Empire - User contributions [en]

Come together

2026-08-17T15:46:06Z

Thespaceinvader:

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<ic>
"Didn't you try this once already?" Aedan asked the dreamspeaker.

The old woman ignored the obvious hint of pity in her apprentice's question. "Yes, you're quite right dear, this is an utter waste of time. What is it they teach young people in schools these days. If at first you don't succeed, give up immediately because it clearly wasn't meant to happen. Have I got it right?"

"Haha." he replied to the obvious sarcasm. "You know what I mean," he tried again, "people debated it. For years. Then they decided to do the Temple instead."

Cordelia nodded her head, her long grey braid bobbing in time. "No need to remind me, my memory isn't that bad you know. But the Temple is finished now is it not?"

"Yeah but it's taken us ''years''. We'll never get people to agree to another project on this scale. It's just not possible." Even as he said it, Aedan knew what his teacher was going to say. The same thing she ''always'' said when someone told her something was impossible.

"Everything is impossible until someone does it Aedan. And nothing is impossible afterwards. It's the bit in-between the two that is tricky. Did I ever tell you about the old Wintermark..."

"Topi?" said Aedan butting in. "Yes, yes you did. Moved all his books to Gildenheim with the help of beavers. You've told me that story many, many times Cords." said Aedan. He smiled at her kindly to take the sting out of his words even as he stubbornly refused to let her regale him for the umpteenth time with the story of Topi's books. "This is different, it's not about chasing your dreams, it's a question of ''priorities''."

The aging dreamspeaker laughed, apparently more amused than offended. "No, no Aedan, you're quite wrong. Priorities are literally what chasing dreams is all about..."
</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Thornsong.png|width=300px|caption=Thornsong House was lost to the Druj, but the dream it represented still endures.}}</div>
==Overview==
The completion of the ''City of Dreams'' - the transformation of [[Miaren#Seren|Seren]] and the construction of the [[Miaren#Temple of the Waking Dream|Temple of the Waking Dream]] - has inspired some of the [[dreamspeaker|dreamspeakers]] to present [[Dream on|visions of the future]] to be considered by the Navarr nation as a whole. At the same time however, it has reminded the Navarri of the importance of dreaming big, pursuing ambition, and preparing for the future they want to see.

One of the terrible losses when [[Therunin]] fell to the [[Druj]] was [[Thornsinger#Thornsong_House|Thornsong House]]. Despite the valiant efforts of the Navarr and the aid of [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]], the college of herbmastery could not ultimately be protected from the orcs of [[the Mallum]]. Thornsong House burned, but 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.

==Live And Learn==
<div {{float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''The Gardens of the Heart'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Great Work</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Serenael, Miaren</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 90 weirwood, 40 white granite, 20 mithril and 450 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 4 seasons</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Increases investment in Miaren for herb gardens providing 2 true vervain and 1 cerulean mazzarine each season
* Allows the Imperial Apothecary's Guild to direct research into new potion recipes</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, opportunity is lost after the end of Spring Equinox 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Upkeep:''' 10 thrones</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
* '''Dreamspeakers propose an ambitious new project - the Gardens of the Heart'''
* '''It would require 90 weirwood, 40 white granite, 20 mithril, and 450 crowns and a year to build'''
* '''The Gardens would raise the level of investment in herb gardens in Miaren'''
* '''They would allow the Imperial Apothecaries Guild to direct research on new potions'''
* '''The costs could be slashed with the support of other nations'''
{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|title=Imperial Apothecaries' Guild|align=right|width=200}}
The Navarr are widely acknowledged to be masters of the herbal arts in the Empire. Until recently that expertise was focused at [[Thornsinger#Thornsong_House|Thornsong House]] in [[Therunin]], but the unique apothecarions college was destroyed by the [[Crimson_and_green|Druj invasion]] in 387YE. Though the building could not be saved, the Navarr were able to rescue many of the [[Crimson_and_green#Under_an_Oak_(Therunin)|inhabitants]] of Peakedge Stead, some of whom have now settled in Miaren.

Years ago, when the [[Comes a time|Temple of the Waking Dream was first proposed]], it was not the only option available. ''Bronwen of the Silver Falls'' argued for a great work that would boost the production of [[herb garden|herb gardens]] across the territory. Her proposals are defunct now, but the completion of the Temple has inspired Bronwen and her allies to consider something similar, something that would help the [[Prosperity]] of Miaren and restore the Empire's ability to create new potions. It is an ambitious proposal, but Seren is now the City of Dreams - people are eager to imagine what could be!

The plan would require 90 wains of weirwood, 40 wains of white granite, 20 wains of mithril, and cost 450 crowns. The Gardens could only be commissioned using a [[Senate motion]], and would take a year to build. Once complete they would raise the level of investment in herb gardens in the territory, providing each herb garden with two additional [[true vervain]] and one additional [[Imperial roseweald]] each season.

Seren already has a number of fine schools where students study the [[Surgical skills#Apothecary|apothecary]] arts, but the presence of the gardens would draw dedicated masters of the natural sciences from across the nation and beyond, eager to take advantage of what Seren could offer. Now that the [[Imperial Senate]] has created the [[Imperial Apothecaries Guild]] to ''"Coordinate and support the research, development, and dissemination of ingredients, potions, poisons, antidotes, and drugs"'', that [[Imperial sodality]] could take charge of the efforts to create new potions in Seren, coming together to direct the research, exactly like the [[Thornsinger]] used to do in Therunin.

If the great work were completed then the Empire would be presented with three potential avenues of investigation that could be pursued. A simple vote of the Apothecaries Guild would determine which promising option to focus. The herbalists in Seren would pursue that research, using herbs provided by the ''Gardens of the Heart''. They would need to be paid of course - research is not cheap - so the Gardens would have an upkeep of 10 thrones a season. Once the research was complete, the resulting ''herbal'' would be presented to the [[Imperial_Apothecaries_Guild#Guild_Leader|Guild Leader]].

==Obvious Problems==
* '''The Gardens are very expensive
* '''The Apothecaries Guild is charged with overseeing potion research in the Empire
From the perspective of the Navarr, there are two clear problems. The first are the enormous costs. The Navarr are not a wealthy nation - it took years to fund the creation of the Temple of Waking Dreams - and the latest proposal is a commission nearly twice that size. The second is that control of the research would lie with the Apothecaries Guild rather than with the nation.

However, Bronwen argues that the requirement to involve the Apothecaries Guild is actually a ''benefit''. The Gardens of the Heart would provide a huge benefit to the occupants of Miaren, but they would also provide a big boost to the prestige and power of the new sodality. If the nation embraced membership of the sodality, they might be able to work with members of the guild from other nations to raise the funds needed to build the Gardens. It may be impossible for either the Navarr or the sodality to arrange the construction alone, but maybe not if they worked together?

The Navarr [[Eight_for_a_wish#Bound_by_Thorn_(Navarr)|chose to embrace]] the [[Vallornguard]], accepting them as allies who could help fight the ancient enemy. They could take a similar approach to the Apothecaries Guild. Working with the sodality would create opportunities to collaborate with herb masters of every supportive nation. It needn't be a competition, argues Bronwen, and cooperation could allow the Navarr and the Guild to benefit together.
==Where It Comes==
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBHighguard.jpg|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBVarushka.jpg|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBLeague.jpg|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBOrcs.jpg|align=right|width=200}}
</div>
* '''The wayhouses in Ossium, Holberg, Reikos, and Skarsind could be used to take advantage of the great works there'''
* '''If the great works in the territories were reassigned to support the Gardens it would significantly reduce the costs'''
* '''In the event that the proposal got the support of all four nations the college would have more options to choose from'''
The existence of Navarr wayhouses in [[Ossium]], [[Holberg]], and [[Reikos]] presents a unique opportunity for the Navarr to cooperate with those nations on the work for the Gardens. In each territory, there is a [[great work]] that provides benefits to everyone across the territory. If one or more of these great works were redirected to support the construction of the Gardens for the next year, then that would make it significantly cheaper to build the Gardens. In fact if all three were put to the task, then no wains would be needed at all!

There are four possible great works that could be reassigned to help construct the Gardens, they are:

* The [[Benefactor_of_High_Chalcis#Gardens_of_High_Chalcis|Gardens of High Chalcis]] could be reassigned for one year to reduce the amount of weirwood required by 50 wains
* [[Holberg#Holmauer_Park|Holmauer Park]] could be reassigned for a year to reduce the amount of white granite required by 40 wains
* [[Ossium#Kurstrozi's_Lumbermill|Krustrozi's Lumbermill]] could also be reassigned for a single year to reduce the amount of weirwood required by 40 wains
* [[Skarsind#The_Red_Blade_Memorial|Red Blade Memorial]] in [[Skarsind]] could be reassigned for a single year to reduce the amount of mithril required by 20 wains.

In each case, the great work would provide no benefits for the year, but doing so would reduce the number of wains needed. Herbs from High Chalcis would enable the Gardens to be established quicker and easier; the materials from Krustrozi's Lumbermill would provide the tools needed and could be used to replace some of the materials needed; the money from Holmauer Park would be used to buy other outstanding resources; and contributions from the [[Yerende]] and Imperial Orcs bonesetters would remove the requirement for mithril in the construction.

Reassigning all these great works would be a diplomatic challenge to put it mildly. It's not even fully clear who could authorise such work. The [[Benefactor of High Chalcis]] has the authority to reassign the benefits of the Gardens of High Chalcis - all that would be required would be for the current Benefactor, '''Enoch of Atun's Sanctuary''', to make an appropriate [[Benefactor_of_High_Chalcis#Redirect_the_Bounty|announcement in the Senate]]. Persuading them, and presumably the other benefactors to make that sacrifice, might be more difficult.

Still, in the unlikely event that the plan benefitted from the support of all four nations throughout, then the college would ultimately benefit from having such a wide base of support. The assistance of the skilled apothecaries in Reikos and the [[Yerende]], coupled with the knowledgeable doctors and learned wise ones of the League and Varushka respectively, would widen the base of study for the college. That would mean it would have four potions to pick from each time a choice was needed, rather than three.

==Take You Away==
* '''The Senate could create sinecured titles to oversee the great works in Holberg, Ossium and Skarsind'''
There is no equivalent figure who could do the same in Holberg, Ossium, or Skarsind but that is not an insurmountable obstacle. The [[Senate]] could create a sinecured Imperial title and give them authority over the great work in question, with similar powers to distribute its bounty when needed.

In addition to specific benefits, each of these titles would be given the ability to redirect the bounty of the great work when an appropriate [[opportunity]] was identified by the Civil Service. To use this power, the title would provide an [[Senate_announcement|announcement]] to the Civil Service, who would present the decision to the [[Senate]]. There would be no voting, but the [[Synod]] may, however, choose to exercise their [[veto]] as normal. If the bounty of the great work is redirected, then they will provide no benefit to the territory, nor would the title holder receive the benefits of their sinecure for as long as the redirection is in place.

In the view of many dreamspeakers, these titles would provide a clear benefit to the nation (and the Empire) even if the nations that build them don't want to support the Gardens of the Heart. The dreamspeakers proposal demonstrates what a great work is capable of - how it can be used to support a grand ambition. The League, Varushka, and the Imperial Orcs might not want to support this dream, but they may feel differently about some other [[opportunity]] in the future. The proposed sinecures would empower the nations in question to better pursue their dreams - and that makes them a net good in the view of most dreamspeakers even if they can't be persuaded to back the Gardens.

===Holmauer Watchhouse===
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Holmauer Watchhouse'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Sinecure</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Holmauer, Holberg</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 10 white granite, and 30 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 3 months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Creates the title of Holmauer Watchcaptain</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the end of the Summer Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
</table></div>
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Holmauer Watchcaptain'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' National</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment: '''Tally of the Votes </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Receives 9 crystal mana each season; can redirect funds from the Gates of Holmauer great work </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To keep an eye on Holmauer Park, and ensure that any problems caused by the cursed park are dealt with.</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Restrictions:''' The sinecure only provides crystal mana as long as the Gates of Holmauer great work does</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''A watchhouse could be incorporated into the Gates of Holmauer Park
* '''The title of Holmauer Watchcaptain charged with overseeing the safety of visitors and the funds raised by the gates
The Gates of Holmauer Park allow the League to charge admission to the wonders of that Winter-cursed locale. Yet even the people of Holberg must admit that everyone would feel a little safer with some active presence of people ready to leap in in the unlikely event flesh-hungry ghouls burst out of hiding and start eating visitors. An office to oversee a small contingent of dedicated watch, given the power to reallocate the funds raised by visitors, would provide several benefits. The ''Holmauer Watchcaptain'' would look after the [[Gates of Holmauer Park]], and be responsible for ensuring that any threats arising within, or as a consequence of the [[Winter magic]] the infuses the park, are dealt with efficiently. It would make sense to ensure they had access to the crystal mana that might be needed to put down an incursion of ravenous [[Inhabitants of the realms#Boggarts|boggarts]], or confront a [[coven]] of [[Agramant]] cultists bent on turning everyone in Holberg into cannibals. For example.

===Darkwoods Wagonhouse===
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Darkwoods Wagonhouse'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Sinecure</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Drownbark Forest, Ossium</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 10 weirwood, and 90 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 3 months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Creates the title of Kurstrozi Lumberjack</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the end of the Summer Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
</table></div>
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Kurstrozi Lumberjack'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' National</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Tally of the Votes </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Receives 11 crowns each season, can redirect the bounty of Kurstrozi's Lumbermill</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To look after Kurstrozi's Lumbermill and support the prosperity of the forest owners of Osium</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Restrictions:''' The title only receives money while Kurstrozi's Lumbermill great work is operating</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''A wagonhouse at Kurstrozi's Lumbermill could be dedicated to transporting raw lumber and dressed wood across Ossium and beyond
* '''The title of Kurstrozi Lumberjack would support forest owners in Ossium and oversee the bounty provided by the lumbermill
Likewise, Kurstrozi's Lumbermill is a hive of industry and activity in Ossium. Sawblades manufactured there are spread across the territory, and it is the most likely destination for lumber in the territory. The addition of warehouses and ox-pens dedicated to transporting the bounty of Ossium's rich forests across the Empire would be obvious. The ''Kurstrozi Lumberjack'' would maintain Kurstrozi's Lumbermill, distribute its bounty on the occasions where opportunities were presented, and just as importantly support and protect the forest owners of Ossium when they needed it. There is no doubt that those who owe their livelihood to the Lumbermill would be prepared to show their appreciation for the Lumberjack.

===House of the Lost===
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''House of the Lost'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Sinecure</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Drownbark Forest, Ossium</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 10 weirwood, and 90 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 3 months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Creates the title of Rhyv's Blade</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the end of the Summer Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
</table></div>
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Rhyv's Blade'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' National</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Tally of the Votes </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Receives five ingots of weltsilver, five measures of ambergelt, and three measures of beggar's lye each season, can redirect the bounty of Red Blade Memorial</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' Look after the Red Blade Memorial, support the warriors of the Unshackled with potions and healing herbs</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Restrictions:''' The title only receives materials while Red Blade Memorial great work is operating</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''A school could be built at Red Blade Memorial to ensure as many young orcs as possible learn the basics of field medicine'''
* '''The title of Rhyv's Blade would look after the memorial and protect the bonesetters there, and ensure that the Unshackled legions have plenty of support in the form of healing herbs and medicinal potions'''

The Red Blade Memorial in Skarsind is a gathering place for the [[Imperial_Orcs_economic_interests#Bonesetters|bonesetters]] of the Imperial Orcs, veterans with plenty of experience of desperate last-minute medicine on the battlefield. Not only do they understand the need for plenty of herbs, they know the value of a well-placed potion. The [[Yerende]] sept in particular are excited by the potential of the Gardens of the Heart. They suggest that a hospital be combined with the memorial, one that would focus specifically on ensuring as many young orcs as possible learn the basics of field medicine; orcs have only one life to live after all and so being in a position to save those lives is a high calling. The title of ''Rhyv's Blade'' would be charged with looking after the memorial and protecting the bonesetters there, as well as working to ensure that the Unshackled legions have plenty of support in the form of healing herbs and medicinal potions. In return they would enjoy a bounty of magical metals, which could prove invaluable to creating [[:Category:Tools|magical tools]] for Imperial Orcs physicks and apothecaries.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Orinn Embracing Fold.jpg|caption=Orinn Embracing Fold was the last [[Thornsinger]]; do the Navarr still hold the ambition to see the Empire's apothecaries embrace the future?|align=right|width=300}}</div>

===Dream Big===
* '''The Navarr and Apothecaries Guild will likely need to work hard to convince the Senate to support the new college
At first glance it seems unlikely the Senate, or the people of the League and Varushka, will see the value of such costly action. Bronwen argues however that the benefits are obvious - the nation in question receives not only additional prosperity from the new title, but the ability to in the future put their Prosperity to work in supporting their own people or the people of their allied nations. She does, however, point out that if the Navarr and the Apothecaries' Guild want this support, they may have to work for it - speaking to people in those nations to secure their support and bring pressure to bear on their senators. This, she says, is one of the many benefits of having a wayhouse in another nation - the Navarr who live there are in the best position to influence the politics of that nation after all.

==Paths Not Taken==
* '''This opportunity supersedes that offered in Winter 387YE
* '''The opportunity presented by the Yerende is no longer available
* '''The only constitutional way for the college of apothecary to be appointed is via the Imperial Apothecaries Guild
Bronwen's proposal supersedes the [[opportunity]] that was [[Crimson_and_green#Under_an_Oak_(Therunin)|offered]] in Winter 387YE. The plans are more ambitious, but have caught the enthusiasm of the Navarr and especially those who survived the fall of Thornsong House. Likewise, the opportunity [[It%27s_what_we_do#Weeds_and_Seeds|presented by]] the [[orc|orcs]] of the [[Yerende]] sept is no longer available.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Magistrate Abraham.jpg|caption=Magistrate Abraham, a constitutional scholar and part of the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional Court|Constitutional Court]]|align=right|width=300}}</div>
When the [[Apothecaries Guild]] was first established, the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] offered guidance that there was no requirement for a college of the apothecary arts to fall under the purview of the Imperial Sodality. They have since offered new guidance, revising their original position. The Court are currently [[preparing a report]] on the Artisans Guild and they are strongly minded to rule that the Guild must have authority over the Empire's [[runeforge|runeforges]] if it is to meet the needs of the manifesto proposed by the Throne. The legal parallel with the Apothecary's Guild is overwhelming and demands that the two sodalities be treated the same.

Of course, by that logic, the Imperial Conclave should be the only body able to direct the research of the Empire's colleges of magic. An exception can justified for the [[Doyen of the Spires]] on the grounds that that college is completely unique - it is utterly reliant on the distinctive magical skills of the Urizen and could never be reproduced in a similar form elsewhere. Sadly, legal consistency fails with regard to the [[Construct_Barossa_University_of_Dramaturgical_Arts|Barossa University of Dramaturgical Arts]] which is a national bourse appointment, but that can't used as legal precedent because in the words of [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|''Magistrate Abraham'']] ''"it is a constitutional abomination which should never have been allowed to pass"''.

As such, as long as the Apothecaries Guild continues to exist to ''coordinate and support the research, development, and dissemination of ingredients, potions, poisons, antidotes, and drugs to Imperial citizens'' then a vote of the Guild would be the [[New_Imperial_titles#Well_Worn_Paths|well worn path]] for directing the research done by any apothecarion's college.

==Further Reading==
* [[Apothecaries Guild]] - the [[Imperial Sodality]]
* [[Thornsinger#Thornsong House|Thornsong House]] - the destroyed apothecary college in Therunin

Oakheart Shield

2026-08-16T20:15:07Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Description */

{{CaptionedImage|file=Oakheart.jpg|title=Varnished with ambergelt and inlaid with weltsilver, these shields are invaluable on the battlefield.|caption=[[The Stallion]] is associated with strength and vigour.|align=right|width=300}}
==Description==
These valuable defensive items are most commonly made of wood polished with [[materials#ambergelt|ambergelt]] varnish, inlaid with [[materials#weltsilver|weltsilver]]. They are popular across the Empire, and of equal value to both warrior and civilian alike. Some artisans who dwell in deep forests will search out trees which have survived lightning strikes, disease or other trauma, and set aside some of the ambergelt harvested from such trees, until its natural death. Then both the wood and the ambergelt from these sturdy examples are used to create Oakheart Shields. As such tough trees can live for decades or centuries, artisans pass on the knowledge of suitable candidates to their apprentices and so on until the tree finally perishes.

In [[Wintermark]], these shields are often roughly hewn and only crudely shaped, in contrast to the usual skill of the nation's artisans. This is a memorial to King Alberic, who fought off an [[ogre]] chieftain with only a stout club as a weapon and a length of log as a shield. They bear [[Feresh]], the Rune of Majesty, to improve the shieldbearer's resilience to the hardships of battle.

However in other lands, an Oakheart Shield is often marked with a rune such as [[Tykonus]], or decorated with images of strength, permanence and endurance such as mountains, horses, oak trees and the like. The heavily armoured [[Highguard military concerns|cataphracts]] of [[Highguard]] favour these shields, bearing their [[chapter]] emblem or the iconography of their favoured virtue. Highborn artisans prefer a steel base to the shield, alloyed with weltsilver and polished with ambergelt, calling them ''Stoneblood Shields'', influenced by the Highborn saying "Wood burns. Stone endures."

The '''Iron Defender''' is an [[Ilium#Creating_Artefacts|artefact]] Oakheart Shield, crafted by the [[Imperial Orcs|Imperial Orc]] artisan Bloodcrow Yargol, for use by [[The Throne]]. Commissioned by Irontide Rad, the shield itself is one of the great shields used by the Irontide orcs. It is said to bear a reminder that The Throne must strive to protect the [[orc|orcish]] citizens of the Empire, as well as the more populous human citizens. The first Throne to bear it into battle was [[Empress_Lisabetta|Imperatrix Lisabetta]].


==Rules==
{{Shields}}
* '''Effect:''' You gain one additional rank of both the [[Combat skills#Fortitude|fortitude]] skill and the [[Combat skills#Endurance|endurance]] skill.
* '''Materials:''' Crafting an Oakheart Shield requires five ingots of [[Materials#Weltsilver|weltsilver]] and seven measures of [[Materials#Ambergelt|ambergelt]]. It takes one month to make one of these items.

<ic>
"In Skarsind, in Wintermark, in our land now gone,<br/>
foe-faced Suaq-scout, proud Steinr-line, Kallavesi-wise.<br/>
By shield-smith all-aided, in ranks banner-marked, <br/>
ambergelt-shining, weltsilver-gilt, oak-hearted.

Stealth-skirting news-bringers, eyes and ears of thanes-all,<br/>
told of onrushing hoard, uncountable enemy, nemesis.<br/>
Light-armoured, swift-moving, never seen, death-bringing,<br/>
nights'-friends, coats ink-marked with foe-blood.

Battle-brawned spear-ranks, stood hard against orc-threat,<br/>
sword-girt, mail-clad, rich in Courage, brave banner-bearers.<br/>
Serried-standing, heroes stepping forward, calling defiance,<br/>
celebrated in song, hard-faced, proud-helmed, shield-stern.<br/>

Wise-counselling storm-crows, oath-marking heart-boldening<br/>
moving along lines orc-facing, ritual-weaving shaman.<br/>
Not fighters, yet death-Loyal, with battle-magics staff-striking,<br/>
then weapons-taking, in death's knot, in last ditch standing.<br/>

Bolstered three-ring strength of mind, with strength of craft,<br/>
die-harder, bleed-longer, healer-waiting warriors all.<br/>
Outlasting other-men, heroes-all, yet for death-hall heading,<br/>
greater-hearted lines of graves-unmarked in staunch resistance.<br/>

In Skarsind, in Wintermark, in our land now gone,<br/>
foe-faced proud Steinr-line, Suaq-scout, Kallavesi-wise.<br/>
By shield-smith all-aided, in ranks banner-marked, <br/>
ambergelt-shining, weltsilver-gilt, oak-hearted."
</ic>



[[Category:Magic Items]]
[[Category:Shields]]

Oakheart Shield

2026-08-16T20:14:48Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Description */

{{CaptionedImage|file=Oakheart.jpg|title=Varnished with ambergelt and inlaid with weltsilver, these shields are invaluable on the battlefield.|caption=[[The Stallion]] is associated with strength and vigour.|align=right|width=300}}
==Description==
These valuable defensive items are most commonly made of wood polished with [[materials#ambergelt|ambergelt]] varnish, inlaid with [[materials#weltsilver|weltsilver]]. They are popular across the Empire, and of equal value to both warrior and civilian alike. Some artisans who dwell in deep forests will search out trees which have survived lightning strikes, disease or other trauma, and set aside some of the ambergelt harvested from such trees, until its natural death. Then both the wood and the ambergelt from these sturdy examples are used to create Oakheart Shields. As such tough trees can live for decades or centuries, artisans pass on the knowledge of suitable candidates to their apprentices and so on until the tree finally perishes.

In [[Wintermark]], these shields are often roughly hewn and only crudely shaped, in contrast to the usual skill of the nation's artisans. This are a memorial to King Alberic, who fought off an [[ogre]] chieftain with only a stout club as a weapon and a length of log as a shield. They bear [[Feresh]], the Rune of Majesty, to improve the shieldbearer's resilience to the hardships of battle.

However in other lands, an Oakheart Shield is often marked with a rune such as [[Tykonus]], or decorated with images of strength, permanence and endurance such as mountains, horses, oak trees and the like. The heavily armoured [[Highguard military concerns|cataphracts]] of [[Highguard]] favour these shields, bearing their [[chapter]] emblem or the iconography of their favoured virtue. Highborn artisans prefer a steel base to the shield, alloyed with weltsilver and polished with ambergelt, calling them ''Stoneblood Shields'', influenced by the Highborn saying "Wood burns. Stone endures."

The '''Iron Defender''' is an [[Ilium#Creating_Artefacts|artefact]] Oakheart Shield, crafted by the [[Imperial Orcs|Imperial Orc]] artisan Bloodcrow Yargol, for use by [[The Throne]]. Commissioned by Irontide Rad, the shield itself is one of the great shields used by the Irontide orcs. It is said to bear a reminder that The Throne must strive to protect the [[orc|orcish]] citizens of the Empire, as well as the more populous human citizens. The first Throne to bear it into battle was [[Empress_Lisabetta|Imperatrix Lisabetta]].


==Rules==
{{Shields}}
* '''Effect:''' You gain one additional rank of both the [[Combat skills#Fortitude|fortitude]] skill and the [[Combat skills#Endurance|endurance]] skill.
* '''Materials:''' Crafting an Oakheart Shield requires five ingots of [[Materials#Weltsilver|weltsilver]] and seven measures of [[Materials#Ambergelt|ambergelt]]. It takes one month to make one of these items.

<ic>
"In Skarsind, in Wintermark, in our land now gone,<br/>
foe-faced Suaq-scout, proud Steinr-line, Kallavesi-wise.<br/>
By shield-smith all-aided, in ranks banner-marked, <br/>
ambergelt-shining, weltsilver-gilt, oak-hearted.

Stealth-skirting news-bringers, eyes and ears of thanes-all,<br/>
told of onrushing hoard, uncountable enemy, nemesis.<br/>
Light-armoured, swift-moving, never seen, death-bringing,<br/>
nights'-friends, coats ink-marked with foe-blood.

Battle-brawned spear-ranks, stood hard against orc-threat,<br/>
sword-girt, mail-clad, rich in Courage, brave banner-bearers.<br/>
Serried-standing, heroes stepping forward, calling defiance,<br/>
celebrated in song, hard-faced, proud-helmed, shield-stern.<br/>

Wise-counselling storm-crows, oath-marking heart-boldening<br/>
moving along lines orc-facing, ritual-weaving shaman.<br/>
Not fighters, yet death-Loyal, with battle-magics staff-striking,<br/>
then weapons-taking, in death's knot, in last ditch standing.<br/>

Bolstered three-ring strength of mind, with strength of craft,<br/>
die-harder, bleed-longer, healer-waiting warriors all.<br/>
Outlasting other-men, heroes-all, yet for death-hall heading,<br/>
greater-hearted lines of graves-unmarked in staunch resistance.<br/>

In Skarsind, in Wintermark, in our land now gone,<br/>
foe-faced proud Steinr-line, Suaq-scout, Kallavesi-wise.<br/>
By shield-smith all-aided, in ranks banner-marked, <br/>
ambergelt-shining, weltsilver-gilt, oak-hearted."
</ic>



[[Category:Magic Items]]
[[Category:Shields]]

Mud, blood, and manacles

2026-08-15T18:46:27Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Participation : Burning Falcon */

[[Category:Winds of War]][[Category:388YE Autumn]][[Category:Military Council]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Holding the Line.jpg|align=left|caption=The Jotun have sown seeds of war, and now it is time to gather the bloody harvest.|width=500}}</div>
==What Has Gone Before==
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<quote by="Amberlain P. Black, General of the Strong Reeds">From the Rushes we rise from the reeds. Heed not the gnashing jaws and grasping hands of the unquiet Grey walkers, we are of the fens and reeds and are as much a part of the land as they are, our risen neighbours. Seek out the Jotun, strike at them and push them back to Ottermire!</quote>
<quote by="Aracelis I Erigo, General of the Burning Falcon">The Drakes turn south as we turn west. The bonds of Loyalty turn over from nation to nation and through General to General freely given in our actions to another. As an Empire we fight to show the Jotun they cannot take with Impunity and that we answer their threat with standing together whether in Mitwod reclaiming as they quit our lands, or Bregasland where we will face their armies and their Fjorknaw. We are the Burning Falcon, empowered by the might of Summer. Where we tread, Triumph blazes</quote>
<quote by="Lord Daemon Mortére, General of the Golden Sun">The Golden Sun stands where the Empire needs it most. Every oath deserves its shield. We will grinding advance into Bregasland. Out of fields of gold, through the Rushes and Ottermire. No enemy can sever what Loyalty has forged. For family, for the Marchers. We stand for the lore of their land. For the Empire. The Golden Sun will be a glorious arrow into the heart of our enemies. Secure the objective sun. For Gui.</quote>
<quote by="Zadok, General of the Valiant Pegasus">Two Years ago I ordered you to begin a crusade of liberation against the Jotun to free those labouring under barbarian yoke, starting in the Mourn. We inspired and aided the Oakleaf rebellion to free themselves. Then Bregasland fell, and our commitment to our crusade was renewed. Diversionary attacks North and South, the Reeds patience tested, a strike to one of the two hearts of their power, Keirheim, just barely thwarted. All this to make possible the conditions of this season, our return to Bregasland. We are fighting for Dominion, for the Liberty of the people of Bregasland; Accept no less than total victory. One day the Tyranny of Queens and Kings shall end and all people will be free to pursue virtue. We fell their rotten oaks one strike at a time.</quote>
<quote by="Joaquim i Erigo, General of the Red Wind Corsairs">Corsairs we trade a swamp for a marsh in helping our Marcher Cousins reclaim Bregasland. The Lasambrians have stolen from our cousins so we commit to a Daring Riad to reclaim their wealth from the Jotun by Proxy. We must be especially vigilant for the stolen dolmen of Drayham Mere. For the Empire! For the Marches!</quote>
<quote by="Albrecht Sanguineo, General of the Sparrow's Reckoning">Bravos of Tassato, soldiers of the League, heroes of the Empire we stand ready all swords sharpened, armour new and unblemished. Now we test them and ourselves against Jotun steel. We march to Bregasland at steady conquest to retake the homes of our Marcher siblings. We are named for our Empress, let your Pride in that legacy give you the strength to show the world that when the twin cities march to war no one can stand against us.</quote>
<quote by="Fitzwilliam Thorn, General of the Bounders">Jacks of the Bounders. Look into yourself and find your ambition, for there is work to be done. We go back to Bregasland with our Imperial cousins with us. Even the most impenetrable forest may fall one Jotun at a time.</quote>
<quote by="Jack Ashton, General of the Tusks">War is a vicious dog on a long chain. Too fucking long has it been let loose in our lands. Our homes. The time has come to chase the beast from our bounds. I say to you what I did before. Kill the invaders. Leave no Jotun Warrior alive to contest the claim. Make Balanced attack and liberate our home. P.S. if you see Stephen he's mine!!!</quote>
<quote by="Tager Defender of the Fallen Tyrshalt, General of the Bloodcloaks">Bloodcloaks, we go to Bregasland to recover those we have lost and will lose reclaiming the homes of the Marchers. Find the trinkets on the limbs of the trees that sprung up on this blood-soaked beachhead. We collect them to return them to the families of these heroes so their stories can be told and their memories shall survive the cold of night. We are Winterborn and the cold doesn't compromise. All heroes have a name, no matter which nation.</quote>
<quote by="Iron Osric, General of the Green Shield">A red sky after battle day, Bleeds broad beyond the brae; What fields, what fallen friends are they, What fires fade o'er far away? What spears stood stout in storm and shout, What banners broke and burned? What voices, valiant, call me out, To rounds from which we turned? That was the ground of gathered might, Of kin in clash and cry, The steadfast shields, a woman bright, Whose blade sang swift and high. O iron hours and embered eve, O dust and drum and flame, The hands I held, that I've had to leave, Yet thrill to speak their name. Good battle days 'neath shining star, Are loath to lose their lustre, Naught after else their joy can mar, Nor break the band we muster.</quote>
<quote by="Determination of Ice Kaisa, General of the Narwhal's Spear">We are to be a dance of cunning to claim what is before us. Let us weave our way through the lines carrying messages between our many allies. Be the Vigilant eyes and ears that inform every step forward. Seek the flanks and guide the Jotun's path into our Imperial victory.</quote>
<quote by="Ashborn Vana, General of the Autumn Hammers">Hammers, this is the season we strike the Jotun and bind them. This is the season we invoke the contracts with the City of Lock and Bond. We have seen the Hunters walk among us and now we fight with them. Show the Jotun why the Lictors are known as the Punishers, more than that, show them why WE are The Hammers! Strike the blow, cripple them so they cannot flee from us. Have Pride in your strength.</quote>
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</div>
Here are the [[Bregasland#Grey_Fens|Grey Fens]] of [[Bregasland]]. The Jotun rule here, at least in theory. Yet what is this emerging from the marshes, from the dead pools? The [[Old_blue_banners_dancing#Objective:_Dismiss_the_Grey_Walkers|shades of Marchers past]] walk the Grey Fens, now that [[Old_blue_banners_dancing#Objective:_Recover_the_Ullsmere_Rock|Ullsmere Rock]] is gone. They do not tolerate trespassers, and unlike many ghosts they are capable of enforcing their will at least to a degree. They have no time for the self-styled Jarls of Bregasland, but they also care not for the folk of the Marches it seems. The Jotun defend their thralls, which includes those Bregas folk who have taken the Choice, but their efforts go only so far. Slowly, methodically, the Grey Walkers [[Pride_in_the_Marches#Get_Off_My_Fen|drive our]] everyone living in "their" fens, human and orc alike.

Here are the [[Bregasland#North_Fens|North Fens]], where stands [[Bregasland#Fisher’s_Rock|Fisher's Rock]]. The interloper queen of the Fishers is dead now, interred far to the north by her erstwhile Jotun allies. She is gone but the shadow of her touch remains; the bitter anger of [[Old_blue_banners_dancing#Battle_opportunity:_Open_relations_with_House_Brawness|House Brawness]] festers here, steeped in daydreams of [[Bregasland#Rebellious|rebellion]]. Yet it is not House Brawness that the people of North Fens fear at night. It is not rebels who come creeping out of the Gullet to steal away the unwary. It is not the bitter anger of Matilda Fisher's former friends that has seen villages and farms deserted. The Jotun try to defend their thralls here, too, but the monsters that come out of the sea strike without warning and often as not the yeofolk are dragged kicking into the sea, shouting for aid that arrives too late.

Here then is [[Bregasland#Ottermire|Ottermire]], and the town of Ottermire where the Jotun have planted their standards, from where they rule over Bregasland. They control the hub from which roads run like spokes - the Odd's Way east into [[Mitwold]], and Sallow's Walk south toward the [[Mournwold]], and innumerable paths and byways stretching out across the fens. These lesser roads quickly give way to streams and lakes and rivers, and the flat-bottomed boats of the Bregasfolk. Especially since that season of rains which left all the Empire's marshes deeper, and stranger. And the fens of Bregasland were strange enough to begin with...

And here are [[Bregasland#The_Rushes|the Rushes]], and the town of the Sallowfolk, which rises in time toward the dry land of [[Bregasland#Graven_Rock|Graven Rock]] and its [[Bregasland#Gravenmarch|march]]. There is a [[Old_blue_banners_dancing#The_Forest_Endures|new woodland]] here, where the marshwaters give way to the stone, where Jotun and Imperial once fought in the shadow of that great, flat rock (that rock that echoes still with the fading notes of that [[Old_blue_banners_dancing#The_Mountain_Rings|eerie song]] that once rang out across the battlefield). This is the border that the barbarians watch, between their lands and that fraction of Bregasland wrested free from their grasp.

It is from that rock, right down there in the south of Bregasland, that the ripples of [[Spring magic]] still spread across Bregasland bringing with them unnatural life, and the [[Spring magic#Chaos|chaotic touch]] of the [[Realms#Spring|Primal Forest]]. It runs through the waters of the marshes and the swamps, bringing [[Spring_magic#Healing_and_Vitality|indiscriminate healing]] to all who need it, whether they want it or not. Since the flat-topped mountain sang, all save the most mortal of injuries heals in a matter of hours, provided one bathes in or drinks from the waters of Bregasland.

Spring rarely, if ever, brings unalloyed benefit to those it touches, and as Summer fades it is clear that Bregasland is no different. The vitality that infuses the humans, and the orcs, and their beasts, infuses also the vermin of the marsh. Great clouds of mosquitos and biting flies rise from the waters of the fens, spreading fear, and painful bites, and the threat of pestilence. The Jotun fight to defend their thralls, but against clouds of insects, what use can axes be?

The Jotun also cannot forget that out there, hidden in the fens and the marshes, are the [[Strong Reeds]]. They have not forsaken their oath to the Bregas, not for one day. They fought to take back Gravenmarch, and then they slipped back into the rushes and the water without a trace, and every day the Jotun jarls must remember that they are ''still here'', and oh how that must rankle, how that must tug at their pride. They cannot root out the Strong Reeds, and every raid, every battered baggage train, every prisoner spirited away from beneath their noses, is a reminder that the spirit of Bregasland will never submit to them.

This is Bregasland, then, in the heartbeats between the height of Summer and the slow descent toward Winter. And none of these problems besetting the Jotun - not Grey Walkers, not coral-tainted husks, not bitter rebels, not bloodthirsty mosquitos, not even the lurking threat of the Strong Reeds - is anything compared to the storm of war that breaks over Bregasland as the sun rides high in the sky and the grain darkens toward gold in the fields.

==A Storm of Summer's Passing==
Eleven Imperial armies explode into Bregasland with hurricane force, while the Strong Reeds rise from the rushes to meet them, to lead their assault against the Jotun conquerors. Across the territory, those the Reeds have inspired throw their strength behind the Empire, launching long-rehearsed strikes against barbarian strongholds across the fens. They strike supply caches in Ottery, fire the pallisade at Sallow, and wreck bridges across the North Fens. Then, with the skill of the Bregas, they melt back into the marshes before the Jotun can retaliate.

Into the Rushes, the Empire comes in force. A dozen armies, half of them marked with the power of Imperial [[enchantment|enchantments]]. A further five thousand strength of [[military unit|warbands]], lead by bold captains eager to see the Jotun brought down, driven out of the Marches entirely.

The Strong Reeds rise, flanked by the [[Tusks]] and the [[Bounders]]. This is a war for the Marches, but not solely ''by'' the Marches. Three Marcher armies are matched by three armies of [[Wintermark]] - by the [[Bloodcloaks]], the [[Green Shield]], and the [[Narwhal's Spear]]. The first guards the lives of those who fight, bringing succour to the fallen. The second [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Army_Orders|fights with honour]], reminding their allies that there are some tactics that will not be borne - and showing the Jotun that the heroes of Wintermark at least remember how to glory in battle without letting it taint their spirit. The hunters of the third army, [[Army_qualities#Quick-Witted|quick witted]] and fleet footed and no stranger to fighting in marshes, test the mettle of their foes and seek that understanding which is key to any successful hunt.

Six armies, and only halfway through their accounting!

Next are two Freeborn armies, bright and burning despite the mud and the damp Summer. The [[Burning Falcon]] blaze with passionate ardour, a deadly bonfire of [[Army_qualities#True_Conviction|true conviction]] that will not settle for anything less than absolute victory over the foe. The Jotun cannot help but respect this incomparable enthusiasm for battle. The [[Red Wind Corsairs]] match the bold courage of their cousins with daring and audacity of their own, making the Jotun pay not in blood but in treasure to recover the prisoners they claim on the battlefield. The war-price is a sacred tradition, after all, and the orcs can hardly complain when the Freeborn take advantage of it.

Then the virtuous [[Valiant Pegasus]] and the untested soldiers of the League fresh mustered to the [[Sparrows Reckoning]]. They eschew glory and heroism in the pursuit of preserving lives, a [[Army_orders#Steady_Conquest|steady conquest]] that sees them ensure their soldiers are never far from the healing touch of the [[Surgical skills#Physick|physick]] or the [[heal|healer]]. The soldiers of one of the oldest nations of the Empire fight beside those belonging to one of the youngest. The one shares their experience with the other, who in turn share their pride at their chance to serve their nation, their Empire, and their [[the Throne|Throne]].

Last, then, but by no means least, come the [[Autumn Hammers]]. The [[orc|orcs]] of the [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]] have the strangest of allies; with them marches a cohort of figures, features concealed in cowled hoods and metal masks. They fight not with sword or spears but with chains of green iron or pale glass or stranger materials. They are hunters bound by contract with the [[Lictors|Sovereign Lords of the City of Bar and Bond]], and they bring with them the power of the [[Realms#Autumn|Iron Labyrinth]] itself. Its power is subtle, but as the Empire engages the armies of the Jotun, it begins to spread wherever the orc army treads.

Twelve armies. Four - the Hammers, the Reeds, the Tusks, and the Bounders - are at the heart of the Imperial strategy. Their soldiers are granted supernatural [[Clarity of the Master Strategist|clarity of thought]] by the Empire's masters of [[Day magic]]. They can see how best to wield the strength of Imperial soldiers against the defenders, the straight road from where they are to the future where Bregasland is freed.

Two are enchanted with the [[Knights of Glory]]. With the Green Shield is ''Ollavan the Reeve'', sharp-eared archer and master of the bow. He brings his warband of hunters and rust-red hounds, and their arrows sing as they seek out the Jotun foe. When not fighting, they are eager to test their skill against that of the finest archers among the Imperial troops, congratulating winner and loser with equal enthusiasm. Their thirst for glory is contagious, spreading easily through the bold warriors of Wintermark.

The Burning Falcon are joined by ''Kore the Lion-maned'', resplendent in crimson armour, leading their leonine lancers at the forefront of every charge. Kore's knights tower above the Freeborn beside them; while their torso, head, and arms are humanlike, their lower bodies are those of deadly predatory cats. (And if there are also rumours of laughing, dancing [[Inhabitants of the realms#heralds|heralds]] of the [[Janon|Shadowed Fire]] with the Burning Falcon, they are surely just that - rumours. Surely such sightings are simply kohan inspired by the passion of [[Eleonaris|Eleonaris']] captain, and not the servants of any [[eternal]] the [[Conclave]] has placed under [[Alignment#Enmity|enmity]]. Surely.)

The storm of swords breaks over Bregasland, and the Jotun are in its path. But what of the Jotun?
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{{CaptionedImage|file=aurochs.jpg|width=250|align=right}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Jotunarmy.jpg|width=250|align=right}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=wolves.jpg|width=250|align=right}}
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==An Answering Gale==
The Jotun are on the back foot in Bregasland. The challenges to their rule, the threats to the thralls they are sworn to protect, are only the half of it. Their forces withdrew [[Pride_in_the_Marches#Mitwold_Triumph|fell back]] from [[Mitwold]] last season, surrendering the land they had taken without a fight. The Lasambrian armies continued southward, down towards their home in [[Reinos]], beset by the armies of the [[Iron Confederacy]]. The Imperial attack on [[Skallahn]] threatened the unity of the north and the south, and drew the attention of both the king and the queen away from Bregasland.

This season, it seems, the Jotun planned to tighten their grip on Bregasland once more. Perhaps they expected the Empire to be busy elsewhere, perhaps they simply didn't predict the sheer ''might'' that the Empire would bring to bear. Either way, when the Strong Reeds rise and the Imperial armies attack, the Jotun are in the midst of mobilizing for an attack of their own. Lead by the ''Skjaldirborn'', the Jotun forces in Bregasland sought to make a [[Army_orders#Cautious_Advance|cautious foray]] into Gravenmarch, to take back the only dry land in the marshes from the Empire.

Likely this was a calculated gamble - if the Empire were to wait another season before committing forces to Bregasland, they would be able to take back the March and remove the Imperial beachhead. If the Empire chose to defend, they could probe those defences without risking too many casualties. And if, as has happened, the Imperials launched an attack of their own they would at least be able to face it without wholesale bloodshed. Unfortunately for the Jotun, it is nowhere near as good as a carefully planned defence for holding in the face of the hurricane of war that has descended upon them.

There are some eight armies remaining in Bregasland, and the warbands of many of the Jotun champions. There are warriors of the ''Fields of Glory'' with them also; the warbands of the hound-knight ''Ser Grumbar'' and the stag-knight ''Ser Helvennan'' battle alongside the Jotun. The households of the rival twins glower and glare at each other, but seem united in their disappointment at how conservative the orcs' strategy is this season. It does not stop them fighting, however, and as always the court of the ''Lady of the Pennants'' seek every opportunity to test their skill against one another.

With the disruption spread by the Strong Reeds and their Bregas allies, the Jotun are barely able to respond to the awesome force of the Empire before they have already lost control of Sallow and most of the Rushes. They rally as best they can; the Roaring Thunder, the Southern Bear and the Shield of the Mountain try to hold the southern end of ''Sallow Walk'' while the skirmishers of the Howling Night and the vanguard of the Bear who Swims seek to flank the Imperial forces. Their rearguar action slows the Empire only briefly; the Jotun are forced to retreat in disarray. In their wake they leave the would-be Jarl Kiergmunt of Sallow. He and his household warriors are found floating in the eel ponds below the town he thought to make his hall, cut to pieces with the distinctive long knives favoured by the reed-cutters of the Rushes. The people here may resent the Empire, but they resent the Jotun even more; and when the Strong Reeds rise, they rise with them.
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=BurningFalcon Colour.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=GreenShields Colour.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Narwhal's Spear.webp|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=RedWindCorsairs Colour.png|align=right|width=150}}
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==The Battle of Sallow Walk==
As the Empire quells barbarian resistance in the Rushes, the Jotun regroup and prepare a counter-attack from their stronghold at Ottery. While the siege-engineers of the Tower of the North feverishly reinforce the defences along the northern part of Sallow Walk and the town at its head, the relentless Fell Hammers and the Southern Bear lead the bulk of the Jotun forces against the Empire. As they march south along Sallow Walk, they meet the Burning Falcon marching north, eagerly pulling ahead of the main Imperial line. Perhaps ten thousand Freeborn and allied captains, along with the heralds of Eleonaris, clash with maybe twelve thousand Jotun, and their own supernatural allies. Neither Imperial nor barbarian are prepared to step aside, and furious battle is joined with control of the Walk being the ultimate prize.

Battle rages on the raised road, and the sections of dry land to either side. The four Imperial armies most familiar with fighting in open marsh - the Bounders and the Drakes to the east and the Narwhal's Spear and the Green Shield to the west - sweep round to attack the Jotun from the side. Before they can strike, the rest of the Jotun forces arrive to support their vanguard. It's clear that while many of the barbarians are at a disadvantage when forced to leave the dry ground of the Walk, others have made the most of their time in Bregasland to adapt their tactics a little to the realities of shifting ground and open water.

At first it seems the furious charge of the Burning Falcon will give them the advantage, but the Fell Hammers and the Southern Bear have their own momentum. The enthusiasm of the Freeborn proves to be both an advantage and a disadvantage when tested against the more cautious strategy of the orcs. The front lines press forward too far, and while at first it seems the Jotun line is breaking, they are actually falling back and to the side to allow the Falcon to over-extend itself. The barbarians close around the vanguard of the Burning Falcon like a fist, and exact a terrible price from the bright burning warriors of the south before the tides of battle allow them to retreat to their own lines.

In the end though it is the unstoppable force of the Falcon and their allies that wins the day. The Jotun are forced to sound the retreat - great hollowed horns braying mournful notes across the sodden battlefield. The Empire continues to press them all the way back to Ottery, with the pitched battle of Sallows Walk becoming a ragged mess of smaller fights and skirmishes. The barbarians are still more interested in the fight than they are in defending their hold of Bregasland - at least for the moment.

A butchers' trail lies along the top of Sallow Walk as the Empire presses the Jotun north. The unheard rippling song of Graven Rock still washes across Bregasland, but even Spring magic has its limits. The Jotun take their wounded with them where they can but must leave the bodies of the dead behind; at the same time they make no effort to execute the fallen Imperial soldiers who have fought valiantly against them. The Empire may be their enemies, but to slaughter the fallen would be to surrender the heart and soul of what it means to be Jotun. For their part, the Empire is also restrained in its treatment of barbarians that fall behind the retreating armies - the Green Shield in particular will not allow the mistreatment of prisoners. Some Freeborn joke that the Red Wind Corsairs are spending almost as much time negotiating the exchange of prisoners and the ransom of captured Jotun as they do fighting the barbarians!
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=EasternSky Colour.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Tusks Colour.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=StrongReeds Colour.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Bounders Colour.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=SparrowsReckoning Colour.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=ValiantPegasus Colour.png|align=right|width=150}}
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==The Battle of Ottery==
The Tower of the North have been busy, wringing every ounce of opportunity from every hour of time the rest of the Jotun have bought for them. Wood is at a premium in Bregasland, but it seems the Tower has brought wagons of lumber out of Liathaven to prepare their defences. A stout wood-and-stone palisade surrounds Ottery, reinforced with archers-towers. Spiked barricades have been thrown like the toys of a frustrated giant across the road, and the marshy land surrounding the town. The Bregas themselves are trapped in their houses, a curfew imposed by savvy Jotun who will not risk Strong Reeds or their sympathisers infiltrating Ottery.

Arrayed before Ottery to meet the Empire is the full might of the Skjaldirborn, banners flapping fitfully in the sour wind blowing from the north. The mighty Jorgen Hylasson, one of the most respected of the northern Jotun warlords, stands a little ahead of the army. As the Imperial forces begin to move forward, he raises his hand in a salute to the attackers, and then sounds the massive horn he hefts easily in one hand. The Jotun are not content to cower behind makeshift walls - and it seems they are not prepared to risk harm coming to the thralls of Ottery. With the Skjaldirborn in the lead, they attack the Empire head-on.

Yet even so, they are not reckless. They make good use of the barricades the Tower of the North have erected; archers are positioned in key locations across the battlefield and in the newly constructed towers of Ottery. Rather than volleying indiscriminately, these skilled marksmen pick their targets with care. More than one Imperial battlemage is brought down without any hint of a warning by an arrow to the back of the head. These deadly warriors support the [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Ulfur|Ulfur]] of the Howling Night in their efforts to counter the impact of Imperial battlefield magic.

Many of the Jotun warriors here bear [[enchantment|enchantments]], or the boons of the [[eternal|eternals]]. Summerbound [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Skjaldir|Skjaldir]] with truly supernatural levels of [[combat skills#Endurance|endurance]] battle relentlessly alongside [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Ulvenwar|Ulvenwar]] with the strength to [[shatter|rend]] the wargear of their enemies. These magically empowered warbands especially seek to test themselves against the knights of Dawn and the Marcher armies, and before the real threat is made clear are able to splinter many Marcher polearms and break the bright heraldry of Dawnish shields.

While the battle rages south of Ottery, the Bounders, Strong Reeds, and the Sparrows Reckoning avoid the thick of the fighting and flank round to the east. They launch a coordinated raid against the less-well defended gates of the town and quickly gain purchase within the town itself. The League army is untested, but the [[bravo|bravos]] that fight with it are well versed in fighting in the confined spaces of city streets - skills that serve them well inside Ottery. Once the folk here realise the Reeds and the Bounders are here, that the Empire is here, many of them take up weapons and join the effort to reclaim their town. The struggle within Ottery itself culminates in a trio of Marcher beaters and a League crossbow marksman capturing one of the archer towers, and firing on the Jotun from behind. When Jorgen Hylasson takes a Marcher arrow to the shoulder, piercing through his mandowla-hide cloak and finding a chink in his armour, it is the turning point of the battle.

Ottery lost, and the Empire pressing forward, the second retreat is sounded. Again the Jotun fall back toward [[Bregasland#North Fens|North Fens]]. Not one Jotun Army tries to retreat west into Grey Fens - they would always rather fight living Imperials than dead phantoms.

The Bloodcloaks quickly take charge of Ottery, establishing field hospitals wherever they can. Public buildings are used, but there are also sickrooms set up in the homes of grateful Bregas who open their doors to the injured and to the Winterfolk healers. There is a significant Jotun supply cache here, and its not clear who gives the order to break it open, but the night after the Battle of Ottery an impromptu celebration begins in the streets of the town. At first it is muted - this liberation has been bought at a terrible cost after all - but perhaps it is that very cost, that spectre of death and war, that adds kindling to the feasting and the dancing and the singing in the streets of Ottery that night. A weight has been lifted from the Bregas - hope replacing fear and bitterness. Perhaps there are some who think the celebration premature, but over the next two weeks the Imperial forces win out against the Jotun again and again and eventually Ottermire is Imperial - and with it the territory of Bregasland as a whole.
<div {{float}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Shiny Helmets.jpg|align=right|caption=With steel, pride, and loyalty, the Empire has been victorious.|width=500}}</div>
==A Long Slog Through Thick Mud==
After Ottermire, the writing seems to be on the wall for the Jotun. They continue to launch attacks against the Imperial armies, but they are short-lived, probing stabs rather than committed efforts to bring the Empire to battle again. The Jotun could dig-in at Fisher's Rock, but for the most part they focus on trying to bog the Imperial forces down wherever they can. It's clear messengers have been sent west and north, to call for aid against the massive Imperial host, to warn King Gudmundr and Queen Yrsa of the situation in Bregasland.

The fighting continues as the Autumn Equinox approaches, and as it does so too the Empire's front line approach Fisher's Rock where the Jotun have their fallback position. One last push, and the Jotun will have no choice but to retreat again - either into the Grey Fens to the south and thence to Liathaven, or west into Hordalant. It seems inevitable that the Empire will win - if they keep up this relentless pressure the remaining Jotun forces will not be able to stand against it.

The cost has been high. Even with the magic of Graven Rock and the efforts of the Bloodloaks, the butchers' road northward has claimed so many lives. The dead are counted in the thousands, and the Empire's forceful strategy has seen thm pay the lions' share. Many of the fallen are recovered, but just as many are not, will likely never be found, taken by the mud and the water. The marshes give but they also take, say some of the Bregas dourly.
{{CaptionedImage|file=AutumnHammers_colour.png|align=right|width=150}}
==The Manacle Snaps Shut==
Autumn is in the wind, in the water, in the sun setting behind the western peaks. But that is not the ''only'' place the Autumn lies. All through this long campaign, the Autumn Hammers have been busy. While their warriors have fought no less valiantly against the Jotun than anyone else, that is not ''all'' they have been doing. As the battle presses the Jotun north, bands of thief-takers and oathwrights have made forays into the marshes, or lead swift raids against key positions that seem to have little strategic importance. With them have gone the iron-masked chainfighters of the City of Bar and Bond.

The whole time the Jotun have been fighting over the marshes of Bregasland, the Unshackled have been fixing unseen manacles about their ankles. The [[lictors]] are the unparalleled masters of [[Autumn_magic#Binding|binding]] and this season they are contracted to the service of the Imperial Orcs. None of the Jotun armies escape their touch. While binding is often dramatic and obvious - the spells of the war magician that hold folk in place - there are also more subtle methods of holding in place, of impeding travel. As the last light of Summer drains from the sky, and Winter's herald delicately touches the leaves on the scrubby marsh trees, the jaws of the final trap snap shut.

==Game Information==
===Bregasland===
<div {{float}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Bregasland Region Map.png|caption=A very rough region map of Bregasland.|align=right|width=600}}</div>
* '''The Empire has reclaimed the Rushes and Ottermire, and is seven tenths of the way toward claiming North Fens'''
* '''Bregasland is once again an Imperial territory and may elect a Senator'''
* '''The Grey Walkers are one-tenth of the way toward claiming Grey Fens'''
* '''Spring magic continues to ripple across Bregasland creating an effect similar to RIvers of Life'''
* '''The Jotun armies have all been cursed by the Lictors and the Imperial Orcs'''
This season has seen the Empire win a resounding victory over the Jotun in Bregasland. Imperial forces liberated the Rushes and Ottermire, and along with their control of Gravenmarch this means the territory is once again Imperial. As such it will be eligible to elect a Senator at the Autumn Equinox. The Empire is also seven-tenths of the way toward claiming North Fens.

The phantom Grey Walkers are slowly driving "trespassers" - human and orc alike - out of Grey Fens. They are one-tenth of the way toward claiming the region from the Jotun. The [[Region_qualities#Grey_Walkers|Grey Walkers]] will continue to try and claim the region each season.

Spring magic continues to ripple across the territory, emanating form Graven Rock. This creates an ongoing effect similar to Rivers of Life, and seems to be a consequence of the recent magical chaos linked to the [[astronomancy|astronomantic]] [[constellation|constellations]].

The Autumn Hammers have used the assistance of the Lictors to curse all the Jotun armies over the course of the campaign in Bregasland. This [[Highest_discipline#Technique_of_the_Coiling_Chain|special technique]], secured by [[Army_qualities#Contracted|contract]] with the City of Bond and Bar, means that no Jotun army currently in Bregasland will be able to move more than one territory following the Autumn Equinox. If any of the armies try to leave Bregasland, they will be unable to go any further than [[Hordalant]] or [[Liathaven]]. The Jotun will be aware of this restriction.

Only military units supporting the Burning Falcon received a share of the Guerdon this season; other military units receive nothing.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Osric5853.jpg|caption='''Iron Osric''', General of the Green Shield|align=right|width=200}}
===Participation : Green Shield===
* '''The Green Shield cannot take the cautious advance or give ground orders for the next year'''
* '''Any character whose military unit fought alongside the Green Shield may be inspired by the Knights of Glory'''
The Empire is aware that use of [[Knights of Glory]] sometimes has unexpected effects on the soldiers in the armies that use it regularly. During [[Even_darkness_must_pass#The_Weight_of_Glory|recent fighting]] in the [[Sarangrave]], this manifested as an ethereal influence over the warriors fighting with the army. Both the Green Shield and the Burning Falcon are now experiencing this effect - their soldiers are even more enthusiastic for battle for its own sake, for tests of glory, for tents of honour and heroism, than ever before.

This means that the Green Shield cannot take the [[Army orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]] or [[Army orders#Give Ground|Give Ground]] orders until a year has passed without that enchantment being cast on them. Each time they are campaign alongside the Knights of Glory, the clock will be reset.
===Participation : Burning Falcon===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Aracelis4339.jpg|caption='''Aracelis i Erigo''', General of the Burning Falcon|align=right|width=200}}
* '''The Burning Falcon has been inspired by the Knights of Glory
* '''The General can issue a new order as long as the army continues to be enchanted with Knights of Glory or until a year has passed
* '''Characters whose military unit supported the Burning Falcon may begin the Autumn Equinox with a powerful enchantment
This season the Burning Falcon have fought with the [[Knights of Glory]], and engaged in a [[Army_qualities#True_Conviction|triumphant charge]] against the Jotun. The leonine commander ''Kore'', and his warband of lion-bodied lancers, have revelled in the chance to battle the Jotun alongside the passionate warriors of the Brass Coast. For their part many of those who fought with the Falcon this season will have experienced a profoundly heightened thirst for battle and glory. This influence has spread throughout the army - and if there is any truth to the rumours that heralds of [[Janon]] were also present it is likely that they will have intensified this influence even further.

In theory, this would mean that the Burning Falcon would be unable to take more cautious orders... but their ''True Conviction'' means they can't do that ''anyway'' so this is all rather moot. Except that it has made the Freeborn soldiers even ''more'' enthused about fighting. As a consequence, following the Autumn Equinox the general of the Burning Falcon can issue an additional [[Army_orders#Attacking|attacking]] order: ''Leonine Rampage''. To use the order the army must be enchanted with Knights of Glory

<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-fifths'''
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>

This order will continue to be available until a season passes without Knights of Glory being cast on the army or until the end of the end of the Summer Solstice 389YE whichever comes first. Obviously, continuing to employ Knights of Glory will continue to bring to bear the influences of the Summer Realm on the soldiers of the army.

The lion-lancers have also had a powerful effect on the [[military unit|military units]] that fought with the army. The captain of any military unit that fought alongside the Burning Falcom begins the Autumn Equinox with a boon - an [[enchantment]] that gives them the ability to call [[Calls#CLEAVE|cleave]] twice each day when wielding a [[Weapons & armour#One-handed Weapons|one-handed weapon]], [[Weapons & armour#One-handed Spears|one-handed spear]], [[Weapons & armour#Great weapons|great weapon]] or [[Weapons & armour#Pole-arms|polearm]] with which they are proficient. If anyone uses [[Detect_magic#Discern_Enchantment|discern enchantment]] on you, you'll need to let the referee know that you are under the effect of a magnitude 7 Summer enchantment, and that you bear the ''mark of leonine glory''.

As well as the game benefits, the aura creates a [[roleplaying effects|roleplaying effect]]: ''You feel a strong urge to confront problems head on, and to overwhelm your rivals and enemies with sheer strength of personality. If that doesn't work, smashing them into the ground will do just as well. The idea of holding back when you could be charging into a dangerous situation, or wasting too much time planning when everyone knows plans never survive contact with the enemy, seems like an utter waste of time.''

The boon can be removed [[Enchantment#Removing_Enchantments|as normal]] - “overwritten” with a new enchantment - and will have faded by the start of the Winter Solstice.

===Participation: Marchers===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=Amberlain7869.jpg||caption='''Amberlain P. Black''', General of the Strong Reeds|align=left|width=250}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Fitzwilliam Thorn.jpg|caption='''Fitzwilliam Thorn''', General of the Bounders|align=left|width=300}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Jack Ashton.jpg|caption='''Jack Ashton''', General of the Tusks|align=left|width=250}}
</div>
* '''Any Marcher character whose military unit supported the Strong Reeds or the Tusks may receive a hearth magic benefit
* '''Any Marcher whose personal resource is in Bregasland may also receive a hearth magic benefit
The folk of Bregasland are often viewed as oddly withdrawn, or even strange, by their fellow Marchers. Recent history has been marked with suspicion of the Empire as a whole, and local politics have boiled over several times. However, the commitment of the Strong Reeds has never been in question by people who might otherwise see the entire Empire go hang as long as they are left alone to tend their eels. This has been particularly apparent in the Bregasland campaign, with the Reeds making good on their promise to drive out the Jotun, supported by the Bounders and the Tusks.

Any [[the Marches|Marcher]] character whose [[military unit]] was assigned to [[Military_unit#Support_Army|support]] the [[Tusks]] or the [[Strong Reeds]] this downtime may choose to gain a special, personal benefit. If they receive an [[Anointing]] of [[Auras_of_Loyalty#Anointing|Loyalty]], [[Auras_of_Pride#Anointing|Pride]], [[Malign_spiritual_presences#Vengeance|Vengeance]], or [[Malign_spiritual_presences#Hate|Hate]] before time out on Friday during the Autumn Equinox, then in addition to the [[Anointing#Effects|normal benefits]] they will gain one additional rank of [[Combat skills#Endurance|endurance]].

As well as those who fought directly, there are plenty of people in Bregasland who heard the call of the Strong Reeds and rose up to resist the Jotun. Any Marcher character whose personal resource is in Bregasland may also receive a hearth magic benefit if they receive one of these anointings before time out on Friday. Instead of receiving a point of endurance, however, their will to live is heightened and they receive a point of [[Combat skills#Fortitude|fortitude]].

A character whose personal resource is in Bregasland and also supported one of the Marcher armies receives ''both'' benefits.

These effects are not magical - they do not register on either [[detect magic]] or [[insight]]. It is likely a result of the powerful hearth magic of the oaths sworn by the generals of the Tusks and the Strong Reeds and the clear demonstration of their commitment to the Marches and the people of Bregasland in particular.

Either benefit lasts only as long as you continue to be committed to driving the last Jotun out of Bregasland as soon as possible; if your will to do so falters then the bonus is lost and cannot be regained. It is also permanently lost if your anointing is removed or changed to one other than Pride, Loyalty, Vengeance, or Hatred.

In any event the benefit will fade along with the anointing, by the start of the Winter Solstice.
==Further Reading==
* [[Bregasland]]

Mud, blood, and manacles

2026-08-15T18:46:06Z

Thespaceinvader:

[[Category:Winds of War]][[Category:388YE Autumn]][[Category:Military Council]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Holding the Line.jpg|align=left|caption=The Jotun have sown seeds of war, and now it is time to gather the bloody harvest.|width=500}}</div>
==What Has Gone Before==
<div {{float}}>
<div style="font-size: .6em;">
<quote by="Amberlain P. Black, General of the Strong Reeds">From the Rushes we rise from the reeds. Heed not the gnashing jaws and grasping hands of the unquiet Grey walkers, we are of the fens and reeds and are as much a part of the land as they are, our risen neighbours. Seek out the Jotun, strike at them and push them back to Ottermire!</quote>
<quote by="Aracelis I Erigo, General of the Burning Falcon">The Drakes turn south as we turn west. The bonds of Loyalty turn over from nation to nation and through General to General freely given in our actions to another. As an Empire we fight to show the Jotun they cannot take with Impunity and that we answer their threat with standing together whether in Mitwod reclaiming as they quit our lands, or Bregasland where we will face their armies and their Fjorknaw. We are the Burning Falcon, empowered by the might of Summer. Where we tread, Triumph blazes</quote>
<quote by="Lord Daemon Mortére, General of the Golden Sun">The Golden Sun stands where the Empire needs it most. Every oath deserves its shield. We will grinding advance into Bregasland. Out of fields of gold, through the Rushes and Ottermire. No enemy can sever what Loyalty has forged. For family, for the Marchers. We stand for the lore of their land. For the Empire. The Golden Sun will be a glorious arrow into the heart of our enemies. Secure the objective sun. For Gui.</quote>
<quote by="Zadok, General of the Valiant Pegasus">Two Years ago I ordered you to begin a crusade of liberation against the Jotun to free those labouring under barbarian yoke, starting in the Mourn. We inspired and aided the Oakleaf rebellion to free themselves. Then Bregasland fell, and our commitment to our crusade was renewed. Diversionary attacks North and South, the Reeds patience tested, a strike to one of the two hearts of their power, Keirheim, just barely thwarted. All this to make possible the conditions of this season, our return to Bregasland. We are fighting for Dominion, for the Liberty of the people of Bregasland; Accept no less than total victory. One day the Tyranny of Queens and Kings shall end and all people will be free to pursue virtue. We fell their rotten oaks one strike at a time.</quote>
<quote by="Joaquim i Erigo, General of the Red Wind Corsairs">Corsairs we trade a swamp for a marsh in helping our Marcher Cousins reclaim Bregasland. The Lasambrians have stolen from our cousins so we commit to a Daring Riad to reclaim their wealth from the Jotun by Proxy. We must be especially vigilant for the stolen dolmen of Drayham Mere. For the Empire! For the Marches!</quote>
<quote by="Albrecht Sanguineo, General of the Sparrow's Reckoning">Bravos of Tassato, soldiers of the League, heroes of the Empire we stand ready all swords sharpened, armour new and unblemished. Now we test them and ourselves against Jotun steel. We march to Bregasland at steady conquest to retake the homes of our Marcher siblings. We are named for our Empress, let your Pride in that legacy give you the strength to show the world that when the twin cities march to war no one can stand against us.</quote>
<quote by="Fitzwilliam Thorn, General of the Bounders">Jacks of the Bounders. Look into yourself and find your ambition, for there is work to be done. We go back to Bregasland with our Imperial cousins with us. Even the most impenetrable forest may fall one Jotun at a time.</quote>
<quote by="Jack Ashton, General of the Tusks">War is a vicious dog on a long chain. Too fucking long has it been let loose in our lands. Our homes. The time has come to chase the beast from our bounds. I say to you what I did before. Kill the invaders. Leave no Jotun Warrior alive to contest the claim. Make Balanced attack and liberate our home. P.S. if you see Stephen he's mine!!!</quote>
<quote by="Tager Defender of the Fallen Tyrshalt, General of the Bloodcloaks">Bloodcloaks, we go to Bregasland to recover those we have lost and will lose reclaiming the homes of the Marchers. Find the trinkets on the limbs of the trees that sprung up on this blood-soaked beachhead. We collect them to return them to the families of these heroes so their stories can be told and their memories shall survive the cold of night. We are Winterborn and the cold doesn't compromise. All heroes have a name, no matter which nation.</quote>
<quote by="Iron Osric, General of the Green Shield">A red sky after battle day, Bleeds broad beyond the brae; What fields, what fallen friends are they, What fires fade o'er far away? What spears stood stout in storm and shout, What banners broke and burned? What voices, valiant, call me out, To rounds from which we turned? That was the ground of gathered might, Of kin in clash and cry, The steadfast shields, a woman bright, Whose blade sang swift and high. O iron hours and embered eve, O dust and drum and flame, The hands I held, that I've had to leave, Yet thrill to speak their name. Good battle days 'neath shining star, Are loath to lose their lustre, Naught after else their joy can mar, Nor break the band we muster.</quote>
<quote by="Determination of Ice Kaisa, General of the Narwhal's Spear">We are to be a dance of cunning to claim what is before us. Let us weave our way through the lines carrying messages between our many allies. Be the Vigilant eyes and ears that inform every step forward. Seek the flanks and guide the Jotun's path into our Imperial victory.</quote>
<quote by="Ashborn Vana, General of the Autumn Hammers">Hammers, this is the season we strike the Jotun and bind them. This is the season we invoke the contracts with the City of Lock and Bond. We have seen the Hunters walk among us and now we fight with them. Show the Jotun why the Lictors are known as the Punishers, more than that, show them why WE are The Hammers! Strike the blow, cripple them so they cannot flee from us. Have Pride in your strength.</quote>
</div>
</div>
Here are the [[Bregasland#Grey_Fens|Grey Fens]] of [[Bregasland]]. The Jotun rule here, at least in theory. Yet what is this emerging from the marshes, from the dead pools? The [[Old_blue_banners_dancing#Objective:_Dismiss_the_Grey_Walkers|shades of Marchers past]] walk the Grey Fens, now that [[Old_blue_banners_dancing#Objective:_Recover_the_Ullsmere_Rock|Ullsmere Rock]] is gone. They do not tolerate trespassers, and unlike many ghosts they are capable of enforcing their will at least to a degree. They have no time for the self-styled Jarls of Bregasland, but they also care not for the folk of the Marches it seems. The Jotun defend their thralls, which includes those Bregas folk who have taken the Choice, but their efforts go only so far. Slowly, methodically, the Grey Walkers [[Pride_in_the_Marches#Get_Off_My_Fen|drive our]] everyone living in "their" fens, human and orc alike.

Here are the [[Bregasland#North_Fens|North Fens]], where stands [[Bregasland#Fisher’s_Rock|Fisher's Rock]]. The interloper queen of the Fishers is dead now, interred far to the north by her erstwhile Jotun allies. She is gone but the shadow of her touch remains; the bitter anger of [[Old_blue_banners_dancing#Battle_opportunity:_Open_relations_with_House_Brawness|House Brawness]] festers here, steeped in daydreams of [[Bregasland#Rebellious|rebellion]]. Yet it is not House Brawness that the people of North Fens fear at night. It is not rebels who come creeping out of the Gullet to steal away the unwary. It is not the bitter anger of Matilda Fisher's former friends that has seen villages and farms deserted. The Jotun try to defend their thralls here, too, but the monsters that come out of the sea strike without warning and often as not the yeofolk are dragged kicking into the sea, shouting for aid that arrives too late.

Here then is [[Bregasland#Ottermire|Ottermire]], and the town of Ottermire where the Jotun have planted their standards, from where they rule over Bregasland. They control the hub from which roads run like spokes - the Odd's Way east into [[Mitwold]], and Sallow's Walk south toward the [[Mournwold]], and innumerable paths and byways stretching out across the fens. These lesser roads quickly give way to streams and lakes and rivers, and the flat-bottomed boats of the Bregasfolk. Especially since that season of rains which left all the Empire's marshes deeper, and stranger. And the fens of Bregasland were strange enough to begin with...

And here are [[Bregasland#The_Rushes|the Rushes]], and the town of the Sallowfolk, which rises in time toward the dry land of [[Bregasland#Graven_Rock|Graven Rock]] and its [[Bregasland#Gravenmarch|march]]. There is a [[Old_blue_banners_dancing#The_Forest_Endures|new woodland]] here, where the marshwaters give way to the stone, where Jotun and Imperial once fought in the shadow of that great, flat rock (that rock that echoes still with the fading notes of that [[Old_blue_banners_dancing#The_Mountain_Rings|eerie song]] that once rang out across the battlefield). This is the border that the barbarians watch, between their lands and that fraction of Bregasland wrested free from their grasp.

It is from that rock, right down there in the south of Bregasland, that the ripples of [[Spring magic]] still spread across Bregasland bringing with them unnatural life, and the [[Spring magic#Chaos|chaotic touch]] of the [[Realms#Spring|Primal Forest]]. It runs through the waters of the marshes and the swamps, bringing [[Spring_magic#Healing_and_Vitality|indiscriminate healing]] to all who need it, whether they want it or not. Since the flat-topped mountain sang, all save the most mortal of injuries heals in a matter of hours, provided one bathes in or drinks from the waters of Bregasland.

Spring rarely, if ever, brings unalloyed benefit to those it touches, and as Summer fades it is clear that Bregasland is no different. The vitality that infuses the humans, and the orcs, and their beasts, infuses also the vermin of the marsh. Great clouds of mosquitos and biting flies rise from the waters of the fens, spreading fear, and painful bites, and the threat of pestilence. The Jotun fight to defend their thralls, but against clouds of insects, what use can axes be?

The Jotun also cannot forget that out there, hidden in the fens and the marshes, are the [[Strong Reeds]]. They have not forsaken their oath to the Bregas, not for one day. They fought to take back Gravenmarch, and then they slipped back into the rushes and the water without a trace, and every day the Jotun jarls must remember that they are ''still here'', and oh how that must rankle, how that must tug at their pride. They cannot root out the Strong Reeds, and every raid, every battered baggage train, every prisoner spirited away from beneath their noses, is a reminder that the spirit of Bregasland will never submit to them.

This is Bregasland, then, in the heartbeats between the height of Summer and the slow descent toward Winter. And none of these problems besetting the Jotun - not Grey Walkers, not coral-tainted husks, not bitter rebels, not bloodthirsty mosquitos, not even the lurking threat of the Strong Reeds - is anything compared to the storm of war that breaks over Bregasland as the sun rides high in the sky and the grain darkens toward gold in the fields.

==A Storm of Summer's Passing==
Eleven Imperial armies explode into Bregasland with hurricane force, while the Strong Reeds rise from the rushes to meet them, to lead their assault against the Jotun conquerors. Across the territory, those the Reeds have inspired throw their strength behind the Empire, launching long-rehearsed strikes against barbarian strongholds across the fens. They strike supply caches in Ottery, fire the pallisade at Sallow, and wreck bridges across the North Fens. Then, with the skill of the Bregas, they melt back into the marshes before the Jotun can retaliate.

Into the Rushes, the Empire comes in force. A dozen armies, half of them marked with the power of Imperial [[enchantment|enchantments]]. A further five thousand strength of [[military unit|warbands]], lead by bold captains eager to see the Jotun brought down, driven out of the Marches entirely.

The Strong Reeds rise, flanked by the [[Tusks]] and the [[Bounders]]. This is a war for the Marches, but not solely ''by'' the Marches. Three Marcher armies are matched by three armies of [[Wintermark]] - by the [[Bloodcloaks]], the [[Green Shield]], and the [[Narwhal's Spear]]. The first guards the lives of those who fight, bringing succour to the fallen. The second [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Army_Orders|fights with honour]], reminding their allies that there are some tactics that will not be borne - and showing the Jotun that the heroes of Wintermark at least remember how to glory in battle without letting it taint their spirit. The hunters of the third army, [[Army_qualities#Quick-Witted|quick witted]] and fleet footed and no stranger to fighting in marshes, test the mettle of their foes and seek that understanding which is key to any successful hunt.

Six armies, and only halfway through their accounting!

Next are two Freeborn armies, bright and burning despite the mud and the damp Summer. The [[Burning Falcon]] blaze with passionate ardour, a deadly bonfire of [[Army_qualities#True_Conviction|true conviction]] that will not settle for anything less than absolute victory over the foe. The Jotun cannot help but respect this incomparable enthusiasm for battle. The [[Red Wind Corsairs]] match the bold courage of their cousins with daring and audacity of their own, making the Jotun pay not in blood but in treasure to recover the prisoners they claim on the battlefield. The war-price is a sacred tradition, after all, and the orcs can hardly complain when the Freeborn take advantage of it.

Then the virtuous [[Valiant Pegasus]] and the untested soldiers of the League fresh mustered to the [[Sparrows Reckoning]]. They eschew glory and heroism in the pursuit of preserving lives, a [[Army_orders#Steady_Conquest|steady conquest]] that sees them ensure their soldiers are never far from the healing touch of the [[Surgical skills#Physick|physick]] or the [[heal|healer]]. The soldiers of one of the oldest nations of the Empire fight beside those belonging to one of the youngest. The one shares their experience with the other, who in turn share their pride at their chance to serve their nation, their Empire, and their [[the Throne|Throne]].

Last, then, but by no means least, come the [[Autumn Hammers]]. The [[orc|orcs]] of the [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]] have the strangest of allies; with them marches a cohort of figures, features concealed in cowled hoods and metal masks. They fight not with sword or spears but with chains of green iron or pale glass or stranger materials. They are hunters bound by contract with the [[Lictors|Sovereign Lords of the City of Bar and Bond]], and they bring with them the power of the [[Realms#Autumn|Iron Labyrinth]] itself. Its power is subtle, but as the Empire engages the armies of the Jotun, it begins to spread wherever the orc army treads.

Twelve armies. Four - the Hammers, the Reeds, the Tusks, and the Bounders - are at the heart of the Imperial strategy. Their soldiers are granted supernatural [[Clarity of the Master Strategist|clarity of thought]] by the Empire's masters of [[Day magic]]. They can see how best to wield the strength of Imperial soldiers against the defenders, the straight road from where they are to the future where Bregasland is freed.

Two are enchanted with the [[Knights of Glory]]. With the Green Shield is ''Ollavan the Reeve'', sharp-eared archer and master of the bow. He brings his warband of hunters and rust-red hounds, and their arrows sing as they seek out the Jotun foe. When not fighting, they are eager to test their skill against that of the finest archers among the Imperial troops, congratulating winner and loser with equal enthusiasm. Their thirst for glory is contagious, spreading easily through the bold warriors of Wintermark.

The Burning Falcon are joined by ''Kore the Lion-maned'', resplendent in crimson armour, leading their leonine lancers at the forefront of every charge. Kore's knights tower above the Freeborn beside them; while their torso, head, and arms are humanlike, their lower bodies are those of deadly predatory cats. (And if there are also rumours of laughing, dancing [[Inhabitants of the realms#heralds|heralds]] of the [[Janon|Shadowed Fire]] with the Burning Falcon, they are surely just that - rumours. Surely such sightings are simply kohan inspired by the passion of [[Eleonaris|Eleonaris']] captain, and not the servants of any [[eternal]] the [[Conclave]] has placed under [[Alignment#Enmity|enmity]]. Surely.)

The storm of swords breaks over Bregasland, and the Jotun are in its path. But what of the Jotun?
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=aurochs.jpg|width=250|align=right}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Jotunarmy.jpg|width=250|align=right}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=wolves.jpg|width=250|align=right}}
</div>

==An Answering Gale==
The Jotun are on the back foot in Bregasland. The challenges to their rule, the threats to the thralls they are sworn to protect, are only the half of it. Their forces withdrew [[Pride_in_the_Marches#Mitwold_Triumph|fell back]] from [[Mitwold]] last season, surrendering the land they had taken without a fight. The Lasambrian armies continued southward, down towards their home in [[Reinos]], beset by the armies of the [[Iron Confederacy]]. The Imperial attack on [[Skallahn]] threatened the unity of the north and the south, and drew the attention of both the king and the queen away from Bregasland.

This season, it seems, the Jotun planned to tighten their grip on Bregasland once more. Perhaps they expected the Empire to be busy elsewhere, perhaps they simply didn't predict the sheer ''might'' that the Empire would bring to bear. Either way, when the Strong Reeds rise and the Imperial armies attack, the Jotun are in the midst of mobilizing for an attack of their own. Lead by the ''Skjaldirborn'', the Jotun forces in Bregasland sought to make a [[Army_orders#Cautious_Advance|cautious foray]] into Gravenmarch, to take back the only dry land in the marshes from the Empire.

Likely this was a calculated gamble - if the Empire were to wait another season before committing forces to Bregasland, they would be able to take back the March and remove the Imperial beachhead. If the Empire chose to defend, they could probe those defences without risking too many casualties. And if, as has happened, the Imperials launched an attack of their own they would at least be able to face it without wholesale bloodshed. Unfortunately for the Jotun, it is nowhere near as good as a carefully planned defence for holding in the face of the hurricane of war that has descended upon them.

There are some eight armies remaining in Bregasland, and the warbands of many of the Jotun champions. There are warriors of the ''Fields of Glory'' with them also; the warbands of the hound-knight ''Ser Grumbar'' and the stag-knight ''Ser Helvennan'' battle alongside the Jotun. The households of the rival twins glower and glare at each other, but seem united in their disappointment at how conservative the orcs' strategy is this season. It does not stop them fighting, however, and as always the court of the ''Lady of the Pennants'' seek every opportunity to test their skill against one another.

With the disruption spread by the Strong Reeds and their Bregas allies, the Jotun are barely able to respond to the awesome force of the Empire before they have already lost control of Sallow and most of the Rushes. They rally as best they can; the Roaring Thunder, the Southern Bear and the Shield of the Mountain try to hold the southern end of ''Sallow Walk'' while the skirmishers of the Howling Night and the vanguard of the Bear who Swims seek to flank the Imperial forces. Their rearguar action slows the Empire only briefly; the Jotun are forced to retreat in disarray. In their wake they leave the would-be Jarl Kiergmunt of Sallow. He and his household warriors are found floating in the eel ponds below the town he thought to make his hall, cut to pieces with the distinctive long knives favoured by the reed-cutters of the Rushes. The people here may resent the Empire, but they resent the Jotun even more; and when the Strong Reeds rise, they rise with them.
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=BurningFalcon Colour.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=GreenShields Colour.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Narwhal's Spear.webp|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=RedWindCorsairs Colour.png|align=right|width=150}}
</div>
==The Battle of Sallow Walk==
As the Empire quells barbarian resistance in the Rushes, the Jotun regroup and prepare a counter-attack from their stronghold at Ottery. While the siege-engineers of the Tower of the North feverishly reinforce the defences along the northern part of Sallow Walk and the town at its head, the relentless Fell Hammers and the Southern Bear lead the bulk of the Jotun forces against the Empire. As they march south along Sallow Walk, they meet the Burning Falcon marching north, eagerly pulling ahead of the main Imperial line. Perhaps ten thousand Freeborn and allied captains, along with the heralds of Eleonaris, clash with maybe twelve thousand Jotun, and their own supernatural allies. Neither Imperial nor barbarian are prepared to step aside, and furious battle is joined with control of the Walk being the ultimate prize.

Battle rages on the raised road, and the sections of dry land to either side. The four Imperial armies most familiar with fighting in open marsh - the Bounders and the Drakes to the east and the Narwhal's Spear and the Green Shield to the west - sweep round to attack the Jotun from the side. Before they can strike, the rest of the Jotun forces arrive to support their vanguard. It's clear that while many of the barbarians are at a disadvantage when forced to leave the dry ground of the Walk, others have made the most of their time in Bregasland to adapt their tactics a little to the realities of shifting ground and open water.

At first it seems the furious charge of the Burning Falcon will give them the advantage, but the Fell Hammers and the Southern Bear have their own momentum. The enthusiasm of the Freeborn proves to be both an advantage and a disadvantage when tested against the more cautious strategy of the orcs. The front lines press forward too far, and while at first it seems the Jotun line is breaking, they are actually falling back and to the side to allow the Falcon to over-extend itself. The barbarians close around the vanguard of the Burning Falcon like a fist, and exact a terrible price from the bright burning warriors of the south before the tides of battle allow them to retreat to their own lines.

In the end though it is the unstoppable force of the Falcon and their allies that wins the day. The Jotun are forced to sound the retreat - great hollowed horns braying mournful notes across the sodden battlefield. The Empire continues to press them all the way back to Ottery, with the pitched battle of Sallows Walk becoming a ragged mess of smaller fights and skirmishes. The barbarians are still more interested in the fight than they are in defending their hold of Bregasland - at least for the moment.

A butchers' trail lies along the top of Sallow Walk as the Empire presses the Jotun north. The unheard rippling song of Graven Rock still washes across Bregasland, but even Spring magic has its limits. The Jotun take their wounded with them where they can but must leave the bodies of the dead behind; at the same time they make no effort to execute the fallen Imperial soldiers who have fought valiantly against them. The Empire may be their enemies, but to slaughter the fallen would be to surrender the heart and soul of what it means to be Jotun. For their part, the Empire is also restrained in its treatment of barbarians that fall behind the retreating armies - the Green Shield in particular will not allow the mistreatment of prisoners. Some Freeborn joke that the Red Wind Corsairs are spending almost as much time negotiating the exchange of prisoners and the ransom of captured Jotun as they do fighting the barbarians!
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=EasternSky Colour.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Tusks Colour.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=StrongReeds Colour.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Bounders Colour.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=SparrowsReckoning Colour.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=ValiantPegasus Colour.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=BloodCloak_Colour.png|align=right|width=150}}
</div>
==The Battle of Ottery==
The Tower of the North have been busy, wringing every ounce of opportunity from every hour of time the rest of the Jotun have bought for them. Wood is at a premium in Bregasland, but it seems the Tower has brought wagons of lumber out of Liathaven to prepare their defences. A stout wood-and-stone palisade surrounds Ottery, reinforced with archers-towers. Spiked barricades have been thrown like the toys of a frustrated giant across the road, and the marshy land surrounding the town. The Bregas themselves are trapped in their houses, a curfew imposed by savvy Jotun who will not risk Strong Reeds or their sympathisers infiltrating Ottery.

Arrayed before Ottery to meet the Empire is the full might of the Skjaldirborn, banners flapping fitfully in the sour wind blowing from the north. The mighty Jorgen Hylasson, one of the most respected of the northern Jotun warlords, stands a little ahead of the army. As the Imperial forces begin to move forward, he raises his hand in a salute to the attackers, and then sounds the massive horn he hefts easily in one hand. The Jotun are not content to cower behind makeshift walls - and it seems they are not prepared to risk harm coming to the thralls of Ottery. With the Skjaldirborn in the lead, they attack the Empire head-on.

Yet even so, they are not reckless. They make good use of the barricades the Tower of the North have erected; archers are positioned in key locations across the battlefield and in the newly constructed towers of Ottery. Rather than volleying indiscriminately, these skilled marksmen pick their targets with care. More than one Imperial battlemage is brought down without any hint of a warning by an arrow to the back of the head. These deadly warriors support the [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Ulfur|Ulfur]] of the Howling Night in their efforts to counter the impact of Imperial battlefield magic.

Many of the Jotun warriors here bear [[enchantment|enchantments]], or the boons of the [[eternal|eternals]]. Summerbound [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Skjaldir|Skjaldir]] with truly supernatural levels of [[combat skills#Endurance|endurance]] battle relentlessly alongside [[Elite_Jotun_troops#Ulvenwar|Ulvenwar]] with the strength to [[shatter|rend]] the wargear of their enemies. These magically empowered warbands especially seek to test themselves against the knights of Dawn and the Marcher armies, and before the real threat is made clear are able to splinter many Marcher polearms and break the bright heraldry of Dawnish shields.

While the battle rages south of Ottery, the Bounders, Strong Reeds, and the Sparrows Reckoning avoid the thick of the fighting and flank round to the east. They launch a coordinated raid against the less-well defended gates of the town and quickly gain purchase within the town itself. The League army is untested, but the [[bravo|bravos]] that fight with it are well versed in fighting in the confined spaces of city streets - skills that serve them well inside Ottery. Once the folk here realise the Reeds and the Bounders are here, that the Empire is here, many of them take up weapons and join the effort to reclaim their town. The struggle within Ottery itself culminates in a trio of Marcher beaters and a League crossbow marksman capturing one of the archer towers, and firing on the Jotun from behind. When Jorgen Hylasson takes a Marcher arrow to the shoulder, piercing through his mandowla-hide cloak and finding a chink in his armour, it is the turning point of the battle.

Ottery lost, and the Empire pressing forward, the second retreat is sounded. Again the Jotun fall back toward [[Bregasland#North Fens|North Fens]]. Not one Jotun Army tries to retreat west into Grey Fens - they would always rather fight living Imperials than dead phantoms.

The Bloodcloaks quickly take charge of Ottery, establishing field hospitals wherever they can. Public buildings are used, but there are also sickrooms set up in the homes of grateful Bregas who open their doors to the injured and to the Winterfolk healers. There is a significant Jotun supply cache here, and its not clear who gives the order to break it open, but the night after the Battle of Ottery an impromptu celebration begins in the streets of the town. At first it is muted - this liberation has been bought at a terrible cost after all - but perhaps it is that very cost, that spectre of death and war, that adds kindling to the feasting and the dancing and the singing in the streets of Ottery that night. A weight has been lifted from the Bregas - hope replacing fear and bitterness. Perhaps there are some who think the celebration premature, but over the next two weeks the Imperial forces win out against the Jotun again and again and eventually Ottermire is Imperial - and with it the territory of Bregasland as a whole.
<div {{float}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Shiny Helmets.jpg|align=right|caption=With steel, pride, and loyalty, the Empire has been victorious.|width=500}}</div>
==A Long Slog Through Thick Mud==
After Ottermire, the writing seems to be on the wall for the Jotun. They continue to launch attacks against the Imperial armies, but they are short-lived, probing stabs rather than committed efforts to bring the Empire to battle again. The Jotun could dig-in at Fisher's Rock, but for the most part they focus on trying to bog the Imperial forces down wherever they can. It's clear messengers have been sent west and north, to call for aid against the massive Imperial host, to warn King Gudmundr and Queen Yrsa of the situation in Bregasland.

The fighting continues as the Autumn Equinox approaches, and as it does so too the Empire's front line approach Fisher's Rock where the Jotun have their fallback position. One last push, and the Jotun will have no choice but to retreat again - either into the Grey Fens to the south and thence to Liathaven, or west into Hordalant. It seems inevitable that the Empire will win - if they keep up this relentless pressure the remaining Jotun forces will not be able to stand against it.

The cost has been high. Even with the magic of Graven Rock and the efforts of the Bloodloaks, the butchers' road northward has claimed so many lives. The dead are counted in the thousands, and the Empire's forceful strategy has seen thm pay the lions' share. Many of the fallen are recovered, but just as many are not, will likely never be found, taken by the mud and the water. The marshes give but they also take, say some of the Bregas dourly.
{{CaptionedImage|file=AutumnHammers_colour.png|align=right|width=150}}
==The Manacle Snaps Shut==
Autumn is in the wind, in the water, in the sun setting behind the western peaks. But that is not the ''only'' place the Autumn lies. All through this long campaign, the Autumn Hammers have been busy. While their warriors have fought no less valiantly against the Jotun than anyone else, that is not ''all'' they have been doing. As the battle presses the Jotun north, bands of thief-takers and oathwrights have made forays into the marshes, or lead swift raids against key positions that seem to have little strategic importance. With them have gone the iron-masked chainfighters of the City of Bar and Bond.

The whole time the Jotun have been fighting over the marshes of Bregasland, the Unshackled have been fixing unseen manacles about their ankles. The [[lictors]] are the unparalleled masters of [[Autumn_magic#Binding|binding]] and this season they are contracted to the service of the Imperial Orcs. None of the Jotun armies escape their touch. While binding is often dramatic and obvious - the spells of the war magician that hold folk in place - there are also more subtle methods of holding in place, of impeding travel. As the last light of Summer drains from the sky, and Winter's herald delicately touches the leaves on the scrubby marsh trees, the jaws of the final trap snap shut.

==Game Information==
===Bregasland===
<div {{float}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Bregasland Region Map.png|caption=A very rough region map of Bregasland.|align=right|width=600}}</div>
* '''The Empire has reclaimed the Rushes and Ottermire, and is seven tenths of the way toward claiming North Fens'''
* '''Bregasland is once again an Imperial territory and may elect a Senator'''
* '''The Grey Walkers are one-tenth of the way toward claiming Grey Fens'''
* '''Spring magic continues to ripple across Bregasland creating an effect similar to RIvers of Life'''
* '''The Jotun armies have all been cursed by the Lictors and the Imperial Orcs'''
This season has seen the Empire win a resounding victory over the Jotun in Bregasland. Imperial forces liberated the Rushes and Ottermire, and along with their control of Gravenmarch this means the territory is once again Imperial. As such it will be eligible to elect a Senator at the Autumn Equinox. The Empire is also seven-tenths of the way toward claiming North Fens.

The phantom Grey Walkers are slowly driving "trespassers" - human and orc alike - out of Grey Fens. They are one-tenth of the way toward claiming the region from the Jotun. The [[Region_qualities#Grey_Walkers|Grey Walkers]] will continue to try and claim the region each season.

Spring magic continues to ripple across the territory, emanating form Graven Rock. This creates an ongoing effect similar to Rivers of Life, and seems to be a consequence of the recent magical chaos linked to the [[astronomancy|astronomantic]] [[constellation|constellations]].

The Autumn Hammers have used the assistance of the Lictors to curse all the Jotun armies over the course of the campaign in Bregasland. This [[Highest_discipline#Technique_of_the_Coiling_Chain|special technique]], secured by [[Army_qualities#Contracted|contract]] with the City of Bond and Bar, means that no Jotun army currently in Bregasland will be able to move more than one territory following the Autumn Equinox. If any of the armies try to leave Bregasland, they will be unable to go any further than [[Hordalant]] or [[Liathaven]]. The Jotun will be aware of this restriction.

Only military units supporting the Burning Falcon received a share of the Guerdon this season; other military units receive nothing.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Osric5853.jpg|caption='''Iron Osric''', General of the Green Shield|align=right|width=200}}
===Participation : Green Shield===
* '''The Green Shield cannot take the cautious advance or give ground orders for the next year'''
* '''Any character whose military unit fought alongside the Green Shield may be inspired by the Knights of Glory'''
The Empire is aware that use of [[Knights of Glory]] sometimes has unexpected effects on the soldiers in the armies that use it regularly. During [[Even_darkness_must_pass#The_Weight_of_Glory|recent fighting]] in the [[Sarangrave]], this manifested as an ethereal influence over the warriors fighting with the army. Both the Green Shield and the Burning Falcon are now experiencing this effect - their soldiers are even more enthusiastic for battle for its own sake, for tests of glory, for tents of honour and heroism, than ever before.

This means that the Green Shield cannot take the [[Army orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]] or [[Army orders#Give Ground|Give Ground]] orders until a year has passed without that enchantment being cast on them. Each time they are campaign alongside the Knights of Glory, the clock will be reset.
===Participation : Burning Falcon===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Aracelis4339.jpg|caption='''Aracelis i Erigo''', General of the Burning Falcon|align=right|width=200}}
* '''The Burning Falcon has been inspired by the Knights of Glory
* '''The General can issue a new order as long as the army continues to be enchanted with Knights of Glory or until a year has passed
* '''Characters whose military unit supported the Burning Falcon may begin the Autumn Equinox with a powerful enchantment
This season the Burning Falcon have fought with the [[Knights of Glory]], and engaged in a [[Army_qualities#True_Conviction|triumphant charge]] against the Jotun. The leonine commander ''Kore'', and his warband of lion-bodied lancers, have revelled in the chance to battle the Jotun alongside the passionate warriors of the Brass Coast. For their part many of those who fought with the Falcon this season will have experienced a profoundly heightened thirst for battle and glory. This influence has spread throughout the army - and if there is any truth to the rumours that heralds of [[Janon]] were also present it is likely that they will have intensified this influence even further.

In theory, this would mean that the Burning Falcon would be unable to take more cautious orders... but their ''True Conviction'' means they can't do that ''anyway'' so this is all rather moot. Except that it has made the Freeborn soldiers even ''more'' enthused about fighting. As a consequence, following the Autumn Equinox the general of the Burning Falcon can issue an additional [[Army_orders#Attacking|attacking]] order: ''Leonine Rampage''. To use the order the army must be enchanted with Knights of Glory

<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>

This order will continue to be available until a season passes without Knights of Glory being cast on the army or until the end of the end of the Summer Solstice 389YE whichever comes first. Obviously, continuing to employ Knights of Glory will continue to bring to bear the influences of the Summer Realm on the soldiers of the army.

The lion-lancers have also had a powerful effect on the [[military unit|military units]] that fought with the army. The captain of any military unit that fought alongside the Burning Falcom begins the Autumn Equinox with a boon - an [[enchantment]] that gives them the ability to call [[Calls#CLEAVE|cleave]] twice each day when wielding a [[Weapons & armour#One-handed Weapons|one-handed weapon]], [[Weapons & armour#One-handed Spears|one-handed spear]], [[Weapons & armour#Great weapons|great weapon]] or [[Weapons & armour#Pole-arms|polearm]] with which they are proficient. If anyone uses [[Detect_magic#Discern_Enchantment|discern enchantment]] on you, you'll need to let the referee know that you are under the effect of a magnitude 7 Summer enchantment, and that you bear the ''mark of leonine glory''.

As well as the game benefits, the aura creates a [[roleplaying effects|roleplaying effect]]: ''You feel a strong urge to confront problems head on, and to overwhelm your rivals and enemies with sheer strength of personality. If that doesn't work, smashing them into the ground will do just as well. The idea of holding back when you could be charging into a dangerous situation, or wasting too much time planning when everyone knows plans never survive contact with the enemy, seems like an utter waste of time.''

The boon can be removed [[Enchantment#Removing_Enchantments|as normal]] - “overwritten” with a new enchantment - and will have faded by the start of the Winter Solstice.

===Participation: Marchers===
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=Amberlain7869.jpg||caption='''Amberlain P. Black''', General of the Strong Reeds|align=left|width=250}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Fitzwilliam Thorn.jpg|caption='''Fitzwilliam Thorn''', General of the Bounders|align=left|width=300}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Jack Ashton.jpg|caption='''Jack Ashton''', General of the Tusks|align=left|width=250}}
</div>
* '''Any Marcher character whose military unit supported the Strong Reeds or the Tusks may receive a hearth magic benefit
* '''Any Marcher whose personal resource is in Bregasland may also receive a hearth magic benefit
The folk of Bregasland are often viewed as oddly withdrawn, or even strange, by their fellow Marchers. Recent history has been marked with suspicion of the Empire as a whole, and local politics have boiled over several times. However, the commitment of the Strong Reeds has never been in question by people who might otherwise see the entire Empire go hang as long as they are left alone to tend their eels. This has been particularly apparent in the Bregasland campaign, with the Reeds making good on their promise to drive out the Jotun, supported by the Bounders and the Tusks.

Any [[the Marches|Marcher]] character whose [[military unit]] was assigned to [[Military_unit#Support_Army|support]] the [[Tusks]] or the [[Strong Reeds]] this downtime may choose to gain a special, personal benefit. If they receive an [[Anointing]] of [[Auras_of_Loyalty#Anointing|Loyalty]], [[Auras_of_Pride#Anointing|Pride]], [[Malign_spiritual_presences#Vengeance|Vengeance]], or [[Malign_spiritual_presences#Hate|Hate]] before time out on Friday during the Autumn Equinox, then in addition to the [[Anointing#Effects|normal benefits]] they will gain one additional rank of [[Combat skills#Endurance|endurance]].

As well as those who fought directly, there are plenty of people in Bregasland who heard the call of the Strong Reeds and rose up to resist the Jotun. Any Marcher character whose personal resource is in Bregasland may also receive a hearth magic benefit if they receive one of these anointings before time out on Friday. Instead of receiving a point of endurance, however, their will to live is heightened and they receive a point of [[Combat skills#Fortitude|fortitude]].

A character whose personal resource is in Bregasland and also supported one of the Marcher armies receives ''both'' benefits.

These effects are not magical - they do not register on either [[detect magic]] or [[insight]]. It is likely a result of the powerful hearth magic of the oaths sworn by the generals of the Tusks and the Strong Reeds and the clear demonstration of their commitment to the Marches and the people of Bregasland in particular.

Either benefit lasts only as long as you continue to be committed to driving the last Jotun out of Bregasland as soon as possible; if your will to do so falters then the bonus is lost and cannot be regained. It is also permanently lost if your anointing is removed or changed to one other than Pride, Loyalty, Vengeance, or Hatred.

In any event the benefit will fade along with the anointing, by the start of the Winter Solstice.
==Further Reading==
* [[Bregasland]]

Farewell wanderlust

2026-08-14T19:05:19Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Spellstone */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:385YE Summer]][[Category:Recent History]]
<ic>Basileus Flint sat bolt upright in his throne of bone, his fingers steepled together, a twisted rictus of pleasure distorting the handsome features of the Patron of Spies and Traitors. "Excellent news, excellent..." He cackled slightly before breaking out in raucous laughter. "Muahahaha. Everything is coming together exactly as I planned...". He stepped down from the throne, preparing to deliver a speech to those present.

The briefest flicker of concern raced across the eternal's face as he glanced at the young woman in the pits at his feet. "Soon the entire Empire will be..." she furtively hissed at him.

"Soon the entire Empire will be within my grasp" he boldly exclaimed, projecting his voice to ensure that everyone caught the beginning of his grand monologue on the nature of treachery.

"Seriously - can't he remember his lines without a prompter?" Elsabet hissed to Maud. "I can't believe you offered him 2 crowns a night for this?"

Maud grinned at her director. "He's a great actor! Look at the audience - they're lapping it up. The Rats Nest had him working for the exposure - well they've made him famous and now we're cashing in." She rubbed her hands together in self-evident glee at their good fortune.

"He can't remember his lines!" protested Elsabet. "Soon the entire Empire will be in my grasp ''and I shall squeeze them til the pips squeak.'' We did this very scene literally six times in rehearsal."

"Be fair - this new play was only written two weeks ago! This Spiral stuff is brand new material. It's not his fault there's no time for learning lines." "And look!" The producer exhorted, spreading her arms and gesturing to the back of the theatre. "Every seat is full. Night after night. Every seat! Do you know what a full house means, Elsa?"

"That we've swapped our virtues for coins and we're artistically bankrupt?" she asked her boss sarcastically.

"It means we're dropping the ring and catching the crown Elsa... When was the last time the theatre sold every seat? This is the big time for us! The Keeper of the Black Vaults might not be high art - but it's a crowd pleaser and that means we're ''all'' making good money..."</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Lovely Wares.jpg|align=left|caption=Trade inspires opportunity and wealth, and thanks to the ''Bounty of the Brilliant Broker'', this season there are even more things to trade than usual!|width=600}}</div>
==Overview==
The Spring Equinox saw several dramatic events; the ratification of the [[385YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Ratify_Kaliact_Treaty|Kaliact Treaty]], the [[385YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Assign_the_Barrens|conquest of the Barrens]]; and the first-ever performance of an [[:Category:Imperial Enchantment|Imperial enchantment]] tied to the [[Autumn magic|realm of Autumn]]. The ''Net and Vine'' of [[Wintermark]] used consummate mastery of Autumn magic to create the ''Bounty of the Brilliant Broker'', which has spread across the entire Empire like a subtle web. As with all Imperial enchantments, the potent magic inspires a number of unpredictable effects and attracts the attention of the [[eternal|eternals]] of the realm.

The main thrust of the magic appears to be to encourage [[Autumn_magic#Trade|trade]] and [[Autumn_magic#Prosperity|prosperity]]. Yet the magic expresses itself through all the [[Autumn_magic#Resonance|resonances]] of Autumn magic - and also through its [[Autumn_magic#Dissonance|dissonances]]. That last is the cause of some disruption - the enchantment was created before the [[Children in bloom|last echoes]] of the [[Hallow of the Green World]] evoked at the Winter Solstice had entirely faded away. Students of the [[Stargazer#Resonance_and_the_Omnihedron|omnihedron theory]] posit that by working Imperial scale enchantments in a specific order the resonances of the realms can build on each other (in a similar manner to the way the familiar rituals used to enchant [[farm|farms]] feed into one another to create more dramatic effects). The Autumn realm is however explicitly dissonant with much of Spring; the resonance of [[Autumn_magic#Binding|binding]] strives against the resonance of [[Spring_magic#Chaos|chaos]]; the art of [[Autumn_magic#Craftsmanship|craftsmanship]] is at odds with the seeds of [[Spring_magic#Ruin|ruin]]; the Spring resonance of [[Spring_magic#Fertility|fertility]] clashes with Autumn's dissonance for [[Autumn_magic#Vegetation|vegetation]]. This appears to have made the powerful magical working especially unpredictable.

Additional information connected to this magical effect can be found in [[Inkpot gods]] which covers the involvement of other eternals, and also deals with the impact of boggarts taking advantage of the enchantments effect on [[regio]] to slip out of the Autumn realm and into the Empire.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><box>'''Imperial Territories'''<br>The Bounty of the Brilliant Broker enchantment only touches those [[territory|territories]] that were Imperial at the end of the Spring Equinox 385YE. As a result, none of these effects apply to resources in [[Liathaven]], [[Brocéliande]], [[Spiral]] or [[Feroz]]. If your character has spent time in one of the other territories that ''are'' affected, it's fine to experience the more personal effects of the enchantment. A [[cambion]] who lives in Spiral but roleplays they have spent the last three months in [[Redoubt]] is free to strengthen their lineage trappings. But the owner of a [[business]] in Feroz would not be able to acquire a trinket, or diversify their goods without cost for example.</box></div>

==Summer Gold==
* '''The Imperial enchantment has widespread effects across the Imperial territories affected'''
* '''Serendipitous twists of fortune have created opportunities for trade and prosperity that has left ''every'' Imperial citizen visiting Anvil a little wealthier'''
The ''Bounty of the Brilliant Broker'' casts its net across the entire Empire - or at least all those [[territory|territories]] that were Imperial at the end of the Spring Equinox. As such, its magic is not felt ''directly'' in [[Liathaven]], [[Brocéliande]], [[Feroz]], or [[Spiral]]. It ''has'' however spread into [[the Barrens]] which was effectively conquered by Imperial heroes during the [[Everything_is_broken#Glorious_In_Victory_.28Battle.29|Battle of Merigionne]].

Where the effects of the ''Hallow of the Green World'' were apparent to everyone, Autumn magic often does its work by gently nudging the whims of chance and fate. ''Bounty of the Brilliant Broker'' is no exception, and many citizens are oblivious to the magic even as it subtly pushes them toward situations that offer opportunities for increased wealth and prosperity. Sometimes the ritual's effects take the form of serendipitous finds; a sock-full of [[orichalcum]] discovered wedged in a chimney; old documents entitling the bearer to part ownership of a prosperous bakery found wedged under a wonky table leg; a lost Throne coin fished out of a midden that will feed a [[Sarvos|Sarvosan]] orphan for a month; a dusty bottle of hundred-year-old wine from the vineyards of [[Astolat]] found at the back of an old wardrobe. Other times it takes the shape of outrageous coincidence; the travelling Merchant-Prince whose unexpected bout of food poisoning positions a country [[Surgical skills#Physick|physick]] in exactly the right place at the right time to benefit from their grateful largesse; an overheard conversation that provides lucrative inside information about an upcoming deal; an accident that delays a trip to the market to just the right time to take advantage of a trader's desire not to have to take any of their merchandise home.

As a consequence, every Imperial citizen attending [[Anvil]] for the Summer Solstice receives a small amount of additional income, even if they are not based in one of the affected territories. Rather than 18 rings every character will receive 26 rings representing additional profits or lucky finds.

===Participation===
Every character at Anvil will have benefitted from one of the unlooked for windfalls that have appeared randomly all across the Empire in recent times. The extra money always comes from somewhere, the magic doesn't make wealth appear from nowhere, but everyone is encouraged to create one or two tales of some benevolent serendipity that has brought good fortune their way this season. It might be a peculiar object that you found and were able to sell at a profit or an unexpected opportunity that came your way.

==Blood of Autumn==
* '''People with the cambion lineage can increase their trappings if they wish'''
* '''Once during the Summer Solstice a cambion can restore their personal reserves with a burst of Autumn magic'''
During the last three months, characters with the [[cambion]] [[lineage]] have been exposed to powerful Autumn magic, with a number of potential effects. Every cambion is affected differently, and it is entirely fine to ignore these changes, or to downplay their effect. The ''Bounty of the Brilliant Broker'' has strengthened the [[Cambion#Roleplaying_cambion|influence of the Autumn realm]] on the Empire, and by extension on all Imperial cambion. Its effects may linger for the duration of the Summer Solstice, increasing the impact of one or more of the cambion's roleplaying trappings. Cambions who have been exposed to the Bounty of the Brilliant Broker may find themselves feeling especially driven, competitive, and opinionated - but find it more difficult to resist treating others as nothing more than tools to further their own ruthless plans. A cambion may also find that the Bounty has permanently or temporarily strengthened the [[Cambion#Iconic_trappings|trappings]] of their lineage.

The lingering Autumn magic also allows any cambion character to use a special magical ability ''once'' during the coming event. Following five seconds of [[appropriate roleplaying]] during which you '''either''' ''verbally denounce a political rival'', or ''enthusiastically monologue about your ambitions and goals'', you may choose to do one of the following
* Restore a single spent hero point
* Regain up to two points of personal mana
* [[Roleplaying_effects#Overcoming_Roleplaying_Effects|Overcome a roleplaying effect]] as if you had spent a hero point.

You cannot take any offensive action or move from the spot while you are performing this appropriate roleplaying and it must be obvious to everyone within ten feet that you are ''doing something'' - the ability cannot be used secretly. As with similar abilities, it can't be used if you are [[Calls#WEAKEN|weakened]] or [[Combat#Dying|dying]].

After the battle or encounter where you use this ability, you experience a [[roleplaying effect]] depending on how you triggered it.
* If you denounced a political rival, you feel driven to confront that rival (or someone connected with them) and either recruit them to your cause or make it clear that they will not interfere with your plans.
* If you enthusiastically monologued about your ambitions and goals, you feel driven to recruit allies who can help you realise your ambitions, or take some other concrete step towards achieving your goal.
This roleplaying effect will last no more than an hour.
==Ripples of Gold==
* '''Following the Summer Solstice, any business can choose to diversify once without paying the usual costs'''
* '''Businesses have the opportunity to diversify their production in a significant number of new ways'''
As a consequence, after the Summer Solstice any business owner has the option to [[Business#Diversification|diversify]] their resource without paying the usual costs to do so. Normally, diversifying a personal resource costs 1 Throne each time it is done; this cost is waived until the start of the Autumn Equinox.

Furthermore, the range of options available to business owners who do diversify has been significantly increased. They can already diversify to mine resources. Thanks to the many factors set in motion by the Autumn enchantment, they also gain the ability to diversify so as to gain two measures of a specific forest resource, 2 drams of a chosen herb, a dose of [[liao]], or a single mana crystal. These additional diversification options represent specific trade agreements or changes to the way the business operates. The options will remain available for at least the next year, and potentially indefinitely assuming nothing significant changes.

==Wages of Wickedness==
* '''The Bailiffs of the Guttered Flame offer a limited deal to allow Imperial business owners to acquire a wain of mithril, white granite, or weirwood'''
* '''Their special vouchers are intended to be used with the ''Ephisis' Scale'' ritual and will only be redeemable during the Summer Solstice'''
* '''The wains they are selling have been seized from the vaults of Pharam Vex, the Voivode of Chains, and are surely proceeds of the slave trade'''
The ''Bounty of the Brilliant Broker'' also offers an opportunity for business owners to trade with more esoteric merchants. As the Summer Solstice approaches, otherworldly caravans emerge from Autumn regio around [[Tassato]], [[Sarvos]], [[Holberg]], [[Temeschwar]], [[Mitwold#Meade|Meade]], [[Madruga#Siroc|Siroc]], [[Redoubt#Cargo|Cargo]], and [[Hahnmark#Kalpaheim|Kalpaheim]]. They bear with them peculiar brass wagons drawn by massive six-legged lizards with scales of polished lead. After speaking with civil servants associated with the Bourse, they unload significant amounts of [[white granite]], [[weirwood]], and [[mithril]] into Imperial warehouses, receiving Bourse notes in return.

Interested onlookers find the heralds - members of the ''Bailiffs of the Guttered Flame'' - eager to talk about their business. They primarily hail from the [[Ephisis|City of Gold and Lead]], but represent interests across all the cities of the Autumn realm. The valuable magical materials are not gifts for the Empire, but rather they are being "banked" so that the heralds can acquire "scrip" - a term they use to describe Bourse notes - so they can engage in trade with Imperial merchants. They are a little evasive about how precisely they intend to do that - there is some speculation that an auction is planned. A week before the Summer Solstice, however, it becomes clear that they have something else in mind.

Through various means both mundane and supernatural, every business owner visiting Anvil finds themselves in possession of a single voucher. These vouchers can be used to engage in trade with the ''Bailiffs of the Guttered Flame'' to purchase wains. A wain of Mithril costs 16 crowns, a wain of white granite costs 20 crowns, and a wain of weirwood costs 24 crowns. The vouchers are only usable during the Summer Solstice, and can only be used once to purchase one wain. All that is required is that the voucher be placed in a container with the appropriate amount of money as part of the performance of the [[Ephisis' Scale]] ritual. The box must only contain vouchers and money, but any number of vouchers can be redeemed with a single casting as long as enough money is included. If more than one type of wain is required, the vouchers should be marked appropriately. Each voucher is imbued with Autumn Magic, that will fade away after the Summer Solstice.

When asked why they have set up such a complicated method of trade, the representatives of the ''Guttered Flame'' explain that by using what they call the ''Mundane Exchange'' they will be better able to demonstrate their ability to produce wealth to various factions of Autumn realm whose attention they are keen to secure. If the sale goes well, it will open up many more opportunities for them to gain wealth and influence and build the prestige of their guild.

The Bailiffs of the Guttered Flame specialise in acquiring the assets of those with significant debts in the Autumn realm, or who run afoul of the [[Lictors]]. They recently gained prestige and notoriety selling off various possessions of the [[Reed_of_fortune|Reckoner of Hours]], after that heralds disastrous fall from grace at the hands of the [[Archmage of Autumn]]. It turns out, however, that this recent enterprise is being financed with resources gained from a potentially controversial source. Over the last six months they have bought up all the assets that used to belong to ''[[Ephisis#Pharam_Vex.2C_Voivode_of_Chains|Pharam Vex, Voivode of Chains]]''. After that powerful herald was killed by Imperial soldiers during what the heralds insist on calling "''[[Burning#Temple_of_Chains|that unfortunate Rachensgrab incident]]''" their estates were seized and sold to pay their debts. The wains they are selling were claimed from the extensive vaults beneath the ''Cage of Gold'', that part of the City of Gold and Lead once overseen by the deceased herald and their servants. It stands to reason then that they are proceeds from the slave trade. The Bailiffs of the Guttered Flame are keen to make good on their investment, and don't see why the source of the goods should be a problem. As news of the provenance of their wains begins to spread, however, there are several vocal citizens who disagree and argue that anyone who buys one of these wains is benefitting from slavery, pragmatism be damned.

Once the Summer Solstice is over, the Bailiffs of the Guttered Flame intend to reclaim the materials they have placed in Imperial warehouses, assuming there are any left. That means the letters of acquisition they have issued are only valid at the forthcoming summit.

==Enchanted Brokers==
* '''Any character whose business was enchanted during the Spring Equinox will receive a special bonus'''
A few businesses seem particularly lucky, and attract an additional benefit. Any character whose business was enchanted with [[Rivers of Gold]], [[Streams of Silver]], or [[Gift of the Wily Broker]] during the Spring Equinox will receive a ribbon in their pack for a trinket they have acquired. They are encouraged to make up a story appropriate to their characterisation and the nature of their business to explain how they came by them. Each of these trinkets is a minor [[magic items|magic item]] that must be [[create bond|bonded]] as normal, and most have only a couple of seasons remaining before they expire. You'll need to provide your own phys-rep, but a small article of jewellery, a metal token or bangle of some kind would be ideal.

==Treasures of the Earth==
* '''The wash of Autumn magic has awoken some hitherto unfamiliar minerals in the depths of the Empire's mines'''
* '''Each type of mine produces a different substance'''
Imperial magicians and herbalists are familiar with the rare herb [[realmsroot]] that prospers in places where magic flows freely. For some time, philosophers have pondered whether there may be other examples of things that remain quiescent in the absence of powerful magic. Following the Spring Equinox, more evidence is found that this might indeed by the case. As the Autumn magic washes over the Empire, a handful of miners report previously unknown minerals found in the depths of some of the deepest and most prosperous mines.

