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"... and then Aunt Mira and your Uncle Ira realised they were trapped! They'd helped so many people escape, but now it looked like the Grendel would capture them and they would never be able to come home again!"

Leonor and Marco gasped. Sat up in their beds, their eyes were wide and mouths open. Little Marco looked as if he might cry, so Tamara quickly continued the tale.

"They were very worried - the orcs had come down from Mora's Rock -"

"Which they had stolen from the Freeborn." interrupted Leonor, nodding wisely despite her years.

"Which they had stolen from the Freeborn yes. They'd come down in force, knowing that Aunt Mira and Uncle Ira were in the area. The governor had put a rich price on their heads - dead or alive! Even if they could avoid the patrols until dawn they'd never be able to get across the border and once the sun rose it would be too late. So they hid in the trees and tried to come up with a plan that would let them get to safety."

"Are they going to be alright mama?" Asked Marco in a tiny voice. He was actually sniffling a little now, even though he already knew that his beloved Aunt and her husband had not in fact been captured by the Grendel. Tamara patted him on the hand as she continued.

"And then there was an incredible noise, of shouting and drums. Aunt Mira and Uncle Ira crept forward and they saw a great crowd of Freeborn just on the other side of the border, arguing with the Grendel guards and creating the most outrageous hullaballoo. I think some of them had fire pots, and drums, and they swirled them about and danced and made the wicked Grendel orcs even more angry and confused."

Tamara leant forward conspiratorially, and dropped her voice almost to a whisper.

"And at that exact moment who would appear out of the shadows next to your Aunt and Uncle but a lone Navarr! Wearing the darkness like it was a cloak, his tattoos crimson as blood and his eyes twinkling with cleverness and determination, and he was wearing a scarf that had been given to his ancestors by Emperor Ahraz himself. He put his finger to his lips -"

She put her own finger to her lips, and the two children fell silent themselves, still as statues.

" - and he said "I will get you out, even if I have to die to do it." Then he beckoned them to follow him, and follow him they did. He led your Aunt and Uncle through the darkness and I heard that at one point they passed so close to a Grendel patrol that they could have reached out and tweaked their ears if they'd wanted to. But the orcs didn't see them! Not one of them! They were so distracted by the Freeborn crowd that they didn't spot a thing. And so your Aunt and Uncle crossed into Segura, and followed the Navarr and all the Freeborn back through the Sentinel Gate, and by the time the foolish Grendel realised what had happened it was too late. They were safe!"

Marco and Leonor cheered, and hugged each other, beaming with relief.

"And of course there is a lesson here," Tamara continued once their ebullience had died down a little.

"Mama!" said Leonor in the long-suffering voice of a twelve-year-old girl who thought herself too old for stories with lessons. Tamara ignored her.

"This Navarr did not have to come to Feroz and risk his life to save your Aunt and Uncle. He could have stayed in the northern woods glaring at the vallorn. But he didn't. He accompanied the Freeborn into danger, and he snuck through the woods while his friends created an incredible distraction, and he saved Aunt Mira and Uncle Ira. Working together, the Grendel were no match for Freeborn and Navarr. And the lesson is that the Empire will always defeat its enemies as long as the bonds of friendship are strong. As long as we remember that what happens in the Brass Coast matters to the Navarr, and what happens to the Navarr matters to the Freeborn. As long as we remember that our differences don't separate us, they make us stronger."

She hugged the two children, settling them down, kissed them each on the forehead, and snuffed the candle. As the door shut, she heard them whispering excitedly, retelling the tale, and embroidering it with their own details as they did so, and she smiled.

The Grendel treaty ends after the Autumn Equinox 385YE, but is due to be renegotiated in Spring of that year.

Overview

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In Winter 383YE, the Freeborn National Assembly called for the people of Feroz to flee the territory. While they still hold out hope of returning eventually, that day could be years away, depending on what happens with the peace treaty. Thus, with a heavy heart, they called on the people of Feroz to accept the inevitable, to gather their belongings and to flee the territory. The Grendel treaty allowed citizens in the two ceded regions to leave if they wished - provided they did so before the start of the Spring Equinox. With the encouragement of the Assembly a steady stream of people leaving the area soon turned into a flood.

