Carved in stone - Revision history

Hailmur: /* Deep Magic */

2025-09-07T18:46:33Z

Deep Magic

Hailmur: /* Participation: Prosperity Assembly */

2025-09-07T18:37:00Z

Participation: Prosperity Assembly

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	Any character who preached [[Prosperity]] in the last year is under the effect of a curse for the coming year that makes them experience the following [[roleplaying effect]]: ''You are more keenly aware when others try to take advantage of you, especially when they try to take more than they deserve. People assuming you will aid them rankles more than usual. When they take what belongs to you and yours; you are reminded of the guidance of Prosperity that tells you to despise the thieving bandit, the lazy wastrel, and the grasping miser.''		Any character who preached [[Prosperity]] in the last year is under the effect of a curse for the coming year that makes them experience the following [[roleplaying effect]]: ''You are more keenly aware when others try to take advantage of you, especially when they try to take more than they deserve. People assuming you will aid them rankles more than usual. When they take what belongs to you and yours; you are reminded of the guidance of Prosperity that tells you to despise the thieving bandit, the lazy wastrel, and the grasping miser.''

	The curse will fade after a year, but players whose characters succumb often to the effects may choose to have them be permanently altered by the curse, remaining more ~~willing~~ to ~~challenge others and rebuke folly after the curse fades~~. The curse can be broken by publicly swearing a significant oath. Provided the oath is profoundly meaningful for your character and they are honest in their intent to stick to it, then the curse will fade. ('''OOC Note:''' Let a referee know if you decide your actions have broken this curse.)		The curse will fade after a year, but players whose characters succumb often to the effects may choose to have them be permanently altered by the curse, remaining more aware of when others are trying to take advantage of you. The curse can be broken by publicly swearing a significant oath. Provided the oath is profoundly meaningful for your character and they are honest in their intent to stick to it, then the curse will fade. ('''OOC Note:''' Let a referee know if you decide your actions have broken this curse.)

	===A Note on Roleplaying Effects===		===A Note on Roleplaying Effects===
	* '''How you respond to a roleplaying effect is down to your characterisation'''		* '''How you respond to a roleplaying effect is down to your characterisation'''

Dre at 16:08, 6 September 2025

2025-09-06T16:08:17Z

Show changes

Hailmur: /* A Note on Roleplaying Effects */

2025-09-06T15:05:33Z

A Note on Roleplaying Effects

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	All roleplaying effects describe emotions and feelings that your character is experiencing - how you react to these feelings will be dependent on your characterisation. You can't ignore the effects - even if you are able to resist the urge, you character is still experiencing it. But as a player, you choose how your character responds to the roleplaying effects they are experiencing. It is fine if your awareness of these effects, the intensity of them, naturally waxes and wanes during the event.		All roleplaying effects describe emotions and feelings that your character is experiencing - how you react to these feelings will be dependent on your characterisation. You can't ignore the effects - even if you are able to resist the urge, you character is still experiencing it. But as a player, you choose how your character responds to the roleplaying effects they are experiencing. It is fine if your awareness of these effects, the intensity of them, naturally waxes and wanes during the event.

	<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=~~Assembly_Ambition~~.png\|width=200\|align=right}}</div>		<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=Assembly_Vigilance.png\|width=200\|align=right}}</div>

	==The Vigilance Assembly==		==The Vigilance Assembly==
	* '''Every congregation that preached Vigilance last season has gained two additional votes'''		* '''Every congregation that preached Vigilance last season has gained two additional votes'''

Hailmur: /* Deep Magic */

2025-09-06T15:05:21Z

Deep Magic

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	</div>		</div>
	==Deep Magic==		==Deep Magic==
			<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=Assembly_Wintermark.png\|width=200\|align=right}}{{CaptionedImage\|file=Assembly_Loyalty.png\|width=200\|align=right}}</div>
	* '''The Empire could build the Forge of Oaths at the Fingers in Hahnmark'''		* '''The Empire could build the Forge of Oaths at the Fingers in Hahnmark'''
	* '''Each season, the Keeper of Oaths could cut the words of a single oath into the stones of the building, to ensure that they endured'''		* '''Each season, the Keeper of Oaths could cut the words of a single oath into the stones of the building, to ensure that they endured'''
	* '''If the Keeper of Oaths recorded a solemn vow it would be much more likely to invite disaster if it were broken, due to the hearth magic of witnessing'''		* '''If the Keeper of Oaths recorded a solemn vow it would be much more likely to invite disaster if it were broken, due to the hearth magic of witnessing'''
	With the crucial importance of oaths so powerfully demonstrated, the Wintermark Assembly and the Loyalty Assembly have passed complementary judgements calling for the creation of a new position, the Oathkeeper. The idea is simple enough - build a simple edifice, one that could be looked after and maintained by the Oathkeeper - they could then immortalise the words of an oath by cutting them into the stones of the building itself, ensuring that the promise was quite literally carved in stone.		With the crucial importance of oaths so powerfully demonstrated, the Wintermark Assembly and the Loyalty Assembly have passed complementary judgements calling for the creation of a new position, the Oathkeeper. The idea is simple enough - build a simple edifice, one that could be looked after and maintained by the Oathkeeper - they could then immortalise the words of an oath by cutting them into the stones of the building itself, ensuring that the promise was quite literally carved in stone.

