Pieces missing everywhere

Samael eyed the orc warily, watching for any sign of treachery. The guardian had been told that the orcs of Saltmarsh had thrown down their weapons and surrendered. The visitor wasn't armed, but he certainly didn't look like he had given up fighting. Fortunately his commander would receive the delegation, his job was just to remain Vigilant lest these orcs prove as treacherous as their Druj masters.

"I am Kurn Whitefingers. I speak on behalf of our Pryoclast, Garl Huonor." The orc was tall, dressed in burnished orange robes. Beneath it he wore intricate tooled armour, a belt and pectoral marked with the images of leaping flames.

"I am Abinail of the Chantry of the Silver Skull. On behalf of General Barachel, I welcome you in peace to our camp. We have refreshments if you will take them. My scribe stands ready to record your words if you would need them." Samael felt his Pride well up inside him, pleased their commander had more than outmatched the visitor's confidence.

The orc's eyes narrowed and darted from Ira to Samael and the other guardians, weighing each one up in turn. There was a long, painful pause, almost as if each side were waiting for the other to say something further, but finally he spoke again.

"Garl has consulted the Lords of Flame and the portents are auspicious for a meeting on Greenstone Isle at midnight on the first night of the coming Solstice. Your Empire should send their magicians and their bodyguards to meet the Pyroclast there." The orc stopped for a moment and held up his hands, nine fingers outstretched. The little finger on his left hand was missing, the wound looked fresh and raw. "Nine. No more, no less. Nine." He thrust his hands forward repeatedly, fingers still spread to add emphasis.

"If you send nine, then your magicians may talk with our theurgists. Our Pyroclast will present the terms for our... surrender." The pause was slight, but the change in emphasis was unmissable. Clearly the orc found the word distasteful.

Abinail glanced sideways at her scribe, and nodded at him. He repeated the messengers words back to him, reading out what he had written. Kurn nodded once to indicate approval and then turned on his feet and began walking back towards the gate, the cataphracts escorting him struggling to keep up with his hurry to leave.

"What's there to talk about if they're surrendering?" Samael voiced the question in his head, a little louder than he'd planned.

"There's a whole lot more to surrendering than just not fighting Samael... " Abinail corrected him. "Fortunately that will be for the general to sort out. Right I need a dozen volunteers to take this message to General Barachel. I need people ready to go - now. I need... "

The commander was still barking orders, but Saul's hand was already in the air. It was a long run back to the main camp where the army was stationed but there was no way he was passing up a chance to meet the general.

Some Highborn see their nation as the eldest sibling, forever fated to try and give good advice to, and support the chaotic antics of, their fractious Imperial family.

Overview

The Empire have enjoyed a number of crucial victories recently - triumphs on the battlefield against the Druj of the Mallum and the slavers of Asavea and Rachensgrab. Political triumphs as well - several nations have abandoned slavery in response to the rise of the Liberty Pact. The cost of these victories has been high, but the Highborn have paid it gladly. Buoyed up these triumphs, and the Virtue that underpins them, the Highborn have passed three potent mandates, tapping into the surge of Pride in these accomplishments.

Dare Do All

• Prejudice against the lineaged, orcs, and other sapient people, is declining among the Highborn
• Religious construction in Highguard is being supported by an enthusiastic populace
• The Highborn National Assembly has gained two new abilities; to support another Imperial nation and to present alternate mandates in their assembly to any mandate in a different national assembly

Each of the three mandates that were put before the Highborn Assembly passed with a greater majority. These mandates have inspired the Highborn people providing a number of significant benefits. .One of them provides the Highguard Assembly new powers to support their fellow nations, but not everyone approves of these powers. The Urizen assembly in particular scorns any further assistance from their neighbours.

At the same time, the Highborn generals are busy helping to rebuild Zenith, supporting the Synod's aim of liberating rather than conquering the Barrens, and their virtuous crusade leads to further opportunities for the Assembly.

Let us protect and raise up the things we truly care for. We send Silas of the Cenotaph with 50 doses of liao to remind every Highborn congregant that their decisions are crucial to their safety. Let benefactors and priests work together to show the world that the Way was born here in Highguard.

Silas of the Cenotaph, Highborn Assembly, 384YE Winter Solstice, Vote: Upheld with a Greater Majority 320 to 0

Pride inspires others, it does not demean them. Virtue is based on deeds and it is only actions that we should judge. We send Olyvar of Esther's Sanctum with 50 doses of liao to urge every Highborn citizen to put aside the prejudice of the past. Let us make the pursuit of Virtue the one unifying principle of this glorious Empire.