Not everyone made it out in time however. Worse, those Freeborn in the Cazar Straits, Fontargenta, and Oranseri were not so fortunate. Having already been conquered by the Grendel they were not permitted to leave at all. As a result a plan was formed for the Empire's fleets and military units to cooperate to evacuate the territory. Imperial ships could use the relatively open coastline of eastern Feroz, while military units would to slip in under cover of darkness across the long land border with Segura and Madruga. Together, they would smuggle the Freeborn out from under the nose of the oppressive Grendel Governor Rahab.

A Resounding Triumph

• Nearly 200 fleets and almost half that number of military units assisted in the evacuation of Feroz
• The evacuation was a complete success
• Only a handful of Freeborn families remain in Feroz

Nobody knows the waters of Feroz like the Freeborn and their swift corsair ships were able to lead the Grendel a merry dance as they navigated their way through the territorial waters. As might be expected, more than half of the vast armada of assembled fleets were from the Brass Coast, and there is huge Pride across the Coast as it becomes clear that the number of Freeborn fleets and their dedication means they could have pulled this off by themselves. Every nation sends ships however, with Navarr, Wintermark and the League providing nearly sixty fleets between them. The Freeborn also called in their allies, with the Commonwealth sending ships and soldiers to join the expedition to help the Freeborn flee the despotic rule of Lord Rahab. Likewise, a daring quest into the Afar Hills saw two key Zemress islanders rescued from the orc garrison at Mora's Rock, allowing them to rally their relatives to the cause. Several of the Zemress islanders had already spent months helping Freeborn get out of Feroz and their expertise proved very valuable.

The captains of the fleets worked tirelessly to ferry families and their belongings north to Madruga. It was a coordinated effort with captains passing on information to each other when they had no more room to take on passengers and many ships making the journey several times before everyone dwelling on the coast was freed. Even the corsairs abandoned their normal rivalry; everyone understood that this expedition needed all hands on deck. It is an impressive show of force and unity - and more than one Corsair is quick to point something out... if the Empire had this many fleets in support of the Freeborn Storm then they might still be contesting the Bay of Catazar.

While the coast of Feroz was wealthy and populous, with people concentrated in the coastal towns and ports, the hinterland regions of Morajasse and Afarjasse are a much more challenging prospect. There were far fewer people to be rescued here, but they were much harder to reach, requiring scores of military units to slip past Grendel patrols to locate families wishing to leave. This time it was the Imperial Orcs and Dawn that provided the bulk of the forces needed to ensure success. In fact a quarter of all the military units here are Imperial Orc; one Freeborn observer wondered if the entire nation was here helping people escape.

Even so, this is a close thing. The Brass Coast may have a vast armada of small fleets, they have only a fraction of that number of military units. Thus, the support of the Empire's allies is absolutely crucial - the additional strength provided by the Commonwealth soldiers was enough to tip the land operations from success into a major victory. Without their help far fewer would have made it out.

There were a few run-ins with orcs of the Broken Shore during the action. They never came to blows however, the Grendel were easily dealt with by those leaving the territory paying tolls, fees and other "necessary payments". The instinctive corruption of the Grendel, with every orc out for themselves, has served them poorly in Feroz, allowing Imperial bribes to cover what was going on for weeks. By the time Rahab realized the scale of what was occurring and understood how it was happening, it was too late for him to order any effective resistance.

Payment
The income received from taking the Evacuate Feroz action was, aside from a share in the Guerdon, entirely payment from the Freeborn rescued. There were no opportunities for fleets or military units to engage in raiding or looting during this downtime action as everyone was focussed on evacuating Feroz.

Rahab's Response

• Governor Rahab is furious and regards the action as a betrayal
• Oran has been closed to Imperial shipping
• Imperial military units and fleets based in Feroz will experience the conquered territory penalty going forwards
• He is having to ship in large numbers of slaves to replace the lost workers and is facing ruinous costs as a result
• Any missives to Rahab are burned immediately

When the realisation of what is happening finally dawns on him, Governor Rahab is by all accounts apoplectic with fury. Those engaged in the rescue pass on constantly growing rumours of the governor's rage, with lurid tales of him executing underlings in explosions of rage at everyone around him. It's impossible to be sure quite what the truth of those stories is, but what is not in doubt is that he is seething.

His first response is to shut the port at Oran, giving orders that no Imperial ship is to be permitted to dock there. It's questionable what impact that will have - not many fleet captains were all that keen to trade with the Grendel anyway. Arguably the act is mostly symbolic, but whatever the case, the port is now closed to Imperial vessels. What follows is more serious, with orders to close the borders with the Brass Coast followed by instructions for Grendel patrols to hunt for and harass any Imperial military units or fleets active in the area.