These fruits of the earth seem to come in four different "flavours" depending on the mine where they are uncovered, and seem to be superlatively rare. They take the form of irregular geodes, within which are found vibrantly coloured crystals and stones. It's difficult to open these mineral formations without the crystals within shattering, but the shards and dust left behind lose none of their eerie arcane potency. In the hands of a skilled [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisan]], this magic can be unlocked to empower existing [[magic items]]. After being used once, the deepstone loses its power, crumbling to inert dust. Artisans and mine owners have catalogued four different varieties of ''deepstone'', and determined that each is associated with a single magical metal.

* ''Warstones'' are found in deposits of [[green iron]]. An artisan can use them to partially restore the power of a magic [[:Category:Daggers|dagger]], [[:Category:One-handed Weapons|One-handed weapon]], [[:Category:Great Weapons|great weapon]], [[:Category:One-handed Spears|One-handed spear]], [[:Category:Paired Weapons|paired weapon]], [[:Category:Polearms|polearm]], or [[:Category:Arcane_Weapons|arcane weapon]].
* ''Bloodstones'' are found in deposits of [[weltsilver]]. They can be used to restore power to [[Magic_items#Armour|magic armour]], including [[:Category:Mage Robes|mage robes]], [[:Category:Mage Armour|mage armour]], or [[:Category:Vestments|vestments]] that allow the wearer to use the [[heroic skills#Relentless|relentless]] or [[Heroic skills#Unstoppable|unstoppable]] ability.
* ''Spellstones'' are found near [[tempest jade]], and can be used to restore spellcasting abilities to a [[:Category:Wands|wand]], [[:Category:Rods|rod]], or [[:Category:Staffs|staff]].
* ''Heartstones'' are found alongside [[orichalcum]], and grant additional resistance to damage to [[Magic_items#Armour|magic armour]] (including [[:Category:Mage Robes|mage robes]], [[:Category:Mage Armour|mage armour]], or [[:Category:Vestments|vestments]]) that provides additional ranks of [[Combat skills#Endurance|endurance]].

===Using Deepstones===
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
A deepstone is represented by a '''potion lammy'''. The card needs to be accompanied by a phys-rep. Ideal phys-reps are small crystals or gems, geodes, or pouches of sand or dust.

Each deepstone is used in the same way; they must be held in one hand by a character with the artisan skill, who engages in 30 seconds of appropriate roleplaying involving manipulating the deepstone and the target magic item. The magic item must be bonded to a character, and both must be present throughout. If the character of their target attacks another character, or is hit, then the evocation fails. The deepstone is not lost but you must begin evoking it again. Once evoked successfully, a deepstone becomes inert; they can only be used once.

The deepstone only works on a magic item; it need not be an item the artisan knows how to work but must be represented by a ribbon that has not expired.
====Warstone====
* '''Requirement:''' Targets a magic [[:Category:Daggers|dagger]], [[:Category:One-handed Weapons|one-handed weapon]], [[:Category:Great Weapons|great weapon]], [[:Category:One-handed Spears|one-handed spear]], [[:Category:Paired Weapons|paired weapon]], [[:Category:Polearms|polearm]], or [[:Category:Arcane_Weapons|arcane weapon]] that has a power which allows the wielder to call [[Calls#CLEAVE|CLEAVE]], [[Calls#IMPALE|IMPALE]], or [[Calls#Strikedown|STRIKEDOWN]] a number of times each day. The item must be bonded to a character, and both must be present throughout.
* '''Effect:''' Restores one daily use of the CLEAVE, IMPALE, or STRIKEDOWN call (depending on the weapon).
====Bloodstone====
* '''Requirement:''' Targets a suit of [[Magic_items#Armour|magic armour]], including [[:Category:Mage Robes|mage robes]], [[:Category:Mage Armour|mage armour]], or [[:Category:Vestments|vestments]] that allows the wearer to use the [[heroic skills#Relentless|relentless]] or [[Heroic skills#Unstoppable|unstoppable]] ability a limited number of times each day. The item must be bonded to a character, and both must be present throughout.
* '''Effect:''' Restores one daily use of either relentless or unstoppable, as appropriate to the magic item.

====Spellstone====
* '''Requirement:''' Targets a magic [[:Category:Wands|wand]], [[:Category:Rods|rod]], or [[:Category:Staffs|staff]] that allows the wielder to cast a spell a limited number of times per day. The item must be bonded to a character, and both must be present throughout.
* '''Effect:''' Restores one daily use of the spell the item provides. It only works on implements that let the wielder perform a [[Spellcasting#Regular_Spells|regular]] or [[Spellcasting#Offensive_Spells|offensive]] spell.

====Heartstone====
* '''Requirement:''' Targets a suit of [[Magic_items#Armour|magic armour]], including [[:Category:Mage Robes|mage robes]], [[:Category:Mage Armour|mage armour]], or [[:Category:Vestments|vestments]] that grants an additional rank of [[combat skills#Endurance|endurance]] . The item must be bonded to a character, and both must be present throughout.
* '''Effect:''' Grants the wearer one additional rank of endurance. The effect lasts until the end of the next battle, skirmish or quest the character participates in; until the end of the current event; or until the character removes the magic armour whichever is sooner. This bonus rank of endurance does ''not'' stack with itself - only one total rank can be gained through the use of a heartstone.
</div>
<br>
Click ''Expand'' to see a summary of the four deepstones' powers.

===Investment Opportunities===
* '''It is possible to use certain ritual enchantments to find more deepstones during the Summer Solstice'''
*'''Doing so consumes a deepstone as an additional component for the ritual'''
The deepstones seem remarkably rare; easily as rare as realmsroot. Some arcane theoreticians however suggest that even with the magic of the Imperial Autumn fading, there may be a way to find some more. The ritual [[Revelation of the Jewel's Sparkling Heart]] uses [[Day magic]] to find valuable minerals underground, and seems ideal for this purpose. A [[Varushka|Varushkan]] magician by the name of ''Vona Ovanovitch'', an itinerant who occasionally visits the [[Master_of_Ice_and_Darkness#The_Icy_Crag_of_the_Eternal_Sun|Icy Crag of the Eternal Sun]], has also mentioned a ritual called ''Bulging at the Seams'' which might also be perfect for identifying deepstones before their power recedes entirely.

During the Summer Solstice, it is possible to perform either of these rituals on a mine while using a deepstone of any kind as a focus. The deepstone will be destroyed in the process, but will warp the enchantment so that instead of producing any additional ingots of material, the mine will produce four deepstones. After the Summer Solstice, the magic that roused these deepstones will have faded, and this technique won't work again.

==Dissonant Growth==
* '''Farms have produced inedible crops, some of which bear obvious signs of Autumn magic'''
* '''Forests have produced peculiar fruit, composed of inorganic minerals'''
Not every effect of the ''Bounty of the Brilliant Broker'' has been universally well received, however. The dissonant effects of the Autumn Imperial enchantment coming so closely on the heels of ''Hallow of the Green World'' have had very unexpected results. Their impact is even felt in [[the Barrens]] and [[Bregasland]], places not impacted by the Spring ritual. The ongoing effects of [[Children in bloom]] are not impacted - it is still possible to ''enhance farms'' and so forth. However, the expected production of every [[farm]] and [[forest]] in the Empire has been altered by the Autumn magic, in ways that are impossible to ignore.
===Inedible Residues===
* '''Imperial farms produce 72 fewer rings this season'''
* '''Instead each farm owner receives a dose of ''Ashen Residue'''''
A portion of the expected production of every farm has been transmuted into inedible, inorganic, twisted, weird material. Ears of corn that fall apart like loose sand when touched. Fleece that blunts the shears of the shepherds, having more in common with metal than wool. Agglutinate milk that flows sluggishly and tastes absolutely vile. Cabbages whose leaves have the consistency of parchment and crumble to ashes when handled. At first this leaves farmers angry and worried - concerned that this might represent some spreading blight. Then an [[Urizen]] magician, one of the "farmers" who oversees a unit of ''ushabti'' labourers, carefully examines the peculiar residues and publishes their findings. The broken and twisted "produce" of the farms is rich in a particular kind of Autumn magic that might be of even more interest to magicians than rice and carrots. Grudgingly, farmers start to gather the ruined produce, enlisting the help of local magicians to determine which parts are valuable.

Every farm owner in the Empire will find that their farm has produced 72 fewer rings than expected this season. Instead, their packs will contain a dose of ''Ashen Residue'' - the remains of produce ruined by Autumn magic. This peculiar consumable can be consumed by a [[Magical skills#magician|magician]] to cast either the [[mend]] or [[entangle]] spell as if they knew it, without spending any personal mana. It has potentially greater use to an adept of [[Magical_skills#Realm_Lore|Autumn lore]]. Provided every contributor to the ritual has mastered it, the Ashen Residue can be used in place of crystal mana, providing ''all'' the required mana for any Autumn ritual of magnitude 8 or lower. It can't be combined with actual crystal mana; the whole cost is paid but the magnitude of the ritual cannot be higher than 8. So, for example, the ''ashen residue'' could be used when performing [[Streams of Silver]] - a magnitude two ritual - and the casters could add up to four additional targets raising the magnitude to six, and still make use of the residue. The residue is useless for performing [[Arcane projection|arcane projections]], due to the inability of magicians to master them (and because the arcane projection itself provides all the mana needed when the magic is magnitude 8 or lower). While it has similarities to [[Vis#Warm_Ashes|warm ashes]] it's clearly not as versatile as actual [[vis]] - but there are surely magicians out there who would be interested in acquiring it.

'''Phys-Repping the Residue:''' The residue will have a card similar to a [[potion]] lammy, which will need to be attached to or kept with a phys-rep. A simple phys-rep for Ashen Reside would be a pouch of small box containing sand, ashes, or other powder.

===Hard Apples===
* '''Imperial forests produce 2 fewer measures of material this season'''
* '''Instead each forest owner receives a single piece of ''metallic fruit'''''
At the same time as Imperial farmers are seeing their crops turn twisted and inedible, the [[forest]] owners of the Empire are encountering strange effects of their own. Instead of [[beggar's lye]], [[ambergelt]], or the like, as Summer draws closer, small numbers of strange blossoms appear on the branches of otherwise normal trees. Seemingly made of metal, the flowers are a nine-day-wonder, but the fruit that comes from them is especially strange. Some appear to be familiar fruit, nuts, or berries, while others are very odd indeed - twisted shapes not seen in any Imperial forest, even odder than chaos fruit which are at least recognisable ''as'' fruit. All have one thing in common - they are composed of inorganic material. Some are metal, others mineral, all inedible.

At first taken to be little more than curios, these fruit appear to be ''very'' interesting to [[eternal|eternals]] - and not just of the realm of Autumn. Discussions with Autumn magicians and heralds of [[Ephisis]] lead Imperial magicians to determine that such fruit can be targeted by any ritual that trades with an eternal - rituals such as [[Before the Throne of Estavus]], [[Tithe of Bats]], [[Wellspring of the High Peak]], and [[Gift of Knowledge]]. They seem to be a legitimate target for all those rituals - even the ones that require a specific kind of material - and valued as equivalent to 5 whole ingots or measures. When used by themselves, they result in the ritual providing a single piece of [[vis]]. They can also be included alongside more traditional materials without increasing the magnitude of the ritual, even where the ritual does not normally allow additional targets as with ''Gift of Knowledge''.

There is some speculation that the ''metallic fruit'' may work the same way if included alongside, or in place of, a [[magic items|magic item]] given as [[Tribute to the Thrice-Cursed Court|tribute]] to the to [[The Thrice-cursed Court]], but nobody can say for sure as the Empire's relationship with [[Skathe]] means the ritual is interdicted.

'''Phys-Repping the Fruit:''' Each weird fruit has a potion lammy, which must be attached to or kept with a phys-rep. Suitable phys-reps are anything small but obviously inorganic. A normal piece of fruit or a nut sprayed metallic colour would work, as would a pouch or box of round stones or glass beads.

===Menhirs and Mana===
* '''Some Marcher farms have undergone even more extreme transformations'''
* '''Farms with more than two sets of menhirs have started to transform into mana sites'''
* '''Anyone with a farm in the Marches can swap for an equivalent level mana site without the standard costs'''
* '''Any farms that have been diversified in this way more than two times will receive a refund after the Summer Solstice as the structures begin to break down'''
* '''It is no longer possible to diversify farms in the Marches to produce more than two mana crystals a season'''
A handful of farms in [[the Marches]] have experienced additional changes, sparked by the Imperial enchantment. Some of the farms that have had [[Farm#Diversification|menhirs built on them]] are turning into mana sites! The farms that produce more than two [[Game_items#Mana_Crystals|mana crystals]] each season have started to change; transforming into [[mana site|mana sites]]. '''Circle of the Rosy Rook''', a small circle of [[landskeeper|landskeepers]] who keep their business in the market-town of [[Mitwold#Wayford|Wayford]], have offered to help any Marchers who want to retain their farm as a farm by deconstructing the menhirs in the week after the Summer Solstice. The circle will even pay for the stone they take away, to the tune of a throne for each set of menhirs.

Troubadour's Tunic

2026-08-14T19:00:47Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Description */

==Description==
{{CaptionedImage|file=Chain and Surcote.jpg|title=This enchanted robe grants a devout wearer a great reserve of inner strength.|caption=These robes are often adorned with heraldry in [[Dawn]].|align=right|width=400}}
A ''Troubadour's Tunic'', ''Templar's Cuculla'', or a ''Sutannir's Coat'' (in [[Dawn]], [[Highguard]], and [[The Brass Coast]] respectively) is an ornamented priestly garment that helps the wearer connect with their inner reserves of passion and personal power. Both [[Navarr]] and [[Varushka|Varushkan]] priests favour a more subdued coat, with a brightly coloured and decorated interior - not because they are modest, or afraid of calling attention to themselves, but because it allows them to move among the people unremarked until it is time for them to take action. Regardless of form, this vestment is heavily reinforced with pieces of [[Materials#Dragonbone|dragonbone]], which help to connect the priest to their own reserves of inner strength.

The vestment generally appeals to two distinct priestly paths. More martial priests wear it beneath their armour when they take the battlefield, sometimes in conjunction with a weapon such as an [[Apprentice's Blade]], [[Thresher's Cudgel]], or [[Butcher's Cleaver]]. Others draw on the power it offers to help them endure dangerous [[roleplaying effects|urges]] or to [[Heroic skills#Get it Together|inspire]] and [[Heroic skills#Stay With Me|protect]] their allies.

As with many such [[magic items]] intended for the use of priests, a Troubadours Tunic is often [[hallow|hallowed]] to offer additional spiritual strength to the wearer. Common choices include [[Auras of Prosperity#Hallowing of the Shepherd|Hallowing of the Shepherd]], the [[Auras of Courage#Hallowing of Isaella's Resolve|Hallowing of Isaella's Resolve]] or [[Auras of Courage#Hallowing of Ashwine's Rose|Ashwine's Rose]], or the [[Auras of Vigilance#Hallowing of the Unconquered|Hallowing of the Unconquered]].

==Rules==
{{Vestments}}
* '''Effect:''' You gain two additional [[Heroic skills#Hero Points|hero points]].
* '''Materials:''' Crafting a Troubadour's Tunic requires seven ingots of [[Materials#Green Iron|green iron]], four measures of [[Materials#Beggar's Lye|beggar's lye]], five measures of [[materials#Iridescent Gloaming|iridescent gloaming]], and nineteen measures of [[Materials#Dragonbone|dragonbone]]. It takes one month to make one of these items.

Clear Counsel of the Everflowing River

2026-08-10T14:40:14Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Preparing the Question */

==Rules==
{{Season|Night|20}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|2}} {{regio|night}} In addition, a member of the coven must have [[#Preparing the question|prepared and delivered]] a suitable question to Sung using the [[Operate portal#Invite Eternal|operate portal]] spell and a specially crafted effigy no later than time out the previous night.
===Effects===
This ritual allows the casters to seek aid from the eternal [[Sung]] in solving a mystery that eludes them. At the climax of the ritual, the casters must clearly voice their pre-prepared question aloud.

Sung will only offer guidance relating to a mystery - and her guidance is likely to be cryptic and full of allusion and symbolism. The ritual can only be performed if the casters have already alerted Sung to the mystery they wish to explore, but otherwise there is no restriction on when it may be performed.

Completion of the ritual allows Sung to speak to the ritualists and provide aid in the exploration of a mystery. In theory the eternal can converse with the ritualists for up to five minutes before the power of the ritual ebbs, but in practice Sung will usually deliver her response and then depart. If anyone attempts to use the regio to perform a ritual while the conversation is ongoing, however, the effect of Clear Counsel of the Everflowing River will end prematurely.

===Additional Targets===
The ritual can be used to ask additional prepared questions. The magnitude increases by 20 for each additional question.
===Preparing the Question===
The question the coven wishes to ask Sung must be submitted at least the night before the ritual is to be cast to give the eternal time to consider their response. The question must be written on a strip of paper that begins "The ''named coven'' asks Sung why..." The paper is then wrapped around a specially prepared effigy which can be sent to Sung by any magician casting [[Operate portal#Invite Eternal|operate portal]] on it. You should then hand the paper and the effigy to a referee or to a member of the GOD team who can make a record of the message and who sent it.

When a coven that submitted a question next performs Clear Counsel of the Everflowing River they may ask the eternal for the answer (or at least for assistance with the mystery they are interested in). The nature of the effigy is such that Sung will know who has sent the question and will likely ignore anything that is not submitted by a member of the named coven.

Any character who has mastered Clear Counsel of the Everflowing River can craft a suitable effigy from 2 measures of '''[[Materials#Ambergelt|ambergelt]]''' but only between summits. It takes too long to fashion a suitable effigy at a summit. The button to ''craft effigy'' appears on the right hand side of your character screen when you view your character, provided you have the ritual mastered and sufficient ambergelt in your inventory. A phys-rep for the effigy will be included in your pack at the next event; it does not expire.

Each effigy allows a single question to be submitted. It is possible to use more than one effigy to submit additional questions, but it is unwise to do this unless you intend to perform the ritual sufficient times to ask all the questions you have submitted.

The ritual creates an implicit agreement between the coven and Sung. The eternal agrees to answer every properly-submitted question to the best of their ability, the coven agrees to perform the ritual to converse with Sung for each question they submit. Asking questions that are not then accompanied by a suitable casting of the ritual before the end of the summit will anger the eternal and risks retribution against those involved.

===Assurance===
This ritual draws on the power of the eternal [[Sung]]. For some time there was an impression that the ritual did not have an [[Eternals_and_rituals#Assurance_and_Stipulation|agreement]] associated with it. Following the esoteric conjunction of [[the Lock]] and [[the Key]] in Autumn 384YE, however, it became clear there was a subtle ''assurance'' built into the ritual. Should the Empire ever disband the [[Unfettered Mind]] [[Conclave]] [[Conclave order|order]], Sung is freed from the requirement to provide assistance and may respond to the question posed by the ritualists however she wishes - including simply ignoring it.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=EvilWizard.jpg|title=Simarghl, a Varushkan magician termed "the Empty One", managed to create a text for this ritual despite having lost his position as Dean of the Lyceum several months previously. He refused to provide any explanation as to how he did it.|caption=This ritual lends itself well to performance using veils or masks - rendering the identity a mystery.|align=right|width=300}}</div>

==Description==
Codified by Simargl, the Empty One, in early Spring 379YE, and added to Imperial lore at the equinox, this ritual was created with the assistance of the eternal [[Sung]]. The Rainbow Serpent possesses a well known fascination for mysteries of all kinds. It bears some similarities to the commonly known ritual [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]] – although as a ritual of the realm of Night the magic involved in its actual performance differs greatly from that ritual of the realm of Day.

The Counsel works by first using the [[operate portal]] spell to send an ambergelt effigy and a question to Sung, the Night eternal, and solicits her insight into a specific question. It is clear that Sung will never simply provide the answer to a question, even if she knows it – unlike the straightforward nature of Leviathan, it is not in the nature of this winged serpent to deny a petitioner the pleasure of unravelling a mystery themselves.

Rather, she might provide hints or cryptic advice as to how to approach the mystery; she might send one of her heralds to actively assist the ritualists in their explorations; she might point them in the direction of someone or something who can help them make progress; she might deliver an enciphered clue, or a riddle whose solution points to the next step in uncovering the truth. In some cases, she might even provide assistance to help the ritualists uncover the true question – the question she thinks they should be asking.

The ritual is almost useless when it comes to determining simple facts; using it to ask a simple question whose answer is easily uncovered and known to many such as “Who is the [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarmish]] ambassador?” is likely to result in a sharp and unhelpful response. Ideally, the ritual is used to gain assistance with investigating something genuinely baffling, confusing or puzzling.

The second part of the ritual must be performed at a strong Night regio – the [[Regio#The_Imperial_Regio|regio at Anvil]] is quite sufficient – at least one night after the effigy has been sent but no later than the end of the summit. The ritual is employed to create a connection between the mortal realm and the realm of Night, allowing the eternal to speak to the ritualists. Her primary concern will be to deliver her counsel to those who performed the ritual, but she might linger for a few moments to discuss other matters. This is very unlikely to result in a physical manifestation – and even when it does, it will be a projection or shadowy seeming of Sung rather than her actual presence. Occasionally, the result might be a herald of Sung especially if the eternal does not know the answer to the question raised, and is intrigued by the mystery it poses.

If for some reasons the ritualists are unable to contact Sung at a regio, she may choose to respond in a different manner but this is impossible to predict. Such responses are likely to take the form of visitations by heralds; however, it is likely she will want an explanation as to why the ritualists failed to complete their magic and a poor answer may sour relations between the coven and the Rainbow Serpent.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Effigy of Sung.png|caption=Each [[Materials#Ambergelt|ambergelt]] effigy allows one question to be put to [[Sung]]. The ritual then allows Sung to provide an answer to that question.|align=right|width=200}}</div>
==Common Elements==
This is a divination in two parts. The first part of the ritual can be performed anywhere and is reasonably straightforward. As a ritual of the realm of Night that petitions Sung, elements that obscure the identity of the practitioners – or the performance itself – are strongly resonant. Masks, veils, hoods and cloaks are all appropriate to the ritualists (as is the dramaturgical Instrument of the Cloak, obviously) – especially if they are brightly coloured to match the wings of the eternal evoked.

Performing the ritual in darkness – or most especially by the light of the stars, moon or a single candle is also strongly resonant with the magic. The ritual might be performed in whispers, and a suggestion from the Nameless One was that the ideal way to perform this ritual is to do it in front of an audience who, while they know a ritual is being performed, are left baffled as to the precise nature of that ritual.

The props used in divination are also appropriate – gazing into a bowl of water or a piece of smoked glass is an obvious element, as is burning a feather and observing the smoke. Runes or cards might be repeatedly cast or consulted, and patterns identified – indeed, doing so might provide unexpected, intuitive insight into the mystery in question even before Sung becomes involved.

The question itself, ideally, is written down so that it is clear what it is the ritualists wish to ask Sung. The performers might meditate on the question, or burn the parchment as part of the ritual.

The rune [[Wyr]] resonates well with this ritual, as does the [[Dramaturgy#Persona|persona]] of [[the Witch]] or [[the Mountebank]]. A [[Dawn|Dawnish]] magician might evoke images of [[Legendary_beasts#Sphinxes_and_Manticores|sphinxes]] or owls (a beast also appropriate to both [[Varushka|Varushkan]] and [[Wintermark]] performances, of course). The [[Astronomancy|astronomancer]] might point to the constellations of [[The_Key_and_The_Lock#The_Key|the Key]], [[The_Spider_and_The_Web#The_Spider|the Spider]] or [[The_Spider_and_The_Web#The_Web|the Web]].
==Questions and Answers==
<div style="float; left; margin-right: 10px; width:600px; max-width:40%; float: right;">
<box>'''OOC Design'''<br>
The Empire setting includes countless descriptions of many mysterious locations, lost items, and other legends as part of the setting. In the overwhelming majority of cases there is no current plot based around these elements. Rather they exist as plot hooks for us to use to create plot at some point in the future. If you ask Sung about one of these "mysteries" she will tell you that she does not believe this mystery is ready to give up its secrets yet. The ritual can only provide you with useful information if the mystery you are asking about is linked to a plot that we are running at the time, or have run in the past. We won't write a new plot just to respond to a divination ritual or similar, so Sung will claim there is nothing she can tell you that will be useful and give you a rainbow feather instead.

You are always better to use the ritual to ask about an ongoing plot, in which case Sung will give you all the information she can on the subject, based on what the eternal knows. To help us provide Sung's answer, it's good to make sure that the question you submit is clear on what you are asking about.

You are welcome to ask Sung questions about deep metaphysical questions like "where does the soul go when I die" - but in general these are matters of faith in the game, they are not questions we will ever provide answers to, so Sung will respond positively - she enjoys mysteries - but she can't provide insight that will give you a definitive answer.

There are a handful of mysteries that you can ask Sung about, that she won't provide an answer to. These are foundational myths of the Empire, like where did the Steinr and Vard come from or
</box>
</div>
Sung never knowingly lies, but she rarely tells the entire truth as she knows it. She enjoys misleading and obfuscating, hiding the "facts" in layers of doubt designed to allow people to come to their own conclusions. Speaking about direct facts or trying to cut through to the heart of a situation is a surefire way to annoy this subtle Eternal.

Those who petition Sung for guidance will usually find their replies are dependent on the nature of the question they ask. If the mystery they are dealing with is something that is pertinent and immediate, if it concerns something that is happening at Anvil or relevant to events there, then the Spiral Dancer will usually offer whatever wisdom or insight they can provide. If they know how the questioner might investigate the mystery themselves then they will say so. For example if Sung knows that a Wintermark mystic is planning to visit Anvil that summit with further information that could provide insight then they will respond by telling the questioner where to go or who to speak to. They will usually follow this with a riddle or puzzle which if solved provides advice that might be useful when pursuing the lead that Sung has provided.

Sung dislikes the eternals of the Day realm, but she is not above directing questioners towards them if she feels the question warrants it. She will usually do this when she is asked a question to which the answer is a matter of contemporary fact or historical record rather than a mystery. For example if an item is lost, she may direct the coven to approach [[Kimus]] about it. If the subject concerns Imperial history, she may encourage the coven to consider [[Historical research|asking the Senate for help]] or contacting [[Phaleron|The Great Library]] or [[Leviathan]]. It is clear that Sung has little interest in such matters, but since she is duty-bound to help if she can, she will provide the questioners with one way to find the knowledge they seek.

If the question is about a mystery which is not currently topical, which does not pertain to current events at Anvil or beyond, then Sung will let the questioner know that she does not believe that this mystery is ready to give up its answers at this time. If the Lady of Mysteries thinks there is a mystery that the questioner should be considering instead then she may encourage them to consider that matter. If this happens, if Sung is not able to give the ritualists any insight on the matter, then she will often give the casters one of her [[Sung#Boons|rainbow feathers]] in place of an answer.
<div style="float; left; margin-right: 10px; width:600px; max-width:40%; float: right; clear: right;">
<box>
'''Sungs Refusal'''<br>
There are a handful of mysteries that Sung refuses to provide help with, claiming that to do so would make the world less mysterious. The current list of questions the Spiral Dancer won't answer is:
* '''The provenance of the buildings believed attributed to the Sentinel'''
* '''The name of the First Empress'''
* '''Where the [[Steinr]] and the Vard [[Wintermark_history#Origins|came from]]'''
* '''The {{Black Plateau}}'''
</box>
</div>
If the eternal is asked about a mythic or foundational mystery then she will refuse to help. She will respond that "It is the mystery which endures. The light of truth kills the mystery, and leaves the seeker desolate." This is a warning from Sung to those magicians seeking her aid that uncovering the mystery will bring them no joy or satisfaction. If the question has an answer then Sung does not know it (some scholars claim Sung deliberately choses not to know), but more importantly finding the answer can only weaken the world by making it less mystical and enigmatic. The first time a coven asks such a question she will usually grant them one of her [[Sung#Boons|rainbow feathers]] in place of an answer.

If the eternal has been asked about one of the "great mysteries", that is a question that pertains to matters of spirituality, morality, or existential philosophy then she will engage with the ritualists, usually responding with questions or an enigma to consider. It is Sung's professed view that there is no single answer to such questions, so the eternal's assumption is that those who are asking don't want an ''answer'', they want help to develop wisdom and understanding. The Whispering Wind is fascinated by the priests of Way, but apparently loves to tease them by presenting heretical or blasphemous viewpoints.

Like all divinations that solicit the aid of an eternal, Sung is bound to offer assistance but that assistance is limited both by the bounds of her knowledge, and by her essential nature (an aspect of the [[Laws_of_magic#The_Law_of_Essence|Law of Essence]], of course). As with similar magic, the true power of the ritual is to provide a group of practitioners with the ability to communicate with the eternal in a certain way, with the expectation of a response that – while it might not be immediately helpful – will be at least as useful as an audience with that eternal might have been.
<quote by="From the original text">'''On the Nature of Mysteries and Secrets'''
Sung is the Lord of Mysteries and the Lady of Illusions; she is only minimally interested in “secrets”- something she leaves to the eternals of the Whisper Gallery. The difference is often difficult to explain.

A secret is something that is known only to a few. For example, the special combination needed to open the vault of a League banker is a secret. The banker knows it; her wife might also know it; the artisan who created the vault might know it. The nature of the combination is a simple fact – a string of numbers – a secret rather than a mystery.

A mystery is something baffling, something to which there is no straightforward answer, or something that nobody knows the answer to. The difference can be surprisingly subjective. Imagine that the League banker's vault were discovered in an empty house. For those who found the vault, stripped of context, it becomes a mystery. “Whose vault is this?” they might ask. “What might it contain? How might we open it? Why is it here in this empty house?” While the answers to those questions might appear straightforward, for the people asking the questions they represent a mystery – one full of potential and delicious intrigue. Sung might enjoy helping those people uncover the answers in a way she might not if they simply asked her if she knew the combination.
</quote>

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

Full circles

2026-08-03T19:38:00Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Path of the Spirits */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Summer]]
<ic>The servant - Marinus had been at pains to explain that they were definitely no slaves in his household and everyone working for him was fairly rewarded for their labours - placed a glazed clay bowl in front of Nevyn. It was three-quarters filled with clear water, and there were leaves floating in it. A tiny mote of panic began to grow in the Navarr vate. He had no idea what he was meant to do with it. Was it soup? It was cold - but there were cold soups, he knew. Should he use a spoon, or pick it up in his hands? Was he meant to eat the leaves? He'd accepted Marinus' invitation expecting another rough meal round a campfire such as they'd enjoyed while campaigning against Oblivion, not this sit-down meal with tables, and chairs, and bowls of... whatever this was.

Not for the first time he imagined that his brother in the Celestial Arch would have already looked up everything about Jarmish meal etiquette and know exactly what to do. He could feel Marinus' eyes on him, feel the amused expression on his face as the naga watched to see what he would do.

Someone kicked him in the ankle. It was the young woman sat across the table from him, and she had an exasperated expression on her face. When he looked over, she pointedly dipped her hands into the bowl in front of her and washed them. He shot her a quick smile, and she rolled her eyes at him before admonishing Marinus.

"Father, this is not how we treat guests in this house. You're being rude."

Marinus had the good grace to blush slightly, although it was barely visible on a face already speckled with cherry-red scales.

"You're right, Mirandir my sweet. I was just interested to see if our guest would recognise the custom."

Things clicked quickly into place for Nevyn then.

"Oh, it's like the Highborn tradition then," he said, laving his own hands in the cool water. There was an odd tingle, by no means unpleasant, presumably from the thick fleshy leaves. He looked around for something to dry his hands on that wasn't his trousers, but before he could find anything his neighbour handed him a little towel without really looking at him, still in conversation with the fellow to this left.

"It is indeed," Marinus agreed. "Although I think we have improved on it a little bit. The ''harilik aaloe'' secretes a sap that soothes the skin. My forbears were given to heavy work, and used the juice regularly to treat inflammation and blisters. Today it reminds us of their Prosperity and Ambition, and by sharing our towels as Calibir just did, it helps build the bonds of friendship and Loyalty. Every ceremony has a meaning if you pick away at it long enough. This one I have a particular fondness for - we took a tradition of the Highborn wayfarers, and made it our own without disrespecting its origin, and that should be a source of Pride for anyone."

Marinus' brow crinkled in mock outrage suddenly.

"However, my nephew is being unforgivably rude by not acknowledging you at our table, and he has been raised better than that."

The young man jumped, and spoke quickly in a Jarmish dialect, words falling over themselves in his haste. The Navarr picked out a few words - welcome, unity, words and deeds. The rest was a mishmash of syllables he would have struggled to untangle even if the lad had been speaking more slowly. Calibir looked to his uncle, who nodded, and then he went back to his conversation. Mirandir rolled her eyes again, as only a teenager can.

"So now you are welcome to my table and our fellowship," said Marinus, beaming. "Again mostly ceremonial, but it means that if anyone tries to kill you before we've finished eating I have to defend you even at the cost of my own life. And after the week we have had, fighting those murderous -" he said a word Nevyn hadn't learned yet that made Mirandir blush in her turn " - anyone who ''is'' unwise enough to interrupt our meal by trying to kill you is not going to live long enough to regret it."

Nevyn assumed his host was joking, but then realised he was deadly serious. He glanced quickly around the table, and while most of the rest of the family were busy talking and washing their hands, he saw steel in the gaze of Mirandir and a few of the others he knew were fluent in Imperial.

"Its the kind of thing my forbears took very seriously even before they knew words like ''Truduus'' or ''Julgus'' - Loyalty or Courage as you would say." Marinus chuckled self-deprecatingly. "But also my ancestors would never forgive me if I let a guest at our table be stabbed between the hand-washing and the coffee."

"Ancestors?" said Nevyn, furrowing his own brows slightly.

"A turn of phrase," said the Jarmish magician airily, dismissing it with a wave of his hand. "But come, it is time for food. I've had my cook prepare any number of traditional dishes for you to try and while we're eating, you can tell me all about this new 'proscription' business you mentioned the other day before the ambush."

Three more servants began distributing bowls and plates groaning under the weight of brightly coloured foodstuffs Nevyn had never encountered before, and he silently hoped that he'd be too busy putting food in his mouth to fit his foot in it.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=OrderSevenfoldPath.jpg|caption=The magicians of the Sevenfold Path build a bridge between the Conclave and the priests of the Synod - and now perhaps with priests even further afield.|align=left|width=300}}</div>
==Overview==
* '''The Sevenfold Path continue to support the fight against Cold Sun in Jarm
* '''They have made a major donation of liao to the Wayist priests of the Jarmish Convocation of Virtue
The situation in the [[Commonwealth]] and [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarm]] is tense, to say the least. Accusations fly back and forth about who precisely instigated the [[Cold war|incursion]] of [[Cold Sun]] in Lantir. The Empire is caught up in them, and Imperial magicians are being treated with additional suspicion in both nations.

Or rather, most of them are. The [[Sevenfold Path]] are in Jarm, helping to resist the advance of Cold Sun. As magicians known for their religious connections, they prompt a number of reactions from their peers. Many simply ignore their commitment to the Way - religion is after all considered a private matter for Jarmish folk. Others take every opportunity to challenge them, often motivated by bitterness about perceived insults or past attempts to overturn society. A small number enthusiastically welcome them and their aid, either because they have seen first hand what the ''[[Cold Sun#Heralds|scions]]'' can do or because they are already adherents of the Way.

It is this latter group that the Sevenfold Path magicians in Jarm made contact with [[Weaving_tangled_nets|last season]], and with whom some have continued to cultivate closer ties while around them the chaos of Cold Sun is matched by the chaos of international diplomacy.

there is some controversy closer to home. Magicians of the [[Sevenfold Path]] have been [[Weaving_tangled_nets#Sevenfold Path|active in Jarm]], offering support against Cold Sun and in the process

==Virtuous Friendship==
* '''The Sevenfold Path have made a significant donation of liao to the Convocation of Virtue
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: right;">
[[File:Assembly Ambition.png]]
[[File:Assembly Courage.png]]
[[File:Assembly Loyalty.png]]
[[File:Assembly Pride.png]]
[[File:Assembly Prosperity.png]]
[[File:Assembly Vigilance.png]]
[[File:Assembly Wisdom.png]]
</div>
In the process of fighting Cold Sun, magicians of the Sevenfold Path have made friendly contact with the ''Convocation of Virtue''. They are a loose, informal fellowship of scholars from across Jarm dedicated to study of the seven virtues. Some of them trace their roots back to [[Highguard|Highborn]] [[wayfarer|wayfarers]] and [[Urizen|Urizeni]] [[illuminate|illuminates]] while others have more recent origins as converts of the Sumaah or in some cases the Sarcophan Delves. A wryly admit to having converted ''themselves'' - a handful cite the influence of poorly translated copies of the ''[[Seer_of_the_Gateway#Publication_2|Echoes of the Labyrinth]]'' as instrumental in leading them to their faith. While they came to the Way by disparate paths, and members regularly disagree with each other, they are drawn together by a fundamental belief in the power of the virtues, and the exaltation of the human spirit.

In pursuit of securing closer ties, a dramatic gift of liao was arranged by the Sevenfold Path during the Spring Equinox. The [[Conclave]] agreed that the [[Conclave order|order]] should [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Concord:_Sevenfold_Path_and_Convocation_of_Virtue|continue to provide their good example in Jarm]]. Unfortunately, there was a little controversy around the declaration itself. It was brought by '''Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo''' on behalf of the Sevenfold Path, rather than being raised by the Grandmaster '''Elagabala'''. The declaration still stands however, and has still had its effect, but the magistrates are investigating the situation as a potential [[List_of_Criminal_Offences#Crimes_against_the_Processes_of_the_State|subversion of the agencies of the state]].

Regardless, the liao was still collected and provided to the Convocation, and the Sevenfold Path remain engaged in Jarm despite the current political hullabaloo. Some of the liao will go towards creating virtuous auras to help in the fight against Cold Sun, but perhaps more importantly it will also allow the Convocation to [[consecration|consecrate]] their meeting houses, [[dedication|dedicate]] more priests, and spread the inspirational touch of the Way to their fellow pilgrims.
===Regarding the Convocation===
* '''The Sevenfold Path has learned more about the Convocation and its practices
Fighting alongside them against Cold Sun has given members of the Sevenfold Path more insight into the Convocation of Virtue. They certainly appear to represent the most organised and widespread followers of the Way in Jarm. They number both magicians and mundane citizens among their number, who view the virtues as a path toward not only enlightenment but also as guides to help them pursue their personal ambitions.

There are other notionally individual followers of the Way or even small sects spread across Jarm, but the Convocation regretfully describes them as closer to "cultists" than actual pilgrims. It's not uncommon for a group to adopt one or two of the virtues, for example, in a manner similar to the sects of the Axou, or to create their own garbled version of the [[Doctrines of the Faith]] that serve their particular agenda. There are other actual sects who follow the Way, but they are at odds with the Convocation as a whole, often insisting on a form of "ideological purity of faith" that the Convocation cannot embrace. There are even, apparently, a few cells of zealots drunk on the tents of [[Courage]] and [[Ambition]] who use criminal methods to attack the interests of the Princes, invariably leading to them meeting the same kind of end such groups would meet in the Empire. While their commitment to their interpretation of virtue is clear, they nonetheless cause real problems for those who don't share them but who look like them in the eyes of some of the suspicious Magician-Princes.

The Convocation is somewhat conservative in its beliefs, but has wholeheartedly embraced the [[The_Doctrines_of_the_Faith#The_Doctrine_of_Enlightenment|Doctrine of Enlightenment]]. They have extensively discussed the other Doctrinal changes the Empire has undertaken - but find that those relating to [[orc|orcs]] are broadly irrelevant to them. There are factions within the Convocation who are staunch abolitionists, wishing to see slavery ended in the Principalities for numerous reasons relating to [[Pride]], [[Prosperity]], and [[Ambition]]. Others see it as a necessary part of the Jarmish traditions, and point to the tenets of [[Pride]], [[Prosperity]], and [[Ambition]] as supporting the institution.

Unlike the Synods of the Empire and [[Sumaah Republic]], there are no formal ranks within the Convocation - nothing like a [[Cardinal]] for example. Individual sects may be a little more structured, particularly the larger ones, but even there their leaders more closely resemble [[the League|League]] [[bishop|bishops]] than any Synod title. When decisions need to be made, priests reach an agreement via debate, extensive letter-writing, and an annual meeting that takes place during the Winter Solstice each year. It's also interestingly rare for members of the Convocation to prioritise one virtue over the other six, and is often viewed as a sign that someone is straying from the path. One Sevenfold Path magician notes that if the Convocation of Virtue were to join the Imperial Synod, they would be solidly placed in the Assembly of the Way.

While the Convocation tends towards the scholarly, they are by no means passive. The level of proselytising varies from sect to sect, but many are committed to the ambition of sharing the virtues with anyone who will listen. Most Princes generally tolerate them - but by no means all. The Jarmish attitude to religion and faith as a purely personal matter protects them from censure, but some Princes closely identify the Convocation with the Imperial Synod and treat it with a significant degree of suspicion. There is always a threat of ''some'' kind of clampdown on the Convocation by the House of Princes - every time the Empire or Sumaah does something that annoys the Jarmish government concerns are raised about the pilgrims in the Principalities. Ultimately, though, it is the relaxed attitude to matters of faith that means nothing ever comes of this. To crack down on someone for their spiritual beliefs would not only set dangerous precedents, it would broadly be viewed as ''gauche'' by most of the people of Jarm.

It is however hard for the Sevenfold Path to shake the suspicion that the Convocation represents a specifically ''Jarmish'' approach to the Way. Its members don't deny that they share a religion with the Empire, but they don't look to either the Imperial Synod or the Sumaah Houses of the Way as their "leaders". They see themselves more as equals to the Synod and the Houses, laughable as that might appear. They are certainly keen to cultivate ties with the Sevenfold Path - who are after all magicians - and accept their aid in strengthening the faith in Jarm.

==Vasilia the Pilgrim==
* '''The Convocation does not recognise paragons and exemplars
* '''They honour a figure called Vasilia the Pilgrim as their spiritual progenitor
* '''There is an opportunity to learn more about Vasilia using historical research
One figure who is referenced several times in discussion with the Convocation of Virtue is that of ''Vasilia the Pilgrim''. Vasilia is viewed as an inspirational figure by the Convocation of the Way. While the Convocation does not formally recognise any paragons or exemplars, they still honour inspirational figures. Stories of these figures are used as parables, as part of sermons or religious instruction, or sometimes to hide the teachings of the virtues in "plain sight" for a wider audience unaware of their religious underpinnings. Vasilia is pretty universally respected by the priests of the Convocation, many of whom speak of her with a degree of actual affection.

According to the stories told to the Sevenfold Path, Vasilia was a magician from northern Jarm who travelled across the early Principalities and beyond in a quest to understand the unknowable. She weighed and examined the many spiritual truths she encountered through the lens of her own beloved traditions, and took every opportunity to encourage others to do the same.

To the priests of Jarm, she is closely tied to their understanding of Pride - that shame is an anchor that drags one down; that the virtuous inspire others with their words and deeds so that they can see how to change their own lives; that every individual is fundamentally shaped by where they come from no matter how far they may travel from their homes; and that while one should never be ashamed to change one's mind, neither should one throw away the traditions and beliefs that makes someone who they are. She is also seen as a figure of great Wisdom - knowing that she did not know everything; embracing doubt over convenient certainty; carefully testing the claims of priests and spiritualists; listening sincerely to others with different experiences and opinions but never taking their words as gospel; putting together the building blocks of thought to create her own understanding of the world.

It all gets a little esoteric in places, but fundamentally Vasilia is seen by the Convocation as ultimately being their founder, even though she apparently lived and died long before the first missionaries brought the early inkling of the Way to Jarm. When challenged on this, they explain that she created a blueprint whereby Jarmish folk interested in matters of faith and spirit could engage with it without surrendering their identity as people of the Principalities. It was through her example that the original Convocation came together, and so they view her as their spiritual progenitor.
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">'''Vasilia the Pilgrim and Jarmish inspiration'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Motion Type:''' Historical Research</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Necessary Details:''' Should clearly indicate it is an invitation to the Convocation of Virtue to share stories of Vasilia the pilgrim, and their approach to inspirations</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' None additional</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Produces a historical research document relating to Vasilia the Pilgrim and Jarmish attitudes to paragons and exemplars</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year; until the end of the Spring Equinox 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Dependant on the Convocation of Virtue remaining well-inclined to the Sevenfold Path</td></tr>
</table></div>
A polite enquiry by one of the Sevenfold Path members indicates that the Convocation is absolutely open to . After some discussion, the proposal is that if either the [[Lepidean_Librarian#Lepidean_University|Lepidean University]] or the [[Historical_research#The_Department_of_Historical_Research|Department of Historical Research]] offer a formal invitation to members of the Convocation to visit the Empire to share their stories, they would happily share more about Vasilia the Pilgrim, and about their attitude to inspirational figures in general. Obviously, this would require either the [[Lepidean Librarian]] or the [[Minister of Historical Research]] (or the [[Senate]]) to commission the appropriate [[historical research]].
===Path of the Spirits===
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''House of the Pilgrim'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Edifice</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Coastal region on the Bay of Catazar</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 12 white granite, and 36 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 3 months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Provides hospitality to Jarmish pilgrims of the Way visiting the Empire</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Until the end of the Spring Equinox 389YE </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' The commission must clearly indicate it is a place for Jarmish pilgrims of the Way to find hospitality</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''The Convocation of Virtue proposes an edifice in the Empire to offer hospitality to visiting Jarmish pilgrims
The initial gift of liao is valuable, but it is only a start. After discussion, a proposal is put forward. It's currently... challenging... for Jarmish merchants to visit the Empire. There's some talk of arranging trade via Zemelslo but that doesn't feel especially efficient, given that it would be dependant on the winds of politics (which seem to be blowing in a distinctly unpredictable way at the moment). Likewise, any attempt to re-establish something along the lines of the Limitu Principality House of the Way would be utterly dependant on the patience of one Magician-Prince or another - and more importantly their entire families and all their successors.

What they would like is for the Sevenfold Path to arrange the creation of a pilgrim's shrine in the Empire - the ''House of the Pilgrim''. It would need to be constructed in a coastal region on the Bay of Catazar, with a clear mandate to welcome and offer hospitality to Jarmish pilgrims who wish to visit the various [[Inspirational_location|sites of virtue]] across the Empire, and to discuss the Way with their Imperial peers (by which they mostly mean the Sevenfold Path, but also enlightened members of the Synod). It needn't be anything especially [[Edifice#Grandeur|grandiose]] - the Convocation is talking about an [[edifice]] using at least 12 wains of [[white granite]], that would take three months to build, and have a basic cost of 36 crowns in labour costs.

Ensuring Jarmish pilgrims were welcomed, free to meet with followers of the Way in the Empire, and perhaps most crucially, free to purchase liao, then it would create an avenue for the Sevenfold Path to strengthen ties with the Convocation. In return, the Convocation would provide the [[Sevenfold_Path#Conclave_vault|vault]] of the Sevenfold Path with a number of Jarmish "star jewels" - one each of the ''Jewel of the Celestial Bowl'', the ''Jewel of the Celestial Eagle'', the ''Jewel of the Celestial Tower'', and the ''Jewel of the Celestial Spring''. These [[Magic_items#Talismans|talismans]] empower magicians to use their spells more frequently, and presumably would be useful to the members of the Order or their friends.

The edifice presents other opportunities, although not ones that are proposed by the Convocation directly. While the Jarmish priests don't request anything of significant grandeur, a larger edifice than the minimum suggested, especially one that incorporated either beautiful gardens (representing the inclusion of at least 5 wains of [[weirwood]]), or a library combining religious and magical topics (representing the inclusion of at least 5 wains of [[mithril]]), or that was simply larger and more beautiful (representing more wains in general) could not help but impress the pilgrims.

==Blossoms of Virtue==
* '''The Sevenfold Path or the Empire could pursue closer ties with the Convocation
* '''The Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path could guide their order to engage in discussion with the Convocation
* '''Some methods have been identified; others doubtless exist
Other ways to further impress the Convocation, and increase their enthusiasm for the Empire, would be if the finished edifice were to be [[Consecration#True_Liao|consecrated]] with [[liao#true liao|true liao]] by the [[Pride]] assembly, or if the [[Synod]] were to [[recognition|recognise]] ''Vasilia the Pilgrim'' as an exemplar or paragon. It's impossible to predict what the outcome would be, but any of these approaches would certainly encourage friendship between the Convocation of Virtue and the Sevenfold Path - and potentially, ultimately, the Synod.

What doesn't seem to be on the cards at the moment is any personal contact with the Convocation. Their lack of titles and structure means that there is nobody "in charge" and while there are a number of respected scholars among them, none have so far put themselves forward. Some of the Sevenfold Path magicians believe this might be a form of precaution against censure; the more organised the Convocation becomes the easier it is to see it as a threat. Likewise, proof of "secret missives" flying back and forth between Imperial citizens and Jarmish followers of the Way risk providing grounds for the more xenophobic Princes to take action against the Convocation. For now, then, any approaches to the Convocation will need to be made with care, likely using tools such as Synod [[judgement|judgements]] and Conclave [[declaration|declarations]].
{{CaptionedImage|file=Elagabala Preaching.jpg|caption='''Elagabala ''', Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path|align=right|width=450}}
The Sevenfold Path currently remains in Jarm, helping to fight Cold Sun. If the [[Grandmaster]] of the Sevenfold Path wished, they could use a [[Declaration]] to [[Concord#Guiding_an_Order|guide the order]] to further engage with the Convocation. As well as continuing to battle the ''scions'', magicians of the [[Conclave order|order]] would spend time with their Jarmish fellows and further explore their connection to the Way. The Grandmaster could name a specific question about the Convocations approach to spiritual matters, their opinion on specific doctrinal issues, the specific challenges facing them as followers of the Way in Jarm, or their attitude to touchy subjects such as slavery, orcs, or the ''magocracy''. This would have the usual costs, but would provide an entry in the Winds of Fortune for the Autumn Equinox detailing more about the chosen topic. Even if Jarm chose to eject the Conclave Orders, the information would still be gleaned before the order was forced to leave. Guiding the order in this way would incur the usual costs.

The civil service also urge caution. Drawing attention to the growing relationship between the Sevenfold Path and the Convocation - via discussing them in an [[Ambassador|Ambassadorial]] letter for example - could prove detrimental to the fragile ties being established. It could also cause problems for the Convocation, especially given the current situation in Jarm.
{{Jarm Links}}

Rat King of Temeschwar

2026-08-01T14:18:33Z

Thespaceinvader: /* The Cult of King Rat */

[[Category:History]]
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Two Rats.jpg|caption=Stories of a "dark power" beneath Temeschwar city have persisted for centuries.|align=left|width=500}}</div>
==Introduction==
During the Spring Equinox the [[Minister of Historical Research]], Watt of Lambrook, commissioned [[Historical_research#Octavia_of_Stream's_Source_Spire|Octavia of Stream's Source Spire]] to compile a history of the Rat King of [[Temeschwar]]. The [[Urizen]] researcher made a trip to the city, and set about trying to find out as much as possible. A preliminary investigation into the rodent problems besetting the city, commonly associated with the so-called "Rat King" had already been carried out by the [[Unfettered Mind]] and where possible Octavia avoided repeating what as [[Pitter_patter#Seers_and_Shitpipes|uncovered]] by the Imperial magicians.

==The Guild==
There are two Rat Kings in Temeschwar. The first is the [[Pitter_patter#The_Oldest_Guild|guild of that name]], made up of people who make their living in the filth of the city. They trace their history very convincingly back to the earliest days of Temeschwar as a settlement, and there is some evidence that their guild was ultimately formed from a fraternity of excavators who dug the first sewers beneath the then-[{Varushka|Varushkan]] vale once it became clear steps would be needed to deal with the waste of so many people living in close proximity. Their fortunes have risen and fallen, and are very much on the ascendant at the moment, but even when the city has been on its lowest ebbs they have remained cheerfully collecting buckets of waste, hunting rats, and expanding the sewers.

There is a lot of speculation that this guild is associated in some fashion with the ''other'' Rat King - the shadowy creature that allegedly lurks in the depths beneath the city - but there is nothing concrete to tie them to it. I asked them directly, and they were very guarded. The only thing they would say to me is that when you are in the hunting ground of a wolf, you either learn to live with the wolf, or it eats you. This reflects what I would describe as a notably Varushkan attitude among that guild, a reflection of the old roots of that particular professional organisation.
==The Beast==
I will not dwell on recent history. The events that [[They_bit_the_cats|began in early 386YE]] are a matter of public record. I was not able to find any suggestion that anything similar had happened in Temeschwar before, certainly not on that scale. Rats are found wherever there are humans or [[orc|orcs]], and nowhere are they found in greater profusion than they are in the cities of the League. It is said one is never more than a stone's throw from a rat in the cities of [[the League]], but more realistically one is never more than a sewer grating away from a whole swarm of the creatures.

From the days the first merchant-boyars came to power in Temeschwar, right back to the time of [[Ratibor of Temeschwar|Ratibor]], there were stories that ''something'' dwelled in the dark cracks of Temeschwar. The territory was part of Varushka before it was part of the League - and for that matter it was part of Varushka for longer than it has been part of the newer nation. There is a mostly forgotten legend that when the settlement that would grow into the great city of Temeschwar built its first walls, something dark slipped out of the woods of the [[Temeschwar#Vardstein Vale|Vardstein]] Vale and nestled unseen in the cellars and basements of the buildings here. Likely, this is a reference to the Rat King, although what form it took then when the city was so much smaller, I could not venture to say.

There are some semi-historical stories that speak of "curses" that could easily be looked at as the influence of the Rat King. In the time of Boyar Cherekovich (who ruled the city with an iron fist between 80BE and 74BE), [[Thule]] forces threatened [[Temeschwar#Vargat|Vargat]] and [[Temeschwar#Metri|Metri]]. The city was about to be swallowed by a predictably terrible winter, and the spectre of famine hovered over the people within their walls. The Thule for their part were well provisioned with food and supplies stolen from [[Wintermark]] in their march down through [[Skarsind]]. Apparently Cherekovich secured the services of a band of [[cabalists]] who laid an awful [[curse]] on the entire [[territory]]. As the first snows began to fall, thousands of rats emerged to devour a quarter of everything edible in the city - and to befoul and consume a solid half of all the supplies carried by the Thule. Disease struck the orc warriors, and a counterattack from Wintermark severed their supply lines. While hunger gnawed at the bellies of the folk of Temeschwar, the orcs were absolutely decimated by starvation and a phantom sickness that apparently caused "bloody sores" on their bodies and caused many to die in their sleep choking on their blood. When Spring came, the [[fortification#Garrison|garrison]] of Temeschwar easily defeated the surviving orcs, killing most and pressing the few with any vestige of remaining strength into service in the mines of Metri and [[Temeschwar#Locul|Locul]].

Interestingly, a record from a physick who examined the bodies of the dead orcs still survives in the possession of the ''[[They_bit_the_cats#Apothecary_Tales|Guild of the Green Flower]]''. Marianna Vavuschka wrote that the "sores" covering the bodies of the dead orcs could easily be mistaken for nasty bites. In some cases, the emaciated bodies were covered in so many "sores" it looked almost as if they had been eaten alive. Those who had died in their sleep had frozen expressions of abject terror that the otherwise stoic healer noted as "quite disturbing". Examination of the throat and stomach of some of these corpses found "lesions" that looked not entirely unlike claw marks. Marianna never comes out and says it directly but it seems that some of the symptoms of this sickness are similar to those a body might display if they had been attacked by murderous rats.

Regardless of what may or may not have happened, this story ends with Boyar Cherekovich paying the unnamed cabalists very well indeed and thanking them for their service.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Stormwater drain.jpg|align=right|caption=There is a maze beneath Temeschwar, and it is widely believed that something dark and terrible broods deep beneath the city streets.|width=400}}</div>

==False Death==
Another story that I found quite persistent dates from the early years after the death of [[Empress Britta]], during the time when the [[vyig]] were on the rise in the northern League in particular. According to this story, the skeletal remains of a human-like being were uncovered in an underground area of Temeschwar, pierced by a magical spear. Some of the stories suggest that there were [[Highguard|Highborn]] scholars involved in this discovery, while others say that the [[The_League_groups#Printers'_Guild|Printers' Guild]] - everyone's favourite ''bete noir'' at that time - were somehow connected to the discovery. Regardless the story claims that this skeleton was killed by vyig assassins with a weapon forged by the [[volodny]] "Shadowsmith" specifically for the purpose.

There is some evidence "Shadowsmith" did indeed have a lair in Temeschwar, and that the vyig believed that the creature they killed with his assistance was the "sovereign of Temeschwar". In actual fact, it's clear that this was not the case. Most likely it was a servant or agent of the sovereign, or someone who was ''claiming'' a connection to an inhuman force to inspire fear in enemies and underlings.

The vyig continued to prosper, apparently with the patronage of the volodny in Temeschwar at least, until they were [[Fade out again|decisively torn to pieces]] by Imperial champions. Perhaps the aid of the volodny is not as potent as it was in the time of [[Alderei the Fair]], but it could be that the volodny simply threw them to the wolves because it was done with them.

The [[Unfettered Mind]] investigation of the rat plague in Summer 386YE were able to confirm that Shadowsmith paid for his temerity in making a weapon to harm the Rat King. Exploring some of the old tunnels, they came across a richly appointed apartment deep beneath the city. The [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River]] revealed that this was the place "Where the volodny Shadowsmith was devoured by the King of Rats." This divination result - secured as it is with reliable Day magic - proved to be the first and most convincing proof of the existence of the King of Rats.

==The Cult of King Rat==
One last matter of interest concerns rumours of a "cult" dedicated to the dark power of the city. These stories go back to pre-Imperial times, but don't actually persist for long after Temeschwar helps [[The_League_history#Founding_the_League|found the League]] and joins the Empire. According to these scandalous tales, there was a cabal of Temeschwari who "honoured" the sovereign each Autumn, venturing deep beneath the city in a pilgrimage to a certain place where they would speak to the creature and make offering to it. A few stories claim these offerings took the form of murderous sacrifices, but this is a common calumny aimed at those who deal with sovereigns that is by no means universal. More stories suggest that the gifts handed over were items of value to form a part of the "hoard" atop which the sovereign sat. A symbolic sacrifice of the wealth of Temeschwar, perhaps, in return for which the cabalists benefitted from the creature's patronage.

This "cult" apparently disappeared from the stories of Temeschwar during the reign of [[Empress Teleri]]. According to lurid tales of the time, a low-key secret war took place in the shadows of Temeschwar between the wealthy cabalists and a band of plucky priests. It's challenging to dig through these accounts to try and extract any fragments of truth - whatever facts there may have been have been buried beneath nearly three centuries of embroidery and artifice.

It seems that one of the Temeschwari [[merchant Prince|merchant-princes]] visiting [[Anvil]] - Tobias Ligoto von Temeschwar - used a curse that resulted in the near-death of the well liked Highborn [[inquisitor]] Miriam of Zephaniah's Lament. Once the curse was placed, Miriam suffered terrible nightmares of being stalked by unseen killers, and her health rapidly deteriorated. It was only the intervention of a coven of [[Dawn|Dawnish]] Winter magicians that was able to end the curse before it sapped the last of her health. It was not lost on the magistrates that Miriam was due to call Tobias to [[inquisition]] to answer to accusations of consorting with dark powers during the Summer Solstice summit where the curse was placed.

Tobias denied all charges, and before the case against him could be concluded he vanished. His disappearance sparked a manhunt, but he was never found. Instead, the signs that his corruption was shared by several wealthy Temeschwari came to light, and prompted a secret investigation by [[Vigilance|Vigilant]] League citizens that ultimately lead to vicious fighting in the streets of Temeschwar. The virtuous priests, and their allied [[bravo|bravos]] and magicians, were ultimately victorious. The League played down the scandal, and the matter was mostly forgotten.

It is my surmise that the disappearance of Tobias Ligoto and the death of his fellow [[idolatry|idolators]] marked the end of any active "cult" dedicated to King Rat in Temeschwar, but it is very likely that individuals aware of the creature have continued to make bargains with it and represent its interest in a low-key fashion ever since.

==The Nature of King Rat==
The creature is elusive; ironic for something that seems to be able to send swarms of rats to devour its enemies alive. As near as I am able to work out, it certainly seems to be a sovereign as the Varushkans define them - a potent supernatural creature that is bound to a specific area. It offers boons in return for gifts of wealth. It seems to view Temeschwar as its "territory" but without human agency it seems to be fairly slow to take action. When it ''does'' act it does so decisively - not entirely unlike the people of Temeschwar themselves. It appears to have abilities to influence rats and rat-like monsters, and may even be some kind of diffuse "spirit" like the bodiless [[Night Below]] that inhabits vessels rather than having a physical form of its own.

I can't really venture to suggest what it wants, beyond the fact that it clearly hates being stolen from. Where some sovereigns are actively malevolent, the Rat King seems to be much more passive, content to dwell beneath Temeschwar until something in the city above attracts its attention. The fact it is as old as the city itself is cause for concern - its impossible for me to guess how much the foundations of Temeschwar rest on this enigmatic supernatural horror.
==Further Reading==
* [[Temeschwar]]

* [[The concisest tenant]] - 387YE Winter wind of fortune about rats in Temeschwar
* [[Graveyard rats]] - 386YE Autumn wind of fortune about the rat plague
* [[Pitter patter]] - 386YE Summer wind of fortune about the rat plague
* [[They bit the cats]] - 386YE Spring wind of fortune introducing the rat plague

Rat King of Temeschwar

2026-08-01T14:16:26Z

Thespaceinvader: /* The Beast */

[[Category:History]]
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Two Rats.jpg|caption=Stories of a "dark power" beneath Temeschwar city have persisted for centuries.|align=left|width=500}}</div>
==Introduction==
During the Spring Equinox the [[Minister of Historical Research]], Watt of Lambrook, commissioned [[Historical_research#Octavia_of_Stream's_Source_Spire|Octavia of Stream's Source Spire]] to compile a history of the Rat King of [[Temeschwar]]. The [[Urizen]] researcher made a trip to the city, and set about trying to find out as much as possible. A preliminary investigation into the rodent problems besetting the city, commonly associated with the so-called "Rat King" had already been carried out by the [[Unfettered Mind]] and where possible Octavia avoided repeating what as [[Pitter_patter#Seers_and_Shitpipes|uncovered]] by the Imperial magicians.

==The Guild==
There are two Rat Kings in Temeschwar. The first is the [[Pitter_patter#The_Oldest_Guild|guild of that name]], made up of people who make their living in the filth of the city. They trace their history very convincingly back to the earliest days of Temeschwar as a settlement, and there is some evidence that their guild was ultimately formed from a fraternity of excavators who dug the first sewers beneath the then-[{Varushka|Varushkan]] vale once it became clear steps would be needed to deal with the waste of so many people living in close proximity. Their fortunes have risen and fallen, and are very much on the ascendant at the moment, but even when the city has been on its lowest ebbs they have remained cheerfully collecting buckets of waste, hunting rats, and expanding the sewers.

There is a lot of speculation that this guild is associated in some fashion with the ''other'' Rat King - the shadowy creature that allegedly lurks in the depths beneath the city - but there is nothing concrete to tie them to it. I asked them directly, and they were very guarded. The only thing they would say to me is that when you are in the hunting ground of a wolf, you either learn to live with the wolf, or it eats you. This reflects what I would describe as a notably Varushkan attitude among that guild, a reflection of the old roots of that particular professional organisation.
==The Beast==
I will not dwell on recent history. The events that [[They_bit_the_cats|began in early 386YE]] are a matter of public record. I was not able to find any suggestion that anything similar had happened in Temeschwar before, certainly not on that scale. Rats are found wherever there are humans or [[orc|orcs]], and nowhere are they found in greater profusion than they are in the cities of the League. It is said one is never more than a stone's throw from a rat in the cities of [[the League]], but more realistically one is never more than a sewer grating away from a whole swarm of the creatures.

From the days the first merchant-boyars came to power in Temeschwar, right back to the time of [[Ratibor of Temeschwar|Ratibor]], there were stories that ''something'' dwelled in the dark cracks of Temeschwar. The territory was part of Varushka before it was part of the League - and for that matter it was part of Varushka for longer than it has been part of the newer nation. There is a mostly forgotten legend that when the settlement that would grow into the great city of Temeschwar built its first walls, something dark slipped out of the woods of the [[Temeschwar#Vardstein Vale|Vardstein]] Vale and nestled unseen in the cellars and basements of the buildings here. Likely, this is a reference to the Rat King, although what form it took then when the city was so much smaller, I could not venture to say.

There are some semi-historical stories that speak of "curses" that could easily be looked at as the influence of the Rat King. In the time of Boyar Cherekovich (who ruled the city with an iron fist between 80BE and 74BE), [[Thule]] forces threatened [[Temeschwar#Vargat|Vargat]] and [[Temeschwar#Metri|Metri]]. The city was about to be swallowed by a predictably terrible winter, and the spectre of famine hovered over the people within their walls. The Thule for their part were well provisioned with food and supplies stolen from [[Wintermark]] in their march down through [[Skarsind]]. Apparently Cherekovich secured the services of a band of [[cabalists]] who laid an awful [[curse]] on the entire [[territory]]. As the first snows began to fall, thousands of rats emerged to devour a quarter of everything edible in the city - and to befoul and consume a solid half of all the supplies carried by the Thule. Disease struck the orc warriors, and a counterattack from Wintermark severed their supply lines. While hunger gnawed at the bellies of the folk of Temeschwar, the orcs were absolutely decimated by starvation and a phantom sickness that apparently caused "bloody sores" on their bodies and caused many to die in their sleep choking on their blood. When Spring came, the [[fortification#Garrison|garrison]] of Temeschwar easily defeated the surviving orcs, killing most and pressing the few with any vestige of remaining strength into service in the mines of Metri and [[Temeschwar#Locul|Locul]].

Interestingly, a record from a physick who examined the bodies of the dead orcs still survives in the possession of the ''[[They_bit_the_cats#Apothecary_Tales|Guild of the Green Flower]]''. Marianna Vavuschka wrote that the "sores" covering the bodies of the dead orcs could easily be mistaken for nasty bites. In some cases, the emaciated bodies were covered in so many "sores" it looked almost as if they had been eaten alive. Those who had died in their sleep had frozen expressions of abject terror that the otherwise stoic healer noted as "quite disturbing". Examination of the throat and stomach of some of these corpses found "liesons" that looked not entirely unlike claw marks. Marianna never comes out and says it directly but it seems that some of the symptoms of this sickness are similar to those a body might display if they had been attacked by murderous rats.

Regardless of what may or may not have happened, this story ends with Boyar Cherekovich paying the unamed cabalists very well indeed and thanking them for their service.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Stormwater drain.jpg|align=right|caption=There is a maze beneath Temeschwar, and it is widely believed that something dark and terrible broods deep beneath the city streets.|width=400}}</div>

==False Death==
Another story that I found quite persistent dates from the early years after the death of [[Empress Britta]], during the time when the [[vyig]] were on the rise in the northern League in particular. According to this story, the skeletal remains of a human-like being were uncovered in an underground area of Temeschwar, pierced by a magical spear. Some of the stories suggest that there were [[Highguard|Highborn]] scholars involved in this discovery, while others say that the [[The_League_groups#Printers'_Guild|Printers' Guild]] - everyone's favourite ''bete noir'' at that time - were somehow connected to the discovery. Regardless the story claims that this skeleton was killed by vyig assassins with a weapon forged by the [[volodny]] "Shadowsmith" specifically for the purpose.

There is some evidence "Shadowsmith" did indeed have a lair in Temeschwar, and that the vyig believed that the creature they killed with his assistance was the "sovereign of Temeschwar". In actual fact, it's clear that this was not the case. Most likely it was a servant or agent of the sovereign, or someone who was ''claiming'' a connection to an inhuman force to inspire fear in enemies and underlings.

The vyig continued to prosper, apparently with the patronage of the volodny in Temeschwar at least, until they were [[Fade out again|decisively torn to pieces]] by Imperial champions. Perhaps the aid of the volodny is not as potent as it was in the time of [[Alderei the Fair]], but it could be that the volodony simply threw them to the wolves because it was done with them.

The [[Unfettered Mind]] investigation of the rat plague in Summer 386YE were able to confirm that Shadowsmith paid for his temerity in making a weapon to harm the Rat King. Exploring some of the old tunnels, they came across a richly appointed apartment deep beneath the city. The [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River]] revealed that this was the place "Where the volodny Shadowsmith was devoured by the King of Rats." This divination result - secured as it is with reliable Day magic - proved to be the first and most convincing proof of the existence of the King of Rats.

==The Cult of King Rat==
One last matter of interest concerns rumours of a "cult" dedicated to the dark power of the city. These stories go back to pre-Imperial times, but don't actually persist for long after Temeschwar helps [[The_League_history#Founding_the_League|found the League]] and joins the Empire. According to these scandalous tales, there was a cabal of Temeschwari who "honoured" the sovereign each Autumn, venturing deep beneath the city in a pilgrimage to a certain place where they would speak to the creature and make offering to it. A few stories claim these offerings took the form of murderous sacrifices, but this is a common calumny aimed at those who deal with sovereigns that is by no means universal. More stories suggest that the gifts handed over were items of value to form a part of the "hoard" atop which the sovereign sat. A symbolic sacrifice of the wealth of Temeschwar, perhaps, in return for which the cabalists benefitted from the creature's patronage.

This "cult" apparently disappeared from the stories of Temeschwar during the reign of [[Empress Teleri]]. According to lurid tales of the time, a low-key secret war took place in the shadows of Temeschwar between the wealthy cabalists and a band of plucky priests. It's challenging to dig through these accounts to try and extract any fragments of truth - whatever facts there may have been have been buried beneath nearly three centuries of embroidery and artifice.

It seems that one of the Temeschwari [[merchant Prince|merchant-princes]] visiting [[Anvil]] - Tobias Ligoto von Temeschwar - used a curse that resulted in the near-death of the well liked Highborn [[inquisitor]] Miriam of Zephaniah's Lament. Once the curse was placed, Miriam suffered terrible nightmares of being stalked by unseen killers, and her health rapidly deteriorated. It was only the intervention of a coven of [{Dawn|Dawnish]] Winter magicians that was able to end the curse before it sapped the last of her health. It was not lost on the magistrates that Miriam was due to call Tobias to [[inquisition]] to answer to accusations of consorting with dark powers during the Summer Solstice summit where the curse was placed.

Tobias denied all charges, and before the case against him could be concluded he vanished. His disappearance sparked a manhunt, but he was never found. Instead, the signs that his corruption was shared by several wealthy Temeschwari came to light, and prompted a secret investigation by [[Vigilance|Vigilant]] League citizens that ultimately lead to vicious fighting in the streets of Temeschwar. The virtuous priests, and their allied [[bravo|bravos]] and magicians, were ultimately victorious. The League played down the scandal, and the matter was mostly forgotten.

It is my surmise that the disappearance of Tobias Ligoto and the death of his fellow [[idolatry|idolators]] marked the end of any active "cult" dedicated to King Rat in Temeschwar, but it is very likely that individuals aware of the creature have continued to make bargains with it and represent its interest in a low-key fashion ever since.

==The Nature of King Rat==
The creature is elusive; ironic for something that seems to be able to send swarms of rats to devour its enemies alive. As near as I am able to work out, it certainly seems to be a sovereign as the Varushkans define them - a potent supernatural creature that is bound to a specific area. It offers boons in return for gifts of wealth. It seems to view Temeschwar as its "territory" but without human agency it seems to be fairly slow to take action. When it ''does'' act it does so decisively - not entirely unlike the people of Temeschwar themselves. It appears to have abilities to influence rats and rat-like monsters, and may even be some kind of diffuse "spirit" like the bodiless [[Night Below]] that inhabits vessels rather than having a physical form of its own.

I can't really venture to suggest what it wants, beyond the fact that it clearly hates being stolen from. Where some sovereigns are actively malevolent, the Rat King seems to be much more passive, content to dwell beneath Temeschwar until something in the city above attracts its attention. The fact it is as old as the city itself is cause for concern - its impossible for me to guess how much the foundations of Temeschwar rest on this enigmatic supernatural horror.
==Further Reading==
* [[Temeschwar]]

* [[The concisest tenant]] - 387YE Winter wind of fortune about rats in Temeschwar
* [[Graveyard rats]] - 386YE Autumn wind of fortune about the rat plague
* [[Pitter patter]] - 386YE Summer wind of fortune about the rat plague
* [[They bit the cats]] - 386YE Spring wind of fortune introducing the rat plague

Rat King of Temeschwar

2026-08-01T14:15:58Z

Thespaceinvader: /* The Beast */

[[Category:History]]
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Two Rats.jpg|caption=Stories of a "dark power" beneath Temeschwar city have persisted for centuries.|align=left|width=500}}</div>
==Introduction==
During the Spring Equinox the [[Minister of Historical Research]], Watt of Lambrook, commissioned [[Historical_research#Octavia_of_Stream's_Source_Spire|Octavia of Stream's Source Spire]] to compile a history of the Rat King of [[Temeschwar]]. The [[Urizen]] researcher made a trip to the city, and set about trying to find out as much as possible. A preliminary investigation into the rodent problems besetting the city, commonly associated with the so-called "Rat King" had already been carried out by the [[Unfettered Mind]] and where possible Octavia avoided repeating what as [[Pitter_patter#Seers_and_Shitpipes|uncovered]] by the Imperial magicians.

==The Guild==
There are two Rat Kings in Temeschwar. The first is the [[Pitter_patter#The_Oldest_Guild|guild of that name]], made up of people who make their living in the filth of the city. They trace their history very convincingly back to the earliest days of Temeschwar as a settlement, and there is some evidence that their guild was ultimately formed from a fraternity of excavators who dug the first sewers beneath the then-[{Varushka|Varushkan]] vale once it became clear steps would be needed to deal with the waste of so many people living in close proximity. Their fortunes have risen and fallen, and are very much on the ascendant at the moment, but even when the city has been on its lowest ebbs they have remained cheerfully collecting buckets of waste, hunting rats, and expanding the sewers.

There is a lot of speculation that this guild is associated in some fashion with the ''other'' Rat King - the shadowy creature that allegedly lurks in the depths beneath the city - but there is nothing concrete to tie them to it. I asked them directly, and they were very guarded. The only thing they would say to me is that when you are in the hunting ground of a wolf, you either learn to live with the wolf, or it eats you. This reflects what I would describe as a notably Varushkan attitude among that guild, a reflection of the old roots of that particular professional organisation.
==The Beast==
I will not dwell on recent history. The events that [[They_bit_the_cats|began in early 386YE]] are a matter of public record. I was not able to find any suggestion that anything similar had happened in Temeschwar before, certainly not on that scale. Rats are found wherever there are humans or [[orc|orcs]], and nowhere are they found in greater profusion than they are in the cities of the League. It is said one is never more than a stone's throw from a rat in the cities of [[the League]], but more realistically one is never more than a sewer grating away from a whole swarm of the creatures.

From the days the first merchant-boyars came to power in Temeschwar, right back to the time of [[Ratibor of Temeschwar|Ratibor]], there were stories that ''something'' dwelled in the dark cracks of Temeschwar. The territory was part of Varushka before it was part of the League - and for that matter it was part of Varushka for longer than it has been part of the newer nation. There is a mostly forgotten legend that when the settlement that would grow into the great city of Temeschwar built its first walls, something dark slipped out of the woods of the [[Temeschwar#Vardstein Vale|Vardstein]] Vale and nestled unseen in the cellars and basements of the buildings here. Likely, this is a reference to the Rat King, although what form it took then when the city was so much smaller, I could not venture to say.

There are some semi-historical stories that speak of "curses" that could easily be looked at as the influence of the Rat King. In the time of Boyar Cherekovich (who ruled the city with an iron fist between 80BE and 74BE), [[Thule]] forces threatened [[Temeschwar#Vargat|Vargat]] and [[Temeschwar#Metri|Metri]]. The city was about to be swallowed by a predictably terrible winter, and the spectre of famine hovered over the people within their walls. The Thule for their part were well provisioned with food and supplies stolen from [[Wintermark]] in their march down through [[Skarsind]]. Apparently Cherekovich secured the services of a band of [[cabalists]] who laid an awful [[curse]] on the entire [[territory]]. As the first snows began to fall, thousands of rats emerged to devour a quarter of everything edible in the city - and to befoul and consume a solid half of all the supplies carried by the Thule. Disease struck the orc warriors, and a counterattack from Wintermark severed their supply lines. While hunger gnawed at the bellies of the folk of Temeschwar, the orcs were absolutely decimated by starvation and a phantom sickness that apparently caused "bloody sores" on their bodies and caused many to die in their sleep choking on their blood. When Spring came, the [[fortification#Garrison|garrison]] of Temeschwar easily defeated the surviving orcs, killing most and pressing the few with any vestige of remaining strength into service in the mines of Metri and [[Temeschwar#Locul|Locul].

Interestingly, a record from a physick who examined the bodies of the dead orcs still survives in the possession of the ''[[They_bit_the_cats#Apothecary_Tales|Guild of the Green Flower]]''. Marianna Vavuschka wrote that the "sores" covering the bodies of the dead orcs could easily be mistaken for nasty bites. In some cases, the emaciated bodies were covered in so many "sores" it looked almost as if they had been eaten alive. Those who had died in their sleep had frozen expressions of abject terror that the otherwise stoic healer noted as "quite disturbing". Examination of the throat and stomach of some of these corpses found "liesons" that looked not entirely unlike claw marks. Marianna never comes out and says it directly but it seems that some of the symptoms of this sickness are similar to those a body might display if they had been attacked by murderous rats.

Regardless of what may or may not have happened, this story ends with Boyar Cherekovich paying the unamed cabalists very well indeed and thanking them for their service.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Stormwater drain.jpg|align=right|caption=There is a maze beneath Temeschwar, and it is widely believed that something dark and terrible broods deep beneath the city streets.|width=400}}</div>

==False Death==
Another story that I found quite persistent dates from the early years after the death of [[Empress Britta]], during the time when the [[vyig]] were on the rise in the northern League in particular. According to this story, the skeletal remains of a human-like being were uncovered in an underground area of Temeschwar, pierced by a magical spear. Some of the stories suggest that there were [[Highguard|Highborn]] scholars involved in this discovery, while others say that the [[The_League_groups#Printers'_Guild|Printers' Guild]] - everyone's favourite ''bete noir'' at that time - were somehow connected to the discovery. Regardless the story claims that this skeleton was killed by vyig assassins with a weapon forged by the [[volodny]] "Shadowsmith" specifically for the purpose.

There is some evidence "Shadowsmith" did indeed have a lair in Temeschwar, and that the vyig believed that the creature they killed with his assistance was the "sovereign of Temeschwar". In actual fact, it's clear that this was not the case. Most likely it was a servant or agent of the sovereign, or someone who was ''claiming'' a connection to an inhuman force to inspire fear in enemies and underlings.

The vyig continued to prosper, apparently with the patronage of the volodny in Temeschwar at least, until they were [[Fade out again|decisively torn to pieces]] by Imperial champions. Perhaps the aid of the volodny is not as potent as it was in the time of [[Alderei the Fair]], but it could be that the volodony simply threw them to the wolves because it was done with them.

The [[Unfettered Mind]] investigation of the rat plague in Summer 386YE were able to confirm that Shadowsmith paid for his temerity in making a weapon to harm the Rat King. Exploring some of the old tunnels, they came across a richly appointed apartment deep beneath the city. The [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River]] revealed that this was the place "Where the volodny Shadowsmith was devoured by the King of Rats." This divination result - secured as it is with reliable Day magic - proved to be the first and most convincing proof of the existence of the King of Rats.

==The Cult of King Rat==
One last matter of interest concerns rumours of a "cult" dedicated to the dark power of the city. These stories go back to pre-Imperial times, but don't actually persist for long after Temeschwar helps [[The_League_history#Founding_the_League|found the League]] and joins the Empire. According to these scandalous tales, there was a cabal of Temeschwari who "honoured" the sovereign each Autumn, venturing deep beneath the city in a pilgrimage to a certain place where they would speak to the creature and make offering to it. A few stories claim these offerings took the form of murderous sacrifices, but this is a common calumny aimed at those who deal with sovereigns that is by no means universal. More stories suggest that the gifts handed over were items of value to form a part of the "hoard" atop which the sovereign sat. A symbolic sacrifice of the wealth of Temeschwar, perhaps, in return for which the cabalists benefitted from the creature's patronage.

This "cult" apparently disappeared from the stories of Temeschwar during the reign of [[Empress Teleri]]. According to lurid tales of the time, a low-key secret war took place in the shadows of Temeschwar between the wealthy cabalists and a band of plucky priests. It's challenging to dig through these accounts to try and extract any fragments of truth - whatever facts there may have been have been buried beneath nearly three centuries of embroidery and artifice.

It seems that one of the Temeschwari [[merchant Prince|merchant-princes]] visiting [[Anvil]] - Tobias Ligoto von Temeschwar - used a curse that resulted in the near-death of the well liked Highborn [[inquisitor]] Miriam of Zephaniah's Lament. Once the curse was placed, Miriam suffered terrible nightmares of being stalked by unseen killers, and her health rapidly deteriorated. It was only the intervention of a coven of [{Dawn|Dawnish]] Winter magicians that was able to end the curse before it sapped the last of her health. It was not lost on the magistrates that Miriam was due to call Tobias to [[inquisition]] to answer to accusations of consorting with dark powers during the Summer Solstice summit where the curse was placed.

Tobias denied all charges, and before the case against him could be concluded he vanished. His disappearance sparked a manhunt, but he was never found. Instead, the signs that his corruption was shared by several wealthy Temeschwari came to light, and prompted a secret investigation by [[Vigilance|Vigilant]] League citizens that ultimately lead to vicious fighting in the streets of Temeschwar. The virtuous priests, and their allied [[bravo|bravos]] and magicians, were ultimately victorious. The League played down the scandal, and the matter was mostly forgotten.

It is my surmise that the disappearance of Tobias Ligoto and the death of his fellow [[idolatry|idolators]] marked the end of any active "cult" dedicated to King Rat in Temeschwar, but it is very likely that individuals aware of the creature have continued to make bargains with it and represent its interest in a low-key fashion ever since.

==The Nature of King Rat==
The creature is elusive; ironic for something that seems to be able to send swarms of rats to devour its enemies alive. As near as I am able to work out, it certainly seems to be a sovereign as the Varushkans define them - a potent supernatural creature that is bound to a specific area. It offers boons in return for gifts of wealth. It seems to view Temeschwar as its "territory" but without human agency it seems to be fairly slow to take action. When it ''does'' act it does so decisively - not entirely unlike the people of Temeschwar themselves. It appears to have abilities to influence rats and rat-like monsters, and may even be some kind of diffuse "spirit" like the bodiless [[Night Below]] that inhabits vessels rather than having a physical form of its own.

I can't really venture to suggest what it wants, beyond the fact that it clearly hates being stolen from. Where some sovereigns are actively malevolent, the Rat King seems to be much more passive, content to dwell beneath Temeschwar until something in the city above attracts its attention. The fact it is as old as the city itself is cause for concern - its impossible for me to guess how much the foundations of Temeschwar rest on this enigmatic supernatural horror.
==Further Reading==
* [[Temeschwar]]

* [[The concisest tenant]] - 387YE Winter wind of fortune about rats in Temeschwar
* [[Graveyard rats]] - 386YE Autumn wind of fortune about the rat plague
* [[Pitter patter]] - 386YE Summer wind of fortune about the rat plague
* [[They bit the cats]] - 386YE Spring wind of fortune introducing the rat plague

Eternals of the sea

2026-08-01T12:16:31Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Hongerigespin and Ungholt */

[[Category:Eternals]][[Category:History]]
==Overview==
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear:left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Andaman Islands at sunset.jpg|align=left|caption=The magicians of the Sarcophan Delves, as a sea-faring folk, commonly deal with eternals that share their interests.|width=400}}</div>
Following an [[All_the_night-tide#Under_the_Waves|arrangement]] brokered with the [[Sarcophan Delves]], the [[Minister of Historical Research]] Watt Lambrook of [[the Marches]] [[387YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Research_Eternals_of_the_Sea|commissioned]] the [[Historical research#Department of Historical Research|Department of Historical Research]] to send a scholar to the Delves to learn what their experts knew about [[eternal|eternals]] specifically associated with the sea. [[Historical research#Snowstorm Henk|Snowstorm Henk]] boarded a vessel at [[Necropolis#Hedrossan|Crown's Quay]] and spent the better part of nine months as a guest of the scholars and magicians of the Delves. Their report was eventually provided to the Minister at the Summer Solstice 388YE - overdue but at least thickly detailed. Originally intended to uncover information about [[Khobel Tavah]], the remit expanded significantly while Henk was in the Delves.

It coincidentally arrived at the same time that the Imperial prognosticator [[Appraisal#Lisane_de_Terresford|Lisane de Terresford]] was delivering the first part of her [[appraisal]] discussing attitudes to eternals in the [[Sumaah Republic]], which also referenced [[Satraps_of_the_Abyss#Republican_Eternals|several eternals]] that seem to be unknown in the Empire.

Presented as something of a travelogue, as is often the case with Snowstorm Henk, it also provides some insight into Sarcophan attitudes to the realms in general, and additional information about eternals not directly related to the sea.
==Introduction==
{{CaptionedImage|file=Watt of Lambrook.jpg|caption='''Watt of Lambrook''', Minister of Historical Research|align=right|width=400}}
The trip across the seas was a little longer than I had expected, but proved mostly uneventful. I was not entirely prepared for just how many sharks there are in the [[The_seven_seas#Sea_of_Teeth|Sea of Teeth]], but the [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] sailors did their best to hide their amusement at my reaction. I explained several times that we have no sharks in [[Skarsind]] and that just seemed to amuse them even more. I was also a little taken aback at the sheer size of Sarcophan. It is a city to rival [[Sarvos]] and [[Tassato]] both together, a confusing melange of ancient and brand new, without any suggestion of a plan or scheme. Towers and bridges and halls and tombs all hodge-podge together like a box of building bricks upended with little rhyme or reason.

I met with Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike only briefly; she welcomed me to the Delves and reassured me that there were several local [[coven|covens]], as well as individual magicians and scholars who made a study of the eternals, eager to meet me. Helpfully, she had arranged a select gathering for the very next afternoon in which I was able to meet with what amounted to the cream of Sarcophan [[realms]] studies. I shan't bore you with details but I was a little heartened to find that they were for the most part as earnest, opinionated, argumentative, and downright peculiar as their peers at home. There was a definite split, however, between those who made a particular academic study of the realms and those who dealt directly with eternals and [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] as part of their professional lives. As always, there is a gulf between the theoretical and the practical, but where possible I shall attempt to synthesise the two approaches.

Before I begin there is one set of eternals that I have not spent much time exploring in the Delves. Many of the [[Archmage_of_Day#The_Eternals_of_Day|Hierarchs of Sea and Sky]] have an association with the sea that seems to be much more metaphorical than literal. [[Leviathan]], [[Zakalwe]], [[Roshanwe]], and even [[Ylenwe]] have a tie to the idea of the sea but are not themselves eternals ''of'' the sea, if you follow my reasoning. With the exception of [[Roshanwe]], they are not especially involved with the Delves, and even there it is the seeking-distant-ports resonances of ''Beachcomber'' that they are more interested in. I focused my attention a little more closely on those eternals I felt that the Empire as a whole had least experience with, and I hope that I am not out of line by doing so.

==A Sarcophan View==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Taxonomy.png|align=right|width=400|caption=The Esatolian Taxonomy groups eternals not by realm, but by function.}}</div>
One of the more surprising things that arose during this research is that the Sarcophan view of the realms and the eternals is fundamentally different to that of the Empire. Of course, the six realms exist - that is just a matter of fact. However, the Sarcophan do not classify the eternals primarily by realm. Instead, the classification of the eternals is a broad taxonomy based primarily on common functions, with the classification by realm a secondary factor. The name for the study of such matters in Sarcophan is "De taxonomie van magische bestuurders", and an expert is known as a ''taxanoom''. Being a taxanoom is considered a somewhat difficult but respectable profession. Most magicians in the Delves are ''not'' taxanoom: they might deal a little with specific eternals, but they don't make it their business to know all of them. A taxonoom is generally consulted for specialist advice when it is believed a project calls for it: the ritual magic they practice is apparently not unlike [[Aspect magic#goetia|goetia]], but with a legalistic and bureaucratic formulation.

The full ''taxonomie'' is quite broad and contains multiple factors which are debated amongst scholars of the art. "Eternals of the Sea" is one of the clearest ways in which eternals can be classified, but other examples include "Eternals who are Sovereign Rulers" and "Eternals who are Magicians". The Sarcophan believe that in fact it's in the nuances between the realms that you find within these broad themes that you gain the most insight: in contrast they don't really think it's useful to think about the ways that eternals of the same realm relate to each other (with a few special-case exceptions).

The Sarcophan believe a working knowledge of taxonomy to be the only firm foundation for successful trade with eternals. Despite this, there are dozens of competing taxonomies put forward by rival scholars, each of which offers competing classifications. Some of these works include all the known powers, while others have gaps or classify only a handful of eternals. In fact, there are so many different taxonomy, that the Sarcophan have created a classification system for them.

The Esatolian Taxonomy, is one of the more popular systems of classifications, and one of the first that many aspiring magicians learn. It is "complete" in the sense that it contains all the eternals that the Sarcophan commonly trade with. It is singular, which means that each eternal is assigned to a single taxonomy, and economic, which means eternals are presented in order of the most profitable to trade with, rather than by their assessed power. I have included it here as it one of the easiest to understand and use.

==Regent of the Eternal Sea==
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=RhianosArt.jpg|align=right|width=200|caption=Rhinaos, Regent of the Eternal Sea, is a spirit of adventure - but also risk and recklessness.}}</div>
I spent a very enjoyable week with the ''Haaienvermijders'', a Sarcophan magical cabal familiar to some Imperial magicians. It did not cease to entertain me that their name literally translates into Imperial as "Shark Dodgers". They live up to their name - a jovial coven whose members compose a small trading guild - although I will confess I was a little surprised to discover that these adepts of [[Summer magic|Summer]] and [[Night magic]] were almost entirely of the [[briar]] [[lineage]]. Of course the Spring-touched are common in the Delves - the blessings of their heritage help them endure the various problems related to living in what amounts to a plague-haunted swamp with towers in it - but it struck me as a little surprising to imagine such an enterprisingly entrepreneurial endeavour being run entirely by briar folk. I confess this led to a little introspective soul-searching that is beyond the remit of my researches.

Among the ''Shark Dodgers'', I was regaled by multiple stories relating to the [[Golden Voyage]] - the popular ritual developed from the pioneering work of Andreas i Sol-Devorador i Erigo of the Krakenfire Armada - some of which seemed outlandish even for that particular magical rite. This turned out to be more relevant than I at first anticipated, however. Since the exchange of rituals - [[Muffled Oar]] for [[Golden Voyage]] - the Shark Dodgers have sought out a closer relationship with the [[Rhianos|Regent of the Eternal Sea]] who finds a certain appeal in that particular enchantment.

Rhianos - the eternal has as many names in the Delves as they do in the Empire - has reasonably close ties with the magicians of the Sarcophan Delves. While the Delves are best known for their trading empire, there are always venturous souls among them who seek out both new ports and new opportunities for personal enrichment. Rhianos rarely leads them astray in that regard, for all that the eternal themselves is unconcerned with "profit" in a purely pecuniary sense. Rather, the "spirit of adventure" helps them find uncharted waters, lost islands, strange beasts with valuable teeth, and fog-shrouded smugglers ports with equal ease.

According to the ''Haaienvermijders'', more than one Bedelaar Huisbaas through the history of the Delves has managed a lucky find inspired by Rhianos into a personal fortune. As a consequence, Rhianos is seen as a patron of the young and the reckless - those who have yet to make their mark in society prepared to risk all for the chance to shine - and more established individuals and concerns politely decline their gifts. This doesn't seem to worry ''Foamfollower'', and does nothing to tarnish his reputation among the mariners of the Delves.

The ''Shark Dodgers'' mention a spell relatively well known among the magewrights of the docks and quays called ''Where Kraken Lie'' provided by Rhianos that functions in a manner similar to Golden Voyage but is a little less potent, and bears with it an assurance relating to how the enchantment can be purchased. Magicians are not allowed to charge for the service, but must instead agree to take shares of any treasure the adventurous sailor acquires, which again makes it more appealing to the less wealthy segments of society.

==Sailor on the Skerries==
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The Haaienvermijders also spoke at some length about the eternals of the Night realm with an interest in the sea. They mentioned as a matter of course that they had good relations with the ''Brother of Seaserpents'' - [[Sadogua]] - but agreed that while he was always prepared to offer aid with the performing of maritime magic he wasn't actually any ''good'' at the rituals themselves. They were a little reticent to discuss the codification of ''Muffled Oar'', and the involvement of the ''Jolly Patron'' in that endeavour, instead preferring to change the subject. I was happy to let them do so - particularly because what they most wanted to talk about was ''Dathan'', the ''Regent of the Skerries of Dream''.

The name ''Dathan'' comes from the inscription on a statue found in the time between the flight of those who would become the Highborn and the consolidation of the Delves into its modern form. There has been more discussion of this period in the previous research project '' [[Origins_of_the_Highborn#The_Fall_of_the_Umshalla|Origins of the Highborn]]'' especially where it talks about the fall of the Umshalla.

The statue is still preserved, standing over the ''Stergozocht'', a relatively poverty-stricken neighbourhood not far from the wealthy [[Foreign_ports#Betovering|Betovering]] docks. From the waist up it depicts a young human person with arms raised - although the left arm has broken off halfway between shoulder and elbow - one hand cupped as if to catch water and funnel it into a basin before the figure. Due to the missing arm, apparently the water just splashes every which way in modern times. From the waist down, however, they have a much more serpentine form. Not a snake as such - there are a few surviving fin-like structures along the length of the tail which coils round and round beneath the body giving an almost pyramidal base to the entire sculpture.

Most of the old stone fins have been broken off - my guide mentioned a little grumpily that some sailors believed that the fins would bring luck when travelling at sea and were stolen centuries ago. The words on the dais were cut deep, and plainly readable as "Dathan", although whatever else was carved there had long since been erased by the passage of years.

The things that stuck with me most about the statue were its size - it was several times as tall as I was even allowing for the raised dais on which it stood; the obvious fine quality of the sculpture despite its somewhat reduced state; and the face, turned toward the far horizon. Most of the features were gone, worn smooth by time, but there was something about its almost-human proportions that made me certain the visage was smiling a gentle smile of joy, and excitement, and yearning for... something.

My guide also pointed to the areas around the base of the things coils that had been worn smooth over time, she said, by young or desperate sailors touching it for luck, a tradition that continued to this day.

Back in the pleasant offices of the ''Haaienvermijders'' we discussed the eternal in more detail. As with many such creatures, especially in the realm of [[Realms#Night|Night]], ''Dathan'' has a host of subsidiary names. The most common is ''Fisher of the Reefs of Night'' - my hosts got a good laugh out of my attempts to pronounce the name in the Sarcophan language but quickly took pity on me and used Imperial translations from that point onward. They are also known as ''Sailor on the Skerries'', ''Wonderwove'', ''Hypnopheus'', ''Wind of Reverie'', ''Saltsong'', ''Light in the Deep'' and, interestingly, ''Star of the Seventh Sea'' and ''The Shoals of the Star-filled Sky''. ''Dathan'' is not their truest name, but the one that many sailors and mariners of the Delves know them by. The ''Haaienvermijders'' were a little surprised that I was unfamiliar with them, but were not slow to fill in further details.

The statue - a youth with the lower body of a marine serpent - is only one form taken by the traditionally mercurial Night eternal. The ''Haaienvermijders'' spoke of them, or their heralds, taking on the form of a clever rainbow octopus, a drifting jellyfish like creature that glowed with an inner radiance, a small but brightly coloured fish like none seen in the sea, or as a humanoid figure with multicoloured, scaled skin, and a great rainbow robe with trailing sleeves and a deep hood. Regardless of how they or their children appear, though, it is almost always in the context of a sailor, or a creature of the sea.

They exemplify the wonder and excitement of putting to sea, of exploring the strange and unfamiliar, but not simply in the pure practical sense. Dathan speaks of the mortal mind as an ocean - that each human (and presumably orc) has a realm as large as the whole of Night within their head. This is a metaphor, but also a "great truth" apparently. Before anything new can come into the world it must first be dreamed, and then made real. Dreams are where mortals are most free, and able to pass beyond the constraints of their bodies. Awe and joy are the truest emotions of the mortal heart because they are inspired by seeing beautiful, wondrous things or having profound experiences that cause the mind and spirit to grow and spread wings. The desire to expand one's experiences, to seek out new and marvellous things, was the most important drive of all and created a wake - a path - of stars that allowed mortals to make the world outside their heads as amazing as the one within.

The connection with stars, incidentally, attracted my attention but apparently has little to do with [[astronomancy]] - rather it is the ''idea'' of the stars of the night sky and not the [[constellations]] that Dathan represents, the allure and beauty and wonder of the little specks of light scattered across the sable shawl of the skies.

There was a great deal more of this kind of thing, but I was able to distil it down a little. Dathan is a serpent - like [[Sung]] or [[Lashonar]]. Rather than having wings, however, they have great wing-like fins that allow them to move freely through the water that is their domain. Their demesne is a shallow sea sometimes called the ''Skerries of Dream'' that is full of wonders and beauty and which mortals can occasionally visit in their dreams through some mechanism. As well as having a close tie to the sea as a source of awe and joy, they are closely tied to the idea of dreams, imagination, inspiration, wonder, and the drive to expand horizons and experience new things. They also have some connection to the idea of "treasure" - especially natural wonders such as pearls, gorgeous fish, strange beasts, unique fruit or flowers, water with magical properties, and the like, which can inspire and excite those prepared to engage in potentially dangerous quests.

Not, the Haaienvermijders were quick to qualify, ''exploration'' as such. Dathan has little interest in maps, apparently, and argues that they "pin down" the imagination in a way that is contrary to cultivating true wonder. Rather they want individuals to go to remote places and bask in the amazing experiences they can have there. Which as one of the ''Shark Dodgers'' said a little long-sufferingly, makes them utterly useless from a trade point of view. Having a patron that wants you to go somewhere amazing that has (for example) an exotic new breed of fruit that will be very much in demand if you bring it back home, but who actively opposes any effort to initiate a trade route to that location, can be a major pain in the backside. I think they were speaking from personal experience.

That is not to say that the Delves considers them useless - but the Haaienvermijders urged caution in dealing with them despite their apparently positive aspect. There are only a few areas where their power and influence is valuable, according to the Delves. Their focus on wonder means they can sometimes offer boons that help mortals overcome fear or despair, at the cost of perhaps pushing them too far in the other direction. Their fascination with beauty and natural wonders means that they can sometimes be prevailed on to help gain access to rare plants, precious stones, or similar wonders but only where they believe people will appreciate their beauty and inspiration rather than mine them and make a fortune.

Their focus on the imagination means they often serve as patrons for artists and poets, especially those arts that involve creating uplifting and optimistic stories, offering small boons related to dream and wonder. There was also talk of a ritual created with the aid of ''Dathan'' that appeared quite similar to [[Sift the Dreamscape's Sands]] but rather then bringing shifting dreams of jungles, it inspires dreams of wonderful sea voyages or undersea adventures, but specifically empowers the magician's mastery of [[Night magic]] alone. It is apparently well known among practitioners of Night magic in the Delves, while Sift the Dreamscape's Sands seems to be largely unknown despite being somewhat more versatile.

In character they and their heralds are apparently nerve-shreddingly optimistic, upbeat, positive, hopeful, and joyous. They love wonderful things, and go out of their way to encourage other people to share that joy. The consensus of the ''Haaienvermijders '' is that they are pleasant enough to deal with from time to time, but the boons they can provide are often not worth the effort it takes to get hold of them.

They're also a little unpredictable, even for a Night eternal. One of them told a cautionary tale about the ''Wonderverkopers'' - the "Miracle Sellers". This guild became wealthy selling some materials introduced to them by Dathan as recreational narcotics, as well as a small number of marvellous dream rituals developed with the patronage of the eternal (which to my mind sounded a bit like Octavius of Auric Horizon's [[Ride the Noble Steed]]) After a time, though, they became greedy and started placing more and more demands on Dathan, and apparently paying lip service to the eternals goal of inspiring and bringing joy and wonder to drab lives.

At one point, during a meeting of the now wealthy members of the previously underdog guild, to discuss a potential play for the [[Founders_of_the_Delves#The_Buidelrat|Seat of the Buidelrat]], something went horribly wrong. The guild members themselves were eventually discovered sealed in their meeting chambers sound asleep. They remained asleep from that day onwards. Examination by a profession ''vloekprik'' - an expert in curses - determined that they were all enjoying truly amazing dreams of wealth, power, and indulgence that would last for the rest of their lives. Breaking the curse was apparently too expensive, and so the surviving members of the guild had them moved to a nice hospice in the marshes where they each lived out several more decades of endless, wonderful dreams. How true this tale is I cannot say for sure, but the ''Haaienvermijders'' certainly seemed to believe it so...

I asked if the Haaienvermijders knew any reason why Dathan might not have spoken with the Empire in any formal capacity. They weren't able to answer directly but "made enquiries" - they certainly knew some other covens of magicians who had closer ties with Dathan then they themselves did. My studies took me elsewhere, but shortly before I was due to quit the Delves and return to Sarcophan, my former guide came to see me with some news. They had spoken with a magician who engaged in the practice of ''dream trading'' - a combination magician and pharmaceuticalist such as one is only likely to find in the Delves I wager - who had a way to speak with heralds of Dathan. According to this slightly unsavoury individual, Dathan avoids anything to do with Imperial citizens for two reasons.

The first is the activity of the ''Crew of Sodden Trains'' - which we both agreed was probably the [[Whisper Gallery]] - who apparently loathes Dathan for sharing secret and hidden things with people. A more serious concern however was something the herald called the "Lantern Shark". As near as my ''Shark Dodger'' friend was able to make out, there is a creature of the Night realm that Dathan's herald describes as having the features of a rare deep-water fish that uses a lure to draw curious fish toward it so it can feast on them, and a monstrous shark.

I confessed I had no idea what this was about, and my guide ventured that it might be that Dathan is in opposition to a more forthright, dangerous eternal of the Night realm that also deals in dreams and that they (Dathan) believe it to have enough of a claim over Imperial magicians that the ''Sailor on the Skerries'' does not wish - or is unable - to intrude. This is, as my companion ruefully noted, an eternal that is most likely to run away from any conflict and convince itself that it never happened, or spend the next few years daydreaming about how it might have gone differently, than to actually have a fight with anyone or anything.

==Maw of Stone==
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After spending several weeks with the mercantile magicians of the ''Haaienvermijders'', I was hosted for a very pleasant fortnight at the home of the occult scholar ''Mina Luister''. While not actually a magician herself, in her prime she was well paid to serve as an intermediary between folk of the Delves and the eternals, having dedicated her life to studying everything she could about the creatures and their heralds. A true professional, she nonetheless told me many tantalising stories of deals struck, dangerous bargains, hair-raising negotiations, and in one case, a desperate swim through underwater ruins pursued by a hunting ''[[Siakha#Servants_of_Siakha|carcharadon]]''.

This latter brought us naturally to a discussion of the [[Siakha|Mother of Storms]] who the folk of the Delves variously call ''Red Squid'', ''Maw of Stone'', and occasionally ''the Chewer''. The former is a reference to the [[Mundane_beasts#Kraken|kraken]], while the latter two names speak of certain maritime phenomena where a whirlpool or waterspout becomes entangled with loose boulders and razor sharp pieces of coral that can shred hull, sail, or skin with equal aplomb.

Whereas the Sarcophan are likely to treat other eternals with the same laissez faire attitude they do foreign nations and merchants visiting their shores, this is not the case with Siakha. The eternal is seen as a figure of awe, or even terror. She represents the horrors of the ocean - not the unknown or theoretical horrors of the great deeps but the well-known and yet still unpredictable horrors of nature at its wildest. Storms, of course, but also those calms that can leave a ship stranded as the crew slowly go mad from thirst and the sun. Mighty beasts of the deep, for sure, but also the smaller creatures such as termites and poison crabs or deadly jellyfish. The Delves are particularly vulnerable to the machinations of the Mother of Storms, being both a maritime nation and one whose largest city lies along a coast parts of which are prone to flooding.

One bright morning my hostess prevailed on me to join her for a sedan chair ride out to the western docks. I was not enamoured of the sedan chair - while Mina reassured me several times it was a service like any other I felt there was something a little... unvirtuous... about paying other people to carry you around in luxury. Mistress Luister found it amusing at first but became a little waspish over time, and I was at pains to explain that it was not a judgement just a feeling. Apparently it is quite common for wealthier Sarcophan to travel by such a means, allowing them to avoid the mud and dirt that accumulates in the lower parts of the city. One can always tell a wealthy Sarcophan, they say, because their hems are clean.

Anyway, the reason for the sedan chair ride was to see a small wonder she called ''De Negenendertig Tanden'' - the Thirty-Nine Teeth. I'd seen one of them while arriving at the Delves and I presume many of my fellow Imperials who make a regular journey here already know something of them but Mina was able to give me their entire history. Not buoys as I had originally thought, they are thirty-nine columns of white granite inlaid with mithril and ilium that form a somewhat ragged fence across the bay overlooked by the central towers of the Delves. A great work of engineering, one that took the focus of the entire Beggar's Feast a little over two centuries ago, and required several seasons to complete, these teeth fundamentally weaken the servants of Siakha who might try to attack Sarcophan. Even those with powerful boons from the eternal might find themselves uncomfortable visiting the Delves - something Mina considered a point of pride. Pirates are not really welcome here, after all.

I expressed amazement at the sheer majesty of the work and she was more than happy to boast about the political wrangling that was needed to get the Teeth built. The Teeth also discourage the larger and more predatory beasts of the ocean approaching too close - it is one reason that Sarcophan has not had a recorded kraken attack in two hundred years. From time to time foolish servants of the Maw of Stone make an attempt to weaken or breach the cordon, but there is a dedicated naval force that protects the Teeth supported by magicians versed in battlefield magic with experience fighting the heralds of Siakha and so far they have prevented unnatural threats to the city.

Mina did explain, however, that this fence against Siakha was partially made possible by the assistance of a certain being of the Day realm, and as we took a pleasant tea in one of the towers looking out across the bay, she explained a little about ''Guathier, Lord of the Winds''.

==Lord of the Winds==
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Many of the eternals of the [[Realms#Day|Day realm]], the Hierarches of Sea and Sky, have a connection to the idea of the sea. [[Leviathan]] famously swims in the depths of a vast ocean that spreads across the entire realm. [[Zakalwe]], [[Ylenwe]], and [[Roshanwe]] each have their personal realms on the surface of that endless sea, while the domain of [[Phaleron]] is built on coral islands and rises high into the air, and deep into the waters. [[Kimus]] and [[Sinokenon]] meanwhile have their demesnes high above, in the sky over the eternal mirror-like sea. ''Guathier, Lord of the Winds'' is closer to the latter than the former, but nonetheless is counted by the Sarcophan as an eternal of the sea.

Unlike many eternals, ''Guathier'' does not collect names; the only other two commonly used in Sarcophan are ''Who-Sees-The-Wind'' and ''Windwinder''. She takes the form of a great bird, similar to an albatross - to my mind the depictions are very similar to those I have seen of the Imperial Albatross of the cliffs of [[Redoubt#Ventosi|Ventosi]] in [[Redoubt]]. Their feathers are translucent white, with light blue markings, and it is said that when she is in flight they glow with the light of the sun so bright it is impossible for a mortal to look on them without going blind.

Guathier is associated both with the wind, and with the currents of the sea - which her heralds describe as being very similar things seen from different perspectives in different mediums. She observes the flows of wind, and is said to be able to shape the wind and the currents of the sea. Mostly this power is drawn on to quell storms and bad weather of that nature - there are notes about a ritual boon offered by Guathier that provides significant protection to naval forces from the effect of cursed storms for example.

It seems as well that her fascination with currents, with the movement of air and water, makes her something of a prognosticator. Guathier is fascinated with the way that the smallest action can result in significant changes to the way events unfold, just as a rock in the path of a river can divert its flow in ways that are hard to predict. If Leviathan looks at the present that arises from the past, Guathier is concerned with the future that may arise from the present.

There is clearly more to this eternal than I was able to glean in my short discussion with Mina, and she was unable to introduce me to any magicians that deal extensively with her or her heralds. As to why she is not known in the Empire, Mina could not offer any particular guidance although we did discuss the possibility that the Empire's use of curses that inflict bad weather such as [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]] and [[Thunderous Deluge]] might have some influence on her opinion of our magicians.

==Polyptoton==
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Shortly before my time with Mina was due to come to an end, she introduced me to a Sarcophan [[cambion]] magician with the delightful name of ''Jaan van Daan''. Jaan makes a living dispatching messages and packages across the Known World through the auspices of [[Autumn magic]], and numbers everyone from ''Bedelaar Huisbaas'', through religious leaders, to fellow magicians among their clients. A true independent, it is likely that if you have received a [[Call Winged Messenger|winged messenger]] from the Delves it is Jaan van Daan that has sent it. Or at least so they themselves claim; but they certainly have the wealth and lifestyle to make me believe their claims.

Mina introduced me to Jaan specifically to talk about the ''[[Polyptoton|Sovereign-Lord of the City of Salt and Sail]]'', with whom we understood the [[Archmage of Autumn]] had recently become acquainted. The name used by Jaan van Daan is ''Polyptoton''; the Sarcophan said that this is the name of the eternal itself, which takes the form of an immense turtle-like creature upon whose back the city is built. I'm not sure how I feel about the idea of a turtle the size of Sarvos (conservatively; the Autumn realm inevitably claims that their cities are significantly larger than any in the mortal realm) but Jaan was insistent. The being itself goes by any number of names, and is also known as ''Saratan'' and ''Archeloni'', while the city itself is known as the ''Wandering City'', the ''Port Of No Storm'', and ''Mirabilis''.

Over a course of the stickiest sweets I have ever encountered in my life, Jaan shared some of his understanding of the City of Salt and Sail, and its connection to the "winged messengers" that are arguably the backbone of international diplomacy and trade. It seems that the invisible bird-like creatures associated with the spell - whatever precise form it takes in the various lands where it is practiced - are most commonly drawn from immense rookeries that ride on the back of Polyptoton. The rituals themselves don't draw on the power of the city itself, but in most cases they have been developed with the assistance of heralds that call it home. I mentioned that I had heard of magic items that could call up messengers as well, but Jaan was unable to explain how they might work.

Regardless, the people of the City of Salt and Sail feel a certain responsibility to the messengers - which are apparently not invisible in the Autumn Realm as they are in the mortal realm. When a messenger is unable to deliver their letter, or their package, it apparently causes them some distress and the heralds of the Infinite Rookery intercede to deal with the problem. Jaan van Daan was at pains to tell me that this is the only time the heralds of Polyptoton read such messages - otherwise it is a point of pride for them to remain as neutral supporters of communication around the world as possible.

Beyond these rituals, the City of Salt and Sail is concerned with two key resonances of the Autumn realm - [[Autumn magic#Travel and Communication|travel and communication]]. While they have some interest in [[Autumn magic#Trade|trade]], this is true of ''all'' the eternals of the Autumn realm so far encountered, to one degree or another. For Polyptoton, however, the key element of trade is that it relies on the transportation of both goods and ideas over distance. Salt, according to the heralds of the city, is key to the entire development of trade in the mortal world. Once traders are able to travel effectively down rivers and across the seas, they can transport great quantities of goods faster and more efficiently, to markets where they are unknown. Likewise, salt forms the basis of preservation of many perishable goods, allowing them to be transported further and still be viable trade goods. This metaphor puts one in mind of the arguments that the merchants of Ephisis make about "Gold" and "Lead" - a central allegory that underpins some of their claims without really meaning anything.

The city has a strong connection to ships and boats, and Jaan van Daan told me that they are ''the'' eternal to speak to in the Autumn realm - or any other - about facilitating the movement of such. Zartan doesn't limit itself solely to maritime concerns, however, having some interest in the movement of people and vehicles overland. They are not a particularly martial city, but their insight may still prove useful when moving armies or navies over distance. One of the (several) things that apparently piqued the interest of Polyptoton with regard to the Empire was the increasing use by Imperial magicians of the [[Find the Best Path]] ritual in recent years.

Their enthusiasm for communication, says Jaan, has some key differences to that of the eternal Lashonar with which Imperial magicians are perhaps more familiar. Lashonar brings people together so that they can speak face-to-face. Its Caucus Forum is a perfect example of how it sees communication - a chance for disparate folk to come together to share ideas, able to deploy their insight and intuition to evaluate the people they are speaking to, using emotion and subtlety to control the ebb and flow of words. The citizens of the City of Salt and Sail are not ''averse'' to people speaking to each other but they are ''much'' more excited about the written word. Not only letters, but also the myriad other ways that things written down can communicate (and perhaps even exert influence over readers). They certainly have demonstrated the ability to arrange meetings, but like the [[Prospero|Sovereign Lord of the City of Bridges]] they are likely to require a steep price for doing so. Where they shine is in their ability to get a letter to, in theory, anyone anywhere in the world.

==Kobhel Tava and More==
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After a pleasant afternoon spent in the company of Jaan van Daan, I finished my time with Mina by visiting some old colleagues of hers. The ''Stillegolf'' are a small coven who these days are apparently mostly retired. The four of them met with me in their apartments - a series of large open rooms at the top of one of the teetering towers of Sarcophan. We met at night, among candles, and I feel that decision was in part to ensure they presented their home in the best light. It was clear to me that their glory days are behind them, but I have no doubt that they knew it themselves, and knew I knew. In spite of that, the quartet of elderly [[draughir]] were engaging dinner companions and we spoke long into the night about the King of Nowhere and the Queen of the Vast.

Salt in the Lungs and the Prophet of the Last Light are known in the Delves but they are kept carefully at arms length by most of the wizards here. One of the ''Stillegolf'', a droll fellow named ''Marta Kjirik '' with a poetic turn of phrase, described them thus: "''they are the deep oceans, the water you don't now, with rocks beneath the surface that you cannot see. They are the fear of the becalmed sailor, of the captain who sees the storm approaching that she knows her ship will not survive, the dread of being far from shore and feeling your vessel shift beneath your feet as it begins to talk on water. They are the fraying of ropes, and the ripping of canvas, and the doomsong pealing in the depths, where no bells should be."

I can tell you now that, sat in that dark cavernous room full of faded splendor, with candles flickering and my hosts all staring at me unblinking, Marta's words sent a shiver down my spine and I heard the echo of one of my ancestors urging me to get out of there as fast as possible before they ate me. I squared my shoulders and persevered, however.

One of the other draughir, ''Irta Covesaar'', told a story of Khobel Tavah in her heavily accented Imperial that one of their heralds allegedly came to the people of Umshalla, the folk who occupied the Delves before the Sarcophan, and offered a warning of three dooms: chaos, war, and plague. The Diarchs of Parralenth, Elam and Orpa, refuted each of the claims of the herald in turn and cast the doomsayer from their court. They truly believed that their people could weather any storm that might come. Within a handful of years, the Diarchs were dead, the nation had been riven with chaos, civil war burned in the streets, and the final plague had begun to spread.

The tale might be apocryphal, but it led to a discussion that the ''Two-Who-Are-One'' are among the least unpredictable of the eternals the ''Stillegolf'' dealt with in their time. They do what they say, and there is little ambiguity with them. When they warn, their warning should be taken seriously because their words are never idle. They can also be drawn on to provide protection to ships at sea, which is one of the services the ''Stillegolf'' specialised in. They employed enchantments called ''Sails of the Last City'' which was invaluable to mercenary vessels employed to guard trade fleets, and ''Ward of Last Light'' which granted sailors preternatural fortitude and prevented death at sea for a time.

The third member of the coven, the old guildmaster ''Pieter Covesaar'' explained that the ritual texts they had used were sold off years ago, but they showed me several old boons from the ''Old Man and the Sea''. These battered looking foci appeared to have been taken from sunken wrecks, marked by decades of exposure to salt water, but were nonetheless sturdy. Their magical potency had long since leeched from them, but careful examination showed that they had once held powers that allowed ritual magicians to more easily weave spells of [[Winter magic#Preservation|preservation]] and [[Winter magic#Survival|survival]] that were quite intriguing.

It was while we were leaving that the last surviving member of the coven, ''Sjaak Kjikik'' spoke up for the first time, discoursing on the matter of fear, and while I didn't know it at the time my visit was about to take a peculiar tangent. I had made some off-hand comment about fear of drowning, and Sjaak had corrected me. He spoke in tones more suited to a professor lecturing at the [[Sarvos#Diora_University|Diora]], but his expression was scarily intense and his eyes flickered gold and red in the candleflames. He explained that there are two forms of fear, and the Winter eternals represent the more wholesome of the two. The [[Winter magic#Fear|fears]] the Winter eternals exemplify are ''rational'' fears - it is right that people fear drowning because it is a horrible way to die, one that is always waiting just behind the shoulder of anyone who owes their lives to the water. The fear of hunger, of making bad decisions, of the ending that comes with death, of pain, of suffering, are all ''sensible'' fears. Yet there is another kind of fear that has nothing to do with reason or good sense. For ''that'' kind of fear one must look elsewhere - to the ''Hongerigespin'' and to ''Ungholt, the Delerium King''.