			Most Wintermarkers quickly agree that [[Hahnmark#The_Fingers\|the Fingers]] is the ideal location for this edifice. A Virtuous site, one that celebrates, [[Pride]], [[Loyalty]] and [[Courage]] - all crucial Virtues for those that need to find the strength to keep their vows. What better place to record the words of heroes than here, in the very spot where the formation of Wintermark is celebrated.

			The idea of someone who will witness oaths, and work to ensure they are kept makes a lot of sense to many Wintermarkers, echoing as it does in many ways the role of the [[Wintermark_religious_beliefs#Stormcrow\|stormcrow]]. The folk of the Mark understand that breaking your word is one of the surest ways to warp your skein in ways that can be hard to unwind. Having your oath witnessed and recorded can be invaluable in shoring up your Courage when it comes to sticking to your word. Thus, the idea of creating a sacred site, somewhere to record the most important oaths, feels ''right'' to many.
	<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">		<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
	<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Forge of Bonds'''</tr>		<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Forge of Bonds'''</tr>
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	<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' The collection, preservation and upholding of important oaths</td></tr>		<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' The collection, preservation and upholding of important oaths</td></tr>
	</table></div>		</table></div>
	Most Wintermarkers quickly agree that [[Hahnmark#The_Fingers\|the Fingers]] is the ideal location for this edifice. A Virtuous site, one that celebrates, [[Pride]], [[Loyalty]] and [[Courage]] - all crucial Virtues for those that need to find the strength to keep their vows. What better place to record the words of heroes than here, in the very spot where the formation of Wintermark is celebrated.
	~~<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=Assembly_Wintermark.png\|width=200\|align=right}}{{CaptionedImage\|file=Assembly_Loyalty.png\|width=200\|align=right}}</div>~~
	The idea of someone who will witness oaths, and work to ensure they are kept makes a lot of sense to many Wintermarkers, echoing as it does in many ways the role of the [[Wintermark_religious_beliefs#Stormcrow\|stormcrow]]. The folk of the Mark understand that breaking your word is one of the surest ways to warp your skein in ways that can be hard to unwind. Having your oath witnessed and recorded can be invaluable in shoring up your Courage when it comes to sticking to your word. Thus, the idea of creating a sacred site, somewhere to record the most important oaths, feels ''right'' to many.

	But some people do question if this is really wise. Oaths are an important hearth magic, there is something in the nature of swearing a vow that changes the world in ways that can often be difficult to predict. Scops know many tales of Courageous heroes who swore foolish oaths and then found themselves trapped by them. Witnessing an oath makes the hearth magic more potent, more likely to twist your skein if you break it. What would happen if you cut the words of an oath into the very rocks of the Fingers? Woe to anyone who broke that oath... Anyone who had their oath carved into stone like that would be inviting the world to extract a terrible price if they broke their vow. Is it really wise to do that... to invite that level of scrutiny? To tempt fate in such a way?		But some people do question if this is really wise. Oaths are an important hearth magic, there is something in the nature of swearing a vow that changes the world in ways that can often be difficult to predict. Scops know many tales of Courageous heroes who swore foolish oaths and then found themselves trapped by them. Witnessing an oath makes the hearth magic more potent, more likely to twist your skein if you break it. What would happen if you cut the words of an oath into the very rocks of the Fingers? Woe to anyone who broke that oath... Anyone who had their oath carved into stone like that would be inviting the world to extract a terrible price if they broke their vow. Is it really wise to do that... to invite that level of scrutiny? To tempt fate in such a way?

Twiggy at 14:58, 6 September 2025

2025-09-06T14:58:00Z

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	"When the people saw the wolf prowling round their hall, they worried that he would take one of their children to eat. So they sent away for a great hunter to come and kill the beast. It took Topi many days, but eventually he returned to the place of his birth, where he had sworn that terrible oath all those years ago. He took up his bow and firing three arrows in a single heartbeat, one through the wolf's heart, one through the wolf's leg and one through the wolf's eye."		"When the people saw the wolf prowling round their hall, they worried that he would take one of their children to eat. So they sent away for a great hunter to come and kill the beast. It took Topi many days, but eventually he returned to the place of his birth, where he had sworn that terrible oath all those years ago. He took up his bow and firing three arrows in a single heartbeat, one through the wolf's heart, one through the wolf's leg and one through the wolf's eye."

	There was a collective gasp of horror from the assembled children. "Here we go," warned ~~Lyddia~~. She made to take a step towards their youngest, but Anni put her hand on her partner's arm. "Wait".		There was a collective gasp of horror from the assembled children. "Here we go," warned Lyydia. She made to take a step towards their youngest, but Anni put her hand on her partner's arm. "Wait".

	"As Topi took out his knife to skin the wolf, a falcon appeared and settled on the branches above the wolf's head. The hunter paid it no thought, but when he cut away the fur, all he found was his brother, Topi, lying dead at his feet. In that moment he knew that he would be forever cursed, as an oathbreaker and a kinslayer. And he wept every day when the sun rose and every day when the sun set for now at least he knew his name."		"As Topi took out his knife to skin the wolf, a falcon appeared and settled on the branches above the wolf's head. The hunter paid it no thought, but when he cut away the fur, all he found was his brother, Topi, lying dead at his feet. In that moment he knew that he would be forever cursed, as an oathbreaker and a kinslayer. And he wept every day when the sun rose and every day when the sun set for now at least he knew his name."
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	It is commonly believed that Viviane Barossa took on the aura in the hope of building diplomatic bridges with the [[Axos\|Axou]], seeking a bridge to try and bring them to the Way. The idea of opening the eyes of an entire nation of people and bringing them to the Way is certainly in keeping with the Virtue one would expect of the Cardinal of Ambition. The fact that they dramatically paid the price for their dreams only serves to underscore what the Virtue teaches - that "Consequences are the price of Ambition".		It is commonly believed that Viviane Barossa took on the aura in the hope of building diplomatic bridges with the [[Axos\|Axou]], seeking a bridge to try and bring them to the Way. The idea of opening the eyes of an entire nation of people and bringing them to the Way is certainly in keeping with the Virtue one would expect of the Cardinal of Ambition. The fact that they dramatically paid the price for their dreams only serves to underscore what the Virtue teaches - that "Consequences are the price of Ambition".

