactly like you ever again. Make your life a beacon to inspire your family, and to teach your enemies fear.
* '''Obduracy:''' Do not give up, no matter how difficult the path ahead seems. There is always a way towards your goal, and all you have to do is refuse to accept defeat and find a path to where you want to go. No forest is impassable.
* '''Wariness:''' The world is dangerous and there are plenty of people out there who listen to bad ancestors, or who don't know how to live properly. They are your enemies, and there are thousands of them, and some come in a pleasing guise. Learn to tell the difference between friends and enemies, and when you identify one make sure your family knows to turn away from them as well. This is the lesson of Keeneye.

Needless to say, this list of principles arouses a great deal of interest in the Highborn advising the Unshackled. They are very keen to learn more, but unfortunately there is little enough time to learn about ancestors.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Ulnak Military Map.png|caption=Northern Mallum areas of control (artist impression)|align=right|width=400}}
===Missing Three===
* '''There are three other ancestors the Dreamers honour whose voices have fallen silent'''
* '''These ancestors are the founders of three other families trapped under the tyranny of the Druj'''
* '''The Dreamers remain in Ossium because they will not abandon the half of their sept in Gul'Thak forest'''
It's one of the Illarawm that points out that there are three First Dreamers and six lessons. Where did the other three come from? It seems that there are three other ancestors of the Dreamers of the Deep Forest - Holdfast, the ox, who worked day and night to ensure the original Dreamers had everything they needed to survive; Bright, the torch-bearer who lit the way for her people through the darkest times; and Wordmarked, who wrote down the laws the Dreamers still live by and helped forge them into one people. Their voices have fallen silent because the Dreamers are cut in two. This is the reason they refused to leave Ossium and why they continue to fight against the Druj - not just because it is the right thing to do but because the rest of their family is still held in the Mallum. Specifically, in the [[Forest_of_Ulnak#Ghul'thak_Forest|Gul'Thak Forest]].

It turns out the Dreamers of the Dark Forest have no particular affection for Echofell or even for Ossium. Unlike the Great Forest Orcs, they don't conceive of the Dark Forest as a physical place - every orc carries it with them all the time. They know they will dream of the forest and their ancestors anywhere in the world. The reason they stay here is that they will not abandon those still held by the Druj. In fact, they believe they ''cannot'' abandon the other half of their sept and still be the Dreamers of the Dark Forest. Ultimately, they want to be reunited with the rest of their people. The two halves of the sept were separated roughly two hundred years ago at the order of a Buruk Tepel of the ''Sawscaled Viper''. The reasons are unclear, but the Dreamers teach that it was because they hated and feared the bonds of community that meant that no matter how hard they tried the Druj could never entirely break their spirits, even with their [[Druj miasma]] and their cruelties.

One of the reasons the Dreamers are excited is that their ancestors, their voices made clearer by Varushkan spirit magic, are telling them that the coming of the Unshackled presents a way for them to finally reunite with their family.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Illarawm.png|align=right|width=300|caption=The Dreamers of the Dark Forest and the Illarawm are not in accord when it comes to ancestors.}}</div>

===Not Sharing===
* '''The Dreamers are not interested in "sharing" their ancestors with the Unshackled'''
There is some talk of whether the Dreamers would be prepared to let the Illarawm build bridges to their ancestors. The dimwalkers ask to sleep on the matter - apparently this is a common thing for any Dreamer to do when faced with a big decision. The next morning, they are somewhat divided on the issue, but in the end say that they are not interested at this time. The First Dreamers are the ancestors of their sept, and if they wanted to talk to the Unshackled they would say as much. The Unshackled are worthy of respect but they represent different septs. There's no rudeness of condemnation, the dimwalkers just aren't interested in doing more than sharing stories.

Indeed there's some confusion about why the Illarawm are interested in the idea at all. Obviously the two septs have had some limited contact in the past - both are from Ossium - but the Dreamers find their [[Illarawm#Beliefs|beliefs]] alien. The Howling Abyss can't be silenced; the ancestors speak to whoever they wish to. The world of dreams is ultimately an unknowable place - the only way for any mortal being to understand it is to die. They don't have a problem with the idea that Illarawm is the first ancestor, they just don't see what it should matter to them.

One minor hiccup comes when the dimwalkers ask to speak to Bloodcrow Knott. Explaining that the orc who inspired this effort to reach out to septs within and around the Empire was executed for religious crimes causes a little consternation. The next morning the dimwalkers ask a few follow up questions and after that are a little more guarded in their speech.

==Is Any of This "True"?==
* '''The Illarawm mystagogues believe that the Dreamers are fundamentally wrong about the nature of the ancestors and the Howling Abyss'''
* '''If the Dreamers shared their ancestors with the Illarawm, it ''might'' provide a way to answer the question, but they refuse to do that'''
There are a few raised eyebrows even among the [[Illarawm]]. This belief of ancestors living in dreams and speaking to the living, and especially this idea that there are "bad" ancestors that try to lead orcs astray, are a little challenging. The problem is that there is some very minor evidence that ''could'' be read as supporting the Dreamers' position. Orcs dream of their ancestors sometimes, in exactly the same way that humans dream of their friends and family. They also dream of other orcs, or of humans they have met, or any number of other things. That's just how dreams work. Some orcs dream that something they think is an ancestor is talking to them, but there is no way to tell if that is something real or just a fantasy manufactured by the sleeping mind.

Humans and orcs both know intellectually that there is a difference between dreams that come from "within" and those made by magic or potions. The Dreamers are clear that the Dark Forest is not the Night realm, but there is clearly some blurring of borders there. One of the Tamazi mentions that the Axou claim that when they use liao to [[Dedication#Dreams|share dreams]] those dreams often take the form of dead people talking to them, which doesn't exactly pour scorn on the idea.

The dimwalkers don't claim that the ancestors are constantly visiting them in dreams, but they say that in the past it was more common than it is now. One reason, they explain, is that in the days before the Druj they had access to a plant that helped a sleeping orc seek the advice of their ancestors when they faced particularly trying times. That plant is lost to them since they were exiled from Ulnak, and they recount how the Sawscaled Viper wickedly destroyed it wherever it grew. As far as they know, it is extinct and that is another reason they despise the Druj and the Buruk Tepel. When asked if it is [[Regarding_Black_Lotus|black lotus]] they say it isn't - black lotus is a legendary plant they claim was first grown by Threadsnap, and it allows a living orc to create a profound bridge to the world of dreams and speak directly to the ancestors and to each other in a lucid way that goes far beyond what the Dreamers experience. The plant they are referring to was called ''dimbloom'', and they believe it has passed from the world. The closest they can get today is through the preparations of [[apothecary|apothecaries]] - the [[Infusions of Feathers]] - which they say are a dim and unpredictable shadow of the past.
<div {{float}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Obligatory Grud Photo.jpg|align=right|width=4500|caption=The Dreamers of the Dark Forest seek the military aid of the Empire to rescue the rest of their family before the Druj slaughter them all.}}</div>

==A Dream of Unity==
* '''The Dreamers of the Dark Forest are desperate to reunite their sept and free their cousins from the Forest of Ulank'''
* '''Stories of the rescue of the Great Forest Orcs has raised hopes that the Empire might also help the Dreamers'''
* '''Reuniting the sept would be a powerful act of diplomacy that would win their trust'''
While the Unshackled and the dimwalkers are talking about philosophy and ancestors, other members of the Dreamers of the Deep Forest have much more pressingly mundane concerns. While the dimwalkers are the leaders of the sept, they don't oversee every element of the day-to-day running of the community. In the same way Senators might appoint generals, a boyar oversee a vale, or an exarch run a chapter - in each case with the advice of wise ones and priests - there are secular authorities who look after things like raiding the Druj or making sure everyone has enough to eat.

These are the people who ''want'' something from the Empire. As soon as they hear about the [[A greater darkness|events taking place in the Mallum]] they are convinced that their ancestors have been urging them to ask their Imperial neighbours for help. One of their great fears is that the Druj are ''monsters'' and they are ''desperate''. ''Nimon Rue'' was prepared to destroy the Great Forest Orcs and lose their expertise forever just to manipulate their family in the Barrens. When they hear about their use of the vallorn in [[Therunin]] and [[Sarangrave]], it reinforces their belief that the Druj of Ulnak are more than capable of slaughtering entire septs just to deny them the liberty the Empire might offer them. The Druj will ''always'' destroy a thing, say the dimwalkers, rather than lose control of it. They are sure the Empire must have many examples of this from their own experience with the Druj.