==Hongerigespin and Ungholt==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Delirium King.jpg|caption=Ungholt the Delerium King spreads madness and terror, and twists the dreams of sleeping mortals into terrible shapes.|align=left|width=400}}</div>
Mina looked quite concerned when he mentioned these two, and saw my questioning expression. We sat back down again and Sjaak gave a quick explanation. These were not eternals of the Winter realm, but of Night. He did not talk much about ''Hongerigespin'' apart from the say that it was a creature that devoured everything that made a person a person and brought the kind of living death which ate the entire person but left their body behind. Irta tried to interject that the creature also had useful powers over obfuscation and concealment, but even she had to agree that the boons were never worth it given the price. Mina kept trying to catch my eye during this exchange and communicate nonverbally, and on top of that one of my ancestors was growling very loudly in my left ear, and so I did not take much in.

On the subject of ''Ungholt, the Delirium King'', however, Sjaak was much more voluble, seemingly to the chagrin of this three covenmates. Apparently this creature appears as a figure without a face, in a hooded robe. It may also appear as the most terrifying image drawn from the nightmares of those who see them. There is no lesson in the fear brought by the Delirium King, only madness and death. Sjaak began to twitch as he spoke, getting more and more agitated, until Marta brought out a particular deep green liquor and made him down a small glass of it to bring back his calm.

I had to check twice that the Delirium King was a creature of the Night realm, and not the Winter realm, but Sjaak was adamant and the others nodded silent agreement. He then explained that Delirium King is the lord of nightmare, madness, and fear made manifest. It is actually tangentially associated with my commission which is why I mention it here. Where most of the other domains of the Night realm are said to be forests, Ungholt dominates a land of mud and water, creeping mist, and unnatural trees called the Mire of Madness. It is drawn to places where people have drowned, and apparently finds the desperate struggles of someone unable to escape water or quicksand to be delightful music. Given that much of the land in and around the Delves is marshland, I could immediately see why the creature was relevant to the Sarcophan. Also, its tangential connection to water led me to believe that it might be relevant to the wider commission.

Marta broke in at this point to stress again that there is no ''[[Winter magic#Wisdom|wisdom]]'' in the fear Ungholt brings. They are simply a prison, one that eventually breaks the mind of their victims and leaves them unable to tell reality from dreadful fantasy. Its servants move in nightmare, apparently, allowing them to attack sleeping minds and remove the ability to rest. It can also bring weakness and a fear so terrible it paralyses those exposed to it, allegedly with a simple touch or terrible music.

It was around this point that I started to notice that the candles had mostly gone out. We are huddled together around the low table, scattered with the remnants of our supper, hunched forward while Sjaak rambled about nightmare and madness, sucking quagmire, and drifting lights that fed on the souls of the despairing, our shadows seeming to be dreadful giants leaning forward above and around us. It put me in mind of some of the stories I had heard from soldiers fighting in [[Zenith]] and [[Ossium]], and so I interjected and quickly described the [[Druj miasma]]. Might Ungholt be involved in such a thing?

The draughir magicians asked several probing questions, and the more answers I gave the more certain they became that the Delirium King could not be responsible. The Druj miasma and its [[Druj_miasma#Miasma_Pillars|pillars]] have laid over [[the Mallum]] for generations - Sjaak was adamant that any extended exposure to the power of Ungholt on such a scale could bring only madness and death. Whatever the miasma is, it is not a thing of the [[Realms#Night|Night Realm]]. Yet they cautioned that it is the kind of thing that would delight Ungholt, would draw his attention like flies to a rotting corpse. An entire people oppressed by auras of fear, dread, and despair would be a feast for Ungholt and its servants. I was initially a little skeptical, but the more I thought on it the more I came to agree with them. If the miasma of the Mallum ''was'' a thing of the realms we would have known about it decades ago. And I must stress, the four of them were in agreement that exposure to the power of Ungholt for an extended period of time would break the spirit and the mind to the point that nobody - Druj ''or'' their septs - would be able to function in any way.

When Sjaak left to answer the call of his bladder, Pieter quickly explained that there was a reason that Sjaak was so impassioned, and why they were certain that the eternal was not behind this "miasma" I spoke of. Twenty years ago the ''Stillegolf'' ran afoul of a coven of magicians who drew on the boons of Ungholt. The coven dwelled outside the city in the swamps along the Umshalla river, and had come to the attention of the Delves' coven because they were terrorizing Sarcophan ship captains who relied on their warding magic for protection. The ensuing "wizards war" went in favour of the ''Stillegolf'', not least because they were able to call in favours from several of the maritime associations they had worked with, and because they were able to draw on soldiers from the Grim Legion of the ''Maiden of Midnight''. Despite this, the fight left two of their number - including Sjaak's husband - trapped in eternal nightmare slumber, and Sjaak on the verge of madness after six months of awful waking visions.

While Pieter spoke, Irta lit more candles and unshrouded a dim [[Technology#Lightstones|lightstone]], and when Sjaak returned from his call of nature the subject was changed and Mina and I thanked our hosts and left. Sjaak had the last word - he warned that I should not seek to learn much more about Ungholt, and should definitely not seek to attract its attention. If the Empire is not of interest to the Delirium King, they should thank their good fortune and perhaps spare a moment to think compassionately of those in the Delves who are not so lucky.

Mina and I travelled back to my apartments in silence, and I confess that when I finally slept that night my dreams were tormented by the image of a black hooded spectre and an increasingly unhinged Sjaak hunting me through the streets of [[Skarsind#Gildenheim|Gildenheim]], dream-warped such that they were overwhelmed with terrible, stinking swamps.

==Conclusion==
When I awoke, slathered in sweat, it turned out that it was not just the unsettling tales of the ''Stillegolf'' that were responsible for my disturbed night. I had, despite all my best efforts, managed to pick up some awful sickness of the bowels native to the Sarcophan Delves. If I had one piece of advice to give any of my colleagues considering spending time in the Delves it would be to boil the water before you drink it. I spent a week alternating between weeping and hunched over, and writhing wrapped in sweat-soaked bedsheets.

Several of the magicians I had met sent small tokens of consolation, and I can only thank the physician provided by Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike who dosed me every six hours with a preparation of boiled water and [[bladeroot]]. With her assistance, my fever eventually broke and I regained control of my bowels. Two days later, I was leaving the Delves, with a new appreciation of how wide and complicated the world really is. Despite my illness, I think my time in Sarcophan was well spent and I would happily return.

I spent most of the journey back across the Sea of Teeth and the [[Bay of Catazar]] compiling my notes into this travelogue, which I hope will prove of interest. My recommendation would be that the Minister think carefully about how best to present this information to the rest of the Empire. Especially the Conclave who can, sometimes, leave themselves open to criticism when it comes to their enthusiasm for seeking out new creatures of the realms.

While several of those mentioned here seem harmless, some of them may certainly present hidden dangers. I'll leave my final point as an paraphrase of something Mina Luister said to me over spiced cakes. Sometimes it is a blessing to avoid the gaze of the powerful, especially when their desires are unpredictable.

It scans better in Sarcophan, I suppose.
==Further Reading==
* [[Eternal]]
* [[Sarcophan Delves]]

Eternals of the sea

2026-08-01T11:57:10Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Kobhel Tava and More */

[[Category:Eternals]][[Category:History]]
==Overview==
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear:left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Andaman Islands at sunset.jpg|align=left|caption=The magicians of the Sarcophan Delves, as a sea-faring folk, commonly deal with eternals that share their interests.|width=400}}</div>
Following an [[All_the_night-tide#Under_the_Waves|arrangement]] brokered with the [[Sarcophan Delves]], the [[Minister of Historical Research]] Watt Lambrook of [[the Marches]] [[387YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Research_Eternals_of_the_Sea|commissioned]] the [[Historical research#Department of Historical Research|Department of Historical Research]] to send a scholar to the Delves to learn what their experts knew about [[eternal|eternals]] specifically associated with the sea. [[Historical research#Snowstorm Henk|Snowstorm Henk]] boarded a vessel at [[Necropolis#Hedrossan|Crown's Quay]] and spent the better part of nine months as a guest of the scholars and magicians of the Delves. Their report was eventually provided to the Minister at the Summer Solstice 388YE - overdue but at least thickly detailed. Originally intended to uncover information about [[Khobel Tavah]], the remit expanded significantly while Henk was in the Delves.

It coincidentally arrived at the same time that the Imperial prognosticator [[Appraisal#Lisane_de_Terresford|Lisane de Terresford]] was delivering the first part of her [[appraisal]] discussing attitudes to eternals in the [[Sumaah Republic]], which also referenced [[Satraps_of_the_Abyss#Republican_Eternals|several eternals]] that seem to be unknown in the Empire.

Presented as something of a travelogue, as is often the case with Snowstorm Henk, it also provides some insight into Sarcophan attitudes to the realms in general, and additional information about eternals not directly related to the sea.
==Introduction==
{{CaptionedImage|file=Watt of Lambrook.jpg|caption='''Watt of Lambrook''', Minister of Historical Research|align=right|width=400}}
The trip across the seas was a little longer than I had expected, but proved mostly uneventful. I was not entirely prepared for just how many sharks there are in the [[The_seven_seas#Sea_of_Teeth|Sea of Teeth]], but the [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] sailors did their best to hide their amusement at my reaction. I explained several times that we have no sharks in [[Skarsind]] and that just seemed to amuse them even more. I was also a little taken aback at the sheer size of Sarcophan. It is a city to rival [[Sarvos]] and [[Tassato]] both together, a confusing melange of ancient and brand new, without any suggestion of a plan or scheme. Towers and bridges and halls and tombs all hodge-podge together like a box of building bricks upended with little rhyme or reason.

I met with Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike only briefly; she welcomed me to the Delves and reassured me that there were several local [[coven|covens]], as well as individual magicians and scholars who made a study of the eternals, eager to meet me. Helpfully, she had arranged a select gathering for the very next afternoon in which I was able to meet with what amounted to the cream of Sarcophan [[realms]] studies. I shan't bore you with details but I was a little heartened to find that they were for the most part as earnest, opinionated, argumentative, and downright peculiar as their peers at home. There was a definite split, however, between those who made a particular academic study of the realms and those who dealt directly with eternals and [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] as part of their professional lives. As always, there is a gulf between the theoretical and the practical, but where possible I shall attempt to synthesise the two approaches.

Before I begin there is one set of eternals that I have not spent much time exploring in the Delves. Many of the [[Archmage_of_Day#The_Eternals_of_Day|Hierarchs of Sea and Sky]] have an association with the sea that seems to be much more metaphorical than literal. [[Leviathan]], [[Zakalwe]], [[Roshanwe]], and even [[Ylenwe]] have a tie to the idea of the sea but are not themselves eternals ''of'' the sea, if you follow my reasoning. With the exception of [[Roshanwe]], they are not especially involved with the Delves, and even there it is the seeking-distant-ports resonances of ''Beachcomber'' that they are more interested in. I focused my attention a little more closely on those eternals I felt that the Empire as a whole had least experience with, and I hope that I am not out of line by doing so.

==A Sarcophan View==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Taxonomy.png|align=right|width=400|caption=The Esatolian Taxonomy groups eternals not by realm, but by function.}}</div>
One of the more surprising things that arose during this research is that the Sarcophan view of the realms and the eternals is fundamentally different to that of the Empire. Of course, the six realms exist - that is just a matter of fact. However, the Sarcophan do not classify the eternals primarily by realm. Instead, the classification of the eternals is a broad taxonomy based primarily on common functions, with the classification by realm a secondary factor. The name for the study of such matters in Sarcophan is "De taxonomie van magische bestuurders", and an expert is known as a ''taxanoom''. Being a taxanoom is considered a somewhat difficult but respectable profession. Most magicians in the Delves are ''not'' taxanoom: they might deal a little with specific eternals, but they don't make it their business to know all of them. A taxonoom is generally consulted for specialist advice when it is believed a project calls for it: the ritual magic they practice is apparently not unlike [[Aspect magic#goetia|goetia]], but with a legalistic and bureaucratic formulation.

The full ''taxonomie'' is quite broad and contains multiple factors which are debated amongst scholars of the art. "Eternals of the Sea" is one of the clearest ways in which eternals can be classified, but other examples include "Eternals who are Sovereign Rulers" and "Eternals who are Magicians". The Sarcophan believe that in fact it's in the nuances between the realms that you find within these broad themes that you gain the most insight: in contrast they don't really think it's useful to think about the ways that eternals of the same realm relate to each other (with a few special-case exceptions).

The Sarcophan believe a working knowledge of taxonomy to be the only firm foundation for successful trade with eternals. Despite this, there are dozens of competing taxonomies put forward by rival scholars, each of which offers competing classifications. Some of these works include all the known powers, while others have gaps or classify only a handful of eternals. In fact, there are so many different taxonomy, that the Sarcophan have created a classification system for them.

The Esatolian Taxonomy, is one of the more popular systems of classifications, and one of the first that many aspiring magicians learn. It is "complete" in the sense that it contains all the eternals that the Sarcophan commonly trade with. It is singular, which means that each eternal is assigned to a single taxonomy, and economic, which means eternals are presented in order of the most profitable to trade with, rather than by their assessed power. I have included it here as it one of the easiest to understand and use.

==Regent of the Eternal Sea==
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=RhianosArt.jpg|align=right|width=200|caption=Rhinaos, Regent of the Eternal Sea, is a spirit of adventure - but also risk and recklessness.}}</div>
I spent a very enjoyable week with the ''Haaienvermijders'', a Sarcophan magical cabal familiar to some Imperial magicians. It did not cease to entertain me that their name literally translates into Imperial as "Shark Dodgers". They live up to their name - a jovial coven whose members compose a small trading guild - although I will confess I was a little surprised to discover that these adepts of [[Summer magic|Summer]] and [[Night magic]] were almost entirely of the [[briar]] [[lineage]]. Of course the Spring-touched are common in the Delves - the blessings of their heritage help them endure the various problems related to living in what amounts to a plague-haunted swamp with towers in it - but it struck me as a little surprising to imagine such an enterprisingly entrepreneurial endeavour being run entirely by briar folk. I confess this led to a little introspective soul-searching that is beyond the remit of my researches.

Among the ''Shark Dodgers'', I was regaled by multiple stories relating to the [[Golden Voyage]] - the popular ritual developed from the pioneering work of Andreas i Sol-Devorador i Erigo of the Krakenfire Armada - some of which seemed outlandish even for that particular magical rite. This turned out to be more relevant than I at first anticipated, however. Since the exchange of rituals - [[Muffled Oar]] for [[Golden Voyage]] - the Shark Dodgers have sought out a closer relationship with the [[Rhianos|Regent of the Eternal Sea]] who finds a certain appeal in that particular enchantment.

Rhianos - the eternal has as many names in the Delves as they do in the Empire - has reasonably close ties with the magicians of the Sarcophan Delves. While the Delves are best known for their trading empire, there are always venturous souls among them who seek out both new ports and new opportunities for personal enrichment. Rhianos rarely leads them astray in that regard, for all that the eternal themselves is unconcerned with "profit" in a purely pecuniary sense. Rather, the "spirit of adventure" helps them find uncharted waters, lost islands, strange beasts with valuable teeth, and fog-shrouded smugglers ports with equal ease.

According to the ''Haaienvermijders'', more than one Bedelaar Huisbaas through the history of the Delves has managed a lucky find inspired by Rhianos into a personal fortune. As a consequence, Rhianos is seen as a patron of the young and the reckless - those who have yet to make their mark in society prepared to risk all for the chance to shine - and more established individuals and concerns politely decline their gifts. This doesn't seem to worry ''Foamfollower'', and does nothing to tarnish his reputation among the mariners of the Delves.

The ''Shark Dodgers'' mention a spell relatively well known among the magewrights of the docks and quays called ''Where Kraken Lie'' provided by Rhianos that functions in a manner similar to Golden Voyage but is a little less potent, and bears with it an assurance relating to how the enchantment can be purchased. Magicians are not allowed to charge for the service, but must instead agree to take shares of any treasure the adventurous sailor acquires, which again makes it more appealing to the less wealthy segments of society.

==Sailor on the Skerries==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Blue-ringed octopus.jpg|caption=Dathan is a creature of wonder and imagination, a bringer of joy and reverie.|width=400px}}</div>
The Haaienvermijders also spoke at some length about the eternals of the Night realm with an interest in the sea. They mentioned as a matter of course that they had good relations with the ''Brother of Seaserpents'' - [[Sadogua]] - but agreed that while he was always prepared to offer aid with the performing of maritime magic he wasn't actually any ''good'' at the rituals themselves. They were a little reticent to discuss the codification of ''Muffled Oar'', and the involvement of the ''Jolly Patron'' in that endeavour, instead preferring to change the subject. I was happy to let them do so - particularly because what they most wanted to talk about was ''Dathon'', the ''Regent of the Skerries of Dream''.

The name ''Dathon'' comes from the inscription on a statue found in the time between the flight of those who would become the Highborn and the consolidation of the Delves into its modern form. There has been more discussion of this period in the previous research project '' [[Origins_of_the_Highborn#The_Fall_of_the_Umshalla|Origins of the Highborn]]'' especially where it talks about the fall of the Umshalla.

The statue is still preserved, standing over the ''Stergozocht'', a relatively poverty-stricken neighbourhood not far from the wealthy [[Foreign_ports#Betovering|Betovering]] docks. From the waist up it depicts a young human person with arms raised - although the left arm has broken off halfway between shoulder and elbow - one hand cupped as if to catch water and funnel it into a basin before the figure. Due to the missing arm, apparently the water just splashes every which way in modern times. From the waist down, however, they have a much more serpentine form. Not a snake as such - there are a few surviving fin-like structures along the length of the tail which coils round and round beneath the body giving an almost pyramidal base to the entire sculpture.

Most of the old stone fins have been broken off - my guide mentioned a little grumpily that some sailors believed that the fins would bring luck when travelling at sea and were stolen centuries ago. The words on the dais were cut deep, and plainly readable as "Dathon", although whatever else was carved there had long since been erased by the passage of years.

The things that stuck with me most about the statue were its size - it was several times as tall as I was even allowing for the raised dais on which it stood; the obvious fine quality of the sculpture despite its somewhat reduced state; and the face, turned toward the far horizon. Most of the features were gone, worn smooth by time, but there was something about its almost-human proportions that made me certain the visage was smiling a gentle smile of joy, and excitement, and yearning for... something.

My guide also pointed to the areas around the base of the things coils that had been worn smooth over time, she said, by young or desperate sailors touching it for luck, a tradition that continued to this day.

Back in the pleasant offices of the ''Haaienvermijders'' we discussed the eternal in more detail. As with many such creatures, especially in the realm of [[Realms#Night|Night]], ''Dathan'' has a host of subsidiary names. The most common is ''Fisher of the Reefs of Night'' - my hosts got a good laugh out of my attempts to pronounce the name in the Sarcophan language but quickly took pity on me and used Imperial translations from that point onward. They are also known as ''Sailor on the Skerries'', ''Wonderwove'', ''Hypnopheus'', ''Wind of Reverie'', ''Saltsong'', ''Light in the Deep'' and, interestingly, ''Star of the Seventh Sea'' and ''The Shoals of the Star-filled Sky''. ''Dathon'' is not their truest name, but the one that many sailors and mariners of the Delves know them by. The ''Haaienvermijders'' were a little surprised that I was unfamiliar with them, but were not slow to fill in further details.

The statue - a youth with the lower body of a marine serpent - is only one form taken by the traditionally mercurial Night eternal. The ''Haaienvermijders'' spoke of them, or their heralds, taking on the form of a clever rainbow octopus, a drifting jellyfish like creature that glowed with an inner radiance, a small but brightly coloured fish like none seen in the sea, or as a humanoid figure with multicoloured, scaled skin, and a great rainbow robe with trailing sleeves and a deep hood. Regardless of how they or their children appear, though, it is almost always in the context of a sailor, or a creature of the sea.

They exemplify the wonder and excitement of putting to sea, of exploring the strange and unfamiliar, but not simply in the pure practical sense. Dathan speaks of the mortal mind as an ocean - that each human (and presumably orc) has a realm as large as the whole of Night within their head. This is a metaphor, but also a "great truth" apparently. Before anything new can come into the world it must first be dreamed, and then made real. Dreams are where mortals are most free, and able to pass beyond the constraints of their bodies. Awe and joy are the truest emotions of the mortal heart because they are inspired by seeing beautiful, wondrous things or having profound experiences that cause the mind and spirit to grow and spread wings. The desire to expand ones experiences, to seek out new and marvellous things, was the most important drive of all and created a wake - a path - of stars that allowed mortals to make the world outside their heads as amazing as the one within.

The connection with stars, incidentally, attracted my attention but apparently has little to do with [[astronomancy]] - rather it is the ''idea'' of the stars of the night sky and not the [[constellations]] that Dathan represents, the allure and beauty and wonder of the little specks of light scattered across the sable shawl of the skies.

There was a great deal more of this kind of thing, but I was able to distil it down a little. Dathan is a serpent - like [[Sung]] or [[Lashonar]]. Rather than having wings, however, they have great wing-like fins that allow them to move freely through the water that is their domain. Their demesne is a shallow sea sometimes called the ''Skerries of Dream'' that is full of wonders and beauty and which mortals can occasionally visit in their dreams through some mechanism. As well as having a close tie to the sea as a source of awe and joy, they are closely tied to the idea of dreams, imagination, inspiration, wonder, and the drive to expand horizons and experience new things. They also have some connection to the idea of "treasure" - especially natural wonders such as pearls, gorgeous fish, strange beasts, unique fruit or flowers, water with magical properties, and the like, which can inspire and excite those prepared to engage in potentially dangerous quests.

Not, the Haaienvermijders were quick to qualify, ''exploration'' as such. Dathan has little interest in maps, apparently, and argues that they "pin down" the imagination in a way that is contrary to cultivating true wonder. Rather they want individuals to go to remote places and bask in the amazing experiences they can have there. Which as one of the ''Shark Dodgers'' said a little long-sufferingly, makes them utterly useless from a trade point of view. Having a patron that wants you to go somewhere amazing that has (for example) an exotic new breed of fruit that will be very much in demand if you bring it back home, but who actively opposes any effort to initiate a trade route to that location, can be a major pain in the backside. I think they were speaking from personal experience.

That is not to say that the Delves considers them useless - but the Haaienvermijders urged caution in dealing with them despite their apparently positive aspect. There are only a few areas where their power and influence is valuable, according to the Delves. Their focus on wonder means they can sometimes offer boons that help mortals overcome fear or despair, at the cost of perhaps pushing them too far in the other direction. Their fascination with beauty and natural wonders means that they can sometimes be prevailed on to help gain access to rare plants, precious stones, or similar wonders but only where they believe people will appreciate their beauty and inspiration rather than mine them and make a fortune.

Their focus on the imagination means they often serve as patrons for artists and poets, especially those arts that involve creating uplifting and optimistic stories, offering small boons related to dream and wonder. There was also talk of a ritual created with the aid of ''Dathan'' that appeared quite similar to [[Sift the Dreamscape's Sands]] but rather then bringing shifting dreams of jungles, it inspires dreams of wonderful sea voyages or undersea adventures, but specifically empowers the magician's mastery of [[Night magic]] alone. It is apparently well known among practitioners of Night magic in the Delves, while Sift the Dreamscapes Sands seems to be largely unknown despite being somewhat more versatile.

In character they and their heralds are apparently nerve-shreddingly optimistic, upbeat, positive, hopeful, and joyous. They love wonderful things, and go out of their way to encourage other people to share that joy. The consensus of the ''Haaienvermijders '' is that they are pleasant enough to deal with from time to time, but the boons they can provide are often not worth the effort it takes to get hold of them.

They're also a little unpredictable, even for a Night eternal. One of them told a cautionary tale about the ''Wonderverkopers'' - the "Miracle Sellers". This guild became wealthy selling some materials introduced to them by Dathan as recreational narcotics, as well as a small number of marvellous dream rituals developed with the patronage of the eternal (which to my mind sounded a bit like Octavius of Auric Horizon's [[Ride the Noble Steed]]) After a time, though, they became greedy and started placing more and more demands on Dathan, and apparently paying lip service to the eternals goal of inspiring and bringing joy and wonder to drab lives.

At one point, during a meeting of the now wealthy members of the previously underdog guild, to discuss a potential play for the [[Founders_of_the_Delves#The_Buidelrat|Seat of the Buidelrat]], something went horribly wrong. The guild members themselves were eventually discovered sealed in their meeting chambers sound asleep. They remained asleep from that day onwards. Examination by a profession ''vloekprik'' - an expert in curses - determined that they were all enjoying truly amazing dreams of wealth, power, and indulgence that would last for the rest of their lives. Breaking the curse was apparently too expensive, and so the surviving members of the guild had them moved to a nice hospice in the marshes where they each lived out several more decades of endless, wonderful dreams. How true this tale is I cannot say for sure, but the ''Haaienvermijders'' certainly seemed to believe it so...

I asked if the Haaienvermijders knew any reason why Dathan might not have spoken with the Empire in any formal capacity. They weren't able to answer directly but "made enquiries" - they certainly knew some other covens of magicians who had closer ties with Dathan then they themselves did. My studies took me elsewhere, but shortly before I was due to quit the Delves and return to Sarcophan, my former guide came to see me with some news. They had spoken with a magician who engaged in the practice of ''dream trading'' - a combination magician and pharmaceuticalist such as one is only likely to find in the Delves I wager - who had a way to speak with heralds of Dathan. According to this slightly unsavoury individual, Dathan avoids anything to do with Imperial citizens for two reasons.

The first is the activity of the ''Crew of Sodden Trains'' - which we both agreed was probably the [[Whisper Gallery]] - who apparently loathes Dathan for sharing secret and hidden things with people. A more serious concern however was something the herald called the "Lantern Shark". As near as my ''Shark Dodger'' friend was able to make out, there is a creature of the Night realm that Dathan's herald describes as having the features of a rare deep-water fish that uses a lure to draw curious fish toward it so it can feast on them, and a monstrous shark.

I confessed I had no idea what this was about, and my guide ventured that it might be that Dathan is in opposition to a more forthright, dangerous eternal of the Night realm that also deals in dreams and that they (Dathan) believe it to have enough of a claim over Imperial magicians that the ''Sailor on the Skerries'' does not wish - or is unable - to intrude. This is, as my companion ruefully noted, an eternal that is most likely to run away from any conflict and convince itself that it never happened, or spend the next few years daydreaming about how it might have gone differently, than to actually have a fight with anyone or anything.

==Maw of Stone==
<div style="float:right; width: 275px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Siakha002.png|caption=The Maw of Stone is a common name in the Delves for the destructive eternal of Spring the Empire calls Siakha.|align=right|width=275}}</div>
After spending several weeks with the mercantile magicians of the ''Haaienvermijders'', I was hosted for a very pleasant fortnight at the home of the occult scholar ''Mina Luister''. While not actually a magician herself, in her prime she was well paid to serve as an intermediary between folk of the Delves and the eternals, having dedicated her life to studying everything she could about the creatures and their heralds. A true professional, she nonetheless told me many tantalising stories of deals struck, dangerous bargains, hair-raising negotiations, and in one case, a desperate swim through underwater ruins pursued by a hunting ''[[Siakha#Servants_of_Siakha|carcharadon]]''.

This latter brought us naturally to a discussion of the [[Siakha|Mother of Storms]] who the folk of the Delves variously call ''Red Squid'', ''Maw of Stone'', and occasionally ''the Chewer''. The former is a reference to the [[Mundane_beasts#Kraken|kraken]], while the latter two names speak of certain maritime phenomena where a whirlpool or waterspout becomes entangled with loose boulders and razor sharp pieces of coral that can shred hull, sail, or skin with equal aplomb.

Whereas the Sarcophan are likely to treat other eternals with the same laissez faire attitude they do foreign nations and merchants visiting their shores, this is not the case with Siakha. The eternal is seen as a figure of awe, or even terror. She represents the horrors of the ocean - not the unknown or theoretical horrors of the great deeps but the well-known and yet still unpredictable horrors of nature at its wildest. Storms, of course, but also those calms that can leave a ship stranded as the crew slowly go mad from thirst and the sun. Mighty beasts of the deep, for sure, but also the smaller creatures such as termites and poison crabs or deadly jellyfish. The Delves are particularly vulnerable to the machinations of the Mother of Storms, being both a maritime nation and one whose largest city lies along a coast parts of which are prone to flooding.

One bright morning my hostess prevailed on me to join her for a sedan chair ride out to the western docks. I was not enamoured of the sedan chair - while Mina reassured me several times it was a service like any other I felt there was something a little... unvirtuous... about paying other people to carry you around in luxury. Mistress Luister found it amusing at first but became a little waspish over time, and I was at pains to explain that it was not a judgement just a feeling. Apparently it is quite common for wealthier Sarcophan to travel by such a means, allowing them to avoid the mud and dirt that accumulates in the lower parts of the city. One can always tell a wealthy Sarcophan, they say, because their hems are clean.

Anyway, the reason for the sedan chair ride was to see a small wonder she called ''De Negenendertig Tanden'' - the Thirty-Nine Teeth. I'd seen one of them while arriving at the Delves and I presume many of my fellow Imperials who make a regular journey here already know something of them but Mina was able to give me their entire history. Not buoys as I had originally thought, they are thirty-nine columns of white granite inlaid with mithril and ilium that form a somewhat ragged fence across the bay overlooked by the central towers of the Delves. A great work of engineering, one that took the focus of the entire Beggar's Feast a little over two centuries ago, and required several seasons to complete, these teeth fundamentally weaken the servants of Siakha who might try to attack Sarcophan. Even those with powerful boons from the eternal might find themselves uncomfortable visiting the Delves - something Mina considered a point of pride. Pirates are not really welcome here, after all.

I expressed amazement at the sheer majesty of the work and she was more than happy to boast about the political wrangling that was needed to get the Teeth built. The Teeth also discourage the larger and more predatory beasts of the ocean approaching too close - it is one reason that Sarcophan has not had a recorded kraken attack in two hundred years. From time to time foolish servants of the Maw of Stone make an attempt to weaken or breach the cordon, but there is a dedicated naval force that protects the Teeeth supported by magicians versed in battlefield magic with experience fighting the heralds of Siakha and so far they have prevented unnatural threats to the city.

Mina did explain, however, that this fence against Siakha was partially made possible by the assistance of a certain being of the Day realm, and as we took a pleasant tea in one of the towers looking out across the bay, she explained a little about ''Guathier, Lord of the Winds''.

==Lord of the Winds==
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Shy albatross in flight.jpg|title=Grumpy albatross is wise to your malarkey.|caption=Guathier is one of the Hierarchs of Sea and Sky, and strongly associated with weather and the sea.|align=right|width=300}}</div>
Many of the eternals of the [[Realms#Day|Day realm]], the Hierarches of Sea and Sky, have a connection to the idea of the sea. [[Leviathan]] famously swims in the depths of a vast ocean that spreads across the entire realm. [[Zakalwe]], [[Ylenwe]], and [[Roshanwe]] each have their personal realms on the surface of that endless sea, while the domain of [[Phaleron]] is built on coral islands and rises high into the air, and deep into the waters. [[Kimus]] and [[Sinokenon]] meanwhile have their demesnes high above, in the sky over the eternal mirror-like sea. ''Guathier, Lord of the Winds'' is closer to the latter than the former, but nonetheless is counted by the Sarcophan as an eternal of the sea.

Unlike many eternals, ''Guathier'' does not collect names; the only other two commonly used in Sarcophan are ''Who-Sees-The-Wind'' and ''Windwinder''. She takes the form of a great bird, similar to an albatross - to my mind the depictions are very similar to those I have seen of the Imperial Albatross of the cliffs of [[Redoubt#Ventosi|Ventosi]] in [[Redoubt]]. Their feathers are translucent white, with light blue markings, and it is said that when she is in flight they glow with the light of the sun so bright it is impossible for a mortal to look on them without going blind.

Guathier is associated both with the wind, and with the currents of the sea - which her heralds describe as being very similar things seen from different perspectives in different mediums. She observes the flows of wind, and is said to be able to shape the wind and the currents of the sea. Mostly this power is drawn on to quell storms and bad weather of that nature - there are notes about a ritual boon offered by Guathier that provides significant protection to naval forces from the effect of cursed storms for example.

It seems as well that her fascination with currents, with the movement of air and water, makes her something of a prognosticator. Guathier is fascinated with the way that the smallest action can result in significant changes to the way events unfold, just as a rock in the path of a river can divert its flow in ways that are hard to predict. If Leviathan looks at the present that arises from the past, Guathier is concerned with the future that may arise from the present.

There is clearly more to this eternal than I was able to glean in my short discussion with Mina, and she was unable to introduce me to any magicians that deal extensively with her or her heralds. As to why she is not known in the Empire, Mina could not offer any particular guidance although we did discuss the possibility that the Empire's use of curses that inflict bad weather such as [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]] and [[Thunderous Deluge]] might have some influence on her opinion of our magicians.

==Polyptoton==
{{CaptionedImage|file=Turtle city.jpg|align=right|width=250}}
Shortly before my time with Mina was due to come to an end, she introduced me to a Sarcophan [[cambion]] magician with the delightful name of ''Jaan van Daan''. Jaan makes a living dispatching messages and packages across the Known World through the auspices of [[Autumn magic]], and numbers everyone from ''Bedelaar Huisbaas'', through religious leaders, to fellow magicians among their clients. A true independent, it is likely that if you have received a [[Call Winged Messenger|winged messenger]] from the Delves it is Jaan van Daan that has sent it. Or at least so they themselves claim; but they certainly have the wealth and lifestyle to make me believe their claims.

Mina introduced me to Jaan specifically to talk about the ''Sovereign-Lord of the City of Salt and Sail'', with whom we understood the [[Archmage of Autumn]] had recently become acquainted. The name used by Jaan van Daan is ''Polyptoton''; the Sarcophan said that this is the name of the eternal itself, which takes the form of an immense turtle-like creature upon whose back the city is built. I'm not sure how I feel about the idea of a turtle the size of Sarvos (conservatively; the Autumn realm inevitably claims that their cities are significantly larger than any in the mortal realm) but Jaan was insistent. The being itself goes by any number of names, and is also known as ''Saratan'' and ''Archeloni'', while the city itself is known as the ''Wandering City'', the ''Port Of No Storm'', and ''Mirabilis''.

Over a course of the stickiest sweets I have ever encountered in my life, Jaan shared some of his understanding of the City of Salt and Sail, and its connection to the "winged messengers" that are arguably the backbone of international diplomacy and trade. It seems that the invisible bird-like creatures associated with the spell - whatever precise form it takes in the various lands where it is practiced - are most commonly drawn from immense rookeries that ride on the back of Polyptoton. The rituals themselves don't draw on the power of the city itself, but in most cases they have been developed with the assistance of heralds that call it home. I mentioned that I had heard of magic items that could call up messengers as well, but Jaan was unable to explain how they might work.

Regardless, the people of the City of Salt and Sail feel a certain responsibility to the messengers - which are apparently not invisible in the Autumn Realm as they are in the mortal realm. When a messenger is unable to deliver their letter, or their package, it apparently causes them some distress and the heralds of the Infinite Rookery intercede to deal with the problem. Jaan van Daan was at pains to tell me that this is the only time the heralds of Polyptoton read such messages - otherwise it is a point of pride for them to remain as neutral supporters of communication around the world as possible.

Beyond these rituals, the City of Salt and Sail is concerned with two key resonances of the Autumn realm - [[Autumn magic#Travel and Communication|travel and communication]]. While they have some interest in [[Autumn magic#Trade|trade]], this is true of ''all'' the eternals of the Autumn realm so far encountered, to one degree or another. For Polyptoton, however, the key element of trade is that it relies on the transportation of both goods and ideas over distance. Salt, according to the heralds of the city, is key to the entire development of trade in the mortal world. Once traders are able to travel effectively down rivers and across the seas, they can transport great quantities of goods faster and more efficiently, to markets where they are unknown. Likewise, salt forms the basis of preservation of many perishable goods, allowing them to be transported further and still be viable trade goods. This metaphor puts one in mind of the arguments that the merchants of Ephisis make about "Gold" and "Lead" - a central allegory that underpins some of their claims without really meaning anything.

The city has a strong connection to ships and boats, and Jaan van Daan told me that they are ''the'' eternal to speak to in the Autumn realm - or any other - about facilitating the movement of such. Zartan doesn't limit itself solely to maritime concerns, however, having some interest in the movement of people and vehicles overland. They are not a particularly martial city, but their insight may still prove useful when moving armies or navies over distance. One of the (several) things that apparently piqued the interest of Polyptoton with regard to the Empire was the increasing use by Imperial magicians of the [[Find the Best Path]] ritual in recent years.

Their enthusiasm for communication, says Jaan, has some key differences to that of the eternal Lashonar with which Imperial magicians are perhaps more familiar. Lashonar brings people together so that they can speak face-to-face. Its Caucus Forum is a perfect example of how it sees communication - a chance for disparate folk to come together to share ideas, able to deploy their insight and intuition to evaluate the people they are speaking to, using emotion and subtlety to control the ebb and flow of words. The citizens of the City of Salt and Sail are not ''averse'' to people speaking to each other but they are ''much'' more excited about the written word. Not only letters, but also the myriad other ways that things written down can communicate (and perhaps even exert influence over readers). They certainly have demonstrated the ability to arrange meetings, but like the [[Prospero|Sovereign Lord of the City of Bridges]] they are likely to require a steep price for doing so. Where they shine is in their ability to get a letter to, in theory, anyone anywhere in the world.

==Kobhel Tava and More==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=KhobelTavah.jpg|caption=Khobel and Tavah are the worst fear of sailors and those they leave behind. They are the drowned and the sea that drowns.|align=left|width=400}}</div>
After a pleasant afternoon spent in the company of Jaan van Daan, I finished my time with Mina by visiting some old colleagues of hers. The ''Stillegolf'' are a small coven who these days are apparently mostly retired. The four of them met with me in their apartments - a series of large open rooms at the top of one of the teetering towers of Sarcophan. We met at night, among candles, and I feel that decision was in part to ensure they presented their home in the best light. It was clear to me that their glory days are behind them, but I have no doubt that they knew it themselves, and knew I knew. In spite of that, the quartet of elderly [[draughir]] were engaging dinner companions and we spoke long into the night about the King of Nowhere and the Queen of the Vast.

Salt in the Lungs and the Prophet of the Last Light are known in the Delves but they are kept carefully at arms length by most of the wizards here. One of the ''Stillegolf'', a droll fellow named ''Marta Kjirik '' with a poetic turn of phrase, described them thus: "''they are the deep oceans, the water you don't now, with rocks beneath the surface that you cannot see. They are the fear of the becalmed sailor, of the captain who sees the storm approaching that she knows her ship will not survive, the dread of being far from shore and feeling your vessel shift beneath your feet as it begins to talk on water. They are the fraying of ropes, and the ripping of canvas, and the doomsong pealing in the depths, where no bells should be."

I can tell you now that, sat in that dark cavernous room full of faded splendor, with candles flickering and my hosts all staring at me unblinking, Marta's words sent a shiver down my spine and I heard the echo of one of my ancestors urging me to get out of there as fast as possible before they ate me. I squared my shoulders and persevered, however.

One of the other draughir, ''Irta Covesaar'', told a story of Khobel Tavah in her heavily accented Imperial that one of their heralds allegedly came to the people of Umshalla, the folk who occupied the Delves before the Sarcophan, and offered a warning of three dooms: chaos, war, and plague. The Diarchs of Parralenth, Elam and Orpa, refuted each of the claims of the herald in turn and cast the doomsayer from their court. They truly believed that their people could weather any storm that might come. Within a handful of years, the Diarchs were dead, the nation had been riven with chaos, civil war burned in the streets, and the final plague had begun to spread.

The tale might be apocryphal, but it led to a discussion that the ''Two-Who-Are-One'' are among the least unpredictable of the eternals the ''Stillegolf'' dealt with in their time. They do what they say, and there is little ambiguity with them. When they warn, their warning should be taken seriously because their words are never idle. They can also be drawn on to provide protection to ships at sea, which is one of the services the ''Stillegolf'' specialised in. They employed enchantments called ''Sails of the Last City'' which was invaluable to mercenary vessels employed to guard trade fleets, and ''Ward of Last Light'' which granted sailors preternatural fortitude and prevented death at sea for a time.

The third member of the coven, the old guildmaster ''Pieter Covesaar'' explained that the ritual texts they had used were sold off years ago, but they showed me several old boons from the ''Old Man and the Sea''. These battered looking foci appeared to have been taken from sunken wrecks, marked by decades of exposure to salt water, but were nonetheless sturdy. Their magical potency had long since leeched from them, but careful examination showed that they had once held powers that allowed ritual magicians to more easily weave spells of [[Winter magic#Preservation|preservation]] and [[Winter magic#Survival|survival]] that were quite intriguing.

It was while we were leaving that the last surviving member of the coven, ''Sjaak Kjikik'' spoke up for the first time, discoursing on the matter of fear, and while I didn't know it at the time my visit was about to take a peculiar tangent. I had made some off-hand comment about fear of drowning, and Sjaak had corrected me. He spoke in tones more suited to a professor lecturing at the [[Sarvos#Diora_University|Diora]], but his expression was scarily intense and his eyes flickered gold and red in the candleflames. He explained that there are two forms of fear, and the Winter eternals represent the more wholesome of the two. The [[Winter magic#Fear|fears]] the Winter eternals exemplify are ''rational'' fears - it is right that people fear drowning because it is a horrible way to die, one that is always waiting just behind the shoulder of anyone who owes their lives to the water. The fear of hunger, of making bad decisions, of the ending that comes with death, of pain, of suffering, are all ''sensible'' fears. Yet there is another kind of fear that has nothing to do with reason or good sense. For ''that'' kind of fear one must look elsewhere - to the ''Hongerigespin'' and to ''Ungholt, the Delerium King''.

==Hongerigespin and Ungholt==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Delirium King.jpg|caption=Ungholt the Delerium King spreads madness and terror, and twists the dreams of sleeping mortals into terrible shapes.|align=left|width=400}}</div>
Mina looked quite concerned when he mentioned these two, and saw my questioning expression. We sat back down again and Sjaak gave a quick explanation. These were not eternals of the Winter realm, but of Night. He did not talk much about ''Hongerigespin'' apart from the say that it was a creature that devoured everything that made a person a person and brought the kind of living death which ate the entire person but left their bodies behind. Irta tried to interject that the creature also had useful powers over obfuscation and concealment, but even she had to agree that the boons were never worth it given the price. Mina kept trying to catch my eye during this exchange and communicate nonverbally, and on top of that one of my ancestors was growling very loudly in my left ear, and so I did not take much in.

On the subject of ''Ungholt, the Delirium King'', however, Sjaak was much more voluble, seemingly to the chagrin of this three covenmates. Apparently this creature appears as a figure without a face, in a hooded robe. It may also appear as the most terrifying image drawn from the nightmares of those who see them. There is no lesson in the fear brought by the Delirium King, only madness and death. Sjaak began to twitch as he spoke, getting more and more agitated, until Marta brought out a particular deep green liquor and made him down a small glass of it to bring back his calm.

I had to check twice that the Delirium King was a creature of the Night realm, and not the Winter realm, but Sjaak was adamant and the others nodded silent agreement. He then explained that Delirium King is the lord of nightmare, madness, and fear made manifest. It is actually tangentially associated with my commission which is why I mention it here. Where most of the other domains of the Night realm are said to be forests, Ungholt dominates a land of mud and water, creeping mist, and unnatural trees called the Mire of Madness. It is drawn to places where people have drowned, and apparently finds the desperate struggles of someone unable to escape water or quicksand to be delightful music. Given that much of the land in and around the Delves is marshland, I could immediately see why the creature was relevant to the Sarcophan. Also, its tangential connection to water led me to believe that it might be relevant to the wider commission.

Marta broke in at this point to stress again that there is no ''[[Winter magic#Wisdom|wisdom]]'' in the fear Ungholt brings. They are simply a prison, one that eventually breaks the mind of their victims and leaves them unable to tell reality from dreadful fantasy. Its servants move in nightmare, apparently, allowing them to attack sleeping minds and remove the ability to rest. It can also bring weakness and a fear so terrible it paralyses those exposed to it, allegedly with a simple touch or terrible music.

It was around this point that I started to notice that the candles had mostly gone out. We are huddled together around the low table, scattered with the remnants of our supper, hunched forward while Sjaak rambled about nightmare and madness, sucking quagmire, and drifting lights that fed on the souls of the despairing, our shadows seeming to be dreadful giants leaning forward above and around us. It put me in mind of some of the stories I had heard from soldiers fighting in [[Zenith]] and [[Ossium]], and so I interjected and quickly described the [[Druj miasma]]. Might Ungholt be involved in such a thing?

The draughir magicians asked several probing questions, and the more answers I gave the more certain they became that the Delirium King could not be responsible. The Druj miasma and its [[Druj_miasma#Miasma_Pillars|pillars]] have laid over [[the Mallum]] for generations - Sjaak was adamant that any extended exposure to the power of Ungholt on such a scale could bring only madness and death. Whatever the miasma is, it is not a thing of the [[Realms#Night|Night Realm]]. Yet they cautioned that it is the kind of thing that would delight Ungholt, would draw his attention like flies to a rotting corpse. An entire people oppressed by auras of fear, dread, and despair would be a feast for Ungholt and its servants. I was initially a little skeptical, but the more I thought on it the more I came to agree with them. If the miasma of the Mallum ''was'' a thing of the realms we would have known about it decades ago. And I must stress, the four of them were in agreement that exposure to the power of Ungholt for an extended period of time would break the spirit and the mind to the point that nobody - Druj ''or'' their septs - would be able to function in any way.

When Sjaak left to answer the call of his bladder, Pieter quickly explained that there was a reason that Sjaak was so impassioned, and why they were certain that the eternal was not behind this "miasma" I spoke of. Twenty years ago the ''Stillegolf'' ran afoul of a coven of magicians who drew on the boons of Ungholt. The coven dwelled outside the city in the swamps along the Umshalla river, and had come to the attention of the Delves' coven because they were terrorizing Sarcophan ship captains who relied on their warding magic for protection. The ensuing "wizards war" went in favour of the ''Stillegolf'', not least because they were able to call in favours from several of the maritime associations they had worked with, and because they were able to draw on soldiers from the Grim Legion of the ''Maiden of Midnight''. Despite this, the fight left two of their number - including Sjaak's husband - trapped in eternal nightmare slumber, and Sjaak on the verge of madness after six months of awful waking visions.

While Pieter spoke, Irta lit more candles and unshrouded a dim [[Technology#Lightstones|lightstone]], and when Sjaak returned from his call of nature the subject was changed and Mina and I thanked our hosts and left. Sjaak had the last word - he warned that I should not seek to learn much more about Ungholt, and should definitely not seek to attract its attention. If the Empire is not of interest to the Delirium King, they should thank their good fortune and perhaps spare a moment to think compassionately of those in the Delves who are not so lucky.

Mina and I travelled back to my apartments in silence, and I confess that when I finally slept that night my dreams were tormented by the image of a black hooded spectre and an increasingly unhinged Sjaak hunting me through the streets of [[Skarsind#Gildenheim|Gildenheim]], dream-warped such that they were overwhelmed with terrible, stinking swamps.

==Conclusion==
When I awoke, slathered in sweat, it turned out that it was not just the unsettling tales of the ''Stillegolf'' that were responsible for my disturbed night. I had, despite all my best efforts, managed to pick up some awful sickness of the bowels native to the Sarcophan Delves. If I had one piece of advice to give any of my colleagues considering spending time in the Delves it would be to boil the water before you drink it. I spent a week alternating between weeping and hunched over, and writhing wrapped in sweat-soaked bedsheets.

Several of the magicians I had met sent small tokens of consolation, and I can only thank the physician provided by Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike who dosed me every six hours with a preparation of boiled water and [[bladeroot]]. With her assistance, my fever eventually broke and I regained control of my bowels. Two days later, I was leaving the Delves, with a new appreciation of how wide and complicated the world really is. Despite my illness, I think my time in Sarcophan was well spent and I would happily return.

I spent most of the journey back across the Sea of Teeth and the [[Bay of Catazar]] compiling my notes into this travelogue, which I hope will prove of interest. My recommendation would be that the Minister think carefully about how best to present this information to the rest of the Empire. Especially the Conclave who can, sometimes, leave themselves open to criticism when it comes to their enthusiasm for seeking out new creatures of the realms.

While several of those mentioned here seem harmless, some of them may certainly present hidden dangers. I'll leave my final point as an paraphrase of something Mina Luister said to me over spiced cakes. Sometimes it is a blessing to avoid the gaze of the powerful, especially when their desires are unpredictable.

It scans better in Sarcophan, I suppose.
==Further Reading==
* [[Eternal]]
* [[Sarcophan Delves]]

Eternals of the sea

2026-08-01T11:50:32Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Maw of Stone */

[[Category:Eternals]][[Category:History]]
==Overview==
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear:left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Andaman Islands at sunset.jpg|align=left|caption=The magicians of the Sarcophan Delves, as a sea-faring folk, commonly deal with eternals that share their interests.|width=400}}</div>
Following an [[All_the_night-tide#Under_the_Waves|arrangement]] brokered with the [[Sarcophan Delves]], the [[Minister of Historical Research]] Watt Lambrook of [[the Marches]] [[387YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Research_Eternals_of_the_Sea|commissioned]] the [[Historical research#Department of Historical Research|Department of Historical Research]] to send a scholar to the Delves to learn what their experts knew about [[eternal|eternals]] specifically associated with the sea. [[Historical research#Snowstorm Henk|Snowstorm Henk]] boarded a vessel at [[Necropolis#Hedrossan|Crown's Quay]] and spent the better part of nine months as a guest of the scholars and magicians of the Delves. Their report was eventually provided to the Minister at the Summer Solstice 388YE - overdue but at least thickly detailed. Originally intended to uncover information about [[Khobel Tavah]], the remit expanded significantly while Henk was in the Delves.

It coincidentally arrived at the same time that the Imperial prognosticator [[Appraisal#Lisane_de_Terresford|Lisane de Terresford]] was delivering the first part of her [[appraisal]] discussing attitudes to eternals in the [[Sumaah Republic]], which also referenced [[Satraps_of_the_Abyss#Republican_Eternals|several eternals]] that seem to be unknown in the Empire.

Presented as something of a travelogue, as is often the case with Snowstorm Henk, it also provides some insight into Sarcophan attitudes to the realms in general, and additional information about eternals not directly related to the sea.
==Introduction==
{{CaptionedImage|file=Watt of Lambrook.jpg|caption='''Watt of Lambrook''', Minister of Historical Research|align=right|width=400}}
The trip across the seas was a little longer than I had expected, but proved mostly uneventful. I was not entirely prepared for just how many sharks there are in the [[The_seven_seas#Sea_of_Teeth|Sea of Teeth]], but the [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] sailors did their best to hide their amusement at my reaction. I explained several times that we have no sharks in [[Skarsind]] and that just seemed to amuse them even more. I was also a little taken aback at the sheer size of Sarcophan. It is a city to rival [[Sarvos]] and [[Tassato]] both together, a confusing melange of ancient and brand new, without any suggestion of a plan or scheme. Towers and bridges and halls and tombs all hodge-podge together like a box of building bricks upended with little rhyme or reason.

I met with Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike only briefly; she welcomed me to the Delves and reassured me that there were several local [[coven|covens]], as well as individual magicians and scholars who made a study of the eternals, eager to meet me. Helpfully, she had arranged a select gathering for the very next afternoon in which I was able to meet with what amounted to the cream of Sarcophan [[realms]] studies. I shan't bore you with details but I was a little heartened to find that they were for the most part as earnest, opinionated, argumentative, and downright peculiar as their peers at home. There was a definite split, however, between those who made a particular academic study of the realms and those who dealt directly with eternals and [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] as part of their professional lives. As always, there is a gulf between the theoretical and the practical, but where possible I shall attempt to synthesise the two approaches.

Before I begin there is one set of eternals that I have not spent much time exploring in the Delves. Many of the [[Archmage_of_Day#The_Eternals_of_Day|Hierarchs of Sea and Sky]] have an association with the sea that seems to be much more metaphorical than literal. [[Leviathan]], [[Zakalwe]], [[Roshanwe]], and even [[Ylenwe]] have a tie to the idea of the sea but are not themselves eternals ''of'' the sea, if you follow my reasoning. With the exception of [[Roshanwe]], they are not especially involved with the Delves, and even there it is the seeking-distant-ports resonances of ''Beachcomber'' that they are more interested in. I focused my attention a little more closely on those eternals I felt that the Empire as a whole had least experience with, and I hope that I am not out of line by doing so.

==A Sarcophan View==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Taxonomy.png|align=right|width=400|caption=The Esatolian Taxonomy groups eternals not by realm, but by function.}}</div>
One of the more surprising things that arose during this research is that the Sarcophan view of the realms and the eternals is fundamentally different to that of the Empire. Of course, the six realms exist - that is just a matter of fact. However, the Sarcophan do not classify the eternals primarily by realm. Instead, the classification of the eternals is a broad taxonomy based primarily on common functions, with the classification by realm a secondary factor. The name for the study of such matters in Sarcophan is "De taxonomie van magische bestuurders", and an expert is known as a ''taxanoom''. Being a taxanoom is considered a somewhat difficult but respectable profession. Most magicians in the Delves are ''not'' taxanoom: they might deal a little with specific eternals, but they don't make it their business to know all of them. A taxonoom is generally consulted for specialist advice when it is believed a project calls for it: the ritual magic they practice is apparently not unlike [[Aspect magic#goetia|goetia]], but with a legalistic and bureaucratic formulation.

The full ''taxonomie'' is quite broad and contains multiple factors which are debated amongst scholars of the art. "Eternals of the Sea" is one of the clearest ways in which eternals can be classified, but other examples include "Eternals who are Sovereign Rulers" and "Eternals who are Magicians". The Sarcophan believe that in fact it's in the nuances between the realms that you find within these broad themes that you gain the most insight: in contrast they don't really think it's useful to think about the ways that eternals of the same realm relate to each other (with a few special-case exceptions).

The Sarcophan believe a working knowledge of taxonomy to be the only firm foundation for successful trade with eternals. Despite this, there are dozens of competing taxonomies put forward by rival scholars, each of which offers competing classifications. Some of these works include all the known powers, while others have gaps or classify only a handful of eternals. In fact, there are so many different taxonomy, that the Sarcophan have created a classification system for them.

The Esatolian Taxonomy, is one of the more popular systems of classifications, and one of the first that many aspiring magicians learn. It is "complete" in the sense that it contains all the eternals that the Sarcophan commonly trade with. It is singular, which means that each eternal is assigned to a single taxonomy, and economic, which means eternals are presented in order of the most profitable to trade with, rather than by their assessed power. I have included it here as it one of the easiest to understand and use.

==Regent of the Eternal Sea==
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=RhianosArt.jpg|align=right|width=200|caption=Rhinaos, Regent of the Eternal Sea, is a spirit of adventure - but also risk and recklessness.}}</div>
I spent a very enjoyable week with the ''Haaienvermijders'', a Sarcophan magical cabal familiar to some Imperial magicians. It did not cease to entertain me that their name literally translates into Imperial as "Shark Dodgers". They live up to their name - a jovial coven whose members compose a small trading guild - although I will confess I was a little surprised to discover that these adepts of [[Summer magic|Summer]] and [[Night magic]] were almost entirely of the [[briar]] [[lineage]]. Of course the Spring-touched are common in the Delves - the blessings of their heritage help them endure the various problems related to living in what amounts to a plague-haunted swamp with towers in it - but it struck me as a little surprising to imagine such an enterprisingly entrepreneurial endeavour being run entirely by briar folk. I confess this led to a little introspective soul-searching that is beyond the remit of my researches.

Among the ''Shark Dodgers'', I was regaled by multiple stories relating to the [[Golden Voyage]] - the popular ritual developed from the pioneering work of Andreas i Sol-Devorador i Erigo of the Krakenfire Armada - some of which seemed outlandish even for that particular magical rite. This turned out to be more relevant than I at first anticipated, however. Since the exchange of rituals - [[Muffled Oar]] for [[Golden Voyage]] - the Shark Dodgers have sought out a closer relationship with the [[Rhianos|Regent of the Eternal Sea]] who finds a certain appeal in that particular enchantment.

Rhianos - the eternal has as many names in the Delves as they do in the Empire - has reasonably close ties with the magicians of the Sarcophan Delves. While the Delves are best known for their trading empire, there are always venturous souls among them who seek out both new ports and new opportunities for personal enrichment. Rhianos rarely leads them astray in that regard, for all that the eternal themselves is unconcerned with "profit" in a purely pecuniary sense. Rather, the "spirit of adventure" helps them find uncharted waters, lost islands, strange beasts with valuable teeth, and fog-shrouded smugglers ports with equal ease.

According to the ''Haaienvermijders'', more than one Bedelaar Huisbaas through the history of the Delves has managed a lucky find inspired by Rhianos into a personal fortune. As a consequence, Rhianos is seen as a patron of the young and the reckless - those who have yet to make their mark in society prepared to risk all for the chance to shine - and more established individuals and concerns politely decline their gifts. This doesn't seem to worry ''Foamfollower'', and does nothing to tarnish his reputation among the mariners of the Delves.

The ''Shark Dodgers'' mention a spell relatively well known among the magewrights of the docks and quays called ''Where Kraken Lie'' provided by Rhianos that functions in a manner similar to Golden Voyage but is a little less potent, and bears with it an assurance relating to how the enchantment can be purchased. Magicians are not allowed to charge for the service, but must instead agree to take shares of any treasure the adventurous sailor acquires, which again makes it more appealing to the less wealthy segments of society.

==Sailor on the Skerries==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Blue-ringed octopus.jpg|caption=Dathan is a creature of wonder and imagination, a bringer of joy and reverie.|width=400px}}</div>
The Haaienvermijders also spoke at some length about the eternals of the Night realm with an interest in the sea. They mentioned as a matter of course that they had good relations with the ''Brother of Seaserpents'' - [[Sadogua]] - but agreed that while he was always prepared to offer aid with the performing of maritime magic he wasn't actually any ''good'' at the rituals themselves. They were a little reticent to discuss the codification of ''Muffled Oar'', and the involvement of the ''Jolly Patron'' in that endeavour, instead preferring to change the subject. I was happy to let them do so - particularly because what they most wanted to talk about was ''Dathon'', the ''Regent of the Skerries of Dream''.

The name ''Dathon'' comes from the inscription on a statue found in the time between the flight of those who would become the Highborn and the consolidation of the Delves into its modern form. There has been more discussion of this period in the previous research project '' [[Origins_of_the_Highborn#The_Fall_of_the_Umshalla|Origins of the Highborn]]'' especially where it talks about the fall of the Umshalla.

The statue is still preserved, standing over the ''Stergozocht'', a relatively poverty-stricken neighbourhood not far from the wealthy [[Foreign_ports#Betovering|Betovering]] docks. From the waist up it depicts a young human person with arms raised - although the left arm has broken off halfway between shoulder and elbow - one hand cupped as if to catch water and funnel it into a basin before the figure. Due to the missing arm, apparently the water just splashes every which way in modern times. From the waist down, however, they have a much more serpentine form. Not a snake as such - there are a few surviving fin-like structures along the length of the tail which coils round and round beneath the body giving an almost pyramidal base to the entire sculpture.

Most of the old stone fins have been broken off - my guide mentioned a little grumpily that some sailors believed that the fins would bring luck when travelling at sea and were stolen centuries ago. The words on the dais were cut deep, and plainly readable as "Dathon", although whatever else was carved there had long since been erased by the passage of years.

The things that stuck with me most about the statue were its size - it was several times as tall as I was even allowing for the raised dais on which it stood; the obvious fine quality of the sculpture despite its somewhat reduced state; and the face, turned toward the far horizon. Most of the features were gone, worn smooth by time, but there was something about its almost-human proportions that made me certain the visage was smiling a gentle smile of joy, and excitement, and yearning for... something.

My guide also pointed to the areas around the base of the things coils that had been worn smooth over time, she said, by young or desperate sailors touching it for luck, a tradition that continued to this day.

Back in the pleasant offices of the ''Haaienvermijders'' we discussed the eternal in more detail. As with many such creatures, especially in the realm of [[Realms#Night|Night]], ''Dathan'' has a host of subsidiary names. The most common is ''Fisher of the Reefs of Night'' - my hosts got a good laugh out of my attempts to pronounce the name in the Sarcophan language but quickly took pity on me and used Imperial translations from that point onward. They are also known as ''Sailor on the Skerries'', ''Wonderwove'', ''Hypnopheus'', ''Wind of Reverie'', ''Saltsong'', ''Light in the Deep'' and, interestingly, ''Star of the Seventh Sea'' and ''The Shoals of the Star-filled Sky''. ''Dathon'' is not their truest name, but the one that many sailors and mariners of the Delves know them by. The ''Haaienvermijders'' were a little surprised that I was unfamiliar with them, but were not slow to fill in further details.

The statue - a youth with the lower body of a marine serpent - is only one form taken by the traditionally mercurial Night eternal. The ''Haaienvermijders'' spoke of them, or their heralds, taking on the form of a clever rainbow octopus, a drifting jellyfish like creature that glowed with an inner radiance, a small but brightly coloured fish like none seen in the sea, or as a humanoid figure with multicoloured, scaled skin, and a great rainbow robe with trailing sleeves and a deep hood. Regardless of how they or their children appear, though, it is almost always in the context of a sailor, or a creature of the sea.

They exemplify the wonder and excitement of putting to sea, of exploring the strange and unfamiliar, but not simply in the pure practical sense. Dathan speaks of the mortal mind as an ocean - that each human (and presumably orc) has a realm as large as the whole of Night within their head. This is a metaphor, but also a "great truth" apparently. Before anything new can come into the world it must first be dreamed, and then made real. Dreams are were mortals are most free, and able to pass beyond the constraints of their bodies. Awe and joy are the truest emotions of the mortal heart because they are inspired by seeing beautiful, wondrous things or having profound experiences that cause the mind and spirit to grow and spread wings. The desire to expand ones experiences, to seek out new and marvellous things, was the most important drive of all and created a wake - a path - of stars that allowed mortals to make the world outside their heads as amazing as the one within.

The connection with stars, incidentally, attracted my attention but apparently has little to do with [[astronomancy]] - rather it is the ''idea'' of the stars of the night sky and not the [[constellations]] that Dathan represents, the allure and beauty and wonder of the little specks of light scattered across the sable shawl of the skies.

There was a great deal more of this kind of thing, but I was able to distil it down a little. Dathan is a serpent - like [[Sung]] or [[Lashonar]]. Rather than having wings, however, they have great wing-like fins that allow them to move freely through the water that is their domain. Their demesne is a shallow sea sometimes called the ''Skerries of Dream'' that is full of wonders and beauty and which mortals can occasionally visit in their dreams through some mechanism. As well as having a close tie to the sea as a source of awe and joy, they are closely tied to the idea of dreams, imagination, inspiration, wonder, and the drive to expand horizons and experience new things. They also have some connection to the idea of "treasure" - especially natural wonders such as pearls, gorgeous fish, strange beasts, unique fruit or flowers, water with magical properties, and the like, which can inspire and excite those prepared to engage in potentially dangerous quests.

Not, the Haaienvermijders were quick to qualify, ''exploration'' as such. Dathan has little interest in maps, apparently, and argues that they "pin down" the imagination in a way that is contrary to cultivating true wonder. Rather they want individuals to go to remote places and bask in the amazing experiences they can have there. Which as one of the ''Shark Dodgers'' said a little long-sufferingly, makes them utterly useless from a trade point of view. Having a patron that wants you to go somewhere amazing that has (for example) an exotic new breed of fruit that will be very much in demand if you bring it back home, but who actively opposes any effort to initiate a trade route to that location, can be a major pain in the backside. I think they were speaking from personal experience.

That is not to say that the Delves considers them useless - but the Haaienvermijders urged caution in dealing with them despite their apparently positive aspect. There are only a few areas where their power and influence is valuable, according to the Delves. Their focus on wonder means they can sometimes offer boons that help mortals overcome fear or despair, at the cost of perhaps pushing them too far in the other direction. Their fascination with beauty and natural wonders means that they can sometimes be prevailed on to help gain access to rare plants, precious stones, or similar wonders but only where they believe people will appreciate their beauty and inspiration rather than mine them and make a fortune.

Their focus on the imagination means they often serve as patrons for artists and poets, especially those arts that involve creating uplifting and optimistic stories, offering small boons related to dream and wonder. There was also talk of a ritual created with the aid of ''Dathan'' that appeared quite similar to [[Sift the Dreamscape's Sands]] but rather then bringing shifting dreams of jungles, it inspires dreams of wonderful sea voyages or undersea adventures, but specifically empowers the magician's mastery of [[Night magic]] alone. It is apparently well known among practitioners of Night magic in the Delves, while Sift the Dreamscapes Sands seems to be largely unknown despite being somewhat more versatile.

In character they and their heralds are apparently nerve-shreddingly optimistic, upbeat, positive, hopeful, and joyous. They love wonderful things, and go out of their way to encourage other people to share that joy. The consensus of the ''Haaienvermijders '' is that they are pleasant enough to deal with from time to time, but the boons they can provide are often not worth the effort it takes to get hold of them.

They're also a little unpredictable, even for a Night eternal. One of them told a cautionary tale about the ''Wonderverkopers'' - the "Miracle Sellers". This guild became wealthy selling some materials introduced to them by Dathan as recreational narcotics, as well as a small number of marvellous dream rituals developed with the patronage of the eternal (which to my mind sounded a bit like Octavius of Auric Horizon's [[Ride the Noble Steed]]) After a time, though, they became greedy and started placing more and more demands on Dathan, and apparently paying lip service to the eternals goal of inspiring and bringing joy and wonder to drab lives.

At one point, during a meeting of the now wealthy members of the previously underdog guild, to discuss a potential play for the [[Founders_of_the_Delves#The_Buidelrat|Seat of the Buidelrat]], something went horribly wrong. The guild members themselves were eventually discovered sealed in their meeting chambers sound asleep. They remained asleep from that day onwards. Examination by a profession ''vloekprik'' - an expert in curses - determined that they were all enjoying truly amazing dreams of wealth, power, and indulgence that would last for the rest of their lives. Breaking the curse was apparently too expensive, and so the surviving members of the guild had them moved to a nice hospice in the marshes where they each lived out several more decades of endless, wonderful dreams. How true this tale is I cannot say for sure, but the ''Haaienvermijders'' certainly seemed to believe it so...

I asked if the Haaienvermijders knew any reason why Dathan might not have spoken with the Empire in any formal capacity. They weren't able to answer directly but "made enquiries" - they certainly knew some other covens of magicians who had closer ties with Dathan then they themselves did. My studies took me elsewhere, but shortly before I was due to quit the Delves and return to Sarcophan, my former guide came to see me with some news. They had spoken with a magician who engaged in the practice of ''dream trading'' - a combination magician and pharmaceuticalist such as one is only likely to find in the Delves I wager - who had a way to speak with heralds of Dathan. According to this slightly unsavoury individual, Dathan avoids anything to do with Imperial citizens for two reasons.

The first is the activity of the ''Crew of Sodden Trains'' - which we both agreed was probably the [[Whisper Gallery]] - who apparently loathes Dathan for sharing secret and hidden things with people. A more serious concern however was something the herald called the "Lantern Shark". As near as my ''Shark Dodger'' friend was able to make out, there is a creature of the Night realm that Dathan's herald describes as having the features of a rare deep-water fish that uses a lure to draw curious fish toward it so it can feast on them, and a monstrous shark.

I confessed I had no idea what this was about, and my guide ventured that it might be that Dathan is in opposition to a more forthright, dangerous eternal of the Night realm that also deals in dreams and that they (Dathan) believe it to have enough of a claim over Imperial magicians that the ''Sailor on the Skerries'' does not wish - or is unable - to intrude. This is, as my companion ruefully noted, an eternal that is most likely to run away from any conflict and convince itself that it never happened, or spend the next few years daydreaming about how it might have gone differently, than to actually have a fight with anyone or anything.

==Maw of Stone==
<div style="float:right; width: 275px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Siakha002.png|caption=The Maw of Stone is a common name in the Delves for the destructive eternal of Spring the Empire calls Siakha.|align=right|width=275}}</div>
After spending several weeks with the mercantile magicians of the ''Haaienvermijders'', I was hosted for a very pleasant fortnight at the home of the occult scholar ''Mina Luister''. While not actually a magician herself, in her prime she was well paid to serve as an intermediary between folk of the Delves and the eternals, having dedicated her life to studying everything she could about the creatures and their heralds. A true professional, she nonetheless told me many tantalising stories of deals struck, dangerous bargains, hair-raising negotiations, and in one case, a desperate swim through underwater ruins pursued by a hunting ''[[Siakha#Servants_of_Siakha|carcharadon]]''.

This latter brought us naturally to a discussion of the [[Siakha|Mother of Storms]] who the folk of the Delves variously call ''Red Squid'', ''Maw of Stone'', and occasionally ''the Chewer''. The former is a reference to the [[Mundane_beasts#Kraken|kraken]], while the latter two names speak of certain maritime phenomena where a whirlpool or waterspout becomes entangled with loose boulders and razor sharp pieces of coral that can shred hull, sail, or skin with equal aplomb.

Whereas the Sarcophan are likely to treat other eternals with the same laissez faire attitude they do foreign nations and merchants visiting their shores, this is not the case with Siakha. The eternal is seen as a figure of awe, or even terror. She represents the horrors of the ocean - not the unknown or theoretical horrors of the great deeps but the well-known and yet still unpredictable horrors of nature at its wildest. Storms, of course, but also those calms that can leave a ship stranded as the crew slowly go mad from thirst and the sun. Mighty beasts of the deep, for sure, but also the smaller creatures such as termites and poison crabs or deadly jellyfish. The Delves are particularly vulnerable to the machinations of the Mother of Storms, being both a maritime nation and one whose largest city lies along a coast parts of which are prone to flooding.

One bright morning my hostess prevailed on me to join her for a sedan chair ride out to the western docks. I was not enamoured of the sedan chair - while Mina reassured me several times it was a service like any other I felt there was something a little... unvirtuous... about paying other people to carry you around in luxury. Mistress Luister found it amusing at first but became a little waspish over time, and I was at pains to explain that it was not a judgement just a feeling. Apparently it is quite common for wealthier Sarcophan to travel by such a means, allowing them to avoid the mud and dirt that accumulates in the lower parts of the city. One can always tell a wealthy Sarcophan, they say, because their hems are clean.

Anyway, the reason for the sedan chair ride was to see a small wonder she called ''De Negenendertig Tanden'' - the Thirty-Nine Teeth. I'd seen one of them while arriving at the Delves and I presume many of my fellow Imperials who make a regular journey here already know something of them but Mina was able to give me their entire history. Not buoys as I had originally thought, they are thirty-nine columns of white granite inlaid with mithril and ilium that form a somewhat ragged fence across the bay overlooked by the central towers of the Delves. A great work of engineering, one that took the focus of the entire Beggar's Feast a little over two centuries ago, and required several seasons to complete, these teeth fundamentally weaken the servants of Siakha who might try to attack Sarcophan. Even those with powerful boons from the eternal might find themselves uncomfortable visiting the Delves - something Mina considered a point of pride. Pirates are not really welcome here, after all.

I expressed amazement at the sheer majesty of the work and she was more than happy to boast about the political wrangling that was needed to get the Teeth built. The Teeth also discourage the larger and more predatory beasts of the ocean approaching too close - it is one reason that Sarcophan has not had a recorded kraken attack in two hundred years. From time to time foolish servants of the Maw of Stone make an attempt to weaken or breach the cordon, but there is a dedicated naval force that protects the Teeeth supported by magicians versed in battlefield magic with experience fighting the heralds of Siakha and so far they have prevented unnatural threats to the city.

Mina did explain, however, that this fence against Siakha was partially made possible by the assistance of a certain being of the Day realm, and as we took a pleasant tea in one of the towers looking out across the bay, she explained a little about ''Guathier, Lord of the Winds''.

==Lord of the Winds==
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Shy albatross in flight.jpg|title=Grumpy albatross is wise to your malarkey.|caption=Guathier is one of the Hierarchs of Sea and Sky, and strongly associated with weather and the sea.|align=right|width=300}}</div>
Many of the eternals of the [[Realms#Day|Day realm]], the Hierarches of Sea and Sky, have a connection to the idea of the sea. [[Leviathan]] famously swims in the depths of a vast ocean that spreads across the entire realm. [[Zakalwe]], [[Ylenwe]], and [[Roshanwe]] each have their personal realms on the surface of that endless sea, while the domain of [[Phaleron]] is built on coral islands and rises high into the air, and deep into the waters. [[Kimus]] and [[Sinokenon]] meanwhile have their demesnes high above, in the sky over the eternal mirror-like sea. ''Guathier, Lord of the Winds'' is closer to the latter than the former, but nonetheless is counted by the Sarcophan as an eternal of the sea.

Unlike many eternals, ''Guathier'' does not collect names; the only other two commonly used in Sarcophan are ''Who-Sees-The-Wind'' and ''Windwinder''. She takes the form of a great bird, similar to an albatross - to my mind the depictions are very similar to those I have seen of the Imperial Albatross of the cliffs of [[Redoubt#Ventosi|Ventosi]] in [[Redoubt]]. Their feathers are translucent white, with light blue markings, and it is said that when she is in flight they glow with the light of the sun so bright it is impossible for a mortal to look on them without going blind.

Guathier is associated both with the wind, and with the currents of the sea - which her heralds describe as being very similar things seen from different perspectives in different mediums. She observes the flows of wind, and is said to be able to shape the wind and the currents of the sea. Mostly this power is drawn on to quell storms and bad weather of that nature - there are notes about a ritual boon offered by Guathier that provides significant protection to naval forces from the effect of cursed storms for example.

It seems as well that her fascination with currents, with the movement of air and water, makes her something of a prognosticator. Guathier is fascinated with the way that the smallest action can result in significant changes to the way events unfold, just as a rock in the path of a river can divert its flow in ways that are hard to predict. If Leviathan looks at the present that arises from the past, Guathier is concerned with the future that may arise from the present.

There is clearly more to this eternal than I was able to glean in my short discussion with Mina, and she was unable to introduce me to any magicians that deal extensively with her or her heralds. As to why she is not known in the Empire, Mina could not offer any particular guidance although we did discuss the possibility that the Empire's use of curses that inflict bad weather such as [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]] and [[Thunderous Deluge]] might have some influence on her opinion of our magicians.

==Polyptoton==
{{CaptionedImage|file=Turtle city.jpg|align=right|width=250}}
Shortly before my time with Mina was due to come to an end, she introduced me to a Sarcophan [[cambion]] magician with the delightful name of ''Jaan van Daan''. Jaan makes a living dispatching messages and packages across the Known World through the auspices of [[Autumn magic]], and numbers everyone from ''Bedelaar Huisbaas'', through religious leaders, to fellow magicians among their clients. A true independent, it is likely that if you have received a [[Call Winged Messenger|winged messenger]] from the Delves it is Jaan van Daan that has sent it. Or at least so they themselves claim; but they certainly have the wealth and lifestyle to make me believe their claims.

Mina introduced me to Jaan specifically to talk about the ''Sovereign-Lord of the City of Salt and Sail'', with whom we understood the [[Archmage of Autumn]] had recently become acquainted. The name used by Jaan van Daan is ''Polyptoton''; the Sarcophan said that this is the name of the eternal itself, which takes the form of an immense turtle-like creature upon whose back the city is built. I'm not sure how I feel about the idea of a turtle the size of Sarvos (conservatively; the Autumn realm inevitably claims that their cities are significantly larger than any in the mortal realm) but Jaan was insistent. The being itself goes by any number of names, and is also known as ''Saratan'' and ''Archeloni'', while the city itself is known as the ''Wandering City'', the ''Port Of No Storm'', and ''Mirabilis''.

Over a course of the stickiest sweets I have ever encountered in my life, Jaan shared some of his understanding of the City of Salt and Sail, and its connection to the "winged messengers" that are arguably the backbone of international diplomacy and trade. It seems that the invisible bird-like creatures associated with the spell - whatever precise form it takes in the various lands where it is practiced - are most commonly drawn from immense rookeries that ride on the back of Polyptoton. The rituals themselves don't draw on the power of the city itself, but in most cases they have been developed with the assistance of heralds that call it home. I mentioned that I had heard of magic items that could call up messengers as well, but Jaan was unable to explain how they might work.

Regardless, the people of the City of Salt and Sail feel a certain responsibility to the messengers - which are apparently not invisible in the Autumn Realm as they are in the mortal realm. When a messenger is unable to deliver their letter, or their package, it apparently causes them some distress and the heralds of the Infinite Rookery intercede to deal with the problem. Jaan van Daan was at pains to tell me that this is the only time the heralds of Polyptoton read such messages - otherwise it is a point of pride for them to remain as neutral supporters of communication around the world as possible.

Beyond these rituals, the City of Salt and Sail is concerned with two key resonances of the Autumn realm - [[Autumn magic#Travel and Communication|travel and communication]]. While they have some interest in [[Autumn magic#Trade|trade]], this is true of ''all'' the eternals of the Autumn realm so far encountered, to one degree or another. For Polyptoton, however, the key element of trade is that it relies on the transportation of both goods and ideas over distance. Salt, according to the heralds of the city, is key to the entire development of trade in the mortal world. Once traders are able to travel effectively down rivers and across the seas, they can transport great quantities of goods faster and more efficiently, to markets where they are unknown. Likewise, salt forms the basis of preservation of many perishable goods, allowing them to be transported further and still be viable trade goods. This metaphor puts one in mind of the arguments that the merchants of Ephisis make about "Gold" and "Lead" - a central allegory that underpins some of their claims without really meaning anything.

The city has a strong connection to ships and boats, and Jaan van Daan told me that they are ''the'' eternal to speak to in the Autumn realm - or any other - about facilitating the movement of such. Zartan doesn't limit itself solely to maritime concerns, however, having some interest in the movement of people and vehicles overland. They are not a particularly martial city, but their insight may still prove useful when moving armies or navies over distance. One of the (several) things that apparently piqued the interest of Polyptoton with regard to the Empire was the increasing use by Imperial magicians of the [[Find the Best Path]] ritual in recent years.

Their enthusiasm for communication, says Jaan, has some key differences to that of the eternal Lashonar with which Imperial magicians are perhaps more familiar. Lashonar brings people together so that they can speak face-to-face. Its Caucus Forum is a perfect example of how it sees communication - a chance for disparate folk to come together to share ideas, able to deploy their insight and intuition to evaluate the people they are speaking to, using emotion and subtlety to control the ebb and flow of words. The citizens of the City of Salt and Sail are not ''averse'' to people speaking to each other but they are ''much'' more excited about the written word. Not only letters, but also the myriad other ways that things written down can communicate (and perhaps even exert influence over readers). They certainly have demonstrated the ability to arrange meetings, but like the [[Prospero|Sovereign Lord of the City of Bridges]] they are likely to require a steep price for doing so. Where they shine is in their ability to get a letter to, in theory, anyone anywhere in the world.

==Kobhel Tava and More==
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After a pleasant afternoon spent in the company of Jaan van Daan, I finished my time with Mina by visiting some old colleagues of hers. The ''Stillegolf'' are a small coven who these days are apparently mostly retired. The four of them met with me in their apartments - a series of large open rooms at the top of one of the teetering towers of Sarcophan. We met at night, among candles, and I feel that decision was in part to ensure they presented their home in the best light. It was clear to me that their glory days are behind them, but I have no doubt that they knew it themselves, and knew I knew. In spite of that, the quarter of elderly [[draughir]] were engaging dinner companions and we spoke long into the night about the King of Nowhere and the Queen of the Vast.

Salt in the Lungs and the Prophet of the Last Light are known in the Delves but they are kept carefully at arms length by most of the wizards here. One of the ''Stillegolf'', a droll fellow named ''Marta Kjirik '' with a poetic turn of phrase, described them thus: "''they are the deep oceans, the water you don't now, with rocks beneath the surface that you cannot see. They are the fear of the becalmed sailor, of the captain who sees the storm approaching that she knows her ship will not survive, the dread of being far from shore and feeling your vessel shift beneath your feet as it begins to talk on water. They are the fraying of ropes, and the ripping of canvas, and the doomsong pealing in the depths, where no bells should be."

I can tell you now that, sat in that dark cavernous room full of faded splendor, with candles flickering and my hosts all staring at me unblinking, Marta's words sent a shiver down my spine and I heard the echo of one of my ancestors urging me to get out of there as fast as possible before they ate me. I squared my shoulders and persevered, however.

One of the other draughir, ''Irta Covesaar'', told a story of Khobel Tavah in her heavily accented Imperial that one of their heralds allegedly came to the people of Umshalla, the folk who occupied the Delves before the Sarcophan, and offered a warning of three dooms: chaos, war, and plague. The Diarchs of Parralenth, Elam and Orpa, refuted each of the claims of the herald in turn and cast the doomsayer from their court. They truly believed that their people could weather any storm that might come. Within a handful of years, the Diarchs were dead, the nation had been riven with chaos, civil war burned in the streets, and the final plague had begun to spread.

The tale might be apocryphal, but it led to a discussion that the ''Two-Who-Are-One'' are among the least unpredictable of the eternals the ''Stillegolf'' dealt with in their time. They do what they say, and there is little ambiguity with them. When they warn, their warning should be taken seriously because their words are never idle. They can also be drawn on to provide protection to ships at sea, which is one of the services the ''Stillegolf'' specialised in. They employed enchantments called ''Sails of the Last City'' which was invaluable to mercenary vessels employed to guard trade fleets, and ''Ward of Last Light'' which granted sailors preternatural fortitude and prevented death at sea for a time.

The third member of the coven, the old guildmaster ''Pieter Covesaar'' explained that the ritual texts they had used were sold off years ago, but they showed me several old boons from the ''Old Man and the Sea''. These battered looking foci appeared to have been taken from sunken wrecks, marked by decades of exposure to salt water, but were nonetheless sturdy. Their magical potency had long since leeched from them, but careful examination showed that they had once held powers that allowed ritual magicians to more easily weave spells of [[Winter magic#Preservation|preservation]] and [[Winter magic#Survival|survival]] that were quite intriguing.

It was while we were leaving that the last surviving member of the coven, ''Sjaak Kjikik'' spoke up for the first time, discoursing on the matter of fear, and while I didn't know it at the time my visit was about to take a peculiar tangent. I had made some off-hand comment about fear of drowning, and Sjaak had corrected me. He spoke in tones more suited to a professor lecturing at the [[Sarvos#Diora_University|Diora]], but his expression was scarily intense and his eyes flickered gold and red in the candleflames. He explained that there are two forms of fear, and the Winter eternals represent the more wholesome of the two. The [[Winter magic#Fear|fears]] the Winter eternals exemplify are ''rational'' fears - it is right that people fear drowning because it is a horrible way to die, one that is always waiting just behind the shoulder of anyone who owes their lives to the water. The fear of hunger, of making bad decisions, of the ending that comes with death, of pain, of suffering, are all ''sensible'' fears. Yet there is another kind of fear that has nothing to do with reason or good sense. For ''that'' kind of fear one must look elsewhere - to the ''Hongerigespin'' and to ''Ungholt, the Delerium King''.

==Hongerigespin and Ungholt==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Delirium King.jpg|caption=Ungholt the Delerium King spreads madness and terror, and twists the dreams of sleeping mortals into terrible shapes.|align=left|width=400}}</div>
Mina looked quite concerned when he mentioned these two, and saw my questioning expression. We sat back down again and Sjaak gave a quick explanation. These were not eternals of the Winter realm, but of Night. He did not talk much about ''Hongerigespin'' apart from the say that it was a creature that devoured everything that made a person a person and brought the kind of living death which ate the entire person but left their bodies behind. Irta tried to interject that the creature also had useful powers over obfuscation and concealment, but even she had to agree that the boons were never worth it given the price. Mina kept trying to catch my eye during this exchange and communicate nonverbally, and on top of that one of my ancestors was growling very loudly in my left ear, and so I did not take much in.

On the subject of ''Ungholt, the Delirium King'', however, Sjaak was much more voluble, seemingly to the chagrin of this three covenmates. Apparently this creature appears as a figure without a face, in a hooded robe. It may also appear as the most terrifying image drawn from the nightmares of those who see them. There is no lesson in the fear brought by the Delirium King, only madness and death. Sjaak began to twitch as he spoke, getting more and more agitated, until Marta brought out a particular deep green liquor and made him down a small glass of it to bring back his calm.

I had to check twice that the Delirium King was a creature of the Night realm, and not the Winter realm, but Sjaak was adamant and the others nodded silent agreement. He then explained that Delirium King is the lord of nightmare, madness, and fear made manifest. It is actually tangentially associated with my commission which is why I mention it here. Where most of the other domains of the Night realm are said to be forests, Ungholt dominates a land of mud and water, creeping mist, and unnatural trees called the Mire of Madness. It is drawn to places where people have drowned, and apparently finds the desperate struggles of someone unable to escape water or quicksand to be delightful music. Given that much of the land in and around the Delves is marshland, I could immediately see why the creature was relevant to the Sarcophan. Also, its tangential connection to water led me to believe that it might be relevant to the wider commission.

Marta broke in at this point to stress again that there is no ''[[Winter magic#Wisdom|wisdom]]'' in the fear Ungholt brings. They are simply a prison, one that eventually breaks the mind of their victims and leaves them unable to tell reality from dreadful fantasy. Its servants move in nightmare, apparently, allowing them to attack sleeping minds and remove the ability to rest. It can also bring weakness and a fear so terrible it paralyses those exposed to it, allegedly with a simple touch or terrible music.

It was around this point that I started to notice that the candles had mostly gone out. We are huddled together around the low table, scattered with the remnants of our supper, hunched forward while Sjaak rambled about nightmare and madness, sucking quagmire, and drifting lights that fed on the souls of the despairing, our shadows seeming to be dreadful giants leaning forward above and around us. It put me in mind of some of the stories I had heard from soldiers fighting in [[Zenith]] and [[Ossium]], and so I interjected and quickly described the [[Druj miasma]]. Might Ungholt be involved in such a thing?

The draughir magicians asked several probing questions, and the more answers I gave the more certain they became that the Delirium King could not be responsible. The Druj miasma and its [[Druj_miasma#Miasma_Pillars|pillars]] have laid over [[the Mallum]] for generations - Sjaak was adamant that any extended exposure to the power of Ungholt on such a scale could bring only madness and death. Whatever the miasma is, it is not a thing of the [[Realms#Night|Night Realm]]. Yet they cautioned that it is the kind of thing that would delight Ungholt, would draw his attention like flies to a rotting corpse. An entire people oppressed by auras of fear, dread, and despair would be a feast for Ungholt and its servants. I was initially a little skeptical, but the more I thought on it the more I came to agree with them. If the miasma of the Mallum ''was'' a thing of the realms we would have known about it decades ago. And I must stress, the four of them were in agreement that exposure to the power of Ungholt for an extended period of time would break the spirit and the mind to the point that nobody - Druj ''or'' their septs - would be able to function in any way.

When Sjaak left to answer the call of his bladder, Pieter quickly explained that there was a reason that Sjaak was so impassioned, and why they were certain that the eternal was not behind this "miasma" I spoke of. Twenty years ago the ''Stillegolf'' ran afoul of a coven of magicians who drew on the boons of Ungholt. The coven dwelled outside the city in the swamps along the Umshalla river, and had come to the attention of the Delves' coven because they were terrorizing Sarcophan ship captains who relied on their warding magic for protection. The ensuing "wizards war" went in favour of the ''Stillegolf'', not least because they were able to call in favours from several of the maritime associations they had worked with, and because they were able to draw on soldiers from the Grim Legion of the ''Maiden of Midnight''. Despite this, the fight left two of their number - including Sjaak's husband - trapped in eternal nightmare slumber, and Sjaak on the verge of madness after six months of awful waking visions.

While Pieter spoke, Irta lit more candles and unshrouded a dim [[Technology#Lightstones|lightstone]], and when Sjaak returned from his call of nature the subject was changed and Mina and I thanked our hosts and left. Sjaak had the last word - he warned that I should not seek to learn much more about Ungholt, and should definitely not seek to attract its attention. If the Empire is not of interest to the Delirium King, they should thank their good fortune and perhaps spare a moment to think compassionately of those in the Delves who are not so lucky.

Mina and I travelled back to my apartments in silence, and I confess that when I finally slept that night my dreams were tormented by the image of a black hooded spectre and an increasingly unhinged Sjaak hunting me through the streets of [[Skarsind#Gildenheim|Gildenheim]], dream-warped such that they were overwhelmed with terrible, stinking swamps.

==Conclusion==
When I awoke, slathered in sweat, it turned out that it was not just the unsettling tales of the ''Stillegolf'' that were responsible for my disturbed night. I had, despite all my best efforts, managed to pick up some awful sickness of the bowels native to the Sarcophan Delves. If I had one piece of advice to give any of my colleagues considering spending time in the Delves it would be to boil the water before you drink it. I spent a week alternating between weeping and hunched over, and writhing wrapped in sweat-soaked bedsheets.

Several of the magicians I had met sent small tokens of consolation, and I can only thank the physician provided by Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike who dosed me every six hours with a preparation of boiled water and [[bladeroot]]. With her assistance, my fever eventually broke and I regained control of my bowels. Two days later, I was leaving the Delves, with a new appreciation of how wide and complicated the world really is. Despite my illness, I think my time in Sarcophan was well spent and I would happily return.

I spent most of the journey back across the Sea of Teeth and the [[Bay of Catazar]] compiling my notes into this travelogue, which I hope will prove of interest. My recommendation would be that the Minister think carefully about how best to present this information to the rest of the Empire. Especially the Conclave who can, sometimes, leave themselves open to criticism when it comes to their enthusiasm for seeking out new creatures of the realms.

While several of those mentioned here seem harmless, some of them may certainly present hidden dangers. I'll leave my final point as an paraphrase of something Mina Luister said to me over spiced cakes. Sometimes it is a blessing to avoid the gaze of the powerful, especially when their desires are unpredictable.

It scans better in Sarcophan, I suppose.
==Further Reading==
* [[Eternal]]
* [[Sarcophan Delves]]

Eternals of the sea

2026-08-01T11:50:13Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Maw of Stone */

[[Category:Eternals]][[Category:History]]
==Overview==
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear:left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Andaman Islands at sunset.jpg|align=left|caption=The magicians of the Sarcophan Delves, as a sea-faring folk, commonly deal with eternals that share their interests.|width=400}}</div>
Following an [[All_the_night-tide#Under_the_Waves|arrangement]] brokered with the [[Sarcophan Delves]], the [[Minister of Historical Research]] Watt Lambrook of [[the Marches]] [[387YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Research_Eternals_of_the_Sea|commissioned]] the [[Historical research#Department of Historical Research|Department of Historical Research]] to send a scholar to the Delves to learn what their experts knew about [[eternal|eternals]] specifically associated with the sea. [[Historical research#Snowstorm Henk|Snowstorm Henk]] boarded a vessel at [[Necropolis#Hedrossan|Crown's Quay]] and spent the better part of nine months as a guest of the scholars and magicians of the Delves. Their report was eventually provided to the Minister at the Summer Solstice 388YE - overdue but at least thickly detailed. Originally intended to uncover information about [[Khobel Tavah]], the remit expanded significantly while Henk was in the Delves.

It coincidentally arrived at the same time that the Imperial prognosticator [[Appraisal#Lisane_de_Terresford|Lisane de Terresford]] was delivering the first part of her [[appraisal]] discussing attitudes to eternals in the [[Sumaah Republic]], which also referenced [[Satraps_of_the_Abyss#Republican_Eternals|several eternals]] that seem to be unknown in the Empire.

Presented as something of a travelogue, as is often the case with Snowstorm Henk, it also provides some insight into Sarcophan attitudes to the realms in general, and additional information about eternals not directly related to the sea.
==Introduction==
{{CaptionedImage|file=Watt of Lambrook.jpg|caption='''Watt of Lambrook''', Minister of Historical Research|align=right|width=400}}
The trip across the seas was a little longer than I had expected, but proved mostly uneventful. I was not entirely prepared for just how many sharks there are in the [[The_seven_seas#Sea_of_Teeth|Sea of Teeth]], but the [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] sailors did their best to hide their amusement at my reaction. I explained several times that we have no sharks in [[Skarsind]] and that just seemed to amuse them even more. I was also a little taken aback at the sheer size of Sarcophan. It is a city to rival [[Sarvos]] and [[Tassato]] both together, a confusing melange of ancient and brand new, without any suggestion of a plan or scheme. Towers and bridges and halls and tombs all hodge-podge together like a box of building bricks upended with little rhyme or reason.

I met with Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike only briefly; she welcomed me to the Delves and reassured me that there were several local [[coven|covens]], as well as individual magicians and scholars who made a study of the eternals, eager to meet me. Helpfully, she had arranged a select gathering for the very next afternoon in which I was able to meet with what amounted to the cream of Sarcophan [[realms]] studies. I shan't bore you with details but I was a little heartened to find that they were for the most part as earnest, opinionated, argumentative, and downright peculiar as their peers at home. There was a definite split, however, between those who made a particular academic study of the realms and those who dealt directly with eternals and [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] as part of their professional lives. As always, there is a gulf between the theoretical and the practical, but where possible I shall attempt to synthesise the two approaches.

Before I begin there is one set of eternals that I have not spent much time exploring in the Delves. Many of the [[Archmage_of_Day#The_Eternals_of_Day|Hierarchs of Sea and Sky]] have an association with the sea that seems to be much more metaphorical than literal. [[Leviathan]], [[Zakalwe]], [[Roshanwe]], and even [[Ylenwe]] have a tie to the idea of the sea but are not themselves eternals ''of'' the sea, if you follow my reasoning. With the exception of [[Roshanwe]], they are not especially involved with the Delves, and even there it is the seeking-distant-ports resonances of ''Beachcomber'' that they are more interested in. I focused my attention a little more closely on those eternals I felt that the Empire as a whole had least experience with, and I hope that I am not out of line by doing so.

==A Sarcophan View==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Taxonomy.png|align=right|width=400|caption=The Esatolian Taxonomy groups eternals not by realm, but by function.}}</div>
One of the more surprising things that arose during this research is that the Sarcophan view of the realms and the eternals is fundamentally different to that of the Empire. Of course, the six realms exist - that is just a matter of fact. However, the Sarcophan do not classify the eternals primarily by realm. Instead, the classification of the eternals is a broad taxonomy based primarily on common functions, with the classification by realm a secondary factor. The name for the study of such matters in Sarcophan is "De taxonomie van magische bestuurders", and an expert is known as a ''taxanoom''. Being a taxanoom is considered a somewhat difficult but respectable profession. Most magicians in the Delves are ''not'' taxanoom: they might deal a little with specific eternals, but they don't make it their business to know all of them. A taxonoom is generally consulted for specialist advice when it is believed a project calls for it: the ritual magic they practice is apparently not unlike [[Aspect magic#goetia|goetia]], but with a legalistic and bureaucratic formulation.

The full ''taxonomie'' is quite broad and contains multiple factors which are debated amongst scholars of the art. "Eternals of the Sea" is one of the clearest ways in which eternals can be classified, but other examples include "Eternals who are Sovereign Rulers" and "Eternals who are Magicians". The Sarcophan believe that in fact it's in the nuances between the realms that you find within these broad themes that you gain the most insight: in contrast they don't really think it's useful to think about the ways that eternals of the same realm relate to each other (with a few special-case exceptions).

The Sarcophan believe a working knowledge of taxonomy to be the only firm foundation for successful trade with eternals. Despite this, there are dozens of competing taxonomies put forward by rival scholars, each of which offers competing classifications. Some of these works include all the known powers, while others have gaps or classify only a handful of eternals. In fact, there are so many different taxonomy, that the Sarcophan have created a classification system for them.

The Esatolian Taxonomy, is one of the more popular systems of classifications, and one of the first that many aspiring magicians learn. It is "complete" in the sense that it contains all the eternals that the Sarcophan commonly trade with. It is singular, which means that each eternal is assigned to a single taxonomy, and economic, which means eternals are presented in order of the most profitable to trade with, rather than by their assessed power. I have included it here as it one of the easiest to understand and use.

==Regent of the Eternal Sea==
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=RhianosArt.jpg|align=right|width=200|caption=Rhinaos, Regent of the Eternal Sea, is a spirit of adventure - but also risk and recklessness.}}</div>
I spent a very enjoyable week with the ''Haaienvermijders'', a Sarcophan magical cabal familiar to some Imperial magicians. It did not cease to entertain me that their name literally translates into Imperial as "Shark Dodgers". They live up to their name - a jovial coven whose members compose a small trading guild - although I will confess I was a little surprised to discover that these adepts of [[Summer magic|Summer]] and [[Night magic]] were almost entirely of the [[briar]] [[lineage]]. Of course the Spring-touched are common in the Delves - the blessings of their heritage help them endure the various problems related to living in what amounts to a plague-haunted swamp with towers in it - but it struck me as a little surprising to imagine such an enterprisingly entrepreneurial endeavour being run entirely by briar folk. I confess this led to a little introspective soul-searching that is beyond the remit of my researches.

Among the ''Shark Dodgers'', I was regaled by multiple stories relating to the [[Golden Voyage]] - the popular ritual developed from the pioneering work of Andreas i Sol-Devorador i Erigo of the Krakenfire Armada - some of which seemed outlandish even for that particular magical rite. This turned out to be more relevant than I at first anticipated, however. Since the exchange of rituals - [[Muffled Oar]] for [[Golden Voyage]] - the Shark Dodgers have sought out a closer relationship with the [[Rhianos|Regent of the Eternal Sea]] who finds a certain appeal in that particular enchantment.

Rhianos - the eternal has as many names in the Delves as they do in the Empire - has reasonably close ties with the magicians of the Sarcophan Delves. While the Delves are best known for their trading empire, there are always venturous souls among them who seek out both new ports and new opportunities for personal enrichment. Rhianos rarely leads them astray in that regard, for all that the eternal themselves is unconcerned with "profit" in a purely pecuniary sense. Rather, the "spirit of adventure" helps them find uncharted waters, lost islands, strange beasts with valuable teeth, and fog-shrouded smugglers ports with equal ease.

According to the ''Haaienvermijders'', more than one Bedelaar Huisbaas through the history of the Delves has managed a lucky find inspired by Rhianos into a personal fortune. As a consequence, Rhianos is seen as a patron of the young and the reckless - those who have yet to make their mark in society prepared to risk all for the chance to shine - and more established individuals and concerns politely decline their gifts. This doesn't seem to worry ''Foamfollower'', and does nothing to tarnish his reputation among the mariners of the Delves.

The ''Shark Dodgers'' mention a spell relatively well known among the magewrights of the docks and quays called ''Where Kraken Lie'' provided by Rhianos that functions in a manner similar to Golden Voyage but is a little less potent, and bears with it an assurance relating to how the enchantment can be purchased. Magicians are not allowed to charge for the service, but must instead agree to take shares of any treasure the adventurous sailor acquires, which again makes it more appealing to the less wealthy segments of society.

==Sailor on the Skerries==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Blue-ringed octopus.jpg|caption=Dathan is a creature of wonder and imagination, a bringer of joy and reverie.|width=400px}}</div>
The Haaienvermijders also spoke at some length about the eternals of the Night realm with an interest in the sea. They mentioned as a matter of course that they had good relations with the ''Brother of Seaserpents'' - [[Sadogua]] - but agreed that while he was always prepared to offer aid with the performing of maritime magic he wasn't actually any ''good'' at the rituals themselves. They were a little reticent to discuss the codification of ''Muffled Oar'', and the involvement of the ''Jolly Patron'' in that endeavour, instead preferring to change the subject. I was happy to let them do so - particularly because what they most wanted to talk about was ''Dathon'', the ''Regent of the Skerries of Dream''.

The name ''Dathon'' comes from the inscription on a statue found in the time between the flight of those who would become the Highborn and the consolidation of the Delves into its modern form. There has been more discussion of this period in the previous research project '' [[Origins_of_the_Highborn#The_Fall_of_the_Umshalla|Origins of the Highborn]]'' especially where it talks about the fall of the Umshalla.

The statue is still preserved, standing over the ''Stergozocht'', a relatively poverty-stricken neighbourhood not far from the wealthy [[Foreign_ports#Betovering|Betovering]] docks. From the waist up it depicts a young human person with arms raised - although the left arm has broken off halfway between shoulder and elbow - one hand cupped as if to catch water and funnel it into a basin before the figure. Due to the missing arm, apparently the water just splashes every which way in modern times. From the waist down, however, they have a much more serpentine form. Not a snake as such - there are a few surviving fin-like structures along the length of the tail which coils round and round beneath the body giving an almost pyramidal base to the entire sculpture.

Most of the old stone fins have been broken off - my guide mentioned a little grumpily that some sailors believed that the fins would bring luck when travelling at sea and were stolen centuries ago. The words on the dais were cut deep, and plainly readable as "Dathon", although whatever else was carved there had long since been erased by the passage of years.

The things that stuck with me most about the statue were its size - it was several times as tall as I was even allowing for the raised dais on which it stood; the obvious fine quality of the sculpture despite its somewhat reduced state; and the face, turned toward the far horizon. Most of the features were gone, worn smooth by time, but there was something about its almost-human proportions that made me certain the visage was smiling a gentle smile of joy, and excitement, and yearning for... something.

My guide also pointed to the areas around the base of the things coils that had been worn smooth over time, she said, by young or desperate sailors touching it for luck, a tradition that continued to this day.

Back in the pleasant offices of the ''Haaienvermijders'' we discussed the eternal in more detail. As with many such creatures, especially in the realm of [[Realms#Night|Night]], ''Dathan'' has a host of subsidiary names. The most common is ''Fisher of the Reefs of Night'' - my hosts got a good laugh out of my attempts to pronounce the name in the Sarcophan language but quickly took pity on me and used Imperial translations from that point onward. They are also known as ''Sailor on the Skerries'', ''Wonderwove'', ''Hypnopheus'', ''Wind of Reverie'', ''Saltsong'', ''Light in the Deep'' and, interestingly, ''Star of the Seventh Sea'' and ''The Shoals of the Star-filled Sky''. ''Dathon'' is not their truest name, but the one that many sailors and mariners of the Delves know them by. The ''Haaienvermijders'' were a little surprised that I was unfamiliar with them, but were not slow to fill in further details.

The statue - a youth with the lower body of a marine serpent - is only one form taken by the traditionally mercurial Night eternal. The ''Haaienvermijders'' spoke of them, or their heralds, taking on the form of a clever rainbow octopus, a drifting jellyfish like creature that glowed with an inner radiance, a small but brightly coloured fish like none seen in the sea, or as a humanoid figure with multicoloured, scaled skin, and a great rainbow robe with trailing sleeves and a deep hood. Regardless of how they or their children appear, though, it is almost always in the context of a sailor, or a creature of the sea.

They exemplify the wonder and excitement of putting to sea, of exploring the strange and unfamiliar, but not simply in the pure practical sense. Dathan speaks of the mortal mind as an ocean - that each human (and presumably orc) has a realm as large as the whole of Night within their head. This is a metaphor, but also a "great truth" apparently. Before anything new can come into the world it must first be dreamed, and then made real. Dreams are were mortals are most free, and able to pass beyond the constraints of their bodies. Awe and joy are the truest emotions of the mortal heart because they are inspired by seeing beautiful, wondrous things or having profound experiences that cause the mind and spirit to grow and spread wings. The desire to expand ones experiences, to seek out new and marvellous things, was the most important drive of all and created a wake - a path - of stars that allowed mortals to make the world outside their heads as amazing as the one within.

The connection with stars, incidentally, attracted my attention but apparently has little to do with [[astronomancy]] - rather it is the ''idea'' of the stars of the night sky and not the [[constellations]] that Dathan represents, the allure and beauty and wonder of the little specks of light scattered across the sable shawl of the skies.

There was a great deal more of this kind of thing, but I was able to distil it down a little. Dathan is a serpent - like [[Sung]] or [[Lashonar]]. Rather than having wings, however, they have great wing-like fins that allow them to move freely through the water that is their domain. Their demesne is a shallow sea sometimes called the ''Skerries of Dream'' that is full of wonders and beauty and which mortals can occasionally visit in their dreams through some mechanism. As well as having a close tie to the sea as a source of awe and joy, they are closely tied to the idea of dreams, imagination, inspiration, wonder, and the drive to expand horizons and experience new things. They also have some connection to the idea of "treasure" - especially natural wonders such as pearls, gorgeous fish, strange beasts, unique fruit or flowers, water with magical properties, and the like, which can inspire and excite those prepared to engage in potentially dangerous quests.

Not, the Haaienvermijders were quick to qualify, ''exploration'' as such. Dathan has little interest in maps, apparently, and argues that they "pin down" the imagination in a way that is contrary to cultivating true wonder. Rather they want individuals to go to remote places and bask in the amazing experiences they can have there. Which as one of the ''Shark Dodgers'' said a little long-sufferingly, makes them utterly useless from a trade point of view. Having a patron that wants you to go somewhere amazing that has (for example) an exotic new breed of fruit that will be very much in demand if you bring it back home, but who actively opposes any effort to initiate a trade route to that location, can be a major pain in the backside. I think they were speaking from personal experience.

That is not to say that the Delves considers them useless - but the Haaienvermijders urged caution in dealing with them despite their apparently positive aspect. There are only a few areas where their power and influence is valuable, according to the Delves. Their focus on wonder means they can sometimes offer boons that help mortals overcome fear or despair, at the cost of perhaps pushing them too far in the other direction. Their fascination with beauty and natural wonders means that they can sometimes be prevailed on to help gain access to rare plants, precious stones, or similar wonders but only where they believe people will appreciate their beauty and inspiration rather than mine them and make a fortune.

Their focus on the imagination means they often serve as patrons for artists and poets, especially those arts that involve creating uplifting and optimistic stories, offering small boons related to dream and wonder. There was also talk of a ritual created with the aid of ''Dathan'' that appeared quite similar to [[Sift the Dreamscape's Sands]] but rather then bringing shifting dreams of jungles, it inspires dreams of wonderful sea voyages or undersea adventures, but specifically empowers the magician's mastery of [[Night magic]] alone. It is apparently well known among practitioners of Night magic in the Delves, while Sift the Dreamscapes Sands seems to be largely unknown despite being somewhat more versatile.

In character they and their heralds are apparently nerve-shreddingly optimistic, upbeat, positive, hopeful, and joyous. They love wonderful things, and go out of their way to encourage other people to share that joy. The consensus of the ''Haaienvermijders '' is that they are pleasant enough to deal with from time to time, but the boons they can provide are often not worth the effort it takes to get hold of them.

They're also a little unpredictable, even for a Night eternal. One of them told a cautionary tale about the ''Wonderverkopers'' - the "Miracle Sellers". This guild became wealthy selling some materials introduced to them by Dathan as recreational narcotics, as well as a small number of marvellous dream rituals developed with the patronage of the eternal (which to my mind sounded a bit like Octavius of Auric Horizon's [[Ride the Noble Steed]]) After a time, though, they became greedy and started placing more and more demands on Dathan, and apparently paying lip service to the eternals goal of inspiring and bringing joy and wonder to drab lives.

At one point, during a meeting of the now wealthy members of the previously underdog guild, to discuss a potential play for the [[Founders_of_the_Delves#The_Buidelrat|Seat of the Buidelrat]], something went horribly wrong. The guild members themselves were eventually discovered sealed in their meeting chambers sound asleep. They remained asleep from that day onwards. Examination by a profession ''vloekprik'' - an expert in curses - determined that they were all enjoying truly amazing dreams of wealth, power, and indulgence that would last for the rest of their lives. Breaking the curse was apparently too expensive, and so the surviving members of the guild had them moved to a nice hospice in the marshes where they each lived out several more decades of endless, wonderful dreams. How true this tale is I cannot say for sure, but the ''Haaienvermijders'' certainly seemed to believe it so...

I asked if the Haaienvermijders knew any reason why Dathan might not have spoken with the Empire in any formal capacity. They weren't able to answer directly but "made enquiries" - they certainly knew some other covens of magicians who had closer ties with Dathan then they themselves did. My studies took me elsewhere, but shortly before I was due to quit the Delves and return to Sarcophan, my former guide came to see me with some news. They had spoken with a magician who engaged in the practice of ''dream trading'' - a combination magician and pharmaceuticalist such as one is only likely to find in the Delves I wager - who had a way to speak with heralds of Dathan. According to this slightly unsavoury individual, Dathan avoids anything to do with Imperial citizens for two reasons.

The first is the activity of the ''Crew of Sodden Trains'' - which we both agreed was probably the [[Whisper Gallery]] - who apparently loathes Dathan for sharing secret and hidden things with people. A more serious concern however was something the herald called the "Lantern Shark". As near as my ''Shark Dodger'' friend was able to make out, there is a creature of the Night realm that Dathan's herald describes as having the features of a rare deep-water fish that uses a lure to draw curious fish toward it so it can feast on them, and a monstrous shark.

I confessed I had no idea what this was about, and my guide ventured that it might be that Dathan is in opposition to a more forthright, dangerous eternal of the Night realm that also deals in dreams and that they (Dathan) believe it to have enough of a claim over Imperial magicians that the ''Sailor on the Skerries'' does not wish - or is unable - to intrude. This is, as my companion ruefully noted, an eternal that is most likely to run away from any conflict and convince itself that it never happened, or spend the next few years daydreaming about how it might have gone differently, than to actually have a fight with anyone or anything.

==Maw of Stone==
<div style="float:right; width: 275px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Siakha002.png|caption=The Maw of Stone is a common name in the Delves for the destructive eternal of Spring the Empire calls Siakha.|align=right|width=275}}</div>
After spending several weeks with the mercantile magicians of the ''Haaienvermijders'', I was hosted for a very pleasant fortnight at the home of the occult scholar ''Mina Luister''. While not actually a magician herself, in her prime she was well paid to serve as an intermediary between folk of the Delves and the eternals, having dedicated her life to studying everything she could about the creatures and their heralds. A true professional, she nonetheless told me many tantalising stories of deals struck, dangerous bargains, hair-raising negotiations, and in one case, a desperate swim through underwater ruins pursued by a hunting ''[[Siakha#Servants_of_Siakha|carcharadon]]''.

This latter brought us naturally to a discussion of the [[Siakha|Mother of Storms]] who the folk of the Delves variously call ''Red Squid'', ''Maw of Stone'', and occasionally ''the Chewer''. The former is a reference to the [[Mundane_beasts#Kraken|kraken]], while the latter two names speak of certain maritime phenomena where a whirlpool or waterspout becomes entangled with lose boulders and razor sharp pieces of coral that can shred hull, sail, or skin with equal aplomb.

Whereas the Sarcophan are likely to treat other eternals with the same laissez faire attitude they do foreign nations and merchants visiting their shores, this is not the case with Siakha. The eternal is seen as a figure of awe, or even terror. She represents the horrors of the ocean - not the unknown or theoretical horrors of the great deeps but the well-known and yet still unpredictable horrors of nature at its wildest. Storms, of course, but also those calms that can leave a ship stranded as the crew slowly go mad from thirst and the sun. Mighty beasts of the deep, for sure, but also the smaller creatures such as termites and poison crabs or deadly jellyfish. The Delves are particularly vulnerable to the machinations of the Mother of Storms, being both a maritime nation and one whose largest city lies along a coast parts of which are prone to flooding.

One bright morning my hostess prevailed on me to join her for a sedan chair ride out to the western docks. I was not enamoured of the sedan chair - while Mina reassured me several times it was a service like any other I felt there was something a little... unvirtuous... about paying other people to carry you around in luxury. Mistress Luister found it amusing at first but became a little waspish over time, and I was at pains to explain that it was not a judgement just a feeling. Apparently it is quite common for wealthier Sarcophan to travel by such a means, allowing them to avoid the mud and dirt that accumulates in the lower parts of the city. One can always tell a wealthy Sarcophan, they say, because their hems are clean.

Anyway, the reason for the sedan chair ride was to see a small wonder she called ''De Negenendertig Tanden'' - the Thirty-Nine Teeth. I'd seen one of them while arriving at the Delves and I presume many of my fellow Imperials who make a regular journey here already know something of them but Mina was able to give me their entire history. Not buoys as I had originally thought, they are thirty-nine columns of white granite inlaid with mithril and ilium that form a somewhat ragged fence across the bay overlooked by the central towers of the Delves. A great work of engineering, one that took the focus of the entire Beggar's Feast a little over two centuries ago, and required several seasons to complete, these teeth fundamentally weaken the servants of Siakha who might try to attack Sarcophan. Even those with powerful boons from the eternal might find themselves uncomfortable visiting the Delves - something Mina considered a point of pride. Pirates are not really welcome here, after all.

I expressed amazement at the sheer majesty of the work and she was more than happy to boast about the political wrangling that was needed to get the Teeth built. The Teeth also discourage the larger and more predatory beasts of the ocean approaching too close - it is one reason that Sarcophan has not had a recorded kraken attack in two hundred years. From time to time foolish servants of the Maw of Stone make an attempt to weaken or breach the cordon, but there is a dedicated naval force that protects the Teeeth supported by magicians versed in battlefield magic with experience fighting the heralds of Siakha and so far they have prevented unnatural threats to the city.

Mina did explain, however, that this fence against Siakha was partially made possible by the assistance of a certain being of the Day realm, and as we took a pleasant tea in one of the towers looking out across the bay, she explained a little about ''Guathier, Lord of the Winds''.

==Lord of the Winds==
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Shy albatross in flight.jpg|title=Grumpy albatross is wise to your malarkey.|caption=Guathier is one of the Hierarchs of Sea and Sky, and strongly associated with weather and the sea.|align=right|width=300}}</div>
Many of the eternals of the [[Realms#Day|Day realm]], the Hierarches of Sea and Sky, have a connection to the idea of the sea. [[Leviathan]] famously swims in the depths of a vast ocean that spreads across the entire realm. [[Zakalwe]], [[Ylenwe]], and [[Roshanwe]] each have their personal realms on the surface of that endless sea, while the domain of [[Phaleron]] is built on coral islands and rises high into the air, and deep into the waters. [[Kimus]] and [[Sinokenon]] meanwhile have their demesnes high above, in the sky over the eternal mirror-like sea. ''Guathier, Lord of the Winds'' is closer to the latter than the former, but nonetheless is counted by the Sarcophan as an eternal of the sea.

Unlike many eternals, ''Guathier'' does not collect names; the only other two commonly used in Sarcophan are ''Who-Sees-The-Wind'' and ''Windwinder''. She takes the form of a great bird, similar to an albatross - to my mind the depictions are very similar to those I have seen of the Imperial Albatross of the cliffs of [[Redoubt#Ventosi|Ventosi]] in [[Redoubt]]. Their feathers are translucent white, with light blue markings, and it is said that when she is in flight they glow with the light of the sun so bright it is impossible for a mortal to look on them without going blind.

Guathier is associated both with the wind, and with the currents of the sea - which her heralds describe as being very similar things seen from different perspectives in different mediums. She observes the flows of wind, and is said to be able to shape the wind and the currents of the sea. Mostly this power is drawn on to quell storms and bad weather of that nature - there are notes about a ritual boon offered by Guathier that provides significant protection to naval forces from the effect of cursed storms for example.

It seems as well that her fascination with currents, with the movement of air and water, makes her something of a prognosticator. Guathier is fascinated with the way that the smallest action can result in significant changes to the way events unfold, just as a rock in the path of a river can divert its flow in ways that are hard to predict. If Leviathan looks at the present that arises from the past, Guathier is concerned with the future that may arise from the present.

There is clearly more to this eternal than I was able to glean in my short discussion with Mina, and she was unable to introduce me to any magicians that deal extensively with her or her heralds. As to why she is not known in the Empire, Mina could not offer any particular guidance although we did discuss the possibility that the Empire's use of curses that inflict bad weather such as [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]] and [[Thunderous Deluge]] might have some influence on her opinion of our magicians.

==Polyptoton==
{{CaptionedImage|file=Turtle city.jpg|align=right|width=250}}
Shortly before my time with Mina was due to come to an end, she introduced me to a Sarcophan [[cambion]] magician with the delightful name of ''Jaan van Daan''. Jaan makes a living dispatching messages and packages across the Known World through the auspices of [[Autumn magic]], and numbers everyone from ''Bedelaar Huisbaas'', through religious leaders, to fellow magicians among their clients. A true independent, it is likely that if you have received a [[Call Winged Messenger|winged messenger]] from the Delves it is Jaan van Daan that has sent it. Or at least so they themselves claim; but they certainly have the wealth and lifestyle to make me believe their claims.

Mina introduced me to Jaan specifically to talk about the ''Sovereign-Lord of the City of Salt and Sail'', with whom we understood the [[Archmage of Autumn]] had recently become acquainted. The name used by Jaan van Daan is ''Polyptoton''; the Sarcophan said that this is the name of the eternal itself, which takes the form of an immense turtle-like creature upon whose back the city is built. I'm not sure how I feel about the idea of a turtle the size of Sarvos (conservatively; the Autumn realm inevitably claims that their cities are significantly larger than any in the mortal realm) but Jaan was insistent. The being itself goes by any number of names, and is also known as ''Saratan'' and ''Archeloni'', while the city itself is known as the ''Wandering City'', the ''Port Of No Storm'', and ''Mirabilis''.