Lady Josephine of Adina's Charge, Highborn Assembly, 384YE Winter Solstice, Vote: Upheld with a Greater Majority 328 to 11

Nothing is beyond our reach if we strive for it. We send Jared of the Suns of Couros with 50 doses of liao to remind every Highborn congregant that the virtuous build up their fellows. Let us loyally support each one of our siblings in our hour of need.

Jared of the Suns of Couros, Highborn Assembly, 384YE Winter Solstice, Vote: Upheld with a Greater Majority 371 to 0

The words of Silas of the Cenotaph have brought a wave of support for congregations across the nation, providing valuable financial donations as well as increased liao and votes as the ranks of the faithful swell. Perhaps more importantly there is interest in the construction of new monuments, churches, chapels and sites devoted to inspiring the faithful to pursue the Virtues of the Way. This wave of enthusiasm has appeared just in time, given the appraisal that Eilian Sweetwater has just completed that lays out a hugely Ambitious construction to make Bastion the indisputable centre of the Way throughout the known world. If the Assembly chooses, the citizens of Highguard could easily be persuaded to focus all their contributions on this one extraordinary commission.

The Assembly authorises Olyvar of Esther's Sanctum to spread the mandate raised by Lady Josephine of Adina's Charge across the nation, encouraging every Highborn citizen to renounce the long history of prejudice the lineaged and the orcs. It calls for every Highborn to embrace the idea that it is the Virtues that bind the people of the Empire together. The effects of this mandate are subtle and far-reaching, and they will take time to become apparent. The way the Highborn view the lineaged, the Imperial Orcs, and other sentient creatures is evolving however - attitudes are beginning to change, a development that could be influenced by the guidance provided by the Assembly in the seasons ahead.

Finally the mandate enacted by Jared of the Suns of Couros has helped to remind every Highborn citizen of the close bonds between the ten nations of the Empire, like one extraordinary family. Of course siblings argue occasionally, that is to be expected, but they come together in the face of adversity. Highguard's armies have fought shoulder to shoulder with Urizen to turn back the Druj armies in Zenith, they have not flinched from supported the Navarr as they attack the vallorn in Brocéliande. But there is always more that can be done. Inspired by Jared's words, for the next year the Highborn Assembly could chose to focus their support on a single Imperial nation, seeking ways to provide them with assistance. As a result of this interest in the affairs of their fellow nations, Highguard has the potential to respond to the mandates of other nations, supporting (or opposing them) if the issue resonates with them.

These two new abilities are described in a Peerless Kinship and Partner of Greatness, in last seasons Full of sacred sound Wind of Fortune. They remain available until the end of the Winter Solstice 384YE.

Trust Your Instincts

We the Urizen national assembly urge all people resist the powers granted to Highguard should the Partner of Greatness mandate pass. We will not allow another Assembly who do not undergo the same scrutiny as ours to project its influence upon our people.

Athenus, House of the Wanderer, Urizen Assembly, 384YE Winter Solstice, Vote: Upheld with a Greater Majority (174 - 20)

• The Urizen Assembly can make it impossible for the Highborn Assembly to offer any aid to their nation in the near future
• Any assembly can enact this mandate, preventing Highguard from offering any aid to their nation in the near future

However, not every nation welcomes the prospect of receiving help and support from Highguard. The Urizen Assembly passed a statement with a greater majority calling on their citizens to reject Highborn influence. Although the statement seems strange at first glance, given how much Highborn blood was spilled to rout the Druj from Zenith, it is very much in line with the traditional beliefs and practices of the sword scholars who have a long history of opposing Highborn spiritual influence. Or perhaps they were simply alarmed by the prospect of the Highborn Assembly taking action to oppose whatever mandates the Urizeni Assembly sought to spread.

It is not possible for the Urizen Assembly to directly prevent the Highborn Assembly from opposing or supporting the statements and mandates of the other national assemblies in the Synod. That's a matter for Highguard, and the Urizen Assembly can't influence the people of Highguard directly, any more than the Highborn Assembly can influence the people of Urizen directly. However they could make it impossible for the Highborn Assembly to provide any meaningful help or assistance to Urizen. The ability of the Highborn Assembly to identify a single nation and try to help and support them with some challenge they are facing, depends on cooperation with the people of that nation. The Urizen Assembly could pass a mandate making that impossible.

We will strive, toil, and claim the just rewards of our labours. We need no help from others and we send {named priest} with 50 doses of liao to urge all Urizeni to take pride in our accomplishments and refuse all aid from the Highborn.

Synod Mandate, Urizen Assembly

If this mandate is enacted with a greater majority (required due to the opposition of the sword scholars of Urizen to all mandates) then Highguard will not be able to direct their Assembly to help Urizen at any point in the near future. Any statement of principle that calls on Highguard to offer aid or help to Urizen will fail to produce a mandate. Making such a clear statement rejecting Highborn influennce would also make it easier to rouse people to anger in the future, if the efforts of the Urizen Assembly were stifled by opposition to one of their mandates from the Highborn Assembly.