As such, the Dreamers beg the Highborn, Varushkan, and Imperial Orcs to rescue their septmates from the Ghul'Thak Forest before it is too late. And before the Thule - who the Dreamers consider to be barely better than the Druj - get there. The immediate problem is that unlike the Great Forest Orcs, the Dreamers are not all conveniently collected in one place. They are spread out across Ghul'Thak, and the Dreamers will not countenance leaving any of their folk behind. It will need the Empire to actually conquer Ghul'Thak if they want the sept in Ossium to be completed. They wouldn't need long - with the help of the Unshackled the Dreamers will get their people moving as soon as the entire region is no longer in the hands of the Druj.

To achieve this, the Empire would need to send armies into the region to seize the Gul'Thak forest which will be hard because they will need a bridgehead unless they can get the agreement of the Thule to use [[Forest of Ulnak#Oerwealt|Oerwealt]]. Otherwise, the attack will need to come from [[the Barrens]]. There are also currently Druj armies in Ulnak that would definitely resist such an attack, and the garrisons of [[Forest_of_Ulnak#Cassad_Ûln|Cassad Ûln]] and the [[Forest_of_Ulnak#Ghul'thak_Forest|Thistle of Barbs]].

Allies exist however; [[Irra Harah]] has been granted access to the Forest by the Navarri magicians and will certainly help to free the Dreamers from the shackles of the Druj. The ability of the ''Prince With a Thousand Foes'' to support the attack of armies is somewhat limited but he would automatically add 2,000 strength to any effort to attack Ulnak this coming season as long as the orders of any generals involved made it clear they were there to free the orcs of the region rather than just to slaughter the Druj.

The Dreamers themselves would throw their full support behind an attack to reunite their sept and bring the three "missing families" home. Their presence would add an additional 2,000 strength to any effort to take Ghul'Thak this season, thanks both to the training they received, their experience fighting the Druj, and the excellent weapons and armour gifted them by Highguard and Varushka.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=WinterSun_Colour.png|align=right|width=300}}</div>
This kind of strategy is exactly where the strength of the [[Winter Sun]] is at its greatest. Under normal circumstances they cannot issue a [[Army_qualities#Freedom_Fighters|Break the Chains]] order unless their side controls a region with the [[Region_qualities#Forest|forested]], [[Region_qualities#Hills|hills]], or [[Region_qualities#Marsh|marsh]] quality. This season, the support of the Dreamers would allow them to issue such an order in Ghul'Thak. Unfortunately they are in Mareave, even if they wanted to get here to break the chains in Ulnak this season.

To which the Dreamers ask when ''could'' the Winter Sun get there? Their people have laboured under the rule of the Druj for many years - but the rule of the [[Druj lore#Buruk Tepel|Buruk Tepel]] is crumbling ''fast''. They haven't murdered the Dreamers yet, but there is no way to know if that will change or when. They're already aware of the way ''Nimon Rue'' tried to use the Great Forest Orcs, and the casual atrocity the Druj were preparing to carry out. Furthermore, if the Thule take the region, the situation will only get worse in the view of the Dreamers.

The Imperial scouts say there are a lot more orcs in Ghul'Thak than there are in Echofell - it's not clear how much it would swell the numbers of the Dreamers but it would certainly create problems for their current arrangement of living in a few settlements along the borders. That at least is something the Dreamers are prepared to consider. Unlike the Druj and several other septs, they have no particular tie to any given land. If the Empire reunites them, then they would be content to look for new lands elsewhere, not unlike the [[Outreach_across_the_marshes|Sand Fishers]] did. As they said before, they can dream anywhere.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBOrcs.jpg|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBHighguard.jpg|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBVarushka.jpg|width=200}}</div>
If the sept was reunited it would be a powerful gesture that would win the trust and goodwill of the whole sept. It would create new [[opportunities]] to better integrate the sept into the Empire. If the Druj are allowed to slaughter their cousins before they are finally defeated, that opportunity will be lost.

==Participation==
* '''Any Imperial Orc, Varushkan, or Highborn character may choose to have accompanied the visit to the Dreamers of the Dark Forest if they were not otherwise engaged this season'''
* '''The Dreamers refused to put the mystagogues in touch with their ancestors, but they were happy to talk freely with anyone who visited them'''
* '''The Dreamers see no real difference between orcs and humans'''
Any Imperial Orc, Varushkan, or Highborn character may decide that their character was involved in this expedition to the Dreamers of the Dark Forest. You will have found them wary and cautious, but charming and hospitable once their trust is earned. Once they became aware of the venture to save the Great Forest Orcs, they will have impressed on you how important it is to save the other members of their sept.

The sept don't appear to distinguish between humans and orcs - they largely live apart, but that is a matter of circumstance to them and nothing more. Everyone who dreams is a dreamer as far as they are concerned. The crucial difference in this world is between people who dream and those who do not. The Dreamers, Imperial citizens, even the Druj - all of them are people. Those who do not dream, notably rocks and the Thule are not. As far as the Dreamers are concerned, a Thule warrior is more like a living puppet of flesh and bone, with no value or worth.
==Further Reading==
* [[Beliefs_of_the_Great_Forest#From_the_Illarawm|Beliefs of the Great Forest]]
* [[Seeking the Karass]]

* [[Every_day_of_your_life#Spanning_the_Abyss|Every day of your life]] - 387YE Winter wind of fortune about the Imperial Orcs highest calling
* [[The highest calling]] - 387YE Autumn Wind of Fortune introducing highest calling
* [[Culling_the_threat#The_Dreamers_of_the_Dark_Forest|Culling the threat]] - 385YE Summer wind of fortune introducing the Dreamers of the Dark Forest

388YE Autumn Equinox winds of fortune

2026-09-08T17:08:23Z

Rafferty: /* Shadowed Boughs of Twilight */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Lights in the Dark.jpg|align=left|caption=Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. |width=2000}}</div>
==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Wind of Fortune !! Order Released !! Last Updated || Note
|-
| [[The wolves tempt you]] || 1 || data-sort-value="2026/08/15"| 15/08 || Imperial Address
|-
| [[Dream on]] || 2 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Seren
|-
| [[Come together]] || 3 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Apothecary college
|-
| [[Fair share of labour]] || 4 || data-sort-value="2026/08/19"| 19/08 || Artisans Guild
|-
| [[Hidden inventory]] || 5 || data-sort-value="2026/08/29"| 29/08 || Banner-bearers
|-
| [[A fork in the path]] || 6 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Mystics
|-
| [[Outreach across the marshes]] || 7 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Sand Fishers & League highest calling
|-
| [[Stand proud, you're strong]] || 8 || data-sort-value="2026/08/27"| 27/08 || Brass Coast highest calling
|-
| [[Here you come again]] || 9 || data-sort-value="2026/08/31"| 06/09 || Plenipotentiary
|-
| [[Accomplices]] || 10 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Agramant is still in Therunin
|-
| [[Metamorphosis]] || 11 || data-sort-value="2026/09/04"| 04/09 || Dealing with Kroll
|-
| [[Out of these convertites]] || 12 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || League visit to the Marches
|-
| [[Goodwill]] || 13 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Dawn, Navarr, Highguard, Vallornguard
|-
| [[Not from the benevolence]] || 14 || data-sort-value="2026/09/05"| 05/09 || Offers from Ephisis
|-
| [[Wayfaring strangers]] || 15 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Visitors
|-
| [[Value beneath the mountain]] || 16 || data-sort-value="2026/09/07"| 07/09 || Kespoena's Reach
|-
|}</div>
Over the past three months, events have taken place which are of significance to the Empire and may require a response from her champions. These are the winds of fortune, counterparts to the winds of war that detail the Empire's military campaigns. They lay out situations and usually include things that characters can do to take advantage of [[opportunity|opportunities]] or to resolve problems. In almost every case, they start with a piece of flavour text. This fiction helps introduce the wind of fortune or draws out a particular theme or element. Often, it represents a viewpoint that one or more NPCs might have in-character. In all cases, these pieces are intended to help create an atmosphere and provide a little entertainment. Where they contain opinions, those are the opinions of the fictional people depicted - and where they contain information or rumours, the assumption is that the reader will create their own context for that information or gossip if they want to use it in character.

