Empire - User contributions [en]

Limits of magic

2026-08-22T11:26:11Z

Rafferty: /* Transmutation */

==Overview==
Magic has many fundamental limits that restrict what can be achieved. In the setting these limitations are well known - magicians have striven for centuries to find ways to overcome them. Some people have devoted their entire lives to researching these limits, but no-one has ever found a reliable way to overcome them. Having a good working knowledge of these limitations is one way you can represent your character being a skilled practitioner of ritual magic.

In the game, these are most of the absolute limits of magic that is possible within the rules for the game. While you might play a character that is striving to overcome one or more of these limitations, it is important to appreciate that that is not possible in the Empire game. Any arcane projection that attempts will automatically fail. For that reason, it is a good idea to check any arcane projection against these limits before you submit it.

==Restore Life==
The Spring realm is powerfully resonant with healing magic, but no Imperial magician has ever been able to create a ritual that restores life to the dead. Some Winter magics allow a magician to contact the recently departed, or even summon back a shade that can be questioned, but like the Spring realm it appears to be powerless to help those who have passed on. In Empire, once a person dies, they are dead for good.

Many magicians have spent their entire lifetime searching for ways to cheat death. None have ever found a way to restore the dead to life, but a few have found ways to cheat death, or at least postpone it for a while. Although there are no rituals of this kind in Imperial lore at this time, anything like this would definitely need to be cast on the target while they were still alive.

There are rituals that allow a magician to give a semblance of life to a corpse, the most famous of which is [[Quickening Cold Meat]]. However these rituals work by conjuring creatures from the realms, usually drudges, to inhabit the corpse and cause it to move. The Winter realm has a strong affinity for magic involving dead bodies, but rituals of this kind make use of the body to house a spirit of the realm, they do not restore the body to life in any way.

==Resist Effects==
It is possible to use the Winter realm to create wards that harm those who cross them, and Night magic can hide the true nature of something, but beyond this there are few if any rituals that can offer protection to a subject. No magician has ever been able to create a ritual that allows the subject to '''resist''' a magical effect such as that caused by the [[repel]] spell. Nor is it possible to use ritual magic to make a subject immune to the blows of swords, bows, or other weapons. There are many rituals that make a subject stronger, allowing them to suffer more such blows before they are defeated, but none that make it so that the subject can resist or otherwise ignore the effect.

==Mind Control and Silence==
Many rituals create powerful emotions, feelings, or sensations in those that experience the effects, either as a side effect of the magic or as the main purpose such as with the [[Chamber of Pallas]]. These rituals can have a powerful effect on those that encounter them, but all serious magicians agree that the nature of the target's response is fundamentally set by them, not by the magician who performed the ritual. Magic is simply not powerful enough to control the mind of another living being, forcing it to act as the ritualist desires.

Of course there are ways to use magic to control your enemies, using it to threaten, cajole, and coerce people. However these methods are not intrinsically more reliable or powerful than a threat of violence. Skilled magicians can use ritual magic very effectively to '''influence''' others, but they cannot control them.

In the same way, magic cannot compel someone to speak the truth, and it cannot read minds. This means that there is no effective "truth detection" magic in the Empire. It is possible to create an urge to be forthright or plain speaking, but it is not even possible to create a roleplaying effect that makes a character want to speak the truth. Nor is possible to remove the ability to speak from a person using ritual magic.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><box><big>'''Conjured Coastal Citadels'''</big><br>
One topic that comes up regularly with the Day eternals is that of magically summoned fortifications similar to [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]] but created in regions with the ''coastal'' quality. This matter is raised with some of [[Phaleron|Phaleron's]] heralds, and they provide the following explanation as to why it is not possible for magic to create such a thing. By its essential nature, a coastline is partway between one thing and another. It is a liminal space, neither land nor sea, and defies classification. A fortification or castle, by contrast, has an essential nature of resisting, standing strong, and being immovable and impregnable, which is absolutely at odds with the mutable nature of a coastal area. Ritual magic runs afoul of the [[Laws_of_magic#The_Law_of_Essence|Law of Essence]], and so it will never be possible to create a ritual that conjures a magical fortification using the ''coastal'' quality.<br><small>From [[Hierarchs_of_sea_and_sky#The_Only_True_Treasure|Hierarchs of sea and sky]]</small></box></div>

==Conjuring and Summoning==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to force another being to appear before you, either a mortal or an inhabitant of the realms. There are Autumn rituals that allow you to send communications to another being, such as [[Call Winged Messenger]], but the target is free to respond as they choose. They are under no compulsion to respond and they would need to use methods of their own to appear if they were far distant at the time.

Likewise, there are rituals that allow you to contact certain named eternals, such as [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]]. Some of these rituals create an opportunity to meet with the being at a regio later. Almost always, the eternal will appear as requested, but it is well understood that the ritual itself does not compel the being to appear, rather it is the nature of the eternal that causes them to act in this way. Having long ago agreed to respond if called, they are bound to do so for all time by their nature, not by the ritual itself.

It is possible to create rituals that request or invite inhabitants of a realm to enter the mortal world - albeit only with their agreement - but it is not possible to summon them. Rituals like [[Knights of Glory]] work because Eleonaris has agreed to release her knights into the mortal world when called. Likewise, rituals that attempt to create, conjure, or summon fortifications, citadels, or other structures from another realm will not work without the agreement of an appropriate eternal. [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]] works because Cathan Canae has many frozen citadels - which she sends to the mortal world in response to the ritual.

There are rituals that appear to breach these limits, such as [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] or [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]] where the eternal in question was not recorded for many years. Knowledgeable magicians knew that there must be an eternal in question - such a ritual cannot work without the assistance or involvement of one - but for whatever inscrutable reasons their identity had remained secret. In recent history, the eternals sponsoring those two particular rituals were uncovered by [[Various_storms_and_saints#Fen_and_Fastness|scholars of the Unfettered Mind]].
==Damaging Fortifications==
It's not possible to damage a single [[fortification]] with focused magic from a distance. There are rituals such as [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees]] and [[Mountain Remembers Its Youth]] that can cause damage to a fortification, but only as part of indiscriminately-unleashed [[Spring magic]] that also damages [[army|armies]] and [[fortification#garrison|garrisons]] across an entire territory. This effect was possible in the past, but in-character that was the result of a particularly long-lived conjunction of [[the Claw]] and [[the Drowned Shepherd]]. It's no longer an effect that can be created by ritual magic. Ritual magic ''can'' inflict damage on the battlefield with rituals such as [[Rising Roots that Rend Stone]] or [[Inevitable Collapse into Ruin]] but these effects cannot be targeted remotely, or on a larger scale.

==Teleportation==
It is possible for magicians and others to move from the mortal world to a [[Regio#Portals_and_Chambers|chamber]], but they cannot travel on from there: they must return to the mortal world through the same door they entered by. It is not possible to move onwards from a chamber, nor to re-enter the mortal world in a different location. This limitation is a fundamental restriction of the magic of the realms - it cannot convey a magician from one place to another.

A ritual like Call Winged Messenger will convey a message to a target, but this ritual works by literally summoning a winged messenger from the Autumn realm to carry the message. It takes time for the message to reach the target; it does not travel instantly.

Likewise, resources and commissions cannot be moved from one place to another using ritual magic. An eternal might be able to create such an effect, but mortal magic cannot.

Interestingly, this limitation ''is'' violated by the power of the Sentinel Gate. The Gate is a magical item, and as such it is a thing of the mortal world only and does not draw on the power of the realms. Whether it is this that allows it to exceed the limits of ritual magic is unknown, but certainly all attempts to reproduce the power of the Gate using ritual magic have always failed.

==Invisibility==
Although Varushkan folklore is replete with stories of wolves that are invisible, undetectable to the mortal eye, most magicians consider these tales fit only for a child. There have been countless attempts to use Night magic to render an individual invisible, but none have ever succeeded. The Night realm can mask a thing, change its shape or appearance, but it always leaves something in its place. There is no realm that can be used to make something invisible.

Although Night magic resonates with glamours that change the physical appearance of something, as well as rituals designed to baffle divinations, it cannot hide itself. If an army is enchanted with a Night ritual to conceal it then a divination like [[the Eye of the High Places]] that is lower magnitude than the shroud will still reveal that there is a Night enchantment in place.

==Misdirection==
Night magic can be used to shroud things to make them impossible to divine until the shroud is pierced, but it can't make it impossible to find the answer and it can never be used to provide false information. The details that Night magic returns may be obscure and cryptic, but it is not possible to return an answer that is deliberately wrong.

Likewise, you can't use Night magic to make mundane methods of information gathering return the wrong answer. You can't make an army appear larger than it is to enemy scouts for example.

==Divination==
{{:Divination}}
==Enchanting Bourse Resources==
Mithril, white granite, weirwood, and ilium are the most precious resources found anywhere in the Empire, so valuable that control of known deposits is closely regulated by the [[Bourse]]. Countless attempts have been made over the centuries to develop ritual magic that can increase the production of these resources, but all have failed. Even attempts to scry for unworked deposits have proved unsuccessful.

Urizen magicians who have studied the problem for many years have concluded that materials of this kind have a degree of raw magical power inherent in them. This power appears to be a fundamental part of the mortal world, rather than having any connection with the realms. When the materials are in their unworked state waiting to be harvested, they create an interference that confounds any attempts to use the magic of the realms to locate or gather it. Sadly this natural resistance to magic is largely lost when the materials are removed and refined or processed.

So potent is this natural effect, that it has on occasion proved useful. The deposits of white granite in the Brilliant Shore were discovered centuries ago by a young [[Wintermark_magical_traditions#Icewalkers|icewalker]] who took shelter in the area while the region was assailed by a magical storm conjured by the Thule. When the magician noticed that the storm passed over the cave where they were sheltering, they realised that something in the area must be weakening the curse. Further investigation of the cave discovered the white granite deposits, and provided the Wintermark people with a valuable resource.

==Supernatural Effects==
Magicians can use the magic of the realms to change the mortal world, but it has an inherent tendency to resist this change. The more unnatural the change, the greater the resistance. One way that a magician can create a completely unnatural effect is to bring some force or object from the realms into the mortal world. Powerful rituals like Quickening Cold Meat summon Winter spirits to inhabit corpses so that they follow the magicians' will. The fortress "created" by [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]] is in fact one of the many that exists in the Summer realm and the ritual brings it into the mortal realm for a season.

Experienced magicians appreciate that the best approach is to create magical effects that work with the essential nature of the target rather than trying to create something unnatural. If a magician wishes to burn a forest down, it is infinitely easier to create a forest fire than it is to create a rain of fire.

==Armies and Battles==
It is possible to use magic that enhances the effectiveness of an army - either by requesting magical warriors from the realms to fight alongside them or by enhancing their strength, insight, or bonds. Cursing armies is possible, but is difficult and crucially requires a powerful arcane connection to the army in question - usually the general of the army or a similar figure.

It is '''not''' possible to curse an area or an army so as to impede army or navy movement in any way. Ritual magic cannot, for example, stop an army or navy moving into, out, or through a territory, nor restrict how far armies can move if they start in or move through that territory. It is not possible to use ritual magic to pin an army in place.

It is possible to use magic to affect a territory to increase or decrease the number of casualties that result in from any fighting. Rituals like [[Rivers Run Red]] and [[Rivers of Life]] affect everyone in the territory in a way that makes them more or less likely to die. What is not possible is to use magic ''on a territory'' to directly affect the outcome of a three month long campaign in that territory. Strategic outcomes are too complex and too unpredictable to be influenced by magic in this way.

You can create magic that influences the fighting - you might fill an area with storms for a season - but that does not affect the outcome of the campaign, i.e. it does not affect the victory points assigned to either side. No matter how potent the magic on the territory, it will be indiscriminate, and that means it will create effects that both sides are able to take advantage of based on whatever actions they take.

You can create rituals that enchant or curse armies - to make them more or less effective. But any ritual that attempts to enchant or curse a territory with the goal of positively or negatively influencing the outcome of a military campaign that takes place there will fail.

==Economic Territory Effects==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to duplicate the effect of a [[great work]] - that is, to increase the production of all resources of a specific type in a territory.

==Seasonal Stacking==
The ritual enchantments [[Blessing of New Spring]], [[Strong Ox, Golden Sun]], and [[Gathering the Harvest]] have a unique synergy that allows each to build on the other. It has proved impossible to duplicate this synergy with rituals intended to be cast on resources other than [[farm|farms]] - the rituals remain peculiar anomalies.

==Transmutation==
Transforming one personal resource into another, even temporarily, is possible with ritual magic in only a very limited way. It is not possible to turn most personal resources into a military unit using magic without the direct aid of an eternal. To be transformed at all, a resource must have some kind of innate magical power, either a [[mana site]], a [[forest]], or a [[mine]].

You cannot transform businesses, congregations, farms, herb gardens, military units, or fleets into another resource with ritual magic.

==Imperial Citizenship==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to sever the connection between a person and an [[egregores|egregore]]. The connection seems to be protected by the [[Laws_of_magic#The_Law_of_Essence|Law of Essence]]. A person can voluntarily choose to give up their connection to an egregore, but this choice cannot be forced using magic.

==Sharing Ritual Lore==
While rituals such as [[Shared Mastery of the Magician's Guild]] allow a [[coven]] to share [[spellcasting]] knowledge between its members, it is not possible to do the same with [[Magical_skills#Mastery|ritual mastery]]. While ritual magic can remove mastery (as seen with [[Infant Starts with a Blank Slate]]), it can never grant someone mastery of a ritual.

==Meta Magic==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to affect other rituals. There is one ritual in Imperial lore, [[Sign of Aesh]], that can be used to reduce the magnitude of a later ritual, but that is deliberately restrictive and not something possible to replicate on a larger scale. It is also not possible to use a ritual to affect the casting time of a different ritual.

==Changing Qualities==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to intentionally change the qualities of something - whether that be the special quality of an army - or the unusual qualities of a region or territory. You can't use magic to make a region [[Region_qualities#Coastal|coastal]], or remove the [[Region_qualities#Haunted|haunted]] quality, or make an army [[Army_qualities#Cruel|cruel]]. Powerful magic may have unusual side-effects in unique circumstances which result in these kind of unexpected changes - but it is not possible to design a ritual to achieve that outcome.
==Targeting Commissions==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to directly enchant a sinecure, ministry, or great work. Commissions might be affected by magic particularly on the territory level but they cannot be the target of an enchantment or curse.

==Inter-Nation Cooperation==
It is never possible to use ritual magic to enable members of different nations to work together to perform a ritual. Covens are powerful tools to allow magicians to work together to perform rituals, and a [[Volhov's Robe]] can help individuals work together, but in every case it can only ever be done in the same nation.
==Magic Items==
Ritual magic can create effects similar to many magic items but by no means all of them. Some effects are unique to magic items. One example of this is the [[Volhov's Robe]]; the ability for an individual to contribute to a ritual can't be provided with ritual magic. Similarly, while the effect of some [[:Category:Paraphernalia|paraphernalia]] can be created with ritual magic (such as [[Garden of Teth-Anon]]), others simply don't work as enchantments (notably the [[Web of Celestial Attunement]]).

==Sacrifice and Limitations==
You cannot make a ritual better, either more powerful or more efficient, by sacrificing something during the casting. Characters cannot sacrifice their body hits, hero points, or similar to empower another character. Ritual magic can make a character stronger in many different ways, but it cannot do so by drawing the strength from another character, it gains that power from the mana used to cast the ritual.

Likewise, some rituals only work in specific situations, but you cannot usually make a ritual better, either more powerful or more efficient by putting limitations on the way it can be used. Magic isn't made more effective or more potent by circumscribing the conditions under which it can be used.
==Learning Recipes==
Ritual magic can't be used to learn how [[magic items]], [[potion|potions]], consumables, trade goods, or similar things are made. Some rituals can divine information about items, such as [[Hand of the Maker]], but even if a divination provides a vision of how something was made, or determine the herbs that went into a potion (such as through [[Distillation of Diverse Parts]]) this will never translate into any ability to actually make an unfamiliar item, potion, or the like. Without access to a [[schema]], [[Potion#Herbal|herbal]], or specific [[opportunity]] there is no way to learn how to make something by examining that item or taking it apart.
==Additional Artisanry==
It is not possible to enchant a character to make more [[magic items]] in downtime using the [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisan]] skill. It is possible to use magic to let an artisan make additional items ''during'' an event with the [[Timeless Hammer Rhythm]] - which also represents the most potent version of this effect available - but the number of items that can be crafted after an event is set by game design.

==Enchanting Mana Sites==
It is not possible to enchant a mana site to produce additional mana crystals. Any ritual to enchant a mana site to create vis would require the assistance of an eternal and would create fewer magical resources than it cost to cast.

==Alchemy==
You can't use an arcane projection to create a new substance or preparation. Ritual magic can't usually be used to make preparations - making potions and other consumables is the domain of the apothecary. Night magic can be used to create some some alchemical effects that involve transforming materials to create something new, but to find these alchemical possibilities requires the active involvement of an eternal such as [[Azoth]]. It is not possible to create an arcane projection that creates new alchemical secrets or other consumables.

{{Magic Links}}
[[Category:Magic Theory]]
[[Category:Magic]]
[[Category:Rules]]

Limits of magic

2026-08-22T10:18:13Z

Rafferty: /* Alchemy */

==Overview==
Magic has many fundamental limits that restrict what can be achieved. In the setting these limitations are well known - magicians have striven for centuries to find ways to overcome them. Some people have devoted their entire lives to researching these limits, but no-one has ever found a reliable way to overcome them. Having a good working knowledge of these limitations is one way you can represent your character being a skilled practitioner of ritual magic.

In the game, these are most of the absolute limits of magic that is possible within the rules for the game. While you might play a character that is striving to overcome one or more of these limitations, it is important to appreciate that that is not possible in the Empire game. Any arcane projection that attempts will automatically fail. For that reason, it is a good idea to check any arcane projection against these limits before you submit it.

==Restore Life==
The Spring realm is powerfully resonant with healing magic, but no Imperial magician has ever been able to create a ritual that restores life to the dead. Some Winter magics allow a magician to contact the recently departed, or even summon back a shade that can be questioned, but like the Spring realm it appears to be powerless to help those who have passed on. In Empire, once a person dies, they are dead for good.

Many magicians have spent their entire lifetime searching for ways to cheat death. None have ever found a way to restore the dead to life, but a few have found ways to cheat death, or at least postpone it for a while. Although there are no rituals of this kind in Imperial lore at this time, anything like this would definitely need to be cast on the target while they were still alive.

There are rituals that allow a magician to give a semblance of life to a corpse, the most famous of which is [[Quickening Cold Meat]]. However these rituals work by conjuring creatures from the realms, usually drudges, to inhabit the corpse and cause it to move. The Winter realm has a strong affinity for magic involving dead bodies, but rituals of this kind make use of the body to house a spirit of the realm, they do not restore the body to life in any way.

==Resist Effects==
It is possible to use the Winter realm to create wards that harm those who cross them, and Night magic can hide the true nature of something, but beyond this there are few if any rituals that can offer protection to a subject. No magician has ever been able to create a ritual that allows the subject to '''resist''' a magical effect such as that caused by the [[repel]] spell. Nor is it possible to use ritual magic to make a subject immune to the blows of swords, bows, or other weapons. There are many rituals that make a subject stronger, allowing them to suffer more such blows before they are defeated, but none that make it so that the subject can resist or otherwise ignore the effect.

==Mind Control and Silence==
Many rituals create powerful emotions, feelings, or sensations in those that experience the effects, either as a side effect of the magic or as the main purpose such as with the [[Chamber of Pallas]]. These rituals can have a powerful effect on those that encounter them, but all serious magicians agree that the nature of the target's response is fundamentally set by them, not by the magician who performed the ritual. Magic is simply not powerful enough to control the mind of another living being, forcing it to act as the ritualist desires.

Of course there are ways to use magic to control your enemies, using it to threaten, cajole, and coerce people. However these methods are not intrinsically more reliable or powerful than a threat of violence. Skilled magicians can use ritual magic very effectively to '''influence''' others, but they cannot control them.

In the same way, magic cannot compel someone to speak the truth, and it cannot read minds. This means that there is no effective "truth detection" magic in the Empire. It is possible to create an urge to be forthright or plain speaking, but it is not even possible to create a roleplaying effect that makes a character want to speak the truth. Nor is possible to remove the ability to speak from a person using ritual magic.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><box><big>'''Conjured Coastal Citadels'''</big><br>
One topic that comes up regularly with the Day eternals is that of magically summoned fortifications similar to [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]] but created in regions with the ''coastal'' quality. This matter is raised with some of [[Phaleron|Phaleron's]] heralds, and they provide the following explanation as to why it is not possible for magic to create such a thing. By its essential nature, a coastline is partway between one thing and another. It is a liminal space, neither land nor sea, and defies classification. A fortification or castle, by contrast, has an essential nature of resisting, standing strong, and being immovable and impregnable, which is absolutely at odds with the mutable nature of a coastal area. Ritual magic runs afoul of the [[Laws_of_magic#The_Law_of_Essence|Law of Essence]], and so it will never be possible to create a ritual that conjures a magical fortification using the ''coastal'' quality.<br><small>From [[Hierarchs_of_sea_and_sky#The_Only_True_Treasure|Hierarchs of sea and sky]]</small></box></div>

==Conjuring and Summoning==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to force another being to appear before you, either a mortal or an inhabitant of the realms. There are Autumn rituals that allow you to send communications to another being, such as [[Call Winged Messenger]], but the target is free to respond as they choose. They are under no compulsion to respond and they would need to use methods of their own to appear if they were far distant at the time.

Likewise, there are rituals that allow you to contact certain named eternals, such as [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]]. Some of these rituals create an opportunity to meet with the being at a regio later. Almost always, the eternal will appear as requested, but it is well understood that the ritual itself does not compel the being to appear, rather it is the nature of the eternal that causes them to act in this way. Having long ago agreed to respond if called, they are bound to do so for all time by their nature, not by the ritual itself.

It is possible to create rituals that request or invite inhabitants of a realm to enter the mortal world - albeit only with their agreement - but it is not possible to summon them. Rituals like [[Knights of Glory]] work because Eleonaris has agreed to release her knights into the mortal world when called. Likewise, rituals that attempt to create, conjure, or summon fortifications, citadels, or other structures from another realm will not work without the agreement of an appropriate eternal. [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]] works because Cathan Canae has many frozen citadels - which she sends to the mortal world in response to the ritual.

There are rituals that appear to breach these limits, such as [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] or [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]] where the eternal in question was not recorded for many years. Knowledgeable magicians knew that there must be an eternal in question - such a ritual cannot work without the assistance or involvement of one - but for whatever inscrutable reasons their identity had remained secret. In recent history, the eternals sponsoring those two particular rituals were uncovered by [[Various_storms_and_saints#Fen_and_Fastness|scholars of the Unfettered Mind]].
==Damaging Fortifications==
It's not possible to damage a single [[fortification]] with focused magic from a distance. There are rituals such as [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees]] and [[Mountain Remembers Its Youth]] that can cause damage to a fortification, but only as part of indiscriminately-unleashed [[Spring magic]] that also damages [[army|armies]] and [[fortification#garrison|garrisons]] across an entire territory. This effect was possible in the past, but in-character that was the result of a particularly long-lived conjunction of [[the Claw]] and [[the Drowned Shepherd]]. It's no longer an effect that can be created by ritual magic. Ritual magic ''can'' inflict damage on the battlefield with rituals such as [[Rising Roots that Rend Stone]] or [[Inevitable Collapse into Ruin]] but these effects cannot be targeted remotely, or on a larger scale.

==Teleportation==
It is possible for magicians and others to move from the mortal world to a [[Regio#Portals_and_Chambers|chamber]], but they cannot travel on from there: they must return to the mortal world through the same door they entered by. It is not possible to move onwards from a chamber, nor to re-enter the mortal world in a different location. This limitation is a fundamental restriction of the magic of the realms - it cannot convey a magician from one place to another.

A ritual like Call Winged Messenger will convey a message to a target, but this ritual works by literally summoning a winged messenger from the Autumn realm to carry the message. It takes time for the message to reach the target; it does not travel instantly.

Likewise, resources and commissions cannot be moved from one place to another using ritual magic. An eternal might be able to create such an effect, but mortal magic cannot.

Interestingly, this limitation ''is'' violated by the power of the Sentinel Gate. The Gate is a magical item, and as such it is a thing of the mortal world only and does not draw on the power of the realms. Whether it is this that allows it to exceed the limits of ritual magic is unknown, but certainly all attempts to reproduce the power of the Gate using ritual magic have always failed.

==Invisibility==
Although Varushkan folklore is replete with stories of wolves that are invisible, undetectable to the mortal eye, most magicians consider these tales fit only for a child. There have been countless attempts to use Night magic to render an individual invisible, but none have ever succeeded. The Night realm can mask a thing, change its shape or appearance, but it always leaves something in its place. There is no realm that can be used to make something invisible.

Although Night magic resonates with glamours that change the physical appearance of something, as well as rituals designed to baffle divinations, it cannot hide itself. If an army is enchanted with a Night ritual to conceal it then a divination like [[the Eye of the High Places]] that is lower magnitude than the shroud will still reveal that there is a Night enchantment in place. Similarly, it is not possible to use Night magic to baffle a ritual divination so completely that it returns the wrong answer.

==Divination==
{{:Divination}}
==Enchanting Bourse Resources==
Mithril, white granite, weirwood, and ilium are the most precious resources found anywhere in the Empire, so valuable that control of known deposits is closely regulated by the [[Bourse]]. Countless attempts have been made over the centuries to develop ritual magic that can increase the production of these resources, but all have failed. Even attempts to scry for unworked deposits have proved unsuccessful.

Urizen magicians who have studied the problem for many years have concluded that materials of this kind have a degree of raw magical power inherent in them. This power appears to be a fundamental part of the mortal world, rather than having any connection with the realms. When the materials are in their unworked state waiting to be harvested, they create an interference that confounds any attempts to use the magic of the realms to locate or gather it. Sadly this natural resistance to magic is largely lost when the materials are removed and refined or processed.

So potent is this natural effect, that it has on occasion proved useful. The deposits of white granite in the Brilliant Shore were discovered centuries ago by a young [[Wintermark_magical_traditions#Icewalkers|icewalker]] who took shelter in the area while the region was assailed by a magical storm conjured by the Thule. When the magician noticed that the storm passed over the cave where they were sheltering, they realised that something in the area must be weakening the curse. Further investigation of the cave discovered the white granite deposits, and provided the Wintermark people with a valuable resource.

==Supernatural Effects==
Magicians can use the magic of the realms to change the mortal world, but it has an inherent tendency to resist this change. The more unnatural the change, the greater the resistance. One way that a magician can create a completely unnatural effect is to bring some force or object from the realms into the mortal world. Powerful rituals like Quickening Cold Meat summon Winter spirits to inhabit corpses so that they follow the magicians' will. The fortress "created" by [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]] is in fact one of the many that exists in the Summer realm and the ritual brings it into the mortal realm for a season.

Experienced magicians appreciate that the best approach is to create magical effects that work with the essential nature of the target rather than trying to create something unnatural. If a magician wishes to burn a forest down, it is infinitely easier to create a forest fire than it is to create a rain of fire.

==Armies and Battles==
It is possible to use magic that enhances the effectiveness of an army - either by requesting magical warriors from the realms to fight alongside them or by enhancing their strength, insight, or bonds. Cursing armies is possible, but is difficult and crucially requires a powerful arcane connection to the army in question - usually the general of the army or a similar figure.

It is '''not''' possible to curse an area or an army so as to impede army or navy movement in any way. Ritual magic cannot, for example, stop an army or navy moving into, out, or through a territory, nor restrict how far armies can move if they start in or move through that territory. It is not possible to use ritual magic to pin an army in place.

It is possible to use magic to affect a territory to increase or decrease the number of casualties that result in from any fighting. Rituals like [[Rivers Run Red]] and [[Rivers of Life]] affect everyone in the territory in a way that makes them more or less likely to die. What is not possible is to use magic ''on a territory'' to directly affect the outcome of a three month long campaign in that territory. Strategic outcomes are too complex and too unpredictable to be influenced by magic in this way.

You can create magic that influences the fighting - you might fill an area with storms for a season - but that does not affect the outcome of the campaign, i.e. it does not affect the victory points assigned to either side. No matter how potent the magic on the territory, it will be indiscriminate, and that means it will create effects that both sides are able to take advantage of based on whatever actions they take.

You can create rituals that enchant or curse armies - to make them more or less effective. But any ritual that attempts to enchant or curse a territory with the goal of positively or negatively influencing the outcome of a military campaign that takes place there will fail.

==Economic Territory Effects==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to duplicate the effect of a [[great work]] - that is, to increase the production of all resources of a specific type in a territory.

==Seasonal Stacking==
The ritual enchantments [[Blessing of New Spring]], [[Strong Ox, Golden Sun]], and [[Gathering the Harvest]] have a unique synergy that allows each to build on the other. It has proved impossible to duplicate this synergy with rituals intended to be cast on resources other than [[farm|farms]] - the rituals remain peculiar anomalies.

==Transmutation==
It is not possible to turn most personal resources into a military unit using magic without the direct aid of an eternal. To be transformed, a resource must have some kind of innate magical power, either a [[mana site]], a [[forest]], or a [[mine]]. You cannot transform businesses, congregations, farms, herb gardens, military units, or fleets.

==Imperial Citizenship==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to sever the connection between a person and an [[egregores|egregore]]. The connection seems to be protected by the [[Laws_of_magic#The_Law_of_Essence|Law of Essence]]. A person can voluntarily choose to give up their connection to an egregore, but this choice cannot be forced using magic.

==Sharing Ritual Lore==
While rituals such as [[Shared Mastery of the Magician's Guild]] allow a [[coven]] to share [[spellcasting]] knowledge between its members, it is not possible to do the same with [[Magical_skills#Mastery|ritual mastery]]. While ritual magic can remove mastery (as seen with [[Infant Starts with a Blank Slate]]), it can never grant someone mastery of a ritual.

==Meta Magic==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to affect other rituals. There is one ritual in Imperial lore, [[Sign of Aesh]], that can be used to reduce the magnitude of a later ritual, but that is deliberately restrictive and not something possible to replicate on a larger scale. It is also not possible to use a ritual to affect the casting time of a different ritual.

==Changing Qualities==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to intentionally change the qualities of something - whether that be the special quality of an army - or the unusual qualities of a region or territory. You can't use magic to make a region [[Region_qualities#Coastal|coastal]], or remove the [[Region_qualities#Haunted|haunted]] quality, or make an army [[Army_qualities#Cruel|cruel]]. Powerful magic may have unusual side-effects in unique circumstances which result in these kind of unexpected changes - but it is not possible to design a ritual to achieve that outcome.
==Targeting Commissions==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to directly enchant a sinecure, ministry, or great work. Commissions might be affected by magic particularly on the territory level but they cannot be the target of an enchantment or curse.

==Inter-Nation Cooperation==
It is never possible to use ritual magic to enable members of different nations to work together to perform a ritual. Covens are powerful tools to allow magicians to work together to perform rituals, and a [[Volhov's Robe]] can help individuals work together, but in every case it can only ever be done in the same nation.
==Magic Items==
Ritual magic can create effects similar to many magic items but by no means all of them. Some effects are unique to magic items. One example of this is the [[Volhov's Robe]]; the ability for an individual to contribute to a ritual can't be provided with ritual magic. Similarly, while the effect of some [[:Category:Paraphernalia|paraphernalia]] can be created with ritual magic (such as [[Garden of Teth-Anon]]), others simply don't work as enchantments (notably the [[Web of Celestial Attunement]]).

==Sacrifice and Limitations==
You cannot make a ritual better, either more powerful or more efficient, by sacrificing something during the casting. Characters cannot sacrifice their body hits, hero points, or similar to empower another character. Ritual magic can make a character stronger in many different ways, but it cannot do so by drawing the strength from another character, it gains that power from the mana used to cast the ritual.

Likewise, some rituals only work in specific situations, but you cannot usually make a ritual better, either more powerful or more efficient by putting limitations on the way it can be used. Magic isn't made more effective or more potent by circumscribing the conditions under which it can be used.
==Learning Recipes==
Ritual magic can't be used to learn how [[magic items]], [[potion|potions]], consumables, trade goods, or similar things are made. Some rituals can divine information about items, such as [[Hand of the Maker]], but even if a divination provides a vision of how something was made, or determine the herbs that went into a potion (such as through [[Distillation of Diverse Parts]]) this will never translate into any ability to actually make an unfamiliar item, potion, or the like. Without access to a [[schema]], [[Potion#Herbal|herbal]], or specific [[opportunity]] there is no way to learn how to make something by examining that item or taking it apart.
==Additional Artisanry==
It is not possible to enchant a character to make more [[magic items]] in downtime using the [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisan]] skill. It is possible to use magic to let an artisan make additional items ''during'' an event with the [[Timeless Hammer Rhythm]] - which also represents the most potent version of this effect available - but the number of items that can be crafted after an event is set by game design.

==Enchanting Mana Sites==
It is not possible to enchant a mana site to produce additional mana crystals. Any ritual to enchant a mana site to create vis would require the assistance of an eternal and would create fewer magical resources than it cost to cast.

==Alchemy==
You can't use an arcane projection to create a new substance or preparation. Ritual magic can't usually be used to make preparations - making potions and other consumables is the domain of the apothecary. Night magic can be used to create some some alchemical effects that involve transforming materials to create something new, but to find these alchemical possibilities requires the active involvement of an eternal such as [[Azoth]]. It is not possible to create an arcane projection that creates new alchemical secrets or other consumables.

{{Magic Links}}
[[Category:Magic Theory]]
[[Category:Magic]]
[[Category:Rules]]

Divination

2026-08-22T08:52:36Z

Rafferty:

==Overview==
Normal divination rituals use the power of the realms to glean useful information. The Day realm with its emphasis on predictability, facts, and figures, provides measurements and known quantities. Divinations in other realms are usually similar, providing specific information of interest to that realm, such as the Autumn ritual [[Ties that Bind]] which lets a magician discover details about a bonded item they have an intimate connection with.

Divinations of the Night realm are unusual because the disordered chaotic nature of this realm means that divinations that draw upon it tend to provide unpredictable answers. Responses are often in the form of riddles and symbolic visions, as in the [[Signs and Portents]] ritual. These rituals tend to provide secrets and mysteries, or at least omens of them, as they have been detected by the Night realm. The realm itself makes no attempt to understand or prioritise these secrets, it only perpetuates them.

In neither case is it possible to create a ritual that asks a question of the realm itself. The realms are not sentient and they cannot analyse information to provide conclusions, opinions, or judgements. The only way to create such a ritual is by involving an eternal of that realm. There are only a small number of such rituals currently in Imperial lore, the most notable being [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]] which asks Leviathan to answer a specific question. Leviathan will answer the question, but can only do so based on the knowledge it has. Involving a sentient agent in this way makes it possible to achieve something that would not normally be possible, but at the risk of Leviathan not knowing the answer or even simply being wrong.
==Arcane Projections==
* '''You can create an arcane projection to divine information about a specific item'''
* '''These arcane projections must explicitly identify a single item they will target'''
* '''These rituals can never be codified to make a more generic formulaic ritual'''
<onlyinclude>
It is usually not possible to create entire new divination rituals and add them to Imperial lore. Our team have to create divination responses for every item for every divination ritual, so any new ritual involves an unfathomable amount of work. Likewise it is only ever possible to use divination magic to gain information the referees have reliable access to. You can't divine who sold an item to someone, because we won't know that information.

It is possible to create an arcane projection to try to divine specific information about a single item. Such arcane projections must specify as precisely as possible the subject of the divination, and state what information the caster is seeking, otherwise it will fail. These projections cannot be used to glean other information or be cast on a different subject. It is not possible to codify these specific divinations into a more generic formulaic ritual.

For example, you could make an arcane projection that determines information about what materials were used to make a rough stone axe recovered from Tsirku; it is not possible to create an arcane projection or ritual that provides that information on ''any'' item.
</onlyinclude>

==Known Divinations==
* '''Only rituals that directly provide information are classed as divination rituals'''

Only rituals that directly provide information as their primary function are considered divination rituals. Rituals that gather information by communicating with an [[eternal]] (such as [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]]) are not considered divination effects. Likewise, a ritual whose effect is something other than providing information to the ritualists is not considered a divination ritual for purposes of [[Crystalline Focus of Aesh]], even if its description talks about divination as the method employed. Spontaneous magic effects may gain the additional bonus; if in doubt consult a referee before performing them.

This is the current list of divination rituals known to the Empire: [[An Echo of Life Remains]], [[Bright Lantern of Ophis]], [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River]], [[Dreams in the Witch House]], [[Eye of the High Places]], [[Eyes of the Soul's Past]], [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]], [[Gralka's Gift to the Lost Seeker]], [[Hakima's Glass]], [[Hand of the Maker]], [[Netweaver's Eye]], [[Revelations of the Past]], [[Secrets of the Soul's Desire]], [[Shadowed Glass of Sung]], [[Signs and Portents]], [[Hero's Journey]], [[Skein of Years]], [[Discern the Marked Allegiance]], [[Ties that Bind]], and [[Wisdom of the Balanced Blade]].

==Lost Items==
Items that are lost or missing cannot be found using magic. There are eternals that may know where an item is, most notably [[Kimus]], but it is not possible to use an arcane projection or ritual to find a specific item that is missing. In general, if a plot requires you to find a lost item, then magic categorically won't solve that problem for you - to find a lost item you need to speak to whatever character or being knows where the item is and persuade them to give you guidance.

==Current Events==
Divinations are only effective when looking at events and objects that are recent. This need not be current - you can divine things that happened in the last few days, the last few seasons, potentially even the last few years if their effects are still resonating. But you can't use ritual divination to obtain information about the past without a specific focus to the events of the past.

A ritual like [[Hand of the Maker]] works because it is cast on the item in question. That item is the link to its own past, and so it is possible to use the item which currently exists and is in your hand to find out about how it was made. Or you can use [[Skein of Years]] to find the dramatic and important events from the item's history. Without the item in question, neither ritual would be remotely possible.

Rituals like [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]] work because they allow you to ask an eternal creature what it knows of the past. The ritual does not divine that information for you - it puts you in contact with an eternal that might know the answer.

This limitation of divinations exists to preserve the mystery and intrigue of the setting. The wiki in particular includes hundreds of descriptions of notable places that are associated with legends or mysteries. There is no current plot for most of these locations - they exist to inspire us to write plot with them in the future. The moment we do so, you will be able to use divination magic to investigate that mystery. That will work because the very fact that we are doing plot with it means that there will be contemporary events which can be the subject of divination. But if there is no plot to find out more information about - if there are no current events to divine - then there is no more information to give out than is already on the wiki, and the divination will fail.

==Maps==
Maps are a powerful hearth magic, symbolic representations of a location that allow a magician to perform magic that will divine information about the place in question. All scrying rituals that operate at the territory level require a suitable map before they can be performed. Any attempts to create a ritual that scries an area without using a map will fail.

It is not possible to do the opposite - to use divination to create a map of an unknown territory. If such a thing were possible it would instantly circumvent the restrictions on scrying in general - magicians would simply need to create the map first, then use it for the following divination. This isn't possible - you can never create a map with magic.
{{Magic Links}}
[[Category:Magic Theory]]
[[Category:Magic]]
[[Category:Rules]]
[[Category:Divination]]

Staff of the Magi

2026-08-22T08:20:07Z

Rafferty:

==Description==
{{CaptionedImage|file=Urizen-2664.jpg|title=Right and might|caption=Costume by [https://www.facebook.com/pages/Angrave-Designs/368641524223?ref=ts&fref=ts Angrave Designs]<br/>
Mage staff by [http://www.facebook.com/pages/Irregular-Props/328388753859110 Irregular Props]<br/>|align=right|width=360|height=540}}
Often carried as a tool of office by powerful [[Magical_skills#Magician|magicians]], these staves provide potent utility. The staff itself is usually weirwood, shod with [[Materials#Orichalcum|orichalcum]] and embellished with [[materials#Dragonbone|dragonbone]] and often surmounted by a fine, carefully shaped crystal of [[materials#Tempest Jade|tempest jade]]. The rune [[Hirmok]], which denotes mastery, is often incorporated into the body of the staff or carefully engraved on the crystal. As a consequence some [[Wintermark]] [[Crafting skills#Artisans|artisans]] refer to this magic item as a ''Scythe of the Magi'' (albeit in a somewhat tongue-in-cheek fashion). In [[Urizen]] it is customary to lay out the embellishments in the pattern of one of the [[astronomancy|constellations]], and determining which sequence of stars has been chosen can offer insight into the mind of the bearer - indeed some traditional magicians suggest that ''not'' binding the staff to a constellation runs the risk that it will become resonant with [[the Wanderer]]. The colour of tempest jade used to construct the staff can also have particular significance - for example both [[Navarr]] and [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] magicians favour red or dark orange crystals when choosing a Staff of the Magi. For the Navarr, it is a reminder of [[blood magic|blood]] while for the Freeborn, it is a reminder of the power of flame.

The power of the Staff of the Magi is straightforward, and easy to underestimate. It allows the bearer to perform the basic magical incantations known to every magician - [[operate portal]], [[detect magic]], and [[create bond]] - without tapping into their personal reserves of power. This reserve of magic appears bottomless, which has intrigued magicians and artisans alike down through the ages for obvious reasons. Magical scholars theorise that the staff somehow taps into the same ambient, invisible flows of mana that give rise to [[mana site|mana sites]]. Rather than store this energy, they serve as a conduit, tapping an infinitesimal fraction of the great ocean of magic power that surrounds and permeates all things. This power can only be harnessed in the service of the most straightforward incantations however - attempts to use a Staff of the Magi to cast more potent incantations simply fail.

This capacity to interact with ambient magical energies is not without potential risks however. There are several stories that breaking or [[Calls#SHATTER|shattering]] a Staff of the Magi can have unexpectedly dangerous consequences, especially if the staff is being wielded in an area already rich in magical energies. The most substantiated involves a fight between Salios of Endsmeet and the [[Grendel]] [[orc]] Dughal the Stormlord during the fall of [[Spiral]]. While fighting over the [[Spiral_Spoils_of_War#Dragons_Graveyard|Dragons Graveyard]], one of the two combatants [[shatter|destroyed]] the other's Staff of the Magi, apparently resulting in a devastating explosion of magical energy that killed both magicians and several of the warriors fighting near them and produced sufficient concussive force to blast combatants off their feet in a significant radius.

Some philosophers suggest an alternate interpretation of the staff's power, however. In ''A Destiny of Magic'', the [[Urizen]] [[stargazer]] Teodora of the Risen Sun speculated that all humans possess the potential to "awaken" themselves to the power of magic - that [[detect magic|perceiving magic]] and interacting with the [[create bond|bonds]] that tie people together were nothing more than a "sixth sense" no more supernatural than sight or hearing. She suggested that magicians were not actually performing "spells" at all when they examined auras or took command of a magical portal - they simply needed the crutch of incantation to allow themselves to access these superior senses that are the birthright of all humans. Her argument was that the Staff of the Magi proved that human magicians did not need to expend mana at all, at least to use the basic spells, and that with sufficient study and self-knowledge, all magicians would be able to harness there superior senses and naturally perform the functions of a Staff of the Magi. She allegedly made some actual concrete progress toward proving her theory - there are scattered references to a ritual she was working on at the Halls of Knowledge that created an [[enchantment]] similar to the effect of the Staff. Sadly, something went wrong in her studies and in 249YE she was admitted to the [[Zenith#Lustri|Spire of Twisting Shadows]]. She never recovered.

The power of the Staff of the Magi is far reaching but has one interesting limitation - despite the facility it offers with [[detect magic|magical auras]] it cannot be used to examine [[Sentinel_Gate#Conjunctions|conjunctions]] of the [[Sentinel Gate]]. While there are many theories, none have proved more convincing than that of Eduardi de Tassato who simply suggested that the Sentinel Gate is surmounted by the Wanderer "... and the Wanderer is not in favour of ''anything'' that provides ''anyone'' with a free lunch."

==Rules==
{{Ritual Staves}}
* '''Effect:''' When you cast, or swift cast, the [[operate portal]] spell, or the [[create bond]] spell, or perform the discern enchantment, identify ritual performance, identify magical item functions, or discern arcane mark function of [[detect magic]], you may do so without spending any mana.
* '''Roleplaying Effect:''' This staff seems to vibrate slightly, in time with your heartbeat. While wielding it, you find it difficult to tolerate disrespect or rudeness especially where it concerns your magical abilities.
* '''Materials:''' Crafting a Staff of the Magi requires fifteen measures of [[Materials#Iridescent Gloaming|iridescent gloaming]], nine ingots of [[Materials#Tempest Jade|tempest jade]], nine ingots of [[Materials#Orichalcum|orichalcum]], twelve measures of [[Materials#Beggar's Lye|beggar's lye]]. It takes one month to make one of these items.
<box>'''OOC Note'''<br>It's important to note that the Staff of the Magi is a staff, even though it does not actually grant [[rituals|ritual]] power. This means that a character does ''not'' need the [[Magical_skills#Battle_Mage|battle mage]] skill to bond to it, and it does not need to be a weapon-safe physrep.</box>.

<ic>“Dearest Morgana, daughter of my heart, the day has come to pronounce you great among Nobles. You have been tested in the field of battle, where you have made a great name for yourself with your graceful rod-work and fine timing, thereby demonstrating fine Courage. You have aided the yeomanry of the land, guaranteeing the bounty of the land through the rituals of Spring and Autumn, and have thereby demonstrated both your skill and your Wisdom. You have been tested by privation as you travelled alone, and your faith has not wavered, demonstrating your unswerving Loyalty to the House.

“You have always been dear to me since the day we met, Morgana, when you were but a child, barely a citizen. You made such a fine scribe that no-one could ask for better, and you studied well at my side. You were so proficient in your magic – and so stubborn, yes, girl! – that I thought surely there was the blood of the unicorn in you, and you never let defeat or hardship sway you.

“My heart and my House both love you as a fine daughter, Morgana, and both advised me equally to commission this gift as we pronounce you Lady of House D’Arnay. With this staff in your hand, your own fearsome talent will flow yet more easily, helping you strive for ever-greater achievements in your name and the name of D’Arnay. It will smite what you command, topple what you command, hold and harm what you command, and restore and strengthen what you command.

“Arise, Lady Morgana D’Arnay, to the service of your House, and take your Mage’s Staff into your hands. Such deeds as yours deserve no less reward.”</ic>

Limits of magic

2026-08-21T17:15:00Z

Rafferty:

==Overview==
Magic has many fundamental limits that restrict what can be achieved. In the setting these limitations are well known - magicians have striven for centuries to find ways to overcome them. Some people have devoted their entire lives to researching these limits, but no-one has ever found a reliable way to overcome them. Having a good working knowledge of these limitations is one way you can represent your character being a skilled practitioner of ritual magic.

In the game, these are most of the absolute limits of magic that is possible within the rules for the game. While you might play a character that is striving to overcome one or more of these limitations, it is important to appreciate that that is not possible in the Empire game. Any arcane projection that attempts will automatically fail. For that reason, it is a good idea to check any arcane projection against these limits before you submit it.

==Restore Life==
The Spring realm is powerfully resonant with healing magic, but no Imperial magician has ever been able to create a ritual that restores life to the dead. Some Winter magics allow a magician to contact the recently departed, or even summon back a shade that can be questioned, but like the Spring realm it appears to be powerless to help those who have passed on. In Empire, once a person dies, they are dead for good.

Many magicians have spent their entire lifetime searching for ways to cheat death. None have ever found a way to restore the dead to life, but a few have found ways to cheat death, or at least postpone it for a while. Although there are no rituals of this kind in Imperial lore at this time, anything like this would definitely need to be cast on the target while they were still alive.

There are rituals that allow a magician to give a semblance of life to a corpse, the most famous of which is [[Quickening Cold Meat]]. However these rituals work by conjuring creatures from the realms, usually drudges, to inhabit the corpse and cause it to move. The Winter realm has a strong affinity for magic involving dead bodies, but rituals of this kind make use of the body to house a spirit of the realm, they do not restore the body to life in any way.

==Resist Effects==
It is possible to use the Winter realm to create wards that harm those who cross them, and Night magic can hide the true nature of something, but beyond this there are few if any rituals that can offer protection to a subject. No magician has ever been able to create a ritual that allows the subject to '''resist''' a magical effect such as that caused by the [[repel]] spell. Nor is it possible to use ritual magic to make a subject immune to the blows of swords, bows, or other weapons. There are many rituals that make a subject stronger, allowing them to suffer more such blows before they are defeated, but none that make it so that the subject can resist or otherwise ignore the effect.

==Mind Control and Silence==
Many rituals create powerful emotions, feelings, or sensations in those that experience the effects, either as a side effect of the magic or as the main purpose such as with the [[Chamber of Pallas]]. These rituals can have a powerful effect on those that encounter them, but all serious magicians agree that the nature of the target's response is fundamentally set by them, not by the magician who performed the ritual. Magic is simply not powerful enough to control the mind of another living being, forcing it to act as the ritualist desires.

Of course there are ways to use magic to control your enemies, using it to threaten, cajole, and coerce people. However these methods are not intrinsically more reliable or powerful than a threat of violence. Skilled magicians can use ritual magic very effectively to '''influence''' others, but they cannot control them.

In the same way, magic cannot compel someone to speak the truth, and it cannot read minds. This means that there is no effective "truth detection" magic in the Empire. It is possible to create an urge to be forthright or plain speaking, but it is not even possible to create a roleplaying effect that makes a character want to speak the truth. Nor is possible to remove the ability to speak from a person using ritual magic.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><box><big>'''Conjured Coastal Citadels'''</big><br>
One topic that comes up regularly with the Day eternals is that of magically summoned fortifications similar to [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]] but created in regions with the ''coastal'' quality. This matter is raised with some of [[Phaleron|Phaleron's]] heralds, and they provide the following explanation as to why it is not possible for magic to create such a thing. By its essential nature, a coastline is partway between one thing and another. It is a liminal space, neither land nor sea, and defies classification. A fortification or castle, by contrast, has an essential nature of resisting, standing strong, and being immovable and impregnable, which is absolutely at odds with the mutable nature of a coastal area. Ritual magic runs afoul of the [[Laws_of_magic#The_Law_of_Essence|Law of Essence]], and so it will never be possible to create a ritual that conjures a magical fortification using the ''coastal'' quality.<br><small>From [[Hierarchs_of_sea_and_sky#The_Only_True_Treasure|Hierarchs of sea and sky]]</small></box></div>

==Conjuring and Summoning==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to force another being to appear before you, either a mortal or an inhabitant of the realms. There are Autumn rituals that allow you to send communications to another being, such as [[Call Winged Messenger]], but the target is free to respond as they choose. They are under no compulsion to respond and they would need to use methods of their own to appear if they were far distant at the time.

Likewise, there are rituals that allow you to contact certain named eternals, such as [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]]. Some of these rituals create an opportunity to meet with the being at a regio later. Almost always, the eternal will appear as requested, but it is well understood that the ritual itself does not compel the being to appear, rather it is the nature of the eternal that causes them to act in this way. Having long ago agreed to respond if called, they are bound to do so for all time by their nature, not by the ritual itself.

It is possible to create rituals that request or invite inhabitants of a realm to enter the mortal world - albeit only with their agreement - but it is not possible to summon them. Rituals like [[Knights of Glory]] work because Eleonaris has agreed to release her knights into the mortal world when called. Likewise, rituals that attempt to create, conjure, or summon fortifications, citadels, or other structures from another realm will not work without the agreement of an appropriate eternal. [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]] works because Cathan Canae has many frozen citadels - which she sends to the mortal world in response to the ritual.

There are rituals that appear to breach these limits, such as [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] or [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]] where the eternal in question was not recorded for many years. Knowledgeable magicians knew that there must be an eternal in question - such a ritual cannot work without the assistance or involvement of one - but for whatever inscrutable reasons their identity had remained secret. In recent history, the eternals sponsoring those two particular rituals were uncovered by [[Various_storms_and_saints#Fen_and_Fastness|scholars of the Unfettered Mind]].
==Damaging Fortifications==
It's not possible to damage a single [[fortification]] with focused magic from a distance. There are rituals such as [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees]] and [[Mountain Remembers Its Youth]] that can cause damage to a fortification, but only as part of indiscriminately-unleashed [[Spring magic]] that also damages [[army|armies]] and [[fortification#garrison|garrisons]] across an entire territory. This effect was possible in the past, but in-character that was the result of a particularly long-lived conjunction of [[the Claw]] and [[the Drowned Shepherd]]. It's no longer an effect that can be created by ritual magic. Ritual magic ''can'' inflict damage on the battlefield with rituals such as [[Rising Roots that Rend Stone]] or [[Inevitable Collapse into Ruin]] but these effects cannot be targeted remotely, or on a larger scale.

==Teleportation==
It is possible for magicians and others to move from the mortal world to a [[Regio#Portals_and_Chambers|chamber]], but they cannot travel on from there: they must return to the mortal world through the same door they entered by. It is not possible to move onwards from a chamber, nor to re-enter the mortal world in a different location. This limitation is a fundamental restriction of the magic of the realms - it cannot convey a magician from one place to another.

A ritual like Call Winged Messenger will convey a message to a target, but this ritual works by literally summoning a winged messenger from the Autumn realm to carry the message. It takes time for the message to reach the target; it does not travel instantly.

Likewise, resources and commissions cannot be moved from one place to another using ritual magic. An eternal might be able to create such an effect, but mortal magic cannot.

Interestingly, this limitation ''is'' violated by the power of the Sentinel Gate. The Gate is a magical item, and as such it is a thing of the mortal world only and does not draw on the power of the realms. Whether it is this that allows it to exceed the limits of ritual magic is unknown, but certainly all attempts to reproduce the power of the Gate using ritual magic have always failed.

==Invisibility==
Although Varushkan folklore is replete with stories of wolves that are invisible, undetectable to the mortal eye, most magicians consider these tales fit only for a child. There have been countless attempts to use Night magic to render an individual invisible, but none have ever succeeded. The Night realm can mask a thing, change its shape or appearance, but it always leaves something in its place. There is no realm that can be used to make something invisible.

Although Night magic resonates with glamours that change the physical appearance of something, as well as rituals designed to baffle divinations, it cannot hide itself. If an army is enchanted with a Night ritual to conceal it then a divination like [[the Eye of the High Places]] that is lower magnitude than the shroud will still reveal that there is a Night enchantment in place. Similarly, it is not possible to use Night magic to baffle a ritual divination so completely that it returns the wrong answer.

==Divination==
{{:Divination}}
==Enchanting Bourse Resources==
Mithril, white granite, weirwood, and ilium are the most precious resources found anywhere in the Empire, so valuable that control of known deposits is closely regulated by the [[Bourse]]. Countless attempts have been made over the centuries to develop ritual magic that can increase the production of these resources, but all have failed. Even attempts to scry for unworked deposits have proved unsuccessful.

Urizen magicians who have studied the problem for many years have concluded that materials of this kind have a degree of raw magical power inherent in them. This power appears to be a fundamental part of the mortal world, rather than having any connection with the realms. When the materials are in their unworked state waiting to be harvested, they create an interference that confounds any attempts to use the magic of the realms to locate or gather it. Sadly this natural resistance to magic is largely lost when the materials are removed and refined or processed.

So potent is this natural effect, that it has on occasion proved useful. The deposits of white granite in the Brilliant Shore were discovered centuries ago by a young [[Wintermark_magical_traditions#Icewalkers|icewalker]] who took shelter in the area while the region was assailed by a magical storm conjured by the Thule. When the magician noticed that the storm passed over the cave where they were sheltering, they realised that something in the area must be weakening the curse. Further investigation of the cave discovered the white granite deposits, and provided the Wintermark people with a valuable resource.

==Supernatural Effects==
Magicians can use the magic of the realms to change the mortal world, but it has an inherent tendency to resist this change. The more unnatural the change, the greater the resistance. One way that a magician can create a completely unnatural effect is to bring some force or object from the realms into the mortal world. Powerful rituals like Quickening Cold Meat summon Winter spirits to inhabit corpses so that they follow the magicians' will. The fortress "created" by [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]] is in fact one of the many that exists in the Summer realm and the ritual brings it into the mortal realm for a season.

Experienced magicians appreciate that the best approach is to create magical effects that work with the essential nature of the target rather than trying to create something unnatural. If a magician wishes to burn a forest down, it is infinitely easier to create a forest fire than it is to create a rain of fire.

==Armies and Battles==
It is possible to use magic that enhances the effectiveness of an army - either by requesting magical warriors from the realms to fight alongside them or by enhancing their strength, insight, or bonds. Cursing armies is possible, but is difficult and crucially requires a powerful arcane connection to the army in question - usually the general of the army or a similar figure.

It is '''not''' possible to curse an area or an army so as to impede army or navy movement in any way. Ritual magic cannot, for example, stop an army or navy moving into, out, or through a territory, nor restrict how far armies can move if they start in or move through that territory. It is not possible to use ritual magic to pin an army in place.

It is possible to use magic to affect a territory to increase or decrease the number of casualties that result in from any fighting. Rituals like [[Rivers Run Red]] and [[Rivers of Life]] affect everyone in the territory in a way that makes them more or less likely to die. What is not possible is to use magic ''on a territory'' to directly affect the outcome of a three month long campaign in that territory. Strategic outcomes are too complex and too unpredictable to be influenced by magic in this way.

You can create magic that influences the fighting - you might fill an area with storms for a season - but that does not affect the outcome of the campaign, i.e. it does not affect the victory points assigned to either side. No matter how potent the magic on the territory, it will be indiscriminate, and that means it will create effects that both sides are able to take advantage of based on whatever actions they take.

You can create rituals that enchant or curse armies - to make them more or less effective. But any ritual that attempts to enchant or curse a territory with the goal of positively or negatively influencing the outcome of a military campaign that takes place there will fail.

==Economic Territory Effects==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to duplicate the effect of a [[great work]] - that is, to increase the production of all resources of a specific type in a territory.

==Seasonal Stacking==
The ritual enchantments [[Blessing of New Spring]], [[Strong Ox, Golden Sun]], and [[Gathering the Harvest]] have a unique synergy that allows each to build on the other. It has proved impossible to duplicate this synergy with rituals intended to be cast on resources other than [[farm|farms]] - the rituals remain peculiar anomalies.

==Transmutation==
It is not possible to turn most personal resources into a military unit using magic without the direct aid of an eternal. To be transformed, a resource must have some kind of innate magical power, either a [[mana site]], a [[forest]], or a [[mine]]. You cannot transform businesses, congregations, farms, herb gardens, military units, or fleets.

==Imperial Citizenship==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to sever the connection between a person and an [[egregores|egregore]]. The connection seems to be protected by the [[Laws_of_magic#The_Law_of_Essence|Law of Essence]]. A person can voluntarily choose to give up their connection to an egregore, but this choice cannot be forced using magic.

==Sharing Ritual Lore==
While rituals such as [[Shared Mastery of the Magician's Guild]] allow a [[coven]] to share [[spellcasting]] knowledge between its members, it is not possible to do the same with [[Magical_skills#Mastery|ritual mastery]]. While ritual magic can remove mastery (as seen with [[Infant Starts with a Blank Slate]]), it can never grant someone mastery of a ritual.

==Meta Magic==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to affect other rituals. There is one ritual in Imperial lore, [[Sign of Aesh]], that can be used to reduce the magnitude of a later ritual, but that is deliberately restrictive and not something possible to replicate on a larger scale. It is also not possible to use a ritual to affect the casting time of a different ritual.

==Changing Qualities==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to intentionally change the qualities of something - whether that be the special quality of an army - or the unusual qualities of a region or territory. You can't use magic to make a region [[Region_qualities#Coastal|coastal]], or remove the [[Region_qualities#Haunted|haunted]] quality, or make an army [[Army_qualities#Cruel|cruel]]. Powerful magic may have unusual side-effects in unique circumstances which result in these kind of unexpected changes - but it is not possible to design a ritual to achieve that outcome.
==Targeting Commissions==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to directly enchant a sinecure, ministry, or great work. Commissions might be affected by magic particularly on the territory level but they cannot be the target of an enchantment or curse.

==Inter-Nation Cooperation==
It is never possible to use ritual magic to enable members of different nations to work together to perform a ritual. Covens are powerful tools to allow magicians to work together to perform rituals, and a [[Volhov's Robe]] can help individuals work together, but in every case it can only ever be done in the same nation.
==Magic Items==
Ritual magic can create effects similar to many magic items but by no means all of them. Some effects are unique to magic items. One example of this is the [[Volhov's Robe]]; the ability for an individual to contribute to a ritual can't be provided with ritual magic. Similarly, while the effect of some [[:Category:Paraphernalia|paraphernalia]] can be created with ritual magic (such as [[Garden of Teth-Anon]]), others simply don't work as enchantments (notably the [[Web of Celestial Attunement]]).

==Sacrifice and Limitations==
You cannot make a ritual better, either more powerful or more efficient, by sacrificing something during the casting. Characters cannot sacrifice their body hits, hero points, or similar to empower another character. Ritual magic can make a character stronger in many different ways, but it cannot do so by drawing the strength from another character, it gains that power from the mana used to cast the ritual.

Likewise, some rituals only work in specific situations, but you cannot usually make a ritual better, either more powerful or more efficient by putting limitations on the way it can be used. Magic isn't made more effective or more potent by circumscribing the conditions under which it can be used.
==Learning Recipes==
Ritual magic can't be used to learn how [[magic items]], [[potion|potions]], consumables, trade goods, or similar things are made. Some rituals can divine information about items, such as [[Hand of the Maker]], but even if a divination provides a vision of how something was made, or determine the herbs that went into a potion (such as through [[Distillation of Diverse Parts]]) this will never translate into any ability to actually make an unfamiliar item, potion, or the like. Without access to a [[schema]], [[Potion#Herbal|herbal]], or specific [[opportunity]] there is no way to learn how to make something by examining that item or taking it apart.
==Additional Artisanry==
It is not possible to enchant a character to make more [[magic items]] in downtime using the [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisan]] skill. It is possible to use magic to let an artisan make additional items ''during'' an event with the [[Timeless Hammer Rhythm]] - which also represents the most potent version of this effect available - but the number of items that can be crafted after an event is set by game design.

{{Magic Links}}
[[Category:Magic Theory]]
[[Category:Magic]]
[[Category:Rules]]

Divination

2026-08-21T17:14:34Z

Rafferty:

==Overview==
Normal divination rituals use the power of the realms to glean useful information. The Day realm with its emphasis on predictability, facts, and figures, provides measurements and known quantities. Divinations in other realms are usually similar, providing specific information of interest to that realm, such as the Autumn ritual [[Ties that Bind]] which lets a magician discover details about a bonded item they have an intimate connection with.

Divinations of the Night realm are unusual because the disordered chaotic nature of this realm means that divinations that draw upon it tend to provide unpredictable answers. Responses are often in the form of riddles and symbolic visions, as in the [[Signs and Portents]] ritual. These rituals tend to provide secrets and mysteries, or at least omens of them, as they have been detected by the Night realm. The realm itself makes no attempt to understand or prioritise these secrets, it only perpetuates them.

In neither case is it possible to create a ritual that asks a question of the realm itself. The realms are not sentient and they cannot analyse information to provide conclusions, opinions, or judgements. The only way to create such a ritual is by involving an eternal of that realm. There are only a small number of such rituals currently in Imperial lore, the most notable being [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]] which asks Leviathan to answer a specific question. Leviathan will answer the question, but can only do so based on the knowledge it has. Involving a sentient agent in this way makes it possible to achieve something that would not normally be possible, but at the risk of Leviathan not knowing the answer or even simply being wrong.
<onlyinclude>
Arcane projections for spontaneous divination effects must specify very precisely the information that is wanted and the subject of the divination. Such projections cannot be used to glean other information or even be cast on a different subject. Only formulaic magic possesses this degree of flexibility. For example, it is easy to make an arcane projection that determines information about the history of a specific item; it is not possible to create an arcane projection that lets the ritualist perform that spontaneous effect on any item.

Divinations that deal with esoteric information are likely to only ever exist as spontaneous magic that targets a specific named item - one where we can be confident the desired information exists. Likewise it is only ever possible to use divination magic to gain information the referees have reliable access to.
</onlyinclude>
==Known Divinations==
* '''Only rituals that directly provide information are classed as divination rituals'''

Only rituals that directly provide information as their primary function are considered divination rituals. Rituals that gather information by communicating with an [[eternal]] (such as [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]]) are not considered divination effects. Likewise, a ritual whose effect is something other than providing information to the ritualists is not considered a divination ritual for purposes of [[Crystalline Focus of Aesh]], even if its description talks about divination as the method employed. Spontaneous magic effects may gain the additional bonus; if in doubt consult a referee before performing them.

This is the current list of divination rituals known to the Empire: [[An Echo of Life Remains]], [[Bright Lantern of Ophis]], [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River]], [[Dreams in the Witch House]], [[Eye of the High Places]], [[Eyes of the Soul's Past]], [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]], [[Gralka's Gift to the Lost Seeker]], [[Hakima's Glass]], [[Hand of the Maker]], [[Netweaver's Eye]], [[Revelations of the Past]], [[Secrets of the Soul's Desire]], [[Shadowed Glass of Sung]], [[Signs and Portents]], [[Hero's Journey]], [[Skein of Years]], [[Discern the Marked Allegiance]], [[Ties that Bind]], and [[Wisdom of the Balanced Blade]].

==Lost Items==
Items that are lost or missing cannot be found using magic. There are eternals that may know where an item is, most notably [[Kimus]], but it is not possible to use an arcane projection or ritual to find a specific item that is missing. In general, if a plot requires you to find a lost item, then magic categorically won't solve that problem for you - to find a lost item you need to speak to whatever character or being knows where the item is and persuade them to give you guidance.

==Current Events==
Divinations are only effective when looking at events and objects that are recent. This need not be current - you can divine things that happened in the last few days, the last few seasons, potentially even the last few years if their effects are still resonating. But you can't use ritual divination to obtain information about the past without a specific focus to the events of the past.

A ritual like [[Hand of the Maker]] works because it is cast on the item in question. That item is the link to its own past, and so it is possible to use the item which currently exists and is in your hand to find out about how it was made. Or you can use [[Skein of Years]] to find the dramatic and important events from the item's history. Without the item in question, neither ritual would be remotely possible.

Rituals like [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]] work because they allow you to ask an eternal creature what it knows of the past. The ritual does not divine that information for you - it puts you in contact with an eternal that might know the answer.

This limitation of divinations exists to preserve the mystery and intrigue of the setting. The wiki in particular includes hundreds of descriptions of notable places that are associated with legends or mysteries. There is no current plot for most of these locations - they exist to inspire us to write plot with them in the future. The moment we do so, you will be able to use divination magic to investigate that mystery. That will work because the very fact that we are doing plot with it means that there will be contemporary events which can be the subject of divination. But if there is no plot to find out more information about - if there are no current events to divine - then there is no more information to give out than is already on the wiki, and the divination will fail.

==Maps==
Maps are a powerful hearth magic, symbolic representations of a location that allow a magician to perform magic that will divine information about the place in question. All scrying rituals that operate at the territory level require a suitable map before they can be performed. Any attempts to create a ritual that scries an area without using a map will fail.

It is not possible to do the opposite - to use divination to create a map of an unknown territory. If such a thing were possible it would instantly circumvent the restrictions on scrying in general - magicians would simply need to create the map first, then use it for the following divination. This isn't possible - you can never create a map with magic.
{{Magic Links}}
[[Category:Magic Theory]]
[[Category:Magic]]
[[Category:Rules]]
[[Category:Divination]]

Divination

2026-08-21T17:14:25Z

Rafferty:

==Overview==
Normal divination rituals use the power of the realms to glean useful information. The Day realm with its emphasis on predictability, facts, and figures, provides measurements and known quantities. Divinations in other realms are usually similar, providing specific information of interest to that realm, such as the Autumn ritual [[Ties that Bind]] which lets a magician discover details about a bonded item they have an intimate connection with.

Divinations of the Night realm are unusual because the disordered chaotic nature of this realm means that divinations that draw upon it tend to provide unpredictable answers. Responses are often in the form of riddles and symbolic visions, as in the [[Signs and Portents]] ritual. These rituals tend to provide secrets and mysteries, or at least omens of them, as they have been detected by the Night realm. The realm itself makes no attempt to understand or prioritise these secrets, it only perpetuates them.

In neither case is it possible to create a ritual that asks a question of the realm itself. The realms are not sentient and they cannot analyse information to provide conclusions, opinions, or judgements. The only way to create such a ritual is by involving an eternal of that realm. There are only a small number of such rituals currently in Imperial lore, the most notable being [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]] which asks Leviathan to answer a specific question. Leviathan will answer the question, but can only do so based on the knowledge it has. Involving a sentient agent in this way makes it possible to achieve something that would not normally be possible, but at the risk of Leviathan not knowing the answer or even simply being wrong.

<onlyinclude>
Arcane projections for spontaneous divination effects must specify very precisely the information that is wanted and the subject of the divination. Such projections cannot be used to glean other information or even be cast on a different subject. Only formulaic magic possesses this degree of flexibility. For example, it is easy to make an arcane projection that determines information about the history of a specific item; it is not possible to create an arcane projection that lets the ritualist perform that spontaneous effect on any item.

Divinations that deal with esoteric information are likely to only ever exist as spontaneous magic that targets a specific named item - one where we can be confident the desired information exists. Likewise it is only ever possible to use divination magic to gain information the referees have reliable access to.
</onlyinclude>
==Known Divinations==
* '''Only rituals that directly provide information are classed as divination rituals'''

Only rituals that directly provide information as their primary function are considered divination rituals. Rituals that gather information by communicating with an [[eternal]] (such as [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]]) are not considered divination effects. Likewise, a ritual whose effect is something other than providing information to the ritualists is not considered a divination ritual for purposes of [[Crystalline Focus of Aesh]], even if its description talks about divination as the method employed. Spontaneous magic effects may gain the additional bonus; if in doubt consult a referee before performing them.

This is the current list of divination rituals known to the Empire: [[An Echo of Life Remains]], [[Bright Lantern of Ophis]], [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River]], [[Dreams in the Witch House]], [[Eye of the High Places]], [[Eyes of the Soul's Past]], [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]], [[Gralka's Gift to the Lost Seeker]], [[Hakima's Glass]], [[Hand of the Maker]], [[Netweaver's Eye]], [[Revelations of the Past]], [[Secrets of the Soul's Desire]], [[Shadowed Glass of Sung]], [[Signs and Portents]], [[Hero's Journey]], [[Skein of Years]], [[Discern the Marked Allegiance]], [[Ties that Bind]], and [[Wisdom of the Balanced Blade]].

==Lost Items==
Items that are lost or missing cannot be found using magic. There are eternals that may know where an item is, most notably [[Kimus]], but it is not possible to use an arcane projection or ritual to find a specific item that is missing. In general, if a plot requires you to find a lost item, then magic categorically won't solve that problem for you - to find a lost item you need to speak to whatever character or being knows where the item is and persuade them to give you guidance.

==Current Events==
Divinations are only effective when looking at events and objects that are recent. This need not be current - you can divine things that happened in the last few days, the last few seasons, potentially even the last few years if their effects are still resonating. But you can't use ritual divination to obtain information about the past without a specific focus to the events of the past.

A ritual like [[Hand of the Maker]] works because it is cast on the item in question. That item is the link to its own past, and so it is possible to use the item which currently exists and is in your hand to find out about how it was made. Or you can use [[Skein of Years]] to find the dramatic and important events from the item's history. Without the item in question, neither ritual would be remotely possible.

Rituals like [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]] work because they allow you to ask an eternal creature what it knows of the past. The ritual does not divine that information for you - it puts you in contact with an eternal that might know the answer.

This limitation of divinations exists to preserve the mystery and intrigue of the setting. The wiki in particular includes hundreds of descriptions of notable places that are associated with legends or mysteries. There is no current plot for most of these locations - they exist to inspire us to write plot with them in the future. The moment we do so, you will be able to use divination magic to investigate that mystery. That will work because the very fact that we are doing plot with it means that there will be contemporary events which can be the subject of divination. But if there is no plot to find out more information about - if there are no current events to divine - then there is no more information to give out than is already on the wiki, and the divination will fail.

==Maps==
Maps are a powerful hearth magic, symbolic representations of a location that allow a magician to perform magic that will divine information about the place in question. All scrying rituals that operate at the territory level require a suitable map before they can be performed. Any attempts to create a ritual that scries an area without using a map will fail.

It is not possible to do the opposite - to use divination to create a map of an unknown territory. If such a thing were possible it would instantly circumvent the restrictions on scrying in general - magicians would simply need to create the map first, then use it for the following divination. This isn't possible - you can never create a map with magic.
{{Magic Links}}
[[Category:Magic Theory]]
[[Category:Magic]]
[[Category:Rules]]
[[Category:Divination]]

Limits of magic

2026-08-21T17:14:00Z

Rafferty: /* Invisibility */

==Overview==
Magic has many fundamental limits that restrict what can be achieved. In the setting these limitations are well known - magicians have striven for centuries to find ways to overcome them. Some people have devoted their entire lives to researching these limits, but no-one has ever found a reliable way to overcome them. Having a good working knowledge of these limitations is one way you can represent your character being a skilled practitioner of ritual magic.

In the game, these are most of the absolute limits of magic that is possible within the rules for the game. While you might play a character that is striving to overcome one or more of these limitations, it is important to appreciate that that is not possible in the Empire game. Any arcane projection that attempts will automatically fail. For that reason, it is a good idea to check any arcane projection against these limits before you submit it.

==Restore Life==
The Spring realm is powerfully resonant with healing magic, but no Imperial magician has ever been able to create a ritual that restores life to the dead. Some Winter magics allow a magician to contact the recently departed, or even summon back a shade that can be questioned, but like the Spring realm it appears to be powerless to help those who have passed on. In Empire, once a person dies, they are dead for good.

Many magicians have spent their entire lifetime searching for ways to cheat death. None have ever found a way to restore the dead to life, but a few have found ways to cheat death, or at least postpone it for a while. Although there are no rituals of this kind in Imperial lore at this time, anything like this would definitely need to be cast on the target while they were still alive.

There are rituals that allow a magician to give a semblance of life to a corpse, the most famous of which is [[Quickening Cold Meat]]. However these rituals work by conjuring creatures from the realms, usually drudges, to inhabit the corpse and cause it to move. The Winter realm has a strong affinity for magic involving dead bodies, but rituals of this kind make use of the body to house a spirit of the realm, they do not restore the body to life in any way.

==Resist Effects==
It is possible to use the Winter realm to create wards that harm those who cross them, and Night magic can hide the true nature of something, but beyond this there are few if any rituals that can offer protection to a subject. No magician has ever been able to create a ritual that allows the subject to '''resist''' a magical effect such as that caused by the [[repel]] spell. Nor is it possible to use ritual magic to make a subject immune to the blows of swords, bows, or other weapons. There are many rituals that make a subject stronger, allowing them to suffer more such blows before they are defeated, but none that make it so that the subject can resist or otherwise ignore the effect.

==Mind Control and Silence==
Many rituals create powerful emotions, feelings, or sensations in those that experience the effects, either as a side effect of the magic or as the main purpose such as with the [[Chamber of Pallas]]. These rituals can have a powerful effect on those that encounter them, but all serious magicians agree that the nature of the target's response is fundamentally set by them, not by the magician who performed the ritual. Magic is simply not powerful enough to control the mind of another living being, forcing it to act as the ritualist desires.

Of course there are ways to use magic to control your enemies, using it to threaten, cajole, and coerce people. However these methods are not intrinsically more reliable or powerful than a threat of violence. Skilled magicians can use ritual magic very effectively to '''influence''' others, but they cannot control them.

In the same way, magic cannot compel someone to speak the truth, and it cannot read minds. This means that there is no effective "truth detection" magic in the Empire. It is possible to create an urge to be forthright or plain speaking, but it is not even possible to create a roleplaying effect that makes a character want to speak the truth. Nor is possible to remove the ability to speak from a person using ritual magic.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><box><big>'''Conjured Coastal Citadels'''</big><br>
One topic that comes up regularly with the Day eternals is that of magically summoned fortifications similar to [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]] but created in regions with the ''coastal'' quality. This matter is raised with some of [[Phaleron|Phaleron's]] heralds, and they provide the following explanation as to why it is not possible for magic to create such a thing. By its essential nature, a coastline is partway between one thing and another. It is a liminal space, neither land nor sea, and defies classification. A fortification or castle, by contrast, has an essential nature of resisting, standing strong, and being immovable and impregnable, which is absolutely at odds with the mutable nature of a coastal area. Ritual magic runs afoul of the [[Laws_of_magic#The_Law_of_Essence|Law of Essence]], and so it will never be possible to create a ritual that conjures a magical fortification using the ''coastal'' quality.<br><small>From [[Hierarchs_of_sea_and_sky#The_Only_True_Treasure|Hierarchs of sea and sky]]</small></box></div>

==Conjuring and Summoning==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to force another being to appear before you, either a mortal or an inhabitant of the realms. There are Autumn rituals that allow you to send communications to another being, such as [[Call Winged Messenger]], but the target is free to respond as they choose. They are under no compulsion to respond and they would need to use methods of their own to appear if they were far distant at the time.

Likewise, there are rituals that allow you to contact certain named eternals, such as [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]]. Some of these rituals create an opportunity to meet with the being at a regio later. Almost always, the eternal will appear as requested, but it is well understood that the ritual itself does not compel the being to appear, rather it is the nature of the eternal that causes them to act in this way. Having long ago agreed to respond if called, they are bound to do so for all time by their nature, not by the ritual itself.

It is possible to create rituals that request or invite inhabitants of a realm to enter the mortal world - albeit only with their agreement - but it is not possible to summon them. Rituals like [[Knights of Glory]] work because Eleonaris has agreed to release her knights into the mortal world when called. Likewise, rituals that attempt to create, conjure, or summon fortifications, citadels, or other structures from another realm will not work without the agreement of an appropriate eternal. [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]] works because Cathan Canae has many frozen citadels - which she sends to the mortal world in response to the ritual.

There are rituals that appear to breach these limits, such as [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] or [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]] where the eternal in question was not recorded for many years. Knowledgeable magicians knew that there must be an eternal in question - such a ritual cannot work without the assistance or involvement of one - but for whatever inscrutable reasons their identity had remained secret. In recent history, the eternals sponsoring those two particular rituals were uncovered by [[Various_storms_and_saints#Fen_and_Fastness|scholars of the Unfettered Mind]].
==Damaging Fortifications==
It's not possible to damage a single [[fortification]] with focused magic from a distance. There are rituals such as [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees]] and [[Mountain Remembers Its Youth]] that can cause damage to a fortification, but only as part of indiscriminately-unleashed [[Spring magic]] that also damages [[army|armies]] and [[fortification#garrison|garrisons]] across an entire territory. This effect was possible in the past, but in-character that was the result of a particularly long-lived conjunction of [[the Claw]] and [[the Drowned Shepherd]]. It's no longer an effect that can be created by ritual magic. Ritual magic ''can'' inflict damage on the battlefield with rituals such as [[Rising Roots that Rend Stone]] or [[Inevitable Collapse into Ruin]] but these effects cannot be targeted remotely, or on a larger scale.

==Teleportation==
It is possible for magicians and others to move from the mortal world to a [[Regio#Portals_and_Chambers|chamber]], but they cannot travel on from there: they must return to the mortal world through the same door they entered by. It is not possible to move onwards from a chamber, nor to re-enter the mortal world in a different location. This limitation is a fundamental restriction of the magic of the realms - it cannot convey a magician from one place to another.

A ritual like Call Winged Messenger will convey a message to a target, but this ritual works by literally summoning a winged messenger from the Autumn realm to carry the message. It takes time for the message to reach the target; it does not travel instantly.

Likewise, resources and commissions cannot be moved from one place to another using ritual magic. An eternal might be able to create such an effect, but mortal magic cannot.

Interestingly, this limitation ''is'' violated by the power of the Sentinel Gate. The Gate is a magical item, and as such it is a thing of the mortal world only and does not draw on the power of the realms. Whether it is this that allows it to exceed the limits of ritual magic is unknown, but certainly all attempts to reproduce the power of the Gate using ritual magic have always failed.

==Invisibility==
Although Varushkan folklore is replete with stories of wolves that are invisible, undetectable to the mortal eye, most magicians consider these tales fit only for a child. There have been countless attempts to use Night magic to render an individual invisible, but none have ever succeeded. The Night realm can mask a thing, change its shape or appearance, but it always leaves something in its place. There is no realm that can be used to make something invisible.

Although Night magic resonates with glamours that change the physical appearance of something, as well as rituals designed to baffle divinations, it cannot hide itself. If an army is enchanted with a Night ritual to conceal it then a divination like [[the Eye of the High Places]] that is lower magnitude than the shroud will still reveal that there is a Night enchantment in place. Similarly, it is not possible to use Night magic to baffle a ritual divination so completely that it returns the wrong answer.

==Divination==
{{:Divination}}

==Enchanting Bourse Resources==
Mithril, white granite, weirwood, and ilium are the most precious resources found anywhere in the Empire, so valuable that control of known deposits is closely regulated by the [[Bourse]]. Countless attempts have been made over the centuries to develop ritual magic that can increase the production of these resources, but all have failed. Even attempts to scry for unworked deposits have proved unsuccessful.

Urizen magicians who have studied the problem for many years have concluded that materials of this kind have a degree of raw magical power inherent in them. This power appears to be a fundamental part of the mortal world, rather than having any connection with the realms. When the materials are in their unworked state waiting to be harvested, they create an interference that confounds any attempts to use the magic of the realms to locate or gather it. Sadly this natural resistance to magic is largely lost when the materials are removed and refined or processed.

So potent is this natural effect, that it has on occasion proved useful. The deposits of white granite in the Brilliant Shore were discovered centuries ago by a young [[Wintermark_magical_traditions#Icewalkers|icewalker]] who took shelter in the area while the region was assailed by a magical storm conjured by the Thule. When the magician noticed that the storm passed over the cave where they were sheltering, they realised that something in the area must be weakening the curse. Further investigation of the cave discovered the white granite deposits, and provided the Wintermark people with a valuable resource.

==Supernatural Effects==
Magicians can use the magic of the realms to change the mortal world, but it has an inherent tendency to resist this change. The more unnatural the change, the greater the resistance. One way that a magician can create a completely unnatural effect is to bring some force or object from the realms into the mortal world. Powerful rituals like Quickening Cold Meat summon Winter spirits to inhabit corpses so that they follow the magicians' will. The fortress "created" by [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]] is in fact one of the many that exists in the Summer realm and the ritual brings it into the mortal realm for a season.

Experienced magicians appreciate that the best approach is to create magical effects that work with the essential nature of the target rather than trying to create something unnatural. If a magician wishes to burn a forest down, it is infinitely easier to create a forest fire than it is to create a rain of fire.

==Armies and Battles==
It is possible to use magic that enhances the effectiveness of an army - either by requesting magical warriors from the realms to fight alongside them or by enhancing their strength, insight, or bonds. Cursing armies is possible, but is difficult and crucially requires a powerful arcane connection to the army in question - usually the general of the army or a similar figure.

It is '''not''' possible to curse an area or an army so as to impede army or navy movement in any way. Ritual magic cannot, for example, stop an army or navy moving into, out, or through a territory, nor restrict how far armies can move if they start in or move through that territory. It is not possible to use ritual magic to pin an army in place.

It is possible to use magic to affect a territory to increase or decrease the number of casualties that result in from any fighting. Rituals like [[Rivers Run Red]] and [[Rivers of Life]] affect everyone in the territory in a way that makes them more or less likely to die. What is not possible is to use magic ''on a territory'' to directly affect the outcome of a three month long campaign in that territory. Strategic outcomes are too complex and too unpredictable to be influenced by magic in this way.

You can create magic that influences the fighting - you might fill an area with storms for a season - but that does not affect the outcome of the campaign, i.e. it does not affect the victory points assigned to either side. No matter how potent the magic on the territory, it will be indiscriminate, and that means it will create effects that both sides are able to take advantage of based on whatever actions they take.

You can create rituals that enchant or curse armies - to make them more or less effective. But any ritual that attempts to enchant or curse a territory with the goal of positively or negatively influencing the outcome of a military campaign that takes place there will fail.

==Economic Territory Effects==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to duplicate the effect of a [[great work]] - that is, to increase the production of all resources of a specific type in a territory.

==Seasonal Stacking==
The ritual enchantments [[Blessing of New Spring]], [[Strong Ox, Golden Sun]], and [[Gathering the Harvest]] have a unique synergy that allows each to build on the other. It has proved impossible to duplicate this synergy with rituals intended to be cast on resources other than [[farm|farms]] - the rituals remain peculiar anomalies.

==Transmutation==
It is not possible to turn most personal resources into a military unit using magic without the direct aid of an eternal. To be transformed, a resource must have some kind of innate magical power, either a [[mana site]], a [[forest]], or a [[mine]]. You cannot transform businesses, congregations, farms, herb gardens, military units, or fleets.

==Imperial Citizenship==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to sever the connection between a person and an [[egregores|egregore]]. The connection seems to be protected by the [[Laws_of_magic#The_Law_of_Essence|Law of Essence]]. A person can voluntarily choose to give up their connection to an egregore, but this choice cannot be forced using magic.

==Sharing Ritual Lore==
While rituals such as [[Shared Mastery of the Magician's Guild]] allow a [[coven]] to share [[spellcasting]] knowledge between its members, it is not possible to do the same with [[Magical_skills#Mastery|ritual mastery]]. While ritual magic can remove mastery (as seen with [[Infant Starts with a Blank Slate]]), it can never grant someone mastery of a ritual.

==Meta Magic==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to affect other rituals. There is one ritual in Imperial lore, [[Sign of Aesh]], that can be used to reduce the magnitude of a later ritual, but that is deliberately restrictive and not something possible to replicate on a larger scale. It is also not possible to use a ritual to affect the casting time of a different ritual.

==Changing Qualities==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to intentionally change the qualities of something - whether that be the special quality of an army - or the unusual qualities of a region or territory. You can't use magic to make a region [[Region_qualities#Coastal|coastal]], or remove the [[Region_qualities#Haunted|haunted]] quality, or make an army [[Army_qualities#Cruel|cruel]]. Powerful magic may have unusual side-effects in unique circumstances which result in these kind of unexpected changes - but it is not possible to design a ritual to achieve that outcome.
==Targeting Commissions==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to directly enchant a sinecure, ministry, or great work. Commissions might be affected by magic particularly on the territory level but they cannot be the target of an enchantment or curse.

==Inter-Nation Cooperation==
It is never possible to use ritual magic to enable members of different nations to work together to perform a ritual. Covens are powerful tools to allow magicians to work together to perform rituals, and a [[Volhov's Robe]] can help individuals work together, but in every case it can only ever be done in the same nation.
==Magic Items==
Ritual magic can create effects similar to many magic items but by no means all of them. Some effects are unique to magic items. One example of this is the [[Volhov's Robe]]; the ability for an individual to contribute to a ritual can't be provided with ritual magic. Similarly, while the effect of some [[:Category:Paraphernalia|paraphernalia]] can be created with ritual magic (such as [[Garden of Teth-Anon]]), others simply don't work as enchantments (notably the [[Web of Celestial Attunement]]).

==Sacrifice and Limitations==
You cannot make a ritual better, either more powerful or more efficient, by sacrificing something during the casting. Characters cannot sacrifice their body hits, hero points, or similar to empower another character. Ritual magic can make a character stronger in many different ways, but it cannot do so by drawing the strength from another character, it gains that power from the mana used to cast the ritual.

Likewise, some rituals only work in specific situations, but you cannot usually make a ritual better, either more powerful or more efficient by putting limitations on the way it can be used. Magic isn't made more effective or more potent by circumscribing the conditions under which it can be used.
==Learning Recipes==
Ritual magic can't be used to learn how [[magic items]], [[potion|potions]], consumables, trade goods, or similar things are made. Some rituals can divine information about items, such as [[Hand of the Maker]], but even if a divination provides a vision of how something was made, or determine the herbs that went into a potion (such as through [[Distillation of Diverse Parts]]) this will never translate into any ability to actually make an unfamiliar item, potion, or the like. Without access to a [[schema]], [[Potion#Herbal|herbal]], or specific [[opportunity]] there is no way to learn how to make something by examining that item or taking it apart.
==Additional Artisanry==
It is not possible to enchant a character to make more [[magic items]] in downtime using the [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisan]] skill. It is possible to use magic to let an artisan make additional items ''during'' an event with the [[Timeless Hammer Rhythm]] - which also represents the most potent version of this effect available - but the number of items that can be crafted after an event is set by game design.

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Divination

2026-08-21T17:13:26Z

Rafferty:

==Overview==
Normal divination rituals use the power of the realms to glean useful information. The Day realm with its emphasis on predictability, facts, and figures, provides measurements and known quantities. Divinations in other realms are usually similar, providing specific information of interest to that realm, such as the Autumn ritual [[Ties that Bind]] which lets a magician discover details about a bonded item they have an intimate connection with.

Divinations of the Night realm are unusual because the disordered chaotic nature of this realm means that divinations that draw upon it tend to provide unpredictable answers. Responses are often in the form of riddles and symbolic visions, as in the [[Signs and Portents]] ritual. These rituals tend to provide secrets and mysteries, or at least omens of them, as they have been detected by the Night realm. The realm itself makes no attempt to understand or prioritise these secrets, it only perpetuates them.