Over a course of the stickiest sweets I have ever encountered in my life, Jaan shared some of his understanding of the City of Salt and Sail, and its connection to the "winged messengers" that are arguably the backbone of international diplomacy and trade. It seems that the invisible bird-like creatures associated with the spell - whatever precise form it takes in the various lands where it is practiced - are most commonly drawn from immense rookeries that ride on the back of Polyptoton. The rituals themselves don't draw on the power of the city itself, but in most cases they have been developed with the assistance of heralds that call it home. I mentioned that I had heard of magic items that could call up messengers as well, but Jaan was unable to explain how they might work.

Regardless, the people of the City of Salt and Sail feel a certain responsibility to the messengers - which are apparently not invisible in the Autumn Realm as they are in the mortal realm. When a messenger is unable to deliver their letter, or their package, it apparently causes them some distress and the heralds of the Infinite Rookery intercede to deal with the problem. Jaan van Daan was at pains to tell me that this is the only time the heralds of Polyptoton read such messages - otherwise it is a point of pride for them to remain as neutral supporters of communication around the world as possible.

Beyond these rituals, the City of Salt and Sail is concerned with two key resonances of the Autumn realm - [[Autumn magic#Travel and Communication|travel and communication]]. While they have some interest in [[Autumn magic#Trade|trade]], this is true of ''all'' the eternals of the Autumn realm so far encountered, to one degree or another. For Polyptoton, however, the key element of trade is that it relies on the transportation of both goods and ideas over distance. Salt, according to the heralds of the city, is key to the entire development of trade in the mortal world. Once traders are able to travel effectively down rivers and across the seas, they can transport great quantities of goods faster and more efficiently, to markets where they are unknown. Likewise, salt forms the basis of preservation of many perishable goods, allowing them to be transported further and still be viable trade goods. This metaphor puts one in mind of the arguments that the merchants of Ephisis make about "Gold" and "Lead" - a central allegory that underpins some of their claims without really meaning anything.

The city has a strong connection to ships and boats, and Jaan van Daan told me that they are ''the'' eternal to speak to in the Autumn realm - or any other - about facilitating the movement of such. Zartan doesn't limit itself solely to maritime concerns, however, having some interest in the movement of people and vehicles overland. They are not a particularly martial city, but their insight may still prove useful when moving armies or navies over distance. One of the (several) things that apparently piqued the interest of Polyptoton with regard to the Empire was the increasing use by Imperial magicians of the [[Find the Best Path]] ritual in recent years.

Their enthusiasm for communication, says Jaan, has some key differences to that of the eternal Lashonar with which Imperial magicians are perhaps more familiar. Lashonar brings people together so that they can speak face-to-face. Its Caucus Forum is a perfect example of how it sees communication - a chance for disparate folk to come together to share ideas, able to deploy their insight and intuition to evaluate the people they are speaking to, using emotion and subtlety to control the ebb and flow of words. The citizens of the City of Salt and Sail are not ''averse'' to people speaking to each other but they are ''much'' more excited about the written word. Not only letters, but also the myriad other ways that things written down can communicate (and perhaps even exert influence over readers). They certainly have demonstrated the ability to arrange meetings, but like the [[Prospero|Sovereign Lord of the City of Bridges]] they are likely to require a steep price for doing so. Where they shine is in their ability to get a letter to, in theory, anyone anywhere in the world.

==Kobhel Tava and More==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=KhobelTavah.jpg|caption=Khobel and Tavah are the worst fear of sailors and those they leave behind. They are the drowned and the sea that drowns.|align=left|width=400}}</div>
After a pleasant afternoon spent in the company of Jaan van Daan, I finished my time with Mina by visiting some old colleagues of hers. The ''Stillegolf'' are a small coven who these days are apparently mostly retired. The four of them met with me in their apartments - a series of large open rooms at the top of one of the teetering towers of Sarcophan. We met at night, among candles, and I feel that decision was in part to ensure they presented their home in the best light. It was clear to me that their glory days are behind them, but I have no doubt that they knew it themselves, and knew I knew. In spite of that, the quarter of elderly [[draughir]] were engaging dinner companions and we spoke long into the night about the King of Nowhere and the Queen of the Vast.

Salt in the Lungs and the Prophet of the Last Light are known in the Delves but they are kept carefully at arms length by most of the wizards here. One of the ''Stillegolf'', a droll fellow named ''Marta Kjirik '' with a poetic turn of phrase, described them thus: "''they are the deep oceans, the water you don't now, with rocks beneath the surface that you cannot see. They are the fear of the becalmed sailor, of the captain who sees the storm approaching that she knows her ship will not survive, the dread of being far from shore and feeling your vessel shift beneath your feet as it begins to talk on water. They are the fraying of ropes, and the ripping of canvas, and the doomsong pealing in the depths, where no bells should be."

I can tell you now that, sat in that dark cavernous room full of faded splendor, with candles flickering and my hosts all staring at me unblinking, Marta's words sent a shiver down my spine and I heard the echo of one of my ancestors urging me to get out of there as fast as possible before they ate me. I squared my shoulders and persevered, however.

One of the other draughir, ''Irta Covesaar'', told a story of Khobel Tavah in her heavily accented Imperial that one of their heralds allegedly came to the people of Umshalla, the folk who occupied the Delves before the Sarcophan, and offered a warning of three dooms: chaos, war, and plague. The Diarchs of Parralenth, Elam and Orpa, refuted each of the claims of the herald in turn and cast the doomsayer from their court. They truly believed that their people could weather any storm that might come. Within a handful of years, the Diarchs were dead, the nation had been riven with chaos, civil war burned in the streets, and the final plague had begun to spread.

The tale might be apocryphal, but it led to a discussion that the ''Two-Who-Are-One'' are among the least unpredictable of the eternals the ''Stillegolf'' dealt with in their time. They do what they say, and there is little ambiguity with them. When they warn, their warning should be taken seriously because their words are never idle. They can also be drawn on to provide protection to ships at sea, which is one of the services the ''Stillegolf'' specialised in. They employed enchantments called ''Sails of the Last City'' which was invaluable to mercenary vessels employed to guard trade fleets, and ''Ward of Last Light'' which granted sailors preternatural fortitude and prevented death at sea for a time.

The third member of the coven, the old guildmaster ''Pieter Covesaar'' explained that the ritual texts they had used were sold off years ago, but they showed me several old boons from the ''Old Man and the Sea''. These battered looking foci appeared to have been taken from sunken wrecks, marked by decades of exposure to salt water, but were nonetheless sturdy. Their magical potency had long since leeched from them, but careful examination showed that they had once held powers that allowed ritual magicians to more easily weave spells of [[Winter magic#Preservation|preservation]] and [[Winter magic#Survival|survival]] that were quite intriguing.

It was while we were leaving that the last surviving member of the coven, ''Sjaak Kjikik'' spoke up for the first time, discoursing on the matter of fear, and while I didn't know it at the time my visit was about to take a peculiar tangent. I had made some off-hand comment about fear of drowning, and Sjaak had corrected me. He spoke in tones more suited to a professor lecturing at the [[Sarvos#Diora_University|Diora]], but his expression was scarily intense and his eyes flickered gold and red in the candleflames. He explained that there are two forms of fear, and the Winter eternals represent the more wholesome of the two. The [[Winter magic#Fear|fears]] the Winter eternals exemplify are ''rational'' fears - it is right that people fear drowning because it is a horrible way to die, one that is always waiting just behind the shoulder of anyone who owes their lives to the water. The fear of hunger, of making bad decisions, of the ending that comes with death, of pain, of suffering, are all ''sensible'' fears. Yet there is another kind of fear that has nothing to do with reason or good sense. For ''that'' kind of fear one must look elsewhere - to the ''Hongerigespin'' and to ''Ungholt, the Delerium King''.

==Hongerigespin and Ungholt==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Delirium King.jpg|caption=Ungholt the Delerium King spreads madness and terror, and twists the dreams of sleeping mortals into terrible shapes.|align=left|width=400}}</div>
Mina looked quite concerned when he mentioned these two, and saw my questioning expression. We sat back down again and Sjaak gave a quick explanation. These were not eternals of the Winter realm, but of Night. He did not talk much about ''Hongerigespin'' apart from the say that it was a creature that devoured everything that made a person a person and brought the kind of living death which ate the entire person but left their bodies behind. Irta tried to interject that the creature also had useful powers over obfuscation and concealment, but even she had to agree that the boons were never worth it given the price. Mina kept trying to catch my eye during this exchange and communicate nonverbally, and on top of that one of my ancestors was growling very loudly in my left ear, and so I did not take much in.

On the subject of ''Ungholt, the Delirium King'', however, Sjaak was much more voluble, seemingly to the chagrin of this three covenmates. Apparently this creature appears as a figure without a face, in a hooded robe. It may also appear as the most terrifying image drawn from the nightmares of those who see them. There is no lesson in the fear brought by the Delirium King, only madness and death. Sjaak began to twitch as he spoke, getting more and more agitated, until Marta brought out a particular deep green liquor and made him down a small glass of it to bring back his calm.

I had to check twice that the Delirium King was a creature of the Night realm, and not the Winter realm, but Sjaak was adamant and the others nodded silent agreement. He then explained that Delirium King is the lord of nightmare, madness, and fear made manifest. It is actually tangentially associated with my commission which is why I mention it here. Where most of the other domains of the Night realm are said to be forests, Ungholt dominates a land of mud and water, creeping mist, and unnatural trees called the Mire of Madness. It is drawn to places where people have drowned, and apparently finds the desperate struggles of someone unable to escape water or quicksand to be delightful music. Given that much of the land in and around the Delves is marshland, I could immediately see why the creature was relevant to the Sarcophan. Also, its tangential connection to water led me to believe that it might be relevant to the wider commission.

Marta broke in at this point to stress again that there is no ''[[Winter magic#Wisdom|wisdom]]'' in the fear Ungholt brings. They are simply a prison, one that eventually breaks the mind of their victims and leaves them unable to tell reality from dreadful fantasy. Its servants move in nightmare, apparently, allowing them to attack sleeping minds and remove the ability to rest. It can also bring weakness and a fear so terrible it paralyses those exposed to it, allegedly with a simple touch or terrible music.

It was around this point that I started to notice that the candles had mostly gone out. We are huddled together around the low table, scattered with the remnants of our supper, hunched forward while Sjaak rambled about nightmare and madness, sucking quagmire, and drifting lights that fed on the souls of the despairing, our shadows seeming to be dreadful giants leaning forward above and around us. It put me in mind of some of the stories I had heard from soldiers fighting in [[Zenith]] and [[Ossium]], and so I interjected and quickly described the [[Druj miasma]]. Might Ungholt be involved in such a thing?

The draughir magicians asked several probing questions, and the more answers I gave the more certain they became that the Delirium King could not be responsible. The Druj miasma and its [[Druj_miasma#Miasma_Pillars|pillars]] have laid over [[the Mallum]] for generations - Sjaak was adamant that any extended exposure to the power of Ungholt on such a scale could bring only madness and death. Whatever the miasma is, it is not a thing of the [[Realms#Night|Night Realm]]. Yet they cautioned that it is the kind of thing that would delight Ungholt, would draw his attention like flies to a rotting corpse. An entire people oppressed by auras of fear, dread, and despair would be a feast for Ungholt and its servants. I was initially a little skeptical, but the more I thought on it the more I came to agree with them. If the miasma of the Mallum ''was'' a thing of the realms we would have known about it decades ago. And I must stress, the four of them were in agreement that exposure to the power of Ungholt for an extended period of time would break the spirit and the mind to the point that nobody - Druj ''or'' their septs - would be able to function in any way.

When Sjaak left to answer the call of his bladder, Pieter quickly explained that there was a reason that Sjaak was so impassioned, and why they were certain that the eternal was not behind this "miasma" I spoke of. Twenty years ago the ''Stillegolf'' ran afoul of a coven of magicians who drew on the boons of Ungholt. The coven dwelled outside the city in the swamps along the Umshalla river, and had come to the attention of the Delves' coven because they were terrorizing Sarcophan ship captains who relied on their warding magic for protection. The ensuing "wizards war" went in favour of the ''Stillegolf'', not least because they were able to call in favours from several of the maritime associations they had worked with, and because they were able to draw on soldiers from the Grim Legion of the ''Maiden of Midnight''. Despite this, the fight left two of their number - including Sjaak's husband - trapped in eternal nightmare slumber, and Sjaak on the verge of madness after six months of awful waking visions.

While Pieter spoke, Irta lit more candles and unshrouded a dim [[Technology#Lightstones|lightstone]], and when Sjaak returned from his call of nature the subject was changed and Mina and I thanked our hosts and left. Sjaak had the last word - he warned that I should not seek to learn much more about Ungholt, and should definitely not seek to attract its attention. If the Empire is not of interest to the Delirium King, they should thank their good fortune and perhaps spare a moment to think compassionately of those in the Delves who are not so lucky.

Mina and I travelled back to my apartments in silence, and I confess that when I finally slept that night my dreams were tormented by the image of a black hooded spectre and an increasingly unhinged Sjaak hunting me through the streets of [[Skarsind#Gildenheim|Gildenheim]], dream-warped such that they were overwhelmed with terrible, stinking swamps.

==Conclusion==
When I awoke, slathered in sweat, it turned out that it was not just the unsettling tales of the ''Stillegolf'' that were responsible for my disturbed night. I had, despite all my best efforts, managed to pick up some awful sickness of the bowels native to the Sarcophan Delves. If I had one piece of advice to give any of my colleagues considering spending time in the Delves it would be to boil the water before you drink it. I spent a week alternating between weeping and hunched over, and writhing wrapped in sweat-soaked bedsheets.

Several of the magicians I had met sent small tokens of consolation, and I can only thank the physician provided by Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike who dosed me every six hours with a preparation of boiled water and [[bladeroot]]. With her assistance, my fever eventually broke and I regained control of my bowels. Two days later, I was leaving the Delves, with a new appreciation of how wide and complicated the world really is. Despite my illness, I think my time in Sarcophan was well spent and I would happily return.

I spent most of the journey back across the Sea of Teeth and the [[Bay of Catazar]] compiling my notes into this travelogue, which I hope will prove of interest. My recommendation would be that the Minister think carefully about how best to present this information to the rest of the Empire. Especially the Conclave who can, sometimes, leave themselves open to criticism when it comes to their enthusiasm for seeking out new creatures of the realms.

While several of those mentioned here seem harmless, some of them may certainly present hidden dangers. I'll leave my final point as an paraphrase of something Mina Luister said to me over spiced cakes. Sometimes it is a blessing to avoid the gaze of the powerful, especially when their desires are unpredictable.

It scans better in Sarcophan, I suppose.
==Further Reading==
* [[Eternal]]
* [[Sarcophan Delves]]

Eternals of the sea

2026-08-01T11:45:17Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Sailor on the Skerries */

[[Category:Eternals]][[Category:History]]
==Overview==
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear:left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Andaman Islands at sunset.jpg|align=left|caption=The magicians of the Sarcophan Delves, as a sea-faring folk, commonly deal with eternals that share their interests.|width=400}}</div>
Following an [[All_the_night-tide#Under_the_Waves|arrangement]] brokered with the [[Sarcophan Delves]], the [[Minister of Historical Research]] Watt Lambrook of [[the Marches]] [[387YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Research_Eternals_of_the_Sea|commissioned]] the [[Historical research#Department of Historical Research|Department of Historical Research]] to send a scholar to the Delves to learn what their experts knew about [[eternal|eternals]] specifically associated with the sea. [[Historical research#Snowstorm Henk|Snowstorm Henk]] boarded a vessel at [[Necropolis#Hedrossan|Crown's Quay]] and spent the better part of nine months as a guest of the scholars and magicians of the Delves. Their report was eventually provided to the Minister at the Summer Solstice 388YE - overdue but at least thickly detailed. Originally intended to uncover information about [[Khobel Tavah]], the remit expanded significantly while Henk was in the Delves.

It coincidentally arrived at the same time that the Imperial prognosticator [[Appraisal#Lisane_de_Terresford|Lisane de Terresford]] was delivering the first part of her [[appraisal]] discussing attitudes to eternals in the [[Sumaah Republic]], which also referenced [[Satraps_of_the_Abyss#Republican_Eternals|several eternals]] that seem to be unknown in the Empire.

Presented as something of a travelogue, as is often the case with Snowstorm Henk, it also provides some insight into Sarcophan attitudes to the realms in general, and additional information about eternals not directly related to the sea.
==Introduction==
{{CaptionedImage|file=Watt of Lambrook.jpg|caption='''Watt of Lambrook''', Minister of Historical Research|align=right|width=400}}
The trip across the seas was a little longer than I had expected, but proved mostly uneventful. I was not entirely prepared for just how many sharks there are in the [[The_seven_seas#Sea_of_Teeth|Sea of Teeth]], but the [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] sailors did their best to hide their amusement at my reaction. I explained several times that we have no sharks in [[Skarsind]] and that just seemed to amuse them even more. I was also a little taken aback at the sheer size of Sarcophan. It is a city to rival [[Sarvos]] and [[Tassato]] both together, a confusing melange of ancient and brand new, without any suggestion of a plan or scheme. Towers and bridges and halls and tombs all hodge-podge together like a box of building bricks upended with little rhyme or reason.

I met with Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike only briefly; she welcomed me to the Delves and reassured me that there were several local [[coven|covens]], as well as individual magicians and scholars who made a study of the eternals, eager to meet me. Helpfully, she had arranged a select gathering for the very next afternoon in which I was able to meet with what amounted to the cream of Sarcophan [[realms]] studies. I shan't bore you with details but I was a little heartened to find that they were for the most part as earnest, opinionated, argumentative, and downright peculiar as their peers at home. There was a definite split, however, between those who made a particular academic study of the realms and those who dealt directly with eternals and [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]] as part of their professional lives. As always, there is a gulf between the theoretical and the practical, but where possible I shall attempt to synthesise the two approaches.

Before I begin there is one set of eternals that I have not spent much time exploring in the Delves. Many of the [[Archmage_of_Day#The_Eternals_of_Day|Hierarchs of Sea and Sky]] have an association with the sea that seems to be much more metaphorical than literal. [[Leviathan]], [[Zakalwe]], [[Roshanwe]], and even [[Ylenwe]] have a tie to the idea of the sea but are not themselves eternals ''of'' the sea, if you follow my reasoning. With the exception of [[Roshanwe]], they are not especially involved with the Delves, and even there it is the seeking-distant-ports resonances of ''Beachcomber'' that they are more interested in. I focused my attention a little more closely on those eternals I felt that the Empire as a whole had least experience with, and I hope that I am not out of line by doing so.

==A Sarcophan View==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Taxonomy.png|align=right|width=400|caption=The Esatolian Taxonomy groups eternals not by realm, but by function.}}</div>
One of the more surprising things that arose during this research is that the Sarcophan view of the realms and the eternals is fundamentally different to that of the Empire. Of course, the six realms exist - that is just a matter of fact. However, the Sarcophan do not classify the eternals primarily by realm. Instead, the classification of the eternals is a broad taxonomy based primarily on common functions, with the classification by realm a secondary factor. The name for the study of such matters in Sarcophan is "De taxonomie van magische bestuurders", and an expert is known as a ''taxanoom''. Being a taxanoom is considered a somewhat difficult but respectable profession. Most magicians in the Delves are ''not'' taxanoom: they might deal a little with specific eternals, but they don't make it their business to know all of them. A taxonoom is generally consulted for specialist advice when it is believed a project calls for it: the ritual magic they practice is apparently not unlike [[Aspect magic#goetia|goetia]], but with a legalistic and bureaucratic formulation.

The full ''taxonomie'' is quite broad and contains multiple factors which are debated amongst scholars of the art. "Eternals of the Sea" is one of the clearest ways in which eternals can be classified, but other examples include "Eternals who are Sovereign Rulers" and "Eternals who are Magicians". The Sarcophan believe that in fact it's in the nuances between the realms that you find within these broad themes that you gain the most insight: in contrast they don't really think it's useful to think about the ways that eternals of the same realm relate to each other (with a few special-case exceptions).

The Sarcophan believe a working knowledge of taxonomy to be the only firm foundation for successful trade with eternals. Despite this, there are dozens of competing taxonomies put forward by rival scholars, each of which offers competing classifications. Some of these works include all the known powers, while others have gaps or classify only a handful of eternals. In fact, there are so many different taxonomy, that the Sarcophan have created a classification system for them.

The Esatolian Taxonomy, is one of the more popular systems of classifications, and one of the first that many aspiring magicians learn. It is "complete" in the sense that it contains all the eternals that the Sarcophan commonly trade with. It is singular, which means that each eternal is assigned to a single taxonomy, and economic, which means eternals are presented in order of the most profitable to trade with, rather than by their assessed power. I have included it here as it one of the easiest to understand and use.

==Regent of the Eternal Sea==
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=RhianosArt.jpg|align=right|width=200|caption=Rhinaos, Regent of the Eternal Sea, is a spirit of adventure - but also risk and recklessness.}}</div>
I spent a very enjoyable week with the ''Haaienvermijders'', a Sarcophan magical cabal familiar to some Imperial magicians. It did not cease to entertain me that their name literally translates into Imperial as "Shark Dodgers". They live up to their name - a jovial coven whose members compose a small trading guild - although I will confess I was a little surprised to discover that these adepts of [[Summer magic|Summer]] and [[Night magic]] were almost entirely of the [[briar]] [[lineage]]. Of course the Spring-touched are common in the Delves - the blessings of their heritage help them endure the various problems related to living in what amounts to a plague-haunted swamp with towers in it - but it struck me as a little surprising to imagine such an enterprisingly entrepreneurial endeavour being run entirely by briar folk. I confess this led to a little introspective soul-searching that is beyond the remit of my researches.

Among the ''Shark Dodgers'', I was regaled by multiple stories relating to the [[Golden Voyage]] - the popular ritual developed from the pioneering work of Andreas i Sol-Devorador i Erigo of the Krakenfire Armada - some of which seemed outlandish even for that particular magical rite. This turned out to be more relevant than I at first anticipated, however. Since the exchange of rituals - [[Muffled Oar]] for [[Golden Voyage]] - the Shark Dodgers have sought out a closer relationship with the [[Rhianos|Regent of the Eternal Sea]] who finds a certain appeal in that particular enchantment.

Rhianos - the eternal has as many names in the Delves as they do in the Empire - has reasonably close ties with the magicians of the Sarcophan Delves. While the Delves are best known for their trading empire, there are always venturous souls among them who seek out both new ports and new opportunities for personal enrichment. Rhianos rarely leads them astray in that regard, for all that the eternal themselves is unconcerned with "profit" in a purely pecuniary sense. Rather, the "spirit of adventure" helps them find uncharted waters, lost islands, strange beasts with valuable teeth, and fog-shrouded smugglers ports with equal ease.

According to the ''Haaienvermijders'', more than one Bedelaar Huisbaas through the history of the Delves has managed a lucky find inspired by Rhianos into a personal fortune. As a consequence, Rhianos is seen as a patron of the young and the reckless - those who have yet to make their mark in society prepared to risk all for the chance to shine - and more established individuals and concerns politely decline their gifts. This doesn't seem to worry ''Foamfollower'', and does nothing to tarnish his reputation among the mariners of the Delves.

The ''Shark Dodgers'' mention a spell relatively well known among the magewrights of the docks and quays called ''Where Kraken Lie'' provided by Rhianos that functions in a manner similar to Golden Voyage but is a little less potent, and bears with it an assurance relating to how the enchantment can be purchased. Magicians are not allowed to charge for the service, but must instead agree to take shares of any treasure the adventurous sailor acquires, which again makes it more appealing to the less wealthy segments of society.

==Sailor on the Skerries==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Blue-ringed octopus.jpg|caption=Dathan is a creature of wonder and imagination, a bringer of joy and reverie.|width=400px}}</div>
The Haaienvermijders also spoke at some length about the eternals of the Night realm with an interest in the sea. They mentioned as a matter of course that they had good relations with the ''Brother of Seaserpents'' - [[Sadogua]] - but agreed that while he was always prepared to offer aid with the performing of maritime magic he wasn't actually any ''good'' at the rituals themselves. They were a little reticent to discuss the codification of ''Muffled Oar'', and the involvement of the ''Jolly Patron'' in that endeavour, instead preferring to change the subject. I was happy to let them do so - particularly because what they most wanted to talk about was ''Dathon'', the ''Regent of the Skerries of Dream''.

The name ''Dathon'' comes from the inscription on a statue found in the time between the flight of those who would become the Highborn and the consolidation of the Delves into its modern form. There has been more discussion of this period in the previous research project '' [[Origins_of_the_Highborn#The_Fall_of_the_Umshalla|Origins of the Highborn]]'' especially where it talks about the fall of the Umshalla.

The statue is still preserved, standing over the ''Stergozocht'', a relatively poverty-stricken neighbourhood not far from the wealthy [[Foreign_ports#Betovering|Betovering]] docks. From the waist up it depicts a young human person with arms raised - although the left arm has broken off halfway between shoulder and elbow - one hand cupped as if to catch water and funnel it into a basin before the figure. Due to the missing arm, apparently the water just splashes every which way in modern times. From the waist down, however, they have a much more serpentine form. Not a snake as such - there are a few surviving fin-like structures along the length of the tail which coils round and round beneath the body giving an almost pyramidal base to the entire sculpture.

Most of the old stone fins have been broken off - my guide mentioned a little grumpily that some sailors believed that the fins would bring luck when travelling at sea and were stolen centuries ago. The words on the dais were cut deep, and plainly readable as "Dathon", although whatever else was carved there had long since been erased by the passage of years.

The things that stuck with me most about the statue were its size - it was several times as tall as I was even allowing for the raised dais on which it stood; the obvious fine quality of the sculpture despite its somewhat reduced state; and the face, turned toward the far horizon. Most of the features were gone, worn smooth by time, but there was something about its almost-human proportions that made me certain the visage was smiling a gentle smile of joy, and excitement, and yearning for... something.

My guide also pointed to the areas around the base of the things coils that had been worn smooth over time, she said, by young or desperate sailors touching it for luck, a tradition that continued to this day.

Back in the pleasant offices of the ''Haaienvermijders'' we discussed the eternal in more detail. As with many such creatures, especially in the realm of [[Realms#Night|Night]], ''Dathan'' has a host of subsidiary names. The most common is ''Fisher of the Reefs of Night'' - my hosts got a good laugh out of my attempts to pronounce the name in the Sarcophan language but quickly took pity on me and used Imperial translations from that point onward. They are also known as ''Sailor on the Skerries'', ''Wonderwove'', ''Hypnopheus'', ''Wind of Reverie'', ''Saltsong'', ''Light in the Deep'' and, interestingly, ''Star of the Seventh Sea'' and ''The Shoals of the Star-filled Sky''. ''Dathon'' is not their truest name, but the one that many sailors and mariners of the Delves know them by. The ''Haaienvermijders'' were a little surprised that I was unfamiliar with them, but were not slow to fill in further details.

The statue - a youth with the lower body of a marine serpent - is only one form taken by the traditionally mercurial Night eternal. The ''Haaienvermijders'' spoke of them, or their heralds, taking on the form of a clever rainbow octopus, a drifting jellyfish like creature that glowed with an inner radiance, a small but brightly coloured fish like none seen in the sea, or as a humanoid figure with multicoloured, scaled skin, and a great rainbow robe with trailing sleeves and a deep hood. Regardless of how they or their children appear, though, it is almost always in the context of a sailor, or a creature of the sea.

They exemplify the wonder and excitement of putting to sea, of exploring the strange and unfamiliar, but not simply in the pure practical sense. Dathan speaks of the mortal mind as an ocean - that each human (and presumably orc) has a realm as large as the whole of Night within their head. This is a metaphor, but also a "great truth" apparently. Before anything new can come into the world it must first be dreamed, and then made real. Dreams are were mortals are most free, and able to pass beyond the constraints of their bodies. Awe and joy are the truest emotions of the mortal heart because they are inspired by seeing beautiful, wondrous things or having profound experiences that cause the mind and spirit to grow and spread wings. The desire to expand ones experiences, to seek out new and marvellous things, was the most important drive of all and created a wake - a path - of stars that allowed mortals to make the world outside their heads as amazing as the one within.

The connection with stars, incidentally, attracted my attention but apparently has little to do with [[astronomancy]] - rather it is the ''idea'' of the stars of the night sky and not the [[constellations]] that Dathan represents, the allure and beauty and wonder of the little specks of light scattered across the sable shawl of the skies.

There was a great deal more of this kind of thing, but I was able to distil it down a little. Dathan is a serpent - like [[Sung]] or [[Lashonar]]. Rather than having wings, however, they have great wing-like fins that allow them to move freely through the water that is their domain. Their demesne is a shallow sea sometimes called the ''Skerries of Dream'' that is full of wonders and beauty and which mortals can occasionally visit in their dreams through some mechanism. As well as having a close tie to the sea as a source of awe and joy, they are closely tied to the idea of dreams, imagination, inspiration, wonder, and the drive to expand horizons and experience new things. They also have some connection to the idea of "treasure" - especially natural wonders such as pearls, gorgeous fish, strange beasts, unique fruit or flowers, water with magical properties, and the like, which can inspire and excite those prepared to engage in potentially dangerous quests.

Not, the Haaienvermijders were quick to qualify, ''exploration'' as such. Dathan has little interest in maps, apparently, and argues that they "pin down" the imagination in a way that is contrary to cultivating true wonder. Rather they want individuals to go to remote places and bask in the amazing experiences they can have there. Which as one of the ''Shark Dodgers'' said a little long-sufferingly, makes them utterly useless from a trade point of view. Having a patron that wants you to go somewhere amazing that has (for example) an exotic new breed of fruit that will be very much in demand if you bring it back home, but who actively opposes any effort to initiate a trade route to that location, can be a major pain in the backside. I think they were speaking from personal experience.

That is not to say that the Delves considers them useless - but the Haaienvermijders urged caution in dealing with them despite their apparently positive aspect. There are only a few areas where their power and influence is valuable, according to the Delves. Their focus on wonder means they can sometimes offer boons that help mortals overcome fear or despair, at the cost of perhaps pushing them too far in the other direction. Their fascination with beauty and natural wonders means that they can sometimes be prevailed on to help gain access to rare plants, precious stones, or similar wonders but only where they believe people will appreciate their beauty and inspiration rather than mine them and make a fortune.

Their focus on the imagination means they often serve as patrons for artists and poets, especially those arts that involve creating uplifting and optimistic stories, offering small boons related to dream and wonder. There was also talk of a ritual created with the aid of ''Dathan'' that appeared quite similar to [[Sift the Dreamscape's Sands]] but rather then bringing shifting dreams of jungles, it inspires dreams of wonderful sea voyages or undersea adventures, but specifically empowers the magician's mastery of [[Night magic]] alone. It is apparently well known among practitioners of Night magic in the Delves, while Sift the Dreamscapes Sands seems to be largely unknown despite being somewhat more versatile.

In character they and their heralds are apparently nerve-shreddingly optimistic, upbeat, positive, hopeful, and joyous. They love wonderful things, and go out of their way to encourage other people to share that joy. The consensus of the ''Haaienvermijders '' is that they are pleasant enough to deal with from time to time, but the boons they can provide are often not worth the effort it takes to get hold of them.

They're also a little unpredictable, even for a Night eternal. One of them told a cautionary tale about the ''Wonderverkopers'' - the "Miracle Sellers". This guild became wealthy selling some materials introduced to them by Dathan as recreational narcotics, as well as a small number of marvellous dream rituals developed with the patronage of the eternal (which to my mind sounded a bit like Octavius of Auric Horizon's [[Ride the Noble Steed]]) After a time, though, they became greedy and started placing more and more demands on Dathan, and apparently paying lip service to the eternals goal of inspiring and bringing joy and wonder to drab lives.

At one point, during a meeting of the now wealthy members of the previously underdog guild, to discuss a potential play for the [[Founders_of_the_Delves#The_Buidelrat|Seat of the Buidelrat]], something went horribly wrong. The guild members themselves were eventually discovered sealed in their meeting chambers sound asleep. They remained asleep from that day onwards. Examination by a profession ''vloekprik'' - an expert in curses - determined that they were all enjoying truly amazing dreams of wealth, power, and indulgence that would last for the rest of their lives. Breaking the curse was apparently too expensive, and so the surviving members of the guild had them moved to a nice hospice in the marshes where they each lived out several more decades of endless, wonderful dreams. How true this tale is I cannot say for sure, but the ''Haaienvermijders'' certainly seemed to believe it so...

I asked if the Haaienvermijders knew any reason why Dathan might not have spoken with the Empire in any formal capacity. They weren't able to answer directly but "made enquiries" - they certainly knew some other covens of magicians who had closer ties with Dathan then they themselves did. My studies took me elsewhere, but shortly before I was due to quit the Delves and return to Sarcophan, my former guide came to see me with some news. They had spoken with a magician who engaged in the practice of ''dream trading'' - a combination magician and pharmaceuticalist such as one is only likely to find in the Delves I wager - who had a way to speak with heralds of Dathan. According to this slightly unsavoury individual, Dathan avoids anything to do with Imperial citizens for two reasons.

The first is the activity of the ''Crew of Sodden Trains'' - which we both agreed was probably the [[Whisper Gallery]] - who apparently loathes Dathan for sharing secret and hidden things with people. A more serious concern however was something the herald called the "Lantern Shark". As near as my ''Shark Dodger'' friend was able to make out, there is a creature of the Night realm that Dathan's herald describes as having the features of a rare deep-water fish that uses a lure to draw curious fish toward it so it can feast on them, and a monstrous shark.

I confessed I had no idea what this was about, and my guide ventured that it might be that Dathan is in opposition to a more forthright, dangerous eternal of the Night realm that also deals in dreams and that they (Dathan) believe it to have enough of a claim over Imperial magicians that the ''Sailor on the Skerries'' does not wish - or is unable - to intrude. This is, as my companion ruefully noted, an eternal that is most likely to run away from any conflict and convince itself that it never happened, or spend the next few years daydreaming about how it might have gone differently, than to actually have a fight with anyone or anything.

==Maw of Stone==
<div style="float:right; width: 275px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Siakha002.png|caption=The Maw of Stone is a common name in the Delves for the destructive eternal of Spring the Empire calls Siakha.|align=right|width=275}}</div>
After spending several weeks with the mercantile magicians of the ''Haaienvermijders'', I was hosted for a very pleasant fortnight at the home of the occult scholar ''Mina Luister''. While not actually a magician herself, in her prime she was well paid to serve as an intermediary between folk of the Delves and the eternals, having dedicated her life to studying everything she could about the creatures and their heralds. A true professional, she nonetheless told me many tantalising stories of deals struck, dangerous bargains, hair-raising negotiations, and in one case, a desperate swim through underwater ruins pursued by a hunting ''[[Siakha#Servants_of_Siakha|carcharadon]]''.

This latter brought us naturally to a discussion of the [[Siakha|Mother of Storms]] who the folk of the Delves variously call ''Red Squid'', ''Maw of Stone'', and occasionally 'the Chewer''. The former is a reference to the [[Mundane_beasts#Kraken|kraken]], while the latter two names speak of certain maritime phenomena where a whirlpool or waterspout becomes entangled with lose boulders and razor sharp pieces of coral that can shred hull, sail, or skin with equal aplomb.

Whereas the Sarcophan are likely to treat other eternals with the same laissez faire attitude they do foreign nations and merchants visiting their shores, this is not the case with Siakha. The eternal is seen as a figure of awe, or even terror. She represents the horrors of the ocean - not the unknown or theoretical horrors of the great deeps but the well-known and yet still unpredictable horrors of nature at its wildest. Storms, of course, but also those calms that can leave a ship stranded as the crew slowly go mad from thirst and the sun. Mighty beasts of the deep, for sure, but also the smaller creatures such as termites and poison crabs or deadly jellyfish. The Delves are particularly vulnerable to the machinations of the Mother of Storms, being both a maritime nation and one whose largest city lies along a coast parts of which are prone to flooding.

One bright morning my hostess prevailed on me to join her for a sedan chair ride out to the western docks. I was not enamoured of the sedan chair - while Mina reassured me several times it was a service like any other I felt there was something a little... unvirtuous... about paying other people to carry you around in luxury. Mistress Luister found it amusing at first but became a little waspish over time, and I was at pains to explain that it was not a judgement just a feeling. Apparently it is quite common for wealthier Sarcophan to travel by such a means, allowing them to avoid the mud and dirt that accumulates in the lower parts of the city. One can always tell a wealthy Sarcophan, they say, because their hems are clean.

Anyway, the reason for the sedan chair ride was to see a small wonder she called ''De Negenendertig Tanden'' - the Thirty-Nine Teeth. I'd seen one of them while arriving at the Delves and I presume many of my fellow Imperials who make a regular journey here already know something of them but Mina was able to give me their entire history. Not buoys as I had originally thought, they are thirty-nine columns of white granite inlaid with mithril and ilium that form a somewhat ragged fence across the bay overlooked by the central towers of the Delves. A great work of engineering, one that took the focus of the entire Beggar's Feast a little over two centuries ago, and required several seasons to complete, these teeth fundamentally weaken the servants of Siakha who might try to attack Sarcophan. Even those with powerful boons from the eternal might find themselves uncomfortable visiting the Delves - something Mina considered a point of pride. Pirates are not really welcome here, after all.

I expressed amazement at the sheer majesty of the work and she was more than happy to boast about the political wrangling that was needed to get the Teeth built. The Teeth also discourage the larger and more predatory beasts of the ocean approaching too close - it is one reason that Sarcophan has not had a recorded kraken attack in two hundred years. From time to time foolish servants of the Maw of Stone make an attempt to weaken or breach the cordon, but there is a dedicated naval force that protects the Teeeth supported by magicians versed in battlefield magic with experience fighting the heralds of Siakha and so far they have prevented unnatural threats to the city.

Mina did explain, however, that this fence against Siakha was partially made possible by the assistance of a certain being of the Day realm, and as we took a pleasant tea in one of the towers looking out across the bay, she explained a little about ''Guathier, Lord of the Winds''.

==Lord of the Winds==
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Shy albatross in flight.jpg|title=Grumpy albatross is wise to your malarkey.|caption=Guathier is one of the Hierarchs of Sea and Sky, and strongly associated with weather and the sea.|align=right|width=300}}</div>
Many of the eternals of the [[Realms#Day|Day realm]], the Hierarches of Sea and Sky, have a connection to the idea of the sea. [[Leviathan]] famously swims in the depths of a vast ocean that spreads across the entire realm. [[Zakalwe]], [[Ylenwe]], and [[Roshanwe]] each have their personal realms on the surface of that endless sea, while the domain of [[Phaleron]] is built on coral islands and rises high into the air, and deep into the waters. [[Kimus]] and [[Sinokenon]] meanwhile have their demesnes high above, in the sky over the eternal mirror-like sea. ''Guathier, Lord of the Winds'' is closer to the latter than the former, but nonetheless is counted by the Sarcophan as an eternal of the sea.

Unlike many eternals, ''Guathier'' does not collect names; the only other two commonly used in Sarcophan are ''Who-Sees-The-Wind'' and ''Windwinder''. She takes the form of a great bird, similar to an albatross - to my mind the depictions are very similar to those I have seen of the Imperial Albatross of the cliffs of [[Redoubt#Ventosi|Ventosi]] in [[Redoubt]]. Their feathers are translucent white, with light blue markings, and it is said that when she is in flight they glow with the light of the sun so bright it is impossible for a mortal to look on them without going blind.

Guathier is associated both with the wind, and with the currents of the sea - which her heralds describe as being very similar things seen from different perspectives in different mediums. She observes the flows of wind, and is said to be able to shape the wind and the currents of the sea. Mostly this power is drawn on to quell storms and bad weather of that nature - there are notes about a ritual boon offered by Guathier that provides significant protection to naval forces from the effect of cursed storms for example.

It seems as well that her fascination with currents, with the movement of air and water, makes her something of a prognosticator. Guathier is fascinated with the way that the smallest action can result in significant changes to the way events unfold, just as a rock in the path of a river can divert its flow in ways that are hard to predict. If Leviathan looks at the present that arises from the past, Guathier is concerned with the future that may arise from the present.

There is clearly more to this eternal than I was able to glean in my short discussion with Mina, and she was unable to introduce me to any magicians that deal extensively with her or her heralds. As to why she is not known in the Empire, Mina could not offer any particular guidance although we did discuss the possibility that the Empire's use of curses that inflict bad weather such as [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]] and [[Thunderous Deluge]] might have some influence on her opinion of our magicians.

==Polyptoton==
{{CaptionedImage|file=Turtle city.jpg|align=right|width=250}}
Shortly before my time with Mina was due to come to an end, she introduced me to a Sarcophan [[cambion]] magician with the delightful name of ''Jaan van Daan''. Jaan makes a living dispatching messages and packages across the Known World through the auspices of [[Autumn magic]], and numbers everyone from ''Bedelaar Huisbaas'', through religious leaders, to fellow magicians among their clients. A true independent, it is likely that if you have received a [[Call Winged Messenger|winged messenger]] from the Delves it is Jaan van Daan that has sent it. Or at least so they themselves claim; but they certainly have the wealth and lifestyle to make me believe their claims.

Mina introduced me to Jaan specifically to talk about the ''Sovereign-Lord of the City of Salt and Sail'', with whom we understood the [[Archmage of Autumn]] had recently become acquainted. The name used by Jaan van Daan is ''Polyptoton''; the Sarcophan said that this is the name of the eternal itself, which takes the form of an immense turtle-like creature upon whose back the city is built. I'm not sure how I feel about the idea of a turtle the size of Sarvos (conservatively; the Autumn realm inevitably claims that their cities are significantly larger than any in the mortal realm) but Jaan was insistent. The being itself goes by any number of names, and is also known as ''Saratan'' and ''Archeloni'', while the city itself is known as the ''Wandering City'', the ''Port Of No Storm'', and ''Mirabilis''.

Over a course of the stickiest sweets I have ever encountered in my life, Jaan shared some of his understanding of the City of Salt and Sail, and its connection to the "winged messengers" that are arguably the backbone of international diplomacy and trade. It seems that the invisible bird-like creatures associated with the spell - whatever precise form it takes in the various lands where it is practiced - are most commonly drawn from immense rookeries that ride on the back of Polyptoton. The rituals themselves don't draw on the power of the city itself, but in most cases they have been developed with the assistance of heralds that call it home. I mentioned that I had heard of magic items that could call up messengers as well, but Jaan was unable to explain how they might work.

Regardless, the people of the City of Salt and Sail feel a certain responsibility to the messengers - which are apparently not invisible in the Autumn Realm as they are in the mortal realm. When a messenger is unable to deliver their letter, or their package, it apparently causes them some distress and the heralds of the Infinite Rookery intercede to deal with the problem. Jaan van Daan was at pains to tell me that this is the only time the heralds of Polyptoton read such messages - otherwise it is a point of pride for them to remain as neutral supporters of communication around the world as possible.

Beyond these rituals, the City of Salt and Sail is concerned with two key resonances of the Autumn realm - [[Autumn magic#Travel and Communication|travel and communication]]. While they have some interest in [[Autumn magic#Trade|trade]], this is true of ''all'' the eternals of the Autumn realm so far encountered, to one degree or another. For Polyptoton, however, the key element of trade is that it relies on the transportation of both goods and ideas over distance. Salt, according to the heralds of the city, is key to the entire development of trade in the mortal world. Once traders are able to travel effectively down rivers and across the seas, they can transport great quantities of goods faster and more efficiently, to markets where they are unknown. Likewise, salt forms the basis of preservation of many perishable goods, allowing them to be transported further and still be viable trade goods. This metaphor puts one in mind of the arguments that the merchants of Ephisis make about "Gold" and "Lead" - a central allegory that underpins some of their claims without really meaning anything.

The city has a strong connection to ships and boats, and Jaan van Daan told me that they are ''the'' eternal to speak to in the Autumn realm - or any other - about facilitating the movement of such. Zartan doesn't limit itself solely to maritime concerns, however, having some interest in the movement of people and vehicles overland. They are not a particularly martial city, but their insight may still prove useful when moving armies or navies over distance. One of the (several) things that apparently piqued the interest of Polyptoton with regard to the Empire was the increasing use by Imperial magicians of the [[Find the Best Path]] ritual in recent years.

Their enthusiasm for communication, says Jaan, has some key differences to that of the eternal Lashonar with which Imperial magicians are perhaps more familiar. Lashonar brings people together so that they can speak face-to-face. Its Caucus Forum is a perfect example of how it sees communication - a chance for disparate folk to come together to share ideas, able to deploy their insight and intuition to evaluate the people they are speaking to, using emotion and subtlety to control the ebb and flow of words. The citizens of the City of Salt and Sail are not ''averse'' to people speaking to each other but they are ''much'' more excited about the written word. Not only letters, but also the myriad other ways that things written down can communicate (and perhaps even exert influence over readers). They certainly have demonstrated the ability to arrange meetings, but like the [[Prospero|Sovereign Lord of the City of Bridges]] they are likely to require a steep price for doing so. Where they shine is in their ability to get a letter to, in theory, anyone anywhere in the world.

==Kobhel Tava and More==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=KhobelTavah.jpg|caption=Khobel and Tavah are the worst fear of sailors and those they leave behind. They are the drowned and the sea that drowns.|align=left|width=400}}</div>
After a pleasant afternoon spent in the company of Jaan van Daan, I finished my time with Mina by visiting some old colleagues of hers. The ''Stillegolf'' are a small coven who these days are apparently mostly retired. The four of them met with me in their apartments - a series of large open rooms at the top of one of the teetering towers of Sarcophan. We met at night, among candles, and I feel that decision was in part to ensure they presented their home in the best light. It was clear to me that their glory days are behind them, but I have no doubt that they knew it themselves, and knew I knew. In spite of that, the quarter of elderly [[draughir]] were engaging dinner companions and we spoke long into the night about the King of Nowhere and the Queen of the Vast.

Salt in the Lungs and the Prophet of the Last Light are known in the Delves but they are kept carefully at arms length by most of the wizards here. One of the ''Stillegolf'', a droll fellow named ''Marta Kjirik '' with a poetic turn of phrase, described them thus: "''they are the deep oceans, the water you don't now, with rocks beneath the surface that you cannot see. They are the fear of the becalmed sailor, of the captain who sees the storm approaching that she knows her ship will not survive, the dread of being far from shore and feeling your vessel shift beneath your feet as it begins to talk on water. They are the fraying of ropes, and the ripping of canvas, and the doomsong pealing in the depths, where no bells should be."

I can tell you now that, sat in that dark cavernous room full of faded splendor, with candles flickering and my hosts all staring at me unblinking, Marta's words sent a shiver down my spine and I heard the echo of one of my ancestors urging me to get out of there as fast as possible before they ate me. I squared my shoulders and persevered, however.

One of the other draughir, ''Irta Covesaar'', told a story of Khobel Tavah in her heavily accented Imperial that one of their heralds allegedly came to the people of Umshalla, the folk who occupied the Delves before the Sarcophan, and offered a warning of three dooms: chaos, war, and plague. The Diarchs of Parralenth, Elam and Orpa, refuted each of the claims of the herald in turn and cast the doomsayer from their court. They truly believed that their people could weather any storm that might come. Within a handful of years, the Diarchs were dead, the nation had been riven with chaos, civil war burned in the streets, and the final plague had begun to spread.

The tale might be apocryphal, but it led to a discussion that the ''Two-Who-Are-One'' are among the least unpredictable of the eternals the ''Stillegolf'' dealt with in their time. They do what they say, and there is little ambiguity with them. When they warn, their warning should be taken seriously because their words are never idle. They can also be drawn on to provide protection to ships at sea, which is one of the services the ''Stillegolf'' specialised in. They employed enchantments called ''Sails of the Last City'' which was invaluable to mercenary vessels employed to guard trade fleets, and ''Ward of Last Light'' which granted sailors preternatural fortitude and prevented death at sea for a time.

The third member of the coven, the old guildmaster ''Pieter Covesaar'' explained that the ritual texts they had used were sold off years ago, but they showed me several old boons from the ''Old Man and the Sea''. These battered looking foci appeared to have been taken from sunken wrecks, marked by decades of exposure to salt water, but were nonetheless sturdy. Their magical potency had long since leeched from them, but careful examination showed that they had once held powers that allowed ritual magicians to more easily weave spells of [[Winter magic#Preservation|preservation]] and [[Winter magic#Survival|survival]] that were quite intriguing.

It was while we were leaving that the last surviving member of the coven, ''Sjaak Kjikik'' spoke up for the first time, discoursing on the matter of fear, and while I didn't know it at the time my visit was about to take a peculiar tangent. I had made some off-hand comment about fear of drowning, and Sjaak had corrected me. He spoke in tones more suited to a professor lecturing at the [[Sarvos#Diora_University|Diora]], but his expression was scarily intense and his eyes flickered gold and red in the candleflames. He explained that there are two forms of fear, and the Winter eternals represent the more wholesome of the two. The [[Winter magic#Fear|fears]] the Winter eternals exemplify are ''rational'' fears - it is right that people fear drowning because it is a horrible way to die, one that is always waiting just behind the shoulder of anyone who owes their lives to the water. The fear of hunger, of making bad decisions, of the ending that comes with death, of pain, of suffering, are all ''sensible'' fears. Yet there is another kind of fear that has nothing to do with reason or good sense. For ''that'' kind of fear one must look elsewhere - to the ''Hongerigespin'' and to ''Ungholt, the Delerium King''.

==Hongerigespin and Ungholt==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Delirium King.jpg|caption=Ungholt the Delerium King spreads madness and terror, and twists the dreams of sleeping mortals into terrible shapes.|align=left|width=400}}</div>
Mina looked quite concerned when he mentioned these two, and saw my questioning expression. We sat back down again and Sjaak gave a quick explanation. These were not eternals of the Winter realm, but of Night. He did not talk much about ''Hongerigespin'' apart from the say that it was a creature that devoured everything that made a person a person and brought the kind of living death which ate the entire person but left their bodies behind. Irta tried to interject that the creature also had useful powers over obfuscation and concealment, but even she had to agree that the boons were never worth it given the price. Mina kept trying to catch my eye during this exchange and communicate nonverbally, and on top of that one of my ancestors was growling very loudly in my left ear, and so I did not take much in.

On the subject of ''Ungholt, the Delirium King'', however, Sjaak was much more voluble, seemingly to the chagrin of this three covenmates. Apparently this creature appears as a figure without a face, in a hooded robe. It may also appear as the most terrifying image drawn from the nightmares of those who see them. There is no lesson in the fear brought by the Delirium King, only madness and death. Sjaak began to twitch as he spoke, getting more and more agitated, until Marta brought out a particular deep green liquor and made him down a small glass of it to bring back his calm.

I had to check twice that the Delirium King was a creature of the Night realm, and not the Winter realm, but Sjaak was adamant and the others nodded silent agreement. He then explained that Delirium King is the lord of nightmare, madness, and fear made manifest. It is actually tangentially associated with my commission which is why I mention it here. Where most of the other domains of the Night realm are said to be forests, Ungholt dominates a land of mud and water, creeping mist, and unnatural trees called the Mire of Madness. It is drawn to places where people have drowned, and apparently finds the desperate struggles of someone unable to escape water or quicksand to be delightful music. Given that much of the land in and around the Delves is marshland, I could immediately see why the creature was relevant to the Sarcophan. Also, its tangential connection to water led me to believe that it might be relevant to the wider commission.

Marta broke in at this point to stress again that there is no ''[[Winter magic#Wisdom|wisdom]]'' in the fear Ungholt brings. They are simply a prison, one that eventually breaks the mind of their victims and leaves them unable to tell reality from dreadful fantasy. Its servants move in nightmare, apparently, allowing them to attack sleeping minds and remove the ability to rest. It can also bring weakness and a fear so terrible it paralyses those exposed to it, allegedly with a simple touch or terrible music.

It was around this point that I started to notice that the candles had mostly gone out. We are huddled together around the low table, scattered with the remnants of our supper, hunched forward while Sjaak rambled about nightmare and madness, sucking quagmire, and drifting lights that fed on the souls of the despairing, our shadows seeming to be dreadful giants leaning forward above and around us. It put me in mind of some of the stories I had heard from soldiers fighting in [[Zenith]] and [[Ossium]], and so I interjected and quickly described the [[Druj miasma]]. Might Ungholt be involved in such a thing?

The draughir magicians asked several probing questions, and the more answers I gave the more certain they became that the Delirium King could not be responsible. The Druj miasma and its [[Druj_miasma#Miasma_Pillars|pillars]] have laid over [[the Mallum]] for generations - Sjaak was adamant that any extended exposure to the power of Ungholt on such a scale could bring only madness and death. Whatever the miasma is, it is not a thing of the [[Realms#Night|Night Realm]]. Yet they cautioned that it is the kind of thing that would delight Ungholt, would draw his attention like flies to a rotting corpse. An entire people oppressed by auras of fear, dread, and despair would be a feast for Ungholt and its servants. I was initially a little skeptical, but the more I thought on it the more I came to agree with them. If the miasma of the Mallum ''was'' a thing of the realms we would have known about it decades ago. And I must stress, the four of them were in agreement that exposure to the power of Ungholt for an extended period of time would break the spirit and the mind to the point that nobody - Druj ''or'' their septs - would be able to function in any way.

When Sjaak left to answer the call of his bladder, Pieter quickly explained that there was a reason that Sjaak was so impassioned, and why they were certain that the eternal was not behind this "miasma" I spoke of. Twenty years ago the ''Stillegolf'' ran afoul of a coven of magicians who drew on the boons of Ungholt. The coven dwelled outside the city in the swamps along the Umshalla river, and had come to the attention of the Delves' coven because they were terrorizing Sarcophan ship captains who relied on their warding magic for protection. The ensuing "wizards war" went in favour of the ''Stillegolf'', not least because they were able to call in favours from several of the maritime associations they had worked with, and because they were able to draw on soldiers from the Grim Legion of the ''Maiden of Midnight''. Despite this, the fight left two of their number - including Sjaak's husband - trapped in eternal nightmare slumber, and Sjaak on the verge of madness after six months of awful waking visions.

While Pieter spoke, Irta lit more candles and unshrouded a dim [[Technology#Lightstones|lightstone]], and when Sjaak returned from his call of nature the subject was changed and Mina and I thanked our hosts and left. Sjaak had the last word - he warned that I should not seek to learn much more about Ungholt, and should definitely not seek to attract its attention. If the Empire is not of interest to the Delirium King, they should thank their good fortune and perhaps spare a moment to think compassionately of those in the Delves who are not so lucky.

Mina and I travelled back to my apartments in silence, and I confess that when I finally slept that night my dreams were tormented by the image of a black hooded spectre and an increasingly unhinged Sjaak hunting me through the streets of [[Skarsind#Gildenheim|Gildenheim]], dream-warped such that they were overwhelmed with terrible, stinking swamps.

==Conclusion==
When I awoke, slathered in sweat, it turned out that it was not just the unsettling tales of the ''Stillegolf'' that were responsible for my disturbed night. I had, despite all my best efforts, managed to pick up some awful sickness of the bowels native to the Sarcophan Delves. If I had one piece of advice to give any of my colleagues considering spending time in the Delves it would be to boil the water before you drink it. I spent a week alternating between weeping and hunched over, and writhing wrapped in sweat-soaked bedsheets.

Several of the magicians I had met sent small tokens of consolation, and I can only thank the physician provided by Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike who dosed me every six hours with a preparation of boiled water and [[bladeroot]]. With her assistance, my fever eventually broke and I regained control of my bowels. Two days later, I was leaving the Delves, with a new appreciation of how wide and complicated the world really is. Despite my illness, I think my time in Sarcophan was well spent and I would happily return.

I spent most of the journey back across the Sea of Teeth and the [[Bay of Catazar]] compiling my notes into this travelogue, which I hope will prove of interest. My recommendation would be that the Minister think carefully about how best to present this information to the rest of the Empire. Especially the Conclave who can, sometimes, leave themselves open to criticism when it comes to their enthusiasm for seeking out new creatures of the realms.

While several of those mentioned here seem harmless, some of them may certainly present hidden dangers. I'll leave my final point as an paraphrase of something Mina Luister said to me over spiced cakes. Sometimes it is a blessing to avoid the gaze of the powerful, especially when their desires are unpredictable.

It scans better in Sarcophan, I suppose.
==Further Reading==
* [[Eternal]]
* [[Sarcophan Delves]]

Eastern Sky

2026-07-29T17:33:07Z

Thespaceinvader: /* 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 favour of an eternal cannot be called upon in two consecutive seasons.

<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===
* '''Rhianos can still be [[Down_the_cavalier_road#Rhianos' Favour|honoured with a statue]], constructing an edifice for them at the Tournament Grounds of Laroc and ceding it to them, or rebuilding the Tower of the Manticore'''
<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]]

Asavean Factor

2026-07-22T17:32:03Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Build Then Up */

{{SOPInner|statement=Loyalty is the link from one heart to another, guiding us on the path of Virtue. Alberto Acciai - Exemplar of Loyalty - followed his heart. Inspired by his cousin, Alberto broke the chains of the downtrodden and struck against the Plenum, freeing slaves from their tyrant masters and breaking two Asavean armies. Through Loyalty, Alberto shared the gift of the Way with the people of Marilen, and inspired others to rise up in Virtue. Two years ago we committed to continuing the work of Alberto and Amika. Asavea will be transformed through Virtue, the truly Virtuous are Loyal even in times of hardship! We must stand by our commitment, and finish the war the Empire started. We will bring Virtue to Asavea, no matter the cost. We devote our hearts to this task. This is our Highest Calling.|by=Dagon of the Shattered Tower, Loyalty Assembly|vote={{GM}} 390-26|when=Spring 388YE}}

{{SOP|by=Dagon, Loyalty Assembly|statement=Even the most impenetrable forest may fall one tree at a time. We send Dagon with 50 doses of liao to urge those loyal to our young siblings in Virtue to spread the Way and support the Virtuous rebels in Asavea.|when=Summer Solstice 386YE|vote=Upheld (400-128)}}
==Overview==
Not content with [[A_lasting_commitment|one epoch-defining construction]], the Empire is ''also'' attempting to [[Drumbeat_of_war#A_Fulcrum|Anchor the Way in Asavea]]. Thus far, only 34 of the 750 wains of [[white granite]] required has been submitted, yet once the Grand Inspiration is complete that may allow streams to be diverted to this second grand edifice to the Way. Yet the Loyalty Assembly values this construction more highly than the one in [[Bastion]] and have spent the season encouraging those who know the highest calling of their hearts to consider ways they might aid in usurping the worship of the false gods of the Plenum.
==Seeking Allies==
* '''The Loyalty assembly needs allies who feel the same way they do
Anchoring the Way in Asavea is a major undertaking, and one that is frankly struggling. Yet if there is one thing the Loyalty assembly knows, it is the importance of finding other people who share your goals and are prepared to work with you. One approach to pushing the ambitious project forward would be to secure such allies. There seem to be two broad approaches that might achieve something here.
===Build Then Up===
* '''For the next year, the Loyalty Assembly can use a mandate to urge members to find a way to arrange a meeting of some kind with a single named faction'''
What might benefit the Assembly is some way to build links with the various different [[Asavean factions]]. Each of them could be very useful to attempts to spread [[the Way]] to [[Asavea]] if the Empire could bring them on side. Thus far that has proved difficult, but that may be because communicating by [[Call Winged Messenger]] is just so tortuous. Perhaps the best way for the Assembly to start making real progress is to find a way to meet with these people?

There are six distinct Asavean factions that the Empire has identified - all of which could help to anchor the Way in Asavea, if they could be convinced to risk the endeavour. Unfortunately they have high demands and thus far have been shown relatively little interest in negotiating. In truth, a winged messenger agreeing to meet someone's price will be effective, but winged messengers asking for meetings or haggling are almost never effective. After, all the Empire is going to them; they have little reason to lower their demands.

Still if it were possible to meet with them, in some way, then that ''might'' change. Perhaps using the [[Lashonar#Caucus_Forum|illegal Caucus form]] or by some other clandestine method, perhaps a chamber arranged by [[Prospero]] or [[Basileia]], or if possible, a way to simply bring them to [[Anvil]]. None of these people are going to change their minds just because they've been dragged into a meeting, but the power of persuasion should never be under-estimated. If the Empire can talk to them, then they might be able to find common ground.

{{Mandate|mandate=The Virtuous build up their fellows. We send (named individual) with 25 doses of liao to urge the Virtuous to find a way to arrange a meeting with (faction). Let us meet and find common ground against the Plenum.|assembly=Loyalty Assembly}}

If this mandate is enacted, then the faithful will find an [[opportunity]] to engineer a face-to-face meeting of ''some kind'' between the named individual and the faction. If there is a chance to bring others into the meeting, so much the better, but whoever is named in the mandate will have to be there. Obviously there's nothing to stop the assembly seeking to reach out to these factions by mundane means, via letter and negotiation, but so far that approach has borne limited fruit.

===Search Beyond===
* '''For the next year, the Loyalty Assembly can use a mandate to urge members to enlist supernatural allies'''
Alternatively the assembly could explore a different approach. Rather than spending more time trying to win over the Asavean factions, they could look for allies elsewhere. Instead of seeking a meeting with anyone, they could ask members of the assembly all over the Empire to see if there is any [[inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|herald]] of an [[eternal]] who might be persuaded to help. The eternals are not especially virtuous, but their interests stretch across the Known World and there is no doubt that some of them could be persuaded to support the Empire's efforts in the west.

{{Mandate|mandate=Even the wicked can be loyal. We send (named individual) with 25 doses of liao to urge the Virtuous to find approach the servants of (named eternal). Let us see what aid they might offer.|assembly=Loyalty Assembly}}

If this mandate is enacted, then the faithful will seek out the heralds of the eternal in question and pester them with requests for help until they obtain a response from their sovereign. It's not the best way to approach an eternal - a proud eternal like [[Eleonaris]] is likely to be furious by being bothered in this way. But some eternals are much more informal. Either way it will bring a response of ''some'' kind - though any formal response is most likely to be directed to the Conclave. At the very least it will provide details for the format of a possible plenipotentiary.

It's a long shot, but the idea for it follows an approach from [[Callidus|the Prince of Argent Tontine]]. It nothing else it gives a good example of what might be on offer. There's also nothing to stop members of the assembly negotiating with an [[Archmage]] to deploy their power of [[Archmage#Plenipotantiery|plenipotentiary]] on behalf of the assembly, of course, but in that case as in so many it would be unlikely to achieve much unless it was the ''sole'' thing the archmage was asking for.
===Two Paths===
* '''These mandates are competing'''
These mandates are in competition with each other. If more than one is raised, all such mandates will compete. Whichever mandate receives the greatest margin, once it is enacted, will set the path the Loyalty Assembly takes for the coming year. If the winning mandate deals with a faction, the ability to ask the assembly to seek eternal allies in this way in the future will be lost, and vice verse.
==Appraisal==
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">'''Appraise supporting Anchoring the Way'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Motion Type:''' Appraisal</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Necessary Details:''' Needs to call for the appraisal to identify ways Loyal Imperial citizens can support anchoring the Way in Asavea</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' The choice of prognosticator will be crucial here </td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''The Senate could endorse an appraisal to find ways to secure more materials for the project to anchor the Way
One of the key challenges facing the Loyalty assembly is that in the time since the project to anchor the Way in Asavea was begun, it has not achieved even a tenth of its objective. The wains needed exist, but they are not being donated to the effect to bring the virtues to the Asavean Archipelago. One obvious possibility that presents itself to the Loyalty assembly would be to have the [[Senate]] commission an [[appraisal]] looking for ways the Loyal citizens of the Empire who want to help the spreading of the Way can do so. One major obstacle here is that it is not entirely clear how much of the Senate supports the anchoring of the Way in the first place - they did attempt to criminalize the preaching of the virtues in Asasvea after all. Especially with the Asaveans sending support to the Grendel in their war on the EMpire. However, if such an appraisal were commissioned, it may turn up ways the Loyalty assembly can drum up support at home for this ambitious endeavour.

One thing that will be crucial with this appraisal, if the assembly is able to convince the Senate to endorse it, is the choice of prognosticator. Each of them has their specialities, and areas where they are weak, and an appraisal into supporting an endeavour in a foreign country is likely to magnify those strengths and weaknesses.

==Sovereign of Self==
{{CaptionedImage|file=CallidusArt.jpg|align=right|width=250}}
* '''Callidus offers to provide funding for the "war with Asavea" in exchange for items of profound importance'''
* '''He is offering to buy these goods in exchange for wains of white granite'''
[[Callidus]] has been observing the Imperial attempt to use religion to disrupt the status quo of political power in the archipelago and replace it with their own influence. The eternal strongly approves of this [[A_beacon_of_smoke|war of words]] with the Plenum, they are fascinated to see how hot the war can get and eager to help pour more fuel on the fire. Still the ''Prince of the Argent Tontine'' is not prepared to offer his aid without some form of recompense.

The ''Golden Bargainer'' has [[Callidus#Concerns|long held interest]] in notable religious artefacts, fascinated with the power they grant of over people. He has significant [[white granite]] he could donate to the project, yet nothing in the Autumn Realm is ever free. [[Callidus#Zand|Zand]] has been dispatched to communicate to the Empire that the ''Keeper of the Gilded Chains'' could be convinced to make such a donation, as long as the price is right. Any significant quantity of white granite would require something of enormous significance in return.

Helpfully Zand has several suggestions the Empire might want to consider. One or more of the pilgrim shields, a dose of true liao, or the pen that signed the liberty pact. Or if the Assembly really want to make a difference something of importance to the whole Empire like the Imperial Crown? Whatever the Empire wants to put on the table needs to be of that level of significance, to make it worth the eternal's time engaging with them.

Should the Synod be interested in negotiating this deal, Zand suggests they should petition the [[Archmage of Autumn]] to list which such items might be ''on the table'' the next time they are minded to send them a plenipotentiary, and a suitable negotiation can be arranged. The Prince is rich, so Zand encourages the Empire to bring their most valuable possessions to the table.

==Further Reading==
* [[Asavean factions]] - List of the known factions in Asavea potentially receptive to supporting the Empire
* [[One of us]] - 386YE Winter wind of fortune detailing early attempts by the Loyalty assembly to support the project
* [[Irreconcilable differences]] - 386YE Autumn wind of fortune discussing the conflict around preaching in Asavea
* [[Signal fire]] - 386YE Autumn Imperial Address by Rane Shardbearer
* [[Authority_and_acceptance#Asavea|Authority and acceptance]] - 386YE Autumn Wind of Fortune discussing Asavean diplomacy
* [[Drumbeat of war]] - 386YE Summer Wind of Fortune detailing Asavean diplomacy and opportunities for the Senate and Synod

Urizeni Experiment

2026-07-22T17:30:15Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Nesustak Forest */

{{SOPInner|statement=Stargazers, we call for your expertise in the Sarangrave. The vallorn there is unique because of the warding and containment. It is possible it may be susceptible to unique methods and have unique weaknesses. We have learnt all we can through the existing knowledge from the library of Hercynion so we look to you for new paths. A commitment has been made to end the vallorn in our lifetime. Go forth, but take caution in Nesustak and Bloodwater Marsh|by=Theodora, Urizen National Assembly|vote={{GM}} 240-14|when=Spring 388YE}}

==Overview==
The Stargazers of Urizen have been hard at work trudging through the fetid swamps of Urizen's newest territory to see what might be done to put something in place to defend against the vallorn of Béantal Dol should it ever be roused, relishing the call to engage in their [[Stargazer#Interests|favourite pastime]] studying magic.

Their plan was to study the Terunael wards to see what could be done to improve them. Unfortunately, the last act of the Tainted Basilik was to shatter the wards and allow the vallorn to pour out into Nesustak Forest and Bloodwater Marsh. The actions of Imperial heroes at the Spring Equinox defanged the threat to Bloodwater Marsh, and the [[Boyar's Hasta]], the [[Granite Pillar]] and the [[Black Thorns]] were able to [[Thorn_and_bone|save the rebels of Nesustak Forest]].

Having spent months studying the remains of the wards, the stargazers have identified some opportunities to make use of them to help secure the area. They have divined a series of conjunctions of the [[Sentinel Gate]] that they believe will allow Imperial magicians to move to the right location at the right time - the best kind of magic is that which is actually cast. Having salvaged a scant number of the remaining wards from Bendol, they Stargazers have taken it upon themselves to "''Consider the Lock''", as General '''Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' might say.

===Stronger than Blood===
* '''Stargazers have found dilapidated warding stones in northern Bloodwater Marsh'''
* '''There are ettercaps and vallornspawn around the stones'''
* '''These skirmishes are both [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounters'''
* '''''Theodora'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for performing Wardens of the Black Waste in the east'''
* '''The ''Spear of the Seven'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for performing Wardens of the Black Waste in the west'''
{{NoInnocentsPresent}}
There are two key locations at opposite ends of Bloodwater Marsh that could form a metaphysical barrier against the Vallorn, and by placing the remaining wards in the design of the lock in each location, combined with a permanent casting of [[Wardens of the Black Waste]] would allow for a large area to be warded against vallorn miasma. That could be crucial when the time comes.

Ordinarily, this would require an extremely expensive mass of ilium; however, the salvaged warding stones will need only a single ring of ilium to be worked into them to form an anchor to make the enchantment permanent. The bad news is that, while the full strength of the vallorn was successfully contained, there are still vallornspawn and ettercaps in the area who will interfere with the casting if not driven back.
<quote by="Suplicia of Calator">
There is no riddle that cannot be answered by magic, provided you know how to reframe the question
</quote>
[[Urizen]] is a nation of [[Ambition]], and the Stargazers went further to find additional ways to secure their new home. [[Sorin]] was consulted via the visiting ''Sepulchral Pontifex'', who has a known interest in fortifying one's domain against any who would challenge their rulership of it. The ''Lord of the Monolith'' approves of the Stargazers' plan, and if both wards are set up, then he will be able to use them as anchor points to allow the Empire to summon a [[Basalt Citadel]] in Bloodwater Marsh, should they wish. Should they only achieve one of the Wards, the ''Tomb King'' will wait for the [[Archmage of Winter]] to raise the topic of the Sarangrave the next time they are inclined to treat with him via plenipotentiary.

===An Open Gate===
* '''A throng of vallornspawn and ettercaps have amassed around the Turbulent Wellspring'''
* '''The first part of the skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Warmage'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for clearing the way to the Spring regio'''
* '''The second part of the skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Possible|combat possible]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Archmage of Spring'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for casting Dance of Navarr and Thorn'''
{{NoInnocentsPresent}}
A third conjunction has also been detected. This one is to the Turbulent Wellspring, a Spring regio in Bendol itself, infested as it is with all manner of horrors near to its heart. This represents an opportunity to connect the vallorn heart in Bendol to the rest of the trods.

The consequences of such an act should not be understated; the connection of a new heart to the network always results in a pulse of chaotic energy to be transmitted to the hearts already connected, which can spur a resurgence of activity. As a lesser but still relevant consequence, it would also allow the recently proposed [[Cup_of_choices#In_Sickness_and_in_Hell|Eastern Citadel]] to be constructed.

It is the responsibility of the [[Warmage]], '''Ibiss Briarheart''', to drive off - or more likely kill - the vallornspawn and ettercaps in the area and clear the way to the Turbulent Wellspring. It is then the responsibility of the [[Archmage of Spring]], '''Arwydd Clearbramble''', to make use of the opportunity and perform [[Dance of Navarr and Thorn]], connecting Sarangrave to the trods.

{{KaelaGift}}

{{Vallornmiasma}}

==Nesustak Forest==
<div {{float}}>
<quote by="Proposed: Conscience of the Senate, Seconded: Sarangrave">We name Sławomir Rabovich Bolotstrazh as responsible for the conjunction to discuss with the Nesustak Forest rebels in Sarangrave. The Senate also appoints: Ser Guy of the Twisted Rose and Bartimaeus of Sarangrave Reforged. The remaining two spaces on the conjunction are the responsibility of Sławomir to assign. The rebels of Sarangrave have shaken off their shackles of the buruk tepel with their own strength, we should take every opportunity to work with them in good faith. We do this in memory of Catalina Barossa, the citizen who first made contact with a now-rebel sept - the Waterwalkers.</quote>

<quote by="Proposed: Hercynia, Seconded: Ossium, Precedence of Virtue invoked by Conscience of the Senate">Nesustak Forest was never Imperial. The Nesustak Forest rebels rose against the Druj of their own strength. We recognise the region as their home and our ambition in moving into the region is solely for the purpose of defeating the vallorn and protecting the living souls who reside there. It is our intention to return the region once it is safe from the threat.</quote>

{{SOPInner|statement=The vallorn comes for Nesustak, home of the Bloodwater Spears and the Waterwalkers. The Military Council is charged with defending the Empire; these septs are not Imperial. We cannot guarantee their safety in Nesustak, but can offer them succour elsewhere if they wish to take it. Nesustak may fall, but the children of the spires can take in its people - offer them food and shelter; show them the lies of the buruk tepel, our new homes in the Sarangrave may be sparse and tenuous, but actions such as these reinforce more than they risk. Offer an open hand, but offer no mercy to those who show treachery.|by=Solas of the Waxing Sun, Urizen Assembly|vote={{GM}} 234-0|when=Spring 388YE}}
</div>
* '''Halyx Fire-Eyes claims to have been injured fighting the vallorn'''
* '''Halyx and Agoska have indicated that they will attend Anvil for the Autumn Equinox'''
* '''They have asked for confirmation that a servant of their ally - Irra Harrah - may attend with them'''
* '''Agoska has asked the Conclave to disseminate the Dreadful Ending ritual so that the rebels can destroy the miasma pillar in the Nesustak Forest'''

Following the recent delegation sent by the Senate to [[Your_hand_in_mine#The_Solution_to_the_Problem|meet with figureheads]] of the rebels of Nesustak Forest, Agoska of the Waterwalkers and Halyx Fire-Eyes of the Bloodwater Spears agreed that, should they survive the season, they would send a formal delegation to Anvil to discuss the possibility of a treaty articulating between them and the Empire.

Unfortunately, Halyx was injured fighting alongside the Cataphracts of the [[Granite Pillar]] and Agoska is an old orc exhausted by the events of the season and repeatedly casting [[Wardens of the Black Waste]] which was [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Dissemination:_Wardens_of_the_Black_Wastes_to_Agoska|donated by the Conclave]]. They pass on their gratitude for the efforts of the Empire to hold back the vallorn, but reality demands that their visit to Anvil is postponed until the Autumn Equinox.

A seasons delay will give them time to take stock of their situation and discuss their position with their allies. There is one point that will need to be settled first. The eternal [[Irra Harah]] has been an unstinting ally of the rebels since before their fight against the Druj began. The Prince with a Thousand Foes has given without limits to help them, otherwise they would never have had the strength to throw off the yoke of the Druj. They are aware that the eternal is the sworn enemy of the Empire, but still they ask leave to bring their ally with them to Anvil.

It is clear that they do not wish to attend Anvil without their ally there with them. Whether that is the reason for the delay is unclear, but either way the Empire will need to respond with a suitable winged messenger to one or the other before then, otherwise they will bring the the herald of Papa Otec with them and that will brew a hot pot of trouble. Of course it is hardly diplomatic to tell them that they can't bring their ally with them, but the last time a herald of the Prince with a Thousand Foes attended Anvil with a group of orc rebels it ended in the most bitter recriminations and thousands slain.

In the meantime however, they have their own plans to free the [[Sarangrave]] from the taint of the Druj. If the Conclave is willing to share another ritual with Ahoska, [[Dreadful Ending]], he and his aides will deal with the miasma pillar in Nesustak Forest themselves. Agoska is said to have gotten rather emotional when discussing that he might have the opportunity to fell this brutal symbol of Druj rule that has oppressed his people for generations. Should this occur, there will only be [[The_poisoned_air#Geography|one key pillar]] left to destroy to counteract the [[The_poisoned_air#Magic_(Participation)|insipid effect]] on the Urizeni who have already moved there (and presumably any Axou who have already moved to Thornfen).

The Grynbor are one with the Vallorn now, perhaps the only people of the Sarangrave who have managed to find some measure of contentment. But there remains the elusive third sept that are yet to reveal themselves, a mishmash of other rebels not affiliated with ''any'' known sept. While progress has been made, there is still a long way to go to untangle the complicated political situation in the Empire's newest territory.

==The Caves of the Hungry Earth==
* '''A representative of the Severed Hornet sept of the Whisperwood has approached the Empire'''
* '''They have a troubling tale about a cave network in the cliffs at the south of the region'''
* '''There is an opportunity for the Sun Chamber to take action to investigate in the coming season'''
* '''There a conjunction for five members of the Sun Chamber to journey into a small portion of the caves during the summit'''

It is often hard to remember that the Sarangrave is a territory that holds the weight of many dark years inside it and about which the Empire knows little. One such unknown reveals itself just before the Summer Solstice.

The town of Uklead in the Whisperwood is a curious place. The palace of the Thornwasp sept, its erstwhile rulers, squats like a leering hive in the centre of the settlement, towers jutting out of the thick trees in the middle part of the region. This is the place where the Tainted Basilisk was founded, for the Thornwasp sept were the backbone of its supply - and ultimately, the anchor around the neck of the army which kept it in the Sarangrave to meet its demise.

Since then the settlement has been mostly underpopulated. Those that remain appear to be of a single sept - they are notable for the bleached sashes they each wear across their chest, and the livid scarring around their eyes. So far they have not made formal introductions to the Empire - but this is the sept of the Severed Hornets.

Shortly before the Summer Solstice, one of these orcs approaches the Empire with a message for their new rulers. They want to know if the Empire knows of "the hungry earth"? This is not a phrase that is familiar to anyone there to speak to, and after gathering a little crowd, the orc - whose name is apparently Servadi - begins to explain further, drawing a map on the ground for the curious soldiers.

The Whisperwood, Servadi explains, rises in its southern part, the paths through the woods getting steeper and steeper until it becomes a scramble, and then a climb. The rise gets steeper and steeper, trees clinging to what is eventually a mountain rise. Far, far above, there is a plateau - where the Sarangrave meets the Mountains of the Moon. Here, they say, is the entrance to a cave - a network of caves known as the Hungry Earth. An entrance - but not, they say, an exit. There is an exit, but Servadi does not know it - because to venture into the Hungry Earth and find the exit is something reserved only for the Thornwasp's elite.

The Hungry Earth has long been used as a training ground for the Thornwasp clan, to evaluate the potential of aspiring youths to be initiated into the highest circles of the sept. Every year, the most promising youths, those that show the most potential - venture into the caves - in most cases fewer than half return. Those who undergo the Rite of the Hungry Earth and live to tell the tale were considered suitable for the highest leadership of the sept.

The Buruk Tepel of the clan were said to know the caves extremely well - perhaps even of other entrances. The Severed Hornets were used on occasion by the leaders of the Thornwasp as labour, to mine this mithril. The operation they describe sounds not unlike the practices that took place in the [[Vale_of_the_Sunless_Depths|Crawling Depths]] in Ossium, but on a smaller scale. Fifty young and able members of the Severed Hornets would be taken into the dark tunnels each year by trusted members of the Buruk Tepel's inner circle. There they would be worked to death - even if they survived the gruelling labour, none were permitted to leave. The mithril was removed through one of the secret exits known only to those of the Thornwasp who had survived the Rite of the Hungry Earth.

Servadi says that their motivation for telling the Empire this is simple. The sept hope that by getting the Empire interested in a potential source of mithril, they might themselves be allowed access to the caves - and thus begin to hunt for the bones of their lost children. They are prepared to assist the Empire in mining the mithril in return. Servadi seems somewhat aware that the Empire is not accustomed to using the same brutal methods of resource extraction that the Druj are, even if it is clear they and the other Severed Hornets do see the Empire as just another set of rulers.

The problem is that the caves of the Hungry Earth are clearly ''extremely'' narrow. This entrance was only ever used by children or young adults - if there are more accessible entrances to the caves, they are well-hidden and a secret of the Thornwasp. It simply isn't possible for most Imperial citizens to even begin to enter.

However the Empire possesses a sodality dedicated to the idea that youth is an asset the Empire cannot afford to squander. It has been a year since the [[Sun Chamber]] called upon their Door of Hidden Possibilities to scout in Sermersuaq - which means it is available for use. If the Door were directed towards the Hungry Earth of the Sarangrave, the Eternal [[Barien]] would offer his aid to young citizens who were willing to brave the trial that the Hungry Earth represents. This wouldn't remove the risk - it is still very possible that some young citizens would die valiantly in the attempt - but it would at least make it a realistic possibility.

The Sentinel Gate works in mysterious ways - and it seems to have acted to give the Sun Chamber a chance to learn a little more about the Hungry Earth before deciding whether this risk is really worth the potential cost. Imperial diviners have identified a conjunction to the Depths of the Hungry Earth in the Whisperwood, opening at 23:00 on the Saturday of the summit. The conjunction is for only 5 people. This would be enough to go and investigate a small portion of the tunnels - perhaps to cast Clear Lens of the Eternal River or Shadowed Glass of Sung, or otherwise investigate what lies beneath the cliffs of the Whisperwood. Given the story of Servadi, perhaps it may be best to also bring at least one person capable of exorcism - and a physick, just in case.

('''OOC Note:''' This is a conjunction for members of the Sun Chamber sodality. It involves an encounter set which depicts a narrow cave network. The set could be triggering for anyone who is claustrophobic or nyctaphobic as we are striving to create an experience that is challenging and which evokes strong emotions. Obviously, this means that this encounter will not be suitable for everyone who might otherwise wish to participate.)

To seek enlightenment

2026-07-22T08:38:43Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Every Word You Speak */

[[Category:388YE Summer]][[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:Highest Calling]]
<ic>"So, what happened to 'this is the last time?'" Lyubov looked up as Mladen studiously chose things and carefully put them in his knapsack.

Mladen looked up, as if surprised that she'd come out and said it. "It's just that.. I'm the best one for it. And this is the last time! I told them so..." he refused to admit that he would likely answer the call again if it came.

"You might have been the best for it a few years ago, but there's new blood now. Why can't you just relax?" She felt almost cruel for saying it, but the new lot wouldn't get a chance to make a name for themselves if Mlad kept jumping up and down desperate to help.

"Maybe for something else, but this is something I'm good at. I fought those wars and I can dredge up old contacts. Heck, I can talk the talk with the Suranni if need be. I promise you, I'll be home by the next solstice. We can go have honey rum in Delev then." He finished packing and leant down to give Lyubov a kiss on the head, before shouldering his pack.
</ic>
<div style="float: left; width: 300px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Wisdom.png|width=300px}}</div>
==Overview==
The Spring Equinox of 388YE may go down in history as one of the most inspirational in the history of the Synod, as eight Assemblies were each able to divine, debate and determine their [[the highest calling|highest calling]]. For the Wisdom Assembly, it was to support the fine work of the civil service who perform [[historical research]] and produce [[Appraisal|appraisals]].

In a perfect world, the Assembly might have hoped to increase the capacity of one or both departments. It would clearly strengthen the Empire to be in a position to carry out more research or conduct more appraisals. Unfortunately, that isn't possible at this time; the Empire simply does not have that capacity ('''OOC Note:''' Profound Decisions does not have the capacity to support any additional plot of this kind at this time).

That does not mean that there is nothing the Wisdom Assembly can do. If they cannot increase the amount of research work the Empire can carry out, is there some way they could improve the quality of the work done?

<div {{float}}>{{SOPInner|statement=Wisdom teaches us to test and apply what we have learned, for it is always incomplete. Nowhere is this more true than in the actions of our enemies. What is not known cannot be fought without needless loss of Imperial lives. Questions rise anew with each strike against - or from - our wars against barbarian and vallorn alike. The Way cannot spread, cannot be known beyond our current borders, without the wars we fight; we cannot fight these wars, both current and future, without the knowledge to support our forces. The Ministry of Historical Research and the Empire's prognosticators tirelessly collate and unearth knowledge of our enemies, but their work is endlessly unfinished. Supporting the efforts and research of those institutions and the study of these foes embodies the teachings of Wisdom. This is our highest calling.|by=Asthore Autumngale, Wisdom Assembly|vote={{GM}} 296-74|when=Spring 388YE|size=small}}</div>

==Finding the Right Question==

Those familiar with the work of the [[Appraisal|Prognosticators Office]] can testify to the importance of asking the right question. The long-suffering civil servants will do their best to provide some kind of answer, no matter what question is asked. But the undeniable truth is that some topics are more fertile than others - and more importantly, asking the right question in the right way can make the time and effort invested in an appraisal much more rewarding. For that reason, the department took the unusual step of issuing [[Appraisal#OOC_Design|new guidance]] to citizens so that they could learn how to get the best from the department.

The Wise have considered this thorny issue, and have fallen back on the oft-used defence of debates on Wisdom - the need to find the right question. What if the Assembly worked with the prognosticators' office to find the right question together? Of course there is always a danger that it raises expectations too high; nothing is ever guaranteed. But surely if the Assembly can help with the formulation of the question, it can only help?

For the following year, the Wisdom Assembly can pass a statement of principle detailing a single issue they would like to find out more about. If the statement passes with a greater majority, then the Wise will come together to suggest one or more well-worded appraisals for the Senate to consider commissioning the following season.

It seems like an eminently sensible suggestion that offers the best chance of success. So good in fact, that a familiar face has already made a head start on it.

===Every Word You Speak===
<div style="float:right; width: 350px; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">'''Appraise the Armies of X'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Motion Type:''' [[Appraisal]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Necessary Detail:''' Grendel, Thule, or Jotun</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Prognosticator:''' Mladen Escovich</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' Three months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Only available at the Summer Solstice 388YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Uncovers information about the armies of a single local power, either the Grendel, Thule, or the Jotun
* Will ''not'' identify how the nation supplies their armies
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Can instead appraise armies of the Iron Confederacy but will take an extra three months</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''Mladen Escovich has been inspired by the words of the Wisdom Assembly'''
* '''The ageing Varushkan offers to take on yet another "one last job" to assess the armies of a nearby nation'''
* '''This opportunity is only available at the Summer Solstice 388YE'''

Mladen Escovitch is officially listed on the official [[Appraisal#"Retired"_Prognosticators|roster of official prognosticators]] as retired - a status he appears to view as some kind of insult or disastrous mistake. His colleagues tend to see it more as something of a joke. The ageing Varushkan appears to be incapable of retiring to earn his well-deserved rest despite the importunities of his long-suffering wife.

This season, he is using the highest calling of the Wisdom Assembly as the excuse for failing to stop turning up for work. As such, he proposes that the Imperial Senate could instruct the prognosticators' office to appraise the armies of a single foreign nation, either the [[Grendel]], [[Thule]], or the [[Jotun]]. Mladen is also willing to assess the armies of the [[Iron Confederacy]], but that will take an extra three months to avoid any "''mishaps''" such as what affected [[Historical_research#Marko_Siwarsbairn|Marko Siwarsbairn]]. The goal would be to find out as much as possible about the armies. Some things would be a matter of fact; the size and quality of each army could be nailed down. But beyond their size and composition, other details could be important: a little information about their history and background, the identity of their general. Who knows when such details might offer some insight into how to defeat the enemy.

If the Senate does want such an appraisal, they could legally choose to name anyone. But Mladen has found a way to suggest an appraisal that only he, with his extensive experience on the front line, could answer. For all practical purposes, the Senate would have to choose to assign Mladen to this appraisal if they decided to go forward with it.

Even with Mladen on the job, it would only be about the armies themselves. Their supply - the full details of how each territory supports them and how to interfere with that would not be included. That is beyond the reach of appraisal at this time. The only reason the Empire was able to get such a [[Make_it_happen|full picture]] of the Druj supply lines was how well mapped and close the remainder of their territories were. Much of the Grendel, Thule, and Jotun lands remain completely shrouded by the fog of war, and thus any appraisal to look into their supply lines would fail to deliver answers to those key questions.

==Question the Right Finding==
<div style="float: right; width: 250px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Roshanwe.png|width=300px}}</div>
* '''Roshanwe has sent one of her heralds, Little Lantern, to support the prognosticators' office'''
* '''The Conclave could use a declaration of acceptance to ask the eternal to withdraw the herald'''

The [[eternal]] [[Roshanwe]] has heard the call of "her" assembly, and is keen to offer her support where she can. After careful consideration, she has elected to send one of her disciples to work at the Prognosticator's Office. While this will not increase the number of appraisals that the team can perform, it will allow the Senate to elect to send ''Little Lantern'' in place of one of their normal colleagues.

The ''Pearlescent Advisor'' '''may''' have knowledge and the means of acquiring it beyond the scope of the others. As a Day herald, they will '''definitely''' have their own eccentricities and perspective on what the important parts of the appraisal are, and an idiosyncratic way of reporting back to the Empire.

In order to gain access to the Empire required to help with such matters, ''She-Who-Walks-Beside'' would need to have the [[Alignment#Amity|amity]] of the [[Conclave]]. As long as this was maintained, the extra prognosticator would remain available to the Senate.

The civil service has not required the approval of Conclave or Senate for this assignation. This is because there is no danger posed by the herald making their services available - if the Senate is not happy with the arrangements, they can simply not send the herald. The Conclave could use a declaration of acceptance to ask [[Roshanwe]] to withdraw their herald at any time - but they would need to word the declaration carefully if they wished to avoid distressing ''Elder Pharos''.

Myth makers

2026-07-21T20:05:47Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Otkodov */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Summer]][[Category:Foreign Nations]][[Category:Grendel]][[Category:Jotun]][[Category:Thule]]
{{CaptionedImage|file=Advisor Frith.jpg|align=left|caption='''Frith''', Advisor on Orc Affairs|width=250}}
==Overview==
* '''Five orc nations have engaged in diplomacy of one kind or another with the Empire'''
Many of the nations that border the Empire are [[orc]] nations. Not all are barbarians; the Empire has a long-standing peace treaty with the Thule for example. There are also communities of orcs within the Empire's borders. Some are part of Imperial nations - the [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]], the former [[Grendel]] of [[the League]], the free [[Jotun]] thralls of [[the Marches]]. Others maintain a degree of independence while still being at least ambivalent to the Empire - the orcs of [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] and the [[Feroz#Morajasse|Protectorate of Morajasse]].

While some of these orc nations have [[ambassador|ambassadors]] appointed to speak with them on behalf of the Empire. in many cases diplomacy is handled by the [[Imperial Consul]], '''Atte Arrow-Tongue Metsastajason''' of [[Wintermark]]. The [[Advisor on Orc Affairs]], '''Frith''' of the [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]], is in an ideal position to provide advice when needed. In practice, many of these orc groups prefer to deal with members of certain nations with whom they have ties - the Jotun prefer to talk to the folk of Wintermark for example, while the [[Great Forest Orcs]] consider the Navarr to be their close allies (in which regard, one might take a look at the [[All I ask of you]] wind of fortune which relates to that sept this season).
<div style="float:right; width: 350px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Crab-traced-2.png|align=right|caption=Many of the Protectorate orcs are former Stone Born, the most heavily armoured and most disciplined of the Grendel [[Elite_Grendel_troops#The_Moridun|Moridun]].|width=350}}</div>
==Protectorate of Morajasse==
* '''The Grendel controlling Morajasse have been recognised as foreigners by the Senate'''
* '''They have asked that the Imperial Consul handles communications with them rather than the Ambassador to the Grendel'''
While [[Feroz]] has mostly been liberated from the Grendel occupation, [[Feroz#Morajasse|Morajasse]] remains in the hands of the master-strategist ''[[Fake empire#Gallum Fiersach|Commander Gallum Fiersach]]''. Ably supported by ''Wind Lord Saoirse'' - his partner and a master of the [[Autumn magic|lore of Sand]] - along with a significant number of veteran Grendel soldiers, they control the fortress of [[Feroz#Mora's Rock|Mora's Rock]]. The Senate has recognised the orcs of the Protectorate of Morajasse as foreigners, distinct from the Grendel. From there they protect not only the borders of Morajasse, but also the borders of Feroz. They have shown themselves more than willing to fight both the [[A_circle_sewn_with_fate#The_Battle_of_Oran|Children of Wrecks]] and the [[Iron Confederacy]] if it [[Each age a lens#The Protectorate of Morajasse|comes to it]].

The Senate [[387YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Recognise_Protectorate_of_Gallum_Fiersach|recognises]] Morajasse as ''a protectorate under the command of Gallum Fiersach, who will be deemed a foreigner as long as they remain independent from the Grendel''. So far, they seem to continue to be independent of the Grendel. Indeed, the protectorate has requested that all negotiations be handled by the [[Imperial Consul]] rather than the [[Ambassador to the Grendel]].

They clearly have hidden depths. They recently cooperated with the [[Appraisal#The_Prognosticators_Office|Prognosticator's Office]] in an [[appraisal]] regarding [[The Oran operation|bridges across the Scorrero]], in which they particular expertise as scroungers and salvagers could play a key part. They've also made an arrangement with the people of the Brass Coast to concede a treasure of the Freeborn, in return for supplies to support their forces. For the moment, the atmosphere is one of cautious cooperation.
===Soldiers at Anvil===
* '''A delegation from the Protectorate of Morajasse is visiting Anvil during the Summer Solstice
* '''Commander Gallum has asked the Imperial Consul to arrange a meeting and listed several folk he is keen to see there
Following the successes of the last couple of seasons, Commander Gallum has sent a short message to the Imperial Consul indicating that some officers are coming to Anvil for the Summer Solstice. They're empowered to speak on his behalf, and on behalf of the Protectorate. This will present an opportunity to prepare a treaty to define the relationship between the Protectorate and the Empire going forward, securing the freedoms of the orcs and addressing any lingering concerns of the Freeborn of Feroz.

The emissaries are expected to arrive at Anvil at eight in the evening on Saturday. They will make their way to the Forge, which Gallum understands is the primary drinking hole and centre of social life at Anvil. There they would like to meet with the Imperial Consul (or an agent), '''Garviel i Adrina i Erigo''' the [[Senator]] of [[Feroz]], '''Khalil i Carno i Guerra''' the holder of the [[Broken Shore Bounty]], and if possible a representative of both the [[Military Council]] and the [[Conclave]]. The latter has been requested by Wind Lord Saoirse, as she has briefed one of the visitors in line with her interests and concerns.
{{SOP|statement=To promote the prosperity of Feroz, we encourage the Freeborn to trade with their neighbours in the Protectorate of Morajasse.|by=Malaki, Freeborn Assembly|vote=Upheld (102-10)|when=Summer Solstice 388YE|size=small}}
===Spice Gardens===
* '''The Spice Gardens of Feroz are in business once again
* '''Sadiq i Isa i Erigo has resumed their position as Keeper of the Spice Gardens
Following the proposal of the Protectorate [[An_arrow_nocked_and_in_flight#Supplies,_Spies,_and_Spice|last season]], the [[Feroz#The_Spice_Gardens_of_Feroz|Spice Gardens of Feroz]] are now once again part of [[the Brass Coast]]. '''Sadiq i Isa i Erigo''' has resumed their position as [[Keeper of the Spice Gardens]]. Negotiations between Freeborn of Feroz and the quartermasters of the Protectorate have seen several farms reopened in Morajasse, with strict quotas of food to be delivered to the orcs and the surplus being free for the farmers to dispose of as they wish. Effectively, a significant parcel of land around the Spice Gardens is now an Imperial enclave in Morajasse.

As part of the shift from lying fallow to being in operation again, some of the farmers report unexpected assistance from disciplined orc soldiers who dig out irrigation ditches and clear land. They aren't exactly friendly, but they've clearly been ordered to do so by someone who wants to make sure the farms are up and running (and producing food) as quickly as possible. As a consequence, Morajasse has lost the [[Region_qualities#Impoverished|impoverished]] quality - which is admittedly mostly of benefit to the orcs living there but at least represents a further move forward toward restoring Feroz to its former glories.

There is a minor fly in the ointment - during the Summer Solstice the Freeborn '''Malakai''' raised a [[statement of principle]] calling on the Freeborn to trade with their neighbours in the Protectorate. While the intent of the statement appears clear, it just failed to achieve a [[greater majority]]. As such, while some more politically engaged priests of Segura and Feriz are aware of it, it has not had a significant impact on relations between the Freeborn and the Protectorate. There is some trade, but many of the folk of Feroz in particular continue to hold the orcs of Morajasse at arms' length even after the agreement regarding the Spice Gardens. Obviously there is nothing to stop the Assembly trying again to address the situation in Feroz; the important thing from the point of view of the current situation is that they did ''not'' uphold a statement of principle with a greater majority urging their people ''not'' do deal with the Protectorate.
==Otkodov==
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=thulebanner1.jpeg|align=right|width=250}}</div>
{{Nation|nation=[[Thule]]|status=Foreigner|port=None|ambassador=Kindra Surefoot of [[Wintermark]]}}
* '''The orcs of Otkodov remain at peace with the Empire
* '''The Thule are expanding their domain into the Forest of Ulnak, and are at war with the Druj
* '''Kindra Surefoot of Wintermark is the Ambassador to Otkodov
The [[Thule]] of [[Otkodov]] live in cold lands to the north of the Empire. They share a long mountainous border with [[Wintermark]], the [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]], and [[Varushka]]. Their magocratic nation is ruled by the five [[Thule_lore#Dragons|Dragons]]; five allegedly immortal orc sorcerers. For much of Imperial history, they were at war with the Empire. In recent years, a series of treaties have secured peace - mostly by [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Concedence|ceding]] parts of the northern Imperial nations. It is not a universally ''popular'' peace.

For now, though, peace endures. [[Dawn]] and [[Navarr]] send shipments of food north to help feed the people of Otkodov and support their armies. It is illegal to preach the Way of Virtue in Otkodov to their citizens. For their part the Thule agree to share the [[white granite]] of the [[Night Quarry]]; pay for the food delivered to them; and ensure Imperial access to the
[[Guardian_of_the_Maze_of_Zoria#The_Maze_of_Zoria|Maze of Zoria]] (while sending their own warlocks to study at the [[Master_of_Ice_and_Darkness#The_Icy_Crag_of_the_Eternal_Sun|Icy Crag of the Eternal Sun]]). And, of course, to maintain their current policies for the reasonable treatment of Imperial citizens choosing to remain and live in ceded lands.

The official ambassador to the Empire is ''Runa Who-Speaks-For-The-Dragons-Undivided''. He is still somewhat new to his post, and something of an unknown quantity, but he speaks with confidence as the voice of the rulers of Otkodov.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Forest of Ulnak regions.png|align=right|width=300}}</div>
===The War in the Trees===
* '''The Thule continue to seek aid for their war against the Druj in the Forest of Ulnak'''
The orcs of Otkodov continue their invasion of the [[Forest of Ulnak]]. Precisely how their war against the northern [[the Mallum|Mallum]] is proceeding is not common knowledge, although stories from those who [[Invited_with_asperity#Hinodir,_Tathenon,_and_the_Eastern_Woods|supported the Earthquake Drummers]] prior to the Spring Equinox have finally [[Alongside the Earthquake Drummers|spread far and wide]]. After the Spring Equinox, Imperial [[military unit|warbands]] continued to fight with the Thule, and it is likely ther tales will likewise filter through to Imperial citizens with an interest in the coming months.

''Tathenon the Gyre'', the most warlike of the [[Thule_lore#Dragons|Dragons]] who rule Otkovdov, continued to direct the invasion. He apparently sees no reason to end a good relationship; his [[Voice_irresistable#Grim_Faces|invitation to the Empire]] still stands. Individual [[military unit|warbands]] are welcome to support the [[army]] of the ''Earthquake Drummers'' if they wish, and will receive a bounty of crystal mana as recognition of their efforts. Likewise any Imperial army is welcome to join the war against the Druj in the north, provided they acknowledge the strategy of ''Tathenon, Whose Fury is the Storm of Creation''.

As before, the civil service caution that sending armies into the Forest of Ulnak this season ''without'' agreeing to accept the strategy of Tathenon the Gyre will mean that the Empire's troops will act as a separate force. Should the two forces assail the same [[territory#regions|region]] there is an unfortunate possibility of "friendly fire" incidents.

The offer to fight alongside the armies of Otkodov may be of particular interest to the [[Winter Sun]], given the [[All_I_ask_of_you#Shadows_And_Light|plight]] of the [[Great Forest Orcs]].

====Participation: Ulnak====
* '''Characters whose military units were operating in the Forest of Ulnak this season will receive additional information'''
Individual captains who accompanied the Earthquake Drummers, and anyone supporting the [[spy network]] in the Forest, will have more information about the situation there. This will take the form of a short out-of-character briefing in their packs, the information from which they can share or keep private as they see fit.
===An Imperfect Forum===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Kindra Surefoot.jpg|caption='''Kindra Surefoot''', Ambassador to Otkodov|align=right|width=300}}
* '''The Ambassador to Otkodov is invited to attend a meeting at 22:15 on Friday'''
* '''The meeting will take place in a Prospero chamber accessed from the Hall of Worlds'''
* '''Members of the Circle of Zulgan Tash are invited as well'''
Runa Who-Speaks-For-The-Dragons-Undivided has invited the [[Ambassador to Otkodov]] to attend a meeting at the Summer Solstice. Runa has expressed that such a meeting would be best held in a [[Lashonar#Caucus Forum | Caucus Forum]], obviously, but that sadly Lashonar is currently unwilling to allow Imperial citizens into such chambers. As a result, the Thule have been forced to ''pay'' [[Prospero]] for use of one of his meeting rooms. Farrimond, a Herald of Prospero will collect the delegation from The Hall of Worlds at Quarter Past Ten on Friday evening and escort them to the ''Aureate Jetty'' where the delegation from Otkodov will be waiting.

Runa has offered his thanks to the Ambassador for supplying a list of agenda items. The Thule have added their own topics to the list, and the agenda will be as follows:
* The [[Vallorn]], and how to proceed in eradicating it
* Breaches of law and treaty, and how best to deal with them if they occur
* Enchantments in shared territories
* [[Otkodov|Otkodov's]] policy as regards the septs of [[the Mallum]]
* [[Great_Forest_Orcs|The orcs of Peytaht]]
* "Defectors"
* The Imperial approach to war in The Mallum, with regard to Ulnak especially
* Division of conquered regions in The Mallum
* Opportunities for economic collaboration in The Mallum
* The Circle of Zulgan Tash and [[Miekarova#The_Painted_Caves|the Painted Caves]]

Runa asks that the Ambassador bring with her Aleksandr of the Circle of Zulgan Tash and Zastyt the Feeder. Runa will be accompanied by [[Invited with asperity#State Visit|Galk, of the Sunken Orb of the Brilliant Sapphire]], a warlock in service to [[Thule_lore#Dragons|Hinodir]], Who Burns Away The Shrouds of Midnight, that the two ambassadors might act as mediators in the matter of the Painted Caves. If the ambassador wishes, then that topic can be dealt with first and their guests permitted to leave the ''Jetty'' rather than be forced to sit through the other negotiations.

===Pilgrims on the Road===
{{SOP|statement=The Guardian of the Maze of Zoria calls for the aid of the wise ones of the Empire. The Maze of Zoria has proven in the past to be a conduit of knowledge regarding magical beings such as the sovereigns of Varushka. Come to the Maze of Zoria, together we shall discern the nature of the creature behind the face-peelers. This creature is known as "The Stranger", "The First One", or less commonly "The Smiling One". Let us learn of this threat to our Empire together.|by=Illya Nikovitch Volkov, Wisdom Assembly|when=388YE Spring Equinox|vote={{GM}} 328-0|size=small}}
* '''Thule warlocks are observing visitors to the Maze of Zoria'''

Several [[Varushka|Varushkan]] [[Wise One|wise ones]] (as well as other followers of [[Wisdom]]) have set out to visit the [[Guardian_of_the_Maze_of_Zoria#The_Maze_of_Zoria|Maze of Zoria]], responding to a call from [[388YE Spring Equinox Synod judgements#Judgement 73 | Illya Nikovitch Volkov]] in the Wisdom assembly. They must travel through Thule land to reach the Maze, which pilgrims are permitted to visit under the terms of the treaty. Fortunately, most of the travellers are familiar with the importance of keeping to the road (though in this case it is the laws of Otkodov not the threat of terrible creatures awaiting them if they stray).

It seems that the Thule are forewarned of the influx of pilgrims and a few Thule merchants make efforts to sell food, water and other essentials for Imperial coin. They do a moderate trade, but most of the travellers have come fully prepared and do not need their services. They are not the only Thule interested in the Imperial pilgrims however. Every now and then, in areas where the merchants are not present, travellers encounter a lone Thule [[Thule lore#Warlock|warlock]] standing on a nearby hill or beneath the boughs of a tree. These warlocks make no attempt to stop anyone using the road, for now at least, they only observing who is passing.

==Beoraidh==
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Loud Gull.jpg|caption=The city-state of Beoraidh continues to seek diplomatic and economic ties with the Empire, among others.|align=right|width=300}}</div>
* '''The people of Beoraidh are recognised as foreigners by the Senate'''
* '''They continue to seek trade and diplomatic ties with both the Empire and the Grendel'''
* '''They have accepted the patronage of the Sarcophan Delves'''
* '''The ambassador to Beoraidh is the Highborn Melkior of Balthazar's Vineyard'''
{{Nation|nation=[[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]]|status=Foreigner|port=Currently none.|ambassador= Melkior of Balthazar's Vineyard of [[Highguard]]}}
Before [[Mareave]] was conquered by the Empire, Beoraidh was the stronghold of the [[Grendel]] Salt-Lord Ehsan and his supporters. In a surprise move, Ehsan declared independence from the [[Grendel]] and sued for peace with the Empire. He laid out a plan for his people that involved declaring the city, and the neighbouring region of [[Mareave#Sinfoyard|Sinfoyard]], as a neutral state. Now a free port where both Imperial and Grendel merchants would be welcome, without favouring either, and the canny diplomat has also secured the protection of the ''bedelaar huisbaas'' of the [[Sarcophan Delves]].

The newly styled ''Ehsan, Lord of Sand'' rules from the city. They work to mould the place into a "free port" where traders from everywhere are welcome - provided they bring money or goods to trade. As discussed in the '''[[A_wild_night_and_a_new_road#Polite_Correspondence|A wild night and a new road]]''' wind of fortune, Beoraidh has come [[All_the_night-tide#Beoraidh|under the protection]] of the [[Sarcophan Delves]] - something that has not sat entirely easily with their Imperial neighbours. How much influence the Sarcophan have is unclear but it implies that anyone attacking Beoraidh - Grendel, Imperial, or otherwise - will incur the wrath of the Delves, their warships, and their economic sanctions.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Melkior of Balthazar’s Vineyard.jpeg|caption='''Melkior of Balthazar's Vineyard''', Ambassador to Beoraidh|align=right|width=300}}</div>
===Trade Winds===
* '''A meeting between representatives of Beoraidh and Skoura took place with the aid of the Imperial civil service'''
* '''The meeting went reasonably well
* '''As per his promise, Ehsan has arranged a meeting with a representative of the Brine Turtles for the Summer Solstice

The big news from Beoraidh is probably that the [[Senate]] agreed to instruct the civil service to [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Coordinate_Meeting_between_Beoraidh_and_Skoura|coordinate a meeting]] between the city and the nation of [[Skoura]]. As a descendant of the people who originally drove the Skouran ancestors into the mountains in the first place, and conquered their lowland holdings, Ehsan was perhaps rightly [[A_knock_at_the_door#Up_In_The_Peaks|concerned]] that he and his people would receive short shrift from the people of the highlands.

According to the civil service, the initial meetings - which took place on neutral ground in [[Mareave#Eoradal|Eoradal]] were guarded but cautiously optimistic. Neither side has committed to anything despite the enthusiastic sales pitch of the Beoraidh contingent, but agreements to engage in further discussion have been made. The civil service do caution that there was an "advisor" from Sarcophan with the city state delegation and while they didn't do much talking they certainly had the opportunity to introduce themselves to the Skouran representatives.

As per his promise, Salt Lord Ehsan has used his own influence to arrange a meeting with representatives of the Brine Turtles sept of [[Mareave#Fleisardh|Fleisardh]]. The delegation will include one of the elders of the sept, a high ranking warleader from the [[army]], and a [[Grendel]] advisor. Ehsan suggests that any Imperial delegation be kept to three likewise; he suggests the [[Senator]] for Mareave would probably be a good choice, as might the [[Ambassador to the Grendel]]. The meeting is due to take place at {{TBC}} in {{TBC}}.
===Investment===
* '''A new trading post exchanging Beroadhi salt for Unshackled beef has been established in Mareave
* '''Ehsan is very pleased to hear that there is further interest in investment opportunities in the city state
The Senator for Mareave also [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Construct_Beoraidh_Trading_Post|commissioned a trading post]] that would allow Beoraidh to trade salt for Unshackled beef - a potentially quite lucrative trade that has brought prosperity to both the [[Shepherd of the Southern Herd]] and the [[Shepherd of the Great Herd]] in [[Skarsind]]. A healthy exchange of goods is now taking place across the borders of barren [[Mareave#Sinfoyard|Sinfoyard]].

It appears that the Ambassador also did a good job of warning the citizens of Beoraidh that the [[Rivers of Life]] were due to be raised over Mareave after the Spring Equinox. Ehsan has been voluble in his approval of the move, indicating that it seems to have lead to a significant burst of growth in the normally quite hardscrabble farms of Sinfoyard. He is aware the effect is short-lived, and unpredictable. In an unguarded moment, he also mentions "strange crops" growing in the arid grasslands north of Beoraidh, although he does not give any details.

With Ambassador Melkior assuring Ehsan that funding for the trade docks has been secured, and that there is significant interest in the [[A_knock_at_the_door#Diamant_Drakes| colosseum]], it seems that relations between the tiny city state and the Empire are going from strength the strength.
===Sarcophan Concerns===
* '''Ehsan, Lord of Sand thanks the Ambassador for their words regarding the Sarcophan Delves
* '''Beoraidh welcomes the protection of the Delves because without it they do not believe their city state can endure
One thing Ehsan is not entirely prepared to hear from the Ambassador however are any words of caution about the Sarcophan Delves. The self-styled ''Lord of Sand'' politely thanks Ambassador Melkior for their well meaning sentiments, but makes it clear that as a former Salt-Lord he is no naif new to the realities of politics and trade. Yes, Sarcophan will take some of the city, but in return they will deliver the kind of prosperity he and his people need to survive. When the Sarcophan approached them, he and his advisors are under no illusions about the precariousness of their situation. Both the Empire and the Grendel have good reason to want to control Beoraidh, given it represents the only anchorage where trading vessels can dock. Once one side or the other secured their control of Mareave, it would surely be only a matter of time before they began to place increasing demands on Beoraidh.

As it is, the protection of Sarcophan means that both of their neighbours will need to think very carefully about whether they want to risk the anger of the great power. The price is well worth the protection, but the Lord of Sand does thank the Ambassador for telling him that foolish lips are dubbing the City-State a "protectorate" of Sarcophan. Just because it is basically ''true'' is no reason to say it out loud, after all.
==Jotun==
<div {{float}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Jotunarmy.jpg|title=Jotun banners often show the skulls of powerful creatures.|align=right|width=350}}</div>
* '''The Jotun remain at war with the Empire'''
* '''Responsibility and authority for diplomacy with the Jotun falls to the Imperial Consul'''
The [[Jotun]] are a powerful, martial nation led by the Jarl of Jarls - Queen Yrsa Jansdóttir of [[Jotun#History|Kalsea]] and King Gudmundr Arason of [[Jotun#History|Narkyst]]. The Empire has been at war with them for most of its existence, although there have been numerous short periods of peace during that time. They encroach into Imperial lands - [[Bregasland]] and [[Liathaven]] (which they name ''Ashvale'') are under Jotun control, and their recent invasion of [[Mitwold]] has [[Pride in the Marches#Mitwold_Triumph|only just ended]].

There is no ambassador to the Jotun. They seem never to have been especially interested in such a formalised relationship with the Empire. That is not to say that they are incapable of engaging in diplomacy or negotiation, merely that they tend to prefer to deal with individual nations rather than the Empire as a whole. Over the centuries they have had a "close" relationship with the folk of [[Wintermark]], for example, for all that the two nations clash constantly along their borders. In recent times, they have also shown a similar degree of respect for [[the Brass Coast|the Freeborn]]. When the Empire as a whole must deal with the orcs of Kalsea and Narkyst, however, the responsibility falls to the [[Imperial Consul]].
===The Unity Of Deed And Word===
* '''The shrine to the Way on Gull Isle has been completed'''
* '''A conjunction of the Sentinel Gate provides the opportunity to enact the consecration of the shrine'''
* '''This is a [[Accessibility#Unlikely_or_Contained|combat unlikely]] encounter'''
* '''''Erlend'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for assembling a party to carry out the ceremony'''

<quote by="Mandate, Skáldsgrým Dunhearth, General Assembly, Spring Solstice 388YE, Vote: Upheld (1490-60)>The Virtuous build up their fellows, they do not tear them down. We send Erlend with a dose of true liao to consecrate the Virtuous shrine at the Meeting Place. Let us display our Loyalty through the unity of words and deeds.</quote>

Slowly but surely, the wheels of Synod process turn. Last season the [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_32|mandate of Skáldsgrým Dunhearth]] was passed by the General Assembly, following through on the opportunity to [[Who_counts_the_path_untaken%3F#The_Chains_That_Bind_Us|consecrate a shrine at the Meeting Place]]. The civil service confirms that the conjunction to the Meeting Place that was identified last season has held strong, and that the Sentinel Gate will open at 18:15 on Saturday of the forthcoming summit. Erlend, the citizen charged with fulfilling the mandate of consecration, will be in charge of assembling a group to witness the ceremony. The shrine is completed, and anchoring the consecration should be no more difficult than somewhere in Anvil.

Gull Isle is known to be an ancient place of cooperation and cultural exchange between the ancestors of the Jotun and the Kallavesi. To honour this legacy, three ghodi have travelled to the great feasting hall to witness the ceremony. Gunnr the Watchful is announced as a respected elder, Magni Red Kite as a keen supporter of the new Meeting Place, and Eirik the Golden as a well-known yegarra who has had contact with Imperial priests before. All three hope to discuss the meaning of the aura and what it represents to the Empire.

The Jotun understand that the Imperials will direct the ceremony as befits their faith, with whatever poems, songs and stories feel most appropriate to them. That there will be such expressions of Imperial culture seems to be taken for granted. They also make it clear that this should not be considered closed to just the Winterfolk. The Empire has many nations, after all, and they would be pleased to meet with a broad array of representatives. Any with questions to ask and stories to tell are welcome at the Meeting Place!

==Grendel==
* '''Speaker Morna has been sarcastic at the Ambassador to the Grendel
* '''They have apparently sent a private response to Starlight Starchaser
* '''The Ambassador to the Grendel is Starlight Starchaser of Urizen
And finally... By all accounts Speaker Morna is a little surprised to hear from '''Starlight Starchaser''', the offical [[Ambassador to the Grendel]]. With the [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Abrogation|abrogation]] of the [[embassy]] in [[Redoubt#Cargo|Cargo]], he had assumed the ambassador had lost their position as well. Surely the Ambassador cannot expect the Grendel to take an Imperial diplomat without a palace seriously? Beyond suing for peace, what is the value of a pauper ambassador?

All that said, however, Speaker Morna notes that Starlight Starchaser has sent an interesting missive and plans to reply to them directly rather than via their presumably non-existent staff.

Keys of Enlightenment

2026-07-20T16:02:12Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Spies and Agents */

[[Category:Wind of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Summer]][[Category:Foreign Nations]]
<ic>"Have they given any context for their query?"

Tipoa and the Cardinal had taken cover from the sun under a rainbow canopy in one of the gardens that spilled over the side of the High House of Wisdom. It was the hottest part of the day and even the jewelled hummingbirds were silent, resting beneath broad leaves. Only the raptors were active, playing their inscrutable lizard games and hunting beetles among the foliage.

"The Censor of Wood, Stone and Metal said it was a request from the Senator of Bastion. They say they are keen to learn more about the exemplar."

The Cardinal pondered for several moments, her attention apparently focused on the task of tending to one of her beast companions. Jormga as a snake easily as long as Tipoa was tall, and she had always disliked it. The serpent was lazy with age, six eyes closed contentedly as the Cardinal carefully rubbed its head and body with coarse sand. His only movement was to flicker his long forked tongue occasionally. In the wild the beasts were deadly hunters, but the Cardinal had hatched him herself, and he doted on her as much as any serpent could dote on anyone.

"To be fair," mused the Cardinal, "it is the nature of inspirational figures to inspire, so there is no reason not to share our stories with the Empire. I wonder if it has to do with a vision of past lives?"

"Would you like me to ask Oxtitocszin to enquire?" One of the smaller raptors had run up and stood staring curiously at her, flicking its blue and green feathers. She flicked a morsel of meat toward it, and it was quickly the centre of attention for three of its siblings.

"No need, I don't think. Traditionally the Imperial Synod is always very excited when someone experiences a vision of having been Sumaash, and cannot wait to tell us. So patience will tell us one way or another."

The Cardinal smiled, humourlessly.

"I do wonder sometimes why they seem to be so constantly surprised when they discover that their people have souls older than the Empire, or from another part of the world? Despite that revelation being the foundation of their entire Empire. And still it is an uncommon Imperial priest that asks about our ''own'' visions, and how they relate to folk from their history."

Tipoa nodded.