The body of the wind of fortune describes situations and lays out ways players can engage with them. Except where we explicitly talk about something being "rumoured" or use a phrase like "some might say..." the details of a wind of fortune are factual. They represent briefing material presented by the civil service or similar authoritative sources and represent something the average educated citizen would acknowledge as a reliable truth. Unless we specify otherwise, we're also being as thorough as possible. This information doesn't need further checking in-character. It's not an opinion, and we're not trying to trick you.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:350px; float: left; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Diplomacy Wind
|-
| General Diplomacy || [[So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavea]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Asavean_Archipelago|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Axos]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Axos|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] || [[All I can do]]
|-
| [[Commonwealth]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Commonwealth|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Marracossa]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Marracossa|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Faraden]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Faraden|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Grendel]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Grendel|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
| [[Iron Confederacy]] || [[It%27s_all_wrong,_but_it%27s_all_right#Iron Confederacy|It's all wrong, but it's all right]]
|-
| [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarm]] || [[If_we_never_meet_again#Principalities_of_Jarm|If we never meet again]]
|-
| [[Sarcophan Delves]] || [[Those_memories_of_you#Sarcophan Delves|Those memories of you]]
|-
| [[Sumaah Republic]] || [[So_little_I_wanted,_so_little_I_got#Sumaah_Republic|So little I wanted, so little I got]]
|-
|}

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of Fortune is to maintain the illusion of the Empire as a living, breathing place where things happen - and to make players aware of things their characters could know based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing for the past three months. It's perfectly acceptable to turn up to Empire having read only a few Winds of Fortune that directly interest your character; part of the fun on the field can come from learning about situations and opportunities in other parts of the game.
__TOC__
In each case, we've tried to tag the Winds of Fortune entry with the nations or political bodies to which it is most relevant. We've done this to help people who are interested only in events that are especially relevant to them. In no way are these tags intended to be exhaustive; the Empire is a complex place, and very little happens in isolation. We are also adding the dates that they were last updated (other than typos and correcting [[red links]]) in an attempt to make it easier to keep track of the newest releases.

==Winds of Fortune==
===The Wolves Tempt You (Imperial Address)===
* '''Imperial citizens; Navarr;'''
[[Emperor Vesna]] has used their power to [[The_Throne#Address_the_Empire|address the Empire]] to present a personal reminder to all citizens that the road to salvation is hard, but everyone is walking it together.

The message has been distributed across the Empire by the civil service, and you can read it in the '''[[The wolves tempt you]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:left; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Navarr.png|align=left|width=150}}</div>
===Dream On===
* '''Navarr'''
In [[Miaren]], [[Miaren#Seren|Seren]] is now become the ''City of Dreams'' in truth. People with hopes and aspirations, with the imagination to perceive what is needed to achieve them and the determination to try, have flocked to Miaren. With the completion of the Temple of the Waking Dream, the [[dreamspeaker]] calling has coalesced as a distinct [[archetype]] among the [[Navarr]] people, one dedicated to making dreams become reality. This has perhaps predictably amplified arguments about what exactly that means, and which dreams should be pursued, and how.

You can learn about competing arguments, and the changes to the city of Seren, in the '''[[Dream on]]''' wind of fortune.
===Come Together===
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{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Imperial Apothecaries Guild; Navarr; Benefactor of High Chalcis; Highguard, the League, Imperial Orcs, and Varushka; Senate
When [[Therunin]] fell to the [[Druj]] [[Thornsinger#Thornsong_House|Thornsong House]] was lost. Despite the valiant efforts of the Navarr and the aid of [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]], the college of herbmastery could not be saved. While the house itself burned, many of those who studied there were able to escape to the safety of [[Reikos]]. Some stayed behind on [[Reikos#Chalcis Mount|Chalcis Mount]], but others chose to put as much distance between themselves and the horrors of the Druj as possible. Drawn to the Temple of the Waking Dream, some of these apothecaries and physicks have taken the path of the dreamspeaker themselves, and inspired by the City of Dreams, they have put their ambition to rebuild what was lost into words.

A proposal for a new college of the apothecary arts, and ways various nations may be involved, can be found in the '''[[Come together]]''' wind of fortune.
===Fair Share of Labour===
* '''Artisan's Guild; Throne; Senate; Artisans of all kinds; Golden Pyramid; Pride Assembly; Navarr; Guildmaster of the Artisans, Dean of Runesmith's Caution, Keeper of the Runegrott, Seer of the Spiral Sword, and potentially several other titles associated with magic item crafting'''
At the recent summit, [[Emperor Vesna]], requested that the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] [[Forever_is_composed_of_nows#The_Abraham_Gambit|appraise the implications]] of a new [[Imperial sodality]], the ''Imperial Guild of Artisans''. The Artisans Guild has technically been in existence for some time, with the Senate [[Construct_Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|ordering the construction of Guildhouse]] in 385YE, creating the position of [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]]. Now the Senate is in a position to consider the full implications of making the Guild into an official Imperial sodality.

You can learn more about the potential Imperial Sodality, as well as proposals from some people very excited by the opportunity it represents, in the '''[[Fair share of labour]]''' wind of fortune.
===Hidden Inventory===
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* '''Wintermark, especially banner bearers; Cat's Graces; Minister of Historical Research; Mediator of Hyljehal; Senate
When the tides of fate seem to turn against the Empire, to be able to look and see over the battle lines, the colours of your warband or your nation still [[Pride|Proudly]] flying can help to rally the [[Courage]] and turn the tide. In [[Wintermark]] the [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Banner-bearers|position of banner-bearer]] is seen as vital to the success of any battle. [[Empress Britta]] was a banner-bearer, and bore [[Three Tears|Foe-Slayer]], the legendary war-banner of [[Emperor Guntherm]] onto the field. The great flag was lost when Britta died and it has been near two decades since Wintermark could bear its equal into battle. The artisans and craftspeople of [[Hahnmark#Runegrott|Runegrott]] have a proposal to try to remedy this shortfall, involving the construction of a grand [[edifice]] to house banners and paintings of the great banners of the Empire as well as the creation of a new [[Magic_items#Artefacts|artefact]] [[:Category:Magic Standards|banner]] for Wintermark.

You can read more about this plan, and learn a little of the mighty banner Foe-Slayer, in the '''[[Hidden inventory]]''' wind of fortune.
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===A Fork in the Path===
* '''Wintermark, especially the Mystics; Raven Seer of Ishal; would-be champions; Keeper of Oaths; friends of Sung
The [[mystic|Mystics]] of Ishal sought to work more closely with the wider nation of Wintermark. They have since decided [[Flight_of_birds#The_Witan|to approach the Witan]] directly, and do what they can to support the goals of the nation itself. The decision to help with the [[Warriors' Gate|exploration of Tsirku]] has made it impossible for the Mystics of Ishal to offer their usual council and support to the [[Raven Seer]] and to that end they have made several changes to the Aviary, and to the support they offer the Raven Seer and the nation. At the same time, there has been a great deal of discussion of the [[Crown of Three Tears]] and the role of the ''Champion of Wintermark'' within the nation - the appointment of who has traditionally been the responsibility of the mystics.

You can read about the changes at Ishal, and the situation of the Crown of Three Tears, in the '''[[A fork in the path]]''' wind of fortune.
===Outreach Across the Marshes===
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* '''The League, especially the Bishops and Princes; Merchant Prince of Misericorde Market; Senate
[[The League]] Assembly [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_57|has declared]] that their [[The_highest_calling#The_Highest_Calling|highest calling]] is to bring new peoples to join the Empire. A Virtuous endeavour to be sure, but even the League cannot move the whole world at once. To be effective the nation needs to [[Any_dream_will_do#Partners_within|focus their efforts]] on one group at a time. Diplomacy is a complicated matter, so they also need to decide who among them would be best to take the lead with each such group. This past season the Princes of the League have reached out to the [[Holberg#Misericorde|Sand Fishers]] of [[Holberg#Misericorde|Misericorde]], the [[orc|orcs]] who once lived on the southern shores of [[Ossium]] as slaves of the [[Druj]] but who have found a new lease of life on the northern shores of [[Holberg]].

Ultimately, the egregore decides who can or cannot join a nation - the nature of the bond is that it can only be formed with someone an egregores recognises as having the potential to be a member of the nation. But the League has already embraced the Apulian Orcs, why not the Holberg Orcs as well?

