Hear your footsteps
"Ziri," he said slowly. "What in the name of seven paragons are we doing here?"
She ignored him for a moment, and carefully paced out the width of the ruined tower before stopping and crouching down to peer at something. The whole place was a monument to some battle or other the Marchers had either tragically won or heroically lost, at some point. These people had ridiculously long memories and treated events that took place centuries ago as if they had happened to themselves or at least to their parents.
"We're looking into a gang of Agramant influenced sorcerers," she said when she had finished whatever she was doing. She stood up, dusting invisible dirt from her cassock.
"We aren't really though, are we?" said Rowley. "We're looking for some magic bell that went missing a century or more ago. Not even a cursed bell that might pop up and, I don't know, drive people mad or attract ghosts or something? Just an old bell."
He was feeling waspish. If he was honest, it was partly because he was still slightly hung over. He'd only intended to have a few small pints with the farmers in the taproom, but it turned out that everyone had a story about Brian's Bell and Tunstall's Ghost. He distantly remembered one of the farmers trying to convince him the sorcerers had come over from Wayford and that he and Ziri should go there first thing in the morning, round everyone up, and hang half of them as a warning to the rest not to go having fights in other folks' ancient towers.
Ziri frowned at him. She was Highborn, and her people were generally inclined to like old bells after all. She shook her head.
"We've been through this already. We're doing what we've been asked to do. These things, these little gangs of malefactors, they don't go away by themselves. They have to be rooted out and dealt with - preferably before they go to pieces and start tearing themselves and everyone nearby to shreds. You know this."
"Except... that's not actually why we were sent here is it?" He continued to needle. He was behaving badly, and he knew it.
"I'm no happier than you are," snapped Ziri losing her temper at last. "But at least we can try and track down where the sorcerers came from and find out if there's any risk they're still about. I know it's not likely - cannibal cults rarely manage to last a few years never mind a century - but we both know that they're like weeds. If you don't pull them out by the roots they come back. If we can track down whoever took Brian's Bell, that might lead us to an actual Agramant threat."
"You mean like the one in Sermersuaq?" he snapped back, temper rising. "Or maybe it'll lead us to whatever is causing all that trouble in Madruga - and I don't mean the Grendel. Or whatever the heck these Trudnik up in Varushka are. Or maybe there'll be a connection to one of the Grendel spy rings? Maybe that old magic bell has been sent to one of them?"
"You're behaving like a petulant child, and I can't talk to you when you're in this kind of mood," said Ziri, exasperated. He cursed himself inwardly because he knew she was right. He lit his pipe and puffed it, letting the smoke calm him a little. Ziri went back to examining the tower.
"I'm sorry," he said after a bit "Truly. I'm just.... So what have you found?"
"Nothing at all," she sighed. "It's just an old tower. Well maintained - they take their duties seriously at the Sign of the Tower and you can't fault them for that. In fact maybe you we could even learn from them Rowley. I thought there was maybe the... the echo of something, but no. It's just an old tower."
"Back to the 'Stoke, then," he said. "Maybe someone there will have a story about the missing Bell and those ruffians from Wayford we haven't heard already."
His tone was flippant, but Ziri didn't smile. They left the old tower in awkward silence, and whatever they left behind - assuming there was anything there after all these years - watched them go.
Overview
During the Autumn Equinox the Assembly of Nine asked the Silent Bell to seek out a stolen object - the Silent Bell of Brian Heathford lost in 290YE, allegedly to Agramant inspired sorcerers. The Silent Bell are a sodality dedicated to Vigilance, keeping a careful watch for threats to the Empire from within and without; their expertise in tracking down magic items, and indeed their interest in doing so, is extremely limited. With that in mind, they've done what they can to find the bell, lost a century ago near King's Stoke in Upwold.
The Silent Bell are not the only ones thinking about dark forces, the servants of Agramant and worse. The Wintermark assembly, and the assembly of Wisdom, both turned their thoughts to the things that threaten innocent people from the dark and the cold. There is an opportunity for both assemblies to take action, to do something concrete about the threats they have identified.