"I'll put something together but it will be challenging to know quite how much detail to go into."

"Ah!" said the Cardinal, eye twinkling. "I have a suggestion there. I was speaking to the Cardinal of Vigilance only this morning, and this enquiry comes at just the right time. How long has it been since you last visited the Empire, Utredare Tipoa?"

Tipoa felt her heart sink slightly. She could see the shape of the future and was not sure she was especially excited about it. Travelling to the Empire, especially at this time of year when the weather would be turning inhospitable, was not how she had planned to end the year. Especially with this apparent non-sequitur about the Cardinal of Vigilance.

"To talk about Sjördeyr, Cardinal? Or were you thinking of sending me in an more official capacity?"

The Cardinal didn't reply immediately, but a slow smile spread across her face as she continued to stroke the somnolent serpent in her lap.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: left; margin: 15px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Sumaah_Raptors.jpg|align=left|caption=it's common for Sumaah citizens to keep small drakes as companions.|width=400}}</div>
==Overview==
* '''The Sumaah Republic is an empire devoted to an orthodox interpretation of the Way'''
* '''The Sumaah Republic remain allies of the Empire in the Liberty Pact
The [[Sumaah Republic]] are simultaneously allies of, and rivals to, the Empire. Their shared practice of the Way both provide them with common ground, and divides them over questions of orthodoxy. As founding members of the [[Liberty Pact]], their ties to the Empire have been strengthened, and they have been closely involved in bringing ruin to those involved in the abhorrent practice of slavery. At the moment they are focused on their [[Guide_the_spirit#Virtuous_War|war]] with the [[Asavean Archipelago]], but they remain committed to spreading the Way through the entire world. In gratitude for [[Two_suns_in_the_sunset#A_Bond_Between_Sailors|major aid]] from the Empire in repulsing an Asavean assault against the port of [[Foreign_ports#Zemeh|Zemeh]], the Sumaah have committed to sharing a dose of [[Liao#True Liao|true liao]] with the Empire every season "''until the Plenum falls and the Way is spread to the Archipelago''." Relations with the grateful Sumaash, which have been bumpy in the past, are now better than ever.
{{Nation|nation=[[Sumaah Republic]]|status=Foreigner|port=[[Sumaah_Republic_ports#Zemeh|Zemeh]]|ambassador=Accalon of [[Highguard]]}}
The Sumaah ambassador to the Empire is ''Oxtitocszin'', who holds the rank of Censor of wood, metal and stone and is a member of the High House of Pride (the Sumaah equivalent of the Pride Assembly, but with significantly more responsibility and leeway to pursue foreign diplomacy). They advise not just the Sumaah ''präster'', but the House of the People (the Sumaah equivalent of the Imperial Senate). By all accounts they are an even-handed, level-headed individual, and a devout practitioner of the Way.
==Mithril and White Granite==
* '''Sumaah is interested in the proposal the Empire might be able to provide resources to fight the Asaveans
* '''They are interested in mithril and weirwood
* '''The High House of Prosperity has arranged a boon from the City of Salt and Sail that can help transport significant numbers of wains
* '''Ambassador Oxtitocszin asks for Accalon to give them an idea of what kind of price will be required
<div style="float:right; width: 350px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Accalon5901.jpg|caption='''Accalon of Felix's Watch''', Ambassador to the Sumaah Republic|align=right|width=350}}</div>
Ambassaor Accalon has mentioned the possibility of providing assistance in the Sumaah war with the Plenum, and that the Empire may be able to send resources that would assist their efforts. Ambassador Oxtitocszin has taken counsel with the High Houses of Courage and Prosperity, and spoken to the Plenum, and suggests that if there is interest in helping Sumaah in their fight against the Asaveans, they would be interested in supplies of mithril and weirwood to supplement their own stocks of these precious materials. While the bulk of the materials would be used to reinforce and strengthen the armies of Sumaah, a portion would be provided to Sumaah allies in the Asavean Archipelago to help support their efforts to spread the Way and bring down the Plenum.

The High House of Prosperity understands that the Empire is rich in both materials, and that there is a considerable surplus available to purchase. The challenge however will be transporting the material - as the [[Drowned_in_tears#A_Gift_of_Pride|Stone Fleet]] indicated the risk of transporting such valuable and bulky materials over great distances is considerable.

However, partially inspired by the [[Satraps_of_the_Abyss|ongoing visit]] of Imperial prognosticator [[Appraisal#Lisane_de_Terresford|Lisane de Terresford]], a coven of magician-präster of the House of Prosperity have sought a slightly less risky solution. The ''Wandering Port'' - the ''Great Turtle'' also known as the ''City of Salt and Sail'' - is prepared to aid in the transportation of at least one hundred wains of weirwood and mithril - either or both - between the Empire and the Republic. There is theoretically no upper limit to how much they can help transport in this way. The offer has been negotiated until the end of the Winter Solstice 388YE; after that the opportunity will be gone.

However, before they can be taken anywhere, the wains must be secured. The Sarcophan do not imagine the Ambassador means to provide them with a gift, and the Censor of Wood and Stone wants to hear from their opposite number what kind of price will be required and what volume of wains would be available. Accalon has indicated they have contacts in the [[Bourse]]; presumably these can be leveraged to arrange a straightforward and Prosperous agreement?

==Sjördeyr==
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">'''The Life of Sjördeyr'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Motion Type:''' Historical Research</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Necessary Details:''' Should clearly indicate it is an invitation to the High House of Prosperity to send scholars to teach about the paragon Sjördeyr</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' None additional</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Produces a historical research document relating to the paragon Sjördeyr</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One yer; until the end of the Spring Equinox 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Dependant on the Empire remaining on good terms with the Sumaah Republic</td></tr>
</table></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Hazelelponi.jpg|align=right|caption=Hazelelponi of the [[Highguard_groups#The_Shattered_Tower|Shattered Tower]] raised the final peerless kinship mandate.|width=300}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Watt of Lambrook.jpg|caption='''Watt of Lambrook''', Minister of Historical Research|align=left|width=300}}</div>
* '''A short essay about the Sumaah paragon Sjördeyrhas been provided by Ambassador Oxtitocszin
* '''Either the Lepidean Library or the Department of Historical Research could host scholars from the Sumaah Republic if they wished to know more
Ambassador Oxtitocszin is a little surprised to be asked about the ''Sjördeyr'', but provides some information in the form of a short essay copied from a book of Sumaah inspirations.

In short, Sjördeyr is a Paragon and not an Exemplar as the Ambassador seems to believe. He is primarily known for inspiration around the importance of celebrating one's labours at least as hard as one worked to achieve them. One of the leaders of the Sumaah rebellion against the Asavean Satraps, he was a loud and persistent voice in opposition to slavery in general, and the wickedness of the Plenum, rather than just the plight of the Sumaah themselves. No great warrior himself, he strove to acquire the resources his people needed to cast off the yoke of the Satraps. In the process he dealt with many unsavoury folk, including some of the corrupt and venal Asaveans. According to the stories, however, so affable and charismatic was he that stories claim he was adept at recruiting others to aid the Sumaah cause, and allegedly he convinced a few of the Asaveans to secretly support the rebels against their own people.

After the Sumaah won their freedom, the flamboyant and passionate Sjördeyr was one of the visionaries who encouraged the people not to lose themselves in endless warfare but to build a Republic from the ashes of their oppression. His enduring inspiration meant that he was one of the first historical paragons recognised by the Sumaah when they embraced the Way and the path of Virtue, .

If the Empire wishes to know more, the ambassador is certain some Sumaah scholars can be convinced to travel to the Empire and spend time working with the [[Lepidean_Librarian#Lepidean_University|Lepidean University]] or the [[Historical_research#The_Department_of_Historical_Research|Department of Historical Research]]. Obviously, this would require either the [[Lepidean Librarian]] or the [[Minister of Historical Research]] (or the [[Senate]]) to commission the appropriate [[historical research]].

==Siblings in Spirit==
* '''The House of the People is discussing the Liberty Pact in light of the Commonwealth concerns'''
* '''Oxtitocszin advises that Sumaah fear their interests will suffer if the Empire and the Axou can form a majority voting block'''
As the Summer Solstice approaches, the news that the [[Commonwealth]] is [[War_games#Commonwealth_Fury|considering leaving]] the [[Liberty Pact]] has reached Sumaah. Oxtitocszin restates part of the speech given by the präst ''[[Guide_the_spirit#Ripped_Away_(Necropolis)|Kauitalic]]'' after Imperial ship captains helped [[Two_suns_in_the_sunset#A_Bond_Between_Sailors|defend Zemeh]] against the Asaveans. "The Empire and the Republic are siblings - they may squabble and argue but they are united by bonds of Virtue that the Asaveans can never understand much less sever." Whatever happens in the coming months, that will not change, no matter how aggrieved the Commonwealth is.

But the Sumaah Ambassador also confirms that [[Forging_links#Pact_of_Broken_Chains|as mentioned last season]], the Republic is not sure what the point of the Liberty Pact is now. The House of People continues to discuss the matter, as do the High Houses of Virtue. They are broadly in agreement though that a Liberty Pact without the Commonwealth will not survive. No decision has been taken yet; the Houses take their time to consider such matters carefully and avoid rushing as the Empire well knows. However, there are clear concerns around the influence of the Axou should the pact be comprised of only three members able to vote. The ambassador doesn't come directly out and say it, but the fact that the Empire and the Axou could form a majority voting block and decide the issues between them is clearly an issue. Eventually they will take act but the Ambassador stresses that whatever happens, it should not be seen as a failure of the Pact, but rather as further proof that it has fulfilled its Ambition. For now though, they will continue to hold to the Liberty Pact as it stands.
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Pride.png|align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_General.png|align=right|width=150}}</div>

==Honour and War==
* '''The Sumaah will continue to send a dose of true liao to the Empire regardless of what happens
One final matter brought up by Oxtitocszin concerns the dose of [[liao#true liao|true liao]] the Council of Eight [[Two_suns_in_the_sunset#The_Just_Rewards_of_Your_Labours|set aside for the Empire]] each season. Until the Way is spread to the whole of the Asavean Archipelago, it will continue to be delivered to the [[Gatekeeper|Gatekeepers]] "''to bestow as they see fit on the virtuous of the Empire, in the name of that bond, forged in blood and salt, by the captains of the Empire''." Unless for some reason a state of war erupts again between the two great powers, the Sumaah gift to the Empire will continue.

There have however been concerns raised with Oxtitocszin regarding what might happen if the Gatekeepers were no longer [[Gatekeeper#Responsibilities|responsible]] for determining how true liao is distributed. If that were to happen, the High House of Pride would find another way to ensure their gift reached the Empire to be used in commemoration of the bonds between the two great nations. But as long as the Synod holds the Gatekeepers responsible for distributing the precious spiritual substance, it will continue to be delivered to them each season.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=Albrecht von Holberg.jpg|caption='''Albrecht von Holberg''', Custodian of the Regario Dossier|align=left|width=400}}
</div>
==Missing River==
* '''Agent Vassa, who normally oversees the Regario Dossier agents in Sumaah, has gone missing
* '''An urgent message from Zemeh suggests the Imperial espionage network there is being rolled up
* '''The Regario Dossier will ultimately need to decide whether to cooperate with any investigation or not
* '''Re-establishing the Vassa network without knowing what is going on may see more Imperial agents vanish
There is one other matter of concern from Sumaah, but it (probably) doesn't concern the Republic itself. A year ago the [[Regario Dossier]] - which among other things organises the Empire's espionage in foreign nations - [[Talking_to_friends#The_Factions_Listen|reassigned agents]] to investigate factions in the [[Asavean Archipelago]]. Each of the three agents studied a different faction, made a full report during the Spring Equinox [[Regario_Dossier#Annual_Report|as is traditional]]. As far as the Empire knows, three agents were reassigned and those three agents should now be back in their assigned posts.

Unfortunately, one of the agents does not appear to have made it back from Asavea. Agent Vassa normally oversees a small network of agents in [[Foreign_ports#Zemeh|Zemeh]] who report on the activities of the Sumaah Republic. Not only has Agent Vassa not resumed their post, but following the Spring Equinox the Imperial espionage network in Sumaah has "gone dark". A single ciphered message was received at the offices in [[Tassato#Tassato_Regario|Tassato Regario]] that appears to be genuine, claiming that several agents had died and several others vanished and that the writer themselves was in fear of their life and "in the wind." Cautious attempts to connect with the Vassa network to see what is up have yielded no response.

It's not unusual for agents to vanish, but for a whole network of agents to go quiet is a cause for alarm. There are three possibilities; the Sumaah Republic [[High House of Vigilance]] may have uncovered the Imperial agents in Zemeh. They have [[Price_of_prosperity#War_with_Sumaah|taken action]] against Imperial agents within their borders before, after all. Alternatively, the Asavean faction the Sumaah agents were involved in investigating might have attacked them, either in Asavea or when they returned to Sumaah. Finally, it the network might have unravelled due to the actions of a third, unknown enemy. That latter is the most worrying, of course.

Investigating what has happened represents something of a challenge. It will also require the cooperation of '''Albrecht von Holberg''' who holds the Regario Dossier. This cooperation is confirmed by the holder of the seat emailing {{plot}} after the event, before the end of downtime, indicating which if any methods of investigating the missing agents they have supported. Any they don't support will fail.
===Ambassadorial Concern===
* '''The Ambassador to the Republic could ask for help investigating the disappearance of Imperial citizens
* '''Doing so would certainly reveal the Vassa network to the High House of Vigilance
Ambassador Accalon could ask the Sumaah to investigate the disappearances, but doing so would certainly reveal that the missing Imperial citizens were spying on the Republic. There's no need to be specific here - there are few enough Imperial citizens going missing in Sumaah that the High House of Vigilance would be able to investigate what has happened. As long Albrecht von Holberg cooperates, the Sumaah will find out what happened... but it will make it impossible to re-establish effective spies in Zemeh for the next three years. If they don't cooperate, the Sumaah will know that there were spies but will have no useful information that could stop new agents being sent in. The holder of the seat can also use an email to ask that new agents be dispatched, once they are comfortable the situation is resolved.
===Asavean Factionalism===
* '''Contacting the faction the Vassa network was investigating may provide leads
* '''Doing so risks revealing to that faction (or factions) that they were being investigated by the Empire
Someone could contact the Asavean faction the agents were investigating, using the [[Call Winged Messenger|winged messenger]] address already supplied, but again that would almost certainly warn that faction that the Empire had been spying on them. Obviously without the aid of Albrecht von Holberg it will be difficult to know which faction the agents were dealing with. Just asking them ''all'' would make them ''all'' think they were being spied on.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=Rahmah i Darwisj i Erigo.jpg|caption='''Rahmah i Darwisj i Erigo''', Imperial Spymaster|align=left|width=400}}</div>
===Spies and Agents===
* '''The Imperial Spymaster could put together an investigation in Zemeh to track down what happened to the Vassa network agents
* '''Doing so needs the Spymaster to use their ability to announce a spy network, and would count as a commission
* '''Such a mission would provide a scouting venture to Imperial fleets - provided they were enchanted with Muffled Oar
* '''A mission will alert the High House of Vigilance that something is happening but as long as the Regario Dossier cooperates will not indicate what
The [[Imperial Spymaster]] and the [[Regario Dossier]] could liase on an operation together. During the Summer Solstice they could use their ability to [[Imperial_Spymaster#Networks_and_Coves|commission networks and coves]] to arrange support for a mission in Zemeh. This would require an [[Senate announcement|announcement]], count as a [[commission]], but not require any [[weirwood]] or money. If it were done, following the Summer Solstice any [[the League|League]] [[fleet|ship-captain]] would be able to participate in a special [[Fleet#Scouting|scouting]] [[voyage]] aimed at uncovering events in Zemeh. If at least 3,000 strength were committed to the voyage, the facts about what has happened to Agent Vassa and their network, and who was behind it, would be uncovered. However, unless ''every'' ship that took part was under the effect of [[Muffled Oar]] or a similar [[Night magic]] [[enchantment]], the High House of Vigilance would be aware that ''something'' is going on even if they do not know exactly what. If Albrecht von Holberg doesn't cooperate with this action, it will achieve nothing other than to worry the Sumaah.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=GMShutteredLantern.jpg|caption='''Tyburn Natkysset''' (right), Grandmaster of the Shuttered
Lantern|align=left|width=400}}</div>

===Hooded Lanterns===
* '''The Grandmaster of the Shuttered Lantern could take advantage of the outstanding invitation for an order to visit Sumaah
* '''If they do this it will use up the Conclave's opportunity, and ''only'' discover details of what is going on with the Vassa network agents
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=Roshanwe.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=City of Locks.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Dark_Adapted_Eye_2.png|align=right|width=150}}</div>
There is an opportunity for the [[Shuttered Lantern]] order to [[Satraps_of_the_Abyss#Wisdom_of_the_Conclave|visit Sumaah]] this season, to explore how the Sumaah keep their people safe from dangerous eternals. Instead, when [[Grandmaster#Guiding_an_Order|guiding the order]] the [[grandmaster]] could instruct magicians to investigate the disappearance of the Imperial agents in Sumaah. If this were done, they would not uncover any useful information about Sumaah practices around eternals, but they would discover what had happened to the agents and who was responsible. Doing this would ''not'' attract the attention of the High House of Vigilance. Again, if Albrecht doesn't cooperate with this it will just prove to be a waste of time and the Shuttered Lantern will get ''nothing''.
===Eternal Plenipotential===
* '''The Archmages of Day, Autumn, or Night could enlist the aid of Roshanwe, Basileia Brazen, or the Whisper Gallery to find out more
* '''Doing so would require them to use their plenipotentiary power
Alternatively, there are several [[eternal|eternals]] who might be prevailed upon to offer assistance. While [[Sung]] and [[Leviathan]] might be questioned through ritual magic, it's not clear that would yield anything useful. Sung's answers are always mysterious, and while Leviathan might be able to explain what lead to the Vassa network being rolled up, it's doubtful he will be able to offer any insight into who did it. Among the remaining eternals, [[Roshanwe]], [[Basileia]], and the [[Whisper Gallery]] all have the potential to offer aid. Roshanwe is a seeker, and while it is rarely mentioned, spying and espionage ''are'' a form of seeking. The City of Locks are adept spies, and [[Basileia#The Five Pillars|the Surveyors' Cartel]] in particular has an interest in espionage. The Whisper Gallery are unpredictable, but they enjoy secrets and are generally not as opposed to spies and spying as they are to, say, [[Magpies|hunters of lost artefacts]] or [[Historical_research#The_Department_of_Historical_Research|scholars of lost lore]].

A [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] for any one of the three would be able to either provide an opportunity to learn more, or simply provide answers directly. In both cases, there is likely to be a price however. There's also a chance that the last two on the list might even be ''behind'' the disappearances. On the plus side, if they ''are'' they're unlikely to deny it if asked point-blank to look into it. This is the only approach that doesn't require the aid of Albrecht von Holberg; the eternals asked to look into the matter will work out what is going on as part of their investigation.

===Wheels and Windows===
* '''Re-establishing the Vassa network without knowing what is going on risks the new agents meeting the same fate as the old ones
* '''There is only a narrow window to uncover what has happened to the Vassa network
Regardless of what is done, the Regario Dossier is short of agents in the Sumaah Republic. The civil service advise caution though. If new agents are simply sent in to replace the old ones, there is no guarantee that whatever happened to Agent Vassa and their network will not just happen again, and at that point the Empire is just feeding espionage agents to unknown enemies.

There's also a narrow window to do something; unless wheels are set in motion at the Summer Solstice, the trail will be too cold for any useful information to be uncovered at all. After that, the only way to find anything useful will be to send more agents and hope they aren't killed before their annual report next year.
{{Sumaah Links}}

Keys of Enlightenment

2026-07-20T16:01:19Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Siblings in Spirit */

[[Category:Wind of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Summer]][[Category:Foreign Nations]]
<ic>"Have they given any context for their query?"

Tipoa and the Cardinal had taken cover from the sun under a rainbow canopy in one of the gardens that spilled over the side of the High House of Wisdom. It was the hottest part of the day and even the jewelled hummingbirds were silent, resting beneath broad leaves. Only the raptors were active, playing their inscrutable lizard games and hunting beetles among the foliage.

"The Censor of Wood, Stone and Metal said it was a request from the Senator of Bastion. They say they are keen to learn more about the exemplar."

The Cardinal pondered for several moments, her attention apparently focused on the task of tending to one of her beast companions. Jormga as a snake easily as long as Tipoa was tall, and she had always disliked it. The serpent was lazy with age, six eyes closed contentedly as the Cardinal carefully rubbed its head and body with coarse sand. His only movement was to flicker his long forked tongue occasionally. In the wild the beasts were deadly hunters, but the Cardinal had hatched him herself, and he doted on her as much as any serpent could dote on anyone.

"To be fair," mused the Cardinal, "it is the nature of inspirational figures to inspire, so there is no reason not to share our stories with the Empire. I wonder if it has to do with a vision of past lives?"

"Would you like me to ask Oxtitocszin to enquire?" One of the smaller raptors had run up and stood staring curiously at her, flicking its blue and green feathers. She flicked a morsel of meat toward it, and it was quickly the centre of attention for three of its siblings.

"No need, I don't think. Traditionally the Imperial Synod is always very excited when someone experiences a vision of having been Sumaash, and cannot wait to tell us. So patience will tell us one way or another."

The Cardinal smiled, humourlessly.

"I do wonder sometimes why they seem to be so constantly surprised when they discover that their people have souls older than the Empire, or from another part of the world? Despite that revelation being the foundation of their entire Empire. And still it is an uncommon Imperial priest that asks about our ''own'' visions, and how they relate to folk from their history."

Tipoa nodded.

"I'll put something together but it will be challenging to know quite how much detail to go into."

"Ah!" said the Cardinal, eye twinkling. "I have a suggestion there. I was speaking to the Cardinal of Vigilance only this morning, and this enquiry comes at just the right time. How long has it been since you last visited the Empire, Utredare Tipoa?"

Tipoa felt her heart sink slightly. She could see the shape of the future and was not sure she was especially excited about it. Travelling to the Empire, especially at this time of year when the weather would be turning inhospitable, was not how she had planned to end the year. Especially with this apparent non-sequitur about the Cardinal of Vigilance.

"To talk about Sjördeyr, Cardinal? Or were you thinking of sending me in an more official capacity?"

The Cardinal didn't reply immediately, but a slow smile spread across her face as she continued to stroke the somnolent serpent in her lap.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: left; margin: 15px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Sumaah_Raptors.jpg|align=left|caption=it's common for Sumaah citizens to keep small drakes as companions.|width=400}}</div>
==Overview==
* '''The Sumaah Republic is an empire devoted to an orthodox interpretation of the Way'''
* '''The Sumaah Republic remain allies of the Empire in the Liberty Pact
The [[Sumaah Republic]] are simultaneously allies of, and rivals to, the Empire. Their shared practice of the Way both provide them with common ground, and divides them over questions of orthodoxy. As founding members of the [[Liberty Pact]], their ties to the Empire have been strengthened, and they have been closely involved in bringing ruin to those involved in the abhorrent practice of slavery. At the moment they are focused on their [[Guide_the_spirit#Virtuous_War|war]] with the [[Asavean Archipelago]], but they remain committed to spreading the Way through the entire world. In gratitude for [[Two_suns_in_the_sunset#A_Bond_Between_Sailors|major aid]] from the Empire in repulsing an Asavean assault against the port of [[Foreign_ports#Zemeh|Zemeh]], the Sumaah have committed to sharing a dose of [[Liao#True Liao|true liao]] with the Empire every season "''until the Plenum falls and the Way is spread to the Archipelago''." Relations with the grateful Sumaash, which have been bumpy in the past, are now better than ever.
{{Nation|nation=[[Sumaah Republic]]|status=Foreigner|port=[[Sumaah_Republic_ports#Zemeh|Zemeh]]|ambassador=Accalon of [[Highguard]]}}
The Sumaah ambassador to the Empire is ''Oxtitocszin'', who holds the rank of Censor of wood, metal and stone and is a member of the High House of Pride (the Sumaah equivalent of the Pride Assembly, but with significantly more responsibility and leeway to pursue foreign diplomacy). They advise not just the Sumaah ''präster'', but the House of the People (the Sumaah equivalent of the Imperial Senate). By all accounts they are an even-handed, level-headed individual, and a devout practitioner of the Way.
==Mithril and White Granite==
* '''Sumaah is interested in the proposal the Empire might be able to provide resources to fight the Asaveans
* '''They are interested in mithril and weirwood
* '''The High House of Prosperity has arranged a boon from the City of Salt and Sail that can help transport significant numbers of wains
* '''Ambassador Oxtitocszin asks for Accalon to give them an idea of what kind of price will be required
<div style="float:right; width: 350px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Accalon5901.jpg|caption='''Accalon of Felix's Watch''', Ambassador to the Sumaah Republic|align=right|width=350}}</div>
Ambassaor Accalon has mentioned the possibility of providing assistance in the Sumaah war with the Plenum, and that the Empire may be able to send resources that would assist their efforts. Ambassador Oxtitocszin has taken counsel with the High Houses of Courage and Prosperity, and spoken to the Plenum, and suggests that if there is interest in helping Sumaah in their fight against the Asaveans, they would be interested in supplies of mithril and weirwood to supplement their own stocks of these precious materials. While the bulk of the materials would be used to reinforce and strengthen the armies of Sumaah, a portion would be provided to Sumaah allies in the Asavean Archipelago to help support their efforts to spread the Way and bring down the Plenum.

The High House of Prosperity understands that the Empire is rich in both materials, and that there is a considerable surplus available to purchase. The challenge however will be transporting the material - as the [[Drowned_in_tears#A_Gift_of_Pride|Stone Fleet]] indicated the risk of transporting such valuable and bulky materials over great distances is considerable.

However, partially inspired by the [[Satraps_of_the_Abyss|ongoing visit]] of Imperial prognosticator [[Appraisal#Lisane_de_Terresford|Lisane de Terresford]], a coven of magician-präster of the House of Prosperity have sought a slightly less risky solution. The ''Wandering Port'' - the ''Great Turtle'' also known as the ''City of Salt and Sail'' - is prepared to aid in the transportation of at least one hundred wains of weirwood and mithril - either or both - between the Empire and the Republic. There is theoretically no upper limit to how much they can help transport in this way. The offer has been negotiated until the end of the Winter Solstice 388YE; after that the opportunity will be gone.

However, before they can be taken anywhere, the wains must be secured. The Sarcophan do not imagine the Ambassador means to provide them with a gift, and the Censor of Wood and Stone wants to hear from their opposite number what kind of price will be required and what volume of wains would be available. Accalon has indicated they have contacts in the [[Bourse]]; presumably these can be leveraged to arrange a straightforward and Prosperous agreement?

==Sjördeyr==
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">'''The Life of Sjördeyr'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Motion Type:''' Historical Research</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Necessary Details:''' Should clearly indicate it is an invitation to the High House of Prosperity to send scholars to teach about the paragon Sjördeyr</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' None additional</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Produces a historical research document relating to the paragon Sjördeyr</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One yer; until the end of the Spring Equinox 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Dependant on the Empire remaining on good terms with the Sumaah Republic</td></tr>
</table></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Hazelelponi.jpg|align=right|caption=Hazelelponi of the [[Highguard_groups#The_Shattered_Tower|Shattered Tower]] raised the final peerless kinship mandate.|width=300}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Watt of Lambrook.jpg|caption='''Watt of Lambrook''', Minister of Historical Research|align=left|width=300}}</div>
* '''A short essay about the Sumaah paragon Sjördeyrhas been provided by Ambassador Oxtitocszin
* '''Either the Lepidean Library or the Department of Historical Research could host scholars from the Sumaah Republic if they wished to know more
Ambassador Oxtitocszin is a little surprised to be asked about the ''Sjördeyr'', but provides some information in the form of a short essay copied from a book of Sumaah inspirations.

In short, Sjördeyr is a Paragon and not an Exemplar as the Ambassador seems to believe. He is primarily known for inspiration around the importance of celebrating one's labours at least as hard as one worked to achieve them. One of the leaders of the Sumaah rebellion against the Asavean Satraps, he was a loud and persistent voice in opposition to slavery in general, and the wickedness of the Plenum, rather than just the plight of the Sumaah themselves. No great warrior himself, he strove to acquire the resources his people needed to cast off the yoke of the Satraps. In the process he dealt with many unsavoury folk, including some of the corrupt and venal Asaveans. According to the stories, however, so affable and charismatic was he that stories claim he was adept at recruiting others to aid the Sumaah cause, and allegedly he convinced a few of the Asaveans to secretly support the rebels against their own people.

After the Sumaah won their freedom, the flamboyant and passionate Sjördeyr was one of the visionaries who encouraged the people not to lose themselves in endless warfare but to build a Republic from the ashes of their oppression. His enduring inspiration meant that he was one of the first historical paragons recognised by the Sumaah when they embraced the Way and the path of Virtue, .

If the Empire wishes to know more, the ambassador is certain some Sumaah scholars can be convinced to travel to the Empire and spend time working with the [[Lepidean_Librarian#Lepidean_University|Lepidean University]] or the [[Historical_research#The_Department_of_Historical_Research|Department of Historical Research]]. Obviously, this would require either the [[Lepidean Librarian]] or the [[Minister of Historical Research]] (or the [[Senate]]) to commission the appropriate [[historical research]].

==Siblings in Spirit==
* '''The House of the People is discussing the Liberty Pact in light of the Commonwealth concerns'''
* '''Oxtitocszin advises that Sumaah fear their interests will suffer if the Empire and the Axou can form a majority voting block'''
As the Summer Solstice approaches, the news that the [[Commonwealth]] is [[War_games#Commonwealth_Fury|considering leaving]] the [[Liberty Pact]] has reached Sumaah. Oxtitocszin restates part of the speech given by the präst ''[[Guide_the_spirit#Ripped_Away_(Necropolis)|Kauitalic]]'' after Imperial ship captains helped [[Two_suns_in_the_sunset#A_Bond_Between_Sailors|defend Zemeh]] against the Asaveans. "The Empire and the Republic are siblings - they may squabble and argue but they are united by bonds of Virtue that the Asaveans can never understand much less sever." Whatever happens in the coming months, that will not change, no matter how aggrieved the Commonwealth is.

But the Sumaah Ambassador also confirms that [[Forging_links#Pact_of_Broken_Chains|as mentioned last season]], the Republic is not sure what the point of the Liberty Pact is now. The House of People continues to discuss the matter, as do the High Houses of Virtue. They are broadly in agreement though that a Liberty Pact without the Commonwealth will not survive. No decision has been taken yet; the Houses take their time to consider such matters carefully and avoid rushing as the Empire well knows. However, there are clear concerns around the influence of the Axou should the pact be comprised of only three members able to vote. The ambassador doesn't come directly out and say it, but the fact that the Empire and the Axou could form a majority voting block and decide the issues between them is clearly an issue. Eventually they will take act but the Ambassador stresses that whatever happens, it should not be seen as a failure of the Pact, but rather as further proof that it has fulfilled its Ambition. For now though, they will continue to hold to the Liberty Pact as it stands.
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Pride.png|align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_General.png|align=right|width=150}}</div>

==Honour and War==
* '''The Sumaah will continue to send a dose of true liao to the Empire regardless of what happens
One final matter brought up by Oxtitocszin concerns the dose of [[liao#true liao|true liao]] the Council of Eight [[Two_suns_in_the_sunset#The_Just_Rewards_of_Your_Labours|set aside for the Empire]] each season. Until the Way is spread to the whole of the Asavean Archipelago, it will continue to be delivered to the [[Gatekeeper|Gatekeepers]] "''to bestow as they see fit on the virtuous of the Empire, in the name of that bond, forged in blood and salt, by the captains of the Empire''." Unless for some reason a state of war erupts again between the two great powers, the Sumaah gift to the Empire will continue.

There have however been concerns raised with Oxtitocszin regarding what might happen if the Gatekeepers were no longer [[Gatekeeper#Responsibilities|responsible]] for determining how true liao is distributed. If that were to happen, the High House of Pride would find another way to ensure their gift reached the Empire to be used in commemoration of the bonds between the two great nations. But as long as the Synod holds the Gatekeepers responsible for distributing the precious spiritual substance, it will continue to be delivered to them each season.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=Albrecht von Holberg.jpg|caption='''Albrecht von Holberg''', Custodian of the Regario Dossier|align=left|width=400}}
</div>
==Missing River==
* '''Agent Vassa, who normally oversees the Regario Dossier agents in Sumaah, has gone missing
* '''An urgent message from Zemeh suggests the Imperial espionage network there is being rolled up
* '''The Regario Dossier will ultimately need to decide whether to cooperate with any investigation or not
* '''Re-establishing the Vassa network without knowing what is going on may see more Imperial agents vanish
There is one other matter of concern from Sumaah, but it (probably) doesn't concern the Republic itself. A year ago the [[Regario Dossier]] - which among other things organises the Empire's espionage in foreign nations - [[Talking_to_friends#The_Factions_Listen|reassigned agents]] to investigate factions in the [[Asavean Archipelago]]. Each of the three agents studied a different faction, made a full report during the Spring Equinox [[Regario_Dossier#Annual_Report|as is traditional]]. As far as the Empire knows, three agents were reassigned and those three agents should now be back in their assigned posts.

Unfortunately, one of the agents does not appear to have made it back from Asavea. Agent Vassa normally oversees a small network of agents in [[Foreign_ports#Zemeh|Zemeh]] who report on the activities of the Sumaah Republic. Not only has Agent Vassa not resumed their post, but following the Spring Equinox the Imperial espionage network in Sumaah has "gone dark". A single ciphered message was received at the offices in [[Tassato#Tassato_Regario|Tassato Regario]] that appears to be genuine, claiming that several agents had died and several others vanished and that the writer themselves was in fear of their life and "in the wind." Cautious attempts to connect with the Vassa network to see what is up have yielded no response.

It's not unusual for agents to vanish, but for a whole network of agents to go quiet is a cause for alarm. There are three possibilities; the Sumaah Republic [[High House of Vigilance]] may have uncovered the Imperial agents in Zemeh. They have [[Price_of_prosperity#War_with_Sumaah|taken action]] against Imperial agents within their borders before, after all. Alternatively, the Asavean faction the Sumaah agents were involved in investigating might have attacked them, either in Asavea or when they returned to Sumaah. Finally, it the network might have unravelled due to the actions of a third, unknown enemy. That latter is the most worrying, of course.

Investigating what has happened represents something of a challenge. It will also require the cooperation of '''Albrecht von Holberg''' who holds the Regario Dossier. This cooperation is confirmed by the holder of the seat emailing {{plot}} after the event, before the end of downtime, indicating which if any methods of investigating the missing agents they have supported. Any they don't support will fail.
===Ambassadorial Concern===
* '''The Ambassador to the Republic could ask for help investigating the disappearance of Imperial citizens
* '''Doing so would certainly reveal the Vassa network to the High House of Vigilance
Ambassador Accalon could ask the Sumaah to investigate the disappearances, but doing so would certainly reveal that the missing Imperial citizens were spying on the Republic. There's no need to be specific here - there are few enough Imperial citizens going missing in Sumaah that the High House of Vigilance would be able to investigate what has happened. As long Albrecht von Holberg cooperates, the Sumaah will find out what happened... but it will make it impossible to re-establish effective spies in Zemeh for the next three years. If they don't cooperate, the Sumaah will know that there were spies but will have no useful information that could stop new agents being sent in. The holder of the seat can also use an email to ask that new agents be dispatched, once they are comfortable the situation is resolved.
===Asavean Factionalism===
* '''Contacting the faction the Vassa network was investigating may provide leads
* '''Doing so risks revealing to that faction (or factions) that they were being investigated by the Empire
Someone could contact the Asavean faction the agents were investigating, using the [[Call Winged Messenger|winged messenger]] address already supplied, but again that would almost certainly warn that faction that the Empire had been spying on them. Obviously without the aid of Albrecht von Holberg it will be difficult to know which faction the agents were dealing with. Just asking them ''all'' would make them ''all'' think they were being spied on.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=Rahmah i Darwisj i Erigo.jpg|caption='''Rahmah i Darwisj i Erigo''', Imperial Spymaster|align=left|width=400}}</div>
===Spies and Agents===
* '''The Imperial Spymaster could put together an investigation in Zemeh to track down what happened to the Vassa network agents
* '''Doing so needs the Spymaster to use their ability to announce a spy network, and would count as a commission
* '''Such a mission would provide a scouting venture to Imperial fleets - provided they were enchanted with Muffled Oar
* '''A mission will alert the High House of Vigilance that something is happening but as long as the Regario Dossier cooperates will not indicate what
The [[Imperial Spymaster]] and the [[Regario Dossier]] could liase on an operation together. During the Summer Solstice they could use their ability to [[Imperial_Spymaster#Networks_and_Coves|commission networks and coves]] to arrange support for a mission in Zemeh. This would require an [[announcement]], count as a [[commission]], but not require any [[weirwood]] or money. If it were done, following the Summer Solstice any [[the League|League]] [[fleet|ship-captain]] would be able to participate in a special [[Fleet#Scouting|scouting]] [[voyage]] aimed at uncovering events in Zemeh. If at least 3,000 strength were committed to the voyage, the facts about what has happened to Agent Vassa and their network, and who was behind it, would be uncovered. However, unless ''every'' ship that took part was under the effect of [[Muffled Oar]] or a similar [[Night magic]] [[enchantment]], the High House of Vigilance would be aware that ''something'' is going on even if they do not know exactly what. If Albrecht von Holberg doesn't cooperate with this action, it will achieve nothing other than to worry the Sumaah.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=GMShutteredLantern.jpg|caption='''Tyburn Natkysset''' (right), Grandmaster of the Shuttered
Lantern|align=left|width=400}}</div>
===Hooded Lanterns===
* '''The Grandmaster of the Shuttered Lantern could take advantage of the outstanding invitation for an order to visit Sumaah
* '''If they do this it will use up the Conclave's opportunity, and ''only'' discover details of what is going on with the Vassa network agents
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=Roshanwe.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=City of Locks.png|align=right|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Dark_Adapted_Eye_2.png|align=right|width=150}}</div>
There is an opportunity for the [[Shuttered Lantern]] order to [[Satraps_of_the_Abyss#Wisdom_of_the_Conclave|visit Sumaah]] this season, to explore how the Sumaah keep their people safe from dangerous eternals. Instead, when [[Grandmaster#Guiding_an_Order|guiding the order]] the [[grandmaster]] could instruct magicians to investigate the disappearance of the Imperial agents in Sumaah. If this were done, they would not uncover any useful information about Sumaah practices around eternals, but they would discover what had happened to the agents and who was responsible. Doing this would ''not'' attract the attention of the High House of Vigilance. Again, if Albrecht doesn't cooperate with this it will just prove to be a waste of time and the Shuttered Lantern will get ''nothing''.
===Eternal Plenipotential===
* '''The Archmages of Day, Autumn, or Night could enlist the aid of Roshanwe, Basileia Brazen, or the Whisper Gallery to find out more
* '''Doing so would require them to use their plenipotentiary power
Alternatively, there are several [[eternal|eternals]] who might be prevailed upon to offer assistance. While [[Sung]] and [[Leviathan]] might be questioned through ritual magic, it's not clear that would yield anything useful. Sung's answers are always mysterious, and while Leviathan might be able to explain what lead to the Vassa network being rolled up, it's doubtful he will be able to offer any insight into who did it. Among the remaining eternals, [[Roshanwe]], [[Basileia]], and the [[Whisper Gallery]] all have the potential to offer aid. Roshanwe is a seeker, and while it is rarely mentioned, spying and espionage ''are'' a form of seeking. The City of Locks are adept spies, and [[Basileia#The Five Pillars|the Surveyors' Cartel]] in particular has an interest in espionage. The Whisper Gallery are unpredictable, but they enjoy secrets and are generally not as opposed to spies and spying as they are to, say, [[Magpies|hunters of lost artefacts]] or [[Historical_research#The_Department_of_Historical_Research|scholars of lost lore]].

A [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] for any one of the three would be able to either provide an opportunity to learn more, or simply provide answers directly. In both cases, there is likely to be a price however. There's also a chance that the last two on the list might even be ''behind'' the disappearances. On the plus side, if they ''are'' they're unlikely to deny it if asked point-blank to look into it. This is the only approach that doesn't require the aid of Albrecht von Holberg; the eternals asked to look into the matter will work out what is going on as part of their investigation.

===Wheels and Windows===
* '''Re-establishing the Vassa network without knowing what is going on risks the new agents meeting the same fate as the old ones
* '''There is only a narrow window to uncover what has happened to the Vassa network
Regardless of what is done, the Regario Dossier is short of agents in the Sumaah Republic. The civil service advise caution though. If new agents are simply sent in to replace the old ones, there is no guarantee that whatever happened to Agent Vassa and their network will not just happen again, and at that point the Empire is just feeding espionage agents to unknown enemies.

There's also a narrow window to do something; unless wheels are set in motion at the Summer Solstice, the trail will be too cold for any useful information to be uncovered at all. After that, the only way to find anything useful will be to send more agents and hope they aren't killed before their annual report next year.
{{Sumaah Links}}

388YE Summer Solstice winds of fortune

2026-07-20T14:35:34Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Everything is on Show */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Summer]][[Category:Recent History]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Remnants of tales.jpg|align=left|caption=News spreads through word of mouth as fast as it does through broadsheets and posters, and is sometimes more reliable. Or at least, unreliable in more amusing ways...|width=2000}}</div>
==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Wind of Fortune !! Order Released !! Last Updated || Note
|-
| [[In the Court of Far Horizons]] || 1 || data-sort-value="2026/07/03"| 03/07 || Appraisal
|-
| [[Satraps of the Abyss]] || 2 || data-sort-value="2026/07/04"| 04/07 || Appraisal
|-
| [[The Oran operation]] || 3 || data-sort-value="2026/07/05"| 05/07 || Appraisal
|-
| [[Viridian nemesis]] || 4 || data-sort-value="2026/07/06"| 06/07 || Navarr Highest Calling
|-
| [[Love and monsters]] || 5 || data-sort-value="2026/07/13"| 13/07 || Dawn Highest Calling
|-
| [[The right answer]] || 6 || data=sort-value="2026/07/13"| 13/07 || Assembly of the Way Highest Calling
|-
| [[A lasting commitment]] || 7 || data=sort-value="2026/07/13"| 13/07 || Assembly of Ambition Highest Calling
|-
| [[Six sheets to the wind]] || 8 || data=sort-value="2026/07/15"| 15/07 || Challenge the Iron Duke
|-
| [[A horn blast of victory]] || 9 || data=sort-value="2026/07/15"| 15/07 || Imperial Address
|-
| [[Ambassadors of death]] || 10 || data=sort-value="2026/07/17"| 17/07 || Plenipotentiary
|-
| [[War games]] || 11 || data=sort-value="2026/07/17"| 17/07 || Jarm and Commonwealth Diplomacy
|-
| [[All laudable qualities]] || 12 || data=sort-value="2026/07/17"| 17/07 || Proscription Symposium
|-
| [[Full circles]] || 13 || data=sort-value="2026/07/17"| 17/07 || Sevenfold Path and Jarm
|-
| [[This is the end]] || 14 || data=sort-value="2026/07/17"| 17/07 || Apulian
|-
| [[The brightest flame]] || 15 || data=sort-value="2026/07/18"| 18/07 || Peerless Kinship
|-
| [[The shadows fall behind you]] || 16 || data=sort-value="2026/07/18"| 18/07 || Inspirational Location
|-
| [[Propensity to truck, barter, and exchange]] || 17 || data=sort-value="2026/07/18"| 18/07 || Ephisis
|-
| [[Any dream will do]] || 18 || data=sort-value="2026/07/19"| 19/07 || The League Highest Calling
|}</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
|-
| [[Axos]] || [[Seeds_of_discord#Axos|Seeds of discord]]
|-
| [[Commonwealth]] || [[War games]]
|-
| [[Faraden]] || [[Seeds_of_discord#Faraden|Seeds of discord]]
|-
| [[Iron Confederacy]] || [[Seeds_of_discord#Iron Confederacy|Seeds of discord]]
|-
| [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Marracossa]] || [[Seeds_of_discord#Marracossa|Seeds of discord]]
|-
| [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarm]] || [[War games]]
|-
| [[Sumaah Republic|Sumaah]] || [[Keys of Enlightenment]]
|-
| [[Tsark]] || [[Seeds_of_discord#Tsark|Seeds of discord]]
|-
|}

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.

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.
__TOC__

==Winds of Fortune==
===In the Court of Far Horizons===
* '''Throne; Senate; Fleet owners; Ambassadors; titles involved in international trade'''
At the recent summit, [[the Throne]] 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 ''Court of Far Horizons''. Magistrate Abraham has conducted an analysis of the constitutional implications of the new sodality's provisional manifesto. Abraham notes that the manifesto is "bold and vigorous" in establishing its remit, but that means that some of the implications are far-reaching... which can be both a good and a bad thing depending on where you stand.

You can read about Abraham's findings, as well as some proposals from interested parties, in the '''[[In the Court of Far Horizons]]''' wind of fortune.
===Satraps of the Abyss===
* '''Conclave; Ambassador to Sumaah; scholars of magic and the eternal realms'''
The [[Senate]] has taken advantage of an opportunity brokered by the [[Ambassador to the Sumaah Republic|Ambassador]] Accalon to engage in a spot of magical cooperation with the [[Sumaah Republic]]. Freshly-appointed prognosticator ''[[Appraisal#Lisane de Terresford|Lisane de Terresford]]'' has been sent to ''[[appraisal|appraise]] how the High Houses of Virtue and the Imperial Conclave can find ways to co-operate in interactions with [[eternal|eternals]]''. While Lisane is expected to be engaged for the next several seasons, she has dispatched a preliminary report on her findings; a review of the relation between the magicians and the Präster of the republic - and the dealings they have with the creatures of the [[realms]].

You can read about Lisane's findings, and about the opportunity for the Conclave to assist, in the '''[[Satraps of the Abyss]]''' wind of fortune.
===The Oran Operation===
* '''The Brass Coast, especially citizens of Feroz and Madruga; Imperial Senate; Military Council'''
The river Scorrero broke its banks several years ago, and washed away the dreadful threat of the ''dry patricians''. As a consequence of the wild river rising, the bridges connecting Madruga and Feroz were washed away. Last season, the Senate accepted [[An_arrow_nocked_and_in_flight#A_Garden_Proposal|an offer]] from the ''Protectorate of Morajasse'' to apply their expertise to the challenge of reconnecting the eastern Brass Coast. Their [[appraisal]] of the situation has been submitted, with notes added by the [[Appraisal#The_Prognosticators_Office|Prognosticators Office]], and involves a major feat of engineering in the southern Empire.

You can learn about their proposal, and some changes that might make it a little more feasible, in the '''[[The Oran operation]]''' wind of fortune.
===Viridian Nemesis===
* '''The League; Navarr; the Vallornguard; Loyalty assembly; Senate; Military Council'''
The [[The highest calling|highest calling]] of the [[Navarr]] is to share their long experience fighting the [[vallorn]] with other nations. Last season, they [[Cup_of_choices|chose to work]] with the people of [[Urizen]]; now the Navarr National Assembly has urged their people to embrace the citizens of [[the League]] to arm and armour them for the upcoming battle with the Doom of Terunael. Once again, the [[Assembly#The_Virtue_Assemblies|Loyalty Assembly]] has supported the cause, calling upon those whose heart drives them towards the destruction of ''Terun's Folly''.

You can read about the proposals put forward to help the League fight the vallorn, some of which are somewhat esoteric, in the '''[[Viridian nemesis]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float: right; width: 175px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Dawn.png|width=200px}}</div>
===Love and Monsters===
* '''Dawn, especially the national assembly; Senate; vallornguard; Knight of the Greenwood'''
The Earl of Fools has convinced the National Assembly that the fight against the [[vallorn]] is the [[The_highest_calling#The_Highest_Calling|highest calling]] of the [[Dawn|Dawnish]] people. With [[the Barrens]] won and the [[Druj]] crumbling beneath the Empire's anvil and the [[Thule|Thule's]] hammer, surely it makes sense to focus on the next threat to their prize. The vallorn has not one but ''three'' hearts adjacent to the sprawling expanse of the Barrens - and so defeating it will be a truly glorious endeavour! Plus, the idea of a great, glorious war against the vallorn is more than enough to stir the blood of the people of the most splendid nation in the Empire!

You can learn about the opportunities presented by this highest calling, both for the assembly and the rest of the nation, in the '''[[Love and monsters]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float: right; width: 175px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Labyrinth.jpg|width=200px}}</div>

===The Right Answer===
* '''Assembly of the Way; Imperial Synod'''
The Assembly of the way have found the [[The_highest_calling#The_Highest_Calling|highest calling]] of those priests who commit themselves to the faith as a whole rather than any single virtue. Formally the Assembly of the Way is expected to be responsible for the [[Inquisition#Virtue|integrity of the Way itself]]. Many in the Assembly dedicate themselves to creating a more perfect understanding of the Way, even as they strive to maintain the fidelity of the [[Doctrines of the Faith]]. Such exploration is never without risk, however, and as recent events have shown revelation can shake the foundations of the Way. However, by making the need to test the faith their highest calling, the Assembly of the Way has an opportunity to examine the faith in a way that tries to ensure that nothing disastrous can happen.

You can learn about what this might involve, and the opportunities and costs involved, in the '''[[The right answer]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Ambition.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
===A Lasting Commitment===
* '''Ambition assembly; Highguard; Senate'''
The [[Ambition]] assembly has declared their own [[The_highest_calling#The_Highest_Calling|highest calling]], one that is as challenging as it is aspirational. The [[Construct_Grand_Inspiration_of_the_Way|Grand Inspiration of the Way]] is well underway, but if it can be completed within the next few seasons it will be a capstone not only to the Imperial faith but for the virtue of Ambition. Just the idea of declaring something to be a highest calling embraces the Virtue of Ambition, but even so this is an extraordinary thing to attempt. There is still a vast amount of work to be done, but there is nothing more Ambitious than achieving the impossible....

You can learn about the Ambition assembly highest calling, and how it applies to the Grand Inspiration of the Way, in the '''[[A lasting commitment]]''' wind of fortune.

===Six Sheets to the Wind (Challenge the Iron Duke)===
* '''Challengers of the Iron Duke'''
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=BarienArt.jpg|align=right|width=200}}</div>
Each season, the eternal ''[[Barien]]'' presents opportunities to those prepared to [[Challenge the Iron Duke]]. For the Summer Solstice, he has offered two challenges: a grand melee in the arena and a game of carefully manoeuvring a boat on a map. 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 '''[[Six sheets to the wind]]''' wind of fortune.

===A Horn Blast of Victory (Imperial Address)===
* '''Imperial citizens; Dawn; Generals of Dawn; Earls of Dawn; People interested in oaths'''
[[Emperor Vesna]] has used their power to [[The_Throne#Address_the_Empire|address the Empire]] to present a personal message to all Imperial citizens, but especially those of [[Dawn]] following their victory against the manticore. Now, the people of Dawn look towards the end of the [[Druj]].

The message has been distributed across the Empire by the civil service, and you can read it in the '''[[A horn blast of victory]]''' wind of fortune.
===Ambassadors of Death (Plenipotentiary)===
* '''Imperial Conclave; magicians; General of the Black Thorns, Senator for Miaren; practitioners of Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust; Ambassadors to Jarm and the Commonwealth, Grandmaster of the Celestial Arch; Knight-protector of Autumn, Dawnish enchanters; practitioners of From the Mouths of Babes; Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path, Cardinal of Wisdom; practitioners of Forge the Wooden Fastness, Marcher landskeepers, magistrates'''
Each of the six [[archmage|archmages]] are empowered to send a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] message to an [[eternal]] of their [[Realms|realm]] each season. Those eternals are bound to respond, although ''how'' exactly they respond is broadly up to them. Following the Spring Equinox, six - sorry ''five'' - eternals have responded to what are presumed to be missives from the respective archmages. One of the realms is not represented and, perhaps fittingly given its nature, conspicuous in absence.

You can find out about the eternals, and the nature of their responses, in the '''[[Ambassadors of death]]''' wind of fortune.

===All Laudable Qualities===
* '''People interested in Symposia; the ''Raboviches'' of False Hopes; People interested in proscriptions'''
At the Winter Solstice 387YE, the [[General Assembly]] [[Stones_in_the_wellspring#A_Convocation_of_Condemnation|supported a call]] for a symposium to discuss [[proscription|proscriptions]]. The [[Assembly of the Nine]] subsequently confirmed that '''Wulfric of the Marches''', the Member of the [[Synod]] who originally called for the symposium, would be charged with leading it. He has apparently sworn an oath, and though the wording of that oath is not common knowledge, it was deemed good enough for the Nine.

You can find out more about the upcoming symposium in the '''[[All laudable qualities]]''' wind of fortune.
===Full Circles===
{{CaptionedImage|file=OrderSevenfoldPath.jpg|align=right|width=175}}
* '''Sevenfold Path; Synod'''
In addition to fighting the [[Cold Sun]] in the east, magicians of the [[Sevenfold Path]] have been making contacts with a community of [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarmish]] pilgrims called the ''Convocation of Virtue''. The magicians of the Convocation seem friendly and enthused by the idea of discussing their faith with the visiting magicians. Adherents of the Way, their approach to the faith has been shaped by relative isolation from the Empire and Sumaah, although that may be more by choice than anything else. With a gift of [[liao]], with the backing of the [[Conclave]], and against a backdrop of [[War games|political chaos]], magicians of the Sevenfold Path have been able to get closer to these foreign pilgrims and a learn a little more about who they are.

You too can discover more about the Jarmish Convocation of Virtue, and opportunities to cultivate closer ties with them, in the '''[[Full circles]]''' wind of fortune.
===This is the End===
* '''Citizens of Apulian; Citizens of Spiral; Map to the City Below; Custodian of the Vicente School and Orphanage; Folk invoved in the fight between cats and birds; Conclave; Senate; Urizeni cat-lovers'''
The odd dramaturgic confluence that began in the city of [[Spiral#Apulian|Apulian]] more than a year ago, seems to have a reached a crescendo. Against a backdrop of running battles in the Apulian streets between strangely-coloured cats with mispaired eyes and songbirds with rainbow feathers, a cadre of military units arrives in the city to help Sofonisba Amilcara "map the city below". Under a potent [[Night magic]] enchantment, beneath skies filled with [[Things go awry|chaotic stars]], and within shouting distance of the {{Black Plateau}}...

You can learn about how this went, and some implications for the future, in the '''[[This is the end]]''' wind of fortune.
===The Brightest Flame (Peerless Kinship)===
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Highborn.png|align=right|width=150}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Freeborn.png|align=right|width=170}}
* '''Highborn and Freeborn, especially members of the respective assembly; Senate'''
The [[Highguard|Highborn]] have once again expressed their [[Highguard_religious_beliefs#Peerless_Kinship|peerless kinship]], this time offering support to their cousins in [[the Brass Coast]]. They have identified the [[On_the_road_ahead#City_of_Passions|ascendant Firebrand movement]], whose embers have been stoked both by [[mandate]] and by the commissioning of the [[On_the_road_ahead#City_of_Wonders|City of Wonders]], as a matter of concern. As the Freeborn assembly calls for unity in the shared pursuit of virtue, morality and the ever-changing Way. the [[The_Brass_Coast_culture_and_customs#Hospitality|famously hospitable]] folk of [[the Brass Coast]] throw open their doors and welcome their guests to [[Segura#Anduz|Anduz]]. Together they explore the implications of the ''firebrand'' movement, what it might mean for the Brass Coast, and how it might theoretically be channelled in service of the Empire.

You can learn about the philosophies of the firebrand movement, and the outcome of the peerless kinship, in the '''[[The brightest flame]]''' wind of fortune.
===Shadows Fall Behind You===
* '''Ambition Assembly; General Assembly; Urizen and Wintermark; Ambassador to the Grendel'''
The ripples of the wave that broke on the shores of [[Redoubt]] continue to wash across the Empire. The [[Flames_and_the_dark#The_Dream_Master|opportunity to create]] an [[inspirational location]] at the [[Redoubt#Elos|Elos]] docks using the last banner of the [[Fist of the Mountains]] has resulted in a [[writ of consecration]]. The [[Synod]] have indicated that they do intend to [[consecration|consecrate]] the restored docks, and the benefits could be significant, leaving a lasting impact on the region. The unique and powerful aura would draw virtuous citizens to Elos to experience the effects, contemplate the sacrifice of the [[Fist of the Mountains]] and gaze upon the banner that is ''Umarth's legacy''.
<div style="float:right; width: 175px; clear: left;">[[file:Ephisis001.webp |align=right|width=175]]</div>
You can learn about the writ of consecration, and opportunities it would create, in the '''[[The shadows fall behind you]]''' wind of fortune.

===Propensity to Truck, Barter, and Exchange===
* '''Entrepreneurs and traders; practitioners of Ephisis' Scale; members of the Golden Pyramid conclave order'''
[[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|Heralds]] from the [[Ephisis|Sovereign Lady of the City of Gold and Lead]] have become regular attendants of the Hall of Worlds towards the end of each summit. They seek to make deals with Imperial citizens who have submitted their goods for potential sale via the [[Ephisis' Scale]] ritual. For the most part, trades have been largely successful and have brought Prosperity to both parties. Recently, though, the volatile nature of the markets has raised some concern among Imperial magicians. In response, the heralds related to the market have put together a comprehensive list of the kinds of things they are interested in buying - and selling. They're also trialling a new idea, in which merchants who are able to reach the Hall of Worlds can secure contracts to provide specific goods in bulk for known rewards, as well as discussing the matter of patronage for the [[Golden Pyramid]] order in general.

You can learn about the guidance from the City of Gold and Lead, and about new systems being trialled, in the '''[[Propensity to truck, barter, and exchange]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
===Any Dream Will Do===
* '''League Assembly'''
The [[League]] Assembly has declared its own [[The_highest_calling#The_Highest_Calling|highest calling]]; to bring in sapient beings of all kinds into the Empire and [[the Way]] of Virtue and into the League in particular. The five cities are cosmopolitan, and their people diverse, but there will be challenges ahead. The question of who to approach is one thing, and of ''who'' to send specifically is another thing altogether. However, even the largest forest can be felled one tree at a time. The question that stymies some is which tree to start with.

You can learn about the League Assembly's highest calling and what it means for the nation, in the '''[[Any dream will do]]''' wind of fortune.

===Everything is on Show===
* '''The League; especially citizens of Tassato; and especially Cesare Sanguineo Rezia Di Tassato'''
The third League army has been raising for fifteen long months, but now, with the help of [[Varushka_groups#Cabal_Lyktan|Cabal Lyktan]] and [[Mystic_scrolls_of_Estavus#Hammers_of_Fury|Hammers of Fury]], it has mustered in [[Tassato]]. '''Cesare Sanguineo Rezia Di Tassato''' has already informed the civil service of its name, but the essential [[Army qualities|quality]] of the [[army]] remains to be seen. At the same time, there is information on what the army has done for the Pride of Tassato, and what the [[Things_go_awry#The_Stars_are_Wrong|lingering remnants]] of the Hammers of Fury mean for the artisans of the city.

You can learn more about the new army, the potential qualities it might have, and the lingering effects of the enchantment in the '''[[Everything is on show]]''' wind of fortune.

==Diplomatic Winds==
Each season, the Civil Service prepares a summary of the Empire's relationship with the foreign nations, 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.

These winds of fortune deal with the Empire's diplomatic relationship with one or more foreign or barbarian nations. Usually, the wind is shaped by communications from the appropriate [[ambassador]] or the [[Imperial Consul]]. 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.

===War Games===
* '''Ambassadors to Jarm and the Commonwealth; Imperial Senate; Imperial Conclave; all sorts of fleet captains; most of the other Ambassadors'''
The [[Commonwealth]] and the [[Principalities of Jarm]] are at war not only with each other, but with the forces of [[Cold Sun]]. The tiny country of Lantir is no more and attempts to contain the incursion [[Weaving_tangled_nets#Against_the_Cold_Sun|have failed]]. Imperial soldiers and magicians remain engaged in the east fighting the ''scions'' of destruction. Yet even in this time of heightened conflict, the wheels of diplomacy continue to turn... and sometimes those same wheels snag your sleeve and before you know it your entire arm has been crushed to pulp.

You can find out about the three-way war in the east, and Imperial involvement therein, in the '''[[War games]]''' wind of fortune.
===Keys of Enlightenment===
* '''Ambassador to Sumaah; Lepidean Librarian, Minister of Historical Research, Senate; Voice of Liberty; Regario Dossier, Imperial Spymaster, Shuttered Lantern, Archmages of Night, Autumn, and Day'''
Allies and rivals to the Empire, the [[Sumaah Republic]] are founding members of the [[Liberty Pact]]. In recent years their ties to the Empire have been strengthened, and they have been closely involved in bringing ruin to those involved in the abhorrent practice of slavery. At the moment they are focused on their [[Guide_the_spirit#Virtuous_War|war]] with the [[Asavean Archipelago]], but they remain committed to spreading the Way through the entire world.

You can find out about the diplomatic situation with the Sumaah Republic, and a worrying development regarding ''cough'' spies ''cough'', in the '''[[Keys of Enlightenment]]''' wind of fortune.
===Seeds of Discord===
* '''Ambassadors to Axos, Faraden, and the Iron Confederacy; Imperial Consul; Senate; Synod, Military Council and Conclave; Minister of Historical Research; Seeker of the Perfect World; Marracossa Sendito; Senators of Feroz and Madruga; Broken Shore Bounty'''
There are great nations that are the Empire's peers, and then there are the smaller nations whose influence is no less pronounced thanks to their proximity. Indeed, the fact that these nations lie near the Empire's borders means that they often have ''more'' impact on Imperial politics than the more powerful nations that lie far away across the seas. The [[ambassador|ambassadors]] and the [[Imperial Consul]] have their work cut out keeping abreast of what is happening, as each of these countries has agendas no less complex than those of the nations that make up the Empire.

You can read about diplomatic events in [[Axos]], [[Faraden]], the [[Iron Confederacy]], and [[Tsark]], and the concerns of the Marracossan exiles of [[Madruga#Trajadoz|Trajadoz]], in the '''[[Seeds of discord]]''' wind of fortune.

==Other Events==
===Alongside the Earthquake Drummers===
* '''People interested in the Thule conquest of the Forest of Ulnak'''
Shortly after the Winter Solstice 387YE, several military units from across the Empire travelled to north-eastern [[Ossium]], to [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_interlude#Support_Earthquake_Drummers|support the Earthquake Drummers]]. The leaders of those military units received a report at the Spring Equinox 388YE, detailing how the campaign progressed over the season. Over the past few months, rumours and details from that season in the [[Forest of Ulnak]] have spread. Any Imperial citizen can be aware of the details of this report.

You can read the report first received at the last summit in '''[[Alongside the Earthquake Drummers]]'''.

===Dusk===
* '''For this event we are defining dusk as beginning at 20:30 and ending at 21:30'''
* '''No bow or crossbow use in Anvil after 21:25 or on quests that start on or after this time'''
Our [[Bow_safety#Bow_Safety|bow safety rules]] prohibit the use of bows and crossbows after "dusk". At this event we are defining that point as 21:25 each day. This means you cannot use a bow in Anvil after this time, or on a skirmish or quest that starts on or after this time.

The necromantic ritual [[Whispers through the Black Gate]] can only be performed for one hour around dusk - at this event that means the ritual can be performed at any time between 20:30 and 21:30.

==Mandates==
* '''You can find details of the mandates, along with the rest of the Synod judgements, [[388YE_Spring Equinox_Synod_judgements#Mandate|here]].'''
A number of [[mandate|mandates]] were successfully upheld in the Imperial Synod last season. As long as the named priest provided sufficient liao, those mandates have been [[Mandate#Implementing_a_Mandate|automatically enacted]].

==Spring Conjunctions==
* '''Last event there were a number of conjunctions of the Sentinel Gate; their known outcomes are listed here'''
During the Spring Equinox, there were a number of [[Sentinel_Gate#Conjunctions|conjunctions]] of the [[Sentinel Gate]] identified by the Imperial prognosticators. In each case, a band of Imperial heroes used that conjunction to travel to a location far from Anvil and intervene in an ongoing situation. These are the known outcomes of those conjunctions. In the case of battles, it is important to remember that the [[Military Council]] can only make use of ''two'' of the major conjunctions each summit, choosing which to take advantage of during the [[Muster]].

===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, Bloodwater Marsh, ''Mantifent's Bier'']]</td><td>Hold back the vallorn</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Other_monstrous_geographies#Bloodwater Marsh|Bloodwater Marsh]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was''' of [[Urizen]]; The five Mantifent Stones were warded; Leadership of the Bilious Breath were killed; Two of the Urizen seers were rescued</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Mareave|Mareave, Clisearn, ''Ohwinn Scour'']]</td><td>Freeze the Grendel advance</td><td>Grendel</td><td>[[Wide_azure_skies#Battle_Opportunity:_Wealth_of_Water|Wealth of Water]]</td><td>[[Field Marshal]] was '''Skywise Rykana''' of the [[Imperial Orcs]]; Iskanders Donjon was summoned; ''Scutt-Tadgh'' taken back to Anvil using [[Cuckoo's Egg]] and negotiated with; Two of the Tholdie Rotary were rescued, but others were killed; ''Fergus Konnaugh'' succesfully cursed with [[Like Water Through Your Fingers]]; Blades of Evdokia were killed.</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Sarangrave|Sarangrave, Nesustak Forest, ''Feverbank Trees'']]</td><td>Hold back the vallorn</td><td>Druj</td><td>[[Other_monstrous_geographies#Nesustak Forest|Nesustak Forest]]</td><td>Not taken; Vallornspawn of [[Sarangrave#Béantal_Dol|Béantal Dol]] attacked into Nesustak Forest; Envenomed Claws remain a threat in the area; Fate of the hares of [[Irra Harah]] unknown</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Mitwold|Mitwold, Meade March, ''Meade Meadow'']]</td><td>Recover Meade's treasures</td><td>Lasambrian Jotun</td><td>[[Where_the_slow_river_flows#Battle_Opportunity:_Plundered_Gold|Plundered Gold]]</td><td>Not taken; Warband of [[Fjorknae]] orcs have been hired; Foot-the-ball trophy lost</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Bregasland|Bregasland, Grey Fens, ''Drayham Mere'']]</td><td>Erect the Mere Stone</td><td>Jotun</td><td>[[Old_blue_banners_dancing#Battle_Opportunity:_A_Broken_Rock|A Broken Rock]]</td><td>Not taken; Ullsmere Rock stolen; Howling Night have improved their quality; Grey Fens has gained the [[Region_qualities#Haunted|haunted]] quality; Fate of ''Friar Bloughton'' unknown; Grey Walkers remain in the area.</td></tr>

</table>

===Minor Conjunctions===
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! # !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview !! Result
|-
| 1 || Reikos, High Chalcis, Emergency Hospital || [[Medical Officer of the Pegasus Respite]] || [[A_bright_cerulean_flame#Opportunity:_Reikos_Influx|Assist the refugees]] || Refugees treated and assisted
|-
| 2 || Hahnmark, Valasmark, The Fallen Tree || '''Morgan Drifting Bough''' || [[388YE Spring Equinox winds of war#Legends_(Hahnmark)|Recover the letter]] || Uncertain, but '''Morgan Drifting Bough''' should know more
|-
| 3 || Hahnmark, Kronemark, Grieversonn Farmstead || '''Eevi of the Gadrai''' || [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_fortune#Meeting_with_Destiny_(Hahnmark)|Meet with Valdr Grieversonn]] || [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_152|Valdr Grieversson was dedicated to Loyalty]]
|-
| 4 || Karov, Wieliczka, Maria's Descent || [[Temeschwar|Senator for Temeschwar]] || Retrieve the Rat Idol from the cultists of the Night Below || Idol successfully recovered
|-
| 5 || Reinos, Bastasor, Beatriz's Field || [[Champion of Ambition]] || [[Gossamer_threads#On_a_Broken_Road_(Segura)|Claim the Lasambrian banner]] || Lasambrian banner recovered
|-
| 6 || Ossium, Drownbark Forest, Sarakov Point || [[Merchant-Boyar of the Stinking Market]] || [[Lean_and_athirst#Lost_Wagon_Raiders_(Ossium)|Investigate wagon raiders acting strangely]] || Several strange items were recovered and the wagon raiders were rid of their spiritual ailments
|-
| 7 || Madruga, Crucible, Egnar Range || [[Rod and Shield|Grandmaster of the Rod and Shield]] || [[Deep_blue_sea#Warp_in_the_Air_(Madruga)|Slay the dire astacids]] || Imperial casualties suffered. Camp of the Sand Crab left in ruins
|-
| 8 || Sarangrave, Turan Flats, Dahis Outskirts || [[Strategos|Strategos of Dawn]] || [[Other_monstrous_geographies#When_The_Light_Fades_Away_(Turan_Flats)|Rescue the sept members from the blinded ghosts]] || Sept members rescued
|-
| 9 || Spiral, Apulus, Broken Lea || [[Oblivion Sentinel]] || [[Deep_blue_sea#Nightfall_(Spiral)|Claim the wage of the Vorlach Adventurers]] || Imperials repulsed. Vorlach Adventurers escaped Spiral.
|-
| 10 || Forest of Ulnak, Grimfen Mire, The Bound Glade || [[High Exorcist]] || [[Voice_irresistable#The_Outer_Dark_(Conjunction)|Recover the Thule's material and clear the ghosts]] || All ghosts exorcised
|-
| 11 || Feroz, Oranseri, Sisters' Meadow || [[Corsair of Oran]] || [[Deep_blue_sea#A_Box_Opens_(Feroz)|Reclaim the Brazen Links]] || Brazen Links reclaimed and returned to the Freeborn egregore
|-
| 12 || Sarangrave, Thornfen, Stonesedge || [[Boyar's_Hasta|General of the Boyar's Hasta]] || [[Other_monstrous_geographies#Part_The_Ways_(Thornfen)|Eliminate the blinded ghosts]] || The blinded ghosts were not eliminated and remain a threat in the area
|-
| 13 || Karsk, Branoc, Hall of the Bloodwise || Named persons || [[Journeys_end_in_lovers_meeting#She_Knows_My_Name|Meet with Taysa of the Black Feathers]] || Uncertain, but named persons should know more
|-
| 14 || Casinea, Syrene, Kaela's Regio || [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Prosperity]] || [[Journeys_end_in_lovers_meeting#Whatever_happened_to_Mendicant_Garev_(this_time)?|Rescue ''Mendicant Garev'']] || Mendicant Garev rescued. '''Iniska Ashwood''' later raised a [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_172|judgement]] on the matter
|-
| 15 || Mitwold, Meade March, Maggie's Bulwark || [[Bailiff of Meade]] || [[Where_the_slow_river_flows#When_Iron_Melts_%28Conjunction%29|Claim the cache]] || Yegarra defeated. Cache later recovered and sent to the Bailiff of Meade
|-
| 16 || Hercynia, Deer's Folly, Greenmount || [[Vallornguard|Speaker of the Vallornguard]] || [[388YE Spring Equinox winds of war#A_Place_to_Begin_(Hercynia)|Destroy the ettercaps' structure]] || All ettercaps killed and structure destroyed
|-
| 17 || Sermersuaq, Suaq Wastes, Desolate Stretch || [[Banner-bearer of Atkonaroq]] || [[388YE Spring Equinox winds of war#Ways of Honour (Sermersuaq)|Kill ''Hallr Winterborn'']] || ''Hallr Winterborn'' killed and banner recovered
|-
| 18 || Reikos, Chalcis Mount, South Downs || [[Champion of Loyalty]] || [[388YE Spring Equinox winds of war#Questions_of_Control_(Reikos)|Rescue the wounded Highborn]] || All ettercaps killed. Highborn rescued and treated in Anvil
|-
| 19 || Bregasland, The Rushes, Harry's Hole || [[Narwhal's Spear|General of the Narwhal's Spear]] || [[Old_blue_banners_dancing#Crack_in_the_Stone_(Conjunction)|Kill the yegarra]] || Yegarra killed; Narwhal's Spear resupplied
|-
| 20 || Astolat, Withy, Igraine's Regio || [[Astolat|Senator for Astolat]] || [[Ripple_of_echoes#Queen_Igraine's_Regio|Fix the regio]] || Regio fixed. '''Éamon Ashenmourn de Cordraco''' should know more
|-
| 21 || Brocéliande, Elerael, Longberth Trod || [[Knight of the Greenwood]] || [[388YE Spring Equinox winds of war#On_a_Broken_Road_(Brocéliande)|Eliminate the hunting ettercaps]] || All ettercaps killed
|-
| 22 || Sarangrave, Turan Flats, Kullflirn || [[Keeper of the Tower of the Fall]] || [[The_poisoned_air#Desecrators_of_the_Wasteland|Destroy the miasma pillar and stymie Kull]] || Druj all killed and miasma pillar destroyed
|-
| 23 || Ossium, Drownbark Forest, Nadezhda's Enclosure || [[Custodian of the Shchaslyvyy Spile]] || [[388YE Spring Equinox winds of war#Questions of Control (Ossium)|Kill the Kallad]] || Kallad all killed
|-
| 24 || Sarangrave, Thornfen, Overgrown Pillar || [[Gardener of Pallas]] || [[The_poisoned_air#Strangle|Destroy the miasma pillar]] || Miasma pillar destroyed
|-
| 25 || Volodmartz, Murupa, Forest of Blades || [[The Academy]] || Find and destroy the "bandit" vale || "Bandit" vale destroyed
|-
| 26 || Sarangrave, Kroll, Kreeflirn || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Spring]] || [[The_poisoned_air#Assassins_of_the_Forest|Destroy the two miasma pillars]] || Both miasma pillars destroyed. Some Imperial casualties
|-
| 27 || Volodmartz, Livardz, Sunless Vale || [[Grieftender of the Forgotten]] || [[Sunrise_over_Livardz#The_Shadow_Ghosts|End the suffering of the Shadow Fellowship]] || Suffering of Shadow Fellowship ended
|-
| 28 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Toxic Pillar || [[Apothecaries Guild|Guild Leader of the Apothecaries Guild]] || [[The_poisoned_air#Suffocate|Destroy the miasma pillar]] || Miasma pillar destroyed
|-
| 29 || Karsk, Crowslook, Skylost Clearing || [[Apothecaries Guild|Guild Leader of the Apothecaries Guild]] || [[Lean_and_athirst#Embers_and_Ash_(Karsk)|Treat the Gregadze]] || Situation unclear, but the Speaker of Apothecaries Guild should know more
|-
| 30 || Sarangrave, Thornfen, Haunted Pillar || [[High Exorcist]] || [[The_poisoned_air#Scream|Destroy the miasma pillar]] || Miasma pillar destroyed
|-
| 31 || Kallavesa, West Marsh, Gull's Isle Hall || '''Ingrid Talon-of-the-Mark''' || [[Who_counts_the_path_untaken%3F#To_the_Meeting_Place_(Conjunction)|Engage in the hetjuveisla]] || Hetjuveisla engaged in. Those who went should know more
|-
| 32 || Feroz, Afarjasse, Abril's Pasture || [[Dhomiro of Afar]] || [[Gossamer_threads#Nature_of_Pain_(Feroz)|Stop the Hand of Dumon]] || Hand of Dumon killed, herd of Afar is safe
|-
| 33 || Arbonne, Laufette, Solden Farm || [[Minister of Historical Research]] || [[Gossamer_threads#The_Perils_of_Marko_Siwarsbairn_(Arbonne)|Sort the situation out]] || Hand of Dumon killed. Marko Siwarsbairn rescued.
|-
| 34 || Sarvos, Uccelini, Bertolli's Glebe || [[Ambassador to the Iron Confederacy]] || [[Gossamer_threads#Tears_From_Steel_(Sarvos)|Stop the Hand of Dumon]] || Hand of Dumon killed
|-
| 35 || Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Dandelion Glade || [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Responsibility_for_Nesustak_Conjunction|'''Sławomir Rabovich Bolotstrazh''']] || [[Your_hand_in_mine#The_Solution_to_the_Problem|Meet with the rebels]] || Uncertain, but the named citizens should know more
|-
|}

Propensity to truck, barter, and exchange

2026-07-18T20:11:59Z

Thespaceinvader: /* The Great Instrument of Ambition */

[[Category:388YE Summer]][[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:Winds of Magic]]
<ic>"Are you ''sure'' about this, Crown?" Patina asked, their voice laden with concern.

"Of course I'm sure" responded her ever-exuberant boss. "It's a brilliant idea! Provided we get the contracts right. Provided we get the auction right. And provided we get the handover right. Literally nothing can go wrong! All the risk is with the counter-party. The actuaries are delighted with the model!"

"Yeah, it's not that..." Patina tried to interject, but putting words in front of Crown was like trying to put a leaf before a gale.

"And we've already chosen eight contracts already. Now we just need to let the Empire know, and then we can sit back and let the Invisible Hand go to work. It's going to be amazing!"

"Yeah, about those contracts..."

"I know I was surprised too how quickly we secured agreement from the other desks too - but if this works this time there's no reason we can't do it again in the future. We're going to be famous Patina. We'll be the heralds that took the work out of work ethic!"

"But I ''like'' hard work..." said Patina quietly, her voice trailing off

"And this way, you'll have even more time to work your fingers to the bone. But look, if the Imperials get mad about it, we'll just say it was all Able the Rounder's idea!"

This last was too much for Patina and she raised her voice, determined to be heard at last. "Able the Rounder is one of our most valuable customers Crown. You should ''not'' be traducing his reputation by involving him in this scheme of yours..."

"What? It's good for us. It's good for Able. It's good for... where's he from again?"

Patina rolled her eyes... "Sarangrave. He's one of the foremost ''architects'' of Sarangrave. It's a critically important territory in the Empire, with ''major investment needs''." Patina stressed the last in the hope of pointing out the obvious. Crown was great at front of house, but his knowledge of his customer portfolio was excruciating. A mortal she'd met once had had a dog they called a golden retriever, even though it very definitely was not made out of gold. More and more her boss was reminding her of that dog. Including not being made out of gold.

"Right! So he's gonna be delighted by these new arrangements! It's bound to go well."

Patina couldn't take the overbearing optimism a moment longer. She stabbed a blunt metal finger down onto the table spearing one of the pieces of paperwork. "This? He's going to be delighted with this is he?"

To be fair to Crown, he at least had the good grace to look crestfallen. For a moment.

"Caveat Emptor?" he asked plaintively.
</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Ephisis001.webp|align=left|width=300|caption=The lifeblood of the City of Gold and Lead and its ihabitants is ''trade'', and not ''profit'' as many seem to believe.}}</div>
==Overview==
The [[Ephisis|Sovereign Lady of the City of Gold and Lead]] has become a ubiquitous sight in the Hall of Worlds in recent times, with various heralds from the city attempting to make deals with Imperial citizens who have submitted their goods for potential sale via [[Ephisis' Scale]]. For the most part, trades have been largely successful and have brought Prosperity to both parties.

At least they did until the Spring Equinox. The prices offered by the City can change rapidly, such is the nature of the market place. But a change of personnel on the trading desk compounded issues caused by the fast moving prices to howls of anguish from their Imperial counterparts. ''Crown'', one of the more excitable heralds commonly manning the Imperial trading desks, is never happy about an unhappy customer. Determined to avoid future lost sales, he contacted one of his counterparts in the Empire, '''Able the Rounder''', to discuss what the brilliant Urizeni [[architect]] felt had gone wrong. Fortunately for Crown, the wealthy and experienced merchant had plenty to say on the subject.

What passed between the two is likely to remain confidential, but it seems that it was sufficient to cause a change in the City's plans for the forthcoming summit. Regular traders and novices alike, would do well to take notice.

==The Great Instrument of Ambition==
* '''Ephisis is making eight contracts available to the Empire'''
* '''These contracts will be auctioned off to the highest bidder in the Hall of Worlds at 10:30 on Saturday morning'''
* '''Each contract must be fulfilled in full and before the end of the summit, to receive payment'''
* '''Contracts must be redeemed by delivery to the Hall of Worlds during the balancing of scales'''
* '''Standard settlement terms with the contract holder will be three days after the conclusion of the summit'''

<div {{float}}>
<table>
<tr><th colspan="2" style="text-align:center;">Contracts Available</th></tr>
<tr><th>Goods Required</th><th>Payment Offered</th></tr>
<tr><td>800 Dragonbone</td><td>100 thrones</td></tr>
<tr><td>40 Illium</td><td>20 mithril, 20 white granite, 20 weirwood </td></tr>
<tr><td>400 measures total of Green Iron, Orichalcum, Weltsilver and Tempest Jade in any ratio</td><td>100 mana crystals and 100 warm ashes</td></tr>
<tr><td>500 thrones</td><td>200 mithril</td></tr>
<tr><td>150 weirwood</td><td>500 thrones</td></tr>
<tr><td>400 ambergelt</td><td>20 white granite</td></tr>
<tr><td>500 measures total of Beggar's Lye or Iridescent Gloaming in any ratio</td><td>[[Pilgrim%27s_Shield|Glistering]]</td></tr>
</table>
</div>

One of the areas that causes the most significant problems for small and large traders is the tendency for bulk sales to flood the Autumn markets. The Invisible Hand will ultimately buy almost anything, but the Empire is one of it's biggest customers and merchants who attempt to dispose of huge sums of materials can temporarily distress prices. This causes problems for large volume traders, who find the offers made for boxes fall short of what they hoped to achieve because they have unwittingly depressed the market value of whatever good they are attempting to sell hundreds of to the Empire. But it also impacts merchants offering small volume traders who discover their handful of dragonbone or whatever precious material has flooded the market is now worth considerably less than they were expecting.

Based on an idea that Crown credits to Able the Taller, the solution the City is going to implement is to offer eight significant contracts. These contracts are the largest requests for purchase or sales that the City has received in other markets. Most come from the Empire's near neighbours, since that keeps shipping costs down, but the City is open about the fact that they trade all over the world, from the tiny bazaar of Pushkin City in far off Mitovoria to the great temple-market of [[Asavean_gods#Lord_Isso_Mãos_de_Ouro|Mãos de Ouro]] in the capital of [[Asavea]].

Normally the City attempts to settle trades with the resources they have acquired from the Empire and elsewhere. It's when the Empire offers large volumes of goods they can't quickly move on because they don't have a known buyer for them, that the prices they offer drops. To avoid the problems experienced at the previous summit, the City is therefore publishing the details of the eight largest contracts that have come in.

The contracts will be offered for auction in the Hall of Worlds at 10:30 on Saturday morning. All bids in [[Game_items#Coins|Imperial currency]], each contract will go to the highest bidder, who will need to settle the purchase there and then. The right to fulfil that contract is then their legal property (and they may do with it as they will). Anyone bearing the contract (assuming they have acquired it legally) may complete it by bringing the desired goods to the balancing of the scales in the Hall of Wolds the following day. There is no need for any additional expense of sending a box to the Autumn realm first, since the settlement value is already agreed. The City will receive the goods, mark the contract complete, and arrange for delivery of payment three days later.

Crown warns that contracts can only be fulfilled at the summit they are purchased at. Any contract that is not fulfilled at the summit is null and void with no refunds. Merchants should be careful to bid accordingly. Contracts must be completed in full, part payment will not be accepted.

In plain terms, turn up in the Hall of Worlds on Saturday morning, outbid any other buyer for one or more contracts, then return the next day with ''all'' the required goods to get paid.

==The Merchant of Rhodes==
* '''The City has published more general guidance on commodities they are likely to offer good prices'''
* '''The prices offered by the City are influenced by local market prices in the Empire but not set by them'''
* '''Prices offered for large volumes of goods will be lower, outside of an advertised contract'''
* '''The City is always happy to be paid in Imperial coin'''

When all is said and done and every grain of salt has been counted, the City of Gold and Lead will always offer a price for something, provided they can find a buyer for it. But some commodities and resources are in high demand in the City and should fetch a good price, while others are not. Some things are nearly worthless - even if the City offers a price for them, it will be a matter of a few rings.

Crown explains that the prices offered by the City are influenced by local market prices, but they are not set by them. The City of Gold and Lead takes the goods sold to them in Ephisus boxes and sells them on elsewhere, either to other cities in the Iron Labyrinth or to other locations in the mortal world. Ultimately the price they are prepared to offer is set by what the heralds believe they can get for the resources they acquire and ''not'' by prices in Imperial markets. Offers ''may'' be influenced by the value of goods at Anvil - the heralds may lower their offer if they believe they can offer less and still make a deal.

Some merchants are surprised to discover they are being offered a price for their goods ''below'' what they could get in Anvil, but that is to be expected. If Imperial traders are offering goods from all over the Empire, then it's perfectly normal that the heralds won't always be able to match local prices for everything.

Perfectly normal perhaps, but definitely not desirable! Crown appears genuinely pained anytime a merchant leaves his trading desk without a sale of some kind. He believes that [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_asymmetry ignorance of market conditions] is costing his beloved City business and so he has persuaded his fellow heralds to try publicising more information about what the city does or doesn't want to buy.

The City has published guidance for the various resources and commodities they are commonly offered. The sale price column indicates the price a merchant might hope to get when selling the goods from Ephisis. The purchase price column indicates the level of prices the City might offer to sell goods to Imperial merchants at. There is never a guarantee of profit - these ratings are comparative to each other, not comparative to Anvil prices.

The contracts on offer indicate the resources that Ephisis is trying to secure in order to fulfil significant deals with others merchants. They ensure that the city can afford to purchase large volumes of resources without risking a major loss. They allow Imperial merchants to aim to fulfil the contract knowing with some certainty what their profit margins will be. Prices offered for large volumes of goods will be lower, outside of an advertised contract. The City will still make a bid, but it will be a lower offer the more resources are piled into a box.

Finally it should go without saying that the City of Gold and Lead is always happy to trade in [[Game_items#Coins|Imperial coin]]. Thrones, crowns and rings are all ''very'' welcome in any exchange of wealth.

<div {{float}}>
<table>
<tr><th>Commodity</th><th>Sale Price</th><th>Purchase Price</th></tr>
<tr><td>Ingots and Measures</td><td>High</td><td>Very High</td></tr>
<tr><td>Wains</td><td>Average</td><td>Low</td></tr>
<tr><td>Food and Drink</td><td>Very Low</td><td>Not Available</td></tr>
<tr><td>Common Trade Goods</td><td>Very Low</td><td>Low</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unique Trade Goods</td><td>Very High</td><td>Average</td></tr>
<tr><td>Artifacts</td><td>High</td><td>Not Available</td></tr>
<tr><td>Storied Artifacts</td><td>Variable</td><td>Not Available</td></tr>
<tr><td>Storied items</td><td>Variable</td><td>Not Available</td></tr>
<tr><td>Newly made Magic Items</td><td>Low</td><td>Average</td></tr>
<tr><td>Exhausted Magic Items</td><td>Zero</td><td>Not Available</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mana Crystals</td><td>Average</td><td>Average</td></tr>
<tr><td>Autumn Vis</td><td>Very Low</td><td>Low</td></tr>
<tr><td>Other Vis</td><td>Very Low</td><td>Very High</td></tr>
<tr><td>Herbs</td><td>Average</td><td>Very High</td></tr>
<tr><td>Common Potions</td><td>Very Low</td><td>High</td></tr>
<tr><td>Drugs and Narcotics</td><td>Low</td><td>Low</td></tr>
</table>
</div>

===Ingots and Measures===
* '''Ingots and measures fetch good prices in the City of Gold and Lead'''

Ingots and measures, including ingots of [[ilium]] are ''always'' valuable in the Autumn realm, because the heralds can sell them to agents of the [[Estavus|Sovereign Lord of the City of Fire and Stone]]. For that reason, it is rare for the City to offer such materials and merchants looking to acquire them from the City should expect to pay handsomely for them.

===Wains===
* '''Wains are on offer for sale or purchase whenever the City believes it can make a profit'''
Wains of Materials, while valuable within the Empire, are harder for the autumn realm to trade to other lands, as the bourse certificates represent large amounts of materials sitting in Imperial warehouses. While the City regards bourse certificates as a wonder of the world, they only function perfectly within the Empire. The further you travel from the Empire's borders, the more value they lose. The city's heralds will buy or sell wains, but only when they believe the price favours them - which usually means they will only buy at a price below the highest sale price in Anvil. Sales are a little easier, since heralds are always looking to dispose of bourse certificates they have acquired in the Empire where they can, so citizens looking to buy wains are encouraged to try their hand.

===Food, Drink and Services===
* '''These goods hold no value to the City'''
Food and drink spoil quickly in the Autumn realm - they cannot be placed in vaults and held until a customer is found. For this reason, they are worthless to the Autumn realm. Likewise offers of services are not currently of value, the City trades in ''goods'' - while they appreciate that an offer of services in the future has value, it is not a market they trade in. In all cases the City requests that Imperial merchants do not put these things into an Ephisis box.

===Common Trade Goods===
* '''Goods readily available for purchase in foreign ports are in low demand in the City'''
Imperial [[fleet|fleets]] often acquire unusual goods in foreign ports, such as [[Foreign_ports#Production_Table|Oilybrag]], which can be bought in Zemeh. The City of Gold and Lead has opportunities to trade in all the major cities of the world, so they can already purchase these common trade goods at the same price Imperial merchants paid for them. As a result heralds rarely offer good prices for these goods - Imperial merchants should be better off disposing of them at Anvil rather than trying to sell them to the Autumn realm. It is only worth sending them to the City of Gold and Lead if you need to dispose of them at any price.

===Unique Trade Goods===
* '''Unique goods produced in the Empire command a high price the first time they are sold'''
* '''Unusual or unique goods from difficult to access ports will fetch a good price the first time they are sold'''

While common trade goods are rarely value, unique trade goods are a different matter. If a trader has goods produced in a foreign port which is difficult to access, or which are unique to the Empire, then they will command a good price. The only problem is that the more of such resources the Empire sells, the less valuable the thing becomes. The first one is unique, the second one is not - so prices rapidly fall off.

===Herbs, Potions and Consumables===
* '''The Autumn realm will buy herbs, but rarely if ever offers them for sale'''
* '''Most potions command a poor price when offered for sale to the City'''
* '''Unusual consumables including drugs and narcotics sell well and offer a chance for a good profit if they are put in a box by themselves'''

Herbs are always in demand in the Autumn realm, since they can make use of them, but they don't grow well in the realm if at all. For this reason they command a good price when offered for sale to the city, though it is expensive to buy them from the City. Surprisingly most other potions are not worth offering to the City. It is time consuming to identify them and most heralds have little interest in trading them on, so they offer only very low prices for them.

Unusual consumables, including drugs and narcotics do sell in the Autumn realm but there are few buyers and that does depress the sale price. The Silent Market, a trading operation in the City can offer a price for them, and will also offer them for sale in the right conditions. Drugs that are illegal in the Empire are usually the most profitable for merchants trading with the City.

The ''Silent Market'', is a trading desk that ''only'' deals in unusual items, drugs, narcotics, and storied items. They handle all this trade that comes from the Empire. As a result, these things are always best put in an Ephisis box by themselves so that the Silent Market can assess them and make an offer. Including 20 ambergelt alongside a thirty doses of Bite is a recipe for disappointment, because the Silent Market will buy the Bite but they don't want the ambergelt. Their rivals in the City want the ambergelt but not the Bite. Thus the best way for Imperial citizens to get the best possible price is to put drugs, narcotics and storied items in a separate box.

===Magical Items===
* '''Permanent magical items with a storied history can fetch an excellent price when sold to the City'''
* '''Storied items with history but no actual magic power rarely do so'''
* '''Magic items with a year's duration to run have a known value, but
* '''Magic items that are close to expiring are worthless to the City'''
* '''Storied items need to be put in a box by themselves to get the best price'''

Permanent magical items are valuable throughout the world and the City will always try to offer a good price for them based on the amount of materials needed to create one. When such items have a storied history - that ''can'' increase the price significantly, assuming the City knows of a buyer who is in the market for such a curio. Items with history but no notable magical properties are obviously less valuable - but could be worth something to the right buyer. In either case, the price offered by the heralds is highly variable, merchants are welcome to offer them for sale but should be prepared for the possibility of a low offer. Regular magic items with a year's duration to run are worth less than what their ingredients are worth as they have already lost a seasons worth of use - the Autumn realm are unlikely to offer more than this, because they can buy most magic items from [[Estavus|the Forgemistress]]. Items that are close to expiring are as worthless to the City as they are to the mortals trying to dispose of them.

===Mana and Vis===
* '''Mana is always in demand all across the world, so crystals fetch reasonable prices in the City'''
* '''Autumn vis is produced in large amounts in the Autumn realm and can be had at a good price from the City's heralds'''
* '''Vis from other realms often spoils if kept too long in the Autumn realm, so the City rarely offer good prices for large quantities'''

Mana is the currency of magic, there are even some desperately primitive societies in the world that actually use it in place of money! Most of the city's heralds are currently offering to buy mana crystals for around 24 rings a crystal and to sell it at 26 rings each. [[Vis]] can spoil if kept in the Autumn realm too long, so the City has little interest in trading it, unless there is a large outstanding contract to be fulfilled, otherwise heralds will be loathe to buy or sell it. Autumn vis is the one exception - huge amounts are produced in the Autumn realm and can usually be bought for a good price from the City's heralds, but of course, they offer low prices to buy it back.
==A Possible Patron==
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">'''Plenipotentiary'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Eternal:''' Ephisis</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Subject:''' Patronage of the Golden Pyramid or their grand lodge</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Necessary Details:''' What form any aid might take</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the end of the Spring Equinox 389YE </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Limitations:''' Cannot be included with other substantial requests</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''Heralds of the city of Gold and Lead were recently asked about the possibility of becoming a patron of the Golden Pyramid'''
* '''They confirm that such a thing is possible, but it would require a plenipotentiary to make the appropriate arrangements'''
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged.jpg|caption='''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged'''<br>Grandmaster of the Golden Pyramid|align=right|width=250}}</div>
At a recent meeting in Anvil, Crown, one of the heralds of the City, was asked about the possibility of the City of Gold and Lead becoming a patron of the [[Golden Pyramid]], or of the Order's grand lodge. Such an arrangement would be highly unusual - a Conclave order accepting an offer by an eternal to become their patron raises questions about that order's loyalties and their impartiality on matters like [[alignment]]. Still the risks seem relatively low here, the manifesto of the order seems closely aligned with the goals of the eternal and Ephisis has never been under ''enmity'' as far as the records show.

After lengthy discussion between the various markets and independent traders of the City, it appears there is a consensus that most are open to the idea, if there is genuine enthusiasm for it from the Order. However, while eternals of other realms might be content to agree to become a patron without a second thought, the City of Gold and Lead will not contemplate the idea a thorough discussion of what support they could offer the Order, what support the Order might want and importantly, how the Order might further the City's agenda. Ultimately any agreement would need a contract of some kind.

If the Order are serious about engaging the services of the ''Sovereign Lady of the City of Gold and Lead'' as patron of their order - or patron of their lodge, then they would need to arrange for the [[Archmage of Autumn]] to secure a plenipotentiary specifically for that purpose. It could include a single item of other business that was already ongoing, but the City will not seriously engage with a plenipotentiary that incorporates a list of different causes of interest to different groups. But if the Autumn Archmage is prepared to assist the Order and the [[grandmaster]] and his supporters have the backing of the Golden Pyramid to negotiate an agreement for patronage then the City are open to exploring the possibilities.
{{CaptionedImage|file=OrderGoldenPyramid.jpg|align=right|width=241|height=240}}
As with any plenipotentiary, it would be most useful if the Archmage is clear what form any aid they would request might take, then the heralds can assess how possible that would be, before the meeting. The more knowledge the City has about ''how'' they could help the Order, the better.
==Further Reading==
* [[Ephisis]]
* [[Ephisis' Scale]]

Propensity to truck, barter, and exchange

2026-07-18T20:08:54Z

Thespaceinvader: /* The Great Instrument of Ambition */

[[Category:388YE Summer]][[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:Winds of Magic]]
<ic>"Are you ''sure'' about this, Crown?" Patina asked, their voice laden with concern.

"Of course I'm sure" responded her ever-exuberant boss. "It's a brilliant idea! Provided we get the contracts right. Provided we get the auction right. And provided we get the handover right. Literally nothing can go wrong! All the risk is with the counter-party. The actuaries are delighted with the model!"

"Yeah, it's not that..." Patina tried to interject, but putting words in front of Crown was like trying to put a leaf before a gale.

"And we've already chosen eight contracts already. Now we just need to let the Empire know, and then we can sit back and let the Invisible Hand go to work. It's going to be amazing!"

"Yeah, about those contracts..."

"I know I was surprised too how quickly we secured agreement from the other desks too - but if this works this time there's no reason we can't do it again in the future. We're going to be famous Patina. We'll be the heralds that took the work out of work ethic!"

"But I ''like'' hard work..." said Patina quietly, her voice trailing off

"And this way, you'll have even more time to work your fingers to the bone. But look, if the Imperials get mad about it, we'll just say it was all Able the Rounder's idea!"

This last was too much for Patina and she raised her voice, determined to be heard at last. "Able the Rounder is one of our most valuable customers Crown. You should ''not'' be traducing his reputation by involving him in this scheme of yours..."

"What? It's good for us. It's good for Able. It's good for... where's he from again?"

Patina rolled her eyes... "Sarangrave. He's one of the foremost ''architects'' of Sarangrave. It's a critically important territory in the Empire, with ''major investment needs''." Patina stressed the last in the hope of pointing out the obvious. Crown was great at front of house, but his knowledge of his customer portfolio was excruciating. A mortal she'd met once had had a dog they called a golden retriever, even though it very definitely was not made out of gold. More and more her boss was reminding her of that dog. Including not being made out of gold.

"Right! So he's gonna be delighted by these new arrangements! It's bound to go well."

Patina couldn't take the overbearing optimism a moment longer. She stabbed a blunt metal finger down onto the table spearing one of the pieces of paperwork. "This? He's going to be delighted with this is he?"

To be fair to Crown, he at least had the good grace to look crestfallen. For a moment.

"Caveat Emptor?" he asked plaintively.
</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Ephisis001.webp|align=left|width=300|caption=The lifeblood of the City of Gold and Lead and its ihabitants is ''trade'', and not ''profit'' as many seem to believe.}}</div>
==Overview==
The [[Ephisis|Sovereign Lady of the City of Gold and Lead]] has become a ubiquitous sight in the Hall of Worlds in recent times, with various heralds from the city attempting to make deals with Imperial citizens who have submitted their goods for potential sale via [[Ephisis' Scale]]. For the most part, trades have been largely successful and have brought Prosperity to both parties.

At least they did until the Spring Equinox. The prices offered by the City can change rapidly, such is the nature of the market place. But a change of personnel on the trading desk compounded issues caused by the fast moving prices to howls of anguish from their Imperial counterparts. ''Crown'', one of the more excitable heralds commonly manning the Imperial trading desks, is never happy about an unhappy customer. Determined to avoid future lost sales, he contacted one of his counterparts in the Empire, '''Able the Rounder''', to discuss what the brilliant Urizeni [[architect]] felt had gone wrong. Fortunately for Crown, the wealthy and experienced merchant had plenty to say on the subject.

What passed between the two is likely to remain confidential, but it seems that it was sufficient to cause a change in the City's plans for the forthcoming summit. Regular traders and novices alike, would do well to take notice.

==The Great Instrument of Ambition==
* '''Ephisis is making eight contracts available to the Empire'''
* '''These contracts will be auctioned off to the highest bidder in the Hall of Worlds at 10:30 on Saturday morning'''
* '''Each contract must be fulfilled in full and before the end of the summit, to receive payment'''
* '''Contracts must be redeemed by delivery to the Hall of Worlds during the balancing of scales'''
* '''Standard settlement terms with the contract holder will be three days after the conclusion of the summit'''

<div {{float}}>
<table>
<tr><th colspan="2" style="text-align:center;">Contracts Available</th></tr>
<tr><th>Goods Required</th><th>Payment Offered</th></tr>
<tr><td>800 Dragonbone</td><td>100 thrones</td></tr>
<tr><td>40 Illium</td><td>20 mithril, 20 white granite, 20 weirwood </td></tr>
<tr><td>400 measures total of Green Iron, Oricalcum, Weltsilver and Tempest Jade in any ratio</td><td>100 mana crystals and 100 warm ashes</td></tr>
<tr><td>500 thrones</td><td>200 mithril</td></tr>
<tr><td>150 weirwood</td><td>500 thrones</td></tr>
<tr><td>400 ambergelt</td><td>20 white granite</td></tr>
<tr><td>500 measures total of Beggar's Lye or Iridescent Gloaming in any ratio</td><td>[[Pilgrim%27s_Shield|Glistering]]</td></tr>
</table>
</div>

One of the areas that causes the most significant problems for small and large traders is the tendency for bulk sales to flood the Autumn markets. The Invisible Hand will ultimately buy almost anything, but the Empire is one of it's biggest customers and merchants who attempt to dispose of huge sums of materials can temporarily distress prices. This causes problems for large volume traders, who find the offers made for boxes fall short of what they hoped to achieve because they have unwittingly depressed the market value of whatever good they are attempting to sell hundreds of to the Empire. But it also impacts merchants offering small volume traders who discover their handful of dragonbone or whatever precious material has flooded the market is now worth considerably less than they were expecting.

Based on an idea that Crown credits to Able the Taller, the solution the City is going to implement is to offer eight significant contracts. These contracts are the largest requests for purchase or sales that the City has received in other markets. Most come from the Empire's near neighbours, since that keeps shipping costs down, but the City is open about the fact that they trade all over the world, from the tiny bazaar of Pushkin City in far off Mitovoria to the great temple-market of [[Asavean_gods#Lord_Isso_Mãos_de_Ouro|Mãos de Ouro]] in the capital of [[Asavea]].

Normally the City attempts to settle trades with the resources they have acquired from the Empire and elsewhere. It's when the Empire offers large volumes of goods they can't quickly move on because they don't have a known buyer for them, that the prices they offer drops. To avoid the problems experienced at the previous summit, the City is therefore publishing the details of the eight largest contracts that have come in.

The contracts will be offered for auction in the Hall of Worlds at 10:30 on Saturday morning. All bids in [[Game_items#Coins|Imperial currency]], each contract will go to the highest bidder, who will need to settle the purchase there and then. The right to fulfil that contract is then their legal property (and they may do with it as they will). Anyone bearing the contract (assuming they have acquired it legally) may complete it by bringing the desired goods to the balancing of the scales in the Hall of Wolds the following day. There is no need for any additional expense of sending a box to the Autumn realm first, since the settlement value is already agreed. The City will receive the goods, mark the contract complete, and arrange for delivery of payment three days later.

Crown warns that contracts can only be fulfilled at the summit they are purchased at. Any contract that is not fulfilled at the summit is null and void with no refunds. Merchants should be careful to bid accordingly. Contracts must be completed in full, part payment will not be accepted.

In plain terms, turn up in the Hall of Worlds on Saturday morning, outbid any other buyer for one or more contracts, then return the next day with ''all'' the required goods to get paid.

==The Merchant of Rhodes==
* '''The City has published more general guidance on commodities they are likely to offer good prices'''
* '''The prices offered by the City are influenced by local market prices in the Empire but not set by them'''
* '''Prices offered for large volumes of goods will be lower, outside of an advertised contract'''
* '''The City is always happy to be paid in Imperial coin'''

When all is said and done and every grain of salt has been counted, the City of Gold and Lead will always offer a price for something, provided they can find a buyer for it. But some commodities and resources are in high demand in the City and should fetch a good price, while others are not. Some things are nearly worthless - even if the City offers a price for them, it will be a matter of a few rings.

Crown explains that the prices offered by the City are influenced by local market prices, but they are not set by them. The City of Gold and Lead takes the goods sold to them in Ephisus boxes and sells them on elsewhere, either to other cities in the Iron Labyrinth or to other locations in the mortal world. Ultimately the price they are prepared to offer is set by what the heralds believe they can get for the resources they acquire and ''not'' by prices in Imperial markets. Offers ''may'' be influenced by the value of goods at Anvil - the heralds may lower their offer if they believe they can offer less and still make a deal.

Some merchants are surprised to discover they are being offered a price for their goods ''below'' what they could get in Anvil, but that is to be expected. If Imperial traders are offering goods from all over the Empire, then it's perfectly normal that the heralds won't always be able to match local prices for everything.

Perfectly normal perhaps, but definitely not desirable! Crown appears genuinely pained anytime a merchant leaves his trading desk without a sale of some kind. He believes that [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_asymmetry ignorance of market conditions] is costing his beloved City business and so he has persuaded his fellow heralds to try publicising more information about what the city does or doesn't want to buy.

The City has published guidance for the various resources and commodities they are commonly offered. The sale price column indicates the price a merchant might hope to get when selling the goods from Ephisis. The purchase price column indicates the level of prices the City might offer to sell goods to Imperial merchants at. There is never a guarantee of profit - these ratings are comparative to each other, not comparative to Anvil prices.

The contracts on offer indicate the resources that Ephisis is trying to secure in order to fulfil significant deals with others merchants. They ensure that the city can afford to purchase large volumes of resources without risking a major loss. They allow Imperial merchants to aim to fulfil the contract knowing with some certainty what their profit margins will be. Prices offered for large volumes of goods will be lower, outside of an advertised contract. The City will still make a bid, but it will be a lower offer the more resources are piled into a box.

Finally it should go without saying that the City of Gold and Lead is always happy to trade in [[Game_items#Coins|Imperial coin]]. Thrones, crowns and rings are all ''very'' welcome in any exchange of wealth.

<div {{float}}>
<table>
<tr><th>Commodity</th><th>Sale Price</th><th>Purchase Price</th></tr>
<tr><td>Ingots and Measures</td><td>High</td><td>Very High</td></tr>
<tr><td>Wains</td><td>Average</td><td>Low</td></tr>
<tr><td>Food and Drink</td><td>Very Low</td><td>Not Available</td></tr>
<tr><td>Common Trade Goods</td><td>Very Low</td><td>Low</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unique Trade Goods</td><td>Very High</td><td>Average</td></tr>
<tr><td>Artifacts</td><td>High</td><td>Not Available</td></tr>
<tr><td>Storied Artifacts</td><td>Variable</td><td>Not Available</td></tr>
<tr><td>Storied items</td><td>Variable</td><td>Not Available</td></tr>
<tr><td>Newly made Magic Items</td><td>Low</td><td>Average</td></tr>
<tr><td>Exhausted Magic Items</td><td>Zero</td><td>Not Available</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mana Crystals</td><td>Average</td><td>Average</td></tr>
<tr><td>Autumn Vis</td><td>Very Low</td><td>Low</td></tr>
<tr><td>Other Vis</td><td>Very Low</td><td>Very High</td></tr>
<tr><td>Herbs</td><td>Average</td><td>Very High</td></tr>
<tr><td>Common Potions</td><td>Very Low</td><td>High</td></tr>
<tr><td>Drugs and Narcotics</td><td>Low</td><td>Low</td></tr>
</table>
</div>

===Ingots and Measures===
* '''Ingots and measures fetch good prices in the City of Gold and Lead'''

Ingots and measures, including ingots of [[ilium]] are ''always'' valuable in the Autumn realm, because the heralds can sell them to agents of the [[Estavus|Sovereign Lord of the City of Fire and Stone]]. For that reason, it is rare for the City to offer such materials and merchants looking to acquire them from the City should expect to pay handsomely for them.

===Wains===
* '''Wains are on offer for sale or purchase whenever the City believes it can make a profit'''
Wains of Materials, while valuable within the Empire, are harder for the autumn realm to trade to other lands, as the bourse certificates represent large amounts of materials sitting in Imperial warehouses. While the City regards bourse certificates as a wonder of the world, they only function perfectly within the Empire. The further you travel from the Empire's borders, the more value they lose. The city's heralds will buy or sell wains, but only when they believe the price favours them - which usually means they will only buy at a price below the highest sale price in Anvil. Sales are a little easier, since heralds are always looking to dispose of bourse certificates they have acquired in the Empire where they can, so citizens looking to buy wains are encouraged to try their hand.

===Food, Drink and Services===
* '''These goods hold no value to the City'''
Food and drink spoil quickly in the Autumn realm - they cannot be placed in vaults and held until a customer is found. For this reason, they are worthless to the Autumn realm. Likewise offers of services are not currently of value, the City trades in ''goods'' - while they appreciate that an offer of services in the future has value, it is not a market they trade in. In all cases the City requests that Imperial merchants do not put these things into an Ephisis box.

===Common Trade Goods===
* '''Goods readily available for purchase in foreign ports are in low demand in the City'''
Imperial [[fleet|fleets]] often acquire unusual goods in foreign ports, such as [[Foreign_ports#Production_Table|Oilybrag]], which can be bought in Zemeh. The City of Gold and Lead has opportunities to trade in all the major cities of the world, so they can already purchase these common trade goods at the same price Imperial merchants paid for them. As a result heralds rarely offer good prices for these goods - Imperial merchants should be better off disposing of them at Anvil rather than trying to sell them to the Autumn realm. It is only worth sending them to the City of Gold and Lead if you need to dispose of them at any price.

===Unique Trade Goods===
* '''Unique goods produced in the Empire command a high price the first time they are sold'''
* '''Unusual or unique goods from difficult to access ports will fetch a good price the first time they are sold'''

While common trade goods are rarely value, unique trade goods are a different matter. If a trader has goods produced in a foreign port which is difficult to access, or which are unique to the Empire, then they will command a good price. The only problem is that the more of such resources the Empire sells, the less valuable the thing becomes. The first one is unique, the second one is not - so prices rapidly fall off.

===Herbs, Potions and Consumables===
* '''The Autumn realm will buy herbs, but rarely if ever offers them for sale'''
* '''Most potions command a poor price when offered for sale to the City'''
* '''Unusual consumables including drugs and narcotics sell well and offer a chance for a good profit if they are put in a box by themselves'''

Herbs are always in demand in the Autumn realm, since they can make use of them, but they don't grow well in the realm if at all. For this reason they command a good price when offered for sale to the city, though it is expensive to buy them from the City. Surprisingly most other potions are not worth offering to the City. It is time consuming to identify them and most heralds have little interest in trading them on, so they offer only very low prices for them.

Unusual consumables, including drugs and narcotics do sell in the Autumn realm but there are few buyers and that does depress the sale price. The Silent Market, a trading operation in the City can offer a price for them, and will also offer them for sale in the right conditions. Drugs that are illegal in the Empire are usually the most profitable for merchants trading with the City.

The ''Silent Market'', is a trading desk that ''only'' deals in unusual items, drugs, narcotics, and storied items. They handle all this trade that comes from the Empire. As a result, these things are always best put in an Ephisis box by themselves so that the Silent Market can assess them and make an offer. Including 20 ambergelt alongside a thirty doses of Bite is a recipe for disappointment, because the Silent Market will buy the Bite but they don't want the ambergelt. Their rivals in the City want the ambergelt but not the Bite. Thus the best way for Imperial citizens to get the best possible price is to put drugs, narcotics and storied items in a separate box.

===Magical Items===
* '''Permanent magical items with a storied history can fetch an excellent price when sold to the City'''
* '''Storied items with history but no actual magic power rarely do so'''
* '''Magic items with a year's duration to run have a known value, but
* '''Magic items that are close to expiring are worthless to the City'''
* '''Storied items need to be put in a box by themselves to get the best price'''

Permanent magical items are valuable throughout the world and the City will always try to offer a good price for them based on the amount of materials needed to create one. When such items have a storied history - that ''can'' increase the price significantly, assuming the City knows of a buyer who is in the market for such a curio. Items with history but no notable magical properties are obviously less valuable - but could be worth something to the right buyer. In either case, the price offered by the heralds is highly variable, merchants are welcome to offer them for sale but should be prepared for the possibility of a low offer. Regular magic items with a year's duration to run are worth less than what their ingredients are worth as they have already lost a seasons worth of use - the Autumn realm are unlikely to offer more than this, because they can buy most magic items from [[Estavus|the Forgemistress]]. Items that are close to expiring are as worthless to the City as they are to the mortals trying to dispose of them.

===Mana and Vis===
* '''Mana is always in demand all across the world, so crystals fetch reasonable prices in the City'''
* '''Autumn vis is produced in large amounts in the Autumn realm and can be had at a good price from the City's heralds'''
* '''Vis from other realms often spoils if kept too long in the Autumn realm, so the City rarely offer good prices for large quantities'''

Mana is the currency of magic, there are even some desperately primitive societies in the world that actually use it in place of money! Most of the city's heralds are currently offering to buy mana crystals for around 24 rings a crystal and to sell it at 26 rings each. [[Vis]] can spoil if kept in the Autumn realm too long, so the City has little interest in trading it, unless there is a large outstanding contract to be fulfilled, otherwise heralds will be loathe to buy or sell it. Autumn vis is the one exception - huge amounts are produced in the Autumn realm and can usually be bought for a good price from the City's heralds, but of course, they offer low prices to buy it back.
==A Possible Patron==
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">'''Plenipotentiary'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Eternal:''' Ephisis</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Subject:''' Patronage of the Golden Pyramid or their grand lodge</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Necessary Details:''' What form any aid might take</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the end of the Spring Equinox 389YE </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Limitations:''' Cannot be included with other substantial requests</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''Heralds of the city of Gold and Lead were recently asked about the possibility of becoming a patron of the Golden Pyramid'''
* '''They confirm that such a thing is possible, but it would require a plenipotentiary to make the appropriate arrangements'''
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged.jpg|caption='''Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged'''<br>Grandmaster of the Golden Pyramid|align=right|width=250}}</div>
At a recent meeting in Anvil, Crown, one of the heralds of the City, was asked about the possibility of the City of Gold and Lead becoming a patron of the [[Golden Pyramid]], or of the Order's grand lodge. Such an arrangement would be highly unusual - a Conclave order accepting an offer by an eternal to become their patron raises questions about that order's loyalties and their impartiality on matters like [[alignment]]. Still the risks seem relatively low here, the manifesto of the order seems closely aligned with the goals of the eternal and Ephisis has never been under ''enmity'' as far as the records show.

After lengthy discussion between the various markets and independent traders of the City, it appears there is a consensus that most are open to the idea, if there is genuine enthusiasm for it from the Order. However, while eternals of other realms might be content to agree to become a patron without a second thought, the City of Gold and Lead will not contemplate the idea a thorough discussion of what support they could offer the Order, what support the Order might want and importantly, how the Order might further the City's agenda. Ultimately any agreement would need a contract of some kind.

If the Order are serious about engaging the services of the ''Sovereign Lady of the City of Gold and Lead'' as patron of their order - or patron of their lodge, then they would need to arrange for the [[Archmage of Autumn]] to secure a plenipotentiary specifically for that purpose. It could include a single item of other business that was already ongoing, but the City will not seriously engage with a plenipotentiary that incorporates a list of different causes of interest to different groups. But if the Autumn Archmage is prepared to assist the Order and the [[grandmaster]] and his supporters have the backing of the Golden Pyramid to negotiate an agreement for patronage then the City are open to exploring the possibilities.
{{CaptionedImage|file=OrderGoldenPyramid.jpg|align=right|width=241|height=240}}
As with any plenipotentiary, it would be most useful if the Archmage is clear what form any aid they would request might take, then the heralds can assess how possible that would be, before the meeting. The more knowledge the City has about ''how'' they could help the Order, the better.
==Further Reading==
* [[Ephisis]]
* [[Ephisis' Scale]]

The shadows fall behind you

2026-07-18T15:30:17Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Visionary */

[[Category:388YE Summer]][[Category:Winds of Fortune]]
<div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<quote by='The Wind Erodes the Mountain, by Fedelmidd Sydanjaa's Heart Floer'>
The wind erodes the Mountain, the First finally found it's end<br>
On south sands the spires and citadels of Urizen<br>
Bore witness as armadas and the army fought and bled<br>
Stand against storm and sea as sagas are laid to rest

Those maggots, marauders, they brought with them Mawrig's intent<br>
Destruction, devastation, the dirge of a Grendel advance<br>
A portent's in the water, see the signs, the runes were read<br>
Stand against storm and sea as sagas are laid to rest

Fleet foot flanking, they evade the enemy's gaze<br>
Into Elos harbour, the hero's hammer did raise

And shattered the enchantment of a tempestuous talisman<br>
Ruining the ritual and wrecking the purple clad plan<br>
The Warriors whispered "farewell", fell, then rose up from the dead<br>
Stand against storm and sea as sagas are laid to rest

Stand against storm and sea as sagas are laid to rest<br>
The wind erodes the Mountain, the First finally found it's end.
</quote>

<quote by='In Redoubt, by Ethelfrith Sigeling'>
In Redoubt,<br>
The runes fall, fated.<br>
As Ull lies with Yoorn,<br>
As the fleets flow in.

The tide turns, the swords drawn.<br>
Under Wanderer’s eye<br>
Waves wash on southern wharves.

Elos – lost<br>
And no hero hurries to the hopeless fight.<br>
But the skein demands our foe is forced to falter,<br>
The blade blunted, that, sea borne,<br>
Would bleed the mountain mage’s heart.<br>

So our soldiers stand, and,<br>
Step by hard-won step<br>
Break the wave,<br>
Shatter the sea-sphere.