As a result of their efforts, life has become immeasurably harder for any Freeborn fleet or military unit that is based in Feroz. From this point on all Imperial resources in Feroz will suffer the 50% penalty to their production for being in a conquered territory, including military units and fleets; Rahab's forces are actively hunting Freeborn soldiers and ships in Feroz and harassing them right up to the very edge of what the peace treaty allows when they find them.

To try to salvage the situation, Rahab has given instruction for large numbers of slaves to be purchased from the markets in Dubhtraig and shipped to Feroz. The costs involved are ruinous. Where Rahab once hoped to tax the people of Feroz for every ring he could squeeze from them, now he is forced to buy slaves to replace the owners and workers in farms, herb gardens, paradors and businesses across the territory. The governor and his backers are frantically trying to salvage the situation and do what they can to turn a profit from Feroz, but it remains to be seen if he will survive this debacle. The Grendel are not kind to those who fall to the Empire's wiles, as Salt Lord Suriad can attest.

Due to the sudden deterioration of relations, any opportunities involving trade with the Grendel in Feroz that have not already been completed are immediately ended. The borders have been largely closed, with only a few independent merchants, such as the Faraden, allowed to cross them. The majority of the inhabitants of Feroz have fled, it is very unlikely that there will be new opportunities for further interactions with Rahab in the short term - either clandestine or open.

The Grendel's Response

• The Grendel High Council does not yet believe that the Empire has repudiated their treaty
• To save face they have stated that the rescue of people from Feroz represents all the slaves the Grendel promised to release to the Empire under the terms of the treaty
• They have also demanded that the Imperial Fleet Master provide the six wains of weirwood per the agreement at the Spring Equinox 384YE

Word soon reaches the Empire that Rahab has pleaded with the Grendel High Council to send their armies north to punish the Empire for breaking the peace treaty. Although he is forced to accept that the Freeborn were permitted to leave the ceded regions, he argues that the extraction of citizens from the regions the Grendel had conquered is a violation of the spirit of the treaty.

By all accounts, his claims are largely rebuffed. The treaty doesn't say the Empire can't remove their people from the conquered regions, and even the Grendel don't view the people they conquer as slaves, so technically nothing has been stolen. While the Grendel could indeed have made a case that the Empire have broken the spirit of the treaty, it seems they are not yet ready to renounce it.

Between Imperial Fleetmaster Ezro i Alvera i Erigo and Speaker Morna agree on six wains of weirwood as compensation for the four individuals assaulted during the Winter Summit: YE383.

This payment settles this matter and it can not be raised again by either part. The weirwood is to be paid by the Summer Solstice YE384.

Ezro i Alvera i Erigo and Speaker Morna signed

Contract between the Grendel and the Imperial Fleet Master

However, the High Council do issue two announcements. The first is that they will provide no more slaves to the Empire to be freed - the people taken from Feroz represent the one slave a day they were obliged to provide to the Empire. In the opinion of the High Council, that requirement has been discharged in full, there will be no more slaves being released. Given that they were due to provide another five hundred or so slaves, whereas the evacuation of Feroz has saved tens of thousands from Grendel rule, this seems like little more than a face-saving gesture on their part. Whether the Empire wants to push the issue with them or not is a matter for the official ambassador.

On that matter, the second announcement points out that the Council are still waiting to receive the six wains of weirwood that were agreed at the Spring Equinox 384YE. These were due to be supplied by the Imperial Fleet Master under the terms of the agreement, and they have not yet been forthcoming. The High Council make clear that the Empire will not be in breach of the agreement until the end of the Summer Solstice, but if the wains are not forthcoming by then... That will be considered a violation of the peace treaty. They are at pains to point out that any nation that deals with the Grendel, even one as infamously duplicitous as the Empire, will be held to the terms of their agreements, or else face the consequences. Fidelity, the ideal of keeping your word and keeping faith with those around you, is one of the most important of all the Seven Virtues. At least it is in the eyes of the Grendel.

The High Council intend to send representatives to the forthcoming summit at Anvil to ensure that the fines they are due to receive are forthcoming and to discuss other business with the Empire. Indech is expecting to arrive on Saturday at TBC, and will be accompanied by Speaker Morna. They have indicated they wish discuss matters with the Imperial Fleet Master as well as others.

