It's only me

For four weekends a year, Anvil is the beating heart of the Empire.

Overview

The Spring Equinox is already knocking at the door, and the powerful are beginning the long slow dance that is an Anvil summit. The Dawnish and the Urizen prepare their flower crowns and blossom gifts for the celebrations that come this time each year. The Empire holds its breath, waiting to see how 386YE, the first year of the reign of Vesna Borkovna Prochnost, will begin.

Anvil is where the decision makers of the Empire gather. Theses are the people whose decisions that shape the future of every citizen, every foreign visitor, and even for the barbarian rivals that border Imperial lands. It is no surprise that such an august gathering also attracts those eager to seek the aid or patronage of such people, or to pursue opportunities for profit. Some of those people do so discreetly, taking pains for whatever reason to keep their visit to the beating heart of the Empire on the down-low. Others don't see the need for such precautions, or actively work to spread the news of their attendance so that the people they most want to talk to know when and where they will be arriving.

Symposium of Stars

• Annukka Juhaling is returning to Anvil to attend an Astronomancy Symposium in the Senate on Sunday morning
• Other visitors with an interest in astronomancy may follow, depending on how things come together
• She will arrive around the time the Symposium is starting, at 10am on Sunday

The Suaq astronomancer Annukka Juhaling made the long journey to Anvil at the Winter Solstice to call for more collaboration and knowledge-sharing among practitioners of the magical arts related to the stars. By all accounts she had a productive visit, and met several agreeable magicians who responded to her concerns with a call for an Astronomantic Symposium. The magicians involved have scheduled this Symposium - one of the first of its kind ever to take place at Anvil - for ten o'clock Sunday morning of the Spring Equinox summit, in the Imperial Senate building.

Annukka has indicated that she plans to attend the Symposium, but she is not the only one. News travels erratically across the Empire, but it seems that a few other people - folk who spend clear nights along the road to Casinea gazing intently up at the night sky - are making an effort to attend. There's some idle gossip in the observatories, the student common-rooms, atop bald stone-crowned hills, and among the dark midnight glades of the possibility this might become an annual or even seasonal event.

The Wreck of the Virtuous

• One of the survivors of a shipwreck has been haunted by the spirits of the drowned passengers and crew
• Unable to be exorcised, the ghosts seem desperate to possess those around them
• The haunted stewards of the dead seek volunteers to become possessed, to allow these spirits to deal with their unfinished business and move on
• Gideon’s Vigil will come bearing ghosts around 5pm on Saturday, to the chapel in the Highguard camp

A month or so after the Winter Solstice a passenger ship named The Virtuous goes down somewhere off the coast of Necropolis, bearing pilgrims from across the Empire. Reports are varied, but it seems the vessel’s sad fate had more to do with a series of reckless decisions by its captain as the magical storms that have been thundering across the Bay of Catazar. Ignoring the warning of the League bishops, the Virtuous sought to sail from Sarvos to Sanctuary Sands and the crew and passengers paid the price for the captain's foolishness.

Making the journey to Anvil are a group of Highborn, stewards of the dead from a chapter named Gideon’s Vigil, who have been particularly affected by this incident. They say that one of their number survived the wreck, and has been haunted by the invisible ghosts of their fellow passengers. These restless spirits cannot be effectively exorcised (their anchors are presumably at the bottom of the Bay of Catazar) and words alone have not been enough to send them on to the Labyrinth. The stewards of the dead have realised that what they really want is to possess people, to complete their unfinished business. It's unorthodox, but the stewards have come to the conclusion that in the right circumstances, this might help these confused and stubborn spirits pass beyond the world. But where could they find volunteers to undertake such an esoteric - and potentially risky - task? They hope that the heroes of Anvil will be willing to step forward.

Members of Gideon’s Vigil will arrive in Anvil around five in the afternoon on Saturday, starting out at the chapel in the Highborn camp. From what they have observed, anyone willing to bear the burden of a reckless soul will do so only until its essential drive has been satisfied, or by sunrise the following day. They are at pains to emphasise that these ghosts will only possess people who willingly allow them to; they pose no spiritual threat to anyone who happens to be nearby.

Out-of-character information: These possessions will take the form of a short curse card handed out by a marshal, who will be able to answer any questions about the roleplaying effect. In addition to the conditions about its duration, it will be possible to decide to end the effect at any time if it has ceased to be enjoyable. It will be up to each individual player how far they want to lean into the possession - completely changing their personality, or letting it guide them subtly, or something in between.

