Hurricane party
"I wondered if I might have a room," he said as he crossed the empty taproom. "I'll be staying for a week or so, maybe longer."
She named a price, which was a little steeper than he might have liked, but he paid it without arguing. Whatever else they had been, his parents had been rich enough to leave him a modest inheritance. Richer, arguably, than a teacher and a librarian really had any right to be even in Tassato.
"Meals are extra," said the innkeeper coldly. "And it'll be fish. Fish broth, fish stew, roast fish, steamed fish. If you don't like fish, you'll not find much to eat in Outsmaw."
"Fish will be fine," he reassured her. The entire fishing village stank of fish, and the inn was no exception. He cleared his throat. "I was wondering, ma'am. I'm here trying to find some people... maybe you know them?"
The woman pursed her lips, and her stare became even colder if that was possible. "Are you with the magistrates," she asked.
"No, no, nothing like that!" One of the arguments his friends had made was that travelling to Bregasland right now was perhaps not a good idea, given the troubles they were having. He'd countered by arguing that there was never a good time; and besides he was looking for family. Marchers took family seriously, or so he'd heard. "My parents came from here. Lisa and Barnet Fenwater. I was hoping to speak to anyone who knew them before they moved to Tassato."
The innkeeper continued to stare for a long moment. "There's plenty of Fenwater's here" - she pronounced it a little oddly, slurring the "t" sound in a distinctly unfamiliar way. She shook her head slightly, and treated him to a smile that was only a touch more welcoming than anything she'd offered so far. "In fact, I think I remember young Lisa when she was a girl. How is she?"
"I'm afraid they're both dead," he said, and winced inwardly. His friends always ribbed him for being as blunt, joked that maybe he was half-Freeborn. He was a little surprised that speaking about it brought a lump to his throat, even after six months. "My sister as well. There was an accident."
"I'm sorry to hear that." She didn't sound especially sorry, but Roberto was intimately familiar with the flat affect of those touched by the Day realm. "So sad, to be all alone in the world."
There was an awkward silence.
"Sit yourself down," she said briskly. "I'll bring you a big bowl of fish soup and then we'll see about your room."
"And a bath please," Roberto said a little earnestly "It's been nearly a week of travelling since I have a proper bath and I just want to..."
He trailed off. The innkeeper didn't reply immediately. She looked away from him, towards the door, towards the sea, lost in thought. Idly, unconsciously, she twisted a ring on one of her long thick-webbed fingers. A lovely piece, he noticed. Woven from three strands of metal - dark gold, white gold, red gold - and set with a cabochon cut tempest jade. He caught himself staring; there was something about it that drew his jeweller's eye. It was a little out of place in the dank surrounds of Outsmaw village, a stark contrast with the innkeeper's homespun dress. She caught him staring, and put her hand in the pocket of her apron.
"Oh, I think we can sort you out a bath," she said, unblinking. "Yes. We can definitely help you with that."
Overview
The eternal Siakha is no friend of the Empire, and broadly unfamiliar to Imperial magicians. She is a wild spirit of the Spring realm whose being resonates with savagery, ruin, and chaos. An uncontrollable creature who embodies all the most destructive elements of the natural world, her furious followers are equally enthused by opportunities to foment rebellion and violence. Siakha encourages those who seek her aid to be think only of themselves, to take whatever they please and to destroy all those who stand in their way.
Her disdain for law and lust for blood leave her with little time for the people of civilised nations. Much of what the Empire knows about her comes from discussions with Asavean, Sarcophan, and Grendel magicians, and from some limited exposure to her followers over the last few years under the auspices of the Archmage of Spring. She is a patroness of pirates, raiders, thieves, murderers, and any who use mayhem and bloodshed to take what they want. Her boons are available to those who cause carnage at sea, but she is also said to favour those who are prepared to dominate and prey upon the weak on land as well.
During the Winter Solstice, the Archmage of Spring Ibiss Briarheart, reached out to the Mother of Wrecks through the power of plenipotentiary. What the Archmage said in their missive is between them and the Thunder-Who-Speaks. There will be no parley, the Mother of Wrecks scorns those who would waste their time in negotiations. Instead the eternal has offered a number of boons to Imperial citizens if they choose to claim them.
