Burying the lede

The Empire is a powerful nation, but it has five equally powerful siblings who want very different things.

Overview

The are six great powers in the Known World, and the Empire is only one of them. It has a close alliance - the Liberty Pact - with the Commonwealth and the Sumaah Republic. It is at war with one of them - the Asavean Archipelago - and has terrible relations with another - the magocratic Principalities of Jarm. The last nation is the Sarcophan Delves, that holds the freedom to trade with whoever it wishes as the only one worth seeking.

There are also countless smaller nations in the Known World, but only those that neighbour the Empire are of any particular importance to Imperial citizens. While smaller than the Empire, Faraden, Axos, the Iron Confederacy, Otkodov, and the Broken Shore all exert an unexpected level of influence over their larger neighbour. Yet at the same time, they are broadly irrelevant to the other Great Powers - as are the penumbra of smaller countries that surround each of them in turn.

Every nation, whether grand or not, has its own unique culture, ambitions, goals, and attitudes. All too often, these agendas are at odds with those of Imperial citizens.

The Price of Freedom

• Asavea remains formally at war with the Empire
• In light of the Empire's missionary work, the Plenum is discussing increasing their support for the Grendel
• The Plenum are blaming the Empire for the deaths of the Tarquinius family and calling for retaliation against Imperial ambassadors

Asavea declared war on the Empire during the Autumn Equinox 384YE, following the attack on Chalonsio. The Plenum were outraged by what they saw as unprovoked attack and they have been open about their determination to take revenge for the Empire's role in razing one of their cities. It is too far for their navies to reach the Empire, so instead they sent three powerful warships, with detachments of marines to offer support for the Grendel. Governor Rahab gave them tacit permission to destroy the settlement on the Isle of Osseini but it was not until the Grendel formally declared war on the Empire that they were truly let off the leash. They joined the Grendel in the attack on Siroc and then their allies watched as their soldiers gleefully fired the city.

Any hope that that might present an opportunity end this conflict have been dashed. Those who saw their homes burned have vowed revenge. On top of that the Synod's decision to send missionaries to Asavea has added fuel to the fire. The Plenum is openly decrying this latest action by the Empire, claiming it is an attempt to overthrow the ruling families and replace them with a theocracy populated by fantatics - like Sumaah.

As a result they are openly discussing expanding the range of support they offer the Grendel. More warships is one option, supplies of coin, mithril and weirwood are another. At present the Plenum is split over the issue. Apparently something happened to upset the Asaveans, and the Grendel are unlikely to obtain further support until "the Sanguinosa Incident" is dealt with to the satisfaction of the Plenum.

To add fuel to the fire, the bloody murder of the Tarquinnius family has sent ripples of fear through the Plenum. There is no direct evidence linking the attack to the Empire, but almost as many Asaveans are pointing the finger at the Empire as the Sumaah. There is open talk of retribution and retaliation, with members of the Plenum openly calling for assassins to be hired to hit back at their enemies. Thus far, there's no news of whether actual assassins have been hired, but the Plenum families are wealthy and would hardly need to wait on a general consensus to send killers to the Empire. Imperial Ambassadors are warned to be on their guard.

A Fleeting Offer

• The Duke of Arbonne is holding an auction for the salvage rights to part of the Freeborn navy Golden Fleet,
• There is a conjunction for 20 people to the Duke's lands in Anduz Watch, in Laufette, Arbonne at 22:30 on Saturday
• This is a combat unlikely encounter
• The Duke of Arbonne has given the Ambassador to the Iron Confederacy the right to determine which Imperial citizens may attend

Golden Fleet Salvagemaster

Commission Type: Ministry

Location: Arbonne

Cost: Rights to be auctioned by the Duke

Effect: Allows access to the wreckage fo the Golden Fleet

Wreckage of the Golden Fleet

Type: National, Winner of the Auction

Appointment: Tally of the Votes

Powers: May recover weirwood from the wreckage of the Golden Fleet

Recovery
4 thrones	5 weirwood
12 thrones	10 weirwood
30 thrones	15 weirwood

Fisherfolk ruled by the Duke or Arbonne, have located the wrecks of several Imperial vessels in shallow waters near the Duke's lands. Merrow have dived the wrecks, and confirmed that those they have examined so far are vessels from the Freeborn navy the Golden Fleet, part of the armada put together nearly two centuries ago by Emperor Barabbas. It appears that the navy, or a significant part of it at least, went down in these waters, probably with the loss of all hands. The merrow find the water here perishingly hard to breathe and bitingly cold, which makes salvage difficult, but it appears it has meant that the sunken vessels are astonishingly well preserved.

After careful discussion with the civil service, the Duke has elected to allow individual nations of the Empire to bid for salvage rights to the ships. They have invited each nation to send a delegation to take part in the auction. They have also invited delegations from other nations, including the Grendel and others.

Having made a preliminary survey of the wrecks, the civil service confirm that it would be attempt recovery. Of course these vessels are no longer sea-worthy, but they are in remarkably good condition so it would be possible to recover some of the precious weirwood timber. It would be expensive, but the nation that won the lottery would effectively win access to a weirwood ministry that allowed them to purchase weirwood timber recovered from the wrecks. It would need a suitable Imperial title to oversee operations. It would not require a commission but as a national position it would have to be appointed by Tally of the Votes.