	Castigated by their own Assembly they were instructed to step down as cardinal and ordered to join the Vigilance Assembly to ensure the virtue of Imperial priests travelling to Axou. They have preached faithfully as a member of the Assembly ever since and what's more they have practiced what they preached. While their peers were forcibly ~~seperated~~ from the hallows they were given, allegedly by members of their own assembly, ~~Vivianne~~ Barossa has ensured that the item she swore to carry has never left her sight. In Summer, the Assembly of Nine [[387YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements\|called Viviane Barossa to inquisition]] and ordered her to destroy the blasphemous hallow as penance. And yet ''still'' she refused to break her oath. It might not have been ''Wise'', it might not have been ''legal'', but arguably it was ''Vigilant''. She understood the terrible repercussions that might come from breaking an oath and she did everything to make sure that didn't happen.		Castigated by their own Assembly they were instructed to step down as cardinal and ordered to join the Vigilance Assembly to ensure the virtue of Imperial priests travelling to Axou. They have preached faithfully as a member of the Assembly ever since and what's more they have practiced what they preached. While their peers were forcibly separated from the hallows they were given, allegedly by members of their own assembly, Viviane Barossa has ensured that the item she swore to carry has never left her sight. In Summer, the Assembly of Nine [[387YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements\|called Viviane Barossa to inquisition]] and ordered her to destroy the blasphemous hallow as penance. And yet ''still'' she refused to break her oath. It might not have been ''Wise'', it might not have been ''legal'', but arguably it was ''Vigilant''. She understood the terrible repercussions that might come from breaking an oath and she did everything to make sure that didn't happen.

	Their success and Vigilance has inspired many in their new Assembly. There is no shame for the others, who lost their hallowed items through no fault of their own. But Viviane Barossa achieved what others could not and kept her oath to the bitter end. Priests preaching Vigilance to their congregations find newcomers attending their sermons for the first time, interested to learn more about the Virtue. Too late to have more liao assigned to their congregations by the civil service, but not too late to have the effects registered for their votes at the coming summit. Every congregation that preached Vigilance last season has gained two additional votes. The effects will fade after the next summit.		Their success and Vigilance has inspired many in their new Assembly. There is no shame for the others, who lost their hallowed items through no fault of their own. But Viviane Barossa achieved what others could not and kept her oath to the bitter end. Priests preaching Vigilance to their congregations find newcomers attending their sermons for the first time, interested to learn more about the Virtue. Too late to have more liao assigned to their congregations by the civil service, but not too late to have the effects registered for their votes at the coming summit. Every congregation that preached Vigilance last season has gained two additional votes. The effects will fade after the next summit.
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	LRP does not have to be like a story, so the outcomes can be different, but the themes are the same. If you swear an oath, you have to make sure your vow is kept otherwise bad things happen. Oaths create a weakness for your character, they make you vulnerable to others putting you in a situation where you have to break your oath - or simply breaking it for you - as happened to the members of the Assembly of Nine. Obviously we can't keep track of every oath every character swears, but if the plot invites you to swear a big important oath - like the Assembly of Nine were invited to do here, or like the Marchers generals were encouraged to do - then you can be sure that that oath is likely to matter a lot. The more public an oath, the more important an oath, the more likely we are to be aware of it, and the more likely it is that something bad will happen if it's broken.		LRP does not have to be like a story, so the outcomes can be different, but the themes are the same. If you swear an oath, you have to make sure your vow is kept otherwise bad things happen. Oaths create a weakness for your character, they make you vulnerable to others putting you in a situation where you have to break your oath - or simply breaking it for you - as happened to the members of the Assembly of Nine. Obviously we can't keep track of every oath every character swears, but if the plot invites you to swear a big important oath - like the Assembly of Nine were invited to do here, or like the Marchers generals were encouraged to do - then you can be sure that that oath is likely to matter a lot. The more public an oath, the more important an oath, the more likely we are to be aware of it, and the more likely it is that something bad will happen if it's broken.

