385YE Summer Solstice winds of fortune
Overview
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 which 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 represents 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 opinion, and we're not trying to trick you.
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.
Winds of Fortune
Three and Three (Plenipotentiary)
- Archmages; Imperial Conclave; Advisor on the Vallorn, Penumbral Watcher, Skywise Gralka; Blaze Dunning of Wintermark; an old child, a young upstart, a lost guide, a wealthy beggar, a humble prince, and a silent storyteller
The Empire's six archmages are each able to contact an eternal of their realm with a plenipotentiary message. The eternals they address are bound to respond in some way. They might agree to a formal parley, or a private meeting, or suggest something entirely unexpected, but they will surely do something. During the Spring Equinox, each archmage apparently dispatched a plenipotentiary, and as the Summer Solstice approaches, six eternals send messengers to deliver their replies. Three had agreed to formal parleys, and three have made other arrangements.
You can read about the responses of the eternals, including one whose identity is currently a mystery, in the Three and three wind of fortune.
Fate and Function
- People of Urizen, especially Zenith; Imperial Senate; Prosperity Assembly
The Druj left Zenith in a parlous state; stifled by miasma and bereft of hope. After six months of hard work by magicians, priests, politicians, and warriors, the situation is finally improving. The final step to restore Zenith was the completion of the Crucible of Fate - a profound triumph that is now slowly transforming the territory. With the aid of the Golden Pyramid, the heralds of the eternal Estavus, and even the cheerful support of the Dragon of Stone's koboldi, new spires are built and artisans and architects alike begin to spin a new future for their people on the Loom of Fate.
You can learn about the impact of the Crucible of Fate, and the opportunities it presents to the people of Urizen, in the Fate and function wind of fortune.
Restoration and Renewal (Appraisal)
- Urizen; Urizen Assembly; Lumi of Wintermark, Custodian of the Bleak Tower; Imperial Senate
The Conscience of the Senate has commissioned the Prognosticator's Office to appraise the restoration of the Gardens of Pallas - a sinecure destroyed by the Druj during their invasion of Zenith. Rebuilding the gardens presents no particular challenges, but the appraisal also requests an examination as to whether their splendour might exceed that of the original commission. The Imperial Auditor selected Lutomysla Niegoslava to take charge of the project, and any or all of her suggestions will see a new Gardens of Pallas easily eclipse the achievements of those the orcs ruined.
You can read about the results of the appraisal, and the suggestions of Lutomysla Niegoslava, in the Restoration and renewal wind of fortune.
Other Events
There are a number of other events and situations which are noteworthy, but which for whatever reason have not led to a full Wind of Fortune in their own right.
Trade Summary
Rather than spread this information out around the various foreign nations, we've collected it here for ease of reference.
Mandates
- You can find details of the mandates, along with the rest of the Synod judgements, here.
A number of mandates were successfully upheld in the Imperial Synod last season. As long as the named priest provided sufficient liao, all mandates have been automatically enacted.
Spring Conjunctions
- Last event there were a number of conjunctions of the Sentinel Gate; their known outcomes are listed here
During the Spring Equinox, there were a number of conjunctions of the Sentinel Gate identified by the Imperial prognosticators. In each case a band of Imperial heroes used that conjunction to travel to a location far from Anvil and intervene in a ongoing situation. These are the known outcomes of those conjunctions. In the case of battles, it is important to remember that the Military Council can only make use of two of the major conjunctions each summit, choosing which to take advantage of during the Muster.
Major Conjunctions
| Location | Opportunity | Day | Link | Outcome |
| Kahraman | Discover more about the gathering of champions | Saturday | Braydon's Jasse | Champion warbands have raided neighbouring territories, and servants of Hayaak reaved across Kahraman |
| The Barrens | Break the forces of Serra Grubfeast and claim Dawnguard | Sunday | Glorious In Victory | The Druj were routed, Dawnish rebels were successful, and the Barrens became Imperial |
| Bregasland | End the threat posed by Mathilda Fisher and her supporters | Saturday | Graven's Rock | Not taken; the Fishers have retreated back to their holdings in Hordalant while Bushel Sykes continues to spread secessionist rhetoric. |