The Brass Coast's Response

• The majority of those who have been successfully evacuated from Feroz have chosen to settle in Madruga closely followed by Segura
• Taxation from Madruga will increase by 30 thrones and Segura by 20 thrones after the Autumn Equinox 384YE
• Any character with a personal resource in Feroz can take a new resource without paying 2 crowns to change resource up to Spring Equinox 385YE

The people of Feroz have brought everything they can carry with them. They arrive in Segura and Madruga with not inconsiderable wealth in tow, ready to start a new life over. Most are sad to leave Feroz, but the Freeborn are not Marchers, what matters is liberty not land. The Brass Coast is an ideal that will survive the loss of a territory, provided the people can live prosperous and free.

While the Freeborn often disapprove of charity, they take the opposite approach with family and those evacuees who have kin in Madruga or Segura are welcomed with open arms. A concerted effort is made to provide resources to support those people who are striving to make a new life outside Feroz, to help them reestablish themselves as quickly as possible. For the next year, any character who is abandoning a personal resource in Feroz can take a new resource of their choice in Madruga or Segura without having to pay the normal 2 crown cost. This benefit ends just before the Spring Equinox 385YE.

In addition, the influx of prosperous new inhabitants to the two territories provides a significant boost to the taxation following into the Imperial treasury. The tax returns from the territories of Segura and Madruga, increase by 20 and 30 thrones each season respectively.

Segura

• Every herb garden in Segura that engages with the newcomers will be upgraded by one rank at the start of the Autumn Equinox 384YE.
• Tariq i Cotarez i Guerra proposes the construction of the Viridian Glasshouse, a conservatory designed to boost the production of herbs in Segura
• The Glasshouse would require 20 wains of weirwood, 20 thrones and take three months to construct
• It would provide 60 herbs split between the herb gardens and farms in the territory and re-establish the Vizier of the Incarnadine Satchel
• This opportunity will last until the end of the Summer Solstice 385YE

Those families who choose to settle in Segura are quick to make a new life for themselves. The bustling towns of Anduz, Sobral, and Cerevado are expanding quickly, aided by the Zemress Islanders. The empty spaces around the towns, especially given the recent invasion, has meant that any who wish to live in and around the towns of Segura are soon able to find a ready home.

One of the groups evacuated from Morajasse is made up of workers from the Spice Gardens and the offices of the Vizier of the Incarnadine Satchel. These workers have considerable expertise in cultivating herbs and they have brought with them various cuttings they have recovered from the captured Spice Gardens that they are keen to put to good use in their new home. As a result of this bounty every herb garden in Segura will be upgraded by one rank at the start of the Autumn Equinox 384YE. To receive this benefit, herb garden owners will need to email us before the start of the next event to indicate which herb production they wish to boost. Characters who don't have a herb garden in Segura at present may still benefit from this opportunity if they change their resource before the start of the next summit.

In addition, Tariq i Cotarez i Guerra, formerly one of the head gardeners at the Spice Gardens, has a proposal to construct a new conservatory in the Iron Plains, named the Viridian Glasshouse. The conservatory would be ideal for growing herbs from seeds, with a view to transplanting the budding plants to herb gardens and farms across the territory. Tariq's plan is an opportunity to take advantage of the considerable number of experts settling in Segura and his plans require "only" 20 wains of weirwood. Unfortunately, the designs need a lot of very expensive green glass, so the commission would need 20 thrones to complete.

The Glasshouse would need a commission slot, but could be built by the Imperial Senate or by any title able to commission a great work. Once complete it would provide 60 random herbs each season, with 30 split between the herb gardens in the territory and 30 split between the farms. In addition, with the support of the School of the Sanguine Bloom in Atalya, the Glasshouse could serve as new offices for the Vizier of the Incarnadine Satchel, re-establishing that Imperial title and allowing the holder to resume purchasing herbs from across the region.

Madruga

• The vintners of Feroz are seeking to establish new vineyards in Madruga
• The Freeborn Assembly can use a single judgement to name 6 Freeborn characters who own businesses in Madruga to receive a free upgrade to their resource

A consortium of vintners have fled from Fortargenta to Madruga where they are looking to establish new vineyards on the Siroc Plains and the Great Grasses. They don't need any additional help to establish their new wine estates, but they are aware that their presence will provide a significant boost to the paradors and other businesses which are spread through the territory. Mindful of the significant help they have just received and keen to repay this generosity they have asked the Freeborn Assembly to pass a judgement naming 6 representatives of the families that did the most to help with the evacuation efforts.