There is currently no indication that other nations wish to refuse the aid of the Highborn, but in theory they could choose to do so. As a result any nation could submit a similar, alternative mandate, to their national assembly, calling on citizens to refuse any aid from Highguard.

Barachel of Adina's Charge, General of the Seventh Wave.

Screw Your Courage

• The orders of Highborn generals can create opportunities for the National assembly

The inspirational effects of the Highborn generals in the campaign against the Druj in Urizen have had a profound impact on everyone who serves in the Highborn armies. The clear commitment to engage the enemy in the most Virtuous way possible has been widely embraced and adopted wholesale. Thus, any conflict that the Highborn armies are involved with will automatically generate an opportunity for their assembly to carry out a mandate.

A Distant Shore (Conjunction)

The Druj's reign of terror must be brought to an end, but not at the cost of the Empire's Souls. Salvation is our mission, not annihilation! We shall show them their conquered peoples that there is a better way. Find the Vendarri for me. We shine the light of Virtue into the Dark.

Barachel of Adina's Charge, General of the Seventh Wave

• A meeting with the Vendarri has been arranged for Friday at midnight

With this choice, Barachel of Adina's Charge, has taken the decision to approach the Vendarri. This group of secretive orcs have had little contact with the Empire over the years, despite the many conflicts the Barrens has seen. As a result they have less reason than some clans to fear and hate the Empire. Their reputation in the Barrens is poor however, they are considered to be entirely self-serving and treacherous and have switched sides at least once in the past. Their habit of trying to turn every situation to their own advantage means they are not well trusted by others. Given the Empire's military triumph it is highly likely that they can be persuaded to switch sides - but it is likely that their loyalties will revert just as quickly if the wind changes.

Garl Huonor, Pryoclast of the Vendarri, The Palace of Fire, Saltmarsh, The Barrens.

Barachel's efforts have been successful, and a meeting with the Vendarri has been arranged. They are not prepared to come to Anvil, they don't trust the Empire enough to accept their hospitality and protection. However they have exchanged messages with Barachel's scouts and agreed to meet representatives of the Empire at Greenstone Isle, a tiny island little more than half a mile across that is located in the mouth of the Greenstone estuary in Saltmarsh. The location has been agreed due to the presence of a conjunction of the Sentinel Gate leading to the location on the Friday evening of the coming summit.

The agreement with the Vendarri is for 9 soldiers or magicians to come to the meeting, all of whom must be Highborn. The delegation can meet with Garl Huonor and select members of his coven who act as his advisors. Garl is acknowledged as the leader of the Vendarri (who they call their Pryoclast) - he is known to be a skilled ritual magician and it is likely that many of his most trusted ritualists will be present with him. The conjunction is not long - barely 20 minutes in length, so it is unlikely that there will be time for extensive negotiations, but it does present the opportunity for the Empire to make contact with the leadership of the Vendarri and get their measure.

There is one issue that will have to be considered carefully however. The agreement with the Vendarri is that 9 Highborn soldiers or magicians may attend the meeting. However the conjunction provides the possibility for up to fifteen citizens of the Empire to travel to Greenstone Isle. It will be almost impossible to negotiate with the Vendarri if more than 9 Highborn citizens travel. But the nature of the Sentinel Gate, the conjunctions it provides reflect the cruel whims of fate. If that allows for fifteen citizens to travel, then there must be something that fifteen citizens could possibly achieve that 9 could not.

The view of the prognosticators who have experience working with the gate is that this conjunction offers the potential for betrayal. Garl Huonor will be there - along with his most powerful ritual magicians. They don't understand how the gate works - so they are expecting nine people to turn up. It won't be easy for them to flee the area, because it's a tiny island surrounded by deep treacherous waters. The Empire could send an elite military strike force and potentially remove any threat that the Vendarri's powerful ritual magicians could pose. The Vendarri have very few warriors, little that resembles a fighting force, so removing their leadership would throw the sept into disarray and make it impossible for them to offer any kind of resistance to the Empire's campaign in the Barrens.

The civil service have identified that Barachel of Adina's Charge is the Imperial citizen most responsible for overseeing the conjunction. The general can decide how many people to take and who should go.

Salvation

• The Highborn Assembly has the opportunity to make peaceful contact with another Barrens faction

In addition to creating this opportunity, the general's orders have inspired the soldiers under their command to demonstrate that salvation is their mission not annihilation. They have worked hard to show the conquered septs of the Barrens that the Empire is not here to slaughter them. As a result of the Virtuous approach taken by the Highborn soldiers there is a chance for the Highborn Assembly to extend the benefits of the previous season's outreach.