Legal Warning
- It is treason, punishable by death, to willingly accept any of the boons of Siakha
- The Conclave cannot use endorsement to make it legal to accept any of these boons
- The only way for Conclave to grant legal permission for magicians to accept these boons is to remove emnity
As with any eternal declared to be an enemy of the Empire, it is illegal to take gifts from Siakha or gain her boons.
Trading or dealing with an eternal under enmity is illegal and is investigated as treason - a crime which carries the death penalty if the offender acted with intent. There is likely to be little chance of a clemency arrangement for magicians who intentionally accept power from Siakha using these boons - assuming they get caught. Even if the offender finds a way to avoid the legal consequences of their actions they risk being declared a sorcerer by the Conclave if they are suspected of accepting the aid of Siakha
Siakha is under the enmity of the Imperial Conclave. This has two key consequences. The first is magical in nature. Her ability to directly affect the Empire is limited; she cannot easily send her heralds to Imperial territory nor exert her magical might, without invitation to do so. Unfortunately, while amity and enmity do have metaphysical impact, they can't stop Imperial magicians reaching out to the eternal and accepting her power if they wish to. Thus there is is nothing to stop Imperial magicians making use of these offers if they desire - and as long as they do not get caught.
The second consequence is that trading or dealing with an eternal under enmity is illegal and is investigated as treason if news of it comes to light. The Conclave cannot use endorsement to circumvent this outcome. There are only two ways to make the boons on offer legal - either the Imperial Conclave uses a declaration of alignment to remove emnity from Siakha or the Imperial Senate uses a Senate motion to make it legal to accept a boon from an eternal under enmity, permanently changing the definition.
Unleash the Maelstrom
- Siakha offers to empower the Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea and Thunderous Deluge rituals
- Drawing on her power requires a special invocation; shedding blood; and a ring of ilium
- The boon does not remove the requirement for the ritual to be performed at a regio
Siakha is a spirit of storm and destruction, hurricane, typhoons, and monsoons. She offers her power to any Imperial magician performing Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea or Thunderous Deluge during the Spring Equinox. If they wish to do so there are three criteria they need to meet as part of their ritual performance.
The ritual itself must include an invocation of the eternal directly using at least three of her common names - Siakha, Empress of Sharks, Maelstrom, Salt-born Devourer, Mother of Wrecks, Thunder-that-Speaks. it must be clear that they are asking for the eternal's boon. Secondly, each contributor must cut themselves (or each other) and allow their blood to flow. This must be sufficient to inflict a hit of damage. Finally, at the completion of the ritual they must offer up a ring of ilium to seal the connection between their magic and the eternal.
Assuming all three steps are completed, the exact effect depends on which of the rituals they are performing.
Typhoon Breath
- Empowering Foam and Spittle of the furious sea greatly increases its impact
- Narrative effects will be significantly increased especially in regions with the marsh or coastal quality
Empowering Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea will lash the coastline of the target territory with mighty waves, roaring winds, thunder, and lightning on a near cataclysmic level. Any fleet based in the target territory has its production reduced by three ranks for the coming season (which also reduces their military strength by 60). In addition, a total of 750 casualties are spread out evenly over all navies in the territory. Farms and gardens will be flattened - every farm will produce 72 fewer rings and every herb garden will produce 3 fewer true vervain in the coming season as the Spring planting is ruined.
The magic of Spring will also impact every mana site in the territory, tainting it with the power of Siakha. Such mana sites will produce 2 fewer crystal mana over the coming season but will instead produce a single pawn of Warm honey. Sinecures that produce mana may also be effected, depending on their nature.
As always with a territory curse, there will be other unpredictable effects that depend on the territory chosen. Coastal territories that contain extensive marsh regions or large rivers are especially vulnerable, and likely to experience extensive flooding. There is no way to avoid loss of life, although a timely warning for each of the various communities in the territory may be able to minimize the number of deaths. Structures and settlements are likely to suffer damage, especially if they are in a region with the coastal quality - at the very least a fortification in such a region will be unable to recover strength while the storms rage. In addition to the casualties inflicted, the storms are likely to impede the effectiveness of navies taking the shore offensive or Defend the Coast orders.
