388YE Autumn Equinox winds of fortune

Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.

Overview

Wind of Fortune	Order Released	Last Updated	Note
The wolves tempt you	1	15/08	Imperial Address
Dream on	2	17/08	Seren
Come together	3	17/08	Apothecary college
Fair share of labour	4	19/08	Artisans Guild
Hidden inventory	5	29/08	Banner-bearers
A fork in the path	6	27/08	Mystics
Outreach across the marshes	7	27/08	Sand Fishers & League highest calling
Stand proud, you're strong	8	27/08	Brass Coast highest calling

Over the past three months, events have taken place which are of significance to the Empire and may require a response from her champions. These are the winds of fortune, counterparts to the winds of war that detail the Empire's military campaigns. They lay out situations and usually include things that characters can do to take advantage of opportunities or to resolve problems. In almost every case, they start with a piece of flavour text. This fiction helps introduce the wind of fortune or draws out a particular theme or element. Often, it represents a viewpoint that one or more NPCs might have in-character. 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 if they want to use it in character.

The body of the wind of fortune describes situations and lays out ways players can engage with them. Except where we explicitly talk about something being "rumoured" or use a phrase like "some might say..." the details of a wind of fortune are factual. They represent briefing material presented by the civil service or similar authoritative sources and represent something the average educated citizen would acknowledge as a reliable truth. Unless we specify otherwise, we're also being as thorough as possible. This information doesn't need further checking in-character. It's not an opinion, and we're not trying to trick you.

Nation	Diplomacy Wind

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 could know based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing for the past three months. It's perfectly acceptable to turn up to Empire having read only a few Winds of Fortune that directly interest your character; part of the fun on the field can come from learning about situations and opportunities in other parts of the game.

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. We are also adding the dates that they were last updated (other than typos and correcting red links) in an attempt to make it easier to keep track of the newest releases.

Winds of Fortune

The Wolves Tempt You (Imperial Address)

• Imperial citizens; Navarr;

Emperor Vesna has used their power to address the Empire to present a personal reminder to all citizens that the road to salvation is hard, but everyone is walking it together.

The message has been distributed across the Empire by the civil service, and you can read it in the The wolves tempt you wind of fortune.

Dream On

• Navarr

In Miaren, Seren is now become the City of Dreams in truth. People with hopes and aspirations, with the imagination to perceive what is needed to achieve them and the determination to try, have flocked to Miaren. With the completion of the Temple of the Waking Dream, the dreamspeaker calling has coalesced as a distinct archetype among the Navarr people, one dedicated to making dreams become reality. This has perhaps predictably amplified arguments about what exactly that means, and which dreams should be pursued, and how.

You can learn about competing arguments, and the changes to the city of Seren, in the Dream on wind of fortune.

Come Together

• Imperial Apothecaries Guild; Navarr; Benefactor of High Chalcis; Highguard, the League, Imperial Orcs, and Varushka; Senate

When Therunin fell to the Druj Thornsong House was lost. Despite the valiant efforts of the Navarr and the aid of Lord Rain, the college of herbmastery could not be saved. While the house itself burned, many of those who studied there were able to escape to the safety of Reikos. Some stayed behind on Chalcis Mount, but others chose to put as much distance between themselves and the horrors of the Druj as possible. Drawn to the Temple of the Waking Dream, some of these apothecaries and physicks have taken the path of the dreamspeaker themselves, and inspired by the City of Dreams, they have put their ambition to rebuild what was lost into words.

A proposal for a new college of the apothecary arts, and ways various nations may be involved, can be found in the Come together wind of fortune.

Fair Share of Labour

• Artisan's Guild; Throne; Senate; Artisans of all kinds; Golden Pyramid; Pride Assembly; Navarr; Guildmaster of the Artisans, Dean of Runesmith's Caution, Keeper of the Runegrott, Seer of the Spiral Sword, and potentially several other titles associated with magic item crafting

At the recent summit, Emperor Vesna, requested that the Constitutional Court appraise the implications of a new Imperial sodality, the Imperial Guild of Artisans. The Artisans Guild has technically been in existence for some time, with the Senate ordering the construction of Guildhouse in 385YE, creating the position of Guildmaster of the Artisans. Now the Senate is in a position to consider the full implications of making the Guild into an official Imperial sodality.