	In many ways oaths are ''meant'' to be broken. There are relatively few classic stories in which the hero publicly swears a solemn oath to do something and then they just keep their oath and everything turns out fine. That would be an ~~unsual~~ story structure - a violation of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chekhov%27s_gun Chekhov's gun]. In LRP it's cool to strive to keep your oath - the struggle is meant to be fun. But there will be more drama for everyone if the vow gets broken. Breaking a vow brings consequences, and that in turn leads to more roleplaying -which is what we want for everyone at the event. It's meant as a punishment for the ''characters'', but the penance is to have more roleplaying to content with - we do that in the hope that it will complicate player's game and give them even more things to have fun sorting and dealing with at the event.		In many ways oaths are ''meant'' to be broken. There are relatively few classic stories in which the hero publicly swears a solemn oath to do something and then they just keep their oath and everything turns out fine. That would be an unusual story structure - a violation of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chekhov%27s_gun Chekhov's gun]. In LRP it's cool to strive to keep your oath - the struggle is meant to be fun. But there will be more drama for everyone if the vow gets broken. Breaking a vow brings consequences, and that in turn leads to more roleplaying - which is what we want for everyone at the event. It's meant as a punishment for the ''characters'', but the penance is to have more roleplaying to content with - we do that in the hope that it will complicate player's game and give them even more things to have fun sorting and dealing with at the event.

	There's no suggestion that anyone has done anything wrong - the plot would be much more boring if everyone had just kept their oaths and nothing happened. The characters who stole and destroyed the hallowed items and thereby broke the oaths haven't done anything wrong - to the contrary, their actions have meant more game consequences down the line - they acted in a way that makes the game more interesting - which is something we want to encourage to do. That's why the curses here are not meant to be punitive - they're carefully designed to be roleplaying curses that a character can escape with more roleplaying at the point where they decide it's right for their character to achieve that. This curse is out of the control of the characters - but the players remain in control of the consequences and of what is happening to their character. That way people can engage with the roleplaying as much or as little as they want - depending on how much enjoyment they get from it.		There's no suggestion that anyone has done anything wrong - the plot would be much more boring if everyone had just kept their oaths and nothing happened. The characters who stole and destroyed the hallowed items and thereby broke the oaths haven't done anything wrong - to the contrary, their actions have meant more game consequences down the line - they acted in a way that makes the game more interesting - which is something we want to encourage to do. That's why the curses here are not meant to be punitive - they're carefully designed to be roleplaying curses that a character can escape with more roleplaying at the point where they decide it's right for their character to achieve that. This curse is out of the control of the characters - but the players remain in control of the consequences and of what is happening to their character. That way people can engage with the roleplaying as much or as little as they want - depending on how much enjoyment they get from it.

Matt at 14:50, 6 September 2025

2025-09-06T14:50:43Z

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	[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Autumn]][[Category:Recent History]]		[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Autumn]][[Category:Recent History]]
	~~{{stub}}~~
	<ic>		<ic>
	"It is said that the Deeps are named for an old man, Gulnar, who lived there with his three children. His eldest son was a cunning suaq called Topi who loved to hunt and fish. The middle child, his only daughter, Kaisa, was a wise Kallavesi whose eyes were so sharp they could see your skein even when it was too dark to see. The youngest boy, was Freki, a wild Steinr who liked nothing more than to run through the wild forests and leap across the streams."		"It is said that the Deeps are named for an old man, Gulnar, who lived there with his three children. His eldest son was a cunning suaq called Topi who loved to hunt and fish. The middle child, his only daughter, Kaisa, was a wise Kallavesi whose eyes were so sharp they could see your skein even when it was too dark to see. The youngest boy, was Freki, a wild Steinr who liked nothing more than to run through the wild forests and leap across the streams."
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	* '''How you respond to a roleplaying effect is down to your characterisation'''		* '''How you respond to a roleplaying effect is down to your characterisation'''
	All roleplaying effects describe emotions and feelings that your character is experiencing - how you react to these feelings will be dependent on your characterisation. You can't ignore the effects - even if you are able to resist the urge, you character is still experiencing it. But as a player, you choose how your character responds to the roleplaying effects they are experiencing. It is fine if your awareness of these effects, the intensity of them, naturally waxes and wanes during the event.		All roleplaying effects describe emotions and feelings that your character is experiencing - how you react to these feelings will be dependent on your characterisation. You can't ignore the effects - even if you are able to resist the urge, you character is still experiencing it. But as a player, you choose how your character responds to the roleplaying effects they are experiencing. It is fine if your awareness of these effects, the intensity of them, naturally waxes and wanes during the event.
	~~<!--~~
	<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=Assembly_Ambition.png\|width=200\|align=right}}</div>		<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=Assembly_Ambition.png\|width=200\|align=right}}</div>
	==The Vigilance Assembly==		==The Vigilance Assembly==
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	Their success and Vigilance has inspired many in their new Assembly. There is no shame for the others, who lost their hallowed items through no fault of their own. But Viviane Barossa achieved what others could not and kept her oath to the bitter end. Priests preaching Vigilance to their congregations find newcomers attending their sermons for the first time, interested to learn more about the Virtue. Too late to have more liao assigned to their congregations by the civil service, but not too late to have the effects registered for their votes at the coming summit. Every congregation that preached Vigilance last season has gained two additional votes. The effects will fade after the next summit.		Their success and Vigilance has inspired many in their new Assembly. There is no shame for the others, who lost their hallowed items through no fault of their own. But Viviane Barossa achieved what others could not and kept her oath to the bitter end. Priests preaching Vigilance to their congregations find newcomers attending their sermons for the first time, interested to learn more about the Virtue. Too late to have more liao assigned to their congregations by the civil service, but not too late to have the effects registered for their votes at the coming summit. Every congregation that preached Vigilance last season has gained two additional votes. The effects will fade after the next summit.
	~~-->~~
	<div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap 10px;">		<div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap 10px;">
	{{SOPInner\|statement=In Winter 386YE, the Loyalty Assembly named Veikko Bondforger their Oathkeeper. Veikko has tirelessly collected the resources necessary to build an edifice and formalise this position. We seek a location in Wintermark to build this edifice. This will be an oathing place, called the Forge of Bonds, maintained by the Oathkeeper. The Oathkeeper’s responsibilities will be the collection, preservation and upholding of oaths. We welcome the suggestions that this position enable the Loyalty Assembly to commit one oath a season to those White Granite walls.\|by=Hal IronBelly, Wintermark Assembly\|vote={{GM}} 354-0\|when=Summer Solstice 378YE}}		{{SOPInner\|statement=In Winter 386YE, the Loyalty Assembly named Veikko Bondforger their Oathkeeper. Veikko has tirelessly collected the resources necessary to build an edifice and formalise this position. We seek a location in Wintermark to build this edifice. This will be an oathing place, called the Forge of Bonds, maintained by the Oathkeeper. The Oathkeeper’s responsibilities will be the collection, preservation and upholding of oaths. We welcome the suggestions that this position enable the Loyalty Assembly to commit one oath a season to those White Granite walls.\|by=Hal IronBelly, Wintermark Assembly\|vote={{GM}} 354-0\|when=Summer Solstice 378YE}}