Roaring Deluge
- Empowering Thunderous Deluge will increase the damage across the territory, and also impact congregations, mines, and herb gardens
- Narrative effects will be greatly increased especially in regions with the marsh or hills quality
An empowered Thunderous Deluge will cause storms of truly devastating potency across the target territory bringing widespread devastation. Inhabitants of the territory will desperately stay indoors, striving to protect their homes. Travel will be difficult, whether via roads or trods. The income from all farms and businesses in the territory is reduced by 108 rings. Congregations, herb gardens, and mines will also be impacted - producing one dose less liao and 2 fewer votes as people are unable to attend their services; losing three doses of true vervain to the flattening rain; or producing two fewer ingots of metal thanks to the danger of flooding. A total of 750 casualties will be distributed among armies and fortifications in the territory.
The magic of Spring will also impact every mana site in the territory, tainting it with the power of Siakha. Such mana sites will produce 2 fewer crystal mana over the coming season but will instead produce a single pawn of Warm honey. Sinecures that produce mana may also be effected, depending on their nature - assuming they avoid being damaged.
As always with a territory curse, there will be other unpredictable effects that depend on the territory chosen. Widespread flooding will be inevitable, likely on a similar scale to that encountered during the empire wide storms of 384YE. There will likely be significant loss of life, although this might be reduced with timely and targetted warnings. The effects will be particularly pronounced in regions with the marsh quality, with extetnsive flash floods in regions with the hills quality.
Cataclysmic Power
- Targetting a single territory with both curses will have completely unpredictable impact
There is nothing to stop Imperial magicians combining these effects on a single territory, provided it meets the criteria for both rituals. In this case, it's difficult to predict what the cumulative impact will be; there is only so much storm a territory can experience. Even with warnings there is likely to be significant loss of life, and may well be permanent changes to the terrain as massive floods sweep the territory. Rivers and lakes will burst their banks, marshes spread, flatlands sink beneath the water. It's impossible to predict exactly what the effect would be but it's likely the territory would be marked permanently in some way.
Incentives
- Siakha has incentives to offer to those who use her blessing to cause mayhem and chaos
Siakha offers an incentive to use her power and they are proper cruel. The exact nature of the incentives is unclear; all the servants of Siakha will say is that they will be the same kinds of boon she offers to her followers among the Grendel. There is talk of ritual texts that draw on the eternal's power in various ways to create storms or empower warriors; magical masks that empower destructive Spring magic; weapons suitable for warriors and magicians alike; and the "opportunity" to use ritual magic to call on heralds to slaughter one's rivals. Acquiring these boons requires empowered storms to be laid over specific locations, clearly picked to cause as much conflict as possible.
For each Urizen territory struck by thunderous deluge or foam and spittle of the furious sea empowered by her boons, she will give the people of the Marches a boon to help them fight the Jotun.
For each Marcher territory struck by one of these empowered rituals she will give the people of Urizen a boon to help them empower their destructive magic.
For each territory where the Thule abide struck with one of these empowered rituals she will give the people of that nation a boon that will help them embrace the savagery in their hearts, to fight and kill their enemies, to take their possessions, and to destroy their castles and cities.
Likewise, if the Barrens are struck with one of these devastating curses, she will reward the enchanters of Dawn with a destructive boon.
Spring is not know for its subtlety.
Blood and Salt
- During the Spring Equinox, both the Merciless Wrath of the Reaver and Blood and Salt enchantments can be empowered with the magic of Siakha
- The provenance of the enchantments will be clear to anyone who uses the detect magic feature of discern enchantment on a character
While she favours the destructive powers of nature, Siakha also embodies the desire of living things to slaughter each other and take their stuff. During the Spring Equinox, any casting of either Merciless Wrath of the Reaver or Blood and Salt can be empowered.
To do so the ritualists must sacrifice an ingot of tempest jade for each target of the ritual before they begin the casting. They must cut the target with an edged weapon allowing their blood to flow and inflicting at least one hit of damage in the process. They must verbally acknowledge the power of Siakha by one of her common names and everyone involved must verbally accept the boon she offers.
At the completion of the ritual, the normal roleplaying effect experienced by the target will not fade ten minutes but rather persist as long as the enchantment on their fleet or military unit persists. This lingering mark of Siakha can be determined through use of the detect magic spell - if anyone uses discern enchantment on a target of one of these rituals, it will reveal that they bear a "mark of storms" as well as whatever personal enchantment they might be under (if any).
During the coming downtime, so long as the target of Merciless Wrath of the Reaver takes the privateering action, or the target of Blood and Salt takes the raiding action, in addition to the ritual's normal effects they will receive an additional two ranks worth of random resources above what they would normally get for this action.