You can read about how the outreach is going, and what it might take to bring the Sand Fishers into the Empire, in the '''[[Outreach across the marshes]]''' wind of fortune.
===Stand Proud, You're Strong===
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* '''The Brass Coast, especially the Freeborn assembly;
After several seasons of deliberation (and funding a [[Construct_City_of_Wonders|whole new city]]), the Freeborn National Assembly has decided that the [[the highest calling|highest calling]] of their people should be on defending their lands. The sentiment resonates with people across [[the Brass Coast]]. It was not long ago that both [[Madruga]] and [[Feroz]] fell under barbarian control, [[Kahraman]] has faced constant invasion from the Lasambrians over the past few years and [[Segura]] has only recently enjoyed a prolonged period of quiet after nearly two decades of constant warfare. Is it a surprise that the people of the Brass coast feel a little vulnerable, given recent history?

There is so much work that could be done, people are at a loss to know where to start. The Assembly will have to consider the options carefully - they have a year to take advantage of the nation's highest calling, but that won't be enough time to pursue every possibility raised by a people as inventive as the Freeborn...

You can find out how the nation can begin to defend its lands, and the proposals put forward toward that aim, in the '''[[Stand proud, you're strong]]''' wind of fortune.
===Here You Come Again (Plenipotentiary)===
* '''Imperial Conclave; magicians; Synod; Brass Coast especially Sutannir; ''Alazhar i Taziel i Erigo'', ''Velasco i Guerra'', the Imperial Warcaster; Marcher beaters, Unshackled thief-takers, Varushkan wardens; ''Berilo i Erigo''; ''Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka'' and some dead generals'''
* This wind was updated on 06/09/2026 to add some additional paragraphs to the end of the [[Here_you_come_again#End_of_Empire|End of Empire]] section
Each [[archmage]] is empowered to send a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] message to a single [[eternal]] of their [[Realms|realm]] each season. Bound to respond, the recipients are however free to choose precisely what form that response takes. Following the Summer Solstice, six eternals have responded to what are presumed to be missives from the respective archmages. Some have agreed to [[archmage#Parley|parley]], but not all of them.

You can find out about the eternals, and the nature of their responses, in the '''[[Here you come again]]''' wind of fortune.
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===Arrows and Clay (Challenge)===
* '''Challengers of the Iron Duke'''
Each season, the eternal ''[[Barien]]'' presents opportunities to those prepared to [[Challenge the Iron Duke]]. For the Autumn Equinox he offers two challenges: a game of speed and grace, and a game of creativity and imagination. As ever, the rules of the ritual apply. Each person who receives the ritual will be ''guaranteed'' entry to a challenge. Depending on the challenge, they ''may'' be able to bring a certain number of attendants with them to assist. The exact number will depend on the nature of the challenge and the number of challengers. The [[civil service]] will publish exact numbers in [[Anvil#The_Hub|the Hub]] on Saturday morning for all to see.

You can find details of the challenges issued by Barien this season in the '''[[Arrows and clay]]''' wind of fortune.
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===Accomplices===
* '''Navarr; Military Council; Military unit captains; ''Eskah Swift Hart, Vosjuli Cherenkov, Towlen Nighthaven'' and ''Mirella of the Twisted Rose'''''
Another season, another message from [[Agramant]], delivered by his heralds from the depths of [[Therunin]]. The eternal's efforts were roundly refuted last season, with the [[Golden Axe]] reclaiming Lower Tarn Valley. This season, Twigsnapper has a much more pointed offer to make to aid the reconquest of Therunin.

You can find out what Agramant and his heralds are up to in the '''[[Accomplices]]''' wind of fortune.

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===Metamorphosis===
* '''Urizen, particularly the captains of military units or residents of Sarangrave; Keeper of the Breadbasket and farm owners of the Marches; Imperial Consul; ''Frith, Ser Guy of the Twisted Rose, Fausta Ankarien,'' and people interested in the rebel septs; ''Solas of the Spire of the First Light'' and the Warmage'''
It has been a tumultuous time in the Sarangrave. First the Druj, then the vallorn, and now husks. All while the Empire has been endeavouring to make diplomatic inroads with the rebels of Nesustak Forest. Sadly, troubles abound; the eviction of so many from Thornfen by the Axou has raised the spectre of famine in the territory. And now the Druj scattered through the territory, alongside the rampaging husks, threaten to raise a third dark spectre - the beast that lurks beneath the waters of the Sarangrave, the dark and terrible Kroll.

You can find out what's happening in Sarangrave this season in the '''[[Metamorphosis]]''' wind of fortune.
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===A Little at a Time===
* '''Members of the Synod, especially Cardinals; Members of the Senate; Members of the Vallornguard and people interested in the fate of Pilgrim's Defiance'''
Last season, eight judgements of [[proscription]] were raised, and half of them were upheld by the General Assembly. Similar to their previous efforts, the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] has asked the civil service to publish not just guidance on the outcome of these proscriptions, but also details from the minutes of their discussions in the hopes of providing clarity to interested citizens. This includes detailed guidance on the three changes to religious law enacted by the Senate.

You can find out the outcome of the Constitutional Court's meeting on the proscriptions and changes to religious law last season, in the '''[[A little at a time]]''' wind of fortune.
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===Out of These Convertites===
* '''The League, particularly orcs and members of the Synod; The Marches; People with an interest in foot-the-ball or duelling'''
* This wind was updated on 07/09/2026 to change the time of the [[Out_of_these_convertites#And_So_Am_Come_Abroad|Am So Am Come Abroad]] encounter to 18:30 on Saturday
Last season, the [[The League|League]] and [[The Marches|Marcher]] Assemblies both passed statements of principle encouraging a pilgrimage of Apulian orcs and League members of the Synod to the [[Mournwold]]. Citizens from all five cities of the League have taken up the call to travel, and the orcs of the Mourn have welcomed them with open arms and farm tools. It's not just the harvest that's discussed, but ancestors and sports.

You can find out what happened when the League visited the Marches this season in the '''[[Out of these convertites]]''' wind of fortune.

===Goodwill===
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* '''Dawn, Navarr; Highguard; Vallornguard'''
Two nations have chosen to use their [[The highest calling|highest calling]] to focus their people on the coming final war against the [[vallorn]]. The [[Dawn|Dawnish]] are developing the skills and resources to prepare themselves, while [[Navarr]] are looking for ways to support the nascent [[Vallornguard]] by sharing centuries of accumulated wisdom with other nations. Surprising progress has been made: the Dawnish have chosen to [[Love_and_monsters#Unicorns|throw open the doors of Greenwood Manor]] to all comers. The Navarr have spent the last year offering their unique expertise to their Imperial cousins, their eye turned at last to their allies in [[Highguard]]. Even the denizens of the [[eternal]] [[realms]] have heard the call to war, and have been encouraged to offer their aid as the Empire prepares for the war that will, if it is successful, bring to an end the Doom of Terunael.

You can find out about the highest callings of Navarr and Dawn, and the opportunities they provide, in the '''[[Goodwill]]''' wind of fortune.
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===Not From the Benevolence===
* '''Entrepreneurs and traders; Members of the Senate, particularly the Senators for Reikos and Bastion; People interested in contracts available, particularly ''Dorys Delgorokov'', ''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo'' and ''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged''; Citizens of Kallavesa, the Barrens, and Hercynia; and the ''Freeborn Flame Cartel'''''
Following the relative success of the new scheme to offer large contracts for fulfilment, the heralds of the [[Ephisis|Sovereign Lady of the City of Gold and Lead]] have returned with new offers for the coming summit. As always, the [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] will set up shop in the [[Hall of Worlds]] on the final day of the summit, where they will look to settle any sales offered to the City via the [[Ephisis' Scale]] ritual.

You can learn about the offer for a fortification, the contracts available from the City of Gold and Lead, and the counting houses requested by the Conclave, in the '''[[Not from the benevolence]]''' wind of fortune.

===Wayfaring Strangers===
* '''Senators for Tassato and Holberg, and the League Assembly; Envoy to the Karass; Magpies;'''
* <span style="color:#0000FF">'''In Progress - This Wind of Fortune will be updated in the run-up to the event with additional content; we'll remove this marker when the last information goes on it.</span>
People visit Anvil for all kinds of reasons. Trade, wonderment, and a chance to meet with the movers and shakers of the Empire. It is no surprise that Anvil is seen as the place to be if you want to get anything of importance done.

