384YE Spring Equinox interlude

The skein of fate twists and bends

Interlude

Downtime will be open shortly, allowing players to process their character's downtime choices. The Spring 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 Winter 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 each case, there will be further information in the Spring 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 the 8th of May.

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:

• Strong Reeds
• Bloodcloaks
• Summer Storm
• Wolves of War

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.

Pride of the Raiders

• Wintermark military units that participated in the recent raid against the Jotun-held Pride of Ikka's Tears receive a two rank bonus to their effectiveness

Following the raid against the Pride of Ikka's Tears, Rafe proposed a mandate that was endorsed by the Wintermark National Assembly. As a consequence, every Wintermark military unit that took part in the expedition receives a boost in courage and morale equivalent to two additional ranks for the next two seasons (until the start of the Spring 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 deRondell, 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.

Against the Heirs

• Until the start of the Summer Solstice 384YE, those who fought in Hercynia or Therunin are recovering from casualties

The military units who took part in the campaigns to Protect Hercynia and Protect Therunin following the Autumn Equinox are still recovering from the experience. Combatants in Hercynia see a two-rank penalty, while those who fought in Therunin suffer a one-rank penalty. The effect remains until the start of the Summer Solstice.

Special Military Action

In addition to the normal downtime options available to a military unit, the following special opportunity is available.

Securing Ossium

• Military units can contribute to one of three special actions found in the independent action dropdown
• Units receive different production based on what action they support
• Each action contributes to the success of the overall project to better cement Imperial control of Ossium

There are several options related to the effort to solidify Imperial control over Ossium, in Varushka. Any military captain can choose to take part in one of these actions:

• Wagon Raiding in Ossium - Attacking Druj insurgents, striking deep into unfamiliar territory, raiding resource caches, and engaging in guerrilla mining and lumberjacking.
  • In place of the normal random production, a standard military unit with no bonuses or penalties would expect to earn 3 random measures of forest resources, 6 random herbs, and 54 rings of valuable goods recovered from the Druj or seized from the wild places. Higher rank military units would gain greater profits.
• Support the settlement of Ossium - Seeking out former Druj slaves who can be brought into Varushka, and helping them establish vales, as well as guarding Varushkan traders travelling east out of Karsk, helping the new vales build their protections, and offering some protection to the independent enclaves of orcs who are no friends of the Druj.
  • In place of their normal random production, a standard military unit with no upgrades or enchantments will earn 78 rings, 3 ingots of random mine resources, and 2 crystal mana. Higher rank military units will receive commensurately greater profit.
• Venture into the unknown in Ossium - Engaging in adventurous expeditions into the dark and foreboding places of the new territory. Part of the task will be to find isolated human settlements, now freed from the Druj, and encourage them to join the Empire and the nation of Varushka. It also involves locating fell presences in the woods and marshes and dealing with them or at least warning settlers of their locations, and making peaceful contact with the non-Druj orcs who still remain in the territory.
  • In place of their normal production, a standard military unit, with no upgrades or enchantments, will earn four measures of random forest resources, four random healing herbs, a mana crystal, and 36 rings in random bits of treasure and payment. Higher rank military units will gain commensurately more treasure.

Anyone who supports one of these actions is also contributing to the overall success of the mission to secure greater control of Ossium. You can learn more about this opportunity in the beyond the light wind of fortune.

Trade Opportunities

Certain trading destinations apply special effects. You can learn more about the Empire's foreign relations in the recent all at sea wind of fortune.

Trade with Asavea

• Anyone trading with Asavea suffers a two-rank penalty to production due to trade sanctions.

The sanctions imposed by both the Empire and the Asavean government mean that any fleet captain trading with Nemoria itself suffers a significant loss of profit. That loss could have been offset by the presence of the two temples - one in Feroz and one in Nemoria. Unfortunately the Temple in Nemoria has been heavily damaged by the mob. As such, confidence among Asavean merchants trading with the Empire has been badly shaken. If the Temple in Nemoria is repaired by the Senate then the benefits of having an obvious symbol of Asavean and Imperial cooperation would resume.

Trade with Axos

• Imperial fleets visiting Issyk experience a two-rank penalty to their production this season.

While Imperial ships can trade freely with Kantor, there are still problems on the docks at Issyk. The Chambers of Issyk has been opened to Imperial traders, but due to the nature of the fleets that previously docked at Issyk, and the longstanding arrangement the Axou here have with the Principalities of Jarm and the Sarcophan Delves, the Empire's traders are suffering under the bureaucracy of the citadel's Ilarchs.

Trade with the Commonwealth

• Imperial captains visiting Leerdam receive an additional dose of Bladeroot; captains visiting Volkavaar receive an additional vial of Artisan's Oil.

