Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae

Rules

Performing the Ritual

Performing this ritual takes at least 10 minutes of roleplaying. If the ritual is cast using the Imperial Regio it requires at least 5 minutes of roleplaying instead.

During the ritual the casters must be in a strong Summer regio.

This ritual targets a specific region. During the performance of the ritual the casters must name a region within the target territory which has the "hills" quality.

The ritual may target a region in a territory which is under Imperial control (that is, which is eligible to appoint a Senator) when cast from the Imperial regio. To affect a region in a territory that is not under Imperial control, the ritual must be performed at a regio within the target territory.

This ritual is an enchantment. A target may only be under one enchantment effect at a time.

Effects

The ritual targets a single region of hills or mountains within a territory. Over the course of the next few days a powerful enchantment settles over the region which conjures a citadel of stone-hard, semi-translucent ice to offer protection to armies belonging to the force that controls the area.

The magical structure mimics the effect of a 2,000 strength fortification in the enchanted region. The fortification helps determine victory, and if the region is attacked it may inflict casualties. Unlike a mundane fortification, the magical fortification does not absorb any casualties itself. A region may only contain one fortification, regardless of whether it is magical or mundane in nature.

The effect lasts until the start of the next Profound Decisions Empire event.

Assurance

This ritual calls forth a fortification from the Summer realm, and as with other such rituals, draws on the power of an eternal, in this case Cathan Canae. The assurance connected with the ritual was lost for several centuries but unearthed by members of the Unfettered Mind shortly before the Winter Solstice 386YE. The ritual loses all power and ceases to function if the city of Kalpaheim ever falls to the enemies of Wintermark.

Oswiu Thrice-Runed, one of the magicians of the order, points out that this assurance specifically references the enemies of Wintermark rather than simply barbarians. The runesmith is certain that if barbarians were to ever conquer Kalpaheim then the ritual would cease to function, but they are uncertain if the Lady of the Frost would consider the Imperial Senate relinquishing Hahnmark to be a violation of the assurance. Oswiu advises that the Archmage of Summer contact the Queen of Ice and Darkness if such a motion were to ever be considered.

Description

This enchantment causes a fortification formed of enchanted ice to manifest at a strategically significant location in the target region. This citadel is called forth from the frigid realm of Cathan Canae, the Queen of Ice and supports the force that controls the area. In some cases, a series of mighty towers appears instead or, more rarely, a number of vertiginous icy walls manifest at either end of an important pass.

The fortification is extremely resistant to damage; fire does not melt it and siege engines find it exceptionally hard to damage. In some cases, especially in winter, howling winds and unseasonal snowfall will assail besieging forces. These effects are irregular, but highlight the raw ferocity of the frozen north and the coldest season. The ritual is an enchantment, and can in theory be made permanent with ilium. This has not been achieved in the history of the Empire, but in theory such a citadel would last until destroyed.

This ritual increases the difficulty a hostile force will have in claiming a territory, even if there is no army to oppose them directly, Local militia and the like are able to take advantage of the defensive enchantment to hold off larger forces, at least for a time.

Common Elements

It is common with this ritual to invoke the name of Cathan Canae, or to call on the memory of famous castle builders such as Willard d'Onnecour or the Sentinel. Dramaturgy involving the erection of a castle, especially on The Battlefield at the orders of The Captain might be appropriate, as might evocations of the constellation of The Oak.

A map is sometimes used as an additional element, often obscured during the casting with water or exposed to snow or ice. Sometimes the map is created from sand or painstakingly drawn with salt or coloured powders as part of the ritual, reinforcing the idea of raising a magical fortification.

The runes Verys and Feresh are commonly used during this ritual, and the constellation of The Oak is often invoked.