The Prosperity of Good Walder

"Picked 'em out of a hat."

"What?" Simeon stared at the civil servant. He'd obviously misheard, so it was only fair to give the fellow a chance to correct himself. He knew these people didn't like him much, they'd made it pretty clear that they didn't want all the help he'd given them, but this was beyond the pale.

"Yeah... there were loads... it were just impossible to tell which one had the best claim. Couldn't exactly run a prognostication on all of 'em could we? Not with the Synod giving us so many to do at once. So in the end Barry suggested we put 'em all in a hat and just pick a couple out. So that's what we did. I were pleased Corwin's Thump won mind. I reckon them greedy buggers clogging up the Bourse could do with a bit of thwacking!"

"A... a... hat?" Simeon was struggling to find words to express their sense of outrage.

"Yeah. A hat. I think I've still got the hat we used... it's round here somewhere. Oh, there it is. Hmmm... no aura on it. Pity. Like I said - there were loads of them. Loads and loads and loads of 'em. Like half the Marches has a place wi' a tie to the Good Walder within a country mile. And that chantry in Highguard that reckons they've got Good Walder's thighbone or something. That place over in Dawn with the trees. That well in Miaren. Them dry stone walls in Tassato they say he banged up all by 'imself to prove a point. The list were endless. Everyone wi' a bit of bone or a magic apple or a fancy cooking pot. And cudgels?... We've got a whole page just on sticks alone."

"So you picked the three locations you're suggesting for the inspirational tomb of one of the Empire's most important paragons out of a hat?"

"Nooooo!" the old Marcher shook his head and screwed up his face to show how ridiculous that suggestion was. "Synod picked that one. We pulled the other two out of a hat."

Simeon's eyes narrowed and his lips pursed as he stared at the Marcher. The man just stared back at him with a deadpan expression like butter wouldn't melt in his mouth.

Depictions of Good Walder, Paragon of Prosperity, invariably show them carrying a stout stick with which to beat the unvirtuous.

Overview

• Good Walder is a Paragon of Prosperity
• Grey Stone requested a writ of consecration be provided to create an inspirational location in their memory, and the Assembly of Prosperity concurred

During the Winter Solstice, the Imperial Synod passed the first writs of consecration. This new judgement governs the use of true liao to create inspirational locations. The virtue assembly of Prosperity enacted a judgement calling for a memorial to the legendary paragon Good Walder.

The judgement specifically mentioned the slightly contentious Good Walder's Orchard in Mitwold as the obvious site for such a memorial. The civil service considered this site, along with several others. In each case, they propose a structure be built to support the pilgrims that will visit the location, a commission that will need to be completed before the inspirational location has any particular effect.

They've now returned that information for the consideration of the General Assembly. If one of these mandates is enacted then following the Spring Equinox work can begin creating the inspirational location.

The Prosperity of Good Walder

• Good Walder is a legendary figure who teaches the importance of rewarding the virtuous and punishing the wicked
• While they are strongly associated with the Marches they are known and loved across the Empire

Good Walder was recognised by the Imperial Synod as a paragon of Prosperity during the reign of the First Empress, making him one of the oldest such figures in the Way. He exists primarily in stories, and his tales have been told in the Marches since the foundation of the Empire, many of them having roots that can be traced back to the first decades after their departure from Dawn. These days, Good Walder is known across the Empire, although individual nations usually put a spin on his teachings and inspiration. There are some who believe that as tales of Good Walder spread, so the prosperity of the Marches increases, although most scholars consider this to be an amusing conceit rather than anything based in fact. Regardless, in the modern Empire, the image of a smiling man with a sack of fruit and corn, and fat money pouch, leaning on a stout cudgel, is a common symbol for Prosperity in every nation.

When Good Walder's Orchard was created in 383YE, it was with the stated intention that it later be raised as an inspirational tomb. It is past time that this were done. The Prosperity assembly urges the consecration of Good Walder's Orchard as an inspirational tomb, that Good Walder's teachings of hard work and virtuous rewards may drive citizens across the Empire in pursuit of true Prosperity.

Rey Stone, Writ of Consecration, Assembly of Prosperity, Winter Solstice 385YE, Vote: Greater Majority 260-0

Generosity and a Big Stick

• Regardless of where is chosen, an inspirational location for Good Walder will increase the prestige of the Prosperity assembly
• It may also have additional unpredictable effects related to the location chosen

The Civil service are a bit nervous of putting anything down on paper. It's hard to predict what an inspirational location dedicated to this well-loved and well-known figure might have. Unlike some inspirational figures, the core of his inspiration is fairly straightforward: the virtuous should be rewarded, and the unvirtuous should be beaten with sticks. The Prosperous have rarely had too much problem putting his teachings into practice, but an actual inspirational location would greatly amplify his lessons at least in the immediate future. The location picked for the consecration will certainly have an effect as well; one focuses more on the lessons around rewarding the generous, the hard-working, and the sincere; the other leans into the lessons around punishing the greedy, the stingy, and the lazy.