You can find out more about some of the folk coming to Anvil this season in the '''[[Wayfaring strangers]]''' wind of fortune.
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===Value Beneath the Mountain===
* '''General of the Argent Sword; ''Kespoena Archsky''; Members of the Senate and those able to announce commissions; people who like mithril; ''Herminius of the House of the Wanderer''; Architect of Illumination; Gardener of Pallas; Arbiter of the Four Winds; Oblivion Sentinel; and people who like the idea of fighting in caves'''
Almost eighteen months ago, an arcane projection raised Kespoena's Reach (formerly known as Mount Polus) to be the highest mountain in the Empire. This, unexpectedly, led to a crevasse opening at the base of the mountain. Last season, the [[Argent Sword|General of the Argent Sword]], '''Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer''', ordered the heralds of her army to "''sniff out the value beneath the mountain''".

You can find out what they found, and what lies beneath Kespoena's Reach, in the '''[[Value beneath the mountain]]''' wind of fortune.
===Domain Expansion===
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* '''The Marches; Imperial Orcs; Senate and Military Council; Singing Caves seat; and Quartermaster of the Imperial Armies; Imperial diviners and cartographers; anyone with an interest in Liathaven/Ashvale'''
While other nations struggle on, the [[the Marches|Marchers]] have got their harvest in. Their assmebly has completed their [[The highest calling#Highest calling|highest calling]] and successfully [[Expand_Breadbasket_into_Mournwold|expanded]] the [[The_Marches_economic_interests#The_Imperial_Breadbasket|Imperial Breadbasket]] into [[Mournwold]]. There's no time for rest however... as ever Marcher knows, the reward for a good job is more work. Keen not to let the grass grow under anyone's feet, Marchers look to make good use of the remaining time now the Breadbasket is properly sorted. There are a few ideas knocking around about what Marchers could be doing next, as a tidal wave of Imperial Steel sweeps through [[Mitwold]] and into [[Bregasland]] - time to build on that success. After-all - you don't own it unless you can defend it...

You can learn about suggestions for how the Marches can own and defend land, and a mildly irritating development with a former Imperial territory, in the '''[[Domain expansion]]''' wind of fortune.
===Islands in the Dream===
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* '''Imperial Orcs, Varushka, Highguard; Military Council'''
Bloodcrow Knott declared the [[the highest calling#Highest Calling|highest calling]] of the [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]] assembly to be [[Every_day_of_your_life#Spanning_the_Abyss|seeking the ancestors of other septs]], and at the Summer Solstice, Bloodcrow Meep was chosen to [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_93|lead an approach]] to the [[Culling_the_threat#The_Dreamers_of_the_Dark_Forest|Dreamers of the Dark Forest]] in eastern [[Ossium]]. This time the [[orc|orcs]] have additional support in the form of advisors from [[Varushka]] and [[Highguard]] familiar with the sept, who helped arm and train the orcs to fight the [[Druj]] a few years back. The delegation of [[shamans]] and [[Illarawm|mystagogues]] braves the haunted woods and finds a guarded welcome, some mystical beliefs about spirits, and another dilemma for the Empire...

You can learn about the Dreamers of the Dark Forest, their spiritual beliefs, and their pressing concerns, in the '''[[Islands in the dream]]''' wind of fortune.
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===Shadowed Boughs of Twilight===
* '''Citizens of Ossium, Navarr and Varushkan alike; Ossium forest owners; Senate, Military Council; Varushkan and Dawnish military units; Grieftender of the Forgotten, Map to the City Below, Singer of Silence, Ceslev of the Circle of ZUlgan Tash; People who like having a fortification in Ossium; Apothecary of Orieb; people angry about idolatry; Agramant watchers; Watcher of the Semmerlak; Guardian of the Maze of Zoria; Dedicates of Wisdom; Ambassador to Otkodov'''
[[Ossium]] has been part of [[Varushka]] for six years now, and what was once a wretched place clenched in the iron fist of the [[Druj]] is rapidly becoming one of the most prosperous territories in the Empire. Alongside the Varushkans live a few scattered septs of [[orc|orcs]], while the [[Thule]] control the northern forests in uneasy alliance. For the last few years it has also been home to families of Navarr drawn by Awstin's Rest. After the Summer Solstice, though, magic drawn from the [[Realms#Night|Wondrous Forest]] washes over the territory, bringing with it the unmistakable blessings of Night magic - blessings that have a regrettable tendency to be somewhat mixed. Especially given the presence of the monsters that have been here since well before the Empire drove the Druj out, who still lurk in the depths of the wild forests.

You can learn about the effects the Night magic has had, on dreams and on the forest, as well as details about eternals and monsters, in the '''[[Shadowed boughs of twilight]]''' wind of fortune.

==Diplomatic Winds==
Each season, the Civil Service prepares a summary of the Empire's relationship with the foreign nations. This is usually based on communications received from their ambassador, along with any useful intelligence gathered from other sources. While the [[Senate]] and the other houses of Imperial power may respond to these offers, it is important to note that it is the appropriate [[ambassador]] that the foreign power will expect to hear from. Their communication with the foreign power is the primary element that will determine the tenor of any response. While these winds revolve around international matters, their focus is still on the Empire and what its citizens can do to influence diplomatic matters, so they're as likely as any other wind to contain something of interest to characters from all walks of life.

===All I Can Do (Beoraidh)===
* '''Ambassador to Beoraidh; Cat's Graces; Benefactors Council; Steward of the Ossuary; Members of Senate; Apothecaries Guild; Regario Dossier'''
[[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] was once the stronghold of the [[Grendel]] ''Salt-Lord Ehsan'' and his supporters. When the Empire moved to invade Mareave, Ehsan declared independence and sued for peace with the Empire. The city itself and the neighbouring region of [[Mareave#Sinfoyard|Sinfoyard]] are recognised as a neutral state by the Senate; a free port where both merchants of all nations are welcome. They actively seek investment from both Imperial and Grendel sources, and have allied themselves with the powerful [[Sarcophan Delves]]. One opportunity that has been under discussion for a while now is the creation of a temple dedicated to the Way, a monument to cooperation welcomed by the former Grendel. After the Summer Solstice it appears that some movement has been made towards making intention into reality.

You can learn about diplomatic relations with Beoraidh, and the opportunity to build a temple there, in the '''[[All I can do]]''' wind of fortune.

===It's All Wrong, But It's All Right===
* '''Ambassador to Faraden; Ambassador to the Iron Confederacy; Synod, Senate; fleet captains; Alder of Meade, Mediator of Fisk, Azure Sutannir, Cat's Graces; military unit commanders, especially mercenaries'''
The merchants of [[Faraden]] and the militarist [[Iron Confederacy]] lie to the west and south of the Empire respectively - to the west and south of [[the Brass Coast]] more specifically. Relation with the two nations have been tumultuous in the past but in the last year or two there has been a slow sanding-off of harsh edges. A feeling that lasting détente may be possible, although what it might cost is another matter entirely...

You can learn about diplomatic affairs regarding Faraden and the Suranni, and some pressing problems regarding both, in the '''[[It's all wrong, but it's all right]]''' wind of fortune.

===So Little I Wanted, So Little I Got===
* '''Ambassador to Asavea; Ambassador to Sumaah; Ambassador to the Grendel; Marracossa Sendito; Members of the Senate; fleet captains; Ambassadors in general; Loyalty Assembly, particularly ''Dagon Barossa'''''
The orthodox [[Sumaah Republic]] and the declining [[Asavean Archipelago]] lie far to the west of the Empire. The two great nations remain locked in war. Closer to home, the [[Grendel]] compete with the Empire for dominance of the Bay of Catazar. Even closer to home, the Marracossan exiles live in their town of [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Trajadoz]], Madruga. The [[ambassador|ambassadors]], the [[Imperial Consul]], and other individuals invested in diplomacy have their work cut out keeping abreast of what is happening, as each nation has agendas no less complex than those of the nations that make up the Empire.

You can learn about the ongoing diplomatic situation with the Asavean Archipelago, the Sumaah Republic, the Marracossans of Trajadoz, and the Grendel in '''[[So little I wanted, so little I got]]''' wind of fortune.