In neither case is it possible to create a ritual that asks a question of the realm itself. The realms are not sentient and they cannot analyse information to provide conclusions, opinions, or judgements. The only way to create such a ritual is by involving an eternal of that realm. There are only a small number of such rituals currently in Imperial lore, the most notable being [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]] which asks Leviathan to answer a specific question. Leviathan will answer the question, but can only do so based on the knowledge it has. Involving a sentient agent in this way makes it possible to achieve something that would not normally be possible, but at the risk of Leviathan not knowing the answer or even simply being wrong.
<only include>
Arcane projections for spontaneous divination effects must specify very precisely the information that is wanted and the subject of the divination. Such projections cannot be used to glean other information or even be cast on a different subject. Only formulaic magic possesses this degree of flexibility. For example, it is easy to make an arcane projection that determines information about the history of a specific item; it is not possible to create an arcane projection that lets the ritualist perform that spontaneous effect on any item.

Divinations that deal with esoteric information are likely to only ever exist as spontaneous magic that targets a specific named item - one where we can be confident the desired information exists. Likewise it is only ever possible to use divination magic to gain information the referees have reliable access to.
</only include>
==Known Divinations==
* '''Only rituals that directly provide information are classed as divination rituals'''

Only rituals that directly provide information as their primary function are considered divination rituals. Rituals that gather information by communicating with an [[eternal]] (such as [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]]) are not considered divination effects. Likewise, a ritual whose effect is something other than providing information to the ritualists is not considered a divination ritual for purposes of [[Crystalline Focus of Aesh]], even if its description talks about divination as the method employed. Spontaneous magic effects may gain the additional bonus; if in doubt consult a referee before performing them.

This is the current list of divination rituals known to the Empire: [[An Echo of Life Remains]], [[Bright Lantern of Ophis]], [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River]], [[Dreams in the Witch House]], [[Eye of the High Places]], [[Eyes of the Soul's Past]], [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]], [[Gralka's Gift to the Lost Seeker]], [[Hakima's Glass]], [[Hand of the Maker]], [[Netweaver's Eye]], [[Revelations of the Past]], [[Secrets of the Soul's Desire]], [[Shadowed Glass of Sung]], [[Signs and Portents]], [[Hero's Journey]], [[Skein of Years]], [[Discern the Marked Allegiance]], [[Ties that Bind]], and [[Wisdom of the Balanced Blade]].

==Lost Items==
Items that are lost or missing cannot be found using magic. There are eternals that may know where an item is, most notably [[Kimus]], but it is not possible to use an arcane projection or ritual to find a specific item that is missing. In general, if a plot requires you to find a lost item, then magic categorically won't solve that problem for you - to find a lost item you need to speak to whatever character or being knows where the item is and persuade them to give you guidance.

==Current Events==
Divinations are only effective when looking at events and objects that are recent. This need not be current - you can divine things that happened in the last few days, the last few seasons, potentially even the last few years if their effects are still resonating. But you can't use ritual divination to obtain information about the past without a specific focus to the events of the past.

A ritual like [[Hand of the Maker]] works because it is cast on the item in question. That item is the link to its own past, and so it is possible to use the item which currently exists and is in your hand to find out about how it was made. Or you can use [[Skein of Years]] to find the dramatic and important events from the item's history. Without the item in question, neither ritual would be remotely possible.

Rituals like [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]] work because they allow you to ask an eternal creature what it knows of the past. The ritual does not divine that information for you - it puts you in contact with an eternal that might know the answer.

This limitation of divinations exists to preserve the mystery and intrigue of the setting. The wiki in particular includes hundreds of descriptions of notable places that are associated with legends or mysteries. There is no current plot for most of these locations - they exist to inspire us to write plot with them in the future. The moment we do so, you will be able to use divination magic to investigate that mystery. That will work because the very fact that we are doing plot with it means that there will be contemporary events which can be the subject of divination. But if there is no plot to find out more information about - if there are no current events to divine - then there is no more information to give out than is already on the wiki, and the divination will fail.

==Maps==
Maps are a powerful hearth magic, symbolic representations of a location that allow a magician to perform magic that will divine information about the place in question. All scrying rituals that operate at the territory level require a suitable map before they can be performed. Any attempts to create a ritual that scries an area without using a map will fail.

It is not possible to do the opposite - to use divination to create a map of an unknown territory. If such a thing were possible it would instantly circumvent the restrictions on scrying in general - magicians would simply need to create the map first, then use it for the following divination. This isn't possible - you can never create a map with magic.
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War magic

2026-08-21T15:47:53Z

Rafferty: /* Spring Magic */

==Overview==
Magic is an essential tool of war in the Empire and beyond. There are powerful enchantments that can make armies more effective in battle or alter the battlefield in ways that influence the outcome of any campaign. There are also a wide range of different enchantments that can be used to empower a [[fleet]] or a [[military unit]] that can prove crucial when used in large numbers.

As ever though, the realms are not interchangeable. Each realm has its own strengths, its own resonances and dissonance. Trying to use the wrong realm to achieve an effect will inevitably fail. Because of the crucial role of war magic, Imperial magicians have made a careful study of this branch of magic to identify what each realm can achieve.

==The Law of Scale==
The [[Laws_of_magic#The_Law_of_Scale|Law of Scale]] is crucial when creating enchantments on armies, military units and fleets. The law describes the way rituals operate on a natural scale at which they are most efficient. Trying to make the ritual much more powerful by researching a version of it is that is higher magnitude (or vice versa) produces rapidly diminishing returns that make it so much less efficient as to be near worthless.

As a result of the Law of Scale almost all Imperial rituals that enchant an army, such as [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]] are magnitude 80. The rituals that are in Imperial lore represent the best magnitude that these effects can be achieved at. There are some notable exceptions, [[Brotherhood of Tian]] is an unusual case where the Law of Scale produces a different outcome. These are the exceptions that prove the rule - there is no value in creating arcane projections that attempt to produce the same effects at higher or lower magnitudes.

Army enchantments that employ the assistance of an eternal, such as [[Knights of Glory]] ''are'' much higher magnitude because these rituals work produce a very different effect - in almost all cases, the enchantments empower the eternal to send heralds to fight alongside the army. These rituals are usually magnitude 120 and the resulting benefits reflect the greater power of the ritual. All magic of this kind is governed by the rules for [[eternals and rituals]].

Similar rules apply to enchantments on fleets and military units. There are a few exceptions that prove the rule for existing enchantments, but the best "scale" for all new enchantments on fleets and military units is magnitude 20 that doubles the effectiveness of a starting resource. It is possible to make less powerful variations to lower the magnitude but they are less efficient. Higher magnitude versions of the ritual don't produce noticeably stronger effects.

If a realm is less powerful but can still be used for that effect, then the magnitude of any new ritual would be higher for an equivalent effect - magnitude 24 to double the effectiveness of a starting military unit or fleet. It is possible to avoid this penalty by enlisting the aid of an eternal. If a realm cannot be used for that effect, then any attempt to create a ritual that does that will fail, without the explicit aid of an eternal.

==Spring Magic==
* '''Spring can enchant an army to reduce the casualties'''
* '''Spring can enchant resources to make them better at raiding ventures and voyages'''
[[Spring magic]] excels at healing and vitality - no other realm can compare with Spring magic in this regard. As a result, it is possible to create a powerful enchantment for an army that employed these effects to reduce casualties suffered while on campaign. It is never possible to create Spring rituals that allow an army to take more territory, because the control needed for such magic is dissonant with Spring.

Spring magic is also resonant with effects that cause chaos, savagery and poison and disease. These strengths could be used to create rituals that would empower an army to make it cause more casualties, but such a ritual would need the aid of an eternal.

The chaos and savagery of Spring magic means it excels at creating rituals that enchant military units and fleets to make them better at raiding. It is less powerful, but can still be used to enchant someone to help make adventurous voyages and ventures more rewarding. The wildness and lack of control mean Spring magic cannot be used for any enchantment that would help with campaigning, trading, guarding or scouting.

==Summer Magic==
* '''Summer can enchant armies to make them more powerful on campaign'''
* '''Summer can enchant resources to make them better at campaigning and adventuring'''

[[Summer magic]] is resonant with triumph and prowess - no other realm can compare with Summer magic for making individuals stronger. [[Swords in the Noonday Sun]] draws on these resonances to make an army more powerful on campaign, allowing them to capture more territory and inflict more casualties. [[Knights of Glory]] achieves the same result but is even more powerful, since it summons allies from the Summer realm to fight alongside the enchanted army. Such majesty comes at a price however, it is never possible to create Summer rituals that reduce the casualties taken by an army on campaign.

There are many Summer eternals who are interested in war who might be able to help create rituals that drew on the other resonances of the realm or on their personal strengths. An eternal like [[Cathan Canae]] has helped with arcane projections that provided allies to an enchanted army to help them defend a territory better, while an eternal like [[Jaheris]] might be able to provide allies that would help an enchanted army inflict more casualties.

The resonances of Summer magic are also useful when enchanting resources; Summer magic is best for rituals that make military units and fleets better at campaigning and questing. It is less powerful, but can still be used to enchant someone to help make raiding and guarding more effective. Sadly, the dissonance of Summer magic for contemplation of cooperation means it cannot be used for any enchantment that would help with trading or scouting.

==Autumn Magic==
* '''Autumn is flexible and can enchant armies to improve their logistics making them move faster, resupply faster or reducing upkeep'''
* '''Autumn can enchant resources to make them better at campaigning and trading'''

[[Autumn magic]] excels with travel and communication, binding, bands and influence. It lacks the raw power of other realms when used for war magic but is flexible allowing magicians to create a range of rituals that improve logistics, like [[Brotherhood of Tian]] (faster resupply), [[Find the Best Path]] (faster movement) and [[Bound by Common Cause]] (reduced upkeep).

There is no Autumn eternal interested in war as a primary concern, but Estavus is obsessed with fashioning items, many of which are weapons of war. Not just personal armaments, but siege weapons and similar.

Autumn magic is the preeminent realm for creating rituals that enchant fleets to improve trading returns. It can also be used to help military units and fleets on campaign, by bolstering their ability to cooperate with an army. It is less useful, but still effective for rituals that help with scouting or guarding, but it cannot be used for rituals that aim to enchant a military unit or fleet to help with raiding or questing.

==Winter Magic==
* '''Winter could create an enchantment that would allow an army to inflict extra casualties while on campaign'''
* '''Winter can be used to enchant resources to make them better at guarding'''

[[Winter magic]] is resonant with endings and death. No other realm can compare when used to create enchantments that make armies cause extra casualties while on campaign. There are no rituals like this in Imperial law, but they can be made with arcane projections without the help of any eternal.

[[Quickening Cold Meat]] is empowered by [[Wise Rangara]], bringing a host of wicked winter spirits from the realm to possess the bodies of those who have died. They rise again to fight alongside the army helping to capture territory and kill the enemy, but the enchantment is unique in that it lasts a year. Winter magic has a natural facility for curses - which often last a long time. The wicked [[Agramant]] has been known to offer an enchantment that would summon monstrous creatures from the winter realm and unleash them on campaign inflicting huge casualties on the enemy the army were fighting. Fortunately such magics are banned for as long as the Devourer of the Fallen remains under enmity.

Winter magic is ideal for rituals that enchant fleets and military units to make them stronger and more powerful while guarding, due to its natural resonance with warding, preservation and survival. It is not as effective with rituals that aim to help with campaigning or raiding, but it is still useful. [[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]] exceeds these limitations, providing an effect as strong as Summer or Autumn because it relies on the help of an eternal. Unfortunately it cannot be used for rituals that try to improve scouting, questing or trading.

==Day Magic==
* '''Day can create enchantments that help an army capture more territory while on campaign'''
* '''Day can be used to enchant resources to make them better at trading and scouting'''

[[Day magic]] is resonant with mastery, perfection, focus and force. [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]] reflects these strengths, the enchanted army makes better strategic decisions on campaign, allowing them to capture more territory.

It has few other military uses at this scale, although [[Cold Sun]] is undoubtedly capable of providing a large number of heralds to fight alongside an army enchanted in its name - but the challenge would be stopping Cold Sun from sending its ''scions'' to destroy everything. [[Zakalwe]] is called the Master Strategist and the General of Day due to his obsession with strategy and war. He despises savagery in battle however, so if he could be convinced to provide heralds to support an army, they are likely to further increase its capacity to capture territory.

Day magic is ideal for rituals that enchant fleets and military units to make them more effective while scouting, but it is equally effective for rituals that enchant fleets to improve trading returns. It can be used for rituals that enchant resources to make them better at campaigning or guarding, but it cannot be used for enchantments that would help with questing or raiding.

==Night Magic==
* '''Night can enchant an army to allow it to slip past other forces'''
* '''Night can be used to enchant resources to make them better at scouting'''

[[Night magic]] struggles with war, due to its dissonance with strength and destruction. Its strength lies in obfuscation, and there is a ritual, Host of Shadows, that employs that resonance to enchant an army so that it can slip through a territory without being stopped by defenders. The ritual is not in Imperial lore however, so the full details are not widely known.

If there are any Night eternals that could help with empower a ritual enchantment of an army, then they have not been found. This may reflect a lack of interest on their part, or something more fundamental about the realm. Clarity, strength and discipline are all dissonant with the realm which would make any such enchantment very difficult.

Night magic is relatively flexible for military units and fleets and can be used for enchantments that empower raiding, guarding, adventuring and trading. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it is most effective with rituals that boost scouting, a reflection of the realm's strengths with obfuscation and intuition. Sadly, Night magic's dissonance with destruction, strength and discipline means it cannot be used for rituals that would help with campaigning.
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Limits of magic

2026-08-21T13:58:41Z

Rafferty: /* Learning Recipes */

==Overview==
Magic has many fundamental limits that restrict what can be achieved. In the setting these limitations are well known - magicians have striven for centuries to find ways to overcome them. Some people have devoted their entire lives to researching these limits, but no-one has ever found a reliable way to overcome them. Having a good working knowledge of these limitations is one way you can represent your character being a skilled practitioner of ritual magic.

In the game, these are most of the absolute limits of magic that is possible within the rules for the game. While you might play a character that is striving to overcome one or more of these limitations, it is important to appreciate that that is not possible in the Empire game. Any arcane projection that attempts will automatically fail. For that reason, it is a good idea to check any arcane projection against these limits before you submit it.

==Restore Life==
The Spring realm is powerfully resonant with healing magic, but no Imperial magician has ever been able to create a ritual that restores life to the dead. Some Winter magics allow a magician to contact the recently departed, or even summon back a shade that can be questioned, but like the Spring realm it appears to be powerless to help those who have passed on. In Empire, once a person dies, they are dead for good.

Many magicians have spent their entire lifetime searching for ways to cheat death. None have ever found a way to restore the dead to life, but a few have found ways to cheat death, or at least postpone it for a while. Although there are no rituals of this kind in Imperial lore at this time, anything like this would definitely need to be cast on the target while they were still alive.

There are rituals that allow a magician to give a semblance of life to a corpse, the most famous of which is [[Quickening Cold Meat]]. However these rituals work by conjuring creatures from the realms, usually drudges, to inhabit the corpse and cause it to move. The Winter realm has a strong affinity for magic involving dead bodies, but rituals of this kind make use of the body to house a spirit of the realm, they do not restore the body to life in any way.

==Resist Effects==
It is possible to use the Winter realm to create wards that harm those who cross them, and Night magic can hide the true nature of something, but beyond this there are few if any rituals that can offer protection to a subject. No magician has ever been able to create a ritual that allows the subject to '''resist''' a magical effect such as that caused by the [[repel]] spell. Nor is it possible to use ritual magic to make a subject immune to the blows of swords, bows, or other weapons. There are many rituals that make a subject stronger, allowing them to suffer more such blows before they are defeated, but none that make it so that the subject can resist or otherwise ignore the effect.

==Mind Control and Silence==
Many rituals create powerful emotions, feelings, or sensations in those that experience the effects, either as a side effect of the magic or as the main purpose such as with the [[Chamber of Pallas]]. These rituals can have a powerful effect on those that encounter them, but all serious magicians agree that the nature of the target's response is fundamentally set by them, not by the magician who performed the ritual. Magic is simply not powerful enough to control the mind of another living being, forcing it to act as the ritualist desires.

Of course there are ways to use magic to control your enemies, using it to threaten, cajole, and coerce people. However these methods are not intrinsically more reliable or powerful than a threat of violence. Skilled magicians can use ritual magic very effectively to '''influence''' others, but they cannot control them.

In the same way, magic cannot compel someone to speak the truth, and it cannot read minds. This means that there is no effective "truth detection" magic in the Empire. It is possible to create an urge to be forthright or plain speaking, but it is not even possible to create a roleplaying effect that makes a character want to speak the truth. Nor is possible to remove the ability to speak from a person using ritual magic.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><box><big>'''Conjured Coastal Citadels'''</big><br>
One topic that comes up regularly with the Day eternals is that of magically summoned fortifications similar to [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]] but created in regions with the ''coastal'' quality. This matter is raised with some of [[Phaleron|Phaleron's]] heralds, and they provide the following explanation as to why it is not possible for magic to create such a thing. By its essential nature, a coastline is partway between one thing and another. It is a liminal space, neither land nor sea, and defies classification. A fortification or castle, by contrast, has an essential nature of resisting, standing strong, and being immovable and impregnable, which is absolutely at odds with the mutable nature of a coastal area. Ritual magic runs afoul of the [[Laws_of_magic#The_Law_of_Essence|Law of Essence]], and so it will never be possible to create a ritual that conjures a magical fortification using the ''coastal'' quality.<br><small>From [[Hierarchs_of_sea_and_sky#The_Only_True_Treasure|Hierarchs of sea and sky]]</small></box></div>

==Conjuring and Summoning==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to force another being to appear before you, either a mortal or an inhabitant of the realms. There are Autumn rituals that allow you to send communications to another being, such as [[Call Winged Messenger]], but the target is free to respond as they choose. They are under no compulsion to respond and they would need to use methods of their own to appear if they were far distant at the time.

Likewise, there are rituals that allow you to contact certain named eternals, such as [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]]. Some of these rituals create an opportunity to meet with the being at a regio later. Almost always, the eternal will appear as requested, but it is well understood that the ritual itself does not compel the being to appear, rather it is the nature of the eternal that causes them to act in this way. Having long ago agreed to respond if called, they are bound to do so for all time by their nature, not by the ritual itself.

It is possible to create rituals that request or invite inhabitants of a realm to enter the mortal world - albeit only with their agreement - but it is not possible to summon them. Rituals like [[Knights of Glory]] work because Eleonaris has agreed to release her knights into the mortal world when called. Likewise, rituals that attempt to create, conjure, or summon fortifications, citadels, or other structures from another realm will not work without the agreement of an appropriate eternal. [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]] works because Cathan Canae has many frozen citadels - which she sends to the mortal world in response to the ritual.

There are rituals that appear to breach these limits, such as [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] or [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]] where the eternal in question was not recorded for many years. Knowledgeable magicians knew that there must be an eternal in question - such a ritual cannot work without the assistance or involvement of one - but for whatever inscrutable reasons their identity had remained secret. In recent history, the eternals sponsoring those two particular rituals were uncovered by [[Various_storms_and_saints#Fen_and_Fastness|scholars of the Unfettered Mind]].
==Damaging Fortifications==
It's not possible to damage a single [[fortification]] with focused magic from a distance. There are rituals such as [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees]] and [[Mountain Remembers Its Youth]] that can cause damage to a fortification, but only as part of indiscriminately-unleashed [[Spring magic]] that also damages [[army|armies]] and [[fortification#garrison|garrisons]] across an entire territory. This effect was possible in the past, but in-character that was the result of a particularly long-lived conjunction of [[the Claw]] and [[the Drowned Shepherd]]. It's no longer an effect that can be created by ritual magic. Ritual magic ''can'' inflict damage on the battlefield with rituals such as [[Rising Roots that Rend Stone]] or [[Inevitable Collapse into Ruin]] but these effects cannot be targeted remotely, or on a larger scale.

==Teleportation==
It is possible for magicians and others to move from the mortal world to a [[Regio#Portals_and_Chambers|chamber]], but they cannot travel on from there: they must return to the mortal world through the same door they entered by. It is not possible to move onwards from a chamber, nor to re-enter the mortal world in a different location. This limitation is a fundamental restriction of the magic of the realms - it cannot convey a magician from one place to another.

A ritual like Call Winged Messenger will convey a message to a target, but this ritual works by literally summoning a winged messenger from the Autumn realm to carry the message. It takes time for the message to reach the target; it does not travel instantly.

Likewise, resources and commissions cannot be moved from one place to another using ritual magic. An eternal might be able to create such an effect, but mortal magic cannot.

Interestingly, this limitation ''is'' violated by the power of the Sentinel Gate. The Gate is a magical item, and as such it is a thing of the mortal world only and does not draw on the power of the realms. Whether it is this that allows it to exceed the limits of ritual magic is unknown, but certainly all attempts to reproduce the power of the Gate using ritual magic have always failed.

==Invisibility==
Although Varushkan folklore is replete with stories of wolves that are invisible, undetectable to the mortal eye, most magicians consider these tales fit only for a child. There have been countless attempts to use Night magic to render an individual invisible, but none have ever succeeded. The Night realm can mask a thing, change its shape or appearance, but it always leaves something in its place. There is no realm that can be used to make something invisible.

Although Night magic resonates with glamours that change the physical appearance of something, as well as rituals designed to baffle divinations, it cannot hide itself. If an army is enchanted with a Night ritual to conceal it then a divination like [[the Eye of the High Places]] that is lower magnitude than the shroud will still reveal that there is a Night enchantment in place. Similarly, it is not possible to use Night magic to baffle a ritual divination so completely that it returns the wrong answer.

==Enchanting Bourse Resources==
Mithril, white granite, weirwood, and ilium are the most precious resources found anywhere in the Empire, so valuable that control of known deposits is closely regulated by the [[Bourse]]. Countless attempts have been made over the centuries to develop ritual magic that can increase the production of these resources, but all have failed. Even attempts to scry for unworked deposits have proved unsuccessful.

Urizen magicians who have studied the problem for many years have concluded that materials of this kind have a degree of raw magical power inherent in them. This power appears to be a fundamental part of the mortal world, rather than having any connection with the realms. When the materials are in their unworked state waiting to be harvested, they create an interference that confounds any attempts to use the magic of the realms to locate or gather it. Sadly this natural resistance to magic is largely lost when the materials are removed and refined or processed.

So potent is this natural effect, that it has on occasion proved useful. The deposits of white granite in the Brilliant Shore were discovered centuries ago by a young [[Wintermark_magical_traditions#Icewalkers|icewalker]] who took shelter in the area while the region was assailed by a magical storm conjured by the Thule. When the magician noticed that the storm passed over the cave where they were sheltering, they realised that something in the area must be weakening the curse. Further investigation of the cave discovered the white granite deposits, and provided the Wintermark people with a valuable resource.

==Supernatural Effects==
Magicians can use the magic of the realms to change the mortal world, but it has an inherent tendency to resist this change. The more unnatural the change, the greater the resistance. One way that a magician can create a completely unnatural effect is to bring some force or object from the realms into the mortal world. Powerful rituals like Quickening Cold Meat summon Winter spirits to inhabit corpses so that they follow the magicians' will. The fortress "created" by [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]] is in fact one of the many that exists in the Summer realm and the ritual brings it into the mortal realm for a season.

Experienced magicians appreciate that the best approach is to create magical effects that work with the essential nature of the target rather than trying to create something unnatural. If a magician wishes to burn a forest down, it is infinitely easier to create a forest fire than it is to create a rain of fire.

==Armies and Battles==
It is possible to use magic that enhances the effectiveness of an army - either by requesting magical warriors from the realms to fight alongside them or by enhancing their strength, insight, or bonds. Cursing armies is possible, but is difficult and crucially requires a powerful arcane connection to the army in question - usually the general of the army or a similar figure.

It is '''not''' possible to curse an area or an army so as to impede army or navy movement in any way. Ritual magic cannot, for example, stop an army or navy moving into, out, or through a territory, nor restrict how far armies can move if they start in or move through that territory. It is not possible to use ritual magic to pin an army in place.

It is possible to use magic to affect a territory to increase or decrease the number of casualties that result in from any fighting. Rituals like [[Rivers Run Red]] and [[Rivers of Life]] affect everyone in the territory in a way that makes them more or less likely to die. What is not possible is to use magic ''on a territory'' to directly affect the outcome of a three month long campaign in that territory. Strategic outcomes are too complex and too unpredictable to be influenced by magic in this way.

You can create magic that influences the fighting - you might fill an area with storms for a season - but that does not affect the outcome of the campaign, i.e. it does not affect the victory points assigned to either side. No matter how potent the magic on the territory, it will be indiscriminate, and that means it will create effects that both sides are able to take advantage of based on whatever actions they take.

You can create rituals that enchant or curse armies - to make them more or less effective. But any ritual that attempts to enchant or curse a territory with the goal of positively or negatively influencing the outcome of a military campaign that takes place there will fail.

==Economic Territory Effects==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to duplicate the effect of a [[great work]] - that is, to increase the production of all resources of a specific type in a territory.

==Seasonal Stacking==
The ritual enchantments [[Blessing of New Spring]], [[Strong Ox, Golden Sun]], and [[Gathering the Harvest]] have a unique synergy that allows each to build on the other. It has proved impossible to duplicate this synergy with rituals intended to be cast on resources other than [[farm|farms]] - the rituals remain peculiar anomalies.

==Transmutation==
It is not possible to turn most personal resources into a military unit using magic without the direct aid of an eternal. To be transformed, a resource must have some kind of innate magical power, either a [[mana site]], a [[forest]], or a [[mine]]. You cannot transform businesses, congregations, farms, herb gardens, military units, or fleets.

==Imperial Citizenship==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to sever the connection between a person and an [[egregores|egregore]]. The connection seems to be protected by the [[Laws_of_magic#The_Law_of_Essence|Law of Essence]]. A person can voluntarily choose to give up their connection to an egregore, but this choice cannot be forced using magic.

==Sharing Ritual Lore==
While rituals such as [[Shared Mastery of the Magician's Guild]] allow a [[coven]] to share [[spellcasting]] knowledge between its members, it is not possible to do the same with [[Magical_skills#Mastery|ritual mastery]]. While ritual magic can remove mastery (as seen with [[Infant Starts with a Blank Slate]]), it can never grant someone mastery of a ritual.

==Meta Magic==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to affect other rituals. There is one ritual in Imperial lore, [[Sign of Aesh]], that can be used to reduce the magnitude of a later ritual, but that is deliberately restrictive and not something possible to replicate on a larger scale. It is also not possible to use a ritual to affect the casting time of a different ritual.

==Changing Qualities==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to intentionally change the qualities of something - whether that be the special quality of an army - or the unusual qualities of a region or territory. You can't use magic to make a region [[Region_qualities#Coastal|coastal]], or remove the [[Region_qualities#Haunted|haunted]] quality, or make an army [[Army_qualities#Cruel|cruel]]. Powerful magic may have unusual side-effects in unique circumstances which result in these kind of unexpected changes - but it is not possible to design a ritual to achieve that outcome.
==Targeting Commissions==
It is not possible to use ritual magic to directly enchant a sinecure, ministry, or great work. Commissions might be affected by magic particularly on the territory level but they cannot be the target of an enchantment or curse.

==Inter-Nation Cooperation==
It is never possible to use ritual magic to enable members of different nations to work together to perform a ritual. Covens are powerful tools to allow magicians to work together to perform rituals, and a [[Volhov's Robe]] can help individuals work together, but in every case it can only ever be done in the same nation.
==Magic Items==
Ritual magic can create effects similar to many magic items but by no means all of them. Some effects are unique to magic items. One example of this is the [[Volhov's Robe]]; the ability for an individual to contribute to a ritual can't be provided with ritual magic. Similarly, while the effect of some [[:Category:Paraphernalia|paraphernalia]] can be created with ritual magic (such as [[Garden of Teth-Anon]]), others simply don't work as enchantments (notably the [[Web of Celestial Attunement]]).

==Sacrifice and Limitations==
You cannot make a ritual better, either more powerful or more efficient, by sacrificing something during the casting. Characters cannot sacrifice their body hits, hero points, or similar to empower another character. Ritual magic can make a character stronger in many different ways, but it cannot do so by drawing the strength from another character, it gains that power from the mana used to cast the ritual.

Likewise, some rituals only work in specific situations, but you cannot usually make a ritual better, either more powerful or more efficient by putting limitations on the way it can be used. Magic isn't made more effective or more potent by circumscribing the conditions under which it can be used.
==Learning Recipes==
Ritual magic can't be used to learn how [[magic items]], [[potion|potions]], consumables, trade goods, or similar things are made. Some rituals can divine information about items, such as [[Hand of the Maker]], but even if a divination provides a vision of how something was made, or determine the herbs that went into a potion (such as through [[Distillation of Diverse Parts]]) this will never translate into any ability to actually make an unfamiliar item, potion, or the like. Without access to a [[schema]], [[Potion#Herbal|herbal]], or specific [[opportunity]] there is no way to learn how to make something by examining that item or taking it apart.
==Additional Artisanry==
It is not possible to enchant a character to make more [[magic items]] in downtime using the [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisan]] skill. It is possible to use magic to let an artisan make additional items ''during'' an event with the [[Timeless Hammer Rhythm]] - which also represents the most potent version of this effect available - but the number of items that can be crafted after an event is set by game design.

{{Magic Links}}
[[Category:Magic Theory]]
[[Category:Magic]]
[[Category:Rules]]

Skull beneath the skin

2026-08-20T09:50:04Z

Rafferty: Created page with "Category:Winds of WarCategory:388YE AutumnCategory:Military Council <div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Casual Undead.jpg|align=left|caption=Ravening Winter spirits take the bodies of the fallen and use them to devour the living, and in Sarangrave there are so, so many bodies for them to choose from.|width=400}}</div> ==From the Fens of Varreth== The vallorn of Béantal Dol is quiescent. The Dr..."

[[Category:Winds of War]][[Category:388YE Autumn]][[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Casual Undead.jpg|align=left|caption=Ravening Winter spirits take the bodies of the fallen and use them to devour the living, and in Sarangrave there are so, so many bodies for them to choose from.|width=400}}</div>
==From the Fens of Varreth==
The [[vallorn]] of [[Sarangrave#Bendol|Béantal Dol]] is quiescent. The [[Druj]] stranglehold on the [[Sarangrave]] has been broken. Yet still there is no peace in the marshes of the southern [[the Mallum|Mallum]]. Three barbarian armies have collapsed here, a crucial strategic victory, but one that leaves thousands of vicious orc warriors scattered across the marshes. Worse, the [[Fortification#Garrison|garrison]] of the Tower of the Skink has been displaced by the fall of their [[fortification#Bastion|bastion]], and have fled to the recesses of the Sarangrave to hide and plot their vengeance against the Empire and the people of [[Urizen]]. Such mundane threats are par for the course when dealing with the Druj, but there is worse to come.

When the [[Druj_armies#Hidden_Snake|Hidden Snake]] and the [[Druj_armies#Poison Crane|Poison Crane]] disbanded, they were under the influence of [[Winter magic]] - an [[enchantment]] reminiscent of [[Quickening Cold Meat]]. The Winter spirits called by that enchantment were set free, and while there was a valiant attempt made by Imperial heroes to [[Thorn_and_bone#Objective:_Trap_the_Spirits|contain the danger]] it was ultimately unsuccessful. Worse, many champions of the Empire fell in that desperate attempt to reduce the potential threat to the Sarangrave. Worst of all, the bodies of many of those same champions were dragged from their final resting place by that same corrupt magic and turned against their own people. Flesh-hungry husks, more cunning and vicious even than those raised by Imperial magicians, now hunt the Sarangrave and even when their bodies are cut down, the spirits within simply seek out another host.

Just as bad as the Winter spirits are the [[Druj_lore#Tortured_souls|tormented souls]], created by the blackest [[surgical skills#Apothecary|apothecary]] arts from Imperial heroes whose spirits have been broken. The [[Thorn_and_bone#Objective:_End_Trakaa's_Tortured_Souls|many victims]] of the twisted [[Druj lore#Het|Het Trakaa]] now stalk the [[Sarangrave#Turan Flats|Turan Flats]], killing and torturing any innocents they find, and striking terror into the hearts of those they encounter.

The Druj are scattered, their armies broken, but their threat remains. Both Trakaa of the Hidden Snake and Sul Maggotgnaw of the Poison Crane still raise their tattered banners in the Sarangrave, and seek to marshal the guerillas and raiders that still operate here. They may have been betrayed by their own people - there can be little doubt that they hate their fellow Druj - but they hate the Empire more.

==Shield and Scale==
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Alikos Helio.jpg|align=right|width=250}}</div>
There is no peace in the Sarangrave. With the vallorn driven back by Imperial armies, the Empire turns their attention deeper into the Mallum. They entrust the defence of the southern marshes to their [[Axos|Axou]] allies. The ''Shield of Ipotavo'' is still stationed at the Tower of the Skink, in the sodden marshes of the [[Sarangrave#Thornfen|Thornfen]]. Imperial magicians have even laid an enchantment over the [[fortification]], to help the Axou raise their garrison there. It is slow going, however, and the chaos in the newly Urizen territory offers them little opportunity to catch their breath.

The Axou soldiers stationed at the Tower of the Skink have been ordered to remain behind the walls. There are less than three hundred of them, now they have had an [[opportunity]] to assess the threats in the north it is clear they will be slaughtered with nothing show for it. Discretion appears to be the better part of valour, for now at least. The [[Fortification#Bastion|bastion]] can defend the Axou within its walls, although a message goes out to the small number of Urizen establishing spires in the territory offering them sanctuary within the walls of the citadel if they desire it. The Tower, mighty as it is, can do nothing to face down the Druj insurgents gathering in the corners of the territory, to contain the Winter ghouls rippling slowly outward from the Fens of Varreth, or to deal with the tormented spirits unleashed by Het Trakaa. Instead, the defence of the northern Sarangrave falls to the Shield of Ipotavo.

The [[Senate]] has chosen to accede to the [[Seeds_of_discord#Armies_of_the_Dead|request]] that the Axou military be granted [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Permit_Axos_Movement_in_Sarangrave|freedom of movement and engagement]] within the borders of the Sarangrave. There is some uncertainty as to whether this applies to [[army|armies]] or only to the garrison of the Skink, however. When the Shield of Ipotavo mobilize and begin to move north they claim the [[Ambassador to Axos]] has given them leave to do so and there is little interest amongst Imperial citizens in the Turan Flats or in [[Sarangrave#Kroll|Kroll]] in challenging them on this matter.

Ipotavo's forces move cautiously. The [[Axos#Axou_Military_Concerns|Agema]] are at the forefront, clad in their traditional neatly-cut leathers, armed with crescent shield and the long, thin sword favoured by these heavy skirmishers. Behind them comes a solid corps of sable-robed ''necromantia'', magicians versed in realm lore and battlefield magic alike. There is a noticable absence of any of [[Axos#Axou_Military_Concerns|Tavos Ageli]] - the porcelain masked immortal warriors that reek of death - choosing to leave them behind in the Tower of the Skink. If they bear any enchantment, it is subtle enough that it is not apparent to the Urizen in a position to mark the army's passage.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Agramant.jpg|caption=The husks in Sarangrave are inhabited by Winter spirits drawn to the mortal realm with the aid of the ''King of the Feast''.|align=right|width=200}}</div>
As they reach the Turan Flats, the husks are already feasting. When they are not encased in dead flesh, the spirits are all but invisible. As such it is very hard to get a feel for exact numbers, but the ''necromantia'' will later estimate their number at some two thousand ravenous beasts of the Winter realm. All of them have found hosts, not least due to the glut of bodies left behind on the Fens of Varreth. Human or orc, Druj or Imperial, soldier or slave, it matters nothing to these anthropophagous ghouls what remains they don to allow them to touch the mortal world. The husks that have been inhabited the longest bare little resemblance to the person they once were; their mouths jut with fangs, their fingers end in razor-sharp talons. In some cases their stolen bodies have become stretched and warped by the influence of the spirit within them and some are clearly as comfortable running on all fours like beasts as they are on two

At first the Shield face only small bands of husks, easily dispatched, but each day their numbers grow greater. The ''necromantia'' can weaken the spirits, and if they can trap a husk they can try to bind its spirit and force it back whence it came, but the odds are against them. Taking one of these horrors "alive" is no easy matter, given they must often be chopped limb-from-limb to stop them trying to kill anyone who comes near them. The magicians of Axos establish a small number of [[Hold Back Frozen Hunger|warded]] camps, marked with smooth posts of polished weirwood topped with the brooding face of the legendary sorcerer-king Ipotavo themselves. The predatory corpses avoid these encampments, but prowl around their outskirts at night looking for anyone foolish enough to step beyond their bounds.

The best the Shield of Ipotavo can achieve is to stop the Winter husks utterly overwhelming the people of the Turan Flats. They focus their efforts on ensuring the paltry few newborn Urizen [[spire|spires]] are safe, but there are still large numbers of former Druj slaves here. They have mostly been left to scavenge the war-torn farms as best they can. These folk are almost exclusively orcs and they flee when the Axou approach, terrified that they are here to kill them. They flee the tormented souls that roam the region. They flee the marrow-suckers that would prey on them. They even flee the Urizen who try to reach out to them. The tyrants of the Mallum may be gone, but their legacy lives on in the fear that dominates the lives of so many of these people.

The Axou strategy is to deal with the spirits and their husks where they can, but they avoid forcing a major engagement. They prevent the creatures from overrunning any of the slave villages or spires that dot the plains, and delay the spread of the spirits into Kroll for six weeks or so, but their main focus appears to be on making sure that [[Army orders#Give Ground|their soldiers' lives are preserved]]. The Axou have a particular fear of death [[Axos#Axou_Religious_Beliefs|believing]] it puts them into the hands of the Creator they hate and despise; that fear of death drives their strategy.

As the Autumn Equinox approaches, it is apparent to Imperial observers that the Shield intends to fall back toward the Tower of the Skink. Their tactics mean that they have significantly reduced their potential losses to the ghouls of Turan, but every one who fell is a potential pawn for the cruel spirits that still swarm and seethe in the northern marshes.

==Shadow of Hunger==
{{CaptionedImage|file=IrrahHurrah002a.png|align=right|width=300}}
While there is fighting in the north, the rest of Sarangrave is no more peaceful. There are significant numbers of refugees in [[Sarangrave#Whisperwood|Whisperwood]] - the former inhabitants of Thornfen exiled by the Axou. The number of former slaves here has swollen to unmanageable proportions. The [[statement of principle]] of the Urizen assembly urging the few spires in Sarangrave to [[388YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_97|welcome]] the orcs has done nothing to reduce the scale this problem. The former slaves do their best to avoid the Imperials entirely, and there are many more of them in Whisperwood than there are Urizen in the entire territory. These displaced folk have joined with the mass who were once the thralls of the Thornwasp sept in '''Uklead''' and the eastern forest-farms. Winter is approaching, and those in a position to see the scale of the problem first-hand predict that the coming months will not be kind to these folk. Cold will likely not be a major factor; a bigger issue is going to be food and shelter from the Winter rains. If nothing is done it is likely hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of deaths will take place and leaving aside questions of empathy or sympathy, it is rarely a good idea to leave fresh bodies lying around when there are Winter spirits looking for new hosts.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Druj6.jpg|align=right|width=200}}
Whisperwood is the worst, but there are folk in [[Sarangrave#Bloodwater Marsh|Bloodwater Marsh]], the Flats, and even the lakelands of Kroll who are likewise in a parlous position. The Druj left few supplies behind when they retreated, even being so spiteful as to befoul and destroy what they could not carry. There are farms here, and there are people working them, but their industry is haphazard and uncertain as their future. The Bloodwater Spears have reached out to the orcs in their former homeland to the south, and others have sent messengers to the Turan Forest. The heralds and mortal friends of [[Irra Harah|Shacklebreaker]] have reached further afield - there are reports of a few being spotted speaking with the refugees in Whisperwood - but the rebels have little enough aid to offer to those who shared their durance under the Druj. It is hard not to imagine that a catastrophe is approaching in the Sarangrave. How many people have been freed from the shackles of the Druj, only to die before the year turns again?

If it was just these refugees and exiles that were the problem in Sarangrave it would be bad enough but there is more. There are still Druj in Sarangrave. They gather and regroup in the hidden corners of the territory, in old tunnels dug beneath dry ground, in the depths of the woods and the marshes. Some have even apparently taken up residence in Bendol, within the bounds of the vallorn of Béantal Dol, using lessons learned in Therunin and Brocéliande to build a kind of [[steading]] of their own. Even the other Druj consider those Druj mad.

Worse still, there are Druj hiding in plain sight. Soldiers of the Marshlizard and the Poison Crane, warriors who once served in the garrison of the Tower, concealing their true identity among the very survivors and exiles that strive desperately to survive in the face of the coming Winter. There is little chance that they will be content to stay in hiding - and while they may not be organised enough to threaten the Tower of the Skink the same cannot be said of the farms, and the villages, and the bands of displaced, and the spires brave enough to try and raise themselves in this chaotic land where peace is oh-so-far away.

==Game Information==
<div {{float}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Regions of Sarangrave.png|caption=Sarangrave is mapped, but parts of the territory remain unknown.|align=left|width=600}}</div>
===Sarangrave===
* '''The fallout from the battle during the Summer Solstice continues to be felt
* '''The Winter Spirits in Turan and Kroll will continue to rampage as long as those regions have the ''tormented'' quality
Sarangrave is an Imperial territory, and part of Urizen, but the Nesustak Forest is controlled by the eponymous rebels, Thornfen is under the jurisdiction of Axos, and the central region of Bendol is a vallornheart. If the Empire loses control of any region of Sarangrave, they will lose control of the territory.

Several regions of Sarangrave have gained qualities reflecting the presence of tormented spirits, [[inhabitants of the realms]], and Druj guerillas left from the collapse of the Marshlizard and the Banded Snake septs. The details of these qualities are discussed in more depth in the {{TBC}} wind of fortune.

The Shield of Ipotavo prevented the Winter spirits doing any significant damage in Turan Flats this season, but they took significant casualties in the fighting. Their efforts have not depleted the forces terrorising those regions.

Thornfen and the fortification known as the Tower of the Skink are controlled by the Axou. Imperial forces are free to move through those regions but Axos could withdraw this right whenever they wished. The Civil Service estimate that thanks to six months of magical enchantments placed by the magicians of Urizen, the garrison of the massive Tower is likely to stand at around 500 soldiers.

The Empire has limited ability to move through the Nesustak Forest. At the moment, the rebels there are not minded to prevent Imperial forces doing so given the protection the Empire's armies have provided over the last six months. Again, this could change at any moment, should the Nesustak rebels choose to do so.
==Further Reading==
* [[Sarangrave]]
* [[Thorn and bone]] - Summer 388YE wind of war on the defence against the vallorn and repulsing the Druj
* [[Other monstrous geographies]] - Spring 388YE wind of war on the conquest of Thornfen and the unleashing of the vallorn
* [[Fire and the flood]] - Winter 387YE wind of war continuing the campaign in Sarangrave
* [[Everything is trying to kill us]] - Winter 387YE wind of fortune with the broad problems facing Urizen in the territory
* [[Even darkness must pass]] - Autumn 387YE wind of war continuing the campaign in Sarangrave
* [[Hope and fear]] - Summer 387YE appraisal of Druj military supply
* [[Root and branch]] - Summer 387YE wind of war continuing the invasion of Sarangrave
* [[Unlock thy hidden gate]] - Spring 387YE wind of war about the initial invasion of Sarangrave
* [[Into Béantal Dol]] - Spring 386YE results of a foray into Bendol to explore the vallorn there
* [[Make it happen]] - Summer 384YE wind of fortune regarding [[appraisal]] of the chances of creating an uprising in Sarangrave using the [[spy network]] there

File:Casual Undead.jpg

2026-08-20T09:47:09Z

Rafferty: {{wikimedia}} Vincent van Gogh, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

== Summary ==
{{wikimedia}}

Vincent van Gogh, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Even darkness must pass

2026-08-20T09:43:18Z

Rafferty: /* All Seem Accursed */

[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:387YE Autumn]] [[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Even Darkness Must Pass.jpg|caption=In the end it's only a passing thing, this shadow.|align=left|width=500}}</div>
==To See Such Times==
In the [[Sarangrave]], chaos reigns. It is a season of ruin, of madness, bloodshed and terror, fury and despair, magic and steel and water and twisted bough, poison and hope, light and darkness, endings and beginnings. You can feel it in the air. The red dice are rolling, the world is in free-fall and nobody has the slightest idea of what will be showing when they finally come to rest.

The blight of [[Rivers Run Red|ruinous Spring magic]] begins to settle over the waters here, but at the last moment it frays and falls to pieces. Instead, a different power of magic spreads out, filling the waters with [[Rivers of Life|wholesome healing power]]. Imperial magicians have undone the scheme of the Druj, replacing their malign curse of death with a benign curse of life for everyone fighting here.

There is plenty of other magic at work here. The behemoth god-beast Kroll has risen from the nameless lake to loom over the [[Sarangrave#Palace of the Sleepers|Palace of the Sleepers]], and yet the Palace itself [[Root_and_branch#Shine_a_Light_(Battle_Opportunity)|has vanished]]. Wards and traps unfold across the marshes and the forests laid down by fleeing magicians and desperate covens. The [[Druj miasma]] clings to everything here, heightening feelings of fear and despair, but the Imperial armies are accompanied by thousands of golden knights drawn from the court of [[Eleonaris|Queen Eleonaris]]. Part of Zenith has fallen under Druj control, trapping Imperial armies in [[Sarangrave#Bloodwater Marsh|Bloodwater Marsh]], but the Empire moves its own soldiers to try and reclaim it. The power of the [[Irra Harah|Shackle Smasher]] has been unleashed in the [[Sarangrave#Nesustak Forest|Nesustak Forest]], while wicked wards of [[Spring magic|Spring]] and [[Night magic|Night]] run riot across the marshlands. Alliances shift, and nobody can be entirely sure who is a potential friend and who is secret foe.
==All Seem Accursed==
{{audio|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDv8UaWeWJg}}
The chaos spills south into [[Zenith]]. The [[Towerjacks]] have come to the forest of [[Zenith#Lustri|Lustri]]. There they meet the [[Argent Sword]]; the army of [[Inhabitants of the realms#heralds|heralds]], [[Inhabitants of the realms#Guardians|guardians]], and [[Inhabitants of the realms#Soldiers|soldiers]] from the [[Realms#Autumn|Iron Labyrinth]] who march as part of a costly bargain wrought with the Sovereign Lords of the Cities of Autumn.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: right;">[[File:ArgentSword_Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Argent Sword]]
[[File:TowerJacks Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Towerjacks]]</div>
The second army of [[Urizen]] is a thing of wonder. An army of minotaurs, their horns adorned with gold and steel, who march in the shadow of three dozen many-armed bronze colossi each a head taller than any mortal being. An army of hammer-wielding smiths, as broad as they are tall, warriors of the [[Estavus|City of Fire and Stone]] under contract to [[Callidus|Callidus of the Coins]]. An army of both swift-moving almost fox-like scouts with a supernatural sense for the presence of wealth, and of ox-sized silver spiders recruited from the [[Prospero|City of Bridges]] to provide expert support on matters of logistics. They march under orders from a human general, and they are unlike anything that has been seen in the Empire in living memory.

During the Summer Solstice, the [[Druj]] attempted to [[Root_and_branch#A_Sackful_Of_Poison_(Battle_Opportunity)|assail]] the marshes of [[Zenith#Proceris|Proceris]]. With the aid of the [[Yaw'nagrah|Green Mother]] they sought to [[Root_and_branch#Objective:_Stop_the_Verdant_Tenders|transform the bog octopuses]] of the waterlogged region into ravenous monsters; if not for Imperial heroes the many-legged tasty cephalopods would have undergone an unnatural growth spurt. Their scheme was stopped, those responsible scattered.

Now a [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen|ward of Night magic]] hangs over Proceris protecting it from further trouble - there are [[sentinel|sentinels]] already at work seeking out any remaining Druj and giving them swift justice. Even with the power of the ritual reduced to protect only the region where it is cast, there is nowhere for these guerrillas and ambushers to hide - the empowered magic of Night sees to that. Ironic, given that empowerment was worked by the Druj in the first place…

Two armies then march to the woodlands of Lustri. The Urizen of Zenith are first to warn of the Druj trap. The [[Druj armies#Tainted Basilisk|Tainted Basilisk]] have worked their own enchantment on the forest, weaving an entangling net of Spring magic between the trees. The effect is horribly familiar - a ward that is all too easy to pass into but almost impossible to escape. Druj warriors and awful venomous abominations alike sneak and skitter between the trunks of the dark woodlands waiting for the armies to put a foot wrong.

They have reckoned, however, without the ingenuity of the Towerjacks. This trap may be magical in nature but ultimately it is just another kind of fortification. There are safe paths here, as well as deadly ones. There are choke-points and dead-ends, killing grounds and barriers, but the Holberg engineers are no stranger to such concepts. It takes a little less than a week to reconfigure the Imperial strategy, and then with the Towerjacks in the vanguard the armies [[Army_qualities#Engineer|storm the walls]] the Druj have raised.

The fighting is bloody and terrible. The Argent Sword are disciplined but fundamentally unfamiliar with woodland fighting. The Towerjacks are adept at predicting and defusing the traps of the Druj wards, but they must still deal with the warriors and beasts protected by that magic. Blood spills and pools beneath the trees as the season rolls on. It is slow going, every step risks setting off a trap or an ambush. Yet the armies do make progress, do take those steps.

Almost immediately it is clear that the armies of the Druj are not ''in'' Lustri. It is clear they are relying on their ward to hold back any Imperial counterattack while the six armies that [[Root_and_branch#Dark_Beneath_the_Boughs|came down from Therunin]] have pressed into the Sarangrave in hope of slaughtering the Empire’s soldiers in the southern Sarangrave.

It might have worked. The ward is powerful, but the Towerjacks make all the difference. They unravel the puzzle, match cunning for cunning, disable the traps, and break through the dead-ends and barricades of writhing thorns. Ten days before the Autumn Equinox news comes from the front; the armies of Urizen and the League have been victorious. Lustri is now in Imperial hands once more.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">[[File:WinterSun Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Winter Sun]]</div>

==So Our Path Is Laid==
Six armies of Druj, out of Therunin, fresh from the [[Zenith#The_Stork's_Gaze_(Ruined)|ruination of the Stork’s Gaze]]. Without exception they hurl themselves into the fray, an [[Army orders#Overwhelming Assault|overwhelming assault]] against the Bloodwater Marsh and the Imperial army caught between their hammer and the twin anvils of the [[vallorn]] of [[Sarangrave#Béantal_Dol|Béantal Dol]] and the colossal [[fortification]] of the [[Sarangrave#Tower_of_the_Skink|Tower of the Skink]].

There is a desperation to their strategy; it seems that several of these [[Druj armies|armies]] are drawn from the septs of the marshlands. Six armies. The [[Druj armies#Arrow Viper|Arrow Viper]] and the [[Druj armies#Thorn Born|Thorn Born]], the [[Druj armies#Jagged Claws|Jagged Claws]] and the [[Druj armies#Hunting Scorpion|Hunting Scorpion]]; the [[Druj armies#Flame Beetle|Flame Beetle]] and of course the Tainted Basilisk. They have pulled out all the stops; almost all of them bear an [[enchantment]] of [[Spring magic]] that grants them the cunning of the predators coupled with a thirst for blood and mayhem found nowhere in the animal kingdom. The blessings of the Tainted Basilisk.

They face just a single Imperial army - the [[Winter Sun]] - the rest having used rituals and other methods to join the armies in the north. The Winter Sun bear a strange enchantment of Night magic whose effects are at first not entirely clear. The Winter Sun focus on [[Army_qualities#Freedom_Fighters|seeking out native forces]] that might aid the Empire’s plans.

Battle erupts across the Bloodwater Marshes again - the Empire fights against the desperate, furious Druj and their vicious enchantments. Like the orcs, they are also caught between hammers and Anvils. From the south-west, six armies. From the east, the Tower of the Skink. To the north of them, the vallorn and the feverwater. A war in microcosm, as the orcs of the Winter Sun must split their attention between pushing into Whisperwood and fighting off nearly thirty thousand powerfully enchanted Druj warriors.

==Watcher in the Water==
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">[[File:CitadelGuard Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Citadel Guard]]
[[File:EasternSky Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Eastern Sky]]
[[File:TheFireoftheSouth Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Fire of the South]]
[[File:GoldenAxe Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Golden Axe]]
[[File:GranitePillar Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Granite Pillar]]
[[File:GryphonPride Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Gryphon's Pride]]
[[File:LionsAdelmar Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Lions of Adelmar]]
[[File:NorthernEagle Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Northern Eagle]]
[[File:QuietStep Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Quiet Step]]</div>
In the north, the [[Druj lore#Ghulai|ghulai]] of the Palace of the Sleepers, along with their college of magic, have disappeared. They have left behind a terrible beast; the catastrophically large single-eyed octopoid horror that they called from the lake below their conical hill. As large as a castle, the supernatural terror sweeps aside the soldiers arrayed against it with its immense muscular tentacles.

As it fights, it lets loose terrible booming cries that cause the lake around it to surge and explode upwards. The ground itself runs like water, miring those trying to fight their way clear of the area. It soon becomes clear that the god-beast Kroll does not intend to fight alone. In answer to its thunderous call come hundreds upon hundreds of bog octopuses. Not the tiny cephalopods that throng in the marshes of Proceris to the south, but full-grown beasts that sometimes rival an ox-wagon in size. They erupt from the marshes, falling on the Imperial armies.

While they fight, the Druj forces battling to keep Sarangrave fall back. They seek to take advantage of the confusion to flank the northern force - the [[Eastern Sky]], the [[Fire of the South]], the [[Gryphon's Pride]], the [[Lions of Adelmar]], the [[Granite Pillar]], the [[Northern Eagle]] and the [[Boyar's Hasta]], and the [[Summer Storm]], joined by the [[Quiet Step]] from the Barrens, and the [[Citadel Guard]] and [[Golden Axe]] driving north with some preternatural force.

Arrayed against them are the [[Druj armies#Deadly Blade|Deadly Blade]] and the [[Druj armies#Hidden Snake|Hidden Snake]], the [[Druj armies#Hidden Widow|Hidden Widow]] and the [[Druj armies#Poison Crane|Poison Crane]], the [[Druj armies#White Lion|White Lion]] and the [[Druj armies#Red Lizard|Red Lizard]]. They are no less desperate than those attacking in the south, and many of them bear the same enchantment - a parting gift from the ghulai of the Palace of the Sleepers, no doubt. The Deadly Blade and the Hidden Widow supplement their vicious attacks with terrible venoms, which they distribute among the other armies freely. Their aim is clearly to kill as many Imperial soldiers as possible; an aim that is proudly supported by the cruelty and merciless tactics of the [[Druj armies#Black Wind|Black Wind]]. They wield the power of fear and despair as a weapon that is well-suited to their hands.

It is just as well that the water here runs with life, or their murderous plan would have taken an unspeakable toll against the Empire.

Completing the conquest of Kroll requires a confrontation with the god-beast of the lake and its multitude of progeny. The Eastern Sky and the Gryphon’s Pride hurl themselves against the immense octopus with resolute fury, revelling in the chance to accrue unlooked for [[glory]] by facing this monstrous beast. The [[Lions of Adelmar]] need all their defensive mastery to ensure the other Dawnish armies are not torn to pieces by their courageous assault. In the end, they cannot defeat the beast alone; it takes the arrows of the [[Golden Axe]] to finally inflict enough damage on the beast that it is forced to retreat. Not slain - but driven off. It dives deep into the depths of the lake, leaving behind a lake stained black with ichor. Presumably, it has returned whence it came - back to the Spring realm to recover from its wounds. Hopefully this will take a long time indeed.

The beast inflicts serious casualties on the armies arrayed against it, and even after it is driven off, its progeny continue to harass the Imperial forces and the Druj armies with equal indiscrimination.

==Where You Might Be Swept Off To==
In the end, the Empire is victorious. Their magical mastery, their zeal, and sheer force of numbers win the day. It is a close-run thing; when the water begins to clear the Imperial forces have claimed Kroll in the east and are four-tenths of the way toward taking the Nesustak Forest in the west. In the south, the three armies have not only held off the six Druj armies, but they have pressed forward into the Whisperwood and are three-fifths of the way towards capturing it entirely.

Yet the chaos shows no sign of ending. When it is clear that the Empire has the upper hand, when Kroll disappears beneath the surface of the lake, most of the Druj armies abandon Sarangrave. Harried by Imperial raiders, they pull back into the [[Salt Flats of Sanath]]. That is not to say that the territory has been abandoned however; the Tower of the Skink still dominates the [[Sarangrave#Thornfen|Thornfen]] and represents a major obstacle to Imperial control of the territory.

Not all the armies have retreated however; the Hidden Snake and the Poison Crane have pulled back to Thornfen to bolster the garrison of the fortification. In a way, they have no choice; the septs that support them are Sarangrave septs and if they abandon the territory they will suffer increasing losses. It is not a matter of courage or loyalty, but of fear - the fear that if they leave their territory they will be seen as weak and expendable by the other Druj of the Mallum.

In the south, the six armies that attacked out of Zenith are in an even worse state - they have been forced out of the Bloodwater Marshes but they cannot retreat into Lustri without facing catastrophic losses at the hands of the two armies there - and risking being trapped in their own web of traps. Their situation is a mirror of that which faced the Druj in Zenith several years ago when the Empire trapped them in the south. It is fortunate for the orcs - and unfortunate for the Empire - that the Tainted Basilisk are with the southern force. They have already demonstrated their ability to weave Night magic, to create a shroud of power that allows armies to move through dangerous territories. Yet where will they go? Will they risk slipping through the Imperial lines to the Salt Flats? Try to make a stand at the Tower of the Skink? Or perhaps find a way to escape into Therunin - and the uncertainty of the vallorn?

==Do Not Be Too Eager==
There is one other matter that demands Imperial attention. An unexpected development. As the Imperial armies in the north press into the Nesustak forest, they find the Druj defenders and the sept of the Banded Snake in disarray. Their defence seems uncoordinated, confused, and sporadic. The further the armies push west, the clearer it becomes that something is afoot.

The Druj magicians have raised a ward of Night magic here, and it serves to aid the defenders, but there is something else afoot. The Banded Snake seem to be fighting on two fronts. As the Autumn Equinox draws near, the truth of what is unfolding becomes clear. A force of former Druj slaves, subject septs, and children of the [[Irra Harah|Prince with a Thousand Foes]] have been quietly gathering in the depths of the forest, and now they have struck against the Druj. Taking their former overlords by surprise, exploiting the fact that the focus of the masters of the Mallum was on the Empire, they attacked without warning. The Druj panicked - unprepared to fight those they had considered broken. Their former masters were overwhelmed quickly thanks in large part to the support of the ''Thorn of the Ancestors''. Those who were not slaughtered by the Empire have fallen under the knives, spears, and clubs of the risen slaves. A week before the Autumn Equinox, it becomes clear that these free slaves have claimed the rest of the Nesustak Forest - that the Druj who remain are hunted fugitives.

At the same time, in the south, the power of Night magic enshrouds the Winter Sun. It hones the intuition of the soldiers, and urges them to find those who will make common cause with them, focusing their efforts to [[Army_qualities#Freedom_Fighters|break the chains]] of the Druj slaves. Those who fight to free the slaves and the conquered septs, rather than focusing on taking land or slaying the Druj, find that the voices of their ancestors become clearer and clearer - and that some of those ancestor voices are very old indeed. Ancient orcs of the Mallum, pressed into slavery by the old Imperials, drawn not from the Druj but from those who were their slaves. Terrible tales of those who fled tyranny to find death and enslavement waiting for them when they left the Mallum at the hands of humans who saw them as little better than beasts.

Normally, these voices are loud, angry, full of fear and hate. Under the influence of Night magic, those sincerely fighting to liberate the septs find these voices quiet, become clearer, become more lucid. Distant memories of ancient pacts and traditions empower the Winter Sun to reassure those who have spent too long under the thumb of the Druj that they are not the enemy. They can do little to moderate the fear that these orcs feel for the other Imperial armies… but it is a start. A unique chance to treat with the survivors of centuries of oppression.

It is while they fight in the Bloodwater Marsh and the Whisperwood that this approach bears dividends. The [[Make_it_happen#The_Bloodwater_Spears|Bloodwater Spears]] have been missing from the Sarangrave since the Imperial forces first crossed the border from Lustri. It now becomes clear that they had simply been waiting for an opportunity. Some are in Nesustak Forest working with the rebels there; others have been in the Whisperwood quietly recruiting the elders of the [[Make_it_happen#The_Water_Walkers|Water Walkers]] sept to their cause. An alliance between the two groups has been forged, and now they reach out to the [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]]. They make common cause - but they also know how to exploit the situation.

As the Winter Sun press forward, the Spears and the Walkers launch their own forays into the Whisperwood. The mighty Fortress of the Skink still provides a measure of support for the beleaguered Druj forces here, as they fall back. As the Empire advances, the rebel orcs give their own signal and bands of them attack where they can, picking off lone Druj warriors and exacting a bloody revenge. Druj scouts are discovered hanging from trees, their bodies held aloft by grim nooses formed from their own entrails. Druj supply wagons burned, the bodies of the paymasters chained to the charred remains. Corpses of Pakkad and Chikad warriors with their eyes and tongues torn out.

Beneath the dark boughs of the Whisperwood, the waters of the Sarangrave seethe with boiling fury, a thirst for vengeance that no amount of murder can slake. The Spears and the Walkers clearly have designs of their own on the Whisperwood and they are far from friends of the Empire. But for the Druj there is only the most pure and undiluted hatred.

==Even The Very Wise Cannot See All Ends==
As the Autumn Equinox draws close, the leaders of the ramshackle rebellion have a message for the Empire. Their message, relayed by those Winter Sun orcs who have fought most closely with them, is that they will not harass the Empire’s troops as long as they focus their attention on the Druj. If they seek to attack the rebels in Nesustak Forest or Whisperwood, they will protect themselves.

When the Druj are finally driven from the Sarangrave, there will be a chance to talk about what happens next. Then hopefully the Empire will know whether they have come to the Mallum as liberators or conquerors? They cannot be both, after all.

==Game Information==
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Regions of Sarangrave.png|align=right|width=500}}</div>
===Sarangrave===
* '''Nobody has dominion of Sarangrave
* '''The Empire controls three regions'''
* '''The Druj control two regions'''
* '''The vallorn controls one region'''
* '''The rebels control one region'''
The Empire has claimed Kroll and now controls that region along with Turan Flats and Bloodwater Marsh. The Druj still hold the Tower of the Skink and the surrounding region of Thornfen, and for now they cling on in Whisperwood. Two armies - the Poison Crane and the Hidden Snake - are still in Thornfen, bolstering the fortification there. The other Druj armies in the north have abandoned the territory and withdrawn into the [[Salt Flats of Sanath]].

The Palace of the Sleepers appears to have disappeared. It is not clear if this is a permanent disappearance, a transportation of some kind similar to that used to try and protect the Halls of Knowledge, or simply a shroud of some kind. It’s also not clear what this will mean for the Tainted Basilisk, who rely on the Palace and the associated ghulai and septs to support their army.
===Rebel Orcs===
* '''Rebellious former slaves of the Druj claim the Nesustak Forest'''
* '''Some of the rebellious orc faction are Water Walkers who have been recognised as foreigners by the Senate'''
Last season’s enchantment on the Nesustak Forest, placed by Imperial magicians, seems to have empowered [[Irra Harah]] to throw his entire weight behind these rebels, and that region is now in the control of the rebellious Sarangrave septs. Supported by Irra Harah, they have launched a surprise attack. With the Druj armies cut off from the region by the Imperial invasion, the Bloodwater Spears, the Water Walkers, and an unknown sept have taken the opportunity to overthrow the Druj, butchering the handful of remaining tepel and their guards to seize control.

It seems the rebels would like to have pulled off the same in the Whisperwood, but here the going is much harder, with the Druj armies based in Thornfen defending fiercely. If the Druj abandon the territory completely, or are forced out of Thornfen, then it's possible the rebels could claim more of the territory.

The Empire has made serious inroads into Nesustak (two-fifths towards claiming it) and Whisperwood (three-fifths towards claiming it). With Nesustak falling into the control of the rebels, it is impossible to take any more of the region without fighting and killing the rebel orcs that have risen up and displaced the Druj there - and the Senate recently recognised the Water Walkers as foreigners. The Whisperwood is a simpler prospect - the Empire could seize control of it by driving the Druj out, if they continue as they are.

The rebels show no signs of trusting or liking the Empire. There has been contact with the Winter Sun, but the most it has achieved so far is an agreement not to attack each other. The rebels won’t share what knowledge they have, and they don't have the force of arms to attack the Tower of the Skink. It is not clear if there is a basis to negotiate - they appear to want the Sarangrave for themselves, and for their fellows, rather than see it conquered by the Empire. At the moment their ability to do so is limited due to their lack of anything approaching an [[Army]] in strength… but if they got control of the [[Sarangrave#Fingers of the Devourer|Fingers of the Devourer]] in the Whisperwood it would be dangerous to assume they cannot find a way to ''make'' an army.
===Disaster in the South===
* '''Six Druj armies are fighting on the border between Zenith and Sarangrave'''
* '''They are in Sarangrave for the purposes of scrying'''
The six armies in the south of the Sarangrave have nowhere to go - they have been driven out of Sarangrave but cannot withdraw into a safe region. For the moment, they have been pushed back to the edges of Bloodwater Marsh, but it is clear that they have plans to escape. They will likely intend to take advantage of Night magic to do so, as they did when they escaped Zenith after they were trapped by the Empire.
{{CaptionedImage|file=EleonarisArt.jpg|align=right|width=250}}
===The Weight of Glory===
* '''Soldiers in armies enchanted with Knights of Glory this season are becoming more attuned to the Summer realm
* '''The Sarangrave armies under this enchantment this season can no longer use the ''Give Ground'' or ''Cautious Advance'' orders
In the reign of [[Empress Brannan]] there was a growing problem that armies were becoming reliant on Knights of Glory, but more importantly that exposure to the glorious knights of the Summer realm was having an unlooked for effect on Imperial soldiers. It seems that the excitement of fighting in the Mallum is, indeed, starting to affect the Empire’s loyal warriors - possibly because of the oppressive aura of fear coupled with the feeling of pride and strength exposure to the heralds of the Fields of Glory brings.

During the next season, any Imperial army in Sarangrave that was supported by Knights of Glory this season cannot take the [[Army orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]] or [[Army orders#Give Ground|Give Ground]] orders. If the [[general]] issues such an order it will default to [[Army orders#Balanced Attack|Balanced Attack]] or [[Army orders#Solid Defence|Solid Defence]] instead. This effect persists until the army in question has spent an entire year without experiencing the Knights of Glory enchantment.

It may be possible to ameliorate this effect by other means but it is not clear quite how this might be done. The national or virtue assemblies of the Imperial Synod may be able to assist in this matter, perhaps with a suitably worded statement of principle.

Magicians working with the armies point out that this is not something the heralds, or their eternal mistress, are actively ''doing''. It is rather a side effect of extended exposure to the enchantment, and to the magical warriors it summons, possibly compounded by the terrible aura of fear that hangs over the Mallum. Eleonaris is not able to "stop doing this" because she and her soldiers are not actually ''doing'' anything to make this happen.

==Participation==
===Citadel and Sky ===
* '''Characters whose military unit supported the Citadel Guard or the Eastern Sky receive a potent boon
The Knights of Glory are powerful soldiers summoned from the Summer realm and often influence the mortal soldiers they fight alongside - especially when the army and its [[Army orders|orders]] are in synch with their mistress [[Eleonaris]]. The Eastern Sky engaged in a triumphant charge against the Druj this season, and the Citadel Guard drew on unique Summer magic to empower their own strategy. In both cases, the summoned Knights enthusiastically and vocally supported their actions, and threw themselves joyously into battle against the Druj.

The captain of any military unit that fought alongside either the Eastern Sky or the Citadel Guard begins the Autumn Equinox with an [[enchantment]] - [[Glory to the Sovereign]]. This gives them two ranks of [[Combat skills#Endurance|endurance]] and the ability to call [[Calls#CLEAVE|cleave]] twice each day when wielding a [[Weapons & armour#One-handed Weapons|one-handed weapon]], [[Weapons & armour#One-handed Spears|one-handed spear]], [[Weapons & armour#Great weapons|great weapon]] or [[Weapons & armour#Pole-arms|polearm]] with which they are proficient.

As well as the game benefits, the aura creates a [[roleplaying effects|roleplaying effect]]: ''You feel a strong urge to do great deeds that will make you the centre of attention, and you take particular pleasure in approval and adulation. You particularly want to do things that will make you be seen as worthy, strong and powerful warriors; being overlooked or dismissed may cause you to lose your temper.''

The boon can be removed [[Enchantment#Removing_Enchantments|as normal]] - “overwritten” with a new enchantment - and will have faded by the start of the Winter Solstice.
===Other Knights===
* '''Characters whose military unit fought alongside any other army enchanted with Knights of Glory in Sarangrave receive a different benefit'''
Knights of Glory also fought alongside the Fire of the South, the Golden Axe, Gryphon's Pride, Lions of Adelmar, Northern Eagle, and the Granite Pillar. A character whose military unit supported one of these armies may choose to have been impacted by the experience of battling in close proximity to heralds of [[Eleonaris]].
* If you possess the [[heroic skills#hero|hero]] skill, you may choose to increase your number of hero points by one until the end of the Autumn Equinox.
* If you do not have the hero skill, you gain an additional temporary hero point which, once spent, is permanently gone. It will have faded entirely by the end of the Autumn Equinox regardless.
Anyone who chooses to gain this benefit also experiences a roleplaying effect that lasts until the end of the Autumn Equinox: ''You feel a strong urge to do great deeds that will make you the centre of attention, and you take particular pleasure in approval and adulation. You particularly want to do things that will make you be seen as worthy, strong and powerful warriors; being overlooked or dismissed may cause you to lose your temper.''

==Battle Opportunity : To Deal Out Death in Judgement==
The situation in the south of [[Sarangrave]] has seen [[Druj]] leaders attempting to bring up reinforcements; perhaps in an effort to hunt down the rebels in [[Sarangrave#Whisperwood|Whisperwood]], or to prepare to assail the [[Winter Sun]] with as large a force as possible. It is a desperate gambit that requires the drawing of elite [[arkad]] troops from [[Sarangrave#Thornfen|Thornfen]], where they currently aid the defence of the [[Sarangrave#Tower_of_the_Skink|Tower of the Skink]].

The Druj are on the back foot, their supply lines are stretched to breaking point and cut into pieces by [[Even_darkness_must_pass|the Imperial advance]]. The hammer blow dealt by the Empire has clearly rattled the barbarians - forcing them onto the back foot. There is a brief opportunity to strike against them before they can regroup to take advantage of their disarray. It would be wise to be [[Vigilance|Vigilant]] however, the Druj are at their most deadly and determined when cornered.

On the Saturday of the equinox, the Sentinel Gate can be used to access the ''Uklead Groves'' in the central Whisperwood.

===Objective: Seize the Whisperwood===
* '''The Empire has a chance to capture the region of Whisperwood'''
* '''There are two approaches that can be taken to secure victory'''
* '''Success with either approach will give the Empire control of the Whisperwood and dominion over the Sarangrave'''

The two approaches offer a choice for the [[Field Marshal]] on how to approach the engagement. That will force the Druj to adapt their own strategies in response. The battlefield presents a difficult environment in which to operate, and threats will most certainly change how they fight to deny the Empire's strengths and expose their vulnerabilities.

Success with either approach will see the Druj forces lose cohesion and force them to withdraw from the region. The arkad forces will fall back to Thornfen, the last bastion of Druj power in the Sarangrave. The Winter Sun, and independent military units operating in the area will be able to quickly wrest control of the area, securing the Whisperwood for the Empire. That will tip control of the entire Sarangrave to the Empire, granting [[Laws_of_magic#The_Law_of_Dominion|dominion]] over the [[territory]] and enabling it to be [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Assignment|assigned to an Imperial nation]].

If the [[Military Council]] can arrange the capture of the Whisperwood, then a Senator could raise a motion to assign the territory to an Imperial nation. Otherwise, the [[Civil Service]] will raise an administrative motion at the following summit, once they have had time to prepare a [[opportunity|briefing]] on the new territory with an assessment of how each nation might benefit from it.

====Tactical Option: Dismiss the Miasma====
* '''There are three pillars in the area that anchor the miasma across the region'''
* '''If they are destroyed with Chimes of Annulment or Consecration they must all be done within ten minutes of each other'''
* '''If they are destroyed with Dreadful Ending, they can be done sequentially'''
* '''If all three are destroyed, the Druj will fall back and the Empire will capture the Whisperwood'''

The [[Druj miasma]] is a boon to the enemy who are used to fighting under its effects but it requires a network of pillars to maintain it. The pillars here in the ''Uklead Groves'' anchor the miasma in place across the Whisperwood - if they can be destroyed, then the miasma in this region will fade. This would enable the Empire to swiftly advance as the Druj fall back, giving them control of the region. It would also and make it easier for Imperial forces to operate in the Whisperwood in future, either during seasonal campaigns or when accessed through conjunctions of the Sentinel Gate.

The Empire has destroyed miasma pillars using the Day ritual, [[Chimes of Annulment]] and with powerful consecrations in the past. These pillars appear more powerful than those the Empire encountered in Zenith and may require more than fifteen doses of liao to overcome their auras. The weakness of this approach is that all three pillars have to be destroyed within ten minutes of each other which requires very careful strategic planning given the distances involved. The untested alternative is to use the Winter ritual, [[Dreadful Ending]], which is much harder to cast but would allow the Empire to destroy the pillars one by one.

If all three pillars are destroyed, then the Druj will fall back, allowing the Empire to seize control of the Whisperwood and with it the territory of Sarangrave.

====Tactical Option: Hold the Ground====
* '''Hold the ground between the pillars to tie up the Druj's forces for an hour'''
* '''The Druj will give up after an hour and retreat if they cannot force the Empire to retreat'''

Instead of striking out to destroy the miasma pillars, the Field Marshal could elect to hold the ground between them against the advancing Druj. This would require Imperial forces to secure the area, and capture at least one or more of the pillars to force the Druj to engage them. Once they control one or more of the pillars, that will draw Druj to their position like wasps to honey as they seek to engage the Empire and protect the pillars.

With the Druj on the back foot and their forces outmanoeuvred, they don't have the numbers to press the attack indefinitely. If the Empire can hold the field for an hour, the Druj morale will break and they will give up the attack. At that point, the battlefield would be theirs, the Druj forces would fall back, and the Imperial forces could return to Anvil in good order.

If the Empire hold the ground between the pillars for an hour and weather the Druj counter-attack, then the Druj will fall back, allowing the Empire to seize control of the Whisperwood and with it the territory of Sarangrave.

===Battlefield Opportunity: Eliminate the ''Fireblood Skinks''===
* '''Bassk Bloodburner has brought their arkad fighters to ''Uklead Groves'''''
* '''Slay the het and his Chikad force on the field of battle'''
* '''Killing Bassk and the arkad fighters will prevent the Druj from using poison or venom in the Sarangrave next season'''

The Druj are infamous across the continent for their use of poison and venom. The local expert in this area is Het Bassk, the ''Bloodburner'', and his Chikad. Adept at brewing their own concoctions and applying them in combat, the ''Fireblood Skinks'' have already reaped a painful toll on Imperial soldiers this season, killing those that could not get to the apothecaries in time.

Eliminating Bassk and the unit will deny the Druj crucial skills, making it impossible for them to employ any poisons or venoms in the Sarangrave next season. Their [[Army_qualities#Venomous|venomous]] armies won't be able to employ Fire in the Blood and they won't have poisons or venoms to deploy on battlefields and skirmishes. The Buruk Tepel will soon replace Het Bassk, but it will give the Empire a season's grace from the Druj's murderous ways.

===Battlefield Opportunity: Save the Fallen Sentinel===
* '''Rescue ''Corisande of Vertigon Spire'' and save their soul'''
* '''The Druj have begun to transform the sentinel into a tortured soul'''
* '''Priests and apothecaries will need to work together to bring the sentinel back from the brink of death'''

A captured Urizen sentinel, Corisande, is being broken and tortured close to the ''Uklead Groves''. She is physically wounded, and has been forced to imbibe dire concoctions by the tepel who are holding her. Her will is broken, and she is close to death - it is clear that the Druj are trying to use her to create one of their tortured souls. There is every chance that the lost sentinel can be rescued and saved, which could save their soul and provide valuable intelligence on how the corrupted Druj alchemy is employed. Priests and apothecaries might both be needed to alleviate Corisande's suffering; healing her physical wounds, purifying the toxins from her body and exorcising the affliction on her soul.

===Battlefield Threat: Tortured Souls===
* '''The Druj have unleashed their twisted creations into the area'''
* '''Priests can exorcise these corrupted souls'''

As the Empire has pressed deeper into the Sarangrave, they have begun to encounter more of the Druj's twisted and wracked creatures. Some postulate that the eastern barbarians have dank dungeons filled with these hideous monsters. Others argue that the increase in numbers is merely a response to the Empire's aggression, and the Druj have tasked their tepel with creating as many as they can to slow the advance of their foes.

Tortured Souls are created by the hideous poisons used by the Tepel when they break an individual's will and turn them into a monster full of wrath and malice towards any they face. They are fearsome foes, often still clad in the garb of their former Imperial lives; they are capable of inflicting a grievous curse with blows from their weapons. Whilst it is possible to put down and execute their physical forms, their spiritual presence can quickly return. The only way to defeat one permanently is for priests to ascertain the strength of the aura on it using Insight and then overcome it with a powerful enough exorcism to dismiss the soul once it has been dropped.

===Battlefield Environment: Miasma of despair===
* '''The entire battlefield is affected by an oppressive Druj miasma'''
* '''The miasma causes [[Calls#WEAKNESS|WEAKNESS]] to everyone exposed to it unless they have a way to [[Roleplaying_effects#Overcoming_Roleplaying_Effects|overcome]] it'''

The entire area at ''Uklead Groves'', is under the effect of the [[Druj miasma]], a pall of potent fear that blankets the lands the Druj claim dominion over. Anyone entering the area will need to protect themselves from the clawing dread or succumb to a weakening terror that creeps into their mind.

The primary effect of the miasma is that it [[Calls#WEAKNESS|weakens]] anyone exposed to it who does not have the ability to [[Roleplaying_effects#Overcoming_Roleplaying_Effects|overcome]] it. The easiest method to overcome the miasma is to receive an [[anointing]], but particularly [[Heroic_skills#Hero|heroic]] individuals, or those in possession of certain [[enchantment|enchantments]] or [[magic items]] may also be able to counteract the effect. In particular, those of the [[changeling]] [[lineage]] are able to fight the effects of the miasma, by only by becoming ''extremely'' angry - which can cause problems all its own.

==Conjunctions (Sarangrave)==
===Traps===
* '''A force of Druj is escorting tortured souls towards the Tower of the Skink'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''High Exorcist'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for destroying the tortured souls'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
The twisted creations of Het Trakaa continue to plague the Imperials in northern Sarangrave. A large band of tortured souls is moving towards the [[Sarangrave#Tower_of_the_Skink|Tower of the Skink]]. Their vanguard is being escorted by a force of Druj through Kroll. If the tortured souls can be destroyed, it will throw the entire plan into disarray and prevent them from reinforcing the fortification.

It is the responsibility of the [[High Exorcist]], '''Belmarie de Courtenay Wyldrose''', to destroy the tortured souls. If the tortured souls survive, then they will be joined by the rest of the throng and reinforce the garrison at the Tower of the Skink, acting as a supporting warband with a thousand strength.

===Something Flickers===
* '''A tortured soul is leading Druj to assault the Citadel Guard'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Champion of Pride'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for ending ''Flavia of the Guiding Lights'''''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
Most tortured souls are warriors who have been corrupted into something evil to serve the whims of the buruk tepel. ''Flavia of the Guiding Lights'' was once a well-respected sentinel who served as adjutant to the General of the [[Citadel Guard]] several times during the reign of [[Empress Britta]]. Lost during the [[381YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_war#Valley_of_Darkness_.28Zenith.29|invasion]] six years ago, the veteran sentinel was assumed dead at the hands of the Druj and mourned.

Now, sightings have been confirmed of the sentinel leading a band of Druj and tortured souls against the soldiers of their former army. It is the responsibility of the [[Champion of Pride]], '''Kali Keen-Eye''' to bring an ending to ''Flavia of the Guiding Lights''. If Flavia is not dealt with, then they will wreak havoc among the Citadel Guard, inflicting 250 casualties to the army before the start of the coming season. Given this involves a threat to the Citadel Guard, it is expected that the General, '''Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was''', will have an interest in the conjunction.

===What Wise Ones Know===
* '''A tortured soul is leading Druj to assault the Northern Eagle'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Champion of Ambition'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for ending ''Dmitriy Innokentievich'''''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
''Dmitriy Innokentievich'' was a native of [[Ossium]] who was eager to swear oaths to [[Varushka Egregore|Mother Varushka]] when the territory became part of the nation. For a while they were known as a [[warden]] who helped the far-flung, burgeoning outposts until they were lost in [[Sarangrave]] a year ago. Now they have reappeared, this time leading a new fellowship of Druj and tortured souls against the [[Northern Eagle]].

It is the responsibility of the [[Champion of Ambition]], '''Eldrid Phoenixflame Vestardottir''' to bring an ending to ''Dmitriy Innokentievich''. If Dmitriy is not dealt with, then they will wreak havoc among the Northern Eagle, inflicting 250 casualties to the army before the start of the coming season. Given this involves a threat to the Northern Eagle, it is expected that the General, '''Aksel Reznov Razoradze''', will have an interest in the conjunction.

===Two Captains===
* '''A patrol from the Lions of Adelmar have been badly injured by the Druj'''
* '''This is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely|combat unlikely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''General of the Lions of Adelmar'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for treating the wounded'''
{{InnocentPeoplePresent}}
Following the Imperial push and the retreat of the Druj, some patrols of the [[Lions of Adelmar]] have been waylaid. Druj guerrillas, who stayed behind to strike at the second line of Dawnish, have managed to ambush several groups of [[Surgical_skills#Physick|physicks]] and [[Surgical_skills#Chirurgeon|chirurgeons]] before melting away. Most of the injured groups have been recovered, and brought to rest at field hospitals in the Turan Flats. But captains ''Bertrand'' and ''Bohemond'' are still lost, along with their patrol. If they can be treated, then they will be able to make it back to the nearest field hospital and recover quickly.

It is the responsibility of the [[Lions of Adelmar|General of the Lions of Adelmar]], '''Dame Katelyn Quinnell De Cordraco''', to treat the wounded. If they are successful, then the family of the two captains will send a [[Circlet of Command]] to the general in time for the Winter Solstice.

===Whirlpools of Colour===
* '''A patrol from the Granite Pillar has been badly injured by the Druj'''
* '''This is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Unlikely|combat unlikely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Medical Officer of the Pegasus Respite'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for treating the wounded'''
{{InnocentPeoplePresent}}
The guardians of the [[Granite Pillar]] are remarkably [[Army qualities#Disciplined|disciplined]]. Their iron will serves as a bulwark against which barbarians crash, but it can sometimes be exploited - especially by the malice of the Druj. One of the Granite Pillar's patrols was ambushed a few days ago in the Turan Flats. A band of unconquered are on their way to recover them, but there is a chance they will get there too late.

It is the responsibility of the [[Medical Officer of the Pegasus Respite]], '''Lysimachus''', to treat the wounded. If they are successful, then the families of the wounded will send a [[Phial of the Sun]] to the Medical Officer in time for the Winter Solstice.

==Further Reading==
* [[Sarangrave]]
* [[Druj]]

* [[Make it happen]] - 384YE Summer Wind of Fortune about some of the septs of the Sarangrave
* [[Root and branch]] - 387YE Summer Wind of War about the continuing battle for Sarangrave
* [[Unlock thy hidden gate]] - 387YE Spring Wind of War about the start of the battle for Sarangrave

Sarangrave

2026-08-20T09:40:54Z

Rafferty: /* Further Reading */

[[Category:Urizen]][[Category:Imperial_Territory]][[Category:Druj]] [[Category:Gazetteer]][[Category:The Mallum]][[Category:Vallorn]]
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Regions of Sarangrave.png|caption=Sarangrave is mapped, but parts of the territory remain unknown.|align=left|width=600}}</div>
==Overview==
Sarangrave is the south-western territory of [[the Mallum]]. It borders [[Therunin]], [[Zenith]], [[Axos]], and [[the Barrens]], as well as the [[Salt Flats of Sanath]]. It absolutely teems with life - where [[Ossium]] was grim and dour, strangled with dark forests, Sarangrave is wide open and fecund. It is bounded to the south by the [[Tsark|Mountains of the Moon]] and the peaks of Axos.

There is a great deal of agriculture here - both crops and herd animals in great profusion. The Great Forest orcs speak of the Sarangrave in dark tones. They say that there is something corrupt in the marsh, a malignant presence that the [[Druj]] commune with. Some speculate that it is perhaps related to the terrible spirit that occupies the great ruins that lie along the northern river - the river that flows out of the Feverwater in Therunin.

There are three clans of Druj in Sarangrave; the south is dominated by the Thornwasp clan, the northern regions are controlled by the Banded Snake, and the eastern regions are under control of the Marshlizard. These three powerful clans rule over a number of smaller clans, septs of subject orcs, and a few handfuls of humans.

==Economics==
It is likely that, were the territory conquered by the Empire, it would experience similar problems to those encountered in Ossium with regard to establishing [[commission|commissions]] and the like. Sarangrave appears on the surface to be a very fertile territory - perhaps even on par with parts of [[the Marches]] - and it is likely that [[farm|farms]] would be readily established and prosper here.

==Recent History==
The Druj are secure in their domination of the Sarangrave. Until very recently, the territory was completely unknown to the Empire. The [[Great Forest Orcs]] were the first to name the place, when they provided [[The Mallum#Sarangrave|what information they possessed]] to their Imperial allies. In Summer 383YE, however, a [[spy network]] was [[Construct_spy_network_in_the_Sarangrave|commissioned here]] by the [[Senate]]. Thanks to a joint effort between the [[Penumbral Watcher]], Imperial [[military unit|military captains]] and [[Axos|Axou]] scouts the territory was carefully infiltrated, explored, and mapped in the run-up to the Winter Solstice of that year. The information here was made public after the summit. The Axou contingent was composed of Toxatai skirmishers, many of them [[Magical skills#Magician|magicians]]. These scouts cooperated fully with their Imperial counterparts, sharing information and coordinating their movements through the fens and forests. Two of them were accompanied by ghostly advisors - remnant spirits summoned by ''necromantia'' as part of an [[enchantment]] that helped guide the Axou in their investigation of the territory. The Axou have the same information as is provided here.

==Points of Interest==
===Miasma Pillars===
The entire territory is in the grip of the [[Druj miasma]] - the oppressive aura of despair and fear that the orcs of the Mallum cultivate wherever they establish their dominion. It causes nightmares and impedes efforts to conquer the territory. As with other Druj territories the Empire has encountered, the crushing atmosphere is supported by [[Druj_miasma#Miasma_Pillars|miasma pillars]] in each of the seven regions.


===Trods===
There are currently no [[trods]] in Sarangrave, although the presence of a [[vallorn]] heart here no doubt means the [[Navarr]] will be keen to establish some.

===Béantal Dol===
The ”corrupting spirit” that the Great Forest speak of is almost certainly the [[vallorn]] that lurks at the heart of the Sarangrave. There is little doubt that this is the location of the ruins of the Terunael city Béantal Dol. Obviously the Imperial scouts find it difficult to do more than identify the outskirts of the area, so the presence of the ruins is pretty much still speculation. There is even more speculation about why the vallorn is not significantly larger. There are no Navarr among the spies studying Sarangrave, but some of the Axou have experience of the immense vallorn that occupies the heart of their own nation. They say there's no sign that the vallorn has ever been any bigger than it currently is. The best guess of their magician-scouts it has something to do with the peculiar stones that serve as a boundary around the central region.

The Druj for their part tend to just avoid the place. There are few settlements other than Grynbor in the [[#Nesustak_Forest|Nesustak forest]] that are especially close to the borders, and no signs of any [[steading|steadings]] or permanent [[striding|stridings]] within. Following the Winter Solstice 385YE, the [[Imperial Spymaster]] Bernard Dugdale took advantage of [[A_thousand_years_of_longing#The_Mystery_of_Béantal_Dol|an opportunity]] to launch a more detailed exploration of this region. The results of that investigation were [[Into Béantal Dol|published]] following the Spring Equinox.

===Tower of the Skink===
There is a very large [[fortification]] of white granite and twisted weirwood in [[#Thornfen|Thornfen]]. It isn't built in the pass that connects Sarangrave and Axos but it still defends the territory from invasion. The Druj "city" of Sephals sprawls in the shadow of this large castle.