Good Walder's Lodge

Commission Type: Folly

Cost: 20 white granite and 60 crowns; three months

Requirement: Must be consecrated with true liao once completed

Requirement: Must be built at Corwin's Thump, Upwold or the Abbey of Harry's Pot, Mitwold

Effect: Establishes a lodge and inspires pilgrims of the Way

The civil service have examined the matter thoroughly and have proposed three possible locations. In each case, a suitable shrine would need to be built to honour the paragon. The civil service proposes that a lodging house for pilgrims who visit the area, along with a library where records of Good Walder's stories, and lists of the virtuous and the unvirtuous, might be maintained. Such a structure would ultimately be a folly, requiring a minimum of 20 wains of white granite and 60 crowns in labour costs. It would take three months to complete, and would require a suitable commission.

Regardless of where the inspirational location is built, however, the mere act of creating it will increase the influence of the Prosperity Assembly.

Reward the Virtuous

• The Roll of Benefactors could be used to identify virtuous folk deserving of reward

Once the consecration were performed, the inspiration it provides would give the Prosperity assembly the ability to rally those who look to Good Walder for inspiration, using their ability to name virtuous citizens to the Roll of Benefactors. Since it was created in 382YE it has been used only once. With the inspiration of Good Walder, its purpose would be expanded to include recognising truly prosperous citizens regardless of their role in Senate projects.

Once each season the Assembly could use a statement of principle to name a virtuous citizen, along with the deeds they have undertaken that are truly prosperous. If the statement achieved a greater majority (and in the case of more than one in the same season, only the one with the greatest margin would be successful), that person would be marked as someone worthy of the generosity of the virtuous. The Order of the Sack, and other priests who preach prosperity, would ensure the judgement was spread far and wide, especially among those who do business with the named individual.

Provided their personal resource was not upgraded, over the coming season it would be improved by one rank without needing to use any wains or money. If their personal resource was already upgraded, then in would be increased by three ranks for the following season only.

Their name and deeds would also be added to the roll of benefactors as a "prosperous spirit."

Punish the Wicked

• The judgement of Sanction could be used to direct the ire of the virtuous toward the wicked

Good Walder also had an angrier side. The paragon was never shy about dishing out punishments - direct or otherwise - to those who were deemed undeserving. Regardless of what other effects the inspirational location might have, it would grant additional credence to the Prosperity assembly when they castigate or condemn individuals for lack of virtue.

If such a judgement of Sanction received a greater majority, the Fellows of the Stout Stick will make sure everyone knows of it, and pilgrims dedicated to Prosperity would spread the news far and wide. Someone who was castigated would find that people began to shun them, especially in business. For a year following the castigation they would suffer a one-rank penalty to their personal resource, regardless of what it was. If they were condemned, that penalty would increase to two ranks. The only way to end the penalty early would be for the Prosperity assembly to pass a sanction of vindication with a greater majority indicating the target has learned their lesson.

The Virtuous List

• There would likely be other subtle benefits related to the politics of Prosperity, spread by the pilgrims visiting the site

Among many pilgrims, the Assembly of Prosperity is seen as an active political force that already upholds the lessons of Good Walder. A true consecration to a paragon such as Good Walder makes a powerful statement about the importance of rewarding the hard working, the generous, and the thrifty while also promoting willingness to punish the greedy, the selfish, and the slothful. It will inevitably cause pilgrims to take a hard look at how the Empire treats its citizens, and it's not possible even for the Prognosticators' Office to speak with any certainty about what that might mean. At the very least it will likely mean increased discussion about the role of the Virtue Fund and the judgement of rewarding as a tool for recognising virtue (the Forwards and Rewards wind of fortune talks about this in some detail). It might also see additional attention paid to the judgements of the Prosperity assembly relating to just recompense for labour or exposing corruption or unvirtuous behaviour. It may also see additional attention focused on the inquisitorial court, especially with regard to the Basilisk of the Bourse and the Auditor of Senatorial Accountability and their roles in judging the prosperity of important individuals. The Order of the Virtuous List are all but gone, but its not impossible that promoting Good Walder in this way may see a resurgence of interest in their approach to Prosperity.