You can learn more about the potential Imperial Sodality, as well as proposals from some people very excited by the opportunity it represents, in the Fair share of labour wind of fortune.

Hidden Inventory

• Wintermark, especially banner bearers; Cat's Graces; Minister of Historical Research; Mediator of Hyljehal; Senate

When the tides of fate seem to turn against the Empire, to be able to look and see over the battle lines, the colours of your warband or your nation still Proudly flying can help to rally the Courage and turn the tide. In Wintermark the position of banner-bearer is seen as vital to the success of any battle. Empress Britta was a banner-bearer, and bore Foe-Slayer, the legendary war-banner of Emperor Guntherm onto the field. The great flag was lost when Britta died and it has been near two decades since Wintermark could bear its equal into battle. The artisans and craftspeople of Runegrott have a proposal to try to remedy this shortfall, involving the construction of a grand edifice to house banners and paintings of the great banners of the Empire as well as the creation of a new artefact banner for Wintermark.

You can read more about this plan, and learn a little of the mighty banner Foe-Slayer, in the Hidden inventory wind of fortune.

A Fork in the Path

• Wintermark, especially the Mystics; Raven Seer of Ishal; would-be champions; Keeper of Oaths; friends of Sung

The Mystics of Ishal sought to work more closely with the wider nation of Wintermark. They have since decided to approach the Witan directly, and do what they can to support the goals of the nation itself. The decision to help with the exploration of Tsirku has made it impossible for the Mystics of Ishal to offer their usual council and support to the Raven Seer and to that end they have made several changes to the Aviary, and to the support they offer the Raven Seer and the nation. At the same time, there has been a great deal of discussion of the Crown of Three Tears and the role of the Champion of Wintermark within the nation - the appointment of who has traditionally been the responsibility of the mystics.

You can read about the changes at Ishal, and the situation of the Crown of Three Tears, in the A fork in the path wind of fortune.

Outreach Across the Marshes

• The League, especially the Bishops and Princes; Merchant Prince of Misericorde Market; Senate

The League Assembly has declared that their highest calling is to bring new peoples to join the Empire. A Virtuous endeavour to bs ure, but even the League cannot move the whole world at once. To be effective the nation needs to focus their efforts on one group at a time. Diplomacy is a complicated matter, so they also need to decide who among them would be best to take the lead with each such group. This past season the Princes of the League have reached out to the Sand Fishers of Misericorde, the orcs who once lived on the southern shores of Ossium as slaves of the Druj but who have found a new lease of life on the northern shores of Holberg.

Ultimately, the egregore decides who can or cannot join a nation - the nature of the bond is that it can only be formed with someone an egregores recognises as having the potential to be a member of the nation. But the League has already embraced the Apulian Orcs, why not the Holberg Orcs as well?

You can read about how the outreach is going, and what it might take to bring the Sand Fishers into the Empire, in the Outreach across the marshes wind of fortune.

Stand Proud, You're Strong

• The Brass Coast, especially the Freeborn assembly;

After several seasons of deliberation (and funding a whole new city), the Freeborn National Assembly has decided that the highest calling of their people should be on defending their lands. The sentiment resonates with people across the Brass Coast. It was not long ago that both Madruga and Feroz fell under barbarian control, Kahraman has faced constant invasion from the Lasambrians over the past few years and Segura has only recently enjoyed a prolonged period of quiet after nearly two decades of constant warfare. Is it a surprise that the people of the Brass coast feel a little vulnerable, given recent history?

There is so much work that could be done, people are at a loss to know where to start. The Assembly will have to consider the options carefully - they have a year to take advantage of the nation's highest calling, but that won't be enough time to pursue every possibility raised by a people as inventive as the Freeborn...

You can find out how the nation can begin to defend its lands, and the proposals put forward toward that aim, in the Stand proud, you're strong wind of fortune.

Here You Come Again (Plenipotentiary)

• Imperial Conclave; magicians; Synod; Brass Coast especially Sutannir; Alazhar i Taziel i Erigo, Velasco i Guerra, the Imperial Warcaster; Marcher beaters, Unshackled thief-takers, Varushkan wardens; Berilo i Erigo; Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka and some dead generals

Each archmage is empowered to send a plenipotentiary message to a single eternal of their realm each season. Bound to respond, the recipients are however free to choose precisely what form that response takes. Following the Summer Solstice, six eternals have responded to what are presumed to be missives from the respective archmages. Some have agreed to parley, but not all of them.