===Palace of the Sleepers===
In northern [[#Kroll|Kroll]] is the Palace of the Sleepers. A peculiar almost conical hill, riddled with passages and shrouded in twisted trees and an enduring cloak of dirty mist. It stands on the edge of a great dark watered lake and the local populace give it a wide berth. There's also a weird statue of a giant multi-armed horror next to the slumped conical mound, right on the edge of the lake.

It is tricky to get close to the structure - there are some particularly horrible creatures living in the marshes that have not been encountered elsewhere. A breed of large carnivorous multi-armed horror similar to a miniature [[Mundane_beasts#Kraken|kraken]] (they seem to grow no more than six feet long), and an amphibious lizard similar to a crocodile or alligator that seems to possess a supernatural ability to sneak up on its prey. Those spies with magical awareness suspect that there is an aura here reminiscent of the ritual Dripping Echoes of the Fen but on a much smaller scale.

The orcs are not alone here – there are a noticeable number of human slaves here and the spies believe they are primarily of recent [[Urizen]] and [[Axos|Axou]] origin.

Difficult as it is to believe for some of the spies, the Palace of the Sleepers appears to be a [[college of magic]], dedicated to the study of either the [[Night magic|Night]] or [[Spring magic|Spring]] realms. It's impossible to get much of a feel for it, but the Axou agree. The [[Druj_lore#Ghulai|ghulai]] here are studying and developing magic, whatever else they are up to.

===The [[Fingers of the Devourer]]===
In western [[#Whisperwood|Whisperwood]] is a rich [[weirwood]] forest. The trees themselves are a little peculiar – they have a sinuous quality not seen in other forests, with drooping curved branches. There's no doubt they are actually weirwood, but they seem particularly adapted to living in the damp soil from which they sprout.

Estimates suggest the forest provides 20 wains of weirwood each season. It's not impossible that if they were in Imperial hands it might provide more wains.

===Path of the Eye===
The mountains of the southern Sarangrave prevent easy passage between Axos and the Mallum. The only route for [[Army|armies]] to move between the two nations is the Path of the Eye, a broad pass that connects [[#Thornfen|Thornfen]] and the Axou territory of [[Axos#Axou_Territories|Kabanja]].

==Regions==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Sarangrave Region Map.png|caption=A very rough region map of the Sarangrave|align=right|width=600}}</div>
===Nesustak Forest===
* '''Quality:''' Forest
The Nesustak Forest is dank and unpleasant. It is dominated by the Banded Snake clan, ruled from nearby '''Turan''', but there are few Druj settlements here. Most of the populace are made up of orc septs, with one obvious exception. At the point where the river leaves the vallorn-infested region of Bendol there is a small town given over to a predominantly human sept who call themselves the Grynbor (which also seems to be the name of their settlement).

The exact status of these Grynbor is difficult to determine - they are surely subjects of the Druj but like the [[Ossium#Ketsov|Ketsov]] in [[Ossium]] they seem to have a certain amount of freedom. They "farm" the forests for wood, but they also seem to "farm" the vallorn to the south. Small expeditions press into the infested region, braving the miasma, apparently in search of treasures and peculiar plants for their Druj overlords. They also operate flat-bottomed boats that carry lumber down the river.

One particularly grim practice observed by the spies is that it seems that whenever a Grynbor becomes sick, or too old to work, they are offered up to the vallorn of Bendol. Some scouts are able to observe such a ceremony; there is a sense of pageantry about it as the "sacrifice" voluntarily walks into the vallorn with neither weapons nor armour.

As with all the regions that border Bendol, Nesustak forest shows signs of having been warped by vallorn power in the past although there seems to be little evidence of vallornspawn at the current time. After the storm of 384YE, the area bordering Therunin has become significantly more marshy, but for the most part the waters spreading across the border were contained by Druj slave gangs.

===Thornfen===
* '''Quality:''' Forest, Marsh, Fortification, [[Region qualities#Outlaw Druj|Outlaw Druj]]
The Thornfen is controlled by the Marshlizard Clan of the Druj, and the heart of their territory is the sprawling town of '''Sephals''' which is by far the most significant settlement in the Sarangrave - a sprawling stinking almost-city with a population on par with [[Mitwold#Meade|Meade]]. It squats in the shadow of the Tower of the Skink, an impressive fortified complex of white granite and twisted weirwood.

The majority of the structures in Sephals are of a wattle and daub construction; hovels for the countless slaves who serve under the whips of their masters. These are in stark contrast to a few buildings near the gates of the [[#Tower of the Skink|Tower of the Skink]], built of limestone and ornamented with marble. These manors are equal in size and splendour to some of the finest in [[the League]], the largest of which serves as both residence and workshop for the [[Druj_lore#Buruk_Tepel|buruk tepel]] Grahkunuz and their apprentices.

There is a pass here through the mountains into north-western Axos – the [[#Path of the Eye|Path of the Eye]] - which is how the Druj invade that foreign nation. After the Autumn Equinox 387YE, during the battle for the Sarangrave, the Druj [[Fire_and_the_flood#Jarangir's_Levy|broke Jarangir's Levy]], causing a disastrous flood in the northern Thornfen and destroying roads, settlements, and farms alike.

===Turan Flats===
* '''Quality:''' Marsh, Outlaw Druj
A sprawling, stinking marshland bisected by a slow-moving river that feeds from the Feverwater. The Flats are heavily farmed, primarily wild rice, tubers that flourish in partially drained beds, caged fish and water fowl, and herds of fat pig-like animals that grow a thick coarse wool. Slave villages are scattered across the marshes, under the cruel fist of the Banded Snake clan.

The ruler of '''Turan''' is a [[Druj_champion#Het|het]] of the Banded Snakes called Trakaa who is viewed with almost superstitious dread by the populace, and is known to take particular pleasure in acquiring captured Imperial soldiers and breaking them body and soul.

Healthy trade routes flow between the Turan Flats, the [[Salt Flats of Sanath]], and [[the Barrens]].

===Kroll===
* '''Quality:''' Marsh, Outlaw Druj
Apart from Bendol this is the wildest region in Sarangrave. It is dominated by the Marshlizard clan, but part of it is held by an entirely different group of orcs - a cabal of Ghulai called the Sept of Masks. They are based around a peculiar almost conical hill, called the [[#Palace of the Sleepers|Palace of the Sleepers]], riddled with passages and shrouded in twisted trees and an enduring cloak of dirty mist.

The rest of the region is given over to some light farming and a scattering of settlements belonging to slaves of the Marshlizards. Some of these settlements are involved in panning or sieving the marsh waters, especially those along the streams and rivers that cascade down out of the mountains between [[#Kroll|Kroll]] and Axos. It's likely they are looking for precious metals, which might conceivably include a little ilium.

===Bendol===
* '''Quality:''' Marsh, Forest, Vallorn, Vallornheart
This region is shunned by the Druj, because it is occupied by a seething vallorn heart. There are believed to be Terunael ruins here, but the scouts are unable to penetrate particularly into the region for obvious reasons. Of particular interest is a series of misshapen stones that circle the region - several of them mired in the lake - which bear carved designs somewhat reminiscent of curling Navarr patterns.

There is no sign of any trods in the region- and the vallorn does not appear quiescent so much as ''contained''. It is notable that parts of the marsh and forest in all the regions that border Bendol show signs of having been touched by the vallorn. There is no [[Vallorn#Vallorn_Miasma|miasma]] but the plants and some of the animals show signs of having been twisted by vallorn magic.

===Whisperwood===
* '''Quality:''' Forest, Outlaw Druj
The southern borders of Whisperwood rise vertiginously into a great plateau, which borders the Mountains of the Moon - the isolated nation of [[Tsark]]. The woodlands are dominated by the Thornwasp clan of the Druj, who also control [[#Bloodwater Marsh|Bloodwater Marsh]]. In the western part of the region is a weirwood grove with the rather unsettling name of [[#The Fingers of the Devourer|The Fingers of the Devourer]] which seems to be the source of a lot of the Thornwasp clan wealth.

The eastern parts of the region are given over to farms - but no less forested for it. The orcs practice an advanced form of agriculture that allows them to grow a variety of produce even in the shadow of the trees.

There is a large settlement here, roughly in the middle of the region, which is named '''Uklead'''. The Thornwasp palace squats in the centre of the settlement, and is notable because unlike most Druj towns and villages it has several tall towers rather than being largely one-and-two storey ramshackle buildings.

===Bloodwater Marsh===
* '''Quality:''' Marsh
Grim fens and dour marshes and dozens of streams and rivers feed into the Feverwater. There are a couple of Druj settlements here on the shores of the lake, mostly dedicated to fishing and raiding Therunin. This is where the Druj forces invaded Zenith from. The largest settlement here is probably '''Lahkev''', along the eastern shores of the Feverwater, close to the twisted vallorn of [[#Bendol|Bendol]]. A sept of orcs who seem to take pride in emulating the Druj are found here - they curry favour with their masters in the Thornwasp clan by scouting and raiding in [[Therunin]] and [[Zenith]]. Lahkev has rotten docks - barely maintained enough to support the fisherfolk. There are signs that some of the buildings here are very old indeed - or at least parts of them are.
{{Senate Elections|Senator_for_Sarangrave|Territory=Sarangrave|Season=Spring}}

==OOC Notes==
* As of the start of the Summer Solstice 388YE, the vallorn holds sway in Bendol; Urizen controls Turan Flats, Kroll, Bloodwater Marsh, and Whisperwood; Axos control Thornfen; and rebels control Nesustak Forest. Sarangrave is an Imperial territory.
* The Tower of the Skink is a rank four [[fortification]].
* '''Strategic consideration''': Thanks to the presence of the Feverwater, [[Army|campaign armies]] cannot move west from [[#Bloodwater Marsh|Bloodwater Marsh]] to [[Therunin]], nor can Bloodwater Marsh be invaded from the west, ''without'' an appropriate [[opportunity]]. The lake also prevents passage between [[#Nesustak_Forest|Nesustak Forest]] and [[#Bloodwater Marsh|Bloodwater Marsh]].

==Further Reading==
* [[The Mallum]]
* [[Skull beneath the skin]] - Autumn 388YE wind of war detailing Axou efforts to protect Sarangrave from Winter spirits
* [[Thorn and bone]] - Summer 388YE wind of war on the defence against the vallorn and repulsing the Druj
* [[Other monstrous geographies]] - Spring 388YE wind of war on the conquest of Thornfen and the unleashing of the vallorn
* [[Fire and the flood]] - Winter 387YE wind of war continuing the campaign in Sarangrave
* [[Everything is trying to kill us]] - Winter 387YE wind of fortune with the broad problems facing Urizen in the territory
* [[Even darkness must pass]] - Autumn 387YE wind of war continuing the campaign in Sarangrave
* [[Hope and fear]] - Summer 387YE appraisal of Druj military supply
* [[Root and branch]] - Summer 387YE wind of war continuing the invasion of Sarangrave
* [[Unlock thy hidden gate]] - Spring 387YE wind of war about the initial invasion of Sarangrave
* [[Into Béantal Dol]] - Spring 386YE results of a foray into Bendol to explore the vallorn there
* [[Make it happen]] - Summer 384YE wind of fortune regarding [[appraisal]] of the chances of creating an uprising in Sarangrave using the [[spy network]] there

388YE Autumn Equinox winds of war

2026-08-20T09:35:22Z

Rafferty: /* The Heavy Skies of Autumn */

[[Category:Winds of War]][[Category:388YE Autumn]][[Category:Military Council]][[Category:Recent History]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Three_Flags.jpg|align=left|caption=Banners flutter as the winds of war begin to blow.|width=500}}</div>
==Overview==
Over the last three months, Imperial forces have engaged in military campaigns. Sometimes those engagements have been wide-ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Where there has been dramatic action, or where there are [[opportunity|opportunities]], we've given a Wind of War its own page; other military actions are discussed here.

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 War and the [[388YE_Autumn_Equinox_winds_of_fortune|Winds of Fortune]] is to make players aware of things their characters ''should'' know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of [[Anvil]].

It should go without saying that we ask everyone to abide by the rules about [[Online_roleplaying|online roleplaying]] with regard to the military campaign. It's important that the key in-character activity of the Empire world takes place at events. The game is busier and better if everything that can happen in the field, does happen in the field. Military planning and political discussions should happen at events. For this reason, we generally discourage too much downtime roleplaying between events and put strict limits on what can be done online, particularly using our forums and Facebook groups.

All that said, we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.
==The Heavy Skies of Autumn==
</table>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="width:400px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Conflict !! Wind
|-
| [[Bregasland]] || [[Mud, blood, and manacles]]
|-
| [[Mareave]] || [[Salt lions]]
|-
| [[Therunin]] || [[The dose makes the poison]]
|-
| [[Sarangrave]] || [[Skull beneath the skin]]
|-
| [[Territory]] || [[Wind]]
|-
| [[Territory]] || [[Wind]]
|-
|}
</table>
After the height of Summer, we take the slow road toward Winter. Green leaves shade to yellow and red; bright blossoms swell and undergo that magical transformation from flower to fruit. The sun stays abed a little longer each morning, retires a little earlier. The gulfs of night yawn, whispering the promise of snow and rain and the end of things. Summer is the season of war, blades bright in the noonday sun, shields raised against the sharp arrows of the foe, horns and voices alike raised in praise of battle. The crows circle lazily in the azure sky, though. They know that after every fight there will come a harvest, and they are eager to sup the bounty that spills out on the sodden soil.

This year is no different; the Empire's [[army|armies]] march proudly to war against their enemies. In the east, the west, and the south they fight, and even the north is not entirely spared the glorious rhythm of steel on steel as Imperial soldiers fight alongside the blue-swaddled warlocks of Otkodov who battle in pursuit of their own inscrutable goals.

Where to begin?

The [[Jotun]] have held [[Bregasland]] now for long enough that they might think it is part of their domain, might be considering placing their own stamp on it as they have [[Liathaven|Ashvale]]. The [[Strong Reeds]] have a different thought, and this season they rise, and with their allies, fight to change the status quo. It is a season of '''[[mud, blood, and manacles]]'''.

Or perhaps we should start almost as far away from [[the Marches]] as it is possible to get while still being in the Empire? In [[Mareave]], the opposing strategies of Imperial and Grendel armies clash and flow around one another, while the neutral city-state of [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] looks on. A clash of pride and retribution, of wisdom and cunning, of courage and audacity, of loyalty and fidelity, of sea and stone. The '''[[salt lions]]''' roar, and the long slow fight for the land that was once Mahal drags on another season.

Maybe look instead to [[Therunin]], where the [[Golden Axe]] venture into the [[Region_qualities#Poisoned|poisoned]] ruin that is the [[Therunin#Lower Tarn Valley|Tarn Valley]]. The reside of [[Ashes#Objective:_Prevent_the_use_of_the_Sephals_Cauldron|Sephals Cauldron]] has tainted the marshes, killing plants and animals and people with equal indifference. The [[Druj]] hold the valley, but they are isolated from [[the Mallum]] by the [[vallorn]] and the loss of the [[Sarangrave]]. Perhaps both sides will benefit from a reminder that it is '''[[the dose makes the poison]]'''?

And speaking of the Sarangrave... the victorious Imperial armies have not rested on their laurels. As Summer fades, the Empire ends its soldiers deeper into the Mallum. It falls to the [[Axos|Axou]] of [[Sarangrave#Thornfen|Thornfen]] to protect the territory, the [[Urizen]] and rebels and former slaves alike, from the depredations of Winter spirits [[Thorn_and_bone#Objective:_Trap_the_Spirits|unleashed]] by the collapsing armies. Who better understands the '''[[skull beneath the skin]]''' than the ''necromantia'' of Axos?

==Battle opportunities==
{{stub}}
Imperial prognosticators have identified three possible [[Sentinel_Gate#Major_Conjunctions|major conjunctions]] of the [[Sentinel Gate]] at the coming summit. The [[Military Council]] will [[muster]] on Friday night, and the [[general|generals]] will select two of them to be taken up by Imperial heroes. At the moment, the full details of these opportunities are not clear; more information will be provided nearer to the event.

All battle opportunities are [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Combat Highly Likely]] environments.

===Battle participation===
If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field forces predominantly comprised of barbarian orcs. If you are unable to wear a mask, then all battle opportunities have limited roles for human barbarian combatants and low-combat roles such as healers, support mages, artisans, messengers and attendants. Player [[Monstering_a_battle#Elite_Monster_Units|elite monster units]] (EMUs) are expected to monster as their barbarian orc units regardless of the battle opportunity, and should not include human combatants.

'''IMPORTANT''' - we will '''not''' be reusing any orc masks to players for these battle opportunities. Our orc masks will only be used once this event and then washed ready for the next event. We are continuing the provision of battle opportunities with non-orc enemies until such a time as we have sufficient masks to run two fully orc-masked battles.

==Conjunctions==
The [[Sentinel Gate]] also allows smaller groups of Imperial citizens to reach locations all over the Empire where their intervention might change the course of events. Many of these ''[[Sentinel Gate#Conjunction|conjunctions]]'' involve combat, but there are also a variety of other opportunities presented by the magic of the Gate.

For most conjunctions, the Civil Service has identified the Imperial titles that are the most appropriate to take overall responsibility for ensuring that a response is organised. Whilst the individual has been named by the Civil Service, there is no legal requirement for them to coordinate a response or travel on the conjunction. They may delegate oversight to another individual of their choosing. As always, Imperial war scouts will be on hand at the Sentinel Gate to provide further information to any citizens wanting to learn more. They can provide updates on the barbarians' goals, guidance on how to engage the enemy troops or advice on how to avoid casualties and return back to Anvil in safety.

Sometimes it is necessary for us to make small adjustments to the timing or size of encounters at the time of this publication and when an encounter runs at an event. Details for the conjunctions on Friday will be finalised on Friday afternoon of the event before time-in (18:00) whilst details for the conjunctions on Saturday will be finalised on Saturday before time-in (10:00). Please check the details of any conjunction you are interested in as soon as possible to ensure that you have the full and up-to-date information; it might also be sensible to check again shortly before the planned time of the encounter. You can check the details of a conjunction by casting [[Detect_magic#Discover_Conjunction|Detect Magic (Discover Conjunction)]] on the Sentinel Gate in the presence of a referee.

It's very important to pay attention to the [[accessibility]] note for each conjunction, which covers the likelihood of combat. Further details about the accessibility of a conjunction are [[Accessibility#Who_and_how_to_ask.3F|available both before and during the event]]. You can learn more about this on the [[accessibility]] page.

===Friday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 18:00 on Friday</div>
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 18:30 || tbc || tbc mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || TBC || TBC || TBC
|-
|}

===Saturday===
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 18:30 || tbc || tbc mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || TBC || TBC || TBC
|-
|}
==Military Considerations==
Several [[territory]] pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several [[fortification|fortifications]] that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Winter Solstice.
* '''Billeting:''' Any Imperial army can take the '''''[[Army_orders#Billet|Billet]]''''' order in [[Mitwold]], [[Mournwold]], or [[Upwold]]. [[Army_orders#Billet|Link]]
* '''Brass Coast'''
** The [[Burning Falcon]] can take the '''''[[Army_qualities#True_Conviction|Leonine Rampage]]''''' order if they have been enchanted by [[Knights of Glory]] until the start of the Autumn Equinox 389YE.
** The [[Fire of the South]] cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order until have spent an entire year without the [[Knights of Glory]] enchantment. They last hosted the heralds of Eleonaris after the Winter Solstice 387YE.
* '''Dawn:'''
** Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[Dawn military concerns#Army Orders|Link]]
** Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Steady Conquest|Steady Conquest]]''''' order against Druj until the start of the Summer Solstice 389YE. [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Charge!|Link]]
** Dawnish armies can take the '''''[[Army_qualities#Glorious|Triumphant Charge]]''''' order against Druj until the start of the Summer Solstice 389YE. [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Charge!|Link]]
** The borders of [[the Barrens]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_23|mandate]] enacted by Ser Tunic. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in the Barrens.
** The [[Lions of Adelmar]] cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order until have spent an entire year without the [[Knights of Glory]] enchantment. They last hosted the heralds of Eleonaris after the Summer Solstice 388YE.
* '''Highguard'''
** Highborn armies can take the '''''Protect the Innocent''''' order. [[Highguard_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
** Highborn armies enchanted with rituals or targeted by a boon that calls an eternal to send heralds to fight alongside the army will lose a thousand effective strength until the end of the Spring Equinox 389YE as a result of a [[387YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_9|mandate]] enacted by Frater Pontius of Adoniram's Testament
** Any Highborn army attacking into Zenith from Morrow gains a 20% bonus to any territory captured and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]
* '''Imperial Orcs'''
** An Imperial Orc army can take the '''''Forge Hammers''''' order whilst in [[Skarsind]]. [[Imperial_Orcs_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
* '''The Marches:'''
** Marcher armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
** The [[Strong Reeds]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Bregasland]]. [[New_port,_old_wine#New_Oaths,_Old_Boots|Link]]
** The [[Tusks]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mournwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Drakes]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mitwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Bounders]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Upwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
* '''Urizen:'''
** The borders of [[Morrow]] and [[Zenith]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_14|mandate]] enacted by Herminius of the House of the Wanderer. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Morrow and Zenith.
** Any Urizen army attacking into Zenith from Morrow gains a 20% bonus to any territory captured and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]
* '''Varushka:'''
** The borders of [[Ossium]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_157|mandate]] enacted by Velko Perunovich Razorasza. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Ossium.
** Varushkan armies can take the '''''Hospitality of the Boyars''''' order whilst in Ossium. [[Varushka_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]].
** The [[Golden Axe]] cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order until have spent an entire year without the [[Knights of Glory]] enchantment. They last hosted the heralds of Eleonaris after the Autumn Equinox 387YE.
* '''Wintermark:'''
** Wintermark armies can take the '''''Fight with Honour''''' order. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]].
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]]
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. [[A_tale_told#Game_Information|Link]]
** The [[Green Shield]] cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order until have spent an entire year without the [[Knights of Glory]] enchantment. They last hosted the heralds of Eleonaris after the Summer Solstice 388YE.

Click ''Expand'' to see military considerations that are less relevant at the current time but are still active.
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
*'''Morrow:''' Any Highborn or Urizen army that defends in Morrow against an army attacking from Zenith gains a 20% bonus to defend territory and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]</div>

388YE Autumn Equinox winds of war

2026-08-20T09:35:08Z

Rafferty: /* The Heavy Skies of Autumn */

[[Category:Winds of War]][[Category:388YE Autumn]][[Category:Military Council]][[Category:Recent History]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Three_Flags.jpg|align=left|caption=Banners flutter as the winds of war begin to blow.|width=500}}</div>
==Overview==
Over the last three months, Imperial forces have engaged in military campaigns. Sometimes those engagements have been wide-ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Where there has been dramatic action, or where there are [[opportunity|opportunities]], we've given a Wind of War its own page; other military actions are discussed here.

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 War and the [[388YE_Autumn_Equinox_winds_of_fortune|Winds of Fortune]] is to make players aware of things their characters ''should'' know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of [[Anvil]].

It should go without saying that we ask everyone to abide by the rules about [[Online_roleplaying|online roleplaying]] with regard to the military campaign. It's important that the key in-character activity of the Empire world takes place at events. The game is busier and better if everything that can happen in the field, does happen in the field. Military planning and political discussions should happen at events. For this reason, we generally discourage too much downtime roleplaying between events and put strict limits on what can be done online, particularly using our forums and Facebook groups.

All that said, we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.
==The Heavy Skies of Autumn==
</table>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="width:400px; float: right; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Conflict !! Wind
|-
| [[Bregasland]] || [[Mud, blood, and manacles]]
|-
| [[Mareave]] || [[Salt lions]]
|-
| [[Therunin]] || [[The dose makes the poison]]
|-
| [[Territory]] || [[Wind]]
|-
| [[Territory]] || [[Wind]]
|-
| [[Territory]] || [[Wind]]
|-
|}
</table>
After the height of Summer, we take the slow road toward Winter. Green leaves shade to yellow and red; bright blossoms swell and undergo that magical transformation from flower to fruit. The sun stays abed a little longer each morning, retires a little earlier. The gulfs of night yawn, whispering the promise of snow and rain and the end of things. Summer is the season of war, blades bright in the noonday sun, shields raised against the sharp arrows of the foe, horns and voices alike raised in praise of battle. The crows circle lazily in the azure sky, though. They know that after every fight there will come a harvest, and they are eager to sup the bounty that spills out on the sodden soil.

This year is no different; the Empire's [[army|armies]] march proudly to war against their enemies. In the east, the west, and the south they fight, and even the north is not entirely spared the glorious rhythm of steel on steel as Imperial soldiers fight alongside the blue-swaddled warlocks of Otkodov who battle in pursuit of their own inscrutable goals.

Where to begin?

The [[Jotun]] have held [[Bregasland]] now for long enough that they might think it is part of their domain, might be considering placing their own stamp on it as they have [[Liathaven|Ashvale]]. The [[Strong Reeds]] have a different thought, and this season they rise, and with their allies, fight to change the status quo. It is a season of '''[[mud, blood, and manacles]]'''.

Or perhaps we should start almost as far away from [[the Marches]] as it is possible to get while still being in the Empire? In [[Mareave]], the opposing strategies of Imperial and Grendel armies clash and flow around one another, while the neutral city-state of [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] looks on. A clash of pride and retribution, of wisdom and cunning, of courage and audacity, of loyalty and fidelity, of sea and stone. The '''[[salt lions]]''' roar, and the long slow fight for the land that was once Mahal drags on another season.

Maybe look instead to [[Therunin]], where the [[Golden Axe]] venture into the [[Region_qualities#Poisoned|poisoned]] ruin that is the [[Therunin#Lower Tarn Valley|Tarn Valley]]. The reside of [[Ashes#Objective:_Prevent_the_use_of_the_Sephals_Cauldron|Sephals Cauldron]] has tainted the marshes, killing plants and animals and people with equal indifference. The [[Druj]] hold the valley, but they are isolated from [[the Mallum]] by the [[vallorn]] and the loss of the [[Sarangrave]]. Perhaps both sides will benefit from a reminder that it is '''[[the dose makes the poison]]'''?

And speaking of the Sarangrave... the victorious Imperial armies have not rested on their laurels. As Summer fades, the Empire ends its soldiers deeper into the Mallum. It falls to the [[Axos|Axou]] of [[Sarangrave#Thornfen|Thornfen]] to protect the territory, the [[Urizen]] and rebels and former slaves alike, from the depredations of Winter spirits [[Thorn_and_bone#Objective:_Trap_the_Spirits|unleashed]] by the collapsing armies. Who better understands the '''[[skull beneath the skin]]''' than the ''necromantia'' of Axos?

==Battle opportunities==
{{stub}}
Imperial prognosticators have identified three possible [[Sentinel_Gate#Major_Conjunctions|major conjunctions]] of the [[Sentinel Gate]] at the coming summit. The [[Military Council]] will [[muster]] on Friday night, and the [[general|generals]] will select two of them to be taken up by Imperial heroes. At the moment, the full details of these opportunities are not clear; more information will be provided nearer to the event.

All battle opportunities are [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Combat Highly Likely]] environments.

===Battle participation===
If you have your own [[orc]] mask please do bring it along as we're keen to ensure we can field forces predominantly comprised of barbarian orcs. If you are unable to wear a mask, then all battle opportunities have limited roles for human barbarian combatants and low-combat roles such as healers, support mages, artisans, messengers and attendants. Player [[Monstering_a_battle#Elite_Monster_Units|elite monster units]] (EMUs) are expected to monster as their barbarian orc units regardless of the battle opportunity, and should not include human combatants.

'''IMPORTANT''' - we will '''not''' be reusing any orc masks to players for these battle opportunities. Our orc masks will only be used once this event and then washed ready for the next event. We are continuing the provision of battle opportunities with non-orc enemies until such a time as we have sufficient masks to run two fully orc-masked battles.

==Conjunctions==
The [[Sentinel Gate]] also allows smaller groups of Imperial citizens to reach locations all over the Empire where their intervention might change the course of events. Many of these ''[[Sentinel Gate#Conjunction|conjunctions]]'' involve combat, but there are also a variety of other opportunities presented by the magic of the Gate.

For most conjunctions, the Civil Service has identified the Imperial titles that are the most appropriate to take overall responsibility for ensuring that a response is organised. Whilst the individual has been named by the Civil Service, there is no legal requirement for them to coordinate a response or travel on the conjunction. They may delegate oversight to another individual of their choosing. As always, Imperial war scouts will be on hand at the Sentinel Gate to provide further information to any citizens wanting to learn more. They can provide updates on the barbarians' goals, guidance on how to engage the enemy troops or advice on how to avoid casualties and return back to Anvil in safety.

Sometimes it is necessary for us to make small adjustments to the timing or size of encounters at the time of this publication and when an encounter runs at an event. Details for the conjunctions on Friday will be finalised on Friday afternoon of the event before time-in (18:00) whilst details for the conjunctions on Saturday will be finalised on Saturday before time-in (10:00). Please check the details of any conjunction you are interested in as soon as possible to ensure that you have the full and up-to-date information; it might also be sensible to check again shortly before the planned time of the encounter. You can check the details of a conjunction by casting [[Detect_magic#Discover_Conjunction|Detect Magic (Discover Conjunction)]] on the Sentinel Gate in the presence of a referee.

It's very important to pay attention to the [[accessibility]] note for each conjunction, which covers the likelihood of combat. Further details about the accessibility of a conjunction are [[Accessibility#Who_and_how_to_ask.3F|available both before and during the event]]. You can learn more about this on the [[accessibility]] page.

===Friday===
<div class="alert">'''These times and numbers are subject to change until 18:00 on Friday</div>
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 18:30 || tbc || tbc mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || TBC || TBC || TBC
|-
|}

===Saturday===
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Time !! People !! Duration !! [[Accessibility#Combat|Combat]] !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview/Link
|-
| 18:30 || tbc || tbc mins || [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|Highly Likely]] || TBC || TBC || TBC
|-
|}
==Military Considerations==
Several [[territory]] pages now contain details of strategic obstacles presented or advantages provided by movement through or fighting in those lands. There are also several [[fortification|fortifications]] that follow different rules. Several armies or nations have special rules or opportunities related to the orders they can issue, which should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Winter Solstice.
* '''Billeting:''' Any Imperial army can take the '''''[[Army_orders#Billet|Billet]]''''' order in [[Mitwold]], [[Mournwold]], or [[Upwold]]. [[Army_orders#Billet|Link]]
* '''Brass Coast'''
** The [[Burning Falcon]] can take the '''''[[Army_qualities#True_Conviction|Leonine Rampage]]''''' order if they have been enchanted by [[Knights of Glory]] until the start of the Autumn Equinox 389YE.
** The [[Fire of the South]] cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order until have spent an entire year without the [[Knights of Glory]] enchantment. They last hosted the heralds of Eleonaris after the Winter Solstice 387YE.
* '''Dawn:'''
** Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[Dawn military concerns#Army Orders|Link]]
** Dawnish armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Steady Conquest|Steady Conquest]]''''' order against Druj until the start of the Summer Solstice 389YE. [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Charge!|Link]]
** Dawnish armies can take the '''''[[Army_qualities#Glorious|Triumphant Charge]]''''' order against Druj until the start of the Summer Solstice 389YE. [[A_horn_blast_of_victory#Charge!|Link]]
** The borders of [[the Barrens]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_23|mandate]] enacted by Ser Tunic. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in the Barrens.
** The [[Lions of Adelmar]] cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order until have spent an entire year without the [[Knights of Glory]] enchantment. They last hosted the heralds of Eleonaris after the Summer Solstice 388YE.
* '''Highguard'''
** Highborn armies can take the '''''Protect the Innocent''''' order. [[Highguard_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
** Highborn armies enchanted with rituals or targeted by a boon that calls an eternal to send heralds to fight alongside the army will lose a thousand effective strength until the end of the Spring Equinox 389YE as a result of a [[387YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_9|mandate]] enacted by Frater Pontius of Adoniram's Testament
** Any Highborn army attacking into Zenith from Morrow gains a 20% bonus to any territory captured and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]
* '''Imperial Orcs'''
** An Imperial Orc army can take the '''''Forge Hammers''''' order whilst in [[Skarsind]]. [[Imperial_Orcs_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
* '''The Marches:'''
** Marcher armies cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order. [[The_Marches_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]]
** The [[Strong Reeds]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Bregasland]]. [[New_port,_old_wine#New_Oaths,_Old_Boots|Link]]
** The [[Tusks]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mournwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Drakes]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Mitwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
** The [[Bounders]] receive an additional 1000 strength when fighting in [[Upwold]]. [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|Link]]
* '''Urizen:'''
** The borders of [[Morrow]] and [[Zenith]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_14|mandate]] enacted by Herminius of the House of the Wanderer. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Morrow and Zenith.
** Any Urizen army attacking into Zenith from Morrow gains a 20% bonus to any territory captured and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]
* '''Varushka:'''
** The borders of [[Ossium]] are patrolled by citizens of the territory as a result of the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_157|mandate]] enacted by Velko Perunovich Razorasza. The Druj require 25 victory points to claim a beachhead in Ossium.
** Varushkan armies can take the '''''Hospitality of the Boyars''''' order whilst in Ossium. [[Varushka_military_concerns#Army_Orders|Link]].
** The [[Golden Axe]] cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order until have spent an entire year without the [[Knights of Glory]] enchantment. They last hosted the heralds of Eleonaris after the Autumn Equinox 387YE.
* '''Wintermark:'''
** Wintermark armies can take the '''''Fight with Honour''''' order. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]].
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. [[Fight_with_monsters#A_Hero.27s_Tale|Link]]
** Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun have their casualties taken reduced by 10%. This effect continues as long as the Winterfolk continue to fight honourably. [[A_tale_told#Game_Information|Link]]
** The [[Green Shield]] cannot take the '''''[[Army_orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]]''''' order or the '''''[[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]]''''' order until have spent an entire year without the [[Knights of Glory]] enchantment. They last hosted the heralds of Eleonaris after the Summer Solstice 388YE.

Click ''Expand'' to see military considerations that are less relevant at the current time but are still active.
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
*'''Morrow:''' Any Highborn or Urizen army that defends in Morrow against an army attacking from Zenith gains a 20% bonus to defend territory and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. [[Three_soldiers#The_High_Pass|Link]]</div>

Calls

2026-08-20T09:27:35Z

Rafferty:

{{CaptionedImage|file=Badass.jpg|align=right|caption= A heroic blow should be bold and dramatic and accompanied by a mighty roar.|width=400}}

{{anchor|Calls}}
==Overview==
*'''Calls allow characters to deliver magical effects or heroic blows'''
*'''All calls require the user to strike the target with a weapon or implement'''
* '''To make a call you must use [[appropriate roleplaying]] for the kind of call you are making'''
*'''You can only make one call each with each blow you strike'''
*'''All calls also cause the target to lose one global hit'''
*'''There are no game abilities that allow a target to resist a call'''
*'''Some calls do not affect a target if they hit armour'''
*'''If the target has clearly not taken the call then the call has not been used'''
A participant can shout a call in a fight to indicate that they have used a special ability or magical item that allows them to deliver an especially potent attack. By learning these calls, players know how to react appropriately when attacked by such an ability.

All heroic and magic calls require the user to strike the target with a suitable weapon or implement. The target loses one global hit as exactly as if they had been hit normally. Only mass calls can be used against a target at range, and these do not cause the loss of a hit.

To make any call you must use [[appropriate roleplaying]] for the skill or ability that you are using. A [[#heroic calls|heroic blow]] might be bold and dramatic and accompanied by a mighty roar, while a [[#magic calls|magic call]] might involve an arcane flourish and a quick invocation.

If it is clear that the target has not visibly taken the call then the call has not been used. Characters with heroic skills do not lose a hero point if the target is visibly unaffected, magicians do not lose a mana point if the target has clearly not taken the spell they have cast.

All Empire players need to be familiar with the calls so that they know how to react to them if attacked, even if they don't have any way to deliver the calls themselves.

You can only make one call with each blow you strike, and the [[Combat#The_One_Second_Rule|one-second rule]] applies as usual.

There is no way to resist an effect in Empire.

Some special [[calls]] affect a character even if the blow is blocked by a shield, and it is important for a shield user to know which ones these are so they can react appropriately. A character is still [[#REPEL|repelled]], [[#ENTANGLE|entangled]], or [[#STRIKEDOWN|knocked off their feet]] if the blow strikes their shield, although they do not lose any hits.

Some common queries about how calls work can be found in [[Rules FAQ#Calls|the Rules FAQ]].

==Monstrous Creatures==
* '''Monstrous creatures are not affected by calls'''
{{CaptionedImage|file=WarRhino.jpg|align=right|title=Battle of Ikka's Tears, Autumn Equinox, 378YE|caption=A Thule warbeast is a monstrous creature|width=400}}
There is no way to resist an effect in Empire, but calls never affect over-sized monstrous creatures. A monstrous creature that is phys-repped with a bulky all-encompassing full-body costume is not affected by calls. Player-characters (all PCs) always count as human-sized - no matter what costume they are wearing.

Large or broad-shouldered creatures - like ogres - do not count as monstrous creatures and are affected by calls normally. Iconic monsters such as the Thule war beast count as monstrous, as do the much smaller ice-giants, and some of the larger drakes fielded by the Grendel.

Monstrous creatures cannot be healed using regular methods. It requires time or specific ritual magic to heal a monstrous creature.

==Heroic Calls==
*'''Heroic calls usually represent physical blows of great strength or skill'''
Heroic calls are most commonly used to represent physical blows of great strength or skill. A highly trained warrior may strike down an enemy with their poleaxe, while a brutal herald might cut through leather and flesh with their greatsword.

===CLEAVE===
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*'''If the blow strikes your torso, you lose all your hits'''
*'''If the blow strikes one of your limbs, it is ''ruined'' and you lose the use of that limb until cured'''
*'''If the blow strikes your head or neck, you lose one hit'''
*'''If the blow strikes your medium or heavy armour phys-rep, you lose one hit'''
* '''If you block or parry the blow, the call has no effect but is not expended'''
If you are hit with a CLEAVE then you have been hit with a blow that is heavy or precise enough to disable you with a single strike. If you are hit in the torso then you are reduced to zero global hits and are [[Combat#Dying|dying]].

If you are hit in a limb then you lose the use of that limb. You must roleplay accordingly: you might fight on with the loss of an arm, but you must drop anything that was held in that hand. You may defend yourself from the ground with the loss of a leg, but you cannot kneel, hop, or move around.

If you are hit by a CLEAVE in the head or neck, or if the blow strikes the actual phys-rep of medium or heavy armour that you are wearing, then you only lose one hit as if you had been hit by a normal blow.

The effects of CLEAVE and IMPALE are the same, but medium or heavy armour will protect you from a CLEAVE while only heavy armour will protect you from an IMPALE.
{{CaptionedImage|file=CM-140420-6778.jpg|align=right|width=400}}

===IMPALE===
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*'''If the blow strikes your torso, you lose all your hits'''
*'''If the blow strikes one of your limbs, it is ''ruined'' and you lose the use of that limb until cured'''
*'''If the blow strikes your head or neck, you lose one hit'''
*'''If the blow strikes your heavy armour phys-rep, you lose one hit'''
*'''All arrows and bolts cause IMPALE without needing to be called'''
* '''If you block or parry the blow, the call has no effect but is not expended. You must not attempt to parry an arrow or bolt with a weapon.'''
If you are hit with an IMPALE then you have been hit with a blow that is heavy or precise enough to disable you with a single strike. All arrows and bolts cause IMPALE without needing to be called.

If you are hit in the torso then you are reduced to zero global hits and are [[Combat#Dying|dying]].

If you are hit in a limb then you lose the use of that limb. You must roleplay accordingly: you might fight on with the loss of an arm, but you must drop anything that was held in that hand. You may defend yourself from the ground with the loss of a leg, but you cannot kneel, hop, or move around.

If you are hit by an IMPALE in the head or neck, or if the blow strikes the actual phys-rep of heavy armour that you are wearing, then you only lose one hit as if you had been hit by a normal blow.
{{anchor|STRIKEDOWN}}

===STRIKEDOWN===
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*'''You are knocked off your feet'''
*'''You are struck down even if you parry the blow with a weapon or shield'''
If you are hit with a STRIKEDOWN then you have either been tripped or hit so hard that you have been knocked from your feet. You must roleplay this appropriately and fall to the ground - your backside or torso must touch the ground before you are able to take any other action or stand up. You cannot dive into a roll and leap back to your feet, nor drop to your knees.

You must fall to the ground at most two steps from where you were last struck. This rule allows you to avoid having to fall over in unsafe or particularly wet areas; it does not allow you to make a tactical retreat from combat nor to take any aggressive actions while moving to fall over.

===EXECUTE===
*'''You can only be executed if you are [[Combat#Dying|dying]] or you consent.'''
*'''After your opponent spends five seconds of appropriate roleplaying delivering a fatal blow, you die.'''
If you are [[Combat#Dying|dying]], (or [[Combat#Terminal|terminal]]) and another character spends at least five seconds of appropriate roleplaying for delivering a fatal blow to your character and calls EXECUTE then you are immediately killed.

You are not vulnerable to EXECUTE purely because you are paralysed, nor are you affected if the other party does not spend at least five seconds to carry out the execution. You can consent to being executed by another character, in which case you do not need to be dying or terminal and they do not need to spend five seconds roleplaying the execution for the call to affect you.
{{CaptionedImage|file=GorrillasInTheMist.jpg|align=right|width=400}}

==Magic Calls==
*'''Magic calls usually represent magical effects that debilitate or weaken the target'''
*'''You must strike the target with a wand, rod, or staff'''
Magic calls are most commonly used to represent the malign effects of spells, rituals, and powerful magical items. A skilled battle mage may cast a spell to repel an enemy, while a wraith might curse a target with the touch of its wicked blade.

To deliver a magic call, you must touch your target with a wand, rod, or staff. If your victim parries or dodges the strike, then they are not affected by some spells.

As the effects of the magic calls VENOM and WEAKNESS cannot be seen, you must always assume that the target has taken the call.

===CURSE===
*'''You are cursed and should see a ref for details when it is appropriate to do so'''
*'''The effect lasts until cured'''
CURSE does not immediately affect your character; you are aware that you have been cursed but may continue to fight and act normally. See a referee for more details once you are able to do so without interrupting your roleplaying.

===ENTANGLE===
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*'''You may not move your feet but you may otherwise move and fight normally'''
*'''You are entangled even if you parry the blow with a weapon or shield'''
*'''The effect lasts 10 seconds'''
ENTANGLE makes it impossible for your character to move their feet for ten seconds. You may otherwise move and fight normally.

===PARALYSE===
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*'''You may talk and drink a potion if you are fed one, but you cannot take any other actions'''
* '''If you block or parry the blow, the call has no effect but is not expended'''
*'''The effect lasts 10 seconds'''
You are held in place by magical force. You cannot move at all. You may talk and drink a potion if you are fed one, but you cannot take any other actions. This effect lasts ten seconds.

If you block or parry the strike then you are not paralysed.

MASS PARALYSE will always affect you, holding you in place for ten seconds, regardless of whether you are equipped with a shield.

{{anchor|REPEL}}
===REPEL===
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*'''You must move away from the caster at a brisk walk or faster'''
*'''You are repelled even if you parry the blow with a weapon or shield'''
*'''The effect lasts 10 seconds or until you have retreated for 20’'''
REPEL represents a magical force that drives you away from the caster. You must move away from them at a brisk walk or faster. The effect lasts for ten seconds or until you have retreated for more than 20' (6m).

If you cannot move away from the caster due to the presence of an obstacle, you must move as far as you can and then be pressed against the obstacle for the remainder of the ten second duration. While pressed against the obstacle you may talk but may take no other actions including blocking with a shield or parrying a blow. 

===SHATTER===
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*'''Any weapon, implement, or shield struck is broken and useless'''
*'''Shattered items can be repaired with the mend spell or with artisan's oil'''
SHATTER represents a magical force (or mighty blow) that is powerful enough to break weapons and shatter shields. Any weapon, implement, or shield struck by a SHATTER call is broken and useless. If you are using a shield that is difficult to discard, then any further blow that strikes the shattered shield counts as if it had struck you on your arm.
{{CaptionedImage|file=KallevesiMystic.jpg|align=right|width=300}}

===VENOM===
*'''Your bleed time drops to thirty seconds'''
* '''If you block or parry the blow, the call has no effect but is not expended'''
*'''The effect lasts until cured'''
*'''When using the VENOM call, you must assume that the target has taken the effect'''
A character will normally bleed to death in three minutes if they are reduced to zero hits. A character who is struck by VENOM will instead bleed to death in thirty seconds if they are reduced to zero hits.

If you are [[Combat#Dying|dying]] and have less than thirty seconds to live when you are hit by venom, then you should continue with your current count - gaining the venom condition ''never'' increases the time remaining if you were already dying.

The [[Combat_skills#Fortitude|fortitude]] skill lists how long it takes for a character with the skill to bleed to death when affected by venom.

The victim remains affected by venom until they are cured by the [[purify]] spell or a similar potion or magic.


===WEAKNESS===
* '''You may not make any calls'''
* '''You may not use any [[heroic skills]], any [[religious skills]], cast spells, or contribute to rituals'''
* '''Only skills, enchantments and magic items that are ''always on'' will work'''
* '''If you block or parry the blow, the call has no effect but is not expended'''
* '''The effect lasts until cured'''
* '''When using the WEAKNESS call, you must assume that the target has taken the effect'''
WEAKNESS prevents you from making any calls (bar OOC safety calls) for any reason. This includes [[Calls#EXECUTE|EXECUTE]]. In addition, you cannot use any [[heroic skills]], [[religious skills]], cast any spells or contribute to any rituals. Only skills, [[magic items]], or [[enchantment|enchantments]] that are "always on" will work (such as those that give you extra hits, wield a polearm, or fire a crossbow). You may otherwise move and fight normally.

The victim remains affected by weakness until they are cured by the [[purify]] spell or a similar potion or magic.


==Mass Calls==
*'''MASS is an area effect call that expands the effect of another call to everyone within a 20' cone in front of the caster'''
MASS calls represent the most potent effects in the game and they are the only calls that can be used at range. They are commonly caused by rituals, though there are powerful unnatural creatures in the world that can cause MASS effects.

MASS is always used with another call immediately following it. It indicates that the call affects everyone in a ninety-degree arc in front of and up to 20' (6m) away from the caster.

For example, MASS REPEL causes everyone within the area of effect to be affected by the REPEL call.

==Safety Calls==
Safety calls are out-of-character calls used to indicate that there is a safety issue that needs to be immediately addressed. Everyone who hears a safety call must immediately stop whatever they are doing and follow the safety call as appropriate.

===FIRST AID===
*'''If you hear this call, you should stop any fighting and kneel down'''
*'''You should call FIRST AID if you ''see'' anyone suffer a real injury'''
*'''Do not shout this call if you hear someone else shout it'''
If a participant suffers a real injury then a ref or any other participant who sees in the injury should shout FIRST AID. This call alerts everyone to the fact that someone is genuinely hurt. You should alert the nearest member of crew, if they are not already aware of the incident.

Previously we used man down for this call. If you hear FIRST AID or MAN DOWN called then you should stop fighting and kneel down. Only the referees in the area should remain standing. This makes it as easy as possible for our first-aid team and crew to identify the situation and act appropriately. You should not shout the call just because you hear someone else shout it. This is to ensure the battle can continue to flow, and the appropriate crew can quickly identify the right location.

Depending on the severity of the injury, referees may keep the area timed out until it is resolved, or move players away from the incident and resume fighting in the area by shouting TIME IN.

===TIME FREEZE===
*'''A referee will make this call if a significant safety problem is developing'''
*'''If you hear this call, you should stop any fighting, stop talking, and listen for further instructions'''
If a referee identifies that a situation is becoming unsafe then they will call TIME FREEZE. All participants should stop any fighting and stop roleplaying. The referee will tell you what to do next, so you should remain alert and listen for instructions. You should '''not''' shut your eyes or make any noise. The ref will give a quick explanation of the problem and then state what remedial action everyone must take.

For example, if a fight is moving close to a deep ditch the ref may shout TIME FREEZE. A second later when everyone has stopped they will say "The ditch here is unsafe - all participants move 10 paces in that direction."

Once everyone has moved as directed the referee will indicate that the game can resume by shouting TIME IN.
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{{Core Rule Links}}

Battles

2026-08-20T09:24:14Z

Rafferty:

{{CaptionedImage|file=Ready at the gate.jpg|caption=Imperial heroes pass through the [[Sentinel Gate]] to fight the enemies of the Empire directly.|width=500|align=left}}
==Overview==
Battles and skirmishes in Empire are the uptime aspect of the extensive military campaign conducted by the military council, and player military units to defend or expand the borders of the Empire. The downtime campaign provides the scenery and context for the uptime battles at events, and the importance of the decisions made by Imperial generals as to which battles and skirmishes they will undertake at events.

Empire battles are always objective driven and highly likely to feature movement and manoeuvring, often through wooded terrain.

==Play One, Monster one==
The first rule of participating in an Empire battle is that if you play one, then you must volunteer to monster one. Requiring the players to volunteer is the only way that we can create truly dramatic battles involving hundreds of characters at once.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Marching to War.jpg|caption=The first rule of participating in an Empire battle is that if you play one, then you must volunteer to monster one.|align=right|width=500}}
Every event features at least two battles, so there is always an opportunity for every player who participates in the battle as their character to volunteer for another battle ''at the same event''.

The basic rule is that we expect players to volunteer to monster the other battle on the same weekend as they play a battle, but we appreciate that players may have health or child-care reasons that make that impossible. In that specific situation, it is appropriate to make up the deficit by just monstering, instead of playing in-character at the next event.

If you have any issues that will limit the roles that you can undertake on the battlefield, then please let someone from the Profound Decisions crew, ideally the Battle Team, know when you arrive. Everyone who plays their character on the battlefield needs to volunteer to help with another battle, but there are a wide range of different roles that are available. Primarily this will involve taking on a low-combat role along with the rest of the monsters. It might also be possible to be trained to help with battle reffing. Everyone has a chance to get involved and help create a great battle for their fellow players.

==Safety==
There are additional [[combat safety]] guidelines for all participants in battle.
{{CaptionedImage|file=The Freeborn Stride.jpg|caption=Battles involve hundreds of combatants on both sides.|width=500|align=right}}

==Objectives==
The functionaries of the Military Council will always know the primary objectives of a battle, informing the generals of what they are and a rough difficulty as worked out by civil service prognosticators. Battles are loosely graded as ‘easy’, ‘average’ or ‘hard’, though there may be variation between those difficulties depending on diverse circumstance (one hard battle may be more difficult than another). Secondary objectives may feature in many battles, these being plot or campaign relevant features. For example a notorious orc ritualist might be on the battlefield whose capture or death would disrupt barbarian plans to perform rituals in the future, it might be possible to turn slaves against their captors and so spread chaos through a region and so forth. Succeeding in those primary or secondary objectives will have significant effects on the overall military campaigns of the empire. Turning defeats into narrow escapes, reducing the casualties suffered by a campaign army, or removing skilled leadership from barbarian armies.

Each battle will be different, in some cases the player characters will arrive without sight of any barbarian opponents, in others they might arrive and be engaged immediately.
{{CaptionedImage|file=A Grand Melee.jpg|caption=Hundreds of Imperial heroes clash with hundreds of barbarian warriors.|width=500|align=left}}
==Imperial Characters==
Functionaries in the Military Council and at the Sentinel Gate will be able to inform Imperial citizens when a portal to a battle opportunity is available and for how long.

Those nations and banners going on a battle should be prepared to enter through the portal during that window of opportunity. While they may return from the battle at any time, the window to go to a battlefield is not long, and thus it is not possible to go back and forth, or to send later reinforcements if they should be needed.

On stepping through a portal to go on a battle or skirmish, players will then be timed out. Referees and other members of crew will assist players in going to the destination point for their teleport, on arriving there they will be timed in, arriving in the order and roughly the same formation as they walked through the portal.

You may return to Anvil from the point you arrived at your destination. It is not possible to then return to the battle once you have left. Again, you will be timed out on stepping back through the portal and make your way to the Sentinel Gate at Anvil, on stepping back through the Sentinel Gate you will time in back at Anvil in the same condition as you left the off-field location.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Don't talk to me or my son ever again.jpg|caption=Everyone who plays a battle also monsters a battle.|width=500|align=right}}
==Barbarians==
Part of the social contract for Empire is that any player taking part in a battle as their Imperial character is required to take part in a battle as a barbarian character. Mustering for monsters begins 09:30, outside the monster tent. The latest you can arrive to get ready is 10:30.

Some events will have more than two battle opportunities for the generals to commit their nations to. When this is the case, you can select any one of the other battles you are not taking part in as your Imperial character to volunteer as a barbarian for. You may also choose to take part in more than one of those battles if you wish, and likewise can attend all of them if you have no intention of taking part in battles as your Imperial character but still wish to participate.

On arrival to volunteer as a barbarian you will be supplied with masks and armour where appropriate by PD and briefed on your role. While it is generally the case that groups of players are able to play together as barbarians, there may be times when we wish particular weapon combinations or armour to fight in specific units (e.g. all archers together). PD Crew will ensure the battle is explained to you and assist you in getting into your role as a barbarian character.

In some battles, barbarian reinforcements will arrive, this is to represent the barbarian numbers exceeding those of the number of barbarians we have available. To facilitate this, after you have died as a barbarian you should put your hand in the air, move clearly out of any engagement, and return to the designated place as explained to you by crew for that battle. To avoid breaking the immersion of the players you should wait until the current engagement is over - ideally when the players have moved on if possible.
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{{Monstering Further Reading}}

Combat

2026-08-20T09:23:54Z

Rafferty:

==Global Hits==
*'''You start with two global hits'''
*'''Every time you are struck in combat you lose one hit'''
*'''On zero hits you cannot act and are dying'''
*'''You regain all lost global hits after at least two hours of rest and relaxation'''
Every character has a number of global hits to represent the injuries they can endure before becoming wounded so badly that they start to die. Most characters start with two global hits, but can gain more by buying the [[Combat_skills#Endurance|endurance skill]] or by [[Weapons & armour#armour|wearing armour]] and a [[Weapons & armour#armour|helmet]].

For the purposes of global hits it does not matter where you have been struck. You lose one hit every time you are struck in combat. If you lose all your hits then you are [[#Dying|dying]] and can take no further action until appropriately healed.

You automatically regain all lost global hits after at least two hours of rest, so you always start each day with all your hits. Healing from a [[chirurgeon]], [[potion|potions]], and magic can be used to restore lost hits.

==Fighting without Skills==
*'''You do not need a skill to use a melee weapon between 8" and 42” (106 cm) long'''
*'''You do not need a skill to use a shield up to 15” in diameter'''
*'''You do not need a skill to wear armour'''
All weapons must be at least 8” (20 cm) long, but you do not need a skill to wield a weapon up to 42” long, either to attack or to parry. You do not need a skill to wear [[Weapons & armour#Armour|armour]] or to use a small shield up to 15" in diameter to block attacks.

You must purchase the [[Combat skills#Weapon master|Weapon Master skill]] to use a [[Weapons & armour#weapons|larger weapon]]. You must purchase the [[Combat skills#Shield|shield skill]] to use a [[Weapons & armour#shield|larger shield]]. You must purchase the [[Combat skills#Thrown|Thrown skill]] to use thrown weapons, or the [[Combat skills#Marksman|Marksman skill]] to use a bow or crossbow.

==The One Second Rule==
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*'''You can only lose one global hit per second from multiple attacks from one enemy'''
*'''You should aim to land one blow a second at most'''
A flurry of swift blows is not as dangerous as a full swing. To represent this, if a single character hits you more than once in a single second then you lose one global hit to that flurry of blows. This rule is not meant to be measured with a stopwatch, it exists to give you a rule of thumb to decide how much damage to take from a swift flurry of blows.

Attackers should avoid rapid flurries of blows (often called 'drum rolling') that could confuse the opponent about how many blows they have taken. If you are attacking one or more opponents you should aim to land one blow a second at most.

This rule applies to all attacks from a single target including any [[calls]] and regardless of how many weapons they have - [[Combat_skills#Ambidexterity|ambidexterity]] does not allow you to cause more than one hit every second. Attacks from multiple opponents do damage normally.

==Heroic Blows==
*'''You can buy skills to inflict one of three heroic blows'''
*'''You must purchase hero points to power heroic blows'''
*'''Each time a heroic blow is used you expend one hero point'''
*'''Hero points recharge overnight'''
*'''All heroic calls delivered with a weapon or implement also cause the target to lose one global hit'''
{{CaptionedImage|file=Archers.jpg|width=400|align=right|caption=All arrows and bolts do IMPALE automatically}}
If you purchase [[Heroic skills|hero points]] and an appropriate heroic skill then you can inflict one or more heroic blows in combat. These are indicated using the appropriate [[Calls#Heroic_Calls|heroic calls]] which lets the target know what they have been hit with and how to react. Every time you make a heroic blow your character expends one hero point from their daily allowance. Your character’s hero points replenish overnight.

If the target does not visibly respond to your heroic call then your blow has not affected them and the hero point is not spent. You only expend a hero point if the target is affected by the call.

==Arrows==
*'''All arrows and bolts do IMPALE automatically'''
There is no call shouted when using a bow or crossbow, but if you are hit by an arrow or a bolt then you are affected by the [[calls#Impale|IMPALE]] call.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Death is not the end.jpg|align=right|caption=When you reach zero hits you are dying.|width=400}}
==Dying==
*'''When you reach zero global hits you fall over and start dying'''
*'''You stop dying if you regain a global hit for any reason'''
*'''You become terminal after three minutes'''
*'''You are automatically unresisting while you are dying'''
*'''You must roleplay that you are dying'''
*'''You must not take any action other than talking or screaming'''
If you are reduced to zero global hits then you are so badly wounded that you fall over and start dying. You can sense what is happening around you and you can talk or scream but you cannot take any other action. You cannot attack or defend, and you cannot use any skill or magical item unless it explicitly says that it can be used while dying. You may not drink a potion by yourself, but may be fed a potion by another character. You must roleplay the fact that you are dying of your wounds.

You must fall to the ground at most two steps from where you were last struck. This rule allows you to avoid having to fall over in unsafe or particularly wet areas; it does not allow a tactical retreat from combat. Once you have fallen over you must not move from that spot unless you need to for reasons of OOC safety.
{{CaptionedImage|file=ExecuteHim.jpg|align=right|title=Druj orcs preparing to execute Irontide Tom for whinging about not being on the wiki enough.|caption=Executing a character involves spending five seconds of [[appropriate roleplaying]], delivering<br/>a fatal blow to the target with the EXECUTE call.|width=400}}
A character who is dying can be executed, killing them immediately. To execute a character you must spend at least five seconds appropriate roleplaying delivering a fatal blow to execute your target and then call [[Calls#EXECUTE|EXECUTE]].

A character that is dying will become [[#Terminal|terminal]] after three minutes. The [[Combat_skills#Fortitude|fortitude]] skill and some [[magic items|magical items]] increase the time it takes to bleed to death in this way.

While being treated with the [[Surgical skills#Chirurgeon|chirurgeon]] skill, your 'death count' is paused, you are still dying, and subject to all the other rules associated with the state. If the chirurgeon does not complete at least 30 seconds of roleplay to restore you to one hit, then your 'death count' will resume with the same time remaining.

You may pretend to be dead or dying, but you follow the normal rules for [[Playing_the_game#Disguises|disguise]]. If another participant asks OOC if you are dead or dying, then you must answer the OOC question truthfully.

If your character dies, you must register your [[Characters#Character_Death|character death]] as soon as possible on the system. This can be done using either your personal device and using the PD wifi or by using one of the [[GOD#Player_Computers|player computers]]. Once you have created a new character on the system you should go to GOD to get your new [[GOD#Character_packs|character pack]].

==Terminal==
*'''A character who is terminal is dying and cannot be saved'''
*'''You must roleplay that you are dying'''
*'''You can choose the point in the event for your character to die'''
{{CaptionedImage|file=CM-140524-7237.jpg|align=right|caption=A terminal character cannot be saved, but can choose the moment of their death.|width=400}}
A character becomes terminal after they have been bleeding to death for three minutes or more. A character who is terminal is so badly wounded that they are beyond any magical or medical help. The character is covered by all the rules for dying but they can no longer be saved by any method.

You can choose the point during the event at which your character dies, provided you continue to roleplay the fact that they are mortally wounded. There is a limit to how long your character can survive, your character dies before the start of the next PD Empire event, at the very latest.

==Traumatic Wounds==
*'''You may receive a traumatic wound in battle'''
*'''Traumatic wounds can only be healed using the [[Surgical skills#Physick|physick skill]]'''
*'''You must keep the traumatic wound card and give it to your physick'''
In battle, your character is at risk of receiving a traumatic wound. Traumatic wounds represent things like broken bones, internal bleeding, punctured lungs and the like. These wounds are particularly difficult to treat and cannot be healed magically, you must receive the aid of another character using the physick skill to treat your wound.

If you receive a traumatic wound you will be given a wound card by a referee or crew member. This card will state the approximate nature of your wound. You must keep hold of the card - if a physick attempts to heal your character then you will need to give them the card so that they know what resources are needed to heal your wound.

A referee or crew member may assign you a traumatic wound card if your character is soundly beaten while fighting. Some large or magical monsters are notable for causing traumatic wounds when they connect solidly with an opponent.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Spiritual trauma.jpg|caption=Some spiritual wounds make it difficult to tell friend from foe.|align=right|width=400}}
===Spiritual Wounds===
*'''You may receive a spiritual wound in battle or from another supernatural cause.'''
*'''Spiritual Wounds affect the soul and require the [[Religious skills#Insight|insight]] ceremony to diagnose.'''
Spiritual wounds affect the soul of the target and are often associated with noticeable changes to behaviour or personality, in the form of [[Roleplaying effects|roleplaying effects]]. These wounds are spiritual in nature and cannot be treated in the same way as physical injuries, such as by a physick or using healing magic.

If you receive a spiritual wound, you will be given a card by a referee or crew member. This card will detail the symptoms you experience. If a priest performs the [[Religious skills#Insight|insight]] ceremony on you, they will know what is needed to treat the wound. Some may require [[Religious skills#Exorcism|exorcism]] to cleanse.

A referee or crew member may assign you a spiritual wound if your character has an appropriate supernatural experience. Some supernatural entities, such as wraiths, are notable for inflicting both spiritual and physical damage when they strike.

==Moving a dying character==
*'''Moving a dying character requires both hands to be free'''
{{CaptionedImage|file=Dead Dawn Walking.jpg|align=right|width=400}}
You may move any unresisting character unassisted if you have both hands free, or with another person if you both have a hand free. You can move a dead, dying, terminal or [[Calls#PARALYSE|paralysed]] character in this way. You cannot move a character who has been [[Calls#ENTANGLE|entangled]] until the spell effect has worn off.

==Searching a character==
*'''You must not touch another participant while searching'''
*'''You must use appropriate roleplaying searching for at least 30 seconds'''
*'''You can always take any in-character item that you can point to from an unresisting character'''
You can always take any in-character item that you can point to from an unresisting character. You can search an unresisting character to attempt to find any valuable items that they are carrying on their person that are not visible. You can only do this if you have both hands free. To search a character you must use appropriate roleplaying for at least thirty seconds. You can mime patting a person down, while keeping your hands well away so you don't come close to touching them. If you complete the count without interruption then the target must give you every IC item that they are carrying.

==Capturing a character==
*'''You can automatically capture any character who cannot resist your attacks'''
*'''You can escape any bonds with five minutes of obvious roleplaying'''
*'''Make sure you have a referee present if you are planning to capture another character'''
{{CaptionedImage|file=Die this day.jpg|align=right|width=400}}
If you wish to capture another character while they are at an event, then you must reduce them to zero global hits. If a character is not able to participate in combat because they are non-contact, or need to drop OOC for a first-aid incident or emergency then you require a referee if you wish to capture them. We strongly advise that you get a referee before attempting to capture any character.

You may then roleplay taking steps to secure the character with ropes or similar while another character treats their wounds. You should not phys-rep any method of restraint until you have made certain that the other player is comfortable with it.

If you are not on zero hits then you may automatically escape any bonds after a count of at least 300 seconds regardless of the method used to restrain you. You must use appropriate roleplaying in a way that is obvious to everyone who is watching that you are escaping your bonds. If your attempt to escape is interrupted then you must restart your count. Your character also automatically escapes if they are taken outside the IC site boundary.

If you are held prisoner at time-out at night or at the end of an event then you are assumed to be in the custody of your captors and should resume play as a captive at the next time in. If this is likely to be difficult for any reason then consult a referee. It is not possible to force a captive to hand over any resources they gain in downtime.
==Sparring and Tourneys==
* '''If all parties agree it is fine to have weapons deal no damage while sparring
* '''Any disagreement means all blows should be taken as real and damaging
* '''If you use calls, hero points, personal mana, or similar they are expended as normal
We're aware that players are going to want to fight each other, be it for practice or for fun or whatever. When you are sparring with someone else, if all parties are in clear agreement, it's fine to have your weapons deal no damage, to represent you using blunted weapons and pulling your blows. If there's any disagreement whatsoever, then all blows should be taken as real and damaging. This includes if someone else jumps in and, say, attempts to assassinate one of the participants.

For tournaments and similar in-character competitions of skill, the default is that all blows should be taken as real and damaging. If all parties explicitly agree out of character, they can run the tourney under the Sparring rules above.

In any situation, if you make a [[#Calls|call]], use an ability with a limited number of uses, spend [[Heroic skills#Hero|hero points]] or personal mana, or anything similar, then those uses are expended. You cannot use super powers without expending resources.
{{Core Rule Links}}
* [[Combat safety]]

Shatter

2026-08-20T09:19:07Z

Rafferty: /* Effects */

==Description==
Where [[repel]] uses magical force to drive a target away, and [[entangle]] uses that force to prevent a foe from escaping or following the [[Magical skills#Magician|magician]], the ''shatter'' spell focuses that force to destroy objects. It is often used to destroy shields to render an opponent vulnerable; pole-arms and pikes to remove the advantages granted by their great reach; or the weapons of an opponent to remove their ability to threaten the magician or their friends. It is equally effective against mundane weapons, implements, and shields and against [[magic items|magical]] examples - but when a magical item is broken with this spell the person who is [[create bond|bonded]] to it is unable to access any of its magical abilities.

The magical force unleashed by this spell is invisible and soundless, but irresistible. While some magicians make a point of performing massive, heroic strikes with their [[Weapons & armour#Implements|implement]], the spell is equally effective when the magician simply taps the target item while speaking the incantation to release the power. With a few words, the energy of the magician's strike is refocused and redoubled to break the object - or perhaps the magic supplements the magician's strike with the power of a Spring tempest, a Summer giant-folk, or the crumbling and inevitable decay of Winter.

Several [[magic items|crafted implements]] exist that grant additional access to this devastating magic.

==Casting==
{{Offensive Spell|2}}
==Effects==
{{#ev:youtube|link={{{https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVOhx3nDFc0}}}|300|right}}
You may call [[Calls#SHATTER|Shatter]] against the weapon, implement, or shield struck by your [[Weapons & armour#Implements|implement]].

Any weapon, implement or shield struck is broken and useless. Shattered items can be repaired with the [[mend]] spell

==Sample Spellcasting Vocals==
* Let what has been made be unmade! - SHATTER!
* Cathan Canae knows my name! - SHATTER!
* (''glaring and gesturing contemptuously'') I judge you unworthy to have such a thing - SHATTER!
* (''quickly sketching the Drowned Shepherd in the air with the other hand'') All things end! - SHATTER!
* You will be broken, as your (object) is broken - SHATTER!
* Winter warps the world! - SHATTER <small>Suggested by Anthony White</small>

==Common Elements==
* '''Rune Magic:''' As the spell represents the ruin of crafted objects, the dangerous [[Runes|Rune]] of Storms, [[Mawrig]]. is used by many runecasters. The Rune of Might, [[Verys]], can represent irresistible strength that smashes all that stands before it, while some magicians favour [[Kyrop]], the Rune of Weakness, representing the idea that any object is only as durable as its weakest spot.
* '''Astronomancy:''' An [[astronomancy|astronomancer]] might swiftly sketch the constellation of [[the Drowned Shepherd]] in the air before unleashing the force of this spell, or evoke the grim red eye of [[the Wanderer]] before metaphorically wrenching the target object apart.
* '''Dramaturgy:''' A [[dramaturgy|dramaturgist]] may express the precise, merciless mien of [[the Doctor]] before destroying something, or affect the whimsical and reckless nature of [[the Mountebank]] before bringing ruin down on the target.
* '''Other traditions:''' A [[Dawn|Dawnish]] witch might evoke echoing roar of the mighty [[Legendary_beasts#Chimera|chimera]], or the irresistible strength of a giant or [[ogre]] when casting this spell - while a witch of a darker mien may evoke the hateful, ruinous nature of the [[Legendary_beasts#Sphinxes_and_Manticores|manticore]]. For a [[Kallavesi]] or a [[Varushka|Varushkan]] mage, the powerful claws of the bear might prove a suitable totem to call on. A more devout magician might evoke the name of [[Inga Tarn]], while incantations referencing [[Llofir]], [[Cathan Canae]], [[Sorin]]. or even [[The Thrice-cursed Court]] are all equally appropriate.
* '''Realms:''' Destroying crafted objects has a powerful resonance with both Spring and Winter. Irresistible force that breaks through any barrier resonates with both Summer and Day - and the both Day and Winter resonate with the idea of finding weak points and exploiting them (albeit in very different ways). Night has no resonance with this spell, and the powers of Autumn are more resonant with the idea of [[mend|mending]] what magic has broken than with destroying the fruits of the crafter's skill.
[[Category:Spells]]

Repel

2026-08-20T09:18:46Z

Rafferty: /* Effects */

==Description==
This spell uses magical force to drive a target away from the magician. It has both defensive and offensive functions. A [[Magical skills#Magician|magician]] can use it against an attacker to help effect an expeditious retreat; to split up an enemy group or formation; or to temporarily neutralise an enemy magician. When the spell's power fades the target is usually quite some distance from their original position, meaning that even after the magical effect ends the target still needs to waste time recovering to their previous position.

The magical force unleashed by this spell is invisible and soundless, but irresistible. While some magicians make a point of performing massive, heroic strikes with their [[Weapons & armour#Implements|implement]], the spell is just as effective when delivered with a light brush. Theoretical magicians believe that the spell draws additional force from another place - perhaps the raging tempest of Spring, the mighty winds of Summer or the irresistible energies of Day.

Several [[magic items|crafted implements]] exist that grant additional access to repelling magic, such as the [[Tumultuous Gyre]] rod, which allows a magician to perform the spell twice each day without expending any personal mana, even without training. The [[Storm Sceptre]] allows a novice to become proficient in the spell, able to perform it without prior mastery. The ritual [[Kimus' Glaring Eye]] allows a magician to strike two targets with one casting of the spell, though at the cost of ensuring a hand is free and marked with a symbol.

==Casting==
{{Offensive Spell|1}}
==Effects==
{{#ev:youtube|link={{{https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_Z0wgiMOEQ}}}|300|right}}
You may call [[Calls#REPEL|REPEL]] against the target struck by your [[Weapons & armour#Implements|implement]].

Repel uses a magical force to drive the target away from the caster. They must move away at a brisk walk or faster for ten seconds or until they have retreated at least 20'. If they cannot move away from the caster due to the presence of an obstacle, they must move as far as they can and then be pressed against the obstacle for the remainder of the ten second duration. While pressed against the obstacle they may talk but may take no other actions including blocking with a shield or parrying a blow.

The target is repelled even if they parry your blow with a weapon or shield.

==Sample Spellcasting Vocals==
* You shall reap the whirlwind - REPEL!
* Kimus sees you, she knows your name - REPEL!
* (''affecting a haughty or commanding demeanour'') Who are you, to stand before a Prince? - REPEL!
* (''quickly sketching the Mountain in the air'') Things are hard - too hard! - REPEL!
* Where I and my kin stand, that's our land: now piss off! - REPEL!
* May the dust of Erigo REPEL you! <small>Suggested by Ellen Lavery</small>

==Common Elements==
* '''Rune Magic:''' The dangerous [[Runes|Rune]] of Storms, [[Mawrig]]. is used by some runecasters, who often slash their implement through the air quickly three times before unleashing their spell. The rune of might, [[Verys]], can represent irresistible strength, while some magicians favour [[Queros]], the Rune of Plots, which can represent harnessed energy.
* '''Astronomancy:''' An [[astronomancy|astronomancer]] might swiftly sketch the constellation of [[the Great Wyrm]] in the air before unleashing the force of this spell, or sketch the arch of [[the Mountain]] before sending the target "''tumbling down the mountain''".
* '''Dramaturgy:''' A [[dramaturgy|dramaturgist]] may take on the commanding mien of [[the Captain]] or the authoritative demeanour of [[the Prince]] before unleashing this spell. [[The Mountebank]] has a particular affinity for this spell, representing as it does principles of motion, unleashed primal forces, and the kind of displacement that leads to confusion.
* '''Other traditions:''' A [[Dawn|Dawnish]] witch might evoke the thundering charge of the mythical [[Legendary_beasts#Unicorn|unicorn]], or the echoing roar of the mighty [[Legendary_beasts#Chimera|chimera]] when casting this spell. A more devout magician might evoke the name of [[Inga Tarn]], while an incantation referencing [[Kimus]] or [[Cathan Canae]] is also appropriate.
* '''Realms:''' Driving or hurling an enemy away has resonance with the realm of Summer, while themes of magical force have an affinity with the realm of Day.
[[Category:Spells]]

Paralysis

2026-08-20T09:18:32Z

Rafferty: /* Effects */

[[Category:Spells]]
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Heinous betrayal.jpg|align=left|caption=The paralysis spell freezes a target for a short time leaving them vulnerable to any number of indignities.|width=400}}</div>
==Description==
This potent martial magic renders an enemy defenceless for a short period of time - usually more than enough time to either dispatch or capture them. Like the [[repel]] spell, it employs magical force; in this case to restrain the target's entire body. This is sometimes described as akin to being held by a massive, invisible hand or being wrapped from head to foot in loose bands of unseen power that tighten instantly to prevent any movement. Some targets, however, have described the experience more as a metaphorical force - a dominating power that makes it impossible for them to even think about moving their bodies for a short time.

When the spell takes hold it is a rare enemy who has the ability to survive the follow-up attacks of the magician and their allies.

Any [[Magical skills#Magician|magician]] who plans to take the battlefield can supplement their magical abilities with a [[Quiet Word]] [[Weapons & armour#Rods|rod]], while more dedicated [[Magical skills#Battle Mage|war wizards]] can appreciate the value of a [[Shadowbound Donjon]] [[Weapons & armour#Staff|staff]]. The [[Caress of Arhallogen]] is a powerful staff that allows multiple additional uses of this spell each day, as well as granting abilities to wield supernatural [[venom]] against enemies, although its connection to the [[eternal]] [[Arhallogen]] has given it something of a dark reputation.

Of particular interest to a magician who masters this devastating spell is the [[Sceptre of the Necropolis]], a powerful rod that gives the wielder a limited ability to use their spell to [[Calls#IMPALE|critically injure]] their target by stilling processes vital to life rather than immobilising their bodies.
==Casting==
{{Offensive Spell|2}}
==Effects==
{{#ev:youtube|link={{{https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4aGjKSESQI}}}|300|right}}
You may call [[Calls#PARALYSE|PARALYSE]] against the target struck by your [[Weapons & armour#Implements|implement]].

Paralysis holds the target in place with magical force for ten seconds. They can talk or drink a potion if they are fed one, but they cannot move or take any other actions.

If the target blocks or parries your strike they are not paralysed.

==Sample Spellcasting Vocals==
* (''Slashing an implement in a swift arc'') "Feel the weight of the mountain - PARALYSE!"
* "I command you with Hirmok's control, be still - PARALYSE!"
* "The light of Ophis stun you with its brilliance - PARALYSE!"
* "Be bound as the Chained Man - PARALYSE!"
* "In the Spider-King's name, I bind you with magic - PARALYSE!"

==Common Elements==
* '''Rune Magic:''' The rune [[Hirmok]], which signifies control and domination, is strongly connected with this spell, although some magicians favour [[Kyrop]], the rune of weakness. In both cases, a magician might sketch the rune in the air with their implement just prior to striking with it.
* '''Astronomancy:''' An [[astronomancy|astronomancer]] might evoke the power of [[the Mountain]] with this spell - its resonance can be used to impart immobility to a victim as easily as it can be evoked to grant strength and endurance. The constellation of [[the Lock]] can be evoked in a similar way - the paralysis spell binds the target, or "wards" them against movement. The [[Astronomancy#Tulpas#tulpa|tulpa]] of the Chained Man is sometimes referenced with this spell.
* '''Dramaturgy:''' A [[dramaturgy|dramaturgist]] might take on the commanding mien of [[the Bishop]] or [[the Prince]] and instruct the target to remain where they are. less commonly, [[the Doctor]] might be employed to remove the facility of movement from an opponent "for their own good", or by using that [[Dramaturgy#The Personae|role's]] superior knowledge of anatomy to restrict movement. The [[Dramaturgy#The Thrones|throne]] of [[the Tomb]] is also a common reference, especially when drawing a connection between the immobility created by magic and the immobility of the dead body bound within a grave.
* '''Other traditions:''' A [[Dawn|Dawnish]] witch might echo the terrifying roar of the [[Legendary_beasts#Chimera|chimera]] when casting this spell. Some magicians also like to call on the power of an eternal such as [[Arhallogen]] or [[Kimus]] when striking with this spell.
* '''Realms:''' The ability to immobilise someone with magical force resonates strongly with the realm of Day. Some magicians point to the powerlessness this spell creates as showing clear sympathy with the realm of Winter. A few magicians shrug and point to Arhallogen and similar poisonous creatures and calmly claim that this spell is a manifestation of the power of Spring.

Entangle

2026-08-20T09:18:10Z

Rafferty: /* Effects */

==Description==
This spell binds the target, preventing them from moving their feet for a short period. Some victims of the spell describe the sensation of invisible chains shacking them to the spot, while others speak of finding it impossible to make their legs move (as if paralysed), or speak of feeling a massive weight holding them in place. As with [[repel]] and [[paralysis]], incantations that employ similar magical principles, it has both offensive and defensive applications. A [[Magical_skills#Magician|magician]] might use it to hold an attacker in place while they retreat or to prevent their quarry from fleeing. While the spell appears on the surface to be weaker than the paralysis spell, it has two significant advantages. First, it requires less mana to cast. Second, it is just as effective against an opponent with a shield or who is adept at parrying a magicians implement.

It is often employed by magically adept members of the [[Officers_of_the_Law#The_Imperial_Militia|Imperial militia]], by [[Imperial Orcs|Imperial Orc]] [[Thief-taker|thief-takers]], and by other professionals who are engaged in capturing fugitives. At the same time, it also proves popular with those who for whatever reason need to ''avoid'' representatives of Imperial law - it is particularly popular with many [[Mountebank|mountebanks]] who use it to evade capture by members of the militia and [[orc|orcish]] thief-takers.

Several [[magic items]] exist that employ the power to entangle opponents, often in the form of magical staffs. The [[Landskeeper's Oath]] for example empowers any magician to make use of this spell on the battlefield, while the [[Amberglass Chain]] and [[Ethereal Manacle]] both allow the use of the spell without depleting stores of personal mana. Some items increase the versatility of the spell; the [[Furrowed Wake]] for example allows a magician who has mastered entangle to modify the force involved to [[Calls#STRIKEDOWN|sweep an opponent off their feet]] rendering them even more vulnerable - or providing more time to make an escape. More potently, the exotic [[Thorns of the Rose]] allow a suitably skilled wielder to inflict a merciless strike against someone they have entangled.

The incantation has a strong association with [[Autumn magic]] - the [[Inescapable Chains of Bitter Glass]] ritual allows a magician to entangle a whole crowd of people for example, while the [[Brazen Claws of the Lictor]] empower ritualists with the sinister capabilities of the [[eternal|eternals]] of [[Lictors|the same name]] to capture their prey.

==Casting==
{{Offensive Spell|1}}

==Effects==
{{#ev:youtube|link={{{https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV3imtPyuJQ}}}|300|right}}
You may call [[Calls#ENTANGLE|ENTANGLE]] against the target struck by your [[Weapons & armour#Implements|implement]].

Entangle makes it impossible for the target to move their feet for ten seconds. They may otherwise move and fight normally.

The target is entangled even if they parry your blow with a weapon or shield.

==Sample Spellcasting Vocals==
* "Hirmok's grasp hold you still - ENTANGLE!"
* "I call upon the Door and close it behind you - ENTANGLE!"
* "I have you now, snared in my web of magic - ENTANGLE!"
* "By my might, I command the tides of battle - ENTANGLE!"

==Common Elements==
* '''Rune Magic:''' [[Hirmok]] is the quintessential Rune used to cast this spell, as the magician dominates the target's movement. A magician prone to showing off might make some grand gesture as she invokes [[Feresh]] or [[Verys]], controlling the flow of battle with her magic.
* '''Astronomancy:''' The crushing weight of [[The Mountain]] is often invoked to hold the target as if by a great weight, and "closing [[The Door]]" may be used to prevent the target from fleeing or advancing.
* '''Dramaturgy:''' [[The Prince]] is sometimes invoked to command the target to remain still, though [[The Bishop]] may be argued to have more authority. Rarely, [[The Mountebank]] may be invoked, trapping the target as the trickster character ensnares her mark before moving in for the kill.
* '''Other traditions:''' A [[Dawn|Dawnish]] witch might echo the enervating roar of the [[Legendary_beasts#Chimera|chimera]] when casting this spell, and a [[Navarr|Navarri]] [[Navarr_magical_traditions|vate]] might invoke the Great Dance - stopping the target in their tracks, or making them miss a crucial step.
* '''Realms:''' This spell has a strong connection with the lore of the Autumn realm.
[[Category:Spells]]

Calls

2026-08-20T09:17:13Z

Rafferty:

Paralysis

2026-08-20T09:17:08Z

Rafferty:

[[Category:Spells]]
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Heinous betrayal.jpg|align=left|caption=The paralysis spell freezes a target for a short time leaving them vulnerable to any number of indignities.|width=400}}</div>
==Description==
This potent martial magic renders an enemy defenceless for a short period of time - usually more than enough time to either dispatch or capture them. Like the [[repel]] spell, it employs magical force; in this case to restrain the target's entire body. This is sometimes described as akin to being held by a massive, invisible hand or being wrapped from head to foot in loose bands of unseen power that tighten instantly to prevent any movement. Some targets, however, have described the experience more as a metaphorical force - a dominating power that makes it impossible for them to even think about moving their bodies for a short time.

When the spell takes hold it is a rare enemy who has the ability to survive the follow-up attacks of the magician and their allies.

Any [[Magical skills#Magician|magician]] who plans to take the battlefield can supplement their magical abilities with a [[Quiet Word]] [[Weapons & armour#Rods|rod]], while more dedicated [[Magical skills#Battle Mage|war wizards]] can appreciate the value of a [[Shadowbound Donjon]] [[Weapons & armour#Staff|staff]]. The [[Caress of Arhallogen]] is a powerful staff that allows multiple additional uses of this spell each day, as well as granting abilities to wield supernatural [[venom]] against enemies, although its connection to the [[eternal]] [[Arhallogen]] has given it something of a dark reputation.

Of particular interest to a magician who masters this devastating spell is the [[Sceptre of the Necropolis]], a powerful rod that gives the wielder a limited ability to use their spell to [[Calls#IMPALE|critically injure]] their target by stilling processes vital to life rather than immobilising their bodies.
==Casting==
{{Offensive Spell|2}}
==Effects==
You may call [[Calls#PARALYSE|PARALYSE]] against the target struck by your [[Weapons & armour#Implements|implement]].

Paralysis holds the target in place with magical force for ten seconds. They can talk or drink a potion if they are fed one, but they cannot move or take any other actions.

If the target blocks or parries your strike they are not paralysed.

==Sample Spellcasting Vocals==
* (''Slashing an implement in a swift arc'') "Feel the weight of the mountain - PARALYSE!"
* "I command you with Hirmok's control, be still - PARALYSE!"
* "The light of Ophis stun you with its brilliance - PARALYSE!"
* "Be bound as the Chained Man - PARALYSE!"
* "In the Spider-King's name, I bind you with magic - PARALYSE!"

==Common Elements==
* '''Rune Magic:''' The rune [[Hirmok]], which signifies control and domination, is strongly connected with this spell, although some magicians favour [[Kyrop]], the rune of weakness. In both cases, a magician might sketch the rune in the air with their implement just prior to striking with it.
* '''Astronomancy:''' An [[astronomancy|astronomancer]] might evoke the power of [[the Mountain]] with this spell - its resonance can be used to impart immobility to a victim as easily as it can be evoked to grant strength and endurance. The constellation of [[the Lock]] can be evoked in a similar way - the paralysis spell binds the target, or "wards" them against movement. The [[Astronomancy#Tulpas#tulpa|tulpa]] of the Chained Man is sometimes referenced with this spell.
* '''Dramaturgy:''' A [[dramaturgy|dramaturgist]] might take on the commanding mien of [[the Bishop]] or [[the Prince]] and instruct the target to remain where they are. less commonly, [[the Doctor]] might be employed to remove the facility of movement from an opponent "for their own good", or by using that [[Dramaturgy#The Personae|role's]] superior knowledge of anatomy to restrict movement. The [[Dramaturgy#The Thrones|throne]] of [[the Tomb]] is also a common reference, especially when drawing a connection between the immobility created by magic and the immobility of the dead body bound within a grave.
* '''Other traditions:''' A [[Dawn|Dawnish]] witch might echo the terrifying roar of the [[Legendary_beasts#Chimera|chimera]] when casting this spell. Some magicians also like to call on the power of an eternal such as [[Arhallogen]] or [[Kimus]] when striking with this spell.
* '''Realms:''' The ability to immobilise someone with magical force resonates strongly with the realm of Day. Some magicians point to the powerlessness this spell creates as showing clear sympathy with the realm of Winter. A few magicians shrug and point to Arhallogen and similar poisonous creatures and calmly claim that this spell is a manifestation of the power of Spring.

Calls

2026-08-20T09:10:26Z

Rafferty: /* Heroic Calls */

{{CaptionedImage|file=Badass.jpg|align=right|caption= A heroic blow should be bold and dramatic and accompanied by a mighty roar.|width=400}}

{{anchor|Calls}}
==Overview==
*'''Calls allow characters to deliver magical effects or heroic blows'''
*'''All calls require the user to strike the target with a weapon or implement'''
* '''To make a call you must use [[appropriate roleplaying]] for the kind of call you are making'''
*'''You can only make one call each with each blow you strike'''
*'''All calls also cause the target to lose one global hit'''
*'''There are no game abilities that allow a target to resist a call'''
*'''Some calls do not affect a target if they hit armour'''
*'''If the target has clearly not taken the call then the call has not been used'''
A participant can shout a call in a fight to indicate that they have used a special ability or magical item that allows them to deliver an especially potent attack. By learning these calls, players know how to react appropriately when attacked by such an ability.

All heroic and magic calls require the user to strike the target with a suitable weapon or implement. The target loses one global hit as exactly as if they had been hit normally. Only mass calls can be used against a target at range, and these do not cause the loss of a hit.

To make any call you must use [[appropriate roleplaying]] for the skill or ability that you are using. A [[#heroic calls|heroic blow]] might be bold and dramatic and accompanied by a mighty roar, while a [[#magic calls|magic call]] might involve an arcane flourish and a quick invocation.

If it is clear that the target has not visibly taken the call then the call has not been used. Characters with heroic skills do not lose a hero point if the target is visibly unaffected, magicians do not lose a mana point if the target has clearly not taken the spell they have cast.

All Empire players need to be familiar with the calls so that they know how to react to them if attacked, even if they don't have any way to deliver the calls themselves.

You can only make one call with each blow you strike, and the [[Combat#The_One_Second_Rule|one-second rule]] applies as usual.

There is no way to resist an effect in Empire.

Some special [[calls]] affect a character even if the blow is blocked by a shield, and it is important for a shield user to know which ones these are so they can react appropriately. A character is still [[#REPEL|repelled]], [[#ENTANGLE|entangled]], or [[#STRIKEDOWN|knocked off their feet]] if the blow strikes their shield, although they do not lose any hits.

Some common queries about how calls work can be found in [[Rules FAQ#Calls|the Rules FAQ]].

==Monstrous Creatures==
* '''Monstrous creatures are not affected by calls'''
{{CaptionedImage|file=WarRhino.jpg|align=right|title=Battle of Ikka's Tears, Autumn Equinox, 378YE|caption=A Thule warbeast is a monstrous creature|width=400}}
There is no way to resist an effect in Empire, but calls never affect over-sized monstrous creatures. A monstrous creature that is phys-repped with a bulky all-encompassing full-body costume is not affected by calls. Player-characters (all PCs) always count as human-sized - no matter what costume they are wearing.

Large or broad-shouldered creatures - like ogres - do not count as monstrous creatures and are affected by calls normally. Iconic monsters such as the Thule war beast count as monstrous, as do the much smaller ice-giants, and some of the larger drakes fielded by the Grendel.

Monstrous creatures cannot be healed using regular methods. It requires time or specific ritual magic to heal a monstrous creature.

==Heroic Calls==
*'''Heroic calls usually represent physical blows of great strength or skill'''
Heroic calls are most commonly used to represent physical blows of great strength or skill. A highly trained warrior may strike down an enemy with their poleaxe, while a brutal herald might cut through leather and flesh with their greatsword.

