383YE Spring Equinox winds of fortune

Merlot's copy of the Book of the Empire hanging in the Hub for use by Imperial citizens.

Overview

Over the past three months, several events have occurred which are of significance to the Empire and may require a response from her champions. You can also read about the progress of the Empire's military campaigns here.

In each case, we've tried to tag the Winds of Fortune entry with the nations, or political bodies, to which it is most relevant. We've done this to help people who are interested only in events that are especially relevant to them. In no way are these tags intended to be exhaustive; the Empire is a complex place and very little happens in isolation.

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of Fortune is to maintain the illusion of the Empire as a living, breathing place where things happen - and to make players aware of things their characters 'should' know based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing for the past three months.

Many winds of fortune open with a short section of in-character text. In all cases, these pieces are intended to help create an atmosphere and provide a little entertainment. Where they contain opinions, those are the opinions of the fictional people depicted - and where they contain information or rumours the assumption is that the reader will create their own context for that information or gossip. They're mostly just a bit of fun and they tend not to contain anything vital to the understanding of the wind of Fortune.

Winds of Fortune

An Affirming Flame

• Urizen; Highguard; the League; Varushka

The last few years have been a desperate struggle for the Urizen, with battle raging back and forth across Spiral; the grim conclusion to that campaign; the loss of Zenith; and the tragedy of Morrow. At various points during their ordeal they have received crucial support from other nations. Now the National Assembly recognises those whose aid has proven invaluable, and urges the people of Urizen to show their gratitude to the generals of Varushka, Highguard, and the League. In some cases, their people have responded enthusiastically. In other cases, the enthusiasm has been very much more muted.

At the same time they reach out to other Imperial nations, the Assembly affirms a commitment to accepting any who truly wish to become part Urizen, even if they are orcs. This statement proves itself quite contentious for the people of the beleaguered southeastern nation.

You can learn about the repercussions of both these statements here.

Double or Nothingness

• Imperial Synod; Cardinal of Vigilance; Imperial Senate; Ambassador to the Iron Confederacy

The Imperial Senate has criminialised the trade of liao to the Iron Confederacy, albeit under somewhat narrow circumstances. The embargo on the Dukes have placed on Imperial goods may make this law moot - but only if the liao is being transported by legitimate means. The Silent Bell - charged by the Assembly of the Nine with investigating the transport of liao across the border to the southern nation - say that their investigations suggest the trade is very far from legitimate indeed.

At the same time, the Suranni magicians of Dumon's Hand have renewed their appeal to the Empire for assistance bringing down the Dukes of the Confederacy - although those appeals also raise more questions. Who are Dumon's Hand? Are they really fit allies for the Empire? And what do they actually believe?

You can learn all about this additional Iron Confederacy business here.

The Honey Offering

• Varushka; especially Belakov, the Wolf of Karsk

Varushka is a prosperous land. It may be haunted by horrors, but there is great wealth to be found here if one is brave enough. With Ossium it is now the largest of the Imperial nations; can it once more become the richest?

While Bartimaeus tells people of all nations to consider how to benefit their people, Varushkan priests speak directly to the people of the forests and hills of wealth claimed, Prosperity wielded, and of how the Wolf of Karsk ensures that no threat will sneak into the vales under the shadow of compassion.

Now, then, it is a time of opportunities. To build, to stretch, to encourage, and to secure the future by buying back the past.

You can learn about these opportunities here.

Honey and Vinegar

• Imperial Conclave; Grandmasters (especially Silver Chalice); Warmage; Bursar of the Conclave; the Marches; Wintermark

In response to the news that the long standing bequests to the font have run dry, a group of enterprising League merchants have come up with some novel ideas for how the prosperity of the orders might be preserved.

They are not the only folk thinking of mana, and some are motivated more by gratitude than by monetary concerns. In their own slightly odd way the Landskeepers of the Marches show their support for the Conclave decision to keep Rivers Run Red under interdiction. And in the north, the peculiar sealfolk known as the hylje seek to show their support for their single-natured Suaq cousins with crabs, fish... and crystal mana.

You can learn more about these opportunities here.

I Heard A Source

• Autumn Archmage; Imperial Senate; Imperial Bourse

The Archmage of Autumn invited the eternal Ephisis to parley, but rather than meet with them, the City of Gold and Lead has sent heralds to present trades for the consideration of the Empire. These include an offer to let the Autumn archmage buy warm ashes; a chance to arrange similar trades of other archmages; and a stronger connection to the Autumn realm paid for with the concept of national Bourse seats.