You can find out about the eternals, and the nature of their responses, in the Here you come again wind of fortune.

Other Events

Dusk

• For this event we are defining dusk as beginning at 19:00 and ending at 20:00
• No bow or crossbow use in Anvil after 20:00 or on quests that start on or after this time

Our bow safety rules prohibit the use of bows and crossbows after "dusk". At this event we are defining that point as 20:00 each day. This means you cannot use a bow in Anvil after this time, or on a skirmish or quest that starts on or after this time.

The necromantic ritual Whispers through the Black Gate can only be performed for one hour around dusk - at this event that means the ritual can be performed at any time between 19:00 and 20:00.

Husky Business (Volunteers)

• There is an opportunity for player volunteers to portray their characters who died during the Saturday battle at the last event
• Eligible characters must have died during the battle, but not have been killed as a husk
• Volunteers will need to have their own costume and appropriate weapons
• The role will last around twenty minutes, starting at 18:30 on Friday
• The role will involve fighting alongside the skirmish team in an encounter against player characters
• Please email before 18:00 on Wednesday 26th of August if you are interested in volunteering

There is an opportunity for players to portray the husk of their fallen characters at the upcoming event. Anyone whose character died during the battle of the Fens of Varreth, raised as a husk but was not subsequently killed again as that husk is welcome to email to register interest in volunteering for an encounter on the Friday. This will be a combat highly likely encounter through the Sentinel Gate and will involve fighting against player characters alongside members of our skirmish team.

If you are interested and would like more information, please email plot@profounddecisions.co.uk with your PID and the subject line "Husk Volunteer E4", and you will be given more details.

Summer Conjunctions

Major Conjunctions

Location	Opportunity	Opposition	Link	Outcome
Sarangrave, Turan Flats, Fens of Varreth	Contain the dead	Druj	Harvester of Graves	Field Marshal was Sigismund Vladislav Kestovia of Varushka; The spirits were not trapped and the husks remain a problem in eastern Sarangrave; The tortured souls of Het Trakaa remain in Turan Flats; Het Trakaa and Sul Maggotgnaw remain alive
Mareave, Clisearn, Ruins of Sinat	Open the Vaults	Grendel	Salt and Stone	Field Marshal was Joaquim i Erigo of the Brass Coast; Saltbound Stone recovered and claimed by Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged; Ilium Jackals negotiated with and readying support of Boyar's Hasta; Iontach Leagsaidh remains in possession of their Grimnir's Hearthfire; Maistir Guaidre remains in possession of the Spiteri necklace
Forest of Ulnak, Ghul'thark Forest, Fetid Heart	Raid the Druj	Druj	Claim the Prize	Not taken; Status of the black lotus unclear; Status of the treasures of Taramid Skinwreath unclear