===CLEAVE===
{{#ev:youtube|link={{{https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVNN4kyw1w0}}}|300|right}}
*'''If the blow strikes your torso, you lose all your hits'''
*'''If the blow strikes one of your limbs, it is ''ruined'' and you lose the use of that limb until cured'''
*'''If the blow strikes your head or neck, you lose one hit'''
*'''If the blow strikes your medium or heavy armour phys-rep, you lose one hit'''
* '''If you block or parry the blow, the call has no effect but is not expended'''
If you are hit with a CLEAVE then you have been hit with a blow that is heavy or precise enough to disable you with a single strike. If you are hit in the torso then you are reduced to zero global hits and are [[Combat#Dying|dying]].

If you are hit in a limb then you lose the use of that limb. You must roleplay accordingly: you might fight on with the loss of an arm, but you must drop anything that was held in that hand. You may defend yourself from the ground with the loss of a leg, but you cannot kneel, hop, or move around.

If you are hit by a CLEAVE in the head or neck, or if the blow strikes the actual phys-rep of medium or heavy armour that you are wearing, then you only lose one hit as if you had been hit by a normal blow.

The effects of CLEAVE and IMPALE are the same, but medium or heavy armour will protect you from a CLEAVE while only heavy armour will protect you from an IMPALE.
{{CaptionedImage|file=CM-140420-6778.jpg|align=right|width=400}}

===IMPALE===
{{#ev:youtube|link={{{https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBMVkwKUBLg}}}|300|right}}
*'''If the blow strikes your torso, you lose all your hits'''
*'''If the blow strikes one of your limbs, it is ''ruined'' and you lose the use of that limb until cured'''
*'''If the blow strikes your head or neck, you lose one hit'''
*'''If the blow strikes your heavy armour phys-rep, you lose one hit'''
*'''All arrows and bolts cause IMPALE without needing to be called'''
* '''If you block or parry the blow, the call has no effect but is not expended. You must not attempt to parry an arrow or bolt with a weapon.'''
If you are hit with an IMPALE then you have been hit with a blow that is heavy or precise enough to disable you with a single strike. All arrows and bolts cause IMPALE without needing to be called.

If you are hit in the torso then you are reduced to zero global hits and are [[Combat#Dying|dying]].

If you are hit in a limb then you lose the use of that limb. You must roleplay accordingly: you might fight on with the loss of an arm, but you must drop anything that was held in that hand. You may defend yourself from the ground with the loss of a leg, but you cannot kneel, hop, or move around.

If you are hit by an IMPALE in the head or neck, or if the blow strikes the actual phys-rep of heavy armour that you are wearing, then you only lose one hit as if you had been hit by a normal blow.
{{anchor|STRIKEDOWN}}

===STRIKEDOWN===
{{#ev:youtube|link={{{https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLBPDDFOVqg}}}|300|right}}
*'''You are knocked off your feet'''
*'''You are struck down even if you parry the blow with a weapon or shield'''
If you are hit with a STRIKEDOWN then you have either been tripped or hit so hard that you have been knocked from your feet. You must roleplay this appropriately and fall to the ground - your backside or torso must touch the ground before you are able to take any other action or stand up. You cannot dive into a roll and leap back to your feet, nor drop to your knees.

You must fall to the ground at most two steps from where you were last struck. This rule allows you to avoid having to fall over in unsafe or particularly wet areas; it does not allow you to make a tactical retreat from combat nor to take any aggressive actions while moving to fall over.

===EXECUTE===
*'''You can only be executed if you are [[Combat#Dying|dying]] or you consent.'''
*'''After your opponent spends five seconds of appropriate roleplaying delivering a fatal blow, you die.'''
If you are [[Combat#Dying|dying]], (or [[Combat#Terminal|terminal]]) and another character spends at least five seconds of appropriate roleplaying for delivering a fatal blow to your character and calls EXECUTE then you are immediately killed.

You are not vulnerable to EXECUTE purely because you are paralysed, nor are you affected if the other party does not spend at least five seconds to carry out the execution. You can consent to being executed by another character, in which case you do not need to be dying or terminal and they do not need to spend five seconds roleplaying the execution for the call to affect you.
{{CaptionedImage|file=GorrillasInTheMist.jpg|align=right|width=400}}

==Magic Calls==
*'''Magic calls usually represent magical effects that debilitate or weaken the target'''
*'''You must strike the target with a wand, rod, or staff'''
Magic calls are most commonly used to represent the malign effects of spells, rituals, and powerful magical items. A skilled battle mage may cast a spell to repel an enemy, while a wraith might curse a target with the touch of its wicked blade.

To deliver a magic call, you must touch your target with a wand, rod, or staff. If your victim parries or dodges the strike, then they are not affected by some spells.

As the effects of the magic calls VENOM and WEAKNESS cannot be seen, you must always assume that the target has taken the call.

===CURSE===
*'''You are cursed and should see a ref for details when it is appropriate to do so'''
*'''The effect lasts until cured'''
CURSE does not immediately affect your character; you are aware that you have been cursed but may continue to fight and act normally. See a referee for more details once you are able to do so without interrupting your roleplaying.

===ENTANGLE===
*'''You may not move your feet but you may otherwise move and fight normally'''
*'''You are entangled even if you parry the blow with a weapon or shield'''
*'''The effect lasts 10 seconds'''
ENTANGLE makes it impossible for your character to move their feet for ten seconds. You may otherwise move and fight normally.

{{CaptionedImage|file=Heinous betrayal.jpg|align=right|width=400}}
===PARALYSE===
*'''You may talk and drink a potion if you are fed one, but you cannot take any other actions'''
* '''If you block or parry the blow, the call has no effect but is not expended'''
*'''The effect lasts 10 seconds'''
You are held in place by magical force. You cannot move at all. You may talk and drink a potion if you are fed one, but you cannot take any other actions. This effect lasts ten seconds.

If you block or parry the strike then you are not paralysed.

MASS PARALYSE will always affect you, holding you in place for ten seconds, regardless of whether you are equipped with a shield.

{{anchor|REPEL}}

===REPEL===
*'''You must move away from the caster at a brisk walk or faster'''
*'''You are repelled even if you parry the blow with a weapon or shield'''
*'''The effect lasts 10 seconds or until you have retreated for 20’'''
REPEL represents a magical force that drives you away from the caster. You must move away from them at a brisk walk or faster. The effect lasts for ten seconds or until you have retreated for more than 20' (6m).

If you cannot move away from the caster due to the presence of an obstacle, you must move as far as you can and then be pressed against the obstacle for the remainder of the ten second duration. While pressed against the obstacle you may talk but may take no other actions including blocking with a shield or parrying a blow. 

===SHATTER===
*'''Any weapon, implement, or shield struck is broken and useless'''
*'''Shattered items can be repaired with the mend spell or with artisan's oil'''
SHATTER represents a magical force (or mighty blow) that is powerful enough to break weapons and shatter shields. Any weapon, implement, or shield struck by a SHATTER call is broken and useless. If you are using a shield that is difficult to discard, then any further blow that strikes the shattered shield counts as if it had struck you on your arm.
{{CaptionedImage|file=KallevesiMystic.jpg|align=right|width=300}}

===VENOM===
*'''Your bleed time drops to thirty seconds'''
* '''If you block or parry the blow, the call has no effect but is not expended'''
*'''The effect lasts until cured'''
*'''When using the VENOM call, you must assume that the target has taken the effect'''
A character will normally bleed to death in three minutes if they are reduced to zero hits. A character who is struck by VENOM will instead bleed to death in thirty seconds if they are reduced to zero hits.

If you are [[Combat#Dying|dying]] and have less than thirty seconds to live when you are hit by venom, then you should continue with your current count - gaining the venom condition ''never'' increases the time remaining if you were already dying.

The [[Combat_skills#Fortitude|fortitude]] skill lists how long it takes for a character with the skill to bleed to death when affected by venom.

The victim remains affected by venom until they are cured by the [[purify]] spell or a similar potion or magic.


===WEAKNESS===
* '''You may not make any calls'''
* '''You may not use any [[heroic skills]], any [[religious skills]], cast spells, or contribute to rituals'''
* '''Only skills, enchantments and magic items that are ''always on'' will work'''
* '''If you block or parry the blow, the call has no effect but is not expended'''
* '''The effect lasts until cured'''
* '''When using the WEAKNESS call, you must assume that the target has taken the effect'''
WEAKNESS prevents you from making any calls (bar OOC safety calls) for any reason. This includes [[Calls#EXECUTE|EXECUTE]]. In addition, you cannot use any [[heroic skills]], [[religious skills]], cast any spells or contribute to any rituals. Only skills, [[magic items]], or [[enchantment|enchantments]] that are "always on" will work (such as those that give you extra hits, wield a polearm, or fire a crossbow). You may otherwise move and fight normally.

The victim remains affected by weakness until they are cured by the [[purify]] spell or a similar potion or magic.


==Mass Calls==
*'''MASS is an area effect call that expands the effect of another call to everyone within a 20' cone in front of the caster'''
MASS calls represent the most potent effects in the game and they are the only calls that can be used at range. They are commonly caused by rituals, though there are powerful unnatural creatures in the world that can cause MASS effects.

MASS is always used with another call immediately following it. It indicates that the call affects everyone in a ninety-degree arc in front of and up to 20' (6m) away from the caster.

For example, MASS REPEL causes everyone within the area of effect to be affected by the REPEL call.

==Safety Calls==
Safety calls are out-of-character calls used to indicate that there is a safety issue that needs to be immediately addressed. Everyone who hears a safety call must immediately stop whatever they are doing and follow the safety call as appropriate.

===FIRST AID===
*'''If you hear this call, you should stop any fighting and kneel down'''
*'''You should call FIRST AID if you ''see'' anyone suffer a real injury'''
*'''Do not shout this call if you hear someone else shout it'''
If a participant suffers a real injury then a ref or any other participant who sees in the injury should shout FIRST AID. This call alerts everyone to the fact that someone is genuinely hurt. You should alert the nearest member of crew, if they are not already aware of the incident.

Previously we used man down for this call. If you hear FIRST AID or MAN DOWN called then you should stop fighting and kneel down. Only the referees in the area should remain standing. This makes it as easy as possible for our first-aid team and crew to identify the situation and act appropriately. You should not shout the call just because you hear someone else shout it. This is to ensure the battle can continue to flow, and the appropriate crew can quickly identify the right location.

Depending on the severity of the injury, referees may keep the area timed out until it is resolved, or move players away from the incident and resume fighting in the area by shouting TIME IN.

===TIME FREEZE===
*'''A referee will make this call if a significant safety problem is developing'''
*'''If you hear this call, you should stop any fighting, stop talking, and listen for further instructions'''
If a referee identifies that a situation is becoming unsafe then they will call TIME FREEZE. All participants should stop any fighting and stop roleplaying. The referee will tell you what to do next, so you should remain alert and listen for instructions. You should '''not''' shut your eyes or make any noise. The ref will give a quick explanation of the problem and then state what remedial action everyone must take.

For example, if a fight is moving close to a deep ditch the ref may shout TIME FREEZE. A second later when everyone has stopped they will say "The ditch here is unsafe - all participants move 10 paces in that direction."

Once everyone has moved as directed the referee will indicate that the game can resume by shouting TIME IN.

{{Core Rule Links}}

Calls

2026-08-20T09:05:25Z

Rafferty: /* IMPALE */

{{CaptionedImage|file=Badass.jpg|align=right|caption= A heroic blow should be bold and dramatic and accompanied by a mighty roar.|width=400}}

{{anchor|Calls}}
==Overview==
*'''Calls allow characters to deliver magical effects or heroic blows'''
*'''All calls require the user to strike the target with a weapon or implement'''
* '''To make a call you must use [[appropriate roleplaying]] for the kind of call you are making'''
*'''You can only make one call each with each blow you strike'''
*'''All calls also cause the target to lose one global hit'''
*'''There are no game abilities that allow a target to resist a call'''
*'''Some calls do not affect a target if they hit armour'''
*'''If the target has clearly not taken the call then the call has not been used'''
A participant can shout a call in a fight to indicate that they have used a special ability or magical item that allows them to deliver an especially potent attack. By learning these calls, players know how to react appropriately when attacked by such an ability.

All heroic and magic calls require the user to strike the target with a suitable weapon or implement. The target loses one global hit as exactly as if they had been hit normally. Only mass calls can be used against a target at range, and these do not cause the loss of a hit.

To make any call you must use [[appropriate roleplaying]] for the skill or ability that you are using. A [[#heroic calls|heroic blow]] might be bold and dramatic and accompanied by a mighty roar, while a [[#magic calls|magic call]] might involve an arcane flourish and a quick invocation.

If it is clear that the target has not visibly taken the call then the call has not been used. Characters with heroic skills do not lose a hero point if the target is visibly unaffected, magicians do not lose a mana point if the target has clearly not taken the spell they have cast.

All Empire players need to be familiar with the calls so that they know how to react to them if attacked, even if they don't have any way to deliver the calls themselves.

You can only make one call with each blow you strike, and the [[Combat#The_One_Second_Rule|one-second rule]] applies as usual.

There is no way to resist an effect in Empire.

Some special [[calls]] affect a character even if the blow is blocked by a shield, and it is important for a shield user to know which ones these are so they can react appropriately. A character is still [[#REPEL|repelled]], [[#ENTANGLE|entangled]], or [[#STRIKEDOWN|knocked off their feet]] if the blow strikes their shield, although they do not lose any hits.

Some common queries about how calls work can be found in [[Rules FAQ#Calls|the Rules FAQ]].

==Monstrous Creatures==
* '''Monstrous creatures are not affected by calls'''
{{CaptionedImage|file=WarRhino.jpg|align=right|title=Battle of Ikka's Tears, Autumn Equinox, 378YE|caption=A Thule warbeast is a monstrous creature|width=400}}
There is no way to resist an effect in Empire, but calls never affect over-sized monstrous creatures. A monstrous creature that is phys-repped with a bulky all-encompassing full-body costume is not affected by calls. Player-characters (all PCs) always count as human-sized - no matter what costume they are wearing.

Large or broad-shouldered creatures - like ogres - do not count as monstrous creatures and are affected by calls normally. Iconic monsters such as the Thule war beast count as monstrous, as do the much smaller ice-giants, and some of the larger drakes fielded by the Grendel.

Monstrous creatures cannot be healed using regular methods. It requires time or specific ritual magic to heal a monstrous creature.

==Heroic Calls==
*'''Heroic calls usually represent physical blows of great strength or skill'''
Heroic calls are most commonly used to represent physical blows of great strength or skill. A highly trained warrior may strike down an enemy with their poleaxe, while a brutal herald might cut through leather and flesh with their greatsword.

===CLEAVE===
*'''If the blow strikes your torso, you lose all your hits'''
*'''If the blow strikes one of your limbs, it is ''ruined'' and you lose the use of that limb until cured'''
*'''If the blow strikes your head or neck, you lose one hit'''
*'''If the blow strikes your medium or heavy armour phys-rep, you lose one hit'''
* '''If you block or parry the blow, the call has no effect but is not expended'''
If you are hit with a CLEAVE then you have been hit with a blow that is heavy or precise enough to disable you with a single strike. If you are hit in the torso then you are reduced to zero global hits and are [[Combat#Dying|dying]].

If you are hit in a limb then you lose the use of that limb. You must roleplay accordingly: you might fight on with the loss of an arm, but you must drop anything that was held in that hand. You may defend yourself from the ground with the loss of a leg, but you cannot kneel, hop, or move around.

If you are hit by a CLEAVE in the head or neck, or if the blow strikes the actual phys-rep of medium or heavy armour that you are wearing, then you only lose one hit as if you had been hit by a normal blow.

The effects of CLEAVE and IMPALE are the same, but medium or heavy armour will protect you from a CLEAVE while only heavy armour will protect you from an IMPALE.
{{CaptionedImage|file=CM-140420-6778.jpg|align=right|width=400}}

===IMPALE===
{{#ev:youtube|link={{{https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBMVkwKUBLg}}}|300|right}}
*'''If the blow strikes your torso, you lose all your hits'''
*'''If the blow strikes one of your limbs, it is ''ruined'' and you lose the use of that limb until cured'''
*'''If the blow strikes your head or neck, you lose one hit'''
*'''If the blow strikes your heavy armour phys-rep, you lose one hit'''
*'''All arrows and bolts cause IMPALE without needing to be called'''
* '''If you block or parry the blow, the call has no effect but is not expended. You must not attempt to parry an arrow or bolt with a weapon.'''
If you are hit with an IMPALE then you have been hit with a blow that is heavy or precise enough to disable you with a single strike. All arrows and bolts cause IMPALE without needing to be called.

If you are hit in the torso then you are reduced to zero global hits and are [[Combat#Dying|dying]].

If you are hit in a limb then you lose the use of that limb. You must roleplay accordingly: you might fight on with the loss of an arm, but you must drop anything that was held in that hand. You may defend yourself from the ground with the loss of a leg, but you cannot kneel, hop, or move around.

If you are hit by an IMPALE in the head or neck, or if the blow strikes the actual phys-rep of heavy armour that you are wearing, then you only lose one hit as if you had been hit by a normal blow.
{{anchor|STRIKEDOWN}}

===STRIKEDOWN===
*'''You are knocked off your feet'''
*'''You are struck down even if you parry the blow with a weapon or shield'''
If you are hit with a STRIKEDOWN then you have either been tripped or hit so hard that you have been knocked from your feet. You must roleplay this appropriately and fall to the ground - your backside or torso must touch the ground before you are able to take any other action or stand up. You cannot dive into a roll and leap back to your feet, nor drop to your knees.

You must fall to the ground at most two steps from where you were last struck. This rule allows you to avoid having to fall over in unsafe or particularly wet areas; it does not allow you to make a tactical retreat from combat nor to take any aggressive actions while moving to fall over.

===EXECUTE===
*'''You can only be executed if you are [[Combat#Dying|dying]] or you consent.'''
*'''After your opponent spends five seconds of appropriate roleplaying delivering a fatal blow, you die.'''
If you are [[Combat#Dying|dying]], (or [[Combat#Terminal|terminal]]) and another character spends at least five seconds of appropriate roleplaying for delivering a fatal blow to your character and calls EXECUTE then you are immediately killed.

You are not vulnerable to EXECUTE purely because you are paralysed, nor are you affected if the other party does not spend at least five seconds to carry out the execution. You can consent to being executed by another character, in which case you do not need to be dying or terminal and they do not need to spend five seconds roleplaying the execution for the call to affect you.
{{CaptionedImage|file=GorrillasInTheMist.jpg|align=right|width=400}}

==Magic Calls==
*'''Magic calls usually represent magical effects that debilitate or weaken the target'''
*'''You must strike the target with a wand, rod, or staff'''
Magic calls are most commonly used to represent the malign effects of spells, rituals, and powerful magical items. A skilled battle mage may cast a spell to repel an enemy, while a wraith might curse a target with the touch of its wicked blade.

To deliver a magic call, you must touch your target with a wand, rod, or staff. If your victim parries or dodges the strike, then they are not affected by some spells.

As the effects of the magic calls VENOM and WEAKNESS cannot be seen, you must always assume that the target has taken the call.

===CURSE===
*'''You are cursed and should see a ref for details when it is appropriate to do so'''
*'''The effect lasts until cured'''
CURSE does not immediately affect your character; you are aware that you have been cursed but may continue to fight and act normally. See a referee for more details once you are able to do so without interrupting your roleplaying.

===ENTANGLE===
*'''You may not move your feet but you may otherwise move and fight normally'''
*'''You are entangled even if you parry the blow with a weapon or shield'''
*'''The effect lasts 10 seconds'''
ENTANGLE makes it impossible for your character to move their feet for ten seconds. You may otherwise move and fight normally.

{{CaptionedImage|file=Heinous betrayal.jpg|align=right|width=400}}
===PARALYSE===
*'''You may talk and drink a potion if you are fed one, but you cannot take any other actions'''
* '''If you block or parry the blow, the call has no effect but is not expended'''
*'''The effect lasts 10 seconds'''
You are held in place by magical force. You cannot move at all. You may talk and drink a potion if you are fed one, but you cannot take any other actions. This effect lasts ten seconds.

If you block or parry the strike then you are not paralysed.

MASS PARALYSE will always affect you, holding you in place for ten seconds, regardless of whether you are equipped with a shield.

{{anchor|REPEL}}

===REPEL===
*'''You must move away from the caster at a brisk walk or faster'''
*'''You are repelled even if you parry the blow with a weapon or shield'''
*'''The effect lasts 10 seconds or until you have retreated for 20’'''
REPEL represents a magical force that drives you away from the caster. You must move away from them at a brisk walk or faster. The effect lasts for ten seconds or until you have retreated for more than 20' (6m).

If you cannot move away from the caster due to the presence of an obstacle, you must move as far as you can and then be pressed against the obstacle for the remainder of the ten second duration. While pressed against the obstacle you may talk but may take no other actions including blocking with a shield or parrying a blow. 

===SHATTER===
*'''Any weapon, implement, or shield struck is broken and useless'''
*'''Shattered items can be repaired with the mend spell or with artisan's oil'''
SHATTER represents a magical force (or mighty blow) that is powerful enough to break weapons and shatter shields. Any weapon, implement, or shield struck by a SHATTER call is broken and useless. If you are using a shield that is difficult to discard, then any further blow that strikes the shattered shield counts as if it had struck you on your arm.
{{CaptionedImage|file=KallevesiMystic.jpg|align=right|width=300}}

===VENOM===
*'''Your bleed time drops to thirty seconds'''
* '''If you block or parry the blow, the call has no effect but is not expended'''
*'''The effect lasts until cured'''
*'''When using the VENOM call, you must assume that the target has taken the effect'''
A character will normally bleed to death in three minutes if they are reduced to zero hits. A character who is struck by VENOM will instead bleed to death in thirty seconds if they are reduced to zero hits.

If you are [[Combat#Dying|dying]] and have less than thirty seconds to live when you are hit by venom, then you should continue with your current count - gaining the venom condition ''never'' increases the time remaining if you were already dying.

The [[Combat_skills#Fortitude|fortitude]] skill lists how long it takes for a character with the skill to bleed to death when affected by venom.

The victim remains affected by venom until they are cured by the [[purify]] spell or a similar potion or magic.


===WEAKNESS===
* '''You may not make any calls'''
* '''You may not use any [[heroic skills]], any [[religious skills]], cast spells, or contribute to rituals'''
* '''Only skills, enchantments and magic items that are ''always on'' will work'''
* '''If you block or parry the blow, the call has no effect but is not expended'''
* '''The effect lasts until cured'''
* '''When using the WEAKNESS call, you must assume that the target has taken the effect'''
WEAKNESS prevents you from making any calls (bar OOC safety calls) for any reason. This includes [[Calls#EXECUTE|EXECUTE]]. In addition, you cannot use any [[heroic skills]], [[religious skills]], cast any spells or contribute to any rituals. Only skills, [[magic items]], or [[enchantment|enchantments]] that are "always on" will work (such as those that give you extra hits, wield a polearm, or fire a crossbow). You may otherwise move and fight normally.

The victim remains affected by weakness until they are cured by the [[purify]] spell or a similar potion or magic.


==Mass Calls==
*'''MASS is an area effect call that expands the effect of another call to everyone within a 20' cone in front of the caster'''
MASS calls represent the most potent effects in the game and they are the only calls that can be used at range. They are commonly caused by rituals, though there are powerful unnatural creatures in the world that can cause MASS effects.

MASS is always used with another call immediately following it. It indicates that the call affects everyone in a ninety-degree arc in front of and up to 20' (6m) away from the caster.

For example, MASS REPEL causes everyone within the area of effect to be affected by the REPEL call.

==Safety Calls==
Safety calls are out-of-character calls used to indicate that there is a safety issue that needs to be immediately addressed. Everyone who hears a safety call must immediately stop whatever they are doing and follow the safety call as appropriate.

===FIRST AID===
*'''If you hear this call, you should stop any fighting and kneel down'''
*'''You should call FIRST AID if you ''see'' anyone suffer a real injury'''
*'''Do not shout this call if you hear someone else shout it'''
If a participant suffers a real injury then a ref or any other participant who sees in the injury should shout FIRST AID. This call alerts everyone to the fact that someone is genuinely hurt. You should alert the nearest member of crew, if they are not already aware of the incident.

Previously we used man down for this call. If you hear FIRST AID or MAN DOWN called then you should stop fighting and kneel down. Only the referees in the area should remain standing. This makes it as easy as possible for our first-aid team and crew to identify the situation and act appropriately. You should not shout the call just because you hear someone else shout it. This is to ensure the battle can continue to flow, and the appropriate crew can quickly identify the right location.

Depending on the severity of the injury, referees may keep the area timed out until it is resolved, or move players away from the incident and resume fighting in the area by shouting TIME IN.

===TIME FREEZE===
*'''A referee will make this call if a significant safety problem is developing'''
*'''If you hear this call, you should stop any fighting, stop talking, and listen for further instructions'''
If a referee identifies that a situation is becoming unsafe then they will call TIME FREEZE. All participants should stop any fighting and stop roleplaying. The referee will tell you what to do next, so you should remain alert and listen for instructions. You should '''not''' shut your eyes or make any noise. The ref will give a quick explanation of the problem and then state what remedial action everyone must take.

For example, if a fight is moving close to a deep ditch the ref may shout TIME FREEZE. A second later when everyone has stopped they will say "The ditch here is unsafe - all participants move 10 paces in that direction."

Once everyone has moved as directed the referee will indicate that the game can resume by shouting TIME IN.

{{Core Rule Links}}

Bells of Silver and Brass

2026-08-19T17:34:42Z

Rafferty:

[[Category:Autumn Ritual]] [[Category:Rituals]] [[Category:Warfare]]
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBUrizen.jpg|caption=This ritual is part of [[Urizen magical traditions#Urizen Lore|Urizen lore]] rather than [[Imperial lore]].|align=right|width=200}}
==Rules==
{{Season|Autumn|60}}
{{Urizen Lore}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|10}} {{Imperial Reduction}}

This ritual targets a [[fortification]], and must be performed in a strong Autumn [[regio]] in the [[territory]] containing the fortification. If the territory is part of the Empire, then it may instead be performed from the [[Regio#The_Imperial_Regio|Imperial regio]].

{{enchantment}}

===Effects===
Over the coming season, the [[fortification#garrison|garrison]] of the target fortification is restored, regaining 250 points of strength. This is in addition to any other resupply the garrison receives. The garrison is still restored even if it is engaged in a campaign during the season.

{{Season Duration}}

==Description==
This ritual became part of [[Urizen lore]] following the Autumn Equinox 387YE by members of the ''Shield of Thought'' coven from [[Redoubt#Willstone|Willstone Citadel]] in [[Redoubt]]. The [[Formulaic_ritual#Ritual_Texts|ritual text]] was codified during the reign of [[Emperor James]] at the [[Morrow#The_Halls_of_Knowledge_(ruined)|Halls of Knowledge]]. The enchantment builds on the work of an [[Urizen|Urizeni]] [[questor]] called ''Ingerina of the Bells'', and the text mentions that part of their inspiration lay in the eight brass spheres created by ''Eudokia of the Spheres''. According to the ''Shield of Thought'', they were persuaded to contribute their rituals by representatives of the [[Jaheris|Moonsilver King]], who gave them unspecified boons in return. The threat of the [[Grendel]], whose ongoing invasion [[Blood-red blooms|potentially threatened]] the eastern regions of Redoubt, may also have been a factor. Regardless, the magicians claimed that the heralds of the ''Lord of the Forest of Arden'' was motivated by a simple desire to help Urizen protect itself from its many, many enemies and expected nothing in return.

When it was originally codified, ''Bells of Silver and Brass'' was used to inspire soldiers to come to the defence of their neighbours, but the ritual seems to have other, more practical applications. Through subtle Autumn magics it subtly draws volunteers to take up weapons, and improves the process of turning a raw recruit into a seasoned soldier. Equipment is sourced and transported more efficiently, the organisation of new recruits runs more smoothly, and the replenishment of supplies happens with less friction even if the land the fortification stands in are actively under attack. Blacksmiths, fletchers, leatherworkers, and other craftsfolk may find previously overlooked caches of materials for their work. Soldiers who might otherwise have been lost or separated find it easy to regroup, and while injuries [[Autumn_magic#Healing|do not heal any more swiftly]] than normal, the hospitals and [[Surgical skills#Physick|physicks]] who tend to wounded soldiers enjoy the same benefits of improved efficiency and access to materials as the crafters and recruiters.

The bells themselves are audible throughout the territory, but only to those who share a political affiliation with the fortification targeted by the enchantment. Invaders, and even peaceful settlers from other Empires, remain oblivious to the pealing noise that spills out from the bastion every day at noon. The tolling bells inspire a potent but short-lived urge in all who can hear them to defend their homes, to work with their neighbours to resist invaders, and to be alert to all dangers, both within and without.

==Common Elements==
Bells, or percussion instruments such as cymbals or chimes, are a common feature of this ritual. Performance often includes a map of the territory where the fortification stands - or of the fortification itself. Images or effigies of the castle may also be involved, especially delicate and precise images that exemplify the technical approach favoured by Urizen artists. The ritual has a strong [[astronomancy|astronomantic]] feel, and the original text references invoking the binding power of [[the Chain]] and [[the Phoenix]] as an icon of learning and experience. Calculating the location and influence of these stars over the location where the fortification stands might play a key role in the ritual. It is also resonant, given the use of [[Autumn_magic#Bands|bonds of neighbourhood]] and [[Autumn_magic#Binding|bringing people together]], to include citizens who live in the territory where the fortification stands as part of the focus of the magic.

A significant portion of the text is given over to discussions of [[Vigilance]] as well, and notes that [[Aspect_magic#Theurgy|theurges]] can effectively incorporate the [[Vigilance#Symbols_of_Vigilance|symbols of that virtue]]. Significantly less time is spent discussing [[dramaturgy]], but it suggests that [[the Bishop]] and [[the Captain]] can both play a key role in a performance, especially in conjunction with [[the Ring]] and [[the Battlefield]].

Fair share of labour

2026-08-19T14:59:03Z

Rafferty:

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]][[Category:Appraisal]]
<ic>
Jasna Kazimerczyk stared at the letter on the writing desk, struggling to believe the news could be true. She'd read it three times now and still couldn't quite believe it.

The Imperial Artisans Guild... it didn't sound like much. More like a Temeschwari carta with ideas above their station than some body of state. But according to Miloš, the civil service were appraising the prospect of making this League guild into an actual sodality. A body of state, on a par with the Conclave or the Bourse, but there to stand for artisans and to represent their interests to the Empire. No more relying on the Conclave to speak for them, no more urging the Golden Pyramid to fight their corner. The artisans would finally get the recognition they deserved.

Of course it was far from a foregone conclusion. Miloš said they'd done the same for a shipwrights sodality last season and that hadn't passed the Senate. At least not yet. There was no reason to assume this guild would fare any better. And yet Jasna dared to hope that somehow this might finally be their moment. She thought back to her own time in politics, all those years ago, agitating and arguing with people for change. Two years she'd spent traipsing down to Casinea every season, walking around Anvil trying to drum up support for the cause. Always the same answer, too expensive, too difficult, too many other battles to fight. She'd been full of hope when she first arrived in Anvil, convinced that the Virtue of her cause would be impossible to argue with. She'd soon learned that nothing was impossible to argue with. Two years later she'd quit in frustration vowing never to return.

And now, finally, all these years later, there was a chance to do the Virtuos thing. A once in a lifetime opportunity to fix one of the great flaws in the Empire. If Urizen had been a nation of artisans rather than a nation of magicians, the Conclave would have been a hall of craftspeople and the magicians would have been stood round the edges hoping to be let in. Instead they'd had four centuries of fighting for their rights, nearly forty decades fighting for their voices to be heard, the best part of four hundred years fighting for their work to be acknowledged. Surely the Senate would see the Virtue of acting? What senator wouldn't want to seize this opportunity to right this wrong? It might be too expect that Virtue would move them to act, but surely they would want to leave their mark on the world? To change the very nature of the Empire? What mortal soul could resist the urge to fashion something new, something better, when given the chance?

Hope is not a virtue she told herself. Leaving this to hope was a bad idea. A very, very bad idea. If this guild was going to become the voice of the Empire's artisans it would need every ally they could muster. The new sodality would face opposition from all corners - every single vote would be needed, of that she had no doubt.

Jasna Kazimerczyk picked up her quill, dipped it in the well and began to write. She was in no condition for waltzing off to Anvil at her age, but she still had a lot of friends across the north from her days as a preacher in the Assembly. Friends and allies she'd made all those years ago when fighting for the cause. Friends who'd sworn that they'd back her when the time came. Well, she thought to herself, it appears that the time has finally come...
</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Crafting.jpg|align=left|caption=The Guild of Artisans is currently an informal sodality that welcomes all who master the arts of creating [[magic items]]; the COnstitutional Court has considered what form it might take if it were recognised as a true [[Imperial sodality]].|width=400}}</div>
==Overview==
At the recent summit, [[Emperor Vesna]], requested that the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] [[Forever_is_composed_of_nows#The_Abraham_Gambit|appraise the implications]] of a new [[Imperial sodality]], the ''Imperial Guild of Artisans''. Any new Imperial sodality can have significant legal ramifications, which depend on the precise wording of its manifesto. The aim of the [[Civil Service|civil service]] appraisal is to provide clarity on these consequences, to enable the [[Senate]] to better decide the matter.

The Artisans Guild has been in existence for some time, with the Senate [[Construct_Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|ordering the construction of Guildhouse]] in 385YE, creating the position of [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]]. Now the Senate is in a position to consider the full implications of making the Guild into an official Imperial sodality.

A single season remains available for [[the Throne]] to instruct the civil service to appraise the legal implications of a new sodality. Whoever is chosen this season, if any, will be the final sodality that can be reviewed in this way, unless the civil service can find the resources to make the facility permanently available (although the Senate would still be able to [[appraisal|appraise]] the implications of a new Imperial sodality of course).

==Consequences==
* '''Emperor Vesna has asked the civil service to assess the constitutional implications of the Imperial Guild of Artisans'''
* '''Magistrate Abraham has delivered their analysis based on the proposed manifesto'''
* '''It would not be possible to create a second sodality concerned with artisans and the creation of magical items'''

Magistrate Abraham has conducted an analysis of the constitutional implications of the new sodality's provisional manifesto. The magistrate congratulates the Guild on the clarity and Ambition of their manifesto which has made this appraisal particularly straightforward.

<quote by="Manifesto of the Guild of Imperial Artisans"> This sodality holds the following to be true:
* Imperial artisans are the finest in the world, deserving commensurate respect, recompense and pride;
* Artisans and the magic items they create are valuable strategic resources for the Empire;
* The voice of the Empire's artisans should be preeminent in all matters relating to artisanry.

The sodality therefore exists to:
* Guide, aid, and provide consultation to the Empire's artisans, bodies of state and wider citizenry on the matter of artisanry;
* Support and coordinate artisans in the study, innovation, and creation of magic items;
* Represent the Empire's artisans, seeking and supporting opportunities within the Empire's borders and beyond.
</quote>
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Magistrate Abraham.jpg|caption=Magistrate Abraham, constitutional scholar and part of the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional Court|Constitutional Court]], has taken it upon himself to provide guidance about Imperial sodalities to the Throne.|align=right|width=300}}</div>
The manifesto defines a sodality with responsibility for Imperial [[artisan|artisans]]. The Magistrate notes that it makes no mention of having responsibility for the means to create magical items - there is no suggestion that the sodality should have any oversight of [[mine|mines]] or [[forest|forests]] or the [[materials]] they produce. If the Senate ratifies the decision to create the Imperial sodality, they will be responsible for the study, innovation and creation of magical items, but the manifesto would need to be updated if the Senate wanted them to take on any additional responsibilities.

This narrow focus ensures that there is no legal conflict with either the [[Imperial Apothecaries Guild]] or the [[Conclave]]. The Magistrate does note that the sodality's name is very similar to the Apothecaries Guild, which he predicts will inevitably cause errors to happen at some point, when the wrong thing is written down. In particular, as a body of state grows into its power, it is common to refer to it with a singular name. ''Technically'' the Conclave is the Imperial Conclave of Magicians, but literally nobody calls it that - it's just called "Conclave". If people start referring to either the Artisans or the Apothecaries Guild as the "Guild" then it's going to lead to problems. The Imperial Archivist apparently send Abraham an unsolicited list of possible alternative names, but their "suggestions" appear to not have made it into the final text of the report.

The Magistrate also raises the concern that employing a name commonly used to describe a League business affiliation risks narrowing the appeal of the sodality to other nations, or giving the impression that the Guild has undue League affiliations which would obviously undermine its status as an Imperial sodality. The magistrate has spoken with members of the Guild about these concerns and understands that they have their reasons for the name and he is the first to admit that there is no legal bar to using the term Guild to describe one - or more - sodalities - but he feels he would be remiss if he did not point out the issue. Ultimately the Senate is contemplating the creation of a new branch of Imperial government - not establishing a trading [[guild]].

Imperial sodalities must be "singular" - there cannot be two sodalities in the Empire with overlapping concerns. If the Imperial Senate approves the manifesto of the Artisans Guild, then it would not be possible to create a new Imperial sodality that had responsibility for the study, innovation, and creation of magic items nor otherwise represent the interests of artisans in the Empire.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Carpentry.jpg|align=right|caption=As an Imperial Sodality, the Guild of Imperial Artisans would represent all kinds of skilled magical crafters, irrespective of the materials with which they work.|width=400}}</div>
==Powers==
* '''The power to enjoin the creation, sale, use and bonding of magic items would be delegated to the Guild'''
* '''The power to disseminate a schema would also be given to the Guild'''
* '''Any new legal powers that were ''solely'' concerned with magical items would need to be delegated to the new sodality'''
If the Artisans Guild were enacted with the provided manifesto then the ability to outlaw the creation, sale, use and bonding of magical items would be delegated to the Guild. Legally, this power currently lies with the Imperial Senate which can use a [[Senate motion]] to outlaw a specific item - such powers always default to the Senate in the absence of any other constitutional body with the legal authority to govern such activities. Once the sodality was enacted and had it's first member, it would no longer be possible for the Senate to use a Senate motion to pass laws around magic items - they would need to respect the authority of the Guild.

In recent years, the Conclave has employed the power of [[interdiction]] to outlaw the creation of some magical items. Abraham notes that there is absolutely no constitutional basis for this activity - or for the interdiction of potions or similar. It represents a very clear overreach of the powers of the Conclave, which ought properly to be restricted to the oversight of magicians and the use of magic. The Constitutional Court failed to notice this at the time, in part because there were no good alternatives in the past. That is definitely not the case now that there is an entire body of Imperial government that has oversight of potions - and certainly wouldn't be the case if the Empire chose to make the Artisans Guild an Imperial sodality.

The Court haven't taken the step of ruling that the Conclave cannot continue to interdict magic items at this time, if only because they are clearly hoping that the Senate will resolve the problem for them. If the Guild were created, that conflict would be resolved. Any items that are currently outlawed by the Senate or interdicted by the Conclave would remain illegal to create, use, sell or bond - but the power to change their status would pass to the sodality. It would require a majority vote of members present at a session of the sodality to enjoin or permit the use of a specific magic item.

The Guild would also gain the legal power to disseminate a [[Magic_items#Schema|schema]], the detailed instructions that allow an artisan to learn how to create a magic item. Currently the Imperial Senate has this power, but it would pass to the sodality if it were enacted. By default, the sodality would need to provide the ten thrones required to disseminate the schema - the Senate could pass a motion to permit these costs to be borne by the Imperial treasury if they wished.

There are no other legal powers that currently exist that would be automatically delegated to the Guild, but if the Senate created new legal powers in the future whose '''sole''' remit was concerned with the creation and use of magical items then the well-worn path for the exercise of those powers would be by vote of the sodality members. Any legal powers that were related to magic items, but were not solely concerned with them, ''could'' be delegated to the Guild, provided they did not impinge on the constitutionally protected roles of the other houses. For example, the sodality could be given the right to prohibit some citizens from crafting magic items in the same way the [[Conclave]] can [[declaration|declare]] someone a [[sorcery|sorcerer]].

The Senate could grant the sodality the ability to announce one or more [[commission|commissions]] each season. They might include [[Edifice|edifices]] or [[sinecure|sinecures]] that provided materials, but the ability to commission new [[runeforge|runeforges]] would fall squarely within the sodality's remit.
<div style="float: right; width: 200px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Runeforge Symbol.jpg|caption=The creation of the Imperial Sodality would mean some titles would automatically be appointed by the Guild, while others ''may'' be appointed depending on the decision of the Senate.|width=200px}}</div>
==Appointments==
* '''The well worn path for any Imperial title whose responsibilities primarily relate to the creation, acquisition, distribution or research of magical items would be election by the Artisan's Guild'''
The civil service have conducted a preliminary review of all current [[Imperial title|Imperial titles]] to identify those whose responsibilities involve the creation, acquisition, distribution or research of magical items. In all cases these titles ''could'' be appointed by the new sodality if it were passed.

Where a title relates primarily or solely to magical items, then the sodality would become the ''only'' constitutionally valid way to appoint the position. In that case, the title would be automatically amended if the sodality is created. If the are other constitutionally valid ways to appoint a title after the sodality is created, then there will be no change to the method of appointment without direct action by the Senate.

No other details would change; if a position had tenure, it would only come up for election by the sodality at the point where the incumbent died, stepped down, or was [[revocation|revoked]]. National positions would be voted on by all members of the sodality, but only citizens of the relevant nation would be eligible to hold the title.

The constitutional implications of the sodality's existence would also impact any [[New Imperial titles|new Imperial title]]. The [[New_Imperial_titles#Well_Worn_Paths|well worth path]] for any position whose sole or primary responsibility relates to magical items , would be appointment by simple vote of members of the Artisans Guild.
===Amended Titles===
<div style="width: 350px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Automatically Amended Titles'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Guildmaster of the Artisans]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Dean of Runesmith's Caution]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Keeper of the Runegrott]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Seer of the Spiral Sword]]</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
* '''Four titles would be automatically amended to be appointed by the Guild'''
The civil service have identified four Imperial titles whose responsibilities are solely or primarily concerned with the research of new magical items, training new artisans or representing the interests of artisans. If the proposed sodality were passed by the Senate, then the only constitutionally valid way to appoint the listed titles would be by a vote of members of the sodality.

If the Senate pass the motion to create the Artisans Guild, then all four listed titles will be amended to be appointed by the sodality.
===Potential Titles===
<div style="width: 350px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Potential Titles'''</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Architect of the Crucible]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Blackroot Broker]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Burgher of Ketsov]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Dhomiro of the Cinnabar Hills]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Marracossa Sendito]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Preceptor of the Skarsind College of Warcasting]]</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
* '''Imperial titles whose responsibilities partially relate to artisans or magical items could be elected by the Guild'''
* '''The titles will continue to be elected by the current method if the Senate declines to act'''
* '''There are six titles that could be changed with a single Senate motion to have them all elected by the sodality'''

The civil service have identified six Imperial titles whose responsibilities include the creation or acquisition of magical items, but it is not their sole responsibility. It would be possible for the Guild to appoint these six titles, but it is not obligatory.

Given their split responsibilities, creating the new sodality wouldn't change the appointment method of any of the positions. They could be amended by the Senate; a single [[Senate motion|motion]] could be used to amend any one title or all six simultaneously if desired, making them appointments of the Imperial Guild of Artisans.

The Constitutional Court have noted that the Blackroot Broker could be appointed by the Imperial Apothecaries Guild, the Imperial Artisans Guild, or the [[Vallornguard]] - the position has responsibilities claimed by all three sodalities, so it would be acceptable for either one to appoint the position. The [[Burgher of Ketsov]] and the [[Marracossa Sendito]] both deal with groups of artisans who provide the benefits the title enjoys. Before changing their appointment methods it would be wise to consult the Ketsov and the Marracossans respectively.

==Support==
A number of groups have indicated that they might be interested in supporting the Imperial Guild of Artisans, if it were given a broad remit by the Imperial Senate and backed with significant legal powers. As is usually the case, few groups have any interest in supporting a talking shop; they are only prepared to support the sodality if it is clear that it can wield actual power.

===Fire and Stone===
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Estavus001a.png|align=right|caption=The [[Estavus|City of Fire and Stone]] welcomes a formal sodality of artisans, and is keen to offer their support.|width=300}}</div></div>
* '''The eternal Estavus would be open to serving as a patron of the new sodality'''
* '''If the sodality is given control of Imperial runeforges, Estavus will provide the sodality with a new schema each season for a year'''
[[Estavus|''The Forgemistress]] is known to favour those who build, construct and create - she is a patron of architects, builders, shipwrights and most especially artisans. Her heralds have made it clear that the ''Prince of Shikal'' would be pleased if the Artisan's Guild where made an Imperial sodality and given the power and authority that goes with that onerous responsibility.

If that happens, then the eternal will be open to serving as a patron fo the new sodality, should they request it. As an example of what benefits their support might entail, they would provide the sodality with a single schema each season for the year after it passes the Senate. Estavus can make any item that is made in the mortal world, each season they would provide the Guild with a list of three schema to pick between. The Guild would need to use a simple vote to select the schema they wanted - and a second vote to select what type of magical item (e.g. [[:Category:Rods|rod]], [[:Category:Shields|shield]] or [[:Category:Foci|foci]]) that they would like to replace it on the list at the next summit.

The eternal asks for nothing in exchange for these gifts - they are pleased simply to do what they can to encourage the creation of the new sodality. Should the sodality find the relationship beneficial, then the eternal would be open to discussing the potential to formalise the relationship by officially recognising the Prince of Shikal as the patron of the sodality.

===Carmine Band===
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=OrderGoldenPyramid.jpg|title=Order of the Golden Pyramid|caption=The [[Golden Pyramid]] [[Conclave order]] has long been committed to representing and supporting the rights of Imperial artisands.|align=right|width=300}}</div>
* '''The Carmine Band will triple their donations to the Golden Pyramid if the Artisans Guild passes the Senate'''
There are many groups of artisans and their allies across the Empire who have campaigned for years for the craft to receive the same recognition and status that the magicians of the Conclave enjoy. Many of them have thrown their support behind the Golden Pyramid, hoping that the Order would be true to its noble manifesto and work to establish the prominence of Imperial artisans.

Now that the moment is at hand, these groups are looking to the Grandmaster of the Golden Pyramid to throw their weight beind the new sodality. Artisans have always been an afterthought in the Conclave, denied entry in their own right to the Hall of Worlds, they have lacked a voice ever since the Empire was founded. Supporting the Golden Pyramid in the hope that the order would uphold the promises made in its manifesto has been one of the few ways for artisans to get their views aired.

For such groups, this is a historic moment, a chance to right a fundamental wrong in the make-up of the Empire's constitution. As such, there is a heavy expectation that the new grandmaster, Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged, will throw the support of his order behind this proposal - and make clear to the Senate that it has the backing of the Conclave.

If that happens - if Conclave passes a [[declaration]] of [[concord]] calling on [[the Throne]] and the [[Senate]] to ratify the plans for the new Artisans Guild, then the Carmine Band will increase their regular donations to the order's vaults, providing an additional three measures of Beggars Lye each season. If the efforts are successful, that is if the Senate creates the new sodality, then the Carmine Band add a further three measures of Tempest Jade to the Order's vaults each season in perpetuity, in gratitude for their political support at this crucial juncture.

The Carmine Band are clear that they do expect the grandmaster to support the sodality at this vital moment - if that doesn't happen, or worse the grandmaster is seen as working to prevent the sodality from being ratified, then the Carmine Band will abandon their support of the Order.

===Treji's Legacy===
<div {{float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Starsrest/Goodfellow Brokerage'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Great Work</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Treji, The Glen of Shadows, Hercynia </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 12 weirwood, and 36 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 1 season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Increases investment in forests and mines in Hercynia
* The benefits of the hall could be redirected by the Broker of the Treji Wayhouse using a Senate announcement if there was an appropriate opportunity</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Opportunity ends if not commissioned before the end of Summer Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Can only be built if the Imperial Senate approve the Imperial Guild of Artisans</td></tr>
</table></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; margin: 15px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NBNavarr.jpg|align=right|caption=The artisans of [[Hercynia#Treji|Treji]] call on their people to support the newly proposed sodality.|width=300}}</div>
* '''The artisans and brokers of Treki offer to work to boost production of mines and forests in Hercynia if the Artisans Guild passes the Senate'''
* '''If the guild becomes a sodality, the Empire could commission a great work in Treji to boost the production of forests and mines in the territory'''

The settlement of [[Hercynia#Treji|Treji]] has a long and sorrowful history. Overrun by the Thule when they conquered Hercynia, the countless artisans who worked there were forced to work for the Thule churning out weapons and armour for their soldiers. When the settlement was finally relieved, scores were freed, but scores more had been taken north, to labour in the frigid lands of the Thule, creating powerful magic items for the dragons.

Not until many years later after protracted negotiation with the Thule were the artians of Treji finally freed and allowed to come home. Slowly, steadily, they have rebuilt Treji, restoring the forges and with the establishment of the [[Broker of Treji Wayhouse]] the town has been restored to life. Prosperous and busy, it has become the beating heart of Hercynia, a place where brokers gather to buy and sell the materials that the artisans of Treji need and the valuable items they create.

The artisans who toiled for so many years under the brutal dominion of the Druj are fierce advocates of the Artisans Guild. It goes unsaid, mostly, but there is a quiet sentiment that if the Guild had existed a decade ago, then things might have been different. If there had been a political body to rival the Conclave but which existed to represent the interests of artisans then they could have been released sooner. As a result the Treji artisans are eager to offer their support.

Of course there is not much they can do by themselves, but they do have the support of many of the brokers who live in Hercynia. Together they have created a plan designed to try and win the support of their fellow Navarr, both across the North and elsewhere. They hope to persuade the senator for Hercynia and hopefully other senators to back the proposal for the Guild when it comes before the Senate. If the motion passes and the Guild becomes an Imperial sodality then they will propose the commission of a network of brokers, and a small central meeting place to coordinate the movements of brokers working right the way across the territory. The brokers would work to ensure that mines and forests were supplied with all the tools and equipment they needed to maximise their productivity. Several Treji artisans propose to call the central hall ''Starsrest'', after the obscure historical figure many of them have a particular fondness for. Equally, the brokers in Hercynia are more keen on ''Goodfellow Brokerage'' as a name, pointing to the inspiration of the [[Long Tom Goodfellow]], who worked hard to provide support for those who needed it and was especially good at speaking to people of all nations.

Regardless of what it ends up being called, the benefits it provides would be the same. If the Imperial Guild of Artisans becomes an Imperial sodality, then the Empire could commission ''Starsrest''/''Goodfellow Brokerage'' in Treji in the [[Hercynia#The_Glen_of_Shadows|Glen of Shadows]] of [[Hercynia]]. The hall would require 12 wains of weirwood and 36 crowns and take a season to build, but once complete it would raise the level of investment in forests and mines across the territory. The central hub would fall under the aegis of the Broker of Treji Wayhouse, allowing the title holder to use a Senate announcement to redirect the efforts of the brokers and artisans associated with it if the [[opportunity]] presented itself.

===The Last Calling===
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; margin: 15px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Pride.png|align=right|width=300|caption=Folk from every Imperial nation take great pride in their skills, and seek to form Imperial sodalities to exalt others who share their interests.}}</div>
* '''Members of the Pride Assembly are agitating for their Assembly to throw their support behind the Guild'''
* '''The Pride Assembly could use their highest calling to support Imperial sodalities, old and new'''
''"The Virtuous inspire others to greatness; they do not demean them."'' is one of the five tenets of [[Pride]]. It is often interpreted to mean that members of the Assembly should seek to lift up their fellows, empowering them to enable them to take Pride in themselves. One member of the Assembly, Jasna Kazimerczyk, is a skilled artisan who likes to practice what they preach, providing a [[Biting Blade]] once a year, to young [[schlacta]] who are seeking to prove themselves in defence of their home, the vales of [[Miekarova#Perumaki|Perumaki]] in [[Miekarova]] from wolves.

Jasna is adamant that the artisans of the Empire should finally get the recognition and reward they deserve. Since the Empire was founded, artisans have always been the poor relations of the magicians, condemned to the sidelines of Imperial politics, overlooked and ignored. They argue that the Senate approving the Imperial Artisans Guild is the only Proud outcome - and they are hoping that the Pride Assembly will employ what influence they have to ensure that happens.

And while Jasna cares passionately about artisans and their fate, she is not blind to the fact that [[Imperial Apothecaries Guild]] was made into an Imperial sodality, but the Senate has pointedly refused to grant the Guild significant legal powers. Jasna accuses them of demeaning the apothecaries, treating them like servants who are obligted to do the Senate's bidding, but denied the authority and standing they would need to make Virtuous choices and take Pride in their status. Jasna is keen that the Assembly do what it can to ensure the new Artisans Guild does not share the same fate as the Apothecaries Guild - or perhaps as bad - the fate of the Court of the Far Horizons who appear to have been passed over completely.

Jasna makes an impassioned plea for the Assembly to remind the Senate that the Empire must take Pride in the way it conducts itself - that the Senate has a responsibility to inspire others to greatness, not to demean them. If the Assembly agrees, they could offer their backing to the proposed sodallity, but they could go much further. Last season the Assembly judged three different highest callings, but in the end none of them achieved a greater majority. If the Pride Assembly made supporting the new Imperial sodalities their highest calling it would lead to opportunities that would put more pressure on the Senate to create new sodalities and give them the authority to match their responsibilities.
===Only So Many Hours===
* '''The Constitutional Court note that the proposals and incentives mentioned here are likely only the tip of the iceberg'''
Magistrate Abraham ends his report by noting that the handful of proposals put forward by groups such as the City of Fire and Stone or the Carmine Band are potentially just the tip of the iceberg. There are many interests in the Empire who work with magic items and artisan lore directly - and also plenty of crafters outside the Empire who would likely respond positively to overtures from such a sodality. The [[Prosperity]] assembly for example may have thoughts on the creation of Imperial sodalities that support the industry and rewards of Imperial citizens once they have discharged their [[The_highest_calling#The_Highest_Calling|highest calling]] in [[Feroz]]. He also mentions the people of [[Skoura]], who are known to elevate artisanry to a fine art, and even people like the smiths of [[Weaving_tangled_nets#Murolosch|Murolosch]] in the [[Commonwealth]].

Appraising every such possibility is beyond his remit, but he is at pains to point out that this is true of ''every'' Imperial sodality. As bodies of state they cannot help but attract ongpoing attention and opportunities from groups within the Empire, across the Known World, and in the eternal [[realms]].
==Further Reading==
* [[Imperial sodality]]
* [[Crafting skills#Artisan|Artisan]]
* [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]]

* [[In the Court of Far Horizons]] - 388YE Summer appraisal of the Court of Far Horizons
* [[Arranging grace]] - 388YE Spring appraisal of the [[Cat's Graces]]

Fair share of labour

2026-08-19T14:56:29Z

Rafferty: Created page with "Category:Winds of FortuneCategory:388YE AutumnCategory:Appraisal <ic> Jasna Kazimerczyk stared at the letter on the writing desk, struggling to believe the news could be true. She'd read it three times now and still couldn't quite believe it. The Imperial Artisans Guild... it didn't sound like much. More like a Temeschwari carta with ideas above their station than some body of state. But according to Miloš, the civil service were appraising the prospect of..."

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]][[Category:Appraisal]]
<ic>
Jasna Kazimerczyk stared at the letter on the writing desk, struggling to believe the news could be true. She'd read it three times now and still couldn't quite believe it.

The Imperial Artisans Guild... it didn't sound like much. More like a Temeschwari carta with ideas above their station than some body of state. But according to Miloš, the civil service were appraising the prospect of making this League guild into an actual sodality. A body of state, on a par with the Conclave or the Bourse, but there to stand for artisans and to represent their interests to the Empire. No more relying on the Conclave to speak for them, no more urging the Golden Pyramid to fight their corner. The artisans would finally get the recognition they deserved.

Of course it was far from a foregone conclusion. Miloš said they'd done the same for a shipwrights sodality last season and that hadn't passed the Senate. At least not yet. There was no reason to assume this guild would fare any better. And yet Jasna dared to hope that somehow this might finally be their moment. She thought back to her own time in politics, all those years ago, agitating and arguing with people for change. Two years she'd spent traipsing down to Casinea every season, walking around Anvil trying to drum up support for the cause. Always the same answer, too expensive, too difficult, too many other battles to fight. She'd been full of hope when she first arrived in Anvil, convinced that the Virtue of her cause would be impossible to argue with. She'd soon learned that nothing was impossible to argue with. Two years later she'd quit in frustration vowing never to return.

And now, finally, all these years later, there was a chance to do the Virtuos thing. A once in a lifetime opportunity to fix one of the great flaws in the Empire. If Urizen had been a nation of artisans rather than a nation of magicians, the Conclave would have been a hall of craftspeople and the magicians would have been stood round the edges hoping to be let in. Instead they'd had four centuries of fighting for their rights, nearly forty decades fighting for their voices to be heard, the best part of four hundred years fighting for their work to be acknowledged. Surely the Senate would see the Virtue of acting? What senator wouldn't want to seize this opportunity to right this wrong? It might be too expect that Virtue would move them to act, but surely they would want to leave their mark on the world? To change the very nature of the Empire? What mortal soul could resist the urge to fashion something new, something better, when given the chance?

Hope is not a virtue she told herself. Leaving this to hope was a bad idea. A very, very bad idea. If this guild was going to become the voice of the Empire's artisans it would need every ally they could muster. The new sodality would face opposition from all corners - every single vote would be needed, of that she had no doubt.

Jasna Kazimerczyk picked up her quill, dipped it in the well and began to write. She was in no condition for waltzing off to Anvil at her age, but she still had a lot of friends across the north from her days as a preacher in the Assembly. Friends and allies she'd made all those years ago when fighting for the cause. Friends who'd sworn that they'd back her when the time came. Well, she thought to herself, it appears that the time has finally come...
</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Crafting.jpg|align=left|caption=The Guild of Artisans is currently an informal sodality that welcomes all who master the arts of creating [[magic items]]; the COnstitutional Court has considered what form it might take if it were recognised as a true [[Imperial sodality]].|width=400}}</div>
==Overview==
At the recent summit, [[Emperor Vesna]], requested that the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] [[Forever_is_composed_of_nows#The_Abraham_Gambit|appraise the implications]] of a new [[Imperial sodality]], the ''Imperial Guild of Artisans''. Any new Imperial sodality can have significant legal ramifications, which depend on the precise wording of its manifesto. The aim of the [[Civil Service|civil service]] appraisal is to provide clarity on these consequences, to enable the [[Senate]] to better decide the matter.

The Artisans Guild has been in existence for some time, with the Senate [[Construct_Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|ordering the construction of Guildhouse]] in 385YE, creating the position of [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]]. Now the Senate is in a position to consider the full implications of making the Guild into an official Imperial sodality.

A single season remains available for [[the Throne]] to instruct the civil service to appraise the legal implications of a new sodality. Whoever is chosen this season, if any, will be the final sodality that can be reviewed in this way, unless the civil service can find the resources to make the facility permanently available (although the Senate would still be able to [[appraisal|appraise]] the implications of a new Imperial sodality of course).

==Consequences==
* '''Emperor Vesna has asked the civil service to assess the constitutional implications of the Imperial Guild of Artisans'''
* '''Magistrate Abraham has delivered their analysis based on the proposed manifesto'''
* '''It would not be possible to create a second sodality concerned with artisans and the creation of magical items'''

Magistrate Abraham has conducted an analysis of the constitutional implications of the new sodality's provisional manifesto. The magistrate congratulates the Guild on the clarity and Ambition of their manifesto which has made this appraisal particularly straightforward.

<quote by="Manifesto of the Guild of Imperial Artisans"> This sodality holds the following to be true:
* Imperial artisans are the finest in the world, deserving commensurate respect, recompense and pride;
* Artisans and the magic items they create are valuable strategic resources for the Empire;
* The voice of the Empire's artisans should be preeminent in all matters relating to artisanry.

The sodality therefore exists to:
* Guide, aid, and provide consultation to the Empire's artisans, bodies of state and wider citizenry on the matter of artisanry;
* Support and coordinate artisans in the study, innovation, and creation of magic items;
* Represent the Empire's artisans, seeking and supporting opportunities within the Empire's borders and beyond.
</quote>
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Magistrate Abraham.jpg|caption=Magistrate Abraham, constitutional scholar and part of the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional Court|Constitutional Court]], has taken it upon himself to provide guidance about Imperial sodalities to the Throne.|align=right|width=300}}</div>
The manifesto defines a sodality with responsibility for Imperial [[artisan|artisans]]. The Magistrate notes that it makes no mention of having responsibility for the means to create magical items - there is no suggestion that the sodality should have any oversight of [[mine|mines]] or [[forest|forests]] or the [[materials]] they produce. If the Senate ratifies the decision to create the Imperial sodality, they will be responsible for the study, innovation and creation of magical items, but the manifesto would need to be updated if the Senate wanted them to take on any additional responsibilities.

This narrow focus ensures that there is no legal conflict with either the [[Imperial Apothecaries Guild]] or the [[Conclave]]. The Magistrate does note that the sodality's name is very similar to the Apothecaries Guild, which he predicts will inevitably cause errors to happen at some point, when the wrong thing is written down. In particular, as a body of state grows into its power, it is common to refer to it with a singular name. ''Technically'' the Conclave is the Imperial Conclave of Magicians, but literally nobody calls it that - it's just called "Conclave". If people start referring to either the Artisans or the Apothecaries Guild as the "Guild" then it's going to lead to problems.

The Magistrate also raises the concern that employing a name commonly used to describe a League business affiliation risks narrowing the appeal of the sodality to other nations, or giving the impression that the Guild has undue League affiliations which would obviously undermine its status as an Imperial sodality. The magistrate has spoken with members of the Guild about these concerns and understands that they have their reasons for the name and he is the first to admit that there is no legal bar to using the term Guild to describe one - or more - sodalities - but he feels he would be remiss if he did not point out the issue. Ultimately the Senate is contemplating the creation of a new branch of Imperial government - not establishing a trading [[guild]].

Imperial sodalities must be "singular" - there cannot be two sodalities in the Empire with overlapping concerns. If the Imperial Senate approves the manifesto of the Artisans Guild, then it would not be possible to create a new Imperial sodality that had responsibility for the study, innovation, and creation of magic items nor otherwise represent the interests of artisans in the Empire.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Carpentry.jpg|align=right|caption=As an Imperial Sodality, the Guild of Imperial Artisans would represent all kinds of skilled magical crafters, irrespective of the materials with which they work.|width=400}}</div>
==Powers==
* '''The power to enjoin the creation, sale, use and bonding of magic items would be delegated to the Guild'''
* '''The power to disseminate a schema would also be given to the Guild'''
* '''Any new legal powers that were ''solely'' concerned with magical items would need to be delegated to the new sodality'''
If the Artisans Guild were enacted with the provided manifesto then the ability to outlaw the creation, sale, use and bonding of magical items would be delegated to the Guild. Legally, this power currently lies with the Imperial Senate which can use a [[Senate motion]] to outlaw a specific item - such powers always default to the Senate in the absence of any other constitutional body with the legal authority to govern such activities. Once the sodality was enacted and had it's first member, it would no longer be possible for the Senate to use a Senate motion to pass laws around magic items - they would need to respect the authority of the Guild.

In recent years, the Conclave has employed the power of [[interdiction]] to outlaw the creation of some magical items. Abraham notes that there is absolutely no constitutional basis for this activity - or for the interdiction of potions or similar. It represents a very clear overreach of the powers of the Conclave, which ought properly to be restricted to the oversight of magicians and the use of magic. The Constitutional Court failed to notice this at the time, in part because there were no good alternatives in the past. That is definitely not the case now that there is an entire body of Imperial government that has oversight of potions - and certainly wouldn't be the case if the Empire chose to make the Artisans Guild an Imperial sodality.

The Court haven't taken the step of ruling that the Conclave cannot continue to interdict magic items at this time, if only because they are clearly hoping that the Senate will resolve the problem for them. If the Guild were created, that conflict would be resolved. Any items that are currently outlawed by the Senate or interdicted by the Conclave would remain illegal to create, use, sell or bond - but the power to change their status would pass to the sodality. It would require a majority vote of members present at a session of the sodality to enjoin or permit the use of a specific magic item.

The Guild would also gain the legal power to disseminate a [[Magic_items#Schema|schema]], the detailed instructions that allow an artisan to learn how to create a magic item. Currently the Imperial Senate has this power, but it would pass to the sodality if it were enacted. By default, the sodality would need to provide the ten thrones required to disseminate the schema - the Senate could pass a motion to permit these costs to be borne by the Imperial treasury if they wished.

There are no other legal powers that currently exist that would be automatically delegated to the Guild, but if the Senate created new legal powers in the future whose '''sole''' remit was concerned with the creation and use of magical items then the well-worn path for the exercise of those powers would be by vote of the sodality members. Any legal powers that were related to magic items, but were not solely concerned with them, ''could'' be delegated to the Guild, provided they did not impinge on the constitutionally protected roles of the other houses. For example, the sodality could be given the right to prohibit some citizens from crafting magic items in the same way the [[Conclave]] can [[declaration|declare]] someone a [[sorcery|sorcerer]].

The Senate could grant the sodality the ability to announce one or more [[commission|commissions]] each season. They might include [[Edifice|edifices]] or [[sinecure|sinecures]] that provided materials, but the ability to commission new [[runeforge|runeforges]] would fall squarely within the sodality's remit.
<div style="float: right; width: 200px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Runeforge Symbol.jpg|caption=The creation of the Imperial Sodality would mean some titles would automatically be appointed by the Guild, while others ''may'' be appointed depending on the decision of the Senate.|width=200px}}</div>
==Appointments==
* '''The well worn path for any Imperial title whose responsibilities primarily relate to the creation, acquisition, distribution or research of magical items would be election by the Artisan's Guild'''
The civil service have conducted a preliminary review of all current [[Imperial title|Imperial titles]] to identify those whose responsibilities involve the creation, acquisition, distribution or research of magical items. In all cases these titles ''could'' be appointed by the new sodality if it were passed.

Where a title relates primarily or solely to magical items, then the sodality would become the ''only'' constitutionally valid way to appoint the position. In that case, the title would be automatically amended if the sodality is created. If the are other constitutionally valid ways to appoint a title after the sodality is created, then there will be no change to the method of appointment without direct action by the Senate.

No other details would change; if a position had tenure, it would only come up for election by the sodality at the point where the incumbent died, stepped down, or was [[revocation|revoked]]. National positions would be voted on by all members of the sodality, but only citizens of the relevant nation would be eligible to hold the title.

The constitutional implications of the sodality's existence would also impact any [[New Imperial titles|new Imperial title]]. The [[New_Imperial_titles#Well_Worn_Paths|well worth path]] for any position whose sole or primary responsibility relates to magical items , would be appointment by simple vote of members of the Artisans Guild.
===Amended Titles===
<div style="width: 350px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Automatically Amended Titles'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Guildmaster of the Artisans]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Dean of Runesmith's Caution]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Keeper of the Runegrott]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Seer of the Spiral Sword]]</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
* '''Four titles would be automatically amended to be appointed by the Guild'''
The civil service have identified four Imperial titles whose responsibilities are solely or primarily concerned with the research of new magical items, training new artisans or representing the interests of artisans. If the proposed sodality were passed by the Senate, then the only constitutionally valid way to appoint the listed titles would be by a vote of members of the sodality.

If the Senate pass the motion to create the Artisans Guild, then all four listed titles will be amended to be appointed by the sodality.
===Potential Titles===
<div style="width: 350px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Potential Titles'''</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Architect of the Crucible]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Blackroot Broker]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Burgher of Ketsov]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Dhomiro of the Cinnabar Hills]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Marracossa Sendito]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Preceptor of the Skarsind College of Warcasting]]</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
* '''Imperial titles whose responsibilities partially relate to artisans or magical items could be elected by the Guild'''
* '''The titles will continue to be elected by the current method if the Senate declines to act'''
* '''There are six titles that could be changed with a single Senate motion to have them all elected by the sodality'''

The civil service have identified six Imperial titles whose responsibilities include the creation or acquisition of magical items, but it is not their sole responsibility. It would be possible for the Guild to appoint these six titles, but it is not obligatory.

Given their split responsibilities, creating the new sodality wouldn't change the appointment method of any of the positions. They could be amended by the Senate; a single [[Senate motion|motion]] could be used to amend any one title or all six simultaneously if desired, making them appointments of the Imperial Guild of Artisans.

The Constitutional Court have noted that the Blackroot Broker could be appointed by the Imperial Apothecaries Guild, the Imperial Artisans Guild, or the [[Vallornguard]] - the position has responsibilities claimed by all three sodalities, so it would be acceptable for either one to appoint the position. The [[Burgher of Ketsov]] and the [[Marracossa Sendito]] both deal with groups of artisans who provide the benefits the title enjoys. Before changing their appointment methods it would be wise to consult the Ketsov and the Marracossans respectively.

==Support==
A number of groups have indicated that they might be interested in supporting the Imperial Guild of Artisans, if it were given a broad remit by the Imperial Senate and backed with significant legal powers. As is usually the case, few groups have any interest in supporting a talking shop; they are only prepared to support the sodality if it is clear that it can wield actual power.

===Fire and Stone===
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Estavus001a.png|align=right|caption=The [[Estavus|City of Fire and Stone]] welcomes a formal sodality of artisans, and is keen to offer their support.|width=300}}</div></div>
* '''The eternal Estavus would be open to serving as a patron of the new sodality'''
* '''If the sodality is given control of Imperial runeforges, Estavus will provide the sodality with a new schema each season for a year'''
[[Estavus|''The Forgemistress]] is known to favour those who build, construct and create - she is a patron of architects, builders, shipwrights and most especially artisans. Her heralds have made it clear that the ''Prince of Shikal'' would be pleased if the Artisan's Guild where made an Imperial sodality and given the power and authority that goes with that onerous responsibility.

If that happens, then the eternal will be open to serving as a patron fo the new sodality, should they request it. As an example of what benefits their support might entail, they would provide the sodality with a single schema each season for the year after it passes the Senate. Estavus can make any item that is made in the mortal world, each season they would provide the Guild with a list of three schema to pick between. The Guild would need to use a simple vote to select the schema they wanted - and a second vote to select what type of magical item (e.g. [[:Category:Rods|rod]], [[:Category:Shields|shield]] or [[:Category:Foci|foci]]) that they would like to replace it on the list at the next summit.

The eternal asks for nothing in exchange for these gifts - they are pleased simply to do what they can to encourage the creation of the new sodality. Should the sodality find the relationship beneficial, then the eternal would be open to discussing the potential to formalise the relationship by officially recognising the Prince of Shikal as the patron of the sodality.

===Carmine Band===
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=OrderGoldenPyramid.jpg|title=Order of the Golden Pyramid|caption=The [[Golden Pyramid]] [[Conclave order]] has long been committed to representing and supporting the rights of Imperial artisands.|align=right|width=300}}</div>
* '''The Carmine Band will triple their donations to the Golden Pyramid if the Artisans Guild passes the Senate'''
There are many groups of artisans and their allies across the Empire who have campaigned for years for the craft to receive the same recognition and status that the magicians of the Conclave enjoy. Many of them have thrown their support behind the Golden Pyramid, hoping that the Order would be true to its noble manifesto and work to establish the prominence of Imperial artisans.

Now that the moment is at hand, these groups are looking to the Grandmaster of the Golden Pyramid to throw their weight beind the new sodality. Artisans have always been an afterthought in the Conclave, denied entry in their own right to the Hall of Worlds, they have lacked a voice ever since the Empire was founded. Supporting the Golden Pyramid in the hope that the order would uphold the promises made in its manifesto has been one of the few ways for artisans to get their views aired.

For such groups, this is a historic moment, a chance to right a fundamental wrong in the make-up of the Empire's constitution. As such, there is a heavy expectation that the new grandmaster, Terentia of Sarangrave Reforged, will throw the support of his order behind this proposal - and make clear to the Senate that it has the backing of the Conclave.

If that happens - if Conclave passes a [[declaration]] of [[concord]] calling on [[the Throne]] and the [[Senate]] to ratify the plans for the new Artisans Guild, then the Carmine Band will increase their regular donations to the order's vaults, providing an additional three measures of Beggars Lye each season. If the efforts are successful, that is if the Senate creates the new sodality, then the Carmine Band add a further three measures of Tempest Jade to the Order's vaults each season in perpetuity, in gratitude for their political support at this crucial juncture.

The Carmine Band are clear that they do expect the grandmaster to support the sodality at this vital moment - if that doesn't happen, or worse the grandmaster is seen as working to prevent the sodality from being ratified, then the Carmine Band will abandon their support of the Order.

===Treji's Legacy===
<div {{float}}>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Starsrest/Goodfellow Brokerage'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Great Work</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Treji, The Glen of Shadows, Hercynia </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 12 weirwood, and 36 crowns in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' 1 season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Increases investment in forests and mines in Hercynia
* The benefits of the hall could be redirected by the Broker of the Treji Wayhouse using a Senate announcement if there was an appropriate opportunity</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Opportunity ends if not commissioned before the end of Summer Solstice 389YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Can only be built if the Imperial Senate approve the Imperial Guild of Artisans</td></tr>
</table></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; margin: 15px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NBNavarr.jpg|align=right|caption=The artisans of [[Hercynia#Treji|Treji]] call on their people to support the newly proposed sodality.|width=300}}</div>
* '''The artisans and brokers of Treki offer to work to boost production of mines and forests in Hercynia if the Artisans Guild passes the Senate'''
* '''If the guild becomes a sodality, the Empire could commission a great work in Treji to boost the production of forests and mines in the territory'''

The settlement of [[Hercynia#Treji|Treji]] has a long and sorrowful history. Overrun by the Thule when they conquered Hercynia, the countless artisans who worked there were forced to work for the Thule churning out weapons and armour for their soldiers. When the settlement was finally relieved, scores were freed, but scores more had been taken north, to labour in the frigid lands of the Thule, creating powerful magic items for the dragons.

Not until many years later after protracted negotiation with the Thule were the artians of Treji finally freed and allowed to come home. Slowly, steadily, they have rebuilt Treji, restoring the forges and with the establishment of the [[Broker of Treji Wayhouse]] the town has been restored to life. Prosperous and busy, it has become the beating heart of Hercynia, a place where brokers gather to buy and sell the materials that the artisans of Treji need and the valuable items they create.

The artisans who toiled for so many years under the brutal dominion of the Druj are fierce advocates of the Artisans Guild. It goes unsaid, mostly, but there is a quiet sentiment that if the Guild had existed a decade ago, then things might have been different. If there had been a political body to rival the Conclave but which existed to represent the interests of artisans then they could have been released sooner. As a result the Treji artisans are eager to offer their support.

Of course there is not much they can do by themselves, but they do have the support of many of the brokers who live in Hercynia. Together they have created a plan designed to try and win the support of their fellow Navarr, both across the North and elsewhere. They hope to persuade the senator for Hercynia and hopefully other senators to back the proposal for the Guild when it comes before the Senate. If the motion passes and the Guild becomes an Imperial sodality then they will propose the commission of a network of brokers, and a small central meeting place to coordinate the movements of brokers working right the way across the territory. The brokers would work to ensure that mines and forests were supplied with all the tools and equipment they needed to maximise their productivity. Several Treji artisans propose to call the central hall ''Starsrest'', after the obscure historical figure many of them have a particular fondness for. Equally, the brokers in Hercynia are more keen on ''Goodfellow Brokerage'' as a name, pointing to the inspiration of the [[Long Tom Goodfellow]], who worked hard to provide support for those who needed it and was especially good at speaking to people of all nations.

Regardless of what it ends up being called, the benefits it provides would be the same. If the Imperial Guild of Artisans becomes an Imperial sodality, then the Empire could commission ''Starsrest''/''Goodfellow Brokerage'' in Treji in the [[Hercynia#The_Glen_of_Shadows|Glen of Shadows]] of [[Hercynia]]. The hall would require 12 wains of weirwood and 36 crowns and take a season to build, but once complete it would raise the level of investment in forests and mines across the territory. The central hub would fall under the aegis of the Broker of Treji Wayhouse, allowing the title holder to use a Senate announcement to redirect the efforts of the brokers and artisans associated with it if the [[opportunity]] presented itself.

===The Last Calling===
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; margin: 15px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Pride.png|align=right|width=300|caption=Folk from every Imperial nation take great pride in their skills, and seek to form Imperial sodalities to exalt others who share their interests.}}</div>
* '''Members of the Pride Assembly are agitating for their Assembly to throw their support behind the Guild'''
* '''The Pride Assembly could use their highest calling to support Imperial sodalities, old and new'''
''"The Virtuous inspire others to greatness; they do not demean them."'' is one of the five tenets of [[Pride]]. It is often interpreted to mean that members of the Assembly should seek to lift up their fellows, empowering them to enable them to take Pride in themselves. One member of the Assembly, Jasna Kazimerczyk, is a skilled artisan who likes to practice what they preach, providing a [[Biting Blade]] once a year, to young [[schlacta]] who are seeking to prove themselves in defence of their home, the vales of [[Miekarova#Perumaki|Perumaki]] in [[Miekarova]] from wolves.

Jasna is adamant that the artisans of the Empire should finally get the recognition and reward they deserve. Since the Empire was founded, artisans have always been the poor relations of the magicians, condemned to the sidelines of Imperial politics, overlooked and ignored. They argue that the Senate approving the Imperial Artisans Guild is the only Proud outcome - and they are hoping that the Pride Assembly will employ what influence they have to ensure that happens.

And while Jasna cares passionately about artisans and their fate, she is not blind to the fact that [[Imperial Apothecaries Guild]] was made into an Imperial sodality, but the Senate has pointedly refused to grant the Guild significant legal powers. Jasna accuses them of demeaning the apothecaries, treating them like servants who are obligted to do the Senate's bidding, but denied the authority and standing they would need to make Virtuous choices and take Pride in their status. Jasna is keen that the Assembly do what it can to ensure the new Artisans Guild does not share the same fate as the Apothecaries Guild - or perhaps as bad - the fate of the Court of the Far Horizons who appear to have been passed over completely.

Jasna makes an impassioned plea for the Assembly to remind the Senate that the Empire must take Pride in the way it conducts itself - that the Senate has a responsibility to inspire others to greatness, not to demean them. If the Assembly agrees, they could offer their backing to the proposed sodallity, but they could go much further. Last season the Assembly judged three different highest callings, but in the end none of them achieved a greater majority. If the Pride Assembly made supporting the new Imperial sodalities their highest calling it would lead to opportunities that would put more pressure on the Senate to create new sodalities and give them the authority to match their responsibilities.
===Only So Many Hours===
* '''The Constitutional Court note that the proposals and incentives mentioned here are likely only the tip of the iceberg'''
Magistrate Abraham ends his report by noting that the handful of proposals put forward by groups such as the City of Fire and Stone or the Carmine Band are potentially just the tip of the iceberg. There are many interests in the Empire who work with magic items and artisan lore directly - and also plenty of crafters outside the Empire who would likely respond positively to overtures from such a sodality. The [[Prosperity]] assembly for example may have thoughts on the creation of Imperial sodalities that support the industry and rewards of Imperial citizens once they have discharged their [[The_highest_calling#The_Highest_Calling|highest calling]] in [[Feroz]]. He also mentions the people of [[Skoura]], who are known to elevate artisanry to a fine art, and even people like the smiths of [[Weaving_tangled_nets#Murolosch|Murolosch]] in the [[Commonwealth]].

Appraising every such possibility is beyond his remit, but he is at pains to point out that this is true of ''every'' Imperial sodality. As bodies of state they cannot help but attract ongpoing attention and opportunities from groups within the Empire, across the Known World, and in the eternal [[realms]].
==Further Reading==
* [[Imperial sodality]]
* [[Crafting skills#Artisan|Artisan]]
* [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]]

* [[In the Court of Far Horizons]] - 388YE Summer appraisal of the Court of Far Horizons
* [[Arranging grace]] - 388YE Spring appraisal of the [[Cat's Graces]]

388YE Autumn Equinox winds of fortune

2026-08-19T14:32:42Z

Rafferty: /* Fair Share of Labour */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Lights in the Dark.jpg|align=left|caption=Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. |width=2000}}</div>
==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Wind of Fortune !! Order Released !! Last Updated || Note
|-
| [[The wolves tempt you]] || 1 || data-sort-value="2026/08/15"| 15/08 || Imperial Address
|-
| [[Dream on]] || 2 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Seren
|-
| [[Come together]] || 3 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Apothecary college
|}</div>
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 that detail the Empire's military campaigns. They lay out situations and usually include things that characters can do to take advantage of [[opportunity|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 represent 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 an opinion, and we're not trying to trick you.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:350px; float: left; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Diplomacy Wind
|-
|}

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.
__TOC__
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. We are also adding the dates that they were last updated (other than typos and correcting [[red links]]) in an attempt to make it easier to keep track of the newest releases.

==Winds of Fortune==
===The Wolves Tempt You (Imperial Address)===
* '''Imperial citizens; Navarr;'''
[[Emperor Vesna]] has used their power to [[The_Throne#Address_the_Empire|address the Empire]] to present a personal reminder to all citizens that the road to salvation is hard, but everyone is walking it together.

The message has been distributed across the Empire by the civil service, and you can read it in the '''[[The wolves tempt you]]''' wind of fortune.
===Dream On===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Navarr.png|align=right|width=150}}</div>
* '''Navarr'''
In [[Miaren]], [[Miaren#Seren|Seren]] is now become the ''City of Dreams'' in truth. People with hopes and aspirations, with the imagination to perceive what is needed to achieve them and the determination to try, have flocked to Miaren. With the completion of the Temple of the Waking Dream, the [[dreamspeaker]] calling has coalesced as a distinct [[archetype]] among the [[Navarr]] people, one dedicated to making dreams become reality. This has perhaps predictably amplified arguments about what exactly that means, and which dreams should be pursued, and how.

You can learn about competing arguments, and the changes to the city of Seren, in the '''[[Dream on]]''' wind of fortune.
===Come Together===
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBNavarr.jpg|align=right|width=100}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Imperial Apothecaries Guild; Navarr; Benefactor of High Chalcis; Highguard, the League, Imperial Orcs, and Varushka; Senate
When [[Therunin]] fell to the [[Druj]] [[Thornsinger#Thornsong_House|Thornsong House]] was lost. Despite the valiant efforts of the Navarr and the aid of [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]], the college of herbmastery could not be saved. While the house itself burned, many of those who studied there were able to escape to the safety of [[Reikos]]. Some stayed behind on [[Reikos#Chalcis Mount|Chalcis Mount]], but others chose to put as much distance between themselves and the horrors of the Druj as possible. Drawn to the Temple of the Waking Dream, some of these apothecaries and physicks have taken the path of the dreamspeaker themselves, and inspired by the City of Dreams, they have put their ambition to rebuild what was lost into words.

A proposal for a new college of the apothecary arts, and ways various nations may be involved, can be found in the '''[[Come together]]''' wind of fortune.
===Fair Share of Labour===
* '''Artisan's Guild; Throne; Senate; Artisans of all kinds; Golden Pyramid; Pride Assembly; Navarr; Guildmaster of the Artisans, Dean of Runesmith's Caution, Keeper of the Runegrott, Seer of the Spiral Sword, and potentially several other titles associated with magic item crafting'''
At the recent summit, [[Emperor Vesna]], requested that the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] [[Forever_is_composed_of_nows#The_Abraham_Gambit|appraise the implications]] of a new [[Imperial sodality]], the ''Imperial Guild of Artisans''. The Artisans Guild has technically been in existence for some time, with the Senate [[Construct_Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|ordering the construction of Guildhouse]] in 385YE, creating the position of [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]]. Now the Senate is in a position to consider the full implications of making the Guild into an official Imperial sodality.

You can learn more about the potential Imperial Sodality, as well as proposals from some people very excited by the opportunity it represents, in the '''[[Fair share of labour]]''' wind of fortune.

==Diplomatic Winds==

==Other Events==
===Husky Business (Volunteers)===
* '''There is an opportunity for player volunteers to portray their characters who died during the Saturday battle at the last event'''
* '''Eligible characters must have died during the battle, but not have been killed as a husk'''
* '''Volunteers will need to have their own costume and appropriate weapons'''
* '''The role will last around twenty minutes, starting at 18:30 on Friday'''
* '''The role will involve fighting alongside the skirmish team in an encounter against player characters'''
* '''Please email before 18:00 on Wednesday 26th of August if you are interested in volunteering'''

There is an opportunity for players to portray the husk of their fallen characters at the upcoming event. Anyone whose character died during the battle of the [[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Fens of Varreth]], raised as a husk but was not subsequently killed again as that husk is welcome to email to register interest in volunteering for an encounter on the Friday. This will be a combat [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|highly likely]] encounter through the Sentinel Gate and will involve fighting against player characters alongside members of our [[Plot_crew#Skirmish|skirmish team]].

If you are interested and would like more information, please email {{plot}} with your PID and the subject line "Husk Volunteer E4", and you will be given more details.

==Summer Conjunctions==

===Major Conjunctions===

===Minor Conjunctions===

Hahnmark

2026-08-19T14:25:38Z

Rafferty: /* Northspires */

{{CaptionedImage|file=RegionsofHahnmark.png|caption=Mountain passes and granite halls|title=Regions of Hahnmark|align=left|width=600}}
== Overview ==
The territory of Hahnmark is spread along a series of treacherous mountain passes, the rolling foothills beneath and the wide plains that stretch toward [[Sermersuaq]] and [[Kallavesa]]. In ancient times it was the centre of the troll kingdom, but today is considered the ancestral homeland of the [[Steinr]] in Wintermark. The other passes through the mountains are likewise protected by fortified halls, preventing access to the rolling hills that drop down towards fertile plains.

In the oldest days, before the coming of the Steinr, Hahnmark was the heart of the troll kingdoms and it was here that the three peoples first came together to oppose their enemies, and to create the union that has made their people the strongest in the world. The peaks of eastern Hahnmark are scattered with relics from the troll kingdom, mostly ruined and empty, or haunted by malignant spirits who hate the people of the lowlands with an endless, frigid spite. The higher peaks are avoided by sensible folk as a consequence.

Hahnmark is a rugged land, like the people who call it home. A slight majority of the population are Steinr, but as always there is a nearly equal presence of Suaq and Kallavesi people in its prosperous halls. The people of the rolling hills enjoy a high level of prosperity, their wealth coming from trade with other Imperial nations; from the mines and farms of the mountains and the flatlands; and from the strong sword-arms of its warriors.

The [[Senator]] for Hahnmark is appointed by the Steinr during the Autumn equinox, and is almost always chosen from the Steinr tradition.

==Recent History==
During the invasion of [[Skarsind]], many refugees came down through [[Skarsind#Pakaanan's Pass|Pakaanan's Pass]] to find temporary homes in [[#Northspires|Northspires]] and [[#Bruckland|Bruckland]]. Since the territory has been reclaimed, many are returning to their homes - although a number have chosen to stay permanently in Hahnmark. Concerns that the [[Thule]] might come further west and invade Hahnmark proved groundless, but there were repeated calls for the Hall at [[#Kalpaheim|Kalpaheim]] and the vigilant [[#Northspires|Stormspires]] to be reinforced and further fortified. Successive [[Senate|Senates]] failed to agree to the amount of white granite needed, and the projects were largely abandoned.

Shortly after the Spring Equinox 381YE, a [[Hahnmark#The_Dunsfall_Sinkhole|great sinkhole]] swallowed parts of south-eastern [[#Wood Heath|Wood Heath]] displacing several halls. It also displaced a group of [[Feni]] that once dwelled in the deep woods there. Some of the group went south into [[Upwold]], but the remainder [[Right_now#Feni_March|remained in Hahnmark]] where their raids became [[Everything_has_rhythm#Feni_Fight_Ferociously|increasingly]] problematic as 382YE [[Make_good_use#The_Feni_in_the_Mark|progressed]]. During the Summer Solstice, the heroes of Wintermark confronted the raiders and offered them the chance to leave Hahnmark safely provided they brought their raids to an end. As of the start of the Autumn Equinox 382YE, the Feni have yet to respond.

Shortly before the Winter Solstice 381YE, the [[Lorenzo%27s_Legacy#Blood_Red_Roads|Blood Red Roads]] were completed, providing merchants and traders easy access to Kalpaheim, and allowing the merchants of Hahnmark to travel much more easily to some of the wealthiest cities across the Empire. For more than half a decade the roads provided a major boon to the [[farm|farms]] and [[business|businesses]] in the territory. In the Winter of 386YE, however, the Imperial Senate determined to [[386YE_Winter_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Levy_Tolls_on_Blood_Red_Roads|levy tolls]] on traffic using the road, meaning they no longer increase the income of individual citizens but provide a significant boost to the Imperial Treasury, in part to pay for the war against the [[vallorn]].
{{CaptionedImage|file=Wintermark2.jpg|align=right|width=300|caption=Costume by Jo Perridge}}

==Points of Interest==
=== Kalpaheim ===
The largest settlement in Wintermark. Once the capital of the entire nation, this is the site of the original joining of the three cultures. The settlement circles a stone fortress built in the first days after the defeat of the trolls - the Hall at Kalpaheim - parts of which extend into tunnels dug deep beneath the mountains. A prosperous hub for trade with other nations, Kalpaheim guards a large pass through the mountains that serves as a major trade-route down into the [[The Marches|Marches]], and the rest of the Empire. Other valuable trade routes include those to [[Hercynia]] in the north-west, and through the [[Navarr]] territory to the forests and mines of [[Skarsind]] and ultimately [[Varushka]].