===Those Memories of You===
* '''Ambassador to the Sarcophan Delves; Ambassador to Axos; Senate; Wintermark farmers, herb garden owners, and apothecaries; Imperial Apothecaries Guild; collectors of vallorn relics; fleet captains trading with Issyk; Navarr traders'''
The [[Sarcophan Delves]] are a great power, a cosmopolitan nation centred around an immense city that sprawls out across the banks of the Umshalla river. [[Axos]] is tiny nation on the outskirts of the Empire, controlling a little over two territories. For all their differences they have similarities, though. Both are a people of cities, and both have an uneasy relationship to death. The Axou ''necromantia'' are acknowledged masters of the cold magic of the grave, while the Sarcophan base much of their industry on the use of the ''ongelukkig'' living-corpses. They are both nations made more powerful through trade, and both would like to see themselves as friends to the Empire... and in both cases that friendship can prove to be something of a mixed blessing.

You can learn about Sarcophan and Axou diplomacy, and some trade opportunities, in the '''[[Those memories of you]]''' wind of fortune.
===If We Never Meet Again===
* '''Ambassador to Jarm; Ambassador to the Commonwealth; Senate; Imperial mercenary soldiers (especially the League, Dawn, Urizen, and Highguard); Imperial fleet captains; Celestial Arch and Sevenfold Path; Rod and Shield and Golden Pyramid; Granite Pillar; friends of Professor Emmanuel Gelberg'''
The [[Commonwealth]] and the [[Principalities of Jarm]] had been at war, fighting for control of the borderlands between their two great nations. When the tiny country of Lantir was annihilated by [[Cold Sun]], a major incursion began that saw armies of [[Cold_Sun#Heralds|scions]] pouring through a breach in what remained of the capital city. Now they have a common enemy, but it has given them little ''else'' in common. Revelations as to the cause of the incursion have set the balance of power in the east swinging wildly - and not just between the two nations. The Empire is in the middle of a war of words and recriminations, and a long-term friendship seems to be on the verge of collapse while the attitude of bitter rivals appear to be improving.

You can learn about the chaos in the east, and its significant to Imperial citizens, in the '''[[If we never meet again]]''' wind of fortune.
===The Little Things===
* '''Ambassador to Otkodov; Senate; Military Council; Folk of Ossium'''
The [[Thule]] of [[Otkodov]] share a long mountainous border with [[Wintermark]], the [[Imperial Orcs|the Unshackled]], and [[Varushka]]. A magocratic nation is ruled by five allegedly immortal orc wizards called the Dragons they were at war with the Empire for much of its history. Now though, they are at peace. An uneasy peace to be sure, secured with the concedence of northern regions claimed as part of Otkodov. But peace nonetheless. For the last year or so, the Thule have been waging war on [[the Mallum]], conquering western [[Forest of Ulnak|Ulnak]] and occupying the northern Druj. They have also been engaging in active negotiations with the representatives of the Empire, arranging deals and agreements that might against all the odds so this peace last longer than perhaps it has any right to.

You can read about recent diplomatic developments, and in particular some upcoming events in [[Ossium]], in the '''[[The little things]]''' wind of fortune.

==Other Events==
===Strange Currencies===
* '''The Silver Flame ask for ritual texts for ''Strong Ox, Golden Sun'' and ''Gathering the Harvest'''''
* '''In return, they pledge their sentinels to defend Spiral as needed'''
The [[A_question_of_loyalty#Spiral|Tribunal of the Silver Flame]] controls the region of [[Spiral#Cinion|Cinion]], in [[Spiral]] - and is home to several hundred former Urizeni mages at most. Nearly a [[Mirror_and_the_flame|year ago]], they announced grand plans to make a formal alliance with the [[eternal]] [[Sinokenon]], declaring their intent to build a [[fane]] in their territory so as to allow the eternal to give them more extensive support. Aware that the risks would be shared by the Empire, they wrote to inform them of their intentions, and tried to sweeten the deal with two powerful rituals in exchange for access to Imperial Lore, assuming that the offer would land favourably.

It did not. The [[Conclave]] rejected the offer outright, seemingly incensed at the repeated request for access to Lore and having deep misgivings about the nature of ''Diamondmind's'' offer. The Flame sent a delegation to Anvil to try and understand why their strategy had landed so badly. Eager to demonstrate their worth to their neighbours, they sent their sentinels to aid in the [[This_is_the_end#Never_follow_me|quixotic but ultimately successful effort to free Apulian]] from the [[Whisper Gallery|Whisper Gallery's]] grasp. Last season, the Conclave agreed to disseminate [[Blessing of New Spring]] to them - a sign that there is diplomatic willing there, yet.

Now the [[civil service]] have been sent word from Alexius, who acts as the representative of the Tribunal to the Empire. His missive strikes a somewhat contrite note. The Tribunal have abandoned their plans to build a fane for Sinokenon - for now. It seems that someone made a generous donation of liao to the faction within the Tribunal who were most opposed towards any form of eternal alliance, and they have spent the last three months pressing their point. They have convinced many, but in particular they have convinced Caela, the Grand Arbiter of the Tribunal, who has asked the heralds of Sinokenon to leave.

This has not come without cost, it seems. While they have the stocks and stores to get through winter, it will be hard without outside assistance. Their need is pressing, and so they write to ask if their friends in Anvil could see to the dissemination of the other two rituals in the cycle of farm rituals. This would aid the rebels greatly - especially if this happens in time for the rituals to be cast in the Summer and Autumn of next year. Beyond that, the Flame would benefit from any personal enchantments, especially ones like [[Gift of the Wily Broker]] which allow for careful economic stewardship. In return, the Tribunal are prepared to guarantee that their sentinels will continue to support efforts in Apulian or be sent to assist in Spiral's defence in any way they can - whether it is simply to act as swords against the darkness of the wilds or to defend some fortification. They have four groups of sentinels with a combined military strength of a little under five hundred.

===All the Right Friends===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Prosperity.png|width=150|align=right}}
* '''Efforts to share the virtue of Prosperity with the people of Tsark have met with some success.'''
* '''There is an opportunity to bring word of inspirational figures of Prosperity to Tsark.'''
* '''Eleven Imperials have been invited at 18:35 on the Saturday of the equinox to visit the Tsarkoi in Zenith.'''
The isolated nation of [[Tsark]] is famously slow to change and resistant to outside influence or visitors of any kind. In the last decade, as the Empire has become aware of Tsark's existence yet remained neutral, even friendly towards the tiny sagocracy, there has been a slow but perceptible thawing of relations on behalf of the Sage's Council. [[Seeds_of_discord#Tsark|Last season]] they sent ''Camilla'', one of the adepts who play some kind of role in day-to-day spiritual guidance of the lives of the Tsarkoi, to visit the Empire to learn more about the virtue of [[Prosperity]]. It seems that the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]] made the case that there could be a place for Prosperity within the worldview of the sages, and they were not so horrified at the suggestion as to refuse it out of hand.

Camilla solicited letters on the subject of Prosperity and has made herself and her fellow adepts available this last season for members of the Urizen Assembly to discuss Prosperity with her. As the equinox approaches, the Imperial diplomatic corps, through the office of the Seeker of the Perfect World, receive word that the initiative has been a success: at least from Camilla's point of view. She has learned much about Prosperity from all she has read and heard - yet she feels there is yet more to learn. In particular, she understands that the Empire set great stock by inspirational figures of the past who exemplify their virtues - a practice the people of Tsark understand well. The great sages and adepts of the past all have shrines built into the [[Mountains_of_the_Moon#Wall_of_the_Luge_and_the_East_and_West_Rising|Wall of the Luge]], the mighty fortified wall that surrounds the sacred plateau of Visoko. She would like to learn more about the inspirational prosperous figures that the Empire holds dear to its heart. If the Empire's representatives can impressively preach of an inspirational figure of Prosperity in a way that resonates with the spirituality of Tsark, then it could well lead to further such opportunities, as the Tsarkoi believe that inspirational figures are the ''most'' important way to find spiritual enlightenment.