Any Imperial fleet visiting Leerdam during the coming season will receive an additional dose of Bladeroot as a sign of Commonwealth enthusiasm for the Liberty Pact. Likewise, captains visiting Volkavaar will receive an additional vial of Artisan's Oil. It is not certain how long this enthusiasm will last, but it is anticipated to persist for at least a year.

Trade with the Iron Confederacy

• The Iron Confederacy has closed its borders to Imperial merchants and goods.
• The port of Robec has been closed to Imperial traders

The port of Robec is closed to Imperial ships. As such the Empire cannot trade directly with the Iron Confederacy.

Trade with Jarm

• The House of Princes has closed Jarmish ports to Imperial traders

The ports of Kavor and Vezak are closed to Imperial ships. As such the Empire cannot trade directly with the Principalities of Jarm.

Trade with Sarcophan Delves

• Imperial fleets trading with the Delves receive additional herbs

The concedence of the Alivetti estates has greatly improved the enthusiasm of Sarcophan merchants - strengthening even further the bonds of trade. As such every fleet captain that trades with the Delves receives an additional dose of Marrowort and an additional dose of Imperial Roseweald in addition to the normal production.

Special fleet action

In addition to the normal downtime options available to a fleet captain, the following special opportunity is available:

Provide passage out of Axos

• Imperial fleets can participate in an action to liberate former orc slaves from Axos and bring them back to the Empire

Following the Winter Solstice, Skywise Gralka of the Imperial orcs enacted a mandate to encourage fleet captains to liberate the orcs of Axos. Imperial fleet captains can select the "Provide passage out of Axos" action from the independent action downtime dropdown. If sufficient force is provided, the Empire will be able to bring a large number of former Axou orc slaves back to Imperial territory. A fleet that participates does not receive the normal production for independent action: a standard fleet instead receives 1 measure of beggar's lye, 1 ingot of orichalcum, 1 ingot of tempest jade, 1 crystal mana, and luxury goods worth 12 rings; higher or lower rank fleets will receive commensurately more or less.

You can learn more about the opportunity in the Written in salt wind of fortune.

Major Effects

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

Mana Site Disruption

• The Senate has empowered the magistrates to root out followers of Yaw'nagrah
• Every mana site in the Empire is experiencing disruption as a consequence

Following the investigations of the Silent Bell into the Heirs of Terunael and the followers of Yaw'nagrah, the Imperial Senate has instructed the magistrates to take action. Magistrates and militia are proactively seeking out and those guilty of idolatry, but in doing so they are disrupting the lives of a great many Imperial citizens. As a consequence, every mana site in the Empire is seeing a reduction of one crystal mana.

Love, Glory, and Virtue

• Congregations in Highguard and Dawn each receive one additional liao and two additional votes until the end of the Spring Equinox 384YE
• Statements of principle passed with a greater majority in Dawn or Highguard also come to the attention of the congregations of the other nation, potentially providing opportunity to support, oppose, or otherwise react to such statements. This lasts until the start of the Autumn Equinox 384YE

Thanks to the mandate raised by Yarona of the Chantry and endorsed by the Highborn assembly, a greater understanding is sought between the priests of Highguard and the troubadours of Dawn.

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, and Hahnmark gain two additional votes and one additional liao as long as the Synod clearly stands in opposition to idolatry
• Congregations in Karsk receive four extra votes and two liao until the start of the Spring Equinox 384YE, after which they receive the same benefit as congregations in the other territories

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.

Varushkan Prosperity

• The production of Varushkan mine and forest resources is increased by one rank until the start of the Spring Equinox 384YE

The mandate upheld in the Varushkan assembly and enacted by Raskylov has a number of effects, one of which is to increase the production of mine and forest resources. Thanks to the story provided, the benefit will last until the start of the Spring Equinox 384YE.

Mandates

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

29 mandates were successfully upheld in the Imperial Synod, and enacted by named priests. 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 should have failed due to the intervention of the Wisdom assembly and the sword scholars. The pilgrimage in the name of Imperatrix Lisabetta, however, focused on matters of the spirit and temporarily countered this effect. The following mandates would have failed without it:

Imperial Lore

Three rituals were added to Imperial lore during the Winter Solstice.

• Gift of Knowledge by Skywise Gralka
• The Basalt Citadel by Simargl, the Empty One
• Regrow the Land's Heart by Tenaes

Urizen Lore

A number of rituals were added to Urizen lore during the Winter Solstice. Further details can be found in the some heavenly music wind of fortune.

• Raise the Dragonsworn Cohort
• Stone's Unyielding Defiance
• Vital Strength of the Earth
• Fountain's Bounty
• Woven Strands of Life
• Wellspring of the High Peak
• A Goblet of Stars
• Chastise the Foolish
• The Certainty of Doubt
• Blades of Clear Sight
• Guardian Gate
• Irresistible Stance of Force and Focus
• Peregrine and Ichimos
• Arete and the Fields of War