Seize the moments

Sart lifted the long wooden skewer from the heat. The meat was cooked through, which was good since the vegetables were starting to blacken a little. Almost perfect, he thought, almost. Oh well, perfect was the enemy of good someone once said. He lifted a second wooden skewer from the fire, and passed it to Gillig, before settling back to enjoy the evening meal.

Any hope that the arrivel of supper might put an end to Gillig's talking were dashed immediately when his friend took one great bite from the meat and then kept talking around his now full mouth.

"The point is that Udoo's right - now is the perfect time to attack. The Druj are on the defensive and the wizards are pushing them in the mountains. If our generals have got the nerve for it, then we could smash into the Barrens and take half the territory before they know what's hit them. But we have to go in hard, we need to cut them down before they can get up to any of their old tricks."

Sart sighed wearily as his friend made it clear he was going to continue the conversation as they ate. They'd be talking for nearly an hour now, ever since he offered his old friend a plate of food and a spot at his fire. To be precise, Gillig had been talking at him for nearly an hour. Sart didn't usually take much interest in politics, and didn't always feel he had much to contribute once his friend got the ancestors in his ears. He just wanted to enjoy the food, the last thing he wanted was an argument... and yet...

"I dunno - there are bands of orcs in the Barrens that are slaves of the Druj. I reckon we're better talking to them. Convince them to rebel and throw their lot in with us. The more orcs on our side, the less there are on theirs. Surely that's for the best?"

Gillig shook his head, as he frantically chewed to try and clear his mouth so he could speak. "If we do that, then the Druj will be onto us. We'll lose the element of surprise. They'll have time to prepare." He paused for a moment to swallow before carrying on. "Besides how many orcs are left there? I reckon the ones who are up for siding with the Empire are camped with the Navarr now. The ones that are left - they're the ones that chose to stick with the Druj. They made their choice - they can suffer the same fate."

Sart stared into the fire, mulling over his friends words. He wasn't fully convinced, but frankly he'd had a bellyfull of politcs for an evening. "Maybe you're right" he said at last. "Whatever happens it'd be good if the legions are fighting side by side again. If we're gonna raise the Horse Banner over the Barrens, we should get everyone behind it."

Gillig's mouth was again too full of food to talk, but this time he was nodding furiously.

Overview

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At the preceding summit, Bloodcrow Udoo received the backing of the greater majority of the Imperial Orc Assembly in support of their call to arms to claim the Barrens. Dawn has a long history of conflict in the Barrens, and has attempted to conquer the territory many times, but implacable opposition from the Druj has always stymied them. But with Ossium conquered, and the Druj on the back foot in the Forest of Ulnak, the Imperial Orcs could seize the moment.

We, the Imperial Orcs, declare our ambition to claim the Barrens. With vigilance we know when to strike and as such we shall not abandon our allies within the Empire! Upon every battlefield, no matter the cause, and with every action we commit ourselves to in service to the Empire we do mark our intent, reaffirm our Loyalty, and fortify our Ambition to claim the Barrens.

Bloodcrow Udoo, Autumn Equinox 383YE, Vote: Greater Majority 100-0

What Heroes Do

The Empire has a long and difficult history with the Barrens. The land is claimed by a number of different orc groups, all of whom have been subject to the brutal rule of the Druj at some points. All of them have also crossed swords with the Dawnish on more than one occasion. At present one of these groups, the surviving Great Forest Orcs or Peytaht Orcs, are living in Navarr lands having been forced to flee their homes. It is not known what remains of the other groups, although the Druj claim to have eradicated at least one, the Rahvin. What is known is that the entire territory is firmly in the grip of the Druj who will doubtless oppose any attempt to take it from them by force.

There are two mandates that the Imperial Orc Assembly could pass, each based on gathering support for a specific strategy to claim the Barrens. Either would need the Imperial Orc nation to back that strategy, and each would provide clear benefits that would help them to claim the Barrens, provided the two Imperial Orc armies commit fully to that strategy. The benefits will last for as long as the two armies can maintain the assault, they will quickly fade if either army pauses.

Everything Ends in Death

• The Imperial Orc assembly could enact a mandate to encourage their armies to destroy the Druj in the Barrens

The Imperial Orcs could adopt an invasion strategy spearheaded by the Summer Storm and look to cut them down. The Barrens are home to thousands of orcs, mostly Druj and those who have thrown in their lot with the Druj. Every druj that is cut down in the Barrens is one less Druj to brutalize the Urizen in Zenith or ambush the Dawnish in the Forest of Ulnak. The Assembly could call on every Imperial Orc to look to the Summer Storm and make the Barrens run red with the blood of the Druj and every orc who serves them.