She has asked Sage Kristoph, the well-established representative of the Sage's Council to the "People of the Horse", to make the trip to Zenith. She would like to host a discussion on the premises of the Garden of the Perfect World, with Sage Kristoph to attend, and an invitation is extended to each person who wrote to her or visited. These are, in no particular order: '''Farren Silver Streams, Abel the Rounder, Isaac of the Reaching Vine, Berilo i Erigo, Heilyn Bronwen's Rest, Catena of Tropaion, Galene Netherwatch, Able the Taller, Lord Augur Gryphontale, Eleri Bronwen's Rest''', and '''Solas of the First Light'''. They are invited to speak about three inspirational figures of Prosperity, with ten minutes (allowing time for questions) allocated for each figure. Who actually presents and on which figures Camilla defers to the visitors - she trusts them to collectively come to an understanding in an efficient manner that respects the time of others, as - she has learnt - the Prosperous are wont to do.

This is clearly a fateful occasion, and on such occasions the Sentinel Gate obliges. There is a conjunction for eleven people at 18:35 on the Saturday of the Equinox, to attend the Gardens of the Perfect World, Occursion, Zenith. The civil service has asked the [[Seeker of the Perfect World]], '''Abel the Rounder of Sarangrave Reforged''', to be responsible for the conjunction and for the other arrangements Camilla has mentioned.

===Blades of the Semmerlak (reprise)===
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Blades of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' [[Edifice]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:'''
*Sandling in Weirwater ''or'' Lacuve in Semmerholm
'''and'''
*Malimorzi in Karov ''or'' Bittershore in Ossium
</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 24 weirwood and 72 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' Three months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the start of Autumn Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Creates title of ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak''
* Creates the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''' venture for questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens
* Removes the threat to ships on the Semmerlak and establishes a sodality to deal with threats from Dho'uala</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Counts as a single commission</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Dawnish and Varushkan</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Senate or Test of Arms </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' This is a [[martial title]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:'''
* Receives 10 crowns a season
* Receives a [[Duelist's Scales]], a [[Troubadour's Ring]], and a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] once a year</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To counter the influence of Dho'uala and deal with threats coming from the Semmerlak</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<tr><td style="background-color: HotPink;">'''Blades in the Semmerlak'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Venture Type:''' Guarding</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Territories bordering the Semmerlak</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Duration:''' Open-ended</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Rewards:''' Six crowns and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]]</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''''Tristan Ramson von Holberg'', the Master of the Mint, announced the reappraisal of the Blades of the Semmerlak'''
* '''A wardenhouse in Varushka and a knightly estate in Dawn would provide a base of operations for heroes to protect the Semmerlak'''
Last season, the [[Master of the Mint]], '''Tristan Ramson von Holberg''', announced the [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Reappraise_Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|reappraisal]] of the Blades of the Semmerlak in Dawnish and Varushkan territories surrounding the [[the Semmerlak|Semmerlak]]. Originally [[Less_welcome_tenants#Blades_of_the_Semmerlak|suggested]] shortly before the Summer Solstice 386YE, the wardenhouse and knightly estate were part of a larger appraisal into the problem of [[Dho'uala]] killing Imperial citizens and interfering with matters on and around the Semmerlak.

A motion to construct the [[Less_welcome_tenants#Wards_and_Bargains|Journeymage Towers]] was [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Construct_Journeymage_Towers|proposed]] by '''Amicia of the Semmerlak''', as Senator for Semmerholm, and the [[Watcher of the Semmerlak]] has been active, appointed by the Assembly of Vigilance, and tasked with ensuring the nations surrounding the Semmerlak act with Vigilance and countering threats from the Semmerlak.

Lutomysla's suggestion that the Senate establish a small sodality dedicated to protecting the people around the Semmerlak still holds true, and has the same enthusiastic support from the merchant-boyars, earls, and merchant-princes keen to see people protected from the depredations of the sovereign. A knightly order focused on protecting the communities along the lake, and a warden fellowship to travel on ships crossing the Semmerlak to protect the crew; both would actively seek out the creatures of Dho'uala and fight them. Supported by Imperial heroes, the sodality would remove the threat to the people living along the edge of the lake. Instead, it would fall to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens to serve as the '''Blades in the Semmerlak''',

They will need places to operate from - an estate in Dawn for the knights and a wardenhouse in Varushka for the wardens. Lutomysla identified that the best locations would be either [[Weirwater#Sandling|Sandling]], in the vicinity of [[Weirwater#Culwich|Culwich]], or [[Semmerholm#Lacuve|Lacuve]] in [[Semmerholm]] near the bustling port of [[Semmerholm#Lacre|Lacre]] for the knights, and the port of Korotny in [[Karov#Malimorzi|Malimorzi]] in [[Karov]] and the [[Merchant_Boyar_of_the_Bittershore#Kostjyas_Respite|Kostjyas Respite]] in [[Ossium#Bittershore|Bittershore]] in [[Ossium]] and those still hold true. Although they involve work in two regions, the actual project itself requires only a single commission, and the building of the wardenhouse and the estates will take place in parallel. Once construction is complete, any threat to the people who live along the banks of the lake will be met by enthusiastic warriors. It will also create a new guarding [[venture]] available to questing knights, knights-errant, and wardens - '''Blades in the Semmerlak'''. This will allow a [[military unit]] to spend their time actively defending the Semmerlak and the ships that traverse it. A starting military unit undertaking the venture would receive 120 rings and four [[Military_unit#Production|random resources]].

There would need to be a title to oversee the efforts and support the sodality; the ''Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak'' would be a [[martial title]] of Dawn and Varushka who was appointed by either unanimous agreement of the senators of those two nations, or a [[Martial_title#Creating_Martial_Titles|test of arms]] between members of those two nations. The title-holder would be responsible for protecting the communities around the Semmerlak from threats mundane and magical, and to stand ready to oppose the depredations of Dho'uala whenever they raise their head. In return, they would receive an income of 10 crowns each season with which to equip allies and maintain their sodality.

They would also be the beneficiaries of several magic items provided by Dawnish, Varushkan, and League donors. A [[Duelist's Scales|Duelist's Scales]] weapon from the Varushkan merchant-boyars to weaken corrupt horrors; a set of [[Goldentide Mail]] from League merchant-princes to protect them from venom; and a [[Troubadour's Ring]] from Dawnish earls to help them support their allies. These items would be received once each year, and while the expectation is that the Knight-Warden of the Semmerlak would use them themselves, there is no reason they could not pass them to other warriors fighting against Dho'uala or similar monstrous threats.

===Dusk===
{{:Autumn Equinox 2026}}

===Husky Business (Volunteers)===
* '''There is an opportunity for player volunteers to portray their characters who died during the Saturday battle at the last event'''
* '''Eligible characters must have died during the battle, but not have been killed as a husk'''
* '''Volunteers will need to have their own costume and appropriate weapons'''
* '''The role will last around twenty minutes, starting at 18:30 on Friday'''
* '''The role will involve fighting alongside the skirmish team in an encounter against player characters'''
* '''Please email before 18:00 on Wednesday 26th of August if you are interested in volunteering'''

There is an opportunity for players to portray the husk of their fallen characters at the upcoming event. Anyone whose character died during the battle of the [[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Fens of Varreth]], raised as a husk but was not subsequently killed again as that husk is welcome to email to register interest in volunteering for an encounter on the Friday. This will be a combat [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|highly likely]] encounter through the Sentinel Gate and will involve fighting against player characters alongside members of our [[Plot_crew#Skirmish|skirmish team]].

If you are interested and would like more information, please email {{plot}} with your PID and the subject line "Husk Volunteer E4", and you will be given more details.