A final blow<br>
Of a far-sighted fist.
</quote></div>
{{CaptionedImage|file=LastFistBanner.jpeg|caption=Great leaders inspire greatness in others|align=left|width=400}}
==Overview==
The ripples of the wave that broke on the shores of [[Redoubt]] continue to wash across the Empire. Last season, an [[opportunity]] was [[Flames_and_the_dark#The_Dream_Master|presented]] to create an [[inspirational location]] at the [[Redoubt#Elos|Elos]] docks using the last banner of the [[Fist of the Mountains]], a gift from [[general]] '''Umarth "Winter's Flame" Kannask'''. The banner was presented so that it could be raised at Elos when the port was retaken from the [[Grendel]]. The Grendel receded, the Empire surged, and the docks were [[Flames and the dark|quickly back in service]], soon to be joined by [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Acceptance:_Phaleron_and_Phoebus_Al-Pulpi|a new guest]] from the [[Realms#Day|day realm]].

None of this would have been possible without the sacrifice of the Fist of the Mountain. The oldest of the [[Wintermark]] [[army|armies]], they [[To ruin|gave everything]] to prevent the Grendel invaders destroying Elos with a weapon seized from the [[Bay_of_Catazar#Temple_of_Tempest_Jade|Temple of Tempest Jade]]. If they had not been in Redoubt, the beautiful port-city would have been destroyed by the unleashed power of ''[[Siakha|Maelstrom]]'', and Urizen does not forget such sacrifice.

The [[Synod]] have indicated that they do intend to [[consecration|consecrate]] the restored docks at the [[Redoubt#Elos|Great Harbour at Elos]]. The benefits could be significant, leaving a lasting impact on the region. The unique and powerful aura would draw virtuous citizens to Elos to experience the effects, contemplate the sacrifice of the [[Fist of the Mountains]] and gaze upon the the banner that is ''Umarth's legacy''.
{{SOP|statement=The Empire is an amalgamation of our Ambitions. Each stronger as others take the burden. As Tian bore the flame, Umarth bore the consequence of decision. The Fist of the Mountains paid the price, now our Urizen must take the branches and carry the light. We call for a writ of consecration to build a flame that will burn on the docks of Elos. Let the mystics of Wintermark and the seers and illuminates of Urizen make pilgrimage. There they will reflect on the gift and burden of farsight, to show the Way to their people.|by=Eldrid 'Phoenix Flame' Vestardottir, Ambition Assembly|vote={{GM}} 332-0|when=Spring 388YE|size=small}}

==Calling==
* '''The Ambition Assembly have claimed Umarth's deed as an example of the path of Ambition'''
It is the [[Ambition]] Assembly who have claimed the deeds of the Fist of the Mountain as an example of their path. They cited the story of [[Tian]] who achieved great things, but at a great personal cost, and draw a parallel to the actions of the last general and the brave [[mystic|mystics]] of the Fist. Already, ambitious pilgrims from across Urizen and Wintermark are making the journey to Elos, to be there to witness virtue being made manifest for generations to come.

If the area is consecrated with [[liao#True Liao|true liao]] in the coming season it will have a lasting effect - assuming the Assembly confirm they wish to proceed.

{{Mandate|mandate=Consequences are the price of Ambition. We send (named individual) with a dose of true liao to consecrate the site where the last banner of the Fist of the Mountain flies. May all who see it know that no price is too high to realise your dreams.|assembly=Ambition Assembly}}

Should this mandate be passed, the banner will be hung in pride of place and the docks consecrated with the [[Auras_of_Ambition#Dare_Do_All|true consecration]] of Ambition. Like the [[Prelate_of_Adelmar%27s_Shrine#Academy_of_Arms|Academy of Arms]] in neighbouring [[Redoubt#Siluri|Siluri]], it will become a place of pilgrimage and stand as a symbol of the courage of the Fist of the Mountain, and the bonds of loyalty between Urizen and Wintermark, as well as a celebration of ambition.

==Drive==
<div {{float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Fist's Memorial'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Sinecure</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Naris, Redoubt </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 12 wains of [[white granite]], 8 wains of [[mithril]] 60 crowns, three months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Until the start of Summer Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Requires Elos Harbour be consecrated with true liao this after the Summer Solstice 388YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Creates the title Custodian of the Fist's Memorial
* Creates a sinecure producing 9 liao
</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Custodian of the Fist's Memorial'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Urizen or Wintermark national</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Ambition Assembly</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Receives an income of 9 [[liao]] each season
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:'''
* Maintain the the site and welcome visiting pilgrims
* Share the stories of the last stand of the Fist
* Encourage Imperial citizens to take a stand against the rapacious Grendel</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
* '''If Elos harbor is consecrated this season, then it would be possible to create a memorial to the Fist'''
* '''The memorial would require a custodian appointed by the Ambition Assembly'''
* '''The title could be held by a Wintermarker or an Urizeni'''
* '''The memorial would improve natural resupply for mortal armies and navies from Wintermark and Urizen that were resting in Elos'''
Unsurprisingly for a cadre of dedicants of [[Ambition]], the visiting clergy are not simply satisfied to do what was asked and then sit on their laurels. Ambition is not Prosperity, it does not leave time for resting and enjoying the fruits of one's labour, but to strive ever onwards to do ever more. The construction of a memorial is proposed, depicting in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relief relief] the brave acts of the warriors of the Fist for visitors to come and pay their respects for many years to come.

Should it be built, it will create the title of '''Custodian of the Fist's Memorial''', available to any Wintermark or Urizen citizen and elected by the Ambition assembly. They would be responsible for telling the tale of the sacrifice of the Fist, and welcoming any pilgrims to the site. As such, they would receive an income of liao from the civil service each season.

Not only this, but the constant stream of inspired pilgrims would mean that any Urizen or Wintermark [[army]] or [[navy]] who engaged in natural resupply in Redoubt would share in an additional pool of 250 force strength, representing donations and inspired volunteers from among the visiting pilgrims. Armies would need to take a special action to drum up support at Elos harbour, navies would need to put to port there to benefit.

Unfortunately, the [[Argent Sword]] cannot benefit from the Custodian of the Fist's Memorial. The heralds respond to words like "volunteer" and "donation" in the same way a devout follower of the Way might respond to the vilest [[blasphemy]].

{{SOPInner|statement=In the spirit of forging a greater bond between our nations, and in honour of the Fist of the Mountains, we invite the stargazers of Urizen to meet with the mystics of Kallavesa within our swamps. We would share wisdom over the way we build, live and thrive within the swamp with the ambition to help further your aims in the Sarangrave.|by=Otso Usvaling, Wintermark National Assembly|vote={{GM}} 188-0|when=Spring 388YE}}

==Visionary==
<div {{float}}>
<box>
'''Dissipating Silks'''<br>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
{{Mage Armour}}
* '''Effect:''' You may ignore the ''roleplaying effects'' of any single [[Combat#Traumatic_Wounds|traumatic wound]] until the end of the battle.
* '''Materials:''' Crafting Dissipating Silks requires no special materials. It takes two months to make one of these items.
</div>
</box>
</div>
<div {{float}}>
<box>'''Hero's Journey'''<br>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
'''Night Ritual; Magnitude 22/18;'''<br>
''Grants a character with the hero skill a vision and two additional hero points''<br>
At the completion of this ritual, the targets receives a single mystic vision related to things that are happening, have happened or may happen at the event, if they have the hero skill. The information is often cryptic and is not a catalogue of events that will happen, more the suggestion of things that are likely to happen, or that are relevant to those events. The vision is one of the [[Signs and Portents]] that a character can access with that ritual. In addition the targets gain two additional hero points, if they have the hero skill.

The taget will experience a powerful roleplaying effect: they are keenly aware of the significance of any impending social or martial confrontation. They feel the urge to carefully prepare for the forthcoming conflict, to ensure they are worthy of a hero's name. They find it hard to contemplate shying away from this confrontation, no matter the danger.
</div>
</box>
</div>
* '''If Elos docks are consecrated with true liao at the coming event, the Urizeni will add a schema for a new magical item to Wintermark Law'''
* '''If that happens, Wintermark mystics will arrange to have a new magical ritual added to Urizeni law'''

The [[stargazer|stargazers]] of Urizen and the [[mystic|mystics]] of Kallavesa have not historically spent a great deal of time together. Their natural geographical distance is matched by their different approaches to the supernatural. Still, the last few seasons have forged a great bond between the peoples of the north-west and south-east, threads from individual [[Wintermark_culture_and_customs#Skein|skeins]] interwoven into one great [[Urizen_culture_and_customs#The_Net_of_the_Heavens|net]]. In honour of the links that have formed, each side has worked with their counterparts to prepare a great in the joint traditions of [[Wintermark_hearth_magic#Crafting|crafting]] and [[Urizen_hearth_magic#Cession|cession]].

Arethas is one of the illuminates of the Spire of the Stallion's Volition. Known for his debating skills more than the power of his preaching, he has organised dozens of Urizeni magicians to work together to create a suitable gift for the Wintermark people who heroically sacrificed the Fist to save Elos. With the help of the [[Zenith#Crucible_of_Fate|great foundaries in Zenith]], Arethas and his allies have arranged for the creation of a copy of a rare schema that allows someone to learn how to make Dissipating silks. This powerful magical item can be worn by magicians taking the battlefield to provide them with a measure of protection from deadly blows. If the consecration of the Elos docks goes ahead, Arethas intends to pass the schema to [[Wintermark_Egregore|Wilda]] so that it can added to Wintermark Law.

Keen to reciprocate, a coven of kallevesa mystics, the Crescent's Eye have made arrangements with [[Sung|Feather on the Breeze]]. A generation ago, a catoblepas killed a favoured herald of the Night Singer and escaped to run amok in the marshes. The coven trapped the monster in a circle of moon-wards, allowing their hunters to finally defeat the beast. The ''Spiral Dancer'' gave the coven a powerful ritual that they could use to grant their hunters the power to overcome the monster. If the consecration of the Elos docks goes ahead, the Crescent's Eye intend to use [[Gift of Knowledge]] to put Hero's Journey into Urizen Lore.

==Dare do all==
* '''The Synod could use the true consecration to celebrate the Grendel's Ambition in attacking Elos docks'''
* '''What effect that might have on Grendel diplomacy or their view of Elos is unknown'''
Just when everyone thought that they had agreed on the proposal and were ready to submit it to the [[Civil Service|civil service]], something perhaps entirely predictable happened; an urizeni [[questor]] opened their mouth and inevitably an argument followed. ''Incommodus'' of the [[Spire]] of the Stallion's Volition asks a challenging question - was it not ''also'' an Ambitious plan of the [[Grendel]], to bring a volatile boon of the [[Siakha|''Maelstrom'']] to attempt to blow the dock to smithereens? Ambition has much to say about it being better to try and to fail than failing to try after all.

While Incommodus' proposal raises a lot of eyebrows it isn't ''entirely'' without precedent. Some Grendel are known to honour the "inspiration" of both [[Zemress]] and [[Emperor Barabbas]], even though both the [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] and [[Highguard|Highborn]] figures were their committed enemies. There is an argument that virtue is contagious. The [[The_Doctrines_of_the_Faith#The_Doctrine_of_Enlightenment|Doctrine of Enlightenment]] says that "'' Virtue's power to exalt transcends the boundaries of soul, spirit, and species''" so is it that hard to believe that it can transcend the boundaries of nationality and enmity? Incommodus may be out of order, but perhaps he has a point.

After ''much'' debate, slightly different proposals are also drawn up to show not only the [[heroism]] and sacrifice of the Fist, but the [[Grendel_religion#Audacity|audacity]] and ambition of the Grendel in their plan that - while it ultimately failed - was certainly in service of a challenging goal. There were no Grendel available to comment, what with the war and all, and the [[The_League_people#Orcs_and_Humans|Apulian orcs]] approached for comment said they were now too long removed from the politics of the Salt Lords or the mood of the Questioners for them to feel confident in any suppositions they might make. They're followers of the Way now, after all, and be sure to write that down.

A mandate is somewhat grudgingly prepared, one that very much [[Mandate#Competing_Mandates|in competition]] with the more traditional one already written.

{{Mandate|mandate=Consequences are the price of Ambition and it is better to try and fail than fail to try. We send (named individual) with a dose of true liao to consecrate the site where the last banner of the Fist of the Mountain flies. May all who see it, whether Imperial or otherwise, know that no price is too high to realise your dreams.|assembly=Ambition Assembly}}

If the mandate is enacted, it will still allow the creation of the [[#Fist's Memorial]], and inspire the exchange between Urizen and Wintermark. If the commission is raised following ''this'' mandate, it will need to be clear whether the focus of the reliefs are to be solely focused on the heroic sacrifice of the Fist, or shared with the Grendel invaders. In the case there is any doubt, the civil service will default to focusing on the Imperial Army.

What other effects it might have, especially with regard to diplomatic relations with the Grendel, if any at all, is unclear. They might ignore it of course, but they have shown a considerable interest in other consecrated locations in the past. The [[Ambassador to the Grendel]] may have their own opinion on the matter, but that will have to be sought at Anvil.

Incommodus' "helpful contribution" does raise an interesting point about inspiration however. Are the acts of the Empire's enemies worthy of commemoration in this way? Can they inspire the virtuous even though the folk who performed them are not themselves followers of the Way? At least one barbarian nation - the Jotun - honours their fallen enemies as well as their own dead and show reverence for the memorials to Imperial heroes they have never met. Should the Empire be doing the same? Any decision on that matter lies in the hands of the Synod, and will thus need to take place in Anvil where Incommodus is not especially inclined to venture.

<ic>
Down they came, the Fist the Fist</br>
And they saw through the mist, the mist</br>
They heard the sound the drums, the drums</br>
The Grendel fleet; it comes it comes</br>
Then Umarth looked he saw he saw</br>
To see their scheme before before</br>
They came to port to fight to fight</br>
But could not dodge his sight his sight</br>
The Maelstroms gift it roared it roared</br>
And crackled on the shore the shore</br>
But none would stop heroes heroes</br>
They came to fight in throes in throes</br>
A crystal brought to seek to seek</br>
Destruction here to wreak to wreak</br>
Yet heroes there stood tall stood tall</br>
Prepared they were to fall to fall</br>
And so they did proclaim, proclaim</br>
A hero has a name, a name</br>
</ic>

The shadows fall behind you

2026-07-18T15:30:06Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Visionary */

[[Category:388YE Summer]][[Category:Winds of Fortune]]
<div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<quote by='The Wind Erodes the Mountain, by Fedelmidd Sydanjaa's Heart Floer'>
The wind erodes the Mountain, the First finally found it's end<br>
On south sands the spires and citadels of Urizen<br>
Bore witness as armadas and the army fought and bled<br>
Stand against storm and sea as sagas are laid to rest

Those maggots, marauders, they brought with them Mawrig's intent<br>
Destruction, devastation, the dirge of a Grendel advance<br>
A portent's in the water, see the signs, the runes were read<br>
Stand against storm and sea as sagas are laid to rest

Fleet foot flanking, they evade the enemy's gaze<br>
Into Elos harbour, the hero's hammer did raise

And shattered the enchantment of a tempestuous talisman<br>
Ruining the ritual and wrecking the purple clad plan<br>
The Warriors whispered "farewell", fell, then rose up from the dead<br>
Stand against storm and sea as sagas are laid to rest

Stand against storm and sea as sagas are laid to rest<br>
The wind erodes the Mountain, the First finally found it's end.
</quote>

<quote by='In Redoubt, by Ethelfrith Sigeling'>
In Redoubt,<br>
The runes fall, fated.<br>
As Ull lies with Yoorn,<br>
As the fleets flow in.

The tide turns, the swords drawn.<br>
Under Wanderer’s eye<br>
Waves wash on southern wharves.

Elos – lost<br>
And no hero hurries to the hopeless fight.<br>
But the skein demands our foe is forced to falter,<br>
The blade blunted, that, sea borne,<br>
Would bleed the mountain mage’s heart.<br>

So our soldiers stand, and,<br>
Step by hard-won step<br>
Break the wave,<br>
Shatter the sea-sphere.

A final blow<br>
Of a far-sighted fist.
</quote></div>
{{CaptionedImage|file=LastFistBanner.jpeg|caption=Great leaders inspire greatness in others|align=left|width=400}}
==Overview==
The ripples of the wave that broke on the shores of [[Redoubt]] continue to wash across the Empire. Last season, an [[opportunity]] was [[Flames_and_the_dark#The_Dream_Master|presented]] to create an [[inspirational location]] at the [[Redoubt#Elos|Elos]] docks using the last banner of the [[Fist of the Mountains]], a gift from [[general]] '''Umarth "Winter's Flame" Kannask'''. The banner was presented so that it could be raised at Elos when the port was retaken from the [[Grendel]]. The Grendel receded, the Empire surged, and the docks were [[Flames and the dark|quickly back in service]], soon to be joined by [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Acceptance:_Phaleron_and_Phoebus_Al-Pulpi|a new guest]] from the [[Realms#Day|day realm]].

None of this would have been possible without the sacrifice of the Fist of the Mountain. The oldest of the [[Wintermark]] [[army|armies]], they [[To ruin|gave everything]] to prevent the Grendel invaders destroying Elos with a weapon seized from the [[Bay_of_Catazar#Temple_of_Tempest_Jade|Temple of Tempest Jade]]. If they had not been in Redoubt, the beautiful port-city would have been destroyed by the unleashed power of ''[[Siakha|Maelstrom]]'', and Urizen does not forget such sacrifice.

The [[Synod]] have indicated that they do intend to [[consecration|consecrate]] the restored docks at the [[Redoubt#Elos|Great Harbour at Elos]]. The benefits could be significant, leaving a lasting impact on the region. The unique and powerful aura would draw virtuous citizens to Elos to experience the effects, contemplate the sacrifice of the [[Fist of the Mountains]] and gaze upon the the banner that is ''Umarth's legacy''.
{{SOP|statement=The Empire is an amalgamation of our Ambitions. Each stronger as others take the burden. As Tian bore the flame, Umarth bore the consequence of decision. The Fist of the Mountains paid the price, now our Urizen must take the branches and carry the light. We call for a writ of consecration to build a flame that will burn on the docks of Elos. Let the mystics of Wintermark and the seers and illuminates of Urizen make pilgrimage. There they will reflect on the gift and burden of farsight, to show the Way to their people.|by=Eldrid 'Phoenix Flame' Vestardottir, Ambition Assembly|vote={{GM}} 332-0|when=Spring 388YE|size=small}}

==Calling==
* '''The Ambition Assembly have claimed Umarth's deed as an example of the path of Ambition'''
It is the [[Ambition]] Assembly who have claimed the deeds of the Fist of the Mountain as an example of their path. They cited the story of [[Tian]] who achieved great things, but at a great personal cost, and draw a parallel to the actions of the last general and the brave [[mystic|mystics]] of the Fist. Already, ambitious pilgrims from across Urizen and Wintermark are making the journey to Elos, to be there to witness virtue being made manifest for generations to come.

If the area is consecrated with [[liao#True Liao|true liao]] in the coming season it will have a lasting effect - assuming the Assembly confirm they wish to proceed.

{{Mandate|mandate=Consequences are the price of Ambition. We send (named individual) with a dose of true liao to consecrate the site where the last banner of the Fist of the Mountain flies. May all who see it know that no price is too high to realise your dreams.|assembly=Ambition Assembly}}

Should this mandate be passed, the banner will be hung in pride of place and the docks consecrated with the [[Auras_of_Ambition#Dare_Do_All|true consecration]] of Ambition. Like the [[Prelate_of_Adelmar%27s_Shrine#Academy_of_Arms|Academy of Arms]] in neighbouring [[Redoubt#Siluri|Siluri]], it will become a place of pilgrimage and stand as a symbol of the courage of the Fist of the Mountain, and the bonds of loyalty between Urizen and Wintermark, as well as a celebration of ambition.

==Drive==
<div {{float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Fist's Memorial'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Sinecure</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Naris, Redoubt </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 12 wains of [[white granite]], 8 wains of [[mithril]] 60 crowns, three months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Until the start of Summer Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Requires Elos Harbour be consecrated with true liao this after the Summer Solstice 388YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Creates the title Custodian of the Fist's Memorial
* Creates a sinecure producing 9 liao
</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Custodian of the Fist's Memorial'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Urizen or Wintermark national</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Ambition Assembly</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Receives an income of 9 [[liao]] each season
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:'''
* Maintain the the site and welcome visiting pilgrims
* Share the stories of the last stand of the Fist
* Encourage Imperial citizens to take a stand against the rapacious Grendel</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
* '''If Elos harbor is consecrated this season, then it would be possible to create a memorial to the Fist'''
* '''The memorial would require a custodian appointed by the Ambition Assembly'''
* '''The title could be held by a Wintermarker or an Urizeni'''
* '''The memorial would improve natural resupply for mortal armies and navies from Wintermark and Urizen that were resting in Elos'''
Unsurprisingly for a cadre of dedicants of [[Ambition]], the visiting clergy are not simply satisfied to do what was asked and then sit on their laurels. Ambition is not Prosperity, it does not leave time for resting and enjoying the fruits of one's labour, but to strive ever onwards to do ever more. The construction of a memorial is proposed, depicting in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relief relief] the brave acts of the warriors of the Fist for visitors to come and pay their respects for many years to come.

Should it be built, it will create the title of '''Custodian of the Fist's Memorial''', available to any Wintermark or Urizen citizen and elected by the Ambition assembly. They would be responsible for telling the tale of the sacrifice of the Fist, and welcoming any pilgrims to the site. As such, they would receive an income of liao from the civil service each season.

Not only this, but the constant stream of inspired pilgrims would mean that any Urizen or Wintermark [[army]] or [[navy]] who engaged in natural resupply in Redoubt would share in an additional pool of 250 force strength, representing donations and inspired volunteers from among the visiting pilgrims. Armies would need to take a special action to drum up support at Elos harbour, navies would need to put to port there to benefit.

Unfortunately, the [[Argent Sword]] cannot benefit from the Custodian of the Fist's Memorial. The heralds respond to words like "volunteer" and "donation" in the same way a devout follower of the Way might respond to the vilest [[blasphemy]].

{{SOPInner|statement=In the spirit of forging a greater bond between our nations, and in honour of the Fist of the Mountains, we invite the stargazers of Urizen to meet with the mystics of Kallavesa within our swamps. We would share wisdom over the way we build, live and thrive within the swamp with the ambition to help further your aims in the Sarangrave.|by=Otso Usvaling, Wintermark National Assembly|vote={{GM}} 188-0|when=Spring 388YE}}

==Visionary==
<div {{float}}>
<box>
'''Dissipating Silks'''<br>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
{{Mage Armour}}
* '''Effect:''' You may ignore the ''roleplaying effects'' of any single [[Combat#Traumatic_Wounds|traumatic wound]] until the end of the battle.
* '''Materials:''' Crafting Dissipating Silks requires no special materials. It takes two months to make one of these items.
</div>
</box>
</div>
<div {{float}}>
<box>'''Hero's Journey'''<br>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
'''Night Ritual; Magnitude 22/18;'''<br>
''Grants a character with the hero skill a vision and two additional hero points''<br>
At the completion of this ritual, the targets receives a single mystic vision related to things that are happening, have happened or may happen at the event, if they have the hero skill. The information is often cryptic and is not a catalogue of events that will happen, more the suggestion of things that are likely to happen, or that are relevant to those events. The vision is one of the [[signs and Portents]] that a character can access with that ritual. In addition the targets gain two additional hero points, if they have the hero skill.

The taget will experience a powerful roleplaying effect: they are keenly aware of the significance of any impending social or martial confrontation. They feel the urge to carefully prepare for the forthcoming conflict, to ensure they are worthy of a hero's name. They find it hard to contemplate shying away from this confrontation, no matter the danger.
</div>
</box>
</div>
* '''If Elos docks are consecrated with true liao at the coming event, the Urizeni will add a schema for a new magical item to Wintermark Law'''
* '''If that happens, Wintermark mystics will arrange to have a new magical ritual added to Urizeni law'''

The [[stargazer|stargazers]] of Urizen and the [[mystic|mystics]] of Kallavesa have not historically spent a great deal of time together. Their natural geographical distance is matched by their different approaches to the supernatural. Still, the last few seasons have forged a great bond between the peoples of the north-west and south-east, threads from individual [[Wintermark_culture_and_customs#Skein|skeins]] interwoven into one great [[Urizen_culture_and_customs#The_Net_of_the_Heavens|net]]. In honour of the links that have formed, each side has worked with their counterparts to prepare a great in the joint traditions of [[Wintermark_hearth_magic#Crafting|crafting]] and [[Urizen_hearth_magic#Cession|cession]].

Arethas is one of the illuminates of the Spire of the Stallion's Volition. Known for his debating skills more than the power of his preaching, he has organised dozens of Urizeni magicians to work together to create a suitable gift for the Wintermark people who heroically sacrificed the Fist to save Elos. With the help of the [[Zenith#Crucible_of_Fate|great foundaries in Zenith]], Arethas and his allies have arranged for the creation of a copy of a rare schema that allows someone to learn how to make Dissipating silks. This powerful magical item can be worn by magicians taking the battlefield to provide them with a measure of protection from deadly blows. If the consecration of the Elos docks goes ahead, Arethas intends to pass the schema to [[Wintermark_Egregore|Wilda]] so that it can added to Wintermark Law.

Keen to reciprocate, a coven of kallevesa mystics, the Crescent's Eye have made arrangements with [[Sung|Feather on the Breeze]]. A generation ago, a catoblepas killed a favoured herald of the Night Singer and escaped to run amok in the marshes. The coven trapped the monster in a circle of moon-wards, allowing their hunters to finally defeat the beast. The ''Spiral Dancer'' gave the coven a powerful ritual that they could use to grant their hunters the power to overcome the monster. If the consecration of the Elos docks goes ahead, the Crescent's Eye intend to use [[Gift of Knowledge]] to put Hero's Journey into Urizen Lore.

==Dare do all==
* '''The Synod could use the true consecration to celebrate the Grendel's Ambition in attacking Elos docks'''
* '''What effect that might have on Grendel diplomacy or their view of Elos is unknown'''
Just when everyone thought that they had agreed on the proposal and were ready to submit it to the [[Civil Service|civil service]], something perhaps entirely predictable happened; an urizeni [[questor]] opened their mouth and inevitably an argument followed. ''Incommodus'' of the [[Spire]] of the Stallion's Volition asks a challenging question - was it not ''also'' an Ambitious plan of the [[Grendel]], to bring a volatile boon of the [[Siakha|''Maelstrom'']] to attempt to blow the dock to smithereens? Ambition has much to say about it being better to try and to fail than failing to try after all.

While Incommodus' proposal raises a lot of eyebrows it isn't ''entirely'' without precedent. Some Grendel are known to honour the "inspiration" of both [[Zemress]] and [[Emperor Barabbas]], even though both the [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] and [[Highguard|Highborn]] figures were their committed enemies. There is an argument that virtue is contagious. The [[The_Doctrines_of_the_Faith#The_Doctrine_of_Enlightenment|Doctrine of Enlightenment]] says that "'' Virtue's power to exalt transcends the boundaries of soul, spirit, and species''" so is it that hard to believe that it can transcend the boundaries of nationality and enmity? Incommodus may be out of order, but perhaps he has a point.

After ''much'' debate, slightly different proposals are also drawn up to show not only the [[heroism]] and sacrifice of the Fist, but the [[Grendel_religion#Audacity|audacity]] and ambition of the Grendel in their plan that - while it ultimately failed - was certainly in service of a challenging goal. There were no Grendel available to comment, what with the war and all, and the [[The_League_people#Orcs_and_Humans|Apulian orcs]] approached for comment said they were now too long removed from the politics of the Salt Lords or the mood of the Questioners for them to feel confident in any suppositions they might make. They're followers of the Way now, after all, and be sure to write that down.

A mandate is somewhat grudgingly prepared, one that very much [[Mandate#Competing_Mandates|in competition]] with the more traditional one already written.

{{Mandate|mandate=Consequences are the price of Ambition and it is better to try and fail than fail to try. We send (named individual) with a dose of true liao to consecrate the site where the last banner of the Fist of the Mountain flies. May all who see it, whether Imperial or otherwise, know that no price is too high to realise your dreams.|assembly=Ambition Assembly}}

If the mandate is enacted, it will still allow the creation of the [[#Fist's Memorial]], and inspire the exchange between Urizen and Wintermark. If the commission is raised following ''this'' mandate, it will need to be clear whether the focus of the reliefs are to be solely focused on the heroic sacrifice of the Fist, or shared with the Grendel invaders. In the case there is any doubt, the civil service will default to focusing on the Imperial Army.

What other effects it might have, especially with regard to diplomatic relations with the Grendel, if any at all, is unclear. They might ignore it of course, but they have shown a considerable interest in other consecrated locations in the past. The [[Ambassador to the Grendel]] may have their own opinion on the matter, but that will have to be sought at Anvil.

Incommodus' "helpful contribution" does raise an interesting point about inspiration however. Are the acts of the Empire's enemies worthy of commemoration in this way? Can they inspire the virtuous even though the folk who performed them are not themselves followers of the Way? At least one barbarian nation - the Jotun - honours their fallen enemies as well as their own dead and show reverence for the memorials to Imperial heroes they have never met. Should the Empire be doing the same? Any decision on that matter lies in the hands of the Synod, and will thus need to take place in Anvil where Incommodus is not especially inclined to venture.

<ic>
Down they came, the Fist the Fist</br>
And they saw through the mist, the mist</br>
They heard the sound the drums, the drums</br>
The Grendel fleet; it comes it comes</br>
Then Umarth looked he saw he saw</br>
To see their scheme before before</br>
They came to port to fight to fight</br>
But could not dodge his sight his sight</br>
The Maelstroms gift it roared it roared</br>
And crackled on the shore the shore</br>
But none would stop heroes heroes</br>
They came to fight in throes in throes</br>
A crystal brought to seek to seek</br>
Destruction here to wreak to wreak</br>
Yet heroes there stood tall stood tall</br>
Prepared they were to fall to fall</br>
And so they did proclaim, proclaim</br>
A hero has a name, a name</br>
</ic>

The shadows fall behind you

2026-07-18T15:28:44Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Calling */

[[Category:388YE Summer]][[Category:Winds of Fortune]]
<div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<quote by='The Wind Erodes the Mountain, by Fedelmidd Sydanjaa's Heart Floer'>
The wind erodes the Mountain, the First finally found it's end<br>
On south sands the spires and citadels of Urizen<br>
Bore witness as armadas and the army fought and bled<br>
Stand against storm and sea as sagas are laid to rest

Those maggots, marauders, they brought with them Mawrig's intent<br>
Destruction, devastation, the dirge of a Grendel advance<br>
A portent's in the water, see the signs, the runes were read<br>
Stand against storm and sea as sagas are laid to rest

Fleet foot flanking, they evade the enemy's gaze<br>
Into Elos harbour, the hero's hammer did raise

And shattered the enchantment of a tempestuous talisman<br>
Ruining the ritual and wrecking the purple clad plan<br>
The Warriors whispered "farewell", fell, then rose up from the dead<br>
Stand against storm and sea as sagas are laid to rest

Stand against storm and sea as sagas are laid to rest<br>
The wind erodes the Mountain, the First finally found it's end.
</quote>

<quote by='In Redoubt, by Ethelfrith Sigeling'>
In Redoubt,<br>
The runes fall, fated.<br>
As Ull lies with Yoorn,<br>
As the fleets flow in.

The tide turns, the swords drawn.<br>
Under Wanderer’s eye<br>
Waves wash on southern wharves.

Elos – lost<br>
And no hero hurries to the hopeless fight.<br>
But the skein demands our foe is forced to falter,<br>
The blade blunted, that, sea borne,<br>
Would bleed the mountain mage’s heart.<br>

So our soldiers stand, and,<br>
Step by hard-won step<br>
Break the wave,<br>
Shatter the sea-sphere.

A final blow<br>
Of a far-sighted fist.
</quote></div>
{{CaptionedImage|file=LastFistBanner.jpeg|caption=Great leaders inspire greatness in others|align=left|width=400}}
==Overview==
The ripples of the wave that broke on the shores of [[Redoubt]] continue to wash across the Empire. Last season, an [[opportunity]] was [[Flames_and_the_dark#The_Dream_Master|presented]] to create an [[inspirational location]] at the [[Redoubt#Elos|Elos]] docks using the last banner of the [[Fist of the Mountains]], a gift from [[general]] '''Umarth "Winter's Flame" Kannask'''. The banner was presented so that it could be raised at Elos when the port was retaken from the [[Grendel]]. The Grendel receded, the Empire surged, and the docks were [[Flames and the dark|quickly back in service]], soon to be joined by [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Acceptance:_Phaleron_and_Phoebus_Al-Pulpi|a new guest]] from the [[Realms#Day|day realm]].

None of this would have been possible without the sacrifice of the Fist of the Mountain. The oldest of the [[Wintermark]] [[army|armies]], they [[To ruin|gave everything]] to prevent the Grendel invaders destroying Elos with a weapon seized from the [[Bay_of_Catazar#Temple_of_Tempest_Jade|Temple of Tempest Jade]]. If they had not been in Redoubt, the beautiful port-city would have been destroyed by the unleashed power of ''[[Siakha|Maelstrom]]'', and Urizen does not forget such sacrifice.

The [[Synod]] have indicated that they do intend to [[consecration|consecrate]] the restored docks at the [[Redoubt#Elos|Great Harbour at Elos]]. The benefits could be significant, leaving a lasting impact on the region. The unique and powerful aura would draw virtuous citizens to Elos to experience the effects, contemplate the sacrifice of the [[Fist of the Mountains]] and gaze upon the the banner that is ''Umarth's legacy''.
{{SOP|statement=The Empire is an amalgamation of our Ambitions. Each stronger as others take the burden. As Tian bore the flame, Umarth bore the consequence of decision. The Fist of the Mountains paid the price, now our Urizen must take the branches and carry the light. We call for a writ of consecration to build a flame that will burn on the docks of Elos. Let the mystics of Wintermark and the seers and illuminates of Urizen make pilgrimage. There they will reflect on the gift and burden of farsight, to show the Way to their people.|by=Eldrid 'Phoenix Flame' Vestardottir, Ambition Assembly|vote={{GM}} 332-0|when=Spring 388YE|size=small}}

==Calling==
* '''The Ambition Assembly have claimed Umarth's deed as an example of the path of Ambition'''
It is the [[Ambition]] Assembly who have claimed the deeds of the Fist of the Mountain as an example of their path. They cited the story of [[Tian]] who achieved great things, but at a great personal cost, and draw a parallel to the actions of the last general and the brave [[mystic|mystics]] of the Fist. Already, ambitious pilgrims from across Urizen and Wintermark are making the journey to Elos, to be there to witness virtue being made manifest for generations to come.

If the area is consecrated with [[liao#True Liao|true liao]] in the coming season it will have a lasting effect - assuming the Assembly confirm they wish to proceed.

{{Mandate|mandate=Consequences are the price of Ambition. We send (named individual) with a dose of true liao to consecrate the site where the last banner of the Fist of the Mountain flies. May all who see it know that no price is too high to realise your dreams.|assembly=Ambition Assembly}}

Should this mandate be passed, the banner will be hung in pride of place and the docks consecrated with the [[Auras_of_Ambition#Dare_Do_All|true consecration]] of Ambition. Like the [[Prelate_of_Adelmar%27s_Shrine#Academy_of_Arms|Academy of Arms]] in neighbouring [[Redoubt#Siluri|Siluri]], it will become a place of pilgrimage and stand as a symbol of the courage of the Fist of the Mountain, and the bonds of loyalty between Urizen and Wintermark, as well as a celebration of ambition.

==Drive==
<div {{float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Fist's Memorial'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Sinecure</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Naris, Redoubt </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 12 wains of [[white granite]], 8 wains of [[mithril]] 60 crowns, three months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Until the start of Summer Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Requires Elos Harbour be consecrated with true lioa this after the Summer Solstice 388YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Creates the title Custodian of the Fist's Memorial
* Creates a sinecure producing X liao
</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Custodian of the Fist's Memorial'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Urizen or Wintermark national</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Ambition Assembly</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Receives an income of 9 [[liao]] each season
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:'''
* Maintain the the site and welcome visiting pilgrims
* Share the stories of the last stand of the Fist
* Encourage Imperial citizens to take a stand against the rapacious Grendel</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
* '''If Elos harbor is consecreated this season, then it would be possible to create a memorial to the Fist'''
* '''The memorial would require a custodian appointed by the Ambition Assembly'''
* '''The title could be held by a Wintermarker or an Urizeni'''
* '''The memorial would improve natural resupply for mortal armies and navies from Wintermark and Urizen that were resting in Elos'''
Unsurprisingly for a cadre of dedicants of [[Ambition]], the visiting clergy are not simply satisfied to do what was asked and then sit on their laurels. Ambition is not Prosperity, it does not leave time for resting and enjoying the fruits of one's labour, but to strive ever onwards to do ever more. The construction of a memorial is proposed, depicting in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relief relief] the brave acts of the warriors of the Fist for visitors to come and pay their respects for many years to come.

Should it be built, it will create the title of '''Custodian of the Fist's Memorial''', available to any Wintermark or Urizen citizen and elected by the Ambition assembly. They would be responsible for telling the tale of the sacrifice of the Fist, and welcoming any pilgrims to the site. As such, they would receive an income of liao from the civil service each season.

Not only this, but the constant stream of inspired pilgrims would mean that any Urizen or Wintermark [[army]] or [[navy]] who engaged in natural resupply in Redoubt would share in an additional pool of 250 force strength, representing donations and inspired volunteers from among the visiting pilgrims. Armies would need to take a special action to drum up support at Elos harbour, navies would need to put to port there to benefit.

Unfortunately, the [[Argent Sword]] cannot benefit from the Custodian of the Fist's Mermoral. The heralds respond to words like "volunteer" and "donation" in the same way a devout follower of the Way might respond to the vilest [[blasphemy]].

{{SOPInner|statement=In the spirit of forging a greater bond between our nations, and in honour of the Fist of the Mountains, we invite the stargazers of Urizen to meet with the mystics of Kallavesa within our swamps. We would share wisdom over the way we build, live and thrive within the swamp with the ambition to help further your aims in the Sarangrave.|by=Otso Usvaling, Wintermark National Assembly|vote={{GM}} 188-0|when=Spring 388YE}}

==Visionary==
<div {{float}}>
<box>
'''Dissipating Silks'''<br>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
{{Mage Armour}}
* '''Effect:''' You may ignore the ''roleplaying effects'' of any single [[Combat#Traumatic_Wounds|traumatic wound]] until the end of the battle.
* '''Materials:''' Crafting Dissipating Silks requires no special materials. It takes two months to make one of these items.
</div>
</box>
</div>
<div {{float}}>
<box>'''Hero's Journey'''<br>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
'''Night Ritual; Magnitude 22/18;'''<br>
''Grants a character with the hero skill a vision and two additional hero points''<br>
At the completion of this ritual, the targets receives a single mystic vision related to things that are happening, have happened or may happen at the event, if they have the hero skill. The information is often cryptic and is not a catalogue of events that will happen, more the suggestion of things that are likely to happen, or that are relevant to those events. The vision is one of the [[signs and portents]] that a character can access with that ritual. In addition the targets gain two additional hero points, if they have the hero skill.

The taget will experience a powerful roleplaying effect: they are keenly aware of the significance of any impending social or martial confrontation. They feel the urge to carefully prepare for the forthcoming conflict, to ensure they are worthy of a hero's name. They find it hard to contemplate shying away from this confrontation, no matter the danger.
</div>
</box>
</div>
* '''If Elos docks are consecrated with true liao at the coming event, the Urizeni will add a schema for a new magical item to Wintermark Law'''
* '''If that happens, Wintermark mystics will arrange to have a new magical ritual added to Urizeni law'''

The [[stargazer|stargazers]] of Urizen and the [[mystic|mystics]] of Kallavesa have not historically spent a great deal of time together. Their natural geographical distance is matched by their different approaches to the supernatural. Still, the last few seasons have forged a great bond between the peoples of the north-west and south-east, threads from individual [[Wintermark_culture_and_customs#Skein|skeins]] interwoven into one great [[Urizen_culture_and_customs#The_Net_of_the_Heavens|net]]. In honour of the links that have formed, each side has worked with their counterparts to prepare a great in the joint traditions of [[Wintermark_hearth_magic#Crafting|crafting]] and [[Urizen_hearth_magic#Cession|cession]].

Arethas is one of the illuminates of the Spire of the Stallion's Volition. Known for his debating skills more than the power of his preaching, he has organised dozens of Urizeni magicians to work together to create a suitable gift for the Wintermark people who heroically sacrificed the Fist to save Elos. With the help of the [[Zenith#Crucible_of_Fate|great foundaries in Zenith]], Arethas and his allies have arranged for the creation of a copy of a rare schema that allows someone to learn how to make Dissipating silks. This powerful magical item can be worn by magicians taking the battlefield to provide them with a measure of protection from deadly blows. If the consecration of the Elos docks goes ahead, Arethas intends to pass the schema to [[Wintermark_Egregore|Wilda]] so that it can added to Wintermark Law.

Keen to reciprocate, a coven of kallevesa mystics, the Crescent's Eye have made arrangements with [[Sung|Feather on the Breeze]]. A generation ago, a catoblepas killed a favoured herald of the Night Singer and escaped to run amok in the marshes. The coven trapped the monster in a circle of moon-wards, allowing their hunters to finally defeat the beast. The ''Spiral Dancer'' gave the coven a powerful ritual that they could use to grant their hunters the power to overcome the monster. If the consecration of the Elos docks goes ahead, the Crescent's Eye intend to use [[Gift of Knowledge]] to put Hero's Journey into Urizen Lore.

==Dare do all==
* '''The Synod could use the true consecration to celebrate the Grendel's Ambition in attacking Elos docks'''
* '''What effect that might have on Grendel diplomacy or their view of Elos is unknown'''
Just when everyone thought that they had agreed on the proposal and were ready to submit it to the [[Civil Service|civil service]], something perhaps entirely predictable happened; an urizeni [[questor]] opened their mouth and inevitably an argument followed. ''Incommodus'' of the [[Spire]] of the Stallion's Volition asks a challenging question - was it not ''also'' an Ambitious plan of the [[Grendel]], to bring a volatile boon of the [[Siakha|''Maelstrom'']] to attempt to blow the dock to smithereens? Ambition has much to say about it being better to try and to fail than failing to try after all.

While Incommodus' proposal raises a lot of eyebrows it isn't ''entirely'' without precedent. Some Grendel are known to honour the "inspiration" of both [[Zemress]] and [[Emperor Barabbas]], even though both the [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] and [[Highguard|Highborn]] figures were their committed enemies. There is an argument that virtue is contagious. The [[The_Doctrines_of_the_Faith#The_Doctrine_of_Enlightenment|Doctrine of Enlightenment]] says that "'' Virtue's power to exalt transcends the boundaries of soul, spirit, and species''" so is it that hard to believe that it can transcend the boundaries of nationality and enmity? Incommodus may be out of order, but perhaps he has a point.

After ''much'' debate, slightly different proposals are also drawn up to show not only the [[heroism]] and sacrifice of the Fist, but the [[Grendel_religion#Audacity|audacity]] and ambition of the Grendel in their plan that - while it ultimately failed - was certainly in service of a challenging goal. There were no Grendel available to comment, what with the war and all, and the [[The_League_people#Orcs_and_Humans|Apulian orcs]] approached for comment said they were now too long removed from the politics of the Salt Lords or the mood of the Questioners for them to feel confident in any suppositions they might make. They're followers of the Way now, after all, and be sure to write that down.

A mandate is somewhat grudgingly prepared, one that very much [[Mandate#Competing_Mandates|in competition]] with the more traditional one already written.

{{Mandate|mandate=Consequences are the price of Ambition and it is better to try and fail than fail to try. We send (named individual) with a dose of true liao to consecrate the site where the last banner of the Fist of the Mountain flies. May all who see it, whether Imperial or otherwise, know that no price is too high to realise your dreams.|assembly=Ambition Assembly}}

If the mandate is enacted, it will still allow the creation of the [[#Fist's Memorial]], and inspire the exchange between Urizen and Wintermark. If the commission is raised following ''this'' mandate, it will need to be clear whether the focus of the reliefs are to be solely focused on the heroic sacrifice of the Fist, or shared with the Grendel invaders. In the case there is any doubt, the civil service will default to focusing on the Imperial Army.

What other effects it might have, especially with regard to diplomatic relations with the Grendel, if any at all, is unclear. They might ignore it of course, but they have shown a considerable interest in other consecrated locations in the past. The [[Ambassador to the Grendel]] may have their own opinion on the matter, but that will have to be sought at Anvil.

Incommodus' "helpful contribution" does raise an interesting point about inspiration however. Are the acts of the Empire's enemies worthy of commemoration in this way? Can they inspire the virtuous even though the folk who performed them are not themselves followers of the Way? At least one barbarian nation - the Jotun - honours their fallen enemies as well as their own dead and show reverence for the memorials to Imperial heroes they have never met. Should the Empire be doing the same? Any decision on that matter lies in the hands of the Synod, and will thus need to take place in Anvil where Incommodus is not especially inclined to venture.

<ic>
Down they came, the Fist the Fist</br>
And they saw through the mist, the mist</br>
They heard the sound the drums, the drums</br>
The Grendel fleet; it comes it comes</br>
Then Umarth looked he saw he saw</br>
To see their scheme before before</br>
They came to port to fight to fight</br>
But could not dodge his sight his sight</br>
The Maelstroms gift it roared it roared</br>
And crackled on the shore the shore</br>
But none would stop heroes heroes</br>
They came to fight in throes in throes</br>
A crystal brought to seek to seek</br>
Destruction here to wreak to wreak</br>
Yet heroes there stood tall stood tall</br>
Prepared they were to fall to fall</br>
And so they did proclaim, proclaim</br>
A hero has a name, a name</br>
</ic>

This is the end

2026-07-17T21:10:21Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Talon and claw */

[[Category:388YE Summer]][[Category:Winds of Fortune]]
<ic>
SCENE: A COURTYARD IN SHADOW. MUSIC PLAYS FAR AWAY. THEY SPEAK, FILLING THE COURTYARD WITH WHISPERS, THEIR VOICES GLITTERING LIKE GEMSTONES.

'''EMERALD VOICE:''' "Quite a shame, quite a shame. We did so like that city. Oh, waily waily, our house in ruins...! What a beautiful game it was, though - and such good sports all."

'''SAPPHIRE VOICE:''' "We shall return, perhaps, in a less fervent season? Though now it is under the cursed serpent's aegis... by the void and abyss, how I hate that cursèd songbird!"

'''RUBY VOICE:''' "All the more reason to skulk in secret, my dearest darling confidante. We'll find places, and people will whisper to us once more. The circle turns, and tickets are always on sale."

'''TOPAZ VOICE:''' "And what of the rest? The sloth? The hybrid? The chatterer? The firestorm? All in their tedium. They'll all be clamouring to be there now. Not to even speak of --"

'''SAPPHIRE VOICE:''' "-- don't you go on so, beloved. We were the first! First to notice the potential of the place, before the feathered bore stuck in her beak. Art is about getting everyone talking."

'''RUBY VOICE:''' "First to roost, and first to flee. Such is our lot. O, what an ill-fated star for the beloved of cats. Friendless, now, abandoned by our confidantes. Even dearest Teodore... even--"

'''EMERALD VOICE:''' "-- you know I heard the Barossa priest is to defend Bela Vicente. Rumour speaks, companions mine, that he does so out of an obligation we created - how exceptionally droll."

'''SAPPHIRE VOICE:''' "Ah, Asav. Pleasant, this time of year. Now there's a place that appreciates the value of intrigue. Not like these Catazarri secret-murderers, addicted to truth's dishonesty."

'''TOPAZ VOICE:''' "Or Jarm. Our friends in the Violet Forest have been saying we have been neglecting them. Though they keep busy anyway, I hear. There's always a way where there's a will."

'''EMERALD VOICE:''' "So we're agreed. A sojourn onwards to new retreats for this merry band of players and artists. We must prepare for the next debut. Where one curtain falls, after all, another rises."

THE FIGURES RETREAT FROM THE SHADOWS. A SMALL ALBINO KITTEN WANDERS OUT ONTO THE STAGE. IT LOOKS TOWARDS THE AUDIENCE. IT LOOKS AT YOU.

Letitia lowered the pages, trying to keep her face neutral, but Mario saw through her immediately. He jutted his jaw pugnaciously, and she could see him getting angry with her before she had even opened her mouth.

"Well?" He demanded. She tried to plaster a smile on her face but it wouldn't stick and slipped off, possibly because she had started to sweat.

"It's a bit... I mean it's very good obviously." The last bit was spoken very fast indeed because she'd noticed Mario had one hand on the pommel of the rod at his side. The playwright's days of fighting for the Conclave were past, but he kept the rod to remind people that as well as wrangling words he could still crack heads when the situation called for it.

"A bit what," he said, refusing to let it go.

"It's a bit... it's a bit.. <small>over the top?</small>"

Mario ripped the pages from her hands and threw them on the ground. The rest of the company turned to gawk, as actors are wont to do. Two of the stage hands took the opportunity to nip off for a quick break.

"FINE!" Mario shouted in a voice Letitia swore was making the rafter vibrate. He could project when he wanted to. "You ''wanted'' a play about the Whisper Gallery but I ''give'' you a play about the Whisper Gallery and what do you do? You ''criticise''! You throw it back in my face! ''You'' write a play that captures the enigmatic nature of the Lords of the Chiaroscuran Throne then! You clearly know what you want better than I do!" The playwright stormed out.

Letitia squeezed the bridge of her nose. She hated bringing the company to Spiral, because of exactly this kind of thing. What, she wondered - not for the first time - did the Black Plateau have against art?</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 350px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Sofonisba Amilcara of the City Below.jpg|caption='''Sofonisba Amilcara''' is somehow the map to the City Below. Exactly what that means is... well, a mystery.|align=left|width=350}}</div>
==Overview==
The peculiar dramaturgic confluence that began in the city of Apulus more than a year ago, seems to have a reached a crescendo. Against a backdrop of running battles in the Apulus streets between [[This is the end|strangely-coloured cats with mispaired eyes and songbirds with rainbow feathers]], a cadre of military units arrives in the city to help Sofonisba Amilcara "map the city below".

Apparently convinced that there is not enough night magic running amok in the territory, someone has laid a powerful enchantment over the territory. It brings strange dreams that seemed to be linked to ongoing events. Many people suddenly awaken from dreams in which they were part of the ongoing war, fighting as either a cat or a bird against the enemy trying to seize control of the city.

Despite the strangeness, most inhabitants of Spiral find sleep brings renewed optimism and vigour. The city is filled with a feverish energy, and on the lonely mountain slopes those that live there are filled with a new joy after many sorrows. Things live. This is an old place, with a history beyond imagining, and it seems impossible it could ever be abandoned, so tightly and beautifully does it command the heart of those who call it home.

==Talon and claw==
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right; margin: 15px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Great Eared-Nightjar.jpg|align=right|caption=The war between birds and cats is over, and the city echoes with birdsong.|width=450}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Rainbow cat.jpg|caption=The war between birds and cats is over, and the cats have decided they'd actually rather not live in the city any more thank you.|align=left|width=450}}</div>
</div>
* '''The war between the cats and the birds is over'''
* '''The birds have driven the cats out of the city'''
* '''Birdsong is now everywhere in Apulus, drowning out the emanations of the Black Plateau'''

As the season wears on, the war for dominion in Apulus intensifies with open fighting on the streets between the two rivals gangs. The first major battle takes place on Mulberry Avenue; a large flock of common blackbirds are deployed to the area, but as soon as they alight on the walls and rooftops, they are set upon by a force of cats that are lying in wait for them. Like soldiers under [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]], the cats are able to strike with perfect coordination, taking the enemy by surprise, killing two and driving the rest away. Days later a group of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightjar nightjars] are attacked in the same way on Bleeker Street with similar results.

Despite this, it soon becomes clear that the cats are ''not'' winning. Eventually the birds are able to arrange an ambush of their own. A group of cats surround a tiny thrush that appears to have recklessly alighted on a branch on the old yew tree outside the Lone Reveller, a well-regarded eatery on the city's central plaza. Cats converge on the bird from every side-street, but as they do a huge flock of birds of prey plummet from the sky. Amber hawks lancing down to the streets below, plummeting kites with beautiful argent feathers, diving merlins whose feathers bear the rune of wealth.

A battle royale takes place all across the plaza, but the cats are badly outnumbered and outmatched and they are routed in short order. From that point on, no cat is seen in the plaza, thereafter it is the secure demesne of beautiful songbirds. The pattern repeats all across the city and soon the cats are in full retreat. In dribs and drabs they flee the city, seeking refuge in the citadels and spires that still dot the hills and mountains of the territory. By the end of the season, there is not a single cat of any kind left in Apulus.

In their place, the city is filled with birds of every kind and colour imaginable. Most are flighty and wary of people, but the smaller ones come close if fed with seed. Their birdsong fills the city, countless beautiful songs, each one different to the last, are now audible on every street and avenue in the city. Those whose cats have fled mourn the loss of their pets, but the presence of the birds is so beneficial it is hard to be entirely disgruntled. Somehow, the birdsong it entirely drowns out the constant malevolence coming from the Black Plateau, leaving the city well-protected and serene.

The strangely coloured cats with the mispaired eyes have not quit the territory entirely. Every Urizeni spire, every Urizeni magician, has been approached by at least one of the odd cats, seeking adoption and shared cohabitation. Negotiations are opened with offers of dead mice, and the promise of a study completely free of flies and other insects. Despite the obvious concerns, all magical investigation reveals that while the cats are unusually clever and conspiratorial, and clearly touched by night magic, they are not otherwise marked by any connection to the realm or any one of its inhabitants. Any Urizeni magician who wishes, now has at least one cat whose fur is a single primary color, like a bright red or a deep green, with mispaired eyes. The cats are hard working, keeping spires clear of insects and vermin and they are all highly companionable. They clearly welcome human company and like to snuggle close when people are talking or otherwise engaged.

==Never follow me==
<div {{float}}>
<table class='wikitable mw-collapsed mw-collapsible sortable'><tr><th>Citizen</th><th>Banner</th><th>Nation</th></tr>
<tr><td>Alistair de Vere</td><td>House de Vere</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Alys de Vere</td><td>House de Vere</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>D'Eon</td><td>Anvil Lance</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Desmond Redbear Steward</td><td></td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Earl Enchanter Severin De Manticore</td><td></td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Evrard Taillier</td><td></td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Lady Soleil-Jolie duLac</td><td>House duLac</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Lerac Birdkeep</td><td></td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Lord Bors "The Middle" du Merciel</td><td></td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mirella of the Twisted Rose</td><td>Amber Lance</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Olwyn Pickle</td><td>Amber Lance</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Perrin Syrenus</td><td>House Syrenus</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ser Percival of de Licorne</td><td>House de Licorne</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Adrianna</td><td>Fellowship of the Cinion Dawn</td><td>Silver Flame</td></tr>
<tr><td>Caius</td><td>Fellowship of the Cinion Dawn</td><td>Silver Flame</td></tr>
<tr><td>Quintus</td><td>Fellowship of the Cinion Dawn</td><td>Silver Flame</td></tr>
<tr><td>Renata</td><td>Fellowship of the Cinion Dawn</td><td>Silver Flame</td></tr>
<tr><td>Carmine de Sarvos "Father"</td><td>The Printers' Guild</td><td>The League</td></tr>
<tr><td>Natalia 'The Falcon' Barossa</td><td>Company of The Red Fox</td><td>The League</td></tr>
<tr><td>Sofonisba Amilcara of the City Below</td><td></td><td>The League</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aella</td><td>Tropaion</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Althaea Sunshaper</td><td>Urizen, Whole</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Arephanes of Tropaion Citadel</td><td>Tropaion</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Argentus</td><td>The Wise Citadel</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Atreus</td><td>The Citadel of the Still Waters</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cassian Highwind</td><td></td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Corinthius</td><td>The Wise Citadel</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cyrus</td><td>Urizen, Whole</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cyrus Stillwater</td><td>The Citadel of the Still Waters</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Donato of the Crucible</td><td></td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Fausta Ankarien</td><td></td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Floria Sunshaper</td><td>Sunshaper Citadel</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Grakulus</td><td></td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Halkyon of the Myriad Stream</td><td>The Banner of the Spiral Council</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ignatious</td><td></td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Linos</td><td>Urizen, Whole</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnus</td><td>Urizen, Whole</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Marcus</td><td>The Citadel of the Still Waters</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Sabina</td><td></td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Shibboleth Tziporah</td><td></td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Valerius</td><td>Urizen, Whole</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Varrus</td><td>Urizen, Whole</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Vespasian</td><td>Tropaion</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Xanthippe Of the Lighthouse-That-Was</td><td>Arete's Promise</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''Sofonisba Amilcara has successfully become the Map to the City Below'''
* '''The military units who assisted her have uncovered a lair under the dominion of the Whisper Gallery below the Vicente School and Orphanage'''
* '''The lair has been destroyed but the Whisper Gallery has stolen the Orphanage that was hiding it'''
* '''Sung has rewarded the Map to the City Below for their efforts'''
* '''There is a pack insert for everyone who took part in the venture that contains words that might describe their experience'''
<div style="float: right; max-width: 350px; margin-right: 10px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Sung001b.JPG|width=350|align=right}}
{{HoverImage|WhisperGal004.png|width=350|WhisperGal005.png}}</div>
At the request of the [[Sung|Rainbow Serpent]], Sofonisba Amilcara - the magician the League Assembly has appointed to become the "Map to the City Below" - successfully arranged just under forty five military units to support their efforts to explore the the sewers and passageways that lie beneath the old city. Fears that the [[Whisper Gallery]] would find a way to hinder their efforts have proved unfounded and the force was more than enough to achieve the eternal's goals, whatever they might be. They haven't actually managed to produce a physical map that anyone can check - in fact many of the military units didn't actually seem to do anything other than spend long nights in deep slumber - but that's fine because there was already a perfectly practical map of the sewers anyway. And yet, and yet..

There were revelations at the recent summit of a terrible conspiracy at the heart of the Empire. A cult of the Whisper Gallery has been exposed: involving not only the duSesna Guild of Reckoners in Apulus, but, it is said, the ''very'' highest levels of the Conclave itself. A web of lies and deceit has been spun that has left many wondering who they can truly trust. Thus, it is not a complete shock, when Sofonisba and her allies report that they have discovered a lair of the Whisper Gallery here in Apulus.

The Shadow Den of the Adumbral Volution is something akin to a ''fane''. It has been established in the basement of the [[Custodian_of_the_Vicente_School_and_Orphanage|Vicente School and Orphanage]], not by the action of the Senate, but by the action of wicked cultists. Somehow these agents of wickedness have suborned the title-holder's natural authority over the orphanage and used it to grant dominion to the Whisper Gallery, despite the Senate's lack of formal [[Urizen_hearth_magic#Cession|cession]]. In practical terms, the result is not that different to a [[fane]] - its presence here has allowed the eternal to operate freely in the city - only in this case nobody knew it was happening. Sadly it is difficult to discern more, for the Orphanage has been lost in the battle. The allies of Sung claim they didn't destroy the building; if that is true, the most likely alternative is that the Whisper Gallery has chosen to spirit it away somehow. If the eternal can't have the school, neither can the Empire, it would seem.

<div {{float}}><box>
'''Night Marks'''
<p>Apulus has been left permanently marked by the dominion of the Whisper Gallery. Every magician who examines the marks agrees that there is nothing that can be done about them, but they aren't a threat to the city ''right now''. They may become an issue in the future, but if that happens there will be a way to deal with them then.</p>

<p>They might draw the attention of other night eternals seeking to become involved in the City Below, or they might create an [[opportunity]] for the Whisper Gallery to cause trouble for citizens of Spiral. They exist in case we choose to use them for a new plot involving the eternal in the future.</p></box></div>

The Shadow Den has been uprooted, and the baleful influence of the Whisper Gallery on Apulus has been ended. The duSesna Guild have gone to ground, fleeing Apulus. In time most will likely be found and brought to justice by [[Venture#War_of_Whispers|enterprising captains]] - for they no longer have anywhere to hide, here. Sofonisba reports that she and the captains supporting her have overturned the lair and run the Whisper Gallery out of the city. The eternal is defeated... but their presence here has seeped in to the stones of the city. The wound has healed, but the ''scar'' remains. Magicians who cast [[Bright Lantern of Ophis]] while in Apulus can sense ''something'' which most agree are the marks left on the city by the eternal. A parting gift from the Shadow Courtiers: the magical equivalent of graffiti scrawled on the toilet walls.

There is nothing that can be done about this now: not without razing the city to the ground and beginning again. There is little to fear from these marks in and of themselves - they don't have any power over the city or anyone who dwells in it. The only influence they could have would be to make the city a little more secretive and conspiratorial - and really... this is Apulus. Would anyone even notice at this point?

It would be unwise to forget about the marks completely however. The Whisper Gallery has had to expend considerable effort to create the marks. The ''Concilium of the Perjured Throne'' has demonstrated that the Empire can drive it out, but they cannot remove every trace of its influence. The marks show that the eternal had dominion here once and that perhaps, it intends to return one day to reclaim its prize. Perhaps for that reason, Sung has rewarded the Map to the City Below, empowering them to protect the city from the malevolent wickedness of the Whisper Gallery.

==Take a chance with us==
* '''Other Night eternals have inquired if they might themselves receive a berth in the City Below'''
* '''In particular, the Azoth and Sadogua have drawn up some curious proposals'''
* '''The actual effect of building these commissions is a mystery - but Sung guarantees a measure of protection and safety under the shadow of her wings'''

<div {{float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''The Delectable Refectory'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Edifice</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Apulus, Spiral</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 10 wains of mithril, 10 wains of white granite, 10 rings of ilium, and 60 crowns</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 1 season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' The Delectable Refectory would need to be ceded to Sadogua</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' All the effects of this edifice are a mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the start of Summer Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
</table>

<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''The Grand Laboratory'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Edifice</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Apulus, Spiral</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 10 wains of mithril, 10 wains of white granite, 10 weirwood, 10 rings of ilium, and 90 crowns</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 1 season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' The edifice would need to be ceded to Azoth</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' All the effects of this edifice are a mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the start of Summer Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
As predicted, the completion of Sung's fane has drawn attention from other Night eternals - and the routing of the Cavalcade of Purrs has only heightened that, for there is little love lost between the Shadow Courtiers and the other denizens of the realm. Heralds working for both the [[Azoth]] and [[Sadogua]] have begun seen now regularly in the city this season and have also come to call at spires and citadels across the territory. The two eternals have made no secret of the fact that they would ''dearly'' love a place within the City Below to call their own.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: right;">[[file:Sadogua001d.webp|align=right|width=250]]</div>
Sadogua, perhaps predictably, has taken a close interest in the [[The_play_that_came_to_Apulian#Curiouser_and_Curiouser|dramaturgical college]]. His heralds have presented his "suggestions" for an annex to the University; specifically, ''Batfather'' feels that the current plans fail to take into account the need to ensure that students and teachers are replete with find food and drink, so that they can indulge themselves when needed or deserved. As such, the ''Brother of Wizards'' suggests the construction of what he calls the Delectable Refectory. This would be an edifice ceded to Sadogua - a fane for all practical terms - at which banquets would be served for those who cared to attend them, "with plenty of extra trimmings and custard for all as wants them, and hammocks provided too to aid in after-dinner digestion". Everyone would be welcome to attend, but the Refectory would be housed inside a Night regio, so they would need to cast [[operate portal]] to enter, or have some other means of ingress and egress.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Crucible.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
The Azoth has let it be known that it, too, would like a home in the city of night. They envisage a Grand Laboratory that is attached to the growing University of Apulus, though to what end is unclear. As such, they propose that in lieu of actual plans, a suitable quantity of building materials could be acquired first. Then, once they had been arranged, ''Makeready'' would provide the builders and craftspersons with several dozen of its finest alchemical concoctions. After that, they could be encouraged to "just sort of make what comes to mind - no wrong answers!", as one herald put it. Such an... unconventional... approach would be ''guaranteed'' to produce something original and creative. Whether that is an entirely good idea is open to criticism, as one Holberg professor of civil engineering dryly comments "You can overrate the value of originality when suspending three tons of roofing tiles over someone's head".

Either, or both, of these edifices could be constructed and ceded so long as the [[Conclave]] does not declare its enmity on either Eternal. Experienced magicians caution that doing so is bound to provide some benefits to the city, but will inevitably attract even more attention from the other night eternals. [[Lashonar]] and [[Janon]] are both under enmity at the moment, preventing their heralds from ''appearing'' in Spiral, even despite the enchantment over the territory, but there are murmurings that they share the desire of their fellow wyrms and serpents to engage.

There are clear risks in ceding anything to an eternal of course, not least what happens if the Empire decides to change its mind. However the heralds attending the [[Map_to_the_City_Below|Chamber of Euphony]] claim that ''Spiral Dancer'' has enfolded her wings around Apulus, protecting its mysteries and its occupants from harm. Now that the battle for Apulus is won, other night eternals seeking a foothold in the city would be bound to acknowledge Sung's ascendency. The protection provided by the ''Rainbow Serpent'' is something of a double-edged sword - it preserves mysteries, making it literally impossible for Sadogua or Azoth to know what the edifices they propose might ultimately do, but it severely restricts the ability of any eternal to act with genuine malice or deceit. It is not impossible that an eternal could circumvent such protection, Sung is not all knowing and is as prone to error as any mortal, but it would make it vastly more difficult.

This is why Spiral Dancer has created the Map to the City Below. Having successfully driven the ''Concilium of the Perjured Throne'' from Spiral, the Map is now "bound" to the City. Sung's heralds don't actually mean bound in the way a magical item is [[create bond|bound]] to its owner, but they clearly mean something similar. It is clear that Sung believes that a map of the city represents the city in a way that goes beyond what a mortal cartographer might assume. Mortals see the map as an image that represents the city - Sung views it the other way round, regarding the city as a reflection of the map. To the eternal, the map is real and concrete while the city is abstract and symbolic.

Which is all a lot of fancy magical bollocks in the minds of many practical League business folk. What it actually ''means'' is that the "Map" will usually be the first to know if the city is threatened by an eternal. Or that the Map will know about any threat as soon as Sung does. Or that Sung will know about any threat as soon as the Map does. At least one of those things is definitely true, possibly all of them. Straight answers are rare with some night eternals, and none more so than the ''Lord of Illusions''.

==The moment prepared for==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Seductive and Mysterious.jpg|caption=Dramaturgy is at once bold and obvious, but also subtle and enigmatic. A play is an easy thing to understand, but its effect on the mind and the spirit not quite so straightforward.|align=left|width=400}}</div>
* '''The dramaturgical confluence has largely ceased, though its cause and nature remain an elusive mystery'''
The dramaturgical confluence that began with the streets of Apulus beginning to stretch and tangle seems to have finally ended. Dramaturgists report that the personae and the thrones seem to be behaving more normally, at least for now. To the disappointment of some, the streets of Apulus seem to have largely settled down. Things are finally where they should be. Good news for accountants who are late for important meetings to go through the books with a client, bad news for cicisbeo who discover they can no longer cram a week's entertainment into a single night.

Not everything is back ''exactly'' the way it was. There is a back-alley off Metals Street just behind Lorazo's Smithy that is barely fifty yards long but it still emerges on Bleeker Street despite the fact that Bleeker Street is almost a mile away. There is a bookdealers in Three Corpse Culvert called Newcomers's Books which has five complete floors to it, as well as a basement, despite being housed in a single story building. There is a statue of Salt Lord Kaliact on the dockfront which slowly changes position, but only when someone is looking at it: otherwise, it is perfectly still. For the large part, these magics are muted and minor, at least compared with the torrent that swept the city when the confluence was in effect.

It is not clear what caused the confluence, or what it ended it for that matter. It is easy to imagine that it was the Whisper Gallery, too easy in the minds of many dramaturgists, who are convinced that the tale cannot be that simple. Dramaturgy has certain resonances that lend itself to the Whisper Gallery's games, but it is not solely the province of Night, after all.

Once the Barossa University of the Dramaturgical Arts is complete, they will be in a position to investigate dramaturgical magic more thoroughly. If they can examine the personae, thrones and instruments, and any lingering effects of the confluence, this might give insight into what happened in Apulus. Even if it doesn't, it will certainly leave the Empire much better prepared were ''another'' confluence to form which would be useful given how eager eternals appear to have been to take advantage of this one.

This is the end

2026-07-17T17:47:38Z

Thespaceinvader: /* The moment prepared for */

[[Category:388YE Summer]][[Category:Winds of Fortune]]
<ic>
SCENE: A COURTYARD IN SHADOW. MUSIC PLAYS FAR AWAY. THEY SPEAK, FILLING THE COURTYARD WITH WHISPERS, THEIR VOICES GLITTERING LIKE GEMSTONES.

'''EMERALD VOICE:''' "Quite a shame, quite a shame. We did so like that city. Oh, waily waily, our house in ruins...! What a beautiful game it was, though - and such good sports all."

'''SAPPHIRE VOICE:''' "We shall return, perhaps, in a less fervent season? Though now it is under the cursed serpent's aegis... by the void and abyss, how I hate that cursèd songbird!"

'''RUBY VOICE:''' "All the more reason to skulk in secret, my dearest darling confidante. We'll find places, and people will whisper to us once more. The circle turns, and tickets are always on sale."

'''TOPAZ VOICE:''' "And what of the rest? The sloth? The hybrid? The chatterer? The firestorm? All in their tedium. They'll all be clamouring to be there now. Not to even speak of --"

'''SAPPHIRE VOICE:''' "-- don't you go on so, beloved. We were the first! First to notice the potential of the place, before the feathered bore stuck in her beak. Art is about getting everyone talking."

'''RUBY VOICE:''' "First to roost, and first to flee. Such is our lot. O, what an ill-fated star for the beloved of cats. Friendless, now, abandoned by our confidantes. Even dearest Teodore... even--"

'''EMERALD VOICE:''' "-- you know I heard the Barossa priest is to defend Bela Vicente. Rumour speaks, companions mine, that he does so out of an obligation we created - how exceptionally droll."

'''SAPPHIRE VOICE:''' "Ah, Asav. Pleasant, this time of year. Now there's a place that appreciates the value of intrigue. Not like these Catazzari secret-murderers, addicted to truth's dishonesty."

'''TOPAZ VOICE:''' "Or Jarm. Our friends in the Violet Forest have been saying we have been neglecting them. Though they keep busy anyway, I hear. There's always a way where there's a will."

'''EMERALD VOICE:''' "So we're agreed. A sojourn onwards to new retreats for this merry band of players and artists. We must prepare for the next debut. Where one curtain falls, after all, another rises."

THE FIGURES RETREAT FROM THE SHADOWS. A SMALL ALBINO KITTEN WANDERS OUT ONTO THE STAGE. IT LOOKS TOWARDS THE AUDIENCE. IT LOOKS AT YOU.

Letitia lowered the pages, trying to keep her face neutral, but Mario saw through her immediately. He jutted his jaw pugnaciously, and she could see him getting angry with her before she had even opened her mouth.

"Well?" He demanded. She tried to plaster a smile on her face but it wouldn't stick and slipped off, possibly because she had started to sweat.

"It's a bit... I mean it's very good obviously." The last bit was spoken very fast indeed because she'd noticed Mario had one hand on the pommel of the rod at his side. The playwright's days of fighting for the Conclave were past, but he kept the rod to remind people that as well as wrangling words he could still crack heads when the situation called for it.

"A bit what," he said, refusing to let it go.

"It's a bit... it's a bit.. <small>over the top?</small>"

Mario ripped the pages from her hands and threw them on the ground. The rest of the company turned to gawk, as actors are wont to do. Two of the stage hands took the opportunity to nip off for a quick break.

"FINE!" Mario shouted in a voice Letitia swore was making the rafter vibrate. He could project when he wanted to. "You ''wanted'' a play about the Whisper Gallery but I ''give'' you a play about the Whisper Gallery and what do you do? You ''criticise''! You throw it back in my face! ''You'' write a play that captures the enigmatic nature of the Lords of the Chiaroscuran Throne then! You clearly know what you want better than I do!" The playwright stormed out.

Letitia squeezed the bridge of her nose. She hated bringing the company to Spiral, because of exactly this kind of thing. What, she wondered - not for the first time - did the Black Plateau have against art?</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 350px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Sofonisba Amilcara of the City Below.jpg|caption='''Sofonisba Amilcara''' is somehow the map to the City Below. Exactly what that means is... well, a mystery.|align=left|width=350}}</div>
==Overview==
The peculiar dramaturgic confluence that began in the city of Apulus more than a year ago, seems to have a reached a crescendo. Against a backdrop of running battles in the Apulus streets between [[This is the end|strangely-coloured cats with mispaired eyes and songbirds with rainbow feathers]], a cadre of military units arrives in the city to help Sofonisba Amilcara "map the city below".

Apparently convinced that there is not enough night magic running amok in the territory, someone has laid a powerful enchantment over the territory. It brings strange dreams that seemed to be linked to ongoing events. Many people suddenly awaken from dreams in which they were part of the ongoing war, fighting as either a cat or a bird against the enemy trying to seize control of the city.

Despite the strangeness, most inhabitants of Spiral find sleep brings renewed optimism and vigour. The city is filled with a feverish energy, and on the lonely mountain slopes those that live there are filled with a new joy after many sorrows. Things live. This is an old place, with a history beyond imagining, and it seems impossible it could ever be abandoned, so tightly and beautifully does it command the heart of those who call it home.

==Talon and claw==
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right; margin: 15px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Great Eared-Nightjar.jpg|align=right|caption=The war between birds and cats is over, and the city echoes with birdsong.|width=450}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Rainbow cat.jpg|caption=The war between birds and cats is over, and the cats have decided they'd actually rather not live in the city any more thank you.|align=left|width=450}}</div>
</div>
* '''The war between the cats and the birds is over'''
* '''The birds have driven the cats out of the city'''
* '''Birdsong is now everywhere in Apulus, drowning out the emanations of the Black Plateau'''

As the season wears on, the war for dominion in Apulus intensifies with open fighting on the streets between the two rivals gangs. The first major battle takes place on Mulberry Avenue; a large flock of common blackbirds are deployed to the area, but as soon as they alight on the walls and rooftops, they are set upon by a force of cats that are lying in wait for them. Like soldiers under [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]], the cats are able to strike with perfect coordination, taking the enemy by surprise, killing two and driving the rest away. Days later a group of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightjar nightjars] are attacked in the same way on Bleeker Street with similar results.

Despite this, it soon becomes clear that the cats are ''not'' winning. Eventually the birds are able to arrange an ambush of their own. A group of cats surround a tiny thrush that appears to have recklessly alighted on a branch on the old yew tree outside the Lone Reveller, a well-regarded eatery on the city's central plaza. Cats converge on the bird from every side-street, but as they do a huge flock of birds of prey plummet from the sky. Amber hawks lancing down to the streets below, plummeting kites with beautiful argent feathers, diving merlins whose feathers bear the rune of wealth.

A battle royale takes place all across the plaza, but the cats are badly outnumbered and outmatched and they are routed in short order. From that point on, no cat is seen in the plaza, thereafter it is the secure demesne of beautiful songbirds. The pattern repeats all across the city and soon the cats are in full retreat. In dribs and drabs they flee the city, seeking refuge in the citadels and spires that still dot the hills and mountains of the territory. By the end of the season, there is not a single cat of any kind left in Apulus.

In their place, the city is filled with birds of every kind and colour imaginable. Most are flighty and wary of people, but the smaller ones come close if fed with seed. Their birdsong fills the city, countless beautiful songs, each one different to the last, are now audible on every street and avenue in the city. Those whose cats have fled mourn the loss of their pets, but the presence of the birds is so beneficial it is hard to be entirely disgruntled. Somehow, the birdsong it entirely drowns out the constant malevolence coming from the Black Plateau, leaving the city well-protected and serene.

The strangely coloured cats with the mispaired eyes have not quit the territory entirely. Every Urizeni spire, every Urizeni magician, has been approached by at least one of the odd cats, seeking adoption and shared cohabitation. Negotiations are opened with offers of dead mice, and the promise of a study completely free of flies and other insects. Despite the obvious concerns, all magical investigation reveals that while the cats are unusually clever and conspiratorial, and clearly touched by night magic, they are not otherwise marked by any connection to the realm or any one of it's inhabitants. Any Urizeni magician who wishes, now has at least one cat whose fur is a single primary color, like a bright red or a deep green, with mispaired eyes. The cats are hard working, keeping spires clear of insects and vermin and they are all highly companionable. They clearly welcome human company and like to snuggle close when people are talking or otherwise engaged.

==Never follow me==
<div {{float}}>
<table class='wikitable mw-collapsed mw-collapsible sortable'><tr><th>Citizen</th><th>Banner</th><th>Nation</th></tr>
<tr><td>Alistair de Vere</td><td>House de Vere</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Alys de Vere</td><td>House de Vere</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>D'Eon</td><td>Anvil Lance</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Desmond Redbear Steward</td><td></td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Earl Enchanter Severin De Manticore</td><td></td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Evrard Taillier</td><td></td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Lady Soleil-Jolie duLac</td><td>House duLac</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Lerac Birdkeep</td><td></td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Lord Bors "The Middle" du Merciel</td><td></td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mirella of the Twisted Rose</td><td>Amber Lance</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Olwyn Pickle</td><td>Amber Lance</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Perrin Syrenus</td><td>House Syrenus</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ser Percival of de Licorne</td><td>House de Licorne</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Adrianna</td><td>Fellowship of the Cinion Dawn</td><td>Silver Flame</td></tr>
<tr><td>Caius</td><td>Fellowship of the Cinion Dawn</td><td>Silver Flame</td></tr>
<tr><td>Quintus</td><td>Fellowship of the Cinion Dawn</td><td>Silver Flame</td></tr>
<tr><td>Renata</td><td>Fellowship of the Cinion Dawn</td><td>Silver Flame</td></tr>
<tr><td>Carmine de Sarvos "Father"</td><td>The Printers' Guild</td><td>The League</td></tr>
<tr><td>Natalia 'The Falcon' Barossa</td><td>Company of The Red Fox</td><td>The League</td></tr>
<tr><td>Sofonisba Amilcara of the City Below</td><td></td><td>The League</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aella</td><td>Tropaion</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Althaea Sunshaper</td><td>Urizen, Whole</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Arephanes of Tropaion Citadel</td><td>Tropaion</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Argentus</td><td>The Wise Citadel</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Atreus</td><td>The Citadel of the Still Waters</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cassian Highwind</td><td></td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Corinthius</td><td>The Wise Citadel</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cyrus</td><td>Urizen, Whole</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cyrus Stillwater</td><td>The Citadel of the Still Waters</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Donato of the Crucible</td><td></td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Fausta Ankarien</td><td></td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Floria Sunshaper</td><td>Sunshaper Citadel</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Grakulus</td><td></td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Halkyon of the Myriad Stream</td><td>The Banner of the Spiral Council</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ignatious</td><td></td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Linos</td><td>Urizen, Whole</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnus</td><td>Urizen, Whole</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Marcus</td><td>The Citadel of the Still Waters</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Sabina</td><td></td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Shibboleth Tziporah</td><td></td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Valerius</td><td>Urizen, Whole</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Varrus</td><td>Urizen, Whole</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Vespasian</td><td>Tropaion</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Xanthippe Of the Lighthouse-That-Was</td><td>Arete's Promise</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''Sofonisba Amilcara has successfully become the Map to the City Below'''
* '''The military units who assisted her have uncovered a lair under the dominion of the Whisper Gallery below the Vicente School and Orphanage'''
* '''The lair has been destroyed but the Whisper Gallery has stolen the Orphanage that was hiding it'''
* '''Sung has rewarded the Map to the City Below for their efforts'''
* '''There is a pack insert for everyone who took part in the venture that contains words that might describe their experience'''
<div style="float: right; max-width: 350px; margin-right: 10px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Sung001b.JPG|width=350|align=right}}
{{HoverImage|WhisperGal004.png|width=350|WhisperGal005.png}}</div>
At the request of the [[Sung|Rainbow Serpent]], Sofonisba Amilcara - the magician the League Assembly has appointed to become the "Map to the City Below" - successfully arranged just under forty five military units to support their efforts to explore the the sewers and passageways that lie beneath the old city. Fears that the [[Whisper Gallery]] would found a way to hinder their efforts have proved unfounded and the force was more than enough to achieve the eternal's goals, whatever they might be. They haven't actually managed to produce a physical map that anyone can check - in fact many of the military units don't actually seem to do anything other than spend long nights in deep slumber - but that's fine because there was already a perfectly practical map of the sewers anyway. And yet, and yet..

There were revelations at the recent summit of a terrible conspiracy at the heart of the Empire. A cult of the Whisper Gallery has been exposed: involving not only the duSesna Guild of Reckoners in Apulus, but, it is said, the ''very'' highest levels of the Conclave itself. A web of lies and deceit has been spun that has left many wondering who they can truly trust. Thus, it is not a complete shock, when Sofonisba and her allies report that they have discovered a lair of the Whisper Gallery here in Apulus.

The Shadow Den of the Adumbral Volution is something akin to a ''fane''. It has been established in the basement of the [[Custodian_of_the_Vicente_School_and_Orphanage|Vicente School and Orphanage]], not by the action of the Senate, but by the action of wicked cultists. Somehow these agents of wickedness have suborned the title-holder's natural authority over the orphanage and used it to grant dominion to the Whisper Gallery, despite the Senate's lack of formal [[Urizen_hearth_magic#Cession|cession]]. In practical terms, the result is not that different to a [[fane]] - its presence here has allowed the eternal to operate freely in the city - only in this case nobody knew it was happening. Sadly it is difficult to discern more, for the Orphanage has been lost in the battle. The allies of Sung claim they didn't destroy the building; if that is true, the most likely alternative is that the Whisper Gallery has chosen to spirit it away somehow. If the eternal can't have the school, neither can the Empire, it would seem.

<div {{float}}><box>
'''Night Marks'''
<p>Apulus has been left permanently marked by the dominion of the Whisper Gallery. Every magician who examines the marks agrees that there is nothing that can be done about them, but they aren't a threat to the city ''right now''. They may become an issue in the future, but if that happens there will be a way to deal with them then.</p>

<p>They might draw the attention of other night eternals seeking to become involved in the City Below, or they might create an [[opportunity]] for the Whisper Gallery to cause trouble for citizens of Spiral. They exist in case we choose to use them for a new plot involving the eternal in the future.</p></box></div>

The Shadow Den has been uprooted, and the baleful influence of the Whisper Gallery on Apulus has been ended. The duSesna Guild have gone to ground, fleeing Apulus. In time most will likely be found and brought to justice by [[Venture#War_of_Whispers|enterprising captains]] - for they no longer have anywhere to hide, here. Sofonisba reports that she and the captains supporting her have overturned the lair and run the Whisper Gallery out of the city. The eternal is defeated... but their presence here has seeped in to the stones of the city. The wound has healed, but the ''scar'' remains. Magicians who cast [[Bright Lantern of Ophis]] while in Apulus can sense ''something'' which most agree are the marks left on the city by the eternal. A parting gift from the Shadow Courtiers: the magical equivalent of graffiti scrawled on the toilet walls.

There is nothing that can be done about this now: not without razing the city to the ground and beginning again. There is little to fear from these marks in and of themselves - they don't have any power over the city or anyone who dwells in it. The only influence they could have would be to make the city a little more secretive and conspiratorial - and really... this is Apulus. Would anyone even notice at this point?

It would be unwise to forget about the marks completely however. The Whisper Gallery has had to expend considerable effort to create the marks. The ''Concilium of the Perjured Throne'' has demonstrated that the Empire can drive it out, but they cannot remove every trace of its influence. The marks show that the eternal had dominion here once and that perhaps, it intends to return one day to reclaim its prize. Perhaps for that reason, Sung has rewarded the Map to the City Below, empowering them to protect the city from the malevolent wickedness of the Whisper Gallery.

==Take a chance with us==
* '''Other Night eternals have inquired if they might themselves receive a berth in the City Below'''
* '''In particular, the Azoth and Sadogua have drawn up some curious proposals'''
* '''The actual effect of building these commissions is a mystery - but Sung guarantees a measure of protection and safety under the shadow of her wings'''

<div {{float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''The Delectable Refectory'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Edifice</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Apulus, Spiral</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' Materials: 10 wains of mithril, 10 wains of white granite, 10 rings of ilium, and 60 crowns</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 1 season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' The Delectable Refectory would need to be ceded to Sadogua</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' All the effects of this edifice are a mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the start of Summer Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
</table>

<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''The Grand Laboratory'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Edifice</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Apulus, Spiral</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' Materials: 10 wains of mithril, 10 wains of white granite, 10 weirwood, 10 rings of ilium, and 90 crowns</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 1 season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' The edifice would need to be ceded to Azoth</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' All the effects of this edifice are a mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the start of Summer Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
As predicted, the completion of Sung's fane has drawn attention from other Night eternals - and the routing of the Cavalcade of Purrs has only heightened that, for there is little love lost between the Shadow Courtiers and the other denizens of the realm. Heralds working for both the [[Azoth]] and [[Sadogua]] have begun seen now regularly in the city this season and have also come to call at spires and citadels across the territory. The two eternals have made no secret of the fact that they would ''dearly'' love a place within the City Below to call their own.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: right;">[[file:Sadogua001d.webp|align=right|width=250]]</div>
Sadogua, perhaps predictably, has taken a close interest in the [[The_play_that_came_to_Apulian#Curiouser_and_Curiouser|dramaturgical college]]. His heralds have presented his "suggestions" for an annex to the University; specifically, ''Batfather'' feels that the current plans fail to take into account the need to ensure that students and teachers are replete with find food and drink, so that they can indulge themselves when needed or deserved. As such, the ''Brother of Wizards'' suggests the construction of what he calls the Delectable Refectory. This would be an edifice ceded to Sadogua - a fane for all practical terms - at which banquets would be served for those who cared to attend them, "with plenty of extra trimmings and custard for all as wants them, and hammocks provided too to aid in after-dinner digestion". Everyone would be welcome to attend, but the Refectory would be housed inside a Night regio, so they would need to cast [[operate portal]] to enter, or have some other means of ingress and egress.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Crucible.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
The Azoth has let it be known that it, too, would like a home in the city of night. They envisage a Grand Laboratory that is attached to the growing University of Apulus, though to what end is unclear. As such, they propose that in lieu of actual plans, a suitable quantity of building materials could be acquired first. Then, once they had been arranged, ''Makeready'' would provide the builders and craftspersons with several dozen of its finest alchemical concoctions. After that, they could be encouraged to "just sort of make what comes to mind - no wrong answers!", as one herald put it. Such an... unconventional... approach would be ''guaranteed'' to produce something original and creative. Whether that is an entirely good idea is open to criticism, as one Holberg professor of civil engineering dryly comments "You can overrate the value of originality when suspending three tons of roofing tiles over someone's head".

Either, or both, of these edifices could be constructed and ceded so long as the [[Conclave]] does not declare its enmity on either Eternal. Experienced magicians caution that doing so is bound to provide some benefits to the city, but will inevitably attract even more attention from the other night eternals. [[Lashonar]] and [[Janon]] are both under emnity at the moment, preventing their heralds from ''appearing'' in Spiral, even despite the enchantment over the territory, but there are murmurings that they share the desire of their fellow wyrms and serpents to engage.

There are clear risks in ceding anything to an eternal of course, not least what happens if the Empire decides to change its mind. However the heralds attending the [[Map_to_the_City_Below|Chamber of Euphony]] claim that ''Spiral Dancer'' has enfolded her wings around Apulus, protecting its mysteries and its occupants from harm. Now that the battle for Apulus is won, other night eternals seeking a foothold in the city would be bound to acknowledge Sung's ascendency. The protection provided by the ''Rainbow Serpent'' is something of a double-edged sword - it preserves mysteries, making it literally impossible for Sadogua or Azoth to know what the edifices they propose might ultimately do, but it severely restricts the ability of any eternal to act with genuine malice or deceit. It is not impossible that an eternal could circumvent such protection, Sung is not all knowing and is as prone to error as any mortal, but it would make it vastly more difficult.

This is why Spiral Dancer has created the Map to the City Below. Having successfully driven the ''Concilium of the Perjured Throne'' from Spiral, the Map is now "bound" to the City. Sung's heralds don't actually mean bound in the way a magical item is [[create bond|bound]] to its owner, but they clearly mean something similar. It is clear that Sung believes that a map of the city represents the city in a way that goes beyond what a mortal cartographer might assume. Mortals see the map as an image that represents the city - Sung views it the other way round, regarding the city as a reflection of the map. To the eternal, the map is real and concrete while the city is abstract and symbolic.

Which is all a lot of fancy magical bollocks in the minds of many practical League business folk. What it actually ''means'' is that the "Map" will usually be the first to know if the city is threatened by an eternal. Or that the Map will know about any threat as soon as Sung does. Or that Sung will know about any threat as soon as the Map does. At least one of those things is definitely true, possibly all of them. Straight answers are rare with some night eternals, and none more so than the ''Lord of Illusions''.

==The moment prepared for==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Seductive and Mysterious.jpg|caption=Dramaturgy is at once bold and obvious, but also subtle and enigmatic. A play is an easy thing to understand, but its effect on the mind and the spirit not quite so straightforward.|align=left|width=400}}</div>
* '''The dramaturgical confluence has largely ceased, though its cause and nature remain an elusive mystery'''
The dramaturgical confluence that began with the streets of Apulus beginning to stretch and tangle seems to have finally ended. Dramaturgists report that the personae and the thrones seem to be behaving more normally, at least for now. To the disappointment of some, the streets of Apulus seem to have largely settled down. Things are finally where they should be. Good news for accountants who are late for important meetings to go through the books with a client, bad news for cicisbeo who discover they can no longer cram a week's entertainment into a single night.

Not everything is back ''exactly'' the way it was. There is a back-alley off Metals Street just behind Lorazo's Smithy that is barely fifty yards long but it still emerges on Bleeker Street despite the fact that Bleeker Street is almost a mile away. There is a bookdealers in Three Corpse Culvert called Newcomers's Books which has five complete floors to it, as well as a basement, despite being housed in a single story building. There is a statue of Salt Lord Kaliact on the dockfront which slowly changes position, but only when someone is looking at it: otherwise, it is perfectly still. For the large part, these magics are muted and minor, at least compared with the torrent that swept the city when the confluence was in effect.

It is not clear what caused the confluence, or what it ended it for that matter. It is easy to imagine that it was the Whisper Gallery, too easy in the minds of many dramaturgists, who are convinced that the tale cannot be that simple. Dramaturgy has certain resonances that lend itself to the Whisper Gallery's games, but it is not solely the province of Night, after all.

Once the Barossa University of the Dramaturgical Arts is complete, they will be in a position to investigate dramaturgical magic more thoroughly. If they can examine the personae, thrones and instruments, and any lingering effects of the confluence, this might give insight into what happened in Apulus. Even if it doesn't, it will certainly leave the Empire much better prepared were ''another'' confluence to form which would be useful given how eager eternals appear to have been to take advantage of this one.

This is the end

2026-07-17T17:47:17Z

Thespaceinvader: /* The moment prepared for */

[[Category:388YE Summer]][[Category:Winds of Fortune]]
<ic>
SCENE: A COURTYARD IN SHADOW. MUSIC PLAYS FAR AWAY. THEY SPEAK, FILLING THE COURTYARD WITH WHISPERS, THEIR VOICES GLITTERING LIKE GEMSTONES.

'''EMERALD VOICE:''' "Quite a shame, quite a shame. We did so like that city. Oh, waily waily, our house in ruins...! What a beautiful game it was, though - and such good sports all."

'''SAPPHIRE VOICE:''' "We shall return, perhaps, in a less fervent season? Though now it is under the cursed serpent's aegis... by the void and abyss, how I hate that cursèd songbird!"

'''RUBY VOICE:''' "All the more reason to skulk in secret, my dearest darling confidante. We'll find places, and people will whisper to us once more. The circle turns, and tickets are always on sale."

'''TOPAZ VOICE:''' "And what of the rest? The sloth? The hybrid? The chatterer? The firestorm? All in their tedium. They'll all be clamouring to be there now. Not to even speak of --"

'''SAPPHIRE VOICE:''' "-- don't you go on so, beloved. We were the first! First to notice the potential of the place, before the feathered bore stuck in her beak. Art is about getting everyone talking."

'''RUBY VOICE:''' "First to roost, and first to flee. Such is our lot. O, what an ill-fated star for the beloved of cats. Friendless, now, abandoned by our confidantes. Even dearest Teodore... even--"

'''EMERALD VOICE:''' "-- you know I heard the Barossa priest is to defend Bela Vicente. Rumour speaks, companions mine, that he does so out of an obligation we created - how exceptionally droll."

'''SAPPHIRE VOICE:''' "Ah, Asav. Pleasant, this time of year. Now there's a place that appreciates the value of intrigue. Not like these Catazzari secret-murderers, addicted to truth's dishonesty."

'''TOPAZ VOICE:''' "Or Jarm. Our friends in the Violet Forest have been saying we have been neglecting them. Though they keep busy anyway, I hear. There's always a way where there's a will."

'''EMERALD VOICE:''' "So we're agreed. A sojourn onwards to new retreats for this merry band of players and artists. We must prepare for the next debut. Where one curtain falls, after all, another rises."

THE FIGURES RETREAT FROM THE SHADOWS. A SMALL ALBINO KITTEN WANDERS OUT ONTO THE STAGE. IT LOOKS TOWARDS THE AUDIENCE. IT LOOKS AT YOU.

Letitia lowered the pages, trying to keep her face neutral, but Mario saw through her immediately. He jutted his jaw pugnaciously, and she could see him getting angry with her before she had even opened her mouth.

"Well?" He demanded. She tried to plaster a smile on her face but it wouldn't stick and slipped off, possibly because she had started to sweat.

"It's a bit... I mean it's very good obviously." The last bit was spoken very fast indeed because she'd noticed Mario had one hand on the pommel of the rod at his side. The playwright's days of fighting for the Conclave were past, but he kept the rod to remind people that as well as wrangling words he could still crack heads when the situation called for it.

"A bit what," he said, refusing to let it go.

"It's a bit... it's a bit.. <small>over the top?</small>"

Mario ripped the pages from her hands and threw them on the ground. The rest of the company turned to gawk, as actors are wont to do. Two of the stage hands took the opportunity to nip off for a quick break.

"FINE!" Mario shouted in a voice Letitia swore was making the rafter vibrate. He could project when he wanted to. "You ''wanted'' a play about the Whisper Gallery but I ''give'' you a play about the Whisper Gallery and what do you do? You ''criticise''! You throw it back in my face! ''You'' write a play that captures the enigmatic nature of the Lords of the Chiaroscuran Throne then! You clearly know what you want better than I do!" The playwright stormed out.

Letitia squeezed the bridge of her nose. She hated bringing the company to Spiral, because of exactly this kind of thing. What, she wondered - not for the first time - did the Black Plateau have against art?</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 350px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Sofonisba Amilcara of the City Below.jpg|caption='''Sofonisba Amilcara''' is somehow the map to the City Below. Exactly what that means is... well, a mystery.|align=left|width=350}}</div>
==Overview==
The peculiar dramaturgic confluence that began in the city of Apulus more than a year ago, seems to have a reached a crescendo. Against a backdrop of running battles in the Apulus streets between [[This is the end|strangely-coloured cats with mispaired eyes and songbirds with rainbow feathers]], a cadre of military units arrives in the city to help Sofonisba Amilcara "map the city below".

Apparently convinced that there is not enough night magic running amok in the territory, someone has laid a powerful enchantment over the territory. It brings strange dreams that seemed to be linked to ongoing events. Many people suddenly awaken from dreams in which they were part of the ongoing war, fighting as either a cat or a bird against the enemy trying to seize control of the city.

Despite the strangeness, most inhabitants of Spiral find sleep brings renewed optimism and vigour. The city is filled with a feverish energy, and on the lonely mountain slopes those that live there are filled with a new joy after many sorrows. Things live. This is an old place, with a history beyond imagining, and it seems impossible it could ever be abandoned, so tightly and beautifully does it command the heart of those who call it home.

==Talon and claw==
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right; margin: 15px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Great Eared-Nightjar.jpg|align=right|caption=The war between birds and cats is over, and the city echoes with birdsong.|width=450}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Rainbow cat.jpg|caption=The war between birds and cats is over, and the cats have decided they'd actually rather not live in the city any more thank you.|align=left|width=450}}</div>
</div>
* '''The war between the cats and the birds is over'''
* '''The birds have driven the cats out of the city'''
* '''Birdsong is now everywhere in Apulus, drowning out the emanations of the Black Plateau'''

As the season wears on, the war for dominion in Apulus intensifies with open fighting on the streets between the two rivals gangs. The first major battle takes place on Mulberry Avenue; a large flock of common blackbirds are deployed to the area, but as soon as they alight on the walls and rooftops, they are set upon by a force of cats that are lying in wait for them. Like soldiers under [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]], the cats are able to strike with perfect coordination, taking the enemy by surprise, killing two and driving the rest away. Days later a group of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightjar nightjars] are attacked in the same way on Bleeker Street with similar results.

Despite this, it soon becomes clear that the cats are ''not'' winning. Eventually the birds are able to arrange an ambush of their own. A group of cats surround a tiny thrush that appears to have recklessly alighted on a branch on the old yew tree outside the Lone Reveller, a well-regarded eatery on the city's central plaza. Cats converge on the bird from every side-street, but as they do a huge flock of birds of prey plummet from the sky. Amber hawks lancing down to the streets below, plummeting kites with beautiful argent feathers, diving merlins whose feathers bear the rune of wealth.

A battle royale takes place all across the plaza, but the cats are badly outnumbered and outmatched and they are routed in short order. From that point on, no cat is seen in the plaza, thereafter it is the secure demesne of beautiful songbirds. The pattern repeats all across the city and soon the cats are in full retreat. In dribs and drabs they flee the city, seeking refuge in the citadels and spires that still dot the hills and mountains of the territory. By the end of the season, there is not a single cat of any kind left in Apulus.

In their place, the city is filled with birds of every kind and colour imaginable. Most are flighty and wary of people, but the smaller ones come close if fed with seed. Their birdsong fills the city, countless beautiful songs, each one different to the last, are now audible on every street and avenue in the city. Those whose cats have fled mourn the loss of their pets, but the presence of the birds is so beneficial it is hard to be entirely disgruntled. Somehow, the birdsong it entirely drowns out the constant malevolence coming from the Black Plateau, leaving the city well-protected and serene.

The strangely coloured cats with the mispaired eyes have not quit the territory entirely. Every Urizeni spire, every Urizeni magician, has been approached by at least one of the odd cats, seeking adoption and shared cohabitation. Negotiations are opened with offers of dead mice, and the promise of a study completely free of flies and other insects. Despite the obvious concerns, all magical investigation reveals that while the cats are unusually clever and conspiratorial, and clearly touched by night magic, they are not otherwise marked by any connection to the realm or any one of it's inhabitants. Any Urizeni magician who wishes, now has at least one cat whose fur is a single primary color, like a bright red or a deep green, with mispaired eyes. The cats are hard working, keeping spires clear of insects and vermin and they are all highly companionable. They clearly welcome human company and like to snuggle close when people are talking or otherwise engaged.

==Never follow me==
<div {{float}}>
<table class='wikitable mw-collapsed mw-collapsible sortable'><tr><th>Citizen</th><th>Banner</th><th>Nation</th></tr>
<tr><td>Alistair de Vere</td><td>House de Vere</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Alys de Vere</td><td>House de Vere</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>D'Eon</td><td>Anvil Lance</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Desmond Redbear Steward</td><td></td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Earl Enchanter Severin De Manticore</td><td></td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Evrard Taillier</td><td></td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Lady Soleil-Jolie duLac</td><td>House duLac</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Lerac Birdkeep</td><td></td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Lord Bors "The Middle" du Merciel</td><td></td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mirella of the Twisted Rose</td><td>Amber Lance</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Olwyn Pickle</td><td>Amber Lance</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Perrin Syrenus</td><td>House Syrenus</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ser Percival of de Licorne</td><td>House de Licorne</td><td>Dawn</td></tr>
<tr><td>Adrianna</td><td>Fellowship of the Cinion Dawn</td><td>Silver Flame</td></tr>
<tr><td>Caius</td><td>Fellowship of the Cinion Dawn</td><td>Silver Flame</td></tr>
<tr><td>Quintus</td><td>Fellowship of the Cinion Dawn</td><td>Silver Flame</td></tr>
<tr><td>Renata</td><td>Fellowship of the Cinion Dawn</td><td>Silver Flame</td></tr>
<tr><td>Carmine de Sarvos "Father"</td><td>The Printers' Guild</td><td>The League</td></tr>
<tr><td>Natalia 'The Falcon' Barossa</td><td>Company of The Red Fox</td><td>The League</td></tr>
<tr><td>Sofonisba Amilcara of the City Below</td><td></td><td>The League</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aella</td><td>Tropaion</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Althaea Sunshaper</td><td>Urizen, Whole</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Arephanes of Tropaion Citadel</td><td>Tropaion</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Argentus</td><td>The Wise Citadel</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Atreus</td><td>The Citadel of the Still Waters</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cassian Highwind</td><td></td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Corinthius</td><td>The Wise Citadel</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cyrus</td><td>Urizen, Whole</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cyrus Stillwater</td><td>The Citadel of the Still Waters</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Donato of the Crucible</td><td></td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Fausta Ankarien</td><td></td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Floria Sunshaper</td><td>Sunshaper Citadel</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Grakulus</td><td></td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Halkyon of the Myriad Stream</td><td>The Banner of the Spiral Council</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ignatious</td><td></td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Linos</td><td>Urizen, Whole</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnus</td><td>Urizen, Whole</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Marcus</td><td>The Citadel of the Still Waters</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Sabina</td><td></td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Shibboleth Tziporah</td><td></td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Valerius</td><td>Urizen, Whole</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Varrus</td><td>Urizen, Whole</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Vespasian</td><td>Tropaion</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
<tr><td>Xanthippe Of the Lighthouse-That-Was</td><td>Arete's Promise</td><td>Urizen</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''Sofonisba Amilcara has successfully become the Map to the City Below'''
* '''The military units who assisted her have uncovered a lair under the dominion of the Whisper Gallery below the Vicente School and Orphanage'''
* '''The lair has been destroyed but the Whisper Gallery has stolen the Orphanage that was hiding it'''
* '''Sung has rewarded the Map to the City Below for their efforts'''
* '''There is a pack insert for everyone who took part in the venture that contains words that might describe their experience'''
<div style="float: right; max-width: 350px; margin-right: 10px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Sung001b.JPG|width=350|align=right}}
{{HoverImage|WhisperGal004.png|width=350|WhisperGal005.png}}</div>
At the request of the [[Sung|Rainbow Serpent]], Sofonisba Amilcara - the magician the League Assembly has appointed to become the "Map to the City Below" - successfully arranged just under forty five military units to support their efforts to explore the the sewers and passageways that lie beneath the old city. Fears that the [[Whisper Gallery]] would found a way to hinder their efforts have proved unfounded and the force was more than enough to achieve the eternal's goals, whatever they might be. They haven't actually managed to produce a physical map that anyone can check - in fact many of the military units don't actually seem to do anything other than spend long nights in deep slumber - but that's fine because there was already a perfectly practical map of the sewers anyway. And yet, and yet..

There were revelations at the recent summit of a terrible conspiracy at the heart of the Empire. A cult of the Whisper Gallery has been exposed: involving not only the duSesna Guild of Reckoners in Apulus, but, it is said, the ''very'' highest levels of the Conclave itself. A web of lies and deceit has been spun that has left many wondering who they can truly trust. Thus, it is not a complete shock, when Sofonisba and her allies report that they have discovered a lair of the Whisper Gallery here in Apulus.

The Shadow Den of the Adumbral Volution is something akin to a ''fane''. It has been established in the basement of the [[Custodian_of_the_Vicente_School_and_Orphanage|Vicente School and Orphanage]], not by the action of the Senate, but by the action of wicked cultists. Somehow these agents of wickedness have suborned the title-holder's natural authority over the orphanage and used it to grant dominion to the Whisper Gallery, despite the Senate's lack of formal [[Urizen_hearth_magic#Cession|cession]]. In practical terms, the result is not that different to a [[fane]] - its presence here has allowed the eternal to operate freely in the city - only in this case nobody knew it was happening. Sadly it is difficult to discern more, for the Orphanage has been lost in the battle. The allies of Sung claim they didn't destroy the building; if that is true, the most likely alternative is that the Whisper Gallery has chosen to spirit it away somehow. If the eternal can't have the school, neither can the Empire, it would seem.

<div {{float}}><box>
'''Night Marks'''
<p>Apulus has been left permanently marked by the dominion of the Whisper Gallery. Every magician who examines the marks agrees that there is nothing that can be done about them, but they aren't a threat to the city ''right now''. They may become an issue in the future, but if that happens there will be a way to deal with them then.</p>

<p>They might draw the attention of other night eternals seeking to become involved in the City Below, or they might create an [[opportunity]] for the Whisper Gallery to cause trouble for citizens of Spiral. They exist in case we choose to use them for a new plot involving the eternal in the future.</p></box></div>

The Shadow Den has been uprooted, and the baleful influence of the Whisper Gallery on Apulus has been ended. The duSesna Guild have gone to ground, fleeing Apulus. In time most will likely be found and brought to justice by [[Venture#War_of_Whispers|enterprising captains]] - for they no longer have anywhere to hide, here. Sofonisba reports that she and the captains supporting her have overturned the lair and run the Whisper Gallery out of the city. The eternal is defeated... but their presence here has seeped in to the stones of the city. The wound has healed, but the ''scar'' remains. Magicians who cast [[Bright Lantern of Ophis]] while in Apulus can sense ''something'' which most agree are the marks left on the city by the eternal. A parting gift from the Shadow Courtiers: the magical equivalent of graffiti scrawled on the toilet walls.

There is nothing that can be done about this now: not without razing the city to the ground and beginning again. There is little to fear from these marks in and of themselves - they don't have any power over the city or anyone who dwells in it. The only influence they could have would be to make the city a little more secretive and conspiratorial - and really... this is Apulus. Would anyone even notice at this point?

It would be unwise to forget about the marks completely however. The Whisper Gallery has had to expend considerable effort to create the marks. The ''Concilium of the Perjured Throne'' has demonstrated that the Empire can drive it out, but they cannot remove every trace of its influence. The marks show that the eternal had dominion here once and that perhaps, it intends to return one day to reclaim its prize. Perhaps for that reason, Sung has rewarded the Map to the City Below, empowering them to protect the city from the malevolent wickedness of the Whisper Gallery.

==Take a chance with us==
* '''Other Night eternals have inquired if they might themselves receive a berth in the City Below'''
* '''In particular, the Azoth and Sadogua have drawn up some curious proposals'''
* '''The actual effect of building these commissions is a mystery - but Sung guarantees a measure of protection and safety under the shadow of her wings'''

<div {{float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''The Delectable Refectory'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Edifice</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Apulus, Spiral</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' Materials: 10 wains of mithril, 10 wains of white granite, 10 rings of ilium, and 60 crowns</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 1 season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' The Delectable Refectory would need to be ceded to Sadogua</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' All the effects of this edifice are a mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the start of Summer Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
</table>

<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''The Grand Laboratory'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Edifice</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Apulus, Spiral</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' Materials: 10 wains of mithril, 10 wains of white granite, 10 weirwood, 10 rings of ilium, and 90 crowns</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 1 season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' The edifice would need to be ceded to Azoth</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' All the effects of this edifice are a mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year, until the start of Summer Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
As predicted, the completion of Sung's fane has drawn attention from other Night eternals - and the routing of the Cavalcade of Purrs has only heightened that, for there is little love lost between the Shadow Courtiers and the other denizens of the realm. Heralds working for both the [[Azoth]] and [[Sadogua]] have begun seen now regularly in the city this season and have also come to call at spires and citadels across the territory. The two eternals have made no secret of the fact that they would ''dearly'' love a place within the City Below to call their own.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: right;">[[file:Sadogua001d.webp|align=right|width=250]]</div>
Sadogua, perhaps predictably, has taken a close interest in the [[The_play_that_came_to_Apulian#Curiouser_and_Curiouser|dramaturgical college]]. His heralds have presented his "suggestions" for an annex to the University; specifically, ''Batfather'' feels that the current plans fail to take into account the need to ensure that students and teachers are replete with find food and drink, so that they can indulge themselves when needed or deserved. As such, the ''Brother of Wizards'' suggests the construction of what he calls the Delectable Refectory. This would be an edifice ceded to Sadogua - a fane for all practical terms - at which banquets would be served for those who cared to attend them, "with plenty of extra trimmings and custard for all as wants them, and hammocks provided too to aid in after-dinner digestion". Everyone would be welcome to attend, but the Refectory would be housed inside a Night regio, so they would need to cast [[operate portal]] to enter, or have some other means of ingress and egress.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Crucible.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
The Azoth has let it be known that it, too, would like a home in the city of night. They envisage a Grand Laboratory that is attached to the growing University of Apulus, though to what end is unclear. As such, they propose that in lieu of actual plans, a suitable quantity of building materials could be acquired first. Then, once they had been arranged, ''Makeready'' would provide the builders and craftspersons with several dozen of its finest alchemical concoctions. After that, they could be encouraged to "just sort of make what comes to mind - no wrong answers!", as one herald put it. Such an... unconventional... approach would be ''guaranteed'' to produce something original and creative. Whether that is an entirely good idea is open to criticism, as one Holberg professor of civil engineering dryly comments "You can overrate the value of originality when suspending three tons of roofing tiles over someone's head".

Either, or both, of these edifices could be constructed and ceded so long as the [[Conclave]] does not declare its enmity on either Eternal. Experienced magicians caution that doing so is bound to provide some benefits to the city, but will inevitably attract even more attention from the other night eternals. [[Lashonar]] and [[Janon]] are both under emnity at the moment, preventing their heralds from ''appearing'' in Spiral, even despite the enchantment over the territory, but there are murmurings that they share the desire of their fellow wyrms and serpents to engage.

There are clear risks in ceding anything to an eternal of course, not least what happens if the Empire decides to change its mind. However the heralds attending the [[Map_to_the_City_Below|Chamber of Euphony]] claim that ''Spiral Dancer'' has enfolded her wings around Apulus, protecting its mysteries and its occupants from harm. Now that the battle for Apulus is won, other night eternals seeking a foothold in the city would be bound to acknowledge Sung's ascendency. The protection provided by the ''Rainbow Serpent'' is something of a double-edged sword - it preserves mysteries, making it literally impossible for Sadogua or Azoth to know what the edifices they propose might ultimately do, but it severely restricts the ability of any eternal to act with genuine malice or deceit. It is not impossible that an eternal could circumvent such protection, Sung is not all knowing and is as prone to error as any mortal, but it would make it vastly more difficult.

This is why Spiral Dancer has created the Map to the City Below. Having successfully driven the ''Concilium of the Perjured Throne'' from Spiral, the Map is now "bound" to the City. Sung's heralds don't actually mean bound in the way a magical item is [[create bond|bound]] to its owner, but they clearly mean something similar. It is clear that Sung believes that a map of the city represents the city in a way that goes beyond what a mortal cartographer might assume. Mortals see the map as an image that represents the city - Sung views it the other way round, regarding the city as a reflection of the map. To the eternal, the map is real and concrete while the city is abstract and symbolic.

Which is all a lot of fancy magical bollocks in the minds of many practical League business folk. What it actually ''means'' is that the "Map" will usually be the first to know if the city is threatened by an eternal. Or that the Map will know about any threat as soon as Sung does. Or that Sung will know about any threat as soon as the Map does. At least one of those things is definitely true, possibly all of them. Straight answers are rare with some night eternals, and none more so than the ''Lord of Illusions''.

==The moment prepared for==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Seductive and Mysterious.jpg|caption=Dramaturgy is at once bold and obvious, but also subtle and enigmatic. A play is an easy thing to understand, but its effect on the mind and the spirit not quite so straightforward.|align=left|width=400}}</div>
* '''The dramaturgical confluence has largely ceased, though its cause and nature remain an elusive mystery'''
The dramaturgical confluence that began with the streets of Apulus beginning to stretch and tangle seems to have finally ended. Dramaturgists report that the personae and the thrones seem to be behaving more normally, at least for now. To the disappointment of some, the streets of Apulus seem to have largely settled down. Things are finally where they should be. Good news for accountants who are late for important meetings to go through the books with a client, bad news for cicisbeo who discover they can no longer cram a week's entertainment into a single night.

Not everything is back ''exactly'' the way it was. There is a back-alley off Metals Street just behind Lorazo's Smithy that is barely fifty yards long but it still emerges on Bleeker Street despite the fact that Bleeker Street is almost a mile away. There is a bookdealers in Three Corpse Culvert called Newcomers's Books which has five complete floors to it, as well as a basement, despite being housed in a single story building. There is a statue of Salt Lord Kaliact on the dockfront which slowly changes position, but only when someone is looking at it: otherwise, it is perfectly still. For the large part, these magics are muted and minor, at least compared with the torrent that swept the city when the confluence was in effect.

It is not clear what caused the confluence, or what it ended it for that matter. It is easy to imagine that it was the Whisper Gallery, too easy in the minds of many dramaturgists, who are convinced that the tale cannot be that simple. Dramaturgy has certain resonances that lend itself to the Whisper Gallery's games, but it is not solely the province of Night, after all.

Once the Barossa University of the Dramaturgical Arts is complete, they will be in a position to investigate dramaturgical magic more thoroughly. If they can examine the personae, thrones and instruments, and any lingering effects of the confluence, this might given insight into what happened in Apulus. Even if it doesn't, it will certainly leave the Empire much better prepared were ''another'' confluence to form which would be useful given how eager eternals appear to have been to take advantage of this one.