However, anyone who does accept this boon will also find that they have a special adventure available to them Slaughter the Weak, which will involve raiding the barbarian orcs that border the Empire - Grendel, Druj, Jotun - slaughtering them and taking their stuff. The benefits of this adventure are not clear but will be at least equivalent to the normal production of a military unit with additional bonuses.
It's important to note with both the Wrath and Rage boons than an enchantment cannot be removed prematurely without casting a different enchantment, or allowing the duration (until the start of the next Profound Decisions event) to expire. It's not possible to jsut give up the enchantment - meaning it is much more likely that someone with one of these boons will be detected.
If you do take one of these boons it's vital that you are clear on what you need to tell someone who uses discern enchantment on you if there is no Referee nearby. Not letting someone using this spell on you know you have a boon from Siakha is against the rules.
Furthermore, if at least a dozen characters take this adventure then at the Summer Solstice there will be skirmish opportunities to slaughter barbarian orcs and take their wealth. This latter is nothing to do with Siakha - at least not directly. Rather it is the Sentinel Gate responding to the distortions of fate caused by embracing Siakha's boons. These skirmishes will be unlikely to have strategic opportunites, but will likely present the ability to claim magic items, herbs, and wains of mithril, weirwood, or white granite.
Wrath
- During the Spring Equinox ritualists can empower the Call Down Lightning's Wrath ritual
- A target with the battle mage skill gains an additional ability to repel their foes in addition to the ability to strike them down, and a rank of endurance while wearing mage armour
The ritual Call Down Lightning's Wrath allows a magician to channel some of the destructive power of the storm through their staff. Siakha offers a boon that will greatly enhance the power of that ritual to any Imperial battle mage prepared to accept it.
To take advantage of it, the entire cost of the ritual must be paid in a combination of warm honey or personal mana (using a Suffusion of blood potion). The target must mark themselves with the Rune of Destruction somewhere on their body and invoke Siakha by three of her well-known names. The additional power can only be claimed by a character with the battle mage skill.
In addition to the normal effects of the enchantment - the ability to strike foes down with their staff - the target gains two additional powers. While they wear mage armour, they gain an additional rank of endurance. More significantly, they gain the ability to use their staff to cast repel four times a day without spending mana as if they knew it. If the target regains all spent personal mana by resting in a magical aura such as that provided by the Chamber of Delights, or drinks an Elixir of Empyrean Art, they also regain all spent uses of this ability at the same time. Other methods of restoring personal mana that are not listed as restoring it all in one go do not restore uses of this ability (for example drinking multiple Mageblood or Philtre of Heavenly Lore).
They also experience a roleplaying effect: you feel a strong desire to use the abilities granted by this enchantment anything that startles or threatens you. When you defeat an opponent it is easy to give in to the urge to execute them immediately; mercy or forbearance are very difficult for you.
There is a drawback to this enchantment; the detect magic ability to discern enchantment will reveal that the enchantment is a boon of Siakha if cast on the target while the enchantment is in effect.
Attracting Attention
- Siakha will know who has taken advantage of her boons
It's not explicitly said, but it's obvious that any coven or individual who takes one of Siakha's boons will be known to the eternal. Those prepared to flaunt the laws of the Empire and bring destruction on their rivals, or use her savage blessings to slaughter people, may be marked out by the eternal as worthy of her time. Or it might not. The Spring eternal is fickle, and unpredictable in the extreme.
The one thing she will definitely not do however is reveal who has used her boons to the forces of law and order. She wants people to take her boons, and use them to spread chaos, after all. Siakha wants to tear civilisation apart, she has no interest in aiding those who would seek to hold it together.
The Protection of Enmity
- Enmity limits the ability of Siakha to directly harm the Empire
Siakha is under the enmity of the Imperial Conclave. This provides a measure of protection to the Empire. It also makes it illegal for Imperial magicians to claim the boons the eternal offers. As the civil service have stressed in their response to the plenipotentiary message received from the eternal, removing enmity would make this legal, but would free Siakha to send her heralds to the Empire. As long as she was not granted Amity, and as long as no further magic was used to exacerbate the situation (such as Hallow of the Green World), the destruction she would cause would not be on the same scale as the recent full-scale invasion of Cold Sun. It is unquestionable that there would be extensive loss of life, and destruction. It would be impossible to predict which regio her heralds might use to enter the Empire - there are Spring regio in every Imperial territory.