Serious Sausage Business

• Anthony de Woort von Temeschwar, representing a variety of Holberg butchers and farmers, would like to meet with victuallers from Holberg, and especially the Custodian of the Bloody Great Sausage
• Mister de Woort will be in the hub at 7:30pm on Friday

Apparently the sausage market has become a little unstable over the last few months, and butchers in Holberg are reporting difficulties selling their flagship product. Orders cancelled, deliveries refused, accusations of low-quality or even cursed merchandise and so on. Anthony de Woort von Temeschwar, a League merchant who makes it his business to understand why people do or don't buy certain things, has been asked to investigate. He has spent the last several weeks visiting victuallers all over Holberg, and speaking to their customers in other nations. Now he has come to Anvil to discuss his findings, and talk about what needs to be done, before the situation becomes anything more than a temporary little difficulty.

They're interested in speaking specifically to the Custodian of the Bloody Great Sausage, although they can't seem to find out exactly who that is. As someone charged with spreading fine quality Holberg victuals across the Empire, with a special emphasis on premium sausage, anything that threatens the culinary arts of the greatest city in the world will obviously be of great concern to them, whoever they are. Other League victuallers, farmers, butchers - indeed anyone whose business involves meat products or foodstuffs - is invited to attend as well. Anthony de Woort von Temeschwar has indicated that he will be arriving at the Hub at Anvil, shortly after half-past-seven on Friday evening.

The Faceless Echo

• Doctor Aodann de Spiral seeks assistance in treating an unknown patient suffering a peculiar magical malady.
• They are expected around 2pm on Saturday.

The League is known for its doctors, Holberg (the greatest city in the world) in particular. Doctor Aodann de Spiral (formerly de Holberg) is a reasonably respected professional who has spent years studying magical maladies and the way powerful enchantments or curses, or encounters with eternals or tulpas, can damage the body and spirit of mortal beings. They've very recently moved to Apulian, and begun an in-depth examination of people harmed by exposure to the malign influence of the Black Plateau. Most such patients can be treated, at least in the short term, with certain enchantments using Day magic, but some continue to confound the good Doctor.

The patient was found on the road near Apulian, wandering confused and apparently unable to remember who they are. This is not the first person Doctor Aodann has encountered with similar symptoms but they are the most serious to date. This is also the first patient that nobody seems to be able to recognise. They are almost certainly a League citizen by their dress but nobody knows who they are - the egregore is equally confounded, being unable to work out who they are beyond confirming that they are indeed part of the nation.

Proud and ambitious, but not so proud that they don't know when to ask for help, Doctor Aodann has arranged to bring themselves and their patient to Anvil, ideally to consult with their peers in the medical and arcane malady community. The Doctor has taken rooms at an inn on the outskirts of Outer Anvil, and are expected to arrive along with their charge around two o'clock on Saturday afternoon. They'll be making their way to the League camp, and have asked that nobody interferes with or accosts them until they arrive. While their patient is not dangerous, they become confused easily and Aodann de Spiral is keen to avoid any distressing incidents for their patient.

Participation: If your character is a doctor or student of magical maladies, you may like to roleplay that you have corresponded with Doctor Aodann in the past, when they were living in Holberg. To help the NPC out, just preface your introduction with a phrase like "We've written before if you remember" or "You may not remember me but we've exchanged letters" or something similar, ideally with a line about yourself that will let the character respond appropriately.

Visitors from Ossium

• Visitors from Ketzov in Ossium, are heading to Anvil to meet with Jaromira Orlov in the Varushkan camp.
• They expect to arrive at around 8:45pm on Saturday.

The Ketsov are a human family from Ossium who became part of Varushka soon after the territory was wrested from the Druj. In the intervening years they have eagerly embraced the opportunities presented by Imperial citizenship, both at home and in neighbouring Karsk, establishing a prosperous vale at the Ketsov Mir Mozga. The integration of the close-knit extended family has been tricky at times - they are not popular with several vales established by former slaves of the Mallum orcs due to the accommodations they made with the Druj which allowed them to avoid the worst of the horrors faced by those subject to their cruel dominion. They are not slow to bite back at such accusations, being very much of the opinion that there is no difference between bargaining with some shadowy spirit or bloodthirsty plaguewulf and making a deal with orcs who can snuff out your people without mercy.