Let every word you speak carry meaning. We send {named priest} with 25 doses of liao to make contact with the {named sept} of the Barrens. Let us find the right question.

Synod Mandate, Highborn Assembly

If this mandate is enacted, a Highborn priest leading it can attempt to make contact with either the Black Wind, the Karass, or the Montanians, just as the general gave orders to make contact with the Vendarri last season. They can't use this opportunity to contact the Dawnish or the Great Forest Orcs, but they could pick one of the other three. The priest will make friendly contact with the sept and the prognosticators are confident that it will lead to a similar opportunity to negotiate with them, as the one General Barachel has secured. The civil service note that if that happens, then the named priest who enacts the mandate will be the one granted responsibility for deciding who uses the conjunction.

Asenath daughter of Esther, General of the Granite Pillar

Fear Oppresses Strength

Today the Granite Pillar pits itself against the dread miasma pillars of the Druj. It is time for us to bring the Druj's reign of hate to ruin. We make our heroic stand in Lustri, Paving the way for Prosperity to flow back into Zenith reforged as the crucible of fate. My pride ignites to see you stand shoulder to shoulder with Philistrates, Egregore of Urizen. Feel our bonds of loyalty strengthen as we are joined in this great work by the sword scholars. Be not afeared of the miasma. This is the age of Miracles and your general, protected by the courage of Asher, is living proof of Virtues's might over corruption. May the Subjugated tribes in the Barrens look upon our courage and be inspired to break their shackles. May the Grendel to the south behold the Triumph of our virtue. For Salvation and Benevolence are actions of incalculable worth.

Aseanth, General of the Granite Pillar

• The Highborn Assembly could help remove the final miasma pillars from Zenith

Although the forces of Asenath,Daughter of Esther, general of the Granite Pillar are not directly engaged with a Druj army, they are fighting hard to uproot the poison they put down in Zenith. There are scores of tortured souls that have been left behind by the Druj to plague the territory, there are miasma pillars and vile monsters and beasts that the Druj ritualists have allowed to slip the leash and escape from the Spring realm into the mortal world. Asenath and her soldiers have repeatedly engaged these forces throughout the season, guided by the light of Virtue.

There is no sign that Asenath's desire to inspire the subjugated tribes of the Barrens has borne fruit - they are far away on the other side of Therunin and unable to see what is taking place here unless they have powerful magic to aid them. The Grendel are more likely to be aware of what has transpired, but it is impossible to tell if the Empire's triumph has moved them.

What has happened, is that the soldiers have redoubled their efforts to destroy the miasma pillars and lay to rest the tortured souls that are plaguing the territory. After the gate anomaly made it near impossible for the Empire to lay to rest the tortured souls at the Spire of the Everlasting Dusk, and those at the Spire of Twisting Shadows the army has moved into both areas and has been able to deal with the problem. Aureli Major has been laid to rest, along with the tortured souls that troubled both areas, making the area much safer for Imperial citizens.

It has also created an opportunity for the Highborn Assembly to offer further aid, and attempt to deal with one of the two remaining pillars. Imperial scouts have been able to confirm that a powerful ritual will destroy a miasma pillar, but so will a powerful consecration. It must be a particularly strong aura - it has to be strength 15 to be effective. As a result of the Virtue demonstrated by the Highborn soldiers, their assembly could use a suitable mandate, to destroy the last remaining miasma pillar in Zenith. Imperial heroes destroyed the miasma pillar in Lustri, the Granite Pillar destroyed the one in Proceris and the Senate paid to tear down the one in Iteri. But that still leaves Clypion.

Do not fear to act; only be shamed by inaction. We send {named priest} with 75 doses of liao to urge Highborn priests to destroy the pillar in Clypion to clear the Druj miasma from Zenith.

Synod Mandate, Highborn Assembly

If this mandate were enacted Highborn priests would seek out the last remaining miasma pillars in Clypion and use the liao they have to destroy them. The locations of the pillars have been mapped out by Imperial miltiary forces, so the Highborn can link up with Urizen sentinels and sword scholars to attack the last remaining Druj holdouts and drive them off long enough to take down the miasma completely.

There is one other small complication. The mandate is explicitly urging the Highborn Assembly to come to Urizen's aid. It won't stop the Highborn from choosing a single nation to throw their support behind in the coming season, they have that option as well. However, this mandate will fail if the Urizen Assembly choses to pass the mandate rejecting all help from Highguard. It is not possible for Highborn priests to offer assistance to Urizen if that happens.