384YE Autumn Equinox interlude

Summer turns to Autumn

Interlude

Downtime will be open shortly, allowing players to process their character's downtime choices. The Autumn Equinox winds of fortune will come out shortly before the next event. However, there are a number of significant events happening in the wake of the Summer Solstice that may affect some players' Downtime actions - primarily effects on personal resources or options for characters with military unit or fleet personal resources.

On this page we'll be outlining, and offering some context for, these various effects. In most cases, there will be further information in the Autumn Equinox Winds of Fortune. As always, these are quick OOC summaries to explain effects such as large-scale enchantments and curses. We'll cover all these and more when we start to present the Winds of Fortune for next event.

Downtime is due to close at midnight on Sunday the 7th of August.

Warfare

Any player whose character controls a military unit can choose from a number of downtime options. Left to their own devices, a military unit defaults to paid work guaranteeing an income of herbs, ingots or measures, money, or mana crystals. Otherwise, they may log into the downtime system and choose to support an army or fortification, or assign to a special project such as a spy network or one of the unique opportunities available this downtime. Players who want to support one of the Imperial armies can also read the orders issued by each general before making their decision.

As always, the guidelines around discussing military matters online can be found here.

Imperial Guerdon

The Imperial Guerdon is a bursary set up by the Imperial Senate primarily to reward military units that support Imperial armies, spy networks, and fortifications. The value of the Imperial Guerdon is divided between each military unit and fleet that supports an army in proportion to their effective strength. The Quartermaster General of the Imperial Armies has the power to exclude any or all Imperial armies and navies, fortifications, or special projects (such as spy networks) from the Guerdon. If they do so, then a character who supports such an army, fortification, or special project will receive nothing for doing so.

The Guerdon stands at 350 thrones.

This season, the Quartermaster General of the Imperial Armies has announced that shares of the Guerdon will be shared between military units supporting the following armies or opportunities:

• Green Shield
• Fire of the South
• Hounds of Glory
• Iron Helms

Loyal Pilgrims

• Highborn characters can upgrade their military unit at the cost of one fewer wains of mithril

Thanks to the influence of the Three Watchers, any Highborn character who owns a military unit can upgrade their resource for one wain of mithril less than normal. The reduced cost will appear automatically in your downtime options. A military unit can only be upgraded once each season, but they could, potentially, be upgraded every season, saving one mithril each time. This opportunity remains until the start of the Autumn Equinox 384YE.

Dawn in Brocéliande

• Until the start of the Winter Solstice 384YE, Dawn military units may receive additional rewards when supporting an army in Brocéliande

Thanks to the mandate of Ranae de Rondell, for the next year (until the start of the Winter Solstice 384YE) any Dawnish military unit that supports a Dawnish, Highborn or Navarr army that is engaged in Dark Ranging will gain additional rewards - one additional crown and two random herbs. You can learn more about this in the virtue of sharing wind of fortune.

Special Military Unit Options

In addition to the normal downtime options available to a military unit, the following special opportunities are available.

Raid Skallahn (Military)

• Military units and fleets can support the Raid Skallahn action found in the independent action dropdown
• In place of their normal production, the military unit receives rewards based on the success of the raid
• Participants in the earlier Spring raid receive a +2 rank bonus
• The Marcher and Wintermark assemblies recognised Orrick Bolholt as Marshal of the Raid

After the Spring Equinox attempt to raid the territory of Skallahn, the Empire is prepared for a second attempt with much more information and a clearer focus. Any military unit that takes part in the raid will receive rewards based on how successful it is. You can find out more about the raid in the Take it further wind of fortune.

Raid on Chalonsio (Military)

• Military units and fleets can find the Break the slave trade opportunity in the independent action dropdown
• In place of their normal production, the military unit receives rewards based on the success of the raid

The Imperial Senate has legalised the raid against Chalonsio in the Asavean Archipelago. Military units and fleets who take part will receive payment from the Sumaah Republic who are organising the raid, with additional rewards depending on its success. You can find out more about the raid in the There is thunder wind of fortune.

Red Door Raid

• Military units can find the Expedition to the Depths opportunity on the independent action dropdown
• Rewards depend on how deep the raid manages to descend
• Military units from Wintermark, Dawn, and Navarr have special advantages for this raid

The Master of the Koboldi has called for Imperial heroes to help install the Red Iron Door in the depths of the sinkhole known as Lorenzo's Deep Pockets. Military units who participate will be protecting the koboldi as they install the magical ward against the trogoni. The more strength is applied to the raid, the deeper it reaches. The assemblies of Wintermark, Dawn, and Navarr all urged their heroes to participate in the raid. As a consequence, if the raid manages to secure the ancient tunnels (at least 10,000 strength) then the heroes of Wintermark will be able to recover some of the secrets hidden in the runes there which will provide additional opportunities to the Runegrott Runeforge when it is completed. If the raid manages to accrue enough strength to make it to the Terunael mineworkings (at least 5,000 strength) then a short report will be prepared for the Advisor on the Vallorn at the Summer Solstice providing some more details of what the Terunael were doing in the mineworkings. Furthermore, if the expedition manages to make it all the way down to the trogoni burrows, the special independent action will also be available to the Dawnish to take with full effect.

Into the Twisted Woods

• Military units can take the Into the Twisted Woods action from the independent action dropdown
• Dawnish and Varushkan units are most effective when taking this action
• The action provides herbs and forest resources

The mandate enacted by Ser Dindrane of Dawn means that any military unit can take the Into the Twisted Woods action, found on the independent action dropdown. The action will be most effective when taken by Dawnish or Varushkan characters; rather than receiving random production a basic military unit, they will receive 6 random herbs and 8 random forest resources from battling orcs, exploring the woods, and seeking out opportunities for glory (or in the case of the Varushkans, opportunities to raid barbarians). An upgraded or enchanted military unit will gain proportionately more. Characters from other nations who take the opportunity will be much less effective - at the base level, they will receive 2 random herbs and 4 random forest resources.