Inspirations

• The civil service have identified three possible sites for the inspirational location
• Which one is chosen will determine whether there are any additional minor effects of the consecration, and what form they are likely to take

Just as importantly, however, the consecrated lodge would attract pilgrims to the memorial. The nature of the inspiration it provided them, and the kinds of people who would visit, would be different depending on where it was built. Some flavour of what form this inspiration might take can be guessed at, but it's not possible to predict what, if any, additional impact the inspirational location would have until it was built and consecrated, however, but the results are likely to be subtle.

Three mandates have been presented, to allow the General Assembly to choose which of the opportunities to pursue.

Good Walder was an inspiration to the prosperous regardless of where his last resting place is found. We send (named priest) with a dose of true liao to consecrate the shrine at Good Walder's Orchard in Mitwold in the name of Prosperity.

Synod Mandate, General Assembly

Good Walder was an inspiration to all those who know that the unvirtuous should face punishment and condemnation. We send (named priest) with a dose of true liao to consecrate a pilgrims lodge at Corwin's Thump in Upwold in the name of Prosperity.

Synod Mandate, General Assembly

Good Walder was an inspiration to all those who know that virtue should be recognised and rewarded. We send (named priest) with a dose of true liao to consecrate a pilgrims lodge at the Abbey of Harry's Pot in Mitwold in the name of Prosperity.

Synod Mandate, General Assembly

Tom Appleseed has been the proud Keeper of the Orchard since the site was declared the resting place of the paragon.

Good Walder's Orchard

• Good Walder's Orchard in Mitwold is one of a number of places said to be the resting place of Good Walder's bones
• The location already has the equivalent of a lodge, so no new commission would be needed

Good Walder's Orchard, lies just south of Hay in Mitwold. Stories claim it is the resting place of Good Walder himself, beneath an ancient apple tree at its center. That same old tree never gives many apples, but the ones that do ripen are said to be particularly fine. In the summer of 382YE, there were reports of an unexpectedly big harvest from the old tree - that it literally groaned with fruit, and so did its neighbours. Inevitably - with all the rumours of Good Walder flying about at the time - local folk began calling it a miracle. The friars of Hay made representation to the nation at the following Autumn summit, claiming that if the strange harvest was a miracle then it was a miracle of Prosperity. The Keeper of the Orchard, appointed by the Marcher assembly, is responsible for looking after the trees, and claiming the bright red apples that grow there.

The orchard itself already attracts pilgrims, mostly from across the Marches. Its main claim to be an inspirational location comes from the assertion that it is the resting place of Good Walder's actual bones. One minor fly in the ointment comes in the form of a torchbearer called Agrippa who insists on pointing out that any association between the orchard and Good Walder is purely circumstantial. They are adamant that there is no evidence his body is interred here, and there are at least eight other orchards in Mitwold alone that make similar claims to be the resting place of the paragon, never mind the other three Marcher territories. When one looks to the wider Empire there are sites in Necropolis, Astolat, Miaren, Tassato, Hahnmark, and Karov that could all make a claim to be the actual resting place of Good Walder. Agrippa claims that if the area is consecrated with true liao, nobody will ever know the truth.

This point is firmly rebutted by Simeon, one of the archivists of the Lepidean Library, who points out that what is inspirational about Good Walder is his life, his deeds and his story and his lessons, not where his bones lie. Since it is unlikely that anyone will ever know for certain where Good Walder was finally buried, it makes no sense to allow a punctilious obsession with minor historical details to derail what is an important and inspirational tale. What matters now is where Good Walder should be buried not where they actually are buried and thus Good Walder's Orchard is the ideal location.

This controversy won't prevent an inspirational location established here from having the effects listed above, but there'd be no additional impact from consecrating a travellers lodge at Good Walder's Orchard. The big advantage of consecrating the Orchard is that there is already an existing structure here that is more than big enough to encompass what is needed for an inspirational location, so no new commission would be needed.

Corwin's Thump: the Stick

• Corwin's Thump in Upwold resonates with the inspiration of Good Walder as a punisher of the unvirtuous

A second suitable site is located in Upwold. Still in the Marches, in Ashbrook half-way between Ashill and Stockland, is Corwin's Thump. A low hill, it is apparently the site of one of Good Walder's most storied run-ins with someone considered worthy of the paragons wrath. According to the tale, of which there are numerous variations, Corwin was a steward who was known for giving himself airs-and-graces and considering himself better than other yeomen. He was stingy with his wealth, bad natured, inhospitable, and generally an all-around bad sort. Good Walder, hearing of his miserly ways, approached in disguise as a labourer and did a back-breaking week of work in the Summer fields. So stingy was Corwin of Ashill that he charged his labourers for every cup of water from his well, even in the height of Summer. At the end of the week, when Good Walder demanded his wages, Corwin triumphantly presented the bill for the water he had drunk and when he argued had him thrown in a ditch. Good Walder returned, furious, and struck Corwin with his stout cudgel once for each example of his egregiously unprosperous behaviour, and when the final blow was struck, the wicked steward was transformed into a flock of crows who fled to all corners of Upwold. To this day, some Marcher parents tell their children that the wicked crows that eat the seed in Spring are descended from Corwin, calling his name in a vain attempt to convince Good Walder to return and restore them to human shape.