The vintners plan to direct purchases of essential materials and sales of their new wines to those named in the judgement. As a result, the first six Freeborn characters singled out by the Freeborn Assembly who have a business in Madruga will receive a free upgrade to their resource. Characters who don't have a business in Madruga at present may still benefit from this opportunity if they change their resource before the start of the next summit.

The remainder who have arrived in Madruga from Feroz have dispersed throughout the territory. Siroc is always heaving with people, and the newcomers have largely been absorbed into this great city of sails without great impact, but three largest towns in Madruga, Calvos, Quzar, and Atalaya are now bursting at the seams as the newcomers look for places to put down new roots. As a result, there is an opportunity to capitalize on the arrival of the newcomers in these three towns.

Atalaya

• An opportunity exists to rebuild the Atalaya Shipyards to support fleets based in Madruga
• Rebuilding the shipyards would cost 10 wains of weirwood, 20 wains of white granite, and 60 crowns and take 3 months to construct and have an upkeep of 5 thrones
• Once complete it would reduce the cost to upgrade fleets based out of Madruga by 1 weirwood
• The Grendel could not legitimately claim that the docks breached the treaty, but they would be aware of the threat the shipyards pose
• The benefits of the shipyards would be lost once the Brass Coast reclaim Feroz
• This opportunity will last until the end of the Spring Equinox 385YE

Atalaya is the oldest settlement on the Brass Coast and it remains a place of pilgrimage for many Freeborn followers of the Way, but its significance took a heavy blow when the Grendel sacked the port and destroyed the nearby shipyards. Now, with so many skilled shipwrights from Feroz settling here, there is a chance to begin restoring the pride and prosperity of the settlement.

Under the terms of the recent treaty with the Grendel, the Empire are not permitted to build any new shipyards or raise any navies on the Bay of Catazar. However nothing would prohibit them from expanding the existing dock facilities provided they were only used to benefit fleets...

The massive seawall constructed by Miroslav, Senator for Sarvos remains, but it would still require 10 wains of weirwood, 20 wains of white granite and 60 crowns to rebuild the destroyed shipyards. It would need a commission slot but could be authorized by the Imperial Senate or by any title with the authority to build a shipyard. Once complete the facilities would be perfect for building and upgrading Imperial fleets, allowing any Freeborn fleet based out of Madruga to be upgraded each season for one less weirwood than is usually required.

In addition, like the proposed expansion of the docks at Elos, the docks could be quickly and cheaply expanded later to include a fully functional shipyard. Such an expansion would only require 10 wains of white granite, 10 wains of weirwood and 20 crowns. While it would take 3 months to complete, the existing facilities would be good enough to start work on a navy at the same time as the shipyard was being built, saving precious time.

These benefits would last for as long as the new arrivals continue to live in Madruga. Once the Brass Coast reclaims Feroz, many of the new arrivals will look to return home. If that happens, then the shipyards would no longer have enough shipwrights to reduce the upgrade costs for Madruga fleets. At that point the only benefit would be to convert them into a regular shipyard as described above.

Calvos

• An opportunity exists to build a School of Naval Warfare at Calvos
• Creating this folly would cost 10 wains of white granite, 15 wains of weirwood, 10 wains of mithril and 70 crowns, take 6 months to construct and have an upkeep of 5 thrones
• The school would allow the Empire to study and research techniques of naval warfare allowing them to develop improved navies, better able to face the Grendel
• This opportunity will last until the end of the Spring Equinox 385YE

Calvos is the final resting place of the Kraken's Bane, the legendary vessel captained by the exemplar Zemress and home to the Seminary of Zemress, a school where students come to study Prosperity. Pilgrims travel from all over the Empire to visit the site, to look upon the Bane and to study the texts stored at the Seminary. The Sumaah consider Zemress to be a paragon not an exemplar, and they provided white granite to build the seminary on the condition that it would be open to any visitors who came to study the Way.

Zemress life is an inspiration to any who follow the path of Prosperity, but she is also an inspiration to any who want to follow in her footsteps and face the Grendel at sea. The seminary is filled with books about Zemress' life, including several texts describing naval battles where the Kraken's Bane defeated Grendel pirate vessels in vivid detail. When people fled Feroz, many of those who looked to Zemress have chosen to settle here, swelling the ranks of the faithful and creating a unique opportunity to build a School of Naval Warfare.