The Silent Bell and a Silent Bell
- The Silent Bell has been unable to locate the missing relic
The current preceptor of the Silent Bell, Malachai of the Silent Bell, from Casca's Doom. He represents the public face of the sodality, but there are members in every nation across the Empire. Following the instruction of the Cardinal of Vigilance, Malachai apparently expresses some frustration. "Our calling is to gather information about internal threats to the Empire," Malachai reminds the Assembly of Nine. "Not to find missing objects, no matter how important they might be."
Despite these misgivings, the Silent Bell make an attempt to discharge the request made of them by the Assembly. Members of the Silent Bell generally seek to avoid scrutiny, but to those who know what they to look for might mark their presence in King's Stoke following the Autumn Equinox. A League merchant from Tassato unexpectedly visits apparently looking for long-lost relatives; a pair of Marcher seasonal labourers spend their days working in the fields and their evenings poking around an old battle site.
The Council of Nine directs the Silent Bell to investigate the location of the Silent Bell of Brian Heathford lost 290YE in Kingstoke, Upwold to Agramant inspired sorcerers.
Galen Embercast, Assembly of Nine, Autumn Equinox 385YE, Vote: Greater Majority 8-0Despite not being historical researchers, they are able to confirm that the Bell appears to be real, and that it may well be an artifact of some kind. The last wielder of the regalia was Jillian Bevan, a friar dedicated to Vigilance who worked closely with the threshers of Upwold. In 290YE, local thresher Creg Watcher asked for her assistance dealing with what appeared to be a haunting at the pre-Imperial tower east of the village, apparently the spectre of a murderous strangler who hung themselves there ten years previously, allegedly named Amond Tunstall. Unfortunately, the threshers and Friar Bevan fell afoul of a group of sorcerers inspired by Agramant who were apparently trying to transform and unleash the unquiet spirit on the nearby village for inscrutable reasons of their own. During the resulting altercation, at the height of a thunderstorm, Friar Bevan was torn apart by feral cats and Creg Watcher was apparently possessed by the ghost and ultimately killed by the King's Stoke Militia. The sorcerers disappeared, and the bell of Brian Heathford with them.
Preceptor Malachai stresses that they have no way of telling how true this story is. It has been nearly a century since these events took place, and the Silent Bell investigators were unable to find anyone who had personally witnessed any of it. He cautions that the Assembly of Nine should take it all with a pinch of salt.
Stories from the Marches tell of a particular Silent Bell that is widely believed to be an artefact - or possibly even a blessed relic. Brian of Heathford, the husband of a farmer from the village of the same name, was a renowned cook well known for his Vigilance and Wisdom. When local gossip suggested that the misfortunes tormenting his fellow villagers were caused by the wicked spirit of a dead sorcerer, he marched down to the spirit's haunt - a burnt out mill - and led his neighbours in a three-day long chorus of the rough music. In the end, despite its best efforts, the ghost was sent howling back into the Labyrinth, but the stout ladle that Brian used to beat on his cook-pot for three solid days and nights without sleeping, eating, drinking, or breaking his dissonant rhythm, was handed down to his children for several generations before being entrusted to the Threshers of Upwold.
According to the writings of Ander Thresher in 250YE, it still possessed a potent ability to aid the ceremony of exorcism and was imbued with a "singular aura". Sadly the item was lost to the Empire in 290YE during an altercation with a coven of Agramant-inspired sorcerers threatening King's Stoke. Both the Assembly of Vigilance and the Threshers of Upwold would be keen to see the item recovered and put to good use, in the event that it is still in existence.
The sodality has a little more success investigating the presence of "a sorcerous cabal influenced by Agramant in Upwold" however. The Circle of the Stones were a coven of Marcher magicians active between 240YE and 346YE. At various points they were active in the politics of Anvil, although it seems that none of their members ever achieved a great deal of prominence. In 345YE, they came to the attention of the Silent Bell due to their proximity to the vicious murder of one of Empress Giselle's advisors, a magician called Michael di Sarvos who at the time was widely tipped to be the next Archmage of Autumn. A quiet investigation was underway when the coven was denounced to the Imperial Conclave by Paulus Magen di Sarvos as being behind several vicious curses that had struck the League cities over the previous year. During the Spring Equinox, several members were declared sorcerers, and found guilty of receiving boons from the eternal Agramant. The coven fled to a bolt-hole in Ashill and at the Summer Solstice, Paulus and his colleagues, lead a mixed group of League citizens, Marcher threshers, and militia to confront and ultimately destroy the coven. During the fighting, the Marchers were supported by heralds of Blood-on-the-Snow removing any doubt as to their involvement with the pernicious spirit of the Winter realm.