Given that Siakha's herald has been clear this is not a "test" - that it is not a way for the Empire to gain additional boons from Siakha or change her attitude toward the Empire in any way - they recommend strongly that if the Conclave plan to do this they consider endorsing the act immediately after the enmity is removed. Any delcaration of endorsement before the enmity is removed would most likely be unconstitutional.
He couldn't move his arms because his hands were tied behind his back. He was lashed to a stone post, on the beach. It was night. He was not alone. It looked like half the village was here. Nearly thirty people, all marked by the Day Realm as he was. Talking quietly, passing jugs and platters of fish from one to another. Like they were at a village council meeting, rather than on a beach under the full moon by flickering torchlight.
"It was in the soup, nephew." He didn't recognise the voice, but it had the same slurring drawl of the other Outsmaw villagers he'd spoken to. He craned his head. Beside him stood a heavy set man, balding, with sweeping fin-like ears, bulging black eyes, and exposed gill slits on the side of his neck. He wore a beautiful gold chain set with a dozen pieces of tempest jade. Roberto knew enough to recognise an alder's chain. "There's a blue flower grows on the bluffs. Take a little, it helps you sleep. Take a lot... It tastes bad, but mix it with enough fish and salt and... well. Here you are now."
"Water..." Roberto could only croak. His throat felt as if it was closing over, his mouth parched. The man help up a bowl before his lips and he gulped down a mouthful before realising it was salt water. He spat it out.
"Sorry, nephew," said the merrow alder, actual sadness in his voice. "It's traditional. I'm afraid I've got bad news for you, little Bobby."
"It's Rob... Roberto," corrected Roberto weakly. The man ignored him. "It's just bad luck, you turning up when you did. Or good luck, for us. Tis the last full moon tide afore the Spring Equinox. All the troubles recently, there's been no chance for us to honour the Lady. Were a different matter when the Fishers were about - an orc goes missing, folk assume its the Greywaters or the Strong Reeds. But all them magistrates? We thought it was going to be a lean year, I can tell you. And then you turned up. With nobody to miss you. And now? Now we can honour the Lady."
A little procession approached, half a dozen villagers in smart clothes. All of them wore fine gold and tempest jade jewellery, the inkeeper at their head. Shehanded a knife to the alder, it's ivory handle inlaid with green gems. Roberto shut his eyes, cried feebly as the blade cut into his arms, his face, his chest. He felt the wounds, shallow but bloody. Heard the chanting. Invocations of the Lady of the Salt, the Mistress of Storms, the Thunder Eel, She Who Walks Behind The Reeds. He started to cry. The alder wiped his tears away with his thumb, then licked the salt-water away.
Half a dozen grizzled Outmaw fisherfolk - all merrow - came forward, and one by one the alder marked them on the forehead with a wet red rune, dipping his fingers into Roberto's blood with surprisingly gentleness. He didn't recognise it, but he knew enough to realise a ritual was underway. As his blood dripped down, the fisherfolk seemed to swell, their faces twisting into savage grins of exultant anticipation.
"Hunt well!" shouted the alder, raising his bloody hands toward the sea. "Go now you children of the Maelstrom! Seek out the Jotun, in their halls across the Gullet, where they think they are safe. Spill their blood! Slaughter their thralls! Seize their wealth, and bring it back to us! We buy prosperity with the blessings of the storm!"
A ragged cheer went up that rolled back and forth across the beach. Roberto whimpered, tried to struggle, but he was too securely held. There was laughter, the sound of a celebration.
The alder seized his chin, turned his face up, and poured the rest of the bowl over him. He sobbed and sputtered as the saltwater stung his eyes and his cuts. The festive noises cut off suddenly, and the Alder turned to look out to sea. He let out a breath, making a sound halfway between sorrow and awe.
"It's nearly done,." he said gently, blocking Roberto's view. "This last bit will be bad for you, nephew, I can't lie. But it'll be good for us. Her blessings are harsh, but they are powerful. What you give us will keep us prosperous and safe for another turning of the year. Scant consolation, I suppose. It's a shame your parents decided to run, all them years back. You might have been one of the warriors being blessed, rather than the one we offer to get the blessing."
He stepped back then, walking backwards to where the rest of the merrow villagers stood in reverent silence, and Roberto saw, then, what was rising from the water beyond the alder, and he tried to scream but all that came out was a desperate, strangled, dry-throated wheeze.