Tactician's Demand

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Description

These rods are often crafted in a form that mimics a general's baton. They are popular in Urizen and among the icewalkers of Wintermark, where magicians with a keen eye for tactics can them to make good use of the empower spell both on the battlefield and in smaller skirmishes.

Elsewhere, this is a weapon of the desperate, sought out by magicians who suddenly find themselves caught up in battle. Specialist ritualists such as the Hakima or more isolated Cabalists seek these rods out to provide a more direct means of aiding their fellows when under threat. When the Urizen territory of Spiral was overrun, the librarians of Ankarien used these rods to help buy enough time to ferry much of their knowledge to Endsmeet, turning scholarly ritualists into powerful warriors.

War Witches in training occasionally acquire these rods before they manage to master the spell themselves, particularly if they are wealthy noble-born. This, combined with the colour of the green iron in its construction, has earned these rods the nickname Green Recruit's Crutch. Troubadour's tales of several well-known war witches feature an embarrassing incident where the witch is distracted from their studies by love, sport or some such and thus fails to learn the empower spell in time for battle. The witch quickly acquired a Crutch and gained some fame for using the spell well. Eventually the witch mislays the rod and has to admit that they cannot cast the spell without it. Gatherings of troubadours sometimes have playful disputes over who this actually happened to, but have never arrived at a convincing conclusion.

Rules

• Form: Rod.
• Effect: You may cast the empower spell as if you knew it.
• Materials: Crafting a tactician's demand requires seven ingots of green iron. It takes one month to make one of these items.

The general tightened the straps of his Battlesmith's Panoply.

"The swords and the serpent." he mused, putting aside the runesticks and taking up his great bearskin cloak. He was a runesmith, steeped in the craft, but a general by acclamation. Wise in the ways of war, rather than one who led the charge. A Kallevesi. Axe and rod his tools only: his soldiers were his weapons.

He'd cast the omens, and they were not good. Loyalty to Empress and Empire steeled him for battle. If his band did not hit hard, then others would face harder odds.

He stepped out of his tent, and turned to the warriors who gathered outside. They had fought through forest and mountain together, and he knew he could rely on them.

"All around Skarsind, in glades just like this one, are bands like us. Our armies are marching, with the Empress at their head, but it is us and those like us who hold the balance."

He looked around: heroes from all nations selected for a critical strike.

"Once more, we fight. This is a war, and the Empire’s fate is in your hands.  You have already won great victories, inspired tales which will pass into legend. Those legends will become songs, living forever, a part of our history.

This battle calls for more. Shrewd bargaining has put the best weapons in your hands. You have used all your arts to grant you strength. We are ready.

Oh, there will be moments of fear, when you cannot hear over the beating of your own heart. But fear must not rule us. Keep to the Virtuous paths, let faith ward your minds, as your bodies are warded by armour or the runes of a craftsman.  Your speakers in the Senate give us our aim. It falls to us to see it achieved. Their word is the will of the Empire, of every one of us. And their word is clear.

Now it is up to you. Arm yourselves, with word, with blade, with art and strength of purpose, and decide: will you stand, or will you fall?

Those before us are barbarous creatures, who ravage our halls for the sheer joy of destruction. After today, they will not raid again. Today, they face the nations of the Empire.

Rise above your barbaric past. Use the hard lessons of a hard world.

Know that, even if short, your life will never be dull. The enemy has sown their crop. It is for us to reap the harvest.

This storm can never break us. Remember that nothing great comes without cost.

Death is just another step on the great dance. Great deeds are eternal.

Where there is darkness, we will make light. The Empire is our destiny.

You, and only you, can bring us victory.