Category:Plenipotentiary

2026-07-17T16:14:28Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Previous Plenipotentiaries */

==Previous Plenipotentiaries==
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><th>Season</th><th>Wind of Fortune</th><th>Eternals</th></tr>
<tr><td>388YE Summer</td><td>[[Ambassadors of death]]</td><td>[[Ambassadors_of_death#In_the_Midnight_Hour_(Winter)|Kaela]], [[Ambassadors_of_death#Over_Troubled_Waters_(Autumn)|Prospero]], [[Ambassadors_of_death#Apples_and_Oranges_(Summer)|Meraud]], [[Ambassadors_of_death#Light_and_Air_(Day)|Roshanwe]], and [[Ambassadors_of_death#Among_the_Thousands_(Spring)|Irra Harah]]</td><tr><td>388YE Spring</td><td>[[Key of dreams]]</td><td>[[Key_of_dreams#Hearth-vigil_(Summer)|Cathan Canae]], [[Key_of_dreams#Finder_of_Paths_Unseen_(Night)|Azoth]], [[Key_of_dreams#Starlight_Seeks_Its_Form_(Day)|Phaleron]], [[Key_of_dreams#Sharp_Fangs_Behind_The_Leaves_(Spring)|Arhallogen]], [[Key_of_dreams#Shifting_Memory_of_Ages_(Winter)|Wise Rangara]], and [[Key_of_dreams#Many_Minds_Move_As_One_(Autumn)|the City of Salt and Sail]]</td>
<tr><td>387YE Winter</td><td>[[Ourselves and immortality]]</td><td>[[Ourselves_and_immortality#Before_a_House|Prospero]], [[Ourselves_and_immortality#I_Would_Not_Stop|Siakha]], [[Ourselves_and_immortality#Civility|Thrice-cursed Court]], [[Ourselves_and_immortality#And_Eternity|Ylenwe]], [[Ourselves_and_immortality#Only_Gossamer,_My_Gown|Whisper Gallery]], and [[Ourselves_and_immortality#Cornice|Adamant]]</td>
<tr><td>387YE Autumn</td><td>[[Has reared himself a throne]]</td><td>[[Has_reared_himself_a_throne#Sculptured_Ivy_and_Stone_Flowers|Estavus]], [[Has_reared_himself_a_throne#Hours_Breathing_Faint_and_Low|Llofir]], [[Has_reared_himself_a_throne#Resignedly_Beneath_the_Sky|Lashonar]], [[Has_reared_himself_a_throne#Melancholy_Waters_Lie|Jaheris]], [[Has_reared_himself_a_throne#No_Ripples_Curl|Zakalwe]], and [[Has_reared_himself_a_throne#Tempt_the_Waters_From_Their_Bed|an unknown Winter eternal]]</td>
<tr><td>387YE Summer</td><td>[[Can you hear me?]]</td><td>[[Can_you_hear_me%3F#The_Peregrine_Knight|Hayaak]], [[Can_you_hear_me%3F#The_Queen_of_Locks|Basileia]], [[Can_you_hear_me%3F#The_Marshal_of_Flame|Janon]], [[Can_you_hear_me%3F#The_King_on_the_Throne_of_Chains|Tharim]], [[Can_you_hear_me%3F#The_Golden_Seer|Kimus]], and [[Can_you_hear_me%3F#The_Prince_of_a_Thousand_Foes|Irra Harah]]</td>
<tr><td>387YE Spring</td><td>[[Speak to me]]</td><td>[[Speak_to_me#Pale_Empress|Skathe]], [[Speak_to_me#Invisible_Hand|Ephisis]], [[Speak_to_me#Mistress_of_Ice_and_Darkness|Cathan Canae]], [[Speak_to_me#Father_of_Bats|Sadogua]], [[Speak_to_me#Zie_of_the_Morning|Ylenwe]], and [[Speak_to_me#Brother_Harvest|Lord Rain]]</td>
<tr><td>386YE Winter</td><td>[[Secret meeting]]</td><td>[[Secret_meeting#Fire_Mage|Meraud]], [[Secret_meeting#Forest_Queen|Yaw'nagrah]], [[Secret_meeting#Empty_Throne|Sorin]], [[Secret_meeting#Endless_Ringing|Estavus]], [[Secret_meeting#Ceaseless_Struggle|Zakalwe]], and the [[Secret_meeting#Unseen_Curators|Whisper Gallery]]</td>
<tr><td>386YE Autumn</td><td>[[Seven locks]]</td><td>[[Seven locks#The Veiled Ladies|Whisper Gallery]]?, [[Seven locks#Queen of Silence|Kaela]], [[Seven locks#City of Locks|Basileia]], [[Seven locks#King Under the Mountain|Adamant]], [[Seven locks#Centipede General|Arhallogen]], [[Seven locks#Navigator|Roshanwe]], [[Seven locks#Crucible|Azoth]]</td>
<tr><td>386YE Summer</td><td>[[Famine and feast]]</td><td>[[Famine_and_feast#The_Lictors|The Lictors]], [[Famine_and_feast#Ossegrahn|Ossegrahn]], [[Famine_and_feast#Rhianos|Rhianos]], [[Famine_and_feast#Kimus|Kimus]], [[Famine_and_feast#Sung|Sung]], and [[Famine_and_feast#Founder_of_the_Feast|Agramant]]</td>
<tr><td>386YE Spring</td><td>[[Dream to me]]</td><td>[[Dream to me#Siakha|Siakha]], [[Dream to me#Eleonaris|Eleonaris]], [[Dream to me#Wise Rangara|Wise Rangara]], [[Dream to me#Sinokenon|Sinokenon]], [[Dream to me#Estavus|Estavus]], and [[Dream to me#Lashonar (Conjunction)|Lashonar]]</td>
<tr><td>385YE Winter</td><td>[[Begins where it ends]]</td><td>[[Begins where it ends#Cathan Canae|Cathan Canae]], [[Begins_where_it_ends#Zakalwe|Zakalwe]], [[Begins_where_it_ends#Ephisis|Ephisis]], [[Begins_where_it_ends#Surut|Surut]], [[Begins_where_it_ends#Sadogua|Sadogua]] (and [[Begins_where_it_ends#The_Azoth|The Azoth]]), [[Begins_where_it_ends#Irra_Harah|Irra Harah]]</td>
<tr><td>385YE Autumn</td><td>[[Back in town]]</td><td>[[Back in town#Meraud|Meraud]], [[Back in town#Zakalwe|Zakalwe]], [[Back in town#Prospero|Prospero]], [[Back in town#Tharim|Tharim]], [[Back in town#Janon|Janon]], [[Back in town#Arhallogen|Arhallogen]]</td>
<tr><td>385YE Summer</td><td>[[Three and three]]</td><td>[[Three and three#Estavus|Estavus]], [[Three and three#Azoth|Azoth]], [[Three and three#Eleonaris|Eleonaris]], [[Three and three#Wise Rangara|Wise Rangara]], [[Three and three#Siakha (Conjunction)|Siakha]], [[Three and three#Unknown|Cold Sun]]</td>
<tr><td>385YE Spring</td><td>[[Have you seen me lately]]</td><td>[[Have you seen me lately#Sung|Sung]], [[Have you seen me lately#Ephisis|Ephisis]], [[Have you seen me lately#Kaela|Kaela]], [[Have you seen me lately#Rhianos|Rhianos]], [[Have you seen me lately#Ylenrith|Ylenrith]], [[Have you seen me lately#Ossegrahn|Ossegrahn]] (and see also [[Rain king]])</td>
<tr><td>384YE Winter</td><td>[[I knew you were trouble]]</td><td>[[I_knew_you_were_trouble#Whisper_Gallery|Whisper Gallery]], [[I_knew_you_were_trouble#Prospero|Prospero]], [[I_knew_you_were_trouble#Sorin|Sorin]], [[I_knew_you_were_trouble#Kimus|Kimus]], [[I_knew_you_were_trouble#Eleonaris|Eleonaris]], [[I_knew_you_were_trouble#Llofir|Llofir]]</td>
<tr><td>384YE Autumn</td><td>[[Hopeless as a feather]]</td><td>[[Hopeless as a feather#Sadogua|Sadogua]], [[Hopeless as a feather#Callidus|Callidus]], [[Hopeless as a feather#Irra Harah|Irra Harah]], [[Hopeless as a feather#Meraud|Meraud]], [[Hopeless as a feather#Unknown|Wise Rangara on behalf of the "Silent Witness"]], [[Hopeless as a feather#Sinokenon|Sinokenon]]</td>
<tr><td>384YE Summer</td><td>[[Begin to speak]]</td><td>[[Begin to speak#Azoth|Azoth]], [[Begin to speak#Roshanwe|Roshanwe]], [[Begin to speak#Siakha|Siakha]], [[Begin to speak#Estavus|Estavus]], [[Begin to speak#Tharim|Tharim]], [[Begin to speak#Jaheris|Jaheris]]</td>
<tr><td>384YE Spring</td><td>[[The bird and the child]]</td><td>[[The bird and the child#Yaw'nagrah|Yaw'nagrah]], [[The bird and the child#Phaleron|Phaleron]], [[The bird and the child#Sinokenon|Sinokenon]], [[The bird and the child#Prospero|Prospero]], [[The bird and the child#Wise Rangara|Wise Rangara]] and guest, [[The bird and the child#Cathan Canae|Cathan Canae]], [[The bird and the child#Lashonar|Lashonar]]</td>
<tr><td>383YE Winter</td><td>[[Impossible landscapes]]</td><td>[[Impossible landscapes#Lord Rain|Lord Rain]], [[Impossible landscapes#Ephisis|Ephisis]], [[Impossible landscapes#Roshanwe|Roshanwe]], [[Impossible landscapes#Sung|Sung]], [[Impossible landscapes#Adamant|Adamant]], [[Impossible landscapes#Kaela|Kaela]]</td>
<tr><td>383YE Autumn</td><td>[[A pleasing and deceptive face]]</td><td>[[A pleasing and deceptive face#Caucus Forum|Caucus Forum]], [[A pleasing and deceptive face#Eleonaris|Eleonaris]], [[A pleasing and deceptive face#Estavus|Estavus]], [[A pleasing and deceptive face#Kimus|Kimus]], [[A pleasing and deceptive face#Surut|Surut]], [[A pleasing and deceptive face#Yaw'nagrah|Yaw'nagrah]], [[A pleasing and deceptive face#An_Unexpected_Request|Ossegrahn]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>383YE Summer</td><td>[[Between the lines of ages]]</td><td>[[Between the lines of ages#Irra Harah|Irra Harah]], [[Between the lines of ages#Lictors|Lictors]], [[Between the lines of ages#Rhianos|Rhianos]], [[Between the lines of ages#Sadogua|Sadogua]], [[Between the lines of ages#Sinokenon|Sinokenon]], [[Between the lines of ages#Skathe|Skathe]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>383YE Spring</td><td>[[Who benefits?]]</td><td>[[Who benefits?#Arhallogen|Arhallogen]], [[Who benefits?#Cathan Canae|Cathan Canae]], [[Who benefits?#Ephisis|Ephisis]], [[Who benefits?#Lashonar|Lashonar]], [[Who benefits?#Phaleron|Phaleron]], [[Who benefits?#Sorin|Sorin]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>382YE Winter</td><td>[[Nowhere and everywhere]]</td><td>[[Nowhere and everywhere#Basileus Flint|Basileus Flint]], [[Nowhere and everywhere#Irra Harah|Irra Harah]], [[Nowhere and everywhere#Lashonar|Lashonar]], [[Nowhere and everywhere#Phaleron|Phaleron]], [[Nowhere and everywhere#Rhianos|Rhianos]], [[Nowhere and everywhere#Wise Rangara|Wise Rangara]] </td></tr>
<tr><td>382YE Autumn</td><td>[[We've been here forever]]</td><td>[[We've been here forever#Azoth|Azoth]], [[We've been here forever#Eleonaris|Eleonaris]], [[We've been here forever#Ephisis|Ephisis]], [[We've been here forever#Kaela|Kaela]], [[We've been here forever#Yaw'nagrah|Yaw'nagrah]], [[We've been here forever#Zakalwe|Zakalwe]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>382YE Summer</td><td>[[Bury the hatchet]]</td><td>[[Bury the hatchet#Callidus|Callidus]], [[Bury the hatchet#Llofir|Llofir]], [[Bury the hatchet#Meraud|Meraud]], [[Bury the hatchet#Sinokenon|Sinokenon]], [[Bury the hatchet#Skathe|Skathe]], [[Bury the hatchet#Whisper Gallery|Whisper Gallery]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>382YE Spring</td><td>[[Hunter of stars]]</td><td>[[Hunter of stars#Adamant|Adamant]], [[Hunter of stars#Boar King|Boar King]], [[Hunter of stars#Capradan|Capradan]], [[Hunter of stars#Estavus|Estavus]], [[Hunter of stars#Sorin|Sorin]], [[Hunter of stars#Ylenrith|Ylenrith]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>381YE Winter</td><td>[[What did the deep say?]]</td><td>[[What did the deep say?#Barien|Barien]], [[What did the deep say?#Ephisis|Ephisis]], [[What did the deep say?#Janon|Janon]], [[What did the deep say?#Siakha|Siakha]], [[What did the deep say?#Tharim|Tharim]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>381YE Autumn</td><td>[[Rabbits and snares]]</td><td>[[Rabbits and snares#Irra Harah|Irra Harah]], [[Rabbits and snares#The Lictors|The Lictors]], [[Rabbits and snares#Zakalwe|Zakalwe]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>381YE Summer</td><td>[[Under the red sky]]</td><td>[[Under the red sky#Barien|Barien]], [[Under the red sky#Lashonar|Lashonar]], [[Under the red sky#Llofir|Llofir]], [[Under the red sky#Roshanwe|Roshanwe]], [[Under the red sky#Tharim|Tharim]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>381YE Spring</td><td>[[Immortal hand]]</td><td>[[Immortal hand#Cathan Canae|Cathan Canae]], [[Immortal hand#Estavus|Estavus]], [[Immortal_hand#Tharim|Tharim]], [[Immortal_hand#The_Whisper_Gallery|The Whisper Gallery]], [[Immortal_hand#Yaw.27nagrah|Yaw'nagrah]]</td></tr>
</table>

Jotun look and feel

2026-07-16T20:25:56Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Overview */

{{CaptionedImage|file=FurryJotun.jpg|align=left|width=500}}
==Overview==
The Jotun value courage, strength, and martial prowess above other attributes. They do not throw their own lives away, nor use the warriors of their subject nations as disposable troops, but they are invariably looking for a way to increase their honour, with an eye towards becoming ancestors when they die. The only true dishonour, most Jotun recognise is showing fear in the face of the enemy, or striking a worthy opponent down by treacherous means.

In battle, the Empire will usually encounter a mix of elite Jotun warriors and less skilled warriors drawn from the subject clans that are ruled by the Jotun. Where possible, we will try to field groups of Jotun warriors together, especially if they have similar costume, and then inter-space the line with bands of regular barbarians.

As with any barbarian role, PD will provide simple costume that you can use when monstering the Jotun. The following page provide an overview of how you can improve upon the basic barbarian breastplate and soft kit available.

==Colour==
Red is the traditional tribal colour of the Jotun, and warriors will try to wear at least one item that is red whenever possible, so that other Jotun recognize and respect them. The ideal shades are dark or blood red, but brighter reds work well for highlights, accessories or wraps.

==Breakdown==
===Base Layers===
The perfect Jotun garment is a thigh-length woollen tunic worn over trousers. These are worn by all Jotun and are usually in a dark base colour such as grey, dark green or brown or in a dark shade of red. In practice any dark coloured base garments are better than nothing as a starting point if you are volunteering to play a Jotun.

===Armour===
Jotun consider mail superior to plate armour. Most Jotun warriors will have a simple mail shirt, or a full length hauberk. This can be supplemented with plate on the forearms and lower limbs and sometimes around the shoulders. Plate does not form the majority of an elite Jotun warrior's armour in battle, instead it adds extra protection to vital areas and serves to add to the visual theme of heavily armoured warriors.

A light breastplate, such as the one represented by the PD injection moulded armour is considered inferior by Jotun warriors. This armour is still common in Jotun armies - but is usually worn by members of the Jotun subject clans rather than by elite Jotun warriors.

===Weapons===
The axe is the favourite Jotun weapon, they consider it a more versatile weapon than a sword and believe it allows a stronger more skilled warrior to dominate his opponent. Most Jotun will wield a war axe with a shield, but many opt to wield a long handled axe with two hands. The Jotun also use other heavy hefted weapons like hammers and maces, where an axe is not available, and will employ swords as a last resort where no other weapon is available.

The Jotun avoid long spears and pikes, but younger Jotun warriors who are unable to afford the best armour will often favour a spear and shield in battle, taking advantage of their speed to make swift darting jabs at enemies foolish enough to leave themselves open to attack.

When it comes to ranged combat the Jotun prefer thrown axes or javelins. They do not tolerate crossbows on the battlefield, regarding them as dishonourable weapons that require neither skill or strength to use. They also tend to shy away from bows, However Jotun subject clans that do make use of bows as weapons of war are tolerated in the line.

===Shields===
Many Jotun carry shields into battle, paired with either an axe or short spear. They favour rounded shields, the style similar to those carried by the Steinr in Wintermark. These shields are mainly used to parry and block enemy blows with, allowing the warrior to fight aggressively. Rarely do they use them to form a strong wall of interlocking shields.

We will try to make sure we have enough red shield covers for round shields, so if you have a round shield it is worth bringing it with you even if it is highly distinct as we will hopefully be able to give you a cover for it.
{{CaptionedImage|file=JotunMarch.jpg|align=left|width=500}}
===Accessories===
Red is often seen on their banners of war or incorporated into their costume in a totemic way. Even a small amount of red can make a big impact: a tabard or sash, scarf (to hide your human neck!), material belt or strips of cloth used as arm wraps or decoration on armour.

Fur trim, pelts and tokens made from teeth or bone are additional items that can be added to represent glorious kills a Jotun warrior has made whilst hunting. They consider powerful creatures such as dire lions, dire bears, dire boars and mandowla to be potent symbols of strength and might; many Jotun standards are topped with skulls of such animals.

==Volunteering==
Everyone who is volunteering to monster should turn-up wearing base costume and carrying a simple weapon if remotely possible. However if you are able to bring costume, weapons, and armour that are suitable for Jotun roles when monstering for a Jotun fight, then this is an enormous help in making the battle look as good as possible. In particular, we will try to assign volunteers to groups based on the kit they bring with them; players who have good Jotun kit will be assigned Jotun roles, those without will be assigned to play barbarian orcs from a Jotun subject clan.

Any of the following kit is ideal when volunteering for a skirmish or battle involving the Jotun.
* Axe, hammer, or one-handed spear
* Round shield
* Mail shirt or hauberk over padding as appropriate
* Any greaves and vambraces
* Dark coloured tunic or red if available
* Dark trousers
* Leather warskirt

If you are playing Empire, then some of your personal kit may be extremely useful whenever you are volunteering to monster. Imperial kit that is especially useful when volunteering for Jotun battles is covered below.

===Wintermark & Varushka===
Mail is the obvious useful item, but parts of the soft kit for either of these nations could be invaluable when volunteering. Leather and fur trimmings and accessories work well for an elite Jotun warrior. Vambraces and greaves of any kind are also prized by the Jotun, but lamellar armour is rarely seen amongst the Jotun and is best left in camp.

===Navarr===
The leather and well worn look of the Navarr works well for younger Jotun warriors, especially if combined with the traditional Navarr shield and spear. Units of lightly armoured Jotun warriors are highly mobile and daring on the battlefield, launching swift attacks against exposed enemy formations to sow discord and panic.

===Highguard & Dawn===
The lightly armoured look of the younger Jotun warrior might also suit players with Highguard Unconquered or Dawnish Yeomanry kit. In particular any leather or fur trimmings can easily be incorporated into a Jotun costume. As noted, mail is favoured by Jotun over plate but if you have plate then a good approach would be to focus using the items that cover the neck and arms, perhaps worn over a gambeson and combined with items of red fabric.

===Imperial Orcs===
If you are playing an Imperial Orc then most of your costume is likely to be useful when volunteering. If you have layers of armour over chain, then consider just bringing your mail - this can be an opportunity to wear a bit less in battle! Imperial Orc kit is very distinctive, so if you are able to replace or supplement any elements with red fabric then this will help.

===Brass Coast & Urizen===
The Jotun have recently conquered the Lasambrians, a major clan of orcs located on the borders of the Brass Coast and bands of Lasambrian troops could appear on any Jotun battlefield. This means that Freeborn costume is surprisingly useful when volunteering for a large Jotun battle - as it will mean you can play a Lasambrian auxiliary on the field. Whilst the Lasambrians are not seaborne corsairs, but the plains and raiding themes of the Freeborn fit well here. Unlike the Jotun, the Lasambrian orcs also have a number of battle mages who use their magics directly against the enemy, so mage armour and implements are useful. Both soft kit base layers and Brass Coast armour would work well combined with orange tunics and sashes that PD can help provide.

The Jotun field very few magicians on the battlefield, but the Lasambrian forces include witches who are skilled at using magic in combat. Urizen base costume will work well for a Lasambrian when combined with PD costume. If you are playing a Freeborn or Urizen character and are own a suitable mage implement, then it is helpful if you can bring it with you when volunteering so we can cast you as a Lasambrian magician.

{{Jotun Links}}

The Library

2026-07-16T19:25:00Z

Thespaceinvader:

The library is a [[Dramaturgy#The Thrones|throne]], a location used in [[dramaturgy]] that represents both a setting and a realm of magic.

'''Realm:''' Day.

'''Setting:''' The airy library of an Urizen spire, a cramped Varushkan wise one's hut, or a dusty Highguard scroll-room, the courtroom of a magistrate, or an ice-cavern beneath Wintermark with rune-covered walls - all of these may evoke the library. It is always a place of learning, where knowledge and wisdom are applied. It is sometimes the Chapel, where meditation and introspection take place.

'''Characters:''' [[The Doctor]] and [[The Bishop]] are strong characters in this setting; they uncover or declaim truths, discover secrets and reveal important events. It is also a place where people receive news of distant events. Any character may reveal their innermost thoughts here.

'''Magical Style:''' This is a place of knowledge, where information is uncovered and hidden things found. Divination rituals take place here. It is also a place of introspection and meditation - purification is a theme, as is healing. It is obvious that rituals such as [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]] may be performed here, but so might a ritual such as [[Winds of Fortune]], where the Prince pores over a map of distant lands, or [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]] where the Captain and the Doctor discuss difficult choices for the coming battle.

[[Category:Dramaturgy]]

Chrysalis Pendant

2026-07-16T19:22:44Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Description */

==Description==
A Chrysalis Pendant is often crafted of blue crystal or decorated with deep azure stones especially lapis lazuli. It commonly takes the form of a butterfly, or a hanging cone reminiscent of a cocoon. It is primarily of use to [[Wintermark military concerns#Banner-bearers|banner-bearers]], bards, and leaders who use their strength of personality and willpower to ensure the good health of their companions. With a few moments of confident attention, the wearer can slip dislocated limbs back into position, numb the pain of a shocking blow, or otherwise help their companions overcome the damage inflicted to an arm or a leg.

==Rules==
{{Jewellery}}
* '''Effect:''' You may spend a hero point and engage in five seconds of appropriate roleplay to restore the use of a limb that has been ruined by the [[Calls#CLEAVE|cleave]] or [[Calls#IMPALE|impale]] call. The roleplaying must include manipulating the ruined limb. If you or your target attacks another character or either of you are hit then the attempt to use this ability fails. The hero point is not lost but you must begin the roleplaying again.
* '''Materials:''' Crafting a Chrysalis Pendant requires eight ingots of [[Materials#Weltsilver|weltsilver]], five measures of [[Materials#Ambergelt|ambergelt]] and three measures of [[Materials#Beggar's Lye|beggar's lye]]. It takes one month to make one of these items.

[[Category:Magic Items]]
[[Category:Jewellery]]
<ic>"Stop whinging! It's not as bad as it looks!"</ic>

A lasting commitment

2026-07-13T20:39:03Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Voices of Virtue */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Summer]]
<ic>
When revelation yet eluded<br>
And in the dark we knew not how to see<br>
Did come Tian, and with her great gift<br>
Began the fire that burns relentlessly<br>

Behold our souls, Ambition's flame ignite<br>
Lights in the dark, Lights in the dark<br>
Behold our souls, Ambition's flame ignite<br>
Lights in the dark, Lights in the dark<br>
</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Grand Endeavours.png|caption=The Grand Inspiration of the Way promises to cement the Empire's position as the heart of the faith.|align=left|width=400}}</div>
==Overview==
In the Winter of 387YE, the Highborn Assembly declared their highest calling to be [[Construct_Grand_Inspiration_of_the_Way|the Grand Inspiration of the Way]]. The great project begun in Summer 385YE is well underway, and with renewed focus, the people of [[Highguard]] have begun to [[lay the foundations]] for how the grand edifice may be laid out.

Now in the beginning of 388YE, the [[Ambition]] Assembly have joined them with a sense of urgency; not just to complete the largest commission the Empire has ever attempted but to do so by the end of the year. Just the idea of declaring something to be your highest calling seems to embrace the Virtue of Ambition, but even so this is an extraordinary thing to attempt. There is still a vast amount of work to be done, but if the Assembly can achieve the impossible it will have a dramatic impact.

==Mean What You Say==
{{SOP|statement=Completing the Grand Inspiration of the Way is a lofty goal, but nothing is beyond the grasp of the Virtuous. The Hallowing of the Patron drives us to silence naysayers, and what better way than to complete this inspiration project within the year? It will draw the eyes of the world to us, establishing Bastion as the heart of the Way. From there, our faith will spread across the globe. This is our highest calling!|by=Rafael Barosssa, Ambition Assembly|vote={{GM}} 392-82|when=Spring 388YE}}
* '''The Assembly of Ambition has stated that their highest calling is to complete the Grand Inspiration of the Way in the space of a single year'''
* '''If the Assembly can put their reputation on the line to commit themselves to this impossible task'''

Inspired by the words of Rafael Barossa d'Apulian, the Ambition Assembly have invoked the [[Auras_of_Ambition#Hallowing_of_the_Patron|Hallowing of the Patron]], a call to silence naysayers of any who might say that the Grand Inspiration cannot be completed at all, let alone within the year. Unlike the nation of Highguard however, there is little for the Assembly to [[Lay_the_foundations#The_Family_Silver|sell off]] in exchange for new sources of precious [[white granite]]. Any additional efforts to complete the Grand Inspiration will rely on the resources of those who attend Anvil.

The best way to silence to naysayers, of course, is to stand steadfast in your convictions and prove them wrong. If the Ambition Assembly are truly confident that the Grand Inspiration will be complete within the year, then putting their reputation on the line will reap the benefits. There is no price for failure, it is a fundamental tenet of Ambition that ''"It is better, by far, to try and fail, than fail to try."'' But if they manage it, if the Grand Inspiration is completed by the start of 389YE, then the achievement will inspire the faithful.

The Assembly can use a mandate to spread word of their highest calling to every corner of the Empire:

{{Mandate|mandate=We shall ignite a flame to illuminate the Second Age of Virtue. We send {named priest} with 50 doses of liao to spread the word of the grand opening ceremony to take place as 388 turns to 389. Let the whole Empire know that the hour is at hand.|assembly=Ambition Assembly}}

If this mandate is enacted, then followers of Ambition will spread the news of the imminent completion of the Grand Inspiration across the Empire. They will ensure that everyone knows that the great project will be completed by the start of the Spring Equinox 389YE. All eyes will be on the construction in Bastion, waiting to see if the Highborn and the followers of Ambition can achieve this extraordinary feat.

If that happens and the Grand Inspiration is completed by the start of 389YE, then it will spread a powerful confidence through the faithful, creating an [[opportunity]] for members of the Assembly to see other great ambitions fulfilled.

==Say What You Mean==
* '''The Highborn Assembly have begun the hard work of defining how the Grand Inspiration will be laid out'''

After declaring the Grand Inspiration to be their highest calling the Highborn Assembly have begun the hard work of deciding how the Grand Inspiration will be laid out. The construction is vast, far and away the biggest commission ever created in the Empire, larger even than the great walls of Holberg. But size is not the only way to inspire the faithful - the way the Grand Inspiration is arranged and decorated will ultimately be more important than the construction itself.

===Voices of Virtue===
{{SOP|statement=The Highborn Assembly invite the Voices of Virtue assemblies to be the first to take up offices in the Grand Inspiration of the Way because they and the edifice are united in our will: to spread the Way to all sapient people|by=Rinnah, Highborn Assembly|vote= 300-10|when=Spring 388YE}}
* '''The Highborn Assembly have called for the office of Voices of Virtue to occupy the central space in the Grand Inspiration'''
* '''Creating ornate gardens for each Voice of Virtue would provide them with 5 liao a season'''
* '''It would allow each Voice to choose the single most important statement of principle passed during their term to be recorded for posterity'''
* '''Highborn benefactors offer to provide the Guildmaster of the Artisans with 4 thrones a season if he will arrange for a suitable magical item to be made for each Voice after they are elected'''
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">'''Garden Paths'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Motion Type:''' [[Commission#Altering_an_Existing_Commission|Amend commission]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Necessary Details:''' Amend the designs for the Grand Inspiration of the Way to incorporate seven serene gardens</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 70 crowns, three months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Until the completion of the Grand Inspiration</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Provides an income of five liao each season to each Voice of Virtue
* Creates a serene garden that each voice could use to preach their Virtue
* Creates the Annals of Virtue, allowing a Voice of Virtue to record a single crucial statement of Virtue or teaching at the end of the year after their appointment.
* Provides the Guildmaster of the Artisans with a stipend of 4 thrones a season, if they agree to arrange for the creation of suitable regalia for the voices
</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
While Rinnah's statement failed to achieve a greater majority, it was the only one that suggested how the halls of the Grand inspiration may be fitted out. With the urging of the Ambition Assembly that speed matters, the [[Wayfarer|Wayfarers]] of Highguard insist that there should be some place for the [[Voice of Virtue|Voices of Virtue]] to preach to those who come to the Grand Inspiration seeking their benedictions. A set of seven beautiful gardens is proposed where the gathered can contemplate their sermons and take time to meditate on their chosen path.

The increased prominence of the Voices would mean that they would receive an addition income of five liao. In addition there would be a library set up for the voices to record important statements and particularly elegant quotes and sayings to be recorded for posterity. The Annals of Virtue would be housed in the Grand Inspiration to record select statements of principle whose perspicacity and wisdom moved them beyond the day-to-day business of the Synod.

In the final season of their term, the Voice could choose a single statement of principle that their Assembly passed in the previous year since they were elected. This should be a statement, either part of the wording or all of it, that cut to the core of their Virtue that they believe future priests would do well to consider and debate with their colleagues. That statement will be recorded in the "Annals of Virtue" along with up to a hundred words of commentary by the Voice on the importance of the teaching. If the Voice does not deem a statement worthy, they may wish to not submit one rather than diminish the whole with an unworthy part.

Finally there is a question of finding a way to provide the voices with suitable regalia. A number of Highborn benefactors are keen that they should have some suitable symbol of their office or position, an item that can help them with their duties. Unable to agree what form such regalia should take, they decide to write to the [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]] and make a public offer of a regular income of 4 thrones a season, if they will undertake to ensure that each Voice is provided with a suitable crafted magical item. The hope is that the Guildmaster will arrange to speak with each Voice after they are elected, to agree with them what magical item they would like to have made. If the Guildmaster wishes to accept the offer then he can collect the first payment of four thrones from the head of the civil service, ''Leonardo i Del'Toro i Riqueza''.
{{SOP|statement=The Way and the Empire are a not a monolith, but a mosaic construct of profound, and beautiful traditions, human and orc, united nonetheless by faith, Synod and Doctrine. The life and worship of the greatest monument must reflect and and celebrate this diversity in order to truly uplift every soul in the Empire. Therefore, we look to the Senate to ensure that the completed Grand Inspiration is governed by a college of residentiary Canons, one elected by each National Assembly, and led by a Dean chosen by the Assembly of Nine, who will together be charged with this sacred task. Let us show that the past, present, and \future of the Way is here in the ten Proud nations of the Empire who stand together in Virtue.|by=Nicodemus of Balthazar's Vineyard, Highborn Assembly|vote={{GM}} 440-62|when=Spring 388YE|size=small}}

===Four not Forty===
* '''The Highborn Assembly has called for residentiary canons, elected by each National Assembly, to sit in the Grand Inspiration'''
* '''Nations could instead choose to copy the Highborn tradition of having a speaker for each assembly'''
Nicodemus of Balthazar's Vineyard has raised a statement in the Highborn Assembly calling for residentiary canons, one to be elected by each National Assembly. No such canons exist at the moment, so the Senate would need to create the titles, but if that happened, then a place could be made for them in the Grand Inspiration. The statement does raise questions in some quarters. With Cardinals, Champions, Voices and Inquisitors already, is there truly a need for an additional round of titles? At what point do titles without practical legal powers disincentivise the impetus for individuals to take it upon themselves to further the cause, as surely the titled person will do it?

One possible alternative might be to embrace Nicodemus' role as [[Speaker of the Highborn Assembly]]. Besides Highguard, there are four other nations with an existing title whose responsibilities include guiding their national assembly, and ensuring their nation's traditions are upheld. Each title is unique, reflecting the nation's pride and priorities. The existing titles are:
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Nicodemus of Balthazar's Vineyard.jpg|caption='''Nicodemus of Balthazar's Vineyard''', Speaker of the Highborn Assembly|align=left|width=200}}</div>
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Archbishop of Capodomus.jpg|caption='''Estella Lucati''' (right), Archbishop of Capodomus|align=left|width=200}}</div>
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Eirlys Ashes Blaze.jpg|caption='''Eirlys Ashes Blaze''', Voice of Barbs|align=left|width=400}}
</div>
* [[Speaker of the Highborn Assembly]]
* [[Herald of the Throne of Glory]]
* [[Speaker of the Crows]]
* [[Archbishop of Capodomus]]
* [[Voice of Barbs]]

Given these five titles exist and their responsibilities seem to parallel those identified in the statement, would they not be the natural choice to take up residency in the Grand Inspiration? Creating offices for the ten "speakers" would enhance their prestige and give them a place to stay and work when visiting the Grand Inspiration. Of course there are only five at present, but the Highborn Assembly could prepare chambers for each of them and set aside space for the other five nations to occupy if they create a similar position with the responsibility to chair their national assembly and champion their nation's traditions.

Such a step would still require the [[Senate]] to create the titles in question, but it would mean each nation could create their own position when they were ready to act, rather than have the Senate try to create a canon for each nation. In addition, sinecures could be built in each nation that would provide these additional titles with the kind of support the Speaker of the Highborn National assembly currently receives.

===Language beyond words===
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">'''Choristers Balcony'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Motion Type:''' [[Commission#Altering_an_Existing_Commission|Amend commission]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Necessary Details:''' Amend the designs for the Grand Inspiration of the Way to incorporate a grand balcony for the chor</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 20 thrones</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:'''
* Only available if the mandate is enacted to encourage cantors to attend the Grand Inspiration
* Available until the Grand Inspiration is completed</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Encourages Highborn cantors to attend the Grand Inspiration
* Makes the cantor archetype available to Highborn players
</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
* '''The Highborn Assembly could enact a mandate encouraging cantors to support the Grand Inspiration of the Way'''
* '''If that happens, the commission could be amended to incorporate a choristers balcony into the edifice'''
* '''Doing so would make a new Highborn archetype, the cantor, available to players'''

The Highborn are known for their musical traditions. The voices of their [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantor cantors] have carried battle anthems across every corner of the Empire, its words sown into the very earth itself. The ineffable power of a host of choristers singing the songs of Virtue, using music to speak the truth and joy of salvation to stir the heart in harmony that mere language by itself finds insufficient. Too long, some say, have the virtue and evangelism of those whose voices can ignite faith in the hearts of others in this way been overlooked.

{{Mandate|mandate=Those who spread salvation with the inspirational beauty and power of their voices must come forth to take up their rightful place in the Grand Inspiration. We send {named priest} with 50 doses of liao to encourage the cantors of our nation to congregate and sing the songs their souls yearn to share that all may hear them and know their destiny.|assembly=Highguard National Assembly}}

If this mandate is enacted, choristers who use the numinous power of music to inspire and uplift the Virtuous will attend the Grand Inspiratiown in Bastion. Those who inspire the faithful through majestic voices united in concert will come to witness the construction of the great edifice and lend the power of their voices to raise the spirits of those who work there. If that happens, the Imperial Senate could use a Senate motion to amend the Grand Inspiration of the Way to incorporate an impressive choristers balcony to allow singers to perform from. The balcony would include a hymnal library to keep records of the most inspiring music from across the whole Empire. Highborn choristers would attend the Grand Inspiration to sing with their fellow devotees, filling the great cathedral with mellifluous voices.

By putting the choral tradition of the Highborn at the centre of the Grand Inspiration, the important role of the cantor would be promoted all across the nation. The cantor tradition would be reinvigorated, not just musicians and choristers, but all those who create stirring works to inspire others; architects who build grand edifices; craftspeople who make stained glass windows or weave enormous tapestries and other artists who produce works on a grand scale. ('''OOC Note:''' the '''cantor''' archetype, one who employs the musical traditions of the Highborn to spread the Way would be available to players).
==Further Reading==
* [[The highest calling]] - 387YE Autumn wind of fortune introducing the highest calling
* [[Blood_will_thicken#A_Question_of_Scale|Blood with thicken]] - 385YE Spring wind of fortune introducing the Grand Inspiration of the Way

Love and monsters

2026-07-13T19:10:49Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Lions */

[[Category:388YE Summer]][[Category:Winds of Fortune]]
<ic>
"Yeah, but the new Queen says we need to stand with the Empire and destroy the Druj!" Isolde thumped the tavern table to emphasize the point.

Mathild did not look convinced. "It's very ''sensible''" he said, the emphasis on the last word revealing how he really felt. "But they're already beaten. We conquered Ossium. Then we conquered the Barrens. Now we've conquered Sarangrave. They're done - where's the glory in defeating a foe who can't fight back?" he asked.

Isolde screwed up her face. It was not the first time they had had this argument and it definitely wouldn't be the last. They'd been chewing this over for the best part of a week now but it was impossible. There was just no way they were going to agree.

"Yeah - that'll definitely be a glorious tale. In 385YE Dawn totally defeated the Druj, but got bored before it was over and went off to do other things leaving the Druj all the time in the world to rebuild. Yeah, it sounds so epic when you say it like that."

Now it was Mathild's turn to look aggrieved. "Ha ha. It's not about being bored of the Druj, it's about ''glory''. The Earl of Fools is calling for us to take the war to the vallorn. New horizons and all that! That's an enemy worth drawing our swords for. Defeating the vallorn - now that's glorious."

Isolde was still not convinced. "Fighting bushes and trees? Hows that glorious? The vallorn is a shit enemy, it just sits in the woods and doesn't do anything. Where's the glory in beating up a group of plants?"

"You should come down the Greenwood and see those "plants" in action. Anyway, they're going do magic on it - get all the vallorn armies to take the field together or something. Then we'll have a proper war on our hands. You wait and see - I promise you it will be glorious. That's what we should be preparing for. It's not like we can do both."

"Wait. What?" demanded a shocked Isolde.

"A proper war?" he responded quizzically, unsure of what he'd said that had caused the confusion.

"No, no, what you just said." She raised her hands to gesture the quote - "It's not like we can do both." That's what you said.

"Right, we'll it's not, is it? We can't fight both. Everyone says so."

Isolde was grinning now. "I've never met everyone, but whoever they are, I bet a gold crown they not Dawnish. Think about it... what would be more glorious than defeating the Druj ''and'' more glorious than defeating the vallorn?" She paused, but it was clearly rhetorical, "Defeating them both at the same time!" she finished.

Mathild roared with laughter and raised his tankard to his old friend. Maybe there was a way to settle this argument after all.
</ic>
<div style="float: left; width: 200px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Dawn.png|caption=The Assembly of Dawn has announced its highest calling; a glorious adventure to destroy the vallorn.|width=200px}}</div>
==Overview==
The Earl of Fools has convinced the Dawnish National Assembly that the fight against the Vallorn is the Highest Calling of Dawn. With the Barrens won and the Druj crumbling beneath the Empire's Anvil and the Thule's hammer, it makes sense to focus on the next threat to their prize. The Vallorn has not one but ''three'' hearts adjacent to the sprawling expanse of the Barrens - defeating it will be a glorious endeavour.

The idea of a great war against the vallorn is more than enough to stir the blood of the glorious.

<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;">{{SOPInner|statement=Barrens won, Dawn looks to Horizons new; And in Wisdom learns from Tales of our Past. Dawn must prepare its next Glorious fight; Aid all nations in fight against Vallorn. With Love, Glory, Virtue, all that Dawn is. Be the shield wall on which this foe shall break. Be the shining sword which the Empire wields. This is our Highest Calling.|by=Earl of Fools, Dawn Assembly|vote={{GM}} 376-166|when=Spring 388YE}}</div>

==Chimera==
* '''Dawn could create a grand monument in the Barrens to inspire citizens to fight the vallorn'''
* '''The edifice would require 75 wains of white granite, 225 crowns and would need a dose of true liao to consecrate it'''
* '''The monument would halve the cost to enlarge Dawnish armies until the vallorn is defeated'''
<div style="width: 350px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''The Vallorn's Demise'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Edifice</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Murderdale, The Barrens</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 75 [[white granite]], 225 crowns, one dose of true liao and 12 months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Senate motion must include an appropriate figure for the statue to be of</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Until the start of Summer Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Erects an enormous, inspiring statue
* Until the Vallorn is defeated, the costs to enlarge Dawnish armies are halved to 75 wains of mithril and 225 crowns
</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
How to defend the prize that is the Barrens against the threat of aggressive topiary? For Dawn, offence has always been the best defence. A grand monument in [[The_Barrens#Murderdale|Murderdale]], would move and inspire everyone who saw it, rallying them to the cause. To be truly effective it would need to be vast in scale, something with truly impressive grandeur and would need a Writ of Consecration and a precious dose of True Liao in addition to the wains and labour. But once complete it would create an awe-inspiring monument to rival the power and majesty of [[Morrow#The_Three_Watchers|the three watchers]].

Who, it is asked, could inspire such fervour into the hearts of the soldiers of Dawnish Armies? On whom should this grand monument be modelled? Should it be the [[Aspect_magic#Heraldic_Magic|Chimera]], the symbol of battlefield prowess? Adelmar the Lion, martial Exemplar of Ambition born in Dawn? The new Queen of Dawn herself, the Warden-Queen? Should the Senators involved need some advice on the matter, they might consider consulting the newly formed [[Cat's Graces]].

Once complete, the monument would cause of surge in volunteers looking to join Dawnish armies to fight the vallorn. Experienced soldiers who have long since retired from the army would return, looking for the glory of one last war against this ancient enemy. Until the vallorn is defeated and every vallornheart in the Empire knows of is destroyed, Dawnish armies would require half the usual costs to be enlarged - that is 75 mithril and 225 crowns.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Mordrain Sepulchre.jpg|caption='''Mordrain Sepulchre''' (in red), Knight of the Greenwood|align=left|width=250}}</div>
==Unicorns==
* '''The Dawnish Assembly could endorse the Vallornguard's leadership to allow military units of all nations to quest against the vallorn'''
* '''The Assembly could endorse the nation's crusade to claim Brocéliande to increase the rewards available from questing against the vallorn'''

The Highest Calling was not the first sign of Dawn's eagerness to test itself against the ''Folly of Terunael''. The [[Knight of the Greenwood]] was commissioned in Summer 384YE to coordinates and support Dawnish military units that [[Venture#Quest_Against_the_Vallorn|quest against the Vallorn]]. In recent years interest in the fight has fallen off, with around a dozen military units committed to the venture each season. But the clarion call from the Synod has transformed the situation, with interest climbing fivefold. The question is how to maintain or improve that?

The Constitutional Court offers one route. They have judged that the title [[Knight_of_the_Greenwood#Constitutional_Note|ought properly to be appointed by the Vallornguard]]. There is absolutely no requirement to follow the Court's ruling, but the Dawnish Assembly could embrace this decision if they wanted to throw their support behind the [[Imperial sodality]]. Most Dawnish folk understand that the war against the Vallorn will need every witch and warrior in the Empire to take up arms together, Dawn alone cannot defeat this enemy. Navarr have embraced the Vallornguard and given it their support, should Dawn now do likewise?

The Dawnish Assembly could enact the following mandate:

{{Mandate|mandate=The Virtuous build up their fellows. We send {named priest} with 75 liao to urge citizens of the Empire to come to Greenwood Manor to venture forth against the enemy. Let the Vallornguard lead us to glory!|assembly=Dawn National Assembly}}

If this mandate is passed, the civil service will raise an administrative motion at the next Senate session to amend the title to make it appointed by the Vallornguard. If that motion passes the Senate then the title would still be held by the Dawnish, it would become a national appointment - but it would be elected by vote of the sodality the next time it falls vacant. If the title is amended ''and'' the mandate is enacted, then it will open up Greenwood Manor to citizens of every nation. The venture to quest against the vallorn would become available to all military units.

Of course the Dawnish Assembly could take the opposite view. The new sodality has not yet proven its worth and besides it seems very focussed on victory. It's all well and good defeating the vallorn, but it will be a wasted opportunity if the coming war is not glorious. Who better than the Dawnish Assembly to ensure that whoever holds the title embraces the glory of battle with the vallorn?

The Dawnish Assembly could enact the following mandate:

{{Mandate|mandate=No price is too high to realise your dreams. We send {named priest} with 50 liao to remind the Dawnish that there is no fight more glorious than that against the Vallorn. Let us raise the banner of Dawn over Brocéliande!|assembly=Dawn National Assembly}}

If this mandate is enacted, then it will permanently improve the rewards available. Every Dawnish military unit questing against the vallorn will gain rewards as if they are a rank higher and the Greenwood Knight's income will increase to ten measures of natural material and fourteen drams of herbs. Dawnish nobles will surge into Brocéliande and yeofolk will establish settlements in Boar's Dell. Of course it may take many years for the vallornheart to be destroyed, but once it is defeated, why shouldn't Dawn press its claim? Brocéliande has never been part of the Empire, and as the recent example with [[Sarangrave]] demonstrates, a territory can't be seen as Navarr lands just because it contains a vallornheart...

These Dawnish Assembly mandates are [[Mandate#Competing_Mandates|competing]].

==Sphinges==
* '''Gardens built for the war witches of Weaving in Astolat would allow Dawn to trade a college of magic for another army'''
* '''The next Dawn army would be formed from war witches trained at the Gardens'''
<div style="width: 350px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Gardens of the Sphinx'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Edifice</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Weaving, Astolat</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 10 mithril and 15 weirwood, 75 crowns, and 1 season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Until the start of Summer Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Reduces Dawn's supply for colleges of magic by one
* Increases Dawn's supply for armies by one for an army
* Dawnish war witches would form the core of the next army Dawn raised
</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
The honest truth of the matter is that the roused Vallorn is going to be a fight unlike anything the Empire has ever seen. Titles, incomes, statues, inspiration, everything else helps; but at the end of the day there will need to be a marshalling of every person who can fight, to fight. Unlike their cousins in the west, Dawn is currently unable to support a fifth army, but the nation of Dawn is a place where nothing is impossible, a place of glory where dreams are given form.

The [[Dawn_magical_traditions#War_witches|war-witches]] of the nation have long looked at the [[Citadel Guard]] as an aspirational challenge. The Urizen are the only people who can rival their ability to apply devastating uses of magic to the battlefield in a focused manner. Currently, many of Dawns magical minds are keen to look at building a [[college of magic]], but if this capacity was sacrificed, aspiring magicians could be encouraged to become war witches and join the efforts against the vallorn

The Garden of the Sphinx would be an elaborate series of serene gardens built in Weaving, Astolat; both the centre of magical learning in Dawn and the birthplaced of [[Adelmar the Lion]]. Named for the [[legendary beasts]] association with magic, it is a happy coincidence that sphinxes are traditionally mortal enemies of manticores. It would encourage the study and practice of war magic and incorporate a set of duelling arenas to allow war witches to test their skills against one another.

Once complete, Dawn would be able to raise an army capable of unleashing the power of magic on the battlefield. It would ensure that a cohort of capable war witches formed the core of the army. It would ''not'' be a [[Army_qualities#Magic|Magic]] army, but over time it could develop its own unique quality that reflected the prowess of the war witches.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=EleonarisArt.jpg|align=left|width=250}}</div>
==Lions==
* '''A herald offers recommendations on the grandeur of a monument to the beneficence of the Queen of the Fields of Glory'''
* '''The Queen has summoned Dame Katelyn Quinnell De Cordraco to appear before her, with an entourage of troubadours, to her exploits and her plans'''
* '''If the meeting goes well, the Lion of Summer will offer the general her aid in the fight against the vallorn'''
Last season, [[Monarchs_and_outcasts#Gilded_Bouquet_(Eleonaris)|Elodian visited Anvil]] on business both personal and for his liege-lady. She was disappointed to hear about the doubt that has manifested itself in the hearts of the previously proud Highborn. But [[Eleonaris]] is apparently pleased to hear of plans to erect a grand triumph to celebrate their joint victory in the [[Sarangrave]]. A glorious [[edifice|frieze]] showing victorious Imperials fighting alongside elfin knights is entirely satisfactory. Of course anything raised in honour of a queen, should have the appropriate [[Edifice#Grandeur|grandeur]], a small statue is fine for a glorious yeofolk completing their [[Dawn_culture_and_customs#The_Test_of_Mettle|test of mettle]], but the ''Queen of the Fields of Glory'' will expect something in keeping with her status. Something the size of a tower would be adequate, but it would need to be bigger if the Empire want to impress on the Queen how grateful they are for her aid.

In any case, the denizens of the Summer Realm pay are pleased to hear that the next great campaign is to be led against the Vallorn. ELodian returned singing the praises of ''the greatest general in the Empire'', '''Dame Katelyn Quinnell De Cordraco''' of the [[Lions of Adelmar]]. So intrigued was she by the words of Elodian that she wishes to meet this great general ''in person'' at the coming solstice. At 14:00 on Saturday the ''Lady of Pennants'' will send one of her court to the Hall of Worlds to collect General Katelyn to escort her and half a dozen troubadours to engage in a discussion on the plans for this new war. After an exchange of gifts, the troubadours should regale the ''Sovereign in Scarlet and Gold'' of the great deeds of General Katelyn, and if the ''Lion of Summer'' is suitably impressed she will offer her aid in the coming fight against the ''Folly of Terunael''.

==Further Reading==
* [[The highest calling]] - 387YE Autumn wind of fortune introducing the highest calling

* [[Vallorn]]
* [[Vallornguard]]

The Chamber

2026-07-11T20:18:26Z

Thespaceinvader:

The chamber is a [[Dramaturgy#The Thrones|throne]], a location used in [[dramaturgy]] that represents both a setting and a realm of magic.

'''Realm:''' Night.

'''Setting:''' This represents privacy, a place where masks come off and characters are honest with one another. It may be a bedchamber or a privy chamber - a place of secrets, passion and plots. The tale told might be of secret assignations, of private messages given and received, of dark desires confessed and gratified. The 'bedroom farce' can be another approach to the night ritual, playing up the themes of deceit, misunderstanding and subterfuge in a comedic fashion.

'''Characters:''' [[The Witch]] and [[The Mountebank]] are strong characters in this setting; they are often veiled, and often portrayed as [[naga]]. Their understanding of passion, deception and mysteries come to the fore. Their natures often reverse; a comedic Mountebank is serious in the chamber, a clever Witch is sensuous.

'''Magical Style:''' This is often a location where a weakness is exposed, or a fact revealed; this makes the chamber a good fit for the magic of divination. It is also a place where people change their attire, making it a good fit for transformation magic.

Rituals that uncover or conceal things through Night magic are made stronger here, but so are themes of transformation, passion, or intuition. A ritual from another realm that deals with these themes is empowered by juxtaposing obvious elements ([[The Doctor]] and [[The Lantern]] for divination) with the less obvious elements of the chamber (a divination that deals with unravelling a Night realm [[enchantment]] despite the fact the ritual performed is from the Day realm) .

[[Category:Dramaturgy]]

Sound and vision

2026-07-11T17:47:10Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Silver Earworms */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Summer]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Winds of Magic]]
<ic>"When Holberg and Reikos were held by our Foes, T’was Gabriel Barossa that freed ‘em, Through their army was huge, he baited the Druj, And used their own tactics to bleed ‘em!"

Jonty slammed his tankard down on the table and groaned. "Not that fucking song again. Doesn't that troubadour know anything else?"

"What ya complaining about?" argued Dina. "It's catchy - and at least this Barossa fella's still alive. It's this or that one about the doomed lover who throws themselves in the Barren Sea five hundred years ago. This is topical. And it's about beating up the Druj. Oh, Ho! Gabriel Barossa!" the last part was shouted, as was now traditional, along with half the tavern.

"It's trite is what it is. It doesn't scan properly. It's doggerel."

"Oh right, yeah... This from the man whose only contribution to art is finger painting crude drawings on latrine walls. Going to give up woodcutting and become a troubadour are we?" Dina grinned at her drinking partner enjoying his foul mood.

"Oh, Ho! Gabriel Barossa!" shouted the crowd.

Jonty just scowled and mumbled to himself "Death by the Druj would be better than this... If I ever see this Barossa fella, I'll give him what-for..."
</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Sound and vision.jpg|align=left|width=400}}</div>
==Overview==
There is magic across the Empire. In the weavings of the cabalists. In the lore of the weavers. In the craft of the witches, and the arts of artisans. There is also magic in the world itself, serendipity and spirits, constellations and confluences, in the sky and in the salt. Some magic ripples out from the workings of orcs and humans, some rains from the heavens, some rises from the earth and stone.

This season events that relate specifically to the [[eternal|eternals]] is discussed in more detail in '''[[The prettiest star]]''' wind of fortune.
==Silver Earworms==
* '''Heralds of Jaheris have been paying bards, scops, stzena, sutannir, mountebanks, troubadours, and mummers to perform 'Grinning General Gabriel' across the Empire'''
For reasons known only to the ''[[Jaheris|Unicorn Prince]]'', the Lord of the Forest of Arden has taken it up themselves to promote a new poem extolling the apparently limitless Virtues of the General '''Gabriel Barossa'''. They are apparently determined to ensure that this piece is heard as far and wide as possible, possibly because they want to let everyone know how much they like the general or maybe just because they want his name to life in infamy, it's hard to be sure.

Bards and anyone who might be a regular performer is being asked to consider reciting the poem at any opportunity. [[Scop|Scops]], [[stzena]], [[sutannir]], [[mountebank|mountebanks]], [[troubadour|troubadours]] and even [[mummer|mummers]] have been offered a few rings if they will add the piece to their repertoire and given free rein to change the words, set it to music or include it in a play. Provided it is performed far and wide, the servants of the ''Moonsilver Prince'' are content.
====Participation: Performers====
<div style="max-width: 400px; width: 50%; float: right;>
<box>
====Grinning General Gabriel====
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<pre>
Gabriel Barossa has fashionable clothes,
Two blue eyes that are always a-smoulder,
And a fantastic hat,
but despite all of that,
I assure you he’s really a soldier.

When Holberg and Reikos were held by our Foes,
T’was Gabriel Barossa that freed ‘em,
Through their army was huge,
he baited the Druj,
And used their own tactics to bleed ‘em!

Oh, Ho! Gabriel Barossa,
Jaheris’s contest he swiftly did win,
Beat a Jotun Warlord without touching a sword,
All while wearing a shit-eating grin.

Zakalwe sponsors his tactical college,
Gabriel’s military thinking’s so stellar,
And for various crimes,
he’s been cursed twenty times,
So you know he’s a popular feller.

The Whispering Gallery hated his knowledge,
They sent five Assassins most able.
At his own wedding ball,
Gabriel best them all,
(With the help of a small picnic table.)

Oh, Ho! Gabriel Barossa,
Jaheris says he is the best of the lot,
And considering the rest
that have claimed to be best,
Who are we then to say he is not?

As a dancer he’s graceful, his feet are so swift,
The Grendel did not stand a chance,
A three minute defeat,
while they clapped to the beat,
When he led his League troupes out to Dance

Now he and his wife have a contest of gifts,
A rivalry constant and heated.
So nobody can
(but his dear Viviane),
Say they’ve ever had Gabriel defeated!

Oh, Ho! Gabriel Barossa,
Jaheris says he is the best in the show,
Truly out at the Fore,
both in Love and in War…
Who are we then to say it ain’t so!
</pre>
</div>
</box>
</div>

Anyone who plays a character who regularly performs in anyway will have been approached by servants of the ''Moonsilver Prince'' and asked to perform the poem. If you would have taken the Prince's ring, you can let the crew in GOD know and exchange the eighteen rings income for a crown when you collect your pack '''by visiting the lost property desk before you leave GOD'''. You will have been encouraged to perform the poem far and wide and given license to adapt it however you wished. The words of the poem are shown right.

If you perform the poem at Anvil during the summit in front of a substantial audience of a dozen or more people, you will receive a boon from Jaheris. You will experience a '''roleplaying effect'''. ''You feel joy in the power of poetry and music to entertain, bedevil and cause trouble. You feel an urge to perform disconcerting pieces at any opportunity.''

In addition, you have one additional hero point for the duration of the event. You can only increase your maximum number of hero points by one in this manner, but if you have expended this hero point then it is regained whenever you perform the poem in front of a substantial audience in Anvil.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Icebarn.png|align=left|caption=The great icy creatures known as artoks emerge from the endless storm to tread fixed paths across Wintermark before they head back into the ice.|width=500}}</div>

==Anchoring an Artok==
* '''Mystics of Wintermark have heeded the call of the Conclave to find a way to bind ''Little Icebarn'''''
* '''Control over the artok can be extended at the cost of increasing amounts of mana crystals'''
Last season, [[Mystic|Mystics]] from the [[Raven Seer|Aviary of Ishal]] discovered [[Stars_and_sigils#Ravens_and_Giants|previously unknown writings]] regarding the binding of [[Wintermark_magical_traditions#Artok|Artok]]. An opportunity to discover the methods was presented to the Raven Seer, but the decision was made to instead seek the truth behind the animal attacks across Sermersuaq and the north-western Empire. A mystery half-solved? Not if the Empire has anything to do with it. The [[Grandmaster]] of the [[Silver Chalice]] issued a declaration to Conclave calling for interested parties to [[387YE_Spring_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Concord:_Storm's_Folly_and_Artok|research the writings of Storm's Folly]]. A lateral move, but one that many Mystics speak of approvingly. There are often many routes to the same destination, and the magicians of Anvil have identified one.

It is not a flood of scholars who arrive at the isolated Hall in [[Sermersuaq#Suaq_Fount|Suaq Fount]]. More like a trickle, a thin rivulet of curious people, all Winterfolk. This is not the might of a directed order, but a few interested parties. The people of the Empire know very well the power of a small but determined band of experts with time on their hands. And sure enough, just before the Summer Solstice, the researchers present their findings. They have no formal presentation, no context, no historical research. They have gone through the ancient writings and identified only those parts that related to their goal, ignoring everything else. The story of Storm's Folly and their place in the wider history of the artoks will be for others to research, should they be of a mind. But their methods? Those are now in the Empire's hands.

Artoks are strange and unpredictable beings, guided by some mysterious force that the Empire does not know. The same methods will not work on all of them, and worse they become more difficult over time, as the artok's urge to resume its original path grows stronger. But ''Little Icebarn'', it seems, is susceptible to this control. The researchers are confident that they could use twenty mana crystals to bind the artok to work at the [[Pride of Ikka's Tears]] for another year. This is not even a one-off thing - the process could be repeated, albeit at greater cost. To bind Little Icebarn for a second year would cost 40 mana crystals, then 80 for a third year, 160 for a fourth, and so on. The required quantity would double every time so Little Icebarn could never be bound forever, but the only limits are the mana crystals available.

All it would take is for the Custodian of the Pride of Ikka's Tears, currently '''Æðelric Dagursson''', to acquire the mana crystals and have them delivered to the mine for use ('''OOC Note:''' The Custodian of the Pride of Ikka's Tears should hand-in mana crystals at the end of the event and email {{plot}} before downtime closes.)
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Feresh.png|align=left|width=200}}</div>
==A Mountain Rises (Zenith)==
* '''Mount Polus has risen to be the tallest mountain in the Empire'''
* '''Urizen could build an edifice to found a new spire on the mountain'''
Last season, [[Meraud]] [[Eat_like_kings#Obligations|provided the Golden Chalice]] with an arcane projection in recognition of their aid in his restoration. ''The Hands that Shake the Heavens'' was performed during the summit by the '''Ashen Flame''' coven of Urizen, targeting [[Zenith#Occursion|Occursion]] in Zenith. The first of the tremors was felt shortly after the equinox, with subjects of the Lord of the Silver Tower visiting spires to warn them before the earthquake that followed. One of the mountains of Occursion, Mount Polus, began to rise as the tremors continued. Shortly before the summit, the last of the tremors is felt, and the region seems to breathe a sigh of relief. Just one day later, an overwhelming crunch is heard as far away as [[Custodian_of_the_Storm_Vault#The_Storm_Vault|the Storm Vault]]. A crevasse has opened near the base of Mount Polus, which seems to beckon for adventure.
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mount Polus'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Edifice</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' [[Zenith#Occursion|Occursion]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' '''Minimum:''' 10 white granite, 300 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 1 season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Founds a new spire allowing any Urizeni character to take a new resource in that territory for free in the season it is completed</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' The Architect of the Crucible could redirect the Crucible from the Brilliant Star to the edifice to reduce the costs for the spire to regular costs</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Opportunity ends in a year's time</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
It is too soon to know for sure what might be found in the crevasse, but local spires and citadels are incredibly interested in what might be uncovered in this new unknown. The ''Citadel of the Empty Sword'', sentinels who maintain a watch over the southern pass into [[Spiral]], have suggested that an army could be used to explore the crevasse... once the Druj are pushed from the territory, of course. The [[Narwhal's Spear]], the [[Seventh Wave]], or the [[Wolves of War]] (hiring the appropriate mercenaries), or an Imperial army enchanted with [[Bound by Common Cause]] could take a defensive order to fully explore the crevasse. The general would likely receive a sample of what might be found in the crevasse, and the civil service would publish a report of what was uncovered, and how best it might be exploited for the Empire.
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''The Eye of the Heavens'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' [[Edifice]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Occursion in Zenith</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 30 mithril, 20 white granite, 10 weirwood and 225 thrones, six months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 2 seasons</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Creates an observatory to enable study of the stars, the conjunctions and astronomancy to rival the proposed school of dramaturgy in Spiral
* Founds a new spire allowing any Urizeni character to take a new resource in that territory for free in the season it is completed</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' The Architect of the Crucible could redirect the Crucible from the Brilliant Star to the Eyes of the Heavens for two seasons to reduce the labour costs to 180 crowns</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''One-off Benefit:''' 100 crystal mana spread through businesses in the Brass Coast</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Opportunity ends in a year's time</td></tr>
</table></div>
Of course, impossibly tall mountains whose peak is way above the clouds could be the perfect place to found a new spire. Just as [[Daybreak_in_Spiral|the proposal for the Omphalos in Spiral]], the nation would need to commission an edifice to serve as the focal point of the Dreaming Spire. It would need at least ten white granite, but it could be bigger than that if there was sufficient desire to ensure the new spire had sufficient grandeur to meet the moment.

The problem here would be how on earth to drag the materials all the way up the side of the tallest mountain in the Empire. Regular ushabti are not designed for that work, so the labour costs would be ten times the normal rates, 300 crowns for a ten wain edifice, more if the territory decided to build something bigger. What is needed are specialist ushabti built just for this purpose - with the right constructs, the costs could return to normal (30 crowns for a ten wain edifice).

Fortunately Zenith is the home of the [[Fate_and_function|Crucible of Fate]], the extraordinary foundry, with accompany forges and workshops that allow the [[Architect of the Crucible]] to oversee the creation of specialised Ushabti. Currently the focus of that work is on the specialist ushabti needed to maximise production of mithril for the [[Brilliant Star]] but they could be [[Architect_of_the_Crucible#Miracle_And_Wonder|redirected for a season to support the construction of the new spire by the usual method]]. If that happened then the costs for ''any'' commission on the mountain-top would return to normal.

Of course those are just the technical problems - the spire would need a name - and ideally a purpose. One possible choice might be to study the stars - Zenith was once renowned for its [[astronomancy|astronomancers]]. The Arch of the Sky was a collection of spires on the tallest mountains in Zenith where [[stargazer|stargazers]] and masters of celestial magic would come to observe the night skies. It was destroyed when the Druj invaded Zenith and has never been rebuilt. It could be anything however; if the edifice is commissioned, that is the perfect opportunity to set the name and direction of the new spire.

When the Crucible of Fate was commissioned it beat out a [[Write_your_own_ending#The_Eye_of_the_Heavens|proposal by ''Delius of the Night Spire'']], to make Zenith the indisputable home of astronomancy throughout the Empire. Her proposal was five separate observatories spaced out across the territory to mirror the positions of [[The Key and The Lock]]. However the opportunity presented by Mount Polus offers the stargazer a chance to shake off those plans and repropose them. It is well known among dedicated astronomers, that the higher an observatory is positioned, the easier it is to read the stars. This is hardly surprising, since you are considerably closer to the stars on top of a tall mountain! So rather than five small observatories, why not create one enormous one, a spire close enough to touch the heavens?

The proposal is hardly cheap, but building the Eye of the Heavens was never going to be easy. It wouldn't change the essential nature of Zenith, it will always be renowned as a territory whose people were masters of their own fate. But it would be the perfect way to restore the legacy of the Arch of the Sky and also create an observatory that would be an unrivalled centre of the study of astronomancy in the Empire. The perfect way to show those [[The_play_that_came_to_Apulian#Curiouser_and_Curiouser|actors in Apulian]] what real magical study looks like!

==A Gate of Mist and Shadow (Lyceum)==
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: right;">[[file:Sadogua001d.webp|align=right|width=250]]</div>
* '''The meeting between the Brother of Wizards and the Unfettered Mind seems to have borne fruit
* '''Two possible plans for restoring contact between the Empire and the Lyceum are being explored
Last season, a [[Speak_to_me#Father_of_Bats|plenipotentiary meeting]] was arranged between the [[Sadogua|Brother of Wizards]] and members of the [[Unfettered Mind]]. The discussion about how to solve the problem of [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Lyceum|the Lyceum]] being stuck behind a mostly impenetrable wall of magical mist ranged far and wide but in the end some potential solutions were settled upon.
===A Gate of Mists===
* '''A specialist Night magic ritual designed to enchant a fleet could be developed that would be "recognised" by the wards
* '''The ritual would need to be placed in Imperial Lore
* '''There is a risk that enemies of the Empire might be able to get hold of or duplicate the ritual enchantment
The first apparently involves a scheme to create a specific ritual of [[Night magic]] that, among other things, would allow a [[fleet]] to pass through the wall of mist (and also avoid being eaten by the dangerous [[inhabitants of the realms#Guardians|guardians]] the Father of Bats has apparently unleashed into the area). With the help of the eternal, the wards would be modified to allow any ship bearing that specifically crafted enchantment to pass freely.

For this plan to work, the ritual would need to be codified and then made part of Imperial Lore. Once that were done, Imperial ships would be able to reach the Lyceum again. This is convenient, but also risky. The ''Globbersnotch'' warns that if the wards are attuned to a ritual they allow ''anyone'' through to the Lyceum island. While the Empire might be able to control access to such a ritual, it would still be possible for enemy magicians to work out the details of that ritual and potentially create their own "key" to the lock protecting the college of magic.
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Gates of Shadow'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Edifice</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Siroc Bayou, Madruga or Oranseri, Feroz</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 15 wains of either [[white granite]] or [[weirwood]]; 5 rings of ilium; base 45 crowns labour costs</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 3 Months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability: Open-ended</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Restores connection between the region where the gates are built and the Lyceum
</table>
</div>

===A Course of Shadows===
* '''A pair of gates based on the Paths of Lan Thúven could allow ships to sail safely back and forth between the mainland and the Lyceum
* '''The risk is that if the region where the gate stood on the mainland were captured by enemies they would be able to access the Lyceum instead
* '''The gate would be built at Siroc Bayou or Oranseri
The other possibility is to draw on the inspiration of the old [[Liathaven#Paths_of_Lan_Thúven_(Gone)|Paths of Lan Thúven]]. Discovered in the depths of the (then) vallorn dominated western Liathaven, the paths were a specific route woven with [[night magic]] that allowed Navarr armies to pass ''through'' vallorn controlled [[Liathaven#West Ranging|West Ranging]]. With the help of the ''Toad King'' a similar structure could be put in place connecting [[the Brass Coast]] mainland to the Lyceum island. This would allow any ship to sail safely through the mists - and also incidentally avoid any ''other'' threat along the route.

There is of course a weakness to this plan as well. The "entrance" to the magical path would need to be built in either [[Madruga#Siroc_Bayou|Siroc Bayou]] (which is not currently part of the Empire, and is also tricky to build in), or in [[Feroz#Oranseri|Oranseri]] (most likely as part of the docks at [[Feroz#Oran|Oran]]). The problem here is that if enemies capture the region where the mainland end of the gate stands they would be able to sail as many ships as they wanted to up to the Lyceum and raid or destroy the college.

Sadogua has provided plans for the required gates however. The eternal says that with his help, the magicians on the island will be more than capable of cannibalising the resources they need to build their end, at least in the short term. Once the gate opens, the first ships will be able to bring the last few resources in to anchor the "course of shadows". The plans the eternal has provided represent an [[edifice]] requiring 15 wains of ''either'' weirwood or mithril (but not both), and 5 rings of [[ilium]]. Construction will require a base 45 crowns (more if they are [[Commission#Marshes|built in the marshes]] of Siroc Bayou). Once complete, Imperial ships will once again be able to reach the Lyceum, allowing the magicians trapped there to leave and new students and faculty to reach the island.

The ''Wyrm-lord'' is always angling for magicians to gain additional power, and points out that the Senate could amend the title of [[Arcane Architect]] to allow them to build edifices, a useful ability that would be of value not only to eternals from all realms but also to Imperial magicians who need something built for magical purposes. He can't do much himself, but he does point out that there are probably forces in the other lesser realms (perhaps the [[Realms#Autumn|Iron Labyrinth]]) that are more focused on material concerns. They might be convinced to support the Arcane Architect if they had a wider remit than just "mana and vis sinecures", perhaps even going so far as to free them from the need to work with the mundane civil service and Senate when commissioning a structure in a similar way to the [[Master of the Koboldi]] (but with fewer koboldi).
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=PhoenixIllustrationInk.JPG|caption=What is written in the firmament can be read from the earth.|align=right|width=250}}</div>

==Shadow Empire (Casinea)==
* '''Residents of Casinea have reported strange dreams'''
* '''Anyone enchanted with ''Ride the Noble Steed'' can request a vision from the Regio or the Referee Access Tent'''
As the Summer Solstice approaches, people across [[Casinea]] awaken having experienced strange dreams with peculiar spires and palatial, shadowed spaces. Often these dreams involve being surrounded by others - some they recognise, most they don't - all in hushed silence. The atmosphere in these dreams is heavy with expectation, tinged with an edge of the unreal - of a brief, discomfiting blurring between the dreamer and the dream at the moment of waking that lingers for hours long beyond the persistence of memory.

Budding oneiromancers dwell upon these somniations at length before [[Clear_Counsel_of_the_Everflowing_River|turning to]] the ''[[Sung|Rainbow Serpent]]'' to decipher its mysteries. Her response is delivered with that eternal's usual mystique: these dreams, it would seem, are a celebration of sorts - a gift formed from the contribution of several Night eternals. The ''Whispering Wind'' goes on to hint at a further invitation for those who seek the mysteries of their dreams that can be found by "''<span style="color:#800080">seeing through the eye of the magpie and taking tack and bridle to ride beyond the veil of sleep</span>''". All other questions on the matter return only silence.

It is soon discovered that those affected by [[Ride the Noble Steed]] within Casinea experience an especially vivid dream of riding far - through foreign lands, blurred by night - making for a distant point of light. When they awaken they are filled with a certainty that they have begun to undertake a journey - though towards what, the dream offers no answers.

<big>'''Participation''':</big><br>
If your character has slept overnight in Casinea in the last season (or indeed after sleeping in Anvil during the event), they may roleplay having experienced this strange dream. Any character who is the target of [[Ride the Noble Steed]] may request to receive additional information about the dream of travel from the Regio or the Referee Access Tent.

==The Littlest College==
* '''Access to the Loom of Spells will be auctioned at 14:00 on Sunday at the Imperial Regio'''
* '''The Loom of Spells continues to be controlled by the Church of The Little Mother'''
The Church of The Little Mother is continuing the practice of auctioning access to the Loom of Spells. A [[bishop]] of the Church will attend the Imperial regio at 14:00 on Sunday of the summit, where the auction will take place. Bids are to be given in ingots and measures. It does not matter which materials are given, and bids may include a mixture. The only thing that matters is the raw quantity.

They remind potential bidders that the Loom can only codify rituals of up to the tenth magnitude, but have established that the ritual [[Quick Study]], which is part of Urizen lore, will work. The bishop taking the bids has been assigned as head of the work crews on the Loom this season, and may be targeted by this ritual if needed, though they will expect any bidders who require such a thing to have arranged their own casting and to be ready to cast it as soon as their bid is declared successful.

==Lights in the Sky (Feroz)==
* '''A colourful display is in effect in the night sky of Feroz'''
* '''It is clear to anyone in the territory that this is the result of Summer magic'''
After the Spring Equinox, a majestic vision starts appearing in the night skies over [[Feroz]]. The vision repeats each night although the details are sometimes different. As the months roll on the light becomes less pronounced, and several nights may pass between appearances. About a fortnight before the Summer Solstice, the last lights are seen and then the effect ends.

A bag bound in chains, set within a cage formed of magnificent light, emerges from what appears to be a hole in the sky. Two figures follow; the first an Urizen changeling, clad in a robe of falling stars. In his hand, he holds a gilded staff topped with a blue crystal. Soon after, a Navarr man follows, adorned in moonlight. The two figures share a glance before they seem to survey the land beneath them. Linking hands, they produce a gilded key, and they walk towards the locked bag. As they unlock the bag, it explodes into a starburst of multiple colours, which settle into the forms of creatures dancing in the sky. After a few minutes, there is a flash of light, and the apparition repeats itself anew.

The effects are clearly the result of a powerful Summer enchantment. There is a little grumbling from the folk of Feroz about the amount of mana the images must have required and how they might have been better spent.

==Koboldi in the Barrens==
* '''A group of koboldi have appeared in the Barrens looking to build a statue'''
* '''They are apparently waiting for further direction on what they should build'''
Shortly after the Spring Equinox a large group of excitable ''koboldi'' appear in Murderdale in the Barrens. They are apparently here to raise a new statue, something grand and impressive, as part of an agreement with the [[Adamant|''King under the Mountain'']]. They were expecting to meet with Dawnish magicians from the Phoenix Rising coven who could tell them what needed to be built, so they are somewhat non-plussed to find nobody waiting to greet them.
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Palace of the Moon'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Edifice</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Murderdale, The Barrens</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 500 white granite but no labour costs</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 3 years</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Creates the most grandiose personal dwelling in the Empire, rivalling the Castle of Thorns for size and splendour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Opportunity ends once the koboldi receive instructions for a statue</td></tr>
</table>
</div>

The koboldi are delighted to discover there is nobody here to direct them. They've been sent here by King Adamant to build the state as directed by the Phoenix Rising and while they are eagerly looking forward to the chance to get to work, they're equally delighted to be contractually forced to do nothing. Of course they are all going to be in enormous trouble with the King once he discovers they've spent all season doing nothing when they should have been hard at work building, but that's a problem for tomorrow.

They spend the season causing a minor nuisance in the area by suggesting a series of increasingly ludicrous building endeavours. As an example, they offer to turn the modest wooden dwelling of Hafton, a yeofolk from Drycastle into an enormous palace, "the size of the moon", if he can just find them five hundred wains of white granite. When Hafton explains he doesn't have five wains, let alone five hundred, the disappointed koboldi attempt to hawk the plans around various wealthy nobles in the area.

As much as they are enjoying themselves, Adamant is bound to discover that they have absconded from work eventually, and order them back to it. If they are given direction by a member of the Phoenix Rising coven before the start of the Autumn Equinox ({{plot}}) then they will build a statue as required. Otherwise they will keep making a nuisance of themselves suggesting ridiculous commissions until Adamant notices, at which point they will sculpt a large stone bust depicting the noble demeanour of the most glorious King under the Mountain and depart.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=ClawIllustrationInk.JPG||align=right|width=200}}</div>
==A Cry in the Night==
* '''The constellation of the Claw has become clearer and is exerting odd influence'''
* '''Magicians drawing on the Claw in their magic may experience a roleplaying effect'''
* '''Drawing on the Claw to empower the casting of rituals by shedding blood has been interdicted'''
The four stars that make up the constellation of [[the Claw]] remain clear and pronounced despite any amount of obfuscation of the sky. Since the Winter Solstice, those who know where it is find their eyes are drawn to it whenever they see the night sky. The sensation of gazing on the Claw makes sensitive people (especially [[naga]] or [[merrow]]) feel uncomfortable. If it is invoked in an [[astronomancy|astronomantic]] ritual, any [[Rituals#Contributors|contributors]] to that ritual feel its power particularly strong and immediate. Anyone participating in such a ritual may experience the [[roleplaying effect]]: ''you feel an urge to assert your dominance over anyone who challenges you, or seek a physical confrontation with anyone you feel has wronged you. Violence seems easy and satisfying.'' This effect lasts for at least half an hour if a player chooses to embrace it.

In addition, the Claw continues to exert the [[Stars_and_sigils#Wyrm_Coils_Around_Mountain|powerful influence]] observed at the Spring Equinox. If the Claw is invoked while performing certain ritual enchantments, their power is enhanced. The first time each day that a contributor calls on the Claw, they can choose to spill their own blood to empower the ritual. They can spend up to three hits by cutting themselves or other willing contributors, and each hit lost counts as one mana toward the performance of the ritual. The hits lost during the performance of the ritual cannot be restored until the ritual is completed or abandoned. A contributor can reduce themselves to 0 hits during a ritual, but they will be able to complete the performance before collapsing and beginning to [[Combat#Dying|bleed to death]]. Each magician can only use this ability once per day, and the ''roleplaying effect'' invoking the Claw creates will last for at least an hour and be much more pronounced.

The rituals this peculiar [[blood magic]] will enhance seem to be a selection of those particularly associated with violence and conflict:
* The personal enchantments [[Forest Remains]], [[Call Down Lightning's Wrath]], [[Might of the Myrmidon]], [[Talon of the Gryphon]], [[Swift Leaping Hare]], [[Swan's Cruel Wing]], [[Hammer of Thunder]], and [[Hook of the Hoarfrost Guardian]]
* The resource enchantments [[Merciless Wrath of the Reaver]] and [[Blood and Salt]]
* And these rituals which are not part of Imperial or Urizen lore ''Heaven's Spear Sunders the Mountain'', and ''Ironwind's Pride''
However, the [[Conclave]] has chosen to [[387YE_Spring_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Interdiction:_Shedding_Blood_for_Claw_Rituals|outlaw this practice]]. The [[Arbiter of the Rogue Declaration]] '''Lights Aliss''' brought a [[declaration]] of [[Interdiction]] that was upheld by the magicians of the Empire. It is now a crime for any magician to call on the power of the Claw and shed blood instead of mana. The ability to use the Claw in this way remains available, but in addition to any physical or magical consequences there are now also legal consequences for drawing on it.

==Wyrm Pulls the Sailor Down==
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=GreatWyrmnowingsIllustrationInk.JPG|caption=The Great Wyrm is the emblem of transformation and transfiguration.|align=right|width=300}}</div>
* '''The grand conjunction of the Great Wyrm and the Mountain is drawing to an end'''
* '''The Great Wyrm is moving into a grand conjunction with the Drowned Shepherd'''
Since the Winter Solstice, Imperial [[astronomancy|astronomancers]] have been aware of a rare ''grand conjunction'' of [[the Great Wyrm]] and [[the Mountain]] in the skies above the Empire. The impact of this conjunction has already been felt by magicians, with seismic changes to the way certain types of magic, specifically those associated with warfare, function. This has led to permanent alterations to the way [[Army|armies]], [[military unit|warbands]], and [[fleet|ships]] are [[enchantment|enchanted]], and to how certain divinations work. The power of the conjunction appeared to [[Stars_and_sigils#Wyrm_Coils_Around_Mountain|reach its zenith]] during the Spring Equinox. It is now in decline, the powerful magical effects observed last season having entirely faded.

However, the chaos in the stars is not over. Astronomancers have noted that [[the Drowned Shepherd]] has been [[Stars_and_sigils#The_Drowned_Man|shifting into alignment]] with the Great Wyrm and it appears another grand conjunction is imminent. The Hanged Man is quite a dangerous constellation, often used in magic that creates [[curse|curses]] or destruction, leading some astronomancers to become quite nervous.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=DrownedManIllustrationInk.JPG|caption=The Drowned Shepherd is a constellation of curses and the end of things.|align=right|width=200}}</div>

==The Unravelling==
* '''Arcane projections created before Winter 386YE that enchant armies, navies, military units, or fleets no longer work'''
* '''Such arcane projections are unravelling and may be exchanged for crystal mana'''
* '''The ability to exchange an arcane projection lasts until the end of the Autumn Equinox 387YE'''
* '''The inability to cast these arcane projections is permanent'''
* '''It is currently impossible to create arcane projections that curse an individual'''
The Unfettered Mind were also the first people to spot the peculiar phenomenon that coincided with this Grand Conjunction. Dubbed ''the Unravelling'' in some parts of the Empire, it means that any arcane projection issued before E1-2025 that attempts to [[enchantment|enchant]] an [[Army|army]] or [[navy|navy]] can no longer be cast. Likewise, arcane projections that involve enchanting a [[military unit]] or [[fleet]] no longer function. The Grand Conjunction appears to have scrambled the magic bound into the projections themselves.

Any of these arcane projections that no longer function can be brought to GOD and exchanged for 10 crystal mana. This either represents someone intentionally speeding the unravelling process along to reclaim the mana invested in the projection, or might mean that in-character a valued projection (that the player no longer wants OOC) has fallen apart despite their best efforts. The ability to exchange defunct arcane projections for mana in this way will persist until the end of the Autumn Equinox 387YE.

While the Drowned Shepherd is not yet part of a Grand Conjunction, astronomancers have indicated that they believe such a thing is imminent. It is still not possible to create an [[arcane projection]] that creates a personal [[curse]] - a curse that targets an individual. Such arcane projections that already exist can still be cast, but magicians of the Unfettered Mind theorise that it is only a matter of time before the same conjunctional effect that has diminished the power of warlike arcane projections will affect arcane projections based around curses.

'''OOC Note:''' You'll need to hand the arcane projection phys-rep over so we can mark it as inactive on our systems. We don't plan to reprint lost arcane projections for the event; if you have lost an arcane projection in downtime you can e-mail [mailto:plot@profounddecisions.co.uk plot@profounddecisions.co.uk] after the event with the details of the missing projection and we'll do our best to replace it in time for the Autumn Equinox.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Lock&KeyIllustrationInk.JPG||align=right|width=250}}
==Lock and Key==
* '''A hitherto unknown tulpa of the Wanderer has apparently begun to move towards Anvil
* '''It is expected in both the Highborn and Freeborn camps at 16:00 on Saturday
As well as the conjunctions of the stars involving the Great Wyrm, the Claw, and the Drowned Shepherd there is another peculiar celestial phenomenon that might be worth noting. Since the Spring Equinox [[the Wanderer]] has moved through first [[the Lock]] and then [[the Key]]. In both cases the baleful red star that heralds plans going awry seemed to hang between the existing stars of the constellations making it appear to the uninitiated that they had each spawned an extra star.

The conjunction appears relatively minor, but astronomancers have warned that it appears to have spawned an unfamiliar [[tulpa]] of the Wanderer. The entity is in Casinea, and its not clear where it came from. It's also not clear if it is a "pure" tulpa, or a magician who has touched the stars a little too closely and become "ridden" by the power of the stars. It is apparently called the "Pilgrim Flame" and has enough personality to hold conversations, reinforcing the idea it might be a magician under the influence of a star (although that said, the tulpas of the Wanderer, more than most other star-spawn, have proved capable of communicating with mortals, albeit in unpredictable and often incomprehensible ways). It intends, apparently, to visit [[Highguard]] and [[the Brass Coast]] at four in the afternoon on Saturday.

==Written in the Stars==
* '''There have been odd 'constellations' spotted in the night sky where the Penumbral Veil has been drawn
* '''It's not clear what these constellations are but anyone who peers at them for long gains an inkling of their name and meaning
And on the subject of constellations... much of the Empire has had the [[Drawing the Penumbral Veil|penumbral veil]] drawn over it for several seasons now. With the notable exceptions of [[astronomancy|astronomancers]] and stargazers, most citizens have come to treat the occasional strangely shifting shapes and lights in the night sky as unremarkable oddities.

This past season, however, one [[Urizen]] Spire claims to have spotted a pattern in the odd lights that sometimes appear in the veiled night sky. Members of the ''Spire of Shadowed Glass'' have travelled across the Empire, cataloguing what they see each night. They have found that some areas of the Empire seem to be repeatedly visited by the same odd stars. These pseudo-constellations are not visible elsewhere, and it is notable that people living within these areas have been having odd dreams associated with them. Even more unusual, people who see these stars seem inclined to draw the same shapes between them and call them by the same names - even if they have never talked about them with anyone else.

<box> Any character who lives or has spent time travelling in any of the following territories may choose to experience the associated roleplaying effect during the event. The effect may ebb and flow at player discretion, and is entirely opt-in. If you choose not to have been effected by it, you cannot start being effected by it during the event. </box>
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=The Trident and The Serpent Sheds its Skin.webp.png|align=left|width=250}}</div>
* '''The Trident - Skarsind'''
This is a patterns of stars - or star-like objects - often seen over Skarsind. People in this area seem to be experiencing a boon of creativity, and frequently dream of boat voyages or being caught in a great net and ripped from their home.

Those who spend significant time in the territory may find themselves under the following roleplay effect:

''Roleplay effect: You are drawn to new ideas, concepts and sources of inspiration. When viewing art, you are overcome with an urge to transform it in some way to make something new.''
* '''The Serpent Sheds its Skin - Mournwold'''
The Serpent winds across the skies of the Mourn, seeming to draw the attention of people already feeling an urge to change something about themselves or their life. The territory is not short on people unhappy with their situation, and the serpent is becoming a popular topic of tales, songs and artistry.

Those who spend significant time in the territory may find themselves under the following roleplay effect:

''Roleplay effect: You are keenly aware of how negative experiences have caused you to transform and change. You feel a deep urge to continually reform yourself in new and exciting ways.''
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=The Golden Ferret.png|align=left|width=250}}</div>
* '''The Golden Ferret - Tassato'''
It's difficult to say how anything about the collection of stars rising over Tassato resembles a ferret, let alone a golden one. And yet somehow Mestra and Regario are in complete agreement that they couldn't be anything else. Unfortunately, those who spend long enough gazing at the stars only seem to become more passionate about the rivalry between the two halves of the city.

Those who spend significant time in the territory may find themselves under the following roleplay effect:

''Roleplay effect: You feel an urge to act on your deepest desires and take what is rightfully yours. Adorning yourself in your achievements and the fruits of your labour gives you an immense sense of satisfaction.''

* '''The Woven Banner - Necropolis'''
In Necropolis, the diamond of stars stretching across the sky is viewed mostly with suspicion. Chapters come together to view it on the tallest hills, debating the risks it may pose. A network of archivists begins to document the movement of the stars, and any possible effects they may be having on the area, but they struggle to come up with any reliable findings.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=The woven banner.png|align=left|width=250}}</div>
Those who spend significant time in the territory may find themselves under the following roleplay effect:

''Roleplay effect: You are keenly aware of the power of working together with others. You feel an urge to connect with others to create things greater than the sum of their parts.''

==Never Get Old (Falconer)==
* '''The Cult of the Falconer continues to expand its influence'''
* '''The Assembly of Nine directed the Silent Bell to investigate the Cult of the Falconer'''
* '''The Cardinal of Vigilance will receive a report at the upcoming summit'''
The Cult of the Falconer has expanded even further in the last few months. Across the north-west of the Empire, there are illicit meetings between would-be adherents of the powerful creature, where they boast of what they have done to prove themselves the strongest and worthiest. The [[Cardinal of Vigilance]], '''Gaelen Embercast''', raised a statement of principle in the Assembly of Nine that called on the [[Silent Bell (Sodality)|Silent Bell]] to investigate the cult. There is little word from the members of the sodality before the summit, other than confirmation that the cardinal will receive their report. The Assembly of Nine upheld a statement of principle, raised by '''Skywise Tulva''', [[387YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_181|condemning]] the cult as idolatrous, but it appears to have done nothing to sway those who have pledged themselves to this inhuman entity.

In [[Sermersuaq]], the cult grows. There are rumours from Atalaq to Wreck of pillars being raised in the wilds, though few have seen one and no-one admits to having a hand in their creation.
===Falconer Cultists===
* '''At least two groups of followers of the Falconer are coming to Anvil'''
* '''They are expected to arrive on Friday or perhaps early Saturday'''
* '''It's not clear why they are coming to Anvil'''
In [[Wish_you_were_here#Kaisa's_Invitation|Winter]] and in [[Mistaken_for_strangers#Falcons_and_Roses|Spring]], representatives of the ''Chosen of the Falconer'' have visited [[Anvil]]. They have spoken to any number of people of many nations and it is widely suspected they are connected to the strange magical influence spreading across the north-western Empire. Perhaps they are taking advantage of the odd conjunction of [[the Claw]]; some more excitable types argue they may actually be ''causing'' it somehow.

At least two groups of these "chosen" are apparently planning to return to Anvil this season. They have been seen travelling along the roads from Wintermark, and most sensible fellow-travellers give them a wide berth. There has been talk of trouble at some wayhouses along their route - brawling and angry words rather than anything more seriously. They are anticipated to arrive either Friday night or perhaps early Saturday morning. They aren't being open about their reasons for attending the summit, so citizens are warned to exercise caution. The magistrates are however at pains to remind anyone who asks that these people are still Imperial citizens, and membership of their group is not illegal. Violence against them will be viewed just as seriously as violence against any other citizen of the Empire.

===Painted (Miekarova)===
* '''Alleged cultists are apparently sacrificing one of their own in the name of the Falconer'''
* '''There are reports of wild beasts in the vicinity'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Senator for Miekarova'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for defeating the cultists'''
{{NoInnocentsPresent}}
Deep in the wilds of Miekarova, not too far from the [[Night Quarry]], stands the Painted Clearing. The clearing lies in the middle of some of the wild woods of Mieriada, and was created as a place of beauty to represent the importance of the [[Miekarova#The_Painted_Caves|Painted Caves]]. The beauty was shattered over the season with the apparent arrival of the cult of the Falconer. The supposed cult has kept moving in the forests of Miekarova, avoiding the garrison of Grimhold, whilst striking at travellers and threatening outposts.

The woods around the Painted Clearing are not only possibly inhabited by the cult, dangerous and wild beasts also stalk the woodlands. The pervasive feeling of short-temperedness and anger is now common in the woods, and locals have seen a significant increase in attacks from the wildlife.

The alleged cultists are planning ''something''. For the past few days they have been quiet, after a frenzied period of attacks. Rumours abound of what they are planning, with worry that they might be preparing to unleash havoc on Olodny. It is the responsibility of the [[Miekarova|Senator for Miekarova]], '''Vaclav Mladenovich Kosti''', to defeat the alleged cultists and any nearby beasts who might object to the intrusion on their land.

===Herding (Skarsind)===
* '''Cultists are threatening the great herd of Skarsind'''
* '''There are rumours of vicious beasts in the area '''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Shepherd of the Great Herd'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for defeating the cultists'''
{{NoInnocentsPresent}}
In [[Skarsind]], in the woods of eastern [[Skarsind#|Estermark]], rest some of the cattle of the [[Shepherd_of_the_Great_Herd#The_Great_Herd|Great Herd]]. Here, too, are adherents of the Cult of the Falconer. Reports from locals are that the cultists have been launching attacks on travellers - butchering them as they go. Where corpses have been found, they have almost always been missing some limb or another, methodically lopped off with repeated blows of a keen edge.

Whether this has something to do with the rumours of vicious beasts in the area is a matter of some debate, but the trail of corpses does continue towards the Great Herd. The cult may be planning on trying to lead and goad a vicious beast into devouring the cows of the Great Herd. Given the threat it represents, it is the responsibility of the [[Shepherd of the Great Herd]], '''Sand Viper Idra''', to defeat the cultists and any vicious beasts in the surrounding area.

===Corpse (Hahnmark)===
* '''Cultists have tied up a victim to draw in wild beasts'''
* '''There are reports of cultists in the vicinity'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Senator for Hahnmark'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for defeating the cultists'''
{{InnocentPeoplePresent}}
In Valasmark, south-west [[Hahnmark]], is the Dunhall Copse, rumoured to be named after one of the Great Dun's progeny who turned aside from the rest of their kin and tried to make a home for themselves away from struggle and strife. They failed, and their name has been lost by the generations that have passed. The copse is all that remains of a vast forest that was once their home, and now it is haunted by the wails of the dying. Cultists of the Falconer have been spotted in the area, stringing up their prey and leaving them to bleed out in reverence to their strange, misguided faith.

The [[Hahnmark|Senator for Hahnmark]], '''Runa Whiteoak''', is responsible for freeing the victim, and dealing with any beasts or cultists that might be in the surrounding area.

==Something Stirs (Coral Husks) (Conjunctions)==
* '''The coral husks from the Gullet have continued to be a problem'''

Just before the Winter Solstice, there was a [[Rumblings in the Gullet|small earthquake]] centred on the Gullet but felt all around it. The tremors lasted for a few minutes as the ground shook, but there was little lasting damage and few thought anything of it at the time.

Sadly it now seems that the earthquake was not completely benign. There were sightings of strange creatures in the gullet which have only grown worse with time.

===Sense of Doubt (Kallavesa)===
* '''Coral husks have been attacking travellers along the Pilgrim's Trail'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Crow Keeper of the Rest'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for defeating the husks'''
{{NoInnocentsPresent}}
There have been increased sightings of the strange coral husks in the marshes of Kallavesa, along [[Kallavesa#The_Pilgrim's_Trail|the Pilgrim's Trail]]. Having moved further east, into the Westmere, packs of them are spreading towards the Sovenann, sacred swamp of the Kallavesi and the rest of the Winterfolk. If the husks are not stopped, then they will continue to attack those walking the trail, potentially creating long-term issues for pilgrims who wish to walk the trail.

The ''Swampcrows'', who provide a [[Crow_Keeper_of_the_Rest#Gift_of_Infusions|gift]] of three doses of [[Goosewhisper Infusion]] each season to the [[Crow Keeper of the Rest]], have called on '''Cynerik''', the incumbent Crow Keeper, to deal with these threats. Reports from the Swampcrows indicate that the husks are somewhat spread out, in two separate groups, and that it might be possible to engage and deal with one group before the other group realises what is happening.

===Fascination===
* '''Imperial magicians are being threatened by coral husks'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Suitable_For_Cadets|combat suitable for cadets]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Cadet Commander'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for rescuing the magicians and defeating the husks'''
{{InnocentPeoplePresent}}
''Robin Hopper'', a captain of the [[Strong Reeds]] has spent the last year in Bregasland. First, having to contend with the invasion of the Jotun, then the appearance of the strange coral husks, it has been a strange year. ''Robin'' reports that there are a small group of magicians that have been trapped by the coral husks and need rescuing. She has asked the cadets of the Academy to go through the Sentinel Gate and help the magicians, who were trying to uncover the secrets of these strange monsters.

''Robin'' warns that the magicians are spread out, with the husks preventing a simple route to the imperilled Imperials. Whoever is elected as the Cadet Commander is responsible for rescuing the magicians and defeating the husks.

Glamourweave Robe

2026-07-11T17:35:24Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Description */

{{CaptionedImage|file=Urizen-Shopped-2838.JPG|title=An Urizen magician in Glamourweave Robe|align=right|width=250|height=375}}
==Description==
These fine robes are made of the finest cloth woven with threads of gold, silver, mithril and orichalcum. The robes are most often dyed with a vibrant and delicate combination of green iron ore and iridescent gloaming, leaving the cloth with a viridian, cerulean or deep umber tone, decorated with copper-and-green-iron alloy wire. The intent is usually to impress onlookers, and to grant a confidence and sense of pride to the wearer. They are very popular in [[Dawn]], [[Urizen]] and [[Highguard]], places where magicians are likely to fight in close proximity to warriors. On a battlefield the robes are often worn over or beneath a suit of [[Weapons & Armour#Mage Armour|mage armour]].

The robes are often embroidered with runes such as [[Zorech]], [[Feresh]] or [[Tykonus]], although robes intended for an [[Earl#Enchanters|enchanter]] or a general are likely to include the runes [[Hirmok]]. In Urizen, the rune [[Lann]] is most often used on these robes, representing a notional bargain between the magician and the sentinels who work with him - they will protect and support the magician and in return the magician uses his magic to protect and support the sentinels.

Symbols of [[Pride]] and [[Courage]] are often included on these robes, especially when they are worn by [[Highguard|Highborn]] [[Magister|magisters]] or priests with a mastery of magical lore.

==Rules==
{{Mage Robes}}
* '''Effect:''' Four times per day when you cast the [[empower]] spell, you may do so without spending any mana. You must be able to cast the empower spell to use this power.
* '''Materials:''' Crafting a Glamourweave Robe requires twelve ingots of [[Materials#Green Iron|green iron]], seven ingots of [[Materials#Orichalcum|orichalcum]], three measures of [[Materials#Beggar's Lye|beggar's lye]], and eight measures of [[Materials#Iridescent Gloaming|iridescent gloaming]]. It takes one month to make one of these items.

<ic>Arbiter Fulvia of Thunderspire,

It is with my deepest regret that I must inform you of the death of your envoy, Seer Gnaius Thunderspire.

Gnaius reached our city via the Dawnish pass, braving terrible conditions to reach my audience. I found him to be urbane, polite and clever, a credit to your Spire and your people, and I am glad to confirm that I am happy to agree to your suggested exchange. Copying the texts he mentioned will benefit both my guild and your spire and I look forwards to adding your offered tomes to our library.

Sadly, with the enemy at the gate and growing pressure within our streets, the city grows less safe. I am still attempting to discover who sent the assassins, but they struck when I was taking dinner with Gnaius and a number of other note-worthies of the city – as yet, I am unsure as to who their true target was.

Nonetheless, as my bodyguards rushed to defend us from our assailants, it is with the utmost respect and awe that I must tell you that Gnaius – unarmed, and clad only in the beautiful cerulean of his envoy's robes – stood from dinner, graced me with a final comment about the quality of the fine wine we had partaken of, and strode to where my guards held back the assassins at the top of the stairs.

There, he wove battle enchantments such as I have rarely seen. I wish to reiterate that he was entirely unarmed and unarmoured, yet still he stood proudly and bestowed upon the bodyguards blessings of the utmost vigour and speed. Under the blessed effects of his incantations, they fought as hard and fierce as dervishes of the Virtues, and Gnaius kept weaving his spells even when I felt sure he must falter and stumble from the sheer effort. The sight of the noble Seer, a man of learning holding back the foe with his words even as his robes shimmered in the lamp-light, will stay in my mind as an inspiration and as an honour to the fallen.

I am aggrieved to say that, while our assailants might have lacked in virtue, they did not lack in wits, and upon realising that their imminent defeat was caused by one lone magician, they struck at him instead. Their blades were coated with toxic venoms.

I promise you that I will not rest until I have discovered those responsible for this assault, and I will ensure that both my own guild and Thunderspire are avenged for the insult done and the lives lost. For now, I have kept his robes; not out of greed but because they bear the Rune of Debt, and I will hold to it as a reminder of the debt I owe Gnaius and, in turn, yourself and your spire.

When justice has been done, I will wash the robes clean and return them to you.

Yours in Virtue,

Guildmistress Katarina of Holberg,
of the Saeftinghe Charter of Reclamation
</ic>

Wise Rangara

2026-07-11T17:22:04Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Rituals that deal with Wise Rangara */

{{CaptionedImage|file=WiseRangara.jpg|caption=Wise Rangara is outwardly the least malign of the Winter eternals.|align=left|width=400}}
==Eternal of Winter==
===Sobriquets===
Most commonly, Rangara is called "''The Wise''."

She is also known as ''The Ancient One'', ''Eldest'' or ''Grandmother Winter'' and ''Kind Rangara'', all epithets intended to flatter her and show the respect she considers so important. Some [[Kallavesi]] use the name ''Pale Raven'' when speaking of her, while the [[Varushka|Varushkan]] [[Varushka religious beliefs|wise ones]] use the old Ushka name ''Clever Spider''. Regardless of the name used, Rangara herself demands respect and finds flattery entertaining - the more florid the greetings she is given, the more amused she becomes.

In the [[Sumaah Republic]], she is known as ''White Eye Serpent'', and is tolerated for the lessons and lore she offers as she encourages people to understand a situation through their own efforts.

Outside her hearing she is sometimes called ''the Cruel Lady'', or the ''Crone'', but woe betide someone who refers to her as such within her hearing - such individuals will be ejected from her presence and may well receive a curse for their insolence.

==Appearance==
One of the oldest known eternals, Rangara appears as an extremely old woman with snow-pale skin. She is believed to be blind, although this does not seem to effect her ability to perceive visitors and should never be mistaken for weakness - indeed most scholars agree she has a supernatural ability to penetrate disguises and transformations in those who come before her. She wears a cloak of black feathers, and either a dark cowl or more often a ritual mask made from the bones of a great bird, likewise covered in feathers.

Wise Rangara may be encountered alone, but is often assisted by dark figures that combine elements of birds with humanoid form. Sometimes she is accompanied by a human child, often expressing a strong [[draughir]] [[lineage]] who she refers to as her apprentice.

==Concerns==
The exemplifies the strength that comes from old age and tradition. She possesses great stores of knowledge, and often has a keen insight into difficult situations. She expects respect and politeness from those who meet her, and insolence or disrespect may be answered with expulsion from her presence and sometimes a curse. She prefers the company of older humans, those with hard-won experience gained over a long life. She believes that wisdom is gained by experience, but that it can be passed to other people. She is disdainful of books and schools, however, and expresses the belief that wisdom is only really passed down from one person to another person - anything else is just ''knowledge'', which is not the same.

She has limited patience with the young - she always prefers the company of older folk to younger folk. The exception is her love of children. This appreciation of the young is double-edged; while she often indulges their foolish behaviour, she is also known to send her heralds to lure clever children to her to serve as her apprentice. She controls at least one [[Regio#Portals_and_Chambers|chamber]] containing a cottage in the deep woods where her apprentices stay while serving her. She is known to take an extremely dim view of those who harm or kill the very old or the very young without good reason.

Wise Rangara served as a patroness to the Ushka people, and she maintains a soft spot for their descendants the [[Varushka|Varushkans]]. She is always interested in the doings of the Varushkan people. She also has a long tradition of good relations with the [[Kallavesi]] [[Wintermark magical traditions#Mystics|mystics]], and is usually happy to welcome one to her presence. By contrast she is known to have had conflicts in the past with both [[Suaq]] [[Wintermark magical traditions#Icewalkers|icewalkers]] and [[Urizen]] [[Urizen magical traditions#Stargazers|stargazers]] and those who identify themselves as such often receive a chilly reception.

Wise Rangara does not appear to be able to read. While she is blind, her illiteracy seems to have little to do with her lack of sight - she has demonstrated the ability to easily identify colours and fine details by handling objects, for example. On the few occasions that someone has quizzed her about this or offered to help her she has claimed that she is too ''set in her ways'' to learn to read. Her apprentice reads anything presented to her - she has several times said that she finds children to be best suited to read documents as their lack of preconception often allows unexpected insight into the words or their writer.

In [[Wintermark]] she is strongly associated with the rune [[Irremais]].
{{CaptionedImage|file=TreeArt.jpg|title=Part of the "House of Leaves" collection, this is believed to be a painting representing Wise Rangara entitled ''Grandmother Winter'', artist unknown.|caption=Wise Rangara is one of the oldest of the known eternals.|align=right|width=400}}

==Boons==
The most important thing to understand about Rangara is that she never gives anything of value away without exacting an appropriate price. She warns those who bargain with her that nothing of value is ever gained without price. She rarely barters with those she is dealing with; she states a price, and if it is not appropriate she rarely agrees to a counter-offer. The prices she exacts are often painful, and often involve an effort to teach the bargainer a lesson of some sort. If the bargain appears too good to be true, scholars warn, be ''very'' careful as there is likely to be a hidden catch.

The Eldest is a mistress of herbs, and can brew any potion. She can also combine herbs in such a way as to create unique elixirs, salves and infusions beyond the ability of mortal apothecaries. Often these potions require a strange or symbolic element in addition to the normal herbs - the blood of a warrior or a tear from a boyar, for example. She is known to request difficult quests from those who ask her for potions, usually involving gathering a unique ingredient some of which goes into the potion and some of which she takes as payment. According to stories she can brew a draught that renders the one who drinks it immortal - they will continue to age, but they will not die except by violence.

Her cauldron is believed to be an especially potent artefact, and she sometimes lends or gives magical cauldrons to those who gain her favour. These items may duplicate the effects of talismans such as the [[Escharotic Cauldron]], while others have offered benefits to cabals of apothecaries or ritualists as a form of [[Magic_items#Paraphernalia|paraphernalia]]. The ''Sisters of the Silver Goblet'' in [[Dawn]], for example, received a cauldron that allowed their coven to use herbs in their rituals, renewed each year in return for unknown service.

Rangara possesses great stores of both wisdom and knowledge gathered over her long existence. She can often identify objects by handling them, sometimes having special insight into their nature or purpose. Likewise she can examine and understand any [[enchantment]] or [[curse]] simply by examining it, and can often remove supernatural curses especially those that involve nightmares or compulsions.

She has a great interest in dreams, and sometimes trades small trinkets in return for stories of strange dreams, especially those that later prove to be prophetic in some way. She sometimes trades with mortals for the ability to dream their dreams - those who accept find their sleep wracked with terrible nightmares for the duration of the exchange. On occasion Rangara has repaid this boon with knowledge gleaned from these dreams, sometimes even that which has to do with past lives.

Rangara can deliver horrible curses, but she rarely offers this ability to others. Her curses are often tailored to ironically punish their victim, and despite the fact they tend to be less debilitating than ritual curses, are often surprisingly difficult to remove. On rare occasions in the past some winter [[Archmage|archmages]] have brought criminals before her and asked her to judge them. She is known to be a ruthless judge who often interrogates a guilty person to see what ''else'' they are guilty of. The reason behind her judgements is not always obvious -she has been known to pardon criminals who acted for the good of their families while punishing those whose transgressions appeared minor. Needless to say Imperial Magistrates do not consider Rangara to be an Imperial authority - something her allies have occasionally tried to rectify.

Following the revelation that Wise Rangara was the "patron" of the [[Quickening Cold Meat]] ritual - that she provided the access to the Winter spirits that ritual calls forth - there has been speculation that she might be able to provide boons relating to its performance. To date, she has shown no inclination to do so.

==Rituals that deal with Wise Rangara==
The following formulaic rituals are widely known to deal directly with Wise Rangara. Rituals with an <sup>[[#1|(1)]]</sup> are part of [[Urizen lore]] rather than [[Formulaic_ritual#Imperial_Lore_and_the_Ritual_List|Imperial lore]]. Rituals that are defunct - either withdrawn by the eternal or no longer functional - have a line through them.

<table class='wikitable mw-collapsed mw-collapsible sortable'><tr><th>Ritual</th><th>Eternal</th><th>Explanation</th><th>Realm</th><th>Mag.</th></tr>
<tr><td>[[Quickening Cold Meat]]</td><td>[[Wise Rangara]]</td><td>Summons Winter spirits to create murderous animated corpses that fight alongside an enchanted army for a year.</td><td>Winter</td><td>120</td>
</table>
<ic>"You are a hero of your Empire, not a spoiled child to demand a treat for sweeping the step.

"What you come by too easily, you value too little. If you were to sweat, and bleed, and strive for six months to possess a smooth stone from the beach, just a simple stone, I would say that you would value that little stone more than any amount of silver.

"As to the parents of the little boy... either they will kill you and realise that their son was threatened and learn to protect him better; or you will bring the boy to me and they will learn the lessons that loss teaches. In time they will come to me to bargain for his return, or they will realise they did not truly love him after all and he will abide with me until he is of age.

"Either way, the boy will be safer and his parents will have learnt a lesson."
</ic>

==Rangara's Apprentice==
Rangara has a special interest in children; her ''apprentice'' is always a human child, and rarely of any lineage other than draughir. Children who approach Rangara politely and offer her assistance may be allowed to spend time with her in her realm. Those who do must be exceptionally careful to specify the duration of their apprenticeship - there are stories of unwise children who have failed to do so and end up serving the Cruel Lady for years until a family member is able to bargain with Rangara for their release. A child who spends time with Rangara usually receives a gift from the eternal when they return to the mortal realm. Children who spend time with Rangara are very likely to return marked by the draughir lineage, and in later life often follow the path of the [[Surgical skills#Physick|physician]] or [[Surgical skills#Apothecary|apothecary]]. The eternal only ever has one apprentice at a time; before she will accept another she must be persuaded to release her current apprentice. There are several stories of families who have rescued foolish children from her by exchanging one child for another, sometimes through trickery sometimes by provided Rangara with an apprentice she considers "superior."
<br><br>
'''Rangara's Apprentice in Play:''' A player-character child may become Rangara's apprentice for a time. This will usually last between a season and a year. In such cases heralds may collect the child at the end of an event, but they will always be delivered safely to their parents by the start of the next event. Between events the player-character child will spend time with Wise Rangara in one of her many homes, and may be asked to achieve goals for the eternal during an event.

Children are only likely to be stolen away for a longer period with appropriate permission.

While an apprentice is ''more likely'' to become a draughir, or an apothecary, there's no requirement for this to be the case.

==Further Reading==
* [[Dream_to_me#Wise_Rangara|Dream to me]] - 386YE Spring plenipotentiary response
* [[Three_and_three#Wise_Rangara|Three and three]] - 385YE Summer plenipotentiary response
* [[Hopeless_as_a_feather#Unknown|Hopeless as a feather]] - 384YE Autumn plenipotentiary response on behalf of the Silent Witness
* [[The_bird_and_the_child#Wise_Rangara|The bird and the child]] - 384YE Spring plenipotentiary response
* [[Nowhere_and_everywhere#Wise_Rangara|Nowhere and everywhere]] - 382YE Winter plenipotentiary response

[[Category:Eternals]]

Wise Rangara

2026-07-11T17:21:43Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Boons */

{{CaptionedImage|file=WiseRangara.jpg|caption=Wise Rangara is outwardly the least malign of the Winter eternals.|align=left|width=400}}
==Eternal of Winter==
===Sobriquets===
Most commonly, Rangara is called "''The Wise''."

She is also known as ''The Ancient One'', ''Eldest'' or ''Grandmother Winter'' and ''Kind Rangara'', all epithets intended to flatter her and show the respect she considers so important. Some [[Kallavesi]] use the name ''Pale Raven'' when speaking of her, while the [[Varushka|Varushkan]] [[Varushka religious beliefs|wise ones]] use the old Ushka name ''Clever Spider''. Regardless of the name used, Rangara herself demands respect and finds flattery entertaining - the more florid the greetings she is given, the more amused she becomes.

In the [[Sumaah Republic]], she is known as ''White Eye Serpent'', and is tolerated for the lessons and lore she offers as she encourages people to understand a situation through their own efforts.

Outside her hearing she is sometimes called ''the Cruel Lady'', or the ''Crone'', but woe betide someone who refers to her as such within her hearing - such individuals will be ejected from her presence and may well receive a curse for their insolence.

==Appearance==
One of the oldest known eternals, Rangara appears as an extremely old woman with snow-pale skin. She is believed to be blind, although this does not seem to effect her ability to perceive visitors and should never be mistaken for weakness - indeed most scholars agree she has a supernatural ability to penetrate disguises and transformations in those who come before her. She wears a cloak of black feathers, and either a dark cowl or more often a ritual mask made from the bones of a great bird, likewise covered in feathers.

Wise Rangara may be encountered alone, but is often assisted by dark figures that combine elements of birds with humanoid form. Sometimes she is accompanied by a human child, often expressing a strong [[draughir]] [[lineage]] who she refers to as her apprentice.

==Concerns==
The exemplifies the strength that comes from old age and tradition. She possesses great stores of knowledge, and often has a keen insight into difficult situations. She expects respect and politeness from those who meet her, and insolence or disrespect may be answered with expulsion from her presence and sometimes a curse. She prefers the company of older humans, those with hard-won experience gained over a long life. She believes that wisdom is gained by experience, but that it can be passed to other people. She is disdainful of books and schools, however, and expresses the belief that wisdom is only really passed down from one person to another person - anything else is just ''knowledge'', which is not the same.

She has limited patience with the young - she always prefers the company of older folk to younger folk. The exception is her love of children. This appreciation of the young is double-edged; while she often indulges their foolish behaviour, she is also known to send her heralds to lure clever children to her to serve as her apprentice. She controls at least one [[Regio#Portals_and_Chambers|chamber]] containing a cottage in the deep woods where her apprentices stay while serving her. She is known to take an extremely dim view of those who harm or kill the very old or the very young without good reason.

Wise Rangara served as a patroness to the Ushka people, and she maintains a soft spot for their descendants the [[Varushka|Varushkans]]. She is always interested in the doings of the Varushkan people. She also has a long tradition of good relations with the [[Kallavesi]] [[Wintermark magical traditions#Mystics|mystics]], and is usually happy to welcome one to her presence. By contrast she is known to have had conflicts in the past with both [[Suaq]] [[Wintermark magical traditions#Icewalkers|icewalkers]] and [[Urizen]] [[Urizen magical traditions#Stargazers|stargazers]] and those who identify themselves as such often receive a chilly reception.

Wise Rangara does not appear to be able to read. While she is blind, her illiteracy seems to have little to do with her lack of sight - she has demonstrated the ability to easily identify colours and fine details by handling objects, for example. On the few occasions that someone has quizzed her about this or offered to help her she has claimed that she is too ''set in her ways'' to learn to read. Her apprentice reads anything presented to her - she has several times said that she finds children to be best suited to read documents as their lack of preconception often allows unexpected insight into the words or their writer.

In [[Wintermark]] she is strongly associated with the rune [[Irremais]].
{{CaptionedImage|file=TreeArt.jpg|title=Part of the "House of Leaves" collection, this is believed to be a painting representing Wise Rangara entitled ''Grandmother Winter'', artist unknown.|caption=Wise Rangara is one of the oldest of the known eternals.|align=right|width=400}}

==Boons==
The most important thing to understand about Rangara is that she never gives anything of value away without exacting an appropriate price. She warns those who bargain with her that nothing of value is ever gained without price. She rarely barters with those she is dealing with; she states a price, and if it is not appropriate she rarely agrees to a counter-offer. The prices she exacts are often painful, and often involve an effort to teach the bargainer a lesson of some sort. If the bargain appears too good to be true, scholars warn, be ''very'' careful as there is likely to be a hidden catch.

The Eldest is a mistress of herbs, and can brew any potion. She can also combine herbs in such a way as to create unique elixirs, salves and infusions beyond the ability of mortal apothecaries. Often these potions require a strange or symbolic element in addition to the normal herbs - the blood of a warrior or a tear from a boyar, for example. She is known to request difficult quests from those who ask her for potions, usually involving gathering a unique ingredient some of which goes into the potion and some of which she takes as payment. According to stories she can brew a draught that renders the one who drinks it immortal - they will continue to age, but they will not die except by violence.

Her cauldron is believed to be an especially potent artefact, and she sometimes lends or gives magical cauldrons to those who gain her favour. These items may duplicate the effects of talismans such as the [[Escharotic Cauldron]], while others have offered benefits to cabals of apothecaries or ritualists as a form of [[Magic_items#Paraphernalia|paraphernalia]]. The ''Sisters of the Silver Goblet'' in [[Dawn]], for example, received a cauldron that allowed their coven to use herbs in their rituals, renewed each year in return for unknown service.

Rangara possesses great stores of both wisdom and knowledge gathered over her long existence. She can often identify objects by handling them, sometimes having special insight into their nature or purpose. Likewise she can examine and understand any [[enchantment]] or [[curse]] simply by examining it, and can often remove supernatural curses especially those that involve nightmares or compulsions.

She has a great interest in dreams, and sometimes trades small trinkets in return for stories of strange dreams, especially those that later prove to be prophetic in some way. She sometimes trades with mortals for the ability to dream their dreams - those who accept find their sleep wracked with terrible nightmares for the duration of the exchange. On occasion Rangara has repaid this boon with knowledge gleaned from these dreams, sometimes even that which has to do with past lives.

Rangara can deliver horrible curses, but she rarely offers this ability to others. Her curses are often tailored to ironically punish their victim, and despite the fact they tend to be less debilitating than ritual curses, are often surprisingly difficult to remove. On rare occasions in the past some winter [[Archmage|archmages]] have brought criminals before her and asked her to judge them. She is known to be a ruthless judge who often interrogates a guilty person to see what ''else'' they are guilty of. The reason behind her judgements is not always obvious -she has been known to pardon criminals who acted for the good of their families while punishing those whose transgressions appeared minor. Needless to say Imperial Magistrates do not consider Rangara to be an Imperial authority - something her allies have occasionally tried to rectify.

Following the revelation that Wise Rangara was the "patron" of the [[Quickening Cold Meat]] ritual - that she provided the access to the Winter spirits that ritual calls forth - there has been speculation that she might be able to provide boons relating to its performance. To date, she has shown no inclination to do so.

==Rituals that deal with Wise Rangara==
The following formulaic rituals are widely known to deal directly with Wise Rangara. Rituals with an <sup>[[#1|(1)]]</sup> are part of [[Urizen lore]] rather than [[Formulaic_ritual#Imperial_Lore_and_the_Ritual_List|Imperial lore]]. Rituals that are defunct - either withdrawn by the eternal or no longer functional - have a line through them.

<table class='wikitable mw-collapsed mw-collapsible sortable'><tr><th>Ritual</th><th>Eternal</th><th>Explanation</th><th>Realm</th><th>Mag.</th></tr>
<tr><td>[[Quickening Cold Meat]]</td><td>[[Wise Rangara]]</td><td>Summons Winter spirits to create murderous animated corpses that fight alongside and enchanted army for a year.</td><td>Winter</td><td>120</td>
</table>
<ic>"You are a hero of your Empire, not a spoiled child to demand a treat for sweeping the step.

"What you come by too easily, you value too little. If you were to sweat, and bleed, and strive for six months to possess a smooth stone from the beach, just a simple stone, I would say that you would value that little stone more than any amount of silver.

"As to the parents of the little boy... either they will kill you and realise that their son was threatened and learn to protect him better; or you will bring the boy to me and they will learn the lessons that loss teaches. In time they will come to me to bargain for his return, or they will realise they did not truly love him after all and he will abide with me until he is of age.

"Either way, the boy will be safer and his parents will have learnt a lesson."
</ic>

==Rangara's Apprentice==
Rangara has a special interest in children; her ''apprentice'' is always a human child, and rarely of any lineage other than draughir. Children who approach Rangara politely and offer her assistance may be allowed to spend time with her in her realm. Those who do must be exceptionally careful to specify the duration of their apprenticeship - there are stories of unwise children who have failed to do so and end up serving the Cruel Lady for years until a family member is able to bargain with Rangara for their release. A child who spends time with Rangara usually receives a gift from the eternal when they return to the mortal realm. Children who spend time with Rangara are very likely to return marked by the draughir lineage, and in later life often follow the path of the [[Surgical skills#Physick|physician]] or [[Surgical skills#Apothecary|apothecary]]. The eternal only ever has one apprentice at a time; before she will accept another she must be persuaded to release her current apprentice. There are several stories of families who have rescued foolish children from her by exchanging one child for another, sometimes through trickery sometimes by provided Rangara with an apprentice she considers "superior."
<br><br>
'''Rangara's Apprentice in Play:''' A player-character child may become Rangara's apprentice for a time. This will usually last between a season and a year. In such cases heralds may collect the child at the end of an event, but they will always be delivered safely to their parents by the start of the next event. Between events the player-character child will spend time with Wise Rangara in one of her many homes, and may be asked to achieve goals for the eternal during an event.

Children are only likely to be stolen away for a longer period with appropriate permission.

While an apprentice is ''more likely'' to become a draughir, or an apothecary, there's no requirement for this to be the case.