==Summer Conjunctions==

===Major Conjunctions===
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Location'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opportunity'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Opposition'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Link'''</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">'''Outcome'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Sarangrave|Sarangrave, Turan Flats, ''Fens of Varreth'']]</td><td>Contain the dead</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Harvester of Graves]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Sigismund Vladislav Kestovia''' of [[Varushka]]; The spirits were not trapped and the husks remain a problem in eastern Sarangrave; The tortured souls of Het Trakaa remain in Turan Flats; Het Trakaa and Sul Maggotgnaw remain alive</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Mareave|Mareave, Clisearn, ''Ruins of Sinat'']]</td><td>Open the Vaults</td><td>Grendel</td><td>[[Mithril_and_rope#Battle:_Salt_and_Stone|Salt and Stone]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Joaquim i Erigo''' of [[the Brass Coast]]; Saltbound Stone recovered and claimed by '''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged'''; Ilium Jackals negotiated with and readying support of [[Boyar's Hasta]]; Iontach Leagsaidh remains in possession of their [[Grimnir's Hearthfire]]; Maistir Guaidre remains in possession of the Spiteri necklace</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Forest of Ulnak|Forest of Ulnak, Ghul'thark Forest, ''Fetid Heart'']]</td><td>Raid the Druj</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Battle:_Claim_the_Prize|Claim the Prize]]</td><td>Not taken; Status of the black lotus unclear; Status of the treasures of Taramid Skinwreath unclear</td></tr>

</table>

===Minor Conjunctions===
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! # !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview !! Result
|-
| 1 || Sarangrave, Whisperwood, Halfweir Grove || [[Fingers of the Devourer|Custodian of the Fingers of the Devourer]] || [[Thorn_and_bone#A_Testing_(Conjunction)|Destroy the heralds of Surut]] || Heralds of Surut killed; production of Fingers of Devourer has increased by two wains per season for as long as the Great Forest Orcs remain foreigners
|-
| 2 || Astolat, Withy, Igraine's Regio || [[Astolat|Senator for Astolat]] || [[A_wizard_did_it#Rants_and_Roses|Find out why the regio keeps shifting back to Spring, and resolve it]] || Unclear, but '''Éamon Ashenmourn de Cordraco''' might know more
|-
| 3 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Maiden Stone || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#Apples_First_(Mitwold)|Stop Jyll Longleys from cursing the Maiden Stone]] || ''Jyll Longleys'' and allies killed
|-
| 4 || The Barrens, Dawnguard, Troubadour's Glade || [[Knight of Dawnguard]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Vow (The Barrens)|Kill ''Prilak Gutdredger'']] || ''Prilak Gutdredger'' and almost all allies were killed
|-
| 5 || Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Golden Fields || [[Keeper of the Golden Fields]] || [[Pride_in_the_Marches#The_Right_Thing_(Mitwold)|Stop Dusty Cobb setting Golden Fields alight]] || ''Dusty Cobb'' and rebels killed
|-
| 6 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, The Dredging Flats || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#A Call to Stand (The Barrens)|Kill the Servants of the Burnt]] || All but one ''Servants of the Burnt'' survived
|-
| 7 || Ossium, Echofell, Burned Glade || [[Shadowed Torchbearer]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Fire_The_Forests_(Ossium)|Prevent the cursing of Ossium]] || Heralds killed and Ossium was not cursed
|-
| 8 || Therunin, Lower Tarn Valley, Rotwood Croft || '''Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[388YE Summer Solstice winds of war#After the Taint (Therunin)|Destroy the miasma pillar]] || Miasma pillar successfully consecrated
|-
| 9 || Madruga, Free Landing, Hart's Cove || [[Hand of Guerra]] || [[Keys_of_Enlightenment#Barren_Waters_(Conjunction)|Aid the stranded ship from Sumaah]] || Unclear, but Hand of Guerra should know more
|-
| 10 || Sarangrave, Kroll, Slow Worm's Hill || [[Sevenfold Path|Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Boil The Swamps (Sarangrave)|Prevent the cursing of Sarangrave]] || Heralds killed and Sarangrave was not cursed
|-
| 11 || Sarangrave, Turan Flats, The Breakteeth dais || [[Eastern Sky|General of the Eastern Sky]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#The_Greatest_Prize_(Rhianos)|Recover the treasure]] || Treasure successfuly recovered
|-
| 12 || The Barrens, Bitter Strand, Saltshore || [[Merchant of the Fangs]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Fangs_for_the_Memories_(Conjunction)|Answer General Utmar's call for aid]] || Vassals of the manticore killed
|-
| 13 || Madruga, The Crucible, Talpses Plat || [[Champion of Vigilance]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#A_Terrible_Feeling_(Madruga)|Claim the ''Snapping Face'']] || Snapping Face retrieved and heralds killed
|-
| 14 || The Barrens, Carmine Fields, Trading Way || '''Rhydian de Rondell''' || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Taste_of_Mettle_(Conjunction)|Remove the failed knights-errant of House Courcillion as a threat]] || Named knights have accepted justice from local magistrates
|-
| 15 || Necropolis, Coursmouth, The Veiled Garden || [[Guardian of Britta's Memorial]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#The_Strength_of_This_Place_(Necropolis)|Spill the waters of Siakha]] || Bucket recovered and returned to Anvil
|-
| 16 || The Barrens, The Untrod Groves, Glade of the Good Knight || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Winter]] || [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#A_Hearty_Meal_(Conjunction)|Thwart the schemes of Ser Gawain Amboise]] || Schemes of ''Ser Gawain Amboise'' thwarted
|-
| 17 || Mareave, Fleisardh, Spring Regio near Golden Wind's Encampment || [[Silver Chalice|Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#Do_Some_Harm_(Arhallogen)|Poison the Grendel]] || Grendel poisoned, Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice should know more
|-
| 18 || Tassato, Cascatas, Campo Verdenta || [[Keeper of the Sapphire Stair]] || [[Phantasms_and_foam#For_What_Has_Been_Wrought_(Tassato)|Kill the heralds of Siakha]] || Heralds of Siakha and wreckers killed
|-
| 19 || Spiral, Apstrus, Alba's Lea || [[Legacy|Custodian of the Legacy]] ||[[Mithril_and_rope#A_Backhanded_Request_(Spiral)|Intercept the mercenaries pay]] || Raid launched on the Legacy and ten wains of mithril claimed by the Haurlatch Iron Consortium
|-
| 20 || Reikos, Haros Water, Couros Field || '''Nekoda of the Shattered Tower''' || [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_fortune#A_Sudden_Threat_(Reikos)|Save Professor Gelberg from Grendel assassins]] || Imperials pushed out by Grendel; Professor Gelberg has been kidnapped
|-
| 21 || Redoubt, Naris, Isaac's End || '''Telemachus of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' || [[Seeds_of_discord#An_Empty_Bottle_(Conjunction)|Leave no more than a dozen Grendel alive]] || All Grendel killed
|-
| 22 || Kallavesa, West Marsh, The Meeting Place || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_32|Erlend]]''' || [[Myth_makers#The_Unity_Of_Deed_And_Word|Consecrate the Meeting Place]] || The Meeting Place successfully consecrated with true liao
|-
| 23 || Kallavesa, Wittal Grove, Frithstan's Fen || [[Grimnir of Wittal Grove]] || [[The_keys_of_blood#An_Unexpected_Ally_(Basileia)|Defeat the Grendel (and potentially rescue the Iontach)]] || Ionatch Meddool Miniog successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 24 || Forest of Ulnak, Grimfen Mire, Moss End || [[Warmage]] || [[All_I_ask_of_you#Wild_Things_Run_Fast|Take advantage of a recent scouting discovery]] || [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] successfully cast with eight rings of [[ilium]]
|-
| 25 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Eastern Ward || '''Theodora''' || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 26 || The Barrens, Saltmarsh, Gardenway || [[Envoy to the Karass]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Protect_Lenna_Karass_%28The_Barrens%29|Prevent Druj raiders from kidnapping Lenna Karass]] || Lenna Karass was successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
|-
| 27 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Western Ward || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#Stronger_than_Blood|Cast the permanent ward]] || Ward successfully performed
|-
| 28 & 29 || Forest of Ulnak, Gloomsea, Islet of Calm || [[Archmage of Day]] || [[Who_can_you_trust%3F#Who's_the_Thief?_(Forest_of_Ulnak)|Prevent the Eyes of the Dragon from using a boon of Kimus]] || [[Wind of Mundane Silence]] performed on regio and bodies successfully destroyed
|-
| 30 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Warmage]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Drive the vallorn from the regio]] || Imperial casualties suffered, vallornspawn remain around the regio
|-
| 31 || Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio || [[Archmage of Spring]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#An_Open_Gate|Cast Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] || [[Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] was not performed
|-
| 32 || Sarangrave, the Whisperwood, Depths of the Hungry Earth || [[Counsel of the Sun Chamber]] || [[Urizeni_Experiment#The_Caves_of_the_Hungry_Earth|Investigate the Hungry Earth]] || Depths investigated, Counsel of the Sun Chamber should know more
|-
| 33 || Volodmartz, Livardz, Sumisev Peegel || '''[[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_167|Auntie Armand Mariyavich Remislav]]''' || [[Sunrise_over_Livardz#Blow_It_Up|Destroy the Sumisev Peegel]] || Sumisev Peegel was successfully destroyed by [[Wind of Mundane Silence]]
|-
|}