Appraisal
Overview
The Imperial civil service support the Throne and all arms of the Imperial government, providing detailed reports for consideration by the Empire's leaders every summit. For the most part these reports entail detailed assessments of the latest developments in the Empire, outlining what is known about the situation, what options might exist, and what the implications of those options are. The bulk of these reports are reactionary - the civil servants responding to current events as they are developed between summits.
However, during periods where civil service capacity to produce effective summaries is demonstrably greater than is needed to keep pace with current events, they place this additional capacity at the disposal of the Senate. Doing so allows the Senate to pass a motion of appraisal, instructing the civil service to investigate a specific area to see what opportunities if any exist for the Empire to take action.
During the Winter Solstice 384YE, the Imperial Senate took advantage of an opportunity offered by the consecration of the walls of Holberg to restructure the Department of Historical Research, encouraging some of the civil servants there to join the Prognosticators' Office. As such, the Senate can now commission two appraisals each season.
Commission an Appraisal
The power to direct the civil servants lies with the Imperial Senate. At present this must be employed by use of a senate motion, although in theory there is no reason that the Senate could not delegate this authority to an Imperial title - such as the Throne - or to another house entirely if they chose. Any Imperial title that was endowed with the ability to instruct the civil service would need to make an appropriate announcement in the Senate each time the power was used.
Regardless of how the power is employed, the thrust of the research should be clear. The purpose of an appraisal is to investigate a specific subject, with a view to identifying what opportunities exist to influence the situation. It does not matter how broad the scope is, it is possible to commission broad research into a significant topic such as "fortifying the borders of the Empire" or into something very specific such as "Uses for the ruined Runeforge in Gildenheim". Provided that the wording of the motion clearly identifies a known problem or a current situation the Imperial civil service will be able to provide some insight.
An appraisal is very different to historical research. Historical research unearths information on past events, so that the leaders of the Empire can be better informed about matters of history. An appraisal must be focused on current events - the civil servants who carry out an appraisal work for the Prognosticators Office, they are mathematicians, diviners, actuaries, and logisticians, not historians. Their focus is to identify options that exist today - not lost records of the past.
Capacity
At present, the Imperial civil service have sufficient resources to support two appraisals each season. If more than two are passed by the Senate, subsequent motions will be ignored unless they include explicit instruction to abrogate all earlier motions of appraisal.
Prior to the murderous events of 379YE, the civil service were unable to support any instructions to carry out an appraisal but some experienced researchers chose to leave the department of Historical Research for their own safety. Those with the inclination and ability joined the Prognosticators Office, significantly improving their capacity. This situation may change unexpectedly - many of these individuals are due to retire soon - but for now the capacity of the office has been increased, allowing it to carry out a single appraisal instructed by the Imperial Senate each season.
Necessary Details
There are no necessary details with an appraisal; the civil service will only look at the actual wording of the motion as presented to the Senate.
The senate motion may specify which member of the civil service will lead the appraisal, but this must be explicitly included in the wording of the motion.
The Results of the Appraisal
The civil service will produce a detailed report outlining every opportunity that has been identified during the course of the appraisal. This will be widely published alongside the normal reports in the weeks immediately preceding the summit to allow those planning to attend the summit to consider the matter carefully. The report will be complete, which is to say that it will identify all options that exist currently; unless the report explicitly indicates otherwise it should be understood to cover every option available. There is no benefit in instructing the civil service to carry out the same appraisal unless the extenuating circumstances have substantially altered in the meantime.
The report will aim to be concise, so it may leave out explicit references to elements of the situation examined that make it unique. The appraisal should be understood to apply only to the location and scenario laid out in the report. Unless otherwise noted, options that may exist to address the problem are not applicable elsewhere. An appraisal which identifies an opportunity to build a navy in Meade, is specific to a navy in Meade - it does not apply to Sarvos or any other location. Nor does it apply to an army or a fortification. Any options that exist to vary what can be achieved will be explicitly laid out in the report.
If the appraisal identifies any opportunities which are time-limited, that is they are only valid if carried out within a limited time-frame, then this will be made clear in the report.
The Prognosticators Office
The Prognosticators Office is ultimately overseen by the Imperial Auditor, Gerard La Salle, who is a member of the Constitutional Court. He is known to be a meticulous individual, who despises waste and inefficiency, but there is no other individual alive with a better grasp of the options available to the Empire. The day to day running of the office defaults to the most senior scholars, each of which in turn directs the remaining researchers, magicians, and bookkeepers.