There are a lot of ships in the Duke's waters, but the supply is finite: four years of salvage would be the most you would get, regardless of how fast the weirwood was recovered. There is additionally another option: the fishing fleet that raised the wreck pulled up some interesting items, likely the possessions of those aboard the navy. Given that the navy carried Emperor Barabbas himself, who knows what could be down there? His body was never found, after all. Unfortunately, any effort to dredge up the weirwood would destroy or bury the relics, and the careful work needed to dive for the historical trinkets will remove any possibility of harvesting the wood. It seems it's one or the other - a predictable return of weirwood or an unpredictable haul of old relics.

The auction is being held in the Duke's lands in Arbonne, at Anduz Watch in Laufette. Fortunately, it is close enough to the border that there is a conjunction of the Sentinel Gate for up to 20 people that will allow them to travel there in time for the auction. Having liaised with the Duke's office, the Duke has informed the Empire that he expects the Ambassador to the Iron Confederacy to be responsible for who attends the auction and for their behaviour while they are there. In practical terms that means the Ambassador is responsible for this conjunction.

Caitun Merchants

• A representative of the Chusciorzi merchant family is coming to Anvil to talk to whoever slew the kraken in the Sea of Snow
• Grenehal Chusciorzi will be arriving at 13:00 on Saturday and journeying first to the hub

News of the first successful killing in living memory of the a kraken has made it back to Faraden and a representative of the Chusciorzi family - a middlingly wealthy merchant family from Caitun is visiting Anvil to talk to whoever achieved this monumental task. Grenehal Chusciorzi, a scion of the family, is visiting Anvil on the second day of the summit to talk to whoever it is that is responsible for the slaying of the great monsters.

Sarcophan Delves

The Celestial Arch sends the members of their order to meet with magicians of the Sarcophan Delves to learn what they can about removing the blight spread by the Dry Patricians.

Ashborn Trosk, on behalf of the Celestial Arch

• Representatives of the Celestial Arch were hosted in Sarcophan over the past season
• The Bedelaar Huisbaas are willing to offer their services once the threat of the Dry Patricians is dealt with

Last season the Conclave upheld a decaration raised by Ashborn Trosk on behalf of the Celestial Arch to encourage the order to visit the Sarcophan Delves. Dozens of magicians made the journey south across the Sea of Teeth to meet with their counterparts in the foreign nations. Others remained in the Empire to discuss the matter with Sarcophan who have set up enclaves on Imperial soil.

The Bedelaar Huisbaas are willing to offer support on the reclamation of the blighted land, but only once the threat of the Dry Patricians is dealt with. Once their power is broken then they will send a delegation to look over the situation and see what can best be done to ensure the most profit.

Participation: Celestial Arch

Any magician in the Celestial Arch can roleplay having either been to the Sarcophan Delves or having visited one of the many Sarcophan holdings in the Empire. Appropriate stories would involve hard bartering, rampant capitalism, and the Sarcophans unwilling to promise anything beyond what you have already paid for.

Ehsan's Sibling

• The sibling of Ehsan will be visiting Anvil to talk with Ambassador to the Grendel and the Imperial Consul
• The emissary will arrive at 23:00 on Friday and go to the Senate building

As previously reported the sibling of Salt Lord Ehsan will be visiting Anvil to discuss the matter of Beoraidh and Sinfoyard and declarations of peace with both the Ambassador to the Grendel and the Imperial Consul.

The emissary will arrive at 23:00 on Friday and go straight to the Senate building. If the Senate is still in session then they will instead go to the Hub, assumedly with the Ambbasador to the Grendel, to await the Consul and start discussion on the treaty.

The Sugar Man

The only bad drink is one without sugar

Golden Sugar Cartel

• The ongoing offer for the ambassadors' missives to be delivered free of charge to their counterparts has been made permanent
• The offer continues to only apply to the Ambassadors; the Imperial Consul is not included

Vito Danierri de Sarvos has seen a remarkable take-up from the ambassadors of the Empire in his offer to deliver their messages to their foreign nation (or barbarian) counterparts. The wily septuagenarian has pledged to continue supporting the ambassadors in this way for as long as he is head of the Golden Sugar Cartel and has an assurance from his chosen successor to continue the practice.

OOC Note: Players whose characters are an ambassador can email plot@profounddecisions.co.uk a letter after each event but before downtime ends. The letter must follow the same restrictions as those for a single Call Winged Messenger.

A Consistent Approach

• Going forward Ambassadorial briefings will be available on the wiki

Following numerous requests for previous ambassadorial briefings, the civil service have determined that the most effective way for them to support Imperial diplomatic efforts is to change the way they deliver those briefings. Going forward, they will be taking a leaf from the Department of Historical Research, and ensuring that briefings are available to any citizen who requests access to them. They will not be producing previous briefings, but starting with the Spring Equinox all ambassador briefings will be a matter of public record. This will allow for a much more coherent approach to Imperial diplomacy, with successive ambassadors being aware of what their predecessors have been told.

OOC Note: As with historical research and plenipotentiaries, going forward we'll add ambassador briefings to the wiki. The actual letters sent to foreign powers will remain private, as will any direct replies, but the civil service compiled briefings will be available for anyone to read. In character, they will only be available to Imperial citizens, in line with our general guidelines about non-player character spying.