As well as safeguarding the prosperity of Hahnmark, Kalpaheim is a central feature in the heritage of the Winterfolk. The '''Face of King Ulmo''', an immense carving of the first monarch of Wintermark, looks down upon Kalpaheim from the side of one of the western mountains. It serves as a reminder that the eyes of history are upon the town and the people of Wintermark. This impressive feat is one of the wonders of the Empire, constructed long before the nation joined the Empire by a trio of [[Wintermark Magical Traditions#Artok|Artok]] under the control of the [[Wintermark Magical Traditions#Icewalkers|icewalker]] Gilda Heimssdottir. She also dug out most of the tunnels that parts of the hall now occupy.

=== The Fingers ===
When the Steinr travelled through mountain passes to find the [[Suaq]] and [[Kallavesi]], they sought guidance in visions. It is said that this high-mountain with its four jagged peaks rose above the mist in the early daylight, pointing out the way. It is now home to a religious settlement called The Fingers, where the virtues that founded Wintermark are celebrated; the [[Courage]] to carry such a bold plan through, the [[Pride]] gained through the trials of the journey, and the [[Loyalty]] that now joins the three peoples.
=== Gulnar’s Deeps ===
An old series of copper mines in northern [[#Kalpamark|Kalpamark]] that unexpectedly broke into a much larger cave network beneath. The full extent of the caves has never been mapped, since ice and meltwater make much of it treacherous, but a wealth of minerals and metals now comes from the deeps.

===Runegrott===
In southern [[#Northspires|Northspires]] is found a vast labyrinthine chamber in the ice, in which many runes are carved. They are thought to be very old, and some scholars argue that the origin of runes in Wintermark lies here, rather than in the caves beneath [[Skarsind#Gildenheim|Gildenheim]]. The chamber is carefully guarded. It is a matter of debate as to whether the runes bear any message -- some claim the original laws of Wintermark, and thus the Empire -- were taken from the inscriptions in this chamber. More recently they have been connected with the paragon [[Isenbrad]], especially by the [[runesmith|runesmiths]] who dwell on the mountain above the caves.

In 383YE, the [[Gildenheim runeforge|rune forge at Gildenheim]] was painstakingly [[Conduit_to_destiny#The_Runed_Ruins|dismantled and runes repatriated to Runegrott]] in Hahnmark to be used as the basis for the creation of a new runeforge there one day. Following the Winter Solstice 384YE, a [[inspirational location|memorial]] for [[Isenbrad]] was established at Runegrott, establishing the [[Wintermark_economic_interests#Runesmith.27s_Law|Runesmith's Law]] - the unique set of [[magic items]] that can be crafted only by Winterfolk [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]]. The [[Keeper of the Runegrott]] now guides the artisans of the [[Keeper_of_the_Runegrott#Runegrott|Runegrott]] in their work; forging unique magic items and funding schema for the expansion of Runesmith's Law.

Not far from Runegrott proper stands the [[Guildmaster_of_the_Artisans#Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|Guildhouse of the Artisans]], created as a hub from which members of that informal sodality can operate.

===New Dunhall===
In 381YE Arnburh, the Dunhearth Hall and neighbouring Woodhall [[Rocks_and_gravel|fell into a massive sinkhole]]. Forewarned by the [[Navarr]], the Thane and Redfeldr were able to evacuate the town. During the Summer Solstice 381YE, plans were laid for a grand Wintermark trading town. The purpose of New Dunhall is four-fold: to re-establish and protect trade between Wintermark and the Marches; to serve as a base of operations for mining [[Delver_of_the_Depths#Lorenzo.27s_Deep_Pockets|Lorenzo's Deep Pockets]]; and to provide a defence against any [[trogoni|fell creatures]] that might come out of the deep earth. Work was begun almost immediately, and the majority of the construction completed shortly before the Autumn Equinox.

At the heart of the new town is a large market overseen by the [[Caretaker of New Dunhall]], intended for commodity trading and the sale of the Dunning’s fine artisan goods. A new Dunhearth Hall was built, larger and richer than the old hall, destroyed in the collapse. Along with the various barracks, supporting buildings, and defensible walls, New Dunhall represents a fine example of a Wintermark town, dedicated to the continuing security of the area.

Not far from New Dunhall is found [[Fallsheart Guardian#Fallsheart Cave|Fallsheart Cave]], a cavern exposed shortly after the sinkhole collapse which is a rich source of crystal mana. A Guardian is appointed to protect the cave, which is at some risk from hungry trogoni.

===Lorenzo's Legacy of Vigilance===
Spread across the entire territory of Hahnmark are a number of red stone [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stele stelae]. A central stone, the keystone for the entire [[great work]], stands in the centre of the market at [[#New Dunhall|New Dunhall]]. The [[Lorenzo%27s_Legacy#The_Legacy_of_Vigilance|legacy]] guides and focuses the flows of mana through the territory, increasing the amount of crystal mana produced by [[mana site|sites]] across Hahnmark.

===Brenna's Gift===
Brenna’s Gift is not a single structure but several. Situated in a handful of locations through [[#Kalpamark|Kalpamark]] are great weirwood grain silos banded in [[Materials#Weltsilver|weltsilver]] with [[Materials#Orichalcum|orichalcum]] rivets. Each silo is supported by several smaller buildings that are always busy collecting and distributing grains, meats, fur, and other farming supplies, all day every day. The rune [[Pallas]] is inlaid over each silo, and the people who operate them take great pride in ensuring the buildings are well lit so that they are visible almost as beacons once the sun sets. Smaller silos are scattered across the territory, at least one in each region. Comparisons are often drawn with the [[The_Marches_economic_interests#Granaries_and_Storehouses_-_the_Imperial_Breadbasket|Imperial Breadbasket]] in [[the Marches]]. This [[great work]] stores and distributes agricultural produce, and the silos also serve as trading posts.

===The Dunsfall Sinkhole===
Just over a month after the Spring Equinox 381YE a large section of north-western [[Miaren#Goldglades|Goldglades]] in [[Miaren]] [[Rocks and gravel|collapsed with an almighty roar]]. After the initial collapse, the hole began to spread. Warnings by the Navarr [[Navarr_magical_traditions#Vates|vates]] reached the already-worried people of Wood Heath not a moment too soon. Parts of that south-eastern region soon followed north-western Goldglades into the spreading hole. Thanks to the Navarr, Dunhearth Hall, Woodhall and several smaller halls were all evacuated in time to avoid major loss of life.

Where Hahnmark once bordered Miaren, there is now a massive [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinkhole sinkhole]. Estimated to be seven hundred feet deep, with a lake at the bottom that may well be bottomless. The cliff walls are nearly vertical, and still prone to collapse in some places, but there are also signs of caves and tunnels opening out in several places. Initial explorers have excitedly reported what look to be ancient mine workings - some reaching back to the time of the Terunael, and some reaching back even further. The full extent of the network of caverns here has yet to be determined. More worryingly, some of the early daredevils who have made a preliminary investigation of some of the more accessible caves and tunnels have failed to return - and all those who have made it back in one piece have described encounters with particularly angry [[trogoni]] - creatures rarely encountered outside of the mountains of [[Urizen]], and the northern peaks of [[Wintermark]] and [[Varushka]].

The sinkhole was officially named "[[Delver_of_the_Depths#Lorenzo.27s_Deep_Pockets|Lorenzo's Deep Pockets]]" by Lorenzo Macelliao von Temeschwar, but is commonly known among the people of Hahnmark as "The Dunsfall".

===The Beacons of Wintermark===
Shortly before the Spring Equinox 383YE, the [[Starting_at_the_end#Towers_of_Fire|beacons of Wintermark]] were completed, covering Hahnmark and [[Kallavesa]]. This sequence of beacons and watchtowers protects both territories from surprise invasion and allows heroic individuals to contribute to the defence of Wintermark as if they were a [[fortification]].

{{Anchor|Freya's Garden}}
===Freya's Garden (Ruined)===
Once this was a sprawling building of weirwood and stone that stood proudly amidst the hills and fields, supporting the [[herb garden|herb gardens]] of Hahnmark. It was [[commission|commissioned]] by Tyr Brennan during the [[Construct_Freya%27s_Garden|Winter solstice 382YE]], but in Autumn 385YE it was [[To_the_last_syllable#In_Wintermark|destroyed]] by the rampaging ''scions'' of the [[Cold Sun]]. The grand steel-bound doors were shattered, the garden-halls scoured by fire, and the granite figure surmounted the grate was shattered to rubble. The heroes of Wintermark and their [[Navarr]] allies were able to catch the heralds before they could break through the final doors and slaughter the terrified gardeners sheltering within. Furious battle echoed through the ruined chambers, but while all the attackers are dealt with the garden was ruined.

==Regions==
===Bruckland===
Of all the regions of Hahnmark, Bruckland has the highest concentration of halls that have a majority of Suaq members. The cold, flat plains are scattered with low, artificial hills atop which lie stone beacons and desolate watchtowers. Between the hills wander [[farm|large domesticated herds]] of deer, elk and the occasional [[Mundane_beasts#Mammoths|mammoth]]. Fruitless attempts to domesticate the mammoths have largely been abandoned, but there are a few stubborn mammoth herders in Bruckland who follow the herds and occasionally harvest an old or injured member for ivory, hide and meat.<br><br>The most famous settlement in Bruckland, the fishing hamlet of '''Turelva''' lies across the waters of Kronevann from Kronehal. The two settlements enjoy a friendly rivalry in all matters; an annual fishing contest between the two has become a four day festival which boasts attendees from as far afield as [[Dawn]].

===Kalpamark===
*'''Quality:''' City, Hills
The heartland of Hahnmark, site of [[#Kalpaheim|Kalpaheim]] and the face of King Ulmo. The halls of Kalpamark are some of the most prosperous and influential in Hahnmark - possibly in the whole of Wintermark. The [[Gatekeeper_of_Falling_Snow#The_Garden_of_Falling_Snow|Garden of Falling Snow]] stands in the high peaks here, constructed around a series of bubbling hot springs.

===Kronemark===
* '''Quality:''' Sungate
The flattest part of Hahnmark, the downs of Kronemark are a patchwork of fishing villages and [[farm|farms]]. The largest settlements sprawl around the shore of the icy lake Kronevann, or along the many streams that connect it to its sister lakes in [[#Bruckland|Bruckland]]. The best known of the settlements on the Kronevann is '''Kronehal'''. Claimed as the home of Sigrid Alvsdottir, legendary champion of the Steinr who slew Vatr, the one-eyed warleader of the trolls and as her reward claimed the crown of the Steinr.

Kronemark was once the location of the Tower of the Eagle, an old tumbledown tower atop a hill that was once a beacon and marked the location of a powerful regio aligned with the [[Realm#Day|Day realm]]. It was claimed by the Silence Arc, ''scions'' of [[Cold Sun]], who were able to construct a gate of shining [[mithril]] and aquamarine crystal, carved with runes and sigils inlaid with [[ilium]]. It was broken during the [[Last_rays_of_the_sun#Tower_of_the_Eagle|last stand]] of the Silence Arc, and now all that remains are two broken pillars of warped and blasted crystal, twenty feet apart. The illumination that burns between the two columns is steady, unblinking, and irresistible. There's no way to approach the regio. Living beings who get too close, within a quarter mile or so of the blasted hill, burn. Those who test the edges begin to die, and only immediate aid helps them avoid being burnt to ashes.

===Northspires===
*'''Quality:''' Hills
The hills and mountains of Northspires are a rich source of [[orichalcum]] and [[tempest jade]]. Some of the highest peaks in Wintermark are found here, and there are scattered ruins on the upper slopes that date back to the height of the troll kingdoms. Several halls look down across the rest of Hahnmark from here, the most famous of which is probably '''Stormspire'''. A remote fortress and watchtower whose commander is often titled ‘the Eyes of the North’, Stormspire keeps a careful watch on any traffic from the North. One of the key major beacons, the folk of Stormspire also maintain and staff a smaller network of beacons on nearby peaks.

More famous that Stormspire is the [[#Runegrott|Runegrott]], which incorporates the Wintermark [[runeforge]] and is dedicated to the memory of [[Isenbrad]], paragon of [[Wisdom]]. On the mountainside overlooking the entrance to the caves stands the [[Guildmaster_of_the_Artisans#Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|Guildhouse of the Artisans]], a hub of activity for the informal sodality known as the Guild of Artisans.

===Southridge===
*'''Quality:''' Hills
In the years before the foundation of the Empire, the rolling downs and woodlands of Southridge were the site of regular skirmishes between the Winterfolk and the Marchers. These came to an end with a final peace treaty, signed at the settlement of '''Moot'''. Grim-faced folk drew lines on maps and agreed to fight orcs, not each other. The place of meeting grew into a small trading settlement where Marcher grain goes north, and Wintermark sends its worked metal and leather south. Despite nearly five centuries of relative peace, however, there are occasional tales of haunted battlefields and unfortunate incidents with rowdy Marchers who ought to know better.<br><br>The woodlands and rugged gulleys of Southridge are also home to [[Feni]] who mostly keep to themselves but occasionally engage in banditry against travellers or poorly defended halls.

===Valasmark===
*'''Quality:''' Hills
Rugged Valasmark slopes down towards the cold fens of [[Kallavesa]] to the south-west. In a populous valley near the centre of the region stands '''Valashal''', a Hall almost entirely peopled by groups of Steinr, accepting warriors from all over the nation. Its stated intent is to be the greatest focus of martial heroism in the country and therefore the world. The current great hall was constructed by [[Emperor_Guntherm#Death_and_Legacy|Brigid, daughter of Emperor Guntherm]] in 248YE in honour of her father. It was built on the site of a much older hall, the Runehall, which legend claims was constructed by a Troll the scops named The Torn Light of Night Falling. The Runehall was a vast beautiful edifice, but it was said to be cursed and any thane who claimed it as their seat met an untimely end.

Brigid razed the Runehall to the ground and had fresh timber and stone brought in to construct a new hall. She named it Valashal, and declared that it would be dedicated to training the greatest warriors of the nation in memory of her father. Whitehall has prospered since that day, attracting young [[Steinr]] from all over Hahnmark who come to Valasheim seeking to earn a name for themselves. In 334YE the settlement was expanded to build the Galenhall, to house the many scops who had come to Valasheim to celebrate the deeds of the heroes who dwell here.

===Wood Heath===
*'''Quality:''' Hills
On the edge of the forests on the southern side of Hahnmark stood the bustling logging town of '''Woodhall''' which supplied a great deal of the wood, charcoal and [[beggar's lye]] for Wintermark’s building, crafting and smithing. Woodhall also saw regular caravans from [[Temeschwar]] to the east, and enjoyed cordial relations with the [[The Marches|Marchers]] of [[Upwold]] to the south. Without warning, however, Woodhall was destroyed - in Summer 381YE a [[Rocks and gravel|massive sinkhole]] opened up that swallowed Woodhall, along with nearby Dunhearth, and the settlement of Arnburh. Only the advance warning from [[Navarr]] seers studying the [[Miaren#The_Pool_of_Silver_Clouds|Pool of Silver Clouds]] in [[Miaren]] prevented great loss of life.

Today, the newly built town of [[#New_Dunhall|New Dunhall]] houses many of those displaced by the collapse. With the aid of the [[Caretaker of New Dunhall]], the inhabitants work to ensure not only trade with the Marches and Temeschwar, but that those brave souls responsible for exploring the great pit are supported. The town stands near a significant number of newly created [[sinecure|sinecures]]: [[Collector_of_Prosperity's_Boon#Autumn.27s_Boon|Autumn's Boon]], [[Keeper_of_the_Crystal_Vale#Vale.27s_Might|Vale's Might]], [[Fallsheart_Guardian#Fallsheart_Cave|Fallsheart Cave]], [[Guardian_of_Dunfrith#Dunfirth|Dunfirth]], and the [[Herbalist_of_the_Hearth#The_Valley_of_Pride|Valley of Pride]].

As with Southridge to the west, at one time [[Feni]] lived in Wood Heath, although their attentions were mostly directed toward Upwold and [[Miaren]]. Following the opening of the sinkhole, these Feni were forced to flee, and became something of a nuisance to the people of Hahnmark in the process.
{{Senate Elections|Senator_for_Hahnmark|Territory=Hahnmark|Season=Autumn}}

==OOC Notes==
* The regions of Hahnmark are under the control of the people of Wintermark (and by extension the Empire) making the territory staunchly Imperial.
* [[Mana site|Mana sites]] in the territory benefit from [[#Lorenzo's Legacy of Vigilance|Lorenzo's Legacy of Vigilance]] and produce an extra mana crystal each season.
* [[Farm|Farms]] in the territory benefit from [[#Brenna's Gift|Brenna's Gift]] and, as of [[Hyenas_and_herbs#Flowers_in_Frost|Autumn 386YE]], produce two doses of viezesmaak each season.
* The [[#The Beacons of Wintermark|Beacons of Wintermark]] are a unique wonder that [[Starting_at_the_end#Towers_of_Fire|helps defend]] the territory.
* Due to the presence of the [[Hahnmark#The_Dunsfall_Sinkhole|sinkhole]] in [[#Wood Heath|Wood Heath]] it is not possible for a [[Army|campaign army]] to move directly between Hahnmark and Miaren despite their apparent proximity on the map.
[[Category:Wintermark]]
[[Category:Gazetteer]][[Category:Imperial Territory]]

{{anchor|Theodric Mooting}}
<box>'''Theodric Mooting, Hero of Hahnmark'''<br>One of the great heroes of the Steinr people, Theodric Mooting was born in Valasmark some time before the foundation of the Empire. A talented [[Wintermark_culture_and_customs#Art_and_history|scop]] from an early age, he was famous not only for his beautiful singing voice but also for his good heart and willingness to see the best in people. He quickly learned all the lessons his master had to teach him, and went on a great pilgrimage around Wintermark visiting halls across the nation to study with the scholars, musicians, and poets among his people.

A proud Steinr, he was never afraid to get his hands dirty - while he would often repay the hospitality of his hosts with music and poetry during the evenings, he spent his days sparring with their warriors, teaching their children, and working in their fields. A competent warrior, he [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Banner-bearers|bore banners into battle]] against [[Jotun]], [[Feni]], and [[the Marches|Marchers]] with equal enthusiasm.

The most famous tale about Theodric involves the bloody enmity between two rival generals in [[#Kronemark|Kronemark]] - the thane of Geranshal and her distant cousin the thane of Eilashal. Queen Linna called the two together to settle their differences but matters quickly escalated out of control - neither of the well-loved heroes could abide that the other drew breath. Blades were drawn by the thanes and the warriors from their halls. For a moment it seemed like the Queen's hospitality would be cast aside and the blood of one hero or another spilled in her hall, with potentially disastrous consequences for Hahnmark.

Before the first blow could be struck, Theodric stepped into the space between the feasting tables and began to sing. The Queen was quick to act - no fighting should take place while the scop sang. The two generals were forced to agree, and took the opportunity to prepare for the fight to come. To their surprise, however, Theodric sang for three days and three nights straight without faltering or repeating himself once. He moved the warriors to weeping for their own foolishness, and still he did not stop until exhaustion had claimed every other person in the Queen's hall - by which time cooler heads had prevailed. Over the next several days the thane of Gernashal and the thane of Eilsashal were able to settle their differences and, according to the stories, became close friends who fought beside each other on many battles.

Theodric is also known to have travelled for a time with the Dawnish exemplar [[Elayne Silverlark]] and her companion Lord Endric. The priests of Wintermark say that he taught her much about heroism, and just as much again about the proud arts of the scop. When she returned at last to Dawn, she took many of his songs and tales with her and paved the way for a better understanding between her people and the people of the Mark. For his part, Theodric is said to have learned to play several instruments previously unknown in Wintermark, and introduced several of them to his fellow scops as he continued his travels around Wintermark.

The scop himself lived to a ripe old age, and decided shortly after his seventieth birthday to head north and "explore Sydanjaa - to finally find out what rests at the heart of the eternal storm."</box>

Hahnmark

2026-08-19T14:24:27Z

Rafferty: /* Northspires */

{{CaptionedImage|file=RegionsofHahnmark.png|caption=Mountain passes and granite halls|title=Regions of Hahnmark|align=left|width=600}}
== Overview ==
The territory of Hahnmark is spread along a series of treacherous mountain passes, the rolling foothills beneath and the wide plains that stretch toward [[Sermersuaq]] and [[Kallavesa]]. In ancient times it was the centre of the troll kingdom, but today is considered the ancestral homeland of the [[Steinr]] in Wintermark. The other passes through the mountains are likewise protected by fortified halls, preventing access to the rolling hills that drop down towards fertile plains.

In the oldest days, before the coming of the Steinr, Hahnmark was the heart of the troll kingdoms and it was here that the three peoples first came together to oppose their enemies, and to create the union that has made their people the strongest in the world. The peaks of eastern Hahnmark are scattered with relics from the troll kingdom, mostly ruined and empty, or haunted by malignant spirits who hate the people of the lowlands with an endless, frigid spite. The higher peaks are avoided by sensible folk as a consequence.

Hahnmark is a rugged land, like the people who call it home. A slight majority of the population are Steinr, but as always there is a nearly equal presence of Suaq and Kallavesi people in its prosperous halls. The people of the rolling hills enjoy a high level of prosperity, their wealth coming from trade with other Imperial nations; from the mines and farms of the mountains and the flatlands; and from the strong sword-arms of its warriors.

The [[Senator]] for Hahnmark is appointed by the Steinr during the Autumn equinox, and is almost always chosen from the Steinr tradition.

==Recent History==
During the invasion of [[Skarsind]], many refugees came down through [[Skarsind#Pakaanan's Pass|Pakaanan's Pass]] to find temporary homes in [[#Northspires|Northspires]] and [[#Bruckland|Bruckland]]. Since the territory has been reclaimed, many are returning to their homes - although a number have chosen to stay permanently in Hahnmark. Concerns that the [[Thule]] might come further west and invade Hahnmark proved groundless, but there were repeated calls for the Hall at [[#Kalpaheim|Kalpaheim]] and the vigilant [[#Northspires|Stormspires]] to be reinforced and further fortified. Successive [[Senate|Senates]] failed to agree to the amount of white granite needed, and the projects were largely abandoned.

Shortly after the Spring Equinox 381YE, a [[Hahnmark#The_Dunsfall_Sinkhole|great sinkhole]] swallowed parts of south-eastern [[#Wood Heath|Wood Heath]] displacing several halls. It also displaced a group of [[Feni]] that once dwelled in the deep woods there. Some of the group went south into [[Upwold]], but the remainder [[Right_now#Feni_March|remained in Hahnmark]] where their raids became [[Everything_has_rhythm#Feni_Fight_Ferociously|increasingly]] problematic as 382YE [[Make_good_use#The_Feni_in_the_Mark|progressed]]. During the Summer Solstice, the heroes of Wintermark confronted the raiders and offered them the chance to leave Hahnmark safely provided they brought their raids to an end. As of the start of the Autumn Equinox 382YE, the Feni have yet to respond.

Shortly before the Winter Solstice 381YE, the [[Lorenzo%27s_Legacy#Blood_Red_Roads|Blood Red Roads]] were completed, providing merchants and traders easy access to Kalpaheim, and allowing the merchants of Hahnmark to travel much more easily to some of the wealthiest cities across the Empire. For more than half a decade the roads provided a major boon to the [[farm|farms]] and [[business|businesses]] in the territory. In the Winter of 386YE, however, the Imperial Senate determined to [[386YE_Winter_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Levy_Tolls_on_Blood_Red_Roads|levy tolls]] on traffic using the road, meaning they no longer increase the income of individual citizens but provide a significant boost to the Imperial Treasury, in part to pay for the war against the [[vallorn]].
{{CaptionedImage|file=Wintermark2.jpg|align=right|width=300|caption=Costume by Jo Perridge}}

==Points of Interest==
=== Kalpaheim ===
The largest settlement in Wintermark. Once the capital of the entire nation, this is the site of the original joining of the three cultures. The settlement circles a stone fortress built in the first days after the defeat of the trolls - the Hall at Kalpaheim - parts of which extend into tunnels dug deep beneath the mountains. A prosperous hub for trade with other nations, Kalpaheim guards a large pass through the mountains that serves as a major trade-route down into the [[The Marches|Marches]], and the rest of the Empire. Other valuable trade routes include those to [[Hercynia]] in the north-west, and through the [[Navarr]] territory to the forests and mines of [[Skarsind]] and ultimately [[Varushka]].

As well as safeguarding the prosperity of Hahnmark, Kalpaheim is a central feature in the heritage of the Winterfolk. The '''Face of King Ulmo''', an immense carving of the first monarch of Wintermark, looks down upon Kalpaheim from the side of one of the western mountains. It serves as a reminder that the eyes of history are upon the town and the people of Wintermark. This impressive feat is one of the wonders of the Empire, constructed long before the nation joined the Empire by a trio of [[Wintermark Magical Traditions#Artok|Artok]] under the control of the [[Wintermark Magical Traditions#Icewalkers|icewalker]] Gilda Heimssdottir. She also dug out most of the tunnels that parts of the hall now occupy.

=== The Fingers ===
When the Steinr travelled through mountain passes to find the [[Suaq]] and [[Kallavesi]], they sought guidance in visions. It is said that this high-mountain with its four jagged peaks rose above the mist in the early daylight, pointing out the way. It is now home to a religious settlement called The Fingers, where the virtues that founded Wintermark are celebrated; the [[Courage]] to carry such a bold plan through, the [[Pride]] gained through the trials of the journey, and the [[Loyalty]] that now joins the three peoples.
=== Gulnar’s Deeps ===
An old series of copper mines in northern [[#Kalpamark|Kalpamark]] that unexpectedly broke into a much larger cave network beneath. The full extent of the caves has never been mapped, since ice and meltwater make much of it treacherous, but a wealth of minerals and metals now comes from the deeps.

===Runegrott===
In southern [[#Northspires|Northspires]] is found a vast labyrinthine chamber in the ice, in which many runes are carved. They are thought to be very old, and some scholars argue that the origin of runes in Wintermark lies here, rather than in the caves beneath [[Skarsind#Gildenheim|Gildenheim]]. The chamber is carefully guarded. It is a matter of debate as to whether the runes bear any message -- some claim the original laws of Wintermark, and thus the Empire -- were taken from the inscriptions in this chamber. More recently they have been connected with the paragon [[Isenbrad]], especially by the [[runesmith|runesmiths]] who dwell on the mountain above the caves.

In 383YE, the [[Gildenheim runeforge|rune forge at Gildenheim]] was painstakingly [[Conduit_to_destiny#The_Runed_Ruins|dismantled and runes repatriated to Runegrott]] in Hahnmark to be used as the basis for the creation of a new runeforge there one day. Following the Winter Solstice 384YE, a [[inspirational location|memorial]] for [[Isenbrad]] was established at Runegrott, establishing the [[Wintermark_economic_interests#Runesmith.27s_Law|Runesmith's Law]] - the unique set of [[magic items]] that can be crafted only by Winterfolk [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]]. The [[Keeper of the Runegrott]] now guides the artisans of the [[Keeper_of_the_Runegrott#Runegrott|Runegrott]] in their work; forging unique magic items and funding schema for the expansion of Runesmith's Law.

Not far from Runegrott proper stands the [[Guildmaster_of_the_Artisans#Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|Guildhouse of the Artisans]], created as a hub from which members of that informal sodality can operate.

===New Dunhall===
In 381YE Arnburh, the Dunhearth Hall and neighbouring Woodhall [[Rocks_and_gravel|fell into a massive sinkhole]]. Forewarned by the [[Navarr]], the Thane and Redfeldr were able to evacuate the town. During the Summer Solstice 381YE, plans were laid for a grand Wintermark trading town. The purpose of New Dunhall is four-fold: to re-establish and protect trade between Wintermark and the Marches; to serve as a base of operations for mining [[Delver_of_the_Depths#Lorenzo.27s_Deep_Pockets|Lorenzo's Deep Pockets]]; and to provide a defence against any [[trogoni|fell creatures]] that might come out of the deep earth. Work was begun almost immediately, and the majority of the construction completed shortly before the Autumn Equinox.

At the heart of the new town is a large market overseen by the [[Caretaker of New Dunhall]], intended for commodity trading and the sale of the Dunning’s fine artisan goods. A new Dunhearth Hall was built, larger and richer than the old hall, destroyed in the collapse. Along with the various barracks, supporting buildings, and defensible walls, New Dunhall represents a fine example of a Wintermark town, dedicated to the continuing security of the area.

Not far from New Dunhall is found [[Fallsheart Guardian#Fallsheart Cave|Fallsheart Cave]], a cavern exposed shortly after the sinkhole collapse which is a rich source of crystal mana. A Guardian is appointed to protect the cave, which is at some risk from hungry trogoni.

===Lorenzo's Legacy of Vigilance===
Spread across the entire territory of Hahnmark are a number of red stone [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stele stelae]. A central stone, the keystone for the entire [[great work]], stands in the centre of the market at [[#New Dunhall|New Dunhall]]. The [[Lorenzo%27s_Legacy#The_Legacy_of_Vigilance|legacy]] guides and focuses the flows of mana through the territory, increasing the amount of crystal mana produced by [[mana site|sites]] across Hahnmark.

===Brenna's Gift===
Brenna’s Gift is not a single structure but several. Situated in a handful of locations through [[#Kalpamark|Kalpamark]] are great weirwood grain silos banded in [[Materials#Weltsilver|weltsilver]] with [[Materials#Orichalcum|orichalcum]] rivets. Each silo is supported by several smaller buildings that are always busy collecting and distributing grains, meats, fur, and other farming supplies, all day every day. The rune [[Pallas]] is inlaid over each silo, and the people who operate them take great pride in ensuring the buildings are well lit so that they are visible almost as beacons once the sun sets. Smaller silos are scattered across the territory, at least one in each region. Comparisons are often drawn with the [[The_Marches_economic_interests#Granaries_and_Storehouses_-_the_Imperial_Breadbasket|Imperial Breadbasket]] in [[the Marches]]. This [[great work]] stores and distributes agricultural produce, and the silos also serve as trading posts.

===The Dunsfall Sinkhole===
Just over a month after the Spring Equinox 381YE a large section of north-western [[Miaren#Goldglades|Goldglades]] in [[Miaren]] [[Rocks and gravel|collapsed with an almighty roar]]. After the initial collapse, the hole began to spread. Warnings by the Navarr [[Navarr_magical_traditions#Vates|vates]] reached the already-worried people of Wood Heath not a moment too soon. Parts of that south-eastern region soon followed north-western Goldglades into the spreading hole. Thanks to the Navarr, Dunhearth Hall, Woodhall and several smaller halls were all evacuated in time to avoid major loss of life.

Where Hahnmark once bordered Miaren, there is now a massive [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinkhole sinkhole]. Estimated to be seven hundred feet deep, with a lake at the bottom that may well be bottomless. The cliff walls are nearly vertical, and still prone to collapse in some places, but there are also signs of caves and tunnels opening out in several places. Initial explorers have excitedly reported what look to be ancient mine workings - some reaching back to the time of the Terunael, and some reaching back even further. The full extent of the network of caverns here has yet to be determined. More worryingly, some of the early daredevils who have made a preliminary investigation of some of the more accessible caves and tunnels have failed to return - and all those who have made it back in one piece have described encounters with particularly angry [[trogoni]] - creatures rarely encountered outside of the mountains of [[Urizen]], and the northern peaks of [[Wintermark]] and [[Varushka]].

The sinkhole was officially named "[[Delver_of_the_Depths#Lorenzo.27s_Deep_Pockets|Lorenzo's Deep Pockets]]" by Lorenzo Macelliao von Temeschwar, but is commonly known among the people of Hahnmark as "The Dunsfall".

===The Beacons of Wintermark===
Shortly before the Spring Equinox 383YE, the [[Starting_at_the_end#Towers_of_Fire|beacons of Wintermark]] were completed, covering Hahnmark and [[Kallavesa]]. This sequence of beacons and watchtowers protects both territories from surprise invasion and allows heroic individuals to contribute to the defence of Wintermark as if they were a [[fortification]].

{{Anchor|Freya's Garden}}
===Freya's Garden (Ruined)===
Once this was a sprawling building of weirwood and stone that stood proudly amidst the hills and fields, supporting the [[herb garden|herb gardens]] of Hahnmark. It was [[commission|commissioned]] by Tyr Brennan during the [[Construct_Freya%27s_Garden|Winter solstice 382YE]], but in Autumn 385YE it was [[To_the_last_syllable#In_Wintermark|destroyed]] by the rampaging ''scions'' of the [[Cold Sun]]. The grand steel-bound doors were shattered, the garden-halls scoured by fire, and the granite figure surmounted the grate was shattered to rubble. The heroes of Wintermark and their [[Navarr]] allies were able to catch the heralds before they could break through the final doors and slaughter the terrified gardeners sheltering within. Furious battle echoed through the ruined chambers, but while all the attackers are dealt with the garden was ruined.

==Regions==
===Bruckland===
Of all the regions of Hahnmark, Bruckland has the highest concentration of halls that have a majority of Suaq members. The cold, flat plains are scattered with low, artificial hills atop which lie stone beacons and desolate watchtowers. Between the hills wander [[farm|large domesticated herds]] of deer, elk and the occasional [[Mundane_beasts#Mammoths|mammoth]]. Fruitless attempts to domesticate the mammoths have largely been abandoned, but there are a few stubborn mammoth herders in Bruckland who follow the herds and occasionally harvest an old or injured member for ivory, hide and meat.<br><br>The most famous settlement in Bruckland, the fishing hamlet of '''Turelva''' lies across the waters of Kronevann from Kronehal. The two settlements enjoy a friendly rivalry in all matters; an annual fishing contest between the two has become a four day festival which boasts attendees from as far afield as [[Dawn]].

===Kalpamark===
*'''Quality:''' City, Hills
The heartland of Hahnmark, site of [[#Kalpaheim|Kalpaheim]] and the face of King Ulmo. The halls of Kalpamark are some of the most prosperous and influential in Hahnmark - possibly in the whole of Wintermark. The [[Gatekeeper_of_Falling_Snow#The_Garden_of_Falling_Snow|Garden of Falling Snow]] stands in the high peaks here, constructed around a series of bubbling hot springs.

===Kronemark===
* '''Quality:''' Sungate
The flattest part of Hahnmark, the downs of Kronemark are a patchwork of fishing villages and [[farm|farms]]. The largest settlements sprawl around the shore of the icy lake Kronevann, or along the many streams that connect it to its sister lakes in [[#Bruckland|Bruckland]]. The best known of the settlements on the Kronevann is '''Kronehal'''. Claimed as the home of Sigrid Alvsdottir, legendary champion of the Steinr who slew Vatr, the one-eyed warleader of the trolls and as her reward claimed the crown of the Steinr.

Kronemark was once the location of the Tower of the Eagle, an old tumbledown tower atop a hill that was once a beacon and marked the location of a powerful regio aligned with the [[Realm#Day|Day realm]]. It was claimed by the Silence Arc, ''scions'' of [[Cold Sun]], who were able to construct a gate of shining [[mithril]] and aquamarine crystal, carved with runes and sigils inlaid with [[ilium]]. It was broken during the [[Last_rays_of_the_sun#Tower_of_the_Eagle|last stand]] of the Silence Arc, and now all that remains are two broken pillars of warped and blasted crystal, twenty feet apart. The illumination that burns between the two columns is steady, unblinking, and irresistible. There's no way to approach the regio. Living beings who get too close, within a quarter mile or so of the blasted hill, burn. Those who test the edges begin to die, and only immediate aid helps them avoid being burnt to ashes.

===Northspires===
*'''Quality:''' Hills
The hills and mountains of Northspires are a rich source of [[orichalcum]] and [[tempest jade]]. Some of the highest peaks in Wintermark are found here, and there are scattered ruins on the upper slopes that date back to the height of the troll kingdoms. Several halls look down across the rest of Hahnmark from here, the most famous of which is probably '''Stormspire'''. A remote fortress and watchtower whose commander is often titled ‘the Eyes of the North’, Stormspire keeps a careful watch on any traffic from the North. One of the key major beacons, the folk of Stormspire also maintain and staff a smaller network of beacons on nearby peaks.

More famous that Stormspire is the [[#Runegrott|Runegrott]], which incorporates the Wintermark [[rune forge]] and is dedicated to the memory of [[Isenbrad]], paragon of [[Wisdom]]. On the mountainside overlooking the entrance to the caves stands the [[Guildmaster_of_the_Artisans#Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|Guildhouse of the Artisans]], a hub of activity for the informal sodality known as the Guild of Artisans.

===Southridge===
*'''Quality:''' Hills
In the years before the foundation of the Empire, the rolling downs and woodlands of Southridge were the site of regular skirmishes between the Winterfolk and the Marchers. These came to an end with a final peace treaty, signed at the settlement of '''Moot'''. Grim-faced folk drew lines on maps and agreed to fight orcs, not each other. The place of meeting grew into a small trading settlement where Marcher grain goes north, and Wintermark sends its worked metal and leather south. Despite nearly five centuries of relative peace, however, there are occasional tales of haunted battlefields and unfortunate incidents with rowdy Marchers who ought to know better.<br><br>The woodlands and rugged gulleys of Southridge are also home to [[Feni]] who mostly keep to themselves but occasionally engage in banditry against travellers or poorly defended halls.

===Valasmark===
*'''Quality:''' Hills
Rugged Valasmark slopes down towards the cold fens of [[Kallavesa]] to the south-west. In a populous valley near the centre of the region stands '''Valashal''', a Hall almost entirely peopled by groups of Steinr, accepting warriors from all over the nation. Its stated intent is to be the greatest focus of martial heroism in the country and therefore the world. The current great hall was constructed by [[Emperor_Guntherm#Death_and_Legacy|Brigid, daughter of Emperor Guntherm]] in 248YE in honour of her father. It was built on the site of a much older hall, the Runehall, which legend claims was constructed by a Troll the scops named The Torn Light of Night Falling. The Runehall was a vast beautiful edifice, but it was said to be cursed and any thane who claimed it as their seat met an untimely end.

Brigid razed the Runehall to the ground and had fresh timber and stone brought in to construct a new hall. She named it Valashal, and declared that it would be dedicated to training the greatest warriors of the nation in memory of her father. Whitehall has prospered since that day, attracting young [[Steinr]] from all over Hahnmark who come to Valasheim seeking to earn a name for themselves. In 334YE the settlement was expanded to build the Galenhall, to house the many scops who had come to Valasheim to celebrate the deeds of the heroes who dwell here.

===Wood Heath===
*'''Quality:''' Hills
On the edge of the forests on the southern side of Hahnmark stood the bustling logging town of '''Woodhall''' which supplied a great deal of the wood, charcoal and [[beggar's lye]] for Wintermark’s building, crafting and smithing. Woodhall also saw regular caravans from [[Temeschwar]] to the east, and enjoyed cordial relations with the [[The Marches|Marchers]] of [[Upwold]] to the south. Without warning, however, Woodhall was destroyed - in Summer 381YE a [[Rocks and gravel|massive sinkhole]] opened up that swallowed Woodhall, along with nearby Dunhearth, and the settlement of Arnburh. Only the advance warning from [[Navarr]] seers studying the [[Miaren#The_Pool_of_Silver_Clouds|Pool of Silver Clouds]] in [[Miaren]] prevented great loss of life.

Today, the newly built town of [[#New_Dunhall|New Dunhall]] houses many of those displaced by the collapse. With the aid of the [[Caretaker of New Dunhall]], the inhabitants work to ensure not only trade with the Marches and Temeschwar, but that those brave souls responsible for exploring the great pit are supported. The town stands near a significant number of newly created [[sinecure|sinecures]]: [[Collector_of_Prosperity's_Boon#Autumn.27s_Boon|Autumn's Boon]], [[Keeper_of_the_Crystal_Vale#Vale.27s_Might|Vale's Might]], [[Fallsheart_Guardian#Fallsheart_Cave|Fallsheart Cave]], [[Guardian_of_Dunfrith#Dunfirth|Dunfirth]], and the [[Herbalist_of_the_Hearth#The_Valley_of_Pride|Valley of Pride]].

As with Southridge to the west, at one time [[Feni]] lived in Wood Heath, although their attentions were mostly directed toward Upwold and [[Miaren]]. Following the opening of the sinkhole, these Feni were forced to flee, and became something of a nuisance to the people of Hahnmark in the process.
{{Senate Elections|Senator_for_Hahnmark|Territory=Hahnmark|Season=Autumn}}

==OOC Notes==
* The regions of Hahnmark are under the control of the people of Wintermark (and by extension the Empire) making the territory staunchly Imperial.
* [[Mana site|Mana sites]] in the territory benefit from [[#Lorenzo's Legacy of Vigilance|Lorenzo's Legacy of Vigilance]] and produce an extra mana crystal each season.
* [[Farm|Farms]] in the territory benefit from [[#Brenna's Gift|Brenna's Gift]] and, as of [[Hyenas_and_herbs#Flowers_in_Frost|Autumn 386YE]], produce two doses of viezesmaak each season.
* The [[#The Beacons of Wintermark|Beacons of Wintermark]] are a unique wonder that [[Starting_at_the_end#Towers_of_Fire|helps defend]] the territory.
* Due to the presence of the [[Hahnmark#The_Dunsfall_Sinkhole|sinkhole]] in [[#Wood Heath|Wood Heath]] it is not possible for a [[Army|campaign army]] to move directly between Hahnmark and Miaren despite their apparent proximity on the map.
[[Category:Wintermark]]
[[Category:Gazetteer]][[Category:Imperial Territory]]

{{anchor|Theodric Mooting}}
<box>'''Theodric Mooting, Hero of Hahnmark'''<br>One of the great heroes of the Steinr people, Theodric Mooting was born in Valasmark some time before the foundation of the Empire. A talented [[Wintermark_culture_and_customs#Art_and_history|scop]] from an early age, he was famous not only for his beautiful singing voice but also for his good heart and willingness to see the best in people. He quickly learned all the lessons his master had to teach him, and went on a great pilgrimage around Wintermark visiting halls across the nation to study with the scholars, musicians, and poets among his people.

A proud Steinr, he was never afraid to get his hands dirty - while he would often repay the hospitality of his hosts with music and poetry during the evenings, he spent his days sparring with their warriors, teaching their children, and working in their fields. A competent warrior, he [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Banner-bearers|bore banners into battle]] against [[Jotun]], [[Feni]], and [[the Marches|Marchers]] with equal enthusiasm.

The most famous tale about Theodric involves the bloody enmity between two rival generals in [[#Kronemark|Kronemark]] - the thane of Geranshal and her distant cousin the thane of Eilashal. Queen Linna called the two together to settle their differences but matters quickly escalated out of control - neither of the well-loved heroes could abide that the other drew breath. Blades were drawn by the thanes and the warriors from their halls. For a moment it seemed like the Queen's hospitality would be cast aside and the blood of one hero or another spilled in her hall, with potentially disastrous consequences for Hahnmark.

Before the first blow could be struck, Theodric stepped into the space between the feasting tables and began to sing. The Queen was quick to act - no fighting should take place while the scop sang. The two generals were forced to agree, and took the opportunity to prepare for the fight to come. To their surprise, however, Theodric sang for three days and three nights straight without faltering or repeating himself once. He moved the warriors to weeping for their own foolishness, and still he did not stop until exhaustion had claimed every other person in the Queen's hall - by which time cooler heads had prevailed. Over the next several days the thane of Gernashal and the thane of Eilsashal were able to settle their differences and, according to the stories, became close friends who fought beside each other on many battles.

Theodric is also known to have travelled for a time with the Dawnish exemplar [[Elayne Silverlark]] and her companion Lord Endric. The priests of Wintermark say that he taught her much about heroism, and just as much again about the proud arts of the scop. When she returned at last to Dawn, she took many of his songs and tales with her and paved the way for a better understanding between her people and the people of the Mark. For his part, Theodric is said to have learned to play several instruments previously unknown in Wintermark, and introduced several of them to his fellow scops as he continued his travels around Wintermark.

The scop himself lived to a ripe old age, and decided shortly after his seventieth birthday to head north and "explore Sydanjaa - to finally find out what rests at the heart of the eternal storm."</box>

Hahnmark

2026-08-19T14:22:56Z

Rafferty: /* Runegrott */

{{CaptionedImage|file=RegionsofHahnmark.png|caption=Mountain passes and granite halls|title=Regions of Hahnmark|align=left|width=600}}
== Overview ==
The territory of Hahnmark is spread along a series of treacherous mountain passes, the rolling foothills beneath and the wide plains that stretch toward [[Sermersuaq]] and [[Kallavesa]]. In ancient times it was the centre of the troll kingdom, but today is considered the ancestral homeland of the [[Steinr]] in Wintermark. The other passes through the mountains are likewise protected by fortified halls, preventing access to the rolling hills that drop down towards fertile plains.

In the oldest days, before the coming of the Steinr, Hahnmark was the heart of the troll kingdoms and it was here that the three peoples first came together to oppose their enemies, and to create the union that has made their people the strongest in the world. The peaks of eastern Hahnmark are scattered with relics from the troll kingdom, mostly ruined and empty, or haunted by malignant spirits who hate the people of the lowlands with an endless, frigid spite. The higher peaks are avoided by sensible folk as a consequence.

Hahnmark is a rugged land, like the people who call it home. A slight majority of the population are Steinr, but as always there is a nearly equal presence of Suaq and Kallavesi people in its prosperous halls. The people of the rolling hills enjoy a high level of prosperity, their wealth coming from trade with other Imperial nations; from the mines and farms of the mountains and the flatlands; and from the strong sword-arms of its warriors.

The [[Senator]] for Hahnmark is appointed by the Steinr during the Autumn equinox, and is almost always chosen from the Steinr tradition.

==Recent History==
During the invasion of [[Skarsind]], many refugees came down through [[Skarsind#Pakaanan's Pass|Pakaanan's Pass]] to find temporary homes in [[#Northspires|Northspires]] and [[#Bruckland|Bruckland]]. Since the territory has been reclaimed, many are returning to their homes - although a number have chosen to stay permanently in Hahnmark. Concerns that the [[Thule]] might come further west and invade Hahnmark proved groundless, but there were repeated calls for the Hall at [[#Kalpaheim|Kalpaheim]] and the vigilant [[#Northspires|Stormspires]] to be reinforced and further fortified. Successive [[Senate|Senates]] failed to agree to the amount of white granite needed, and the projects were largely abandoned.

Shortly after the Spring Equinox 381YE, a [[Hahnmark#The_Dunsfall_Sinkhole|great sinkhole]] swallowed parts of south-eastern [[#Wood Heath|Wood Heath]] displacing several halls. It also displaced a group of [[Feni]] that once dwelled in the deep woods there. Some of the group went south into [[Upwold]], but the remainder [[Right_now#Feni_March|remained in Hahnmark]] where their raids became [[Everything_has_rhythm#Feni_Fight_Ferociously|increasingly]] problematic as 382YE [[Make_good_use#The_Feni_in_the_Mark|progressed]]. During the Summer Solstice, the heroes of Wintermark confronted the raiders and offered them the chance to leave Hahnmark safely provided they brought their raids to an end. As of the start of the Autumn Equinox 382YE, the Feni have yet to respond.

Shortly before the Winter Solstice 381YE, the [[Lorenzo%27s_Legacy#Blood_Red_Roads|Blood Red Roads]] were completed, providing merchants and traders easy access to Kalpaheim, and allowing the merchants of Hahnmark to travel much more easily to some of the wealthiest cities across the Empire. For more than half a decade the roads provided a major boon to the [[farm|farms]] and [[business|businesses]] in the territory. In the Winter of 386YE, however, the Imperial Senate determined to [[386YE_Winter_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Levy_Tolls_on_Blood_Red_Roads|levy tolls]] on traffic using the road, meaning they no longer increase the income of individual citizens but provide a significant boost to the Imperial Treasury, in part to pay for the war against the [[vallorn]].
{{CaptionedImage|file=Wintermark2.jpg|align=right|width=300|caption=Costume by Jo Perridge}}

==Points of Interest==
=== Kalpaheim ===
The largest settlement in Wintermark. Once the capital of the entire nation, this is the site of the original joining of the three cultures. The settlement circles a stone fortress built in the first days after the defeat of the trolls - the Hall at Kalpaheim - parts of which extend into tunnels dug deep beneath the mountains. A prosperous hub for trade with other nations, Kalpaheim guards a large pass through the mountains that serves as a major trade-route down into the [[The Marches|Marches]], and the rest of the Empire. Other valuable trade routes include those to [[Hercynia]] in the north-west, and through the [[Navarr]] territory to the forests and mines of [[Skarsind]] and ultimately [[Varushka]].

As well as safeguarding the prosperity of Hahnmark, Kalpaheim is a central feature in the heritage of the Winterfolk. The '''Face of King Ulmo''', an immense carving of the first monarch of Wintermark, looks down upon Kalpaheim from the side of one of the western mountains. It serves as a reminder that the eyes of history are upon the town and the people of Wintermark. This impressive feat is one of the wonders of the Empire, constructed long before the nation joined the Empire by a trio of [[Wintermark Magical Traditions#Artok|Artok]] under the control of the [[Wintermark Magical Traditions#Icewalkers|icewalker]] Gilda Heimssdottir. She also dug out most of the tunnels that parts of the hall now occupy.

=== The Fingers ===
When the Steinr travelled through mountain passes to find the [[Suaq]] and [[Kallavesi]], they sought guidance in visions. It is said that this high-mountain with its four jagged peaks rose above the mist in the early daylight, pointing out the way. It is now home to a religious settlement called The Fingers, where the virtues that founded Wintermark are celebrated; the [[Courage]] to carry such a bold plan through, the [[Pride]] gained through the trials of the journey, and the [[Loyalty]] that now joins the three peoples.
=== Gulnar’s Deeps ===
An old series of copper mines in northern [[#Kalpamark|Kalpamark]] that unexpectedly broke into a much larger cave network beneath. The full extent of the caves has never been mapped, since ice and meltwater make much of it treacherous, but a wealth of minerals and metals now comes from the deeps.

===Runegrott===
In southern [[#Northspires|Northspires]] is found a vast labyrinthine chamber in the ice, in which many runes are carved. They are thought to be very old, and some scholars argue that the origin of runes in Wintermark lies here, rather than in the caves beneath [[Skarsind#Gildenheim|Gildenheim]]. The chamber is carefully guarded. It is a matter of debate as to whether the runes bear any message -- some claim the original laws of Wintermark, and thus the Empire -- were taken from the inscriptions in this chamber. More recently they have been connected with the paragon [[Isenbrad]], especially by the [[runesmith|runesmiths]] who dwell on the mountain above the caves.

In 383YE, the [[Gildenheim runeforge|rune forge at Gildenheim]] was painstakingly [[Conduit_to_destiny#The_Runed_Ruins|dismantled and runes repatriated to Runegrott]] in Hahnmark to be used as the basis for the creation of a new runeforge there one day. Following the Winter Solstice 384YE, a [[inspirational location|memorial]] for [[Isenbrad]] was established at Runegrott, establishing the [[Wintermark_economic_interests#Runesmith.27s_Law|Runesmith's Law]] - the unique set of [[magic items]] that can be crafted only by Winterfolk [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]]. The [[Keeper of the Runegrott]] now guides the artisans of the [[Keeper_of_the_Runegrott#Runegrott|Runegrott]] in their work; forging unique magic items and funding schema for the expansion of Runesmith's Law.

Not far from Runegrott proper stands the [[Guildmaster_of_the_Artisans#Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|Guildhouse of the Artisans]], created as a hub from which members of that informal sodality can operate.

===New Dunhall===
In 381YE Arnburh, the Dunhearth Hall and neighbouring Woodhall [[Rocks_and_gravel|fell into a massive sinkhole]]. Forewarned by the [[Navarr]], the Thane and Redfeldr were able to evacuate the town. During the Summer Solstice 381YE, plans were laid for a grand Wintermark trading town. The purpose of New Dunhall is four-fold: to re-establish and protect trade between Wintermark and the Marches; to serve as a base of operations for mining [[Delver_of_the_Depths#Lorenzo.27s_Deep_Pockets|Lorenzo's Deep Pockets]]; and to provide a defence against any [[trogoni|fell creatures]] that might come out of the deep earth. Work was begun almost immediately, and the majority of the construction completed shortly before the Autumn Equinox.

At the heart of the new town is a large market overseen by the [[Caretaker of New Dunhall]], intended for commodity trading and the sale of the Dunning’s fine artisan goods. A new Dunhearth Hall was built, larger and richer than the old hall, destroyed in the collapse. Along with the various barracks, supporting buildings, and defensible walls, New Dunhall represents a fine example of a Wintermark town, dedicated to the continuing security of the area.

Not far from New Dunhall is found [[Fallsheart Guardian#Fallsheart Cave|Fallsheart Cave]], a cavern exposed shortly after the sinkhole collapse which is a rich source of crystal mana. A Guardian is appointed to protect the cave, which is at some risk from hungry trogoni.

===Lorenzo's Legacy of Vigilance===
Spread across the entire territory of Hahnmark are a number of red stone [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stele stelae]. A central stone, the keystone for the entire [[great work]], stands in the centre of the market at [[#New Dunhall|New Dunhall]]. The [[Lorenzo%27s_Legacy#The_Legacy_of_Vigilance|legacy]] guides and focuses the flows of mana through the territory, increasing the amount of crystal mana produced by [[mana site|sites]] across Hahnmark.

===Brenna's Gift===
Brenna’s Gift is not a single structure but several. Situated in a handful of locations through [[#Kalpamark|Kalpamark]] are great weirwood grain silos banded in [[Materials#Weltsilver|weltsilver]] with [[Materials#Orichalcum|orichalcum]] rivets. Each silo is supported by several smaller buildings that are always busy collecting and distributing grains, meats, fur, and other farming supplies, all day every day. The rune [[Pallas]] is inlaid over each silo, and the people who operate them take great pride in ensuring the buildings are well lit so that they are visible almost as beacons once the sun sets. Smaller silos are scattered across the territory, at least one in each region. Comparisons are often drawn with the [[The_Marches_economic_interests#Granaries_and_Storehouses_-_the_Imperial_Breadbasket|Imperial Breadbasket]] in [[the Marches]]. This [[great work]] stores and distributes agricultural produce, and the silos also serve as trading posts.

===The Dunsfall Sinkhole===
Just over a month after the Spring Equinox 381YE a large section of north-western [[Miaren#Goldglades|Goldglades]] in [[Miaren]] [[Rocks and gravel|collapsed with an almighty roar]]. After the initial collapse, the hole began to spread. Warnings by the Navarr [[Navarr_magical_traditions#Vates|vates]] reached the already-worried people of Wood Heath not a moment too soon. Parts of that south-eastern region soon followed north-western Goldglades into the spreading hole. Thanks to the Navarr, Dunhearth Hall, Woodhall and several smaller halls were all evacuated in time to avoid major loss of life.

Where Hahnmark once bordered Miaren, there is now a massive [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinkhole sinkhole]. Estimated to be seven hundred feet deep, with a lake at the bottom that may well be bottomless. The cliff walls are nearly vertical, and still prone to collapse in some places, but there are also signs of caves and tunnels opening out in several places. Initial explorers have excitedly reported what look to be ancient mine workings - some reaching back to the time of the Terunael, and some reaching back even further. The full extent of the network of caverns here has yet to be determined. More worryingly, some of the early daredevils who have made a preliminary investigation of some of the more accessible caves and tunnels have failed to return - and all those who have made it back in one piece have described encounters with particularly angry [[trogoni]] - creatures rarely encountered outside of the mountains of [[Urizen]], and the northern peaks of [[Wintermark]] and [[Varushka]].

The sinkhole was officially named "[[Delver_of_the_Depths#Lorenzo.27s_Deep_Pockets|Lorenzo's Deep Pockets]]" by Lorenzo Macelliao von Temeschwar, but is commonly known among the people of Hahnmark as "The Dunsfall".

===The Beacons of Wintermark===
Shortly before the Spring Equinox 383YE, the [[Starting_at_the_end#Towers_of_Fire|beacons of Wintermark]] were completed, covering Hahnmark and [[Kallavesa]]. This sequence of beacons and watchtowers protects both territories from surprise invasion and allows heroic individuals to contribute to the defence of Wintermark as if they were a [[fortification]].

{{Anchor|Freya's Garden}}
===Freya's Garden (Ruined)===
Once this was a sprawling building of weirwood and stone that stood proudly amidst the hills and fields, supporting the [[herb garden|herb gardens]] of Hahnmark. It was [[commission|commissioned]] by Tyr Brennan during the [[Construct_Freya%27s_Garden|Winter solstice 382YE]], but in Autumn 385YE it was [[To_the_last_syllable#In_Wintermark|destroyed]] by the rampaging ''scions'' of the [[Cold Sun]]. The grand steel-bound doors were shattered, the garden-halls scoured by fire, and the granite figure surmounted the grate was shattered to rubble. The heroes of Wintermark and their [[Navarr]] allies were able to catch the heralds before they could break through the final doors and slaughter the terrified gardeners sheltering within. Furious battle echoed through the ruined chambers, but while all the attackers are dealt with the garden was ruined.

==Regions==
===Bruckland===
Of all the regions of Hahnmark, Bruckland has the highest concentration of halls that have a majority of Suaq members. The cold, flat plains are scattered with low, artificial hills atop which lie stone beacons and desolate watchtowers. Between the hills wander [[farm|large domesticated herds]] of deer, elk and the occasional [[Mundane_beasts#Mammoths|mammoth]]. Fruitless attempts to domesticate the mammoths have largely been abandoned, but there are a few stubborn mammoth herders in Bruckland who follow the herds and occasionally harvest an old or injured member for ivory, hide and meat.<br><br>The most famous settlement in Bruckland, the fishing hamlet of '''Turelva''' lies across the waters of Kronevann from Kronehal. The two settlements enjoy a friendly rivalry in all matters; an annual fishing contest between the two has become a four day festival which boasts attendees from as far afield as [[Dawn]].

===Kalpamark===
*'''Quality:''' City, Hills
The heartland of Hahnmark, site of [[#Kalpaheim|Kalpaheim]] and the face of King Ulmo. The halls of Kalpamark are some of the most prosperous and influential in Hahnmark - possibly in the whole of Wintermark. The [[Gatekeeper_of_Falling_Snow#The_Garden_of_Falling_Snow|Garden of Falling Snow]] stands in the high peaks here, constructed around a series of bubbling hot springs.

===Kronemark===
* '''Quality:''' Sungate
The flattest part of Hahnmark, the downs of Kronemark are a patchwork of fishing villages and [[farm|farms]]. The largest settlements sprawl around the shore of the icy lake Kronevann, or along the many streams that connect it to its sister lakes in [[#Bruckland|Bruckland]]. The best known of the settlements on the Kronevann is '''Kronehal'''. Claimed as the home of Sigrid Alvsdottir, legendary champion of the Steinr who slew Vatr, the one-eyed warleader of the trolls and as her reward claimed the crown of the Steinr.

Kronemark was once the location of the Tower of the Eagle, an old tumbledown tower atop a hill that was once a beacon and marked the location of a powerful regio aligned with the [[Realm#Day|Day realm]]. It was claimed by the Silence Arc, ''scions'' of [[Cold Sun]], who were able to construct a gate of shining [[mithril]] and aquamarine crystal, carved with runes and sigils inlaid with [[ilium]]. It was broken during the [[Last_rays_of_the_sun#Tower_of_the_Eagle|last stand]] of the Silence Arc, and now all that remains are two broken pillars of warped and blasted crystal, twenty feet apart. The illumination that burns between the two columns is steady, unblinking, and irresistible. There's no way to approach the regio. Living beings who get too close, within a quarter mile or so of the blasted hill, burn. Those who test the edges begin to die, and only immediate aid helps them avoid being burnt to ashes.

===Northspires===
*'''Quality:''' Hills
The hills and mountains of Northspires are a rich source of [[orichalcum]] and [[tempest jade]]. Some of the highest peaks in Wintermark are found here, and there are scattered ruins on the upper slopes that date back to the height of the troll kingdoms. Several halls look down across the rest of Hahnmark from here, the most famous of which is probably '''Stormspire'''. A remote fortress and watchtower whose commander is often titled ‘the Eyes of the North’, Stormspire keeps a careful watch on any traffic from the North. One of the key major beacons, the folk of Stormspire also maintain and staff a smaller network of beacons on nearby peaks.

===Southridge===
*'''Quality:''' Hills
In the years before the foundation of the Empire, the rolling downs and woodlands of Southridge were the site of regular skirmishes between the Winterfolk and the Marchers. These came to an end with a final peace treaty, signed at the settlement of '''Moot'''. Grim-faced folk drew lines on maps and agreed to fight orcs, not each other. The place of meeting grew into a small trading settlement where Marcher grain goes north, and Wintermark sends its worked metal and leather south. Despite nearly five centuries of relative peace, however, there are occasional tales of haunted battlefields and unfortunate incidents with rowdy Marchers who ought to know better.<br><br>The woodlands and rugged gulleys of Southridge are also home to [[Feni]] who mostly keep to themselves but occasionally engage in banditry against travellers or poorly defended halls.

===Valasmark===
*'''Quality:''' Hills
Rugged Valasmark slopes down towards the cold fens of [[Kallavesa]] to the south-west. In a populous valley near the centre of the region stands '''Valashal''', a Hall almost entirely peopled by groups of Steinr, accepting warriors from all over the nation. Its stated intent is to be the greatest focus of martial heroism in the country and therefore the world. The current great hall was constructed by [[Emperor_Guntherm#Death_and_Legacy|Brigid, daughter of Emperor Guntherm]] in 248YE in honour of her father. It was built on the site of a much older hall, the Runehall, which legend claims was constructed by a Troll the scops named The Torn Light of Night Falling. The Runehall was a vast beautiful edifice, but it was said to be cursed and any thane who claimed it as their seat met an untimely end.

Brigid razed the Runehall to the ground and had fresh timber and stone brought in to construct a new hall. She named it Valashal, and declared that it would be dedicated to training the greatest warriors of the nation in memory of her father. Whitehall has prospered since that day, attracting young [[Steinr]] from all over Hahnmark who come to Valasheim seeking to earn a name for themselves. In 334YE the settlement was expanded to build the Galenhall, to house the many scops who had come to Valasheim to celebrate the deeds of the heroes who dwell here.

===Wood Heath===
*'''Quality:''' Hills
On the edge of the forests on the southern side of Hahnmark stood the bustling logging town of '''Woodhall''' which supplied a great deal of the wood, charcoal and [[beggar's lye]] for Wintermark’s building, crafting and smithing. Woodhall also saw regular caravans from [[Temeschwar]] to the east, and enjoyed cordial relations with the [[The Marches|Marchers]] of [[Upwold]] to the south. Without warning, however, Woodhall was destroyed - in Summer 381YE a [[Rocks and gravel|massive sinkhole]] opened up that swallowed Woodhall, along with nearby Dunhearth, and the settlement of Arnburh. Only the advance warning from [[Navarr]] seers studying the [[Miaren#The_Pool_of_Silver_Clouds|Pool of Silver Clouds]] in [[Miaren]] prevented great loss of life.

Today, the newly built town of [[#New_Dunhall|New Dunhall]] houses many of those displaced by the collapse. With the aid of the [[Caretaker of New Dunhall]], the inhabitants work to ensure not only trade with the Marches and Temeschwar, but that those brave souls responsible for exploring the great pit are supported. The town stands near a significant number of newly created [[sinecure|sinecures]]: [[Collector_of_Prosperity's_Boon#Autumn.27s_Boon|Autumn's Boon]], [[Keeper_of_the_Crystal_Vale#Vale.27s_Might|Vale's Might]], [[Fallsheart_Guardian#Fallsheart_Cave|Fallsheart Cave]], [[Guardian_of_Dunfrith#Dunfirth|Dunfirth]], and the [[Herbalist_of_the_Hearth#The_Valley_of_Pride|Valley of Pride]].

As with Southridge to the west, at one time [[Feni]] lived in Wood Heath, although their attentions were mostly directed toward Upwold and [[Miaren]]. Following the opening of the sinkhole, these Feni were forced to flee, and became something of a nuisance to the people of Hahnmark in the process.
{{Senate Elections|Senator_for_Hahnmark|Territory=Hahnmark|Season=Autumn}}

==OOC Notes==
* The regions of Hahnmark are under the control of the people of Wintermark (and by extension the Empire) making the territory staunchly Imperial.
* [[Mana site|Mana sites]] in the territory benefit from [[#Lorenzo's Legacy of Vigilance|Lorenzo's Legacy of Vigilance]] and produce an extra mana crystal each season.
* [[Farm|Farms]] in the territory benefit from [[#Brenna's Gift|Brenna's Gift]] and, as of [[Hyenas_and_herbs#Flowers_in_Frost|Autumn 386YE]], produce two doses of viezesmaak each season.
* The [[#The Beacons of Wintermark|Beacons of Wintermark]] are a unique wonder that [[Starting_at_the_end#Towers_of_Fire|helps defend]] the territory.
* Due to the presence of the [[Hahnmark#The_Dunsfall_Sinkhole|sinkhole]] in [[#Wood Heath|Wood Heath]] it is not possible for a [[Army|campaign army]] to move directly between Hahnmark and Miaren despite their apparent proximity on the map.
[[Category:Wintermark]]
[[Category:Gazetteer]][[Category:Imperial Territory]]

{{anchor|Theodric Mooting}}
<box>'''Theodric Mooting, Hero of Hahnmark'''<br>One of the great heroes of the Steinr people, Theodric Mooting was born in Valasmark some time before the foundation of the Empire. A talented [[Wintermark_culture_and_customs#Art_and_history|scop]] from an early age, he was famous not only for his beautiful singing voice but also for his good heart and willingness to see the best in people. He quickly learned all the lessons his master had to teach him, and went on a great pilgrimage around Wintermark visiting halls across the nation to study with the scholars, musicians, and poets among his people.

A proud Steinr, he was never afraid to get his hands dirty - while he would often repay the hospitality of his hosts with music and poetry during the evenings, he spent his days sparring with their warriors, teaching their children, and working in their fields. A competent warrior, he [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Banner-bearers|bore banners into battle]] against [[Jotun]], [[Feni]], and [[the Marches|Marchers]] with equal enthusiasm.

The most famous tale about Theodric involves the bloody enmity between two rival generals in [[#Kronemark|Kronemark]] - the thane of Geranshal and her distant cousin the thane of Eilashal. Queen Linna called the two together to settle their differences but matters quickly escalated out of control - neither of the well-loved heroes could abide that the other drew breath. Blades were drawn by the thanes and the warriors from their halls. For a moment it seemed like the Queen's hospitality would be cast aside and the blood of one hero or another spilled in her hall, with potentially disastrous consequences for Hahnmark.

Before the first blow could be struck, Theodric stepped into the space between the feasting tables and began to sing. The Queen was quick to act - no fighting should take place while the scop sang. The two generals were forced to agree, and took the opportunity to prepare for the fight to come. To their surprise, however, Theodric sang for three days and three nights straight without faltering or repeating himself once. He moved the warriors to weeping for their own foolishness, and still he did not stop until exhaustion had claimed every other person in the Queen's hall - by which time cooler heads had prevailed. Over the next several days the thane of Gernashal and the thane of Eilsashal were able to settle their differences and, according to the stories, became close friends who fought beside each other on many battles.

Theodric is also known to have travelled for a time with the Dawnish exemplar [[Elayne Silverlark]] and her companion Lord Endric. The priests of Wintermark say that he taught her much about heroism, and just as much again about the proud arts of the scop. When she returned at last to Dawn, she took many of his songs and tales with her and paved the way for a better understanding between her people and the people of the Mark. For his part, Theodric is said to have learned to play several instruments previously unknown in Wintermark, and introduced several of them to his fellow scops as he continued his travels around Wintermark.

The scop himself lived to a ripe old age, and decided shortly after his seventieth birthday to head north and "explore Sydanjaa - to finally find out what rests at the heart of the eternal storm."</box>

Guildmaster of the Artisans

2026-08-19T14:22:02Z

Rafferty: /* Guildhouse of the Artisans */

[[Category: Title]] [[Category: Senate]]
==Overview==
The Guildmaster of the Artisans is an [[Imperial title]] originally [[385YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Construct_Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|created]] by the Imperial Senate in Summer 385YE. Originally created as a position with [[New_Imperial_titles#Tenure|tenure]] it was [[385YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Amend_the_Guildmaster_of_the_Artisans|amended]] in an administrative motion to instead be elected each year.

==Responsibilities==
The Guildmaster of the Artisans has no particular responsibilities. If the [[385YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Construct_Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|Guildhouse of the Artisans]] were to be threatened in any way, it would be the responsibility of the Guildmaster to deal with those threats.

==Powers==
===Bounty of the Hall===
The sinecure provides two measures each of [[ambergelt]], [[beggar's lye]], [[dragonbone]], and [[iridescent gloaming]] and two ingots each of [[green iron]], [[orichalcum]], [[tempest jade]], and [[weltsilver]] to the Guildmaster each season, to be used as they see fit.

==Appointment==
The Guildmaster of the Artisans is an Imperial position [[Appointments_by_the_Senate#Imperial_Position|appointed by the Senate]]. Any Imperial citizen can hold this title. The Guildmaster of the Artisans serves for a year, and they can be [[Revocation|revoked]] by the [[Assembly#General_Assembly|General Assembly]] and by the [[Assembly#Assembly_of_the_Nine|Assembly of the Nine]].

{{RecentElections|Guildmaster_of_the_Artisans}}

==Guildhouse of the Artisans==
Established in southern [[Hahnmark#Northspires|Northspires]], in [[Hahnmark]] so as to be close to the [[Hahnmark#Runegrott|Runegrott]], the Guildhouse of the Artisans serves as a central hub for the Guild of Artisans. It is built in a distinctly Wintermark style - unavoidable given it is constructed on the side of a mountain - being of dark wood with peaked slate roofs. From a distance it might be mistaken for a thane's hall, but close up the distinction is very obvious. The grounds around the Guildhouse incorporate a number of forges, smelters, and smithies that are rarely quiet, with interior spaces given over to looms, crafting benches of all kinds, and places for [[Crafting skills#Artisans|artisans]] from across the Empire to meet and talk shop.

At the time of its creation, the Guild of Artisans was an informal sodality - but in Autumn 388YE [[Emperor Vesna]] engaged Magistrate Abraham to [[Forever_is_composed_of_nows#The_Abraham_Gambit|appraise the implications]] of their becoming a formal [[Imperial sodality]]. If the [[Senate]] approves, it is likely the Guildhouse will see a great deal more traffic.

Guildmaster of the Artisans

2026-08-19T14:21:44Z

Rafferty:

[[Category: Title]] [[Category: Senate]]
==Overview==
The Guildmaster of the Artisans is an [[Imperial title]] originally [[385YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Construct_Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|created]] by the Imperial Senate in Summer 385YE. Originally created as a position with [[New_Imperial_titles#Tenure|tenure]] it was [[385YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Amend_the_Guildmaster_of_the_Artisans|amended]] in an administrative motion to instead be elected each year.

==Responsibilities==
The Guildmaster of the Artisans has no particular responsibilities. If the [[385YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Construct_Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|Guildhouse of the Artisans]] were to be threatened in any way, it would be the responsibility of the Guildmaster to deal with those threats.

==Powers==
===Bounty of the Hall===
The sinecure provides two measures each of [[ambergelt]], [[beggar's lye]], [[dragonbone]], and [[iridescent gloaming]] and two ingots each of [[green iron]], [[orichalcum]], [[tempest jade]], and [[weltsilver]] to the Guildmaster each season, to be used as they see fit.

==Appointment==
The Guildmaster of the Artisans is an Imperial position [[Appointments_by_the_Senate#Imperial_Position|appointed by the Senate]]. Any Imperial citizen can hold this title. The Guildmaster of the Artisans serves for a year, and they can be [[Revocation|revoked]] by the [[Assembly#General_Assembly|General Assembly]] and by the [[Assembly#Assembly_of_the_Nine|Assembly of the Nine]].

{{RecentElections|Guildmaster_of_the_Artisans}}

==Guildhouse of the Artisans==
Established in southern [[Hahnmark#Northspires|Northspires]], in [[Hahnmark]] so as to be close to the [[Hanmark#Runegrott|Runegrott]], the Guildhouse of the Artisans serves as a central hub for the Guild of Artisans. It is built in a distinctly Wintermark style - unavoidable given it is constructed on the side of a mountain - being of dark wood with peaked slate roofs. From a distance it might be mistaken for a thane's hall, but close up the distinction is very obvious. The grounds around the Guildhouse incorporate a number of forges, smelters, and smithies that are rarely quiet, with interior spaces given over to looms, crafting benches of all kinds, and places for [[Crafting skills#Artisans|artisans]] from across the Empire to meet and talk shop.

At the time of its creation, the Guild of Artisans was an informal sodality - but in Autumn 388YE [[Emperor Vesna]] engaged Magistrate Abraham to [[Forever_is_composed_of_nows#The_Abraham_Gambit|appraise the implications]] of their becoming a formal [[Imperial sodality]]. If the [[Senate]] approves, it is likely the Guildhouse will see a great deal more traffic.

388YE Autumn Equinox winds of fortune

2026-08-19T14:14:12Z

Rafferty: /* Fair Share of Labour */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Lights in the Dark.jpg|align=left|caption=Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. |width=2000}}</div>
==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Wind of Fortune !! Order Released !! Last Updated || Note
|-
| [[The wolves tempt you]] || 1 || data-sort-value="2026/08/15"| 15/08 || Imperial Address
|-
| [[Dream on]] || 2 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Seren
|-
| [[Come together]] || 3 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Apothecary college
|}</div>
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 that detail the Empire's military campaigns. They lay out situations and usually include things that characters can do to take advantage of [[opportunity|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 represent 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 an opinion, and we're not trying to trick you.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:350px; float: left; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Diplomacy Wind
|-
|}

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.
__TOC__
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. We are also adding the dates that they were last updated (other than typos and correcting [[red links]]) in an attempt to make it easier to keep track of the newest releases.

==Winds of Fortune==
===The Wolves Tempt You (Imperial Address)===
* '''Imperial citizens; Navarr;'''
[[Emperor Vesna]] has used their power to [[The_Throne#Address_the_Empire|address the Empire]] to present a personal reminder to all citizens that the road to salvation is hard, but everyone is walking it together.

The message has been distributed across the Empire by the civil service, and you can read it in the '''[[The wolves tempt you]]''' wind of fortune.
===Dream On===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Navarr.png|align=right|width=150}}</div>
* '''Navarr'''
In [[Miaren]], [[Miaren#Seren|Seren]] is now become the ''City of Dreams'' in truth. People with hopes and aspirations, with the imagination to perceive what is needed to achieve them and the determination to try, have flocked to Miaren. With the completion of the Temple of the Waking Dream, the [[dreamspeaker]] calling has coalesced as a distinct [[archetype]] among the [[Navarr]] people, one dedicated to making dreams become reality. This has perhaps predictably amplified arguments about what exactly that means, and which dreams should be pursued, and how.

You can learn about competing arguments, and the changes to the city of Seren, in the '''[[Dream on]]''' wind of fortune.
===Come Together===
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBNavarr.jpg|align=right|width=100}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Imperial Apothecaries Guild; Navarr; Benefactor of High Chalcis; Highguard, the League, Imperial Orcs, and Varushka; Senate
When [[Therunin]] fell to the [[Druj]] [[Thornsinger#Thornsong_House|Thornsong House]] was lost. Despite the valiant efforts of the Navarr and the aid of [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]], the college of herbmastery could not be saved. While the house itself burned, many of those who studied there were able to escape to the safety of [[Reikos]]. Some stayed behind on [[Reikos#Chalcis Mount|Chalcis Mount]], but others chose to put as much distance between themselves and the horrors of the Druj as possible. Drawn to the Temple of the Waking Dream, some of these apothecaries and physicks have taken the path of the dreamspeaker themselves, and inspired by the City of Dreams, they have put their ambition to rebuild what was lost into words.

A proposal for a new college of the apothecary arts, and ways various nations may be involved, can be found in the '''[[Come together]]''' wind of fortune.
===Fair Share of Labour===
* '''Artisan's Guild; Throne; Senate; Artisans of all kinds; Golden Pyramid; Pride Assembly; Navarr'''
At the recent summit, [[Emperor Vesna]], requested that the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] [[Forever_is_composed_of_nows#The_Abraham_Gambit|appraise the implications]] of a new [[Imperial sodality]], the ''Imperial Guild of Artisans''. The Artisans Guild has technically been in existence for some time, with the Senate [[Construct_Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|ordering the construction of Guildhouse]] in 385YE, creating the position of [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]]. Now the Senate is in a position to consider the full implications of making the Guild into an official Imperial sodality.

You can learn more about the potential Imperial Sodality, as well as proposals from some people very excited by the opportunity it represents, in the '''[[Fair share of labour]]''' wind of fortune.

==Diplomatic Winds==

==Other Events==
===Husky Business (Volunteers)===
* '''There is an opportunity for player volunteers to portray their characters who died during the Saturday battle at the last event'''
* '''Eligible characters must have died during the battle, but not have been killed as a husk'''
* '''Volunteers will need to have their own costume and appropriate weapons'''
* '''The role will last around twenty minutes, starting at 18:30 on Friday'''
* '''The role will involve fighting alongside the skirmish team in an encounter against player characters'''
* '''Please email before 18:00 on Wednesday 26th of August if you are interested in volunteering'''

There is an opportunity for players to portray the husk of their fallen characters at the upcoming event. Anyone whose character died during the battle of the [[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Fens of Varreth]], raised as a husk but was not subsequently killed again as that husk is welcome to email to register interest in volunteering for an encounter on the Friday. This will be a combat [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|highly likely]] encounter through the Sentinel Gate and will involve fighting against player characters alongside members of our [[Plot_crew#Skirmish|skirmish team]].

If you are interested and would like more information, please email {{plot}} with your PID and the subject line "Husk Volunteer E4", and you will be given more details.

==Summer Conjunctions==

===Major Conjunctions===

===Minor Conjunctions===

388YE Autumn Equinox winds of fortune

2026-08-19T14:13:34Z

Rafferty: /* Come Together */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:388YE Autumn]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Lights in the Dark.jpg|align=left|caption=Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. |width=2000}}</div>
==Overview==
<div {{float}}>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Wind of Fortune !! Order Released !! Last Updated || Note
|-
| [[The wolves tempt you]] || 1 || data-sort-value="2026/08/15"| 15/08 || Imperial Address
|-
| [[Dream on]] || 2 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Seren
|-
| [[Come together]] || 3 || data-sort-value="2026/08/17"| 17/08 || Apothecary college
|}</div>
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 that detail the Empire's military campaigns. They lay out situations and usually include things that characters can do to take advantage of [[opportunity|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 represent 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 an opinion, and we're not trying to trick you.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:350px; float: left; margin: 10px;"
|-
! Nation !! Diplomacy Wind
|-
|}

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.
__TOC__
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. We are also adding the dates that they were last updated (other than typos and correcting [[red links]]) in an attempt to make it easier to keep track of the newest releases.

==Winds of Fortune==
===The Wolves Tempt You (Imperial Address)===
* '''Imperial citizens; Navarr;'''
[[Emperor Vesna]] has used their power to [[The_Throne#Address_the_Empire|address the Empire]] to present a personal reminder to all citizens that the road to salvation is hard, but everyone is walking it together.

The message has been distributed across the Empire by the civil service, and you can read it in the '''[[The wolves tempt you]]''' wind of fortune.
===Dream On===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Navarr.png|align=right|width=150}}</div>
* '''Navarr'''
In [[Miaren]], [[Miaren#Seren|Seren]] is now become the ''City of Dreams'' in truth. People with hopes and aspirations, with the imagination to perceive what is needed to achieve them and the determination to try, have flocked to Miaren. With the completion of the Temple of the Waking Dream, the [[dreamspeaker]] calling has coalesced as a distinct [[archetype]] among the [[Navarr]] people, one dedicated to making dreams become reality. This has perhaps predictably amplified arguments about what exactly that means, and which dreams should be pursued, and how.

You can learn about competing arguments, and the changes to the city of Seren, in the '''[[Dream on]]''' wind of fortune.
===Come Together===
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBNavarr.jpg|align=right|width=100}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|align=right|width=150}}
* '''Imperial Apothecaries Guild; Navarr; Benefactor of High Chalcis; Highguard, the League, Imperial Orcs, and Varushka; Senate
When [[Therunin]] fell to the [[Druj]] [[Thornsinger#Thornsong_House|Thornsong House]] was lost. Despite the valiant efforts of the Navarr and the aid of [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]], the college of herbmastery could not be saved. While the house itself burned, many of those who studied there were able to escape to the safety of [[Reikos]]. Some stayed behind on [[Reikos#Chalcis Mount|Chalcis Mount]], but others chose to put as much distance between themselves and the horrors of the Druj as possible. Drawn to the Temple of the Waking Dream, some of these apothecaries and physicks have taken the path of the dreamspeaker themselves, and inspired by the City of Dreams, they have put their ambition to rebuild what was lost into words.

A proposal for a new college of the apothecary arts, and ways various nations may be involved, can be found in the '''[[Come together]]''' wind of fortune.
===Fair Share of Labour===
* '''Artisan's Guild; Throne; Senate; Artisans of all kinds; Golden Pyramid; Pride Assembly; Navarr'''
At the recent summit, [[Emperor Vesna]], requested that the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] [[Forever_is_composed_of_nows#The_Abraham_Gambit|appraise the implications]] of a new [[Imperial sodality]], the ''Imperial Guild of Artisans''. The Artisans Guild has technically been in existence for some time, with the Senate [[Construct_Guildhouse_of_the_Artisans|ordering the construction of Guildhouse]] in 385YE, creating the position of [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]]. Now the Senate is in a position to consider the full implications of making the Guild into an official Imperial sodality.

==Diplomatic Winds==

==Other Events==
===Husky Business (Volunteers)===
* '''There is an opportunity for player volunteers to portray their characters who died during the Saturday battle at the last event'''
* '''Eligible characters must have died during the battle, but not have been killed as a husk'''
* '''Volunteers will need to have their own costume and appropriate weapons'''
* '''The role will last around twenty minutes, starting at 18:30 on Friday'''
* '''The role will involve fighting alongside the skirmish team in an encounter against player characters'''
* '''Please email before 18:00 on Wednesday 26th of August if you are interested in volunteering'''

There is an opportunity for players to portray the husk of their fallen characters at the upcoming event. Anyone whose character died during the battle of the [[Thorn_and_bone#Battle:_Harvester_of_Graves|Fens of Varreth]], raised as a husk but was not subsequently killed again as that husk is welcome to email to register interest in volunteering for an encounter on the Friday. This will be a combat [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|highly likely]] encounter through the Sentinel Gate and will involve fighting against player characters alongside members of our [[Plot_crew#Skirmish|skirmish team]].

If you are interested and would like more information, please email {{plot}} with your PID and the subject line "Husk Volunteer E4", and you will be given more details.

==Summer Conjunctions==

===Major Conjunctions===

===Minor Conjunctions===

User:Rafferty

2026-08-19T14:03:05Z

Rafferty: /* Video Link */

{{CaptionedImage|file=SadoguaIcon.png|caption=''Sadogua'', portrait by third century artist Umkehrkopf di Holberg.|title=The portrait was part of the Tannhauser Collection, stolen by bandits in 342YE as it was being transported through Dawn towards Sarvos by the Tannhauser guild. It was said to have been imbued with magical powers by the eternal himself.|align=left|width=350}}
==Overview==
This is Andy Raff's page for doing things with links and the like. He can't believe he didn't think of it earlier.
[[Axos ports]]
I suggest you move along, there's nothing to see here :)

Oh! I do have a Patreon mind, which you can find [https://www.patreon.com/AndyRafferty here] and a blog where I occasionally write about Empire stuff which is [https://wulfboyraff.wordpress.com/ here].

==Fast Finder==
* [[:Category:Plenipotentiary]]
* [[:Category:Appraisal]]
* [[:Category:History]]
==Sidebar Code==
<nowiki><div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"></nowiki>

<nowiki><div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=WingedMessenger.png|caption=''Name'' (does something). A [[Call Winged Messenger|Winged Messenger]] can be sent to her at (address).|align=right|width=300}}</div></nowiki>

==Image Codes==
* On the Left:
<nowiki><div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NAME|align=left|caption=I KNOW WRITERS WHO USE SUBTEXT AND THEY'RE ALL COWARDS.|width=400}}</div></nowiki>
* On the Right:
<nowiki><div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NAME|align=left|caption=I'M ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE WHO HAS WRITTEN MORE BOOKS THAN THEY'VE READ.|width=400}}</div></nowiki>
===Gallery===
<nowiki><gallery heights=300 mode="packed"></nowiki><br>
and then<br>
<nowiki></gallery></nowiki>

==Anchors==
<nowiki>{{anchor|anchorname}}</nowiki>
==Colour Text==
Or just use<nowiki><div style="color: red;"></div></nowiki>

<nowiki><table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">''''Cathedral Sale'''</td></tr></nowiki>
Is
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">''''Cathedral Sale'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Abrogation|Abrogate Title]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Until the end of the Spring Equinox 388YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Abrogates the title of Bishop of the Navigators
* Provided the motion includes wording to that effect it also sells the Cathedral of the Navigators building to Marieke of the House of the Maggot
* Marieke will provide the Imperial treasury with 140 Thrones if the building is sold
</td></tr>
</table></div>
for Motions,

Set text color by using <nowiki> <span style="color:#009999"> This is an example...</span></nowiki> <span style="color:#009999"> This is an example...</span>

Set background color by using <nowiki><span style="background:#00FF00"> This is an example...</span></nowiki>

Set both by using <span style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#FF69B4"> This is an example...</span>

* Red: #ff0000
* Lime: #00ff00
* Yellow: #ffff00
* White: #ffffff

==Label Formatting==
<label>Default</label>
<label type="success">Success</label>
<label type="warning">Warning</label>
<label type="important">Important</label>
<label type="info">Info</label>
<pre>
<label>Default</label>
<label type="success">Success</label>
<label type="warning">Warning</label>
<label type="important">Important</label>
<label type="info">Info</label>
</pre>

==Autogenerate Senate Progress==
* Go to: https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire/wiki?11
* Pick "Commission payments" and generate
* Copy the stuff
* Click "wiki page"
* Paste the stuff over what is already there
* '''MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE UNDERSCORES IN!'''
==Video Link==
{{#ev:youtube|link={{{https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBMVkwKUBLg}}}|300|right}}

==Nation overview==
* Drop the landing pages that are trying to do the same job as the dropdown menu
* Instead they should contain text and information
* "Play this nation if..."
* [[Dawn groups]] [[The Marches groups]]
==Synod Template==
===Judgement 5===
* '''Assembly:'''
* '''Raised By:'''
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''
* '''Notes:'''

* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (XXX-XX);

==The Wiki==
* What is the wiki
* how truth works - how we establish truth and the nature of reality
* WInds
* "FOIP"
* Don't need to read it all
* Contributions?
* Wiki contributors facebook group
* The important bits
==The Empire==
* Mention the meritocracy a bit
* The Empire calls any nation it is at war with "barbarians" while all other nations are considered "foreigners".

===Other Stuff===
* Crime and punishment - don't be a dick
===Retired characters at sanctioned events===
Our rules cover our events. The baseline expectation is that sanctioned events operate to the same rules as PD events - because we think it's better if our players are not surprised if they attend such events. But organizers have used different rules at sanctioned events before now and very successfully (e.g. the hospital events).

So if an event organizer wanted to allow to retired characters then I'd expect them to discuss that with us during sanctioning. It's not something we'd always say no to - but we'd want to be happy with the way it was being dealt with - and be confident that they were aware of the potential for abuse at their event. In general I'd recommend against it for high-combat, high-threat events - but be less concerned for relaxed social events.