The exchange has also prompted an unexpected fourth offer from the Sovereign Lord of the City of Bridges who has very different opinions on how the most valuable materials in the Empire should be distributed.

You can read about these offers here.

Idle Hands Are The Devil's Playthings

• Imperial Synod; Imperial Senate

The Asavean architect - Almodin Oktístis - has spent the last two years building grand structures on behalf of the Senate. Now, not only has he been convicted of idolatry by the magistrates, but he an his work have been roundly denounced by the Synod.

The architect is gone now - fled back to Asavea - but the buildings he built while he was employed by the Senate remain. Each one covered in icons and statues of the Asavean gods. Each one an affront to Imperial Pride.

Two questions remain then. What is to be done about these offensive structures? And who, precisely, is to do it? Perhaps these questions can be answered here.

If the Wheel is Fixed

• Imperial Synod; Ambassador to Sumaah

Jorma Steelhail has enacted a mandate that calls for greater understanding between the Sumaah Houses of Virtue and the Imperial Synod. The mandate encouraged Imperial and Sumaah citizens to view Timoj and Bastion as equals in the Way, with a shared single faith. The Sumaah have in turn discussed these words, and passed statements of principle of their own.

The immediate outcome is that the Sumaah präster have curtailed their missionary work in the Empire - for the moment at least. They seem prepared to listen, if the Synod priests are prepared to commit itself to the search for common ground. The situation is tense, but there is at least a chance for detente - assuming the Imperial Synod still desires detente that is...

You can learn about the situation here.

The Mathematics of Tears

• Imperial Senate; Varushka, the Brass Coast, and the League; the Kruidenkenner Trademaster, High Herbalist of Sybella, Master of the Clearing House, and Vizier of the Incarnadine Satchel; the Northern Trade Network; and the Sarcophan Ambassador.

During their recent Banket van Vrijheid, the leaders of the Sarcophan Delves finally outlawed the slave trade. While they did not sign the Liberty Pact, several Sarcophan families and guilds are keen to strengthen their ties with the members, and present opportunities for mutual Prosperity.

These include warehouses for bulk herb trade; foreign investment in a variety of existing herbal ministries; the purchase of white granite and weirwood; a one-off deal for a bulk order of white granite; and proposals to turn ruined locations in Karsk and Sarvos into large Sarcophan trading enclaves.

You can learn about these proposals here.

The Price of Liberty

• Imperial Senate; Imperial titles benefiting from foreign trade including Ambassadors; Imperial Synod

During the Winter Solstice the Imperial Senate ratified the Liberty Pact. As a consequence, trade sanctions were imposed on slavingnations - Asavea, Jarm, Faraden, Otkodov, and the Iron Confederacy. The Senate instructed the civil service to appraise the economic impact of those sanctions and ways they could be mitigated. Naomi of Virtue's Rest has been assigned to oversee the appraisal, focusing on diplomatic opportunities that will both mitigate the effects of sanctions and prove acceptable to the foreign nations involved.

You can learn about both the impact of the sanctions and their potential mitigation here.

The Risk-All Point (Trade Winds)

• Fleet captains; Ambassadors; military captains; citizens with mana sites; Mordecai of Zephaniah's Lament and accomplices

The Empire is powerful, but not without peer. In the months since the Winter Solstice, the complex web of international relationships has become tangled like never before. The Liberty Pact smashes the status quo like a rock through a pane of glass and the known world may never be the same again.

Yet the world continues to turn, even as it is divided into two rival camps. Here you can learn of the civil war in Asavea and the Empire's role in it, and the seismic changes sweeping through Axos. Of the beauty of the Sumaah capital, and the enthusiasm of the Commonwealth. Of the disappointment of the Faraden, and of the apoplectic fury of the priests of Arav the Judge.

You can learn about the general situation in the wider world beyond Imperial borders here.

Who Benefits (Plenipotentiary)

• Imperial Magicians; the nation of Urizen; Wintermark and Dawn

The six archmages have the ability to petition the denizens of the magical realms as representatives of the Empire. Those denizens are bound to respond - although their responses may not always take the form of a formal parley.