The School would require 10 wains of white granite, 15 wains of weirwood, 10 wains of mithril and 70 crowns, take 6 months to construct and have an upkeep to the Imperial treasury 5 thrones. It would require a commission slot and could only be authorized by the Imperial Senate or by any title with the authority to commission a folly. The school is similar to the School of Shipbuilding originally proposed for Siroc by Frederick di Sarvos but is more limited in its scope and focussed purely on teaching and research, at least for now. The opportunity to create the school will be available until the end of the Spring Equinox 385YE.

The school would provide no direct economic benefits, but it would allow the Freeborn to begin studying naval warfare, allowing them to disseminate techniques across the Brass Coast and the Empire. Once complete, the researchers at the school would present three possible qualities that new Imperial navies might be built with. They would invite the fleet owners of the Brass Coast to vote on which quality they felt was most important - whichever quality won would become the focus on their research. The civil service prognosticators believe it would take a year to develop the new quality - at which point the Freeborn could vote on what project to being next (researchers would present a new quality to consider alongside the two previously rejected options).

The Sumaah are not currently prepared to provide funding or support for the School, but several of their visiting präster have pointed out that if the Empire were prepared to share any new naval techniques they learned with the Sumaah, then that would be very well received by their fellow adherents of the Way. The Sumaah have two navies, but they are outclassed by the Asaveans, in much the same way that the Empire struggle to compete with the Grendel navies. Redressing that balance would be a huge boost to diplomatic relations with the Sumaah.

Quzar

• An opportunity exists to build the Parador of Sand and Salt at Quzar
• Creating this ministry would cost 15 wains of mithril and 5 wains of weirwood, 5 wains of white granite, 50 crowns and take 3 months to construct
• The Parador would need to be a national Bourse position appointed by Tally of the Votes, it would act as a ministry allowing the Hakima of Sand and Salt to purchase mana crystals
• The Parador of Sand and Salt could be expanded into a College of Magic at any point, with a significantly reduced upkeep cost
• This opportunity will last until the end of the Spring Equinox 385YE

The Towers of Quzar are known as a gathering place for hakima from all across the Brass Coast. There is a yearly council that meets here every midsummer to share knowledge and gossip. As a result, most of the hakima who have fled Feroz have come here, along with many families who have an interest in Autumn magic. Now the streets are permanently filled with magicians discussing their affairs.

Total Money Spent	Production
7 crowns	8 mana crystals
17 crowns	16 mana crystals
32 crowns	25 mana crystals
50 crowns	33 mana crystals
70 crowns	42 mana crystals

Thus Ishala i Erigo proposes to construct the Parador of Sand and Salt, a vast meeting house where hakima could discuss their business together and where visitors could find lodgings. Constructing the Parador would create a new Imperial title, the Hakima of Sand and Salt who would be able to purchase mana crystals while overseeing the day-to-day running of the Parador.

Creating this ministry would cost 15 wains of mithril and 5 wains of weirwood, 5 wains of white granite, 50 crowns and take 3 months to construct. It would require a commission slot and could be authorized by the Imperial Senate or by any Imperial title able to commission a ministry.

Once complete it would create a new Imperial title, the Hakima of Sand and Salt. This would have to be a national Bourse position appointed by Tally of the Votes to gain the support of the inhabitants of Quzar. Whoever claimed the title would be able to purchase mana crystals from the visiting Hakima. Imperial law prohibits a title being legally restricted to a specific group of people, but Ishala is crystal clear that the Freeborn who attend Anvil would be expected to ensure that they only ever elected a Hakima to the position.

In addition to these benefits, the Parador would further solidify the central important of Quzar in Madruga and create a community of supportive hakima who could help with magical research if given the right facilities. While the Parador stands, it could be upgraded into a full College of Magic at any time at a cost of 55 wains of mithril and 55 wains of weirwood, 55 wains of white granite, and 330 crowns. The upgrade would require a commission slot and could be authorized by anyone with the power to commission a college of magic. The Hakima would retain the ability to purchase mana crystals from the Parador but gain the additional abilities provided by a college of magic.