===[[The Setting]]===
* Look at the top bar for segment titles
* Fundamentally about the empire and what happens in it - we don't model the external factions in detail. External stuff exists to create interesting interactions in the Empire. This doesn't mean the EMpire is the most important place in the world IC, but it is OOC.
* Ten nations - your character will be a member of one of those ten nations
* Closed world - established setting - game overview
* Six other magical realms - cosmology
* Reincarnation is considered a fact, most religions accept it as true. the Way is the only official religion in the EMpire other nations have their own. Conflict ensues. No gods/no divine authorities.
* People - unlike many fantasy games there are only a few sapient species - humans and orcs by far make up the majority - lineage exists
* Not a medieval world - something about technology and society not being a trad medaevil setting
* Gender/sexuality bias just doesn't exist - resist urge to use word coolthentic

==Mandate Template==
<nowiki>{{Mandate|mandate=Some text with exciting words and how much liao.|assembly=Varushkan National Assembly}}</nowiki>
==Statement Template==
<nowiki>{{SOP|statement=WORDS WORDS WORD.|Assembly=NAME OF ASSEMVLY|when=SEASON AND YEAR|by=PRIEST|vote=WHAT TO WHAT GREATER MAJROTIY}}</nowiki>
==Emphasis Subheading Code==
<nowiki><span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Up to 5000</span><br></nowiki>
==Transcluding==
<nowiki><onlyinclude> My content </onlyinclude></nowiki>
<nowiki>{{:TARGET PAGE}}</nowiki>

==Audiolink Template==
<nowiki>{{Audio|link=URL}}</nowiki>

==Replace Text==
<nowiki>[[Special:ReplaceText]]</nowiki>
'''BE REALLY FUCKING CAREFUL RAFF!'''
==Collapsible Table==
<nowiki>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" ><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">Double-sided Blade</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">Production</td></tr>
<tr><td>7 crowns</td><td>3 doses of [[Double-sided_Blade#Warming_Armour|Warming Armour]]</td></tr>
</table></nowiki>
==Limited TOC==
<nowiki><div class="toclimit-X">TOC</div></nowiki>
where X is largest number of "=" that appear in the TOC

See also: [[Help:Table_of_Contents]]

==Item Table Template==
<nowiki><tr><td>[[NAME]]</td><td>POWER TEXT FROM ITEM PAGE</td><td style="text-align: center;">TIME</td><td style="text-align: center;">OR</td><td style="text-align: center;">TJ</td><td style="text-align: center;">GI</td><td style="text-align: center;">WS</td><td style="text-align: center;">AG</td><td style="text-align: center;">BL</td><td style="text-align: center;">DB</td><td style="text-align: center;">IG</td></tr></nowiki>
==Redicrect==
<nowiki>#REDIRECT [[pagename]]</nowiki>

==Cosmology==
* How creation is put together
* Where the Realms are
* The theory that the closer you get to the center of a realm the purer it gets - the Eternals live on the outsides because they are not pure. Pure eternals would be so one-note they couldn't really communicate with PCs very well etc etc
==Templates==
===Link Templates===
* [[Template:Foreign Nation Links]]
* [[Template:Sword Scholar Links]]
* [[Template:Axos Links]]
* [[Template:Faraden Links]]
* [[Template:Suranni Links]]
* [[Template:Asavean Links]]
* [[Template:Commonwealth Links]]
* [[Template:Sarcophan Links]]
* [[Template:Sumaah Links]]
* [[Template:Jarm Links]]
* [[Template:Conjunction Link]]
* [[Template:Vallorn links]]
* [[Template:Druj Links]]
* [[Template:Lineage Links]]
* [[Template:Dawn Links]] [[Template:Highguard Links]] [[Template:Imperial Orcs Links]] [[Template:The League Links]] [[Template:The Marches Links]] [[Template:Navarr Links]] [[Template:Urizen Links]] [[Template:Wintermark Links]] [[Template: Varushka Links]]

===General Templates===
* [[Heliopticon]]
* [[Template:regain power]], [[Template:regain heroics]] - all the "restore uses if you use powers that give you all your points back" rituals should be here
* [[Template:shroud]] - is the "removing the shroud" rules that should go on every shroud
* [[Template:Assembly]]
* [[Template:Prominent Overview]]
* [[greater majority]]
* [[Template:Imperial Addresses]]
* [[Template:Timey Wimey]]; [[Template:Mass Ref-effect]]
* [[Template:Season Duration]]; [[Template:Day Duration]]; [[Template:Year Duration]];<br>
* [[Template:Ten Minute Power]]; [[Template:Coven Bond]]; [[Matt on Empire]]<br>
* [[Template:Ritual Substitution]]; [[Template:Magnitude Reduction]];
* [[Template:Curse]];
* [[Template:Regio]];
* [[Template:Area Aura]];
* [[Template:Warding an Area]]
* [[Template:Target Resource]]; [[Template:Target Character]]; [[Template:Target Territory]]; [[Template:Target Empire]]; [[Template:Target Group]]; [[Template:Target Object]]; [[Template:Fortification]];
* [[Template:Senate Motion]]
* [[Template:Army Strength Ritual]]
* [[Template:Responsibilities Expectation]]
* [[Template:Offensive Spell]]
* [[Template:Daggers]]; [[Template:One-Handed Weapons]]; [[Template:Great Weapons]]; [[Template:One-Handed Spears]]; [[Template:Paired Weapons]]; [[Template:Polearms]]; [[Template:Bows]]; [[Template:Wands]]; [[Template:Rods]]; [[Template:Staffs]]; [[Template:Ritual Staves]]; [[Template:Icons]]; [[Template:Musical Instruments]]; [[Template:Instrument Effect]]; [[Template:Light Armour]]; [[Template:Medium Armour]];[[Template:Heavy Armour]];[[Template:Mage Armour]]: [[Template:Mage Robes]]; [[Template:Vestments]]; [[Template:Paraphernalia]]; [[Template:Reliquary]]; [[Template:Shields]]; [[Template:Jewellery]]; [[Template:Foci]]; [[Template:Tool]]; [[Template:Regalia]] [[Template:Magical Standards]]
* [[Template:Musical Use]]
* [[Template:Ceremonial skills further reading]]
* [[Template:Ritual Raiment]]
* [[Template:Senate Elections]]
* [[Template:Steph]]
* [[Template:Army Page]]
* [[Template:Costume Advice]]
* [[Template:Strategic Considerations]]
* [[Template:Imperial Reduction]]
* [[Template:Runesmith's Law]]

==Other Links==
* [[Territory map]]
* [[Spring rituals]], [[Summer rituals]], [[Autumn rituals]], [[Winter rituals]], [[Day rituals]], [[Night rituals]]
* [[Mana crystals]], [[Ritual]], [[Urizen lore]], [[tenure]]
* [[Talking to eternals]]
* [[Mirror of Perfection]], [[Flame and the Flood]], [[An Echo of Songs]], and [[The Stargazer's Astrolabe]]
* [[Hall of Worlds]]
* [[Amity and enmity]]

* [[Administrative motion]]
* [[385YE Autumn Equinox Synod judgements]]
*[[Ashvale]]

==Dealing with Curses==
{|
|'''Curse'''
|'''Removal'''
|-
|[[All the World in a Grain of Sand]] (Mag 30?)
|[[Transmogrification of the Soul's Echo]] (Mag 60)
|-
|[[Unfettered Anarchy]] (Mag 10)
|[[Transmogrification of the Soul's Echo]] (Mag 60)
|-
|[[Curse of Gangrenous Flesh]] (Mag 50)
|[[Amalgamation_of_Silver_and_Gold]] (Mag 70)
|-
|[[Curse of Decrepitude]] (Mag 50)
|[[Amalgamation_of_Silver_and_Gold]] (Mag 70)
|-
|[[Gnawing, Endless Hunger]] (Mag 20)
|"powerful rituals that remove hunger"
|-
|[[Dreamscape of the Endless Hunt]] (Mag 30)
|"powerful rituals that remove fear"
|-
|[[Wither the Seed]] (Mag 150)
|"a powerful ritual to restore fertility of around mag 200"
|-
|[[Like Water Through Your Fingers]] (Mag 30)
|"a powerful ritual to correct the vagaries of fate and chance"

|}

{|
|'''Removal'''
|'''Effects'''
|-
|[[Transmogrification of the Soul's Echo]] (Mag 60)?)
|[[All the World in a Grain of Sand]] (Mag 30?), [[Unfettered Anarchy]] (Mag 10)
|-
|[[Amalgamation_of_Silver_and_Gold]] (Mag 70)
|[[Curse of Decrepitude]] (Mag 50), [[Curse of Gangrenous Flesh]] (Mag 50)
|}

==Introduction to spellcasting==
As a regular spell, it takes ten seconds to cast detect magic on a target. You should make it very clear what the target is, by touching it or by waving or holding your hands over the target throughout. You may want to close your eyes, the better to focus your "magical sight", or examine the target from several angles. While many magicians perceive magical auras visually, you might want to roleplay that you perceive them using a different sense. You don't need to be a practitioner of the [[music of the spheres]] to "hear" magical auras as complex chords, for example. You might run your fingers over an item, or through the air above a character, "felling" the "shape" of the magic and speak in terms of a "texture" rather than a realm. A [[naga]] character in particular might enjoy demonstrating that [[lineage|lineage's]] [[Naga#Roleplaying_naga|discerning senses]] by "tasting" or "smelling" the aura in the air around the target (within the bounds of propriety, of course).

The use of a simple prop can make the casting of this easy spell especially memorable, especially when time is not of the essence. A [[Mystic]] might burn a herb or a stick of incense and inhale pungent smoke, while a [[Highguard|Highborn]] [[magister]] might dab pure water on either eyelid or a [[the League|League]] magician might study the target closely with a mirror to try and reveal it's true nature. Don't be afraid to interact with the target - turn the item over and over and study it carefully, or ask a character questions about how they feel or seemingly inconsequential details about their life.

It should be obvious you are casting a spell, and the easiest way to do this is through your spellcasting vocals. An easy way to do this is to vocalise what you are doing with phrases such as "''Let my inner eye be opened,''" or "''I seek answers from beyond the mundane world,''" or the like.

While the spell takes only ten seconds to cast, it can be very satisfying to continue the roleplaying even after the referee has delivered the result "uncovering" that information over the course of several seconds of revelation. Describing the spell in evocative terms - rather than simply describing it as a "magnitude such and such, of such and such realm" - can help make the experience of casting the spell more powerful. "''This magic is warm, it's like it's alive, it almost has a heart beat - I think it is an enchantment drawn from the realm of Spring''" or "''This spear thirsts for blood, it's hungry, I think it wants to cut me ... I think it has the power to strike deadly, fatal blows but after it does so it's sated and has to sleep for an entire day''" or "''The tulpa of the spider seems to think that this ritual is Winter magic, and it's quite powerful - it's a little scared, to be honest with you ... and so am I.''"

==No Return WOF==
Under cut


==Initial Temples Opportunity==

<table>
<tr><th>Event</th><th>Date</th><th>Outcome</th></tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Seven_lords_of_virtue|Opportunity]] to build temple to Balo and the Black Bull in the Empire in return for a temple to the "Seven Lords of Virtue" in Asavea</td>
<td>Spring 380YE</td>
<td>Temples built - eventually</td>
</tr>
</table>

==Temple of Balo and the Black Bull==
<table>
<tr><th>Event</th><th>Date</th><th>Outcome</th></tr>
<tr>
<td>Attempt to [[380YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements|veto]] the building of the temple</td>
<td>Spring 380YE</td>
<td>Judgement 58 failed</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Temple_of_the_bull|Temple commissioned]]</td>
<td>Summer 380YE</td>
<td>[[380YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements|Various synod judgements]] (14 and 46 passed) delayed completion of the temple until Spring 381YE</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Those_who_worship|Issues arising during construction]]</td>
<td>Winter 380YE</td>
<td>Eventually completed</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Distant_deeps||Issues arising once it was complete]]</td>
<td>Spring 381YE</td>
<td>[[381YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements|Various synod judgements]] (52, 75 and 91 passed)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>When Grendel invaded Feroz, Imperial citizens [[383YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Sand|took shelter]] in the temple</td>
<td>Spring 383YE</td>
<td>Citizens apparently smuggled out</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Loss of Feroz to Grendel</td>
<td>Winter 383YE</td>
<td>Benefits of temple lost</td>
</tr>
</table>

==Temple of the "Seven Lords of Virtue"==
<table>
<tr><th>Event</th><th>Date</th><th>Outcome</th></tr>
<tr>
<td>Synod [[380YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements|grudgingly endorsed]] construction </td>
<td>Winter 380YE</td>
<td>Judgement 3 (supporting it) passed, judgement 32 (condeming it) failed</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Construction [[Construct_Temple_of_the_Way_in_Nemoria|commissioned]]</td>
<td>Winter 380YE</td>
<td>Not completed to Winter 381YE, due to delays in construction of the Temple of Balo and the Black Bull</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Judged_by_their_company|Opportunity]] to train Asavean priests</td>
<td>Summer 382YE</td>
<td>With [[382YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_20|synod approval]], training began</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Through_my_sails#Ruined_Buildings|Temple]] damaged</td>
<td>Summer 383YE</td>
<td>Wisdom assembly [[383YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_104|voted]] to destroy both temples; [[383YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_33|Judgement of Rewarding]] passed for the cost of repairs passed, but a Senate Commission is still needed before construction can begin</td>
</tr>
</table>
==Sarcombe==

Crimson and green

2026-08-19T14:01:47Z

Rafferty:

[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:387YE Winter]] [[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Fire and thorns.jpg|caption=Thirsty vines sup deeply on spilled blood; hungry flames devour and consume and still are left unsated.|align=left|width=500}}</div>
==Tendrils of Green==
{{#ev:youtube|link={{{https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs7X4FUCdTo}}}|300|right}}
Roused by [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#The_Vallorn_of_Tharunind|the fell magics of the Druj]], the Tharunind vallorn is awake, furiously extending questing green tendrils across the territory. Before the Autumn Equinox, its terrible energies were [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#The_Vallorn_of_Tharunind|expended in Peakedge Song]] against the [[Wolves of War]] and the [[Golden Sun]]. Nearly two thousand Imperial soldiers paid the ultimate price to keep it at bay. After the Equinox, however, both armies withdrew, battered and bruised, the Sun to [[Astolat]] and the Wolves to [[Bastion]]. It seemed that nothing could prevent the irresistible tide of wood and flesh drowning the region, leaving a very real and present threat to [[Reikos#High_Chalcis|High Chalcis]] and the northern regions of [[Morrow]].

Indeed, as the Equinox fades the vallorn's miasma continues to spread... but without warning, the attention of Tharunind slips away. The vallornspawn, the abominations, the [[ettercap]] legions ebb and flow, the tide of consumption faltering and receding. The few remaining steadings in western Therunin have endured the viridian storm, blinking uncertainly in the light of a new dawn.

For a day, then a week, then a month, the threat of the vallorn lessens. It is as if that awesome force fuelled by [[Spring magic]] has lost all interest in smothering Therunin. Word reaches Therunin that during the Autumn Equinox the [[Imperial Apothecaries Guild]], the [[Vallornguard]] and the [[Keeper of the Last Battle]] travelled via [[Sentinel Gate]] to [[Therunin#Sweetglades|Sweetglades]] to learn more about, and to weaken, the [[ettercap]] swarms that have arisen with the vallorn. Their efforts were mostly successful; a poison identified that burns through ettercap nests and deployed against them. While they did not meet with complete victory, the poison has reportedly spread to other nests; perhaps this is the reason the vallorn has not been active in the west?

But then news seeps across the lines from the east, where it is a very different story.
==Counting Rings==
As its abominable spawn are pulled back into the vallornheart, there is a beat in which it seems Tharunind is falling back into uneasy slumber again. Then, with the inevitability of the shoot pushing up through the heavy earth, or the bud ripening on the tree, it pulses outward again. A pseudopod of writhing power smashes into Eastring. All the horror that faced the Empire in [[Therunin#Peakedge_Song|Peakedge Song]] is now turned against the [[Druj]].

This is not chance, not the random whim of the vallorn's inscrutable spirit (such as it is). During the Equinox, the ''Voice of the Quiet Forest'' wove a ward in Therunin, using the power of [[Spring magic]] to bring [[Forge the Wooden Fastness|forge]] a succulent barrier of protective magic across [[Therunin#Eastring|Eastring]]. In theory, this ward would protect the Druj - for all that the founder of the fortress the ''[[Irra Harah|Prince with a Thousand Foes]]'' despises the Druj more even than it does the Empire - the ritual does what it does, and the eternal cannot refuse the call. As long as the [[Forge_the_Wooden_Fastness#Assurance|assurance]] bound into the ritual is not transgressed, ''Thorn of the Ancestors'' must at least ward the region where the [[enchantment]] is woven. And in this case, perhaps, the ''Shacklebreaker'' relishes his power being drawn to the lands of the Druj.

Pulsing with Spring magic the enchantment catches the attention of the vallornspawn. Just as the vallorn sought out the uncorrupted life of the Imperial armies last season, it is drawn to [[fortification|fortifications]] of all kinds - and a fortress woven of Spring magic seems irresistible to Tharunind.

The Druj have not been idle in Eastring of course. There have been reports that they were preparing their own defences against the vallorn, their own traps for Imperial armies if they should venture that far east. They have established armed camps, barricaded with thorns and spikes, garrisoned by hardened warbands of cruel Druj champions. While the focus of the Druj armies is elsewhere, these defenders stand ready to hold the region against any invader.

Before the might of Tharunind, however, their preparations are like twigs in the hurricane. The traps they have so carefully laid mean nothing to the vallornspawn, who turn the very forest itself against them. The full story will likely never be heard, but the waves of the vallorn wash over Eastring in the same way the waves of high tide sweep away a sandcastle. The warriors are utterly overwhelmed, devoured by misshapen horrors, smothered by the miasma, strangled by vines and roots.

The magical ward provides them some protection, even as ''Papa Otec'' wriggles in the chains of obligation, but it is nowhere near enough. Indeed, as the region falls to Tharunind, as the miasma settles, as the twisting [[Spring magic#Chaos|chaos]] of the vallorn begins to set down roots, the power of the ward is subsumed, drained, drunk down by the vallorn. Taken to pieces and the lingering magic of the enchantment incorporated into the body of the beast.

As it becomes clear their position is untenable, some try to escape eastward into [[Sarangrave]]. They run straight into the welcoming arms of the [[Sarangrave#Nesustak Forest|Nesustak Forest]] rebels and their [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|preternatural allies]]. Few survive the experience.

In the end, news of what has happened in Eastring comes not from scouts - for there are few enough of them left in Therunin now. Rather, they come from survivors of the vallorn's rampage. The Druj are cruel slavemasters, and the ''Prince with a Thousand Foes'' utterly despises those who torment the weak, who dominate and chain. While the orcs of the Mallum are fighting a desperate retreat against the vallorn, a small number of Irra Harah's children take advantage of the calling of the ward to rescue as many Druj subjects as they can.

In the end, they are able to save only a fraction of the enslaved labourers the Druj held in Therunin, but that includes nearly a hundred former Imperial citizens - many of them Navarr captured during the recent attack on the territory. They are spirited west to those few steadings still standing. More - an undisclosed number of humans and [[orc|orcs]] - are liberated and able to reach Sarangrave. It is through these survivors, and the grim sentinels of ''Thorn of the Ancestors'', that the stories of what has happened in Eastring become known.
==Sacrifice==
The vallorn has claimed Eastring, fractured Druj dominance of the territory, but at a dreadful price. The [[Thimble]] - a proud [[weirwood]] grove that the Navarr have nurtured for centuries - was defiled by the Druj but at least there was the hope it might be reclaimed. The vallorn cannot harm it - everything points to the wholesome energies of free-growing weirwood being inimical to its corruption - but that is scant reassurance. It persists, now, as an island in a sea of malignancy. Until the vallorn is cleared from Eastring, the Thimble is lost. And, with the vallorn settling its roots in the region, the only way that it will be removed any time soon is through war with the vallorn - the [[A thousand years of longing|linking of the hearts]] and all that comes with it.

The accursed sorcerers of the [[Druj_armies#Tainted_Basilisk|Tainted Basilisk]] used their wicked spells to [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#Tainted_Vengeance|rouse the vallorn in Therunin]] just before the Spring Equinox. It gathered its strength for a season, then erupted into Peakedge Song after the Summer Solstice. Now it has assailed Eastring, and claimed the entire region. Yet even as it does so, it is clear it's power is beginning to ebb away, to settle back into the soil and the air and the waters. Yet it is not entirely spent. It is still active, still hungry. Its thirst for wholesome life, and of corruption, has not been slaked. Not yet.

The vates, and the scholars at the [[Great Library of Hacynian]], predict that the magic of the Druj and the wakefulness of the vallorn will run its course before the dawning of the Spring Equinox. That leaves one more season in which it will try to expand its borders. Even with its diminished strength it likely still has the power to claim more of Therunin if left alone. If it does so successfully, then Therunin will become like Brocéliande, lost to the vallorn. Even if the Doom of Tharunind settled down again after the Equinox, if it is left to expand freely then only three regions of the territory would remain. If all three were liberated, the vallorn would still control the territory.

The Druj cling tenuously to their dominance of Therunin, but it is a hollow victory. Those forces that remain - guerrillas, saboteurs, bloodthirsty murderers - are cut off from the crumbling remains of the Druj nation. They have nowhere to flee; they are surrounded by enemies who would relish the chance to avenge their losses. The only choice left to them is to hunker down and hope the Empire and the vallorn overlook them.
==Songs of Fire==
The sacrifice is not over, of course. As the Winter Solstice approaches, the ward of [[Night magic]] laid over Thornsong House begins to flicker and fade. It has preserved the apothecary college for a year, but now its power wanes. Where previously it was impossible to find, its shadow becomes visible as if cloaked in thick fog. It cannot be reached, still, but it is only a matter of time.

The day before the Winter Solstice dawns, the ward fails entirely. A [[Call Winged Messenger|winged messenger]] reaches the [[Thornsinger]], clearly cast in the weeks leading up to the end of the magic. As predicted, there are Druj waiting patiently in hiding among the trees. Even as Eastring falls, even as the vallorn swallows up their fellow orcs, they gather their strength. The same hour that the ward collapses, they launch their attack with fire and chain. They don't seek to slaughter the folk who have sheltered in the House; they seek to chain them. Perhaps recent events have maddened them - there is no way they will be able to escape Therunin. Perhaps they do not care, seeking only to harm the pride of the Navarr with a wound that will take years to heal.

Yet even here the Druj are not wholly victorious. The apothecaries and herb masters of Thornsong House have not been idle over this last year, cut off from the world by the wards of Night. They have prepared, gathered their own strength. The moment the ward fails, they are in motion, westward bound toward the border with Reikos and the safety of High Chalcis. They are aided on their way by half a dozen blue-skinned heralds of [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]] who shared their durance with them. Despite their father having [[Songs_like_trees#In_the_Bitter_Rain|withdrawn from the Empire]] they still provide gifts of healing and strength to the fleeing herbalists, kindling the hope that they may be able to outrun the orcs of the Mallum.

Their escape does not go unnoticed. Denied their prize, the Druj pursue with bloodthirsty fury. The senseless vandalism, and the winnowing of the orc ranks by the Wolves of War and Golden Sun, buys the escaping Imperial citizens time but it may well not be enough. Thornsong House burns, a pillar of black smoke rises behind them, and the Druj nip at their heels. They will be taken by the Druj and likely face the stark choice between torment or the [[Kaela#The_Gift_of_Kaela|Gift of Kaela]], unless there is someone able to intervene and turn aside the Druj pursuit.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Regionsoftherunin.png|title=Regions of Therunin|align=right|width=400}}
==Game Information==
* '''The vallorn has claimed Eastring; the region has gained the vallorn quality
* '''The vallorn has begun to slow, losing some of its strength, but it will continue to try to expand for one final season
* '''The Druj have burned Thornsong House but the apothecaries and their families have escaped westward
* '''An opportunity exists to save the fleeing herbalists and secure their knowledge and expertise
Though it was weakened by slightly by the [[Songs_like_trees#Conjunctions: Dangerous Locations|efforts of Imperial heroes]], Eastring has been consumed by the vallorn, giving it the vallorn quality. The region can no longer be effectively attacked by Imperial forces. The trods will not render it vulnerable for at least a generation; the only way to reclaim it is to connect the vallornhearts. The Thimble has likewise been lost, surrounded by the vallorn.

The strength of the vallorn has begun to ebb. In addition to the loss of strength inflicted by Imperial heroes during the Autumn Equinox, Tharunind has begun to slip back toward uneasy quiescence. Its strength has now fallen to 19,000 but it will continue to attack in Therunin for one more season - assuming no more magic is used to rouse it again. It's not clear where it will attack; it seems likely it will be drawn to the Druj in East Ashes, who it will easily overwhelm, but it is difficult to predict where it will go. As before however it will be drawn to concentrations of life - Imperial Armies or [[Forge the Wooden Fastness|Spring wards]].
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: left;"><box>'''<big>Fighting the Vallorn</big>'''<br>Some additional information has come to light about what fighting the vallorn - were it to be fully roused - might look like. The information has been appended to the [[vallorn]] page. How and why this information has been put together in and out of character is touched on in a [[Rules_update_2026#Vallorn|rules update]].</box></div>
The Druj still control four regions of Therunin, but their grasp is tenuous at best. The majority of their remaining forces are concentrated in East Ashes, but they are deep behind Imperial lines with no easy way to escape. There is still a Druj presence in the rest of the territory, but it is disorganised and increasingly desperate. It will offer little resistance to either Imperial armies or the vallorn.

Thornsong House has been destroyed, but the folk who had sheltered there behind the Night magic ward have not been idle. As soon as they were able, they fled west toward High Chalcis bearing with them as much of the accumulated lore held at the college of apothecary arts as they could carry. The Druj are hot on their heels however; it is likely they will be captured or slain unless Imperial heroes are able to intervene before the end of the Winter Solstice.

==Conjunction==
===Under an Oak (Therunin) ===
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Apothecaries' Guildhouse'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Herbal School</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Any</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 60 white granite, 60 weirwood, and 45 thrones in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Creates the title Speaker of the Apothecaries</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Upkeep:''' 12 thrones or 10 thrones if built in Skarsind</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' If the apothecaries are rescued, then the labour costs are reduced by 20 thrones</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Speaker of the Apothecaries'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Imperial</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Simple vote of the Apothecaries' Guild</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Can oversee development of new ways for Imperial apothecaries to use herbs</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To guide the sodality's research of new potions and protect the Guildhouse.</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''A group of Druj are waiting to slaughter apothecaries from Thornsong House'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Guild Leader of the Apothecaries Guild'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for defeating the Druj'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
This opportunity has been superseded by the one offered in the [[Come together]] wind of fortune.
The apothecaries of [[Thornsinger#Thornsong House|Thornsong House]] are still fleeing the destruction wrought by the Druj, with the larger group close to reaching the border with Reikos. In their way, is a band of merciless Druj – laying a trap which will see the apothecaries killed and their research taken for the benefit of the Buruk Tepel. If the Druj can be stopped, then the apothecaries will arrive at the Gardens of High Chalcis and – after a few weeks of rest and recuperation - support the construction of a new college of potions.

It is the responsibility of the [[Apothecaries Guild|Speaker of the Apothecaries Guild]], '''Esmé i Estrico i Erigo''', to organise the defeat of the Druj, and thus save the apothecaries. Given that these are apothecaries from Thornsong House, there is some expectation that the last [[Thornsinger]], '''Orinn Embracing Fold''', will want to support or involve themselves in some way.
{{Vallorn links}}

Crimson and green

2026-08-19T14:01:18Z

Rafferty:

[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:387YE Winter]] [[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Fire and thorns.jpg|caption=Thirsty vines sup deeply on spilled blood; hungry flames devour and consume and still are left unsated.|align=left|width=500}}</div>
==Tendrils of Green==
{{#ev:youtube|link={{{https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DVNN4kyw1w0?feature=share}}}|300|right}}
Roused by [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#The_Vallorn_of_Tharunind|the fell magics of the Druj]], the Tharunind vallorn is awake, furiously extending questing green tendrils across the territory. Before the Autumn Equinox, its terrible energies were [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#The_Vallorn_of_Tharunind|expended in Peakedge Song]] against the [[Wolves of War]] and the [[Golden Sun]]. Nearly two thousand Imperial soldiers paid the ultimate price to keep it at bay. After the Equinox, however, both armies withdrew, battered and bruised, the Sun to [[Astolat]] and the Wolves to [[Bastion]]. It seemed that nothing could prevent the irresistible tide of wood and flesh drowning the region, leaving a very real and present threat to [[Reikos#High_Chalcis|High Chalcis]] and the northern regions of [[Morrow]].

Indeed, as the Equinox fades the vallorn's miasma continues to spread... but without warning, the attention of Tharunind slips away. The vallornspawn, the abominations, the [[ettercap]] legions ebb and flow, the tide of consumption faltering and receding. The few remaining steadings in western Therunin have endured the viridian storm, blinking uncertainly in the light of a new dawn.

For a day, then a week, then a month, the threat of the vallorn lessens. It is as if that awesome force fuelled by [[Spring magic]] has lost all interest in smothering Therunin. Word reaches Therunin that during the Autumn Equinox the [[Imperial Apothecaries Guild]], the [[Vallornguard]] and the [[Keeper of the Last Battle]] travelled via [[Sentinel Gate]] to [[Therunin#Sweetglades|Sweetglades]] to learn more about, and to weaken, the [[ettercap]] swarms that have arisen with the vallorn. Their efforts were mostly successful; a poison identified that burns through ettercap nests and deployed against them. While they did not meet with complete victory, the poison has reportedly spread to other nests; perhaps this is the reason the vallorn has not been active in the west?

But then news seeps across the lines from the east, where it is a very different story.
==Counting Rings==
As its abominable spawn are pulled back into the vallornheart, there is a beat in which it seems Tharunind is falling back into uneasy slumber again. Then, with the inevitability of the shoot pushing up through the heavy earth, or the bud ripening on the tree, it pulses outward again. A pseudopod of writhing power smashes into Eastring. All the horror that faced the Empire in [[Therunin#Peakedge_Song|Peakedge Song]] is now turned against the [[Druj]].

This is not chance, not the random whim of the vallorn's inscrutable spirit (such as it is). During the Equinox, the ''Voice of the Quiet Forest'' wove a ward in Therunin, using the power of [[Spring magic]] to bring [[Forge the Wooden Fastness|forge]] a succulent barrier of protective magic across [[Therunin#Eastring|Eastring]]. In theory, this ward would protect the Druj - for all that the founder of the fortress the ''[[Irra Harah|Prince with a Thousand Foes]]'' despises the Druj more even than it does the Empire - the ritual does what it does, and the eternal cannot refuse the call. As long as the [[Forge_the_Wooden_Fastness#Assurance|assurance]] bound into the ritual is not transgressed, ''Thorn of the Ancestors'' must at least ward the region where the [[enchantment]] is woven. And in this case, perhaps, the ''Shacklebreaker'' relishes his power being drawn to the lands of the Druj.

Pulsing with Spring magic the enchantment catches the attention of the vallornspawn. Just as the vallorn sought out the uncorrupted life of the Imperial armies last season, it is drawn to [[fortification|fortifications]] of all kinds - and a fortress woven of Spring magic seems irresistible to Tharunind.

The Druj have not been idle in Eastring of course. There have been reports that they were preparing their own defences against the vallorn, their own traps for Imperial armies if they should venture that far east. They have established armed camps, barricaded with thorns and spikes, garrisoned by hardened warbands of cruel Druj champions. While the focus of the Druj armies is elsewhere, these defenders stand ready to hold the region against any invader.

Before the might of Tharunind, however, their preparations are like twigs in the hurricane. The traps they have so carefully laid mean nothing to the vallornspawn, who turn the very forest itself against them. The full story will likely never be heard, but the waves of the vallorn wash over Eastring in the same way the waves of high tide sweep away a sandcastle. The warriors are utterly overwhelmed, devoured by misshapen horrors, smothered by the miasma, strangled by vines and roots.

The magical ward provides them some protection, even as ''Papa Otec'' wriggles in the chains of obligation, but it is nowhere near enough. Indeed, as the region falls to Tharunind, as the miasma settles, as the twisting [[Spring magic#Chaos|chaos]] of the vallorn begins to set down roots, the power of the ward is subsumed, drained, drunk down by the vallorn. Taken to pieces and the lingering magic of the enchantment incorporated into the body of the beast.

As it becomes clear their position is untenable, some try to escape eastward into [[Sarangrave]]. They run straight into the welcoming arms of the [[Sarangrave#Nesustak Forest|Nesustak Forest]] rebels and their [[Inhabitants of the realms#Heralds|preternatural allies]]. Few survive the experience.

In the end, news of what has happened in Eastring comes not from scouts - for there are few enough of them left in Therunin now. Rather, they come from survivors of the vallorn's rampage. The Druj are cruel slavemasters, and the ''Prince with a Thousand Foes'' utterly despises those who torment the weak, who dominate and chain. While the orcs of the Mallum are fighting a desperate retreat against the vallorn, a small number of Irra Harah's children take advantage of the calling of the ward to rescue as many Druj subjects as they can.

In the end, they are able to save only a fraction of the enslaved labourers the Druj held in Therunin, but that includes nearly a hundred former Imperial citizens - many of them Navarr captured during the recent attack on the territory. They are spirited west to those few steadings still standing. More - an undisclosed number of humans and [[orc|orcs]] - are liberated and able to reach Sarangrave. It is through these survivors, and the grim sentinels of ''Thorn of the Ancestors'', that the stories of what has happened in Eastring become known.
==Sacrifice==
The vallorn has claimed Eastring, fractured Druj dominance of the territory, but at a dreadful price. The [[Thimble]] - a proud [[weirwood]] grove that the Navarr have nurtured for centuries - was defiled by the Druj but at least there was the hope it might be reclaimed. The vallorn cannot harm it - everything points to the wholesome energies of free-growing weirwood being inimical to its corruption - but that is scant reassurance. It persists, now, as an island in a sea of malignancy. Until the vallorn is cleared from Eastring, the Thimble is lost. And, with the vallorn settling its roots in the region, the only way that it will be removed any time soon is through war with the vallorn - the [[A thousand years of longing|linking of the hearts]] and all that comes with it.

The accursed sorcerers of the [[Druj_armies#Tainted_Basilisk|Tainted Basilisk]] used their wicked spells to [[To_hold_death%27s_hand_in_mine#Tainted_Vengeance|rouse the vallorn in Therunin]] just before the Spring Equinox. It gathered its strength for a season, then erupted into Peakedge Song after the Summer Solstice. Now it has assailed Eastring, and claimed the entire region. Yet even as it does so, it is clear it's power is beginning to ebb away, to settle back into the soil and the air and the waters. Yet it is not entirely spent. It is still active, still hungry. Its thirst for wholesome life, and of corruption, has not been slaked. Not yet.

The vates, and the scholars at the [[Great Library of Hacynian]], predict that the magic of the Druj and the wakefulness of the vallorn will run its course before the dawning of the Spring Equinox. That leaves one more season in which it will try to expand its borders. Even with its diminished strength it likely still has the power to claim more of Therunin if left alone. If it does so successfully, then Therunin will become like Brocéliande, lost to the vallorn. Even if the Doom of Tharunind settled down again after the Equinox, if it is left to expand freely then only three regions of the territory would remain. If all three were liberated, the vallorn would still control the territory.

The Druj cling tenuously to their dominance of Therunin, but it is a hollow victory. Those forces that remain - guerrillas, saboteurs, bloodthirsty murderers - are cut off from the crumbling remains of the Druj nation. They have nowhere to flee; they are surrounded by enemies who would relish the chance to avenge their losses. The only choice left to them is to hunker down and hope the Empire and the vallorn overlook them.
==Songs of Fire==
The sacrifice is not over, of course. As the Winter Solstice approaches, the ward of [[Night magic]] laid over Thornsong House begins to flicker and fade. It has preserved the apothecary college for a year, but now its power wanes. Where previously it was impossible to find, its shadow becomes visible as if cloaked in thick fog. It cannot be reached, still, but it is only a matter of time.

The day before the Winter Solstice dawns, the ward fails entirely. A [[Call Winged Messenger|winged messenger]] reaches the [[Thornsinger]], clearly cast in the weeks leading up to the end of the magic. As predicted, there are Druj waiting patiently in hiding among the trees. Even as Eastring falls, even as the vallorn swallows up their fellow orcs, they gather their strength. The same hour that the ward collapses, they launch their attack with fire and chain. They don't seek to slaughter the folk who have sheltered in the House; they seek to chain them. Perhaps recent events have maddened them - there is no way they will be able to escape Therunin. Perhaps they do not care, seeking only to harm the pride of the Navarr with a wound that will take years to heal.

Yet even here the Druj are not wholly victorious. The apothecaries and herb masters of Thornsong House have not been idle over this last year, cut off from the world by the wards of Night. They have prepared, gathered their own strength. The moment the ward fails, they are in motion, westward bound toward the border with Reikos and the safety of High Chalcis. They are aided on their way by half a dozen blue-skinned heralds of [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]] who shared their durance with them. Despite their father having [[Songs_like_trees#In_the_Bitter_Rain|withdrawn from the Empire]] they still provide gifts of healing and strength to the fleeing herbalists, kindling the hope that they may be able to outrun the orcs of the Mallum.

Their escape does not go unnoticed. Denied their prize, the Druj pursue with bloodthirsty fury. The senseless vandalism, and the winnowing of the orc ranks by the Wolves of War and Golden Sun, buys the escaping Imperial citizens time but it may well not be enough. Thornsong House burns, a pillar of black smoke rises behind them, and the Druj nip at their heels. They will be taken by the Druj and likely face the stark choice between torment or the [[Kaela#The_Gift_of_Kaela|Gift of Kaela]], unless there is someone able to intervene and turn aside the Druj pursuit.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Regionsoftherunin.png|title=Regions of Therunin|align=right|width=400}}
==Game Information==
* '''The vallorn has claimed Eastring; the region has gained the vallorn quality
* '''The vallorn has begun to slow, losing some of its strength, but it will continue to try to expand for one final season
* '''The Druj have burned Thornsong House but the apothecaries and their families have escaped westward
* '''An opportunity exists to save the fleeing herbalists and secure their knowledge and expertise
Though it was weakened by slightly by the [[Songs_like_trees#Conjunctions: Dangerous Locations|efforts of Imperial heroes]], Eastring has been consumed by the vallorn, giving it the vallorn quality. The region can no longer be effectively attacked by Imperial forces. The trods will not render it vulnerable for at least a generation; the only way to reclaim it is to connect the vallornhearts. The Thimble has likewise been lost, surrounded by the vallorn.

The strength of the vallorn has begun to ebb. In addition to the loss of strength inflicted by Imperial heroes during the Autumn Equinox, Tharunind has begun to slip back toward uneasy quiescence. Its strength has now fallen to 19,000 but it will continue to attack in Therunin for one more season - assuming no more magic is used to rouse it again. It's not clear where it will attack; it seems likely it will be drawn to the Druj in East Ashes, who it will easily overwhelm, but it is difficult to predict where it will go. As before however it will be drawn to concentrations of life - Imperial Armies or [[Forge the Wooden Fastness|Spring wards]].
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: left;"><box>'''<big>Fighting the Vallorn</big>'''<br>Some additional information has come to light about what fighting the vallorn - were it to be fully roused - might look like. The information has been appended to the [[vallorn]] page. How and why this information has been put together in and out of character is touched on in a [[Rules_update_2026#Vallorn|rules update]].</box></div>
The Druj still control four regions of Therunin, but their grasp is tenuous at best. The majority of their remaining forces are concentrated in East Ashes, but they are deep behind Imperial lines with no easy way to escape. There is still a Druj presence in the rest of the territory, but it is disorganised and increasingly desperate. It will offer little resistance to either Imperial armies or the vallorn.

Thornsong House has been destroyed, but the folk who had sheltered there behind the Night magic ward have not been idle. As soon as they were able, they fled west toward High Chalcis bearing with them as much of the accumulated lore held at the college of apothecary arts as they could carry. The Druj are hot on their heels however; it is likely they will be captured or slain unless Imperial heroes are able to intervene before the end of the Winter Solstice.

==Conjunction==
===Under an Oak (Therunin) ===
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Apothecaries' Guildhouse'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Herbal School</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Any</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 60 white granite, 60 weirwood, and 45 thrones in labour</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Creates the title Speaker of the Apothecaries</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Upkeep:''' 12 thrones or 10 thrones if built in Skarsind</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' If the apothecaries are rescued, then the labour costs are reduced by 20 thrones</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Speaker of the Apothecaries'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Imperial</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Simple vote of the Apothecaries' Guild</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Can oversee development of new ways for Imperial apothecaries to use herbs</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To guide the sodality's research of new potions and protect the Guildhouse.</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''A group of Druj are waiting to slaughter apothecaries from Thornsong House'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Guild Leader of the Apothecaries Guild'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for defeating the Druj'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
This opportunity has been superseded by the one offered in the [[Come together]] wind of fortune.
The apothecaries of [[Thornsinger#Thornsong House|Thornsong House]] are still fleeing the destruction wrought by the Druj, with the larger group close to reaching the border with Reikos. In their way, is a band of merciless Druj – laying a trap which will see the apothecaries killed and their research taken for the benefit of the Buruk Tepel. If the Druj can be stopped, then the apothecaries will arrive at the Gardens of High Chalcis and – after a few weeks of rest and recuperation - support the construction of a new college of potions.

It is the responsibility of the [[Apothecaries Guild|Speaker of the Apothecaries Guild]], '''Esmé i Estrico i Erigo''', to organise the defeat of the Druj, and thus save the apothecaries. Given that these are apothecaries from Thornsong House, there is some expectation that the last [[Thornsinger]], '''Orinn Embracing Fold''', will want to support or involve themselves in some way.
{{Vallorn links}}

User:Rafferty

2026-08-19T14:00:35Z

Rafferty: /* Video Link */

{{CaptionedImage|file=SadoguaIcon.png|caption=''Sadogua'', portrait by third century artist Umkehrkopf di Holberg.|title=The portrait was part of the Tannhauser Collection, stolen by bandits in 342YE as it was being transported through Dawn towards Sarvos by the Tannhauser guild. It was said to have been imbued with magical powers by the eternal himself.|align=left|width=350}}
==Overview==
This is Andy Raff's page for doing things with links and the like. He can't believe he didn't think of it earlier.
[[Axos ports]]
I suggest you move along, there's nothing to see here :)

Oh! I do have a Patreon mind, which you can find [https://www.patreon.com/AndyRafferty here] and a blog where I occasionally write about Empire stuff which is [https://wulfboyraff.wordpress.com/ here].

==Fast Finder==
* [[:Category:Plenipotentiary]]
* [[:Category:Appraisal]]
* [[:Category:History]]
==Sidebar Code==
<nowiki><div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"></nowiki>

<nowiki><div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=WingedMessenger.png|caption=''Name'' (does something). A [[Call Winged Messenger|Winged Messenger]] can be sent to her at (address).|align=right|width=300}}</div></nowiki>

==Image Codes==
* On the Left:
<nowiki><div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NAME|align=left|caption=I KNOW WRITERS WHO USE SUBTEXT AND THEY'RE ALL COWARDS.|width=400}}</div></nowiki>
* On the Right:
<nowiki><div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NAME|align=left|caption=I'M ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE WHO HAS WRITTEN MORE BOOKS THAN THEY'VE READ.|width=400}}</div></nowiki>
===Gallery===
<nowiki><gallery heights=300 mode="packed"></nowiki><br>
and then<br>
<nowiki></gallery></nowiki>

==Anchors==
<nowiki>{{anchor|anchorname}}</nowiki>
==Colour Text==
Or just use<nowiki><div style="color: red;"></div></nowiki>

<nowiki><table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">''''Cathedral Sale'''</td></tr></nowiki>
Is
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">''''Cathedral Sale'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Abrogation|Abrogate Title]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Until the end of the Spring Equinox 388YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Abrogates the title of Bishop of the Navigators
* Provided the motion includes wording to that effect it also sells the Cathedral of the Navigators building to Marieke of the House of the Maggot
* Marieke will provide the Imperial treasury with 140 Thrones if the building is sold
</td></tr>
</table></div>
for Motions,

Set text color by using <nowiki> <span style="color:#009999"> This is an example...</span></nowiki> <span style="color:#009999"> This is an example...</span>

Set background color by using <nowiki><span style="background:#00FF00"> This is an example...</span></nowiki>

Set both by using <span style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#FF69B4"> This is an example...</span>

* Red: #ff0000
* Lime: #00ff00
* Yellow: #ffff00
* White: #ffffff

==Label Formatting==
<label>Default</label>
<label type="success">Success</label>
<label type="warning">Warning</label>
<label type="important">Important</label>
<label type="info">Info</label>
<pre>
<label>Default</label>
<label type="success">Success</label>
<label type="warning">Warning</label>
<label type="important">Important</label>
<label type="info">Info</label>
</pre>

==Autogenerate Senate Progress==
* Go to: https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire/wiki?11
* Pick "Commission payments" and generate
* Copy the stuff
* Click "wiki page"
* Paste the stuff over what is already there
* '''MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE UNDERSCORES IN!'''
==Video Link==
{{#ev:youtube|link={{{https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs7X4FUCdTo}}}|300|right}}

==Nation overview==
* Drop the landing pages that are trying to do the same job as the dropdown menu
* Instead they should contain text and information
* "Play this nation if..."
* [[Dawn groups]] [[The Marches groups]]
==Synod Template==
===Judgement 5===
* '''Assembly:'''
* '''Raised By:'''
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''
* '''Notes:'''

* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (XXX-XX);

==The Wiki==
* What is the wiki
* how truth works - how we establish truth and the nature of reality
* WInds
* "FOIP"
* Don't need to read it all
* Contributions?
* Wiki contributors facebook group
* The important bits
==The Empire==
* Mention the meritocracy a bit
* The Empire calls any nation it is at war with "barbarians" while all other nations are considered "foreigners".

===Other Stuff===
* Crime and punishment - don't be a dick
===Retired characters at sanctioned events===
Our rules cover our events. The baseline expectation is that sanctioned events operate to the same rules as PD events - because we think it's better if our players are not surprised if they attend such events. But organizers have used different rules at sanctioned events before now and very successfully (e.g. the hospital events).

So if an event organizer wanted to allow to retired characters then I'd expect them to discuss that with us during sanctioning. It's not something we'd always say no to - but we'd want to be happy with the way it was being dealt with - and be confident that they were aware of the potential for abuse at their event. In general I'd recommend against it for high-combat, high-threat events - but be less concerned for relaxed social events.

===[[The Setting]]===
* Look at the top bar for segment titles
* Fundamentally about the empire and what happens in it - we don't model the external factions in detail. External stuff exists to create interesting interactions in the Empire. This doesn't mean the EMpire is the most important place in the world IC, but it is OOC.
* Ten nations - your character will be a member of one of those ten nations
* Closed world - established setting - game overview
* Six other magical realms - cosmology
* Reincarnation is considered a fact, most religions accept it as true. the Way is the only official religion in the EMpire other nations have their own. Conflict ensues. No gods/no divine authorities.
* People - unlike many fantasy games there are only a few sapient species - humans and orcs by far make up the majority - lineage exists
* Not a medieval world - something about technology and society not being a trad medaevil setting
* Gender/sexuality bias just doesn't exist - resist urge to use word coolthentic

==Mandate Template==
<nowiki>{{Mandate|mandate=Some text with exciting words and how much liao.|assembly=Varushkan National Assembly}}</nowiki>
==Statement Template==
<nowiki>{{SOP|statement=WORDS WORDS WORD.|Assembly=NAME OF ASSEMVLY|when=SEASON AND YEAR|by=PRIEST|vote=WHAT TO WHAT GREATER MAJROTIY}}</nowiki>
==Emphasis Subheading Code==
<nowiki><span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Up to 5000</span><br></nowiki>
==Transcluding==
<nowiki><onlyinclude> My content </onlyinclude></nowiki>
<nowiki>{{:TARGET PAGE}}</nowiki>

==Audiolink Template==
<nowiki>{{Audio|link=URL}}</nowiki>

==Replace Text==
<nowiki>[[Special:ReplaceText]]</nowiki>
'''BE REALLY FUCKING CAREFUL RAFF!'''
==Collapsible Table==
<nowiki>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" ><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">Double-sided Blade</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">Production</td></tr>
<tr><td>7 crowns</td><td>3 doses of [[Double-sided_Blade#Warming_Armour|Warming Armour]]</td></tr>
</table></nowiki>
==Limited TOC==
<nowiki><div class="toclimit-X">TOC</div></nowiki>
where X is largest number of "=" that appear in the TOC

See also: [[Help:Table_of_Contents]]

==Item Table Template==
<nowiki><tr><td>[[NAME]]</td><td>POWER TEXT FROM ITEM PAGE</td><td style="text-align: center;">TIME</td><td style="text-align: center;">OR</td><td style="text-align: center;">TJ</td><td style="text-align: center;">GI</td><td style="text-align: center;">WS</td><td style="text-align: center;">AG</td><td style="text-align: center;">BL</td><td style="text-align: center;">DB</td><td style="text-align: center;">IG</td></tr></nowiki>
==Redicrect==
<nowiki>#REDIRECT [[pagename]]</nowiki>

==Cosmology==
* How creation is put together
* Where the Realms are
* The theory that the closer you get to the center of a realm the purer it gets - the Eternals live on the outsides because they are not pure. Pure eternals would be so one-note they couldn't really communicate with PCs very well etc etc
==Templates==
===Link Templates===
* [[Template:Foreign Nation Links]]
* [[Template:Sword Scholar Links]]
* [[Template:Axos Links]]
* [[Template:Faraden Links]]
* [[Template:Suranni Links]]
* [[Template:Asavean Links]]
* [[Template:Commonwealth Links]]
* [[Template:Sarcophan Links]]
* [[Template:Sumaah Links]]
* [[Template:Jarm Links]]
* [[Template:Conjunction Link]]
* [[Template:Vallorn links]]
* [[Template:Druj Links]]
* [[Template:Lineage Links]]
* [[Template:Dawn Links]] [[Template:Highguard Links]] [[Template:Imperial Orcs Links]] [[Template:The League Links]] [[Template:The Marches Links]] [[Template:Navarr Links]] [[Template:Urizen Links]] [[Template:Wintermark Links]] [[Template: Varushka Links]]

===General Templates===
* [[Heliopticon]]
* [[Template:regain power]], [[Template:regain heroics]] - all the "restore uses if you use powers that give you all your points back" rituals should be here
* [[Template:shroud]] - is the "removing the shroud" rules that should go on every shroud
* [[Template:Assembly]]
* [[Template:Prominent Overview]]
* [[greater majority]]
* [[Template:Imperial Addresses]]
* [[Template:Timey Wimey]]; [[Template:Mass Ref-effect]]
* [[Template:Season Duration]]; [[Template:Day Duration]]; [[Template:Year Duration]];<br>
* [[Template:Ten Minute Power]]; [[Template:Coven Bond]]; [[Matt on Empire]]<br>
* [[Template:Ritual Substitution]]; [[Template:Magnitude Reduction]];
* [[Template:Curse]];
* [[Template:Regio]];
* [[Template:Area Aura]];
* [[Template:Warding an Area]]
* [[Template:Target Resource]]; [[Template:Target Character]]; [[Template:Target Territory]]; [[Template:Target Empire]]; [[Template:Target Group]]; [[Template:Target Object]]; [[Template:Fortification]];
* [[Template:Senate Motion]]
* [[Template:Army Strength Ritual]]
* [[Template:Responsibilities Expectation]]
* [[Template:Offensive Spell]]
* [[Template:Daggers]]; [[Template:One-Handed Weapons]]; [[Template:Great Weapons]]; [[Template:One-Handed Spears]]; [[Template:Paired Weapons]]; [[Template:Polearms]]; [[Template:Bows]]; [[Template:Wands]]; [[Template:Rods]]; [[Template:Staffs]]; [[Template:Ritual Staves]]; [[Template:Icons]]; [[Template:Musical Instruments]]; [[Template:Instrument Effect]]; [[Template:Light Armour]]; [[Template:Medium Armour]];[[Template:Heavy Armour]];[[Template:Mage Armour]]: [[Template:Mage Robes]]; [[Template:Vestments]]; [[Template:Paraphernalia]]; [[Template:Reliquary]]; [[Template:Shields]]; [[Template:Jewellery]]; [[Template:Foci]]; [[Template:Tool]]; [[Template:Regalia]] [[Template:Magical Standards]]
* [[Template:Musical Use]]
* [[Template:Ceremonial skills further reading]]
* [[Template:Ritual Raiment]]
* [[Template:Senate Elections]]
* [[Template:Steph]]
* [[Template:Army Page]]
* [[Template:Costume Advice]]
* [[Template:Strategic Considerations]]
* [[Template:Imperial Reduction]]
* [[Template:Runesmith's Law]]

==Other Links==
* [[Territory map]]
* [[Spring rituals]], [[Summer rituals]], [[Autumn rituals]], [[Winter rituals]], [[Day rituals]], [[Night rituals]]
* [[Mana crystals]], [[Ritual]], [[Urizen lore]], [[tenure]]
* [[Talking to eternals]]
* [[Mirror of Perfection]], [[Flame and the Flood]], [[An Echo of Songs]], and [[The Stargazer's Astrolabe]]
* [[Hall of Worlds]]
* [[Amity and enmity]]

* [[Administrative motion]]
* [[385YE Autumn Equinox Synod judgements]]
*[[Ashvale]]

==Dealing with Curses==
{|
|'''Curse'''
|'''Removal'''
|-
|[[All the World in a Grain of Sand]] (Mag 30?)
|[[Transmogrification of the Soul's Echo]] (Mag 60)
|-
|[[Unfettered Anarchy]] (Mag 10)
|[[Transmogrification of the Soul's Echo]] (Mag 60)
|-
|[[Curse of Gangrenous Flesh]] (Mag 50)
|[[Amalgamation_of_Silver_and_Gold]] (Mag 70)
|-
|[[Curse of Decrepitude]] (Mag 50)
|[[Amalgamation_of_Silver_and_Gold]] (Mag 70)
|-
|[[Gnawing, Endless Hunger]] (Mag 20)
|"powerful rituals that remove hunger"
|-
|[[Dreamscape of the Endless Hunt]] (Mag 30)
|"powerful rituals that remove fear"
|-
|[[Wither the Seed]] (Mag 150)
|"a powerful ritual to restore fertility of around mag 200"
|-
|[[Like Water Through Your Fingers]] (Mag 30)
|"a powerful ritual to correct the vagaries of fate and chance"

|}

{|
|'''Removal'''
|'''Effects'''
|-
|[[Transmogrification of the Soul's Echo]] (Mag 60)?)
|[[All the World in a Grain of Sand]] (Mag 30?), [[Unfettered Anarchy]] (Mag 10)
|-
|[[Amalgamation_of_Silver_and_Gold]] (Mag 70)
|[[Curse of Decrepitude]] (Mag 50), [[Curse of Gangrenous Flesh]] (Mag 50)
|}

==Introduction to spellcasting==
As a regular spell, it takes ten seconds to cast detect magic on a target. You should make it very clear what the target is, by touching it or by waving or holding your hands over the target throughout. You may want to close your eyes, the better to focus your "magical sight", or examine the target from several angles. While many magicians perceive magical auras visually, you might want to roleplay that you perceive them using a different sense. You don't need to be a practitioner of the [[music of the spheres]] to "hear" magical auras as complex chords, for example. You might run your fingers over an item, or through the air above a character, "felling" the "shape" of the magic and speak in terms of a "texture" rather than a realm. A [[naga]] character in particular might enjoy demonstrating that [[lineage|lineage's]] [[Naga#Roleplaying_naga|discerning senses]] by "tasting" or "smelling" the aura in the air around the target (within the bounds of propriety, of course).

The use of a simple prop can make the casting of this easy spell especially memorable, especially when time is not of the essence. A [[Mystic]] might burn a herb or a stick of incense and inhale pungent smoke, while a [[Highguard|Highborn]] [[magister]] might dab pure water on either eyelid or a [[the League|League]] magician might study the target closely with a mirror to try and reveal it's true nature. Don't be afraid to interact with the target - turn the item over and over and study it carefully, or ask a character questions about how they feel or seemingly inconsequential details about their life.

It should be obvious you are casting a spell, and the easiest way to do this is through your spellcasting vocals. An easy way to do this is to vocalise what you are doing with phrases such as "''Let my inner eye be opened,''" or "''I seek answers from beyond the mundane world,''" or the like.

While the spell takes only ten seconds to cast, it can be very satisfying to continue the roleplaying even after the referee has delivered the result "uncovering" that information over the course of several seconds of revelation. Describing the spell in evocative terms - rather than simply describing it as a "magnitude such and such, of such and such realm" - can help make the experience of casting the spell more powerful. "''This magic is warm, it's like it's alive, it almost has a heart beat - I think it is an enchantment drawn from the realm of Spring''" or "''This spear thirsts for blood, it's hungry, I think it wants to cut me ... I think it has the power to strike deadly, fatal blows but after it does so it's sated and has to sleep for an entire day''" or "''The tulpa of the spider seems to think that this ritual is Winter magic, and it's quite powerful - it's a little scared, to be honest with you ... and so am I.''"

==No Return WOF==
Under cut


==Initial Temples Opportunity==

<table>
<tr><th>Event</th><th>Date</th><th>Outcome</th></tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Seven_lords_of_virtue|Opportunity]] to build temple to Balo and the Black Bull in the Empire in return for a temple to the "Seven Lords of Virtue" in Asavea</td>
<td>Spring 380YE</td>
<td>Temples built - eventually</td>
</tr>
</table>

==Temple of Balo and the Black Bull==
<table>
<tr><th>Event</th><th>Date</th><th>Outcome</th></tr>
<tr>
<td>Attempt to [[380YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements|veto]] the building of the temple</td>
<td>Spring 380YE</td>
<td>Judgement 58 failed</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Temple_of_the_bull|Temple commissioned]]</td>
<td>Summer 380YE</td>
<td>[[380YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements|Various synod judgements]] (14 and 46 passed) delayed completion of the temple until Spring 381YE</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Those_who_worship|Issues arising during construction]]</td>
<td>Winter 380YE</td>
<td>Eventually completed</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Distant_deeps||Issues arising once it was complete]]</td>
<td>Spring 381YE</td>
<td>[[381YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements|Various synod judgements]] (52, 75 and 91 passed)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>When Grendel invaded Feroz, Imperial citizens [[383YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Sand|took shelter]] in the temple</td>
<td>Spring 383YE</td>
<td>Citizens apparently smuggled out</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Loss of Feroz to Grendel</td>
<td>Winter 383YE</td>
<td>Benefits of temple lost</td>
</tr>
</table>

==Temple of the "Seven Lords of Virtue"==
<table>
<tr><th>Event</th><th>Date</th><th>Outcome</th></tr>
<tr>
<td>Synod [[380YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements|grudgingly endorsed]] construction </td>
<td>Winter 380YE</td>
<td>Judgement 3 (supporting it) passed, judgement 32 (condeming it) failed</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Construction [[Construct_Temple_of_the_Way_in_Nemoria|commissioned]]</td>
<td>Winter 380YE</td>
<td>Not completed to Winter 381YE, due to delays in construction of the Temple of Balo and the Black Bull</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Judged_by_their_company|Opportunity]] to train Asavean priests</td>
<td>Summer 382YE</td>
<td>With [[382YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_20|synod approval]], training began</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Through_my_sails#Ruined_Buildings|Temple]] damaged</td>
<td>Summer 383YE</td>
<td>Wisdom assembly [[383YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_104|voted]] to destroy both temples; [[383YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_33|Judgement of Rewarding]] passed for the cost of repairs passed, but a Senate Commission is still needed before construction can begin</td>
</tr>
</table>
==Sarcombe==

User:Rafferty

2026-08-19T14:00:07Z

Rafferty: /* Video Link */

{{CaptionedImage|file=SadoguaIcon.png|caption=''Sadogua'', portrait by third century artist Umkehrkopf di Holberg.|title=The portrait was part of the Tannhauser Collection, stolen by bandits in 342YE as it was being transported through Dawn towards Sarvos by the Tannhauser guild. It was said to have been imbued with magical powers by the eternal himself.|align=left|width=350}}
==Overview==
This is Andy Raff's page for doing things with links and the like. He can't believe he didn't think of it earlier.
[[Axos ports]]
I suggest you move along, there's nothing to see here :)

Oh! I do have a Patreon mind, which you can find [https://www.patreon.com/AndyRafferty here] and a blog where I occasionally write about Empire stuff which is [https://wulfboyraff.wordpress.com/ here].

==Fast Finder==
* [[:Category:Plenipotentiary]]
* [[:Category:Appraisal]]
* [[:Category:History]]
==Sidebar Code==
<nowiki><div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"></nowiki>

<nowiki><div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=WingedMessenger.png|caption=''Name'' (does something). A [[Call Winged Messenger|Winged Messenger]] can be sent to her at (address).|align=right|width=300}}</div></nowiki>

==Image Codes==
* On the Left:
<nowiki><div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NAME|align=left|caption=I KNOW WRITERS WHO USE SUBTEXT AND THEY'RE ALL COWARDS.|width=400}}</div></nowiki>
* On the Right:
<nowiki><div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NAME|align=left|caption=I'M ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE WHO HAS WRITTEN MORE BOOKS THAN THEY'VE READ.|width=400}}</div></nowiki>
===Gallery===
<nowiki><gallery heights=300 mode="packed"></nowiki><br>
and then<br>
<nowiki></gallery></nowiki>

==Anchors==
<nowiki>{{anchor|anchorname}}</nowiki>
==Colour Text==
Or just use<nowiki><div style="color: red;"></div></nowiki>

<nowiki><table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">''''Cathedral Sale'''</td></tr></nowiki>
Is
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">''''Cathedral Sale'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Abrogation|Abrogate Title]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Until the end of the Spring Equinox 388YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Abrogates the title of Bishop of the Navigators
* Provided the motion includes wording to that effect it also sells the Cathedral of the Navigators building to Marieke of the House of the Maggot
* Marieke will provide the Imperial treasury with 140 Thrones if the building is sold
</td></tr>
</table></div>
for Motions,

Set text color by using <nowiki> <span style="color:#009999"> This is an example...</span></nowiki> <span style="color:#009999"> This is an example...</span>

Set background color by using <nowiki><span style="background:#00FF00"> This is an example...</span></nowiki>

Set both by using <span style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#FF69B4"> This is an example...</span>

* Red: #ff0000
* Lime: #00ff00
* Yellow: #ffff00
* White: #ffffff

==Label Formatting==
<label>Default</label>
<label type="success">Success</label>
<label type="warning">Warning</label>
<label type="important">Important</label>
<label type="info">Info</label>
<pre>
<label>Default</label>
<label type="success">Success</label>
<label type="warning">Warning</label>
<label type="important">Important</label>
<label type="info">Info</label>
</pre>

==Autogenerate Senate Progress==
* Go to: https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire/wiki?11
* Pick "Commission payments" and generate
* Copy the stuff
* Click "wiki page"
* Paste the stuff over what is already there
* '''MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE UNDERSCORES IN!'''
==Video Link==
{{#ev:youtube|link={{{https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DVNN4kyw1w0?feature=share}}}|300|right}}

==Nation overview==
* Drop the landing pages that are trying to do the same job as the dropdown menu
* Instead they should contain text and information
* "Play this nation if..."
* [[Dawn groups]] [[The Marches groups]]
==Synod Template==
===Judgement 5===
* '''Assembly:'''
* '''Raised By:'''
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''
* '''Notes:'''

* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (XXX-XX);

==The Wiki==
* What is the wiki
* how truth works - how we establish truth and the nature of reality
* WInds
* "FOIP"
* Don't need to read it all
* Contributions?
* Wiki contributors facebook group
* The important bits
==The Empire==
* Mention the meritocracy a bit
* The Empire calls any nation it is at war with "barbarians" while all other nations are considered "foreigners".

===Other Stuff===
* Crime and punishment - don't be a dick
===Retired characters at sanctioned events===
Our rules cover our events. The baseline expectation is that sanctioned events operate to the same rules as PD events - because we think it's better if our players are not surprised if they attend such events. But organizers have used different rules at sanctioned events before now and very successfully (e.g. the hospital events).

So if an event organizer wanted to allow to retired characters then I'd expect them to discuss that with us during sanctioning. It's not something we'd always say no to - but we'd want to be happy with the way it was being dealt with - and be confident that they were aware of the potential for abuse at their event. In general I'd recommend against it for high-combat, high-threat events - but be less concerned for relaxed social events.

===[[The Setting]]===
* Look at the top bar for segment titles
* Fundamentally about the empire and what happens in it - we don't model the external factions in detail. External stuff exists to create interesting interactions in the Empire. This doesn't mean the EMpire is the most important place in the world IC, but it is OOC.
* Ten nations - your character will be a member of one of those ten nations
* Closed world - established setting - game overview
* Six other magical realms - cosmology
* Reincarnation is considered a fact, most religions accept it as true. the Way is the only official religion in the EMpire other nations have their own. Conflict ensues. No gods/no divine authorities.
* People - unlike many fantasy games there are only a few sapient species - humans and orcs by far make up the majority - lineage exists
* Not a medieval world - something about technology and society not being a trad medaevil setting
* Gender/sexuality bias just doesn't exist - resist urge to use word coolthentic

==Mandate Template==
<nowiki>{{Mandate|mandate=Some text with exciting words and how much liao.|assembly=Varushkan National Assembly}}</nowiki>
==Statement Template==
<nowiki>{{SOP|statement=WORDS WORDS WORD.|Assembly=NAME OF ASSEMVLY|when=SEASON AND YEAR|by=PRIEST|vote=WHAT TO WHAT GREATER MAJROTIY}}</nowiki>
==Emphasis Subheading Code==
<nowiki><span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Up to 5000</span><br></nowiki>
==Transcluding==
<nowiki><onlyinclude> My content </onlyinclude></nowiki>
<nowiki>{{:TARGET PAGE}}</nowiki>

==Audiolink Template==
<nowiki>{{Audio|link=URL}}</nowiki>

==Replace Text==
<nowiki>[[Special:ReplaceText]]</nowiki>
'''BE REALLY FUCKING CAREFUL RAFF!'''
==Collapsible Table==
<nowiki>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" ><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">Double-sided Blade</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">Production</td></tr>
<tr><td>7 crowns</td><td>3 doses of [[Double-sided_Blade#Warming_Armour|Warming Armour]]</td></tr>
</table></nowiki>
==Limited TOC==
<nowiki><div class="toclimit-X">TOC</div></nowiki>
where X is largest number of "=" that appear in the TOC

See also: [[Help:Table_of_Contents]]

==Item Table Template==
<nowiki><tr><td>[[NAME]]</td><td>POWER TEXT FROM ITEM PAGE</td><td style="text-align: center;">TIME</td><td style="text-align: center;">OR</td><td style="text-align: center;">TJ</td><td style="text-align: center;">GI</td><td style="text-align: center;">WS</td><td style="text-align: center;">AG</td><td style="text-align: center;">BL</td><td style="text-align: center;">DB</td><td style="text-align: center;">IG</td></tr></nowiki>
==Redicrect==
<nowiki>#REDIRECT [[pagename]]</nowiki>

==Cosmology==
* How creation is put together
* Where the Realms are
* The theory that the closer you get to the center of a realm the purer it gets - the Eternals live on the outsides because they are not pure. Pure eternals would be so one-note they couldn't really communicate with PCs very well etc etc
==Templates==
===Link Templates===
* [[Template:Foreign Nation Links]]
* [[Template:Sword Scholar Links]]
* [[Template:Axos Links]]
* [[Template:Faraden Links]]
* [[Template:Suranni Links]]
* [[Template:Asavean Links]]
* [[Template:Commonwealth Links]]
* [[Template:Sarcophan Links]]
* [[Template:Sumaah Links]]
* [[Template:Jarm Links]]
* [[Template:Conjunction Link]]
* [[Template:Vallorn links]]
* [[Template:Druj Links]]
* [[Template:Lineage Links]]
* [[Template:Dawn Links]] [[Template:Highguard Links]] [[Template:Imperial Orcs Links]] [[Template:The League Links]] [[Template:The Marches Links]] [[Template:Navarr Links]] [[Template:Urizen Links]] [[Template:Wintermark Links]] [[Template: Varushka Links]]

===General Templates===
* [[Heliopticon]]
* [[Template:regain power]], [[Template:regain heroics]] - all the "restore uses if you use powers that give you all your points back" rituals should be here
* [[Template:shroud]] - is the "removing the shroud" rules that should go on every shroud
* [[Template:Assembly]]
* [[Template:Prominent Overview]]
* [[greater majority]]
* [[Template:Imperial Addresses]]
* [[Template:Timey Wimey]]; [[Template:Mass Ref-effect]]
* [[Template:Season Duration]]; [[Template:Day Duration]]; [[Template:Year Duration]];<br>
* [[Template:Ten Minute Power]]; [[Template:Coven Bond]]; [[Matt on Empire]]<br>
* [[Template:Ritual Substitution]]; [[Template:Magnitude Reduction]];
* [[Template:Curse]];
* [[Template:Regio]];
* [[Template:Area Aura]];
* [[Template:Warding an Area]]
* [[Template:Target Resource]]; [[Template:Target Character]]; [[Template:Target Territory]]; [[Template:Target Empire]]; [[Template:Target Group]]; [[Template:Target Object]]; [[Template:Fortification]];
* [[Template:Senate Motion]]
* [[Template:Army Strength Ritual]]
* [[Template:Responsibilities Expectation]]
* [[Template:Offensive Spell]]
* [[Template:Daggers]]; [[Template:One-Handed Weapons]]; [[Template:Great Weapons]]; [[Template:One-Handed Spears]]; [[Template:Paired Weapons]]; [[Template:Polearms]]; [[Template:Bows]]; [[Template:Wands]]; [[Template:Rods]]; [[Template:Staffs]]; [[Template:Ritual Staves]]; [[Template:Icons]]; [[Template:Musical Instruments]]; [[Template:Instrument Effect]]; [[Template:Light Armour]]; [[Template:Medium Armour]];[[Template:Heavy Armour]];[[Template:Mage Armour]]: [[Template:Mage Robes]]; [[Template:Vestments]]; [[Template:Paraphernalia]]; [[Template:Reliquary]]; [[Template:Shields]]; [[Template:Jewellery]]; [[Template:Foci]]; [[Template:Tool]]; [[Template:Regalia]] [[Template:Magical Standards]]
* [[Template:Musical Use]]
* [[Template:Ceremonial skills further reading]]
* [[Template:Ritual Raiment]]
* [[Template:Senate Elections]]
* [[Template:Steph]]
* [[Template:Army Page]]
* [[Template:Costume Advice]]
* [[Template:Strategic Considerations]]
* [[Template:Imperial Reduction]]
* [[Template:Runesmith's Law]]

==Other Links==
* [[Territory map]]
* [[Spring rituals]], [[Summer rituals]], [[Autumn rituals]], [[Winter rituals]], [[Day rituals]], [[Night rituals]]
* [[Mana crystals]], [[Ritual]], [[Urizen lore]], [[tenure]]
* [[Talking to eternals]]
* [[Mirror of Perfection]], [[Flame and the Flood]], [[An Echo of Songs]], and [[The Stargazer's Astrolabe]]
* [[Hall of Worlds]]
* [[Amity and enmity]]

* [[Administrative motion]]
* [[385YE Autumn Equinox Synod judgements]]
*[[Ashvale]]

==Dealing with Curses==
{|
|'''Curse'''
|'''Removal'''
|-
|[[All the World in a Grain of Sand]] (Mag 30?)
|[[Transmogrification of the Soul's Echo]] (Mag 60)
|-
|[[Unfettered Anarchy]] (Mag 10)
|[[Transmogrification of the Soul's Echo]] (Mag 60)
|-
|[[Curse of Gangrenous Flesh]] (Mag 50)
|[[Amalgamation_of_Silver_and_Gold]] (Mag 70)
|-
|[[Curse of Decrepitude]] (Mag 50)
|[[Amalgamation_of_Silver_and_Gold]] (Mag 70)
|-
|[[Gnawing, Endless Hunger]] (Mag 20)
|"powerful rituals that remove hunger"
|-
|[[Dreamscape of the Endless Hunt]] (Mag 30)
|"powerful rituals that remove fear"
|-
|[[Wither the Seed]] (Mag 150)
|"a powerful ritual to restore fertility of around mag 200"
|-
|[[Like Water Through Your Fingers]] (Mag 30)
|"a powerful ritual to correct the vagaries of fate and chance"

|}

{|
|'''Removal'''
|'''Effects'''
|-
|[[Transmogrification of the Soul's Echo]] (Mag 60)?)
|[[All the World in a Grain of Sand]] (Mag 30?), [[Unfettered Anarchy]] (Mag 10)
|-
|[[Amalgamation_of_Silver_and_Gold]] (Mag 70)
|[[Curse of Decrepitude]] (Mag 50), [[Curse of Gangrenous Flesh]] (Mag 50)
|}

==Introduction to spellcasting==
As a regular spell, it takes ten seconds to cast detect magic on a target. You should make it very clear what the target is, by touching it or by waving or holding your hands over the target throughout. You may want to close your eyes, the better to focus your "magical sight", or examine the target from several angles. While many magicians perceive magical auras visually, you might want to roleplay that you perceive them using a different sense. You don't need to be a practitioner of the [[music of the spheres]] to "hear" magical auras as complex chords, for example. You might run your fingers over an item, or through the air above a character, "felling" the "shape" of the magic and speak in terms of a "texture" rather than a realm. A [[naga]] character in particular might enjoy demonstrating that [[lineage|lineage's]] [[Naga#Roleplaying_naga|discerning senses]] by "tasting" or "smelling" the aura in the air around the target (within the bounds of propriety, of course).

The use of a simple prop can make the casting of this easy spell especially memorable, especially when time is not of the essence. A [[Mystic]] might burn a herb or a stick of incense and inhale pungent smoke, while a [[Highguard|Highborn]] [[magister]] might dab pure water on either eyelid or a [[the League|League]] magician might study the target closely with a mirror to try and reveal it's true nature. Don't be afraid to interact with the target - turn the item over and over and study it carefully, or ask a character questions about how they feel or seemingly inconsequential details about their life.

It should be obvious you are casting a spell, and the easiest way to do this is through your spellcasting vocals. An easy way to do this is to vocalise what you are doing with phrases such as "''Let my inner eye be opened,''" or "''I seek answers from beyond the mundane world,''" or the like.

While the spell takes only ten seconds to cast, it can be very satisfying to continue the roleplaying even after the referee has delivered the result "uncovering" that information over the course of several seconds of revelation. Describing the spell in evocative terms - rather than simply describing it as a "magnitude such and such, of such and such realm" - can help make the experience of casting the spell more powerful. "''This magic is warm, it's like it's alive, it almost has a heart beat - I think it is an enchantment drawn from the realm of Spring''" or "''This spear thirsts for blood, it's hungry, I think it wants to cut me ... I think it has the power to strike deadly, fatal blows but after it does so it's sated and has to sleep for an entire day''" or "''The tulpa of the spider seems to think that this ritual is Winter magic, and it's quite powerful - it's a little scared, to be honest with you ... and so am I.''"

==No Return WOF==
Under cut


==Initial Temples Opportunity==

<table>
<tr><th>Event</th><th>Date</th><th>Outcome</th></tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Seven_lords_of_virtue|Opportunity]] to build temple to Balo and the Black Bull in the Empire in return for a temple to the "Seven Lords of Virtue" in Asavea</td>
<td>Spring 380YE</td>
<td>Temples built - eventually</td>
</tr>
</table>

==Temple of Balo and the Black Bull==
<table>
<tr><th>Event</th><th>Date</th><th>Outcome</th></tr>
<tr>
<td>Attempt to [[380YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements|veto]] the building of the temple</td>
<td>Spring 380YE</td>
<td>Judgement 58 failed</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Temple_of_the_bull|Temple commissioned]]</td>
<td>Summer 380YE</td>
<td>[[380YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements|Various synod judgements]] (14 and 46 passed) delayed completion of the temple until Spring 381YE</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Those_who_worship|Issues arising during construction]]</td>
<td>Winter 380YE</td>
<td>Eventually completed</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Distant_deeps||Issues arising once it was complete]]</td>
<td>Spring 381YE</td>
<td>[[381YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements|Various synod judgements]] (52, 75 and 91 passed)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>When Grendel invaded Feroz, Imperial citizens [[383YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Sand|took shelter]] in the temple</td>
<td>Spring 383YE</td>
<td>Citizens apparently smuggled out</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Loss of Feroz to Grendel</td>
<td>Winter 383YE</td>
<td>Benefits of temple lost</td>
</tr>
</table>

==Temple of the "Seven Lords of Virtue"==
<table>
<tr><th>Event</th><th>Date</th><th>Outcome</th></tr>
<tr>
<td>Synod [[380YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements|grudgingly endorsed]] construction </td>
<td>Winter 380YE</td>
<td>Judgement 3 (supporting it) passed, judgement 32 (condeming it) failed</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Construction [[Construct_Temple_of_the_Way_in_Nemoria|commissioned]]</td>
<td>Winter 380YE</td>
<td>Not completed to Winter 381YE, due to delays in construction of the Temple of Balo and the Black Bull</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Judged_by_their_company|Opportunity]] to train Asavean priests</td>
<td>Summer 382YE</td>
<td>With [[382YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_20|synod approval]], training began</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Through_my_sails#Ruined_Buildings|Temple]] damaged</td>
<td>Summer 383YE</td>
<td>Wisdom assembly [[383YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_104|voted]] to destroy both temples; [[383YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_33|Judgement of Rewarding]] passed for the cost of repairs passed, but a Senate Commission is still needed before construction can begin</td>
</tr>
</table>
==Sarcombe==

User:Rafferty

2026-08-19T13:59:51Z

Rafferty: /* Video Link */

{{CaptionedImage|file=SadoguaIcon.png|caption=''Sadogua'', portrait by third century artist Umkehrkopf di Holberg.|title=The portrait was part of the Tannhauser Collection, stolen by bandits in 342YE as it was being transported through Dawn towards Sarvos by the Tannhauser guild. It was said to have been imbued with magical powers by the eternal himself.|align=left|width=350}}
==Overview==
This is Andy Raff's page for doing things with links and the like. He can't believe he didn't think of it earlier.
[[Axos ports]]
I suggest you move along, there's nothing to see here :)

Oh! I do have a Patreon mind, which you can find [https://www.patreon.com/AndyRafferty here] and a blog where I occasionally write about Empire stuff which is [https://wulfboyraff.wordpress.com/ here].

==Fast Finder==
* [[:Category:Plenipotentiary]]
* [[:Category:Appraisal]]
* [[:Category:History]]
==Sidebar Code==
<nowiki><div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"></nowiki>

<nowiki><div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=WingedMessenger.png|caption=''Name'' (does something). A [[Call Winged Messenger|Winged Messenger]] can be sent to her at (address).|align=right|width=300}}</div></nowiki>

==Image Codes==
* On the Left:
<nowiki><div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NAME|align=left|caption=I KNOW WRITERS WHO USE SUBTEXT AND THEY'RE ALL COWARDS.|width=400}}</div></nowiki>
* On the Right:
<nowiki><div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NAME|align=left|caption=I'M ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE WHO HAS WRITTEN MORE BOOKS THAN THEY'VE READ.|width=400}}</div></nowiki>
===Gallery===
<nowiki><gallery heights=300 mode="packed"></nowiki><br>
and then<br>
<nowiki></gallery></nowiki>

==Anchors==
<nowiki>{{anchor|anchorname}}</nowiki>
==Colour Text==
Or just use<nowiki><div style="color: red;"></div></nowiki>

<nowiki><table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">''''Cathedral Sale'''</td></tr></nowiki>
Is
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">''''Cathedral Sale'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Abrogation|Abrogate Title]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Until the end of the Spring Equinox 388YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Abrogates the title of Bishop of the Navigators
* Provided the motion includes wording to that effect it also sells the Cathedral of the Navigators building to Marieke of the House of the Maggot
* Marieke will provide the Imperial treasury with 140 Thrones if the building is sold
</td></tr>
</table></div>
for Motions,

Set text color by using <nowiki> <span style="color:#009999"> This is an example...</span></nowiki> <span style="color:#009999"> This is an example...</span>

Set background color by using <nowiki><span style="background:#00FF00"> This is an example...</span></nowiki>

Set both by using <span style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#FF69B4"> This is an example...</span>

* Red: #ff0000
* Lime: #00ff00
* Yellow: #ffff00
* White: #ffffff

==Label Formatting==
<label>Default</label>
<label type="success">Success</label>
<label type="warning">Warning</label>
<label type="important">Important</label>
<label type="info">Info</label>
<pre>
<label>Default</label>
<label type="success">Success</label>
<label type="warning">Warning</label>
<label type="important">Important</label>
<label type="info">Info</label>
</pre>

==Autogenerate Senate Progress==
* Go to: https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire/wiki?11
* Pick "Commission payments" and generate
* Copy the stuff
* Click "wiki page"
* Paste the stuff over what is already there
* '''MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE UNDERSCORES IN!'''
==Video Link==
{{#ev:youtube|link={{{https://https://https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DVNN4kyw1w0?feature=share}}}|300|right}}

==Nation overview==
* Drop the landing pages that are trying to do the same job as the dropdown menu
* Instead they should contain text and information
* "Play this nation if..."
* [[Dawn groups]] [[The Marches groups]]
==Synod Template==
===Judgement 5===
* '''Assembly:'''
* '''Raised By:'''
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''
* '''Notes:'''

* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (XXX-XX);

==The Wiki==
* What is the wiki
* how truth works - how we establish truth and the nature of reality
* WInds
* "FOIP"
* Don't need to read it all
* Contributions?
* Wiki contributors facebook group
* The important bits
==The Empire==
* Mention the meritocracy a bit
* The Empire calls any nation it is at war with "barbarians" while all other nations are considered "foreigners".

===Other Stuff===
* Crime and punishment - don't be a dick
===Retired characters at sanctioned events===
Our rules cover our events. The baseline expectation is that sanctioned events operate to the same rules as PD events - because we think it's better if our players are not surprised if they attend such events. But organizers have used different rules at sanctioned events before now and very successfully (e.g. the hospital events).

So if an event organizer wanted to allow to retired characters then I'd expect them to discuss that with us during sanctioning. It's not something we'd always say no to - but we'd want to be happy with the way it was being dealt with - and be confident that they were aware of the potential for abuse at their event. In general I'd recommend against it for high-combat, high-threat events - but be less concerned for relaxed social events.

===[[The Setting]]===
* Look at the top bar for segment titles
* Fundamentally about the empire and what happens in it - we don't model the external factions in detail. External stuff exists to create interesting interactions in the Empire. This doesn't mean the EMpire is the most important place in the world IC, but it is OOC.
* Ten nations - your character will be a member of one of those ten nations
* Closed world - established setting - game overview
* Six other magical realms - cosmology
* Reincarnation is considered a fact, most religions accept it as true. the Way is the only official religion in the EMpire other nations have their own. Conflict ensues. No gods/no divine authorities.
* People - unlike many fantasy games there are only a few sapient species - humans and orcs by far make up the majority - lineage exists
* Not a medieval world - something about technology and society not being a trad medaevil setting
* Gender/sexuality bias just doesn't exist - resist urge to use word coolthentic

==Mandate Template==
<nowiki>{{Mandate|mandate=Some text with exciting words and how much liao.|assembly=Varushkan National Assembly}}</nowiki>
==Statement Template==
<nowiki>{{SOP|statement=WORDS WORDS WORD.|Assembly=NAME OF ASSEMVLY|when=SEASON AND YEAR|by=PRIEST|vote=WHAT TO WHAT GREATER MAJROTIY}}</nowiki>
==Emphasis Subheading Code==
<nowiki><span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Up to 5000</span><br></nowiki>
==Transcluding==
<nowiki><onlyinclude> My content </onlyinclude></nowiki>
<nowiki>{{:TARGET PAGE}}</nowiki>

==Audiolink Template==
<nowiki>{{Audio|link=URL}}</nowiki>

==Replace Text==
<nowiki>[[Special:ReplaceText]]</nowiki>
'''BE REALLY FUCKING CAREFUL RAFF!'''
==Collapsible Table==
<nowiki>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" ><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">Double-sided Blade</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">Production</td></tr>
<tr><td>7 crowns</td><td>3 doses of [[Double-sided_Blade#Warming_Armour|Warming Armour]]</td></tr>
</table></nowiki>
==Limited TOC==
<nowiki><div class="toclimit-X">TOC</div></nowiki>
where X is largest number of "=" that appear in the TOC

See also: [[Help:Table_of_Contents]]

==Item Table Template==
<nowiki><tr><td>[[NAME]]</td><td>POWER TEXT FROM ITEM PAGE</td><td style="text-align: center;">TIME</td><td style="text-align: center;">OR</td><td style="text-align: center;">TJ</td><td style="text-align: center;">GI</td><td style="text-align: center;">WS</td><td style="text-align: center;">AG</td><td style="text-align: center;">BL</td><td style="text-align: center;">DB</td><td style="text-align: center;">IG</td></tr></nowiki>
==Redicrect==
<nowiki>#REDIRECT [[pagename]]</nowiki>

==Cosmology==
* How creation is put together
* Where the Realms are
* The theory that the closer you get to the center of a realm the purer it gets - the Eternals live on the outsides because they are not pure. Pure eternals would be so one-note they couldn't really communicate with PCs very well etc etc
==Templates==
===Link Templates===
* [[Template:Foreign Nation Links]]
* [[Template:Sword Scholar Links]]
* [[Template:Axos Links]]
* [[Template:Faraden Links]]
* [[Template:Suranni Links]]
* [[Template:Asavean Links]]
* [[Template:Commonwealth Links]]
* [[Template:Sarcophan Links]]
* [[Template:Sumaah Links]]
* [[Template:Jarm Links]]
* [[Template:Conjunction Link]]
* [[Template:Vallorn links]]
* [[Template:Druj Links]]
* [[Template:Lineage Links]]
* [[Template:Dawn Links]] [[Template:Highguard Links]] [[Template:Imperial Orcs Links]] [[Template:The League Links]] [[Template:The Marches Links]] [[Template:Navarr Links]] [[Template:Urizen Links]] [[Template:Wintermark Links]] [[Template: Varushka Links]]

===General Templates===
* [[Heliopticon]]
* [[Template:regain power]], [[Template:regain heroics]] - all the "restore uses if you use powers that give you all your points back" rituals should be here
* [[Template:shroud]] - is the "removing the shroud" rules that should go on every shroud
* [[Template:Assembly]]
* [[Template:Prominent Overview]]
* [[greater majority]]
* [[Template:Imperial Addresses]]
* [[Template:Timey Wimey]]; [[Template:Mass Ref-effect]]
* [[Template:Season Duration]]; [[Template:Day Duration]]; [[Template:Year Duration]];<br>
* [[Template:Ten Minute Power]]; [[Template:Coven Bond]]; [[Matt on Empire]]<br>
* [[Template:Ritual Substitution]]; [[Template:Magnitude Reduction]];
* [[Template:Curse]];
* [[Template:Regio]];
* [[Template:Area Aura]];
* [[Template:Warding an Area]]
* [[Template:Target Resource]]; [[Template:Target Character]]; [[Template:Target Territory]]; [[Template:Target Empire]]; [[Template:Target Group]]; [[Template:Target Object]]; [[Template:Fortification]];
* [[Template:Senate Motion]]
* [[Template:Army Strength Ritual]]
* [[Template:Responsibilities Expectation]]
* [[Template:Offensive Spell]]
* [[Template:Daggers]]; [[Template:One-Handed Weapons]]; [[Template:Great Weapons]]; [[Template:One-Handed Spears]]; [[Template:Paired Weapons]]; [[Template:Polearms]]; [[Template:Bows]]; [[Template:Wands]]; [[Template:Rods]]; [[Template:Staffs]]; [[Template:Ritual Staves]]; [[Template:Icons]]; [[Template:Musical Instruments]]; [[Template:Instrument Effect]]; [[Template:Light Armour]]; [[Template:Medium Armour]];[[Template:Heavy Armour]];[[Template:Mage Armour]]: [[Template:Mage Robes]]; [[Template:Vestments]]; [[Template:Paraphernalia]]; [[Template:Reliquary]]; [[Template:Shields]]; [[Template:Jewellery]]; [[Template:Foci]]; [[Template:Tool]]; [[Template:Regalia]] [[Template:Magical Standards]]
* [[Template:Musical Use]]
* [[Template:Ceremonial skills further reading]]
* [[Template:Ritual Raiment]]
* [[Template:Senate Elections]]
* [[Template:Steph]]
* [[Template:Army Page]]
* [[Template:Costume Advice]]
* [[Template:Strategic Considerations]]
* [[Template:Imperial Reduction]]
* [[Template:Runesmith's Law]]

==Other Links==
* [[Territory map]]
* [[Spring rituals]], [[Summer rituals]], [[Autumn rituals]], [[Winter rituals]], [[Day rituals]], [[Night rituals]]
* [[Mana crystals]], [[Ritual]], [[Urizen lore]], [[tenure]]
* [[Talking to eternals]]
* [[Mirror of Perfection]], [[Flame and the Flood]], [[An Echo of Songs]], and [[The Stargazer's Astrolabe]]
* [[Hall of Worlds]]
* [[Amity and enmity]]

* [[Administrative motion]]
* [[385YE Autumn Equinox Synod judgements]]
*[[Ashvale]]

==Dealing with Curses==
{|
|'''Curse'''
|'''Removal'''
|-
|[[All the World in a Grain of Sand]] (Mag 30?)
|[[Transmogrification of the Soul's Echo]] (Mag 60)
|-
|[[Unfettered Anarchy]] (Mag 10)
|[[Transmogrification of the Soul's Echo]] (Mag 60)
|-
|[[Curse of Gangrenous Flesh]] (Mag 50)
|[[Amalgamation_of_Silver_and_Gold]] (Mag 70)
|-
|[[Curse of Decrepitude]] (Mag 50)
|[[Amalgamation_of_Silver_and_Gold]] (Mag 70)
|-
|[[Gnawing, Endless Hunger]] (Mag 20)
|"powerful rituals that remove hunger"
|-
|[[Dreamscape of the Endless Hunt]] (Mag 30)
|"powerful rituals that remove fear"
|-
|[[Wither the Seed]] (Mag 150)
|"a powerful ritual to restore fertility of around mag 200"
|-
|[[Like Water Through Your Fingers]] (Mag 30)
|"a powerful ritual to correct the vagaries of fate and chance"

|}

{|
|'''Removal'''
|'''Effects'''
|-
|[[Transmogrification of the Soul's Echo]] (Mag 60)?)
|[[All the World in a Grain of Sand]] (Mag 30?), [[Unfettered Anarchy]] (Mag 10)
|-
|[[Amalgamation_of_Silver_and_Gold]] (Mag 70)
|[[Curse of Decrepitude]] (Mag 50), [[Curse of Gangrenous Flesh]] (Mag 50)
|}

==Introduction to spellcasting==
As a regular spell, it takes ten seconds to cast detect magic on a target. You should make it very clear what the target is, by touching it or by waving or holding your hands over the target throughout. You may want to close your eyes, the better to focus your "magical sight", or examine the target from several angles. While many magicians perceive magical auras visually, you might want to roleplay that you perceive them using a different sense. You don't need to be a practitioner of the [[music of the spheres]] to "hear" magical auras as complex chords, for example. You might run your fingers over an item, or through the air above a character, "felling" the "shape" of the magic and speak in terms of a "texture" rather than a realm. A [[naga]] character in particular might enjoy demonstrating that [[lineage|lineage's]] [[Naga#Roleplaying_naga|discerning senses]] by "tasting" or "smelling" the aura in the air around the target (within the bounds of propriety, of course).