==Further Reading==
* [[Dream_to_me#Wise_Rangara|Dream to me]] - 386YE Spring plenipotentiary response
* [[Three_and_three#Wise_Rangara|Three and three]] - 385YE Summer plenipotentiary response
* [[Hopeless_as_a_feather#Unknown|Hopeless as a feather]] - 384YE Autumn plenipotentiary response on behalf of the Silent Witness
* [[The_bird_and_the_child#Wise_Rangara|The bird and the child]] - 384YE Spring plenipotentiary response
* [[Nowhere_and_everywhere#Wise_Rangara|Nowhere and everywhere]] - 382YE Winter plenipotentiary response

[[Category:Eternals]]

Astral Arcanist

2026-07-10T16:17:44Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Overview */

==Overview==
{{CaptionedImage|file=Serenus Starsong.jpg|caption='''Serenus Starsong''', first and last Astral Arcanist|align=left|width=250}}

The Astral Arcanist is an [[Imperial title]] appointed by the [[Conclave]]. The [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Create_title_of_Astral_Arcanist|motion]] to create the title was brought by '''Thalia of Netherwatch''', as Senator for [[Redoubt]], to the Imperial Senate during the Summer Solstice 386YE. The Astral Arcanist is a position in the Conclave with an expectation to support the magicians of the Empire with information about [[Astronomancy#Constellations|constellations]] and tulpas.
__NOTOC__
The title was [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Abrogate_Astral_Arcanist|abrogated]] by the Senate during the Spring Equinox 388YE. This decision followed the apparent death of the Arcanist themselves, '''Serenus Starsong''', and the [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Concord:_Abrogate_Astral_Arcanist|formal request]] of the [[Conclave]] to have the title abrogated. There is speculation that this may in part have been motivated by the [[What regulates the wheel?|developing crisis]] relating to the [[Regio#The_Imperial_Regio|Imperial regio]].
{{CaptionedImage|file=RelativePositionslores.JPG|align=right|width=300}}

==Responsibilities==
The Astral Arcanist had a responsibility to disperse knowledge about the constellations to Imperial magicians. They are also expected to guide and advise [[Astronomancy|astronomancers]] through the Astronomancy Symposium. The Astral Arcanist did not have the legal power to prevent any interaction between citizens and constellations or tulpas.

==Appointment==
The appointment, replacement, or removal of the Astral Arcanist was made by the [[Declaration#Declaration_of_Candidacy|declaration of candidacy]] as part of a [[Conclave session]]. Any Imperial citizen could hold the title.

The Astral Arcanist served until they were replaced by another magician using the Declaration of Candidacy. As a title in the Conclave, they could not be [[Revocation|revoked]].

{{RecentElections|Astral_Arcanist}}
{{Responsibilities Expectation}}
[[Category:Conclave]]
[[Category:Astronomancy]]

Viridian nemesis

2026-07-06T14:28:26Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Tassato */

[[Category:388YE Summer]][[Category:Winds of Fortune]]
<ic>"Trade is the lifeblood of the Jewelled City. Ships dock here from all over the world. The Grendel like to think of themselves as masters of the Bay of Catazar, but the markets of Dubhtraig are barely twice the size of Trivento! Everything is for sale here. Everything the virtuous soul might desire and a little more besides."

"I don't see how that is going to help us." responded Gwyn, careful not to offend his host. He'd been warned that the Merchant Prince of the Amber Signets was given to self-aggrandisement, but he'd been advised that he held sway over a significant number of local merchants who would be good to have on hand. "The vallorn has no trade interests, no valuables. It has no interest in markets or trade, any more than it does in any other facet of civilisation."

Afredo blinked and then forced a smile back to his face. "You miss my point my friend. The point is that whatever you need for this war of yours, is available here. Materials, wains, mana, herbs, weapons, armour, even soldiers are for sale here. Well their swords at least. Tell me what the Vallornguard need to fight the enemy and we'll ensure it's available - for the right price."

Gwyn shrugged his shoulders a little bemused by the question. "I mean... everything... we need everything." Herbs to heal soldiers, crystals for magic, ingots and measures for magic items, there was no material in this or any realm that the Navarri have not found a way to use to fight their ancient foe.

The Merchant Prince smirked, though this time the smile was at least an honest one. "Very well" he replied, "everything it is then..."
</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Navarr.png|align=left|caption=The garden long-tended by the Navarr begins to bear fruit.|width=400}}</div>
==Overview==
The [[The highest calling|highest calling]] of the the [[Navarr]] is to share their long experience fighting the [[vallorn]] with other nations. Last season, they [[Cup_of_choices|chose to work]] with the people of [[Urizen]]; now the Navarr National Assembly has urged their people to embrace the citizens of [[the League]] to arm and armour them for the upcoming battle with the Doom of Terunael. Once again, the [[Loyalty]] Assembly has supported the cause, calling upon those whose heart drives them towards the destruction of ''Terun's Folly''.

The aid was welcomed by the League Assembly and so the Navarr find the cities of the League no less enthusiastic than the spires of Urizen. In conjunction with their guests, each city has come up with its own plan how best to prepare to fight the vallorn.

<div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr 1fr;">
{{SOPInner|statement=The Virtuous raise up their fellows. Any nation willing to raise arms and join the Vallornguard shall have our full support. We send Teleri Thornweaver with 50 doses of liao to lead our people in sharing everything we have with the League to prepare to finish the fight.|by=Teleri Thornweaver, Navarr National Assembly|vote={{GM}} 252-0|when=Spring 388YE}}

{{SOPInner|statement=The Virtuous raise up their fellows. Any nation willing to raise arms and join the Vallornguard shall have our full support. We send Leliel, Daughter of Armisael, with 25 doses of liao to lead our people in sharing everything we have with the League to prepare to finish the fight.|by=Leliel, Daughter of Armisael, Loyalty Assembly|vote=190-0|when=Spring 388YE}}

{{SOPInner|statement=We welcome and recognise the judgement by Navarr (54). We recognise their highest calling and we welcome their aid.|by=Francesca di Spiral, League National Assembly|vote={{GM}} 328-10|when=Spring 388YE}}</div>

==Holberg==
<div {{float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''The Boar's Hide'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' [[Fortification]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Boar's Dell, Brocéliande</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 120 [[white granite]], 60 mithril, 540 crowns</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 6 seasons</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Upkeep:''' 20 thrones</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:'''
* Creates a level two fortification in Boar's Dell
* Increases the level of investment in mana sites in Brocéliande by one while there is a vallornheart in the territory
</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Until the start of Summer Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''Holberg engineers propose the construction of a grand fortification in Brocéliande that could take advantage of the trods to boost mana sites in the territory'''
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Actuallythebest001.png|align=right|width=250}}</div>
[[The_greatest_city_in_the_world|The Greatest City in the League]] lies to the north-east of [[Brocéliande|Brocéliande]], and south of [[Otkodov#Sküld|Sküld]], two territories both infested with the vallorn. Initial proposals by some ambitious engineers has a [[weirwood]] and [[ilium]] causeway cutting across the Barrens to channel the vallorn of [[Brocéliande#Terunael|Terunael]] itself into their territory, that they might fight in the shade of the monstrous [[Walls of Holberg]]. This plan was quickly abandoned as infeasible; fine in theory, ''way'' too expensive in practice.

If the vallorn won't go to Holberg, then Holberg will go to the vallorn. The engineers have a proposal for an enormous bastion built on the foundations of Greenstead in [[Brocéliande#Boar's_Dell|Boar's Dell]]. Once roused, the vallorn by its nature will tend to be drawn to any substantial fortification, sending its full chaotic wroth at the structure until it is entirely subsumed in vines. Knowing that the vallorn is likely to attack any fortification first means the engineers can expect any substantial defences to become a focal point of the campaign as well as a place for Imperial [[military unit]] captains to assign their forces in the absence of an Imperial [[army]].
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><box><big>'''Regarding the Broch'''</big><br>While [[Brocéliande#The Broch|the Broch]] is already [[Construct Defence of the Broch|fortified]], the work was specifically done in such a way as to ''not'' rouse the ire of the vallorn. After all, [[Brocéliande#Black_Boughs|Black Boughs]] lies within the [[vallorn miasma|miasma]] itself and in a region utterly dominated by the ''Doom of Terunael''.</box></div>
There are some important consequences to consider. Firstly, the [[steading|steadings]] of Boar's Dell would face the brunt of the assault. They are Navarri, they have signed up to this, they have sworn oaths that they are committed to this, but one's home is one's home, nevertheless. Secondly, it is eye-wateringly expensive to create such a structure: even with the help of Holberg's finest engineers, they can't materialise wains out of the ether, as much as other nations may accuse the League of this from time to time.

With the collaboration of Holberg's engineers, the fortification could be completed in six seasons (barring the use of magic or other opportunities). Working closely with Navarr [[vate|vates]] provides a second advantage. By incorporating a significant amount of [[mithril]] into the design, it would harness also some of the chaotic energies being drawn out of the vallorn by the [[trods|trod network]] and channel it into local [[mana site|mana sites]]. That would provide a small but important benefit, providing more mana for the coming war, at least until the vallornheart in [[Brocéliande#Terunael|Terunael]] is destroyed.

==Sarvos==
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''The Market of Everything'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' [[Ministry]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Cigno, Sarvos</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 8 wains of white granite, 6 wains of weirwood, 2 wains of mithril, 48 crowns, 1 season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Until the start of Summer Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Creates a Ministry for the Vallornguard
* Creates the title of ''Merchant-Prince of the Vallornguard''</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Merchant-Prince of the Vallornguard'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' League national position</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Vallornguard</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Receives support from Sarvosi traders to acquire material to fight the vallorn</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To help the Vallornguard acquire the materials needed to fight the vallorn</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td colspan="2" style="background-color: LightYellow;">'''A Little Bit of Everything'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>150 rings</td><td>4 random materials, 6 random herbs, 3 mana crystals</td></tr>
<tr><td>370 rings</td><td>8 random materials, 12 random herbs, 6 mana crystals, </td></tr>
<tr><td>650 rings</td><td>12 random materials, 18 random herbs, 9 mana crystals,</td></tr>
<tr><td>1000 rings</td><td>16 random materials, 24 random herbs, 12 mana crystals, </td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''Sarvosi merchants propose commissioning a market of everything to help supply the Vallornguard with the resources to fight the vallorn'''
While Holberg claims to be the Greatest City in the League, their indignant rivals in [[Sarvos]] argue their city is the oldest and still the richest in the Empire. Trade flows across down the Gancio until it meets the [[Bay of Catazar]] at the docks of [[Sarvos#Cigno|Cigno]]. Ships put to port here that dock nowhere else in the Empire, buying and selling; rare metals from [[Varushka]], fine wines from [[Dawn]], or exotic goods from overseas. The city's proud boast is that anything that is for sale anywhere in the Empire can be found in the markets of Sarvos.

The question is how to employ that strength to bolster the Vallornguard and help prepare for the coming war. Plans are quickly drawn up for a grand market, something that can provide whoever the Vallornguard appoint with a bit of ''everything''. Anything that can be employed against the vallorn can be distributed as needed to the Vallornguard - the rest can be sold. In the minds of the [[merchant Prince|merchant princes]] of Sarvos, a good profit margin is the ultimate weapon.

==Tassato==
<div {{float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Vallornguard Military Academy'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Edifice</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Madeiras, Tassato</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 16 wains of white granite, 32 crowns</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 1 season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' League armies with a general appointed by the Vallornguard can take the order to Stem the Green Tide</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Until the start of Summer Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''Tassatan bravos propose building an academy that will allow League generals appointed by the Vallornguard to use Stem the Green Tide when defending'''
The Navarri who arrive in [[Tassato]] are greeted by a great deal of commotion as furious work is being done to speed the [[Army#Recruitment|mustering]] of the League's third [[army]]. It is a painful reminder that, more than anything else, what the Vallornguard really need are armies. No matter how much planning is put in place, no matter how many fortifications are built, in the end it will always come down to steel weapons and steel will.

Most Tassatans learn to fight with rapier and buckler, the perfect weapons for a bravo who wants to cut a fine dash while bridge fighting. By contrast, the Navarr favour a more pragmatic fighting style when fighting the vallorn, one that makes use of [[venom]] whenever it is available. Training League soldiers in techniques for fighting the vallorn could pay dividends once the enemy attacks.

When the vallorn is roused, and it ''will'' be roused, insist the visiting [[thorn|thorns]], there will need to be those who can stem the initial tsunami of chaotic energies before it might be driven back and permanently quelled. Constructing an appropriate academy, staffed by members of the Vallornguard, would allow League citizens to drill the kind of basic tactics needed to stand your ground in the face of a swarm of vallornspawn.

Once complete the Vallornguard Military Academy would allow any League army whose [[general]] was appointed by the Vallornguard, to take the '''Stem the Green Tide''' order when defending. There are no League armies that would be affected at present, but a [[Senate motion]] could be used to change the appointment method of a general to a vote of the Vallornguard at any time.

<box>'''Stem the Green Tide'''<br>
* '''Casualties suffered by this army from vallorn are decreased by a fifth'''
* '''Victory points generated by this army against the vallorn are increased by one tenth'''

Rapiers might suit the dark alleys of the League cities, but large heavy weapons, such as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billhook bills], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zweih%C3%A4nder two-handed swords] or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pike_(weapon) pikes] are the preferred choice for many professional soldiers in League free companies. These are dangerous weapons of war on any battlefield, but with the right training and the right leadership, League soldiers can deploy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pike_square pike squares] to devastating effect against the vallornspawn allowing them to defend against the vallorn's overwhelming and chaotic offensive, holding back the unending green tide.
</box>

==Temeschwar==
* '''Temeschwari bishops suggest a mandate to encourage League bravos to seek out opportunities to fight the enemy'''
The hard, ruthless people of [[Temeschwar]] are known for their pragmatism. Grand plans for mighty fortresses are all well and good, but they can take years to build. Better to ''get on with it'', in the minds of many Temeschwari - there's no time like the present for dealing with a threat. ''Marko von Vardstein'', a newly-minted [[bishop]] with a small church in one of the poorer parts of Temeschwar, has paired up with ''Livinnia'', a bravo known for wielding two axes and being a woman of extremely few words. The pair suggest that if the League are going to do this then the national assembly should encourage military units to start now, by pursuing any venture that could aid in the fight against the vallorn.

{{Mandate|mandate=In Ratibor's name, let us act! We send (named individual) with 50 doses of liao to encourage League bravos to take up arms against the vallorn. If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing right now|assembly=League National Assembly}}

If this mandate is enacted, then League military units will be able to take part in the [[Venture#Quest_Against_the_Vallorn|quest against the vallorn]] and [[Venture#Explore_the_ruins_of_Terunael|the exploration of the ruins of Terunael]] ventures, as well as any future ventures that deal with engaging the vallorn directly.

<div {{float}}><quote by="William Shakespeare, As You Like it">All the world's a stage,<br>
And all the men and women are merely players</quote></div>

==Spiral==
* '''Actors and troupe magicians in Spiral propose the creation of plays about the vallorn to inspire citizens'''
* '''Apulian merchants have donated five thrones as a prize for the best play, to be judged by vote of members of the Cat's Graces at the Autumn Equinox'''

There's a lot going on in [[Spiral#Apulus|Apulian]] right now, a running battle between cats and birds for control of the city streets and rooftops while soldiers comb the dark passages that lie beneath them. The visiting Navarri are welcomed with all due hospitality, but at first some Apulians question whether they have the time to offer any significant aid, given that the strange ''confluence'' of [[dramaturgy|dramaturgical]] [[Dramaturgy#The_Personae|personae]], [[Dramaturgy#The_Instruments|instruments]] and [[Dramaturgy#The_Thrones|thrones]] plays havoc with the city, causing inhabitants and visitors alike to get lost in the shifting streets.

Determined not to be outdone by the other cities, a troupe of actors and magicians proposes that dramaturgy might offer a way to combat the vallorn. Of course there needs to be fortifications and armies and supplies and such things, but none of those will help without the ''will to win'' and the ''belief'' that ''victory'' is ''possible'' (and so on). The biggest hurdle to victory they say, is not the threat of the vallorn but the belief that the Empire lacks the means to defeat it. People need to see the vallorn not as some implacable force that can only be contained at best, but as an enemy that can be defeated once and for all, just like the [[Druj]].

What is needed, they say, are plays and stories that present a new vision of the vallorn. The true power of dramaturgy lies not just in performing rituals calling on the personae and their accoutrements, but in using the power of drama to influence the way people think and believe. Good plays create a narrative that shapes the path of history. Of course critics of dramaturgy argue that it is the power of events that make some plays seem so pivotal, not unlike the way some magicians believe that the stars move in line with events rather than the other way round.

Proponents of the real power of dramaturgy have little time for such naysaying. They argue that creating plays and stories that tell of victory over the vallorn are a subtle but crucial step in making that outcome come about. Of course that raises the question of who will create the plays - such things are time-consuming and expensive. A few Navarr suggest the historical accounts of Navarr and Thorn or [[Megan Black Blood]] might form the basis for such a play, but not everyone thinks that is the best approach. Even the suggestion of dramatising recent triumphs such as [[382YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Immolation_.28Liathaven.29|that in Liathaven]] does not meet with enthusiasm.

The League actors are concerned that the old histories may focus too much on the fall and what was lost to the vallorn. Equally their suggestion that if the playwrights do use the historical accounts, they will need to be ''"sexed up a bit, to make it more dramatic"'' does not meet with universal approval by their Navarr guests.

As a compromise, the suggestion is that the [[387YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Establish_the_Cat's_Graces|recently established sodality, the Cat's Graces]] might hold a contest to find the best play about the vallorn. Something dramatic and engaging that will get people into the cheap seats but which sets the tone of an Empire engaging successfully with the vallorn. A purse is quickly assembled, 5 thrones for the winning entry, with the understanding of all who enter, that actors will tour the winning play and any other worthy entries, across the Empire.

Of course it will take time for playwrights to produce something that capture and transform the zeitgeist. It needn't be a full play - it could be a short performance piece, put on everywhere before the main attraction. It could be historical, provided it doesn't compromise being inspiring for too much stuffy "accuracy". After all, the goal is to move the hearts and minds of theatre-goers all over the Empire, not to educate historians and scholars.

The merchants of Apulian request the Cat's Graces sodality either arrange a suitable contest to identify a winning submission, or else find a way to choose the perfect playwright to commission a piece. Either way they offer a purse of five thrones to be awarded by the sodality at the Autumn Equinox, to the author of the play that best inspires people to embrace the idea of defeating the vallorn.

A copy of the play itself will also need to be provided, so that it can be distributed to troupes of actors across the League. Focusing the attention of the League's thespians and actors on the vallorn in this way may reap dividends, although they are likely to be subtle or unpredictable. With the support of the Cat's Graces, it will definitely encourage a surge of interest in depicting the fight against the vallorn on the stage, and in reframing it as a foe to be overcome rather than an insurmountable problem. It might all lead to nothing apart from some very enjoyable nights at the theatre, or it may actually achieve what the dramaturgical theorists claim it will and somehow shift Imperial attitudes to the Doom of Terunael.

==Further Reading==
* [[Cup of choices]] - 388YE Spring wind of fortune detailing the Navarr efforts to assist Urizen
* [[The highest calling]] - 387YE Autumn wind of fortune about the highest calling

* [[Vallorn]]

Satraps of the Abyss

2026-07-06T06:25:30Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Of Autumn */

[[Category:388YE Spring]][[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:Appraisal]][[Category:Eternals]][[Category:Sumaah]]
<ic>"Please stop haunting me, Roderick." Lisane didn't look at her son, continuing to fold clothes and place them in a large weirwood travelling trunk. He sighed again, gustily, and she didn't need to see him to imagine his expression of deep concern.

"I'm just worried, mother. I assumed - we all assumed - that working for the Prognosticator's Office would involve something a little closer to home. At least at first. We were picturing an office at the Castle of Thorns. Somewhere that we could..."

"Check in on me?" She suppressed a smile, kept her tone sharp. "Honestly, I am an old woman Roderick. And you have a grandchild for goodness' sake! And do not ''dare'' start your next sentence with anything approaching 'at your age' or I will demand a Trial of Resolve from Melisandre and everyone will see you being thoroughly trounced by a great-grandmother!"

Roderick blew through his massive moustaches. "I'm just worried..." he said again. "The Sumaah Republic is two entire seas away. Three if you count Teeth. Seas swarming with bloodthirsty Asavean pirates. And even when you get there I hear its full of danger. Dragons. Giant panthers. Strange priests. At least take a few knights with you. Just to set my - our - minds at rest!"

Lisane looked down at her things. The last thing she needed to pack was Empress Lisabetta's book about eternals, and the colouring book full the children had presented her with. The Navarr artist's delightful line drawings of the various eternals, which were only slightly idolatrous, had been coloured in with a great deal of enthusiasm and glancing at it softened her heart. She dropped it into her trunk, shut the lid, threaded and tightened the buckles. Then she turned round, hands on hips.

Roderick looked absolutely wretched. He had always been the most anxious of her children, and in the shadow of the forty-year-old noble in front of her she could see the little boy sobbing from one too many nightmares of the Druj coming to get him.

"Roddy," she said gently, crossing the room to put her hands on his shoulders. She had to reach up, look up to meet his eyes. She sometimes forgot how tall he was. "I understand, I really do. When Gerard told me what my first appraisal was going to be, I confess it put moths in my stomach. But I took his offer up precisely because I ''want'' a challenge. Something more complex and important than keeping bees."

"But-"

She laid a finger on his lips and smiled at him. "I've no doubt that the Freeborn and the... the Sumaah Zemress pilgrims... will see me safely to and from the Republic. Merchants make the trip every season, you know, and nothing bad happens to them. And I am absolutely certain the Sumaah will not let a hungry drake or deadly panther eat me. I'm sure they don't let monstrous predators lurk around their cities, and Timoj is one of the great cities of the world as I understand it. It's lovely that the family are so worried, and I will miss you all just as much as you miss me, but I'll be back before you know it. Back in time for the Winter Solstice feast. I'm not going to miss Melisandre's first feast as earl, am I??"

She continued to gaze into Roderick's eyes. There was a great well of love there, but also that hard core of steel that had served her so well as earl and would serve her well dealing with the people of the Sumaah Republic. He looked away.

"Yes my ea-. Yes mother," he said quietly. She patted his arm.

"Excellent. Now, I'm going to go and say goodbye to the children. You can make yourself useful by putting those broad shoulders of yours to good use and carrying my trunk down to the wagon."</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Black Panther.jpg|align=left|caption=The unfamiliar spirits of the deep jungle are equally dangerous and enticing to Imperial scholars.|width=500}}</div>
==Overview==
At the Spring Equinox, the Senate took advantage of an opportunity brokered by the [[Ambassador to the Sumaah Republic]], '''Accalon of Felix's Watch''', regarding magical cooperation between the Empire and the [[Sumaah Republic|Sumaash]]. The [[Senate]] elected to send the freshly-appointed prognosticator ''[[Appraisal#Lisane de Terresford|Lisane de Terresford]]'' on the task, to "''appraise how the High Houses of Virtue and the Imperial Conclave can find ways to co-operate in interactions with [[eternal|eternals]]''".

The former [[Dawn|Dawnish]] [[earl]] took passage to the Sumaah Republic immediately after the Spring Equinox, and made the crossing safely. She and her small staff have been granted apartments in [[Sumaah_Republic#Timoj|Timoj]], the capital city of the Republic, as guests of the High Houses of [[Wisdom]] and [[Vigilance]]. Lisane is expected to remain in Timoj for the next several seasons, and will not be available to undertake other appraisals until she returns to the Empire. As the Summer Solstice approaches, however, a preliminary report has already reached ''Gerard La Salle''.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Wisdom.png|align=right|width=175}}

==Wisdom of the Conclave==
* '''During the Summer Solstice the Conclave can send a single order to support the appraisal
* '''This will end the order's involvement in any other project
* '''The order will be engaged until the start of the Winter Solstice 388YE
* '''The order chosen will contribute to the outcome of the appraisal depending on its nature
As discussed in the [[Forging_links#Joining_Virtue_and_Magic|original proposal]], the Sumaash are happy to host a delegation from a single [[Conclave order]] to support Lisane. Her initial report is dense, full of information about the situation in Sumaah, partly because she believes this will help the Conclave to determine which order would be best suited to make the long journey to the southern shores of the [[The_seven_seas#Sea_of_Salt|Sea of Salt]].

During the Summer Solstice, the Conclave may choose to ask one order to contribute to the ongoing appraisal. This requires an order to raise a [[declaration]] of [[Concord]] following the usual rules for [[Concord#Guiding_an_Order|guiding an order]]. If the Conclave agrees, members of the order will travel to the Sumaah Republic to support Lisane and her team. It would not be possible to guide that order again until the Winter Solstice, which is also when the outcome of their involvement will be presented to the Empire. Guiding an order already involved elsewhere - such as in the fighting against Cold Sun - will end their participation in the situation.

If more than one such declaration passes the Conclave, the last one to pass will win out.

Any order could be dispatched to Sumaah; there are members of each who are enthusiastic about the opportunity. Any order could secure a benefit for the Empire, but only some of them would do so by supporting Lisane and her team. Some orders have different areas of concern, and will make use of the opportunity to be hosted in the Republic in ways that are only peripherally associated with studying eternals. The civil service are confident that sufficient magicians will work with Lisane, so there's no chance of a diplomatic incident unless one of the orders goes out of its way to cause one, and the appraisal will still be successful no matter who goes.

* The [[Sevenfold Path]] are the most obvious order to send to Sumaah. If this order is chosen, their contribution will help focus the appraisal on ways for the [[Synod]] to help guide the Conclave in its interactions with the eternal realms.
* The [[Celestial Arch]] are diplomats, and well versed in dealing with eternals. If this order is chosen, their contribution will involve making contact with non-Assembly magicians, and learning more about eternals the Empire does not currently have relations with.
* The [[Shuttered Lantern]] may have a shadowy reputation, but part of their remit is to use magic ''in the detection and monitoring of threats''. Their contribution to the appraisal will be to focus on the ways that the Sumaash keep their people safe from eternal influence without access to the [[Alignment|Declaration of Alignment]], and to any unique eternal threats the Empire is blind to or blasé about.
* If the [[Rod and Shield]] are dispatched to support the appraisal, their contribution will be to look at how the Sumaash use magic on the battlefield. For a nation extremely hesitant to use rituals such as [[Knights of Glory]], they must make up the "shortfall" in other ways.
* The [[Silver Chalice]] would encourage the appraisal to look for ways that Sumaash magicians and Imperial magicians could pool their lore of magical healing, especially with regard to eternal boons. The jungles of Sumaah are known to be rich in rare healing fruits and plants, and its likely that the Chalice could learn more about such things and perhaps even gain access to them.
* The [[Golden Pyramid]] are generally not as excited about matters of spirituality, but ''are'' excited about potential trade opportunities with the Republic. Their "contribution" will be to seek out [[opportunity|opportunities]] to secure new trade goods, especially those related to eternals, or new routes to the Sumaah Republic for Imperial [[Fleet#Trading|merchants]].
* The [[Unfettered Mind]] are relentlessly enthusiastic about magic of all kinds. If they are guided to Sumaah, they will provide minimal support to the actual appraisal underway. Instead, they will reach out to non-Assembly magicians, discuss matters of magical theory, learn about Sumaah's magical colleges, explore magic familiar to Sumaash magicians but not in use in the Empire, and make a study of the "spiritual materialism" tradition that many Sumaah magicians employ. If the Grandmaster of the Unfettered Mind were particularly interested in one of these themes more than the others they could mention it in their Declaration, and the Unfettered Mind magicians would focus some their attention in that direction, at least at first.

<div style="grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr 1fr 1fr 1fr 1fr 1fr; align-items: center;" class="imagegrid">
{{CaptionedImage|file=OrderSevenfoldPath.jpg|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=OrderCelestialArch.jpg|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=OrderShutteredLantern.jpg|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=OrderRodAndShield.jpg|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Chalice.jpg|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=OrderGoldenPyramid.jpg|width=150}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=OrderUnfetteredMind.jpg|width=150}}
</div>

Regardless of which order is chosen - if any - the trip represents a rare opportunity to gain access to the magicians of the Sumaah Republic. It is not likely to be one that gets repeated any time soon.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Accalon5901.jpg||caption=Accalon of Felix's Watch, Ambassador to the Sumaah Republic|align=right|width=350}}

==Virtue and Magic==
* '''The first part of Lisane's preliminary report provides a general overview of attitudes to magic and eternals
The first part of Lisane's report discusses the general Sumaah attitude to magic, [[magical skills#magicians|magicians]], and eternals. It builds on and informs [[Sumaah_Republic#Magic|common knowledge]], and it seems some things "everyone knows" about the Republic may be outdated or based on misconceptions.
===Sumaash Magicians===
Many magicians in Sumaah are also ''präster'', and each of the High Houses contain ritual magicians who specialise in specific areas of magic that support the wider role of the House. For example, within the Assembly of Prosperity are several covens that specialise in [[enchantment|enchantments]] that lead to increased wealth, while [[divination]] is carefully studied by both the vigilant and the wise. This same attitude extends to dealing with eternals; within each of the Houses are some magicians experienced with dealing with the creatures of the [[realms]].

That is not to say that all magicians are priests, or that only the High Houses work with magic. Far from it. The practice of ritual magic is not as widespread or organised as it is in the Empire, but there are still large numbers of practitioners from all walks of life spread across the Republic. It is a misconception that the priesthood "controls" all magic in the Republic. As with all Sumaash, their magicians are acutely aware of the virtuous implications of their skills, and naturally look to the präster for guidance on how best to reconcile magic with faith. In particular, they are alert to the threat of [[Religious_crime#Idolatry|idolatry]] - subsuming their human destiny to inhuman entities. Perhaps as a result, the practice of [[Aspect_magic#Goetia|goetia]] is banned in the Republic, and a Sumaash tradition similar to Imperial [[Aspect_magic#Theurgy|theurgy]] is only practised by dedicated ''präster''. Lisane also notes that there are serious restrictions on a number of rituals Imperial magicians might consider harmless such as [[Chamber of Delights]] or [[Crystal Clarity of the Rational Soul]], and that the Sumaash approach to the creation of [[arcane projection|arcane projections]] appears to be very much more controlled than it is in the Empire. The focus of the appraisal, for now at least, is on the eternals however and the prognosticator focuses her efforts on that first and foremost.

Whenever a Sumaah coven is anticipating an interaction with an eternal, or one of their [[inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|heralds]], they usually seek the support of one of the präster. The priest serves as an advisor, ensuring that virtue and the Way are foremost in the minds of those dealing with inhuman creatures. There is no law that demands this; rather the long experience of Sumaah magicians demonstrates that having a präst on hand tends to lead to better outcomes. The präst doesn't need to be present for every interaction - there are covens trusted to engage with certain eternals or use certain rituals without oversight. For example, as long as the questions and answers are discussed with a präst there is no requirement to log every single performance of [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]] (or its Sumaah equivalent at least).

On the other hand, anyone known to be regularly interacting with creatures of the realms ''without'' the support or advice of one of the präster will find themselves called to [[inquisition]] by the High House of Vigilance and asked to give a thorough report on their dealings. Those unable or unwilling to do so to the satisfaction of the assembly may face serious censure. Sumaah is determined to ensure that their nation remains uncorrupted by the influence of the inhuman eternals.

===Anathema and Tolerance===
<div style="float:right; width: 500px;"><box>'''Eternals and virtue'''<br>No Sumaash would describe an eternal as "virtuous". The common attitude is that the inhuman entities of the realms are incapable of virtue. While the Republic has in recent years begun to re-examine its prejudice that only humans are capable of following the Way, the idea that an eternal or herald might be able to do so is rejected wholeheartedly. The idea that an eternal might possess anything approaching a soul is considered actively blasphemous. Any eternal that claims interest in virtue is presumed to be engaging in misdirection or manipulation and the subject of immediate suspicion. Obviously this belief further reinforces the careful and suspicious attitude to the eternals.</box></div>

* '''An eternal has only two states in the Republic - tolerated or anathema'''
* '''Without a Conclave the Sumaah must use more direct methods to guard against hostile eternals'''
There is no body in the Republic analogous to the [[Conclave]]. When it comes to dealings with eternals, the Assembly of Vigilance takes an active role and ultimately wields the legal power to declare a given eternal to be ''anathema''. Dealing with an eternal who has been declared ''anathema'' is a serious offence that may result in the death penalty. While ''anathema'' is superficially similar to the status of [[Alignment#enmity|enmity]] there is no equivalent of [[Alignment#Amity|amity]] in Sumaah. All eternals are either tolerated (equivalent to [[Alignment#Neutrality|neutrality]]) or anathema. In the past when a new eternal was encountered, all interactions with it would be undertaken by präster, or Vigilant magicians, until the High House had weighed it and determined if it was anathema or not.

Even this status of neutrality is not quite the same as that in the Empire - there are no Sumaah titles specifically dedicated to liaising with an eternal. [[Emissary to the Celestial Library]], [[Shadowed Torchbearer]], and [[Churnspire Adjutor]] would all be considered dangerously close to idolatry. There are likewise no titles analogous to [[archmage]] - at least not in terms of their interaction with the realms. The equivalent of an Imperial enchantment such as [[Hallow of the Green World]] is unknown in Sumaah, and if it were its practice would be anathema. Even rituals such as the [[Golden magicians fayre]] would be condemned - the idea of providing an eternal access to the Republic in such an uncontrolled way would horrify most Sumaash.

There is also, as previously noted, no Conclave. The functions that might be wielded by that body in the Empire are either absent, or employed by the House of the People or one of the Houses of Virtue instead. The Sumaash view the idea of leaving decisions on the use of magic and items to magicians to decide by themselves to be dubious at best. Deciding what magic is safe to use is fundamentally a matter of Virtue and requires the appropriate expertise.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;"><box>'''Eternals and Free Will'''<br>A common philosophical view in Sumaah is that eternals are physically incapable of Virtue, because they don't have free will. In the view of some präster, free will is fundamental to the exercise of Virtue. Nobody would suggest that a sword is courageous for taking the battlefield. Eternals they argue, are eternal and unchanging, their nature is fixed. They cannot change or be changed. If their nature cannot change, can eternals actually be said to exercise any choices at all about the actions they take? Do they have free will? If they do not, then how can they be any more virtuous than a sword or a shield?</box></div>
One area where the Empire has a clear advantage is dealing with hostile eternals. The metaphysical defence provided by enmity is not perfect, but it does greatly reduce the threat of an eternal influencing Imperial citizens. The Sumaah are forced to use more mundane methods to protect their people. The Assembly of [[Vigilance]] - and to a lesser degree the Assemblies of [[Wisdom]] and [[Pride]] - maintain or coordinate cadres of Sumaash investigators and warriors who actively seek out the machinations of enemy eternals and put a stop to them. These groups of "idolator hunters" are widely respected, and their investigation of suspicious events usually welcomed. They're also heavily subsidised by the House of the People, meaning that they are well equipped to deal with the unpredictable enemies of the Republic they hunt.

The Republic use warding magic to complement this approach. Rituals such as [[There Is No Welcome Here]] may be employed, but the Sumaash also use [[hearth magic]] wards. One common practice is to build a shrine or temple over or near a strong [[regio]] when it is identified, allowing comings and goings of heralds to be carefully monitored or prevented. This is harder to do with regio in the deep jungle, but even so there are apparently several places of pilgrimage dedicated to maintaining a vigilant watch on the "verdant wastelands" of the wild tropical forests.

Lisane notes that these virtuous practices mirror Imperial efforts such as the [[Venture#War_of_Whispers|War of Whispers]], the [[Venture#Hunt_the_Suaq_Wastes|hunt of the Suaq Wastes]], or the practices of vigilant folk in [[Varushka]] in response to the threats of their own cold wilderness.

===Refusal===
* '''The Sumaah are very cautious in accepting ''any'' eternal boon
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=EleonarisArt.jpg|caption=Unlike the Empire, the Sumaah are very suspicious of many eternals, including Eleonaris, eschewing her boons and declaring her anathema.|align=right|width=300}}</div>
The Sumaah are much more likely to turn down a boon or an eternal offer of aid than to accept it. In theory every eternal boon is weighed carefully, usually with the guidance of at least one präst, and in some cases might even be discussed with a [[statement of principle]] before it is accepted. Powerful boons are often presented for scrutiny by the House of the People as well, especially if they are likely to impact the citizens of a territory or region. The more powerful and all-encompassing a boon is, the more scrutiny it demands, so potent, far-reaching boons are rarely taken up simply because the risks involved are usually considered too large or too difficult to assess.

Rituals that draw on the power of an eternal directly are less common among Sumaash magicians. There are a few - a version of [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]] for example is relatively well known. One of the Sumaah responsible for hosting Lisane, a magician-präst named ''Chikkal, Assessor of the High House of Vigilance'' expands a little on this, explaining that even in those uncommon cases where such a ritual is created, it will almost always be bound with a stricture that it may only legally be performed in the presence of a priest, or with the approval of an assessor from one of the High Houses. This is done to ensure that the eternals do not begin to exert subtle control over magicians who may become reliant on such magic, or influence the subjects of such magic in a way that is unvirtuous.

Chikkal's view is that no human ever ''needs'' an eternal boon, however much they may ''want'' them. Any agreement with an eternal, they argue, will invariably tarnish the virtue of the one who seeks it, and risk corrupting their fellows. "Easy is not the same as virtuous," claims Chikkal piously. While it initially seems Chikkal speaks for the majority of the präster, Lisane notes that it quickly becomes apparent that there are any number of other opinions on the matter and many priests openly disagree with the ultra-conservative approach of peers such as Chikkal. Still, there is a common stereotype in the Republic that Imperial magicians unwisely seek every advantage they can gain from inhuman spirits rather then relying on themselves and their fellow humans. The unwise bargainer who brings ruin on themselves by making deals with eternal spirits is a very common character in Sumaah literature, there are scores of cautionary tales whose ultimate fate is so awful, it provides a sobering example to readers or audience.

==Republican Eternals==
* '''The second part of Lisane's preliminary report provides an overview of the eternals the Republic has encountered'''
* '''The Sumaah deal with a much smaller group of eternals than the Empire does'''
* '''Some eternals are known by very different names and appearances in the Republic'''
* '''There appear to be some eternals known in the Republic that are not familiar to Lisane or her staff'''

The second part of Lisane's preliminary report deals with the actual eternals the Sumaash deal with (or don't deal with). Sumaah don't commonly group the eternals together in the same way their Imperial peers do. Rather than focusing on which [[realms|realm]] they hail from, the only significant division is between "tolerated" and "anathema". Lisane, however, falls back on Imperial categorization, simply because her report is intended for Imperial eyes.

One of the challenges Lisane faces is that the Sumaah frequently use different names for eternals to those used in the Empire, and like the Empire they have many different sobriquets for the eternals. This may well be the root of some misconceptions about the beings the Republic deals with. The Empire has long considered [[Yaw'nagrah]] for example to be favoured in Sumaah, but it seems likely this was based on a misconception based on the at-the-time unknown eternal [[Ossegrahn]] (given the ''Green Mother'' is anathema in the Republic and has been for much of its history).

In most cases the prognosticators have been able to link the names of Sumaash eternals to those known in the Empire, but there are some cases where there is no direct correlation. In the case of these "unknown" eternals, she has been able to gather a little information, enough to satisfy herself that they are ''probably'' distinct entities. It is entirely possible that some of these unfamiliar eternals are actually powerful lieutenants (heralds) of a more familiar eternal. Sadly, an in-depth study of individual eternals in Sumaah is beyond the scope of this appraisal.

===Of Spring===
<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:SpringRune.jpg|267px]]</div>
* '''Ossegrahn and Arhallogen are tolerated in Sumaah'''
* '''Wind Panther appears to be an unfamiliar eternal, who is tolerated'''
* '''Siakha, Ira Harrah, Yaw'nagrah and Llofir are all anathema'''
Of the Spring eternals familiar to the Empire, only two are tolerated. ''[[Ossegrahn|Rainbird]]'', with his power to help mend wounds, bring fresh water, and promote wholesome growth, provides boons useful to the Republic's farmers and healers alike. The Assembly of Prosperity keeps a weather-eye on magicians who deal closely with the eternal, most prominent among which is the coven of The Wellspring (which met with Imperial magicians in 383YE). The problem is that Rainbird regularly seeks to encourage the Republic to abandon its virtuous war against the unvirtuous. Rainbird is told "no" on a regular basis, which means that his power is generally restricted to the small scale - empowering individual physicks or bringing fertile rains to farms for example.

''[[Arhallogen|Wicked Fangs]]'' is barely tolerated, and the High Houses have gone back and forth on it several times over the years. In stark contrast to ''Rainbird'', it actively encourages the Sumaah to slaughter their enemies without mercy; to strike before their foes are ready; and to use whatever tools are available to them to do so. While it is popular in some quarters, many präster question whether its boons are compatible with virtue. Regardless, there are Sumaah warriors who embrace the [[venom|venomous]] or warlike enchantments it offers to bring down their enemies. Lisane remarks that there is historical evidence it offered significant aid when the Sumaash threw off the yoke of the Asaveans.

The other Spring eternal the Sumaash deal with seems to be unknown in the Empire. Commonly known as ''Wind Panther'', it seems to be a creature of the [[realms#Spring|Spring realm]] associated with hunting, and to a degree fishing. It apparently encourages both self-sufficiency and support of one's family or community through direct action. Wind Panther is most often called on for her powerful boons that empower skirmishers and archers to fight monsters, hunters to track and dispatch dangerous prey, or to bring down predators that would threaten the family. Given that the jungles of Sumaah are, at least to Imperial eyes, swarming with dangerous creatures on every scale, these boons have apparently proved vital in the past.

[[Siakha|Storm Bringer]] and [[Yaw'nagrah|Hungry Forest]] are anathema because they are creatures of destructive chaos that are at odds with civilisation; they are despised in the same way that Imperial citizens might feel about ''Blood on the Snow''. [[Irra Harah|Shadow Slinker]] was an ally of the Sumaah generations ago, but today it is anathema because it seeks to lure people away from Virtue, and provides boons to the Republic's enemies. [[Llofir|Blood Choke]] is an unpredictable creature of the deep wilderness that has nothing to offer the Sumaah and is associated with a particular poisonous fungus that causes agonizingly slow death if eaten in error. While anathema it seems to mostly ignore the Republic although, as with Shadow Slinker, it provides boons to some of the people the Sumaah are at war with.

===Of Summer===
<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:SummerRune.jpg|267px]]</div>
* '''Cathan Canae, Rhianos and Adamant are tolerated
* '''All the other Summer eternals are anathema
Of the eternals of the Summer realm, [[Adamant|Stone Dragon]], [[Rhianos|Ninth Wave]], and [[Cathan Canae|Thunder Lizard]] are tolerated. Stone Dragon provides useful boons and rarely wants anything unvirtuous in exchange. It's still illegal to accept his aid to build buildings dedicated to virtue however - any temple or shrine must be shaped by human hands alone.

Ninth Wave is also tolerated, but remains controversial with interactions carefully monitored to ensure that folk are not being lead astray by unvirtuous endeavour. It is clear that the eternal desires mortals to embrace peril for the excitement it brings - such motivation is dubious at best and the endeavours themselves are frequently desperately irresponsible in nature. However moments of great Virtue often occur while engaged on such exploits and so the eternal is tolerated. Even so they are primarily dealt with by ''Frieøyer'' magicians rather than by the Republic as a whole.

Thunder Lizard - characterised as an immense drake of the deep jungle - is tolerated for her straightforward approach to the Republic. Her magical [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae|citadel]] is one of the few rituals that draw directly on an eternal that is regularly employed. She also promotes warrior-ideals which are seen as compatible with virtue, and significantly more acceptable in general than those taken from ''Wicked Fangs''.

The rest of the Summer eternals known by the Empire are anathema in the Republic. This includes [[Jaheris|White Snake]], [[Hayaak|Blood Eagle]], [[Meraud|Flame Wing]], and especially [[Eleonaris|Sun Drake]]. The latter in particular is seen as an enemy of the Sumaah thanks to her dangerously unvirtuous creed of personal glory and warrior-supremacy. There are nonetheless some small hidden cults dedicated to her service, and the Vigilant remain alert to any rumour of their corrupting influence. The [[Barien|Lord of the Arena]] is known, but likewise considered anathema. The Sumaash attitude is that it is good to test oneself, but question the Virtue of doing so for rewards granted by some inhuman force. The virtuous should always be open to challenges, but in pursuit of human destiny, not dancing to the tune of an eternal. Lisane notes that there is a long history here, with fragmentary stories that suggest the Lord of the Arena is associated in the Sumaah memory with the Asaveans, and the hated satraps, although they were unwilling to discuss the details.

The Republic never uses titles such as king, queen, or (outside of the Lord of the Arena), lord or lady for any eternal. Simply calling someone like Sun Drake, the "Lady of Pennants" or naming Thunder Lizard, the "Queen of Ice and Darkness" would be treated as a minor act of idolatry. This makes the odd nomenclature for the eternal the Empire knows as Barien particularly stand out. The one exception to this abhorrence of titles, is "satrap" which is frequently used in sobriquets for the more corrupt and wicked eternals - particularly those of the Autumn realm.

===Of Autumn===
<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:AutumnRune.jpg|267px]]</div>
* '''Estavus and Ephisis are tolerated
* '''Polyptoton is not entirely familiar to the Empire and is tolerated
* '''Prospero, Callidus, Basileia, and the Lictors are anathema
* '''The Satrapy of Discord appear to be part of an unfamiliar city of the Autumn realm that is anathema
One of the more popular eternals among Sumaah magicians is [[Estavus|Fire Mountain]], also known as ''the Anvil of Thunder and Granite''. The Republic is not rich in ore, and a common bargain between Sumaash and Fire Mountain involves the trade of [[Materials#Natural_Materials|natural materials]] for [[Materials#Metals|valuable metals]]. From the point of view of the Sumaah, the prices demanded by the Anvil of Thunder and Granite for its aid tend to be straightforward, and deeply transactional, in a way that does not threaten virtue. Even so, it is much more common to deal with Fire Mountain to secure raw materials than worked goods, however. There is a fairly common belief that purchasing worked goods from Fire Mountain deprives a mortal human of their industry and Prosperity.

The [[Ephisis|Eternal Bazaar]] is tolerated, but carefully monitored due to its refusal to abide by the laws of the House of the People, or the dictates of the High Houses in what it will trade. Interactions with the Eternal Bazaar are limited to magician-präster of the High House of Prosperity. The ritual [[Ephisis' Scale]] is not practised in the Republic; any deals with the Bazaar are undertaken "face to face" with heralds rather than being left in the hands of an easily-accessible and impossible to restrict ritual. The Eternal Bazaar is also a source of friction within the Republic; the High House of Prosperity argues that the boons it provides are worth the need for constant vigilance while other präster are often less convinced. So far, however, the High Houses have not declared the eternal to be anathema.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=SaltAndSail001.png|caption=The "Great Turtle", the eternal Polyptoton, the City of Salt and Sail - this eternal spoke with the Empire via its herald for the first time last season.|align=right|width=400}}</div>
The [[Polyptoton|Great Turtle]] or the ''Wandering Port'', with the ability to carry messages across great distances almost instantaneously, is tolerated by the Sumaah. The heralds of the eternal rarely demand anything the Sumaah consider unvirtuous, although they have clashed with the censors of the High House of Vigilance in the past over their unnatural veneration of the written word over matters of virtue. The Great Turtle is also sought out for boons related to protecting or aiding ships, especially merchant vessels, particularly where they help them avoid or outrun the more powerful vessels of the Asavean Archipelago. Lisane believes that while the eternal was previously, largely unknown in the Empire, there have been [[Key_of_dreams#Many_Minds_Move_As_One_(Autumn)|recent developments]] that indicate this is no longer the case.

The rest of the Autumn realm is kept at arms length, either because they have nothing Sumaah wants or because they are considered active threats. The [[Prospero|Satrapy of Rope]], the ''Wheedling Spider'' seeks to trap the virtuous with bonds of unnatural obligation, and all too often threaten to draw innocent people into idolatry. The [[Lictors|Satrapy of Cages]] are seen as an inhuman force trying to meddle in virtuous laws. The [[Callidus|Satrapy of Hunger]] and their leader ''Drooling Maw'' fundamentally preach materialism and obsession with the accumulation of wealth. Worst of all are the inhabitants of the [[Basileia|Satrapy of Lies]]; corrosive enemies of virtue who work to corrode the souls of the virtuous and want to mire every human in murder, betrayal, and treachery. The High House of Loyalty see the Satrapy of Lies as particular enemies. Whenever a herald from the ''City of Lies'' is found in the Republic it is summarily executed; nothing good is built on a foundation of lies.

One other set of eternals - the ''Satrapy of Discord'' - are anathema in the Republic but are unfamiliar to Lisane. Reporting to a leader the Sumaah call ''Mockingbray'', they apparently hail from a city that burns with the fire of riot, rebellion, and revolution. According to the High House of Wisdom, these heralds once offered aid in the rebellion against the hated Asavean satraps, but then immediately tried to ruin any attempt to create a new government. Mockingbray, the ruler of the City of Wreckage, is always looking for ways to undermine tradition; to burn everything down in pursuit of a state of abominable anarchy. Obviously, once its true nature was clear, it was immediately proscribed by the Sumaah.

Lisane theorises that this ''might'' be a version of the entity once known as [[Mazen]], but the ''Lord of Masks'' is widely recognised as part of the ''Satrapy of Lies''. The Sumaah say the Satrapy of Discord is still active, which would mean that if reports of that creature's demise are to be trusted, this would have to be a different eternal.

===Of Winter===
<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:WinterRune.jpg|267px]]</div>
* '''Wise Rangara is tolerated
* '''An unfamiliar eternal named Pale Jaguar is tolerated
* '''Agramant, the Thrice-cursed Court, Sorin, and Kaela are anathema
* '''Khobel Tavah appears to be unknown in the Republic
Only two Winter eternals are tolerated among the Sumaah. [[Wise Rangara|White Eye Serpent]] is a black-scaled creature associated with "wisdom" that is one of the oldest spirits known to the Republic. It isn't wisdom as the virtuous understand it, but more the importance of learning difficult lessons, questioning assumptions, and cleaving to tradition. It's a font of herbal lore, and has ways of bringing out human insight that can prove invaluable. One reason it is tolerated is that it rarely if ever seeks to provide answers, but will offer aid to nudge someone along the path towards understanding a situation through their own efforts.

''Pale Jaguar'' or the ''Maiden of Mists'' is not an eternal familiar to Lisane. It seems to be a Winter eternal of trackless places, that represents becoming lost, the deep jungle, and a primaeval fear of the wilderness. It also speaks of the importance of memory, especially remembering the dead or the lost, and the importance of perseverance even against an end that seem inevitable. While few magicians deal with Pale Jaguar, a small group of Sumaah mystics interact with the eternal with the blessing of the High House of Wisdom. They engage in long durances in the wilds of the jungle, hoping to unlock visionary experiences or temper their bodies or spirits. One of Lisane's staff wonders if this might simply be a particular guise of the eternal the Empire knows as [[Sorin]], designed to circumvent his anathema. For the moment, there is no evidence one way or the other, but it appears that once one peels away the more mystical levels the Maiden of Mists is much more explicitly concerned with matters of [[Winter magic#Survival|survival]], [[Winter magic#Preservation|preservation]], and certain ideas of [[Winter magic#Wisdom|wisdom]] than the ''Whelpmaster'' seems to be.

In the Republic Sorin is known as the ''Bone Dragon'', and is depicted as a great skeletal [[Mundane_beasts#Drakes|drake]] whose encouragement of sacrifice, suffering, and hidden traps makes him anathema. He is depicted in stories as lurking on the edge of civilisation, seeking to steal away the unwary to devour their flesh or consume their spirits. Some of these stories cast Bone Dragon in the traditional role of a "bogeyman" - he appears in that role occasionally in cautionary tales for children especially.

The [[Agramant|Traitor]], who has easily as many aliases as he does in the Empire, is anathema as a matter of course, but among the Sumaah is numbered as a member of the [[The Thrice-cursed Court|Satrapy of Woe]]. The ''Corrupters'' are active opponents of the Republic and particularly the High Houses of Virtue. The Vigilance assembly puts a great deal of effort into trying to prevent them from interfering in the affairs of the Republic or corrupting the foolish with their tainted gifts. The [[Kaela|Dread Condor on Silent Wings]] is anathema, primarily due to her open offer of what appears to be eternal servitude via her ''Silent Household'', but responds by simply ignoring the Republic in a similar manner to Llofir.

Finally, [[Khobel Tavah]] is unknown in the Republic, and they express no interest in learning more about them.

===Of Day===
<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:DayRune.jpg|267px]]</div>
* '''Zakalwe, Kimus, Leviathan, and Phaleron are all tolerated
* '''Span of the Sky is an unfamiliar eternal who is tolerated
* '''Sinokenon, Roshanwe, Ylenwe, and Cold Sun are all anathema
The eternals of Day are among the most popular of the eternals the Republic deals with (for a given value). ''[[Zakalwe|Brilliant Javelin]]'' is one of the few martial eternals the Sumaah tolerate; its interest in encouraging rather than leading is seen as less of a challenge to the pursuit of virtue. Along with ''Thunder Lizard'', they are the eternal most likely to see their boons accepted on the battlefield. ''[[Kimus|Mirror of Dawn and Dusk]]'' is considered to be a strange and esoteric entity, whose ability to gather information and willingness to provide it are as welcome as its requests to observe events are seen as unthreatening.

The ''[[Leviathan|Watcher in the Waters]]'' is tolerated because it seems to have little active agenda beyond discussing history and current events with mortals. The chief concern is that magicians are too ready to accept the answers the eternal provides, without stopping to consider that while the Watcher maybe eternal, they are not the Creator. Präster are quick to remind those who deal with this eternal that just because the being expresses boundless confidence in its abilities, it is not infallible.

The ''[[Phaleron|Archive of Rainbow Coral]]'' is likewise tolerated due to its limited agenda. It is clear that the Archive values the preservation of knowledge far and above the preservation of life, but that is something that can be managed by those who deal with it. More of a problem is Phaleron's jealous attitude to the information it contains, which is occasionally decried as counter to human destiny.

A fifth eternal of the Day realm, unfamiliar to Imperial prognosticators, is also tolerated. ''Span of the Sky'' appears to be concerned with wind and water, and favoured by a small number of magicians that live along the coast including the ''Frieøyer''. There is speculation this might be an aspect of Kimus, but it is treated as distinct by the magicians that deal with it. Notably, the groups that interact with it most apparently also field cadres of [[Magical_skills#Battle_Mage|battle-mages]] whose mastery of the [[repel]] and [[entangle]] spells are invaluable when fighting the Republic's enemies.

By contrast, ''[[Sinokenon|Stupid Moon]]'' is anathema; its efforts to undermine the House of the People and push the Houses of Virtue to prominence have won it the enmity of most of the Republic and any attempt to make contact with Sumaah magicians is met with violence. At first two others considered anathema - the siblings ''Salt Mask'' and ''Silk Mask'' - were assumed to be unfamiliar eternals but further investigation indicated there were Sumaash names for [[Roshanwe]] and [[Ylenwe]]. According to Chikkal, Assessor of Vigilance, these two creatures are deceivers and liars who present a false-face to mortals in which they appear to be concerned with matters of virtue but in fact seek to subvert and twist the faithful into engaging in idolatry.

Finally, there is ''[[Cold Sun|Oblivion]]''. The eternal has had no interaction with the Republic, but the High Houses of Virtue have lost no time in declaring it anathema. Anyone attempting to make contact with Cold Sun will be executed, and there is some discussion of whether it might be best to [[excommunication|excommunicate]] such criminals if they emerge. The High House of Vigilance regard the matter as settled there - given their emphasis on Virtue, they are confident that nobody will be unwise enough to approach the eternal, given how appalling the consequences have been elsewhere.

===Of Night===
<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:NightRune.jpg|267px]]</div>
* '''Sung and Lashonar are tolerated in the Republic
* '''An unfamiliar eternal named Deep Drummer is tolerated
* '''Janon, Sadogua, Azoth, and the Whisper Gallery are anathema
* '''Azoth appears unknown in the Republic'''
''[[Sung|Moon Moth]]'' is idly tolerated. She is depicted as a huge rainbow-winged moth who encourages mortals to pursue the great mysteries of the world and the spirit, without claiming to be an authority on either. This includes the mysteries of virtue and the Labyrinth, and apparently she has offered boons relating to both the cultivation of [[iridescent gloaming]] and the creation of [[potion|potions]] that help pursue spiritual matters. Lisane notes with interest that the Sumaah apparently believe that ''all'' moths are agents of Moon Moth, and that the reason they are never seen during the day is that they pass into the Night realm when the sun rises. This belief, and the toleration of Sung, apparently dates back to a time long before the foundation of the Republic.

''[[Lashonar|Chattering Bird]]'' is tolerated, but only just. As with the ''Great Turtle'', it provides useful abilities for the Sumaah to communicate with others that they cannot achieve themselves - access to the [[Lashonar#Caucus_Forum|Caucus Forum]] is considered a valuable resource. Whenever it attempts to have an opinion on politics the virtuous quickly shut it and its followers down. One interesting proscription Lisane notes is that it is illegal to accept boons from Chattering Bird related to preaching the Way in the same vein in which it is illegal to accept the aid of Stone Dragon to build places of virtue.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Rainbow Moth.jpg|caption="Moon Moth" is the most common Sumaah Republic name for the eternal the Empire knows as Sung; rather than a feathered serpent they depict her as an insect with beautiful iridescent wings.|align=right|width=400}}</div>
There is another eternal tolerated by the Sumaah that at first is mistaken for [[Janon]]. The ''Deep Drummer'' is a creature that appears to represent mystical ideas of catharsis, the channelling strong emotions, and celebration of victories and achievements. It is popular not only with Sumaah warriors, but also with artists as it encourages them to both express and inspire strong feelings through their art. The High House of Vigilance has clashed with the High Houses of Courage and Pride in the past around the toleration of Deep Drummer, who are concerned that the eternals enthusiasm for celebration can lead the virtuous astray. The Sumaah apparently view Deep Drummer as the sibling or spouse of ''Whirling Chaos'', claiming the former is a creature of balance where the latter is a creature of discord.

The rest of the Night realm is anathema in Sumaah. [[Sadogua|Seducer]], the ''Satrap of Bats'', is famously despised in the Sumaah Republic. He shamelessly encourages magicians to put their own selfish concerns above virtue, and regularly opined that the assemblies should "butt out" of magicians' affairs. He was also involved in early attempts to form a magical fraternity similar on paper to the Imperial Conclave, that was roundly rejected on grounds of being a terrible idea two hundred years ago. The eternal itself is one of those that still seeks to deal with Sumaash magicians, and its influence is actively resisted by the hunters of idolators.

[[Janon|Whirling Chaos]], as has already been mentioned, is anathema. A dangerously unpredictable entity that appears on the surface to encourage Virtue but is actually a creature of anarchy who does not care what people feel as long as they allow their passions to consume them utterly. The [[Whisper Gallery|Screaming Monkey Kings]] are also anathema, not least because they cannot be trusted in any way not to support the Asavean Archipelago at every turn. Lisane mentions that Chikkal, Assessor of the High House of Vigilance, seems to take the existence of the Screaming Monkey Kings as a personal affront and that this attitude is by no means uncommon in the Republic.

The Sumaah do not seem to be familiar with the eternal [[Azoth]], and on learning more about them, Chikkal suggests there will be little interest in changing that situation.

==Design Note==
* '''Unknown eternals begin disinclined to speak to the Empire
* '''This is the first part of an appraisal that will run over several events
The preliminary report includes an overview of the eternals, and introduces several that appear to be unknown in the Empire. While there is enough information here for Imperial magicians to attempt to contact one of these eternals, if they wished, all start from a position of disinterest in the Empire. While an eternal is bound to respond to a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]], as has been [[Hunter_of_stars#Capradan|seen previously]] on several occasions that response can be a polite (or impolite) refusal.

Most Imperial magicians will be aware that if these eternals desired a relationship with the Empire, they would already be pursuing one. It's also important to bear in mind that none of the creatures mentioned here are more powerful or more inclined to offer better deals than the eternals the Empire already deals with. Whenever a new eternal starts paying attention to the Empire it will often create more problems than it solves - [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]] is arguable on this point, [[Cold Sun]] less so...

The opportunity to send a prognosticator to the Sumaah Republic to engage with an appraisal means they will be unavailable for several seasons. In contrast to some previous opportunities, our intent is to present part of the appraisal each event until this time is up. One reason is to prevent the requirement to do a single massive appraisal at the end of the period, the other is to reinforce the idea that this is an ''opportunity'' - the invitation of the Sumaah presents further options to gather a deeper understanding of the situation. This wind of fortune presents the opportunity for the Conclave to engage in the Republic, and expands the information about magic in Sumaah and their attitudes to the eternals. The next stage of the appraisal will present opportunities related to adapting the Sumaah Republic attitude to the eternals. The nature of the final stage of the appraisal, presented at the Winter Solstice, will depend on which of the orders - if any - the Conclave has chosen to send to the Republic.

==Further Reading==
* [[Sumaah Republic]]
* [[Conclave]]
* [[Alignment]]
* [[Eternal]]

The Oran operation

2026-07-05T22:31:50Z

Thespaceinvader: /* Taking a Toll */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Summer]][[Category:Appraisal]]
<ic>"I've heard some of your people complain about the Senate and, let me tell you, they do not know how good they have it."

Lutomysla quirked an eyebrow.

"They should try dealing with a Salt Lord." Grayune shook her head. "If we were trying this back on the Shore... Every time we suggested building a bridge to help move armies, some Salt Lord would look at the weirwood we needed and suggest building another navy instead. So we end up with shitty bridges that keep falling down, and then everyone just falls back on ferries and boats and its the soldiers that get shafted because they have to pay the boat owners for the privilege of getting to where the war is. And of course if we don't pay, the Grendel blame the 'landbound' and... Anyway it's a nightmare."

"Wait, aren't ''you'' Grendel Grayune?" Lutomsyla's tone was mild but she was very interested in the answer. The orc sighed.

"It depends who you ask," she said bitterly. "We call ourselves Grendel - called ourselves Grendel I mean." The engineer shot the prognosticator a quick look from under furrowed brows. "We're the Protectorate of Morajasse now, obviously."

"Obviously," nodded Lutomysla. The Protectorate was ''probably'' a political fiction but it was difficult to be ''entirely'' sure of that, which made exchanges like this fascinating to the Varushkan.

"We called ourselves Grendel but the Commander, he's a soldier. Not a sailor. There are people on the Shore who think that you're only a ''real'' Grendel if you own a boat, or sail on a boat, or build boats or... 'Soldiering' is what the septs do. No true Grendel, and so on. You know?"

Lutomysla wasn't sure she ''did'' know but nodded sympathetically nonetheless.

"It must be quite frustrating," she said encouragingly. It was rare for the normally taciturn Protectorate orcs to speak so candidly and she wanted to get the most out of it.

"Not that the Empire's much better," Grayune added hastily. "So many people in the mix means everything takes forever. When a Salt Lord decides they want something, they just... do it. Not so much of this arguing, and voting, and all this thing with your priests. The septs are the same - as long as they come when the Salt Lords call, they're pretty much left alone to get on with it in their lands."

The orc stared off into the distance, clearly seeing something other than the marshy northern bank of the Scorrero.

"It's the army that wins the wars," she said half to herself. "It's the soldiers that die in the mud, die with swords in their hands. The Moridun have it better, fair enough, but only because they fought tooth and nail for their recognition. And when you're locked down by a bunch of Urizen sentinels you can't just... sail away. It wasn't the damn sailors that died at Solen's Doubt, let me tell you."

Grayune shook herself, and straightened up. She raised her spyglass, studying the shores of the Siroc Bayou.

"Anyway, I'm sure things aren't all coffee and cream in the Imperial armies, either. It's a soldier's lot to slog over hot sand and spill blood because some silk-wearing arsehole five hundred miles away tells them to. "

She barked a laugh.

"'The soldier's lot is to fight and die, to fall on far sands and never know why'."

Lutomysla wondered who she was quoting. The uncomfortable silence stretched, becoming more awkward. Grayune broke it.

"Right! See that? I mean obviously you can't see that because I have the spyglass, but trust me. The road there? It's a bit battered but I think it'd be easier to bank and shore it than to try building a new one, most of the stone is still there it's just under the mud. Wide enough for two wagons I'd judge, so if the bridge makes landfall ''there'' it'll link your trade routes quite nicely."

Lutomysla let the talk of salvage, stone, and swamps wash over here, making a mental note to send a note about this exchange to Gerard once they were back in Oran.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Atchafalaya Basin.jpg|align=left|caption=The transformation of southern Madruga cut the connection between the wider Empire and Feroz, and restoring the link will be a major undertaking.|width=500}}</div>
==Overview==
In Autumn 386YE, as part of the solution to the incursion of the ''dry patricians'', the river Scorrero was infused along its length with Spring magic resulting in [[Where the river rises|violent flooding]]. The damage caused by the withering presence of the patricians was washed away, and when the waters subsided [[Madruga]] was transfigured. The gentle farmlands of the south and west were replaced with marsh and haunted grass - [[Madruga#Crucible|Crucible]], [[Madruga#Siroc Bayou|Siroc Bayou]], and [[Madruga#Quiet_Grasses|Quiet Grasses]]. In the process, the bridges crossing the river were swept away. Only the Sobral Bridge north of the eponymous town survived.

Last season, the Senate accepted [[An_arrow_nocked_and_in_flight#A_Garden_Proposal|an offer]] from the Protectorate of Morajasse to work with their military engineers. They would apply their expertise to the challenge of creating new bridges to reconnect the eastern Brass Coast, and restore easy movement between [[Feroz]] and Madruga. This project is also of interest to the [[Iron Confederacy]], whose merchants used to pass along the eastern coast road via [[Feroz#Fontargenta|Bramar]] to reach the wider Empire.

[[Appraisal#Lutomysla Niegoslava|Lutomysla Niegoslava]] was selected to lead the appraisal and liaise with the Protectorate. The project definitely does not play to her strengths as a magician who seeks magical solutions to problems, but her familiarity with the magical strangeness of the Siroc Bayou may be useful. Her main contribution, however, comes from her understanding of the Imperial civil service and bureaucracy, and smoothing interactions between the Protectorate engineers and the people of the Brass Coast.

==Bridges==
* '''Bridging the Scorrero between Feroz and Madruga is challenging because the river has become so tumultuous
* '''Building in the Siroc Bayou or Crucible is difficult because of the marshy terrain
* '''Siroc Bayou and Crucible are not under Imperial control
The main challenge in bridging the Scorrero is that the wild river has become even more dangerous since the powerful ritual that caused it to flood the wasteland created by the dry patricians. Its waters are impregnated with [[ilium]] that flows down from the [[Kahraman]] peaks. Star metal in sufficient concentration is known to have unexpected effects on magical [[enchantment|enchantments]] or [[curse|curses]] often causing them to linger considerably longer than might be expected. The ''Bay of Oran'' - the wide waters between Feroz and Madruga into which the Scorrero empties - is nowhere near as wild but is by no means untouched by the strangeness of the west. There is talk of mats of swampweed entangled with bright yellow flowers that seem to move against the tides, their long fronds trailing deep into the waters like floral jellyfish; reports of peculiarly-coloured and inquisitive shoals fish; distressingly large crabs; and gulls who stare at sailors in a way that makes them uncomfortable. So far these phenomena haven't caused any problems, but the folk of northern Feroz have learned to be a little pessimistic about such things.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;"><quote by="Joaquim i Erigo, General of the Red Wind Corsairs">Corsairs, this season we commit to a Daring Raid upon the Siroc Bayou. Keep your weather eyes open for the lost wealth of the families displaced by the magical upheaval in these territories. What we can return we will, what we cannot, we return to the nation. Suffer no Suranni insult, but spill no foreigner blood. From the Bayou we will begin to retake the Crucible. For the Freeborn!</quote></div>
The other problem is that the northern banks of the Scorrero are now trackless marshland. The roads that used to run along the Scorrero, and cross the Sobral Bridge, were washed away by the magically spreading waters. Until this very season, the Bayou and Crucible were wild and untamed lands that were not even officially part of the Empire. The [[Red Wind Corsairs]] launch a [[Army_qualities#Daring|daring raid]] into the Bayou to bring it under Imperial control, but there is still much work to be done.
==Bridging Over Troubled Water==
* '''The Protectorate engineers have examined the situation and put together a proposal to build a bridge near Oran
The first step for the Protectorate is to make a proper assessment of the river - on both banks. Lutomysla secures Freeborn assistance, hiring a couple of boats for the use of the [[orc]] engineers. A [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_133|recent statement]] in the Freeborn assembly by '''Malaki''' fell just short of the [[greater majority]] it needed to be widely distributed, but in the absence of any encouragement ''not'' to deal with the Protectorate the traditional Freeborn entrepreneurialism seems to be taking precedence. Especially given the Senate decision to accept Commander Gallum's [[An_arrow_nocked_and_in_flight#A_Garden_Proposal|offer to restore]] the [[Feroz#The_Spice_Gardens_of_Feroz|Spice Gardens of Feroz]] to Freeborn control.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=RedWindCorsairs Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
There is a little excitement when the engineers run across patrols from the Red Wind Corsairs. Soldiers on both sides have grudges against their former enemies - but the experienced prognosticator is able to defuse the situation with some careful diplomacy and Varushkan honeywine. It takes a couple of weeks, but the assessment is completed and the true extent of the challenge is made clear. Bridging the wild Scorrero itself, with a magical marsh on the northern bank, is likely to prove infeasible. It would also need a new road to be built along the northern banks of the river, through the shifting marshes.

Instead the engineers propose building a long road bridge across the western end of the bay, downstream from where the wild river empties into the sea. One end would be anchored near Oran, the other on the coast east of where the city of [[Madruga#Siroc_(Ruined)|Siroc]] once stood. The bridge would employ [[Grendel]] techniques for crossing deep water using [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caisson_(engineering) caissons]. A frame of [[weirwood]] reinforced with [[mithril]] is constructed, and pumps mounted on pontoons are used to remove the water from within the frame, which is then filled with a mixture of cement, aggregate, mithril and steel rods, and a [[white granite]] core. This creates a line of stable pylons across which a road can run.
===Mother of Invention===
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Oran Bridge'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Edifice</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Oranseri, Feroz and Siroc Bayou, Madruga</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 50 white granite, 15 mithril, 15 weirwood, 96 crowns</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' Six months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Allows armies to pass between Madruga and Feroz
* Removes the impoverished quality from Oranseri
* Restores the benefits of the Sunset Roads to Segura</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:'''
* Senate can permit Protectorate engineers to salvage the Salt Guard increasing labour costs by 80 crowns but reducing white granite required by 15
* Senate can permit Protectorate engineers to salvage the Asavean Temple in Oran increasing labour costs by 40 crowns but reducing mithril and weirwood required by 5 each
* The labour costs may be voluntarily increased from 96 crowns to 288 crowns, ensuring everyone working on the project receives the standard wage for doing so
</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year - until the end of the Spring Equinox 389YE</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''A bridge across the Bay of Oran would be expensive
* '''The Protectorate engineers are adept at repurposing existing architecture to create new structures
* '''With Senate permission they can salvage the Salt Guard or the Temple of Balo and the Black Bull to reduce the costs of the bridge project
<div style="float:right; width: 350px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Crab-traced-2.png|align=right|caption=The disciplined "former" Grendel engineers are adept at scavenging and salvaging the materials they need to support their work.|width=350}}</div>
The project will require 50 wains of white granite, 15 wains of mithril, and 15 wains of weirwood. Normally the labour costs would be significant - especially given one end of the bridge [[Commission#Marshes|terminates in a marsh]], but there is no shortage of cheap labour in [[Region_qualities#Impoverished|impoverished]] Feroz. As such, the final cost of the project would be a mere 96 crowns even taking into account the difficulties of working with marshland. Work would take six months to complete.

Once the bridge was completed, it would once again be possible to move armies directly from [[Madruga#Siroc Bayou|Siroc Bayou]] to [[Feroz#Oranseri|Oranseri]]. The position the Protectorate engineers have assessed incorporates the remnants of the white granite road that once ran along the northern banks of the Scorrero into Segura. This means the bridge also restores connections vital to overland trade between Feroz and Madruga and by extension between the Iron Confederacy and the Empire. This would be a major boon to the paradors and other businesses in the town of Oran, allowing them to reclaim at least a fragment of their former glory, removing the [[Region_qualities#Impoverished|impoverished]] quality from Oranseri.

Another positive is that the roads of Feroz are still relatively intact. Even Rahab wasn't stupid and greedy enough to destroy the arteries that allowed his soldiers - and the wealth of the Brass Coast - to flow across the territory. Thanks to the road running between Oran and [[Segura#Cerevado|Cerevado]], once Imperial merchants were able to cross from Madruga to Feroz freely it would reconnect the [[Segura#Sunset_Roads|Sunset Roads]], restoring to Segura the prosperity that was lost when the Scorrero broke its banks. Unfortunately they won't help Feroz - at least not at the moment - given the impoverished and [[Region_qualities#Abandoned|abandoned]] state of the territory.

Lutomysla also believes it could be a potent symbol of Feroz's reconnection to the wider Empire, literally and metaphorically building bridges between the south-western Empire and the heartlands. There is still some way to go before Feroz recovers anything like its former prosperity, but along with the recently completed [[Send_for_me#Wharfage_of_Oran|Wharfage of Oran]], it represents progress toward recovering from the ruin left by Governor Rahab.

The sheer cost of the project appears daunting but the Protectorate engineers have a pragmatic proposal. As former Grendel soldiers, they are adept at scavenging and repurposing materials to meet their strategic goals. Lutomysla reports that there is a degree of bitterness from the orcs - although they try to hide it - when they speak of this need for salvage. Reading between the lines, and asking some carefully probing questions, it appears that units such as Commander Gallum's are constantly underfunded and undersupplied by the Salt Lords. Most of the [[army|armies]] of the Broken Shore are supported by their septs; those that are not have to skimp and save. It seems that there is significant rivalry between "professional" soldiers such as Gallum, and the naval officers who receive the lion's share of the support from the Salt Lords. Necessity being the mother of invention, it has given the engineers of the Protectorate a keen eye for opportunities to repurpose existing materials.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;"><box>'''<big>Salvage</big>'''
<p>Under normal circumstances it is not possible to recover the materials used in a commission. Only an [[opportunity]] can allow such a thing. In this case, as part of the [[appraisal]] the expertise of the Protectorate engineers has identified just such an opportunity. If the Empire no longer has diplomatic ties with the Protectorate, the salvage opportunity is not available.</p>

Any opportunity is unique and cannot be easily altered. This opportunity only applies to the construction of the bridge across the Bay of Oran - the wains represent materials scavenged specifically for that project. The Senate could ''not'' simply instruct that these buildings be salvaged to recover some of the wains spent to build them. This opportunity does not provide a way for the Empire to reclaim materials used on any other commission for any other reason outside of a plot opportunity that specifically offers that potential.</box></div>

===Ruins and Salt===
* '''Protectorate engineers could salvage the flooded ruins of the Salt Guard to reduce the amount of white granite required
* '''It would increase labour costs by 80 crowns
* '''There is a risk of angry spirits
The ruins of Siroc are drowned in the mud of the marshes and the waters of the bayou. By employing divers and salvagers, some of the materials used to build the [[Madruga#The_Salt_Guard_(Ruined)|Salt Guard]] could be repurposed to help build the caissons. This would involve recruiting and organising teams to break the stone and transport it to where it could be added to the massive labour project. Again, the hunger for paying work of the people of Feroz would play into the Empire's hands here. Lutomysla looks at the engineers' proposals and estimates that a further 80 crowns in labour costs would allow the ruined Salt Guard to be salvaged. This would effectively provide 15 wains of white granite toward the construction of the bridge.

There are risks however; a lot of people died in the fall of the Salt Guard. Freeborn, [[Commonwealth]], Grendel, and [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavean]] remains still lie in the flooded ruins. As a Varushkan, Lutomysla knows better than most the dangers of disturbing a burial ground, and with the [[Feroz#Isle_of_the_Osseini_(Ruined)|Isle of the Osseini]] no longer attracting and containing the spirits of those lost at sea there is a chance that salvaging the Salt Guard in this fashion will incur the wrath of the dead. There are not believed to be any ghosts haunting the ruins of Siroc at the moment, but salvaging the Salt Guard might be one way to change that.

Lutomysla has looked at the risk separately and believes that a drop of prevention will remove the need for an entire bucket-load of cure.

{{Mandate|mandate=Those who fell in the battle of Siroc rest still beneath the waters of the Bay of Oran. There is a chance for the ruined fortress to once more protect the Freeborn people, but we must ensure no disrespect is offered to the dead. We send (named priest) with 75 doses of liao to ensure that the salvage of the Salt Guard does not dishonour those who sacrificed everything to defend the Brass Coast.|assembly=Freeborn National Assembly or Assembly of the Way}}

If this mandate is passed, then the salvage of the Salt Guard will proceed without incident. It must be passed and enacted at the Summer Solstice, as with any mandate, but even if the commission of the Oran Bridge is delayed it will still have full effect. If the named priest is the [[High Exorcist]]; the [[Custodian of the Imperial War Memorial]]; the [[Master of the School of Exorcism]]; '''Iñez i Azul-Mar i Erigo''', who was the only one to support the garrison when it fell; or the former ''Justicar of Osseini'', '''Maria i Espiri i Guerra''', then the liao required for the mandate is reduced to 50. It is not common for a mandate to name someone who is not part of the assembly, but in each case, the title in question is empowered to deal with restless spirits and able to bring additional resources to bear on this problem. If the mandate is not enacted, then salvaging the Salt Guard will result in some ghostly troubles in the Bay of Oran.

The mandate can be raised in either the Freeborn National Assembly or the Assembly of the Way, and both could be upheld and enacted. In this case, it will mean a very large number of exorcists, ghost-whisperers, and occultists will descend on the Bay of Oran.

===Foam and the Bull===
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=The Black Bull.png|align=right|caption=Balo and the Black Bull are two of the Asavean "gods" patrons of sailors and guards respectively.|width=250}}</div>
* '''The Temple of Balo and the Black Bull has been abandoned
* ''' Protectorate engineers could be permitted to salvage the temple to reduce the amount of weirwood and mithril required
* '''Doing so raises the labour costs by a further 45 crowns
Since the liberation of Oran, and the [[Glass_and_flame#Game_Information_:_Asavean_Diplomacy|surrender]] of the priests serving at the [[Feroz#Temple_of_Balo_and_the_Black_Bull|Temple of Balo and the Black Bull]], the structure has stood empty. [[Construct_Asavean_Temple|Constructed]] by the [[Asavean Archipelago|Asaveans]] nearly a decade ago, the place has always been controversial. During the occupation of the Grendel, though, it served as something of a place of sanctuary for Freeborn friendly to the priests and operated a covert way for those fleeing the grasp of Governor Rahab to reach safety in Madruga. The Governor could not afford to risk angering the Asavean priests and they used that protection to help many Freeborn evade the cruel tyrants grasp.

Since the repatriation of the priests, the temple has stood empty. The proposal from the engineers is that unless the Empire is planning to convert it to some other use, it could be torn down to support the bridge building effort. There's some white granite available - although nowhere near as much as there is in the drowned [[fortification]] - but more importantly the gardens that once surrounded the temple incorporated wains of weirwood, and the roof is partially supported by mithril bars. A second team could rip the building apart to get at some of the materials inside, and contribute them to the building effort. It would increase the labour cost of the project by a further 45 crowns, but provide 5 wains each of weirwood and mithril for the production.

Tearing down the Temple is somewhat controversial. In theory the building is the legal property of the Asaveans, but since the Empire is currently at war with them, there are no legal obstacles to the action. And most Freeborn who remember the sack of Siroc by the Asavean forces see the destruction of this heretical and blasphemous Temple as right and proper. However [[Wild_blue_yonder#Balo's_Guests|the Kanza family, who only evaded capture due to the Temple of Balo and the Black Bull]] protest that this is a poor way for the Freeborn to repay the priests for the risks they took to shelter the helpless from the Grendel.

===Fair Prices===
* '''The labour costs for the bridge are very low thanks to the impoverished quality of Feroz
* '''The commission may instruct the civil service to pay higher wages to the labourers recruited
At the moment, the impoverished nature of Feroz means that any commission built in, or partly in, the territory benefits from significantly reduced labour costs. People in Feroz are poor and desperate enough to work for a fraction of what citizens elsewhere might demand for their labour. There are some who question the [[Prosperity]] of the situation however. Constructing caissons is dangerous, back-breaking work, after all. Is it right for the wealthy citizens of Anvil to take advantage of the people of Feroz by paying less than the work is normally worth?

There is nothing to stop whoever commissions the bridge from stipulating that everyone employed receive the standard payment for working on the bridge. If this were done, the labour costs for the bridge would be increased from 96 crowns to 288 crowns. This increase would not have any game effect, but it would at least send a clear message to the Freeborn, and to [[Prosperity|prosperous]] folk across the Empire, that the construction was not taking advantage of the reduced circumstances of those living in Feroz.

==Taking a Toll==
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Oran Tollkeeper'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Freeborn</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Senate or Tally of the Votes</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Receives 10 crowns each season </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' Maintain and defend the Oran Bridge</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:'''
* If the impoverished quality is removed from Morajasse, income increases by 6 crowns
* Removes the symbolic benefits of the bridge as a reconnection of Feroz and Madruga
</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''The Protectorate has included plans for a tollhouse at either end of the bridge
* '''It is up to the commissioner whether to include this title
The final element the Protectorate includes in its proposal is included as a matter of course - provision for the tollkeepers to live near and control access to the bridge. The engineers are actually surprised when Lutomysla points out that this is not standard practice for Imperial commissions; apparently almost nothing big gets built on the Broken Shore unless someone, somewhere sees an opportunity to increase their wealth, prestige, or influence. The engineers just assumed the Empire would appoint someone to maintain the bridge - and gouge a healthy income from those who need to pay to use it. After all, anyone who doesn't want to pay to use the only bridge connecting Feroz and Madruga could still take the long-way-round to Segura or hire a boat to ferry them across.

This in itself, however, presents a reason ''not'' to incorporate the toll gates. The bridge has a greater symbolic meaning, building it would restore the direct connection between Feroz and the rest of the Brass Coast - it would make the nation whole again. Local merchants and travellers won't balk at paying to use the bridge, more than any other nation, the Freeborn are [[The_Brass_Coast_culture_and_customs#Hospitality|accustomed to paying for things]]. However, a toll will inevitably mean less traffic on the bridge. Charging Freeborn citizens to move from Feroz to Madruga means that the two territories will remain separated by the river and the tolls that are needed to pay to cross it. It won't have a measurable effect; but it will mean that the gap between Feroz and Madruga becomes a permanent divide.

After careful consideration Lutomysla leaves it in place. She points to the inspiration of the [[Spider's Tollkeep]] as one way an expensive bridge might be made a more appealing prospect. Whoever commissions the bridge may choose to stipulate that it will be a toll bridge, and create the title of ''Oran Tollkeep''. This would be a [[sinecure]] that receives a portion of the tolls collected from merchants passing over the bridge, and in return would be responsible for ensuring the bridge is maintained and protected when necessary. Lutomysla calculates that it would provide an initial income of 10 crowns each season, but if the ''impoverished'' qualities were removed from Morajasse, then it would increase the income by another 6 crowns a season.

The commission could choose to have the title appointed by the Brass Coast senators, with or without tenure. Alternatively, the commission could specify that the position be appointed by [[Tally of the Votes]]. In either case, it would need to be a Freeborn national position.

==The Adamant Connection==
{{CaptionedImage|file=King Under the Mountain.png|align=right|width=200}}
* '''Lutomysla proposes speaking to Adamant about making the bridge particularly sturdy
Lutomysla doesn't have a great deal of work to do with the bridges. She is at her best when dealing with magical matters, and the Protectorate engineers use only mundane methods in their proposal. However, after some discussion with the Freeborn magicians at the [[Hakima_of_Salt_and_Sand#Parador_of_Salt_and_Sand|Parador of Salt and Sand]], and following her own work with bridges in Madruga, the prognosticator does have a proposal of her own.

The design of the bridge is sturdy enough to weather storms or endure all but the most concerted attempt to damage it from hostile forces. With the aid of the eternal [[Adamant|King Under the Mountain]] however, it would be possible to ensure the bridge stands despite anything wreckers might throw at it. The ''koboldi'' of the ''Stone Dragon'' could add their own expertise, and infuse portions of the structure with adamant. The eternal would need to be petitioned for their help ''before'' construction began, and doing so would fall to the [[Archmage of Summer]], but Lutomysla has no doubt that ''Shiraz on the Granite Throne'' would be amenable to assisting if requested as part of a formal [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]].

==Inkworks==
* '''The Inkworks of Joharra opportunity is available until the end of the Autumn Equinox 388YE
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Inkworks of Joharra'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Great Work</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Oranseri, Feroz</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 60 white granite and 60 crowns</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' Six months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Start of Winter Solstice 388YE - or until another great work increases investment in businesses is commissioned in the territory</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effects:'''
* Increases the level of investment of businesses in Feroz by one
* Removes the impoverished quality from Oranseri
* Increases the seasonal income of scriveners by 22 rings for a year
* Creates the title of ''Scrivener of the Inkworks''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Removes the abandoned quality from Oranseri if the Oran Bridge is built</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Scrivener of the Inkworks'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Brass Coast National</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' [[Tally of the Votes]] or Senate</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:'''
* Receives 15 measures of iridescent gloaming each season.
* Receives a Therasia's Chain each year.
* Can make an announcement in the Senate to redirect the Inkworks if there is a [[opportunity]] that explicitly allows it.</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To direct the inkworks as needed, to support the scriveners of Feroz, and to ensure contracts are being kept in the Brass Coast</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Restriction''' This title will only receive a Therasia's Chain if the holder is a scrivener</td></tr>
</table></div>
Lutomysla's colleague, [[Appraisal#Graciana_i_Lòpez_i_Guerra|Graciana i Lòpez i Guerra]] has already reviewed the proposed [[The_circle_game#Inkworks_at_Joharra|Inkworks at Joharra]] in her [[The circle game|recent assessment]] of Imperial ministries. Lutomysla notes that if the Oran Bridge were built, and removed the impoverished quality from Oranseri, then there would still be value in building the Inkworks - instead of removing impoverished in conjunction with the bridge it would remove the ''abandoned'' quality from the region, bringing in a new wave of settlers. The same would be true if the commissions were completed in the other order - between them they would remove both qualities.

==Further Reading==
* [[Feroz]]
* [[Madruga]]
* [[Protectorate of Morajasse]]

* [[An arrow nocked and in flight]] - 388YE Spring wind of fortune regarding Protectorate diplomacy
* [[Send for me]] - 386YE Winter wind of fortune about restoring Feroz

The Oran operation

2026-07-05T16:26:44Z

Thespaceinvader: /* The Adamant Connection */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Summer]][[Category:Appraisal]]
<ic>"I've heard some of your people complain about the Senate and, let me tell you, they do not know how good they have it."

Lutomysla quirked and eyebrow.

"They should try dealing with a Salt Lord." Grayune shook her head. "If we were trying this back on the Shore... Every time we suggested building a bridge to help move armies, some Salt Lord would look at the weirwood we needed and suggest building another navy instead. So we end up with shitty bridges that keep falling down, and then everyone just falls back on ferries and boats and its the soldiers that get shafted because they have to pay the boat owners for the privilege of getting to where the war is. And of course if we don't pay, the Grendel blame the 'landbound' and... Anyway it's a nightmare."

"Wait, aren't ''you'' Grendel Grayune?" Lutomsyla's tone was mild but she was very interested in the answer. The orc sighed.

"It depends who you ask," she said bitterly. "We call ourselves Grendel - called ourselves Grendel I mean." The engineer shot the prognosticator a quick look from under furrowed brows. "We're the Protectorate of Morajasse now, obviously."

"Obviously," nodded Lutomysla. The Protectorate was ''probably'' a political fiction but it was difficult to be ''entirely'' sure of that, which made exchanges like this fascinating to the Varushkan.

"We called ourselves Grendel but the Commander, he's a soldier. Not a sailor. There are people on the Shore who think that you're only a ''real'' Grendel if you own a boat, or sail on a boat, or build boats or... 'Soldiering' is what the septs do. No true Grendel, and so on. You know?"

Lutomysla wasn't sure she ''did'' know but nodded sympathetically nonetheless.

"It must be quite frustrating," she said encouragingly. It was rare for the normally taciturn Protectorate orcs to speak so candidly and she wanted to get the most out of it.

"Not that the Empire's much better," Grayune added hastily. "So many people in the mix means everything takes forever. When a Salt Lord decides they want something, they just... do it. Not so much of this arguing, and voting, and all this thing with your priests. The septs are the same - as long as they come when the Salt Lords call, they're pretty much left alone to get on with it in their lands."

The orc stared off into the distance, clearly seeing something other than the marshy northern bank of the Scorrero.

"It's the army that wins the wars," she said half to herself. "It's the soldiers that die in the mud, die with swords in their hands. The Moridun have it better, fair enough, but only because they fought tooth and nail for their recognition. And when you're locked down by a bunch of Urizen sentinels you can't just... sail away. It wasn't the damn sailors that died at Solen's Doubt, let me tell you."

Grayune shook herself, and straightened up. She raised her spyglass, studying the shores of the Siroc Bayou.

"Anyway, I'm sure things aren't all coffee and cream in the Imperial armies, either. It's a soldier's lot to slog over hot sand and spill blood because some silk-wearing arsehole five hundred miles away tells them to. "

She barked a laugh.

"'The soldier's lot is to fight and die, to fall on far sands and never know why'."

Lutomysla wondered who she was quoting. The uncomfortable silence stretched, becoming more awkward. Grayune broke it.

"Right! See that? I mean obviously you can't see that because I have the spyglass, but trust me. The road there? It's a bit battered but I think it'd be easier to bank and shore it than to try building a new one, most of the stone is still there it's just under the mud. Wide enough for two wagons I'd judge, so if the bridge makes landfall ''there'' it'll link your trade routes quite nicely."

Lutomysla let the talk of salvage, stone, and swamps wash over here, making a mental note to send a note about this exchange to Gerard once they were back in Oran.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Atchafalaya Basin.jpg|align=left|caption=The transformation of southern Madruga cut the connection between the wider Empire and Feroz, and restoring the link will be a major undertaking.|width=500}}</div>
==Overview==
In Autumn 386YE, as part of the solution to the incursion of the ''dry patricians'', the river Scorrero was infused along its length with Spring magic resulting in [[Where the river rises|violent flooding]]. The damage caused by the withering presence of the patricians was washed away, and when the waters subsided [[Madruga]] was transfigured. The gentle farmlands of the south and west were replaced with marsh and haunted grass - [[Madruga#Crucible|Crucible]], [[Madruga#Siroc Bayou|Siroc Bayou]], and [[Madruga#Quiet_Grasses|Quiet Grasses]]. In the process, the bridges crossing the river were swept away. Only the Sobral Bridge north of the eponymous town survived.

Last season, the Senate accepted [[An_arrow_nocked_and_in_flight#A_Garden_Proposal|an offer]] from the Protectorate of Morajasse to work with their military engineers. They would apply their expertise to the challenge of creating new bridges to reconnect the eastern Brass Coast ,and restore easy movement between [[Feroz]] and Madruga. This project is also of interest to the [[Iron Confederacy]], whose merchants used to pass along the eastern coast road via [[Feroz#Fontargenta|Bramar]] to reach the wider Empire.

[[Appraisal#Lutomysla Niegoslava|Lutomysla Niegoslava]] was selected to lead the appraisal and liase with the Protectorate. The project definitely does not play to her strengths as a magician who seeks magical solutions to problems, but her familiarity with the magical strangeness of the Siroc Bayou may be useful. Her main contribution, however, comes from her understanding of the Imperial civil service and bureaucracy, and smoothing interactions between the Protectorate engineers and the people of the Brass Coast.

==Bridges==
* '''Bridging the Scorero between Feroz and Madruga is challenging because the river has become so tumultuous
* '''Building in the Siroc Bayou or Crucible is difficult because of the marshy terrain
* '''Siroc Bayou and Crucible are not under Imperial control
The main challenge in bridging the Scorrero is that the wild river has become even more dangerous since the powerful ritual that caused it to flood the wasteland created by the dry patricians. Its waters are impregnated with [[ilium]] that flows down from the [[Kahraman]] peaks. Star metal in sufficient concentration is known to have unexpected effects on magical [[enchantment|enchantments]] or [[curse|curses]] often causing them to linger considerably longer than might be expected. The ''Bay of Oran'' - the wide waters between Feroz and Madruga into which the Scorrero empties - is nowhere near as wild but is by no means untouched by the strangeness of the west. There is talk of mats of swampweed entangled with bright yellow flowers that seem to move against the tides, their long fronds trailing deep into the waters like floral jellyfish; reports of peculiarly-coloured and inquisitive shoals fish; distressingly large crabs; and gulls who stare at sailors in a way that makes them uncomfortable. So far these phenomena haven't caused any problems, but the folk of northern Feroz have learned to be a little pessimistic about such things.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;"><quote by="Joaquim i Erigo, General of the Red Wind Corsairs">Corsairs, this season we commit to a Daring Raid upon the Siroc Bayou. Keep your weather eyes open for the lost wealth of the families displaced by the magical upheaval in these territories. What we can return we will, what we cannot, we return to the nation. Suffer no Suranni insult, but spill no foreigner blood. From the Bayou we will begin to retake the Crucible. For the Freeborn!</quote></div>
The other problem is that the northern banks of the Scorrero are now trackless marshland. The roads that used to run along the Scorrero, and cross the Sobral Bridge, were washed away by the magically spreading waters. Until this very season, the Bayou and Crucible were wild and untamed lands that were not even officially part of the Empire. The [[Red Wind Corsairs]] launch a [[Army_qualities#Daring|daring raid]] into the Bayou to bring it under Imperial control, but there is still much work to be done.
==Bridging Over Troubled Water==
* '''The Protectorate engineers have examined the situation and put together a proposal to build a bridge near Oran
The first step for the Protectorate is to make a proper assessment of the river - on both banks. Lutomysla secures Freeborn assistance, hiring a couple of boats for the use of the [[orc]] engineers. A [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_133|recent statement]] in the Freeborn assembly by '''Malaki''' fell just short of the [[greater majority]] it needed to be widely distributed, but in the absence of any encouragement ''not'' to deal with the Protectorate the traditional Freeborn entrepeneurialism seems to be taking precedence. Especially given the Senate decision to accept Commander Gallum's [[An_arrow_nocked_and_in_flight#A_Garden_Proposal|offer to restore]] the [[Feroz#The_Spice_Gardens_of_Feroz|Spice Gardens of Feroz]] to Freeborn control.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=RedWindCorsairs Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
There is a little excitement when the engineers run across patrols from the Red Wind Corsairs. Soldiers on both sides have grudges against their former enemies - but the experienced prognosticator is able to defuse the situation with some careful diplomacy and Varushkan honeywine. It takes a couple of weeks, but the assessment is completed and the true extent of the challenge is made clear. Bridging the wild Scorrero itself, with a magical marsh on the northern bank, is likely to prove infeasible. It would also need a new road would need to be built along the northern banks of the river, through the shifting marshes.

Instead the engineers propose building a long road bridge across the western end of the bay, downstream from where the wild river empties into the sea. One end would be anchored near Oran, the other on the coast east of where the city of [[Madruga#Siroc_(Ruined)|Siroc]] once stood. The bridge would employ [[Grendel]] techniques for crossing deep water using [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caisson_(engineering) caissons]. A frame of [[weirwood]] reinforced with [[mithril]] is constructed, and pumps mounted on pontoons are used to remove the water from within the frame, which is then filled with a mixture of cement, aggregate, mithril and steel rods, and a [[white granite]] core. This creates a line of stable pylons across which a road can run.
===Mother of Invention===
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Oran Bridge'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Edifice</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Oranseri, Feroz and Siroc Bayou, Madruga</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 50 white granite, 15 mithril, 15 weirwood, 96 crowns</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' Six months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Allows armies to pass between Madruga and Feroz
* Removes the impoverished quality from Oranseri
* Restores the benefits of the Sunset Roads to Segura</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:'''
* Senate can permit Protectorate engineers to salvage the Salt Guard increasing labour costs by 80 crowns but reducing white granite required by 15
* Senate can permit Protectorate engineers to salvage of the Asavean Temple in Oran increasing labour costs by 40 crowns but reducing mithril and weirwood by 5 each
* The labour costs may be voluntarily increased from 96 crowns to 288 crowns, ensuring everyone working on the project receives the standard wage for doing so
</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year - until the end of the Spring Equinox 389YE</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''A bridge across the Bay of Oran would be expensive
* '''The Protectorate engineers are adept at repurposing existing architecture to create new structures
* '''With Senate permission they can salvage the Salt Guard or the Temple of Balo and the Black Bull to reduce the costs of the bridge project
<div style="float:right; width: 350px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Crab-traced-2.png|align=right|caption=The disciplined "former" Grendel engineers are adept at scavenging and salvaging the materials they need to support their work.|width=350}}</div>
The project will require 50 wains of white granite, 15 wains of mithril, and 15 wains of weirwood. Normally the labour costs would be significant - especially given one end of the bridge [[Commission#Marshes|terminates in a marsh]], but there is no shortage of cheap labour in [[Region_qualities#Impoverished|impoverished]] Feroz. As such, the final cost of the project would be a mere 96 crowns even taking into account the difficulties of working with marshland. Work would take six months to complete.

Once the bridge was completed, it would once again be possible to move armies directly from [[Madruga#Siroc Bayou|Siroc Bayou]] to [[Feroz#Oranseri|Oranseri]]. The position the Protectorate engineers have assessed incorporates the remnants of the white granite road that once ran along the northern banks of the Scorrero into Segura. This means the bridge also restores connections vital to overland trade between Feroz and Madruga and by extension between the Iron Confederacy and the Empire. This would be a major boon to the paradors and other businesses in the town of Oran, allowing them to reclaim at least a fragment of their former glory, removing the [[Region_qualities#Impoverished|impoverished]] quality from Oranseri.

Another positive is that the roads of Feroz are still relatively intact. Even Rahab wasn't stupid and greedy enough to destroy the arteries that allowed his soldiers - and the wealth of the Brass Coast - to flow across the territory. Thanks to the road running between Oran and [[Segura#Cerevado|Cerevado]], once Imperial merchants were able to cross from Madruga to Feroz feely it would reconnect the [[Segura#Sunset_Roads|Sunset Roads]], restoring to Segura the prosperity that was lost when the Scorrero broke its banks. Unfortunately they won't help Feroz - at least not at the moment - given the impoverished and [[Region_qualities#Abandoned|abandoned]] state of the territory.

Lutomysla also believes it could be a potent symbol of Feroz' reconnection to the wider Empire, literally and metaphorically building bridges between the south-western Empire and the heartlands. There is still some way to go before Feroz recovers anything like its former prosperity, but along with the recently completed [[Send_for_me#Wharfage_of_Oran|Wharfage of Oran]], it represents progress toward recovering from the ruin left by Governor Rahab.

The sheer cost of the project appears daunting but the Protectorate engineers have a pragmatic proposal. As former Grendel soldiers, they are adept at scavenging and repurposing materials to meet their strategic goals. Lutomysla reports that there is a degree of bitterness from the orcs - although they try to hide it - when they speak of this need for salvage. Reading between the lines, and asking some carefully probing questions, it appears that units such as Commander Gallum's are constantly underfunded and undersupplied by the Salt Lords. Most of the [[army|armies]] of the Broken Shore are supported by their septs; those that are not have to skimp and save. It seems that there is significant rivalry between "professional" soldiers such as Gallum, and the naval officers who receive the lion's share of the support from the Salt Lords. Necessity being the mother of invention, it has given the engineers of the Protectorate a keen eye for opportunities to repurpose existing materials.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;"><box>'''<big>Salvage</big>'''
<p>Under normal circumstances it is not possible to recover the materials used in a commission. Only an [[opportunity]] can allow such a thing. In this case, as part of the [[appraisal]] the expertise of the Protectorate engineers has identified just such an opportunity. If the Empire no longer has diplomatic ties with the Protectorate, the salvage opportunity is not available.</p>

Any opportunity is unique and cannot be easily altered. This opportunity only applies to the construction of the bridge across the Bay of Oran - the wains represent materials scavenged specifically for that project. The Senate could ''not'' simply instruct that these buildings be salvaged to recover some of the wains spent to build them. This opportunity does not provide a way for the Empire to reclaim materials used on any other commission for any other reason outside of a plot opportunity that specifically offers that potential.</box></div>
===Ruins and Salt===
* '''Protectorate engineers could salvage the flooded ruins of the Salt Guard to reduce the amount of white granite required
* '''It would increase labour costs by 80 crowns
* '''There is a risk of angry spirits
The ruins of Siroc are drowned in the mud of the marshes and the waters of the bayou. By employing divers and salvagers, some of the materials used to build the [[Madruga#The_Salt_Guard_(Ruined)|Salt Guard]] could be repurposed to help build the caissons. This would involve recruiting and organising teams to break the stone and transport it to where it could be added to the massive labour project. Again, the hunger for paying work of the people of Feroz would play into the Empire's hands here. Lutomysla looks at the engineers' proposals and estimates that a further 80 crowns in labour costs would allow the ruined salt guard to be salvaged. This would effectively provide 15 wains of white granite toward the construction of the bridge.

There are risks however; a lot of people died in the fall of the Salt Guard. Freeborn, [[Commonwealth]], Grendel, and [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavean]] remains still lie in the flooded ruins. As a Varushkan, Lutomysla knows better than most the dangers of disturbing a burial ground, and with the [[Feroz#Isle_of_the_Osseini_(Ruined)|Isle of the Osseini]] no longer attracting and containing the spirits of those lost at sea there is a chance that salvaging the Salt Guard in this fashion will incur the wrath of the dead. There are not believed to be any ghosts haunting the ruins of Siroc at the moment, but salvaging the Salt Guard might be one way to change that.

Lutomysla has looked at the risk seperately and believes that a drop of prevention will remove the need for an entire bucket-load of cure.

{{Mandate|mandate=Those who fell in the battle of Siroc rest still beneath the waters of the Bay of Oran. There is a chance for the ruined fortress to once more protect the Freeborn people, but we must ensure no disrespect is offered to the dead. We send (named priest) with 75 doses of liao to ensure that the salvage of the Salt Guard does not dishonour those who sacrificed everything to defend the Brass Coast.|assembly=Freeborn National Assembly or Assembly of the Way}}

If this mandate is passed, then the salvage of the Salt Guard will proceed without incident. It must be passed and enacted at the Summer Solstice, as with any mandate, but even if the commission of the Oran Bridge is delayed it will still have full effect. If the named priest is the [[High Exorcist]], the [[Custodian of the Imperial War Memorial]], the [[Master of the School of Exorcism]], or the former ''Justicar of Osseini'' '''Maria i Espiri i Guerra''', the liao required for the mandate is reduced to 50. It is not common for a mandate to name someone who is not part of the assembly , but in each case the title in question is empowered to deal with restless spirits and able to bring additional resources to bear on this problem. If the mandate is not enacted, then salvaging the Salt Guard will result in some ghostly troubles in the Bay of Oran.

The mandate can be raised in either the Freeborn National Assembly or the Assembly of the Way, and both could be upheld and enacted. In this case, it will mean a very large number of exorcists, ghost-whisperers, and occultists will descend on the Bay of Oran.

===Foam and the Bull===
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=The Black Bull.png|align=right|caption=Balo and the Black Bull are two of the Asavean "gods" patrons of sailors and guards respectively.|width=250}}</div>
* '''The Temple of Balo and the Black Bull has been abandoned
* ''' Protectorate engineers could be permitted to salvage the temple to reduce the amount of weirwood and mithril required
* '''Doing so raises the labour costs by a further 45 crowns
Since the liberation of Oran, and the [[Glass_and_flame#Game_Information_:_Asavean_Diplomacy|surrender]] of the priests serving at the [[Feroz#Temple_of_Balo_and_the_Black_Bull|Temple of Balo and the Black Bull]], the structure has stood empty. [[Construct_Asavean_Temple|Constructed]] by the [[Asavean Archipelago|Asaveans]] nearly a decade ago, the place has always been controversial. During the occupation of the Grendel, though, it served as something of a place of sanctuary for Freeborn friendly to the priests and operated a covert way for those fleeing the grasp of Governor Rahab to reach safety in Madruga. The Governor could not afford to risk angering the Asavean priests and they used that protection to help many Freeborn evade the cruel tyrants grasp.

Since the repatriation of the priests, the temple has stood empty. The proposal from the engineers is that unless the Empire is planning to convert it to some other use, it could be torn down to support the bridge building effort. There's some white granite available - although nowhere near as much as there is in the drowned [[fortification]] - but more importantly the gardens that once surrounded the temple incorporated wains of weirwood, and the roof is partially supported by mithril bars. A second team could rip the building apart to get at some of the materials inside, and contribute them to the building effort. It would increase the labour cost of the project by a further 45 crowns, but provide 5 wains each of weirwood and mithril for the production.

Tearing down the Temple is somewhat controversial. In theory the building is the legal property of the Asaveans, but since the Empire is currently at war with them, there are no legal obstacles to the action. And most Freeborn who remember the sack of Siroc by the Asavean forces see the destruction of this heretical and blasphemous Temple as right and proper. However [[Wild_blue_yonder#Balo's_Guests|the Kanza family, who only evaded capture due to the Temple of Balo and the Black Bull]] protest that this is a poor way for the Freeborn to repay the priests for the risks they took to shelter the helpless from the Grendel.

===Fair Prices===
* '''The labour costs for the bridge are very low thanks to the impoverished quality of Feroz
* '''The commission may instruct the civil service to pay higher wages to the labourers recruited
At the moment, the impoverished nature of Feroz means that any commission built in, or partly in, the territory benefits from significantly reduced labour costs. People in Feroz are poor and desperate enough to work for a fraction of what citizens elsewhere might demand for their labour. There are some who question the [[Prosperity]] of the situation however. Constructing caissons is dangerous, back-breaking work, after all. Is it right for the wealthy citizens of Anvil to take advantage of the people of Feroz by paying less than the work is normally worth?

There is nothing to stop whoever commissions the bridge from stipulating that everyone employed receive the standard payment for working on the bridge. If this were done, the labour costs for the bridge would be increased from 96 crowns to 288 crowns. This increase would not have any game effect, but it would at least send a clear message to the Freeborn, and to [[Prosperity|prosperous]] folk across the Empire, that the construction was not taking advantage of the reduced circumstances of those living in Feroz.

==Taking a Toll==
<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Oran Tollkeeper'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' National or Imperial</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Senate or Tally of the Votes</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Receives 1 Throne each season </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' Maintain and defend the Oran Bridge</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:'''
* If the impoverished quality is removed from Morajasse and Fortargenta income increases by 4 crowns each
* Removes the symbolic benefits of the bridge as a reconnection of Feroz and Madruga
</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''The Protectorate has included plans for a tollhouse at either end of the bridge
* '''It is up to the commissoner whether to include this title
The final element the Protectorate includes in its proposal is included as a matter of course - provision for the tollkeepers to live near and control access to the bridge. The engineers are actually surprised when Lutomysla points out that this is not standard practice for Imperial commissions; apparently almost nothing big gets built on the Broken Shore unless someone, somewhere sees an opportunity to increase their wealth, prestige, or influence. The engineers just assumed the Empire would appoint someone to maintain the bridge - and gouge a healthy income from those who need to pay to use it. After all, anyone who doesn't want to pay to use the only bridge connecting Feroz and Madruga could still take the long-way-round to Segura or hire a boat to ferry them across.

This in itself, however, presents a reason ''not'' to incorporate the toll gates. Lutomysla has identified that the bridge has a greater symbolic meaning, restoring the direct connection between Feroz and the rest of the Empire. If merchants and travellers have to pay to use that bridge, it dilutes this symbolism and instead sends a message that enriching individuals is more important than supporting the people of the beleaguered southern territory. It won't have any kind of measurable effect; but it will send a message that might be at odds with the intention of the Freeborn or the Empire.

After careful consideration Lutomysla leaves it in place. She points to the inspiration of the [[Spider's Tollkeep]] as one way an expensive bridge might be made a more appealing prospect. Whoever commissions the bridge may choose to stipulate that it will be a toll bridge, and create the title of ''Oran Tollkeep''. This would be a [[sinecure]] that receives a portion of the tolls collected from merchants passing over the bridge, and in return would be responsible for ensuring the bridge is maintained and protected when necessary. Lutomysla calculates that it would provide an initial income of 1 Throne each season, but if the ''impoverished'' qualities were removed from Morajasse and Fortargenta, then each region would increase the income by another 4 crowns a season.

The commission could chose to have the title appointed by the Brass Coast senators, with or without tenure. Alternatively the commission could specify that the position be appointed by [[Tally of the Votes]]. In either case, it would need to be a Freeborn national position.
==The Adamant Connection==
{{CaptionedImage|file=King Under the Mountain.png|align=right|width=200}}
* '''Lutomysla proposes speaking to Adamant about making the bridge particularly sturdy
Lutomysla doesn't have a great deal of work to do with the bridges. She is at her best when dealing with magical matters, and the Protectorate engineers use only mundane methods in their proposal. However, after some discussion with the Freeborn magicians at the [[Hakima_of_Salt_and_Sand#Parador_of_Salt_and_Sand|Parador of Salt and Sand]], and following her own work with bridges in Madruga, the prognosticator does have a proposal of her own.

The design of the bridge is sturdy enough to weather storms or endure all but the most concerted attempt to damage it from hostile forces. With the aid of the eternal [[Adamant|King Under the Mountain]] however, it would be possible to ensure the bridge stands despite anything wreckers might throw at it. The ''koboldi'' of the ''Stone Dragon'' could add their own expertise, and infuse portions of the structure with adamant. The eternal would need to be petitioned for their help ''before'' construction began, and doing so would fall to the [[Archmage of Summer]], but Lutomysla has no doubt that ''Shiraz on the Granite Throne'' would be amenable to assisting if requested as part of a formal [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]].

==Inkworks and Fields==
* '''The Inkworks of Joharra opportunity is available until the end of the Autumn Equinox 388YE
* '''The opportunity to expand the fields of Bramar has been refreshed and is now available until the end of the Spring Equinox 387YE'''
Lutomysla's colleage, [[Appraisal#Graciana_i_Lòpez_i_Guerra|Graciana i Lòpez i Guerra]] has already reviewed the proposed [[The_circle_game#Inkworks_at_Joharra|Inkworks at Joharra]] in her [[The circle game|recent assessment]] of Imperial ministries. Lutomysla notes that if the Oran Bridge were built, and removed the impoverished quality from Oranseri, then there would still be value in building the Inkworks - instead of removing impoverished in conjunction with the bridge it would remove the ''abandoned'' quality from the region, bringing in a new wave of settlers. The same would be true if the commissions were completed in the other order - between them they would remove both qualities.

<div {{Float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Golden Fields of Bramar'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' None</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Fontargenta, Feroz</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' Requires the aid of the Breadbasket for two seasons</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' Six months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Removes the impoverished quality from Fortargenta</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year - until the end of the Spring Equinox 389YE</td></tr>
</table></div>
The parallel opportunity presented a few years ago to expand the [[Send_for_me#Fields_of_Bramar|expand the fields]] around [[Feroz#Fortargenta|Bramar]] has since lapsed. After speaking to some of the folk of Feroz however, Lutomysla indicates there is still enthusiasm for the project. Partly, this keen has been inspired by the restoration of the [[Feroz#The_Spice_Gardens_of_Feroz|Spice Gardens of Feroz]], which has become a symbol of hope for many of the landsfolk of the impoverished territory. The project still relies on the support of the [[Keeper_of_the_Breadbasket#Distribution_of_Imperial_Bounty|Imperial Breadbasket]], however, and Lutomysla notes that interest will wane naturally over time.

The land around the port of Bramar was once renowned for its fertile farms; its bountiful cornfields competed with Marcher grain across the southern Empire, and the vineyards were justly famous as one of the cornerstones of the Imperial wine trade. These lands were abandoned when people fled the territory to escape from Rahab and the rule of the Grendel. What crops that were left were torn up under the destructive direction of ''Quartermaster Maeve''; a wealthy Grendel who purchased the land from Rahab for a song. Rather than try to plant a new harvest, Maeve took whatever she could harvest and left the rest to rot. Vines were ripped out by the roots, fields were left untilled and have grown thick with weeds. The golden fields of Bramar have been ruined. In the years since the liberation there have been efforts to replenish the once-bountiful farming here, but it has suffered from the various challenges of rebuilding Feroz.

A drive to reinvigorate Fontargenta could still be centred on the fields around Bramar using the Imperial Breadbasket. All it would require is a suitable announcement by the Keeper. Shipments of seeds and grains would be needed to replant fields and vineyards while food supplies would be essential to feed farm workers until new crops could be established. It wouldn't cost anything, not directly anyway, but it would need the Breadbasket to support the region for two seasons. Once that was done, the fields would be re-established and Fontargenta would cease to be abandoned and impoverished.

This opportunity is now available again until the end of the Spring Equinox 389YE.

==Further Reading==
* [[Feroz]]
* [[Madruga]]
* [[Protectorate of Morajasse]]

* [[An arrow nocked and in flight]] - 388YE Spring wind of fortune regarding Protectorate diplomacy
* [[Send for me]] - 386YE Winter wind of fortune about restoring Feroz

388YE Summer Solstice winds of fortune

2026-07-05T16:15:32Z

Thespaceinvader: /* The Oran Operation */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Summer]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Remnants of tales.jpg|align=left|caption=News spreads through word of mouth as fast as it does through broadsheets and posters, and is sometimes more reliable. Or at least, unreliable in more amusing ways...|width=2000}}</div>
==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
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! Wind of Fortune !! Order Released !! Last Updated || Note
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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;"
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! Nation !! Diplomacy Wind
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|}

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.

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.
__TOC__

==Winds of Fortune==
===In the Court of Far Horizons===
* '''Throne; Senate; Fleet owners; Ambassadors; titles involved in international trade'''
At the recent summit, [[the Throne]], 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 ''Court of Far Horizons''. Magistrate Abraham has conducted an analysis of the constitutional implications of the new sodality's provisional manifesto. Abraham notes that the manifesto is "bold and vigorous" in establishing it's remit, but that that means that some of implications are far-reaching... which can be both a good and a bad thing depending where you stand.

You can read about Abrahams findings, as well as some proposals from interested parties, in the '''[[In the Court of Far Horizons]]''' wind of fortune.
===Satraps of the Abyss===
* '''Conclave; Ambassador to Sumaah; scholars of magic and the eternal realms'''
The [[Senate]] has taken advantage of an opportunity brokered by the [[Ambassador to the Sumaah Republic|Ambassador]] Accalon to engage in a spot of magical cooperation with the [[Sumaah Republic]]. Freshly-appointed prognosticator ''[[Appraisal#Lisane de Terresford|Lisane de Terresford]]'' has been sent to ''[[appraisal|appraise]] how the High Houses of Virtue and the Imperial Conclave can find ways to co-operate in interactions with [[eternal|eternals]]''. While Lisane is expected to be engaged for the next several seasons, she has dispatched a preliminary report on her findings; a review of the relation between the magicians and the Präster of the republic - and the dealings they have with the creatures of the [[realms]].

You can read about Lisane's findings, and about the opportunity for the Conclave to assist, in the '''[[Satraps of the Abyss]]''' wind of fortune.
===The Oran Operation===
* '''The Brass Coast, especially citizens of Feroz and Madruga; Imperial Senate; Military Council'''
The river Scorrero broke its banks several years ago, and washed away the dreadful threat of the ''dry patricians''. As a consequence of the wild river rising, the bridges connecting Madruga and Feroz were washed away. Last season, the Senate accepted [[An_arrow_nocked_and_in_flight#A_Garden_Proposal|an offer]] from the ''Protectorate of Morajasse'' to apply their expertise to the challenge of reconnecting the eastern Brass Coast. Their [[appraisal]] of the situation has been submitted, with notes added by the [[Appraisal#The_Prognosticators_Office|Prognosticators Office]], and involves a major feat of engineering in the southern Empire.

You can learn about their proposal, and some changes that might make it a little more feasible, in the '''[[The Oran operation]]''' wind of fortune.

==Diplomatic Winds==
Each season, the Civil Service prepares a summary of the Empire's relationship with the foreign nations, 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.

These winds of fortune deal with the Empire's diplomatic relationship with one or more foreign or barbarian nations. Usually, the wind is shaped by communications from the appropriate [[ambassador]] or the [[Imperial Consul]]. 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.

==Other Events==

==Mandates==
* '''You can find details of the mandates, along with the rest of the Synod judgements, [[387YE_Winter Solstice_Synod_judgements#Mandate|here]].'''
A number of [[mandate|mandates]] were successfully upheld in the Imperial Synod last season. As long as the named priest provided sufficient liao, those mandates have been [[Mandate#Implementing_a_Mandate|automatically enacted]].

==Spring Conjunctions==
* '''Last event there were a number of conjunctions of the Sentinel Gate; their known outcomes are listed here'''
During the Winter Solstice, there were a number of [[Sentinel_Gate#Conjunctions|conjunctions]] of the [[Sentinel Gate]] identified by the Imperial prognosticators. In each case, a band of Imperial heroes used that conjunction to travel to a location far from Anvil and intervene in an ongoing situation. These are the known outcomes of those conjunctions. In the case of battles, it is important to remember that the [[Military Council]] can only make use of ''two'' of the major conjunctions each summit, choosing which to take advantage of during the [[Muster]].

===Major Conjunctions===

===Minor Conjunctions===