The Druj are such an abomination that even their own ancestors loathe them. We send {named priest} with 100 liao to urge every Imperial Orc to unite behind the banner of the Summer Storm. We should drive them from the Barrens to the Howling Abyss.

Synod Mandate, Imperial Orc Assembly

If this mandate is passed then it will have a powerful motivating effect on the Imperial Orc military forces. In the following season, both Imperial Orc armies would be able to attack the Barrens using the order to Drive them into the Abyss.

Drive Them Into the Abyss

• The ability of this army to capture territory is increased by one-tenth
• Casualties inflicted by this army are increased by three tenths
• Casualties suffered by this army are increased by a fifth

The army takes every opportunity to engage with the enemy to try and hurl them into the Howling Abyss. No quarter is given as the army pursues their enemy relentlessly. This emphasis on engaging the enemy means that the army loses more troops itself; but the commitment to fighting and preparations it takes mean that it suffers comparatively less than the opponents it engages.

This mandate requires the Imperial Orc armies to be certain that they have the resounding backing of the entire nation as they seek to eradicate the Druj. If it seems that this is not the case, then their motivation will falter. As a result, the order will continue to be available for as long as both Imperial Orc armies are attacking in the Barrens and at least one army is using this order. The option will no longer be available if either Imperial Orc army leaves the Barrens, or neither army attacks the Druj using this order.

Every Imperial Orc who can fight will be expected to support this conquest wholeheartedly. As a result, any Imperial Orc military unit that does not support an Imperial Orc army will receive a 2 rank penalty.

If the conquest of the Barrens using this order at least twice is successful, then all the problems dealing with the inhabitants of the Barrens that have built up over recent years would be irrelevant. Everyone who served the Druj would be dead or scattered - no meaningful opposition to Imperial rule of the Barrens would be left.

The Slaves of History

• The Imperial Orc assembly could enact a mandate to encourage their armies to try and unite the orcs of the Barrens under their banners

The alternative to a war of conquest is for the Orcs to adopt a strategy led by the Winter Sun and look to inspire a rebellion. As Ossium has shown, the Druj have extracted a terrible price from the orcs they have conquered, using torture and cruelty to break their spirits and enslave them. The Imperial Orcs know how heavy such a yoke can be - but they also know how strong a people can be when that yoke is lifted. Rather than fighting the Druj and looking to conquer the Barrens, the Assembly could call on every Imperial Orc to look to the Winter Sun and fight alongside the local groups, helping them to rise up and overthrow the Druj.

We go to the Barrens not as conquerors but as liberators. We send {named priest} with 100 liao to urge every Imperial Orc to unite behind the banner of the Winter Sun. We will break the chains the Druj have placed around our allies limbs and free them all.

Synod Mandate, Imperial Orc Assembly

If this mandate is passed then it will have a power motivating effect on the Imperial Orc military forces. In the following season, both Imperial Orc armies can attack the Barrens using the order to Free Them All.

Free Them All

• Casualties suffered by this army are decreased by three tenths.
• Casualties inflicted by this army are decreased by a fifth.

The army will reach out to local inhabitants to convince them to rise up and overthrow the Druj. Arms and armour will be shared with anyone who is prepared to fight. The force will lead attacks on Druj garrisons to help the Barrens Orcs claim their freedom. The army avoids pitched battles, and focuses on gaining allies among subject populations, looking for any groups that are ready to rise up.

This mandate requires the Imperial Orc armies to be certain that they have the resounding backing of the entire nation as they seek to free them all. If it seems that this is not the case, then their motivation will falter. As a result, the order will continue to be available for as long as both Imperial Orc armies are attacking in the Barrens and at least one army is using this order. The option will no longer be available if either Imperial Orc army leaves the Barrens, or neither army attacks the Druj using this order.

Every Imperial Orc who can fight will be expected to support this conquest wholeheartedly. As a result, any Imperial Orc military unit that does not support an Imperial Orc army will receive a 2 rank penalty.

Timing
If the Imperial Orcs want to seize this moment to attack the Barrens, then timing will be critical. To seize the moment, the Imperial Orc Assembly would have to pass a mandate at the coming summit, otherwise the moment will pass. Neither Orc army is in position to attack the Barrens at present, the Summer Storm is in Bregasland and the Winter Sun is in Segura. They would almost certainly have to issue orders to move towards the Barrens, to be in range to attack the territory next season, when the mandates would take effect.