Matt: /* Further Reading */

2025-09-06T14:50:21Z

Matt at 14:02, 6 September 2025

2025-09-06T14:02:47Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:02, 6 September 2025
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	<!--		<!--
	<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=Assembly_Ambition.png\|width=200\|align=right}}</div>		<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=Assembly_Ambition.png\|width=200\|align=right}}</div>
	==The ~~Ambition~~ Assembly==		==The Vigilance Assembly==
	* '''Every congregation that preached ~~Ambition~~ last season has gained two additional votes'''		* '''Every congregation that preached Vigilance last season has gained two additional votes'''
	The other Assembly that appears to have avoided any ill consequences of the oath is the Assembly of Ambition. Most members of the Assembly attribute this to the decision of their former Cardinal, Viviane Barossa, to hold to their oath, steadfastly refusing to break their word, despite the barrage of criticism they faced. There is only one known way to absolutely ensure that you avoid the baleful hearth magic of oaths and that is to ''keep your word''.

	The ~~tenets~~ of ~~Ambition are very clear that ''"Consequences are~~ the ~~price~~ of ~~Ambition; no price is too high to realise your dreams."''. Many in the [[Imperial Synod\|Synod]] questioned~~ the ~~former Cardinal's unapologetic stance on the issue, but as~~ time ~~has passed, some members of~~ the ''Assembly~~'' are rethinking their judgement~~. ~~It is commonly claimed that~~ the Cardinal ~~of Ambition took on the aura in the hope of building diplomatic bridges with the [[Axos\|Axou]], seeking a bridge to try~~ and ~~bring~~ them to the ~~Way~~. ~~It is hard~~ to ~~think of an uplifting Ambition than the idea of opening the eyes of an entire nation~~ of ~~people and bringing them to the Way~~.		The other Assembly that has avoided any ill effects of the oath of their cardinal at the time is the Assembly of Ambition. In theory they might have avoided any consequences because they roundly rejected the Cardinal's actions and ordered them to leave the Assembly. That could well have been enough to grant them a measure of protection against any magical repercussions had there been any.
	{{SOP\|statement=Penance: The assembly has heard Viviane's inquisition and her reasoning. While her original intentions in taking the hallow were not heretical, there were clear and catastrophic failures of vigilance. As penance she will: Make a statement in the Assembly of Nine denouncing "Peace". Join the vigilance assembly in ensuring the virtue of Imperial priests travelling to Axou. Step down as Cardinal of Ambition.\|by=Lenarius Ankarien, Ambition Assembly\|vote=214-16\|when=Winter Solstice 386YE}}		{{SOP\|statement=Penance: The assembly has heard Viviane's inquisition and her reasoning. While her original intentions in taking the hallow were not heretical, there were clear and catastrophic failures of vigilance. As penance she will: Make a statement in the Assembly of Nine denouncing "Peace". Join the vigilance assembly in ensuring the virtue of Imperial priests travelling to Axou. Step down as Cardinal of Ambition.\|by=Lenarius Ankarien, Ambition Assembly\|vote=214-16\|when=Winter Solstice 386YE}}
	~~The~~ fact that ~~the former Cardinal has very dramatically paid the price for~~ their ~~dreams only serves~~ to ~~demonstrate~~ the ~~Virtue~~ of ~~what~~ they ~~did in the minds of many~~. ~~Castigated by their own Assembly they were instructed to step down as cardinal and ordered to join the Vigilance Assembly~~ to ensure the ~~virtue of Imperial priests travelling to Axou. In Summer, the Assembly~~ of ~~Nine [[387YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements\|called Viviane Barossa to inquisition]]~~ and ~~ordered her~~ to ~~destroy the blasphemous hallow as penance. And yet ''still'' she refused to break her oath. It might not have been ''Wise~~'', ~~it might not have been ''legal'', but arguably it was the very embodiment of ''Ambitious~~''.		However the fact that Viviane Barossa, found a way to hold true to their oath, steadfastly refusing to break their word, despite the barrage of criticism they faced, would be enough to ensure that there were no repercussions. There is only one known way to absolutely ensure that you avoid the baleful hearth magic of oaths and that is to ''your word is kept, no matter what''.