If the Parador were upgraded then the presence of so many hakima in Quzar would provide a crucial additional benefit. As long as the Hakima of Sand and Salt was seen to be a hakima in good standing, then the total seasonal upkeep of the Empire's colleges of magic would be reduced by 20 thrones a season.

Conjunction
The information presented here details the background and objectives for one or more conjunctions of the Sentinel Gate. Details relating to the day, timing, gate size, and any additional information will be summarised on the Wind of War page for the event.

Captain's Price (Conjunction)

• A column of Wave Riders have crossed the border into Segura intent on murdering Freeborn evacuees of the Cereva family
• The Cereva have asked for help stopping the Grendel from killing them and their friends
• The civil service suggest that this sensitive mission might best be overseen by the Imperial Fleet Master

Captain Dubha "the Benevolent" is a favoured lieutenant to Governor Rahab. They were given control of a sizable area of Oranserai near Lucksprings, to rule on Rahab's behalf. Taking it as a given that they should have the most prestigious dwelling in the area, they claimed the Casa Cereva and pressed the Freeborn of the Cereva family into service as household slaves. Unimpressed with this state of affairs, the Cereva took the opportunity presented by the evacuation of Feroz to escape across the border to Segura with the aid of Imperial soldiers. Before leaving however, they helped themselves to the better part of a year's wages from Captain Dubha's treasury - including apparently a golden statue of one of Dubha's ancestors who the eccentric Grendel soldier apparently claims speaks to him personally. All of this has come to light in the wake of the evacuation - the Cereva have sought sanctuary with distant cousins at a parador near Cerevado in Lucksprings and have been telling raucous tales of Dubha's many shortcomings.

Unfortunately, Dubha is apparently very unwise for a Grendel orc. While Rahab is fuming impotently, and importuning the Salt Lords for aid, Dubha is instead over-reacting. They have sent a column of Wave Riders along the banks of the Scorrero and across the border into Segura with instructions to recover the golden statue of Dubha's ancestor. By all accounts the column is closing in on the Cereva parador, and if it reaches it there is little hope the Freeborn there will be able to stand against the warriors. There will be a bloodbath, and the Grendel will recover the statue along with any other wealth that is not nailed down, and return it to Captain Dubha.

Fortunately a conjunction exists that will allow a small band of Imperial heroes to intercept the column of Wave Riders... They will most likely want to avoid direct conflict - their mission is to recover Captain Dubha's ancestral statue not tussle with Imperial heroes. If at least half of them are killed or turned back, the remainder will abandon the raid and take whatever punishment Captain Dubha hands out. If at least half of them are able to bypass the Imperial defenders, however, they will be able to raid the parador, kill several Cereva, and return to Feroz with Captain Dubha's treasure.

Obviously all of this is in direct violation of the 383YE peace treaty with the Grendel, which is one reason the civil service have suggested the Imperial Fleet Master oversee the mission. Right now their presence in Segura doesn't necessarily "break" the treaty as such - as long as the Wave Riders turn back without harming any Imperial citizens it could probably be passed off as a "misunderstanding". If they kill the Cereva and rob the parador, that is a different matter - it is definitely raiding - but one that would still be dealt with diplomatically under the treaty. The Wave Riders are not meant to be in Segura - they are clearly in the wrong under the provisions of the treaty - so if they are killed or assaulted the Salt Lords could not credibly demand recompense (although it would very likely annoy Governor Rahab even more to have one of his captains humiliated and in turn humiliate him in this way).

Success and failure: The Cereva have been in communication with the Brass Coast egregore, who they've empowered to hand over a bag of treasure on their behalf, on the understanding that they'll repay the egregore out of the treasures they've stolen from Dubha, The egregore trusts their honesty and has put together a bag of ingots and money on behalf of the Cereba which will be handed over to the Imperial Fleet Master to divvy up among the people who help them deal with the problem - assuming they do deal with the problem.

If the Wave Riders are not turned back they will kill most of the Cereva, recover Captain Dubha's treasure, and return to Feroz. It would be up to the Empire to pursue reparations with the Grendel in that case.

Further Reading

• Struggle with the sea - Spring 384YE wind of fortune presenting the evacuation opportunity
• To curb those raging appetites - Winter 383YE wind of fortune laying out the options for Feroz that led to the evacuation
• Everything has a price - Winter 383YE wind of fortune detailing potential agreements between the Empire and the Grendel
• Roll of Honour - details the characters who sent military units and fleets to help evacuate Feroz