In the lead up to the Spring Equinox, six eternals have sent responses to plenipotentiary messages from the Imperial archmages; the Archives of Silence; the Host of the Caucus Forum; the Queen of the Amaranthine Glacier; the Lady of the Counting House; the Queen of all Spiders; and the Whelpmaster.

You can learn about these plenipotentiary responses here.

Mandates

Sixteen mandates were successfully upheld in the Imperial Synod. You can find the details of all the mandates, along with the rest of the Synod judgements, here. As always, these mandates only have an effect if the named priest provides the appropriate amount of liao and emails Profound Decisions (pot@profounddecisions.co.uk) to tell us to take the liao and complete the mandate.

Some of these mandates will have an effect this downtime, specifically those relating to the Brocéliande defence. We'll adjust this page and alert the appropriate nations when/if these mandates are enacted..

Assembly	Mandate	Named Priest	Outcome	WoF
Dawn National	The green forest of Brocéliande is a wilderness like few others; now the vallorn that lies at its heart rises against our friends among the Navarr. The opportunity for glory here cannot be ignored; nor should the people of Semmerholm and Astolat ignore the sacrifices the Navarr have made to protect them against the malign force of the power that dwells there. The Dawn assembly sends Ranae de Rondell with 50 doses of liao to encourage knights and witches to offer their aid to the Navarr fighting to stem the green tide of the vallorn. Let knights-errant and questing knights alike face the challenge of the dark forest, and show the abhorrent power of the vallorn the might of Dawnish steel!	Ranae de Rondell	Enhanced awards for Dawnish characters supporting the "Slow the Vallorn" action	here
General	The Way binds us together, guiding all citizens on a virtuous path. We send Eska Crowspeaker with 50 liao to spread the Way to those we have rescued from Dubhtraig to allow them to find a place for themselves in the Empire.	Eska Crowspeaker	Encourages slaves liberated from Dubhtraig to embrace the Way	here
General	All members of the Synod have a duty to represent their congregations. Those who are neither raising judgements in pursuit of their goals, nor voting in support of their understanding of Virtue, shame themselves. We send Rafe with 100 doses of liao to urge any priest in the Empire who does not make full use of their powers to take up arms and lead their congregations in heroic battle.	Rafe	Characters with congregation resources will be easily able to exchange them for military unit resources	here
Wintermark	Those Winterfolk who are members of the Synod have a duty to represent their congregations. Those who are neither raising judgements in pursuit of their goals, nor voting in support of their understanding of Virtue, shame themselves. We send Severi Jarlmarison with 50 doses of liao to urge any priest of Wintermark who does not make full us of their powers to take up arms and lead their congregations in heroic battle.	Severi Jarlmarison	Wintermark characters with congregation resources will be easily able to exchange them for military unit resources	here
General	The virtuous build up their fellows, and take pride in their people. Rather than looking to line their own pockets, Imperial citizens should seek ways to strengthen their own nations - and by doing so strengthen the Empire as a whole. We send Bartimeus with 75 liao to urge Imperial citizens to consider how best the bounty of their nations might be used for the benefit of their people.	Bartimeus	Nations will present proposals to make use of their own Bourse resources	here
Highguard	The purpose of our Pilgrimage is to save souls; certainly those who have fallen to the Vallorn, but also those who are in danger of being lost to false beliefs. We the Highborn Assembly acknowledge that no citizen follows the Way perfectly. We all have room to grow, and faults to address. We send Lilith of the Chantry with 25 liao to urge the Grey Pilgrims to act as guides for all the human nations of this great Empire. As they walk the trods in the years to come, let there be no dark corner into which they cannot shine the light of Virtue.	Lilith of the Chantry	All human nations will suffer penalties to their congregations	here
General	The Way was founded in Bastion, and the Sumaah were among the first to follow in our footsteps. For so long Bastion has been a single light in sea of savagery and ignorance - the Imperial Synod is heartened to learn there are now two with Bastion's counterpart in Timoj. Rather than seek division through political pettiness, the Imperial Synod has a grander vision and so sends Jorma Steelhail with 150 doses of Liao to urge the citizens of the Empire and the Sumaah Republic to seek common ground and focus on our shared Ambition in spreading the Way to the world.	Jorma Steelhail	Seeks reconciliation with the Sumaah Republic	here