Minor Conjunctions

#	Location	Responsibility	Overview	Result
1	Sarangrave, Whisperwood, Halfweir Grove	Custodian of the Fingers of the Devourer	Destroy the heralds of Surut	Heralds of Surut killed; production of Fingers of Devourer has increased by two wains per season for as long as the Great Forest Orcs remain foreigners
2	Astolat, Withy, Igraine's Regio	Senator for Astolat	Find out why the regio keeps shifting back to Spring, and resolve it	Unclear, but Éamon Ashenmourn de Cordraco might know more
3	Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Maiden Stone	Champion of Prosperity	Stop Jyll Longleys from cursing the Maiden Stone	Jyll Longleys and allies killed
4	The Barrens, Dawnguard, Troubadour's Glade	Knight of Dawnguard	Kill Prilak Gutdredger	Prilak Gutdredger and almost all allies were killed
5	Mitwold, Maiden Downs, Golden Fields	Keeper of the Golden Fields	Stop Dusty Cobb setting Golden Fields alight	Dusty Cobb and rebels killed
6	The Barrens, Saltmarsh, The Dredging Flats	Knight-protector of Winter	Kill the Servants of the Burnt	All but one Servants of the Burnt killed
7	Ossium, Echofell, Burned Glade	Shadowed Torchbearer	Prevent the cursing of Ossium	Heralds killed and Ossium was not cursed
8	Therunin, Lower Tarn Valley, Rotwood Croft	Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was	Destroy the miasma pillar	Miasma pillar successfully consecrated
9	Madruga, Free Landing, Hart's Cove	Hand of Guerra	Aid the stranded ship from Sumaah	Unclear, but Hand of Guerra should know more
10	Sarangrave, Kroll, Slow Worm's Hill	Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path	Prevent the cursing of Sarangrave	Heralds killed and Sarangrave was not cursed
11	Sarangrave, Turan Flats, The Breakteeth dais	General of the Eastern Sky	Recover the treasure	Treasure successfuly recovered
12	The Barrens, Bitter Strand, Saltshore	Merchant of the Fangs	Answer General Utmar's call for aid	Vassals of the manticore killed
13	Madruga, The Crucible, Talpses Plat	Champion of Vigilance	Claim the Snapping Face	Snapping Face retrieved and heralds killed
14	The Barrens, Carmine Fields, Trading Way	Rhydian de Rondell	Remove the failed knights-errant of House Courcillion as a threat	Named knights have accepted justice from local magistrates
15	Necropolis, Coursmouth, The Veiled Garden	Guardian of Britta's Memorial	Spill the waters of Siakha	Bucket recovered and returned to Anvil
16	The Barrens, The Untrod Groves, Glade of the Good Knight	Knight-protector of Winter	Thwart the schemes of Ser Gawain Amboise	Schemes of Ser Gawain Amboise thwarted
17	Mareave, Fleisardh, Spring Regio near Golden Wind's Encampment	Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice	Poison the Grendel	Grendel poisoned, Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice should know more
18	Tassato, Cascatas, Campo Verdenta	Keeper of the Sapphire Stair	Kill the heralds of Siakha	Heralds of Siakha and wreckers killed
19	Spiral, Apstrus, Alba's Lea	Custodian of the Legacy	Intercept the mercenaries pay	Raid launched on the Legacy and ten wains of mithril claimed by the Haurlatch Iron Consortium
20	Reikos, Haros Water, Couros Field	Nekoda of the Shattered Tower	Save Professor Gelberg from Grendel assassins	Imperials pushed out by Grendel; Professor Gelberg has been assassinated
21	Redoubt, Naris, Isaac's End	Telemachus of the Lighthouse-That-Was	Leave no more than a dozen Grendel alive	All Grendel killed
22	Kallavesa, West Marsh, The Meeting Place	Erlend	Consecrate the Meeting Place	The Meeting Place successfully consecrated with true liao
23	Kallavesa, Wittal Grove, Frithstan's Fen	Grimnir of Wittal Grove	Defeat the Grendel (and potentially rescue the Iontach)	Ionatch Meddool Miniog successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
24	Forest of Ulnak, Grimfen Mire, Moss End	Warmage	Take advantage of a recent scouting discovery	Forge the Wooden Fastness successfully cast with eight rings of ilium
25	Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Eastern Ward	Theodora	Cast the permanent ward	Ward successfully performed
26	The Barrens, Saltmarsh, Gardenway	Envoy to the Karass	Prevent Druj raiders from kidnapping Lenna Karass	Lenna Karass was successfully rescued and returned to Anvil
27	Sarangrave, Bloodwater Marsh, Western Ward	Spear of the Seven	Cast the permanent ward	Ward successfully performed
28 & 29	Forest of Ulnak, Gloomsea, Islet of Calm	Archmage of Day	Prevent the Eyes of the Dragon from using a boon of Kimus	Wind of Mundane Silence performed on regio and bodies successfully destroyed
30	Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio	Warmage	Drive the vallorn from the regio	Imperial casualties suffered, vallornspawn remain around the regio
31	Sarangrave, Bendol, Spring Regio	Archmage of Spring	Cast Dance of Navarr and Thorn	Dance of Navarr and Thorn was not performed
32	Sarangrave, the Whisperwood, Depths of the Hungry Earth	Counsel of the Sun Chamber	Investigate the Hungry Earth	Depths investigated, Counsel of the Sun Chamber should know more
33	Volodmartz, Livardz, Sumisev Peegel	Auntie Armand Mariyavich Remislav	Destroy the Sumisev Peegel	Sumisev Peegel was successfully destroyed by Wind of Mundane Silence