If this order is used at least twice as part of a successful conquest of the Barrens, then the Empire will be faced with dealing with the resurgent orcs who view the Barrens as their home. They will need to negotiate with these groups who will have gained weapons, confidence and organisation from the uprising. These orcs are bound to look very favourably on the Imperial Orcs - and it might be possible to persuade them to join the nation. However, such outcomes are impossible to guarantee and will likely depend on many factors.

The Barrens Orcs have a history of conflict with the Dawnish almost as long and difficult as their conflict with the Druj. The presence of any Dawnish armies acting to support Imperial Orc forces as they attempt to take the Barrens would undermine attempts to build links with the local orcs and make any subsequent negotiations more difficult.

Competing Mandates

These two mandates are competing with each other. If both are raised, whichever judgement passes with the greatest margin is considered to be successful and all other competing mandates fail. If two mandates tie for the greatest margin, then all mandates fail; the Assembly is considered to have been unable to choose which mandate should be authorized.

The Wolves Should be Fed

• The Ambition assembly could enact a mandate to provide explicit support to the Imperial Orcs' campaign to claim to the Barrens

The Imperial Orc assembly was the only assembly in the Synod to speak of the Barrens, but they are not the only assembly that could influence the matter. A number of priests of the Assembly of Ambition have noted that this conquest would be a momentous undertaking, breath-taking in the scope of its Ambition. The Barrens is a vast territory rich in natural resources, conquering it could double the geographical size of the Imperial Orc nation and provide them with invaluable new resources. It the Imperial Orcs wipe out the Druj defenders then it could inflict a grievous blow on one of the Empire's greatest enemies. If they chose to ally with the local orcs and work with them to free the Barrens it could break the chains of thousands of Druj slaves.

Either deed would be extraordinary. Wyl of the Golden Pines, a Navarr guide who follows the path of Ambition has asked the Assembly to consider throwing their support behind the Imperial Orc plan. There are bound to be those who argue against the plan he says, claiming there will be a legion of naysayers queueing up to argue that now is not the time. Thus he wishes the Assembly to recognize the towering Ambition the Imperial Orcs have expressed and endorse it with a mandate.

The Ambition of the Imperial Orcs is a shining example to every Imperial citizen of what can be achieved if we realise our dreams. We send {named priest} with 50 liao to urge those who strive to follow the path of Ambition to recognise the virtue of this dream and to lend them every support they can muster

Synod Mandate, Ambition assembly

If this mandate is endorsed, then the Imperial Orc campaign to claim the Barrens will have the explicit blessing of the Assembly of Ambition. By providing auras of Ambition to those forces fighting in the Barrens, the Assembly could enable them to attempt otherwise impossible acts of virtue, as they drive the Druj back. In the following season, any Imperial Orc army or army that is supporting them can attack the Barrens by issuing the order that No Price is Too High.

No Price is Too High

• Casualties suffered by this army are increased by a fifth
• The ability of this army to capture territory is increased by three-tenths

The general can order his troops to take every opportunity to capture territory, with no price too high. The troops will assault every enemy position no matter how well defended, pursuing any opportunity to claim ground and force the enemy back. The army will pay a significant price for such an ambitious strategy, but they will capture territory at an unprecedented rate.

This mandate recognises the towering Ambition of the entire Imperial Orc nation, as they attempt to claim the Barrens. If the Orc commitment seems to waver then the motivation provided by this mandate will falter. As a result, the order will continue to be available for as long as both Imperial Orc armies are attacking in the Barrens. The option will no longer be available if either Imperial Orc army leaves the Barrens.

The Strongest of All Warriors

• The Vigilance assembly could enact a mandate to provide explicit support to the Imperial Orcs' campaign to claim to the Barrens

The Assembly of Ambition are not the only assembly that could influence any campaign to claim the Barrens. The civil service have determined that the Assembly of Vigilance could also play a vital role if they chose to support the Imperial Orc attempt to claim the territory. Of all the Empire's enemies, the Druj are the most notorious for their use of deception and trickery in war. They are masters at laying ambushes and conducing lightning surprise attacks before disappearing back into the night. They are skilled at using poison and treachery to defeat their enemies. Regardless of what strategy the Imperial Orcs pursue, defeating the Druj will requires a constant vigil.

To aid them in their campaign, the Assembly of Virtue could endorse the following mandate.

Seek out the poison in your neighbour’s fields. To defeat the Druj we must see through their deceptions and see past their lies. We send {named priest} with 50 liao to urge those who would claim the Barrens and defeat the Druj to be vigilant to their every ruse.