This action is available until the start of the Spring Equinox 385YE but should the Tower of the Manticore be built in Ossium the option to take this action will become available to the people of Dawn and Varushka permanently.

Special Fleet Options

In addition to the normal downtime options available to a fleet, the following special opportunities are available.

Raid Skallahn (Fleet)

• Fleets can support the Raid Skallahn action found in the independent action dropdown
• In place of their normal production, the fleet receives rewards based on the success of the raid
• Participants in the earlier Spring raid receive a +2 rank bonus
• The Marcher and Wintermark assemblies recognised Orrick Bolholt as Marshal of the Raid

Fleets are able to take part in the raid on Skallahn. They contribute their strength both to the overall success of the raid and to achieving certain special objectives. Fleets that took part in the Spring raid receive a 2 rank bonus to their effectiveness thanks to a better understanding of the lay of the land. Fleets from nations other than Wintermark and the Marches receive a -1 rank penalty (which will also reduce the rewards they receive). You can learn more about the raid in the Take it further wind of fortune.

Raid on Chalonsio (Fleet)

• Fleets can find the Break the slave trade opportunity in the independent action dropdown
• In place of their normal production, the military unit receives rewards based on the success of the raid

Fleets are able to take part in the raid on Chalonsio. The Imperial Senate has legalised the raid against Chalonsio in the Asavean Archipelago. Fleet captains who take part will receive payment from the Sumaah Republic who are organising the raid, with additional rewards depending on its success. You can find out more about the raid in the There is thunder wind of fortune.

Other Major Effects

Every season sees large-scale effects impact individuals and nations. Where possible we've summarized these effects here.

Storms

• The effects of the Great Drought have been mitigated in Imperial territories
• Powerful storms strike all Imperial territories
• Farms and businesses in Imperial territories receive only half production
• All mines have a -1 penalty to their production

The effects of the Great Drought of 384YE have been dealt with by a combination of catastrophic storms and rejuvenating energy. The effects of the drought have been mitigated, but the immediate impact of the thundering storms means all farms and businesses have half production. Mine owners must work to prevent their mines flooding, meaning they receive -1 rank production. These effects apply to anyone in an Imperial territory.

Great Drought

• The great drought still effects Bregasland, Brocéliande, Feroz, Spiral, Liathaven, the Barrens, and Zenith
• Farms in the affected territories take a -2 penalty to production

Every farm in the area is affected by the Great Drought of 384YE. Those territories outside the reach of the Imperial regio don't benefit from the measures taken to mitigate the effect - although the good news is that they also don't suffer from the Thunderous Deluge.

Feast of Want

• Herb gardens in Zenith have been cursed

Herb gardens in Zenith are plagued by a lacklustre harvest of crops, and no amount of tending seems to be able to restore them to their full glory. All herb gardens in the territory provide three fewer true vervain than normal and one fewer does of each other herb.

Weirwater Horses

• Everyone in Weirwater who is interested in horses has a peculiar horse dream

Any person in Weirwater who has previously felt affinity or curiosity about horses has a vivid dream about riding a galloping horse on an unknown shore on a moonless night. Only those who would welcome such a dream experience it. The dreamer learns nothing about horses they did not already know, but awakes feeling exhilarated.

Blade of the Pilgrims

• Highborn congregations receive 2 fewer votes and 1 fewer liao due to the call to fight the vallorn

While the vallorn of Brocéliande has become quiescent, the threat still remains. During the Autumn Equinox, Hazelelponi of the Shattered Tower proposed a mandate that was upheld by the Highborn Assembly encouraging the congregations of Highguard to continue their efforts to oppose the vallorn. Until the start of the Autumn Equinox 384YE, every Highborn congregation produces one fewer liao and two fewer votes but may provide aid to any opportunity to fight the vallorn anywhere in the Empire.

Reject False Gods

• Congregations in Redoubt, Temeschwar, Tassato, Karsk, and Hahnmark gain two additional votes and one additional liao as long as the Synod clearly stands in opposition to idolatry

The mandate approved by the general assembly and enacted by Rafael Barossa di Tassato sends bands of architects, masons, and builders to force their way into the buildings designed by the Asavean architect and forcibly redesign them. The mandate has a number of effects, one of which is to swell with pride congregations in the territories where the buildings are found. This bonus lasts as long as the Synod maintains a clear anti-idolatry stance.

Sandfisher Tithe

• Farms in Holberg receive 2 random herbs each downtime

The Sand Fisher orcs are providing herbs to farm owners of Holberg. This effect is detailed in the A dream that can last wind of fortune.

Trade Opportunities

• Imperial fleets can trade with foreign ports and receive valuable goods
• Some ports give special bonuses or suffer special penalties

Certain trading destinations apply special effects if a fleet visits them. You can learn more about the Empire's foreign relations in the recent On the outside looking inside wind of fortune.

Mandates

• You can find details of the mandates, along with the rest of the Synod judgements, here.

Seven mandates were successfully upheld in the Imperial Synod. As per our recent update, all mandates have automatically been enacted as long as the named priest has sufficient liao in their inventory before downtime opens.

Some mandates were upheld by their respective assemblies but not enacted.

Imperial Lore

Two rituals were added to Imperial lore during the Summer Solstice.

• Muffled Oar by Lucius Ankarien Willstone
• Unending Onslaught by Ematius

Urizen Lore

At this time several rituals have been added to Urizen lore during the Summer Solstice using the Gift of Knowledge. Details are forthcoming.