Preceptor Malachai stresses that the evidence connecting the Circle of the Stones with the events at King's Stoke is mostly circumstantial, but it seems unlikely there was more than one organised coven of Marcher magicians dealing with Agramant and wielding disproportionately potent magic in the Marches at the same time. A proper investigation by the Department of Historical Research could confirm or debunk those links.
There is, however, a problem. Paulus Magen di Sarvos belonged to a coven himself. The coven known as the Childer of the Black Drop. One of the reasons his accusations were taken so seriously by the Imperial Conclave is that he and his fellow League magicians were known to be involved in a study of Agramant, aimed at finding ways to expose and defeat the various plots the eternal was believed to be involved in. Along with the other twelve members of his coven, Paulus was himself declared a sorcerer in 354YE, and ultimately killed by Imperial heroes.
To make a long story short, the Silent Bell concludes that it is likely the sorcerers who stole the magical bell were probably part of the Circle of the Stones. Assuming the Bell was not destroyed or given to the eternal as an offering (something that should not be taken for granted), it is likely either in the ruins of the coven's lair in Ashill, or it was claimed by someone involved in the raid that destroyed the coven.
On The Cults of Agramant
While one group of Silent Bell are investigating the missing magic item, another group explore the Marches looking for signs of cults of Agramant. The good news, such as it is, is that they don't find any obvious signs that the eternal has any influence in the territory. On the other hand, as Preceptor Malachai cautions, that doesn't mean there are no such groups, only that they are well hidden or keeping their heads down.
According to the Silent Bell, the problem with groups influenced by Agramant - cults if you will - is that they come in three different kinds that represent three very different types of threat. The Silent Bell, after long experience, categorize them in three rough brackets: idiots, fools, and malefactors.
Idiots are the most common type of Agramant-associated group. They make only token efforts to conceal their allegiance, and revel in acts of debasement and selfishness. They openly joke about cannibalism, and barely bother to hide the joy they take at various cruelties and atrocities. At best, they claim to be "pragmatic" while cheerfully engaging in unhinged behaviour that would leave any right-thinking citizen of the Empire aghast. They rarely last very long, even the ones that try to remain secretive. Their embrace of foul practices is inevitably uncovered, and invariably leads to them going out in a frenzy of murder and chaos. Agramant himself seems unconcerned when one of these "cults" is destroyed - there is speculation that he sees their exposure and inevitable demise as a useful reminder to others of the horrors that lurk in their midst, and the foolishness of trusting anyone else.
One recurrent theme among these groups that the Silent Bell have noticed is that they invariably engage in cannibalistic excess. Agramant teaches that consuming the meat of other sapient beings is the ultimate expression of power. For some reason, they are often driven to trick otherwise virtuous folk into eating the flesh of those they have murdered. Some members of the Silent Bell, theorise that there is more to this practice than meets the eye, drawing parallels to practitioners of blood magic who use unwilling blood in their magic. Perhaps there are parallels between feeding someone stolen flesh and the misfortune that invariably befalls those trying to use stolen blood in their magic?
Fools are much rarer. These are individuals or small groups who for whatever reason have made a deal with Agramant or one of its heralds in the belief that they can get the upper hand over the Eternal. For every clever icewalker that outwits Agramant, there are three who are carefully lead into greater and greater abasement until they are indistinguishable from other cultists of Blood-on-the-Snow. They are often in denial about their own corruption, which makes it easier for them to hide in plain sight. The Childer of the Black Drop are an almost textbook example of this - a group that thought it could wield the powers of Agramant and remain virtuous. There's some supposition as well that the individual behind the destruction of the Meeting Place in Sermersuaq may have been one of this kind, working on behalf of Agramant to make peace with the Jotun impossible in return for selfish boons of their own. How many other seemingly innocent events or "mistakes" are actually the result of calculated malice by people who think a little evil is worth the price of a greater good?