The use of a simple prop can make the casting of this easy spell especially memorable, especially when time is not of the essence. A [[Mystic]] might burn a herb or a stick of incense and inhale pungent smoke, while a [[Highguard|Highborn]] [[magister]] might dab pure water on either eyelid or a [[the League|League]] magician might study the target closely with a mirror to try and reveal it's true nature. Don't be afraid to interact with the target - turn the item over and over and study it carefully, or ask a character questions about how they feel or seemingly inconsequential details about their life.

It should be obvious you are casting a spell, and the easiest way to do this is through your spellcasting vocals. An easy way to do this is to vocalise what you are doing with phrases such as "''Let my inner eye be opened,''" or "''I seek answers from beyond the mundane world,''" or the like.

While the spell takes only ten seconds to cast, it can be very satisfying to continue the roleplaying even after the referee has delivered the result "uncovering" that information over the course of several seconds of revelation. Describing the spell in evocative terms - rather than simply describing it as a "magnitude such and such, of such and such realm" - can help make the experience of casting the spell more powerful. "''This magic is warm, it's like it's alive, it almost has a heart beat - I think it is an enchantment drawn from the realm of Spring''" or "''This spear thirsts for blood, it's hungry, I think it wants to cut me ... I think it has the power to strike deadly, fatal blows but after it does so it's sated and has to sleep for an entire day''" or "''The tulpa of the spider seems to think that this ritual is Winter magic, and it's quite powerful - it's a little scared, to be honest with you ... and so am I.''"

==No Return WOF==
Under cut


==Initial Temples Opportunity==

<table>
<tr><th>Event</th><th>Date</th><th>Outcome</th></tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Seven_lords_of_virtue|Opportunity]] to build temple to Balo and the Black Bull in the Empire in return for a temple to the "Seven Lords of Virtue" in Asavea</td>
<td>Spring 380YE</td>
<td>Temples built - eventually</td>
</tr>
</table>

==Temple of Balo and the Black Bull==
<table>
<tr><th>Event</th><th>Date</th><th>Outcome</th></tr>
<tr>
<td>Attempt to [[380YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements|veto]] the building of the temple</td>
<td>Spring 380YE</td>
<td>Judgement 58 failed</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Temple_of_the_bull|Temple commissioned]]</td>
<td>Summer 380YE</td>
<td>[[380YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements|Various synod judgements]] (14 and 46 passed) delayed completion of the temple until Spring 381YE</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Those_who_worship|Issues arising during construction]]</td>
<td>Winter 380YE</td>
<td>Eventually completed</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Distant_deeps||Issues arising once it was complete]]</td>
<td>Spring 381YE</td>
<td>[[381YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements|Various synod judgements]] (52, 75 and 91 passed)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>When Grendel invaded Feroz, Imperial citizens [[383YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Sand|took shelter]] in the temple</td>
<td>Spring 383YE</td>
<td>Citizens apparently smuggled out</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Loss of Feroz to Grendel</td>
<td>Winter 383YE</td>
<td>Benefits of temple lost</td>
</tr>
</table>

==Temple of the "Seven Lords of Virtue"==
<table>
<tr><th>Event</th><th>Date</th><th>Outcome</th></tr>
<tr>
<td>Synod [[380YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements|grudgingly endorsed]] construction </td>
<td>Winter 380YE</td>
<td>Judgement 3 (supporting it) passed, judgement 32 (condeming it) failed</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Construction [[Construct_Temple_of_the_Way_in_Nemoria|commissioned]]</td>
<td>Winter 380YE</td>
<td>Not completed to Winter 381YE, due to delays in construction of the Temple of Balo and the Black Bull</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Judged_by_their_company|Opportunity]] to train Asavean priests</td>
<td>Summer 382YE</td>
<td>With [[382YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_20|synod approval]], training began</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Through_my_sails#Ruined_Buildings|Temple]] damaged</td>
<td>Summer 383YE</td>
<td>Wisdom assembly [[383YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_104|voted]] to destroy both temples; [[383YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_33|Judgement of Rewarding]] passed for the cost of repairs passed, but a Senate Commission is still needed before construction can begin</td>
</tr>
</table>
==Sarcombe==

User:Rafferty

2026-08-19T13:59:26Z

Rafferty:

{{CaptionedImage|file=SadoguaIcon.png|caption=''Sadogua'', portrait by third century artist Umkehrkopf di Holberg.|title=The portrait was part of the Tannhauser Collection, stolen by bandits in 342YE as it was being transported through Dawn towards Sarvos by the Tannhauser guild. It was said to have been imbued with magical powers by the eternal himself.|align=left|width=350}}
==Overview==
This is Andy Raff's page for doing things with links and the like. He can't believe he didn't think of it earlier.
[[Axos ports]]
I suggest you move along, there's nothing to see here :)

Oh! I do have a Patreon mind, which you can find [https://www.patreon.com/AndyRafferty here] and a blog where I occasionally write about Empire stuff which is [https://wulfboyraff.wordpress.com/ here].

==Fast Finder==
* [[:Category:Plenipotentiary]]
* [[:Category:Appraisal]]
* [[:Category:History]]
==Sidebar Code==
<nowiki><div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"></nowiki>

<nowiki><div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=WingedMessenger.png|caption=''Name'' (does something). A [[Call Winged Messenger|Winged Messenger]] can be sent to her at (address).|align=right|width=300}}</div></nowiki>

==Image Codes==
* On the Left:
<nowiki><div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NAME|align=left|caption=I KNOW WRITERS WHO USE SUBTEXT AND THEY'RE ALL COWARDS.|width=400}}</div></nowiki>
* On the Right:
<nowiki><div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NAME|align=left|caption=I'M ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE WHO HAS WRITTEN MORE BOOKS THAN THEY'VE READ.|width=400}}</div></nowiki>
===Gallery===
<nowiki><gallery heights=300 mode="packed"></nowiki><br>
and then<br>
<nowiki></gallery></nowiki>

==Anchors==
<nowiki>{{anchor|anchorname}}</nowiki>
==Colour Text==
Or just use<nowiki><div style="color: red;"></div></nowiki>

<nowiki><table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">''''Cathedral Sale'''</td></tr></nowiki>
Is
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: #C994FF;">''''Cathedral Sale'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Abrogation|Abrogate Title]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' Until the end of the Spring Equinox 388YE</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Abrogates the title of Bishop of the Navigators
* Provided the motion includes wording to that effect it also sells the Cathedral of the Navigators building to Marieke of the House of the Maggot
* Marieke will provide the Imperial treasury with 140 Thrones if the building is sold
</td></tr>
</table></div>
for Motions,

Set text color by using <nowiki> <span style="color:#009999"> This is an example...</span></nowiki> <span style="color:#009999"> This is an example...</span>

Set background color by using <nowiki><span style="background:#00FF00"> This is an example...</span></nowiki>

Set both by using <span style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#FF69B4"> This is an example...</span>

* Red: #ff0000
* Lime: #00ff00
* Yellow: #ffff00
* White: #ffffff

==Label Formatting==
<label>Default</label>
<label type="success">Success</label>
<label type="warning">Warning</label>
<label type="important">Important</label>
<label type="info">Info</label>
<pre>
<label>Default</label>
<label type="success">Success</label>
<label type="warning">Warning</label>
<label type="important">Important</label>
<label type="info">Info</label>
</pre>

==Autogenerate Senate Progress==
* Go to: https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire/wiki?11
* Pick "Commission payments" and generate
* Copy the stuff
* Click "wiki page"
* Paste the stuff over what is already there
* '''MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE UNDERSCORES IN!'''
==Video Link==
{{#ev:youtube|link={{{https://https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DVNN4kyw1w0}}}|300|right}}
==Nation overview==
* Drop the landing pages that are trying to do the same job as the dropdown menu
* Instead they should contain text and information
* "Play this nation if..."
* [[Dawn groups]] [[The Marches groups]]
==Synod Template==
===Judgement 5===
* '''Assembly:'''
* '''Raised By:'''
* '''Judgement:'''
* '''Outcome:'''
* '''Notes:'''

* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (XXX-XX);

==The Wiki==
* What is the wiki
* how truth works - how we establish truth and the nature of reality
* WInds
* "FOIP"
* Don't need to read it all
* Contributions?
* Wiki contributors facebook group
* The important bits
==The Empire==
* Mention the meritocracy a bit
* The Empire calls any nation it is at war with "barbarians" while all other nations are considered "foreigners".

===Other Stuff===
* Crime and punishment - don't be a dick
===Retired characters at sanctioned events===
Our rules cover our events. The baseline expectation is that sanctioned events operate to the same rules as PD events - because we think it's better if our players are not surprised if they attend such events. But organizers have used different rules at sanctioned events before now and very successfully (e.g. the hospital events).

So if an event organizer wanted to allow to retired characters then I'd expect them to discuss that with us during sanctioning. It's not something we'd always say no to - but we'd want to be happy with the way it was being dealt with - and be confident that they were aware of the potential for abuse at their event. In general I'd recommend against it for high-combat, high-threat events - but be less concerned for relaxed social events.

===[[The Setting]]===
* Look at the top bar for segment titles
* Fundamentally about the empire and what happens in it - we don't model the external factions in detail. External stuff exists to create interesting interactions in the Empire. This doesn't mean the EMpire is the most important place in the world IC, but it is OOC.
* Ten nations - your character will be a member of one of those ten nations
* Closed world - established setting - game overview
* Six other magical realms - cosmology
* Reincarnation is considered a fact, most religions accept it as true. the Way is the only official religion in the EMpire other nations have their own. Conflict ensues. No gods/no divine authorities.
* People - unlike many fantasy games there are only a few sapient species - humans and orcs by far make up the majority - lineage exists
* Not a medieval world - something about technology and society not being a trad medaevil setting
* Gender/sexuality bias just doesn't exist - resist urge to use word coolthentic

==Mandate Template==
<nowiki>{{Mandate|mandate=Some text with exciting words and how much liao.|assembly=Varushkan National Assembly}}</nowiki>
==Statement Template==
<nowiki>{{SOP|statement=WORDS WORDS WORD.|Assembly=NAME OF ASSEMVLY|when=SEASON AND YEAR|by=PRIEST|vote=WHAT TO WHAT GREATER MAJROTIY}}</nowiki>
==Emphasis Subheading Code==
<nowiki><span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Up to 5000</span><br></nowiki>
==Transcluding==
<nowiki><onlyinclude> My content </onlyinclude></nowiki>
<nowiki>{{:TARGET PAGE}}</nowiki>

==Audiolink Template==
<nowiki>{{Audio|link=URL}}</nowiki>

==Replace Text==
<nowiki>[[Special:ReplaceText]]</nowiki>
'''BE REALLY FUCKING CAREFUL RAFF!'''
==Collapsible Table==
<nowiki>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" ><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">Double-sided Blade</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">Production</td></tr>
<tr><td>7 crowns</td><td>3 doses of [[Double-sided_Blade#Warming_Armour|Warming Armour]]</td></tr>
</table></nowiki>
==Limited TOC==
<nowiki><div class="toclimit-X">TOC</div></nowiki>
where X is largest number of "=" that appear in the TOC

See also: [[Help:Table_of_Contents]]

==Item Table Template==
<nowiki><tr><td>[[NAME]]</td><td>POWER TEXT FROM ITEM PAGE</td><td style="text-align: center;">TIME</td><td style="text-align: center;">OR</td><td style="text-align: center;">TJ</td><td style="text-align: center;">GI</td><td style="text-align: center;">WS</td><td style="text-align: center;">AG</td><td style="text-align: center;">BL</td><td style="text-align: center;">DB</td><td style="text-align: center;">IG</td></tr></nowiki>
==Redicrect==
<nowiki>#REDIRECT [[pagename]]</nowiki>

==Cosmology==
* How creation is put together
* Where the Realms are
* The theory that the closer you get to the center of a realm the purer it gets - the Eternals live on the outsides because they are not pure. Pure eternals would be so one-note they couldn't really communicate with PCs very well etc etc
==Templates==
===Link Templates===
* [[Template:Foreign Nation Links]]
* [[Template:Sword Scholar Links]]
* [[Template:Axos Links]]
* [[Template:Faraden Links]]
* [[Template:Suranni Links]]
* [[Template:Asavean Links]]
* [[Template:Commonwealth Links]]
* [[Template:Sarcophan Links]]
* [[Template:Sumaah Links]]
* [[Template:Jarm Links]]
* [[Template:Conjunction Link]]
* [[Template:Vallorn links]]
* [[Template:Druj Links]]
* [[Template:Lineage Links]]
* [[Template:Dawn Links]] [[Template:Highguard Links]] [[Template:Imperial Orcs Links]] [[Template:The League Links]] [[Template:The Marches Links]] [[Template:Navarr Links]] [[Template:Urizen Links]] [[Template:Wintermark Links]] [[Template: Varushka Links]]

===General Templates===
* [[Heliopticon]]
* [[Template:regain power]], [[Template:regain heroics]] - all the "restore uses if you use powers that give you all your points back" rituals should be here
* [[Template:shroud]] - is the "removing the shroud" rules that should go on every shroud
* [[Template:Assembly]]
* [[Template:Prominent Overview]]
* [[greater majority]]
* [[Template:Imperial Addresses]]
* [[Template:Timey Wimey]]; [[Template:Mass Ref-effect]]
* [[Template:Season Duration]]; [[Template:Day Duration]]; [[Template:Year Duration]];<br>
* [[Template:Ten Minute Power]]; [[Template:Coven Bond]]; [[Matt on Empire]]<br>
* [[Template:Ritual Substitution]]; [[Template:Magnitude Reduction]];
* [[Template:Curse]];
* [[Template:Regio]];
* [[Template:Area Aura]];
* [[Template:Warding an Area]]
* [[Template:Target Resource]]; [[Template:Target Character]]; [[Template:Target Territory]]; [[Template:Target Empire]]; [[Template:Target Group]]; [[Template:Target Object]]; [[Template:Fortification]];
* [[Template:Senate Motion]]
* [[Template:Army Strength Ritual]]
* [[Template:Responsibilities Expectation]]
* [[Template:Offensive Spell]]
* [[Template:Daggers]]; [[Template:One-Handed Weapons]]; [[Template:Great Weapons]]; [[Template:One-Handed Spears]]; [[Template:Paired Weapons]]; [[Template:Polearms]]; [[Template:Bows]]; [[Template:Wands]]; [[Template:Rods]]; [[Template:Staffs]]; [[Template:Ritual Staves]]; [[Template:Icons]]; [[Template:Musical Instruments]]; [[Template:Instrument Effect]]; [[Template:Light Armour]]; [[Template:Medium Armour]];[[Template:Heavy Armour]];[[Template:Mage Armour]]: [[Template:Mage Robes]]; [[Template:Vestments]]; [[Template:Paraphernalia]]; [[Template:Reliquary]]; [[Template:Shields]]; [[Template:Jewellery]]; [[Template:Foci]]; [[Template:Tool]]; [[Template:Regalia]] [[Template:Magical Standards]]
* [[Template:Musical Use]]
* [[Template:Ceremonial skills further reading]]
* [[Template:Ritual Raiment]]
* [[Template:Senate Elections]]
* [[Template:Steph]]
* [[Template:Army Page]]
* [[Template:Costume Advice]]
* [[Template:Strategic Considerations]]
* [[Template:Imperial Reduction]]
* [[Template:Runesmith's Law]]

==Other Links==
* [[Territory map]]
* [[Spring rituals]], [[Summer rituals]], [[Autumn rituals]], [[Winter rituals]], [[Day rituals]], [[Night rituals]]
* [[Mana crystals]], [[Ritual]], [[Urizen lore]], [[tenure]]
* [[Talking to eternals]]
* [[Mirror of Perfection]], [[Flame and the Flood]], [[An Echo of Songs]], and [[The Stargazer's Astrolabe]]
* [[Hall of Worlds]]
* [[Amity and enmity]]

* [[Administrative motion]]
* [[385YE Autumn Equinox Synod judgements]]
*[[Ashvale]]

==Dealing with Curses==
{|
|'''Curse'''
|'''Removal'''
|-
|[[All the World in a Grain of Sand]] (Mag 30?)
|[[Transmogrification of the Soul's Echo]] (Mag 60)
|-
|[[Unfettered Anarchy]] (Mag 10)
|[[Transmogrification of the Soul's Echo]] (Mag 60)
|-
|[[Curse of Gangrenous Flesh]] (Mag 50)
|[[Amalgamation_of_Silver_and_Gold]] (Mag 70)
|-
|[[Curse of Decrepitude]] (Mag 50)
|[[Amalgamation_of_Silver_and_Gold]] (Mag 70)
|-
|[[Gnawing, Endless Hunger]] (Mag 20)
|"powerful rituals that remove hunger"
|-
|[[Dreamscape of the Endless Hunt]] (Mag 30)
|"powerful rituals that remove fear"
|-
|[[Wither the Seed]] (Mag 150)
|"a powerful ritual to restore fertility of around mag 200"
|-
|[[Like Water Through Your Fingers]] (Mag 30)
|"a powerful ritual to correct the vagaries of fate and chance"

|}

{|
|'''Removal'''
|'''Effects'''
|-
|[[Transmogrification of the Soul's Echo]] (Mag 60)?)
|[[All the World in a Grain of Sand]] (Mag 30?), [[Unfettered Anarchy]] (Mag 10)
|-
|[[Amalgamation_of_Silver_and_Gold]] (Mag 70)
|[[Curse of Decrepitude]] (Mag 50), [[Curse of Gangrenous Flesh]] (Mag 50)
|}

==Introduction to spellcasting==
As a regular spell, it takes ten seconds to cast detect magic on a target. You should make it very clear what the target is, by touching it or by waving or holding your hands over the target throughout. You may want to close your eyes, the better to focus your "magical sight", or examine the target from several angles. While many magicians perceive magical auras visually, you might want to roleplay that you perceive them using a different sense. You don't need to be a practitioner of the [[music of the spheres]] to "hear" magical auras as complex chords, for example. You might run your fingers over an item, or through the air above a character, "felling" the "shape" of the magic and speak in terms of a "texture" rather than a realm. A [[naga]] character in particular might enjoy demonstrating that [[lineage|lineage's]] [[Naga#Roleplaying_naga|discerning senses]] by "tasting" or "smelling" the aura in the air around the target (within the bounds of propriety, of course).

The use of a simple prop can make the casting of this easy spell especially memorable, especially when time is not of the essence. A [[Mystic]] might burn a herb or a stick of incense and inhale pungent smoke, while a [[Highguard|Highborn]] [[magister]] might dab pure water on either eyelid or a [[the League|League]] magician might study the target closely with a mirror to try and reveal it's true nature. Don't be afraid to interact with the target - turn the item over and over and study it carefully, or ask a character questions about how they feel or seemingly inconsequential details about their life.

It should be obvious you are casting a spell, and the easiest way to do this is through your spellcasting vocals. An easy way to do this is to vocalise what you are doing with phrases such as "''Let my inner eye be opened,''" or "''I seek answers from beyond the mundane world,''" or the like.

While the spell takes only ten seconds to cast, it can be very satisfying to continue the roleplaying even after the referee has delivered the result "uncovering" that information over the course of several seconds of revelation. Describing the spell in evocative terms - rather than simply describing it as a "magnitude such and such, of such and such realm" - can help make the experience of casting the spell more powerful. "''This magic is warm, it's like it's alive, it almost has a heart beat - I think it is an enchantment drawn from the realm of Spring''" or "''This spear thirsts for blood, it's hungry, I think it wants to cut me ... I think it has the power to strike deadly, fatal blows but after it does so it's sated and has to sleep for an entire day''" or "''The tulpa of the spider seems to think that this ritual is Winter magic, and it's quite powerful - it's a little scared, to be honest with you ... and so am I.''"

==No Return WOF==
Under cut


==Initial Temples Opportunity==

<table>
<tr><th>Event</th><th>Date</th><th>Outcome</th></tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Seven_lords_of_virtue|Opportunity]] to build temple to Balo and the Black Bull in the Empire in return for a temple to the "Seven Lords of Virtue" in Asavea</td>
<td>Spring 380YE</td>
<td>Temples built - eventually</td>
</tr>
</table>

==Temple of Balo and the Black Bull==
<table>
<tr><th>Event</th><th>Date</th><th>Outcome</th></tr>
<tr>
<td>Attempt to [[380YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements|veto]] the building of the temple</td>
<td>Spring 380YE</td>
<td>Judgement 58 failed</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Temple_of_the_bull|Temple commissioned]]</td>
<td>Summer 380YE</td>
<td>[[380YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements|Various synod judgements]] (14 and 46 passed) delayed completion of the temple until Spring 381YE</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Those_who_worship|Issues arising during construction]]</td>
<td>Winter 380YE</td>
<td>Eventually completed</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Distant_deeps||Issues arising once it was complete]]</td>
<td>Spring 381YE</td>
<td>[[381YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements|Various synod judgements]] (52, 75 and 91 passed)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>When Grendel invaded Feroz, Imperial citizens [[383YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Sand|took shelter]] in the temple</td>
<td>Spring 383YE</td>
<td>Citizens apparently smuggled out</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Loss of Feroz to Grendel</td>
<td>Winter 383YE</td>
<td>Benefits of temple lost</td>
</tr>
</table>

==Temple of the "Seven Lords of Virtue"==
<table>
<tr><th>Event</th><th>Date</th><th>Outcome</th></tr>
<tr>
<td>Synod [[380YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements|grudgingly endorsed]] construction </td>
<td>Winter 380YE</td>
<td>Judgement 3 (supporting it) passed, judgement 32 (condeming it) failed</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Construction [[Construct_Temple_of_the_Way_in_Nemoria|commissioned]]</td>
<td>Winter 380YE</td>
<td>Not completed to Winter 381YE, due to delays in construction of the Temple of Balo and the Black Bull</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Judged_by_their_company|Opportunity]] to train Asavean priests</td>
<td>Summer 382YE</td>
<td>With [[382YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_20|synod approval]], training began</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Through_my_sails#Ruined_Buildings|Temple]] damaged</td>
<td>Summer 383YE</td>
<td>Wisdom assembly [[383YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_104|voted]] to destroy both temples; [[383YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_33|Judgement of Rewarding]] passed for the cost of repairs passed, but a Senate Commission is still needed before construction can begin</td>
</tr>
</table>
==Sarcombe==

Thorn and bone

2026-08-19T11:49:35Z

Rafferty:

[[Category:Winds of War]][[Category:388YE Summer]][[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Thorns.png|caption=The vallorn rises in Sarangrave, and the Nesustak Forest will fall before it.|align=left|width=500}}</div>
==Of Sword and Shield==
{{audio|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAA9UY56zH4}}
Five Imperial armies are in Sarangrave this season. The [[Black Thorns]], [[Boyar's Hasta]], and [[Granite Pillar]] stand ready to face the vallorn as it comes pouring out of Bendol into the [[Sarangrave#Nesustak Forest|Nesustak Forest]]. The [[Citadel Guard]] and the [[Golden Axe]] focus their efforts on the remaining threat of the [[Druj]], whose desperation becomes more and more pronounced as each season passes. There is also the Axos army of ''Ipotavo'', but they are concerned with claiming the Thornfen and protecting it from any errant vallornspawn.

Likewise, the limited military forces of the Nesustak rebels - the warriors of the Marsh Striders and the Bloodwater Spears and the other former slaves of the Mallum - are focused entirely on protecting their homes from the vallorn, fighting alongside the Empire's armies. Also fighting with the Imperial armies warbands led by Imperial captains, easily another two whole armies worth of heroes and champions. Most fight alongside the [[Black Thorns]], with a healthy contingent standing with the [[Boyar's Hasta]], but there are warriors from across the Empire fighting in Sarangrave this season and every army has its supporters.

There is also something in the air; [[Autumn magic]] floods the territory bringing with it an intuitive sense of the presence of danger that allows folk to avoid nearby enemies and hazards. Those affected by this power find themselves drawn by chance to safe locations, and possessed of an uncanny awareness of the paths to take to help them avoid capture or death. While its usefulness to those fighting the vallorn is obvious, it also provides a measure of protection to the armies fighting in Sarangrave this season.
<div {{float}}>
<quote by="Cadwell Waystone, General of the Black Thorns">Few words are needed for me to explain what is about to fall upon Nesustak Forest and the septs of the Mallum that live within it. The Greentide of the Vallorn will descend across the land, but we will be there to meet them. Let us show the Empire why we are the first line of defence against this foe. We will deploy a solid defence to buy time for the soldiers of the Granite Pillar to protect the septs. We will show these septs the light of virtue and the strength it provides. Leave the word of the desperate Druj to our siblings the Citadel Guard and Golden Axe.</quote>
<quote by="Serafina Semenov, General of the Boyar's Hasta">My Hasta! You make our quartermaster weep. A family of raiders, rapscallions, you are loud, opinionated and at least two of you owe me money. But to the Druj? To our foes? You are the ghost in the wind. The nightmare at the edges of their tunnel vision. But the job is not finished. The hand does not leave the door while the dark is moving. The Vallorn made the mistake of waking up while we're here. Make it a rude one. Hold the Vallornguard's wisdom in one hand and the Emperor's steel in another. Our eyes saved the Sarangrave, now let our spears defend those who cannot defend themselves.</quote>
<quote by="Sychar of Ebon's Hall, general of the Granite Pillar">We love the sword not for its sharpness, but for what it protects. We are soldiers; we are trained to fight, because if we do not, there are those who will tear virtue down. And so, alongside our allies in Varushka, Urizen and Navarr, we shall engage the Vallorn and in doing so protect the septs with a Solid Defence. We come as liberators, not conquerors, to bring the light of the Way. Where we go, virtues follow! You are the light in the darkness, and I could not be prouder of you my beloved siblings.</quote>
</div>
==The Doom of Béantal Dol==
The last act of the [[Druj_armies#Tainted_Basilisk|Tainted Basilisk]] was to [[Other_monstrous_geographies#End_of_All_Songs|rouse the vallorn]] of [[Sarangrave#Béantal Dol|Béantal Dol]] to devour Sarangrave, just as they raised the vallorn of [[Therunin|Tharunind]] to lay waste to [[Therunin]]. Using the [[Sentinel Gate]], Imperial heroes managed to [[Other_monstrous_geographies#Bloodwater_Marsh|stem the tide]] of the vallorn in [[Sarangrave#Bloodwater Marsh|Bloodwater Marsh]], and in the process [[Other_monstrous_geographies#Objective:_Shatter_the_Bilious_Breath|shatter]] the corrupt army of the Tainted Basilisk once and for all. Nothing can save the warding stones that once kept the vallorn contained in [[Sarangrave#Bendol|Bendol]], but thanks in part to the [[Other_monstrous_geographies#Game_Information_:_Béantal_Dol|vigilance of the Boyar's Hasta]], the worst of the damage has been contained...

All except for the Nesustak Forest. The Tainted Basilisk directed their malice against the Forest and the Marshes, against the rebels and the Empire. Even as heroes are fighting in the Bloodwater Marsh, the vallorn is beginning to surge forth across the woodlands claimed by the former slaves of the Sarangrave Druj.

Almost since the moment it was first unleashed, since it brought about the ruin of Béantal Dol, the vallorn in Bendol has been contained. That last desperate act of the Terunael magicians meant that a thousand years of growth, of the fecund magic of the [[Realms#Spring|Spring realm]] pouring into the mortal world, had nowhere to go. The warnings were plentiful; if the warding stones were removed the vallorn would explode outwards like a mechanism under tension that has finally been released. And explode it does. An eruption of greenery that spreads in all directions. It is weakened in Turan Flats, in Thornfen, and in Whisperwood. It has been held back in Bloodwater Marsh. Now it seeks to overwhelm Nesustak and the people who live there, a terrible tendril of destruction whipping out from the dark heart of Bendol.

The people of Nesustak Forest will fight - but they stand no chance against the unleashed vallorn. Even the aid of the ''[[Irra Harah|Prince with a Thousand Foes]]'' won't be enough to save them. The [[inhabitants of the realms#heralds|heralds]] and mortal "friends" of the Spring [[eternal]] will do their best but this is not a corrupt overseer, a tyrant, an oppressive conqueror that they can face down, nor is it a force that they can rally the oppressed to rise up against. It is a force of nature, utterly wild and completely savage, incapable of fear, remorse, or pity. A sea of life that will consume everything in its path, transforming everything over which it washes into part of itself.

So it falls to the Imperial armies to face the vallorn of Bendol, to stand against the tide, to turn back the sea. There are degrees of victory, of course, but anything short of total triumph will see Nesustak Forest tainted, wounded by the vallorn in a way that cannot be healed until that day where mortals finally face the wrath of the vallorn united, and achieve its destruction. Just as with [[Therunin#East Ashes|East Ashes]], where the [[Pilgrim's Defiance]] fought bravely against Tharunind, if any part of the vallorn makes it through the defenders the land will be [[A_bright_cerulean_flame|infested]] with the power of chaos.

A tall order.
<div style="float:left; width: 250px; clear: left;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=Cadwell Waystone.png|caption='''Cadwell Waystone''', General of the Black Thorns|align=right|width=250}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Serafina Semenov.jpg|caption='''Serafina Semenov''', General of the Boyar's Hasta|align=right|width=250}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Sychar of Ebon's Hall.jpg|caption='''Sychar of Ebon's Hall''', General of the Granite Pillar|align=right|width=250}}
</div>
All three armies are [[enchantment|enchanted]] with the [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]]. This is not a struggle to kill the opponent - right now there is no way to kill the vallorn in any way that matters - but to face its wrath and endure it. In the wild woods of Nesustak, the preternatural strategic awareness granted by [[Day magic]] will prove invaluable, allowing for soldiers spread across the region to coordinate their efforts toward the shared goal. The Black Thorns take the lead, appropriately enough, forming the first line of defence against the horror boiling out of Bendol. The Granite Pillar see to the defence of the septs of the Mallum, to those newly established settlements across Nesustak that house those who broke free of Druj dominance. The Boyar's Hasta stand between the two, ready to turn their spears to the defence of the former slaves or to plunge them into the heart of the vallornspawn, whichever is most needed.

The rebels of Nesustak are not defenceless; all those who can fight prepare to do so. The heralds of ''Unshackled'' are everywhere, offering counsel and support. There is no hiding from the vallorn; it devours all hiding places. There is no yielding; it is incapable of mercy. There is only flight, or fight. Those who cannot fight flee westward, under the protection of Highguard. Those who can fight take up spear and bow and ready themselves to battle the End of the World alongside Imperial soldiers. There is some suspicion, of course, but the [[Other_monstrous_geographies#The_Defence_of_Nesustak|example]] of the [[Gryphon's Pride]], and the clear commitment of the Empire to defend them, mean that it is put aside, for the moment at least. Even the children of the ''Ward of the Young'' urge the people of Nesustak to take the aid of Imperial armies at face value, at least for now. There may be a time when the septs of the Mallum and the Empire must fight one another, but for now they are united in a single cause.

There is barely enough time to prepare, though, before the first tendrils of the vallorn stretch out from the heart of Sarangrave into the forest, and chaos flows in their wake.

==Terror of a Thousand Years==
The vallorn rises, writhing out across Nesustak Forest. The first sign of its coming is that the vegetation all along the river begins to thicken, to grow with supernatural speed and fecundity, forcing the waters that flow down toward the lake to slow to a snail's pace. Across this surface sprout the roots of the Bendol trees, the body of the vallorn itself, creating a bridge across which the creatures of the deep woods can pour unchecked into Nesustak (and an observer might see this and shudder as to what this same process might have done in Bloodwater Marsh had it been free to spread there as well).

There is a mercy; the vallorn is expanding so swiftly that the [[vallorn miasma|miasma]] that hangs heavy over the places it claims is left behind. Not so the vallornspawn, the aberrant creatures that dwell within the heart of darkness, trapped in an eternal cycle of life and death, hunting and hunted in turn, warped by exposure to the chaos of Spring, compounded by the folly of Terunael.

It would take too long to enumerate the abhorrent things that pour out of Bendol. There are the [[vallornspawn husks]] of course. Although it is rare to encounter them outside the mists of the miasma, this season at least they are on the move into Nesustak. Perhaps it is a consequence of the great tide of power flowing out of the vallorn that drives them before it, heralds of its coming. The first husks are perhaps the most tragic; they are former human folk, many with the [[briar]] lineage. Most look so fresh they might be mistaken for living beings were it not for the way they move. These are the [[Into_Béantal_Dol#The_Grynbor|Grynbor]], that sept of human slaves that lived on the very edge of the Nesustak Forest across the river from the vallorn. The children of Irra Harah grimly recount their attempts to get them to flee the advance of the vallorn, and how they refused to leave. As Béantal Dol began to rise they bedecked themselves in their finery, adorned themselves in flowers, and crossed the river en masse to join with their ancestors.

The heralds were barely able to save a handful of children from this madness. For the rest, they really ''did'' join their ancestors - as creatures of the vallorn caught perpetually between life and death. Unfortunately, a disproportionate number of the former Grynbor seem to have made particularly strong hosts, even those without briar lineage. Many of them exhibit the powers of the so-called ''[[Vallornspawn_husk#Vallornspawn_Husks_and_Briars|dryads]]'', husks that channel Spring magic directly to empower and support the other husks around them and can by themselves keep a mob moving forward even in the face of concerted resistance.

There are also orc bodies moving at the forefront of the husks, but they are significantly less tragic. Many are magicians of the Tainted Basilisk, those overwhelmed by the vallorn when they broke the warding stones. Their living-death has washed away their magic, their spite and bitterness, leaving them no more potent than any other vallornspawn. Some do still wear remnants of the [[Weapons_%26_armour#Mage_Armour|mage armour]] that protected them in life, and some [[magic items|magic]] still clings to it, but it is fading fast. The Tainted Basilisk have reaped their reward for their wickedness, and paid the price for their attempt at [[Malign_spiritual_presences#Vengeance|retribution]].

The husks are only part of it, though, and alongside them come all the twisted abominations of the vallorn. The scouts who [[Into_Béantal_Dol#Within_Bendol|pressed into the depths of the vallorn]] spoke of monstrous hunting lizards whose jaws split open like flowers revealing hundreds of hooked teeth, and of serpentine creatures with spider-like legs that skittered through the trees, leaping at their prey and tearing them apart with their barbed claws before swallowing them whole. These are but the tip of the iceberg, however. Bear-like horrors with living vines growing in their hide that snap out and entangle enemies. Trees that shamble and stumble, shrieking with human voices and gushing red blood rather than sap when they are injured. Orbs of plant matter that drift unnaturally against the wind and explode with venomous spores when they take the slightest damage. Awful humanoid things, part flesh and part plant, each one twice the size of orc or human, lumpen and misshapen as the half-sculpted mockery of thinking beings that they are. There is at least one sighting of an infested [[marshwalker]], a natural creature twisted into a being of rampant destruction that moans and howls in constant agony. A creature that looks like nothing so much as a great ball of humanoid arms, rolling and dragging itself through the trees, before opening dozens of dripping maws in the palms of its "hands" with which it can suck all the blood from an unfortunate victim in a matter of moments. This and more, creatures from nightmare, all driven forward by the instinct of the vallorn, to devour, to consume, to contain.

Of all the spawn of the vallorn, only the [[ettercap|ettercaps]] are absent. As the scouts revealed, there seem to be none in Bendol. If there is a reason for this conspicuous absence, it is not any more apparent than it was when the Navarr first slipped into the ruins of Béantal Dol.

They come, and the Empire holds against them, and then things begin to go wrong.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">[[file:IrrahHurrah002.png|align=right|width=300]]</div>

==The Wooden Fastness==
Shortly after the Spring Equinox, a magical ward settles over the Nesustak Forest. The [[Forge the Wooden Fastness|wooden fastness]], forged from the power of Irra Harrah himself. Thickets of thorn and briar form; masses of branch and root mesh together to create veritable walls of living vegetation to help hold back the surging vallorn. The marsh forest itself acts to hinder enemies, while parting to allow the swift passage of allies. Even some of the beasts of Nesustak themselves fight the vallorn, in keeping with their natures, although this rarely ends well for them. And, while the region belongs to the rebels, the magic treats the Imperial defenders as allies and offers them safety in the wild places of the woodlands.

At the same time, the servants of Irra Harah slip into the woodlands in numbers hitherto unseen. Their primary focus is to protect the rebels, but they are prepared to cooperate with the Empire toward their shared goal. Bright-eyed heralds appear from nowhere to warn a cohort of the Granite Pillar of the approach of vallornspawn that might otherwise have caught them in a pincer. Quick rabbit-like creatures the size of a great dane lead a lost patrol of the Boyar's Hasta to safety at a rebel village, echoing the stories of magical beasts familiar to all [[Varushka|Varushkans]] (it is just as well, perhaps, that it is ''this'' army that is in Sarangrave for Irra Harah has little love for certain ''other'' Varushkan armies). The whispered words of the ''Golden Hare'' himself are brought on the wind to the Black Thorns, offering guidance as to where their strength might be best employed.

The friends of Irra Harah - the mortals who aid the eternal and have come to Nesustak to work with the rebels - say that in part this response from the eternal is due to the petition of the [[Archmage of Spring]] who has entreated ''Shacklebreaker'' for aid in Nesustak. The aid is for the most part subtle, but it is aid nonetheless. Many who would have died survive their encounters with the vallorn, and those who might have been overwhelmed are brought succour when it is most needful.

However... this very ward that protects so many proves to be a two-edged sword. The vallorn is drawn to [[Spring magic]], and the Wooden Fastness is a powerful expression of that realm's arts. At first the ward is only beneficial, helping the defenders hold back the vallorn. Unfortunately, the further the vallornspawn press, the deeper its tendrils penetrate, the wilder they become. The mechanism is unclear but they ''glut'' themselves somehow on the magic flowing around them. The vallorn itself seems to batten onto the magic, feeding on it, drawing strength from it. The husks drive forward, pressing further ahead of the tendrils of the vallorn itself. The abominations often seem driven into a frenzy when they come into contact with elements of the ward, attacking with berserk fury. Worse, the power of the ward serves to invigorate and revitalise the vallornspawn; where the ward is most potent they seem to heal almost immediately from all save the most terrible wounds. While they cannot endure [[venom]], the vallornspawn husks seem almost impossible to destroy except by literally rending them limb from limb.

While the ward slows the attackers, while it protects the weak and the strong, it does so by making the vallornspawn more vicious, and blood begins to flow in rivers through the forests of Nesustak.

It is of course at this exact moment that the Druj choose to return to Sarangrave.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Druj1.jpg|align=right|width=350}}

==Fang and Feather==
The Tainted Basilisk are no more, but there are two other armies that still call Sarangrave home. The [[Druj_armies#Poison_Crane|Poison Crane]] are the warriors of the Marshlizard who once dominated [[Sarangrave#Thornfen|Thornfen]] and [[Sarangrave#Kroll|Kroll]]. Likewise, the [[Druj_armies#Hidden_Snake|Hidden Snake]] are drawn from the Banded Snake sept who ruled over Nesustak Forest and the Turan Flats. Their homelands have been conquered by the Empire. Those Druj who ruled the septs have been forced to flee, either north into the [[Salt Flats of Sanath]] or into the wild places of Sarangrave. Either way they are in no position to support their warriors any more. It comes as no surprise then that a couple of weeks after the Spring Equinox, these two armies launch an attack against Sarangrave. It is perhaps more of a surprise that there are no ''other'' Druj armies with them. They do not come alone, however, when they pour across the border from [[Salt_Flats_of_Sanath#Lower_Saarnath|Lower Saarnath]] into Turan Flats.

It is common for Druj armies to bear potent [[enchantment|enchantments]] but usually they draw on the lore of [[Spring magic]]. Sometimes, though, it can be easy to forget that the wicked magicians of the Druj are versed in other realms as well. It has been a long time since the Empire has seen the warriors of the Mallum fighting alongside the dead but when the two battered armies come into the Sarangrave, thousands of shambling horrors come with them. If they were Imperial armies, the [[Unfettered Mind]] would say they are subject to [[Quickening Cold Meat]] but this is not any dubious gift of [[Wise Rangara]] - it is something altogether worse.

The dead - predominantly but not solely orcs - are absolutely consumed with hunger for living blood and meat. The spirits inside them are not quite the same as those drawn by the Imperial enchantment; they are as cunning as they are savage. While they cannot speak, they display the ability to work together in a way Winter husks rarely evidence. They move quickly, lean and athirst, hunting ahead of the Druj armies in packs that hurl themselves at any who try to fight, and relentlessly chase down anyone who tries to flee like wild dogs. A few seem to be possessed of more potent spirits, that unleash occasional howls of terrifying intensity that can [[Weakness|drive the strength]] from a warrior and make them easy prey for the pack.

They are similar to the traditional spirits called by Imperial magic in one particular way, however. When they are defeated - when their stolen bodies can no longer house the creature of the Winter realm housed within - they move swiftly to find another body and rouse it to wakefulness ready to enact the same horrible dance of hunt, murder, and feasting all over again. As the season draws on, then, there are more former humans among their number than orcs, making them all the more horrible.

As well as Winter spirits, the Hidden Snake is accompanied by a cohort of the creatures known as [[Druj_lore#Tortured_souls|tortured souls]]. Former Imperial heroes and champions, captured by the Druj and transformed through torment and vile ceremonies into relentless warriors of death who harbour an unending hatred for those they see as having abandoned them. The general of the Hidden Snake, [[Druj_champion#Het|Het]] Trakaa, is known to have an obsession with creating these things and it seems he has brought his entire "collection" with him in this last-ditch, desperate attack.

Perhaps they believe that the Empire's attention is focused elsewhere, fighting the vallorn, and they will have the opportunity to claim the [[Sarangrave#Turan Flats|Turan Flats]]. Perhaps they are just desperate. Either way, the two armies erupt across the border, launching an [[Army_orders#Overwhelming_Assault|overwhelming assault]] against what were once the holdings of the Banded Snakes in Turan. They must be hoping to claim the region before the Empire realises they are there, and seize another season from the jaws of death.
<div {{float}}>
<quote by="Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was, General of the Citadel Guard">Sentinels, Consider the Drowned Man. There were three Druj armies that Tyrannised the people of the Sarangrave. As I write this, there are two. Under my command, the Basilisk was Broken by the Heroes of Anvil. Now the Snake and Crane will break on your discipline. We are their end.</quote>
<quote by="Vojsuli Cherenkov, General of the Golden Axe">Axe, we have fought to take Sarangrave. Now we fight to hold it. The Druj seek to take what we have claimed and in vigilance we shall deny them in this. We shall be a shield for our comrades fighting the Vallorn. We shall break the Druj with our axes. We deny them this day and for all days to come. Their empire shall fall, their armies shall break. Axe, with me, we Stand!</quote></div>

==Battle of the Flats==
Fortunately, the Empire is entirely prepared for the attack from the north. The Citadel Guard and the Golden Axe are already in position to meet the onslaught from the Salt Flats, and when the Hidden Snake and the Poison Crane launch their attack they break themselves against a solid wall of Imperial soldiers.

If it were possible to feel pity for the Druj, now might be the time. Even with Winter husks fighting with them they are outnumbered nearly three to one by the Urizen and Varushkan troops. There is no subtlety here, no skirmish and retreat, no traps to lure the unsuspecting into, no opportunities to terrorise the weak. There is only a face-to-face fight between two Druj armies that are on the verge of exhausted collapse, and two fresh, well-rested Imperial armies. Druj desperation is no match for the resolve of those that stand against them.

The Snake and the Crane are bent on reaching Turan but they do not come close. The battle of Turan Flats takes place miles from Trakaa's capital, from the Banded Snake's old centre of power. Indeed, the Druj have barely crossed the border before the Citadel Guard and the Golden Axe are upon them. At first, the armies fall back a little, giving the impression perhaps that they are overwhelmed and ready to give ground. But they are merely testing the forces that have come against them, wisely waiting to see if this is just the advance guard and if a more potent force follows behind. As soon as it becomes clear that the two armies are by themselves, the trap snaps shut around them.

Thrusting forward towards Turan means that they are far enough from the border for the plentiful forces of the Golden Axe to flank them on either side while the Citadel Guard plant their standards in the soft marsh soil and simply refuse to fall back any further. The fighting is vicious, bloody, savage as only a war against the Druj can be. Stripped of their tricks they have only their martial force to rely on, and even with their unliving auxiliaries it is just... not enough.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was.jpg|caption='''Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was''', General of the Citadel Guard|align=left|width=250}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=GeneralGoldenAxe.jpg|caption='''Vojsuli Cherenkov''' (right), General of the Golden Axe|align=left|width=250}}
</div>
Oh, the Empire does not emerge unscathed. Some five hundred Imperial soldiers fall to the Druj, to their howling Winter war-dogs, to the tortured spirits of champions taken by the enemy and twisted into something unspeakable. At the same time, however, the Druj lose nearly twice that many of their own troops - losses they cannot hope to recover from while the Empire holds Sarangrave and their septs are broken and scattered.

The Druj have been driven back, but the encounter is far from decisive. The invaders are left with no option but to fall back to the Salt Flats, perhaps to make one last attempt on reclaiming their lands next season. The Citadel Guard and the Golden Axe give chase, but they are unable to catch the fleeing Druj. The same Imperial magic that serves to help the folk of Nesustak Forest escape the vallorn proves an unexpected ally to the orcs of the Mallum. The bulk of their two armies easily escape their pursuers back toward the border with Sanath.

==An End to Waiting==
While the Citadel Guard and the Golden Axe battle the Druj in Turan Flats, the rest of the Imperial forces fight alongside the Nesustak rebels against a seemingly endless tide of vallornspawn empowered and invigorated by that same Spring magic meant to protect the people of the forest. It is a paradox, almost. Those sites where the enchantment is focused are the best place to hold the vallorn, but the savagery of the spawn means it is also where the most blood is spilled.

As the vallorn draws power from Spring magic, the defenders are thrown into disarray and it seems clear the vallornspawn are going to overwhelm them. First one step back, then another. The trees of eastern Nesustak begin to twist, as the tendrils of the vallorn begin to take root, begin to plant the seeds that will begin the final infestation of the forest. A desperate council of war is held; perhaps it is time to accept the inevitable, to save what can be saved and to abandon the rest. The sorrow that hangs over that discussion is palpable; the heralds of Irra Harah prepare to help those rebels and Imperials prepared to flee the woodlands to make their escape if they think the day is lost.

In the end, though, the Black Thorns refuse point blank to accept defeat. "''Let us show the Empire why we are the first line of defence against this foe''", said the General, and those words resonate like never before. Whatever the other Imperial forces may do, the Black Thorns will not retreat before the vallorn. In the face of such commitment, the Granite Pillar and the Boyar's Hasta will not abandon their allies. The rebels of the Nesustak Forest will not abandon their homes, while there is any chance of holding even a portion of the woodlands.

From there, the push back begins in earnest. The price is grim indeed; the vallornspawn attack in a frenzy but the Imperial forces will not allow them to claim any more land here. They lost Eastring to the malice of the Tainted Basilisk; the Navarr will not allow the Nesustak Forest to share that fate. The vallornspawn are not just held, but they are forced back, back toward the river over which they swarmed, back to the ruins of Béantal Dol. It is slow going at first, and gets harder the closer the vallornspawn get to being driven out of the woodlands. By the time the fighting reaches the banks of the river, the magic of the Wooden Fastness has been so drained the enchantment is beginning to fall apart. Yet it holds long enough to provide a measure of succour to those fighting the vallornspawn, moments of respite in the terrible fighting that create a space to recover from the violence, to rest, to sleep safely.

In the end, as the Summer Solstice approaches, the last of the vallornspawn are cut down. Vates and magisters and cabalists, versed in the lore of Spring and Winter, work quickly to uproot the seeds of the vallorn before they can take root. Without the relentless attacks of the vallorn, it is relatively easy to work the rituals to deal with the contagion left in their wake. While the vallorn still exists the Nesustak Forest will be in danger - but ultimately no more so than [[Hercynia#Northpines|Northpines]] or the [[Hercynia#Glen of Shadows|Glen of Shadows]]. Even the vegetative bridge that stretches across the river, that thick matt of plant matter that allowed abominations to pour into the western woods, begins to decay and fall apart as the vallorn of Béantal Dol slips back into uneasy restfulness. An old story; the vallorn rises and the resolve of humans and orcs drives it back. Inspirational, perhaps.

==An Old Story==
In the north, in the Turan Flats, another old story is unfolding. The Poison Crane and the Hidden Snake have escaped the wrath of the Golden Axe and the Citadel Guard, seeking to flee back over the border into the Salt Flats of Sanath, guided by Autumn magic. Yet, at the last moment, something goes wrong. Perhaps those who remember the Druj retreat from Holberg all those years ago might have guessed what is coming but it seems the armies of the Mallum have short memories.

When they try to leave Turan Flats, the Hidden Snake and the Poison Crane are met with a tempest of arrows. Druj arrows. Warriors from the [[Salt_Flats_of_Sanath#The_Witness|Witness]], the [[Salt_Flats_of_Sanath#Spires_of_Rarckan|Spires of Rarckan]], and the [[Salt_Flats_of_Sanath#Beacon_of_Iskrid|Beacon of Iskrid]] are arrayed along the border, and will not let the defeated armies cross out of Sarangrave. Those who try are remoreselessly cut down. A few might make it across, but without the protection of the Autumn magic that has protected them thus far they will not escape the patrols for long.

Left with no choice, the armies turn on the very edge of Turan Flats and prepare to make their final stand. One way or another, this is the end for the Hidden Snake and the Poison Crane; the end for the Banded Snake and Marshlizard; the end for Het Trakaa and his terrible crimes. Some will escape, no doubt, to join the Druj in hiding throughout the Mallum. The Autumn enchantment will see to that, but their numbers are only a fraction of those warriors who fled the fall of the Tower of the Skink. How dangerous can they be, these last few thousand Druj?

But that is not the only danger here, and this is not just the cruelty of the Druj made manifest. The Citadel Guard have made a close enough study of the magic wrapped around the two armies; it portends something bad that is to come. The bonds of Winter magic that coil around the Hidden Snake and Poison Crane hold hundreds and hundreds of Winter spirits in thrall to the commanders of the army. When those two armies fail - and fail they will - those spirits will be unleashed into the Sarangrave to begin an [[Quickening_Cold_Meat#Description|unliving rampage]].

==Game Information==
<div {{float}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Regions of Sarangrave.png|caption=Sarangrave is mapped, but parts of the territory remain unknown.|align=left|width=600}}</div>
===Sarangrave===
* '''The vallorn has been beaten back from Nesustak Forest
* '''It has returned to (relative) quiesence by the start of the Summer Solstice
* '''The Druj armies that invaded Sarangrave have been defeated but escaped Imperial pursuit
* '''They have been prevented from leaving the territory by Druj forces in the Salt Flats of Sanath
The vallorn of Bendol has been beaten back from Nesustak Forest. The [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] enchantment both served to protect the region, and imperil its defenders. Its strength both served to increase the defence of the Imperial armies, and inflict casualties on the vallorn (inasmuch as that is irrelevant with an empowered vallorn but it still happened). Unfortunately, in line with warnings given about the danger of Spring magic and the vallorn, the vallornspawn who encountered the enchantment were ultimately empowered by it. They did not gain strength to conquer the region - which would have been counterproductive - but instead the number of casualties they inflicted on the defenders was significantly increased. For now though, the immediate threat of the vallorn is over. It is no longer contained by the warding stones of Terunael - their power has been expended protecting the rest of the territory - and it is still a very powerful example of a vallorn. But it is quiescent, at least for the moment.

The Druj armies that invaded Turan Flats were defeated by the Urizen and Varushkan armies. They are still in the territory, however, trapped between the Salt Flats of Sanath (who will not allow them to enter) and the Empire's soldiers. Their strength is greatly depleted, and they are on the verge of collapse. Following the Summer Solstice, whatever else happens these two armies will disband. They are hanging on by a thread, partially due to the impact of the Autumn magic enchantment laid on the territory.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Alikos Helio.jpg|align=right|width=250}}</div>
===Thornfen===
* '''Axos has finished claiming the region of Thornfen'''
Finally, the Axou forces of Ipotavo have finished claiming the region of Thornfen, with the [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Acknowledge_Axou_claim_to_Thornfen|approval of the Senate]]. The region is now part of Axos. The fortification itself has been assimilated, but has no garrison. At the moment, the Axou forces in Sarangrave are allied to the Empire and Imperial armies can move through the region freely. If that were to change, any Imperial army trying to move through Thornfen would be forced to stop and deal with any Axou forces stationed there.

True to their intent, the Axou consolidation of Thornfen has seen the existing population there exiled to [[Sarangrave#Kroll|Kroll]] and [[Sarangrave#Whisperwood|Whisperwood]]. Only those former slaves of the Mallum who can demonstrate a clear connection to the citadels of Axos have been permitted to remain in Thornfen. Further details of the situation in Thornfen will be presented in the '''[[Seeds_of_discord#Axos|Seeds of discord]]''' wind of fortune.

===Escape Path===
* '''The arcane projection used in Sarangrave represents an effect that would no longer be allowed with Autumn magic
This season the Sarangrave was under the effect of Autumn magic that helped reduce casualties suffered by armies, as well as helping people find the best route to safety. This is an old [[arcane projection]], that wouldn't be passed today. Helping people find safety, such as with [[Hand of the Dhomiro]] is an entirely appropriate use of [[Autumn magic]], but the ability to reduce all casualties on a territory level isn't something we'd allow today. There are of course plenty of arcane projections from previous years in the game, and there is no problem with making use of them, but the older an arcane projection is the more likely it represents some peculiar aberration of magic.

The in-character explanation is that the arcane projection represents the result of a conjunction at the time it was created. The ongoing magical chaos caused by the stars supported the ritual, but the effect of the ritual could not be duplicated going forward.

==Battle: Harvester of Graves==
Whilst most eyes have been on the [[vallorn]] erupting from [[Sarangrave#Béantal_Dol|Béantal Dol]] this season, the activity in the east of [[Sarangrave]] has also seen portentous happenings. The courageous efforts of the [[Citadel Guard]] and the [[Golden Axe]] have turned back the assault of the Hidden Snake and Poison Crane, along with their undead allies. Yet in turn the [[Druj]] in the [[Salt Flats of Sanath]] have turned weapons on their fleeing compatriots, signalling that there is no return to the heart of the Mallum for the two armies.

The barbarians now find themselves in an unenviable position. Close to breaking from the casualties inflicted upon them by the [[Varushka|Varushkans]] and the [[Urizen|Urizeni]], denied entry to Sanath, and cut off from any chance of resupply or support. If they flee they will die, if they make camp they will starve, the only way open to them is to strike with fear, unleash terror, and hope they make it across the Howling Abyss.

It is apparent that the wider plan is to drive the remnants of the armies into Imperial lines, bleeding their own forces, and ultimately breaking them in bone and sinew. The only way is west, onto the axes and rods of the Empire's armies that have already driven them back once. When the armies do break, the twisted abominations that march with them will fall in savagery upon Imperial soldiers.

There is a conjunction to the ''Fens of Varreth'' in the [[Sarangrave#Turan_Flats|Turan Flats]] within Sarangrave. The Sentinel Gate will enable travel to the location on Saturday or Sunday of the Summer Solstice.

===Objective: Trap the Spirits===
* '''The winter rituals cast upon the Hidden Snake and Poison Crane are uncoiling'''
* '''The Halls of Maykop have offered use of the ''Scorched Drenkthal'''''
* '''Successfully using the boon will contain the spirits'''
* '''The Halls of Maykop will expect the boon to be returned to them'''
* '''If nothing is done thousands of ravenous winter husks will fall under the control of Agramant'''
* '''If that happens the regions of Thornfen, and Kroll will be tormented'''

When the two Druj armies disband, the winter spirits that animate the corpses alongside their armies will seek out the dead in the wider area, will fall under the macabre control of ''Agramant, The Howler'', eternal of Winter. These husks are not the somnambulant shamblers ushered into wakefulness by the magic of Wise Rangara, they are bloodthirsty cadavers keen to feast on flesh and blood. They are vicious, cunning and cruel, slaking their cold hunger with living and screaming meat. These terrible monsters will spread into Thornfen and Kroll, bringing terror in their wake.

Six months ago, the Empire, led by '''Earl Zoran De Orzel''' as [[Field Marshal]], passed through the Sentinel Gate and drew the attention of [[Fire_and_the_flood#Objective:_Confront_Fangsnapper's_forces|Het Rethan "''Fangsnapper''"]]. This daring intervention allowed the Shield of Ipotavo to receive vital resupply from Axos. This intercession was a clear demonstration of the Empire's willingness to help its allies, and the Axou are keen to return the favour. Upon hearing of the rampant husks, the citadel has offered three strange posies of herbs that would entrap the Winter spirits inside and prevent them from entering the recently deceased. These posies are an ancient boon from [[Wise Rangara]], won in centuries past, that allows the bearers to sap away the lingering Winter magic in an area. The use of the boon requires agreement from ''Grandmother Winter'', which the Axou have already secured for this purpose.

The Halls request three volunteers to bond to the three aspects of the Scorched Drenkthal that take the form of small bundles of herbs wrapped in cloth, as they journey to the ''Fens of Varreth''. Each corsage would [[Unyielding Constitution|offer some benefit whilst in combat]], but potentially leave those bonded with a lack of caution - less than ideal given the presence of rampaging Winter spirits. The three will need to reach a set of pillars that mark the edge of the reeking mires of the area, placing their herb bundle at the base of one of the pillars. This would slowly sap away at the Winter magic in the area, wrangling the spirits and effectively trapping them. After 10 minutes, the three bundles of herbs will have been suffused with the winter spirits and can be reclaimed, ready to return to Anvil and to be passed back to the Axou by the civil service. What the Halls of Maykop might do with the spirits once they have been bound to the ''Scorched Drenkthal'' is unclear.

Agramant's monsters are far too smart to attack the fortification in Thornfen. They will prey on settlements and pick off stragglers, dragging them into the darkness to devour them. The populace of a tormented region are slowly depleted and such regions will quickly become underpopulated and eventually abandoned, while the people who live there will be filled with terror. Garrisons and armies cannot benefit from natural resupply in a territory that contains one or more tormented regions.

===Option: Thief takes the Meat===
* '''Night ritualists could transfer the ritual enchantments from the Druj generals using ''Thief's Arcane Gambit'''''
* '''Each recipient Imperial general would then have a three-season Winter ritual enchantment on their army'''

In response to enquiries, the civil service have confirmed that a bold and previously untried plan would be possible - at least theoretically. With a large enough Night coven, it is possible to utilise ''[[Thief's Arcane Gambit]]'' to 'steal' the Winter enchantment and place it on a new target. This requires the ritual to be cast at half the magnitude of the original enchantment.

Each of the two Druj generals would need to be captured, alive, and then detained for the duration of the ritual. A night coven would then need to perform a magnitude 60 casting of Thief's Arcane Gambit on the captured general. The ritual can only steal an enchantment if it is placed on to a comparable target, in this case a [[general]] of an Imperial [[army]]. If successful each Imperial general will be under the power of the Winter ritual that will last for three seasons before ending.

There are two caveats to consider. The first is that the Winter spirits are currently here in the Sarangrave. If the enchantment that controls and binds and focuses them is moved to an army elsewhere in the world, the husks will move there. They will move relatively quickly, but they will cause significant problems for the lands they move through to arrive at the destination.

The second problem is that unlike [[Quickening Cold Meat]], the enchantment the Druj are employing appears to draw on the power of [[Agramant]]. Technically the magicians won't be casting an Agramant ritual, they'll be casting Thief's Arcane Gambit, but that sounds like a novel legal defence for a general under a powerful Agramant enchantment to employ. The civil service have not had time to check what the legal position would be. They have had time to check how Agramant would respond - they are fairly certain the eternal would be ''absolutely delighted''.

===Objective: End Trakaa's Tortured Souls===
* '''Het Trakaa has mustered his remaining tortured souls to deliver a crippling blow against the Empire'''
* '''If these monsters are not destroyed, then the Turan Flats will become tormented'''
* '''Priests will need support to exorcise these powerful creatures'''

Tortured Souls are born from a combination of the Druj's [[apothecary]] skills and mystic rituals that break an individual's will and turn them into a monster full of wrath and malice towards any they face. They are fearsome foes, often still clad in the garb of their former Imperial lives, and capable of inflicting a grievous curse with blows from their weapons. Whilst it is possible to put down and execute their physical forms, their spiritual presence can quickly return. Het Trakaa, the general of the Hidden Snake, has unleashed the last of these pitiful abominations here in the Turan Flats, intent on setting them free against Imperial forces to deal as much pain and suffering as possible, before they are destroyed.

Exorcists will need to ascertain the strength of the aura that lies on each creature using insight ceremonies, before mustering sufficient power of will, and liao, to dismiss the souls of these tortured beings. Whilst many of the tortured souls are comparable to those encountered before, around a dozen of them are more powerful creatures, possessed of greater awareness of their surroundings and with stronger connections to their former lives. These individuals will be recognisable by the distinctive Imperial clothing they still wear, but will pose a far greater challenge for priests to exorcise successfully.

If the majority of the tortured souls are not destroyed, they will stalk the region making it ''tormented''. The monsters will roam the area, killing and torturing any innocents they find, and striking terror into the hearts of those they encounter.

===Objective: Kill Trakaa and Sul===
* '''The armies of Het Trakaa and Sul Maggotgnaw are about to collapse'''
* '''What is left of the two forces will scatter across the territory looking to prey on the weak'''
* '''Killing Het Trakaa and Sul Maggotgnaw will ensure that these attacks are scatted and uncoordinated'''

Both the Hidden Snake and Poison Crane armies have now been broken in battle and will disband within days. When that happens, the soldiers who are left will break and seek out cover as the army dissolves. Whatever happens, these partians will be a problem for the Urizeni, raiding farms and caravans, stealing goods and attacking patrols. But those attacks will be ill-disciplined, they will lack any direction or purpose. They will be a problem, but not one that grows with time, or joins forces with other problems the Urizeni face, at least until they get new leadership from somewhere.

However, if the generals of the two armies are still alive when their army collapses, they will go with their soldiers and be able to maintain a degree of cohesion and control over what remains. On the face of it, the effects will be the same, the army will dissolve and the soldiers will go into hiding, emerging to attack isolated farmsteads and passing merchants. But with the leadership still there, such attacks will be guided by a malicious intelligence, able to plan attacks and act in concert with other enemies of the Empire.

The two generals have been identified as Trakaa of the Hidden Snake and Sul Maggotgnaw of the Poison Crane. Marching under a tattered banner depicting broken bones, Trakaa will be accompanied by his personal Pakad bodyguard. Sul Maggotgnaw is protected by a unit of poison-wielding Chikkad who fight under a banner depicting a ichorous maggot. Killing these two important Druj leaders will ensure that the surviving Druj are left leaderless, limiting the threat they post once the army disbands.

===Threat: The Mirk Lizards===
* '''The Druj are joined by a group of human warriors clothed in scraps of tattered blue fabric'''
* '''They appear to be excommunicating rather than executing some victims in battle'''
A band of human warriors march with the Druj into battle. Wearing tattered scraps of blue tunics, they have the demeanour of grim-faced and seasoned mercenaries, well-armoured and carrying an assortment of weapons. Next to nothing is known of them, but there are rumours that these warriors are driven to oppose the Way in some fashion. There are claims that priests among them have excommunicated foes on the battlefield, rather than executing them as the orcs might do. There is no known reason for their actions, or why the Druj allow it; so the war scouts urge caution. Killing them will put an end to their plans and stop their support for the orcs of the Mallum, but if more can be found out, it could prove useful in time to come.

===Environment: Words in the Pines===
* '''Druj ghulai have invoked the power of Agramant to curse the area'''
* '''Any combatant that falls in battle, either Druj or Imperial, will rise again as a shambling husk'''
* '''Skilful blows or dedicated effort can stop these hideous creatures in their tracks'''
* '''This <u>does not</u> apply if you reach the end of your death count whilst in Anvil'''
With the [[Alignment#Enmity|enmity]] of the [[Conclave]] safely in place, [[Agramant|''Blood upon the Snow'']], is limited in what he can do in Sarangrave, unless invited into the world by a magician. In their desperation, the Druj have done exactly that, invoking the power of Agramant to curse the whole area. As a result, each spirit, whispering gnawing words of unending hunger for the living, is quick to find a body of a recently felled combatant in the area and animate them in a cruel mockery of life. Biding the sibilant uttering of their master, the corpses will stalk forth in a stumbling advance keen to slay any living creature they find.

Anyone who falls in the battle on the ''Fens of Varreth'' will rise again after three minutes unless the individual is executed before they arise. The shambling corpses are not especially hardy, and can be taken down through a sustained assault or more expertly ended through the delivery of cleaving strikes or mortal blows to the limbs or torso.

<box>'''Call of the Abominable One'''
As either a player character or player monster during this battle, if you reach the end of your Death Count (normally after three minutes) then you can choose to immediately rise again as a winter husk, instead of becoming Terminal. At this point your character is dead. In addition you:
* Regain all of your lost hits and ruined limbs are restored
* Move as a slow, shambling corpse, staggering towards and attacking the nearest living creature
* Are unable to use heroic or magical calls
* Cannot activate magical items or ritual enchantments
* Can only vocalise a low unearthly moan
* Are destroyed by a successful CLEAVE or IMPALE blow, or when you next reach zero hit points

Winter husks cannot ''grapple'' with other participants under any circumstances - you must only attack other characters with a weapon-safe latex weapon.

The only way to prevent this occurring is if the individual is executed before they expire.</box>

==A Testing (Conjunction)==
* '''Druj accompanied by heralds of Surut threaten to burn a weirwood tree'''
* '''The Great Forest Orcs have offered their support if the attack is repelled'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Custodian of the Fingers of the Devourer'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for destroying the heralds'''
{{NoInnocentsPresent}}
Druj guerillas, secreted throughout the Sarangrave, constantly search for the opportunity to inflict damage on the Imperials and the septs who have dared turn away from the Buruk Tepel. They work to maintain the pall of fear and ruin that has shrouded the Sarangrave for decades. Weirwood smoke is a smell only Surut could enjoy, and the Druj have promised plenty in some foul deal. Urizen scouts have spotted a band of Druj, accompanied by heralds of [[The_Thrice-cursed_Court#Surut|the Charred Prince]] in Whisperwood, south of Uklead, making their way to the [[Fingers of the Devourer]].

If the Surut heralds are killed, any remaining Druj guerillas can be dealt with by sentinels and other locals. The [[Fingers of the Devourer|Custodian of the Fingers of the Devourer]], '''Borris Harrovich Prochnost''', is responsible for ensuring that the heralds of Surut are killed. Failure to kill the heralds will see them burn one of the weirwood trees, permanently reducing production of the grove by two wains a season. If the heralds are destroyed, then the Great Forest Orcs will repay the effort by supporting the work of the weirwood grove, permanently increasing its production by two wains each season.

==Kaela's Gift==
Secured through a bargain with the Winter Archmage, the gift allows any Imperial citizen in the hands of the [[Druj]] to choose to die painlessly. No corpse remains for the Druj to defile, to impale, or to use to taunt the living - the body turns to dust and ashes. This gift extends across the entire eastern Empire, into the Mallum, [[Brocéliande]], and [[Therunin]].

The gift allows any Imperial citizens fighting in the [[Vallorn#Vallorn_Miasma|vallorn miasma]] to choose death and ''dissolution'' before their bodies could be infested with the vallorn's sick version of immortality.

'''OOC Note:''' Using the gift requires thirty seconds of appropriate roleplaying. This ability may be used by player characters captured by the Druj during an event or who is [[Combat#Dying|dying]] in an area of vallorn miasma; if you do so you should ensure that you mark your character as dead as soon as you can so that your egregore is aware of your death. There is, however, one drawback to this, as Imperial magicians may soon discover: anyone who takes advantage of this ability cannot be contacted with [[Whispers through the Black Gate]].

This ability is an exception to the normal rules on using abilities while [[Combat#Terminal|terminal]]; a terminal character ''can'' use this ability if they are captured by the Druj or fallen in vallorn miasma.

Thorn and bone

2026-08-19T11:48:53Z

Rafferty: /* Thornfen */

[[Category:Winds of War]][[Category:388YE Summer]][[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Thorns.png|caption=The vallorn rises in Sarangrave, and the Nesustak Forest will fall before it.|align=left|width=500}}</div>
==Of Sword and Shield==
{{audio|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAA9UY56zH4}}
Five Imperial armies are in Sarangrave this season. The [[Black Thorns]], [[Boyar's Hasta]], and [[Granite Pillar]] stand ready to face the vallorn as it comes pouring out of Bendol into the [[Sarangrave#Nesustak Forest|Nesustak Forest]]. The [[Citadel Guard]] and the [[Golden Axe]] focus their efforts on the remaining threat of the [[Druj]], whose desperation becomes more and more pronounced as each season passes. There is also the Axos army of ''Ipotavo'', but they are concerned with claiming the Thornfen and protecting it from any errant vallornspawn.

Likewise, the limited military forces of the Nesustak rebels - the warriors of the Marsh Striders and the Bloodwater Spears and the other former slaves of the Mallum - are focused entirely on protecting their homes from the vallorn, fighting alongside the Empire's armies. Also fighting with the Imperial armies warbands led by Imperial captains, easily another two whole armies worth of heroes and champions. Most fight alongside the [[Black Thorns]], with a healthy contingent standing with the [[Boyar's Hasta]], but there are warriors from across the Empire fighting in Sarangrave this season and every army has its supporters.

There is also something in the air; [[Autumn magic]] floods the territory bringing with it an intuitive sense of the presence of danger that allows folk to avoid nearby enemies and hazards. Those affected by this power find themselves drawn by chance to safe locations, and possessed of an uncanny awareness of the paths to take to help them avoid capture or death. While its usefulness to those fighting the vallorn is obvious, it also provides a measure of protection to the armies fighting in Sarangrave this season.
<div {{float}}>
<quote by="Cadwell Waystone, General of the Black Thorns">Few words are needed for me to explain what is about to fall upon Nesustak Forest and the septs of the Mallum that live within it. The Greentide of the Vallorn will descend across the land, but we will be there to meet them. Let us show the Empire why we are the first line of defence against this foe. We will deploy a solid defence to buy time for the soldiers of the Granite Pillar to protect the septs. We will show these septs the light of virtue and the strength it provides. Leave the word of the desperate Druj to our siblings the Citadel Guard and Golden Axe.</quote>
<quote by="Serafina Semenov, General of the Boyar's Hasta">My Hasta! You make our quartermaster weep. A family of raiders, rapscallions, you are loud, opinionated and at least two of you owe me money. But to the Druj? To our foes? You are the ghost in the wind. The nightmare at the edges of their tunnel vision. But the job is not finished. The hand does not leave the door while the dark is moving. The Vallorn made the mistake of waking up while we're here. Make it a rude one. Hold the Vallornguard's wisdom in one hand and the Emperor's steel in another. Our eyes saved the Sarangrave, now let our spears defend those who cannot defend themselves.</quote>
<quote by="Sychar of Ebon's Hall, general of the Granite Pillar">We love the sword not for its sharpness, but for what it protects. We are soldiers; we are trained to fight, because if we do not, there are those who will tear virtue down. And so, alongside our allies in Varushka, Urizen and Navarr, we shall engage the Vallorn and in doing so protect the septs with a Solid Defence. We come as liberators, not conquerors, to bring the light of the Way. Where we go, virtues follow! You are the light in the darkness, and I could not be prouder of you my beloved siblings.</quote>
</div>
==The Doom of Béantal Dol==
The last act of the [[Druj_armies#Tainted_Basilisk|Tainted Basilisk]] was to [[Other_monstrous_geographies#End_of_All_Songs|rouse the vallorn]] of [[Sarangrave#Béantal Dol|Béantal Dol]] to devour Sarangrave, just as they raised the vallorn of [[Therunin|Tharunind]] to lay waste to [[Therunin]]. Using the [[Sentinel Gate]], Imperial heroes managed to [[Other_monstrous_geographies#Bloodwater_Marsh|stem the tide]] of the vallorn in [[Sarangrave#Bloodwater Marsh|Bloodwater Marsh]], and in the process [[Other_monstrous_geographies#Objective:_Shatter_the_Bilious_Breath|shatter]] the corrupt army of the Tainted Basilisk once and for all. Nothing can save the warding stones that once kept the vallorn contained in [[Sarangrave#Bendol|Bendol]], but thanks in part to the [[Other_monstrous_geographies#Game_Information_:_Béantal_Dol|vigilance of the Boyar's Hasta]], the worst of the damage has been contained...

All except for the Nesustak Forest. The Tainted Basilisk directed their malice against the Forest and the Marshes, against the rebels and the Empire. Even as heroes are fighting in the Bloodwater Marsh, the vallorn is beginning to surge forth across the woodlands claimed by the former slaves of the Sarangrave Druj.

Almost since the moment it was first unleashed, since it brought about the ruin of Béantal Dol, the vallorn in Bendol has been contained. That last desperate act of the Terunael magicians meant that a thousand years of growth, of the fecund magic of the [[Realms#Spring|Spring realm]] pouring into the mortal world, had nowhere to go. The warnings were plentiful; if the warding stones were removed the vallorn would explode outwards like a mechanism under tension that has finally been released. And explode it does. An eruption of greenery that spreads in all directions. It is weakened in Turan Flats, in Thornfen, and in Whisperwood. It has been held back in Bloodwater Marsh. Now it seeks to overwhelm Nesustak and the people who live there, a terrible tendril of destruction whipping out from the dark heart of Bendol.

The people of Nesustak Forest will fight - but they stand no chance against the unleashed vallorn. Even the aid of the ''[[Irra Harah|Prince with a Thousand Foes]]'' won't be enough to save them. The [[inhabitants of the realms#heralds|heralds]] and mortal "friends" of the Spring [[eternal]] will do their best but this is not a corrupt overseer, a tyrant, an oppressive conqueror that they can face down, nor is it a force that they can rally the oppressed to rise up against. It is a force of nature, utterly wild and completely savage, incapable of fear, remorse, or pity. A sea of life that will consume everything in its path, transforming everything over which it washes into part of itself.

So it falls to the Imperial armies to face the vallorn of Bendol, to stand against the tide, to turn back the sea. There are degrees of victory, of course, but anything short of total triumph will see Nesustak Forest tainted, wounded by the vallorn in a way that cannot be healed until that day where mortals finally face the wrath of the vallorn united, and achieve its destruction. Just as with [[Therunin#East Ashes|East Ashes]], where the [[Pilgrim's Defiance]] fought bravely against Tharunind, if any part of the vallorn makes it through the defenders the land will be [[A_bright_cerulean_flame|infested]] with the power of chaos.

A tall order.
<div style="float:left; width: 250px; clear: left;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=Cadwell Waystone.png|caption='''Cadwell Waystone''', General of the Black Thorns|align=right|width=250}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Serafina Semenov.jpg|caption='''Serafina Semenov''', General of the Boyar's Hasta|align=right|width=250}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Sychar of Ebon's Hall.jpg|caption='''Sychar of Ebon's Hall''', General of the Granite Pillar|align=right|width=250}}
</div>
All three armies are [[enchantment|enchanted]] with the [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]]. This is not a struggle to kill the opponent - right now there is no way to kill the vallorn in any way that matters - but to face its wrath and endure it. In the wild woods of Nesustak, the preternatural strategic awareness granted by [[Day magic]] will prove invaluable, allowing for soldiers spread across the region to coordinate their efforts toward the shared goal. The Black Thorns take the lead, appropriately enough, forming the first line of defence against the horror boiling out of Bendol. The Granite Pillar see to the defence of the septs of the Mallum, to those newly established settlements across Nesustak that house those who broke free of Druj dominance. The Boyar's Hasta stand between the two, ready to turn their spears to the defence of the former slaves or to plunge them into the heart of the vallornspawn, whichever is most needed.

The rebels of Nesustak are not defenceless; all those who can fight prepare to do so. The heralds of ''Unshackled'' are everywhere, offering counsel and support. There is no hiding from the vallorn; it devours all hiding places. There is no yielding; it is incapable of mercy. There is only flight, or fight. Those who cannot fight flee westward, under the protection of Highguard. Those who can fight take up spear and bow and ready themselves to battle the End of the World alongside Imperial soldiers. There is some suspicion, of course, but the [[Other_monstrous_geographies#The_Defence_of_Nesustak|example]] of the [[Gryphon's Pride]], and the clear commitment of the Empire to defend them, mean that it is put aside, for the moment at least. Even the children of the ''Ward of the Young'' urge the people of Nesustak to take the aid of Imperial armies at face value, at least for now. There may be a time when the septs of the Mallum and the Empire must fight one another, but for now they are united in a single cause.

There is barely enough time to prepare, though, before the first tendrils of the vallorn stretch out from the heart of Sarangrave into the forest, and chaos flows in their wake.

==Terror of a Thousand Years==
The vallorn rises, writhing out across Nesustak Forest. The first sign of its coming is that the vegetation all along the river begins to thicken, to grow with supernatural speed and fecundity, forcing the waters that flow down toward the lake to slow to a snail's pace. Across this surface sprout the roots of the Bendol trees, the body of the vallorn itself, creating a bridge across which the creatures of the deep woods can pour unchecked into Nesustak (and an observer might see this and shudder as to what this same process might have done in Bloodwater Marsh had it been free to spread there as well).

There is a mercy; the vallorn is expanding so swiftly that the [[vallorn miasma|miasma]] that hangs heavy over the places it claims is left behind. Not so the vallornspawn, the aberrant creatures that dwell within the heart of darkness, trapped in an eternal cycle of life and death, hunting and hunted in turn, warped by exposure to the chaos of Spring, compounded by the folly of Terunael.

It would take too long to enumerate the abhorrent things that pour out of Bendol. There are the [[vallornspawn husks]] of course. Although it is rare to encounter them outside the mists of the miasma, this season at least they are on the move into Nesustak. Perhaps it is a consequence of the great tide of power flowing out of the vallorn that drives them before it, heralds of its coming. The first husks are perhaps the most tragic; they are former human folk, many with the [[briar]] lineage. Most look so fresh they might be mistaken for living beings were it not for the way they move. These are the [[Into_Béantal_Dol#The_Grynbor|Grynbor]], that sept of human slaves that lived on the very edge of the Nesustak Forest across the river from the vallorn. The children of Irra Harah grimly recount their attempts to get them to flee the advance of the vallorn, and how they refused to leave. As Béantal Dol began to rise they bedecked themselves in their finery, adorned themselves in flowers, and crossed the river en masse to join with their ancestors.

The heralds were barely able to save a handful of children from this madness. For the rest, they really ''did'' join their ancestors - as creatures of the vallorn caught perpetually between life and death. Unfortunately, a disproportionate number of the former Grynbor seem to have made particularly strong hosts, even those without briar lineage. Many of them exhibit the powers of the so-called ''[[Vallornspawn_husk#Vallornspawn_Husks_and_Briars|dryads]]'', husks that channel Spring magic directly to empower and support the other husks around them and can by themselves keep a mob moving forward even in the face of concerted resistance.

There are also orc bodies moving at the forefront of the husks, but they are significantly less tragic. Many are magicians of the Tainted Basilisk, those overwhelmed by the vallorn when they broke the warding stones. Their living-death has washed away their magic, their spite and bitterness, leaving them no more potent than any other vallornspawn. Some do still wear remnants of the [[Weapons_%26_armour#Mage_Armour|mage armour]] that protected them in life, and some [[magic items|magic]] still clings to it, but it is fading fast. The Tainted Basilisk have reaped their reward for their wickedness, and paid the price for their attempt at [[Malign_spiritual_presences#Vengeance|retribution]].

The husks are only part of it, though, and alongside them come all the twisted abominations of the vallorn. The scouts who [[Into_Béantal_Dol#Within_Bendol|pressed into the depths of the vallorn]] spoke of monstrous hunting lizards whose jaws split open like flowers revealing hundreds of hooked teeth, and of serpentine creatures with spider-like legs that skittered through the trees, leaping at their prey and tearing them apart with their barbed claws before swallowing them whole. These are but the tip of the iceberg, however. Bear-like horrors with living vines growing in their hide that snap out and entangle enemies. Trees that shamble and stumble, shrieking with human voices and gushing red blood rather than sap when they are injured. Orbs of plant matter that drift unnaturally against the wind and explode with venomous spores when they take the slightest damage. Awful humanoid things, part flesh and part plant, each one twice the size of orc or human, lumpen and misshapen as the half-sculpted mockery of thinking beings that they are. There is at least one sighting of an infested [[marshwalker]], a natural creature twisted into a being of rampant destruction that moans and howls in constant agony. A creature that looks like nothing so much as a great ball of humanoid arms, rolling and dragging itself through the trees, before opening dozens of dripping maws in the palms of its "hands" with which it can suck all the blood from an unfortunate victim in a matter of moments. This and more, creatures from nightmare, all driven forward by the instinct of the vallorn, to devour, to consume, to contain.

Of all the spawn of the vallorn, only the [[ettercap|ettercaps]] are absent. As the scouts revealed, there seem to be none in Bendol. If there is a reason for this conspicuous absence, it is not any more apparent than it was when the Navarr first slipped into the ruins of Béantal Dol.

They come, and the Empire holds against them, and then things begin to go wrong.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">[[file:IrrahHurrah002.png|align=right|width=300]]</div>

==The Wooden Fastness==
Shortly after the Spring Equinox, a magical ward settles over the Nesustak Forest. The [[Forge the Wooden Fastness|wooden fastness]], forged from the power of Irra Harrah himself. Thickets of thorn and briar form; masses of branch and root mesh together to create veritable walls of living vegetation to help hold back the surging vallorn. The marsh forest itself acts to hinder enemies, while parting to allow the swift passage of allies. Even some of the beasts of Nesustak themselves fight the vallorn, in keeping with their natures, although this rarely ends well for them. And, while the region belongs to the rebels, the magic treats the Imperial defenders as allies and offers them safety in the wild places of the woodlands.

At the same time, the servants of Irra Harah slip into the woodlands in numbers hitherto unseen. Their primary focus is to protect the rebels, but they are prepared to cooperate with the Empire toward their shared goal. Bright-eyed heralds appear from nowhere to warn a cohort of the Granite Pillar of the approach of vallornspawn that might otherwise have caught them in a pincer. Quick rabbit-like creatures the size of a great dane lead a lost patrol of the Boyar's Hasta to safety at a rebel village, echoing the stories of magical beasts familiar to all [[Varushka|Varushkans]] (it is just as well, perhaps, that it is ''this'' army that is in Sarangrave for Irra Harah has little love for certain ''other'' Varushkan armies). The whispered words of the ''Golden Hare'' himself are brought on the wind to the Black Thorns, offering guidance as to where their strength might be best employed.

The friends of Irra Harah - the mortals who aid the eternal and have come to Nesustak to work with the rebels - say that in part this response from the eternal is due to the petition of the [[Archmage of Spring]] who has entreated ''Shacklebreaker'' for aid in Nesustak. The aid is for the most part subtle, but it is aid nonetheless. Many who would have died survive their encounters with the vallorn, and those who might have been overwhelmed are brought succour when it is most needful.

However... this very ward that protects so many proves to be a two-edged sword. The vallorn is drawn to [[Spring magic]], and the Wooden Fastness is a powerful expression of that realm's arts. At first the ward is only beneficial, helping the defenders hold back the vallorn. Unfortunately, the further the vallornspawn press, the deeper its tendrils penetrate, the wilder they become. The mechanism is unclear but they ''glut'' themselves somehow on the magic flowing around them. The vallorn itself seems to batten onto the magic, feeding on it, drawing strength from it. The husks drive forward, pressing further ahead of the tendrils of the vallorn itself. The abominations often seem driven into a frenzy when they come into contact with elements of the ward, attacking with berserk fury. Worse, the power of the ward serves to invigorate and revitalise the vallornspawn; where the ward is most potent they seem to heal almost immediately from all save the most terrible wounds. While they cannot endure [[venom]], the vallornspawn husks seem almost impossible to destroy except by literally rending them limb from limb.

While the ward slows the attackers, while it protects the weak and the strong, it does so by making the vallornspawn more vicious, and blood begins to flow in rivers through the forests of Nesustak.

It is of course at this exact moment that the Druj choose to return to Sarangrave.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Druj1.jpg|align=right|width=350}}

==Fang and Feather==
The Tainted Basilisk are no more, but there are two other armies that still call Sarangrave home. The [[Druj_armies#Poison_Crane|Poison Crane]] are the warriors of the Marshlizard who once dominated [[Sarangrave#Thornfen|Thornfen]] and [[Sarangrave#Kroll|Kroll]]. Likewise, the [[Druj_armies#Hidden_Snake|Hidden Snake]] are drawn from the Banded Snake sept who ruled over Nesustak Forest and the Turan Flats. Their homelands have been conquered by the Empire. Those Druj who ruled the septs have been forced to flee, either north into the [[Salt Flats of Sanath]] or into the wild places of Sarangrave. Either way they are in no position to support their warriors any more. It comes as no surprise then that a couple of weeks after the Spring Equinox, these two armies launch an attack against Sarangrave. It is perhaps more of a surprise that there are no ''other'' Druj armies with them. They do not come alone, however, when they pour across the border from [[Salt_Flats_of_Sanath#Lower_Saarnath|Lower Saarnath]] into Turan Flats.

It is common for Druj armies to bear potent [[enchantment|enchantments]] but usually they draw on the lore of [[Spring magic]]. Sometimes, though, it can be easy to forget that the wicked magicians of the Druj are versed in other realms as well. It has been a long time since the Empire has seen the warriors of the Mallum fighting alongside the dead but when the two battered armies come into the Sarangrave, thousands of shambling horrors come with them. If they were Imperial armies, the [[Unfettered Mind]] would say they are subject to [[Quickening Cold Meat]] but this is not any dubious gift of [[Wise Rangara]] - it is something altogether worse.

The dead - predominantly but not solely orcs - are absolutely consumed with hunger for living blood and meat. The spirits inside them are not quite the same as those drawn by the Imperial enchantment; they are as cunning as they are savage. While they cannot speak, they display the ability to work together in a way Winter husks rarely evidence. They move quickly, lean and athirst, hunting ahead of the Druj armies in packs that hurl themselves at any who try to fight, and relentlessly chase down anyone who tries to flee like wild dogs. A few seem to be possessed of more potent spirits, that unleash occasional howls of terrifying intensity that can [[Weakness|drive the strength]] from a warrior and make them easy prey for the pack.

They are similar to the traditional spirits called by Imperial magic in one particular way, however. When they are defeated - when their stolen bodies can no longer house the creature of the Winter realm housed within - they move swiftly to find another body and rouse it to wakefulness ready to enact the same horrible dance of hunt, murder, and feasting all over again. As the season draws on, then, there are more former humans among their number than orcs, making them all the more horrible.

As well as Winter spirits, the Hidden Snake is accompanied by a cohort of the creatures known as [[Druj_lore#Tortured_souls|tortured souls]]. Former Imperial heroes and champions, captured by the Druj and transformed through torment and vile ceremonies into relentless warriors of death who harbour an unending hatred for those they see as having abandoned them. The general of the Hidden Snake, [[Druj_champion#Het|Het]] Trakaa, is known to have an obsession with creating these things and it seems he has brought his entire "collection" with him in this last-ditch, desperate attack.