	~~The realisation~~ that ~~alone~~ of ~~those tested~~, only their ~~Cardinal had~~ the ~~Ambition~~ to ~~keep~~ their ~~vow~~ has inspired many in ~~the~~ Assembly. There is no shame for the others, who ~~appear to have~~ lost their hallowed items through no fault of their own. But Viviane Barossa achieved what others could not and kept her oath to the bitter end. Priests preaching ~~Ambition~~ to their congregations find newcomers attending their sermons for the first time, interested to learn more about the Virtue. Too late to have more liao assigned to their congregations by the civil service, but not too late to have the effects registered for their votes at the coming summit. Every congregation that preached ~~Ambition~~ last season has gained two additional votes. The effects will fade after the next summit.		It is commonly believed that Viviane Barossa took on the aura in the hope of building diplomatic bridges with the [[Axos\|Axou]], seeking a bridge to try and bring them to the Way. The idea of opening the eyes of an entire nation of people and bringing them to the Way is certainly in keeping with the Virtue one would expect of the Cardinal of Ambition. The fact that they dramatically paid the price for their dreams only serves to underscore what the Virtue teaches - that "Consequences are the price of Ambition".

			Castigated by their own Assembly they were instructed to step down as cardinal and ordered to join the Vigilance Assembly to ensure the virtue of Imperial priests travelling to Axou. They have preached faithfully as a member of the Assembly ever since and what's more they have practiced what they preached. While their peers were forcibly seperated from the hallows they were given, allegedly by members of their own assembly, Vivianne Barossa has ensured that the item she swore to carry has never left her sight. In Summer, the Assembly of Nine [[387YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements\|called Viviane Barossa to inquisition]] and ordered her to destroy the blasphemous hallow as penance. And yet ''still'' she refused to break her oath. It might not have been ''Wise'', it might not have been ''legal'', but arguably it was ''Vigilant''. She understood the terrible repercussions that might come from breaking an oath and she did everything to make sure that didn't happen.

			Their success and Vigilance has inspired many in their new Assembly. There is no shame for the others, who lost their hallowed items through no fault of their own. But Viviane Barossa achieved what others could not and kept her oath to the bitter end. Priests preaching Vigilance to their congregations find newcomers attending their sermons for the first time, interested to learn more about the Virtue. Too late to have more liao assigned to their congregations by the civil service, but not too late to have the effects registered for their votes at the coming summit. Every congregation that preached Vigilance last season has gained two additional votes. The effects will fade after the next summit.
	-->		-->
	<div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap 10px;">		<div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap 10px;">

Hailmur at 13:01, 6 September 2025

2025-09-06T13:01:03Z

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	<small>'''Inspiration''': The flavour text accompanying this wind is inspired by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boy_and_the_Wolves The Boy and the Wolves] collated by Andrew Lang and based on a traditional native American story.</small>		<small>'''Inspiration''': The flavour text accompanying this wind is inspired by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boy_and_the_Wolves The Boy and the Wolves] collated by Andrew Lang and based on a traditional native American story.</small>
			==Game Design: Oaths==
			Oaths are a powerful hearth magic in Empire, reflecting their importance and significance in traditional stories. In classical myths and stories, breaking an oath is ''invariably bad'' - and the outcome is usually disaster. It is important to note that volition is not a relevant factor here - indeed in ''most'' stories the oaths are usually up broken through no fault at all of the individuals involved. A seminal example of this is the classic story of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%BA_Chulainn#Death death of Cú Chulainn]. The legendary Irish hero has a geis, an oath, that prohibits him from eating dog meat. But in early Ireland there was a taboo against refusing hospitality, so when an old crone offers him a meal of dog meat, he has no choice but to break his geis. It's not his fault, but he still dies as a result.

			LRP does not have to be like a story, so the outcomes can be different, but the themes are the same. If you swear an oath, you have to make sure your vow is kept otherwise bad things happen. Oaths create a weakness for your character, they make you vulnerable to others putting you in a situation where you have to break your oath - or simply breaking it for you - as happened to the members of the Assembly of Nine. Obviously we can't keep track of every oath every character swears, but if the plot invites you to swear a big important oath - like the Assembly of Nine were invited to do here, or like the Marchers generals were encouraged to do - then you can be sure that that oath is likely to matter a lot. The more public an oath, the more important an oath, the more likely we are to be aware of it, and the more likely it is that something bad will happen if it's broken.

			In many ways oaths are ''meant'' to be broken. There are relatively few classic stories in which the hero publicly swears a solemn oath to do something and then they just keep their oath and everything turns out fine. That would be an unsual story structure - a violation of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chekhov%27s_gun Chekhov's gun]. In LRP it's cool to strive to keep your oath - the struggle is meant to be fun. But there will be more drama for everyone if the vow gets broken. Breaking a vow brings consequences, and that in turn leads to more roleplaying -which is what we want for everyone at the event. It's meant as a punishment for the ''characters'', but the penance is to have more roleplaying to content with - we do that in the hope that it will complicate player's game and give them even more things to have fun sorting and dealing with at the event.

			There's no suggestion that anyone has done anything wrong - the plot would be much more boring if everyone had just kept their oaths and nothing happened. The characters who stole and destroyed the hallowed items and thereby broke the oaths haven't done anything wrong - to the contrary, their actions have meant more game consequences down the line - they acted in a way that makes the game more interesting - which is something we want to encourage to do. That's why the curses here are not meant to be punitive - they're carefully designed to be roleplaying curses that a character can escape with more roleplaying at the point where they decide it's right for their character to achieve that. This curse is out of the control of the characters - but the players remain in control of the consequences and of what is happening to their character. That way people can engage with the roleplaying as much or as little as they want - depending on how much enjoyment they get from it.

