After the gold rush

"A patron? Really? Can't we just carry on as we are?" Kat rarely argued with Finn, so it was particularly irritating that she chosen today of all days to undermine his authority.

"No. We can't. There's just no money to be had chasing bandits round the bloody backwoods of Holberg. We can't go on like this."

Kat shrugged, she didn't look convinced. "We do alright. That last lot we caught had three whole barrels of salted fish. I'm quite partial to trout."

Finn appealed to his second's virtue. It was a long shot, a really long shot, but he could usually find it if he dug deep enough. "Come on Kat, this is no way to make a living. Attacking bandits... thieving from thieves? We're not risking our lives for a barrel of trout. It's dangerous, it's badly paid, and it's barely legal. " He had no idea if it was legal or not, but out here in Misericorde that was not a question that got asked all that often.

"I know a ship's captain. Docks at some of the... other ports... past the Barren Sea. If we took some of them bandits prisoner... we could make some coin that way."

"No!" Finn surprised himself with how firm his voice was. He glared at Kat - she was a bloody good fighter - the best in the unit - but some times he thought she liked the fighting just a bit too much.

Kat held her hands up apologetically. "Relax" she said, "It was just a joke. I meant nothing by it."

Finn kept her gaze a little longer. "I'll head for Anvil - in the morning. Once we've got a proper patron, we'll get decent work again." His voice sound as firm as he could make it, revealing none of the worry that was eating his guts. They both knew this given how low morale was that this was the last roll of the dice.

The Contest

• Cenred Xunhand, the Thane of Hall of Xun is holding a contest to find the best story of heroism found in recent years.
• The Thane and his companions are will seek out the Scops of Wintermark at 9 o'clock on Saturday

At the Spring Equinox just gone, a Kallavesi named Alfmund Forwinsson put forward a judgement to the Imperial Synod urging the Winterfolk to remember the ways of Heroism that aren't about going to battle. The judgement encouraged the people of the Mark to recall the wisdom of the Kallavesi and the cunning of the Suaq and not to rely solely on heroism in battle.

One who agreed strongly with Alfmund's judgement is an elderly Steinr artisan named Cenred Xunhand. His daughter Erna, chose to become Suaq, and was noted for her keen mind before she was killed defending Skarsind with Britta as adjutant of the Green Shields. The call to see all forms of heroism celebrated by the Mark has driven the elderly thane to come to Anvil.

The thane intends to present a challenge to the scops of the Winterfolk to tell him the best story of heroism that doesn't involve battle. He plans to present a prize for the best such story.

The Accounter

• Vulpius, herald of Ephisis, is hosting a silent auction in the Hall of Worlds
• The auction is expected to start at 2 o'clock on Saturday, with final forms handed in at 3 o'clock

Seneschal Vulpius, herald of the Prince of Scales, has informed agents of the Imperial Bourse of their intent to run a silent auction in the Hall of Worlds at the upcoming summit. They have acquired many curios from the markets of the City of Gold and Lead and will be setting up with an intent to start at 2 o'clock on the second day of the summit.

The silent auction will have a number of items available, laid out to inspect next to a lot number. Each attendee will be provided with a sheet listing the lot numbers. Each bidder is expected to hand in their sheet by 3 o'clock, complete with their bids. Bids will be accepted in Imperial currency, mana crystals, and crafting materials. Vulpius will retire to compare bids before returning to announce the winners of each lot.

The Enigma

• Something has made its home in the other side of a Night regio in Miaren
• It has requested company, and is willing to offer rewards for new experiences

In a quiet forest, not far from the ruins of Seren, there is a small night regio. It has been there for some time, the vates of the stridings nearby will occasionally use it for the casting of rituals, or use the flowers that grow there for their tattoos.

OOC NOTE
This encounter will have low lighting, if you need to bring something to read by then it is entirely fine but please bring it yourself

Something has changed in the last three months though, since the surge of Night magic that spread across the Empire, something new has made its home in a chamber on the other side of the regio. It has sent through small tendrils of itself, to ask the people it encounters to come to it. To speak, sing and perform for it. To provide it with things that are old, and new. Things that can excite the senses, things that can dull them such that it can experience everything again.

It will only be able to journey to the chamber with assistance from one of the tendrils, and the journey will require going through the Hall of Worlds. The chamber will be opened at 11:15 in the morning on Saturday, and each visit will last roughly ten minutes, for no more than five people.

The Invite

• A herald of Malleas, secretary of Callidus, is visiting Anvil to host an open auction for an invite to a game hosted by Prospero at the Autumn Equinox
• Marquis Joueur is expected to arrive in the Hall of Worlds at 7 o'clock on Friday

Following the announcement of Prospero hosting a game of Threadweaver at the Autumn Equinox, some more information has come to light. Each eternal of the Autumn realm has received an invite to the game. The Prince of the Argent Tontine gave, or perhaps lost, his to the secretary Malleas, who has instructed one of his own heralds to attend the Hall of Worlds to see if they will match the offer made by one of the Broken Shore.

Marquis Joueur is expected to arrive in the Hall of Worlds at seven o'clock on the first night of the summit. The herald will then leave the Hall of Worlds to Anvil to go to the Brass Coast camp to try to find a usable location for the auction, with the intent of starting the auction at half past seven. Marquis Joueur will have some information regarding the "reserve price" for those who might wish to know such things.

The Ship

• This rank three fleet will be available for purchase on the Bourse public auction; 7 o'clock Saturday
• The owner, having engaged in trade with Maragladia, wishes to retire from active trade with their wealth

The Passion of Flame is a single, swift double-masted ship owned by Alejandro i Galiano i Erigo. Alejandro, and their crew, spent the better part of last year travelling to and from the port of Maragladia in the Asavean Archipelago. The dhomiro of the Galiano family has said that after seeing the state of some of the slaves in Maragladia they wish to see no more of the foreign nations, and will instead look to farming olives during retirement.

The Passion of Flame is based out of the town of Calvos, and has been reinforced with weirwood twice. It is due to go up in the second set of lots, at 7 o'clock on the second day of the summit. The winner of the lot will be able to replace their personal resource with this fleet.

The Revelry (Reprise)

• The Revelry is a rank two military unit comprised of former bandits operating out of Holberg
• Some of their number are coming to Anvil on Saturday to find a new patron

With the liberation of Holberg in Spring 379YE, the Military Council were offered a number of spoils of war native to the territory to award to those they saw fit. The Revelry went to Andrea von Holberg, later general of the Towerjacks. After the death of their leader, the Revelry turned back to the forests of Misericorde, fighting the groups of bandits that still infested the woods, and recruiting others back into the arms of the Empire.

Since they have returned from their self-imposed exile they have served as caravan guards, and as protection for certain merchant princes. Finn von Holberg, the acting quartermaster, is coming to Anvil to speak to those in guilds and free companies based in Holberg, in search of a new patron for their force. Finn intends to report to whichever egregore of the League they find first.