The final category are malefactors and in the eyes of the Silent Bell they are without doubt the most dangerous. Malefactors are usually lone individuals who embrace Agramant's grim philosophies intentionally. They conceal their wickedness, and contain the corrupt urges that the eternal fosters, allowing them to function in civilised society for years or decades. They often gravitate to positions of influence and while they rarely seek high office themselves they are capable of inflicting lasting damage on the Empire by nudging those who do wield power into making unwise choices. Their ultimate goal is often to get their fellow Imperial citizens to "realise" the "wisdom" of Agramant's teachings - that morality, law, and virtue alike are all lies, and what matters is power and personal strength. It is distressingly easy for the subtle wiles of the Abominable One to twist even the most virtuous given enough time.
When dealing with Agramant, the advice of the Silent Bell is to distrust everyone. To particularly keep a watch on those who seem to revel in thwarting the standards of good behaviour or tweaking the nose of law and tradition. This is often an early warning sign that someone is either an idiot or vulnerable to influence by Agramant. To discourage anyone from seeking to "understand" Agramant, or to "repurpose" his tainted gifts in a positive way. Indeed, some members of the Silent Bell propose that it is only vigilant to suspect everyone who makes a study of Winter magic because the lore itself leaves magicians open to corruption (if not by Agramant, then by one of the other eternals). Finally, they warn that it is important to keep an eye on anyone who speaks about the need to commit excessive cruelty, or to turn a blind eye to small unvirtuous or immoral acts, because this can be a sign that they are a malefactor - that they are trying to move society toward the kind of monstrous dog-eat-dog chaos of the strong preying on the weak that Agramant ultimately desires.
It's also, say the Silent Bell, important to keep an eye on the other eternals of Winter. There is some concern in the sodality about the eagerness the Imperial Conclave seems to be evidencing in accepting their gifts. It is a common belief in the Silent Bell that Agramant is a convenient "whipping boy" for Wise Rangara, Sorin, Kaela and the others. That they welcome his excesses because he distracts attention from their own schemes which are no less dangerous. The enduring amity of Tharim, the Gift of Kaela, and the various inducements offered by Wise Rangara concern several members of the sodality greatly and they wish to take this opportunity to urge the Cardinal of Vigilance to investigate why the Conclave is so keen on the offers of creatures that the Highborn have always considered to be monsters.
Moving Forward
- Preceptor Malachai urges the Synod to remember the Silent Bell's calling and strengths
- The sodality would be happy to take guidance from the Vigilance Assembly rather than the Assembly of Nine
The Silent Bell make no apology for their lack of success in finding the missing Silent Bell. Preceptor Malachai wishes to stress again that they are not historical investigators, or finders of missing objects. The talents of the Silent Bell are best used to investigate current threats to Imperial citizens. There's some unhappiness within the ranks, that while they are off pursuing a magic item lost nearly a century ago, actual threats to the Empire are breeding and conspiring. On behalf of the Sodality, Malachai requests that the Cardinal of Vigilance remembers the Silent Bells' calling in future and leaves this kind of mission to those better suited to it.
Malachai is not unsympathetic; he understands that the Assembly of Nine is a political body and subject to political pressures. With this in mind, the sodality want to remind the Assembly of Nine that they could devolve responsibility for directing the Silent Bell to the Assembly of Vigilance. There's a feeling that their fellow dedicates of virtue might be better placed to identify pressing threats, and be less susceptible to influence from political interests. If the Assembly of Nine make a statement of principle to that effect that receives a Greater Majority, the Silent Bell would take the guidance of the Assembly of Vigilance going forward.
As to the future, Malachai suggests that if the Synod is concerned about the depredations of Agramant an obvious target for their investigations would be to focus on one of the groups active in Sermersuaq. After all, it was the Silent Bell who first identified the three dangerous groups. While Maarik the Golden Tongued is out of reach in the Silver Peaks, they could perhaps explore vulnerabilities Kaarina White-Eye or Wemba the Bloody. The Assembly would have to pick one or the other - trying to locate more than one of these groups in the wild lands of Sermersuaq would likely be much less effective.
And on the subject of the north...
We caution all to remain vigilant against Blood-on-the-Snow after the upheaval this year, with three cultist leaders still at large. Share with your neighbours, keep each other warm, and remind each other that this is not forever. We are scions sired by a storm and shall weather whatever winter brings.