Synod Mandate, Vigilance assembly

If this mandate is endorsed, then the Imperial Orc campaign to claim the Barrens will have the explicit blessing of the Assembly of Vigilance. By providing auras of Vigilance to those forces fighting in the Barrens, the Assembly could enable them to be alert and attentive to every detail, allowing them to surveil the territory even as they attack the Druj. In the following season, any Imperial Orc army or army that is supporting them can attack the Barrens by issuing the order to gather intelligence in the same way as an army with the scouting quality.

This mandate recognises the Vigilance of the entire Imperial Orc nation, as they seek out the poison in the Druj's lands. If the Orc commitment seems to waver then the motivation provided by this mandate will falter. As a result, the order will continue to be available for as long as both Imperial Orc armies are attacking in the Barrens. The option will no longer be available if either Imperial Orc army leaves the Barrens.

The Sum Total of the Wills

• The Great Forest Orcs might be persuaded to support an Imperial Orc incursion into the Barrens
• Chief Valack, or a representative thereof, is believed to be attending the Winter Solstice as a guest of the Navarr

Another group that might be persuaded to support an Imperial Orc incursion into the Barrens is the Great Forest Orcs themselves. This group of orcs used to dwell in the Heart of the Peytaht, a dark malingering forest that spreads across the Western border of the Barrens, touching Brocéliande and Reikos. They were forced to flee into the Empire when the Druj conquered the Barrens and are currently living in the Lower Tarn Valley in Therunin. If they could be convinced to aid an Imperial Orc incursion into the Barrens they might be able to provide military support and provide crucial intelligence.

The military strength of the surviving Great Forest Orcs is limited but they have promised to fight alongside the Navarr if asked. Could they be persuaded to lend the same support to the Imperial Orc armies?

The Heart of the Peytaht forms an effective defence that makes attacking the Barrens much more difficult. Something malignant dwells in the ancient forest and an army that attempts to pass through the region must face this threat. The Great Forest Orcs know how to neutralise this threat or at least how to bypass it safely. This is how the Druj were able to launch their surprise attack into Reikos in 367YE. Could the Great Forest Orcs be persuaded to offer the same assistance to the Imperial Orc armies?

Chief Valack, the warchief of the Great Forest Orcs, or a representative thereof, is believed to be planning to attend the next summit as a guest of the Navarr. Precise details of the visit are not yet common knowledge, but this might provide an opportunity to negotiate directly with the only Barrens orcs that have any contact with the Empire - and potentially with their briar allies as well.

Irrefutable Proof of Freedom

• The descendants of those who founded a free briar state on the edge of the Barrens might be persuaded to offer their aid
• The General Assembly could call on them to support the Imperial Orcs with auras of freedom to encourage the Barrens orcs to rise up against the Druj

There is one other group present in the Empire who could provide material assistance to an attempt to free the Barrens. They are not Imperial citizens, and the aid they could provide might not be fully compliant with Imperial law - but as long as the campaign takes place in the Barrens it could be considered to be outside Imperial jurisdiction.

The Montanians are a group of humans who fled the Barrens in the company of the Peytaht Orcs. They are known to be the descendants of the briars who tried to found a free briar state on the edge of the Barrens decades ago. Their rebellion was defeated, and everyone assumed they were gone, but it appears that some of them managed to survive. Although they are coy about the details, and meticulously careful not to preach or practice their faith openly in Imperial lands, they are known to have several priests among them who are widely believed to be able to create auras of the false virtue of Anarchy. What they don't have is any spare liao.

The civil service have spoken to a representative of the the Montanians and they have confirmed that they could help, provided they were given the means and the explicit approval of the Imperial Synod to act. They are keen to help free the Barrens, but they are open about the fact that they have no liao and categoric that they will not create any auras of Anarchy (which they call Freedom) without an appropriate statement from the Synod urging them to do so. They understand that such an act would be distasteful to the Synod - but they have no wish for them or their Peytaht allies be executed for heresy.

If the General Assembly chose to pass an appropriately worded statement of principle calling on the Montanians to support the emancipation of the Barrens by employing auras of Freedom/Anarchy, then the Montanians will give their full support to the Imperial Orcs. If they are also provided with 50 doses of liao, they will use the liao to create auras of Freedom among the orcs of the Barrens.

It is impossible for the civil service to know how effective that would be - since they have no understanding of the auras the Montanians might employ and no way to predict what effects they might have. All they can be certain of is that if the Imperial Orcs choose to issue orders to free them all then any auras of Freedom created among the orcs of the Barrens would have a powerful effect making the overall strategy significantly more effective.