As of the Winter Solstice 384YE, there are four senior researchers in the department. Each is a veteran civil servant and respected scholar with a particular emphasis. The Senate may choose which civil servant will be the lead on the appraisal by including the name of the researcher in the Senate motion (along with the name of a backup researcher if the first is already employed elsewhere, if desired). Everyone from the department will work on the appraisal, but the character of the lead civil servant appointed will help to shape the nature of the opportunities. If no individual is directed to lead the research, Gerard La Salle will select whichever researcher he considers most appropriate to do the work. In the event that two appraisals both call for the same civil servant, the first raised and passed will take priority. If the second motion does not also propose an alternative researcher, Gerard La Salle will pick.
Graciana i Lòpez i Guerra
Graciana is known for her unusual techniques and novel approaches to any problem. She is a skilled night mage, one of few who work in the prognosticators office, she is known to value imagination over industry in those who work for her. She came late to her calling, in her early days she was a wealthy merchant and corsair; she has travelled widely and spent years living abroad. When she finally returned home, she chose to join the civil service, determined to place the benefits of her wide-ranging experience at the disposal of those who lead the Empire.
If the Senate instructs Graciana to carry out an appraisal then the work will be focused on seeking novel or unusual solutions to the problem. But work by Graciana will usually produce ways to tackle a problem that are as innovative as they are unorthodox. Such options are never cheap, tried and tested techniques are invariably cheaper than new ideas because of the accrued expertise that supports them, but the costs will take a completely different form to the normal channels.
Naomi of Virtue's Rest
Naomi is the youngest of the lead scholars in the office. A diminutive woman with an endearing smile and an engaging personality, she is known for her charm; a quality she brings to her work. The eldest of five sisters, she joined the office at an early age, driven by a desire to help the Empire achieve the best possible results for its citizens. Though she is no great scholar of the Way she is a trained priest, skilled with all the religious rites that use liao.
If the Senate instructs Naomi to carry out an appraisal then the work will be focused on finding the most diplomatic possible solution. Naomi is adroit at identifying options that are best placed to satisfy the concerns of the people affected. The risk of such an approach is that it concentrates on the best possible solution to a problem rather than the cheapest or the most efficient.
Lutomysla Niegoslava
Lutomysla is an experienced cabalist from Karov who sees magic as the most effective tool to address complex situations. They served for a time as Archmage of Night during the reign of Emperor Hugh, and after stepping down from the title joined the Civil Service as an aide to the Imperial Conclave. Unlike their predecessor Mladen Excovitch, Lutomysla is unlikely to be concerned about efficiency or parsimony. Rather, they are interested in identifying practical magical solutions to problems.
If the Senate instructs Lutomysla to carry out an appraisal then the work will focus on magical solutions. They are not interested solely with ritual magic; as a cabalist they are practiced at dealing with powers such as eternals or even sovereigns and have made an extensive study of esoteric magics such as hearth magic, peculiar regio, astronomantic tulpas and even more obscure occult topics.
Eilian Sweetwater
Eilian of Storm's Run Striding joined the prognosticator's office in 384YE following the Imperial Senate decision to shift focus away from the Historical research toward appraisal. A former researcher with the Department of Historical Research, he is perhaps best known for his in-depth report on the nation of Axos and its history with the ancient Terunael people. He heads up a small cadre of other former researchers, civil servants well versed in exploring archives, collecting information, and uncovering past events. He also maintains excellent relations with the remaining researchers at the Department, and with the Imperial Archivist.
If the Senate instructs Eilian to carry out an appraisal then the work will be firmly grounded in the Empire's history. This might mean revisiting and reassessing historical proposals, building on past discoveries and theories, or finding inspiration in the stories and traditions of the ten nations. He's also a Navarr, and where history provides no guidance he will fall back on the most practical solution - although just like his colleague Graciana he recognises that "practical" sometimes means expensive.
Retired Prognosticators
Mladen Escovitch
Three decades ago, Mladen was one of the most brilliant schlacta of his age, a master of the two-handed axe he was not just a capable warrior but also a brilliant strategist. His ambitions were cut tragically short by the permanent loss of all mobility in his right arm to a Druj poison. Unable to fight, he rededicated his life to the prognosticator's art, rising steadily through the ranks of the civil service. He soon developed a reputation as a notorious stickler for economy, driven to examine every possible option, to find ways to save even a single ring. He retired shortly before the Spring Equinox 384YE, following a final appraisal - of opportunities to fortify the nation of Urizen. Prior to that his work was focused on identifying the most efficient way to resolve a problem. The options identified by an appraisal are rarely cheap - and they will usually make use of standard practices available to the Empire, but Mladen usually tried to do so in a way that would save the Empire valuable money or resources.