The Fellows of the Stout Stick maintain a small shrine by the road that passes Corwin's Thump, and this could be the basis for an inspirational location that focused on the angrier inspirations of Good Walder. If there are additional effects from the consecration, they will focus more on the need to identify and expose the thieving bandit, the lazy wastrel, the grasping miser, and those who take without giving.

The Abbey of Harry's Pot

• The Abbey of Harry's Pot resonates strongly with the inspiration of Good Walder as one who rewards the virtuous

In the Golden Downs of Mitwold stands the Abbey of Harry's Pot. it is an old monastery surrounded by fields of wheat, cabbage, and potato, also known for its herb gardens. The monks there are dedicated to Prosperity and the stories of Good Walder, and preach the philosophy of the Order of the Sack - that the virtuous should be rewarded. The abbey takes its name from an old cooking pot that stands in a small shrine just inside the walls.

According to the story, a long time ago a famine struck the Marches. Crops and animals alike became sickly or died, and disease was rampant. Hungry and tired, Good Walder came to the village of Badnock. He went door to door, offering to do hard labour in return for a little food and drink and a place to take refuge from the miserable rain. Door after door, he was turned away, until he came at last to the little farm run by Harry of Badnock, a notorious curmudgeon known for the furious barking of her dogs. When Good Walder made his request, Harry put him to work mending fences, gathering stones from the fields, chopping firewood, and carrying water from the well. Good Walder completed each task without complaining, and when evening came he was invited to join Harry and her family. They had no more than their neighbours, but had prepared a soup that was as much stone as it was broth. Yet Harry didn't stint; Good Walder received as full a bowl as her kith and kin who shared the table with him. And then, to the startlement of everyone present, Good Walder asked for seconds. Harry might have lost her temper, but she ladled a second bowl of soup for the hungry labourer. Then Harry's youngest asks the same, and another bowl is provided. Amazingly, the pot continued to provide soup for everyone at the table to fill their belly and more, and when the morning came, and Good Walder joined the family after a night in the hayloft, the pot still hadn't emptied. Good Walder moved on, but the miraculous pot continued to dispense wholesome soup through the autumn and winter and well into the next Spring, and Harry of Badnock shared that marvellous bounty with her neighbours as well as her family. After a successful Spring planting, the pot provided one final meal that was said to be the finest anyone had ever tasted. Then it lost all miraculous properties and was just an old metal pot again. Harry of Badnock went on to be steward of Golden Downs, and it was said that nobody in the whole of Mitwold laid a table as rich as that of the notorious curmudgeon.

The abbot is happy to show the pot to anyone who wishes, and examination indicates it bears an aura that is both durable and strong as anything created with true liao that reminds anyone who handles it of the importance of ensuring everyone gets their fair share when they work hard. If there are additional effects from the consecration, they will focus more on the need to ensure that all that is worthwhile is shared with those who deserve it, and that those who work hard claim the just rewards for their neighbours.

Timing

• The writ of consecration creates a mandate that must be enacted at the Spring Equinox
• Work on the commission can begin at the same time, or at any point after the site is consecrated

A writ of consecration creates a mandate in the General Assembly. Like most other mandates, it must be passed during the summit where it is presented. If it isn't enacted, a new writ of consecration would be required - the process would essentially start again - but unless circumstances change significantly the civil service recommendations and assessments would remain the same.

In the case of Good Walder, a consecration alone is not sufficient to create the inspirational location; a commission is also required. The commission can be constructed at any time, but will not do anything unless the site is also consecrated. The ideal scenario would be to enact the consecration mandate, and commission the school at the same summit but it's possible to consecrate the site and then at a later date build the school.

Afterwards, they drank their tea together in silence, enjoying one another's company.

"Did you really pick the names out of a hat?" Mary asked.

Her husband guffawed. "Nah, course not. Took us bloody forever and that were with the help of them folks from Meade and the Hintown fella. Orchard has as good a claim as any, and the other two are good solid stories. But I weren't telling him that. He were proper getting on me last nerve with all that 'If I could just make a suggestion...' and 'Would it help if I...' bobbins."

Mary cocked an eyebrow, and her husband looked a little sheepish, knowing he'd been acting like a child rather than a respectable civil servant.

"Lovely spot of tea this," he said in a brave attempt to change the subject.

"Hmmmm," said his wife.

They continued to drink, and outside the rain continued to fall.