Gloaming Sentinel
Overview
The Butterfly Holt is a preserve in the light woodlands of southern Srodkoja, not far from the vale of Olodny. It was commissioned in Spring 381YE by the Urizen Julianna of Phoenix Reach using one of the new Imperial Wayleaves, following an opportunity resulting from a performance of Wondrous Forests of the Night. The position is a sinecure, requiring minimal responsibility but offering a regular income of Iridescent Gloaming.
Responsibilities
The Gloaming Sentinel has no particular responsibilities; they simply receive a bounty of Iridescent Gloaming from the Butterfly Holt. If the Holt were to be threatened in any way, it would be the responsibility of the Gloaming Sentinel to deal with those threats. It would also be the responsibility of the Gloaming Sentinel to deal with any
Powers
The Gloaming Sentinel is an Imperial title that grants custodianship of a sinecure.
Bounty of Mana
The Gloaming Sentinel receives an income of 20 Iridescent Gloaming each season from the Butterfly Holt.
Selection
The appointment, replacement or removal of the Gloaming Sentinel is made by the declaration of candidacy as part of a Conclave session.
Removal
The Gloaming Sentinel serves until they are replaced by another magician using the Declaration of Candidacy. The Sentinel cannot be revoked by any assembly of the Imperial Synod.
History
The Gloaming Sentinel was completed shortly before the Summer Solstice 381YE.
Butterfly Holt
The Butterfly Holt is an area of woodland set aside not far from Olodny, several acres surrounded by a high palisade reinforced by weirwood. It has been populated by butterflies bred from carefully selected cocoons, many of them enriched with residual Night magic from the potent Empire-wide enchantment after the Winter Solstice 380YE. The butterflies are notably large, and unlike most such insects their wings are especially pale. Their cocoons especially rich in valuable iridescent gloaming.
The location of this iridescent butterfly reserve has caused a few raised eyebrows; the forests of Varushka are by no means safe. They are home to the grim horrors the Varushkans call Wolves. They are hungry, instinctual horrors that seek to feast on living flesh. Ghouls and husks are common examples of Wolves. These hungry, bestial creatures sometimes form large groups and besiege a vale, or fall on travelers in large numbers. The primary task of the boyars and schlacta is to keep the Wolves at bay - but the boyar of Olodny has made it pretty clear they have no interest in making any particular effort to extend their protection to the Butterfly Holt.
The Sentinel is appointed through the Conclave; the civil service advised that the well worn path to appointing such a sinecure would be through the Imperial Bourse, but the circumstances surrounding the opportunity made it reasonable that it could be appointed by Declaration of Candidacy.