Previous Appraisals
| Appraisal | Date | Senate Decision | Civil Servant | Outcome |
| Extending road networks | Autumn 385YE | Passed | Graciana i Lòpez i Guerra | Road out of nowhere |
| Spider's Dream Bridge | Autumn 385YE | Passed | Eilian Sweetwater | Dreaming in strands |
| Defence against raiding | Summer 385YE | Passed | Nobody requested; Graciana i Lòpez i Guerra assigned | Restraint |
| How the League can support Urizen in Spiral | Summer 385YE | Passed | Naomi of Virtue's Rest | A question of loyalty |
| Integration of Barrens septs | Summer 385YE | Failed | Naomi of Virtue's Rest | No appraisal commissioned |
| Naval Supply II | Spring 385YE | Failed | Lutomysla Niegoslava | No appraisal commissioned |
| Gardens of Pallas | Spring 385YE | Passed | Default to Lutomysla Niegoslava | Restoration and renewal |
| Improving Ossium | Spring 385YE | Passed | Nobody requested; a prognosticator will need to be assigned | Culling the threat |
| Naval Supply | Spring 385YE | Failed | Graciana i Lopez i Guerra | No appraisal commissioned |
| Black Canals | Spring 385YE | Failed | Naomi requested | No appraisal commissioned |
| Kahraman | Winter 384YE | Passed | Naomi requested | Time and time again |
| Pilgrims of the Way | Winter 384YE | Passed | Naomi requested; Eilian Sweetwater of Storm's Run Striding was assigned | Blood will thicken |
| Restore Zenith | Autumn 384YE | Passed | Default to Naomi | Write your own ending |
| Attract foreign pilgrims | Autumn 384YE | Failed | Naomi Requested | No appraisal |
| Architectural University in Temeschwar | Summer 384YE | Passed | Graciana assigned | Back in the same place |
| Incite uprising in Sarangrave | Spring 384YE | Passed | Graciana assigned | Make it happen |
| Identify people taken as slaves by the Grendel | Spring 384YE | Failed | Nobody specified | No appraisal commissioned |
| Appraise Urizen fortifications | Winter 383YE | Passed | Defaulted to Mladen Escovitch | A place on a map |
| Appraise Sign of Tamar | Autumn 383YE | Passed | Graciana assigned | Signs and sigils |
| Appraise Trods | Summer 383YE | Passed | Graciana assigned | Woven as a weapon |
| Reclamation | Summer 383YE | Failed | Graciana requested | No appraisal commissioned |
| Mournwold Orc Integration | Spring 383YE | Passed | Defaulted to Naomi | Heart of gold |
| Trade Sanctions | Winter 382YE | Passed | Defaulted to Naomi | The price of liberty |
| Disperse Feni | Winter 382YE | Failed | Nobody requested | No appraisal commissioned |
| Legalize Bite | Winter 382YE | Failed | Nobody requested | No appraisal commissioned |
OOC Design
An appraisal is designed to allow the Imperial Senate to direct the civil service to look for a new solution to an existing problem facing it. Inline with the broad remit of the Senate, this could be economic, magical, military or religious in nature. The normal powers of the Senate allow the institute to address a wide range of problems using well-known and clearly defined powers. For instance, fortifications can be built, armies raised, navies constructed. They can disburse the contents of the Imperial treasury, make declarations of war or peace and so on.
An appraisal is different - it directs the civil service to look into a specific situation to see if there is an opportunity to address the problem in a way that either does not use the standard powers of the Senate to commission, or does so in a way that is unorthodox or unique. It will result in a Wind of Fortune that is produced for the next event which defines what is known about the problem and identifies what opportunities if any exist to take effective action to address it.
Like any other Wind of Fortune, the options presented in the plot opportunity on the wiki only apply in the situation explicitly laid out in the update. An appraisal does not create new powers for the Senate, unless explicitly stated otherwise, it simply creates a unique, one-off opportunity to act in ways outside the normal rules. Any variations which are possible will be clearly and explicitly identified in the wind of fortune, the flexibility with an appraisal is in what you ask for, not how you employ it. As always with winds of fortune we will try to be absolutely explicit about what the costs and benefits of any actions are.
We will treat the appraisal exactly as we would any other plot that we working on for a wind of fortune. Players should anticipate that appraisals will often identify solutions that benefit one group of Imperial citizens at the expense of another. Many will be contentious or expensive or both. Appraisal is a chance to tackle a problem in a novel way, it is not a free-lunch generator.
In particular, appraisal will generate a plot opportunity focused on the problem outlined in the motion that ordered it. It does not generate a specific solution - senators should specify the problem they want examined, not the solution they want found. It is not possible to specify the nature or shape of the solution - all attempts to do so will be ignored at best. At worst they may cause the whole appraisal to fail.
Further Reading
- Saga - a category that contains summaries of significant events in recent history