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:46, 7 September 2025
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	==Deep Magic==		==Deep Magic==
	<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=Assembly_Wintermark.png\|width=200\|align=right}}{{CaptionedImage\|file=Assembly_Loyalty.png\|width=200\|align=right}}</div>		<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=Assembly_Wintermark.png\|width=200\|align=right}}{{CaptionedImage\|file=Assembly_Loyalty.png\|width=200\|align=right}}</div>
	* '''The Empire could build the Forge of ~~Oaths~~ at the Fingers in Hahnmark'''		* '''The Empire could build the Forge of Bonds at the Fingers in Hahnmark'''
	* '''Each season, the Keeper of Oaths could cut the words of a single oath into the stones of the building, to ensure that they endured'''		* '''Each season, the Keeper of Oaths could cut the words of a single oath into the stones of the building, to ensure that they endured'''
	* '''If the Keeper of Oaths recorded a solemn vow it would be much more likely to invite disaster if it were broken, due to the hearth magic of witnessing'''		* '''If the Keeper of Oaths recorded a solemn vow it would be much more likely to invite disaster if it were broken, due to the hearth magic of witnessing'''
	With the crucial importance of oaths so powerfully demonstrated, the Wintermark Assembly and the Loyalty Assembly have passed complementary judgements calling for the creation of a new position, the Oathkeeper. The idea is simple enough - build a simple edifice, one that could be looked after and maintained by the Oathkeeper - they could then immortalise the words of an oath by cutting them into the stones of the building itself, ensuring that the promise was quite literally carved in stone.		With the crucial importance of oaths so powerfully demonstrated, the Wintermark Assembly and the Loyalty Assembly have passed complementary judgements calling for the creation of a new position, the Oathkeeper. The idea is simple enough - build a simple edifice, one that could be looked after and maintained by the Oathkeeper - they could then immortalise the words of an oath by cutting them into the stones of the building itself, ensuring that the promise was quite literally carved in stone.

	Most Wintermarkers quickly agree that [[Hahnmark#The_Fingers\|the Fingers]] is the ideal location for this edifice. A Virtuous site, one that celebrates, [[Pride]], [[Loyalty]] and [[Courage]] - all crucial Virtues for those that need to find the strength to keep their vows. What better place to record the words of heroes than here, in the very spot where the formation of Wintermark is celebrated.		Most Wintermarkers quickly agree that [[Hahnmark#The_Fingers\|the Fingers]] is the ideal location for this edifice. A Virtuous site, one that celebrates, [[Pride]], [[Loyalty]] and [[Courage]] - all crucial Virtues for those that need to find the strength to keep their vows. What better place to record the words of heroes than here, in the very spot where the formation of Wintermark is celebrated?

	The idea of someone who will witness oaths, and work to ensure they are kept makes a lot of sense to many Wintermarkers, echoing as it does in many ways the role of the [[Wintermark_religious_beliefs#Stormcrow\|stormcrow]]. The folk of the Mark understand that breaking your word is one of the surest ways to warp your [[Wintermark_culture_and_customs#Skein\|skein]] in ways that can be hard to unwind. Having your oath witnessed and recorded can be invaluable in shoring up your Courage when it comes to sticking to your word. Thus, the idea of creating a sacred site, somewhere to record the most important oaths, feels ''right'' to many.		The idea of someone who will witness oaths, and work to ensure they are kept makes a lot of sense to many Wintermarkers, echoing as it does in many ways the role of the [[Wintermark_religious_beliefs#Stormcrow\|stormcrow]]. The folk of the Mark understand that breaking your word is one of the surest ways to warp your [[Wintermark_culture_and_customs#Skein\|skein]] in ways that can be hard to unwind. Having your oath witnessed and recorded can be invaluable in shoring up your Courage when it comes to sticking to your word. Thus, the idea of creating a sacred site, somewhere to record the most important oaths, feels ''right'' to many.
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	<tr><td>'''Type:''' Imperial or National</td></tr>		<tr><td>'''Type:''' Imperial or National</td></tr>
	<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Loyalty Assembly</td></tr>		<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Loyalty Assembly</td></tr>
	<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Can use a judgement in the Wintermark or Loyalty assembly to add an important oath to the walls of the Forge of ~~Oaths~~</td></tr>		<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Can use a judgement in the Wintermark or Loyalty assembly to add an important oath to the walls of the Forge of Bonds</td></tr>
	<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' The collection, preservation and upholding of important oaths</td></tr>		<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' The collection, preservation and upholding of important oaths</td></tr>
	</table></div>		</table></div>
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	On the other hand... what better way to demonstrate how important an oath is? What better way to laud those who uphold their vows?		On the other hand... what better way to demonstrate how important an oath is? What better way to laud those who uphold their vows?

	If the Empire completes the Forge of ~~Oaths~~ then the Loyalty Assembly could appoint the Keeper of Oaths to oversee it and to choose which vows were cut into the walls. It could either be a national or an Imperial position, depending on the wording of the Senate motion used to commission the edifice (it would need to be a Senate motion since it would also create a title).		If the Empire completes the Forge of Bonds, then the Loyalty Assembly could appoint the Keeper of Oaths to oversee it and to choose which vows were cut into the walls. It could either be a national or an Imperial position, depending on the wording of the Senate motion used to commission the edifice (it would need to be a Senate motion since it would also create a title).