Tuuli, Wintermark Assembly, Autumn Equinox 385YE, Vote: Greater Majority 342-0
In the North
Talk of Agramant inevitably brings to mind the problems in the northern Empire. Indeed, the Silent Bell were instrumental in uncovering the ringleaders of the Agramant "cults" in Sermersuaq (again at the direction of the Cardinal of Vigilance). Unfortunately Kaarina, Maarik, and Wemba remain at large. The Wintermark assembly, and the assembly of Wisdom have both urged the virtuous to remain alert to the threats of Agramant and his followers.
The Wintermark assembly upheld the judgment of Tuuli, which focused on urging the people of the nation to look after one another, and resist the temptation of giving in to despair in the cold Winter months. The assembly of Wisdom on the other hand agreed with the more direct approach of Ourania Neofoti of the House of the Wanderer, urging the Wise to remain Vigilant and question all those who offer easy boons and easy solutions.
Sermersuaq
- The Wintermark assembly could urge the people of Sermersuaq to come together in the face of Agramant's threats
It is the first Winter since the stormcrows and the dedicates of Loyalty brought mercy to Sermersuaq. Those who had succumbed to the temptations of Blood-on-the-Snow but showed true remorse for their deeds still seek to make amends. The construction of the smokehouse at Atalaq strongly implies that the opportunity to form the core of a fourth army from the frayed has been declined in favour of one inspired by the traditions of the Suaq. This just means that those contrite folk of Sermersuaq whose skein was tangled by Blood-on-the-Snow must seek other ways to make amends for their foolishness.
This Winter will be harsh. Winters in Sermersuaq normally are. When the night is at its darkest, the snows at their heaviest, the winds are their most soul-chilling, the lights in the north close and seductive, this is the time when the whispers of Blood-on-the-Snow are at their most dangerous. Sermersuaq is still rebuilding after the war with the Jotun. There are people here who might well go hungry as the snow piles up. There's also the threat of the monsters unleashed by Icebreaker and the vengeful Hayaak. The Wintermark and Dawnish heroes that come to the Hall of the Hunters will deal with most such threats, but they can't be everywhere at once and they are warriors, not angels of mercy. Twisted war-wolves with tusks and poison-stingers they can face; hunger, fear, and isolation are much more difficult foes to fight.
If they wish, the Wintermark National Assembly could speak directly to the people of their nation and urge them to follow the spirit of Tuuli's statement.
This winter will be harsh, and there are monsters in Sermesuaq, both beasts of the wilds and those who walk in human guise. We msut remain vigilant, but more importantly we must remain kind. Share with your neighbours, keep each other warm, remind each other that this is not forever. We are scions sired by a storm and shall weather whatever winter brings. We send (Named Priest) with 25 doses of liao to urge the people of Wintermark to look after each other, no matter what the Winter brings.
Synod Mandate, Varushkan National AssemblyIf this mandate is passed, it will urge the people of Wintermark, and Sermersuaq in particular, to keep each other safe during the harsh Winter that is to come. It highlights the bonds of community that bring people together - human, hylje, or orc - and rejects both selfishness and isolationism. No settlement in Sermersuaq will go hungry this winter as the people cleave to one another. In addition, it will remind the people of the territory what is important and call the warriors home to protect their neighbours. Every military unit controlled by a character from Sermersuaq will take a -1 rank penalty unless they take the hunt the Suaq Wastes adventure, in which case they will instead receive a +1 rank bonus. This added protection, and the spirit of cooperation and support, will sustain the people of Sermersuaq in their time of need, granting a +1 rank bonus to the production of farms.
Furthermore, as a consequence of this clear rejection of everything Agramant stands for, for the next year (the whole of 386YE) it will be nearly impossible for the followers of Blood-on-the-Snow to gain support from the people of Sermersuaq.
Wintermark
- The Wintermark assembly could also call for their people to look to the safety of Wintermark as a nation, as a priority
Alternatively, rather than focus solely on Sermersuaq, the National Assembly might identify that there are more monsters in Wintermark than those sent by Agramant and Hayaak. After all, the scions of Cold Sun are still in Hahnmark and Kallavesa and show every sign that dealing with them will need further action.