They aren't regular visitors to Anvil by any stretch, but in the run up to the Spring Equinox two groups of travellers have been encountered on the road south. They are travelling separately, but both are believed to be emissaries of the Ketsov family. Both groups have stated that they're hoping to speak with a Varushkan by the name of Jaromira Orlov. They will presumably wish to at least meet with Jereni Hinda Bogdanov, the Burgher of Ketsov, who is responsible for ensuring the prosperity of the Ossian town, and presumably the large family that live there. These two Ketsov groups are expected to arrive at some point in the evening of the summit's second day.

There is one other thing... one odd thing. Leaving aside the fact that the two groups are clearly travelling entirely separately, there is some circumstantial evidence that each is unaware of the other. Furthermore, about half of those who have mentioned meeting one of the groups on the road have spoken of a particular disquiet they feel when speaking with them. Nothing they can put into words, just something about them that put them on edge and caused the small hairs on the back of the neck to rise. It would be easy to dismiss this as some kind of bias on behalf of the speaker... but given the travellers are coming from Varushka it's probably best to err on the side of caution. That's what Zoria would advise, at any rate.

The Guided Path (Conjunction)

• Navarr citizens are divided over the outcome of the research at the Great Library of Hacynian
• A number of Ambition guides from the Burning Vine sect seek clarity from the guides at Anvil
• They can be reached via a conjunction at 6:35pm on the Friday of the summit
• Aniera Exiles End has been asked to arrange a delegation from Anvil

Now that the great host of scholars gathered at the Great Library of Hacynian have discovered a reliable way to defeat the vallorn, the Navarr have been buzzing with talk of the end being in sight. But the path ahead is fraught, both for the Empire and the nation itself. After all, if the vallorn is defeated, what will the future look like for the Navarr people?

A sect of priests dedicated to Ambition based in Miaren called the Burning Vine are very interested in discussing this matter with guides from across the nation - specifically with those who gather regularly at Anvil. The threat posed by Cold Sun has made it too risky for them to attempt the trip to Casinea themselves, but the prognosticators indicate that a conjunction of the Sentinel Gate exists that will allow no more than eight people to travel to The Old Green Fort in Goldglades, Miaren. The conjunction takes place at 6:35pm on Friday night during the upcoming summit. The Burning Vine have asked Aniera Exiles End to put together a small group to visit them at this time, as they were the guide who raised the recent judgement asking for people to speak to guides. They're specifically seeking discourse with guides, especially those dedicated to ambition, since their driving questions are on the topic of what the ambition of the Navarr people actually is.

Of course they don't expect that question to be solved - but hopefully such a chat this early into the summit will start conversations in motion.

Virtue transcends soul and spirit, and in light of recent changes to doctrine it is worth testing this idea to its very limit. As such the inquisitor of the Way calls the eternal Sadogua to inquisition, to assess its virtue and evaluate its claim to exemplardom. The Inquisition will be at the Spring equinox, and the inquisiting priest will be Morwenna with assistance from fellow members of the Sevenfold Path.

Morwenna Withered Rose, Assembly of The Way, Winter Solstice 385YE, Vote: Greater Majority 312-37

Morwenna and the Globbersnotch

• The eternal Sadogua intends to attend an inquisition in the Hall of Worlds at 2pm on Saturday afternoon
• They have asked for assistance from Brat Umbral Path and the Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path
• They've also asked for a short meeting with the Bursar of the Conclave and the Archmage of Night after the inquisition

During the Winter Solstice, Morwenna Withered Rose raised a judgement of Inquisition in the Assembly of the Way. The judgement was a little peculiar, but received and almost immediate response. The Toad King, Wyrm-King, the Father of Bats, the Mother of Moths, the Glutton, the Black Sloth, the one whose name is sometimes rendered as Shuttered Lantern, the Eater of Secrets, the Avuncular Globberslotch, Seducer, the Cunning Patrician, the Brother of Wizards, Wujek Sadogua, has confirmed that they will be appearing at the Spring Equinox to participate in the inquisition.

Morwenna Witheredrose is the Virtue Inquisitor of the Assembly of the Way.