Perhaps they believe that the Empire's attention is focused elsewhere, fighting the vallorn, and they will have the opportunity to claim the [[Sarangrave#Turan Flats|Turan Flats]]. Perhaps they are just desperate. Either way, the two armies erupt across the border, launching an [[Army_orders#Overwhelming_Assault|overwhelming assault]] against what were once the holdings of the Banded Snakes in Turan. They must be hoping to claim the region before the Empire realises they are there, and seize another season from the jaws of death.
<div {{float}}>
<quote by="Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was, General of the Citadel Guard">Sentinels, Consider the Drowned Man. There were three Druj armies that Tyrannised the people of the Sarangrave. As I write this, there are two. Under my command, the Basilisk was Broken by the Heroes of Anvil. Now the Snake and Crane will break on your discipline. We are their end.</quote>
<quote by="Vojsuli Cherenkov, General of the Golden Axe">Axe, we have fought to take Sarangrave. Now we fight to hold it. The Druj seek to take what we have claimed and in vigilance we shall deny them in this. We shall be a shield for our comrades fighting the Vallorn. We shall break the Druj with our axes. We deny them this day and for all days to come. Their empire shall fall, their armies shall break. Axe, with me, we Stand!</quote></div>

==Battle of the Flats==
Fortunately, the Empire is entirely prepared for the attack from the north. The Citadel Guard and the Golden Axe are already in position to meet the onslaught from the Salt Flats, and when the Hidden Snake and the Poison Crane launch their attack they break themselves against a solid wall of Imperial soldiers.

If it were possible to feel pity for the Druj, now might be the time. Even with Winter husks fighting with them they are outnumbered nearly three to one by the Urizen and Varushkan troops. There is no subtlety here, no skirmish and retreat, no traps to lure the unsuspecting into, no opportunities to terrorise the weak. There is only a face-to-face fight between two Druj armies that are on the verge of exhausted collapse, and two fresh, well-rested Imperial armies. Druj desperation is no match for the resolve of those that stand against them.

The Snake and the Crane are bent on reaching Turan but they do not come close. The battle of Turan Flats takes place miles from Trakaa's capital, from the Banded Snake's old centre of power. Indeed, the Druj have barely crossed the border before the Citadel Guard and the Golden Axe are upon them. At first, the armies fall back a little, giving the impression perhaps that they are overwhelmed and ready to give ground. But they are merely testing the forces that have come against them, wisely waiting to see if this is just the advance guard and if a more potent force follows behind. As soon as it becomes clear that the two armies are by themselves, the trap snaps shut around them.

Thrusting forward towards Turan means that they are far enough from the border for the plentiful forces of the Golden Axe to flank them on either side while the Citadel Guard plant their standards in the soft marsh soil and simply refuse to fall back any further. The fighting is vicious, bloody, savage as only a war against the Druj can be. Stripped of their tricks they have only their martial force to rely on, and even with their unliving auxiliaries it is just... not enough.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">
{{CaptionedImage|file=Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was.jpg|caption='''Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was''', General of the Citadel Guard|align=left|width=250}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=GeneralGoldenAxe.jpg|caption='''Vojsuli Cherenkov''' (right), General of the Golden Axe|align=left|width=250}}
</div>
Oh, the Empire does not emerge unscathed. Some five hundred Imperial soldiers fall to the Druj, to their howling Winter war-dogs, to the tortured spirits of champions taken by the enemy and twisted into something unspeakable. At the same time, however, the Druj lose nearly twice that many of their own troops - losses they cannot hope to recover from while the Empire holds Sarangrave and their septs are broken and scattered.

The Druj have been driven back, but the encounter is far from decisive. The invaders are left with no option but to fall back to the Salt Flats, perhaps to make one last attempt on reclaiming their lands next season. The Citadel Guard and the Golden Axe give chase, but they are unable to catch the fleeing Druj. The same Imperial magic that serves to help the folk of Nesustak Forest escape the vallorn proves an unexpected ally to the orcs of the Mallum. The bulk of their two armies easily escape their pursuers back toward the border with Sanath.

==An End to Waiting==
While the Citadel Guard and the Golden Axe battle the Druj in Turan Flats, the rest of the Imperial forces fight alongside the Nesustak rebels against a seemingly endless tide of vallornspawn empowered and invigorated by that same Spring magic meant to protect the people of the forest. It is a paradox, almost. Those sites where the enchantment is focused are the best place to hold the vallorn, but the savagery of the spawn means it is also where the most blood is spilled.

As the vallorn draws power from Spring magic, the defenders are thrown into disarray and it seems clear the vallornspawn are going to overwhelm them. First one step back, then another. The trees of eastern Nesustak begin to twist, as the tendrils of the vallorn begin to take root, begin to plant the seeds that will begin the final infestation of the forest. A desperate council of war is held; perhaps it is time to accept the inevitable, to save what can be saved and to abandon the rest. The sorrow that hangs over that discussion is palpable; the heralds of Irra Harah prepare to help those rebels and Imperials prepared to flee the woodlands to make their escape if they think the day is lost.

In the end, though, the Black Thorns refuse point blank to accept defeat. "''Let us show the Empire why we are the first line of defence against this foe''", said the General, and those words resonate like never before. Whatever the other Imperial forces may do, the Black Thorns will not retreat before the vallorn. In the face of such commitment, the Granite Pillar and the Boyar's Hasta will not abandon their allies. The rebels of the Nesustak Forest will not abandon their homes, while there is any chance of holding even a portion of the woodlands.

From there, the push back begins in earnest. The price is grim indeed; the vallornspawn attack in a frenzy but the Imperial forces will not allow them to claim any more land here. They lost Eastring to the malice of the Tainted Basilisk; the Navarr will not allow the Nesustak Forest to share that fate. The vallornspawn are not just held, but they are forced back, back toward the river over which they swarmed, back to the ruins of Béantal Dol. It is slow going at first, and gets harder the closer the vallornspawn get to being driven out of the woodlands. By the time the fighting reaches the banks of the river, the magic of the Wooden Fastness has been so drained the enchantment is beginning to fall apart. Yet it holds long enough to provide a measure of succour to those fighting the vallornspawn, moments of respite in the terrible fighting that create a space to recover from the violence, to rest, to sleep safely.

In the end, as the Summer Solstice approaches, the last of the vallornspawn are cut down. Vates and magisters and cabalists, versed in the lore of Spring and Winter, work quickly to uproot the seeds of the vallorn before they can take root. Without the relentless attacks of the vallorn, it is relatively easy to work the rituals to deal with the contagion left in their wake. While the vallorn still exists the Nesustak Forest will be in danger - but ultimately no more so than [[Hercynia#Northpines|Northpines]] or the [[Hercynia#Glen of Shadows|Glen of Shadows]]. Even the vegetative bridge that stretches across the river, that thick matt of plant matter that allowed abominations to pour into the western woods, begins to decay and fall apart as the vallorn of Béantal Dol slips back into uneasy restfulness. An old story; the vallorn rises and the resolve of humans and orcs drives it back. Inspirational, perhaps.

==An Old Story==
In the north, in the Turan Flats, another old story is unfolding. The Poison Crane and the Hidden Snake have escaped the wrath of the Golden Axe and the Citadel Guard, seeking to flee back over the border into the Salt Flats of Sanath, guided by Autumn magic. Yet, at the last moment, something goes wrong. Perhaps those who remember the Druj retreat from Holberg all those years ago might have guessed what is coming but it seems the armies of the Mallum have short memories.

When they try to leave Turan Flats, the Hidden Snake and the Poison Crane are met with a tempest of arrows. Druj arrows. Warriors from the [[Salt_Flats_of_Sanath#The_Witness|Witness]], the [[Salt_Flats_of_Sanath#Spires_of_Rarckan|Spires of Rarckan]], and the [[Salt_Flats_of_Sanath#Beacon_of_Iskrid|Beacon of Iskrid]] are arrayed along the border, and will not let the defeated armies cross out of Sarangrave. Those who try are remoreselessly cut down. A few might make it across, but without the protection of the Autumn magic that has protected them thus far they will not escape the patrols for long.

Left with no choice, the armies turn on the very edge of Turan Flats and prepare to make their final stand. One way or another, this is the end for the Hidden Snake and the Poison Crane; the end for the Banded Snake and Marshlizard; the end for Het Trakaa and his terrible crimes. Some will escape, no doubt, to join the Druj in hiding throughout the Mallum. The Autumn enchantment will see to that, but their numbers are only a fraction of those warriors who fled the fall of the Tower of the Skink. How dangerous can they be, these last few thousand Druj?

But that is not the only danger here, and this is not just the cruelty of the Druj made manifest. The Citadel Guard have made a close enough study of the magic wrapped around the two armies; it portends something bad that is to come. The bonds of Winter magic that coil around the Hidden Snake and Poison Crane hold hundreds and hundreds of Winter spirits in thrall to the commanders of the army. When those two armies fail - and fail they will - those spirits will be unleashed into the Sarangrave to begin an [[Quickening_Cold_Meat#Description|unliving rampage]].

==Game Information==
<div {{float}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Regions of Sarangrave.png|caption=Sarangrave is mapped, but parts of the territory remain unknown.|align=left|width=600}}</div>
===Sarangrave===
* '''The vallorn has been beaten back from Nesustak Forest
* '''It has returned to (relative) quiesence by the start of the Summer Solstice
* '''The Druj armies that invaded Sarangrave have been defeated but escaped Imperial pursuit
* '''They have been prevented from leaving the territory by Druj forces in the Salt Flats of Sanath
The vallorn of Bendol has been beaten back from Nesustak Forest. The [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]] enchantment both served to protect the region, and imperil its defenders. Its strength both served to increase the defence of the Imperial armies, and inflict casualties on the vallorn (inasmuch as that is irrelevant with an empowered vallorn but it still happened). Unfortunately, in line with warnings given about the danger of Spring magic and the vallorn, the vallornspawn who encountered the enchantment were ultimately empowered by it. They did not gain strength to conquer the region - which would have been counterproductive - but instead the number of casualties they inflicted on the defenders was significantly increased. For now though, the immediate threat of the vallorn is over. It is no longer contained by the warding stones of Terunael - their power has been expended protecting the rest of the territory - and it is still a very powerful example of a vallorn. But it is quiescent, at least for the moment.

The Druj armies that invaded Turan Flats were defeated by the Urizen and Varushkan armies. They are still in the territory, however, trapped between the Salt Flats of Sanath (who will not allow them to enter) and the Empire's soldiers. Their strength is greatly depleted, and they are on the verge of collapse. Following the Summer Solstice, whatever else happens these two armies will disband. They are hanging on by a thread, partially due to the impact of the Autumn magic enchantment laid on the territory.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Alikos Helio.jpg|align=right|width=250}}</div>

===Thornfen===
* '''Axos has finished claiming the region of Thornfen'''
Finally, the Axou forces of Ipotavo have finished claiming the region of Thornfen, with the [[388YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Acknowledge_Axou_claim_to_Thornfen|approval of the Senate]]. The region is now part of Axos. The fortification itself has been assimilated, but has no garrison. At the moment, the Axou forces in Sarangrave are allied to the Empire and Imperial armies can move through the region freely. If that were to change, any Imperial army trying to move through Thornfen would be forced to stop and deal with any Axou forces stationed there.

True to their intent, the Axou consolidation of Thornfen has seen the existing population there exiled to [[Sarangrave#Kroll|Kroll]] and [[Sarangrave#Whisperwood|Whisperwood]]. Only those former slaves of the Mallum who can demonstrate a clear connection to the citadels of Axos have been permitted to remain in Thornfen. Further details of the situation in Thornfen will be presented in the '''[[Seeds_of_discord#Axos|Seeds of discord]]''' wind of fortune.

===Escape Path===
* '''The arcane projection used in Sarangrave represents an effect that would no longer be allowed with Autumn magic
This season the Sarangrave was under the effect of Autumn magic that helped reduce casualties suffered by armies, as well as helping people find the best route to safety. This is an old [[arcane projection]], that wouldn't be passed today. Helping people find safety, such as with [[Hand of the Dhomiro]] is an entirely appropriate use of [[Autumn magic]], but the ability to reduce all casualties on a territory level isn't something we'd allow today. There are of course plenty of arcane projections from previous years in the game, and there is no problem with making use of them, but the older an arcane projection is the more likely it represents some peculiar aberration of magic.

The in-character explanation is that the arcane projection represents the result of a conjunction at the time it was created. The ongoing magical chaos caused by the stars supported the ritual, but the effect of the ritual could not be duplicated going forward.

==Battle: Harvester of Graves==
Whilst most eyes have been on the [[vallorn]] erupting from [[Sarangrave#Béantal_Dol|Béantal Dol]] this season, the activity in the east of [[Sarangrave]] has also seen portentous happenings. The courageous efforts of the [[Citadel Guard]] and the [[Golden Axe]] have turned back the assault of the Hidden Snake and Poison Crane, along with their undead allies. Yet in turn the [[Druj]] in the [[Salt Flats of Sanath]] have turned weapons on their fleeing compatriots, signalling that there is no return to the heart of the Mallum for the two armies.

The barbarians now find themselves in an unenviable position. Close to breaking from the casualties inflicted upon them by the [[Varushka|Varushkans]] and the [[Urizen|Urizeni]], denied entry to Sanath, and cut off from any chance of resupply or support. If they flee they will die, if they make camp they will starve, the only way open to them is to strike with fear, unleash terror, and hope they make it across the Howling Abyss.

It is apparent that the wider plan is to drive the remnants of the armies into Imperial lines, bleeding their own forces, and ultimately breaking them in bone and sinew. The only way is west, onto the axes and rods of the Empire's armies that have already driven them back once. When the armies do break, the twisted abominations that march with them will fall in savagery upon Imperial soldiers.

There is a conjunction to the ''Fens of Varreth'' in the [[Sarangrave#Turan_Flats|Turan Flats]] within Sarangrave. The Sentinel Gate will enable travel to the location on Saturday or Sunday of the Summer Solstice.

===Objective: Trap the Spirits===
* '''The winter rituals cast upon the Hidden Snake and Poison Crane are uncoiling'''
* '''The Halls of Maykop have offered use of the ''Scorched Drenkthal'''''
* '''Successfully using the boon will contain the spirits'''
* '''The Halls of Maykop will expect the boon to be returned to them'''
* '''If nothing is done thousands of ravenous winter husks will fall under the control of Agramant'''
* '''If that happens the regions of Thornfen, and Kroll will be tormented'''

When the two Druj armies disband, the winter spirits that animate the corpses alongside their armies will seek out the dead in the wider area, will fall under the macabre control of ''Agramant, The Howler'', eternal of Winter. These husks are not the somnambulant shamblers ushered into wakefulness by the magic of Wise Rangara, they are bloodthirsty cadavers keen to feast on flesh and blood. They are vicious, cunning and cruel, slaking their cold hunger with living and screaming meat. These terrible monsters will spread into Thornfen and Kroll, bringing terror in their wake.

Six months ago, the Empire, led by '''Earl Zoran De Orzel''' as [[Field Marshal]], passed through the Sentinel Gate and drew the attention of [[Fire_and_the_flood#Objective:_Confront_Fangsnapper's_forces|Het Rethan "''Fangsnapper''"]]. This daring intervention allowed the Shield of Ipotavo to receive vital resupply from Axos. This intercession was a clear demonstration of the Empire's willingness to help its allies, and the Axou are keen to return the favour. Upon hearing of the rampant husks, the citadel has offered three strange posies of herbs that would entrap the Winter spirits inside and prevent them from entering the recently deceased. These posies are an ancient boon from [[Wise Rangara]], won in centuries past, that allows the bearers to sap away the lingering Winter magic in an area. The use of the boon requires agreement from ''Grandmother Winter'', which the Axou have already secured for this purpose.

The Halls request three volunteers to bond to the three aspects of the Scorched Drenkthal that take the form of small bundles of herbs wrapped in cloth, as they journey to the ''Fens of Varreth''. Each corsage would [[Unyielding Constitution|offer some benefit whilst in combat]], but potentially leave those bonded with a lack of caution - less than ideal given the presence of rampaging Winter spirits. The three will need to reach a set of pillars that mark the edge of the reeking mires of the area, placing their herb bundle at the base of one of the pillars. This would slowly sap away at the Winter magic in the area, wrangling the spirits and effectively trapping them. After 10 minutes, the three bundles of herbs will have been suffused with the winter spirits and can be reclaimed, ready to return to Anvil and to be passed back to the Axou by the civil service. What the Halls of Maykop might do with the spirits once they have been bound to the ''Scorched Drenkthal'' is unclear.

Agramant's monsters are far too smart to attack the fortification in Thornfen. They will prey on settlements and pick off stragglers, dragging them into the darkness to devour them. The populace of a tormented region are slowly depleted and such regions will quickly become underpopulated and eventually abandoned, while the people who live there will be filled with terror. Garrisons and armies cannot benefit from natural resupply in a territory that contains one or more tormented regions.

===Option: Thief takes the Meat===
* '''Night ritualists could transfer the ritual enchantments from the Druj generals using ''Thief's Arcane Gambit'''''
* '''Each recipient Imperial general would then have a three-season Winter ritual enchantment on their army'''

In response to enquiries, the civil service have confirmed that a bold and previously untried plan would be possible - at least theoretically. With a large enough Night coven, it is possible to utilise ''[[Thief's Arcane Gambit]]'' to 'steal' the Winter enchantment and place it on a new target. This requires the ritual to be cast at half the magnitude of the original enchantment.

Each of the two Druj generals would need to be captured, alive, and then detained for the duration of the ritual. A night coven would then need to perform a magnitude 60 casting of Thief's Arcane Gambit on the captured general. The ritual can only steal an enchantment if it is placed on to a comparable target, in this case a [[general]] of an Imperial [[army]]. If successful each Imperial general will be under the power of the Winter ritual that will last for three seasons before ending.

There are two caveats to consider. The first is that the Winter spirits are currently here in the Sarangrave. If the enchantment that controls and binds and focuses them is moved to an army elsewhere in the world, the husks will move there. They will move relatively quickly, but they will cause significant problems for the lands they move through to arrive at the destination.

The second problem is that unlike [[Quickening Cold Meat]], the enchantment the Druj are employing appears to draw on the power of [[Agramant]]. Technically the magicians won't be casting an Agramant ritual, they'll be casting Thief's Arcane Gambit, but that sounds like a novel legal defence for a general under a powerful Agramant enchantment to employ. The civil service have not had time to check what the legal position would be. They have had time to check how Agramant would respond - they are fairly certain the eternal would be ''absolutely delighted''.

===Objective: End Trakaa's Tortured Souls===
* '''Het Trakaa has mustered his remaining tortured souls to deliver a crippling blow against the Empire'''
* '''If these monsters are not destroyed, then the Turan Flats will become tormented'''
* '''Priests will need support to exorcise these powerful creatures'''

Tortured Souls are born from a combination of the Druj's [[apothecary]] skills and mystic rituals that break an individual's will and turn them into a monster full of wrath and malice towards any they face. They are fearsome foes, often still clad in the garb of their former Imperial lives, and capable of inflicting a grievous curse with blows from their weapons. Whilst it is possible to put down and execute their physical forms, their spiritual presence can quickly return. Het Trakaa, the general of the Hidden Snake, has unleashed the last of these pitiful abominations here in the Turan Flats, intent on setting them free against Imperial forces to deal as much pain and suffering as possible, before they are destroyed.

Exorcists will need to ascertain the strength of the aura that lies on each creature using insight ceremonies, before mustering sufficient power of will, and liao, to dismiss the souls of these tortured beings. Whilst many of the tortured souls are comparable to those encountered before, around a dozen of them are more powerful creatures, possessed of greater awareness of their surroundings and with stronger connections to their former lives. These individuals will be recognisable by the distinctive Imperial clothing they still wear, but will pose a far greater challenge for priests to exorcise successfully.

If the majority of the tortured souls are not destroyed, they will stalk the region making it ''tormented''. The monsters will roam the area, killing and torturing any innocents they find, and striking terror into the hearts of those they encounter.

===Objective: Kill Trakaa and Sul===
* '''The armies of Het Trakaa and Sul Maggotgnaw are about to collapse'''
* '''What is left of the two forces will scatter across the territory looking to prey on the weak'''
* '''Killing Het Trakaa and Sul Maggotgnaw will ensure that these attacks are scatted and uncoordinated'''

Both the Hidden Snake and Poison Crane armies have now been broken in battle and will disband within days. When that happens, the soldiers who are left will break and seek out cover as the army dissolves. Whatever happens, these partians will be a problem for the Urizeni, raiding farms and caravans, stealing goods and attacking patrols. But those attacks will be ill-disciplined, they will lack any direction or purpose. They will be a problem, but not one that grows with time, or joins forces with other problems the Urizeni face, at least until they get new leadership from somewhere.

However, if the generals of the two armies are still alive when their army collapses, they will go with their soldiers and be able to maintain a degree of cohesion and control over what remains. On the face of it, the effects will be the same, the army will dissolve and the soldiers will go into hiding, emerging to attack isolated farmsteads and passing merchants. But with the leadership still there, such attacks will be guided by a malicious intelligence, able to plan attacks and act in concert with other enemies of the Empire.

The two generals have been identified as Trakaa of the Hidden Snake and Sul Maggotgnaw of the Poison Crane. Marching under a tattered banner depicting broken bones, Trakaa will be accompanied by his personal Pakad bodyguard. Sul Maggotgnaw is protected by a unit of poison-wielding Chikkad who fight under a banner depicting a ichorous maggot. Killing these two important Druj leaders will ensure that the surviving Druj are left leaderless, limiting the threat they post once the army disbands.

===Threat: The Mirk Lizards===
* '''The Druj are joined by a group of human warriors clothed in scraps of tattered blue fabric'''
* '''They appear to be excommunicating rather than executing some victims in battle'''
A band of human warriors march with the Druj into battle. Wearing tattered scraps of blue tunics, they have the demeanour of grim-faced and seasoned mercenaries, well-armoured and carrying an assortment of weapons. Next to nothing is known of them, but there are rumours that these warriors are driven to oppose the Way in some fashion. There are claims that priests among them have excommunicated foes on the battlefield, rather than executing them as the orcs might do. There is no known reason for their actions, or why the Druj allow it; so the war scouts urge caution. Killing them will put an end to their plans and stop their support for the orcs of the Mallum, but if more can be found out, it could prove useful in time to come.

===Environment: Words in the Pines===
* '''Druj ghulai have invoked the power of Agramant to curse the area'''
* '''Any combatant that falls in battle, either Druj or Imperial, will rise again as a shambling husk'''
* '''Skilful blows or dedicated effort can stop these hideous creatures in their tracks'''
* '''This <u>does not</u> apply if you reach the end of your death count whilst in Anvil'''
With the [[Alignment#Enmity|enmity]] of the [[Conclave]] safely in place, [[Agramant|''Blood upon the Snow'']], is limited in what he can do in Sarangrave, unless invited into the world by a magician. In their desperation, the Druj have done exactly that, invoking the power of Agramant to curse the whole area. As a result, each spirit, whispering gnawing words of unending hunger for the living, is quick to find a body of a recently felled combatant in the area and animate them in a cruel mockery of life. Biding the sibilant uttering of their master, the corpses will stalk forth in a stumbling advance keen to slay any living creature they find.

Anyone who falls in the battle on the ''Fens of Varreth'' will rise again after three minutes unless the individual is executed before they arise. The shambling corpses are not especially hardy, and can be taken down through a sustained assault or more expertly ended through the delivery of cleaving strikes or mortal blows to the limbs or torso.

<box>'''Call of the Abominable One'''
As either a player character or player monster during this battle, if you reach the end of your Death Count (normally after three minutes) then you can choose to immediately rise again as a winter husk, instead of becoming Terminal. At this point your character is dead. In addition you:
* Regain all of your lost hits and ruined limbs are restored
* Move as a slow, shambling corpse, staggering towards and attacking the nearest living creature
* Are unable to use heroic or magical calls
* Cannot activate magical items or ritual enchantments
* Can only vocalise a low unearthly moan
* Are destroyed by a successful CLEAVE or IMPALE blow, or when you next reach zero hit points

Winter husks cannot ''grapple'' with other participants under any circumstances - you must only attack other characters with a weapon-safe latex weapon.

The only way to prevent this occurring is if the individual is executed before they expire.</box>

==A Testing (Conjunction)==
* '''Druj accompanied by heralds of Surut threaten to burn a weirwood tree'''
* '''The Great Forest Orcs have offered their support if the attack is repelled'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Custodian of the Fingers of the Devourer'' is [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|responsible]] for destroying the heralds'''
{{NoInnocentsPresent}}
Druj guerillas, secreted throughout the Sarangrave, constantly search for the opportunity to inflict damage on the Imperials and the septs who have dared turn away from the Buruk Tepel. They work to maintain the pall of fear and ruin that has shrouded the Sarangrave for decades. Weirwood smoke is a smell only Surut could enjoy, and the Druj have promised plenty in some foul deal. Urizen scouts have spotted a band of Druj, accompanied by heralds of [[The_Thrice-cursed_Court#Surut|the Charred Prince]] in Whisperwood, south of Uklead, making their way to the [[Fingers of the Devourer]].

If the Surut heralds are killed, any remaining Druj guerillas can be dealt with by sentinels and other locals. The [[Fingers of the Devourer|Custodian of the Fingers of the Devourer]], '''Borris Harrovich Prochnost''', is responsible for ensuring that the heralds of Surut are killed. Failure to kill the heralds will see them burn one of the weirwood trees, permanently reducing production of the grove by two wains a season. If the heralds are destroyed, then the Great Forest Orcs will repay the effort by supporting the work of the weirwood grove, permanently increasing its production by two wains each season.

==Kaela's Gift==
Secured through a bargain with the Winter Archmage, the gift allows any Imperial citizen in the hands of the [[Druj]] to choose to die painlessly. No corpse remains for the Druj to defile, to impale, or to use to taunt the living - the body turns to dust and ashes. This gift extends across the entire eastern Empire, into the Mallum, [[Brocéliande]], and [[Therunin]].

The gift allows any Imperial citizens fighting in the [[Vallorn#Vallorn_Miasma|vallorn miasma]] to choose death and ''dissolution'' before their bodies could be infested with the vallorn's sick version of immortality.

'''OOC Note:''' Using the gift requires thirty seconds of appropriate roleplaying. This ability may be used by player characters captured by the Druj during an event or who is [[Combat#Dying|dying]] in an area of vallorn miasma; if you do so you should ensure that you mark your character as dead as soon as you can so that your egregore is aware of your death. There is, however, one drawback to this, as Imperial magicians may soon discover: anyone who takes advantage of this ability cannot be contacted with [[Whispers through the Black Gate]].

This ability is an exception to the normal rules on using abilities while [[Combat#Terminal|terminal]]; a terminal character ''can'' use this ability if they are captured by the Druj or fallen in vallorn miasma.

The dose makes the poison

2026-08-19T11:47:57Z

Rafferty: /* On Razorhill */

[[Category:Winds of War]][[Category:388YE Autumn]][[Category:Military Council]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Axe of Dusk.jpg|align=left|caption=The Golden Axe brave the rotting marshes of Therunin, and the spiteful poison that pools there.|width=500}}</div>
==Gold Axe and Iron Boot==
The rich bayou and dense forests of [[Therunin]] are a shadow of what they once were. Since the [[Ashes#Ring_of_Ashes|surprise assault]] of the Druj a little over two years ago, the [[Navarr]] territory has been torn by war and poison, ravaged by [[Spring magic#Chaos|chaos]] and [[Spring magic#Ruin|ruin]]. The [[Thimble]] was lost, the [[Therunin#Holt_of_the_Oak_(ruined)|Holt of the Oak]] fell, [[Isaella's Dance]] and the [[Iron Helms]] made the ultimate sacrifice to help their allies win free of a Druj trap, the ancient hospital of [[Therunin#Peakedge Stead|Peakedge Stead]], the newly built apothecary college of [[Thornsinger#Thornsong House|Thornsong House]] burned, and [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]] withdrew his healing rains from the Empire. Worse, the wicked sorcerers of the [[Druj_armies#Tainted_Basilisk|Tainted Basilisk]] roused the vallorn of Tharunind. Only the [[Songs_like_trees#That_Hill_and_Wood_Shall_Slay|valiant efforts]] of [[Wolves of War|League soldiers]] and [[Golden Sun|Dawnish knights]] saved [[Therunin#Peakedge Stead|Peakedge Stead]] from being overwhelmed; only the courage of [[Pilgrim's Defiance|Highborn pilgrims]] protected [[Therunin#East Ashes|East Ashes]] from [[A_bright_cerulean_flame|being consumed]]. Despite all that sacrifice, all that valorous desperation, [[Therunin#Eastring|Eastring]] was [[Crimson_and_green|still lost]] and while the Druj paid a high price for their arrogance, there is no hope of the steadings or the [[weirwood]] groves being recovered until that day when the Empire takes the final battle to the vallorn.
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<quote by="Vojsuli Cherenkov, General of the Golden Axe">Warriors of the Axe, this season we march to Therunin. We march to where the Iron Helms & Isaella's Dance paid the ultimate price. To where the bonds of Loyalty between Varushka and Navarr were deepened. For too long have the people of Therunin been cut off from our Empire. The dread gaze of Blood-on-the-Snow has turned to the people of Therunin offering false hope. We reject the lies of this Eternal! We march to show the people of Therunin that they are not forgotten. To the Navarr of Therunin, look to the east. We are coming.</quote>
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Into this crucible of pain comes the worst of all possible friends - the [[eternal]] known as ''Twigsnap'', as the ''Giver of Gifts'' and ''Blood-on-the-Snow''. ''He who calls the Lost to Feast''. [[Agramant]]. "''Nobody else cares about Therunin save me''", he whispers. "''I am the only friend to the people of Therunin''", he claims. "''I will help you take back what the Empire has denied you''", he wheedles. And to be sure he has [[The_thing_with_feathers#Heartbreaking_(Agramant)|offered sweet gifts]], and [[The_keys_of_blood#The_Beast_Below_(Agramant)|despite the warnings]] some of those who still remain in Therunin have heeded his words.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=GoldenAxe Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>

Now the Empire responds, and the warriors of the [[Golden Axe|Axe]] march to Therunin. They march in part to deepen the bonds between [[Varushka]] and Navarr, and to urge the people to reject the false hope offered by the ''Cannibal King''. Up out of the [[Sarangrave#Turan Flats|Turan Flats]] they go, fording the Unnamed River at [[Sarangrave#Turan|Turan]], thence to the [[The_Barrens#The_Bleaks|Bleaks]] and a sojourn at the [[The_Barrens#Last_Battle_Wayhouse|Last Battle Wayhouse]]. There the captains meet with the steading that calls that place home, still, despite the jealous anger of the Karass. The Navarr scouts have kept as close an eye on the [[Therunin#Lower Tarn Valley|Lower Tarn Valley]] as they have on the Sarangrave; they are ready to serve as guides to the poisoned morass the Druj have made of that once-beautiful marshland.

The dour Varushkan warriors are bound around with [[Day magic]] that grants vital [[Clarity of the Master Strategist|clarity]] for the battle that is to come. A half-handful of [[Military unit|Imperial captains]] accompany them, but for the most part it is the warriors of the Axe alone that walk south out of the Barrens into the ruin of the Lower Tarn. As they march, orcs watch them from the trees. The Karass resent the Last Battle, and resent the Imperials who visit. They make no effort to impede the army - they are not so brave - but neither do they offer any aid. It's doubtful they have much to give anyway; their warriors are busy in [[the Mallum]] after all.
{{CaptionedImage|file=GeneralGoldenAxe.jpg|caption='''Vojsuli Cherenkov''' (right), General of the Golden Axe|align=right|width=300}}
So, gathering momentum as they go, the Golden Axe leaves the Bleaks and enters a Therunin that is, at least in theory, still held by the Druj.

==Haunted Bayou==
Therunin is haunted, there can be no doubt. For the Golden Axe, it is the spectre of the Iron Helms that they spy beneath the hunched trees of the Tarn Valley. They paid an ultimate price, paid it willingly, and if the story is to be believed some of them still fight on despite having died a year or more ago. The [[Quickening Cold Meat|bitter gifts]] of [[Winter magic]] have a way of lingering. Perhaps it was those lingering spirits who fought beside the Iron Helms that drew the black-eyed gaze of the ''Devourer of the Fallen'' here in the first place. Either way, every Varushkan knows that death is certain, and rarely pretty.

Dwelling on the dead does not pave the path to victory, however, and the soldiers of the Golden Axe are rarely given to introspection when there is battle to be joined. It is not the dead, or their echo, that faces them in the Lower Tarn Valley but the very real threat of the remaining Druj and the [[Region_qualities#Poisoned|poisonous]] legacy of [[Ashes#Objective:_Prevent_the_use_of_the_Sephals_Cauldron|Sephals Cauldron]] that occupies their thoughts. The Last Battle scouts warned the Varushkans how bad it was, but even so they are barely prepared.

Its been two years since the Druj spilled Sephals Cauldron in the Lower Tarn, in an effort to punish Imperial armies fighting in the territory, and a failed attempt to spread their wickedness into the Barrens. Since then, time and [[Spring magic]] both have worked a terrible transformation on the once-fertile Lower Tarn Valley. With the waters poisoned, much of the vegetation here has died and rotted, creating a foul-smelling miasma that hangs at the bottom of the valley like a curse. The skeletons of people, oxen, and beasts lie in stagnant pools of filth, undisturbed by scavengers or predators, food only for the flies that everywhere swarm in buzzing black clouds. What few trees remain, hardy enough to resist or with roots deep enough to reach untainted water far below, are still clearly sick. Their fruit is blotched, marred by the taint of venom, and the first fool to ignore the caution of their friends and pluck a misshapen apple from a sagging bough dies raving within the day.

Not everything is dead - mushroom and fungus both prosper here, feeding on death, untouched by the residue of that twisted cauldron. A particular kind of moss, of all things, has adapted to the poison in the worst possible way. ''Toragh's Beard'' as it has been named by the Navarr, in "honour" of an infamous master of the poisoners arts, hangs in strands from dying trees and the moisture that drips from it contains concentrated venom that burns the skin like acid. Some of the great insects that Therunin is known for have survived, but as with the trees they show signs of sickness. Many have clearly been driven mad by constant pain. Even here, though, their numbers are greatly depleted. One of the things that presses on the awareness of the Varushkan soldiers is the oppressive silence. For hours on end the only sounds are those of boots squelching in mud, the splash of feet in shallow water, ragged breathing, the susurrus of dying wind through dead reeds.

==Those Left Behind==
{{CaptionedImage|file=Druj2.jpg|title=The Razor Skink - symbol of the Chikad|caption=The Razor Skink - symbol of the Chikad|align=right|width=200}}
The Golden Axe are not here for a nature walk though, they are [[Army orders#Overwhelming Assault|here to conquer]]. There are still Druj in the Lower Tarn Valley. Most have taken over the abandoned steadings, or the settlements once raised by the [[Great Forest Orcs]]. At first they present a nearly negligible threat to the Varushkan warriors, armed with up-to-date intelligence provided by the Last Battle steading. It is also clear that, with the route east into Sarangrave sealed by the vallorn and the Empire, they have fragmented and fallen to that factionalism that so often overcomes the barbarians of the Mallum where there is neither outside threat, nor a strong leader to keep them together.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on where one stands, news of the Golden Axe spreads in widening ripples across the Tarn Valley, and up into Peakedge Song. The first few engagements go overwhelmingly in favour of the Varushkans, the Druj barely able to respond before their life-blood spills out onto the poisoned ground. Then, after less than a week, the silence is riven by the pounding of drums, those great echoing drums some Druj use to communicate over great distances. "''Beware!''" they shout to those who know how to understand their tongue. "''The Empire comes! The Het summons!''"

A [[Druj_champion#Het|Het]], then, in the Lower Tarn Valley. The Navarr had rumours of such a thing - a warlord of one of the [[Arkad]] who sought to weld the Druj remnants in Therunin into some kind of order. ''Egrech Skinrazor'', a second-rate [[Arkad#Chikad|Chikad]] commander marooned in western Therunin when they fled the fall of Eastring to the vallorn. With the backing of neither [[Druj lore#Buruk Tepel|Buruk Tepel]] nor sept, they brought together the remaining ''Tepel'' apothecaries and sought to kill any who would not accept their "protection". Controlling the [[potion|potions]] and [[herb|herbs]] the Druj are used to having in profusion, they seek to control those left in the Tarn Valley. The Last Battle say they have done well, considering the naturally treacherous nature of the Druj.

From that point on, the fighting is a little less one sided. Oh, there is never any doubt the Golden Axe will prevail. There are nearly seven thousand Varushkan warriors, possessed of supernatural strategic acumen, supported by scouts who have made a study of both the weaknesses and strengths of the forces here. Yet there is a cost to their victories; soldiers lives are spent to overrun the barbarians' positions. The poison that seeps into everything begins to take a toll of its own; supplies of fresh water and wholesome food are all very well but there is only so much that can be done. Open wounds allow poison to seep into the blood. Even something as simple as slipping in the mud, never mind being knocked prone by some renegade [[Arkad#Pakkad|pakkad]] in the fury of battle, can lead to tainted water or droplets of poisoned mud being swallowed. The healers that accompany the Varushkans do their best, but the pace has been set hard and fast. The emphasis here is on ''victory'' and all too often a [[surgical skills#Physick|physick]] arrives to find their patient already cooling.
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The Druj are not the only people in the Tarn Valley, however. There are a handful of isolated Navarr steadings who have refused to leave. Through everything - the rampage of the Druj and the poisoning of the marshes and the rousing of the vallorn - they have remained steadfast. Most paid the ultimate price, tortured by the invaders or forced to seek the cold oblivion of [[Kaela#The_Gift_of_Kaela|Kaela's Gift]]. Some withdrew to the places they knew the Druj would not follow, into the depths of [[Therunin#Greenheart|Greenheart]], and while many were lost as Tharunind awoke, others survived and continue to strike against the Druj encampments to the north.

Some of these steadings emerge as the Varushkans press south into the Tarn Valley. They are on the verge of collapse, starved of provisions and supplies, but still they fight. There is no doubt that some of them have heard the words of ''Wastewalker'', and like ''Dochas of the Weeping Glade'' have taken his gifts, but now is not the time to balance that scale. It is not the Varushkan way to question those who feel they must take dark bargains to survive and as long as they are discreet, most soldiers do not pry too closely. Don't ask questions you don't want answered, older soldiers tell their younger comrades. It is for [[general|generals]] and [[archmage|archmages]] and priests to argue over the right and the wrong of tainted weapons, not those who know they must face the greater darkness. Even so there are a few too far gone to trust. The thorns of ''Willowjoy Steading'', who file their teeth to points, who wear armour decorated with flayed orc faces, and who openly fight alongside the long-armed, black-clawed, shaggy beasts of the [[Realms#Winter|Wasteland]] receive short shrift. When a Varushkan soldier spies them gnawing their way into the belly of a fallen Druj, the response is swift, merciless, and bloody.

Realistically it is only a few of the emerging Navarr who are suspect. The rest have done what their people always do. Scattered, hidden, prepared, rationed their food, and water, and arrows. Made contingencies, used their mastery of woodcraft to scout and where possible ambush or assassinate. They may treat the Varushkans with a little suspicion - more than one voices surprise it is the Golden Axe and not the [[Black Thorns]] or the [[Quiet Step]] that have come to Therunin and the small number of orcs of the Great Forest who fled with them have their own reason to be cautious of Varushkan warriors. Yet for all that, they nonetheless welcome the Imperial soldiers as cousins, and a welcome sign the Empire has not forgotten them. Their intelligence, added to that provided by the Last Dance, paints a more detailed picture of life in the Lower Tarn Valley.

''Egrech Skinrazor'' has gathered his forces around him at the ''Razorhill'' - the ruins of what was once the [[Therunin#Holt_of_the_Oak_(ruined)|Holt of the Oak]]. Partially reinforced with [[weirwood|wood]] from the Thimble - before the tendrils of the vallorn sealed all access to the weirwood grove - they fly poorly-painted banners of black lizards from their palisade, and adorn the walls with mortal remains stolen from the defiled [[Navarr_culture_and_customs#Funerals|corpse glades]]. They raid those other septs who do not bow to Egrech's dominion, seeking always to claim the herbs they need to ensure their warriors continue to resist the very taint the Druj brought to the Lower Tarn. They trade their jealously hoarded supply of weirwood to the warlords of the Upper Tarn and Peakedge for more herbs but their reserves must by now be dwindling.

It is ironic, perhaps, that a region once known for the generosity of its herb gardens has been so ruined that even [[true vervain]] must be carefully rationed. A perfect example of the madness of the Druj.

==On Razorhill==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Thorns.png|align=left|width=400}}</div>
The ''Blackrazor'' aspire to be a sept but they are really little more than a rabble of murderers and thieves. Egrech may fancy themselves a great het, but they are clearly nothing more than a scrabbling power-hungry fool desperate to enforce their will on those weaker than them, living in fear of those stronger. For all their talk, as the Golden Axe approach the low hill where the Holt of the Oak once stood the forces "loyal" to Egrech are quick to retreat behind their ramshackle walls. Once a beautiful structure of living wood and timber shaped by the Great Forest Orcs as a sign of their alliance with the Navarr, the Razorhill is little more than a lopsided palisade with a handful of watch towers surrounded by a shallow moat. The moat, rather than the walls or the wooden towers, is the real danger here. The foul, filthy water that fills it stinks like an open sewer but there are telltale rainbow patterns on the surface that speak of the concentrated poison that fills the wide trench.

The Golden Axe do not waste time when they arrive. Forewarned by the Navarr, they carry as part of their baggage train three dozen tree trunks cut down on the edges of the Bleaks where the trees still stand hale and hearty. They also have two wagons filled with the rubble and ruin of the broken steadings and settlements they have dealt with on their route here. Even as Druj archers begin their hail of arrows on the attackers, the Golden Axe raise their heavy shields to protect those charged with putting these preparations to good use. Bridges are laid down, and sections of the trench are filled with rubble, allowing the Varushkans to chop their way through the leaning perimeter wall and force the Druj to face them directly.

Egrech Razorscale has tried to rule by fear, and it shows. Without the bare minimum protection granted by keeping the Golden Axe at bowlength, any suggestion of discipline or coordination melts like ice on an anvil. As veterans of the Mallum know, however, desperation makes these barbarians more dangerous, not less. Flame erupts as some of the tents and shanty buildings catch fire; cornered Druj hurl themselves with murderous fury at the attackers. Many are clearly using the preparation the Imperial Orcs euphemistically dubbed ''[[Double-sided Blade#Warming Armour|Warming Armour]]'' but the Druj know as ''Warspice''. It drives them into a frenzy, lets them fight long after the point where they should have collapsed, but when they finally succumb to their wounds death claims them quickly, the blood flowing hot and fast into the churned mud within the walls of Razorhill.

The cunning Druj still have surprises for the Empire. With half the army on one side of the shallow, poison moat and the rest inside the walls of Razorhill, a hundred or so orc barbarians erupt from hides and shallow pits along their flanks. It's a tactic the barbarians have used before, but never in such poisoned earth. Many of the ambushers show signs of spreading poison, but they hardly seem to care - ''[[Double-sided_Blade#Weakening Sun|Corpseskin]]'' the Druj call it, a drug that removes pain but makes those who use it all too pliable and suggestible. They fight with a grim determination, grinning as the Varushkans hack them apart. For a brief period it looks like this attack might cause some real problem for the Imperial forces - many of the hidden orcs bear bows that they use with deadly accuracy despite their drugged state.
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Then, without warning, the ambushers are themselves ambushed. A cohort of silent Navarr appear seemingly out of nowhere, and rain their own arrows down on the attackers from behind. Caught between the Varushkan anvil and the Navarr hammer, the balance shifts catastrophically against the Druj attackers. They fall pierced by red-fletched shafts or hewn by iron axes. For a moment, the two forces stare at each other over the pile of bodies; then the unexpected archers disappear back into the gathering darkness of late evening. Some of the thorns fighting with the Varushkan army later identify them as warriors of the Weeping Glade; those who have gathered to the banner of ''Dochas'' and openly bear the fell boons offered by ''Whisperer''.

Inside the palisade, the fighting is almost done when Egrech Razorscale reveals the final element of their trap. The fire that spreads among the tents is not an accident; barrels of oil and pitch gathered from conquered steadings have been cunningly hidden in the rough encampment. Some of the Druj have concealed themselves with hand-axes and as the fire spreads they smash these barrels flooding sections of the ruined keep with a horrible, sticky, flammable substance. Others hurl clay pots full of the stuff and follow them with lit torches. Within minutes, the flames are beyond control. The Varushkans are forced to pull back, as walls of fire erupt into the darkened sky.

Unfortunately for the Druj, the soldiers of the Golden Axe are neither fools nor bloodthirsty barbarians. Once it is clear what is happening the retreat sounds and the army falls back across the bridges to the other side of the moat. Razorhill is consumed, the roaring of the conflagration almost drowning out the screams of the Druj left behind, immolated by flames set by their own leader. The tongues of fire leap high into the sky, visible for miles across the flat, poisoned marshes.

Egrech Razorscale is not here. The self-styled het of the Blackrazors was never here. Along with the tepel herbalists they had impressed, along with the core of their supporters, they have fled west towards the Upper Tarn Valley, leaving the bulk of those foolish enough to trust to their leadership to die. Sacrificed to try and harm the Varushkan army enough that it would give up, perhaps. If that was the intent of the Razorscale, it represents a woeful lack of understanding of the Varushkan spirit.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Ripple effect on water.jpg|caption=Despite the victory of the Golden Axe, the insidious poison created by Sephals Cauldron continues to taint the Lower Tarn Valley.|align=right|width=400}}</div>

==Mopping Up==
Over the next few weeks, the Golden Axe meet with limited resistance. Any Druj who were not lured to Razorhill by Egrech's hollow promise of security, or who did not flee west, are mercilessly and swiftly dealt with. As the Autumn Equinox gets closer, the Golden Axe declares victory. There are still a few warbands of Druj here and there but they are in disarray, fleeing, easy prey for anyone who would hunt them.

Very few prisoners or slaves were liberated from the Druj encampments; presumably any Navarr that had not fled or sought sanctuary in the isolated steadings chose to take that bitter gift that [[Kaela]] offers Imperial citizens captured by the Druj. There are a handful of terrified orc thralls, dragged here by the Druj when they thought they might make Therunin a part of the Mallum, who cower from the Varushkans as they cowered from their cruel overlords. The Golden Axe have minimal comfort to offer them, but most are taken in by the Navarr who still abide in Therunin.

There is one unexpected treasure amidst the rot and ruin of Therunin. One of the last Druj encampments dealt with by the Golden Axe lies along the raised road that once connected the Lower Tarn Valley to Eastring. Here, concealed beneath canvas and mud, the soldiers uncover wagons laden with weirwood. There's no doubt that this is a shipment of wains from the Thimble, likely being transported west to shore up Druj defences as the vallorn ate their settlements to the east. It is only a fraction of the bounty of the Thimble - five wains - but even so it is doubtless better to deny the Druj this treasure. The Golden Axe take custody of the material. Even this offers scant comfort, however, to those sickened by the poison that still infests the marshes here. To those who have lost comrades, friends, loved ones to the Druj or to the mud. Maybe as many as three hundred soldiers have died here, more often to the terrible residue of Sephals Cauldron that to the fight with the Druj - and that poison is not going anywhere any time soon.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Regionsoftherunin.png|title=Regions of Therunin|align=right|width=400}}
==Game Information==
===Therunin===
* '''The Golden Axe have claimed the region of the Lower Tarn Valley
* '''The General of the Golden Axe has received 5 wains of weirwood recovered from Therunin
* '''The Druj still control Peakedge Song, Upper Tarn Valley, and East Ashes; Sweetglades, Greenheart, and Eastring are completely dominated by the vallorn
* '''Lower Tarn Valley still has the poisoned quality
The Empire now controls the ruins of the Lower Tarn Valley. The Druj control three regions, and the vallorn controls the other three. As such, no one force has overall control of the territory. The Lower Tarn Valley still has the [[Region_qualities#Poisoned|poisoned]] quality, and will cause casualties to any Imperial armies that fight there or move through it on their way to attack somewhere else. A key element in the victory here was the assistance of Last Battle Wayhouse in the Barrens - the fact the Lower Tarn Valley has the [[Region_qualities#Under_Threat|Under Threat]] quality provided a major advantage toward claiming an actual beachhead in the territory. The Imperial attack also benefitted from the support of Dochas and the warriors of the Weeping Glade, who attacked at the pivotal moment at the battle of Razorhill.

The General of the Golden Axe has received 5 wains of weirwood, recovered from the territory. While the weirwood clearly came from the groves of the [[Thimble]], it is legally the property of the general.

None of the military units supporting the Golden Axe received a share of the Imperial Guerdon.

There are a few Navarr steadings in Therunin that resist the Druj, the most prominent being that led by [[The_keys_of_blood#The_Beast_Below_(Agramant)|Dochas of the Weeping Glade]]. The wicked eternal [[Agramant]] has been offering aid to the Navarr to take back their territory from the Druj, while denouncing the Empire for abandoning the territory and the people who remain here. There are signs of heralds of the Whisperer everywhere in Therunin, but the situation does not seem to have got any worse in the last season at least.

The stretch of land controlled by the vallorn that runs across the middle of Therunin creates a strategic challenge, similar to that which exists in [[Brocéliande]] and once caused problems in [[Liathaven]]. It is not possible to move between East Ashes to the south and the northern regions of the territory, and vice versa, without passing through the vallorn. Any fighting there would be considered a separate engagement to fighting in the north, and the [[A_bright_cerulean_flame|recent engagement]] of the Pilgrim's Defiance there indicates that there is still a Druj presence in East Ashes centred around the Feverwater Docks.

===Poisoned Marsh===
* '''The poisoned quality presents a strategic challenge
The [[Region_qualities#Poisoned|poisoned]] quality means that each Imperial campaign army that moves through, or fights in, the region suffers 250 casualties during that season of campaigning (which may be increased by the orders issued to the army). The ritual [[Why Sulemaine Walked Away From The Baker]] protects an army from this effect, but orders have no effect to reduce these casualties.

The Empire now has a beachhead in Therunin, but the virulence of the poisoned quality there presents a challenge to any attempts to use that beachhead to attack the [[Therunin#Upper Tarn Valley|Upper Tarn Valley]]. There are two options here:
* Imperial forces could move to attack Upper Tarn Valley, using the beachhead they have created here. If they do so, any army participating will suffer the effects of the poisoned quality.
* Alternatively, they could pull back out of Therunin and attack the Upper Tarn Valley from [[the Barrens#Hope's Rest|Hope's Rest]] - avoiding the poisoned quality but needing to take a new beachhead to do so.

All this presupposes that the poisoned quality still persists, of course.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|title=Imperial Apothecaries' Guild|align=right|width=240}}
===Sucking the Poison===
* '''Members of the Imperial Apothecaries Guild could act to treat the poison in the Lower Tarn Valley'''
* '''Any member of the sodality that takes the special action to treat the poison for the season will see their production halved'''
* '''The work will require at least 30 members of the sodality to act each season to make progress'''
* '''Two seasons of success will be required to clear the poison'''
* '''It will cost the Imperial treasury thirty thrones each season until the poison is removed'''
The "antidote" to the Druj poison is known thanks to the [[Imperial Apothecaries Guild]]. [[Wasp_nest#Isolating_an_Antidote|Ioric's Elixir]] is a herbal preparation that can be combined with fresh water to cleanse the Lower Tarn Valley of the horror Sephals Cauldron has created here. Indeed, shortly after the [[Imperial sodality]] was formed, they tried to deal with the poison but ran afoul of an invading Druj army and were forced to abandon their efforts. The [[Senate]] already [[386YE_Winter_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Imperial_Apothecaries_Guild_to_Therunin|instructed]] the Apothecaries Guild to apply the antidote in 383YE so there's no need for further license to empower the sodality to get to work. All that is required is for the sodality to meet and vote to begin their work in the Lower Tarn Valley. A simple majority of the members attending a meeting to discuss the matter would be sufficient, and even if they were to vote not to undertake the effort immediately, as long as the situation didn't change dramatically there'd be no problem with them delaying a season or two.

Unfortunately, as mentioned already, the two years that have passed since the [[opportunity]] was first presented have not been kind. The poison has sunk deep into the earth and water of Therunin. The [[Wasp_nest#Practical_Solutions|basic principle]] is sound; removing the poisoned quality will take six months, and cost the [[Imperial treasury]] 30 thrones each season. There is some risk - there are still Druj in Therunin - but the enemy there are disorganised and the remaining Navarr and their winter allies are prepared to offer protection to the Guild if need be.

Once the Apothecaries Guild votes to start cleansing the poison, it will cost the Senate 30 Thrones each season until the project is completed or the guild votes to abandon it. It will however require a much more focused effort to actually cleanse the poison, and more expert work not only to deal with the problem itself but to protect those confronting it.

If the sodality votes to undertake the work, it will create a special opportunity in downtime following the event. This opportunity will be available ''only'' to members of the Apothecaries Guild who possess ''either'' the [[Surgical skills#Physick|physick]] or [[Surgical skills#Apothecary|apothecary]] skill. Other characters can roleplay their involvement, but only those with expert knowledge of how to use [[herbs]] will be able to directly contribute to the cleansing of the Lower Tarn Valley. Each season it will require '''at least 30 members''' with the appropriate skill to support the operation, or it will make no headway. It requires two seasons (which need not be consecutive) to complete the work.

The nature of the opportunity varies depending on their personal resource, but involves participating in the cleansing of Lower Tarn Valley. Any character who does so is assumed to either travel to the territory, or to provide support and resources to those doing the work.

* If a character supporting the operation in the Lower Tarn Valley controls a [[fleet]] or [[military unit]], it will be able to take a ''guarding'' [[voyage]] or [[venture]] as appropriate, which will provide a standard military unit or fleet with seven random herbs. Rituals that boost a fleet or military unit that is undertaking a guarding action will benefit as normal.
* A congregation will be able to perform a [[Congregation#Lectures|lecture]] that means they will receive Synod votes as normal but lose ''all'' their [[liao]].
* A character with any other personal resource will lose ''half'' its production for that season.

This personal cost has caused some people associated with the Imperial Apothecaries Guild to question the wisdom of trying to deal with the poison - it comes at a significantly greater cost to the members than it would have done two years ago. Nobody has quite come out and said it, but perhaps the sodality might wish to negotiate with the Senate to secure some concessions in return for putting their livelihoods - and potentially their lives - on the line.

====Peak Pharmacy====
<div style="float: right; width: 250px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Highborn.png|width=250px}}</div>
* '''The Benefactor of High Chalcis could choose to support the Apothecaries Guild by redirecting herbs from Highguard
* '''The Gardens of High Chalcis would provide no benefits, the Benefactor would lose their sinecure, and the High Herbalist of Sybella would have fewer herbs available to but
* '''Doing so would remove the need for the Senate to pay to support the Apothecaries Guild efforts
The poison in Therunin has advanced to the point where it is no longer feasible for the [[Benefactor of High Chalcis]] to simply [[Benefactor_of_High_Chalcis#Redirect_the_Bounty|redirect the bounty]] of Reikos to [[Wasp_nest#Peak_Pharmacy|resolve it]]. That is not to say that the herbalists of Reikos could not provide valuable assistance. They could however provide the large number of herbs needed and remove the cost to the Imperial Treasury. Instead the majority of the herbs would come from High Chalcis, and any shortfall would be made up by devout herbalists in other parts of [[Highguard]]. As always, however, using this power would mean the [[great work]] would provide no additional herbs to the herb gardens of Reikos during the time it took to clear the poisonous taint, and the Benefactor themselves would receive no personal herbs either. This decision would ''also'' have implications for the [[High Herbalist of Sybella]] – with fewer herbs available to buy in Highguard they would lose access to the top two ranks of their ministry while the purification takes place (this would not impact their ability to buy herbs from the Kruidenkenner however).

Once committed, the effects would start as soon as the Apothecaries Guild chose to begin cleansing the taint, and persist until the corruption was removed from the Lower Tarn Valley, the Benefactor chose to end them with another announcement, or the sodality ended the endeavour.
====Militant Physicks====
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=ValiantPegasus_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=BloodCloak_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''The Valiant Pegasus, Blood Cloaks, or an army under Bound by Common Cause could help clear the poison, reducing the time needed to a single season'''
* '''Any army working in the region would suffer the effects of poison unless protected by the enchantment Why Sulemaine Walked Away From The Baker'''
The poison has sunk in, but there is still a chance for the [[Bloodcloaks]] or [[Valiant Pegasus]] to offer their aid here, even [[Wasp_nest#Militant_Physicks|after two years]]. Unfortunately, things have progressed to the point where it needs much more expert herbal lore than even the physicks of these two armies can easily provide. If either of these armies were to come to Therunin, however, and use their [[Army_qualities#Physick|Tend the Fallen]] order they would reduce the time needed to cleanse the region from six months to three months. There is a risk to such a plan, of course, in that the army would be exposed to the very poison quality they were cleansing. But the magisters of Highguard point out that the Winter ritual [[Why Sulemaine Walked Away From The Baker]] provides protection to soldiers from poison. The Valiant Pegasus – or the physicks of the [[Bloodcloaks]] of [[Wintermark]] – could be defended from the corruption of the Tarn Valley if they bore the enchantment.

Regardless, an army involved in helping to deal with the poisoning of the Lower Tarn Valley would ''not'' be eligible for natural resupply while assisting the Apothecaries Guild.

It would still cost the Imperial treasury 30 thrones, unless the people of Reikos provided their herbs, and still need the Imperial Apothecaries Guild to commit themselves and their resources to the project for a season.

==Further Reading==
* [[Therunin]]
* [[The_keys_of_blood#The_Beast_Below_(Agramant)|The keys of blood]] - 386YE Autumn wind of fortune relating to the interest of Agramant in Therunin
* [[The_thing_with_feathers#Heartbreaking_(Agramant)|The thing with the feathers]] - 387YE Winter wind of fortune about Agramants attitude to Therunin
* [[Ashes#Poison_and_Ashes_(Battle_Opportunity)|Poison and ashes]] - 386YE battle opportunity around Sephals Cauldron
* [[Wasp nest]] - 386 Winter wind of fortune discussing the poisoning of Lower Tarn Valley; while the opportunities here have been superseded the history and context remain the same

The dose makes the poison

2026-08-19T11:26:37Z

Rafferty: /* Further Reading */

[[Category:Winds of War]][[Category:388YE Autumn]][[Category:Military Council]]
<div {{floatleft}}>{{CaptionedImage|file=Axe of Dusk.jpg|align=left|caption=The Golden Axe brave the rotting marshes of Therunin, and the spiteful poison that pools there.|width=500}}</div>
==Gold Axe and Iron Boot==
The rich bayou and dense forests of [[Therunin]] are a shadow of what they once were. Since the [[Ashes#Ring_of_Ashes|surprise assault]] of the Druj a little over two years ago, the [[Navarr]] territory has been torn by war and poison, ravaged by [[Spring magic#Chaos|chaos]] and [[Spring magic#Ruin|ruin]]. The [[Thimble]] was lost, the [[Therunin#Holt_of_the_Oak_(ruined)|Holt of the Oak]] fell, [[Isaella's Dance]] and the [[Iron Helms]] made the ultimate sacrifice to help their allies win free of a Druj trap, the ancient hospital of [[Therunin#Peakedge Stead|Peakege Stead]] the newly built apothecary college of [[Thornsinger#Thornsong House|Thornsong House]] burned, and [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]] withdrew his healing rains from the Empire. Worse, the wicked sorcerors of the [[Druj_armies#Tainted_Basilisk|Tainted Basilisk]] roused the vallorn of Tharunind. Only the [[Songs_like_trees#That_Hill_and_Wood_Shall_Slay|valiant efforts]] of [[Wolves of War|League soldiers]] and [[Golden Sun|Dawnish knights]] saved [[Therunin#Peakedge Stead|Peakedge Stead]] from being overwhelmed; only the courage of [[Pilgrim's Defiance|Highborn pilgrims]] protected [[Therunin#East Ashes|East Ashes]] from [[A_bright_cerulean_flame|being consumed]]. Despite all that sacrifice, all that valourous desperation, [[Therunin#Eastring|Eastring]] was [[Crimson_and_green|still lost]] and while the Druj paid a high price for their arrogance, there is no hope of the steadings or the [[weirwood]] groves being recovered until that day when the Empire takes the final battle to the vallorn.
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<quote by="Vojsuli Cherenkov, General of the Golden Axe">Warriors of the Axe, this season we march to Therunin. We march to where the Iron Helms & Isaella's Dance paid the ultimate price. To where the bonds of Loyalty between Varushka and Navarr were deepened. For too long have the people of Therunin been cut off from our Empire. The dread gaze of Blood-on-the-Snow has turned to the people of Therunin offering false hope. We reject the lies of this Eternal! We march to show the people of Therunin that they are not forgotten. To the Navarr of Therunin, look to the east. We are coming.</quote>
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Into this crucible of pain comes the worst of all possible friends - the [[eternal]] known as ''Twigsnap'', as the ''Giver of Gifts'' and ''Blood on the Snow''. ''He who calls the Lost to Feast''. [[Agramant]]. "''Nobdy else cares about Therunin save me''", he whispers. "''I am the only friend to the people of Therunin''", he claims. "''I will help you take back what the Empire has denied you''", he wheedles. And to be sure he has [[The_thing_with_feathers#Heartbreaking_(Agramant)|offered sweet gifts]], and [[The_keys_of_blood#The_Beast_Below_(Agramant)|despite the warnings]] some of those who still remain in Therunin have heeded his words.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=GoldenAxe Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>

Now the Empire responds, and the warriors of the [[Golden Axe|Axe]] march to Therunin. They march in part to deepen the bonds between [[Varushka]] and Navarr, and to urge the people to reject the false hope offered by the ''Cannibal King''. Up out of the [[Sarangrave#Turan Flats|Turan Flats]] they go, fording the Unnamed River at [[Sarangrave#Turan|Turan]], thence to the [[The_Barrens#The_Bleaks|Bleaks]] and a sojourn at the [[The_Barrens#Last_Battle_Wayhouse|Last Battle Wayhouse]]. There the captains meet with the steading that calls that place home, still, despite the jealous anger of the Karass. The Navarr scouts have kept as close an eye on the [[Therunin#Lower Tarn Valley|Lower Tarn Valley]] as they have on the Sarangrave; they are ready to serve as guides to the poisoned morass the Druj have made of that once-beautiful marshland.

The dour Vaurhskan warriors are bound around with [[Day magic]] that grants vital [[Clarity of the Master Strategist|clarity]] for the battle that is to come. A half-handful of [[Military unit|Imperial captains]] accompany them, but for the most part it is the warriors of the Axe alone that walk south out of the Barrens into the ruin of the Lower Tarn. As they march, orcs watch them from the trees. The Karass resent the Last Battle, and resent the Imperials who visit. They make no effort to impede the army - they are not so brave - but neither do they offer any aid. It's doubtful they have much to give anyway; their warriors are busy in [[the Mallum]] after all.
{{CaptionedImage|file=GeneralGoldenAxe.jpg|caption='''Vojsuli Cherenkov''' (right), General of the Golden Axe|align=right|width=300}}
So, gathering momentum as they go, the Golden Axe leaves the Bleaks and enters a Therunin that is, at least in theory, still held by the Druj.
==Haunted Bayou==
Therunin is haunted, there can be no doubt. For the Golden Axe, it is the spectre of the Iron Helms that they spy beneath the hunched trees of the Tarn Valley. They paid an ultimate price, paid it willingly, and if the story is to be believed some of them still fight on despite having died a year or more ago. The [[Quickening Cold Meat|bitter gifts]] of [[Winter magic]] have a way of lingering. Perhaps it was those lingering spirits who fought beside the Iron Helms that drew the black-eyed gaze of the ''Devourer of the Fallen'' here in the first place. Either way, every Varushkan knows that death is certain, and rarely pretty.

Dwelling on the dead does not pave the path to victory, however, and the soldiers of the Golden Axe are rarely given to introspection when there is battle to be joined. It is not the dead, or their echo, that faces them in the Lower Tarn Valley but the very real threat of the remaining Druj and the [[Region_qualities#Poisoned|poisonous]] legacy of [[Ashes#Objective:_Prevent_the_use_of_the_Sephals_Cauldron|Sephals Cauldron]] that occupies their thoughts. The Last Battle scouts warned the Varushkans how bad it was, but even so they are barely prepared.

Its been two years since the Druj spilled Sephals Cauldron in the Lower Tarn, in an effort to punish Imperial armies fighting in the territory, and a failed attempt to spread their wickedness into the Barrens. Since then, time and [[Spring magic]] both have worked a terrible transformation on the once-fertile Lower Tarn Valley. With the waters poisoned, much of the vegetation here has died and rotted, creating a foul-smelling miasma that hangs at the bottom of the valley like a curse. The skeletons of people, oxen, and beasts lie in stagnant pools of filth, undisturbed by scavengers or predators, food only for the flies that everywhere swarm in buzzing black clouds. What few trees remain, hardy enough to resist or with roots deep enough to reach untainted water far below, are still clearly sick. Their fruit is blotched, marred by the taint of venom, and the first fool to ignore the caution of their friends and pluck a misshapen apple from a sagging bough dies raving within the day.

Not everything is dead - mushroom and fungus both prosper here, feeding on death, untouched by the reside of that twisted cauldron. A particular kind of moss, of all things, has adapted to the poison in the worst possible way. ''Toragh's Beard'' as it has been named by the Navarr, in "honour" of an infamous master of the poisoners arts, hangs in strands from dying trees and the moisture that drips from it contains concentrated venom that burns the skin like acid. Some of the great insects that Therunin is known for have survived, but as with the trees they show signs of sickness. Many have clearly been driven mad by constant pain. Even here, though, their numbers are greatly depleted. One of the things that presses on the awareness of the Varushkan soldiers is the oppressive silence. For hours on end the only sounds are those of boots squelching in mud, the splash of feet in shallow water, ragged breathing, the susurrus of dying wind through dead reeds.

==Those Left Behind==
{{CaptionedImage|file=Druj2.jpg|title=The Razor Skink - symbol of the Chikad|caption=The Razor Skink - symbol of the Chikad|align=right|width=200}}
The Golden Axe are not here for a nature walk though, they are [[Army orders#Overwhelming Assault|here to conquer]]. There are still Druj in the Lower Tarn Valley. Most have taken over the abandoned steadings, or the settlements once raised by the [[Great Forest Orcs]]. At first they present a nearly negligible threat to the Varushkan warriors, armed with up-to-date intelligence provided by the Last Battle steading. It is also clear that, with the route east into Sarangrave sealed by the vallorn and the Empire, they have fragmented and fallen to that factionalism that so often overcomes the barbarians of the Mallum where there is neither outside threat, nor a strong leader to keep them together.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on where one stands, news of the Golden Axe spreads in widening ripples across the Tarn Valley, and up into Peakedge Song. The first few engagements go overwhelmingly in favour of the Varushkans, the Druj barely able to respond before their life-blood spills out onto the poisoned ground. Then, after less than a week, the silence is riven by the pounding of drums, those great echoing drums some Druj use to communicate over great distances. "''Beware!''" they shout to those who know how to understand their tongue. "''The Empire comes! The Het summons!''"

A [[Druj_champion#Het|Het]], then, in the Lower Tarn Valley. The Navarr had rumours of such a thing - a warlord of one of the [[Arkad]] who sought to weld the Druj remnants in Therunin into some kind of order. ''Egrech Skinrazor'', a second-rate [[Arkad#Chikad|Chikad]] commander marooned in western Therunin when they fled the fall of Eastring to the vallorn. With the backing of neither [[Druj lore#Buruk Tepel|Buruk Tepel]] nor sept, they brought together the remaining ''Tepel'' apothecaries and sought to kill any who would not accept their "protection". Controlling the [[potion|potions]] and [[herb|herbs]] the Druj are used to having in profusion, they seek to control those left in the Tarn Valley. The Last Battle say they have done well, considering the naturally treacherous nature of the Druj.

From that point on, the fighting is a little less one sided. Oh, there is never any doubt the Golden Axe will prevail. There are nearly seven thousand Varushkan warriors, possessed of supernatural strategic acumen, supported by scouts who have made a study of both the weaknesses and strengths of the forces here. Yet there is a cost to their victories; soldiers lives are spent to overrun the barbarians' positions. The poison that seeps into everything begins to take a toll of its own; supplies of fresh water and wholesome food are all very well but there is only so much that can be done. Open wounds allow poison to seep into the blood. Even something as simple as slipping in the mud, never mind being knocked prone by some renegade [[Arkad#Pakkad|pakkad]] in the fury of battle, can lead to tainted water or droplets of poisoned mud being swallowed. The healers that accompany the Varushkans do their best, but the pace has been set hard and fast. The emphasis here is on ''victory'' and all too often a [[surgical skills#Physick|physick]] arrives to find their patient already cooling.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; margin: 15px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NBNavarr.jpg|align=right|width=200}}</div>
The Druj are not the only people in the Tarn Valley, however. There are a handful of isolated Navarr steadings who have refused to leave. Through everything - the rampage of the Druj and the poisoning of the marshes and the rousing of the vallorn - they have remained steadfast. Most paid the ultimate price, tortured by the invaders or forced to seek the cold oblivion of [[Kaela#The_Gift_of_Kaela|Kaela's Gift]]. Some withdrew to the places they knew the Druj would not follow, into the depths of [[Therunin#Greenheart|Greenheart]], and while many were lost as Tharunind awoke, others survived and continue to strike against the Druj encampments to the north.

Some of these steadings emerge as the Varushkans press south into the Tarn Valley. They are on the verge of collapse, starved of provisions and supplies, but still they fight. There is no doubt that some of them have heard the words of ''Wastewalker'', and like ''Dochas of the Weeping Glade'' have taken his gifts, but now is not the time to balance that scale. It is not the Varushkan way to question those who feel they must take dark bargains to survive and as long as they are discreet, most soldiers do not pry too closely. Don't ask questions you don't want answered older soldiers tell their younger comrades. It is for [[general|generals]] and [[archmage|archmages]] and priests to argue over the right and the wrong of tainted weapons, not those who know they must face the greater darkness. Even so there are a few too far gone to trust. The thorns of ''Willowjoy Steading'', who file their teeth to points, who wear armour decorated with flayed orc faces, and who openly fight alongside the long-armed, black-clawed, shaggy beasts of the [[Realms#Winter|Wasteland]] receive short shrift. When a Varsuhkan soldier spies them gnawing their way into the belly of a fallen Druj, the response is swift, merciless, and bloody.

Realistically it is only a few of the emerging Navarr who are suspect. The rest have done what their people always do. Scattered, hidden, prepared, rationed their food, and water, and arrows. Made contingencies, used their mastery of woodcraft to scout and where possible ambush or assassinate. They may treat the Varsuhkans with a little suspicion - more than one voices surprise it is the Golden Axe and not the [[Black Thorns]] or the [[Quiet Step]] that have come to Therunin and the small number of orcs of the Great Forest who fled with them have their own reason to be cautious of Varushkan warriors. Yet for all that, they nonetheless welcome the Imperial soldiers as cousins, and a welcome sign the Empire has not forgotten them. Their intelligence, added to that provided by the Last Dance, paints a more detailed picture of life in the Lower Tarn Valley.

''Egrech Skinrazor'' has gathered his forces around him at the ''Razorhill'' - the ruins of what was once the [[Therunin#Holt_of_the_Oak_(ruined)|Holt of the Oak]]. Partially reinforced with [[weirwood|wood]] from the Thimble - before the tendrils of the vallorn sealed all access to the weirwood grove - they fly poorly-painted banners of black lizards from their pallisade, and adorn the walls with mortal remains stolen from the defiled [[Navarr_culture_and_customs#Funerals|corpse glades]]. They raid those other septs who do not bow to Egrech's dominion, seeking always to claim the herbs they need to ensure their warriors continue to resist the very taint the Druj brought to the Lower Tarn. They trade their jealously hoarded supply of weirwood to the warlords of the Upper Tarn and Peakedge for more herbs but their reserves must by now be dwindling.

It is ironic, perhaps, that a region once known for the generosity of its herb gardens has been so ruined that even [[true vervain]] must be carefully rationed. A perfect example of the madness of the Druj.
==On Razorhill==
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Fire and thorns.jpg|align=right|width=400}}</div>
The ''Blackrazor'' aspire to be a sept but they are really little more than a rabble of murderers and thieves. Egrech may fancy themselves a great het, but they are clearly nothing more than a scrabbling power-hungry fool desperate to enforce their will on those weaker than them, living in fear of those stronger. For all their talk, as the Golden Axe approach the low hill where the Holt of the Oak once stood the forces "loyal" to Egrech are quick to retreat behind their ramshackle walls. Once a beautiful structure of living wood and timber shaped by the Great Forest Orcs as a sign of their alliance with the Navarr, the Razorhill is little more than a lopsided palisade with a handful of watch towers surrounded by a shallow moat. The moat, rather than the walls or the wooden towers, is the real danger here. The foul, filthy water that fills it stinks like an open sewer but there are telltale rainbow patterns on the surface that speak of the concentrated poison that fills the wide trench.

The Golden Axe do not waste time when they arrive. Forewarned by the Navarr, they carry as part of their baggage train three dozen tree trunks cut down on the edges of the Bleaks where the trees still stand hale and hearty. They also have two wagons filled with the rubble and ruin of the broken steadings and settlements they have dealt with on their route here. Even as Druj archers begin their hail of arrows on the attackers, the Golden Axe raise their heavy shields to protect those charged with putting these preparations to good use. Bridges are laid down, and sections of the trench are filled with rubble, allowing the Varushkans to chop their way through the leaning perimeter wall and force the Druj to face them directly.

Egrech Razorscale has tried to rule by fear, and it shows. Without the bare minimum protection granted by keeping the Golden Axe at bowlength, any suggestion of discipline or coordination melts like ice on an anvil. As veterans of the Mallum know, however, desperation makes these barbarians more dangerous not less. Flame erupts as some of the tents and shanty buildings catch fire; cornered Druj hurl themselves with murderous fury at the attackers. Many are clearly using the preparation the Imperial Orcs euphemistically dubbed ''[Double-sided Blade#Warming Armour|Warming Armour]]'' but the Druj know as ''Warspice''. It drives them into a frenzy, lets them fight long after the point where they should have collapsed, but when they finally succumb to their wounds death claims them quickly, the blood flowing hot and fast into the churned mud within the walls of Razorhill.

The cunning Druj still have surprises for the Empire. With half the army on one side of the shallow, poison moat and the rest inside the walls of Razorhill, a hundred or so orc barbarians erupt from hides and shallow pits along their flanks. It's a tactic the barbarians have used before, but never in such poisoned earth. Many of the ambushers show signs of spreading poison, but they hardly seem to care - ''[[Double-sided_Blade#Weakening Sun|Corpseskin]]'' the Druj call it, a drug that removes pain but makes those who use it all too pliable and suggestible. They fight with a grim determination, grinning as the Varushkans hack them apart. For a brief period it looks like this attack might cause some real problem for the Imperial forces - many of the hidden orcs bear bows that they use with deadly accuracy despite their drugged state.
{{CaptionedImage|file=AgramantArt.jpg|align=right|width=200}}
Then, without warning, the ambushers are themselves ambushed. A cohort of silent Navarr appear seemingly out of nowhere, and rain their own arrows down on the attackers from behind. Caught between the Varushkan anvil and the Navarr hammer, the balance shifts catastrophically against the Druj attackers. They fall pierced by red-fletched shafts or hewn by iron axes. For a moment, the two forces stare at each other over the pile of bodies; then the unexpected archers disappear back into the gathering darkness of late evening. Some of the thorns fighting with the Varushkan army later identify them as warriors of the Weeping Glade; those who have gathered to the banner of ''Dochas'' and openly bear the fell boons offered by ''Whisperer''.

Inside the palisade, the fighting is almost done when Egrech Razorscale reveals the final element of their trap. The fire that spreads among the tents is not an accident; barrels of oil and pitch gathered from conquered steadings have been cunningly hidden in the rough encampment. Some of the Druj have concealed themselves with hand-axes and as the fire spreads they smash these barrels flooding sections of the ruined keep with a horrible, sticky, flammable substance. Others hurl clay pots full of the stuff and follow them with lit torches. Within minutes, the flames are beyond control. The Varushkans are forced to pull back, as walls of fire erupt into the darkened sky.

Unfortunately for the Druj, the soldiers of the Golden Axe are neither fools nor bloodthirsty barbarians. Once it is clear what is happening the retreat sounds and the army falls back across the bridges to the other side of the moat. Razorhill is consumed, the roaring of the conflagration almost drowning out the screams of the Druj left behind, immolated by flames set by their own leader. The tongues of fire leap high into the sky, visible for miles across the flat, poisoned marshes.

Egrech Razorscale is not here. The self-styled het of the Blackrazors was never here. Along with the tepel herbalists they had impressed, along with the core of their supporters, they have fled west towards the Upper Tarn Valley, leaving the bulk of those foolish enough to trust to their leadership to die. Sacrificed to try and harm the Varushkan army enough that it would give up, perhaps. If that was the intent of the Razorscale, it represents a woeful lack of understanding of the Varushkan spirit.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Ripple effect on water.jpg|caption=Despite the victory of the Golden Axe, the insidious poison created by Sephals Cauldron continues to taint the Lower Tarn Valley.|align=right|width=400}}</div>
==Mopping Up==
Over the next few weeks, the Golden Axe meet with limited resistance. Any Druj who were not lured to Razorhill by Egrech's hollow promise of security, or who did not flee west, are mercilessly and swiftly dealt with. As the Autumn Equinox gets closer, the Golden Axe declares victory. There are still a few warbands of Druj here and there but they are in disarray, fleeing, easy prey for anyone who would hunt them.

Very few prisoners or slaves were liberated from the Druj encampments; presumably any Navarr that had not fled or sought sanctuary in the isolated steadings chose to take that bitter gift that [[Kaela]] offers Imperial citizens captured by the Druj. There are a handful of terrified orc thralls, dragged here by the Druj when they thought they might make Therunin a part of the Mallum, who cower from the Varushkans as they cowered from their cruel overlords. The Golden Axe have minimal comfort to offer them, but most are taken in by the Navarr who still abide in Therunin.

There is one unexpected treasure amidst the rot and ruin of Therunin. One of the last Druj encampments dealt with by the Golden Axe lies along the raised road that once connected the Lower Tarn Valley to Eastring. Here, concealed beneath canvas and mud, the soldiers uncover wagons laden with weirwood. There's no doubt that this is a shipment of wains from the Thimble, likely being transported west to shore up Druj defences as the vallorn ate their settlements to the east. It is only a fraction of the bounty of the Thimble - five wains - but even so it is doubtless better to deny the Druj this treasure. The Golden Axe take custody of the material. Even this offers scant comfort, however, to those sickened by the poison that still infests the marshes here. To those who have lost comrades, friends, loved ones to the Druj or to the mud. Maybe as many as three hundred soldiers have died here, more often to the terrible residue of Sephals Cauldron that to the fight with the Druj - and that poison is not going anywhere any time soon.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Regionsoftherunin.png|title=Regions of Therunin|align=right|width=400}}
==Game Information==
===Therunin===
* '''The Golden Axe have claimed the region of the Lower Tarn Valley
* '''The General of the Golden Axe has received 5 wains of weirwood recovered from Therunin
* '''The Druj still control Peakedge Song, Upper Tarn Valley, and East Ashes; Sweetglades, Greenheart, and Eastring are completely dominated by the vallorn
* '''Lower Tarn Valley still has the poisoned quality
The Empire now controls the ruins of the Lower Tarn Valley. The Druj control three regions, and the vallorn controls the other three. As such, no one force has overall control of the territory. The Lower Tarn Valley still has the [[Region_qualities#Poisoned|poisoned]] quality, and will cause casualties to any Imperial armies that fight there or move through it on their way to attack somewhere else. A key element in the victory here was the assistance of Last Battle Wayhouse in the Barrens - the fact the Lower Tarn Valley has the [[Region_qualities#Under_Threat|Under Threat]] quality provided a major advantage toward claiming an actual beachhead in the territory. The Imperial attack also benefitted from the support of Dochas and the warriors of the Weeping Glade, who attacked at the pivotal moment at the battle of Razorhill.

The General of the Golden Axe has received 5 wains of weirwood, recovered from the territory. While the weirwood clearly came from the groves of the [[Thimble]], it is legally the property of the general.

None of the military units supporting the Golden Axe received a share of the Imperial Guerdon.

There are a few Navarr steadings in Therunin that resist the Druj, the most prominent being that led by [[The_keys_of_blood#The_Beast_Below_(Agramant)|Dochas of the Weeping Glade]]. The wicked eternal [[Agramant]] has been offering aid to the Navarr to take back their territory from the Druj, while denouncing the Empire for abandoning the territory and the people who remain here. There are signs of heralds of the Whisperer everywhere in Therunin, but the situation does not seem to have got any worse in the last season at least.

The stretch of land controlled by the vallorn that runs across the middle of Therunin creates a strategic challenge, similar to that which exists in [[Brocéliande]] and once caused problems in [[Liathaven]]. It is not possible to move between East Ashes to the south and the northern regions of the territory, and vice versa, without passing through the vallorn. Any fighting there would be considered a separate engagement to fighting in the north, and the [[A_bright_cerulean_flame|recent engagement]] of the Pilgrim's Defiance there indicates that there is still a Druj presence in East Ashes centred around the Feverwater Docks.

===Poisoned Marsh===
* '''The poisoned quality presents a strategic challenge
The [[Region_qualities#Poisoned|poisoned]] quality means that each Imperial campaign army that moves through, or fights in, the region suffers 250 casualties during that season of campaigning (which may be increased by the orders issued to the army). The ritual [[Why Sulemaine Walked Away From The Baker]] protects an army from this effect, but orders have no effect to reduce these casualties.

The Empire now has a beachhead in Therunin, but the virulence of the poisoned quality there presents a challenge to any attempts to use that beachhead to attack the [[Therunin#Upper Tarn Valley|Upper Tarn Valley]]. There are two options here:
* Imperial forces could move to attack Upper Tarn Valley, using the beachhead they have created here. If they do so, any army participating will suffer the effects of the poisoned quality.
* Alternatively, they could pull back out of Therunin and attack the Upper Tarn Valley from [[the Barrens#Hope's Rest|Hope's Rest]] - avoiding the poisoned quality but needing to take a new beachhead to do so.

All this presupposes that the poisoned quality still persists, of course.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|title=Imperial Apothecaries' Guild|align=right|width=240}}
===Sucking the Poison===
* '''Members of the Imperial Apothecaries Guild could act to treat the poison in the Lower Tarn Valley'''
* '''Any member of the sodality that takes the special action to treat the poison for the season will see their production halved'''
* '''The work will require at least 30 members of the sodality to act each season to make progress'''
* '''Two seasons of success will be required to clear the poison'''
* '''It will cost the Imperial treasury thirty thrones each season until the poison is removed'''
The "antidote" to the Druj poison is known thanks to the [[Imperial Apothecaries Guild]]. [[Wasp_nest#Isolating_an_Antidote|Ioric's Elixir]] is a herbal preparation that can be combined with fresh water to cleanse the Lower Tarn Valley of the horror Sephals Cauldron has created here. Indeed, shortly after the [[Imperial sodality]] was formed, they tried to deal with the poison but ran afoul of an invading Druj army and were forced to abandon their efforts. The [[Senate]] already [[386YE_Winter_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Imperial_Apothecaries_Guild_to_Therunin|instructed]] the Apothecaries Guild to apply the antidote in 383YE so there's no need for further license to empower the sodality to get to work. All that is required is for the sodality to meet and vote to begin their work in the Lower Tarn Valley. A simple majority of the members attending a meeting to discuss the matter would be sufficient, and even if they were to vote not to undertake the effort immediately, as long as the situation didn't change dramatically there'd be no problem with them delaying a season or two.

Unfortunately, as mentioned already, the two years that have passed since the [[opportunity]] was first presented have not been kind. The poison has sunk deep into the earth and water of Therunin. The [[Wasp_nest#Practical_Solutions|basic principle]] is sound; removing the poisoned quality will take six months, and cost the [[Imperial treasury]] 30 thrones each season. There is some risk - there are still Druj in Therunin - but the enemy there are disorganised and the remaining Navarr and their winter allies are prepared to offer protection to the Guild if need be.

Once the Apothecaries Guild votes to start cleansing the poison, it will cost the Senate 30 Thrones each season until the project is completed or the guild votes to abandon it. It will however require a much more focused effort to actually cleanse the poison, and more expert work not only to deal with the problem itself but to protect those confronting it.

If the sodality votes to undertake the work, it will create a special opportunity in downtime following the event. This opportunity will be available ''only'' to members of the Apothecaries Guild who possess ''either'' the [[Surgical skills#Physick|physick]] or [[Surgical skills#Apothecary|apothecary]] skill. Other characters can roleplay their involvement, but only those with expert knowledge of how to use [[herbs]] will be able to directly contribute to the cleansing of the Lower Tarn Valley. Each season it will require '''at least 30 members''' with the appropriate skill to support the operation, or it will make no headway. It requires two seasons (which need not be consecutive) to complete the work.

The nature of the opportunity varies depending on their personal resource, but involves participating in the cleansing of Lower Tarn Valley. Any character who does so is assumed to either travel to the territory, or to provide support and resources to those doing the work.

* If a character supporting the operation in the Lower Tarn Valley controls a [[fleet]] or [[military unit]], it will be ale to take a ''guarding'' [[voyage]] or [[venture]] as appropriate, which will provide a standard military unit or fleet with seven random herbs. Rituals that boost a fleet or military unit that is undertaking a guarding action will benefit as normal.
* A congregation will be able to perform a [[Congregation#Lectures|lecture]] that means they will receive Synod votes as normal but lose ''all'' their [[liao]].
* A character with any other personal resource will lose ''half'' its production for that season.

This personal cost has caused some people associated with the Imperial Apothecaries Guild to question the wisdom of trying to deal with the poison - it comes at a significantly greater cost to the members than it would have done two years ago. Nobody has quite come out and said it, but perhaps the sodality might wish to negotiate with the Senate to secure some concessions in return for putting their livelihoods - and potentially their lives - on the line.

====Peak Pharmacy====
<div style="float: right; width: 250px;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Highborn.png|width=250px}}</div>
* '''The Benefactor of High Chalcis could choose to support the Apothecaries Guild by redirecting herbs from Highguard
* '''The Gardens of High Chalcis would provide no benefits, the Benefactor would lose their sinecure, and the High Herbalist of Sybella would have fewer herbs available to but
* '''Doing so would remove the need for the Senate to pay to support the Apothecaries Guild efforts
The poison in Therunin has advanced to the point where it is no longer feasible for the [[Benefactor of High Chalcis]] to simply [[Benefactor_of_High_Chalcis#Redirect_the_Bounty|redirect the bounty]] of Reikos to [[Wasp_nest#Peak_Pharmacy|resolve it]]. That is not to say that the herbalists of Reikos could not provide valuable assistance. They could however provide the large number of herbs needed and remove the cost to the Imperial Treasury. Instead the majority of the herbs would come from High Chalcis, and any shortfall would be made up by devout herbalists in other parts of [[Highguard]]. As always, however, using this power would mean the [[great work]] would provide no additional herbs to the herb gardens of Reikos during the time it took to clear the poisonous taint, and the Benefactor themselves would receive no personal herbs either. This decision would ''also'' have implications for the [[High Herbalist of Sybella]] – with fewer herbs available to buy in Highguard they would lose access to the top two ranks of their ministry while the purification takes place (this would not impact their ability to buy herbs from the Kruidenkenner however).

Once committed, the effects would start as soon as the Apothecaries Guild chose to begin cleansing the taint, and persist until the corruption was removed from the Lower Tarn Valley, the Benefactor chose to end them with another announcement, or the sodality ended the endeavour.
====Militant Physicks====
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{{CaptionedImage|file=BloodCloak_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''The Valiant Pegasus, Blood Cloaks, or an army under Bound by Common Cause could help clear the poison, reducing the time needed to a single season'''
* '''Any army working in the region would suffer the effects of poison unless protected by the enchantment Why Sulemaine Walked Away From The Baker'''
The poison has sunk in, but there is still a chance for the [[Bloodcloaks]] or [[Valiant Pegasus]] to offer their aid here, even [[Wasp_nest#Militant_Physicks|after two years]]. Unfortunately, things have progressed to the point where it needs much more expert herbal lore than even the physicks of these two armies can easily provide. If either of these armies were to come to Therunin, however, and use their [[Army_qualities#Physick|Tend the Fallen]] order they would reduce the time needed to cleanse the region from six months to three months. There is a risk to such a plan, of course, in that the army would be exposed to the very poison quality they were cleansing. But the magisters of Highguard point out that the Winter ritual [[Why Sulemaine Walked Away From The Baker]] provides protection to soldiers from poison. The Valiant Pegasus – or the physicks of the [[Bloodcloaks]] of [[Wintermark]] – could be defended from the corruption of the Tarn Valley if they bore the enchantment.

Regardless, an army involved in helping to deal with the poisoning of the Lower Tarn Valley would ''not'' be eligible for natural resupply while assisting the Apothecaries Guild.

It would still cost the Imperial treasury 30 thrones, unless the people of Reikos provided their herbs, and still need the Imperial Apothecaries Guild to commit themselves and their resources to the project for a season.
==Further Reading==
* [[Therunin]]
* [[The_keys_of_blood#The_Beast_Below_(Agramant)|The keys of blood]] - 386YE Autumn wind of fortune relating to the interest of Agramant in Therunin
* [[The_thing_with_feathers#Heartbreaking_(Agramant)|The thing with the feathers]] - 387YE Winter wind of fortune about Agramants attitude to Therunin
* [[Ashes#Poison_and_Ashes_(Battle_Opportunity)|Poison and ashes]] - 386YE battle opportunity around Sephals Cauldron
* [[Wasp nest]] - 386 Winter wind of fortune discussing the poisoning of Lower Tarn Valley; while the opportunities here have been superseded the history and context remain the same