This winter will be harsh, and the whole of Wintermark faces terrible threats from the monsters of Blood-on-the-Snow, the beasts of Hayaak, and the scions of Cold Sun. We must remain vigilant, and we must fight these threats wherever we can. We are scions sired by a storm and shall weather whatever winter brings. We send (Named Priest) with 75 doses of liao to urge the people of Wintermark to look after each other, and to protect our people, no matter what the Winter brings.
Synod Mandate, Wintermark National Assembly
If this mandate is passed, every military unit belonging to a WIntermark character will experience a -1 rank penalty, unless they participate in the Hunt the Suaq Wastes adventure; defend the Beacons of Wintermark; or support a Wintermark army fighting in Wintermark. In these cases, such military units receive a +1 rank bonus to their effective strength.
These mandates are not in competition, and the National Assembly could enact either, none, or both of them. In the event that they enacted both, the effects would be cumulative (so for example a military unit from Sermersuaq would take a -2 rank penalty, unless it participated in the Hunt the Suaq Wastes action in which case it would get a +2 to production, or it helped fight Cold Sun in which case it would have neither penalty not benefit).
We caution all to remain vigilant against Blood-on-the-Snow after the upheaval this year, with three cultist leaders still at large. We urge all those who follow wisdom to question those who offer boons and easy solutions.
Ourania Neofoti of the House of the Wanderer, Wisdom Assembly, Autumn Equinox 385YE, Vote: Greater Majority 412-0
Wisdom
- The General Assembly could agree with the Wisdom assembly that the Empire must be cautious of offers that seem too good to be true
The most surprising thing about that statement raised by Ourania Neofoti of the House of the Wanderer is that it was made in and upheld by the Assembly of Wisdom rather than the Assembly of Vigilance. In a way, its unexpected origin increases its impact. The fact the speaker is Urizeni also adds a little weight - for many that nation is a byword for those who accept the bargains of eternals most readily. It prompts a certain amount of spirited discussion, especially as it coincidentally echoes some of the concerns expressed by the Silent Bell, or the folk of the Brass Coast unhappy that their Prosperity was gifted to the eternal Tharim to consume (for example).
Remaining cautious of Agramant is just common sense. The more interesting part of the statement concerns "those who offer boons and easy solutions." There are a lot of incidences where Imperial citizens have accepted "boons" that may or may not be "easy solutions" to complex problems. Perhaps inevitably, eyes turn to the Imperial Conclave in particular. Yet there's more than just eternals to consider; earlier in the year the Varushkan assembly urged its people to literally make deals with dark powers. There's not much to be done there, but if the Wisdom assembly is committed to this course of action they could urge the Empire to think very carefully before accepting boons and gifts. Unfortunately, the reach of the Wisdom assembly is somewhat limited; the Wise (in the virtuous sense) are some of the people most likely to be leery of easy answers. If Ourania's words are to have any impact they will need to come from the General Assembly.
Cheap boons and easy solutions should always be treated with caution. The Wise know that we must test what you learn, and take nothing for granted. We send (Named Priest) with 100 doses of liao to urge the virtuous to remain cautious of gifts that come at too cheap a price, to remain Vigilant against the machinations of eternals and dark powers, and to watch those who seek out such offers.
Synod Mandate, General Assembly
If this mandate is enacted, for the next year there will be significantly fewer opportunities offered that relate to eternals, sovereigns and similar entities. Statements of principle rejecting or investigating such offers will be much more likely to lead to a response of some kind. There will be much more expectation that members of the Conclave will be brought to Inquisition to ensure they are acting virtuously, and it will lead to increased support for the Witness of Conclave, the Imperial Censor, Virtue Inquisitors, Imperial Inquisitor, and perhaps even the Sevenfold Path among the virtuous.
Of course, any mandate that does not pass with a greater majority will have no real impact in either people of Urizen or the citizens of Varushka - the folk most likely to participate in such bargains in many peoples' opinion, so the Assembly might wish to weigh cautiously how this mandate is dealt with.
Further Reading
- Agramant
- Silent Bell (Sodality)
- Anyone but you - Spring 385YE Wind of Fortune relating to the "cults" in Sermersuaq