They have requested that the Inquisition take place in the Hall of Worlds, at two in the afternoon on Saturday during the Spring Equinox. Presumably business will be completed before the Arcane Colloquium begins. The eternal has made a few requests, delivered by a harassed herald. Firstly, as their familiarity with the legalities of inquisition is a little shaky they have asked that Brat Umbral Path of Navarr serve as their ally and advocate along with the Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path or their proxy, assuming this will not be seen as an egregious conflict of interest. If Sadogua's memory of the Sevenfold Path manifesto is reliable, he believes that the order is best suited to build a bridge between the Brother of Wizards and the Imperial Synod.

Conclave endows the Lyceum to Sadogua. Conclave is aware that this is not legally binding and requires a Senate motion, but would like Senate to be aware of Conclave's opinion on the potential ceding of the Lyceum to the Brother of Wizards.

Brynn Vision Enduring, Bursar of the Conclave, Declaration of Endowment, Winter Solstice 385YE

Secondly, he asks that the inquisition remain focused on spiritual topics, and matters relating to Prosperity. He is still by account of his herald "quite put out" about the theft of the Whistling Strand from his demesne in the Forests of Night. He's aware the Conclave have made it clear they do not do not endorse that "despicable act", but he's also uncomfortable about the fact that the Circle of Zulgan-Tash have been declared sorcerers. The eternal has made no secret of the fact that he doesn't like the Declaration of Sorcery, and asks that the Conclave consider carefully why they have delivered this punishment to the Varushkan wizards. "If it's solely on my account," he has apparently said "then I'd rather you just cursed the dickens out of them or turn them into trees or something, like wizards ought, than that you try to take their magic away." The herald admits they are paraphrasing but the intent is clear.

The herald has one final request. Once the inquisition is completed, assuming it doesn't end very badly indeed, the herald asks for a few moments to speak to Brynn Vision Enduring, the Bursar of the Conclave, and to Luciano Vivaci Rezia di Tassato, the Archmage of Night to discuss the logistics of the Conclave declaration endowing him with custody of the Lyceum. "When those wards come down again next year, you'll barely recognise the place" the herald cheerfully announces.

Rebels

• A delegate or perhaps delegation from the Spiral rebels intends to visit Anvil to speak to their fellow Urizeni
• They are expected to arrive at around 23:00 on Saturday evening

At the last minute, news has reached Anvil via Winged Messenger, that a delegate from Spiral is on their way to Anvil to meet with the Urizen there. The message arrives less than a week before the summit is due to begin. It appears that Caela of the Silver Flame, the leader of the Urizeni rebels who have seized Ankra and Cinion, has sent someone to speak to the people of the nation on the matter of the rebellion. There have been a number of developments over the last few months, and it seems odd that the charismatic leader of the most hard-line faction has waited until now to send someone to Anvil; indeed the timing suggests they have done so at the last minute for some reason.

The delegate is due to arrive at Anvil at eleven in the evening on the Saturday of the summit. It's not clear if they are alone or will be bringing others. They are apparently intending to be received by the Urizen egregores and then to discuss the situation in Spiral with their fellow Urizen. Legally, the rebels are considered foreigners (unless the Imperial Senate chooses to change that designation during the summit), so there should be no legal impediment to meeting with them.

It's anticipated they will want to spend comparatively little time at Anvil; they're expected to arrive around eleven at night on Saturday and are likely to leave as soon as their business is finished.

Finally, a Departure

• Theodosia of Ipotavo has left the Empire ahead of schedule
• A few other Axou visitors have likewise quit Imperial territory

The Axou scholar Theodosia of Ipotavo arrived in the Empire in Autumn last year. A scion of a prestigious family, she had in her possession the artefact shield Bawn-watch - the Shield of Vigilance. Last season she again visited Anvil, partly to renew her acquaintance with 'Fintan Nightaven. Her original itinerary involved remaining in the Empire for a year, visiting various centres of learning, taking in the sights, and meeting her Imperial peers. Shortly after the Winter Solstice however, she suddenly quit the small house on the outskirts of Myfanwy's Rest that she had rented, and took passage on an Axou ship out of #Crown's Quay in Necropolis. The vessel departed barely a day before the first of the accursed storms hit the coast.

She apparently left word with her former landlady that she will be relying to existing letters, but has left no forwarding address. The Ipotavan scholar left a vague note suggesting she felt she had "neglected Vigilance in the name of Understanding." The last people to see her before she left, however, said she seemed nervous. Spooked even. Apparently something in the inaugral address of Emperor Vesna worried or unsettled her, and she decided to leave immediately rather than in the Summer as she had originally intended.