Of course if the Imperial Orcs choose to focus on eliminating the Barrens orcs, then the efforts of the Montanians will be utterly futile.

Near, Possible, and Inevitable

• The Dawn National Assembly could enact mandates to contest control of the Barrens

The Dawnish have contested the Barrens for centuries, locked in a ceaseless war with the barbarians for this great prize. Even now some of their countryfolk are scattered through the territory while the scops claim there are more Dawnish heroes buried in the Barrens than there are stars in the sky. Tobias Field of House Orzel is not prepared to let the Imperial Orc challenge go unmet - they have proposed a glorious alternate mandate, one to stir the heart of any Dawnish folk - something that will prove once and for all that great deeds are eternal.

Their mandate will throw down the gauntlet in a direct challenge to the Imperial Orcs - or to any other nation that has the will and the strength to prove themselves. Rather than stake their claim to the Barrens on the centuries-old ties to the land, the Dawnish would be making clear that the territory should go to whichever Imperial nation can prove itself in battle. The Imperial Orcs are a proud martial people - surely they will not turn aside from such a direct challenge?

The conquest of the Barrens is near, possible and inevitable and we are encouraged by the Imperial Orc’s realisation of this fact. We send {named priest} with 50 liao to urge every loyal Dawnish to offer succour to any force in the Barrens whose National Assembly accepts the following challenge: that the Nation whose armies take the most regions in the Barrens have the rightful claim to the territory.

Synod Mandate, Dawnish Assembly

If this mandate is endorsed, then all Dawnish armies will automatically gain an additional 20% natural resupply while in any Dawnish territory in the season immediately after campaigning in the Barrens. Any Imperial army other than Dawn that was travelling to the Barrens would would experience impeded movement while passing through Dawnish territories.

In addition, any national assembly could uphold a statement of principle saying that whichever nation's armies take the most regions in the Barrens have the rightful claim to the territory. Their armies would then also benefit from the additional natural resupply while in any Dawnish territory in the season immediately after campaigning in the Barrens, and their armies would no longer be impeded when travelling to the Barrens.

Both effects would last for a minimum of one year.

The original suggestion investigated by the civil service was less dramatic - only urging the noble houses to shun the Imperial Orc forces and provide them with no support or assistance of any kind.

The Dawnish conquest of the Barrens is near, possible and inevitable. We send {named priest} with 50 liao to urge every loyal Dawnish citizen to give no succour to any force in the Barrens that does not march under a Dawnish flag.

Synod Mandate, Dawn National Assembly

If this mandate is endorsed, then the Imperial Orc campaign to claim the Barrens would be rebuffed by the Dawnish. There is no suggestion that anyone would attack other Imperial citizens, but they could show their opposition to the Imperial Orc advance simply by refusing to cooperate in any way. The lack of local support would mean that any Imperial army would be Impeded when attempting to move through Dawnish territories. The Winter Sun and the Summer Storm could still reach the Barrens next season - but only if they travelled to Therunin and attacked the Barrens in the south, or risked travelling through the Great Forest of Peytaht - it would be impossible for them to invade from the north without the use of powerful magic to speed up their armies.

Furthermore any Dawnish military unit that supported an Imperial orc army - regardless of where that army was fighting - would suffer a two rank penalty to its effective fighting strength. This mandate recognises the rightful claim of the Dawnish to the entire territory. As such the effects would last until the start of the Summer Solstice 384YE, unless overturned by other events.

These two mandates are in competition with each other.

Submitting Alternative Mandates

While this situation is focused around the Imperial Orcs, the opportunity for the virtue assemblies and the Dawn national assembly to become involved demonstrates that there are other assemblies who might be able to weigh in here. Priests from any nation or virtue assembly might have their own alternative mandates to submit. Check the rules carefully - you can only submit an alternative mandate for an assembly you are part of, you can only submit one, and it will only be added to the wind of fortune if it offers a different outcome to those mentioned here.

Resolution

During the Winter Solstice, Lochias of the Vigilance Assembly proposed Mandate 4, supporting the Imperial Orcs claim to the Barrens. While the mandate was upheld by the Vigilance assembly, no liao was provided, so it was not enacted.

Tobias Field of Dawn also proposed the mandate to issue a challenge to the Imperial nations. This was upheld by the Dawn assembly, and for the next year armies campaigning in the Barrens will receive additional bonuses.

Further Reading

• The Barrens
• Conflict in the Barrens - a summary of the history of Imperial involvement in the Barrens