	==Further Reading==		==Further Reading==

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	* '''How you respond to a roleplaying effect is down to your characterisation'''		* '''How you respond to a roleplaying effect is down to your characterisation'''
	All roleplaying effects describe emotions and feelings that your character is experiencing - how you react to these feelings will be dependent on your characterisation. You can't ignore the effects - even if you are able to resist the urge, you character is still experiencing it. But as a player, you choose how your character responds to the roleplaying effects they are experiencing. It is fine if your awareness of these effects, the intensity of them, naturally waxes and wanes during the event.		All roleplaying effects describe emotions and feelings that your character is experiencing - how you react to these feelings will be dependent on your characterisation. You can't ignore the effects - even if you are able to resist the urge, you character is still experiencing it. But as a player, you choose how your character responds to the roleplaying effects they are experiencing. It is fine if your awareness of these effects, the intensity of them, naturally waxes and wanes during the event.
			<!--
	<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=Assembly_Ambition.png\|width=200\|align=right}}</div>		<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=Assembly_Ambition.png\|width=200\|align=right}}</div>

	==The Ambition Assembly==		==The Ambition Assembly==
	* '''Every congregation that preached Ambition last season has gained two additional votes'''		* '''Every congregation that preached Ambition last season has gained two additional votes'''
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	The realisation that alone of those tested, only their Cardinal had the Ambition to keep their vow has inspired many in the Assembly. There is no shame for the others, who appear to have lost their hallowed items through no fault of their own. But Viviane Barossa achieved what others could not and kept her oath to the bitter end. Priests preaching Ambition to their congregations find newcomers attending their sermons for the first time, interested to learn more about the Virtue. Too late to have more liao assigned to their congregations by the civil service, but not too late to have the effects registered for their votes at the coming summit. Every congregation that preached Ambition last season has gained two additional votes. The effects will fade after the next summit.		The realisation that alone of those tested, only their Cardinal had the Ambition to keep their vow has inspired many in the Assembly. There is no shame for the others, who appear to have lost their hallowed items through no fault of their own. But Viviane Barossa achieved what others could not and kept her oath to the bitter end. Priests preaching Ambition to their congregations find newcomers attending their sermons for the first time, interested to learn more about the Virtue. Too late to have more liao assigned to their congregations by the civil service, but not too late to have the effects registered for their votes at the coming summit. Every congregation that preached Ambition last season has gained two additional votes. The effects will fade after the next summit.
			-->
	<div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap 10px;">		<div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap 10px;">
	{{SOPInner\|statement=In Winter 386YE, the Loyalty Assembly named Veikko Bondforger their Oathkeeper. Veikko has tirelessly collected the resources necessary to build an edifice and formalise this position. We seek a location in Wintermark to build this edifice. This will be an oathing place, called the Forge of Bonds, maintained by the Oathkeeper. The Oathkeeper’s responsibilities will be the collection, preservation and upholding of oaths. We welcome the suggestions that this position enable the Loyalty Assembly to commit one oath a season to those White Granite walls.\|by=Hal IronBelly, Wintermark Assembly\|vote={{GM}} 354-0\|when=Summer Solstice 378YE}}		{{SOPInner\|statement=In Winter 386YE, the Loyalty Assembly named Veikko Bondforger their Oathkeeper. Veikko has tirelessly collected the resources necessary to build an edifice and formalise this position. We seek a location in Wintermark to build this edifice. This will be an oathing place, called the Forge of Bonds, maintained by the Oathkeeper. The Oathkeeper’s responsibilities will be the collection, preservation and upholding of oaths. We welcome the suggestions that this position enable the Loyalty Assembly to commit one oath a season to those White Granite walls.\|by=Hal IronBelly, Wintermark Assembly\|vote={{GM}} 354-0\|when=Summer Solstice 378YE}}
	{{SOPInner\|statement=In Winter 386YE, we named Veikko Bondforger our Oathkeeper. They have tirelessly collected the resources necessary to build an edifice and formalise this position. We seek a location in Wintermark to build this edifice. This will be an oathing place, called the Forge of Bonds, maintained by The Oathkeeper. The Oathkeeper’s responsibilities will be the collection, preservation and upholding of oaths. We would, if possible, like to commit one oath a season to those White Granite walls.\|by=Veikko Bondforger, Loyalty Assembly\|vote={{GM}} 500-10\|when=Summer Solstice 378YE}}		{{SOPInner\|statement=In Winter 386YE, we named Veikko Bondforger our Oathkeeper. They have tirelessly collected the resources necessary to build an edifice and formalise this position. We seek a location in Wintermark to build this edifice. This will be an oathing place, called the Forge of Bonds, maintained by The Oathkeeper. The Oathkeeper’s responsibilities will be the collection, preservation and upholding of oaths. We would, if possible, like to commit one oath a season to those White Granite walls.\|by=Veikko Bondforger, Loyalty Assembly\|vote={{GM}} 500-10\|when=Summer Solstice 378YE}}
	</div>		</div>

	==Deep Magic==		==Deep Magic==
	* '''The Empire could build the Forge of Oaths at the Fingers in Hahnmark'''		* '''The Empire could build the Forge of Oaths at the Fingers in Hahnmark'''