Bound by Common Cause

Rules

Performing the Ritual

Performing this ritual takes at least 10 minutes of roleplaying. If the ritual is cast using the Imperial Regio it requires at least 5 minutes of roleplaying instead.

This ritual targets an Imperial army. The general responsible for the army (or the egregore if the general is not at Anvil) must be present throughout.

This ritual is an enchantment. A target may only be under one enchantment effect at a time.

Effects

This ritual makes it easier for the soldiers in a campaign army to work with friendly or neutral local populations to provide improved logistics and support. Provided the army ends its move in an Imperial territory, and takes a defending order, then over the course of the next season the upkeep required from the Imperial treasury to support that army is reduced by 20 thrones.

This effect is cumulative with reductions in upkeep related to orders such as Billet, but cannot reduce the upkeep of an army below 10 thrones (or 15 thrones for a large army). The ritual has no effect if the general issues an attacking order.

Soldiers in the army will reach out to the inhabitants of the territory, seeking to work with them, getting to know them and their concerns, and offering assistance where they can. The exact nature depends on the people and the nation the army belongs to. People in a Marcher territory might value hard work and welcome additional hands on their farms, while a Freeborn territory might encourage soldiers to seek out opportunities to spend money in local businesses. The effect is subtle but widespread. It enables the army to find supplies and resources to support itself without depleting the local economy, or angering the people who live in the territory.

If the territory is threatened, whether by an enemy army, natural disaster, or other similar large-scale emergency, the soldiers are in an ideal position to work with the populace to confront that disaster. The exact effect, if any, depends again on the nature of the army and the local population. Examples might include an Imperial Orc or Highborn army helping to smooth conflicts between orcs and humans, a Navarr army helping preserve roads or fight unexpected vallorn incursions, or a League army helping to shore up levies and repair bridges in the wake of a tumultuous storm. The mechanical effects are impossible to predict or direct, but will be influenced by, and may influence, any opportunities that exist to make a concrete contribution.

While the enchantment persists, the general responsible for the army experiences a roleplaying effect: you feel a bond of connection with anyone who is not your ally; it is strongest with your close friends and family but extends even to strangers provided they are not hostile to you. You feel an urge to get to know people better, to find areas of common interest, and to consider actions that might provide mutual benefit. Relationships based on exploitation or deception feel deeply unpleasant, and it is hard to avoid speaking out in opposition to them. At the same time it is easy to praise any course of action built on trust, cooperation, and mutual benefit.

The effect lasts until the start of the next Profound Decisions Empire event.

Additional Targets

This ritual can affect additional armies from the same Empire. The general responsible for each army must be present throughout the ritual. Each additional target increases the magnitude by 60.

Description

This ritual empowers and enhances an army, drawing on potent Autumn resonances of bands, influence, and trade. The enchantment improves the logistics of the campaign army, harmonizing the needs of various parts, and smoothing over inefficiencies or the impact of bad luck or chaotic events. More importantly, it provides a subtle supernatural improvement to the ability of individual soldiers to perceive and create bonds with anyone who is not actively in opposition to them. As with many Autumn magic effects, an element of manipulation of serendipity and chance is also at work, gently nudging soldiers and folk near the army into positions where they can mutually benefit one another. It makes it easy for individuals to see the places where their ambitions and goals overlap with those they speak to, and quietly urges them to engage in reciprocal arrangements, often trading time and labour for food, money, or prestige.

Bound by Common Cause has a profound weakness in that its subtle magic finds no purchase on those who are not already somewhat predisposed towards the soldiers it enchants. It has no effect on those actively hostile to the army, such as members of barbarian nations, but it also fails to work with individuals or factions that are afraid of, jealous of, or contemptuous of the army and its soldiers. Unless the initial seed of common cause exists, the magic finds nothing to work with. As such, it is effective only in Imperial territories, and is of no use in dealing with anyone who is not at least indifferent to the Empire. It is no match for orders such as Break the Chains, for example.

The benefits to the army itself are obvious, but there are also benefits to the people of the territory where that army is located. Usually this just means that the soldiers and the local populace gain a deeper appreciation for each other, reinforcing existing bonds of trust and respect between Imperial citizens. Sometimes it may have a more profound effect, however. An army Bound by Common Cause finds it a lot easier to predict and respond to threats to the people of a territory. It doesn't increase their ability to fight off an invading army, but it will put them in much better stead for ensuring threatened civilians are able to get to safety. It may help counter raids from barbarian warbands, or reduce the deaths caused by a natural disaster. It might even provide advance warning of a growing threat, although it is no match for committed espionage or intelligence gathering. As with all such large-scale effects the impact of the enchantment, if any, depends entirely on the circumstances.

Common Elements

This ritual enhances an army, and the general provides a vital focus for delivering the magic. A banner or standard, as a symbol of identity and the Law of Dominion is a powerful element to include, but it is just as common to surround the general with images of other nations and affiliations than their own. This is especially useful if they represent the people the generals army will be spending the next season among. For example, a Dawnish general who plans to bring their army to Mitwold for furlough might be surrounded by symbols of Marcher armies and the households of Mitwold.

Other common elements include the invocation of paragons and exemplars of Wisdom, Loyalty, and Prosperity; beasts or legendary creatures with particular importance to the target or their allies; the constellation of the Chain; the Runes of Loyalty and Thought. In the Empire, having representatives of as many Imperial nations as possible, or ideally having the ritual performed by a coven from a nation other than that of the general, has a strong resonance with the ritual's power.

The eternals Prospero and Ephisis both have an interest in this ritual albeit for different reasons, but neither is entirely comfortable with the enchantment's focus on mutual benefit. Residents of the City of Locks and the City of Chains despise this ritual and would likely be happy to see it removed entirely from Imperial lore.