Highguard	The monstrous infestation that is the Vallorn is a danger beyond any other that now faces us. There is no sacrifice too great that we cannot meet it to defeat this terror. The walking of the trods will weaken the vallorn, but we must not be blind to the danger it poses to humanity. The time has come to raise sword and brand against it in defence of our allies - and to strike at the horror in Brocéliande before it becomes a threat to our own people. We send Hazelelponi of the Shattered Tower with 50 doses of liao to urge the vigilant faithful of Highguard to aid the Navarr in the defence of Brocéliande.	Hazelelponi of the Shattered Tower	Congregations of Highguard will help support the defenders of Brocéliande	here
Prosperity	As Edna has declared, the building of the Cinderpath Exchange is a virtuous endeavour that both increases the Prosperity of the Empire as a whole, and ensures that those who sell white granite receive a fair and virtuous reward for their labours. We send Edna with 100 doses of liao to urge those Prosperous citizens who have white granite to refrain from auctioning it through the Bourse Auction at Anvil until such time as the Cinderpath Exchange is completed.	Edna of the Chantry	Citizens will withhold white granite from the public auction until the Cinderpath Exchange is built.	here
Highguard	Highguard were those who founded The Way and first spread it to the peoples of the Empire's nations. They have now shown their Loyalty in kind for this great enlightenment Highguard gave to them, and it is time to spread The Way further afield through the people of foreign nations. We send Able of the Shattered Tower with 25 liao to urge the grey pilgrims to convert travelling foreigners to The Way, so that they may go back to their lands and pass on the truth.	Able of the Shattered Tower	Urges Grey Pilgrims to convert foreigners to the Way.	here.
Highguard	As Bartimaeus has already vouchsafed, virtuous people set prices for things which are fair, and buy and sell them accordingly. The Senate disagrees; it denies the virtue of engaging in trade in a virtuous manner. We send Raziel of the Shattered Tower with 25 doses of liao to urge those Highborn citizens in possession of white granite to refuse to deal with the greed embodied by the Bourse Auction at Anvil until such time as the Cinderpath Exchange is completed.	Raziel of the Shattered Tower	Highborn citizens will withhold white granite from the public auction until the Cinderpath Exchange is built	here
General	Skarsind offers a welcome home for the slaves liberated from the Broken Shore. Just as we once fought for our freedom, so you will have a chance to fight against those who once enslaved you. Those who do not fight, will still have a place, working to support our legions. We send Skywise Tulva with 50 liao to encourage the slaves to settle in Skarsind and let them know that those who choose to adopt our ways will be able to become Imperial Orcs in time.	Skywise Tulva	Orc slaves freed from Dubhtraig will be urged to move to Skarsind	here
Varushka	Vasili Zoryakovich Zverokaz reminds us that slavery is unacceptable; Eska Crowspeaker urges us to open out homes to those who have found freedom. Yet in Varushka we cannot simply accept a stranger at face-value, and must be certain of the nature of those we invite into our homes. We send Belikov the Wolf of Karsk with 150 doses of liao to examine each of these strangers and determine whether each one is friend or foe.	Belakov the Wolf of Karsk	Slaves freed from Ossium by the Druj will be individually assessed to ensure they are human.	here
Highguard	The purpose of our pilgrimage is to save souls, those who have fallen to the vallorn, but also those who are lost to malign forces and who bend the knee to eternals. We send Shadrach with 25 liao to urge the grey pilgrims to preach the rejection of False Virtues and idolatrous behaviour.	Shadrach	Grey Pilgrims will be urged to root out and oppose false virtues and eternal cults	here

Imperial Lore

One ritual is being entered into Imperial lore, presuming the money to distribute them across the Empire is forthcoming.

• Madyn's Gift raised by Simargl

Once payment has been made, these rituals will be available to be mastered by Imperial magicians.

Interlude Text

This piece of text is taken from the Interlude page that explains downtime activities.

Raiding Beoraidh

• Any character with a fleet or military unit personal resource can choose to support the Raid on Beoraidh action this downtime.
• Characters who support the raid receive no production from their personal resource, but do receive a share of the Imperial Guerdon based on the strength of their resource.

Another opportunity has arisen for the fleet captains and small unit commanders to take the fight to the Grendel. The target of this raid is the frontier city of Beoraidh (or Beoraidh) in Mareave. The option can be found in the paid work dropdown for military units, or the privateering dropdown for fleets. Military units and fleets assigned to support the raid will not produce any wealth this downtime, but will receive a share of the Imperial Guerdon. Full details are available here.